A Treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace: and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following. Give all diligence to make your calling and Election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. 2. Pet. 1. ver. 10. Printed at London by R. Robinson, for T. Gubbin, and I. Porter. The Contents of the Book. 1 How far a reprobate may go in Christian Religion. 2 The estate of a true Christian in this life: which also showeth how far the Elect being called, go beyond all Reprobates in Christianity. 3 A Dialogue to the same purpose, gathered out of the savoury writings of Master tindal and Bradford. 4 How a Reprobate may perform all the religion of the Church of Rome. 5 The conflicts between Satan and a Christian. 6 How the word of God is to be applied aright unto the conscience, 7 Consolations for the troubled consciences of weak Christians To the right Worshipful and my Christian friend Master Valentine Knightly Esquire, one of her majesties justices of Peace in Northamptonshire. SIR, I pray you consider with me an especial point of God's word carefully to be weighed: it is this. a Mat. 25. 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. Luk. 13. 24. A caveat to all Protestants of what estate or condition soever. Many professors of Christ, in the day of grace, persuade themselves that they are in the estate of grace; and so the true Church esteemeth of them too: yet when the day of grace is past, they contrariwise shall find themselves to be in the estate of damnation remediless. A doleful case, yet a most resolute truth, and the reason is plain. Men that live in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearful security and deadness of heart, by which it comes to pass that they think it enough to make a common protestation of the faith; not once in all their life times, examining themselves whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternal God or not. b 2. Cor. 13. 5. Psa. 119. 59 And indeed it is a grace peculiar to the man Elect to try himself whether he be in the estate of grace or not. The further opening of the truth of this point as also the danger of it, I have enterprised in this treatise: which I am willing to bestow on you; both for the profession of the faith, which you make as also for that Christian friendship, you have showed to me. Accept of it I pray you & use it for your edification. c Act. 20. 32. Thus I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, that is able to build you up further and give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified. From Cambridge this 24. of November. 1589. Your Worships to command. William Perkins. To the Christian Reader. GOod Reader, it is a thing to be considered, that a man may seem both unto himself and to the Church of God to be a true professor of the Gospel, and yet indeed be none. All professors that are of this sort, are excellently described, Luke 8. vers. 13. in these words: And they which are upon the stony ground are they, which when they shall hear, receive the word with joy: but having no root, believe for a time, and in the time of temptation go away: where are to be noted three things. First, their faith, in that they are said to believe for a season. Secondly, the fruits of that faith, in that they are said to receive the word preached with joy. Thirdly, their unsoundness, in that they are compared to stony ground, and in the time of temptation go away. Concerning their faith, whereas the spirit of God saith, that they do believe, these things are to be considered: first, that they have the knowledge of the word of God: secondly, that they both can and do give assent unto the word of God, that it is most true. Thirdly, in more special manner they give assent unto the covenant of grace made in Christ, that it is most certain and sure: and they are persuaded in a general and confused manner, that God will verify the same covenant in the members of his Church. I his is all their faith; which indeed proceedeth from the holy Ghost, but yet it is not sufficient to make them sound professors. For albeit they do generally believe God's promises, yet herein they deceive themselves, that they never apply and appropriate the same promises to their own souls. An example of this faith we have, john 2. vers. 24. where it is said: that when our Saviour Christ came to jerusalem at the feast of Easter, many believed in his name, & yet he would not commit himself unto them, because he knew them all, and what was in them. To come to the second thing, those professors which are endued with thus much grace, as to believe in Christ in a confused manner, go yet further: for this their faith, though it be not sufficient to salvation, yet it showeth itself by certain fruits which it bringeth forth: for as a tree, or a branch of a tree that hath no deep rooting, but either is covered with a few moules, or else lieth in the water, at the season of the year bringeth forth leaves and blossoms, and some fruit too, and that for one or two, or more years: so one that is an hearer of the word, may receive the word, and the word as seed, by this general faith may be somewhat rooted in his heart and settled for a season, and may bring forth some fruits in his life, peradventure very fair in his own and other men's eyes: yet indeed neither sound nor lasting, nor substantial. What these fruits are, it may be gathered forth of these words, where it is said, that they receive the word with joy, when they hear it: for here may be gathered: First, 1. that they do willingly subject themselves to the ministery of the word: secondly, that 2. they are as forward as any, and as joyful in frequenting Sermons: thirdly, that they reverence 3. the Ministers whom they so joyfully hear: lastly, they condemn them of impiety, 4. which will not be hearers, or be negligent hearers of the word. Now, of these and such like fruits, this may be added: though they are not sound, yet they are void of hypocrisy. For the minds of those professors Mark, that there is a true faith, wrought by the holy Ghost, very like saving faith, yet no saving faith. are in part enlightened, and their hearts are endued with such a faith, as may bring forth these fruits for a time: and therefore herein they dissemble not that faith which they have not: but rather show that which they have. Add hereunto, that a man being in this estate, may deceive himself and the most godly in the world, which have the greatest gifts of discerning, how they and their brethren stand before the Lord: like as the fig tree with green leaves deceived our Saviour Christ as he was man: for when in his hunger he came unto it to have had some fruit, he found none. If this be so, it may be then required, how these unsound professors differ from true professors. I answer, in this they differ, that they have not sound hearts to cleave unto Christ jesus for ever. Which appeareth in that they are compared to stony ground. Now, stony grounds mingled with some earth are commonly hot, and therefore have as it were some alacrity and hastiness in them, and the corn as soon as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily, but yet the stones will not suffer the corn to be rooted deeply beneath, and therefore when Summer cometh the blade of the corn withereth with roots and all. So it is with these professors: they have in their hearts some good motions by the holy Ghost, to that which is good: they have a kind of zeal to God's word, they have a liking to good things, and they are as forward as any other for a time, and they do believe. But these good motions and graces are not lasting, but like the flame and flashing of straw and stubble: neither are they sufficient to salvation. With the true professors it is far otherwise: for they have upright and honest hearts before the Lord. Luke 8. vers. 15. And they have faith which worketh by love. Galath. 5. vers. 6. And that Christian man which loveth God, whatsoever shall befall, yea though it were a thousand deaths, yet his heart can never be severed from the Lord and from his Saviour Christ: as the spouse speaketh unto Christ of her own love, Cant. 8. vers. 6. Set me as a seal on thy heart, and as a signet upon thy arm: for love is as strong as death: jealousy is as cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are fiery coals and a vehement flame. Much water cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, they would greatly contemn it. Wherefore (good Reader) seeing there is such a similitude and affinity between the temporary professor of the Gospel, and the true professor of the same: it is the duty of every Christian to try and examine himself whether he be in the faith or not. 2. Cor. 13. vers. 5. And whereas it is an hard thing for a man to search out his own heart, we are to pray unto God that he would give us his spirit to discern between that which is good and evil in us. Now, when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it, he is further to observe and keep it with all diligence. Proverb. 4. vers. 23. that when the hour of death, or the day of trial shall come. he may stand sure and not be deceived of his hope. And for this purpose I have described the most of these small treatises which follow, to minister unto thee some help in this examining and observing of thine own heart. Read them and accept of them, and by the blessing of God they shall not be unprofitable unto thee. 1589. CERTAIN PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW far a man may go in the the profession of the Gospel, and yet be a wicked man and a reprobate. I A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain a Ro. 1. 21. Psal. 19 1. 3. knowledge of God, of common equity among men, of the difference of good from bad: and this is partly from nature, partly from the contemplation of God's creatures, in which the wisdom, the power, the love, the mercy, the majesty of God is perceived. two This knowledge is only general and imperfect, much like the ruins of a Prince's palace: it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good work. For example, the reprobate knoweth that there is a God, and that this God must be worshipped: come to particulars, who God is? what a one he is? how he must be worshipped? Here his knowledge faileth him, and he is altogether uncertain what to do to please God. III By reason of this knowledge, the reprobate doth give consent, and in his heart subscribeth to the equity of God's law: as may appear by the saying of Medea: Video meliora, probóque; deteriora sequor. That is, I know what is best to be done, and like it, yet I do the worst. This approbation in the reprobate cometh from constraint, and is joined with a disliking of the law: in the elect, b Ro. 7. 15. being called the approbation of the law, it proceedeth from a willing & ready mind, and is joined with love and liking. IIII And by reason of this light of nature, a mere natural man, and a reprobate may be subject to some temptations, for example, he may be tempted of the Devil, and of his own corrupt flesh, to believe that there is no God at all. As Ovid saith of himself, Eleg. 3. 8. Solicitor nullos esse putare deos. I am often tempted to think there is no God. V The reprobate for all this knowledge, in his heart may be an Atheist, as David saith: c Psal. 14. 1. Rom. 3. 10. 11. the fool hath said in his heart there is no God. And a man may now a days find houses and towns full of such fools: Nay, this glimmering light of nature; except it be preserved with good bringing up, with diligent instruction, and with good company, it will be so darkened, that a man shall know very little, and lead a life like a very beast: as experience telleth, and David knew very well: who saith, d Psal. 49. 20. Man is in honour, and understandeth not; he is like to beasts that perish. VI Wherefore, this knowledge which the reprobate receiveth from nature, & from the creatures, albeit it is not sufficient to make him do that which shall please God: yet before God's judgement seat, e Act. 14. 71. Rom. 1. 21. it cutteth off all excuse, which he might allege: why he should not be condemned. VII f Heb. 6. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 23. Beside this natural knowledge, the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word, and be illuminated by the holy Ghost, and so may come to the knowledge of the revealed will of God in his word. VIII Thus, when they hear the preaching of the word, God proffereth salvation to them and calleth them: g Matt. 22. 14. Luk. 13. 34. Prov. 1. ver. 24. john. 9 41. Luke 14. 6. yet this calling is not so effectual in them as it is in the elect children of God. For the reprobate, when he is called, he liketh himself in his own blindness, and therefore neither will he; and if he would, yet could he not answer, and be obedient to the calling of God. The elect being called, with speed he answereth, and cometh to the Lord, and his heart being ready, giveth a strong and a loud echo to the voice of the Lord. This echo we see in David's heart: h Psa 27. 8. when (saith he) thou saidst, seek ye my face: mine heart answered unto thee, O Lord, I will seek thy face. And God himself speaketh the same of his children, Zacha. 13. 9 They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, it is my people, (now mark the echo) and they shall say, the Lord is my God. IX After that he hath an understanding of God's word, i He. 10. 26 Act. 1. 16. 17. he may acknowledge the truth of it, and confess it: & if need require, be a defender of it. As judas was, & julian the Apostata. X The reprobate may have a feeling of his sins, & so acknowledge them, & the punishment due unto them: k 1. Sam. 29 21. as Saul did; who said, I have sinned: come again my son David: for I will do thee no harm, because my soul was precious in thy eyes this day: Behold, I have done foolishly, and have erred exceedingly. Thus did Cain, l Gen 4. 13. when he said, my punishment is greater than I can bear. m Eus. li. 8. cap. 17. 18. Galerius Maximinus, a vile persecutor of Christians, had his bowels rotting within him: so that an infinite number of worms continually craulled forth of his body, and such a poisoning stink came from him, that no man could abide him: being thus plagued with the hand of God, he began to perceive his wickedness in persecuting Christians, and he confessed his sins to the true God: and assembling the chief about him, he commanded that all within his Dominions should cease to trouble Christians, and in all hast he made a law for the peace and liberty, and the public meetings of Christians. XI The reprobate hath oftentimes fear and terror of conscience: but this is only, because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God, which is most terrible. When Paul preached before Foelix, & by the majesty of God's spirit, did (as it were) thunder from heaven against his sins, doubtless, he made his heart to ache, and every joint of him to tremble. Socrat. lib. 3. ca 11. Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople, in the days of Constantius, professed Christian religion, and went beyond all other in zeal for the same religion: yet afterward under julian, he fell from that religion unto Gentilism. But after julians' death making means to be received into the Church again, overwhelmed with the horror of his own conscience for his wicked revolting, he cast himself down on the ground before the doors of the Church crying aloud, Calcate me salem insipidum: trample on me unsavoury salt. And the Devil believeth the word of God, and at his own damnation he trembleth. These servile fears, though they harden the heart of the reprobate, as heat doth the iron, after it hath been in the furnace: yet these fears in the children of God, o Act 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15. are very good preparations, to make them fit to receive grace: like as we see the heedle which soweth not the cloth, yet it maketh a passage and entrance for the thread, which serveth for this use, to sow cloth together. XII A reprobate before he commit a sin, is often vexed within himself, and feareth to commit it: not because he hateth and disliketh the sin for itself, but because he can not abide the punishment due unto the sin. p Mark. 6. 20. 26 When the daughter of Herodias danced before Herode, and pleased him: that he might do her a pleasure, he bade her ask what she would▪ she asked john Baptists head in a platter: Herode did grant her request, but yet he had a grudging in heart, and he was sore grieved at it. q Mat. 27. 19 24. In like manner Pilate was very much troubled inwardly, before he condemned our Saviour Christ. XIII After he hath committed a sin, he r Mat. 27. 3. Heb. 12. 17 sorroweth and repenteth: yet this repentance hath two wants in it. First he doth not detest his sin, and his former conversation when he repenteth: he doth bewail the loss of many things which he once enjoyed: he crieth out through very anguish, and through the perplexities which God in his judgement layeth on him: yet for his life, he is not able to leave his filthy sin: and if he might be delivered, he would sin as before. s Gen. 27. 38. & 27. 41. & 28. 9 Esau wept before his father with great yelling & crying, but after he was gone from his father's presence he hated his brother, who had got his blessing, and in contempt of his father, chose him a wife against his father's liking. Pharaoh, as oft as the Lord laid any calamity on him, t Exo. 8. 8. he evermore desired to be delivered from it, yet afterward always he returned to his old bias again. Foelix trembled before Paul: for all that he could not leave his covetousness, but even then he sought for a bribe. Secondly, the repobate, when he repenteth, he can not come unto God, and seek unto him: he hath no power, no not so much as once to desire to give one little sob for the remission of his sins: Math. 7. 7. if he would give all the world he cannot so much as give one rap at God's mercy gate, that he may open to him. He is very like a man upon a Rack, who crieth and roareth out for very pain, yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his pain. u Gen. 4. 4. 1. Sa. 31. 4. Mat. 27, 5. Cain would have been void of his trembling, but he could not ask pardon of his sin from his heart: neither could Saul, or judas, or now can the Devil. XIIII The reprobate may humble himself for some sins which he hath committed, and may declare this by fasting & tears. When Eliah reproved Ahab for his Idolatry, and threatened him from the Lord, it is said, that when he had heard these words, x 1 Re. 21. 27. 29. he rend his clothes, and put sackcloth upon him, and fasted, and went softly in token of mourning: and this humiliation stayed God's wrath for a time. XV. He may confess his sins, even his particular sins before men: but this is only then, when his soul is tormented for them, and can find no ease. For than he sticketh not to utter his secret filthiness to the hearing of all men, and to the open shaming of himself. When God smote all that was in the fields of Egypt with hail, than Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses & Aaron, & said unto them: y Ex. 9 27. Num. 22. 34. I have now sinned, the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked: pray ye unto the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunders, etc. So judas, when he saw that Christ was condemned, and felt an hell in his conscience, broke out, and said, I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood. And the experience of these days giveth fearful examples for the proof of this point. XVI He hath often a desire to be like the children of God, and to be saved: not because he hath any love to the kingdom of God but because he is afraid of hell. As Balaa● overpressed with a fear of god's judgement, prayed thus: Oh that my soul might die the z Num. 23. 10. death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his. XVII. The wicked in their distress may pray to God, and God may hear their prayers, and grant them their request, a Num. 11. 13. as the Israelites, wickedly murmuring against God, desired flesh in the wilderness: God heard their cry, and reigned Quails among them. But God heareth the wicked after one sort, and them that fear him after an other: than that fear him, he granteth their requests of love & mercy: to the other, of indignation and anger. b Num. 11. 33. Psa. 78. 31. As may appear in the Israelites, who when they were in eating of their quails, and the meat was within their teeth, God in his anger struck them with a sore plague. And (which is more strange than this) God hath performed that which he hath promised to the unbelievers, though they refused to ask it at his hands: c Isa. 7. 11. of this thing we have a worthy example in King Achas, who utterly refused to have a sign of his deliverance, and the confusion of his enemy's, when God offered it to him, and yet ●e Lord delivered him. XVIII. The reprobate may yet go further in the profession of religion, and may seem for a ●ime to be planted in the Church: for he doth believe the promises of God made in Christ jesus, yet so that he cannot apply them to himself. In this thing the elect and 1 the reprobate differ. The reprobate, d Luk. 8. 13 generally in a confused manner, believeth that Christ is a saviour of some men: and he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The Elect believeth, that Christ is a saviour of him particularly: The 2 reprobates faith may perish in this life, but the faith of the elect cannot. The reprobate 3 may be persuaded of the mercy and goodness of God towards him for the present time in the which he ●eeleth it: the elect is not only persuaded of the mercies he presently enjoyeth, but also he is persuaded of his eternal election before the foundation of the world, & of his everlasting life, which yet he doth not enjoy: Yea, e job. 13. 15 if God would confound him, and he saw nothing but present death, and hell fire: yet such is his nature, that still he would believe: for faith and hope are no● grounded upon sense and feeling; but are the evidence of those things which were never yet seen or felt. The life of the faithful is hid in Christ, as the sap in the root of the tree: their life is not in sense and feeling, but in hoping and believing: which often times, or contrary to man's sense and feeling, is in David: who saith: Create a new heart in me. Psal. 51. XIX. After that he hath received a general, & a temporal faith in Gods heavenly word, and his most merciful promises of everlasting life contained therein, by the power of the spirit of God, f H●b. 6. 4. Math. 13. 20. he cometh to have a taste in his heart of the sweetness of God's mercies, and a rejoicing, in consideration of the election, adoption, justification, and sanctification of God's children. But what is this taste? I express it thus, after the meaning of God's word. Suppose a banquet prepared, in which are many sweet, and pleasant, and dainty meats: At this banquet, they which are the bidden guests, they must be set down, they see the meats, they taste them, they chaw them in their mouths, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthened by them: they which are not bidden to this ●east, may see the meats, handle them, and ●ast of them, to feel how good they are: but ●hey must not eat and feed of them. The first resemble the elect, which truly eat, digest, and are nourished by Christ unto everlasting life, because they have great abundance of the vital heat of God's holy spirit in them, and do feel sensibly his grace and virtue in them, to strengthen them, and guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which never in truth enjoy Christ, or any of his benefits appertaining to salvation: but only see them, and have in their hearts a vanishing, but no certain or sound feeling of them: so that they may be changed, and strengthened, and guided thereby. To use another similitude. The reprobates have no more feeling, and enjoying of Christ, and his benefits, than those men have of the Sun, which see only a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day, before it riseth. g 2. Pet. ●. 14. 1. joh. ●. ●. Luke 1. 〈◊〉. Esa. 60. 〈◊〉. Contrariwise, the elect, they have the daystar, even the son of righteousness, jesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visit them, the glory of God doth rise upon them: they have their eyes anointed with the ointment of the spirit, which is the true eye salve, and do● plainly behold this son of righteousness they enjoy his presence, they effectually feel his comfortable heat to quicken an● revive them. XX From this sense and taste of God's grace proceed many fruits: as first generally, he may do outwardly all things which true Christians do, and he may lead such a life here in this world, that although he cannot attain to salvation, yet his pains in hell shall be less: which appeareth, in that our Saviour Christ saith: it shall be easier for h Math. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. Tyrus & Sydon, for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for Capernaum, and other Cities unto which he came, in the day of judgement. XXI. Also the reprobate may have a love of God: but this love can be no sincere love, for it is only because God bestoweth benefits and prosperity upon him: As appeareth in Saul, i 1. Sa. 10. 9 Who loved God for his advancement to the kingdom: and here is a difference between the elect and reprobate: the elect love GOD, as children their fathers: but reprobates, as hirelings their masters, whom they affect not so much or themselves, as for their wages. XXII. Also, a reprobate hath often a rejoicing ●n doing those things which appertain to ●he service of God, as preaching & prayer. k Mark. 6. 20 Herod heard john Baptist preach gladly: l Mat. 13. 20. and the second kind of naughty ground receiveth the word preached, with joy. XXIII. A reprobate often desireth them, whom he thinketh to be the children of God, to pray for him m Exod. 9 27. As Pharaoh desired Aaron & Moses to pray to God for him. n Act. 8. 24. So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which he had spoken against him, should come to pass. But yet they cannot pray themselves, o Ro. 8. 16. 26 because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII. He may show liking to God's Ministers, he may reverence them, and fear to displease them p Act. 8. 13. . Thus did Simon Magus, who at Phillip's preaching believed, wondered at his miracles, and kept company with him. q Mar. 6. 20 And Herod is said to fear john, knowing that he was a just man & holy: also he gave reverence to him. Antonius the Emperor, called Pius, though he was n● Christian, r Euseb. lib. 4. yet in a general Parliament hel● at Ephesus, he made an act in the behalf of Christians: that if any man should trouble o● accuse a Christian, for being a Christian: the party accused should go free though he were found to be a Christian, and the accuse● should be punished? s Plin. lib. 10. epi. 97. And Plinius Secundus, governor of Spain under Traianus the Emperor, when he saw an innumerable company of Christians to be executed; being moved with compassion, he wrote in their behalf, being no Christian, unto Traianus to spare them that could be charged with no crime: and his letter is yet extant. XXV He may be zealous in the religion which he professeth, and fall from that profession, as the Galathians did, t Gal. 4. 16. who, after that they had received Paul as an Angel, and would have plucked out their eyes to have done him good: yet they fell from the doctrine which he had taught them to justification by the works of the Law, which flat overthroweth justification by faith alone. u 2. Kin. 10. 〈◊〉. The same appeareth in jehu, who was very zealous for God's cause, and for the defacing of Idolatry, and thereupon God blessed him in his children: yet nevertheless, he was a wicked man, x & 30. 31. and followed ●ha vile sins of jeroboam his father. XXVI y 2. Pet. 2. 20. Hose. 6. 4. 1. Sam. 9 21. After that he hath sinned, he doth in many things in which he is faulty, amend and reform his life, and doth profess great holiness outwardly. Herode, he did many things which john Baptist in preaching moved him unto. Saul, when he was to be chosen king, professed great humility. Sam. 9 21. They may repress their vices & corruptions, and so moderate themselves that they break not out: z Hest. 5. 9 10. as did Haman; of whom it is written: that when he was full of indignation against Mardocheus, yet he refrained himself. And herein the elect and the reprobate differ: for a 1. Thess. 5. 23. the elect are somewhat reform in every one of their sins. But the reprobate, though he be amended in many faults: yet some one fault or other, he cannot abide to have it reform, and by that, in a vile manner the devil wholly possesseth him. As Herode, who did many things, yet would not leave his brother's wife. And no doubt, in judas most of his sins in appearance were mortified: and yet by covetousness the devil possessed him, and held him fast chained in bondage vnd● him. For one sin is sufficient to him, th● by it he may bring a man to damnation. XXVII Beside this, he may have the gift of working miracles, of casting▪ forth devils, of he●ling, and such like: a Math. 7. 22. Mat. 9 38. And this power of d●ing strange miracles, shall be used as an e●cuse of some of the reprobates, in the day ● judgement. XXVIII Ofrentimes, unto him is given the gift of the holy Ghost, to discharge the mo● weighty calling that can be in any Common wealth. And this is meant, when Go● is said b 1. Sam. 10. 9 to give Saul another heart: that is such virtues as were meet for a King. XXIX A reprobate may have the word of Go● much in his mouth, and also may be a preacher of the word: c Mat. 7. 22 for so prophesying in Christ● name, shall be used as an excuse of reprobates: and we know, that among the twelve Apostles, d Act. 1. 16. 17. Coloss. 4. 2. Tim. 4. 10. judas was a reprobate. And this may be well perceived in the resemblance of tasting; which the Author to the Hebrews useth. We know, that Cooks commonly, which are occupied in preparing of banquets, have as much feeling and seeing of the meat, as any other: and yet there is none that eateth less of it, than they: for their stomachs are cloyed with the smell and taste of it: So, in like manner it may come to pass, that the Minister, which dresseth and provideth the spiritual food, may eat the least of it himself: and so, labouring to save others, he may be a reprobate. XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospel, though in deed he be a Goat; yet he is taken for one of God's sheep: he is kept in the same pastures, and is folded in the same fold with them. e joh. 2. 23. 24. 25. He is counted a Christian of the children of God, & so he taketh himself to be; no doubt because through the dullness of his heart, he cannot try and examine himself, and therefore truly cannot discern of his estate; whether he be in Christ or not: and it may be thought, that Satan is ready with some false persuasion to deceive him. For this is his property, that upon whom God threateneth death, there Satan is bold to pronounce life and salvation: as on the contrary, to those, to whom God pronounceth love and mercy, to those (I say) he threateneth displeasure and damnation, such malice hath he against God's children. XXXI And hereby it cometh to pass, that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church, and obey it in the word and discipline, and so be taken for a true member of Christ: The elect may be of the Catholic Church and not of the visible, & the reprobate may be of the visible and not of the Catho like. when as a man in deed regenerate may be excommunicate, and end his life before he be received again: for this is the end of excommunication, a 1. Cor. 5. 5. that the flesh, that is, the part unregenerate, may be destroyed: and the spirit, that is, the part regenerate, may be kept alive in the day of the Lord. Now, the man in whom is spirit and flesh, b Rom. 8. 9 11. must needs be the child of God, because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirit of Christ. Again, Paul when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestuous man, c 2. Cor. 2. 7. 11. lest through the sleight, of Satan he should be overwhelmed of overmuch heaviness, giveth men to understand, that he might have ended his life in great extremity of sorrow before he had been▪ visibly received into the Church again. XXXII Though God will never adopt any reprobate: yet by the adoption of the elect they may receive profit. For they find ●he blessing of God to be on them, by rea●on that they dwell together and have society with the children of God. d Gen. 7. 1, Gen. 19 21 & 18. 32. & 39 3. For Nohes ●ake every one in his family is saved in the ●lood. For Lot's cause the men of Zoar are preserved from the fire. And God would have spared Sodom, if there had been but ten good men in it. For Rahabs' cause, her family and kindred are at liberty in jerico. When joseph was in Putiphars' house, all things prospered well. e 1. Sam. 7. 13. For samuel's cause the Israelites were delivered from the Philistines: f Act. 27, 24. And for Paul's cause they which were with him in the ship, were preserved. And again, a reprobate by means of the faith of either of his parents may be within God's covenant, and so may be made partaker of Baptism, one of the seals of the covenant. Forso God made his covenant with Abraham, g Gen. 17. 7. 10. that he would be not only his God, but also the God of his seed after him: h Gal. 3. 8. which Paul expoundeth not of a few, but of all nations. Also he saith manifestly that those children, either of whose parents are believers, i 1. Cor. 7. 14. Rom. 11. 16 or holy: which holiness is not inherent in their persons, but only outward: and it is a spiritual prerogative granted them of God, in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his covenant: whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and profane men of the world. XXXIII Besides this, reprobates have some prerog●atiues of God: k Rom. 9 22. & 2. 4. 5. Gen 6. 3. as that he is patiented towards them: that before he will destroy them, he useth many means to win them: that they commonly spend all the days of their lives in prosperity: insomuch,▪ that it is said of them in the Psalm: l Psal. 73. 12. that they go in continual prosperity unto their death, and pine not away as the children of God do. m 2. Pet. 2. 22. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 2. The 2. 6. Esa. 6. 10. But after a certain time God in his just judgement hardeneth their hearts, blindeth the eyes of their minds, he maketh their heads giddy with a spiritual drunkenness, and by the strength of their inward lusts, as also by the effectual operation of Satan, they fall to open infidelity, and contempt of God's word, and so run headlong to their own damnation, and perish finally. n Theodor. lib. 3. Hist. cap. 25. Jacob. Bergom. Chron. julian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent, and professed the Religion of Christ, but afterward he fell and wrote a book against the religion of Christ, answered by Cyrill: and on a time, in a battle against the Persians, was thrust into ●he bowels with a dart, no man then knew ●ow, which dart he pulled out with his own ●and, and presently blood followed, which ●s it gushed out, he took it in his hand, and ●loong it into the air, saying, Vicisti Galilaee, ●icisti. O thou Galilean (meaning Christ) thou art the conqueror, thou art the conqueror: thus he ended his days in blaspheming Christ whom he had professed. The reason of this Apostasy is evident. o Math. 13. 28. Seed, that is not deeply rooted in the earth, at the beginning of the year, springeth up; it is green and bringeth forth leaves and flowers, and (it may be) some kind of fruit too: when the heat of summer cometh, it parcheth the earth, and the corn wanting deep rooting, and therefore wanting moisture, withereth away. God's word is like seed; which that it may bring forth fruit unto everlasting life, it must be first received of the ground: secondly, it must be rooted: the receiving of it, is when it pierceth to the heart, and the affections take hold of it. This rooting is of two sorts: the first is, when the word rooteth, but not with the residue of the affections. The second, is a deep and a lively kind of rooting of the word, when the word is received into the mind and into the heart. The first kind of rooting of the word, befalleth to a reprobate, who understandeth, and rejoiceth in the promises of salvation, yet he doth not put any confidence in them: he cannot rest in them, he doth not rejoice that his name is written in the book of life, he doth not work out his salvation with fear & trembling. In a word, his heart is in part softened to rejoice at the preaching of the word of God: p Act. 16. 15 Psa. 119. 32 yet his heart is not opened, as Lydias was: nor enlarged (as David saith) to embrace the truth: but the elect, he receiveth the word. not only into his mind, lest it should be only an imagination, but also it is deeply rooted in his heart. For 1 In full confidence he resteth himself on God's promise. Rom. 8. 38. Hebr. 10. 22. 2 He hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it. 1. Thess. 1. 10. 3 He heartily loveth God, for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. joh. 4. 10. 4 He rejoiceth in it, and therefore doth meditate on it continually. Luke 10. 20. Rom. 5. 2. 5 He hateth all doctrines which are against it. 6 He is grieved when he doth any thing that may hinder the accomplishment of it. Math. 26. 75. 7 He useth the means to come to salvation, but with fear & trembling. Phil. 2. 12. 8 He burneth with zeal of the spirit etc. And so the rest of the affections are exercised about the promises of God in Christ, & by this means, is the deep rooting of the word in the heart. Thus it cometh to pass, that the reprobate falleth away from faith in the day of trial and temptation, but the elect can not be changed. By this which hath been said, the professors of Christian religion are admonished of two things. First, q Phil. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 17 Rom. 11. 20. that they use most painful diligence in working their salvation, in attaining to faith, in dying to sin, in living to newness of life: and that their hearts be never at rest, till such time as they go beyond all reprobates in the profession of Christ jesus: Seest thou how far a reprobate may go? press on the strait gate with main and might: with all violence lay hold on the kingdom of heaven. Shall Herode fear and reverence john Baptist, and hear him gladly? and wilt thou neglect the Ministers, and the preaching of the word? shall Pharaoh confess his sin, nay shall Satan believe and tremble? and wilt not thou bewail and lament thy sins, and thy wicked conversation? it behoveth thee to fear and take heed, least wicked men, and the devil himself rise in judgement and condemn thy life. For if thou shalt come short of the duties of a reprobate, and do not go beyond him in the profession of the Gospel, sure it is, thou must look for the reward of a reprobate. The second thing is, that the professor of the Gospel, r 1. Cor. 11 31. Psal. 19 12. & 119. ver. 59 diligently try and examine himself, whether he is in the state of damnation, or in the state of grace: whether he yet bear the yoke of Satan, or is the adopted child of God. Thou wilt say, this need not, thou professest the Gospel, and art taken for a Christian: Yet mark and consider, that this often befalleth reprobates to be esteemed Christians: and they are often so like them, s Math. 25. 32. 33. that none but Christ can discern the sheep from the Goats, true Christians from apparent Christians. Wherefore it behoveth all men that show themselves to be Christians, to lay aside all pride, and all self-love, and with singleness of heart to put themselves into the balance of God's word, and to make just trial, whether in them repentance, faith, mortification, sanctification, etc. give weight answerable to their outward profession: which if they do, let them praise God: if not, let them with all speed use the means that they may be borne a new to the Lord, and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirit, to give obedience to his will, least in the day of God's trial, they start aside from him like a broken bow, and fall again to their first uncleanness. To conclude, let the most zealous Papist that is, try him and his A caveat to them that are of the church of Rome. whole estate with a single heart, as in the presence of God's majesty, and he shall find, that for all his profession, he doth come short of a reprobate, or at the least not go beyond him in these points before named: God open their eyes that they may see it. Amen. The estate of a Christian man in this life, which also showeth how far the Elect may go beyond the Reprobate, in Christi-anity, & that by many degrees. I THe a Eph. 1. verse 4. 5. 6 7. Elect are they whom Election. God of the good pleasure of his will hath decreed in himself to choose to eternal life, for the praise of the glory of his grace. For this cause the Elect only are said to have their names written in b Apoc. 20 verse 12. the book of life. two Whom God electeth them he calleth Vocation. in the time appointed for the same purpose. This calling of the Elect is nothing else but c 2. Thess. 2 verse 13. 14 a singling and a severing of them out of this vile world, and the customs thereof, to d Eph. 2. 19 be Citizens of the kingdom of heaven, to be of God's household, to e 1 Pet. 2. verse 5. be living stones in the spiritual Temple, which is the Church of God f Gal. 4. verse 26. the company of predestinate to eternal life. And this separation must be made before the end of this life. For this is the order which God taketh, he will have all them to be in his kingdom in this life, that shall be in the kingdom of heaven after this life. And the time of their calling is termed in scriptures, g 2 Cor. 6. verse 2. Luke 19 verse 42. the day of visitation, the day of salvation, the time of grace. III This h Colloss. 