of God and seeking to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God A single good intent without knowledge is the deuotion of fooles it hath no true comfort tied vnto it it saueth not from destruction it leadeth men blindefolde and sleeping into hell But when men haue learned out of the word of God what hee requireth and what is their duety vnto that knowledge ioyne a true desire to doe their duetie then vnfained desire is before God esteemed a perfect worke Therefore doth Saint Paul say That loue is the fulfilling of the Law And in another place The end of the Law is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law requireth no more but loue which will neuer be idle and that obtained the Law hath attained his true end in vs. And to him that thus loueth as much is due as vnto him that perfectly fulfilleth the commandement Thirdly to him that thus in heart desireth while he liueth here full perfect and absolute holinesse being grieued that the lusts of his flesh should stand vp in his way with such strength as they doe that which hee desireth shall in due time be granted with increase of grace in the meane while For when death comes in which hee pulleth off sinfull flesh he shal put off sin al corruption togither with the flesh and thenceforth hee shall offend his God no more nor be in any danger of offending him For the Apostle truely saith He that is dead is freed from sinne both from the act of sinne and from all lusting after sinne And when he shall receiue his bodie againe in the resurrection hee shall receiue it cleansed and purged from that corruption that was in it before For so doth Saint Paul testifie saying The body is sowne in corruption and is raised in incorruption By which incorruption he vnderstandeth not onely an estate of strength and health whereby it shall be freed from that decaying that it was subiect to before in regard whereof we haue relieued it with daily food to repaire the daily decaies and also freed from sicknesse and paine that it suffred here before in regard whereof wee take much physicke to ease the paine of it and to maintaine the health of it but he vnderstandeth rather by incorruption an estate of purenesse holinesse whereby it shall bee freed from sinning and offending God and shall stand and remaine for euer purged and cleansed from all sinfulnesse and in as perfect sanctitie as the blessed Angels of God And our true holinesse begunne heere shall be consummated and become perfect holinesse there These are matters of comfort to cheere his heart that is grieued with the burthen of his owne corruptions not suffering him to serue God as hee would his defaults displeasing him shall not bee laid to his charge His loue and true desire shall be accepted as if his life were without fault and hereafter in due time he shall be wholly freed from all corruptions And these comforts are some ease of his burthen that though his lusts be still as strong as they were yet his g◅iefe for them is not so much as it was But let vs see further how a man may cast this burthen vpon God to be eased of it and get masterie ouer his lusts For the casting of this burthen vpon God these are good rules and profitable seruing to procure case and whereby strength against the corruptions and lusts of the flesh is obtained First let him be diligent in the study of the word of God which Dauid calleth A lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths Because in the spirituall darkenesse which ouershadoweth our souls in this world so that of our selues wee cannot see nor finde out the paths of righteousnesse wherein wee should walke if wee take vnto vs the word of God it like a shining light will reueale vnto vs the old way which is the good way that we may goe forward in it It will teach vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and will guide vs aright against the dangerous seducings of our owne euill lusts And great force it hath to keep vs in our way euen in those men in whom their lusts and corruptions are most strong As for example in yong men in whom there is more pride of wit and more stubbornnesse of wil then in men of other ages in them the word of God is powerfull to make them aduised and to humble them Dauid asketh this question Wherewith all shall a yong man redresse his wayes and hee giueth answer in the next words saying In taking heed there to according to Gods word Such an excellent help against the seducing lusts of the flesh is the word of God for the redressing of our waies So that if a man burdened with his corruptues desiring to obtain strength against them doe giue himselfe to study the word of God and do take heed vnto it though he were as prowd witted and as stubbornely wilfull as were those yong men the sonnes of Iacob that cōmitted the outrage at Shechem yet the word of God will bring downe his prowd wit reclaime the forward wils of the very dissolute gallants of the world And this doth Dauid being yet but a yong man out of experience in himself affirme saying By thy commandements thou hast made mee wiser then mine enemies for they are euer with me that is I am a continuall student in thy commandements I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation that is my minde is alwayes vpon thy testimonies I vnderstand more then the ancient because I haue kept thy precepts that is age teacheth much by obseruation and experience but Gods word teacheth more So that while a man is carefull to study the Scriptures as Dauid was and maketh them his meditation hee shall soone become more wise then his teachers and more able to direct himselfe then the ancient that think themselues able to giue councell There shall not moue nor stir a corrupt lust in his heart attempting to draw him aside to sin but he being exercised in the study of Gods word shal presently be able with iudgement to checke that desire of his heart to oppose against it Gods owne will Secondly let him frequent the company of good men in whom hee seeth great power to subdue keepe vnder disordered lusts then is in himselfe and let him obserue imitate their behauiour this will helpe him much For if the word of God on the one side giue him a rule how to keepe vnder his raging lusts these men on the other side will be vnto him an example patterne shewing him how to doe it and a very simple workman when he hath not onely rules giuen him to direct his iudgment but a patterne also laid before him to direct his hand will very
