cured For the healing both of your sin and sicknesse of your soul and body may bee a fruit of their prayers to God for you and their praying for you an effect of your confessing your sins to them which if they did not know they could not so fully and feelingly or would not so freely and fervently spread your case before the Lord and wrestle with him for the remission of your sin for the recovery of your health or for the removal of his hand that lyeth upon you in any other kind This I apprehend to be the Apostle James his sense and scope in the 14 15 16. verses of his fifth Chapter When men suffer as malefactours they should openly acknowledge their sin that Gods justice may be cleared in their due and deserved punishment for hereby glory is given to God as was shewed before in Achans case the penitent theef on the Crosse by acknowledging his sin justified God in condemning him and Christ in suffering with him Luk. 23.40 41. wee indeed saith he to the other theef suffer justly for wee receive the due reward of our deeds but this man he means Christ hath done nothing amisse Confessing of sin to men is a clearing of God visibly before men Psal 51.4 Reproof The Fifth Case is Reproof from others when they tell you of your faults you should freely confesse them your grief for them and purpose to amend them When Nathan said to David Thou art the man that hast kild Uriah 2 Sam. 12.7 8. and taken his wife to be thy wife David said to Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. Vers 13. The confession of a fault is an Eccho to a reprehension for it Sixth case is Copartnership in sin Copartnership or consent with others in sin as Theft murder uncleannesse drunkennesse Those that have had fellowship together in sinne should confesse their sinnes one to another to quicken and excite one another to consider their wayes the evils they have done together to repent and amend and to pray one for another that they may bee healed of their sinful courses and do so no more to help one another out of the snares of Satan wherein they have been taken captive by him at his will Especially when any of their Consciences who have been Companions in iniquity are awakened to repent of their wickednesse saying what have I done Jer. 8.6 they should confesse their faults to their fellow-theeves fellow-drunkards fellow-wantons fellow-murderers to awaken them also to consider and lay to heart what evils they have committed together It were to bee wished that all who have been like Simion and Levi Gen. 49.5 brethren in evil and have drawn one another into sin and towards hell would by mutual confessing of their faults provoke one another to Repentance and Reformation and help one another to heaven When affliction had awakened the consciences of Josephs brethren about their Conspiracy and cruelty against him whom they sold into Egypt the guilt whereof was as some compute about twenty years old Annot. though they felt not the smart of it till now then they confessed their sinne with grief one to another when they were imprisoned by Joseph for i Gen. 42.21 22. spies they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our brother in that wee saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and wee would not hear therefore is this distresse come upon us The good Thief confessed his sinne to his Fellow-malefactor and rebuked him for railing on Christ Luk. 23.39 40. and counselled him to fear God dost not thou fear God q. d. thou oughtest to do so Seventh Case To magnify Gods grace To magnify the riches of Gods free grace towards you though you have committed such and such sins upon this account Paul confessed under his hand to Timothy that hee was before a Persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious or a contumelious person yea the chief of sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet God inabled him counted him faithful putting him into the ministry vers 12. hee obtained mercy vers 13. and the grace of the Lord was exceeding abundant to him and in him vers 14. and Christ came to save him vers 15. To this end Paul made several confessions of his sins as to the people Act. 22.4 5. before King Agrippa Act. 26.9 10 11. Eighth Cafe to prevent sin in others To prevent sin by confessing youâ—sins and the evils you have found by experience in them to make them to beware thereof It is seasonable and may bee profitable for condemned Malefactors at their Execution to make an open confession of their sins before all the spectators especially of those sinnes which brought them to that untimely end and to disswade all from their sinfull courses as they would avoid their miserable end Object Are wee bound to confesse every sinne of which wee are guilty to others seeing hereby 1 Wee may bring our selves into danger Suppose a man hath committed murder theft or the like secretly so that it is not known his own discovery of it may cost him his life according to that saying confels and be hanged Is a man bound to betray himself Nemo tenerur prodere scipsum 2 Hereby wee may expose our selves to reproach and contempt by publishing our private and particular corruptions and ought not a Christian to preserve his own good name Answ First To confesse all and every sin so far as wee know or can remember unto God is absolutely necessary but confession thereof to men is necessary only in some cases and not of all sinnes To impose the same as the Papists do in their Auricular confession is to set Conscience upon the rack and to lay on a heavy burthen intolerable to bee born Secondly Wee are required to confesse such sinnes to others as are open or some way known to them not such as are secret or hidden from them as 1 Bosome sinnes need not bee confessed to men but to God alone to whom they are known as the injuries wee have done others intrinsecally by hard thoughts evil furmisings causelesse jealousyes revengeful desires or rejoycings by heart-theft heart-murder heart adultery These wee should acknowledge with grief before the Lord the searcher of all hearts and pray with David Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Psal 19.12 2 Sinnes actually committed but secretly so as they are unknown to men as secret murther secret theft secret uncleannesse we may conceal them while 1 Providence covers them 2 And Conscience is quiet and doth not constrain us to confesse them to men but to God only who seeth in secret both our sins and our sorrow for them But when God in his providence brings our secret sinnes to light when our Consciences being awakened by Gods word or judgements do so terrify and torment us for them as wee can have no ease nor quiet in our spirits till wee have acknowledged them then
