us enquire for him at the mercy of his Father let us enquire at his owne righteousnesse let us seeke him in his holy sufferings let us seeke him at the crosse of his death and when wee have there found him let us expose our griefe and implore his favour let us shew him what the Law hath done unto us what wounds and how dangerous it hath given our soules How to implore his favour let us therefore confesse our sins and professe our faith let us also promise to correct the errors of our life let us carefully endeavour every circumstance he hath commanded us and being thus rectified in our resolution let us reach our particular hand of faith to our salvation How to apprehend Christ apprehend him and apply him to our wounded conscience and by this blessed meanes satisfie the justice of the Law and restore our soules Of the purity of Conscience IN every thing thou takest in hand have a care of thy conscience if the Divell incites thee to any sin stand in feare of thy conscience for thy conscience within thee condemneth thee if thou art afraid to sin in the presence of men let thy conscience much more deterre thee from sinning the inward testimony of thy conscience is of more efficacy then the testimony of men for though thy sins could escape the accusation of all men yet can they never escape the inward witnesse of thy conscience Reve. 20.12 the register of thy conscience shall bee in the number of those bookes that shall be opened at the day of judgement the conscience is a great volumne in which all things are written by the finger of truth The damned cannot deny their sinnes at the day of judgement because they shall bee convinced by the testimony of their owne conscience they cannot flie from the accusation of their sinnes because the tribunall of the conscience is at home and with them a pure conscience is the cleare glasse of the soule in which she manifestly beholds God and her selfe this booke of thy conscience should indeed be written according to the copy of the booke of life Christs Gospell is the booke of life Reve. 13.4 Phil. 4.3 let the profession of thy faith be conformed according to the rule of Christs doctrine and let the course of thy life be conformed according to the rule of Christs life thy conscience cannot but bee good if there be purity in thy heart truth in thy tongue and honesty in thy actions these will avoide the judgement of thy conscience in which one and the same shall bee both defendant and plaintife witnesse judge tormentor scourge and executioner what escape can there be where it is the witnesse that accuseth thee and where nothing can be hid from him that judgeth thee what doth it profit thee to live in all abundance and plenty and to be tormented with the whip of conscience the fountaine of mans felicity and misery is in his minde what then doth it profit a man in a burning feaver to lie in a bed of gold what doth it profit a man to enjoy all outward felicity and to be tormented with the firebrands of an ill conscience as much as we regard everlasting salvation so much let us regard our conscience for if wee have not a good conscience we have not faith and if we have not faith we have not the grace of God and if wee have not the grace of God how can wee hope for everlasting life as the judgement of thy conscience is such judgement thou mayst expect from Christ Sinne whilst it is in the action doth blind the minde and like a thicke cloud doth obscure the brightnesse of true judgement but at length the conscience is roused and gnaweth more grievously then any accuser There are three judgements the judgement of the world the judgement of thy selfe and the judgement of God and as thou canst not escape the judgement of God neither canst thou escape the judgement of thy selfe although thou mayst sometime escape the judgement of the world nothing can hinder thy conscience from seeing all thy actions What excuse then can save thee when thy conscience within thee doth accuse thee Note the peace of conscience is the beginning of everlasting life for by Gods judgement and thine owne thou shalt be either saved or fall everlastingly the conscience is immortall as the soule is immortall and the punishment of hell shall torment the damned as long as the accusation of conscience shall endure no externall fire doth so affect the body as the inward fire doth inflame the conscience the soule tormented is eternall and so is the fire of conscience eternall no outward scourge is so grievous to the body as these whips of conscience are unto the soule Avoid therefore the guilt of sinne that so thou mayst avoyd the torment of conscience blot out thy sinnes out of the booke of thy conscience by true and hearty repentance that they be not brought forth and read at the day of judgement against thee that so thou mayst avoyd the feare of Gods dreadfull sentence against thee mortifie the worme of conscience by the heat of devotion that it doe not devour thee and beget eternall horrour extinguish the heate of this inward fire by the teares of repentance 2 Tim. 4.7 that so thou mayst attaine to the joyes of heavenly happinesse Grant O Lord that we may fight this good fight keeping faith and a good conscience that at length we may come safe and sound into our heavenly Countrey to our eternall joy and endlesse comfort Of the accusation of Conscience EVery man that would prevent the dreadfull danger of Gods generall judgement must in this life while he hath time arrest his owne soule examine his particular actions and by the evidence of his conscience judge himselfe and his transgressions against the Law of God 1 Pet. 4.17 Prov. 11.3 c. for as Gods judgement doth begin at his owne house because his principall care is for his owne the Elect so should men judge themselves and have principall care to examine their owne particulars and as Saint Paul saith When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 32. because wee should not bee condemned with the world So likewise we must judge our selves lest we be condemned with the world for as the Israelites because they wanted judges became idolaters Iudges 17.6 Eccle. 18.19 so our lives when they are not examined and judged by our consciences wee become remisse disobedient idolatrous and desperately runne on with licentious and lawlesse appetite in the common and curious committing of sinne And this necessary judging of our selves is well knowne to our reasonable soules who when we have committed sinne provoke our conscience to accuse and judge us as if without this judging of our selves wee could not prevent the judgement of God By judging of our selves we prevent the heavy judgement of God the manner
how to judge our selves which would prove much more terrible unto us the manner of this judgement is thus when the Spirit of God moves in any mans heart a desire to understand themselves the soule assembles the powers of his understanding and exerciseth the severall faculties in severall assignements and within himselfe by serious meditation can frame the order of a court the man body and soule hee is the prisoner at the barre hee is also both the witnesse and the judge the matter of his inditement is sinne his conscience is his accuser Conscience is our accuser his memory doth produce the witnesses his judgement doth pronounce the sentence and the divell attend the execution thus are the faculties of the soule disposed in judging of it selfe the soule against the soule producing the Law proving the forfeit and urging the penalty Now that which hath most busie care in this spirituall and most serious examination and judgement of our selves is the conscience by which the soule hath true intelligence and understanding in what condition it is 1 Cor. 11.31.32 and by whose authority the judgement of that spirituall Court is swayed the conscience giving testimony of all our actions good and evill whereby our judging part is directed without errour and to make a just proceeding without all parriality and therefore saith the wise man Eccles 14.2 Blessed is he that is not condemned in his owne conscience For if there be any just matter of condemnation against us there is no favour can bribe our conscience for that will to our selves accuse our selves of every sinne and reduce to memory many our sinnefull actions which but for our conscience we could not remember and therefore the Scribes and Pharises that brought the woman taken in adultery to Christ John 8.9 and demanded what judgement shee deserved were remembred and accused by their owne conscience of their owne guilt of sinne whereof they seemed to bee innocent or ignorant when â—s Christ said Let him that is without sinne Vers 7. cast the fi st stoâ—e at her so that they that were so busie in the câ—â—â—demnation of another were condemned themselves by the testimony of their owne conscience their conscience making them apply their accusations to themselves which but then they had urged against anotheâ— And doubtlesse The spirituall power of the conscience it is a wonderfull degree of power the conscience hath in the spirituall triall of our soules in two respects First it knoweth all our sins both secret and open no man being able to hide them from the knowledge of his conscience Secondly it spareth no man neither any sin but without respect of any it urgeth all against all men yea the very sinnes of our thoughts are not privileged but are even in the knowledge and hatred of our conscience therefore saith Saiâ—t Paul Rom. 2.15 Their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and Almighty God when hee shall gather together all flesh to judgement and expose before the Saints and Angels the severall actions of every mans life whereby they may be judged accordingly either to mercy or justice He hath devised in his wisedome Our conscience shall reprove us in the day of judgement that every one should have a witnesse in himselfe which is their conscience the which in our life time doth register both our good and evill actions and at our judgement doth both witnesse and declare them and at that day the booke of every mans conscience is opened wherein is writ a true circumstance of every particular action of every mans life and these records these consciences are they that give evidence for and against our selves at the day of Gods generall judgement Rev. 20.12 c. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened that is all mens consciences wherein was writ the report of all their actions Thus wee may see what the office of our conscience is both in respect of our owne spirituall judgement which is our reformation and in respect of the generall judgement of God which must be to every one The manner of the accusation of conscience either eternall salvation or damnation Now the manner that conscience useth in this administration is worth our consideration that all men generally have a conscience the which God hath united inseparably to our reasonable natures And therefore not onely they that are of Christian beliefe and have the rules of Religion to teach them but men meerely naturall and ignorant of divine worship doe suffer the affliction of their wounded conscience which though it be in a farre inferiour degree of that of understanding Christians yet it doth in some proportion exercise a judgement on the soule and doth both remember and terrifie them that grossely offend against the Law of nature which to them is the Law of reason and Religion this is proved by the same place of Scripture before alledged that the Bookes of all the dead were opened Rev. 20.12 the word all excludes none from them the accusation of conscience all are then afflicted by conscience but not all alike effectually The Infidells that know not God The difference in the conscience of Christians and Infideâ—ls but onely as they are taught by the wisdome of nature their conscience doth but remember the offender his great sins only and that sparingly and with favour a Christian conscience is more severe for it remembers all men all their sins without favour without exception there is this difference also that of Infidels and wicked men doth often remember the offender his sin but afflicts him not A Christian conscience hath griefe neither provokes him to repentance but the conscience of Christians doth fearefully remember the sinner his sinne and doth wound the soule of the offender with sorrow and spirituall griefe making him pursue the meanes of his reformation and hate the cause for which his conscience doth so afflict him The difference of conscience among Christians this is the difference betwixt the conscience of a Christian and an infidell There is also great difference of conscience amongst Christians for as in the common sort that professe the Christian Religion the greater part is by much the worse and the choice particulars being the true worshippers of God are but few drawne out from an inf nite number of people so also though all that have a Christian name professe to have a Christian conscience The conscience of a Reprobate yet their conscience is no better then their Christianity onely a bare name whereof they have no spirituall use nor comfort Conscience in the Reprobate is either silent or outragious the silent conscience in the Reprobate is when custome and long continuance of sinning doth dull the sense of conscience Looke to your conscience what conscience yee have for conscience will damne and conscience will save and
THE SOVLES PROGRESSE To the Celestiall CANAAN or Heavenly JERVSALEM By way of godly Meditation and holy contemplation accompanied with divers learned exhortations and pithy perswasions tending to Christianity and humanity Divided into two Parts The first Part treateth of the divine Essence Quality and Nature of God and his holy Attributs and of the creation fall state death and misery of an unregenerated man both in this life and in the world to come Put for the whole scope of the Old Testament The second Part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell and treateth of the Incarnation Nativity Words Works and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of Renovation being reconciled to God in Christ Collected out of the Scriptures and out of the writings of the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church and other Orthodoxall Divines by John Welles of Beccles in the County of Suffolk LONDON Printed by E. G. and are to be sold by Henry Shephard in Chancery-lane at the signe of the Bible between Serjeants-Inne and Fleetstreet neere the Kings-head-Taverne 1639. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sr. JOHN HOBART Of Blickling in the County of Norfolke Knight Baronet one of his Majesties Deputies Lieutenant Justice of Peace and Quorum Captaine and Colonell of part of his Majesties Forces there Prime Heire of the Right Honourable and reverend Judge Sr. Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Justice of his M ties honble Court of Common Pleas. John Welles Wisheth much increase of Honour and all true comfort in this life a blessed end and eternall happinesse in the life to come I Have presumed to dedicate these my labours unto you Right noble sir the off-spring and undoubted Heire of my noble friend your father deceased and inheritour of his Lands and Livings and the chiefe of that great and renowned family And as you doe inherit his Lands and Livings so my prayer is that you may inherit him in his integrity zeale wisdome I speak not this out of doubtfull feare but in officious love and herein take notice I beseech you of this happinesse and blessing of God cast upon you not only to be the chiefe of this great and worthy family but also take notice of the true cause of the worth and greatnesse of your Ancestours and imitate them therein and then inheriting their worth together with their wealth you shall also most undoubtedly enrich your selfe with the obsequious attendance and hearty affection of your native Countrymen and so grow in grace and favour with God and man For which cause I have presumed to present you with this Tractate and to publish the same under the protection of your name hoping of your courteous acceptance and beseeching you to grant it your favourable protection and Patronage which though it be but indifferently contrived yet strongly warranted for it hath the undoubted truth of God for its authority There may be many Tractates found tending to these ends but all that I have seene of others though they may bee more pithy yet certaine I am this is more plaine I trust not unpleasant nor unprofitable God give all grace to make right use of it And so commending my labours with all the desired good that may be unto your good Worship and both you and it to the speciall grace and protection of the Almighty who is aboundantly able to fill your heart with grace to crowne your daies with blessing and to finish them with eternall comfort life and glory Amen I rest a true desirer of your best good And your Worships in all Christian duty to be commanded JOHN WELLES October 22. 1638. The Authors Preface to the READER GEntle Christian friendly Reader and loving country-man about ten yeeres since past at spare houres as my daily employments would give me leave I first began to collect and gather out of Scripture and other godly and learned Authors many principall and speciall notes worthy observation and remembrance When I first began I had not thought to bring it forth to the worlds view but onely for my owne private commodity to the comfort of my minde the more I gathered the more I was ravished and being thus in holy contemplation the matter being holy excellent and heavenly I was incited and stirred up by godly motion to undertake a worke so excellent which through want of learning I knew my selfe altogether unable to performe what my heart desired yet yeelding obedience to the holy motion and humbly craving and earnestly praying the power divine to assist mee with his holy Spirit to accomplish that which I had a desire to finish Phil. 4.13 and had already begun knowing as Saint Paul saith that I am able to doe all things Phil. 1.12 through the helpe of him that strengtheneth mee And praying for his blessing to blesse my endeavours and then in the name of God Prov. 16.3 with cheerfulnesse of heart I persevered in my purpose committing the successe unto him Eccles 8. in whose power it is to blesse with his grace whatsoever businesse is intended to his glory For fithence Salomon himselfe saith that mans wisdome is unperfect and his knowledge in each Science uncertaine therefore I being utterly destitute of that wisdome and but of slender knowledge neither may 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 4.5 doe nor will I presume to thinke that by any meanes I am able of my selfe to perform my desired enterprize as of my selfe or bring to perfection so waighty a matter and so intricate 1 Cor. 4.4 For though I may say with Saint Paul I know not what I have mistaken or wherein I have erred yet will I not dare to report or be encouraged to affirme that my worke is perfect or that I have fully performed my long-wished attempt and for that cause standing in doubt whether I have concealed many truthes or adventured to report some errors which by my weakenesse of judgement or slacknesse of consideration have happened in this Treatise but through his divine assistance have here accomplished what my soule desired to bring to passe I meane this poore Tractate named the Soules Progresse to the celestiall Canaan divided into two parts the first part treateth of the divine Essence of God and his holy attributes and of the creation state death and misery of man put for the whole passage of the old Testament the second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospel and treateth of the words workes and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation being reconciled to God in Christ which poore mite I doe cast into the worlds treasury knowing that the great learned orthodoxall Writers out of their superfluous abundance have cast in much but like the poore widow in the Gospel Luke 21.4 I out of my want doe cast in even all that I have beseeching the Lord to give it
