by Esay When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though ye make many praiers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud By bloud he meaneth soule and bloudie sinnes my hands are full of this bloud for my sins are many therefore if I should lift vp my hart with my hands vnto god in the heauens he will neither behold the stretching out of my hands nor heare the desires and grones of my heart Also I find this saying of the Prophet set down as a rule that shall stand Your iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Iniquitie seperateth between God and vs I am full of iniquitie therefore there is a wall of seperation shutting him out from mee and mee from him And sinne causeth him so to turne away his face that hee will not heare but I am guiltie of innumerable sinnes therefore God hath hid his face from me and â—…ee will not heare How then can I pray seeing I haue no God that will lend any eare to my praier Secondly I haue no mediator in whose name to pray and for whose sake I may hope to be heard when I pray For men and Angels whom some do make their mediators are no mediators the Apostle saith There is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus This saying excludeth all other mediators And the only mediator the man Iesus is no mediator for me for I haue denied him and he hath said Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my father which is in heauen And I am sure that I haue denied him before men if not in words because these daies of peace haue giuen me no cause so to doe which I know I should haue done if daâ—…es of persecution had vrged me yet I haue denied him by my deedes The Apostle hath this saying of the men of his time which is most true in mee They professe they know God but by workes they denie him Hee may bee denied by vngodly workes but I am ful of vngodly workes therefore haue I denied him before men And hauing thus denied him hee must and will denie me before God So haue I no mediator Thirdly if I should offer to pray I must pray without any promise but so to doe were to pray idly for then only doe men pray according to the will of God and with comfort to be heard in their praiers when they ground their praiers vpon the promises of God But I neuer tooke heede to the promises of God and at this time I cannot call them to remembrance and if I could call them to remembrance I were neuer the better for God is not bound to performe his promises to any but to them alone that out of their loue to him striue to keepe his commandements For Moses thus speaketh of him Thou maiest know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keepâ—… his commandements euen to a thousand generations If any loue not the Lord out of his loue to keepe the commandements of the Lord hee can make no claime to the couenant of God or to any promise of his neither is God bound in his truth and faithfulnesse to performe any promise to him but such a one am I that haue not loued the Lord nor out of loue studied to keepe the commandements of God but haue broken them all therefore I haue no promise to ground my praiers vpon and for that cause I cannot pray Fourthly I know not how to pray how to begin and how to make any proceeding and if at any time I incline my heart to pray I am disturbed I know not how and other thoughts draw away my minde While I thinke to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes my minde runneth out into a wilde remembrance of my sinnes with much pleasure to thinke vpon them While I thinke to pray for grace to assist mee against the power of sinne the lusts of my heart call backe my thoughts and I am deuising how I may compasse it to commit sinne and my will wholy inclineth that way While I thinke to pray for the inheritance of heauen my loue to this world carieth away my minde and I am studying how I may winne the pleasures and preferments thereof And euer my good desires that should lead my minde are crossed and put downe by my bad desires and I cannot raise vp or if I raise it I cannot hold vp my heart to God and holy things with any staiednes I know what is requisite vnto praier by the Apoâ—…les words Pray alwaies with all maner supplication in the spirit and watch there unto with all perseuerancâ—… If I pray it is with my lips I doe not make supplication in the spirit and to watch vnto praier that is diligently to attend with all the powers of my soule without either drowsinesse fainting or wandering of my thoughts is most farte from me And being so vnskilfull and so vnable to pray how can I pray to preuaile by my praiers And lastly which is my greatest mischiefe when I thinke to pray or when I doe pray or when I haue praied there is something within mee that giueth mee my answer assoone as I haue praied and sometime before I haue praied and I am farre from attending vpon God till hee doe giue mee answer as if I did not pray vnto God but rather vnto my self The Prophet Dauid saith Wait patiently vpon God and hope in him the meaning whereof I take to be this when we haue shewed our desire vnto God in praier and supplication that then we should hope in him to receiue a gracious answer and wait patiently for that answer till it please God to shew vs mercy in his appointed time I doe not so I haue neither hope nor patience to wait vpon his hand but mine owne heart