bluddie handes cruell hearts and cunning and deceitfull heades But such an one am I I haue wrought wickednes I haue done euill I haue through the foolishnes of mine heart committed much iniquitie I haue beene a lyar my handes are full of bloud I haue beene cruell deceitfull therefore I am depriued of Gods loue I shall not dwell in his kingdome not be able to stand before him in iudgement I am iustly hated of him and shall bee iustly destroied by him and hee must needes abhor me as a thing most vile Who can speake against these things grounded on such authoritie must not the seuere iustice of heauen condemne such sinnes as mine are must not the pure holines of heauen exclude such vile sinners as I am surely it may be called prodigall mercy if such sinnes as mine escape vnpunished and if such a sinner as I may euer be saued This obiection seemeth to consist of two parts inregard of iustice that cannot suffer sin to escape vnpunished in regard of holines that will admit no vncleane person to haue fellowship and cohabitation with it But they ioyne together in one to increase this poore mans feare yet let vs helpe him with our answere It is a comely thing to to thinke reuerently of the iustice and holines of heauen for certainely iustice will not suffer the least sinne to escape vnpunished neither will holines euer suffer any vncleane thing to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet that cannot hence be concluded that thou gatherest namely that therefore mercy can find no free passage to forgiue thy sinnes and to bring thee to glory for the wisdome and power and loue of heauen which are able to worke wonders aboue the reach of mans vnderstanding will find yea haue found out a way to satisfie iustice by the punishing of sinne and to satisfie holines by the purging of sinne and yet to saue the sinner that committed that sinne Lift vp thine heart and eares and harken to that that shal be deliuered thou shalt find an helmet of the hope of saluation to couer and saue thy head withall The glorious Trinitie by an eternall decree ordained defore all time and effected in the fulnes of time sent downe the eternall word the second person called the sonne who being conceiued by the holy Ghost tooke flesh and was borne of the virgin Mary of the linage of Dauid and was made man true man the sonne of man the sonne of Adam of Abraham and of Dauid in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne and him the father gaue vnto vs to be our mediator and to be the Lord our righteousnes and to the satisfying of the iustice of heauen God laied vpon him our sinnes and he willingly submitted himselfe to the burden of our sinnes to the curse of the law to the death of the crosse and to the wrath of his father for those sinnes of ours Excellent to this purpose is the testimonie of Esaie speaking more like an Euangelist or an apostle then like a Prophet saying He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our 〈◊〉 was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne waiâ—… and the Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all We are the men that haue sinned and gone astray from God stripes woundes and death were due to vs for sinnes God imputed to him our sinnes and he was contented to stand before God a sinner in our name The stripes the woundes the death that we deserued hee receiued sustained and indured for vs. Thus iustice is satisfied our sinnes being in him punished it were iniustice to punish the same sinnes againe in them that plead the suffringes of Iesus for them Thus are his stripes our cure his woundes our health and his death our life Vnto that saying of Esaie let vs ad another of the Apostle Saint Paul Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the gentiles through Iesus Christ. The law curseth euery one that abideth not in all that is written in that booke to doe it and we haue failed in all or in most and the sentence of the curse did lie vpon vs then it pleased the Lord Iesus Christ by yeelding himselfe to the cursed death of the crosse to take vpon him the curse that should haue fallen vpon vs. So was iustice executed according to that sentence of the law iustice so satisfied giueth waie to mercy for the curse being borne by Iesus Christ the blessing promised to Abraham is our inheritance Here the one halfe of thy feare is remoued because in the death of Iesus Christ iustice hath receiued satisfaction for thy sinnes if thou plead this satisfaction by what iustice art thou to be punished for thy sinnes The other halfe of thy feare is this that the holines of heauen will neuer suffer such an vncleane sinner as thou art to enter into the kingdome of God to remoue this feare vnderstand that the same Lord Iesus Christ that bare ouâ—… sinnes imputed to him and suffered for them to satisfie iustice doeth also inuest and cloth vs with his perfect righteousnes both originall and actuall impuâ—…ed to vs that all our vnrighteousnes and vncleanenes both originall and actuall being therewith hidden and couered from the view of God most holy wee might appeare cleane spotles in him to the satisfying of the holines of heauen Therefore is it that Paul saith speaking of Iesus God hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him This place plainely sheweth that God made an exchang betweene Iesus Christ and vs. He knew no sinne that is he had no acquaintance nor fellowship with sinne in him was no sinne to deserue death That sinne abounded in vs and God laied it vpon Iesus and he died for it On the other side we had no righteousnes no righteousnes of God that is no such pure and perfect righteousnes as God requireth and as might commend vs vnto God to be admitted for it into heauen That righteousnes was in Iesus Christ who fulfilled all righteousnes keeping the law bearing perfect loue both to God man and performing all offices pertaining to that loue and that righteousnes of his doth God impute vnto vs making vs righteous in him Therefore is it that the Prophet Ieremie calleth him the Lord our righteousnes And this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes Not our iustifier that pardoning our sinâ—… pronounceth vs righteous by holding vs excused which thing also verely he doeth for vs but our righteousnes because in him we are accepted and his righteousnes
I haue prouoked him to anger and by his iust sentence I must not liue Also I haue spent the daies of my life on earth so wickedly that I must liue no longer There the earth is ouer-loaden with my transgressions and refuseth to beare the burden of them And as for the life of heauen it were folly and madnes in mee yea it were shameles presumption in me to hope for any fruition of iâ—… I know no other place of life but these two earth where life is mortall and heauen where life is immortall and heauen will not admit me to liue there and the earth hath indured my life too long Therefore I must die This is the sentence of God The Prophet Ezekiel saith The soule that sinneth it shall die And the Apostle Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death Who can controule this iudgement of God who shall open his mouth against it I doe my selfe approue it And therefore I am become my selfe an enemie to mine owne life yea heauen doeth abhor it the earth doeth loath it it must not continue to the offence of God and his Angels to the greefe of the Church and all true members of it And therefore I â—…hat heitherto haue had no care to serue and glorifie God wiâ—…h the continuance of my life will yet at the least and at the last serue and glorifie God with the end of my life intending to be the executioner of Gods holy sentence vpon my selfe So shall I cease to sinne any longer against God As the dead cannot praise him so the dead can not blaspheme him and as they haue no place to doe well so I thinke they haue no place to doe euill and by such course I shall deliuer my selfe from this violent temptation I shall obtaine an end of my feare Doth not Iob say of death and of the graue The prisoners rest together and heare not the voice of the oppressor there are small and great and the seruant is free from his master There shall Ireâ—… hauing put off this heauy burden What greater oppressour can there be then an accusing and condemning conscience And there he saith I shall not heare the voice of the oppressor O place to be desired O sweet graue I long to be laied vp in thee and am I not a seruant and a slaue to sinne is it not now a most cruell and tyrannous master to me and there I shall be freed from his tormenting power This being so iust in regard of God so full of aduantage and ease vnto my selfe it must be done it shall be done and I must doâ—… it yea I wil doe it disswade mee not from so iust and so gainefull a course wherein I am resolued O malice of Satan this is thy voice this is thy counsell in all the former obiections wherein thou hast beene a medler thou hast shewed thy selfe but in this thou exceedest thy selfe Hee that knew thee not before by this obiection may know thee to be as saint Peter calls thee A roaring lion that walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure Heereby thou maiest be knowne to be as S. Iohn calls thee the great dungeon that olde serpent called the diuell and Satan which deceiueth all the world In this temptation thou seekest to deuoure but the prey shall be plucked out of thy iawes in this thou thinkest to deceiue but thy dangerous falshood shall be discouered and auoyded The victorious Lion of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid shall rescue and deliuer his seely sheepe The Serpent that was lifted vp vpon the crosse shall bâ—…uise thine head and heale the wound that thou like a fiery serpent hast made The Lord rebuke thee Satan The Lord tread thee downe vnder the feete of this afflicted sinner and that shortly But thou O sorrowfull sinner hearken to the councell of God let not the serpent that deceiued our first parents deceiue thee stoppe thine eare against his lying words and be ready to heare what shall be taught thee in the name of God God saith by the Prophet Heare your soule shal liue Heare that thy soul may liue Thou art vrged to desire deser ued death thou art vrged yeldest with thine owne hands to hasten his death Thy resolution to hasten it seemeth to be grounded vpon these reasons First thou hast wronged and prouoked to anger the Lord of life and therefore deseruest in his iustice to die Secondly thou hast burdened the earth the place of mortall life with thy sinnes and art not worthy to liue any longer vpon the face thereof and then to thinke that thou maiest liue in heauen the place of immortal life thou holdest to be shamlesse presumption Thirdly thou holdest thy life to be loathsome it is so to thy selfe because it is offensiue to God and to his Angels to the church and members thereof Fourthly because thou hast not serued and glorified God by the continuance of thy life thou wilt serue and glorifie him by hastening the end of it Fistly thou hast multiplied sinne all the daies of thy life and thou thinkest that thou shalt cease to sin if once thou be dead Lastly whereas thy life is full of feare sorrow and bitternesse thou thinkest by death to be freede at once from all These are the reasons vpon which thou groundest thy resolution to hasten thy death with thine owne hands they may preuaile as reasons with them whom God hath left in the power of him whom the Lord Iesus calleth a murtherer from the beginning But whosoeuer remaineth in the protection of the Lord and giuer of life to him these allegations cary not the estimation of perswading reasons oâ—… if they beare any such estimation with them yet God wil nâ—…uer suffer them so to preuaile that they shal take effect but he will preuent their execution as â—…e did with the affrited Gaoler of Philippiâ—…â—…hom â—…hom being ready to fall vpâ—… his sword when he perceiued the effects of the earth-quake and feared that his prisoners were â—…led the mercifull GOD preserued him by the voice of Paul My heart trembleth to thinke of this obiection and it breaketh out beyond the bounds of my conceit that thought the precedent obiection to haue beene the height of Sathans malice and of this poore afflicted sinners danger But this exceedeth all height heere is extremity of malice in the tempter heere is extremity of danger in the tempted If the Deuill preuaile in this temptation hee xedeth not to vse any other And if the â—…ner giue place to this temptation it is â—…othing worth to 〈◊〉 and ouer come â—…lother In answering this temptation â—…il first examine the point that he saith â—…is resolued vpon and then the reaâ—…ons vpon which hee groundeth his resolution The thing that he is resolued vpon is â—…o cut the threed of his own life in plain â—…ords he intendeth to kill himselfe In the whole history of the Bible that conâ—…neth the
