repriuall thereof Nothing lesse But Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome And how did hee answer his fellow Theefe but not fellow Saint Fearest thou not God Wee are righteously here wee suffer condignly Such is godly sorrow humbly submitting it selfe to all torments as duly deserued When on the contrarie the obstinate Theefe his desire was all for his temporall life If thou be Christ saue thy selfe and vs. As if Christ's sauing of himselfe had beene the way to saue them This is all the ayme of worldlings to bee no further for Christ or Religion then Christ and Religion will serue their temporall turnes at the vtmost Num. 23.10 desiring if they must needs at length dye to dye the death of the righteous and that their last end may be like his the couetous man will then because hee must become liberall giuing all from himselfe when hee can keepe it no longer the drunkard will then dye abstenious because he can drinke no more the ambitious Temporizer would dye a Child of the Truth when by neutralizing hee can rise no higher the Pontifician Priest would dye in the garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed rather then in S. Francis Cowle when now hee can gaine no more full offerings by imposing vpon the simple seduced but now to doe this re integra in their health while they may yet liue longer and get more wealth and spend more merrie dayes and rise higher and liue like Abbey Lubbers they like not to bee like the righteous man Againe godly sorrow neuer goeth alone but is accompanied with sincere and ingenuous confession of sinne to God Till Dauid did this hee was exceedingly troubled and tormented in Conscience How pittifully complayneth he Psal. 32. When I kept silence my bones waxed old c. Psal. 32 3 4. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Here Dauid's godly sorrow breaking forth and venting it selfe in an humble confession of his sinne to the Lord bringeth case and comfort to his Soule euen as a turbulent wind inclosed and pent in the bowels of the Earth causeth a terrible Earth-quake not ceassing till by some rupture it haue a vent Or as the stomacke striuing with some indigestible morsell which the inordinate appetite had swallowed downe Orig. in Ps. 37. is not eased till the same bee rendred backe againe Or as the iugling Fryars make the simple beleeue as the soule of such a rich Churle departed cannot be at rest till such his ill gotten goods bee restored to the owners at least to some religious Couent No nor then neither sith not before One ingredience more would here be added as necessarie to cause our godly sorrow to worke the more kindly and effectually to recouer sound health to the soule For it may so come to passe that the offence which the world hath taken at a mans sinne may affect a mans heart so much the more with sorrow because it hath brought a disreputation vpon his person and a staine vpon his good name whereas otherwise perhaps hee would haue made light of that sinne being concealed from the world and so haue still continued in it And againe it oftentimes yea too vsually comes to passe that for want of sound and solid repentance for former sinnes God suffers his child euen to fall into some scandalous sin with the world that so at length hee may bee throughly cast downe for all and come to a perfect hatred of all sinne And surely one sinne soundly and thorowly repented of doth mightily and maruellously arme a man against the tempters assaults for the time to come if it be but attended with a small guard of a wary watchfulnesse Whereas on on the contrary repentance slubbered ouer and dallied with causeth the enemy to grow much more audacious in new assaylments while hee obserueth vs the lesse able to resist his batteries by how much we haue beene more remisse and carelesse in the sure making vp of later breaches As a wound not throughly healed but skinned ouer festereth becommeth a greater sore Or as phisicke not working kindly doth but fit the body for more diseases For this cause then that we leaue no one corner of our deceitfull hearts vnswept and vnransackt it is behouefull for vs to call our selues to a strict and seuere account for all our former old sinnes and vpon a melius inquirendum to enter into iudgement with our selues a fresh for them as finding them now guilty of Treason which before happily we condemned but of petty Larceny when as now wee may iustly deeme that for want of due humiliation and sorrow for them they as a theefe saued from the gallowes that should haue beene put to death haue beene ready to cut our throate by leading vs on to the more bold committing of sinne For as we prophecy in part so wee practise repentance and all other duties in part And the more imperfect our repentance is for sinne past wee are not onely the more weake to stand out and resist temptations and to subdue the remainder of our corruptions but the further short we come of the inioying of those solid comforts of Gods Spirit which it poureth in greater abundance into the most penitent soule So that for the greater strengthning of the wounded soule fainting vnder the waight of some great temptation for a new sinne it is necessary to renew our repentance in a greater measure then euer for all our old sins that so the more ground wee sow with godly sorrow wee may reape the more plentifull haruest of consolation This was Dauids practise In his old age and vpon that great sinne of his hee prayes the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth which no doubt he had long agoe repented of but now vpon so fearfull a fall being driuen aground by the tempest of temptation he cannot bring his vessell off againe but with a greater spring-tide of teares in a redubled repentance But many are so mealy mouthed that for shame or pride they will not confesse at least in particular Pro. 28.13 as Dauid * Psal. 51. This euill this or that speciall sinne to God Because many times thereupon depends a necessity of restitution and satisfaction to man for the offence done Non remittitur peccatū nisi restituatur ablatum Aug. without which confession to God in such cases is vaine For the sin is not remitted vnlesse the wrong to man if it be possible be satisfied In the Law robbery cozenage violence periury had a sacrifice for it but he must withall make full restitution according to the Law the same day of his sacrifice see Leuit. 6.2 3 4 5 6 7. The fifth Preseruatiue of Conscience distressed with the feare of Gods displeasure is Prayer O the sweet and souerain helpe which Prayer frequent feruent faithfull humble Prayer
