A like symptomes in both How shall wee then discerne the good from the bad Conscience Surely thus The bad Conscience and quiet is that whose tranquilitie or calme is contracted either of a benummednesse Consuetâ—do peccandi tollit sensum peccati and Cawle growne ouer it through long custome in sinne or from a profound ignorance of the nature of sinne and of the Law of God or from a prophane contempt of sauing knowledge and the meanes thereof and the like such are said by the Prophet to bee at ease setled vpon their lees Ier. 48.11 not poured from vessell to vessell but the good Conscience and quiet is that whose peace after trouble for sinne as a calme after a storme floweth from no other Fountaine but the mercie of God in Christ apprehended by Faith for the pardon of the sinnes of the belieuing penitent sinner as the Apostle concludeth Therefore being iustified by Faith Rom. 5.1 we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee that wants this Conscience flowing from Faith which layeth one hand on the Sacrifice Christ saying Lord be mercifull and so repentance laying the other hand on sinne saying To me a sinner can neuer goe home iustified his Conscience wants the true peace And this peace and quiet of a good Conscience is further setled by a firme purpose of pleasing God in all good duties for the time to come As the same Apostle saith Pray for vs for we trust wee haue a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 willing to liue honestly So that the good Conscience looks both waies both backwards finding true peace in Christs righteousnes by Gods mercie imputed and by Faith apprehended and applyed for the pardon of sinne past and forwards with a sincere purpose of reformation and conformitie to the Word of God for the time to come willing resoluing and indeuouring to liue honestly This is the good Conscience and quiet Again the bad Conscience and vnquiet is that which being strucke with the sting of sinne either with Iudas and Achitophel runs to the halter as if that were the next way to heale it or by diuersion seekes to put it off as Cain fals a building of Cities and following his pleasures if so he may charme the Serpents biting or skin ouer the wound or weare out the skarre and ruthfull remembrance or still the hideous cry of his horrid murther or by this kind of Dictamne cause the mortall Arrow sticking in his side to loosen away But the good Conscience and troubled is that which for sinne being humbled and vpon repentance through Faith hearing The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet as a woman with her after-birth is exercised with grieuous conflicts afterwards It was Dauids case after his absolution pronounced by the Prophet from God whereupon hee might and did no doubt for the present find solid and assured comfort Yet how many a bitter storme doth he indure in his soule How many a sharpe fit So that as a man in an Hecticke feuer without intermission hee cryeth out Thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night And Ps. 32. Ps. 38. There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor any rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as an heauy burthen they are too heauy for me All his penitentiall Psalmes breathe nothing else but groanes and sighes from a troubled Spirit Yet all the while hee possessed a good Conscience though the fruition thereof was for a time to his greater humiliation and exercise of his Faith denied and suspended from him Holy Paul in that perillous Nauigation though hee was comforted by the Angel with a promise of safetie for his owne life and theirs which sayled with him yet arriued not at the Port without great difficultie and with the losse of the lading and wracke of the Ship So Gods Child as Dauid though vpon repentance for sinne hee haue his Pardon sealed and life secured yet so hideous are the stormes of renued remorse for sinne which still lye beating vpon his brittle Barke that hee must suffer much dammage temporall before hee can vpon the Planke of redubled repentance waft and worke himselfe to reach the calme and comfortable Hauen of Melita This is that Conscience that troubled Conscience of the Conflicts and Comforts whereof wee are here to speake For as for the afflicted bad Conscience as of all such as liue in a knowne sinne without repentance and now and then are troubled with some fearefull qualmes comming ouer their stomacks while they seeke to haue not the cause which is sinne but the effect onely remoued Wee purpose not to bee troubled with such In such cases let the Adulterer repent and beccome continent the Drunkard repent and become sober the oppressing Vsurer repent and restore and become liberall to the poore and so in the rest Otherwise neuer let them looke for any true comfort and peace of Conscience Yet for their better instruction such also may reape much helpe by this Treatise to further them in the practise of true repentance thereby to obtaine true peace of Conscience For here we propound and describe the case of a troubled Conscience in the highest degree together with the remedies of it that so no troubled Conscience in any lesse degree or kind might here faile to find comfort in time of need For he that knowes how to cure the greatest wound can the more easily cure the lesse CONFLICTS AND COMFORTS OF CONSCIENCE CHAP. I. The first conflict or triall wherein the conscience of a man regenerate apprehending Gods wrath for sin is perillously shaken IT is the nature of all sinne once committed by guilt to affect the conscience with a fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath both temporall and eternall as due to the sinner It was decreed so in the beginning by an vnchangeable law of God In the day thou eatest thereof Gen. â— thou shalt dye the death And no sooner had Adam transgressed but an horror seased vpon his soule hee heares Gods voyce he feares flyes hides himselfe What 's the matter now Adam where art thou might God well say not in what place but in what case art thou surely the Serpent had left his sting in Adams Conscience Now hee is affrighted with hearing Gods voyce but a farre off as of a Iudge sending forth a Hue Cry or summons to the malefactor to appeare before him whom before he ioyed to behold as a dutifull sonne delighting in the presence of his louing and liberall father Ob. But Adam was afterwards receiued to mercy and that by a new couenant of Grace the old of workes being vtterly forfeited and that in and through Christ the promised seed of the woman Is not then the case of mans Conscience now altered Can the member of Christ the vessell of grace the heire of life eternall bee from henceforth repossessed with any such apprehension as of Gods wrath
