A78903:461
The godly mans ark or, City of refuge, in the day of his distress. Discovered in divers sermons, the first of which was preached at the funeral of Mistress Elizabeth Moore. The other four were afterwards preached, and are all of them now made public, for the supportation and consolation of the saints of God in the hour of tribulation. Hereunto are annexed Mris. Moors evidences for Heaven, composed and collected by her in the time of her health, for her comfort in the time of sickness. / By Ed. Calamy, B.D. and pastor of the church at Aldermanbury.The godly mans ark or, City of refuge, in the day of his distresse. Discovered in divers sermons, the first of which was preached at the funerall of Mistresse Elizabeth Moore. The other four were afterwards preached, and are all of them now made publick, for the supportation and consolation of the saints of God in the hour of tribulation. Hereunto are annexed Mris. Moores evidences for Heaven, composed and collected by her in the time of her health, for her comfort in the time of sickness. / By Ed. Calamy, B.D. and pastor of the church at Aldermanbury.
London: printed for Jo. Hancock (brother to the late deceased Eliz. Moore) to be sold, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1 That hereby (as a means) I may be enabled to glorify God in Design. 1 the great work of believing, that hereby (with Gods blessing) the dim eye of my Faith may more clearly see the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Peacemaker, and Reconciler, and Surety, for me, even for me, who am by nature a fire-brand of Hell. The time was, I am sure, when I was the Devils picture, and had the black brand of Reprobation upon me, and therefore it doth nearly concern me to search and try what Evidences I have to prove that God fetching Arguments out of his own bowels, and the riches of his free grace, hath redeemed me out of this lost estate.
1 THat hereby (as a means) I may bee inabled to glorifie God in Design. 1 the great work of beleeving, that hereby (with Gods blessing) the dimme eye of my Faith may more clearly see the Lord Jesus Christ to bee a Peacemaker, and Reconciler, and Surety, for mee, even for mee, who am by nature a fire-brand of Hell. The time was, I am sure, when I was the Devils picture, and had the black brand of Reprobation upon mee, and therefore it doth neerly concern mee to search and trye what Evidences I have to prove that God fetching Arguments out of his own bowels, and the riches of his free grace, hath redeemed mee out of this lost estate.
2 MY Aim is to strengthen that Design. 2 longed for grace of Assurance. A grace, which though it be not of ⟨p. 235⟩absolute necessity for the being and salvation, yet it is of absolute necessity for the well being and consolation of a Christian; without this grace I can neither live nor dye comfortably; and I have been often exhorted by Gods faithful Ambassadors, to gather together my Scripture Evidences, and to have the approbation of some godly and experienced Minister or Christian; and this by Gods blessing may be a means to strengthen Assurance: Yea, I find in Scripture, that the Lord saith, that the Priests lips shall preserve 1knowledge, and thou shalt seek the Law at his mouth, for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts.
2 MY Aime is to strengthen that Design. 2 longed for grace of Assurance. A grace, which though it bee not of ⟨p. 235⟩absolute necessity for the being and salvation, yet it is of absolute necessity for the well being and consolation of a Christian; without this grace I can neither live nor dye comfortably; and I have been often exhorted by Gods faithful Ambassadors, to gather together my Scripture Evidences, and to have the approbation of some godly and experienced Minister or Christian; and this by Gods blessing may bee a means to strengthen Assurance: Yea, I finde in Scripture, that the Lord saith, that the Priests lips shall preserve 1knowledge, and thou shalt seek the Law at his mouth, for hee is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts.
3 MY Aim is to obey God in his Word, who hath commanded Design. 3 me by his Apostle, to work out my own 1salvation with fear and trembling; and to give all diligence to make my calling and election sure: And I am exhorted to examine my self, and prove my self, ⟨p. 236⟩whether I be in the faith or no, know ye not (saith the Apostle) that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates: And if any man be in Christ be is a new Creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become new.
3 MY Aime is to obey God in his Word, who hath commanded Design. 3 mee by his Apostle, to work out my own 1salvation with fear and trembling; and to give all diligence to make my calling and election sure: And I am exhorted to examine my self, and prove my self, ⟨p. 236⟩whether I bee in the faith or no, know yee not (saith the Apostle) that Christ is in you, except you bee reprobates: And if any man bee in Christ bee is a new Creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become new.
Now then to prove whether I be in deed and in truth born again is my desire at this time, the Lord help me, and give me a sincere and upright heart; and guide me herein by his holy Spirit, for the honour of his holy Name.