had commanded Moses to goe toward the sea to lift vp his rod and streich out his hand vpon the sea that a way being opened in the diuided waters Israel might goe thorow he said Behold I will harden the hearts of the Aegyptians that they may follow them and I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his host vpon his Chariots and vp on his Horse-men Then the Aegyptians shal know that I am the Lord when I haue gotten me honour vpon Pharao vpon his Chariots and vpon his Horse-men And how was this honour gotten but by destroying those wicked men for after they were entered in betweene the waâ—…ts at Gods commandement Moses stretched forth his hand vpon the sea and the sea returned to his force early in the â—…ning and the Aegyptians fled against 〈◊〉 but the Lord ouerthrew the Aegyptians in the middest of the sea So the water returned and couered the Chariots and the Horse-men euen all the hoast of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them there reâ—…ained not one of them Heere was honour gotten by the destruction of the Aegyptians But marke how he speakes of it I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his Host. Hee got it they did not giue it him they had no intent to doe him honor and to make his name glorious but he tooke it hee wrought it out for himselfe by his mighty power in their destruction hee made himselfe â—…nowen to be a iust a mighty and vpright God that giueth to euery man according to his workes and respecteth to mans person and is able to bridle tyrants and to cut of the vngodly whatsoeuer they be Thus he glorifieth himselfe by winning the praise of a holy iust and omnipotent God when he cutteth off the wicked and bringeth them down into destruction They that perish had no intent to glorifie him nor may they looke for any thankes or reward in regard of the glory that God hath by them for they neuer studied to yeeld him any such praise he wonne it altogether against their minde and purpose And so in thy case if thou shouldest persist in thy vngodly purpose and shouldest out of thine owne daies by killing thy selfe thy frowardnesse and wickednes should turne to his praise his iustice should appeare to his great glory But to thee no thankes nor reward should be due as if thou haddest intended and laboured to bring glorie to his name for what hast thou doâ—…e that thou canst thinke agreeable to his will and worthy of his acceptation and reward Did he euer giue thee any authority to take away the life of any shew thy commission and warrant from God that thy obedience and care to set vp Gods praise may appeare in thy lawfull and warrantable action Many trespasses of subiects deserue death and it is the Kings honour that wickednesse in his people be punished but is it lawfull presently for a priuate man to kill that trespasser because hee hath iustly deserued death he that doth it without authority and warrant from the King shall hee not bee culpable of murder If authority be giuen thee it is thy praise to doe iustice if thou haue no authority that act of iustice will be thy sinne it will bee iustice to him that is slaine but it will be murder in thee that diddest take away his life So howsoeuer thy sinne doe deserue death yet if thou kill thy selfe without authority and God neuer gaue authority nor wil giue to any to kill himselfe thou sinnest presumptuously and insteede of honouring God doest dishonour him first in committing wickednesse and secondly in preuenting the noble honour of God which he might haue won in forgiuing thy sinne Gods glory is sought and often wrought by aduenturing thy life in his seruice yea by loosing thy life in his seruice this hee often requireth and euer rewardeth Therein a man truely sheweth that he preferreth Gods glory before his owne life Thus the Prophets and Apostles and all holy Martyrs haue glorfied God by aduenturing first and loosing at last their liues in his seruice It is their comfort their glory their saluation so to yeeld vp their liues to the seruice of the giuer of it But Gods glory is not sought nor wrought by them that in their discontent and impatience grudging at the troubles that hee hath laied vpon them and despairing of his helpe to support and deliuer them doe kill themselues because they will not suffer Therein they truely shew themselues enemies of Gods glory grudgers at Gods will preferring euen to the losse of life their owne wil before Gods will their owne vniust will refusing to beare the correction of God before his iust will in correcting them Can there be a more proud a more wilfull a more wicked and obstinat opposition against God then this that a man shall say I wil die before I will indure this at Gods hands and after to doe it because hee may not haue his will against God Neuer any Prophet neuer any Apostle or holy man euer did so There is no comfort nor glory in it but dispaire horror and eternall confusion in it This therfore is a most false and wicked reason Thou shalt truely glorifie God if thou amend thy life thou shalt but dishonour and offend him in ending thy life Thy second reason grounded vpon supposed aduantage is this Thou thinkest that by cutting of thy life thou shalt sinne no more And to cease from sinne thou holdest to bee very pleasing vnto God and so it will proue beneficiall to thee This reason is full of fraude For first where thou thinkest that after death thou shalt sinne no more I deny it to be true in all men otherwise then thus that they can no more sinne after the manner of this world they cannot betweene death and the resurrection giue their members that laie leueles in the graue and turue to dust As weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Ahabs false Prophets being dead can lie vnto him â—…o more Ioab being dead can murder â—…o more the swearer the adultery tho thief being dead can with their tongues blaspheme no more with their hands rob spoile no more nor pollute their members by vncleannesse any more but doth it follow therefore that they sinne no more is not the hatred of God sin impatiency in suffering deserued damnation is it no sinne can any imagine that damned soules haue laied off al maliciousnesse and that those men that while they liued and were called vpon to serue the Lord were allured by many blessings giuen and by promise of many more were threatned with Gods iudgements and felt also some fauourable and easie corrections would yet neuer hearken to the voice of God would neuer loue him neuer feare him neuer cease from sinne neuer regard to amend their waies but continued obstinate and died in their ignorance stubbornnesse malice and all their sinne can any imagine that these assoone as they are
and dangerous Thy third and last reason grounded vpon supposed aduantage is this thou thinkest that thy death shall bring with it an end of all thy troubles of all thy paine and of all thy feare And I verely beleeue that all the former reasons were but idlely pleaded by thee that thou wert nothing at all mooued with them and that thou didst onely alledge them to make shew of doing that with reason for which indeede thou canst haue no reason and this last alleadged reason though as weake as vaine and as deceitfull as all the other was the onely thing that carried thy resolution For all they that resolue vpon such desperate courses doe it out of a conceit to ridde and free themselues from shame and troubles But verily this act if thou shouldest doe it which God defend thee from can not deliuer thee from trouble from danger or from shame It is one of Satans lies as truely as hee tolde our first parents that by breaking Gods commaundement they should be as gods so truely doth he tell thee that by this act which is a manifest and violent breach of Gods commandement thou shalt free thy self from troubles There is not a more readie way to throw thy selfe into endlesse troubles And let vs consider seriously of this point that thou maiest see thy errour There are troubles dangers and shames that belong to this world and to the life of man in this world this world is their proper place and thy life heere is their proper time Some other there are that belong to an other world and to the time that followeth our departure out of this world Hell that receiueth the wicked is their proper place and the time that succeedeth this life their proper time Of the first sort are pouertie and vnexpert losses wearines weaknesse and sickenesse in our bodie disquietnesse in our house slaunders and disgraces banishment imprisonment publique shame displeasure of Princes persecution and such like Of these the Prophet speaketh saying Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all Of the other sort are the worme that dieth not and the fire that neuer goeth out which Esay speaketh of shame and perpetuall contempt which Daniel speaketh of outward darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth which our Sauiour speaketh of euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angells tormenting flame abiection from God the second death and the bottomlesse pit whose smoake ascendeth for euer Of these speaketh Iohn the Euangelist saying Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire The first sort belonging to this life are short tollerable and mixed with many comforts the second sort belonging to the time after this life are eternall intolerable and no comfort is mixed with them not so much as one drop of water to coole the scorched tongue The first sort is common both to good and bad men and may be borne yea ouercome with patience the second sort is prepared onely for the wicked euen for the appointed vessels of wrath and they giue no place to patience And among all these troubles one I finde that seemeth to be common to both these places and that is accusing thoughts thy present burden but with this difference that in this life it is but a matter of feare though a tormenting feare and after this life it is matter of torment euen a most fearefull torment in this life both good and bad are affrighted with this tormenting feare after this life onely the wicked and the reprobate are tormented with this fearefull torment Now from which of these troubles doth death free vs and in what estate doth it leaue vs when it hath freed vs These are materiall considerations for a man in thy condition and therefore hearke diligently that thou maiest not be deceiued in thy account and fall into endlesse and intolerable troubles while thou striuest to free thy selfe from short and easie troubles Death doeth put an end vnto the troubles of this life not because it taketh away troubles but because it taketh away life and with the end of life needes must there be an end of the trouble that is proper to life For death doth not help our paine aâ—… Physician but as an executioner the Physician cureth the griefe and preserueth life the executioner cureth the griefe by taking away the life for by cutting off the head hee frees the patient from euer complaining of the tooth-ach And Imtreate thee to regard this manner of deaths cure If thou wert sicke of the gowt or palsiâ—… or other disease wouldst thou send for the common hangman to cure thee with a sword or with a halter This is not to take away the disease but to assist the disease too weake of it selfe to destroy thee speedily and therefore thou callest for helpe not to assist thee against the disease to ouercome it but to assist the disease against thee to ouercome thee I perswade my selfe thou wouldst not send for the hangman but wouldest send for the Physician to cure thy disease with safety of thy self whose knowledge and fidelitie might oppose against the danger of thy disease and comfort thee to ouercome thy disease and weaken the disease that it might not ouercome thee so deale with thy selfe in the time of thy Spirituall disease Send not for death the hangman death came into the world by the Iustice of God as a punishment of our sinne but send vnto God the Physician that is able to remoue thy disease and preserue thy life God healeth by preseruation not by destruction deaths act in this maner required if it may be called a healing healeth by destruction not by preseruation though I must confesse that with death there comes an end of all present troubles from sence and feeling whereof he is deliuered that is dead But in what case doeth death leaue them that are thus deliuered from present short and sufferable troubles surely it leaueth not all in like case the difference is great betweene the dead When death commeth by the ordinary worke of Gods hand to whom the issues of death belong and the partie that dieth is well prepared by faith in Christ to leaue this world at the will of his GOD that he may be gathered to his Redeemer which is best of all Death leaueth this man in a blessed estate it is the period of his present troubles and then begins his eternall rest Vnto this man death hath left his sting and is made vnto him the way and bridge by which he passeth ouer to enter into true life And this comes to passe not by any secret vertue of death it selfe but by the vertue of the death of Christ making that by his grace to bee our medicine that sinne had made to bee our poison Augustine intreating of