polluted lips had no heart to prophecie to others before the Seraphim had touched his lips with a coale from the Altar saying Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie is taken away and thy sinne purged Whereupon Esay now can say Here I am send me Esa. 6.7 So that a Ministers peace with God giues him comfort and courage to preach to others that grace and mercie whereof himselfe hath had particular experience As Paul saith For this cause I obtained mercie 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter belieue on him to life euerlasting But on the contrarie I see not with what confidence or courage a Minister can stand in the presence of God and in the face of his Congregation either to instruct others in righteousnesse which himselfe followeth not or to reproue them of sinne whereof himselfe repenteth not Famous is that example of Origen Centur. 3. cap. 10 who for his offering of Incense to the Idoll being excommunicated from the Church of Alexandria and comming to Ierusalem and there intreated yea and in a manner inforced to preach vnto them hee going vp to the Pulpit as if hee would preach recited those words in the Psalm But to the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Hee no sooner had read these words but closing the Booke fell into a sad and bitter weeping and that so abundantly that as a stream it carried the affections of the whole assembly with it to weepe for companie and that out of a fellow-feeling of those compunctions of heart which so stopped his mouth and opened the flood-gates of repentance for his late sacrificing to the Idol and for other his errours whereinto he was said to fall after that his fall Such an insupportable burden is sinne vnrepented vpon a Ministers Conscience that till by the mercie of God hee be well lightened of it vneath he shall beare the Lords burthen vnto the people But vpon his humble repentance being at peace with God and hauing obtained the comfort of his Spirit and the assistance of his grace to settle him in the state of a good Conscience and of a holy life hereupon he becomes imboldened to preach of mercy to others whereof himselfe hath so plentifully tasted and wherby sinners may be conuerted vnto God Thirdly The Minister as hee hath offended his Flocke any way iustly he must labour to make them satisfaction And this stand sin foure things especially First In dubbling his labour and diligence in the faithfull discharge of his Ministry that what he hath formerly lost by any kind of neglect either in life or Doctrine hee may endeuour to regaine Secondly In labouring so much the more to set forth himselfe as a patterne of a true belieuer in faith in patience and other vertues wherby the calling not onely of a Christian but of a Minister and Pastour of Gods people is adorned So that the constant example of his carriage and course for the time to come may be as a mouth to signifie to all his exceeding humiliation and sorrow for his sinnes past his hatred and detestation of all sinne in himselfe and others and his earnest care and purpose of hart expressed in his practise vtterly to abandon and auoid the like and all sinne for the time to come setting himselfe with all boldnesse to reproue sinne in others which now they may behold so hatefull to himselfe turning also his people that setting themselues to speedie repentance they need not to doubt of Gods mercie towards them seeing that the sinne of their Pastour was not denyed it Thirdly To be continually exercised in feruent prayer for his people that from henceforth they may reape infinitely more profite by his Ministry and example of life then formerly they haue receiued hurt by any his neglect or occasion This will be a meanes through Gods speciall blessing cooperating to reconcile and reunite the peoples hearts to their Pastour and to cause all things to succeed happily betweene them Lastly He must practise the Spirit of meekenesse towards the weake labouring to restore such considering his owne selfe who hath beene and lest hee may be yet tempted And to bee patient towards all that if he meet with any vnkind affronts or closse biting malicious frumpes hee either answer not at all remembring that God hath layd that burthen vpon him or else lest the malicious may thus being let goe perish in his sinne hee is to admonish him either priuatly or if occasion require publickly before all the companie so as they may learne to feare God lest they turne the fall of their brother through weakenesse now repented now recouered into their own presumptuous ruine irrecouerable But neuer to retort or returne rebuke for rebuke euen as Dauid would shew no reuenge vpon cursing cursed Shimei hoping God would doe him good for his cursing that day and knowing that God would not hold Shimei guiltlesse but without repentance without peace bring him to the graue as it befell Shimei Thus may the afflicted and humbled Conscience of Gods Minister bee through Gods grace and mercie inabled in some good mâ—asure to beare vp against such winds and waues of tryall and in time to ouercome them Although when he hath done his best and suffered much yet hee must make account neuer to bee quit of his paine altogether till death but as a hurt or bruise in the body in youth it will become an ach and symptome of old age accompanying him to his graue As Dauid in his old age complaines of the aches of those sinnes in his youth still sticking in his bones when hee said Psa 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth c. So that he must conclude and resolue with Hezechiah Esa 15. I shall goe softly all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule And say with Dauid My sorrow is continually before me And euer to make this vse of his former sinnes euen to bee humbled in his best graces and most beautifull actions and prouoked to aspire to all perfection therin not fearing now to be proud who hath such cause to be humbled CHAP. V. The third Conflict arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended IT was no small griefe to the Spouse when she said My Mothers children were angry with me Cant. 1.6 and 5.7 And againe The Watchmen that went about the Citie found me they smote me they wounded me the Keepers of the Walls tooke away my vaile from me The least offence giuen by a Minister if it shall be taken to heart of the whole Sacred fraternitie and made theirs when the Delinquent considereth it what a torment is it to his Conscience when hee shall now see their countenances auerse full of high indignation and
