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
bee condemned with the world what should let but that as they are at peace with God by being iustified by faith so they should reioyce euen in their tribulations also Yea as Saint Iames willeth count it all ioy when they fall not into some few but into great varietie and multitudes of them Which if any shall be so farre from doing as they shall rather despise the chastening of the Lord contrary to the counsell giuen Heb. 12. 5. by the holy Ghost they shall but as the Prophet Ionah speaketh forsake their owne mercy Ionah 2. 8. CHAP. XXV The difference of ioy in the last dimension or the longitude thereof and how the ioy of sound beleeuers is permanent and inducing the ioy of hypocrites transitorie and fained THe fourth and last dimension wherein the ioy of true beleeuers and of such as are but hollow and vnsound in the faith may appeare farre to differ betweene themselues is in respect of the longitude and length of time for the continuance and enduring thereof The one is transitorie and fading which according to the vnsoundnesse of them that haue it will not last long but is momentany and of short abiding like a morning cloud and as the early dew which when the Sunne ariseth Hos 13. 3. passeth soone away the triumphing of the wicked is short and the ioy of the hypocrite is but for a moment as speaketh Zophar Iob 20. 5. the Naamathite but the other is lasting comfort and termelesse ioy which will endure as long as the daies of heauen and is so firmely fixed and deeply rooted in the heart of him that is sound in the faith as it is found able to endure the skorchingst heate and most feruent Sun-shine of the hottest persecution without any withering The ioyings of hypocrites the chearing and lightning Ioy of hypocrites â—ut short of their hearts are but as the flashes of lightning in a dark night which though they may bring some light for a time yet the darkenesse is doubled afterward the candle Prou. 13. 8. Amos 8. 9. of the wicked saith Salomon shall soone be put out yea their Sunne goeth downe ouer them euen at noone and the Lord will darken their earth in the cleare day their ioy is but as their hope is which is as soone blowne away as is the flower of a dried thistle There are none that seeme to haue greater forwardnesse greater delight and ioy in good things for a time then haue temporary beleeuers Marke 4. 16. 17 Our Sauiour Christ compareth them to the seed that is sowne in stoâ—ie ground which vseth to come vp hastâ—ly as soone and sooner then other and to shew as greene and goodly for a time but yet wanting depth of earth neuer commeth to perfection but is quickly withered and soone commeth to nothing againe their delight and ioy in the best things is not constant they may delight and ioy in one Sermon and loath the next they heare againe they may with Herod reuerence Iohn Baptist to day heare gladly Mat. 6. 20. his preaching and feele some ioy at the Sermon and yet to morrow doe as bad as he did who added that to all his other euils that he put Iohn into prison out of which there Luke 3. 20. was no bailing of him till he had paid his head for a ransome Yea their ioy is so deceitfull so false and durelesse as it will not last long in any thing they may bee as pleasant and iocund for a time as was Agag when hee said the feare of death was gone and then in a moment and turne of the hand feele nothing but the bitternes of death and vnauoideable sorrowes vpon them and then their hearts like Nabals will soone die away in them and become as heauy as a stone The light of their ioy is soone put out in darkenesse and all the shining thereof ouercast of the sudden with some sad remembrance or but the Iob 18. 5. 6. heare-say of a danger the light of the wicked shall be quenched and the sparke of their fier shall not shine their ioy being but as the shining of some great light when it is ready to goe out which may shine with a great though not with a long blaze and then all of the sudden ere one bee aware it is quite extinguished and seene to goe out againe and then as the candle stinketh more being put out then if it had neuer been lighted before so they that haue once loued the truth and had ioy therein if they leaue so to doe or loath it afterward if they wilfully reiect 2. Pet. 2. 21. it and turnâ— away againe from the holy commandement they are then 〈◊〉 to greater iudgement and become more odious both to God and man then if they had neuer knowne and embraced the same Who was hotter in 2. King 10. 16. zeale then Iohn for a time what delight and contentment tooke he in that he did how was he conceited for it and prided himselfe therein in so much as he called in others to come and see and behold what zeale he had for the Lord and yet he was but an hypocrite this was not sound neither lasted it in him Iudas seemed to begin well and made a shew of leauing all as well as did the rest to follow Christ but he was a foule hypocrite he held not out as he seemed to begin wofull was his end he being one of the twelue to whom power was giuen against unâ—leane spirits to heale all manner of sicknesses and diseases being Mat. 10. 8. sent forth as well as the rest to vse this power it is like hee had great ioy as well as the rest in seeing such things to be effected by him according as it is said that the Disciples whom Christ sent forth returned againe with great ioy because the diuels were subject vnto them but this ioy Luke 10. 17. did not last long in Iudas but was changed into a most desperate sorrow wofull and fearefull was his end Alexander the Copper-smith was thought a while to haue ioined with Paul and as some think to haue suffered in his Acts 19. 33. case to haue bin neare vnto martyrdome but he soone fell from the faith and lost al the loue the ioy and delight that he had in the truth making shipwrack of al so as the Apostle 1. Tim. 1. 19. 20. deliuered him vp vnto Satan and doubted not directly to pray against him Saul while things went to his mind was content for a time to aduance Gods religioÌ„ he was turned Prophet on the sudden the people with much wondring saying one to another is Saul also among the 2. Sam. 10. 11. 1. Sam. 11. 15. Prophets he serued God with the people offering peace offerings and had great ioy in so doing he was so hot vpon Gods seruice as he was impatient of tarrying till Samuel might come to offer the sacrifice and therefore
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