2. verse 7. john 15. verse 19 severing and choosing of the elect out of the world, is then performed, when God by his holy spirit endueth them with true saving faith: a wonderful gift peculiar to the elect. For the better knowing of it, there is to be considered: First, what faith is: Secondly, how God doth work it in the hearts of the Elect: Thirdly, what degrees there be of faith: Fourthly, what are the fruits and benefits of faith. IIII Faith is a wonderful grace of God, by What faith is. which the Elect do apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits unto themselves particularly. Here first it is to be considered that the very nature of faith standeth in a certain power of apprehending & applying Christ. This is declared by Paul when he saith i Coloss. 2. verse 12. ye are buried with him through Baptism, by whom ye are also risen again with him by the faith of the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Where it appeareth that faith is made a means to communicate Christ himself, his death and burial, and so all other benefits to the believer. Again to believe in Christ and to k john 1. verse 12. Rom. 5. verse 17. receive or to lay hold on Christ are put one for an other by S. john: which declareth that there is a special applying of Christ. even as we see, when a man hath any thing given him, he reacheth out his hand, and pulleth it to himself and so makes it his own. Moreover faith is called l Gal. 3. verse 27. the putting on of Christ, Which cannot be unless Christ's righteousness be specially applied to the heart, as the garment to the back, when it is put on. Lastly this may appear, in that faith is called m john 6. verse 35. the eating and drinking of Christ, for there is no eating of meat, that nourisheth, but first it must be tasted, and chawed in the mouth, than it must be conveyed into the stomach: and there digested last it is to be applied to the parts of th● body that are to be nourished. And Paul prayeth for the Ephesians: that Christ n Eph. 3. verse 17. ma● dwell in their hearts by faith, which plainly importeth, this apprehending and applying of Christ. I add further that faith is a wonderful grace of God, which may appear: First, in that Paul calleth it * Col. 2. 1●. the faith of God's power, because the power of God is especially seen in the begetting of faith. Secondly, experience showeth it to be a wonderful gift of God: when a man neither seethe, nor feeleth his sins, then to say he believeth in God's mercy, it is an easy matter; but when a man shall feel his heart pressed down with the weight of his sins, and the anger of God for them: then to apply Gods free mercy to his own soul, it is a most hard matter, for than it is the property of the cursed nature of man, to blaspheme God, and to despair of mercy. judas who (no doubt) often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the security of his heart, when God's hand was upon him, and the Lord made him see the vileness of his treachery: he could not comfort himself in Christ, if one would have given him ten thousand worlds, but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himself desperately; which showeth what a wonderful hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sins, then to apply God's mercy to himself. Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can do this, as it may appear in David, o Psal. 77. verse 2. 3. In the day of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord: my sore ran and ceased not, in the night: my soul refused comfort: I did think upon God and was troubled: I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish, and he addeth the word Selah, a note of some wonderful thing. p Psal. 103 verse 1. Again he being almost in the gulfs of hell, even than cried to the Lord for help. job saith, q job. 13. verse 15. If God should destroy him, yet he would for all that believe in him still. Undoubtedly, strange is the band of faith knitting Christ and his members together, that the anguish of spirit cannot, and the strokes of God's hand do not unloose. V This apprehending of Christ is not done by any corporal touching of him, but spiritually by assurance, which is, when the Elect are persuaded in their hearts by the holy ghost, of the forgiveness of their own sins, and of God's infinite mercy towards them in jesus Christ. According to that of r 1. Cor. 2. verse 12. Paul, Now we have received, not the spirit of the word, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are given us of God. The things which the spirit of GOD maketh known to the faithful particularly, are their justification, adoption, sanctification, eternal life: And thus when any are persuaded of these things concerning themselves, they do in their hearts distinctly apply, and appropriate Christ, and his benefits to themselves. VI The manner that God useth in the begetting How God worketh in the heart. of faith is this. First he prepareth the heart that it may be capable of faith. secondly he causeth faith by little and little to spring and to breed in the heart. The preparation of the heart is by humbling and softening of it: and to the doing of this there are four things requisite. The first of them Knowledge is the knowledge of the word of God, both of the law and of the Gospel, without the which there can be no faith; according to that saying of Esaiah. s Esai. 53. vers. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many. And that of john, t joh. 17. 3. This is eternal life that they know thee to be the only very God, and whom thou haste sent jesus Christ. The u job. 33. 23 Ro. 10. 14. only ordinary means to attain faith by, is the word preached: which must be heard, remembered, practised, and continually hid in the heart. The least measure of knowledge, without which a man cannot have faith, is the knowledge of Elements or the fundamental doctrines of a Christian religion. A fundamental doctrine is that, which being once denied, all religion, and all obtaining of salvation is overthrown. This knowledge hath a general faith going with it, which is an assent of the heart to the known truth of God's word: This faith when it is grown up to some great measure, it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the y Coloss. 2. ver. 2. Rom. 14. 14 full assurance of understanding, and it is to be seen in the Martyrs who maintained God's truth against the persecutions of the false Church, unto death. VII Although both elect and reprobate may be enlightened to know the word of God: yet the elect in this thing go far beyond all reprobates: for it is specially said of them, a Ioh 6. 25 Eze. 11. 19 Esay. 50. 5. Psal. 40. 6. Psa. 119. 18 Apo. 3. 18. ●, joh. 2. 27. that God is their schoolmaster, that he softeneth their stony hearts, & maketh them pliable, that he draweth them, that he openeth their senses, hearts, ears, understandings: that the holy Ghost is their anointment, and their eyesalve, to clear the eyes of their mind, to contain the mysteries of God's word. And the difference of illumination in them is threefold. 1. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdom of heaven, is only a general & confused knowledge: but the knowledge of the elect, is pure, certain, sure, distinct, and particular: for b Phil. 1. 9 it is joined with a feeling and inward experience of the thing known: though indeed the mind of man is able to conceive more than any Christian heart can feel: and this is to be seen in c Gal. ●. 17 cum Rom. 7. 23. & Ro. 3. cum Ro. 8. 38. Paul, who useth not only to deliver the points of God's word in general manner, but also setteth them down specially in his own experience. So that the enlightening of the reprobate may be compared to the sight of Mar. 8. 24. 25. the blind man, who saw men walking like unto trees, that is in motion like men, but inform like trees: and the elect are like the same blind man, who afterward saw men a far off clearly. 2. secondly, the knowledge of the wicked d 1. Cor. 8. 2. & 14. 23. puffeth them up, but the knowledge of the godly humbleth them. 3. lastly, the Elect, besides the knowledge of God's word, have e Psa. 4. 2. Tim. ● Tit. 1. 1●. a free & frank heart to perform it in their lives and conversations, which no reprobate can have: for their illumination is not joined with true and sincere obedience. By this it is easy to discern of the illumination of anabaptists, or familistes, and many other, which brag of the spirit. VIII The second is the sight of sin arising of the knowledge of the law. To this jeremy 2 Sight of sin. exhorteth the jews of his time, saying f jer. 3. 13. know thine iniquity, for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God. etc. The chief cause of the sight of sin is Christ by his holy spirit, g Luk. 2. 25 joh. 16. 8. who detecteth the thoughts of many hearts and judgeth the world of sin. The manner of seeing our sins, must be to know them particularly: for the vilest wretch in the world can generally and confusedly say, he is a sinner: but that the sight of sin may be effectual to salvation, it must be more special and distinct even in particular sins: so that a man may say with David h Ps. 40. 12. my sins have taken such hold of me that I am not able to look up: they are more in number, than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart hath failed me. Again a man must not barely see his particular sins, but he must also see the circumstances of them, as namely the fearful curses and judgements of God, which accompany every sin: for the consciences of many tell them of their sins in particular, yet they cannot be humbled for them, and leave them: because they have not seen that ugly tail of the curse of God, that every sin draweth after it. IX. The means to attain to the sight of sin, is by a diligent examination of a man's own self; This was the practice of the children of Israel in affliction. i james 3. verse 40. Let us try (say they) and search our ways, and turn again to the Lord. And David giveth the same counsel to Saules Courtiers. k Psal. 4. verse 4. Tremble and sin not, examine your own heart on your bed, and be still. This examination must be made by the commandments of the law, but specially by the tenth, which ransacketh the heart to the very quick: and was the means of Paul's conversion. For he being a proud Pharisee, l Rom. 7. verse 7. 10. this commandment showed him some sins, which otherwise he had not known, and it killed him, that is, it humbled him. If so be it that after examination a man cannot find out his sins (as no man shall find out all his sins, for m jere. 17. verse 9 the heart of man is a vast gulf of sin, without either bottom or bank, and hath infinite hidden corruptions in it) than he must in a godly jealousy, suspect himself of his unknown sins. As David did saying, n Psal. 19 verse 12. Who can understand his faults? cleanse me from my secret faults. And as Paul did o 1. Cor. 4. verse 4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not thereby justified. And good reason it is why men should suspect themselves of those sins which as yet they never saw in themselves p Luke 16. verse 15. for that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God: and the very q job 4. verse 18. Angels are not clean in his sight. X The third is a sorrow for sin, which is 3 Sorrow for sin. a pain and pricking in the heart arising of the feeling of the displeasure of God, and of the just damnation which followeth after sin. This was in the r Act. 2. 37. jews after Peter's first sermon: and in s Habba. 3. verse 16. Habacucke at the hearing of God's judgements: When I heard (saith he) my belly trembled: my lips shook at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones: and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. This sorrow is called the t Rom 8. verse 15. spirit of bondage to fear: because when the spirit hath made a man see his sins, he seethe further the curse of the law, & so he finds himself to be in bondage under Satan, hell, death, damnation: at which most terrible sight his heart is smitten with fear and trembling, through the consideration of his hellish and damnable estate. This sorrow if it continue and increase to some great measure, hath certain Symptoms in the body a job. 30. verse 30. as burning heat b Lame. 1. 20. & 2. 11. Osea. 11. 8. rolling of the entrails, c Psal. 32. verse 4. a pining and fainting of the solid parts. XI In the feeling of this sorrow, three things are to be observed. The first: all men must look that it be seriously & sound wrought in their hearts: for look as men use to break hard stones into many small pieces and into dust: so must this feeling of God's anger for sin bruise the heart of a poor sinner and bring it to nothing. And that this may so be, sorrow is not to be felt for a brunt, but very often before the end of a man's life. The Godly man d Psal. 88 verse 15. from his youth suffereth the terrors of God. jacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victory of him, e Gen. 32 verse 25. but yet he is feign to go halting to his grave, and trale one of his loins after him continually. * Exo. 12. 8 Zach. 12. 10 The paschal Lamb was never eaten without sour herbs, to signify that they which will be free from the wrath of God by jesus Christ, must feel continually the smart of their own sins. The second: all men must take heed, lest when they are touched for their sins, they besnare their own consciences, for if the sorrow be somewhat over sharp, they shall see themselves even brought to the gates of hell, and to feel the pangs of death. And when a man is in this perplexity, he shall find it a most hard matter to be freed from it, without the marvelous power and strength of Christ jesus, who only is able to help him and comfort him: yea many when they are once plunged in this distress, and anguish of soul shall never escape it, as may appear in Cain, Saul, Achitophel, judas, and now of late in john Hoffmeister a monk, & Latomus, who for the space of certain days never left crying that he was damned, because that he had wilfully persecuted the Gospel of Christ, and so he ended his life. Therefore most worthy is Paul's counsel for the moderating of this sorrow: f 2 Cor. 2. verse 6. 7. It is sufficient (saith he) unto the incestuous man that he was rebuked of many, so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest he should be swallowed up of overmuch heaviness. And further he giveth another reason, which followeth, lest Satan should cirumvent us: for we are not ignorant of his enterprises. And indeed common experience showeth the same, that when any man is most weak, then Satan most of all bestirreth himself to work his confusion. The third is, that all men which are 3 humbled have not like measure of sorrow, but some more, some less. job felt the hand of God in exceeding great measure, when he cried, g job. 6. verse 3. O that my grief were well weighed, & my miseries were laid together in the balance, for it would be now heavier than the sand of the sea, therefore my words are now swallowed up, for the arrows of the Almighty are in me, and the venom thereof doth drink up my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me. The same did Ezechia, when on his death bed he said, h Esai. 38. verse 13. 14. he broke all my bones like a Lion, and like a Crane or a swallow, so did I chatter, I did mourn like a dove etc. Contrariwise the thief upon the cross, and Lydia in her conversion never felt any such measure of grief, for it is said of her, that God i Act. 16. verse 14. opened her heart to be attentive to that which Paul spoke, & presently after she entertained Paul and Silas cheerfully in her house, which she could not have done, if she had been pressed down with any great measure of sorrow: neither are any to dislike themselves, because they are not so much humbled, as they see some others; for God in great wisdom giveth to every one which are to be saved, that which is convenient for their estate. And it is often seen in a festered sore that the corruption is let out as well with the pricking of a small pin, as with the wide lance of a Razor. XII The fourth thing in true humiliation is 4 Holy despair. an holy desperation: which is when a man is wholly out of all hope ever to attain salvation by any strength or goodness of his own: speaking and thinking more vilely of himself then any other can do; and hearty acknowledging himself to have deserved not one only but even ten thousand damnations in hell fire with the devil and all his Angels. This was in Paul, when he said of himself that he was the 1. Tim. 1. verse 15. chief of all sinners. This was in Daniel, when in the name of the people of Israel he prayed and said, x Dan. 9 verse 7. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee and to us open shame, as appeareth this day etc. Lastly the same was in the prodigal child: who said, y Luke 15. cerse 19 Father, I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy son. XIII. Many are of opinion that this sorrow for sin is nothing else but a Melancholic passion: Sorrow for sin Melancholy. but in truth the thing is far otherwise: as may appear in the example of David: who by all conjectures was least troubled z 1. Sam. 16. ver. 12. with Melancholy, and yet never any tasted more deeply of the sorrow and feeling of God's anger for sin than he did, as the book of Psalms declareth. And if any desire to know the difference, they are to be discerned thus. Sorrow for sin 1. may be where health, reason, senses, memory and all are sound: but Melancholic passions are where the body is unsound and the reason, senses, memory, dulled & troubled. secondly, sorrow for sin is not cured 2. by any Physic, but only by the sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ: Melancholic passions are removed by Physic, diet, music and such like. thirdly, Sorrow 3. for sin riseth of the anger of God, that woundeth & pierceth the conscience: but Melancholic passions rise only of mere imaginations strongly conceived in the brain. lastly these passions are 4. long in breeding and come by little and little: but the sorrow for sin usually cometh on a sudden as lightning into a house. And yet howsoever they are differing, it must be acknowledged that they may both concur together: so that the same man which is troubled with Melancholy, may feel also the anger of God for sin. XIIII. Thus it appeareth how God maketh the heart fit to receive faith: in the next place it is to be considered how the Lord causeth faith to spring and to breed in the humbled heart. For the effecting of this so blessed a 1 Consideration of god's mercy. work, God worketh four things in the heart. First when a man is seriously humbled under the burden of his sin, the Lord by his spirit makes him lift up himself to consider & to ponder most diligently the great mercy of God offered unto him in Christ jesus. After the consideration of God's 2 Feeling of the want of Christ. mercy in Christ: he comes in the second place, to see, feel, and from his heart to acknowledge himself to stand in need of Christ and to stand in need of every drop of his most precious blood. thirdly the 3 Desire. Lord stirreth up in his heart a vehement desire and longing after Christ and his merits: this desire is compared to a Reu. 21. verse 6. Isay 55. 1. Luk. 1. 53. thirst: which is not only the feeling of the dryness of the stomach, but also a vehement appetite after drink, and David fitly expresseth it when he saith, I stretched forth my b Psa. 143. ver. 6. 4 Prayer for the pardon of sin. hands unto thee: my soul desireth after thee as the thirsty land. lastly, after this desire he begins to pray, not for any worldly benefit, but only for the forgiveness of his sins, crying with the poor publican, O God be merciful to me a sinner. Now this prayer, it is made, not for one day only, but continually from day to day: not with the lips, but with greater sighs & groans of the heart then that they can be expressed with the tongue. Now, after these desires and prayers for God's mercy, ariseth in the A lively assurance. heart a lively assurance of the forgiveness of sin. For GOD, who cannot lie, hath made his promise c Math. 7 Esay. 65. 24. Knock it shall be opened: and again: Before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear. Therefore when an humbled sinner comes crying & knocking at his mercy gate for the forgiveness of sin, either then or shortly after the Lord worketh in his heart a lively assurance thereof. And d Re. 21. 6. ●oh. 4. 14. whereas he thirsted in his heart, being scorched with the heat of god's displeasure beating upon his conscience, Christ jesus giveth him to drink of the well of the water of life freely: & having drunken thereof, he shall never be more a thirst, but shall have in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. XV For the better understanding of this that God worketh, sowing faith in the heart of man after this manner; it must be observed that a sinner is compared * Luk. 4. 18 Math. 9 11 12. to a sick man oft in the scriptures. And therefore that the curing of a disease fitly resembleth the curing of sin. A man that hath a disease or sore in his body before he can be cured of it, he must see it, feel pain of it, and be in a fear lest it bring him into danger of death: after this, he shall see himself to stand in need of Physic, and he longeth till he be with the Physician: when he is once come to him, he desireth him of all loves to help him & to show the best skill he can: he will not spare for any cost: then he yields himself into the physicians hands, persuading himself, that by God's blessing, he both can and will help him: after this he comes to his former health again. On the same manner, every man is wounded with the deadly wound of sin at the very heart: and he that would be saved and escape damnation, must see his sin, be sorrowful for it, and utterly despair of his own strength to attain salvation thereby: furthermore he must see himself to stand in need of Christ, the good Physician of his soul, and long after him, and cry unto him with deep sighs and groans for mercy: after this Christ jesus will temper him a plaster, of his own heart blood, which being applied, he shall find himself revived, and shall come to the assurance of the forgiveness of all his sins. So it was in David, when he repent of his adultery and murder. First God made him see his sins, for he saith, e Psal. 51. verse 3. I know mine iniquities, and my sins are ever before me. Secondly, he felt God's anger for his sins, f verse 8. make me (saith he) to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Thirdly he utterly despaired of his own strength, in that he said, g verse 12. establish me with thy free spirit; signifying thereby, unless the Lord would stay him with his glorious power, he should run headlong to his own confusion. Fourthly he comes to see himself stand in great need of God's favour: h verse 1. one mercy will not content him: he prayeth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies, to be bestowed on him, to do away his iniquities. Fiftly, his desire and his prayer for the forgiveness of his sin, are set down in the whole Psalm. And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort, and assurance of God's mercy towards himself, in that he saith, the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit: i verse 17. a contrite and broken heart O God, thou wilt not despise. XVI. There are divers degrees and measures Degrees of faith. of this unfeigned faith, according as there be divers degrees of Christians: some p Revel. 12 verse 2. Gal. 4. verse 19 are yet in the womb, and have their mother the church traveling of them: some q 1. Cor. 3. verse 2. are new borne babes feeding on the milk of the word: some are r Eph. 4. verse 13. perfect men in Christ, come to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. XVII. The least measure of faith that any Christian The least measure of faith. can have, is compared to the s Math. 17. 20. grain of mustard seed, the least of all seeds: and to flax t Esai. 43. 2 that hath fire in it, but so weak that it can neither give heat, nor light, but only maketh a smoke, and is called by the name of a u Math. 8. 25. little faith: and it may be thus described, when a man of an humble heart doth not yet feel the assurance of the forgiveness of his own sins, and yet he is persuaded they are pardonable, desiring that they might be pardoned. And therefore prayeth to God, that he would pardon them, and give him strength to leave them. XVIII. A little faith may more plainly be known by considering these four points: first that it is only in his heart, who is humbled for sin: x Esai. 51. verse 17. for the Lord dwelleth with him, that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to receive the spirit of the humble▪ and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart. Secondly, it is in a man especially at the time of his conversion, and calling to Christ, after which he is to grow from faith to faith. Thirdly, this faith though it be in the heart, yet it is not so much felt in the heart: this was in David at some times, y Psal. 2●. verse 1. my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, saith he. The first words my God, my God, are speeches of faith: yet the latter, why hast thou forsaken me, show that then he had no feeling of God's mercy. A little faith than is in the heart of a man, as in the spring time the fruit is in the bud, which yet appeareth not, but only hath his nature and substance in the bud. Lastly, the beginnings and seeds of this faith are three. The first is a persuasion, that a man's own 1 A persuasion that sin is pardonable. sins are pardonable: this persuasion though it be not faith, yet it is a good preparation to faith: For the wicked cut themselves of quite from God's mercy, in that with Cain a 4. Gen. 3 2 A desire of grace. they say, their sins are greater, then that they can be forgiven. The second is a desire of the favour & mercy of God in Christ, & of the means to attain to that favour. b Math. 56 Luk. 1. 53. Psal. 145. 19 Psal. 10. 17. & 38. 9 Num. 23. 9 This desire is a special grace of God, and it hath the promise of blessedness; and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men have: who though they desire life eternal, as Balam did, yet they cannot desire the means, as faith, repentance, mortification, etc. The third is, prayer for nothing in this 3 Prayer for pardon world, but only for the forgiveness of their sins: with great sighs and groans, from the bottom of the heart, which they are not able to express, as they feel them. Now this hearty praying and desire for the pardon of sin can never come from the flesh but only from the spirit, who c Ro. 8. 25. stirreth up these heavenly motions of longing, desiring, sighing after remission of sin, and all other graces of God, which he bestoweth upon his children. And where the spirit of Christ dwelleth there must needs be faith, for Eph. 3. 17 Christ dwelleth in the hearts of the faith full by faith. Therefore as Rebecca, Goe 25. 22 when she felt the Twins strive in her womb, though it pained her, yet she knew, both that she had conceived, and that the children were quick in her: so they who have these motions, & holy affections in them before mentioned may assure themselves, that the spirit of God dwelleth in them, & consequently that they have faith though a weak faith. XIX. Examples of this small faith are evident in the Apostles, who though e Math. 16 they believed that Christ was the saviour of the world, yet they f Math. 17. 23. Luke 9 45. were ignorant of his death and resurrection, which are the chief means of salvation. After his resurrection they were ignorant of his ascension, & of his spiritual kingdom, for they dreamt g Act. 1. 6. of an earthly kingdom; & at his death they all fled from him, and Peter fearfully denied him. They being in this estate are not said to have no faith, but to be of h Mat. 8. 29 little faith. Another example we have in David, who having continued a long space in his two great sins, adultery & murder, was admonished thereof by Nathan the Prophet: being admonished he confessed his sins, and straightway Nathan declared unto him from the Lord the forgiveness of them. Yet afterward David humbleth himself, as it appeareth in the 51. Psalm, and prayeth most earnestly for the forgiveness of those and all other his sins▪ even as though it had not been true, that they were forgiven, as Nathan told him: The reason is: howsoever they were remitted before God, yet David at his first repenting of them, felt none assurance in his heart of the forgiveness of them, only he had a persuasion, that they might be pardoned. And therefore he vehemently desired and prayed to the Lord, to remit them, and to sanctify him anew. This then being the least measure of faith, it must be remembered, that he who hath not attained to it, hath as yet no saving faith at all. XX The greatest measure of faith is a full persuasion The greatest measure of of the mercy of God. For it is the strength and ripeness of faith. Rom. 4. verse 20. 21. Abraham not weak in faith but being strengthened in the faith, was fully persuaded, that he who had promised was able to do it: This full assurance is when a man can say with Paul, I i Rom. 8. 38 am persuaded that neither life nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord. And lest any should think: this saying is peculiar to Paul, the whole Church, in the canticles, useth the same in effect: saying, k Cant. 8. verse 6. 7. Love is strong as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave, the coals thereof are fiery coals, & a vehement flame. Much water cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, they would contemn it. XXI No Christian attaineth to this full assurance at the first, but in some continuance of time, after that for a long space he hath kept a good conscience before God and before men: and hath had divers experiences of God's love and favour towards him in Christ. This Paul declareth to the Romans: l Rom. 5. verse 45. in afflictions God sheds abroad his love in their hearts, by the holy Ghost, which is given to them: hence ariseth patience, from patience cometh experience, from experience hope, and hope never maketh ashamed, or disappointeth him of eternal life▪ This is evident in David's practice: m Psal. 23. verse 6. Doubtless, saith he, kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall live a long season in the house of the Lord. Mark this his resolute persuasion: and consider how he came unto it: namely by experience of God's favour at sundry times, and after sundry manners. For before he set down this resolution, he numbered up divers benefits received of the Lord: that n Psal. 23. 2. 3. 4. he fed him in green pastures, & led him by the refreshing waters of God's word. That he restoreth him & leadeth him in the paths of righteousness. That he strengtheneth him in great dangers, even of death, and preserveth him, that in despite of his enemies, he enriched him with many benefits. By means of all these mercies of God bestowed on him he came to be persuaded of the continuance of the favour of God towards him. Again David said before king Saul, o 1, Sam. 17. 32. let no man's heart fail him because of Goliath: Thy servant will go and fight with the Philistine. And Saul said p Ver. 33. to David: Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a boy, & he is a man of war from his youth. David answered, he was able to fight with, & to slay the uncircumcised Philistine. And the ground of his persuasion was taken from experience: for thus he said: q Ver. 34. Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a Lion, and likewise a bear and took a sheep out of the flock. And Ver. 35. I went out after him and smote him, & took it out of his mouth, and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and smote him and slew him. s Ver. 36. So thy servant slew both the Lion and the Bear: Therefore this uncircumcised Philistine shallbe as one of them, seeing he hath railed on the host of the living God. The like proceeding must be in matters concerning eternal life. Little David resembleth every Christian: Goliath and the army of the Philistines resembleth Satan and his power. He therefore that will be resolved, that he shall be able to overcome the gates of hell, and attain to life everlasting, must long keep watch & ward over his own heart, & he must fight against his own rebellious flesh, and crucify it: yea he must have experiences of God's power strengthening him in many temptations, before he shall be assured of his attaining to the kingdom of heaven. XXII. Thus much concerning faith itself: now follow the fruits and benefits of faith. By means of this special faith, the elect are truly a Eph. 3. 17 Union with Christ. joined unto Christ, and have an heavenly communion and fellowship with him, and therefore do b Eph. 3. 20 Eph. 1. 19 1. Cor. 13. 16. in some measure inwardly feel his holy spirit moving and stirring in them, as Rebecca felt the Twins to stir in her womb. Christ is as c Eph. 1. 22 23. the head in the body: every believer as a member of the same body: now as the head Communion with Christ. giveth sense and motion to the members, and the members feel themselves to have sense, and to move by means of the head, so doth Christ jesus receive and quicken every true believer, and by his heavenly power maketh him to do the good which he doth. d Rom. 6. 4. 5. joh. 15. 1. 2. Ephe. 4. 13. 16. And as from the stock sap is derived to the graft, that it may live and grow, and bring forth fruit in his kind: so do all the faithful that are grafted into Christ the true Vine. And as the graft loseth his wild nature, and is changed into the nature of the stock, and bringeth forth good fruit, so in like manner it is with them that are in Christ, who by little and little are wholly renewed e Act. 15. 9 from evil to good. XXIII The elect being thus joined unto Christ, receive three wonderful benefits from him, justification, Adoption, Sanctification. justification is, when the elect being in themselves rebellious sinners, and therefore firebrands of hell fire, and Gods own enemies, f 1. Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21 yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord as perfectly pure and righteous before him. XXIIII This justification is wrought in this manner. justification. Sin is that which maketh a man unrighteous, and the child of wrath and vengeance. In sin, there are three things which are hurtful to man: the first is Condemnation, which cometh of sin: the second is, the disobedience of the law in sin: the third is, the root and fountain of sin, original corruption. These are three deadly wounds, and three running sores in the hearts and consciences of all sinners. a Luk. 1. 35 Coloss. 2. 9 joh. 4. 14. Mar. 2. 17. Now Christ jesus is perfectly righteous, and in him a sinner may find three inestimable benefits answerable to the three former evils. First, the sufferings of Christ upon the Cross, sufficient for all men's sins. Secondly, the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law. Thirdly, the perfect holiness of the human nature of Christ: these are three sovereign medicines to heal all wounded consciences: and they are as three running streams of living water to bathe and to supple the bruised and contrite heart. c Coloss. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. Ephe. 1. 7. Now cometh faith, and first layeth hold of the sufferings of Christ, and so a sinner is freed from the punishment and guilt of sin, and from eternal damnation, and thus the first deadly wound is cured d Rom. 4. 18. 19 Mat. 3. 15. Phil. 2. 8. Esa. 53. 11. Again, faith layeth hold of the perfect obedience of Christ, in fulfilling the law, & thus the second wound is cured. e Rom. 8. 1. 2. 3. joh. 27. 19 Thirdly, faith apply the holiness of Christ's human nature to the sinner, & then his nature is accepted of God as perfectly sanctified, and so his third deadly wound is cured. Thus a sinner is made righteous by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him. XXV. From true justification, proceed a Rom. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 1 Reconsiliation. many other benefits, and they are either outward, or inward. Outward benefits are three. The b 2. Cor. 5. 18. first is Reconciliation, by which a man justified is perfectly reconciled to God; because his sin is done away, and he is arrayed with the perfect righteousness of Christ. The c 2. Cor. 6. 9 Heb. 12. 6. 2. Sa. 7. 14. 2. Sam. 12. 13. 14. 2 Afflictions only chastisements. second is, that afflictions Rom. 5. 10. 11. to the faithful are no punishments for sin, but only fatherly and loving chastisements. For the guilt and punishment of sin was borne of Christ. Now therefore, if a Christian be afflicted, it is no punishment: for then God should punish one fault twice, once in Christ, and the second time upon the Christian: which thing doth not agree with his justice: it remaineth therefore that afflictions are only corrections in the faithful. The third benefit is, that the man justified 3 Merit in Christ. doth d Mat. 19 28. 29. Apoc. 22. 12. & 21. 6. deserve and merit at God's hands the kingdom of heaven. For being made perfectly righteous in Christ, he must needs merit eternal life in and by Christ. And therefore Paul called it the justification of life. Rom. 5. 18. XXVI. Inward benefits proceeding from justification, are those which are inwardly felt in the heart, and serve for the better assurance of justification, and they are principally Peace of conscience. five. The first is, Peace and quietness of conscience. As all men naturally in Adam are corrupt, so all men naturally have corrupt and defiled consciences, accusing them & arraigning them before God's judgement for their sins: in such wise that every suspicion of death and fear of imminent danger maketh a natural man stand aghast at his wit's end, knowing not what to do: e Heb. 10. 22. Rom. 5. 1. Ro. 15. 16. but by faith in Christ, the Christian is persuaded of remission of his sins, and so the disquietness of his conscience is appeased, and he hath an inward peace in all extremities, which cannot be taken from him. XXVII. The slumbering & dead conscience is much like to the good conscience pacified, & many A difference between a dead conscience & a quiet conscience. through ignorance take the one for the other. But they may be severed and discerned thus. First, let the believing Christian examine himself, whether his conscience was afflicted with the sense of God's judgements, and pressed down with the burden of his sin before he came to that quietness: for than he may be in good hope, that it was the Spirit of God who brought that peace, because God hath promised f Ioh 7. 37. Esay. 57 15 That he will dwell with the humble and contrite, to revive and quicken them. But if he have always had that peace from the beginning of his days, he may easily deceive himself, by taking the numbness and security of a defiled conscience for true peace of conscience. Secondly, let him search from whence this 2 peace of his conscience proceedeth. g Rom. 5. 1 Heb. 9 14. For if it come from any thing else but from the certainty of the remission of sin, it is no true peace: as many, flattering themselves in sin, and dreaming of a pardon, are thereupon quieted, and the Devil is ready enough to put this into their minds: but this can be no true peace. thirdly, let him examine himself, if he have a care to keep a good conscience: which if he have, he hath also received from the Lord a good and a quiet conscience. h Act. 23. 1. & 24. 16. For if God bestow upon any man a gift concerning his salvation, he giveth him also a care to keep it. XXVIII The second inward benefit is i Eph. 3. 12. Rom. 5. 2. 2 Entrance with boldness into God presence. An entrance 2 into God's favour, and a perseverance in it, which is indeed a wonderful benefit. When a man cometh into favour with his Prince, than he is bold to come unto his Prince, and he may have free access unto his presence, and he may sue to his Prince for any benefit or preferment whereof he standeth in need, and may obtain it before any other: so they which are in God's favour, by reason that they are freely pardoned, and justified in Christ, do boldly approach into God's presence, and they are ready to ask, and sure to obtain any benefit that is for their good. k Rom. 5. 3 & 14. 17. 3 joy. The 3 third is a spiritual joy in their hearts, even then when they are afflicted: because they look certainly to obtain the kingdom of heaven. The fourth is l Rom. 5. 5. that the love of GOD is 4 ●hed in the hearts of the faithful by the holy 4 Feeling of God's love. Ghost: that is, that the holy Ghost doth make the faithful very evidently to feel ●he love of God towards them, and doth as it were, fill their hearts with it. XXIX The second main benefit is a joh. 1. 12 Gal. 3. 26. Adoption, whereby they which are justified, are also accepted of God as his own children. From Adoption proceed many other benefits. First 1 Heb. 2. 11. 12. the elect child of God hereby is made a brother to Christ. Secondly, he is a King, and the 2 kingdom of heaven is his inheritance. Thirdly, 1. Pet. 2. 9 3 he is Lord over all creatures, save Angels. Heb. 6. 7. 8. Fourthly, the holy Angels minister unto him 4 for his good: they guard him and watch about 1 Cor. 3. 22 Heb. 1. 14. him. fiftly, all things, yea grievous 5 afflictions and sin itself, turn to his good; Rom. 8. 28. 2. Cor. 12. 7 though in his own nature it be never so hurtful: b Heb. 2. 15 1. Cor. 15. 54. & therefore death (which is most terrible) unto him is no entrance into hell, but a narrow gate to let him into everlasting life. Lastly, being thus adopted, he may look 6 for comfort at God's hand answerable to the Rom. 5. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 10. measure of his affliction: as God hath promised. XXX. The inward assurance of Adoption is by Assurance of adoption two witnesses. The first is our spirit, that is, an heart and conscience sanctified, by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Now, because it cometh to pass that the testimony of our spirit is feeble and weak, God of his goodness hath given his own spirit to be a fellow witness with our spirit: for the elect have in themselves the spirit of jesus The spirit of Adoption. Christ, testifying unto them & persuading them that they are the adopted children of God. c Ro. