the night When he was in his bed in the night and could not sleepe then the Lord filled his heart with holy meditations This Doctrine serueth first to commend vnto vs the great Vse 1 goodnesse of GOD who dooth not by and by cast off all care of his children when they fall into sinne Psal 103.10 Neither dealeth with them according to their deserts but so louingly recalleth them by one meanes or other Yea it is as impossible for the Lord to forsake his children as it is for the most tender harted mother in the world to forget her own child and not to haue compassion on the sonne of her owne wombe Isa 49.15 Secondly it serueth to admonish vs that whensoeuer Vse 2 the Lord shall call vs by what meanes soeuer wee willingly obey and labour to reape profit by all his gratious administrations towards vs. Which way soeuer the Lord in mercy vseth to reclaime vs from our sinnes 1. Sam. 3.10 let vs be ready to answer with young Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth There should be an Eccho as it were between the heart of euery Christian man and the Lord to answer him at euery call Psal 40.7 Lo I come Lord as Dauid saith Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth for the iust reproofe of al those that rebell and resist the Lord when hee calleth As there are too many that giue the Lord cause to complaine as once he did of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not They frustrate al the meanes that God can vse towards them for their good If hee call vpon them by the ministery of his word either like the deafe adder they stoppe their eares Psalm 58.4.5 and refuse to heare the voice of the charmer though he be most expert in charming or else for fashion sake they harken to it and attaine to some knowledge 50.17 yet they scornefully cast it behind their backs and hate to be reformed by it If hee allure them by his gratious benefits 2. Chron. 32.25 they doe most wretchedly abuse them not rendring vnto the Lord according to the reward bestowed vpon them as it was said of Hezekiah but turning the grace of God into wantonnesse Iude X 4. Râ—m 2.4 and despising the riches of his bountifulnesse not suffering it to lead them to repentance Yea when God hath redde them to the full Deut. 32.15 that they are waxen fatte they spurne with the heele and regard not the strong God of their saluation Psal 35 12. 109.4 Thus as Dauid saith of his enemies they render vnto the Lord euill for good and hatred for his great good will If he be angry with them for their sinnes and correct and chastice them they are neuer the better But with Ahaz wicked Ahaz 2. Chron. 28.22 in the time of their tribulation they trespasse yet more against the Lord. As the Prophet Ieremy said of the stubborne Iewes Ier. 2.30 They haue beene smitten in vain they haue receiued no correction Ier. 5.3 The Lord hath stricken them but they haue not sorrowed they haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne If hee bring publike iudgements vpon the land they doe not regard them If a Lion doe but roare in the forrest all the beasts are afraid Amos 3.8 as the prophet Amos saith But the Lord hath roared from Heauen in his fearefull iudgements and yet no man trembleth Neuer age had more experience heereof then this wherein we liue How long hath the noysome pestilence ranged in all countries of the land what fearefull inundations of water What horrible fires in many places And yet as though all were nothing the most of vs passe our time in carnall security and sinfull pleasures Jsa 5.12 neuer regarding the worke of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands In a word though God did raise vp in vs neuer so many good motions and holy desires yet by our carelesse negligence we strangle and extinguish them not suffering them to haue that blessed effect of grace in our harts which otherwise they might So that now the Lord may iustly take vp that complaint against vs which once he did against the Iewes Jsa 65.2 I haue spread out my hands all the day long vnto a rebellious people c. And therefore we may feare that as hee hath called vpon vs and we haue refused as hee hath stretched out his hand and we would not regard so the time shall come that we shall cry and call vpon him Pro. 1.24.26.28 euen till our harts ake and hee will not heare vs. Yea he will be so farre from pittying vs that he will laugh at our destruction as Salomon saith And therefore whensoeuer or howsoeuer it shal please the Lord to offer vs grace let vs pray vnto him to enlarge our hearts that wee may willingly and readily embrace it Then the Lord turned backe and looked on Peter This is omitted by our Euangelist but is recorded by Saint Luke Luke 22.61 And it is the second meanes of Peters repentance After the crowing of the cocke our Sauiour looked backe vpon Peter and by his beholding him prouoked him to bitter teares The cocke had crowne already and yet Peter neuer awaked nor remembred what Christ had said vnto him till hee looked backe Now wee are not to thinke that Christs bare looking backe did effect this Ioh. 13.26.27 For then Iudas might haue beene conuerted too For no doubt our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him Iohn 13.26.27 both when hee gaue him the soppe and made it knowne that hee was the man that should betray him and also when hee vttered that sweete and milde speech vnto him when hee came with souldiers to apprehend him Friend saith he Matth. 26.50 wherefore art thou come and after when hee offered to kisse him Luke 22.48 Iudas saith hee betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse a Horrore sceleris sui coâ—â—impij ferire voluit Bern feria 6. in Parasc words that might haue broken his heart if hee had not beene more then obdurate So the Lord looked vpon Cain when hee did so louingly admonish him both before and after his bloudy fact but without any profit But here as the outward and bodily eye of Christ beheld Peter so the influence of his grace and spirit fell vpon his heart By looking vppon him he deriued into him the secret efficacy of his spirit and peirced his heart with the beames of his grace and that preuailed with him to bring him to repentance b Non enim si eri poterat vt in negationis tenebris permaneret quem lux perspexerat mundi Glossa ordinaria For it could not bee that hee should remaine in the darkenesse of his denyall whom
non ei imputetur peccatum Ambros de paenit lib. 2. cap. 5. For hee that repenteth must not onely with teares wash away his sinne but also by amending of his life hee must couer and hide his former transgressions that they may not bee imputed vnto him g Qui tundit pectus non corrigitur solidat peccata non tollit Aug. de discipl Christiana Otherwise if a man thumpe himselfe on the breast in token of griefe and is not reformed hee confirmeth his sinnes rather then taketh them away And this doth Salomon affirme when he saith that he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prou. 28.13 And therefore though Samuel saw that the Israelites were very sorrowfull for their sinnes and lamented before the Lord yet he further enioyneth them to put away their strange Gods from among them 1. Sam. 7 2.3 And the Apostle Peter seeing the people euen pricked and wounded in their heartes with sorrow for their sinnes is not satisfied with that but exhorteth them to amend their liues Act. 2.37.38 insinuating that without this their sorrow might be hypocriticall And the King of Niniueh proclaiming a publique fast to auert and turne away the iudgement threatned by the Prophet doth not onely commaund them to cry mightily to God but withall that euery man turne from his euill way and from the wickednesse that is in his handes Ionah 3.8 And indeede if a man might continue his former sinfull course and yet satisfie God with a few teares who would euer forsake his pleasure It were the sweetest thing in the world for a man to liue in sinne But to mourne and weepe and pretend sorrow and yet to retaine a mans sinnes in his right hand is to mocke God But God will not bee mocked as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.7 a Paenitentiae remedium ptocati sit non peccandi incentiuum Vulneri enim medicamentum necessarium est non vulnus medicamento quia propter vulnus medicamentum quaeriÌ„tur non propter medecamentuÌ„ vulnus defideratur Ambr. de paenit lib. 2. cap. 9. Isa 58.3.4.5.6 Repentance and sorrow for sin should bee a remedy against sinne and not a prouocation to it As a medicine is necessary for a wound and not a wound for a medicine for the medicine is sought for by reason of the wound but the wound is not desired because of the medicine And therefore when the Iewes began to brag of their fasting and outward humbling of themselues as though God had beene beholding to them for it the Lord doth vtterly reiect the same because howsoeuer they humbled themselues outwardly yet they continued to oppresse their brethren as cruelly as euer they did And therefore he perswadeth them that if they would haue their fasting to bee acceptable to God they must loose the bandes of wickednesse and take off the heauy burdens and on the contrarie side doe workes of mercy So that wee see there must be a forsaking of sinne and an outward change and reformation of our life or else our sorrow will not be auaileable Neither must we think it sufficient for vs to forsake some sinnes and retaine other some but we must endeauour to forsake all a Si vellet dominus ex parte peccata reseruari habenti septem daemonia manente vno proficere pâ—tuerat sex expulsis expulit autem septem vt omnia crimina simul eijcienda doceret Legionem etiam ab alio eijciens neminem reliquit ex omnibus qui liberatum possideret ostendens quod si etiam peccata sint mille oportere de omnibus paenitere Aug. de ver falsa paenitent cap. 9. 1. Sam. 15.3 1. Pet. 2.11 Collos 3.5.8 Leuit. 14.8 If the Lord would haue had part of our sinnes reserued he might haue done much good to the poore woman that had seauen Deuils to haue cast out sixe and left but one But hee cast out seauen to teach vs that all our sinnes must be abandoned And when he cast forth a legion out of another hee left not one of them all to possesse the partie stil giuing vs to vnderstand that if a man haue a thousand sinnes hee must repent of them all Whatsoeuer sinne it is that a man liueth in though it bee neuer so sweete and pleasant though neuer so profitable and gainefull though of neuer so long continuance hee must auoide it VVhen God sent Saul in expedition against the Amalekites hee gaue him a strait charge that he should destroy all that pertained vnto them and that he should haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both camell and asse So when we begin to subdue our sinnes those cursed Amalekites which fight against our soules wee must spare none how deare soeuer but put them all to the sword both small and great VVee must mortifie all our earthly members and cast away all things whatsoeuer are displeasing vnto God In the time of the law the Lord commaunded the Leper that when he was cleansed he must shaue off all his haire Hee must not suffer one old haire to grow for feare of infection In like manner a man that setteth himselfe seriously to repent hee must not retaine any one of his former sinnes As Dauid saith that they that are truely godly Psal 119.3 101.4 doe worke none iniquitie none at all And hee professeth for himselfe that hee would knowe none euill That is hee would no approue or giue liking to any sinne And great reason there is why it should bee so For first euen one sinne that a man continueth in with delight infecteth and marreth all his good actions as a little scarre staineth the beauty of the fairest face Eccles 10.1 and a few flie-blowes causeth the sweetest confection of the Apothecary to stincke and putrifie Againe as one wound or one disease may bee deadly as well as twenty so one sinne that a man liueth in without repentance may be damnable to his soule Gal. 3.10 as well as an hundreth This doctrine serueth first to stirre vs vp to labour for Vse 1 godly sorrow for our sinnes As wee doe euery day renue our sinnes so must wee euery day recure our sorrow for them And the rather first because the hainousnesse of our sinnes doth require it Sinne if a man had grace to discerne it is the heauiest and the waightiest burden of the world Salomon saith that a stone is heauie Prou. 27.3 and the sand is waightie c. but sinne is heauier then them both Dauid that felt the waight of his sinnes complaineth Psal 38.4 that they were a waightie burden too heauie for him to beare Yea that they lay vpon his soule like a mountaine of lead and made him goe bowed and crooked very sore And in an other place 6. 40.12 he saith his sinnes did so oppresse and sway him downe as hee was not able to looke vp Yea our Sauiour