is proued not to be that sinne whereof God neuer giueth repentance and therefore neuer forgiueth it pag. 208. 17 Hence follow obiections made by his troubled minde And first he obiecteth that his sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eie of heauen can se no difference and though his sinne be pardonable yet it is punishable and lesse sinnes then his are punished therefore why not his The seauenteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 225. 18 His second obiection is the iustice of heauen cannot suffer such sinne as his to passe vnpunished and the holines of heauen will not admit such sinners as hee to enter The eighteenth Chapter answereth this obiection And addeth incouragements from the promise of God and commandement of Christ. pag 234 19 His third obiection is against Christs commandement as not pertaining to him he may not aske forgiuenes of sinnes because he cannot call God his father The nineteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag. 247. 20 His fourth obiection is against Gods promise as not pertaining to him because it was Gods couenant with the house of Israell and he is no Israelite neither after the 〈◊〉 or after the promise The twenieth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 264. 21 His fift obiection is notwithstanding Christs commandement to aske and Gods promise to grant forgiuenes yet maâ—…y perish therefore why not he The â—…ne twentieth chapter answereth this obiâ—…ction shewing the conditions of obtaining forgiuenes to be repentant toward God faith in Christ and charitie â—…oward our brethren pag. 275. 22 His sixt obiection is There is in him neither repentance nor faith nor loue The two and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 302. 23 His seuenth obiection iâ—… His heart is euen full of all euill thoughts If they riâ—…e out of his owne heart it is incurably euill â—…f the diuel thrusts them in his heart is irrecouerable in the deuils power The three and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 312. 24 His eight obiection is this The law â—…f God curseth 〈◊〉 hee is a transgressor therefore by the law of God accurâ—…ed the foure and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 330. 25 His ninth obiection is He cannot pray alledgeth many impediments The fiue twentieth chap. answereth this obiection pag. 340. 26 His tenth obiection in an extreame fit of his disease is this He is forsaken oâ—… Gâ—…d hee is a child of perdition and lost and he is a reprobate The six twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 368. 27 His eleuenth obiection is the hâ—…ight of dispaire He saith he must and will diâ—… and must and will be the instrument of his owne death and alledgeth reasons for it some to proue from the iustice of the fact some from the aduentage The seuen and twentieth chapter in answere to the obiection sheweth the foulenes of the fact pag. 421. 28 The eight and twentieth chapter examineth and answereth his reasons both for the supposed iustice for the supposed aduantage of the fact shewing their weakenes and errour pag. 468. 29 Being driuen from his desperate resolution he maketh â—… twelfth obiection from his vnworthines of life and of the comforts of life concluding that hee must and will abstaine from them The nine and twentieth chapter anâ—…wereth thiâ—… obiection pag. 517. 30 A thirâ—…eenth obiection is from the â—…eare of death that either he shall die before this tenâ—…ation be ouercome or that it will be renewed after death as in the proper place for then sinnes are brought to iudgement The thirtieth chapter answereth this obiâ—…ction pag. 533 31 A fourteenth obiection is a matter of discomfort namely that all things that minister delight and comfort to others are vnto him mingled with griefe and feare The one and thirtieth chapter answerâ—…th this obiâ—…ction and conuerteth the precept pag. 559. 32 The two and thirtieth chapter beginneth the promise pronounced in words answer able to his owne presenâ—… estate pag. 569. 33 The three and thirtieth chapter handleth the first part of the promise in these words he will nourish thee pag 578. 24 The fower â—…nd thirtieth chapter beginneth the second part of the promise in these words He will not suffâ—…r â—…he râ—…ghteous to fall for euer Mens falles are here shewed to be either into sinne or into mâ—…serie and this chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they fall into sin to lie in it for euer pag. 35 The fiue and thirtieth chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they are â—…allen into miserie either inward or outward to lie in it for euer pag. 36 The six and thirtieth chapter gathereth the conclusion of all the whole treatise pag. Faults escaped in Printing Pâ—…g 19 line 7 read wight p. 23. l. 13. r. you p. 54. l. 12 for r. 2â—… p. 84. l. 8. â—… their burdeÌ„ p. 88. l. 17. 1. fâ—…r mat man p 89 l. 23 r. bâ—… by the. p. 9â—… l. 5. r. Aramite p. â—…04 l. 12 r no meatâ—… and l 13 〈◊〉 no drinke and l. â—…7 r. â—…rieue p. 105. l. 1â—… r. repentance p 139. l. 8 r trieth p. 141. l. 15. r offices p. 1â—…2 l. 26. r. to 〈◊〉 p. 153 l. 6. foâ—… troubles r. burdens p. 160. l. 25. r. pntâ—…eth p 164 l. 6. r 〈◊〉 p. 172. l. 12. r. muster master p. 1â—…3 l 2. 6 r. louing p 20â—… l 25. for that r. no constancie p. 225. l. 14 r. to shew for p. 2â—…8 l. 13. r. but l. p. 290. l. 1â—… r. budding p. 315. l. 20. r. deriued p. 320. l. 12. r had couered p. 〈◊〉 l. 2â—… â—… scâ—…uethe p 367 l. 13. r. and of thâ—… p 36â—… l 12. â—… thou knowell whereof p. 392 l. 27. r and serue him p 424 l. â—… r dâ—…agon p. 427. l. 2â—… r. in minâ—… hurt p. 428. l. 3. â—… they â—…ocke thâ—…m p. 432. l. 28. r. coniecture vnto me p. 436. l. 8. r. peâ—…secu eth p. 442. l. 23. r. pasâ—…ibus p. 457. l. â—… r. limme p. 465. l. 11. r. arts p. 48â—… l. 20. r. hâ—… receaueth p. 490. l. 11. r. cut of p. 502. l. 16. r. vnexpected p. 527 l. 15. r. idlâ—…e p. 560. l. 13 r. without content Other letterall faults good gentle reader beare withall THE STRONG HELPER PSAL. 5â—… 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer CHAP. 1. THE violence of Saul and â—…nuy of his courtiers had bred vnto Dauid trouble and danger This trouble and danger had affrighted his mind so that trembling feare and horror oppressed his heart as appeareth in the first eight verses of this Psalme His trembling feare and horror made him â—…e vnto God before whom he complaineth of the most perfidious falsehood of his enemies and at the hands of God he craueth in iustice their death and destruction This appeareth in the next seauen verses of the Psalme By this time his mind is somewhat
but thou thy selfe thinkest absurd for others and yet thou thinkest it reason for thy selfe But God himselfe denieth this argumēt to be of any strēgth while he saith or commandeth the prophet in his name to say Say vnto them As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die O yee house of Israel Is not God the Iudge Is it not hee against whom thou saiedst thou hast sinned and deserued death and therefore must die It shall be granted that thou hast sinned It shall be granted that by that sinne thou hast deserued death but where is that must where is that necessity of dying that thou speakest of when God saith it and sweares it by his life who liueth euer that hee desireth not the death of a sinner Thou dreamest of some inexorable seuerity in God and some ineuitable necessity of death in the sinner God saith no to both There is no such seueritie in God Hee is farre from vrging that desires not the death of a sinner And there is no such vnauoidable danger to man while God doth offer him the way of life euen then when he hath by this sinne deserued death saying As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Seest thou not the vanitie of this first Argument where of trueth afforded the premisses for thou hast sinned against god and thy sinne deserueth death But errour danger death and the diuell drew in the conclusion against trueth for there is no necessitie seeing God the Iudge requires no such death As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked and contrary to that conclusion sheweth a way of life to his mind more ag◅eeable to the sinner more safe But that the wicked turne from his way and liue returne this argumēt to the diuel that lent it thee it may be retorted vpon him in full strength For he hath sinned against God and by his sinne deserued death and therefore must die for God desireth the death of wicked angels hauing shut them vp in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the last day and hath not shewed vnto them any way of life But for thy selfe learne to argue better and frame thy argument so that God may allow of it I haue sinned against God therefore I must repent I must turne from my waies vnto God and learne to walke in his waies And againe my sinne hath deserued death therefore I must turne from my waies that I may liue for God hath sworn◅ that he desires not the death of a sinner but that the sinner turne from his wicked way and liue These Conclusions are inferred according to Gods will who desireth both thy conuersion from thy former sinnes and also thy saluation contrary to the merit of thy sinnes saying Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die Oyee house of Israel These conclusions haue holinesse in them agreeable to all the commandements of God whereas thy former conclusions inuite to murder contrarie to GODS commandements and these conclusions containe life and saluation in them according to all the promises of God whereas thy former conclusions containe death and destruction contrarie to his promises If by thy former sinnes thou hast incurred the iust displeasure of God This manner of reasoning that I haue taught thee shews thee how to recouer his loue and liking and if thy former sinnes haue brought thee into the danger of death this maner of reasoning that I haue taught thee shewes thee how to recouer life and saluation Throw therefore thy foolish reason I haue sinned and therefore must die in the face of him that framed it for thee and remember euer that comfortable speech of God As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way liue And frame thy Arguments by the direction of this word I haue sinned against God therefore I must turne from my wicked waies And my sinne against God hath deserued death Therefore I must turne from my wicked waies so shal I liue this māer of arguing being as thou seest agreeable to Gods