THE FIRST PART OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE Wherein specially three maine Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe are propounded and resolued according to the word of God Taught and deliuered by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day Lectures by himselfe revised before his death and now published for the benefit of the Church PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1604 And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sir Edward Denny Knight THere is no one doctrine reuealed in the word of God or dispensed by the Prophets and Apostles of greater vse and consequence in the life of man then is that which prescribeth a forme of releeuing and rectifying the conscience The benefit which from hence issueth vnto the Church of God is vnspeakable For first it serueth to discouer the cure of the dangerousest sore that can be the wound of the Spirit Which how great a crosse it is the wise man reporteth out of true experience when he saith that the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded Spirit who can beare it And his meaning is that no outward griefe can fall into the nature of man which will not be with patience indured to the vtmost so long as the minde is not troubled or dismayed But when once the Spirit is touched and the heart which beeing well apaâ—ed is the very fouÌ„taine of peace to the whole man smitten with feare of the wrath of God for sinne the griefe is so great the burden intolerable that it will not by any outward meanes be eased or asswaged Secondly it giueth for all particular Cases special and sound direction whether man be to walke with God in the immediate performance of the duties of his seruice or to conuerse with man according to the state and condition of his life in the familie in the Church or in the Common-wealth The want of which direction of what force it is to turne the actions of men which are good in themselues to sinnes in regard of the agents S. Paul affirmeth in that generall conclusion Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Wherein he would teach vs that whatsoeuer is done or vndertaken by men in this life whether it concerne the knowledge and worship of God or any particular dutie to be performed by vertue of their callings for the common good whereof they haue not sufficient warrant and assurance in conscience grounded vpon the word that it is to be don or not to be done to them it is a sinne Thirdly it is of all other doctrines if it be rightly vsed the most comfortable For it is not founded in the opinions variable conceits of men neither doth it consist of conclusions and positions that are onely probable and coniecturall for the conscience of the doubting or distressed partie cannot be established and rectified by them but it resteth vpon most sufficient and certaine grounds collected drawne out of the very word of god which as it is mightie in operation â—earcing the heart and discerning the thoughts and intents thereof so is it alone auaileable and effectuall to pacific the minde and to giue full satisfaction to the conscience And as the benefit is great so the want of this doctrine together with the true manner of applying the same is and hath beene the cause of many and great inconueniences For euen of those that feare God and haue receiued to beleeue there be many who in the time of their distresses when they haue considered the waight and desert of their sinnes and withall apprehended the wrath of God due vnto them haue beene brought vnto hard exigents mourning and wayling and crying out as if God had forsaken them vntill they haue beene releeued by the Spirit of Christ in the meditation of the word and promise of God But those especially who haue not beene instructed in the knowledge of the truth nor beene acquainted with the course of Gods dealing with his distressed children by reason of ignorance and blindnes in matters of religion and pietie when the Lord hath let loose the cord of their consciences and set before their eyes both the number of their sinnes committed and the iust anger of God purchased thereby what haue they done surely despairing of their owne estates and of the mercie of God they haue either growne to phrensie and madnes or els sorted vnto themselues fearefull ends some by hanging some by drowning others by murthering their owne selues And if not in regard of griefe and trouble of minde yet for want of better resolution in particular cases within the compasse of their generall or personall callings though otherwise men indued with some measure of knowledge and obedience herein they haue failed that they haue either abused or els quite relinquished forsaken their callings and thereby haue become scandalous offeÌ„siue vnto others Now as this is a matter of great waight importance so is it most meete that the best and fittest course should be taken in the teaching and inforcing of the same In which regard we haue iust cause to challenge the Popish Church who in their Case-writings haue erred both in the substance and circumstances of this doctrine as shall appeare in the sequele First because the dutie of releeuing the Conscience is by them commended to the sacrificing Priest which though according to their owne Canons he should be a man of knowledge and free from imputation of wickednes yet oft times it falls out that he is either vnlearned or els wicked and leud of conuersation and consequently vnfit for such a purpose Secondly they teach that their Priests appointed to be comforters releeuers of the distressed are made by Christ himselfe iudges of the cases of conscience hauing in their owne hands a iudiciarie power and authoritie truly and properly to binde or to loose to remit or to retaine sinnes to open or to shut the kingdome of heauen A blasphemous doctrine Considering that Christ onely hath the keyes of Dauid which properly and truly openeth and no man shutteth and properly and truly shutteth no man openeth And the Ministers of God are not called to be absolute Iudges of the CoÌ„science but only MesseÌ„gers Embassadors of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ wherupon it followeth that they caÌ„not be the authors and giuers of remission of sinnes but onely the Ministers and Dispensers of iâ—â—e same Thirdly the Papists in their writings haue scattered here and there sundrie false and erronious grounds of doctrine much preiudiciall to the direction or resolution of the Conscience in time of neede as namely I. That a man in the course of his life may build himselfe vpon the faith of his teachers and for his saluation rest contented with an implicite vn-expressed faith Which doctrine as it is an onely meane to keepe men in perpetuall blindnes and ignorance so it
vpon an erronious perswasion of Gods mercie and of his owne future repentance this is the sinne of most men The second is when a man sinneth wilfully in contempt of the law of God this is called by Moses a sinne with a high hand the punishment thereof was by present death to be cut off from among the people The third when a man sinneth not onely wilfully and contemptuously but of set malice spight against God himselfe and Christ Iesus And by this we may conceiue what is the sinne against the holy Ghost which is not euery sinne of presumption or against knowledge and conscience but such a kind of presumptuous offence in which true religion is renounced and that of set purpose and resolued malice against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and Christ. Heb. 10. 29. Now follow other differences of sinne in regard of the obiect thereof which is the Law In respect of the Law sinne is twofold either of commission or of omission I say in respect of the Law because God hath reuealed in his Law two sorts of precepts the one wherein some good thing is commanded to be done as to loue God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selues the other wherein some euill is forbidden to be done as the making of a grauen Image the taking of the name of God in vaine c. Now a sinne of commission is when a man doth any thing that is flatly forbidden in the Law and word of God as when one man kills another contrarie to the Law which saith Thou shalt not kill A sinne of Omission is when a man leaueth vnperformed some dutie which the Law requireth as for example the preseruing of his neighbours life or good estate when it lieth in his power so to doe These also are truly sinnes and by them as well as by the other men shall be tried in the last iudgement Sinnes of Omission haue three degrees First when a man doth nothing at all but omits the dutie commanded both in whole and in part as when hauing opportunitie and abilitie he doth not mooue so much as one finger for the sauing of his neighbours life Secondly when a man performes the dutie inioyned but failes both in the manner and measure thereof Thus the heathen men failed in doing good workes in that the things which they did for substance and matter were good and commendable beeing done vpon ciuill and honest respects and referred to common good yet in truth their actions were no better then sinnes of omission in as much as they issued from corrupted fountaines hearts void of faith and aimed not at the maine end and scope of all humane actions the honour and glorie of God Thirdly when a man doth things in a right manner but faileth in the measure thereof And thus the children of God doe sinne in all the duties of the law For they doe the good things the law commandeth as loue God and their neighbour but they cannot attaine to that measure of loue which the law requireth And thus the best men liuing doe sinne in euery good worke they doe so as if God should enter into iudgement deale with them in the rigour of his iustice and examine them by the strict rule of the Law he might iustly condemne them euen for their best actions And in this regard when we pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes the best workes we doe must come in the number of them because we faile if not in substance and manner yet at the least in the measure of goodnes that ought to be in the doing of them We must also haue care to repent vs euen of these our sinnes of Omission as well as of the other of Commission because by leauing vndone our dutie we doe ofter offend then by sinnes committed and the least omission is enough to condemne vs i◠it should be exacted at our hands The next differēce of Sinnes may be this Some are Crying sinnes some are sinnes of Toleration Crying sinnes I call those which are so hainous and in their kind so grieuous that they hasten Gods iudgements and call downe for speedie vēgeance vpon the sinner Of this kind there are sundrie exāples in the Scriptures principally foure First Cains sinne in murthering his innocent brother Abel whereof it was saide The voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth The next is the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrha which was pride fulnes of bread abundance of idlenesse vnmercifull dealing with the poore and all manner of vncleannesse Ezech 16. and of this the Lord said that the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha was great and their sinnes exceeding grieuous The third is the sinne of Oppressiō indured by the Israelites in Egypt at the hand of Pharao and his task-masters The fourth is mercilesse Iniustice in wrongful withholding and detaining the labourers hire Now they are called Crying sinnes for these causes First because they are now come to their full measure height beyond which God will not suffer them to passe without due punishment Againe the Lord takes more notice and inquires further into them thē into others by reason that they exceede and are most eminent where they be committed Thirdly they call for present helpe to the afflicted and wronged and consequently for speedie exequution of vengeance vpon the authors and committers of them And lastly because God is wont to giue eare vn to the cries of those that endure so heauie measure at the hands of others and accordingly to helpe them and reward the other with deserued punishment Next vnto these are sinnes of Toleration lesser then the former which though in themselues they deserue death yet God in his mercie shewes his patience and long sufferance vpon the committers thereof either deferring the temporall punishment or pardoning both temporall and eternall to his Elect. Such a sinne was the ignorance of the Gentiles before Christs comming which God deferred to punnish and as we may say winked at it More especially there be three sorts of sinnes of Toleration the first is Originall sinne or concupiscence in the regenerate after regeneration for it is not in our conuersion quite abolished but remaines more or lesse molesting and tempting vs till death And yet if we carrie a constant purpose not to sinne and indeauour our selues to resist all tentations this concupiscence of ours shall not be imputed vnto vs nor we condemned for it And to this purpose the holy Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Yet saith he not There is nothing worthie condemnation in them for Originall sinne remaines till death truly deseruing damnation though it be not imputed The second kind of sinnes of Toleration are vnknowne and hidden sinnes in the regenerate For who can tell how of the offendeth saith Dauid When a man that is the child of God shall examine his heart and humble himselfe euen for
of the minde and whole man in affection life conuersation And this standeth in a constant purpose of the mind and resolution of the heart not to sinne but in euery thing to doe the will of God Hereupon Paul exhorteth them to whome he wrote to continue in the loue of God and in the obedience of his word Barnabas when he came to Aâ—tioch and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted all that with purpose of heart they should cleaue vnto God or continue with the Lord. So the Prophet Ezekiel saith If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die In this purpose stands the very nature of repentance and it must be ioyned with humiliation and faith as a third thing availeable to saluation and not to be seuered froÌ„ them For a man in shew may haue many good things as for exaÌ„ple he may be huÌ„bled seeme to haue some strength of faith yet if there be in the said man a want of this purpose resolutioÌ„ not to sinne the other are but dead things vnprofitable and for all them he may come to eternall destruction Furthermore we must distinguish this kind of purpose from the minde and purpose of carnall men theeues drunkards harlots vsurers for they will confesse their sins and be sory for them yea and shed some teares wishing they had neuer sinned as they haue In these men indeede there is a wishing will for the time but no setled purpose And it is a propertie of nature to auoid euill but to haue a constant resolution of not sinning is a gift of grace and for this it is that we must labour otherwise our repentance is no true and sound repentance The fourth last dutie is to performe Newe obedience vnto God in our life and conuersation In this newe obedience three things are required First it must be a fruit of the spirit of Christ in vs for when we doe any good thing it is Christ that doeth ' it in vs. Paul saith that good which I doe I doe it not but Christ that dwelleth in me Secondly this new obedience must be the keeping of euery commandement of God For as Saint Iames saith He that breaks one commandement is guiltie of all that is he that doeth willingly and wittingly breake any commandement and makes not conscience of some one maketh not conscience of any and before God he is as guiltie of all as if he had broken all Thirdly in newe obedience the whole man must endeauour to keepe the whole law in his minde will affections and all the faculties of soule and bodie As it is said of Iosiah that he turned to God according to all the lawes of Moses with all his heart There are yet three other things required in him that must performe new obedience first he must not liue in the practise of any outward sinne Secondly there must be an inward resisting and restraining of the corruption of our nature and of our hearts that we may truely obey God by the grace of the spirit of God The heart of Ioseph was readie prest to resist the euill request of Potiphars wife And Dauid staid his affection from revenging himselfe vpon Shemei when he cursed him Thirdly he must stirre vp and exercise the inward man by all spirituall motions of Faith Ioy Loue Hop eand the praise of God Here a necessarie Question is mooued CoÌ„sidering that all good workes are the fruits of a regenerate person are contained vnder newe obedience How a man may doe a good worke that may be accepted of God please him For resolutioÌ„ wherof it is to be carefully remeÌ„bred that to the doing of a good worke sundrie things are required Wherof some in nature do goe before the worke to be done some doe accompany the doing thereof and some againe doe followe the worke being required to be done when the worke is done Before the worke there goes reconciliation for the person must be reconciled vnto God in Christ and be pleasing to him for if the person of the worker doe not please God the worke it selfe cannot neither are workes of what dignitie soeuer to be esteemed by the shevv and outvvard appearance of them but by the mind and condition of the doer Againe before vve doe any good vvorke vve must by praier lift vp our hearts vnto God and desire him to inable vs by his spirit to doe it to guid vs by the same in the action vvhich vve are about to doe This did the Prophet Dauid oftentimes as vve may read in the Psalmes but especially in Psal. 143. 10. when he saith Teach me to doe thy will O God for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me vnto the land of righteousnesse In the doing of the worke we are to consider two things the matter the manner or forme of doing it For the matter it must be a worke commanded in the word of God Christ saith of the Pharises that they worshipped him in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men He therefore that will doe a worke tending to the worshippe of God must doe that which God commandeth And here we must remember that a thing indifferent in the case of offâ—nce comes vnder a commandement of the morall lawe To which purpose Paul saith If eating flesh will offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth His meaning is that though his eating of flesh was a thing indiffereÌ„t in it selfe yet in case of offence his minde was to abstaine from it as much as from the breach of the Law of God Againe if an action indifferent comes within the case of furthering the good of the Common wealth or Church it ceaseth to be indifferent and comes vnder commandement and so all kind of callings and their workes though neuer so base may be the matter of good workes Now for the forme of the worke there must be first a generall faith whereby we must be perswaded that the thing to be done may lawfully be done for what soeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly a particular or iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and maketh it fit to bring forth a good worke for it giues a beginning to the worke also couers the wants and defects thereof by apprehending and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits Thirdly it must be done in obedience for knowing the thing to be doâ—e to be commanded of God we must haue a minde and intention to obey God in the thing we doe It will be here demanded seeing workes must be done in obedience how and to what part of the word we must direct our obedience I answer to the Law but howe not considered in his rigour but as it is qualified mollified and tempered by the gospel for according to the rigour of the
Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore the Ends of a good worke are manifold first the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankefulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting The fourth is to exercise confirme our faith and repentance both which be much strengthned by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punnishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteous life euerlasting Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in dooing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our duty of praise and thanksgeuing After the worke is done then comes the acception of it God acceptes of our workes diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs and secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. We then after we haue done the worke must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wantes of our workes say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant and with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame cōfusion but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holines no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight and for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Great reason then that we should humble our selues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit II. Question THe next generall Question touching man as he is a Christian is How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation For answer to this Question diuers places of scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of conscience is fully answered and resolued The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe the Spirit of God dwelling in vs testifying vnto vs that we are Gods children and our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the holy Ghost Here put the case that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. VVe know it sufficiētly to be true and not painted fire if there be heare though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must then haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctification which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to begin to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fall and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceede and sanctification is begunne One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demaunded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely VVho of all the mēbers of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sinceritie approouing his heart and life to God the secōd is to deale iustly in all his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall signes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour thē that feare God The fift is in our wordes to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending and to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doeth all these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off frō the Church as an hypocrite The Third place of scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope whereof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his saluation And the principall grounds of assurance which are there laid down may be reduced to three heads The first is this He that hath communion or fellowship with God in Christ may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation This conclusion is propounded Chap. 1. v. 3. 