must humble our selues euen belowe the ground in the acknowledgement of our sinnes comming to the Lord as it were with ropes about our neckes as Benhadad did to the King of Israel 1. King 20.32 But yet withall wee must craue the pardon of them And to this doth the Prophet exhort vs saying Hos 14.3 Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And boldly may wee doe this because the Lord hath proclaimed himselfe to be so mercifull Exod. 34.7 that hee forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne that is sinnes of all sorts though neuer so hainous in their nature Now this could not Iudas performe Hee confessed and aggrauated his sinne against himselfe but hee had not the heart to giue one rappe at the dore of Gods mercy for the pardon of them And therefore the Lord might iustly say to him as once hee said to an other Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O thou euill seruant Luke 19.22 Last of all we must confesse our sinnes with a purpose to forsake them As the Prophet exhorteth Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord c. There must bee a desire to part with any sinne whatsoeuer else there is no true repentance But of this point enough hath beene spoken before in the repentance of Peter Vse 1. This doctrine serueth first for our instruction that if wee hope to speede better then Iudas did wee must confesse our sinnes better then hee did And that wee may doe it wee must first labour to see and acknowledge our sinnes a Quomodo culpam suam coÌ„fitebuntur quam nec essè putant Bern de grad humilit For how can a man confesse his sinnes when he thinketh them not to bee sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I know mine iniquities and my sinne is alway before mee Psalme 51.3 wee are apt to flatter our selues through selfe-loue and hardly are wee brought to take notice of our sinnes As wee can not see the spots that are in our owne faces so wee cannot discerne the sinnes of our owne soules In other mens sinnes wee are very quicke-sighted but in our owne wee are as blinde as Beetles And therefore in this case wee stand in neede of a glasse As proude persons vse their glasses to see their beautie so must wee vse the glasse of Gods law but to another end to shewe vs our deformitie VVee must therefore duely examine our selues by euery one of the Commandements that so wee may come to the sight of our sinnes And when once wee knowe our sinnes then without all dissembling wee must confesse them vnto God b Apparet toties opus miseraÌ„tis quoties fit coÌ„fessio poenitentis Aug. de vera falsa poenitent cap. 5. cap. 10. Quanto pluribus quis confitebitur in spe veniae turpitudinem criminis tanto facilius coÌ„sequitur misericordiam remissionis Homo per veritatem stimulatus peccata sua confitetur Deus autem per misericordiam slexus confitenti miseretur Omnis enim spes veniae misericordiae in confessione est Nec potest quis iustificari à peccato nisi prius fuerit confessus peccatum Bern. de conscien edif cap. 1. And so much the rather because otherwise there is no hope of pardon For this is the condition annexed vnto the promise of the pardon of our sinnes If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 And Salomon saith Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prouerb 28.13 And the Apostle telleth vs that if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 1. Cor. 11.31 It is not with the Lord as it is in earthly Courts Confesse and be hanged No the Lord will not take vs at the aduantage and condemne vs by our owne confession but if wee confesse hee will forgiue if wee iudge and condemne our selues hee will acquite and discharge vs. To which purpose Bernard hath a sweete saying a Video Dauidem dicentem peccaui audientem Dominus transtulit peccatum tuum Considero Mariam si non verbis tamen operibus sua publicè crimina consitentem dominum pro ea raspondentem dimissa sunt ei multa peccata Respicio principem Apostolorum negantem timidè stentem amarissimè Dominum respicientem Iâ—â—um felicem Latronem intueor se accusantem Christum Dominum promittentem Hodie mecum eriâ— in Paradise O quam sublimis ista confessio per quam de patibulo ad regnum de terra ad caelum de cruce ad paradisum latro daÌ„natus crucifixus ascendit Ber. de vijs vitae Est apud Deum pium iudicem ipsa agnitio culpe impetratio veniae Bern. Meditat. cap. 11. Ante Dei conspectum cuncta peccata sunt scripta sed quod tibi scribit transgressio hic delet confessio Bern. de consc aedif cap. 38. I see Dauid saith hee saying I haue sinned and receiuing answere from the Prophet The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die I consider Mary Magdalen if not in word yet in deede confessing her sinne and the Lord answering in her behalfe Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much I behold the chiefe of the Apostles denying fearefully weeping bitterly and Christ looking backe vpon him with the eye of his mercie I see that blessed theefe accusing himselfe and Christ the Lord promising him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Oh how notable was this confession wherby the theefe that was condemned and crucified ascended from the gallowes to a Kingdome from earth to heauen from the Crosse to Paradise This then is an high commendation of Gods mercie that when a man layeth open his sinne God couereth it when a man acknowledgeth his sinne God pardoneth it Besides if wee doe often confesse our sinnes vnto God it will not suffer us to goe farre nor to lye long in any sinne but will hunt it out before it be warme and setled in vs yea it will chaine vp the the vnrulinesse of our nature that it shall not breake out to the dishonour of God as otherwise it would Let vs therefore pursue our sinnes by this meanes and if wee desire to come to perfect health of our soules b Quicquid conscientiae stomachum grauat totum vomitu purae confessionis euomere ne differas Bern. ibid. cap. 56. whatsoeuer sinne doth surcharge the stomacke of the soule let vs not deferre to cast it vp by the vomit of a pure confession * Vse 2. Secondly this serueth for the iust reproofe of all those that will not confesse their sinnes Many will not confesse before God It is a corruption that wee all haue by kinde to dissemble our sinnes and to excuse our selues for them As Adam when he was examined posted the matter from himself to his
to inflict the punishment As the conscience of a man before hee commit sinne is a bridle to restraine him so when the deede is done it is a whip to lash and scourge him for it b Nulla paena grauior est praua conscientia proprijs agitata stimulis Bern. ibid. cap. 46. Gen. 3.8 Neither is there any punishment more grieuous then an ill conscience vexed with the owne stings But the miserie is so much the greater First because in this case a man hath no confidence in God he dare not goe with any boldnesse to the Throne of grace as the Apostle saith Heb. 4.16 to seeke for helpe in time of neede As a Traitour that hath offended his Prince dare not present him selfe before him but with feare and trembling so a sinner whose conscience telleth him hee hath offended God dare not with any comfort come in his sight As we see Adam and Euah when they had transgressed howsoeuer before the presence of God was most comfortable to them yet now they hid themselues and would not haue been found I heard thy voice in the garden saith Adam and I was afraid and therefore I hid my selfe So is it with al the Sonnes and Daughters of Adam So long as they carry about them a guiltie and an accusing conscience so long there is nothing but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and violent fire Heb. 10.27 Iob. 15.21 There is a sound of feare continually in his eares which doth afright him vnspeakeably For as the wiseman saith it is a fearefull thing Wisd 17.10.11 when malice is condemned by her owne testimonie and a conscience that is touched doth euer forecast cruell things For feare is nothing els but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth And hence is it that the wicked Apo. 6.15.16.17 though otherwise neuer so great in this world doe hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the mountaines and say to the mountrines and rockes Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe For the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand They had rather be buried vnder a world of mountaines 1. Iohn 3.20 then once appeare before the presence of God And no maruell for as the Apostle saith If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart Tit. 3.11 and therefore will much more condemne vs. Secondly because hee hath no hope of any mercy from God For he sinneth being damned of his owne selfe If he be so seuere against himselfe much more will the Lord bee seuere Yea the guilt of his sinne pursueth him night and day as Dauid saith My sinne is alwayes before mee Psal 51.3 and therefore hee can hope for no mercy Thirdly because hee hath no peace but his conscience is euen the picture of hell according to that saying of the Prophet Isa The wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and durt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked a Te conscientiae stimulant maleficiorum tuorum quocüque aspexissi vt furiae sic tuae tibi occurrunt iniuriae quae te respirare non sinunt Cicer. Paradox 2. Which way soeuer hee looketh his sinnes like so many furies of hell present themselues before him in fearefull shapes and will not suffer him to breath b Nec recipit somnos saepe cubilibus amens excutitur paenamque luit formidine paenae Claudian Nay hee cannot bee quiet in his bed which is the place of rest but many times starteth out of his sleepe with feare of vengeance For as Iob saith cap. 18.11 fearefulnesse maketh him afraide on euery side and driueth him to his feet so as many times hee fleeth when none pursueth him Prou. 28.1 Thus did Kain Gen. 4 14. restlesly pursue himselfe from place to place being vexed onely with the terrors of his owne conscience * Me fugio scelerum fugio conscium omnium Pectus manumque hanc fugio hoc caelum Deos dira fugio scelera quae feci nocens Sen. in Thebaid verba sunt Oedipi c. For this cause S. Agustine very fitly compareth an ill conscience to a brawling wise a Nolunt intrare dâ—mos suas qui habent malas vxores Jutraturi sunt enim ad taedia ad murmura ad amaritudines ad euersiones quia non est domus composita vbi inter virum vxoreÌ„ pax nulla est Si ergò miseri sunt qui cum redeunt ad parictes suos timent ne aliquibus suorum perturbationibus euertantur quaÌ„tò sunt miseriores qui ad conscientiam suam redire nolunt ne ibi litibus peccatorum euertantur Aâ—g in Ps 34 For men that haue such wiues haue no will to come into their owne houses For they shall come to irkesomenesse to scolding to griefe and to ruine for there is no quiet in the house where there is no peace betweene man and wife And therefore if they bee miserable that when they come to their owne houses are afraid to find molestation how much more miserable are they that dare not retire themselues into their conscience least they should bee disquieted with the strife and debate of their sinnes And last of all because hee hath no ioy nor comfort but the worme of conscience continually gnaweth and tormenteth his soule Isa 66.24 b Hic est vermis qui non moritur memoria praeteritorum Semel iniectus vel potius innatus per peccatuÌ„ hesit firmiter nequaquam deinceeps auellendus Bern. de consid lib. 5. Now this worme is nothing else but euen the remembrance of his former sinnes which being once bred in the conscience cleaueth so fast as it can neuer be remoued And this is that which the Apostle saith that wicked men doe peirce themselues thorow with many sorowes 1. Tim. 6.10 Which as it is said Prou. 17.22 dryeth vp the bones It may be sometimes they seeme to be merry whiles peraduenture their conscience is benummed c Est canis in molli stertens mens conscialecto Abrupto somno mordet acerba canis Sphinx aenigmat but God knoweth it is no sound mirth they reioyce in their faces and not in the heart 2. Cor. 5.12 It is but from the teeth outward when once their conscience is awaked then euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Prou. 14.13 d Heu quantum misero paene mens conscia donat Lucan Nil est miserius quam animus hominis malè conscius Plaut in Mostell So fearefull a thing is it for a man to bee afflicted with a guilty conscience And no maruell for they behold the angrie countenance of God and apprehend his intollerable indignation and displeasure against them for their sinnes Salomon saith of the wrath of an earthly King that it is as messengers of death