of the Almighty that is the pricking stinging sense of Gods displeasure were within him Chap. 6.4 the poyson whereof drunk up his spirits and the terrouts of God set themselves in aray against him yet afterwards God shined upon Job graciously Job 42.4 turned his face and favour towards him and Job saw God with the seeing of the eye which imports clearer discoveries of God to him than hee had formerly and the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning Vers 12 Heman the Ezrahite who was one of the wisest men in all Israel 1 King 4.31 Psal 88. next after Solomon who is described to bee under as heavy a condition of a deserted wounded spirit as any wee read of complains as grievously in that sad Psalm of terrours and anguish as if hee was in Hell Vers 3. My soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh to the grave Thou hast laid mee in the lowest pit Vers 6. in darknesse in the deep as if hee was already possessed of the torments of hell Vers 7. and in the gult of despair Thy wrath lieth hard upon mee and thou hast afflicted mee with all thy waves the waves of Gods wrath beat with endlesse and violent dashings upon his soul Vers 14. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from mee I am afflicted and ready to dye Vers 15. from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Vers 16 thy fierce wrath goeth over mee thy terrours have cut mee off c. What a deep sense had Heman of Gods wrath and the effects thereof as 1 That it was fierce wrath 2 Overwhelming it went over him 3 Affrighting cutting killing wrath thy terrours have cut mee off 4 Surrounding wrath compassing him about like deep waters They i. e. thy wraths came about mee like water Vers 17. 5 Continuing wrath all the day yea many years even from his youth up was hee exercised with the terrours of the Lord with the fears and feeling of his wrath so that hee thought the reviving of his soul by comfort would be no less than wonders shewed to the dead a miracle of mercy and causing of the dead to arise and praise God Vers 10. Now though Heman was cast down so low yea cast off as to his sense yet not indeed for hee had support in the deeps of his distresse because he could in some measure exercise faith and prayer O Lord God of my Salvation Vers 1. I have cryed ngiht and day before thee let my prayer come before thee c. Vers 2. yea hee resolved to continue praying till God gave him an answer of peace and comfort Vers 13. Doubtlesse God compensated his delay with exuberancy of comfort David a man after Gods own heart Psal 143.4 42.11 119.25 yet even his heart was sometimes full of heaviness and desolate and his soul was disquieted and dejected within him and did cleave unto the dust Psal 38.2.3 Thine arrows saith he to God stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth mee sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden Vers 4. they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long Uers 6. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart Uers 8. Yet in duetime God quickned him according to his word and made him full of joy with the light of his Countenance Jesus Christ was a perfect Anatomy of an afflicted soul as Mr. Mat. 26.38 Greenham calls him in his agony both in the garden when hee said my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death which made him pray thrice most fervently Luk. 22.44 to his father If it bee possible let this cup passe from mee and made him sweat great drops of blood falling down to the ground and on the crosse for his agony continued lesse or more till his death when hee cryed out being ready to breath out his last my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee when the wrath of God for our sinnes lay upon his humane soul in the weight of it the Godhead with-drawing it self for a while as to sense not to support Christs example in this case is most comfortable for an afflicted conscience you may read of such dreadful desertions storied in the lives of many who were dear to God I will relate three remarkable examples which are well collected by Mr. Bolton in his instructions for comforting afflicted consciences because this little peece may come into some hands who have not read the same in any other book Mr. Peacock a worthy servant of God when hee reckoned with himself about some smaller sinnes for these saith hee I feel now an Hell in my conscience upon other occasions as the visits and speeches of his friends hee groaned and cried out lamentably Oh mee wretch Oh mine heart is miserable Oh Oh miserable and woful the burden of my sinnes lyeth so heavy upon mee I doubt it will break my heart oh how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with hell-hounds But before his end hee was wonderfully recovered and raised up from his depth of spirituall misery to a height of heavenly joy and comfort as appears by his speeches I do saith hee God be praised feel such comfort from that what shall I call it Agony said one that stood by nay saith hee that is too little had I five thousand worlds I could not make satisfaction for such an issue Oh the Sea is not more full of water nor the Sunne of light than the Lord of mercy yea his mercies are ten thousand times more what great cause have I to magnify the great goodnes of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched miscreant to an estate so glorious and stately The Lord hath honoured mee with his goodnesse The joy that I feel in my heart is incredible Mr. Glover of whom you may read in the Acts and Monuments was exercised divers years with tentations stings of Conscience unexpressible pangs of grief and buffetings of Satan Upon apprehension of some backsliding hee was so perplexed that if hee had been in the deepest pit of hell he could almost have despaired no more of his salvation which exceedingly wasted his body decayed his senses so as he could have no joy of his meat yet hee was forced to eat against his appetite to defer the time of his damnation so long as hee might conceiving he should be thrown down into hell as soon as the breath was out of his body yet afterward hee was so raised ravished and spiritualized that as Mr. Fox relates hee was like one placed in heaven already and dead
heart commonly cool and wither when the occasion of them ceaseth But true desires flowing out of the heart are sed with the lasting spring of grace in it the waters whereof shall not sail They are restlesse never quiet till they be satisfied uncessant till prevalent ever rising and rolling till they rest in the Center of obtaining They that desire Christ and grace pardon and peace c. aright are not only importunately but uncessantly greedy for them and will bee Gods Remembrancers night and day and give him no rest till hee give them their hearts desires Neither delayes nor repulses can crush or quash sincere desires Mat. 15. See this exemplified in the woman of Canaan Desires are true when they are the bias of the soul which inclines or leads it the right way scil Christ-ward Grace-ward Heaven-ward when they do as by a proper Motion carry out our souls freely and constantly after these as sparks flye upward as the stone moves downard and waters run forward Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgements at all times saith David and my soul thirsteth after thee Psal 143.6 as a thirsty land that gapes continually till God give Rain So much for the first direction for the right comforting of afflicted souls The second Direction is this Caution them against four evills to take heed 1 That they do not dishonour God in the time of their desertions and distractions by unworthy thoughts of him or hard speeches against him by murmurings at him or quarrelings with him for his assaultings of them with Terrours and