Coals from the Altar, Part 8 – Part 17
Againſt the obiection that this aſſurance of Faith ſhould be a preſumption.
It may not be that this certainty of Faith be blamed in vsus, and to be thought raſhneſſe and preſumption; for on the contrary, it ſhould be thought an extreame raſhneſſe and preſumption, if wee ſhould not beleeue ſuch excellent promiſes of our God: And it is Humility and Obedience to receiue and reſt vponupon it with reuerence; For it is ſaid, that he which hath receiued the Teſtimony of God, hath ſealed that God is veritable, Iohn 3.33. that is to ſay, ſubſcribed, and giuen approbation to the truth of God, which he demonſtrateth in the accompliſhment of his promiſes; and it is ſaid on the contrary, in the 1 of Iohn, 5.10.11. That hee that beleeueth not God, hee hath made him a lyar: For hee hath not beleeued in the teſtimony which God hath witneſſed of his owne Sonne, and this is the teſtimony, that God hath giuen vsus eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne.
Two things might make vsus raſh and bolde in this aſſurance which we take of our ſaluation; the one is, if wee ſhould build vponupon the merit of our workes, Rom. 3.20. For no fleſh ſhall be iuſtified before God, by the workes of the law; and all thoſe that ſeeke to be iuſtified thereby, are vnderunder malediction; ſo ſaith Saint Paul, 3.10.2. It is not by our owne righteouſneſſe, which is nothing, whereupon wee build ſuch an aſſurance, but vponupon the righteouſneſſe of him whom God hath made to be ſinne for vsus, 2 Cor. 5.21. that is to ſay, a ſacrifice for ſinne: to the end that wee might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him; and by the obedience of whom we are made iuſt, in exchange of our diſobedience in Adam, which made vsus all ſinners, Rom. 5.19. The other point which might make vsus bolde in this behalfe; that if wee ſhould preſume to purchaſe ſuch a knowledge of our ſaluation by the ſubtilty of our ſpirits, as it is ſaid, that the Naturall man conceiueth not the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. But certainly, we make account to hauehave receiued, as the ſame Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 2.12. Not the ſpirit of this world, but the ſpirit which is of God, to the end that wee ſhould know the things which hauehave beene giuen vsus from God. Alſo hee ſaith in the ſame place, 1 Cor. 2.9.10. That theſe things, which are altogether incomprehenſible, God hath reuealed them by his holy ſpirit: Finally, hee addeth, 1 Cor. 1.16. That by this meanes wee holde the intention of Chriſt. But by this ſpirit of God, are all thoſe conducted which are the Children of God, which the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 8.14. And hee is called, The ſpirit of adoption, and by him we cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. that is to ſay, wee cry and call vponupon God as our Father. And alſo it is This ſame ſpirit, ſaith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.11.16. which giueth teſtimony with our ſpirit, that we are the Children of God. In like ſort the Apoſtle to the Epheſians, ſaith, 1.13.14. That when we belieue in the Goſpell, we are ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, which is the earneſt of our inheritance, vntill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſsion, vntounto the praiſe of his glory: by which wee learne that the teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt receiued into our hearts with Faith, is like vntounto a ſeale, which the holy Spirit imprinteth in our hearts, to aſſure vsus of the promiſes of God, and to aſſure vsus that we are his Children, and as men vſe in the Market, giuing of earneſt, that is to ſay, a part of the price agreed for, as well to beginne the payment, as to make the bargaine irreuocable, and aſſured, that it may be kept firme: Euen ſo the Holy Ghoſt, which through Faith begetteth peace and ioy in our hearts, is giuen vsus for earneſt of the Kingdome of Heauen, Rom. 14.17. to the end to aſſure vsus by this beginning of ſpirituall goods (which God hath promiſed to his children) that hee holdeth vsus for his owne purchaſed poſſeſſion, to the praiſe of his glory, and that without euer reuoking his promiſes, hee will at laſt gather vsus to the full fruition of the Inheritance in Heauen.