Now then to prove whether I bee in deed and in truth born again is my desire at this time, the Lord help mee, and give mee a sincere and upright heart; and guide mee herein by his holy Spirit, for the honour of his holy Name.
Blessed be God, who hath through his free mercy begotten me to a hope, Evidence. First that I am regenerated and born from above, and converted unto God.
Blessed bee God, who hath through his free mercy begotten mee to a hope, Evidence. First that I am regenerated and born from above, and converted unto God.
Reason, Because the Lord hath gone the same usual way with me, as with those he pleaseth to convert to himself; ⟨p. 237⟩and this I shall make to appear in five or six particulars.
Reason, Because the Lord hath gone the same usual way with mee, as with those hee pleaseth to convert to himself; ⟨p. 237⟩and this I shall make to appear in five or six particulars.
1 The Lord by his Spirit accompanying the preaching of his Word, caused the scales to fall from my eyes, and opened them, and set up a clear light in my understanding, and made me to see sin, to be exceeding sinful, out of measure sinful, and to look on it as the loathsomest thing in the world, and on my self as a loathsome creature in Gods sight, and in my own sight, by reason of the Leprosy of sin, wherewith I was over-run.
1 The Lord by his Spirit accompanying the preaching of his Word, caused the scales to fall from my eyes, and opened them, and set up a clear light in my understanding, and made mee to see sin, to bee exceeding sinful, out of measure sinful, and to look on it as the loathsomest thing in the world, and on my self as a loathsome creature in Gods sight, and in my own sight, by reason of the Leprosie of sin, wherewith I was over-run.
2 The Lord brought me to see the misery that I was in, by reason of my sins. I thought I was utterly forsaken of God, and I thought that God would never accept of such a wretch as I saw my self to be. I could not think otherwise, but that hell was my portion, and that I, by reason of my sins must go thither, expecting every day when the Lord would glorify himself in my damnation. I saw my ⟨p. 238⟩self in more misery, because of my sins than I could then, or now express to any body. I looked upon God as a consuming fire, and on my self as stubble, ready to be consumed by him, &c.
2 The Lord brought mee to see the misery that I was in, by reason of my sins. I thought I was utterly forsaken of God, and I thought that God would never accept of such a wretch as I saw my self to bee. I could not think otherwise, but that hell was my portion, and that I, by reason of my sins must go thither, expecting every day when the Lord would glorifie himself in my damnation. I saw my ⟨p. 238⟩self in more misery, because of my sins than I could then, or now expresse to any body. I looked upon God as a consuming fire, and on my self as stubble, ready to bee consumed by him, &c.
3 The Lord brought me to a spiritual astonishment, that I cried out, What shall I do to be saved! and said with Paul, Lord! what wouldest thou have me to do? Do but make known to thy poor creature what thy will is, and I thought I could do any thing, or suffer any thing for the Lord. But since I have had some more knowledge of the holy Will of God, woe is me! what a barren and unfruitful heart have I! a heart that can neither do, nor suffer any thing for the Lord, as I ought to do: But this I can say, that the astonishment I was in by the sight of my sins, and the misery I was plunged into, put me on the performance of holy duties, especially prayer.
3 The Lord brought mee to a spiritual astonishment, that I cried out, What shall I do to bee saved! and said with Paul, Lord! what wouldest thou have mee to do? Do but make known to thy poor creature what thy will is, and I thought I could do any thing, or suffer any thing for the Lord. But since I have had some more knowledge of the holy Will of God, woe is mee! what a barren and unfruitful heart have I! a heart that can neither do, nor suffer any thing for the Lord, as I ought to do: But this I can say, that the astonishment I was in by the sight of my sins, and the misery I was plunged into, put mee on the performance of holy duties, especially prayer.
4 The Lord took me off my own ⟨p. 239⟩bottom, off my own righteousness, and made me to see that that was but a sandy foundation, and would not hold out. I was not taken off from the performance of holy duties; no, I thought with my self that I am commanded by God to perform holy duties, which is the way and means whereby we may meet with God (For he is ordinarily to be enjoyed no where but in his own ordinances) but the Lord took me off from resting and trusting in Ordinances. And as he made me to see that without the practise of them he would not accept of me; so also he made me to know that it was not for holy duties, for which I was accepted. The sins that cleave to my best performances, are enough for which the Lord may justly condemn me, if I had no other sins.