anguish for his withdrawings from them of light and influences and for his far distance and long absence from them Hereupon they are apt to think and say that God is not so loving and kind tender and ready to help as his word reports him to bee The Psalmist when his spirit was overwhelmed his soul troubled and refused to bee comforted then hee began to call Gods mercy Psal 77.2 Vers 7 8. Truth and faithfulness into question will the Lord cast off for ever will hee bee favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore Vers 10. But hee checks himself for it I said this is mine infirmity or this doth make mee sick It should bee the chief care of Gods people what ever they suffer from God not to sin against God whatever God doth to them to think and speak only the thing that is right and to justifie God when ever they judge themselves This was Jobs comfort and commendation in his great affliction In all this did not Job sin with his lips Job 1.22 with cha 2.10 nor charge God foolishly Despair of Gods mercy is high treason against his Majesty and a flat denyall of his Deity Gods glory should bee dearer to us than our lives souls or the salvation of them and the more tender wee are of it the more will God tender the comfort of our souls and lives It was the frequent and fervent petition of a Godly man in his tentations Lord maintain honourable thoughts of thy self in mee 2 Caution that they do not destroy their own souls either 1 By denying what God hath done for them to wit the work of grace begun in their hearts his love to them his choice and calling of them saying they have no grace they are Reprobates cast-awayes whereby they bear false witnesse 1 Against themselves which is unnatural 2 Against the grace of God and against the God of grace his work in them and goodnesse to them which is most unworthy and ungratefull 2 Or by refusing what God would give to them scil grace mercy peace and joy wilfull refusal whereof is wilfull murder like cutting of the throat or stabbing to the heart yea self murder It isblood-guiltinesse yea guilt of the blood of souls yea of their own souls and should not your precious immortal souls be dearer to you than all the world labour to convince them that by such a denyall or refusall they make themselves false witnesses and murderers 3 Caution Joh. 8.44 that they do not gratifie Satan who is 1 A Lyar the Father of Lyes because there is no truth in him 2 A Murtherer sc of souls from the beginning and will be so to the end 3 An Accuser of the Brethren the children of God unto God their Father Job 1.9 as hee was of Job to God that he was an Hypocrite or hireling Doth Job fear God for naught and an accuser of God unto them as if hee was a hard Master cruel to crush poor souls under his feet and took pleasure in their destruction or at least that God doth not with them all the good or so well as hee might Thus Satan in the Serpent calumniated God to out first Parents of untruth as if the word which hee had spoken in threatning death was not true Gen. 3.4 yee shall not surely dye and of envy as if God had out of ill will forbid them that Tree or for fear lest by eating thereof they should become as wise as himself Presse and perswade poor afflicted souls to beware they do not gratifie Satan 1 By entertaining parley with him as Eve did which was the cause of her foil and fall The old Serpent being full of all subtlety will bee too hard for them It is the first game hee desires to play with troubled souls to argue the case with them about their spirituall condition to circumvent and deceive them with his wiles 2 By hearkning to his tentations and suggestions as these and the like 1 To cast off ordinances neglect duties in publick and in private which are the means of grace peace and comfort to hear read pray meditate c. as if these were needless or to no purpose and they should bee no better for them This is Satans plot to starve poor souls by cutting off provision from them or them from it This perswasion commeth not from God that calleth you but from the Devil who seeketh to subvert and devour you 2 To harbour Jealousies and evil surmisings of God or derogatory dishonourable thoughts such as Satan casts into your mind as if God was not mercifull pittifull faithfull c. These and the like suggestions are the bolts which Satan makes for disconsolate discontented souls to shoot at God or a coat of dis-honour which Satan shapes or cuts out for them to few and put upon the Lord. 3 To cast away their confidence and lay hope aside and give over seeking and waiting on God any longer and to throw themselves into a Gulf of despair This is to do the Devil a real kindness and to give their souls a fatal blow for hereby they make themselves a prey to Satan 4 To make a wrong judgement of themselves and of their condition by false Reasonings which are Satans Sophistry to conclude themselves out of the state of Grace out of
wee ought to confesse our sinnes though wee suffer for them as some have done many years after their sinnes were committed during which time providence made no discovery of them but let them lye covered with a vale of secrecy and their Consciences lying a sleep were silent or though awake did not violently accuse for them The most of the forementioned cases of confession to men concern such faults as are some way known to men either 1 Openly in the Acts of them such are scandals given to the Church or to particular persons so long as the same are kept secret they are not scandalous and the wrongs wee have done to others in word or deed and the evils we have done together with others as companions in iniquity 2 Or by the effect consequent or some discovering mark thereof Achans theft was kept secret for he hid what he had stoln in the earth Iosh 7.21 in the midst of his Tent but it was discovered first by the blow God gave Israel for this sin of Achan call'd the accursed thing they were smitten at Ai After by casting of lots a course of Gods prescribing to find out the offender and the lot fell upon Achans Tribe family and person thus his iniquity found him out then he confessed his sin to Joshua and died for it Jonahs flight from the presence of the Lord was a secret fault known only to God and himself at first but providence afterward brought it to light by the Lords sending a mighty tempest upon the Sea so that the ship Jonah was in and all that were in it were in Jeopardie and the Mariners casting lots to find out who was the cause of that evil upon them Jon. 1.6 Vers 10. the lot fell upon Jonah Then Jonah confessed his fault to them and was willing to bee cast into the Sea Vers 12 15. to calm it and to save them Let mee adde this Though open confession of secret wrongs done to others unknown to them how or by whom be not necessary yet Restitution or Reparation thereof is necessary which may be done as privately scil by the hand of a stranger or the like as the fault was committed and it sufficeth though the person injured knows not who did him the wrong nor who makes him amends 3 Wee may confesse sometimes even our secret sins to others to our own advantage as in the particular cases before specified to wit 1 Of scruple when they burden our consciences 2 Of Predominancy when they