humbled with blindnesse of minde hardnes of heart to beleue certainly the trueth of God his promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after the comfortes vsing the meanes of the word and praier the Sacrament of the supper and the companie of gods children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without anie present feeling all this is a certaine argument that gods spirit is with such therefore with you This estate although it bee verie grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearefull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they perseuere continue in desperate refusing al good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the spirituall aduersarie his forceable power wherby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate they are so be witched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of teÌ„ptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fittes yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes to speake veie euill of them But all this is but temptation and therefore GOD will bee mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarcely abstaine from blasphemie Dauid moued with the spirit of ambiâ—ion though dutifully admonished wilfully wâ—nt onin numbring the people Peter also vain gloriously presuming of his own strength being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakenes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rusheth as a horse into the battell and then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold coard and fasteneth it with banning and cursings and yet all these obtained mercy most bountifully For why as Sathan had desired to winnow them so our Lord Iesus praied for them that their faith though it was vehemently assaulted yet shoulde not be ouercome although it was battered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it was oppressed yet that it should not be extinguished And heere bee you fully perswaded that albeit Luke 22.31 the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter Vz. I haue praide for thee that thy faiâ—h should not faile yet he praied for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon sathan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith hee I haue praied for thee Verelie because he should more grieuously offend than the rest although their offence was verie great therfore his and our most blessed Sauiour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it vnto him only and restrained it from the rest Compare with this place Iohn 17.20 and you shall see that the heauenly verity affirmeth that he praied not onelie for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their word yea farther Our lord Iesus Christ was yesterdaie is to day shalbe for euer And as the forefathers were baptised into him and did eate his flesh and did drinke his blood so was his praier effectuall euen to them vnder the law much more to vs vnder grace And when you can finde testimonie in your heart that when you would doe well euill is present with you and that you do the euill you would not then do not you it but sin in you when it leadeth you captiue Much more when sathan works with all buffeting you assure your selfe that God hath pittie on you that the vertue of his power shall be perfect in your weaknes If you beleeue according to your faith it shalbe done vnto you But you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile crooked hardnes of your heart can be remitted renued euen this was the seconde pointe which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you I charge you in the name of our lord Iesus Christ that you wil not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to gods spirit nor to your selfe who hath receiued it Tel me what is the reasoÌ„ why you thinke you haue no faith Verely because you haue no feeling nor any other fruites thereof as you thinke Welâ— first then agree with me heerein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and fruite of faith and therefor theremay be faith without feeling as wel as thecause may be without the effect the tree without any appearance of fruit yea of sap for a season And as a man sore wounded and diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and to his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man beâ—ore wounded by saâ—han and diseased by the present feeling of his sinful corruptions specially in temptations that he may thinke yea appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholly faile as you haue heard or else the praier of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid declared that his heart was vncleane and his spirit crooked or vnstable and that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirite of libertie or adoption yet hee praieth that God woulde not take his holy spirite from him therefore hee was not depriued of the spirite of sanctification Heere seemeth to bee repugnance but there is not anie hee was depriued indeede for a time of the graces of the sanctifying spirite but not of the holy Ghost where with hee was sanctified which graces as God restored vnto him so I am perswaded he will do vnto you Yea and I doubt whether you are depriued of them but onely that partlie Melancholy partly Sathan working therewith make you doe iniurie to your selfe and to the graces of the spirite in you which I beseech you to take heede of But the messenger cannot stay and therefore I cannot write as I would eyther of this or of the remedie which you should vse which heere after I will as God shall enable me and I pray you let me vnderstand as I requested in the beginning of your estate in perticular somewhat more and that by this Bearer if you can because he is of your acquaintance and will bring it to me faithfully Onelie I adde nowe vnto that I haue written of hardnesse of heart at large that you must diligently obserue the worde Create which Dauid vseth declaring that hee had no feeling of heart To this ioyne that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the person of GOD. I create the fruite of the lippes to be peace peace as well to him that is farre off as to him that is neere Therefore in faith you may as well pray with hope to obtaine as did Dauid therfore say with him often and with