of his heart First thou maiest haue all these things and yet not know it and therefore it is great rashnes to say thou hast them not For as before this time thou wilt confesse that there was in thee wickednes of life enuie against thy neighbour and infidelitie against God and yet then when it was so thou didst not thinke it to be so nor couldest be induced to beleeue it to be so so at this time there may be in thee repentance and charitie and faith and yet in this astonishment of thy soule thou canst not see it to be so Securitie at that time suffred thee not to see what was amisse in thee and feare at this time suffreth not thee to see what is good and orderly in thee Againe if thou haue them not yet thou art in the way of them and thou art not far from them Thou art grieued to finde thy selfe guiltie of so much sinne and thy heart is pricked and thy soule is wounded to thinke that thou art so laden with thine iniquitie Surely this is the beginning of true repentance when a man is grieued at the sight of his sinne Indeed it is loue that commendeth vnto God our repentance and conuersion to him but it is feare that first openeth the heart vnto God whom being once entred we doe after intertaine with loue so was it with Peters hearers in the Acts. After he had brought them to the fight of their sinne in crucifying the Lord of life it is said of them When they heard it they were pricked in their heartes and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles men and brethren what shall we doe Then began they to haue care of amending their life when they saw the errour of it and were afraid at the fight of it And it is a true saying of Saint Gregorie Sancta electorum ecclesia simplicitatis suae et rectitudiuis vias timore inchoat sed charitate consummat The holy Church of Gods elect beginneth the waies of her simplicitie and vprightnes in feare but doth perfect them in loue So that euen this feare that thou art in by reason of thy sinnes is the beginning of repentance giuing thee to vnderstand that it is not good nor safe to continue in them Proceed in the feare of God for thou art not far from repentance And thou thinkest other men to be happy in their peace of conscience and desirest to haue fellowship with them in the fruition of Gods fauor And is not this loue or at leastwise a preparation to loue to haue in admiration the saints of God to thinke them to be happy that are in his fauour aboue the condition of other men that inioy the glorie of the world without Gods loue and to desire to be vnited vnto them No man can thinke well and honorably of them whom hee hateth no man can desire to bee ioined in condition and fellowship with them whom he doth not loue or at least thinke well of and therefore this opinion that thou holdest of them and of their happines sheweth that thou art not far from loue When Balaam hauing considered the condition of the people of God both in their life and death speake these words Let me die the death ◅f the righteous and let my last end be like his Hee began to loue the Israelites and though after hee shewed fruites of hatred against them yet at that time when hee spake those words he loued them his change of mind grew from his owne couetousnes he desired Balaks reward and therefore sel from his loue as Gregorie noteth of him that there was Nequaquam perseue ra◅tia continui amoris no perseuering in continued loue He began to loue thē but the couetousnes of his heart brake off his loue Continue thou in loue and striue to increase Thy present good opinion that thou holdest of them and of their happines is an euidence that thou louest or art not far from loue And thou hast a longing desire to recouer the loue of God thou gladly hearkenest to the report of his mercy and wouldest thinke thy selfe an happy man if thou couldest grow to any comfortable perswasion thereof and doth not the man thus minded follow after faith was there any more in the man that came to Christ for his son that was possessed of a diuell when he said vnto him Lord I beleeue help my vnbeliefe Hee freely confessed that all the faith he had was no other no better then vnbeliefe yet his desire of faith was esteemed for faith or obtained faith for the effect of faith followed Christ that said vnto him If thou canst beleeue it all things are possible to him that beleeueth healed his child because he beleeued and shall not thy desire of faith in like manner either be esteemed for faith or obtaine faith that the effect of faith in the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes may follow Surely that desire of thine sheweth that thou art not farre from God But be it granted that thou art altogether without them and at this time most farre from them doth it therefore follow that thou canst not obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes for the present want of them Not so for though now thou haue them not yet thou maiest obtaine them and then forgiuenesse of sinnes now seeming impossible will easily bee obtained They that were borne without them die with them and reape the fruit of them bearing the testimonie of them into the graue in the sweet peace of their conscience that neuer brought them not any preparation vnto them out of the wombe And therefore hope in the Lord and pray vnto him and practise all the good councell that was giuen thee when these conditions were first remembred vnto thee Repentance is the gift of God and he is the Lord most holy that reneweth our hearts by the spirit of Sanctification He it is that made this promise I will poure water vpon the thirstie hee meaneth him that thirsteth after righteousnesse and stonds vpon the drie ground he meaneth barren hearts that bring forth no good I will poure my spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vppon thy buds By the name of Spirit he giues vs to vnderstand what hee meant by Water and Flouds mentioned before euen the graces of his renewing and sanctifying Spirit this promise is made to the Church whereby GOD doth assure her that he will blesse all her children how drie and barren soeuer they be with that grace the moisture whereof shall make them fruitfull of all good workes And thou art a child of the church bred and brought vp in the bosome thereof thou art the seed thou art one of the buddes of the righteous pray vnto God that giueth repentance and hath largely promised and in ti◅e thou shalt find fauour Also charitie is the gift of God hee is loue and it is he that maketh men to be of one mind in an house that is in
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
THE Strong Helper OFFERING TO BEARE EVERY MANS BVRTHEN OR A TREATISE TEACHING in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences By IOHN HAIVVARD The second Edition corrected and inlarged PSAL. 31. 22. Though I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight yet thou heardest the voice of my praier when I cried vnto thee ¶ Imprinted at London by IOHN BEALâ—… for William Welby 1614. TO THE VVOR shipfull and his most kind and louing friends Master Israel Owen and M is Bathshaba Owen his wife IN the first publication of this Treatise the argument whereof is more agreeable to the hungry desires of a troubled soule then to the dainty appetite of them that seeke to haue their eares delighted with fine inuention I commended it to none but vnto such as had the only neede thereof euen to them that are weary and laden which grone vnder that burden whereof none can ease them but only he that beareth vp all things by his mighty word Heb. 13. And healeth those that are broken in heart and giueth medicine to heale their sicknesse Psal. 147. 