The Tempted.

A Disease, 2 Cor. 1.9. the vsher and fore­runner of death, hath oppressed mee: I haue receiued the sen­tence of death in my selfe. I see that I must leaue this life; then which nothing is more sweet; I must leaue this world; then which nothing is more pleasant, I must leaue this house of my body; then which nothing is more deare.

The Comforter.

THou wert created of God, not for this wretched and momentany, Sap. 2.23. but for a blessed and eternall life: for God framed the first Parent of our kinde in corrup­tion [Page 2] to immortalitie: neither wert thou redéemed of Iesus Christ for this fraile and miserable, but for that perpetuall and most happy life, which is to be expected in the heauens, seeing it is a certaine and in­dubitate saying, 1 Tim. 1.15. that Iesus Christ came into the world, that he might saue sinners: neither wert thou called of the holy Ghost, through the word, to the kingdome of Christ for the most short vse of this light, but that hereafter thou mightest passe out of the kingdome of grace into the king­dome of glory, out of the Church militant to the Church triumphant, out of the val­ley of teares into the field of ioyes: for if in this life only we beléeue & hope on Christ, wee are the most miserable of all men. 1 Cor. 15.19. Wherefore, when thou séest that thou art to be led through the gate of death to that life, for which thou wert created of the Fa­ther, for which thou wert redéemed of the Sonne, for which liues sake thou wert sanctified of the Spirit, doe not (I pray thée) despise the friendly counsell of God against thy selfe, Luke 7.30. but most readily obay and follow God that calls thée.

The tempted.

THe thought of death doth terrifie mee, the terrible shape of that enemy doth vexe my soule; 1 Cor. 15.55. hee shewes mee his sting, which is sinne; he threatens mee with his cruell three­forked Mace, while he casts before mine eyes [Page 3] and my heart the wrath of God; the accusati­on of the Law, Rom. 6.23 and the hainousnesse of my sinnes: seeing death is the wages of sinne, and through sinne death hath entred into mee, Rom. 5.18. as it hath done also into the whole world.

The Comforter.

BVt I admonish thée, that being se­riously and from the bottome of thy heart contrite, for the sinnes that thou hast committed, thou behold him, which was dead for thée on the Altar of the Crosse, that thou mightest not be subiect to eternal death. Turne thine eyes away from the outward shape of death, and turne them to Christ, Heb. 2.14.15. which by his death hath destroyed him which had the power of death, that is the Deuill; and hath deliuered vs which through the feare of death were all our life subiect to bondage: Hose. 13.14. Ioh. 11.25. hee is death to our death: he is a sting to that Hell which wée haue deserued: he is the resurrection, and the life, he that beléeueth on him, vers. 26. although he were dead, yet hee shall liue, and euery one that liueth and beléeueth in him, 1 Cor. 15.22. shall not dye for euer. Therefore as in Adam, that is, for sinne deriued out of Adam into vs, and for actual sinnes heaped vpon this, all of vs are subiect vnto death, and are constrained, at the last, to dye: so also in Christ, the Captaine of life, and the Con­querour of death, wee are all quickened by faith, that which also, our Captaine of life confirmeth with a graue and serious oath: Verely, verely, I say vnto you, Iohn 5.24. hee which heareth my word, and beleeueth on [Page 4] him that sent mee, hath eternall life, and com­meth not into iudgement, but hath passed from death to life, Ioh. 8.51. And againe, Verely, verely, I say vnto you, If any man shall keepe my word, hee shall not see death for euer. Beléeue Christ therfore, Iohn 14.6. which is the truth: beléeue him promising, beléeue him swearing: Hea­uen and Earth shall passe away, Luk. 21.33 but the words of Christ shall not passe away.

The Tempted.

THE remembrance of my sinnes doth come into my minde; for I was not onely begotten, Psa. 51.7. conceiued, and borne in sinne, but I haue increased this summe of originall and hereditary debt, with diuers debts of manifold and most grieuous sinnes, through the course of my whole life: how therefore can I hope that God will be fauourable vnto me, whom I haue so often offended? How can I perceiue any comfort in death, seeing death is the wages due to my sinnes, and to those that are not re­conciled to God, the beginning of the second and eternall death?

The Comforter.

BEhold Christ hanging on the altar of the Crosse, and powring out for thy sinnes the price of thy redemption, that is, his precious bloud. 1 Ioh. 1.8. The bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, doth cleanse thée from all sinnes: 2 Ioh. 2.2. he is the propitiation for thy sinnes, and for the sinnes of the whole world: for neither came he into the [Page 5] world for that end that he would be mini­stred vnto, but that he might minister to others, and giue his soule a redemption and price for the sinnes of many. And lest there should arise or remaine any doubt in thée of this matter: therefore from heauen which is the Throne of truth, by an An­gell, which is a Spirit of truth, that name of Iesus, most swéet, and most full of con­solation was brought, and giuen to this our Mediatour before he was conceiued in the wombe; and what other thing is Ie­sus then a Sauiour? Luk. 2.31. for therefore this name was giuen to Christ, because hee saues his people from their sinnes. Mat. 1.21. This is that Lambe of God, which takes away the sinnes of the world. Ioh. 1.29. This is that Ie­sus Christ, which therefore came into the world, that he might saue sinners. This is the high Priest of the new Testament, 1 Tim. 1.15. Ephes. 5.2. which hath deliuered himselfe for our sins to be an offering and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour vnto God. It is Christ, which hath powred out his owne bloud for the remission of sinnes: Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 which hath borne our sinnes in his body on the wood: which was wounded for our iniquities, and was broken for our sinnes: Esa. 53.5. God hath laid vp­on him, and as it were, by a troupe made he hath made to fall vpon him the iniqui­ties of vs all: Him that hath not knowne sinne, God hath made sinne for vs; that is, 2 Cor. 5.21 he hath imputed our sinnes to him, he hath layd vpon him the punishment of our sins, he hath made him a sacrifice for our sins: neither hath Christ resisted this counsell [Page 6] and decrée of his heauenly Father, but hath fulfilled his will with a most ready minde, Psal. 40.9. and loued vs, and hath deliuered himselfe for our sinnes, Gal. 1.10.4. Can. 2.20. hee hath loued vs, and hath deliuered himselfe for vs: hee saith, I will be baptized with a certaine bap­tisme, and how am I straightened till it be fulfilled? Luc. 12.50 This was the baptisme of the Crosse and tribulation, into which our most benigne Sauiour was altogether plunged, not for any other cause, but out of his great & ineffable loue towards vs: this is that which hath so straightened him, and driuen him; how great soeuer his out­ward griefe was in his passion, yet al­wayes his inner loue towards vs was greater and more ardent, through which hee was ready to sustaine more things for our sinnes, if the price for our redemption which hée payed had not séemed sufficient. But there is no cause that we doubt of the sufficiency of the price; with him there is altogether plentifull redemption, because not a droppe but a streame of bloud hath flowed largely through fiue parts of his body, Born. ser. 22. sup. cant. col. 554. hee hath cryed out, that all things were finished in the Crosse and through the Crosse, and therefore he hath made by him­selfe a full & perfect purgation of our sins, with one offring hath he for euer perfected those which are sanctified; Heb. 1.3. Cap. 10.14. Apoc. 1.5. he hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud. Beléeue therefore, so cleere, so perspicuous, so ex­presse words of the holy Ghost, and resolue firmely, that by the death and passion of CHRIST, there is wrought a suf­ficient [Page 7] satisfaction for thy sinnes.

The Tempted.

PErchance Christ hath taken vpon himselfe originall sinne onely, so that for actuall sinnes I my selfe must eyther satisfie or burne. Although therefore I resolue firmely that through Christ I am washed from that origi­nall spot, yet those actuall sinnes doe vexe and presse me, which I haue committed through the whole course of my life, in number many, in weight most heauy, for desert damnable. Christ is opposed to Adam, therefore the bene­fit of Christ will not spread it selfe more wide then the fault that was deriued from Adam in­to vs. Another mans fault may be healed by another mans satisfaction, but a mans owne fault will require a mans owne satisfaction.

The Comforter.

NAy, the bloud of Iesus Christ, the Sonne of God, 1 Ioh. 1.7. doth cleanse thee al­together from all thy sinnes, not that only which is deriued from Adam, but those also which are heaped vpon this of thée. God hath set forth Christ the propitiatory by faith in his bloud, Rom. 3.25. to that may we draw néere by true faith, and hauing obtained remission of our sins be reconciled to God, as often as the weight and heape of our sinnes doth presse vs downe: wee may come to this throne of grace with confi­dence, that wee may obtaine mercy, Heb. 4.16. and [Page 8] finde grace in the seasonable time of helpe. Furthermore, what redemption would this be? what reconciliation, if Christ had satisfied for one onely kinde of sinne, wée our selues being yet bound, and obliged to make satisfaction for all the rest farre more grieuous, and more copious? the redemp­tion of Christ is not so maimed, imperfect, and to halues, Heb 10.12 14.18. but offering one sacrifice for sinnes, by that one oblation hée hath per­fected for euer those that are sanctified, and hath obtained such a remission of sinnes, that there is not any other oblation neces­sarie for sinnes. 1 Iohn. 2.1.2. Wée haue an Aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righte­ous, he is the propitiation for our sinnes, not for our sinnes onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world. Therefore if hauing slipt into sinnes out of the infirmi­tie of the flesh, wée doe earnestly repent vs, wée haue a refuge set downe for vs in Christs intercession, the foundation of which intercession consists in Christs me­rit and satisfaction, for from thence and therefore is Christs intercession effectuall for vs, because a full and perfect satisfacti­on was performed by him for our sinnes; from thence and therefore the force of the Diuine iustice and seuere iudgement, due to our sinnes, is not shaken against vs, because Christ couers our sinnes with the cloake of his mercie, the price of the obtai­ned and deserued redemption being paid of him. Let this therefore abide firme and sure, that Christ by his death, the onely most true sacrifice offered for vs, hath [Page 9] purged, abolished, August. 4. de Trinit. ca. 13. extinguished whatso­euer there was of sinnes, from whence the principalities and powers did by right with-hold vs to suffer punishment; there­fore in him and through him wée obtaine remission not onely of originall sinne, 1. De pecca­mer. etre­miss. ca 13. Tit. 2.14. but also of the rest of the sinnes that we haue added there-vnto. For he (which thing day vp in thy déepest thoughts) hath giuen himselfe for vs, that hée might redéeme vs from all iniquitie. Infinite is the person that hath satisfied, how then shall not his Passion be of infinite merit? What is so deadly, that may not be healed by the death of the Sonne of God, which is life it selfe? what is so bloudie and so foule, but that it might be cleansed by the pretious bloud of the Sonne of God?

The Tempted.

BVt how may I be made partaker of that most pretious treasure? Christ hath died for all, but now that fruit of the death of Christ doth not redound to all, whence there­fore shall I be assured, that the benefits of Christ doe also pertaine to me? whence may it appeare that I am in very deede and most cer­tainely a partaker of all those things actually, which Christ hath deserued for vs by his Passi­on and death?

The Comforter.

GOD offers vnto thée the word of the Gospell, and in the same all the bene­fites of his Sonne. Es. 6.5.2. Hée spreads forth his hands all day, he calles, he inuites, verily therefore also he calles, he inuites, he in­ticeth thée. That therefore which GOD offers vnto thée with the hand of his mer­cie, that embrace thou with the hand of firme confidence. Bern. Ser. 31. sup. can. Col. 597. As farre as thou shalt stretch forth the foote of confidence in the goods of the Lord, so farre forth shalt thou possesse. God doth not put the oyle of his mercie, vnlesse it be in the vessell of confi­dence. Id. Serm. 3. in Annunc. Col. 113. Thou shalt possesse so much of the goods of the Lord, as thou doest gather in the vessell of confidence. For faith doth ap­prehend Christ, in Christ God fauoura­ble, the remission of sinnes and life euerla­sting. Heare concerning this thing, the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth. So God loued the world, that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne, Ioh. 3.16.18. that eue­rie one that beleeueth in him should not perish, but haue eternall life. He that be­léeueth in him is not iudged, but hath life eternall, Ioh. 1.12. for hée hath giuen power to all that haue receiued him to be made the Sonnes of God, to those which beléeue on his name. This adoption comprehen­deth all things, which are necessarie for vs to euerlasting saluation: for if we be the Sonnes of God, then are we also borne of God. Tertul. in apolo. c. 17. For not the carnall generation, but the spirituall regeneration makes the [Page 11] Sonnes of God. If we are the Sonnes of God, then haue we also God fauourable vnto vs. For doth not a Father take pit­tie of his Sonnes? Psa. 103.13 If we are the Sonnes of God, then hath he also giuen vs his spi­rit, for so saith the Apostle, They which are lead by the spirit of God, these are the Sons of God, Rom. 8.14 15. for ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare, but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption, in which we cry, Abba, Father. And againe, Gal. 4.6. Because you are Sonnes, God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts, crying Abba, Father.

To conclude, Rom. 8.13 if we are the Sonnes of GOD, then are we also heires, heires of GOD, and heires annexed with Iesus Christ; for who is he that is truly a Son without an inheritance? All these so pre­tious, so copious, and so various benefits are bestowed vpon vs in Christ, Eph. 3.17. and through Christ, which dwels in our harts, and is borne in vs spiritually through faith, which therefore the Scripture doth so often preach and commend vnto vs. Verily, verily, Ioh. 5.24. I say vnto you (saith Christ) he, which heareth my word, and beleeues on him that hath sent mee, hath eternall life, and comes not unto iudgement, but hath past from death to life. Hee that beleeueth in mee, Ioh. 11.25 26. although he were dead, yet shall he liue, and euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me, shall not dye for euer. Ioh 7.36.39. Hee that beleeueth in me, out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water, which our Sauiour speakes of the spi­rit, which they receiue that beleeue on him. [Page 12] Euery one that beleeueth in mee, Ioh. 12.46. doth not a­bide in darknesse, suppose it in the darknesse of ignorance, in the darknesse of sinne, in the darknesse of eternall death, but by the light of faith hee is lead to the life of sauing know­ledge, to the light of true righteousnesse, to the light of euerlasting life. Nay, the Apo­stle witnesseth plainely, that all those things which are written in the Gospel, of the sayings, doings, and sufferings of Christ, are therefore written that by faith on his name wee may haue life. Because God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life, 1 Ioh. 5.11 12.13. and this life is in his Sonne. Hee that hath the Sonne hath life; from thence we know that we haue euerlasting life, because wee beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God.

And not onely the Apostles and Euan­gelists, but also all the Prophets, giue te­stimonie to Christ. That all that beleeue o [...] him, Act. 10.43 receiue remission of sinnes through by name. That therefore which Paul and Si­las sometimes said to the keeper of the pri­son at Philippi, the same say I to thée: Beleeue on the Lord Iesus, Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued.

The Tempted.

BVt I haue heretofore perceiued that very many doe put on a vaine perswasion of Faith, and deceiue themselues with a false boa­sting, what if I should also be in the number of them? from whence may I be assured, that [Page 13] my saith is a true and sauing faith, and not a vaine and dead Image of faith?

The Comforter.

TRy and examine thy selfe, whether thou be in the faith, try thine owne selfe, 2 Cor. 13.5. doest thou not know thine owne selfe, that Iesus Christ is in thée? There want not firme and infallible instructions, by which [...]rue and sauing faith may be tried, knowne and discerned from idle and vaine boast­ [...]ng of faith. First, then this is the nature of true faith, that it purifies the heart, Act. 15.9. and desires to purge it cleane from the dregs of sinns. For s [...]ing that faith doth care­fully séeke and desire remission of sinnes, surely he that truly beléeues shall féele a serious sorrow for the sinnes that he hath committed. The Gospell is preached to the poore, that is to say, Matth. 11.6. Matth. 5.6. to those that are poore in spirit, which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, which bring and offer to God a contrite heart, and an humbled spirit. Behold therefore the looking glasse of the Law, and the deformitie of thy crimes will appeare. Behold the shining face of Moses, and it will appeare, that for the workes of darknesse which thou hast followed, thou canst not beare that light. Behold thy selfe, how grieuously the dis­ease hath afflicted thée, which is the iust punishment of thy sinnes, the scourge of the reuenging God, and the wages due to thy life which hath béene spent in sinnes. He which sinnes against his Creator, Eccl 38.5. fals into the hands of the Physitian. We haue [Page 14] lost our health, because wée haue offended our Creatour. They which follow the flesh, are scourged in the flesh. They sigh in that, in which they haue sinned. The censure of the punishment is in that, in which was the cause of shine. By how many thoughts, by how many words, by how many déedes hast thou offended God? How faint host thou béene aboue all things in the feare and loue of God? How slacke in Prayers, and other exercises of pietie? How barren in good workes? How oft hast thou followed the perswasion of Sa­tan, the seducing of the flesh, the deceiuing of the world? Those members which thou hast oftentimes giuen as weapons to ini­quitie and vnrighteousnesse, by the iust iudgement of GOD are now tormented with griefe and infirmitie. Acknowledge this and grieue, for if there be true and se­rious acknowledgement of sinne in thy heart, immediately griefe of consciences and detestation of sinne will follow it. God is earnestly angry with sinnes, therefore out of the féeling of the wrath of God ear­nestly bewaile thy sinnes. GOD doth se­uerely punish sinnes, therefore punish in thy selfe by iust griefe, that which thou doest obserue that thou hast committed a­gainst God. Psa. 119.137. Acknowledge the iudgement of God to be iust, and be thou humbled vnder his mighty hand. Neither haue re­spect onely to thy outward faults, but ac­knowledge the contagion of originall sin, the fountaine of all euils; Psa. 90.9. that indéede is hidden, but God placeth it in the light of [Page 15] his countenance, through it all the powers of soule and body are so weakened, that out of thy selfe, and by thy selfe thou canst beginne no good, much lesse performe it: through it thou art made subiect vnto death, and to all that troupe of calamities, miseries, and diseases, which goes before death.

The Tempted.

I Acknowledge and feele, that I am not only borne and conceiued in sinnes, but that I haue offended God by diuers, manifolde and great sinnes. I feele this, and I earnestly grieue, but that griefe perhaps is not sufficient, seeing it doth not answere the fault, neither is it an aequiualent price for my sinnes.

The Comforter.