Gods people O Lord thou art our Father wee indeed are clay but thou art our maker and wee are the worke of thy handes c. Know also God can cause wolues lions leopards c. to dwell louingly with lambes calues and kids c. that which is vnpossible to men is possible with God euen to cause a cable rope to go through a needles eye that is to change the hard heart of the vnbeleeuing couetous wretched man much more yours yea know you that all things are possible to him which beleeueth Cry then I beleeue O Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and I dare promise you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you shall haue your hearts hesire in goodnes Thus abruptly I must ende I coÌ„mend you to God the word of his grace which is able to builde you vp and giue you the right of inheritance among them that are sanctified And the very God of peace sanctify you throughout that your whole spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Faithfull is hee which hath called you which will do it Amen I pray you pray for me I trust as I haue so I shall pray for you and much more Yours in Christ Iesus to vse in any neede R. G. An other Comfortable Letter by Master R. G. to Master M. BRother beloued in our Lord Iesus Christ seeing you haue had heeretofore not onelie knowledge but also experience of Gods gracious and mercifull goodnes in Iesus Christ of your owne vnbeliefe and of Sathans subtlenes I could meruaile why you should giue such place and not keepe your ground no furer if I were not much acquainted with such occurrences I know not therfore whether with wordes of rebuke or of comfort I should seeke to relieue you Because I cannot come vnto you my counsell and desire is that you would come vp to London the next Tearme at the farthest that so I might aske of God to frame my speech to your Good In the mean season I beseech you to call vnto minde that which you cannot be ignorant of that in the lawe sacrifices were offered for Gods people not onely at their first entrance into couenant with the Lorde but also afterwardes manie times and that not only for sinnes committed by ignorance but also by errour that is forgetfulnes frailenesse retchlesnes carelesnesse c. If you haue not Tremelius his translation by you you must take heede of the english that hath ignorance for they failed that so translated it It is manifest that the sinne of errour is there opposed against the sinne committed with an hie hande that is to blasphemie with contempt of God and making his lawe of none effect but to bee in vaine Which sinne Iam sure you are most farre off from I would you were as farre off from vnbeliefe and distrust That Gods children may fall after their calling into diuers foule faultes may appeare by many proofes First in the Lawe when the Lord speaketh in his Maiestie and proclaimeth his glory yet in howe many wordes commendeth he his mercy and for howe many seuerall sortes of sinnes Doth not Esay the holy Prophet call the people of his daies the people of Gomorrha and their Princes the Princes of Sodome Doth not he accuse them as grieuous transgressors both of the first and second Table and yet doth afterwardes promise them that though their sinnes were as crimson they shall be as white as snowe though they were redde like scarlet they shall bee as woole Doth hee not charge them that they were sunke deepe in rebellion and yet exhorteth them to returne vnto the Lorde Yea doth he not charge them not onelie with rebellion but also with vexing the holy spirit of God And yet reade what is written Pray as there you may learne Esay tenth Chap. fiue sixe c. What doth not the holy Prophet Ieremie shewe that Ephraim was as an vntamed Calse c. yet so soone as he mourned and was ashamed of himselfe doth not the Lord shew that his bowels of mercy were troubled for his estate Doâ—h not the Lorde offer mercy vnto the prophane and forgetfull transgressors of his holy couenant Is not this part of the couenant made with all the sonnes of Dauid in Christ Iesus that if they not onely omitting many good things but also commit rebellions iniquities that though hee may visit them yet it shall bee with the rodde of his children and that his mercy hee will not take from them nor break of his couenant made with them in Iesus Christ Therfore remember that the holy promises threatnings precepts examples are written that we should not sinne but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust he is the reconciliation of our sinnes not for our sins onely but for the sinnnes of the whole world Doth not the blessed Apostle Paule charge the Corinthians whom he affirmeth to bee rich in Christ and destitute of no spirituall gift to be more carnall then spirituall yet babes