commeth yea and in humility attending vpon him and waiting for his comming in the exercises of the Word and prayer as they Acts 1. 4. 14. But how many may be charged as they Acts 7. 51. Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares yee haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost And therefore are ye so hard hearted and stiffe-necked because you haue resisted the holy Ghost when he would haue bowe your neckes and softened your heart 4. It is said to be a grace of the sanctifying spirit The sanctifying Spirit to distinguish it from the legall repentance that is sometime in the reprobate hauing receiued the spirit of bondage vnto feare for this repentance is a fruit of an effectuall calling Ier. 31. 19. After I was conuerted I repented and so is peculiar to the regenerate And heereby also is it differenced from that blush and neere resemblance of Repentance which is in such reprobates as haue receiued the enlightning spirit 5. It followeth in the description whereby the In order of nature it is after Faith beleeuing sinner I make the subiect of Repentance to be a sinner for so doth Christ Matth. 9. shewing that such as are perfect neede Repentance no more then whole men do physick But withall I cal this sinner a beleeuing sinner to shew that faith must goe before Repentance as the ground and root thereof In time Faith and Repentance are both together but in the order of nature faith is first Reasons 1. Repentance and griefe for displeasing God by sinne necessarily argue the loue of God for a man would neuer grieue but rather reioyce at the offence of him whom he hates When Christ wept for Lazarus the Iewes sayd Loe how he loued him Ioh. 11. and Christ imputes the repenting teares of that sinnefull woman Luc. 7. to loue Much is forgiuen her for she loued much And wheras Acts 20. 21. Paul makes Faith and Repentance the summe of the Gospell the same Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 13. makes faith and loue the summe of it which shewes plainely that Repentance comes from loue and so consequently from faith because faith works by loue Gal. 5. 6. and it is impossible wee should euer loue God till by faith wee know our selues loued of God 2. Repentance beeing vnto life must needes bee drawen out of Christ the fountaine of all spirituall life and quickning grace So that a man must first receiue Christ before he can receiue Repentance or any grace from Christ Now faith is that which receiues Christ Ioh. 1. 12. 3. Repentance being the softning of our hearts and the changing of our natures how shall our stony harts bee molten but in Christs bloud and what can bathe them in that blood but faith And how shall such wilde oliue branches as wee be changed but by being engrafted into Christ as into the naturall Oliue And what can ingraft vs into him but faith 4. It is impossible that a man apprehending nothing in God but rigour and seuerity should euer relent toward him or come in and submit himselfe No there is mercy with thee ô Lord that thou mightest be feared Psal 130. This is it that brings in the sinner creeping and crouching before God as the Syrians to Ahab because they had heard the Kings of Israel were mercifull Christs 1. Kin. 20. 31. gracious aspect cast on Peter drew foorth the tears Gods gracious reuealing of himselfe not to the ear onely but eye also of Iob made him abhorre himselfe and repent Iob 42. 6. hence the exhortations to Repentance are founded commonly vpon the mercy of God in the Gospell as Ier. 3. 14. O yee disobedient children returne for I am your Lord. So Matt. 3. Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand in which Christ is ready to dispense mercy and forgiuenesse to the repenting sinner so Os 6. 1. Ioel 2. 13. Rom. 12. 1. 2. Cor. 7. 1. There must be faith then to apprehend at least some hope possibility of mercy or else the sinner will harden his heart and enrage his affections grow furiously desperate against the Lord. 5. As the legall Repentance cannot be without Faith beleeuing the threats of the Law so neither by like proportion can the Euangelicall Repentance bee without faith in the promises of the Gospell going before Ob. Mar. 1. 15. Repent and beleeue Repentance is set first and so Acts 20. 21. Answ 1. The order of placing things in Scripture is not alwayes according to the order of nature But sometimes one thing is set first which in order of nature is last as the effect before the cause and then the cause comes after to shew how wee should obtaine the effect As faith is set after a good conscience and pure heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. when yet it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15. So heere first repent and then that yee may repent beleeue 2. Things in Scripture are often propounded according to the order of our sense and feeling Now though faith in order of nature be first and the act of Faith before the Act of Repentance yet it is not so liuely and strong and so not so sensible to vs till after Repentance for the promises are made onely to repenting sinners Ob. Matth. 21. 32. Yee repented not that yee might beleeue Answ Sometimes then name of Repentance is giuen to the first preparatory beginnings and introductions thereof Now the preparations to Repentance are those legall fits of feare and terrour which are both in nature and time to before Faith The Vse 1. Against the Popish Repentance which is made to goe before mercy and forgiuenesse as a meritorious procurer thereof But as we haue seene Repentance is caused by the taste of Gods mercy by faith Therefore the Baptist exhorteth to repentance not that the Kingdome of Heauen may come as earned out by the sweat of pennance but because the Kingdome of Heauen is come Againe there cannot possibly bee any true repentance in Popery because repentance springeth from the particular apprehension of Gods mercy by faith which Popery cannot endure 2. Against the Libertines abusing Gods mercy and easinesse to forgiue vnto wantonnesse As the grace that Kings vse to shew against Parliaments makes many theeues But indeed they are beasts and no men that sin because of Gods mercy and it is an argument that they neuer by Faith tasted of Gods mercy in the pardon of their owne sinnes For they that feele much forgiuenesse loue much Luc. 7. If a man should tell a condemned Traytour that his Soueraigne would forgiue all his treasons and restore him to all his former dignities would not such mercy make his heart euen to melt and knit him faster in loue and duety then euer 3. Heere is comfort to all true Repentants that mourne for their sinnes and purpose a new course This repentance of theirs is an euident argument of their faith that hath tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods mercy or else their hearts would