heart trow you after that his sinne to heare the enumeration of Gods many fauours and benefits towards him mentioned by Nathan to him 2 Sam. 12 7 8. as in the person of God Enough of it selfe to wring from Dauid's gaulled and grieued heart a confession with teares I haue sinned against the Lord. Answ. True it is we haue no sweeter nor stronger tyes to serue and obey God then his benefites towards vs which as they are moe in numâ—er as he that hath fewest hath so many more then euer hee deserued or more excellent in their nature So when at any time wee sinne against this our liberall Benefactour all those benefits stand vp as witnesses against vs vpbrayding vs with extreme ingratitude and vnkindnesse as in the former example of Dauid And consequently in the Soules humiliation for sin Gods benefits comming into remembrance doe so accumulate and heape themselues vpon the Soule that as Tarpeia T. Liuius Lib. 1. the Romane Damosell was pressed to death with those Iewels cast vpon her which the Sabines wore on their left armes the price contracted for betraying to them the Capitoll of Rome shee is now pressed downe beyond all measure That speech Et tu Brute vttered by Caesar to Brutus might haue beene a sharper Dart to pierce Brutus his vnkind heart then his Poinado was to stabbe Caesar. When Ioseph was tempted by his wanton Mistrisse to folly with her Gen. 39 he answers her what obligations of fidelity his Master had layd vpon him in that he had intrusted him with all his goods taking no account of him and should hee not bee faithfull not to violate that one Iewell which alone hee had reserued to himselfe So that if Gods many benefits he hath trusted vs withall if the liberall allowance of all the Trees in the Garden will not cannot as they should restraine vs from the one and onely forbidden fruit of sinne as certainly they would Gen. 2â— if wee tooke but heed in any temptation to set Gods innumerable and inestimable blessings towards vs before our eyes which would make vs say as Ioseph How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God But alas wee are too forgetfull Surely then if we doe sinne all the other Trees in the Garden will be readie to fall vpon vs and presse vs downe not affording vs so much as their shaddow to hide vs if possible from the wrath of Gods angry countenance Math. 9. much lesse to refresh vs therewith Yet in the midst of the presse of Gods benefits wherewith the Soule is now oppressed Faith with her finger touching vpon and pointing vnto that euerliuing Fountaine of the grace and mercie of God in Christ formerly experienced finds cure for the issue of the bleeding Conscience euen then when it seemes to be quite spent and cast behind Christ. So that I say not Math. 16 23. that to the afflicted Conscience the memorie of Gods temporall benefits will bring comfort no nor simply of those Spirituall mercies on our Soules formerly felt sith all of them may iustly vpbraid vs for our vngratious vsing of them But least the Soule in this conflict of the apprehension of Gods wrath deserued should bee swallowed vp her readie way is to haue recourse to the stabilitie of Gods loue mercie and grace in Christ towards vs which hauing once and often formerly felt and inioyed we may recollect our Faith and rest assured that wayting with patience a while the Cloud will passe ouer and the Sun-shine of Gods fauour will returne vpon vs. And thus wee may reckon Gods promises and our spirituall experiences of his mercies as two preseruatiues more Onely this must bee remembred withall that the more experience we haue had of Gods fauours the more it ought to driue vs to a greater measure of repentance which will follow fitly here as a fourth Preseruatiue The fourth preseruatiue then of the Conscience from perishing vnder the apprehension of Gods wrath 2 Cor. 7.10 is godly sorrow so called 1. because it is a spirituall grace gift of God 2. because as it commeth from God so it goeth tendeth vnto and endeth in God sorrowing not so much that his iustice is prouoked as his mercy abused and his glory prophaned by our sinnes Herein it is opposite to worldly sorrow which as it springeth from a guilty conscience conuicted by the euidence of Gods law reflected vpon it So it respecteth onely the worldly estate of a man that he may still inioy the same and preuent temporall iudgements 1 King 21. This worldly sorrow was in wicked Ahab and so may bee in all Reprobates But the godly sorrow is so farre from regarding the punishment deserued that if the godly Penitent had it put to his choyce hee would rather suffer the very torments of hell then to haue committed the least sin against God This is true godly sorrow which chusing rather to dye the death and to fry in hell then to sinne against God hereby it becomes a strong antidote against despaire For what power can euen the flames of hell fire haue ouer that soule which is so drenched in the flood of this godly sorrow one drop whereof that poore Diues had not to coole his tongue So that to despise hell torments in comparison of sinne this giues a Supersede as to Despaire and seales to the penitent soule a Quietus est from all feares For how