promises of the Gospell which is the word of truth are the proper obiects which faith hath Act. 24. 14. Mark 1. 15. respect to and is the ground it setleth vpon Therefore is the word called the word of faith the speciall operation Rom. 10 8. and working of it is to let the soules and hearts of those men in whom it is placed to know and to feele that they are now brought neere vnto God and haue fellowship Eph. 2. 12. 13. with him who were but strangers before and farre off by reason of their sinne that is to settle and stablish our mindes in a comfortable perswasion of Gods fauour and towards vs in and through Christ Iesus and that by him Gods heart for euer is so wonne vnto vs as nothing shall be able more to separate vs from his loue It quieteth Rom. 8. 38. and cheareth the heart with vndoubted assurance that whatsoeuer was the oddes and enmitie that was betweene God and vs before by meanes of our sinnes yet Coloss 1. 21. so are wee now receiued into fauour and so is all agreed and set thorough betweene God and vs that we are at Rom. 5. 1. Luke 2. 14. peace with God and God with vs. They that haue great ventures abroad are alwaies thinking of them how they may be got safely home they giue much for assurance they cannot sleepe till that be done their mindes are euer so running vpon them Of all aduentures there are none like to the aduenture that wee beare of our selues our soules and our bodies while we liue in this most perilous and dangerous world that they be got well home and be brought to eternall safetie in the end Now faith secureth our hearts herein and giueth vs good assurance that we shall neuer perish but haue in the end euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. life with God in Christ Iesus Faith setteth the heart at peace and secureth the conscience it giueth better and more strong assurance then any bond of the best Merchant though made in Statute-merchant nay then can doe the bond or assurance of any Prince though they should lay their Crownes in pawne or be bound in the forfeiture of their kingdomes For faith hath Gods truth laid in pawne for the making good the assurance and God hath bound himselfe in the forfeiture of his truth which he will not lose for the whole world and is vnto Gods maiestie of greater weight and regard then is the state of a kingdome to any Prince that he will be accounted no more a God of truth if hee faile in his promise This giueth vs boldnesse for the present to enter in before God euen into the holiest of holy places and to Heb. 10. 19. Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need But for so much as all this could neuer haue been effected or brought to passe for vs otherwise then that by the hand of some meete Mediatour this attonement might bee made and peace might be wrought for vs thus to reconcile vs vnto God And seeing that neither in heauen nor in earth there could any other be heard of or found that euer could be fit and able to vndertake and thoroughly and perfectly to goe through with this so great a worke of reconciling the world vnto God but he alone whom the Father had sealed who is Christ the Lord who is our Eph. 2. 14. Isai 9. 6. peace euen the Prince of peace Therefore the worke of faith is before it can thus iustifie vs and set vs at peace with God to seeke and finde out Christ for vs and to get the true and sauing knowledge of him yea to seaze and lay such hold vpon him as wee may apprehend him and embrance him for our owne appropriating and after a sort ingrossing him for our selues that so causing vs to reioyce with the ioy of Gods people in his fruition and to Psal 106. 5. glorie with Gods inheritance And with the Spouse in the Canticles wee once truly beleeuing with the heart imboldening vs in most ioyfull and gladsome manner to professe with the mouth as doth she in that place My Cantic 2. 16. 7. 10. beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me That thus hauing found and apprehended Christ embracing and holding him in the armes of our faith as our blessed Aduocate and attonement-maker vnto God we may so come before the Lord and treate with him for our peace as did old Simeon when he had Christ in his armes and Luk. 2. 28. 29. 30. his eyes did see his saluation desire the Lord then to let him depart in peace Yea we may then with lesse feare and much more comfortable boldnesse shew our selues in Gods presence and appeare in his sight then could Hester though neuer so well beloued of the King aduenture Hest 5. 2. to goe in before Ahashuerosh who did kindly accept of her when hee held out the golden scepter vnto her Yea farre more warrantably and safely may we bearing Christ with vs in the armes of our faith approch and come neere to the throne of the greatest maiestie of him that is the highest Lord and Soueraigne ruler of the world who hath prepared his throne for iudgement and shall iudge the world in righteousnesse reckoning vpon Psal 97. 8. 9. a more kinde welcome and gratious acceptation at his hands then euer durst the Patriarchs Iacobs sonnes shew themselues before Ioseph then Lord of Egypt though they did carrie their younger brother Beniamin in their Gen 43. 15. 16. 30. hands at the sight of whom the heart of Ioseph yearned within him and his eyes burst out a weeping that hee could not forbeare any longer but manifest himselfe and shew his brotherly affection vnto them and falling vpon their neckes kissed and embraced them forgetting and Gen. 45. 2. 3. 14 15. forgiuing all the iniuâ—ie and wrong that euer before they had done vnto him Thus yea farre more then thus yea farre aboue all that can be vttered conceiued or comprehended is that loue of God in Christ which he beareth to Eph. 3. 19. all the faithfull and wherewith he standeth most kindly and fatherly affected to his redeemed in and through Christ Iesus as to accept of their persons and be delighted Eph. 1. 6. Cantic 2. 14. Isai 63. 7. 9. Ierem. 31. 20. Hosea 11. 8. 9. Iohn 16. 23. with their presence so to be most affectionatly moued towards them in all fatherly kindnesse and compassion that he hath of them as also to heare al their prayers and to deny them nothing which they shall aske when they come to the Father in the name of his Sonne Yea so is the heart of God the Father wonne to al that truly do beleeue in Iesus Christ his Sonne as though Christ Iesus Ioh 16. 26. 27. himselfe should seeme not to
their mourning into ioy that hee would comfort them and make them reioyce from their sorrow willing Rachel to refraine her voyce from weeping and her eyes from teares for her children which shee thought were not should come againe from the land of the enemy and there was hope left for her that in the end the same her children whom she so mourned for should come again to their own border Thus did the Lord create the fruite of the lips to be peace to sorrowfull Rachel in her vncomfortable mourning speaking such words as were the best and most easing lenitiues that could possibly be desired or wished for to be applied for the easing the smart of her grieued heart in the case about which she was so much disquieted and perplexed They were words spoken to Rachel no better fitting her turne to lift vp her heart in comfort againe that was before so much cast down then being applied as a most soueraigne medicine then the which there cannot be a more fitter prepared for the cure of such a wound vnto these mournfull and sorrowfull soules whose hearts are so much cast downe within them as they are ready to faint and giue ouer their hope for feare that all sauing grace in them is quite extinct and gone they being I say applied and fitted to the case and state they now are in they wil be able so to reuiue them in comfort againe as their hearts shall be made to reioyce and their very bones to flourish like an hearbe as the Prophet speaketh and they themselues Isai 66. 14. to laugh and sing yea they will bring them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment Isai 61. 3. of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they may crie out with that ioyfull acclamation how good is a word spoken in due season they are euen like apples of gold in pictures of siluer for doubtlesse if these sauing Prou. 25. 11. graces of faith vnfained of true conuersion and beginning of the worke of regeneration could euer be found to haue been wrought in their hearts by the finger of Gods spirit and manifested in their liues by any kindly and naturall working any way discernable to a spirituall eye that it may be knowne they had once a sound beginning and a true being in them howsoeuer by meanes of the weakenesse of such graces and strength of some grieuous tentation the course of their effectuall working may seeme to be interrupted too soone yet may they be willed and that warrantably too with Rachel to refraine their voyce from weeping and their eyes from teares for these graces which they thinke are not but to be quite perished and gone are surely liuing and remaine fast rooted within them and in due time will spring forth and shew out their effectuall working Againe grace in time of some grieuous tentation may be driuen into some narrow corner of the heart as they that are in a Castle besieged may for sauing their liues flie into some corner some inward and secret place and yet after come foorth and shew themselues againe There is hope therefore for such in the end whatsoeuer they either feare or feele to be for the present that these gifts of God which Fidem nemo vnquam perdidit nisi qui non babuit are without repentance and graces which are indeleble and neuer faile the hauers of them since they are begotten of seede that is immortall and neuer can dye howsoeuer by the force of tentation they now are so nipped and bitten as hearbes and plants are with the ycie teeth of the winter so as they are faine to keepe their sappe close in the roote out of which they doe grow yet when the winter shall be past the storme of tentations be ouer and gone and the ioyfull spring time of consolation be once come that it is as when the singing of the birds be come Cant. 2. 11. 12. and when the voyce of the Turtle be heard in the land as Christ speaketh to the Spouse then shall these sauing graces with fresh vigour reuiue and get strength againe then shall they sprout and flourish goodly and shooting out their buds and bearing out their blossomes and yeelding foorth their fruite in all abundance euen the fruit of sure and lasting ioy which shall satiate the soules of those heauie mourners as with fatnes and make them become Iere. 31. 14. satisfied with goodnesse then shall the light of comfort breake foorth vpon these cloudy and darke hearts euen as the morning and the health of these languishing and fainting soules shall grow speedily light shall arise vnto them out of all their obscuritie and their darknesse shall be as the noone day their soules shall be satisfied in all this drought of theirs and their bones be made fat their hearts Isai 58. 8. 10. 11 shall be like gardens that are watered and their comforts like springs of water whose waters faile not Q. But if these graces may haue but their working only interrupted and letted for a time and their being not wholly destroyed nor they at any time so extinguished as to be made to faile for altogether as you seeme to affirme why is it that many of Gods worthie seruants whom God hath giuen great measure of such sauing grace vnto haue yet at times complained of the want of such grace as if they had wholly lost them and al were so quenched as if there were no one sparkle of them remaining any more As looke vpon Dauids faith who for a while beleeued and then he spake confidently but within a little time after that that faith of his seemed so to faile him as if Gods promises had had little certaintie in him and the Prophets themselues that brought them and published them vnto him were no better then lyars I said in my haste saith he that all men are lyars Againe see the Psal 116. 10. 11. failing of his comfort and the hope hee had in God when hee said in his haste I am cut off or cast out of the sight of thine Psal 31. 22. eyes and how doth he pray to God elsewhere that hee would not cast him away from out of his presence nor take his holie Psal 51. 11. spirit from him As though these were but looseable graces gifts and fauours which God for some time had bestowed vpon him so as they might when he pleased be yet taken from him againe A. I would instance in no other example to make good my former assertion then in that and the like vnto Faith neuer lost it which you haue now produced to make it be doubted of and called into question whether it should be so or not For that those in whom pretious faith and repentance vnto life haue been euer soundly wrought and the worke of regeneration in any measure hath once been truly begun that such I say being so in the state of grace are