tyrannize over us and trouble us or we are strongly tempted to them 3 Of affliction be it sickness or any losse or crosse the cause whereof we conceive to be some secret lust infirmity or failing in us To obtain comfort counsel compassion and supplication from others and thereby help and remedy against sin and trouble both of body and soul as was shewed before This is no more than for a patient to acquaint the Physician with his secret disease unknown to others that he may apply healing medicines suitable and effectuall thereunto or for a beggar to uncover his sore to move others to pitty him and to contribute towards his healing So much of the cases in which confession should be made to others The second Thing is the persons to whom we should confesse our faults to wit 1 Our open faults to the persons or societies whom we have either 1 Injured 2 Or scandalized 3 Or consociated in sin 2 Our secret faults wee should confess to such persons Ministers or others as we judge wise godly and faithfull 1 To keep our counsel conceal our infirmities lock up our secrets in their bosomes and not divulge them to our prejudice 2 To counsel us aright concerning our bosome-cases 3 To pity us and to pray for us These are the properties of bosome-friends Object Shall we not hereby lose our Repute and blemish our name Ans Confession of our secret faults to such will not impair our credit nor impeach our good name with them because 1 They will consider themselves that they also may be tempted troubled and exercised so as wee are and they will remember that Law of Justice and equity of doing to others what they would have others do to them Mat. 7.12 2 The confessing of our secret sins to them upon such an account will represent us to them to be tender in conscience soft in heart humble in spirit hating sin fearfull to offend Hereby we shall give them occasion 1 To discern more of the grace of God of the truth and workings of it in us 2 To think better yea more highly of us as Christ did of the Centurion and of the woman of Canaan the worse we think and the more evill we speak of our selves this will not lessen but greaten our esteem with them The third thing is from what Principles or in what manner we should confesse our faults to others scil from Zeal Hatred Love Humility 1 Out of Zeal for God 1 Zeal to give him glory before men of his 1 Omniscience knowing our sins even the most secret and 2 Providence in detecting them 2 Justice in punishing or Righteousnesse and faithfulness in afflicting us for them 3 Free grace in pardoning them and in accepting imploying and saving us from them or notwithstanding them 4 Patience in sparing us and mercy in doing us good notwithstanding the evils we have done 2 Out of hatred of sin 2 Hatred we should confesse it with grief for it and aggravation and detestation of it as a man would speak of the most loathsome abominable things as of eating or drinking Excrements or touching of Toads yea as we would tell or inform others of a most notorious Theef Murderer or Malefactor that hee may be executed or of a Toad or Snake that it may be kill'd Yea so as by confessing our sins to God or man to cast them up with loathing as nauseous stuff as men do meat which their stomacks cannot digest but loathe For confession is a vomit of the soul whereby it casts up or spuos out sin and disburthens it self of it which lay heavy upon it and made the soul sick 3 3 Love Out of love to others to make sin odious and abominable to them and to make them abhor and eschew the sins we have committed and escape shame and sorrow that wee have tasted for the same also out of grief for wronging or offending others and from a just mind to give them satisfaction by confession thereof to them to obtain their pardon and favour 4 4 Humility Out of humility to humble our selves for our faults even before men in the cases or upon the occasions premised to take shame to our selves in confessing them and to make it appear how much we abhor sin and our selves for sin and how vile we are in our own eyes also to prevent others thinking too highly of us which was Pauls desire who would not have others to think
of Reproof doth not heal but hurt both the parties scil the Reprover and the Reproved Therefore first take a Reproof kindly from another and digest it well afterwards give him a gentle Reproof as there is occasion and hereby thou may both set him a Pattern and lay an ingagement upon him to take a Reproof well from thee The Third thing follows scil Reasons of it which may bee drawn from the Necessity Commodity and Excellency of Reproof 1 From the Necessity of it in it self Necessity for both the Law and the Gospel command it Levit. 19 17. Mat. 18.15 and that in respect 1 Of our selves 2 Of others 1 In respect of our selves its needfull for us to reprove others that offend 1 To bear witnesse against sin in others and not to contract the guilt or soil of it to our selves Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart rebuking thou shalt rebuke him that thou bear not sin for him i. e. guilt and punishment for his sake for not reproving him To leave others in their sins unreproved is to be partakers of other mens sins Qui non verat peccare cum possit jubet Ephes 5. which wee should not bee by our silence no more than draw others into sin by our speech Have no fellowship saith Paul with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them The evils wee reprove in others cannot cleave to us nor bee charged upon us but hereby wee keep our selves free and fair from the Taint spot and attainder of them 2 To discharge our selves from the blood of others souls which God may require at our hands for suffering sin upon them unrebuked That threat in Ezek. 3.18 lyes though mainly against the Minister yet not only but against private persons who neglect their duty therein If thou speakest not to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life hee shall dye in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand The ruin of others will bee imputed to us if they perish through want of our admonition This Menace should set home the duty of Reproof Act. 20.26 and the danger of neglect to our hearts Paul could not say I am pure from the blood of all men If he had not been a faithfull Reprover as well as a diligent Instructor 2 Reproof is needfull in respect of others either that offend or that stand by 1 Of them that offend 1 To save them from sin death and Hell Hee who by wise Reproof converteth the sinner from the Errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5.20 Reproof is Gods Physick as needfull for the cure of souls as purging or letting of blood or plaisters are for mens bodies Reproof is Gods ordinance to pull a soul out of the fire of sin and Hell which else would bee burnt or rather be burning everlastingly out of a pit of corruption which without such a hand of Reproof reached forth to recover him would sink and bee drowned to save a soul that else may perish to gain a soul to God and godlinesse to his Truths and wayes and to our selves in true affection that is in danger to be lost Tell thy Brother saith Christ between thee and him alone If hee shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Mat. 