3. At this second edition I haue been bold to publish it vnder your Worships name not that I haue any higher conceit of it now then at the first to thinke it now worthier then at that time to beare it in the forehead thereof thename of any worshipfull patron For though it bee in some places altered and in some enlarged yet our bookes grow not vnder our hands as our children doe to become fairer stronger and wiser by continuance of yeeres but they retaine with little alteration their first proportion and members And this little booke as it was at the first so it remaineth no other then a knitting together in one continud discourse of those obseruations which in my publike exercise I deliuered in many Serâ—… mons when I intreated of that text of Scripture which I haue put downe in the beginning as the argument of the whole worke But finding my selfe inde bted vnto your loue in a greater measure then I am able to make satisfaction for which loue of yours to me hath continued now aboue twenty yeeres and aboue all other proofes thereof hath lately declared it selfe in a most free and kinde offer of extraordinary fauour I haue been bold in this dedication to testifie vnto you as I was able my thankefull heart which is the best recompence that my weake estate is able to affoord And with this little booke which I offer vnto your Worshippes I offer vnto Almighty God my most hearty praiers that the father of mercy God of all consolations will euer continue vnto you and your posterity the abundance of his grace both for a long and happy life in this world and for a seasonable and christian departure hence that after your yeeres bee compleate on earth you may raigne with Christ for euer in Heauen From my house in Woolchurch this thirteenth of Nouember 1613. Your Worships wel-willer Iohn Hayward To him that is wearie and laden SALOMON in the Prouerbs affirmeth that he that is full despiseth a hunnie combe And one wiser then Salomon telleth vs in the Gospell that the whole haue no neede of the Phisition Idlely therefore should I offer my labour in this treatise to them that are full and liue at ease who bearing no burden or in their strength not feeling what they beare would reiect my offer as a mocke say vnto me Brach ia da lasso potius prendenda natanti offer your hand to him that is ready to sinke in the sloud we haue no neede we sit safe vpon the shore If these mens securitie be sound I wish it may be durable vnto them and as they haue no desire vnto so I wish they may neuer stand in neede of the counsell conteined in this booke this I wish them out of loue though out of iudgement e know if they belong to Christ the tim will come when they must beare a crosse and follow him But with hope of better acceptation I offer my counsell here following vnto thee that seeâ—…est the burden that thou bearest and gronest vnder the burden that thou feelest Salomon in the forenamed place telleth vs that to the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete And the Lord Iesus affirmeth the sicke to stand in neede of the Phisitions helpe Thy burden maketh thee as fainting labourer to long for releese and the crumes of Gods mercy easing thy ouercharged soule would be acceptable to thee and the paine of thy diseased spirit more sicke of thy tentation then of a burning feauer maketh thee desirous of the Phisions helpe thou criest in thy griefe Rebus succurrite lesis helpe my greeued estate and the offer and assurance of helpe and health cannot but bee ioyfull vnto thee If thy greefe and wearines be occasioned by any troubles of this life if it grow from any secular worldly cause I haue reduced all such burdens vnto fower heades Because either it is some want in our worldly estate which commonly is the burden and trouble of the multitude or if wee bee that way well stored it is some trouble domesticall and neare vnto vs either in our selues or in our house habitation or kinred or if we haue peace in our habitation ioy in our kinred friends and seruants with life and health as we desire then there is some more remoued person or more remoued accident that is the cause of greese care and feare vnto vs or â—…f abroad aswell as at home and among strangers aswell as among friends and neighbours we liue without disturbance yet we often finde difficulties in the duties of our callings or we meete with oppositions and are wronged with mistakings are euill rewarded for our well deseruing Within the compasse of one of these foure heads fall all such secular and worldly burdens and in the first place I haue giuen aduice concerning these perhaps not altogether such as some wise men well seene and traded in worldly causes would giue but surely such as an honest man should giue and such as he must obserue that looketh to obtaine ease and helpe from God If thy trouble and greefe be of another kinde if thy burden be spirituall and tâ—…e whole busines lieth more directly betweene God and thee and either as an honest man thou art greeued that thou canst not serue him as thou shouldest or so humbled that thou art greeued that thou hast sinned against him as thou shouldest not and fearest punishment for that sin these troubles I haue reduced to two heades for either the lustes of our flesh fighting against our soules doe crosse vs in the waies of trueth and righteousnes so that we cannot doe the good we would and the euill we woud not that we doe and our desires being as the desires of the children of light our deedes become as the deedes of the sonnes 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
easily with this double helpe learne to doe his worke in some reasonable good manner and vnto this helpe vnder God the Apostle Paul doeth send vs saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walks so as you haue vs for an example A man merrily ignorant of his way if he follow carefully step for step a skilfull guide going before him will very safely come to the place that he desireth so shalt thou doe in the way of godlines if thou keepe company with the godly and marke their behauiour to doe thereafter Augustin hauing respect of Saint Paul saith in one place If thou faile in the precept be strengthned in the example that is if by looking onely to the precept thou canst not bring to passe to keepe it looke to the example of them that doe after it and their example shall much strengthen thee Men are very apt to be led by examples and are easily transformed into the manners of those whom they keepe company with neither will their fellowship hold long that doe not conforme themselues to the manners of their company Dauid in one place hath this saying With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the vpright man thou will shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou will shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou will shew thy selfe froward The Prophet speaketh these words of God and we may safely speake them of men among the godly thou must shew thy selfe godly learning and practising their godly behauiour else they will haue small pleasure in thy company and among the wicked thou must doe as they doe else they will soone be weary of thee and sly thy fellowship The company therefore of the godly cannot but be a great helpe vnto thee vnder God to learne by them to subdue and keepe vnder thy vnruly lusts if thou conuerse with them and daily striuest to conforme thy selfe to their manners This is a good degree of casting this burden vpon God Thirdly let him shun all occasions that may aâ—…lure and prouoke him vnto these sinnes that by the corrupt lusts of his heart he findeth himselfe most subiect vnto For example if his infirmitie be pronenesse to anger wrath let him auoid the company of contentions and froward