Two Treatises Comforting an Afflicted Conscience, Treatise 2 – Part 1
Another shorte Treatise belonging to the Comfort of an afflicted Conscience.
IN all afflictions Gods children must looke vntounto the ende: They are to desire to profite by them, and in them to seeke the way of perfect cō fort and consolation: which that they may finde, they must know that the afflictions of the godly last but a while; they serue them but for salues and medicines; the ende of them is alwaies happy. In them they are not onelyonly preserued, and purified from many sinnes: but also much beautified with the Image of Iesus Christ, who is the eldest Sonne in the house of God. Againe the crosse of true Christians is the sweete and amiable call of God vntounto repentance, in that he putteth vsus in minde thereby to bethinke vsus of our debts: because we are giuen to thinke the daie of payment is yet farre of; yea we fall a sleepe vntill our turne be ended, and whilest God lengtheneth our daies waiting for our repentance, we neuer thinke of our sinnes vntill the houre come wherein we perish with shame. The best meeting then with the Lordes visitation, is without delay and in syncerity to pray for our sinnes to be pardoned. For therefore doth the Lord oftentimes shackle vsus the more with the chaines of his chastisements, because we are more carefull to be vnburthened of our sicknes, then to be freed from our sinne: which wee the rather are loath to confesse, because we would not be espied, to be in the wrath of God. Others there bee that nearing of their sinnes in the time of their afflictions, will acknowledge indeede their infirmities to be the mother of such a broode: yet they hauehave no true remorse to restraine themselues from sinne, because they hauehave but a confused conceite thereof, and though their ship be neuer so much tossed and turmoyled, yet thinke they not that God holdeth the sterne. These men if God beare with them, do as it were settle in their lees, and are as it were soked in their sinnes. For prosperitie is a drunkennes, to cast our selues into a dead sleepe, and when the Lord setteth vsus alone, we cease not to sooth vp our selues, bearing our selues in hand, that we are in Gods fauour, and that he loueth vsus, because he scourgeth vsus not. And thus retchles we are whilest we measure Gods louelove according to our sence and humor. Wherin we be wray our ignorance of the exercise of the crosse, in that affliction is the mother of humilitie, humilitie breedeth repentance, & repentance obtaineth mercy. Some also there are who vsually whilest the fearefull iudgement of God is before their eies, eyther in themselues or in others, hauehave a fewe glancing motions, and starting cogitations of their sinnes and of Christ his passion: yet at all other times their mindes are so clasped vp from thinking of temptations, & their hearts so locked vp from foreseeing or forethinking of iudgments, that they feele no godly sorrow. They mocke the mourning daies of the elect, as of them that be of a melancholy nature; they make a sport of sin, as little remembring the sting which will either pricke them to the hart blood most fearfully in the houre of death, or meete thē with gryping agonies in the day of their visitatiō more speedily. But happely they thinke they hauehave giuen good testimony & word of their repentance and remembrance of God, when they giuegive one deepe sigh and away, and passe ouer Gods heauy indignatiō as ouer burning coals. So that whilest the Lord in prosperity affordeth large peniworthes of his louelove vntounto them, they dally with his Maiesty, and make a sport of his mercy. All which imperfections may be better corrected, if in our deepest rest with a reuerente & humble feare of gods iudgmēts, we did waite for the day of our tryall, & prepare our selues to the lords visitations, as they who by the writing of their owne conscience do acknowledge themselues by iust title to be fosterers therof: for the feeling of Gods mercy must come from the sight of our misery by sinne; which being pardoned, we shall soone hauehave our infirmities heled. Wherfore let vsus first learne to cleanse our soules from sin, and then to sustaine the sores of our body. Sure it is that if we hauehave suffered our hearts to be harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements, (as occasion from the Lord hath bene giuen) that we are become soft & well exercised in the feare of God: we shall come to the feeling of our sins, the sence wherof; if it bring as it were a sicknes to the body & a corsey to the soule, it is an vndoubted earnest of our regeneration, & happy are we if we find our selues so diseased and troubled with our sinnes, that we can hardly (being in the skirmish & agony) make any difference between the motions to any euil, & the consent vntounto the same: for oftentimes euil motions do so possesse the soules of gods children, sucking down so strongly in thē that though they weepe, pray, and meditate (which be the last meanes & remedies to ease & cure them) yet though they feele them with irksomenes & loathsomenes, as we feele sicknes in our bodies: yet those motions will be continually in them without diminishing, the delight