18.15 Now to gain or save a soul is a more worthy work than to win or save a World because one soul is more worth than a World If there be need of lifting up a Brothers Deut. 22.4 Exod. 23.5 yea enemies Oxe or Asse that is fallen or lyeth under his burden Thou shalt surely help him up Vers 4. or bringing it back when it goeth astray Is there not great need of restoring and reducing a Brother when hee is faln or wanders and of Reproof as a means thereof should wee take pity and care of a Neighbours Oxe and Asse and not of his soul 2 Reproof is needfull to keep back the great Judgement from them to wit of not being reproved As it is a great mercy of God to send his servants to reprove us for our faults and not suffer sin to lye upon us nor us to lye in it and for us to carry us so as no Righteous person may be afraid or unwilling to tell us of what they see amiss in us So it is a grievous Judgement for God to take away Reprovers from a Nation or a person for God to give over reproving of men by his Servants or to forbid them to do it It is a sign hee hath a purpose to destroy them When God threatens to plague Judah for their Rebellion and utterly to cast them off Ezek. 3.26 hee imposeth silence upon the Prophet Ezekiel as a heavy Judgement to them so as he should reprove their miscarriage no more I will make thy Tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not bee to them a Reprover for they are a Rebellious house Ephraim was in a desperate state when God gave forth that Prohibition Let no man reprove another Hos 4.4 for this people are as they that strive with the Priest that is will endure no Reprover Therefore saith God Let them alone If they will sin let them if they will go on in their wickednesse and so destroy themselves let them I will contend no longer with them by Reproofs This is the high way to Hell yea to go poste to the Devil without stop or let or any turn when God forbids others to reprove us that wee may go on to fill up the measure of our Iniquity and run to the pit of Hell and no body stay us Then God passeth that hardening sin-sealing sentence upon men Rev. 22.11 Hee that is unjust let him bee unjust still and never amend hee that is filthy let him be filthy still and never bee made clean when hee takes away Reproof from them which might have been a means of their amending and cleansing Then it is no priviledge to any man not to be reproved for his faults no more than it was to Cain not to bee killed to live a miserable life worse than death to bee a spectacle of Gods wrath and judgement To want Reproof is a fearfull judgement from God and a lamentable state of man Is not then Reproof needfull 2 As in respect of the Offenders so of by-standers or of others that see and hear of their offence that they may take warning by their Reproofs not to do the like as they would avoid the blame and shame thereof Them that sin to wit scandalously and openly rebuke before all that others also may fear saith Paul 1 Tim. 5.20 that is be awed thereby and kept from falling into the like sins By a publick Reproof many may receive Profit and much evil may bee prevented thereby to others as well as advantages may come to the offenders themselves Commodity
the Churches state that hee might have joy and comfort in their perseverance Phil. 2.19 and progress in holiness I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I may be of good comfort when I know your state Sixth means of comforting others is prayer to God 1 For comfort to be conveyed into the hearts of others â—ol 2.1 2 Paul its probable wrestled with God by prayer for the Colossians and for them of Laodicca that their hearts might bee comforted 2 For the gift or faculty of comforting others to be given to us Isa 50.4 the tongue of the learned which God hath promised that we may know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary It is a special and excellent gift to be able to comfort afflicted souls worth beging of God by prayer Fifth Rule Consider the persons who are fit to be comforted as 1 In general Gods people above all others for it is their portion it is the childrens bread that must not be given to doggs Isa 48.22 There is no peace nor comfort to the wicked Cap. 40.1 2 saith the Lord. But comfort yee comfort yee my people saith your God speak yee comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished and her iniquity is pardoned Paul sent to comfort the Saints and Beleevers at Rome Corinth Ephesus Colosse and Thessalonica Christ said to the Woman diseased twelve years Daughter be of good comfort Mat. 9.22 thy saith hath made thee whole They are the fittest subjects and best bottles to pour the water of comfort into to them of due it belongs therefore give it to them 2 Weak and faint souls 1 Thes 5.14 We exhort you brethren saith Paul comfort the feeble minded support the weak Such as are dejected with fear or feeling of tentations or afflictions or duties or tossed too and fro with fluctuations of mind that have little strength to perform Duties or bear Crosses or resist Tentations or wait for Promises such should be supported strengthened Isa 35.3 4 and encouraged Strengthen yee the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees say to them that are of a fearful heart be strong fear not c. The Shepheards of Israel are sharply reproved for this Ezek. 34.4 2 Cor. 7.6 They strengthened not the weak God himself comforts them that are cast down scil in their mindes and hearts and lye low in their own eyes the humble or the abjects as the Old Translation hath it if this be a glorious act of mercy in God sure it can be no less than an honourable duty in man Third sort are Mourners for sin for want of Gods presence and for misery 1 Mourners for Sin who are deeply humbled in the sight and sence of their sins and in the apprehension of Gods displeasure against them such have need and are fit to receive comfort Acts 2.37 38 as the Jews when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon and the Jaylor when he came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas Act. 16.29 30 31 saying Sirs what must I do to be saved And the Excommunicated person when he was a true penitent for his sins Paul writ to the Church of Corinth to forgive him and comfort him lest such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow even for sin for sorrow is a Gulf which when it exceeds will devour And the Woman in the Gospel that had been a notorious sinner Luk. 7.37 38 when she stood at Christs feet behind him weeping washing them with her tears wiping them with her hairs and kissed them that is humbled her self low before him then Christ comforted her he said unto her thy sins are forgiven Vers 48. Mat. 5.4 Christ hath pronounced them blessed that mourn and promised they shall be comforted and his servants not only Ministers but people must be his instruments to perform the same Isa 57.18 God promiseth to restore comfort to penitentiall mourners 2 Mourners not only for sin but for want of Gods presence and the light of his countenance as those that walk in darkness and see no light or go mourning without the Sun as wives when their husbands are gone from home Job 30.28 and Children when their Parents are in a far Country The