enough To reioyce at the happy estate of Gods Church and Children though it be a symptom and signe of true grace and a qualitie proper to none but to Gods elect Saints Yet what comfort can it bee for a man to reioyce at others well-fare and in the meane time to bee pressed downe with the waight of his owne vnworthinesse Or how can he be comforted to see others in honor that is himselfe compassed about with disgrace Could the sight of Lazarus in Abraham's bosome any whit comfort poore Diues now in Hell torments or not rather add fuell to those flames Much lesse shall hee euer thinke to extenuate his owne sinne and consequently mitigate his sorrow by discouering or vncharitably thinking that there may be farre greater obliquities in others then hee can easily find to bee in himselfe As though anothers Plague would asswage my Feuer Or anothers Gangreue my Reduuiae or sore finger Yea on the contrarie the least sinne becomes the more damnable when it seekes a patronage or shaddow from some others Master-sinne This is to looke vpon others sinnes with a Perspectiue glasse turning that end outward which dilateth and multiplyeth the obiect but the other towards a mans selfe which contracteth and abateth it Nor is it safe for a man so to compare or parallel himselfe with others as looking onely on their infirmities and slips but not on their more masculine vertues and graces And on the other side reflecting vpon his owne moralities perhaps not mixed with the like imperfections at least in apparence yet comming as farre short of the others perfections and nobler parts thereupon either to comfort himselfe or to contemn them in comparison of himselfe As I remember a sweet obseruation of Saint Augustine to this purpose Aug. coÌ„tra Manich. l. 22. c. 68. Multi nunquam Christum vel semel abnogauerunt nec eius pro nostra salute passionem improbauerunt nec Gentes Iudaizare coegerunt tamen Petro qui haec fecit impares comparebunt Ita multi fideles nullius appetentes vxorem nullum maritum appetitae vsque ad mortem persequentes Dauidicum tamen meritum qui ista fecit non attingunt Tantum interest quod cuique in seipso quantunque displiceat vt penitus extirpetur quid pro eo fructiferum opulentum ingenti feracitate consurgat quia agricolae plus placent agri qui spinis etiam magnis eradicatis centenum proferunt quam qui nullas vnquam spinas habuerunt vix ad tricenum perueniunt Many neuer no not once denied Christ nor discommended his Passion for our Saluation nor compelled the Gentiles to Iudaize and yet they will be found far inferiour to Peter who did these things So also many Belieuers hauing neither desâ—red any mans wife nor persecuted the husband of any desired vnto the death yet they attaine not to Dauid's excellencie who did these things Of so great consequence is it what displeaseth euerie man in himselfe and how much that it may vtterly bee rooted out and what in stead thereof springeth vp as a fruitfull and rich crop because euen those Fields doe more delight the Husbandman which hauing great Thornes scrubbed vp doe bring forth an hundred fold then those which neuer had any such Thornes and yet scarcely amount to thirtie-fold So he But to find solid comfort the Patient must imitate the Spouse who being beaten by the Watchmen for not keeping her owne Vine yet goes on with all care and diligence to seeke out him whom her Soule loued whom till shee found she could find no sound comfort Christ is that great and good Sheepherd that gaue his life for his Sheep He is that mercifull High Priest who takes compassion of our infirmities If any man sinne we wee saith the beloued Disciple we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sinnes This is that sweet Iesus who reiected not his penitent Apostle though he had denied him thrice This is that Iudge before whom the woman â—eprehended in Adulterie being accused shee found mercie when her accusers readier to stone her then so much as once to smite vpon their own brest yet slunke away selfe-condemned not abiding the issue of their accusation while shee neither seeking to hide her sinne nor to hasten from the sentence wholly committing her cause to the clemency of the Iudge was dismissed with this comfortable speech Neither do I condemne thee go sin no more To this merciful Iudge let the distressed Conscience appeale when all the world accuseth condemneth And now O Lord Iesus Christ thou onely compassionate Physitian of the wounded Spirit thou onely refresher of the wearie and laden thou onely mercifull High Priest who wast therefore acquainted with infirmities yet without sinne that thou might'st take compassion euen of our sinfull infirmities Vouchsafe to reflect one looke of grace vpon thy wretched Scruant which as the Sunne-beame may so warme the cold comfortlesse Soule as sending vp vapourie sighes towards Heauen they may distill in such a kindly sad showre of godly sorrow as to cause the parched ground of my heart to fructifie more abundantly as after the latter raine to a blessed Haruest O Lord Christ my sinnefull Soule dare the more boldly appeale and approch to thy Iudgement Seat beecause thy selfe was iudged for me and art become not onely my Iudge but my Aduocate At thy Barre I feare not to hold vp the hand of my faith and to open the mouth of humble sorrow to confesse guiltie Seeing I cannot doe this but presently as by the Law of Relation thou auouchest thy selfe my Sauiour my Suretie my Sacrifice my Satisfaction in whose pure Blood all my pollutions are washed on whose Crosse the hand-writing of all that debt of mine more then ten thousand Talents is fast nayled and cancelled Oh that it where my lot to haue none other Iudge but thy selfe to be sentenced at none other Barre but thy Tribunall Why Because thou arâ— not Iust Yea a most vpright Iudge But oh that I might fall into thy hands onely and not into the hands of men For with thee there is mercie that thou mayest be feared Thou so forgiuest sinne Aug. de peccatoruÌ„ meritis et remiss l. 2. cap. 19 as withall thou forgettest it cancelling and crossing thy Booke But man once offended writes it in his marble heart for perpetuall remembrance Onely thou playest the good and wise Physitian keeping * Idcirco Sanctos et fideles suos in aliquibus vitiis tardius sanat vt in his eos minùs quà m implendae ex omni parte iustitiae sufficit delectet bonum vt quantum tertinet ad integerrimam regulam veritatis eius non iustificetur in conspectu eius omnis vâ—uens Nec in eo ipso vulâ— nes damâ—abiles sed humiles commendans nobis eandem gratiam suam ne facilitatem in omnibus assecuti nostrum putemus esse quod eâ—us est long
