Commandements howsoeuer committed out of ignorance or out of knowledge out of weakenesse or out of malice suddenly or with premeditation be this sin against the holy-Ghost for that is a malicious striuing to disgrace the name or at the least the Religion of Iesus Christ knowne to be the true Religion rather then any prowd and licentious act in transgressing the precepts of Gods Law It is the sinne that neuer any of Gods Elect fall into though they fall into many particular enormious sinnes as of ◅olatry witchcraft blasphemy contempt of the Sabboth rebellion murder adultery drunkennesse theft lying periury and such like wherein many of Gods deare children fall oft and yet by Gods fauour rise againe by repentance Of that sinne and of the exemption of Gods elect from it is that saying of Saint Iohn to be vnderstood Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can hee sinne because he is borne of God No man regenerate nor any of Gods elect can fall into this sinne nor euerie reprobate for many of them through their ignorance that neuer come to know the truth of holy Religion cannot possibly become guilty of this blasphemy though for other sinnes wherof they obtaine not grace to repent they iustly perish from God and suffer the paines of eternall death When thou therefore findest that thou hast not sinned that vnpardonable sinne against the holy-Ghost and that thy sinne whatsoeuer and howsoeuer committed though deseruing a thousand Hels is yet by the mercie of God pardonable where he is pleased to giue repentance of that sinne and vppon that repentance to blot out the remembrance of it Dost thou not see a sweet possibility of deliuerance from thy sin fit to bee pursued with all strong desire and diligence of thy soule Dost thou not see a hole in the wall of hope through which some light though very small doth shine Then let it be thy care to digge in that hole by hearty praier and by humble deuotion that God may bee pleased at last to open a dore of mercy vnto thee and by faith and amendment of life to assure thee that thy sinnes shal neuer be laid to thy charge Thou hast his promises in which hee will not be found a falsifier and a couenant-breaker Hee saith by the Prophet If the wicked will returns from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that hee hath done he shall liue Make vse of this and such like promises and faint not in thy praiers This is to cast this burden of thine vpon the Lord. CHAP. XVII HItherto in an euē course the sinner is brought to se his sinne be pardonable When hereupon he should addresse himselfe to serue for that that may be obtained and to seeke for that that may be found euen the forgiuenesse of sinne for the quenching of his accusing thoughts and peace of his conscience Behold hee prepareth himselfe being instructed and prompted by the subtile enemie to obiect against the possibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes so weakening his owne hope and drowning his owne comfort Let vs heare his obiections that by answering of them we may at the last if God be pleased help him out of his feare bring him to reioice in God his Sauior First he obiecteth saying Though my sinne that I am in conscience charged withall bee not blasphemy against the holy-Ghost and therefore not vnpardonable Yet seeing I haue sinned notoriously not in time of ignorance but in time of knowledge when I was able to teach my selfe and others that such things ought not to be done and I was neither surprised with a sodaine temptation that gaue me no time to consider what was fit to be done nor forcibly led captiue by a strong temptation whereto my weaknesse was not able to make resistance but I did runne vpon it wilfully wildly furiously striuing to delight my selfe with the pleasures of sin to inrich my self with the wages of iniquity euen with contēpt of God whose iudgemēt at the same time I remēbred yet would not feare him◅ whose mercies and goodnes to me and mine I remembred and yet would not loue him and whose commandements requiring the contrary I remembred yet wold not obey him seeing I haue sinned in this manner so boldly and so prowdly my sin if it bee not that blasphemy against the holy-Ghost yet it comes very neere vnto it and so neare that I feare the angry eye of heauen wil see no diffrence betwixt them then where am I with this possibility secōdly thogh that blasphemy be only vnpatdonable yet I am sure it is not the sin onely vnpardoned it is not the sinne that is onely punishable and that shall onely be punished my sinne is also punishable and may be punished for so it deserueth and then what am I better to heare it is pardonable when I perish in it Lastly I know that lesse sinnes then mine and more easie to bee excused are punished in hell with euerlasting death What then must I looke for but the flames of vnquenchable fire and haue I not already by my abhominable sinne kindled that fire euen the fire of Gods fierce wrath against mee which hath already begun to torment and waste my conscience This obiection consisteth of three branches the first is this that his wilfull sinne comes so neere to the height of that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eye of heauen hee feareth can and will see no difference betweene them This will easily bee answered And to beginne our answer I must intreat this afflicted sinner to remember that it hath been already declared that his sinne though grieuous yet is pardonable And let him to this purpose againe heare the words of our Sauiour Iesus All sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme And how neere soeuer his sinne commeth to the vnpardonable sinne yet not being it it remaineth pardonable And this ground of trueth can neuer bee ouerthrowne And the anger of heauen being alwayes iust euen and holie doth neither shaddow the vnderstanding nor disorder the iustice of God that hee should not be able to discerne the difference of things that are not the same or infold them rashly and disorderedly in the same sentence Anger is not in God a disturbing passion as it is in men But it is the most euen and holy carriage of his iustice as becommeth the righteous Iudge of all the world pouring out his plagues vpon sinners and executing vengeance vpon contemners according to the rule of his owne word where with hee hath made vs aforehand acquainted and according to the merites of mens workes against which their owne consciences iustifying God
or denouncing iudgement to the impenitent and vnbeleeuers Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen Wherefore doeth hee speake thus of their determination and of their word but that according to that good hope which thou hast gathered vnto thy soule from the word of God in the writings of his Prophets and Apostles and in the mouthes of his faithfull witnesses on earth according to that good hope hee will doe vnto thee in heauen And in his iudgement both at thy last day and in the worlds last day he will not varie one iot from the straight rule of his word whereon thy recouered peace is grounded Indeede if thou shouldest recouer thy peace and remoue thy accusing thoughts with the remedie of Atheists that like Dauids foole Say in their hearts there is no God that is there is no diuine power gouerning the world in iustice and rewarding euery man according to his workes If thou shouldest shake off thy temptation with that conceit of wicked men recorded in the booke of wisedome that say Wee are borne at all aduenture and wee shal be â—…ereafter as though we had neuer beene for the breath is a smoke in our nosthrilles and the words are a sparke raised out of our heart which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as the soft aire our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloud and come to â—…ought as the mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sun and cast downe with the heate thereof That is no hand of God made vs at the first to be serued with the obedience of our life and when we leaue the world we shall not appeare before the face of any God to giue account for our liues for wee were borne by no prouidence and appointment of any higher power but euen as it happened such a man to beget such a boy such a mother to beare such a child and when wee die wee returne into earth and aire ourbodies become dust our spirits vanish as a puffe of winde there is no difference after death betweene man and beast both vanish and come to nothing as we were not before we were borne so wee shall not be when we are dead Iâ—… with these wicked conceites we seeke to stifle and choke our owne conscience or falsely flatter our selues with the securitie of contemners despising all the threatnings of God So that when they heare the words of the curse they blesse themselues in their heart saying we shall haue peace although we walke according to the 〈◊〉 of our owne hearts that is the threatnings of Gods displeasure are not to be regarded I esteeme them no more then the winde that breatheth ouer mine head and I shal be well inough whatsoeuer God say and I will hold on my course without any feare of God If vpon any such sandie and deceitfull ground thou shouldest builde thy peace and by such deuice should make dull rather then quiet thy troubled conscience verily thy accusing thoughts would returne like so many furies after death charging thee with all thine impieties before the face of thy Iudge The Atheist shall knowthat there is a God as it is said in the Psalme Doubtles there is a God that iudgeth the earth The Sadduce shall know that there is a life after this when he shall be called to answere as it is said of the â—…uill steward Giue accounts of thy stewardship for thou maist bee no longer steward And the contemner shall know the power of Gods displeasure when the wrath of the Lord and his iâ—…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses written in Gods booke shall light vpon him But if thy accusing thoughts be put to silence by the knowledge and faith of Gods mercy and of Christ his merit accompanied with repentance and true conuersion to God as hath beene said if by the promises and rules of Gods word thy peace while thou liuest be recouered assuerdly thy sinnes shall neuer be laid to thy charge after death for otherwise there were no faithfulnes in God nor trueth in his word wherein he hath thus spoken I will rememher their sinnes no more And in another place All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him Theresore if it shall please God by the meanes that is applied vnto thee out of his word to deliuer thee froÌ„ the