and preferre such as once he hath receiued into his fauour shewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy and whom he will he contrarily doth harden Rom. 9. 18. Now the vse of the knowledge of such a difference to be betweene the gifts and graces giuen to the reprobate and to the elect should moue Gods true faithfull seruants not to content themselues with hauing such graces and gifts of Gods spirit as cannot saue them that haue them but though they be had yet the hauers of them may bee lost themselues not to content themselues with such a kind of knowledge of God and of Christ as though they say in words and thinke in theirt hearts that they haue the knowledge of God yet Christ in the last day shall say vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew you But to labour to get such a spirituall effectuall particular and distinct experimentall practicall liuely and sauing knowledge of God and of Christ as may be sure to bring them to life euer coucting after the best gifts if there bee any better then others and desiring to heare of that more perfect way which the Apostle speaketh of and promiseth to shew which is not to bee content to prophesie and speake with tongues but to follow loue 1. Cor. 12. 31. which is the chiefe and to practice holinesse they must labour to ioyne with all gifts and graces that they haue In euery part of Gods seruice there is some hidden thing which if it be wanting the whole action is nothing worth and adde to the performance of all religious duties they doe a singularity of holinesse and of purenesse of sincerity and intirenesse that they may bee sound and sincere in them doing that they doe with all integritie and vprightnesse in a sanctified manner in all the powers and with all the parts of soule and body that so they may doe some singular thing so exceeding the righteousnesse of all reprobates and hypocrites But to giue you yet further and more fuller satisfaction in shewing more particularly some differences which may be obserued to bee betweene the knowledge of a true beleeuer and of one that is but hollow and vnsound in his faith I thinke they may in these particulars be well differenced one from another First in the originall whence their knowledge is fetched Secondly in the end to which it tendeth Thirdly in the obiect about which it is occupied Fourthly in the subiect in which it abideth and is seated Fifthly in the kindes wherein they are much seuered Sixthly and lastly in the vses to which they are put For the first the one sort fetch their learning no higher then that the reach of humane vnderstanding may well Originall of knowledge be extended vnto and is found able to comprehend by the power and strength that it hath giuen thereunto Wisd 9. 15. 16. and therefore in some respect may be still said to be but naturall and humane though the things that are knowne are aboue the course of nature and truth in themselues may be said to be diuine The other sort fetch their knowledge farre higher and therefore their wisedome is said to be wisedome descending from aboue which is supernaturall and spirituall Iam. 3. 17. transcending all that nature can reach vnto being the hid wisedome of God which is wisedome among them that 1. Cor. 2. 6. 7. are perfect of whom as being the true and onely children Luk. 7. 35. of wisedome it alone is iustified the Lord reuealing to such by his spirit those things which neither the eye of 1. Cor. 2. 9. 10. man can see nor their eares heare neither can it enter into their hearts in such manner to conceiue of them and therefore of all others is the true solide eternall and euery way most diuine wisedome as being especially giuen Iob. 32. 8. and 38. 36. by diuine inspiration They in comming by their knowledge are either their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owne teachers as they are their owne schollers who loue to heare themselues speake and their owne admirers who like of nothing but what is done by themselues as being wise in their owne eyes or else their learning Isa 5. 21. Galath 1. 11. is of man and after man as the Apostle speaketh they being taught it by man because they are of the 1. Ioh. 4. 5. world they haue them for their masters that are of the world if any come in his owne name they are ready to heare Ioh. 5. 43. him as our Sauiour told the Iewes These are all taught of God because they are of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they heare his word because they are of Christ his stocke Isa 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. Ioh. 8. 47. and 10. 5. 27. Ioh. 6. 45. Psal 119. 102. they heare his voice but a stranger they will not heare they heare and learne of the father and so their knowledge brings them to Christ They are taught of God and therefore they liue well and decline not from his iudgements 2. And as the beginnings are diuers from whence Diuers ends of knowledge both these deriue their knowledge so are not the ends the same for which they labour to come by knowledge They that is the vnsanctified and vnsound in the faith seeke to know either but that they may know which as is said by one is but mecre curiosity or that they may Bernard thereby come to preferment dignities and greater liuings which sauoureth of ambition worldly-mindednes and filthy auarice These seeke to get knowledge to farre better ends as not alone to know but to doe as they know they desire knowledge as for it owne sake and for the excellency which they see to be therein so for the good of others and of themselues also that thereby they may teach others which is charity and also teach themselues which Phil. 3. 8. to doe is piety But aboue all they labour to get the true Vtque alios alij de religione docerent Contiguas pietas iussit habere domos knowledge of God that they may know how to honour him to feare God and keepe his Commandements which is the whole dutie of euery man 3. The third difference is in respect of the obiect of their knowledge Eccles 12. 13. The vnsanctified Christian and the men that are vnregenerate In matters to be knowne they care and study more to know all other things that may be knowne in the world beside then either truly to know God or themselues as they ought they bestow more precious time about hearkening for all manner of tidings that may bee knowne throughout all countries abroad to know the state of all other people of kingdomes and common-wealthes though neuer so farre remote to search what things are done a farre off though nothing at all appertaining vnto them then to know how things goe with themselues at home
furthest from him The one therefore findeth comfort and the other hath none They differ also in that which causeth the sorrow of the one and of the other and in that which is caused by either That which causeth the sorrow and repentance of hypocrites is more vsually plagues and punishments either inflicted and felt or threatned and feared when they are imminent and hang ouer their heads their hearts resemble flint stones which will cast no sparkles vnlesse they be strooke Rarely will it be found that any of them are brought to bee humbled by the sole ministery of the Word or if by that rather by the denouncing of iudgements and by the threatnings and thundrings of the Law then by the sweet and amiable voice and sound of the Gospell whereout the promises of life and offers of grace are made vnto vs. Foelix trembled when Paul preached of temperance and righteousnesse and iudgement to come but Festus mocked when hee heard him preach Christ and begin to open the secrets and mysteries of the Gospell in his hearing then hee cried out against him that he was beside himselfe and that too much learning had made him mad They be not for the most part words but blowes and stroakes and those well laid on too by the powerfull hand of a reuenging and irefull Iudge that will serue to maule and breake downe the stoutnesse and stubbornesse of the hearts of proud hypocrites though so well able is the Lord to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and to slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes as hee can make his word quicke and powerfull and forcible enough to pierce deepe and cut sharper then a two edged sword and out of that quiuer can draw out such arrowes to shoot into the sides of all hypocrites as shall be sharpe enough to pierce and to split the hearts of all the Kings enemies and be able to draw blood out of their sides and to fetch sighes out of their hearts yea to make them for the time to roare out of their throats for horrour and feare bee they neuer so secure though in the end they become little the better for it The Lord can make the threatnings of his iudgements out of his word denounced come bleake to the hearts of offenders which shall send a terrible shaking through all their bones and become as thunder strokes doubled that are able to daunt the stoutest stomack that is the Lord can make the terrour of the Law and the thundring out of the threatnings thereof to flash as the lightening in euery conscience that hath guiltinesse in it and to be as fier to make their hearts to melt though otherwise as hard as brasse Thus either by the mighty strokes of Gods reuenging hand inflicting iudgements plagues and punishments or by the terrour of the Law that doth nothing but thunder out threatnings of vengeance doe the hearts of most secure hypocrites many times come to bee daunted yea in a manner strucken dead with horrour and feare and trembling for the time And these are the things that breed and bring out the repentance that they haue and causeth all their sorrow to be such as it is On the other side the true and godly sorrow the sound and vnfained repentance the best conuersion of true beleeuers that is freest from suspition of being counterfeit is that which is caused by the ministery of the Word and by the powerfull working thereof vpon the conscience which is as a hammer to breake the stonie hardnesse of the heart that it may goe all to dust and powder and is as fier with the heate thereof to melt the heart though it were neuer so hard frozen in the dregges of sinne before as shall cause such a thaw to bee in that heart and to abound of weeping mourning and shedding teares for sinnes committed as if the very springs of sorrow were all opened and loosened that might cause whole streames The teares and waters of repentance are as that red sea wherein the whole armie of our sins which are our most dangerous enemies that do pursue vs are deeply drowned and brookes of teares to run downe and flow from the eyes of him that is truly penitent sufficient to lay in soak the very heart it selfe in that abundance of teares yea to cleanse both heart and life and wash away all filth of sin that euer before haue been committed When such a worke is wrought vpon a mans heart by the ministerie of the word and the conscience feeling it selfe wounded and strucken at the hearing thereof shall find no rest till it hath eased it selfe by abundant weeping sorrowing and mourning that God should euer be so offended by him and vntill direction bee giuen him what better course is now to bee taken crying out with those true conuerts and penitent persons in the Acts Men and brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued When the word doth thus worke vpon any without any other inforcement of outward crosse or affliction that else doe happen it is an excellent good signe and one of the best euidences that can bee brought out of the truth of that sorrow that hath been bred thereby and of the soundnesse of that repentance that hath followed thereof I denie not but that by crosses and afflictions the Lord doth oftentimes recouer and fetch home his stray-seruants and reclaime them out of their sinnes The Lord hath many meanes and hee can make all or any of them effectuall to doe good to those that are his he sometimes awakeneth his seruants by the sound of his word knocking at the doore of their hearts sometimes Act. 2. 37. 2. Sam. 12. 1. 7. 13. Neh. 9. 30. Gen. 6. 3. by his Spirit wherewith he striueth within vs somtimes by striking and whipping our naked consciences leauing them dismayed with feare and dread and hiding the light of his countenance from vs so as wee feele not the ioy we were wont to haue sometimes by corrections and punishments 2. Sam. 24. 10. Psal 38. 2. 3. 8. Iob 33. 16. 17. Ionah 1. 17. and 2. 1. 2. on our bodies for our sinnes opening our eares by them and sealing our instruction that so he may keepe back our soules from the pit and our liues from perishing the Lord making this the fruit of all the affliction he sendeth to his children euen the taking away of their sinne For Isa 27. 9. which cause it is that the heauenly iustice and fatherly care of God is often shewing vs his rods sometimes shaking them at vs sometimes striking them vpon vs to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthy and dirty puddle of our sinfull life If then the Lord bee faine to lay on bodily crosses vpon vs the better thereby to breake our hearts they being blessed of God may well be made auailable this way to doe vs good But it is not so free from suspition it is better to