It is needfull, if it be poſsible, to draw from the mouth of the ſicke perſon, confeſsion of his ſinnes, of his Repentance and his Faith; & if hee hauehave not the vſe of his Tongue, but of his vnderſtanding, it is neceſſary for him to anſwere by ſome ſigne.
Now Sir it behoueth you to take good courage, and willingly to apply this holy doctrine, for the comfort of your ſoule; this doctrine hath been declared vntounto you by the preaching of the Goſpell, in the Church of God, whereof you hauehave beene a member; it hath alſo beene confirmed vntounto you by the vſe of the Sacrament, with whom you hauehave communicated. HaueHave you not receiued it with Faith?
Patient.
I hauehave.
Alſo doe you not beleeue, that God is not onelyonly your Creator, (but ſinne hauing loſt you,) hee is your Sauiour in Ieſus Chriſt?
Patient.
Yes.
Doe you not acknowledge, that you are a poore and miſerable ſinner, that if he ſhould reckon with you according to your ſinnes, of neceſſitie he ſhould make you periſh in death and eternall damnation?
Patient.
Yes.
Are you not very heartily ſorry and grieued ſo to hauehave offended, and doe you repent your ſelfe, euen with your whole heart?
Patient.
Yes.
Doe you not renounce all opinion and truſt in our owne Righteouſneſſe, for to repoſe your ſelfe intirely, and your hope in the mercy of God, by which he iuſtifieth and ſaueth vsus, in his bleſſed Sonne Ieſus Chriſt?
Patient.
Yes.
Doe you not beleeue that he hath receiued you into his merciemercy, that he is pleaſed and appeaſed with you, and hath in grace reconciled you vntounto him, in the fauour, and through the obedience and merit of the ſame Ieſus Chriſt his Sonne, who you firmely beleeue died for your ſinnes, and is riſen for your iuſtification?
Patient.
Yes.
Now I beſeech God to confirm & increaſe you more & more in this faith, following the which, you need not doubt a certaine aſſurance to be iuſtified and ſaued, ſeeing that God hath giuen you this grace to beleeue with your heart to Righteouſneſſe, and to make confeſſion with your mouth to ſaluation. Rom. 1.1.
For the ſicke perſon to reſolue, whether it be for life or death, according to Gods will.
Being thus reſolued vponupon this firme foundation of faith, now you muſt take a holy reſolution, conſtantly to attend without all feare, what the Lord will be pleaſed to ſend vntounto you in this your ſickneſſe, with a firme perſwaſion that all will goe well with you; whether it bee you ſhall remaine here below, or that it be his pleaſure to make you more happy. If his pleaſure be to reſtore you to former health againe, as he is powerfull to draw the dead out of the ſepulcher, and make them liue againe: which will bee if hee pleaſe, for to make you more affectionate to the honour and ſeruice of God, then euer heretofore you hauehave beene: But if it be his will to leade you by this ſickeneſſe, to the end of your courſe, it will be to receiue you into the poſſeſſion of that perfect felicity which the Sonne of God hath ſo dearely bought with the price of his blood. And therefore goe your wayes vntounto him, with a holy chearefulneſſe in the aſſurance of his mercies. Reioyce your ſelfe in the happy exchange of your remouing from earth to Heauen, from this ſhort and miſerable life, to the bleſſed life for euer to endure; from theſe triuiall and periſhing goods, to thoſe that are heauenly and eternall, which eye hath not ſeene, nor eare hath heard, & which are not yet come vp into the heart of Man, which God hath prepared for thoſe that louelove him.
Are you not then well reſolued in all this, to conforme your will to your Heauenly Father? to the end, that whether you liue, you liue to the Lord, or whether you dye, you die to the Lord, Rom. 14.8. being well aſſured that Chriſt ſhall be alwayes to you to liue or to dye? Phil. 1.21.
Patient.
Yes.