persons that are apâ—… to prouoke let him not take knowledge of euery petâ—…y wrong that is done vnto him nor harken vnto them that will tell him this or that tale what other men say of him lest suddenly he be distempered If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to drunkenes as thâ—…re are but too many that when they are at it can keepe no measure let him fly the company of pot companions let him shun the places and â—…bhorre the ceremonies of great drinking and let him not delight himselfe to behold the colour and sparkling of the Wine If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to adulterie and such vncleannes let him shun the haunt of Harlots and their houses all wanton company and let him not cast his eye vpon deceitful and bewitching beautie and so concerning all other sinnes that his heart lusteth after This rule the holy Ghost giues vs in many places Salomon saith Keepe thee from the wicked woman and from the slattery of the tongue of the strange woman desire not her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lid Her coÌ„pany her countenance and her wordes all these are inticing occasions and all these Salomon warneth him to shun that world not be betrayed by his owne frailty to commit whoredome In another place he saith Make no friendship with an angry man neither goe with the furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Company and fellowship with the froward will draw thee whether thou wilt or no into many brawles and quarrels and otherwise also breedes danger vnto thee therefore to be shunned of him that feareth his owne euill nature too prone vnto anger Againe Looke not thou vpon the Wine when it is red when it sheweth his colour in the cup and goeth downe pleasantly in the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice The beautifull colour and pleasant mouing of the Wine in the cup are prouocations to drinking hee that would not be ouertaken with drunkennes knowing his owne appetite and weakenes must shun these prouocations Generally this is a veriy good rule for him that feareth the violence of his owne sinfull lustes to sly all occasâ—…ions alluring and prouoking vnto sinneâ—… he that would not be strangled with the hooke let him not play with the bait and lie nibling at it the Diuell and the world deceiue by such meanes he that is hurdened with thâ—… lustes of his flesh desireth case to his guâ—…ed soule by casting his burden vpon God let him shun these occasioâ—…s diligâ—…ntly he that would not be huâ—…t with the Lyons clawes let him not come neare vnto his foote In the fourth place let him often think vpon the iudgements of God threatned against sinne and executed vpon sinners that yeeld and suffer themselues to be led away by their lusts the threatnings he shal finde euery where in Gods word and the executions he may see abroad in the world Let him also meditate vpon the mercies of God promised vnto vertue and performed vnto the vertuous that walke in the spirit and putting vpon them the Lord Iesus Christ doe take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof the promises hee shall meete with euery where in Gods word and the performances he may see abroad in the world but especially in the church and among the godly whose company he was before aduised to frequent These things obserued 〈◊〉 breede in him the feare of Gods power and the loue of Gods mercy which two will be vnto him helps of great seruice against the lusts of his owne heart while on the on side the feare of God will make him walke in humility and on the other fide the loue of God will make him to serue God with gladnesse This is a very good way of casting this burden vpon God Fiftly and lastly but continually and feruently let him pray vnto God for his grace to be giuen continued and increased to him For as the flesh that is corruption â—…n vs lusteth against the spirit so the spirit that is the grace of God in vs lusteth against the flesh So Paul incumbred with the messenger of SataÌ„ buâ—…eting him by which name he vnderstood the burden of his troublesome corruptions praied vnto God if it might bee to be freed from it For all power to preuaile against sinne and to get the mastery ouer corruptions is obtained by the gift of God and by the worke of his grace in vs. Therefore doth Dauid pray to God in this manner Teach mee o Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end giue mee
not out of any hatred that they did beare against such vile sinnes but onely for feare of the peoples speech and rather for want of meanes and opportunity to accomplish them then for want of any good will if time place and other things had been answerable And if thou finde that thine is such a generall and confused tentation as namely that thou diddest neuer rightly know nor loue nor feare God and that thine heart was alwaies or now is an euill an hypocritical heart thine estate is so much the more easie that in the dayes of thy security while thou diddest walke according to the course of this world and after the prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience God suffered not the Diuell to thrust thee into presumptuous sinnes after the manner of others and into grosse and desperate sinnes against all rules of honesty wherewith hee might now in this time of temptation torment thy conscience This affordeth much aduantage vnto thee that the diuell can finde no grosse particular sinne to vrge and presse thee withall Here let the afflicted man first consider that hitherto his case is no whit worse then the case of euery man that commeth into the world For Dauid doth tell vs that the best man euen he that prooueth afterwards a man after Gods owne heart yet out of his mothers wombe yea out of his fathers loines proceedeth a sinnefull creature with an euill heart empty of the loue of God and continueth so till God bestow some particular grace vpon him for the conuersion of him And he maketh himselfe an instance heereof speaking thus Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me He was from the wombe and loines a sinner taken in generall termes for a man in whom there was an euill heart not knowing not louing not fearing God And Saint Paul doth tell vs that the holiest man euen he that was from the beginning a chosen vessell to beare witnesse to the name of Iesus Christ before kings and nations yet in his originall estate and first yeares hee is the childe of wrath and dead in trespasses and sinnes as all other men till God in mercy looke vpon him and renew him And hee maketh himselfe among others an instance thereof while hee thus speaketh You hath be quickened that were dead in trespasses and sinnes wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom wee also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Paul was a bad as the Ephesians and the Ephesians as bad as all other men til God in mercy conuerted both him them And the Prophet Ieremy telleth vs that there is both generally and particularly in all men and in euery man a heart both wicked and hypocritical wicked to do that which is euill deceitfull and hypocriticall to dissemble in the doing of it and to make shews pretences and excuses that it might be thought not to doe euill And this wickednesse and hypocrisie ro be so deepe and cunning that it