NAy, griefe rising out of the acknow­ledgement of sinne, & vexation of con­science shall neuer be able to answere the grieuousnesse and deformitie of sinnes, sée­ing God the infinite good, is that which is offended; sinne the infinite euill, is that which is committed: the infinite punish­ment of Hell is prepared for sinners, how then by thy contrition mightest thou satis­fie the infinite iustice of God, and expiate his infinite wrath? Christ hath perfor­med that, which of thy selfe, and by thy strength, thou couldest not performe: hee hath payd the infinite and equiualent price for thy sinnes. If by thine owne selfe thou [Page 16] couldest haue satisfied, if by thy contrition and by thy griefe thou haddest béene able to abolish sinne, what néeded CHRIST to descend from heauen, and to labour so long vnder the burthen of his crosse? Esa 43.24: Esa. 63.3. Thou hast put him to paine in thy sinnes, and pressure in thine iniquities; he hath trodden the Wine-presse alone, and of the people there was none with him. Take héed therefore to thinke onely, that the griefe of thy contrition eyther can or ought to be such that it may answere to the grieuousnesse and deformitie of thy sinnes; but therefore, and to this end, God requires true acknowledgement of sinne, and earnest contrition of the heart, that place may be giuen to the frée remission of sinnes, which is giuen vnto thée through Christ, apprehended by faith. Christ preacheth the Gospell, Esa 61.1. but to the poore, that is, to those that are humbled in spirit, he healeth, Luke 4.2.18. but the contrite in heart: nei­ther haue they that are well néed of the Phisition; Mat. 9.12. that is, which thinke that they are well: He preacheth libertie, but it is to the captiues; that is, to those that ac­knowledge the spirituall captiuitie of sin, for he desires not to goe forth of bondage, which supposeth himselfe by all meanes to be frée: He preacheth sight, but it is to the blinde; that is, to those that bewaile the spirituall blindnesse of the heart, for they which say they sée, their sinne abideth: They which say that they are rich and wealthy, ohn 9.41. and want nothing, they doe not know that they are wretched, and mise­rable, [Page 17] and poore, and blinde, and naked: Hee preacheth forgiuenesse, but it is to the broken, and contrite in heart. 1 Sam. 2.6. God kils and makes aliue, he leadeth downe to hell, and bringeth backe againe: he kils by con­trition, that he may make aliue by consola­tion; he leadeth downe to hell by the ham­mer of the Law, that he may bring backe from hell by the comfort of the Gospell.

The Tempted.

TRoubles haue compassed mee round about, my heart is vexed and troubled, my sinnes are alwayes before mine eyes, which do grie­uously torment my conscience, and labour to beat mee downe to hell; Psal. 32.3. there is no peace in my bones for the terrour of the Lord; my soule refuseth to be comforted: I am troubled, Psal. 77. vers. 2. ver. 3. and my spirit doth afflict mee: I see no place whereto I may flye, and seeke a remedy of my sinnes.

The Comforter.

IF thou wilt flye, flye to CHRIST, he friendly inuites all that labour vnder the weight of their sinnes, Mat. 1.27 which are pres­sed with the yoake of iniquitie, an euill Mistresse. Be thou hid in his wounds, and the tempest of the wrath of God will passe away. Christ is the propitiatory, Rom 3 25 to which thou mayest flye with true faith, and rest vnder the shadow of his wings. As the Hart desireth the fountaines of waters, Psal. 42.1. so let thy soule, exhausted with the heate of [Page 18] thy sinnes, and of the wrath of God, thirst after Christ the fountaine of liuing wa­ter springing forth to euerlasting life. If thou commest vnto him, hee will not put thée backe, he will not repell thée; for thus goe his promises: Apoc 22.17. Cap. 21.6. He that thirsteth let him come, and hee that will, let him take the wa­ter of life freely. I will giue vnto him that thirsteth of the Well of the water of life freely. Come vnto me all yee which labour, Mat. 11.27 and are heauy loaden, and I will refresh you; in mee, and by mee you shall finde rest to your soules. Him, Iohn 6.37. that comes vnto me, I will not cast forth of dores. Imbrace these words of Christ, which are the words of the eternall and vnchangeable truth, with a faithfull heart. Let thy heart set before him these his pro­mises, Psal. 27.8. and séeke the face of the Lord. Set Christ as it were, in the middest betwéene thée a sinner, and thy angry God: appeale from the Throne of Gods seuere iustice, to the Throne of mercy, prepared for thée in Christ, and through Christ. The internall Hawke doth vrge and pursue thy soule, Cant. 2.14 let it flye therefore like a feare­full and affrighted Doue to the holes of the Rocke, which are the wounds of Christ. Moses doth accuse thée, sigh there­fore, Bern. Serm. 64. sup. Cant. August in meditat. that Christ may make intercession for thée. Thy conscience is troubled, but let it not be tumbled downe from his hope and confidence, but let it remember the wounds of Christ: let all the assurance of thy confidence bee in the wounds of Christ, which do abound with the streams of mercy; neither want there holes through [Page 19] which they may flow out. Idem Serm. 22. sup. Cant. Let the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ be thy last refuge, and onely remedy of thy sinnes: wisedome failing, righteousnesse not suf­ficing, the merits of holinesse not holding out, that will be able to helpe and succour thée.

And this is the other, and indéede es­sentiall propertie of true Faith; forsooth, to behold with the eye of the heart, Christ hanging on the Crosse, out of his wounds to hope for, and drawe the medicine of her wounds, to rely on him with a true confi­dence of heart, and to wrap her selfe as it were, in his most holy merit; for this is the voyce of true faith:

Therefore, if hauing compunction for thy sinnes, thou hungerst and thirstest af­ter righteousnesse, thou mayest beléeue on him which iustifieth the wicked, and being iustified by faith alone, thou shalt haue peace with God. Confesse that thou art not worthy, neither canst thou by thine owne merits obtaine the kingdom of hea­uen; but let this be thy confidence, that Christ thy Lord doth obtaine it by a dou­ble name, that is, by the inheritance of the Father, and by the merit of his Passion: with the one, he himselfe is content, the other hee giues to thée: from whose gift challenging it to thy selfe, thou shalt not be confounded.

The Tempted.

THE Deuill doth sollicite mee to despe­ration.

The Comforter.

I would haue thée despaire but in thy self, and of thy selfe, because thou art a sinne­full man, Rom. 5.21 but not in God, whose grace doth abound aboue sinne: for as much as a drop is to the Sea, Chrysost. Hom. 3. de Poen. so much is mans ma­lice to Gods mercy. The Sea though it be great, yet it hath a measure; but the cle­mency of God hath no measure: neither despaire thou of Christ, and in Christ, which came into the world, that he might saue sinners; 1 Tim. 1.15. whose blood doth more pre­uaile to the reconciliation of God, then the sinnes of the whole world to his displea­sure. Although thy sinnes be great, and diuers, and oft-times doubled, yet they are not greater or more grieuous then that thou mayest obtaine pardon & forgiuenes of them, séeing the goodnes of God is grea­ter then the iniquitie of all men. Sins are in their fall, but the grace of God is in its rising. Sins are in the works of the De­uill and Man; to take pitty, to spare, & to remit are the workes of God: by how much therefore God is more mighty then the Diuell and Man, by so much also his mercy is greater then our malice. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, Psal. 103.8 vers. 9. slow to anger, and of great kindnesse. Hee will not alwayes chide, neither will hee keepe his an­ger [Page 21] for euer. vers. 10. Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes, nor rewarded vs after our iniqui­ties. vers. 11. For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth, so great is his mercy toward them that feare him. vers. 12. As farre as the East is from the West, so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs. The Heauen is incomparably greater then the Earth, which is no big­ger then the least point in respect of Hea­uen: so the mercy of the heauenly Fa­ther is incomparably greater then all sinnes: farre be it, farre be it therefore from thée, that thou say, Greater is mine ini­quitie then the pietie of the pittying God. Thou shalt finde God more kinde then thou art culpable. Bern. serm. 11. sup. Can. Col. 5 18. Gerson. de remed. con­tra Pusilla. So great is the mercy of God, that if thou hadst all the sinnes of the world vpon thée, and didst grieue, that with thy sinnes thou hadst proudly offended thy God, so good a Lord, and shouldest firmely purpose hereafter to ab­staine, God would neuer condemne thée. What? August. in Psal. 55. dost thou so forget the satisfaction performed of Christ, that thou wilt prefer thy sinnes before Christs merit, that is, thy selfe before God? Dost thou sée the great­nesse of the disease, and dost thou not sée the power of the Physitian? Great are thy sinnes, farre greater is Christ, which hath satisfied for thy sinnes. Diuers are thy sinnes, but Christ also hath suffered di­uers things for thée. GOD is the infi­nite good whom thou hast offended by thy sinnes, but Christ is an infinite person, which hath reconciled thée to God: sigh therefore to thy heauenly Father, and pray [Page 22] in the name of his Sonne thy Sauiour: if thou doest despise mee, Ansel. de redemp. gen. hum. fol. 96. O eternall God for mine iniquitie, as I haue deserued, re­gard me at least, taking pitty on mee, for the loue of thy beloued off-spring. Regard that in thy Sonne which thou mayst bee mercifull vnto in thy seruant. Sée the sa­crament of his flesh, and forgiue the guilt of my flesh, remember what thy good Son hath suffered, and forget what thine euill seruant hath wrought.

The Tempted.

I Am constrained to confesse that I am not onely prouoked to desperation, but that I am also sometimes tempted with the spirit of blas­phemie; for such thoughts doe arise in my heart, as are iniurious against God himselfe my Creatour, and my Sauiour. I would chuse to dye a thousand times, that I might be freed from this tentation.

The Comforter.

THese cogitations are not the actions of thy heart, but rather the most bitter passions, séeing thou art not delighted with these cogitations, but doest féele out of them sorrowes more bitter then death it selfe. They are the scourges of Satan, with which hee doth afflict and torment thée, they shall not be imputed to thée of the Lord for sinne. And be it, that some impatience of the heart do arise out of the [Page 23] infirmitie of the flesh, yet God knowes thy groanings and thy sighes: yea, the weight of tentations hath wringed out of Iob and Ieremy hard words, which the most benigne God hath fatherly forgiuen them. Obserue out of them, how thou hast alto­gether no strength to good out of thy selfe, that with the whole trust of thy hart thou mayest learne to cleaue vnto God. This is the force and highest degrée of the fight against Satan, take héed thou faint not here, the mighty God that appoints thée to this combat, will be present with thée, neither will hee leaue thée destitute of his helpe. Expect patiently and humbly, till thou mayest be fréed from the fiery darts of Satan; in the meane time, Ephe. 6.16 let the grace of the Lord suffice thée. 2 Cor. 12.9. It is the flesh which doth thus wrastle with the spirit, and shewes it selfe ready and pliable to take the darts of Satan: the sinne that dwels in thy flesh shall not be imputed vn­to thée, if thou wilt mortifie by the spirit the déedes of the flesh, and wilt not giue consent to these blasphemous cogitations. Extinguish those fiery darts of Satan in the bloud of Christ, turne against them the Buckler of faith, and assoone as thou shalt perceiue any such blasphemous cogi­tation to arise, betake thy selfe to prayers, by which thou mayest trample it downe, as it were in the first growth.

The Tempted.

I Feele some consolation of the spirit in my heart: I obserue a certaine trust in my soule, which forbids mee to despaire, when I behold the mercy of God abounding aboue sinnes, and the merit of Christ, which is of infinite price and value. But I doubt whether that promise in the Gospell of the mercy of God and merit of Christ doth pertaine to me also: for God is not only mercifull, but also a most iust and seuere reuenger of sinnes; and that all are not made partakers of the benefits of Christ, experience, to my great griefe, doth witnesse.

The Comforter.

TAke héed that thou giue no place to those seducing thoughts of the re­straint of the promises of the Gospell. God calleth all vnto him, hee desires all to come vnto him, hee offers the word of the Gospell to all, and in it the benefits of Christ: neither doth hee this fainedly, but in earnest: not hypocritical­ly, but with a minde to communicate them: I liue (saith the Lord) I will not the death of a sinner that dyes, Eze. 18.31 32. cap. 33. ver. 11. but that he may be con­uerted and liue. Thou hearest the serious oath of the diuine truth: Thou hearest that their conuersion is expected and desi­red of God, which dye in their sinnes by [Page 25] their owne fault: thou hearest that seri­ous intreatie twise repeated: Come vnto mee, all yee (sayth our Sauiour, the meane and messenger of the heauenly Father:) Come vnto mee, all yee, all ye which labour, Mat. 11.28 and are heauy laden, and I will refresh you. Thou hearest that the way lyes open to Christ for al that labour vnder the yoake of their sinne, and that refreshing and rest of soule is promised to them. God will haue all men to be saued, sayth the A­postle, 1 Tim. 2.4 being taught it in the third Hea­uen, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Hee hath shut vp all vnder vnbe­liefe, that hee might haue mercy vpon all. Rom. 11.20.23. Thou hearest, that the saluation of all is desired, and sought of God, that the mer­cy of God is open vnto all: no body is excluded here, but hee which doth exclude himselfe:

There is one GOD of all, there­fore hee desireth that all should be saued whom he hath made. Primas. in H. L. One hath giuen him­selfe the price of redemption for all, there­fore hée would haue all to bee partakers of that price. GOD would not haue any to perish, sayth Peter, being taught by his owne example, 2 Pet. 3.9. but that all returne to repentance.

Thou hearest, that the long suffe­ring and goodnesse of GOD doth in­uite all to repentance, and that GOD would not the destruction of any. Take héede that thou speake not against this so cleare and so manifest a truth, against these sayings of the holy Ghost, writ­ten [Page 26] as it were, with a beame of the Sunne, let the consolations of the Scripture be of more force with thée, then the thoughts of thine owne heart: for the Scripture is the word of the liuing God, which neuer deceiues, but our heart is lying, and deceiueth.

The Tempted.

THe promise indeede outwardly is offered vnto all, but God hath made from euerla­sting a decree of the Reprobation of some men, whom hauing cast from him, he hath adiudged them to eternall torments, to these though he offer the word outwardly, yet they cannot communicate or partake of the good things in the word. Perhaps I also am in the number of those reprobates?

The Comforter.

THE secrets of heauen, let no creature on earth presume to pry into: Enough is reuealed both for our consolation and saluation. Whom God hath predestina­ted, we know not; it is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell, where-into wée are not admitted. And how farre forth, and in what manner God may please to worke and bring about a purpose of his owne, without the endeauour and purpose of man, we know not, that also is a secret of Gods Priuie Counsell, where-into wée are not admitted. And therefore as Mo­ses saith, that the secret things belong to the [Page 27] Lord our GOD; so to him and his wise­dome, be content to leaue them. But this we all know, that S. Peter bids vs make our election sure by the practise of good workes, and holy duties of Religion; and telleth vs, that hee that doth those things, shall neuer fall. 2 Pet. 1.10. that is, such a one shall neuer faile of grace or glorie. And therefore while thou endeauourest to liue in all good conscience according to Gods will; thou mayest haue peace of conscience in Gods promises and mercies. And this wée know, that our Sauiour commandeth, and promiseth; Aske and yee shall haue; seeke and ye shall finde; knocke and it shall be opened vnto you: And there­fore if thou vse the meanes, thou canst not doubt of the end.

Finally, this we all know also, that God protesteth vpon his word, yea vpon his oath, that he desireth not the death of him that dieth, or taketh any pleasure that the wicked should die, but that he may returne and liue. Ezek 18.23.32. & Ezek. 33.11. And therefore God is so farre from reiecting thée before thou hast sinned; that hée is most readie to admit of thée after thou hast sinned. Onely then endeauour to doe the workes of him that sent thée into the world; begge and craue for grace and mercie from the Father of mercies; search thy heart, finde out thy sinnes, and each day renue thy repentance: and then be as­sured, that the outward offering of grace will euer be accompanied with the inward working of the spirit. For the promises of [Page 28] Gods mercies are generall to all that be­leeue on him. Rom. 10.11. To all that call on the name of the Lord Rom 10.13. To all that labour and groane vnder the burden of their sinnes. Matth. 11.28. To all that feare God, and worketh righteousnesse. Act. 10.35. &c. And the merites, and death, and Passion of Iesus Christ, as they are offered, so they are bestowed on all generally, that lay hold on him for their Sauiour. Ioh. 3.16.

The Tempted.

LEt the merit of Christ be, and be said to spread it selfe wide, in the meane time I doe not yet see for mine owne particular that the benefits of Christ are offered and applied to me. Many things are offered to men in ge­nerall, which notwithstanding doe not per­taine to euery man in particular.

The Comforter.

NAy, from the generall we may wel pro­céede to the particular, from that which is common, to that which is more restrai­ned. Therefore because God would haue all to be saued, thou mayest rightly and most firmely subsume, that he would haue thée also to be saued. Because Christ is said to haue died for all, thou maiest rightly and most firmely subsume, that he also died on the Crosse for thée, and will cleanse thée from all thy sinnes by his bloud: and be­cause he calleth all repenting; he will re­ceiue thée repenting. And because he pro­miseth [Page 29] grace and life to all that beleeue, depend, and relie on him; therefore he will performe it to thée, when thou doest rest and relie on him for his mercies. Yea, and that which God promiseth to all in gene­rall by his word, that he applieth to thée is particular in the Ministerie of the word. Onely submit thy selfe to the wholesome Ministerie of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18. which God hath committed to the Ministers of the Church, Vers. 20. to the keyes that he hath deliue­red to their t [...]st, to the office of Embas­sage that the [...] vndergoe in the name of Christ, God exhorting, and as it were en­treating vs by them. And then that which is specially offered vnto thée, do not doubt but that specially it belongs vnto thée. When [...] the serious sorrowe of thy b [...]t, ( [...] heareth the voice of the Mini­ster, pronouncing remission of sins in the name of Christ, resolue that thou hearest Christ himselfe: what so is héere done in the name of Christ, that doth Christ doe. It is Christ which pronounceth the re­mission of sinnes vnto thée, the Minister doth onely lend his voice to Christ. If any doubting would insinuate it selfe into thy hart therof, attend to the words of Christ, speaking to the Apostles & their Succes­sors: He that heareth you, heareth me. Luk. 10.16 Matth. 10.20. Ioh. 1.23. It is not you that speak, but the spirit of my Father. Attend to the words of the Baptist: I am the voice of a cryer. There is another which doth preach and cry by me, the Ministe­rie is mine, but the force and benefit of the Ministerie dependes of another. [Page 30] Attend to the words of the Apostle. For Christ (that is in the name and place of Christ) we are Embassadours, 2 Cor. 3.20. God as it were exhorting by vs, we beséech you for Christ, be you reconciled vnto GOD. He therfore which contemnes, 1 Thes. 4.8 contemnes not man but God, which hath giuen his holy spi­rit into vs. Beleeue therefore, that euen at this day Christ saith to thée, that which heeretofore hee hath saide to the man sicke of the Palsie, Matth. 9.2. Luc. 7.48. and to the woman­sinner, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. Be­cause there is no difference betwéene that, and this which the Minister vtters, for this is not pronounced of man, and that of Christ. When therefore thou hearest the Minister pronounce vnto thée the remissi­on of sinnes, doe not thinke that thou hea­rest the voice of the Minister, but the voice of Christ.

The Tempted.

I Confesse that there is great and notable consolation offered vnto mee in the Mini­sterie of the word, as yet notwithstanding my faith wauers, neither doth it so firmely em­brace the promise of the Gospell, that it ex­cludes all temptation: for my flesh whispers vnto mee; that the promises are onely words, which thou perceiuest with thine eares, but thou doest not as yet see the good promises subiect to thine eyes.

The Comforter.