against despaire it selfe I should vtterly haue fainted vnlesse I had belieued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Liuing Obiect But how can a man both belieue and doubt at the same instant about the same thing Answ. There is in the Regenerate the Old man doubting and the New man belieuing It is against the propertie of Faith to doubt Doubting comes of the Flesh and belieuing of the Spirit and these two are contrarie one to the other they fight one against the other in one Soule as Iacob and Esau in one Wombe So that euen then when the Soule is like to bee ouer-borne with the tempest of carnall distrust the seed of Faith by a secret and insensible working for the present being fast rooted and riuetted into Christ as the Ankor in the Rocke or the Tree-root in the firme ground preserues it from either wracke or wind-fall Thus Dauid comforts and cheeres vp his deiected Soule Psal. 43· Why art thou cast downe O my soule And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God Againe Faith hath two strong supporters to stay it from fainting The first is the promises of God the second experience of former feelings of mercie First Gods promise is the proper obiect and pillar of hope This promise is not a word of course but a word of Gods solemne Couenant a word not transient but permanent a word written in a more lasting monument then Lead and Stone Yea this promise is confirmed with Gods Hebr. 6.17 Oath and ratified with his Seale with the Priuie Rom. 8.16 Seale of his Spirit in euerie faithfull mans heart and with the Broad Seales his two Rom. 4. Sacraments This promise of God in Christ for saluation Faith * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est veraefidei Chrys. Gen. 13. Ser. 35. appropriates to the belieuers own selfe concluding Faithfull is he who hath promised who will also doe it And as Satan on the one side is busie to buzze into a mans head places of Scriptures by him peruerted and mis-applyed so Faith on the other side opposes against him the sweet promises of God Math. 11 28. as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you I came not to call the righteous Math. 9.13 but sinners to repentance Nor doe these promises belong onely to those who haue not yet beene effectually called but to those who after their effectuall calling haue through humane infirmitie fallen into some sinne As children 1 Ioh. 2.1 I write vnto you that you sinne not And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sinnes These and the like promises of God Faith laying hold vpon are like the hand of Christ reached out to sinking Peter staying the Soule from perishing in the Floods of Spirituall perturbations Ps. 119.92 and ve 49.50 Except thy Law saith afflicted Dauid had beene my delight I should then haue perished in mine affliction By Law there hee meaneth the Gospel with the promises of it For else Gal. the Law causeth wrath and can minister no consolation to the wounded Conscience but onely sends the Patient to the good Physitian Christ. It is one of Sâ—tans vsuall stratagemâ— to hide Gods promises all hee can from Gods child in time of Spirituall temptation and to present him Qui statuit aliquid parte inaâ—dita altera Aequum licet statuerit haud â—quus fuit Senec and wholly take him vp with Iudgements thereby to driue him to despaire Therefore as a Iudge that heareth one partiâ— and reserueth neuer an eare for the aduerse partiâ— must needs bee vniust yea although hee haply pronounce right iudgement So the sinfull Soule looking altogether vpon the iudgement of God and reseruing neuer an eye to looke vpon his mercie and promise is like to proceed vniustly against himselfe though therby hee pull vpon his Soule a iust condemnation But to preuent this It stands not with the condition of the Children of the Promise the blessed Seed Rom. 9.8 23. those Vessels of mercie which God hath afore ordained vnto glorie that in them he might make knowne the riches of his glorie verse 22. It stands not I say with their condition to bee as the vessels of wrath swallowed vp of wrath being selfe-fitted to destruction But in the Children of the Promise mercie shall triumph against iudgement when Faith in Gods promises of life shall ouercome all difficulties The second pillar and prop of Faith in the Soules fainting is experience of former fruition of mercie This was Dauids practise Ps. 77. I haue considered the dayes of old c. I call to remembrance my Song in the night Thus in his distresse hee cals to mind what sweetnesse and comfort hee found formerly in God by those familiar Soliloquies which his Soule did sing vnto God by night in the gratefull remembrance of his benefits And Psalme 143 complaining My spirit is ouerwhelmed within me my heart within me is desolate Yet he comforts himselfe with the meditation and memorie of Gods former gratious dealing towards him verse 4 5. And Psalme 27 he euen challengeth God vpon formâ—r mercies verse 9. saying Hide not thy face from me put not thy seruant away in anger Thou hast beene my helpe leaue me not neither forsake me oh God of my saluation Thus vpon this experience Dauid gathers such assurance that though his Father and Mother forsake him And can a Mother forget forsake her sonne yet though shee should bee so vnnaturall yet saith God I will not forsake thee yet saith Douid Euen then the Lord taketh me vp So that for the Conscience afflicted to recollect the experiments of former mercies which the Soule once sweetly inioyed is a solid ground of comfort whereon to cast the Anchor of Hope in a present storme yea and the secure Harbour also wherein to repose her selfe in a setled assurance of Gods loue for the time to come and for euer And the reason is Whom God loueth once in Christ hee euer loueth The gifts and calling of God are without repentance His blessing vpon his Children is like that of Isaac vpon Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed Balaam told Balack that there was no reuersing of Gods blessing on his people God is not as man Num. 23.1920 that he should lye or repent Hath he said it and shall he not doe it Behold I haue receiued commandement to blesse and he hath blessed and I cannot reuerse it Obiect But the memorie of former mercies inioyed may serue to minister to the afflicted Soule for sinne rather matter of more griefe then of any ioy and rather to aggrauate our sinne and so our sorrow then to redintegrate or renouate our comfort What a corrosiue was it to Dauid's