betrayed it had beene good for that man if hee had neuer beene borne Doct. It is a grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie From whence wee may gather this inctrustion that it is a most grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie As that wretched Kain did when hearing the iudgement which God had denounced against him for killing his brother hee cryed out in the horrour of his soule My sinne is greater then can bee pardoned Gen. 4.13 And indeede a Quid aliud est desperare quam Deum sibi comparare August de vera falsa paenit ca. 5. he that despaireth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes what doth hee else but compare God to himselfe Which is a great derogation from the Lord that his high and glorious Maiestie should bee likened vnto a vile and sinnefull man Besides hee doth offer horrible indignitie and notorious iniurie vnto the Lord. For as much as in him lyeth hee denyeth many of his most glorious attributes and properties as namely his loue his truth his power his iustice and his mercie For his loue If it were such as our sinnes could hinder it it should bee inferiour to the loue of man For what offence can bee so great from one man to another but loue will easily procure the pardon of it As wee see especially betweene parents and children It is not possible for a childe to commit any offence so great but vpon his submission and reformation his Father will forgiue him Though his affection bee for a time estranged yet hee will easily receiue him into fauour againe And therefore the Prophet saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe Isa 49.15 as if he should say it is not possible But the loue of the tenderest and dearest mother in the world is but like a droppe of water to the maine Ocean in respect of that loue wherewith the Lord our heauenly father loueth vs that are his children So that wee may say of our greatest sinnes as the Apostle saith of all outward afflictions Rom. 8.39 they are not able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus If the loue of the church to Christ Iesus her blessed spouse Cant. 8.8 be so strong as much water cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it 1. Pet. 8.8 much more is his loue to vs so feruent as an Ocean of our sinnes cannot quench or drowne it If the loue of men doe couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 8.8 yea all trespasses that can be committed Prou. 10.12 surely the infinite loue of God will couer our sinnes be they neuer so many Besides the Lord is no changling in his loue to loue a man to day and vpon some dislike to cast him off to morrow but whom he loueth once to the end he loueth them Job 13.1 and it is not our sinnes though many and great that can alienate his affection Nay hauing out of the abundance of his loue giuen vs his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him giue vs all things necessarie for our saluation Secondly for his truth He hath made many gracious promises vnto vs that if we confesse and forsake our sinnes Prou. 28.13 we shall haue mercy Ezech. 18.21.22 that if we returne from all our sinnes which we haue committed c. all our transgressions which we haue committed shall neuer be mentioned vnto vs c. but as the Prophet saith God will haue mercy vpon vs Isa 55.7 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Ioh. 1.9 for hee is very readie to forgiue Now hee is faithfull in the performance of his promises as the Apostle saith Hee abideth faithfull hee cannot denie himselfe But if wee confesse our sinnes as he requireth he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes And therefore for a man to distrust the forgiuenesse of his sinnes after he hath truly repented of them is to make God a lyer If we haue but the word of an earthly Prince it is a disgrace not to trust vnto it Much more is it a disgrace vnto the King of heauen and earth not to stay and relie our selues vpon his word For as St. Paul saith Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 Thirdly for his power Wee know it is infinite And though our sinnes were as crimson yet hee is able to make them white as snow and though they were red like skarlet yet he is able to make them as white as wooll Isa 1.18 Hence is it that the Lord himselfe saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist Isa 44.22 insinuating that though our sinnes bee neuer so many yet he can as easily take them away as he can scatter the clouds with the wind or disperse the thickest mist with the heat of the Sunne And the Prophet Micah expresseth the same with great force of wordes saying Hee will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea cap. 7.19 where he alludeth vnto that great ouerthrow which the Lord gaue Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that though our sinnes did march neuer so furiously against vs and exercise most cruell tyrannie in our soules and consciences yet the Lord is able to subdue them as hee did Pharaoh and his host whom he ouerwhelmed in the bottome of the Sea To this purpose St Augustine hath a good saying a Qui de Deo non praesumit veniam non animadvertit plus peccato suo Dei posse clemētiam Si enim sentiret Deum magis bonum quam se malum quicquid in se iustitia non inueniret à Deo magis bono expectaret Et quidem diffidit qui summi boni bonitatë maiorem sua nequitia non sentit Ille enim solus diffidat qui tantum peccare potest quantum Deus bonus est Cum sit autem nullus qui hoc possit qui timet de se malo praesumat de meliore Adbuc qui diffidit suam nequitiam Dei pietati comparat finem imponit diuinae virtuti dans finem infinito perfectionem diuinitatis auferens deo Aug. de vera fall poenit c. 5. 1. Pet. 2.24 Isa 53.5.6 Collos 2.14 1 Iob. 1.9 that hee that hopeth not for pardon at Gods hands doth not consider that Gods mercy is more powerfull then his sinne For if he thought that God is more good then himselfe is euill whatsoeuer righteousnesse hee findeth not in himselfe hee would expect him from God that is better And surely he is distrustfull that doth not thinke the goodnesse of the Lord to be greater then his wickednesse For let him only distrust that is able to sinne so much as God is good But seeing there is none that can doe this let him that feareth because himselfe is euil presume of him that is better Moreouer
hee that distrusteth and compareth his wickednesse to Gods goodnesse putteth an end to the power of God limiting that which is infinite and taking away from God the perfection of his deitie Fourthly for his iustice for as much as it is fully satisfied in Christ Iesus who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our sinnes and vpon whom the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all hee should be very vniust if hee should not forgiue them vnto vs. If a man be indebted and not able to pay the debt if his suretie discharge it for him and cancell the bond there is no reason the creditour should exact it againe In like manner Christ our suretie hauing paid that debt which wee ought to the wrath of God and hauing cancelled the handwriting that was against vs it cannot now stand with Gods iustice to demaund the debt any more of vs. And therefore the Apostle saith that if we confesse our sinnes as God is faithfull in regard of his promise so hee is iust also to forgiue vs our sinnes he will stand to that satisfaction which Christ hath made vnto his iustice Last of all for his mercy it is vnspeakable Dauid saith 1. Chro. 21.13 Nehem. 9.17 his mercies are exceeding great And Nehemiah in his praier calleth him a God of mercies gracious and full of compassion of long suffering and of great mercy And Dauid saith Psal 17.7 25.6 36.5 103.11 145.9 Ephes 2.4 Psal 51.1 Isa 55.7 his mercies are maruelous they are tender mercies Yea so large as they reach vp to the heauens and as high as the heauens are aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him Yea his mercies are ouer all his workes He is rich in mercy Yea he hath a multitude of mercies And therefore the Prophet exhorting the wicked to forsake his waies and to returne to the Lord he vseth this as a reason to perswade them because hee will haue mercy vpon him for such is his gracious disposition that he is very readie to forgiue A liuely type whereof wee haue in the Father of the prodigall Sonne who though his sonne had greatly offended him by his former riotous courses yet assoone as hee was comming to acknowledge his fault and to seeke to be reconciled vnto him his father was so compassionate and so tender hearted towards him that he could not tarry till he came at him but ranne to meet him and when he saw him he did not loath him for his rags and tatters but fell vpon his necke and kissed him Luke 15.20 So likewise though we haue neuer so much displeased the Lord by our sinnes yet if we humble our selues before him by vnfained repentance he will not abhorre vs though we be neuer so wretched but wil receiue vs graciously into fauour againe And therefore as one saith well to this purpose a Quis non videat quaÌ„ sit impium quamque sacrilegum si homini per poenitetiam praeteritorii malorum ad bona conuerso credatur cuiusque peccati dari non posse remissioneÌ„ Si peritus est medicus noster omnes potest infirmitates nostras sanare si misericors Deus noster vniuersa potest peccata dimittere Non est perfecta bonitas à qua non omnis malitia vincitur nec est perfecta medicina cui morbus aliquis meurâ—ibilis inuenitur Fulgent ad Venant Epist 7. who seeth not how wicked sacrilegious a thing it is to thinke that if a man turne to God by repentance for his sinnes past he cannot be forgiuen If our Phisitian be skilfull hee is able to heale all our infirmities if our God bee mercifull hee is able to forgiue all our sinnes It is not perfect goodnesse which cannot subdue all wickednesse nor it is not perfect phisicke to which any disease is found incurable alluding to that saying of Dauid Psal 103.3 And a little after he saith b Qualecunque sit peccatum à Deo quidem potest remitti conuerso sed ille sibi remitti non sinit qui desperando contra se indulgentiae ostium clauscrit Ibid. Whatsoeuer the sinne bee God is able to forgiue it to him that repenteth But hee will not suffer his sinne to bee pardoned who by despairing shutteth vp the dore of mercy against himselfe For it is the promise of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 7.7 Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened And a little after c Iustus est Deus misericors Sicut ergo potest per iustitiam danare auersum sic potest per misericordia semper saluare conuersum Nulla prolixitas temporis vel acquitati diuinae vel pietati praeiudicat Si diuturnitas peccatorum Dei vinceret misericordiam non in aetate mundi nouissima Christus veniret vt peccatum mundi pereuntis auferret Ibid. Mat. 6.12 Luke 17.4 Mat. 18.22 Exod. 34.6.7 Iam. 1.17 Psal 103.13 God is iust and mercifull and therefore as by his iustice he can condemne a sinner so by his mercy hee can alwaies saue him that conuerteth There is no length of time that can bee preiudiciall to the iustice or mercy of God If long continuance of sinne could ouercome the mercy of God Christ would not haue come in the last age of the world to take away the sinnes of the world that was ready to perish Our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs in the Lords praier euery day to craue the pardon of our daily sinnes whatsoeuer they bee and how oft soeuer they haue beene committed And no doubt hee that hath commanded vs to forgiue one another seuen times a day yea seuentie times seuen times will much more forgiue vs as often as by sound and heartie repentance we turne vnto him And this the Lord himselfe declareth when he proclaimeth his name before Moses For there he calleth himselfe the Lord Iehouah constant in his loue to vs ward alwaies abiding the same in whom is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning Strong and therefore euery way able to worke our saluation in despight of all the enemies thereof Mercifull bearing euen the affection of a tender mother towards her child As there needeth no eloquence to perswade a mother to pittie her owne child so there needeth no perswasions to moue the Lord to take compassion on vs as Dauid saith As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him Rom. 4.5 Gracious though we in our selues be most vnworthy he stayeth not till we deserue his loue but as the Apostle saith he preuenteth vs Iustifying vs freely by his grace when we are vngodly he can finde matter in his owne nature and in the merits of Christ to loue vs Micah 7.18 though he find none in our selues Slow to anger though we prouoke him daily by our sinnes yet hee
