of the deepest sorrowes the highest springs of the liueliest and most lasting comforts doe oftentimes fall out to bee found and fetched forth These springs are not opened till there be Sorrow brings ioy digging so deepe into the hollow ground of the heart which aboue all things is most deceitfull as there may be comming at the length to the rockie hardnesse that is there to be met with and that rocke it selfe bee so farre digged thorough till there may be felt such a tendernesse and softnesse of the heart and such a brokennesse of spirit as the heart at length may become wholly contrite Psal 22. 14. and so molten in the bowels with godly sorrowing that it be as water powred out and being thus broken contrite and sorrowfull it so be made fit to be presented as a most acceptable and well pleasing sacrifice vnto God Now when the heart of a poore penitent is thus deepely pierced wounded and beaten downe euen to the very bottome and lowest depth of a thorough-sorrowing and holy desparing that he lie complaining and crying out of the bottome of those deepes for helpe vnto God setting out his throat and crying with Dauid Out of the deepe haue I Psal 130. 1. 2. called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice And with Ionah being in the Whales bellie cry out from thence as out of the bellie of hell then will not the Lord despise nor Psal 22. 24. abhorre the low estate of such as are so deceiued he will not hide his face from them but when they crie he will surely heare them for though hee inhabite eternitie and dwelleth on high yet will he listen and looke to him that is Isa 57. 15. of a contrite spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life and chearing to them that are contrite in heart Prayers sighes and teares going vp from such a distresse mercies and compassions from God must needs come downe to helpe all againe and the succours of the Lord are vsually in such cases so ready to be found as hee letteth those poore perplexed seruants of his to see them before their eyes and to touch and feele them as with their hands and that in such a manner as they are not alone comforted for the present but confirmed for euermore afterward to trust assuredly in him fall out whatsoeuer at any time may happen such sighing and weeping such calling and crying out vnto God for helpe in time of great need cannot but euer at the length obtaine a prosperous issue as may be seene in Dauid who by his long crying was at the length drawne out of that horrible pit Psal 40. 2. out of the myre and clay wherein before he did sticke so fast and as he else where saith had his heauinesse turned into Psal 30. 11. 12. ioy his mourning into dancing his sackcloth put off and hee himselfe girded with gladnesse for which cause his tongue gaue praise vnto God without ceasing and he vowed to giue thankes vnto him for euermore And by how much the more they haue hungred and thirsted for the consolations of God by so much the more doth the Lord fil them Psal 90. 14. 15. and satisfie them with his mercies and that right soone so as they are made to reioyce the more and to be glad all the daies of their life yea it is the Lords manner to comfort his according to the dayes that he hath afflicted them and according to the yeeres that they haue seene euill then is their mouth filled with laughter and their tongue with ioy as in Psal 126. 1. the turning againe of the captiuitie of Sion So that the ioyfullest body that euer was or is is a true penitent sinner who hauing first felt the load and burthen of his sinnes and been wounded in conscience for committing of them comming at the last to haue those stiffe and starke wounds of his suppled by the powring in of that oyle of gladnesse into his heart whereby hee is cheered and comforted againe in Christ Iesus assurance being giuen vnto him to haue full redemption in his blood euen the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes Oh then there is ioy vnspeakable and glorious in that heart which so sweetly refresh the soule of that mourning sinner as he is in a manner wholly swallowed vp therewith blessing now the time that euer he so mourned for his sinne before whose so mourning before hath brought him this great measure of comfort now and hath put such gladnesse into his heart as causeth him for very ioy both to laugh and sing Isa 65. 14. These are the sweetest ioyes that are thus fetched out of the most bitter sorrowes and these are the surest ioyes that will last longest whose ground hath been laid so deepe as to be raised thus out of the lowest bottomes of a most afflicted estate in a mind that hath been sore wounded and much pierced thorough with painfull sorrowes and most wofull griefes And thus at the length commeth that promise to be fulfilled which the Lord so long ago made to his people that had endured great affliction that Isa 61. 7. for all the sorrow and shame they had endured they should haue double comforts and for their confusion he would make them reioyce in their portion Yea so are Gods seruants comforted in their troubles as euer after they are made better able to comfort others which are in trouble by the 2. Cor. 1. 4. comfort wherewith they themselues are comforted of God CHAP. XXI The difference of their ioy in the third dimension or breadth of it and how it is straitened or extended in them THe third dimension wherein the ioy of these two sorts of beleeuers may bee perceiued much to differ is in respect of the large spread that the one hath reaching it selfe out euery way farre and wide and extending it selfe to such a latitude and breadth as no man can say Thus farre goe the bounds of it and no further and on the other side the narrow breadth straâ—t lysts and short precincts within the compasse whereof the other is shut in hardly pent vp and so narrowly confined as beyond the same it can neuer be found to extend it selfe or reach out any further Hypocrites and mis-beleeuers who are no better then Hypocrites ioy is small or none meere reprobates and plaine wicked persons haue the lists of their ioy and bounds of their reioycing made so narrow and so neerely set together as if one should demand what allowance of bredth is there made vnto such to spread out their ioy vpon and to let their reioycing lawfully be extended by it may bee answered if there be respect had to the lawfulnesse of their ioy they haue not so much as the breadth of a foote of one inch or of one naile to plant and settle true ioy vpon If one would aske in what things may such men lawfully haue ioy and true reioycing
practice or vse you would haue to be made Rom. 1. 21. Psal 89. 7. Psalm 68. 35. Psal 96. 9. Exod. 15. 11. Iob 11. 7. Psalm â—6 8 10. Iob 9. 4 5. Psal 77. 13. Ezeck 43. 2. Psal 89. 6. Isaiah 57. 15. Psal 8. 1. Iob. 37. 23. 13. 11. Iob 26. 14. Psal 76. 7. Psal 66. 5. 7. Psal 18. 31. Psal 103. 17. Psal 103. 8. Exod. 34. 6. Psal 86. 15. Psal 99 9. Isai 41. â—4 29. Deut. 32. 17. Psal 97. 7. 13. 6. Isaiah 6. 3. Tit. 1. 16. 1. Tiâ— 3. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 9. 5. of that knowledge we are to haue of God that wee know what he is in himselfe which is the first point that is mentioned A. That when wee so know God wee then doe glorifie him as God trembling before his fearefull Maiestie wondring at his great Omnipotencie astonished with his infinite Glorie rauished with his incomparable Excellencie awed with his dreadfull Power comforted with his endlesse Loue cheared with his abounding Mercy and falling low downe before the throne of his glory all false gods and lying vanities of the Heathen being vile in our eyes to say Hee is holy hee is holy he is holy the Lord of Hostes the earth is full of his glory And as thus in our minds to worship him and with our words to praise him so to take heed that in our deeds we do not deny him Q. What vse are wee to make of that knowledge wee ought to haue of God whereby wee may know what hee is to vs A. Thereby we are occasioned seriously to consider of and daily to seeke better to vnderstand that great mysterie of godlinesse which concerneth the worke of our redemption that is by Christ Iesus how God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their trespasses vnto them and how Christ being God ouer all blessed for euer became also man to suffer what was due for mans transgression that being both God and Man hee might make a perfect satisfaction vnto 1. Tim. 2. 5. 6. God for man And being sealed and sent of the Father to bee the attonement-maker betweene the two parties Ioh. 6. 27. 5. 30. at variance who were God and man hee might first get them inseparably ioyned together in himselfe And these two Natures to bee set at one and by a happy vnion to meete together in his owne person and then in the body of his flesh through death and by the Coloss 1. 20. 21. 22. blood of his Crosse to set all things at peace in heauen and in earth so reconciling man to God as he might bee presented holy and vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight And thus was hee made vnto vs Iesus that is a full and perfect Sauiour to saue vs from our sinnes Mat. 1. 21. Acts 2. 36. Heb. 5. 5 6. Deut. 18. 18. Luke 4. 18 21. Matth. 17. 5. Dan. 7. 14. 27. Zach. 9. 9. Luke 1. 32 33. God hauing for the same purpose first made him Christ that is annointed him with the holy Ghost and with power to be a Priest Prophet and King to purchase publish and apply saluation for and vnto all that should beleeue in his name Q. What practice or vse of the knowledge of the works of God in generall are we to make A. The same or like to that which is contained in the Song of Moses the seruant of the Lord and in the Song of the Lambe sung by those victorious Conquerors that had the Harpes of God in their hands the ditty whereof Apoc. 15. 3. was this Great and marueilous are thy workes Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy waies thou King of Saints Who is like vnto thee O Lord among the Gods who is Exod. 15. 11. like thee glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders And in considering the great workes of God in generall to say with Dauid the sweete singer of Israel O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome Psal 104. 24. hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who Psal 72. 18. 19. onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious name for euer and let the whole earth bee filled with his glorie Amen and Amen Q. Goe on to shew the like of the workes of God more particularly according as you haue distinguished them And first touching those works which you call the secret works of God what is the practice or vse we are to make of our knowledge we haue that there be such A. First because they belong not to vs but vnto the Lord God himself alone that therfore in all reuerence we leaue Deut. 29. 29. them vnto him and neuer dare presume to prie into the Lords secrets nor desire to vnderstand aboue that which is meet but keepe our selues within the lists and bounds Rom. 12. 3. which God hath set to ranke and raile vs in this way vnder as great a penalty as euer hee set bounds to the children of Israel at the giuing of the Law which they were Exod. 19. 12. 21 not to passe in any desire they had to gaze and see that which the Lord would not haue shewed as in the example of the men of Bethshemesh prying into the Arke 1. Sam. 6. 19. which was not lawfull for them to doe may appeare accounting it a point of our best wisedome and deepest knowledge yea a very learned ignorance not to know that which the Lord seeth not good to reueale yet so as we alwaies doe honour in the workes of God that which we doe not vnderstand And when wee perceiue the iudgements of God to be as a great deepe that cannot Psal 36 6. Eccles 8. 17. and 11. 5. Psal 77. 19. be sounded his wayes to bee past finding out and that his foot-steps cannot be knowne that we then doe stand and wonder at that wee cannot comprehend and with the Apostle cry out Oh the depth of the riches Rom. 11. 33. both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out to the end that God may haue the greater honour thereby Q. What is the vse we are to make and practice of the knowledge we haue that there be other workes of God that are openly manifested and reuealed in the world A. We are to remember as Elihu speaketh to Iob that wee doe magnifie his workes which men doe behold And seeing the reuealed workes of God are things Iob 36. 24. that doe belong to vs and to our children for euer that Deut. 29. 29. Deut. 6. 7. 20. Psal 78. 5. 6. 7. we therefore doe both labour and learne to know them our selues and that wee likewise doe teach them to our The Lords workes like the curtaines of Salomon haue their beautie within we had neede hold our eyes neare them and put our heads