shall he now be any whit appalled with the apprehension of Gods wrath that willingly would rather suffer his wrath in hell 2 Cor. 11 31. Filiusi staroum â—aâ—hrymaruÌ„ perire non potest as Ambrose comforted Monica Augst mother weeping that he was a Manicheâ— then by sin incurre it on earth Thus iudging ourselues wee shall not be iudged Impossible it is that a sonne of this sorrow should perish Had that seuentimes heated furnace any power at all somuch as to scinge the outer garments of those three noble Confessors while they preferred the suffering in that flame before they would once bow to the Tyrants Idol such a conflict is godly sorrow Againe as godly sorrow looks primarily to Gods glorie so secondarily it reflects vpon the soules speciall good namely saluation For godly sorrow worketh repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 But as for any temporall end or corporall benefit or the sauing of this present life godly sorrow takes the least care The difference in this point betweene godly and worldly sorrow is liuely set forth in those two Theeues crucified with Christ which two Theeues on each hand of Christ were a Type of all mankind of the Elect on Christs right hand and of the Reprobate on the left All were Theeues in Adam's fall And to redeeme effectually all his Elect Christ is numbred crucified with for Theeues Now the one of these Theeues belieuing confessing Christ vpon the Crosse what was the thing he aymed at His temporall life A
when Ioab's messenger brought Dauid word of Vriah's death 2 Sam. 11 â—5 hee made no more of it but returnes Ioab this answer Let not this thing displease thee in the meane time it should more haue displeased thee oh Dauid for the sword deuoureth one as well as another Thus he colours ouer his murther with the chance of warre Or bearing himselfe vpon being King perhaps he might applaude his owne wit in such a prittie inuention being seconded with a successfull execution thinking it better that euen a loyall and innocent subiect should perish then the Kings honor receiue the least blemmish though indeed hereby it was the more fowlly stayned and euen double dyed with that crymsin sinne As though the committing of a new sinne should helpe to expiate the former Or as though for defiling Vriah's wife hee should make amends in taking away his life But thus by going about politickly as hee imagined to hide his sinne of Adulterie hee raysed the Hue and Cry of innocent blood to proclaime and paint it out to all the world In what a fooles paradise was Dauid all this while trow you But the Prophet Nathan puls off the Visar and lets him see his monstrous two-faced sinne He displaies the Arras wherin the whole storie of his sin was liuely expressed which Dauid had all this while kept folded vp and cast by in a corner But now by Gods mercie comming more sadly and wistly to take a view of it he suddainly breakes out into this lamentable voyce I haue sinned against the Lord. 2 Sam. 12 Whereupon and not before he heard The Lord hath also put away thy sinne For as Ambrose noteth wee seldome come to know sinne Lib. de Paradiso cap. 14. till after committed which before we accounted no sinne Yea till wee come to feele the smart of it in the punishment either of afflictions or guilt of Conscience quickned vp or shame of the world or sharpe denouncing of Gods iudgments by his Prophets as here by Nathan to Dauid And perhaps all this while Dauid out of a conceit that his sinne was not made publicke to the world was the lesse troubled in Conscience for it but now beginning to perceiue that publicke notice was taken of it it begâ—n the more to work vpon him in regard of the scandall And surely well it so might For of all sinnes those that are scandâ—lous doe most deepely pierce the heart of Gods Child making there such a wound as is not easily cured but while hee liueth will prooue a heart-sore to himselfe as it hath beene an eye-sore to the world Thus by one meanes or other will God bring his Children vpon their knees if a kindly sorrow vvill not vvorke it a publicke shame shall Thus to returne vvhence vvee digressed effectuall prayer for the pardon of sinne issueth not but from true and vnfained repentance as this from a true knowledge and due estimate of our sinne Though that vvhich helpeth to expresse and vvring teares from Dauid's heart vvas the enumeration of Gods fauours towards him by Nathan deeply aggrauating his sinne and making it out of measure sinfull as we touched before As Peter after his three denials thinkes not yet vvhat hee had done till the Lord lookes vpon him and then the verie reflection of that gratious countenance of his deare Master checking him for his ingratefull disloyaltie yet as the Sun-beame thawing and melting his verie heart frozen by the High Priests fire causeth him to goe out and weepe bitterly The sixt preseruatiue is the example of the Saints 1 Cor. 10 11. Rom. 15.4 who haue beene raised euen from fearful fals Nor stand they for cyphers they are recorded to admonish and to teach that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope First I say the examples of the Saints fals admonish vs to beware of sin least euen then when we seeme to stand surest we take a fall Secondly they teach vs that if we haue fallen and that in our fairest way where we neuer suspected falling we should not lye still but speedily get vp again Nor let any man be out of hope for the greatnesse of his fall as if it were vnrecouerable For if he looke vpon the examples in Scripture of this nature he shall finde them to be of no meane ranke but of highest eminencie if we consider either the greatnesse of their persons or the grieuousnesse of their fals Dauid as great a Prophet as a Prince and no lesse eminent in grace then in place and calling yet how foule was his fall into those two most fearfull sinnes of adultery and murther and