storme of this temptation whilest thou liuest thou hast no cause to feare the renewing of it after death nor in that name to feare death And because thou art troubled with such fantasticall feares of death that indeed is naturally fearefull to all men let â—…e acquaint thee with the condition thereof to a Chistian it came indeede into the world by the sinne of our first parents and by the holy and iust iudgement of God it was imposed vpon vs as a punishment of sinne depriuing vs of all present good things and plunging vs into eternall euils But when the sonne of God suffred death for our sinnes and by his suffring gaue satisfaction to the iustice of God he then slew destroied death it selfe by that death of his and tooke away all deadly killing power from that dissolution of ours which we call death and made it vnto all beleeuers a gate and passage into life putting an end vnto all their present troubles â—…nd bringing them to the possession of endles happines So that it is to them as the euening is to the labourer when he both resteth from his former wearie worke and also receiueth the reward for which he wrought For the body henceforth is laied vp in the graue as vpon a bed of ease where it shall â—…euer after either shake for colde or faint for heate where it shall neuer after feele either hunger or sicknes or be wearied any more with painfull labour That is it that the Prophet meaneth when hee saith Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds euery one that walketh before him That is the righteous man that treading in the paths of Gods commandements walketh with him in his holy obedience heâ—… at his iournies end in his body shall lie downe to rest in his graue as on his bed and much peace shall be his portion and as for the soule from thenceforth being vnclothed of his earthly couering and remoued out of his Tabernacle and house of clay it ascendeth vp vnto Iesus Christ and being clothed with glory it hath an happy abiding with him in heauen where it inioyeth the most comfortable presence of Christ his redeemer and the desired fellowship of those redeemed that are alreadle passed out of the wildernes of this wicked world into the paradice of eternall delight So did the Lord Iesus promise to the dying theese when hee said vnto him This day thou shalt bewith mee in paradice
of God and seeking to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God A single good intent without knowledge is the deuotion of fooles it hath no true comfort tied vnto it it saueth not from destruction it leadeth men blindefolde and sleeping into hell But when men haue learned out of the word of God what hee requireth and what is their duety vnto that knowledge ioyne a true desire to doe their duetie then vnfained desire is before God esteemed a perfect worke Therefore doth Saint Paul say That loue is the fulfilling of the Law And in another place The end of the Law is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law requireth no more but loue which will neuer be idle and that obtained the Law hath attained his true end in vs. And to him that thus loueth as much is due as vnto him that perfectly fulfilleth the commandement Thirdly to him that thus in heart desireth while he liueth here full perfect and absolute holinesse being grieued that the lusts of his flesh should stand vp in his way with such strength as they doe that which hee desireth shall in due time be granted with increase of grace in the meane while For when death comes in which hee pulleth off sinfull flesh he shal put off sin al corruption togither with the flesh and thenceforth hee shall offend his God no more nor be in any danger of offending him For the Apostle truely saith He that is dead is freed from sinne both from the act of sinne and from all lusting after sinne And when he shall receiue his bodie againe in the resurrection hee shall receiue it cleansed and purged from that corruption that was in it before For so doth Saint Paul testifie saying The body is sowne in corruption and is raised in incorruption By which incorruption he vnderstandeth not onely an estate of strength and health whereby it shall be freed from that decaying that it was subiect to before in regard whereof we haue relieued it with daily food to repaire the daily decaies and also freed from sicknesse and paine that it suffred here before in regard whereof wee take much physicke to ease the paine of it and to maintaine the health of it but he vnderstandeth rather by incorruption an estate of purenesse holinesse whereby it shall bee freed from sinning and offending God and shall stand and remaine for euer purged and cleansed from all sinfulnesse and in as perfect sanctitie as the blessed Angels of God And our true holinesse begunne heere shall be consummated and become perfect holinesse there These are matters of comfort to cheere his heart that is grieued with the burthen of his owne corruptions not suffering him to serue God as hee would his defaults displeasing him shall not bee laid to his charge His loue and true desire shall be accepted as if his life were without fault and hereafter in due time he shall be wholly freed from all corruptions And these comforts are some ease of his burthen that though his lusts be still as strong as they were yet his g◅iefe for them is not so much as it was But let vs see further how a man may cast this burthen vpon God to be eased of it and get masterie ouer his lusts For the casting of this burthen vpon God these are good rules and profitable seruing to procure case and whereby strength against the corruptions and lusts of the flesh is obtained First let him be diligent in the study of the word of God which Dauid calleth A lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths Because in the spirituall darkenesse which ouershadoweth our souls in this world so that of our selues wee cannot see nor finde out the paths of righteousnesse wherein wee should walke if wee take vnto vs the word of God it like a shining light will reueale vnto vs the old way which is the good way that we may goe forward in it It will teach vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and will guide vs aright against the dangerous seducings of our owne euill lusts And great force it hath to keep vs in our way euen in those men in whom their lusts and corruptions are most strong As for example in yong men in whom there is more pride of wit and more stubbornnesse of wil then in men of other ages in them the word of God is powerfull to make them aduised and to humble them Dauid asketh this question Wherewith all shall a yong man redresse his wayes and hee giueth answer in the next words saying In taking heed there to according to Gods word Such an excellent help against the seducing lusts of the flesh is the word of God for the redressing of our waies So that if a man burdened with his corruptues desiring to obtain strength against them doe giue himselfe to study the word of God and do take heed vnto it though he were as prowd witted and as stubbornely wilfull as were those yong men the sonnes of Iacob that cōmitted the outrage at Shechem yet the word of God will bring downe his prowd wit reclaime the forward wils of the very dissolute gallants of the world And this doth Dauid being yet but a yong man out of experience in himself affirme saying By thy commandements thou hast made mee wiser then mine enemies for they are euer with me that is I am a continuall student in thy commandements I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation that is my minde is alwayes vpon thy testimonies I vnderstand more then the ancient because I haue kept thy precepts that is age teacheth much by obseruation and experience but Gods word teacheth more So that while a man is carefull to study the Scriptures as Dauid was and maketh them his meditation hee shall soone become more wise then his teachers and more able to direct himselfe then the ancient that think themselues able to giue councell There shall not moue nor stir a corrupt lust in his heart attempting to draw him aside to sin but he being exercised in the study of Gods word shal presently be able with iudgement to checke that desire of his heart to oppose against it Gods owne will Secondly let him frequent the company of good men in whom hee seeth great power to subdue keepe vnder disordered lusts then is in himselfe and let him obserue imitate their behauiour this will helpe him much For if the word of God on the one side giue him a rule how to keepe vnder his raging lusts these men on the other side will be vnto him an example patterne shewing him how to doe it and a very simple workman when he hath not onely rules giuen him to direct his iudgment but a patterne also laid before him to direct his hand will very
easily with this double helpe learne to doe his worke in some reasonable good manner and vnto this helpe vnder God the Apostle Paul doeth send vs saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walks so as you haue vs for an example A man merrily ignorant of his way if he follow carefully step for step a skilfull guide going before him will very safely come to the place that he desireth so shalt thou doe in the way of godlines if thou keepe company with the godly and marke their behauiour to doe thereafter Augustin hauing respect of Saint Paul saith in one place If thou faile in the precept be strengthned in the example that is if by looking onely to the precept thou canst not bring to passe to keepe it looke to the example of them that doe after it and their example shall much strengthen thee Men are very apt to be led by examples and are easily transformed into the manners of those whom they keepe company with neither will their fellowship hold long that doe not conforme themselues to the manners of their company Dauid in one place hath this saying With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the vpright man thou will shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou will shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou will shew thy selfe froward The Prophet speaketh these words of God and we may safely speake them of men among the godly thou must shew thy selfe godly learning and practising their godly behauiour else they will haue small pleasure in thy company and among the wicked thou must doe as they doe else they will soone be weary of thee and sly thy fellowship The company therefore of the godly cannot but be a great helpe vnto thee vnder God to learne by them to subdue and keepe vnder thy vnruly lusts if thou conuerse with them and