maketh answer without God And that answer is alwaies a negatiue answer a flat deniall a plaine repulse So that I haue lesse hope and lesse comfort in and after my praier then before I praied and where others finde themselues much eased in heart after they haue by praier powred out their desires into the lap of God I am much more troubled esteeming euen my praier to be turned into sinne all these things together make me most vnable to pray This is a grieuous obiection but in framing this obiection the troubled sinner fareth like a blinde man in an vnknowen house who wandering without â—…guide goeth hee knoweth not whether and stumbleth often vpon the same threshold so doth he in seuerall branches of this obiection stumble at the same offences that haue beene answered and taken away before But let vs lend â—…and to bring him into the way First he aâ—…th he cannot pray because
domesticall troubles some are more priuate fitting for this or that domesticall trouble In this chapter I will set down those rules that are common to all these troubles And first of all it is a common rule in all these troubles pertaining to the right casting of them vpon God that we arme our soules with patience and quietly beare whatsoeuer God is pleased to lay vpon vs. For shall we be willing only to receiue good things at the handes of God things agreeable to our hearts wish and when he is pleased eyther for our triall or for our correction or for any other holy cause to lay vpon vs euill and hard things vnpleasant to flesh and bloud shall wee then murmure against his worke God forbid Iob iustly reprooueth such a course saying to his wife Shall wee receiue good things at the hands of God and not receiue euill As when good things come it is fitte to acknowledge Gods free mercie and to be thankefull so when euill things come it is fit to acknowledge Gods holy iustice and to be patient And this course of casting our burden vppon the Lord our blessed Sauior the Lord Iesus Christ commends vnto vs and a sure way of finding ease saying vnto vs Take my yoake on you and learne of mee that I am meeke and lowly of heart and you shall find rest vnto your soules that is whatsoeuer burden falles vpon any of you either after my example or for my sake which I account to be my burdens for I labor in him that labors vnder those burdens let him not murmure let him not spurne impatiently against it but let him take it meekely vnto him as I did my death This shal bring ease to his soule for this is to cast his burden vpon God while for Gods sake he is willing to beare his good pleasure This patience a while continued will make thy yoake easie and thy burthen light and whilest others crie and complaine thou shalt reioyce in God therefore haue the Apostles both in their practise and in their doctrine ioyned together patience and reioycing in the times of trouble because continued patience breedeth ioy Of their practise ioyning patience and reioycing together Paul speaketh thus Also we reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Such was their practise Which while hee reporteth doeth hee not there with all deliuer that troubles patiently borne doe giue experience of Gods fauour giue hope in Gods mercie and breede a confident and vndaunted spirit ◅ and these three experience hope and confidence are the grounds and true supporters of ioy Of their doctrine preached to others Iames the Apostle shewes vs what it was saying My brethren count it exceeding ioy when yee fall into diuers tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth foorth patience and l◅t patience haue her perfect worke that yee may be perfect and intire lacking nothing In their practise could this course be kept in wisedome In their doctrine could this rule bee giuen in soundnesse if the patient bearing of all our troubles were not a readie and very soueraigne way of casting our burdens vpon the Lord for our ease therefore haue care of this in the first place to possesse thy soule in patience And if it seeme to any man a hard thing to bee patient in trouble let him not feare to attempt euen by this course of patience to cast his burden vpon the Lord. For there are many reasons that perswade thereunto First the burden while it continueth is a sure testimonie of Gods loue vnto thee Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews saith My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth hee scourgeth euerie sonne whom hee receiueth The chastisement of the Lord by these troubls is an euidēce of his fatherly loue and therfore we ought with the patience of children to beare it Secondly while God out of his loue continueth the burden of this trouble vpon thee he doeth it only for thy good As the same Apostle teacheth vs in the same Epistle saying Hee chasteneth vs for our profit that wee may be partakers of his holiness◅ The effect of those troubles intended of God is our benefit that wee may bee brought to haue neerer fellowship with God in holinesse and therefore they are to bee borne with patience Thirdly though God seem to continue our burden long and in the meane time to shew small kindnesse vnto vs yet sure the end of them will be with a blessing As Moses saith of the worke of God leading the children of Israel for many yeres together through a wearie wildernes that he did it to prooue them that he