IT is not long since I promi­sed you some small remem­brance of my hearty desire to affoorde you some comfort, oncerning the inwarde affliction of your minde, if the Lord should any way enable me thereunto. I haue now therefore (ac­cording to the measure of grace receiued) performed that my promise, as you shall vnderstād by reading these leaues follow­ing. Whereby if you shall reape so much comfort, as from the depth of my heart, I entreat the Lord you may, I shal account my selfe for euer most nearely bound by all maner of dutie, and thankfulnesse vnto his blessed maiesty. Howsoeuer it fall out, you shall receiue and keep this poore trea­tise by you, as an vndoubted record of my good meaning towards you, and some o­thers, of whose particular estate I haue [Page 2]some certaine knowledge, and for whome I pray most heartily, Inward afflicti­ons are neither common nor easie. as I do for you.

I confesse your afflictiō is neither com­mon nor easie to be born. And that bicause it is not outward, but inward, not of the body but of the minde. For as Salomon saieth, A sorrowfull minde drieth the bones. Prouerbs 17.22. Againe, A man will sustaine his infirmitie, but a woun­ded spir [...]t who can beare it? Prou. 18.14. His meaning is, that no outward griefe or discommoditie whatsoeuer, but may be indured, and borne with great pa­tience and constancie, but if the conscience be wounded, and striken with the feeling of Gods wrath for sin, or any other great cause, there is neither man nor woman which is able to endure, and beare it out long, without great & gracious assistance from God. That this is so, you can speak of your own experience, yet for your com­fort, remember that you are not alone, the due consideration whereof may not a little cheere vp your heart. For you reade of some in the scriptures, some you heare of, and some you know your selfe, who grone vnder the same burden, whose consciences are set very hard vpon the racke, & whose [Page 3]poore soules are in little ease, as well as yours.

This is one principall point, A principal com­fort for the trou­bled minde. which I would haue you thinke vpon continually, but then especially, when Sathan woulde beare you down, that you are alone in this kinde of affliction, and that no body is so troubled as you are. For this purpose you may remember that sweete sentence of the holy apostle, 1. Pet. 5.9. wherein he doeth you to vn­derstand, that the same afflictions which you endure, are also accomplished and suffered of your other bretheren which are abroad in the world: as if he should say, let not such a thought as this is ouer­sway you, The best affected are your partners that you should think you haue no fellowes. For there bee a number of Gods deere childrē, who are as much and as often troubled with the same griefe of minde aswell as you. For as there is no man so wise, so strong, or so rich, but there be many as wise, as strong, and as weal­thie: so there is none so greatly grieued in body or minde, but there be many who are as deepe in the same griefe as they be. A­gaine, Another chiefe comfort against Sathans tempta­tion. if your wily enimy shal by this kind of temptation assay to wound your weake conscience, that you belong not to God, [Page 4]because the correction is so sharpe, and the rod wherwith you are beaten so smarting, you may boldly step to him, wring his weapon out of his hand, & therwith thrust him thorow: for the maner of your cha­sti [...]ement doeth proue verie strongly to your conscience, that you are highly in Gods fauor, and that because you are not only partaker of that correction wherof all the sonnes and daughters of God are par­takers (for so many as are without cor­rection are bastards & not children) but of that kind of chasticement, [...]abr. 12.8. which only is proper to those, who aboue many others haue bin in greater fauor with God. For example, Dauid was a man (as you haue learned from the scriptures) according to Gods own hart, Dauid was great­ly loued of God, and grieuously afflicted. that is, such a one as the Lord set great store by, he notwithstan­ding was throughly whipt with this three stringed whip, as you may read at large not in one but in many Psalmes, by name the sirt Psalme throughout, a great part of the two and twentieth, the eight and thirtie the whole Psalme, the one and fiftie, and manie moe, which you maie find by diligent reading in the booke of the Psalmes, where you shall vndestand [Page 5]that his estate is all one with yours.

Againe you may remember that Paul the Apostle was a chosen vessell, Acts 9.15. Galat. 1.15. Paul a chosen vessell sharply handled. whom God had separated from his mothers wombe: and therewithall you can not bee ignorant, how sharply he was hand­led, when the messenger of Sathan was sent to boxe and busset him verie sore, and that for a long season: so that although he praied often and earnestly, 2. Cor. 12, 7, 8, 9. yet could he not be deliuered. This only he receiued as an answer from the Lord, that his grace should be sufficient to vnderprop and stay him in his greatest temptation, for my power (saith he) is made perfect tho­row weaknesse. Passe not by this example without some good medi­tation. In this resolution he re­sted himselfe as well contented, vntill such time as the Lord should grant him full re­lease. These are choise examples of choise persons, Trouble of mind a great priuilege of Gods fauour. and not many such to be sound in the whole bodie of the Scripture: that you may consider how great a priuilege of fa­uour God hath vouchesafed vpon you, to make you equall with his dearest children, and that in such afflictions, as for their suf­fering of them, they are aboue many thou­sands most renoumed. But why stand I vpō these examples, when as Iesus Christ [Page 6]himselfe (being the sonne and heire in whom onely the Father is most highly well pleased) was not onely in measure and mercie thus chastised as you are, Mat. 3.17. The Sonne of God most trou­bled. but as we say commōly, beaten without mer­cy, yea hee was turned and beaten, so as through the exceeding great anguish of his seule, Luke 22.44. he sweat such a sweat in the garden, as neuer man sweat the like, that is, drops like drops of blood, trickling downe to the ground. your affliction is but a flea b [...]ing to that which your Sauior hath suffered for your sake, that you might haue case. Yea further, being brought and hanged vpon the crosse (beside all the vil­lan [...]e offered and done to him by the mali­tious cruel Iewes) his owne father hand­led him so extremely, not like a father, but as a most iust iudge, that he could not any longer bite in his griefe, but in great bit­ternesse he breakes out into these wordes sauoring of deepe despaire, Mat. 27 46. my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? These words, I say, sauor strongly of despaire, because he cries out that God had forsa­ken him: yet was he farre from despaire, because in the greatest conflict with Hell and Sa [...]han, his whole trust was in God, and therefore with great confidence, not once, but againe he doubleth his speach saying, My God, my God. Thus you [Page 7]haue not onely many of the faithfull, but the sonne of God▪ (clad in your nature) more then a partner with you in your suf­ferings: Rom. 8.28. which I haue alleadged to this end, that you may know that as a [...] things worke for the best to those that loue God,The sh [...]rpest af­fl [...]ct on [...] worke the sweetest comfort.euen to them that are called of purpose: so this affliction of yours, which because it is so sharp, shal therefore worke your good a grea [...] deale the rather. For, experience teaheeth, that that purgation which for the time doth work most strong­ly, and putteth the patient to the greatest paine, doth in the end bring the most ease to him who hath receiued it. One exception. But it may be you will take exception against this last example of Christ Iesus, and say that hee was not so tormented for his owne, but for your sinne, Hebr. 4.15. 1. Iohn 2.1, 2. because he was without sinne. Therein you speake most truly for the Apostle saith, Rom 4.25. Hee was deliuered to death for our sinnes, as if he should say, whatsoeuer griefe or torment hee endured liuing, or dying, hee endured it for our sakes, that the whole fruit & cōfort therof might redound to vs. And to this agreeth that which is written in the first Epistle of Peter, 1. Pet. 2.24.Who his owne selfe bare our sins [Page 8]in his bodie on the tree, that we being deliuered from sinne, should liue in righteousnesse, by whose stripes we are healed. From henceforth therefore may you reape no small comfort, for the peace of your conscience in the greatest heate of temptations. Christ hath suf­fred the torments of hell, that we might not suffer them, yea, that you may neuer suffer them. For in as much as he suf­red not for his owne, but for your sinne, you may be therfore well assured that you shall neuer taste of those hellish torments, which your sinnes haue deserued, and that because your suretie, your media­tour, your Sauiour Iesus Christ hath in your nature, but in his owne person (e­uen to the vttermost of Gods iustice) suffe­red them for you, that you might neuer luffer them, but be fully and for euer dis­charged, both in this world, and in the world to come. For as the Apostle wit­nesseth. Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. Another excepti­on. Here a­gain I know wel you wil thus reply that you will grant, To be in Christ Iesus is true hap­pines to him or her which is [...]ssu­red thereof. there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, y^t must needes be true. But all the doubt lies in this, whether you your selfe bee in Christ Iesus or not. For of that cannot you be persuaded. If you could be assured therof, [Page 9]then you would not doubt, but you were without all danger of condemnation. But this is one point, which doth work no smal trouble in your conscience. Go to then, let this be one chief point to deal with you in.