daily striuest to conforme thy selfe to their manners This is a good degree of casting this burden vpon God Thirdly let him shun all occasions that may aâ—…lure and prouoke him vnto these sinnes that by the corrupt lusts of his heart he findeth himselfe most subiect vnto For example if his infirmitie be pronenesse to anger wrath let him auoid the company of contentions and froward persons that are apâ—… to prouoke let him not take knowledge of euery petâ—…y wrong that is done vnto him nor harken vnto them that will tell him this or that tale what other men say of him lest suddenly he be distempered If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to drunkenes as thâ—…re are but too many that when they are at it can keepe no measure let him fly the company of pot companions let him shun the places and â—…bhorre the ceremonies of great drinking and let him not delight himselfe to behold the colour and sparkling of the Wine If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to adulterie and such vncleannes let him shun the haunt of Harlots and their houses all wanton company and let him not cast his eye vpon deceitful and bewitching beautie and so concerning all other sinnes that his heart lusteth after This rule the holy Ghost giues vs in many places Salomon saith Keepe thee from the wicked woman and from the slattery of the tongue of the strange woman desire not her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lid Her coÌ„pany her countenance and her wordes all these are inticing occasions and all these Salomon warneth him to shun that world not be betrayed by his owne frailty to commit whoredome In another place he saith Make no friendship with an angry man neither goe with the furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Company and fellowship with the froward will draw thee whether thou wilt or no into many brawles and quarrels and otherwise also breedes danger vnto thee therefore to be shunned of him that feareth his owne euill nature too prone vnto anger Againe Looke not thou vpon the Wine when it is red when it sheweth his colour in the cup and goeth downe pleasantly in the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice The beautifull colour and pleasant mouing of the Wine in the cup are prouocations to drinking hee that would not be ouertaken with drunkennes knowing his owne appetite and weakenes must shun these prouocations Generally this is a veriy good rule for him that feareth the violence of his owne sinfull lustes to sly all occasâ—…ions alluring and prouoking vnto sinneâ—… he that would not be strangled with the hooke let him not play with the bait and lie nibling at it the Diuell and the world deceiue by such meanes he that is hurdened with thâ—… lustes of his flesh desireth case to his guâ—…ed soule by casting his burden vpon God let him shun these occasioâ—…s diligâ—…ntly he that would not be huâ—…t with the Lyons clawes let him not come neare vnto his foote In the fourth place let him often think vpon the iudgements of God threatned against sinne and executed vpon sinners that yeeld and suffer themselues to be led away by their lusts the threatnings he shal finde euery where in Gods word and the executions he may see abroad in the world Let him also meditate vpon the mercies of God promised vnto vertue and performed vnto the vertuous that walke in the spirit and putting vpon them the Lord Iesus Christ doe take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof the promises hee shall meete with euery where in Gods word and the performances he may see abroad in the world but especially in the church and among the godly whose company he was before aduised to frequent These things obserued 〈◊〉 breede in him the feare of Gods power and the loue of Gods mercy which two will be vnto him helps of great seruice against the lusts of his owne heart while on the on side the feare of God will make him walke in humility and on the other fide the loue of God will make him to serue God with gladnesse This is a very good way of casting this burden vpon God Fiftly and lastly but continually and feruently let him pray vnto God for his grace to be giuen continued and increased to him For as the flesh that is corruption â—…n vs lusteth against the spirit so the spirit that is the grace of God in vs lusteth against the flesh So Paul incumbred with the messenger of SataÌ„ buâ—…eting him by which name he vnderstood the burden of his troublesome corruptions praied vnto God if it might bee to be freed from it For all power to preuaile against sinne and to get the mastery ouer corruptions is obtained by the gift of God and by the worke of his grace in vs. Therefore doth Dauid pray to God in this manner Teach mee o Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end giue mee
all societies hee knitteth mens hearts together in loue and maketh them to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the band of peace It is he that hath promised in the Church of Christ and kingdome of the Messias the rod of the stocke of Ishai to do this The wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the leopard shall lie with the kidde and the calfe and the lion and the fat beast together and alittle childe shall leade them and the cowe and the beare shall feed their yoong ones shall lie together and the lion shall eate straw like the bullocke and the sucking child shall play vppon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand vppon the cockatrice hole By the wolfe the leopard the lion the beare the aspe the cockatrice he vnderstandeth men of prowd cruell minds apt to do al hurt bicause they are void of al loue by the lamb the kid the calfe the fat beast the cow the bullocke the sucking child the new weaned child he vnderstādeth men of an humble mild heart apt to do good vnwilling to doe hurt because they are full of loue by the harmelesse society of these so vnlike people he giueth vs to vnderstand that he wil take away from men their pride their fiercenesse their cruelty their vnmercifulnesse and in place thereof he will giue them humilitie mildenes loue and mercie This is a worke that hee doth and this hee will doe pray therfore vnto God who is loue it selfe and he wil giue thee a heart to loue thy brother Faith likewise is his gift and hee himselfe is a most faithfull God worthy to be trusted the God of truth that neither can nor will deceiue them that according to his couenant and promise of mercy doe trust in him The Apostle telleth vs that faith is his gift saying By grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Euery good gift and euery perfect giuing commeth from him who is the Father of lights pray him therefore to giue a beleeuing heart vnto thee and hee will not faile thee So that if thou haue neither repentance charitie nor faith which are the conditions vppon which God giueth forgiuenesse of sins yet thou maiest haue them for GOD doth giue them pray then vnto God and thou shalt in due time obtain them For the want of this triple grace thou hast a triple commandement to call for grace with a triple promise to obtaine all grace The Lord Iesus saying Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Then aske repentance and it shall be giuen thee seeke for charitie and a mercifull heart and thou shalt find it and knocke at the gate of heauen for faith and it shall be set wide open vnto thee Wherefore is it that God at this time doth make thee see thy want but because he would haue thee to call for his help CHAP. XXIII BVt still obiections arise in a trobled conscience and the poore burdened sinner complaineth that his estate must needs be desperate For saith he I feele a continuall swarme of euill thoughts in extreame disorder stirring in my heart Thoughts against the maiesty of the most glorious Trinitie thoughts against the veritie of the diuine and humane natures personally vnited in the Lord Iesus Christ thoughts against all the Articles of the Christian saith thoughts rebellious against authoritie and seditious against peace thought malicious against my neighbour and vnnaturall against my selfe thoughts vnchristian vnciuill inhumane thoughts monstrous and fearefull I tremble to thinke that I haue such thoughts And these must either spring and arise out of mine owne heart and then wo vnto so wicked heart It is like vnto the Inne vnto which the virgine Mary came with the Lord Iesus in her wombe there was no roome for her in the Inne all the Chambers were filled with other guests she was glad to creep into the stable and there shee brought forth her first begotten So if any come to bring Christ or any christian thoght into my heart there is no roome in the Inne all the corners of my heart are taken vp with other thoughts they must seeke a resting place else-where and not with mee Or if they spring not from mine owne heart then are they thrust into my heart by Satan who did thrust the thought of treason against his master into the heart of Iudas then surely the diuell hath alreadie possession of my heart and either hee sendeth these thoughts as new inhabitants to dwell there and to keepe possession of my heart to his vse as the king of Ashur sent new inhabitants into Samari◅ to keepe the Citie and Countrie to his vse or else he sendeth them as so many hagges and furies what should I call them so may executioners with firebrandes to torment me and being so fully in his power it is too late to thinke of deliuerance Now the Lord of hosts help thee poore afflicted soule and case thee of this burden that presseth downe so heauily And for thy comfort vnderstand that if these thoughts arise out of thine owne heart as they are in thy heart and grow in the field in which they spring they are yet but as the first graffe of sinne and haue neither blade nor eare nor fruit to poison and kill withall if wee take not liking of them nor suffer our iudgement to be corrupted by them taking them for rules of truth and intertaining them as imbraced opinions nor suffer our will to be seduced by them interpreting them as rules and directions to leade vs into action Iames the Apostle hath an excellent saying to this purpose Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupisence and is intised then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death By concupisence he vnderstandeth the first flattering thoughts the first euill motions that stir in our hearts that make the first proposition to our iudgement and will to trie whether they will take holde or no and howsoeuer the feeblest euill thought be sinfull in Gods sight who loueth trueth in our inward affections and it is an euidence of that sinfull nature that wee bring into the world with vs deserued vnto vs from our first parents through all the interceding generations and howsoeuer the same euill thought being sinfull deserueth in the iustice of God eternall death yet the Apostle Iames looking vnto rules of mercy and speaking according to those rules telleth vs that it is not dangerous vnto vs neither bringeth forth sinne vnto death except a man be inticed and drawne away by it For when the iudgement yeeldeth and is corrupted by it approuing as good that that is euill and approuing as true that that is false and when the will yeeldeth and is seduced by it intertaining the
