Spirituall encrease: or, Conclusions for pacifying the perplexed conscience of the weake Christian

CON. 80.

God sendeth vs sundry chastisements, especially the anguish of heart, and

affliction of the soule, that we should be warned, how to be free from the plague, when it commeth.

EXPLA.

The iudgements of God daily preached vnto vs, pierce deepe into the hearts of the true beleeuers, and the word that they heare, it worketh mightily in them,* 1.1 more sharpe in their eares then a two edged sword, and it entreth through them euen to the diuiding a∣sunder of the soule, and of the spirit, and of the ioynts, and of the marrow, and examines all the thoughts and the intents of the heart: so that it is im∣possible that any part of thē should be hid, but they are

al open vnto iudgement, and heare the voice of the Lord. Then their sinne is reuiued in the middest of their bowels, their conscience hath no rest, they feele death wor∣king in their hearts, and hell is before them: they see sin on their right hand, and Sa∣tan on the left; shame vnder their feete, and an angry Iudge aboue them; the world full of destruction without, and a worm gnaw∣ing the heart within: the poore sinner knoweth not what to doe, to hide him∣selfe it is impossible, and to appeare it is intollerable: then hee breaketh out into loud crying, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death?* 1.2

He giueth no rest vnto his eyes, nor sleep vnto his eye∣lids, vntil he find that, which is able to saue him from this wrath. In his bed by night hee seeketh him whom his soule lo∣ueth:* 1.3 in the streetes and o∣pen places hee enquireth af∣ter him, and after many daies in which hee cannot finde him, Christ sheweth him∣selfe at the last, a perpetuall deliuerer, a victorious Li∣on of the Tribe of Iuda, in whom he hath strong salua∣tiō: when he hath mourned because of the plague that was before him, Christ will approch neere, and wipe away al the tears frō his eies. So said he: When I heard the word of God, my belly trembled,* 1.4 my lips shooke at the voyce, rottennesse entred into my bones,

and I trembled in my selfe that I might finde rest in the day of trouble.

So is it with vs all, the plagues of God because they are pronounced against ini∣quity maketh the childe of God to feare, that foresee∣ing the harme he might pr••∣pare himselfe.

For though Christ hi•• himselfe at the first, the wounded spirit and trou∣bled spirit must needes finde him out. We are ful of griefe, but we are chastised of the Lord, because we should not be cōdēned with the world: we dye with Christ,* 1.5 because we should liue with him; we lament and weepe, but be∣cause Christ might wipe away all teares from our eyes: wee

are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake, but because the life of Iesus should be manifest in our slesh. We beare about vs the mortification of our Lord Iesus, but because also the life of Iesus might bee manifest in our bodyes. We haue anguish of spirit and vexation of minde, for this cause, that when destruction shall come vpon the careles world, wee might lift vp our heads, and behold our redemp∣tion at hand: let vs then in patience poffesse our soules, for, for these causes wee are now afflicted, that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede: and for this cause we tremble and are affraid, that after many prayers wee

might bee deliuered from the things which we haue feared.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 4.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 7.
• * 1.3

  Can. 3.
• * 1.4

  Hab. 3.16
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 11.