spiration for as the Sonne receiveth the whole divine essence by generation so the holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by spiration Rom. 11.36 But because the Father created As Redemption Act. 20.28 and Sanctification and still governeth the world by the Sonne in the holy Ghost therefore these externall actions are indifferently in the Scripture often times ascribed to each of the three persons and therefore are called Communicable and divided actions 1 Pet. 1.23 so that when wee say that the divine essence is in the Father unbegotten in the Sonne begotten and in the holy Ghost proceeding we make not three essences but onely shew the divers manner of subsisting by which the same most simple eternall and unbegotten essence subsisteth in each person namely that it is not in the Father by generation that is in the Sonne communicated from the Father by generation and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne by proceeding These are incommunicable and doe make not an essentiall accidentall or rationall but a reall distinction betwixt the three persons And because the divine essence common to all the three persons is but one we call the same Unitie But because there be three distinct persons in this one indivisible essence we call the same Trinity So that this Unitie in Trinity and Trinity in Unitie is a holy Mysterie rather to be religiously adored by faith Iob 11.7 then curiously searched into by reason That God is one in Trinity 1. These things be manifest and must with a simple and cleare faith be believed that God is one in essence nature God-head will moving and working three in three persons of which every one hath severall subsistence and propertie which for all that be so in God that the Essence Nature God-head Majesty working will power honour and continuance for ever is common to them all all coessentiall all coeternall The Appellations of the persons for wee see that these three persons are called in holy Scriptures God the Word the Spirit but more plainly by Christ the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit Matth. 28.19 We see that the faith of this holy Trinitie is not meant to be three Gods but three unsearchable subsistences or persons in one true God set forth to man for the better knowledge of Christ his only begotten Son and for the increase of his glory according to the measure of his revelation A Similitude For as two divers and sundry natures joyned together in one man doe not make two men but both doe still conserve the unitie of one person so that it remaineth still one man made of soule and body why then should it not sinke into our heads that three subsistences in one God neither in being neither in nature be divers but altogether equall and even doe not let but that the unitie of God remaineth still one A Similitude of the Sunne Who is so weake of judgement or so foolish of understanding to believe that there are three sunnes being indeed but one because there is three qualities or effects in the sunne First as it were a fountaine of light Note never ceasing Secondly the cleare shining brightnesse which commeth thereof Thirdly the heate breathing out and proceeding from them both The similitude of man who is so mad to determine or Imagine that a man hath three spirits because there are found three as it were divers substances the soule the minde and the will the soule whereby man liveth and moveth the minde whereby hee understandeth judgeth and discerneth the heart or will whereby hee willeth or willeth not hateth or loveth is sorry or glad becommeth good or evill these things are manifestly found in our selves wherby we may be led as by the hand to know the one and true God in this holy Trinity of Persons and in Trinity a perfect unity of God-head how may it bee rightly understood Iob 11.7 how the soule breedeth the minde and how the will commeth of them both By what way then can wee understand the divine birth of the Word of God and the proceeding of the holy Spirit thus in briefe I thought meete to note concerning this question what God is for the simpler sorts sake to the intent they may understand how farre forth the use thereof may doe them good that be desirous to apply their knowledge and understanding to God to the study of true godlinesse and not unto curiosity Iohn 1.1 2 c. And take this by the way that as the naturall sonne of man is naturally man so is the naturall Sonne of God naturally God and of one Essence with his Father but this knowledge of the holy Trinity was somewhat hidden till the revelation of the Word that tooke flesh When the holy Spirit began more especially to worke then this mystery of the Trinity in God was openly set forth by Christ when he said Goe teach all People Math. 28.19 The revelation of the holy Trinity baptising them in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and then conferred his grace upon them whereby the ministery of the holy Trinity began to be opened unto the world should bee a manifest witnesse to the people that whosoever should bee received into that grace should in the Sacrament of the first admission confesse themselves to bee sanctified in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Thus farre of the divers manner of being in the divine essence Now of the Attributes thereof and first of the Nominall The Attributes of God are of two sorts either Nominall or Reall The Nominall attributes are of three sorts the first which signifie Gods Essence Secondly the Persons in the Essence Thirdly those which signifie his essentiall workes The first is named a Exod. 6.3 c. Exod. 15.3 c. Psal 83.18 Esay 48.11 Jehovah which signifieth Eternall being of himselfe in whom is being without all beginning all other beings both begin and end he is named Iehovah not onely in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without faile hee will fulfill in his appointed time and so causeth that to be which was not before Esay 55.7 Iohn 14.2 3. and upon our true repentance hee will assuredly pardon and forgive us all our sinnes at the time of death receive our soules and in the resurrection raise up our bodies in glory to life everlasting therefore this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because hee hath promised hee will surely performe unto us Exod. 3.14 Vers 13. The second Name denoting Gods Essence is Eheieh but once read and of the same roote that Iehovah is and signifieth I am that I am for when Moses asked God by what name hee should call him God then named himselfe Eheieh Ascher Eheieh I am that I am or I will be that I will
is guilty of injustice and must answer the fault at the barre of death for God hee maketh his Sunne to shine upon all indifferently and hee hath given the world and the Creatures therein to mankinde generally and not to one man one family or one kingdome this may both teach and judge the mercilesse who can see and not relieve the extremities of men distressed men their brethren The meditation of this power of this love of God in creating a world of Creatures for the service of man and seeing it hath pleased him to make a reasonable soule and a sharer of these infinite blessings I have resolved with my selfe to declare my selfe in all dutifull demonstrations to my God and to use the Creatures hee hath given mee with moderation as hee hath commanded I have made a covenant with my soule that I will not appropriate that to my private which God hath made common If God give mee abundance I will open my liberality Luk. 16.2 How to employ Gods Talents I will give as God doth to all but carefully to the wants of faithfull men distressed I will remember that what I have I must use what I use not I must bestow lest Gods talents be without imployments and so God discharge mee of trust if God give me wisdome and knowledge more then some others I will not be silenced How to occasion an holy meditation I will not obscure the grace and gift of God I will not deny my God I will not deny the world my service but in whatsoever God shall enable me in that I will be industrious if I can doe nothing of desert or common profit yet will I spend my houres in holy meditation I have resolved I will still travell in holy exercise when I cannot profit generally I will pray generally wee are all the Creatures of one God the Word of God gave forme to every Creature therefore every thing that presents my eye shall move my holy meditations When I shall behold the wonderfull frame of heaven I shall revise on the creation and admire God his Mercy his Majesty I shall remember the happinesse of heaven and refresh my selfe in adversity with hopefull confidence Where to repose our confidence When I consider the earth I shall remember the basenesse of my beginning what I was in sinne what I am in grace this shall teach me to deny my selfe and wholly to depend on the favour of my God When I see unreasonable noysome and evill Creatures I shall have cause of acknowledgement for God might have made me so or worse Lastly when I shall see wicked men pride themselves in their vanities Pitty can respect our enemies I shal both pity and glory pity the misery of their soules and glory in the fortune of my owne and thus with these and such meditations my soule shall breath content Of the Angels their Nature their Office their Fall Moses of purpose did leave to speake any thing of the creation of Angels because of the disposition of the people bent to Idolatry It is supposed they were Created the first day of the Creation as appeareth Job 38. THat the Angels were created is most certaine the time of their creation is not certaine but doubtfully and diversely believed many men have spent their judgements in conjectures all such are more curious than wise because the truth thereof cannot certainly be determined neither if it could the knowledge thereof were not necessary or materiall to salvation for whatsoever knowledge is necessary for the happinesse of our soules is by God himselfe taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels being not taught by God doth make the search thereof unprofitable unlawfull for God doth nothing at peradventure but all things in judgement and with the advice of his divine wisdome God having denied this knowledge doth forbid the search of this unknowne unprofitable knowledge that which I desire to know which I desire to make knowne is contained in the testimony of holy Scriptures the which denying me this knowledge of the creation of Angells I forbeare to search the knowledge of Gods secrets and rather to be thought ignorant than audaciously bold with forbidden knowledge That which is needfull to be knowne of Angells is their nature their office in their nature must be considered what they are in substance what in quality they be heavenly invisible Creatures pure and spirituall of the substance and nature of our soules eternall in respect of ending without corruption in their quality is considered their power being at all times and upon all occasions able and ready to performe the excution of Gods service their office is that they are Gods messengers their imployment is either in Judgements or Mercies this Compendium is the knowledge of them all in generall The good and evill Angells were all created in one nature before the fall and apostacy of Angels The Angells and those that now are divells being at the first creation of one quality of one power and one excellence of nature after the fall of Angells who for their unsupportable pride were cast from the presence of God into eternall darknesse 2 Pet. 2.4 and damnation the Angels divided themselves the better part keeping their first estate kept their entertainment with God Math. 18.10 and continued his favour and service Iude 6. the worst dividing themselves left the service of God and the fellowship of good Angels and bend their whole endeavour against God and against his blessed Angels and against the Saints that love and serve him this apostacie and division of Angels have divided them in their nature and in their offices The full opposition of the good and evill Angels the good Angels ever labouring the good of men the evill angels to hinder and prevent the goodnesse of God and his good Angels labouring by all meanes to bring mankind to their owne condemnation In their offices likewise they disagree for God doth commonly imploy his good Angels in his workes of mercy and favourable protection the divels hee imployeth in the execution of his judgements and corrections not that hee needeth their service but that hee forceth them against their will to his obedience God can enforce the divels in workes of his own glory These severall imployments of the good and evill angels are not alwaies of necessity though very common for God when hee pleaseth maketh good Angels destroy and inflict vengeance and the divels hee can and doth use in his workes of greatest mercy and this the divels doe not with consent but are either forced by the unresistable power of God or else deceive themselves in the end of their owne working God making that which they intend for evill to tend to a good end farre beyond and contrary to their purpose and expectation Iude 6. The good Angels have both liberty and pleasure in the service of