rich Widdow how to pray vnto God among other words hee hâ—…th this saying 〈◊〉 hoc negocium plus gemitibus 〈◊〉 sermonibus agitur plus fletiâ—…quam â—…fatu This businesse of praier for the most part is performed rather with gronings then with words with weeping then with speech Let God therfore heare thy sighes and grones let him see thy teares when thou canst not shew him thy desire in words water thy couch with teares as did the Prophet and God will gather vp and put euery drop into his bottell thus doing when thou thinkest that thou hast not praied thou hast praied most powerfully For as Saint Ierâ—…mi saith Oratio deum lenit lacrâ—…na cogit Praier gently moueth God teares forcibly compell him He is allured as it were and won with the words of praier to heare vs but with the teares of a contrite heart he is drawen and inforced to heare and helpe where otherwise hee would not And in this affliction growing vpon thy heart because thou knowest not how to pray heare a notable comfort that the Apostle giues thee saying The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Where thinâ—… owne strength and wisdome faileth in this seruice of praying vnto God there the wisdome and power of Gods spirit kindletâ—… in thee strong desires and earnest longings after the mercy of God And the meaning of those desires and longings God perfectly vnderstandeth and needs not to bee informed by thy words So 〈◊〉 though thou canst not pray as thou â—…oghtest to doe yet that seruice goeth forward well while thou hartily desirest Gods fauour Of which desire in thee â—…ere needeth no other argument but â—…en the griefe of thine owne heart seeing in thy sin cause of Gods displeasâ—…re and that other thoughts come into thine heart when thou bendest thy selfe to pray maruaile not at it neither therefore be so farre discomforted that thou shouldest giue ouer praying but 〈◊〉 the more to pray and to watch thereunto in the attendance of thy thoughts and lift vp thine heart vnto God and keepe it with all thy care looking still to him These thoughts of thine heart partly arise from thine owne weaknesse and corruption that art more fit for any thing then to attend with setâ—…ed reuerence vpon God And partly they are mustered together and thrust â—…o vnseasonably into thine heart by the wicked enimy that would not haue thee pray because he knoweth that the mercy of God is most easily obtained by harty and constant praier therefore hee seekes to hinder thee in that businesse that thy mind being occupied about other cogitations thou might est let fâ—…ll to the ground the petitions that thou are offering vnto God but the more hee seeketh to trouble thee the more earnest be thou in praier remembring that saying of our blessed Sauiour giuen for a warning to his Discipâ—…es Wateâ—… and pray that yee enter not into temptation Lastly hee is offended and discouraged in his praying by an intruded answer that offereth it selfe presently after his praier and sometime before his praier be either ended or begun not suffering him to wait patiently vpon God and to hope in him and this intruded answer is alwaies vncomfortable It comes euer in the negatiue and â—…pulsiue forme whatsoeuer hee hath praied for or intendes to pray for it tels him he shall not haue he cannot haue hee iâ—… not worthy to haue hee must not looke to haue the iustice of God will neuer grant it vnto him Which answer is nothing else but if I may so speake the smoke of those fiery dartes of Sathan wherby he hath set the poore mans conscience in combustion bringing his sins â—…o remembrance setting before him the â—…ath of God kindled by those sinnes 〈◊〉 from hence extracting and drawing this heauy conclusion looke for no â—…rcy where thou hast deserued so â—…ch wrath It is no other then a very 〈◊〉 of his disease the fruit of his owne 〈◊〉 ouer hastily answering himselfe â—…ot â—…arying to receiue answer of God tâ—…s he must take especial heed off that for as much as hee maketh praier to God and not to himselfe he waite for his answer from God and receiue none from himselfe and if his heart will be foolish to suffer any such vncomfortable answer vnto him that hee reiect it and wait on the hand of heauen About this point the sonnes of men erâ—…e very dangerously and faile in extremities and few or â—…one can keepe the right meane to expect and receiue their answer from God While men liue carelesly in sinne and prouoke God euery day if they chance to offer any petition to heauen or by aâ—…y meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their hopes from heauen they euer boldly answer themselues with promise of all prosperity though in iustice it cannot be like vnto the man whom God complaineth of saying that Hearing the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walk according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart God giues no such answer to such men It followeth in the same place The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him Blessings belong to them that feare God not to them that conteâ—…ne him He that inqul reth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer belonging to the petitions and hopes of such men The threatnings of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts are all denounced against them as in the fore-remembred place of Deuteronomy The wrath of the Lord and his lealousie shall smoke against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen On the other side when men are humbled in the sight of their sins and haue great remorse in their hearts if they powre out any sighes and grones vnto God in their praier and by any meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their desires from heauen they euer fearefully answer themselues like those men spoken of by the Prophet Ezechil that say If our transgressions and our sins bee vpon 〈◊〉 and we are consumed because of them 〈◊〉 shall we then liue That is our sins deseruing death and those being now â—…id to our charge and the hand of God being heauy vpon vs for them there is no hope of life God giues no such answer to contrite hearts and to humbled spirits he doth not so reiect the deiected man He that inquireth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer of comfort and health appointed for them the promises of mercy runne all vpon their side The Prophet Moses speaketh these words vnto the people When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee at the length if thou returne to 〈◊〉 Lord thy God and bee obedient to his voice for the Lord thy
God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the couenant of thy fathers which hee sware vnto them Vnto this I might ad many promises of like nature assuring health and comfor vnto humbled spirits that seekâ—… mercy at the hands of God with teares and sigheâ—… and grones their hearts refusing to take ioy and delight in any thing till they may recouer againe Gods fauour and once againe see the light of his countenance Dauid commendeth God by this gracious propertie of comforting such deiected creatures saying The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are readie to fall And in another place He healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their sores Pray thou therefore vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ and pray with comfort of heart and when thou hast made request vnto God accept no answere but from God First hee answereth comfortably in his word to all such as thou art comming vnto him With that first answere appease thy troubled minde till God in his rich mercy by his deed of deliuerance giue thee a further answer Obserue these rules and if thou wert at this present in as bad taking as the Ephejians were at the first of whom Paul speaketh 〈◊〉 Yeâ—… were at that time without Christ 〈◊〉 were alines from the commonwealth of 〈◊〉 and were strangers from the coueâ—… of promise and had no hope and were 〈◊〉 God in the world Yet thou shalt â—…ortly become as they became afterward of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said in the next â—…ords But now in Christ Iesus yee which 〈◊〉 were farâ—… of are made neare by the 〈◊〉 of Christ. And a little after Yee are no more strangers and foreners but Citizens with the saints and all the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone Here iâ—… a change worthy to be obserued they which were without God without Christ without hope and strangers from the communion of Saints are made the sonnes of God the Disciples of Christ the heires of the promises and Citizens of heauen filled with all hope grounded vpon that foundation of trueth against which the gates of hell shall neâ—…er preuaile Put away therefore all these offences the Lord is thy God his eare will harken vnto thee Iesus Christ is thy mediator pray in his name the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen thou shalt find them in the scriptures And when thou knowest not to pray powre out thy heart vnto God in sigheâ—… and teares and grones repell wandring thoughts when thou praiest and lift vp thy mind vnto God 〈◊〉 trust in him when thou hast praied waiting patiently for his answere These things doe with all cheerefulnes as thou art able and the God of peace shall send thee peace CHAP. XXVI YET is not the mind quiet nor indeed can be till God bring the temptation to an issue remoue his burden In the meane time though he cannot charge himselfe out of any reason yet hee ceaseth not to charge himselfe out of feare and saith that this condition is not doubtfull and questionable whether hee may obtaine mercy or no if it were no worse there were some hope but his condition is certainly euill miserable for saith he I am forsaken of God I am a lost child the very sonne of perdition and I am a reprobate a far more vile sinner then many reprobates and therefore you labour in vaine that offer comfort to me and that take so much paine to answere my