might doe them good in the latter end And if the cōclusion of our trouble like the wrestling of Iacob shall be with a blessing it is to be born with all patience A fourth reason there is to be regarded aboue all other reasons of force to make a man patient euen in the fire namely that if wee suffer with Christ wee shall raigne with Christ and when we haue indured patiently a while on earth we shal be rewarded honourably for euer in heauen Hereof the Apostle Paul thus speaketh Our light affliction which is but for a season causeth vnto vs a furre most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie Affliction shall bee rewarded with most excellent glory light affliction with a weight of glory and momentanie affliction with eternall glorie therefore to bee borne with all patience He that considereth these things that if God do send trouble it is of his fatherly loue vnto vs as vnto sonnes that in these troubles he onely intendeth our good to bring vs to haue fellowship with him in holinesse that our troubles shal bring peace and a blessing in the end and lastly that GOD will bring vs from a Crosse to a Kingdome and turne our Crowne of thornes into a crowne of glory He that considereth these things will bend his heart to beare his burthen patiently Whereby hee certainly turneth his burden vpon God for his great ease making a heauy burden to be light which while it is patiently borne melteth and falleth off from the heart like raine falling from the high grounds so that after a while he despiseth the troubles that at the first were fearefull vnto him and they seeme vnto him moale hils that at the first shewed a farre off like mountaines This is the first common rule of casting our burden vpon God alwayes to be obserued By this rule if it be Husband or Wife that causeth vnquietnesse we are taught to suffer their vnquietnesse whome wee can neyther reforme nor remooue and not to make a great flame of a small sparke by prouoking the vnquiet to more vnquietnesse If it bee Parents or Children that
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
bluddie handes cruell hearts and cunning and deceitfull heades But such an one am I I haue wrought wickednes I haue done euill I haue through the foolishnes of mine heart committed much iniquitie I haue beene a lyar my handes are full of bloud I haue beene cruell deceitfull therefore I am depriued of Gods loue I shall not dwell in his kingdome not be able to stand before him in iudgement I am iustly hated of him and shall bee iustly destroied by him and hee must needes abhor me as a thing most vile Who can speake against these things grounded on such authoritie must not the seuere iustice of heauen condemne such sinnes as mine are must not the pure holines of heauen exclude such vile sinners as I am surely it may be called prodigall mercy if such sinnes as mine escape vnpunished and if such a sinner as I may euer be saued This obiection seemeth to consist of two parts inregard of iustice that cannot suffer sin to escape vnpunished in regard of holines that will admit no vncleane person to haue fellowship and cohabitation with it But they ioyne together in one to increase this poore mans feare yet let vs helpe him with our answere It is a comely thing to to thinke reuerently of the iustice and holines of heauen for certainely iustice will not suffer the least sinne to escape vnpunished neither will holines euer suffer any vncleane thing to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet that cannot hence be concluded that thou gatherest namely that therefore mercy can find no free passage to forgiue thy sinnes and to bring thee to glory for the wisdome and power and loue of heauen which are able to worke wonders aboue the reach of mans vnderstanding will find yea haue found out a way to satisfie iustice by the punishing of sinne and to satisfie holines by the purging of sinne and yet to saue the sinner that committed that sinne Lift vp thine heart and eares and harken to that that shal be deliuered thou shalt find an helmet of the hope of saluation to couer and saue thy head withall The glorious Trinitie by an eternall decree ordained defore all time and effected in the fulnes of time sent downe the eternall word the second person called the sonne who being conceiued by the holy Ghost tooke flesh and was borne of the virgin Mary of the linage of Dauid and was made man true man the sonne of man the sonne of Adam of Abraham and of Dauid in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne and him the father gaue vnto vs to be our mediator and to be the Lord our righteousnes and to the satisfying of the iustice of heauen God laied vpon him our sinnes and he willingly submitted himselfe to the burden of our sinnes to the curse of the law to the death of the crosse and to the wrath of his father for those sinnes of ours Excellent to this purpose is the testimonie of Esaie speaking more like an Euangelist or an apostle then like a Prophet saying He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our 〈◊〉 was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne waiâ—… and the Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all We are the men that haue sinned and gone astray from God stripes woundes and death were due to vs for sinnes God imputed to him our sinnes and he was contented to stand