onelyonly excepted. Wherefore for our comfort herein, we are not to martyre our selues with disquietnes of minde, because we are so pestered, thronged with wicked motions and assaultes, but rather let vsus quiet our selues, and not suffer our selues to be hindred with sicknes either of body or mind: by means wherof we should become more vnprofitable to our selues, & the whole church of God. For the godly shall not be so freed from sinne, but that they shalbe assalted with euill motions, suspitions, delusious, vaine fan ti…s & imaginations; the body of sin shall neuer be frō vsus so long as we liue. For the scome therof is almost continually boyling & wallopping in vsus, foming out such filthy froth & stinking sauor into our mindes, that it is not only detestable to the minde regenerate and renewed by the spirit of God, but also it would make abashed the very naturall man, to looke into so loathsome a stye of sin, & sink hole of iniquity. Yea it maketh vsus often to quaile, & if it were possible, it would corrupt the very part regenerate. For mighty is the power, & raging is the strength of sin: Neither for all this must we cease to sorrowe for our sins, nor dispaire on the other side, although our sorrow bee but small. For if we be sorrowfull for the hardnes of our hearts, if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sins, if we can but sigh and groone because we feele our iniquities; it is so much a greater comfort vntounto vsus, as it is a greater testimony that our heartes are not altogether hardened: so that if we feele …orrowe indeede, although wee weepe not, yet we may gather comfort, considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a louelove and hunger after righteousnes: yea if our assaults be distrust, pride, arrogancy, ambition, enuie, concupiscence, as who…e as the fyre in the furnace all our daies, and though Sathan layeth out oyle in great measure & out of measure, that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lorde that we stand; and though our prayers be dull and full of wearisomenes, if the striuing and strayning of our selues to goodnesse be so hard, that we knowe not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for louelove of so good a Father: yet if we feele this in our selues that we would faine louelove the Lord, and be better, and beeing wearied and tyred with our sinnes, long gladly to enioye the peace of righteousnes, and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith; then let vsus comfort our selues; there is no time to late to repent in. For he commeth quickly to Christ (although in the hou…e of death) that commeth willingly, and in a desire of a better life: howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him. For as the humming Bee hauing lost her sting in an other, doth still notwithstanding make a fearfull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vsus, but is nothing able to hurt vsus: so sin & death, hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus, do not cease at all, euen in the height of the parching heat of our consciences, to make a murmuring: and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vsus and our consciences, albeit they can neuer sting vsus. Wherfore if Sathan charge our consciences with sin (if we can feele the things a little before mentioned, in our consciences) let vsus bid him, not tell vsus what we hauehave beene, but what we woulde be. For such we are by imputation as we be in affection, and he is now no sinner, who for the louelove he beareth to righteousnes, would be no sinner. Such as we be in desire and purpose, such we be in reckoning and account with God, who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth. Neyther vndoubtedly can the giltines of sinne breake the peace of our conscience, seeing it is the worke of an other who hath commended vsus as righteous before God, and saued vsus. It must indeed be confessed, that our owne works wil do nothing in the matter of iustification, which from Christ, & in Christ is freely giuen vntounto vsus: it must be granted that in our selues we are weaker then that we can resist the least sinne, so farre of is it, that we can encounter with the law, sinne, death, hell and Sathan: and yet in Christ we are more then conquerers ouer them all. When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it; send it to Christ & say, there is a man that hath fulfilled the law: to him I cleaue, he hath fulfilled it for me, and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vntounto mee; I hauehave nothing to do with thee, I hauehave another law which striketh thee down, euen the law of liberty which through Christ hath set me free. For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace, is a glorious prince to triumph ouer thee. If sin come and would hauehave thee by the throat, send it to Christ, & say, as much as thou maist do against him, so much right thou shalt hauehave against me. For I am in him, & he in me: wherfore (O sin) I am righteous through my Christ, which is a condemning sin, to condemne thee which art a condemned sinner. If death creepe vponupon thee & attempt to deuoure thee, say vntounto it, Christ hath ouercome thee, & opened to me