subministreth to the Soule when plunged in the deepth of perplexed dolours As Dauid in that short but pithy Penitentiall Out of the deepes haue I cryed vnto thee Ps. 130.1 O Lord. Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly Yea Out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce And when Dauid said in his hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Neuerthelesse saith hee thou heardest the voyce of my supplycations when I cryed vnto thee Prayer is of force to bring againe the dead Child to rayse dead Lazarus euen the stinking Soule out of the Graue No place no case of calamitie Spirituall or Corporall whence Prayer may not procure deliuerance Onely out of Hell is no deliuerance Why They pray not there to God In the Parable Diues prayed but to Abraham to a Saint not to God enough to cause his prayer to be reiected as not worth a drop of cold water A good example for all such Clyents as inuocate Saints for their Aduocates A practise learned from Diues in Hell but which findeth neither Precept nor Promise in the Scriptures and so can hope for no better successe Now among the many admirable vses and effects of prayer two are of singular note the first that prayer is a most effectuall antidote to preuent the committing of sinne What neede I speake of the infinite experiments my selfe haue found in this kinde Let euery child of God but take notice of his owne proofes herein For my part how many forcible temptations prouocations inuitations occasions to sinne haue made battery vpon this weak Fort when it hath beene ready to hang out the flagg of parle and of yeelding and onely prayer steps betweene working a suddaine strange alteration in the affections it bringeth a fresh supply of of grace fortifieth the weakest places repaireth the breaches repulseth the batteries causeth the enemy for that time to retreat I could produce strange instances in my selfe but I forbeare Nor is there any lawfull affaire of this life but if prayer haue an oare in it it makes the better way to arriue at the wished port But for the preuenting of sinne and restraining of our inordinate passions it is in a manner the onely effectuall meanes Neuer hath any temptation further preuailed but as prayer hath beene neglected I am sure this is true in mine owne experience And surely where the daily practise of prayer is not there it is no maruaile if Sathan keepe his reuels Dauid noting the many corruptions and abominations of wicked men and persecuting Tyrants hee renders the reason of all They call not vpon the Lord. Psa. 14·4 But doe not such men pray Yes they may but as the Pharisees in an outward formalitie and vnder a colour of long prayer they deuoure widdowes houses Who are more for a ceremonious and solemne formalitie of endlesse and superstitious prayers then the Church of Rome which yet the Holy Ghost styleth the great Whore Can such blind prayers be effectuall but to pull down vengeance vpon their heads which by their pompous solemnitie haue vndermined the verie ground-worke and Pillar of all true Religion and deuotion the preaching of the Word now turned into Masse and Matins But no maruaile if the Seuen-branched golden Candlesticke be there remoued and turned into an Idoll-Altar where the verie * Prayer in an vnknowne tongue Light of Deuotion is quite put out and the Oyle dryed vp The second principall vse of Prayer is after a man hath beene ouertaken with a temptation in any degree tending at least to the actuall committing of sinne and to the fulfilling of it in the lust thereof to rayse vp the humbled Conscience to a hopefull expectation to a constant affiance and in fine to a comfortable fruition of Gods mercie We see what strong cryes Dauid all along the most peerelesse patterne of practick pietie in this kind lifted vp when his soule was cast downe for his sinne as all his Penitentials but specially the 51 doe witnesse And surely had not the sinne-burthened Soule accesse to the Throne of Grace and Mercie by the meanes of Prayer what hope were there But Prayer is like Noah's Doue which returning brings the poore sinner tidings that the Deluge of Gods wrath is asswaged and in token thereof presents him with the Oliue-branch of peace and reconciliation Or as when God is on his March against vs with his great Army of terrible Iudgements Prayer is the Herald sent to make an humble treaty for truce And therefore in all Spirituall conflicts there is no dutie which Satan goes about more to diuert from or disturbe in then this of Prayer Yea he is readie to present a man with and to foist in a thousand by-occasions or cogiâ—ations either about our profits or pleasures thereby to diuert the Soule from praier perswading a man he may doe that as well another time as now And it is more then proaable that Dauid was thus carried away when for almost a yeeres space that sinne of his in the matter of Vriah and Bathshabe lay as a charmed Serpent sleeping in his bosome vnrepented of till Nathan came and by his Riddle vncharmed it and so rowsed him from his Lethargie Obiect But did not Dauid all that while exercise the dutie of Prayer Had he not at least the Arke in his Court and there his morning and euening Sacrifices of Prayer Answ. No doubt But it is likely hee contented himselfe with the publike solemn Seruice and Sacrifice of Prayer neglecting in the meane time his more intimous and priuate deuotion wherein hee should haue more punctually humbled his Soule cast himselfe downe naked in Gods presence and made speciall supplication for the pardon of his sinne and so haue demeaned himselfe in his holy wrastling with God in secret as he could not doe in publike with any decorum or without beeing censured by men of indiscretion or folly As Hannah for her zeallous prayer was thought of Eli to haue beene drunke or madde Or at leastwise not intermitting his times of priuate prayer yet hee remitted of that feruour and zeale of that extraordinarie sorrow and teares requisite for obtaining the pardon of such a sinne Or if among other his sinnes hee bewayled this sinne yet hee went not to the quicke hee searched not the wound to the bottome His repentance as yet was but an ordinarie and euerie-day-repentance whereas his extraordinarie sin required an extraordinarie sorrow Hee might also the while pray for mercie and pardon but not so effectually and heartily for such a measure of mercie as his sinne required And the reason that his repentance and consequently his praier for pardon at the best was not yet so sound as it ought which was the cause that as yet he found not that comfortable fruition of Gods fauour and mercie as afterwards vpon his more serious repentance was his want of due consideration in waighing the horriblenesse and hugenesse of his sinne For
