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
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
far to our selves as to stir up this affection in us Another cause may bee a kinde of doublenesse of heart whereby wee would bring two things together that cannot suite We would grieve for sin so far as we thinke it an evidence of a good condition but then because it is an irksome taske and because it cannot be wrought without severing our heart from those sweet delights it is set upon hence we are loath God should take that course to worke griefe which crosseth our disposition The soule must therefore by selfe-deniall be brought to such a degree of sincerity and simplicity as to be willing to give God leave to worke this sorow not to bee sorrowed for by what way hee himselfe pleaseth But here we must remember againe that this selfe-deniall is not of our selves but of God who onely can take us out of our selves and if our hearts were brought to a stoâ—…ping herein to his worke it would stop many a crosse and continue many a blessing which God is forced to take from us that he may worke that griefe in us which he seeth would not otherwise be kindly wrought God giveth some larger spirits and so their sorowes become larger Some upon quicknesse of apprehension and the ready passages betwixt the braine and the heart are quickly moved where the apprehension is deeper and the passages slower there sorow is long in working and long in removing The deepest waters have the stillest motion Iron takes fire more slowly then stubble but then it holds it longer Againe God that searcheth and knows our hearts better then our selves knows when and in what measure it is fit for to grieve He sees it fitter for some dispositions to goe on in a constant griefe We must give that honour to the wisdome of the great Physitian of soules to know best how to mingle and minister his potions And we must not bee so unkinde to take it ill at Gods hands when he out of gentlenesse and forhearance ministers not to us that churâ—…sh Physick hee doth to others but cheerefully embrace any potion that he thinkes fit to give us Some holy men have desired to see their sinne in the most ugly colours and God hath heard them in their requests But yet his hand was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their very graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers For a conclusion then of this point If wee grieve that we cannot grieve and so far as it is sinne make it our griefe then put it amongst the rest of our sinnes which we beg pardon of and helpe against and let it not hinder us from going to Christ but drive us to him For herein lyes the danger of this temptation that those who complaine in this kinde thinke it should be presumption to goe to Christ when as he especially calleth the weary and heavy laden sinner to come unto him and therefore such 〈◊〉 are sensible that they are not senâ—… enough of their sin must know though want of feeling be quite opposite to the life of Grace yet sensiblenes of the want of feeling shews some degree of the life of Grace The safest way in this case is from that life and light that God hath wrought in oâ—… soules to see and feele this want of feeling to cast our selves and this our indisposition upon the pardoning and healing mercy of God in Christ. We speake onely of those that are so farre displeased with themselves for their ill temper as they doe not favour themselves in it but are willing to yeeld to Gods way in redressing it and doe not crosse the Spirit moving them thus with David to check themselves and to trust in God Otherwise an unfeeling and carelesse state of Spirit will breed a secret shame of going to God for removing of that wee are not hearty in labouring against so farre as our conscience tells us we are enabled The most constant state the soule can bee in in regard of sin is upon judgement to condemne it upon right â—…nds and to resolve against it Thereupon Repentance is called an afâ—…isdome and change of the minde And â—…s disposition is in Gods children at 〈◊〉 times And for affections love of that â—…ich is good and hatred of that which 〈◊〉 evill these likewise have a setled â—…tinuance in the soule But griefe 〈◊〉 sorow rise and fall as fresh occasions â—…re offered and are more lively stirred 〈◊〉 upon some lively representation to 〈◊〉 soule of some hurt wee receive by â—…e and wrong wee doe to God in it â—…e reason hereof is because till the â—…e be separated from the body these â—…ctions have more communion with 〈◊〉 body and therefore they cary more â—…ward expressions then dislike or â—…omination in the minde doth We 〈◊〉 to judge of our selves more by that â—…ich is constant then by that which is â—…ing and flowing But what is the reason that the affectiâ—…s doe not alwayes follow the judgement 〈◊〉 the choise or refusall of the will Our soule being a finite substance is caried with strength but one way at one time 2. Sometime God calls us to joy as well as to grieve and then no wonder if griefe be somewhat to seeke 3. Sometimes when God calleth â—…o griefe and the judgement and will goeth along with God Yet the heart is not alwayes ready because it may bee it hath runne out so farre that it cannot presently be called in