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church that the end of the preaching of the Gospel vnto them was that they might haue fellowship not onely mutually among themselues but also with God the father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And further that hauing both knowledge and assurance of this heauenly communion to be begun in this life and perfected in the life to come their ioy might be full that is they might thence reape matter of true ioy and sound comfort vnto their soules and consciences Now whereas it might be haply demaunded by some beleeuers how they should come to this assurance S. Iohn answers in this Epistle that the certainty thereof may be gathered by foure infallible notes The first is Remissiō of sins For though God be in himselfe most holy
serueth to no other purpose in the time of temptation but to plunge the heart of man into the pitte of despaire it being vncapable of comfort for want of knowledge and vnderstanding of the word and promise of God II. That euery man ought to stand in feare and doubt of the pardon of his sinnes and that no man can be assured by the certentie of faith either of the present fauour of God or of his owne saluation True it is that in respect of our owne vnworthines and indisposition we haue iust cause not onely to doubt and feare but to despaire and be confounded before the iudgement seat of God Yet that a man should not be certainely resolued by faith of the mercie of God in and for the merit of Christ is a comfortlesse doctrine to a distressed soule and contrarie vnto the sauing word of the Gospel which teacheth that certentie floweth from the nature of faith and not doubting III. That every man is bound in conscience vpon paine of damnation to make speciall confession of his mortall sinnes with all the particular circumstances thereof once euery yeare to his Priest This doctrine and practise besides that it hath no warrant of sacred writte nor yet any ground of Orthodoxe antiquitie for 800 yeares more or lesse after Christ iâ— maketh notably to the disturbing of the peace of conscience in time of extremitie considering that it is impossible either to vnderstand or remember all many beeing vnknowne and hidden and the minde beeing informed that forgiuenesse dependeth vpon such an enumeration may thus be brought into doubt and distrust and will not be able to rest by faith in the sole mercie of God the onely soueraigne medicine of the soule Againe the griefe of the minde doth not alwaies arise from all the sinnes that a man hath committed neither doth the Lord seâ— before the sinners eies whatsoeuer euill hath bin done by him but some one or more particulars and these are they that doe lie heauie vpon the heart and to be eased of them will be worke enough though â—e doth not exhibite vnto the Confessour a Catalogue of all the rest IV. That some sinnes are veniall because they are only besides the lawe of God not against it and because they â—inâ—â—â—uer the sinner onely to temporal and not to eternall punishments This conclusion first is false For though it be graunted that some offences are greater some lesser some in an higher degree others in a lower againe that sinnes in regard of the euent beeing repented of or in respect of the person sinning beeing in Christ and therfore accounted iust are pardonable because they are not imputed to condemnation yet there is no sin of what degree soeuer which is not simply and of it selfe mortall whether we respect the nature of the sinne or the measure proportion of diuine iustice For in nature it is an anomie that is to say an aberration from the perfect rule of righteousnesse and therefore is subiect to the curse both of temporary and eternall death It is an offence against the highest Maiestie and consequently man standeth by it ingaged to euerlasting torment Secondly it is a weake and insufficient ground of resolution vnto a troubled conscience For whereas true and sauing ioy is the daughter of sorrowe and the heart of man cannot be lifted vp in assurance of Gods fauour to the apprehension and conceipt of heauenly comforts vnlesse it be first abased by true humiliatioÌ„ brought to nothing in it self The remembrance of this that the offence committed is veniall may in some cases too much inlarge the heart and giue occasion to presume when haply there will be reason to the contrary And if not that yet in the case of falling by infirmitie after grace receiued the mind beeing forestalled with this erronious conceipt that the sin is lesse then it is indeede because veniall may in the issue be lesse quieted and more perplexed V. That a man may satisfie the iustice of the God for the temporall punishment of his sinnes committed To omit the vntrueth of this position howe it maketh to the easing of the heart or the asswaging of the griefe of minde in temptation I appeale to common experience For when a man beeing assured of the pardon of his sinnes shall yet coÌ„sider that there is something more behind to be done on his part how can he in probabilitie rely himselfe wholly vpon Christs satisfaction How can he reape vnto himselfe froÌ„ thence any assurance of reconciliation to God whome he formerly offended If we may and must doe something in our own persons whereby to appease the wrath of God why hath our Sauiour taught vs for our hearts releife wholly and onely to make the plea of pardon for our sinnes True it is indeede that Popish Confessors doe teach their Penitents when they feele the wrath of god vpon them for sin to stop the mouth of Conscience by performance of a formall humiliation and repentance yea to offer vnto God some ceremoniall duties in way of satisfaction But when sorrow seazeth vpon the soule and the man falls into temptation then it will appeare that these directions were not currant for notwithstanding them he may want sound comfort in Gods mercy and run into despaire without recouerie And for this cause vpon experience it hath bin prooued that euen Papists themselues in the houre of death haue bin content to renounce their owne workes yea the whole body of humane satifactions and to cleaue onely to the mercie of God in Christ for their saluation By these instances and many more that might be alleadged to this purpose it is apparent vpon how weake and vnstable grounds the Case-diuinitie of the Popish Church standeth and how indirect a course they take for the resolution and direction of the troubled Conscience Now by the benefit abuse of this Doctrine we see how necessary it is that in Churches which professe Christian religion it should be more taught further inlarged then it is And to this purpose it were to be wished that men of knowledge in the Ministerie that haue by the grace of God attained vnto the Tongue of the learned would imploy their paines this way not onely in searching into the depth of such points as stand in bare speculation but in annexing thereunto the grounds and conclusions of practise whereby they might both informe the iudgement and rectifie the conscience of the hearers By this meanes it would come to passe that the poore distressed soule might be releeued pietie and deuotion more practized the kingdome of Sinne Satan and Antichrist weakened impayred the contrarie kingdome of Christ Iesus more more established What the Author coÌ„triuer of the discourse ensuing hath done in this behalfe it is euident by the whole course of his writings that he hath left behinde him all which as they doe openly shew vnto the world howe great a measure of knowledge
doing of that which is vnlawfull to be done and that this is equall in all men that sinne and therfore by consequent offences are equall I answer that in euery sinne men must not consider the vnlawfulnesse thereof onely but the reason why it should be vnlawfull and that is properly because it a breach of Gods law and repugnant to his will reuealed in his word Nowe there is no breach of a diuine Law but it is more or lesse repugnant vnto the will of the Lawgiuer God himselfe And many transgressions are more repugnant thereunto then fewer for the more sin is increased the more is the wrath of God inflamed against the sinner vpon his due desert If it be said again that the nature of Sinne stands onely in this that the sinner makes an aberration from the scope or marke that is set before him and doth no more then passe the bondes of duty prescribed by God and that all are alike in this respect The answer is that it is a falshood to affirme that he which makes the lesse aberration from the dutie commanded is equall in offence to him that makes the greater For the same sinne for substance hath sundrie steppes and degrees in respect whereof one man becommeth a more heinous offender then another for example in the seauenth commandement when God forbiddes the committing of Adulterie he forbiddeth three degrees of the same sinne to wit adulterie of the heart consisting of inordinate and vncleane affections adulterie of the tongue in corrupt dishonest and vnseemely speeches and the very act of vncleannesse and filthinesse committed by the bodie Nowe it cannot be said that he which breakes this commandement onely in the first degree is as great a transgressour as he that hath proceeded to the second and so to