of no lesse then the mighty power of God to bee set a worke about the effecting of it Which the Apostle knew full well which made him speake as hee doth when he prayed for the Thessalonians that God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards them 2. Thes 1. 11. and the worke of faith with power Like vnto this is the manner of his praying for the Ephesians that God would open the eyes of their vnderstanding that they might know Ephes 1. 18. 19. what is the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God to them that doe beleeue according to the working of his mighty power In both which places for the worke of faith in the hearts of beleeuers he maketh mention of the power of God the mighty power of God and exceeding greatnesse of the power of God and all but needfull for there is so great an opposition against our beleeuing and so many lets lying in the way to hinder the working of faith in our hearts as lesse then all this would not be sufficient throughly to effect it The heart is bound vp so in vnbeleefe in bonds as strong as bonds of brasse that no power Rom. 11. 32. can possibly loosen them but the Almighty power of God The diuell holdeth men in so strait a bondage Heb. 2. 14. 15. and 3. 12. 13. Isa 61. 1. and doth shut vp mens hearts so in vnbeleefe as none can breake in vpon the heart to worke any faith there but he whose power is such as cannot bee withstood and who onely can loosen the workes of the diuell if the Lord 1. Ioh. 3. 8. himselfe doe not open the doore of our hearts for faith to be got in euen he who onely hath the key of the house of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shutteth when Apoe 3. 7. no man can open all the gates and doores of our hearts are so barred vp that there is no passage for faith to haue entrance The heart is fast locked vp in the diuels gaile of blindnesse and ignorance he hath rampired vp euery Mat. 13. 15. gate there to keep grace out he dealeth as enemies that labour the destruction of a place who take all passages that no victuall may bee brought nor helpe to giue them succour The diuell doth thus he takes the passages of the soule by which comfort knowledge and grace might bee deriued vnto it and faith might bee there wrought that would put him to flight As hee blindes 2. Cor. 44. vp mens eyes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus should not shine vnto them so hee stoppes their eares as with clay and with earth that they can listen after nothing but earthly matters and things belonging vnto this life they heare not Gods word or if they doe they doe not regard they are as the deafe adder that heareth not the voice of the charmer The diuell fitteth Psal 58. 4. 5. in mens hearts he hath so erected his throne there as no grace will be suffered to come in The onely remedie in this case is to flie to God for succour to lift vp our voices and cry loud vnto him to importune him by earnest prayer night and day till helpe doe come We are to set out our throats and cry yea with a holy kind of impudencie as did blind Bartimeus cry out to the sonne of Dauid and not hold our peace that he would haue mercy Mar. 10. 47. 48. vpon vs and open our eyes that wee may receiue our sight not withstanding the diuell would keepe vs still in blindnesse we are to bring our deafe eares vnto him that Mark 7. 32. 33. 34. 35. he may boare them open that we may heare Gods blessed word and in hearing may come to beleeue that faith may be begotten in vs by that immortall seed of Gods euerlasting word and that God himselfe will become the worker and the authour of this true sauing grace of precious faith in vs. Neither are we to rest in the first beginnings of this grace but follow on with our best endeauours vsing all good meanes for the daily encreases therof plying God still with vncessant prayers that he who hath been the authour will now also bee the finisher of Prayer is the exercise of faith her recreation and meanes to keepe it alone faith in vs that hee will blesse vs with happie growth and encreases in this grace carrying vs on from faith to faith This is that which our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs to doe euer to pray O Lord encrease our faith Wee Rom. 1. 17. are to follow herein the example of the poore man in the Gospell that came to Christ to haue his sonne healed who shewed great faith in his vnbeleefe in that though he doubted whether Christ could heale his child yet hee Mark 9. 24. beleeued he could heale his faith crying with him Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Neither are we to rest in so doing alone but to do what we can our selues that the small How to nourish faith measure of this grace being once thus begun may euer be encreased by our more diligent vsing the meanes of the Word Sacramēts Prayer stirring it vp by meditating endeauouring striuing asking seeking knocking when we feele any sparkles of true and liuely faith lye glowing in our hearts within they must be cherished succoured and much made of that holy fire must not be quenched nor let to goe out for want of tending and blowing vp the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 1. 6. coale as Paul speaketh to Timothie When we perceiue any light of faith to breake forth and shine out wee must looke well to our lampes that oyle be poured in and bee neuer lacking When the fier of this burning is once kindled vpon the altar of our hearts euery one must doe the office of the Priest to himselfe to keepe this fier still a burning and to trimme these lights that they may neuer Exod. 2◠20. 21 leaue shining yea this fier is not onely to bee kept in but to be blowne vp and made to flame prayer is in stead of bellowes to the fier the Word and Sacraments rightly and reuerently vsed are as oyle to make this holy fier to flame conference with others and holy meetings with Gods seruants for the comforting of themselues together by the mutuall faith both of one and of another as the Apostle speaketh are as the bringing together Rom. 1. 12. of firebrands that doe set one another a burning as the two disciples that went to Emmaus said one to another did not our hearts burne within vs while hee was talking to Luk. 24. 32. vs heauenly meditations as we are alone by our selues when the heart is rapt vp to heauen flaming vp in the desires thereof to receiue grace from aboue they are as a fiery chariot which carrieth vs vp with Eliah from this
be cast too much behind or so runne that we should not obtaine Our case by our sinning and by Gods mercy prouiding a remedie to saue vs from perishing if we will looke out for it in time is not vnlike the case of one among the Iewes that had vnwillingly slaine a man and Gods mercifull indulgence vnto such a one for the sauing of him by appointing Cities of Deut. 4. 41. 42. refuge for him to flie vnto that there he might be rescued and saued out of the hands of the reuenger of blood now we may well thinke there was no need to bid such a man runne to that Citie for if he were taken before hee came thither he was in danger to be slaine and though he ran toward that Citie neuer so fast yet wee may easily conceiue he ran not without feare and trembling all the way as he ran lest the reuenger of blood should haue ouer taken him before he should haue gotten thither So is it with vs Christ is our onely refuge and propitiation 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. for our sinnes if we be taken out of Christ we are lost for euer Should we not plie vs then with all possible hast to get vs vnto Christ and labour with the Apostle aboue all things in the world to take such a course as we may be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse but Phil. 3. 9. the righteousnesse which is by faith in his name Now who shall be found to be in Christ but those that shall be found walking in this good way not walking after the Rom. 8. 1. flesh but after the spirit haue we not cause then by faith to get vs into this way with all the speed that may be and to ply vs as fast on in it after wee be once entred as possibly we can and will any blame vs if we doe not all this without feare and trembling seeing there is so much danger on euery hand For if either wee should mistake the way at our first entring or goe out of the way againe after we had once well begunne or slacke our pace as we are a going that heauen gate should be shut before wee come all were lost with vs and wee were vtterly gone if we had a thousand liues they would perish all without any redemption Is not feare and trembling then worthily remembred by the Apostle in this case and not without great neede commended vnto vs which are so good helpes for vs and fit meanes to remedie all this that will not suffer vs to abide secure but stirre vs vp with all carefulnesse to looke well about vs in euery respect And where it is conceiued that such fearing and trembling would hinder our Christian reioycing and dash all our comfort let mee adde this for a conclusion about this point that as the sweetest ioyes doe many times spring out of the bitterest griefes and out of the lowest bottomes of the deepest sorrowes the highest springs of the liueliest and most lasting comforts doe oftentimes fall out to be found and fetched forth so out of this feare and trembling lest in any thing wee should be wanting that were needfull to be done for our attaining to saluation a most comfortable boldnesse and most solide assurance of our firme standing in the state of grace and saluation will at the length bee fetched and wrought out as by a strong hand For what should make vs to doubt or cause vs to feare any more if Gods spirit hath pronounced peace to all such as walke according Gal. 6. 16. to the rule that himselfe hath set downe for their direction giuing his word and promise that there shall bee no condemnation to such as walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And our owne consciences which haue been witnesses with vs in all our waies are ready to comfort vs in this behalfe and to say for vs that such hath been our most vsuall and most ordinary course who shall then stand vp to make vs afraid or what should hinder the stablenesse of our comfort and the assurance of our peace Nay hauing warrant from God to goe with this message and to say to him that walketh in his righteousnesse it shall be well with him I would meeting Isa 3. 10. with such greet and salute them as did the children of Beniamin greet and encourage Dauid saying Thine are we O Dauid and with thee thou sonne of Ishai Peace 1. Chro. 12. 18. peace be vnto thee and peace to all thy helpers for thy God helpeth thee CHAP. VIII How faith is discerned and the true being thereof made manifest both to the beleeuer himselfe and to others Question NOw if it please you to returne againe to your former speech you were in hand with I would be glad to heare somwhat more of that point how faith which you haue said may haue a being in a mans heart when yet it is not felt commeth at all to be discerned and how at length the true being thereof may be made manifest A. When the seed of God his Word which is immortall How faith is discerned and abideth euer whereof this precious faith is begotten is once sowne in our hearts and becommeth so blessed there and prospered from aboue as it shooteth out this blessed bud and causeth this pleasant plant of sauing faith how tender soeuer it may appeare to be at the first to spring vp as from a most sure lasting and liuely roote full of sappe and good nouriture so to feede and cherish it alwaies as it can neuer die afterward till wee be saued In whom it is so planted that this sauing faith hath once giuen vnto it a sound beginning of the true being therof that it is now habituated and incorporated into the minde of the true beleeuer which is called the first act of faith when I say we once become to haue the habite of this grace put into vs and soundly planted and seated in our hearts the knowledge of this if it can be truly discerned and vndoubtedly fastened vpon is questionlesse the surest and safest to trust vnto for them that are able to find out such a work thus to be wrought in them for this worke being once done is neuer to doe againe because it cannot be vndone for euer any more for such grace once truly had neuer faileth the hauer afterward it being a part of the regeneration and new-birth of a Christian whereby power is giuen vnto him to become the Sonne of God now once borne the child of God he remaineth so euer he is no more to bee borne againe the second time euen as Baptisme the outward Sacrament of the new-birth is once onely administred and so is sufficient for all our whole life time and is no more reiterated at any time againe But though this bee the surest yet because it is the hardest to finde out otherwise then by the second act which is the more liuely