both out of measure aggrauated by the manifold circumstances both personall and reall attending the committing of them Salomon a glorious type of Christ a Iedidiah beloued of God indued with incomparable wisedome yet how fell he by two matchlesse sinnes lust and idolatry wherin also he lay a long time And that which made their sinnes so much the more damnable they both fell in their old age which takes away from them all excuse or plea of youth both of them aboue fifty 1 Kin. 11.4 In time of the Gospell yea in the very corporall presence of Christ Peter though a prime Apostle a chiefe pillar yet how fearefully fell hee into a flat denyall disclaiming and abiuring his deare Master and that with direfull imprecations and execrations vpon himselfe if hee so much as knew him Nor wanted it aggrauating circumstances as his Masters late immediate premonition his owne deliberate resolution and protestation to the contrary a weake wenches breath his owne sibboleth or lisping Galilean language bewraying him his Masters present deplored condition needing rather fast friends to backe him and faithfull seruants about him to own and honour him then such renegadoes to adde to his affliction seeing also this was the last seruice and honour which Peter was like to doe to his liuing dying Lord. Hereunto might we adde many more examples but these may suffice And they are of great moment For bring me euer a childe of God more sanctified then Dauid more dignified then Salomon more fortified then Peter Dauid a King a Prophet Salomon a King a type of Christ the wisest of men Peter an elect a prime Apostle And tell me what greater sinne then adultery then murther But Dauid committed adultery but once thou often Then looke vpon Salomon hee lay a long time wollowing in lust and idolatry But thy sinne is of another nature thou art an Apostate thou hast denied the Lord that bought thee Then looke vpon Peter But he did it for present feare of his life thou for loue of this present world Yet hold to the example that Peters weeping may helpe to soften thy hard heart to repentance But haply Satan may go about to perswade thee that thy sinne is greater then all theirs to driue thee to despaire Indeede Satan is euer in his extreames he either possesses a man that
contempt towards him when now as a person excommunicated with Anathema Maran-Atha they refuse to conuerse or keepe companie with him when now as the Owle he is abhorred forsaken left desolate disconsolate of all the Birds And all this so much the more grieuous as seeming to bee grounded vpon the peremptorie Canon of the Apostle 2 Thess. 3 6. Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye withdraw your selues from euerie Brother that walketh inordinately c. And againe 1 Cor. 5 11. I haue written vnto you not to keepe companie If any that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Couetous or an Idolater or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat So that most discomfortable must it needs be to a Minister when any way iustly he falleth vpon the vniuersall displeasure of those of his owne Coat being abhorred of them persons by Calling Holy of esteeme Reuerend In such a case then what shall the poor Owle doe Whither retire but into her darke Cell the verie embleme of Hell Or at the best being but as a Sparrow sitting alone vpon the House top Or as a Pelican in the Desert without comfort without resort of friend or Physitian to comfort or cure the bleeding wound Solitarinesse onely affording him this benefit that he may the more freely Ille dolet vere qui sine teste dolet without witnesse bewaile his dolefull condition For to whom shall hee make his complaint or of whom seeke comfort when the whole Colledge of Physitians forsake him as a man whose case is desperate and incureable CHAP. VI. How in this case notwithstanding the poore forlorn Patient may find reliefe YET in this perplexed state whatsoeuer his offence may bee more or lesse this may bee one comfort to him at least in the behalfe of the Church of God that the Ministers thereof should bee so zealous of the credite of their Sacred calling that if any one among them shall by some exorbitancie or irregularitie dishonour the same without any apparent signe of remorse or repentance all are so affected with it as they looke on their Delinquent Brother a farre off as men doe vpon a Plagâ—y or Leprous person Yea let him account it his happinesse to liue in such a Church whose Sheepherds are so tender of his and their owne vnstained puritie For in such a Church if any such Church bee vpon earth no Minister will euer dare to bee so couetous one of a thousand as to heape vp riches and reuenues one vpon another without number waight or measure more like a Secular Potentate then a Spirituall * Optimus ille DispeÌ„sator que sibi nihil reseruat Hieroâ—y Stuard or Sheepherd For if so hee must looke to bee not had in admiration for his wealth but * Nogotiaâ—orem Clericum et ex inopâ—diâ—iteâ— eâ—â—â—gnobili gloriosum 〈…〉 Hâ—er id Nepot scorned and shunned of the whole fratâ—rnitie as a man vnworâ—hy vnfit vnaâ—le to teach others the way to Heauen who hath taken vp his heauen vpon earth whose whole zeale to recommend Heauen to others is for no other end but that himselfe may inioy the earth alone None of that Churches sacred Order no nor any other prophane Secular will bee so shamlesly a Boon companion to make the Tauerne his Studie the Dice and Cards his Bookes Fortunes boxe the Poores box to which his charitie sacrificeth of his contingent gaines thus spending and spinning out the Thread of his life and liuelyhood and all to make a Cobweb to couer him For if so God forbid he should hope for impunity but let him looke iustly to bee cast out of his Brethrens societie as a prodigious prodigall fitter to keepe Hogges then worthy to sheere the Lords Sheepe No Minister then could