the gates of euerlasting life: thou wouldest hauehave killed him, with the sting of sin, but the same being of no force, thy purpose (O death) hath failed, and he being my life, is become thy death. If Sathan sommon thee to answer for thy debts, send him also to Christ and say, that the wife is not suable, but the husband: enter thine action against Christ mine husband, and he will make thee a sufficient answere: who then shall condemne vsus? or what iudge shall daunt vsus? syth God is our iudge and accquited vsus? and Christ was condemned, & iustifieth vsus? he is our iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner; he is our man of law who to excuse vsus, suffered himselfe to be accused for vsus. O gluttonous hell where is thy defence? O cruell sin, where is thy tyrannous power? O rauening death where is thy bloody sting? O roaring Lion, why doest thou freete and foame? Christ my lawe fighteth against thee O lawe, and is my liberty. Sinne against thee O sinne, and is my righteousnes: Christ against thee O diuell, and is my sauiour? Death against thee O death & is my life. Thou diddest desire to paue my way to the burning lake of damned soules: but contrarie to thy will, thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem. Wherfore if we shal finde our selues forsaken of God, so as we perceiue nothing but matter of dispaire, let vsus still hold our owne; & in the certainty of our faith stay our selues, sith Christ is giuen vsus of God that he might extinguish sin, triumph ouer the law, vanquish death, ouercome the diuell, and destroy hell, for our onelyonly comfort and consolation. But peraduenture some will say, my faith is weake and colde, and my conscience is as a …laming lampe and burning furnace: I feare the Lorde will still pursue mee with his wrathfull indignation: Thou doest well to feare, but feare and sinne not.
For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh, is in all most requisite, in that the weaker we are in our selues, the stronger we are in God. But that feare is dangerous, which hindereth the certainty of faith, in that it incourageth our enemy more fearcely to set vpō vsus; when we (comming into the campe) will cast away our armour especially which should defend vsus. Comfort thy selfe, the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe, nor breake the brused reede, he looketh not on the quantitie but on the qualitie of our faith. For as a good mother doth not reiect hir childe because through some infirmitie it is weake, feeble and not able to go alone, but rather doth pitie and supporte it least peraduenture it should fal, & recompenseth that with more motherly affection, which in her child is wanting by occasion: in like manner the Lorde God our most gracious father doth not cast vsus off, because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraide to drawe neerer to the throne of grace; but rather pitieth vsus, and seing vsus a farre of desirous to come vntounto him, meeteth vsus by the way, & by grace & strength of his owne hand, directeth our steps vntounto his kingdom. And as he which freely purposeth to giuegive a wedge of gold, will not withdrawe his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it, is weak, troubled with the gout, palsy, or leaprosie, so that by any meanes, though in greate weakenes, he be able to holde it: euen so the Lorde purposing in free merciemercy to bestowe on vsus an immortall weight of glory, will not depriue vsus of it, though many filthy blemishes hauehave poluted and weakened or faith, so that in any small measure we be able to take holde of his promises▪ neither are we …o loke on our faith which the Gospell hath called vsus vntounto, because we neuer beleeue as we ought; but rather on that which the Gospell offereth & giueth, that is on Gods mercy and peace in Christ: in whose lappe if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn, then we are in felicitie, securitie, and perfect quietnes. Contrariwise there be some, who (notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent, that it were much better that all the creaturs rose vp against vsus, eueryevery one bringnig their bane; then once to come before the dreadful face of God) are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes. If they bee pricked with sicknes, they crye alas; if they be pinched with pouertie thy can complaine: but as for the torment of minde they cānot skil of it: And euē to talke of abrused, cōtrite & broken hart, is a strange lāguage. For profe whereof our consciences are rocked aslepe so that not one amongest a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements. But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies, whilest sinne may be both punished and purged. For though God spare vsus for a time, yet we know what he keepeth for our end. Wherefore it is the best for vsus to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde, least we tarry till the Lord hauehave locked vsus vp with the heauie fetters of desperation, when he shall sommon vsus to the barre of his iudgement, in the sight of his Angels, and impannelling the great inquest of his Saintes against vsus, shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation, for