1. out of the belly of hell with Ionas call vpon God Euen when wounded by God they goe to him to Ion. 2. 2. be healed Come let vs returne to the Lord hee hath Hos 6. 1. wounded vs and he will heale vs. The Reprobate in hell weepe and waile and yet no godly sorrow there because they cannot crie to God Excellently Luther Hell were no hell if the least whispering vnto God could bee heard there Despaire stops the mouth of the Reprobate that they cannot speake one word to God in their deiections so as the godly do As Ionas complaining of God in the whales belly complaines yet to God Thou hast cast me out Whereas a Reprobate as Caluin notes would haue sayd He hath cast me away in the third person Heere then is further triall of our sorrow and Repentance if as Paul speakes in another case Wee mourne not without hope if as the Lord inuites vs we 1. Thess 4. Is 1. 18. Mar. 1. 15. can come and reason with him if as Christ commands wee repent and in repenting beleeue that as our sinne so also Gods mercy be euer before vs. The wicked as they beleeue without repenting their faith being presumption so they repent without beleeuing their repentance is desperation And therfore they mutter and murmure like the chaffe which when it is shaken flutters in the face of the fanner as angry with him But the Godly are good wheat falling downe at the feete of the fanner as those conuerts that humbled themselues and sought for ease of him that pricked them Men Acts 2. and brethren what shall we doe And the reason is because they haue faith supporting them that they sincke not in the Deepes of Desperation As in Dauid in the 51. Psalme when begging mercy his wounded conscience obiected the greatnesse of his sinnes faith opposeth the greatnesse and multitude of Gods mercies According to the multitudes of thy compassions And againe to that obiection of the deepe rooting of his sinne because hee had lien in it three quarters of a yeere Faith answers Wash me throughly There is no staine so deep but thy hand can fetch it out Heere Dauids faith plucked him out of the mire and made him come to the Lord clinging and clasping about him 3. Because it is offered vp to God as a seruice 3. It is voluntary and sacrifice and that with a free and voluntary spirit Psal 51. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit The Godly are Agents in their sorrow For because it is mingled with the sense of ioy in the apprehension of Gods loue by faith they take delight therein and their teares become their meat Psal 42. This voluntarinesse of sorrow in the Godly appeares in two things 1. In the Vse of all good incentiues and prouokements thereof They worke and labour their hearts what they can thereto according to that commandement Iames 4. Suffer affliction And nothing grieues them more then that they cannot grieue But the wicked are meere patients in their sorrow because wanting faith to temper the cup they drinke nothing but pure gall yea deadly poison Hence those strugglings those wrastlings with and murmurings against God With the sturdy horse they irefully champ the bit and desire nothing more then to haue the deadly arrow fall out of our side Hence those so many sleights of their feasting musicke mirth pastime to driue away this so vnwelcome a ghuest Which the Godly haue both inuited and welcommed with sacke cloth ashes fasting going into the house of mourning rending of cloathes and powring foorth whole buckets of water as some expound that 1. Sam. 7. 6. 2. In turning euery thing vnto sorrow worldly not onely griefes but euen ioyes also According to that of Iames Let your laughter be turned into weeping that is let your laughter be made the matter of your weeping Let it bee the fuell to feede that fire So doth repenting Salomon Eccl 2. out of the hony of his abused pleasures hee gathers gall contrary to the Bee sucking sweetnesse out of bitternesse The pleasant witted man will turne euerie thing to a lest euen sad and serious but the touched sinner euery thing vnto sorrow euen sweete and ioyfull The practise of Bradford that worthy M. Samsons preface to his Sermon of Repentance Repentant in this kind was very memorable who to this purpose booked euery notable accident each day that passed and that so that in the penning a man might see the signes of his smitten heart For if he did see or heare any good in any man by that sight he found and noted the want thereof in himselfe crauing mercy and grace to amend If he did see or heare any plague and misery he noted it as a thing procured by his owne sinnes and still added Lord haue mercy on me 4. Because it keeps our hearts in a blessed frame 4. It fits for holy duties of godlinesse fitting them for prayer meditation reading hearing conference admonition or any other spirituall duty Worldly sorrow is a heauy leaden thing making a man fitter to sleepe then to pray as we see in Ionas and the Disciples But godly sorrow in the sense of Gods loue is fresh and liuely and full of spirits We neuer pray or performe any Christian duty better then when our hearts are fullest of this sorrow Againe it makes the heart exceeding soft and tender and so sensible euen of the least sinnes As Dauids heart smote him for cutting off but the lap of Sauls coate and for the entertainement of euill motions Why art thou disquieted why frettest thou my Psal 42. soule It makes the heart like the eye that will feele the least mote or like a straight shooe that cannot endure the least pebble stone which in a wide one would neuer be perceiued And thus we see the properties of true Sorrow or Contrition that it is both a louing Sorrow proceeding from the loue and affection of our hearts towards the Lord and a beleeuing Sorrow comming to God and fastening vpon his mercy and a willing and voluntary Sorrow delightfully bathing it selfe in her teares and lastly a soft and tender-hearted Sorrow working a disposition vnto deuotion And therefore woorthily called godly Sorrow And of the nature of humiliation so much CHAP. IV. Of the measure of Humiliation THe next point is touching the measure of Humiliation or Sorrow for sinne Where I 2. The measure of it propound three rules 1. Rule Of all other sorrowes sorrow for sin must be the greatest Reason 1. Griefe is founded in loue According as our loue is so is our griefe But our loue of God and his fauour is the greatest loue and therfore our griefe for his offence by sinne the greatest griefe Therefore as Dauid saies Thou hast giuen me Psalm 4. more ioy in the light of thy countenance then they haue had when their corne oile abounded So on the contrary must euery
assault 2. His repulse in Christs answer In the assault consider 4. things 1. The assault 1. The sinnes wherto he tempts our Sauiour 2. The arguments whereby he tempts 3. The manner of conueyance 4. The time For the first By our former opening of the temptation it appeared that the words of the deuill The sinnes whereto Sathan tempteth Christ seemed first to vrge Christ to the working of the miracle and then secondly in case he did not to distrust his Fathers voyce But indeed this latter was the mayne thing he looked at in this temptation Therefore I say Sathan tempted him first of all to vnbeleefe not to beleeue his Fathers voyce Thou art my Sonne Secondly to distrust the prouidence of God for releeuing his body in this hunger As in the former he accused Gods truth so in this latter his care As he tempted him to doubt of that particular word spoken onely to him Thou art my Sonne so of that generall word spoken to all Gods children concerning his prouidence and protection ouer them And these two were inward and secret sinnes whereto he tempted to doubt of the truth of Gods word and the care of Gods prouidence And indeed these two necessarily go together for we can neuer trust in Gods prouidence for this life vnlesse we beleeue that word of his spirit telling vs we are his children for when we beleeue him to be our father and our selues his children then will we hange vpon his prouidence and assure our selues of his care Now in the third place out of these two bittter roots he would haue drawne him to a third namely in this distrust of Gods prouidence to haue wrought a preposterous miracle releeuing himselfe by vnlawfull meanes For the first then Doct. We see it is the deuills chiefe endeauour to call into question the truth of Gods word God had It is the diuels chiefe endeuor to call into question the truth of Gods word said Thou art my sonne and now he comes with his If thou be the sonne of God In the word of God there be specially three things 1. Commandements and these he accuseth as vniust and vnreasonable 1. commandements as that first commandement to our first parents 2. Threatnings and these he maketh to be but scar-crowes 2. threatnings and meere bugges as to our first parents that threatning yee shall dye no sayes the deuill but ye shall liue better then euer ye did So Deut Deut 29. 