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 21. For this cause the holy Ghost is called the spirit of adoption, because it worketh in us the assurance of our adoption: d 2. Cor. 1. 21. and it is called a pawn or earnest. For as in a bargain, when part of the price is paid in earnest, than assurance is made, that men will pay the whole: so when the child of God hath received thus much from the holy ghost to be persuaded that he is adopted & chosen in Christ, he may be in good hope, and he is already put in good assurance, fully to enjoy eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. e Ro. 8. 23 1. joh. 3. 2. Coloss. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Ephe. 4. 14. Indeed this testimony is weak in most men, & can scarce be perceived: because most Christians, though they may be old in respect of years, yet they are babes in Christ, & not yet come to a perfect growth: & may find in themselves great strength of sin, and the graces of God to be in small measure in them. And again, the children of God being most distressed, as in time of trial, & in the hour of death, than the inward working of the holy ghost is felt most evidently. But a reprobate cannot have this testimony at all: though in deed a man flattereth himself, and the Devil imitating the Spirit of God, doth usually persuade carnal men and hypocrites that they shall be saved. But that devilish illusion, and the testimony of the Spirit may be discerned by two notes. The first is hearty and fervent prayer to God in the name of Christ. For the same spirit that testifieth to us that we are the adopted children of God, doth also make us cry, that is, fervently with groans and sighs filling heaven & earth, pray to God. Labour in prayer: for it is the proper mark of the spirit of adoption: and in prayer we shall most of all feel the spirit of adoption Now, this hearty, fervent and loud crying in the ears of God, can the Devil give to no hypocrite: for it is the special mark of the Spirit of God. The other note is, that they which have the special testimony from the Spirit of God, have also in their hearts the same affections to God which children have to their father: namely, love, fear, reverence, obedience, thankfulness, for they call not upon God, as upon a terrible judge, but they cry Father, Father. And these affections they have not, whom Satan illudeth with a fantastical imagination of their salvation, for it may be, that through hypocrisy, or through custom, they may call God Father, but in truth they cannot do it. XXXI The elect being thus assured of their adoption Hope. & justification, are endued with hope: a Rom. 8. 25. & 5. 5. 2. Cor. 5. 6. 7. Hebr. 11. 1. by which they look patiently for the accomplishing of all good things which God hath begun in them. And therefore they can undergo all Crosses and afflictions with a quiet and contented mind: because they know that the time will come when they shall have full redemption from all evils. This was b 1. Thess. 1 3. Rom. 8. 38. the patience of Paul's hope, when he said, that nothing in the world could sever him from the love of God in Christ. And like to this was the patience of Policarpe, & of Ignatius, who when he was condemned and judged to be thrown to wild beasts, and now heard the lions roaring, he boldly & yet patiently said; I am the wheat of Christ, I shallbe ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found good bread. Also the same was the patience of the blessed Martyr saint Laurence, who like a meek Lamb suffered himself to be tormented on a fiery gridiron: and when he had been pressed down with fire pikes for a great space, in the mighty spirit of God, spoke unto the Emperor that caused him thus to be tormented, on this wise This side is now roasted enough, turn up O tyrant great. Assay, whether roasted or raw thou thinkest the better meat. XXXII The third main benefit, is a Act. 15. 9 Psal 103. 5. Eze. 11. 19 Psa. 51. 12. inward Sanctification: by which a Christian in his mind, Sanctification. in his will, and in his affections is freed from the bondage and tyranny of sin & sathan, and is by little and little enabled through the spirit of Christ to desire & approve that which is good, & to walk in it. And it hath two parts. b Gal. 5, 24 Col. 3. 5. The first is Mortification, when the power of sin is continually weakened, consumed, & diminished. c Eph. 1. 1. 1, Cor. 15. 45. The second is Vi●ification by which inherent righteousness is really put into them, & afterward is continually increased. XXXIII This sanctification is wrought in all Christians after this manner. After that they are Mortification. joined to Christ, and made mystically bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, Christ worketh in them effectually by his holy spirit, and his works are principally three. First, d Ro. 6. 3. 4. Col. 2. 12. & 3. 3. 5. he causeth his own death to work effectually the death of all sin, and to kill the power of the flesh. For it is as a Corrosive, which being applied to the part affected, eateth out the venom and corruption: and so the death of Christ by faith applied, fretteth out and consumeth the concupiscence & the corruption of the whole man. * Vivification in the first resurrection. Secondly, the burial of Christ is the burial of sin, as it were in a grave. e Phi. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 4. Thirdly, his Resurrection sendeth a quickening power into them, & to make them rise out of their sin, in which they were dead and buried, to work righteousness, & to live in holiness of life. Lazarus body lay four days, and stancke in the grave, yet Christ raised it and gave him life again, and made him do the same works that living men do: so also Christ dealeth with the souls of the faithful: they rot and stink in their sins, and would perish in them, if they were left alone: but Christ putteth a heavenly life into them, & maketh them active and lively to do the will of God in the works of Christianity, and in the works of their callings. And this sanctification is throughout the whole man: in the spirit, soul, and mind. 1. Thes. 5. 23. And here the spirit signifieth the mind and memory, the soul, the will and affections. XXXIIII The sanctification of the mind is the enlightening of it with the true knowledge of God's word. It is of two sorts either spiritual understanding or spiritual wisdom. Spiritual understanding is a general conceiving of every thing that is to be done, or not to be done, out of God's word. Spiritual wisdom is a worthy grace of God, by which a man is able to understand out of God's word, what is to be done, or not to be done in any particular thing, or action, according to the circumstances of person, time, place etc. Both these are in every Christian, otherwise Paul would never have prayed for the Colossians k Col. 1. 9 That they might be fulfilled with knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom & spiritual understanding. In both these excelled David, who testified of himself that God's l Psal. 119. 105. word was a lantern to his feet, and a light to his path: and that m Vers. 98. 99 God by his commandments had made him wiser than his enemies: that he had more understanding than all his teachers: because God's testimonies were his meditations, n 100 that he understood more than the ancient, because he kept God's precepts. The properties of the mind enlightened are specially two. The first is, that by it a Christian sees his own blindness, ignorance, vanity, as appeareth in David who being a prophet of God, yet prayed: o 18, open mine eyes (O Lord) that I may see the wonders of thy law. And hence it is that the godly so much bewails the blindness of the minds. Contrariwise the wicked p joh. 9 41. man in the midst of his blindness, thinks himself to see. The second is that it runneth and is occupied in a continual meditation of God's word. So David saith the q Psal. 1. 2. righteous man's delight is in the law of the Lord, & in his law doth he meditate day and night. XXXV. The memory also is sanctified in that it Sanctification of the memory. can both keep and remember that which is good and agreeable to Gods will: whereas naturally it best remembreth lewdness, & wickedness, & vanity. This holy memory was in David: r Psal. 119. ver. 11. I have hid thy promises in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. And Marie s Luk. 2. 19 Kept all the sayings of Christ & pondered them in her heart. And to the exercise of this memory, Solomon hath a good lesson: My son hearken unto my words, incline thine ears unto my sayings: t Pro. 2. 1. let them not departed from thine eyes, but keep them in the midst of thine heart. XXXVI Furthermore the will of a Christian is renewed Sanctification of the will. & purified by Christ: which appeareth in that it is so far forth freed from sin, that it can will & choose that which is good and acceptable to God, & refuse that which is evil, according to that of Paul, u Phi. 2. 13 It is God, which worketh in you the will & the deed even of his good pleasure. Now if a man be considered naturally, he can neither will, nor perform that which is good, but only that which is evil, x job. 15. 16 Ephe. 2. 2. Luk. 11. 21. for he is sold under sin, as the Ox or the Ass, & committeth iniquity, as the fish draweth in water, yea he is in bondage under sathan, who inspireth his mind with vile motions, & boweth his will, affections, and the members of his body to his cursed will: so that for his life, he is not able to do any thing, but sin & rebel against God. And it must be remembered, that although the christian man's will be freed from the bondage of sin in this life, yet it shall not be free from the power of sin until the life to come, for y Ro. 7. 14. Paul that worthy saint saith of himself being regenerate, that he was carnal and sold under sin. XXXVII Sanctified affections are known by this Sanctifications of the affections. that they z Ro. 12. 9 are moved and inclined to that which is good, to embrace it: & are not commonly affected and stirred with that which is evil, unless it be to eschew it. Examples hereof are these which follow a Ro. 12. 15 To rejoice with them that rejoice. And to weep with them that weep: b Luk. 10. 20. To rejoice, because a man's name is written in heaven c Ps. 143. 6. To desire God's presence & favour, as the dry land desireth water d Esa. 66. 2. To fear and tremble at God's word e Psa. 48. 2. To long and to faint after the places where God is worshipped: f 2. Pet. 2. 8 Ps. 119. 136 To be vexed in soul from day to day in seeing & hearing the unlawful deeds of men: & to shed rivers of tears because men break Gods commandments. g Ro. 12. 11 In fervency of spirit to serve the Lord. h Coloss. 3. 12. To put on the bowels of compassion towards the miseries of men. i Eph. 4. 26 To be angry and sin not. k 2. Cor. 7. 11. To sorrow for the displeasing of God. l 1. joh. 3. 14 To love the brethren in Christ. m Psal. 119. 128. To admire at the word of God. n vers. 127. To love God's commandments above gold. o Mat. 8. 10 To admire at the graces of God in others. p Psa. 2. 11. In fear to serve God, and to rejoice in trembling. q Act. 9 31. To walk in the fear of God, and to be filled with the joy of the holy ghost. r 1. Pet. 1. 6 To be heavy through manifold temptations. s 1. Pe. 4. 13 To rejoice in being partaker of the sufferings of Christ. t Psal. 33. 20. 21. To wait on the Lord, to rejoice in him, & to trust in his holy name. u Ro. 8. 23. To wait for the full redemption. x 2. Cor. 5. ver. 2. To sigh desiring to enjoy eternal life. y Psal. 86. 8 To love the habitation of god's house & the place, where his honour dwelleth. z Phil. 3. 8. To esteem all things as loss & dung in respect of Christ. XXXVIII But among all these sanctified affections, Zeal for God's glory. there are four specially to be marked. The first is a zeal for God's glory: by which a Christian is thus affected, that rather than God shall lose his glory, he is content to have his own soul damned, As it was with Moses, who feared, lest God should lose his glory, if he did utterly destroy the Israelits for their Idolatry: whom he had chosen to be his people, & therefore in this respect prayed unto the Lord. a Exo. 32. ●2. Therefore now if thou pardon their sin, thy mercy shall appear, but if thou wilt not, I pray thee, raze me out of the book which thou hast written. b Rom. 9 3 And Paul could have wished with all his heart to be cut off from all fellowship with Christ, and to be given up to eternal destruction, for his country men the jews, & for God's glory specially. Some may say this affection is not common to all, but particular to such as are led with such an affection, as these holy men were led, & which have their hearts so pierced & kindled with divine love, and so ravished with the same, out of themselves, that they forget all other things, yea themselves, having nothing before their eyes but God, and his glory. To this I answer that this affection is common to all, though the measure of it be divers, in some more, in some less. which appeareth in that our saviour Christ teacheth every one▪ in his prayer which he made before he crave any other thing, either concerning God, or himself, to pray that God's name may be sanctified. For by this all Christians are taught that they are to overpass all considerations of themselves, their own pleasure and profit; their salvation or damnation: and with an hearty affection, to seek after the glory of God in all their doings, that as God's glory is most dear unto himself, so it may appear also that it is most dear unto them. If any think it strange that Moses, Paul, or any other should be content to fall into misery, to lose their lives, and to be cast into eternal perdition, in hell fire, with reprobate and damned spirits, rather than God's honour should be turned into dishonour and blasphemy: let them consider that wonderful is the power of true love, c 1. Cor. 13 ver. 7. which makes all things easy: d Cant 8. ver. 6. 7. which is as strong as the grave, that overcomes all, and was never yet overcome: which is as a flaming fire, that a whole sea of waters cannot quench. And the love which these men had to God did so ravish them, that they felt no fear of hell fire. XXXIX The second affection is the fear of God, The fear of God. a most excellent and wonderful grace of God. Solomon e Eccle. 12 14. matcheth it, yea and preferreth it too, before all things in this world, making it the end of all. Without it a man cannot be wise, it is the first step to wisdom, f Prou. 14. 26. in it is assured strength: also it is a wellspring of life to eschew the snares of death. The Churches of judaea being in peace, were edified, and walked in the g Act. 9 31 fear of God, and were abundantly filled with the comfort of the holy Ghost. In this fear of God there be two parts: The first is a persuasion in the heart, that a man is in God's presence, and when any by infirmity forgets God, a drawing of himself into God's presence. As it was in David, h Psal. 26. 8 I have (saith he) set the Lord always before me. For he is at my right hand, therefore I shall not slide. And this his being in the presence of God, he setteth down most excellently in the 139. Psalm. i Gen. 5. 22. Enoch walked with God. k Goe 17. 1. Abraham is commanded to walk before God, and to be upright. The second part of the fear of God is, in God's presence to stand in awe of him; which is when a man takes heed to his ways lest he offend God. This advise David gives to Saul Counsellors. l Psal. 4. 4. Stand in awe and sin not. Pharaoh commanded the Midwives of Egypt to kill all the male children of the Israelites at the birth: they did it not, because m Exo. 1. 17 they stood in awe of God, fearing to displease him. And hence it is that the n Esay 66. 3 godly hear God's word with fear and trembling. XL The third is, the hatred and detestation Hatred of sin. of sin, specially of a man's own corruptions: wherewith a Christian is so turmoiled, that in regard of them and for no other cause, he most hearty desireth to be forth of this most miserable world, that he may be disburdened of his sin, and leave off to displease God. Paul feels in himself a huge mass of deadly corruption, it makes him deem himself most miserable, and to mourn because he was not delivered from it, saying, o Ro. 7. 24. Oh miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of Death. Again it is sin that makes the Church complain that p Cant. 1. 4 she is black, that the sun hath looked upon her, & therefore she cries, q Revel. 22. 20. Come Lord jesus, come quickly. XLI. The fourth is, joy of heart, in consideration of the nearness or presence of the terrible day of judgement. The a Luke 21. 27. reprobate either trembleth at the consideration of the day of judgement, or else in the security of his heart he regardeth it not. And when he shall see the signs of the coming of Christ b 2. Tim. 4. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 6 7. his heart shall fail him for very fear, and he shall c Luke 21. 26. call the hills to fall upon him: but contrariwise, the faithful love the second coming of Christ, and therefore wait and long for it: and when they shall see the signs of it, they shall Luke 21. 28. lift up their heads, because the full accomplishment of their redemption is at hand. XLII. The sanctification of the body is when Sanctification of the body. Rom. 6. ver. 19 all the members of it are carefully preserved from being means to execute any sin: and are made the instruments of righteousness and holiness. So Paul prayed for the Thessalonians Thess. 4. ver. 4. that they might know how to possess their vessels in holiness, and in honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as the Gentiles do which know not God. And job f job. 31. ver. 1. made a covenant with his eyes not to look on a woman. In whose example it appeareth how every member is to be kept pure and holy. XLIII. If any humbled Christian find not this A consolation. measure of sanctification in himself, yet let him not be discouraged. For if any man have a i Rom. 8. 5. ver. 1. willingness, & a desire to obey God's commandments, he hath the spirit, and he who hath the spirit is in Christ, and he who is in Christ shall never see damnation. And though he fail greatly in the action of obedience, yet God will accept his affection to obey, as obedience acceptable to him. God will approve of thee for his own work which he hath wrought in thee, and not reject thee for thine. XLIIII. From sanctification ariseth repentance. Repentance. For a man cannot hate his own sins before he be sanctified: and he cannot truly repent for them before he hate them. Repentance is when a man k Act 26. 20. turns to God, & brings forth fruits worthy amendment of life. This turning unto God hath two parts: The first a purpose and resolution of heart never to sin any more, but to lead a new life. This was in David, l Psal. 119. 57 who fully purposed to keep God's commandments and m Psal. 112 6. applied his heart to fulfil his statutes unto the end. And unto this did Barnabas exhort the brethren at Antioch n Act. 11. 23. that with full purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord. The second part is an holy labour in man's life and conversation to purify and cleanse himself from sin: of this speaketh john o 1 joh. 3. ver. 3. And every one that hath this hope in him, purgeth himself even as he is pure. This did David practise, as may appear in that he said: p Psal. 73. 13. Certainly, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. If any marvel how repentance followeth sanctification, considering it is the first thing of all, that the Prophets, Apostles, and Ministers of God preach unto the people whom they would win to Christ: I answer, that all other graces are more hidden in the heart, whereas repentance is open, and sooner appeareth to a man's own self, and to the eyes of the world. It is like the bud in the tree, which appeareth before the leaf, the blossom, the fruit: and yet in nature, it is the last, for a man must be renewed, and come to an utter disliking of his own sins, before he will turn from them, and leave them. XLV By this it may appear, that there is one manner of sinning in the godly, and another in the ungodly, though they fall both into one sin. A wicked man, when he sinneth in his heart he giveth full consent to the sin: but the godly though they fall into the same sins with the wicked, yet they never give full consent, for they are in their minds, wills, and affections partly regenerate, and partly unregenerate, and therefore their wills will partly abhor that which is evil: according as saint Paul saith of himself q Ro. 7. 22. I delight in the law of God according to the inner man, but I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive, etc. And that the godly man never giveth full consent to sin: it is evident by three tokens. First, before he cometh to do the sin, he hath no purpose nor desire to do it: but his purpose and desire is to do the will of God contrary to that sin. Secondly, in the act or doing of the sin, his heart riseth against it, yet by the strength of temptation, and by the mighty violence of his flesh, he is haled and pulled on to do wickedness. Paul saith of himself, that he was sold under sin, that is, he was like a slave, who desireth to escape out of his masters hands, and yet is feign in great misery to serve him. Thirdly, after he hath sinned he is sore displeased with himself for it, and truly repenteth. As r Math. 26. 69. 70. 71. 72. Peter before the denying of his Master, had no purpose to do it, but rather to die in his cause. In the act he had a striving with himself, as appeareth by this that first he answered faintly, I know not what thou sayst: and yet after when the assault of Satan more prevailed, he fell to swearing, cursing and banning. After his fall he repent himself and wept bitterly for it. All was contrary in judas, who went to betrade his master with full intent and purpose: for the devil long tempting him unto it, entered into him, that is, made him, yield, and resolve himself to do it. f john 12. 2. 27. Afterward when Christ was betrayed and condemned, judas was not sorrowful for his sin with a godly sorrow, but in despair of mercy hanged himself. XLVI Fruits worthy of amendment of life are Fruits of repentance. such fruits as the Esai. 61. 3 trees of righteousness bear, namely, good works: for the doing of a good work there be three things requisite: First it must proceed from justifying faith. For the work cannot please God except the person please him, and the person cannot please him without this faith. Secondly, it is to be done in obedience unto Gods revealed word. 1. Sam. 15. 22. to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of Rams. Thirdly, it is to be referred to God's glory. x 1. Cor. 10 31. Whether ye eat or drink saith Paul, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The special works of Christians, which they and none but they truly perform, are these five which follow. XLVII. The first is the good hearing of the Hearing of the word. word, y john. 10. 27. john 8. 47. my sheep (saith Christ) hear my voice and follow me. And again: he which is of God heareth his voice. And this was one note of the faithful in the primitive Church to assemble to hear the word. This good hearing of the word is the saving hearing that bringeth life eternal. In this action, Christians are usually thus disposed. Before they come to hear the word of God they make themselves ready to hear it, as the men of Berea did, a Act. 17. 11 who received the word with all readiness. This preparation standeth in two points: First, they disburden themselves of all impediments, that like unto runners in a race, they may b jam. 1. 18 Psal. 26. 67 be swift to hear: these impediments are sin and troubled affections, and they come with humble hearts c 1. Cor. 3. 18. as fools, that they may become wise. Secondly, they quicken up themselves, and come unto the assemblies, hungering and thirsting after the word of God, as men do after meat and drink. When they are in hearing God's word, their minds are fixed and attentive only to that which is spoken, as d Act. 16. 14. Lydias was. Thirdly, they truly believe the word of God, & carefully apply it to their own souls. Fourthly, they feel the lively power of it in themselves. It is as e Mark 9 4●. salt in them, to draw out their inward corruption; it is to them the f Eph. 6. 17. sword of the spirit, and as a g Rom. 15. 16. sacrificing knife in the hand of God's Minister, by which their flesh is killed, and they are offered up in a living sacrifice to God: it is h joh. 6. 63. spirit and life to quicken and revive their souls that are dead in sin: And the reason of this is plain: The word of God preached is as a cup of wine: the true Christian, is the Lords guest, but he hath sauce of his own: He bringeth his sugar with him, namely, his true faith, which Hebr. 4. 2 he tempereth and mingleth with God's word, and so it becometh unto him as a cup of sweet wine, and as water of life. Now the hypocrite, because he bringeth no faith with him, drinketh of the same, but thinketh the wine to be sour and tart, and void of relish, and in truth it is unto him as a cup of rank poison. Again, k Act. 10. 33 Esay. 66. 3. they hear the word of God as in God's presence, and therefore their hearts are full of fear and trembling, And they receive the word, not l Thess. 2. 13. as from man, but as from Christ jesus the only m Math. 17 5. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Doctor of the Church: And they regard not so much the Ambassador, or his ability, as the Embassage of reconciliation sent from the king of Heaven. After they have heard the word, they are bettered in knowledge and in affection, and they n Psal. 119. 11. remember it, and meditate upon it continually, that they may frame all their doings by it. worldly men use to buy books of statutes, and to have them in their houses to read on, that they may know how to avoid danger of law. And so the faithful do always set before them God's word, and in all their doings it is their o Psal. 119. 24. Counsellor, lest they should come into danger of God's displeasure. XLVIII. The second work is, the receiving of Receiving of the Saecrament. the Sacraments; of Baptism once only, when a man is admitted into the Church: and of the Lords Supper often. The first, sealeth up to the heart of a Christian, that he is united unto Christ, and hath true fellowship with him in being fully justified before God, and inwardly sanctified. The second serveth to seal up in the heart of a Christian the continual growing and increasing of the same graces. This thing every true believer shall have often experience of, either in or after the receiving of the Sacrament: and yet it shall not be so always, for sometimes the Church being p Cant. 2. 5 brought into Christ's wine-celler, shall fall into a sound, and not feel any refreshing there. Yet the believer is not to be dismayed, if he feel not always comfort presently after the Sacrament. A sick man feels no comfort or nourishment, when he eateth meat, and yet it preserveth his life: So the weak Christian though he feel himself not nourish at the Sacrament by Christ's body and blood, yet he shall see in time that his soul shall be preserved thereby unto everlasting life. Furthermore when a Christian feeleth no comfort by the Sacrament, let him then humble himself before the Lord more hearty than ever before, confessing his sins and praying for increase of grace, and then he shall feel the fruit of the Sacrament. XLIX The third work is, a relieving of the Relief of the poor. poor brethren in Christ, proceeding of a brotherly kindness towards them. This is a special work not to be done to all men alike, as saint Paul saith, q Gal. 6. 11 Do good to all men, but especially to them of the household of faith. Directions for this matter are the faithful of Jerusalem, r Act. 2. 44. who were all in one place, and had all things common: s Act. 4. 32. namely in use. And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men: as every one had need. Also the brethren at Corinth in their extreme poverty t 2. Cor. 8. 23. relieved the Churches of Macedonia liberally, not only according to their power, but also straining themselves beyond their power. Yea this relief must go further, even to the bestowing of a man's life, if need so require. (As saint john saith) u 1 john 3. 16. Hereby we have perceived Love, that he laid down his life for us: therefore we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren. L The fourth work is, true prayer: and Prayer. saint Luke setteth out the faithful, and the children of God, by this description: a Act. 9 14 That they call on the name of the Lord. As on the contrary it is said of the wicked: b Psal. 14. 4 That they call not upon God. c Psal. 145 18. The true Christian calleth on the Lord in truth. For the d Rom. 8. 16. spirit of adoption, which is the e Zach. 2. spirit of Prayer is his Schoolmaster to teach him to do it. In Prayer he is thus disposed: First, before he prayeth, f Eccle. 5. 1 Dan. 9 4. he is stricken with some fear and reverence in regard of GOD'S Majesty, for he considereth that prayer is a familiar talking with God. secondly, he is inwardly Dan. 9 4. 16. touched with a lively feeling of his own wants, but especially he is vexed and grieved at his own sin and rebellion: and this sense of his misery is as a spur to quicken his benumbed heart. Thirdly he humbleth himself before his God, and layeth h 1. Sam 1. 15. open his heart before the Lord, showing a fervent and longing desire to obtain those things of which he findeth an extreme want in himself, as the Prophet David did whose i Psal. 143. 6. & 42. 12. desire was like the yawning of the dry ground; and this proceedeth from k Rom. 8. 26. the spirit of God, which stirreth up groanings in the heart, which a man oftentimes for his life cannot express. fourthly, when he maketh his request, l Mark 11. 24. he doubteth not, but by faith he believeth that God will grant his requests, which he maketh according to his word. The ground of this persuasion is double: First, m Ro. 8. 32. Christ jesus, by whose merits as he hath obtained remission of sins, so he looketh to obtain all things else: The n 1. john 5. 14. 15. other ground is, the comfortable promises of God, which he hath made, that he will hear them who truly call upon him. fifthly, he prayeth not for a brunt or two, but he continueth in prayer: And although God seem not to hear him at the first, o 1. Thess. 5. 17. yet he patiently waiteth on the Lord, and still calleth upon him. LI The first work is, to walk in some A lawful calling. lawful calling with painfulness, and uprightness, so that in performing all the duties of it, a 24 Act. 16 man may keep a good conscience before God and men. Thus David determined to walk in the government of his house and kingdom. g Psa. 101. 2. I will do wisely (saith he) in the perfect way till thou comest to me, I will walk in the uprightness of mine heart, in the midst of mine house: I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that fall away: it shall not cleave unto me. This sincerity of David's behaviour in his calling made him bold to offer himself to be tried not only by men, but much more by the Lord God himself, and to be punished accordingly. h Psal. 26 1. 2. Psal. 119. 23. Psal. 18. 22. 24. judge me O Lord (saith he) for I have walked in mine innocency, prove me, O Lord, and try me, examine my reins and mine heart: So upright and clear was he in all his doings. LII. Thus much of faith and the benefits Spiritual exercise in temptations. that come by faith: Now followeth the spiritual exercise of a Christian in his manifold temptations, which are in this life inseparable companions of grace. The reason is, because the devil hateth Christ with a deadly hatred, and showeth this hatred in a continual persecution of his members: (as saint john saith) j Revel. 12 17. the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandements of God, and have the testimony of jesus Christ. Now therefore as soon as Christ jesus beginneth to show any token of his love to any man, the Devil contrariwise showeth forth his enmity, and stirs up his fellow champions the flesh and the world to war against him for his confusion. And furthermore the Lord in great wisdom permits temptations to the last end of a Christian man's life, k Deut. 8. 2. 3. 2. Cor. 16. 12. 18. to try his faith, to purge him of sin, to humble him, and to make him depend of his majesty, to quicken and revive the graces of his spirit, which otherwise would be dead and decay. LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially Inward motions of the flesh. six. The first is when inwardly in his heart. l jam. 1. 14 he is drawn away and enticed by his own concupiscence unto any sin. The Christians exercise in temptation is m Gal. 5. 17 fight and battle betwixt the flesh and the spirit. And this fight standeth in four things: First the flesh stirs up evil thoughts and desires, as a burning furnace continually tendeth up smoke and sparks of fire; and it ●ggeth a man forward to evil words and deeeds, according to that of Saint Mark, o Mar. 7. 21 For, from within, even from the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, uncleanness, a wicked eye, backbiting, pride, foolishness. 2 The flesh hindereth and choketh the good motions & desires of the heart, as Paul saith. p Ro. 7. 23. I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members. Again the same flesh mingleth every good motion and desire with some corruptions: so that the godly mislike the best thing they do, Esay saith of his own & the people's righteousness, that it is but as a q Esa. 64. 6 menstruous clout r Reu. 8. 3. 4. The prayers of the saints must be performed with sweet odours, before they can ascend up sweet & savoury into the nostrils of God. And Paul said of himself, he did that which he disliked: not that he was overtaken with gross sins: but because when he was to do his duty the flesh hindered him, that he could s Rom. 7. 15 not do that which he did exactly and sound according to his will and desire: even as a man who hath a journey to go, his mind is to dispatch it in all haste, yet when he is in his travel he goes but slowly, by reason of a lameness in his joints. 3 The spirit, on the contrary, kindles in the heart good motions & desires, & puts a man forward to good words and deeds, as it was in David. t Gal. 5. 24 Psal 16. 8. I will praise the Lord (saith he) who hath given me counsel: my reins also teach me in the night season. 4 The spirit rebuks a man for his evil intents & desires, and represseth the face of them, and as it were nips them in the head. Thus Esay describeth the inward motions of the spirit, u Esa. 30. 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying this is the way walk ye in it, when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left. And Saint john saith: The spirit x joh. 36. 8. judgeth the world of sin. This was in David who when he did any evil, his heart smote him. 2. Sam. 24. 10. Out of this doctrine issueth a notable difference betwixt the wicked & the godly: In the godly when they are tempered to sin, there is a fight between the heart & the heart: that is, between the heart & itself: In the wicked also there is a fight, when they are tempted to sin: but Rom. 2. 14. 15. this fight is only between the heart and the conscience. The wicked man whatsoever he is, hath some knowledge of good and evil: and therefore when he is in doing any evil, his conscience accuseth, checketh and controlleth him, & he feels it stirring in him, as if it were some living thing that crauled in his body, and gnawed upon his heart, and thereupon he is very often grieved for his sins, yet for all that he liketh his sins very well, and loveth them, and could find in his 1. Pet. 4. 3. 4 heart to continue in them for ever: so that indeed, when he sinneth, he hath in his heart a striving and a conflict, but that is only between himself and his conscience; But the godly have an other kind of battle and conflict, for not only their consciences prick them and reprove them for sin, but also their hearts are so renewed, Psal. 97. 10 Psal. 119. 104. 118. Rom. 7. 15. that they rise in hatred and detestation of sin; and when they are tempted to evil by their flesh and Satan, they feel a lust and desire to do that which is good, liv The second temptation is a quietness in Little feeling. the heart of a Christian, because he cannot according to his desire, have fellowship with Christ jesus, he is exercised in this temptation on this manner. 1 a Cant 62. Christ let him see his excellency & how he is affected towards him, 22. 2 b vers. 3. Then the Christian considering this desireth Christ and his righteousness. 3 He delighteth himself in Christ, and hath some enjoying of his benefits. 4 c vers. 4. Then he comes into the assembly of the Church, as into God's wine-celler, that in the word and sacraments, he may feel a greater measure of the love of Christ. 5 But he * ver. 5. falls love sick: that is he becomes troubled in spirit, because he cannot enjoy the presence of Christ in the said manner, as he would. 6 d ver. 6. 7. In this his spiritual sickness he first feels the power of Christ supporting him, that the spirit be not quenched; and he e ver. 8. hears Christ as it were whispering in his heart, as a man speaks to his friend when he is coming towards him a far off. 7 f ver. 9 After this Christ comes nearer, but the Christian can no otherwise enjoy him, than a man enjoys the company of his friend, who is on the other side of a wall, looking at him through the grate or lattesse. 8 Then his eyes are opened, to see the causes, why Christ so withdraws himself, to be his g 10. 11. 12. 13. 14, 15. own security and negligence in seeking to Christ, his slackness in spiritual exercises, as in prayer and thanksgiving, the deceitfulness and malice of false teachers. 9 ver. 17. Then he comes to feel more lively his fellowship with Christ. 10 lastly, he prayeth that Christ would continue with him to the end. LV The third temptation is, trouble of mind, No feeling. because there is no feeling of Christ at all, who seemeth to be departed for a time. The exercise of a christian in this tentation is this. 1 The poor soul lying as a man desolate a Cant. c. 3. ver. 1. in the night without comfort, seeks for Christ by private prayer & meditation, but it will not prevail. 2 b ver. 2. He useth the help, counsel, & prayer of godly brethren yet Christ cannot be found. 3 c ver. 3. Then he seeks to godly ministers, to receive some comfort by them, by their means he can feel none. 4 d ver. 4. After that all means have been thus used, and none will prevail, then by God's great mercy, when he hath least hope, he finds Christ, & feels him come again. 5 Presently his faith reviveth, and layeth faster hold on Christ. 6 And he hath an earnest fellowship with Christ in his heart, as before. 7 e ver. 5. Then comes again the joy of the holy ghost: & the peace of conscience as a sweet sleep falls upon him. 8 f ver. 9 Then his heart ariseth up into heaven by holy affections and prayers, which do as pillars of smoke mount upward, sweet as myrrh & incense. 9 g ver. 8. 9 10. Also he is ravished there with the meditation of the glorious estate of the kingdom of heaven. 10 h vers. 11. He labours to bring others to consisider the glory of Christ & his kingdom. 11 i cap. 4. ver. 1. to the 15. After all this Christ reveiles to his servant, what his blessed estate is both in this life, & in the life to come, more clearly than ever before, & makes him see those graces which he hath bestowed on him. 12 k ver. 16. Then the Christian prayeth that Christ would breathe on him by his holy spirit, that he may bring forth the fruits of those graces which are in him. 13 lastly, Christ granteth him this l ver. 1. c. 5. his request. LVI. The fourth temptation is security of heart, 4 A spiritual slumber in worldly pleasures. Cant. 5. rising of overmuch delight in the pleasures of the world. The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this. 1 He slumbers and is half a sleep in the pleasures of this world. 2 Christ by his word and spirit labours to withdraw him from his pleasures, and a ver. 2. to make him more heartily receive his beloved. 3 But he b ver. 3. delayeth to do it being loath to leave his ease and sweet delights. 4 c ver. 4. Then Christ awakes him and stirs up his heart: by making him to see the vanity of his pleasures. 5 He then begins to be more earnestly affected towards Christ. 6 d ver. 5. With sorrow he sets his heart to have fellowship with Christ after his old manner: and this he expresseth by bringing forth sweet fruits of righteousness. 7 e ver. 6. Then he feeleth that Christ hath withdrawn his spirit. 8 He almost despairs for this. 9 Yet by private prayer seeks for Christ. 10 f ver. 7. When that will not help, he resorts to the ministers of the word, at whose hands he finds no comfort, but discomfort. 11 g ver. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. 13 14. 15. 16. Not recovering his first estate, through impatience of the love of Christ, he makes his misery known to strangers, to see if they can comfort him, and he somewhat comforts himself in describing Christ's excellency to them. 12 h ver. 17. They then are ravished with him to seek Christ, and require then to know where to find him. 13 i Cap. 6. ver. 1. Answer is made in the assemblies of the Church. 14 k ver. 2. After this communication the Christians faith and feeling reviveth, Christ returning to him again. 15 l ver. 3. to the 7. ver. of cap. 7. Then Christ assureth him in his heart, of his love and liking towards him. 16 Giving further assurance to him that he shall grow up and be made fruitful in every good grace. 17 ᵐ After this the Christian comes in such a high measure to love Christ, that nothing shall be able to sever him from Christ. LVII 5 A fall into some sin. The first temptation is a fall into some great sin, as Noah into drunkenness, David into adultery and murder, Peter into the denial of Christ. The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this: 1 At the first his heart is usually dulled ●nd made secure with sin. 2 Yet after a while there ariseth in his heart a godly sorrow: which is when he is grieved for the only cause, that by his sin he hath displeased God, who hath been to him so loving & merciful a father, whose favour he would be content to purchase, (so he might have it and obtain it, even with the damnation of his own soul. 3 n 2. Cor. 7. 