before God a sinner in our name The stripes the woundes the death that we deserued hee receiued sustained and indured for vs. Thus iustice is satisfied our sinnes being in him punished it were iniustice to punish the same sinnes againe in them that plead the suffringes of Iesus for them Thus are his stripes our cure his woundes our health and his death our life Vnto that saying of Esaie let vs ad another of the Apostle Saint Paul Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the gentiles through Iesus Christ. The law curseth euery one that abideth not in all that is written in that booke to doe it and we haue failed in all or in most and the sentence of the curse did lie vpon vs then it pleased the Lord Iesus Christ by yeelding himselfe to the cursed death of the crosse to take vpon him the curse that should haue fallen vpon vs. So was iustice executed according to that sentence of the law iustice so satisfied giueth waie to mercy for the curse being borne by Iesus Christ the blessing promised to Abraham is our inheritance Here the one halfe of thy feare is remoued because in the death of Iesus Christ iustice hath receiued satisfaction for thy sinnes if thou plead this satisfaction by what iustice art thou to be punished for thy sinnes The other halfe of thy feare is this that the holines of heauen will neuer suffer such an vncleane sinner as thou art to enter into the kingdome of God to remoue this feare vnderstand that the same Lord Iesus Christ that bare ouâ—… sinnes imputed to him and suffered for them to satisfie iustice doeth also inuest and cloth vs with his perfect righteousnes both originall and actuall impuâ—…ed to vs that all our vnrighteousnes and vncleanenes both originall and actuall being therewith hidden and couered from the view of God most holy wee might appeare cleane spotles in him to the satisfying of the holines of heauen Therefore is it that Paul saith speaking of Iesus God hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him This place plainely sheweth that God made an exchang betweene Iesus Christ and vs. He knew no sinne that is he had no acquaintance nor fellowship with sinne in him was no sinne to deserue death That sinne abounded in vs and God laied it vpon Iesus and he died for it On the other side we had no righteousnes no righteousnes of God that is no such pure and perfect righteousnes as God requireth and as might commend vs vnto God to be admitted for it into heauen That righteousnes was in Iesus Christ who fulfilled all righteousnes keeping the law bearing perfect loue both to God man and performing all offices pertaining to that loue and that righteousnes of his doth God impute vnto vs making vs righteous in him Therefore is it that the Prophet Ieremie calleth him the Lord our righteousnes And this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes Not our iustifier that pardoning our sinâ—… pronounceth vs righteous by holding vs excused which thing also verely he doeth for vs but our righteousnes because in him we are accepted and his righteousnes
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
those sinnes in which thou didst deny him are done away Yea thy sins are so farre from making him no Mediator no Reconciler that for thy sinnes he is thy Mediator and thy Reconciler The Euangelist Iohn saith If any man 〈◊〉 wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for 〈◊〉 sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Wee haue an aduocate with the Father to pleade our cause When If any man sinne And he is our reconciliation that brings vs againe into fauour and makes our peace For what For our sinnes And who is this Aduocate with God the father who is this reconciliation for our sinnes Iesus Christ the Iust. Where is now the deniall of thy workes that should make Iesus Christ to be no Mediator for thee that should make him deny thee before his Father in heauen Hee taketh away those sinnes Hee is thy reconciliation for those sinnes Repent of those thy sinnes and feare not to pray to God in the name of Iesus Thirdly he saith hee hath no promises where on to ground his praiers And without promise to pray vnto GOD were to make idle and vnstable praiers That is most true But who told him that Gods promises which are made to all belong not vnto him This point was handled before when he obiected that Gods promise for the forgiuenes of his sinnes belonged not to him that was no Israelite And it was then prooued that all Gods promises belong to the seed of the righteous the Apostle Peter saying The promise is made vnto you and to your children So that if it were a prooued trueth that thou thy selfe wert vnrighteous and in thine owne right thou couldest make no claime to any promise of God yet seeing thou art a child of the righteous a child of beleeâ—…rs in the right of thy parents thy progenitors thou maiest make claime to the promises of God and vpon thy repentance and conuersion they shal be performed to thee And if this title contents thee not claime them in the right of Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith All the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen That is to euery one that commeth humbly and reuerently vnto GOD in the name of Iesus Christ seeking mercy and grace mercy and grace shal be granted according to the promises of God whose truth