Children of the Bride-chamber have need of Comfort when the Bridegroom is taken from them and they mourn for his absence Mat. 9.15 3 Mourners for misery ought to bee comforted as for necessities death of friends persecutions or any outward afflictions as the Jews Captives in Babylon God gave charge they should bee comforted so some understand that place by publishing to them the approach of their deliverance Isa 40.1 2. that their warfare was accomplished that is their seventy years captivity were expired or drew to an end Job implyes this when he saith hee dwelt as a King in the Army as one that comforteth the mourners Job 29.25 To him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed that is comfort should bee given from his friend saith Job and hee that refuseth to do it Job 6.14 for saketh the fear of the Almighty Comfort is as needfull as Wine to bee given unto those that bee of heavy hearts Pro. 31.6 7. that they may drink and remember their misery no more The Fourth Sort are seekers of Christ Cant. 3.1 2. these are objects of comfort as the Spouse when she sought her Beloved up and down night and day in her bed and in the broad wayes The watchmen should have comforted her with tidings of her beloved but did not yea they smote and wounded her Ver. 3. Cap. 5 6 7 8. while she was in pursuit of him and sick of love for him And the women that came to the Sepulcher to seek their dead and buried Saviour See how an Angel comforts them fear not for I know that yee seek Jesus which was crucified Mat. 28.5 hee is not here for hee is risen go quickly and tell his Disciples that hee is risen from the dead and they departed with fear and great joy Christ himself appeared to Mary Magdalen when shee was weeping and seeking him at the Sepulcher Joh. 20.11 to 19. Mary saith hee to her Rabboni that is Master saith she to him Cryers after Christ should bee comforted as blind Bartimeus was probably by the Disciples when hee cryed vehemently Jesus thou son of David have mercy on mee they said unto him bee of good comfort behold hee i. e. Christ calleth thee and hee casting away his garment arose and came to Jesus Mar. 10.49 50. These four sorts to wit Saints weak ones mourners seekers are sons of Peace and capable of comfort to bee sons of Consolation The Sixth Rule Write Letters send Messengers and take journeys of purpose to comfort others 1 Write letters of consolation to the afflicted as Paul did Epistles which are
is establish them by comforting them 2 Thes 2.17 Ver. 2. and that they may not bee soon shaken in mind nor troubled Consolation is a means of confirmation 6 Comfort is commodious to edify others in holiness and obedience for consolation is a means of Edification Comfort as well as Counsell builds men up further into the body of Christ Phil. 3.13 for it corroborates the heart it heightens and raiseth up their spirits to a higher pitch of resolutions and indeavours with Paul to forget those things that are behind former attainments and performances and to reach forth unto those things which are before that is a greater measure of grace from God or of actings for God Hence the Churches in Judea and Galilee were edified and multiplied while they walked in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.31 Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to comfort and edifie one another that is to edifie by comforting 1 Thes 5.11 1 For Comfort is a great incouragement to duties as Hezechiahs comfortable words were to the Levites hearts that taught the good knowledge of the Lord to excite them to go on 2 Chron. 30.22 and to the hearts of the people commanders and souldiers to fortifie and animate them against the fear of the King of Assyria and his multitude 2 Chron. 32.6 7 8 2 Consolation is a means to lead others forward towards perfection therefore Paul joyns them together 2 Cor. 13.11 finally brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort Secondly 1 Comfort may bee needfull also in respect of the bodyes of others or outward man which would perish in their afflictions were not their souls strengthened by comforts to stand under the weight and pressure thereof Comforts are sinnews to the Soul and great repairers of strength and refreshers or cheerers of spirits even to the body Reas 2. From the misery of them that want comfort It s a most sad condition to be in affliction and to have no comforter Eccl. 4.10 for such are alone and woe to him that is alone and they bear their burdens alone and so are like to sink under them This was a great aggravation of Davids troubles when reproach had broken his heart Isal 69 19 20 and hee was full of heavinesse I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for Comforters but I found none And when hee was in the cave Psal 143.3 4 whither hee fled from Sauls persecution and his spirit was overwhelmed within him I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know mee Lam. 1. verse 2.8 16 17.21 no man cared for my soul And of Sions miseries that shee had no comforter which is five times repeated in the first Chapter of Lamentations Solomon considered this to bee a great evil under the Sun scil the tears of the oppressed and the power of the oppressor Eccl. 4.1 and the oppressed had no Comforter This was the deplorable estate of the Jews in their captivity Isaiah 54.11 so some understand that in Isaiah O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted This was Ninevehs said case in her miserable ruine she had none to bemoan her nor to comfort her Nah. 3.7 Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty in it self this is high and honourable imployment to comfort others for it is 1 The work of God 2 The practice of the godly 1 It is the work of God to comfort poor souls Isa 57.15 2 Cor. 7.6 of the highest God to comfort the lowest hearts even abjects God is not ashamed of the businesse no hee gloryeth in it as in a title of Excellency 2 Cor. 1.3 Isa 51.12 to be called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort as in a beam of Majesty stream of mercy and exercise of delight I Ver. 3 even I am hee that comforteth you and the Lord shall comfort Sion as a Father doth his Sonne Psal 103.13 and a mother doth hers As one whom his mother comforteth saith God So will I comfort you Isa 66 13 and yee shall bee comforted in Jerusalem yea Gods compassions and comforts toward his people farre exceed those of the most tender hearted mother to her sucking child Isa 49.19 Can a mother forget her sucking child c. yea they may but I will not forget thee saith God to Sion To comfort is the act as of the Deity so of the Trinity and of every person in it 1 Of God the Father 2 Cor. 1.3 The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies the God of all comfort 2 To comfort is the act of God the Sonne for hee as God-man and Mediatour is the fountain of all consolation If there be any Consolation in Christ saith Paul Phil. 2.1 Hee doth not question it but suppose it or takes it for granted q. d. seeing there is or as ever yee look to receive comfort from Christ fulfil yee my joy Isa 61.1 2 c. Christ is appointed by the Father and annointed by the Holy Ghost to comfort his people by office as their Prophet Christ suites comfort to