the third And therefore it remaines for an vndoubred trueth that Sinnes committed against the Law of God are not equall but some lesser some greater The second way to aggrauate sinne is by addition of sinne to sinne and that is done sundry waies first by committing one sinne in the necke of another as Dauid sinned when he added murther to adulterie Secondly by doubling and multiplying of sinne that is by falling often into the same sinne Thirdly by lying in sinne without repentance And here it must be remembred that men of yeares liuing in the Church are not simply condemned for their particular sinnes but for their continuance and residence in them Sinnes committed make men worthie of damnation but liuing and abiding in them without repentance is the thing that brings damnation For as in the militant Church men are excommunicate not so much for their offence as for their obstinacie so shall it be in the Church triumphant the kingdome of heauen shall be barred against men not so much for their sinne committed as for their lying therein without repentance And this is the manner of Gods dealing with those that haue liued within the precincts of the Church they shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance This should admonish euery one of vs to take heed least we lie in any sinâ— and that beeing any way ouertaken we should speedily repent least we aggrauate our sinne by continuance therein and so bring vpon our selues swift damnation Thirdly the same sinne is made greater or lesser 4. waies according to the number of degrees in the committing of a sinne noted by S. Iames Temptation Conception Birth and Perfection Actuall sinne in the first degree of tentation is when the minde vpon some sudden motion is drawne away to thinke euill and withall is tick led with some delight therein For a bad motioÌ„ cast into the minde by the flesh and the deuill is like vnto the baite cast into the water that allureth and delighteth the fish and causeth it to bite Sinne in conception is when with the delight of the minde there goes consent of will to doe the euill thought on Sinne in birth is when it comes forth into action or execution Sinne in perfection when men are growne to a custome and habit in sinne vpon long practise For the often committing of one and the same sinne leaues an euill impression in the heart that is a strong or violent inclination to that or any other euill as hath bin taught before And sinne thus made perfect brings forth death for custome in sinning brings hardnes of heart hardnes of heart impenitencie and impenitencie coÌ„demnation Now of these degrees the first is the least and the last is the greatest One and the same sinne is lesser in tentation then in conception and lesâ—e in conception then in birth and greater in perfection then in all the former Sundry other Distinctions there are of sinnes as namely That the maine sinnes of the first Table are greater then the maine sinnes of the second Table And yet the maine sinnes of the second are greater then the breach of ceremoniall duties against the first table But this which hath beene said shall suffice The vse of this doctrine is manifold First by it we learne what the heart of man is by nature namely a corrupt and vncleane fountaine out of which issueth in the course of this life the streams of corruptions infinite in number noysome in qualities hainous in degrees daÌ„gerous in effects For from thence doe flow all the differences of sins before named with their seuerall branches and infinit many more that cannot be rehearsed This must mooue vs humbly to sue vnto God earnestly to intreat him to wash vs throughly from our wickednes clense vs froÌ„ our sins yea to purge and to rinse the fountaine thereof our vncleane and polluted hearts And when by Gods mercy in Christ appreheÌ„ded by faith our hearts shal be purified then to set watch ward ouer them and to keep them with all diligence Secondly it teacheth vs that miserable mortall man is not guiltie of one or more sins but of many sundrie corruptions both of heart and life Who can vnderstaÌ„d his faults saith Dauid Now the alowaÌ„ce of sin being death by gods ordinaÌ„ce God being iustice it selfe answerably to the number of our offences must we needs be lyable to many punishments yea to death it selfe both of the bodie and of the soule This beeing our wofull estate litle cause is there that any man should thinke himselfe to be in good case or presume of Gods mercie in regard of the small number of his sinnes And much lesse cause hath he falsely to imagine with the Popish sort that he can merit the fauour of God by any worke done by him aboue that which the Law requireth considering that it is impossible for him to knowe either the number or the nature or the measure of his sinnes Lastly the consideration of this point must be a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure or presumptuous of our owne estate for as much as we learne out of
the word of God that in respect of the multitude of our corruptions this our life is full of much euill and many difficulties that we haue whole armies of enemies to encounter withall not only out of vs in the world abroad but within vs lurking euen in our owne flesh And vpon this consideration that we should be at continuall defiance with them vsing all holy meanes to get the victorie ouer them by the daily exercises of inuocation and repentance and by a continuall practise of new obedience vnto all the lawes and commandements of God according to the measure of grace receiued And so much of the third Ground The fourth and last Ground is touching the subiection power of Conscience Conscience is a knowledge ioyned with a knowledge For by conscience we knowe what we know and by it we knowe that thing of our selues which God knoweth of vs. The naturall condition of euery mans conscience is this that it is placed in the middle betweene man and God vnder God and aboue man And this naturall condition hath two parts the one is the subiection of conscience to God and his word the second is a power whereby the conscience is ouer the man to vrge and binde him Of the first we haue this rule that God alone by his word doeth onely binde conscience properly for he is the onely Lord of the conscience which created it and gouerns it He againe is the onely lawe-giuer that hath power to saue or destroy the soule for the keeping and breaking of his Lawes Iam. 4. 12. Againe mans conscience is knowne to none but to God and it is he onely that giues libertie to the conscience in regard of his owne lawes Vpon this it followeth that no mans commandement or Lawe can of it selfe and by it owne soueraigne power binde conscience but doeth it onely by the authoritie and vertue of the written word of God or some part thereof Nowe the Power of conscience appeares in Pauls rule Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer man doeth whereof he is not certainly perswaded in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word it is sinne More plainely a thing may be said not to be done of faith two waies First when it is done with a doubting and vnresolued conscience as in those that are weake in knowledg Of which sort were some in the Primitiue Church who notwithstanding they heard of the doctâ—ine of Christian libertie yet they were of opinion that after Christs ascension there was a difference to be made of meats and therevpon thought they might not eat of some kind of meats Suppose now that these persons by accident should haue bin drawne to eate swines flesh which themselues had holden a thing forbidden these men vpon this very fact haue sinned because that which they did was vpon an vnresolued conscience Secondly when a thing is done vpon an erronious conscience it is done not of faith and therefore a sinne The reason is because the conscience though it erre and be deceiued yet it bindeth so sarre forth as that if a man iudge a thing to be euill either simply or in some respect though falsely and yet afterward doeth it he hath sinned and offended the Maiestie of God as much as in him lieâ—h THus much touching the Preambles or Groundes of this doctrine Nowe it remaineth that we come to the Questions of Conscience These Questions may be fitly deuided according to the matter or subiect of them which is Man Now as Man is considered diuers waies that is to say either apart by himselfe or as he standes in relation to another and is a member of a Societie so the Questions of Conscience are to be distinguished some concerning man simply considered by himselfe some againe as he stands in relation to another MaÌ„ staÌ„deth in a twofold relatioÌ„ to God or to MaÌ„ As he staÌ„ds in relatioÌ„ to man he is a part of a bodie and a member of some societie Nowe the Questions that concerne him as a member of a societie are of three sorts according to the three distinct kinds of societies For euery maÌ„ is either a member of a Family or of the Church or of the CoÌ„monwealth And answerably some QuestioÌ„s concerne man as a member of a family some as he is a meÌ„ber of the Church some as he is a member of the Commonwealth In a word therfore all QuestioÌ„s touching maÌ„ may be reduced to 3. generall heads The first wherof is concerning man simply considered as he is a man The secoÌ„d touching man as he staÌ„ds in relatioÌ„ to God The third concerning him as he is a member of one of the three societies that is either of the Family or of the Church or of the Commonwealth QVestions of the first sort as man is a Christian are especially three The first What a man must doe that he may come into the fauour of God and be saued The second Howe he may be assured in conscience of his owne saluation The third Howe he may recouer himselfe when he is distressed or fallen I. Question What must a man doe that he may come into Gods fauour and be saued FOr answer to this question some Ground must be laid down before hand For it is to be considered and remembred in the first place how and by what meanes God that saueth brings a man to saluation In the working and effecting of our saluation there are two speciall works of God the giuing of the first grace and after that the giuing of the second The former of these two workes hath X. seuerall actions I. God giues man the outward meanes of saluation specially the Ministerie of the word and with it he sends some outward crosse to breake and subdue the stubbernnesse of our nature that it may be made plyeable to the will of God II. This done God brings the minde of man to a consideration of the Lawe and therein generally to see what is good and what is euill what is sinne and what is not sinne III. Vpon a serious consideration of the Law he makes a man particularly to see and know his own peculiar and proper sinnes IV. Vpon the sight of sinne he smites the heart with the spirit of feare whereby when man seeth his sinnes he makes him to feare punishment and hell and to dispaire of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe Now these foure actions are indeed no fruits of grace but are onely workes of preparation going before grace the other actions which follow are effects of grace V. The fift action of grace therefore is to stirre vp the minde to a serious consideration of the promise of saluation propounded and published in the Gospel VI. After this the sixt is to kindle in the heart some seeds ot sparkes of faith that is a will and desire to beleeue and grace to striue against doubting and dispaire Nowe at the same instant when God beginnes to kindle in the heart any sparkes