the assurance they haue at one time become secure at another growing to presume by an ouer-weening that should be within them there is no such promise to be found in the whole book of God made to any that are most preferred in Gods fauour and that haue allowed them the best assurance that may be of their saluation The strong faith may haue feares and doubts for euer but through such default that assurance may be ouertaken with feare and trembling againe yea with a horrible feare comming vpon them and they shaken with another manner of trembling then before would haue been sufficient and haue serued the turne Wee reade of no mans faith better graced or more secured or vnto which greater promises were made euen by our Sauiour himselfe then was the faith of Peter and profession that he made thereof which was not onely approued of by him but Peter was pronounced blessed for the same out of Christ his owne mouth and the same secured by a most gracious promise made thereunto that Mat. 16. 16. 17. 18. the gates of hell should neuer preuaile against it Howbeit when Peter began to presume and to haue an ouerweening Mark 14. 31. 37. 38. 68. 70. 71. of himselfe when hee became carelesse and secure neglecting by prayer and watching to safegard his faith he entred into tentation his faith was dangerously winnowed and most soarely shaken Dauid who was a man of an inuincible courage and of a most noble and heroicall spirit a man of that resolution and so strongly holding fast the confidence of the hope he had in God as he cared not for thousands nor ten thousands of them Psal 3. 6. that should set themselues against him who feared not though he should walke through the valley of the shaddow Psal 23. 4. 6. dow of death but reckoned that goodnesse and mercie should follow him all his daies and that he should dwell vnder Gods protection in his house for euer All this was during such time as he kept his integritie and continued his diligence and paines taking in such religious exercises and holy endeauours whereunto he had been wont to inure himselfe which made grace so happily to grow in him and his comfort so greatly to abound But when he once came to giue ouert is so blessed a course and began to grow carelesse and negligent in the best things setting himselfe to seeke after his sinfull pleasures and the satisfying of his lusts when in his prosperitie his heart began to be lifted vp by an ouerweening of his estate promised vnto himselfe and presumed that he should neuer be remoued then God hid his face and with-drew his Psal 30. 6. 7. comforts from him and how then became he troubled then were the ioyes that he was wont to haue in God vtterly Psal 51. 8. 11. 12 to seeke then in stead of all that confident and comfortable boldnesse hee was wont to haue in his heart fearefulnesse and trembling began to come vpon him and an horrible feare to ouerwhelme him then began the Psal 55. 5. arrowes of the Almightie to be shot at him which stooke so fast in his sides that hee was made to roare out for the Psal 38. 28. very disquietnesse of his soule then he that was wont to call others to praise God for his mercies began to doubt of Gods mercies for himselfe whether they were not come wholly to an end whether he were not cast off for euer Psal 31. 22 which in his haste hee did not sticke both to thinke and also to speake Yea that great Apostle Paul himself that elect and chosen vessell of the Lord who so gloriously did triumph and insult ouer all the greatest enemies of Rom 8. 33. 34. 35. 37. our saluation that wee haue challenging them all to doe their best and their worst for doing vs any harme and shutting vp that whole matter with that great assurance of faith that constant resolution that full and vndoubted perswasion that there was nothing present nor to come that euer should be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus hee was not voyd of all manner of weakenesse he was not freed from all kind of fearing and trembling but as haue other the seruants of God hee had also his weakenesse which hee could not be freed from when Satans messenger was sent to buffet him though he 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. prayed earnestly vnto God for the remouing of the same he felt that strength of naturall corruption at sometimes Rom. 7. 24. ouer-mastering him that made him crie out of himself as of a most miserable man He serued the Lord in all humilitie Acts 20. 19. at Ephesus as himselfe saith with many teares and tentations he professeth he was among the Corinthians in 1. Cor. 2. 3. weakenesse in feare and in much trembling he saith when he was come into Macedonia hee had no rest in his flesh but was troubled on euery side he met with fightings without 2. Cor. 7. 5. and felt terrors and feares within he had care and took paines as well as doe other the seruants of God to looke to the maine point of the safetie of his owne saluation by taming and keeping vnder his own body and bringing it into 1. Cor. 9. 27. subiection left by any meanes when he had preached vnto others he himselfe should become a cast-away It is not for None must be secure any then let their assurance be what it will be to cast off all manner of feare or care but let euery one that thinketh he standeth take heed that he fall not nay he that standeth indeed and standeth by faith yet let him listen to the counsell giuen by the Apostle thou standest saith he by Rom. 11. 20. faith be not high-minded but feare Though such cannot fal finally away and their faith faile for altogether yet may they fall so fearefully and into such a decay of their faith as in regard of their owne feeling the comfort of their faith may be wholly gone and lost for a time yea and it is possible so lamentable may their fall be that for so great a degree of assurance of faith and measure of comfortable feeling as they had before they shall neuer haue againe nor during their whole life-time fully recouer all their losses which they haue sustained by so wofully falling And who would not feare and tremble if it were but at the thoughts of this thing that through a mans owne carelesse negligence such a case as this may too truly befall him This then is the work which euery one bee hee weaker or stronger in the faith must be ready to put his hand vnto and must neuer be willing to pull his hand from it againe after hee hath once begun to fall a working nâ—mely to worke out with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. his owne saluation Not that the saluation of