prevent him SEing the Divell is so apt and ready to assault and tempt the faithfull and the elect of God consider therefore thou devout soule in what danger thou art because the divell thine adversary is alwaies lying in wait for thee hee is an enemy for boldnesse most ready for strength most powerfull for subtilty most cunning for engines well stored in sight indefatigable into all shaps changeable he intiseth us into many sinnes and having inticed us hee accuseth us before Gods judgement seate 2 Cor. 2.11 2 Cor. 11.14 hee accuseth God to men and men to God and one man to another hee exactly considereth every ones inclination and then hee layes for them the snares of temptations for the devill when he assaulteth the soule of man first sets upon that part he findes softest and best affected for his purpose for him the easier to worke upon and if hee once be withstood and overcome hee doth not presently remove nor give over but comes againe to tempt with greater force that so hee may by tediousnesse and neglect overcome those whom by violence and force of temptations he could not overcome Against whom will he not be bold to use his subtill trickes when hee was so bold to set upon the Lord of Majesty himselfe with his craft and subtilty Math 4.2 3. when hee had fasted forty daies and forty nights what Christians will he spare when hee sought to winnow Christs Apostles like wheate He deceived Adam in his nature instructed whom then can hee not deceive in his nature corrupted he deceived Judas in the schoole of our Saviour Luke 22.31 and whom will hee not deceive in the world Gen. 3.4 5. the schoole of errours in all states the divels trecheries are to bee feared In prosperity hee lifts us up with pride in adversity he drives us downe to despaire if he sees a man delighted with frugality he intangleth him in the fetters of insatiable covetousnesse if hee sees a man of an heroicall spirit hee sets him on fire with flaming anger if he sees a man somewhat merrier then ordinary hee incites him to burne with lust those whom he sees to be zealous in religion he labours to entangle in vaine superstition those whom he sees exalted to dignities hee prickes them forward with the spurres of ambition when hee allureth man to sinne hee amplifieth Gods mercy and when hee hath cast him headlong into sinne then he shewes and amplifies Gods justice first hee will lead a man to presumption and afterwards he labours to bring him to desperation sometimes he assaults outwardly by persecutions sometimes hee assaults inwardly by fiery tentations sometimes he sets upon us openly and by force sometimes hee sets upon us secretly and by fraud in eating he sets before us gluttony in generating luxury in exercising sluggishnesse in conversing envie in governing covetous extortion in correcting rage in dignity pride he possesses the heart with evill cogitations in the mouth he puts false speakings in the other members wicked actions when wee are awake he moves us to evill workes when we are asleepe he moves us to filthy dreames so then at all times in every place and in every thing we must beware of the divels trecheries wee sleepe but hee watcheth wee are secure but he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 Consider therefore thou faithfull soule the trecheries of this most potent enemy and seeke the ayd of spirituall armes to defend thee from his subtilties let thy loynes be girt with the girdle of truth Eph. 6.14 and covered with the brest-plate of righteousnesse put on Christs perfect righteousnes thou shalt bee safe from the divels tentations Iohn 14.30 as Satan hath no power over Christ neither hath he power over the faithfull his members Let thy feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace so the fiery darts of the divell shall not hurt thee take the shield of faith to defend thee from the assaults of this most wicked enemy Eph. 6.15 Math. 17.20 Faith is that which removes Mountaines which is to be understood the mountaines of doubts persecutions and tentations if thou hast faith neither shall any thing be unpossible unto thee Vers 20. Exod. 12.17.12.13 The Israelites whose doore posts were figured with the blood of the paschall Lambe were not smitten with the destroying Angell so likewise those whose hearts are by faith sprinkled with the blood of Christ shall not be hurt by this destroyer faith relies upon Gods promises in the mercy of the Almighty and Satan cannot overthrow them that believe faith is the light of the soule and hath a bright eye a holy eare a cleane heart and a sure foote shee is the strength of hope the trust of truth the honour of amity and the joy of love and Satan cannot prevaile against it and the tentations of this malignant spirit are easily discerned through this light Mich. 7.19 By faith our sins are throwne into the profound sea of Gods mercy and in that the firy darts of the divell shall be easily quenched we must likewise put on the helmet of salvation that is Ephes 6.17 holy Hope endure tentation and expect an issue thereof by hope and thou shalt find comfort thereby For God is an Assister of them that contend and the crowne of them that overcome Vers 19. wee must also take the sword of the spirit that is the Word of God For the consolations of the Scripture will prevaile against the contradictions of the divell Nazianz. for by the Word Christ overcame all Satans temptations Math. 4.4 c. 11. and still the faithfull shall overcome the divell and all his subtilties To conclude by prayer thou hast great aid against tentations for as often as the little ship of thy soule is ready to be overwhelmed by the waves of tentation awake Christ by thy prayers we overcome visible enemies with striking but wee overcome our invisible enemies by powring forth prayers unfained fight thou O Christ both in us and for us that so through thee we also may overcome our deadly enemy with victory that in thee and through thee we may triumph gloriously Of the Morall Law of God the ten Commandements THe Law of God The morall Law of God and the Law of nature is all one though it was not given to man with solemne promulgation before the time of Moses yet was there a generall sense thereof given to Adam in his creation For when God gave him his nature and endued him with the use of reason and discourse he gave him capacity to understand his duty the which duty is nothing else but the observation of the Law of God and therefore when Adam had transgressed the commandements of God and had eaten the forbidden fruit the reason of his naturall soule could tell him his offence and then his conscience judged him he was afraid
this is when men give themselves over to commit sin with affectation and greedy appetite and oppresse their conscience with the multitude of their committings so that such conscience doth not remember us our sins for the outragious conscience in the Reprobate is when the conscience of the Reprobate hath for a time beene silenced and hath given the sinner an unchaste liberty in his ungodlinesse yet so as that once apprehending the knowledge of his sin and knowing the state of condemnation wherein it is it breaketh out into violence which wanting moderation urgeth the sinneâ— to execute upon himselfe some desperate vengeance such was the conscience of Judas the traitor which slept all the time hee was plotting and practising his treason but when his sinne was brought into act then his conscience though evill did upbraid his sin with such violence as made the griefe unsupportable and the traitor not able to indure the torment of his conscience thought as Caine that his sin was greater then the mercy of God and so despairing of mercy he desperately hanged himselfe Mat. 27.3 4 5. such is the conscience of the Reprobate their conscience is sleepy and doth reprove but seldome yet when it doth reprove it is then most terrible and without all comfort and though conscience in this life never afflict for sin but seeme senslesse and dead in its appointed offices yet in the day of judgement Rev. 20.12 when the booke of every mans conscience shall be opened then will their consciences that in this life have beene most silent be most loud and terrible in their accusations denouncing judgement Wisd 17.9 10 11. and inflicting a greater torment on the soule then the damned can have patience to beare this is both the office and end of an evill conscience A good conscience Now the conscience of the childe of grace is in full opposition to the conscience of the Reprobate for when God shall please to call his servants to the knowledge of themselves How God moveth the conscience and to a detestation of their sin the grace of his holy spirit moveth in the hearts of such and first awaketh the conscience and giveth it sense to understand the calamity of the soule and spirit to reprove and admonish it in needfull directions and this grace of God giving the conscience sence to understand sinne and spirit to reprove it is the first degree of our reformation and a preparation to our spirituall conversion God himselfe being the prime and principall author thereof When God doth stirre our conscience it continueth that holy motion to our reformation for when our conscience is once touched with this godly desire to examine the errors of our life God doth not then leave us but giveth us assistance continually to finish that needfull care without despaire without fainting the conscience being once instructed by grace understandeth that the soule is in danger of Gods judgement this knowledge causeth a desire in the soule to examine the particulars of our life then doth it compare our severall actions The manner how a good conscience worketh with the severall duties of the Law and thereby