deceiueth not onely other men but euen the wicked man himselfe that flattereth and pleaseth himself with his owne pretences and perswadeth his owne soule that all is well and onely God is able to finde out his hypocrisie for thus hee saith The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it I the Lord search the heart c. Other men cannot know it and search it out For the apostle saith What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him A manâ—… owne heart may bee acquainted with his owne thoughts but another man cannot discerne them a man himselfe oft times is not able to discerne his owne wickednesse a vaine and false opinion misleading his blinded iudgement but God searcheth it out because as the Apostle saith There is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open to his cies with whom we haue to doe Such is the depth of the wickednesse of mans heart such is his deceitfull hypocrisie that no eye but the all-seeing eye of God no iudgement but his that neuer erreth can see the same And Salomon telleth vs that there is no man iust vpon the earth that doth good and sinneth not And knowing this to be generaly true he challengeth euery man that thinkes that he can say any thing to cleere eyther himselfe or any other saying Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from my sinne So that this is the condition of all men till God in his mercy mould them anew by his grace till then they are altogether such as thou in thy troubled heart art charged to be men of an euill heart full of wickednesse and hypocrisie that neither know God nor loue God nor feare God Therefore when thou art charged with such a generall and confused tentation yeeld it to be true that thou art charged withall and stand not to make thy selfe better then thou art withall say vnto thy soule for that I haue no more cause to dispaire of Gods mercy then Dauid had that was such a one in his birth then Paul had that was such a one vntill the day of his conuersion then any other and all other of Gods elect and best beloued children that were euery way such conceiued in sinne borne in iniquitie children of wrath full of vnsearchable wickednesse and hypocrisie neither knowing nor liuing nor fearing God till he was pleased to looke vpon them in his fauour and to conuert them by creating a new heart and renewing a right spirit in them And now that mine eyes are opened by this affrighting of my soule to see my bad condition which I saw not before I will make hast vnto the Lord and will craue that grace at his hands that I now want neither can I nor will I vnderstand this worke of his in letting me see by this fearefull temptation my sinfull estate which in the daies of my peace I did not see to be any other then the fruit of his loue by making me to see my misery to stir vp my soule long drowned in former securitie to seeke with all earnestnes of â—…eale for his help When a sicke man feeleth paine in his flesh he doeth not faintly yeeld to death because he is sicke but from the feeling of his weakenes he taketh occasion to seeke out some learned Phisition craueth his help the more sicke he is the more he desireth and the more earnestly he sueth for his helpe spares no cost and putteth himselfe into
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
of God bestowed vpon him whatsoeuer in minde in body or in estate hee waâ—…led them vainly without any fruit either to the praise of God or good of his saints yea wickedly to the dishonour of God and great offence and hurt of his saints His elder brother said truly of him to his father He hath deuoured thy goods with Harlots He was a deuourer rather then a spender because he followed wholy the flatterings and intice ments of the flesh and of the world hee pursued earnestly and greedily the pleasures of sinne he polluted the whole man both body and soule in carnall and spirituall fornication and hee dishonoured his mercifull Father while to his sinfull courses for the furthering thereof he conuerted all the gfits and graces that hee had receiued of God This was his behauiour being departed from his father In the end by misery iustly fallen vpon him hee was touched ashamed and confounded as thou art seest thou not thine estate liuely described in the estate of this prodigall man yet after all this wandering and wicked behauior and much misery that hee indureth hee remembreth his fathers house he repenteth he returneth and humbly praieth and the successe was he is gratiously receiued into fauour Take this example vnto thee and view it well dwell vppon it with holie meditation Such as he was in his wandering in his wickednesse in his trouble of minde such thou art such as he was in his repentance in his returne home to his Fathers house and in his humble praier vnto God such be thou and such fauorable intertainment as hee found at his Fathers hands thou also shalt find Are not these things written for our learning that wee through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope And because thou dost not yet resemble God either in the vertues of thy mind or the actions of thy life say not therefore that he is not thy Father and that thou art not his Child Why wilt thou adde this to the former discomfort of thy soule and to the former errours of thy life and wrong either God in his goodnes or thy selfe in the grounds of thy hope Thou knowest the words of Moseâ—… to the people of Israel if thou know them not heare and let thine heart vnderstand them Is not he thy Father thâ—… bought thee he hath made thee and proportioned thee If he be thy Father that made thee and proportioned thee theâ—… surely God is thy Father for hee and none but he that made heauen and earth made thee The Prophet saith of God It is he that hath made vs and not we 〈◊〉 selues And if he be thy Father that hatâ—… bought thee and purchased thee then whether thou approoue iâ—… or no God is thy Father for hee hath bought vs with a price not of corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the price of the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb vndefiled without spot Therfore the Apostle saith to the Corinthians Yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price And beeing once his all thy wanderings cannot weaken his right in thee but hee still shall remaine thy Father that bought thee If a sheepe runne astray from the fold and wander long in vnknowne pastures doth it therefore cease to be his that is Lord and owner of the flocke and if it returne or be brought home with the fleece lost and left behind hanging vpon euery hedge and with the skin and flesh also torne will hee not acknowledge it and receiue it Yes he will receiue it with ioy Reade the fifteenth chapter of Saint Luke and meditate vpon that thou readest So farre off is it that the indignation of heauen should reiect thee that as it is there said There is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth Make ioyfull the angels of heauen by thy returne to God and that ioy shall shine vpon the face of thy conscience And not to forget what we haue in hand to proue God thy father consider some words of the apostle to the Hebr. We haue had the fathers of our bodies that corrected vs and we gaue theÌ„ reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits that wee might liue He calleth men that begat vs fathers of our bodies and hee calleth God that created vs the Father of our spirits because in the generation of our bodies men are vsed but in the creation of our spirits God only worketh who is also the principal ageÌ„t in the framing of our bodies and men are but instrumentall agentâ—… therfore while there is a spirit dwelling in thy body quickning and mouing it thou canst not deny God to be thy Father whose gloâ—…ous habitation being in heauen as he saith by Esay I dwell iâ—… the high holy place Thou hast a Father in heauen And therfore by the commaÌ„dement of Iesus Christ willing vs to say to God forgiue vnto vs our sins thoâ—… hast both leaue giuen thee to aske forgiuenesse of sins and hope giuen thee to obtaine forgiuenes Vse therfore cheerfully but withall reuerently and thankfully this leaue obey duetifully and gladly this commandement for God is thy Father And thy seruice in calling vpon him shall not be fruitlesse And say not bicause as yet thou neither seest the fruits of the holy Ghost iâ—… thy reformed life nor feelest the testimony of it in thy cheereful conscience that therefore that blessed Spirit is not in thee When thou speakest of the fruits of the Spirit thou makest the Spirit to be as seed sowne in the heart that should bring forth fruit And so indeed the holy Ghost within vs is the seed of our regeneration and new life as the Lord Iesus teacheth vs saying Except that a man be borne of watâ—… the spirit the water of Baptisme spirit of Sanctification And Iohn plainely giueth the name of Seed to the Holy-Ghost saying His seed remaineth in him And when thou speakest of the testimony of the Spirit thou makest the Spirit to be as a witnesse that testifieth the fatherly loue of God vnto vs. And so indeed the Holy-Ghost within vs is vnto our hearts a true witnes of Gods loue Paul to this purpose saith Yee haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God And Saint Peter in his speech before the Priest and Captain of the Temple calleth the holy-Ghost a Witnesse saying Wee are his witnesses concerning these things which we say yea and the holy-Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him For the Lord Iesus hath two sorts of witnesses to confirme to the consciences of men the truth of his death and resurrection and his power of sanctifying and sauing The one sort is the Apostles and Ministers who by their doctrine doe beare witnesse
make the hard stones softer then the clay and to worke our hearts as wax to take the impression of his Law he is able to make vs vessels of honour for holy acceptable seruices in his house and hee is able to make vs Abrahams seede and true Israelites You know the words of Iohn the Baptist spoken to the prowd Iewes that gloried so much in this that they were Abrahams seed and in Abrahams right were heires of the Couenant Hee spake thus vnto them Say not within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham So that of him that is no Israelite that is no child that is no heire God is able to make an Israelite a child an heire Of Gods goodnesse toward them that were no Israelites and no people the Prophet Hosea speaketh in this manner I will haue mercie vpon her that was not pitied and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God If thou wert therefore of that company that is not pitied thou maiest yet find mercie at GODS hands and if thou wert of that company that is not Gods people thou mayest yet become one of his The feare therfore that thou fainest vnto thy selfe hath no ground Consider him whom thou hast to deale withall and hope in his mercie that is so liberall in his promises and is also most faithfull in the performance of his word Thou hast sinned and hee hath promised to forgiue thy sinnes Appeale vnto his promises he cannot faile to effect that which hee hath giuen his word for of which word of his himselfe saith thus It shall not returne vnto mee void but it shall accomplish that which I will it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it So that hauing sent forth that gracious word of promise to forgiue and forget thy sinnes it shall not returne to him void it shall not be found a false or faulty word but a word of truth and power Pray vnto God for the effect of it and it shall prooue prosperous to thy peace CHAP. XXI ALl that hath hitherto been said is not able to calme the storme that is raised in this poore sinners conscience but his restlesse mind stil replies arguing against himself in this manner If this leaue of asking and this promise of granting forgiuenes of sinnes be so free for euery one borne of beleeuing parents as you would make mee beleeue how commeth it then to passe that so many perish in their sinnes not onely of them who are borne and brought vp of and among vnbeleeuers that know not the true God but of them also that are descended of beleeuers and all their time broght vp in the bosome of the church that can say before the Iudge We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Yea they proceeded further in the businesse of the church cā say to the Iudge Lord haue not we by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great works and yet vnto them the Lord wil answer make profession say ing I neuer knew you depart frō me ye that worke iniquitie The way that leadeth to death destruction is broad and easie and many walke in it and perish I am one among others that haue run in that way and I am yet in it But the way that leadeth to life and saluation is a narrow way and few do find it and I am one of them that cānot find it I am now out of it and indeed neuer had any pleasure to seeke it that I might walke in it And yet you make the promise of the forgiuenesse of sinnes to be very large and giuen to al within the church And why may not I notwithstanding so gracious large a promise misse of forgiuenes and fall into condemnation aswel as others yea before many thousands of others hauing deserued condemnation as worthily as any other and moreworthily then many other therefore I think that there is something required to the obtaining of forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation that I yet know not and not knowing it it is very like I haue it not and not hauing it I remaine still vnder cōdemnation and must perish eternally And I feele it so in the feare of my soule for notwithstanding all that you haue spoken to put life and hope into my soule yet the burden of my sinnes and the feare of damnation is no lesse heauy vpon me then before you began to speake vnto me I confesse indeede that the things that haue beene spoken offer great comfort but I want a right hand to take it withall Help me therefore thorow and shew me what are the conditions vpon which God forgiueth sinnes that hearing them I may know whether I bee capable of that desired happines and if I be not presently that yet I may indeuour in time to be and so at the last obtaine it For though you haue not deliuered me from al my fear yet you haue wrought in mee a great desire to recouer and get out of it not without some hope that it may one day by the mercy of God bee happily effected to my saluation This obiection is tempered with some mildenes and while the storme is something laid hearken and I will teach