19. 29. 19. ye shall haue peace though ye walke after the stubbornnes of your owne heart neuer feare the curses threatned 3. Promises and them he 3. promises makes to be but vaine words as to Dauid in temptation Ps 77. Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull and Psal 77. to Cain Gen. 4. My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen Gen 4. and so to all dispayring persons Now in all these the deuill assaults our faith not as he thinks without reason For faith in the commandements breeds obedience in the threatnings feare in the promises comfort So that by this meanes he would bring it to passe that as God should haue no feare reuerence and obedience at our hands so we should haue no comfort at his hands But yet more He striketh more specially at our faith in the promises specially doth he strike at our faith in the promises not so much at the generall faith in beleeuing the truth of them in generall as at our speciall iustifying faith applying those promises vnto our selues Not so much to doubt at the generall voice of God in the word Euery beleeuer shall be saued but at the particular voyce of God by his spirit applying the generall to vs and saying Thou beleeuest Thou art my sonne For indeede this faith is the ground of all sauing Reu. 1. obedience The loue of Christ apprehended by 2. Cor. 5. faith constraines vs. 2. Cor. 5. And I beleeued therefore Psal 116. I spake Psal 116. We cannot performe any sincere acceptable filiall obedience till by faith wee are assured of Gods loue This perswasion sets vs on worke in our obedience Secondly faith is the very life of our liues and the strength of our soules without which we are but very drudges and droiles in this life The holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. fill you with all ioy in beleeuing Rom. 15. 13. And beleeuing ye reioyced with ioy glorious and vnspeakable 1. Pet. 1. 8. 1. Pet. 1. 8. Therefore the diuell enuying our comfort and our happines would rob vs of our faith that he might rob vs of our ioy Thirdly faith is our cheycest weapon euen our shield and buckler to fight against him whom resist stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. Therefore as the 1. Pet. 5. 9. Philistins got away the Israelites weapons so doth Sathan in getting away faith from vs disarme vs and make vs naked For this is our victory whereby we ouercome euen our faith 1. Ioh. 5. And in this faith 1. Iohn 5. apprehending Gods strength lies our strengrh as Sampsons in his lockes and therefore the Diuell knowing this labours to do to vs which Delilah did to Sampson euen to cut off our lockes And indeed when he doth this he doth that to vs which Sampson did doe the Philistins hee pluckes downe the pillers of the house and ouerthrowes vs. Vse 1 Vse 1. Aboue all things then fortifie wee our faith and assurance that God is our father and we his sonnes Where the Diuell oppugnes most thither must we bring our greatest strength Now as we haue seen he labors specially to shake our faith Sathan hath desired to winnow you Luk. 22. 31. 32. Luk. 22 31. 32 what would he winnow in them The next words shew but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Though Sathan then come and accuse God to vs as not louing vs yet let vs bee no more mooued then a good wife would bee to heare a false knaue thus accusing her louing husband If wee must not receiue a false accusation against an ancient vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. shall wee then rereceiue 1. Tim. 5. an accusation against the Auncient of dayes the Lord himselfe vpon Sathans word a knowen and detected deceiuer Such as are knowen to doe ill offices on both sides to come to mee with a tale against thee and then presently to goe to thee and say as much of mee such I say being once knowen who will regard them Now we know Sathan to be such an one Hee accuses God to vs and then hee goes and accuses us to God as he accused both Iob Iob 1. 2. to God Iob 1. 2. and afterward God to Iob as not respecting him As wee would bee loath God should beleeue Sathan against vs so let vs take heed that we beleeue not Sathan against God Vse 2 2. We may not then be discouraged when wee feele our selues thus
But without any true reformation for presently after he fell to as bad cruelty against the holy Prophet Micaiah Iudas was grieued for murthering Christ yet no change ensued hee fell to murthering of himselfe The Israelites being threatned by God when as they meditated a returne into Aegypt wept and howled And yet at the same time being commanded not to goe the next way to Canaan but to fetch a compasse about they disobeyed But these men sorrow not aright because they sorrow not as the Corinthians did vnto a transmentation vnto a change of their thoughts and purposes from euill to good It is not possible a man should truely grieue and be displeased for his sins and yet continue in them without a change For as one very well sayes vnlesse sinne be made a wanton it will not stay It likes no grimme entertainement The sad countenance the weeping eyes the frowning forehead dash it quite out of countenance It is not able to stand before them The teares of true Repentance haue a purging and a raising vertue therfore the Prophet exhorting to Repentance sayes Wash yee make yee cleane These teares therefore Is 1. 16. are washing and cleansing teares where they fall they make cleane worke scouring away the filthinesse of our sinnes The abundance of naturall raine maketh the waies fowle that before were faire But contrarily the more abundantly this raine falleth the cleaner and fairer are the wayes of our hearts and fitter for the feet of the Lord to walke in For this is that same preparing of the way Matth. 3. of the Lord which the Baptist requires Worldly sorrow workes a change in the body it brings gray haires on the head and furrowes and wrinckles in the face It turnes youth into olde age and strength into weaknesse and so causeth death But the change of godly sorrow is quite contrary It turnes olde age into youth and a weaknesse and sicknesse into health and strength No distillations of waters heale our bodily diseases so as this water doth our spirituall This salt brine takes away all our raw humours and makes vs sauory meate for the Lord. This raine dissolues the clowds of our iniquities and ô what a pure cleerenesse is there in the heauen of our hearts And therfore iustly may wee suspect their repentance whose sorrow brings not with it this happy change 2. So also may we theirs whose change and alteration proceedes not from godly sorrow and touch of conscience for sinne Let it not suffice vs that in many things wee haue reformed our wayes For so did Herod Iudas and many other temporary beleeuers But alas this reformation was not grounded vpon true humiliation and so at length it came to nought as an vnfounded building And therefore by humiliation first digge wee deepe in our hearts and cast out the