determine and sway the soule one way that men thinke it impossible to recover themselves they see one linke of sin draw on another all making a chain to fasten them to destruction they thinke of necessity they must be damned because custome hath bred a necessity of sinning in them and conceive of the promise of mercy as only made to such as turn from their sinfull courses in which they see themselves so hardened that they cannot repent Certaine it is the condition is most lamentable that yeelding unto sinne brings men unto Men are carefull to prevent dangerous sicknesses of body and the danger of law concerning their estates but seldome consider into what a miserable plight their sinnes which they so willingly give themselves up unto will bring them in If they doe not perish in their sins yet their yeelding will bring them into such a dolefull condition that they would give the whole world if they were possessours of it to have their spirits at freedome from this bondage and feare To such as blesse themselves in an ill way upon hope of mercy we dare not speake a word of comfort because God doth not but threatens his wrath shall burne to hell against them Yet because while life continues there may be as a space so a place and grace for repentance these must be dealt withall in such a maner as they may be stayed and stopped in their dangerous courses there must be a stop before a turne And when their consciences are throughly awaked with sense of their danger let them seriously consider whither sin and Sathan by sin is carying of them and lay to heart the justice of God standing before them as an Angell with a drawne sword ready to fall upon them if they post on still Yet to keep them from utter sinking let them consider withall the unlimited mercy of God as not limited to any person or any sin so not to any time there is no prescription of time can binde God his mercy hath no certaine date that will expire so as those that fly unto it shall have no benefit Invincible mercy will never be conquered and endlesse goodnesse never admits of bounds or end What kinde of people were those that followed Christ were they not such as had lived long in their sinfull courses He did not onely raise them that were newly dead but Lazarus that had lyen foure dayes in the grave They thought Christs power in raising the dead had reached to a short time onely but hee would let them know that hee could as well raise those that had been long as lately dead If Christ be the Physitian it is no matter of how long continuance the disease be He is good at all kinde of diseases and will not endure the reproach of disability to cure any Some diseases are the reproaches of other Physitians as being above their skill to helpe but no conceit more dangerous when we are to deale with Christ. The blessed Martyr Bilney was much offended when he heard an eloquent Preacher enveighing against sin saying thus Behold thou hast lyen rotten in thy owne lusts by the space of sixty yeares even as a beast in his owne dung and wilt thou presume in one year to goe forward towards heaven and that in thine olde age as much as thou wentest backward from heaven to hell in sixty yeares Is not this a goodly argument saith Bilney Is this preaching of repentance in the name of Jesus It is as if Christ had dyed in vaine for such a man and that hee must make satisfaction for himselfe If I had heard saith he such preaching of repentance in times past I had utterly despaired of mercy We must never thinke the doore of hope to bee shut against us if we have a purpose to ◅e unto God As there is nothing more injurious to Christ so nothing more foolish and groundlesse then to distrust it being the chiefe scope of God in his word to draw our trust to him in Christ in whom is alwayes open a breast of mercy for humbled sinners to flye unto But thus farre the consideration of our long time spent in the devils service should prevaile with us as to take more shame to our selves so to resolve more strongly for God and his wayes and to account it more then sufficient that wee have spent already so much precious time to so ill purposes and the lesse time we have to make the more ◅st to worke for God and bring all the honour wee can to Religion in so little a space Oh how doth it grieve those that have felt the gracious power of Christ in converting their soules that ever they should spend the strēgth of their parts in the worke of his and their enemie And might they live longer it is their full purpose for ever to renounce their former wayes There is bred in them an eternall desire of pleasing God as in the wicked there is an eternall desire of offending him which eternity of desires God lookes to in both of them and rewards them accordingly though hee cuts off the thred of their lives But God in wisdome will have the conversions of such as have gone on in a course of sinning especially after light revealed to be rare and difficult Birthes in those that are ancienter are with greater danger then in the younger sort God will take a course that his grace shall not be turned into wantonnesse He oft holds such upon the rack of a troubled conscience that they and others may feare to buy the pleasure of sinne at such a rate Indeed where sinne abounds there grace superabounds but then it is where sinne that abounded in the life abounds in the conscience in griefe and detestation of it as the greatest evill Christ groaned at the raising of Lazarus which he did not at others because that though to an Almighty power all things are alike easie yet hee will shew that there be degrees of difficulties in the things themselves and make it appeare to us that it is so Therefore those that have enjoyed long the sweet of sinne may expect the bitterest sorrow and repentance for sinne Yet never give place to thoughts of despaire as comming from him that would overturne the end of the Gospell which layes open the riches of Gods mercy in Christ which riches none set out more then those that have beene the greatest of sinners as we see in Paul We cannot exalt God more then by taking notice and making use of that great designe of infinite wisdome in reconciling justice and mercy together so as now he is not only mercifull but just in pardoning sinnes Our Saviour as he came towards the latter age of the world when all things seemed desperate so hee comes to some men in the latter part of their dayes The mercy shewed to Zacheus and the good theefe was personall but the comfort intended by Christ was publike therefore still still