word is both pleasing vnto God and safe for thy selfe Thy second reason grounded as thou thinkest vpon iustice is this I haue loden and ouer charged the earth with the burden of my sinnes it groneth vnder that burden and can no longer beare it therefore it must bee eased by the remouing of me And forasmuch as I haue beene the man that haue laied this load vpon the earth it is meete I should also be the man to remoue it This latter part of thy reason that thou shouldest be the man to remoue the burden that hast beene the man to lay on the burden I hold to be most reasonable he that did the wrong ought to make the mends But let vs agree of the true burden that hath beene laid on by wrong and must be remoued by right That burden thou speakest of in the first part of thy reason wherein thou arguest thus I haue loaden the earth with the burden of my sinnes which it can no longer beare therefore I must by death be remoued Doest thou not behold and see an error in this arguing yea a wicked and most deceitful fraud of Satan seeking subtilly to destroy thee while in the antecedent of thy argumēt thou speakest of the burden that presseth the earth thou namest thy sins and they indeed make the earth to grone and when thou commest in the conclusion of thy argument to speake of remouing this burden thou ◅aiest nothing of remouing the sinne but speakest altogether of remouing thy selfe thy sinne is the burden and thou concludest not to remoue the sinne but to remoue thy selfe If a man wounded by another and desirous to be healed should apply his meanes to the party that made the wound and not to the wound it selfe doest thou not see that man that made the wound may bee remoued and the wound remaine still as dangerous as it was at the first but if he apply his meanes to the wound that was made the wound shal be healded and so remoued the man that made it remaining still Thy case is altogether like it thou hast giuen the earth a wound by the burden of thy sinnes if the meanes for the easing of the earth be applied not to the sinne to take away it but vnto thee to take away thee thou maiest be remoued but the guiltines of thy sinnes shall remaine vnto iudgement But if meanes be rightly applied to take away the sinne the earth is eased of her burden and thou also remainest in safetie thy argument therefore should be framed thus The earth groneth vnder the burden of my sinnes therefore these sinnes must be remoued Hee
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
offered vnto God for vs is accepted as our righteousnes and the reward of it is giuen vnto vs. His righteousnes is our righteousnes yea hee himselfe is our righteousnes and in him we are righteous not without reference vnto that place of the Prophet Ieremie doeth the Apostle Paul say thus of him You are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption First he is made vnto vs wisdome that is in him and by the knowledge of him wee attaine vnto that wisdome which only is worthy of that name which philosophie and all the religions in the world the Gospell of Iesus Christ excepted could neuer afford vs for this wisdome maketh vs wise vnto saluation secondly he is made vnto vs righteousnes that is by the imputation of his righteousnes vnto vs we are accepted as righteous and holy and are in him righteous and holy Thirdly he is made vnto vs sanctification that is in him and by the vertue of his death and resurreotion we are recouered out of the dominion of sinne and haue power giuen vs to keepe vnder suppresse mortifie our earthly members and carnall lusts and doe euen in this sinfull world make beginning to serue God in holines and righteousnes with sinceritie and truth of heart Lastly he is giuen to be vnto vs redemption that is when we are once made wise by the knowledge of him and are iustified by his imputed righteousnes sanctified by his quickning grace we shall in the end vndoubtedly come to full redemption in heauen by him And by his meanes thou which of thy selfe art an vncleane person such an one as the holines of heauen may iustly denie entrance vnto art made in Iesus Christ a most holy and pure person worthily admitted by the holines of God to enter into glory And this other part of thy feare and so thy whole obiected feare is remoued the iustice of God that will haue sinne punished and the holines of God that will suffer no vncleane thing to stand before him both hauing receiued full satisfaction in the mediation of Iesus Christ Iustice in his death suffred for vs and holines in his perfect obedience and righteousnes imputed vnto vs so free way is made for the mercy of God which thou foolishly callest prodigall mercy For nothing euer was with more wise prouision bestowed to come vnto thee to forgiue thy great and abominable sinnes and to saue a great and an abominable sinner Now therefore fall to praier in the name of so gracious a mediator intreat the most merciful louing God to forgiue thy sins to receiue thee to fauor And for thy incouragement first vnderstand that without exception of any sin whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or aduisedly done the Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen thee leaue yea hee hath commanded thee to craue the forgiunes of thy sins teaching and commanding thee to say vnto God Forgiue vs our sinnes Looke then vpon the sinnes that lye so heauie vpon thy conscience marke thē well and if thou findest them to be thine as i◅ most like thou shalt know that thou hast leaue giuen thee and art also commanded to be a suitor for the forgiuenes of them whatsoeuer they be being sins And consider by whom this leaue and this commandement is giuen thee euen by him that is appointed to be the iudge of quicke and dead who while he giueth thee leaue commandement hath also himselfe drawne the petition for thee by which thou art commanded and permitted to craue the forgiuenes And surely it is a beginning of mercy granted to grant thee leaue and to imbolden thee with a commandement to aske for mercy his rule being Aske and it shall be giuen thee And it is not with out hope yea great hope of forgiuenes of sins when the iudge that hath power to grant it doth both permit thee command thee instruct thee how ◅o craue it This being also on of his rulers in the fore remēbred place Seek ye shall find Secondly to incorage thee further vnderstand that without exception of any sinne whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or advisedly done almighty God against whom thy sinne is commited and whose heauie wrath for thy sinnes thou art so greatly afraid of hath promised both to forgiue and forget thy sins saying I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more And when doeth God giue this promise but when hee maketh a couenant with his people whereby he bindeth himselfe vnto them And what shall we say was not God aduised of his owne meaning and considerate when he made this promise who can say otherwise of the most wise God but that he was aduised Or did he dissemble or promise this fainedly when he had no meaning to performe it who can say otherwise of the God of trueth but that he fully intended to performe his promise or hath hee forgotten now what hee promised then that by this meanes his promise should be as no promise because not remembred to be euer giuen who can imagine this of that God who knew all his owne workes from the beginning to whom all times both past and to come are euer present and of whom the Prophet saith He hath alwaies remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations Looke then againe vpon the sinnes that are so heauie vpon thy conscience and marke them well and if they be thy sinnes which thou canst not denie as the Lord Iesus hath giuen thee leaue by his commandement to aske forgiuenes so God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath promised to grant thee forgiuenes of them Here is a dore of mercy set wide open enter confidently but humbly with thy praier in the name of Iesus the mediator Thou hast the promise of the God of trueth of that God whose word is his deed who saith As I haue spoken so will I bring it to passe And what or whome shouldest thou now be afraid of CHAP. XIX BVT the afflicted sinner that cānot easily cast off this cleauing burden to his owne further trouble obiecteth against the incouragment giuen him from the commandement of the Lord Iesus to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes affirming that that gracious commandement giuing so franke leaue and so large hope of asking and obtaining forgiuenesse neither doth nor can pertaine vnto him pleading against himselfe in this manner This commandement of Christ that giueth leaue to aske and hope to receiue forgiuenesse of sins cannot belong vnto me neither haue I any right to the benefit and aduantage of it because that commandement is giuen to them that can call God their father for so beginneth the Lords praier wherein that commandement is comprehended our father which art in heauen But cannot call God my father neither haue I any
to the outward man and the other is the holy-Ghost who opening the vnderstanding and leading into all truth doth beare witnes to the inward man Now for seed we know that when it is cast into the ground it doeth not presently bring forth ripe fruit nay it doth not presently spring vp and shew it selfe but it resteth for a while in the wombe of the earth hidden from the eyes of men till conuenient time commeth and if any man in the mean time should say I see no fruit aboue the ground therefore there is no seede in the ground hee might be deceiued and the Husbandman and Gardner that had sowne the ground would censure him both of ignorance and boldnesse and time would disprooue him And as for witnesses we know that they do not speake so soone as a man is prouided of thē nor yet so soon as they appeare in publique place but being first prepared and after brought to the place where they should giue testimony they yet stay and keep silence and when the Iudge or Examiner is at leisure then they are called for and speak their knowledge And he that reasons thus there hath yet no witnesse spoken forsuch a mā therfore he hath no witnesse to speake at all for him should shew himselfe a rash man and by the timely voyce of the witnesses would be conuinced Euen so it is too much rashnesse in thee to say that because thou yet hearrest not the testimonie of the Holie-Ghost in thy heart witnessing with thy spirit that thou art the child of God therefore there is no such witnesse at al to speake when God shall appoint And because thou yet seest not the fruits of the spirit in the actions of thy life that therefore there is in thee no seed of the Spirit that may bring forth these fruits in due time Learne to haue patience wait vpon the good pleasure of God in time thou shalt see a blessed chāge heare that testimonie which yet thou hearest not and see those fruits of the Spirit which yet thou seest not And if it were as thou speakest that thou hadst not at all the Spirite as seed lying in secret and attending the time of Spring or as a witnesse prepared to speake when God shal call him fo◅th to giue his testimonie yet the Spirit that is not receiued may be receiued and shall be giuen thee if thou pray vnto God for it We know the words of the Lord Iesus Christ in the Gospel If you which are euill can giue good gifts to your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy-Ghost to them that desire him So that if there be in thee a true desire to obtaine the holy-Ghost aske and it shall be giuen thee for the Lord is more ready to giue then thou canst be to aske All that matter therefore of thy feare for that commandement of Christ that giueth leaue to ask and hope to obtaine forgiuenesse of sins that it should not belong to thee because it must be asked of them that haue God for their Father and thou thinkest him not to be thy Father because thou doest neither resemble him as yet either in the verues of thy mind or actions of thy life and thou hast not the spirit of adoption by which thou maiest cry Abba Father for thou neither seest the fruits nor feelest the testimonies of that spirit all this matter of thy feare is