rotten and vnsound ground and so build wee Excellent is the counsell of Christ to luke-warme Laodicea be zealous that is reforme the fault of thy luke-warmnesse Reuel 3. but withall he addes and Repent namely of thy lukewarmnesse let the reformation of thy fault be grounded on sound sorrow for it So may I say to the couetous be liberall and repent to the vncleane be chaste and repent to the neglecter of Gods worship frequent the Church and exercises of Religion and repent Many Professours haue made a goodly flourish and of couetous haue turned liberall and of prophane deuout and who so forward as they But when they turned religious they did not heartily repent and repine at their former prophanesse grieuing and grudging at the seruice which formerly they did Sathan They sowed not the seed of their obedience in tears nay with the stony ground they beganne in ioy and therefore end in sorrow Before haruest comes all is withered and they become vnfruitfull They beganne not in humility and therefore end not in glory Nay they beganne in pride and therefore end in shame They beganne in impenitency and therefore end in despaire And thus haue we opened the definition of Repentance CHAP. II. In what order Humiliation is wrought REpentance then consisting of those two parts Humiliation and Reformation let vs speake of them both seuerally And first of Humiliation where consider first the grace it selfe And secondly the contraries to it In the grace it selfe foure things are to be considered 1. The Nature 2. The Measure 3. The Vse and Excellency 4. The Practise 1. For the nature two poynts must bee considered 1. The nature of Humiliation in two things 1. In what order it is wrought 2. What are the qualities and propeties of it being wrought For the former it is thus to be considered 1. The spirit by the shrill trumpet of the Law arouseth the sinners drousie conscience setteth his 1. The order of it sinnes in order before him and presenteth him with that fearefull spectacle of eternall death and condemnation And that so that the poore sinner selfe-conuict and selfe-condemned holding vp his guilty hands before Gods Tribunall and receiuing the sentence of death doth not onely see hell with a wide and gaping mouth ready to deuoure him but euen in a manner feeleth himselfe in hell already the terrours of God fighting against him and the envenomed arrowes of the Almighty sticking in his ribbes so that in this perplexity being brought downe to the very gate of hell and feeling the very flashings of hell fire in his conscience he cries out Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me Who shall descend into this deepe to Rom. 7. helpe me out of the myre wherein I sticke so fast A man in this case is like a rocke which with some mighty shaking is made to tremble but yet still retaines his hardnesse or as an iron vessell which with some violent stroakes is broken into peeces but these peeces remaine whole and hard and are not yet molten by the fire Now vnto humiliation there is required not onely a broken but also a contrite spirit And Contrition is when all is stamped to very dust and ground as it were to powder so that there is a through dissolution of that which before was firmely hardened and compacted together But the Law of it selfe cannot dissolue and soften the hard heart of man Therefore the sinner though neuer so violently shaken and battred with the thunderbolts of the Law is not as yet truely humbled but onely prepared for and in the way vnto humiliation As when a thing is torne and broken though into great and solide lumps it is neerer to dissolution then when it was whole and entire 2. Therefore the spirit by the hammer of the Law hauing broken vs doth in the next place by the fire of the Gospell melt vs. For the word of God Ierem. 23. 9. is both a hammer breaking the rockes and a fire A hammer in the Law A fire in the Gospell which with the heat of Gods loue in Christ doth melt mollifie and dissolue our hearts
into the teares of godly sorrow For after that in the Law we haue seene our miserable and desperate estate in our selues we should presently raue and rage against the Lord did hee not in this our extremity giue vs some hope and inckling of mercy presenting vnto our eye the infinite merits of Christ the indefinite promises of the Gospell calling all without exception to the fruition of those merits excluding none but such as exclude themselues and despise the grace that is offered them But when once mercy is tendred to vs that stand condemned in the Law and that onely vpon condition of our humble submissiue embracing of it Oh then the working of our bowels the stirring of our affections the melting relenting of our repenting hearts reasoning thus with themselues And is it so indeed hath the Lord giuen his owne Son to the death to saue sinners doth hee offer vs the benefit therof who hauing been such desperate Rebels against him stand cast and condemned euen in the sentence of our own consciences What marble brest what oaken heart is there whom such kindnes would not affect How can we chuse but out of loue and affection towards so sweet and gracious a God grieue that euer we haue so grieued him And now hath Contrition it perfect worke in vs when the bloud of the Lambe hath melted the Adamant and the Sun-shine of Gods loue in Christ hath thawen the ice of our hearts For before it was the feare of hell and so indeed selfe-loue and in a manner pride that humbled vs because we would not be miserable But now it is the loue of God that humbleth vs because of the wrong wee haue done him who hath done vs so much good Before it was the hatred onely of punishment that made vs to grieue but now it is the hatred of sin that brings the punishment and that specially because displeasing to the Lord our good God that causes all the trouble And thus we see in what order and by what degrees Contrition is wrought But heere certaine questions may be mooued Quest 1. Whether the sole threatnings and curses of the Law are not of themselues auaileable vnto true contrition forasmuch as Iosiahs heart melted in godly sorrow vpon the hearing of the 2. Chro. 34. 27 threatnings Answ Those threatnings were not meerely Legall but such as were qualified with some tincture of mercy in the Gospell Afflictions soften our hearts but how no otherwise then as we apprehend Gods mercy in them So did Iosiah apprehend mercy in those threatnings that they proceeded from Gods loue and so accounted them as the wounds of a friend and thence came the melting of his heart Dauid relented euen at Shemeies bitter reuilings but it was through the sense of Gods sweet mercy in them Quest 2. Whether God keepe the order spoken of constantly in humbling his children so that none can truely be grieued for sinne till they haue beene cast downe with legall terrours Answ 1. Many may haue the first degree of humiliation by the Law which neuer come to the second by the Gospell As Iudas Caine and other Reprobates vtterly ouerwhelmed with the terrors of the Law as children sometimes in the trauell are killed with the paines thereof before they can be borne But as there can bee no birth without the paines of the trauell going before so neither no true Repentance without some terrours of the Law and streights of conscience None can haue the second degree without the first The Reason is plaine None can haue Repentance but such as Christ cals to Repentance Now he cals onely sinners to Repentance Matth. 9. 13. euen sinners heauy laden with the sense of Gods wrath against sinne Math. 11. 