that shall neuer more bee parted yea to take such hold of Christ as hee may dwell in that heart for euer And can there be a greater a more powerfull or more comfortaâ—le worke wrought by faith in a mans whole life-time then this hand-fasting of Christ and the beleeuer once for euer together and can there a more blessed effect euer flow from faith then so to apprehend Christ by our beleeuing in him that now with Peter we doe so beleeue and know him to be our Sauiour as we can goe away reioycing and chaunt it out with the Spouse in that Song of Songs My beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me Howbeit Cantic 2 16. 7. 10. it is not euery bodies case for faith thus to manifest it selfe in them at the first so soone as euer it hath any manner of being at all in the heart into which it is put euery body that haue faith cannot thus clearely and readily find out the faith that they haue so soone as they haue it at the first neither yet at all times after they haue once truly receiued it when they would be glad to haue the comfort of it The faith of euery one commeth not to grow vp so speedily and to attaine to that ripenesse of the sudden as they that haue it can haue such present refreshing by it and the like benefit to shelter and shaddow themselues vnder the comfortable couering and shaddow thereof in the feruent aking and fainting of their hearts as had Ionah Ionah 4. 6. 10. vnder the shaddow of the Gourd which God made to grow vp in a night and prepared ready against the morning to come ouer his head to deliuer him from the feruent scorching of the Sunne and vehement East-wind that did beate vpon him which yet was the case of some in the beginnings of the Gospell vnto whom both faith and the comfort of faith was giuen to be felt together as the Eunuch the Iailor Lydian and some other But though some may haue comfort of their faith at the first and for some good time together yet is it as possible for that course to be interrupted againe and they as much depriued of that comfortable working of their faith for the cheering and refreshing of their hearts afterwards for a time through the strength of some sore tentation assailing the same as Ionah was depriued of the benefit of his Gourd for altogether that refreshed him so well with the shadow thereof when once God had prepared a worme to smite that gourd so as it perished in one night againe and became then more distressed then at the first in so much that his heart fainted in him which made him wish in himselfe now to die and no longer to liue So fareth it with many who haue once been swetly refreshed with the consolations of Gods and haue felt much comfort and gladnesse of heart in their new Feeling lost conuersion and haue been filled with ioy and peace in their first beleeuing who yet haue afterwards had all the light of their comforts so greatly eclypsed their faith so sorely shaken their hearts so troubled and deepely distressed and they cast into such labyrinths of spirituall sorrowes as out of which they no way haue been able to dispatch themselues but haue been forced to yeeld ouer and fall downe flat oppressed with their burthens ouerwhelmed with their griefes the waight of their sorrowes and burthen of their feares exceeding for a time the strength of their faith and so breaking it downe that all comfort faileth them for the present and their faith can be no more felt then if at all it neuer had been Then are they more troubled then if they had neuer before knowne what comfort had meant like Rebeckah Gen. 25. 22. who was more troubled that she had euer conceiued when she felt those struglings in her wombe Such comforts once had but lost againe which the sorrowes so comming vpon them haue eaten vp and deuoured as Pharaohs leane kine did the fat serue but to strengthen their present griefes and to make them twice more grieuous then otherwise they would haue beene felt if they had not tasted how ioyous and how comfortable the former consolations and refreshings of their hearts had beene Then begin they to call all things into question which before they found so great comfort in their conuersion is doubted of either neuer to haue been soundly wrought or else that that which was once happily begun now to be vntimely brought to an end and wholly to be vndone againe Their faith is suspected either to haue bin but a meere fancie they all the while deluded when they thought they had true faith wrought in them and did best of all beleeue or else that which was once true for want of strength to be now perished froÌ„ theÌ„ to faile theÌ„ for altogether wholly to be lost gone Then as Rachels voice was heard in Rama when she wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not so are their lamentable voices heard in the Churches of weeping and mourning and great lamentation they weeping for the want of these graces and will not be comforted because to their sense and feeling as themselues so doe thinke they now are not but are quite lost and gone CHAP. IX What remedie there is for the weake in faith and withall the excellency of faith is declared with the practice or vse to be made thereon Question WHat course is then to be taken for help and remedy in this case that such may be succoured and supported in this their great weaknes not seene to faint giue ouer for altogether A. They to whom God hath giuen Isa 50. 4. tongue of the learned so as they know how to speake a Comforts to weake faith word in season to them that are wearie had need to strengthen such with their mouth and tempering their words with a certaine sweetnesse of speaking by the comfort of their lippes to asswage their griefes These Iob 16. 5. whose hearts are thus dismayed and discomforted languishing and fearing and ready to faint within them had Cant. 2. 4. 5. need to be carried into the Lords wine cellers of the holy Scriptures that they may bee refreshed and stayed with Isa 66. 11. his flagons and comforted with his apples that thence they may sucke and be satisfied with the consolations of God to get strength in the inner man againe that so they faint not in these their fearings through the enemies tentations Such are to bee directed to got and listen how graciously the Lord himselfe who is the father of mercies and God of all consolation vouchsafeth euen in that place to speake comfortably to the heart of her that Iere. 31. 13. 15. 16. 17. would not bee comforted in a case not much vnlike to that which theirs now is promising that hee would turne