euer halt in his Religion be Idolatrously or Popishly affected or any way complie with Neutralitie and Lukewarmenesse in Religion by preaching or otherwayes If so let him looke that all the rest of his Brethren will as one man stand vp against him and oppose him No Minister will bee ambitious haughtily affecting the honor of preeminence ouer his Brethren rather then the burthen of his Office If so let him looke that they all not out of carnall enuy but holy zeale will with their verie lookes humble and abase such a one and with one voyce disclaime him with a Nolumus hunc dominari super nos No Minister will easily walke inordinatly that is as the Apostle applyeth it not working in his Calling or doing the worke of the Lord negligently For if hee do let him looke after admonition to be auoyded of all his Brethren as a Heathen or Publican as our Sauiour speakes According to that of the Apostle If any that is called a Brother be any of these a Fornicatour or Couetous or an Idolater or a Rayler or a Drunkard or an Extortioner or such like with such a one no not to eat In a word then if this be done to one who cannot iustly bee taxed with any of all these who had rather dye then sinne yet through some frailtie or folly hath offended his Brethren though it bee infinitely more offensiue to his owne afflicted Soule and for which hee is like all his life long to wade in this vaile of miserie through a sea of sorrows and flood of teares Then what may another expect that walketh in an open scandalous course without the least touch of remorse much lesse signe of reformation Especially in such a Church whose greatest care and vigilancie is to bee found without spot or wrinckle since the Apostle saith If any man obey not our word note that man and haue no companie with him that he may be ashamed Yet oh that wee would note this Apostolicke caution well and put it in better practise count him not as an enemie but admonish him as a Brother And yet alas for many seueere Censurers where is one brotherly Admonisher For all are ready to condemn to contemne when many times if they knew all they had more need to comfort their deiected and disconsolat Brother if euer themselues tasted of the same bitter Cup of Spirituall discomforts Another mitigation of his maladie may arise from the consideration of the perfect condition of these his Brethren and that as others sinne so it is to bee hoped their owne also in the first place cannot but bee displeasing to themselues and then the comfort may bee that one time or other at last they will looke more fauourably vpon him be reconciled vnto him take him into their bosome againe they cannot bee implacable at least rebuke him in the Spirit of meekenesse as knowing that themselues also may be tempted And thus let me be the obiect of contempt to my Brethren while I may inioy the sight of the vnstainednesse of their perfections and themselues without enuie honoured and admired of all But yet alas these comforts will not come home
case many will doe as with some bodily sickenesse thinking to finde ease by change of ayre especially farr remote from the place where the disease was contracted where the offence was giuen As many hauing made themselues obnoxious to censure and an euil report in England packe away beyond the Seas thinking to expiate all with Irish ayre and so to heale vp the wound But of such the saying is too commonly verified Coelum non animum mutant quitrans mare currunt Mutatio 〈◊〉 non ingenti Aug. They rather change the ayre then their manners For by that meanes they may rather hide then heale rather couer then recouer their hurt rather priuily bury their sinne in the graue where it more and more putrifieth then in the fire of godly zeale burne it openly that so being resolued into the ashes of humiliation and exposed to the view of all it may the more quickly be blowne away and scattered with the breath of better Fame Yea in stead of curing this change of place although ioyned with true repentance yet leaueth a suspicion behind that he carries his sinne with him which if he do the further hee goeth the more places he infecteth whereas on the contrary the onely surest and honestest way to blot out the ill name contracted whither of euill habit or of accident is with a Christian courage and patience not with a shamelesse boldnesse to stay by it there where the offence was giuen and by an euident reformation in time to weare out the ill opinion or report and by his good example or otherwise also by humble acknowledgement where it is requisite to make the best satisfaction hee can to the offended while they who haue reported or reputed thee for a bad or debosht man may with their eyes see the contrary they that haue seene thy fall may behold thy rising againe to preuent them from falling by the example of thy fall or if they haue fallen to â—each them to rise againe by the example of thy repentance I say in this ease he hath â—eed of a mighty courrage and patience supported with humility denying disclaiming himselfe as that conuert-youngman to his late Paâ—amour who meeting her was strange to her and shee saying Knowest thou not me It is I he replyed Aâ— ego non sum ego but I am not 〈◊〉 He must resolue and arme himselfe with an humble meekenesse to abide frumpes frownes or contemptuous affronts now and then Nor can hee expect to worke out the â—oyson of an ill name otherwise but as a strong body haâ—ing ouercome the poyson workes it out with a great deale of patience in loathsome botches or pimples dâ—facing the fairest body for the time Such is the poyson wherewith sinne hath infected a good name it must first bee ouercome with the Antidote of gâ—ace and the preseruaâ—iue of a strong faith in the heart whereby the strength of the poyson is ouercome the conscience now recouering and beginning to enioy peace with God and so wrought out although for