againe 4. Or the spirits which are the instruments of the soule may be so wasted that they cannot hold out to feed a strong griefe in which case the conscience must rest in our setled judgement and hatred of ill which is the surest and never-failing Character of a good soule 5. Oft times God in mercy takes us off from griefe and sorow by refreshing occasions because sorow and griefe are affections very much afflicting both of body and soule When is godly sorrow in that degreâ—… wherein the soule may stay it selfe from uncomfortable thoughts about its condition 〈◊〉 Ans. 1. When we finde strength against that sin â—…ich formerly we fell into and ability to â—…e in a contrary way for this answers Gods end in griefe one of which is a prevention from falling for the time 〈◊〉 come For God hath that affection 〈◊〉 him which hee puts into Parents â—…hich is by smart to prevent their childrens boldnesse of offending for the time to come 2. When that which is wanting in griâ—…fe is made up in feare Here there is 〈◊〉 great cause of complaint of the â—…nt of griefe for this holy affection is 〈◊〉 â—…band of the soule whereby it is â—…pt from starting from God and his â—…yes 3. When after griefe wee finde in â—…rd peace for true griefe being Gods â—…orke in us hee knowes best how
putting man out of the power and possession of himselfe and therefore David here when he had thoughts of praising God was faine to take up the quarrell betwixt him and his soule first Praising sets all the parts and graces of the soule aworke and therefore the soule had need gather it selfe and its strength together to this duty It requires especially selfe-denyall from a conscience of our own wants weaknesses and unworthinesse it requires a giving up of our selves and all ours to be at Gods dispose the very ground and the fruit which it yeelds are both Gods and they never gave themselves truly up to God that are not ready to give all they have to him whensoever he calls for it thankfulnesse is a sacrifice and in sacrifices there must be killing before offering otherwise the sacrifice will be as the offering up of some uncleane creature thanksgiving is 〈◊〉 Incense and there must be fire to â—…rne that Incense thanksgiving requires not onely affections but the heat of affections there must be some assuâ—…ce of the benefit wee praise God â—…or and it is no easie matter to maintaine assurance of our interest in the best things Yet in this case if we feele not sense of assorance it is good we should praise God for what we have we cannot deny but God offers himselfe in mercy to us and that he intends our good thereby for so wee ought to construe his mercifull dealing towards us and not have him in jealousie without ground if we being our hearts to be willing to praise God for that wee cannot but acknowledge comes from him hee will be ready in his time to shew himselfe more clearely to us we taste of his goodnesse â—…ny wayes and it is accompanied with much patience and these in their natures leade us not onely to repentance but likewise to thankfull acknowledgement and wee ought to follow that which God leades us unto though hee hath not yet acquainted us with his secrets It is good in this case to help the soule with a firm resolution and to back resolution with a vowe not onely in generall that we will praise but particularly of something within our owne power provided it prove no snare to us For by this meanes the heart is perfectly gayned and the thing is as good as done in regard of Gods acceptance and our comfort because strong resolutions discover sincerity without any hypocriticall reservation and hollownesse Alwayes so much sincerity as a man hath so much will his inward peace be Resolution as a strong streame beares downe all before it little good is done in Religion without this and with it all is as good as done So soone as we set upon this worke wee shall feele our spirits to rise higher and higher as the waters in the Sanctuary as the soule growes more and more heated see how David riseth by degrees Be glad in the Lord and then rejoyce ye righteous and then showt for ioy 〈◊〉 yee that are upright in heart the spirit of God will delight to carry us along â—…n this duty untill it leaves our spirits in heaven praising God with the Saintsâ—…d â—…d glorious Angels there to him that â—…h and useth it shall be given hee that â—…weth God aright will honour him by trusting of him hee that honours â—…m by trusting him will honour him by praying and he that honours him by prayer shall honour him by praises hee â—…at honours him by praises here shall perfect his praises in heaven and this will quit the labour of setting and keeâ—…ing the soule in tune this trading with God is the richest trade in the world when we returne praises to him 〈◊〉 returnes new favours to us and so an everlasting ever-encreasing intercourse betwixt God and the soule is maintained David here resolved to praise God â—…use hee had assurance of such a deâ—…rance as would yeeld him a â—…ound of praising him Praising of God may well be called â—…ense because as it is sweet in it selfe and sweet to God so it sweetens all that comes from us Love and Ioy are sweet in themselves though those whom wee love and joy in should not know of our