sure neuer quite to fall from God for any thing that afterwards can happen and that such sauing graces can neither totally nor finally be lost of them that haue once receiued them Wee may see it true by the examples of those against whom Satan hath bent all his force and laid as it were his cannon shot endeuouring if it had bin possible to haue ouerthrowne them as of Dauid Salomon Peter and such other men who haue been in the greatest danger that way in whom their faith and life of grace haue seemed in a manner to haue been quite extinguished partly by securitie partly by the strength of tentation wherewith they were sorely assailed and yet wee know these were the Lords Worthies whom no power of the enemie was euer able to preuaile against or finally to ouercome and their graces though much eclipsed for a time yet gloriously recouering themselues againe and shining out with a more perfect brightnesse in some of them then euer before was seene The reason of it is for Certaintie that God is the Lord and changeth not his gifts and calling Mal. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 29. to his children are without repentance he will not take his sauing mercies and graces from them for euermore but whom he loueth he loueth to the end And because Gods seruants Iohn 13. 1. stand not by their owne strength but by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh they are kept by the 1. Pet. 1. 5. power of God as in a castle strongly fenced this second being a benefit equall to the first to keepe vs in a happie state after we once are brought into it For what benefit were it to a man to haue possession giuen him of a rich Citie or strong Tower or Hold and the enemie to beate him him out againe the next day Touching those instances you brought in of the failing of Dauids graces there was neuer any totall abolition of such graces in Dauid when hee was so fallen but a soporation onely and a spirituall slumber that came vpon them as one of the Fathers Bernard speaketh his faith indeed seemed to faile him for a time and the comfort of his hope for a while to haue bin gone but this was neither conceiued nor vttered of him out of any mature deliberation or staied and setled iudgment when hee was well aduised with himselfe what to determine but out of a hastie infirmitie when strength of tentation had ouerset him for hee professed hee speaking Psal 31. 22. and 116. 11. thus did but speake it in his haste And that Dauid being a worthy Prophet and a man of great and heauenly knowledge and of a sound iudgement in the truth yet in his heauinesse did pray that God would not cast him out of his presence nor take his holy spirit from him this shewed a diseased minde to be then in him and a heart much distempered through his great distresse So hard a thing is it for a man to keep himselfe sound no not in the chiefe points and principles of religion in times of sore affliction and strong tentation For trouble and griefe will sorely shatter a man when a mans eyes are full of teares it is no marueile if hee be found to misse euen in reading his owne pardon Wee know the Lord had sworne by his holinesse that hee would neuer faile Dauid and his mercies bestowed vpon him were called the sure mercies of Dauid and though Dauid might feare in his weaknesse yet God had made a faithfull promise that he would not take his spirit from Dauid as hee had taken him away from him that was before him To conclude then this point as wine failed euen in that banquet Iohn 2. 3. at which Christ himselfe was present so comfort is sometimes interrupted in that heart in which Christ himselfe dwelleth and as in the one he turned water into wine in the end so in the other he will turne all sorrow into endlesse ioy and peace at the last The comforts then of the godly are euerlasting the state of grace they stand in is sure and wil neuer faile them Faith is an euer-abiding and vnconquerable grace which al the force of the enemy can neuer destroy nor cause to miscarrie which once being planted in the hart can neuer be quite plucked vp againe till that soule be saued in which it euer did first take root Q. If all this be so which you haue spoken and set downe touching true faith which is the faith of Gods Elect according as for mine owne part I see no great reason to make any further doubt therein namely that true faith whensoeuer it is wrought and planted in a mans heart it neuer faileth to saue euery soule that hath it and that the least measure of sauing faith is as true faith as is the greatest And that true faith being once had howsoeuer it may be winnowed and assailed yet can it neuer be afterward lost till that soule be saued that euer truly had it and was possessed thereof I see that Excellency of faith this grace of faith is most excellent that thus bringeth saluation to euery soule that so hath it and that worthily it is called precious for it how well may all that bee said of it which Iob speaketh of wisedome in the praising and extolling Iob 28. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. of the same that man knoweth not the price therof Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be waighed for the price therof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphire no mentiō is to be made of Corrall nor of the Gabish for faith is more precious then all these the Topaze of Ethiopia shall not be equall vnto it neither shall it bee valued with the wedge of the most puregold And to conclude with that which you made the beginning for exhorting all to labour about getting faith I see the speech may well be applied and spoken in particular for Prou. 4. 5. 7. the getting of faith which you so remembred Salomon in his Prouerbs spake in generall of wisedome for getting of vnderstanding viz. fully iustly and truly may it be said to all get faith get the power of beleeuing forget it not faith is the principall thing therefore get faith and with all thy gettings get the grace of true beleeuing According as the Apostle himselfe putteth also this taske vpon euery Christian diligently 2. Cor. 13. 5. to examine himselfe to sift trie and prooue himselfe whether he be in the faith or no setting euery one a worke about searching and finding out the true being of faith in them vnder no lesse penalty and damage then is the losse of all their comfort of their being in Christ and of the whole claime they doe make vnto saluation by him and of their abiding otherwise in no better estate then in the state of plaine
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
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
