be Lord ouer all and hath care of all prouiding for all and euery particular person and gouerning al by his prouidence yet so maiest thou see him wholly imploied to the custodie and preseruation of thy selfe if thou stand vpon thy owne guard and apply thy wil vnto his will as if hee entended onely thy selfe and nothing els Onely doe thou depart from euill and doe good repent thee of al thy sinnes that thou hast committed and keepe the commandements of God and thou shalt liue and not die for it is not the will of God thou shouldest die but that thou return from thy wicked waies and liue Contemne not the treasures of the goodnesse and patience of God for the will of God prouoketh thee to repentance and inuiteth thee to amendement of life but thy hardnesse whereby thou obstinately perseuerest in thy sinnes increaseth the seuerity of thy iudgement to the end thou maiest receiue the due reward of thy sinnes Forasmuch therefore as thou art wicked and hast so good a father continue not alwaies wicked lest with Pharaâ— if thou persist in thy obduration thou purchase to thy selfe eternall damnation CHAP. III. That there is no man so great a sinner but by the power of the Creatour he may be conuerted BVT perhaps thou wilt say I haue beene so long accustomed to sinne that I can hardly change my life and turne from mine iniqui-quities According to that in the 22. of the Prou. Teach a child in the trade of his way and when hee is old hee shall not depart from it And in the 13. of Ieremiah Can the blank-more change his skin or the leopard his spots that may yee also doe that are accustomed to doe euill Res I confesse deare brother that it is a hard thing to make him that is old in euill daies yoong in good because the custome of sinning doth so enthrall the minde that it can hardly be set at libertie neuerthelesse faint not nor despaire at all if thou be either ouercome by the concupiscence of thy flesh or deceiued by errour or slipt into the way of iniquitie because there is no impossibilitie but that thou maiest bee reduced into the right waie and freed from thy sinne There haue beene many other grieuous offenders who by the right hand of the most high haue beene changed in their old age from the sinnes of their youth and of the seruants and slaues of sin haue beene made the sonnes of God Of drunkards they haue beene made sober men of cruell mercifull of oppressors liberall of proud humble of incontinent chaste of negligent diligent and whom the concupiscence of the flesh hath made base and vile the grace of God hath made beautifull In as much that they haue been willing to suffer wrong that were wont to offer it to giue their owne that were woont to take away other mens to punish their bodies by abstinence that were woont to pamper them to loue their persecuters that were wont to hate those that loued them Nabuchadnezzar after his great fall from a man to a beast Dan. 4. came to himselfe after innumerable afflictions repented and was restored to that kingdome which he had lost Mary Magdalen after many slips of humane fragilitie by true repentance was so kindled with the loue of Christ that of a proud and vnchaste harlot she was suddenly changed into an humble and chaste matron Matthew of a Publican became an Euangelist and the theefe of a wicked transgressor a true conuertite an inheritor of the kingdom of heauen wheÌ„ Stephen by the consent assistance of Paul was stoned Stephen was good and Paul wicked yet Paul became a more zealous preacher of the Gospell than Stephen and afterwards hee was made the Apostle of the Gentiles and he that before was a blasphemer and a persecuter was made a zealous and humble furtherer of the Gospell of Christ Iesus The beginnings amongst Christians are not looked into but the end these beganne ill but ended well The beginning of Iudas was commendable the end damnable from his Apostleship hee fell into hell the theefe from the crosse ascended into paradise What need I say more The Holy Ghost doth not onely set down the good deeds of the saints of God but their euill too that the fall of the iust may be the hope of the wicked and when thou readest that a righteous man sinned and repented thou mayest not despaire of thine owne saluation Wee often times see men spotted with infamie rise to honor and dignitie and iron eaten with rust recouer his ancient brightnesse gold and siluer purified with the fire and trees cut and lopped adorned with boughs leaues The merchant after his losses at sea returnes to sea againe and repaires his losses he despaireth not hee is not cast down but many times made rich by his new aduentures After a desperate sicknesse many recouer health and after desperate sinnes many recouer the health of their soules That in the Prouerbs Teach a childe in the trade of his way c. is therefore spoken because a vessel doth a long time keep the sent and relish of that liquor that is first put into it and by nature we keepe those things best which we haue learned in our yonger yeers not that it alwayes falleth out so but for the most part whilest the age of a man is vnsetled and the minde easily led it is a happy thing to be led vnto the best to the studie of virtue lest being stricken in yeeres hee hardly shake off those sinnes which hee gaue himselfe vnto in his youth An Ethiopian can hardly change his skinne nor alâ—â—pard his spots neither canst thou that of thy selfe art fallen into sinne of thy selfe rise again except God who raiseth the needie out of the dust Psa 113.7 and lifteth vp the poore out of the mire put forth his right hand to helpe thee by which his helpe thou shalt be able to doe any thing but yet not thou but the grace of God which is in thee For how should he want power to raise thee being fallen that was able of nothing to create all things With him all things are possible that with men are impossible his power is no lesse than his will if hee will hee can make thee cleane who as hee clenseth and healeth so he saueth with his onely word If thou despaire of thy disease presume of the omnipotencie of thy Physitian the power of thy Physitian is greater than thy disease is dangerous the danger of thy disease thou seest but the power of thy Physitian thou seest not his power to conuert thy will vnto God is greater than thy inueterate custome of sinning to inthrall thee to sinne If the diuell were able to plucke thee downe from the highest step of virtue to the nethermost depth of all sinne iniquitie how much more is God able to raise thee to thy former height and perfection and not onely restore thee to
see with a pure intention of the minde the beautie of his glorie and the honour of his regall power They behold him without wearinesse they enioy him without tediousnosse and euer thirst to enioy him By so much the more hee is desired by those that possesse him by how much the more hee is possessed by those that desire him By the abundant fulnesse of his vnspeakable goodnesse they are satisfied and with a continuall desire of his fruition they are neuer sat is fied There is sacietie and hunger together that takes away want this lothsome wearinesse A thousand yeeres in the fruition of God are as yesterday that is past God is so delightfull to be seene so sweet to bee possessed and so pleasant to bee enioyed that his continuall presence bringeth no tediousnesse with it Secure fâ—uition the second gift of the soule but rather sorasmuch as the blessed are for euer secure therof it is an addition to their happinesse The blessed fruition of God without end continuall delight without interruption eternall possession without amission secure temptation without doubt of hope follow one another because the blessed enioy that which sometimes they did hope to inioy then at the last are their desires satisfied whilest the glory of God appeareth vnto them God who is the end of all desires can onely satisfie their hearts without him nothing is sought for because in him there is whatsoeuer can bee desired Being made companions with angels and partakers of the kingdome of heauen they reigne with their king Christ and desiring nothing possesse all things without couetousnesse they are rich and without money in plentifull abundance If the teares of the penitent bee sweeter in this life than all the delicates of the rich and if heere it be so pleasant a thing to weepe for it how pleasant thinkest thou it is to reioice with it If the least taste of the ioyes of heauen in this life bee so delightfull how great a measure of perfect ioy and delight haue the blessed in heauen where with a ful mouth as it were they taste and see how sweet the Lord is They feare not to lose the fruition of so great a good otherwise they should not bee truely blessed The ioyes of that eternall citie are eternall where they are secure of that glorie that neuer withereth which neither varieth nor shall slide away because they shall enioy an immutable peace None stronger than themselues can assaile them to cast them from thence neither will God who is their chiefest good withdraw himselfe from them for he loueth them with a more indissoluble band of loue than they loue