the sufferings of his people for kind and proportions them for measure 2 Cor. 1.5 as Paul saith As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Joh. 14.18 Christ promiseth comfort to them as hee did to his Disciples I will not leave you comfortlesse Joh. 16.20 22 I will come to you 3 To comfort is the act of God the holy Ghost It is his proper work to speak or apply comforts to the hearts of Gods people from the father and the Son Hence 1 Hee is call'd the Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prime and principal of all comforters 2 Hee is prayed for by the Sonne to the Father and promised both by the Father and the Sonne to bee sent as from both John 14 16.26 15.26 16.7 under this name and Notion or for this purpose to bee a comforter to his people God the father is the author of all comfort by destination or appointment of it to us for hee hath appointed us to obtain as salvation so consolation by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5 and hee comforteth us by his Son hence our consolation is said to abound by Christ 2 God the Son is the Author of Consolation 1 By redemption or purchase as of us so of joy and comfort for us by his bloud as the price thereof so that the Christians comfort is a dear-bought commodity to Christ it cost him not only exceeding sorrow but his bloud and his life 2 By reception of it as Christ bought it so he took it and keeps it for our use when he ascended up on high he received as gifts Psal 68 18 so comforts for men to give forth the same to them thus it
pleased the Father that all comfort should bee laid up in Christ as in a Treasury or Store house for all his people and that Christ should send forth the same to them as the fountain doth water 3 By Dispensation or by Office as he is our Prophet Isa 61.1 2 3 which he executes and so comforteth us by his Spirit which he hath given us 3 God the Holy Ghost is the Author of Consolation by application of it to us for that is his proper work of all that comfort to our hearts which the Father hath appointed to us and which Christ hath obtained and keeps for us As by Baptism wee are dedicated to the service and committed to the protection of the Trinity Father Son and Spirit so we should devote our selves freely to the imitation of the blessed Trinity as in Sanctification to be holy as all the three Persons Father Son and Spirit are holy so in compassion and in consolation to be merciful as they are merciful and to comfort others as they are all comforters wee should count it our glory to be followers of the glorious Trinity herein Secondly To comfort others hath been the practice of the godly even of the most eminent Servants of God as of Job the most rich and religious man in the East Behold Job 4.3 4 saith Eliphas thou hast instructed many and thou hast strengthened the weak hands and the feeble knees thy words have upholden him that was falling Thus to support the weak and comfort the faint was not only Jobs practice but his praise therefore it is ushered in with an ecce Behold c. for so Eliphas speaks of it as a thing that many could attest to Jobs commendation and of the Prophets in the Old Testament Isa 40.1 2 to whom God gave charge to comfort his people And of the Apostles in the New Testament and of their Ministers and Fellow-labourers as Timotheus Tychicus Titus and others And of the Primitive Christians no doubt according to Apostolick injunctions Paul had confidence in Philomous obedience Philem. 21 knowing that he would do even more than hee said and great joy and consolation in his love because the bowels of the Saints were refreshed by him Vers 7. How Ans By commiseration consolation contribution intercession and the like Reas 4. From the equity of the duty in respect of us we ought to comfort others 1 Because we would bee comforted by others in our distress and whatever we would that others should do to us we should do the same to them Mat. 7.12 for this is the Law and the Prophets This duty should be mutual and reciprocal among Christians even those that comfort others may stand in need to be comforted by others as Eliphaz told Job Job 4.4 5 Thou comfortedst others c. But now it that is the affliction and misery is come upon thee and thou faintest it toucheth thee and thou art troubled i.e. Thou now hast as much need to be comforted by others as others had to be comforted by thee Is not this thy fear and thy confidence c. Vers 6. This was the errour of Jobs friends to lay down good premises and to infer bad conclusions by misapplying the same to Job as if he were an Hypocrite Vers 7 and all his Graces counterfeit 2 Because all true Christians have an interest in comfort it is their portion in comforting them wee give them that which is their own and in not doing it we with-hold from them what of due belongs to them 3 To this end God gives us abilities and experiences that we may be able to comfort others upon the account whereof wee are Debtors to others 2 Cor. 1.4 God comforteth us in all our Tribulations saith Paul that wee may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort where-with wee our selves are comforted of God that even as persons of ability keep Bottles of Strong Waters Cordials and other comfortable things to refresh their friends or strangers when sick or faint we should keep the like in the closets of our hearts to comfort others in their afflictions As the Moon and Starres receive light from the Sun not to hoard it up in themselves like dark Lanthorns but to reflect it upon the earth and things below so we receive comfort freely from the Lord to the end we should give comfort freely to others 4 Lastly This is our Office as wee are members of the same body with others As the Stomack first feeds it self with the food it concocts then communicates nourishment to all other members the Heart and Liver send forth spirits and bloud throughout the body when they have received nourishment and strength so every Joynt or Member in Christs mystical Body should make a supply of consolation or instruction c. that is of what may nourish strengthen and encrease to his Fellow-members Ephes 4.16 according to the measure of that gift or grace hee hath received from his head Christ Jesus The bond of Brother-hood that is among Christians ties them thereunto to communicate what they have received from the Lord to the good of others Jude 20. Edifie your selves in your most holy faith To this end Love knits Christians together to make them communicative of good one to another and receptive thereof one from another to make them partakers in the graces and comforts one of another as the members of the body being tied together receive nourishment one from another Q. How may we comfort afflicted consciences that are wounded and dejected with sense of sin and of Gods Wrath and want of grace and draw nigh to the pits brink of despair and refuse to be comforted Ans 1. Set before them and apply to them as before our selves in the like case these Eight Grounds of consolation 1 The boundlesness and freeness of Gods pardoning reconciling accepting healing mercies to Sinners infinitely exceeding all their sins Psal 103.11 12 Vers 17 and all their unworthinesses in multitude and in magnitude in all dimensions and in duration Gods mercy is like the great deep Ocean without bank or bottom which can as easily swallow up mountains of sins as mole-hills or motes Therefore to doubt or despair or to give way to despondency of mind is to forsake our own mercy to sin against mercy which is one of the highest and most confounding aggravations of sin Lam. 3.22 Set also before them the bowels of Gods compassions which are most tender and yearning and fail not the riches of his free Grace which are the Treasures of Eternity that cannot be diminished by distribution but rather like the five Loaves wherewith Christ fed the five thousand men beside women children they multiply with breaking and the freeness unchangeableness and everlastingness of his love to poor sinners Hos 14.4 Jer. 31.3 that never deserved it or any thing from God but Wrath and Judgement Obj. But God