thee what the conditions are so shalt thou know both why others perish in their sinnes notwithstanding this promise namely by neglecting these conditions and also how thou maiest obtaine forgiuenes of thy sinnes according to this promise by the obedient and carefull keeping of these conditions The conditions required at our hāds if we thinke to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes are in number three The first of these three concerneth our selues and our renouation It is called repentance a departure from sinne and a returne to God in holines and righteousnesse for it is meete for him that would haue his sinnes past to be forgiuen him to cease from sinne and hate the works of darknesse wherein he tooke pleasure before Which ought to be hated first in regard of God because they are displeasing to him that is most holy and hee that is most glorious is dishonoured by them Secondly they are to be hated in regard of our selues because they cast vs out of Gods loue into his iust hatred and robbing vs of true peace doe fill our hearts with feare and horrour And for thine owne part I hope thou findest that the workes of darkenesse are to be hated and hast a will also to hate and abhorre them seeing what wofull feare and danger they haue brought thee into And this repentance and turning to God will surely deliuer thee from thine old sinnes so that they shall neuer bee laied to thy charge It is a true saying of Saint Augustine
the power of God to saue that is the instrument by which hee powerfully saueth Though therefore thou hast not power to settle thine own hart by giuing saith vnto thy selfe yet thou hast no cause to be discomforted for by praier vnto God and by study in the word of GOD it is obtained at his hands These are the conditions betweene God and man which God requireth where he forgiueth sins three in number One that concerneth most directly thy selfe that is repentance renewing thy heart to hate sinne and to loue vertue and reforming thy life to slie sinne and practise vertue A second that concerneth most directly thy brother that is charitie and compassion to forgiue vnto him the wrongs done vnto thee to comfort him and to doe good to him as thou wouldest that God should forgiue vnto thee the wrongs that thou hast done vnto him that God should comfort thee and doe good vnto thee A third that concerneth most directly God himselfe reuealed vnto vs in his sinne Iesus Christ namely our faith that wee neither thinke basely of the mercy of God nor of the merite of Iesus Christ as if there were some person that it could not releeue and thy selfe that person and some sinne that it could not do away and thy sinne that sinne And now maiest thou vnderstand what it is that causeth so many to perish in their sinnes and how it commeth to passe that so few are saued when yet without exception of any sinne the Lord Iesus commandeth and by commandement giueth leaue to aske and hope to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne and likewise without exception of anie sinne God the â—…ather of our Lord Iesus Christ promiseth to forgiue sinne First they haue no caâ—…e of repentance to forsake sinne yea with delight they dwell in it liue in it and die in it and they will rather forsake God and renounce heauen then leaue their pleasant and gainfull sinnes Secondly they haue no care of charitie and compassion to their neighbour they regard not the rest the credit the prosperitie the peace and safetie of their neighbour and being full of pride of wrath and furie they prosecute the least wrong till they be reuenged Thirdly they regard not to know how ample the Lords mercie is and the death of Christ and doctrine of saluation are foolishnesse to them they pray not for faith and they stoppe their cares against the word of God And hereby it commeth to passe that they perish in their sinnes not that their sinnes are so great that they cannot bee pardoned or God so mercilesse that he will not pardon them or Iesus Christ so defectiue in his mediation that he hath not done and suffered enough to discharge them but themselues are so carelesse so prowd so contemptuous so desperate that they will not leaue to sinne they will not loue their neighbours they will not know God but they will goe on in their courses like them whom Ieremie complaineth of saying They are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the trueth vppon the earth for they proceed from euill to worse they haue not known me saith the Lord. This is the cause why they perish And here maiest thou vnderstand how to reape the benefit of the leaue that Christ hath giuen thee by his commandement to aske forgiuenesse of thy sins how to reape the benefit of the promise that God hath giuen thee to grant forgiuenesse of sinnes First forsake the sinnes that haue been so chargeable vnto thee and hauing already found the reckoning to be so heauy vnto thee diet no more at the Ordinarie of fleshly lusts where the soule must pay for it in hell and the inheritance waste that God hath dearely bought for thee And finding how great need thou hast of mercie and forgiuenesse to keep thee from being eternally miserable Learne to bee tender hearted toward thy brother and afford him thy forgiuenesse that thou maist obtain the same measure of mercy at the hands of God And let it bee the chiefe of thy daily studies to vnderstand more cleerely then yet thou dost how infinite and boundlesse the mercie of God and the merit of Christ his bloud is In the word of God thou shalt finde these things And while thou are occupied with desire in these studies faith in the mercies of God will grow apace and in a short time bring thy conscience to that happy quietnesse that S. Paul speaketh of saying Being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus is thy feare growing from the multitude of them that perish and from the small number of them that are saued notwithstanding the commaundement of Christ giuing leaue to aske forgiuenes and the promise of GOD offering forgiuenesse shewed to bee an idle feare if thou wilt haue care of these conditions vpon which God granteth forgiuenesse of sinnes CHAP. XXII BVT heare againe the afflicted conscience breaketh out into grieuous complaintes and faith If these be the conditions required where sinnes are to be forgiuen I must neuer looke to grow vnto any agreement with God for the forgiuenes of mine for I haue not one of these three things in me For first I want repentance sinne aboundeth in me and whether I hate it or no I cannot tell though I know I haue no cause to loue it that proueth now so grieuous vnto me And secondly I hold my selfe to be void of loue to my neighbour I feare least I shall enuie other men their happy peace of conscience and their happy hope of saluation and that standeth not with loue And sure I am that I haue hurt them oft with the vniust act of my sinne and haue grieued and offended them with the vngodly example of my sinne And these things haue no agreement with loue And as for faith of all three it is furthest off If dispaire could obtaine forgiuenes of sinne I should soone speed for I am not far from that but if saluation must be apprehended by saith I am most far from it for I haue litle or no faith the present feare that I am in is directly opposite to faith This is the miserable condition of this burden that they which are pressed with it doe quickly apprehend and too well remember any thing that may increase their feare but they are dull too apprehend and doe soone forget any thing that might giue them comfort If this troubled sinner could but remember while the three conditions were spoken of what was said vnto him why hee should not be discomforted at the hearing of these conditions as if they or any one of them did breed impossibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes of sinnes he would not now make this fâ—…uolous obiection But let vs helpe his memorie that when God shall be pleased to looke gratiously vpon him his feare may be remoued for the ease