doth not take aduantage against vs but still mercy pleaseth him as the Prophet speaketh c. This doctrine serueth to admonish vs to take heede of this fearefull sinne of desperation and to trust at all times in the mercy of God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes For as wee haue heard God is as readie to forgiue as wee can bee to aske forgiuenesse And therefore Bernard saith well a Tardius videtur Deo veniam peâ—â—tori dedâ—sse quam illi accâ—passa Isa 30.18 Sic â—â—â—m festinat misâ—ricors Deus absolâ—cre reum à tormento conscientiae suae quasi plus cruciet misericordem Deum compassio miseri quam ipsum miserum compassio sui De conscient aedis cap. 38. It seemeth longer to God to giue the pardon of sinnes then it doth to a sinner to receiue it according to that of the Prophet The Lord standeth waiting that hee may haue mercie vpon vs. For the mercifull God doth make such hast to absolue a sinner from the torment of his conscience as though the mercifull God had more compassion of a poore wretch then hee hath of himselfe And Saint Augustine saith b Non possum terreri multitudine peccatorum si mors Domini in metem venerit quoniam peccata illum vincere non possunt Extedit bâ—achia tua in cruce expandit manus suas paratus in amplexus peccatorum August Manual cap. 23. I cannot be terrified with the multitude of my sinnes if I can but call to minde the death of our Lord because my sinnes cannot ouer-come him hee hath stretched out his armes vpon the Crosse and spred abroade his handes as being readie to embrace poore sinners So that c Quecunque necessitas coâ—â—t ad poenitudine nec quantitas criminis nec breuitas teporis nec horae extremitas nec vitae enormitas si vera contritio si pura suerit voluntatii mutatio excludâ—t à venia sed in amplitudine sinus sui mater charitas prodigos suscipit reuertetes omni sepore Dei gratia recipit poenitetes Cypr. ser de Coen Dom. as another Father saith Whatsoeuer necessitie driueth a man to repentance neither the greatnesse of his sinne nor the shortnesse of the time nor the extremitie of the houre not the enormitie of the life past if there bee true contrition and an holy change of his will doth exclude him from pardon but the Mother charitie admitteth her prodigall children into the largenesse of her bosome when they returne and the grace of God at all times receiueth sinners when they repent For the Scripture witnesseth that hee despised not the Theefe that confessed his sinnes nor Marie Magdalene that washed his feete with her teares nor the Woman of Canaan that besought him for her Daughter nor the Woman that was taken in adulterie nor Matthew sitting at the receit of custome nor his Disciple that denyed him nor Paul that persecuted his Disciples nor the wicked Iewes that crucified him But yet this must not encourage any man to presume too farre of Gods mercy as though hee might liue as hee list and yet haue the pardon of his sinnes For the Lord hath denounced a fearefull threatning against all such impenitent persons Hee that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace Deut. 29.19 although I walke after the stubbernesse of mine owne heart The Lord will not bee mercifull vnto that man 20. but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against him and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen So that the mercie of God how great soeuer is restrained only to repentant sinners Hanged himselfe This fearefull example of Iudas giueth vs occasion Question Whether it be lawfull for a man to kill himselfe in the last place to discusse that Question Whether it bee lawfull for any man to lay violent handes on him selfe and to procure his owne death Many causes there are which driue men to these desperate courses but they may bee reduced to two heads either for auoiding of euill or for procuring of good For the first Many there are that when some great calamitie is either threatned against them or lyeth heauie vpon them which they thinke they are not able to beare seeke to escape it by offering violence to themselues As some to preuent bondage and thraldome a Plutarch in cius vita as Cato Vticensis because hee would not bee in subiection to Caesar killed himselfe Some in a long and languishing sicknesse haue desperately ended their dayes to ridde themselues from their paine as Plinius Secundus maketh mention of one that in this case famished himselfe to death Some hauing made themselues odious in the world by their wickednesse with Nero when hee saw himselfe censured of the Senate and hated of all good men beginne to loath their liues as being ashamed to liue any longer And wee haue both heard and seene that many wretched misers hauing hoorded vp corne in hope of a dearth when it hath fallen out contrarie to their expectation haue for very griefe hanged themselues Againe some to preuent sinne whereunto they were like to be forced or being forced to shunne the reproach and infamie that might redound vnto them haue killed themselues as Lucretia did among the Romanes Nemo polluto queat Animo mederi morte sanandum est sed is Hercules furens apud Senecam when shee was rauished by Tarquinius Last of all some not able to beare the horrour of their conscience by reason of Gods wrath haue sought to free themselues by being their owne executioners as did Saul and Iudas and diuers others For the second Some in a preposterous desire of euerlasting happinesse haue wilfully shortened their liues As one Cleombrotus who hauing read Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule that hee might the sooner attaine to it cast himselfe headlong from a wall Others haue made away themselues for vaine glorie to get them a name As Curtius among the Romanes 2. Maccab. 14.41.42 c. and Razis among the Iewes and many others But wee are to know that it is not lawfull for any cause whatsoeuer for a man to depriue himselfe of life The truth whereof may appeare by many reasons First death in it selfe naturally is euill inflicted vpon mankinde for a punishment of sinne yea it is one of Gods enemies as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 15.26 The last enemie that shall bee destroied is death And therefore no man should wittingly and willingly procure it to himselfe Secondly that same naturall affection which is in all men should restraine them from so desperate cruelty against themselues Otherwise they rebell against God who is the author of nature which wee see the very brute beasts will not doe They may peraduenture goare and teare one another but whatsoeuer extremitie they are in they will neuer hurt themselues So that
bonum vt si qui horum deuiant exorbitant etiaÌ„ hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Petrus Magist Sentent lib. 1. Distinct 46 I. whereupon Saint Augustine is bold to affirme that it is profitable for them that ouerweene of themselues to fall into some grosse and notorious sinne that thereby they may be out of loue with themselues as before by thinking too well of themselues they had fallen And he bringeth in the example of Peter for a proofe of it who as he saith was more profitably displeased with himselfe when he wept then he was pleased with himselfe when hee presumed according to that in the Psalme which hee also alleageth Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord. This is farre from the Deuils purpose when he tempted vs to sinne and yet see how the goodnesse of God ordereth and disposeth of it for our benefite The Deuill may in this case be fitly a Pherco â—asoni profuit hostis qui gladio â—omicam eius aperuit quam sanare medici non potorant compared to that combattant of whom we read that ranne with his sword against his aduersarie thinking to haue runne him through but Gods prouidence secretly guiding his hand he opened an impostume which no Phisitions could heale and so thinking to kill him he preserued his life So the Deuill in great rage thrusteth sore at Gods children seeking to wound them to death by some notorious fall yet by the gracious dispensation of God he is so farre from hurting them as that by this meanes hee launcheth and letteth out their vlcers of priuy pride and ouerweening of themselues So that for all his fury he is but a Surgeon to heale our corruptions Whereunto agreeth that sweet saying of Augustine b Nescit diabolus quomodo illo insidiante surente vtatur ad salutem fidelium excelsifima saâ—entia Dei de Trinit lib. 4. cap 13. Little knoweth the Deuill how the wonderfull wisdome of God vseth his malice and rage to the saluation of the faithfull And Bernard saith to the same purpose c Nequissimus ille seruns filijs seruit vel inuitus Quid ei tam molestum quid nobis esse poterat tam iâ— cundum quam vt etiam malum eius nobis cooperetur in bonum Bern. in Psal 91. serm 11. Rom 5.20 Luke 7 47. Multi magni sunt languores mei multi magni sed amplior est medicina tua Aug. confess lib. 10. That lewd seruant meaning the Deuill doth seruice vnto Gods children full sore against his will What could be so greiuous to him so pleasant and comfortable to vs as that his euill should worke for our good Secondly it letteth vs see the exceeding goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God in pardoning and forgiuing great sinnes to the end that when wee shall finde that where sinne abounded in vs there grace abounded much more in the Lord wee may be prouoked to loue him the more as our Sauiour testified of the poore woman that washed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much As a man cannot chuse but loue the Phisition that hath recouered him from some dangerous sickenesse so we cannot chuse but loue the Lord who in mercy forgiueth all our sins healeth all our infirmities Psal 103.3 Thirdly it maketh vs more wary for the time to come least wee should fâ—ll into greater sinnes As he that hath caught a fall taketh better heed to his steppes so the childe of God hauing fallen into one sinne is made more heedfull that hee fall not further He will thinke with himselfe I haue fallen into this sinne I may fall into a greater sinne if I be not circumspect Psal 39.2 and therefore hee resolueth with Dauid to take heed to his wayes that he offend not Fourthly it causeth vs to runne forward with more speede As he that runneth in a race or trauelleth in a iourney if hee happes to fall he will not lye long but will rise againe with speede and bestirre himselfe the faster that he may not be hundred or cast behind Last of all it letteth vs see our owne inability that despairing of our owne strength we may more earnestly craue the assistance of Gods grace As Dauid after that fearefull fall of his Psal 51 1â— 86.11 sawe the corruption and weakenes of his nature and therefore prayeth vnto God to stablish him with his free spirit yea to knit and as it were to chaine his heart vnto him that hee might feare his name O magnum donum quod in poenam dedit Deus insalutem vertit Chrysost So that we see how rich the Lord is in his mercy to his children that causeth euen their sinnes which in themselues are damnable to turn to the furtherance of their saluation But howsoeuer the children of God doe many times fall fearefully and grieuously yet this is their comfort they can neuer fall totally nor finally from the grace of God It is true there may be a great decay and eclipse of grace but yet it is so rooted in the heart as it can neuer vtterly be lost Indeed the most godly man that liueth may commit such sinnes as by the due desert of them hee might loose his prerogatiue of being the child of God but yet in regard of Gods election and free grace of adoption hee remaineth still the child of God For the Lord is not fickle and inconstant in his loue Iam. 1.17 Iohn 13.1 to loue a man to day and to cast him off to morrowe No there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change in him And therefore as our Sauiour Christ saith whome hee loueth once he loueth to the end Besides in his greatest fals the seeds of Gods grace remaine in his heart whereby hee is preserued from finall apostacy as the Apostle saith 1. John 3.9 John 4 14. He that is borne of God sinnet â— not for his seed remaineth in him And our Sauiour saith 7.38 whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Aâ—d in another place He that beleueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life So that the graces of God in his children are not like those brookes whereunto Iob compareth his friends that runne like riuers in winter but are dried vp with heat in summer and faile out of their places but they are such as spring continually and are neuer dried vp till they haue brought a man to life euerlasting For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Iohn 5.24 Againe our Sauiour Christ saith Hee that beleeueth hath already passed from death to life So that if