vaine That commandement of Christ belongeth to thee God is thy Father thou oughtest to pray vnto him for forgiuenesse thou maiest pray vnto him for forgiuenesse and if thou pray thou shalt obtaine forgiuenesse Pray therefore as Christ hath commanded thee and the obseruation of his order shall prooue thine ease CHAP. XX. OVr afflicted sinner was incouraged to pray and to hope for forgiuenesse of his sinnes not onely by the commandement of Iesus Christ which giueth leaue and hope but also and more strongly by the promise of God assuring in plaine words that it shall bee granted to him I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more But the nature of his temptation suffering no comfort to enter and abide with him armeth him with an obiection against that incouragement in this manner I know that God hath made such a liberall promise I know that he made it aduisedly vnderstanding himselfe what he promised that hee made it in truth meaning to performe faithfully as much as hee promised and that he remembers his promise for euer for time can not worke forgetfulnesse in him nor any shadow of alteration and therefore it shall be most truely and fully performed But it pertaineth not to mee for any aduantage and benefit of mine for the Prophet telleth vs it is a couenant made with the house of Israel for these are his words This shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord. But I am no Israelite howsoeuer you shall take the name for if you vnderstand it in the naturall signification for the children of Iacob in the twelue Tribes of Israel I am not of that kinred I am of the Gentiles And if I were naturally of the seed of Israel yet might I very well loose all lawfull challenge to that promise because Saint Paul saith All they are not Israel which are of Israel But if you take the name in the spiritual signification for a child of promise an heire of grace and a preuailer with God and in that sence was it first giuen to Iacob when he wrestled with the Angell and preuailed not letting him goe vntill hee had blessed him in this signification It doth yet much lesse agree to mee that am rather an Egyptian a Cananite an Edomite and an enimie of God rather then a preuailer with him I neuer wrestled with God by faith and praier as Iacob to preuaile with him but rather I haue wrestled with God by pride and malice as a professed aduersarie I haue bidden defiance to God in the contempt of my proud heart I haue made fierce war against God in my many sinnes striuing to preuaile against him neuer desiring to preuaile with him and thence is it that now in iustice and power hee beareth himselfe so strongly against me Therefore being no way an Israelite and that couenant wherein God promiseth to forgiue and forget sinnes being made with the house of Israel what claime can I make to that promise euen none at all The nature of this disease is very strange that turneth into poison what soeuer is applyed to it by way of medicine or at least way striueth to extinguish all the vertue of those medicines least it might bee cured But this must moue vs to haue the more compassion and to take the more paine to see if God at the last will send comfort and sauing health Thou thinkest that this promise of forgiuing and forgetting sinnes doeth
God should forgiue vnto thee thy wrongs done against his diuine maiestie But in the fourth place marke well this let it enter into thy froward heart if thy peace were presently setled and thou hadst receiued from God as cleare and as assured discharge of all thy sinnes as Dauid had when Nathan said vnto him from God The Lord hath done away thy sinne thou shalt not die Crueltie against thy brother reuoketh Gods promise which hath euer included in it this condition of shewing mercy to thy brother and forgiuing him It is a true saying of Saint Augustin Redeunt dimissa peccata vbi fraterna charitas non est The sinnes forgiuen returne againe where there is no brotherly charitie And this is plaine in the parable of the king and his seruant that ought him ten thousand talents the king being humbly intreated forgaue him the debt that is promised to forgiue it him this seruant went forth and met with a fellow seruant that owed him an hundred pence and cruelly hee cast him into prison which when the king heard of hee was highly displeased and calling this vnmercifull seruant before him hee said vnto him O euill seruant I forgaue the◅ all that debt because thou praiedst mee oughtst not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had pitie on thee So his master was wroth and deliuered him to the gailer till he should pay all that was due to him His vnmercifull dealing with his follow to whom he would not forgiue small offences reuoked the liberall promise of Gods most large mercy for the forgiuenes of his many and grieuous sinnes therefore suppresse all frowardnes of thy swelling heart and after the councell of Salomon say not I will do to him as he hath done to me I will recompence euery man according to his worke But be curteous mercifull and tender-hearted forgiuing thy brother and so God will gratiously forgiue thee There is a third condition to bee obserued of them that thinke to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and that concerneth more directly God and his glory and praise namely faith in God faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God That is firmely to hold perswasion of the mercy of God that it reacheth to the forgiuenes of sinne without exception of any sinne or any sinner as if for sinne there were any greater then his mercy and therefore such as hee neither would nor could forgiue and for the person that there were any so farre out of fauour that vpon his repentance God would not could not be mercifull vnto him the Prophet Micah saying of God for his mercy in this point Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion on vs. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea And firmely to hold perswasion of the merit and vertue of the death and bloud sheding of the Lord Iesus Christ that it is effectuall to take away the sinne of the world as Iohn Baptist saith of him Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Without exception of any sinne or of any sinner as if for the sinne there were any so grieuous that the bloud of Iesus Christ were not able to wash out the staines thereof and for the sinner that there were any so wicked that the sacrifice of the sonne of God were not sufficient to make attonement with God for him the Euangelist Iohn concerning sinne saying The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Apostle to the Hebrewes concerning sinners saying He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession to God for them This is faith in God to hold this intire perswasion of the mercy of God without making exception which none can iustly make and this is faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God to hold this intire parswasion of the merit of his precious bloud and bitter passion without making exception which none can truely make And this intire perswassion without exception includeth particular application for he that excepteth no sinne excepteth not his owne sinne a◅d he that excepteth no sinner excepteth not himselfe Of the vertue of this faith to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and all other graces at the mercifull hand of God for the merit and by the vertue of Iesus Christ the mediator these and many other places of Scripture doe speake fully and plainely Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in praier if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And in another place If thou beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth These things are spoken by the Lord Iesus himselfe And Saint Paul saith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued It may bee the remembrance of this third condition breedeth some discomfort vnto thee as threatning vnto thee no forgiuenes because thou thinkest that thou hast no faith thou thinkest that thou hast it neither in possession nor in power whether thou haue faith in possession or no it may be a questiō because thou maist haue it without presēt feeling of it And sure if euer thou hadst it thou hast it still For as the Apostle Iude saith The faith is once giuen to the saints Faith hath his summerly beautie and winterly barrennesse it admitteth increase decrease but as the tree liueth in the winter though it be bare and when colde stormes are past sheweth his life by building in the spring so faith p◅ncht and benummed with the ◅ipping colde of frostie temptations assoone as it pleaseth God to send ease of trouble sheweth it selfe by reioycing and praising God as it were in a spring and then manifestly declareth the continuance of his being when yet it could not be discerned But if thou be indeed without it it is out of question that thou hast no power to command it it is not a matter of that facilitie to beleeue in God vnto saluation that some doe account it who vse to say they can beleeue what they list For to command silence to accusing thoughts and to stop the mouth of Sathan that accuseth thee of thy sinne and to suppresse the sentence of Gods law that condemneth thee for sin and to binde the hands of Gods iustice that is readie to doe execution vpon thee for sinne and to quiet a conscience disturbed and s◅t on fire with the feare of deserued wrath and condemnation and to beleeue in God vnto saluation is to doe all this is a worke of greater difficultie then hee vnderstandeth that saith he can beleeue what he list Credulitie to thinke this or that to be true because some bodie tels vs so or because we haue reade it or because
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
drawen him out of the loynes and wombe of beleeuing parents that inherited the couenant to the benefit of themselues and of their seede after them in their generations for euer That God admitted him from his very birth into the fellowship of the Saints marked yea sealed him for his owne by the water of Baptisme sprinckled vpon him in the name of the holy Trinitie as one adopted by God the father redeemed by God the sonne and from that time sealed vp vnto the day of full redemption by God the Holy Ghost He shall find that God hath brought him vp in the bosome of his Church the Schole of eternall life and in this Schole hath taught him to know God and himselfe God his creator himselfe the worke of Gods hands God his sauiour in Christ and himselfe one of his saued people He shall find that God hath put vpon him the name of his holy Sonne from the glorious title of the Messiah which is by interpretation the Christ hath graced him with the title of a Christian as a member and follower of that Christ. Yea â—…e shall find God out of his free loue â—…ath giuen vnto him his onely begotten sonne that the obedience of Iesus Christ might be this sinners righteousnes that the suffrings of Iesus Christ might bee this sinners ransome and that the conquest wonne by Iesus Christ might bee vnto this sinner a rich inheritance that so Iesus Christ might be vnto this sinner wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption and that the sinner in Iesus Christ might bee wise vnto saluation righteous by imputation sanctified by regeneration and fully redeemed to inherit saluation He shall find himselfe to be now no more a stranger and forenner but a citizen with the Saints and of the houshold of God He shall find forgiuenes of sinnes peace with God and hope of euerlasting saluation This is the condition of euery seruant of God in Iesus Christ. And herein he hath cause to looke vp to lift vp his head with comfort and ioy He that in himselfe is a lost sinner is in Iesus Christ a saued Saint But thou saiest also that thou art a reprobate and a viler sinner then many reprobates This latter speech namely that thou art a viler sinner then many reprobates may be pronounced beleeued and graunted But the first speech namely that thou art a reprobate is neither to bee pronounced by thee nor granted by me nor beleeued by any The name of a reprobate is to be vnderstood with reference not vnto our naturall corruption