this doctrine is this He that truely repents himselfe of one sinne in this case when he is preuented is as if he repented of all II. Case What must a man doe that finds himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit so as he cannot humble himselfe as he would Answ. Such persons if they humble themselues they must be content with that grace which they haue receiued For if thou be grieued truely and vnfainedly for this that thou canst not be grieued thy humiliation shall be accepted For that which Paul saith of almes may be truely said in this case that if there be a readie minde a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not III. Case Whether the party that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for offence of God by his sinne doeth or can truely humble himselfe Answ. A man may haue a greater griefe for an earthly losse then for the other and yet be truely grieued for his sinnes too The reason is because that is a bodily naturall and sensible losse and accordingly sorrow for it is naturall Now the sorrow for the offending of God is no sensible thing but supernaturall and spirituall and sensible things doe more affect the minde then the other Dauid did notably humble himselfe for his sinnes and he did exceedingly mourne for the losse of his sonne Absolom yea and more too then for his sinnes Would God I had died for thee Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne c. Againe I answer that the sorrow of the minde must be measured by the intention of the affection and by the estimation of the thing for which we sorrow Now sorrow for sinne though it be lesse in respect of the intentioÌ„ therof yet is it greater in respect of the estimation of the minde because they which truly mourne for their sinnes grieue for the offence of God as the greatest euill of all and for the losse of the fauoâ—â— of God as for losse of the most excelleâ—t preâ—ious thing in the world IV. Case Whether it be necessarie in humiliation that the heart should be smitten with a sensible sorrowe Answer I. In sorrow for sinne there are two things first to be displeased for our sinnes secondly to haue a bodily moouing of the heart which causeth crying and teares The former of these is necessarie namely in heart to be deepely displeased with our selues the latter is not simply necessarie though it be commendable in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth for Lydia had the first but not the secoÌ„d II. It falleth out oftentimes that the greatnesse of the griefe taketh away the sensible paine and causeth a nummednesse of the heart so that the partie grieueth not III. Sometimes the complexion will not affoard teares in such there may be true humiliation though with drie cheekes The second thing to be done for the attaining of Gods fauour and consequently of saluation is to Beleeue in Christ. In the practise of a Christian life the duties of humiliation and faith cannot be seuered yet for doctrines sake I distinguish them In Faith there are two things required and to be performed on our behalfe First to know the points of religion and namely the summe of the Gospell especially the promise of righteousnesse and life eternall by Christ. Secondly to apply the promise and withall the thing promised which is Christ vnto our selues and this is done when a man vpon the commandement of God sets downe this with himselfe that Christ and his merits belong vnto him in particular and that Christ is his wisdome iustification sanctification and redemption This doctrine is plaine out of the sixt of Iohn for Christ is there propounded vnto vs as the bread and the water of life Therefore faith must not be idle in the braine but it must take Christ and apply him vnto the soule and conscience euen as meate is eaten The Questions of conscience touching Faith are these First howe we may truely apply Christ with all his benefits vnto our selues For wicked men apply Christ vnto themselues falsely in presumption but fewe doe it truely as they ought to doe I answer that this may be done we must remember to doe two things First lay downe a foundation of this action and then practise vpon it Our foundation must be laid in the word or else we shall faile in our application and it consists of two principles The one is As god giues a promise of life eternall by Christ so he giues commandement that euery one in particular should apply the promise to himselfe The next is that the Ministerie of the word is an ordinarie meanes wherein God doeth offer and apply Christ with all his benefits to the hearers as if he called them by their names Peter Iohn Cornelius Beleeue in Christ and thou shalt be saued When we haue rightly considered of our foundation the Second thing is to practise vpon it and that is to giue our selues to the exercises of faith and repentance which stand in meditation of the word and praier for mercie and pardon and when this is done then God giues the sense and increase of his grace VVhen Lydia was hearing the sermon of Paul then God opened her heart Act. 16. 12. Secondly it is demaunded When faith beginnes to breed in the heart and when a man beginnes to beleeue in Christ Answer VVhen he beginnes to be touched in conscience for his owne sinnes and withall hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnesse then beginneth faith The reason is plaine As faith is renewed so it is begunne but it is renewed when a man is touched in conscience for his sinnes and beginnes a new to hunger after Christ therefore when these things first shew themselues then faith first begins For these were the things that were in Dauid when he renewed his repentance The third dutie necessarie to saluation is Repentance In which two things are to be coÌ„sidered the beginning namely a Godly Sorrow 2. Cor. 7. and vpon this sorrowe a Change In Sorrowe we consider first the nature of it secondly the properties of it Touching the nature of sorrow it is either inward or outward The inward sorrow is when a man is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes The outward when the heart declares the griefe thereof by teares or such like signes And sorrow in this case called a godly sorrow is more to be esteemed by the first of these then by the second The propertie of this sorrow is to make vs to be displeased with our selues for our sinnes directly because they are sins doe displease God If there were no iudge no hell or death yet we must be grieued because we haue offended so mercifull a God and louing father And as godly sorrowe will make vs thus to doe so is it the next cause of repentance and by this is repentance discerned The next thing in repentance is the Change
and pure and no mortall man being vncleane polluted by sinne can haue fellowship with him yet God hath shewed his mercy to those that beleue in him and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne whereby they are clensed from all their corruptiōs v. 7. If here it be asked how this pardon and forgiuenes may be known It is answered by two signes one is Hūble heartie Confession of our sins vnto god for so saith the Apostle If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all iniquitie v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and If our heart condemne vs not that is if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vs then haue we boldnesse towards God Chap. 3. v. 21. The secōd note of fellowship with God is the sanctifying Spirit whereby we are renewed in holines and righteousnes Hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is holines vprightnes of heart life To this end the Apostle saith If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknes we lie doe not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another c. Chap. 1. 6. 7. The fourth is perseuerāce in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church Let therfore abide in you that same doctrine cōcerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine in you that is if ye beleeue and obey it you also shall continue in the same and in the father Chap. 2. 24. The second Ground He that is the adopted sonne of God shall vndoubtedly be saued This point the Apostle plainely declareth when he saith Beloued now are we the sonnes of God And we knowe that is we are vndoubtedly assured by faith that when Christ shal appeare in glory we shal be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is That the latter part of these words is thus to be expounded I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul where he saith When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory And againe If we be sonnes we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Nowe put the case that the conscience of the beleeuer will not rest in this but desires to be further resolued touching the certainetie of his adoption Then I answer that he must haue recourse vnto the signes whereby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill and these are principally three First is truely to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God for those that haue God for their father are made the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And this faith shewes it selfe by obedience For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ that is that we beleeue in him and apply him with all his benefits vnto our soules If we keepe his commandements Nay further He that saies I knowe him and keepes not his commandements is a liar and the trueth is not in him chap. 2 3 4. The second signe is a heartie desire and earnest indeauour to be clensed of his corruptions Euery sonne of God that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as Christ is pure chap. 3. vers 3. The third is the loue of a Christian because he is a Christian for hereby saies the Apostle are the children of God known from the children of the deuill because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren as Cain did his brother Abel euen for the good workes which they doe On the other side Gods adopted sonnes may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life because they loue the brethren Chap. 3. 