And first to begin withall, let me ask you this one question. And I do not only pray, A great charge. but on Gods behalfe for his glory, and the good of your soul, I charge you to answer me plainly & truly. Once assured and euer assured of saluation. Had you euer any assu­rance of saluation in al your life▪ were you euer persuaded by the preaching of y^e word to be saued by the death of Christ Iesus▪ An vnsained so­ [...]o [...] for sinne, a deadly hatred, a sound purpose of amendment, are vndoubted ma [...]ks of Gods childe. did you euer feel the power of true repen­tance in your soule by these marks, y^t you were more greeued & sorie at the heart for your sins, then for any thing in the wh [...]le world: did you, and doe you beare a dead­ly hatred against them, 2. Co [...]. 7.9, 10, 11 as against the di­uell himselfe: did you, and doe you pur­pose to the vttermost of your power, to forbeare and forswear the practise of them all, Luke 7.15. See you a [...]swer [...] to euerie artiele truely as you will answere at you [...] perill. and to walke in holinesse and righte­ousnesse all the dayes of your life▪ did that worde which you haue heard so long, so soundly, and so powerfully preached to your conscience, Psal. 1.2. Phil. 3.8. which you reade so dili­gently, wherein [...] meditate and take so [Page 10]great delight as that you count al worldly things but dung in comparison thereof: did that word, I say, neuer speake peace­ablie to your conscience by the holy mini­sterie? did [...] neuer giue you assurance and ioy in the holy Ghost: did it neuer worke such sweete comfort, as no worldly ioy could be like vnto it: did you neuer heare such a sermon from your owne godly and carefull pas [...]or, or from any other, that you haue said at your comming home, you would not for all the worlds good but you had heard it, because it was so sweete, and comfortable: did you neuer speake that worde, from the true feeling of the heart, which might warrant your soule, that you are in Christ Iesus? If this worde hath had this gracious and powerfull worke in your soule (as I am fully perswaded it hath, Ephes. 4.30. and your selfe cannot denie it: for if you doe, beside the great wrong you offer your own soule, you trespasse against that spirit, whereby you haue bene sealed vnto the day of redemption) then know assured­ly you are so gra [...]ed into y^t body of Christ Iesus, Gods loue is euerlasting and [...]changeable. as nothing shall be able to seperate you from that loue which the Lord your God beareth you in his deare Sonne, in [Page 11]whome hee hath so loued you once, Iohn 13.1. as hee must needes loue you for euer. And that bicause the Euangelist saith, whome hee loues he loues to the end. For the gifts and calling of God are without repen­tance. Againe, Rom. 11.29. God is not as man that hee should lie, Num. 23.19.neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent. Hath he saide, and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken it, and shall hee not accomplish it? No, be you well assured, and write vp­on it, 1. Sam. 15.29. that the strength of Israel wil not lie nor repent. For, as the apostle Iames saith, Iam. 1.17. with him there is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning. Let these and such like places be alwais in your re­membrance, and giue your selfe vnto the continuall meditation thereof. For they shall stand you in great stead, if you can call them to minde, when your temptati­ons shal assaile you with greatest strēgth. And forget not, Therefore reade them often and continually that you may alwayes haue them at your fingers end. often to thinke of such excellent places as that is, which you find written in the eight chapter of the Epistle written to the Romanes, and the sixe and thirtieth verse, after this manner, What shal separat vs from the loue of Christ? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecu­tion, [Page 12]or famine, or nakednesse, or peril, or sword, &c. No, I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature shall be a­ble to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. And full sweet to this purpose are those words of the holie prophet Dauid. Psal. 34.18, 19. The Lorde is neere vnto them that are of a contrite heart, and will saue such as be afflicted in spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous: but the Lorde deliuereth him out of them all. Psal. 30.5. Againe, weeping may abide at euening, but ioy commeth in the morning. But you finde no such matter you saie, for this trouble of minde hath holden you, not onelie nights and daies, but weekes and moneths, yea and yeeres, and yet you can finde no ease nor comfort. Be it so, yet bee not therefore out of heart, for the longer it bee before you haue ease, the more welcome it shal be when it commeth. And to this pur­pose are the wordes of the Wise-man where hee saieth, The hope that is de­ferred, is the fainting of the heart, but [Page 13]when the desire commeth it is a tree of life. Lastly, let the words of Eliphas the Temanite be fast bound vnto your soule, which you shall find thus reported in the booke of Iob, the fist chapter 17, 18, 19. verses. Beholde, blessed is the man whome God correcteth: therefore re­fuse not thou the correction of the Al­mightie. For hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp: hee smiteth, and his handes make whole. Hee shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles, and in the sea­uenth the euill shall not touch thee. The summe & drift of all that which hath bin set downe from the beginning to this present place, is to encourage you concer­ning the maner of your affliction, which though it be very sharp & bitter to y^e flesh, because no chastisement for the present seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous: Hebr. 12.11. A principal co [...] ­fort for the affli­cted soule. yet there is a time, when it shall bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised thereby. In regard hereof Moses the man of God saith, Deut. 8.16. that the Lord humbled his owne chosen people and prooued them, that hee might doe them good at their latter ende. And truely, in my poore iudge­ment, [Page 14]you may gather more vndoubted assurance of Gods euerlasting fauour to­wards your soule by these inward afflicti­ons, Afflictions better tokens of Gods loue then riches and pro­speritie. then by any outward prosperitie of anie worldly blessing whatsoeuer, whe­ther it be of health, of riches, or such like. And that, because in these your afflictions you are most like vnto your head Christ Iesus, Hebr. 1.2. who though hee were the right sonne and heire of the whole world: yet had hee not a house to hide his head in, Matth. 8.10. as himselfe confesseth. Hebr. 2.10. But it pleased the Father (seeing hee would bring manie children vnto glorie) to consecrate the prince of their saluation through afflic­tions. Now, as the holy Apostle reason­eth. [...]. Tim. 2.11, 12. This is a true saying, if we be dead with him, we shal also liue with him. If we suffer with him, we shal also reigne with him. To be short, the Holy ghost saith, Act. 14.22. That we must by many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God. And once againe, Rom. 8.28. Those whom he knew be­fore, hee also predestinated to be made like to the Image of his Sonne, that he might be the first-borne among many brethren. So that you may wel perceiue you are not thus farre forth, any whit out [Page 15]of your way, but you keepe the rode, Afflictions the highway to hea­uen. e­uen the good way which leaveth you as streight as a line vnto the kingdome of heauen. And therefore as no traueller, who keepes his right way and knowes it, wil be sory, but very glad, because he tru­steth to come to that place, where his de­sire is to abide: so no more cause haue you to be grieued, but rather to reioyce, be­cause you know you walke in the streight path, which shal bring you to that place of your abode, where you would so faine be, and where you shal abide most blessed and happie for euer. Thus much haue I thought good to offer vnto your godlie meditations, to encorage you concerning the maner of your afflictions. The Lord grant you a rich portion of his spirite, that your soule may reape a gratious blessing.

Now you shall further vnderstand in few wordes, what shall be the substance of all the matter which foloweth in the re­mainder of this poore treatise. The substance of the whole Treatise follo [...] ­ing. I purpose so neere as I can, to gather together those obiections, which you and others doe ob­iect against your selues: and so farre as the Lord shall affoord me his grace, I en­tend in order to answer them.