pertains to them that are in Christ Iesus and come vnto God by him But thou dost not now remember any of Gods promises neither didst thou heretofore take heed vnto them when thou â—…rdst them to lay them vp in the treasury of thy heart against the times of need Indeed this was thy fault which being now seene must heereafter be aâ—…ended Hence foorth hearken vnto them and when thou hearest lay hold vpon them and treasure them vp more carefully for hee is the happy man and blessed that heares the word of God and keepes it But though thou hast them not in the store-house of thine heart and canst not find them there yet there is an other store-house wherein they are laied vp and where thou maiest readily finde them and that is the booke of holy Scriptures Iacob in Canaan had his priuat store-house wherein prouision was laid vp for him and his familie and other men likewise had their priuate store-houses for their priuate prouision but when the yeares of famine came and prouision failed in mens priuat store-houses then the publique store-houses of Ioseph in Egypt were opened and al men fetched thence what they needed and especially Iacob and his family was from thence supplied Euen so for euery mans priuate comfort his owne heart is his store-house in which he that is wise wil treasure vp the promises of Gods mercie to saue the necessities of soule in times of feaâ—…e but if there come such yeares of famine such daies of distresse that the â—…ouision in the priuat store house of the â—…eart will not serue the turne send to the store-houses of the Scripture The Lord Iesus saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life â—…d they are they that testifie of me There â—…lt thou finde the large promises of Gods mercie vpon which thou maiest with much comfort ground thy praiers all holie Scripture is written for our instruction and comfort and it should be thy sinne and vnthankfulnesse to God aâ—…d treason against thine owne soule to â—…eglect in this time of feare to search for these promises in the Scriptures And whereas thou saiest that Gods promises belong to them that loue him and keepe his commandements and to no other and thou hast not loued him â—…ou hast not kept his commandements learne to amend this errour of thine heart and of thy life Amend the error of thy heart and loue the Lord amend the error of thy life and keep the commandements of God so shall all this feare weare away and thou shalt with â—…uch strength of faith ground thy prayers vpon Gods promises Fourthly he saith he knowes not how to pray I beleeue it oft-times Gods deare children are so astonished with the burden of their trouble and euen with this burden of sinne affirighting their soule that they know not how to pray Hezekiah saith of his astonished soule in the time of his sicknesse Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourns as a Doue mine eies were lift vp on high O Lord it hath oppressed mee comfort mee The sorrow of his heart did so oppresse his soule that though he remembred God and looked vp vnto him and had all his desires waiting vpon the hand of God yet he was not able to pray in any distinct manner like a wel aduised man his praying was all out of order it was more like the mourning of a Doue and more like the chattering of a Swallow then like the holy and orderly praiers of a wise and godly man And Saint Paul doth affirme it to be a more common thing and vsuall withall the seruants of God in times of affliction saying Wee know not what to pray as wee ought They know not what to aske nor in what order to aske And this being so common among Gods children shalt thou bee afraid to be a suitor vnto God 〈◊〉 thou knowest not how to pray shalt thou therefore be out of comfort if thou canst not pray distinctly and orderly yet lifting thine eles vp on high with Hezekiah charter like the Swallow mourne like the Doue Weepe with the Apostle Peter We read not in what words hee praied but wee read in what bitternesse of heart hee wept Let thy teares flow where thy words can finde no free passage Saint Barnard calleth the teares of sinners the wine of Angels And concerning the true vigour of praier Saint Augustine in one place saith it stands more in tearee then in words for instructing a certaine
a thing is it that the professed Christian should faile to put his trust in Christ his Sauiour a greater error then this into which thou runnest it is not possible for any man to fall into this is to say to the iudge whom we haue offended I will indure no chastisment at thy hands this is to say to the redeemer that is readie to saue vs I despise thy saluation rather make choice to perish There is a madnes of the bodie when the braine is distempered but verily this is the madnes of the soule running into ruine and while thou art yet sober wilt thou wittingly run mad foreseeing the mischiefe that will follow Besides consider whose thy life is who quickned thee at the first who preserued thy life heitherto who hath numbred thy dayes and appointed thy time to whom the seruice of thy life belongeth to vse while he pleaseth to whom the issues of death doe appertaine and who hath the keyes of Hell and of Death and in whose handes the rule of all these things remaine thâ—… so shâ—…lt thou discerne whether thou haue any power authorite or no to meddle in this busines Didst