INdéed, they are words: but the words of the most true and euerliuing God. They are words indéed, Ioh. 6.69. but the words of Spirit and life. They are words indéed, but more firme and durable then this hea­uen which thou beholdest, then this earth whereon thou standest. Luk. 21.33 Heauen and Earth shall passe away, but my words shall not passe away, saith the truth. Esa. 40.8. The word of our Lord God abides for euer, saith the Pro­phet. Hée which foldeth himselfe in this word, hée which embraceth it with true faith, the same may be saued for euer. Nei­ther hath God onely set forth vnto thée his word, but to his word he hath added Sa­craments, Augustin. tract. 80. in Iohan. which are as it were the visible word, visible signes of the inuisible grace, and seales of the promises of God, insti­tuted for the confirmation and nourish­ment of thy faith. By Baptisme thou art receiued into the couenant of the grace of God, thou art made a Sonne and heire of GOD, thou art washed by the bloud of Christ from thy sinnes, thou are regene­rated and renued by the holy Ghost, and as I may speake in a word, art made truly partaker of al heauenly goods. For Christ attributes to Baptisme, that it is a meane of regeneration. Ioh. 3.3. Vnlesse a man be borne a­gaine of water and of the spirit, hee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen. There­fore he which is borne againe of the water of Baptisme and the spirit, is written an heire of eternall life, because it is a meanes of saluation. [Page 32] Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized, shall be saued. Mar. 16.16 The Apostles doe attribute to baptisme, Tit. 3.6. that it is the lauacre of regene­ration and renouation in the holy Ghost, when we are baptized into the remission of sinnes. Mar. 1.4. Let euery one of you be baptized, saith Peter, Act. 2.38. in the name of Iesus, into the remission of sinnes, and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost. Baptisme doth saue vs, 1 Pet. 3.12 (saith he in another place) which is not the putting off of the filth of the flesh, but the request of a good conscience, or a couenant to Godwards, through the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Be thou baptized, Act. 22.16 and wash away thy sinnes (saith Ananias.) As many of you as are baptized haue put on Christ, Gal. 3.27. and by faith ye are the sonnes of God, saith Paul. For Christ sanctifieth his Church, Ephe. 5.27 clensing it in the Lauer of water in his word. Out of all which thou mayest firmely conclude, that baptisme is the price of redemption to the captiues, Basill. [...]. tom. 1. part. 446. Cyril. Hie­rosolym. in praefat. Catech. the forgiuing of debts, the death of sinne: regeneration, the bright cloathing of the soule, a seale that cannot be infrin­ged, the chariot to Heauen, the procurer of the kingdome, the frée gift of adoption. Illumination or Baptisme is the bright­nesse of soules, the change of life, the re­quest of the conscience vnto God, the help of our weaknesse: Illumination is the put­ting off of the flesh, the following of the spirit, Nazian. orat. in S. Bap. p. 615. the communion of the word: Illu­mination is the restitution of the Image, the deluge of sin, the participation of light, the loosing of darkenesse: Illumination [Page 33] is the Waggon or Chariot vnto God, the peregrination with Christ, the foundation of faith, the perfecting of the minde, the glory of the kingdome of Heauen, the change of life, the taking away of bondage, the loosing of bands, the instauration of the couenant. Tertull. 4. Aduer. Marc. p. 231. It is the originall of true life and of true iustice, it is a compendi­ous washing, it is the sacrament of life, and saluation eternall.

For what the grace of God doth worke inuisibly in our baptisme, that hath béene shewed in visible signes in the Baptisme of Christ. Ch [...]mnit. in cap. 17. Harmoni. The water of baptisme was sanctified by the touching of the Lords body, for what things soeuer Christ hath deserued and purchased in the body of his flesh, he hath as it were, layd them downe in baptisme. He tooke vpon him baptisme with vs sinners, that hee might witnesse that by baptisme wee are made his mem­bers. As the eternall Father in the bap­tisme of CHRIST vttered this voyce: This is my beloued Sonne, so as yet this day, all that doe beléeue and are baptized, hée doth adopt for Sonnes. [Page 34] As in the baptisme of Christ Heauen was opened, so as yet at this day by the Sa­crament of Baptisme the gate of the hea­uenly Paradise is opened vnto vs. As in the baptisme of Christ the holy Ghost de­scended vpon him in the shape of a Doue, so the holy Ghost is present in our bap­tisme, and workes therein effectually our regeneration and renouation, so that by this reason, in Baptisme doe concurre the grace of the Father adopting, the merit of the Sonne clensing, and the efficacie of the holy Ghost regenerating. Therefore if thou art baptized, thou mayst not doubt of the grace of God, the remission of sins, and the promise of eternall saluation, so thou continue in that faith which there thou didst professe. Baptisme is the La­uer of regeneration, where there is rege­neration, there is the remission of sinnes, there is the grace of God, there is perfect iustice, there is renuing, there is the gift of the holy Ghost, there is adoption, there is the inheritance of eternall life.

The Tempted.

I Beleeue indeed, that I am receiued into the couenant of Gods grace by the Sacrament of Baptisme, that I haue attained remission of my sinnes, and am written in the Booke of life, but by my sinnes I haue againe fallen out of the grace of this Couenant, by commit­ting [Page 35] offences againe: I haue made the remis­sion past of none effect, and haue often deser­ued that I should be blotted out of the Booke of life.

The Comforter.

NAy, the Couenant of GOD is an euerlasting couenant, Gen. 17.13.1. Col. 2.11. to which after thy sinnes thou mayest againe betake thy selfe by true and earnest repentance. For euen as God speakes of the Sacrament of circumcision that it is an eternall coue­nant: so let vs not doubt but that God will enter into and stablish with vs an e­uerlasting couenant in baptisme, which hath succeeded in the place of circumcision: I will marry thee vnto mee for euer, sayth he by the Prophet, Hose 2.19 I will mary thee vnto mee in righteousnes, and iudgement, in mercy, and in compassion. I will marry thee vnto me in faith. The hils shall be moued, Esa. 54.10. and the valleyes shall tremble, but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the couenant of my peace shall not be moued, saith thy Lord that taketh pitty. God forbid therefore, God forbid, Rom. 3.3 that we say that the faith of God can be made of none effect by the incredulitie of men: If we doe neuer so much take away credit from his words, or depart from him, 2 Tim. 2.13. hée remaineth faithfull, alwayes like himselfe, true and constant, he cannot deny himselfe, Therefore though thou sometime sinne out of thine inbred infirmitie, thou doest not forthwith fall out of the couenant of God. Indéed, by sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience, thou dost grie­uously [Page 36] prouoke GOD against thée, and make him to be sometimes angry, but by true repentance thou returnest againe into his grace and fauour. The ship of Bap­tisme doth not floate away from vs, Secunda post naufra­gium ta­bulu. al­though wee leape out of it into the Sea of sinnes, therefore by repentance, which in this sence may be called a second planke after shipwracke, wee may returne againe to the same shippe of baptisme, that in it wée may bee brought to the hauen of euer­lasting saluation.

Hier. in ca. 3. Esa. ver. 9. Tertu. lib. de poenit. p. 479.Therefore, imbrace repentance, as hée that is shipwracke the helpe of some boord, or plancke, this will lift thée vp, being o­uerwhelmed with the waues of thy sins, & will bring thée into the hauen of the cle­mency of God. Peter had denied his Ma­ster, 1 Pet. 3.21 but being conuerted, he doth neuer­thelesse seeke the promise of saluation in baptisme. The Galathians had fallen grieuously, and likewise the Corinthians: notwithstanding the Apostle doth set be­fore them consolation, deriued out of Bap­tisme, after that they were againe raised vp by repentance: Gal. 3.17. pronouncing as many of them as were baptized, to haue put on Christ: nay, manifestly affirming, that they were clensed, and baptized in one spi­rit, into one body, that is to say, a misti­call body. Out of which it euidently ap­peareth, that the efficacy of the couenant of Baptisme doth extend it self to the time to come, neither is it made plainely of no force, and abolisht by the fall of man into sinne, but that that couenant abides la­stingly, [Page 37] firme, August. 1. de nupt. & concupis. cap. 33. and ratified of the part of God. That therefore which Paul saith, that Christ did clense the Church in the Lauer of water in the word, is so to be ta­ken, that by the same Lauer of regenerati­on and word of sanctification all the euils of regenerate men are altogether clensed and healed, not onely the sinnes past, all which are remitted in Baptisme, but also those which are afterwards contracted by humane ignorance or infirmitie, not that baptisme so often as men sinne may so of­ten be repeated, but because by that which is once giuen, the pardon of what soeuer sinnes is obtained for the faithfull, not on­ly before, but also afterwards, vpon their true and vnfained repentance. Acknow­ledge therefore, and bewaile thy sinnes, yet neyther deny the couenant of grace that was begunne with thée in baptisme, nor forget it: but though thou fall a thou­sand times, yet returne and goe backe. Returne vnto mee, Ier. 3.12. O thou soule that art tur­ned away, saith the LORD, and I will not turne away my face from you, Psal. 27.8. because I am mercifull, sayth the LORD, and I will not be angry for euer. Let thy heart set this word before GOD, 2 Tim. 2.13. and hée will take pitty vpon thée, being mindfull of his pro­mise, for hée cannot deny himselfe and his word.

The tempted.

BVT whence may I bee ascertained, that after I haue fallen, by true repentance I may be receiued againe of God into fauour? I would to God my heart might be confirmed by some certaine seale, I would there were some Sacrament by the participation whereof that promise of grace might be sealed vp vnto mee?

The Comforter.

YEa, there is such a Sacrament, that is to say, the most holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, in which Christ giues vnto thée his most precious body and blood. Wherefore, when they receiuest the most holy price of thy redemption, that is to say, the body and bloud of Christ in that holy supper, thou mayest be sure, that thou art made truly partaker of all those things, which Christ hath deserued on the altar of the Crosse, by the deliuering vp of his body, and powring out of his bloud, that is, the fauour of God, remission of sinnes, righteousnesse, life, and euerlasting saluation. When thou drinkest that bloud, by the pouring out whereof the co­uenant of grace was stricken and confir­med: how canst thou doubt whether thou be againe receiued into that couenant, and into the fauour of God? What is more néere vnto God then his onely begotten [Page 39] Sonne? as who is in his bosome, Ioh. 1.18. which is in the Father, and the Father in him, which is one with the Father. Againe, what is more néere to the Sonne of God, Ioh. 14.10 then flesh and bloud, or the humane nature which hee hath assumed? Ioh. 10.30 as which he hath coupled to himselfe in a personall and in­dissoluble league. Therefore, by eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking his bloud thou art ioyned most straightly vnto God. These things being taken, & taken down, Hilar. 8. de Trin. p. 141. make that Christ abides in thée, and thou in Christ. What is more néere vnto vs, then that which wee eate and drinke, as which is eyther conuerted into the sub­stance of our flesh, as natural and elemen­tall meates, or else doth change and con­uert vs into it, as that spiritual food of the body and blood of the Lord, which we eate indéed, but we doe not change it into our substance, but wee are changed into it. Therefore, by eating the quickening flesh of Christ, thou receiuest spirituall life from the same, by drinking the precious bloud of Christ, thou comest to the Foun­taine of life.

Christ hath taken vpon him the humane nature of vs, in it he hath condemned sin, he hath destroyed death, hee hath repaired life, and hath filled the same with the ful­nesse of grace, and heauenly good things: the same nature taken from vs, and repai­red in himselfe, sanctified and filled with heauenly treasures hee sets before thée a­gaine in the holy Supper, that thou mayst be ascertained that those things doe truly [Page 40] pertaine vnto thée, which hee hath layd downe into the same, as it were into a cer­taine rich storehouse; he doth as it were, ingraft thy wretched and depraued nature into his most holy and quickening flesh, that out of it thou mayest draw the iuyce of life, and an antidote of the spirituall poyson that lyes hidden in thy flesh. He is the Vine, we are the braunches, hee that abides in him, I [...]hn 15.5 and he in whom he abides, this man brings forth much fruit. The vncleannnesse of thy nature is shadowed and couered by that most holy body of Christ which thou receiuest, and by that most precious bloud, which thou drinkest, least it appeare before the tribunall and in the sight of God. Liturg. vt­ter. Damas. 4. fid. Or­thod. cap. 14. Therefore thou recei­uest the flesh and bloud of Christ for an apology that will easily be admitted, and the earnest of eternall life: to the sustai­ning & kéeping of the body and the soule, to the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and to life euerlasting. Nay, in the holy Supper is giuen thée a certaine holesome prouision for thy iourney, séeing the tokens of the future resurrection are exhibited vnto thée, Can. Nicen. by which the right of acquaintance and hospitalitie which is to be expected in the heauenly countrey, is confirmed vnto thée. Iohn 6.54. He which eateth my flesh, saith Christ, and drinkes my bloud, hath eternall life, and I will raise him vp againe in the last day. It cannot therefore come to passe, I say, that thy body should abide in the graue, séeing it is nourished with the body and bloud of our Lord, that is to say, with that [Page 41] food which is the medicine of immortality, the antidote that wée should not dye, but liue in God through Christ, the purgati­on that driues away all euill. By this foode thy weakenesse shall be comforted, that thou mayest come through with Elias, 2 Reg. 13.21. to the hill of the Lord. The bones of Eli­zeus, yea, euen when he was dead, did giue life, by how much more the flesh of Christ liuing and quickening, receiued by faith, shall quicken thee to euerlasting life.

The Tempted.

I Acknowledge that in the true and whole­some vse of the holy supper, the godly are made partakers of these benefits, but it doth not a little trouble mee, that the Apostle doth affirme, that they which eate this bread vn­worthily, 1 Cor. 11.27 and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily, are made guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. I feare therefore, lest that I be an vnworthy guest of this heauenly ban­quet.

The Comforter.

BY acknowledging and bewailing of thine vnworthines, thou mayest escape the spot and imputation of an vnworthy guest: for the Apostle calles vnworthy, not those which are weake in faith, wheras this sacrament was instituted for the con­firmation of faith, & comfort of the weake, but those which doe not proue themselues neither do discerne the Lords body, that is, [Page 42] which come to this holy Supper, 1 Cor. 11.28.29. as it were to a common banquet, without true repentance and liuely faith, without the hatred of sinne, and a serious and earnest purpose of amendement of life, which doe not discerne this heauenly banquet from other common foode, that they may ac­knowledge the true excellency thereof, and vse due preparation of the hart thereunto. Such vnworthy guests of this banquet, do nothing lesse sin in eating and drinking vnworthily the flesh and bloud of Christ, then the Iewes in crucifying Christ. But farre be it from thy pietie, farre be it, I say, that thou shouldest be in the num­ber of them. Chrysost. in 1 Cor. 11. Thou doest acknowledge also the spots of thy sinnes, thou doest bewaile the vncleanenesse of thy nature, thou sighest vnto Christ the Physitian of thy soule, that he prepare a sit lodging for himselfe in thy heart, thou weighest the greatnesse of those things which are pre­sent and set before thée in the holy Sup­per, and considerest the amplenesse of the heauenly gift, thou hungrest and thirstest after righteousnesse, Mat. 5.6. therefore also thou shalt bee filled, the sinnes shall not hurt thée, Luk. 15.20 which doe not please thée: thou ma­kest haste with teares to thy heauenly Father, thou bewailest thy sinnes, and desirest that the hunger of thy soule may be refreshed with his heauenly foode: that most kinde Father, vers. 22. doubt not, will méete thée, hee will kisse and receiue thée with ioy, he will giue vnto thée the first long garment of innocency, he will cloath thée [Page 43] with the garments of saluation, hée will giue thée a ring on thy hand, hée will seale thée with his holy spirit, hée will giue thée shooes for thy féet, he will direct thée in the way of peace and righteousnesse, hée will fil thée with the flesh of that sacrifice which was slaine on the altar of the Crosse, vers. 23. and was offered vnto him for a swéet smel­ling sauour. Lay aside therefore all feare of vnworthy eating, he which is most vn­worthy in his owne eyes hee is accepted before God: hée that displeaseth himselfe pleaseth God: hee that is cast downe in himselfe in true contrition of heart, hée againe is raised vp by the most louing hand of God.

The Tempted.

FAITH is altogether required to the wholesome vse of the Supper, and fruit of the promises of the Gospell, seeing the hand of the giuer is not sufficient to the parricipa­tion of almes, but there must of necessitie also come the hand of the receiuer: but now my faith is weake, the ship of my heart bruised with diuers stormes of tentations, doth oft­times wauer, and castes mee downe from the firmenesse of faith.

The Comforter.

WEake faith notwithstanding is faith, neither doth faith therefore [Page 44] apprehend Christ, and in Christ the grace of God, remission of sinnes, and euerla­sting life, because it is strong, but because it is faith: strong faith doth more strongly imbrace Christ, neuerthelesse weake faith also doth not reiect Christ, but wholesom­ly apprehend him. The faithful seruant of God, Christ our Sauior, doth not breake a bruised Réed, Esa. 42.2. nor smoaking Flaxe hée doth not quench, but he doth most benigne­ly receiue him that is weak in Faith. The least sparke of faith is the worke of the holy Ghost, Rom. 14.3. because of our selues, as it were of our selues we cannot so much as thinke any thing that is good, 1 Cor. 3.5. but to will and to performe is of God: therefore God will not despise his worke, Phil. 2.13. which hee hath begunne in thy heart by the holy Ghost, but will performe it, and confirme it. Euen as a Mother tendereth her Children, Esa. 66.13. so God comforteth vs: but now a mother doth far more tenderly handle an Infant, and takes greater care thereof, then of the rest that are bigge growen: so God doth not turne himselfe away from him that is weake in faith, but endeuours to heale and confirme him as it were a sicke man. If you shall haue faith as it were a graine of Mu­stard seed; Mat. 17.20 and shall say to this hill, passe from hence thither, and it shall passe, and nothing shall be impossible vnto you, saith the truth. If miraculous faith can doe so much, that it can transpose hils, if it be scarce as big as a graine of Mustard séed, why cannot sauing faith doe the same, that it transpose the hilles of tentations and doubtings, [Page 45] howsoeuer it be very infirme and weake? The power of God is performed in our weakenesse, 2 Cor. 12.9 take héede therefore that thou be not cast downe in thy minde for the weakenesse of thy faith. But rather re­gard the power of God, God can water that which is drie, heale that which is wounded, bend that which is stiffe, cherish that which is colde, gouerne that which is out of the way. Acknowledge onely the infirmitie of thy faith, and leane so much the stronger on the staffe of the word of God, for the word as it is the séede, so al­so is it the nourishment or foode of faith. Pray with the Disciples of Christ: Luk. 17.5 Mark. 9.24 O Lord encrease our faith, and with the Fa­ther of the lunaticke childe, I beleeue Lord, helpe mine vnbeliefe.

The Tempted.

MY faith is not onely weake, but some­times I doe not feele any faith at all in my heart, neither doe I call vpon God with that heat of the spirit which may pierce the clouds. I feare therefore, least then my faith haue perished, and be vtterly ex [...]inct; but if my faith be extinct, what hope or saluation can there remaine for mee? I proue my selfe, and behold I doe not feele faith in my heart, therefore I shall be of the number of the re­probate.

The Comforter.