God giuegive you the grace.
For to aſſure and comfort the ſicke in the infirmitie of Faith.
I am not ignorant that your faith, how great ſoeuer it may be, yet notwithſtanding it is both little in you and feeble: for whileſt the infirmities of this life remaine, the Holy Spirit is not giuen vsus, but in a certaine meaſure, according to the which we know not but in part, and our ſpirituall renuing is yet but in the beginning; it is certaine that here below we cannot attaine to the perfection of faith; and therefore I doubt not but that your faith is yet weake, and infirme, and that it cannot but be moued with diuers temptations, and combated with diuers aſſaults of doubt and diſtruſt. But yet neuertheleſſe, it behoueth you to be of good courage; for this combat which you feele in your ſelfe, is the combat, which as Saint Paul ſaith to the Galatians, 5. v. 17. is in the ſoule of eueryevery faithfull, betweene the fleſh and the Spirit; and therefore this is a ſure teſtimony which you hauehave by faith. For as the fleſh fighteth in you through vnbeliefe, ſo doth the Spirit fight in you by faith: and this faith neuer faileth, being fortified by the Spirit of God, which maketh a man victorious, and whatſoeuer imperfection it hath, God will make it ſufficient to ſaluation; for it is not ſaid, Who ſhall perfectly beleeue ſhall be ſaued, but ſimply, Who ſhall beleeue. Moreouer, as you perceiue in your ſelfe, your faith feeble and imperfect, alſo I doubt not, but you perceiue in your ſelfe a Holy deſire that it may be encreaſed in you and made ſtronger, and that in your heart you make your prayers to God that it may be ſo; Is it not true?
Patient.
Yes.
But ſeeing it is ſo, and that this faith and deſire may encreaſe in you, and that this prayer which you make to God, proceed from the fruit of the Spirit, and not of the fleſh? and ſeeing theſe are the fruits which the Spirit of God bringeth forth in you? is it not a ſure teſtimony, that you are conducted by the ſame Spirit, and ſo conſequently the child of God? for all thoſe that are conducted by the Spirit of God, are the children of God, which Saint Paul ſaith, Rom. 8.14.
Be of good cheere Sir, and boldly ſay with the Apoſtle in the middeſt of your combats, I am aſſured that nothing can ſeperate me from the louelove of God, which he hath ſhewed mee in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
For to aſſure the ſicke againſt the affrights and temptations of Conſcience.
There are foure things to be marked, which in this ſpirituall combat may affright you, ſhake your faith, and trouble the peace of your conſcience; which is the feeling of your ſinnes, the apprehenſion of death, the feare of the Diuell, and the horror of Gods Iudgements; before whom wee muſt make our appearance at the going out of this life. But againſt the feare of all theſe things, the bounty of God, in the bleſſings of Chriſt, and in the teſtimony of his Word, furniſheth you with all ſufficient remedies, for to aſſure you and truely to confirme you in inuincible conſtancy.
Againſt feare proceeding from the feeling of ſinne.
Firſt of all, for the reſpect of your ſinnes, it is very neceſſary to hauehave a liuely feeling thereof, for to humble your ſelfe before God: but ſeeing yon proteſt to hauehave a ſerious and true repentance, and to ſearch and apprehend by faith the ſatisfaction and expiation in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, aſſure your ſelfe, they can no way hinder the effect of your ſaluation. If you bee a ſinner, So Ieſus Chriſt is come into the world to ſaue ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the world, Iohn 1.29. It is his blood which cleanſeth vsus from all iniquitie, 1 Iohn 1.7.9. And whoſoeuer ſhall beleeue in him, ſhall receiue remiſsion of his ſinnes, through his Name, Acts, 10.43. And therefore he hath commanded, that repentance and forgiueneſſe of ſinnes ſhould bee preached in his Name, Luke 24.47. Hee himſelfe inuiteth vsus to come to him, for to enioy this bleſſing: Come vntounto me all yee that labour and are ouer-laden, and I will refreſh you, Matth. 11.28. Goe your wayes then vntounto him, if you finde your ſelues grieued with the burthen of your ſinnes, in aſſurance to finde remedy for your ſoules. And for that very thing, eueryevery day hee maketh himſelfe an Aduocate to the Father for vsus. If we hauehave ſinned, ſaith Saint Iohn 2.1.2. wee hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, that is to ſay, Ieſus Chriſt the Iuſt, who is the propitiation for our ſinnes.