along time it may taint the best life and most beautifull actions specially falling into the hands of cruell and vnconscionable Chirurgions who to make a long cure poyson the sore wiâ—h some malignant plaster tempered with the poyson of Aspes vnder the lips which but breathed on the Patient through the Serpents hissing or the foule mouth of Fame of meere enuy keepe vertue from recouering her natiue hue And although hee hath done all that he can vsed the best possible meanes to cleare himselfe yet must hee not rest here or so giue ouer he must not looke to bee so thorowly cured but know that the Cicatrix or scarre will still remaine to the eye of the world which yet may serue both daily to put him in minde of his fall still to repent of it and to preuent the like and admonish others not to bee secure but to auoid shipwrack by their daily beholding such a Sea-marke But yet with these cautions first and last and all a long on the one side let him looke mainly to the sincerity of his heart in the truth of his repentance and thinke hee hath neuer humbled himselfe enough On the other side let him withall looke to his peace with God the peace of his conscience in the pardon of his sin By this meanes deere Christian soule though thou canst not hope of euer quitting thy reputation and credit with all men while thou liuest yet comfort thy selfe that thy name is written in heauen and that thou hast a new name giuen thee of Christ ingrauen in a white stone pure from all blemish or blame such as is built vpon the foundation of Gods Election and made white in the blood of the Lambe whose righteousnesse imputed is the pure linnen of the Saints which shall neuer bee taken from thee And if thou beest a Minister of Christ who hast giuen cause of scandall to thy sacred profession although hereupon thou hast passed the sentence of condemnation vpon thy selfe as vnworthy any more to take the name of Christ into thy mouth which thou hast caused to bee blasphemed yet bee not altogether dismaid but know that those whom God vpon their Repentance receiueth into grace and fauour againe being not left destitute of his gifts and graces hee denyeth not vnto them the priuiledge to be or remaine publike instruments of his seruice as Dauid Peter Salomon And now who fitter to minister a word of comfort to the afflicted conscience then he who hath had such experience in himselfe not only of the grieuous conflicts of sinne but also after many fierce trials temptations and wrastlings with the apprehension of Gods wrath of those vnspeakable comforts of Gods Spirit in the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Who can better then hee giue direction and admonition to the people of God how to beware of the deceitfulnesse of sinne who hath himselfe so dearely bought the experience of hauing beene deceiued by it In conclusion as the Patient hath need of patience vntill the comming of the Lord So let him pray instantly that the Lord would hasten his comming to wipe off all staines from his seruants all teares from their eyes and to cloath both their names and persons with eternall beautie CHAP. XI The sixt Conflict With the Enemies of the truth IT goes hard with the poore seruant of Christ when hee hath giuen cause of offence to the enemies of the truth whether they be without or within the Church open or priuate profest Papists or prophane Protestants For if the Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner surely the Angels of darkenes and wicked persons enemies of the truth reioyce at the fal or least slip of one that beareth Christs Image Yea it is meate and drinke vnto them They do so hunger after this waiting for the halting of the godly man that rather then faile they will inuent how to fasten slanders cast aspersions euen
his sinnes are lesse then they be that so hee may neuer come soundly to repent of them or else when the sinner begins to be humbled and to be ouer-shooes in sorrow the diuell is ready to push him ouer boots yea to plunge him ouer head and cars he presents him with a false glasse wherein he beholds his sinnes beyond all measure monstrous and aboue all example But herein he lyeth There is no sinne incident to the condition of Gods childe wherein some of Gods dearest Saints haue not gone before whereof ye haue examples of highest nature of sundry kinds For we speake not here of diabolicall sinne committed with a high hand and such for which a man finds no place for repentance as prophane Esau or Iudas or those Pharisees and high Priests which sinned against the holy Ghost Heb. 12.9 But we speake of the sinnes incident to Gods Saints which for the outward act are not inferiour to the greatest sinnes of reprobates but they differ mainely in the inward affection Iudas for loue of mony betraid his Master Peter for feare of his life denied him both repented but the halter sent Iudas to his place mercy receiued Peter to his Apostleship Ahab committed murther for a field Dauid for a wife both repented But as their hearts mainly differed in the committing of sin so in their repentance so that Dauid vpon his harty repentance obtained remission of his sinne but with temporall iudgements to his further humiliation saluation Ahab vpon his hypocriticall repentance obtained an intermission or adiournment of temporall punishment to his vtter condemnation and perdition For Ahab as all such reprobates committed sinne with his whole heart but repented by halfes Dauid as the Regenerate on the contrary they sinne by halfes but repent with their whole heart For the reprobate is all flesh all the old man but the regenerate is diuided betweene the old man and the new It is no more I that sinne saith Paul in the person of the regenerate but sinne that dwelleth in me In the reprobate in the seruice of sinne the flesh is wholly taken vp but in spirituall duties it is altogether lame and vntoward as