[Page 16] The first and principall obicetion (so far as I can conceiue & learne by conference with you, The first obiecti­on and answere. and with so many as I haue any acquaintance) is this, The troubled minde doubts of Gods fauour. That you doubt much of Gods fauour towards you; that you feare it greatly you are not the child of God, and if you be, yet can not you be thereof certainely perswaded. This obiec­tion hath aireadie beene answered in part: not withstanding because it is as the foun­dation of al the other obiections, I will in hope of Gods gracious assistance indeuor my selfe to answere it more fully, for your better contentmēt. First therfore I would gladly learne this one thing of you, or of anie other (who is your partner in these temptations) who it is y^t beareth you so greatly in hand, A needefull point therefore marke it well. you are not the child of God. If you answer, your conscience, through the greatnesse of your sinne doth tel you so: then do I againe demaund of you, who it is that sets your conscience a worke to vrge this point & to what end. Harken to Gods [...] for he seckes [...] God. If it be Gods spirit, you may be right glad, because then it is for your good, namely y^e you may go out of your selfe, & secke the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and euerla­sting saluation in Christ his death and o­bedience, [Page 17]to the full assurance of Gods fauor, and the euerlasting peace of your conscience. Hearken not to sathan, for he hath vowed your destruction. But speake the truth, is it not rather a strong temptation of Sathan your deadly enemie to trouble the peace of your conscience, and if it be possible, to driue you to desperation. If it be so, as I feare it greatly, then say I vnto you, there is no cause why you should beleeue him. First because he is a lyer. Ioh. 8.44. Secondly because he is your enemie, who meanes you no good at al. That he is a lyar it is manifest, because he hath beene so from the beginning, And he cannot nowe chaunge his nature. It is as much against his nature to speake the truth, as it is pos­sible that God should lie, Heb. 6.18. Rom. 3.4. who is onely & euer true. Therefore, there is no cause why you shoulde beleeue such a common liar as the Deuill (who will lie as fast as a dogge can trot, as wee vse to say in our common speach. You haue iust cause therefore to except against him in this re­spect. Againe, you neede not doubt that hee is your enemy, Reuel. 12.10. 1. Pet. 5.8. and that to the death; because hee is the common ac­cuser of the bretheren, and like a roar­ing Lion goeth about continually see­king [Page 18]whom he may deuoure. In regard whereof you are not to hearken to him, No credit to bee giuen to the deuil though he speak the truth, bicause his meaning is badde. or beleeue anie thing he shall saie vnto you, no although he speake the trueth. And my reason is, because he will not tell you the trueth, to helpe, but to hinder you, not to cheere, but to choake you, not to saue, but to spill your bloud. And whereas you will replie, you cannot denie, but hee saieth the trueth concerning the greatnesse of your sinnes, and that iust condemnation which you haue deserued for them. I answere thereto after this manner. That you are not to take the knowledge of your sinnes from Sathan, because he will not tell you the trueth, and the whole trueth as it is in deede. Marke thed euils cunning. For either he will pare your sins, and make them lesse thē they be, to make you altogether carelesse, or else hee will make them greater then they be, to throw you headlong into despaire. But you are to take the persit knowledge of your sins, The holy vse of the Ministerie. from the true vnderstanding of the Lawe of God, Rom. 7.7. fast girded to your conscience, by the holie ministerie, which GOD hath ordained for this purpose, Regard and re­ [...]erence the mi­nisterie if you loue your soule. that you maie thereby come to true and vnfained repentaunce of all your sinnes, and bee [Page 19]saued through faith in Christ his blood. For the blood of Christ doth clense you from all sinne. 1. Iohn. 1.7. And if you will yet reason against your selfe, that your sinnes are so great, that you can gather no assurance of Gods fauour towards you: Examples of no­torious sinners who repented and were par­do [...]ed. then let mee offer to your cōsideration some one or two examples of such notorious knowne sin­ners, as the world cried shame of, and yet repenting had their sinnes forgiuen them. I meane of set purpose to make choise of those persons and people, who in the scriptures are noted to be most infamous. Because you and such as are so exercised as you are, doe indeed charge your selues further than you ought. No easie matter to comfort a troubled mind. For you make your selues so bad, as though none were to be compared vnto you, or as though God had no mercie in store for you. And hereupon it comes to passe, that almost there is not any word of God which can bring peace vnto your troubled consci­ences. I intend therefore to match you so, and with such, as you shall be forced to confesse you are outmatched. The end shal be this, to bring glad tidings to your hea­uie and sorrowful soule, that God both is and will be more fauourable to you, then [Page 20]you can as yet be persuaded. For if God haue shewed mercie to those, Reasons to per­suade the afflic­ted. who by rea­son of their knowne sins, were in all mens iudgement further from mercie: how can he denie you mercie, The Lord per­suade your heart. who neuer brake into that outrage of sin, and yet doe most hum­blie sue vnto him for mercie. That good master, who forgaue his bad seruant at his owne intreatte, ten thousand talents, would not haue beene hard vnto him, who ought but a hundred pence, if he had sued vnto him, as he did to his cruell and vn­mercifull fellowe seruant, who by no meanes would bee entreated, to shewe that fauour in a little debt, which was shewed him in a verie great summe. Re­member, I pray you, that you haue to deale with a God, who is farre more mer­cifull: and therefore you may bee sure to find more fauour. You reade in the Gos­pell of Saint Luke the seuenth chapter, Marie Magdalen a notorious and knowne sinner. from the thirtie and sir verse vnto the end of the chapter, of Marie Magdalen, and of her behauiour, being a woman not only vehementlie suspected of lewde life, but openlie knowne for a common harlot, and generallie so taken, as may appeare by the wordes of Simon the Pharisie, who [Page 21]receiuing Jesus Christ into his house, Luke 7.38, [...] The hypocrisi [...] Pharisie is offen­ded with Christ. thought neuer [...] deale the better, but much the worse of him, because hee suffe­red so bad a woman to come so neare him, but especially to lay any hande vpon him, as to wash his feete with her teares, and to wipe them with the haires of her head: to kisse his feet, and to annoint them with aintment. A [...]this notwithstanding, Iesus Christ likes Maries doings. marke what marueylous great mercie Jesus Christ shewes to this so wretched and sin­full [...] man. First he takes in very good part, whatsoeuer she had done vnto him, whereas Simon looked he should not on­haue shewed his great dis [...]iking of her dealing, but to haue shaken her vp, & that roundly for her sawtines, to come so neare him without his loue and leaue. Secondly he is so farre off from misliking her beha­niour in that present action, Christ cōme [...] Maries reare [...] more then [...] mons great [...] dinner. that hee doth highly commend her to Simon, and that after so special a maner, that he giues him to vnderstand he takes better liking of her kindnesse, then of all the great prouision which he had made for him: because what­socuer she did, she did it with an vpright heart towards him, and in a sincere loue for the good of her own soule. Thirdly for [Page 22]the ease of her heart, A [...]ies sinnes [...]giuen her. which nowe was grieuously tormented for her wicked life past (as appeared by the abundance of teares she powred out) hee saith to Si­mon in her hearing, Luke 7.47.4 that many sinnes were forgiuen her. Fourthly, that she might take better hold of his wordes, Christ speakes particularly to Marie for her comfort. and apply them to her selfe for the comfort of her owne soule, he turnes his speach par­ticularly vnto her, and saith in more spe­ciall manner, Verse, 48.50. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, Thy faith hath saued thee. Lastly, that she might depart a ioyfull and blessed woman indeed, wanting nothing which might make for the peace of her consci­ence, Maries happie farewell. Verse 50. he giues her a most sweet farewell, saying, Go in peace.

Now let mee reason a little with you, The application of the first example. concerning this woman, can you when you haue strained out your sinnes to the vttermost, make your selfe as bad as this woman. No, you cannot, you may not, you dare not. For how dare you staunder your owne selfe, Applie the plai­ster to the sore that your soule may haue ease. when it is not any way lawfull to staunder another? and if you bee bound to tender the good name of your brother as well as your owne, then it must needes follow, you are by nature most bound to [Page 23]tender your owne. If then you cannot de­nie, but you are by great ovs outmatched in this example, shew me what sound rea­son you can bring to proue, why Iesus Christ should not entreat you as kindly, & shew you as much fauour as he she wed to Mary, especially when as your sins (euen by your own confessiou) are neither so no­torious, nor so apparant, and open in out­ward transgressions, to be seene and iud­ged by the world, as hers were. The teares you shed are not spile for the Lord hath put them all into his bottell. And yet for all that your teares as manie, your hart as much tormented with sorow, your kindnesse as great to Christ in his mem­bers, and your desire as great to be whol­lie his at his commaundement. Did he re­gard her, and will he reiect you? did he not shew her a hard countenance, and will hee looke sowrelie vpon you? did not she let so much as anie one teare fall in vaine? did her teares moue him to compassion? and doe you thinke he will not haue pitie vpon you & put vp all your teares into his bot­tell? Psal. 56.8. were many sinnes forgiuen her, and can any of your sins be vnpardoned? was her faith strong to saue her, and shall your faith want strength to saue you? did Christ for a farewell, bid her go in peace, and wil [Page 24]he send you away emptie without peace? No verelie. If you thinke so, you thinke much amisse, and therfore such a thought must not depart without som [...]ue chastise­ment. A familiar re­semblance. Suppose there is a man of so great wealth, that hee knowes no [...]de of his goodes. And suppose that this man hath many debters, which owe him verie great summes of money. As for example, some owe him thousands, some hundreds, and some many scores of pounds. Amongst them al there is one poore man, who owes him twentie pounds, which hee is no way able to pay, nor anie pente thereof, if hee should bee east in prison, and lie there till he rot. If this great rich man shall cause a proclamation to be made, that all and euerie one of his debters should come to him, and he will frankly and freely forgiue them all. although the debt were neuer so great, vpon this condition, that they will confesse and acknowledge the debt to bee due, whether it were more or lesse. If the poore man should come in among the rest of the debters, and confesse himself to owe him such a summe as I haue named, He that forgiues a great debt, will readily forgiue a small. lay forth his pouertie, and therewithall hum­bly vpon his knees with teares beseech [Page 25]him to shewe some fauour toward him [...] should not he in this case haue good hope to be forgiuen, especially if before his face he should see one to haue thousands forgi­uen for a word of his mouth. Labour to apply if you desire to haue comfort.

These things concerne you verie near­ly, and therefore I am so much the rather to intreat you, not to make wash way of them, but as they do nearely concerne you and your good, so to lay them neare vnto your heart, by reuerent meditation, that your soule may finde a gracious and com­fortable blessing. A second exam­ple of the great rebellion of Israel. The second example whereof I would haue you to make dili­gent consideration, is written in the first chapter of the prophet Esay, and the eigh­teenth vers, where the Lord makes a mar­uellous large offer of great mercy vnto a people, who had highly offended him, I meane the people of Israel. To these Is­raelites in most louing maner the Lord speaketh, Come, saith he, Esai. 1.18. let vs reason togither, though your sinnes were as crimson, they shall bee made white as snow, though they were red as scarlet, they shall be as wooll. What the offer is you heare, and how great it is, your selfe is able to iudge: euen so large an offer of [Page 26]mercy as none can be greater. In one word, it is as if the Lord should say. O Is­rael thou hast sinned against me thy good God most grieuously, and hast deserued that I should not onely punish thee sharp­ly, but for euer cast thee cleane out of my fauour. Notwithstanding vpon thine vn­feigned repentance for all thy sinnes past, and a resolute and full purpose of amend­ment hereafter, A general pardon offered. I am content to forgiue & forget them all, and to giue thee my gra­cious generall pardon, to acquit and dis­charge thee of all and euerie one of thine iniquities, that not so much as anie one of them shall bee able to condemne thee in this world, or in that which is to come.