themselues and they loue God more than themselues And as it is one thing to see a thing Charitie the third gife of the soule another to possesse it another to loue it because wee see many things which we possesse not and possesse many which we loue not so there are three distinct gifts three rewards and three glories The cleere light and fruition of God which succeedeth faith secure fruition which succeedeth hope and perfect charitie which neuer falleth away because it continueth euen in heauen Now the thing it selfe not which is beleeued hoped but which is seene and possessed followeth faith and hope but charitie which is greater than they doth neuer decay but is perfect and increaseth hauing attained what it hoped If beleeuing and hoping wee loue that so much which as yet wee see not and to which wee haue not yet attained how much more shall wee loue it when we shall see it and possesse it In that fulnesse of loue that commandement of louing God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde shall be fulfilled whilest the whole man no way entangled with carnall concupiscence as hee is now shall wholly and incessantly be carried vnto God whilest with a kinde of vnspeakable sweetnes the blessed shall loue God more than themselues and one another as themselues In all there shall be one and the same will because there there shall be no other but the will of GOD. They will that which God willeth and not that which hee will not and as God can do what he will by himselfe so whatsoeuer they will they can do by God As many as are there are one Church one spouse of Christ and one bodie How then shall the head be at variance with the bodie or the bodie with the head As one eye can not be turned but the other must turne with it so whatsoeuer one willeth to that doe all other willes consent And as the eye would not bee the hand nor the hand the eye so though there be a difference in their glory yet euerie one is satiâ—fied with that he hath and being perfect in their ioy and glory are capable of no more than they 〈◊〉 And therefore no infeâ—â—â—â— enuieth his superior as the angels enuie not the archangels there is no enuie by reason of inequalitie in glorie where the vnitie of charitie euer reigneth because all loue all others as themselues the good of euery one by charitie is made the good of all and euery one what in himselfe he hath not he reioyceth to haue receiued in another How great then thinkest thou the ioy is in that perfect charitie of innumerable angels and men because no man loues another lesse than himselfe and reioiceth no otherwise for all than for himselfe Doubtlesse if any other whom thou louest as thy selfe should enioy that reward of happinesse that thou doest thy ioy would be doubled because thou reioicest no lesse for him than for thy selfe but if two or three or more should possesse the same ioy with thee how doest thou thinke thy heart which is scarce capable of thine owne ioy should be capable of so many How many then and how great ioies hath euery Saint in heauen who ioieth more in the glorie of God than in his own and of euery one whom he loueth not lesse than himselfe he ioieth not lesse than of his owne glory If the capacitie of a creature were capable of what is infinite the eie of euery particular person would be infinite and neuerthelesse it is immeasurable vnspeakable and incomprehensible according to the capacitie of euerie particular soule The ioy it hath aboue it selfe is the fruition of God beneath it selfe the euasion of hell within it selfe glorification and blessednesse The number of the blessed diminisheth not that inheritance whereof they are coheires nor in any thing makes it the lesse It is as much to manie as to few as much to euerie particular person as to all because it is one and the same to all and all to euerie one yea and by so much the greater it is by how much greater the number is of coheires There our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus according to his deitie whereby he is God siteth at the right hand of his father in glory coequall in like maiestie in essence consubstantiall
is not receiued his praiers are not heard for God loueth more the loue agreement of men than his owne honour O the admirable goodnesse and mercie of our God and his vnspeakable loue towards men he resuseth his own honor for our charity one towards another If two be at enmity one with the other no man can bee a faithfull friend to them both and therefore God will not be a friend no not to the faithfull so long as they be in hatred one towards another so long as they professe Christ and yet are enemies God to the end he might impose vpon thee a greater necessity of reconciliation did not say If thou haue anie thing against thy brother for to a man that is willing it is a matter of no difficultie to forgiue an other but he said If thy brother hath any thing against thee go with a willing heart and a good conscience and an humble submission vnto him though he bee farre distant from thee or if thou canst not come where hee is in thy heart bee reconciled vnto him that when thou commest in his presence with thy loue thou maist make amends for the wrong thou hast done him which to a furious man that thinketh he hath iust cause to be angry is a matter very difficult But thy brother hath nothing against thee but thou bearest an intestine hatred against thy brother which thou maist easily pardon and bee reconciled if thou wilt And yet thou presumest with this hatred and malice not only to offer thy praiers vnto God but to come to the Communion of the body and blood of thy Sauiour Christ Iesus and that milde Lambe that peace maker that louer of peace thou presumest to â—eceine into thy cruell and bloody heart boiling with hatred malice against thy brother This thy hatred makes thee vnworthy that corporalll bread that thou eateft and doest thou presume to eat the bread of Angels It cannot bee well with thee if thou wickedly receiue that which is good Thou canst not haue life in thy self when the receiuing of life bringeth death Mat. 5.44 Loue saith the Lord your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Whom then canst thou hate when thou art commanded to be good to thy enemies And yet thou hatest thy neighbour that art forbid to hate a stranger and thou persecutest thy brother being commanded to doe good to thy enemie Thou art enioyned to praie for him and darest thou to pray vnto God against him Canst thou call thy selfe a Christian and yet not keepe the preceps of Christ Neither is it sufficient for thee to make vp the heape of thy punishment by trangressing the commandement of Christ but thou praiest vnto him to doe so too God commandeth thee to loue thine enemy and thou praiest vnto him to kill thine enemie and whilest thou so praiest thou fightest with thy praiers against God who commandeth thee to forgiue whatsoeuer thou hast against thy enemie Mark 11. When ye shall stand saith he and pray forgiue if ye haue anie thing against any man but thou callest vpon God to do quite contrarie to his owne rule but so farre is he from doing that that thou requirest that he turneth the malicious darts of thy prophane mouth against thy selfe and that mischiefe that thou wishest to another lighteth vpon thine owne head He liues yet whom thou cursest and thou that cursest art alreadie made guiltie of his death because since thou canst not kill him with thy sword thou killest him with thy praiers If thou laie not aside thy anger against thine enemie at that instant when thou beggest mercie at Gods hands but euen then remembrest thy grudge when is there hope thou wilt be mercifull So long as thou nourishest this rancor in thy bosome no praier no work shal doe thee any good but euerie houre yea euery minute of an houre thou addest sinne vnto sinne whilest thou remembrest thy wrongs and forgiuest not thy neighbour but purposest to reuenge If euery one that is angrie with his brother be guilty of iudgment how much more shalt thou be guiltie which continuest a deadly hatred against him If it be not lawfull to be angry with thy brother or to say vnto him Raca Ephes 4. or fool much lesse to nourish hatred in thy heart against him Wherfore deare brother let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath and lest of a mote thou make a beame and thy soule a man-slaier as speedily as thou canst be reconciled to thy brother and pardon his wrongs Yea pray for thy enemie that pursueth thee and slandereth thee that either God wil turne his hart or rightly defend thee and preserue thee euer wishing his saluation whose iniquities thou doest detest that thou maiest be the sonne of the father which is in heauen CHAP. III. That it is not lawfull to strike him that striketh BVT perhaps thou wilt say hee hath wronged thee greatly not thou him he is a wicked man and not worthy to be forgiuen I had rather die than not to bee reuenged of him I will answer a foole according to his follie Res First my deare brother what shall it profit thee if being stroken thou strike thy striker Shall that make amends for thy blow If thou plucke out another mans eie