obiections you may well deuise answers before me and other men but they are vnanswerable before the iudgement seate of God where I must appeare for my sinne Ah Lord God whereof thou knowest we be made thou vnderstandest that we are but dust wilt thou permit so weak creatures to be assaulted with so strong â—…tion yea Lord thou wilt to thy glory thou wilt that thy power may be made perfect through weaknes and that the sufficiencie of thy grace may be knowne by helping that thou maist be found worthy of that honorable name that the Apostle giues thee calling thee The father of mercies and God of all comfort Helpe therefore with thy mercy helpe with thy comfort instruct me to speake thereof and giue to this afflicted sinâ—…er the powerfull feeling thereof to whoÌ„ now I turne my speech in thy name In this temptation I hope the deuill hath spit his last poison If this brunt may be indured and ouercome I hope peace wil grow speedily by the blessing of the God of peace And for answer vnto this obiection first I say That if these words had beene spoken by the Lord himselfe I would haue stood astonished at the hearing of so fearefull a sentence I would haue kept silence for reuerence of the speaker and without reply I would haue laied my hand vpon my mouth and haue glorified God in his iudgements I would haue said vnto him as Iob said Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will answer no more yea twise but I will proceed no further But I doe vnderstand from whence these words doe come from thence I take vnto me comfort of replying for I find them to arise out of that soile that breedeth errors and lies Therefore they are subiect to exception Thou thy selfe art in mine eares the immediate speaker and against thee and this speech of thine I haue iust exception First the thing whereof thou presumest to pronounce is a thing exempted from mans iudgement and whereof no man hath leaue to pronounce till God by some euident tokens doe manifest his owne purpose Three things there are saith one which are exempt from mans iudgement The first is the word of God what hee hath spoken that must stand man hath no power to iudge it otherwise then in humilitie to reuerence it The second thing is Gods eternal counsell which is onely knowne vnto himselfe And no mâ—…n can say it is thus or thus vntill God by his apparant worke do manifest it The third thing is the reprobation of particular men whereof no man is able to pronounce nor indeed ought to iudge either himselfe or any other to be of that number God saueth and condemneth whom he will not whom we assigne and nominate Oft times they are vile in the sight of God whom wee approue and honour and oft times they are honourable and precious in Gods eies whom we thinke meanly of Paul saith of him He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth It resteth wholy in the will of God and it is not as we fancie thinke or iudge Of euery particular man the same Apostle saith Hee standeth or falleth to his owne Master that is as God our Maister shall be
true and God often lets his wrath fall heauily vpon his elect for their sinnes To that end heare the words of Gods Church speaking to the malignant company of her enemies that reioice at her trouble I will look vnto the Lord I will wait for God my Sauiour my God will heare me Reioice not against me O mine enemie though I fall I shall arise when I shall sit in darknes the Lord shall be alight vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgment for mee then will hee bring mee forth vnto the light I shall see his righteousnes The Church confesseth that she bare the wrath of God shee confesseth that that wrath fell vpon her for her sinnes and therefore promiseth to beare it patiently because she bare it iustly and she takes not that wrath of God for any euidence of reprobation neither ceaseth to esteeme her selfe the chosen of the Lord that shall inherit his fauour And therefore she exerciseth her faith in looking vp vnto the Lord and out of faith promiseth her selfe all gratious respect with God in her praiers shewes her selfe rich in hope that God himselfe will in due time plead her cause and bring her out of the darknes of her trouble into the light of ioy and so magnifie his loue and fauour to her that her aduersarie the malignant congregation shal be ashamed Therefore certainly God doeth often let his wrath fall vpon the elect for their sinnes and the manifest strokes of Gods wrath cannot bee said to be infallible euidences and signes of reprobation as our afflicted sinner affirmeth to his owne great hurt And if hapily vpon hearing of these things thus spoken his diseased mind should begin to cauill and to say that if other iudgements and strokes of Gods wrath be not euidences of reprobation yet that iudgement and stroke of wrath that is fallen vpon him is a plaine euidence of reprobation his iudgement being accusing thoughts a wounded conseience the most heauie of all Gods iudgements whereof Salomon saith A wounded spirit who can beare it For that stroke is the beginning of intolerable punishment it is the very gate of hâ—…ll iâ—… is that worme that shall liue euer in the bosome of the damned it is euen no other then hell vpon earth And why shold God set a mans sinnes against him in so terrible a manner as hee doeth in this temptation but because his meaning is to condemne vs for our sinnes aforehand to let vs see that hee shall doe it most iustly our sinnes being so many and solothsome against this cauill and for the remouing of this offence from his heart I will adde this vnto that that hath been already spoken that God doeth lay euen this particular stroke of his wrath namely a wounded conscience in the sight of sinnes vpon his elect and therefore that wrath is no euidence of reprobation The prophet Dauid bore this stroke of Gods wrath whereof he speaketh thus Thine arrowes haue light vpon 〈◊〉 and thine handlyeth vpon me there is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones by reason of my sinnes for mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a weighty burden they are too heauie for me Here was a stroke of the wrath of God fot he complaineth that Gods hand was heauie vpon him and that Gods arrowes had pierced him and it was not a weake stroke or slight touch but forcible and fearefull so that it made the whole man languish and for the anguish of his soule his body also was consumed and oppressed with paine and feeblenes so that neither in his flesh nor in his bones remained any soundnes And what stroke of Gods wrath was it but euen this particular stroke of accusing thoughts and of a wounded conscience by reason of sinnes that were so heauie a burdthen that the vexation of them was his consumption and was Dauid vpon whom this stroke of wrath fell was hee a reprobate if he were he was such a reprobate as the Lord Iesus Christ was and no other nor otherwise whom the builders refused cast aside as vnfit for the building but God made him the cheefe corner stone as Peter saith This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner So in the kingdome of Israel Saul Doeg and other busie doers despised and cast aside the sonne os Ishai but God did chuse him to build the kingdome of Israel This therefore is most certaine that euen this stroke of Gods wrath when hee setteth our sinnes in order against vs is no more a signe of reprobation then any other stroke of Gods wrath whatsoeuer This part therefore of his obiection when he calleth himselfe a reprobate is a bold and desperate speech wherein he shews himselfe presumptuous against GOD and vncharitable against himselfe and whether he be a reprobate or not hee ought not to pronounce himselfe to be one the name of reprobation hauing reference vnto the vnknowne and secret counsell of God not vnto the knowne and manifest sinne of man And though our sinnes deserue reprobation Gods wrath falleth vpon them that are reprobate yet neither the sinne that wee are guiltie of nor the wrath that is fallen vpon vs for that sinne though it be this particular stroke of a wounded conscience can be said to be arguments of reprobation And whereas he saith that we deuise answers to his obiections that cary shew of strength among men but those his obictions are vnanswerable before God and our deuised answers before him will be of no vertue Let him know that the answers which wee haue made to his obiections are all grounded vpon the word of God by which word hee shall iudge all men and all the causes of all men As the Lord Iesus saith The word that I haue spoken it shall iudge in the last day And therefore our answers being grounded vpon that word shall stand as rules of trueth before the iudgement seat of God when all the obiections that he hath made growing onely from feare and from a weake heart distempered with a temptation of vnbeleefe shal be found to bee of no force And with this assurance of the sufficiencie of our answers wee waite to heare what he can further obiect why he may not hope for the forgiuenes of pardonable sins seeing Iesus Christ by his commandement hath giuen him leaue to aske forgiuenes of sinnes and God the father of our Lord Iesus hath promised to grant forgiuenes of sinnes as hath before out of the word of God beene truely declared CHAP. XXVII A Fresh assault this afflicted sinner maketh vpon vs and against himselfe for this fierie dart is not easily quenched And againe he obiecteth most vnkindly saying My sinne deserueth death and I must die I haue wronged the Lord of life