Here I pray you consider a little with me, The cursed con­dition of the Is­raelites. the estate and condition of this people, at the time of this louing offer, and there­with also consider, what cause there was why the Lord should shew so great fauour to this people. Begin you at the second verse of the forenamed chapter, and marke aduisedly what manner of complaint the Lord takes vp against them. An appeale to all the creatures of disobedience. First hee calles heauen and earth with all the crea­tures therein to witnesse their rebellion [Page 27]and disobedience against him. Vnthankefulnes. Secondly he challengeth them of so monstrous vn­thankfulnes, that it is too too shamefull: for he shewes they were so farre gone in this point, that the brute beasts, euen the oxe and the asse, which were dumme and without reason, were more thankfull in theire kinde, to their owners for their fodder, then they were for so many thou­sands of blessings, which he had bestowed vpon them. A large indite­ment. Thirdly in the third verse he draws out against them, a very substanti­all inditement both for words and matter, wherein he layes forth all their ill behaui­our, Esa. 1.3. and paints them out in most liuely colours, calling them with great dete­station, A sinnefull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of the wic­ked, corrupt children. Fourthly, A proofe of the inditement. hee prooues this inditement and euery part thereof, by charging them to their faces with murder, and blood, by reason of their horrible oppression, and crueltie towards all in generall, Verse 15.17. but more specially to­wards the poore, the widow, the stran­ger and the fatherlesse, all this is done in the fifteenth and seuenteenth verses. In the practise of which sinnes, and all other [Page 28]kind of filthines, they were such exquisite workemen, Verse 10. that they were more like the people of Sodom and Gomorra (whom the Lord with fire from heauen destroy­ed) then that people whom the Lord had chosen, Exod. 29.5, 6 and pickt out from all the nations 5 of the world, Verse 11.12.13.14.15.to be a peculiar and a holie people vnto himselfe. Fiftly, they were such hollow hearted hypocrites in all the outward exercises of religion, Hypocrits in the seruise of God. that the Lord detested all their sacrifices, and vtterly abhorred all their praiers, as you may reade in the 11.12.13.14. and 15. verses. To make an end with so bad a people, as lightly could not be worse, they were so desperate, and hardned in their wickednesse, that they were past cure, and no hope or verie small (if anie at all of the greater part) of their amen­dement, because the Lord had assayed by all good meanes, to bring them to some goodnes. He had wooed them with blessings, and feared them with his iudge­ments: Sam. 7.14. he had chastised them often with rods, and many times scorged them with the plagues of the children of men: Verse 5.6. but all in vaine, the more they were cor­rected, the worse they were, and grew [Page 29]to be more desperate, as appeares out of the fift and sixt verses. After all this bad dealing, as though they had beene no such leude and gracelesse people, or as though they had not offended so grieuously, The Lord in­treates peace at their hands which had highly offended him. nay rather as though the Lord had done them some great wrong, he seekes to them (wheras they should haue both sued and sought to him) that there might be a trea­tie of peace, and a ful reconciliation made betweene them. For which purpose he offers in most friendly and louing maner­to common with them, saying, Verse 18. Come let vs reason together.

Nowe giue me leaue once againe to deale with your conscience in this point. Charge your soule with as many sinnes as euer you can possibly call to minde, A particular ap­plication of the former example. in any parte of your life, either before or since your calling, in ignorance or in knowledge, in youth or in age, howso­euer, or with whom soeuer you haue com­mitted them, eithert by thought, word or deed, in the light of the day, or in the dark­nesse of the night. Bind them all and eue­rie one of them in one bundle, cast them into the one end of the ballance: when you haue so done, take vp the sinnes of this [Page 30]people, put them into the other ende and weigh them together without ante deceit. Nay, for this once you shall haue leaue to shew your best cunning, and see if you can make your ende heauier. If you can not (as I am sure you can not, except you will vse some notable deceit, which will be soone found out, so as you shall neuer be able to answere it) then knowe you, and let your conscience also vnder­stand, A strong reason to proone and perswade. that if the Lord saide vnto a wicked people, frosen in sinne, come, hee doeth much more saie to you, who woulde so faine leaue your sinne, come, and againe come, let vs two reason together. For, although thy sinnes be in thine own sight as crimson, yet shall they bee made as white as snowe, though they bee (to thy seeming) as redde as euer was the scar­let, yet they shall bee as white as anie wooll, because they shall bee all so per­fectly scowred and washed in the bloud of Iesus Christ, Rom. 8. [...]. as not any one of them shall be able to condemne thee, either in this world or in the world to come.

And that you may bee the more bolde to come, behold your sweet sauiour (who being made sin for you that you might [Page 31]be made the righteousnesse of God) saith also vnto you, 2. Cor. 5.21. come: Matth. 11.28. Another reason of great weight: will you not come when your Sauiour calleth you for your good. yea for your further encouragement be offers, and is readie to take you by the hand, and to go with you himselfe vnto the father, for whose sake you must needes be most heartely wellcome. And if you shall thus answere your Sauiour Iesus Christ, that gladlie you would come, but that your sinnes doe so clogge, and loade your heart with sorrow: then heare how againe he replies vpon you saying. The tired sinner may boldely come to Christ. If the case stand so with thee, then come in any wise, yea therefore the rather come. For if thy sinnes doe put thee to paine, and be as a heauie burden, to bigge for thee to beare, come thy way, and say them all vpon my shoulders, for my backe is broade inough to beare them all, were they neuer so ma­ny. I am well content to beare the whole loade of them mine owne selfe, that thou mayest be fully and for euer discharged. Matth. 11.28. Marke well that Christ will saue humbled sinners and none other. For such sinners doe I call, and such sin­ners onelie will I saue, as are in paine and throughlie tyred with their sinnes. As for such sinners as haue store of sinnes hanging vpon them, and either doe not feele them, or care for no helpe, I haue [Page 32]nothing to do with them, neither will I be any Sauiour vnto them. For, the whole neede not the physition but the sicke. Matth. 9.12, 13.I came not to call the righte­ous, but sinners to repentance.

Thus farre I haue endeuoured to sa­ti [...]tie your first and maine obiection, and to my power aimed at this marke, name­ly, to pacifie your troubled conscience with this comfortable and sound persua­sion, Rom. 5.1. that beeing iustified by faith, you haue peace toward God through our Lorde Iesus Christ, by whome you haue boldnesse and entraunce vn­to God the Father, Ephes. 3.12. and that by the po­werfull working of Gods spirite, which is the spirite of adoption which you haue receiued, Ro. 9.15, 16, 18.whereby you crie Ab­ba Father. The same spirite beareth witnesse with your spirit, that you are the childe of God. And if you bee a childe, then are you also an heire of God, and a ioynt heire with Christ. And therefore not I, but Gods holie spirite in the Epistle to the Hebrewes (whose wordes you ought both to regard and reuerence) saieth vnto you in this wise: Hebr. 4.17. Let vs goe boldely vnto the [Page 33]throne of grace, that wee may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede.

I beseech you marke aduisedly that the author of the epistle calleth vpon you to goe, and to goe boldely. Labour to cast off feare when God would haue you bolde. But whither would hee haue you goe? forsooth to the throne. And to what throne? You are louingly called to come to a louely throne, hanged all ouer with hangings of grace and mercie. Not to a throne of iustice, of wrath, and condemna­tion, but to a throne of grace and mercie. It is indeede a throne of iustice, of wrath, and condemnation, but not to you, nor a­nie such as you are. The throne against your comming is couered and hanged all ouer from end to end, both wide and side with most rich & costly cloth of grace and mercy. Thē hangings are al of grace and throughout embrodered with nothing but mercie. View them your selfe, looke vp­on them throughly, and you shal finde all mercie and nothing els but mercie. Ther­fore you are willed to come to this throne boldly, because it is a throne of grace and mercie. And that you may knowe before hand what you shall gaine by your comming thither, Mercie welcomes you. you are told plainly & truely, you shall find (that which your soul most longeth after) store of grace, [Page 34]and you shall receaue so much mercy as may helpe you, when you shall stand in most neede of mercie. Thus must is needs be, you must needes be welcome, for the Iudge is your great frend. and otherwise it cannot be, because the iudge himselfe, who sits vpon the throne, is a iudge ful of mercie, clad alto­gether with rich robes of mercy, and your great frend, who wil shew you all y^t fauo [...] that may be. For why, he is Iesus your Sauiour, Matth. 1.21. who will in no case suffer you to miscarie.

Here is good occasion offered to an­swere a second obiection of yours, The second obie­ction and answer. which is, that you beleeue, that Iesus Christ is a perfect and an able Sauiour, but not your Sauiour: The troubled minde cannot apply Christ to it selfe. that he saith come, but he saith not come to you. But I will prooue he speaketh to you as wel as to any other, and that as particularly and as plainly as if he shuld call you by your name, and say, come M. P. E. I speake vnto thee by name.

First, Aduise your selfe well, that he that knowes you calls you. Esa. 43.1. Feare not, for I haue redeemed thee, I haue cal­led thee by thy name, thou are mine. you will grant, that in those wordes (which you finde thus written, in Mathew chap. 11. verse 28. Come vn­to me all you, that are weary and laden, Christ Iesus calleth al sinners generally, [Page 35]you are one among the rest. Therefore he cals you. For he saith, he came to cal sinners to repentance.

Secondly, in the forenamed wordes he cals such sinners onely particularlie and by name as are wearie and laden with their sinnes. Iudge you, whe­ther you be called. Are your sinnes pleasant to your palat, and sweete vnto your taste? Doeth the remembrance of your sinnes make you laugh, as though ye were tick­led, when you thinke vpon them? Is it the ioy and pleasure of your sinnes, which drawes so great store of falt teares from your eies, and fetcheth so many deepe sighes from your heart: Doe your sinnes lie vpon your conscience like some little light feather: or rather do they not presse and holde you downe as a woonderfull weightie burthen: If you be in this case, then may you know, if you will know that which shall doe you good, that he speakes to you by name, and saith vnto you, come boldly and feare not, I will ease thee of all those thy sinnes, which are so great a burthen to thy conscience, and will giue thee a gracious generall pardon in my death and passion. Moreouer, I will from top to toe couer and cloath thee [Page 36]with the rich robes of mine owne righte­ousnesse vnto the full assurance of euerla­sting life.