that which hee seeth me to be or heareth of me Gods holy humble Servants take notice of the evils as well as of the good that is in themselves of their sins as well as of their vertues they can say Our transgressions are with us Isa 59.12 and as for our iniquities we know them and they are as free and forward as they have occasion to confess their sins before God and Man and take shame to themselves and to bewail their wants and failings as to shew forth their vertues yea they have usually conjoyned Selfvilification with Self-commendation that pride of heart might not bee either the Mother or the Daughter of their own praises that is that commending of themselves might not proceed from inward pride nor their spirits bee puffed up with outward praises of themselves or from others When they have commended themselves for their Graces or labours they have manifested a base esteem of themselves for their infirmities As Job when he had pleaded his integrity before God and righteousness before man as strenuously as he could he saith Behold I am vile Job 40.4 what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth When God lift up Job by giving him a sight of himself Now mine eye seeth thee Job 42 5 Job cast down himself in sense of his own vileness Wherefore I abhor my self Vers 6 and repent in dust and ashes Paul discommends himself for his former sinfulness and present unworthiness in 1 Cor. 15.8 9. I am the least of the Apostles not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God before hee commends himself for his Grace and labours in vers 10. By the grace of God I am that I am I laboured more abundantly than they all c. Though hee magnified his Office yet he vilified himself as unworthy to bear it Unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given Ephes 3.8 that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Paul calls himself the greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 when he speaks of the superabundant grace of God to him at his conversion and in him afterwards as faith and love and of Christs making him a pattern of his mercy and patience to future beleevers when he said Vers 16. I am in nothing behind the very chiefest Apostles he adds Though I be nothing when he declares his delight in the Law of God after the inner man in Rom. 7.22 and his serving it with the mind vers 25. he exclaims himself miserable from the sense of sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. It is good to mingle our commendations with an allay or addition of something to testifie the sense of our infirmities and to keep our spirits low and humble 3 Modestly when we speak of our Graces and performances soberly not in a boasting way Dan. 4.30 or vauntingly as proud Nebuchadnezzar did of his great Babylon which hee had built Dan. 4.30 Mark the modesty of the Saints expressions in their Self-commendations they have used to extenuate their praises and to aggravate their sins and unworthiness as Job Iob 12.3 when he saith to his friends I am not inferiour to you or as it is in the Hebr. I do not fall before you to wit in wisdom holiness integrity when he might have really asserted himself superiour to them herein How modest and sparing was Paul in speaking of matters that concerned his own praise and how oft doth he call himself a fool for his glorying though he was justly moved yea provoked and compelled thereto I suppose 2 Cor. 11.5 saith he I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles q. d. I wanted not a hair breadth of their stature when indeed hee was above or before them both in labours and in sufferings 2 Cor. 11.24 to 29. so I think saith he to the Corinthians I have the Spirit of God he might have said I know it I am assured of it but hee speaks thus modestly but thinking to confute the confidence of their vain-glorious boasting Teachers as if they certainly had the Spirit of God yet had it not and the Corinthians too good conceit of them and their slighting of Paul Heb. 13.18 as if he had not the Spirit or boasted of it Pray for us saith Paul to the Hebrews for wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly Paul might truly have spoken oft of himself after a higher rate than he did 2 The manner of Self-commendation in respect of God when we speak of the good we have or do thankfully 1 With a free acknowledgement of God as the sole Author of all that whatsoever wee have we have received it from the Lord 1 Cor. 4.7 that it is his grace that makes us to be what we are that makes us to differ from others Phil. 4.13 and that whatsoever we do it is in his strength that it is God who worketh in us both to wil to do of his own good pleasure Isa 26.12 and that worketh all our works for us Let us ever speak of our havings or doings not as if they were originally our own but the free gifts of God bestowed on us and the works done through Gods assistance of us 2 When wee declare the same out of a sense of Gods goodness to us herein with high and honourable thoughts of God and fear of his Name and a heart inflamed in love to God and joy in God 3 The manner of Self-commendation in respect of others when wee commend our selves charitably and tenderly not to despise or disgrace or discourage others who are weak for whom God hath not done so much as for us not to insult over them The proud Pharisee when hee praised himself hee contemned the poor Publican whom God approved and justified but condemned the Pharisee 4 For the end Self-commendation is lawful when our aim therein is 1 In respect of us to do our selves Justice and right and to preserve our good Names not to get our selves praise from men nor to lift up our selves in the opinion of the world Hence Self commendation should proceed not from love of the praise of men nor from desire of vain glory but out of love of vertue and desire of doing good to others thereby and it should bee accompanied with Self-abnegation or a renouncing of all Self-conceit Self-sufficiency Self seeking or Self worthiness to prick the bladder of pride in us Luke 17.10 When we have done all we can wee should say as Christ teacheth us we are but unprofitable servants and as Paul did yet not I 1 Cor. 15.10 but the grace of God that is with me When we commend our selves before men we should not receive praise from men not suffer our spirits to be tickled or puffed up therewith for that