29. He comes only to saue the lost sheep that is such sheep as feele themselues lost in themselues and know not how to find the way to the folde Rom. 8. 15. Yee haue not againe receiued the spirit of bondage vnto feare which shews that once they did receiue it namely in the very first preparation vnto conuersion that then the spirit of God in the Law did so beare witnesse vnto them of their bondage and miserable slauery that it made them to tremble Now there vnder the person of the Romans the Apostle speaks to all beleeuers and so shewes that it is euery Christians common case 2. Yet all are not handled alike Though none wholly scape yet some haue gentler fits then others and some are but sprinkled in this baptisme wherein others are euen doused ouer head and eares and some doe but sippe of that cuppe wherof others drinke to the very dregges It is with the trauell of a sinner in his Repentance as with a womans in child-birth None trauels heere without paine yet some are like those Hebrew women Exod. 1. and haue a farre quicker dispatch then many others Those conuerts Acts 2. in their Repentance had some grudgings and prickes of conscience but yet they had none of Iobs nor Dauids fits which held them many dayes together For the same Peter that wounded presently healed them and being filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost they comfortably conuersed with the Christians Matthew as it is thought at his first conuersion entertained Christ with a feast and so did Lydia the Apostles which they could not haue done if they had beene in any extremities of the agonies of conscience God applies himselfe heere to the seuerall natures conditions and dispositions of his children 1. Some haue beene more hainous sinners and of longer standing then the rest Now the more festred and dangerous the wound is the sharper must be the cure Some sores will as easily bee let out with the pricking of a pinne as others with the Surgeons launching The more viscous and glutinous the humour is the stronger must the purge be The greater the burthen is the greater will bee the paine of the backe Hence it was that Paul being a more hainous offender then the rest of the Apostles as being a malicious persecutor whereas they had beene honest and sober fishermen hence it was I say that hee tasted deeper of this cup then they as we see Acts 9. insomuch that he sayes the Law slew him Rom. 7. Hence also it is that such who in their tender yeeres by meanes of religious nurture haue beene seasoned with the grace of God dropping by little and little into them before any grosser defilement of actuall transgression doe not behold that grim and seuere countenance of the Law which those commonly see who stand idle to the twelfth houre 2. God meanes to employ some in more worthy seruices For the which hee sees it fit to prepare them by the deepest humiliation For the higher and greater the building is the deeper must the foundation be layd in the earth 3. Some are of greater places and parts then others some naturally of a more crabbed crooked disposition some more stout bold hardy then others
When Sathan accuses yea and begins to iudge add condemne vs heere is our Apology here is our Defence and our answer ready God hath graciously forgiuen me The bookes and bonds are cancelled Sathan goe not beyond thine office as Bradford sweetly speakes God is the iudge thou hast not to meddle with his office Loe the Iudge hath cleered me Accuse now as long as thou wilt So long as a man hath the iudges acquitting sentence he needs not feare the clamours of any malicious accusers And heere we may obserue a notable difference betweene the repentant sinner and the impenitent The wicked wretch so he can shift off by any meanes the accusation hee neuer cares nor labours for the Iudges absolution who in his time will take notice of his sinne though neuer any accusation should be profered All his care is for the present to put off the accuser the sergeant the officer Well thou riddest thy selfe by some deuise to day but he comes to thee againe to morrow Where is thy defence thy protection against him Alas thou hast prouided none Now the true repentant he considers that it is to no purpose to put away the accuser when as yet the iudge remaines vnpacified who will againe and againe set this accuser on our backes till we haue pacified him And therfore his chiefe dealing is with the iudge himselfe to get his fauour and grace and so hee getting the Iudges absolution regards not a whit the officers accusation In a worde the wicked when Conscience accuses haue no other care then to stop the mouth of Conscience and to choake it for the present that it may not accuse The godly further as they would not haue it accuse so neyther further would they haue it a silent and a sencelesse Conscience but they would turne accusing conscience into an excusing and clearing Conscience The wickeds care is only to stoppe and damme vp this violent floud but the godly for that they see it is to little purpose thus to doe because within a little while it will ouerflow and rage more violently then euer it did before they haue therefore a further care to turne the streame and current the other way to make Conscience sing another note and in stead of terrors to speake peace 3. Duty Indignation namely against our sins 3. Indignation and so against our selues for our sinnes For though we haue gotten Gods defence against our sins yet may we not remain frends with them nay so much the more bitter and deadly ought our enmity to be against them because of Gods loue in giuing vs the defence of his merciful pardon in Christ against them As if I had gotten the Iudges absolution and so a discharge from mine enemies that sought my life will I not then so much the more set my selfe in hatred against those wicked enemies Some when they haue sinned will seeme to labor for the former cleering they will confesse their sinnes and craue Gods mercy but yet that league and friendshippe which they still entertaine with their sinnes shews they haue not so cleered themselues as they should for if they would cleere their consciences from accusing they must also cleare their harts from louing their sinnes Euery wicked man hath his clearing his apologie and defence against the damage of his sins ready at hand namely the death of Christ But what followes on this Doe they hate and detest their sinne Doe they grind their teeth at it in anger No but rather make their protection and defence against sinne to bee as it were a licence of sinning still But the fruit of true repentance is indignation and bitter anger against our sins Hereupon Isay brings in the repenting Church throwing away idolatrous ornaments as in a chafe as one that throwes away a menstruous cloath sayes fie get thee Is 30. 22. hence So Hosea brings in Ephraim in a like angry māner saying What haue I to doe any more with idols So Hos 14. 9. Peter not only wept but wept bitterly the bitter gall Matth 26. 75. of this godly indignation beeing mingled with his salt teares Thus the Church when she had shamefully neglected Christs cal her hart fretted within her Cant. 5. 4. Visceribus frementibus as Iunius reades it we can fret and chafe at little defects in others and are tetchie for trifles True repentance turns all tetchinesse with others into this holy tetchinesse and fretfulnesse with our selues for our sinnes The Idolater frets himselfe and curses Is 8. 