is made manifest the many and great defects and transgressions of our life and that therefore our soules and bodies are guilty and stand in the danger of condemnation From this knowledge doth arise the griefe of a wounded conscience for the statute Law of God condemning us for the trespasse of our lives The cause of the griefe of conscience the conscience then whose office is to excuse or accuse upbraideth our sinne and denouncing the judgement of the Law against us which is eternall damnation neither can we free our soules from these extremities untill God who is the judge of all the world shall please to offer mercy and the benefit of his cleargy which is nothing else but the story of the meritorious sufferings of Jesus Christ the Lambe of God which is in spirituall characters upon the crosse of his death and this booke being the testament and writ with the blood of Christ the most righteous God presents to all the world all the world in respect of themselves being guilty and condemned by the Law doth promise remission of sinnes How to quiet the trouble of â— grieved conscience a generall pardon to all them that with their eyes or faith shall be seene and read in the booke of life and apprehend and apply Jesus Christ the contents thereof to their salvation Thus and but thus it is possible to quiet the trouble of a grieved conscience the conscience being never satisfied for sinne before the justice of God be satisfied by the apprehensive righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 and therefore saith Saint Paul Being then justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ for before we can live to God wee must die to our selves neither is there a spirituall regeneration where there is not first a spirituall mortification and where grace would enter sinne must avoyd for he that would follow Christ must deny himselfe therefore let no man presume to apprehend the mystery of the righteousnesse of the Crosse of Christ before hee hath reformed his actions quieted the clamour of his conscience and utterly denyed the strength of his owne nature for how shall hee beare the Crosse of Christ No man can be able to apprehend Christ before his conscience hath thus prepared him that is laden with his owne infirmities or how shall hee be benefited by the promise of the Gospell that doth not first judge himselfe by the Commandements of the Law for hee that knoweth not his disease seeketh no physicke and Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This doth admonish all men carefully to watch the behaviour of their lives Revel 20.12 for if the conscience of every man be a book wherein is writ the records of all his actions good and bad and that seeing this booke must be read at the day of judgement in the audience of all the world before God and his Angels and Saints what manner of men ought all to be in godly conversation This ought to move in every one a double care First that they avoyd carefully all ungodlinesse both in thought and action whereby they may suffer disgrace before God and all his creatures at the generall day of judgement when the booke of their conscience shall bee opened to every ones eye Secondly it doth perswade a diligence in all godly exercise and that all men contend with a holy emulation to exceede in godly actions whereby they may receive applause and generall reputation in the generall assembly of God and all creatures for as in earthly affaires men covet most desirously to gaine reputation and a generall good name There is no ambition lawfull but the covetous desire of heaven because it argueth an extraordinary degree of desert in him that hath
Thus I wish to all in generall Of the Crosse of Christ and of his holy suffering for our sinnes BEhold thou faithfull soule the griefe of him that suffered Rom. 3.24 25 26. the wounds of him that hanged the torments of him that died on the Crosse that head at which the Angels tremble is crowned with thornes that face which was most beautifull above the sonnes of men is defiled by the spittings of the ungodly those eyes which were more brighter then the Sunne are darkned in death those eares which were wont to heare Angelicall praises did ring with the proud speeches and derision of wicked men Mat. 27 29 c. sinners that mouth which taught the Angels hath no other drinke but Gall and Vinegar those feete which are to bee adored those hands Iob 9.8 which stretcheth forth the Heavens are stretched forth and nayled on the Crosse that body which was the most sacred Temple of the Deity is whipped and wounded with the speare Iohn 19.34 37. neither remaines there any part in him whole save onely a tongue and that to pray for them which crucified him Christ declared himself to be the Sonne of God three manner of waies First by his power or working of miracles Secondly by the holy Ghost appearing in visible signes hee that raigneth with the father in the Heavens is grievously by sinners afflicted on the Crosse God suffers God dies God powreth forth his blood upon the Crosse and all for the redemption of man judge therefore the greatnesse of the danger by the greatnesse of the price judge the danger of the disease by the valew of the remedy Surely those wounds in sinfull man were great and dangerous indeed which could no otherwise be cured but by the wounds of the everliving and quickning flesh of Christ and the disease most dangerous which could not bee câ—red but by the death of the Physitian Consider thou faithfull soule the heavie and fierce displeasure of God against us after the fall of our first Father Adam and his posterity after him that nothing could appease his anger for our sins but the ignominious suffering of his deare and only begotten Sonne upon the corsse Christ his eternall and well beloved Sonne became suter to God his Father for us yet his anger was not turned from us he by whom the world was made Hebr. 1.2 Thirdly by his resurrection from the dead interceded for us became our advocate and tooke the cause of us miserable sinners upon himselfe and yet his anger was not turned from us our Saviour tooke upon him our flesh that by the glory of the divinity communicated unto the humanity hee might expiate and purge our sinfull flesh Eph. 2.13 c. that by the saving vertue of his most perfect righteousnesse communicated unto our nature he might wipe away that venomous quality of our sin which cleaveth so fast unto us and in stead thereof conferre grace upon us Esay 9. 2 Cor. 5.21 and yet the anger of his father was not turned away from us our sins and the punishment due unto them he taketh upon himselfe his body is bound whipped wounded pierced crucified and buried Matth. 27. Luk 22.44 his blood like a dew most copiously distilled downe all his members at his passion his most holy soule is made sorrowfull above measure even unto death hee feeleth the paines of hell the eternall Sonne of God cryeth out that he is forsaken of God so great was his anguish Vers 46. so great was his bloody sweat that he that comforteth the Angels stood in need of an Angel to comfort him hee dyed for us sinners who is the authour and giver of life to every living thing 1 Pet. 3.18 If God be so highly offended with the most just and holy One what shall become of us sinners how will God punish us for our sins who is so wrathfully displeased with his owne Sonne for the sins of others and if his Sonne was so grievously punished for us shall we his servants thinke to escape unpunished what shall the Reprobate suffer if such be the sufferings of his best beloved Surely if our hearts be not harder then the Adamant and more flinty than a stone they must needs be wounded and bleed within us to thinke how Christ was wounded for our sakes For Christ truely tooke our infirmities upon himselfe Esay 53.4 and bare our griefes and healed our sicknesses that which in us merited eternall punishment and condemnation Mat. 8.16.17 thou Lord Jesus tookest upon thy selfe that burthen which would have pressed us downe into hell thou tookest our sins upon thy selfe Rom. 3.24 c. and bestowedst thy righteousnesse upon us death which is due unto us thou undertookest thy selfe and conferredst life upon us we cannot therefore by any meanes doubt of thy grace or despaire by reason of our sinnes therefore if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Rom. 10.9 10. and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for by faith we apprehend that Christ hath given satisfaction for us he bare the iniquities of those that are his he suffered for the sins of many he interceded for the transgressors Note 4 Esd 4.66 c. for he should have had very few just unlesse in mercy he had received sinners and remitted the sins of the unjust How then shall Christ judge according to severity the sins of the penitent which he hath taken upon himselfe how shall he condemne him that is guilty of sin for whom he dyed Joh. 15.13 will he condemne those whom hee loveth and calleth his friends will he condemne those for whom he hath intreated will he condemne those for whom hee dyed no Lift up thy selfe therefore Psal 42.14 43.5 Ezech. 18.22 O devout soule and forget thy sins for the Lord hath forgotten them hath forgiven them whom then dost thou feare as the punisher of thy sins but the Lord who himselfe hath made satisfaction for thy sins if any other had paid the price of my redemption I might have doubted Esay 53. whether the just Judge would have accepted of that satisfaction if either man or Angel had satisfied for my sins yet still I might have doubted whether the price of my redemption were sufficient but now there is no place for doubt all doubt is taken away and removed from the faithfull and penitent sinner how can it be that hee will not accept of that price which himselfe hath paid Psal 25.9 Psal 43.15 Psal 42.6 how can that but be sufficient which is from God himselfe Why art thou yet troubled O devout soule all the waies of the Lord are mercy and truth just is the Lord and just are his Judgements Why art thou so troubled O my soule let both the Mercy and Justice of God raise thee up if God be just hee will not exact double satisfaction for one