in Christ yea to be falne Into idolatry committing of euill things fornication tempting not only of God but of Christ yea murmuring against them yet doth hee not heerein comfort them that no temptation hath token hold on them but such as appertaineth to man that God will be mercifull vnto Dauid praieth against presumptuous sinnes that they should not raigne ouer him Signifying though he sinned presumptuously yet if he did not perseuer in presumption obstinately without desire to repent that such sinne or sinnes were pardonable Nowe the Lords couenant towards his in Iesus Christ is not to deale after their sins nor to reward theÌ„ after their iniquities much lesse will he not regard in wrathful displesure their infirmities For if he should so marke what is said or done amisse who were then able to abide it But with him is mercy in Iesus Christ that he may be feared Therfore lift vp your hands which hange downe strengthen your weak knees say vnto your soule why art thou so cast down and vnquiet within mee I will yet trust in Iesus Christ and waite vpon the mercifull graces of God purchased by his merites Consider that true humilitie a riseth of faith in Iesus Christ and that is true faith that ingendreth humilitie as we may not diminish our sinnes so may wee not too much aggrauate them nor diminish Christes merits haue euermore in your minde the example of the prodigall sonne who saith not I am not thy sonne but I am no more worthie to be called thy sonnes he saith not let me bee thy bondslaue nay hee saith not let me bee thy hyred seruant but let me be as one of thy hyred seruants his father came and met him fell on his necke c. So shall it come to you good brother I neede
griefe he was heauye and nowe may commende the Image of a wounded spirite to all that come after Dauid a man chosen according to the Lordes owne heart Ezekiah a pure worshipper of God and carefull restorer of true Religion Ieremiah the Prophet of the Lorde sanctified and ordained to that Office before hee was formed in his mothers wombe were rare and singular in the graces and fauour of God yet when they felt this wounde pearcing them with griefe of heart they were as Sparrowes mourning as Cranes chattering as as pellicans casting out fearefull cries they thought themselues as in the graue they wished to haue dwelt solitary they were as bottels parched in the smoke they were as Doues mourning not able without sighes and grones to vtter their wordes their hearts cloue to the dust and their tongues to the roofe of their mouthes But aboue all if these were not not sufficient to perswade vs in this doctrine there remaineth one example whome we affirme to be the perfect anatomie of an afflicted minde This is the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Image of the father the heade of the bodie the myrrour of all graces the wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption of all the Saints who sustained the Crosse euen from his youth vpward and besides pouertie basenes hunger did willingly goe vnder the greate trouble of contempt and reproch and that among them where he should haue had a right deserued honour in respect of the doctrine he taught them and in regard of the manifolde myracles be wrought among them as the healing of the sicke the giuing sight to the blind the restoring of life to the dead This vnkindnes neuertheles did not so much strike into him But at what time hee was set as a Sacrifice for al wheÌ„ he was to beare our infirmities carry our sorrowes at what time hee was plagued smitten of God humbled wounded for our transgressions when hee should be broken for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was vpon him then he cried out My soule is heauie euen vnto the death Then he prayeth Lord if it he possible let this Cup passe from mee But howe praieth hee euen with sweating how sweateth hee euen droppes of blood how long praieth hee Three times when endes his agonie not vntill he was dead What said hee beeing readie to depart My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Was this for his humane death as some haue imagined No no wicked men haue died withthout complaint whose patience then might seeme to exceede his it was his suffering in his humane Spirite which incountred with the wrath of God his Godhead suppressing it selfe for a while he suffered indeede many tormentes in bodie but much more heuily did the wrath of God lie vpon his soule If this consideration of an afflicted spirit in these examples doe not sufficiently shew what a grieuous thing it is to sustaine a wounded conscience Let vs proceede to the comparing of this with other euils which fal into the nature of man There is no sicknes but Phisicke prouideth for it a remedy there is no fore but Chirurgery wil afford it a salue Friendship helpeth pouertie There is noe imprisonment but there is hope of libertie Suite and fauour recouer a man from banishment Authoritie and time weare away reproch But what Phisicke cureth what Chirurgerie salueth what riches ransometh what countenance beareth out what authoritie asswageth what fauour relieueth a troubled Conscience All these banded together in league though they would conspire a confederacy cannot help this one distresse of a troubled minde And yet this one comfort of a quiet minde doth wonderfully cure and comfortably asswage al other griefes whatsoeuer For if our assistance were as an host of armed soldiers If our frinds where the Princes and the Gouernours of the earth If our possessions