11. Then he gins to repent himself of his sins renewing a fresh his former repentance. 4 ᵘ This repentance he showeth by 7. signs 1 A care to leave that sin into which he is fallen. As they which crucified our saviour Christ, when they were pricked in their hearts at Peter's Sermon, they showed this care in saying, o Act. 2. 37 men & brethren what shall we do to be saved. 2 An Apology, which is when a man in the heaviness of his heart, shall not excuse or defend his sin, but confess it to the lord & utter lie condemn himself for it: acknowledging withal that there is no way to escape that wrath of god, but by having gods free pardon in christ. 3 Indignation which is an inward anger and fretting against his own self, because he was so careless, in looking to his own ways. Peter when he had denied his master, he wept & that bitterly which showeth that with sorrow, he had also an anger against himself. p Math. 26. 75. 4 A fear rising not so much from the judgements of God, as from this lest he should hereafter fall into the same sin again, and by so doing more grievously displease God. 5 A desire ever after more carefully to please god. 6 Zeal in the service of God. 7 Revenge upon himself for his former offences: for example if a man sin in surfeiting and drunkenness, if he ever repent, he will bring under his corrupt nature by sparing and moderating himself LVIII The sixth temptation is outward afflictions. 6 Outward affections. which the godly in this life must suffer. a Math. 16 24. If any will go after Christ, he must deny himself, take up his own cross & follow him. b 1. Pet. 4. 17. And S. Peter saith, that judgement gins at God's house: c Act. 14. 22. And Paul that we must enter into the kingdom of heaven through manifold temptations. The exercise of a Christian in afflictions is this. 1 d Heb. 12. 11. At the first they are very heavy & bitter. 2 He suffereth them with great lenity and patience, submitting himself under the hand of God. Yet e job. 3. if they be in any great f job. 6. 2. 3. measure, they will drive him to impatience. 3 If they continue he shall feel (according to his own judgement) the wrath & displeasure of his heart. 4 g job. 13. 26. His old sins will come a fresh into his remembrance, and trouble him. He is sleepy, h 1. Reg. 19 4. 5. 7. job. 7. 14. and in his sleep he hath visions, and dreams and anxiety of spirit. 5 i job. 13. 15 In this misery God supports his faith, that it fail not, and he then forsake Christ. 6 k Rom. 5. 4 He feeling thus gods power to strengthen him, hath experience of it in himself. 7 From experience proceeds hope, that the grace of God shall never be wanting unto him in any afflictions to come: and as he hopeth, so it comes to pass. 8 With this hope is joined l job. 42. 5. 6. a serious humiliation before the Lord m Heb. 12. 11. with the fruit of peace and righteousness. If the afflictions be for Christ's cause unto death than he in more special manner is filled with the joy of the holy ghost, and he is then established with the greatest measure of the strength of Christ, that no torment is able to foil him, and to bring him from Christ, though the Christian should die a thousand times for it. According to that of Paul, n Phil. 1. 29 To you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. And this is grounded upon the promise of God, o Esa. 43. 2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, & through the floods that they do not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the very fire, thou not be burnt: neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. LIX. Hence ariseth a notable difference, between the godly & the wicked, in the suffering of afflictions. A reprobate the more the Lord layeth his hand on him, the more he p Exod. 8. murmureth & rebelleth against God: it is contrary with the true christian: None feeleth more the power & rebellion of sin than he: none is more assaulted by sathan then he, & often times it cometh to pass that God withdraweth the signs of his favour from him, & lets him feel his wrath. And this is the greatest temptation of all other, when a man shall see the Lord to be his enemy, & to his thinking to arm himself against him to his destruction. As q Esa. 38. Ezechias did, who r job. 6. 34. saith that the Lord did crash his bones like a Lion: Or as job saith, that the arrows of the almighty were in him, & the venom thereof drunk up his spirit, & the terrors of god did fight against him. Yet the true Christian when the world, the flesh, & the devil, & God himself too are against him, doth even than most of all rest in the Lord, & by faith cleave to him * job. 13. 1. Though God should destroy me, yet would I trust in him (saith job. s 15 Psal. 22. And David saith, my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me. When he saith that God had forsaken him, it may seem to be the complaint of a desperate man, not having so much as one spark of faith: yet than he saith: my God, my God: which words contain a confession proceeding from true faith: so that in David it appeareth, that the faithful when they feel themselves forlorn, & utterly rejected of god, according to the sense & judge meant of the flesh, yet by faith they can apprehend his hidden mercy, & behold it a far off in the glass of his promise. And so they do often show contrary affections in their prayers as David doth. t Gen. 32. 28. jacob when he wrestled with the Angel for life & death, never gave over: & when he was foiled, he would not cease before the Lord had blessed him. This his wrestling is a type of the conflicts which the faithful are to have with the lord himself, who useth to bring his own children (as it were) to the field: & he assaileth them with the one hand, & with the other he holdeth them up that so he may prove & exercise their faith. And for this cause the Church u Psa. 130. is called Israel by the name of jacob. An example may be had in the woman of Canaan. x Math. 15. 22. 25. 24. 25. 26. 27. First our saviour Christ gave her faith, & by that faith she was moved to seek to him: But when she● was once come to him, he gave her three repulses. First by saying nothing. Secondly by denying her: thirdly by calling her dog. Thus Christ in appearance made show, as though he would never have granted her request. But she at every repulse was more instant, crying more earnestly unto him: & she plainly opposed herself to him, & would take no denial: for such is the nature of true faith. Wherefore, the faithful when they feel themselves overwhelmed with sin, turmoiled with conflicts of satan, when they feel the anger of god offended with them, yet they can even then lift up their eye lids, & give a glimpse at the brazen Serpent jesus Christ, & can fling themselves into the arms of gods mercy, & catch hold of the hand of god buffeting them, & kiss it. XL. By these temptations it comes to pass that a Christian Dangerous falls of a Christian. though he cannot fall finally from Christ, yet he may fall very dangerously from his former estate. First the graces of god may be by his default lessened in him: else Paul would not have given out these exhortations a 1. Thess. 5 19 quench not the spirit. b Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Secondly the graces of God may be buried in him & covered for a time, so that he may be like a man in a trance, who both by his own sense & by the judgement of the physician is taken for dead. This was the estate of Peter, who though he confessed that Christ was the son of the living Lord c Mat. 16. 16. 26. 70. yet he denied him & forswore him at the voice of a Damsel. Thirdly he may fall again into the same sin after repentance. Indeed this is a dangerous fall, yet it may befall a true christian. Otherwise when as the Israelits god's people had fallen away from him by their sins, & idolatries, he would not still have offered them mercy d Esa. 14. 18. as he doth by his prophets: And e 2. Cor. 5. 20. Paul prayeth the Corinthians in Christ's stead that they would be reconciled to God: who nevertheless had once before been reconciled to God. Fourthly, he may commit a sin of presumption, which is a fearful sin, being done wittingly of knowledge and willingly, and with some wilfulness. Therefore David prayed f Ps. 19 13. keep thy servant presumptuous sin: and to show himself to be in danger of it, he prayeth further, let them not have dominion over me. Lastly, he may fall into despair of God's mercy for a time, and this is a dangerous sin. For he which despairs, makes all the promises of God to be false: and this sin of all other is most contrary to true saving faith. In this estate was David, when being in trouble, he said, g Psal. 77. 11. this is my death. And Paul shows that the incestuous man might have fallen into desperation, h 2. Cor. 2. 2. when he saith: Comfort him, lest he be swallowed up of overmuch heaviness. And it must be remembered that the Church of Rome erreth in this, that she teacheth desperation to be a sin against the holy Ghost; This sin against the holy Ghost is a blasphemy spoken against the known truth of God's word, of a wilful and obstinate malice. But desperation may arise through ignorance of a man's own estate: through horror of conscience for sin: through an often relapse into some sin: through the overdeepe consideration of a man's own unworthiness: Lastly by abjuration of the truth, through compulsion & fear. This befell Frances Spira, who after his Apostasy despaired. Yet they are much overseen that writ of him as of a damned creature. For first who can tell whether he despaired finally or not. Secondly in the very midst of his desperation, he complained of the hardness of his heart, which made him that he could not pray: no doubt than he felt his hardness of heart: and the feeling of corruption in the heart is by some contrary grace, so that he was not quite bereft of all goodness: though he neither felt it then nor showed it to the beholder. LXI. The cause why a Christian cannot fall away Corroboration. from grace, is this: after that he is sanctified, he receiveth from god another special grace, which may be called Corroboration. For he hath in him not only the sanctifying, but also the strengthening power of Christ. Therefore Paul prayeth for the Ephesians, i Eph. 3. 16. that they may be strengthened in the inner man: for the Collossians, k Colloss. 1. 9 that they might be strengthened with the glorious power of Christ. And of himself he saith l Phil. 4. 13 that he is able to do all things through the power of Christ that strengthen him m Psal. 105 5. David saith, that God reneweth them that fear him, as the Eagle reneweth her decayed strength. n job. 33. 25. And job shows worthily that they, which by preaching of the word are reconciled unto God, are restored again and gather new strength, so that their flesh becomes as the flesh of young children. From hence as from a special cause ariseth patience & perseverance unto the end: for when a man is supported by the power of Christ, he may be able to bear many crosses patiently with a con●ented mind Patience. Perseve. rance. & persever in bearing of it how long so ever the cross endureth. Thus much of the estate of a Christian in this life. Now I will add A persuasion to Christianity. some reasons in the way of persuasion to all men but especially to worldlings, & to lose professors of the Gospel, that they would utterly deenie themselves d 2 Cor. 5. 17. & use all means to become true Christians by being made new creatures in Christ, and e Tit. 2. 10. by leading such a life as may adorn the Gospel of Christ. My first reason is this, the man that liveth in this world nor being a true Christian, is far more vile than the basest creature of all, even the Dog, or Toad: For first he is nothing else but a filthy dunghill of all abomination and uncleanness, the f Ro. 8. 20. stink whereof hath infected heaven and earth, and no perfumes could ever delay it in the nostrils of God, but only the suffering of Christ being g Eph. 5. 2. a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God. We make it very dainty to come near a lazar man that is full of botches, blains & sores; but much more are those men to be abhorred, which have lain many years stark h Eph. 2. 1. dead in sins and trespasses: & therefore now do nothing else but rot & stink in them like ugly loathsome carrions. Secondly, he which is no Christian is under the power of darkness having Satan for his Prince i 2. Cor. 4. and God, and giving unto him in token of homage his best parts, even his mind and conscience k Luke 11. 24. to be his dwelling place: and his whole conversation is nothing else but a perpetual obedience to Satan. If Atheists, & worldlings & carnal gospelers were persuaded of the truth of this (as it is most true) it would make them howl & cry, though now they live at ease without feeling any prick of conscience for sin. And if they had but the least sense of it in the world, it would make their flinty hearts to bleed, and it would make them shed rivers of tears. But how long shall they continue in this vile estate? Truly, until they come to Christ: awake therefore thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light: Open thine heart to receive Christ, and then he will come & bind the strong man Satan, and cast him out, and dwell in thee himself. Thirdly, he which is no Christian is in danger of all the judgements of God, so that every moment some of them may befall him. He may perish suddenly by water with the old world, he may be consumed with fire and brimstone with Sodom and Gomorrha, he may be swallowed up of the earth with Core, Dathan, and Abyram, he may hang himself with judas, he may have his brains dashed against the ground and be eaten up of dogs with jesabel, he may die in the hardness of heart with Pharaoh, he may despair with Cain and judas, he may be stricken with sudden death with Ananias and Saphira his wife, he may be eaten of worms with Herode, he may be smitten with trembling that he cannot hear God's word with Foelix, he may void his guts at the stool with Arius, he may cry at his death that he is damned with Latomus, he may be left unto himself to mock, blaspheme, and renounce Christ with julian: and he may suffer many more fearful judgements, whereof the Lord hath l Deut. 32. 34. great store and all tend to the confounding of them which will not be humbled under his hand. Contrariwise the true Christian is so far out of the reach of God's judgements that they cannot hurt him: m Esal. 4. 6. Christ is a covering and a cloud against the heat and tempest of God's judgements n Exo. 12. 22. when a man's heart is sprinkled with the blood of this immaculate Lamb, all the plagues of God pass over him. In the destruction of jerusalem the o Ezec. 9 4 righteous bear a mark in their foreheads and are saved. Therefore let him that hath regard to his own safety become a Christian. Thirdly; the man which is no Christian is in danger of eternal death and damnation in hell fire. and they which fall into this estate it had been ten thousand fold better for them if they had never been borne, p 1. Thess. 1. 9 for they are quite separated from the presence of God and from his glory: all the company they have is with the Devil and his Angels. Their bodies and souls are tormented with infinite horror and anguish arising of the feeling of the whole wrath of God, in which as into a bottomless sea, they are plunged. Thus they are always dying, and yet are never dead: Furthermore the length of this torment must be considered which greatly aggravates the pain. If a man might be delivered from the pangs of hell when he had suffered them so many years as there be drops in the sea or little sands in the whole earth, it were some comfort: but after that those years be expired there shall come no release, but the damned shall continue in shrieking, yelling and gnashing of teeth, enduring the consuming heat of God's wrath without any end for ever and ever. Yea to go further, a wicked man carrieth an hell about him in this life, namely, an evil conscience, which if it be never so little touched with any of God's anger, a man shall feel himself to have even the pangs of hell in his heart. Now therefore all they that would escape out of this hellish and damnable estate, while they have time let them pray for the pardon of their sins in Christ, and walk according to the spirit in newness of life, and then they may assure themselves, that there is no condemnation can belong to them. And it must be always remembered that he which would live, when he is dead, must die while he is alive, namely to sin. And again he which would rise to eternal life in the day of judgement, must rise from sin before he die, unto newness of life. The fourth reason: God hath appointed unto every man that liveth in the Church a certain time of repentance, and of coming to Christ. And he which mispendeth that time and is not made a Christian then, can never be saved. This made our Saviour Christ weep for Jerusalem and say. q Luke 19 42 O if thou hadst known at the least in this thy day, those things which belong to thy peace, but now are they hidden from thine eyes. And further signifieth the destruction of Jerusalem r ver. 44. because she knew not the time of her visitation. Again, the neglecting of this time is one cause, why not one or two, but many s Luke 13. ver. 24. shall seek to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and yet shall not be able. It is a marvelous thing, that they which seek to be saved should perish, but the fault is theirs which seek when it is too late. Now therefore thou secure worldling, thy conscience telleth thee that thou hast not yet repent and that thou art not as yet a lively member of jesus Christ. And thou knowest further, that howsoever thou art alive at this time, yet thou hast no lease of thy life. God may call thee forth of this world the next year, the next week, the next hour: Yea he may strike thee with sudden death at this very present. And in very truth, if thou goest forth of this world being no Christian, thou goest damned to hell. Wherefore delay not one minute of an hour longer, but with all speed repent and turn unto God, and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life, that all thy sins may be done away, when the day of death, or the day of judgement shall be. And do not think with thyself that it shall be sufficient to differre thy turning unto God till the last end. For late repentance is seldom true repentance. And he which continueth long in any sin is in a dangerous case. If a man lie long in any disease he will scarce recover his former health: and he which is grown in the custom of any sin, and the sin is become ripe in him, it is a thousand to one, he is never saved; according to that of saint james, t jam. 1. 13 sin being perfected bringeth forth death. The fift reason. Eternal life is a thing desired of all men: yet none shall be made partakers of it, but the true Christian, and the glorious estate of this life would move any man to be a Christian. First of all, they which have eternal life are freed from all pains, sicknesses, infirmities, hunger, thirst, cold, weariness; from all sin, as anger, forgetfulness, ignorance; from hell, death, damnation, Satan, & from every thing that causeth misery: according to that of saint john, And u Reue●▪ 21. 4. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes: & there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain▪ for the first things are passed. Secondly the faithful shall be in the presence of God's Majesty in heaven there to behold his face, that is, his glory, as our Saviour Christ saith, Father x joh. 17. 24. I will that they which thou hast given me, be with me even where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. And David saith. In y Psal. 16. 11. Revel. 22. 4. thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Thirdly, they z 1. Cor. 15 28. shall have such an excellent communion with God, that he shallbe unto them all in all. For in the end of the world, when the whole number of the elect is accomplished Christ shall present them to his father, and as he is mediator he shall cease to be a King, a Priest, a Prophet, as Paul saith a 1. Cor. 15 24. then shall be the end, when he hath delivered up the kingdom to God: even the Father, when he hath put down all rule, al● authority and power. Again, among the elect there shall not be king and subject, father, mother, child, master, servant, noble, ignoble, rich, poor, living, dead. Some will say, what then shall there be? I answer, one glorious and everlasting God, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, shall be in all the elect, all that heart can wish and desire. Men shall not be in darkness, neither shall they need the light of the Sun, Moon, or Stars, God himself immediately shall be their light b Revel. 2● 23. as john saith. And the City hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it, and the Lamb is the light of it. Men shall not then need meat, drink, clothing, sleep, recreation, fire, shade, respiration, or any other such like, but God himself immediately shall be their life and all things concerning life by Christ. Which john signifieth, when he saith that he c Revel. 22. 1. 2. saw a pure river of water of life, clear as Crystal proceeding out of the throne of God & of the Lamb; there being by either side of it the tree of life which bore two manner of fruits, and gave fruit every month. And whereas God is continually to be worshipped in heaven: they need no other tabernacle or temple thereunto, but God himself shall be their temple: as john saith, d Revel. 21. 22. I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. Fourthly, from this glorious communion which is between God and Christ as he is man, and all the saints which are his members, there ariseth an unspeakable joy and gladness wherewith they are filled. David saith, e Psal. 36. that God's children shall be satisfied with the fatness of his house, and that he shall give them drink out of the rivers of his pleasures. This joy undoubtedly is infinite, and the Saints are not only replenished with it but they are also swallowed up of it as with an huge and infinite sea of waters, as may appear in Peter, who at the transfiguration of Christ, was so ravished out of measure with joy at the sight of it that he quite forgot himself, saying f Mat. 17. 4 to Christ, Master it is good being here: let us make three tabernacles here, one for thee, one for Moses, and an other for Elias. Lastly, out of this communion ariseth a perfect love of God whereby the Saints love God with all their hearts, with all their souls, and strength, and this love showeth itself in that they are eternally occupied in g Revel. 8. ver. 11. 12. worshipping God by singing of songs of praise and thanks giving unto him. Now then seeing the kingdom of heaven is so glorious, and none can have it but the true Christian, let all men account the best things in this world h Phil. 3. 8. as dross and dung, so that they may obtain Christ and his righteousness. The last reason is the endless love of jesus Christ showed in his death and passion. Thou art by nature the child of wrath and vengeance. Satan hath wounded thee with many a deadly wound of sin: thou liest bleeding at the heart and and art like to die eternally. Thou being in this estate there is no Man on earth, no no Saint in heaven, no Angel, no creature at all is able to help thee; Christ only was able; he therefore came down from heaven and became man, for this cause, to work thy deliverance. Furthermore in the curing of the wound of sin, no herb, no water, no plaster, no Physic, can do thee any good: only the body and blood of Christ is sovereign for this matter, being steeped in the wrath of God. He therefore subjecteth himself to the death, even the death of the Cross upon which he suffered the wrath of God due to the sin of mankind: and of his own heart blood he tempered for thee a sovereign medicine to heal all thy wounds and sores. Now therefore despise not this mercy; seek unto Christ, lay open all thy sores, pray him, that he would vouchsafe thee if it be but one drop of his blood: then he will come unto thee by his holy spirit, he will wash and supple thy wounds in his blood and bind them up. He is the h Revel. 22. 3. tree of life the leaves whereof heal the nations. If thou get but one leaf of him thou art well, it will heal thee and restore thy dead soul that thou mayest live eternally in the kingdom of heaven. If this reason will not move thee to be a Christian, thy case is desperate. It is the best reason that Paul could use to this purpose. As obedient children (saith he) fashion not yourselves unto the former lusts of your ignorance, i 1. Pet. 1. ver. 14. 15. but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. His reason followeth. k ver. 18. 19 Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by the tradition of the Fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a Lamb undefiled and without spot. Thus much have I spoken to the worldling who in his heart makes no more account of Christ then of his old shoes: and who had rather be without Christ, * Math. 8. then be without his pigs, with the Gaderenes. Now for the true Christians I have nothing to say but this. The Lord increase the number of them. And l Colloss. 1 ver. 9 10. 11. the Lord fulfil them with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding, that they may walk worthy of him, and please him in all things, being fruitful in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God. And whereas they are at continual war against the flesh, the world, and the Devil: Lord Jesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness. And dear father of all mercy plant that government in thy Church every where which thou hast revealed in thy word. That thy Saints may worship thee in ᵒ those means, in that order and comeliness, which thou hast appointed, abounding in righteousness, peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost, Amen, Amen. A Dialogue of the state of a Christian man, between Eusebius a perfect Christian, and Timotheus a wise Christian, and the most of it was gathered here and there out of the sweet and savoury writings of Master Tindalland Master Bradford. TImotheus. Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiarity (dear friend Eusebius) I will make bold with you to ask such questions as may be for my edification and comfort, and of no other matters but even of religion, whereof I see you are an old professor. And first of all, let me be bold to ask this question of you, how it pleased God to make you a true Christian, and a member of Christ jesus whom I see you serve continually with a fervent zeal. Eusebius. For that old acquaintance that was between us, and for that you are desirous to live a godly life in Christ jesus, I will not conceal the good work of my God in me: therefore I pray you mark a little what I shall say, and I will declare unto you the truth even forth of the feeling of mine own conscience. The fall of Adam did make me the heir of vengeance and wrath of God, and heir of eternal damnation, and did bring me into captivity and bondage under the Devil: And the Devil was my Lord and my ruler, my head, my governor, and my prince, yea, and my god. And my will was locked & knit faster unto the will of the Devil, then could an hundred thousand chains bind a man unto a post. Unto the devils will did I consent with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my might, power, strength, will and life: so that the law and will of the Devil, was written as well in my heart, as in my members, and I ran headlong after the Devil with full soul, and the whole swing of all the power I had: as a stone cast up into the air cometh down naturally of itself with all the violent swing of his own weight. O with what deadly & venomous heart did I hate mine enemies? with how great malice of mind inwardly did I slay and murder? With what violence and rage, yea with what servant lust committed I adultery, fornication, and such like uncleanness? With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton served I my belly? With what diligence deceived I? How busily sought I the things of the world? whatsoever I did work, imagine or speak, was abominable in the sight of God, for I could refer nothing unto the honour of GOD: neither was his law or will written in my members or in my heart, neither was there any more power in me to follow the will of GOD then in a stone to ascend upward of itself. And besides that I was a sleep in so deep blindness that I could neither see nor feel in what misery, thraldom, and wretchedness I was, till Moses came and awaked me and published the law. When I heard the law truly preached how that I ought to love and honour God with all my strength and might from the low bottom of the heart, because he did create me lord over it, and my neighbour, yea mine enemies as myself inwardly from the ground of my heart, because God hath made them after the likeness of his own Image, and they are his sons as well as I, and Christ hath bought them with his blood, and made them heirs of everlasting life as well as I: and how I ought to do whatsoever God biddeth and to abstain from whatsoever God forbiddeth, with all love and meekness, with a fervent and burning lust from the entire of the heart. Then began my conscience to rage against the law and against God. No sea, be it never so great a tempest was so unquiet, for it was not possible for me a natural man to consent to the law that it should be good, or that God should be righteous which made the law: in as much as it was contrary unto my nature, and damned me and all that I could do, and never showed me where to fetch help, nor preached any mercy a Rom. 4. : but only set me at variance with God, and provoked and stirred me to rail on God, and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant. And indeed it was not possible to do otherwise, to think that God made me of so poisoned a nature, and gave me an impossible law to perform: I being not borne again by the spirit, and my wit, reason, and will being so fast glued, yea nailed and chained unto the will of the Devil. This was the captivity and bondage whence Christ delivered me, redeemed and loosed me. His blood, his death, his patience in suffering rebukes and wrongs and the full wrath of God, his prayers and fastings, his meekness & fulfilling the uttermost points of the law, appeased the wrath of God, brought the favour of God to me again, obtained that God should love me first, & be my father, and that a merciful father that would consider my infirmity & weakness, and would give me his spirit again which he had taken away in Adam, to rule, govern, and strengthen me, and to break the bands of Satan wherein I was so strait bound. When Christ was on this wise preached, and the promises rehearsed which are contained in the book of God, (which preaching is called the gospel or gladtidings,) and I had deeply considered the same: then my heart began to wax soft & melt at the bounteous mercy of God and kindness showed of Christ. For when the gospel was preached, the spirit of God (me thought) entered into my heart, and opened my in ward eyes, and wrought a lively faith in me, and made my woeful conscience feel and taste how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is, & how merciful & loving God is through Christ's purchasing and merits, and made me begin to love again, and to consent to the law of God how that it is good and aught so to be, and that GOD is righteous that made it: lastly it wrought in me a desire to be whole, and to hunger and thirst after more righteousness and more strength to fulfil the law more perfectly: and in all that I do or leave undone to seek God's honour and his will with meekness evermore condemning the imperfectness of my deeds by the law. Now than this good work of God to my salvation standeth in two points, the working of the law, and the working of the gospel: the preaching of the law was a key that bound and damned my conscience, the preaching of the gospel was an other key that loosed me again. These two salves (I mean the law & the gospel) used God & his preacher to heal and cure me a wretched sinner withal. The law did drive out my disease and made it appear, and was a sharp salve and fretting corrosive, & killed the dead flesh, and loosed and drew the sore out by the root, and all corruption. It pulled from me all trust and confidence I had in myself, and in mine own works, merits, deservings, and ceremonies, and rob me of all my righteousness, & made me poor. It killed me in sending me down to hell, and bringing me almost to utter desperation, & prepared the way of the Lord, as it is written of john Baptist. For it was not possible that Christ should come unto me as long as I trusted in myself or in any worldly thing, or had any righteousness of mine own, or riches of holy works. Then afterward came the Gospel a more gentle plaster, which coupled and suaged my wounds of my conscience and brought me health: It brought the spirit of God, which loosed the bands of Satan, and coupled me to God & his will through a strong faith & fervent love. Which bands were to strong for the Devil, the world, or any creature to lose. And I a poor & wretched sinner felt so great mercy that in myself I was most sure that God would not forsake me, or ever withdraw his mercy and love from me,. And I boldly cried out with Rom. 8. Paul, saying. Who shall separate me from the love of GOD, etc. Finally, as before when I was bound to the Devil and his will, I wrought all manner of wickedness, for I could do no otherwise, it was my nature: even so now since I am coupled to God by Christ's blood, I do good freely, because of the spirit and this my nature. And thus I trust I have satisfied your first demand. Timoth. Yea, but me thinks you do too much condemn yourself in respect of sin. For I can remember that from your childhood your were of a good and gentle nature, and your behaviour was always honest and civil, and you could never abide the company of them which were roisters and ruffians, and swearers, and blasphemers and contemners of God's word, and drunkards, which now are termed good fellows. And your dealing with all men hath been ever commended for good, faithful and just. What mean you then to make yourself so abominable and accursed, and to say, you were so wholly addicted unto wickedness, and your will so fearfully and miserably in captivity unto the will of the Devil. Euseb. Brother Timoth. I know what I say, God give me grace to speak it with more lively feeling of my weakness, & with a more bitter detestation of my sin. By nature through the fall of Adam am I the child of wrath, heir of the vengeance of God by birth: yea and so from my first conception: And I had my fellowship with the damned devils under the power of darkness and rule of Satan, while I was yet in my mother's womb: and although I showed not the fruits of sin as soon as I was born nor long after: yet was I full of the natural poison, from whence all wicked deeds do spring, & cannot but sin outwardly, as soon as I am able to work (be I never so young) if occasion be given: for my nature is to sin as is the nature of a serpent to sting: and as a Serpent yet young, or yet unbrought forth is full of poison and cannot afterward (when time and occasion is given,) but bring forth the fruits thereof. And as an Adder, a Toad, or a Snake is hated of man, not for the evil it hath done, but for the poison that is in it, and hurt which it cannot but do: so am I hated of God, for that natural poison which is conceive and borne with me before I do any outward evil. And as the evil which a venomous worm doth, maketh it not a serpent, but because it is a venomous worm therefore doth it evil, and poisoneth: even so do not our evil deeds make us evil first, but because we are of nature evil, therefore do we evil, and think evil, to eternal damnation by the law, and are contrary to the will of God in our will, and in all things consent unto the will of the fiend. Timoth. As yet I never had such a feeling of my sin as you have had: and although I would be loath to commit any sin, yet the law was never so terrible unto me, condemning me, pronouncing the sentence of death against me, and stinging my conscience with fear of everlasting pain, as I perceive it hath been unto you: therefore I fear oftentimes lest my profession of religion should be only in truth mere hypocrisy, I pray you let me hear your mind. Euseb. A true saying it is that the right way to go unto heaven, is to sail by hell, and there is no man living that feeleth the power and virtue of the blood of Christ, which first hath not felt the strange pains of hell. But yet in these pains there is a difference: and it is the will of God that his children in their conversion shall some of them feel more and some less. Ezechias Esai 33. on his death bed complaineth that the Lord breaketh his bones like a Lion, that he could not speak by reason of pain, but chattered in his throat like a Crane, and mourned like a Dove. job saith, that God is job. 6. 