that shall neuer more bee parted yea to take such hold of Christ as hee may dwell in that heart for euer And can there be a greater a more powerfull or more comfortaâ—le worke wrought by faith in a mans whole life-time then this hand-fasting of Christ and the beleeuer once for euer together and can there a more blessed effect euer flow from faith then so to apprehend Christ by our beleeuing in him that now with Peter we doe so beleeue and know him to be our Sauiour as we can goe away reioycing and chaunt it out with the Spouse in that Song of Songs My beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me Howbeit Cantic 2 16. 7. 10. it is not euery bodies case for faith thus to manifest it selfe in them at the first so soone as euer it hath any manner of being at all in the heart into which it is put euery body that haue faith cannot thus clearely and readily find out the faith that they haue so soone as they haue it at the first neither yet at all times after they haue once truly receiued it when they would be glad to haue the comfort of it The faith of euery one commeth not to grow vp so speedily and to attaine to that ripenesse of the sudden as they that haue it can haue such present refreshing by it and the like benefit to shelter and shaddow themselues vnder the comfortable couering and shaddow thereof in the feruent aking and fainting of their hearts as had Ionah Ionah 4. 6. 10. vnder the shaddow of the Gourd which God made to grow vp in a night and prepared ready against the morning to come ouer his head to deliuer him from the feruent scorching of the Sunne and vehement East-wind that did beate vpon him which yet was the case of some in the beginnings of the Gospell vnto whom both faith and the comfort of faith was giuen to be felt together as the Eunuch the Iailor Lydian and some other But though some may haue comfort of their faith at the first and for some good time together yet is it as possible for that course to be interrupted againe and they as much depriued of that comfortable working of their faith for the cheering and refreshing of their hearts afterwards for a time through the strength of some sore tentation assailing the same as Ionah was depriued of the benefit of his Gourd for altogether that refreshed him so well with the shadow thereof when once God had prepared a worme to smite that gourd so as it perished in one night againe and became then more distressed then at the first in so much that his heart fainted in him which made him wish in himselfe now to die and no longer to liue So fareth it with many who haue once been swetly refreshed with the consolations of Gods and haue felt much comfort and gladnesse of heart in their new Feeling lost conuersion and haue been filled with ioy and peace in their first beleeuing who yet haue afterwards had all the light of their comforts so greatly eclypsed their faith so sorely shaken their hearts so troubled and deepely distressed and they cast into such labyrinths of spirituall sorrowes as out of which they no way haue been able to dispatch themselues but haue been forced to yeeld ouer and fall downe flat oppressed with their burthens ouerwhelmed with their griefes the waight of their sorrowes and burthen of their feares exceeding for a time the strength of their faith and so breaking it downe that all comfort faileth them for the present and their faith can be no more felt then if at all it neuer had been Then are they more troubled then if they had neuer before knowne what comfort had meant like Rebeckah Gen. 25. 22. who was more troubled that she had euer conceiued when she felt those struglings in her wombe Such comforts once had but lost againe which the sorrowes so comming vpon them haue eaten vp and deuoured as Pharaohs leane kine did the fat serue but to strengthen their present griefes and to make them twice more grieuous then otherwise they would haue beene felt if they had not tasted how ioyous and how comfortable the former consolations and refreshings of their hearts had beene Then begin they to call all things into question which before they found so great comfort in their conuersion is doubted of either neuer to haue been soundly wrought or else that that which was once happily begun now to be vntimely brought to an end and wholly to be vndone againe Their faith is suspected either to haue bin but a meere fancie they all the while deluded when they thought they had true faith wrought in them and did best of all beleeue or else that which was once true for want of strength to be now perished froÌ„ theÌ„ to faile theÌ„ for altogether wholly to be lost gone Then as Rachels voice was heard in Rama when she wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not so are their lamentable voices heard in the Churches of weeping and mourning and great lamentation they weeping for the want of these graces and will not be comforted because to their sense and feeling as themselues so doe thinke they now are not but are quite lost and gone CHAP. IX What remedie there is for the weake in faith and withall the excellency of faith is declared with the practice or vse to be made thereon Question WHat course is then to be taken for help and remedy in this case that such may be succoured and supported in this their great weaknes not seene to faint giue ouer for altogether A. They to whom God hath giuen Isa 50. 4. tongue of the learned so as they know how to speake a Comforts to weake faith word in season to them that are wearie had need to strengthen such with their mouth and tempering their words with a certaine sweetnesse of speaking by the comfort of their lippes to asswage their griefes These Iob 16. 5. whose hearts are thus dismayed and discomforted languishing and fearing and ready to faint within them had Cant. 2. 4. 5. need to be carried into the Lords wine cellers of the holy Scriptures that they may bee refreshed and stayed with Isa 66. 11. his flagons and comforted with his apples that thence they may sucke and be satisfied with the consolations of God to get strength in the inner man againe that so they faint not in these their fearings through the enemies tentations Such are to bee directed to got and listen how graciously the Lord himselfe who is the father of mercies and God of all consolation vouchsafeth euen in that place to speake comfortably to the heart of her that Iere. 31. 13. 15. 16. 17. would not bee comforted in a case not much vnlike to that which theirs now is promising that hee would turne
the Sonne of the liuing God so forsaking all to follow him and truly and stedfastly beleeuing in him their faith is so strengthened as the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against the Mat. 16. 18. same Their knowledge of Christ hath guile and deceit in it making them more bold in sinning because they know Christ hath done all away by his suffering abusing the knowledge they haue of him to a more libertie of licentious liuing These know Christ as the truth is in Iesus to become new creatures in him casting off the old man and putting on Eph. 4. 21. 22 24 the new 4 In respect of the subiect in which the knowledge of these two abideth and is seated this difference may be obserued Their knowledge is swimming in the braine in an idle and bare speculation only These haue their knowledge descending and sinking lower downe into their hearts to worke vpon the affections to breed the hatred of sinne there and the loue of goodnesse They keepe the word of God in their eares to heare it and in their tongues to talke of it they get knowledge out of the word of God to tip their tongues with fine and eloquent speech and to dispute learnedly about points that are intricate These lay vp the word of God in their hearts that it may dwell plentifully there in all wisedome they hide vp Coloss 3. 16. the word of God in their hearts with Dauid that it may Psal 119. 11. keepe them from sinning they get knowledge not so much to tip their tongues with speech as to season their hearts with grace and to liquour their whole liues with holinesse that all their actions may relish and sauour of some goodnesse 5 There is great difference betweene the knowledge of these two in respect of the kinds of their knowledge which are very diuers All the knowledge and wisedome of men vnregenerate that is to say of naturall men it doth most lighten the vnderstanding downward and let it be of things neuer so high and heauenly yet being once in them it becommeth drossie and polluted with their corruption But the knowledge which is inspired and infused into the hearts of men regenerate by the spirit of sanctification is both most holy and pure in it selfe and in like manner sanctifieth them into whose hearts it is put and Iohn 17. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 22. being farre more diuine setteth before their mindes a heauenly great and lightsome Torch shining vpwards to make their mindes more heauenly and their affections to Coloss 3. 2. be set vpon things aboue Of the greatest excellencie of their vnsanctified knowledge in regard of themselues and of the hurt also thereby done to others that may be said of it that was said of the knowledge of Nouatus that it was but venenata facundia but a poysoned and venomous finesse and elegancie of their skill and speech These haue the wholesome knowledge of the truth for Tit. 2. 8. the safety of their owne soules and they speak the words of truth and sobernesse vnto others also whom they do instruct Acts 26. 25. Their knowledge many times is an affecting to know aboue that which is meet and so are found exercising themselues Rom. 12. 3. 16. Psal 131. 1. in things that are too high These vnderstand according to sobriety keeping themselues within due compasse not stretching themselues beyond their line 2. Cor. 10. 13. 14. They haue much obscure confused generall and theoricall knowledge wherein many of them doe excell they haue plentie of illumination without change of affection and so remaine but carnall still their heart and life being left wholly vnreformed These haue a much more cleare distinct speciall effectuall and experimentall knowledge their minds being so inlightned by the Spirit of God with the knowledge of God out of his Word as thereupon they are transformed 2. Cor. 3. 18. into the image of God from glory to glory They haue much verball and litterall knowledge in Tit. 1. 16. word to say they know God but in their deedes to denie him so being in the meane time as one iustly calleth them but beleeuing Atheists These haue powerfull and spirituall knowledge knowing Phil. 3. 10. Christ with the power of his resurrection which causeth the power of godlinesse to be seene in their liues 6 And lastly in respect of the vse that these put their knowledge vnto much is the difference betweene the knowledge that is had on both sides The vnregenerate and vnsanctified men haue knowledge Ier. 10. 14. Amos 3. 10. Ier. 4. 22 but as the Prophet speaketh they are brutish in their knowledge they know not how to doe right they haue knowledge and they are wise for the doing of euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge at all The true beleeuer and sanctified Christian hath knowledge and his vnderstanding is vnto him as a well-spring Prou. 16. 22. and fountaine of life to cause him to depart from the snares of death The wisedome of the prudent saith Salomon Prou. 14. 8. Psal 101. 2. Prou. 11. 9. Psal 47. 10. is to vnderstand his way that with Dauid hee may know how to behaue himselfe wisely in a perfect way The iust by his knowledge is deliuered from the errour and deceit of the hypocrite who with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour They hauing knowledge many times their wisedome and knowledge doth peruert them that being wise in their owne eyes they fal into heresie maintaine errors and they hauing knowledge and vtterance of speech as they are of the world themselues so saith the Apostle they 1. Iohn 4. 5. speake of the world and the world through them These hauing light of knowledge doe ponder the path of their feete to order their waies aright and thereby are Prou. 4. 26. better stablished in the truth These put their knowledge to a better vse they hauing the tongue of the learned Isai 50. 4. know how to speake a word in season to him that is wearie when they speake their lipps doe spread abroad knowledge and their tongue talketh of wisedome for the Law of Prou. 15. 7. Psal 37. 30. 31. God is in their heart The tongue of the wise saith Salomon Prou. 15. 2. vseth knowledge aright where the mouth of fooles doth nothing but poure out foolishnesse They hauing knowledge of things that are in their nature 2. Cor. 2. 17. diuine doe yet handle diuine things in a diuelish manner and handle the word of God deceitfully 2. Cor. 4. 2. These handle the Word of God purely as with washed hands they doe with David wash their hands in innocencie Psal 26. 6. and so compasse the Altar they speaking Gods Word speake it as the word of God yea their speech is 1. Pet. 4. 11. Coloâ—â— 4. 6. ordinarily gracious and powdred with salt They by their knowledge may preach but either they preach themselues
beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for whom hath a faithfull beleeuer in heauen but Christ neither is there any in earth whom hee careth for Psal 73. 25. or doth desire but him alone CHAP. XIII Of the third difference which is in the difference of their assurance to be saued wherein is entreated of the want of feeling of true faith or of the former or present comfort therof Question YOu hauing shewed thus much difference to bee between the apprehension of Christ by a counterfait beleeuer and of one that is sound in the faith goe on in like manner to shew what difference there is if there bee any betweene the assurance and perswasion that the one hath of being saued by Christ vpon his so apprehending of him and the assurance of the other A. The difference betweene them in this is no lesse Difference of assurance then was found to bee in the other The difference betweene mis-beleeuers and the true faithfull that are called the Israel of God in the point of their assurance and comfortable perswasion of their being saued by Christ Iesus they both bearing the venture of the liues of their soules in the passage that they haue through the wild sea of this world in hope of their safe arriuall and landing at that happie port of all safety in Gods kingdome and heauenly Canaan in the end is not vnlike to the difference that was betweene the Israelites and Egyptians for their passing thorongh the red sea both of them ventured and went into the sea the one got well thorough the other came short home the one had Gods word for their warrant they therefore were saued and gained the port and land which they ventured for the other were blinded with pride and presumption and ventured without all warrant from God as being found rather fighters against God in disobeying his word and therefore they miscarried all and were drowned in the middest of the sea and sunke to the bottome as a stone True beleeuers are perswaded of Gods mercies in Christ that they shall neuer perish but haue euerlasting life their faith and hope they haue in God doth neuer faile them for it is grounded vpon the truth of Gods promise and the rocke Christ Iesus They escape therefore in all dangers and happily are saued in the end for the iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 2. 4. Misbeleeuers and hypocrites they also are bold and confident in their perswasion it may more iustly bee said in their proud presuming for they are but as the fooles that beleeue euery thing they beleeue they cannot Prou. 14. 15. tell what they hauing nothing to ground their perswasion vpon they haue neither word nor writing from God to shew why they should so beleeue their is neither bill nor scroll nor any tittle in the Bible if it bee rightly vnderstood that doth make for them and yet they flush themselues as though all were theirs they flatter themselues and beguile their owne hearts with misapplying promises out of Gods word They are ignorant and yet most confident according to that Who so bold as blind Bayard they feare nothing they defie the diuell they haue they say a strong faith and are sure to bee saued they neuer doubted of their saluation in all their life neither would they doubt for all the world Which boldnesse of theirs being rather blindnesse then good boldnesse commeth not through the abundance of faith beleeuing more strongly then others doe the promises which God hath made them but through abundance of folly making promises ro themselues where God neuer made any and reckoning to receiue that which God neuer minded to giue so building without a foundation and beleeuing without any word spoken or promise that was euer giuen the Lord sending them strong delusions that they should beleeue a lie and so goe on in their dangerous security that they may stumble and fall and rise no more They both seeme to bee assured and to stand perswaded that they shall be saued by God in the end but vpon farre differing grounds The ground of the ones perswasion is found onely to be in himselfe and to bee laid vpon himselfe alone and his owne conceit and may bee rather said to be the assurance of man so perswading himselfe then any certaintie of the thing whereof he is perswaded that euer it shall so fall out as he doth make reckoning The ground of the others perswasion is laid out of himselfe euen vpon God and the truth of his promise as knowing 2. Tim. 1. 12. whom he hath beleeued and may rather be said to stand more in the certaintie and infallibilitie of the thing promised then in the strength of the man 's assured beleeuing and standing perswaded that it shall be so performed that doth beleeue it The ground of the perswasion of an hypocrite and such as is vnsound in the faith is laid onely within himselfe for out of himselfe he findeth nothing to beare vp such a confident boasting withall but it is onely resting in his owne bosome and all the weight of his building hath no surer ground to be set vpon then are the imaginations thoughts and conceits of his owne heart alone which is deceitfull aboue all things and so false and vnsound as none is able to know the hollownesse that is therein And therefore a ground for any to thinke it possible euer to lay a steady and sure foundation therein or set a strong building vpon the same which he desireth to see remaine firme and vnmoueable for himselfe to dwell safe in that is more moueable then is either sea or wind where all is seene to flow and blow away as well may a man reckon vpon building Castles in the aire and walled Cities vpon the rowling and ragged seaes safely to inhabite in as sure perswasions that a man may trust too and not be deceiued in and vpon the vaine imaginations conceits and affections of his seducing and seduced heart which are so vnstaid and so vnsetled that the affections are not vnfitly said to bee the very waues and stormes of mens soules that tosse and turmoile them vpside downe And otherwise beside their owne conceites and imaginations of their owne hearts that makes them thus peremptorie and thus bold in presuming there is nothing at all in the world that can else warrantably assure them that they shall euer haue that saluation which they so much doe reckon vp For that in it selfe is so farre from being certaine vnto them as there is a certaintie of the cleane contrarie and they may be sure when they shall once come to make triall they shall find it cleane otherwise to fall out then they looked for they may bee bold and build vpon it there is no peace at all from God for such Isai 57. 21. euer to receiue in nor saluation at his hands for them to haue though at the last when it
shall bee too late they should as earnestly craue it and seeke for it by their crying vnto him as euer did Esau seeke his fathers blessing when he came too late and then he could find no place of repentance with him though he sought it with teares for the Heb. 12. 17. Lord hath assigned another manner of estate and condition to hypocrites and vnbeleeuers and declared in his word so great a condemnation to abide them in the pit of destruction as he thinketh it threatning great enough vnto other kind of sinners to tell them they shall haue their Mat. 24. 51. portion with vnbeleeuers and with hypocrites For them then to perswade themselues they shall be saued contrary to all that which the Lord doth otherwise plainely set downe in his word and when they heare the words of his so great a curse to promise to themselues for all that that they shall haue peace it is not onely to delude their owne Deut. 29. 19. 20 hearts with lying and false conceits but to set God the more against them that he may neuer be mercifull vnto them but cause his wrath more fiercely and more furiously to smoake out against them This is not the boldnesse of good assurance and of a warrantable perswasion that hath Gods word to relie vpon but the blindnesse of a most damnable pride and presuming against all that God himself hath spoken when as though they had made Isai 28. 15. a couenant with death and were at an agreement with hell that they should neuer take any hold of them they doe not onely promise to themselues safetie and deliuerance from perishing but high aduancement in glorie and life eternall in Gods kingdome as if when the King hath proclaimed them al to be traytors that were conspirators in the late Gun powder-treason and that so many as can be prooued to haue been of that conspiracie are as traytors to be hanged drawne and quartered if some principall traitor of them all hauing to this day scaped should now be apprehended and attached for his treason and being to bee carried vp to the Court that it might bee knowne what should be done with him he all this while should beare himselfe as bold as the best subiect in the kingdome in such sort as none can make him beleeue there is any danger towards him but hee still promiseth to himselfe that comming once at the Court he shall not onely escape punishment and be freed from all manner of blame and rebuke but bee lifted vp to much higher aduancement and made some great Duke or Lord in the and euery one would thinke that some spirit of frensie or madnesse had strongly possessed such a man So are these men strangely bewitched inchaunted by the diuell to take for sure truths those things which are but Satans meere delusions and when the best is made of them no better then are waking mens dreames The foundation whereupon a true beleeuing Christian doth build his assurance and perswasion that he hath of being saued in the end is that which the Apostle calleth the foundation of God and therefore a most strong and 2. Tim. 2. 19. sure foundation hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his the knowledge of God being perpetuall and vnchangeable for whom the Lord knowes once he neuer after Isai 49. 15. doth forget and this is the most firme steady and immoueable foundation that any possibly can build vpon Zach. 6. 1. strong as those mountaines of brasse which Zacharie maketh mention of to beare vp all that is set vpon the same which makes it impossible that a true beleeuer should euer perish It is not the strength of his faith though he do truely beleeue as looking thereby alwaies to hold the comfort which hee now hath that workes vp this assurance but the faithfulnesse of him whom this faith doth relie vpon which is such as though wee cannot beleeue 2. Tim. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 2. yet he abideth faithfull and cannot denie himselfe for hee is God that cannot lie The comfortable and confident perswasion of a true beleeuing Christian for his obtaining of saluation through Christ Iesus standeth more in that hee knoweth whō hee doth beleeue to receiue saluation from as that which he hath purchased and that which he hath promised and which he is both able and faithfull to performe then in knowing that he doth beleeue and what he lookes for to receiue by his beleeuing which is to bee saued by his faith His assurance is more in the assurance of the thing beleeued through the steadfastnes of him that hath promised the same then in his own steadfastnes that he alwaies shal so beleeue or in the steadfastnes of his faith by which he doth beleeue that it neuer more shall be ouertaken with any feare or doubting For our faith may Psal 118. 13. be dangerously assailed and thrust soare at that it might fall it may be shaken but Gods promise is vnfaileable and the truth of his Word as a rocke that cannot be moued nor shaken whatsoeuer be the surges that beate against the same His assurance is more in that hee knowes Phil. 3. 12. Christ comprehends him who will neuer let goe his hold because he is stronger then all that none can pull any out Ioh. 10 28. 29. Ioh. 6. 39. of his hand and because he is most faithfull to answer that trust he is put in by his father whose will it is that of all that he hath giuen him he must not loose one then in the knowledge that he hath that he doth apprehend Christ and doth lay hold vpon him by his beleeuing for he may let goe his hold and let slip that hand-fasting which he holds him by at least in regard of his owne feeling it may bee gone for feeling may faile a true beleeuer and then there is no other helpe but for hope to hold fast and still to stand perswaded that though we cannot apprehend him yet he doth still comprehend vs who as he was yesterday Heb. 13. 8. Mal. 3. 6. Ioh. 13. 1. is euen so to day and will be the same for euermore for hee is the Lord and changeth not therefore was it that the sons of Iacob were not consumed and therefore it is that whō he once hath loued to the end he will loue them stil this we are to remember and to fetch comfort from the same yea to hope also that howsoeuer our feeling may be forthe present yet our selues shal find it to be otherwise afterward again Q. You are light vpon a point that many good Christians are much troubled about who for want of feeling the comfort they haue had feare they are quite giuen ouer and for saken of God I pray you therefore let me be bold to interrupt your other speech a little and to craue of you that you would speake your mind somewhat in this matter what you would thinke were fittest to