pray for them yet would he deny theÌ„ nothing Nay so doth it please him to vnbowel himselfe and to open and manifest the loue of his heart which he beareth to his children that as touching their good and concerning them he saith after a sort they may Isai 45 10. command him By all which it may appeare before wee can warrantably beleeue in God as reckoning vpon his fauour and loue to finde mercie at his hands for the pardon of our sinnes and our owne gratious acceptation with him or for the receiuing any blessing from him or any righteousnesse as from the God of our saluation wee Psal 24 5. must first get the knowledge of Christ Iesus and by faith seeke to apprehend him that being first ingrafted into Christ Iesus by faith and admitted to a holy vnion and communion â—ith the Sonne wee may haue fellowship with the Father and so be brought to God by him according Ioh. 14 6. as he is said to be perfectly able to saue all that doe Heb. 7. 25. come to God by him And this is that which Peter speaketh of when hee saith that the faithfull doe by Christ beleeue in God who raised him vp from the dead and 1. Pet. 1. 21. gaue him glorie that their faith and hope might be in God CHAP. V. The manner of knowledge of Christ with the perswasion that is necessary to faith Question WHat manner of knowledge is that which is necessary for vs to haue of Christ Iesus that so we may the better beleeue in him A. Not a confused or a generall knowledge Knowledge of Christ of Christ alone not a bare speculatiue knowledge of him and of the mysterie of saluation by him which is the best knowledge that the most haue of Christ which is yet but idle and vnfruitfull and auaileth Mat. 7. 21. Luk. 6. 46. nothing to saluation But a cleare and distinct knowledge of the mysterie of saluation in Christ Iesus as the same is reuealed in the Gospell whereby we may know assuredly that it is he and hee onely whom the Father hath sealed sent into the world that the world by him might be saued who being fore-ordained to this great 1. Pet. 1. 20. and blessed worke of mans redemption and sauing the world before the very foundation of the world it selfe was laid and promised to the Fathers as God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since Luk. 1. 70. the world began was sent of God when the fulnesse of time was come though being his owne Sonne to become Galath 4. 4. also the Sonne of man and to be made of a woman And as concerning the flesh to descend of the Fathers though from all eternity in himselfe he is God ouer all blessed Rom. 9. 5. for euer A person truly that hath no peere most admirable and wonderfull who is the only Phoenix in the world that hath no fellow euen as the worke was great and difficult yea very admirable and wholly impossible by any other euer to haue been effected about which hee was to bee employed which was the redeeming of the world and reconciling of man to God This will better appeare if we consider first that God himselfe was the partie that was wronged man was the partie that had offended God was to be satisfied man stood in need to be saued necessary it was that there should come satisfaction to God for man that man being saued Gods iustice might not be lost Now the infinite Maiesty of God being wronged there could bee no satisfaction made sufficient by any that were but finite none therefore could thus satisfie but God as none ought to satisfie but man For which cause our Sauiour Christ Iesus was the onely meete person that was to be imployed about this worke which vnto all others was wholly impossible who being God became also man and tooke our nature vpon him that as he was man he might offer the sacrifice and as he was God he might make it precious and conferre worthinesse and dignitie vnto it that it might euery way be sufficient that so by that one sacrifice Heb. 9. 26. 28. of himselfe once offered that being a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God he might satisfie God Ephes 5. 2. Heb. 5. 9. for man and become the authour of eternall saluation to all them that will obey him Secondly and as wee are to know that in person hee was right wonderfull and in worke no lesse powerfull yea most singular most glorious and excellent so are we to know that the offices were most high and honourable vnto which he was assigned and which he bare vpon him for the accomplishment of the same as being annointed of God to those offices of greatest dignitie and respect both before God and man of being our high Priest King and Prophet by whom we might be reconciled vnto God deliuered from the hands of our enemies ruled by his lawes guided by his teaching and shewed the path and way of life that so in the end we might bee saued by Psal 16. 11. him A high Priest indeed but made not after the law of a carnall commandement in a policy that was perishable Heb. 7. 16. but after the power of an endlesse life in the promise of a dignity that should bee euerlasting A King of greatest Apoc. 1. 5. and 17. 14. Heb. 12. 27. 28. 1. Tim. 1. 17. Luk. 1. 33. Maiesty and glory but not such a one as euer may bee deposed or put out of his throne not such a one whose kingdome can euer bee shaken but who is a King euerlasting and immortall and of whose kingdome and gouernment there shall neuer bee end A Prophet mighty indeed and in word doing such workes as no other Luk. 24. 19. Ioh. 15. 24. Ioh. 7. 46. man did and speaking such words as neuer man spake who was annointed to that holy function as well as others but yet with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes Who receiued not the Spirit by measure as Psal 45. 7. doe others for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell of whose fulnesse we haue all receiued Ioh. 3. 34. Colos 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. Mat. 17. 5. Isa 42. 4. euen grace for grace him are we willed to heare and the Isles are to wait for his law Now we are to pray without ceasing that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory would giue vnto vs the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the true knowledge of him making daily more and more manifest this great mysterie of Christ Ephes 1. 17. which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes Ephes 3. 5. of men as it is now reuealed by the Spirit that wee may after this manner both know and acknowledge him Q. Beside the true knowledge of Christ in the description you made of faith
his full perswasion and Abraham Rom. 8. 38. the father of the faithfull a growne man in the strength of his faith who staggered not at the promise of Rom. 4. 20. 21. God through vnbeleefe but was strong in faith and so gaue glory to God Yet let them with the poore bashful woman in the Gospell that was sicke of the disease of a Mat. 9. 20. bloody issue who durst not for shame come before him come yet creeping behind him and see if by any meanes possible they may get vnto him stretching out their hand though it be a weake and shaking hand and as I may say a short hand so as they haue much adoe to reach vnto Christ Thirdly and though they cannot take hold of Christ yet if in any sort they can ioyne themselues vnto him so as they can but truly touch him such is his vertue and so full of grace is he that the least touch of him will draw life and vertue out of him to saue their soules If they Luk. 8. 46. feare to presse to him and cannot come to touch him yet let them see if they can at the least touch priuily the hem of his garment let them goe to his ordinances his Word and his Sacraments they are his couering and as I may say a kind of garment vnder which he is hidden and in which he may be found that by those ordinances of his and out of them they may draw vertue from him and feele the powerfull operation of his Spirit therby working such grace in their hearts as may cause them more stedfastly to beleeue and to haue at the length much ioy and peace in their so beleeuing Let them take hold of the skirt of some Iew going to some worthy seruant Zach. 8. 23. of Christ and holy man in whom Christ his vertue doth shine out that hee may carrie them and by his prayers commend them to a mercifull Lord for by such many times the Lord putteth forth his power and giueth helpe to others The seruant was made to liue for the faith of the master who was the Centurion and the Luk. 7. 9. 10. Matth. 9. 2. poore palsie-man holpen when Christ saw the faith of them that brought him If they cannot for weaknesse come to touch Christ yet as the young children were brought vnto Christ so Mark 10. 13. 16 let them as babes in Christ Iesus bee brought vnto him that he may touch them if he doe but put his hands vpon them he wil vndoubtedly blesse them if they cannot feele in their hearts with comfort that they apprehend him yet let them desire to bee comprehended of him thence shall they be sure to fetch comfort for their sure stay for therein especially standeth all their safety If they can neither vse their hands to touch him and lay hold vpon him themselues nor their feet to come vnto him though creeping as vpon hands and feet together but are forced to he still as poore creeples so maimed and broken euen from the wombe by the fall they tooke in Adams first transgression as all the ioynts of their soules are vtterly loosened and all the powers and parts of mind and of members are strucken so quite out of frame as they can neither stirre hand nor foot to helpe themselues any way herein nor can be holpen by any other to bee thus brought vnto him yet as Peter and Iohn willed the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate of the Temple to looke vpon them when he desired to receiue some Act. 3. 4. comfort from them so let them looke vnto Christ and fixe their eyes wholly and onely vpon him in whose name and by whose onely power that poore creeple was made strong and had perfect soundnesse giuen vnto him in the sight of all men let them so cast their eye vpon Christ and looke vnto him and to none but to him to bee holpen and saued by him though it were but with a squint eye that hath much weakenesse and lamenesse in it as well as the other parts that are all out of frame and this shall fetch helpe and procure healing and safety to be bestowed vpon them We know that but the looking vpon the brasen serpent in the wildernesse by the wounded Israelite Numb 21. 9. though he could not come at him to touch him was enough for his curing And wee may perceiue how much such a casting of an eye and looking after Christ doth affect that our blessed Sauiour and woâ—â—e vpon him by that which hee speaketh to the Spouse in the Canticles Thou hast rauished my hart my sister my Spouse Cantic 4. 9. thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes We know Enery true beleeuer hath two eyes one the Eagle-eye of faith whereby he seeth him that is inuisible and maketh present that which is not scene another the eye of hope whereby he wishly looketh for what saith beleeueth there is nothing that will more or sooner moue a tender-hearted mother to bestirre her selfe to helpe her child in the weakenesse thereof then when it is so much decaied in strength as it can neither stiree hand to reach vnto her nor vtter voyce to speake to be holpen by her but alwaies looketh wishfully vpon her and followes her with the eye which way soeuer she goeth This was the course that Iehoshaphat tooke when he was ouer-matched of his enemies hauing no power to with-stand them neither knowing what to doe hee cried vnto the Lord and said there is no might in vs to stand against this great multitude neither know we what to doe onely our eyes 2. Chron. 20. 12 Psal 121. 1. 123. 1. 2. are vnto thee O Lord Thus did the seruants of God lift vp their eyes vnto the hilles from whence their helpe did come professing that their eyes should waite vpon the Lord till he had mercy vpon them euen as the eyes of the seruants did looke to the hands of their masters And no more then this doth the Lord himselfe require from all the ends of the earth that they might be saued by him Isai 45. 22. then that they doe looke vnto him This looking vpon Christ is a kind of laying hold vpon him and of vniting our selues vnto him We know the eye can as well apprehend and fasten hold vpon the obiect that it seeth as the eare can doe vpon the Word that it heareth or the hand lay hold vpon the thing that it toucheth When a word is spoken to the eare the eare catcheth hold vpon the sound that is vttered and at the same time the mind apprehendeth that which is meant thereby and so both the eare and the mind doe lay hold of one and the same speech at one instant together In like manner when any thing is looked vpon by the eye the obiect that is looked vpon is in the eye that doth see it and at the same time in the mind
new borne either know or apprehend the time or the meanes in and by which it came to be first brought forth into the world though being once borne and endued with all the powers and faculties of the mind and made in euerie part proportionable with all the members of the body howsoeuer it cannot well vse either it is euen at the very first as absolutely and perfectly a true man as euer it shal be afterward when it can put the vnderstanding that is in the mind to the greatest vse and worke with the members of the body to the best purpose that it euer shall be able So is it with the faith of Gods elect that is once Iude 3. giuen to the Saints it is as true faith at the first and as truly existing and being after it is once begotten by the working of Gods Spirit and thereby planted and put into the hart of a Christian though in neuer so great weaknesse as euer it is or shall bee when it is growne to the greatest strength it euer can attaine vnto or bee of the most effectual and mightiest operation and working that it possibly can be of Again if we consider faith how it may be assailed euen after it hath bin once soundly wrought in vs and planted in our hearts by the strength of tentation and the forcible Luke 22. 31. working of Satan who desireth to haue vs that he may winnow and sift vs as wheat daily experience maketh manifest the truth of this that so may a mans faith be shaken and al feeling of comfort be made wholly to faile him that he who once with great ioy did apprehend the loue and fauour of God towards him in Christ Iesus may be as far from such feeling and comfortable perswasion either so farre as others can iudge or himselfe can any way apprehend as euer was Peter from that worthie confession of Christ and of the faith hee had in him which hee once made profession of and which was so greatly approoued Matth. 16. 16. 17. 18. and applauded by our Sauiour himselfe when afterwards he did most vnfaithfully cowardly and dastardly denie him and falsely forsweare him yea curse and banne himselfe Matth. 26. 70. 72. 74. if euer he knew him And yet through the vnchangeablenesse of Gods purpose and grace whose waies are euer mercy and truth to such as feare him and his workes without repentance neuer to be called backe againe who neuer can denie himselfe though we may be vnfaithfull 2. Tim. 2. 13. and hardly can beleeue the faith of such a Christian howsoeuer soarely it may bee shaken by the force and strength of tentation so as vnbeliefe may seeme to haue gotten the vpper hand and feeling to be quite lost that hauing wholly let goe the hold thereof yet is it no more destroyed from hauing any further being nor can bee more made finally to faile him in whom it was euer soundly wrought at all then did the faith of Peter vtterly faile which was so vpheld by the promise and prayer of Luke 22. 32. Christ our Sauiour as it was not possible for all the gates of hell to preuaile against the same though they sifted it Matth. 16. 18. neuer so winnowed it to the ful This comfortable perswasion then in the heart of a beleeuing Christian which accompanieth the true knowledge and laying hold of Christ and riseth and floweth from them both it is not so much felt and perceiued at the first being and beginning of faith as after some time of continuance when faith by daily growing hath attained to some good measure of strength it then is found to manifest it selfe to the much quieting of the heart in the which it is so felt This is but the comfortable progresse and growing of faith the proceeding of it on as I may say from faith to faith as the Apostle speaketh And as in a word was noted before Rom. 1. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 21. out of that which is set downe by Peter from the faith that we haue by beleeuing in Christ to come to beleeue in God and to haue faith and hope in him reckoning vpon all fauour and mercy from him CHAP. VI. The vse that is to be made of this that God hath giuen the Commandements both of the Law and Gospell for the attaining of eternall life Question COme now to shew what vse we are to make of the knowledge of this that beside the commandements set downe in the Law for the fulfilling the righteousnesse thereof promise being made that if we shall so doe we shall liue thereby we haue another commandement inioyned vnto vs in the Gospell for our belieuing in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God with promise likewise made in the same Gospell that all that belieue in him shall neuer perish but haue life euerlasting A. We are occasioned hereby to obserue the inestimable goodnesse of God towards mankind for his saluation so many waies being vsed by the Lord for the recouering of this most wofull creature so lamentably fallen that yet he might not perish for euer but liue and bee saued in the end First for that in giuing forth his Law he would euer treate about life with so rebellious a traitour as man had shewed himselfe to be against his Creator and would offer any conditions of peace or make any couenant at all for life and safety with such a rebell deseruing so often to die yea and that euerlastingly but such was the first couenant of the Law giuen by the Lord vnto Deut. 4. 13. 8. all mankind to be obserued by them wherein it pleased the Lord to enter into this couenant with man that howsoeuer by his transgression he had deserued to die without any mercy yet if he would now obserue these his Statutes and keepe the commandements which he had set downe in his Law hee should for all that liue and be saued thereby Doe this saith the Lord and thou shalt Leuit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. liue which was done to let man see his vnabilitie to keepe this Law and thereby to driue him to seeke for life by the new Couenant made in Christ Secondly whereas the conditions of this first couenant Rom 8. 3. Gal. 3. 21. 22. Heb 7. 18. 19. Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 7. 10. of the Law were found much too hard to bee stood vnto and to bee kept by any man that so he might liue and be saued by so doing for by the deeds of the Law no flesh can euer be saued for by reason of sinne that commandement which was ordained to life is found to be vnto vs to death Herein the goodnesse of God did yet super-abound that it would please him to couenant with man the second time for life and saluation making a new couenant which is said to bee a better couenant then the Ier. 31. 31. 32. former because it is stablished vpon better promises our Sauiour
therefore came into the world in the fulnes of time that hee might become the author of saluation to all that should beleeue Heb. 5. 9. in him who is Iesus our Lord. Who are we that we should controll the wisedome of our heauenly Father in thus dispensing out his owne gifts which are alwaies most freely bestowed and can neuer by any be deserued especially seeing the Lord is God onely wise who alone knoweth both what is meetest for the measure and when 1. Tim. 1. 17. is fittest for the time for any to receiue grace from his hands vpon whom it shall be his good pleasure to bestow Why faith is not seene any grace at all It is not vnknowne to the Lord how depraued our nature is how deeply infected and enuenomed wee are with most poisonfull and deadly corruption so as it is hard for any grace to bee put into vs which we shall not be found to spot and defile wee are apt to abuse not only the gifts of nature which God hath giuen vs but the supernaturall graces also and gifts of his spirit bestowed vpon vs yea euen this gift and grace of faith it selfe which is a gift of gifts and grace most gratious that God doth bestow vpon those whom hee loueth best then the which none is either more pretious or excellent in selfe nor none is more soueraigne or sauing vnto vs. Which howsoeuer it hath vertue in it according to the naturall working thereof to purifie our hearts yet Acts 15. 9. being once placed and planted in our hearts such is the strength of corruption that it meeteth with there as it becommeth polluted it selfe and that with all other graces put into vs as our best workes that doe goe from vs and are done by vs they all by being once in vs and by comming so from vs are but as spotted and polluted Isai 64. 6. cloathes are Let the Lord bestow this most pretious faith vpon vs which is called the faith of Gods elect which Tit. 1. 1. is so pretious as whosoeuer hath once receiued it can neuer perish afterward if alwaies vpon the first bestowing of it vpon vs and at the very first being of faith in vs we should vndoubtedly know that we had true sauing faith which is auaileable euen in the least measure and degree thereof to saue euery soule that truly is possessed with it it were possible yea and that very likely too vnlesse wee were better aided with a second grace giuen that we might abuse this first so as the knowledge thereof might cause vs become negligent in further vsing good meanes to attaine to greater degrees of faith and increases thereof because we would thinke a little would be sufficient and serue our turne well enough Contrary to that which he that is the author of our faith would haue to be done of vs who setteth vs a worke euer to desire and daily to pray to God for the more encreasing of our faith Euen as we are also willed not to be wanting to our selues in building vp and edifying our selues in our most holy faith Iude 20. Not without iust cause then is it that the Lord is found to take this vsuall course with many of his children whom he full dearely doth loue that in this point of hauing the assurance of their saluation by the liuely feeling of sauing faith to be in them hee holdeth them off for a long time before he granteth them herein their desire though they desire nothing more earnestly and long for the finding and feeling thereof euen to the very fainting of their hearts giuing to them that which is most needfull for them to haue which is faith to be saued though withholding from them that which might be thought most comfortable for them to haue in regard of their owne feeling namely the assurance of faith for saluation And though the Lord knoweth that such his children desire to know nothing sooner nor nothing more then to know themselues to bee of that number that are appointed to life and saluation for euer yet doth he see it fit not to acquaint them too soone with what hee either hath done for them in the free electing of them Eph. 1. 4. before euer the world had any beginning or what hee hath now wrought in them by putting faith into them for the making their estate safe for euer in the matter of their so much desired and longed-for saluation because he well fore-seeth such is our pronenes and readinesse to abuse euen Gods best fauours and mercies bestowed vpon vs that if we should know too soone that all were wrought and made sure by God himselfe for our euerlasting saluation we our selues would take little paines to make sure our owne saluation to our selues whereas the Lord would haue this to be the worke of euery man that we our selues should worke out our owne saluation as with our owne hands and that not without feare and trembling too This is a worke inioyned vnto all and a dutie that is to be done and practised by all not onely of them that are the weakest younglings that are but as infants in the faith and babes in Christ but of those also that 1. Cor. 3. 1. Eph. 4. 13. 14. are the strongest and of ripest age that are growne men in the faith and haue attained to the greatest degrees therein For though the Lord as seemeth best to his wisdome doth in a differing manner dispence of this grace of sauing faith to such as shall be heires of eternall saluation to some he giueth to haue a lesser and to some to haue a greater measure therein some to haue great doubting remaining with their true beleeuing others to bee more comfortably perswaded and at times also most vndoubtedly Rom. 8. 38. 39. assured of their obtaining saluation with God for euer and that with so great a certaintie and clearenes as nothing can make them at all to doubt or call the matter once into question yet who so hath the greatest assurance of all hath no such assurance as will allow him to be carnally secure or exempt him from passing the time of his 1. Pet. 1. 17. dwelling here infeare or free him from an awfull kind of trembling also euen then when he hath his greatest comfort and is in the midst of his chiefest reioycing seeing these are both coupled and commended vnto vs to bee vsed together to serue the Lord with feare and to reioyce Psal 2. 11. with trembling which may occasion the very best neuer to be idle nor vnfruitfull in the Christian conuersation neuer to slacke their diligence by adding vertue to vertue stil to make sure to themselues their eternall election and neuer to withdraw their hand from the labour of this blessed worke of euer working out their owne saluation and that not without some feare and trembling also Which if they should be wanting in and faile to doe and by abusing
lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on Isai 25. 6. the lees well refined The Lord his table being furnished as the royall table of a King at the mariage of his Sonne Matth. 22. 2. with the sweete bread of the finest of the wheate euen the bread and manne of God that came down from heauen Iohn 6. 58. and with wine of the grape of a most noble kinde that is with the pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ Iesus There are they so abundantly satisfied with the fatnes of Gods house and the Lord doth make them Psal 36. 8. Psal 65. 13. 14. so to drink their fill out of the riuers of his pleasures there that they cannot but bee merrie and much reioyce yea sing for very ioy of heart And the effect of their true feeding vpon this spirituall nourishment and of the comfortable refreshing they feele themselues to be cheared withall after they haue sucked and been satisfied with such hony combes of all Gods mercies as they haue found and plucked out of the carkase of that dead Lion of the tribe of Iudah doth as manifestly appeare in the carriage of their liues following which is sufficient to shew they haue fed in deed and not in phantasie while their spirits are found to be reuiued in them they waxing lusty and strong thereby fat and well liking and fresh in doing dutie and in bearing out their labour as strong men in Christ Iesus and the eyes of their vnderstanding so cleered and made lightsome to see their way and to vnderstand Gods will that they may know how to walke and please him as euer the effect of Samsons drinking of waters after his great thirst and of Ionathans tasting of hony after his great wearinesse was seene and perceiued in the refreshing of either of them thereby Of Samson it is said that his spirit came againe and he reuiued after his great thirst when once he had drunke of that water which the Lord caused to flow out of the hollow place of the iaw Iudg. 15. 19. with which he slew so many of the Philistims And of Ionathan it is said that when he and all the people were faint with much fasting his eyes were cleered and inlightened after hee had once dipped the end of the rod that was in his hand in an hony combe and putting it 1. Sam. 14. 27. to his mouth had tasted of the same Though a temporarie beleeuer may be said to apprehend and lay hold vpon after a sort of the promises of saluation and vpon the merits of Christ for saluation yet there is guile also in this for both it is vpon wrong grounds misapplying the promises and after a wrong manner more laying hold vpon the merits of Christ then vpon Christ himselfe and therefore laying hold vpon the streames and missing the fountaine whatsoeuer their comfort may be for a time yet their hearts at length are as the drie cisternes that want water because they are cut off from the fountaine and so their candle and the light of all their comfort is quite extinct and put out againe True beleeuers lay hold of Christ himselfe who is their life they apprehend him for their Sauiour and they finde saluation in him God hauing giuen vs life that life is in 1 Ioh 5. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. 12. his Sonne they that haue the Sonne haue life the true beleeuer hath Christ dwelling in his heart by faith they haue the fountaine of life and comfort in themselues and as Iohn saith they haue the witnes in themselues their comfort 1. Ioh 5. 10. Ioh. 7. 38. therefore is sure and it is lasting riuers of water of life slow out of their bellies they neuer are drie As the manner of their apprehending is faultie so the ends which they aime at in apprehending of Christ are not right They seeke to haue Christ and to haue his acquaintance and to be knowne to be towards him that they might bee honoured among men and the better thought on for the professing of him as Saul desired Samuels 1. Sam. 15. 30. companie and presence that thereby hee might the more be honoured before the people The most they seeke in sâ—eking to him is but themselues they wish with Baalam to die the death of the righteous saluation they would haue from him and that they catch at but Christ himselfe they doe not so much seaze vpon nor care so much to haue that either hee should be in them by the power of his death crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof or they be in him to become new creatures in him Their dealing herein is like to the dealing of theeues and malefactors who looke for no other benefit by a Parliament but to heare of a pardon neuer desiring to heare of any good lawes to gouerne better their liues they that minde to liue by theeuerie carrie such a minde The true beleeuers desire and seeke to haue Christ not alone in respect of their owne saluation but for the surpassing excellencie that is seene to be in himselfe they know him to be the chiefe of the choice of men yea to be the chiefest of tenne thousand and in himselfe to bee euery way wholly delectable and therefore their hearts are so affectionated towards him as that he and he alone is their only welbeloued his name is as sweete ointment powred out and therefore with the virgins they doe loue him and with the Spouse they runne after him seeking for him in euery corner because it is he whom their soule loueth and delighteth in yea with the Spouse they doe grow sicke of loue vntill they may enioy him In seeking Cantic 5. 8. him they seeke not their owne honour but that they might honour him and are willing to be subiect to him as to be saued by him and therefore renouncing all others they betake themselues only vnto him and say as it is in the Prophet O Lord other Lords beside thee haue had Isai 26. 13. dominion ouer vs but wee will make mention of thee and of thy name only They laying hold of Christ lay hold of him that laieth no hold of them they crie Master Master vnto him seeking and scraping acquaintance of him that renounceth them and wholly doth disclaime them bidding them depart from him for hee doth not know them they lay hold of Christ as Saul did of Samuel that tooke no delight 1. Sam. 15. 26. 27. â—8 in him but turned away from him as hauing no heart to abide longer with him he was therefore faine to offer violence to Samuel and to rend his garment though he got no more by it but to heare God had rent away his kingdome from him these rend and teare the Scriptures by mis-applying of them and all to pull Christ to them who cares not for them who shall get no more by that reading then Saul did by his for their names