thou recouerest not thy own but with thy eie thou losest thy patience and hast hurt thy owne soule more than thou hast hurt his body The Diuell procureth the wounds of the body to procure the wounds of the soule If thou strike not againe thou seemest to bee ouercome of thy enemie but in the mean time thou hast ouercome the Diuell thou hast lost a member of thy bodie but thou hast gotten honour by thy patience And therefore if thou spare thy enemie thou hast got more to thy selfe than to him and thou art not to consider so much thy owne losse as the gaine of thy patience Whereas if thou strike again thou procurest a losse to thy bodie and thy soule too and thou art not so much hurt by being stroken by thy enemy as thou hurtest thy selfe by thy own impatiencie Wheras outwardlie thou desirest not to be conquered inwardlie thou art grieuouslie wounded whilest outwardy thou desendest trifles inwardlie thou losest matter of moment and then thou art most ouercome when thou wilt not suffer thy selfe to bee ouer come because thou yeeldest to the dangerous passions of anger and canst not rule thy own affections But thou wilt say hee is worthie to bee stricken hee deserues blowes Res Be it so my deare brother but yet thou art not worthie to strike againe because thou art his disciple Exod. 21. that being stricken strucke not again who likewise abrogating that olde law A soule for a soule an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth Matt. 5.39 a hand for a hand a foot for a foot a wound for a
wound hatred for hatred presently added But I say vnto you resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke turne to him the other also Which law hee himselfe obseruing was readie for the saluation of vs all not only to turn the other cheek but in his whole bodie to be crucified that being taught by his example thou shouldest rather offer thy other cheeke than being stricken to strike againe for scholars must be followers of their master And yet wilt thou being stricken strike againe when thou art commanded rather to turne thy other cheeke But perhaps thou thinkest that if thou strike him thou hast giuen him cause to feare to strike againe yea thou hast prouoked him the rather to strike again for wrath is not pacified by wrath but more inflamed and an iniurie receiued by reuenge is not taken away but increased For what end can there be of mutuall iniuries if euery man proceed in the reuenge of his owne wrongs Enmitie on both sides increaseth hatreds grow strong reuenge more bloody If therefore he haue wronged thee haue recourse to thy superiours take a lawfull course against him by which meanes thou shalt right thy selfe better and hurt him more If hee haue iustly stricken thee be angry with thy own fault not with him because he persecuteth not thy selfe but thy sinne It is lighted vpon thee for thy owne correction Thou hast sinned but thou hast not yet receiued worthie punishment for thy sinne but thou art lesse hurt than thou deseruest and the reuenge is farre inferiour to thy sault the punishment comes farre short of thy desert It was his purpose perhaps to punish thy sinne it is thy part thankfully to accept of this discipline If thy conscience tell thee thou deseruest as much as he gaue thee why doest thou adde sinne vnto sinne by thy impatiencie Forgiue him therefore lest thou forgiue not thy self for hee could not persecute thee if hee were not permitted by the Lord either to punish some sin that is in thee or thereby to double thy ioy in that being wicked thou art corrected being good exerciseth If a childe had discretion hee would not hate the rod which his mother takes into her hand for his amendment But suppose thy enemie do offend thee vniustly perhaps thou hast as vniustly offended him and yet hee hath taken no indirect course to bee reuenged vpon thee but with patience hath borne thy wrongs or perhaps though he now wrong thee yet in former times hee hath pleasured thee as much and if so it is the part of an ingratefull minde by remembring one wrong to forget many benefits But let vs yeeld vnto thee that thou didst neuer offend him and that thou neuer receiuedst any benefit at his hands yet it is an vnworthy thing to make thy selfe more wicked by reuenging another mans wickednesse and to commit a new sinne by punishing another mans iniquitie Hee hath offended thee but yet such are his offences as they no way equall those for which thou beggest forgiuenesse at Gods hands As often as hee offendeth thee so often doth hee minister occasion to thee of the remission of thy sinnes at Gods hands if thou remit his Whereas if all men were perfect how couldest thou suffer any thing for Gods cause Many times it falleth out that thine enemie doth thee more good than thy friend for he whilest he accuseth thee of thy faults compelleth thee to flie from them ministreth vnto thee matter of patience and occasion to humble thy thoughts touching thy selfe whereas thy friend by flattering thee cheereth thee vp in thy infirmities prouoketh thee to iterate thy sinnes and whilest thou hearest thy selfe commended by him he is an occasion either of vaine glorie or error But perhaps thou wilt say that thy enemy is not worthy to be forgiuen Res Yea my deare brother is not thine enemy worthy to bee forgiuen and is there any worth in thee why God should pardon thee those manifold transgressions committed against him What wert thou when he laid down his life for thee wert thou not his enemie What hadst thou deserued at his hands that he should pardon thee The Creatour forgiueth his creature and shall not one creature forgiue another one sinner another sinner If God as often as thou hast offended him should as often haue reuenged himself vpon thee and entred into a strict examination of thy sinnes thou haddest long since perished and beene damned in hell With how great loue doth the Lord tolerate thee euerie day iterating thy old sinnes â— With how great mercy yea being grieuously offended doth he receiue him that repenteth him of his sinnes and turnes vnto him With how great liberalitie though thou euery day offend doth hee euery day suffer thee to inioy his benefits O euill seruant the Lord forgaue thee all thy debt Matth. 18.32 because thou praiedst him oughtest not thou also to haue pitie on thy fellowes euen as he had pitie on thee If therefore thine enemy be vnworthy to be forgiuen and that thou do good for ill yet there is worth enough in Christ that for his sake thou shouldest doe it with whom thou hast deserued to bee thus punished howsoeuer thou hast not deserued of thine enemie to be thus afflicted The good are scourged by God the Iudge of all by the ministerie and helpe of wicked men whom hee vseth as his torturers and the executioners of his iustice and as a louing father after the chasticement of his childe casteth the rod into the fire so our God the father of vs all those wicked that he vseth in this world for the chastisement of his children when hee hath finished his work he casteth into hell fire and reuengeth himselfe vpon them for the reuenge they haue done vpon his children according to that hee hath premised Rom. 12. Vengeance is mine and I will repay Hath not God sufficiently reuenged thy wrong vpon thy enemie in that for thy cause hee hath withdrawne from him his grace In that hee hath powred forth his wrath vpon him and condemned him to eternall punishment which deseruedly he inflicteth vpon him if without repentance hee depart out of this life And therefore thou hast not so much reason to be angrie with him as to bee mooued with compassion towards him Howsoeuer thine enemie rage against thee better is thy iust sorrow in bearing thy wrong than his vniust ioy in offering it Leaue therefore reuenge vnto God whose it is and when he hath reuenged thy quarrell sufficiently let not thy cruelty euer wound thine enemy and persecute him The seruant is not aboue his lord nor the disciple aboue his master nor man aboue God Thy fellow seruant thy condisciple thy brother the lord in his iustice hath corrected and murmurest thou that art in the same condemnation and contentest thou not thy selfe with his sentence but still thinkest the law is in thy owne hands and thou maiest bee Iudge in thy owne cause Perhaps by