their Psal 103. 1. soules to praise God and call vpon all that is within them to magnifie his name they praysing God with their words Psal 47. 7. praise him with their vnderstanding also When they come to make prayers vnto God they lift vp their hearts with Lament 3. 41. 1. Tim. 2. 8. their hands vnto God in the heauens and holding vp their hands they hold vp pure hands in their prayers without wrath and doubting In comming to heare the Word of God they with an honest and good heart heare it and keep Luke 8. 15. Psal 119. 11. it holding it vp in their hearts with Dauid that it might keepe them from sinne As God loueth truth in the inward Psal 51. 6. Iohn 4. 24. parts so doe they worship God in spirit and truth They doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better then indeede they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which in truth they doe not but as God is truth so are they found in all their waies to walke in truth They beleeuing 3. Iohn 4. Iohn 14 1. God doe beleeue also in Christ their hearts therefore neede not to feare nor at all to be troubled they know with the Apostle whom they haue beleeued and that he is able to 2. Tim. 1. 12. keepe all they haue committed vnto him sure and safe vnto the day of his appearing This therefore is the victory whereby 1. Iohn 2 13. 5. 4. 5. we ouercome that euill one and the whole world with him euen their stedfast beleeuing such as doe thus may indeede be assured of vndoubted safety and saluation for euer They thus beleeuing and thus liuing may know asuredly themselues to be in Christ Iesus because they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit they haue good warrant Rom. 8. 1. Cant. 2. 16. to say that Christ is theirs and they are his and therfore laying hold of Christ they may bee assured most certainly to bee saued for euer by him They may bee fully perswaded there shall bee no condemnation to them being Rom. 8. 1. 38. 39 thus in Christ Iesus neither shall any thing be euer able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus They in this case may lay themselues downe in peace with Psal 4. 8. Psal 3. 6. Dauid and take sweetely their rest for the Lord is hee that will now make them to dwell in safetie not fearing though ten thousand had beset them round about they need not be Psal 112. 7. 1. Iohn 4. 28. afraid of any euill tidings but cast away all feare that hath painefulnesse and let their hearts bee setledly fixed and trust in the Lord for such haue their warrant made them out of Gods Word that doing these things they shall neuer Psal 15. 5. 2. Pet. 1. be moued and as the Apostle Peter saith they shall neuer fall These haue laid for themselues a good foundation for eternall life and as good builders indeed haue well Prou. 10. 25. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Isai 26. 1. builded a sure habitation for themselues to dwell safely in Saluation may bee called the walls of this building and safetie it selfe the bulwarkes thereof They that dwell in such a defenced Castle they dwell to high for any to pull them downe their defence is the munition of rockes as the Prophet speaketh they hauing thus built their faith vpon Isai 33. 16. Christ that is a rocke so strong and sure as neuer can be moued it is impossible that the gates of hell can euer preuaile against the same such as these are surely out of all Mat. 16. 18. danger and as one set vpon a high rock and standing vpon a sure and inuincible Tower they may look and laugh at al their enemies below not caring what they al cā possibly do against them how fiercely and how furiously soeuer they shal assaile them These therefore ascleane contrary to the other being those that heare the sayings of Christ and do them that truly do beleeue and thus holily doe liue they are most wise men and good builders that haue built their house vpon a rocke and therfore when the raine descends the flouds come the winds blow and beate vpon the house it doth not fall because all is founded vpon a rocke and so the whole worke of their building they thus building vp themselues in their most holy faith is not onely made beautifull for view but wisely and well contriued for necessarie vse and made strong and substantiall for continuance They hereby in all their workes thus wrought shewing themselues to haue been workemen that need not be ashamed of that they haue done as the Apostle Mat. 7. 24. gaue counsell to Timothie for the discharge of his dutie Their worke in time shall also be made manifest the day will declare it and the fier will reueale that vpon a most 2. Tim. 2. 15. sure and pretious foundation they haue builded gold siluer and precious stones and that their worke hath been 1. Cor. 3. 12. wrought according vnto God and therefore of him they may looke to receiue their reward and so to haue praise of Iohn 3. 21. God CHAP. XV. The different vses they put their perswasion vnto AS the truly faithfull lay hold of Christ so doth the hypocrite as they are comfortably perswaded to be saued by him these seeme also to bee euery day as confident therein as they and doe as boldly presume and reckon thereupon but as there is truth in that which is done by the one and much guile and falsehood in that which is done by the other as the one haue warrant for their so doing the other haue none so doe they in like manner differ in the vse they put this their assurance and Difference in the effects of assurance perswasion vnto as they differed in the ground that either of them had for their being so perswaded The one by meanes thereof feare God the more because Psal 130. 4. they know mercie to be with him the other feare him the lesse yea not at all Misbeleeuers and carnall Gospellers vpon this idle conceit that they are sure they shall be saued lay aside all feare of God and care of goodnesse they sing such a requiem to their soules as they now sing cocke on whoope as wee vse to say and sing all care and feare away yea Iob 6. 14. they are as those of whom Iob speaketh that haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie That grace of God which Iude 4. they say they hope to be saued by they turne into want onnesse they hauing gotten this by the end that the iust shall liue by his faith euen by faith alone and not by works they hereupon lay away all care of good workes which God Ephes 2. 10. hath ordained that true beleeuers should walke in and they hold thēselues
so catch hold vpon him as hee could find nothing but trouble and sorrow If in the multitude of these troubles so rushing vpon them at once they would but pauze and take breath a while and as Moses willed Isa 63. 1. the Israelites stand still and not feare but see and looke for the saluation of the Lord who hauing promised to deliuer his seruants speaketh in righteousnesse and is mighty to saue they should find the issue would be with them as was both with the Israelites then and with Dauid afterward who acknowledged thus vnto the Lord that when I said my foot slideth thy mercy O Lord stayed mee vp in the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts haue reioyced my soule Yea if their troubles themselues had but Psal 94. 18. 1 language to talke with them and tongues put into their heads to declare to them in words what by proofe shall be found at the last they will doe to them in deedes in stead of dismaying them they would abundantly satisfie and content them ease and quiet their minds yea much cheere reioyce and make glad their heauie hearts with letting them know what a benefit they should receiue by their comming vnto them and how much good they all would doe vnto them before they would euer leaue them or part from them any more for though the troubles were neuer so many yet all of them would begin one after another to speake comfortably vnto them letting them know they are come as friends to helpe them and not as enemies whom they need to be afraid of for any manner of way harming or hurting of them Troubles indeed in their vizards are fearfull to Gods children and terrible to looke vpon but in their true faces when those vizards are pulled off and the true end and plaine meaning of their comming is once discouered and made knowne according to Gods gracious purpose in sending them to his best belouest children then doe they appeare amiable and are found louely to looke vpon then will they be thought worthy the welcoming of them and of finding a cheerfull and friendly kind of entertainment to be giuen vnto them for so witnesseth the Apostle Iames who plainly affirmeth there is cause why Christians should account it all ioy when they fall into Iam. 1. 2. diuers tentations for then they are happened among their friends and fallen into the company and hands of such as are their well-willers that will all of them worke together each one doing his part to doe them good When they see many troubles to be before them if they had eyes opened to see them vnmasked and were able rightly and wisely to iudge and discerne of them for the present according to that which they will shew and proue themselues to be vnto them in the end after due triall be once taken and made thereof they would be as much comforted in the beholding of them and seeing thē neerly to approch vnto them as was Iacob who flying from his vnkind and churlish father in lay Laban standing also in no lesse feare in meeting of his most cruell and currish brother Esau that threatned his death when in the middest of all these dangers the Angels of God met him in the way for his comfort whom when hee saw he said of them that they were Gods host which God had sent vnto him calling the name of that place Mahanaim Gen. 32. 1. 2. that is two hosts euen two that were now ioyned together his owne and that camperoyall from heauen for the better safe guarding of him For so are these Gods messengers that goe forth at his bidding and they goe to no other but to whom he doth send them neither doe they otherwise demeane themselues where they become then according as they haue direction giuen vnto them and their appointment from him They are sometimes sent out against Gods enemies and othewhiles when need doth so require they are most imployed about his friends and about his deare children whom hee loueth best but as the persons are much differing to whom now and then they are thus sent so is not the end of their sending to either of them the same neither the manner of their working found to be alike with them after they be once come but as cleane contrary a carrying of the matter in their dealings with the one and the other as was appointed by the Lord to bee vsed by the sixe men whom Ezechiel saw in a vision to be sent out into the City to Ezech. 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. kill and slay the sinners that were in Ierusalem euery man hauing a slaughter-weapon in his hand Among whom order was first taken for the preseruing of the faithfull that they might be marked out to be knowne from therest charge being giuen that none of them should come neere any man vpon whom the marke might be seene but as for all the other their commission was large to goe through the City and slay vtterly to destruction the old and the young not letting their eye spare nor haue any pitie but to fill the courts of Gods house with their slaine When troubles come vpon the wicked when afflictions calamities and wofull distresses are sent out to take hold vpon vngodly persons who goe on with a high hand to prouoke God by their sinnes th en are they mustered as the hoast of God and as his leuied souldiers and strong warriours that are sent forth to fight Gods battels and to bee reuenged of his enemies then haue they slaughter-weapons put into their hands and their commission is made large to kill and slay freely without sparing any or shewing any pity But when they are sent to the godly as they are sent to The sea is found oftner without wind and tempest then the liues of Gods seruants without troubles and affliciions none more and scarce to any so often in so much as for any to be without chastisement whereof all are partakers were to carrie the brand of a bastard and of one that were not the Sonne of God then haue they their slaughter-weapons taken from them Then must all troubles vnarme themselues and lay downe their venomed Heb. 12. 8. weapons with which they are found so much to hurt others for Christ vpon the Crosse vnarmed them to his the venome of all crosses and troubles being taken out of them by his sufferings vpon the Crosse And being thus sent out they are not sent forth without their limitation what to doe how farre to goe when to stay and where they must goe no further and meddle no more The diuell was not more limited nor prescribed by the Lord how farre to goe and where to stay in his dealing against Iob 2. 6. Iob to see that his life might no way be touched then these are restrained from doing the least harme to such as loue God nay contrarily their whole employment for which they are sent forth and about
