And this is a singular consolation when he sayeth here, that the spirit of Christ is sent into our hearts, crying, Abba Father: And again, that he helpeth our infirmities, making intercession for us with unspeakable groanings. He that could assuredly believe this, should never be overcome with any affliction, were it never so great. But there are many things that hinder this Faith in us. First our heart is borne in sin: Moreover this evil is naturally grafted in us, that we doubt of the good will of God towards us, and cannot assure our selves that we please God.1 &c. Besides all this, the Devil our adversary rangeth about with terrible roarings, and sayeth: Thou art a sinner: therefore God is angry with thee,2 and will destroy thee for ever. Against these horrible and intolerable roarings, we have nothing whereupon to hold & stay our selves, but only the word, which setteth Christ before us as a conqueror over sin and death, and over all evils. But to cleave fast to the word in this tentation and these terrors of conscience, herein standeth all the difficulty. For then Christ appeareth to no sense. We see him not: the heart feeleth not his presence or succour in temptation: but rather it seemeth that Christ is angry with us, and that he forsaketh us. Moreover, when a man is tempted and afflicted, he feeleth the strength of sin and the infirmity of the flesh,3 he doubteth, he feeleth the fiery darts of the Devil, the terrors of death, the anger and judgement of God. All these things cry out horribly against us, so that we see nothing else but desperation and eternal death. But yet in the middest of these terrors of the law, thunderings of sin, assaults of death, and roarings of the Devil, the holy Ghost (saith Paul) crieth in our hearts: Abba Father. And this cry surmounteth those ⟨p. 181⟩mighty and horrible cries of the law, sin, death, the Devil, &c:4 it pierceth the clouds and the heavens, and ascendeth up unto the ears of God.
And this is a singuler consolation when he sayeth here, that the spirite of Christ is sent into our hearts, crying, Abba Father: And againe, that he helpeth our infirmities, making intercession for vs wt vnspeakeable gronings. He yt could assuredly beleue this, should neuer be ouercome with any affliction, were it neuer so great. But there are many things that hinder this Faith in vs. First our heart is borne in sinne: Moreouer this euill is naturally grafted in vs, that we doubt of the good will of God towardes vs, and cannot assure our selues that we please God.1 &c. Besides all this, the Deuil our aduersarie raūgeth about with terrible rorings, and sayeth: Thou art a sinner: therefore God is angrie with thee,2 and will destroy thee for euer. Against these horrible and intolerable rorings, we haue nothing whervpon to hold & stay our selues, but only the word, which setteth Christ before vs as a conquerour ouer sinne and death, and ouer all euils. But to cleaue fast to the word in this tentation and these terrours of conscience, herein standeth all the difficultie. For then Christe appeareth to no sense. We see him not: the heart feeleth not his presence or succour in temptation: but rather it seemeth that Christ is angrie with vs, and that he forsaketh vs. Moreouer, when a man is tempted and afflicted, he feeleth the strength of sinne and the infirmitie of the flesh,3 he douteth, he feeleth the flerie dartes of the Deuill, the terrours of death, the anger and iudgement of God. All these things cry out horribly against vs, so that we see nothing else but desperation and eternall death. But yet in the middest of these terrours of the lawe, thundrings of sinne, assaultes of death, and rorings of the Deuill, ye holy Ghost (sayth Paule) cryeth in our hearts: Abba Father. And this crie surmounteth those ⟨p. 181⟩mighty and horrible cries of the lawe, sinne, death, the Deuill, &c:4 it perceth the cloudes and the heauens, and ascendeth vp vnto the eares of God.
- 11. Pet. 5.8.
- 2The Devils roaring.The Deuils roring.
- 3Ephes. 6.•6.
- 4The cry of the holy ghost in the hearts of the godly.