10 11 12 c. The third Ground They that are assured of the loue of God to them in particular may also be certainely assured of their owne saluation This doctrine followes necessarily vpon the Apostles words chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie to them he hath manifested his loue by sending his onely begotten sonne into the world that they might liue through him eternally But howe may a man be assured of Gods speciall loue and fauour The same Apostle answers by two notes The first is the loue of our brethren and that according to Gods commandement wherein it is commanded that he that loues God should loue his brother also 4. 21. Andif any man say I loue God and hate his brother be is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene 4. 20. Nowe that a man deceiue not himselfe in the loue of his brother Saint Iohn giues three rules One that Christian brotherly loue should not be for outward respects or considerations but principally because they are the sonnes of God and members of Christ Euery one that loueth him which did beget that is god the father loueth him also which is begotten of him 5. 1. Another is that it must not be outward in shew onely but inward in the heart Let vs not loue in word or in tongue onely but in deede and in trueth 3. 18. Lastly that it be not onely in time of prosperitie but vvhen hee stands in most neede of our loue For whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp the bovvels of compassion from him howe dvvelieth the loue of god in him 3. 17. The second note of Gods loue vnto vs is our loue of god For those whome God loueth in Christ to them hee giues his grace to loue him againe And this louing of him againe is an euident token of that loue wherewith he loueth them So saith the Apostle We loue him because hee loued vs first 4. 19. If it be demaunded howe a man may be assured that he loueth God the answer is hee may knowe it by two things first by his conformitie to him in holinesse The child that loues his father will be willing to tread in the steppes of his father and so in like manner he that loueth God will indeauour euen as hee is so to be in this world 4. 17. But howe is that not in equalitie and perfection but in similitude and conformitie striuing to be holy as he is holy and indeauouring to doe his will in all things Secondly by the vveaning of his affection from the things of this world yea from all pleasures and delights of this present life so farre forth as they are seuered from the feare and loue of
in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himselfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of Gods loue to vs. And our Sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Now that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be rememebred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be flittering and fleeting but constant setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daiely growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truely in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Hauing thus laid downethe Groundes of cōfort I come now to the way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making triall and in applying the promise First then triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grounds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doeth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fit of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be dāned Aske him in this fit of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience and the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfained desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sinnes and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authoritie giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of conforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these rules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be delaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishments due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much deceipt in the heart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward becom the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the iron which being cast into the fire vehemētly hot cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heat had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of cōfort we must somwhat keep thē down bring them on by litle litle to repentance The sweetnesse of comfort is the greater if it be delayed with some tartenesse of the Law II. Another rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attēded with good company For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when she was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doeth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the sudden to tempt him to dispaire and to the making away of himselfe III. Thirdly the partie in distresse must be taught not to rest vpon his owne iudgement but alwaies to submit himselfe and be content to be aduised by others that are men of wisedome iudgement and discretion A thing to be obserued the rather because the very neglect thereof hath caused sundrie persons to remaine vncomforted for many yeres IV. Fourthly the partie distressed must neuer heare tel of any fearefull accidents or of any that haue bin in like or worse case thē himself is For vpon the very report the distressed conscience will fasten the accident vpon it selfe and therby cōmonly wil be drawn to deeper griefe or dispaire For the mind afflicted will imagine fearefull things and sometime the very bare naming of the Deuil will strike terrour feare into it V. Fiftly The partie that is to comfort must beare with all the wants of the distressed as with their frowardnesse peeuishnesse rashnesse and with their distempered and disordered affections and actions yea he must put vpon him as it were their persons beeing affected with their miserie and touched with their sorrowes as if they were his owne grieuing when he seeth them to grieue weeping when they doe weepe and lament VI. Sixtly he that is the comforter must not be
discouraged though after long labour and paines taking there follow small comfort and ease to the partie distressed For vsually it is long before comfort can be receiued and why surely because God hath the greatest stroke in these distresses of minde and brings men thorough all the temptations that he hath appointed before he opens the heart to receiue comfort The Church in the Canticles seekes for her beleeued but before shee can finde him shee goes about in the citie through the streets and by open places passing by the Watchmen theÌ„selues and after shee hath vsed all meanes without helpe or hope at length shee finds her beloued him in whome her soule delighteth Thus much for the generall remedie of all distresses nowe I come to the particular distresses themselues The first distresse ariseth of a diuine Temptation which is a combate with God himselfe immediately And this distresse is when the conscience speaks some fearefull things of God and withall the partie distressed feeles some euident tokens of Gods wrath Examples hereof we shall finde many in the word of God One is the example of righteous Iob who hauing beene long in outward afflictions was withall exercised with the apprehension of the anger of God and in that state he saith that the arrows of the Almightie were in him that the venime thereof did drinke vp his spirit that the terrors of God did fight against him Yea further he addeth that God was his enemie and writ bitter things against him and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth And at another time he complaineth that Gods wrath had torne him that he hated him gâ—ashed vpon him with his teeth and had sharpened his eies against him In all which and diuers other places it appeares that his conscience was exercised with the sense of the wrath of God which had nowe euen seazed vpon his soule Another example we haue in Dauid who also was exercised with this temptation and trouble of minde as the first wordes of the 6 Psalme and the whole tenour thereof doe euidently shewe For first he desires the Lord not to rebuke him in his wrath and afterward complaineth that his griefe was so great that his very flesh consumed his bones were vexed and his bodie brought to such a state as no sicknesse could haue brought him vnto And it is not vnlike that the same Prophet did often fall into the like kind of distresse of minde as may be gathered out of Psalme 77 and sundrie other places Now as it fared with these and diuers other seruants of God in ancient times so are we not without some instances thereof in our daies Amongest many that worthy man Master Luther writes of himselfe that he was in this particular temptation and that he learned in it the doctrine of the Iustification of a sinner by the meere mercie of God without any merit of workes and vpon the sense and experience of the nature and properties of this distresse he wâ—oteâ— notable exposition of the 6. Psalme of Dauid â—â—e scope and intent whereof he writeth to be nothing else but a soueraigne remedie of this and the like distresses of the minde and conscience If it be demanded what is the occasion of this kinde of temptation I answer that it ariseth some times vpon the commission of some notorious sinne which doth wound the conscience as in Cain Iudas and Saul who for their great and capit all sinnes that stinged and wounded their consciences grew to a fearefull state and consequently perished in this temptation Sometimes againe it comes when there is no sinne committed but obedience to God performed and then there cannot be rendred any reason of it either in man or out of man saue this that God will haue it so to be And the trueth hereof is plaine by the examples of Iob and Dauid before remembred The Effects of this Temptation are many and very strange For outwardly it works vpon the bodie as it were a burning ague it causeth the entralls to rise the liuer to rowle in the bodie it sets a great heat in the bones consumes the flesh more then any sicknes can doe And that it is so as I say beside experience it is cleare in the word of God Dauid in this distresse affirmeth that his eyes were eaten as it were with wormes and sunke into his head Psal. 6. 7. that his moisture became as the drought in sommer Psal. 32. 