Hell fire Obiect But will some man say Although I confesse with griefe I haue grieuously offended God in such or such a manner and that to the scandall of others Yet I thanke God he hath hitherto spared mee forbearing to lay temporall afflictions vpon me and so as I am sorrie for my sinnes so I trust hee hath pardoned mee and accounts me as his owne Child Answ. Let no man take this as a signe that therefore God loues him because hee doth not afflict him although he hath committed some grieuous sinne But in this case looke that thou bring not thy selfe into a fooles Paradise Thou maist iustly suspect that all is not right with thee that as yet thou hast not soundly repented thee of thy sinne For tell me what measure yea what manner of ioy thou findest in God Is it not rather carnall then spirituall Rather carnall that thy person is spared from affliction and thou inioyest outward prosperity then spirituall that thou findest any solid comfort of the pardon of thy sinne sealed vnto thee by Gods spirit Would yee not thinke Dauid was a iolly and ioyfull man so long as that hony-moone lasted during the festiuities of his new Bride and Nuptials sporting himselfe in his wished pleasures not onely now inioying but possessing his Bathshabe for wife Did he not take himselfe trow you for a man in high fauour with God and that now all was whole againe God and hee good friends his sinne if all this while hee thought it a sinne fully expiated and all made vp in the marriage But tell me what if God had left Dauid in this his prosperity wherein he said I shall neuer be moued What if hee had not sent Nathan with a rod in his hand to whip Dauid But God will not leaue his childe so It is not long but he disciplines him to make him know himselfe And be thou well assured whosoeuer thou art that hast thy portion in God thou must looke for thy portion of afflictions And til then neuer thinke thou art as thou shouldest be * Deus vnicū habuit filium sine flagitio nullum sine flagello Aug. God had but one Sonne without sinne but not one without sorrow But if God deferre to afflict thee for thy sin past do not thou delay so much the more to humble thy soule yea the more pains thou must take therewith the more God spareth outwardly to humble thee Seeing that outward affliction well vsed is a good helpe to our humiliation Hereupon followeth the last Preseruatiue to omit others to wit the fruit which true humiliation worketh in the soule Hee that can command light out of darknesse can also and doth so produce good out of euill that hee would not else suffer his elect to sinne were it not that he is able to cause it to be an occasion of a farre greater good then the euil can counteruaile Augustine saith God causeth all things to cooperate for good to them that loue him Aug. de Corrept grat◠◠cap. 9. Vsque a deo prorsus omnia vt etiam siqui eorum deuiant exorbitant etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores yea in such sort euen all things that if any of them doe stray or decline from the right path he causeth this very same to further their good because they return more humble and wise Now the fruit which true repentance bringeth forth is that which differenceth it mainly from counterfeit repentance For counterfet repentance may be very like the true like that of Iudas consisting of contrition confession and satisfaction but what was the fruit of it he went hanged himself Ahabs repentance was a very formall penance but what was the fruit of it Hee continued still in his Idolatries hee hated the true Prophets of God and harkened to the Prophets of Baal to his destruction But these were not the fruits worthy or beseeming amendment of life which euery true penitent must bring forth as Iohn the Baptist preached Now the fruits of true repentance are manifold As Psal. 38.17 a continuall godly sorrow for sinne past a greater care to auoid all sinne and that especially wherein he hath most offended 2 Cor. 7◠10. a greater zeale of Gods glory which we haue dishonoured a greater indeuour to profit his Church which we haue scandalized and euery kinde of way to redeeme the time Hence it is that after Peters teares for his threefold denial Iohn 21. Christ askes him three times Simon Peter louest thou me To which Peter orderly replying Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Christ addes three times Feede my Sheepe intimating to Peter that as he had dishonoured God and scandalized his Church by a threefold deniall so now he must so much the more treble his labour in feeding Gods sheepe thereby to win the more honour to God and profit to his Church yea and as Peter had denied Christ at his death for the sauing of his owne life so Christ immediately after tels him how he must by his death glorifie God Ioh. 21.18 19. We see also what abundant fruits Dauids repentance brought forth to the sound instruction and sweet consolation of Gods Church to the worlds end so in Salomon and others Paul for his many persecutings and hauocks of the Church did afterwards labour more abundantly then all his fellowes As Christ said to Peter who by his fall weakened and scandalized his brethren When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren And who more fit to comfort others consciences then they that haue been exercised with the bitter conflicts thereof themselues As the Apostle saith Blessed be God the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God And to this end holy Dauid was not ashamed to display his sinfull wretched condition to all the world that Gods Church might reape the fruit thereof by his admonitions and consolations And what though the mouthes of railing Shimeies were opened vpon him calling him a sonne of blood and of Belial Yet Dauid meekely holds on his course in bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance the benefit whereof might redound to all that feare God For a conclusion of this point let the penitent labor to get assurance to himselfe of the fauour of God and that by the obseruation of two things first of Gods dealing with vs since our sinne and vpon our repentance for the same I cannot say simply after our repentance sith our whole life must be a continuall repentance And first to obserue the comforts of God in vs. Where we must note that God is very wary in pouring into our wounded soules a greater plenty of the oyle of comfort but with much mixture of the sharpe corrosiue vinegar yea he distilleth