which makes vs all children of wrath and worthy of reprobation but rather vnto the eternall and secret counsell vnto the iust and holie purpose of God And therefore the name signifieth not euery man that is a most vile sinner but him that is ordained by God from euerlasting to perish iustly in and for his sinne that God by declaring in him his power and his iustice may be glorified in the worke of his owne hands as of right belongeth â—…o him This description of a reprobate 〈◊〉 to bee prooued out of the words of â—… Paul saying What and if God would to 〈◊〉 his wrath and to make his power â—…ne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The â—…en for their reprobation are called vessels of wrath their reprobation is shewed when it is said of them that they are prepared to destruction the end of their reprobation is signified to bee the glorie of God in the declaration of his iustice and power when hee is said to suffer them with long patience that when their ripe wickednesse calleth for vengance hee might shew in them his wrath power where by Gods wrath we are not to vnderstand any disturbed or disturbing passion as that which we call wrath in man but the holy and seâ—…ere execution of his iustice vppon sinners without respect of persons to declare his dislike of the sinne that he doth punish This is it that the Scripture calleth his wrath euen his holie euen and most vpright and vnpartiall iustice and for the manifestation of this his Iustice and power that for it he may be honored among his creatures hee doth indure these reprobates sometime long in their sinnes and in the end doth destroy them as hee had from euerlasting determined And that it doth of right belong vnto God and that he may glorifie his owne name by manifestation of his iustice and power and may appoint aforehaâ—…d so to doe the whole question in those words of the Apostle aboue alledged and the whole discourse of the Apostle in that place doe plainly prooue it For as the Potter hath power of his clay out of the same lump to take one peece to make a vessell for honourable seruice another peece to make a vessel for baser seruice the seruice of both being necessarie So God that is the Potter and fashioner of mankinde hath full power ouâ—… of the same lump of humane flesh made in the creation of Adam and multiplied by the gift and power of procreation to take one peece and thereof to make a vessell of meâ—…cie prepared vnto glory and to take an other peece and thereof to make a vessell of wrath prepared to destruction both these seruices of the glory of the one and the destruction of the other being necessary and furthering to one holy end which is the honour of God in and among his creatures Thus you heare what it is to be a reprobate the name not hauing reference to our originall sinfulnes which maketh vs all by nature children of wrath but to the purpose of almighty God seeking iustly his owne honour and glory by and in his owne creature How then can this afflicted sinner pronounce himselfe a reprobate seeing the truth of that name â—…ightly vnderstood dependeth not vpon the knowne sinne of man but vpon the vnknowne and secret purpose of God Sure that speech is a presuming speech wherewith he greatly wrongeth himselfe and which in humility and reuerence to God he must reuoke If the sinner for maintenance of that first bold and desperate speech shall further add and say I see in my selfe all â—…gnes of reprobation and therefore not presumptuously but iudiciously that â—…s from ground of reason I pronounce my selfe to bee a reprobate For first I 〈◊〉 a slauâ—…o sinne I am wholly subiect to the dominion of it it raigneth in my mortall body And I finde no resisting grace against it in my immortall soule Secondly the wrath of God lieth heauy vpon mee I am already vnder execution the worme that neuer dieth beginneth already to liue and sting most horribly in my conscience And what maketh or manifesteth a reprobate but these two his owne sinne deseruing destruction and Gods wrath working destruction And to manifest mee to be a reprobate I haue prowdly committed sinne against God and hee hath iustly powred out wrath vpon me I haue reason therefore to pronounce
my selfe a reprobate This bolde and desperate reason to maintaine his former bold and desperat assertion plainely be wrayes the nature of this temptation and burden of accusing thoughts and terror of conscience it ceaseth not to accuse and to inforce those accusations that it prefers it wresteth all things for euidence to increase feare The things that he hath now last spoken may be granted him to be true that sin hath hitherto raignoâ—… too powerfully in him and that he hath sinned against God most grieuously and that the wrath of God is fallen vpon him for that sinne But the collection that â—…ee maketh and inferreth hereupon as that therefore he is a reprobate these being signes euidences of reprobation that must not be granted vnto him His argument as weake and of no good consequence must be denied For first sin euen powerfully reigâ—…ing is no signe of reprobation though euery child of man that is a reprobate and that is appointed to destruction doth afterward by his sinne deserue his reprobation and destruction yet euery man whose sinne deserueth reprobation and destruction is not a reprobate and appointed to destruction When thou â—…eest a man to wallow in sinne thou maist be bold to pronounce him a wicked man and of a wicked heart for his wicked sinne wherein he liueth with delight prooueth so much But thou maiest not therefore pronounce him a reprobate for God may giue him repentance and vppon repentance forgiue his sinne And what God will doe to him thou canst not tell and thou hast more cause to hope of Gods mercie then pronounce of his iustice so long as this sinner liueth in the Church and vnder the ministry of the Gospel where God doth allow the meanes of repentance and maketh daily offer of forgiuenesse of sinnes God calleth some in their youth and some in their age as the housholder hired laborers to worke in his vineyard some in the morning and beginning of the day some at the eleuenth houre when the Sunne was ready to set Therefore whereas before in his obiection hee had said that hee was a viler sinner then many reprobates that was granted to be true and hee may be so and yet no reprobate For oft-times the elect of God doe sinne more grieuously to the iudgement of man then thereprobate doe and after obtaine repentance which the reprobate doe not To this end let vs compare together the sinnes of an elect child and of a reprobate as the Scripture giues testimony of them Saul was a reprobate his end proued him so to bee Dauid was one of Gods elect for the holy Ghost testifieth that he was a man after the heart of God Looke into the sinnes of their liues and it will appeare vnto our eies that Dauids sinnes were more vile then Sauls Saul was commanded to stay the Amalechites and to destroy them vtterly both man and beast in the execution of this iudgement of God contrary to the commandement giuen him he saued aliue Agâ—…g the King of the Amalechites and the best of their kine and sheepe and brought them home as a pray into the land of Israel For the extenuating of this disobedience how many excuses reasonable in our eies might be alledged First for the sparing of Agags life it may be pleaded Agag was a man and it was humanity to saue a mans life and being an enemy it was noble mercy to saue an enemy the cowardly and tiâ—…erous heart neuer doe so and being a King it was royall mercy to saue him if he did it in reuerence to royall Maiesty If he did out of politike respect either to teach his owne subiects euer to reuerence the person of a King or to inrich himself and his kingdome with the ransome of a King it was a point of commendable wisdome Then for the sparing of the fat cattell it might bee said would you haue had him make war with flockes of sheepe and heards of kine That had been rather to play the part of a mad man then of a noble warriour And if they must be slaine was it not better to kill them some to day and some to morrow so as they might be meate for the people of God then to kill them at once and so to leaue their carkases to rot and stinke aboue the ground and to be meate for dogs and for the fowles of Heauen And was there not many a poore man in Israel that was not worth a Cow and many a poore Widdow in Israel that was not worth a sheepe that might be inriched at least releeued with this pray Further was it not meete that God who had giuen them a notable victory against their enemies should be remembred with sacrifices of praise And this pray would plentifully serue for that holy seruice so that the Altars of God might smoke with burnt offerings and yet the people of Israel not be impouerished or in any measure burdened with the charge These and such other excuses in the iudgement of man reasonable though against an expresse commandement of God nothing worth might be alledged to extenuate the â—…ault of Saul Let vs now heare the recorded sinne of Dauid and consider if any such reasonable excuse may be made to extenuate it and whether his or Sauls will appeare vnto vs to be the viler sinne Dauid rose vp from his bed of sloth whereon he had slept in the heat of the day and walking on the roofe of his Palace from thence hee saw a faire woman washing hirselfe in a Garden Lust that commonly accompanieth sloth seazed vpon his heart and hee began to desire that womans company And inquiring of hir he learned that she was the wife of Vriâ—… a valiant seruant of his that was now abroad in battell in the seruice of Dauid against the Ammonites To hir he sendeth the messengers of his lust she commeth vnto him and notwithstanding Gods commandement whereof Dauid was not ignorant thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife hee did couet hir And notwithstanding the commandement which also he well knew Thou shalt not commit adultery hee committed adultery and did lie with hir Shee conceiued by him in her husbands absence shee sends him word of it Now Dauid fearing the publike reproch among men that might light vpon him for this soule fact studieth how to couer it and sendeth to the Campe for Vriah entertaineth him kindly all the day and sendeth him away at night hoping that hee would goe home to his owne house and lie with his wife and so couer the fault that Dauid had made But Vriah hauing taken leaue of the King went not home but like a souldier takes vp his lodging among the Kings Guard and visits not his wife The King hearing this in the morning staies him also that day and makes him drunke at supper hoping that being heated with wine hee would desire to goe home to his wife but hee againe takes vp his lodging where he did