Prophet that reprooued him he straigthway brake out into that most earnest confession of charitie I haue sinned against the Lord and presently heard this answeare The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die This doctrine to make vse of it serueth first for our instruction namely that we be not too rash in iudging condemning our brethren We see by this that hath beene deliuered that a man may fall greiâ—ously and fearefully and Vse 1 yet bee restored to the fauour of God And therefore as Saint Iames saith Iam â— 12 VVho art thou that iudgest another man We may not set boundes and limites to Gods mercy at our pleasure to say such a man hath committed such and such sinnes therefore he cannot bee saued This is too great presumption in any man a Dei est nosse reum illius ferre sentetiam Tac eamus omnes homines Solus Deus iudicet peccatorem Opt. cent Donat. l. 4. Et l. 7. In diâ— iudicij sedebit index filius Dei qui agnoscit quid est suum quid alienum Illius est eligere quid condat in horreo quid tradat incendio Agnoscamus nos omnes homines esse Nemo sibi vsurpet diumi iudicij potestatem Nam si sibi tantum vendicet homo quid in iudicio acturns est Christus Satius sit homini si de peccato suo reus non sit quam vt de alieno iudex esse desideret Gal. 6.1 It belongeth to God onely to know who is guiltie in that manner and it is his prerogatiue as one saith well to giue sentence And therefore let all men keepe silence and let God alone iudge who is a sinner At the day of iudgement the sonne of God shall sit as Iudge who knoweth what is his and what is none of his It belongeth to him to make choice what hee will lay vp in his barne and what hee will commit to the fire Let vs all acknowledge our selues to bee men and let none vsurpe the power and authoritie of Gods iudgment For if any man shall arrogate so much to himselfe what shal be left for Christ to doe at the last iudgement Let it bee better for a man not to bee guiltie of his owne sinnes rather then to desire to be a iudge of other mens sinnes And therefore in this case let euery one of vs lay our hands vpon our mouthes And let vs practise the counsel of the Apostle Brethren saith he If a man be fallen by occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted Either wee haue committed as great sinnes our selues or if the like temptation were offered vnto vs wee should as readily yeeld as they haue done if God should leaue vs neuer so little And therefore wee must bee pittifull towardes them and pray for their amendement As he that hath recouered from some grieuous sicknesse pittieth those that are sicke of the same disease and as he that is deliuered out of prison hath compassion on them that lie bound in misery and yron Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Dâ—do apud Virgil Aenead 1. So the childe of God hauing by Gods mercy recouered from his sinnes cannot choose but pitty those that are ouertaken with sinne That which the Apostle requireth of Ministers must in some measure be performed of all Christians namely to bee gentle toward all men suffering sinners with meeknesse 2. Tim. 2.24.25 prouing if God will at the last giue them repentance c. Yea by loue wee must couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. â—et 4.8 And herein there is a manifest difference betweene the Godly and the wicked The godlie couer many infirmities in others vnder one good gift but the wicked burie many good gifts vnder one infirmitie Secondly it serueth for the comfort of all Gods children For it is a glasse wherein they may behold the rich mercie of God in pardoning such great sins that like sinners they may not despaire To which purpose Saint Paul hath an excellent speech hauing related at large what a wretched sinner hee had beene before his conuersion euen the chiefe of all sinners hee saith that hee was receiued to mercy for this end 1. Tim. 1.16 that Iesus Christ might shew on him all long suffering to the ensample of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him c. where he plainely teacheth vs that Gods grace is not appropriated and intailed to some few but is indifferently offered to all that are qualified aright to receiue it God was not onely mercifull in forgiuing the sinnes of Dauid and Peter and such like but hee is as mercifull to forgiue Vse 3 thee thy sinnes whosoeuer thou art if with bitternesse and griefe of heart Cadit Petrus vt reliqui caueant Hugo in locum Considera treme vir iuste Petrus paulò ante communicans c. CaielaÌ„ in hunc locum Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. thou canst bewaile them as they did Thirdly wee may here bee admonished to take heed that wee sucke not poyson out of this and such like examples of the falles of Gods children by taking occasion thereby to hearten our selues in our sinnes but rather bee made more wary and circumspect ouer our selues As a weake old man seeing a young lustie man take a fall in the way before him taketh better heede to his steppes least he fall also So when we shall see that the Apostle Peter a man indued with such a measure of grace did notwithstanding fall so fearefully wee had neede looke well to our selues or else whither may wee fall if we bee left to temptation as hee was a Nemo audebit de sua virtute confidere quando mutabilitatis periculum nec beatus Petrus potuisset euadere Glossa ordinâ—r who dare now presume of his owne strength when this blessed Apostle that was a pillar as it were in the Church is thus fearefully shaken Nay rather a man should alwayes suspect himselfe and bee afraid to fall and when hee shall see such fearefull tempests and such lamentable shipwracke of such excellent men b Cum videat tantorum virorli cauendas tempestates slenda naufragia de Doct. Christ Lib. 3. as Saint Augustine saith And to this purpose Bernard giueth good counsell c Vita foueam in quam vides alium coram te cecidisse Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio de cons aedific c. 46. Shunne the pit saith he wherein thou seest another fall before thy face Let other mens destruction bee thy caution And d Aliorum ruinae vestra debent esse exempla de obed humil Non cadendi exemplum propositum est sed si cecideris resurgendi Non sit delectatio minorii lapsus maiorum sed sit casus maiorum timor minorum Aug. in Psal 51. Augustine hath the like saying
Other mens ruines should bee your examples Now to the end that wee may not abuse these examples of Gods children to the incouraging of our selues in sinne let vs consider first that this was no ordinarie thing with them to fall in this manner It is testified of Dauid euen by the Lord himselfe that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of his life saue onely in the matter of Vriah 1. King 15.5 Dauid then made no occupation of sinning So wee doe not reade that euer Peter denied Christ Iesus any more no hee was most constant in confessing of his name euen vnto death Neither doe wee reade that Noah or Lot were euer ouertaken with drunkennesse againe And therefore the examples of their falles can bee no incouragement to them that continually adde sinne to sinne making whoredome and drunkennesse and such like horrible sinnes their ordinarie trade and common practise These men sinned indeede but it was of infirmitie through the violence of temptation and they did not lie along in their sinne but renued their repentance with griefe of heart and therefore God receiued them to mercy and forgaue them their sinnes But this is nothing to thee whosoeuer thou art that sinnest presumptuously with an high band and liuest and lyest in thy sinne impenitently God hath no mercy for thee so long as thou continuest in this estate Againe for our selues let vs consider what hurt wee receiue whensoeuer wee fall into any sinne For first of all that spirituall comfort and ioy in the holy Ghost which once wee felt 1. Pet. 1.8 and which before was in vs vnspeakeable and glorious vanisheth away and our soules are filled with horrour by reason of Gods displeasure and the conscience is made euen the picture of hell And therefore Dauid after his grieuous fall Psal 51.11.8 desireth the Lord to restore to him the ioy of his saluation And a little before in the same Psalme hee saith Make me to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Insinuating that the the horrour of conscience that followeth vpon the committing of sinnes is like the breaking of a mans bones which is the greatest paine that can be Yea hee saith in an other Psalme Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord as though for the time hee had beene in the bottome of hell Secondly wee are made vnfit to any thing that is good so that till we be restored againe by repentance wee are made vnprofitable burdens of the earth There is no cheerefulnesse in Prayer no life in hearing the word no delight in receiuing the Lords supper Our soules are dull and lumpish within vs as if they were buried in the bottome of a dunghill that we cannot lift them vp with any feruencie in the performance of any holy duetie Thirdly on the other side we are made most apt and ready to runne into any sinne Whiles we lie impenitent in any transgression the deuill cannot offer a tentation to vs but wee are ready to yeeld as may appeare in this example of Peter as wee shall see afterward Fourthly we are sure to smart for it for God will correct vs with one rod or other till we bee throughly humbled as the Lord said to Dauid If thy children forsake my Law Psal 89.30.31.32 and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements Then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with scourges What a griefe thinke we Gen. 9.22.25 was it to Noah by reason of his sinne to become a laughing stocke to his owne sonne What a heart breaking was it to Dauid to bee thrust out of his Kingdome by Absalom his owne darling 2. Sam. 15.30 It is said that when he fled from him hee had his head couered and went barefooted and wept as he went Better were it therefore for a man to want all the pleasure that his sinnes can affoord then to endure the smart and shame that followeth after as the Apostle saith What fruite had yee then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 Last of all when a man by his sinnes hath lost the feeling of Gods fauour it is hard to recouer it againe Peter wept bitterly Dauid crieth earnestly yea he caused his bed euery night to swim and watered his couch with his teares So will it be with thee whosoeuer thou art that hast by thy sinne lost the fauour of God it will cost thee many a broken sleepe many an aking heart and many a salt and bitter teare before thou canst bee reconciled againe And therefore to conclude in all these respects wee should bee carefull by all holy meanes to preserue our selues from sinne and not presume because God hath beene mercifull in forgiuing many great and grieuous sinners Before them all This is the maner of his deniall that hee doth it openly and publikely hee did not whisper it in the maides eare but spake it openly in the hearing of them all And this doth greatly aggrauate his sinne that hee is not afraid of a multitude of witnesses Hee is come to this passe that he careth not who heareth him denie his Master Doctr. These sinnes are most hainous that are openly committed Psal 139.12 Here then we may learne that as all sinnes are hainous so especially that which is openly and publikely committed The very sight and presence of men should somewhat keepe vs and restraine vs from sinne It is true that euen our most secret sinnes are odious in the sight of God because seeth them as well as if they were open For as Dauid saith The darkenesse hideth not from God Ier. 23.24 Psal 19.12 but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light to him are both alike he seeth as well at mid-night as at noone-day Neither can there be any place so secret wherein a man can hide his sinnes from the Lord. And therefore Hos 4.2 Jsa 3.9 Vultu morbum incessuque fatentur Iuuenal satyr 2. vnius cuiusque casus tantò maior ris est crim iniis quantò priusq is caderet maioris erit virtutis Bern. de conc aedif cap. 5 s 1 as Dauid prayeth for the pardon euen of his secret sinnes ackowledging that God could know and see sinnes in him when they could not see them himselfe But when mens sinnes breake out as the Prophet Hosea saith into the open vewe of the world and when once the triall of their countenance doth testifie against them when they are come to that height of impudency in sinning that they declare their sinnes as Sodome and hide them not then are their sins most odious The reason is because God thereby is most dishonored especially if they be professors of religion that doe offend For all that professe religion liue as it were vpon a stage where all men doe