THe spirit helpes our infirmitie, as it were with a hand put vnder, for euen as we know not what we may pray for, or how we ought to pray, Rom. 8.26. yet the spirit makes intercession for vs with sighes that can­not be vttered: so what or how wée may beléeue sometimes we doe not féele, but the spirit doth cherish and conserue faith in our heart. A sparke lies sléeping and hid­den vnder the ashes, although outwardly it doth not appeare, so faith sometimes dwels in the innermost corners of the heart, although it cannot be felt of vs, therefore from the want of the féeling of faith, thou mayest not gather, that thy faith is perished and extinct, when as yet thou doest desire, sigh, and art willing to beléeue, that desire, that sighing, that wil­ling doth come from faith. Furthermore, it is one thing not to féele faith, another thing to put away beléeuing; that hap­pens to him that wrastles, this agrées to him that is stubbornely rebellious. Eph. 3.17. Christ dwels altogether by faith in thy heart, al­though thou doest not manifestly féele that inhabitation of grace, euen as the ho­ly Ghost, that inward Comforter, hath an holy house in thine heart, although sometime he doth with-draw from thée the féeling of that consolation. Rom. 4.18 As Abraham the Father of beléeuers beléeued against hope in hope, so thou oughtest to relie on the word against thine owne sense. As we ought to captiuate all our vnderstanding [Page 47] vnder the obedience of faith, so thou mayest also captiuate that want of the féeling of faith with faith, that is, thou mayest re­ceiue the word in thy heart, and cleaue firmely there-vnto. The séede lies hidden vnder the clods of earth, although it doth not as yet thrust forth the blade vtterly: so the séede of faith lies hid in thy heart, although the fruit thereof as yet doth not fully and plainely appeare. In sléeping thou doest not féele faith, but farre be it from thée that thou shouldest say, that then thy faith is perished; so in this temptati­on, as it were a certaine sléepe, hath op­prest thy soule, that thou canst not féele the mouing of thy faith, but farre be it from thée, that therefore thou shouldest thinke that thy faith is vtterly extinguisht.

The Tempted.

TRuly I doe sigh to my Sauiour, but I doe both feele and grieue that I cannot be­leeue; I would wish truly that I might be made partaker of the benefits of Christ, but I doe not feele that I can apprehend them by faith.

The Comforter.

OF thy selfe thou canst not, but on him which strengthens thée, Christ, thou canst doe all things. Phil. 4 13. God would haue thée altogether, and in earnest would haue thée to beléeue, for to that end hée offers to thée his word, that through it, by the ef­ficacie [Page 48] of the holy Ghost, hée may kindie faith in thy heart, onely doe not thou put away that word, neither resist the work­ing of the holy Ghost, in short time thou shalt féele most plentifull fruit of the word. For if God seriously would haue thée to beléeue, surely he will also worke in thée that beliefe, if thou doe not resist his will with actuall stubbornnesse. Thou sayest that thou canst not beléeue, and yet thou art constrained to confesse, that thou doest sigh vnto Christ, and desire his benefits, that same sighing, that same desiring is the beginning of faith. The holy Ghost will bring to passe, will surely bring to passe that worke of faith, which hée hath begun in thée; take héede onely that thou doe not put by his wholsome operation. Thou oughtest not to resolue, that the sense and mouing of faith kindled in thy heart, is first to be expected, before that thou wilt heare, meditate, and receiue the word of the Gospell. This is a peruerse opinion, which take héede that thou sucke not in, that thou put not vpon thée: this is a peruerse order, which take héede, that thou doe not follow. In the Schoole of the holy Ghost wée must take our begin­ning from the hearing and meditation of the word, by that meanes thou art brought vnto faith, by faith vnto the féeling of faith. Thou sayest that thou canst not beléeue, therefore thou oughtest to heare the word, meditate on it, and receiue it into thy heart, that thou mayest beléeue. GOD giues his holy spirit to those that Luk. 11.13 [Page 49] aske, and yet without the grace of the ho­ly Ghost we cannot aske: so God giues faith to them that sigh after it, and yet without the beginning of faith we cannot sigh after it. For a surety faith riseth with a certaine wrastling in the heart, it is en­creased with wrastling, it is performed in the heart with wrastling, and that which we cannot doe of our selues, wée are able to doe by his gift, which hath said: No man commeth vnto mee, vnlesse the Father draw him. Ioh. 6.44. Euery one that heareth of my Fa­ther and learneth, he commeth vnto me, him that commeth vnto me, I will not cast forth. If thou art not yet drawne, pray that thou mayest be drawne: heare and learne, that thou mayest come vnto Christ.

The Tempted.

TRue and liuely faith alwaies workes by loue, on the other side that faith which hath not workes, is dead in it selfe. Gal. 5.6. As the body without the soule is dead so faith with­out workes is dead. Iac. 2.17. Vers. 2 [...]. Rom. 9.21 Vers. 18. But now I doe not see a great number of good workes, which may giue manifest testimonie of my faith. Euill cleaues vnto me, that am willing to doe good, to will is present with mee, but I finde no po­wer to performe that which is good.

The Comforter.

THou doest well, that thou doest e­stéeme the light of faith, out of the beames of good workes. For as workes [Page 50] which are not done of faith, are not truly good workes: so faith which is without workes is not true faith, but a vaine per­swasion, Math. 7.16 and emptie shadow. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, 2 Pet. 1.10 saith our Sauiour; Doe your endeauour, saith Peter, that you may make your calling and election sure. There­fore out of workes we must iudge of faith, and this is the third property of faith, that as it hath contrition to vsher it, and true confidence on Christ in stead of an Essen­tiall forme, so it alwaies hath new obedi­ence to follow it. Therefore thou doest well, as I haue said, that thou doest e­stéeme the light of faith, out of the beames of good workes, but take héede thou doe not thinke, that those are onely good workes, which are great in their outward shew in the eyes of men, and frée from all spot of sinne cleauing vnto them. Vnder the name of good workes is especially vn­derstood the inward renuing of the heart, and the kindling of those spirituall moti­ons in the hearts of the regenerate by the holy Ghost. Therefore an holy cogitation, a good purpose, the true feare of God, sin­cere loue, ardent inuocation are truly good workes, although they are not perceiued and séene of men. Psa. 45.14 The glory of the Kings daughter is within, the outward workes doe giue testimonie of that inward glory of the reuelation. Therefore if thou hast nothing else that thou canst offer vnto God, offer vnto God a good will, and an holy purpose to liue godlily. Offer to [Page 51] God thy heart, and thou hast offered all things. Submit thy selfe wholy to the will of GOD, cleaue vnto him, re­signe thy will to him, and thou shalt be one spirit with him. 1 Cor. 6.17 This if thou shalt doe, the outward workes will readily fol­low, because the spirit of God dwelling in thée, will driue thée to all manner of good workes, but where there is not an out­ward faculty of working, there the in­ward good will to God sufficeth. Neither is there any reason why thou shouldest hope that thou canst be frée from the spot of all infirmitie in this life. Our workes doe please God, not because they are ab­solutely perfect, but because they doe pro­céede out of true faith in Christ, and are offered of beloued Sonnes in stead of a sacrifice of thankesgiuing. Acknowledge therefore the testimonie of good workes which they giue of faith, least thou be cast downe in thy minde, acknowledge the im­perfection of the same, and the spot of sin cleauing vnto them, least thou be too much lifted vp in thy minde.

The Tempted.

IVst is God, and iust are his iudgements, therefore hee will giue to none the reward of eternall life, vnlesse there goe before the merit of good workes. What therefore is my hope, what is my confidence, when my workes are imperfect, foule, many wayes con­tamined, and no way meritorious?

The Comforter.

Rom. 6 23 Bern. Ser. 1 in Annunc. Col. 106.NAy, eternall life is not the due wages of our deserts, but the frée gift of God in Christ and for Christ. For neither are the merits of men such, that for them eter­nall life is due of right, and God should doe iniurie to some man, vnlesse he should giue him it. For that I may not speake of this, that all merits are the gifts of God, and so man is more a debter vnto God for them, then God to man, what are al merits to so great glory? All the Saints do con­fesse, Exod. 34.7. Esa. 64.6. that before God no man is innocent, that all their righteousnesses are before God like the cloath of a menstruous wo­man, that no man can stand before the iudgement of God, if he will impute sins, that when they haue done all things that are commanded of God, Psa. 130.3. Luk. 17.10 they are neuer­thelesse vnprofitable seruants, what place therefore can there be héere for merits? who can presume of sufficiencie to saluati­on either of his owne wisedome or righte­ousnes or holines? Bern Serm. 22. in cant. Col. 555. Gerson li. 4. de conso­la. Theolog. pros. 1. Rom. 8.18 who can shew his owne righteousnesses as it were in boasting vn­to God, more then a woman the cloath of her confusion to a man? neither our do­ings nor our sufferings are worthie of the future glory which shalbe reuealed on vs.

We cannot deserue that crust of bread which we eate, by our obedience, but are constrained to begge it by daily Prayers, of God, how much more incomparably lesse can we deserue the reward of eternall life by our merits? Therefore if thou wilt [Page 53] fall from grace, bragge of thy merits. August. in Ps. 31. Id. de verb. Apost. Ser. 15. Fulgen. 1. ad momin. pag. 21. God giues altogether fréely, saues altogether fréely, because he findes nothing for which to saue, and hée findes much for which to damne. Of grace is giuen not onely to the iustified good life, but also to the glorified eternall life: and therefore death is said to be wages, but eternall life is said to be grace, because that is rendred as due, this is giuen as frée. Bern. Ser. innat. Mar. Col. 213. Therefore let another séeke for merit, doe thou studie to finde grace, let the mercie of the Lord be thy merit, thou art not plainely poore in merit, as long as he is not wanting mer­cies. Serm. 67. in Cant. There is no place for grace to enter where merit hath alreadie taken vp the roome, Thou doest detract from grace, whatsoeuer thou doest depute vnto merit. It sufficeth to merit, Serm. 68. in Cant. to know that merit doth not suffice. Place all thy confidence altogether on God. Embrace his mercie, séeke thy merits in the wounds of Christ, & thou shalt not haue any want of merits.

The Tempted.

I Acknowledge our works not to be merito­rious, neither to appease God, but that out of faith they may please him. And how can they chuse but displease him, when they are not perfectly conformable to the law of God. The law is an eternall & vnchangeable rule of iu­stice, condemning all whatsoeuer is not con­formable there-vnto. Therefore the dart of damnation is shaken against me, & my works, vnlesse thou shew me, what shield I may op­pose against it.

The Comforter.

Gal. 3.13.CHrist hath redeemed thée from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for thee, Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the wood. When the fulnesse of time came, Cap 4.4. God sent his owne Sonne, borne of a woman, made vnder the Law, that he might redeeme those which were vnder the Law, Ver. 5. Rom. 10.4. Cap. 8.1. that we might receiue the adop­tion of Sonnes. The end and fulfilling of the Law is Christ to righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth: Therefore there is no damnation to thée and all, which are by faith in Christ, and walke not accor­ding to the flesh, Vers 2. Vers. 3. there is no feare of the Law, the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus, hath fréed thée from the Law of sinne and death. For that which was im­possible to the Law, because it was made weake through the flesh, that hath GOD performed, Vers. 4. sending his Sonne in the likenesse of the flesh of sinne, and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh, that the iu­stification of the Law might be fulfilled in vs, which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Therefore if by true faith thou doest apply the benefits of Christ vn­to thy selfe, there is no cause that thou shouldest feare the curse of the Lawe. The sting of Death is sinne, 1 Cor. 15.55 56. the strength of sinne is the Law, but thankes be vnto God, which hath giuen vs victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord: Hee hath ouercome our death by his death, hee hath satisfied for our sinnes by his Passion, and hée hath [Page 55] most perfectly fulfilled the Law in our stead, by his most holy obedience. Neither yet is there an abolishment of the Law made, but a translation onely. Neither do the Law and the Gospell destroy them­selues mutually, séeing the Law is not against the promises of God, Gal. 3.21. but is esta­blished by faith.

For what the Law doth require of vs, Rom. 3.31 that the Gospell doth tell vs was perfor­med of Christ in our steade. What the Law commands, this Christ obtaines. The Law condemneth sinne, and vs for sinne, Christ doth performe satisfaction for sinnes, and giues his righteousnesse vnto vs. The Law therefore is satisfied by the obedience of Christ, because it is perfect: Againe, that fulfilling of the Law through Christ, is performed for vs to good because it is not due. Chyt. li. 1. de vita et morte, p. 43. Therefore as thou oughtest not to behold death in thine owne body, but in Christ raised vp againe, the conquerour of death, and the giuer of life and saluation eternall: sinne not in thine owne conscience, but in Christ the Lambe of God, bearing and taking away thy sinnes, and the sinnes of the whole world: hell and the tentations of being euerlastingly cast away, not in thy selfe, and in that innumerable multitude of the damned, but in Christ sustaining on the Crosse, and ouer-comming for vs the ten­tation of being cast away: so thou ough­test to behold the Law not as it is written in thy hart, but as it is fulfilled by Christ, and with him fastned to the Crosse.

The Tempted.

MY conscience doth witnesse, together with the accusation of the Law, that as an vn­corrupt iudge riseth vp against mee, Chrysost. hom. 64. in Gen. and is an accuser of mee, while no man reproues mee, or brings any thing forth against mee. I can­not escape that domesticall iudgement seate: In this great volumne I see and altogether tremble at all my sinnes, Nazian. orat. 26. Bern. de conuers. ad Cler. c. 3. Col. 114 written with the stile of truth: wretch that I am, who shall deliuer me from this Court of iudgement, in which the same is the guiltie, the pleader, the wit­nesse, the iudge, the torturer, the scourge, the executioner, the hangman?

The Comforter.

Ioh. 3.20.IF thy heart doth condemne thée, yet God is greater then thy heart. If the memory of thy faults passed, doth accuse and torment thée, yet Christ the Redéemer, which hath satisfied for thy sinnes, is a mightier, Col. 2.14. he absolues thée, frées thée, and saues thée. Hee indéed hath blotted out that hand-writing which was written a­gainst, and was contrary to vs, hee hath taken it cleane away, and hath fastned it with him to the Crosse. By the nailes of Christ crucified is that accusing hand-wri­ting of thy conscience together fastened, that it is of no force and validitie before God; Rom. 5.1. for being iustified by faith, thou hast peace with GOD, peace of conscience, [Page 57] quietnes of hart, and the most blessed tran­quillitie of the soule, which Christ the conquerour of sinne, death and Satan, hath brought backe with him from the graue, and giuen the same to his Disci­ples. Therefore, Bern. de conuer. cap. 6. col. 415. if thou féelest the worme of conscience, thou oughtest to strangle him forthwith in this life present, not che­rish him to immortalitie, for a putrified conscience begets the immortall wormes.

Strangle therefore the worme of con­science by serious repentance, pray to God for rest of the heart, and forgiuenesse of sinnes, and take héed of the new wounds of conscience, that is, the worst relapse of sinnes. In this life there is as yet a time of pardon, a time of grace, a time of quie­ting the conscience. In this life the booke of conscience may as yet be amended out of the booke of life, Apoc. 20.12. but in the last iudge­ment the bookes shall be opened, and a­mongst these also the booke of conscience, in which, before the whole world, grauen with great letters, shall all the particular faults and offences of men be séene, which are not blotted out in this life by true con­trition, by faith, and amendement of life. Before that day of iudgement come, and the time of grace passe away, thou mayest haue as yet excellent hope and sure confi­dence, that the bloud of Iesus Christ, Heb. 9.14. which through the eternall spirit, hath of­fered himselfe without spot to God, will clense thy conscience from dead workes, to serue the liuing God.

The Tempted.

TRuly, I am earnestly sorry for so many wounds inflicted on my conscience; I doe earnestly desire the cure of my wounds, I haue an earnest desire to keepe a good conscience hereafter, but I feare lest that my repentance be too late: I feare, lest the grace of God so oftimes reiected of mee, doe againe reiect and forsake mee. August. de verâ & falsâ poenit. cap. 17. Late repentance is wont to de­ceiue many, and that repentance which pro­ceeds from a dying man, hee must feare, lest that also dye.

The Comforter.

NAy, there is nothing too late which is true and earnest. Cyprian. tract. 1. con­tra Demet. No repentance is to late for him that abides yet in this world; there are some which are called, and come at the eleuenth houre of the day in­to the Lords Vineyard, Mat. 20.9. and receiue the reward of Grace. No length of time doth preiudicate eyther Gods equitie or his pietie. Fulgent. Epist. 7. Repentance is neuer too late with GOD [...] in whose sight aswell the things past, as the things to come, are al­wayes held for present. Behold the ex­ample of the Thiefe on the crosse, which confessing Christ with his mouth, vpon whose vtmost lippes, as it were, his soule dwelt, ready to depart, gods the pardon of his sinnes, and the [...] pr [...]mise of the heauenly paradise. As long as that to [Page 59] day is named, Heb. 3.13. so long God doth earnestly looke for our conuersion. As long as the heauenly Bridegroome doth as yet defer his comming, Mat. 25.5. so long the gate of Grace and indulgence, doth as yet lye open: The whole time of our life, yea the last houre thereof is graunted vs to the space of re­pentance. Esa. 65.2. God spreads forth his hands all day, neyther doth hee cast forth him that comes vnto him at what time soeuer hee come. Iohn 6.37. Therefore take thou care of that, that thy repentance be true and ear­nest, and then thou néedest not feare, lest it be too late. If when the houre of death drawes néere, thou therfore repentest thée, because thou art destituted of the occasi­ons of sinning, that repentance is false, for by this reason thou doest not leaue thy sinnes, but thy sinnes forsake thée. If thou therefore repentest because thou séest the punishment of thy sinnes neare; that repentance is likewise false, for it procéeds out of the loue of thy selfe, not out of the sincere loue of God: it procéeds not out of the hate of sinne, but out of the irke­somnesse of most iust punishment. There­fore, that thou mayest repent truly and earnestly, grieue for thy sins so often com­mitted, and therefore grieue, because thou hast so often & so grieuously by them offen­ded God the chiefest good, see [...]e in Christ the remission of thy sins, and seriously pro­pose to thy selfe, whatsoeuer shall remaine of thy life, to [...] it out wholly on the ser­uice of God, submit thy selfe to God: & be humbled from thy heart before him: per­mit [Page 60] it to his will, what and how great pu­nishments, a thousand times deserued of thée, he will inflict vpon thée, that it may appeare that thou doest repent out of the hatred of sinne, and not out of the hatred of punishment. Psal. 51.19 Such a contrite and hum­bled heart will be a most acceptable sacri­fice vnto God, for so he saith by the Pro­phet, Esa. 66.2. To whom shall I haue respect, but to the poore and contrite in spirit, and him that trembles at my words?

The Tempted.

TRuly I feele in my heart serious contrition and griefe for my sinnes, neither doe I al­together despaire of the mercy of God, yet my heart is shaken with the waues of doub­tings, neither as yet am I certainely assured of the free remission of my sinnes. Indeed, well I hope, in the meane time humbly I doubt the consideration of Gods mercy doth lift me vp, but the thought of mine owne vnworthinesse doth againe cast me downe. I am conuerted vnto God, therefore I hope well, but I am con­uerted too late, therefore I doubt as yet in part.

The Comforter.