the night before Then Dauid seeing that this deuice would not helpe him resolued vpon a more wicked and cruell course and sends Vriah to the Campe and writes by him to Ioab the Generall that hee should place Uriah in the forefront of the battell and in the time of danger should with-draw all helpe from him and leaue him alone in the middest of the enemies that he might be smitten and die by their hands And this commandement was by Ioab fulfilled at the next assault made vpon the City Rabbah Vriah was there slaine Then was his wife a widdow and free from all men and Dauid takes her home to him and shee became his wife And thus he couered the shame of his first sinne with a second as bad if not much worse And what honest man that knoweth how he ought to keepe his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God can frame any reasonable excuse for his adultery And what sober man that hath learned to walke honestly as in the day time not in surfeting and drunkennesse can excuse his fact in making Uriah drunke and what charitable man that tendereth the life of his neighbour and knowes Gods ordinance that he that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed can by any good words extenuate the sinne of his rraiterous murder It may be that wantons that riotous persons and bloudy-minded-mercilesse men will say it was brauely done but no man of continency of temperancy and of charity can excuse him Surely the sinne of Saul and Dauid compared together it appeareth to vs that Dauid sinned more vilely then Saul in the act of their disobedience howsoeuer for the heart yeelding to sin much may be said for Dauid that cannot be said for Saul Which difference of their hearts appeared presently when they were put in mind of their disobedience by the Prophets Samuel and Nathan For when Saul was challenged by these words of Samuel Wherefore hast thou not obe◅ed the voice of the Lord but hast turned to the pray and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord He denied the fact maintained his deniall with argument and lastly being inforced to confesse himselfe a transgressour yet hee did it faintly and neuer repented But assoone as Nathan had said vnto Dauid Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to doe euill in his sight thou hast killed Variah the Hittite with the sword hast taken his wife to be thy wife and hast slaine him with the sword of the childrē of Ammon He confessed it freely grew into displeasure with himselfe for it and heartily repented making his humble praier vnto God for forgiuenes thereupon penned the one fiftieth Psalme in testimonie of his repentance his heart was not so wicked as was the heart of Saul but in the outward face his sinne to the eies of the world was more vile then the sinne of Saul Shall Dauid therefore say I am a reprobate for I haue sinned more vilely then Saul that was a reprobate this were first to step too presumptuously into to the throne of Gods iudgement Secondly it were to be vnthankfull vnto God for that faithfull and most constant loue of his that euen with such sinnes was not extingushed Thirdly it were to be vnkind and iniurious to his owne soule denying vnto himselfe the hope comfort that he might and ought to seeke in the infinite mercy of God therefore though our afflicted sinner haue sinned more vilely then many reprobates it followeth not that hee himselfe must therefore be a reprobate and though they that be reprobates doe by their sinnes after committed deserue the damnation whereunto by the decree of reprobation they are appointed yet hee and others committing sinnes worthy of condemnation are not therefore to be iudged reprobates and his sinne though grieuous as he affirmeth it truely to be is no signe nor euidence of reprobation Secondly hee alledgeth the wrath of God now heauie vpon him for his sinne to be another euidence of his reprobation which likewise must not be granted For if this should bee a true rule that wheresoeuer Gods iust wrath falleth vpon men for their sins they vpon whom this wrath falleth should be reprobates then would these great absurdities follow First that all that suffer with Christ in this world should be reprobates For there is no calamitie that falleth vpon men in bearing whereof they become sufferers but it falleth vpon them for their sinnes And the calamitie so falling is a stroke of Gods wrath For the first thing that the calamities that make vs sufferers fall vpon vs for our sinnes the words of Ieremie are plain saying Wherfore is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sin we suffer no calamitie but our sinnes deseruing more hath brought that vpon vs. And for the second thing that the same calamitie comming vpon vs for our sinnes is a stroke of the wrath of God that is of his holines abhorring sin of his iustice correcting for sin appears by the words of the Prophet Micha speaking thus of God Hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea That is for a while he punisheth in wrath the sinnes of his people and after some short affliction indured he forgiueth their sinnes and receiueth them againe into fauour In that saying of the Prophet the worke of God in laying calamitie vpon his seruants for their sinnes is called his wrath So that all the euils that fall vpon men which suffer with Christ in this world come vpon them for their sinnes and are the stroke of Gods wrath against sinne not to destroy but to correct therefore if it were a true rule which our afflicted sinner speaketh that where Gods wrath falleth vpon men for their sinnes that wrath should be an euidence of the reprobation of the person vpon which it is fallen then those men which suffer with Christ in this world should bee reprobates which is most absurd and vntrue for that suffering is rather an euidence of their election vnto saluation because it is written It is a true saying for if we be dead with Christ wee shall liue with him if we suffer wee shall also raigne with him But no reprobate shall reigne with Christ that is the blessed prefermēt of them onely that are the elect of God Secondly if all that beare the wrath of God for sinne were reprobates and that wrath an euidence of their reprobation then this absurditie would follow that God should neuer bee displeased with his elect whatsoeuer they doe should neuer lay any iudgement vpon them that might be interpreted to be an euidence of his wrath and iust displeasure against their sinnes Whereas the contrary is most
is vnwise that cannot he is vniust that will not discerne betweene the man that sinned and the sinne by him committed It is a true saying of Saint Gregorie Man is the worke of God sinne is the worke of man let vs therefore discerne what God hath made and what man hath done and neither for the error that man committed let vs hate man whom God made nor for the man that is Gods worke loue the sinne that man hath committed According to this rule discerne betweene thy selfe that art the worke of Gods hands and thy sinne that is the fruite of thine owne inuention I hope thou wilt not say that the worke of Gods hands is a burden to the earth and for the ease of the earth must be remoued then thou as thou art a man and a liuing creature of Gods making art not the earthes burden neither is it the remedie to take the man away But the sinne that thou hast committed is the burden of the earth and the remedie of this euill is to take the sinne away which is done on thy pâ—…rt by repentance by ceasing from sin and by working righteousnes as Esaieâ—…eacheth â—…eacheth saying in the person of God to the people of Israel take away the â—…il of your workes from before mine eies â—…ase to doe euill learne to doe well Then on the part of the sinner is his sinne remoued when hee repenteth him of his sinne ceaseth to doe euill and sets his heart to worke righteousnes And one Gods part our sin is taken away by forgiuenes which alwaies accompanieth mans true repentance as Ezakiel teacheth vs saying if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die all his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not bee mentioned vnto him c. Sinne is remoued on mans part by repentance on Gods part by forgiuenes and thy sin not thy person being the burden of the earth if thou wilt dâ—…e a worke of iustice and ease the earth of the burden vnder which she groneth by remouing the same then remoue the sinne wherewith thou hast oppressed her and let thy selfe alone repent of thy sinnes past amend thy way for the time to come and thy sin is done away So saith Saint Peter Amend your liâ—…es and turne that your sinnes may be put away Amend therefore the first speech iâ—… this second reason frame the argumeÌ„t thus I haue loden and ouercharged the earth with the burden of my sinnes it groneth vnder that burden can no longer beare it therefore it must be eased by the remouing of my sins then ad on Gods name the second part of thy speech in that reason say Forasmuch as I haue beene the man that haue laide this load vpon the earth it is meete I should also be the man to remoue it now become as resolute to ease the earth of the true load which is thy sin as before thou didst professe to bee in remouing thy selfe which art not the load And as for the conceit which thou didst infold in this reason or infer vpon this reason that seeing thou hadst oppressed the earth with thy sinnes and wert vnworthy to liue any longer in the earth which is but the place of mortall life it should be folly madnes in thee yea shamelesse presumption euen to thinke to liue in heauen which is the place of euerlasting life Indeed he that 〈◊〉 vnworthy of mortall life of a place on earth is much more vnworthy of immortall life and a place in heauen But let this thought vanish together with the â—…raudulent reason For he that is worthy of neither may by the fauour of God inioy both Iacob confesseth himselfe vnworthy of all Gods blessings saying I am not worthy of the least of all the mercy and all the trueth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant Hee confesseth his vnworthines yet confesseth with all that God shewed him that mercy and trueth that he held himselfe so vnworthy of and vnto this vnworthy man so considering himselfe did God make promise of his free fauor in these words I will not forsake thee vntill I haue performed that that I haue promised thee So that it is not the worthines of the receiuer but the promise of God that hee respecteth in shewing mercy and bestowing his blessings And if thou wilt take order by repentance as hath beene taught thee to remoue the burden of thy sinnes wherewith all thou hast oppressed the earth thy vnworthines with thy sinnes shall be done away and after the daies of thy mortall life on earth finished thou shalt inioy immortalitie with God in the kingdome of heauen The third reason perswading this cruell act as a worke of iustice is this My life is lothsome both to heauen and earth in heauen to God his Angels in earth to the Church and her children and therefore it must not to bee continued This is not a new reason but the first inlarged with addition of the names of the Angels in heauen of the Church and her children on earth For in the first thou didst affirme that thou â—…adst offended God that is made thy life to be loathsome in his sight And now thou adâ—…est further mention of his Angels aâ—…oue and Saints beneath thou hast also â—…en offence vnto them indeed vpon â—…e loue and hatred of God dependeth â—…e loue and hatred of all his seruants in â—…auen and earth If by thy wickednes â—…ou make thy life loathsome to God â—…ou makest it also loathsome to them â—…d if againe by repentance thou make 〈◊〉 life pleasing to God thou makest iâ—…â—…o pleasing to men For as Salomonâ—…ith â—…ith When the waies of a man please the lord he will make also his enemies to be at â—…ace with him So that if thou repent â—…ee of thy former lewd life if thou cease to doe euill learne to doe well â—…ou hast reconciled thy selfe to God â—…d he will make all his creatures to be â—…iendes with thee euen them which â—…ere most offended before and for â—…ine owne good consider what it is that â—…th made thy life so loath some to heaâ—…n and earth to God to his Angels to â—…e Church and to the children of it is it â—…ot thy sinne is it any thing but thy â—…ne then if thou wilt be carefull as thou hast beene taught to put away sinne by repentance all the offence is remoued heauen doeth no longer hate thee and the earth hath not cause any longer to be an enemie vnto thee what they loathed before is now done away and that succedeth in place which they haue cause to loue and doe loue That the offence which God tooke is done away by thy repentance appeareth by that which is said in the Gospell Ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that converteth