willing to lay downe and loose their liues in the seruice of God they did not kill themselues to be deliuered from the fury of tyrants but they yeelded themselues to the cruell will of tyrants As Ieremy saying to them that went about to kill him for preaching as god had commanded him As for me behold I am in your hand doe with me as you thinke good and right It was all one to him and equally welcome to die or liue so that he might faithfully doe his office of the like minde was S. Paul the Apostle saying to the elders of Ephesus Behol◅ I goe bound in the spirit to Ierusalem and know not what things shall come vnto me there saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery Citie saying that bands and afflictions abide mee But I passe not at all neither is my life deare vnto my selfe so that I may fulfill my course with ioy and the minstration which I haue receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of G◅d Heere was a godly contempt of fraile life with resolution to vse the benefit of it while it lasted in setting forward the seruice committed to him and to let it goe without shrinking whensoeuer the rage of men by the sufferance of God should by violent hands take it from him in the Lords quarrell If thou haddest resolution in any like quarrell to yeelde thy life when there should be any attempt made to take it from thee thou hast the Prophets of God and the Apostles of Christ thy example and thou hast also the promise of the Lord Iesus to recompence that losse of life with the gaine of eternall life saying He that will saue his life shall loose it and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it That is i◅ any shall to saue his life deny to confesse me before men his life shall bee taken from him by some such iudgement of God as that he shall haue no comfort in the losse of it and he shall after die eternally But if any constantly confesse mee putting his life in danger either God shall miraculously deliuer him and hee shall saue his life in this world or for the losse of his life here in which losse hee shall haue abundant comfort hee shall haue eternall life in the kingdome of heauen Here are comforts for thee if thou haue come or shalt come in these cases into danger if thou retaine this resolution to laie downe thy life for God and his glory for Iesus Christ and his truth But there was neuer in thee any such resolution thou diddest not loue God so well and thy selfe so ill to die for vertue to die for truth to die for the glory of God to die for the name of Iesus thou diddest neuer esteeme the Gospell true religion and righteousnesse at so high a price O vile man O vnworthy sinner wouldest thou not gratifie God with contempt of life and wilt thou gratifie the Deuill with it wouldest thou not loose it for him that is the truth wilt thou loose it for the father of lies was not he worthy in thy sight to be serued with this manly resolution that gaue thee this life and for the losse of it is ready to recompence thee with eternall life and is he worthy to be serued with it who was euer an enemy to thy life and when hee hath spoiled thee of this life makes thee ◅mēds with a higher mischife to plunge thee in eternall death O monstrous absurdity to be admitted among the professours of Christianity Pause a while and consider of this point that if it be possible thou maiest be recouered from this desperate purpose Thinke what it is to haue held God off at the staues end and neuer to haue yeelded in thy heart die for his loue though he gaue thee life to loose one drop of bloud for his sake though he filled thy vein◅s to haue thy breath stopped for his glory though it was hee that breathed into thy nostrels the breath of life and made thee a liuing soule and now to imbrace the deuill in thy bosome as if hee were thy God to tell him that he shall haue thy life thy bloud shall flowe for his sake if thou get a sword or knife and thou wilt strangle thy selfe and stopthy breath for his loue if thou canst get a halter Where is thy wisdome that resoluest so foolishly where is thy iustice that resoluest so iniuriously where is thy loue either to God or to thine owne soule to whom thou owest thy loue to God to procure his glory to thy soule to procure the saluation of it that resoluest so hatefully for more foolishly for himselfe more iniuriously against God and more hatefully both against himselfe and God did any man euer conclude and resolue in any thing then thou doest in this Most foolishly thou determinest for thy selfe that runnest into that destruction from which thou shouldst flie with all possible speed as the Israelites fled from the tents of Korah his company when the earth swallowed them vp And most vniustly thou dealest with GOD to take that is his without his leaue for we are his and not our owne They are the words of the Apostle Paul Yee are not your owne And a little after speaking of our bodies and spirits hee saith they are Gods and before his face without any reuerence and feare of him to destroy them both at once for thou destroyest the body in killing it thou destroyest the soule that must perish for that murder And most hatefully thou proceedest both against God thy self in this resolutiō hatefully against God in destroying his creature and hatefully against thy selfe in destroying thy selfe The fact of the Philistims stopping vp with earth the wells that Abraham had digged to the end that Isaac his sonne should not vse them for his ca◅tell is interpreted to be an euidence of their hatred Isaac saying vnto them Wherefore come yee to mee seeing yee hate mee c. How much more must thy fact be interpreted to be an euidence of hatred both against God and thine owne soule that fillest vp and choakest the well of life that God digged and opened for thine vse and desirest to water at the piece of death and hell where thou shalt not obtaine one droppe of water to coole thy tongue when thou art in torments How commeth it to pas◅e among deceiued men that when as in the case of suffring for God where death is accompanied with comfort and rewarded with glorie they shrinke and feare withdrawing themselues shifting for their liues which then are sweet vnto them and death is bitter vnto them and in this case of laying violent hands vpon themselues where death is accompanied with terrour and shall be rewarded with eternal damnation heere they step foorth and are desperately bolde life now is bitter vnto them and death is sweet This is a dangerous errour wherein
plainely signifieth vnto vs that when God hath giuen vs fruitfull habitations and giuen vs foode and all necessarie things his meaning is that we should receiue and vse his guiftes and giue him thankes for his goodnes Whosoeuer therefore refuseth to vse the guiftes of God for their comfort contemne his bountie and denie him his due praise while they refuse the things for which they should praise him And most excellent are the words of the Prophet Ioel promising in Gods name these his blessings to the people and requiring their thankes for them to bee returned vnto God saying The barnes shal be full of wheate and the presses shall abound with wine and oile and I will render you the yeares that the Grashopper hath eaten the cankerworme and the caterpiller and the palmerworme my great host which I sent among you so shall you eate and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God c. Consider rightly of these words in them the Prophet teacheth vs that when God sendeth the fruites of the earth his good blessings vnto vs his meaning is that we should eate and in eating be satisfied and for this satisfaction blesse Gods name This is Gods meaning in sending them and thou wilt not receiue them thou wilt not eate that thou maiest be satisfied thou wilt not vse them to the comfort and gladnes of thine heart is there not in thy course manifest contempt of Gods goodnes as if thou didst say vnto him let him keepe his guiftes to himselfe let him giue me none I care not for them I will not receiue them I will not vse them I will not be beholding to him for them veriely this is the stubbornes of an vntoward child that being in his foolish and froward nature displeased with his father refuseth to receiue bread at his fathers hands Lastly vnderstand that this resolution to refuse the comforts of life differeth but little from the former resolution to hasten violently thine owne death for that which thou thoughtest before to doe with Sauls sword or Achitophelsâ—…lter â—…lter thou wilt now doe with foolish and willfull abstinence most idle pretending thy vnworthines as if in meere humilitie thou wouldest kill thy selfe And if the matter be wisely considered this course of weakning first and after ouerthrowing thy life will be found a more cruell act then that of Saul or Achitophel for they quickly rid themselues out of the paines of death but thou like a cruell executioner doest kill thy selfe slowly with a lingring kinde of torment The Prophet Ieremie saith They that be slaine with the sword are better then they that are killed with hunger for they fade away as they were stricken through for the fruites of the field Let these words weigh with thee and take heede that thou be not a most cruell tormenter to thy selfe The prophane histories report of a noble Roman whose name was Marcus Portuis Latro that being wearie of a quartan ague that he had indured long and whereof he could not be healed hee killed himselfe with his sword And they make like mention of one Eratosthenes a Cirenaean the keeper of the famous Librarie of Ptolome in Egypt that being long vexed with a disease whereof he could find no remedie in the end by absteining from meate killed himselfe Both out of discontent ended their owne liues one by laying violent hands vpon himselfe the other by withholding helping-hands from himselfe the one by applying that that did destroy life the other by denying that that should preserue life which of these canst thou excuse of murder of the vnnaturall murder of himselfe and if both were murderers which of them was the more cruell in the 〈◊〉 iudgement of the world surely the second that absteined from the good things that he might ought to haue vsed for hee prolonged his first greefe and ioyned a second greefe euen the teeth of famine to it and so with a double prolonged plague consumed himselfe whereas the other made quicke dispatch this fondnes therefore in refusing to vse the good guiftes of God because the conceite is entred into thy phantasie that thou art vnworthy of them is not a fruite of Christian humilitie inspired by the Holy Ghost it is foolishnes it is extreame dotage yea if I should call it by the right name I should say it is high crueltie against thy selfe besides that it is vile vnthankfulnes against God and the aduiser was no other then the old serpent that deceiueth the whole world Lay all these things together first the bountie of God that giueth his blessings not onely to the worthy but also to the vnworthy because the necessitie both of the worthy and of the vnworthy doeth require it and by vnworthy I doe not meane the godly that in true humilitie doe iudge themselues vnworthy of Gods fauour for God esteemeth them worthy but I meane the wicked whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues for God doeth esteeme them vnworthy euen vnto them doeth God allow his good blessings Secondly the behauiour of all the wise and well aduised sonnes of Adam who euen then when they see and acknowledge their vnworthines yet in the feeling of their necessities and wants doe make hearty praier vnto God that hee will be pleased to bestow his blessings vpon them and it is not onely a libertie that nature taketh to seeke for helpe in time of necessitie but it is the libertie that God in his mercy giueth to his seruants and which in pietie and faith they doe vse namely to fly to God their helper in all necessities Thirdly the purpose of God the giuer of all good things who giueth them not in vaine but for our seruice and helpe that we might vse them and being cheared by their vse might returne vnto him with thankes for his goodnes so that whosoeuer refuseth to receiue them and vse them deludeth as much as in him lies the good purpose of God reiecteth the offred mercy of God and intercepteth the praise of God while hee refuseth to receiue vse that by which God seeketh to merit and winne praise at his hands Lastly the nature and qualitie of the thing it selfe namely the refusing of good things that God giueth and thou needest it is a wilfull killing of thy selfe while thou doest obstinately refuse to vse the things that may preserue thy life it is a most cruell kinde of killing thy selfe while thou doest consume and waste thy selfe by little and little tearing thine owne bowels with the teeth of inforced famine continued and increased from day to day for it is a more grecuous thing to be slaine by famine then by the sword lay all these things together and thy doc proue this abstinence of thine grounded vpon pretence of vnworthines to be a foolish vngodly and a cruell course Put it therefore from thee and vse the loue of thy friends the helpe of the Phisition the counsell of thy minister the