21. his Gods but the Repentants fretting reaches not to God him he blesses when he frets at himselfe nor yet to man to whom the humility of his heart makes him patient but to himselfe onely and to his owne sinnes Thus Dauid fretted in a manner at himselfe when seeing how much he was deceiued and offended at the wickeds prosperity hee at length befooles himselfe and be-beasts himselfe too So foolish was I and so ignorant euen as a beast before Psal 73. 22. thee In the like moode was hee with himselfe when he had numbred the people I haue sinned exceedingly 2. Sam. 24 10. I haue done very foolishly This is that Anger which Salomon preferres before all carnall merriment Eccles 7. 5. and laughter Anger is better then laughter Then is God well pleased with vs when in an holy anger wee are displeased with our selues then is he ready toturne from his fierce indignation against our selues when he sees vs forward in holy indignation against our sinnes 4. Duty Feare which must follow indignation A strange coniunction of Anger and Feare for 4. Feare when men are angry they feare least and grow more fierce then fearefull Men commonly feare nothing in their anger but heere it is otherwise indignation breedes feare that indignation against sinne past which is not attended and followed with feare of sinne to come is not good and therefore is feare added to indignation And this is another excellent part of the practise of Repentance for the burnt childe must needs dread the fire and the Repentant sinner hauing once been bitten and stung by his sinnes cannot but feare to come neere them againe He that after a dangerous straying is returned into the way will bee afrayd of losing it againe for before we saw one maine duety of Repentance was Care now Feare alwayes waites vpon Care and besides that the Repentant being now turned to God and seeing how great a good hee is cannot but exceedingly loue him and out of his loue feare the losse of him for loue in this sense is exceeding fearefull euen as the wife reconciled to Res est solliciti plena timoris amor her louing husband offended feares againe to offend and lose his fauour Againe in Repentance and in turning to God the heart was softned and made pliable to the hand of God and therefore now being made a tender heart of an hard and stony it will the
out of Satans snare but yet so as the prisoner out of prison with the bolt on his legge and so he can goe but slowly yet in his desire hee flies and wishes euery step twenty Wee are still fettered with many infirmities that presse vs so downeward that we cannot runne vp Gods hill and therefore this encreases the vehemency of our desires This is a great comfort to euery true Repentant heart Thou that hast these desires it is an argument of the truth of thy repentance whereby hauing turned thy face towards God thou hast gotten sight of his face and therfore doest so long after him and desire to draw neerer and neerer vnto him A repenting heart is neuer without these earnest desires Blessed saith our Sauiour are they Matth. 5. 3. 6. which are poore in spirit and then hee addes Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse where-euer there is a poore there is a thirsting spirit and these hungring and thirsting desires are euidences of a repenting hearts 6. Duety is Zeale which is a compounded affection 6. Zeale of Loue and Anger There may bee deceit and often is in our desires Euery one pretends they desire Gods commandements but there is no zeale in their desires they are lazie and sluggish desires therefore is Zeale added next to Desire to shewe what kinde of desires these must bee to wit they should be feruent and zealous desires The Desire of the sloathfull slayes him for his hands refuse to worke Prou. 21. 25. But true desire hath zeale ioyned with it which causes vs eagerly to pursue the thing desired and to ouercome all impediments hindring our desires We see in nature how the irascible faculties backes the concupiscible And as fire hath lightnesse whereby it aspires to the highest place so it hath also heat to consume that which should hinder his ascent In the like manner hath the true desire of a repenting sinner the grace of zeale to second it when one had vttered that affectionate speech Blessed are Luc. 14. 14. they that eate bread in the Kingdome of God see how Christ presently entertaines it with the Parable of the ghuests who being inuited to the supper had euery one their excuses from their farmes oxen and wiues whereby Christ seemes to giue a checke to the counterfet desires of many and seemes to insinuate thus much oh you indeede make as if you had a desire to come but you doe but counterfet you meane it not for when God calles you to this supper yee are ready to shuffle off his inuitation with one worldly excuse or another and so are your desires zeale-lesse desires They are so colde so heartlesse and so heatlesse that they cannot leap ouer the least blocke that lyes in their wayes Thus wee see then how fitly zeale followes desire And indeede a true penitentiary cannot but be zealous Zeale must needes be ioyned with repentance for these reasons 1. Repentance is a turning vnto God and a returning into our way out of which we had wandred by our sinnes Now the more way and time a man hath lost the more earnest and zealous he is in the redemption of both A man that hath rid out of his way when once he perceiues it will spurre the harder and gallop the faster till he hath recouered so farre as he might haue beene if hee had kept his way in a good reasonable pace So when the Repentant considers how much knowledge and experience hee might haue gained if the good time which he hath mispent in his sins had beene spent vpon better things when he considers how much of his life is past in sin and knows not how little he hath to come wherin he may walk in obedience he layes the more zealousty about him that what he wants in time he may redeem with his zeale And this is that which Peter vrges That henceforward we should liue as much time as remaines in the body not after 1. Pet. 4. 2. 3. the lusts of men for it is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time past after the lusts of the Gentiles The longer wee haue beene stragling the more quicke should be our speed in our returne And the same thing doth Paul vrge the Romanes withall As yee haue giuen your members seruants to Rom. 6. 19. Qui per poenitentiam resurgunt magna charitato resplendent saepe maiori quā illi qui nunquā cecidernut Chry. vncleannesse and iniquitie to commit iniquity so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse The Repentant will be no lesse zealous in the wayes of grace then hee was in the wayes of sinne and the more zealous will hee bee in the seruice of righteousnesse because hee spent so much of his time and strength in the seruice of iniquity 2. Before repentance wee are blind and cannot see God nor the sweete beauty of his face for indeed our faces are turned from him but in repentance wee turne our faces to God and then seeing him his bounty our crowne and recompence of reward wee arc so rauished and enamoured vpon him as that with Paul in an holy zeale wee forget that which is behind endeuouring our selues to that Phil. 3. 13. 