to reioyce alwaies for his goodnesse vnto them who by his gracious and wise prouidence doth so order and dispose of euery thing that doth happen as hee neuer faileth but doth cause all to work together to the good of them that truly doe loue him This is that which the Apostle willeth Phil. 4. 5. 6. and waranteth to euery good Christian that they doe reioyce in the Lord alwaies Now alwaies includeth as all times so all things and all cases that may happen for if there were any thing that might come to passe or any condition might befall a true Christian wherein there could not be found some cause of reioycing in the Lord for some one respect or other then might not a Christian reioyce alwaies but this the Apostle hath said hee may yea and ought also to doe or else he would not so directly haue spoken it and willed the doing of it and lest any should thinke hee had somewhat with the most and granted too large an allowance vnto Christians thus alwaies to reioyce to meete with that doubt and to make it cleare that there is warrant for them so to doe he saith it againe and speaketh it the second time doubling that speech as if he should say I willed you to reioyce in the Contra. 116. 128 Lord alwaies in saying whereof I haue said nothing too much I know what I doâ— say I say nothing but what I haue warrant for I will therefore say it againe Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce But it is worthy the marking he doth not will vs to reioyce alwaies in all things that may happen for some things may either be done by vs or be done to vs which are not simply to be ioyed in but to be lamented in and much be wailed by vs for which things themselues alone being considered we are to be greatly sorry as being euill in themselues But because so wonderful is the Lord in counsel and so excellent in working as he knoweth how to bring good out of the greatest euil that can happen to be done for otherwise as wel hath one of the Fathers obserued the Lord would neuer let euill bee vnlesse he knew how to bring good out of euill therefore hee willeth vs whatsoeuer cause we may haue to be humbled in our selues for that which may befall vs or vnto any others yet to reioyce in the Lord alwaies in his mercie and goodnesse iustice and truth in the excellencie of his wisedome and the absolute perfection of his skill as who knoweth without all failing to make all things beautifull in due time for Eccles 3. 11. so perfect a workeman is he as it skilleth not what matter and stuffe he taketh into his hand to worke vpon reffuse and rubbish that none others can tell how to put to any vse he will improue to such a purpose and cause so well to serue his turne as the very perfection of beauty shall bee seene in that passing workmanship of his hands which he will make euident to be done by him and to be wrought vpon the same For perfect is the worke of the mightie God and all his waies are iudgement God is true and without Deut. 32. 4. wickednesse iust and righteous is he as Moses did sing in his Swannes song Now if any doe desire that as the Lord turneth all things to good so hee might get good also out of euery thing that so hee might alwaies reioyce in all things so made profitable vnto him the Apostle giueth him this direction following in the place before cited that in nothing being too mistrustfully carefull he doe make prayers vnto God alwaies and in all things for the same Innumerable be the things that in particular may and doe fall out in our life time which doe much and nearely concerne vs some which of themselues in their owne nature and at the first hand are very ioyfull and comfortable vnto vs sent from God as benefits and blessings to cheare comfort and doe vs good and so they are accounted of by vs and intertained with all gladnesse and reioycing on our parts returning backe againe heartie thanks and praises vnto God for the same In such things it is cleare enough a good Christian may and ought much to reioice but there are many other things happening which may seeme to be as much against vs and about such things is all the question and the greatest doubt made how in those things which first and in their owne nature are heauie things to be heard of to be seene with our eyes or felt by our owne experience which iustly doe bring matter of griefe and heauinesse to our hearts and as iustly may call for much humiliation at our hands a faithfull seruant of God may possibly gather or picke out any kind of true comfort or find how any cause of sound ioy and warrantable reioycing in any respect may be raised from the same that so this may stand true the ioy of a sound Christian is of so large an extent as it may be reached out to euery thing that doth happen and according to that the Apostle willeth that a good Christian may be warranted to reioyce alwaies in the Lord. CHAP. XXII Of the lets of true ioy and first of sinne And how the Lord raiseth thence maater of reioycing to beleeuers OF all the things that are of this nature and kinde the greatest doubt so farre as I conceiue may be made of these two in particular viz. either of such things as doe respect our dealing against God by sinning and disobeying of him or doe respect Gods dealing against vs by chaftising and not sparing of vs and that either by his withdrawing himselfe from vs in hiding his owne countenauce or by his comming neere vnto vs in iudgement to smite vs with his rod laying on heauy chastisements and bringing sore and great troubles vpon vs. For as for all else that doe befall vnto vs by any other meanes of men or diuels or any other the creatures if they were not armed and made strong against vs by our sinnes or were not sent and set on by Gods owne hand his warrant and allowance he being thereunto iustly prouoked by vs to set them vpon vs and to set them against vs wee need not weigh them a rush nor care at all what they al together could possibly do for the doing to vs any hurt or any way to hinder our steady comfort But euen in those things whereof the greatest doubt may be made if there can for the present no manner of cause be found why in any respect a true beleeuer may haue his ioy in the Lord euen then still abiding and some kinde of lawfull reioyeing in the Lord yet allowed vnto him it is not because there is wholly wanting all manner of ground from whence may be raised a true and warrantable kind of reioycing but because we cannot see it till our eyes be opened and 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