trust in God In this case wee must goe to God with whom all things are possible to put forth his Almighty power not only in the pardoning but in subduing our iniquities He that can make a Camell goe through a needles eye can make a high conceited man lowly a rich man humble Therefore never question his power much lesse his willingnesse when he is not onely ready to receive us when we returne but perswades and intreates us to come in unto him yea after back-sliding and false dealing with him wherein he allowes no mercy to be shewed by man yet he will take liberty to shew mercy himselfe But I have often relapsed and fallen into the same sin againe and againe If Christ will have us pardon our brother seaventy seaven times can wee thinke that hee will enjoyne us more then he will be ready to doe himselfe when in case of shewing mercy hee would have us thinke his thoughts to be farre above ours Adam lost all by once sinning but we are under a better covenant a covenant of mercy and are encouraged by the Sonne to goe to the Father every day for the sinnes of that day Where the worke of grace is begun sin loses strength by every new fall for hence issues deeper humility stronger hatred fresh indignation against our selves more experience of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts renewed resolutions untill sin be brought under That should not drive us from God which God would have us make use of to flye the rather to him since there is a throne of grace set up in Jesus Christ we may boldly make use of and let us be ashamed to sinne and not ashamed to glorifie Gods mercy in begging pardon for sin Nothing will make us more ashamed to sin then thoughts of so free and large mercy It will grieve an ingenuous spirit to offend so good a God Ah that there should be such an heart in me as to tire the patience of God and damme up his goodnesse as much as in me lyes but this is our comfort that the plea of mercy from a broken spirit to a gracious Father will ever hold good When wee are at the lowest in this world yet there are these three grounds of comfort still remaining 1. That wee are not yet in the place of the damned whose estate is unalterable 2. That whilest we live there is time and space for recovering of our selves 3. That there is grace offered if we will not shut our hearts against it O but every one hath his time my good houre may be past That is counsell to thee it is not past if thou canst raise up thy heart to God and embrace his goodnesse Shew by thy yeelding unto mercy that thy time of mercy is not yet out rather then by concluding uncomfortably willingly betray thy selfe to thy greatest enemy enforcing that upon thy selfe which God labours to draw thee from As in the sinne against the Holy Ghost feare shewes that wee have not committed it So in this a tender heart fearing least our time bee past shewes plainely that it is not past Looke upon examples when the Prodigall in his forlorne condition was going to his Father his Father stayed not for him but meetes him in the way he did not only goe but ranne to meet him God is more willing to entertain us then we are to cast our selves upon him As there is a fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse so it is a living fountaine of living water that runnes for ever and can never bee drawne dry Here remember that I build not a shelter for the presumptuous but only open an harbour for the truly humbled soule to put himselfe into CHAP. XXII Of sorow for sin and hatred of sinne when right and sufficient Helps thereto AH there 's my misery If I could bee humbled for sinne I might hope for mercy but I never yet knew what a broken heart meant this soule of mine was never as yet sensible of the griefe and smart of sinne how then can I expect any comfort It is one of Sathans policies to hold us in a dead and barren condition by following us with conceits that wee have not sorowed in proportion to our offences True it is we should labour that our sorow might in some measure answer to the haynousnesse of our sins but we must know sorrow is not required for it selfe in that degree as faith is If we could trust in God without much sorow for our sins then it would not be required for God delights not in our sorow as sorow God in mercy both requires it and workes it as thereby making us capable vessels of mercy fit to acknowledge value and walke worthy of Christ he requres it as it is a means to imbitter sin and the delightfull pleasures thereof unto us and by that meanes bring us to a right judgement of our selves and the creature with which sinne commits spirituall adultery that so we may recover our taste before lost And then when with the Prodigall wee returne unto our selves having lost our selves before we are fit to judge of the basenesse of sin and of the worth of mercy and so upon grounds of right reason bee willing to alter our condition and embrace mercy upon any tearmes it shall please Christ to injoyne Secondly if we could grieve and cast downe our selves beneath the earth as low as the nethermost pit yet this would be no satisfaction to God for sin of it selfe it is rather an enterance and beginning of hell Thirdly we must search what is the cause of this want of griefe which wee complaine of whether it be not a secret cleaving to the creature and too much contentment in it which oft stealeth away the heart from God and brings in such contentment as is subject to faile and deceive us whereupon from discontentment wee grieve which griefe being carnall hinders griefe of a better kinde Usually the causes of our want of griefe for sin are these First a want of serious consideration and dwelling long enough upon the cause of griefe which springs either from an unsetlednesse of Nature or distractions from things without Moveable dispositions are not long affected with any thing One maine use of crosses is to take off the soule from that it is dangerously set upon and to fixe our running spirits For though griefe for crosses hinder spirituall griefe yet worldly delights hinder more That griefe is lesse distant from true griefe and therfore neerer to be turned into it And put case wee could call off our mindes from other things and set them on griefe for our sinnes yet it is onely Gods spirit that can worke our hearts to this griefe and for this end perhaps God holds us off from it to â—…each us that he is the teacher of the heart to grieve And thereupon it is our duty to waite till hee reveale our selves so