4. and Iob saies that his skinne was blacke vpon him his bones were burnt with heat yea that by meanes of this distresse he was now full of wrinkles and his leanenes did rise vpon him It is a principle which Physitians doe hold that The minde follows the temperature of the bodie and is affected according to the good or euill constitution thereof which though it be true yet withall it is as manifest on the other side that the bodie doth often follow the state and condition of the minde For a distressed heart must of necessitie make a fainting and a languishing bodie But the principall thing to be sought for in this temptation is the Remedie thereof whereunto there be fiue things required which are to be practised as occasion shall be offered First choise must be made of the most fit and present remedie and that must be vsed in the first place Now the most fit and present remedie is to bring the partie troubled to the personall exercises of faith and repentance by and in him selfe For this ende he must examine his conscience most straigthly and narrowly of all the sinnes of his heart and life Secondly he must humbly confesse against himselfe all his knowne sinnes and withall acknowledge the due condemnation that he thereby hath deserued Thirdly he must crie to heauen for mercie intreating the Lord most instantly for pardon and for the restraint of his wrath due vnto him for his sinne Dauid beeing in this distresse performed all these duties as we may read in the 6. Psalme and he saith further of himselfe that whilst he concealed his sinnes the hand of God was heauie vpon him but vpon his earnest confession and deprecation he receiued mercie And if we read the booke of Iob we shall finde that the principall scope thereof is this namely to shew vnto vs that Iob was throughly exercised with this temptation and that in the ende hauing beene rebuked both by his friends and by God himselfe his recouerie was made by humbling himselfe when he saith Behold I am vile againe now I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Some may here demand If it fall out that the person himselfe cannot performe any good dutie of himselfe by reason of his distraction in soule and bodie what must then be done Ans. If the partie can but sigh and sobbe vnto God for mercie and comfort it is no doubt a worke of Gods spirit and a practise both of faith and repentance We
of which when they awake they shall be admitted and receiued into the presence of God in heauen Secondly we are to consider that there be three degrees of eternall life The first where of is in this world before we die and it is then when we beginne to repent and beleeue in Christ and to be assured in conscience that God the father is our father Christ our redeemer and the holy Ghost our comforter For this is eternall life to know God and him whome he hath sent Iesus Christ. The next degree is in death for death cuts off all sinne originall and actuall death frees vs from all worldly miseries death prepareth the bodie that it may be fit to enter into eternall happinesse together with the soule which is alreadie in heauen The last degree is when bodie and soule reunited goe both together into eternall and euerlaâ—â—ing glorie in heauen Our third meditation is that there is a mysticall vnion and coniunction betweene Christ euery beleeuer and that not onley in regard of soule but of bodie also which beeing once knit shall neuer be dissolued but is eternall Wherevpon the dying dead rotten and consumed bodie remaineth still a member of Christ abideth within the couenant and is and shall be euer a temple of the holy Ghost Thus Adam and Abraham which are dead so many thousand yeares agoe yea euery true beleeuer from them to the end of the world shall rise at the last day in body to glorie by the power of their coniunction with Christ. In the winter season we see the most trees voide of leaues buddes and blossomes so as they seeme to vs to be dead and yet neuerthelesse there is a sappe in the roote of them which in the Spring wil ascend reuiue the decaied branches Euen so it is with our bodies which though they be corrupted rotten burnt or eaten with wormes or deuoured by wild beasts so as they may seeme to be vtterly perished yet there is as it were a secret and hidden sap in them by reason of their vnion with Christ by which they shall be raised reuiued quickened beeing made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ their head with whome they shall raigne and liue for euermore Helpes in practise are two First he that will beare with comfort the pangs of death must labour that he may die in Christ and that is by faith laying hold of the promise of God touching forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ. All these saith the holy Ghost died in faith namely Abel Enoch Noe Abraham and Sarah all laying hold of the promise of life by Christ. When Iacob on his death-bed was blessing of his children he brake forth into this heauenly speach O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In which words it is plaine that his faith rested on the mercy of God by hope he waited for his saluatioÌ„ And our Sauiour Christ saith As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Out of which words the forenamed dutie may be learned that looke as the children of Israel beeing stung with fierie serpents and that vnto death were healed by looking vp to the brasen serpent erected by Moses so when we are stung with sinne and death we must euer remember by faith to looke vpon Christ. But specially when we are dying then it is our part to fixe the eies of our soules by faith vpon him and thereby shall we escape death and be made partakers of eternall life and happinesse Notable is the example of Christ who as he was man alwaies fixed his trust and confidence in his fathers word especially at his end For when he was dying and the pangs of death seazed vpon him he cries vnto the Lord My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and againe Father into thy hands I commend my spirit which words are ful of faith and doe bewray what great affiance he placed in his fathers loue c. When Dauid in an extremitie saw nothing before his eies but present death the people intending to stone him at the very instant as the text saith he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God but how by calling to minde the mercifull promises that God had made vnto him and by applying them vnto his heart by faith And Paul saith of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull that they receiued the sentence of death in themselues that they might not trust in themselues but in God From these examples it followes that they which desire with comfort to beare the pangs of death must die by faith that is they must set before their eies the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and depend vpon it wrapping as it were and infolding themselues in it as in a close and warme garment that will keepe them safe and sure against the winde and weather of temptation The second Practise in time of death is to die in obedience which is nothing else but willingly readily and ioyfully without murmuring to submit ourselues to Gods will in bearing the paines of death A most worthie president of this obedience we haue in our Sauiour Christ when he said vnto his father Not my will but thy will be done thereby submitting his will to his Fathers will touching the death which he then suffered And this his example at the time of his departure must be a rule of direction vnto vs vpon the like occasion True it is that obedience to God in death is against corrupt nature and therefore our dutie is the more to invre our selues to the performing of it and that which the blessed Apostle said of himselfe I die daily ought to be continually our resolution and practise If we shall inquire howe this may be done the answer is when God layeth afflictions vpon vs in our life time then by indeauouring to beare them with patience meeknes and lowlinesse For euery affliction is as it were a petty death and if we doe in it subiect our selues to the hand of God we shal the better obey him in the great death of all and thus doing whensoeuer God striketh vs with death we shall with comfort endure the same The Third particular Affliction is Satanicall molestation whereby both persons places of mansioÌ„ or abode are either possessed or otherwise molested by the malice of the Deuill Touching this affliction the Question of coÌ„science is How such persons as are possessed or feare possession or else indure molestations by the Deuill in their houses may haue their minds quieted and staied and consequently in that case be remedied And here 2. things are generally to be considered in way of answer First it is to be remembred that possession is known by two signes The one is when the deuill is euideÌ„tly present either in the whole body or in soÌ„e part of it
For God in mercie turneth all things euen sinne it selfe to the good of them that be his and therfore sinne committed cannot either waste or extinguish grace receiued but by diuihe dispensation serueth to amplifie and inlarge the same so as where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth much more Rom. 5. 20. And the Lord said to Paul beeing in great extremity 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenes Hence it appeareth that the grace of God is not vtterly lost but appeareth liuely in the time of distresse The fourth ground is this The promises of God touching remission of sinnes and lâ—fe eternall in respect of beleeuers are generall and in regard of all and euery man indefinite that is they doe not define or exclude any person or any sinner or any time onely they admit one exception of finall impenitencie Here a question may be mooued Howe long he that ministreth comfort must stand vpon the possibilitie of pardon I answer vntill he hath brought the partie distressed to some measure of true repentance and this beeing done then he is to proceede to the second degree of comfort The second degree of comfort is to teach that the sinne or sinnes of the partie distressed are indeede pardoned But it may be asked vpon what signes may this comfort be applyed I answere vpon these two First if the partie distressed confesse that he or shee is heartily grieued that by their sinne or sinns they haue offended so louing and so mercifull a God Secondly if they professe that they desire with all their heart to be reconciled vnto God in Christ and at least doe desire to repent for their sinnes and withall doe carrie in heart a purpose to sinne no more but in all things as much as in them lieth to performe newe obedience vnto God Nowe for the better enforcing of this comfort some textes of Scripture fitting this purpose must be rehearsed as for example Matth. 9. 