BVt I will set most firme props vn­der thy wauering faith, on which thou mayest relie thée against all the tempests of doubtings: for neither is that doub­ting an humble confession of our vnwor­thinesse, but a dangerous oppugning of [Page 61] the faith that ought of right to be giuen to Gods promises: neither is there any rea­son of doubting of sufficient strength in late conuersion and repentance, when the mercy of God doth offer to al that are ear­nestly conuerted a most certaine promise of the remission of sins. First of al, therefore, attend to the vnmoueable verity of the promises of God. Whosoeuer they are that acknowledging and bewailing their sins, doe séeke remission of them in Christ, and conceiue a firme purpose of amende­ment of life, to them God hath promised his grace, forgiuenesse of sinnes, and eter­nall life. Whosoeuer beleeueth on the Sonne, Ioh. 13.15 18. 1 Ioh. 5.12 Mar. 16.16 doth not perish, but hath life eternall. He that beleeueth on him, is not iudged. He that hath the Sonne, the same also hath eternall life. Hee that shall beleeue, and be baptized, shall be saued. He that hath promised these things is God, whose word is more firme then heauen & earth, which is the truth it selfe, 2 Tim. 2.11 which is faithfull, and cannot deny him­selfe or his word. That therefore which God offers with indubitate promises, that must thou entertain with indubitate faith: neither must thou pretend the infirmitie of thy nature, which cannot imbrace the pro­mises of God, with such an assurance of trust, for this fault of thy nature must be corrected by the efficacy of the holy spirit. As thou dost not beléeue on CHRIST out of the strength of nature, but out of the working of the Holy Ghost: so by the grace of the same spirit thou mayest be assured of the mercy of the Heauenly [Page 62] Father against all doubting that is inhe­rent in thy depriued nature. 1 Ioh. 5.10. Hee that be­leeues not God makes him a liar. Asmuch as thou doubtest, so much is diminished of thy trust, therefore thou must resist that doubting, neither is that to be set forth vnder the specious name of humilitie: ve­rily, Humilitie ought to arise out of the consideration of our vnworthinesse: in the meane time, out of the meditation of the promises of God, ought there neuer­thelesse a firme confidence to arise. There­fore God hath comfort from the hidden seat of his maiesty, and hath manifested his will in his word, that wee might bee sure of his will.

Therefore, God hath promulged not onely legall promises, which haue added vnto them the condition of perfect obedi­ence, and therefore to vs are made vnpro­fitable, but also Euangelicall, which are frée, that with firme confidence of heart we might relye vpon them. Rom 4.16 Therefore of faith fréely, sayth the Apostle, that the pro­mise may bee firme. Psa. 116.11 Mens promises are vncertaine and doubtfull, because euery man is a lyar, but the promises of God are certaine and vnmoueable, because God is truth it selfe. As God is true in threat­nings, so is he also in promising. As with­out Christ certaine damnation doth hang ouer al vnbeléeuing impenitent persons, so in Christ certaine saluation is proposed to all that are conuerted vnto God and belée­uing. Cypr. serm. 4. de morta. pa. 209. Doest thou doubt that these things will come to passe, which God promiseth, [Page 63] which is true, whose word is eternall and firm to them that beléeue. If a graue & lau­dable man should promise thée any thing, thou wouldst put trust in his promise, nei­ther wouldst thou thinke that thou shoul­dest be deceiued of him whom thou shoul­dest know to be constant in his words & doings. Now God speaketh with thée, and doest thou perfideously wauer in thine incredulous minde? Furthermore, attend to the stabilitie of the oath of GOD: I liue, saith the Lord, Ezech. 33.11 I will not the death of a sinner, but that hee may be conuerted and liue. Verely, verely, I say vnto you, sayth Christ, hee which heares my word, Iohn 5.25. and be­leeues on him, which sent mee, hath life eter­nall, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life. Verely, verely, I say vnto you, if any man keepe my word, hee shall not see death for euer. Ioh 8. [...]1. This hath God sayd, this hath hee promised, if that be little, hee hath sworne it: August. in Psal. 88. Blessed therefore we, for whose sakes God swea­reth, but O most wretched if we do not be­léeue GOD then when hee sweareth. Tertul. lib. de poeniten. Acknowledge therefore the wonderfull and neuer sufficiently praised mercy of God, that he willing to shew more abun­dantly to the heires of the promise the im­mutabilitie and immobilitie of his coun­sell, hath added an oath, Heb. 6.71. vers. 18. that by two vn­moueable things (for it cannot come to passe that God should lye) we might haue most strong comfort, which haue fled to lay hold on the hope that is set before vs.

The Tempted.

ALL these things doe easily perswade with me, that I doe not doubt of the firmenes of the promises of God in themselues: in the meane time I am yet vncertaine, whether they be so firme and vnmoueable to me, and whe­ther I am in the number of them to whom God doth promise and offer so great things.

The Comforter.

NAy, but because God promiseth these things to all that flye vnto Christ with true repentance and faith: 2 Cor. 4.13. therefore also he promiseth them to thée, séeing thou also beléeuest in Christ. Attend therefore farther to the inward sealing of the holy Ghost: for the spirit doth not only testifie outwardly in the word, but also inwardly in thine heart. Rom. 8.16. The spirit it selfe giues te­stimonie to thy spirit that thou art the son of God, Gal. 4.6. therefore also an heyre. Thou hast receiued the spirit which is of God, that thou mayest know the things which are giuen to thée of God. He which doth confirme and strengthen thée with all that are truly godly in Christ, and hee which hath annoynted thée is God: which hath also signed thée, and confirmed thée as it were, with his seale, and giuen the earnest of the spirit in thy heart. Because thou art the sonne of God, 1 Cor. 2.12 therefore God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into thine hart, crying, Abba Father. Beléeuing the word of truth, and the Gospell of saluation, thou [Page 65] art sealed by the holy spirit of promise, Cap. 4.30. which is the earnest of thine inheritance for the purchased redemption, by which thou art sealed against the day of redemp­tion. Euen as the Bridegroome which hath giuen the promise of marriage to the Bride, giues her an earnest, which is a pledge of the marriage to come: so God hath espoused or betroathed himself to thée in faith: Ose. 2.19. he hath betroathed himselfe to thée in mercy, Apoc. 19.7 but as yet the marriage of the Lambe doth not appeare: therefore hee giues vnto thée the earnest of his holy spi­rit, by which thou mayst be confirmed con­cerning the fulfilling of the promises, and the leading to the heauenly marriage which is to come. This is the spirit of A­doption, because it doth witnes that thou art adopted for the Son of God. This is that seale by which the promises of God are sealed in thy heart: this is that earnest by which the word of trueth is confir­med vnto thée. 1 Iohn 4.13. By this thou knowest that thou abidest in God and God in thée, be­cause he hath giuen to thée of his spirit.

The Tempted.

BVT from whence may I be certaine that my heart is the temple and house of the holy Ghost? the spots of sinne do cleaue vnto me, and I feele that in my flesh dwels no good, how therefore shall that holy Spirit, which is holynesse and puritie it selfe dwell in mee?

The Comforter.

Rom. 8.23WE receiue the first fruits of the spi­rit onely in this life, wee expect the full measure and perfect tenths hereafter in the life eternall, there remaines in this life the wrastling of the flesh and the spirit, Rom. 7.14 we remaine as yet in part carnall, and sold vnder sinne; yet neuerthelesse, for the be­nefit of regeneration and renouation, wée are temples of the Holy Ghost. Further­more, from thence thou mayest know, that the Spirit of God dwels in thée, because thou dost bewaile and detest thy sins, Sapi. 1.4. 2 Cor. 4.13. be­cause that holy Spirit dwels not in the body, subiect vnto sinne, because thou dost beléeue on Christ, and louest him, for it is the spirit of faith, because thou callest vpon God the most benigne Father with ear­nest sighes, Zach. 13.9 for it is the spirit of grace and prayers, and crieth in the hearts of the godly, Gal. 4.6. Abba Father: because thou art led with the desire of all good, for they that are the temples of the holy Ghost, are led by him, surely to good; because thou oft times dost féele a foretaste of eternall life in thy heart, Rom. 8.14 for the kingdome of God is not meat and drinke, Rom. 14.17. but righteousnesse, peace and ioy in the holy Ghost. Wherefore, if thy soule hath sometimes felt in the secret of thy con­science the spirit of the Son, Ber in Can. serm 8. col. 509. crying Abba Father, let her presume that she is beloued with a fatherly affection, when shee per­ceiues that shee is affected with the same spirit, with which is also the sonne. In the spirit of the Son shée may know her selfe [Page 67] to be daughter of the Father, & the spouse and sister of the sonne. And although all these things are sometime weake and lan­guishing, yet be not out of heart, but aske for increase of the spirit, Luk. 11.13 for God will giue this spirit to those that aske him. Stir vp the gift, 2 Tim. 1.6 that frée and gracious gift of the spirit which is in thée, that is, by asking, by séeking, by knocking, by meditating on th [...] word, by resisting euill concupiscences. There is here no perfection, but a continu­all way to perfection. Beside this inward seale and testimony of the holy spirit, God hath giuen thée the Sacraments, which are the seales of the heauenly promises, the waggons of the benefits of Christ, bring­ing them vnto thée, and the meanes of the begetting, cherishing, & confirming of thy faith, that thou mayst be sure that the bene­fits of Christ doe pertaine in speciall vnto thée: Cypr serm. de mort. pa. 209. Thou wert receiued into the Church by baptisme, and fed in the Lords Supper with the body & blood of Christ: being con­firmed by these seales, beléeue the word of the Gospell surely and without all doubt. Why doest thou doubt? why doest thou wauer? this is that God should not altoge­ther be, this is to offend Christ the Master of beléeuers, with y ^e sin of incredulity, this is, for him that is placed in the Church, not to haue faith in the house of faith. Attend moreouer to the infallibility of the promised hearing. God hath promised euen with an oath put thereto, that he wil heare our prayers, & that whatsoeuer we aske ac­cording to his will shall be giuen vnto vs: [Page 68] Verily, verily, I say vnto you, saith Christ, whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name, Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 hee will giue vnto you. If two of you shall consent vpon earth on any manner of thing, whatsoeuer they shal aske, it shal be done to them of my Father, which is in heauen. This is the trust which we haue vnto God, 1 Ioh. 5.14 if we aske according to his will, we shal obtaine it. The very same which hath promised hearing, hath cōmanded vs to aske forgi­uenes of sins: therfore what place of doub­ting will there remaine of the remission of sins? how should Christ haue commanded to ioyne to prayer the word Amen, if hee would haue had vs to doubt of hearing?

To conclude, attend to the property of true faith, as by which we haue accesse vn­to that grace wherein we stand, and glory of the hope of glory, Heb. 4.16. promised of God, through which wee come with trust vnto the throne of grace, that wee may attaine mercy, and finde grace, through which we are kept by the power of God vnto salua­tion, 1 Pet. 1.5. through which we know that we are translated from death to life: 1 Ioh. 3.14 through which wee are most certainly perswaded, that neither death, Rom. 8.38 nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, vers. 39. nor things to come, neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature, can se­parate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. August. in Psal. 148. Weighing all these things, let thy frailtie lift it selfe vp, let it not despaire, let it not bruise it selfe, let it not turne it selfe away. Christ hath promised thée, that thou shalt bee there [Page 69] where hée is. What hath God promised vnto thée O mortall man? that thou shalt liue for euer. Doest thou not beléeue? be­léeue, beléeue, it is more now which hée hath done, then what he hath promised: What hath he done? he hath died for thée: What hath he promised? that thou shalt liue with him: it is more incredible that the eternal hath died, then that the mortal can liue for eternitie. Now thou holdest that which is more incredible, why doest thou doubt of that which remaines? God hath promised thée heauen, he hath giuen thée his Son, which is a greater gift then hea­uen and earth.

The Tempted.

TRuly I doe nothing doubt, but that by my Mediator Christ, there lyes open to me ac­cesse to GOD; I surely trust that I am in the grace of God, yet I cannot but doubt of perse­uerance. Matth. 10.22. cap. 24. v. 46. I know that it is perseuerance alone that is crowned, I heare that they onely, which shall perseuere to the end shall be saued. Not to haue begun well, but to goe through well is the part of vertue. Aug. Ser. 8 ad frat. in Erem. Hie­ro. in Epist. ad furiam. Theol. myst. Harp. c. 34. Neither is the beginning but the end required in Christians. Iudas began well, but he ended ill; Paul began ill, but hee ended well. Without perseuerance neither he that fighteth obtaineth victory, nor the Con­querour the palme. I heare the ouer-seer and appointer of our masteries crying: hold that which thou hast, least another take thy crown. I heare and I feare, I feare and I doubt: Apoc. 3.12 I doubt and I cast away the confidence of my heart.

The Comforter.

Bern. Serm. 3. de sep. frag. miser. Col. 183.COnsider thrée things [...]n which thy whole hope doth consist, the charity of the adoption, the truth of the promise, the power of performance. Now let thy foolish thought murmure as much as it will, saying? who art thou, and how great is that glory, or by what merits hopest thou to obtaine it? and doe thou answere confidently: I know whom I haue belée­ued, and I am sure that in the aboun­dance of his charitie he hath adopted me, that he is true in his promise, that hée is powerfull in performance. This is the thrée-fold cord, which is not easily bro­ken, which I pray thée, that thou holde firmely fast, being let downe to thée out of our Country, euen into this dungeon, that it may lift thée vp, that it may draw thée euen to the beholding and sight of the glo­rie of the great God. This is the most firme Anker of thy hope, these are those thrée pillars on which thou mayest relie against the flouds & stormes of doubtings, that is to say, the good will of God adop­ting, his sure faithfulnesse promising, and his infinite power to fulfill his promises. The good GOD hath promised good things, Phil. 2.13. hée hath begun to worke a good worke in thée, hée that hath begun will performe it, according to his good liking. The good GOD hath promised good things, 1 Cor. 10.15. he that hath promised is faithfull and true, he will not suffer thée to be temp­ted aboue thy strength, but will giue an [Page 71] issue with the temptation, that thou mayest be able to beare it. 2 Tim. 1.12 The good God hath promised God things, he that hath pro­mised is able to fulfill his promises, Therefore be thou sure that he can kéepe that which is committed vnto him, euen vnto that day of iudgement. Ioh. 10.28 Vers. 29. No man shal snatch the shéepe of Christ out of his hands, the heauenly Father, which hath deliuered them to the Sonne, is greater then all, and no man can snatch them out of the hand of the Father. Ioh. 17.20

Christ the onely high Priest of the new Testament hath askt for all, which were to beléeue on him, through the word, that they may be with him, and may sée the glory that is giuen to him of the hea­uenly Father. 1 Ioh. 5.10 Wherefore séeing thou doest beléeue on Christ, thou hast the te­stimonie of God in thine owne selfe, that Christ hath also askt for thée: how then canst thou doubt that that prayer is heard of the heauenly Father? Ioh. 1.18. Math. 3.17 Heb. 5.7. Should not the Sonne which is in the bosome of the Fa­ther be heard of the Father? Should the Sonne in whom the Father is well plea­sed, be put backe with his prayers? farre be this away, farre be it, nay rather in the dayes of his flesh, offering prayers and supplications with strong crying & teares to his Father, he was heard for the thing that hée feared. Therefore Christ hath askt for thée, hée hath askt and hath ob­tained, that in time to come thou mayest liue with him, partaker of the heauenly glory.

The Tempted.

I Hope truly that I shall be conserued as a faithfull sheepe in the hand of my Shep­heard, yet in the meane time I feare the lying in waite of Satan, 1 Pet. 5.8. which like the infernall Li­on compasseth, seeking whom hee may de­uoure; I feare his strength, seeing he is an ene­mie, in boldnesse most readie, in strength most strong, in sleights most cunning, in diligence and swiftnesse infatigable, most full of all de­uices, most quicke and nimble in the know­ledge of fighting: how shall I be able to take heede of his snares, and to escape his strength? Sometimes hee doth impugne and perse­cute me openly and violently, sometimes hid­denly and fraudulently, but alwaies maliti­ously and cruelly.

The Comforter.

Ioh. 10.28 NO man (saith Christ) shall snatch my sheepe out of my hands: therefore nei­ther that infernall Wolfe, although hée be euery way furnished with sleights and strength. Ioh. 14.29 The Prince of this world came, and he had not any thing in Christ: therefore neither in them, which are by faith in Christ, and in whose hearts Christ dwelleth by faith, Eph. 3.17. shall hée haue any thing at all. It is Christ, which fighteth for thée, and in thée, beléeue, be­léeue, the Diuell shall not be stronger then he. Math. 4.2. Christ was tempted of the Di­uell, and ouercame him valiantly, the [Page 73] victorie of the Lord is the triumph of the seruants. Heb. 2.14. By his death Christ hath de­stroyed him which had the power of death, that is, the Diuell: hée hath spoiled the Principalities, and hath made a shew of the powers, openly, confidently, Col. 2.15. triumph­ing ouer them in himselfe: as it were an heauenly Dauid, he hath ouercome the in­fernall Goliah, with the sword of the Crosse: this fight of Christ, this victorie is healthfull to the whole Church, where­of this is the Song of conquest and tri­umphant verse. Apoc. 12.10. Now is there made sal­uation and strength, and the Kingdome of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, which did accuse them, before the sight of our GOD, day and night. Vers. 11. And they haue ouercome him by the blood of the Lambe, and by the word of their testi­monie. Iac. 4.7. Therefore let all the assurance of thy trust, and boasting of thy hope, be in this victorie of Christ. Resist the Diuell in the power of Christ, and hée will flye away from thée: Ber. in me­ditatio de­uotis. c. 14. Col. 1205. As often as thou resist­est, thou ouercommest the Diuell, thou makest glad the Angels, thou glorifiest God; for he exhorts thée to fight, he helps thée to ouercome he beholds thée striuing in the battaile, he lifts thée vp when thou doest faint, hée crownes thée when thou doest ouercome: Gregor. Nyssen. li. de Beatit. p. 68. Eph. 6.10. hée is the Chiefetaine and Gouernour of those that striue, and the Crowne of those that doe triumph. Be thou strengthened therefore in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [Page 74] Put on the whole Armour of God, Vers. 11. Vers. 12. Vers. 13. Vers. 14. Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Vers. 17. that thou mayest be able to stand against the assaults of the Diuell. For thou wrastlest not against flesh and bloud, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly gouernours, the Princes of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses, which are in high places. For this cause take vnto thée the whole armour of GOD, that thou mayest be able to resist in the euill day, and hauing finished all things, stand fast, Stand therefore and thy loines girded a­bout with verity, & hauing on the breast­plate of righteousnesse, and thy féete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace. Aboue all things take the shield of faith, wherewith thou mayest quench all the fierie darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of saluation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. In this armour come forth to the single fight, and thou shalt returne most surely conquerour; Christ hath fought and ouercome for thée, he will fight and ouercome in thée, he will put vpon thée the crowne of glory.

The Tempted.

BVt how many Souldiers of Christ could I reckon, which being circumuented by the craft of the Diuell, haue returned out of this battell not Conquerours, but conquered? How many could I number which haue be­gun wel, but afterwards haue falne again from the grace of God, and the reward of eternall [Page 75] life? I feare therefore the hidden counsels of God; and considering his secret iudgements, I doe wholly tremble in soule and boby.

The Comforter.

TRuly thou doest well, Phil. 2.12. that thou work­est out thy saluation with feare and trembling, in acknowledging the infirmi­tie of thy flesh, and the power of Satan that layes waite for thée, as also by be­holding narrowly the examples of those, which sliding into sinnes, haue fallen from saluation; yet take héede, that thou doe not so obserue thine owne infirmitie and other mens falles, and backe-sliding, that thou doe not with-all haue respect to Gods mercy and power to hold thée vp, and make thée to stand: I will shew thée therefore what thou shalt doe. Be thou sure in the spirit of the gift of perseue­rance, and the reward of eternall life, that notwithstanding thou become not there­by carnally secure. The infallible promi­ses of God doe frée thée from doubting: the exhortations and comminations of God doe free thée from carnall securitie. There is securitie no where in this life, but in the hope of the promises of God a­lone. August. in Psal 94. Id. 2. de bo­no perseuer. c. 13. In this life which wholy is a ten­tation vpon earth, he that séemes to stand, let him take héede, least he fall: therefore those that will not perseuere, are mingled by the most prouident counsell of God with those which shall perseuere, that we may learne to be not loftily wise, but agrée­ing with the humble, and worke out our [Page 76] saluation with feare & trembling. There­fore with one eye of thine heart behold the mercie of God, but with the other the iu­stice of God: out of the faithfull beholding of the mercy of God, let there arise in thine heart the confidence of perseuerance; out of the feare of the iustice of God, let there arise in it the flight of carnall security. Let the feare of God wound thy flesh, least the loue of sinfull flesh deceiue thée. Psa. 147.11 The de­light of the Lord is in them that feare him, and hope in his mercy. Let the inward man hope and trust, let the outward man feare and tremble.