to their idle and their single sold faith and they runne away counter with this in their minde and this in their mouth the iust shall liue by his faith as though they had now found out such a way to heauen as doe what they will in all their life time they can neuer come short of the place that they seeme so to hunt for But they and their faith are like to perish together and their assurance is as sure to trust to as is a reede or broken staffe which will be sure to leaue them in the ditch when they trusting vnto it most doe reckon and looke to leape ouer thereby True beleeuers who know of Gods loue and fauour towards them indeed and apprehend thâ—se euerlasting sweete mercies of God in Christ Iesus which haue eternall life and saluation accompanying them whereof they haue good assurance giuen them and wrought vp in their hearts by their so beleeuing their soules being now satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse which makes them praise God with ioyfull lips they doe not receiue this grace of God in vaine but because they finde such mercie from God they feare him the more with a child-like feare which makes them awfully to serue him and willingly to performe euery good dutie vnto him Yea the loue of God in Christ Iesus constraines them to doe their Psal 18. 1. dutie and to professe with Dauid that of force they must loue God Now are not his commandements grieuous vnto them but their delight is in the law of God which they haue learned Iob to preferre before their appointed food The more assurance they haue of Gods loue towards them whereby they know God to bee their God and haue boldnesse to crie abba father vnto him the more surely hath the Lord their hearts ioyned vnto him in true loue againe they being tyed fast with the cords of his owne loue wherewith first hee loued them which causeth them reciprocally to loue him backe againe And because he hath giuen them the Spirit of adoption whereby they know him to be their father the more may hee reckon vpon the naturalnes of their loue and child-like dutie vnto him because hee now knoweth them as being so made by him to be his owne true children indeed whom he hath made partakers of his owne diuine nature setting 2. Pet. 1. 4. his owne image vpon them and giuing them a heart and disposition to be like minded to himselfe to loue that he loueth and hate that hee hateth euen to loue righteousnesse as their life and hate all manner of wickednesse which God doth most hate He may now reckon vpon them as vpon his peculiar ones to haue seruice done at their hands though others will doe none that they will stirre when others sit still and though others doe grumble and snuffe when they are spoken vnto yet for them to be found willing chearefull and vnwearied in their well doing CHAP. XVI How easie it is to get a false perswasion but difficult to attaine sound assurance of saluation which is another difference betweene them THe assurance of an hypocrite is of no such excellencie but it is easie to come by and may bee as soone light vpon as euer it is looked after for it is as refuse stuffe that lieth in euery mans way not worth the taking vp No marueile then that they are so full of it for of such rubbish there be cart load fuls ro be had in euery ditch and throwne out vpon euery dunghill which hee that hath vnderstanding to discerne between things that differ would rather throw from him then euer take vp though it lay in his way A wise Christian will rather emptie his heart of such idle conceits as these set so great store by if any such he found there then so to fill himselfe as with emptinesse and winde that will put him more to paine then profit him any whit Such Christians as these they are no sooner borne but they are growne men the first so soone as euer they begin to make any profession of Christian religion they attaine to their perfection so fast as they make any beginning they by and by know as much as any can teach them as to loue God aboue all things and their neighbour as themselues This they reckon to be all that can be taught them there is no more to be learned they know al are to be saued only by faith in Christ Iesus what need they any more they are now sure of their saluation for euer they will neuer doubt after It may be said of the assurance that these men haue according to that which goeth in the prouerbe it is soone ripe and it will be as soone rotten it is brought foorth at once like Ionahs gourd they neuer laboured for it no more then hee did for his gourd for such weedes as these idle conceits and fond fancies wherewith such sort of Christians vse to flatter their owne hearts they wil grow fast enough of themselues but as it is easily come by so it is as easily lost againe it may grow in one night as did Ionah 4. 10. his gourd and perish in another and then it will be with them as it was with him they will fret more for the want of it then euer they ioyed in their first hauing of it The good assurance of Gods faithfull seruants is very True assurance hardly gotten hard to come by The assurance of faith like faith it selfe as it is most pretious so it is most rare and not common to be found In this particular the truth of that which runneth in another prouerbe that is common is much confirmed that daintie things are deare things and things of most excellencie will not be attained to without great difficultie Great is the cost many of Gods seruants haue been at and hard hath been the labour which they haue taken about this one point of their assurance they haue sweat much and taken sore paines hereabout night and day doe they seeke it yea daies and yeeres haue they bestowed vpon it in seeking after it and yet hardly can finde 〈◊〉 and with much difficultie can euer attaine vnto it the Lord seeing it meete so to haue them exercised so to deâ—erre them and so long to put them off before euer hee will giue them to haue their hearts desire herein For he knoweth such to be the worth and excellencie thereof as it will quit well the cost they haue been at and pay well for the trauaile and paines they haue taken for the comming by it when once they shall haue obtained it hee holds it therefore at so deare a price that knowing what it cost them before they could purchase it they may the better esteeme of it when they haue it The Lord seeth well enough that the things we easily come by wee vse as little care for and as lightly to set by Neither doth the Lord vse to giue this to be had
that failed him and his portion for euer Like as they who to day doe beleeue and haue now the comfort of their saluation which they doe much ioy in to morrow may haue their faith so shaken that they cannot beleeue as they did before and so the comfort and ioy of their saluation for the time may be gone but God is the strength of their faith and the vpholder of their saluation for euer who himselfe is so faithfull as though they cannot beleeue yet hee cannot denie himselfe Gods children haue learned therefore more to ioy in God who is the strength of their faith and the vpholder of their saluation then in the stedfastnes of their beleeuing or any assurance that they haue of the same their owne saluation If a man haue a rich and royal portion he is much pleased and delighted therein the Lord being the portion of his seruants and their chiefe treasure all their longing desire is to enioy him which if they can obtaine it is enough to them and that which their soules are fully satisfied in this is the making vp of their ioy their chiefest solace and their hearts onely delight Giue a man his delight hee asketh no more hee is then content Gods children thinke they want nothing so long as they haue him for their owne aboue all ioyes aboue all pleasures aboue all that their hearts can delight in they delight in the Lord and in his loue and fauour continually when they know him to be their God and father reconciled in Christ Iesus and doe feele his loue shed abroad in their hearts so as they know he loues them by tasting the sweetnesse of his loue which is better then wine such is the goodnesse and the greatnes such is the glorious excellencie of God his owne maiestie as the better he is knowne the more he must needs be loued delighted and ioyed in for his owne maiesties sake Gods children doe therefore loue God dearely yea they cannot but of force they must loue him so doe they loue him ioy and delight in him as they loue the habitation of Psal 26. 8. his house and the place where his honour dwelleth they loue as wee vse to say the very ground he goeth vpon they are neuer well but when they are with him their soule is a thirst for God euen the liuing God they vse to long for Psal 42. 2. Psal 84. 2. Cantic 5. 8. him euen to the very fainting of their heart and to grow sicke with the loue of him there is nothing they can lesse beare then his absence and for him to be estranged from them for any time it is as death to them to want his presence but they aske no more then to haue the light of his Psal 4. 6. countenance lifted vp vpon them for they finde contentment enough in him this causeth to them more ioy then the abundance of corne and wine and oyle though neuer so increased can Yea the louing kindnesse of God is better Psal 63. 3. 5. then is loue it selfe they are euer satisfied with the sweetnesse of his mercie as with marrow and fatnes This makes them to reioyce in the Lord alwaies and to reioyce in his strength Psal 18. 31. Psal 77. 13. Psal 34. 2. 44. 8. continually to praise him to make their boast of his praise for who is God but the Lord and who so great a God as is their God and who so gracious and good as he They are as I may say proud of their Master his greatnes and excelcencie being as it is many are seene to get them vnder great men to serue them A noble man thinkes himselfe honoured if he may but hold the basen to a King it may be the reioycing and counted for the greatest dignitie that the highest Kings in the world can be aduanced vnto to serue so great a God as is he there is no place in his seruice meane his Maiestie is so great there is none so honourable a Master as the Lord to waite vpon for his throne is prepared in heauen therefore doe the faithfull serue the Lord with gladnesse and much ioyfulnes of heart as thinking themselues greatly honoured that they may serue him neither doe they as mercenarie seruants only respect their wages and hire they shall haue for their seruice but they looke vpon the high dignitie the great worth and glorious excellencie of him they attend vpon whose highnesse and greatnes is such as that touching him it may well be said Worship him all ye Gods In seruing the Lord they neuer thinke any dutie sufficient nor seruice great enough that can be performed to so eminent a Master so mightie and so gracious a God as is the Lord for God is with such an affection with such a desire and minde to be loued serued and ioyed in that hee himselfe may be esteemed and reckoned reward great enough of his owne worship of all the loue that is borne to him and of the best seruice that any can doe vnto him otherwise hee that serueth God for any other respect then for the Prosper lib. sent Lords own sake serueth not so much God as that which by seruing him he aimeth at and desireth to haue CHAP. XX. Of the second dimension of ioy wherein they differ which is the depth of a deiected and disconsolate estate THE second dimension that the ioy of a true beleeuer exceedeth the ioy of a true beleeuers counterfeit in is in the depth of a deiected and low estate and condition whereinto they both as well the one as the other may at sometimes indifferently be brought which so happening the ioy of one vnsound in the faith is altogether extinct and can no more be had when distresse commeth vpon them they begin to mourne as those that had outliued all their ioyes But the ioy of a true beleeuer which is the ioy of faith it is either felt in it according to the power of faiths working as hee then can get to beleeue or it is vndoubtedly in the end fetched out of it and many times doubled afterwards for the little time that it then was ecclipsed Both of them may Psal 140. 10. be cast into a labyrinth of troubles and into a sea of miseries they may be in wofull distresse and brought to False ioy in sorrow doth sinke the state of the forlorne hope as wee vse to speake the one by biding the aduenture is blessed with such successe and scapeth happily out of danger when the other shifting for himselfe miscarrieth in all that he endeuoureth and so commeth short home in the end A true beleeuer True ioy riseth out of sorrow is neuer in such a sea of misery but he escapeth drowning and swimmeth safely out of it againe for hee is alwaies held vp as by the chin either by the strength and comfort of his hope which maketh him to reioyce in hope that hee shall be deliuered in the