were as large as betweene the East and the west If our meate were as Manna from heauen If our apparrell were as costly as the Ephod of Aaron If euery day were as glorious as the day of Christs resurrection yet if our mindes bee appalled with the iudgements of God these thinges would little comfort vs. Let experience speake If a troubled minde impareth not health drieth not vp the blood wasteth not the marrowe pineth not away the flesh consumeth not the bones if it maketh not all pleasures painfull and shortneth not the life surely no wisdome can councell it no counsell can aduise it no aduise can aswage it no asswagement can cure it no eloquence can perswade it no power can ouercome it no Scepter wil affray it nor inchaunter can charme it And yet on the contrary if a man languish in sicknes so his hart be whole and is perswaded of the health of his soule his sicknes doth not grieue him If a man bee reproched so he be pâ—ecious in the sight of God and his Angels what losse hath hee If a man be banished and yet doubteth not that heauen is his Country and that hee is a Citizen among the Saints it doth not appall him If a man be in trouble and findeth peace of conscience hee will quietly digest his trouble But if the minde be troubled who dareth meete with the wrath of the Lorde of Hoasts who can put to silence the voice of desperation who will step out and make agreement with the hells to spare vs who dare make a couenant with the Diuell that hee woulde not lay claime vnto vs If then a good Conscience helpeth all euills and all other benefits in this life in themselues cannot help a troubled coÌ„science we se it true in proofe which here is in prouerbe The spirit of a man will susteine his infirmitie But a wounded Spirit Who can beare it Againe in all other afflictions we may haue some comfort against sinne this is euer accompanied with the accusation of sinne A man may be sicke reproched impouerished imprisoned and banished and yet in all these haue a cleare conscience his owne heart telling him that there is noe speciall cause of these crosses in him but that he may suffer them for the triall of his faith or for righteousnes sake and well doing But when the spirit is wounded there is stil a guiltines of sin and when a mans spirit is troubled he suspecteth all his waies he feareth al his sins he knowes not what sinne to begin with it breeds such hurly burlyes in him that when it is day he wisheth for night when itis night he would haue it day his meat doth not norish him his dreames are fearefull to him his sleepe oftimes forsaketh him If he speaketh he is little eased if he keepeth silence hee boileth in disquietnes of heart the light doth not coÌ„fort him the darkenes doth terify him To prosecute our comparisons where al other euils are the more tolerable because they be temporal pursue vs but to death this not being cured endeth not in death
thee to be too fearefull and superstititious eyther hee will puffe thee vp with presumption or assault thee with desperation To these tentations our nature is very pliable first to presumption as may appeare by our common speech tush the Preacher is but a man as I am I am sure he hath infirmities as others haue wee are no Angels our nature is corrupt we are but flesh I am sure you would not haue vs Gods Thus the Diuell commeth to tempt but he apparrelleth himselfe in another sute when hee commeth to accuse and then of a â—lie he makes an Elephant of the verie smallest pricke of a pin a gloabe of the whole earth of a moale hill a mountainâ— and presseth silly soules with feares and terrours that they knowe not how to winde out themselues If hee cannot bring them to make no conscience where they should make conscience hee will labour to bring them to make conscience where they neede make no conscience He careth not whether thou wilt be remisse or superstitious so thou be one of them If he cannot get you to follow the Epicurisme of the world as Libertines in diet and apparrell hee will make you so precise as to think it a hainous sinne to eate one bit of meate or to weare one ragge of cloath more than for necessitie How needfull thereâ—ore it is to saile which an euen course we may coniecture by other thinges which will bewray the corruption of our nature In the time of a plague we shall see some will be so bold that without any lawfull calling or godly warrant they will rush into places infected and then falling sicke their conscience prickes them for their tempting of God by an vnaduised boldnes in the hower of their death Others plunged as deepely in a quite contrarie extremitie are too fearfull when they doe but heare of the sickenesse and for verie feare haue beene brought to deaths doore onely by imagining themselues to haue beene infected when they haue beene most free who ofteneimes haue euen died and that without any naturall cause that euer coulde be knowen but onely through immoderate feare and the iudgement of God comming vppon them for their infidelity and vnbeliefe Thus it is with vs in Christianitie in that as well the oppressing our selues with too much feare to be ouercome as the carnall securitie in not fearing to bee ouercome may bring sinne vppon vs. God his children must labour for a measure and that must be sought for in the word which will teach them how they shall neyther decline on the right hand nor on the left but will guide them in the narrowe way showing in euerie thinge what is the vertue what is the vice what is the meane what is the extreame