we see many that hauehave beene carelesse and hauehave made good cheare all their life long, yea, and when men hauehave laboured to make them feele the iudgements of God, they hauehave turned all to mockery, but whose iolytie the Lorde hath so abated when they drawe towardes death, that in steade of resting and sporting (whereunto they had bene giuen) they hauehave felt the terrour of death, hell, and damnation, and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation, hauehave forced out cursinges against their filthie pleasures. Wherefore if wee in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course, neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation, neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption; Let vsus in a contrite spiri…e cry vntounto the Lorde: HaueHave mercy vponupon mee, heale my soule for I hauehave sinned against thee, forgiue all mine iniquities, and heale all mine infirmities. Thou healest those that are broken in hearte and byndest vp their soares: why art thou cast downe my soule, and why art thou disquieted within mee, waite on God, for I will yet giuegive him thanks, he is my present helpe, & my God. Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God, of him commeth my saluation, he is my strength, therefore I shall not much be moued, his mightines is enough to giuegive me courage, yea and shalbe euen when I am forlorne, I knowe that the diminishing of my body, goods, friendes, or any other thing is a calling of me, to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay, I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daly thither; that I might not doubt that when my body is laide in the graue, and there consumed as it were to nothing, yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord, shall returne vntounto me and shall rise to glory: euen as it (resting in this life, in the mercies of Christ) did rise to grace verely I see, & that with ioy, that my flesh must go to decay for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it, it diminished day by day. And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death, for I feele not so smale an infirmitie in my bodie, but the same is vntounto me a messenger of dissolution. Yet for all this I shall see my God, and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes, I am assured, that he will reach me his hande to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance: so that this smale cottage and shed of leaues, being brought to the graue, shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle. Thus communing with our owne harts, and being still in the peace of a good conscience, concerning our outward sufferings, we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly and louing chastismēts, intendeth nothing more then to proue our obedience, as good reason it is that he should, and to confirme our faith, as also is most necessarie. Howbeit still as I saide, he vseth a fatherly correction, that is, in mercy, measure, and iudgement. For as he striketh vsus downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hande, so he raiseth vsus vp againe in louelove for our saluation with the other hand. For albeit his corrections be wearisome woundes to flesh and bloude, yet are they soueraine medicines to the soule and conscience, especially when the Lorde giueth vsus that priuiuiledge of his children, that by his holy spirite he doth ouermaister vsus, least that finally we should be his Iudge, and he not ours. And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on (as it were) a contrary face, & to locke vsus vp in a prison of aduersitie, to restraine vsus from the libertie of our sinnes, which Sathan faine would make vsus violently to rush into. And surely though the wisdome of the flesh perswadeth vsus that nothing is better then to be spared and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vsus to reckoning; yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate, without the syre of affliction, and boulter of aduersitie, teacheth vsus that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this, being the mother of humilitie, and nource of true repentance. Againe, the Lorde fitteth vsus often by inward temptations and outwarde crosses, to flitte vsus from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes; least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in Christ, and seeke some easier kinde of life for flesh & bloud. Neither can we truely repent, vntill by some crosse we know this world to be a place of sorrowe, and not of mirth and delight. For so long as we make our prosperitie a bulwarke to beate downe all harmes, we are to looke for aduersitie to beate downe the high saile of our proude hearts, whereby we gadde after our owne lustes, and leaue the anchor of peace, which is our trust in God. Let vsus learn… then, when the world beginneth to fauour vsus, and we hauehave as it were an hundreth thousand soldiers, to beare vsus vp; not to be secure; for there is nothing more easie for a man, then for to make him selfe beleeue that he shall alwaies continue in happy estate, and thinke he shall die in the nest. But we must be as birds on a bough, to remoue