offence for our offences he hath smitten his Sonne how then can he smite his servants for them how can he punish our sinnes in us for which his Sonne hath already given satisfaction Psal 117.2 The truth of the Lord endureth for ever as I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner Ezech. 33.11 but much rather that he may turne from his wickednesse and live Come saith our Saviour Mat. 11.28 unto me all you that are heavy laden and I will refresh you shall wee then make God a liar and labour with the weight of our sins to beare downe his mercy to make God a liar and deny his mercy is a greater sinne then all the sins of the whole world Mat. 27.5 Rom. 5.20 therefore Iudas sinned more in despairing of Gods mercy then the Jewes in crucifying Christ but rather where sin hath abounded there grace hath also much more abounded and over-weigheth our sins by infinite degrees Jude 21 c. for sins are but the sins of men but grace is the grace of God sins are but temporall but the grace of God is from eternity to eternity 2 Cor. 5.18 c satisfaction by Christ hath beene made for our sins and the grace of God is repaired in us by the death of Christ and is established in us through him for ever Of Repentance or sorrow of the Soule for sin VVHen Christian men have understanding by the Law of God of their miserable estate in respect of sin Joh. 15.22.24 Repentance what they were in innocency what they are in sin and what they shall be in judgement it bringeth a generall sadnesse on the soules of men dulleth the spirit and delight they have had in their prosperous fortunes for when God giveth grace to any one to examine his life God gives the first grace to repentance and to view his owne deformities consider his neglect in his dutifull and obedient service which hee oweth unto God the first knowledge thereof and apprehension of his miserie is most terrible because his conscience doth forcibly checke the former proceedings of his life and violently hale him against the currant of his owne affections for as rivers are not forced against their ordinary streame but by the tide which is more forcible than the streame it selfe so our sinfull actions The difficulty of repentance being in all men common and naturall motions is not reformed in us but by the spirit of God a power above our nature yet it is done with such contention and strife in our flesh and nature which for the time doth wonderfully distract the soule of the party repenting and needs it must for he that hath wasted and spent his time in the delicacie of fortune The reason glutting himselfe with variety of pleasures and in the hight of his vaine prosperity is admonished that he hath fed on poison and therby run himself into a desperate hazard wil doubtlesse hardly endure the extremity of griefe which sudden feare and amazednesse can lay upon him for so it is with sinfull man who not regarding the danger of their soule before they are warned and admonished by God and their conscience are taken unprovided with sudden griefe which doth alway inflict an unexpressible measure of sorrow The sorrow of a repentant soule and often times death and desperation when being taught by the Law to know our sinnes our miserable condition and the diseases of our soules so the Gospell teacheth us the cure both what and how to administer physicke to our sicke and diseased soules for else the knowledge of our sinnes were extreame misery without profit The sudden griefe is violent if wee should not also know the meanes of our recovery and to know also how to administer and apply them to our soules comfort for vertue hath no vertue but in use and that physicke which the sicke patient receiveth not cannot profit him bee it never so excellent or standeth never so neere him and as in corporall so in spirituall sicknesse the disease must first be knowne the physicke then administred for hee that ministreth before hee knoweth the cause or knoweth onely the cause and administreth not or administreth and taketh not away the cause of the disease can never recover his patient be he never so skilfull or industrious so in repentance and sorrow for sinne which is a sickenesse of the soule What must cure diseased soules must necessarily bee considered these two particulars the cause the cure The cause is either the materiall cause or the moving cause the materiall cause is sinne The cause of repentance that being the matter of our offence for which wee so sorrow and grieve at the time of our repentance This is proved in the examples of all men that have had the grace of true and unfeyned repentance every penitent child of grace having sorrow and affliction in his soule because of his sinne by which hee hath provoked his God and his Creator against him Thus did Iob and thus did David repent them and so doe and will doe all that would profit by their repentance Iob 42.6 2 Sam. 12 13. And here is necessarily to bee considered and observed that though our repentance have respect to the benefits of our owne estate as being a most necessary service in our salvation yet the maine respect we ought to have to God whose glory we must preferre God must be respected before our soules even before the salvation of our soules making him the principall and our selves but secondary respects of our repentance And herein appeareth the difference betweene true and false repentance for the false and Godlesse repentance sorroweth for their sinne onely because God doth punish and afflict them for their sinne Exod. 9.27 1 Sam. 15.24 25 King 21.27 Math. 27.3 4. and therefore their sorrow is chiefly for the punishment and but respectively for their sinne Thus did Pharaoh Saul Ahab and Iudas repent them and so doe all false and feyned repenters that feare God for their owne respects and not themselves for God Note A true and godly repentance sorroweth for sinne because it is sinne and not because it deserveth punishment and here the maine respect is to be had to God and to our selves onely for Gods sake for though the feare and dread of punishment be sufficient to move any mans repentance yet wee must not make that the cause of our spirituall sorrow but much rather because we have offended so gracious a God who hath declared himselfe to us in so many and great demonstrations of his love to mankind this ought to be more sensible to our wounded soules then the horror wee have of our condemnation thus are holy men moved in their griefe and passion of their repentance the maine difference then betweene true and false repentance is this Note true repentance is caused by reverence wee have of the love of
our soule The second thing in the cure of our soules is the soveraigne matter by which the diseased soule is cured the most soveraigne balsome the sacred blood of the Lambe of God of the Sonne of God shed for the redemption of man-kind 1 Pet. 2.24 for so saith his holy Apostle Saint Peter who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sin should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we were healed our sins are taken from us by his bearing them our wounds are cured by his wounds our eternall death prevented by his temporall death for but the Sonne of God No physicke but the blood of Christ can cure a wounded soule Christ Jesus there is no Empyricke no quintessence no physicke can cure a wounded soule so venomous is sin and so incurable are the wounds that sin hath made onely the blood of the holy Lambe is altogether able to deliver and heale them and that is both so certaine and present in vertuous operation as that one drop rightly applyed is able and sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of soules The last thing in the cure of our soule is the manner of applying this most soveraigne medicine The manner of applying Christ Hebr. 11.6 Christ Jesus and that is by a true and lively faith for without faith it is impossible to please God and without faith it is impossible to apprehend the Sonne of God neither let this seem strange to a Christian judgement that wee should be able by faith to apprehend Christ and to apply him to our repentant soules for hee himselfe hath taught us that whatsoever wee shall aske in prayer Matth. 21.22 if we believe wee shall have it whereby he maketh faith the covenant and condition of prayer and promiseth that such prayer that is directed to him by a living faith shall onely and alwaies prevaile No resistance against a true faith against which there is no resistance therefore to apprehend apply Christ to our wounded soules we must reach with our hands of faith to his Fathers bosome take him from the altar of his crosse and by faith apply his precious blood nay his bloody body to our wounded soules for he that doth it faithfully doth it effectually and shall doubtlesse find assurance in himselfe that the wounds of his soule are cured and that sin is for ever dis-inabled from hurting him that hath Christ fully applyed for where he is in mercy there is assurance and safety of divine protection and this is the order that all Christians should take in repentance and spirituall sorrow First to prepare their soules then to apply Jesus Christ their salvation Note in whom there is safety without whom none To declare the manner and the causes of godlesse sorrow and false repentance wee will avoid them for their number and variety let the true judge the false and let this true forme of repentance here prescribed teach the Christian Reader to avoid all dissimulation and hypocritical sorrow for sin Hypocriticall sorrow is in God hatred 2 Cor. 7.10 11. and remember that godly sorrow causeth repentance not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death But gentle Reader let mee admonish thee that we despise not Christ because upon his crosse he hanged betweene two thieves neither that wee honour thieves Mat. 27.38 39. because they hanged upon the crosse with Christ for that which is but meere truth is no truth and the best vertue is ever placed betweene two extremes This Doctrine of Repentance and spirituall sorrow doth remember all men very needfull admonishments First seeing that sin is the cause for which we repent us and by whose poyson our soules are so grievously infected and so fouly deformed and wounded it ought to move all men to a loathing and detestation of sin by which we are grieved in our selves and brought in hatred and displeasure of Almighty God Note for if wee so carefully avoid all such annoyances as bring any little taste of griefe to our bodies in this temporall life wee ought much more to avoyd sin which causeth such extremity of griefe in our soules and doth both deprive us of Gods favour and bringeth an everlasting destruction upon us Secondly seeing there is no repentance profitable to salvation but that which is caused in us by the moving of Gods holy Spirit it behoveth all men to be serious in their repentance and not to content themselves with a slender examination of their sins and then returne againe to their former remissenesse and disobedience but to be heedfully carefull to repent them of all sinne and to be constant in that care without alteration without interruption and that our repentance respect rather a shame and griefe to have offended so gracious a God then any feare of temporall or eternall punishment Saul and Ahabs repentance lest as did Saul and Ahab by such false and feigned repentance they lose their soules Thirdly seeing the soule cannot be cured but by