with his grace It is a hard thing and onely possibly to the power of God to soften the heart of a man for that which neither by the patience and long sufferance of God is woon to repentance nor is toucht with compunction that which is not broken with feare nor sofrned with loue but is hardned as well with scourges as with benefits lastly that which feareth neither God nor man who can rent in sunder but he that in his passion rent the vaile of the Temple Matt. 27 51. and cloue the stones Who can take away a stonie heart and giue a fleshy heart but hee from whom commeth euerie good and perfect gift euen the Father of light A great sinner hath need of great mercie that where sinue did abound grace may superabound The Lord is faithfull Wisd 1.13 hee hath not made death neither hath hee pleasure in the destruction of the liuing hee will not the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue For he whose desire it is that sinners doe repent and therby returne vnto God wil not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength but with the temptation will giue vs power to resist and by how much the more fraile we are and in greater necessitie so much the more ready is he to helpe vs if the fault bee not our owne as in the siege of a citie the greatest aide is sent to defend that place that is weakest and where the enemie is strongest The Lord is faithfull and hee that saieth Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you cannot denie himselfe For as a Physician suffereth many wrongs and railing speeches of his lunatike patient and yet is not angry with him but doeth neuerthelesse whatsoeuer the nature of the disease doeth require to the curing thereof wherewith though the sicke man bee afflicted yet on the part of the Physician his affliction is no reuenge of the wrongs receiued from his patient but the cure of his infirmitie in as much as if the sicke man being to recouer health the Physician receiueth ioy and comfort therat with greater alacritie proceedeth in his cure and forgetteth his former iniuries euen so our Lord God whose propertie it is to haue mercy and to forgiue who iudgeth with loue and with great respect disposeth of vs when we are in our greatest madnesse of sinne is neuer moued against vs with any affection of reuenge for those sins we hane committed And forasmuch as he is impassible he punisheth not our sinnes in this life with passible anger but with vnspeakable clemencie with the affection of a Physician not a torturer and that hee doeth not for himselfe as reuenging his wrongs for the nature of God is not capable of any such thing but for our correction and benefit As a louing mother is angry with her sonne that hath offended her reprehendeth him chidech beateth him whom neuerthelesse if she shall see to runne into any danger of his estate or life she presently helpeth him putteth foorth her hand nay endangereth her owne life to saue his and that childe whoÌ„ being angry she did beat as if she had not loued him now she holdeth him vp and saueth him as if she had not been angry when shee beat him Euen so God chastiseth vs for our finnes to protect vs sinners and for the most part out of his mercy he sendeth a temporal punishment lest out of his iustice he should inflict an eternall reuenge And if any man shall persist in his hardnesse and with Pharo grow more whose 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 hath long expected not connerted he adiudgeth to â—ernall damnation As a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his garden or 〈◊〉 planteth a tree not that 〈◊〉 should bee cut downe 〈◊〉 cast into the fire and 〈◊〉 when after a long expestâ—â— on he seeth it to bring 〈◊〉 no fruit he cutteth it down and burnes it So our 〈◊〉 full God cutteth off no 〈◊〉 from the land of the 〈◊〉 that yeeldeth any fruit 〈◊〉 testimonie of a true faith 〈◊〉 in that hee willeth the 〈◊〉 of a sinner it is by 〈…〉 sinne committed not of 〈◊〉 selfe but by his conseqâ—â—â— will as Diuines call it 〈◊〉 by he willeth for some 〈◊〉 alreadie done or before all beginnings foreseene and according to this will he would that all reprobates should bedamned whoÌ„ afterwards by his anteced ent will he would saue by al meanes ministing them occasion to attaine saluation As it is the will of a Law-giuer that all his Citizens should bee good and peaceable farre from committing those offences which vpon paine of death he hath forbidden and yet if his ownsonne bee he neuer so deare vnto him transgresse the law hee must die the death though it bee much against the will of his 〈…〉 by his owne 〈…〉 serued death 〈…〉 ture which in our 〈◊〉 rents was whole and entire by their sinne is wholly corrupted and hath altogether lost both righteousnesse and immortality wherby it could beget no other but corrupt vnrighteous and mortal children who as in Adam sining they haue sinned so in the same Adam dying they are dead And therfore whosoeuer hee bee that hath escaped death let him giue thanks vnto God in that hee hath escaped death that was due vnto him and found life not due vnto him To him that is deliuered mercie is shewen without desert to the end hee may giue thanks vnto God vpon him that his damned iustice is executed with desert to the end hee should reprehend nothing in God that neither he should glory in his owne worth nor this complaine of his owne vnwoorthinesse For how should God iustly be accused in his iudgements when hee iustly condemneth a guiltie offender When a debt is truly demanded how can the creditour be iustly condemned So that neither in requiring nor remitting what is due is God with whom there can be no iniustice vniust There is mercy acceptable where reuenge is iust that thereby it may more plainly appeare to him that is freed from iust punishment freely iustified how great a benefit is conferred vpon him in that another not more guiltie than himselfe without any iniustice in him that punisheth is iustly chastized Ro. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of Godâ— how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out For who hath knowen the waies of the Lord or who hath beene his counsellour From that which hath been spoken thou maiest gather deere brother how thou runnest from one sinne into another and by long custom art hardned in them thou working it in thy selfe and God withdrawing hiâ— speciall grace from thee God is patient and of lonâ— sufferance hee tollerateâ— thee for beareth and expecteth thee to repentance being alwaies readie to take from thee thy stonie heart and to giue vnto thee a fleshie hart and to mollifie thy benummed insensible hardnesse with the deaw of his grace And though he
that thou werâ— but to increase thy happinesse aboue that it was Onely be thou of a good courage and constant in the hope of thy saluation he hath satisfied for all thy sinnes he hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world how much more the sinnes of one man When thou wert not he made thee being conceiued in sinne in thy baptism he clensed thee how much more after this being againe polluted can he purifie thee Hee tooke the slime of the earth and made man tell mee if thou canst how of earth made he flesh how the sinewes how the bones how the skin how the veines the eies how framed he euery member Was it not earth he tooke vp was it not one onely substance only the art and virtue of the artificer was added thereunto and so he made this excellent creature As thou canst not tell how thou wert created so thou canst not tel how thou shalt be cured for as fire when it is put to briers and brambles suddenly consumeth so fraile a matter so the goodnesse of our Lord God with the deaw of his mercy suddenly quencheth the fire of our sinnes and for euer consumeth them For his will is that none doe perish but that all doe conuert and liue Thou knowest not how good and gracious the Lord is how great his mercies are Thou imaginest him to be seuere and cruell that is milde and gentle him hard and implacable that is mercifull fierce and terrible that is amiable and thine owne iniquitie lies to it selfe For the will of God is thy sanctification hee healeth the broken harted refresheth those that labour and come vnto him and in the beginning of our conuersion annointeth our wounds with the oile of his mercy lest the greatnesse of the disease or difficultie of the cure should seeme to bee more dangerous than it is And therefore saith the Prophet Isaiah Esai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne to the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for hee is verie ready to forgiue Behold heere it is sufficient to please God if thou doe but rest from doing wickedly and learne to doe good Onely confesse thou hast sinned and the beginning of thy conuersion is alreadie done onely purpose a new life thou hast made one step to heauen Heerein is all the difficultie to begin to enter into the way of repentance which thou hast no sooner begun but he that gaue thee the grace to begin taketh thee by the hand and leadeth thee to the end Yea he that began thy good work in thee by preuenting by prosecuting will end it Hee that gaue thee the will will likewise giue thee the power to perfect it If thou put thy trust in him he will after thy strength thy youth shall be renued like the eagle thou shalt take vnto thee the wings of the eagle thou shalt runne but not labour thou shalt walk but not be weary because the Lord shal be with thee who shall comfort thee in all thy tribulations There is no man to whom this corruptible bodie and earthly tabernacle is not buâ— thensome but yet thou must endeuour to ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh by the vigor of the spirit and thou that alwayes feelest thy selfe to be resisted by thine owne concupiscence alwayes expect an assured assistance from God As the earth expecteth from heauen raine and light so shouldest thou expect from God grace and mercy Wherfore deare brother since thou wantest not an able and willing Physitian