4. job. 13. his enemy and hath set him up as a mark to shoot at, and that the arrows of the almighty are upon him, and that the poison of them hath drunk up his spirit. David Psal. 130. bewaileth his estate in many Psalms, but especially in the 130. Psalm, where he beginneth on this manner: Out of the deep places have I called unto thee O Lord, which is as though he should say; O my poor soul fall not flat down, vex not thyself out of measure: the burden of thy sins press thee sore indeed but be not for all that quite overwhelmed: thou art thrust down so low into the depth of deeps that thou had need cry aloud to be heard of him which dwelleth in the highest heights: and the everburning hell fire is not far from that lake whither thine iniquities have plunged thee, ●o that thou mayest perceive as it were the Echo of their cries and desperate how●nges which be there cast out of all hope of ever coming forth. But the Lord which bringeth forth even to the borders of hell his best beloved when they forget themselves, knoweth also how well to bring them back again. Go no further then downward, but li●t up thy heart together with thine eye, and seek unto the Lord, to reach unto thee his merciful and helping hand. Again in the scriptures we find examples of men converted unto the Lord without any vehement sorrow of their sins. What anguish of conscience had the thief upon the cross for his former life in his present conversion at the hour of death? How was Lydia dismayed and cast down in respect of her wickedness, like as David was or job, whose heart God only is said to have opened to give attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas, who also even presently after was ready to entertain them, and to make them a feast in her house, which she could not have done if she had been in the perplexities of Ezechias or David. The same may be spoken of the jailer, and of them which heard Peter's Sermon at jerusalem, who for all that they had murdered our Saviour Christ, yet in their conversion, their hearts were only for the time pricked. So then God in preparing us, which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stinking dounghils of sin, nay very uncleanness & pollution itself, I say, in preparing us to be the temples of his holy spirit to dwell in, & the storehouses to horde up his heavenly graces in, doth otherwhilesuse a mild and gentle remedy, & maketh the law to look upon us, though with no loving & gentle, yet with no fearful countenance, & otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge upon the law, & maketh it to wound the heart very deep, and as a strong corrosive to torment them, & to fret & gnaw upon their consciences. And we see by experience that a botch or a bile in a man's body, is as well eased of the corruption that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the lancing of a great razor. Wherefore if God by his spirit have wrought in you sorrow for sin in any small measure, though not in as great measure as you desire, you have no cause to complain: and in that you are grieved & sorrowful for your sins, it is a good token of the grace of God in you. Timoth. Surely this is a great comfort ●ou give me, God make me thankful ●or it. And I pray you more plainly show me the state of your life till this hour, that I and all other may take warning by it. Euseb. That which may do good unto other men I will never conceal though it be to my perpetual shame. As I was conceived & born in sin, so my Parents brought me up in ignorance & never showed me my shame and misery by God's law: & I lived a long time, even as a man in a dead sleep or trance, and in truth I lived as though there were neither heaven nor hell, neither God nor Devil. And the Devil himself (as now I perceive) did often persuade my secure conscience that I was the child of God, and should be saved as well as the best man in the world: and I yielded to this persuasion, and did verily think it: so that when the preacher for wickedness and security denounced God's judgements and hell fire, I have said unto my neighbours that I hoped I should be saved, and he should go to hell: and when I was asked whether I could keep all the commandments of the law I said that I could, and being asked whether I never sinned: I said I thought that otherwhiles I did, marry for them which were but few, I hoped God would have mercy, and have me excused. And all my neighbours were glad of my company, they spoke well of me, and I was taken for an honest man, when as indeed, before God I was a vile beast, & the child of wrath, inspired with the spirit of the Devil continually. Well; afterward I heard the law preached and I saw and remembered many fearful judgements of GOD upon men whom I in reason thought were as good men as I, than I began to consider mine own estate, and to perceive my sins, and my cursedness, and upon a time above all other, the curse of the law made me inwardly afraid, and my flesh then began to tremble and quake: then I could not sleep in the night season, I was afraid of every thing. If I were in my house, I thought the house would fall on my head; if abroad, I thought every cranny of the earth would open itself wider and swallow me. I started at every straw, and at the moving of a fly: my meat was loathsome unto me, and I thought I was not worthy of so good a creature of God, and that God might justly turn it to my bane: the grief of my heart for my life passed made me shed abundance of tears: and upon that I remembered (that I had heard read in the Church, in David's Psalms, that his tears were his drink, and that he did wet his bed with tears. And now the Devil changed both his coat and his note, & in fearful manner cried in my ears, that I was a reprobate, his child: that none of God's children were as I am, that this grief of my soul was the beginning of hell. And the greater was my pain, because I durst not open my mind unto any for fear they should have mocked me, and have made a jest of it. Wherefore I was fain to go to a godly learned Preacher: I showed mine estate unto him? after I had continued with him the space of two or three days. I received comfort both by the promises of mercy, which he showed me in the book of God, and by his fervent godly and effectual prayers: and I thank God ever since I have had some assurance (in spite of the Devil) that I do appertain to the kingdom of heaven, and am now a member of jesus Christ, and shall so continue for ever. Timoth. How know you that God hath forgiven your sin? Euseb. Because I am a sinner & he is both able and willing to forgive me. Timoth. I grant that he is able to forgive you, but how know you that he will? you know your sins are very great. Euseb. I grant: but Christ's passion is far greater: and although my sins were as red as scarlet and as purple, yet they shall be as white as snow, and as soft as wool. Timoth. Oh but you have sinned very often. Euseb. Tell me not I pray you what I have done, but what I will do. Timoth. What will you do? Euseb. By God's grace it is my full purpose, and my earnest prayer to God is, hereafter to take better heed, and to amend my former life. Timoth. Is that enough think you? Euseb. What lacketh? Timoth. The favour and mercy of God, that may clean forsake you. Euseb. Nay that I will never grant: for I am certainly persuaded of the favour & mercy of God even to the salvation of my soul. Timoth. Oh show me that, that is the thing I earnestly desire, to be assured of God's special goodness, even by your feeling. Euseb. According as God hath given me to feel the same so will I show it you. And first of all the dealing of God towards me is a good argument to me. In the first commandment, God hath commanded me to take him to be my God, and in the Lord's prayer he teacheth me to call him father: he hath created the world generally and every creature particularly for man & so for me, to serve for my commodity, necessity, and admonition. Also he hath made me after his own image, having a reasonable soul, body, shape, where he might have made me a Toad, a Serpent, a Swine, deformed, frantic. Moreover, he hath wonderfully preserved me in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age hitherto from manifold dangers & perils: all which do confirm in me a persuasion of God's fatherly love: & that I should not doubt hereof: where I might have been borne of Turks, lo it was the will of God that I should be borne of Christian Parents, & be brought into God's Church by Baptism, which is the Sacrament of adoption, & requireth faith, as well of the remission of my sins as of sanctification and holiness to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit: where I might have been borne in an ignorant time and region, God would that I should be borne in these days and in this country where is more knowledge revealed then ever was here or in many places else is. Where I might have been of a corrupt judgement & entangled with many errors of Papistry, & of the family of love, & of that hypocritical Brown, by God's goodness my judgement is reform, and he hath lightened mine eyes to see & my heart to embrace his sincere truth. By all which things I do confirm my faith of this that God always hath been, is, and will be for ever my father, & at my departing forth of this world will give me the crown of everlasting glory. secondly when as man is evermore doubting of the promises of God be they never so certain, God of his infinite mercy to prevent all occasions of doubting, promiseth to give his own spirit as a pledge, pawn, or earnest penny unto his children of their adoption & election to salvation. Now since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisy to be a member of his Church, I feel that in myself which I never felt or heard of before. In times past, I came to prayers and to the preaching of God's word even as a Bear cometh to the stake, now the word of God is meat and drink to me, and prayer is no burden unto me, but my ordinary exercise. If I rise in the morning I am not well till I have prayed and given thanks to God, if I do any thing it cometh into my mind to pray. In my prayers I find great joy and comfort and the exceeding favour of God, I never think I can well take my rest, or do any thing else except first I ask it at God's hand in Christ. lastly, when my mind and heart is wholly occupied in worldly matters, I am stirred up, and as it were drawn to pray unto God for the remission of my sins, and the assurance of my salvation, and in prayer I have had those groans which for their greatness cannot be expressed. Now from whence cometh all this? From the Devil? No. In these actions I have found him my enemy, and a continual hinderer of them. For he by his craft when I have been heavy and weak, hath assailed to provoke me to some sins whereunto my cursed nature was most given. and I having yielded to him, have been so hardened and blinded by those sins, that for a time I have made light account of the word of God and prayer. Well then, peradventure this came from mine own self? No neither. This cursed nature of mine hath been more pleased and delighted with sin, and with the pleasures of the world, then with such exercises, from which it draweth me & presseth me down as lead. I cannot think that such a poisoning Cockatrice can lay such good eggs, or that wild crab trees (such as all men are in Adam) can bring forth sweet fruits according to the will of God, except God pluck them forth of Adam, and plant them in the garden of his mercy, and stock them, and graft the spirit of Christ in them. Wherefore these are the works of God's spirit, and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath given me the spirit of adoption, and therefore that his favour and mercy shall continue towards me for ever. For the gifts of God are without repentance, and whom God once loveth, him he loveth for ever. thirdly, there be certain fruits of God's children which I find in me, by which I am confirmed in God's favour. Saint john in his first epistle saith, that hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren. Truly ● feel in my heart a burning love towards them which are good Christians though I never knew them nor saw them, and I am very desirous to do any good for them: and if drops of my heart blood would do them good they should have them. Moreover I hate all sin and wickedness with a bitter hatred, and I long to see the coming of my saviour Christ to judgement, I am grieved and disquieted because I cannot fulfil the law of God as I ought, all which I have learned forth of God's word to be tokens of God's children. And thus you see what evidence I have to show that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the favour of God. Timoth. Have you a steadfast faith in Christ (as these arguments seem to prove) without all wavering, doubting, and distrusting of God's mercy? Euseb. No, no. This my faith which I have in Christ is even fought against with doubting, & ever assailed with desperation, not when I sin only but also in temptations of adversity, into which God bringeth me to nurture me & to show me mine own heart, the hypocrisy & false thoughts that there lie hid, my almost no faith at all, and as little love, even then happily when I thought myself most perfect of all; for when temptations come I cannot stand, when I have sinned faith is feeble, when wrong is done unto me I cannot forgive, in sickness, in loss of goods, in all tribulation I am unpatient, when my neighbour needeth my help that I must departed with him of mine own, than love is cold. And thus I learn & feel that there is no power to do good but of God only. And in all such temptations my faith perisheth not utterly, neither my love and consent to the law of God: but they be weak, sick, wounded & not clean dead. As I dealt with my parents being a child, so now deal I towards God my loving father. When I was a child my father and mother taught me nurture & wisdom, I loved my father & all his commandments, and perceived the goodness he showed me, that my father loved me, and all his precepts are unto my wealth and profit, and that my father commandeth nothing for any need he hath thereof, but seeketh my profit only, and therefore I have a good faith unto all my father's promises, and love all his commandments and do them with good will, and with good will go every day to the school: And by ●he way happily I saw company play, and with the sight was taken and ravished of my memory, and forgot myself, and stood, and beheld, and fell to play also forgetting father and mother & all their kindness, all their laws, and mine own profit also. How beit the knowledge of my father's kindness, the faith of his promises, and the love that I had again unto my father, and the obedient mind were not utterly quenched, but lay hid, as all things do when a man sleepeth or lieth in a trance. And as soon as I had played out all my lists, or else by some had been warned, in the mean season, I came again to my old profession. Notwithstanding many temptations went over my heart, and the law as a right hangman tormented my conscience, and went nigh to persuade me that my father would thrust me away, and hang me if he catched me, so that I was like a great while to run away, rather than to return to my father again. Fear and dread of rebuke, and of loss of my father's love and of punishment, wrestled with the trust which I had in my father's goodness, and as it were gave my faith a fall. But I rose again as soon as the rage of the first brunt was past and my mind was more quiet. And the goodness of my father and his old kindness came unto my remembrance either by mine own courage or by the comfort of another. And I believed that my father would not put me away or destroy me: and he hoped that I would do no more so. And upon that I got me home again, dismayed but not altogether faithless: the old kindness would not let me despair, howbeit all the world could not set mine heart at rest, until the pain had been past and until I had heard the voice of my father, that all is forgotten. Timoth. Seeing that you have thus plainly and truly showed the weakness of yours, and consequently of all men's faith, show me I pray you how by the weakness of faith a Christian is not rather discomforted then comforted and assured of his salvation. Euseb. God doth not so much regard the quantity of his graces as the truth of them, he approveth a little faith if it be a Math. 20. true faith: yea, if faith in us were no more but a grain of mustard seed (which is the least of all other seeds) it should be effectual, and God would have respect unto it. The poor diseased beggar with a lame hand, having the palsy also, is able nevertheless to reach out the same and receive an alms of a king: and so in like manner a weak and languishing faith is sufficiently able to reach out itself and to apprehend the infinite mercies of our heavenly king offered unto us in Christ. Faith in the 3. of john, is compared unto the eye of the Israelite, which although it were of dim sight, or looked a squint, yet if it could never so little behold the brazen Serpent, it was sufficient to cure the stings of the fiery serpents, & to save life. Timoth. Seeing that you satisfy me in every point so fully, show me I pray you, whether a man may be wicked & have faith, & whether faith entering expelleth wickedness. For I have heard some say, that a man might believe the word of God; and yet be never the better in his life, or holier than before he was. Euseb. Many there are which when they hear or read of faith at once they consent thereunto & have a certain imagination & opinion of faith: as when a man telleth a story or a thing done in a strange land that pertaineth not to them at all: which yet they believe & tell as a true thing, & this imagination o● opinion they call faith, Therefore as soon as they have this imagination or opinion in their hearts, they say, verily, this doctrine seemeth true, I believe it even so: them they think that the right faith is there, but afterward when they feel in themselves no manner of working of the spirit, neither the terrible sentence of the law, & the horrible captivity under Satan, neither can perceive any alteration in themselves & that any good works follow, but find they are altogether as before, & abide in their old state, them think they that faith is not sufficient, but that works must be joined with faith to justification: but true faith is only the gift of God, & is mighty in operation, ever working, being full of virtue: it reneweth man, & begetteth him a fresh, altereth him, changeth him, & turneth him altogether into a new creature & conversation: so that a man shall feel his heart clean changed, & far otherwise disposed then before, & hath power to love that which before he could not but hate, & delighteth in that which before he abhorred, & hateth that which before he could not but love. And it setteth the soul at liberty & maketh her free to follow the will of god, & is to the soul as health to the body after that a man is pined with long sickles: the legs cannot bear him, he cannot lift up his hands to help him, his taste is corrupt, sugar is better in his mouth, his stomach longeth after slubbersauce and swash, at which a whole stomach is ready to cast his gorge: when health cometh she changeth and altereth him clean, giveth him strength in all his members, lust and will to do of his own accord that which before he could not do, neither could suffer that any man should exhort him to do, & hath now lust in wholesome things, and his members are free and at liberty, and have power to do all things of his own accord which belong to a sound and whole man to do. And faith worketh in the same manner as a tree brings forth fruit, of his own accord; and as a man need not bid a tree bring forth fruit, so is there no law put to him that believeth and is justified through faith, neither is it needful. For the law is written and graven in his heart his pleasure is daily therein, and as without commandment even of his own nature he eateth, drinketh, seethe, heareth, talketh, goeth: even so of his own nature without any compulsion of the law bringeth forth good works: and as an whole man when he is a thirst tarrieth but for drink, and when he hungereth abideth but for meat, and then drinketh and eateth naturally. Even so is the faithful ever a thirst, and an hungered after the will of God, and tarrieth but for an occasion: and whensoever an occasion is given he worketh naturally the will of God. For this blessing is given them that trust in Christ's blood, that they thirst and hunger to do Gods will. He that hath not this faith is but an unprofitable babbler of faith, and works, and neither worketh what he babbleth, nor whereunto his words pretend. For he feeleth not the power of faith nor the working of the spirit in his heart, but interpreteth the scriptures which speak of faith and works after his own blind reason, and foolish fantasies, not having any experience in himself. Timoth. Every member of Christ's congregation is a sinner and sinneth daily some more, & some less, for it is written, 1. joh. 1. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And Paul, Rom. 7. That good which I would, that do I not; but that evil which I would not, that do I. So it is not I that do it (saith he) but sin that dwelleth in me. So the Christian man is both a sinner and no sinner, which how it can be show it me by your experience. Euseb. I being one man in substance and two men in quality, flesh and spirit, which in me so fight perpetually the one against the other, that I must go either backward or forward, and cannot stand long in one state. If the spirit overcome in temptations, then is she stronger and the flesh weaker. But if the flesh get a custom, then is the spirit none otherwise oppressed of the flesh then as though she had a mountain on her back, and as we sometime in our dreams think we bear heavier than a millstone on our breasts: or when we dream now and then that we would run away for fear of some thing, our legs seem heavier than lead: Even so is the spirit oppressed and overladen of the flesh through custom, that she struggleth and striveth to get up and to break lose in vain, until the God of mercy which heareth my groan through jesus Christ come and lose her with his power, and put something on the back of the flesh to keep her down to minish her strength and to mortify her. So then no sinner I am if you regard the spirit, the profession of my heart toward the law of God, my repentance and sorrow that I have both because I have sinned and am yet full of sin, & look unto the promises of mercy in our Saviour Christ, and unto my faith. A sinner am I if you look to the frailty of my flesh which is a remnant of the old Adam, and as it were the state of the wild olive tree, ever and anon when occasion is given, shooting forth his branches, leaves, bud, blossom, and fruit also: which also is as the weakness of one that is newly recovered out of a great disease, by the reason whereof all my deeds are imperfect, and when occasions be great I fall into horrible deeds, and the fruit of the sin which remaineth in my members breaketh out. Notwithstanding the spirit leaveth me not but rebuketh me and bringeth me home again unto my profession, so that I never cast of the yoke of God from of my neck, neither yield up myself unto sin to serve it, but fight a fresh, and begin a new battle. And I had rather you should understand this forth of the Scriptures, by the example of jonas and the Apostles. jonas was the friend of God, and a chosen servant of GOD, to testify his will unto the world. He was sent from the Land of Israel, where he was a Prophet to go amongst an Heathen people and the greatest city of the world, then called Niniveh to preach that within forty days they should be destroyed for their sins: which message the free will of jonas had as much power to do as the weakest hearted woman in the world had power, if she were commanded to leap into a tub of living snakes and Adders: as happily if God had commanded Sara to sacrifice her son Isaac, as he did Abraham, she would have disputed with God ere she had done it, or though she were strong enough. Well jonas heartened by his own imagination, and reasoning after this manner; I am here a prophet unto God's people the Israelits: which though they have gods word testified unto them daily, yet despise and worship God under the likeness of Calves & after all manner of fashions save after his own word, and therefore are of all nations the worst and most worthy of punishment. And yet God for love of a few that are among them, & for his name's sake spareth and defendeth them: how then shall God take so cruel vengeance on so great a multitude of them to whom his name was never preached, & therefore are not the tenth part so evil as these. If I therefore shall go preach, I shall lie & shame myself, and God too, & make them the more to despise God. Upon this imagination he fled from the presence of GOD, and from the country where God is worshipped. When jonas entered into the ship, he laid him down to sleep: for his conscience was tossed between the commandment of God which sent him to Niniveh, and his fleshly wisdom which dissuaded and counseled him to the contrary, & at last prevailed against the commandment, and carried him an otherway as a ship caught between two streams as the Poets feign the mother of Meleager to be between divers affections? while to adventure her brother's death she sought to slay her own son: whereupon for very pain and tediousness she lay down to sleep to put the commandment out of mind, which did so gnaw and fret her conscience: as the nature of all the wicked is, when they have sinned in earnest, to seek all means with riot, revel, and pastime to drive the remembrance of sin forth of their hearts, as Adam did to co●er his wickedness with apperns of figge●eaues. But God awoke him out of his breame, and set his sins before his face: for when the lot had caught jonas, them be sure that his sin came to remembrance again, & that his conscience raged no less than the waters of the sea. And then he thought he only was a sinner, and thought also that as verily as he had fled from God, as verily God had cast him away: for the sight of the rod maketh the natural child not only to see and acknowledge his fault, but also to forget all his father's old mercy and goodness. And then he confessed his sin openly, and of very desperation to have lived any longer he had cast himself into the Sea betimes except they would be lost also, for all this God provided a fish to swallow jonas. When jonas had been in the fishes belly a space, the rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted, and he came to himself again, and had received a little hope: and the qualms and pangs of desperation which went over his heart were half overcome, than he prayed to God, and gave thanks unto him. When jonas was cast upon the land again then his will was free, and he had power to go whether God sent him, and to what God commanded him, his own imagination laid apart: for he had been at a new school & in a furnace where he was purged of much refue & dross of fleshly wisdom which resisted the wisdom of God. For as far as we be blind in Adam we cannot but seek and will our own profit, pleasure & glory: & as far as we be taught in the spirit, we cannot but seek and will the pleasure of God only. Then jonas preached to Niniveh, and they repent: then jonas showed again his corrupt nature for all his trying in the Whale's belly. He was so displeased because the Niniuits perished not, he was weary of his life & wished death for very sorrow, that he had lost the glory of his prophesying in that his prophecy came not to pass, but he was rebuked of God, as in his prophecy you may read. The apostles Christ taught them ever to be meek & to humble themselves: yet oft they strived among themselves who should be greatest: the sons of Zebede would sit one on the right hand of Christ, the other on the left. They would pray that fire might descend from heaven & consume the Samaritans. When Christ asked, who say men that I am? Peter answered Thou art the son of the living God, as though Peter had been as perfect as an Angel. But immediately after when Christ preached ●nto them of his death and passion, Peter was angry and rebuked Christ, and thought earnestly that he had raved, and not witted what he had said, as at another time when Christ was so fervently busied in healing the people, that he had no leisure to eat, they went out to hold him, supposing that he had been beside himself. And one that cast forth devils in Christ's name they forbade, because he waited not on them, so glorious were they yet. And though Christ taught always to forgive, yet Peter after long going to school, asked whether men should forgive seven times, thinking that eight times had been too much. And at the last supper, Peter would have died with Christ, but yet within few hours after he denied him both cowardly & shamefully▪ And after the same manner, though he had so long heard that no man must avenge himself, but rather turn the other cheek to the smiter again, yet when Christ was in taking, Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword, and tarried no answer, but laid on rashly. So that although we be once reconciled to God, yet at the first we be but children and young scholars, weak and feeble, and must have leisure to grow in the spirit, i● knowledge, love, and deeds thereof, as young children must have time to grow in their bodies: and so in like manner the sting of the serpent is not pulled out at once, but the poison of our nature is minished by little and little, and cannot before the hour of death be wholly taken away. Timoth. I perceive by your godly discourse, the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit, and that the flesh is like to a mighty Giant, such a one as was Goliath, strong, lusty, stirring, enemy to God, confederate with the Devil: and the spirit; like to a little child, such a one as was little David, new borne, weak and feeble, not always stirring: now than what means do you use to weaken the flesh, and strengthen the spirit. Euseb. I use to tame my flesh with prayer and fasting, watching, deeds of mercy, holy meditations & reading the scriptures, and in bodily labour, and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh, and with exercises contrary to the vices which I find in my body most inclined to, and with abstaining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit: as reading of toys and wanton books, seeing of plays and enterluds, wanton communication, foolish jesting, & effeminate thoughts and talking of covetousness, which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions. If these will not mortify my flesh, than God sendeth me some troubles, and so maketh me to grow & wax perfect, and fineth and trieth me as gold in the fire of temptations and tribulations. Thus very often he maketh me to take up my cross & naileth my flesh unto it, for the mortifying thereof. Mark this if God send thee to the sea, & promise to go with thee, he will raise up a tempest against thee, to prove whether thou wilt abide by his word, and that thou mayst feel thy faith & weakness and perceive his goodness: for if it were always fair weather and thou never brought into such jeopardy, whence his mercy only delivereth thee, thy faith should be only a presumption, & thou shouldest be ever unthankful to God, and merciless unto thy neighbour. If God promise riches, the way thereunto is poverty: whom he loveth him he chasteneth: whom he exalteth, he casteth down: whom he saveth he first damneth: he bringeth no man to heaven, except he send him to hell first: if he promis● life he slayeth first: when he buildeth he casteth down all first: he is no patcher, he cannot abide another man's foundation: he will not work till all be past remedy, and brought to such a case that men may see how that his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodness, his truth hath wrought altogether: he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glory: his works are wonderful & contrary to man's works▪ who ever save he delivered his own son, his only son, his dear son, his darling unto the death, & for his enemies, to win his enemies, to overcome them with love, that he might see love & love again, and of love likewise to do to other men, & to overcome them with well doing. joseph saw the Sun and the Moon, and seven stars worshipping him, nevertheless ere that came to pass, God laid him where he could see neither sun, nor moon neither any star of the sky, and that many years, and also undeserved, to nurture him, to make him humble & meek, & to teach him Gods ways, and to make him apt and meet for that room & honour: again he came to it, that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well. God promised the children of Israel a land with rivers of milk & honey. yet he brought them forth the space of forty years into a land where in rivers of milk and honey were, but where so much as a drop of water was not, to nurture and teach them as a father doth his son, and to do them good at the latter end, to seduce their cankered nature, to make them strong in the spirit to use his benefits aright. lastly God promised David a kingdom, and immediately stirred up Saul against him to persecute him, and to hunt him as men do hairs with greyhounds and to ferret him out of every hole, and that for the space of many years, to turn him, to make him to mortify his lusts, to make him feel his own diseases: in fine to make him a good man, and a good King. Timoth. But how if it come to pass that you be tempted to any great sin, and the flesh overcome the spirit, in what case are you then? Euseb. There is no body here but you & I, and I take you to be a Christian and a faithful friend: therefore I will show a little of my exhortation. The last year by reason of the dearth, I and my family were put to great pinches, and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water: here upon I bethought me how I might get somewhat to relieve my family: It came into my mind that in our Town a rich man had a great flock of sheep, and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him. I was very loath at the first: but because there was such great stealing of sheep, & I was in extremity, in the night I went among his sheep and took a lamb, and told my family that it was given me: I presently killed it, the skin and the entrails I burned on my backside, the flesh we dressed by quarters, and did eat it with thanksgiving (as my manner is) but surely very coldly, and me thought my prayer was abominable in God's sight. After I had thus done, we fared well for the space of two days, but I felt my heart hardened, and my lips were almost locked up, that I could not as I was wont praise the Lord. The third night after, I went with a quiet conscience (me thought) to my bed, and then I slept soundly till three of the clock in the morning, but I dreamt that one came to carry me to prison, upon that on a sudden I awaked and being afraid looked about me and fell to consider why I should be afraid, and I remembered that I had sinned against God by robbing my neighbour: o than my fear increased, and I thought that hell gaped to devour me, and the law looked upon me with such a terrible countenance, and so thundered in mine ears, that I durst not abide in my bed, but up & to go. Then the Devil assailed me on every side, to persuade that God had cast me away: saying, they that be Gods, have power to keep his law, thou hast not, but breakest them: Therefore thou art a castaway and a damned creature, & hell gapeth and setteth open his mouth to devour thee. And I thought with myself that I had been always a rank hypocrite, for as the clouds of the air do cover the sun, so that sometimes a man cannot tell by any sense that there is any Sun, the clouds & winds hiding it from our sight: even so my cecity and blindness, and corrupt affections, and the rage of my conscience did so overshadow the sight of God's seed in me, and so overwhelm his spirit as though I ha● been a plain reprobate. And thus i● came to pass that David making his prayer to GOD according to his own sens● and feeling, but not according to the truth, desired of God to give him again his spirit. Which thing GOD never doth indeed: although he made me to think so for a time: for always he holdeth his hand under his children in their falls, that they lie not still as other do which are not regenerate. I being thus turmoiled and stung with the conscience of sin and the cockatrice of my poisoned nature, having beheld herself in the glass of the righteous law of God there was no other salve or remedy but to run to the brazen Serpent Christ jesus which shed his blood, hanging upon the cross, and to his everlasting testament and merciful promise, that it was shed for me for the remission of my sins, therefore I got me speedily into a close corner in my house, and there upon my face groveling, I confessed my sin and prayed after this manner in effect. Father, what an horrible monster am I? What taytor? what rascal and villain? thy mercy is wonderful that hell hath not devoured me having deserved a thousand damnations. I have sinned, I have sinned against thy godly, holy & righteous law and against my brother by robbing him, whom I ought to love for thy sake as dearly as myself, forgive me father for thy son Christ his sake according to thy most merciful promises and testament: forget not good Lord thy old mercies showed upon me, let them not at this time in me be quite removed. On this manner praying I continued five hours, and GOD which is near to all them that call upon him, heard me, eased my pain, and assured me of the remission of my sin. After presently, for the more easing of my conscience I went to my neighbour, & between him and me upon my knees confessed my fault with tears, desiring him to forgive me, & I would (as God's law requireth,) restore that which I stole four fold: he (I thank him) was contented and took pity on me, and ever since hath been by God's mercy my good friend. So by little and little God restored me to my first estate, but (me thinks) I have not that feeling which I had before, and have been worse ever since▪ God of his mercy amend me, and increase his graces in me. Timoth. Praised be God that we fell into this communication; for I had thought that no man had been in such a case but I, for I from my heart detest that babbling which in time passed I have used and I have vowed with myself to use it no more, and God hath given me strength and will to pay my vows & to keep them half a year or twelvemonth together, and then falling into a company of the honester sort of good fellows, I take otherwhiles a cup of Nimis, for which afterwards I am so touched in my conscience and so grieved inwardly: that often I have no delight in my meat: and then I use prayer and reading and meditating of the scriptures, and do receive much comfort. But I pray you what think you, will not God condemn his children if they sin? Euseb. No, for the groundwork of our salvation is laid in God's eternal election, and a thousand sins, nay all the sins in the world, nay all the devils in hell cannot overthrow God's election. And it may be that sins do harden our hearts, weaken our faith, make sad the spirit of God in us: but take away faith, or altogether quench the spirit, they cannot. God condemneth no man for his sins, if he be adopted in Christ. For then joseph, Abraham, David, Peter, Marie Magdalene, should be condemned. God is like a father: & a father if his child be sick, and therefore be froward, and refuse and cast away his meat, & having eaten it spew it up again, and in his fit be impatient, and rave, and speak evil of his father, yet I say the father will not cast him forth of his doors, but pitieth him, and provideth such things as may restore him to health, and when he is whole remembreth not his disordered behaviour in his sickness. Timoth. What means do you find most effectual to strengthen your faith, to increase God's graces in you, and to raise you up again when you are fallen? Euseb. Surely I have very great comfort by the sacrament of the Lords Supper: for whereas I am spiritually diseased, and am prone and ready to fall, and am most cruelly oftentimes invaded of the fiend, the flesh, and the law, when I have sinned: and am put to flight, and made to run away from God my father: therefore hath God of all mercy and of his infinite pity & bottomless compassion set up his sacrament as a sign upon a high hill, whence it may be seen on every side far and near to call again them that be run away. And with this sacrament he (as it were) clocketh to them, as a hen doth for her chickens, to gather them under the wings of his mercy▪ and hath commanded his sacrament to be had in continual use, to put us in mind of his continual mercy laid up for us in Christ's blood, and to witness and testify it unto them, and to be the seal thereof. For the sacrament doth much more lively print the faith, and make it sink down into the heart then do bare words only. Now when the words of the testament and promises are spoken over the bread (this is my body that was broken for you: this is my blood that was shed for you) they confirm the faith; but much more when the sacrament is seen with the eyes, and the bread broken, the wine powered out and looked on: and yet more when I taste it and smell it, As you see when a man maketh a promise unto another with light words between themselves & so they departed, he to whom the promise is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spoke earnestly or mocked, & doubteth whether he will remember his promise, to abide by it or no. But when any man speaketh with advisement, the words are more credible: & if he swear, it confirmeth the thing more and yet the more if he strike hands, if he give earnest, if he call record, if he give hand-writing & seal it: so is the more & more believed, for the heart gathereth: ●o, he spoke with advisement, deliberation, & good sadness, he clapped hands, called record, and put to his hand and seal: the man cannot be so faint without the fear of God as to deny all this: shame shall make him abide his promise, though he were such a man as I could not compel him, if he would deny it. And thus we dispute, God sent his son in our nature, and made him feel our infirmities that move us to sin and named his name jesus, that is a Saviour, because he should save his people from their sins, and after his death he sent his Apostles to preach these glad-tidings, to thrust them in at the ears of us, and set up a sacrament of them to testify them & to seal them, and to thrust them in, not at the ears only by rehearsing the promises of the testament over it: neither at our eyes only in beholding it, but beat them in through our feeling, tasting & smelling also, and to be repeated daily & to be ministered to us. He would not (think we) make half so much a do with us if he loved us not, & would not have his Sacrament to be a witness and testimony between him & us, to confirm the faith of his promises that we should not doubt in them, when we look on the seals of his obligations wherewith he hath bound himself: & this to keep the promises & covenants better in mind, and to make them the more deeply to sink into our hearts, and be more earnestly regarded. Timoth. Considering that this which you say is too plain, great shame it is that there is such neglect of the Sacrament as there is, and that it is so seldom used: but surely want of faith, and the security which overspreadeth this our Country is the cause of it, the Lord if it be his will remove the same. Now let me hear a little how you lead your life, and have your conversation among men. Euseb. I have my conversation among men as sincere as I can in righteousness and holiness which is after God's commandments: our Saviour saith, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Timoth. It is but a dim light which we can carry before men, and small are our good works and to be esteemed of no value. If we were preachers, or rich men, or noble men, than we might save souls, give good counsel, help many by our alms, but you & I are poor men, of base birth, & of low degree, how can we then do any good works. Euseb. As touching good works by that measure of knowledge that God hath given me, I think that all works are good which are done according to the obedience of God's law in faith & with thanksgiving to God, & with a mind desirous of his glory alone, & I think that I or any man else in doing them, please God, whatsoever I do within the law of god, as when I make water. And trust me if either wind or water were stopped, I should feel what a precious thing it were to do either of both, & what thanks ought to be given God therefore. Moreover I put no difference between works, but whatsoever cometh into my hands that I do as time, place, & occasion giveth, & according to my degree. For as touching to please God there is no work better than other: God looketh not first on my works, as the world doth, or as though he had need of them: but God looketh first on my heart what faith I have to his word, how I believe him, trust him, and how I love him, for his mercy that he hath showed me, he looketh with what heart I work, & not what I work, how I accept the degree he hath put me in, not of what degree I am. Let us take an example. You are a Minister and preach the word, I am a kitchen boy, & wash my masters dishes. Of the ministery hark what the Apostle saith: if I preach I have nought to rejoice in, for necessity is put upon me: if I preach not the gospel, as who should say, God hath made me so, woe is to me if I preach not. If I do it willingly (saith he) than I have my reward; that is, then am I sure that God's spirit is in me, & that I am elect to eternal life. If I do it against my will, the office is committed to me, that is, if I do it not of love to God but to get a living thereby, & for a worldly purpose & had rather otherwise live: then do I that office which God hath put upon me, but do not please God. So then if you preached not, or in preaching had not your heart aright you minister the office & they that have the spirit of God hear his word, yea, though it were spoken by an Ass, & the woe belongeth to you: but & if you preach willingly with a true heart & conscience to God, then shall you feel the earnest of eternal life and the working of the spirit of God in you. And your preaching is a good work in you. Now I that minister in the kitchen, and am but a kitchen boy, receive all things at the hand of God, know that God hath put me in such an office, submit myself to his will, and serve my Master, not as a man but as Christ himself, with a pure heart, according as Paul teacheth me, putting my trust in God and of him seek my reward. Moreover there is not a good deed done, but mine heart rejoiceth therein, yea, when I hear that the word of God is preached by you, and see the people turn unto God: I consent to this deed, my heart breaketh out in me, yea it springeth and leapeth in my breast that God is honoured, and in my heart I do the same that you do with the like