peece bringeth in another A Scholler though he be neuer so apt capable to conceiue of his lecture assoone as his Master readeth it vnto him yet if hee doe not meditate of it afterwardes it will profit him but a little so in like manner though a man doe neuer so rendily apprehend the doctrines of the word yet if hee doe not by meditation call them to remembrance and as it were riuet them into his mind they will easily be forgotten And therfore Psal 62.11 Dauid saith that when God spake once he heard it twice Namely he heard it once in the Tabernacle from the mouth of the Minister and by meditation at home caused his memory to repeat it to him againe And this should bee the practise of vs all if wee desire to reape any found benefit by the word Before the Cocke crow thou shall denie me thrise Our Sauiour Christ being God and knowing what should come to passe foretold that Peter should deny him It was decreed before that it should so fall out and it could not otherwise bee Why then may some say is Peter to bee blamed Nay rather why should not his fact bee excused seeing hee did no more then God had determined and Christ foretold Quicquid patimu◠mortale genus Quicquid facimus venit ex alto Sen. Mala. 3.6 Isa 14.27.24 For the resoluing of this question We are to know that it is true indeede that all things that are done in the world fall out by the prouidence of God and that his purposes can by no meanes bee altered as the Lord saith I am the Lord I change not And in another place The Lord of Hosts hath determined it and who shall disanull it And a little before Like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand For as the Apostle saith Iam. 1.17 With God their is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning Yea it is true also that seeing Gods prouidence is the first immutable cause of all things it doth impose such a necessitie vpon all second causes that their effects cannot bee hindred nor the manner of doing them bee changed nor the time of producing them bee deferred And yet neuerthelesse man in all his euill actions must needes be culpable For it will not follow from hence that the will of man is any way forced or compelled but that it doth willingly and of the one accord desire whatsoeuer it will For God ruleth and gouerneth the will of man according to the nature of it and no otherwise Now the nature of the will is to will whatsoeuer it lusteth whether it be good or euill freely and willingly not by constraint or against the will for otherwise it were no will but a nilling tather So that Gods foreknowledge is no cause at all of the euill actions of men And this Peter Martyr illustrateth by an apt similitude Pet. Martyr Loc. com clas 2. cap. 2. Wee saith he doe often stand by and behold men playing together at some game notwithstanding wee cannot say that the knowledge and sight which we haue of their gaming doth impose any necessitie vpon them though while wee behold them in their game they doe necessarily play As therefore that necessitie doth not infringe the nature of their will so likewise the foreknowledge decree of God doth not compel the will of man But it will be obiected why doth not God ouer-rule the will of man seeing he is able and hinder him from falling into sinne I answere that man indeed who is vnder the law if hee should not hinder euill from his neighbour when it lyeth in his power should be blame-worthy as our Sauiour saith Marke 3.4 that not to saue life when a man hath ability to doe it is to kill But God is aboue the law and therefore that is good in him which is euill in man Yea hee doth it alwayes to a good end For hee knoweth that man being by nature euill cannot but sinne vnlesse hee be preuented by the especiall assistance of his grace and that he cannot but fall vnlesse the staffe of his spirit doe support him Psal 23.4 and yet in great wisedome he suffereth him to fall partly to declare his iustice in punishing of sinne Gualt in Zech. Homil. 5. partly to manifest his mercy in pardoning sinne and partly to shew man his frailty and weaknesse that he may be more heedfull for the time to come Thus God directeth the sins of the godly and the wicked to a good end that the one may become more wary afterwardes and the other besides their meaning and intent may execute the iudgements of God Thus was Dauid by his adultery made more temperat thus was Peter by his deniall made more stout in confessing of Christ and thus was Paul by his cruell persecutions made more feruent and earnest in preaching of the truth a Deus sicut bonarum naturarum optimus creator est ita malarum voluntatum iustissimus ordinator Vt cum malè illae vtuntur naturis bonis ipse bene vtatur etiam voluntatibus malis de Ciu. Dei lib. 11. c. 17. And to this purpose Saint Augustine hath a good saying That God as hee is the best creator of good natures so hee is the most iust orderer and disposer of euill willes that when they vse their good natures ill hee may vse their ill willes well b Quis tam impiè desipiat vt dicat Deum malas hominum voluntates quas voluerit quando voluerit vbi voluerit in bonum non posse conuertere Euch. ca. 97 And in an other place Who saith hee is so wickedly foolish as to say that God cannot turne to good whatsoeuer euill willes of men he will when he will and where he will Wee must not therefore cast the cause of our sinnes vpon God as though wee were any whit the more excusable because we doe nothing but what God hath fore knowne and determined Iudas in betraying Christ did no more then God had determined for our Sauiour saith The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him Yet Iudas is not excused for all that No Christ pronounceth a woe against him and saith it had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne Mat. 26.24 The Iewes in crucifying of Christ did no more then that which God and his counsel had determined to bee done Act. 4.28 2.23 3.18 And yet their deede was most damnable and accursed in the sight of God Pharaoh in opposing himselfe so rebelliously and stubbornly against God what did hee else but that which the Lord foreknew and fore tolde also to Moses and Aaron Exod. 3.19 7.3.4 And yet for all that the Lord is iustly glorified in his confusion Exod. 9.16 God hath decreed and as our Sauiour Christ saith it cannot bee auoided but offences will come and there is a necessary vse of them for the triall of Gods elect and
columba Vnguibus accipiter saucia facta tuis Vitaret caelum Phaeton si viueret quos Opta uit stultè tangere nollet equos Ouid. Trist The burnt child as the Prouerb is dreadeth fire The horse that hath beene plunged and foiled in some quackmire can not easily bee drawne into it againe c Tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas Qui semel est lasus fallaci piscis ab hamo Omnibus vnea eâ—bis aera subesse putat Ouid. de Ponto The Marriner that hath suffered shipwracke is for euer after afraid of the sea euen when it is most calme The fish that hath once been wounded with the hooke is alwaies suspitious of the baite d que bellua ruptis cum semel effugit reddit se praua catenis Hor. lib. 2. sat 7. Vulneribus didicit miles habere metum Propert. lib. 3. Eleg. 10. 2. Pet. 2.20 The beast that hath once beene caught and hath broken the snare wil hardly be intrapped againe If nature haue made all creatures thus carefull to preuent bodily dangers much more should wee be carefull in the case of our soules that when once by the mercy of God wee haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde wee be not tangled againe therein least the latter ende be worse then the beginning as the Apostle Peter saith But among all occasions of sinne there is none more dangerous as hath beene said then euill company For if a man forsake not his former euill companions they will easily preuaile with him to hinder the gratious worke of his repentance and to hold him still in his sinne And therefore the Apostle Paul testifieth of himselfe that when he was conuerted from his persecuting by the heauenly vision he did not returne to Hierusalem to the high Priests Gal. 1.17 for no doubt they would haue befooled him and would haue laboured by all perswasions to draw him to their part againe Acts 9.19.26 but ioined himselfe to the disciples of Christ that by conuersing with them he might be the more confirmed And so did S. Peter in this place Now the very company and place where he was brought to deny his Master was odious vnto him If he had done thus at the first hee had neuer beene ouertaken with so great a sinne This serueth first for the iust reproofe of all those that Vse 1 would perswade both themselues and others that they do repent and yet continue their former courses they are still fitte for all companies still they can play the good fellowes with the best The drunkard would make men beleeue that he hath repented of his drunkennesse and yet hee frequenteth the Alehouse as much as euer hee did The whoremaister would beare men in hand that hee hath left his whoredome and yet hee hanteth wanton and lasciuious company still These men may talke of repentance but the truth is they neuer came where true repentance grew For as hee that hath surfeted of any meate will take heede how hee be too bold with it againe so hee that seeth the hurt that hath redounded to him by his sinne will take heede how hee medleth any more with it or the occasions of it As he that hath beene stung with a serpent will take heede how he treadeth in the greene grasse so he that hath been stung of sinne Eccle. 21.2 that biteth like a serpent as the sonne of Sirach saith will be more circumspect for the time to come especially if lewd companions haue preuailed with him before he will now shunne all manner of society with them And indeed how can a man delight any longer in his company that hath beene a meanes to bring him almost into hell Vse 2 And therefore in the second place we are to be admonished to take diligent heede of all occasions of sinne As hee that would keepe his garments cleane auoideth euery thing that might defile them so if we desire to preserue our souls from sinne we must carefully shun whatsoeuer might any way be occasion thereof We should say with the Church in the Canticles though in another sense I haue put off my coate Cant. 5.3 how should I put it on I haue washed my feete how should I defile them by the mercy of God I haue put off the filthy rags of my sinnes how should I put them on againe I am washed in some good measure by the spirite of God from my corruptions why then should I defile my selfe any more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proripuit se Bez. Went out The Euangelist Saint Marke relating his story vseth a word of great signification as much as hee rushed out of the dores both signifying the dislike of the place company where he was brought to sin Doct. We must not stand to debate in the motions of the spirit but presently proceed to execution and also the hast that hee made to seeke reconciliation with God Assoone as euer he was once awaked as it were out of a deepe sleepe and conuinced in his conscience of the hainousnesse of his sinne he deferreth no time to repent of it but runneth as fast as his feete could carry him From whence we may obserue that when God putteth any good motion into our hearts or raiseth vp any good purpose or desire within vs we must not stand to debate the matter but must presently proceede to execution In worldly businesse deliberation is very necessary Deliberandum diu quod statuendum semel Seneca and it is held a great point of pollicy to deliberate long before a man determine any thing But in this case it is dangerous to stand to deliberate We should rather presently lay hold vpon the occasion as soone as it is offered and euen redeeme the time by godly wisedome Ephes 5.16 as the Apostle saith The reason is First because all delay breedeth danger Sed mora damnosa est Ouid. Metam lib. 11. Mat. 26.19 This men know well enough in other things and therefore are carefull to preuent occasion yea it is said of Iudas that when he had compacted with the high Priests to deliuer Christ Iesus vnto them he sought opportunity to betray him If he sought opportunity to bring to passe so diuelish a purpose as this was much more should wee seeke opportunity to effect the godly purposes that God by his spirit worketh in vs. Otherwise the Diuell will easily turne vs out of the way Secondly Qui non est hodie eras minus aptus erit if we let slippe the opportunity of well dooing when God offereth it vs wee shall be more vnapt and vnfit for it afterwardes The seale must be set on while the waxe is pliable the iron must be wrought while it is hotte otherwise we see by experience that if either of these be suffered to coole againe they waxe harder then they were before So if our hearts be once in some measure softned by the worke of Gods grace if we suffer