The third obiection followeth, The third obiec­tion & answer. The troubled mind complaines of the weaknesse of faith. that your faith is weake, and so weake, as you are fully perswaded there is no childe of God hath so weake a faith as you haue. I per­ceiue it fareth with you as it doth with one that is greatly troubled with y^t tooth-ach, gout, stone, or some such strong disease, who being in verie great paine, in the ex­tremitie thereof cries out, y^t there was ne­uer any creature in the world so cruellie tormented. And why saith he so: forsooth because he feeles his own paine, and no o­ther mans beside: Enery man com­plaines of his owne paine. therefore he speakes of that which himself feeleth, and not of that which he doth not feele. For there be a great many mo as greatly tormented as he: but he thinkes not so, because he d [...]th not feele it so: Thus do you deale, you are greatly troubled with the weaknes of your own faith which you feele: therfore accor­ding to your feeling you complaine, Many deere ser­uants of God are greatly greeued for the weaknes of their faith. that none hath so weake a faith as you haue: not withstanding there be a great number be­sides your selfe, who are as much troubled [Page 37]this way as you. But I will take your own words. You say your faith is weake. Yea, then you grant you haue faith. And therefore say I, or rather the Lord himself for your comfort, you cannot possiblie pe­rish. For God so loued the world, Iohn 3.16.that he gaue his onely begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish, but haue euerlasting life.

But your faith (as you say) is so weake, that you cannot thinke it to be anie faith at all. A weake faith is a good faith, therefore make much of it, and labour to streng­then it. And I againe doe answer you with a better warrant than your thought, that a weake faith is a faith, yea a good and a sound faith. The weakenes of faith doth not take away the nature and beeing of faith, that because there is weaknesse in it, therefore it should cease to be a faith. Will you say a weake man is no man, be­cause of his weakenesse: No, A weake man is a man. for he is a man though neuer so weake, as long as there is any life and breath in him. Nei­ther doeth his weakenesse take away his goodnes: for he may be a verie good man although he be verie weake: So say I of your faith, the weakenesse thereof takes not away y^e goodnes. It is a good, a sound and a liuely faith, although it be weake. I [Page 38]neuer yet heard of anie beleeuing man or woman, Weaknesse of faith, a generall complaint of all the godlie. but haue complained of the weaknesse of their faith. Nay for my part I haue marked it in sundrie examples, that the more godly and beleeuing, the more they haue complained. I coulde from mine owne experience, name diuerse to proue this paint, and some of them well knowne vnto your selfe. But I wil name some one or two out of the Scriptures, and leaue the rest to your owne good con­sideration.

You reade in the Gospell of Marke the ninth chapter and foure & twentieh verse of so good and faithfull a man, marke 9.24. Example of a weake faith in a verie good man. as you wil your selfe confesse, hee had a true and sin­cere faith, because hee saide vnto Iesus Christ, Lord, I beleeue. Neuerthelesse, this good man was sicke of your disease, and felt his faith to be weake, yea verie weake, and therfore he intreates the Lord Iesus very earnestly, yea crying out with tears saith, Lord help my vnbeleef, &c.

Again you reade in Saint Lukes Gos­pel, the seuenteenth chapter and fift verse, of the holie Apostles, The Apostles weake in saith. whom our Sauiour Christ had chosen to preach, and by their preaching to beget faith in others: yet [Page 39]euen these men doe in like maner find and feele great want and weaknesse in their owne faith. For which cause they put vp their humble supplication vnto their Lord and master Iesus Christ, that he would increase their faith.

So that now you see verie plainly, Weakenesse and wants will waite vpon vs to our graue. there is no cause, why you should too much dis­courage your selfe, with the consideration of the weakenesse of your faith. Because the best and most faithfull seruants of God, doe halt of this sore as well as you, and shall doe as long as they liue in this world. For there is no perfection of any good grace in this life. 1. Cor. 13.9. We see and know in part, and therefore must needes also beleeue and practise in part. Perfection is no where to bee found but in heauen, Weakenesse of faith a speciall meanes to hum­ble vs. that that we may long to be there, and so bee fully perfect. God vseth this as a holie and good meanes rightly to humble you and many of his deare children for your good, that by the true feeling of this weakenesse, and many other infirmities, you may see how much neede you haue to runne continually for strength and succor at the handes of your sweete Sauiour, who hath throughlie supplied all your [Page 40]wants, and who will so strengthen you, that your faith (though neuer so weake to your owne feeling) may neuer faile you. For which purpose I would haue youe to lay sure holde of these wordes full of sweete comfort, deliuered vnto Pe­ter by out Sauiour Christ, for the streng­thening of all the faithfull. Simon, Si­mon,Luke 22.31.Sathan hath desired to winnow you as wheate, All the faithfull are as deare to Christ as Peter.but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not. Marke I pray you, how Iesus Christ promiseth to pray for Peter, and not for him onely, but for all the faithfull. For is hee onelie Pe­ters Sauiour? He prayeth for all the faithful as wel as for Peter, and for you. is he not also the Sauiour of all the faithfull in the world? Is hee not your Sauiour as well as Peters? yes truly. Then he will pray for you also. For so he sayth in that most sweete prayer which hee makes to his heauenly father, for all the faithfull which shall beleeue in him to the worlds ende. Ioh. 17.20. I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shal beleeue in mee through their worde. And if hee in whom onelie the father is wholie and altogither well pleased, Math. 3.17. and for whose sake hee can not bee dis­pleased with you, doe praie for you, [Page 41]shall not hee bee heard, and his prayer fullie graunted: Yes it can not be de­nied.

But yet you say hee speakes to Pe­ter, Christ in Petes spe [...]kes to al the faithfull by name. and promiseth to pray for him by name. Yea, and that is as much as if he should call you by your name, and say that he will pray for you, and for so manie as Satan hath any desire to winow. But sa­tan hath a great desire not. onely to wi­now Peter, but all the rest of the faith­full also. For so are Christs words, say­ing, Sathan desires to winow, not thee, Sathans malice in deadly against all the faithfull.but you, as if hee should say, his malice is not against one alone, but against all. Therefore as all must looke to them­selues: so Christ promiseth to praie for so many as are windowed, and particu­larlie for you, because you can tell that you are winnowed. And whereas it plea­seth the Lord thus to winow and sift your faith, you may be sure not to loose, but to gaine thereby. For this you know, the more the good corne is fanned, and winowed, the cleaner it is; and the oft­ner golde is put into the fining-pat, the more pure and excellent it is. To this end therefore are you fined after this manner, [Page 42] that the triall of your faith being much more precious then golde that peri­sheth,1. Pet. 1.7.though it bee tried with fire, might bee found vnto your praise and honour, and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ.

Now I come to answere a fourth ob­iection of yours. The fourth ob­iection and an­swere concer­ning praier, That you cannot pray. What, can you not pray at all? can yee ne­uer pray? Yes you thanke God for his mercie, you can pray sometimes, but nei­ther so often, nor so zealously as you de­sire, and as your neede enforceth you. Sometimes you pray, Cold praier bet­ter then no praier. but verie coldlie, and with verie little or no feeling. Some­time you pray more earnestly, and for all that, you find small comfort. And some­times though you doe what you can, you can not praie for your life. This is as I knowe by some wofull experience a verie iust and true complaint: yet I remem­ber when I demanded whether you could praie at anie time, you could not denie but you could pray sometime, and I am persuaded with good feeling and sweete comfort to your soule. Whereupon I proue once againe to your conscience, that [Page 43]you haue a true faith vnto saluation, be­cause prayer is an vndoubted, and plaine fruit of a liuely faith, Rom. 1 [...] 13. accompanied with euerlasting saluation: for whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued.

Praier is not a common gift, Prayer no com­mon but a speci­all gist giuen to the elect. com­mon to all, but a speciall gift, proper on­lie to the elect, as faith and repentance. The Apostle saieth, All men haue not faith, 2. Thessalon. 3.2. so say I, all men haue not the gift to pray. A wicked man can not pray, because he can not be­leeue, for praier is a most excellent fruit of faith. The vngodly haue not this gift in truth, or in any good measure, howsoe­uer they haue many other excellent gifts of wisdome, councell, & learning, yet they want this, which the Prophet doth plain­ly auouch, saying of them, that they call not vpon God: as though he should say, they do many other things, but they doe not this, and no maruell, for indeede they cannot, because they want that spirite which should teach them to pray, for the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and praieth in vs, yea this same spirite of sanctificati­on which hath wrought a gracious mea­sure [Page 44]of Faith and Repentaunce in your heart hath taught you also to pray, and to take so great delight therein, that you are glad when you can pray your selfe, or can be partaker with others when they pray.