blessing of others upon their children yet God hath promised a blessing to the offices of Communion of Saints performed by one private man towards another Can we have a greater incouragement then under God to be gainer of a soule which is as much in Gods esteeme as if we should gaine a world Spirituall almes are the best almes mercy shewed to the soules of men is the greatest mercie and wisedome in winning of soules is the greatest wisedome in the world because the soule is especially the man upon the goodnesse of which the happinesse of the whole man depends What shining and flourishing Christians should wee have if these duties were performed As wee have a portion in the communion of Saints so wee should labour to have humility to take good and wisedome and love to doe good A Christian should have feeding lips a healing tongue the leaves the very words of the tree of righteousnesse have a curing vertue in them Some will shew a great deale of humanity in comforting others but little Christianity for as kinde men they will utter some cheerefull words but as Christians they want wisedome from above to speake a gracious word in season Nay some there are who hinder the saving working of any affliction upon the hearts of others by unseasonable and unsavoury discourses either by suggesting false remedies or else diverting men to false contentments and so become spirituall traitors rather then friends taking part with their worst enemies their lusts and wills Happy is hee that in his way to heaven meeteth with a chearefull and skilfull guide and fellow-travellor that carrieth cordials with him against all faintings of spirit It is a part of our wisedome to salvation to make choice of such a one as may further us in our way An indifferency for any company shewes a dead heart where the life of grace is it is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages How many have beene refreshed by one short apt savoury speech which hath begotten as it were new spirits in them In ancient times as wee see in the Story of Iob it was the custome of friends to meet together to comfort those that were in misery and Iob takes it for granted that to him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friends for besides the presence of a friend which hath some influence of comfort in it 1. The discovery of his loving affection hath a cherishing sweetnesse in it 2. The expression of love in reall comforts and services by supplying any outward want of the patry troubled prevailes much thâ—… Christ made way for his comforts to the soules of men by shewing outward kindnesse to their bodies Love with the sensible fruits of it prepareth for any wholesome counsell 3. After this wholesome words carry a speciall cordiall vertue with them especially when the Spirit of God in the affectionate speaker joines with the word of comfort and thereby closeth with the heart of a troubled patient when all these concenter and meet together in one then is comfort sealed up to the soule The childe in Elizabeths wombe sprang at the presence and salutation of Mary the speech of one hearty friend cannot but revive the spirits of another Sympathy hath a strange force as wee see in the strings of an Instrument which being played upon as they say the strings of another instrument are also moved with it After love hath once kindled love then the heart being melted is fit to receive any impression unlesse both pieces of the iron bee red hot they will not joyne together two spirits warmed with the â—…ne heat will easily soâ—…der together §. 2. In him that shall stay the minde of another there had need to bee an excellent temper of many graces as 1. Knowledge of the grievance together with wisedome to speake a word in season and to conceale that which may set the cure backwards 2. Faithfulnesse with liberty not to concealâ—… any thing which may bee for his good though against present liking The very life and soule of friendship stands in freedome tempered with wisedome and faithfulnesse 3. Loue with compassion and patience to beare all and hope all and not to bee easily provoked by the way wardnesse of him we deale with Short spirited men are not the best comforters God himselfe is said to beare with the manners of his people in the wildernesse It is one thing to beare with a wise sweet moderation that which may be borne and another thing to allow or approve that which is not to be approved at all Where these graces are in the speaker and apprehended so to bee by the person distempered his heart will soone embrace whatsoever shall bee spoken to rectifie his judgement or affection A good conceit of the spirit of the speaker is of as much force to prevaile as his words Words especially prevaile when they are uttered more from the bowels then the braine and from our owne experience which made even Christ himselfe a more compassionate high Priest When men come to themselves againe they will bee the deepest censurers of their owne miscariage §. 3. Moreover to the right comforting of an afflicted person speciall care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance the coare must bee searched out if the griefe ariseth from outward causes then it must be carried into the right channell the course of it must bee turned another way as in staying of blood we should grieve for sinne in the first place as being the evill of all evills If the ground be sinne then it must be drawne to a head from a confused griefe to some more particular sinne that so wee may strike the right veine but if wee finde the spirit much cast downe for particular sinnes then comfort is presently to be applied But if the griefe be not fully ripe then as we use to help nature in its offers to purge by Physick till the sick matter be carried away so when conscience moved by the spirit begins to ease it selfe by confession it is good to help forward the worke of it till wee finde the heart low enough for comfort to be laid upon When Paul found the Iaylor cast downe almost as low as hell hee stands not now upon further hammering and preparing of him for mercie that worke was done already but presently stirres him up to beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ here being a fit place for an interpreter to declare unto man his righteousnesse and his mercy that belongs unto him after he hath acknowledged his personall and particular sins which the naturall guile of the heart is extreamely backward to doe and yet cannot receive any sound peace till it be done If signes of grace be discerned here likewise is a fit place to declare unto man the saving worke of grace in his heart which Sathan labours to hide from him Men oft are