Againſt the feare of Death.
In regard of death, wherefore doe you feare it, ſeeing that your ſinnes are no more imputed vntounto you? for ſinne was the cauſe that death entred into the world, as Saint Paul, Rom. 5.12. and by conſequence, there where no ſinne is, there can be no death. And indeed concerning death eternall, which the Scripture calleth the ſecond death, you hauehave an entire and full freedome, by the meanes of this faith which God hath giuen you. In veritie, ſaith the Sonne of God, Iohn 5.24. I ſay vntounto you, that he that heareth my Word and beleeueth in him that ſent mee, ſhall hauehave euerlaſting life, and ſhall not come to condemnation, but is paſſed from death to life.
And as for the corporall death, of which we are aſſured, it is neuer a teſtimony to the faithfull of the anger of God againſt them, as it is alwayes to the wicked; but a ſingular fauour of Gods bounty, bringing an infinite number of bleſſings with it. Firſt of all, it deliuereth vsus from all ſorts of dangers, putting an end to ſo many miſeries and griefes, which vexeth vsus without ceaſe, both in our ſoules and Bodies during the courſe of this miſerable life, or rather of this continuall death, wherewithall wee languiſh here below: Alſo it taketh vsus away from amidſt the throng of this wicked world, with the corruption whereof we cannot but be infected, and ſo we come to be freed from this vnhappy neceſſitie of ſinfull liuing, and from the daily and hourely offending of our Heauenly Father who is ſo bountifull and gracious a God vntounto vsus.
Secondly, this bodily death is an entrance to the true life, by the death of Ieſus Chriſt, whoſe ſacred ſelfe hath paſſed through this death, to make our paſſage ſafe and happy vntounto vsus: this is now an aſſured bridge to paſſe and make our trauaile from the world to God, and from the miſchieues of this life to the incomprehenſible Beatitude of eternall life; to that fulneſſe of ioy, which is as Dauid ſaith, Pſalme, 16.11. In the contemplation of the face of the Eternall. This is the good which your Soule ſhall enioy at the departing from your body: And as for your body, which ſhall be put into the earth, it ſhall not be there to periſh alwayes, but onelyonly for a while to reſt, attending the happy reſurrection; which is the cauſe why death is called in the Scripture, A Sleepe, and and they are ſaide to be ſleeping, in regard of their bodies, which at the laſt day ſhal be awaked and riſe from duſt, to poſſeſſe together with their ſoules the glorious mortality, being made conformable to the glorious Body of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Phil. 3.21. He is the head, and they are the members: and therefore it behoueth that the members be conformable to their Head.
What finde you then in death that may affright you, ſeeing it deliuereth you from all euill, and will raiſe you to the height of all goodneſſe? Rather you ſhall not meete with any thing, but will giuegive you comfort and aſſurance, to confirme your attendance with reſolution and tranquillitie of ſpirit, euen to aſpire with all your hearr, when the Houre will …ome, to ſay with Saint Paul, My deſire is to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt.
Againſt the feare of the Diuell.
For the feare that you may hauehave of the Diuell, you ſee now there is no great cauſe to doubt, ſeeing that death cannot annoy you, but by death, by which it domineareth. But the Apoſtle teſtifieth, that Ieſus Chriſt hath not onelyonly deſtroyed death, but him alſo that hath the empire of death, which is the Diuell, Heb. 2.14.