to cure thee and to clense thee from all pollution of sinne neither neglect nor defer it Thy repentance he will not despise if it be heartie and though thou haue sinned in the highest degree yet if thou returne he will gladly receiue and embrace thee and cure the sicknesse of thy soule Onely despaire not thou but that thou mayst returne to the state of thy first innocency if thou do but begin to affect a new life CHAP. IIII. That God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our power BVT perhaps thou wilt say When I begin to returne vnto God and set forward my selfe in the way to heauen and forsake my ancient custome of sinning I am presently assaulted with new desires of the flesh and whatsoeuer before hath been pleasing vnto me in this world is made a snare and a temptation vnto me and those things that were accustomed to loue mee being a sinner being a conuertite withstand my endeuors to liue well My ancient pleasures returne vnto my minde and whilest I resist them afflict mee with strange combats That sinne which in the sight of God is blotted out by repentance I call to minde againe sinne conquered brings mee delight And so by little and little being ouercome by new temptations I yeeld and returne to my old vomit again and so my last errour is worse than the first Res It is a token my deare brother that God with great loue and clemencie watcheth ouer thee in that he presenteth before thy eies thy bewailed sinnes which the mercifull GOD would not fet before thee to â—ewaile if his purpose were â—o call thee to a strict account for them and to punish thee for it seemeth that hee is willing to hide them from his iudgement because in his mercy preuenting thee hee maketh thee thine owne Iudge that being iudged by thy selfe thou maiest not be iudged by him The best way to satisfie the anger of God is an often detestation of sinne he that truly repenteth is alwayes in sorrow and labor he sorroweth for sinnes past laboreth to auoid sinnes to come When the Lord looseth thee from the band of thy sinnes he bindeth thee with a band of euerlasting detestation of them that whensoeuer thou remembrest them thou shouldest be sorry thou hast committed them Reioice therefore when thy conscience is touched with those sinnes that by repentance are wiped away if thou approoue them not nay reproouest them if it please thee not that thou hast committed them naie displease thee And yet I denie not that hee that is lately turned vnto God by repentance by the remembrance of his sinnes past may againe be tempted because as wood nourisheth fire so desires feed our cogitations and hee that entreth into the way of repentance is more strongly tempted by the enemie For our aduersary the diuell neglecteth the tempting of him of whose heart he hath alreadie taken quiet possession For if thou resist temptation thy labour is great but if thou yeeld though it seeme to bee nothing yet it is farre greater because whilest thou sleepest securely vnder the intollerable yoke of a cruell tyrant Eze. 13.10 thou saiest Peace peace and there is no peace There is no peace I say with God with the diuell no not with thy selfe For after that thou ceasest to resist temptations thinking therby to finde peace in this world yeeldest and
Paradise vnto thee and thou wouldest not enter I haue offered thee my grace and thou hast neglected it I haue a long time forborne thee sinning being readie to receiue thee repenting Psal 147.20 and yet by all these testimonies of my loue thou hast not turned vnto me Matt. 11.21 I haue not dealt so with euerie nation neither haue they knowen my iudgements If these things had beene done in Tirus and Sidon they had repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes What could I haue done more for thee that I haue not done Tell mee ô mortall and passible man what hast thou euer suffered for mee thy Creator thy benefactor who being impassible and immortall haue suffered and died for thee and yet thy reprobate heart obdurate and obstinate so great benignitie so feruent loue so vehement a louer hath not mollified I that so loued such a one freely without desert how yea how without measure did I deserue to be beloued againe especially considering that when I was not beloued I first loued thee For these and other innumerable benefits bestowed vpon thee though thou canst neuer yeeld sufficient thanks yet I required no other at thy hands but that thou wouldest return loue for loue and that for my sake thou wouldest tender thine owne saluation and abstiane from those sinnes which I hate What I commanded theâ— was no way beneficiall to my self but to thee only that wert commanded for I had no need of thy goodnesse but thou of mine But thou neuerthelesse hast returned mee hatred for loue and euill for good yea thou hast fallen from mee to the diuell thine enemie vngratefull and inconsiderate of thine owne saluation and of thine own accord hast bound thy selfe to an vniust tyrannicall lord master Neuerthelesse al these thy foresaid wrongs and ingratitudes I haue patiently borne I haue a long time attended thy leisure to haue mercy on thee being alwaies readie to forgiue if in anie indifferent time thou hadst come vnto mee yea and to that end I called thee and in a manner intreated thee whilest I staied at the doore of thy minde knocking and calling thee Turne vnto mee and I will turne vnto thee yet thou wouldest not harken vnto my voice It is therfore iust and necessarie that thou that contemnest mee in thy life time shouldest bee contemned by mee being dead And therefore depart from mee thou accursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels there to remaine for euer and euer CHAP. VII Of the paines of hell IT remaineth my deare brother that thou heare what punishment in that bottomlesse pit of hell woorthy thy wickednesse thou wert or yet art to endure except in time by repentance thou auert the sentence of so seuere a Iudge First thou that hast not sinned but willingly in hell shalt endure all maner of torment vnwillingly There shal bee vnspeakeable varietie of tortures and miseries intollerable torments and eternity without end the affliction both of body and soule shall be diuers bitter and euerlasting Because thou hast committed diuers sinnes therfore thou shalt suffer diuers punishments for euery sinne thou hast heere committed shall haue a torment answerable therunto and according to the measure of thy offences shall the retribution of Gods vengeance be such as thy sinne hath been such shal be thy paine For notwithstanding the fire of hell bee one and the same for by a metaphor of fire doth the Holy Ghost especially expresse the torment of hell vnto vs yet it burneth and tormenteth not all the damned after one maner As euen in this world many liue vnder one and the same Sunne but yet all doe not equally feele the heat thereof because 〈◊〉 are not alike in the qualitie and constitution of their bodies And as with one and the same fire straw doeth otherwise burne than wood or iron so there in one and the same fire there is not one and the same heat because what heere the diuers qualitie of the bodie worketh there doth the diuersitie of sinnes the same But touching this fire of hell forasmuch as it is but a metaphor which the holiâ— Ghost vseth to expresse 〈◊〉 to vs the greatnesse of the torments that there are anâ— no materiall fire as some 〈◊〉 dreame giue me leaue as the spirit of God heerein humbleth it selfe to the capaciâ—â— of man so to expresse by this materiall fire that thou seest and feelest at the least some shadow of those torments thou shalt feele in hell For notwithstanding it bee beyond the capacitie of man to conceiue what these torments are yet by those things wee see and feele and can conceiue let vs gesse at those we know not The holy Ghost hath compared it to fire so let mee though I confesse there can be no proportion betwixt corruptible incorruptible things whether they be good or ill Neuerthelesse to the end thou maiest haue a taste of this fire of hel consider with thy selfe if thou put the tip of thy finger into this visible materiall fire neuer so little time what misery what paine what torment doest thou endure And yet this our fire to that euerlasting fire is as a painted fire to a true In the middle of which our visible materiall fire if thou shouldest put thy whole finger how great a torment shouldest thou endure how great if thy whole hand if thy whole arme how much more great if thy whole bodie one whole day together nay one weeke nay a whole yere together From hence gather if thou canst how vnhappie thy soule shall be which must bee tormented in so great and so durable a fire Measure by this temporall torment how intollerable it shall be to thy soule to endure the heat of that vnquenchable fire on both sides within and without that for euer and euer For in this doeth our materiall fire differ from that that ours consumeth whatsoeuer it fasteneth vpon that where it once taketh hold it alwaies tormenteth and reserueth it whole and entire to a paine eternall that doeth naturally yeeld heat and light this vnspeakable heat with palpable darknesse In this for euer and euer desolate land of burning pitch and sulphure to the miserable damned soules there is nothing but desolation from which desolation there ariseth despaire from despaire hatred of God and blasphemie eternall terment continuall lamentation hourely yelling There nothing can be heard but mourning and howling and weeping and gnashing of teeth They that in this life were glutted with satietie in hell shall bee totmented with famine they shal begge a drop of water and shall not obtain it By that they finned they shal be punished and in what they most offended God in that shall they bee most tormented They shall alwaies burne in vnquenchable fire but neuer die bee filled with stench and glutted with torment they shal haue no comfort no counsell no hope of euasion but the sorrowes of death shall for euer compasse them In this