But you say sometimes you cannot pray at all, Praier is not a common gift. and therefore you doubt your selfe very much. The godly can­not alwayes pray as they would. If you could pray when you would, and as you would (beare with my plainnesse, for I speake from the feeling of mine owne heart) you would be proude, you would thinke it were but a gift of nature, in your owne power and no gift of God: so should God loose his glorie, so should you soone forget the right vse of a notable blessing, and forget also to be thankfull. Nowe you haue it but seldome, or not so often as you would your selfe, you knowe from whome you receiue it, and when you haue it, you vse it with more reuerence, and make more account of it, you take more ioy in it: and when you want it, you groane to God for it the more earnestly. It is verie needefull and much for your profit, The want of ma­ny blessings and graces is very needefull and profitable. that the Lord would excuse the best of his seruants with the want of manie blessings and graces both for their [Page 45]bodies and soules. To be sicke, It is good some times to be sicke, that we may knowe how good a thing it is to enioy the bene­fit of health. Hungerbitten, It is good sometimes to be hungerbitten, that our meate may be the more sauourie, that we may be the more thankfull for our foode, that we may receiue and vse it more reue­rently, and the more willingly releeue such as stand in neede. It is good for vs some nights to be abridged of our na­turall sleepe, To want sleepe, that we may know there­by, Psal. 127.2 that it is the Lord who giues rest vnto his beloued. It is verie meete we should sometimes be troubled in con­science, To haue a trou­bled concience. Peace of consci­ence a pretious blessing. that we may knowe how pre­cious a blessing that is aboue all others, to enioy the peace of conscience, and to labour aboue all things to attaine to it, and to maintaine the same. It is good for vs sometimes to be cleane to seeke hawe to praie, that when we can praie, we may be the more humble, reuerent and thankful.

But if you like to stand vpon this point to vrge the same against your selfe, I will as in the sight of God, to his glorie, and mine owne shame, confesse the truth [Page 46]vnto you, as it is with me in this thing. I haue more cause a thousand fold, to doubt my selfe herein, then you haue, by reason of the great calling which the Lord hath layed vpon me, being a minister and teacher of the word. Therefore the Lord be mercifull vnto me a wretched sin­ner. For my wicked euill heart is so narow and baren in prayer, that many times I cannot pray at all. And this fals out not onelie in my priuate meditations betweene God and mine owne soule, but in my dailie prayers with my houshold, wherein I haue beene forced for the most part to vse, This hath beene in former time, now through Gods grace it is otherwise, yet perfourmed in great weakenesse, and with many wants, besides some speciall exercise an other way sufficient to abate the pride of my heart, and to keepe me vn­der. and that almost word for word, a short prayer, which I haue set downe in a short Cathechisme for the helpe and furtherance of such as are vnder my charge. And if vpon some speciall occasion offered, I indeuour my selfe to pray otherwise, it is such poore, drie, na­ked, and sillie stuffe, both for words and matter, that after I haue prayed, I am a great while maruelously tormented in conscience. And I should be vtterly asha­med, that you or any other should come within the hearing of my babling praiers. And assuredlie, were it not that I felt [Page 47]some more gracious assistance, from the Lord in those prayers, which are offered vp in my publike ministerie, I could haue small assurance of Gods louing fauour towardes mee. This I confesse accord­ing to the truth, that you may know you are no more alone in this point, than in the former, and to intreate you to pray for me, following the good aduise of the ho­lie apostle Saint Iames, who counsel­leth vs, Iames 5.16. to confesse our sinnes one to an other, and to pray for one an o­ther.

But alas say you, how should I pray for you, True praier is not a set order of fine wordes. when I can not pray for my selfe. If you cannot pray in set wordes, and in fine order, can you not therefore pray at all? can you not sigh and groane inwardly, in the true feeling of your soul, as one that is so greatly oppressed with griefe, that he hath not a tongue to vtter that which he hath within his minde. If you can sigh and grone, after this maner, be of good comfort. For you haue lear­ned long since, from some of your faithful teachers, who haue many times soundlie taught this point from the word of God, and that of purpose for the relief of weake [Page 48]consciences, that you pray verie effectual­lie. Your sighes are prayers which the spirite, from whom they proceed, vnder­standeth right well, yea although there is not so much as anie one worde vtte­red to expresse them. Wordes are for our vnderstanding, that we may thereby knowe one anothers meaning. But the hoke spirite which is our comfortable schoolemaister, and searcheth the deepe things of God, knowes our meaning and thoughts before we speake, yea although we speake not at all. For as the Prophet Dauid saith, Psal. 139.2. He knowes our thoughts long before. And the Apostle saith, the spirite helpeth our infirmities, for we knowe not what to pray as wee ought, but the spirite it selfe maketh request▪ for vs with sighes, which cannot be ex­pressed.

These sighes breaking out violentlie from the consciences of the godlie, The sighes of the Godlie are acceptable prayers. are prayers, and loude cryes, acceptable t [...] the Lord, and pearcing deepelie into his eares, as appeares in Exodus 14.15. Where the Lorde demaundeth of Moses why hee cryed so vnto him, whereas the wordes of the Text make no mention of [Page 49]anie one worde hee spake or vttered. I pray you tell mee this one thing, A similie. if the childe of your owne bodie, whom you loue dearelie, and which is vnto you as your owne soule, shall be sicke, and be­ing full of paine, shall moane him selfe vnto you, tell you howe sicke hee is, where his paine doth holde him, and shall entreate you euen as you loue him, to doe what you can to ease him, will you not doe it both willinglie and readilie: yea, will you not doe whatsoeuer you are able euerie kinde of way for the ease of your deare dearling: But if his paine shall encrease and grewe so great, that it takes awaie his speech, so as bee is not able to speake a worde, but to fetch deepe sighes, and to moane himselfe vn­to you by most greeuous groanes, will not these groanes pearce your heart more deepelie, and cause the bowels of compas­sion to yerne in you more stronglie, to straine your selfe euen to the vttermost of all your power to affoorde him as much comfort as is possible, both by your selfe & by others: shall the groning of your child worke great pitie in you, and shall not the the mightie groanes of your poore sicke [Page 50]soul, moue the Lord your God to greater compassion? The Lord excee­deth al men in goodnesse and compassion and therefore will heare and helpe you readily. If in such a case you will be so readie to heare and helpe, know you for certentie the Lord will be more readie to heare and helpe, whensoeuer you shall in the anguish of your soule groane vnto him. For looke how farre he exceeds you and all other in goodnesse: so farre also doth he exceede you and all other in mercie and compassion.

Beside all this, there is no sacrifice more acceptable in the sight of God, then the sighes and groanes of a troubled minde. Psalm. 51.17. The sighes of the spirit a [...]e to be regarded. For so saith the Prophet. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit, a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise. Therefore make as good account of the groanes and sighes of the spirit, as of any prayer you can make, euen in the best words you can deuise. And for a farewell of this mat­ter, remember that the godlie and good king Ezekias, Ezekias could not pray, but chatter. could not in smooth and fine wordes, poure out his prayers be­fore the Lord in his great sicknesse, but chatter like a swallow or a [...]rane, as hee confesseth of himselfe. Esa. 38.14. Consider al­so that the poore Publican, being a­shamed [Page 51]of himselfe, The Publican prayed feruently but saide little. by reason of his sinnes, and feareing to lift his eies toward heauen, could not deliuer his minde at large, in fit, and choise words, but with much paine, Lu. 18.9, 10, &c. at the last he breakes forth after this manner, O God be mercifull to me a sinner. Neuerthelesse our Sa­uiour Christ giueth sentence on his side, that he went home more iustified, then the proud Pharisie, who had both words and winde at will.

Your fist obiection doth thus offer it selfe, That you cannot leaue sinne. The fist obiecti­on and answere, of leauing sinne. And that which doth more trouble you, you cannot leaue those sinnes, which you haue vowed to leaue, but you fall againe into them. First you reason thus against your selfe, that you can not leaue sinne. No maruell, Sinne cleapes too fast to our nature to part with it in ha [...]e. for although you be one of Godes saintes, and haue receiued the spirit of sanctification in measure, to fight the Lords battels against sinne, and hell: yet are you no Angell in this world, so as you can altogether ceasse to sinne, because you carrie, and shall carrie vnto your graue, a bodie, and soule subiect to sinne. Therfore you must fight this battel [Page 52]euen so long as you haue breath and life. This enemie of yours is so strong, No perfect con­quest ouer sinne vntill death. that he will neuer be fullie ouercome, vntill you haue ouermastred him by death. And then you shall haue a full and perfect con­quest ouer him and all your enemies. In the meane time, plucke vp a good heart, gird you fast with all your Christian ar­mour, Christian co [...] ­ [...]age and armor. put on your complete harnesse, and euerie part thereof, as you finde it set down in the sir [...] chap. of the Epistle writ­ten to the Ephesians, Ephe. 6.13, 14, &c. take your weapon in one hand, I meane the sworde of the spirite, and your buckler in the other, that is to say, the shield of faith. Lay about you lustily, with all the strength and cun­ning you haue. Yea, bee strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. And fear not the issue, Be carefull to fight Christ his [...]attell, and feare not the issue. although you latch and catch many a sore blowe, no though you be foiled and wounded, because you haue a valiant captaine Christ Iesus your Samour, who hath alreadie himselfe got­ten the victorie for you, and who will not shrinke one foote from you, vntil such time as you also haue gotten the victorie. For in all these things wee are more then conquerours through him that loued [Page 53]vs. Rom. 8.37. And that you may haue the more courage to fight this field with­out fainting, vnderstand thus much, All the faithfull doe fight one and the same battell. that all the faithfull doe ioyne hands with you to fight out this battell.