affection nor returne the like but wee cannot love and joy in God but hee will delight in us when we neglect the praising of God we lose both the comforts of Gods love and our owne too It is a spirituall judgement to want oâ—… lose the sight or sense of Gods favours for it is a sign of want of spirituall life or at least livelinesse it shewes wee are not yet in the state of those whom God hath chosen to set forth the riches of his glory upon When we consider that if we answer not kindnesse and favour shewed unto us by men we are esteemed unworthy of respect as having sinned against the bond of humane society and love wee cannot but much more take shame to our selves when wee consider the disproportion of our carriage and unkind behaviour towards God when in stead of being temples of his praise wee become graves of his benefits what a vanity is this in our nature to stand upon exactnesse of justice in answering petty curtesies of men and yet to passe by the substantiall favours of God without scarce taking notice of them the best breeding is to acknowledge greatest respects where they are most due and to think that if unkindnesse and rudenesse be a sinne in civility it is much more in Religion the greatest danger of unthankfulnesse is in the greatest matter of all if wee arrogate any spirituall strength to our selves in spirituall actions wee commit either sacriledge in robbing God of his due or mockerie by praising him for that which we hold to be of our selves if injustice be to be condemned in man much more in denying God his due Religion being the first due It takes much from thankfulnesse when we have common conceits of peculiar favours praise is not comely in the mouth of fooles Godloves no blind sacrifice We should therefore have wisdome and judgement not onely to know upon what grounds to be thankfull but in what order by discerning what be the best and first favours whence the rest proceed and which adde a worthiness to all the rest it is good to see blessings as they issue from grace and mercy It much commends any blessing to see the love and favour of God in it which is more to be valued then the blessing it selfe as it much commends any thing that comes from us when we put a respect of thankfulnesse and love to God upon it and if we observe we shall find the unkindnesse of others to us is but a correction of our unkindnesse to God In praising God it is not good to delay but take advantage of the freshnesse of the blessing what we adde to delay we take from thankfulnesse and withall lose the prime and first fruits of our affections It is
David takes up his rest and so let us Then whatsoever times come wee are sure of a hiding place and Sanctuary FINIS HAB. 3. 17. Although the figge tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat c. yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation PSAL. 91. 1. 2. Hee that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall lodge under the shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortresse My God in him will I trust PSAL. 73. 26. My strength and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever An Alphabeticall Table of chiefe things in the fore-going Treatise A. ACtions of man what are the principles of them Page 221 Admire Gods love 479 Adventure of faith makes a rich returne 490 Affections their conflict one with another 79. How to be ordered 104. In case of Gods dishonour no affection is excessive 106 Affections why they doe not alwayes follow the judgement 377. God most to be affected 498 Appearance of salvation in the countenance whence and why 469 Application of mercy in particular necessary reasons 482. In the wicked it is a lye 485. It is no easie matter to say My God 486. When it is right 495. A shame not to improve it 511 Arguments for faith to come to God 418 Art in bearing of troubles 64 Art in misery to think of matter of joy 429 Assurance of Gods favour what we should doe in the want thereof 441 B Backe faith with strong reasons and arguments 414 Beauty of a well-ordered soule 135 Beauty of Christians works performed in season 428 Bilneyes offence at a Preacher 362 Blasphemy temptations of blasphemy and how checked 350 Breach of inward peace still looke at thy selfe therein 149 Bookes all written to amend the booke of conscience 67 C Casting downe disquiets why 44. Remedies against casting downe 46 Censure not Christians distempered dangerous so to doe 40 Change of nature changeth all 187 Changes must be fore-thought of 128 Caution in fore-casting such changes 120. Direrections for this fore-thinking of troubles 121 Character of a good soule 378 Christ is salvation clothed in mans flesh 465 Christian Calling what is the true ability to it grace not gifts onely 405. Particular Calling directions for it 408 Combats spirituall how discerned from that of common grace and light 83 Comfort in the Churches troubles 411. and 471. Comfort amisse sought in sanctification 28. Yet to have and hold comfort grow up in holinesse 30 Comforters in way of humanity many few in way of Christianity 227. Graces necessary in a good Comforter 230. Method of comforting 231. A sinne not to comfort the afflicted 235. How comfort tendered doth no good miscarriages therein 238 Communion with God