fall into misery is of infinite variety no man can number the seuerall miseries and troubles that sinne hath made our life subiect vnto yet they may be reduced to two generall heads for either they are iudgements vpon the inward man inward miseries and afflictions vpon the soule or else they are outward iudgements vpon the outward man in outward things that touch not the peace of the soule The inward iudgements and miseries which follow the fall into sin and wherinto for sinne man falleth are either the blinding of our vnderstanding and the hardening of our heart often inflicted as punishments of foregoing sinnes and such was the iudgâ—…ment of God vpon Pharao whose heart God hardened and such a iudgement and misery the Apostle Paul telleth vs the Gentiles fell into as a punishment of precedent sins when he saith Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannesse to deâ—…ile their owne bodies betweene themselues And in many more words he recordeth that iudgement or they are those feares and terrours of heart that cast vs downe from hope that empty our soules of comfort fill them with feares and make vs as it were to stagger shrinke and fall in our faith of this kind is that iudgement that God threaâ—…neth by Moses in these words the Lord shall simite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and astonishment of heart when a man is amased and confounded with his feares that hee knoweth not which way to turne him for comfort and helpe and deepe fallen into this miserie were they whom Esay speaketh of saying The sinnes in Sion are afraid a feare is come vpon the hipocrites who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings They conceiued no otherwise of God then of a consuming fire and therefore feare possessed altogither their hearts hope vanished faith had no abiding there And all these inward miseries falling immediately vpon the soule and the facultie thereof tend chiefely to this to ouerthrow our faith by decay of it to ouerthrow vs for faith is the firme standing of our soule grounded vpon the assurance of Gods mercy Therefore doeth the Apostle vse this phrase Watch you stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong Because he that hath the stronger faith standeth the more strong and steadfast and hee that hath the weaker faith standeth more weakely and loose and thoug the faith of the Saints of God once giuen vnto them neuer totally decaieth for as the Lord Iesus saith hee praied for the continuance and confirmation of Peters faith to whom he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not So he praied for all his chosen ones that beleeue in him when he said to his father I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in mee thorough their word Yet the faith of the Saintes suffereth sometimes an eclipse or deceasing at some other times an increasing whereby as in the increasing of their faith they stand fast and are full of comfort so in the deceasing of their faith their footing becommeth slipperie and they take many sore falles feele their hearts oppressed with feare as it was with Dauid when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so far from my health and from the words of my roaring And when he complained at another time saying Mine heart trembleth within mee and the terrors of death are fallen vpon mee feare and trembling are come upon mee and an horrible feare hath couered mee In this manner their faith at that time being in the wane the righteous oppressed with a weight of anguish and feare doe often fall through the shrinking of their faith and feele themselues sore bruised in their soules But yet such is the mercy of God that he doeth not suffer the righteous being fallen into these inward iudgements and miseries to fall for euer And if it be a blinded vnderstanding or a hardned heart that they are fallen into he raiseth them vp out from a blinded vnderstanding by sending the knowledge of the 〈◊〉 As the Lord Iesus sent Paul among the ignorant Gentiles with this commission I send thee to open their 〈◊〉 that they may turne from darkenes to light c. And he raiseth them vp from hardnes of heart by mollifying their hearts as hee promiseth by Ezekiel saying I will take away the stonâ—…e heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh And if they be fallen into any feare and terror of conscience he raiseth them vp by repairing their faith and by reuiuing their comfort To that end he bringeth to their remembrance the large promises of his grace the boundles measure of his mercy the riches of his free vnchangeable loue and then doeth hee make them remember that they haue a mediator that died for their sinnes and rose againe for their iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare a place for them and sitteth on the right hand of his father in highest fauour and greatest authoritie to make intercession for them continually vrging the vertue of his death and bloudshedding that hath taken away the sinne of the world who is the prince of peace that hath made their peace and is that beloued sonne in whom the father is well pleased making vs accepted in that his beloued To the same end doeth he spread the beames of his louing countenance and cause the light thereof to shine within their consciences sending downe the spirit of adoption into their hearts to beare witnes with their spirits that they are the sonnes of God so raking together the sparkes of their almost smothered faith from among the cold ashes of anguish and feare where it lay deepe couered giuing heate and life vnto it with the warming fire of his comfort so that they begin to lift vp their heads and to reioice their hearts and to shake of their their sorrow and feare and to glorie in God saying with the blessed virgin My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast tnrned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sacke and girded mee with gladnes And that God doeth thus not suffring the righteous to fall and languish in these inward miseries for euer besides the experience of Gods elect daily renewed with light and grace and daily refreshed with comfort and peace the scriptures also doe testifie it to be the gracious manner of Gods dealing with his chosen The Prophet saith of him Hee healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their soares These words can be referred to no other worke of God for the more sure and full performance whereof God sent his sonne into the world who came to call sinners vnto repentance and to seeke and saue them that
in his iudgements shall not be able to make any exception to say that in any thing hee hath erred from the streight rule of iustice And this iustice is that which in terms agreeable to our conceit is called his anger His eie therefore cannot bee deceiued in esteeming of mens sinnes I remember a good speech of Saint Ambrose to this purpose God lieth not open to passion that he should be angry seeing hee is subiect to no passion but because hee reuengeth he seemeth to be angrie to vs this seemeth because we vse to reuenge with a troubled minde So that as anger signifieth a disturbed passion of the mind troubling our vnderstanding and peruerting our iustice there is no anger there can by this Fathers iudgement no anger be in God but Gods iust reuenge wee call anger because our reuenge is mingled with anger Away therefore with this conceit that the anger of Heauen should not discerne betweene thy sinne and blasphemy against the holy-Ghost The anger of Heauen is nothing else but the iust reuenge of Heauen A second branch of thine obiection is this that though the blasphemy of the holy-Ghost be the onely sinne vnpardonable yet it is not the only sinne vnpardoned It is not the onely sinne punishable nor onely punished thine also is a sin punishable and may proue a sinne punished I confesse all this to be true what then Doth it follow that needes thou must be punished because thou maiest be punished that consequence must not be granted for then it would follow that there should bee no place for any forgiuenesse at all for sinnes are punishable and deserue eternall death To reason so were to spoile God of his honour that hee obtaineth by forgiuing sinne where of the Prophet Micah speaketh saying Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage c. It is Gods great honour to pardon sins that are punishable And it is an intollerable iniurie offered to the riches of his grace to affirme that hee will not forgiue in mercy because hee may punish in iustice And such reasoning as this would also make false all his promises and make vaine and vnprofitable the hope of all his saints grounded vppon those promises for there is none of them that hath not committed many punishable sinnes which yet they hope shall neuer be punished Yea it would make void the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and depriue him of the honour due vnto him by the saying of Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world For verily euen those sinnes for which this Lambe was slaine