mischiefe of pride surely as pride spoileth vertue so vice spoileth pride againe And as out of the ashes of other sinnes pride is said to spring vp so out of the flourishing againe of other sinnes all that pride is plucked downe againe And this may bee thought to bee one cause why the Lord seeth it meete not wholly to free his seruants from many infirmities and much corruption of nature which is found still remaining in them namely that as he would not cast out all the enemies of his people out of that good land to which he had brought them lest the wild beastes for want of their helpe should preuaile against them so doth the Lord suffer that strength of corruption to remaine in his children that they may be aided thereby against all the assailings of pride which is such a wild beast as otherwise could not well bee with-stood but were likely otherwise to deuoure all vertue that it could find in them and by so doing come finally to ouerthrow them Satan therefore that is so busie with Gods children to bee euer tempting them to sinne and to one sinne after another doth therein but worke against himselfe and doth but lay a traine to blow vp the castles of pride wherein himselfe should most strongly and safely abide And while he neuer leaueth till he haue drawne the childe of God at the last to commit some great and hainous sinne which proueth to be as a wakening sinne vnto him who before was slumbring in securitie and maketh him to start vp and arise out of his sleepe and considering his waies in his heart to humble himselfe at once and to repent for that and for all his sinnes beside Now Satan in this doing doth but pull as we vse to say an old house vpon his head for he pulleth downe and ouerthroweth thereby the whole frame of all the other sinnes which hee had built vp and got to be planted in that mans heart before and so by his restlesse tentations he destroyeth and crosseth his owne worke the Lord making him in despight of his teeth to worke against himselfe who though he doe what he can yet will the Lord euer be found to ouershoote Satan euen in his own bowe In all which respects the Lord through his infinite wisedome goodnesse and mercy so ordering euery thing as he maketh the very sinnes of his seruants committed by them not a little to turne to the good of themselues by causing them therby the better to know their owne frailtie and what strength of corruption is still abiding in them that so they may be drawne to a greater humiliation and more earnest repenting not alone for their last sinnes but for such sinnes also as before either were not knowne or neuer at al soundly repented on and withal to haue a far greater care bred in them how to carry themselues more warily for afterwards euermore with feare and trembling working on their owne saluation And when besides Gods seruants shall see the workes of Satan thus distolued in them that what he intended for their ouerthrow doth now serue for their furtherance and to their making for euer the diuels poyson being so altered and changed by the ouer-ruling hand as it becommeth medicine Satan tempting and drawing them to sinne and the Lord by that sinne pulling them out of more sinne so curing sinne by sinne And lastly and chiefly when they at the length doth see how the Lord doth out of the sinnes committed by them how odious and abominable soeuer they haue been which they haue done make way for his owne greater glory and the more magnifying of the riches of those his mercies whereby both the same their sinnes are pardoned vnto them and they themselues in like manner cleared and purged from the venemous infection and strong corruption of them what should let but that which being euer humbled in themselues with godly sorrow for their sinnes and going out of themselues yet the true seruants of God their sinnes notwithstanding may reioyce in the Lord and alwaies reioyce in him for the excellency of all this worke thus wrought by him Q. Though there may be some cause of a Christians reioycing in the Lords blessed worke whereby he bringeth good out of the euill of such sinnes as he hath committed when once such good effects are seene to be brought out yet while this sinne is still abiding without being put to any such vse as you haue before spoken I demaund what cause there can bee shewed or any way found to bee of a Christians reioycing in the Lords worke which hee is in hand with towards him at the very time of his sinning or still abiding in his sinne A. That I may not be mistaken herein I am so farre from either saying or thinking that any seruant of God falling into sinne may any way reioyce in himselfe in respect of the sinne that either he hath once fallen into or still is seene to continue and abide in as confidently I doe affirme he can neuer be sufficiently cast downe nor grieued enough with godly sorrowing for the same and therefore according to the counsell giuen by the Apostle Iames 4. 9. 10. Iames I say he ought to be afflicted to mourne and to weepe letting his laughter be turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse humbling himselfe daily in the sight of the Lord till hauing obtained mercy from God for hauing repentance vnto life granted to him whereby hee may turne from his sinne and bring forth fruites worthy of amendment of life the Lord may then lift him vp in giuing him sound comfort and true ioy againe Howbeit in respect of another worke which the Lord himselfe is then in hand with euen when his seruant is sinning or after hee hath sinned found still abiding in that sinne he hath committed if that worke of God could be well seene into and rightly and wisely discerned I see nothing to the contrary but there might be found the like cause of reioycing therein as the sicke patient findeth cause to reioyce in the worke which he seeth his skilfull Physitian to be in hand with when he is tempering the potion mixing the ingredients preparing the medicine and then doth administer it vnto him and sets it a working the patient cannot all this time reioyce as hauing seene and felt what is the good effect of that medicine nor in perceiuing the cure to be fully wrought and finished vpon him but knowing that the Physitian who hath taken him in hand is both skilfull and faithfull hee reioyceth to see him to bee about the worke and so diligent therein as to be a preparing the medicine within his best vnderstanding hee knoweth of all others to bee most fit for his curing So when the Lord seeth no other meanes to be so fit for the recouering of some dull and dead-hearted seruant of his out of some sinne that he is fallen into and in which hee still lieth slumbring without any
repenting for the same but to leaue him to himselfe that the falling into a greater sinne may by occasion of so great a fall be made to awake out of his slumber and be brought to a thorow and sound repentance for all his sinnes together while such a secure Christian thus sicke and diseased is committing of some great and hainous sinne the Lord who is his Physitian is in hand in the meane while with another worke of his owne namely to bee tempering of such a medicine as shall not faile to cure him the Lord taking the poyson of that sinne which he is a committing and making thereof a most soueraigne medicine it being the Lords manner as hath bin spoken before to cure sinne with sinne Now this worke which the Lord is in hand with euen at that time if it either can be seene by himselfe which is most hard so to be seene by any for the present time or can be shewed him by any other to be so a working hath matter in it sufficient to beare out a warrantable reioycing for that the Lord is a doing though otherwise there is most iust cause of deepe sorrowing and most bitter lamentation for that which already is done and is yet further a doing by his owneselfe in that thing CHAP. XXIII Of the second hinderance of ioy in Gods hiding his face and how that is made an occasion of reioycing vnto a true and sound beleeuer THe second maine point about which especially doubt may be made how a true beleeuer may alwaies haue ioy and reioyce in the Lord is in regard of Gods owne dealing towards vs and that either in regard When God hides his face of his withdrawing himselfe from vs by hiding his face or in regard of his comming neare vnto vs by smiting vs with his hand Touching the first it is true there is nothing more grieuous and fearfull then to bee forsaken of God and therefore God himselfe saith Woe vnto Hos 9. 12. you when I shall forsake you for if God bee our light our confidence and our comfort and if all our happinesse be in him then to be forsaken of God is to be depriued of all true comfort to be left to all misery and to be cast as into a whole sea and gulfe of desperate sorrow and into very hell it selfe the fauour of God being better then is life it Psal 63. 3. selfe A man were better bee out of his life then out of Gods fauour But it may be demanded with the Apostle doth or will God at any time cast off his people and it may Rom. 11. 1. be answered againe with the same Apostle God forbid God will not cast away his people And as the Psalmist saith he will not forsake his inheritance for so hath God Psal 94. 14. Heb. 13. 5. himselfe said I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee True it is God somtimes for a moment in his anger doth hide his Isa 54. 8. face from his children and carryeth the matter of his good will towards them so closely as they can know of no fauour that he beareth them it not being betweene him and them as it was yesterday and yesterday when Psal 90. 13. he is found to be vnto them as a passenger and as a stranger that tarryeth but for a night then there is hanging about him and crying with Moses and the people Oh God returne be pacified towards thy seruants then there is entreating and praying with Dauid Goe not farre from me Psal 22. 11. Psal 119. 8. O God for trouble is hard at hand and forsake me not ouerlong Oh God Yea the Lord himselfe seemeth to rise vp against his children and then there is crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thē Sion mournes and Psal 22. 1. complaines the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten Isa 49. 14. me But this hiding of Gods face is but a fatherly frowning for a time to awe his children the more and breed the better circumspection in them for afterwards when God doth forsake his children that forsaking is neither fully nor finally for euer He many times hauing forsaken them doth tarry long before he doth returne to them againe he holds off till he can hold off no longer that so he may make his children feare the more to fall out with him againe But it is a sauing feare that keepes vs in that state as we shall not need to feare anymore and it is a profitable vexation and anguish of the soule that bringeth rest thereunto for euer after Though the Lord may seeme somtimes to goe away and to hide his face yet he neuer taketh such a farwell of them as meaning Ioh. 16. 7. 22. no more to come at them But as our Sauiour Christ about the time of his departure comforted his Disciples by telling them it was expedient for them that hee did goe away assuring them that though he did goe away yet hee would see them againe and then they should haue the greater ioy yea their hearts should so reioyce as none should take their ioy from them So may it in some other respect be truly said in this case that it is somtimes expedient for Gods seruants that their heauenly Father doe hide his countenance from them withdraw his presence and goe away especially when that through their too great vnthankfulnesse and securitie they begin to play the wantons too much and it is found with them according to that which runnes in the prouerbe Too much familiarity breedeth contempt then it is time for the Lord to hide his countenance for the better awing of such then doth need require that such be made sorrie and left in heauinesse for howbeit this is euer but for a time I will goe away Hos 5. 15. saith the Lord and hide my selfe till they seeke me in their affliction they will seeke me diligently the Lord looketh for certaine to heare from such when they are in affliction but howsoeuer he doth go away yet may it truly be said to such as our Sauiour promised to his Disciples he will surely come to see them againe and their hearts shall reioyce with such ioy as none shall take from them when they shall once see his face and know his face againe and perceiue the rayes of the bright countenance of God to shine vpon their darke and cloudie hearts what light of comfort will not that bring to a poore distressed soule euen more ioy then corne and wine and oyle though neuer so encreased can possibly cause to be felt And this is that which the Lord promised his people that though for a moment in his anger hee Psal 89. 32. 33. hide his face yet with euerlasting mercy he would haue compassion upon them Yea when the Lord himselfe seemeth to be in greatest displeasure so as he doth visit the offences of his people with the rod and their sinnes
with scourges yet wil he not take his mercy from them nor falsifie his truth though for a time he may be angry yet will hee not keepe his Psal 103. 9. anger alwayes towards his children and vnto this it hath pleased the Lord to bind himselfe not onely by promise but by oath that his kindnesse shall neuer depart from his nor the Couenant of his peace be remoued from them which he would haue them know is as sure to be performed as the oath which he hath sworne shall be kept that the Isa 54 9. 10. waters of Noah shall no more goe ouer the earth and if any man can breake the Couenant which the Lord hath made with the day and night that there should not be day nor night Ier. 33. 20. 21. in their season then may they breake this Couenant which the Lord hath made with his poople in this behalfe Howsoeuer then the Lord being offended may somtimes in his displeasure hide his face from his seruants and forsake them as Christ did the Spowse that we might more desire after him and more earnestly seeke for him yet may there a fauour be found and perceiued to be borne vnto them by the Lord himselfe euen in that his displeasure yea that vey kind of forsaking of Gods children is a token that they are not forsaken because it is done by way of correction and in meaning to reclaime them When he so seemeth to goe from vs he doth indeed but offer himselfe to come nearer vnto vs though this be not so casily discerned for so doth the Author to the Hebrewes tell vs that God in chastening of vs doth offer himselfe vnto Heb. 12. 7. vs as vnto sonnes It is more fearfull forsaking of God when the Lord seemeth to doe nothing lesse then to forsake and when he bringeth no trouble nor affliction for sinne but leaueth men to themselues and to the fulfilling Psal 81. 12. Rom. 1. 