The Tempted.

THey alone doe perseuere and receiue the Crowne of perseuerance, which are written in the Booke of life. But how may I know that I am written in that Booke?

The Comforter.

Apoc. 13.8 cap. 21.27.THat Booke of life is Christ, from whence it is called the Booke of life of the Lambe. The writing into this Booke of life is nothing else but the election of the beléeuers in Christ to eternal life. Eph. 1.5. Apoc. 17.8 For euen as the faithfull are said to be chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid, so their names are said to be written in the booke of life, from the be­ginning of the world. Therefore we must iudge as of election, so also of the wri­ting into the Booke of life, not from that [Page 77] which goeth before, but from that which followeth after. Bern. Serm. 1. Septuag. There are manifest signes and tokens of saluation giuen, so that it is without all doubt that he is of the number of the chosen in whom those signes shall remaine. For as many as are elected from eternity to life, they doe heare the word of saluation in time, they beléeue on Christ, they shew forth the fruits of the spirit, they perseuere in faith. 1 Ioh. 5.10 He therefore which be­léeues on the Son, hath the testimonie of God in himselfe, for the holy Ghost doth testifie in the heart of beléeuers, that they are the Sons of God, Rom. 8.16. and written into the Booke of life. Those whom God hath pre­destinated from eternitie, Luk. 10.20 Rom. 8.29 & whose names he hath written in heauen, those doth he call in time by the word, & iustifie by true faith on Christ; that faith shewes it selfe forth by true inuocation of God, by pati­ence in the Crosse, by the study of holines. Therfore let the holy & wholsome medita­tion of election and the Booke of life, begin from the wounds of Christ hanging on the Crosse, hée that beléeues on him, and perseueres in faith, is iustified and written into the Booke of the liuing. Rom. 10.9 Hast thou not béene receiued by Baptisme into the couenant of grace, washed with the blood of Christ from thy sinnes, regenerated and renued by the holy Ghost? This is an euident signe, that thou art written into the booke of life. Gal. 3.26.27. For we are all the Sons of God by faith, séeing as many as are baptised haue put on Christ. How com­meth it to passe that falling into sinne, [Page 78] out of infirmitie after Baptisme thou hast not béene bruised? Sauanar. in Psal. 31. who hath put vnder his hand? who hath receiued thée againe into grace? who but the Lord? This is a great signe of thine election, the elect when he shall fall shall not be bruised. God hath written not the Tables of the destinies, or the decrees of Rhadamantus, but the Booke of life, when he chose vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide. Therefore séeke in Christ, by faith, the e­lection of thée to life, and writing of thée into the Booke of life: walke by faith, that thou mayest come to predestination. Ex Aug. Lom. 6.1. sent. dist. 41. D. They which rashly, and without the limits of the word doe search the depth of God, are plunged at length ouer head and eares in­to the déepe.

The Tempted.

IT is good for mee to cleane vnto Christ, I will not let him depart out of my heart be­fore hee blesse mee. I haue decreed with true faith to perseuere in Christ, that it may be my lot to raigne together with him. In the meane time I confesse that I am not yet free from all terrour of death, neither doe I feele so great strength and helpe of the Spirit, that with the Apostle I desire ardently to be dis­solued.

The Comforter.

INdéede this is the infirmitie of our flesh, and propertie of our corrupt na­ture [Page 79] that we are more desirous of this life fading, then of the life to come that is not flitting: Hence comes that feare and ter­rour of death, which that thou mayest ouercome by the power of the spirit, and mayest grow in the strength of the inner man, waigh those things diligently, which I shall propose vnto thée out of the store­house of the heauenly truth. First, Math. 10.30. Iob. 14.5. it is certaine that euen the haires of our heads are vnder an account with God, the num­ber of our moneths is appointed of him, he hath set vs downe a bound, which wée can by no meanes passe, a [...] our dayes were written in his Booke, Psa. 139.5. before any one of them was. Therefore good reason thou shouldest rest thy selfe in this fatherly will of God; of his grace he gaue thée life, hée brought thée forth wonderfully out of the close places of thy Mothers belly, as long as he would haue thée to be in life, he hath kept thée safe and sound from a thousand dangers; hée doth now aske againe the soule, which heretofore he hath giuen thée, surely he doth not take away that which is thine, but he askes againe that which is his owne; now what action can there lie against him, which askes for that againe which he hath lent? Furthermore, the soule which hée doth require of thée, hée doth translate into the ioyes of the heauenly Paradise, and wil restore the same againe to the body in the time to come, adorned with greater glory; and with more shining gifts. That body which is reposed into the Chamber of the graue, shall in time [Page 80] to come be a farre more glorious, worthy, and precious habitation for thy soule. 1 Cor. 15.42. Vers. 43. Vers. 44. It is sowen in corruption, it riseth againe in incorruption. It is sowen in dishonour, it shall rise againe in glory. It is sowen in weaknesse, it shall rise againe in power▪ It is sowen a naturall body, & it shall ris [...] againe a spirituall body. Therefore com­mend humbly and readily thy soule created of God, redéemed of his Son, and made the habitation of the holy Ghost, into the faithfull hands of God, as it were a cer­taine pledge, saying with Dauid and Ste­phen, nay, rather with Christ thy head: Into thy hands I commend my spirit, Psa. 31.6. Act. 7.59. Luk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed mee, O God of truth. Note this also that in the very agonie of death thou mayest most surely promise to thy selfe the presence and helpe of God; for séeing thou doest embrace Christ thy Me­diatour with a true faith, being most cer­tainely perswaded, that with his death he hath ouercome thine, and hath restored vnto thée righteousnesse and immortall life by his resurrection, Rom. 5.1. therefore iustified by this faith, thou hast peace with God, and thou mayest be raised vp in the midst of death by the helpe of thy heauenly Fa­ther, Iob. 13.15. Psa. 91.15. that thou mayest say with Iob: Al­though the Lord shall kill me, yet will I trust in him. I am with him in trouble, saith the Lord, I will deliuer him, and I will glorifie him; with length of dayes will I fill him, and shew him my saluation. Rom. 8.39 From this loue of God, neither life, nor death, neither any crea­ture shall be able to separate or to pull thee [Page 81] away, séeing it is in Iesus Christ, which is a king eternall, and our Sauiour for euer. The accusation of the law makes the shape of death terrible, that I say, and the deformitie of sinne, 1 Cor. 15.55. and the tentation of being euerlastingly cast away, séeing the sting of death is sinne, the strength of sinne is the law: but call to thy memory the consolation which is before opposed to these monsters, and all that outward hope of death, terrible to be beheld, will vanish, and will be changed into a most pleasant sléepe.

The Tempted.

BY sinne death hath entred into the world, and is the due wages of sinne, how there­fore should I not be sore afraid of death?

The Comforter.

TRuly, death in it selfe, and by it selfe, is the wages of sinne, and the reuenging scourge of the angry God, but to those that beléeue in Christ it is changed into a most swéet sléepe. For although the regenerate and those that beléeue in Christ, doe as yet carry about the reliques of sinne in their flesh, from whence also their body is dead, Rom. 8.10 that is to say, subiect to death for the sinne that dwels in it, yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse, that is, because they are iustified from sins by true saith in Christ, and resist the lusts of the flesh through the spirit, therefore that sinne which yet re­maines [Page 82] in the flesh is not imputed vnto them, Gregor. Nyssen. in orat. de mort. but is couered with the shadow of the grace of God: therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soule doth not dye in them, but doth rather beginne, to which death is constrained, as it were, to doe the office of a Midwife. Thence flow those most swéet appellations by which the holy Ghost, which is the spirit of truth, doth describe the death of the godly: for they which before the eyes of fooles doe séeme, and of them are sayd to dye, the holy Ghost sayth, Gen. 25.8. Cap. 35.29. Cap. 49.33 Tertull. lib. de patient. p. 12. Cyprian. de mortal. p. [...]4. Chry. hom. 45. in Gen. Col. 375. Hilar in Psal. 140. Ambr. de boum. ort. cap. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 that they are gathered or con­gregated to their people, that is, to the company of the blessed and triumphing Church in Heauen, to come to those which haue deceased before them in the true faith, or rather haue gone before them. It is but the taking of a iourney, which we thinke to be death, it is not an end, but a passage; it is not so much an emigration, as a transmigration from worse things to bet­ter, a taking away of the soule, and a most blessed carrying of it from place to place, not an abolishing, for the soule is taken away and transposed into a place of rest, it is not kild vp. It is a passage and as­cension to the true life. It is an outgoing, because by it the godly passe out of the sla­uery of sinne to true libertie, euen as here­tofore the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt into the promised Land.

Ioh. 5 24. Esa. 57.2.The godly are said by death to come to peace, and to rest in their chambers, that is, because they come out of that daily warfare vpon earth to a place of peace: [Page 83] out of the most troublesome sea of this life to the hauen: out of the most laborious prison of this life to a place of rest: Phil. 1.23. they are said to be loosed & to come to Christ: sée­ing they are led out of the Inne of this pre­sent life, to the heauenly Countrie, and out of the dregs of wicked men, to the most blessed societie of Christ in Heauen: they are loosed by death out of the bands of the body: for euen as the Cattell when they haue discharged the labours of the whole day, at last about the euening are set frée, and euen as they which are bound in pri­son, are loosed of their fetters: so the god­ly are ledde forth by death from the sayd yoake of the labours and sorrowes of this life, and out of the filthy prison of sinne, Heb. 11.5. 2 Cor. 5.8. and by a most swéet translation are carried to a better life. They are sayd to go forth of the land of their pilgrimage by the dis­solution of the tabernacle of their body, and to be present with the Lord, and that because they come out of the ruinous ha­bitation of the world to the heauenly pal­lace, out of an house of clay to a citty made without hands, eternall in the heauens, out of the tabernacle of an earthly body, to the heauenly Ierusalem, and the most bles­sed society of Christ abiding therein.

It is his property therefore to feare death, which would not goe to Christ: Cypr. seru [...]. demortal. pa. 208. It is his property not to be willing to goe to Christ, which doth not beléeue to be­ginne to raigne with Christ. They are sayd to rest from their labours, for not the man, but the misery of a godly man dieth. [Page 84] If this life be full of burden, Caeciliae vox. Ambros. de bono mortis. cap. 2. 1 Cor. 15.38. then the end is the ease therof: but death is a good ease, but death is an end, death therfore is good. They are sayd to be sowed into the earth, or field of the Lord by death and buriall, séeing the bodies of the godly, as it were, precious graines of Wheat shall againe bud forth hereafter to life.

The bones of the godly shall bud forth and flourish in the time to come, Esa. 66.14. 2 Reg. 7.12 Esa. 26.20. Dan. 12.2. Matt. 9.24. Ioh. 11.11 1 Cor. 15.6. 1 Thessal. 4.13. when the spring of the life eternall shall beginne: finally, they are said to slumber and to sléep a certaine swéet sléep, for euen as in sléepe we rest from labour, wee gather our deie­cted strength, the soule in the meane time exercising her operations: so by death being lead to rest from all the labours and sorrowes of this life, wee gather new strength of minde and body, to execute those workes more readily and perfectly, to which we were in the beginning created [Page 85] and redéemed by Christ, the soule in the meane time liuing and reioycing in Hea­uen. Euen as in sléepe wee doe not care what is done about vs, neither are wee troubled with the troubles of humane bu­sinesses: so they that are godlily dead in the Lord doe rest from all care and trouble, neither are they further subiect to the euils of this life. Euen as we are againe raised vp out of sléepe, so death shall not be a per­petuall sleepe, but the houre will come, in which wee shall heare the voyce of Christ calling vs out of the graue, and wee shall come forth againe to life. August. ser. 44. de ver. Dom. No man doth so easily raise vp one that lyes vpon his bed, as Christ the dead out of his graue. Out of al which it clearely appeareth how truely the Apostle hath called the death of the godly aduantage, Phil. 1.21. séeing it is aduan­tage to haue escaped the increase of sinne: it is aduantage to haue auoyded worse things: it is aduantage to passe to better. The death of the godly is precious in the sight of the Lord, Psa. 116.15. and to them it is good for rest, better for securitie, best of all for blessednesse.

The Tempted.

I Feare not death but the sorrowes of death; for I haue often seene the eyes of dying men waxing dimme, their eares waxing deafe, their tongue waxing stiffe: I haue seene the sweat and anxitie, the horror and nakednesse of men that dye: I haue oftentimes heard the how­ling [Page 86] and complaint of the soule, compelled to goe forth of the house of the body.

The Comforter.

THose that beléeue in Christ are kept from those sorrowes of death, or sure­ly the sorrowes are mittigated vnto them. Christ hath taken vpon himselfe that which was most bitter in our death, that is to say, the sense and féeling of the wrath of God: Exod. 15.25. Iohn 5 51. let vs cast the wood of the Crosse, on which Christ dyed for vs, into our death, and behold, it will be vnto vs a pleasant sléepe. Verely, verely, I say vnto you, saith Christ, if any man keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer: that is to say, he shall not onely not sée eternal death, but also neither that cruell and horrible shape of temporall death. And if so bee some small taste of bitternesse be offered vnto vs out of the cup of death, what and how little is that in respect of that brooke, of which Christ dranke for vs in the way of this life? Psal. 110.7. how little is that smal draught to be estéemed in respect of that cup, which the heauenly Father hath offered vnto Christ to be drunke vp wholy in our stéed? Mat. 26.42. Our death is as it were a certaine medici­nable purgation of the soule & of the body, The say­ing of Me­thodius. séeing by it the poyson of sin is as it were, purged out of our flesh, what maruell is it, if some Aloes be mixt with this pur­gation? Our death is the midwife to eter­nall life, what maruaile is it if the same happen vnto vs, which happens to an in­fant borne into the world out of the narrow [Page 87] places of his Mothers wombe, which must in part beare the sorrowes of trauel. There is no birth without all griefe: that sharpe fit will endure but a short moment, and behold the day of our deeth will be the birth-day of eternall life. Narrow is that gate which leades vs to life, what maruell is it if we féele some trouble in the going out thereof? Mich. 2.13 Christ is our Cap­taine, and hée that hath broken vp the way for vs, he layes open the iourney be­fore vs, we must cleaue vnto him by true faith, that we may passe through the gate of death together with him, and finde the way to eternall life, knowne vnto him. Sinne doth as yet dwell in our flesh, Psa. 16.11 what maruell is it, if for the remainder of sinne wée are constrained to suffer some sor­rowes of death? Rom. 5.1. Eph. 2.14. In the meane time our conscience hath peace in Christ, which is our true peace, which rising againe from the dead, hath brought to vs the gift of peace. There remaines no dart to Death, by which it may wound our soule, it fa­stens his téeth in our héele, but the poison is taken away from it of Christ, that it cannot powre it into vs, together with the téeth that it hath fastned.

The Tempted.

ME thinkes I am called backe too timely out of this life, Psal. 102.25. Psa. 58.23. God snatcheth mee away in the midst of my dayes, I feare therefore least this be a signe of the wrath of God, see­ing [Page 88] it is written: men of bloud and deceipt shall not liue out halfe their dayes.

The Comforter.

NOthing is too timely with GOD, which is ripe. Long life truly is the gift of God, yet short life is not alwayes a token of the wrath of GOD, séeing GOD sometimes also commands the godly, and those that are beloued of him to depart timely out of the house of this world, that being fréed from the danger of sinning, they may be set into the secu­ritie of not sinning, neither be constrained to haue experience of publike calamities oft-times more grieuous then death it selfe. Esa. 26.20. The people of GOD goeth, and enter into their Chambers, they shall shut the dores vpon them, they are hid­den for a moment, till the indignation passe away. Esa. 57.1. The iust man perisheth, and there is no man that considereth in his heart: the mercifull men are taken away, and there is none which doth vnderstand. Vers. 2. The iust man is taken away from the face of euill: peace shall come vnto him, hee that walkes vprightly, Sap 4.7. shall rest in his Chamber. The iust man although hee be preuented by death, shall be in refreshing: Vers. 8. For reuerend olde age stands not in the length of dayes, neyther is it reckoned in the number of yeeres. Vers. 9. The vnderstanding of a man is his gray haires, and olde age is the vndefiled life. Vers. 10. Hee plea­sed GOD, and vvas beloued, and liuing amongst sinners, hee vvas translated. Hee [Page 89] was taken away least vvickednesse should change his vnderstanding, Vers. 11. and least fayning should deceiue his soule. Vers. 12. For vvickednesse by bewitching obscureth the things that are good, and the vnstedfastnesse of concupi­scence peruerteth the simple minde. Vers. 13. Though hee was soone dead, yet fulfilled hee much time, for his soule pleased GOD, Vers. 14. there­fore hasted hee to take him away from wic­kednesse.

Therefore the godly man dies well, whether he die in a good age, or in the first flower of his youth. Sph. Phi­los c. 36. p. 411. What other thing is our life, but strife? What is our car­kasse, but a graue? What is our bodie, but bonds? What is our generation, but a thrusting forth into the earth? Wilt thou take it in euill part that thou art timely fréed from these euils and bonds? By how much the more timely the hea­uenly Generall doth call thée backe out of the station of this life, by so much the soo­ner doth he place thée into a place of rest, peace and victory.

The Tempted.

I Might in my place by mine endeauour, such as it is for the time to come further profit the Church of God, for this end therefore I could wish, that the space of a longer life might be granted vnto me.

The Comforter.

ALL this must be commended to Gods disposing, that is, how long God will haue thée to remaine in health and life for the Ministerie of his Church. The words of Ambrose at his death, as mentions Posidon, in the life of August. C. 27. Phil. 1.23. Say there­fore with that old Doctor of the Church, and well-deseruing Bishop. I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue a­mongst you, neither yet doe I feare to die because wée haue a good Lord. Hée that hath furnished thée with the gifts of tea­ching for the profit of his Church, knowes also to furnish others with the same. Therefore if thou art straightned with the Apostle, that thou knowest not which of these two thou shouldest chuse: hauing a desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ, which is better for thée, or to a­bide in the flesh, which is more profitable for the Church; know that to die is ad­uantage to thée, but to liue is profit to the Church. Rom. 14.7 No man of vs liueth to himselfe, and no man dieth to himselfe. For whether we liue, we liue to the Lord, (to the end that we may gaine more soules to him in the Church) or whether we dye, we dye [Page 91] to the Lord (that we may obey his father­ly will, calling vs out of our station) whe­ther therefore we liue, or whether we dye, we are the Lords (that most gentle and mightie Lord, Vers. 8. from whose loue neither life nor death can separate vs. Thou hast hitherto obeyed the will of the Lord, most faithfully spending thy seruices on the Church; obey him further, most readily embracing his will that calls thée to the societie of the Church triumphant. Thou art rightly carefull out of charitie for the encrease of the Church, notwithstanding thou oughtest out of faith to commit the care of gouerning and conseruing the Church to God. There is nothing here more wholsome, nothing better, nothing more conformable to pietie then for a man to resigne himselfe wholly to the will of God, and to commend the full power of disposing of our life & death to him with godly prayers. Bern. in meditat de votiss. c. 6. Col. 1196. Psa. 37.5. One of these two things we may vndoubtedly hope for, either hée will giue vs that which we aske, or that which he knoweth to be more profitable. Commend thy way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will doe it.