more then for ninetie and nine iust men that neede no amendment of life And when he saith there shall be ioy in heauen he doeth not exclude the God of heauen for what ioy can be in heauen and among the cratures of heauen if the God of heauen remaine displeased therfore thy repentance remoueth all cause of loathing from God and receiueth therein all content and in particular it giueth content to the Angels of heauen All cause of loathing offence is taken from them and in place thereof they reioice and are glad for thy conuersion It is said in the same place of the Gospel Likewise I said vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth See how thy conuersion altereth the case thy sinne maketh the Angels to loath thee as a filthy and abominable creature thou art no sooner conuerted and changed by thy repentance but they which loathed thee before doe now loue thee they which held the abomminable before doe now esteeme thee as honorable What neede is here of taking away of life to take away and remoue the offence of the Angels repent and it is done amend thy â—…se and thou hast their loue and as thy â—…epentance recouereth loue and grace iâ—… heauen so doeth it in the earth in the Church and among her children What else is the Church but the number of them that by the calling of God are turâ—…ed from their wickednes and infidelitie And can the Church hate the children that by repentance and regeneration are borne againe vnto her the Church inuiteth and calleth to repentance saying Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Lacob and he will teach vs his â—…ies and we will walke in his pathes The Church altogether calleth to repeÌ„tance the watchmen and pastors in the Church lift vp their voice as a trumpet and reproue the sinne of the people and teach them the way and will of God and call by doctrine the people and flocke set vp the example of their life according to the commandement of our Sauiour Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen And they call by example all that are truly turned vnto God doe desire that all other may truely turne to God And how then can it he if thou repent thee of thy sinne and turne to the Lord in amendment of life but that the Church and her children that lothed thee before should now loue thee and what is then become of this great and fearefull obiection what neede haue we of killing and murdering the sinner mortifie thy earthly members war against thy fleshly lusts cease from thy sinne and doe that which is right in the sight of God and these reasons that seemed iniustice to vrge a necessity of thy death are vanished away And thou maiest liue to glorifie God and finishing thy daies on earth with comfort and maiest and shalt liue hereâ—…fter in heauen Al which is ouerthrown with thy wicked resolution Besides these reasons that seemed to proue it a matter of iustice when yet â—…othing can bee deuised more vniust â—…ou hast other reasons that seeme to â—…ooue it a matter of aduantage when â—…deed it were the greatest of all losses 〈◊〉 can hoppen vnto thee First thou â—…kest by doing execution vpon thy 〈◊〉 that thou shalt glorifie God in thy â—…th whom thou neuer haddest care to â—…lorifie all the daies of thy life and this cannot but turne to thy aduantage to 〈◊〉 found so zealous of Gods glory that 〈◊〉 art willing to furder it with the 〈◊〉 of thy life Secondly thou thinkest 〈◊〉 by cutting of thine owne life thou 〈◊〉 then cease to sinne which during 〈◊〉 life thou hast not done but hast continued to multiply iniquity euery day And indeed he that is dead is freed from â—…ning after the manner of the liuing â—…or when Achan was stoned hee could â—…eale no more When Zimri was thrust â—…orow the body by Phinâ—…as hee could commit fornication no more When Achitophel had hanged himselfe and Ioab had smitten Absolom they could conspire in treason no more And this cannot but turne to thy aduantage that thou shalt no more sinne against God Thirdly thou thinkest that thy death shall 〈◊〉 with it an end of all thy troubles of all thy paine of all thy feare and indeed it bringeth with it an end of all the momentary troubles of this life both past present and to come Famine hauing once killed the famished shall hunger no more the sword hauing once slaine the dead shal neuer feare wounds any more If sicknesse haue deuoured and brought to the graue the consumed parts shall grone and languish no more The fire the water the prison the racke the tyrant the hang-man can torment and kil no more And in one word death deliuereth from all the labours troubles dangers and euils of this life if there be not other troubles and euils of another world it freeth from all and this thou esteemest so great an aduantage as that euen the most fearefull should for it desire seeke and imbrace death These reasons also let vs examine that thou maiest not bee deceiued and perish The first reason seeming to proue it a â—…atter of aduantage is this thou thinkest by doing this execution that thou â—…alt glorifie God by thy death whom thou hast had no care to glorifie all the daies of thy life And some beneficiall reward must needs be due vnto thee for so great care of glorifying God I might wonder iustly to heare this reason come from thee for they which intend to doe 〈◊〉 such thing vnto themselues haue little care or thought of Gods glory and I am sure they haue no rule for it that by destroying themselues they do gloryfie God and may thinke that God would haue them by any such course seeke to glorifie him This was a tricke of the prince of darknesse cunningly â—…ut vpon thee who turning his selfe into an Angell of light when he goeth about both to destroy thee and to dishonour God by this vngodly fact would make thee beleeue that it were a holy and vertuous action seruing greatly to the glory of God And with this cunning the subtill Serpent hath preuailed too far with many weake ones God deliuer thee from him Indeed God is honoured greatly by the destruction of the wicked as he saith to Moses When the children of Israel going out of Aegypt were directed to goe by the way of the Red-sea through the Wildernesse Pharao will say of the children of Israel they are tangled in the land the Wildernesse hath shut them in and I will harden Pharaos heart that hee shall follow after you So I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his host And after when Pharao with his host was come forth after Israel and God
pleasures also And where did death leaue him in Hell in what estate there in torments with what hope of helpe he had liberty to crie and call but there was no reliefe and it seemeth the man vnderstood and feared so much and therefore in his request he was very moderate if I may call it moderation which was rather the faint request of a despairing heart for hee desired not to be taken out of Hel to be placed in Heauen where Lazarus was he desired not to bee quitted wholy of his torments and to possesse the ioyes of Paradice he knew it was in vain to hope for or craue any such thing And therefore like a saint-harted fearing doubting and despairing creature hee begged a drop of colde water a thing of nothing soone dried vp in the heat of that Fornace of fire where he fried In the measure of his request hee shewed the measure of his hope hee craues a thing of nothing as knowing that nothing was to be obtained This is all the deliuerance from trouble that thy act in killing thy selfe and adding that vnnaturall sinne vnto all thy other sinnes can helpe thee vnto namly to deliuer thee from sicknesse by thy death and that death eternall to deliuer thee from needlesse feare by certain danger and that danger for euer remedilesse to deliuer thee from a little greese by endlesse woe and that we also vnsufferable to deliuer thee from some discontent by eternal vexation heaped vp beyond measure to deliuer thee from the slight offence of a litle sun-burning by casting thee into the flames of Hell fire that neuer shal be quenched to deliuer thee from some disgrace among men by making thee as Esay speaketh to be an abhorring to all flesh This is that sweet aduantage that thou dreamest of that thy death shall bring with it an end of all thy feares troubles and disgraces indeede it is the most sure way to bring vpon thee all feare trouble and disgraces it endeth present and beginneth future troubles It endeth short and beginneth eternal troubles it endeth easie and tolerable euils it beginneth wofull and intolerable euils So that there is no deliuerance to be hoped for this way it turneth in conueniences into mischiefes and turneth offences into hellish torments in one word it turneth a weary life that may bee helped into a wofull death that cannot be helped Hee that hateth thee with a deadly hatred cannot deuise to doe or wish vnto thee a greater mischiefe then this that thou vnwisly concludest against thy self therfore change thy minde while yet thou hast time hurt not thy selfe please not thine enemies offend not thy God quench not the light of life that he hath kindled in thy breast breake not the prison of thy body in which God hath shut vp thy soule as a prisoner for a season it is neither a matter of iustice for thee without commission to punish thy selfe with death neither is it a matter of aduantage for feare of falling into danger to throw thy selfe headlong into danger Beare thy crosse with patience yet a little while and trust in the mercy of God by Christ. So shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thy life shall be saued and in due time peace shall be restored to thy soule CHAP. XXIX THE sinner by this time partly afraid and partly ashamed of his former vniust and dangerous resolution and seeing the iniquity and absurdity of it lets it fall vpon the ground but is not yet won to that care and loue to the preseruation of his owne life that should be in him and therfore obiecteth againe in a lesse violent manner but very vnkindly saying If I may not kill my selfe that haue deserued to die yet why should I cherish my selfe that am not worthy to liue is not life a gift and blessing of God is it not a talent of his welth that he hath committed to our occupying that wee might bee faithfull and hee might bee a gainer by the right vse of it and first of all as it is his gift and blessing bestowed vpon me I haue beene vnthankfull to him for it the vnreasonable beasts the sencelesse trees and plants haue beene more thankfull for a viler and worse-qualified life then I for my life yea the stones and dead earth that haue no life haue beene more thankfull for a bare being then I for my life adorned with excellent qualities And shall so vnthankfull a man thinke to continue the vse of so great a blessing And as it is his goodes and that Talent that hee hath committed to mee to vse to his aduantage that hee might get glory by his owne possession I haue beene very vnfaithfull and haue wasted the daies thereof not onely vnprofitably but also hurtfully many daies haue beene spent in ignorance while I knew not my duty many daies in sloth and idlenesse while I had no care to doe my duty many daies in vanity while I sought my pleasure many in wickednesse while I sought the satisfying of mine owne lusts And shall so vnfaithfull a seruant thinke to haue still in vse such goods of his masters that hee hath done no good withall was it not said if the vnprofitable seruant take thâ—… talent from him and giue it vnto him that hath ten talents And was it not said to the wastfull Steward How is it that I heare this of thee giue an account of thy Stewardship for thou maiest be no longer Steward Such a Steward such a seruant am I I haue made waste of the daies of my life I haue brought no glory to God by them therefore I hold my selfe vnworthy of life and wil not seeke to nourish it besides I am not worthy of meat I wil not eat I am not worthy of drinke I will neuer quench my thirst I am not worthy of my clothes to couer my wicked carcase nor of my bed to rest my vngodly bones vpon I am not worthy of thy company of thy comfort of these mercifull words of counsell that thou giuest mee I am worthy of nothing cast me out to the dung-hill as a crumbe of vnsauory salt speake no more vnto mee doe no more seruice for me giue nothing vnto me let me perish I know how vile I am before God and I am as vile in mine owne sight and let mee be no dearer in your â—…ies my sinnes make me vnworthy of all good things and worthy onely of death and therefore in reuerence to God I will absteine from the vse of all good things and waite for deserued death O poore afflicted soule these words doe much moue my compassion toward thee to see that humilitie should become hurtfull to any poore seruant of God and that the confession of our vnworthines should preiudice our comfort in God and our releefe from God euen then when God doth ofter releefe and in those things wherein God doeth offer comfort Here is an error that must be helped This error is not in thy
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