14. which is before and following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 3. The Repentant considers the vnconceiuable loue of God towards him in the pardon of his sins that howsoeuer hee was running headlong into hell to cast away himselfe and his soule yet the Lord stayd him and was mercifull vnto him in the remission of all his offences The meditation of which sweete goodnesse and loue of God constraines 2. Cor. 5. him to bee zealous for the glory of so gracious a God This loue of God in Christ to him constrains him and inflames and fires his heart with an earnest zeale to glorifie the Lord. That whereas before by his sinnes hee had wounded Gods glory now the loue of God who hath had mercy vppon him in plucking him out of the iawes of Sathan makes him now zelous of his glory and carefully to labour to heale these wounds which before his sins had made This we may see in that repenting woman who because much was forgiuen her therefore Luke 7. she loued much that is zelously She had not beene so zelous before in following her filthy and vnclean loues as now she was zelous in following her holy and spirituall loue Now this zeale in repentance shewes it selfe in these properties 1. Property It ouerlookes all difficulties and ouercomes all impediments Much water cannot Cant. 8. quench loue nay it kindles rather and the more water the more loue Zeale dampes at no bogges quagmires hilles or mountaines it is an affection that will wing a man and mount him ouer all It is not a Lyon in the way no nor yet Legions of Deuils in the way can coole it's courage Michols scoffs
his intemperancy The eight in touching anothers goods against the will of the Lord. The ninth in receiuing the Diuels false witnesse against God The tenth in being discontent with his estate and lusting after an higher Take we heed now of the deceit of sinne It shewes little sometimes but oh the bundle of mischiefe that is lapped vp in that little The second point followes The arguments whereby the Diuell tempts First to vnbeleefe and 2. The Arguments which the Diuell vseth to Christ distrust thus 1 If God regarded thee ought much more if indeed in this manhood this second person in Trinity dwelt personally surely thou shouldst haue bread to preserue thee in this neede though it were made miraculously of stones But thou hast no releefe no stones turned into bread Therefore God regards thee not c. The proposition is built on this ground God prouides for all his specially for such a creature as the humanity of Christ that is vnited to the God-head The husband would prouide for the wife the father for the son in lesse need then this But the vnion betwixt the God-head and humanity of the Messiah is far greater And this ground is true But then another ground necessarily implied by Sathan is false that no other prouision could be had but by bread Doct. D. Hereby we see how Sathan vseth to descant vpon our afflictions therby casts doubts into our It is vsual with Sathan to cast into our minds doubts of Gods loue Psal 73. Iudg 6. mindes of Gods loue So did he with Dauid Ps 73. So Gedeon Iudg. 6. If the Lord be with vs how then is all this vpon vs. As in prosperitie the diuells endeuour is to make vs lay our hearts too neere to it whence that of the Psalmist If riches increase set not your hearts thereon Psal 62. 10. So in aduersitie to Psal 62. 10. make vs to lay it to neere our hearts Vse 1 1. It must teach vs in our afflictions specially to strengthen our faith in the mercy of God It is Sathans pollicie to imbitter our afflictions with this gall of diffidence and so to adde sorrow to our affliction but we must not yeeld but rather take our afflictions as markes of our adoption And as in this hunger of Christ yea in his greater afflictions yea in his death and being in his graue the personal vnion was not dissolued so must we assure our selues that neither is the mysticall vnion betwixt Christ and our selues dissolued by any of our afflictions no not by death or the graue it selfe wherevpon we are said to sleepe in Christ 1. Thess 4. 14. 1. Thess 4. 14. euen then are we in Christ when we are in our graues If any man should be vsed like a dogge or a Beare yet as long as he sees humane shape and discernes the vse of humane reason in himselfe he would still for all this vsage thinke himselfe to be a man So though the children of God be vsed here in this world as if they were wicked yet as long as they feele the worke of grace and the power of Gods spirit they must still hold themselues to be Gods children Vse 2 2. Take we heed that we neuer thus cast downe the smitten of God and vrge them to despayre of Gods mercy as Dauid complaines of some Psal 3. 2. Many say to my soule There is no helpe for him in God This is Sathans course and in so doing we shall shew our selues his instruments The second Argument was to perswade him to the working of the myracle because he was the sonne of God and therfore he was able to worke it Doct. See the Diuells diuinitie That that which wee can do for helping or benefiting of our selues that Psal 3 2. The Diuell tempteth vs to doe what we can doe though neuer so vnlawfull we should do It is no matter whether lawfull or vnlawfull that skills not he would neuer haue vs to sticke at ought Thus deales he here with Christ Thou art the sonne of God and thou canst doe all things and wilt thou not vse this power of thine to helpe thy selfe by turning stones into bread And yet this was an vnlawfull meanes of helping himselfe So Iezebell reasons with Ahab about Naboths vineyard Thou the King of Israel and suffer such a base fellow to crosse thee So still speaks Satan to great men Thou of such a place and power suffer such an one to stand in thy way So in sicknesse he presents vngodly meanes as charmes and witches and tells vs if when we may be holpen and will not we are worthy to be sicke still So to schollers you are men of parts and learning and liue you thus Get you to Rome and to Rhemes and there ye shall haue respect answerable to your desires and deserts The third poynt followes The manner of conueyance 3. The manner of conveyance full of craft and cunning for 1. The matter whereto he perswades as we saw in outward appearance was but small and yet full of deadly danger 2. He framed his tenations so that he might catch him which way soeuer he should take though yet our Lords skill was aboue his for thus the deuill thought If he doe worke the myracle then haue I foyled him and made him to distrust his Fathers prouidence in the vse of an vnlawfull meanes If he doe not then shall I insult ouer him as not being able to doe it and so make him doubt of the truth of his Fathers voyce Thou art my sonne but he was deceiued here 3. Like a Waterman he lookes one way and rowes another The speciall thing he shot at indeed was to make Christ call in question the truth of that oracle that sounded at Iordan to thinke thorough vnbeliefe that he was not the sonne of God But yet the words of the temptation seeme to import that he sought onely the working of the miracle And yet the deuill would rather a great deale he would neuer worke the miracle so he would doubt himselfe not to be the sonne of God for this would haue been the greater foyle Doct. This discloses to vs one of Satans mysteries Somtimes he will tempt vs to some sinne to which yet he cares not much whether wee yeeld or no hoping to get a greater conquest of vs by not yeelding As thus when by not yeelding wee grow proud vaine-glorious secure confident wherein the deuil seemes to deale like a cunning gamester that hides his skill and loses two or three games at the first that he may winne so much the more afterwards 4. He transformes himselfe into an Angell of light and makes semblance of religion for 1. He acknowledges plainely that the sonne of God is God and can doe that which God can that God onely by his meere word can worke miracles and that it seemed likely that Christ was the sonne of God Loe an orthodoxe deuill sound in iudgment 2. He bids not our