fall into misery is of infinite variety no man can number the seuerall miseries and troubles that sinne hath made our life subiect vnto yet they may be reduced to two generall heads for either they are iudgements vpon the inward man inward miseries and afflictions vpon the soule or else they are outward iudgements vpon the outward man in outward things that touch not the peace of the soule The inward iudgements and miseries which follow the fall into sin and wherinto for sinne man falleth are either the blinding of our vnderstanding and the hardening of our heart often inflicted as punishments of foregoing sinnes and such was the iudgâ—…ment of God vpon Pharao whose heart God hardened and such a iudgement and misery the Apostle Paul telleth vs the Gentiles fell into as a punishment of precedent sins when he saith Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannesse to deâ—…ile their owne bodies betweene themselues And in many more words he recordeth that iudgement or they are those feares and terrours of heart that cast vs downe from hope that empty our soules of comfort fill them with feares and make vs as it were to stagger shrinke and fall in our faith of this kind is that iudgement that God threaâ—…neth by Moses in these words the Lord shall simite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and astonishment of heart when a man is amased and confounded with his feares that hee knoweth not which way to turne him for comfort and helpe and deepe fallen into this miserie were they whom Esay speaketh of saying The sinnes in Sion are afraid a feare is come vpon the hipocrites who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings They conceiued no otherwise of God then of a consuming fire and therefore feare possessed altogither their hearts hope vanished faith had no abiding there And all these inward miseries falling immediately vpon the soule and the facultie thereof tend chiefely to this to ouerthrow our faith by decay of it to ouerthrow vs for faith is the firme standing of our soule grounded vpon the assurance of Gods mercy Therefore doeth the Apostle vse this phrase Watch you stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong Because he that hath the stronger faith standeth the more strong and steadfast and hee that hath the weaker faith standeth more weakely and loose and thoug the faith of the Saints of God once giuen vnto them neuer totally decaieth for as the Lord Iesus saith hee praied for the continuance and confirmation of Peters faith to whom he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not So he praied for all his chosen ones that beleeue in him when he said to his father I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in mee thorough their word Yet the faith of the Saintes suffereth sometimes an eclipse or deceasing at some other times an increasing whereby as in the increasing of their faith they stand fast and are full of comfort so in the deceasing of their faith their footing becommeth slipperie and they take many sore falles feele their hearts oppressed with feare as it was with Dauid when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so far from my health and from the words of my roaring And when he complained at another time saying Mine heart trembleth within mee and the terrors of death are fallen vpon mee feare and trembling are come upon mee and an horrible feare hath couered mee In this manner their faith at that time being in the wane the righteous oppressed with a weight of anguish and feare doe often fall through the shrinking of their faith and feele themselues sore bruised in their soules But yet such is the mercy of God that he doeth not suffer the righteous being fallen into these inward iudgements and miseries to fall for euer And if it be a blinded vnderstanding or a hardned heart that they are fallen into he raiseth them vp out from a blinded vnderstanding by sending the knowledge of the 〈◊〉 As the Lord Iesus sent Paul among the ignorant Gentiles with this commission I send thee to open their 〈◊〉 that they may turne from darkenes to light c. And he raiseth them vp from hardnes of heart by mollifying their hearts as hee promiseth by Ezekiel saying I will take away the stonâ—…e heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh And if they be fallen into any feare and terror of conscience he raiseth them vp by repairing their faith and by reuiuing their comfort To that end he bringeth to their remembrance the large promises of his grace the boundles measure of his mercy the riches of his free vnchangeable loue and then doeth hee make them remember that they haue a mediator that died for their sinnes and rose againe for their iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare a place for them and sitteth on the right hand of his father in highest fauour and greatest authoritie to make intercession for them continually vrging the vertue of his death and bloudshedding that hath taken away the sinne of the world who is the prince of peace that hath made their peace and is that beloued sonne in whom the father is well pleased making vs accepted in that his beloued To the same end doeth he spread the beames of his louing countenance and cause the light thereof to shine within their consciences sending downe the spirit of adoption into their hearts to beare witnes with their spirits that they are the sonnes of God so raking together the sparkes of their almost smothered faith from among the cold ashes of anguish and feare where it lay deepe couered giuing heate and life vnto it with the warming fire of his comfort so that they begin to lift vp their heads and to reioice their hearts and to shake of their their sorrow and feare and to glorie in God saying with the blessed virgin My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast tnrned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sacke and girded mee with gladnes And that God doeth thus not suffring the righteous to fall and languish in these inward miseries for euer besides the experience of Gods elect daily renewed with light and grace and daily refreshed with comfort and peace the scriptures also doe testifie it to be the gracious manner of Gods dealing with his chosen The Prophet saith of him Hee healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their soares These words can be referred to no other worke of God for the more sure and full performance whereof God sent his sonne into the world who came to call sinners vnto repentance and to seeke and saue them that