at Gods pleasure, and that without resistance when the Lord shall visite vsus. And because we are giuen to much to thinke that wee hauehave the things in our owne right, which we houlde of the free goodnes of God: wee are taught in affliction how hainous vnthankfulnes it were to binde the Lord continually to intertaine vsus in this life at so full Charge and cost, without respect of his free & vndeserued giftes: or to holde plee against, and sue him as it were by an obligation, at whose handes we ought to begge daily; and at whose gate we receiue all our mainteinance: or to make a rent charge of all that which he giueth of his hee liberalitie. Thus in the end wee make a chalendge of ownershippe of Gods giftes, and make accompt to hauehave their companie to the graue, whereby wee prouoke the Lord often to prooue to our faces, that all that wee hauehave is but lent and borrowed. Let vsus then hauehave such an eye to eueryevery blow, that whensoeuer the Lord shall lay any crosse vponupon vsus, wee bee ready to receiue it & to yeelde vp our bonds vntounto him, the condition whereof is, that wee be readie to remooue whensoeuer he pleaseth, knowing that Gods prouidence forceth vsus alwaies to the best, and as most may make for the hastening of our soules to our euerlasting inheritance. Let vsus learne not to reckē without our host, & that we hold our prosperitie of the Lord not in …ee simple, but as tenants at will, that is, from day to day, resigning to God the soueraignetie of reuoking vsus when it pleaseth him. Thus it becommeth the Lord to change our estate that wee be come not snatled in the giftes of prosperitie, and become so folish as not to keepe on our way to the heauenly life. Our natural inclination is to forget that we are on earth as pilgrimes; to leape vp into the clouds; and to promise vntounto our selues the whole course of our liues to be in prosperitie; and so long as God letteth vsus alone at our ease, we take our selues (as it were) to be petty Gods. But when we see our selues shut vp, and know not what will be the end of our misery, findeing our selues to be intertained in this life but as iorney men, waged for the present day, but not knowing what will become of vsus the day following: we desire to take our …est in the bosome of Gods prouidence, and so much we strike our sailes the lower, when the Lord proclameth warre with our secure prosperitie: which perswadeth vsus that we shall liue for euer, and driueth vsus from bethinking vsus of our miseries and frail…i…s. Wherefore let vsus cut out our prosperitie by the patterne of humilitie, and in our best estate, putte our selues in readinesse to suffer aduersitie, and whē we are well, to looke for worse, & keepe a good watch when God handleth vsus most gently, that in abounding we may foresee our wants, in health our sicknes, and in prosperitie our calamitie: concerning things of this life the faithfull are to stande in a doubt, that that which they holde with one hande, may be taken away with the other. Wee must not thinke that we shall euer be shut vp in a mewe, so that we should see noe crosse: but we must lay open our selues to receaue stripes from the Lord, knowing that our least cryes will stay his greatest scourges. Let vsus louelove to bee assaulted, but not vnmeasurably because God will assist vsus. Let vsus looke to fal, but on our knees, because Gods hand doth hold vsus vp. Let vsus looke to bee humbled but in mercy, because the Lord sustaineth vsus, and as we are as…ured where misery hemmeth vsus about on eueryevery side, to hauehave an ou…-gate in eueryevery danger▪ so it is our part continually to confesse before the Lord, that wee euer giuegive new occasions that hee should follow vsus with newe punishmentes▪ and that our sinnes doe often shake of the wings of Gods mercy, vnderunder the which we hauehave beene long comforted. For Gods children acknowledge themselues without ceasing, that God hath rodd…s in a readines (though they see noe present euill) to beat them from their sinnes: and bende all their care, how they may rather suff…r ad…ersitie to Gods glory, then to steepe securely in prosperitie vntounto their owne pleasure. Now when the Lord doth, as it were holde vsus on the racke for these causes before named, we must pray vntounto him, that (howsoeuer he keepeth vsus in the presse) wee may hauehave a breathing while to consider our daies spent in pleasure, and to examine our vnthankfulnes, which shutteth vp the doore of Gods mercy from vsus. And because our afflictions are the sorer when they come the nearer to the soule, we may with our selues conclude to hold on the way of our thorough-…aire and though wee see nothing but thornes of temptations, and bryers of euill affe…ions, so as wee must bee faine to leape ouer hedges, rockes, and ditches; yet must we not cease to continue in Gods seruice. For if that were not, what triall and examination of our faith should there bee, weare wee as in a faire medowe that wee might runne on a longe by the water side in a shade, and that there might be nothing but pleasure and ioy all our life time: who could vant that he had serued God with good affection? But when GOD doth send vsus things cleane contrary