4 The Lord took mee off my own ⟨p. 239⟩bottome, off my own righteousness, and made mee to see that that was but a sandy foundation, and would not hold out. I was not taken off from the performance of holy duties; no, I thought with my self that I am commanded by God to perform holy duties, which is the way and means whereby wee may meet with God (For hee is ordinarily to bee injoyed no where but in his own ordinances) but the Lord took mee off from resting and trusting in Ordinances. And as hee made mee to see that without the practise of them hee would not accept of mee; so also hee made mee to know that it was not for holy duties, for which I was accepted. The sins that cleave to my best performances, are enough for which the Lord may justly condemn mee, if I had no other sins.
5 The Lord brought me to see a Superlative beauty and excellency in the Lord Jesus Christ, and my soul was deeply in love with him, even with ⟨p. 240⟩whole Christ, in all his offices, and (if I know any thing at all of my own heart) I desired Christ as much to be my King, and Prophet; to teach, and guide me, and subdue me to himself, and rule over me, as to be my High-Priest, to make atonement by offering up of himself for me, and washing me in his blood, by which I must be justified.
5 The Lord brought mee to see a Superlative beauty and excellency in the Lord Jesus Christ, and my soul was deeply in love with him, even with ⟨p. 240⟩whole Christ, in all his offices, and (if I know any thing at all of my own heart) I desired Christ as much to bee my King, and Prophet; to teach, and guide mee, and subdue mee to himself, and rule over mee, as to bee my High-Priest, to make atonement by offering up of himself for mee, and washing mee in his blood, by which I must bee justified.
6 The Lord brought me to see a soul-satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ alone; and I think I should be as fully satisfied with Christ alone, as my heart can desire. If I know my heart, it panteth after Christ, and Christ alone: None but Christ, none but Christ. The whole world in comparison, or competition with Christ, is nothing to me: But in him I see full contentment. To see and know my interest in him, and to enjoy communion with him, is that, which if the Lord would bestow upon me, I should with Jacob say, it is enough; and with old ⟨p. 241⟩Simeon) Now let thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation.
6 The Lord brought mee to see a soul-satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ alone; and I think I should bee as fully satisfied with Christ alone, as my heart can desire. If I know my heart, it panteth after Christ, and Christ alone: None but Christ, none but Christ. The whole world in comparison, or competition with Christ, is nothing to mee: But in him I see full contentment. To see and know my interest in him, and to injoy communion with him, is that, which if the Lord would bestow upon mee, I should with Jacob say, it is enough; and with old ⟨p. 241⟩Simeon) Now let thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation.
Now I desire to set down some other Scripture Evidences, that I find upon search and examination of my heart, by laying it to the Rule; The Word of God.
Now I desire to set down some other Scripture Evidences, that I finde upon search and examination of my heart, by laying it to the Rule; The Word of God.
My Second Scripture Evidence is Evidence. Second taken from Mark. 2. 17. Where Christ saith, They that are whole have no need of the Physician, but they that are sick, and he came not to call the Righteous, but sinners to repentance. Now through Gods mercy I can say, that I am a sin-sick-sinner (the Lord make me more sick) I am not righteous in mine own eyes, but a Sinner, and see my self undone for ever, without the righteousness of Christ be imputed to me, and therefore I hope I am amongst the number of those whom Christ was commissionated by his Father to come to save.
My Second Scripture Evidence is Evidence. Second taken from Mark. 2. 17. Where Christ saith, They that are whole have no need of the Physitian, but they that are sick, and hee came not to call the Righteous, but sinners to repentance. Now through Gods mercy I can say, that I am a sin-sick-sinner (the Lord make me more sick) I am not righteous in mine own eyes, but a Sinner, and see my self undone for ever, without the righteousness of Christ bee imputed to mee, and therefore I hope I am amongst the number of those whom Christ was commissionated by his Father to come to save.
From Matth. 11. 28, 29. I am weary Evidence. Third and heavy laden; now Christ hath promised to give ease to such. And I am willing to take his yoke upon me, and would fain learn of him the lesson of meekness and lowliness, and therefore am invited to come unto him.
From Matth. 11. 28, 29. I am weary Evidence. Third and heavy laden; now Christ hath promised to give ease to such. And I am willing to take his yoak upon mee, and would fain learn of him the lesson of meeknesse and lowlinesse, and therefore am invited to come unto him.