enemies he hath besides can doe to plucke that ioy from him which Christ hath once giuen Ioh. 16. 22. him or so to rifle and rob him of it againe as it can euer truly be said he is now wholly emptie who before was full according to that which Naomi spake in the griefe Ruth 1. 21. of her heart as touching the change of her estate and he is now dispoyled of all ioy and hath all cause of reioycing wholly taken from him that before was so abundantly filled and replenished with the same For light being sowne for the righteous and ioy for the upright in heart Psal 97. 11. as being the pleasant fruite and rich crop which they are to reape of their sowing to the spirit that fruit is not like to the summer fruite which will not last that soone must be spent but it is lasting fruite that will endure not alone all the yeere but all their life time for them to liue vpon and to cheare their hearts so long as they haue a day to liue vpon earth And therefore doth the spirit of God call vpon the righteous to be glad and all such to reioyce Psal 32. 11. Phil. 4. 4. Psal 5. 11. and be ioyfull as be vpright in heart they are willed to reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe to reioyce yea to reioyce and triumph for euermore Now if all ioy could bee so wholly extinct at any time as not onely all power should be wholly taken away of bringing it into act for the present but in like manner all such ground and causes of it remoued that otherwise might as warrantablie and sufficiently cause it to bee though now it is not for the present act in being as doth the true cause bring foorth the naturall and proper effect how could this possibly bee done which the spirit of God in these and many the like places of Scripture doth will and warrant the righteous to doe The reason why true ioy in Christ being once giuen to the faithfull can neuer bee afterwards taken from them againe is because Gods gifts of grace to his children are without all repentance Rom. 11. 29. the mercies of God which he giueth to them are called the sure and the euerlasting mercies of Dauid God hauing promised to Dauid that he would not take away his mercies 2. Sam. 7. 15. Psal 89. 28. 33. 35. from him and his as he tooke them away from Saul that was before him And this is no more then that which in expresse words our Sauiour Christ did promise to his Disciples before he left them that he would come againe Ioh. 16. 22. vnto them and their hearts should reioyce and their ioy should none take from them All true beleeuers then to whom God at any time hath giuen to haue true ioy and peace in beleeuing may with a ioyfull reuerence reioycing Psal 2. 11. with feare and trembling before the Lord hold fast this their ioy and following the example of that worthy leader in the Lords campe and hoast euen that blessed Apostle Paul challenge all their enemies to doe their Rom. 8. 35. worst herein and aske who or which of them all shall bee able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus which alone is the surest ground and mainest foundation of all this their ioy and constant reioycing If anguish tribulation affiction or persecution things which already haue been so much treated on shall stand out to trie what they can doe hereabout they are things indeed grieuous to the flesh and to a worldly minded man they are as prickes and thornes in the flesh that will make him restlesse disquiet his carnall ease and peace in the world and such may they be as not onely by feeling of them when they come but by the feare of them before they light vpon him not onely take all ioy from him but strike him dead at the heart witnesse the example of Nabal But to a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained and who by his faith knoweth himselfe to be certainly iustified and so set at peace with God all afflictions that may befall him can cause no such effect euer to bee seene wrought vpon him as can wholly and altogether bereaue him of all comfort and take for euer his ioy from him howsoeuer for the sudden by the power and strength of tentation they may somewhat astonish him yet calling himselfe to better remembrance hee well perceiueth and soone commeth to know that they are but sent of God for the exercising of that precious faith which once by his grace he hath receiued from him that now the worth and the value thereof may be the better knowne and that they are come rather to be triers then destroyers of his faith that the triall thereof being much more precious then gold that perisheth may cause to him the greater praise and 1. Pet. 1. 7. make more to his honour and glory at the appearing of Christ Iesus And therefore by that faith of his whereby hee findeth himselfe inabled to ouercome the world it selfe hee feareth not to encounter such afflictions such tribulations and persecutions as he meeteth with in the world as not onely daring to wrastle with them but to promise to himselfe the carrying away of the victorie from them and so finally in the end to ouercome them yea in all such things to looke with the Apostle to be more then a conquerour Rom. 8. 35. 37. 38. 39. through him that hath loued him These things then cannot wholly extinguish nor destroy the ioy of a true beleeuer they may better serue to double then to destroy the ioy of such a man It is that property which is onely peculiar to the ioy of faith so to abide in tribulation as it maketh him that is iustified by his faith and so is at peace with God not to be troubled with his troubles but 2. Cor. 6. 10. and 8. 2. 1. Thes 1. 6. to reioyce in tribulation and to suffer valiantly and patiently yea cheerfully and ioyfully euery thing that falleth out by God his appointment for his trying The fishes are not more fresh in the salt sea then Gods seruants remaine faithfull and comfortable in their afflictions and greatest persecutions there are no misaduentures can dishearten their wel resolued minds the Christian resolution of a valorous and stedfast beleeuer in the cause and quarrell of Christ Iesus is so stiffened with a magnanimious and manly temper as nothing can daunt his valiant If there were as many diuels in Wormes as there are tiles on their houses I will among them saith Luther Psal 56. 4. courage from looking the stoutest proudest enemie of Christ in the face for he knoweth his cause to be so good as he is ready to beare the hazard of the most dangerous aduentures and feareth not what flesh at all can doe vnto him for when God hath once spoken peace to his soule
vse and practice of it al the dayes of their life and therefore the extraordinary repentance of hypocrites with whom the ordinarie is euer wanting especially that also being sickly and faulty as it euer is is like to stand them in very little stead which can no way bee allowed to be repentance vnto life which were safe for any to trust vnto Againe the repentance of a true conuert differeth from that of an hypocrite in the whole body of repentance and frame of it as it is compact and made vp together and in the seuerall ioynt parts and members if it if they be a part considered and so taken asunder they differ in the obiect which either of them doe most respect and are most occupied about they differ in the effect which they worke and which either of them doe bring forth they differ in that which causeth either and in that which is caused by either The words for repentance vsed in the new Testament are two the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of a word that signifieth as much as for one to come to his right mind to be wise at the least after some ouersight to recouer ones selfe it is after-wit or after-wisedome so called because the children of God take warning by the Spirit of God to be wiser after they haue once been ouerseene and beguiled through the deceitfulnesse of sinne this hath in it a godly sorrow with hope of Gods mercy truly and wisely conuerting all the powers of the soule and causing a through change in the whole man from sinne to righteousnesse and so it becommeth repentance vnto life And this is properly the repentance of true beleeuers and of all such as shall be saued for it is sound repentance and hath the perfection of parts in it though not of degrees The other word vsed in the new Testament to set out repentance by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming of a word that signifieth to bee sorrie after a fact committed to bee heauie and pensiue to be vexed and grieued for it it is after-griefe because sorrow and griefe pensiuenesse and heauinesse of heart vexation and trouble of conscience vsually doe follow vpon the committing of some hainous sinne This may be without any conuersion or change of a man to make him better this after-griefe may be without that after-wisdome which brings a man to his right mind againe but the other is neuer without this but hath it alwaies included in it for it is sound and hath the perfection of all parts in it This may bee alone without the other which yet is the chiefest part of true repentance and therefore it is vnsound and vnperfect repentance and so vnprofitable and vnauailable euery way to saluation and this is indeed properly the repentance of hypocrites and may be the repentance of all manner of reprobates This is that repentance that Iudas had for the Scripture saith of him that he repented but with this Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance he went to the halter and so from thence vnto hell fier Thus the repentance of true beleeuers doth differ from the repentance of hypocrites in the whole frame and body of repentance when all of it is taken and considered together CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of repentance seuerally considered in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessity of sorrow in Repentance THey differ also in the parts and seuerall members of the whole they being looked on apart and considered asunder There is in true repentance a sorrow for sinne which is the first occasion of a mans repenting for if a man had not his heart troubled for that he had done he would neuer repent and change his couse then followeth a turning from sinne and a bearing out of fruits that may be worthy of amendment of life Our soules by sweruing from God and going out of the path of Gods Commandements breed their owne sorrow and bring painfull griefe and vexation vpon the heart such as many times hardly can bee endured like bones that are broken or out of ioynt cause heauie dolours to the body and paine intollerable and the longer they abide so not well set and put into socket againe the more painfull is the aking that is felt therefrom so is it with the wounds that doe pierce the soule they will neuer leaue aking till some good meanes be vsed for the well curing of them Sinne which is as a serpent carrying his sting in his taile after it hath been once committed leaueth such a guilt in the conscience that is as painfull to be felt as is the sting of a Scorpion that is dashed into the flesh or the biting of those fierie serpents in the wildernesse that did torment them with extreame paines as if fier had been burning in their flesh Sinne is like a most venomous serpent and draggeth a long taile of punishment after it where euer it becommeth God hath tied together as with fetters of brasse the pleasures of sinne and pains of punishments and plagues for sin he that will haue one must haue both they that will sowe iniquitie shall be sure to reape affliction much smart much griefe much sorrow of heart will alwaies follow after the sence of the guiltinesse of sinne cannot bee felt but the heart will be made restlesse and it will disquiet all the peace thereof causing those painfull dashes and heauie compunctions in the tender soule as hath forced out those lamentable voices and sorrowfull outcries Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued And without such bitter griefe and sorrow of heart that may force vs thus to cry out yea to roare like beares and mourne sore like Isa 59. 11. 12. doues we may doubt of our repentance and can haue small hope of obtaining any forgiuenesse or pardon for our sinne as well as may any woman hope to get to bee deliuered of her child while she is a sleep or in a dreame without euer enduring any further paines or trauell vsuall to all women in their child-bearing as for a sinner to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes without the sorrowes the painfull throwes and pangs of thorow and vnfained repentance whose working is many times felt so forcible vpon the heart as it is ready to ouercome it and make it for a time vtterly to faint Sinne will not be got away without a great deale of sorrow and griefe and that of such sort as must breake and bruise the soule and grind the very heart to dust and to powder Sinne sticketh so fast to and is so baked on as there must be rubbing hard to get it off Wooll is as fit to wipe away pitch or birdlime as an ouerly sighing or slight saying Lord haue mercie vpon mee will get sinne done away who so doth goe about by truely repenting and humbling of themselues to doe away their sinnes shall find sinne