repentance neither can apply or apprehend Christ Jesus unlesse it be first prepared and made fit by the exercise of these duties and not to satisfie themselves with the exercise of one or two of them but to endevour them all because they are all necessary to repentance for as in the Commandements of the Law he that faileth in one breaketh all so in these duties of repentance he that neglecteth one The danger of presumption profiteth by none but annihilateth the purpose of his spirituall sorrow Let no man therefore flatter himselfe with this presumption that if hee hath beene an extortioner a thiefe or a godlesse person that his repentance will suffice though hee be sorry for his sins and acknowledge them to God though these be very needfull and necessary duties yet they are not all the duties of our soule in our preparation to repentance therefore if hee hath extorted Luk. 19.8 or as Zacheus did taken by forged cavillation from any man that is by indirect or dishonest course or meanes Verse 9. hee must repent as Zacheus did and make restitution as farre as he can otherwise salvation can never come to his house therefore as they are all necessary so are they all joyntly necessary every man being bound to all these as God and grace shall enable him Fourthly seeing Christ Jesus is that Physician and that onely salve which is able to cure a wounded soule and that without him there is no working no cause no meanes of spirituall deliverance from sinne We must sell all to purchase Christ and griefe of a wounded conscience Therefore it most neerely concerneth all men to endeavour all meanes to purchase this Christ their salvation and righteousnesse and to despise all things in respect of him their Saviour and the onely soveraigne salve to heale their wounded conscience And seeing wee have Jesus Christ proposed us to be our salvation The
nature and by restoratives and requisite dyet brings a new flesh wholesome and without disease the former diseased flesh being utterly wasted and consumed with the extremity of Physicke How to mortifie our diseased actions and affections So he that is resolved in his repentance and hath a loathing and detestation of his sinnes and desire to free his soule from the contagion of sinne must also resolve to endure such bitter physicke and strict dyet as the judgement of spirituall physicke doth prescribe him whereby all the evill depraved and corrupt affections of his soule may be utterly wasted that thereby his soule may have new and fresh endowment of grace without taint without disease without griefe This was figured in the manner of Gods calling Moses to his Princely and Propheticall office for when Moses made offer to come neare the presence of God in the bush Exod. 3.5 6. God forbad him saying Come not hither put thy shooes off thy feete that is before thou presume to approach my presence thou must put off thy sinfull and corrupt affections for hee that hath base and vile affections is not fit is not worthy the presence of God It was also commanded of God in the ceremoniall Law that they that were polluted with the touch of any uncleane thing Levit. 15.2 were for a time prohibited the Sanctuary and the presence of God and had a time limited to cleanse themselves before they were allowed and admitted for cleane persons all which ceremonies doe but note unto us the nature of holinesse how impossible it is to be reconciled with sinne for as the two contrary elements fire and water cannot possibly be in any one substance without intestine strife No peace betweene God and Belial so God and Belial grace and sinne can never conspire in any one particular subject in the same respect but what is gracious cannot be sinfull and what is sinfull cannot be gracious there being in them a full opposition of nature not to bee reconciled Phil. 2.12 Therefore it is necessary and needfull that before wee entertaine the graces of Gods holy Spirit wee must first discharge and abandon our sins which have had so long entertainement in us and before that wee can be regenerate and made the sonnes of God we must mortifie our sinfull affections whereby wee were made the servants of sinne Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to the imitation of Christ and his holinesse adviseth them first to mortification as if without that meanes the other were impossible Mortifie therefore saith he your members Col. 3.5 6. which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse c. And hee giveth a reason of this direction in the Epistle to the Romans For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8.13 but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit yee shall live By which place wee are taught what mortification is and of what necessity it is Mortification is the abolishing of the deeds of sinne in our flesh What mortification is by the grace and operation of Gods Spirit By the deeds of the flesh is meant not onely our evill actions but our desires and carnall affections Saint Paul in the place before alledged Col. 3.5 6. calleth them members of the earth Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupiscence Luke 5.6 and covetousnesse which is Idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience In which hee comprehendeth not onely our sinfull actions but our affections also nay the very naturall concupiscence and depravednesse of our nature To endeavour exactly is exactly to performe not that any man is able exactly to performe these duties but sincerely to endeavour them and that our defects may be in our power but not in our purpose and endeavour therefore you must mortifie your sinnes of action your sinnes of affection and your sinnes by descent and seeing mortification is an office of the Spirit Quest here importeth a question whether the word Note spirit in this place is meant of the Spirit of God the holy Ghost or the spirit of man our naturall soule It is answered Answ that the spirit executing this office of mortification is principally meant of the holy Ghost who giveth the first motion of desire in every godly action it is also respectively meant of the care and travell of our owne spirits or soules Note Phil. 2.13 not that our owne spirits is the cause of our mortification but being first caused by the holy Spirit of God it is entertained and continued by the exercise of our owne reformed spirits our spirits having no such strength in their owne nature but as they are prepared by the grace of the holy Ghost For as in casting a stone or running of a boule though the strength of the arme give the first motion to the boule or stone yet afterwards is the motion continued a competent time as well because of the powerfull moving of the arme as also because of the aptnesse or fitnesse of the thing moved so in the office of mortification Note and in all other divine offices of the soule though the soule move not it selfe to these holy actions No soule can move it selfe to divine action yet by reason of the spirituall nature of our soules when it is once moved by the holy Ghost it then continueth such motion toward perfection so the prime honour of the holy exercise of mortification and so of all other spirituall offices is wholly to be ascribed to the power of Gods holy Spirit which moveth in our hearts every act and every purpose of well-doing and he doth also illuminate us by his holy Spirit infusing a new and heavenly light into our minds being so blind before as that it neither saw nor could see the things which doe belong to the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man faith Saint Paul perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can hee know them through ignorance in like manner also in the will which is altogether perverse and wholly falne from God hee worketh an uprightnesse and in all the affections a new holinesse Hence proceedeth that new man which is created after God in true holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4.24 and causeth us being enlightened and thus changed to apprehend his mercy to desire and affect our amendment and to answer his call like David For when God had pierced Davids eare by his Spirit he answered Loe I come Psal 27.9 There is also a necessity of mortification imposed upon every man upon pain of condemnation this is shewed in the words before alledged by S. Paul for saith he If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 yee shall live whereby the Apostle proposeth life and death before the Romanes
both caused and continued in us by the secret power of God our selves being meerly passive and moved to divine exercise by the onely direction of the holy Ghost and therefore that we doe ascribe the honour of every good action to God by whom it is caused and utterly disgrace our selves in our owne estimation because Gods grace doth leade every man to every particular action of goodnesse Note Againe seeing that by faith in Christ God doth both cancell and abolish our sinnes and repute us righteous in his presence it doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods favour and the powerfull operation of faith First Gods favour towards us hee being pleased to forgive us our sins and deserts of condemnation and to give and impute the most absolute righteousnesse of his deare Sonne Christ to all men upon this easie condition of faith that such who have a true faith to apprehend him shall be accepted in his favour as sonnes and shall appeare in the presence of God as equally righteous as if themselves had actually performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons Secondly Heb. 11.1 c. wee are taught the powerfull operation of true faith that it is able to enter heaven and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse to reconcile the favour of God unto us and to satisfie his displeasure to wash off the leprosie and spots of our sins and to put on us the garment of righteousnesse even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God by whom and through whom wee are justified in the fight of God and by whom also wee shall be saved Let us therefore carefully endeavour our selves in a constant exercise of all godly actions not that we repose our justification in the vertue or merit of our owne workes but that by the testimony of our good works we may approve our selves to be faithfull and that our faith is more than a common or a generall historicall faith even a living and a saving faith which is and must be the onely meanes of our apprehending Christ who is the all-sufficient and onely matter of our justification and let this be the onely glory and pride of our well-doing that this witnesse of workes shall gaine us the reputation of Gods servants and that Gods faithfull children here on earth shall esteeme and repute us to be of their fellow-brethren then