the fish out of his element But in the regenerate it is the flesh onely that sinneth but the spirit only that repenteth And though we cannot so sensibly discerne this difference of sinne by the outward act suffice it that God who seeth not as man seeth clearely beholdeth to put a maine difference betweene the sinnes of the one and of the other to giue repentance or to deny pardon Now to bring this downe to euery mans heart In what degrees of men shall we finde a waightier instance then among the Ministers of the Gospell who are persons of highest note of holiest calling and such as if they sinne against the Lord as Eli said to his sonnes the Priests who shall intreat for them 1 Sam. 2.25 Yet God forbid that such hauing sinned should despaire Non itaque c. as one in Saint Augustine saith Although the Priest haue sinned hee ought not therefore to despaire De vera falsa paenit lib. cap. 5. iâ— the 4. tom of S Aug. morkâ—s notwithstanding it be written who shall intreat for him Tota namque Ecclesia c. For the whole Church and some other Priest and the whole order of the Saints shall pray for him and Christ himselfe who offereth himselfe to God for vs Sed ideo considerandum c. But therfore a Priest must be heedfull least he easily fall whose sinne is noted to be the more grieuous Dicat apud se c. Let him say with himselfe If the people empty of the word of God shal offend I must beare part of the burthen I dare not lay heauy loads vpon them and not moue them with mine owne finger But if I sinne what shall I doe I shall not so easily escape I must bewaile my misery For I am of a higher condition then the people vnder me Sic Sacerdos timeat peccare sed magis timeat desperare So the Priest let him both feare to sinne but much more feare to despaire So that of all examples the Ministers sinne is most dangerous and difficultest to be pardoned either of God or man Now because I cannot be so bold with any to make instances of as with my selfe being a Minister of the Gospell what though my hart cannot check me of committing the like actuall sinne of Adultery as Dauid or of fornicaâ—ion as Salomon and blessed be God whose onely grace and not any godnesse or power in my selfe hath preserued me from committing any such sinne actually so much as once in all my life Or much lesse of Murther or of abiuration of the Lord â—esus Christ my mercifull Redeemer Or least of all of any habttuall raigning affections as couetousnesse ambition and the like Yet being sensible of â—y many corruptions sundry â—â—berations in life absurd and wicked follies which might be veniall in others but become mortall in me as being such which haue brought a wound not onely to my Soule before God but to my good name in the world insomuch as neither the world can bee otherwise perswaded of me but that I am a sonne of Belial some prophane hypocrite loose person or the like nor yet mine owne conscience can be otherwise satisfied but that the least degree of sinne in me may stand in comparison with the greatest enormities that euer any of Gods children haue of frailty fallen into What shall I doe in this case whether shall I turne mee when I may sit mee downe in sad solitarinesse and thus debate deplore my forlorne estate What such a one as I commit the least folly A Minister of Christ was â—uer any so absurd euer any of Gods Prophets or Priestes or Apostles or Ministers I meane not traiterous Iudasses or couetous Demasses or ambitious Dioâ—repheses or adulterous Hophnies and Phineasses or such like which continuing in their sinnes vnrepented vnreformed haue nothing of the sacred calling but the bare name what comfort can these examples minister to a faithfull Minister ouertaken with any fault whereas themselues perished in their sins But I meane the better the best sort Yes I finde Dauid committed adulterie Murther yet a holy Prophet and repented and was receiued to mercie Salomon had many Concubines many Idoll-gods yet a holy Type of Christ and repented and was receiued to mercie Peter denyed forswore his Master Christ yet a holy Apostle and repented and was receiued to mercie What then Haue my sinnes euer-topped theirs that I should despaire of their mercie Or is my person or calling holyer or higher then theirs that it should so aggrauate a lesse sinne in mee as to make it equiualent or transcendent to theirs Farre bee it Beeing so then here is comfort for me Onely this account I must make withall that the higher reckoning my least sinne amounts vnto beeing racked vp to the highest pin by
a great comfort to him and a witnesse for him But yet if in any other place he hath incurred an euill suspition that way and that iustly vpon some aberration all his good carriage among his owne people what will it profit Is not the world apt to take euery thing in the worst part in euil concluding substances vpon shadowes and fruits of radicall iniquity where she seeth but a leafe or blossome of corruption sprouting forth beneath the new grafting of the old Crab-tree-stocke and in good contrary esteeming the substances of holinesse but as shaddowes of hypocrisie and the fruites of piety but as leaues of pride and ostentation What comfort then may hee hope for this way seeing a false suspicion once rooted is hardly remooued but passeth for currant as if the worst that could bee said were too true And it is too common that that Monster many-tongued Fame in speaking euill will as farre ouershoot all bounds of truth through malice as in speaking well shee vsually commeth as farre short through enuy But they are a louing people 1 Cor. 13 And loue couers a multitude of sinnes it reioyceth not in iniquity but in the truth is not easily prouoked thinketh no euill it beareth all things beleeueth all things in the better part hopeth all things endureth all things Indeed aâ—though to a faithfull Pastour nothing is more deare more desired