and sacrificed and which by the vertue of that sacrifice of himselfe he taketh away are punishable sinnes sinnes deseruing the most heauy wrath of God and the most cruel torments of hell Away therefore with this idle reasoning my sins are punishable and therefore it helpeth mee nothing to heare that they are pardonable Where sin aboundeth to deserue punishment there grace aboundeth much more to remit punishment The last branch of thy obiection is this that lesse sinnes then thine and sins more easie to be excused are often punished then why not thine There is no reason that this thing should offend thee that smaller sins are punished The Creditor may see reason to forgiue to one debtor many pounds and yet not to forgiue another a few pence The punishment of hell is due to all sinners leaue God the Iudge to the freedome of his owne will to shew mercy where it pleaseth him to shew mercy and to forgiue where and what and how it pleaseth him to forgiue Little sins when men continue them and regard not to repent of them are brought to iudgement as well as great ones And great sins when men forsake them are carefull to repent of them are put out and forgotten as well as the smallest It is not the greatnesse and smallnesse of sins that makes them to be retained or remitted but it is repentance that â—…reeth from al together This is plaine by the words of Esay who hauing called for repentance that the people should cease to doe euill and learne to doe well immediatly addeth saying Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as woll Though the spots of them were neuer so foule and though the staine of them were neuer so deepe yet God will forgiue the sinne and forgiuing it he will cleanse and purge the sinner This great mercy for the forgiuenesse of most great sins is promised to repentance Where repentance is wanting the smallest sins shall bring the transgressour to iudgement but where true repentance is found the greatest sinnes shall be done away Be carefull then to turne from thy former euill waies and bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life and God will free thee from all thy sinnes And thus it appeareth that all the feare that bred this obiection first that thy sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne of blasphemy against the holy-Ghost that the angrie eie of heauen can see no difference betweene them Secondly that thy sinne though pardonable yet is punishable and therefore must bee punished Thirdly that smaller sinnes then thine come to iudgement and therefore thine being greater cannot in iustice be passed by All this feare is needlesse feare and thy sinne still remaineth pardonable and thou maiest comfortably hope for and shalt assuredly obtaine forgiuenesse of thy sins if thou turne to God caâ—…lest vpon him and amendest thy waies CHAP. XVIII BVT feare which is not easily remoued proceedeth to another obiection the afflicted sinnâ—…r pleading thus against his own peace the iustice of heauen is so pure holy withall so strict soe seuere that it wil neuer suffer such sinne as mine is to passe vnpunished and the holynes of heauen is so cleane spotles and vndefiled that it will neuer suffer so vncleane a person as I am to enter into life For this I can alledge the expresse word of God and therefore am sure that my feare is not vaine the Prophet Dauid speaking to God who would soone haue checked his speech if it had not beene true saith Thou art not a God that loueth wickednes neither shall euill dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lies the Lord will abhorthe bluddie man and deceitfull Here is depriuation of Gods loue expulsion from dwelling with him and from standing before him here is the hatred of God in his hatred destruction threaned to them as to men abhorred of God that worke wickednes that are doers of euill that in the foolishnes of their hearts committed iniquitie that in their talke speake lies that haue
the man in whom they remaine a contrary way the one to God the other to sin and yet they continue in the same man at the same time for his exercise so long as hee liueth The same Apostle telleth vs concerning euerie renewed seruant of GOD that in him at the same time there remaineth both naturall corruption which he calleth flesh and infused grace which he calleth Spirit and either worketh striuing each against other His words are The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that yee can not doe the same things that yee would The spirit in them that is infused grace lusteth against corruption to draw them vnto goodnesse and the flesh in them that is naturall corruption lusteth against grace to draw them vnto wickednesse Faith and infidelitie the one being the worke of the spirit the other the worke of flesh are not more contrary one to another then the flesh and spirit from whence they grow and yet they are present together therefore with thy infidelitie there may be faith in thee The condition of a Christian man in his holy calling from darknesse vnto light is like vnto the appearing of day after a darke night It is a similitude much vsed by the holy Ghost in the Scriptures Paul saith The night is past the day is at hand That is the time of darkenesse in which you erred altogether is past and God hath sent his word among you by which as by the light of the day you may see the way to walke in And in another place Yee are all the children of light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darkenesse That is we liue not in ignorance we walke not in ignorance but God hath called vs to knowledge and by the light thereof wee see the way before vs and walke on safely in it Now we all know that when the day beginneth to breake there is remaining a shadow of darkenesse a long time and that first growing light is farre from the cleare and ful light that shineth at noon day But will any man say that because of the remainder and mixture of darkenesse in the beginning of the day that therefore there is no light at all euery man would controule that assertion Euen so God shewing mercie to them that were shut vp in infidelitie giueth them faith which beginneth to growe like the day light in the first breaking forth of it and with some faith there remaineth much infidelitie Shall any man therefore say that because there is some infidelitie still remaining there is no faith at all that saying were iniurious to the new conuerted and weake Saint and it were an vnthankefull censure of Gods gracious worke begun Remember what thou hast read in the Gospel of the honest man that came vnto the Lord Iesus to intreat for his sonne that was possessed with a diuell he said vnto our Sauiour Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe He professed his faith while hee confessed his infidelity he doubteth not of the presence of the one because hee saw and felt the presence of the other but knowing his faith to be tender and young and his infidelitie to be old and strong hee craueth the help of the Lord Iesus to weaken his infidelitie and to strengthen his faith Such altogether is thy case at this time weake faith oppressed by strong infidelitie strong infidelitie keeping the vpper hand of weake faith say vnto the Lord Iesus as that man did Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe And if thou thinkest his prayer to be defectiue because hee onely craueth helpe against infidelitie and desireth not increase of his faith vnto the words of his petition ioyne the words of the petition that the Apostles together made vnto the Lord saying Lord encrease our faith These words put together make a perfect praier for this peculiar grace that the Lord Iesus of whose fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace will bee pleased to increase our faith which we finde to bee weake and to weaken our infidelitie which wee finde to bee strong This doe and by the mercy of God and goodnesse of our most milde Sauiour thou shalt finde an happy alteration in good time growing and thou shalt haue no cause to feare to die without faith whensoeuer death shall come yea though thou shouldest bee taken away before the full vanishing of this temptation because he dieth not without faith in whom at his death there is remaining some infidelitie neither dieth he without hope in whome at his departure there is remayning some feare and vnto God thy couered and almost smotherd faith wil appeare when the same is hidden from thine owne feeling But thou fearest death not onely this way least it should come before thou haue wholy ouercome this temptation but thou fearest it also though there should be a ceasing of the temptation before namely that after death this accusation may be renued because as thou saiest the right time of preferring accusations against sinners is when after death they appeare before the Lord in iudgement and if the accusation now while there is yet time of repentance and hope of forgiuenes ◅e so heauie and fearefull as thou doest finde it and feele it it must needes be then much more heauie and fearefull when there is left no time of repentance nor any new course to be taken for the obteining of forgiuenes To this I answere that if once thou ouercome this temptation before death thou needest not to feare the returne of it after death if now it be ouercome and quenched rightly by such meanes as God hath appointed for the quieting of consciences whereof it behoueth thee to be very carefull for if thy temptation be ouercome by the knowledge and faith of the infinite mercy of God toward humble and contrite spirits and of the vertuous mediation of Iesus Christ that lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world gathered by harkening to the doctrine of the Gospel which is the power of God to saluation and if this knowledge and faith be accompanied with the loue of God that is so mercifull a father and of Iesus Christ that is so gratious a redeemer and with the loue of thy brother and with the hatred of sinne that is offensiue both to God and to thy brother assure thy selfe that these accusing thoughts so silenced and quenched shall not be reuiued after death and thy peace so growen by knowledge and saith so accompanied is not a deferring of this temptatiō vnto a fitter time but a totall abolishing of it for euer He that in this manner ouercommeth his accusing thoughts on earth shall neuer heare of them before God in heauen Wherefore else doeth the Lord Iesus say of the determination and censure of his seruants to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation either assuring forgiuenes to the penitent beleeuer