to be sought and how Christians have continuall ground of it 429 Communion of friends in watching over one another 2â—…5 In comforting one another 218 Complaine of thy selfe not of God nor others 74 Concupiscence not severely censured by Papists 153 Condition of life none wherein we may not exercise some grace 146 A man can be in no condition wherein God is at a losse and cannot help him 265 Confidence in our selves how chased away 243 Confidence for mercies warranted to us as well as to David or others 431 Conflict of grace and corruption much cast us downe 386. Should make us trust in God the more 387 Conflicts in mans soule kindes and degrees of them 78 Conscience not cleare brings disquietnesse 30 Constancy how it quiets the spirit Consideration the best objects of it 186 Contentment to be framed to our selves and how 123. It is a speciall meanes of quieting the soule Ibid. Continuance of sinne or sinnes of continuance dangerous 359. And how to be dealt withall 360 Corruption how farre curbed or repressed by God 171 Corruptions remaining in an holy heart are naturall they would not be controlled 150 And what followes 157 Courage a meanes to stablish the soule Court of conscience in man 51. Why wee are so backward to keepe this Court 57 D Deale with thy selfe in all afflictions to get quietnesse 115 Death comfort in the houre of it 402. In the estate after death 403 Delay not the praising of God 446 Defects in life rise from defects in trust 333 There is a supply for all our defects 391 Deordination of nature to be lookt upon and how 166. Most needfull so to doe 168 Deniall of our selves necessary wherein 140. Notes of it 142 Desertion then Christ should be put betweene God and us 509 Despaire of mercy no cause of it 565 Desperation may be where is onely a generall apprehension of mercy 483 Difference betweene a carnall Christian and another 437 Discouragement in affliction incident to Gods owne people 11. Causes hereof in our selves privative 21. Positive 23. Wee are apt to cast downe our selves 41. Reasons against discouragement the hurt that comes by it 46. It crosseth our owne principles 54. In case of discouragement we should not thinke too much on our corruptions 95. A godly man knowes how to carry himselfe in discouragements 78 Disquieted wee may be for that which it is not a sinne to be disquieted for 91 Disquietnesse three notes of that which is not befitting 92 Disquietnesse for sin when it exceeds measure 94 Disquietments proper to the soule beside those of the body 108 Distrust the cause of all disquiet 252 Distempers fall if arraigned before reason 53 Doubting ariseth of Popish doctrine of works 29 Duty more to be thought of then comfort 422 Duties to be don with united forces or spirits 30 E Eloquence of Ambrose converted Austine 196 Election not knowne no hinderance to our trust in God 489 Enemies of the Church comfort against them 412 Envie not their prosperity 474 Estate of a Christian how to be judged 26 Event of things not to be too much forecasted 39 Evidence of faith more constantly upholds the soule then evidence of sight 532 Evill in an holy Christian not to be too much lookt upon 38. Nor evills of the time 39 Evills of sinne 87 Excellencies of God to be branched out for our severall uses 508 Exercise of grace preserves the soule 249 Experiments of God treasured up in the heart would much help faith 529 Experiences to be called to mind 312. And communicated to others 313 Extremities whereinto the godly are suffered to fall and why 310 Evills that are outward how remedied 593 F Faith must own God specially 480. And why 482. It relyes on a double principle 299. Why so requisite in Christians 301. It is stil shaked by the devill and wicked ones 17. It must have price set on it and how this may be 315. 317. In us no seeds of faith as of obedience 332 Fancy to be quickly limited and restrained 189. The proper use of it 193
Favour of God how to preserve the sence of it 525 Failings pardoned where is no malicious intention 424 Former favours make the soule more sensible of contrary impressions 4 Friends living spirituall priviledges by them 221 Friends departure comfort in it 408 G Galeacius Caracciolus how converted 196 God makes every man a governour over himselfe 67 God still left to a good heart for comfort when all others faile 247 God onely is the fit object of trust 264 God cannot out of Christ be thought on comfortably 267 God is some mens God specially 477. Hence is the spring of all good 481. When we prove this to our soules 495. Tokens of it 501. Comfort by it in extremities 505 Gods presence sweetneth all places and estates 2 Gods glory more to be regarded then our owne good 420 God is many salvations to his people 464. A Rock not to be undermined 464 Godly men when best disposed 114. They can cast restraint on themselves in distempers 63. Can make a good use of privacy 65 Great ones in most danger 60. And why 224 Greatnesse of finne may encourage us to goe to God 355 Griefe gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first 5. It casteth downe as joy lifteth up 50. How to be mitigated 216. Griefe faulty when 94. Even godly griefe is to be bounded 97. How it is to be ordered aright 100 Griefe for sinne why wee want it so much 