delectation & fervency of spirit. Now he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, receiveth a Prophet's reward, that is, he that consenteth to the deed of a Prophet and maintaineth it, the same hath the same spirit and earnest of everlasting life which the Prophet hath, and is elect as th● Prophet is. Now if we compare work to work, there is a difference betwixt washing of dishes, and preaching the word of God but as touching to please God none at all▪ For neither that nor this pleaseth God, bu● as far forth as God hath chosen a man, and hath put his spirit in him, and purified his heart by faith & trust in Christ. As the Scriptures call him carnal which is not renewed by the spirit & borne again in Christ's flesh, & all his works like, even the very motions of his heart and mind, as his learning, doctrine, and contemplation of high things, his preaching, teaching, and study in the Scripture, building of Churches, founding of Colleges, giving of alms, and whatsoever he doth, though they seem spiritual, & after the law of God never so much: So contrariwise he is spiritual which is renewed in Christ, and all his works which spring from faith seem they never so gross, as the washing of the disciples feet done by our Saviour Christ, and Peter's fishing after the resurrection, yea deeds of matrimony are pure spiritual if they proceed of faith, and whatsoever is done within the laws of God though it be wrought by the body, as the very wiping of shoes and such like, howsoever gross they appear outwardly, yet are sanctified. Timoth. What be the special things in which you lead your conversation? Euseb. One thing is the reading of the Scripture. Timoth. It is dangerous to read the scriptures, you that have no learning may easily fall into errors and heresies. Euseb. As he which knoweth his letters perfectly, and can spell, cannot but read if he be diligent: and as he which hath clear eyes without impediment or let, and walketh thereto in the light, & open day, cannot but see, if he attend and take heed: even so I having the profession of my Baptism only written in my heart, and feeling it sealed up in my conscience by the holy Ghost cannot but understand the Scripture, because I exercise myself therein, & compare one place with another and mark the manner of speech, and ask here and there the meaning of a sentence of them that be better exercised then I. for I feel in my heart and have a sensible experience of that inwardly, which the spirit of God hath delivered in the Scriptures. So that I find mine own feeling as a good commentary unto me. Timoth. We are all baptised, belike the● we shall all understand the Scriptures. Euseb. But alas very few there be that are taught & feel their engrafting into Christ, their justification, their inward dying unto sin & living unto righteousness, which is the meaning of their Baptism. And therefore we remain all blind generally, as well the great Rabbins which brag of their learning, as the poor unlearned lay man. And the Scripture is become so dark unto them, that they grope for the door & can find no way in, & it is become a maze unto them in which they wander as in a mist or (as we say) led by Robin goodfellow. And their darkness can not comprehend the light of the Scriptures but they read them as men do tales of Robin hood, as riddles, or as old priests read their Lady's matins, which they understand not. And until a man be taught his baptism, that his heart feel the sweetness of it, the Scriptures are shut up from him, & so dark that he could not understand it, though Peter, Paul, or Christ himself did expound it unto him, no more than a man stark blind can see though thou set a candle before him, or show him the Sun, or point with thy finger unto that thou wouldst have him look upon. As for heresy there is no danger if a man come to the Scripture with a meek spirit seeking there to fashion himself like unto Christ according to the profession and vow of his Baptism: but contrariwise he shall there find the mighty power of GOD to alter and change him in the inner man by little and little till in process he be full shapen after the image of our Saviour in knowledge and love of all truth, & power to work thereafter. Heresies spring not of Scripture, no more than darkness of the Sun, but are dark clouds which spring out of the blind hearts of hypocrites given to pride and singularity, and do cover the face of the Scripture and blind their eyes that they cannot behold the bright beams of the Scripture. Timoth. By this I also can gather that the Papists which cannot read the Scriptures except they fall into errors have not the spirit of Christ working in them, and teaching them, but the lying spirit of Antichrist the Devil, and that if God would give them any true feeling, and open their eyes they would quite change their minds. But what other exercises have you? Euseb. Prayer and thanksgiving to God. For God hath promised very bountifully unto them which pray in truth, and it is one of the greatest comforts I have at all times. Again, God which commandeth me not to steal, commandeth me also to pray, and his will is, that one commandment should be as well kept as an other: and therefore I am persuaded that condemnation will befall me as well for the one as for the other. And that prayer ought to be continually even in every thing a man doth, me thinketh it most agreeable to Gods will. For if I should come into my neighbour's house and take his goods, and use them, not borrowing them or ask any leave, they would lay hands on me, and make me a thief. The world and all the things in the world are the Lords, not mine: so than if I shall daily use them, never seeking to the Lord by prayer for the use of them, before God I am an usurper, nay a rank thief, and therefore I desire of God hearty that I may use all his good creatures with fear and reverence, and that I may sanctify his name in them, which Paul showeth me to be done by the word of God and prayer, the word showing me the lawful use of his creatures: prayer obtaining at God's hands, that I may use them aright. If this practice were used of men in their professions and callings, I am persuaded there would be a thousand vices ●ut off which are in every man most abundant and are committed without shame. Timoth. I think the rest of your Christi●n exercises be the practising of the commandments of the law. Euseb. Yea they are indeed. Timoth. Me thinks it is an hard point of the law for a man to love his enemy. Euseb. It is indeed: yet in the faithful it willbe so: for they have in their hearts a persuasion, that whereas they are damned in themselves, yet in Christ the mercy of God is most plentiful to their salvation, and all this God confirmeth and sealeth unto them by his holy spirit, and therefore they cannot but love God again, and that with a fervent love even above all things in the world, and so they love all God's creatures, and even their enemies, because they bear the image of God whom they love: like as if I have a friend and love him, I love all of his name, all his kindred, and all that appertain unto him. And by the way, here is a good way to know whether we have faith or not Though faith only justify and make the marriage between our Soul and Christ and is properly the marriage garment, yea and the sign Tau, that defendeth us from the smiting and power of evil Angels, an● is also the rock on which Christ's Church is built, and standeth against all weather o● wind and tempest: yet is faith never seu● red from hope and charity: then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect, let him examine himself whether he love the law, and in like manner if he will know whether he love the law, that is, love God and his neighbour, then let him examine himself whether he believe in Christ only for the remission of sin, and obtaining the promises made in the scripture. And even so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith, and love, & to the hatred of sin in his life, which hatred the love of the law engendereth in him. And if they accompany not one another all three together, then let him be sure all is but hypocrisy. Timoth. Yet by your leave faith cannot make a man just before God without hope and charity: then they also with faith have some stroke in justification. Euseb. I answer, though they be inseparable, yet I praise God I do conceive how these three have three separable & sundry offices. Faith only is an undoubted & sure ●oue in Christ, & in the father through him ●ertifieth the conscience▪ that the sin is forgiven & the damnation of the law taken away. And with such persuasions mollifieth the ●art & maketh it love God again & his law. And as oft as we sin, faith only keepeth that we forsake not our profession and that love utterly quench not, & hope fail, & only maketh the peace again: for a true believer trusteth in Christ alone and not in his own works nor aught else for the remission of sins. The office of love is to power out again the same goodness that it hath received of God upon her neighbour, to be to him as it feeleth Christ to be to itself. The office of love is only to have compassion, and to bear with her neighbour the burden of his infirmities. 1. Pet. 4. Love covereth the multitude of sins: (that is to say) considereth the infirmities & interpreteth all to the best, & taketh for no sin at all a thousand things of which the least were enough (if a man loved not) to go to law for, & to trouble & disquiet an whole Town, and sometime a whole Realm too. The office of hope is to comfort in adversity, and to make patiented that we faint not, nor fall down under the Cross, or cast it of our backs. Thus these three inseparable have separable offices & effects, as heat, & dryness, being inseparable in the fire have yet their separable operations, for dryness only expelleth the moistness of all that is consumed by fire, and hea● only destroyeth the coldness. And it is not Fides sola non est sola. all one to say, the dryness only, and the dryness that is alone, neither is it all one to say, faith only, and faith that is alone. Timoth. You are to be commended, you are so perfect in these high points of religion, but I know you speak of experience, for in you faith & hope towards God & charity towards your neighbour are inseparable. Euseb. I require no commendations: shame and confusion befall me eternally, that all glory may be unto God. Timoth. But let us talk on further of our duties which we must perform if we will live Christian like among men. And I pray you tell me what do you mean that you give so much unto the poor, considering you are so poor yourself, I speak my conscience, if you had ability you would do more than an hundred of those rich men do. Euseb. God knows my heart, it is a hell unto me to see my brother for whom Christ shed his blood to want if I have any thing in the world to give him. Among Christian men love maketh all things common: every man is others debtor, and every man is bound to minister to his neighbour, and to supply his neighbours lack of that wherewith God hath endued him. Christ is Lord over all, & every Christian is heir annexed with Christ, & therefore Lord over all, and every one is Lord of whatsoever another hath: if then my brother or neighbour need, I have to help him: and if I show not mercy but withdraw my hands from him, then rob I him of his own, & am a thief. A Christian man hath Christ's spirit, now Christ is merciful, if I shall not be merciful, I have Rom. 8. not Christ's spirit: if I have not Christ's spirit then am I none of his. And though I show mercy unto my brother, yet if I do it not with such burning love as Christ did unto me, I must knowledge my sin and desire mercy in Christ. Timoth. If a man must be frank and free, than a man must give of his own stock to the poor and diminish his own substance. Euseb. Yea indeed we are made stewards of those goods which God hath given us, & shall a steward take all unto himself without reproof. I am sure that they which were covetous Act. 2. at Peter's first Sermon after Christ's ascension, diminished their substance when they sold them & gave them to the poor. I am sure that the Churches which were in 2 Cor. 8. Macedonia which sent relief unto their Churches even above their ability, they being in extreme poverty did dimisse their possessions: and God grant our conversations may be like theirs. And that we should be like them, their examples of great compassion are recorded in the Scriptures. Tim. Many of us have ourselves, wife, children, father, mother, & kinsfolk to relieve, so that it will be hard to deal after this manner. Euseb. Had not these men I named, so? yea I warrant you had they. And the want of love which you deem of the Gospel of Christ, knoweth not that a man should begin at himself & then descend I wots not by what steps. Love 2 Cor. 12. seeketh not her own profit, but maketh a ma to forget himself, & turn this profit to another man, as Christ sought not himself or his own profit but ours. This term (my self) is not in the gospel, neither yet father, mother sister, brother, kinsman, that one should in love be preferred before another. The love that springeth out of Christ excludeth no man, neither putteth difference between one & other. In Christ we are all of one degree without respect of persons. Notwithstanding though a Christian man's heart be open to all men & receiveth all men, yet because his ability of goods extendeth not so far, this provision is made that every man should care for his own household, as father, mother, thine elders that have helped thee, wife, children and servants. When a man hath done his duty to his household, and yet hath further abundance of the blessing of God, that he oweth to the poor that cannot labour and cannot get work, and ar● destitute of friends, to the poor I mean which he knoweth, and to them of his own parish. For that provision ought to be had in the Church, that every parish provide for the poor. If his neighbours which he knoweth be served, then is he debtor to the brethren a thousand miles off, if he hear of their necessity, & have himself any plenty: yea, to the very Infidels he is a debtor if they need, as far forth as he doth not maintain them against Christ. Thus is every man that needeth my help, my father, mother, sister, & brother in Christ: even as every man that doth the will of the father, is father, mother, sister, and brother unto Christ. Timoth. Now ye somewhat persuade me of that which me thought at the first blush, was against common sense. Euseb. By God's grace I will persuade you more yet. How if our saviour Christ jesus should, now dwell upon the earth in poverty & want, could you not be contented, to bestow half your goods on him? Timoth. Half my goods? Nay truly all: and my heart blood: for I know if I should lose my life for him, I should save it. Euseb. Very well. Christ is all in all. Every Christian man to another is Christ himself, and whatsoever is done to the poor, is done to Christ himself and therefore your neighbour's need hath as good right in your goods as hath Christ himself which is heir and Lord over all. And look what you own to Christ that you own to your neighbour's need: to your neighbour own you your heart and life and whatsoever you have or can do. Timoth. We need not give our relief except the poor require it. Euseb. Ask or not, if they want you are bound to relieve them, As Christ loved you, so love them. Christ loved you being his enemy, when I am sure of it you never asked remission of sins. Timoth. We need not relieve them often, need we? Euseb. Yes, as long as you are able, and as oft as they want. If Christ should forgive us but once, we should come short of heaven. Timoth. The world is full of naughtiness, and lewd people take pleasure in doing wrong, and in slandering, and in hindering their brethren: how can you live among them in quietness, do you use to give like for like? Euseb. No, you must understand that there be two states or regiments in the world: the kingdom of heaven which is the regiment of the Gospel: and the regiment of the world, which is the temporal kingdom. In the first state there is neither father nor mother, neither master, mistress, maid, nor servant, nor husband, nor wife, nor Lord, nor subject, nor inferior woman, but Christ is all, & each to other is Christ himself, there is none better than other, but all alike good, all brethren, and Christ only is Lord over all, neither is there any other thing to do, or other law, save to love one another as Christ loved 〈◊〉: In the temporal regiment, is husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, mistress, maid, manservant, subject, Lord? Now every person is a double person, and under two regiments: in the first regiment I am a person of mine own self under Christ and his doctrine, and may neither hate nor be angry, and much less fight or revenge: but must after the example of Christ, humble myself, forsake and deny myself, and hate myself, and cast myself away, and be meek and patiented, and let every man go over me and tread me underfoot, and do me wrong: and yet I am to love them, and pray for them as Christ did for his crucifiers: for love is all, and whatsoever is not of love, is damnable, and cast forth of that kingdom. In the temporal regiment thou art a person in respect of an other, thou art husband, father, mother, daughter, wife, lord, subject, and there thou must do according to thine office. If thou be a father thou must do the office of a father and rule, or else thou damnest thyself: thou must bring all under obedience, whether by fair means or by foul: thou must have obediencc of thy wife, of thy servants, and of thy subjects, if they will not obey in love, thou must chide, fight, and correct, as far as the law of GOD and the law of the land will suffer thee: Now to the purpose: whether a man may resist violence, and defend or revenge himself: I say nay, in the first state where thou art a person for thyself alone, and Christ's disciple, there thou must love and of love do, study and enforce: yea & suffer all things (as Christ did to make peace, that the blessing of God may come upon thee, Which saith, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be the children of God. If thou suffer & keep peace in thyself only, thy blessing is the possession of this world: but if thou so love the peace of thy brother that thou leave nothing undone or unsuffered to further it, thou shalt possess heaven. But in this worldly state where thou art no private man, but a person in respect of other, thou must and art bound under pain of damnation to execute thine office. Of thy servants thou must exact obedience, and must not suffer thyself to be despised. If thou art a ruler, thou must take, imprison, and slay to, not of malice and hate to revenge thyself, but to defend thy subjects and to maintain thine office: the ruler must not oppress his subjects with rents, fines and customs, at all, neither pill them with taxes, and such like to maintain his own lusts: but be loving and kind unto them as Christ was to him: for they be the price of his blood. I will show my mind more plainly by one example. You are in your father's house among your brethren and sisters, there if one fight with another, or if any do you wrong, you may not revenge or smite, for that pertaineth to the father only. But if your Father give you authority in his absence and command you to smite, if they will not be ruled but abuse you, than you are another person. Notwithstanding yet you have not put off the first person, but are a brother still, and must ever love and prove all things to rule with love: but if love will not serve, than you must use the office of an other person, or sin against your father. Even so when you are a temporal person you put not of the spiritual: therefore you must ever love, but when love will not help, you must with love execute the office of the temporal person. You must love your neighbour in your heart, because he is your brother in the first state, yet you must obey your ruler who hath power over you, and when need requireth at his commandment you must go with the constable or like officer and break open your neighbours door, if he will not open it in the king's name: yea if he will not yield in the king's name, you may smite him to the ground till he be subdued, and look what harm he getteth, that be upon his own head. Timoth. I understand you well. As I am a member of the spiritual body of Christ I must in all my conversation follow him with patience, meekness, and long suffering, overcoming other men's evils with well-doing: yet if the hurt be greater than I can bear, I must take a new person on me, and if I be a ruler, with love seek amendment, if a subject, then in the fear of God, complain to my ruler. But further I pray you soil me this doubt. If I shall be taken for a soldier, me thinks that I should then shake off all love and meekness, & then I could not practise this Christian rule. Euseb. Yes, if our Queen (God save her grace) should send you on warfare into another country, you must obey at God's commandment, and go and avenge your Prince's quarrel, which you know not but that it is right. When you come thither, remember the two states in which you are: and know that in the first state, that is, the regiment spiritual, you must love them with whom you fight, and that they are your brethren bought with Christ's blood, as well as you, and for Christ's sake hate them not, yet as you are in the second state a Soldier at your Prince's commandment, you must fight against them, and maintain your Prince's quarrel, and bring them under her power: and therewithal be content with your Prince's wages, neither desire your adversaries life or goods, save to advantage your Prince. So then a Soldier need not cast away meekness, for he may fight with his enemy and slay him, and yet love him. Timoth. Another thing I would know of you, which now cometh to my mind, I have a Landlord, he seemeth to be a very good man, he countenanceth all the good preachers in our country, & he rideth usually ten miles to hear sermons: I hold of him an house & a little land, not scarce enough to find my poor family: my lease is come out & I have taken a new lease, but I have paid such a great fine, and my yearly rents are so racked, that I fear I & all my household are like to beg our bread, this is it disquieteth me, and almost maketh me at my wit's end, what is your counsel and advise? Euseb. Surely it maketh my heart to bleed to see how many men brag of the Gospel, and yet what little fruit the gospel hath in them, and what little love they show, even they which abound in rents and lands. My poor advise is this, that you would with patience depend upon God's providence. It is said, blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, Then let all the world study to do you wrong, yea let them study to bring you to extreme misery, and do it too: yet if you be meek, you shall have food and raiment enough for you & yours: And no doubt, God (who is always true of his promise) shall raise up some to help you. And my counsel is that you give your landlord now and then a Capon, now a pig, now a Goose, and if you be able a lamb or a Calf, and let your wife visit your Landlady now and then with spiced cakes, with apples, pears cherries and such like: and be you ready with your Oxen, or horses, five or six times in the year, to fetch home thei● wood, to plough their land, than no doubt God may soften their hearts & move them to have some pity & compassion on your ●oore estate. Timoth. I have done all this. Nay (may ●t be spoken between you and me) I am at commandment, & am as a drudge to them, ●o do their business, and to leave my own ●…ndone, and yet have neither meat, drink, ●or money. Euseb. More is the pity. But remember ●hat they which cannot come to see men ●eale uprightly in the world, yet do in their ●arts hunger and thirst after this righteousness, are pronounced blessed. Matth. 5. Timoth. To let this pass: show me one ●ule how I might generally in all matters ●e have myself among men: and then for ●his time I will cease to trouble you. Euseb. Ask your own conscience what ●ou may or ought to do. Would you men ●id so with you? then do you it. Would ●ou not be so dealt with? then do it not. ●●ou would not that men should do you ●rong and oppress you. You would not ●●at men should do you shame & rebuke, ●…e on you, kil you, have your house from you, ●…tice your servant away, or take against ●…ur will aught that is yours. You would not ●…at men should sell you false ware, when you put them in trust to make it ready, or to lay it out for you: and you would not that men should deceive you with great oaths, swearing that to be good which is indeed very nought: you would not that men should sell you ware that is nought, & too dear, to undo you: do no such thing then unto your neighbours, but as loath as you would be to buy false ware, and too dear, for undoing yourself: so loath be you to sell false ware, or too dear, for undoing your neighbour. And in all cases how glad would you be to be helped, so glad be to help your neighbour. So in all things ask your conscience what is to be done between your neighbour and you, and she will teach you. But because you are weary of reasoning I will also end. Desiring God to increase in us his heavenly graces, as faith and repentance, and love according to his good pleasure. Amen. The Assertion. A Reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome: and a Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a Reprobate. The first Argument. HE which may in truth be made partaker of the chief points of the Popish religion, may be made partaker of all: but a reprobate may be made partaker of the chief points of the Popish religion: therefore a reprobate may be made partaker of all. The proof of the Argument. THE proposition is plain, and every Papist will grant it: all the controversy is of the assumption: wherefore I prove 〈…〉 thus: The Sacrament of Penance (as they all it) is one of the chief things in the ●…ligion of the Church of Rome: for it is such a sacrament, a Catech. Rom. Pag. 424. that by the power & efficacy of it, the blood of Christ is delivered to us, to wash away our sins: and they say b Ibid. pag. 419. Tho. 4. dist. 14. quest. 5. art. 1. Canis. & pec. exp. it hath such virtue that the kingdom of heaven is promised to it in the scriptures, and that it is not regeneration, but an healing of a man regeneration, but an healing of a man regenerate, & that it pardoneth sin, as Baptism. And as touching Contrition, Papists writ, c Catech. Rom. pag. 447. Lumb. lib. 4. dist. 17. it hath power to do away sin, and to obtain pardon at God's hand: the same they speak o● Confession, which they say delivereth from death, openeth Paradise, and giveth hop● of salvation: and hereby it may appear that Penance is one of the greatest point of the popish religion. But a reprobate may be truly made partaker of the popish sacrament of Penance, & indeed perform all in it. There be three parts of Penance, Contrition of the heart Confession of the mouth, Satisfaction in th● deed. All these three judas performed: fir● he had Contrition: for when he saw that o● Saviour Christ was condemned, d Math. 27 ver. 3. than he saw his own sin, and was stricken with grief for his own treachery, & repente● and presently after he e Ver. 4. confessed his sin● openly unto the chief Priests and Elder Also he made Satisfaction, when he brought again the thirty pieces of silver which he took to betray his master. Again, Contrition of the heart is the ground of Penance: & Papists say, it is not an act of the holy ghost f Carec. Rom. pag. 437. but an act of man's free-will proceeding from it: & therefore a reprobate may have it. And as for Satisfaction, if a reprobate cannot do it by himself, yet he may perform it by another: for so they say g Tho. li. 4. dist. 2. qu. 1. art. 1. that one may satisfy by an other: wherefore, for any thing I can see, a reprobate may have all that is contained in the popish sacrament of penance. Faith is an other of the chiefest points, that is, the religion of the Church of Rome, for h Trid. consil. sess. 6. cap. 8. Rhem. Te▪ Rom. they say, it is the foundation & groundwork of justification. But reprobates may have that faith which they mean. For they say, that it is nothing else, but i Canis▪ Oper. Ca pa. a gift of God, & a certain light of the mind, wherewith a man being enlightened giveth sure & certain assent to the revealed word of god. And the Rhemists Rhe. Test. 2. Cor. 13. 5 And. lib. 6. pag. 543. say, it is only an act of the understanding: and Andradius saith, that Faith is only in general actions, and can not come to the particular applying of any thing: now all this reprobates may have, k Heb. 6. 4. Luk. 8. 13. jam. 2. 19 for their minds are englightened to know the truth, and to be persuaded of it, and therefore they have this act of the understanding: and this general faith: yea the Devil himself can do thus much, who believeth & trembleth. And the implicit faith which saveth the lay man, what reprobate cannot have it? for there is nothing else required, but to believe as the Church believeth, though he know not how the Church believeth. And the Papists themselves say as much: for their l Trid. Con. sess 6. cap. 9 Andr. lib. 3 Pag. 200. Counsels hold, that a wicked man and an heretic may have confidence in Christ, and that an heathen man, by the natural knowledge of God, and by the works of creation, might have faith, and in a general manner believe in Christ. The second Argument. THat religion whose precepts are no directions to attain peace of conscience, leaveth a max●still in a damnable case: but the precepts of the religion of the church of Rome, are no directions to attain peace of conscience, therefore it leaveth a man in a damnable case: which if it be true, a reprobate may be as sound a professor of it as any other. The proof. THe proposition is certain: because, as long as any man hath his conscience to accuse him of sin before God, he is in state of damnation, a 1. joh. 3. 20. as S. john saith: If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. And this is peculiar and proper to the elect children of God, b Rom. 5. 1. to receive these gifts and graces from God, c Heb. 10. 22. the enjoying of which, bringeth peace of conscience. True it is indeed, that reprobates receive many graces and gifts at God's hand, but they are no other than such as may be joined with the trembling of the conscience, as the devil is said to believe, but withal to tremble. The Assumption (namely, that the religion of the Church of Rome cannot pacify the conscience) may be easily proved on this wise. A man whose conscience must be truly 1 quieted, must first of all be truly humbled d Math. 11. 28. Come unto me (saith our Saviour Christ) all ye which are wearied and burdened, and I will ease you. Whereby it appeareth, that they who are to have their consciences refreshed in Christ, must first of all be afflicted with the sense of God's judgement: yea they must be pressed down to hellward with the weight & burden of their sins, that they may see it, & from their hearts confess it, that in themselves there is no way to escape damnation. Mat. 9 12 Mat. 15. 24. Esa. 44. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 31. The good Physician Christ jesus cannot heal us before he hath launched our wounds to the very bottom: he never can find any of his sheep before they be quite lost: he never poureth into us the living waters of his spirit, before we be barren & dry ground void of all moisture: & that man must condemn himself, that would not have Christ to pronounce sentence of damnation against him. Now this true humiliation of a sinner can not be wrought in any man's heart by the religion of the Church of Rome. True & sound humiliation is wrought by two means: first by making a man to see the greatness of his sin and wickedness: secondly, by making him to acknowledge, that he is destitute, & quite bereft of all goodness. For if a man either see not the greatness of his sin, or have confidence of any thing in himself, he cannot be humbled: but neither of these 2. things are performed in the Church of Rome. As touching the first, the Romish religion is so far from amplifying & enlarging the greatness of men's sins▪ that it doth extenuate them, and lessen them out of measure, for it maketh some sins to be venial f Gal. 3. 13 when as the least sin that can be against God's law, deserveth damnation, g Canis. Ope● Cat. pag. 491. it teacheth that lesser sins are done away by an humble accusation of a man's self, by saying the Lords prayer, by knocking upon the breast, and by such like: that greater sins may be done away by alms deeds, and such like satisfactions. But how can any sin be great, that may be done away with such easy and sleighr means. Furthermore it teacheth, that evil thoughts & desires, and motions of the heart without consent are no sins: and this opinion cutteth off all true humiliation: for h Rom. 7. 9 10. Paul never repent, before he understood the meaning of the last commandment, & perceived thereby, that the desires and lusts of his heart, to which he did not yield his consent, were sins damnable before God, and knowing this, he then saw himself to be most miserable, & renouncing his own righteousness, he sought for righteousness in Christ. Lastly i Conc. Colon. pag. 46. 54. it teacheth, that original sin is done away in Baptism, and that is the least sin of all other. What is this but to extenuate man's corruption, for when the root of corruption is taken away, and it is made so little a sin, actual sins cannot be taken for such heinous matters. And for the second point, the Church of Rome doth too too much extol the power of man, and his natural strength. k Andr. li. 3 Trid. Con. sess. 6. ca 7. It saith, that all actions of men unregenerate are not sins, and that original sin needeth no repentance, l Trid. Con. sess. 6. ca 1. that a man hath some free will to do spiritual things, that m Gabr. Biel. 3. sen. dist. 27 a man by mere naturales may love God above all things, fear God, believe in Christ, if we respect the very act of the work, n Andr. lib. 3. pa 292. that the Gentiles might gather out of Philosophy knowledge sufficient for salvation, o Andr. lib. 3. p. 280. that a man without the help of the holy Ghost, may perform things acceptable to God, p Catech. Rom. in prim. that the mind of man understandeth of itself many things which be spiritual and heavenly, q Trid. Con. sess. 6. c. 18. that a man regenerate, may fulfil the whole law of God: that a man may prepare himself to receive grace, & to merit grace at God's hands: that he may do works of Supererogation, etc. By this it appeareth that the church of Rome ascribeth to much to the nature of man r Gen. 6. Eph. 2. 1. 2. which is only & altogether evil, dead in sin, chained up in miserable bondage under Satan the prince of darkness: and therefore it is evident, that all the preaching that is used in that Church, will not humble a sinner, and make him deny himself, & therefore their preaching may peradventure benumb a corrupt conscience and make it secure, but it cannot pacify the troubled conscience, nor disquiet it by the threatenings of the law, that by the promises of the Gospel it may be quieted. Again s Trid. Con. sess. 6 cap. 9 this religion teacheth, that a 11. man must doubt of his salvation as long as he is in this life: behold a Rack or Gibbet erected by the church of Rome, for the tormenting of tender consciences, for when a man doubteth of his salvation, he also doubteth of God's love and mercy to him: & he which doubteth of God's love, cannot love God again: for how can any man love him of whose good will he doubteth: and when a man hath not the love of God in him, he hath no grace in him, & therefore his conscience must needs be defiled, and void of true peace, yea, he must needs be a wicked man, and that t Pro. 28. 1 saying of Solomon must needs agree to him: The wicked flieth when no man pursueth (by reason of the guiltiness of his conscience) but the godly is bold as a Lion. Again, Psa. 32. 1 Blessed is the man▪ (saith David) whose sins are pardoned: where he maketh remission of sins to be true felicity: now there is no true felicity but that which is enjoyed, and felicity cannot be enjoyed, unless it be felt, and it cannot be felt, unless a man know himself to be in possession of it, & a man cannot know himself to be in possession of it, if he doubt whether he hath it or not: and therefore this doubting of the remission of sins is contrary to true felicity, & is nothing else but a torment of the conscience. For a man cannot doubt whether his sins be pardoned or not, but straight way (if his conscience be not seared with an hot iron) the very thought of his sin will strike a great fear into him: for the fear of eternal death, and the horror of God's judgements will come to his remembrance, the consideration of which is most terrible. Undoubtedly, this religion must needs be comfortless. Alas poor men as we are, we are no better than Heb. 6. 10. 19 passengers in this world, our way it is in the middle of the Sea, where we can have no sure footing at all, and which way so ever we cast our eyes, we see nothing but water, even opening itself to devour us quick: the Devil and our rebellious flesh raise up against us infinite thousands of tempests and storms to overthrow us: but behold, God of his great and endless mercy hath brought us to Christ, as to a sure Anchor hold: he bibddeth us to undo our Gables, and fling up our anchors within the vail, and fasten them in Christ: we do it as we are commanded, but a Sister of ours (I mean the Church of Rome) Cant. 1. 5. passing in the Ship with us (as it seemeth) who hath long taken upon her to rule the helm, dealeth too too unkindly with us: she unlooseth our anchors, and cutteth in pieces our Gables, she telleth us that we may not presume to fasten our Anchor on the rock: she will have us freely to rove in the middle of the Sea in the greatest fogs, and the fearfullest tempests that be: if we shall follow her advise, we must needs look for a shipwreck, for the least flaw of wind shall overturn us, and our poor souls shall be plunged in the gulfs of hell. lastly, justification by works causeth trouble 111. & disquietness to the conscience. No man's conscience can be appeased, before God's wrath be appeased: & God's wrath cannot be appeased by any works: for the best works the regenerate can do, are imperfect, and are stained with some blemish of corruption, as x Esa. 64. 6 Rom. 7. 14. 15. 16. may appear both in the Prophet Esai, and in Paul, both which had a great misliking of that good which they did, because it was mingled with sin. And again, every man is bound by duty to keep the whole law, so that if a man could keep it perfectly, he should do no more than that he is by duty enjoined to do: and therefore he which looketh to merit eternal life at God's hand by keeping the law, trusteth but to a broken staff, and is like the Bankrupt, that will pay one debt by another: for by his sin, every man is indebted to the Lord, and is bound to answer to the Lord the full punishment of all his sins: this debt, the Papist saith we may discharge by obedience to the law, that is by a new debt, which we are as well bound to pay to our God, as the former. To end this point, let a man look to be saved by works, and therefore let a man employ himself to do the best works he can, yet he shall never come to know when he hath done sufficient to satisfy God's wrath: and this uncertainty, all his life, but especially in the hour of death, must needs disquiet him. And truly, when a man shall have done many thousand works, yet his heart can never be at quiet, as it appeareth in the young man, who though he had laboured all his life to fulfil the law, thereby to be saved, yet distrusting all his doings, he Mar. 10. 17. asketh further of our Saviour Christ what he might do to be saved. Furthermore, it is the doctrine of the Conc. Trid. sess. 5. Church of Rome, that there is nothing in the regenerate that God can hate: and that they are inwardly pure, and without spot. A doctrine that will make any Christian conscience despair: For if a man shall fall to examine himself, he shall find a Rom. 7. 14. that he is sold under sin, b Heb. 12. 1 compassed about of sin, c Psa. 40. 12 he shall see his particular sins to be as the heirs of his head: at the sight and feeling of which, he shall find that there is much matter in him worthy of hatred & damnation too. He being in this case, will begin to doubt whether he be the child of God or not: and persevering in this doubting, he shall be driven to despair of God's love towards him, considering that he cannot find any such pureness in himself as the doctrine of the Church of Rome requireth. lastly, experience itself teacheth that the Romish religion can bring no peace to the conscience: in that some for the maintaining of it have despaired. As France's Spira, who against his own conscience having abjured the truth; and subscribed to the doctrine of the Romish Church, most fearfully despaired of his salvation. Which could not have been if that doctrine had been agreeable to God's word which is spirit and life to the receiver. For the same Illirias de Fide. Epist Se●ar. de morte Diazij. cause Latomus a doctor of Lovane despaired, crying that he was damned because he had opposed himself to the known truth. This also befell Gardner at his death, as the book of Acts and Monuments declareth. The third Argument. THat religion which agreeth to the corruption of man's nature, a Reprobate may truly profess it● the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of man's nature: therefore a Reprobate may truly profess it. The proof. I Need not stand to prove the proposition, the Assumption is rather to be confirmed: which first I will prove by induction of particulars. 1. That a man should be justified by works, is an opinion settled in nature, as may appear in them that crucified our Saviour Christ: for when they were pricked in their hearts at Peter's Sermon, a Acts. 2. 37 joh. 6. 28. Mat. 10. 