The Tempted.

I Feare least that I haue made my life shorter by my sinnes, how then can I hope for the presence and helpe of God in death? they [Page 92] that are guiltie of their owne death, shall not finde a better life after death.

The Comforter.

AYe, but that is to be vnderstoode of them which out of impatience lay vi­olent hands vpon themselues, and compell their soule to goe out of the house of their body against the will of GOD, farre be such a purpose from thy pietie; August. 1. de ciu. Dei. [...].26. for it is lawfull for no man to bring vpon him­selfe voluntarie death, as it were desiring to escape temporall troubles, least he fall into the euerlasting; this is lawfull for no man for other mens sinnes, least he be­gin to haue this most heauie sinne his owne, whom other mens sinnes did not pollute: this is lawfull for no man for sinnes past, for which he hath more néede of this life, that by repentance they may be healed: this is lawfull for no man for the desire of a better life, which is expected after death, because they that are guiltie of their owne death, shall not finde a bet­ter life after death. But if thy minde be troubled with those thoughts, that thou hast made thy life shorter by immoderate vse of meate or drinke, or by any other disorder, bewaile this with earnest sighes, and place all thy trust on Christes me­rit, conceiuing firmely a purpose of a bet­ter life, and GOD will be mercifull to thine iniquities, which hath promised pardon of all their offences to them that truly repent. Manasses a man of bloud had broken off the thread of his life, yet ear­nestly [Page 93] repenting he hath obtained the glo­rie of the eternall life. Luk. 23.41 The Thiefe on the Crosse had receiued things worthie of his doing, yet being earnestly conuer­ted vnto God, hée entred into Paradise with Christ. Gen. 3.15. And had not our first Pa­rents drawne death vpon themselues and all their posteritie, neuerthelesse embra­cing that Euangelicall promise of the bruiser of the Serpents head, they were lifted vp againe by quickning consolati­on. The word of Ambrose to Theodo­sius the Emperour. Wherefore if thou hast followed these in their sinnes, follow them also re­penting with teares. The hand of God is not yet shortned, neither hath his mer­cie failed in the number of yéeres: the gate of indulgence is not yet shalte, sée­ing there is yet graunted a time of repen­tance.

The Tempted.

I Could wish that I might yet enioy a more lasting vse of this life, and the profits thereof. I could wish that I might possesse yet longer the blessings of God granted vnto me in this life.

The Comforter.

TAke héede that thou doe not make it manifest by the inordinate loue of this life, that thou doest not truly loue the chiefest good. Anselm. de mensura crucis lit. E. So doe we owe our whole heart to the loue of God, that whatsoeuer is giuen thereof to another, is with­drawne [Page 94] from God. Hée loues God the lesse which loues any thing with him, which he loues not for him. Thy heart is a vessell, but it is full of the loue of the world, therefore there is no place for the true loue of God to enter: powre out the loue of the world, that the loue of God may enter. What doth this present life so much delight thée, which is wholly a dangerous and hard warfare? What o­ther thing is it to liue long, then long to be tormented, Cypria. Serm. de mortal. pag. 215. and long to sinne? If in the house of thy dwelling, the walles should shake for age, the roofe aboue thée tremble, the house being now wearied, and faint­ing vnder the buildings that slide downe with age, should threaten a ruine néere at hand, wouldest thou not goe forth with all hast? If while thou wert sayling, a trou­blesome and stormie tempest, the waues being raised vp by the force of the winde, should fore-shew shipwracke to come, wouldest thou not make toward the hauen with all hast? Behold, the world shakes and slides away, and testifies the ruine of it selfe, not now by the olde age, but by the end of things, and doest not thou giue God thankes, doest thou not reioyce on thine owne behalfe, that being taken away with a more timely end, thou art saued from ruines, shipwrackes, and imminent plagues? Ambros. in ca [...] 8. ad Rom. Euen as the Sea stirred vp by contrarie stormes doth rise, and maketh a tempest to those that saile: so the world being stirred by the conspiracie of the trea­cherous, doth trouble the mindes of the [Page 95] faithfull, and the enemie deales so per­uersely, that wée are ignorant what wée should first shunne. For if power doth cease to be against vs, he stirres the mindes of priuate men; If these be appeased, hée blowes vp a combustion by those of our owne house. And if this also be allayed, by his cunning he makes discord betwéene brethren themselues, so that the house be­ing shaken at the foure corners, one some part begins to fall: wherefore with one consent Christians must flye hence. For they ought to follow the example of the holy man, Simeon. which knowing that they doe here wage warre against treacherie, re­quired that hée might be let to depart in peace. Surely this life appeares to be a pretious Nut outwardly, but if it be ope­ned with the knife of truth, there will be found nothing in it, but vanitie and emp­tinesse. If there be any good in this life, that is eminently, nay incomparably bet­ter in that other. That is in faith, this in fight; that in the time of peregrination, this in the eternity of mansion: that is in labour, this is in rest: that is in the way, this in the Countrey: August. trac. vlt. in Ioh. that is in the worke of action, this in the reward of contemplation: that declines from euill, and doth good, this hath none euill from which it may decline, & it hath great good, which it may enioy: that fights with the enemie, this raignes without an enemie: that is valiant in aduersity, this feeles no aduersitie: that bridles carnall lusts, this spends the time in spirituall delights: [Page 96] that is troubled with the care of ouer­comming, this is secure in the peace of victorie: that is helped in tentations, this without any tentation reioyceth in the helper himselfe: that helpes the néedie, this is there where it findes none néedie: that forgiues other mens sinnes, that her owne may be pardoned vnto her, this neither suffers that which shée may for­giue, nor doth that which she may require to be forgiuen vnto her: That is scour­ged with euils, least it should be lifted vp with prosperitie, this in so great fulnesse of grace wants all euill, that without any tentation of pride it may cleaue to the chiefest good: That discernes good and euill, this sées those things which are onely good. Chuse therefore which is to be preferd before other. Lay aside the in­ordinate desire of the fading life, least thou léese the inheritance of the abiding. So hold those things which are of this world, that notwithstanding thou be not held by them: Let the earthly substance be possest of thée, but let it not possesse thée: Let that which thou hast be vnder the dominion of thy minde, least thy minde, while it is ouercome with the loue of earthly, be it selfe more possessed of the things themselues. Cypria. Serm. de morta. Why doest thou not make hast to better things? Now hea­uenly things succéede earthly, and great things the small, and eternall things the perishing.

The Tempted.

I Must leaue my most sweet children; I must leaue my most faithfull wife; I must leaue my most pleasant kinsfolkes; who shall pro­uide for my wife and children? who will be their defender and Patrone?

The Comforter.

IT is God which calles himselfe the Fa­ther of Orphanes, Psa. 68.6. and the defender of widdowes, commend them to his Patro­nage and defence. God which is thy God, Gen 17. will also be the GOD of thy seede. Thy children are not thine onely, but they are also Gods, nay they are more Gods then thine, seeing he hath bestowed more things vpon them, canst thou therefore doubt of the fatherly care of God towards them? The Prophet of the Lord doth testifie, that he hath beene young, and also olde, Psa. 37.25 yet neuer did he see the righteous forsaken, or his seed to begge their bread. Psa. 112.2 The generation of the righteous shall be blessed at length. God hath promised to thy children the heauenly treasures, hée will not suffer them, beléeue mée, to perish for hunger. Hée hath giuen them life, he wil not deny them the mainte­nance of life: he hath giuen thē a body, that which he hath wonderfully framed, he wil also kindely sustaine. But take héede, that thou be not so carefull for the bodily safety of thy wife and children, that in the meane [Page 98] time thou neglect the care of thy soule. Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me, saith Christ, and doth not hate his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brothers, and Sisters, yea and his owne soule, he cannot be my Disci­ple: Matth. 10.37. that he expoundeth else-where so: He that loueth Father or Mother more then mee, is not worthy of me: and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me, is not worthie of me. Behold God calles thée by death, take héede thou doe not so loue thy wife and children, that therefore thou refuse to follow God, calling thée, with a readie heart. The loue of the heauenly Father must be preferred before the loue of chil­dren; Ambro. in cap. 12. p. 111. Bern. Serm. 26. in Cant. Col. 569. August. Epist. 6. ad Vid. the loue of our Bridegroome Christ must be set before the loue of wife, the be­nefit must not more be loued then the be­nefactour. What shall I speake of kins­men? if thou leauest those that are deare, thou shalt receiue them héereafter more déere. For wée doe hope on a most faith­full promise, that when we goe out of this life, whence being to depart, we haue not lost, but sent before, some of ours, that are departed: we shall come to that life, where by how much they shall be better knowne of vs, so much they shall be dearer vnto vs, and without the feare of any dissen­sion, amiable. If thy kinsmen be déere vnto thée, let Christ be déerer, which is thy brother. If it be a pleasant thing to be here conuersant with thy kinsmen, Heb. 12.22 let it be more pleasant vnto thee, that thou commest to the mount Sion, [...]er. 23. and Citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusa­lem, [Page 99] and to the company of innumerable Angels, and to the congregation of the first borne, which are written in heauen, and to God, the iudge of all, and to the spi­rits of iust and perfect men.

The Tempted.

I Feare lest that my eares waxing deafe in the agony of death, I shall be destituted of all consolation of heart, and too much vexed with the terrours of Satan.

The Comforter.

THe inward comfort of the spirit is of greater force then all outward consola­tions. Rom. 8.16 The holy spirit giues testimonie to our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God: the same spirit doth raise vp our spirit, when wee beginne to wrastle with death, and to be troubled in heart, for he is the true and greatest comforter. Ioh. 15.26 When thine eyes waxe dimme in death, the holy Ghost will giue vnto thée the true illumi­nation of the heart: when thine eares waxe deafe in death, he will giue vnto thée the quickening consolation of the soule. Where mans consolation shall cease, there Gods consalation will begin. Behold the examples of the Martyrs, how prompt and ready they were to the most exquisite punishments: the whéeles séemed to them Roses: the sparkes of fire spirituall brace­lets: [Page 100] the yron chaines, golden crownes, the torments, ornaments, the two edged swords, beames of the heauenly light: who hath wrought this in their hearts, who hath comforted them in sorrowes but the holy Ghost? His consolation is of greater force then the accusation of the whole world; yea, of the prince of the world. What? Doest thou thinke that the holy Ghost doth onely lift vp our hearts in the course of this life, and doth idlely rest in the agony of death? Dost thou thinke that the habitation of the holy Ghost is destroy­ed, Gal. 2.20. when the tabernacle of the body is de­stroyed? Ephes. 3.2. Christ liues in thée, and dwels by faith in thy heart, grace is powred out in his lips, in the fragrancy of this grace, hee will make glad thine heart, Psal. 45 9. although thine hearing perish: his spéech will [...]ierce to thine heart, although the dores of thine eares be shut. Esa. 61.1. The spirit of the Lord is vpon him, the Lord hath annointed him to preach the Gospell to the afflicted, hée hath sent him to binde vp the broken in heart, to preach fréedome to the captiues, and opening of prison to those that are bound. Esa. 50 4. The Lord hath giuen vnto him a learned tongue, that hee may know to comfort & sustaine the afflicted in a season­able time. Cleane to him with firme con­fidence of thy heart, commend thy selfe to him with godly prayers, hee will comfort thée in the seasonable time, he will raise vp thine heart with the word of the Gospell, when the arrowes of death are fastened in it, hee will binde vp thy heart, when the [Page 101] wounds of death are inflicted on it, hée will preach deliuerance to thy heart, when thou art led captiue of death, as it were, a pray, he will preach opening to thy heart, when thou art thrust into the prison of death.

IF Christ hath redeemed vs from death, why must I as yet dye? How shall death be ouer­come by Christ, when hee shewes his daily prayes, as it were the trophees of his victory?

The Comforter.

EVen as Christ hath saued his people from their sinnes, Mat 11.21 not that sinne may no more dwell in their flesh, séeing in this life they remayne solde vnder sinne, but that he may not condemne them for euer­lasting, as being regenerate and belée­uing: so also hee hath redéemed vs from death, Rom. 8.10 not that we should not any more be subiect to temporall death, séeing that our body is dead, or subiect vnto death for sinne, but that wee might be frée from the bands of eternall death. The death of the soule is the true death, from this Christ hath redéemed vs, sustaining the punishment for vs. Swéet Iesus hath also made temporal death it selfe swéet vn­to vs, that it is death in name alone, but in very déed sléep, nay the end of death, and the beginning of true life. Those that are truly godly doe dye daily, 1 Cor. 15.24. by reason of those continuall calamities, by which they [Page 100] [...] [Page 101] [...] [Page 102] are oppressed in this life, therefore their death is the end of death: but by the gate of death they passe to a quiet and eternall life, Ose. 13.14. therefore their death is the beginning of true life.

The death of Christ is the poyson of our death, although therefore this poyson hath not altogether kild our death, for it doth as yet moue it selfe and fastens his dart in our héele, yet this poyson is gone to the heart of death, it will come to passe there­fore, 1 Cor. 15.26 that at length, by the force thereof, it dye: death is that last enemie, whom Ie­sus Christ at length in the last day shall vtterly destroy, Luk. 11.22 and comming vpon this strong armed man with greater strength shall take away powerfully from him all his pray. Death must be beheld with spi­rituall eyes, and it will appeare that his wrath is but vaine, without strength, as being captiuated and ouercome of Christ. It layes snares for the life of the godly, and behold, it brings them to the true life. It attempts to kill their soule and body with his darts, and behold the soule being trée and without hurt of all wound of death, the body alone is wounded, which same also in the time to come shall bee snatcht out of the Iawes of death. It en­deauours to deliuer the godly to eternall death, and behold, it deliuers them to eter­nall life.

The Tempted.

WHatsoeuer it be I see that I must be laid downe into the earth, and be brought to dust. A bed shall be made for my body in the graue; therefore haue I sayd to corrupti­on, Thou art my Father, and to the wormes, Iob 17.14. yee are my Mother and my Sister.

The Comforter.

DOe not regard that dust and ashes in­to which thou art to be brought, but regard that future resurrection out of the dust and ashes, which we expect by faith. If thou hast said with Iob, to corruption that it is thy Father, say with the same, that thy redéemer liueth, Iob 19.25 which in the last day shall raise thée vp againe out of the earth, shall compasse thée about with thy skinne, that in thy flesh thou mayest sée thy God. The sayings of the Scriptures, the moments of arguments, and the ex­amples of those that were raised againe, doe proue this blessed resurrection of our bodies. The sayings of the Scriptures in the olde and new Testament are in a readinesse, in number many, in weight most great, in perspicuitie most cleare. Gen. 4.10 Chap. 25.8 Chap. 35.29. Chap. 49.33. The bloud of Abell doth cry to the Lord, in whose sight as yet he liueth. The Pa­triarches are gathered by death vnto their people, therfore by death they do not cease to be the liuing people of the liuing God. [Page 104] God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Iaacob: Exod. 3.6. now God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing: therefore Abraham, Isaac, Mat. 22.31 and Iaacob, doe liue before God: they liue, I say, in their better part, and their bodies in the time to come shall be called backe againe to life: nay, they are already called backe, Mat. 27.53 séeing that Christ being risen againe, they are risen againe with him. I know (sayth Iob) that my redeemer liueth, Iob 19.25. and in the last day I shall be raised vp againe out of the earth. Esa. 26 19. Thy dead shall liue (sayth Esayas) my slaine shall rise againe. Awake and sing, Esa. 66.14. yee that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dewe of greene hearbs: your bones shall flourish like an hearbe. For this saith the Lord, Ezek. 37.5. of the dry bones: Behold, I will send my spirit into you, and ye shall liue, and I will lay sinewes vpon you, and make flesh growe vpon you, and couer you with skinne, and put breath into you, that ye may liue, and yee shall know that I am the Lord. Dan. 12.2. Many (sayth Daniel) of those which sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to life eternall, others to euerlasting shame. The greatest King of the world (say the sea­uen Martyrs in the Maccabees) will raise vs when we are dead, 2 Mac. 7.9. to eternall life, of God doe we hope that wee shall receiue our mem­bers. Ioh. 5.28. The houre commeth (saith the Truth) in which all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man, vers. 29. and shall come forth, they that haue done good to the resurrection of life, but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement. This is the will of the Father which hath sent me, Ioh 6.39. [Page 105] that of all which he hath giuen me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it vp againe at the last day. Ver. 40.44 But this is the will of my Father which hath sent mee, that euery one which seeth the Son, and beleeueth on him, haue life eternal, Ver. 54. & I wil raise him vp again in the last day. I am the resurrection and the life, he that beleeueth on me, although he were dead, Iohn 11. vers. 25. vers. 26. yet shal he liue, and euery one that liueth and be­leeueth on me shall not dye for euer. I haue hope on God, (saith S. Paul) and I looke for the resurrection to come of the iust & vn­iust. Act. 24.15 This corruptible must put on incorrup­tion, & this mortal must put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15.53. then shall be fulfilled the word which is written, Death is swallowed vp into victo­ry. 2 Cor. 4.14 Wee know that hee that hath raised vp our Lord Iesus, hee also by Iesus will raise vs vp. Our conuersation is in Heauen, Phil. 3 20. from whence also wee looke for our Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ, Vers. 21. which shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious bo­dy, according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe. 1 Thes. 4.14. If we beleeue that Iesus is dead, and risen againe, euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him. Iohn saw the dead, great and small, standing in the sight of God, and the bookes were opened: Apoc. 20.12. and the Sea gaue vp the dead which were in her, and death and hell gaue vp then dead. To these sayings of Scripture written as it were, with a beame of the Sunne, may be ad­ded vnmoueable props of reasons: for so the Apostle concludes, 1 Cor. 15.12. If Christ bee risen againe, we also shall rise againe, teach­ing [Page 106] the resurrection of Christ to be the key of our sepulchres, and the example of our hope. Tertul. de carne. p. 33. 1 Cor. 15.20 Exod. 23.19. Leuit. 23.20. August. 20. de Trinit. cap. 17. Ephes. 2.6. CHRIST is become the first fruits of those that sleepe, sayth the Apostle. As therefore the haruest, by the ordinance of God, did follow the oblati­on of the first fruits: so the haruest of the vniuersall resurrection shall follow the first fruits of the Lords resurrection. Christ is our head, that which hath gone before in the head, shall follow in the members, and hence the Apostle doth confidently pronounce, that we are raised together with Christ, and placed in the glo­rie of the heauenly Paradise. For there is in the man Christ the flesh of euery one of vs, Maximi. in serm. de re­surrect. the bloud and portion. Where therefore our portion raignes, there doe we beléeue to raigne, where our bloud beares rule, wee féele our selues to beare rule, and where our flesh is in glory, wee know that we are glorious. 1 Cor. 15.21. Besides, as by one man, that is to say, the first Adam, came death: so by one man, that is to say, the second Adam, came the resurrection. As in Adam wee dye, so in Christ we rise againe. The fall of Adam was of power to bring in death, shall not the resurre­ction of Christ be able to deserue the rai­sing againe to life?