reduceth vnto pardon It belongeth to the iustice of a seuere and rigorous Iudge that there be no end of reuenge giuen vnto them who so long as they were in health would neuer make an end of sinning that there they should neuer want pâ—nishment that heere would neuer want sin who make an end of sinning because they must make an end of liuing whereas if they could they would haue liued without end for they make manifest that they would neuer haue been freed from sinne because they neuer gaue it ouer so long as they liued Againe it is fit and requisit that according to the delight of sinne the bitternesse of their torment should be measured vnto them not onely which the wicked haue had but which they would haue for God doth not only consider the outward actions but hee likewise examineth the inward willes Since therefore out of the corruption of their owne willes they haue giuen no measure to the delight of sinne nor euer could finde so great delight in sinne but that they would haue greater therefore God who considereth the heart not the outward action inflicteth punishment not according to the delight receiued but sought after that the time of their torment for sinne might be infinite who were infinitly delighted therein Againe forasmuch as there is a proportion of greatnesse betweene the offence and the partie offended therefore sinne whereby God infinite in goodnesse and maiestie is offended must necessarily be iudged infinite and deserueth an infinite punishment infinite in continuance not in paine or torment for the finite capacitie of a creature is not capable of what is infinit whom likewise the Lord who deteineth not his mercies when he is angry punisheth not according to their desert for he is mercifull and taketh no delight in their affliction but yet because hee is iust hee is neuer pacified from reuenge For as they that forsake life runne into death so they that feare not to offend and to forsake him that is good in the highest degree deserue in the highest degree to be punished and they are made worthy of eternall euill who destroy in themselues that good that might haue been eternall As wee see that a temporall or transitory punishment brings a death which is perpetuall a temporall treason a yoke of perpetuall seruitude a disease is taken in a short time which a man perhaps shall neuer shake off so the sinnes of the damned haue an end but yet their punishment for sinne is deseruedly endlesse who are sorrie they haue sinned yet cannot but sinne And though God be mercifull and willing to pardon all sinnes whatsoeuer yet when hee punisheth the reprobate for their sinnes hee leaueth not so much as an idle word nay thought vnpunished and they that are debtors for great sinnes being condemned must pay the vttermost farthing And as hee that hath his arme bound can doe nothing with it so out of the bitternesse of the paine not the loue of God they haue a willing will to rise from their sinnes but yet being forsaken of GOD. Which will of theirs though it haue lost the effect of power bee not able yet it hath alwaies the affection to sinne and though they cannot sinne yet they lose not their will to sinne For it is true that death separateth the soule from the flesh but yet it changeth not the purpose of the soule For as with the elect the good will of a man is turned into glory so with the reprobate their ill will is turned into punishment and that shall bee a torment in â—hell that was a sinne in the world As they that haue offended their king are banished their countrie so the damned for their offence committed against God are banished Paradise to whom though all the aforesaid torments are intollerable yet if a thousand helles were added therunto they are nothing to that Paradise that glorie they haue loft For to the damned it is a farre more grieuous thing to bee excluded from glory and to be depriued the grace of God and to endure the hatred of a mercifull Creatour and to haue an omnipotent God their aduersary and enemie which is so vnspeakable a torment vnto them that if no paine at all did outwardly afflict them this onely were sufficient For they see that for a momentarie delight in sinne they endure vnspeakable punishment and for the loue of their temporal goods they haue lost eternall who neuerthelesse by a short repentance might both haue attained these and by not sinning haue auoided the other And if the worme of one sin neuer dying doe so afflict in this life where all hope is not taken away how much more doth the worme of so manie sinnes in that eternall desolation afflict and torment whilest the wicked doe daily behold as in a glasse all the euill they haue committed all the good they haue omitted For as a merchant when the Faire is ended is not only sorrie for that gaine which â—he hath lost but for that also which he might haue gotten but yet neglected it so the damned are not onely sorâ—ie for their sinnes committed but for their good works omitted for all which they then repent though it be an vnprofitable and vnfruitfull repentance because now they finde no mercy that lost the fit time to attaine it But after a hundred thousand thousands of yeres their torments shall still be iterated as if they had neuer suffered any thing and so without end they shall remaine in that place of horror for eueâ— and euer Who can The conclusion relating these things refraine from tearesâ— who can heare them with drie cheekes These are horrible things to thinke vpon terrible to relate and grieuous to behold how hornrible then terrible and greeuous are they to endure For if they bee terrible to heare what will they be to seek 〈◊〉 If the very feare of this punishment doe heere so much afflict thee what will the intollerable suffering of them doe there It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God into a liuing death and a dying life But thou my deare brother thinkest not of these euils but like a man secure thou hastnest vnto them and thou wilt proue them before thou wilt thinke of them But yet to preuent this lest thy beautifull members should be fuell for that vnquenchable fire descend in thought whilest thou art huing into hell lest thou descend thither bodie soule when thou art dead studie therefore both to feare this and fearing it to auoid it For what good will the foreknowledge of these things doe thee if thou auoid them not Now therefore whilest it is possible in a short time if thou turne vnto the Lord to escape all these afflictions and torments and to enioy besides that eternall happinesse which is prepared for his saints why deferrest thou why staiest thou and takest not hold of the mercies of God before thou goe and returne not to a darke land couered
with the shadow of death a land of miserie mourning and lamentation where is darknesse and death and no order but euerlasting horror from which Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour saue and defend vs Amen By this and much more that may bee spoken The conclusion of the fifth part thou plainly seest deare brother how much it stands thee vpon whilest thou hast time to turne vnto God Wherefore thou that wouldest not staie whilest thou wert well returne whilest thou haft time and thou that wouldest not stand when thou wert vpon thy legges now thou art fallen rise againe What sinnes soeuer thou hast committed in thy youth bewaile with teares wash away the spots of thy forepassed life what thy workes haue polluted let thy lamentations purifie As a new borne babe 1. Pet. 2. desire the sincere milk of the word returne as a little childe into the lappe of thy mother the eternall wisedome of God and sucke the teats of his diuine mercy that so thou maiest grow vnto saluation taste how sweet the Lord is Be sorrie for what is past endeuour to auoide what is to come which that thou maiest doe in all thine actions remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer sinne Labor by so much the more to recouer that thou hast lost by how much the more thou haft endamaged thy selfe by sin Thou that knowest thy selfe to haue committed things vnlawfull endeuour likewise to abstain from some things that are lawfull thou that hast committed things forbidden forbid thy selfe things granted and reprehend thy selfe in small matters who hast