28. of the lusts of their owne hearts to doe what they he is neuer more angry then when after that sort hee seemeth to be pleased in doing nothing against them for this is such a kind of dealing by the Lord as if a Physition should giue ouer a patient when his case is desperate And so on the other side the Lord is neuer lesse angry then when he seemeth to be so angry as to haue now left and forsaken vs that thereby he might the better humble vs and breake our hearts For this he vseth as the best medicine the fittest remedic to cure vs and recouer vs out of that most dangerous lethargie of carnall security into which we were fallen and therefore as sicke patients are not glad of their sicknesse and disease but being sicke are glad of the comming of the Physition that bringeth them medicine and ministreth it to them because now they hope they are in the way of being cured and recouered againe so Gods children hauing fallen by their sinning so farre to displease God as now he will giue them no countenance till their hearts be broken for their sinning and they brought to better humiliation though there is no cause they should bee pleased with their sinning yet haue they cause to reioyce in the Lords faithfulnesse vnto them that when no other way could be found sufficient for the reclaiming of them out of their sinne and bringing them home againe that were departed from him then for himselfe to be a while estranged from them hee would chuse rather to loose them for a time that so being occasioned more earnestly to seeke his face and his fauour againe hee might by meanes thereof make them more constantly to abide with him for euer after rather then by continuing his wonted fauours towards them see and suffer them to depart still further from him till there should at the length a perfect breach grow to be made betweene them and so a falling off for altogether CHAP. XXIIII Of the third let of true ioy which is the Crosse and how their ioy is augmented through the much good that comes thereby TOuching that other point of Gods drawing neere vnto vs in laying the crosse vpon our sholders and bringing troubles and afflictions vpon vs for our sinnes when he doth visit our offences with the rod and our sins with scourges the like doubt may be made how Gods children bearing the crosse should not bee so pinched and gauled with the same and being smitten and sorely strucken yea deepely wounded with Gods owne hand should not so haue all comfort and ioy in God taken from them as that possibly they should doe any other thing during all that time but lament and mourne especially when the Lord himselfe findeth it to bee a great fault in his people and complaineth of it by his Propher that he hath smitten them and they haue not sorrowed and ler. 2. 30. and 5. 3. therefore saith that in so smiting them he hath smitten them in vaine Doubtlesse it is a great fault in Gods people when being iustly smitten for their sinnes by the hand of God they turne not vnto him that smiteth them and do not Isa 9. 13. seeke the Lord of hosts when they being afflicted doe not mourne and weepe causing their laughter to be turned into Iam. 4. 9. 10. mourning and their ioy into heauinesse as Iames counselleth Howbeit that Gods seruants may still keepe their ioy and hold their reioycing in the Lord euen during the time while themselues are in heauinesse through manifold afflictions that doe befall them the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. doth plainly shew who finding these to meet together in one and the same subiect though in diuers respects saith thus writing to the dispersed people of God that were elect that they greatly reioyced that they were kept by the power of God vnto saluation though euen at that time for a season they were in heauinesse through manifold tribulations Not much vnlike to this for this matter is that which the Author to the Hebrewes saith concerning Heb. 12. 11. troubles that no chastisement for the present seemeth ioyous but grieuous neuerthelesse aftherward they yeeld the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them which are exercised thereby he saith that the troubles and chastisements are not presently so grieuous but the fruit of righteousnesse which afterward will bee reaped thereby will be euery way as pleasant and as peaceable to them that so haue endured them There is cause then why a Christian euen during the time that hee is vnder the chastisement should reioyce in hope of the good fruit he shall reape of it like as hope is said to be that which doth hold vp in comfort the hart of the husbandman who hauing been at much cost to prepare his ground and commit seed thereunto is yet cheered in hope that when haruest shall come the crop that he shall then reape will quit all the cost he hath formerly been at but aboue
so catch hold vpon him as hee could find nothing but trouble and sorrow If in the multitude of these troubles so rushing vpon them at once they would but pauze and take breath a while and as Moses willed Isa 63. 1. the Israelites stand still and not feare but see and looke for the saluation of the Lord who hauing promised to deliuer his seruants speaketh in righteousnesse and is mighty to saue they should find the issue would be with them as was both with the Israelites then and with Dauid afterward who acknowledged thus vnto the Lord that when I said my foot slideth thy mercy O Lord stayed mee vp in the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts haue reioyced my soule Yea if their troubles themselues had but Psal 94. 18. 1 language to talke with them and tongues put into their heads to declare to them in words what by proofe shall be found at the last they will doe to them in deedes in stead of dismaying them they would abundantly satisfie and content them ease and quiet their minds yea much cheere reioyce and make glad their heauie hearts with letting them know what a benefit they should receiue by their comming vnto them and how much good they all would doe vnto them before they would euer leaue them or part from them any more for though the troubles were neuer so many yet all of them would begin one after another to speake comfortably vnto them letting them know they are come as friends to helpe them and not as enemies whom they need to be afraid of for any manner of way harming or hurting of them Troubles indeed in their vizards are fearfull to Gods children and terrible to looke vpon but in their true faces when those vizards are pulled off and the true end and plaine meaning of their comming is once discouered and made knowne according to Gods gracious purpose in sending them to his best belouest children then doe they appeare amiable and are found louely to looke vpon then will they be thought worthy the welcoming of them and of finding a cheerfull and friendly kind of entertainment to be giuen vnto them for so witnesseth the Apostle Iames who plainly affirmeth there is cause why Christians should account it all ioy when they fall into Iam. 1. 2. diuers tentations for then they are happened among their friends and fallen into the company and hands of such as are their well-willers that will all of them worke together each one doing his part to doe them good When they see many troubles to be before them if they had eyes opened to see them vnmasked and were able rightly and wisely to iudge and discerne of them for the present according to that which they will shew and proue themselues to be vnto them in the end after due triall be once taken and made thereof they would be as much comforted in the beholding of them and seeing thē neerly to approch vnto them as was Iacob who flying from his vnkind and churlish father in lay Laban standing also in no lesse feare in meeting of his most cruell and currish brother Esau that threatned his death when in the middest of all these dangers the Angels of God met him in the way for his comfort whom when hee saw he said of them that they were Gods host which God had sent vnto him calling the name of that place Mahanaim Gen. 32. 1. 2. that is two hosts euen two that were now ioyned together his owne and that camperoyall from heauen for the better safe guarding of him For so are these Gods messengers that goe forth at his bidding and they goe to no other but to whom he doth send them neither doe they otherwise demeane themselues where they become then according as they haue direction giuen vnto them and their appointment from him They are sometimes sent out against Gods enemies and othewhiles when need doth so require they are most imployed about his friends and about his deare children whom hee loueth best but as the persons are much differing to whom now and then they are thus sent so is not the end of their sending to either of them the same neither the manner of their working found to be alike with them after they be once come but as cleane contrary a carrying of the matter in their dealings with the one and the other as was appointed by the Lord to bee vsed by the sixe men whom Ezechiel saw in a vision to be sent out into the City to Ezech. 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. kill and slay the sinners that were in Ierusalem euery man hauing a slaughter-weapon in his hand Among whom order was first taken for the preseruing of the faithfull that they might be marked out to be knowne from therest charge being giuen that none of them should come neere any man vpon whom the marke might be seene but as for all the other their commission was large to goe through the City and slay vtterly to destruction the old and the young not letting their eye spare nor haue any pitie but to fill the courts of Gods house with their slaine When troubles come vpon the wicked when afflictions calamities and wofull distresses are sent out to take hold vpon vngodly persons who goe on with a high hand to prouoke God by their sinnes th en are they mustered as the hoast of God and as his leuied souldiers and strong warriours that are sent forth to fight Gods battels and to bee reuenged of his enemies then haue they slaughter-weapons put into their hands and their commission is made large to kill and slay freely without sparing any or shewing any pity But when they are sent to the godly as they are sent to The sea is found oftner without wind and tempest then the liues of Gods seruants without troubles and affliciions none more and scarce to any so often in so much as for any to be without chastisement whereof all are partakers were to carrie the brand of a bastard and of one that were not the Sonne of God then haue they their slaughter-weapons taken from them Then must all troubles vnarme themselues and lay downe their venomed Heb. 12. 8. weapons with which they are found so much to hurt others for Christ vpon the Crosse vnarmed them to his the venome of all crosses and troubles being taken out of them by his sufferings vpon the Crosse And being thus sent out they are not sent forth without their limitation what to doe how farre to goe when to stay and where they must goe no further and meddle no more The diuell was not more limited nor prescribed by the Lord how farre to goe and where to stay in his dealing against Iob 2. 6. Iob to see that his life might no way be touched then these are restrained from doing the least harme to such as loue God nay contrarily their whole employment for which they are sent forth and about
which they are set a worke is that they doe neither more nor lesse saue that which may be good vnto such and that they doe all worke together to worke them good in the end whilest Gods seruants being through their troubles iudged of the Lord and so bettered by them might like those that were marked in Ierusalem to the end they should bee spared when others were to bee destroyed by their chastisements in like manner be marked of the Lord as those whome Heb. 12. 6. he loueth and whom of very faithfulnesse he causeth to bee troubled to the end as the Apostle sheweth they might Psal 119. 75. 1. Cor. 11. 32. not be condemned with the world Neuer was Dauid more carefull for the sauing of the life nor for the good vsage of his vnnaturall and rebellious sonne Absalom when he sent forth his Captaines with the hoast and armie of the people to fight his battels against those rebels in giuing them charge to deale gently for his sake with the young 2. Sam. 18. 15. man euen with his sonne Absalom then the Lord is found carefull of the safety of all that doe belong to him to giue charge to the whole host and armies of sorrowes when they are sent out and doe goe forth into the world though there were hundreds and thousands of them that whatsoeuer they doe to others yet they euer take heed they vse well Gods seruants neither is this charge at any time neglected nor any found that euer durst with Ioab be so bold as aduenture to transgresse Gods gracious commandement and appointment herein How excellent then how blessed and how happie is the state of all Gods seruants that liuing in the world are yet such priuiledged men as no manner of euill how greatly soeuer it may preuaile against others can yet euer hurt them but that which is others bane be commeth a blessing vnto them and the sorest iudgements that are found to be heauie plagues where they light vpon others are become so altered vnto them they bearing the same that as if their nature were wholly changed they then of iudgements are made mercies vnto them A skilful and learned Chymist can by his art maruellously change the nature of things and by separation of visible elements draw helpfull medecines out of hurtfull and ranke poysons but all the changes that they can make come not neare to this change and the greatest excellency of their skill in working things otherwise strange in nature is infinitely beneath and commeth short of the glorious workmanship which is shewed forth to bee done and wrought by the Lord who is said to be he that worketh wonders alone in that worke of grace whereby men are so altered and changed by him as they are made new creatures and all things are made new after a sort vnto 2. Cor. 5. 17. them There is a conceit of the Philosophers stone that it should haue such a vertue in it as to turne into gold that which it should touch it were doubtlesse a most precious stone if this could euer be found to bee so done indeed But so wonderfull and strange is the alteration and change that is made in Gods children when they are once made new creatures by him so are they then become precious and made of such mettall when as their nature being changed they are now made partakers of the diuine 2. Pet. 1. 4. nature of God as that whatsoeuer then toucheth thē and commeth at them though it were euill before doth then become good vnto them Troubles may come vpon Gods children afflictions may befall them and the like outward calamities as are seene to happen vnto other men but yet in a farre differing manner they are altered and ordered they are blessed and sanctified and otherwaies made good vnto them then they are found to bee vnto any other sort of men for there is nothing that euer befalleth to Gods children which commeth not in mercy and through mercy vnto them the reason of it is because Gods mercies doe compasse them about on euery Psal 32. 