Among many Examples let vs consider of zeale a most precious vertue in Christianitie so long as it is free from the extremities Otherwise if we be colde in zeale it is a sinne on the left hande if wee bee zealous without knowledge it is preposterous and becommeth a sinne on the right hand But can wee not come to some perfection No if you vnderstand it for an absolute vnspottednes albeit to that perfection which the Scripture taketh for soundnesse trueth and sinceritie of heart which is voyde of carelesse remissnes wee may come Neither doth the Lord deale with vs aâ—ter our sinnes nor reward vs after our iniquities in whose eies the most glorious actions of men are but as waters flowing purely from the Conduit but defiled by passing through a filthy chanell Wherefore although wee haue our imperfections let vs not seeke to be more righteous than we can be saying for euerie errour of this life Oh I am none of God his sonnes I am none of his daughters for I cannot finde that perfection in me which is to be required But let vs comfort our selues in the trueth of our heartes and singlenes of our deâ—ires to serue God because he is God and so wee shall bee accepted of God I speake this to this ende that poore soules might haue comfort and knowe that is they abhorr sin as sin if they examine theÌ„selues for it if they grone vnder it if they mislike themselues for it if they feare to fall into it the Lord will not pursue them with the rigor of his lawe but will giue them the sweetnesse of his promises they are no more vnder the â—urse but vnder grace But further to inforce our Exhortation to auoyde too scrupulous a feare which hindereth the true examination of our heartes let vs think that it happeneth in the spiritual conflict as in ciuill wars Wee reade that manie Cities lying in great securitie haue sodainely both beene assaulted and ouerthrowen as also how some Countries too much negligenâ—e in the meanes through an excessiue fearefullnes haue incouraged their enemies with more greedie violence to pray vppon them With which kinde of stratagems our aduersary the diuell beeing well acquainted doth often practise this pollicie If hee see vs without all feare too quietly to rest in our selues hee thinketh his assault must needes be the stronger because our resistance is the weaker Againe if he discrieth in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before wee once beginne to ioyne battaile with him hee will set vpon our immoderate feare as villainously as sodenly stab vs to the heart make a present spoyle of vs. Common practise doth farther teach vs that when we can heare the word without all trembling at God his iudgements when wee can pray without all feare before the Maiestie of God when wee can come to the Discipline of the Church without all reuerence of the ordinance of the Lord all is in vaine Againe let vs heare with too much trembling and wee shall learne nothing let vs pray with too seruile a feare and our worshipping of God will be without all comfort and vnchearfull Thus if we neither lessen sinne that is sinne indeede neyther make sinne of that which is not sinne in trueth it is good to proceede to this threefolde examination and to lay the edge of this doctrine more neere our affections because many will be found in this ripenes of knowledge and barrennes of conscience to speake dispute and declame of al these thinges verie skilfully which flickring in the circumference of the braine and not sitting at the ground of the heart doe seale vp a more iust sentence of condemnation against them To helpe this euill with we must meditate deeplier of the Law and of the Gospell together with the appurtenances of them both that finding our selues farre from Gods blessings promised to the keepers of the law and seeing our selues nere to the curses due to the breakers of the Law we may raise vp some sense of sinne in our selues Yet herein we must not stay our foote but giue a farther stride for whereas many by a diligent view of the law haue come to the sense of sinne in themselues and saw plainly their
good opinion you haue of me then for any greate matter I am able to performe I shalbe ready to offer any office of loue vnto you as God shall inable mee and so farre forth as I shall bee at any time instructed in your perticular estate in some letters sente from you by conuenient messengers That which I perceiue presently by M. S. letter is that you are afflicted with the blindnes of your mind and hardnes of your heart which cannot be moued either with the promises of Gods mercies or feare of his iudgements nor affected with the loue delight of the things which bee good nor with the hatred and loathing of the euill Great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of dispaire dare I grant because I am perswaded that your perswation is somewhat false partly for wante of a sounde iudgement of your estate and partly for some defect of faith somewhat through your owne default First therefore know you for a certaintie that this is no other tentation than such as diuers of Gods children haue beene humbled with and afterwarde haue had a good issue out of it and if it please God to moue ye to credit me I my selfe haue knowen others as deepely this way plunged as you can be Remember therfore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare And yet farther to confirme you heerein the holy scriptures do recorde that this way God heeretofore hath humbled his owne people in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably complaineth O Lord looke down from heauen behold from thy dwelling place of thy holines and of thy glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from me And afterwardes O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardened our heartes from thy feare And in the next chapt Wee haue beene alas an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde doth take vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold on thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And before Wee grope for the wall like the blinde and we grope as one without eies we rore like beares and mourne like doues So complaineth Ezechias in the bitternes of his soule Like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a doue And when Dauid crieth Create in me O God a cleane heart renue in me a right spirit Restore to me the ioy of my saluation establish me with thy free spirit doth he not declare that his heart was vncleane his spirit crâ—ked the ioy of his saluation lost and himselfe subiect to â—he spâ—rit of bondage so that wanting the spirit of liberty or adoption he could nâ—yther cry Abba Father nor haue any power against sinne Tâ—us you see how Gods children may be blinded in minde and hardened in heart for a time so that they feele in themselues the grace of the holy spirite to be as it were perished and dead Faâ—ther to releeue the infirmitie of your iudgement in this case because I know it may much distresse you you must vnderstand that there bee two kindes of hardnes of heart the one which is not felt nor perceiued The other which is perceiued felt and of the former that there be two sortes the first which is most fearefull when any doe purposely resist the motions of Gods spirite and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation of which the Prophet Zachary speaketh 7.11 They refused to harken and pulled away their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their heartes as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law and the wordes which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministery of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull termes we haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at aâ—reement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshoode our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidden This was a fearefull estatâ— indeede yet for all that no man can say but some of those hauing hardened their â—eartes might bee and were afâ—erward conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt not perceiued or if percâ—iued yâ—t not felt which albeit it is lesse fearefull yet it is dangerous enough is in such as although they wilfully resist not Godâ— spirite in good meanes yet securely carâ—lesly and willingly they lie in sinne without any â—emorse of iâ— or true tast of good thinges Such was Dauid his estate for the space of a yeare before Nathan the Prophet ame to reproue him and rouse him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwise than in temptation Sathan may sometimes mooue yee thereunto The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sortes the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be releeued although they do finde small or no ease at all in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of gods people complained And such was Dauids state Afâ—er that Nathan had reproued him and gods spirit began to to worke wiâ—h him yet he crieth out as ye heard before of the losse of gods graces and when he saith that God will accept of no sacrifices be they neuer so many nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen aâ—ter the prophâ—t had reproued him he wanted both This is your case and therefore you are in the state of saluation for Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sinne and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his finne as my trust is you doe and was certainlie perswaded of the pardonablenesse of iâ— by gods mercie athough he was farre off from the feeling it or applying it to his wofuâ—l conscience his state was good verie well to be hoped of And you must know be perswaded that those things which are written of gods saints namelie of Dauid Peter such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants wait vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I saie for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued
sinnes then they lefte of mocking were pricked in their harts Where first we may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersitie of tongues nor other giftes of the holy Ghost coulde pricke their â—eartes as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thinge then to cause a goâ—ly sorrow theÌ„ to haue our conscience pricked What so able to pricke our conscience as the worde of GOD Indeede many feele sorrowe and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word They be either sencelesâ—e as blocks or in their feeling they are murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of GOD his worde in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our heartes and worke in vs any fruite without the same For though the Lorde shoulde shewe vnto vs al the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the olde worlde and on Sodome although hee shoulde lay all the plagues vpon vs which he laide on Pharaoh and on the Aegyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites should become as hardeharted as euer were Pharaoh the Aegyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs noe blessing from aboue no benefite from beneath can profite vs vntil the worde of GOD commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfecte way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the worde to pricke our conscience Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling againste the worde or ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first wee must knowe that this is the beginning of repentance and this is the enteâ—ie to godlines euen to conceiue a sorrow for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their minde vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can wee hartily longe for Christ. To this agree the lawe the Prophets and the Apostles The lawe because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of hart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophets as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth psalme and fiâ—t verse â—ayeth Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to trew repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgementes of GOD we will neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In the Psal. 51. Vers. 18.19 the Prophet like wise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neitheir praise or thanksgiuing vnlesse we bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith the sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where he vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of spirite and contrition of hearte For the affliction of the soule contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sinnes humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholly at the mercie of God Noe maruaile then if by this means we being confounded and ashamed of our selues and staying our selues on the only promises of God doe confesse our owne nakednes and wreatchednes why the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with this sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esai cap 40. V. 6.7.8 saith All flesh is grasse the beautie therof as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it where the Prophet painting out man in his proper couliers and driuing him to seeke our saluation not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdoÌ„e memorie knowledge and vnderstaÌ„ding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fall before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby wee are borne againe Wherefore the considering meditating of our traÌ„sitory estate driuâ—th vs to a contrition humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esai whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold wil come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more then if we should kill a man choke a dog or offer swines flesh which was counted an abhominable thing among the Iews or praise the thing that is vnright Lastly to this accordeth the Gospel and the Apostles Our sauiour Christ Mat. 9.13 saith I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance not euerie sinner but that sinner which condeÌ„neth sinne in him is weary and laden with his sinnes Mat. 11.28 Mat. 21.32 our Sauiour Christ preferreth the harlotts Publicans before the Pharises for they being pricked for their sins conuicted did sorrow heard Iohn preaching vnto them So then Christ giueth reliefe to those that want righteousnes to theÌ„ that feele themselues sinners ease to them which are burthened lightto them which are in darknes life to them which are dead saluation to them which condeÌ„ne theÌ„selues 1. Cor. 14. the Apostle declareth how the Corrinthians were moued with straÌ„ge tongues but yet had not in admiration the word Besides he sheweth by comparing the gifte of tongues prophecying together that if an Infidell or vnlearned man should come and heare them speake with strange tongues he would say they were out of the witts but if he should heare them speake the word of god plainly he wold be rebuked of all meÌ„ iudged of all men so the secrete of his heart shold be mad manifest he wold fal down on his and worshippe God and say plainely when he feeleth his sinnes they rifle mine hearte they shewe my secret sinnes doubtlesse this is Gods doing God is in them I will follow this religion Wherefore in this appeareth the power of the
worde in that it citeth and sommoneth our consciences before the tribunall of God and woundeth vs with a liuely feeling of Gods iudgement that he who before thorough securitie did despise sounde doctrine may now be constreained to giue the glory vnto God This appeareth more plainely Heb. 4.12 where it is saide that the word of God is liuelie mâ—ghty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword it pearceth thought froÌ„ thought all holinesse shall seme hypocrisie all our righteousnes shall seeme as a defiled cloath we shall finde with Paul that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no righteousnes For mens consciences are coulde neither are they touched and displeased with their euils so long as they be in ignorance but when the worde of God pearceth into the vttermost corners of their consciences and telleth them that they haue to doe with the Lorde they are thoroughlye touched and beginne to feare and entering into themselues examining their conscience they come to the knowledge of that which before they had forgotten We can neuer bee offered to God without his spirite Iohn 16.8 For he reprooueth the world of sinne and awaketh our consciences that those sins which