The holie Apostle Paule had recey­ued a great measure of sanctification a­boue manie thousandes of Gods chil­dren: yet could not hee get the full ma­strie ouer sinne, but that full sore against his will to his hearts griefe hee fell into it. Therefore with sorrow of soule, hee complaines in the seuenth Chapter to the R [...]mames. Rom. 7.19. That the good which he would he did not, Paule fought a blo [...]die field with sinne.but the euill which hee would not, that did hee. And that it may be well vnderstoode, that this was not onelie a sharpe hote skirmish, for a short fit, but a set battle to continue to the ende of his life, you may reade howe after sundrie and diuerse greeuous com­plaints of his owne weakenesse, and of the strength of sinne, as a man that is wearie of his life, for no cause but this onely, that he could not leaue sinne, hee breakes out into these wordes of great passion. V [...]se 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from the [Page 54]bodie of this death? Poul could not [...]eaue sinne as he desired. In which speech he doth bewray two things. First that hee could not leaue sinning, although it was his whole studie, and the onelie thing a­mong manie, which he most earnestlie de­sired. Therefore he calles himselfe a wret­ched man, because he carries about a bo­die of sinne and death. Secondly, that hee had as longing a desire to cease from sin, as any man could haue. And therefore hee asketh this question. Who shall de­liuer me:

Nowe tell me I beseech you, is it not thus with you: The godly would saine leaue sinne, and so would you with all your heart. Would you not faine leaue sinne if you could, and that with all your heart, are you not wearie of it, and sore grieued for it▪ Must it not needes bee thus, because you complaine so greatly, you can not leaue sinne: You sinne in deede, but not willingly, nor of set purpose; [...]say 5.18. you drawe not sinne vnto you with cart ropes, as the wicked doe, but you are violentlie drawne by the fu­rie and violence of sinne. The godly sinne [...] willingly as the wicked. You hunt not after iniquitie, to pursue and followe af­ter it, with the intisements thereof. But sinne hunts and pursues you, till you haue lost both winde, and strength, and so [Page 55]it may bee, you are manie times taken prisoner. In which case you are no more to bee blamed, then a Souldiour, who in battell is full sore agaynst his will taken prisoner of his enemie, which thing is most manifest to your owne conscience, because when you are taken, and you perceiue it, you behaue your selfe as a man, which is fallen into his enemies hande. For your heart is greeued, [...]d your soule wonderfully troubled, your s [...]eepe departeth from you, you can eate no meate that doeth you good, you take no pleasure in anie worldlie thing, there is no mirth in you, but you are all heauie and sad. If you bee in companie, where you are prouoked to bee merrie, you laugh but for companie: for it is but from the teeth forwarde. To bee short, so long as you are holden captiue of a­nie sinne, you are wearie of your life. Therefore all your studie is howe you maie breake off the fetters of sinne, The godly study how to breake off the fetters of sinne. and bee deliuered, whereto you applie all your wit, power, cunning, and skill: And if through the great goodnesse of God, you get anie aduauntage to es­cape, there was neuer anie fowle more [Page 56]glad of a faire day, or bird that hath broken out of the fowlers net, more ioy­fuil then you are of so happie deliuerance. And when you are deliuered you are e­uer afterwards more carefull a great deale that you fall not againe into your e­nimies hand.

Againe you make not a trade of sinne, The wicked do trade in sinne. to follow it dayly and houre [...]e as the workers of imquitie, Mat. 7.23. who follow it as carefully and continually as any man followes his occupation whereby hee must liue. Ps. 1.2.3. But the trade which you follow, and the way wherein you walke with delight, is the continuall medita­tion of the lawe of God, with an earnest desire to practise it in your whose conuer­sation. Coloss. 3.2. Your minde and affections are not set vpon the earth, but vppon hea­uen, and vpon those things which may bring you to heauen. It is better with you then you thinke for, and therefore be thankfull and [...]heere vp your heart in the Lord. Therefore in the true acknowledgement of Gods great mercy towards you, you may with peace to your soule saie with the Apostle Paul in the seuenth chapter to the Ro­mans and the fiue and twentieth verse, I thanke God through our Lord Iesus Christ, because in my mind I serue the [Page 57]lawe of God, although in the flesh, that is in that part, which is vnregene­rate I serue the lawe of sinne.

Touching that other point, namely that you fall often and againe into that sin, which you haue vowed neuer to cōmit againe: It is no wonder in this corruption to sinne often in the same sinne. for as much as the same is against your wil through great infirmitie, and not of anie set purpose, although I wish you in anie wise to be as carefull as may be therein, and to vse all good and holie meanes of watching ouer your affecti­ons and auoiding all those occasions, All good meanes must be vsed a­gainst euerie sinne. whereby you may bee drawen forward into a [...]e the least sinne, by praying, fa­sting, and such like holie exercises, whereby you may be better strengthened against all assaultes of sinne: yet would I not haue you to discourage your selfe too much with the consideration there­of. Consider wisell [...] and apply with reuerence. For this you knowe that one which walketh in a supperie way or vpon ice, may against his will, yea though hee looke neuer so well to his feete, not one­lie take the first, but the second, and the third fall, yea manie falles, notwithstan­ding that he thinketh to set his foote mar­uelous sure.

[Page 58] Abraham although hee was the father of the faithfull, Abraham fell more than once into one sinne. and for his godlinesse highlie commended in the Scripture: yet through great weakenesse, lyed first in Egypt to Pharao, in denying Sarah to be his wife, These examples are to comfort such as woulde leaue sinne, and not to encourage any to liue in sinne. Genesis the twelfth chap­ter and thirteenth verse. Againe hee fell into the selfe same sinne vnto Abimelech, the king of Gerar, Genesis the twentie chapter, and second verse. Sarah also gaue her consent both times, and was par­taker of the sinne. Isaac their sonne vp­on the [...]ke occasion, so readilie coyned a lie, as if his father and mother had not only by practise, but by precept taught him to lie. I knowe both what I say, and to whom I speake, for as these examples and such like, may not, nor ought not, to make vs bolde to runne headlong, or to continue with delight in anie [...] great or small: (for then w [...] vnto vs) so they serue to comfort vs, that wee stand not ouermuch amazed at our daylie slippes in sinne.

Nowe followeth a sixt obiection con­cerning hardnesse of heart, The [...]ixt obiecti­on concerning hardnes of heart. That you can not profite by the worde preached, and [Page 59]therefore thinke it were as good or better not to heare at all, as to heere to no pur­pose, and profit. For hardnesse of heart, which is the first branch of this obiection, I answere that it is a principal part of the corruption of the old man, which clea­ueth fast vnto our nature, and is one of our mortall enemies, which will haunt vs vnto the death. Hardnesse of har [...] w [...]ll hang vpon vs and haunt vs [...]o the death. For our faith shall be exercised therewithal, as long as we shall liue in this world. Therefore our best re­medie is to arme our selues with the ar­mour of proofe before rehearsed, and to buckle with this aduersarie, Looke well to your atmour. whose edge and courage, by little and l [...]ttle shall be a­bated. And for your encoragement this I say, that flesh and bloud hath not ope­ned your eies to see this to be a sinne, nei­ther touched your heart, with a mis [...]iking thereof: Blesse gods narre, that now you see and greeue for that sinne which in former times you neither saw [...] nor greened for. for then you might long ago haue found out this and manie other sinnes, when they raigned in you more strongly, and caried you headsong, with­out any resistance or misliking into much euil, to commit sin with great greedines. But then you could find no fault at all with your selfe, nay you thought your self [Page 60]in as good case as was possible. Your case all one with the Apostle Paul. Ro. 7.9. &c. Acts 26.9. And no ma [...]uell, because you were blinded through the d [...]rknesse of your owne vn­derstanding and reason, so as you could iudge no colours.

Now, through Gods goodnesse, for the welfare of your soule, your eies which were blind, are opened to see those things which you neuer saw before, and your heart is touched with a wonderfull mis­liking of that which before you leued. Yea indeede you must needes confes, Giue God leaue and he will helpe that which you can not. you see and feele your hardnesse of heart, but you cannot helpe nor amend it. No, but the Lord both can and wil helpe to amend whatsoeuer is amisse in his time. In the meane time, Psal. 27.14. do what you can, be pati­ent, tarie the Lords leasure, wait vpon him, and he shall comfort thine heart.

Where you say, A generall com­plaint of the best. you cannot profit by the word of God preached, that is also a generall complaint of all such as are most carefull to profit. But your owne words do prooue against your selfe, that you doe profit. For if you profited not, how comes it to passe that you haue found out this fault, that you cannot profit. It is not the [Page 61]manner of such as doe not receiue profit by the word preached, to find fault, but to please and flatter themselues most, when they profite least. Therefore this is a great argument and sound proofe of your profiting, The complaint of not profiting is verie profitable, because it m [...]kes you carefull to profite. in that you can thus blame your selfe, that you doe not profit. And it pleaseth the Lord thus to exercise you and the rest of his beloued ones, with the feeling hereof, not to discourage you, but that this may be as a whetstone to sharpen your stomake, to heare with greater conscience, and as a spurre to make you more egar vpon the word, when it is preached, that the oftener you heare, you may desire more and more, to pro [...]ite by hearing.

But where as in the end, As you loue your soule take heede of this temptati [...]. you throwe downe this logge in your owne way, that it were good, not to heare at all, I am to giue you speciall warning, as you tender the saluation of your owne soule, to take heede howe you giue consent to that temptation, in the least thought of your heart, for it is a strong enchant­ment of Sathan, to bewitch you with­all, and a choise baite to catch your soule [Page 62]in euerlasting destruction. The deuill him­selfe hate [...] p [...]e [...] ­ching (more than holy water) be­cause it ouerthr [...] weth his [...]ing­dome. He knowes this as well as anie man can tell him, that the word preached is the onelie most principall meanes, which God hath or­dained to strengthen you against the whole batterie and force of al his tempta­tions. Hee knowes also that from thence you daylie gather courage against him. Whether it be thus or not, I ap­peale to your conscience. And if you haue found this powerfull worke in your owne soule, then so often as hee shall thrust in this temptation say vnto him auoyde Sathan, Matth. 4.10. for thou labourest to murther my precious soule, by withdrawing me from the meanes of my saluation.