372. What we must doe in the want of it 382. It is not all at first 383 Griefe of contrition and of compassion 101 Growth in laying claime to God 488 Guard over the soule to be kept 170 H Hatred of sinne a good signe of grace notes of it 380 Heart of man not easily brought unto God 254 Heart to be most watcht and kept in temper 42 Heart though vile shall be fitted for God comfort and glory 390 A Heart enlarged to praise God is the chiefe deliverance 439 Heart of Christians first cheared by God then their countenance 468 Help by others in discerning our estates 287 Help where none is yet trust in God Ibid. Holinesse of God no discouragement to true Christians in their many infirmities 392 Hope the maine support of a Christian 263. The difference of it from faith Ibid. It quieteth the soule Hope most in a hopelesse estate two grounds 301. and 491. Houre of mercy not yet past if yeelded unto 368 Humbled persons comforted 370 To humble us God need not goe without us to fetch forces 109. And wee need goe no surther then our selves 151 I Idle life is ever a burthen to it selfe 32 Idlenesse is the houre of temptation 190 Imagination and opinion the cause of much disquiet 176. How it hurteth us 183. How sinfull imaginations worke upon the soule 181. The remedie and cure of this evill 183. Opportunities of helping it to be sought and taken 195. How it may be made serviceable in spirituall things 198. Not impossible to rule our imaginations 210. Misconceits about them 212 Immanuel a name of nature and of office 478 Impediments should not discourage Christians 389 Impudencie in wicked men more then in devills 522 Inclinations of soule to the creature should be at first subdued 328 Instinct supernaturall leades the godly unto God 418 Interest in God the ground of trusting in him 477 Ioy and praise help each other 430 Ioy stilleth the soule Jbid. Iudgement and reason well employed will raise up a dejected spirit 51 L Large faith and large object should be shaped together 519 Latimers three prayers all granted 433 Law of God extent and spiritualnesse of it to be considered 168 Least mercy of God must be prized 450 Liberty Christian may not be unknowne nor yet abused 32. 114. Life of a Christian a life of trouble 107 Life of Christians a mixture of good evill 428. Hid. 515 We Lose our selves most by yeelding most to our selves 60 Love such things as can returne love 122 Love of God to be lookt at in every mercy 446 Love-tokens from God arguing he is ours 501 Love of God not to be questioned grounds 298 Luther assured of a particular mercy in prayer 433 M Massacre of France terrible afterward to the King 66 Meanes whether relyed on or no. 343 Mercy of God must not bee limited by mans sinnes 358. It is Gods name he pleads for it 535 Moone in the change neerest the Sunne so wee to God in greatest dejection 18 Motions of sinne to be at first crushed 129 Murther of the tongue 19 N Nature of man since sin came in subject to misery and sorrow 9. proved 10. applyed 11 Natures favourers enemies of grace 164 Nature divine the onely counter-poyson of sin 172 Naturall righteousnesse in Adam 155 Naturall sinnes in us voluntary too 161 O Objects of Religion or conversation not to be substituted 319 Offence against God takes not away trust in God 253 Omission of duties breeds trouble to the soule 34 Opinions of others not to be too much heeded 37. 124 Opposition to sin in the godly is universall 88 Over-joying in outward comforts breeds trouble 35 Outward things no fit stayes for the soule 321. 325 P Passions conflict one with another 78 Passions not to be put to our troubles 124 Passions hid till drawne out and how this is 126 Peace the Epitome of all good 138 Perseverance in grace warranted and how 388 Portion of the godly is God alone 517 Power that wee have over our selves is of God 243 Prayer needfull to keepe our selves in temper 62 Prayer heard signes of it 453 Prayer and praise depend each on other 422. 455 Praise in trouble more minded by the godly then their delivery 420. Special times to praise God 425. No easie matter to praise God aright 439. conditions 448. motives 459. meanes of performing it 459 Prepare for an alteration of thy estate and spirit 40 Presence of God with his in worst times what it doth for them 426 Pride must ever be taken downe though the spirit be dejected 61 Pride and passion mischievous 58 Promises of God what they are in divers respects 296 Promises are not all reserved for heaven but partly verified on earth 434 Propriety in God chiefly to be laboured for 483 Providence of God makes all good to us as himselfe is good 267 It is a speciall stay of our faith 270. What God is he makes good by providence Ibid. Graces to be exercised in observing divine providence 278 R Reall praises of God necessary 451 Real things put out troublesom thoughts 185 Reason for sinne none at all 415 Reasons of a godly man are divine 417 Relations wherein wee stand to God must be all answered and how 307 Relapses pardonable and curable 366 Repentance begins in the love of God 197 Resolution necessary in Christianity 442 Want of it breeds much disquiet 34 Resolution firme peremptory to be assumed 256. renue it 258. and that quickly 260 S Salvations of God plentifull and manifold 464. To