before were hid should be made manifest Dauid did lye an whole yeâ—re without this pricke of conscience and thought that all was well vntill Nathan came neither did he finde comfort of conscience vntill he had thus beene pricked Iosephes brethren were thirteene yeares and neuer remembred their sinnes vntill after such time the Lorde laide it before them The Prophet Dauid Psal. 32 which he intituled a Psalme of instruction concerning the free remission of sinnes â—eacheth how wee shall finde the same For many perswade themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen when they be not He also sheweth that vntill trouble of minde did driue him to GOD he founde no comfort Manâ—sses which did eate the breade of sorrow and did drinke the water of griefe vntill he had lamented and sorrowed felt no rest nor peace The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. was pleasant and iested with our Sauiour Christ vntill hir sinnes were opened and then shee beganne to answere with more reuerence For vntill shee was willed to call hir husbande shee thought all was safe but after that he had tolde hir that shee had plaide the adulteresse shee acknowledged him that hee was a Prophet Wherefore wee may see by this which hath beene spoken that the word of God onely pricketh our consciences as plainly may here appeare by the Iewes who cared not for the Apostles nor made any conscience vntill their hearts were pricked In the second place we must note that they were rightly pricked For many often times are pricked which kicke against the pricke and hauing their consciences galled by the word they murmur eyther against the preacher of the word or against the word itselfe Here then is the difference betweene the godly and the wicked the one is pricked and is made more carefull in a godly conscience the other more hardened then before But this is a godly sorrowe when we loue the man that rebuketh vs and reuerence the word the more being by it reprooued in our conscience Doe we loue him then that rebuketh vs then we heare profitably Let vs examine our selues in this sort I see God hath wounded me by him he is the instrument whereby God doth humble me I will therfore loue him Contrary if we be often touched amende not we are in danger of Gods wrath Many indeed are pricked with pouerty many with sicknes some with other like afflictioÌ„s but few with their sins which is the cause of their pouerty sicknes and other afflictions Let vs then learne a willingnesse to offer our selues to be taught and to be pricked for sinne as these men were The wicked also are pricked somtimes for sinne but it is rather for feare of punishment then for conscience to displease God as were Caine and Iudas Some men are pricked and to put away their sorrow they will goe sleepe they will go play they will goe sport they wil get to merie company and passe away the time and so as they terme it they will purge driue away the rage of melancholy they neuer goe to any Preacher to aske of the Lord or at the mouth of his spirite They neuer respect to prayer nor seeke any comforte in the word of GOD. But to put away sorrow on this sort is to call it againe and to feele it more freshly either in the hower of death or in hell Contrariwise if our sorrow doth driue vs to praier or to the worde of God it is good As for the wicked and prophaine worldlinges though as the wise man saith Ecclesiact 11. hee spende all his daies without any euill yet his darknes wilbe greater then the light his sorrowe greater then his pleasure his losse greater then his gaine his trouble greater then his vanitie in hell Let vs not then so carnally shake off this godly sorrow For the worde will send vs often an vnquiet spirite that wee may seeke to be quiet in Christ. To examine our selues herein Haue wee heard the worde of God were we pricked by it then haue wee profited haue we not been pricked thereby then as yet are we not a sacrifice for the Lord. For as was saide before Christ comforteth them that are troubled he helpeth them that doubt he caseth them which are in distresse he setteth their feete in the way of peace and gladnes that haue long beene in darkenes and sorrow Haue ye not beene sorrowfull will ye learne a salue for this sore be sorrowfull that ye were not sorrowfull be pricked in your hearts because you were not more pricked Haue we heard the word Let vs examin our selues if our knowledge be the beter If our affectioÌ„s be the holier As hauing heard the expositioÌ„ of the law of God do we feare God do we know how to loue God do we pray to God do we worship God in our soules in our bodies more carfully in greater coÌ„science theÌ„ we haue don hertofore Are we not now as profaine carelesse stil in giuing the right worship to the true God as before we were to superstitious in seruing Angels SaÌ„ts other false Gods nether sorrowing for our idolatry nor careing for true religioÌ„ haue we not blasphemed profaned the name of god in vnreuereÌ„t hearing his word in vnprofitable talking of his works abusing his owne maiesty with swearing and cursing as much as we euer did before Haue we kept holie the saboth or haue we not prophaned it by open neglect of the worde by playing sporting drinking and other vanities doe we not still send forth our seruantes to dispatch our busines on that day as if it were the market day when they may do such thinges most lawfully Are not parentes hous-holders and gouernours as slacke in prouoking obedience and children seruantes and subiectes as flow