to our desires, that we must bee faine one while to enter into a quagmire, and another while to march vponupon ragged rocks & stones; then wee shall hauehave the vse of a well exexcised minde in prayer, in repentance, and in contempt of this life. And why doeth the Lorde some time suffer vsus to pyne away, and to languishe in continuance of griefe, seeinge that hee coulde cleane ridde vsus at the first, doubtlesse to this end, that wee might confesse his mercy more freely, and bite of his iuststice more sharpely. Let vsus now learne to holde all the passions of impacientie in bondage, both by comparing our euils which the wonderfull mercies of GOD, and our smale sufferings with the intollerable conflictes of our forefathers For there is noe greater cause of our desparing vnderunder the crosse, then when Sathan perswadeth vsus: that neuer any were handled so roughlye, or els woulde beare vsus in hande, that although GOD afflicted the faithfull that hauehave beene before vsus, yet they were not so weake as wee. But let vsus remember that GOD hath so pinched his seruantes, euen them whome hee loued, and whose welfare was deare and precious in his fight, and hath often brought them to such extremities, as they were not able to looke vp any more, not wist how to speake nor how to houlde their peace. Wherefore least our infirmities shoulde ouermaister vsus, and when temptations are fierce vppon vsus, wee knowe not where to become: Let vsus call too minde the Saintes of God, who were constrained with sighes and grones to stoup vnderunder the hande of GOD; whose martyrs and tormented children ought to bee our looking glasses, to the ende that by them wee may learne, that according as GOD dealeth forth the giftes of the Spirite, thereafter doth hee sende greater afflictions; both to make thē the more estemed, and also to cast vp a more plentifull fruite of their faith. How did God deale with Abraham, Abrahamnot a common man, but rather an Angell, the tenth part of whose sufferings would make a stout heart to quaile. How was Dauid the seruant of God,Dauid. exercised in Gods schole, who felt all Gods dar…s, and had all his arrowes shot at him. Thus it is requisite that Gods graces shoulde not b… idle in his children, but set on worke by afflictions, whereby they may be knowne in due time and place. How did God play the Lion wi…h Ezechias, Ezechias.who (as with pawes & teeth) brused and crushed his bones; not that wee may accuse God of crue…tie, but that wee may see with what anguish the Lorde doth some times exercise his children, and with what patience he doth arme them: who notwithstanding his vehement trialles, doe stay them selues vponupon God, accusing themselues (Mat. 7.9) I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I hauehave sinned against him: and ex…using the Lord with all humblenes with Dauid (Psal. 114) I know O Lord that thy Iudgements are right, and that thou hast afflicted me iustly &c. It is much auaileable to mortification and Christian patience also, to occupie our heartes in the house of mourning euen in our greatest banquetting, and to betake our selues vntounto some serious meditation of aduersi…ie, when present pleasures would most deu…rce vsus from the remēbrance thereof. So though wee hauehave much in possession, wee shall hauehave little in affection & when God doth most aduance vsus, we shall feare our wantes of humilitie: and …hen esp…cially be ransacking our infirmities, when the Lord for ou… triall enricheth vsus most with his benefits. For if the Lord God by multiplying his mercies increaseth our account; we are often to suspect, to call to iudgement, and to arraine our selues for the vsing of Gods creatures; who often giueth that in iudgement, which he might deny vsus in mercy and often wayneth vsus from some things in his louelove, which hee might giuegive vntounto vsus in his anger.
FINIS.
Sweete and sure signes of Election, to them especially that are brought lowe.
A clearing of iudgement, conceiuing of the truth, and true meaning of the Scripture making for vsus or against vsus.
A rebuking of sinne inwardlie, a pouertie of spirite from thence, and a mourning therfore.
A being cast dowe in our owne conceite, & a meeknes to beare our punishment therby wrought.
An hungring after the righteousnes which is in Christ, and a prising and esteeming it aboue all eartly things.
A musing vponupon, and a desire to thinke and speake of heauenly thinges.
A conflict of the flesh and spirite, and therin by practise the powe… of the spirite gettinge the vpper hand.
A fowing to the spirit, by the vse of the means, as of the word, prayer, &c.
A purpose vnfained, vponupon strength receiued, of vowing ones selfe wholly to the glorie of God, and good of our brethren.
A resignation of our selues into Gods hands.
An expecting of the daily increase of our soules health, and our bodies resurrection.
The forgiuing of our enemies.
An acknowledging of our offences with a purpose truely to leaue them.
A delight in Gods Saints.
A desire that after death the Church of GOD may flourish and hauehave all peace.
A spirite without guile: that is, an vnfained purpose alwaies to doe well, howsoeuer our infirmities put vsus by it.
FINIS.