neede so requiring yet neuer can it wholly be lost from them nor finally faile them for altogether but so is it found in the end to be restored againe with aduantage vnto them as that for their single sorrowes they haue double ioyes giuen them yea such ioyes as Peter calleth ioyes vnspeakable and glorious at what time they shall see cause to reioyce in their portion They may by their sinning against the Lord and by the prouoking of his anger against them haue the feeling of this ioy kept from them for a long time and their desired comforts so long withholden as may make their hearts to feare and to faint within them but as the Prophet Habakuk counselleth and Hab. 2. 3. giueth direction though it tarrie a little yet let them waite and hope vndoubtedly to finde it againe for certainly in the end it will come and it will not stay long and then the desire once so accomplished will much more delight their Prou. 13. 12. 19. soule and though they haue tarried for it long yet that will be verified vpon them at the last that the patient abiding Prou. 10. 28. of the righteous will proue gladnes in the end Though then the ioy of the faithfull may not be felt for a time yet is there no feare but it will be found againe afterward for their ioy is such ioy as is euerlasting in respect of the grounds thereof and which being giuen thē by Christ according to the promise he hath made none shall for euer be Ioh. 16. 22. able to take it from them any more The sun-shine of Gods fauour may for a while be hidden out of their sight but then as the Lord himselfe hath promised that though for a moment in his anger he hides his face yet with euerlasting Isai 54. 7. 8. mercie hee will haue compassion on them againe and turne their shadow of death into a most bright and chearefull morning Amos 5. 8. The ioy of a temporarie beleeuer how great soeuer it may seeme to be for a season yet as the seede sowne in stony ground it cannot be kept from withering in the scorching heate of hot persecution because it wanteth depth of earth and good ground to roote it on as not being Mak. 4. 17. grounded either vpon any stable assurance of Gods vndoubted Temporary ioy withers loue and rich mercy vnto him or vpon any good stedfastnes of his own loue to God back againe in thankfulnes for the same as who for that loue of God wherewith he seeth God to haue first loued him in Christ Iesus should bee made so farre to forget himselfe and to prize Gods glorie as for Gods cause to be found willing to carrie his owne life in his hand and to hazard the exposing of himselfe to any danger that may happen but rather raised and being grounded vpon some worldly some selfe and by-respects which failing and not falling out according to his owne reckoning and expectation then is his ioy also gone and he as much altered as if hee had neuer been the man The ioy of an hypocrite vanisheth quite away and commeth to nothing in time of tribulation How triumphing soeuer he was found to be before in his great reioycing yet when persecution and fierie triall doth come he groweth then to be most heartlesse and crest fallen of the sudden whosoeuer dare shew himselfe in presence then he will be sure to play least in sight at that time And no marueile though an hypocrite bee but a coward for what hath hee to trust vnto that might make him bold in whom nothing is sound and right as it should be who hath nothing but shewes in stead of substance And who will marueile if such a one being false to God though his heart deceiuing him hee proue false to himselfe also and if wanting such faith as is only able to giue him the victorie he be ouercome of feare that causeth him dastardly to flie the field and turning his backe vpon his enemies to runne the countrey Such kinde of persons whose faith doth so faile them and whose hope is vnsound in the time of trouble and aduersitie are like a man that is in the wilde sea in time of a storme without anchor or cable without mast or saile or any tackling to make shift with and helpe himselfe by who hauing no meanes left vnto him to vse for his succour and reliefe in time of such distresse as one dispoiled of all things but the expectation of death only what else can he looke for but to perish in that storme without all hope of any possible escaping These kinde of persons as they are left faithlesse so are they made hopelesse when they see their case to be thus helplesse and therefore ruine and vtter confusion must needes be their last end But the ioy of a true beleeuer as it hath better rooting True ioy lasteth and is grounded vpon a better foundation whence it springeth vp and taketh the beginning so is it of a more firme and fast abiding standing vnmoued what time the other is not onely shaken and wholly cast downe and then flourishing and seene still to grow greene when the Vinesoit vulnere virtus other not being able to abide the heate of persecution becommeth so sulged and blasted and so withered away as it wholly fadeth and in the end is quite brought to nothing The ioy of a true beleeuer ariseth and groweth out of faith which is vnfained whereof Christ is the author and the finisher and the holy Ghost is the worker and the framer of this blessed worke planting faith in the good ground of an honest heart and causing this ioy to spring out of that flourishing plant as the most sweete and pleasant fruite thereof for it is called the ioy 1. Thes 1. 6. Gal. 5. 22. of the holy Ghost and it is numbred among the fruits of the spirit Faith is the sure ground of this ioy from whence it springeth while by faith wee are perswaded of the loue and fauour of God towards vs in and through Christ Iesus into whom we being grafted and planted by our beleeuing doe come so to finde our selues to haue a most happie and ioyfull being in him which causeth vs not only to haue some ioy and reioycing but our ioy is made Ioh. 15. 11. full in him for there is no want in Christ but enough to be found for the making of our ioy full euery way for the fulnes of the Godhead and of all goodnesse is and dwelleth Coloss 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. in him that of his fulnes we may receiue euen this fulnes of ioy and of spirituall and heauenly consolation which he Ioh. 16. 24. himselfe willeth vs to seeke by prayer for to obtaine And so is the heart of the beleeuer filled with this ioy of the holy Ghost by Christ Iesus our Sauiour as it is more then the world or all the