17 they said, Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved, and this said the young man before named, not what should I believe, but what should I do to be saved: for that in them it appeareth, that it is a natural opinion of all men to think that they must be saved by doing of somewhat. A Papist will say, though this be natural thus to think, yet it may be good: for there is some goodness in nature. I answer, that the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God's wisdom, Rom. 8. 7. and all men by nature are nothing but flesh, for naturally they are the children of wrath. 2. The worshipping of God in Images, is a great matter in the Church of Rome: but this manner of worshipping is nothing but a work of the flesh, which thus I prove: b Gal. 5. ●0 Idolatry is natural, and a work of the flesh, but to worship God in Images, is Idolatry. The children of Israel when they erected the golden Calf, they did commit Idolatry, and yet they did not worship the Calf itself, but God in the Calf. For when th● Calf was made, they c Exo. 32. 5 proclaimed an Holiday, not to the Calf, but to the Lord. And Baal, that detestable Idol, was nothing▪ but the Image of God, as appeareth in Hosea the Prophet. At that day, saith th● Hos. 2. 16. the Lord thou shalt call me no mo● Baal. It remaineth therefore, that to serve Go● in an Image, is a work of the flesh, and altogether agreeth to the vile corruption ● nature. 3. d Mat. 20. 2 Pride, and a desire to be advanced above other, is a natural corruption: 〈◊〉 this agreeth the Pope's Primacy, his do●ble Sword, and triple Crown: yea the ou● ragious pomp of that seat is as a pair o● bellows to kindle the concupiscence, and to make the hidden sparks of pride to break out into a great flame. 4. Doubting of God's providence and mercy, is ● natural corruption in all men: to this agreeth, and from hence issueth that foolish and vain opinion, concerning doubting ● our salvation, and of the remission of sin 5. self-love, and selfeliking or natural co●ruptions: to this agreeth that doctrine ● the Papists, not overmuch to abase ou● selves, but to maintain free will by nature, and to think that we have so much goodness, that we are able to prepare ourselves to receive and in some sort to merit grace. 6. Idleness and riotousness is a corruption natural, and to it very fitly answereth the great number of feasts, of holidays, of half holidays which the church of Rome useth. ●. Covetousness is a natural corruption, and ●o the feeding of this vice serveth Purgatory, a fire of great gain, which in very truth, ●f it had not burned very hot, the fire in the Pope's kitchen had burned very cold: hitherto serve Pilgrimages, saying of Masses, ●nd selling of Pardons for money. 8. To be ●t liberty is the desire of nature: answerable ●o this is that opinion, that the Spirituality is ●o be exempted from subjection to Magistrates. 9 To commit adultery is natural: to this agreeth the Stews, and the permission of simple fornication. 10. Ignorance is a filthy corruption in nature: this the Church of Rome maketh the mother of devotion, and it is enjoined the lay man as a means of his salvation: for he must believe as the Church believeth, he is not bound to know. 11. Infidelity is natural, and to this agreeth that they call upon Saints & Angels, the Lord having commanded them to call upon him in the name of Christ, what argueth this else, but hearts distrusting God● goodness, and guilty consciences. 12. Images in the Church of Rome came from infidelity, because men in reason could no● persuade themselves that God was present unless that were made manifest by som● sign and Image. Which thing the Israelites Exod. 32. 1. declared, when they said to Aaron 〈…〉 the wilderness in Moses absence, Make 〈…〉 gods to go before us. 13. Satisfactions fo● sin are natural: for Mich. 6. 7 I say. 58. 4. 5 wicked men whe● they have offended God, they have always used some ceremonies to pacify God with which when they have performed, the●… they think they have done enough. 14. Th●… Church of Rome saith, that the Scripture● are dark and obscure: the blind man fin● death fault with the darkness of the Sunne● if the Scriptures appear to any to be obscure, the fault is not in the Scriptures, bu● in the blindness of the mind of him whic● readeth and heareth them. 15. lastly pardons, they open a gap to all licentiousness: therefore they agree to man's corrupt nature: for who almost will not sin, whe● he may get a pardon for his sins, for a li●tle piece of money, as twenty shillings, or four Nobles. It is natural to a man to serve God in certain ceremonies, without the power of godliness: & this service is prescribed by the Fox Act● in begin. religion of the Church of Rome, which standeth only in outward and corporal ceremonies, as the outward succession of Bishops, garments, vestures, gestures, colours, choice of meat, difference of days, times, and places, hearing, seeing, saying, touching, tasting, numbering of Beads, gilding and worshipping of Images, building Monasteries, rising at midnight, silence in Cloisters, abstaining fr● flesh and whitmeat. Fasting in Lent, keeping Imber-days, hearing Mass and divine service, seeing and adoring the body in form of bread, receiving holy water, and holy bread, creeping to the Cross, carrying Palms, taking Ashes, bearing Candles, Pilgrimage going, censing, kneeling, knocking, al●ers, superalters, candlesticks, pardons: In orders Crossing, anointing, shaving, for swearing marriage; in Baptism, salting, crossing, spatling, ex●●●i●●ng, washing of hands: at Easter, confession▪ 〈…〉 ●irge, satisfaction, and in receiving with 〈…〉 ●ew shaven, to imagine a body where they 〈…〉 ●nd though he were there present to be seen 〈…〉 ●he outward seeing and touching of him of 〈…〉 without faith conduceth no more than it did 〈…〉 Jews. At Rogation days to carry banners, to follow the Cross, to walk about the fields; after Pentecost to go about with Corpus Christi play. At Hallowmas to watch in the Church, to say a dirge or commendation, and to ring for all souls, to pa●● tithes truly, to give to the high Altar. And if a man will be a Priest to sa●e Mass and Matins, to serve the Saint of that day, and to lif● well over the head. In sickness to be anneled, to take his Rites, after his death, t●… have Funeral, and Obites said for him, an● to be rung for at his Funeral Months mind▪ and Year mind: This is the sum o● the Catholic Religion, standing in bodily Actions, not in any motion or work o● the holy GHOST working in th● heart. The Moral Law containing perfect 11. righteousness, is flat opposite to man's corrupt Nature: therefore whatsoever Religion shall repeal and make of none effect the commandments of the Moral Law, that same Religion must neede● join hands with the corruption of Nature, and stand for the maintenance of it▪ This doth the Religion of the Church o● Rome: it may be, it doth not plainly repeal them, yet in effect it doth: a Mat. 15. 3 an● if it shall frustrate but any one point of any one commandment, the whole commandment, yea, the whole law thereby is made in vain. 1 The first commandment requireth, that we have the true jehova for our only God: the church of Rome maketh other gods beside this true God: it maketh the body of Christ to be God, because they hold, it may be in many places, in heaven, in earth, at the same time, which thing is only proper to God. It maketh every Saint departed to be God, because it holdeth, that Saints do hear us now being upon the earth, and that they know our thoughts when we pray to them, which none but the true GOD can do. It maketh the Pope to be God, and that in plain words. b Dec. dist. 69. satis evidenter. Pope Nicholas saith, Constat, summum Pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari. It is well known, that the Pope of the godly Prince Constantine was called God. Again, in c Extrava. joh. 22. cum inter. in glossa. the extravagants of the same Cannon law it is written, Dominus Deus noster Papa, Our Lord GOD the Pope. And again, d Concil. later. sess. 4 Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope, Tu es alter deus in ●erris, Thou art another God upon earth: & the Pope took it to himself. As the Pope in plain words is made God, so the power given to him declareth the same. Extrau. de maior. & obed●dientia. He can make holy that which is unholy, & justify the wicked and pardon sins: f Dist. 34. can. lect. in gloss. dist. 82. can. Presb. he may dispense contrary to the saying of an Apostle: he can change the nature of things, and of nothing make somewhat. What is all this, but to place the Pope in God's room, and to rob the Lord of his majesty. Again, the Church of Rome, maketh Marie the Mother of jesus to be as God. In the breviary reform & published at the commandment of Pius, a In officio par. beatae Mariae. ad matut. she is called A Gods, in express words: and she is further termed the Queen of heaven, the Queen of the world, the gate of heaven, the mother of grace and mercy: Yea she is far exalted above Christ, and he in regard of her is made but a poor underling in heaven: for Papists in their service unto her they pray on this manner saying: Show thyself to be a mother: and cause thy son to receive our prayers: set free the captives and give light to the blind. b Breviar. refor. infesto Exalt. Crucis. lastly the very Cross is made as a God. For they salute it, by the name of their only hope, and pray it to increase justice to the godly, and to give sinners pardon. Wherefore the Church of Rome beside the one true God distinguished into three persons, the father, the son, the holy Ghost, maketh also many other, and so in truth hath repealed this first commandment. And they have very plainly repealed the second commandment in that they teach it lawful to make images of the true God, and to worship him in them. For the flat contrary is the very scope of this commandment: namely that no image must be made of the true jehova: nor any worship be performed unto him in an image: which appeareth thus. In deuteronomy Moses maketh a large commentary of this commandment, and this very point he Deut. 4. 15. 16. sets down expressly, saying, take heed to yourselves: for ye saw no image in the day that the Lord spoke unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire: that ye corrupt not yourselves, and make you a graven image or representation of any figure, etc. His argument I set down thus. As God appeared in mount Horeb, so he is to be conceived and represented: but he appeared in no image in mount Horeb, only his voice was hard: therefore he is not to be conceived or represented in any image: but men are to be content, if they may hear his voice. Again, that sin to which the people of Israel were specially given even that doth the Lord especially forbid: but to this were the people of Israel specially given, not so much to make Images of false Gods, as to make Images of the true God, and to worship him in them: which I prove thus. In the book of judges it is said that judg. 2. 11. the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim. Now these Baalim, what are they? Surely Idols resembling the true God, as the prophet Hosea declareth, and at that day saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishai, and shalt call Hos. 2. 10. me no more Baali. here it appeareth that the Israelites meaning was not to worship a false God, but the true God in Baalim. And Aaron when he made the golden Calf proclaimed Exod. 32. 5 that the next day should be holy day, not of any false God but of the Lord that brought them out of Egypt. The prophet Esaie after that he had set forth God's majesty very worthily, he comes in with Esa. 40. 18. this conclusion: To whom then will ye liken GOD? or what similitude will ye set up of him? which declareth that the jews after the manner of the Gentiles, ran a whoring after Idols, that is Images not only of false Gods, but also of the true God. I conclude therefore as I began, that the Church of Rome, by maintaining Images, hath repealed this commandment. Neither doth it show less favour to the third commandment: which also is repealed. First in that they teach men to 1. Cor. 15. 28 give the glory which is proper to GOD, to some thing else: it is proper to GOD after the day of judgement to be all in all: this they give to Marie, saying that she is all in all. It is proper to Christ in respect of other creatures to be a light lightning all that come into the world, yet they pray to Marie to give light to the blind. It is john. 10. 9 proper to Christ to be the redeemer of mankind, and this work of redemption, is ascribed to Marie, whom Papists call their hope, their joy, their mediatresse, a medicine for the diseased, a defence from the enemy, a friend in the hour of death. Again they make Saint Martin A Priest according to the order of Melchisedecke, which is proper to Christ. Secondly they hold that the people is to be barred from the reading of the scriptures, unless it be in an unknown tongue, and so they maintain ignorance and the profaning of God's name. For the free preaching of the word, and therefore also the hearing, learning, reading, searching of it, is the glorifying of the word, and so the glorifying 2. Thes. 3. 1. of God's name. The fourth commandment is repealed in that they require that their feast days should be kept as solemnly as the Lords Sabbath Con. Mogunt, c. 36. 37. Matiscan▪ 2. c. 1. 2. day. For they must be kept in all honour and comeliness: and men must rest from all their labours, from morning to evening, as on the Sabaoth: whereas contrariwise, the Lord hath given permission to his servants to labour the six days, so be it, on the seventh they will rest from the works of their callings, and do the works of the spirit. They repeal the fift commandment in that they teach that their clergy hath an immunity, and therefore is not bound to perform obedience to Magistrates, for so Matisc. Concil. ca 7. 9 8 they have decreed, that Clerks are to be judged only of Bishops: and that they are only to rescue them from injuries. Again that the Bishop must not be judged of the secular power: and that the Pope himself oweth no subjection to Kings, Princes, Emperors, but hath power to make them, and to put them down at his pleasure. But S. Paul for the maintening of the fift commandment, bids every soul be subject to the higher powers: and therefore the pope with his clergy (as Chrysostome hath expounded it) must be subject to civil Magistrates, unless they will exclude themselves out of the number of men, for Paul speaks to all. Against the sixth commandment they Matisc. 2. ca 8. have decreed asyles for murderers, plainly permitting them which fear authority to have safety in the lap of their mother the Church. Thus they annihillat God's commandment, yea and more than this, whether tends all that they teach but the very murdering of souls? For example, salvation by works of grace, is one of their chief ●oints. But that man that is persuaded that he must be saved by his works, must also ●ut his trust in them, and he which trusteth ●o his works is accursed before God. For ●ursed is that man that trusteth in man, whether jer. 17. 5 ●t be himself or other. The seventh commandment is re●ealed diverse ways. First in that they maintain the occasions of adultery and fornication: namely, the vow of single life both in men and women, when as they have not received the gift from God to be continent: which gift when they want, & yet are bound to single life, they must needs break out into much looseness. This sin Elog. 5. Lib. 4. 5. 9 made Mantuan, Palingenius, and Petrarch to cry out against the Church of Rome. Again some Papists defend the toleration of the Stews in Rome, for the avoiding of greater evils. And in the Council of Trent chastity and priests marriage are Sect. 24. c. 9 made opposite, so that marriage with them is a filthy thing, although God hath ordained it for the avoiding of fornication in all. Furthermore that which is most abominable and proves the Church of Rome to be an Antichristian Church: they maintain marriages within the degrees forbidden both by the law of nature, and of god's word. For in the table of consanguinity they which are placed in the transverse unequal line cannot marry, because they are as Parents and children: yet if they be distant four degrees on divers sides from the common stock they may marry together by the Cannon law. As for example, the grand uncle may marry his Sister's Greg. ca 9 de consang. aunculus maximus Abneptis. nephews niece, a thing very filthy in nature considering that a man cannot marry with any honesty his sister's child. To go further, by god's word they which are distant 4. degrees in the transverse equal line may marry together, as Cousin germans. Thus the daughters of Zelophehad were married Numb. 36. 11. to their father's brothers sons: this example I take it is warrant of the lawfulness of this marriage else where: Yet the Cannon law condemns this marriage of Cousin germans, and the marriage of their children after them though they be eight degrees distant. Thus the Church of Rome doth overwhart the Lord: where he gives liberty they restrain it, and when he restrai●eth men, than they give liberty. They repeal the eight commandment by their spiritual Merchandise in which they sell those things which are not to be sold, as Crosses to dead men, images, prayers, the sound of bells, remission of sins and the merits by which men may come to the kingdom of heaven: their shaveling Priests will do no duty without they be feed with money, hence comes the proverb, No penny no pater noster. They teach men to bear false witness, and so to sin against the ninth commandment, in that they hold that Marie is Revel. 7. 11 &. 5. 10. the Queen of heaven: whereas indeed she is no queen, but doth continually cast down her crown before Christ with the rest of the saints. And a man may as well bear false witness in speaking too much as in speaking too little. In the tenth commandment the first motions that go before consent are forbidden: otherwise there shall be no difference between it and the rest, For they also are spiritual, and forbidden inward motions: but the difference is that they forbid only the motions that go with consent. Now, the Papists say that these motion are no sin properly unless consent follow: and therefore they in express words repeal this commandment. For if concupiscence and the first motions be no sins properly then there need no prohibition of them. The fourth Argument. THat religion which is contrary to itself▪ only a mere invention of man: the religion's the Church of Rome is quite contrary to itself ●herefore it is only an inventi on of man: which if ●t be true, as well a reprobate as any other may perform the things required in it. The proof. THe proposition is most true, because it is a privilege of God's word, and so of ●he true religion gathered forth of it, to be consonant to itself in all points: which properly no doctrines nor writings beside can ●aue. The Assumption may be made manifest by an induction of particular example's. 1 The Church of Rome saith, that men ●re saved by grace: and again it saith, that men are saved by works. A flat contradiction. For Paul saith, if election be of grace, it Rom. 11. 6. ●s no more of works: or else were grace no more grace, but if it be of works, it is no more grace: for else were work no more work. Answer is made. Yt in this place Paul Rhem. Test. upon Rom. 11. 6. speaketh of works of nature, which indeed ●re contrary to grace: but not of works of regeneration which are not contrary to grace. This answer is false: for Paul in a like ●lace unto this opposeth grace & works of regeneration. Ye are saved by grace (saith he) through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God: not of works, Eph. 2. 8. 9 lest any should boast himself. For we are his workmanship created in Christ jesus unto good works, that we should walk in them. Now let the Church of Rome speak what are the works of which a man may● most of all boast? And what are the work● for the doing of which we must be fashioned a new in Christ jesus? Assuredly the● must be the works of regeneration, dipped & died in the blood of Christ (as they speak▪ wherefore it is evident, that Paul's meaning is to conclude, that if we be saved by grace we cannot be saved by works of regeneration▪ 2 The Church of Rome confuteth an● condemneth in Counsels, & derideth thi● doctrine that we teach, that men are to b● justified by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ: which righteousness is not i● us but in Christ. And the Rhemists call it Rhem. Test. Rom. 2. 23. fantastical justice, a new no justice: B●● herein that Church is contrary to itself: fo● it defendeth works of supererogation an● works of satisfaction of one man for an other Rhe. Test. Coloss. 2. vers. 24. & their ground is, because the faithful 〈◊〉 all members of one body, & have fellowship one with an other, & therefore one may satisfy for an other. Hereby it is plain, that the Church of Rome most of all defendeth that imputation of righteousness, which most of all it hath oppugned. For when one man satisfieth for an other, the work of one man is imputed to another. But what? shall one man satisfy for an other, & shall not Christ by his righteousness satisfy for us? shall God accept the work of one man for an other, & not accept the righteousness of Christ for us: Truly there is greater fellowship and conjunction between the head and the members, than of the members among themselves: because they are joined together by means of the head. 3 It holdeth that the guilt & fault of sin may be remitted by Christ: & yet the temporal punishment of sin be unremitted: but these are quite contrary. Paul saith, there Rom. 8. 1. is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus. Yet if a man were punished for his sin after he were in Christ, & had the fault of sin remitted, some condemnation should now remain him. And David Psal. 32. ●. saith, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin: therefore he to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, hath not only the guilt of sin, but also the punishment of his sin remitted: otherwise he could not be blessed but miserable. And this agreeth not with god's justice, when the fault is quite pardoned, and a man is guilty of no sin, that then any punishment should be laid August. de verb. Dom Ser. 37. on him. And S. Augustine saith, that Christ by taking upon him the punishment of sin, and not taking upon him the fault, took away both the punishment and the fault. Wherefore this opinion, that Christ hath taken away the guilt of sin, overthroweth all Satisfactions & Purgatory, because the fault and guilt being taken away, all punishment for sin is also taken away. 5 It teacheth, that a man must always doubt of his salvation: and likewise it teacheth, that in praying we are to call God Father, which are things quite contrary. For who can truly call God Father, unless he have the spirit of adoption, and be assured that he is the child of God. For if a Rom. 8. 16. man shall call God Father, and yet in his heart doubt whether he be his Father or not, he playeth the dissembling hypocrite: wherefore, to doubt of salvation, and to say Can. Tres saint. de pen●. dist. 1. Lumb. lib. 4. dist. 16▪ Can. de quotis. d● de poenit dist. 3. Our Father, etc. in truth are contrary. 6 The Church of Rome maketh prayer to be one of the chief means to satisfy for sins. But prayer indeed is an ask of pardon for sin: Now ask of pardon and satisfaction for sin are contrary: therefore by the judgement of the Papists, prayer which is a satisfaction is no satisfaction. And in deed, let us consider what madness is contained in this popish divinity: the poor beggar cometh very hungry to the rich man's door to crave his alms: and straightways by his begging he will merit and deserve it. The same doth the Papist, he prayeth very poorly for the thing which he wanteth, yet he looketh very proudly to merit no less than the kingdom of heaven by it. 7 Doubting of salvation and hope cannot Rom. 5. 5. agree together, for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed, that is, it never disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for. And therefore it is called the anchor of the soul Hebr. 6. 19 both sure & steadfast, which entereth into that which is within the vail. So that true hope and the certain assurance of salvation go together. 8 True prayer and justification by works cannot stand together. For he which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a lively feeling of his own misery, and of the want of that grace, whereof he stands in need. Now this cannot be in the heart of ●●at man that looketh to merit the kingdom of heaven by his works: for he that ●●n do this, may justly conceive somewhat of his own excellency. 9 Papists teach, that it is great boldness 〈◊〉 come immediately unto GOD without ●●e intercession of Saints: and therefore ●●ey use to a Breuiar, & Missali refor. ubique pray to Marie, that she would ●raie to Christ to help them: yet on the contrary, when they have so done, they ●ray to God immediately, that he would receive the intercession of Marie for them. And thus they are become intercessors be●eene Marie and God. Yea when they ●ffer up Christ, praying GOD to accept ●heir gifts and sacrifices, the humble priest ●hat will not pray to GOD, but by the meditation of Saints, is then a mediator between Christ jesus and God his Father. 10 It holdeth, that in the Mass, the Priest offereth up Christ to his Father an unbloody sacrifice. This is a thing impossible: for if Christ in the Mass be sacrificed for sin, thē●…e must die & his blood must be shed Heb. 9 〈…〉 2. And in the Scriptures these two sayings 〈…〉 Christ is dead, Christ is offered up in sacrifice) are all one. So then, the Papist when he ●upposeth that there may be an unbloody sacrifice, in effect he saith thus much, ther● is a sacrifice, which is no Sacrifice. 8 In the Canon of the Mass the church of Rome prayeth on this wise. We humbly beseech thee most merciful father, by jesus Christ, thy son & our Lord, that thou wouldst accept these gifts and oblations & these holy Sacrifices, which we thy Church offe● to thee, etc. where first they offer up Christ to God the Father in the name of Christ, & so they make Christ to be his own mediator. Again, they desire God to bless & to accept his own▪ Son: for they offer up Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his Father, they make Christ a weak and imperfect Christ: if he need not the blessing of his Father, their prayer is needless. Also they desire GOD to accept not one gift or one sacrifice, but in the plural number, these gifts and sacrifices: whereas they hold that Christ's body is one only body, and therefore but one sacrifice. And thus they are at variance with themselves. 9 Papists, in word they say that they believe and put their trust in God: yet whereas they look to be saved by their works, they set the confidence of their hearts in truth upon their own doings. 10. They put such holiness in Matrimony, that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments, which a Rhem. Test. pag. 523. confer grace to the partakers ●f them: yet they forbid their Clergy to ●arrie, b Pap●. Syric. us. Decret. epist. Sess. 24. c. 9 because to live in marriage is to ●ue according to the flesh, and the Counsel of Trent opposeth marriage & chastity. 11. It teacheth, that souls kept in Purgatory, may be redeemed by Sacrifices ●nd Suffrages. Against this, is a Canon of ●heir law taken out of Saint Hieromes c Can. in present. 11. 13. q. 3. We ●nowe that in this life we may help one ●nother, either by Prayers, or by good counsel: but when we shall come be●ore the judgement seat of Christ, nei●her job, nor Daniel, nor No, may entreat ●or any; but every man to bear his own burden. And according to another Canon going under the name of Gelasius Can. legatur. 4. q. 1. Bishop of Rome, Either there is no Purgatory, or the souls which go thither, shall never return. 12. And to conclude, the most points of their religion are contrary to their Canons, as by searching, may appear in these examples. 1. The dead cannot hear the prayers of 1 Con. fat●ndum 13▪ q. 2. them which call upon them. 2. Peter and Paul were two of the chie● 2 C. Beati. 2. q. 7. Apostles, and it is hard to say, which was above the other. 3. Leo the fourth living in the year 846● 3 C. de Capitulis dist. 10. acknowledged Lotharius the Emperor for his Prince. 4. No Bishop may be called universal▪ 4 C. nullus. dist. 99 5 C. legimus. di. 93. 5. The Church of Rome hath no more authority over other Churches, than other Churches over it. 6 A Priest and a Bishop were in time● 6 C. legimus. di. 93. C. Olim. dist. 95. 7 C. verbum 6. magna. C. Conuertimini de penit. dist. 1. 8 C. quod dicit. di. 41 9 C. luminosa. 18. q. 2. past all one. 7 The Pope hath no power to give o● sell Pardons. 8. There can be no merit by fasting, o● abstinence from flesh. 9 The Mass is nothing but the form of divine sacrifice. By this which hath been said, it doth in part appear, that the religion of the Church of Rome is repugnant to itself, and it could not so be, if it were from the word of God. A Corollary gathered out of the former assertion. 1. A man being endued with no more grace than that which he may obtain by the religion of the Church of Rome, is still in the state of damnation. ❧ A Dialogue containing the conflicts between Satan and the Christian. Satan. OVile hellhound, thou art my slave, and my vassal, why then shakest thou off my yoke. Christian. By nature I was thy vasal, but Christ hath redeemed me. Satan. Christ redeemeth no Reprobates, such as thou art. Christian. I am no Reprobate. Satan. Thou art a Reprobate, for thou ●halt be condemned. Christian. Lucifer, to pronounce damnation, belongeth to God alone: thou art no judge, it is sufficient for thee to be an accuser. Satan. Though I cannot condemn thee, yet I know God will condemn thee. Christian. Yea, but God will not condemn me. Satan. Go too, let us try the matter. Is not God a Lord, and a King over thee and may he not therefore give thee a law to keep, and punish thee with hell fire, if thou break it? Christian. Yes. Satan. And hast thou kept the law o● this thy Lord and King? Christian. No. Satan. Let us proceed further? Is not the same Lord also a most righteous judge, & therefore a most sharp revenger of sin? Christian. Yes truly. Satan. Why then wilt thou flatter thyself thou hypocrite: God cannot wink a● thy sins, except he should be unjust. Wherefore there is no remedy, thou art sure to b● damned: hell was provided for thee, & now it gapeth to devour thee. Christian. There is remedy enough to deliver me from condemnation. For God i● not only (as thou affirmest) a Lord and judge, but also a saving, and a most merciful Father. Satan. But thou fire brand of hell fire, and child of perdition, look for no mercy at God's hands, because thou art a most grievous sinner: for, 1. Original sin runneth wholly over thee, as a loathsome botch or leprosy. 2. Thy mind knoweth not the things that be of God: 3. In the law of God thou art stark blind, saving that thou hast a few principles of it to make thee inexcusable. 4. The Gospel is foolishness and madness unto thee: thou makest no better account of it then of thine own dream. 5. Thy conscience is corrupt, because▪ it flattereth thee, and excuseth thy sin. 6. Thy memory keepeth and remembreth nothing, but that which is against God's word; but things abominable and wicked, it keepeth long. 7. Thy will hath no inclination to that which is good, but only to sin and wickedness. 8. Thy affections are set only on wickedness: they are as mighty Giants and Princes in thee, they have thee at commandment. Remember, that for very anger thou ●ast been sick: that the lust of thy flesh hath driven thee to madness: forget not thy Atheism, thy contempt of God's word, thy inward pride, thy envy, hatred, malice, thy covetousness, and infinite other wicked desires, which have led thee captive, and made thee outrageous in all kind of naughtiness. 10. Thy actual sins committed partly in secret, partly in public, are most filthy and most infinite. Remember how in such a place, at such a time, thou didst commit fornication: in another place thou didst steal, etc. God saw this I warrant thee● yea, all thy sins are written in his booke● wherefore thou cursed wretch, all hope of mercy is cut off from thee. Christian. But God's mercy far exceedeth all these my sins: and I cannot be so Isai. 1. 18. Acts. 1. 23. 38. 1. Tim. 1. 15 Psal. 103. 11. 12. 13. infinite in sinning, as God is infinite in mercy and pardoning. Satan. Darest thou presume to think of God's mercy? why, the least of thy sins deserveth damnation. Christian. None of my sins can fear Isai. 53. 2. 3 4. 5. me, or dismay me. Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father upon the Cross, even for me, that I might be▪ delivered from condemnation, which was due unto me. Satan. If God's purpose were not to condemn thee, persuade thyself, he would never lay so many afflictions and crosses on thee, as he doth. What is this want of good name? this weakness and sickness of the body? these terrors of thy mind? this dullness and frowardness of thy heart? what are all these (I say) and many other evils, but the beginnings, and certain flashings of the fire of Hell. Christian. Nay, rather my afflictions are ●liuelie testimonies of my salvation. For god as a loving Father, partly by them, as with Heb. 12. 6. 9 10. 1. Pet. 2. 21. Gen. 42. 21 scourges chasteneth my disobedience, and bringeth me into order: partly conformeth me unto my Saviour Christ, and so by little and little, layeth open to me mine own 1. Cor. 11. 12. Rom. 8. 26. sins, that I may dislike myself and hate them: and maketh me to renounce the ●or●de, thy eldest son, and stirreth me up to call upon him, & to pray earnestly with ●grones and sighs, which I am not able to express with any words, as I feel them. Satan. Thy afflictions are heavy, and comfortless, therefore they can not be arguments of God's favour. Christian. Indeed their nature is to bring grief and heaviness to the soul, but I have had joy in the midst of my afflictions, & Rom. 5. 2. 3. 4. strength sufficient to bear them, and after them have been many ways bettered, which befalleth to none of the wicked: and for that Rom. 8. 28. Psa. 119. 71. cause, it is a great persuasion to me, that ● shall not be damned with the wicked world, but in spite of all thy power, pass from death to everlasting life. Satan. After these thy manifold afflictions, thou must suffer death, which is mo●● terrible, and a very entrance to Hell. Christian. Death hath lost his sting b● Christ's death: and unto me it shall be nothing else but a passage unto everlasting life▪ Satan. Admit thou shalt be delivered from hell by Christ, what will this avails thee, considering that thou shalt never com● to the kingdom of heaven? for Christe● death only delivereth thee from death eternal, it can not advance thee to everlasting life. Christian. I am now at this time a member of Christ's kingdom, and after this lif● shall reign with him for ever in his everlasting kingdom. Rom. 5. ver. 8. 3. 4. Satan Thou never didst fulfil the law● therefore thou canst not come into the kingdom of heaven. Christian Christ hath perfectly fulfilled every part of the law for me: and by this his obedience imputed unto me, I myself do keep the law. Satan Be it so, for all this, thou art far enough from the kingdom of heaven, into which no unclean thing shall ever enter: thou, although that Christ hath suffered death, and fulfilled the law for thee, yet thou art in part unclean: thy cursed nature and the seeds of sin are yet remaining in thee. Rom. 2. 3. joh. 17. 19 Christian. Christ in the virgin's womb was perfectly sanctified by the holy ghost: and this perfect holiness of his human nature is imputed to me: even as jacob put on Esau's garments, to get his Father's blessing: so I have put on the righteousness of Christ, as a long white rob covering my sins, & making me appear perfectly righteous, even before God's judgement seat. Satan Indeed, God hath made promise john. 3. 14. 15. unto mankind in all these mercies and benefits in Christ: but the condition of this promise is faith, which thou wantest, and therefore canst not make any account, that Christ's sufferings, Christ's fulfilling of the law, Christ's perfect holiness, can do thee any good. Christian. I have true saving faith. The conflicts of Satan with the strong Christian. Satan. THou sayest that thou hast true faith, but I shall sift thee, and disprove thee. Christian. The gates of Hell shall never prevail against my faith, do what thou canst. Satan. Tell me then, dost thou think that all the world shall be saved? Christian. No. Satan. What, shall some be saved, and some condemned? Christiam. So saith the word of God. Satan. Thou then are persuaded that God is true even in his merciful promises, and that he will save some men, as Peter and Paul, & David, etc. and this is the only be lief, by which thou wilt be saved. Christian. Nay, this I believe, and more too, that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saved: and this is the belief that saveth me. Satan. It may be thou art persuaded, that God is able to save thee, but that God will save thee, that is, that he hath determined to advance this thy body, and this thy soul into his kingdom, & that he is most willing to perform it in his good time: herein thou waverest and doubtest. Christian. Nay Satan, I in mine own heart am fully persuaded, that I shall be saved, joh. 1. 12. 13. joh. 6. 35. 54. Mark. 9 23 and that Christ is specially my redeemer: and (O Lord) for Christ's sake, help thou my doubting and unbelief. Satan. This thy full persuasion is only a fantasy, and a strong imagination of thine own head: it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest. Satan. It is no imagination, but truth which I speak. For me thinks, I am as certain of my salvation, as though my name 2. Cor. 1. 2● Ephe. 1. 14. Rom. 8. 18 were registered in the Scriptures (as David's and Paul's are) to be an elect vessel of God: and this is the testimony of the holy spirit of jesus Christ, assuring me inwardly of my adoption, and making me with boldness and confidence in Christ, to pray unto God the father. Satan. Still thou dreamest & imaginest, thou lovest and likest thyself, and therefore thou thinkest the best of thyself. Christian. Yea, but God of his goodness Act. 13. 9 1. Thes. 1. 3 hath brought forth such tokens of faith in me, that I cannot be deceived. 1. I am displeased with myself for my manifold sins, in which sometime I have delighted and bathed myself. Rom. 7. 15. 24. 2. I purpose never to commit them again, if God give me strength, as I trust he will. 3. I have a very great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth. 4. Those that be the children of God. If I do but hear of them, I love them with my heart, and wish unto them as to myself. 1. john. 3. 14. 5. My heart leapeth for gladness, when I hear of the preaching of the word. 6. I long to see the coming of Christ jesus, that an end may be made of sinning, and of displeasing God. Apoc. 22. 20. 7. I feel in my heart the fruits of the spirit, joy, love, peace, gentleness, meekness, patience, temperance: the works of the flesh I abhor them, fornication, adultery, uncleanness, wantonness, Idolatry, strife, envy, anger, drunkenness, bibbing and quaffing, and all such like. Galathians. 5. 19 20. 22. All these, they cannot proceed from thee Satan, or from my flesh, but only from faith which is wrought in me by gods holy spirit. Satan. If this were so, God would never suffer thee to sin, as thou dost. Christian. I shall sin as long as I live in this world, I am sure of it; because I am Rom. 7. 15. Mat. 26. 69. 72. 74. 75. taught to ask remission of my sins continually. But the manner of my sinning now is otherways than it hath been in times past. I have sinned heretofore with full purpose and consent of will; but now doubtless, I do not. Before I commit any sin, I do not go to the practising of it with deliberation, as the carnal man doth, who taketh care to fulfil the lusts of the flesh: but if I do it, it is flat beside my mind and purpose: Ro. 13. 14. In the doing of any sin, I would not do it, my heart is against it, and I hate it, and yet, by the tyranny of my flesh being overcome, I do it: afterwardc, when it is committed, I am grieved and displeased at myself, and do earnestly with tears ask at God's hands forgiveness of the same sin. Satan. Indeed, this is very true in the children of God: but thou art sold under sin, and with great pleasure dost commit sin, & lovest it with thy whole heart: otherwise, thou wouldst not fall to sin again after repentance, and commit even one and the same sin, so often as thou dost. Thou hypocrite, this thy behaviour turneth all the favour of God from thee. Christian. Nay, it is the order of the Prophets, Isay. 1. v. 8. jere. 2. v. 1. to call men to repentance, which have fallen from the fear of God, and from the repentance, which they professed: and God in thus calling him, putteth them in hope of obtaining mercy. And the law had sacrifices offered every day, for the sins of all the people, and for particular men, both for their ignorances, and their voluntary sins: which signifieth, that God is ready to forgive the sins of his children: yea if they sin daily. Abraham twice lied and swore that Sara was not his wife. joseph Gen. 12, 14 15 Gen. 20. 2. 3. Gen. 42. 25 16. swore twice by the life of Pharaoh. David committed adultery often, because he took unto him Bathsheba, Vriahs' wife, & also kept six wives, and ten concubines. God's will is, that men forgive till seventy seven times: and therefore he will show much more mercy. And for my part, so oft as I shall fall into the same sin, so oft I shall have Christ my advocate and intercessor to the father for me, who will not damn me for the infirmity which he findeth in me. I will abstain from external iniquity, and I will not make my members servants unto sin: and so 1. joh. ●●▪ Dan. 9 ●●. long I trust my imperfections shall have no power to damn me: for Christ's perfection is reputed to be mine, by faith which I have in his blood: God is not displeased, if my body be sick and subject to diseases: no more is he displeased at the disease and sickness of the soul. A natural father will Rom. 8. 