offended in great Thou must euerie day by little and little banish vice First determine one daie to abstaine from gluttonie and luxurie which by the assistance of God shall succeed well which day being happily ended resolue with thy selfe to continue two daies together and it shall succeed more easily then a whole weeke then a moneth at the last the grace of God preuenting thee and following thee it shall bee no difficult matter for thee to spend whole yeeres in abstinence and continencie And if euery yeere in this maner thou quit thy selfe but of one sinne in a short time thou wilt grow to be a perfect man in Christ Iesu For by this means thou shalt euery day root out thy sinnes and grow in goodnesse For not to profit in the discipline of maners is to wax worse and worse not to goe forward is to goe backeward When the minde of a man endeuoreth the bettering of it selfe the ship saileth as it were against the streame which if it once cease to ascend without labour it is caried downward for in ascending is paine in descending idlenesse Euen so except by ascending from vertue to vertue thou goe about to attaine the toppe of righteousnes tumbling from one sinne into another thou fallest into a headlong downfall Take heed therefore lest after repentance thou please thy selfe too much and being secure thou liue more loosely but rather bee the more warie and settle thy saluation in the hauen of tranquillitie and though the grace of God giue thee daily victorie yet it taketh not from thee matter of combat but lest thou shouldest wax proud as if the battell were at an end the mercie of God protecting thee alwaies remaineth to assist thee that how often soeuer thou ouercome thou shouldest neuer cease to fight alwaies thinking that there is somewhat behinde that thou shouldest ouercome vntill that which is perfect happen vnto thee and thou bee quit of that which is imperfect in that perfect glory of happines Amen The Sixth Part of the exhortation to repentance Against despaire of remission of sinnes CHAP. I. That we are all sinners and haue need of the mercy of God SIXTLY and lastly thou wilt saie perhaps that thine iniquitie is greater than that it may be forgiuen and therefore being sure of thy damnation thou takest no care to repent Res I cannot but congratulate thy happinesse my deare brother and giue thanks vnto God that thou art not as many other men are who daily sin yet know not that they sinne who alwaies doe wickedly and are neuer toucht with that they haue done who as it were blindfolde runne the race of their life and neuer know what state they are in till they feele the punishment For what thing can be more vnhappie than for a man not to know his owne vnhappines among all the dangers of this life to feele no griefe no infirmitie to be ignorant of his owne disease Euen so there is nothing more dangerous than not to know when we sinne There is now in thee the beginning of saluation in that thou acknowledgest thine owne sinnes Thou hast made no small iourney to eternall felicitie in that thou knowest thine infelicitie Now thou appliest thy self to inward purity in that thou deniest not thine inward pollution and impuritie For by so much the more precious is a man in the eies of God by how much the more contemptible he is in his own eies Not to thinke thy selfe a sinner is to make thy selfe the greater offender and thou wert much to be bewailed if thou diddest not bewaile thy selfe The God of mercy and compassion preuenting thee by pittying thee setteth before the eies of thy minde thine owne sinnes and foretelleth thee what danger there hangeth ouer thy head for them in time to come by all meanes that may bee ministring occasion of thy conuersion that at the least by the fear of punishment thou maiest turne vnto him since thou wilt not do it for the loue of himselfe and so by little and little thou maiest turne thy seruile feare into filiall loue If GOD would strictly punish thy sinnes he would not present them to thy selfe to bewaile them For to that end doeth he offer them to thine owne view that thou maiest be sorie for them and by true repentance blot them quite out of sight This is the mercie of God preuenting sinners to the end they may arise from their sinnes There is no man so circumspect but that he sometimes falleth into sinne and therefore God knowing our weaknesse hath prouided a medicine against this necessitie which the infirmitie of the flesh is subiect vnto It is a humane thing to sinne but a diuellish thing to persist in sinne So long as we beare about vs this fraile bodie of ours we can not bee without sinne no man can saie My heart is cleane I am pure from sinne 1. Ioh. 2. But if wee shall say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs because we all haue offended in manie things He cannot be in the world without sinne that came into the world with sinne he that is conceiued in iniquitie cannot liue without iniquitie for in this flesh of sinne no man can challenge a freedome from sinne No man liues without it no not the infant that is but a day old Iob 15.15 the heauens are not pure in
and said Thus saith the Lord Put thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Then he turned his face to the wall and praied to the Lord and wept sore And afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle of the court the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Turne againe and tell Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy praier and seene thy teares behold I haue healed thee and the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the Lord And I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene yeeres The Nineuites heard Ionah the Prophet threatning them Ionah 3. Yet fortie dayes and Nineuy shal be ouerthrowen but the men of Nineuie fainted not in their mindes but though they doubted whether the Lord would be intreated yet they did all flie to repentance as to the gate of saluation beleeued in the Lord proclamed a fast and from the least to the greatest put on sackcloth and sate in ashes saying Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turn away from his fierce wrath that wee perish not And God saw their works that they turned from their cuill wayes and he repented of the euill that he had sayd that he would do vnto them and he did it not Hezekiah by praier and tears obteined of God that hee recalled his sentence past The repentāce of the Nineuites preuailed with God so much that hee reuoked his sentence touching the destruction of that city yet neither were they false Prophets who at what time they had deserued to die for their sinnes foretolde it but the great bountie of the mercy of God deferred their death and ruine at that time which before all worlds he had preordained If therefore these barbarous and heathenish people despaired not and though their sentence were past against them yet fainted not in their hearts why doest thou wretch that thou art despaire why faintest thou Thou robbest GOD of his mercy without which kings are not kings but tyrants That sentence The soule that hath sinned shall die is to be vnderstood of that soule which hath not repented of her sinnes as is sayd of humane iudgements That if any man hath done this or that he shall die the death and yet alwaies it is to be vnderstood except the partie condemned by the kings mercy be pardoned The iustice of God is not as the iustice of man in this by how much the more a guilty man confesseth his fault by so much the more punishment doth hee draw vpon himselfe but in that of God by how much the more a sinner accuseth himselfe by so much the more doth he finde the mercy of God towards him as God repelleth him that defendeth his sinnes so hee receiueth him that confesseth them If thou knewest the power of repentance thou wouldest not despaire of the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes our mercifull God doth gladly forget that wee are nocent and he is alwayes ready to esteeme our repentance as innocencie for if we repent vs of our sinnes wee haue alreadie escaped the rigor of a seuere sentence God imputeth not vnto vs our former life so wee repent vs of it but seeing our works changed he gladly changeth his sentence because hee would the life of a sinner not the death neither doth he take pleasure in the perdition of soules but his will is our sanctification To those that stand if they fall he threatneth punishment that fearing that they may not fall but yet he promiseth mercie to those that fall that trusting thereon they may rise again those he terrifieth lest they presume in their goodnesse these he comforteth lest they should despaire in their wickednesse As a kinde and louing mother threatneth stripes to her beloued sonne whom if acknowledging his fault hee beg mercy at her hands her motherly loue doth easily pardon so likewise our mercifull God patient of great mercy though hee be iustly angry with our sinnes yet asking pardon with much facilitie he is pleased Can a mother forget her childe Isa 49.15 and haue no compassion on the sonne of her wombe though shee should forget yet will not I forget thee