10. side Now we know that when a place is surrounded with a strong wall on euery part or compassed about with a moat on euery side there is nothing can come at that place but of necessity it must come by and through that which compasseth it Euery child of God is as a man standing in a center hauing a circumference of mercy circling him about on euery side so as nothing can come to the true child of God but from or through mercy and that in such manner as it shall relish and tast of mercy and become mercy vnto him before euer it come at him Yea so are all the wayes of God mercy and truth to all Psal 25. 10. such as feare him as he neuer setteth foot nor treadeth step out of this path he neuer doth any thing but in all mercy to his children not onely then when hee ladeth Psal 68. 19. them with his benefits and rich blessings bestowed vpō them but as well when he doth humble them vnder the hardest pressures and waight of the heauiest iudgements that he layeth vpon them because it is in all loue and faithfulnesse that he causeth them so to be troubled Whence it is that when Gods mercy in a fauour and blessing bestowed being once abused and his grace being turned into wantonnesse would become a plague and iudgement if it should so be contained then is it Gods greater mercy to take that mercy that fauour and blessing away and to bring on some iudgement for the remedying of that abuse and in that case mercy being so remoued iudgement it selfe is made mercy vnto such Why it should be thus the reason is for that God hath made his children to bee Rom. 9. 22. 23. vessels of his mercy as others are made vessels of his wrath Now we know none but those that ouerseene in that they doe will put contrary liquors into contrary vessels as poyson where they should put their potion or new and sweet wine into mustie and old vessels as neither will they put sowre vineger into their bottles of Rose of solace but the Lord is neuer thus ouerseene to powre in wrath into those chosen and elect vessels of his which he hath set apart for to be onely vessels of mercy neither on the other side to lauish out his sauing mercies vpon cast-away reprobates that are vessels appointed to bee filled with nothing but wrath and vengeance If then there is nothing euer done to Gods seruants which is not done in much mercy at all times if iudgement it selfe is made mercy vnto them if whatsoeuer toucheth them is turned into a blessing vnto them if when they are in trouble God doth it in all faithfulnesse causing them to bee so troubled to the end their troubles might doe them good if when they are iudged they are chastened of the Lord to the end they might not
vse and practice of it al the dayes of their life and therefore the extraordinary repentance of hypocrites with whom the ordinarie is euer wanting especially that also being sickly and faulty as it euer is is like to stand them in very little stead which can no way bee allowed to be repentance vnto life which were safe for any to trust vnto Againe the repentance of a true conuert differeth from that of an hypocrite in the whole body of repentance and frame of it as it is compact and made vp together and in the seuerall ioynt parts and members if it if they be a part considered and so taken asunder they differ in the obiect which either of them doe most respect and are most occupied about they differ in the effect which they worke and which either of them doe bring forth they differ in that which causeth either and in that which is caused by either The words for repentance vsed in the new Testament are two the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of a word that signifieth as much as for one to come to his right mind to be wise at the least after some ouersight to recouer ones selfe it is after-wit or after-wisedome so called because the children of God take warning by the Spirit of God to be wiser after they haue once been ouerseene and beguiled through the deceitfulnesse of sinne this hath in it a godly sorrow with hope of Gods mercy truly and wisely conuerting all the powers of the soule and causing a through change in the whole man from sinne to righteousnesse and so it becommeth repentance vnto life And this is properly the repentance of true beleeuers and of all such as shall be saued for it is sound repentance and hath the perfection of parts in it though not of degrees The other word vsed in the new Testament to set out repentance by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming of a word that signifieth to bee sorrie after a fact committed to bee heauie and pensiue to be vexed and grieued for it it is after-griefe because sorrow and griefe pensiuenesse and heauinesse of heart vexation and trouble of conscience vsually doe follow vpon the committing of some hainous sinne This may be without any conuersion or change of a man to make him better this after-griefe may be without that after-wisdome which brings a man to his right mind againe but the other is neuer without this but hath it alwaies included in it for it is sound and hath the perfection of all parts in it This may bee alone without the other which yet is the chiefest part of true repentance and therefore it is vnsound and vnperfect repentance and so vnprofitable and vnauailable euery way to saluation and this is indeed properly the repentance of hypocrites and may be the repentance of all manner of reprobates This is that repentance that Iudas had for the Scripture saith of him that he repented but with this Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance he went to the halter and so from thence vnto hell fier Thus the repentance of true beleeuers doth differ from the repentance of hypocrites in the whole frame and body of repentance when all of it is taken and considered together CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of repentance seuerally considered in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessity of sorrow in Repentance THey differ also in the parts and seuerall members of the whole they being looked on apart and considered asunder There is in true repentance a sorrow for sinne which is the first occasion of a mans repenting for if a man had not his heart troubled for that he had done he would neuer repent and change his couse then followeth a turning from sinne and a bearing out of fruits that may be worthy of amendment of life Our soules by sweruing from God and going out of the path of Gods Commandements breed their owne sorrow and bring painfull griefe and vexation vpon the heart such as many times hardly can bee endured like bones that are broken or out of ioynt cause heauie dolours to the body and paine intollerable and the longer they abide so not well set and put into socket againe the more painfull is the aking that is felt therefrom so is it with the wounds that doe pierce the soule they will neuer leaue aking till some good meanes be vsed for the well curing of them Sinne which is as a serpent carrying his sting in his taile after it hath been once committed leaueth such a guilt in the conscience that is as painfull to be felt as is the sting of a Scorpion that is dashed into the flesh or the biting of those fierie serpents in the wildernesse that did torment them with extreame paines as if fier had been burning in their flesh Sinne is like a most venomous serpent and draggeth a long taile of punishment after it where euer it becommeth God hath tied together as with fetters of brasse the pleasures of sinne and pains of punishments and plagues for sin he that will haue one must haue both they that will sowe iniquitie shall be sure to reape affliction much smart much griefe much sorrow of heart will alwaies follow after the sence of the guiltinesse of sinne cannot bee felt but the heart will be made restlesse and it will disquiet all the peace thereof causing those painfull dashes and heauie compunctions in the tender soule as hath forced out those lamentable voices and sorrowfull outcries Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued And without such bitter griefe and sorrow of heart that may force vs thus to cry out yea to roare like beares and mourne sore like Isa 59. 11. 12. doues we may doubt of our repentance and can haue small hope of obtaining any forgiuenesse or pardon for our sinne as well as may any woman hope to get to bee deliuered of her child while she is a sleep or in a dreame without euer enduring any further paines or trauell vsuall to all women in their child-bearing as for a sinner to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes without the sorrowes the painfull throwes and pangs of thorow and vnfained repentance whose working is many times felt so forcible vpon the heart as it is ready to ouercome it and make it for a time vtterly to faint Sinne will not be got away without a great deale of sorrow and griefe and that of such sort as must breake and bruise the soule and grind the very heart to dust and to powder Sinne sticketh so fast to and is so baked on as there must be rubbing hard to get it off Wooll is as fit to wipe away pitch or birdlime as an ouerly sighing or slight saying Lord haue mercie vpon mee will get sinne done away who so doth goe about by truely repenting and humbling of themselues to doe away their sinnes shall find sinne
fetch better repentance that they may repent for that which yet they neuer repented of as in the time of Ezra 10. 10. 11 the people hauing repented long were faine to go back to fetch now repentance and hauing fasted before to fast again turne all mirth into mourning because they forgate a speciall sinne of marrying with strange wiues For as in an Euidence and writing for assurance there may be left our such words as should be most effectuall in the conueiance to the great preiudice of the lawfull owner which must cause it to be new written againe so in a mans repentance many things may be found out which were forgotten at the first to the great hindrance of a mans comfort Hence it is that men often remember vpon their death-beds with much griefe of heart the sinnes of their youth their incontinencie their pride their oppression their slanders and wrongs they haue done to their neighbours that are dead and gone no satisfaction hauing been therefore made by them And experience hath tried and taught this that many though they left their sinnes long agoe yet because they did not throughly and soundly repent for them they haue rebounded backe vpon them with terrible sights and fearfull visions to humble them and to bring them to a more serious examination of them and better sorrowing for them though long since left and in a manner quite forgotten I doe not denie but that hypocrites and reprobates The confession of Iudas may somtimes through the great distresse of conscience Matth. 27. 3. 4. that they are in be brought to make a more particular confession of their sinnes and to make speciall mention of their most hainous and enormious vices which they are guilty of and which now haue brought them to that distresse wherein they are Iudas was a rank hypocrite and a close cunning one if euer there was any yet he is said to haue repented and in the hellish sorrow that he was in he made confession of his sin yea he made confession of his particular sin that openly he cared not who heard him and he confessed that sinne that was of all his sinnes the greatest and whereby hee had most offended but because it was without faith in Gods mercie and without any true humbling of himselfe before the Lord seeking vnto him to haue it pardoned and was made not in the true and perfect hatred of that sinne because it was sinne but because hee could keepe his owne counsell no longer and the ouer-ruling hand of God would haue that he should penne his owne inditement and confesse the action that he was guiltie of the fact for which hee was in his conscience now arraigned before he should be hanged that being out of his owne mouth thus condemned all the world might know that hee died iustly damned This confession of his though it was of his particular sinne though it was of his chiefest and most hainous sinne and that openly made to his owne shame yet was it no better then his satisfaction when hee brought againe the money and cast it a forehead from him for nothing can bee well done in a wicked man which yet would bee excellent found done by a good man Besides the confession of Iudas was a falfe confession made to wrong parties such as were guiltie of the same sinne himselfe had committed and therefore were no way fit nor able to relieue him He made his confession to man hee made none to God whom hee had so greatly offended to aske mercie of him he humbled not himselfe before his Lord and Master whom most villanously aboue all he had wronged to aske pardon and forgiuenes at his hands who only could helpe him it was a confession of desperation and not of hope a confession that had no true humiliation ioyned with it a confession more of the innocencie of Christ then of the greatnesse of that sinne by which hee had done all that mischiefe that then was done it was therefore but an effect of worldly and hellish sorrow that caused his death and iust damnation But the humble confession which godly sorrow in the True confession hearts of such as are truly penitent doth cause them to make is the reuerend and modest blushing of their guiltie consciences they now putting themselues to shame not hiding their sinnes any longer but making open confession of them both before God and men when there is iust cause for them so to doe with desire of reconciliation with hope of obtaining mercie at the hands of God and pardon for the same and these doe so confesse their sinnes as it is done with an vtter loathing and perfect hating of them as those that haue no purpose at all to haue any more to doe with them from that time forward as Ephraim who said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe with Idols any more The confession of sinne made by hypocrites and such 3. Difference as are vnsound in their repentance is not a voluntarie humble confession of sinne in the griefe of their hearts that they haue done it mooued by a loath some hating of it that makes them so to throw it out as ouerburdensome longer to be kept for they commonly doe not confesse their sinnes before their sinnes be knowne in such sort as the deniall of them is in vaine and without colour and before the confession of sinne bee extorted out of them by the extremitie of some iudgement and plague vpon them As when that terrible thunder and haile mingled with fier Exod. 9 27. so grieuous as neuer before was knowne was throwne downe vpon Pharaohs head and vpon all his land and that innumerable Exod. 10. 16. armie of locusts sent after the haile had deuoured all the fruit which the haile had left then was this confession wroong out of Pharaohs mouth that he had sinned that God was righteous but he and his people were wicked that he had sinned against God and had sinned against his people Hypocrites come not to confession till they bee drawne out as by the eares to the making of it as was Adam Iosh 7. 18. and that they be arrested and attached by some iudgements sent from God as the Lord was said to haue taken Adam and so he was brought out to make his confession When they doe make their confession they do make it but by halues and with their mouthes as halfe open confessing something but not fully the whole matter as it was by them done They confesse their sinne as did Adam who for all his confessing as Iob saith of him Iob 31. 33 yet did still hide his sinne so doe these making confession of their sinnes for all that keepe close much iniquitie in their bosome Adam because his sinne was knowne vnto the Lord who now called to examination for the same did indeede at the last with much adoe say he had eaten but hee kept close his owne iniquitie in his bosome and