which let us never desire a greater cause of boasting and this judgement of good men must needs rise from the testimony of good workes because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence and necessary dependence betweene faith and workes they being as inseparable as the heat from the fire and as necessarily depending as the body and the soule let this provoke us to a zealous forwardnesse of all godly actions because thereby we shall conclude the assurance of our justifying faith and thereby satisfie the desire of our owne soules and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of us in the common opinion of men From this argument must needs follow this conclusion that seeing we have the fruits of faith Note good works therefore we have also the cause of workes true faith and that therefore this faith thus working is a tree of Gods owne planting this is that use this is that comfort and consolation which wee shall understand and find in the nature of our best deserving workes thus let us esteeme them and but thus let us therefore avoid and abolish that dangerous opinion of meriting by workes because it is farre better to want honour then to force it from God by violence nay let us rather disgrace our selves then to dis-inable our Saviour Jesus Christ for if righteousnesse be from our selves it is not onely from him and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion that he is not the onely Saviour neither hath perfected the worke of mans salvation let us therefore doe all the good we can Note but let us repute our deeds though never so good to be the effect and not the cause of goodnesse in us let us also confidently hold that nothing is able to merit salvation but onely the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ let us therefore utterly disclaime our selves and our owne power which is nothing but weaknesse and wholly ascribe all vertue and all power to our Saviour Christ for it is safer to give him honour then to take it from him and it will farre better become our Christian modesty to acknowledge our weakenesse and infirmities then proudly to boast and advance our selves above our deserts and worthinesse If therefore God by the moving of his holy Spirit doe incline our hearts unto godlinesse hee will also give us grace to continue in the same and give us a desire and power in godly exercise which when it makes us grow plentifull in the demonstration of holinesse let us ascribe the glory thereof unto God to whom it is due onely and onely acknowledge our selves to be that instrument whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work with to our salvation Of Faith FAith is the ground the foundation and the pillar of the truth 1 Tim. 3. and it is the constant assent of the heart unto those things which bee taught and promised by the word of God for to believe is to assent unto the same which we doe heare it is also a certaine and sure perswasion of the heart What it is to believe that there is a God whereby wee doe believe certaine things of God as that there is a God and that there is but one and none other besides him that hee is omnipotent the creator of heaven and earth that he is just doing good to the righteous and punishing the wicked that he is good gentle and mercifull to them that doe amend their sinfull life that he is true and keepeth promise that he is able to performe what hee hath promised that hee is everlasting and many other things that bee reported of him in holy Scriptures and to beleeve also of Christ that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God the word of God made flesh true God and true man our onely Lord redeemer Saviour and Mediatour hee was crucified dead buried and rose againe taken up into Heaven touching his manhood and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father and that he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead and many other things set forth in the Evangelists and Apostles and to believe of the holy Spirit that he is of the same Godhead equall with the Father and the Sonne that he is of the light giver of the minds the comforter teacher reliever renewer sanctifier and governour of the elect of God this maketh a great matter to the salvation of man how it be grounded in their hearts Secondly To believe God that we doe believe God also that is to credit and to believe his word as the word of
immediately from him or by some meane are bestowed in a certaine measure for no man in all points hath granted unto him such a perfection of any gift but that hee may be made more perfect in the same gift for whosoever is wife is so wise in measure that he may yet be made wiser in that of that sort is the gift of faith and all other the gifts of God granted unto men this the Apostle witnesseth saying that no man esteeme of himselfe more then he ought Rom. 12. but so esteeme himselfe that he behave himselfe discreetly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Againe the Apostle saith that there is given to some a greater to some a lesser measure of faith Ephes 4. yet there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God one selfesame but not all one measure one Father of all which is above and through all and in you all Wherefore the faithfull be not alike in those things which doe grow upon faith and doe follow the same as in knowledge in love and feare of God also in hope love to our neighbours patience and study of godly life Againe Measure of faith sufficient to salvation 1 Cor. 12. the measure of faith is so divided by the providence of God that to the elect there is no lesse given him then is sufficient to salvation For he giveth a sufficient proportion to every one for he that hath the greater hath never a whit the greater salvation nor hee which hath the lesse hath never the lesse salvation the truth thereof is set forth in Exodus and they gathered Manna some more Exod. 16 17 18. some lesse and unto him that gathered much remained nothing over and unto him that had gathered little there was no lacke True faith whereof wee doe speake is not given unto all men therefore it is that the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1. Rom. 10.16 Esay 65.12 all men have not faith all men doe not believe the Gospel for Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our sayings To obey the Gospel is to assent unto it with true faith and to repose our selves in it with a good and assured trust therefore the true faith of Christ is not in all men that is to say it is none of those common gifts of God which are commonly given unto all men but it is one of the speciall graces which are onely given unto some few by the providence of God of this kinde be also the heavenly and spirituall gifts which be necessary unto true and everlasting felicity such as faith hope charity patience the study of godlinesse and the feare of the Lord and the like No doubt this gift of faith is a singular gift of God but it is not enough for a man to have it When it is once gotten it must be nourished when we have it unlesse that after hee hath it it be continually conserved increased and practised throughout all our life for faith is of the same nature that the vertues be which be naturally powred into us and be necessary for the conservation of this present life which it is not sufficient to have received them unlesse they be also furthered amplified and encreased in us as for example the power of reason which wee received at the first birth of our flesh which must alwaies be nourished advanced and exercised to the necessary uses of our life Note So this Christian faith which is as it were a certaine reason of our second birth and new man in Christ must like an infant be fed and furthered to the spirituall life the increase of faith is when it groweth and increaseth in the hearts of the faithfull whereby it waxeth stronger and stronger by the grace of God that we be now able to believe those things which before wee could not believe although they were never so true and set forth in the Word of God that Christ is the Saviour of the world 2 Thes 1. The Thessalonians increased in faith abundantly this increase of faith doth depend upon the increase of the knowledge of Christ so the faithfull be admonished of Saint Peter that they should increase in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. the increase of faith may be perceived in the mutuall love towards our brethren in their patience and suffering of troubles So the Apostle meant when he said For as much as your faith increaseth 2 Thes 1. and the charity of every of you one towards another aboundeth so that wee our selves doe glory of you in the Church of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you doe suffer on the other side staggering and carefull feare doth argue a weaknesse of faith so it was said to Saint Peter Why doubtest thou O thou of little faith Mat. 14.30 31. and they which doe start backe in the time of temptation persecution affliction or tribulation are tryed to be weake in faith and doe prove themselves so to be so the faith of St. Peter was weake Mat. 26.71 72. when he was proved by the maydens word and denyed his Master And seeing that there is given to all the elect of God a measure of faith from the Lord and that the same is not all one in all men and yet sufficient for every one unto salvation and is such that it is not perfected in any certaine space of time or yeeres but that wee must travell in it and endeavour it as long as wee live in this world as soone as faith is conceived by the gift of God Faith breedeth true repentance it produceth and bringeth forth as her daughter true repentance and that so soone that it seemeth to bring it with her from heaven as her waiting mayd whereof there be many examples in the holy Scriptures Zachâ—us as soone as hee was come to the faith of Christ said Luk. 19.8 Lo Lord I doe give the one halfe of my goods to the poore and in case I have beguiled any body I doe restore foure times as much which words doe manifestly declare the judgement of true repentance and when a great sort of people began to believe the saying of St. Peter Acts 2.37 they had remorse in their hearts and brast out saying What shall wee doe brethren to be saved and many of them that began to believe came to the Apostles and disclosed their doings moved no doubt by the spirit of repentance The true knowledge of God Faith doth take hold of the true knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ his Sonne which the world here cannot attaine unto The holy Spirit doth kindle a light in the hearts of the faithfull so that they may most certainly know those things to be most true which they doe believe in faith so Saint Peter said to whom shall wee goe Joh. 6.68 69. thou hast the words of