Christ inuiteth all them that labour and are laden Implying that where sinne is rightly felt it is a heauy and a wearisome lode And no doubt this was it Luke 18.13 that made the poore Publicane expresse such tokens of griefe and shame for his sinnes when hee durst not lift vp so much as his eies to heauen but smote his breast saying O God be mercifull to me a sinner Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 14. And indeede if a man shall consider the quality of his sinne and aggrauate it by the circumstances of time and place and by his continuance in it and shall call to mind vpon how light temptation he was brought to commit it and how oft hee hath iterated the same he cannot choose but euen groane in godly sorrow vnder the burden thereof a Non laborat exonerari peccato cui non videtur nimium Aug. ibid. cap. 2 Quanto magis quis intelligit mala sua tanto amplius suspirat gemit Aug. de contritione cordis Otherwise if a man be not thus conceited of his sinne he will neuer sorrow for it nor sigh to be disburdened of it Hee that shall thinke his time to be as light as a feather and neuer seeth any hurt that commeth by it no maruell if it neuer grieue him Secondly without sorrow for sinne there can bee no true repentance It is in vaine for men to say they repent euery day they rise and yet neuer shew any token of remorse It may bee vpon some occasion they may cease the committing of sinne but till their hearts bee broken with sorrow Gen. 37.28 42.21 they neuer repent of it Iosephs brethren had left their cruelty towards their brother for many yeares yet they neuer repented of it indeede till by his rough handling of them in Egypt they were brought to the sight of their sinne Sam. 11. 12 and touched with sorrow for the same And Dauid though hee had giuen ouer his adultery yet hee neuer repented of it before Nathan awaked him by denouncing the iudgement of God against him Yea such as are destitute of godly sorrow are so farre from repenting of their sinnes that whensoeuer any occasion is offered they are ready to fall into them againe though in some carnall respect for a time they haue forborne them Thirdly without this sorrow there can be no sound comfort we must neuer looke to feele comfort in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes vnlesse withall we haue our hearts possessed with sorrow for committing of them The Lord will not impart the least droppe of his mercy to any which haue not first beene baptized with the baptisme of their owne teares There were neuer any of Gods children throughly comforted but they were first humbled For God is not like a foolish Phisitian that will apply a medicine where there is no disease nor like a foolish Surgeon that will lay a plaister where there is no sore But the conscience must first be wounded with a sense of sinne Hos 6.1 before the Lord will powre in the Oile of his mercy to heale the same Mat. 9.12 For as our Sauiour saith They that bee whole neede not a Phisitian but they that are sicke And therefore he promiseth ease and refreshment only to such as are weary and laden with the burden of their sinnes Et 11.28 Dauid first with bitternesse of heart confessed his sinnes before Nathan gaue him any hope of the pardon of them 2. Sam. 12.13.14 And they that were conuerted by Saint Peters Sermon were first pricked in their hearts with remorse for their sinnes before the Apostle ministred one word of comfort to them Zech. 13.1 12.10 The Prophet Zechariah saith that there shall bee a fountaine opened for sinne and vncleannesse But who are they that shall haue the benefit of it only such as doe mourne exceedingly for their sinnes As there is no sinne so great but by repentance and godly sorrow it is pardonable so there is no sinne so little but without repentance it is damnable y Aut continui dolores cruciabunt poenitentem vitam meam aut cruciatus aeterni vexabunt puniendam ammam meam Necesse est peccatorem flere vel hic vel in futuro Aug. de contrit cordis in oratione Psal 51.17 Either continuall sorrowes must afflict a mans penitent life or else eternall torments shall vexe his damnable soule And of necessity a sinner must weepe either here or elsewhere Last of all this godly sorrow for sinne is most pleasing and acceptable vnto God as Dauid saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Whereupon St. Augustine saith z Intucamur que madmodum vbi Deum dixit nolle sacrificium ibidem Deum ostendit velle sacrificium Non vult ergo sacrificium trucidati pecoris sed vult sacrificium contriti cordis De ciuit Dei lib. 10. cap. 5. Isa 66.2 Psal 56.8 Apoc. 21.4 Let vs consider in what sense where he hath said that God will haue no sacrifice in the same place hee sheweth that God will haue sacrifice He will not then haue the sacrifice of a slaughtered beast but hee will haue the sacrifice of a contrite heart And indeede this is the chiefest sacrifice of all other And therefore the Lord hath promised especially to haue respect to him that is of a contrite heart Yea the Lord taketh such pleasure in a man thus affected as there is neuer a teare falleth from his eies in remorse for his sinnes but presently hee putteth them in his bottle and at the day of iudgement he will wipe all teares from the eies of his children And therefore wee must labour to bee sorrowfull and not suffer any sinne to escape vs without some remorse Secondly this doctrine serueth to reproue them that are Vse 2 so hard hearted and b Siccoculum genus pumiccos oculos habent nequeunt lachrymam exorare vt expuant vnam modo Plaut in Pseudolo Act. x. scae 1. so drie eyed that they cannot grieue for their sinnes nor wring out one teare of true repentance for their misdeedes Howsoeuer in other matters they haue teares at command and in any worldly crosse or calamity they take on and weepe as Rahel did for her children and will not be comforted Mat. 2.18 Isa 22.4 yet in this case when they should mourne for their sinnes euery teare is as bigge as a milstone there is no remorse no compunction nor touch of heart at all c Deucaliō va cuum lapides iactauit in orbem vnde homines nati durum genus Virg. Georg. lib. 1. No their hearts are as strong as a stone and as hard as the nether milstone as Iob speaketh of Leuiathan Iob 41.15 they cannot sorrow d Gualt in Zech. 7.12 homil 14. As the Adamant is of such an inuincible hardnesse that it cannot be softened neither with the
suum satisfactione humili simplici consitentes Si qui autē sunt qui putant se ad Ecclesiam non precibus sed minis regredi posse aut existimant aditum sibi non lamentationibus satisfactionibus sed terroribus facere pro certo habeant contra tales stare Ecclesiam Domini nec castra Christi inuicta fortia Domino tuente munita minis cedere Sacerdos Dei Euangelium teneus Christi praecepta custodiens occidi potest vinci nō popotest Lib. 1. Epist 1. And this was the practise of St. Cyprian as himselfe testifieth I doe willingly saith he and louingly embrace such as returne penitently and confesse their sinnes with humble and vnfained satisfaction But if there be any that thinke they may come againe to the Church not by intreaty but by threatnings or suppose to procure their admittance not by lamentations and satisfactions but by terrours let them know for a certainty that the Church of God standeth out against such persons and that the inuincible and strong tents of Christ guarded by the Lords protection will not giue place to threatnings The Priest of God that holdeth the Gospell and keepeth the precepts of Christ may bee killed but hee cannot be ouercome And this was the resolution of Saint Ambrose when he heard that the Emperour was comming towards the Church before he was absolued c Ego vero praedico quod cum ingredi sacra limina prohibebo si vero Imperium in tyrannidem mutabit necem libenter suscipiam Vbi supra I protest saith he I will debarre him from going ouer the holy threshold and if he will turne his power into tyrannie I will willingly die in the quarrell To this purpose St. Augustine hath a good saying d Qui multos offendit peccando placare multos oportet satisfaciendo vt Ecclesia prius offensa per culpam in conuersione flectatur in misericordiam De vera falsa poenit cap. 11. he that hath offended many by sinning ought to pacifie many by making satisfaction that as the Church hath before beene offended by the trespasse so by the repentance it may be moued to compassion And indeed he that is truly touched with a sense and feeling of his sinnes will not be tender of his owne credit nay hee will not care how much he disgraceth himselfe so that by his confession he may glorifie God and edifie the Church And therefore they may iustly suspect their repentance that hauing publikely offended cannot be brought to make publike confession And as this publike confession is required so in priuate offences priuate confession is also necessary First in respect of our selues that by emptying our hearts into the bosome of another wee may receiue comfort And this is that which St. Iames exhorteth saying Iam. 5.16 Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed But here we are to know that a man is not bound to confesse his sinnes only to the Minister and to none else as the Papists teach men to lay open their sinnes to a greasie bald Frier but he may make choise of any other Christian friend of whose godlinesse and faithfulnesse he hath good experience Jsa 50.4 Yet because euery godly Minister hath from God the tongue of the learned and therefore knoweth best to minister a word in season to him that is weary therefore it is fittest to make choise of him Psal 19.12 Neither is a man bound to make confession of all his sinnes as the Papists would haue it for who can tell how oft he offendeth but only of such as doe most afflict his conscience Secondly in respect of others And first of such as we haue offended by our sinnes according to the rule of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.23.24 If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother c. Now here Iudas failed in that hee goeth to the high Priests and confesseth to them but doth not prostrate himselfe before his Master whom he had betrayed and desire him to forgiue him his sinne which if he had done a Arbitror quod etiam Iudas potuisset tanta Dei miseratione non excludi à venia si poenitentiam non apud ludae or sed apud Christū egisset Ambros de poenit lib. 2. cap. 5. so great is his mercy to poore sinners he might haue obtayned pardon Secondly of such as to whom wee haue giuen occasion of sinne or haue beene any meanes to draw them to sinne And in this Iudas did well For in going to the high Priests he doth not only confesse his owne sinne but withall giueth them occasion to repent likewise For if he sinned in betraying Christ Iesus surely they also sinned in apprehending condemning and putting him to death And thus we see the persons to whom we are to make confession of our sinnes Now for the manner we are to know that euery kinde of confession will not serue the turne And therefore these properties are required First it is not enough to confesse our sinnes in generall as ignorant men vse to thump themselues on the breast and say I am a sinner but we must confesse our particular sinnes If any man shall obiect that this is needlesse because God knoweth our sinnes better then we our selues doe 1. Ioh 3.20 for he is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things I answere that it is true indeede all our sins are most perfitly knowne to the Lord. Psal 139.3 c. Who is accustomed to all our waies as Dauid saith And therefore wee doe not confesse our sinnes to informe God but wee doe it for our owne benefit that thereby we may be brought vnto godly sorrow which is attained by a distinct acknowledgement of our sinnes And thus haue the children of God confessed their sinnes When Dauid had numbred his people and his heart did smite him for it he confessed particularly I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done 2. Sam. 24.10 And in the title of the 51 Psalme hee confesseth his adultery in plaine termes And so doth the Apostle confesse how he had persecuted the Church Act. 22.19 20. yea by name how he had been a great stickler in the Martyrdome of blessed Steuen Yea Iudas in this place performed this duty And surely if it were not necessary the Deuill would neuer labour to hinder it so much as he doth as wee see how hard it is to bring one of an hundred to doe it as they ought for he knoweth that if once men come to a true sight of their particular sinnes and so to godly sorrow his Kingdome will soone decay and therefore he maketh men so vnwilling to yeeld to it as they are Secondly we must in confessing our sinnes aggrauate them to the vttermost against our selues and