greater sinner then thou art a Sauiour Nor dost thou saue but the soule humbled with or for sinne nor dost thou salue but the wounded spirit And if no physicke can worke with me Crudelem medicum intemperans ager saut Sen. but such sharpe corrosiues Satans buffeting messengers then cut ceare spare not so thou curest me so thou workest in me such a gracious both humiliation for sinnes and humility in the vse of thy graces that being made lower then all contempt I may be hid in the dust vntill the indignation passe ouer alwaies waiting and longing for thy comming to iudgement when all sinne in thine elect shall be for euer abolished the root remoued the guilt remitted the staine washed the reproach wiped away the scars couered with beauty the scorne with glory Euen so come Lord Iesus But alas O Lord in the meane time how many are the sharpe conflicts which thy seruant must still looke to incounter with in the poore remaines if ought yet remaine of this momentany life Temptations to new temptations for old sinnes no security for the future no safty for the present terrours within fightings without no peace but onely in thee with thee How shall my Arke ouercome such a deluge my Barke beare vp against such billowes of Satans assaults of the worlds affronts as still abide me still abase me vnlesse thou the great Pilot rebuke represse restraine them adding new strength to my wearied and weatherbeaten soule to resist to ouercome Is it possible that a poore wretch forlorne forsaken of all should subsist but by an Omnipotent hand supporting Herein doth the excellency of thy grace most clearely shine as in preuenting thy Saints from falling into many enormities so much more when fallen and that into some scandalous offence the strongest of al trials in preseruing them from falling away from their faith and affiance in thee euen then when all men in face and affection are fallen away from them Soueraigne is that grace which preuents the fault but much more that ouercomes the guilt as health is more easily kept then recouered This was that all-sufficient grace of thine whereby Dauid bore vp against infinite trials and troubles inward outward by reason of his sinne A president or example sufficient to vindicate the glory of thy Grace in preseruing thy Saints from falling away from thee against all opposition And now Lord be pleased so to sustaine the weakest of all thy seruants from sinking vnder the wares euen of most violent temptations that in him all may see that all-sufficient indeficient grace of thine in thine elect being in them a well of liuing water springing vp vnto euerlasting life neuer failing nor forsaking them O neuer suffer mee thy seruant to become a spectacle of desertion least the world should say Either is that no true grace from whence the professours of grace do fall or being true they are no true Prophets that once hauing it come to loose it Thus shall my sliding be imputed to the impotency of my corrupt nature but my subsistiâ—g to the omnipotency of thy pure grace in both which shall appeare the glory both of thy mercy in pardoning and of thy grace in preseruing Thus what dammage any might receiue by the example of my frailty it may redound to their greater aduantage by the stability of my faith while thy grace shall either establish them in thy truth or restore them from their errour Thus to them that loue thee all things shall by thy grace 〈◊〉 for good euen to all the Câ—lled according to thy purpose Tâ—â—s nothing shall separate vs from thy loue Thus are we more then conquerors through thee who louest vs. Thus is thy strength made perfect in our weaknesse Rom. 8. 2 â—hes â— Thus shalt thou be glorifâ—ed in thy Saints and admired in 〈◊〉 them that beleeue Thus teach vs O Lord to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling because it is Thou that workest in vs both to will and to doe of thy good pleasure Thus if Thou be with vs who shall be against vs Thus who shall lay any thing against the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth seeing it is thou O Christ who dyedst or rather who art risen againe being at the right hand of God making intercession for vs. CHAP. VII The fourth Conflict with old friends and familiars now growne strangers IT is no small heart-breake to a man in misery when hee is forsaken of his old friends and familiars It was Iobs case who said of his friend Iob 12.5 Hee that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lampe despised in the thought of him that is at ease And chap. 16.2 Miserable comforters are yee all And chap. 17.2 Are there not mockers with me and doth not mine eye continue in their prouocation And chap. 19.3 These ten times haue yee reproached me you are not ashamed that yee make your selues strange to me And be it indeed that I haue erred mine errour remaineth with my selfe If indeed ye will magnifie your selues against me know now that God hath ouerthrowne me and hath compassed me with a net And ver 13. He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me My kinsfolke haue failed me and my familiar friends haue forgotten me And ch 15. My brethren haue dealt deceitfully as a brooke So that to all other Iobs miseries and calamities Pro. 18.24 19.4 this was no small addition no small aggrauation For as Iob saith To him that is afflicted pitty should be shewed of his friend It should so indeed But O Iob weigh well thy present state and wonder not at this It becomes not thy gray wisedome in such cases to bee deceiued For though there is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother yet wealth it is that maketh many friends but the poore is separated from his neighbour All the Brethren of the poore hate him How much more doe his friends goe farre from him But what had Iob done to demerit so to bee deserted of his friends Alas nothing at all but that God had visited him with pouertie and other corporall calamities Whereupon Iob said Iob 19.21 Haue pittie vpon me haue pittie vpon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me But this being all Iob had the lesse cause to complaine His innocencie was a Brazen wall vnto him to bid defiance to all affronts or frownes But come wee to Dauid's affliction for being forsaken of his friends That will touch to the quicke indeed Iob was forsaken of his friends because God had stript him of all his outward beautie leafe and branch no more left but the bare stumpe so that no maruaile if the beasts forsooke their old hospitall shade and shelter But behold Dauid otherwise he a King with Scepter in his Hand and the royall Diademe on his Head inioâ—ing a flourishing and rich Kingdome