But howe doth he vrge this point a­gainst you, The deuils crust in reasoning. and with what reasons. First because you doe not feele profit present­lie. Secondlie because you doe not pro­fite so much as you should. Nowe marke I beseech you the deuils craft in reasoning. First you feele no profit by the word presentlie so soone as you heare it preached: therefore you doe not profit at all. You feele not profite presentlie, therefore you shall neuer feele profite. [Page 63]You shall see this cunning laied open to your vnderstanding in a familiar ex­ample, after this manner. The deuils cun­ning laide wide open by sensible reasons. A sicke man hath Phisicke giuen him to helpe his sick­nesse: He is not helped presentlie so soone as hee hath taken it: Therefore he shall neuer haue helpe. The husband­man doth sowe his seede, and casts it into the ground, that it may growe and bring forth fruit: But it growes not so soone as it is sowen: Therefore it will not growe at anie time, neither shall [...]ee euer reape anie croppe of his seede.

Againe hee reasoneth thus against you, you profit not so much as you should, or not alwayes alike: Therefore you profit not at all. This is as if one should reason after this fashion. One a [...]re of corne some yeare brings forth fiue, tenne, twentie, or a hundred fold: But it doth not so euerie yeare: There­fore it brings forth nothing at all. Some yeares an occupier gaynes a hundred pound by his trade: Hee gaynes not so much euery yeare: Therfore he gains no­thing. Thus the deuil reasoneth with you [Page 64]therefore be your selfe iudge: of his maner of reasoning, and the Lord in mercie giue you wisedome, in all things to take heed of his wilinesse, that you be not by him a­nie way abused.

The seuenth and last obiection is, The last obiecti­on concerning euill thoughts. con­cerning euill thoughts, which arise in the minde, wherewith I know, some are not a little troubled, for comfort of whose weake consciences, which are many times ouer much greeued by the consideration thereof: I answere thus from the Pro­phet Ieremie the seuenteenth Chapter and ninth verse: Ierem. 17.9. that the heart is de­ceitfull, and wicked aboue all things, who can know it? By which place (if my iudgement doe not much abuse mee) this one lesson may be rightlie and kindly gathered, that when the best men and women haue done their best, to their best power, they shall neuer attaine, or come to the perfect, The heart is like a bottomlesse pit which can neuer be drawen drie. and full knowledge of' all the corruption, and filthinesse which is there hatched, and harboured: because it is like vnto a bottomles pit, which can neuer be drawne drie. Hereupon I reason thus. [Page 65]If we shall neuer in the whole course of our life, come to the through, and full knowledge of all that venemous poison, which is deepe rooted in the dungeon of our vnderstanding: how then shall it e­uer be possible for vs, to attaine to the perfect reformation of so manie disorders, as are there to be found. Genes. 6.5. Againe the Lord himselfe saith, That all the imaginati­ons of the thoughts of mans heart, be euill, onelie euill, and that conti­nuallie. If all be euill by nature be­fore we be regenerate, and borne a new by a second birth of the spirit, and word, and that continuallie: then no maruell if some be euill, and that continually after our regeneration. Because wee be re­newed but in part, Ephes. 4.24. and we haue so put on the new man, which after god is cre­ated in true holinesse and righteous­nesse, as that we shal neuer cleane, and al­together put off the old man with all his deceiueable lustes, vntil we put off this flesh, and that by death.

In this one point standeth a great part of our Christian warfare, wherein we are at all seeles and seasons, to stand [Page 66]vpon our garde, This is our taske to our dying day, to fight against our affections which are our deadly foes. and to watch with all diligence, in withstanding the euill affec­tions and thoughts of our hearts, which as Peter saith fight against our soules. For these be such spitefull enemies, as lodge themselues close euen in the closet of our heart, 1. Pet. 2 11. they eate and drinke with vs, Our vnruly and lordly lufts do yawe vs continu­ally. they sleepe and wake with vs, they ride and goe with vs, they goe out and in with vs: to bee short, when our oth [...] enemies, the worlde, and the diuell doe graunt vs some time of truce, their will affoord vs no peace, because they sit so neare vs, as that euermore they are at hand readie to assault vs, Faith and praier are our best ar­mour. both before and behinde, and on euerie side. Therefore we are to the vttermost of our power, to arme our selues strongly against them by faith, by prayer, and all other good and ho­lie meanes. That wee maie daylie get ground of them, and through Gods grace, ouermaister them in some good measure, to our euerlasting comfort. The rather because the wise man saieth. He that is slowe to anger, Prouerb. 16 32.is better then a mightie man, and hee that ruleth his owne minde, is better than hee that [Page 67]winneth a citie.

But euen now while we are speaking of euill thoughts, there comes in one, A wofull com­plaint against e­uill thoughts. with a most lamentable complaint, say­ing, O sir, I am so troubled this way, as I thinke there was neuer anie childe of God so grieuouslie troubled. For I haue such wicked and blasphemous thoughts, as make my flesh to tremble, and all my bones to shake, yea they are such as they almost driue me to dispaire, when I thinke vppon them. For they strike not at men, but at God himselfe. They exalt themselues against the per­sons of the Trinitie, and some of them a­gainst the blessed, and holie Scriptures. What they bee in partieular, I am asha­med to speake. If you bee ashamed so much as to name them, then I perceiue you take no great liking of them, neither doe you meane to entertaine them. And therefore I answere in fewe wordes, they shall not be able to hurt you. Psalme 66.28. If I regard wickednes in my heart (saith the Pro­phet) God wil not heare me. He doth not say, if there be any wickednesse at all in my heart, or anie thought of wickednesse. [Page 68](For who can say, It is one thing to haue euil thoghts, and another, to like of them, and delight in them. my heart is cleane,) but if I regard wickednes, that is, if I de­light in it, or meane to nourish it within me, then I am sure the Lord will not heare my prayer, nor shew me any fauour. But as if the Prophet should say, and as I am sure you doe say, that is farre from me, to take delight in any such vngodlie, and blasphemous thoughts, yea so farre, as I am not more greeued for any thing, then for this, that any such thought should come into my minde. And therefore hee and you, and you as well as he, may bee vndoubtedly perswaded, the Lord will neither reiect you, nor your prayers, which in Christ his name, you shall offer vp vnto him.

And whereas you thinke it so strange, to haue so euill thoughts, to arise in your minde, and that you are perswaded, there are no moe so tempted beside your selfe, I answere vpon mine owne knowledge, you are therein greatlie deceiued. There bée manie who are euen as much trou­bled with the same, or with as euill. And this I dare auouch, The most godly are not free from euill thoughts. that the most godlie are not free, but are subiect vn­to [Page 69]most vngodly thoughts, Rom. 3.10. and psal. 51.5. although they yeeld not vnto them. First because they as well as others, doe carrie with them, a cursed corrupt nature, which is the roote from whence all euill springeth. Secondly, because they haue such an e­nemie, as will not spare to tempt them to the greatest euill, yea, to this, Iob tempted to curse God, not in his heart, but with his mouth. Iob 1.7. then the which there can be nonegreater, name­lie, to curse God: as the iust and holy man Iob was tempted. But as that good man withstoode the temptation, so doe they fight against euerie euill motion, and are preserued.

Yet there is one thing more concer­ning euil thoughts, which is, that you can not be rid of them, but that euer, and a­none they come into your minde. To this I answere, 1. Pet. 2.1 [...] that the sooner you checke them, and the more strongly you resist them, the sooner a great deale, shall you bee rid of them. First, you must resist: for, Iam. 4.7. resist the deuil and he will flie from you. And heere marke, that this resi­stance, must be by the word, and by praier. The ready way to be rid of euill thoughts, is to resist them. Secondlie, you must resist egerlie, and speedilie. And therefore as Dauid hasted [Page 70]to fight against Goliah, 1. Sam. 7.48. and with courage slang a stone so hard, that it stacke fast in the foreheade of the vncircumcised Phili­stim: so must you speedilie strike at eue­rie such thought, so soone as you shall perceiue the same to put out his head, and once to arise in your minde. And as Iesus Christ, being tempted of the diuell to fall downe and worship him, Matth. 4.10. at the same in­stant gaue him his answere, saying, auoid Sathan: so must you giue them a present answere, and send them packing to the di­uell of hell, from whence they come, and whither you are in all haste to returne them. If when you haue vone what you can, you finde your selfe too weake for them, & that they be too hard a great deale for you, then turne your captaine Christ Iesus to them, who hath so fullie conque­red for you, as that howsoeuer they shall assault you continuallie, and manie times foile you, yet shall they neuer get the full victorie ouer you, but you in your captaine shal be more then a conquerour ouer them and all the rest of your deadlie enemies, Rom. 8.37. for Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes, Rom. 4.25.and rose againe for our iusti­fication. [Page 71]To him therefore be glorie for euer and euer, Amen.

Thus you haue the pledge of my good will towards you & manie others, which I haue not done to exclude ame grace or blessing of comfort which you may receiue in greater measure, from your owne god­ly pastor (most careful of your estate) but that you may more highly account of so excellent graces of God in him. And that what soeuer is wanting in this my poore treatise, may by him bee more fullie supplied.