and last end but as one vnder God that had receiued that he had of him Thus wee see how this text answers Sathans first temptation to outward idolatry It answers also in the latter clause And him onely shalt thou serue the second temptation to inward idolatry in the loue of honour and riches God onely must bee our master not God and riches Matth. 6. Hee must haue all our heart and affections Psal 73. Whom haue I ô Lord in heauen or in earth but thee And thus much of the combate betweene Christ and Sathan the second maine head of this story The third followes The issue It is two-fold The third part the issue of Christs temptation 1. The diuela departure Then the Diuell left him Matth. 4. 11. 2. The Angels ministring For the first Out of it we learne The first issue Doct. 1 1. That God will giue an issue to all the trials of his children so that they shall not alwayes continue God will giue an issue to the trials of his children vpon them 1. Cor. 10. 13. There hath no tentation taken you but such as appertaine to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that yee may be able to beare it Doctr. 2 2. Wee see heere in our Sauiours practise how true that of Iames is Iam. 4. 7. Resist the Diuell and Resistance of Sathan puts him to flight he will flie from you A coward inuites him The more we giue place to him the more he encroches The way to bee rid of him is not to yeeld to him The reason is plaine Resisting is more then a mans worke When hee sees a man goe about to resist him he perceiues God is there and therefore flies the presence of God Where no resistance is there he perceiues the spirits absence so conceiues hope of easie victory Let vs then shew our spirits in resisting and fighting with Sathan Heere a word and blow is the best If the Diuell speake but the least word in temptation draw presently vpon him or thou emboldnest him Quest How should I resist him Answ 1. With Gods word as heere our Sauiour The way to resist Sathan did seriously meditating on it and by faith applying it to thy selfe 2. With our owne words in prayer Amalek cannot preuaile so long as Moses his hands are held vp Resistance indeede is by faith whom resist stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. Now faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. vses both the word and prayer In resisting the iniuries offred vs by men if wee reuenge them our selues we complaine not or if wee complaine to superiours wee reuenge them not our selues But heere both must bee done Wee must both resist him with blowes and violence in striking at him with the sword of the Spirit the word of God as also with complaints put against him to the Lord in our prayers S. Luke addes that he departed for a season Luke 4. 13. which implies that though Sathan had receiued this terrible foile and such a foyle as might for euer haue put him out of all hope of victory yet after a while againe such was his malice such his shameles impudent importunity that he would not for all this rest but would yet againe assault our Lord. It teaches vs then Doct. That which before hath also beene noted Sathans inuincible malice and importunity He himselfe was heere ouercome and yet not his malice Sathans malice is inuincible his temptations yet not his impudency Who would haue thought that euer Sathan put to so fowle and shamefull a foyle durst euer haue peept out of his denne againe and haue showen his face any more And yet his malice makes him both blind and restlesse We finde him againe at our Sauiour Matth. 16. 22. 23. where he vsed Peter as his stalking Mat. 16. 22 23. horse If after such an inglorious foile giuen by the sonne of God who had thus trampled him in the mire vnder his feete and so victoriously triumphed ouer him his malice would yet serue him for new aduentures what then will it doe where hee findes his repulse more gentle and his denials more easie Neuer must we hope for any truce with this aduersary Though he haue the worst by neuer so much yet will not his malice endure to heare of a peace no not of a truce As hee neuer slumbers nor sleepes that keepes Israel so neither hee that hates Israel Psal 121. 4. Neuer hope we to be freed from Sathans molestations till wee haue gotten that great gulfe Luk. 16. Luke 16. 26. 26. betweene him and vs. Wee may sometimes haue somewhat more peaceable intermissions hee may for a season forbeare vs but yet neither will those seasons bee long for hee knowing his time to bee short Reuel 12. will bee sure that those seasons Reu 12. shall not be ouerlong And therefore our wisdome will be to redeeme these seasons and if any rest bee giuen vs from his malice to be arming our selues against a new combate Bee not too secure thou mayst as well thinke he will cease to be a Diuell as cease to tempt The second issue is the Angels ministring And loe The second issue the Angels came and ministred vnto him They ministred either food to his hungry body or comfort to his troubled soule wearied with Sathans wicked temptation or else they ministred triumphing at his victory And this is set foorth by way of admiration And behold the Angels c. Him whom the Diuell so vilely vsed The Angels doe seruice vnto Learne first Doct. 1 1. The difference betwixt Christs temptations and ours He had no helpe but his owne The Angels The difference betwixt Christs temptations ours came not to him to minister till after the temptations were ended but to vs they minister in the very act of temptation Doct 2 2. When we haue been abused by Sathans wicked instruments God will send some of his to bee in God raiseth vp comforters vnto his seruants after the abuses of Sathans instruments Luke 16. stead of ministring Angels to vs. So after Shimeis railing and Absaloms treachery the Lord raysed vp many faithfull friends and comforters to Dauid Though the rich man despised Lazarus Luk. 16. yet the Angels despised not to carry his soule into heauen Nay God himselfe oftentimes as I may say ministers vnto his abused and oppressed Saints Witnes those many vnspeakable comforts ministred vnto the harts of the Martyrs in their prisons at the stake and in the fire How may this comfort vs against the railings and scoffings of Michall What though she scoffe yet Dauid shall bee honoured of others euen of those in whose eyes shee desires hee might be despicable 2. Sam. 6. 22. 2. Sam. 6. 22. Doct. 3 3. See how Gods prouidence is neuer wanting to those that make it their portion Nothing is lost Nothing is lost by waiting on Gods prouidence by waiting vpon Gods prouidence If Christ had hearkened to Sathan to haue made bread of stones and so out of a distrust in Gods prouidence had vnlawfully releeued himselfe hee would haue found it indeede bread of stones euen like Salomons bread of deceit full of grauell it would haue beene stony and grauelly stuffe to his conscience If Christ hearkned vnto Sathan and had by that miracle serued himselfe the Angels heere had not serued him Who would not wait vpon Gods prouidence to be thus waited vpon by Gods Angels Trust God in all thy straights make not bread of stones and rather then thou shalt want God will send not onely Rauens to feede thee as they did Eliah 1. King 17. 6. but an 1. King 17. 6. Angell to feede thee also as he did to the same Eliah 1. King 19. 5. 6. when wee are not thorough distrust 1. King 19. 5. 6. ouer-hasty to serue our selues rather then faile the Angels shall serue vs. So well shall he be serued and so assuredly shall hee bee fed that makes Gods prouidence his portion FINIS