Our Lord himſelfe ſaith, that the Prince of this world hath nothing in him; neither hath any thing in thoſe that are his Members, amongſt which number you are by the grace of God. Alſo this hath beene for vsus and our profit, that the Sonne of God hath vanquiſhed and ouercome vponupon the Croſſe, where He hath, as Saint Paul ſaith to the Colloſsians, 2.15. ouercome the principalities and powers of Hell, which hee hath publikely brought in euidence, therein triumphing ouer them.
I doubt not but the enemy of our ſaluation, maketh warre againſt you, for to aſtoniſh and trouble your Faith, for as Saint Peter ſaith, 1.5. Verſe 8.9. Our aduerſarie the Diuell walketh like a roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom hee may deuoure: Saint Peter addeth, being firme in faith, it behooueth vsus to reſiſt him: Reſiſt the Diuell, as Saint Iames ſaith, 4.7. and he will flie from you. But for to reſiſt and vanquiſh him, it behoueth you to be defended with the armour of God, whereof Saint Paul ſpeaketh to the Epheſians, Chap. 6. Verſe 16. Taking, aboue all, as hee ſaith, the Buckler of Faith, by which you ſhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Againſt the Apprehenſion of the Iudgement of God.
Now remaineth the feare which you may take of the Iudgement of God, before whom you muſt appeare. But whereupon ground you your apprehenſion, ſeeing that your ſinnes ſhall be no more imputed vntounto you, ſeeing you ſhall be no more condemned to death, ſeeing that it will nothing auaile Sathan to accuſe you, being thereby abſolued and iuſtified by the grace of God? It is the doctrine which the Apoſtle Saint Paul giueth vsus, Rom. 8. Verſe 32.33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that iuſtifieth, Who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that dyed, yea, rather that is riſen againe, who is euen at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſsion for vsus.
Euen ſo ought we to come before God, but not as before a ſeuere and rigorous Iudge, but as before a Father, that is well-pleaſed with you through the interceſſion of Ieſus Chriſt: of Ieſus Chriſt I ſay, who is both your Interceſſor and Aduocate to God the Father. Hee will not be refuſed of the Father in his requeſt for you, by Ieſus Chriſt, whereof you are a Member: For there is no condemnation to thoſe that are in Ieſus Chriſt, ſaith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.1. By Ieſus Chriſt, in the end, in whom you beleeue, But he that beleeueth in me, (ſaith he) ſhall hauehave eternall life, and ſhall not come to condemnation, but is paſſed from death to life.
Is not this then Sir your Faith, and firme beliefe, which by the benefit of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, you hauehave forgiueneſſe of your ſinnes, Iohn 5.24. That you are ſaued from eternall death, and freed from the rigour of Gods iudgements, and by conſequence, Sathan cannot annoy you by his accuſations and temptations, and that this corporall death can be no other vntounto you, but profitable, and eueryevery way happy.
Alſo a proteſtation of charity, muſt be drawne from the ſicke party to his Neighbour.
As for the reſt Sir, you know Faith worketh by Charity, and neceſſarily bringeth it forth, ſeeing it hath pleaſed God to vnite you vntounto him by Faith, alſo of neceſſitie you muſt be vnited to all your Brethren and Neighbours by a true chriſtian Charity. And therefore tell vsus if you freely renounce not all hatred, rancour, and enmity with eueryevery one without exception, and deſire the good and ſaluation of all in generall, and eueryevery one in particular, euen as of your owne?
Patient.
Yes.
Doe you not pardon with all your heart, all thoſe that might hauehave offended you in any ſort, as you likewiſe require pardon of all thoſe that might hauehave beene offended by you?
Patient.
Yes.
Now Sir it behooueth vsus to addreſſe our prayer to God, to the end that he will be pleaſed to fortifie you in faith, which hee hath giuen you, and to make his graces more and more abound in you; and it is your part to humble your ſelfe with vsus before him, and to lift vp your heart to him, to implore his Mercy from the bottome of your Heart.