Christ in his glorious resurrection hath shewed himselfe the conquerour of all his enemies, therefore also of death, which also at length hee shall altogether abolish. Christ is an eternall King, therefore he shall raise the citizens of his [Page 107] kingdome from death, that they may liue with him for euer. Christ hath fréed not onely our soule, but also our body from the yoake of sinne, and hath ordained it to the inheritan [...]e of eternall life, there­fore it must be raised out of the dust, that it may enter into the possession of this life, deserued for it of Christ.

Out of all which it euidently appeares, Theodor. in 1 Cor. 15. tom. 2. pag. 77. 1 Cor. 3.16 that Christ is the suretie and pledge of our resurrection: furthermore, our bo­dies are the temples and houses of the holy Ghost, hee will not suffer this his Temple to lye hidden in the dust and ashes, but will build it vp againe, and make it a great deale more glorious then it was in this life. Hagg. 2.4. Euen as the latter temple at Hierusalem had a greater glory then the former. 1 Reg 6.32. In Salomons temple there were incorruptible palmes, so the bodies of the godly shall not be subiect to eternall corruption, séeing they are the habitations of the eternall spirit. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. This also is somewhat that our bodies are san­ctified by the body and bloud of Christ, in the wholesome vse of the holy supper, how therefore shall they remaine in the graue? how shall the flesh bee sayd to come into corruption, and not to taste of life, which is nourished with the body and bloud of the Lord? Euen as the bread which is of the earth, after the word is added to it, is now no common bread, but the Eu­charist, consisting of two things, an earthly and an heauenly: so our bodies receiuing the Eucharist, are not now [Page 108] corruptible, hauing the hope of the re­surrection.

Ioh. 6.54.Surely, the flesh of CHRIST is quickening food, therefore hee which eateth this flesh hath eternall life, and Christ will raise him againe in the last day. Lactan. lib. 4. institut. cap. 48. Adde that the soule in this life by the body and with the body doth worke eyther good or euill, séeing it is put into the body, therefore the iustice of God re­quires that those which were ioyned to­gether in the worke, be ioyned together in the reward, those that are ioyned to­gether in the fault, be ioyned together in the punishment. Therefore all of vs shall appeare before the iudgement seat of CHRIST, 1 Cor. 15.10. Tertul. in Apol. c. 45. p. 337. that euery one may receiue those things which he hath done in his body, whether they be good or euill. The soules haue not deserued without the flesh, in which they haue done all things: finally, to these vnmoueable props of Arguments may be added the examples of those that haue béene raised vp againe, whom Christ by his owne, the Prophets and Apostles by the pow­er of GOD haue called backe to life, Tertul. de resurrect. p. 44. Lactan. 6. dico. institu. cap. 18. for testimonie of the future resurrection, which these partakers of immortalitie and eternitie doe exhibite vnto vs which are ioyned vnto them in faith and con­fession.

The Tempted.

THe article of the Resurrection of bo­dies doth most strongly oppose nature and humane reason, from whence also the hope of the resurrection is sometimes not a little weakened in my heart by the stormes of diuers cogitations.

The Comforter.

THE foundations of our faith are the oracles of the holy Ghost, not the predicaments of our owne reason. We beléeue the resurrection of the dead, vnder the obedience of this faith wee ought to captiuate all our reason. 2 Cor. 10.5. GOD can doe aboue all things superabundantly more then wee aske or vnderstand. Thinke therefore on him that promiseth, and thou shalt haue him to performe whatsoeuer things GOD sayth, they are not words, but workes. Let vs graunt that GOD can doe something, Ephes. 3.20 Phil. lib. de decal. p. 477 August. Epist. 3. Bern ser. 4. de nat. col. 43. 1 Cor. 15.37 which wee may confesse that wee cannot finde out, in such things all the reason of the deed is the power of the speaker. It will be an easie matter for him, by whom the mother her selfe hath not lost the corruption of flesh by bringing forth, that this corruptible also may put on incorrution by rising againe. It is somewhat also that in nature her selfe diuers representations of the resurrecti­on are set forth vnto vs.

Vers. 38.That which thou sowest is not quicke­ned, vnlesse it first dye: and what sowest thou, Vers. 39. not the body that shall be, but bare Corne, that is to say, of Wheate, or of some other. August. de verb. Apost. serm. 34. But God giueth to it a body after his owne pleasure, and to euery séed his owne body. He therefore which quic­kens the dead and putrified graines of séeds, by which thou mayest liue in this world, will much more raise vp thine owne selfe, that thou mayest liue for euer. The light that daily dies shines forth a­gaine, Tertul. in Apol. c. 45. p. 73 &c. and the darknesse by euen turnes departing, doth returne: the starres that are put out beginne againe to liue: the times beginne where they are ended; the fruits are consumed and doe returne; surely the séedes vnlesse they be corrup­ted and dissolued, doe not arise so fruit­fully: all things are saued by perishing, all things are reformed from death. The day dies into the night, Id lib. de re­surrect. car. pag. 54. and is buried round about with darkenesse, the honour of the World is polluted and all the sub­stance thereof is made blacke. All things are foule, silent, and amazed: euery where there is a vacation, and rest of things: so the light that is lost is mourned for. And yet againe with her attire, with her grace, with the Sunne, the same both sound and whole doth begin to be renued to the whole world, killing her death, the night: opening her graue, the darke­nesse: being heire to her selfe, vntill the night also be renued againe, she likewise with her attire. For the beames of the [Page 111] starres also are againe made to flame, whom the mornings light had extingui­shed. The absence also of the constella­tions is brought backe, which the destin­ction of times had taken away. The mirrours also of the Moone are trimd a new, which the number of the dayes of the moneth had worne out. The Win­ters and Sommers, the Springs, and the Autumnes returne in their season, with their owne strength, manners, fruits, yea the earth is taught of Hea­uen to cloathe Trées, after they are made naked, to giue fresh and new tinctures to the Flowres, to giue the hearbs againe, to bring in the same séedes which are consumed, and not to bring them in be­fore they are consumed.

A wonderfull matter! Of a deceiuer shée is become a sauer: shée snatcheth a­way that she may restore: shée destroyes that shee may kéepe: shée corrupts that shée may make whole: shée first lauishly consumes that afterward shée may make it more. Surely, shée restores things more plentifull and more faire, then those shée did consume. Of a truth, I may say at once, the condition of all things is re­stored againe by death, which is increase, and iniurie which is Vsury, and losse which is gaine. Whatsoeuer thou mée­test with now, hath béene, and whatsoe­uer thou shalt léese, there is nothing but it shall be againe. All things returne in­to their state, when they shall depart. Therefore are they brought to an end [Page 112] that they may be new made. Nothing perisheth but that it may be saued. Ther­fore this whole order of things which is in reuolution, is a witnesse of the re­surrection of the dead. God hath pre­scribed it in his workes before he wrote it in letters: hée hath preached it by his strength, before he vttered it in words. Hée sent Nature before to be thy Mi­stresse, meaning to send Prophecie af­ter: that so much the more easily thou mayest beléeue Prophecie, being the Scholler of Nature: that thou mayest by and by entertaine when thou hearest, that which euery where thou now séest: and not doubt but that GOD will be a raiser againe of thy flesh, All this Tertull. which knowest him to be the restorer of all things. Are such lypes as these to be thought to be set out in vaine in the whole state of things? Is GOD to be iudged weaker then Nature? Nay, looke vpon thy selfe, and know a testimonie of the resurrecti­on in thy selfe. Id in Apo­lo. aduer. gentes. c. 45. p. 737. Remember what thou wert, before thou wast, surely nothing: for thou mightest haue remembred it if thou hadst béene any thing. Thou there­fore which wast nothing before thou hadst thy being: being made nothing, when thou shalt cease to be, why canst thou not be againe of nothing by the wil of the same founder, which would haue thée to be of nothing? What new thing shall happen vnto thée? thou which wert not, wert made: when againe thou shalt not be, thou shalt be made: Render a rea­son [Page 113] if thou canst, which way thou wert made: and then shalt thou demand, which way thou shalt be made: and yet more easily shalt thou be made that which som­time thou hast béene, which wert not hardly made, that which neuer thou hadst béene. Id de resur. carnis p. 54. If God hath made all things out of nothing, he can againe frame the flesh brought to nothing, out of nothing. Surely hée is fit to restore which hath made, how much more is it to haue made, then to haue restored; to haue giuen be­ginning then to haue new framed, so thou mayest beléeue that the restoring of thy flesh is easier then the first making therof.

The Tempted.

I Feare the punishing flames of the fire of Purgatorie after death; Psal. 143.3. for seeing I am compast about with diuers infirmities of sinnes, I feare least God should therefore en­ter with me into his iudgement, and most iustly adiudge me to the flames of Purgatory.

The Comforter.

THose with whom God doth enter into iudgement, that is, which are not in this life reconciled to God, those doth he not adiudge to the fire of Purgato­rie, there to be tormented for a certaine finite time, but to the infernall and not to be quenched fire, there to be broiled for all eternitie. But they which doe ac­knowledge their sinnes seriously, and beléeue truly on Christ, they haue the hand-writing of Christ their Sauiour, [Page 114] that they néed to feare no place of sorrow and torments after death, for so hée sayth: Iohn. 5.24 Verely, verely, I say vnto you, hee which heareth my word, and beleeueth him which hath sent mee, hath life eternall, and commeth not into iudgement, but hath past from death to life. The tables of truth doe acknowledge two rankes of men onely, that is to say, the good and the bad, the penitent and the impenitent, the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing: two re­ceptacles onely after death, August. lib. 3. hypog. Id ser. 8. de verb. Apost. Id. 21. de ciuit. Dei. cap. 25. Id. 1. de pec­cat. merit. & remis. cap. 28. that is to say, of consolation and torment, of reward and payne, of Heauen and Hell: We are vtterly ignorant of, neither doe we finde in the Scriptures, a third kinde of men and places: there are but two dwellings, one in the kingdome euerlasting, the o­ther in the euerlasting fire: therefore is not any place in the midst of these for any where hee may not be in punishment, which shall not be placed in the king­dome, that hee cannot chuse but be with the Deuill, which is not with Christ. Hee that shall beleeue, Mar. 16.16 sayth CHRIST, and be baptized, shall be saued, but hee that doth not beleeue, shall be condemned. Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne is not iudged, Ioh. 3.18. but hee that doth not beleeue is iudged already, because he doth not beleeue on the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God. vers. 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath eternall life, but hee that doth not beleeue on the Sonne shall not see life, but the wrath of God re­maines vpon him. Chap. 5 29 They that haue done good, shall come forth to the resurrection of [Page 115] life, but they that haue done euill to the re­surrection of iudgement. Mat. 25.46 The blessed shall goe into euerlasting life, and the cursed into euerlasting fire. And that this immediate separation of the godly and vngodly is to be made not onely in the last day, but also by and by after death, the example of the rich glutton doth teach vs, Luk. 16.23 whose soule is thrust into Hell, and of the godly Lazarus, whose soule is translated of the Angels into Paradise: the example of the conuerted Théefe doth teach vs, Luk. 23.43 to whom Christ promiseth the ingresse into Paradise, on that very day wherein hée was to dye: Apoc. 14.13. the spirit of Trueth doth teach vs, pronouncing them henceforth blessed that dye in the Lord. There is none other purgation or expiation of sinnes, then in the bloud of Christ, 1 Ioh. 1.7. Esa. 53.5. Rom. 5.1. 1 Iohn 3.14. Sap. 4.1. which washeth vs altogether from all our sins, the chastisement of our peace is vpon him, that he might be peace to vs: there­fore he which beléeues on him is iustified, and hath peace with God, is translated from death to life, neither néed hee feare any torment after death.

The Tempted.

I Feare the rigour and terrour of the last iudgement. Aboue mee will be the seuere iudge, beneath mee gaping Hell, within mee my Conscience gnawing, without me fire burning, on my right hand my sins accusing [Page 116] me, on my left hand the Diuels terrifying me, round about mee the good Angels dri­uing mee to hell, and the euill drawing mee to the same. Satan will accuse me, my sinnes will accuse mee, Bern. in Rithm. my conscience will accuse me. I feare much the countenance of the se­uere Iudge, from whom nothing that is hid­den shall be kept close, neither shall any thing remaine vnreuenged. No man shall be able to escape his power, to deceiue his wisedome, to turne his equitie, or to reuoke his iudgement.

The Comforter.

IF thou beleeuest on the Sonne, thou shalt not be iudged, Ioh. 3.18. that is to say, with that seuere and condemning rigour of iudgement. If thou hearest the word of Christ, Ioh. 5.24. and be­leeuest him, thou commest not into iudge­ment, thy cause shall not be discust in that rigorous examination of iudgement, 1 Thess. 1.10. August in Psa. 100. seeing Christ hath freed all that beleeue on him, from the wrath to come: Truly the day of iudgement is to be feared of the wicked for the punishment, but is to be loued of the good for the crowne: to them it shall be a day of grace, and of large remune­ration. Luk. 21.28 Lift vp your heads, saith the Son, and know that your redemption draweth neere. The Bride doth not feare the comming of her Bridegroome, now thy soule is espoused to Christ by faith, hée will appeare in the day of iudgement to that end, Apoc. 197 that hée may bring her in as it were [...]is Bride to the heauenly marri­age, what place therefore can there be [Page 117] here for terrour or feare? That day shall be th [...] day of deliuerance, because it shall frée vs altogether from the wretched cap­tiuitie of sinne and death. Into the per­fect seruice of Christ, it is the day of de­liuerance, because it shall plucke vs away from all the heape of euils, and waight of calamities: it is the day of deliue­rance, because it shall redéeme vs wholly from that continuall wrastling of the flesh, and perillous warfare. It is the day of refreshing, because it shall set vs thirstie and out of breath, into a place of rest, by the fountaine of liuing water, from the heate of calamities. Act 3.20. Apoc. 22.2 Therefore let our Bridegroome Christ come, let him come, whatsoeuer soule is the true Spouse of Christ, sealed by the earnest of the spirit, led by the loue of Christ, let her say, Come Lord Iesu. August. in Psa. 147. If wée loue Christ truly, surely wée also desire his comming, for it is a peruerse thing to feare least he come whom thou louest: to pray, let thy Kingdome come, and to feare least thou be heard. But from whence is the feare? because hée is to come a Iudge? What is hée vniust? doth hée beare vs ill-will? is he enuious? doth he expect to know thy cause from another, least perhaps he whom thou hast instru­cted, either deceiue thée by collusion, or failing in lesser elequence or abilitie, be not able in words to shew the goodnesse of thine innocencie? None of these. Who therefore is to come? Wherefore doest thou not reioyce? Who is to come to [Page 118] iudge thée, but he which came to be iudged for thee? Feare not the accuser, of whom he hath said, the Prince of this world is cast forth. Feare not an euill Aduocate, for he will be thine Aduocate, which shall be thy Iudge. He will be both thy selfe, and thy cause. The word of thy cause, the testimonie of thy Conscience. All this of Augustine. Who­soeuer therefore thou be that fearest the Iudge to come, correct now thy consci­ence. There is no cause therefore why thou shouldest feare the Iudge to come. He shal be thy Iudge, which also is thine Aduocate. He shall be thy Iudge, which hath giuen a promise to his Saints, that by his testimonie and example they are to iudge the world. He shall be thy Iudge, in whom from euerlasting thou wert chosen to life. Hée shall be thy Iudge, which was thy King, how shall a King destroy his owne people? He shall be thy Iudge, whose true member thou art by faith, how shall the head destroy his members? Rom. 8.33 Who shall accuse the chosen of God? It is God which iustifies, who shall condemne? It is Christ which is dead, nay which is risen againe, which is at the right hand of God, and makes in­tercession for vs, how shall hée destroy those whom he hath taken into his tuiti­on, for whom, least they should be de­stroyed, Rom. 2.16. he came into the world? Christ shall iudge according to the Gospell, but now the beleeuers haue not despised it, but receiued it with true faith. They haue heard the voice of Christ inuiting them [Page 119] to conuersion; Matth. 11.28. Come vnto me all yee which labour and are heauie loaden, and I will re­fresh you: therefore they shall also heare his voice inuiting them to the heauenly possession. Come ye blessed of my Father, Matth. 25.34. receiue the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen, which was prepared for you from the beginning. He shall be the Iudge, be­fore whose face goe grace and truth, grace hath abolisht the sinnes of the beléeuers, truth hath giuen vnto them the promises of eternall life. Neither is there any cause, that thou feare the horrible vni­uersall destruction of heauen and earth. Heauen and earth shall passe away, Luk. 21.33 Esa 40.8. but the words of Christ shall not passe away. The word of the Lord abides for euer, if thou sticke to this word with true faith, thou like­wise shalt abide for euer. Thou hast lost nothing, where by inordinate loue thou hast possessed nothing, thy treasure is not the riches of this world, but the delight of the heauenly Kingdome: let the world be on fire, it is sufficient for thée that Christ thy treasure liueth. Let the frame of heauen and earth perish, flie, passe a­way, thou hast most faithfull promises of a new heauen, and a new earth. Esa. 65.17. 2 Pet. 3.12 Apoc. 21.1. Be­hold I create a new heauen and a new earth, saith the Lord, in which shall dwell righ­teousnesse, so that no man remembreth the former things any more. Let the lod­ging of thy pilgrimage fall downe, the euerlasting house of the heauenly Coun­trey doth abide. Neither is there any cause, why thou feare the accusation ei­ther [Page 120] of Satan or of the Law, or of thine owne sinnes; thy sinnes are cast into the depth of the Sea, suppose into the bottomlesse p [...]t of Gods mercy. Mich. 7.19 Es. 38.17. Eze. 18.24. Psa. 32.1. Psal. 51.1. GOD hath cast them behinde his backe, so that hée will not remember them hereafter. Beléeue, Satan shall not draw vp those sinnes out of the Sea, nor dare to bring them into the sight of the Iudge. Thy sinnes are forgiuen, they are couered, they are blotted out, they shall not be brought againe into iudgement. The accusation drawne against the godly, of the Diuell, shall be vaine, because the blotting out of the hand-writing made by the bloud of Christ, Colos. 2.14 shall be turned a­gainst it. The accusation of sinne shall be vaine, because the pardon giuen by Christ shall be turned against it. The accusation of the Law shall be vaine, be­cause reconciliation with God through faith hath gone before in this life. To conclude, there is no cause that thou feare the sodaine returne of Christ to iudgement, for although the day of the Lord shal come as a Thiefe in the night, 1 Thess. 5.2. yet God hath not appointed vs to wrath, but that wée may attaine saluation through our Lord Iesus Christ, Vers. 9. which hath dyed for vs, that whether we wake or sléepe, we may alwaies liue with him. The day of iudgement is not to be fea­red of them for whom the Kingdome of heauen was prepared from the begin­ning, Matth. 25.34. Eph. 1.4. which were chosen in Christ be­fore the foundations of the earth were [Page 121] laid. Commend therefore into the faith­full hands of God, the pretious pledge of thy soule, he will keepe it in death and iudgement, and he will bring it vni­ted to the body into the Pala­ces of the heauenly Court, to euerlasting glorie.