enemies he hath besides can doe to plucke that ioy from him which Christ hath once giuen Ioh. 16. 22. him or so to rifle and rob him of it againe as it can euer truly be said he is now wholly emptie who before was full according to that which Naomi spake in the griefe Ruth 1. 21. of her heart as touching the change of her estate and he is now dispoyled of all ioy and hath all cause of reioycing wholly taken from him that before was so abundantly filled and replenished with the same For light being sowne for the righteous and ioy for the upright in heart Psal 97. 11. as being the pleasant fruite and rich crop which they are to reape of their sowing to the spirit that fruit is not like to the summer fruite which will not last that soone must be spent but it is lasting fruite that will endure not alone all the yeere but all their life time for them to liue vpon and to cheare their hearts so long as they haue a day to liue vpon earth And therefore doth the spirit of God call vpon the righteous to be glad and all such to reioyce Psal 32. 11. Phil. 4. 4. Psal 5. 11. and be ioyfull as be vpright in heart they are willed to reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe to reioyce yea to reioyce and triumph for euermore Now if all ioy could bee so wholly extinct at any time as not onely all power should be wholly taken away of bringing it into act for the present but in like manner all such ground and causes of it remoued that otherwise might as warrantablie and sufficiently cause it to bee though now it is not for the present act in being as doth the true cause bring foorth the naturall and proper effect how could this possibly bee done which the spirit of God in these and many the like places of Scripture doth will and warrant the righteous to doe The reason why true ioy in Christ being once giuen to the faithfull can neuer bee afterwards taken from them againe is because Gods gifts of grace to his children are without all repentance Rom. 11. 29. the mercies of God which he giueth to them are called the sure and the euerlasting mercies of Dauid God hauing promised to Dauid that he would not take away his mercies 2. Sam. 7. 15. Psal 89. 28. 33. 35. from him and his as he tooke them away from Saul that was before him And this is no more then that which in expresse words our Sauiour Christ did promise to his Disciples before he left them that he would come againe Ioh. 16. 22. vnto them and their hearts should reioyce and their ioy should none take from them All true beleeuers then to whom God at any time hath giuen to haue true ioy and peace in beleeuing may with a ioyfull reuerence reioycing Psal 2. 11. with feare and trembling before the Lord hold fast this their ioy and following the example of that worthy leader in the Lords campe and hoast euen that blessed Apostle Paul challenge all their enemies to doe their Rom. 8. 35. worst herein and aske who or which of them all shall bee able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus which alone is the surest ground and mainest foundation of all this their ioy and constant reioycing If anguish tribulation affiction or persecution things which already haue been so much treated on shall stand out to trie what they can doe hereabout they are things indeed grieuous to the flesh and to a worldly minded man they are as prickes and thornes in the flesh that will make him restlesse disquiet his carnall ease and peace in the world and such may they be as not onely by feeling of them when they come but by the feare of them before they light vpon him not onely take all ioy from him but strike him dead at the heart witnesse the example of Nabal But to a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained and who by his faith knoweth himselfe to be certainly iustified and so set at peace with God all afflictions that may befall him can cause no such effect euer to bee seene wrought vpon him as can wholly and altogether bereaue him of all comfort and take for euer his ioy from him howsoeuer for the sudden by the power and strength of tentation they may somewhat astonish him yet calling himselfe to better remembrance hee well perceiueth and soone commeth to know that they are but sent of God for the exercising of that precious faith which once by his grace he hath receiued from him that now the worth and the value thereof may be the better knowne and that they are come rather to be triers then destroyers of his faith that the triall thereof being much more precious then gold that perisheth may cause to him the greater praise and 1. Pet. 1. 7. make more to his honour and glory at the appearing of Christ Iesus And therefore by that faith of his whereby hee findeth himselfe inabled to ouercome the world it selfe hee feareth not to encounter such afflictions such tribulations and persecutions as he meeteth with in the world as not onely daring to wrastle with them but to promise to himselfe the carrying away of the victorie from them and so finally in the end to ouercome them yea in all such things to looke with the Apostle to be more then a conquerour Rom. 8. 35. 37. 38. 39. through him that hath loued him These things then cannot wholly extinguish nor destroy the ioy of a true beleeuer they may better serue to double then to destroy the ioy of such a man It is that property which is onely peculiar to the ioy of faith so to abide in tribulation as it maketh him that is iustified by his faith and so is at peace with God not to be troubled with his troubles but 2. Cor. 6. 10. and 8. 2. 1. Thes 1. 6. to reioyce in tribulation and to suffer valiantly and patiently yea cheerfully and ioyfully euery thing that falleth out by God his appointment for his trying The fishes are not more fresh in the salt sea then Gods seruants remaine faithfull and comfortable in their afflictions and greatest persecutions there are no misaduentures can dishearten their wel resolued minds the Christian resolution of a valorous and stedfast beleeuer in the cause and quarrell of Christ Iesus is so stiffened with a magnanimious and manly temper as nothing can daunt his valiant If there were as many diuels in Wormes as there are tiles on their houses I will among them saith Luther Psal 56. 4. courage from looking the stoutest proudest enemie of Christ in the face for he knoweth his cause to be so good as he is ready to beare the hazard of the most dangerous aduentures and feareth not what flesh at all can doe vnto him for when God hath once spoken peace to his soule
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