thou appoint the beginning of thine owne life Didst thou fashion and quickeÌ„ thy selfe in thy mothers wombe doeth not the Prophet say speaking vnto God Thine hands haue made me and fashioned me He confesseth god to be the work master himselfe to be Gods work wherein hee did no more then the pot doeth that taketh not his owne shape but receiues it from the potter Hereof he speaketh more fully in another place Know yee that euen the Lord he is God he â—…th made vs. and not we our selues And wilt thou pull downe the building that God hath set vp go to then and pull downe heauen which God hath spread â—…owle it vp in a bundle and cast it into the deepe scatter in the ayre the water of the sea and fling abroad the drops of it till it be drie pound the earth into â—…st and raise a mightie winde to scatter the same that the place of it may bee sound no more If thou haue a purpose to destroy that God hath made and wouldest oppose thy hand in destroying against the hand of God in building attempt some of these things and try thy strength that thou maiest suruiue thy fact and liue to reape the glory of it If these things be to great for thee then cease to hold this conceit to attempt the pulling downe of that which God hath built vp oppose not thy selfe against his worke especially in pulling downe the frame of thine owne life where thou must needes perish with thine owne worke not liue to glorie in that that thou hast done And as God made thee at the first a liuing wight so it is he that hath preserued thee all thy time in the feeblenes of thy insancie in the carelesnes of thy youth in the rashnes of thy riper yeares all which seasons of thy life made thee subiect to many decaies thorough their proper frailties But God made thy feeble infancie strong with his strength he made thy ignorant and carelesse youth aduised and wise by his wisdome he made thy rash and hold manhod to be safe through his prouidence He that keepeth Israel and neither slumbreth nor sleepeth it is he that hath kept thee The Prophet speaketh thus vnto God in one of the Psames Thou didst draw me out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers breastes I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly By which words hee giueth vs to vnderstand that the same God that gaue vs life in our mothers wombe is hee that keepeth vs from the wombe to the graue he preuenteth dangers he giueth â—…oode hee healeth our sicknes hee disapointeth our enemies he is our guard to defend vs he is our shield and buckler to saue vs from all hurt He hath done this for thee for thy conception vnto this day and wilt thou in one hower attempt to ouerthrow and destroy that which with so much care God hath cherished so long wilt thou be hatefull to oppose thy selfe against his loue wilt â—…ou be maliciously vnthankefull to oppose thy selfe against the worke of his fatherly care while hee is desirous to keepe thee in safetie wilt thou striue more then all the world besides to worke thine owne decay The Angels in heauen vnderstanding the care of God for thee doe willingly pitch their â—…ents about thee and refuse not for thy safety to be are thee in their hands and keepe thee in thy wars The diuels of hell by Gods prouidence are kept off from thee as with a strong hedge which they can neither clime ouer nor breake thorow whereby they impeach not thy safety And while the creator of all things remaineth thy keeper the creatures are in league with thee and thou liuest in pace among them and while the worke of God that preserueth thy life hath this power among all creatures that the creatures of heauen will not attempt thy hurt the creatures of earth doe not attempt it and the creatures of hell cannot Wilt thou alone vnmercifully seeke to crosse the care of God in working thine owne woe Then thou art worthy whom the heauenly creatures should abhorre whom the earthly creatures should forsake and the hellish creatures imbrace receiued into their company with this greeting this is he whom God would haue kept but against the loue of the Angels of heauen against the peace of the creatures of the earth and beyond the malice and power of vs Angels of darknes hee hath destroied himselfe Besides it is God that hath assigned to euery one of vs the measure of our time he hath appointed the number of our daies our life did not begin till he appointed the first day of it and so long it must last vntill hee say this is the last day of it No man did set downe for himselfe when he would come into the world and no man must set downe for himselfe when he will goe out of the world God sent vs in giuing vs life when we came into the world and God must call vs out of the world taking away our life when wee goe hence It is the saying of Iob Is there not 〈◊〉 appointed time to man vpon earth and 〈◊〉 not his daies as the daies of an hireling Man hath his time appointed to him when it shall begin when it shall end he cannot lengthen it when the end comâ—…th and he ought not to shorten it before the time be come His daies are as the daies of an hireling an hireling is entertained for so many daies longer theÌ„ his couenant he may not stay shorter then his couenant he ought not to stay such is the life of man hee is Gods hireling for so many daies and yeares God â—…ath hired him in this world as in Gods vineyard to worke in some