euer haue giuen such a hard sentence of either of them Question The question then from hence may be how farre a man may amplifie his owne weaknes vnworthines without preiudicing the truth Answere For answer hereunto we are to know that as an act of iustice differeth from an act of charitie so the sentence of iudgement differeth from the sentence of affection and sense an act and deed of iustice wee know must goe by a straight thread without swaruing any way at all but an act of charitie hath latitude or breadth as the health 〈◊〉 a mans bodie hath and the Zodiack Circle in the heauens within the extreame whereof the Moone is neuer out of her right course though she moue not euer with her Center vnuariably vpon the ecclipticke line Now in the practice of repentance which is an immediate act of the affections men may according to their feeling make their faults and the reuengement thereof with the most rather then with the lest and yet be within the compasse of the truth of their conceiuing and feeling though beyond the extent of the truth of their sins in themselues exactly considered according to the practice of Zacheus Luke 19. 8. who repenting of his getting goods vniustly said he would giue half of his goods to the poore which thing though an act of repentance will allow a man to doe yet an act of strickt iustice and iudgement will not designe and inioyne a man to doe so much Zacheus repenting said If he had done any Leuit. 6. 5. man wrong he would restore him fourefold which was more then the Law would haue required An indifferent and vpright Iudge comming to iudge betweene two sinners must iudge according to the truth of things neither more nor lesse but a repentant person comming to iudge of himselfe hee iudgeth with the hardest according to the truth of that he doth conceiue and feele to be in himselfe so in the act of charitie a man thinketh best of others and worst of himselfe as wee see in the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. who in true sorrow for his sinne cryeth out of himselfe Rom. 7. 24. expounded as of a most wretched man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is a double compound vsed when one would most disgrace a man now we know the Apostle had not committed any so hainous a sin after his conuersion for in his apologie for himselfe Act. 23. 1. he saith that in all good conscience he hath serued God vnto that day and 2. Cor. 1. 12. he saith that that was his reioycing euen the testimony of his conscience that in all simplicity and godly purenesse he hath had his conuersation in the world c. Now according to this president set before vs in that which was thus done by this blessed Apostle is the course and practice of true conuerts that are throughly humbled and cast downe with sorrow and griefe for their sinnes there is none that will thinke more meanly of them nor any that will cry out more loudly against them then they will thinke meanly and abiectly of themselues and cry out with a note higher then they that are loudest against them for their vnworthines and euill doing And Qui sibi displicet in vitijs deo placet Bernard indeed the more abiect that any true penitent seruant of God is in his owne account so hee ende in faithfull humility and not in stubborne desperation it is the better And so much may serue to haue been spoken for shewing some differences betweene the confession of sins made by hypocrites and those that are sound conuerts and true penitent persons Now as touching confessing of sinnes in geneall when Confession in generall we are brought vpon our knees before the Lord to confesse acknowledge our sins vnto him though we may be specially moued thereunto by some one or some few later grosse and grieuous sinnes committed and fallen vnto by vs yet is it meet that we rest not alone in the consideration of that one or those few sinnes so lately committed but by meanes thereof to take occasion to find out our other sinnes also and them all if we could by which in former time we transgressed and offended that all may be repented of and wee the better humbled for them As when one lighting a candle to goe seeke some one thing that he misseth by meanes of that light and seeking doth finde another yea many times many things that were ouercast and in a manner quite forgotten As a worthy man hath wisely obserued out of the practice of Dauid that being checked by Nathan for one grosse sinne lately committed and by him done he comming to make his repentance for it thinketh of more and neuer resteth till he come to the root of all to be humbled for his Originall sinne as well as for his actuall Psalm 51. as in that penitentiall Psalme composed by him is euident to be seene so is it meet that when by meanes of some grosse sinne lately or lastly committed our consciences are so wounded and our hearts so pierced and smitten thorow with sorrow and griefe as there is no abiding for vs longer to deferre and put of our repentance and humbling of our selues before the Lord for making our peace with him that wee take occasion therefrom to suruay and ouerlooke all our wayes to cast ouer the day-booke of our whole life to see what Items the Lord hath against vs and what arrearages we haue runne into by our transgressing his most righteous lawes and to goe so farre backe in searching and trying our wayes and Iob 14. 4. Psal 25. 7. well considering them in our hearts according as the Lord willeth vs to doe by the mouth of his Prophets Lam. 3. 40. Hag. 1. 5. 7. vntill we come with Iob and Dauid to bewaile the very sinnes of our youth and to aske mercy for them yea vntill we come to the head spring and fountaine of our Originall corruption and to gage the very belly and wombe of sin in our first conception and so acknowledge that with all the rest vnto God as particularly as we can labouring to breake our hearts for them all ioyntly and seuerally that so our hearts may fall into the more pieces there being the more stroks giuen to the same by the more sinnes we can remember to haue been committed by vs vntill our hearts may be so smitten and so contrite that they may be as if they were grownd euen to dust and powder for the which purpose we must narrowly search and sift our selues vnto the which course the Prophets haue so much and so often called Gods seruants by their earnest exhortations Zeph. 2. 1. Now albeit we be willing to take knowledge of all Of speciall sins our sinnes in generall yet are wee most to humble our selues to aske mercy and seeke reconciliation for our speciall sinnes whereof we are guilty if we can gesse which they are that God
hath chiefly in chase and for which he most pursueth vs by his iudgements for still retaining of them For commonly men that could bee contented that all their sinnes might die with the leane cattell slaine by Saul yet haue they some one or two fat sinnes which 1. Sam. 15 9. they would as faine spare as Saul did the fat beasts and Agag the King There is no gift of God giuen to many men that is so deare vnto them but there is something forbidden by God that is in like sort as deare to them as that is and as loth to be parted from Herod would not Mat. 14. part with his darling sinne but God when he hath sinne in chase and pursueth men with his iudgements because they will still retaine those sinnes will neuer giue them ouer no more then Ioab pursuing Sheba the son of Bichri 2. Sam. 20. did giue ouer his pursuit vntill the traitors head was throwne ouer the wall vnto him Gods iudgements are as his armies of souldiers that doe pursue vs for our sins wee are to bee as wise therefore for making peace with God as was the woman with Ioab in Abel by whose counsell Vers 22. the traitors head was cut off by cutting off the heads of all such our sinnes and casting them away speedily from vs that God may cease any further to pursue vs with his iudgements for them There are also some sinnes most specially aimed at as chiefe in the treason which God will see speciall execution to be done vpon before euer he will giue vs ouer their heads are to bee cut off in time and they most specially to be throwne out hy humble confession and pardon craued for them We are therfore to be most heedfull in obseruing our chiefest infirmities our strongest corruptions our commonest and most masterfull sins that haue foiled vs most and into which we are most in danger soonest and oftenest to fall to acknowledge them especially vnto God as bewailing them most with desire to haue mercy for them and power against them euer keeping a vigilant eye open ouer our greatest frailties that we may be most humbled for them before the Lord most afraid of them in our selues in regard of our knowne weaknesse and labour to arme our selues the better and to make ouer selues the stronger to deale with them and to wrastle against them both for the throwing them out of vs when they are got in and for the keeping them out when they are once expelled and gone For as one saith well they that are the best men of warre against all the vanities and fooleries of the world doe alwaies keepe the strongest guards against themselues to defend themselues against themselues from selfe-loue selfe-estimation selfe-opinion and such other home-bred sinnes In confessing of sinne beside the variety and multitude Quality of sins of our sinnes which thus are to be searched out the quantity and quality of sinne is to be waighed and considered to the end our humiliation may bee thereby the better furthered And first for the finding out the heauinesse and waightinesse of our sinnes wee are not to doe as they that comming to waigh gruffe or massie mettall bring great scales and leaden and great iron waights but wee are to waigh them in the tryed scales and waights of the Sanctuarie that are as the waights wher with men weigh gold that will shew what is wanting though it were but the waight of a dramme graine or lesse The cause why we vnderualue sinne is because we take out our owne waights to waigh it by which are as waights of leade if things be not somwhat excessiue heauie wee cannot perceiue or find any great want or difference with them But nothing is little nor lightly to be accounted of that is committed against the great Maiesty of God the price of Christs redemption the couenant that we haue made in Baptisme by the coÌ„mitting whereof we are made couenant Nihil leue quod praeponderatur mundo breakers and as periured persons That cannot be accounted light that is able to waigh against and to outwaigh the whole world and ouerthrow it too as we know sinne hath done one iot of Gods Law is more esteemed by him then all heauen and earth is beside We know what the Psalmist saith of men yea and of men in their best estate how by sin they are made so subiect to vanitie as if they should be laid in the ballaÌ„ce they would be found lighter then vanitie it selfe and if the Lord should hold the scales and put a sinner into the ballance though weighed but with the least sinne that euer can be commmitted yea though without any actuall sinne at all no more being put in than his bare Originall corruptin as let it be an Infant newly come into the world and not yet a day old he would be found not to hold waight in the Lords ballance and therefore the sentence of Gods iustice passing out against such an one would be so heauie as would make manifest the waightinesse of his sinne for therby he would not only be thrust downe from the throne of an earthly kingdome as was Balthazar Dan. 5. but of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen but also pressed downe into endlesse torment and most wofull condemnation in hell Let no man then account of that to bee light which is able to sinke and waigh down any vnder it into vtter destruction and euerlasting confusion which the least sinne in the world is able to doe As for the quality of euery sinne there is as great difference betweene sinnes and sinnes as betweene moats and beames hundreths of pence and thousands of talâ—nts betweene fifties and fiue hundreths in our reckonings accounts Yea euen the same sinne againe and againe committed multiplyeth according to that order which is in cyphering where that figure which in the first place standeth for single in the second place is ten times as much in the third place an hundreth in the fourth a thousand and so infinitely encreasing by tens hundreths and thousands according to the order of the place wherin it standeth The same sinnes by circumstances are greater in one then in another according to the differences of mens persons and places Sinnes are greater in publike persons then in priuate in such as haue knowledge then in them that are ignorant the white haires of old men doe make their sinnes a great deale the blacker and this that men sinne in the cleere light and sunshine of the Gospell setteth them vp to a farre higher degree of wickednesse and of iust condemnation both before God and man then if they had done the same wickednesse in the night of ignorance and times of darknesse Sinnes of wilfulnesse are aboue sinnes of weaknesse but if there be any one sinne to be named more dangerous then another it is security hardnesse of heart and impenitencie all other sinnes through faith and repentance may be pardoned