sayth the Lord. A louing mother doth greatly desire the health of her sicke sonne but much more doth God desire the saluation of a sicke soule Though no humane goodnesse may be compared to the infinite goodnes of God yet forasmuch as there can be no greater example found of affection in the highest degree than of a mothers towards her sonne therefore the loue of God towards sinners is compared to a motherly affection There is no man so inflamed with the loue of his spouse as GOD with the loue of thy soule Greater loue than this hath no man Ioh. 15.13 when any man bestoweth his life for his friends Christ if thou hadst been alone hee had suffered and died for thee before he would haue suffred thy soule to haue fallen into the iawes of the diuell For for whom died he For the iust Aske Paul Christ saith he died for sinners If there had been no sinne in the world Christ had not shed his blood for what necessitie had there beene that God should shed his blood but to redeeme both thine and the sinnes of the whole world The least droppe of his precious blood did abundantly suffice for the redemption of all mankinde but yet to the end he might expresse his great loue towards vs he powred out his whole blood for vs he spake many things he did many things hee suffered many things to redeeme vs though those whom he created with his only word he could likewise haue repared with his only word He tooke vpon him our death that he might giue vs life he gaue life vnto vs hee receiued death from vs and yet not for his owne desert but for vs. He came into the land of our perigrination to take vpon him what here abounded reproches scourgings blowes spittings in the face contumelies a crowne of thornes the crosse and death these abound in our countrey to these and the like merchandize he came What gaue he heere for that he heere receiued He gaue exhortation doctrine remission of sinnes he broght vnto vs from that countrey many good things and in ours he endured many euill So much his loue preuailed that he would be with vs where we were and where he is we shall be with him Where I am Ioh. 12.26 saith he there shall also my seruant bee What doth God promise vnto thee a man That thou shalt liue with him for euer and doest thou not beleeue it Beleeue beleeue it is more that hee hath done than that he hath promised It is more incredible that a dead man should bee eternall than that a mortall man should liue for euer Thou art to liue with him for euer for whose sake hee is dead that liues for euer Secure thy selfe that thou shalt receiue his life whose death thou hast for an earnest
yet forasmuch as he is willing to minister vnto thee an occasion of pity and meeknesse hee considereth thy charity and mercie towards thy neighbour that hee may conferre vpon thee his charity and mercy And therefore hee commandeth When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue anie thing against anie man that your father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses Mark 11.25 For if you will not forgiue your father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses So that thou seest that to obtaine forgiuenesse at Gods hands thou needest not to passe the Seas to make long iourneies to clime high mountaines to disburse great summes of money but the Lord that desireth rather to finde him that hee may pardon than that hee may punish putteth it as it were in thy own power to auoid the seuerity of his iudgement As long as thou continuest in this life thou canst not be without sinne and therefore it were wisdome in thee to embrace so gentle a condition as by forgiuing another mans sinnes to blot out thy owne being offended by another man to forgiue him if thou desire to be forgiuen of God to pardon a light offence to thy neighbour for whatsoeuer one man can commit against another is but light that God may pardon thee so manie millions of sinnes There is no better meanes after thy sinne to bee reconciled vnto God than that thou being offended with thy brother bee reconciled vnto him If thou seeke after the multitude and magnitude of the mercies of God doe thou likewise multiply and magnifie thy owne mercies towards thy neighbour that shewing mercie thou maiest receiue mercie For though God haue need of no mans helpe and be free from all sin yet he forgiueth his seruant those infinite wrongs hee receiueth how much more then oughtest thou that hast need of remission and art guilty of a thousand sinnes to forgiue the wrong that is offered by thy fellow seruant With what face canst thou looke that God should pardon thee thy sinnes when thou wilt not pardon thy neighbour his Wilt thou haue God to exercise his mercy vpon thee and wilt thou exercise thy seuere iudgement vpon thy neighbour Thou shalt haue no excuse at the day of iudgement because thou shalt be iudged according to thy owne sentence that thou halt done vnto others thou shalt suffer thy selfe Thou shalt haue iudgement without mercie that shewest no mercie vnto thy brother For what punishment art thou not woorthy of who maiest with so great facilitie obtain mercie at Gods hands and yet art content to betray thy owne saluation Our Sauiour Christ Iesus when hee prescribed a forme of praier vnto vs and taught vs to pray promised his fatherly mercy but yet he added a law that we should so begge forgiuenesse for our trespasses as wee forgiue those that trespasse against vs. Yea sorasmuch as hee knew that all men are lyers and that if their sins should bee first forgiuen them they would not afterwards forgiue their trespassers hee commanded we should first forgiue them before we aske forgiuenesse at his hands But thou with what hope canst thou pray that still reseruest rancour in thy heart against another For as thou praying liest when thou saiest I forgiue others their trespaspasses yet forgiuest them not so when thou praiest that thy trespasses may bee forgiuen thee of God they are not forgiuen For it is as much as if thou shouldest say forgiue not mee my trespasses committed against thee because I forgiue not others their trespasses against mee When thou powrest out such praiers vnto God who considereth the heart not the word thou art for a threefold cause made guiltie First because thou art a begger and goest about to deceiue God whilest thou praiest vnto him to forgiue thy debts as thou forgiuest thy debtors and yet thou forgiuest them not thou sparest them in nothing Secondly because though thou madest not this praier vnto God yet thou oughtest to forgiue thy brother his debts Thirdly though it were not thy dutie to doe it yet forasmuch as being warned by thy Iudge thou ceasest not thou exasperatest the anger of the Iudge against thee What hope of forgiuenesle canst thou haue if at that very instant when thou praiest vnto God and beggest mercy at his hands thou minister greater occasion to stirre vp his anger against thee As if a man should fall downe before thee and begge mercie at thy hands and in the middest of his petition should espie his enemie and surceasing to intreat thee should go about to murther him would it not mooue thee to greater anger against him than before Couldest thou possibly think him worthy of mercy thinke it is thus no otherwise with God himselfe But perhaps thou wilt say from this time forward or so long as I am not in charity I wil not say the Lords praier or at leastwise I wil omit that condition As wee forgiue those that trespasse against vs. Resp Except thou praie as Christ hath taught thee thou art not Christs disciple Hee that made this praier is hee that heares it if thou shalt omit this condition Christ will not know that praier that he hath made and as thou hast shut out mercy in thy praiers towards thy neighbour so God wil shut the gate of mercy against thee Wherfore deare brother if thou wilt haue thy sins forgiuen thee of God forgiue thou thy brother not onely with thy outward lippes but thy heart too not with a fained peace but a sincere loue so as by thy actions thou worke no reuenge and in thy heart thou reserue no malice Driue away all hatred from thy minde and loue thy enemie with all thy heart And forasmuch as the proofe of thy loue is the performance thereof in thy actions thou shalt alwaies do him good in thy affections wishing him the blessings of grace and of glorie of nature and of fortune as they may bee helpes and furtherances to saluation And thou shalt doe him good in effect too as time place shall serue especially in those things that appertaine to the health of his soule CHAP. II. That no work that a man doth be it neuer so good can bee acceptable vnto God so long as he is not in charity with his neighbour FOrasmuch as all sins are extinguished and blotted out by subsequent good works proceeding out of a true and liuely faith the sin of discord must bee verie great which if it be not vtterly extinct it suffereth no good worke to follow it For it is written Mat. 5.25 If thou bring thy gist vnto the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Iudge then how great an euill discord is for which that must bee vndone by which sinnes are released the gift of an vncharitable man