open the deeper wound least the suddaine healling and closing of it vp might proue dangerous Thus thou dealt'st with Dauid who lying weltering in his blood thou the good Samaritan took'st compassion poured'st in thy healing Oyle of pardon but withall the corosiue wine of humiliation so to eat out or suppresse the luxuriant new-growne flesh lest festering inwardly it might proue to a Gangreene And when I am thus cast vpon the worlds reproch I know it is not without thy iust good and wise all-disposing hand Thou sawest what small fruit all my ordinarie and euerie-day repentance brought forth how it did not worke in me such a perfect hatred and detestation of sinne such an exact care and Conscience of auoyding the least appearance of euill as thou requirest how it laboured at the best rather to lop off the out-branches of sinne as eye-sores of the world then putting the axe to the root of the Tree to stub it vp with all the radicall sprigs and sprouts of affections And how easie is it to slubber ouer repentance when the heart is not possessed with a due estimate of the smallest sinne I thought all was well or at least tollerable being free from the maine Act nor making practise nor taking pleasure nor walking in a purpose nor watching opportunitie nor pursuing the meanes of committing sinne with greedinesse Or if at any time a temptation did ouertake me to yeald assent vpon thy gratious preuention I so reioyced with the Pharisee Lord I thanke thee c. as I neglected the Publicans Prayer Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Not duely considering in the meane time either the strictnesse of thy Law or the Sacredness of my Person Profession the one straitly prohibiting the other infinitely aggrauating the least degree of or disposition vnto sinne causing that to bee mortall in me which in others might bee accounted veniall And although thou knowest Lord which I dare the more freely recount to the glorie of thy Grace how often when occasions were offered euen inuiting mee to sinne boldnesse vsurping the seat of bashfulnesse I haue by thy present assistance not else while mine owne corruption when left to it selfe would easily haue followed auoided declined them and where I haue obserued temptations to be strongest and danger most apparant haue purposely not daring to trust vpon mine owne weake strength withdrawn my selfe where I haue beene like to bee taken with the lime-twigs which the cunning fowler layd for mee haue I not taken the wings of the Doue to fly a loft from the danger yea sometimes finding vpon triall a flexibility in the obiect haue I not disswaded haue I not counselled for good Yet all this all this while as it seemeth so deceitfull is the heart aboue all things not with that zealous affection not with that thorow hatred of sinne as was requisite Certainly I did not with all my power resist the Diuell so that it gaue him incouragement to watch still new occasions to take me tardie when I should least dreame of danger and obseruing my spirituall armour not so tightly girt to my loynes but like Ioabs sword to hang loose and dangling about me hee hoped one time or other to smite me vnawares as Ioab did Amasa kissing and killing both at once And could he at all haue inclosed mee in his toyle had not thy wonderful * Deus diligeÌ„tibus euÌ„ omnia cooperatur in bonum vsque aedeo prorssus omnia vt etiam si qui eorum deuiant exorbitaÌ„t etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Aug. de Corr. gra cap. 9 Prouidence so disposed it to a further end then Sathan imagined Hast thou there left me No surely For first hauing chastised and purged me with a fiery sicknesse nigh vnto death and heard my praier for deliuerance and for a renewed redubled strength in my Ministry to be a poore instrument of thy glory which my folly had any way stained how hast thou followed mee euer since what with assisting grace what with affâ—iccting griefe least I might bee either too much exalted with the one or too much depressed with the other And hath not thy vnchangable wisedome for this very cause left some corruptions in thy holiest Saints to keepe them in the ballance of a due temper that so the tempter might not attaine to his wished ends while hee meeteth with two contrary windes to saile withall For when hee would tempt to pride for the indowments of thy graces how doe our very corruptions stand vp against him to our humiliation On the other side when he would tempt vs to diffidence deiection desperation in regard of our indwelling or out-breaking sinnes then thy grace interposeth it selfe not onely as a token of thine vnchangeable loue but as a mighty weapon to batter downe all Satans strong holds Hereof hast thou giuen mee sufficient experience herein abundant cause of comfort so that may not I say with Dauid Thy rod of castigation and thy staffe of consolation and sustentation comfort mee But yet alas O Lord was there no other way to preserue the wine of thy grace in me but vpon the Lees of my corruptions No way to poise the course of my brittle barke that so it might safely bring the Pearle of the kingdome to the wished hauen but with the base ballace of sinne No antidote to preserue me from being exalted aboue measure for the portion of thy free goodnesse towards me but by the treacle compounded of the Serpent sinne But I may not reason with thee whose iudgements are vnsearchable whose wayes past finding out But Lord did not thy all piercing eye discouer some monstrous pride lurking in my heart ready to breake out and beare it selfe bigge when it should behold it selfe any way beautified with the borrowed feathers of thy Doue-like spirit and rather then I should rob thee of thy glory and so be left naked of thy grace it seemed good to thy wisedome to permit the preuention of it with the humiliation of mine own shame For otherwise hast thou not in the midst of my infinite weakenesses giuen me a minde to know thee a desire to please thee a will to obey thee a heart to prefer thy glory before my life a resolution to choose rather to dye a thousand deaths then to commit the least sinne But O wretched man that I am the cause of all my calamity is in my selfe this body of death which I carry about is the source of all my sorrow Yet seeing this is the coÌ„mon coÌ„dition of thy Saints none to be exempt from indwelling corruption all the best the holiest to cry out of it some for shame all for sorrow why should I thinke by any priuiledge to be holier then they or being the weakest the worst of all the rest shall not thy mercy thy merits be magnified so much the more in blotting out my misdeeds I am sure I cannot be a