not extenuate them as the manner is for men to make very light of their sinnes and if they neuer doe worse they hope they shall doe well enough But wee must labour to make our sinnes appeare most vile and hainous For soothing of our selues in sinne will take off the edge of our sorrow that we shall neither see them nor grieue for them as we ought And therefore Ezra 9.6 Ezra confessing his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his people he saith Our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growen vp to heauen And Daniel confessed that to him and the people of Israel Dan. 9.5.6.7 Psal 51.4 there belonged nothing but open shame And Dauid acknowledgeth his sinne to bee so hainous against God as hee might iustly condemne him and doe him no wrong And the Apostle Paul speaking of his persecuting the Church Gal. 1.13 doth set it out to the full he saith He persecuted the Church of God extremely and wasted it or made hauocke of it And 1. Tim. 1.13 he saith he was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressor Yea ver 15. the chiefe of all sinners b Neque hoc dicebat menticudi praecipitatione sed existimandi affectione Qui enim perfectè examinando scipsum intelligit suo peccato nullius peccatum par esse existimat quod non sicut suum intelligit Bern. de vita solitaria which as Bernard wel obserueth was not spoken by way of lying but as he thought in his heart For he that by due examination doth throughly vnderstand himselfe thinketh no mans sinne like his sinne because he vnderstandeth not another mans sinne as he doth his owne Yea Iudas here doth not only confesse in particular that he had betrayed his Master but that he had betraied his innocent Master which maketh much to the aggrauating of the fact Much more must we doe the like And indeede if this were duly performed it would make vs loath and detest our sinnes whereas so long as wee make light of them wee shall neuer bee out of loue with them Thirdly we must confesse our sinnes with a sense and feeling of them we must feele our sinnes lie heauy vpon vs euen presse vs downe like a masse of leade Mat. 11.28 And this our Sauiour Christ insinuateth when hee calleth only such vnto him as are weary And laden euen ready to faint vnder the burden of their sinnes And this doth Dauid confesse Psal 38.4.6 my sinnes saith hee are as a waighty burden too heauy for mee And againe I am crooked and bowed very sore as though his sinnes had lyen so heauie vpon him that they made him goe groueling And no doubt Luke 8.13 the poore Publicane was thus affected when for shame hee durst not lift vp his eyes to Heauen but smote his breast saying O God bee mercifull to mee a sinner When men runne away with their sinnes as though they were as light as a feather it is an euident token they neuer felt the waight of them Fourthly we must confesse our sinnes willingly and freely A man may be compelled and forced to confesse his sinnes by the racke of Gods iudgement as Iudas was in this place but that is nothing worth We must be as forward and as ready to confesse our sins to the glory of God as we were to commit them to his dishonour Whereupon Bernard saith well b Confessio vt perfecta sit tria debet habere scil vt sit voluntaria nuda munda Voluntaria scil propria deliberatione proposito Nuda vt nudè prout gessit consiteatur peccatū suum Munda ne peccatum suum praedicet sicut So doma sed pura simplici intentione se accuset Bern. in speculo Monach. Perfit confession must haue three properties namely it must be voluntary it must be naked and it must be pure It must be voluntary that is of a mans owne deliberation and accord It must be naked that a man may confesse his sinne nakedly as it was done and it must bee pure that a man doe not declare his sinne as Sodome but purely and simply accuse himselfe And thus did Dauid ingenuously confesse his sinne Psal 32.5 Then saith he I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse c. Fiftly we must confesse our sinnes in faith in the promises of God As with the one eie we must behold our sins and the hainousnesse of them so with the other eie we must looke vpon the mercy of God wherein he is rich in Christ Iesus to forgiue vs our sinnes as the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 1.18 55.7 He that wanteth this saileth as it were in a bottomlesse ship and cannot possibly shunne the shipwracke of his soule c Salubris conuersio duplici ratione consistit si nec poenitentia sperantem nec spes deserat poenitentë Et panlò post Iudas qui Christum tradidit peccati sui poenitentiam gessit sed salutem perdidit quia indulgentiam non sperauit Dignè quidem paenitentiam gessit quia peccauit tradens sanguinem iustū sed ideo sibi fructum poetitentiae denegauit quia peccatum traditionis suae ipso quem tradidit diluendum sanguine non sperauit Fulg. Epist 7. ad Venant de poenit retribut For as one saith Sauing conuersion consisteth in two things that neither repentance bee without hope nor hope be without repentance And a little after Iudas that betrayed Christ repented of his sinne but he lost saluation because he hoped not for mercy And worthily indeede did he repent because he sinned in betraying innocent bloud but therefore he denyed himselfe the fruit of his repentance because hee could not beleeue that his treason might be washed away with that bloud which hee betrayed d Sola sides inter Judam Petrum discreuit vt hic poenitendo credendo saluatus sit ille poenitendo non credendo perierit Muscut in locum Poenitentia quae ex fide non procedit vtilis non est Aug. de vera falsa poenit cap. 2. And here was the maine difference between the repentance of Iudas and Peter They both repented But Peter repenting and beleeuing is saued Iudas repenting and not beleeuing is damned And so is it with all the wicked Kain and Pharaoh and Saul and diuers confessed their sinne but because they wanted faith to beleeue the pardon of them their confession brought them to desperation Sixtly as wee must confesse our sinnes so wee must earnestly pray for the pardon of them Thus did Dauid I haue sinned saith he exceedingly in that I haue done 2. Sam. 24.10 therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant And howe earnestly doth hee begge the pardon of his other sinnes in the 51. Psalme Thus also did the prodigall Sonne and the Publicane Luke 15.21 18.13 It is true wee
that haue done no euill are secure and feare nothing and they that haue sinned doe alwayes looke for punishment And therefore it standeth vs in hand by all meanes possible to pacifie our conscience that so wee may haue comforr in all estates For as one saith well c Nihil iucundius nihil tutius nihil dulcius bona conscientia premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa erit secura Bona conscientia secura erit cum corpus morietur secura cum animae coram Deo praesentabitur secura cum vtrumque in die iudicij ante tribunale terrificum iusti indicis statuetur Cum mundus omnis volubilitate circumrotetur ploret redeat pereat transcat nunquam marcessit bona conscientia Subijciatur corpus in paena in ieiunijs maceâ—ctur verberibus lanietâ—r eculeo distendatur gladio trucidetur crucis supplicio affligatur secura erit conscicatia Bern. de conscien aedifican cap. 22. there is nothing more pleasant nothing more quiet nothing more sweete and comfortable then a good conscience Let the body vexe a man let the world hale him let the Deuill terrifie him and yet it will bee secure A good conscience will be secure when the body dyeth it will bee secure when the soule shall bee presented before God it will bee secure when both body and soule shall stand before the terrible barre of the iust Iudge Though all the world bee turned topsie turuie though it weepe though it laugh though it perish though it vanish yet a good conscience neuer shrincketh Let the body bee brought vnder with punishment let it be macerated with fasting let it bee torne with stripes let it bee stretched vpon the racke let it bee slaine with the sword let it be hanged vpon the gallowes yet the conscience will be secure Secondly it may admonish vs aboue all things to take heed of sinne least it breed a worme in the conscience to gnawe and to wound the same with endlesse woe For as it hath beene said alreadie howsoeuer pleasure may accompanie the committing of sinne yet honour of conscience alwayes followeth after Vse 3 Thirdly it may admonish vs to pittie them that are afflicted in conscience Psal 41.1 Blessed is he saith Dauid that iudgeth wisely of the poore VVee knowe not how soone wee may drinke of the same cup our selues And therefore wee should pray for them in their distresse It was the fault of Iobs friends that seeing him cast downe with the hand of God Iob. 19.2 16.5 they vexed his soule and tormented him with wordes of reproach Where as rather they should haue strengthned him with their mouth and the comfort of their lippes should haue asswaged his sorrow Vse 4 Last of all it may serue to teach vs that if the horrour of conscience be so great in this life how vnspeakeable and vnsupportable it shall bee in the life to come Where that shall bee infinite which here is finite where that shall bee vnmeasurable which here is measurable where there is the Sea of sorrow whereof this is but a drop and where there is the flame of that fire which here is lesse then a sparke For whatsoeuer anguish wicked men indure here it is but the beginning of sorrow as our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 24.8 And as the children of God haue onely in this life the earnest 1. Cor. 1.22 and the first fruites Rom. 8.23 of that happinesse which they shall fully enioy in the Kingdome of heauen so on the other side the wicked haue here but euen a tast onely of that miserie which shall bee heaped and powred vpon them in hell And therefore Saint Bernard saith well a Quid illic confusionis erit quid miseriae quid doloris quando iam immortalis factus interior ille conscientiae vermis tanta malignitate corrodet sed non consumet animam infelicem Bern. in declamat 1. Cor. 2.9 what confusion what misery what sorrow shall there bee there when that inward woâ—me of conscience shall gnawe the wretched soule with such crueltie and yet shall not consume it As neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart can conceiue the ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him so no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine what horrible torments are prepared for the wicked Happie and thrice happie are they that shall neuer feele them Hanged himselfe This proceeded not from a Aretius in locum repentance but from desperation For though hee confessed his sinne as wee haue heard b Faciliùs desperatione cucurrit ad laqueâ—m quà m humilitate veniam deprecatus est Aret. probl de peccato in spi sanct yet hee was more readie by desperation to runne to the gallowes then by humilitie to craue pardon And therefore c Sceleratior omnibus O Iuda inselicior extitisti quem non paenitentia reuocauit ad Dominum sed desperatio traxit ad laqueum Glos ordin in locum as one saith hee was more wicked and more wretched then all men in that his repentance could not bring him to the Lord but desperation drewe him to the rope he could not for his life giue one rappe at the mercie gate of God for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes but was ouerwhelmed with honour of conscience by the apprehension of Gods wrath And herein Iudas is a patterne of all reprobates whom the Deuill leadeth as it were hoodwinckt a long time into many great and fearefull sinnes and at the last when their eyes are opened that they see the hainousnesse of their sinnes but see not the mercie of God he casteth them headlong into despaire and causeth them to cast off all hope of comfort and saluation d Penitentia humani animi sine gratia Dei quantò maâ—or est tantò est periculosior absorbet enim hominem abundantiori trislitia desperationem inducit talem fuisse iudae paenitentiam hic exitus comprobat Caietan in locii Lira in locum For repentance without the grace of God the greater it is the more dangerous it is for it swalloweth vp a man with more abundant sorrow and bringeth desperation And such was the repentance of Iudas as this end of his proueth And herein hee sinned more then hee did in betraying his Master because Lyra noteth in betraying of Christ hee sinned directly against his humanitie but by his despaire hee sinned directly against his deitie because hee sinned against the infinitenesse of his diuine mercy Now this his desperation proceeded from two causes First from the greatnesse of his sinne in betraying him of whose innocencie and holinesse hee had so good experience Secondly because hee had heard our Sauiour Christ whom hee knewe to bee a true Prophet whose wordes should neuer faile pronounce his damnation against him for so hee threatned Lira in locum when hee discouered his treason VVoe bee to that man Mat. 24.35 26.24 by whom the Sonne of man is