28. ●ot slay the body of his child, when he is sick, and abhorreth comfortable meats: and my heavenly father will not condemn my soul, although through the infirmity of faith, and the weakness of the spirit: I commit sin, and often loath his heavenly word, the food of my soul. Nay, (which ●s a strange thing) I know it by experience, ●hat God hath turned my filthy sins to my great profit, and to the amendment of my life: like as the good Physician, of rank ●oison is able to make a sovereign medicine to preserve life. Satan. Well, be it, that now thou art in the state of grace, yet thou shalt not continue so: but shalt before death departed from Christ. Christian. I know I am a member of Christ's mystical body: I feel in myself the heavenly power, and virtue of my head Christ jesus: and for this cause I cannot perish, but shall continue for ever, and reign in Heaven after this life with him. The conflicts of Satan with the weak Christian. Satan. THy mind is full of ignorance and blindness, thy heart is full of obstinacy, rebellion, and frowardness against God: thou art wholly unfit for any good work: wherefore, thou hast no faith, neither canst thou be justified, and accepted before God. Christian. If I have but one drop of the grace of God, and if my faith be no more than a little grain of mustard seed, it is sufficient Mat. 27. 20 for me: God requireth not perfect faith, but true faith. Satan. Yea, but thou hast no faith at all Christian. I have had faith. Satan. Thou never hadst true faith: fo● in time past, when according to thine own opinion thou didst believe, than thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith, and a foolish imagination, which all hypocrites have. Christian. I will put my trust in god for ever, Psal. 77. 5. & his former mercies showed me heretofore strengthen me now in this my weakness. 1. He created me when I was nothing. 2. He created me a man, when he might have made me an ugly Toad. 3. He made me of comely body, and of good discretion: whereas he might have made me ugly, & deformed, frantic, & mad. 4. I was borne in the days of knowledge, when I might have been borne in the time of ignorance and superstition. 5. I was borne of Christian parents, but God might have given me either Turks or jews, or some other savage people for my parents. 6. I might have perished in my mother's womb, but he hath preserved me, and provided for me by his providence, even unto this hour. 7. Soon after my birth, God might have cast me into hell, but contrariwise, I was baptised, and so received the seal of his blessed covenant. 8 I have had by God's goodness some sorrow for my sins past, and have called on him, in hope and confidence that he● would hear me. 9 God might have concealed his wor● from me, but I have heard the plentiful preaching of it: I understand it, and hau● received comfort by it. 10 Lastly, at this time God might pow●● his full wrath on me: which he doth no● but mercifully maketh me to feel mi●… own wants, that I might be humbled, a●… give all glory unto him for his blessings Wherefore, there is no cause why I shou●● be disquieted: but I will trust still in t●● Lord, and depend on him, as I have done▪ Satan. Thou feelest no grace of the h●… lie Ghost in thee, nor any true tokens 〈…〉 faith, but thou hast a lively sense of the rebellion of thy heart, and of thy lewd a●● wretched conversation: therefore th● canst not put any confidence in Christ● death and sufferings. Christian. Yet I will hope against all hop● and although, according to mine ow● Psal. 32. 1. 2. Cor. 5. 21 sense and feeling, I want faith: yet I will b● leeve in jesus Christ, and trust to be sau● by him. Satan. Though the children of GOD have been in many perplexities, yet never any of them have been in this case, in which thou art at this present. Christian. Herein thou provest thyself to be a lying spirit: for the Prophet david ●aith of himself, that he was foolish, and as Psal. 73. 22 2● Rom. 7. 19 24. a beast before God: and yet he even then trusted in God. And Paul was so led captive of sin, that he was not able to do the good he would, but did the evil which he ●ated: and so in great pensiveness of heart, desired to be delivered from this world, that ●ee might be disburdened of his corrupt ●●esh. Satan. Thou miserable wretch, dost ●●ou feel thyself graceless, and wilt thou ●eare the face of a Christian? and by thy hypocrisy offend God? as thou art, so show ●●y self to the world. Christian. Avoid Satan, Christ hath anquished, and overcome thee for my ●ause, that I might also triumph over thee. ● am no hypocrite: for whereas I have had heretofore some testimony of my faith, at his time I am less moved, though faith ●●eme to be absent: like as a man may seem 〈◊〉 be dead, both in his own sense, and by the judgement of the Physician, and yet may have life in him: so faith may be, though always it do not appear. Satan. But thou art a man stark dead in sin, God hath now quite forsaken thee: he hath left thee unto me to be ruled: he hath given me power over thee, to bring thee to damnation: he will not have thee to trust in him any longer. Christian. Strengthen me good Lord; remember thy merciful promises, that thou Isai. 57 15. wilt revive the humble, & give life to them that are of a contrite heart. Satan. These promises concern not thee, which hast no humble and contrite, but a froward, and a rebellious heart. Christian. Good Lord forget not thy former mercies: give an issue to these temptations of mine enemy Satan. And you my brethren, which know my estate, pray for me, that God would turn his favourable countenance towards me: for this I know, that the ptaier of the righteous availeth Ia●. 5. 16. much, if it be fervent. How a man should apply aright the word of God to his own soul. I Every Christian containeth in himself two natures, flat contrary the one to the other, the flesh and the spirit: and that he may become a perfect man in Christ jesus, his earnest endeavour must be, to tame, and subdue the flesh, & to strengthen and confirm the spirit. two Answerable to these two natures, are the two parts of God's word. First, the Law, because it is the ministery of death, it fitly serveth for the taming and mastering of the rebellious flesh: and the Gospel, containing the bountiful promises of God in Christ, is as oil, to power into our wounds, and as the water of life, to quench our thirsty souls: & it fitly serveth for the strengthening of the Spirit. III Well then, art thou secure? Art thou prone to evil? Feelest thou that thy rebellious flesh carrieth thee captive unto sin? Look now only upon the law of God, apply it to thyself, examine thy thoughts, thy words, thy deeds by it: pray unto God, that he would give thee the Spirit of fear, that the law may in some measure humble & terrify thee: for (as Solomon saith) blessed is Rom. 8. 16. Pro. 28. 14. the man that feareth always, but cursed is he that hardeneth his heart. IIII In the Law, these are most effectual meditations to humble and bridle the flesh, which follow. First, meditate on the greatness 1 of thy sins, and of their infinite number: and if it may be, gather them into a Catalogue, set it before thee: and look unto it, that thou think no sin to be a small sin, no not the bare thoughts and motions of thy heart. Often with diligence consider 2 the strange judgements of God upon men, for their sins, which thou shalt find, partly in the Scriptures, partly by daily experience. Doubtless, thou must think, that every judgement of God, is a sermon of repentance. Think oft on the fearful curse 3 of the law due unto thee, if thou shouldest sin never but once in all thy life, and that never so little. Remember, that whensoever 4 thou committest a sin; God is present, and Dan. 7. 1●. jere. 17. 1. Deut. 32. 31. his holy Angels, & that he is an eye witness, that he taketh a note of thy sin, & registereth it in a book. Think daily of thy end: and 5 know that God may strike thee with sudden death every moment: and that, if then thou have not repent before that time, there is no hope of salvation. Think on the sudden 6 coming of our Saviour Christ to judgement, let it move thee continually to watch and pray. If these will not move thee, think 7 on this, that no creature in heaven or in earth, was able to pacify the wrath of God for thy sins: but his own Son must come down from heaven, out of his Father's bosom, and must bear the curse of the law, even the full wrath of his Father, for thee. V When by these means thou art feared, and thy mind is disquieted in respect of God's judgement for thy sin: have recourse ●o the promises of mercy contained in the ●ld and new Testament. Is thy conscience stung with sin? And doth the law make the● feel it? With all speed run to the brase● Serpent Christ jesus, look on him with the joh. 3. 14. eye of faith, and presently thou shalt be healed of thy sting or wound. VI When thou dost meditate on the promises of the Gospel: diligently consider these benefits, which thou enjoyest by Christ. Through Adam, thou art condemned 1 to hell: by Christ, thou art delivered from it. Through Adam, thou hast transgressed 2 the whole law: in Christ thou hast fulfilled it. Through Adam, thou art before Go● 3 a vile, & a loathsome sinner, through Chri●● thou dost appear glorious in his eyes. B● Adam, every little cross is the punishment 4 of thy sin, and a token of God's wrath: by Christ, the greatest crosses are easy, profitable, and tokens of God's mercy. By Adam 5 thou didst lose all things: in Christ a● things are restored to thee again. By Adam 6 thou art dead, by Christ, thou art quickne● and made alive again. By Adam, thou art 7 slave of the Devil, and the child of wrath but by Christ, thou art the child of God. 〈…〉 8 Adam, thou art worse than a Toad, & mo●… detestable before God: but by Christ, tho● art above the Angels. For thou art joined unto him, and made bone of his bone, mystically. Through Adam, sin and Satan 9 have ruled in thee, and led thee captive: by Christ, the spirit of God dwelleth in thee plenteously, By Adam, came death to thee, 10 & it is an entrance to hell: by Christ, though death remain, yet it is only a passage unto life. lastly, in Adam, thou art poor, and 11 blind, and miserable: In Christ, thou art rich and glorious, thou art the King of heaven and earth, fellow heir with him, and shalt as sure be partaker of it, as he is even now. Adam, when he must needs taste of the fruit, which God had forbidden him, he hath made us all to rue it, even till this day: but here thou seest the fruits that grow, not in Apoc. ●2. 2 the earthly Paradise, but on the tree of life, which is within the heavenly Jerusalem. Fear no danger, be bold in Christ to eat of the fruit, as God hath commanded thee: it will quicken thee, & revive thee being dead: thou canst not do Satan a worse displeasure, than to feed on the godly fruit of this tree, & to smell on the sweet leaves, which it beareth continually, that give such a refreshing savour. VII Most men now a days, are secure & cold in the profession of the Gospel, though they have the plentiful preaching of it. And the reason is, because they feel not in themselves the virtue and mighty operation of God's word, to renew them: & they cannot feel it, because they do not apply the word aright unto their own souls. Plasters, except they be applied in order & time, & be laid upon the wound, though they be never so good, yet they cannot heal: & so it is with the word of God, & the parts of it, which except they be used in order & time convenient, will not humble and revive us, as their virtue is. VIII The common Christian every where is faulty in this thing. Whereas he loveth himself, & wisheth all good that may be to himself, he doth usually apply unto his own soul the Gospel alone, never regarding the law, or searching out his sins by it. Tell him what ye will, his song is this: God is merciful, God is merciful. By this means it cometh to pass, that he leadeth a secure life, & maketh no conscience of covetousness, of usury, of deceit in his trade, of lying, of swearing, of fornication, wantonness, intemperancy in bibbing & quaffing, etc. But he playeth the unskilful Chirurgeon, he useth healing plasters, before his poisoned and cankered nature have felt the power & pain of a Corasiue. And it will never be well with him, until he take a new course. IX On the contrary part, many good Christians leave to apply the comfort of the gospel to themselves, and only have regard to their own sins, and Gods infinite vengeance. And even when Satan accuseth them, they will not stick to give ear to Satan, and also accuse themselves: and so they are brought into fearful terrors, and often draw near to desperation. X There is a third sort called sectaries, who addict themselves to the opinion of some man. These commonly never apply the law or the Gospel to themselves, but their whole meditation, is chiefly in the opinions of him whom they follow. As they that follow Luther, few of them follow his Christian life, they regard not that: but about consubstantiation and ubiquity, about Images and such like trumpery, they infinitely trouble themselves, and all Europe too. And in England there is a schismatical and undiscreet company, that would seem to cry out for discipline, their whole talk is of it, and yet they neither know it, nor will be reform by it, and yet they are enemies to it: as for the law of God, and the promises of the Gospel, they little regard: they maintain vile sins in refusing to hear the reading or the preaching of the word: and this is great contempt of God's benefits & unthankfulness to him. They are full of pride, thinking themselves to be full, when they are empty: to have all knowledge, when they are ignorant, and had need to be catechised: the poison of Asps is under their lips; they refuse not to speak evil of the blessed servants of God. Well, do they above all things seek the kingdom of God? then let them be sincere seekers of it: which they shall do, if in seeking Christ's kingdom they seek the righteousness thereof: unto which they can never come but by the applying of the threatenings of the law, and the comforts of the Gospel to their own consciences. But whereas they seek the one and not the other, they give all men to understand with what spirit they speak. Consolations for the troubled consciences of repentant Sinners. Sinner. GOod sir, I know a Esay. 50. c▪ 4. the Lord hath given you the tongue of the learned, to be able to minister a word in time to him that is weary: therefore I pray you help me in my misery. Minister. Ah my good brother what is the matter with you? and what ail you? Sinner. I lived a long time, the Lord he knoweth it, after the manner of the world, in all the lusts of my filthy flesh, and then I was never troubled; but it hath pleased▪ God of his mercy to touch my heart, and to send his own son that good shepherd jesus Christ, to fetch me home to his own fold, even upon his own neck: and since that time it is a wonder to see how my poor heart hath been troubled: my corruption so boils in me, & Satan will never let me alone. Minister. Your case is a blessed case: for not to be troubled of Satan, is to be possessed of him: that is: to be held captive under b Colloss. 1. c. 13. the power of darkness, and to be a slave & vassal of Satan: for c Luke 11. c. 24. as long as the strong man keeps the hold, all things are in peace: Contrariwise he that hath received any sparkle of true faith, shall see d Mat. 16. c. 18. the gates of hell, that is, the Devil and all his Angels in their full strength, to stand up against him, and to fight with an endless hatred for his final confusion. Christian. But this my trouble of mind, hath made me oftentimes fear lest God would reject me, and utterly deprive me of the kingdom of heaven. Minister. But there is no cause why it should so do. For how should heaven be your resting place, if on earth you were not troubled? how could God wipe away your tears from your eyes in heaven, if on earth Bradford. you shed them not? You would be free from miseries, you look for heaven upon earth. But if you will go to heaven, the right way is to sail by hell. If you will sit at Christ's table in his kingdom; you must be with him in his temptations. You are as God's corn, you must therefore go under the flail, the fan, the millstone, and the oven, before you can be God's bread. You are one of Christ's lambs, look therefore ●o be fleeced, and to have the bloody knife ●t your throat all the day long. If you were ● mark sheep bought to be sold: you ●hould be stalled and kept in a fat pasture: ●ut you are for gods own occupying, therefore you must pasture on the bare common, abiding storms, tempests, Satan's snatches, the worlds wounds, contempt of conscience and frets of the flesh. But in ●his your misery I will be a Simon unto you ●o help you to carry your cross, so be it ●ou will reveal your mind unto me. Christian. I will do it willingly, my temp●ations are either against my faith in Christ ●r against repentance for my sins. Minister. What is your temptation as ●ouching faith? Christian. Ah, woe is me, I am much afraid lest I have no faith in Christ my Saviour. Minister. What causeth this fear. Christian. diverse things. Minister. What is one? Christian. I am troubled with many doubtings of my salvation: and so it comes ●nto my mind to think, that by my incredulity I should quite cut off myself from the favour of God. Minister. But you must know this one thing, that he that never doubted of his salvation never believed, & that he which believeth in truth feeleth many doubtings & waver, even as the ●ound man feels many grudge of diseases which if he had not health he could not feel. Christian. But you never knew any that having true faith doubted of their salvation. Minister. What will you then say of the man that said e Mar. 9 24. Lord I believe, Lord help my unbelief. And of David who made his moan after this manner: Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore, Psal. 77. ve. 8. 9 10. Hath GOD forgotten to be merciful? Hath he shut up his tender mercy in displeasure? Yea he goeth on further, as a man in despair. f 11. And I said, this is my death. Hereby it is manifest that a man endued with true faith may have not only assaults of doubting, but of desperation. This further appeareth in that he saith in another place. g Psal. 92. 11. Why art thou cast down my soul? Why art thou disquieted within me? Wait on God for I will yet give thanks, he is my present help and my God. And in very truth you may persuade yourself that they are but * 2. Thes. 3. 2. unreasonable men, that say they have long believed in Christ without any doubting of their salvation. Christian. But David had more in him then I have, for me thinks there is nothing in this wicked heart of mine, but rebellion against God, nothing but doubting of his mercy. Minister. Let me know but one thing of you: these doubtings which you feel, do you like them? or do you take any pleasure in them? and do you cherish them? Christian. Nay, nay, they appear very wild in mine eyes, and I do abhor them from my heart: and I would feign believe? Minister. In man we must consider his Ro. 7. ca 5. estate by nature, and his estate by grace. In the first he and his flesh are all one, for they are as man and wife: therefore one is necessary to the doings of the other. When the flesh striveth the man also striveth that is in subjection to the flesh, yea when the flesh perisheth, the man likewise perisheth being in this estate, with the flesh: a loving couple they are, they live and die together. But in the estate of grace, though a man have the flesh in him, yet he and his flesh are divorced a sunder. This divorcement is made, when a man begins to dislike and to hate his flesh, and the evil fruits of it: this separation being made, they are no Rom. 7. 17 Rom. 8. 1. more one, but twain, and the one hath nothing to do with the other. In this case though the flesh beget sin and perish therefore, yet the Christian man shall not incu● damnation for it, To come more near the matter; you say the flesh begets in you waverings, doubtings, and distrustinges▪ what then? it troubleth you: but fear not, remember your estate; you are divorced from the flesh, and you are new married unto Christ: if these sins be laid at you● door, account them not as your children▪ but renounce them as Bastards, say with Paul, I doubt indeed, but I hate my doubtings, and I am no cause of these, but the the flesh in me which shall perish when I shall be saved by Christ. Christian. This which you have said doth in part content me: one thing more I pray you show me concerning this point: namely how I may be able to overcome these doubtings. Minister For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to use three meditations. The first, that it is God's commandment 1. Ioh.▪ 3. 23. that you should believe in Christ: So saint john saith, This is his commandment that we believe in the name of his son jesus Christ. Thou joh. 3. 16. shalt not steal, is God's commandment, & you are loath to break it, lest you should displease God and pull his curse upon your head. This also is God's commandment, Thou shalt believe in Christ, and therefore you must take heed of the breach of it: ●east by doubting and wavering you bring ●he curse upon you. secondly, you must consider that the promises of salvation in Christ are general, or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man: as in one for ●ll may appear. God so loved the world that ●e gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Now then so often as you shall doubt of God's mercy whereas he exclu●eth you not: And as when a Prince gives ● pardon to all thieves, every one can apply the same unto himself, though his ●ame be not set down in the pardon: So ●●e king of kings hath given a general par●on for free remission of sins to them that ●ill receive it. Believe therefore that God 〈◊〉 true in his promise, doubt not of your own salvation, challenge the pardon to yourself. In deed your name is not set down, or written in the promise of grace, yet let not any illusion of Satan, or the consideration of your own unworthiness exclude you from this general & free▪ mercy of God: which he also hath offered to you particularly, first in Baptism, then after in the Lord's supper: and therefore you are not to waver in the applying of it to yourself. thirdly you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend god as much almost as by any other sin. Yo● do not above hope believe under hope as you shoul● do. secondly you rob God of his glory, is that you make his infinite mercy to be Rom. 4. 18. less than your sins. thirdly you make him a liar who hath made such a promiss unto you. And to these three meditations add this practice. When your Ro. 10. 12. heart is toiled with unbelief and doubtings, then in all hast draw yourself into some secret place, humble yourself before God power out your heart before him: desire hi● of his endless mercy to work faith, and t● suppress your unbelief, and you shall see That the Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon his name. Christian. The Lord reward you for your kindness: I will hereafter do my endeavour to practise this your counsel. Now I will make bold to show another that makes me to fear lest I have no faith. And it is, because I do not feel the assurance of the forgiveness of my sins. Minister. Faith standeth not in the feeling Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 8. 23. of God's mercy, but in the apprehending of it, which apprehending may be when there is no feeling, for faith is of invisible things, and when a man once cometh to enjoy the thing believed, than he ceaseth to believe. And this appeareth in jobs example, when he saith, Lo though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, & I will reprove my ways in his sight: he shallbe my salvation also: for job. 13. 15. 16. the hypocrite shall not come before him, he declareth his faith: yet when he saith presently afterward, Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemy? he declareth the want of that feeling which you speak off. Christian. Yet every true believer feels the assurance of faith: otherwise Paul would not have said, Prove yourselves whether you are in the faith or not. Minister. Indeed sometimes he doth, but at some other times he doth not: as namely at that same time when God first calleth him: and in the time of temptation. Christian. What a case am I in then? I never felt this assurance: only this I feel that I am a most rebellious wretch abounding even with a whole sea of iniquities: me thinks I am more ugly in the sight of God, than any toad can be in my sight. O then what shall I do? Let me hear some word of comfort from thy mouth thou man of God. Minister. Tell me one thing plainly, you say you feel no assurance of God's mercy? Christian. No in deed. Minister. But do you desire with all your heart to feel it? Christian. I do indeed. Minister. Then doubt not, you shall feel it. Christian. O blessed be the Lord, if this be true. Minister. Why, it is most true. For the Wish and have. man that would have any grace of God tending to salvation, if he do truly desire it, he shall have it: for so Christ hath promised, I will give to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely. Whereby I gather Reu. 2. 6. that if any want the water of life, having an appetite after it, he shall have enough of it: And therefore fear you not, only use the means which God hath appointed to attain faith by, as earnest prayer, reverent hearing of God's word, and receiving of the Sacraments: and then you shall see this thing verified in yourself. Christian. All this which you say I find in myself by the mercy of God: my heart longeth after that grace of God which I want. I know I do hunger after the kingdom of heaven & the righteousness thereof: and further though I want the feeling of God's mercy: yet I can pray for it, from the very root of my heart. Minister Be careful to give honour to god for that you have received already. For these thing are the motions of the spirit of Phil. 1. 6. God dwelling in you. And I am persuaded of this same thing, that God which hath begun this good work in you will perfect the same unto the day of jesus Christ. Christian. The third thing that troubles me, is this. I have long prayed for many graces of God, and yet I have not received them, whereby it comes oft to my mind, that God loves me not: that I am none of his child: & therefore that I have no faith. Minister. You are in no other case than David himself, who made the same complaint: I am weary of crying, my throat is dri●▪ Psal. 69. 4. mine eyes fail, whiles I wait for my God. Christian. But David never prayed so many years without receiving an answer as I have done. Minister. Good Zacharie waited longer on the Lord, before he granted his request, than ever you did, It's like he prayed for a child in his younger years, yet his prayer was not heard before he was old. And further Luk. 1. 7. 13 you must note, that the Lord may hear the prayers of his servants, and yet they be altogether ignorant of it: For the manner that God useth in granting their requests is not always known: as may appear in the example of our Saviour Christ. Who in the days of his flesh, did offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto him Heb. 5. 7. that was able to save him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared. And yet we know he was not freed from that cursed death, but must needs suffer it. How then was he heard? On this manner; he was strengthened to bear the death: he had an Angel to comfort him, he was afterward freed from the sorrows of death. And so it is with the rest of Christ's body, as it was with the head. Some being in want pray for temporal blessings: God keeps them in this want, and yet he hears their prayers, in giving them patience and strength to abide that want. Some being in wealth and abundance pray for the continuing of it, if it be the will of God. The Lord dinges them into a perpetual misery, and yet he hears their prayers, by giving them blessedness in the life to come. You pray for the increase of faith and repentance, and such like graces: you feel no increase after long prayer: yet the merciful God hath no doubt heard your prayer, in that by delaying to perform your request, he hath stirred up in you the spirit of prayer, he hath humbled you and made you feel your own wants, the better to depend on his mercy, for the beginning and increasing of every spiritual grace. Christian. The fourth thing that troubles me, is that I cannot feel faith purify my heart, and to work by love in bringing forth lively fruits. Minister If this be so continually, that faith bring forth fruit, it is very dangerous and argueth a plain want of faith, yet for a certain time it may be so, Faith hath not only a spring time and a summer season, but also a winter when it beareth no fruit. And Cant. 2. 11 there is many a true Christian like the bruised reed, that is overturned with every blast Esay 42. 2. of wind: and like the flax that hath fire in it, which by reason of weakness, give neither heat nor light, but only a smoke. Christian Thus much shall suffice for my first temptation, wherein I take myself satisfied, now if you please, I will be glad to rehearse the second. Minister. I am content, let us hear it. Christian. I am afraid lest I have not truly repent, and therefore that all my profession is only in hypocrisy. Minister. What moveth you to think so. Christian. Two causes especially, the first is, they which repent, leave off to sin: But I am miserable sinner, I am laden with great burdens of sin, I do continually displease God by my evil thoughts, words and deeds. Minister. You need not fear, * Ro. 5. 20. For where sin aboundeth (that is the knowledge and feeling of sin) there grace aboundeth much more. Christian. I find not this in myself. Minister But yet you find thus much in yourself: those corruptions which you feel, and those sins that you commit, you hate them, you are displeased with yourself for them, and you endeavour yourself to leave them. Christian. Yea that I do with all my heart. Minister. Then how miserable so ever you feel yourself by reason of the mas●e of your sin: yet you are not subject to Rom. 8. 5. cum 8. 1. condemnation, but shall most certainly escape the same. Take this for a most certain truth, that the man that hates & dislikes his sins, both before and after he hath done them, shall never be damned for them. Christian. I am even heart sick of my manifold sins and infirmities, & these good words which you speak are as flagons of wine, Cant. 2. 5. to refresh my weary, laden, and weltting soul. I have begun to flee sin, and to detest it long ago. I have been oft dipleased with mine infirmities and corruptions: when I offend God, my heart is grieved, I desire to leave sin, I flee the occasions of sin: I would feign fashion my life to God's word: and I pray unto God that he would give me grace so to do: and yet (which is the grief) by the strength of the flesh, by the sleights and power of Satan I am often overtaken and fall marvelously, both by speech and by deed. Minister. Have courage my good brother, for whereas you have an affection to do the things that are acceptable unto God, it argueth plainly that you are a member of Christ: according to that of Paul. Rom. 8. 5. They which are of the spirit, favour the things of the spirit. Well then if Satan ever object any of your sins to your, make answer thus, that you have forsaken the first husband the flesh, and have espoused yourself to Christ jesus, who as your head and husband hath taken upon him to answer your debts, and therefore if he urge you for them, refer him over unto Christ. For there is no suit in law against the wife the husband living: yea I add further, if you be over carried with Satan's temptations, and so fall into any sin, you shall not answer for it but Satan, it shall surely be reckoned on his score at the day of judgement for he was the author of it: if you fall by the frailty of your flesh, it shall perish therefore: but you shall still have Christ you advocate. Christian. Indeed as you say I have in me an affection to please God, but when I come to perform my obedience, there I fail. Minister. Therefore mark this further. As long as the children of God are in this life, * Gen. 22. 12▪ Malac. 3. 17. God regardeth more the affection to obey, than the obedience itself: And they shall be unto me saith the Lord of hosts, in that day that I shall do this, for a flock, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serveth him. The Father when he shall set his child to do any business, though he do it never so untowardly, yet if he show his good will to do the best he can, his father will be pleased: and so it is with the Lord toward his children you look to have some perfection in yourself; but in this life you shall receive no * Rom. 8. 23. more but the first fruits of the spirit, which are but as a handful of corn, in respect of the whole corn field; and as for the accomplishment of your redemption, you must wait for it till after this life: you would be kissed with the kisses of Christ's mouth, but here in this world you must be content, if you may with Marie Magdalen kiss his feet. For the perfection of a Christian man's life, stands in the feeling and confessing of his imperfections. And as Ambrose. Ambrose saith, obedience due to God, stands more a Affectu magis quam effectu. in the affection then in the work. Christian. But why will God have those whom he hath sanctified labour still under their infirmities? Minister. The causes are divers. First, hereby he teacheth his servants, to see in what great need they stand of the righteousness of Christ, that they may more carefully seek after it. secondly, he subdueth the pride of men's hearts, & humbleth them by countervailing the graces which they have received, with the like measure of infirmities. thirdly, by this means the godly are exercised in a continual fight against sin, and are daily occupied in purifying themselves. Christian. But to go on forward in this matter: there is another cause that makes me fear, lest I have no true repentance. Minister. What is that? Christian I often times find myself like a very timberlog, void of all grace & goodness, froward, and rebellious to any good work▪ so that I fear lest Christ have quite forsaken me. Minister. As it is in the straight seas, the water ebbs and flows, so is it in the godly: in them as long as they live in this world according to their own feeling, there is an access and recess of the spirit. Otherwhiles they be troubled with deadness and dullness of heart, as David was, who prayed Psal●…●8. to the Lord, to quicken him according to his loving kindness, that he may keep the testimonies of his mouth, and in another place he saith, that God's promises quickened him. Which could Psal●… not be, unless he had been troubled with great dullness of heart. Again, sometimes the spirit of God quite withdraweth itself to their feeling: as it was in David. In the dai● Psal. 77▪ ●3 ●. 8. of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord, and my soul refused comfort. I did think upon God & was troubled, I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish. Again, will the Lord absent himself for ever? and will he show no more favour? hath God forgotten to be merciful? etc. The Church in ●h● ●a●●. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 5. 4. 5 6. Canticles complaineth of this. In my bedd●● sought him by night whom my soul loved: I sought him, but I found him not. And again, my well-beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and 〈◊〉 heart was affectioned towards him: I rose 〈…〉 pen to my well-beloved, and my hands did 〈…〉 myrrh, my finger's power myrrh upon ●…dles of the bar, I opened to my well-beloved▪ 〈◊〉 my well-beloved was gone and passed, mine heart was gone when he did speak. I sought him, but I could not find him, I called, but he answered me not. Contrariwise, God at some other times sheds abroad Rom. 5. his love most abundantly in the hearts of the faithful; and Christ lieth between the Cant. 1. 13. breasts of his Church, as a posy of myrrh giving a strong smell. Christian. But how can he be a Christian that feels no grace nor goodness in himself. Minister. The child which as yet can use no reason, is for all that a reasonable creature: and the man in a son feels no power of life, and yet he is not dead. The Christian man hath many quaumes come over his heart, and he falls into many a son, that none almost would look for any more of the life of Christ in him, yet for all that he may be a true Christian. This was the estate of Peter when he denied our saviour Christ with cursing and banning, his faith only Luke 22. 31 fainted for a time, it failed not. Christian. I have now opened unto you the chief things that trouble me: and your comfortable answers have much refreshed my troubled mind. The God of all mercy, and consolation requite you accordingly. Minister. I have spoken that which God out of his holy word hath opened unto me if you find any help thereby, give God the praise therefore, and carry this with you for ever, that by many afflictions both in the body Acts. 24. 22 and the mind you must enter into the kingdom of heaven. Raw flesh is noisome to the stomach, and is no good nourishment before it be sodden: and unmortified men and women Hooper. be no creatures fit for God: and therefore they are to be soaked and boiled in afflictions, that the fulsumnes & rankness of their corruption may be delayed, and they may have in them some relish acceptable unto God. And to conclude, for the avoiding of all these temptations, use this sweet prayer following which that godly saint, Master Bradford made. Oh Lord God and dear Father, what shall I say that feel all things to be (in manner) with me as in the wicked? Blind is my mind, crooked is my will, and perverse concupiscence is in me, as a spring of stinking puddle. O how faint is faith in me? how little is my love to thee or thy people? how great is myself▪ love? how hard is my heart? by reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me, whether thou art my merciful father, and whether I be thy child or no, indeed worthily might I doubt, if that the having of these were the cause, and not the fruit rather of thy children. The cause why thou art my father, is thy merciful goodness grace and truth in Christ jesus, which cannot but remain for ever. In respect whereof thou hast borne me this good will to bring me into thy Church by Baptism and to accept me into the number of thy children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient and innocent: and to call me divers times by the ministery of thy word into thy kingdom: besides the innumerable other benefits always hitherto powered upon me. All which thou hast done of this thy good will which thou of thine own mercy barest to me in Christ before the world was made. The which thing as thou requirest straitly that I should believe without doubting, so wouldst thou that I in all my deeds should come unto thee as to a father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make to my comfort. Lo therefore to thee dear father I come through thy son our Lord, our mediator, and Advocate jesus Christ, who sitteth on thy right hand making intercession for me; I pray thee of thy great goodness and mercy in Christ to be merciful to me a sinner, that I may indeed feel thy sweet mercy as thy child: the time (oh dear father) I appoint not, but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and look for thy help. I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me, so thou wilt come and visit me, & that in thy great mercy, whereof I have great need by reason of my great misery. Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger, to hide thy face from them whom thou lovest: but surely (O Redeemer) in eternal mercies thou wilt show thy compassions. For when thou leavest us, Oh Lord, thou dost not leave us very long, neither dost thou leave us to our loss, but to our lucre and advantage: even that thy holy spirit with bigger portion of thy power and virtue may lighten and cheer us: that the want of feeling of our sorrow may be recompensed plentifully with the lively sent of having thee to our eternal joy: and therefore thou swearest that in thine everlasting mercy thou wilt have compassion on us, Of which thing, to the end we might be most assured, thine oath is to be marked, for thou sayest: as I have sworn, that I will never bring any more the waters to drown the world: so have I sworn that I will never more be angry with thee, nor reprove thee. The mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down, but thy loving kindness shall not move, and the bond of thy peace shall not fail thee: thus sayest thou the Lord our merciful Redeemer. Dear father therefore, I pray thee remember even for thine own truth & mercy's sake the promise and everlasting covenant, which in thy good time I pray thee to write in my heart, that I may know thee to be the only true GOD, and jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: that I may love thee with all my heart for ever: that I may love thy people for thy sake: that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ: that I may always not only strive against sin, but also overcome the same daily more and more as thy children do: above all things desiring the sanctification of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom, the doing of thy will on earth as it is in heaven, etc. through jesus Christ our Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate, Amen. FINIS. Faults to be corrected, PAg. 12. lin. 8. for or read, are. Pa. 15. l. 28. Autonius, Antonius. Pa. 21. l. 27. or, are. Pa. 32. l. 27. word, world. Pa. 46. l. 6. sowing, saving. Pa. 87. l. 24. first, fift. P. 90. l. 17. performed, perfumed. p. 91. l. 8. face, force. p. 92. l. 22. quietness disquietness. p. 97. l. 22. first, fifth. p. 121. l. 4. wise, weak. p. 122. l. 25. soul, sail p. 124. l. 10. entire, centre. p. 149. l. 12. worketh, wotteth. p. 160. 8. seduce, subdue. p. 160. l. 26. exhortation, experience. p. 161. l. 13. burned, buried. p. 165. l. 3. babbling, bibbing. p. 182. l. 25. covetous, converted. p. 183. l. 3. dimisse, diminish.