done by the people when they are once reclaimed out of their way of erting and shewed the right way they were to take and walke in he saith they should not onely leaue worshipping of grauen Images care no more for them and doe them away but shew their indignation against them by defacing them spoiling the couerings of them teare and rend their golden ornaments defile that Isai 30. 22. that was about them and then cast them all away as a menstruous cloth with words of greatest abhorring and defiance spoken vnto them when they shall say vnto them Get thee hence This is that feruent anger and indignation that is caused by godly sorrow in the hearts of them that doe truly repent against all their sinnes which they haue committed and wherewith God so much hath been offended The fourth grace caused by godly sorrow in the heart of him that is truly penitent is feare a grace that is contrarie to securitie prophanenesse and all contempt of God This feare so it be vnderstood of a holy feare such as may beseeme a true seruant and child of God to haue may bee carried as farre and as wide as you will it hath included vnder it all that is to bee feared for he that is thorowly touched and wounded in his conscience with godly sorrow cannot abide carelesse any more nor remaine voide of much trembling and feare fearing for that that is past and cannot bee vndone what mischiefe and harme may grow thereupon fearing for that which through the hidden corruption of nature may be fallen into and committed yet worse then that which hath been done if grace be not in time begged and sought of God for preuenting the same fearing lest by this his falling into sinne God shall now be dishonoured his truth slandered the Gospel disgraced the holy profession euil spoken of and brought in contempt fearing lest his example in sinning should imbolden others vnto euill doing and should lye as a stumbling blocke in the way to cause others to fall offending the weake grieuing the good and opening the mouthes of the wicked to blaspheme fearing Satans malice lest he doe againe assaile him and set anew vpon him fearing his owne frailtie lest he should againe bee ouercome fearing lest God being displeased with him should with-hold his grace from him and lest being left to himselfe he should let the spirit be quenched in him and the sparkles of grace die out that were so lately but new lighted and kindled in his heart There is nothing that he may not in some sort feare of the things that are to be shunned and which he ought to be carefull euermore to preuent all that he can according to that A good man feareth alwaies and that is the best way to cause him to depart from euill Many labour to put away this feare but then they put away that which should breed their safetie and their best securitie in the end in this doing they lay the raines vpon the necke of their owne lusts being without feare to bee carried by them which way they take liking and then they were as good ride vpon a wild colt without a bridle there being no bridle to keepe men in from sinning if the feare of God be not found to be in them the feare of a wounded conscience is whereby they forecast all the worst things to themselues and labour to preuent them The fifth grace which godly sorrow causeth in the heart of him that is truly penitent is desire which is a grace contrary to that dulnesse and dead-heartednesse that sluggish and carelesse negligence that is vsually found to be with them that are neuer troubled about the estate they abide in and therefore they seldome or neuer are moued with any thing they haue dead hearts and feele nothing and their desires after goodnesse are as dead as their hearts so as they care for nothing But a poore grieued and humbled soule that is strucken and wounded in his conscience with the guilt of his sinne hee is made of desires he hath nothing but desires in him The Hart that is chased desireth not more after the water brookes then his soule is a thirst for God euen for the liuing God that he might see the light of his countenance lifted vp vpon him and so be receiued into his loue and fauour againe How doth his soule open it selfe in desire unto God after reconciliation with him for the obtaining of pardon for his sinne and that he might be refreshed with his mercies right soone euen as the thirstie and dry ground when it is chopt and dry gapeth and riueth for want of raine till it may be mostened and refreshed with showers from heauen What is there more in the longing desire of his heart for afterward then to cry out with Dauid Oh that my waies might now be made so direct as I might henceforth keepe the Commandements of God alwaies and that a new heart might be giuen and a right spirit renewed in him that he might haue strength to withstand tentation the next time and that measure of grace giuen him as by which he might be able to ouercome his chiefest corruptions denie himselfe bring vnder due obedience the rebellion of his will and rule better his vnruly affections that his life may be so reformed as God may be wel pleased the Church better satisfied he may haue more peace and sound comfort in his heart These and the like are the holy desires which a godly sorrow will cause in that heart wherein it is once wrought Such will complaine they cannot pray as others remember Sermons as others preuaile against their sinnes as doe others but they haue desires to doe all these and so they being of the number of them whose desires are still vnto goodnesse and who are euer hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse they therefore are pronounced by Christ his owne mouth to be blessed because such in the end shall vndoubtedly be satisfied The sixth grace which godly sorrow causeth in the heart of a true penitent is zeale which is somwhat more then is desire for it is desire intended and encreased This zeale is occupied either about that which is good with great and feruent desire after a most earnest manner for louing of it and hauing it better practised or about that which is euill with like desire to haue it shunned and abhorred It is a most earnest affection of the soule which cannot be kept in but breaketh through all and bewrayeth it selfe it is a feruency of spirit arising of a mixture of loue and anger causing men with all earnestnesse to stand for the truth and the maintenance of goodnesse piety Gods worship and honour and all things that may make for the furtherance and aduancement thereof And on the contrary so to be filled with griefe displeasure indignation and holy anger to see God dishonoured and the truth wronged or goodnesse any way to bee disgraced as Gods seruants haue not
been able to endure these things but their zeale about them hath euen consumed them as Dauid professed that his zeale had euen consumed Psal 119. 139. 136. him because his enemies did forget Gods word A true conuert then that is thorowly penitent for his sinnes whose soule melteth within him and as it were droppeth away Psal 119. 28. with heauinesse for his sinne where he thinketh how God hath been dishonoured by him what euill he hath done by the sinne he hath fallen into How doe his eyes gush out with riuers of teares when he considereth of these things his zeale compelleth him so to doe hee can doe no otherwise And as he is thus troubled about his owne sinne such is his zealous hating of sinne wheresoeuer hee findes it committed and done as his soule within him is vexed and tormented as was Lots from day to day in seeing and hearing mens outrage in wickednesse and all the abominable and filthy words and deeds of vngodly men on the other side how is the heart of such a one inflamed with the loue and zeale of the glory of God what a burning desire hath he that as God hath been dishonoured by him through his falling into sinne so hee might now bring some glory to his name by his rising againe from the same and by doing of things worthy of amendment of life labouring to keepe the commandements of God with zeale as hot as fier what an earnest care hath he ouer the good of his brethren lest any of them should be hurt by his example in sinning how ready is he found to be in his true zeale to God and loue to so many as he that way hath wronged to make them the best mends he is able and to giue them any satisfaction he stands not vpon his credit among men how that may be hindred neither cares hee for worldly shame so hee may be sure God may be honoured and well pleased by him He hath burning in his breast such a fier of ardent zeale as soone will consume all such trashie counsell if any such should be giuen so to let and hinder him and bring it so to nothing that as nothing it would be esteemed by him The seuenth and last grace mentioned by the Apostle which godly sorrow causeth in the heart of him that is truly penitent for his sinne is reuenge All the other things being done it doth not yet content a true penitent person he will not forgiue himselfe though God should forgiue him he would not spare his sin himselfe though God should spare him for it and neuer at all be found to smite him The reason why he is thus implacable and vnappeasable towards his sinne is for that he knoweth hee hath not the like enemie in all the world beside no not excepting the very diuell of hell himselfe with all his malicious working that possibly could doe him the like hurt and mischiefe as his sinne alone either hath or might haue done which so long as it is spared by vs and no execution seene to be done vpon it that sinne is all the while in hand with doing that against vs as may become our vtter vndoing for enough is done by it so long as it is contained and maintained as may cast vs out of Gods fauour for altogether and cause the Lord to take no more delight nor pleasure in vs but to hide his countenance and to withdraw the loue of his heart and his fauour from vs yea to incense his anger and cause the fier of his wrath to flame out vpon vs enough is done by it to set Gods Angels and men against vs yea the diuels of hell also and all other the creatures with them to become ministers of God his vengeance to doe execution vpon vs because we haue not done execution vpon our sinnes that they might not haue stirred vp such displeasure and wrath against vs. What child would not be reuenged of such a mischieuous and spitefull enemie as is neuer ceasing to set his father against him so as hee can haue no countenance at his fathers hands when he commeth before him but is the cause why the father looketh with a most irefull countenance vpon his sonne and is euer frowning and bending his brow vpon him in such sort as is intollerable and cannot be abidden yea is euer vpon the point of disclaiming him to bee his sonne and so for altogether to dis-inherit him All which is done by sinne against euery party offending Who could euer endure the mischieuous working of such a spitefull enemie and malitious make-bate as will be sure to worke a mans vnquiet at home and see that hee shall haue no long peace nor rest abroad but is euer running to the Iustice often to the Councell to haue him vp to the Starre-chamber yea preferring to the King himselfe many and grieuous complaints against him for which warrants are still out for him to fetch him coram that he can neuer rest nor abide in quiet by him if such an enemie could be knowne would not a man bee prouoked rather to die vpon him then not to bee reuenged on him to the full But such a despitefull enemie haue we of sinne which setteth all that it can against vs it being the greatest make-bate that is in all the world putting vs to more trouble then doe all the enemies we haue beside It is the onely cause wee can haue no peace nor rest in our consciences at home because it euer leaues there a sting of guiltinesse behind it which neuer ceaseth to torment vs. It breedes vs al the trouble the molestation and the griefe which we at any time doe meet withall abroad that is euer crying in the eares of the Lord against vs the cries thereof still going vp to heauen Whence it commeth that wrath oftentimes goes out from God and then whole armies of sorrowfull troubles afflictions crosses losses sicknesses paines diseases and death it selfe are sent out against vs and come vpon vs as ministers of his vengeance to execute such iustice as is meet for such offenders Will any one then maruell that a true penitent person that hath been much humbled and whose soule hath thorowly smarted for his sinne should carry such an vnappeasable hatred against it and be at such deadly fewd therewith as nothing can turne nor stay him from taking vengeance to the full vpon the same seeing by reuenging his sinne himselfe he knoweth he shall spare God a labour who 1. Cor. 11. 31. then will bee reuenged thereof no more Therefore is it that you shall see true penitent persons take the whip and rod into their owne hands and whip their sinnes starke naked not after a Popish fashion with opinion of meriting for the same but after a child-like fashion that mourneth before his father whom he hath wronged and wounded when hee knew not what hee did as one that was for a time beside himselfe and looking vpon him whom he