leaue one sinne by the power of the ministery of the word then twenty by being beaten from them by constraint of outward trouble and affliction especially when the knowledge of Gods inexpressable loue vnto vs in Iesus Christ is manifested and brought to light by the Gospell preached so as thereout we are made to know how God hath so loued vs as he hath giuen his Sonne Christ Iesus vnto vs to be our Redeemer and so hath giuen vs to him to bee his redeemed yea that he hath giuen his owne selfe vnto vs to be our most louing Father reconciled vnto vs in Christ Iesus and giuen vs againe power by him to become his children with boldnesse to cry Abba father to him by the spirit of adoption which we haue receiued from him when the knowledge especially the sense and feeling of thâ—se thing◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearts with sorrow and griefe for 〈…〉 committed that euer we should haue 〈…〉 gracious and a Father most kind 〈…〉 spoken when of a child-like affection 〈…〉 towards him with sorrowing deeply for hauing offâ—nded him and are found as The soule that is drenched with teares of true repentance receiueth such a tincture and die of grace that will neuer after out good natured children that haue soft and tender hearts to bee grieuing sobbing and sighing in euery corner for angering our Father so as our teares may bee perceiued not to be teares of fullennesse or stubbornnesse but of kindnesse and dutifulnesse towards him when looking vpon him whom we haue pierced with our sinne wee shall be found to mourne before him as one that mourneth for his onely some and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that Zach. 12. 10. is in bitternesse for his first borne And when on the otherside the Lord looking graciously backe vpon vs as he did vpon Peter that looke of his shall pierce our Luk. 22. 61. hearts in remembring all his kindnesses causing vs then with Peter to goe out and weepe bitterly When our sorrow groweth thus and is caused after this manner to arise and when the change of life following hereupon taketh also his beginning from the like ground which is that the appearing of the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men is that that teacheth and moueth Tit. 2. 10. 11. yea after a sort compelleth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly righteously and soberly in our whole life time following then is such a sorrow a true godly sorrow indeed and such a conuersion and repentance following thereof vndoubtedly sound and vnfained which safely may be rested on and trusted vnto indeed I denie not but that Gods seruants both may and ought to haue sorrow and griefe of heart when Gods chastisements are vpon them and when they are wounded and smitten by his hand but that must not bee the principall cause of their sorrowing nor that which should cause their sorrow most to abound not the punishment but the fault is most to be respected of such and ought principally to be lamented and bewailed by them I doe also acknowledge that the terrour of Gods Law denouncing plagues and punishments and threatnings of vengeance to all that are transgressors thereof may so strike and astonish for a time the hearts of Gods humbled and deiected seruants as there can bee felt of them no other then a seruile and slauish feare of death and condemnation trembling before the fiercenesse of Gods wrath whose angry countenance they behold frowning vpon them and his hand lifted vp bending the blow at them which they feare will strike them dead at his feet Then is their sorrowing little differing from that worldly sorrow that causeth death they sorrowing because they can see no way of escaping but of necessity as they thinke they must haue their portion with the diuell and the damned in eternall hell fier But this kind of sorrowing and fearing is not that which they doe euer abide in nor no longer then the Lord seeth it most expedien for them for their better humbling and then it is taken away againe with that spirit of bondage that made them so to feare and their worldly sorrow becommeth changed into godly sorrow that causeth in them repentance vnto life and their slauish and seruile feare into a sonne-like and a child-like feare causing them to feare the Lord not so much because of his wrath as for that there is mercy with him with which fearing there is ioyned boldnesse and the spirit of adoption giuen them which causeth them to feare after that painfull manner no more Legall contrition then is not any part or cause of repentance in Gods children but onely an occasion thereof and that by the meere mercy of God for it selfe is the sting of the Law and the very entrance into the pit of hell The Law and the Gospell although in some sort they teach one thing yet they perswade not by the same arguments The Gospell perswadeth by the death of Christ who hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs that we might be saued by him this the Law neuer knew nor yet taketh knowledge of but it perswadeth with terrour and feare of iudgement but the Gospell hath a more sweeter voice and in a more amiable manner calleth vs to repentance and amendment of life and our Sauiour Christ commeth with blessing vs to turne vs from our iniquities Our godly sorrowing then for sinne which causeth repentance in vs and a turning from our sinnes it Ier. 32. 39. 40. 2. Cor. 7. 1. is a gracious effect of the Gospell and a part of the new Couenant which the Lord promised to make with vs in the latter dayes Thus the sorrow of true conuerts differeth cleerly from the sorrow of hypocrites in that which causeth either CHAP. XXXI How the sorrow of true beleeuers and hypocrites differeth in that which is caused by either THey differ also no lesse in that which is caused by either And to name the chiefe and principall difference at the first the one causeth death and the other causeth life and that is a difference broad enough for euery one plainly to discerne The worldly sorrow of hypocrites causeth death two manner of waies either by making men too secure or by filling them too full of dreadfull horrour and hellish feare either by making them to presume too much and so they come to perish that way or by making them to despaire too much and so they come to be ouerwhelmed and drowned in perdition that way When hypocrites are brought by the feare of Gods iudgments or by the feeling of them to be much troubled and vexed with griefe and sorrow in their hearts and to expresse their inward heauinesse by an outward great humbling of themselues after the manner that Ahab was seene to be before the Lord they grow so conceited in themselues for that they haue done do so flatter themselues with a vaine hope that that which was feared shall
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