12 13. I came not to call the righteous that is to say those that iudge themselues righteous but sinners that is those which are grieued because in their owne conscience they are vile and hainous offenders to repentance Againe Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me allye that are wearie and â—eauie laden and I will refresh you To conclude this point there remaines yet a further question to be resolued and that is this A man after repentance for some grieuous sinne falls into it againe and is distressed more then before It is a case somewhat grieuous For we knowe that if a man be recouered of an ague and through distemper in diet or otherwise makes a relapse inâ—o it againe his case is often desperate and he hardly scapeth with his life In the same manner it is a dangerous case if after repentance men make a relapse into the same sin againe It may then be asked how such persons may be recouered after a relapse I answer though we finde not any one particular example in scripture of any one person that was restored againe after a relapse yet neuerthelesse there is some comfort for such persons Vpon what grounds may some say Ans. Men that haue not so much as a drop of mercy in coÌ„parison of God must forgiue their brethreÌ„ often many times yea as our Sauiour Christ saith to Peter till seuenty times seauen times if they returne say it repents them Now God is infinite in all his attributes He is much in sparing with him is plenteous redemption and therefore he will questionlesse vpon true repentance often forgiue forget euen the same sinne iterated againe and againe Nowe these persons are to be releiued in this sort First they must haue their Consciences setled in this point that their relapse is pardonable though very dangerous For proofe hereof read Esay 2. 18. Where mention is made of diuers Apostataes that were by God called to repentance with promise of pardoÌ„ if they turned vnto him And in Luk. 15. the Prodigall child by whome I vnderstand one that after grace receiued â—ell from his repentance and obedience to God when he did but purpose in his heart to returne againe was pardoned and receiued into fauour In the 2. Cor. 5. 20. Paul saith to the Corinths that were fallen away We pray you in Christs steade that ye be reconciled vnto God Secondly beeing thus setled in coÌ„science they must againe repent them of their sinnes Thirdly and lastly they are to be comforted with the promise of remission of sinnes after that some signes of renewed repentance for sins past haue beene giuen The Second Tentation or Trouble of minde which is more common and lesse violent befalls the children of God and it is a griefe of heart more or lesse wherby men are troubled in respect of the want of grace in their hearts and defects of obedieÌ„ce in their liues Paul the deere seruant of God was possessed with this trouble of minde as we may read Rom. 7. And indeede there is no childe of God but more or lesse one time or other he feeles the stings of sinne the buffeâ—ings of Satan which cause griefe in his heart But this griefe is a notable grace of God and therefore they which want it must labour to haue it and they which haue it must not seek to put it out but to keep it in measure order And the grounds of comfort whereby the heart may be staied in this sorrow that it be not immoderate may be these I. Ground It is Gods will that the worke of sanctification or regeneration should be imperfect in this life and remaine vnfinished til death This point needs no proofe for it is manifest both in the word of God and in daily experience The reasons for which God will haue it to be so may be these First of all God giues grace according to the measure and manner of our receiuing of it which in this life is imperfect Some giftes of God in Christ bestowed on his seruants as remission of sinnes by his death and iustification by his obedience are not put into vs but are only applyed and made ours by imputation Some other giftes there be which are infused and put into vs as namely sanctification regeneration the loue of God and man and by one of these two meanes to wit either by imputation or infusion are all the giftes of God in Christ made ours Yet before we can haue them we must receiue them and the meanes whereby we receiue them is faith which God hath ordained to be the hand of our soules to receiue his benefits bestowed on vs. Which faith because it is weake and imperfect in this life therefore the gifts which we receiue thereby are also imperfect For though Gods benefits be like a bottomlesse sea yet the faith whereby we lay hold of them is like vnto a vessell with a narrowe necke which though it be cast into the great Ocean receiues but a
reason Hence followes the first effect strange imaginations conceits and opinions framed in the minde which are the first worke of this humor not properly but because it corrupteth the instrument and the instrument beeing corrupted the facultie cannot bring forth good but corrupt actions For example That which they call the beastâ— like Melancholie is when a man thinkes himselfe to be a beast of this or that kind and carries himselfe accordingly Of this sort are those that thinke themselues to be wolues and practise wolvish behauiour Thus we read Dan. 4. 30. that Nebuchad-nezzar liued behaued himselfe and fed as a beast Some say that he loss his soule and had the soule of a beast But they erâ—e For there is no such transportation of soules into bodies either of men or beasts Others thinke that Nebuchadnezzar was smitten in the brain with this disease and in a beastly imagination carried himselfe as a beast And this interpretation is not against the text for in the 31. verse of that chapter it is said that his minde came to him againe and therefore in the disease his vnderstanding the right vse of his reason was lost And the like is true in historie by diuers examples though it were not true in Nebuchadnezzar Againe take another example that is common and ordinarie Let a Melancholike person vpon the sudden see some fearefull thing the strength of his imagination presently fasteneth the thing vpon himselfe As if he see or heare that a man is hanged or possessed with a Deuill it presently comes to his minde that he must be hanged that he is or shall be possessed Likewise vpon relation of fearefull things presently his phantasi workes and he imagineth that the thing is alreadie or shall befall him And this imagination when it enters once takes place it brings forth horrible and fearefull effects The second effect or worke of Melancholie is vpon the heart When the mind hath conceiued and framed fearefull things there is a concord and consent between heart affection then comes affection and is answerable to imagination Hence doe proceede exceeding horrors feares and despaires and yet the CoÌ„science for all this vntouched and not troubled or disquieted Thirdly it may be demanded whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of CoÌ„science and Melancholie for many hold that they are all one Ans. They are not all one but differ much Affliction of Conscience is one thing trouble by Melancholie is another and they are plainly distinguished thus First when the Conscience is troubled the affliction it selfe is in the Conscience and so in the whole man But in Melancholie the imagination is disturbed not the Conscience Secondly the Conscience afflicted hath a true and certen cause wherby it is troubled namely the sight of sinne but in Melancholie the imagination conceiueth a thing to be so which is not so for it makes a man to feare and despaire vpon supposed and fained causes Thirdly the man afflicted in Conscience hath courage in many things but the Melancholike maÌ„ feares euery man euery creature yea himselfe and hath no courage when there is no cause of feare he feares Fourthly imaginations in the braine caused by Melancholie may be cured taken away and cut off by meanes of Physicke but the distresse of Conscience cannot be cured by any thing in the world but one and that is the blood of Christ and the assurance of Gods fauour Fourthly the way to cure Melancholy is this First the person troubled must be brought to this that he will content himselfe to be aduertised and ruled not by his owne but by the iudgement of others touching his owne estate and by this shall be reape much quiet and contentation Secondly search triall must be made whether he hath in him any beginnings of faith and repentance or no. If he want knowledge of his estate then meanes must be vsed to bring him to some sight and sorrow for his sinnes that his melancholy sorrow may be turned into a godly sorrow If he want faith and true repentance some good beginnings thereof must be wrought in his heart Thirdly when he is brought to faith in Gods mercie and an honest purpose not to sinne any more then certaine mercifull promises of God are to be laid before his eies and he must be exhorrâ—d to rest vpon these promises and at no time to admit any imagination or thought that may crosse the said promises Now the promises are these and such like Psal. 34. 9. No good thing shall be wanting to them that feare God Psal. 91. 10 No euill shall come neere the godly man 2. Chron. 15. The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seeke him he will be found of you Iam. 4. 8. Drawe nere to God and he will draw neere to you And the best meanes to cause any man thus diseased to be at peace with himselfe is to hold beleeue know the truth of these promises and not to suffer any bythought to enter into his heart that may crosse them Moreouer though the former promises may stay the minde yet will they not take away the humour except further helpe be vsed Therefore the fourth and last helpe is the arte of Physicke which serues to correct and abate the humour because it is a meanes by the blessing of God to restore the health and to cure the distemper of the bodie And thus much touching the trouble of minde caused by Melancholy The second meanes whereby the bodie annoies the minde is when it occasions trouble to the minde by strange alterations incident to the bodie When a man beginnes to enter into a Phrensie if the braine admit neuer so little alteration presently the minde is troubled Thus by the trembling of the heart many fearefull imaginations are caused when a man knowes not the cause The same is procured by the swelling of the splene by the rising of the entralls by strange convulsions and such like The remedie hereof is this First it is still to be considered whether the partie thus troubled hath true faith and repentance or no. If he hath it is so much the better If he hath not the first dutie is to vse all meanes to stir vp in him some godly sorrow for his sinnes Secondly this beeing done meanes must be vsed to take away the opinion conceiued and to giue information of the alteration of the bodie and of the true cause thereof This beeing knowne the griefe or feare conceiued will easily be staid For take away the false opinion and informe iudgement and the whole man will be the better Thirdly the opinion beeing altered and reformed it may be the alteration in the bodie will remaine the partie therefore in that case must be taught that it is a correction of God and that God doth not barely suffer the correction to be inflicted but is the very author of it and therefore the partie is to be well pleased and