effectu non affectu if so it please God as an event of his labour not as the end of his desires as the blessing of God not as an Idol of his owne making then the loue of his people which inioying he is the better armed against all discouragements and difficulties yet here is the mischiefe that when he hath by the expence of much paines and peril purchased their loue now it greeues him so much the more if not altogether to loose yet to haue hazzarded the losse of it through the least defect or default on his part So that hitherto he can find no solid comfort Where then Surely hee must goe to the God of comfort He must still againe and againe vpon the redoubling of the waues and returning of the stormes with the Disciples in bodily distresse come to Christ saying Master saue me or I perish All other comforts are but as the Egyptian Reed which the more leaned vpon pierce more deeply Thus did Dauid Psal. 142. when all other outward comforts failed him I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soule What then where should hee finde comfort I cryed vnto thee O Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the liuing And here it is worth our obseruation how Dauid goes about to lay sure and fast hold vpon the hornes of Gods Altar He intitles and ingages God onely in the quarrell of his sinne as hauing offended none but him alone Against Thee Thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight See how he doubleth the Emphasis Against Thee Thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Why had not Dauid offended and sinned against men also against Vriah his life his wife and those other that dyed with him for company yea against the whole Church against the very enemies of the Lord causing them to blaspheme c. How then saith he here Against Thee Thee only 2 Sam. 11 To omit other interpretations of this speech some referring it to David as King whom none but God could punish some as Gods Child some as spoken comparatiuely betweene God and men that though he had offended men much yet God most not onely in regard of his Law violated but of his loue vnkindly rewarded others that Dauids sinne was knowne onely to God and concealed from men in that he saith In thy sight although neither Dauids adultery with Bathshabe nor his murther of Vriah could possibly bee so closly carried but his Court and Campe and so the world might take notice of them he hauing imployed messengers to fetch the one and Ioab to betray the other had made Vriah drunke which smelled strong enough and beeing dead Ioab bids the messenger say to Dauid Thy seruant Vriah is slaine also which he knew would pacifie Dauid for that his dishonourable defeat and wherefore this I note mainly that howsoeuer men might make either the best or the worst of all this either by flattering him to his face as being a King or flowting him behind his backe as hauing enemies so that comfort he could no where finde hereupon he makes his appeale to Gods iudgement seat With whom was mercy from mans of whom he could expect but little he pleades that if any had cause to iudge then God most of all wherein Dauid desires that God would take the matter into his owne hand Dauid knowing well enough that the principall Creditor being satisfied the same will take such order with all the rest as to worke the debters peace with them vpon reasonable termes sith he hath all their hearts in his hands and is alone able by his Grace to satisfie them so as no dammage shall come vnto them by their forbearance Againe that Gods Minister in this case may find comfort in his Ministerie among his people hee must obserue another practise of Dauid which is to haue his heart established by Grace and that not onely in the assured pardon of his sinne but also in the sinceritie of his conuersion from it that hee may the more cheerfully apply himselfe to instruct others Psal. 51. Note Dauid's words well Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities That 's for the pardon of his sinne and the discharge of his debt to God What then followes Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me that is a cleane heart from the guilt of sinne past and a right Spirit to abhorre and auoid sinne to come And he adds Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore vnto me the ioy of thy Saluation and vphold me with thy free Spirit How doth hee labour to fortifie himselfe in Gods fauour and grace And what then Then will I teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Then and not before when a Minister hath found peace with God in the pardon of his sinne hee may with comfort of Conscience apply himselfe in his Ministry to bee an instrument of conuerting others vnto God As Christ said to Peter When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren As Dauid goes on Deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my Saluation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse Nor did Salomon become a Preacher of Repentance to other before hee had first repented himselfe And Esay being a man of
polluted lips had no heart to prophecie to others before the Seraphim had touched his lips with a coale from the Altar saying Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie is taken away and thy sinne purged Whereupon Esay now can say Here I am send me Esa. 6.7 So that a Ministers peace with God giues him comfort and courage to preach to others that grace and mercie whereof himselfe hath had particular experience As Paul saith For this cause I obtained mercie 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter belieue on him to life euerlasting But on the contrarie I see not with what confidence or courage a Minister can stand in the presence of God and in the face of his Congregation either to instruct others in righteousnesse which himselfe followeth not or to reproue them of sinne whereof himselfe repenteth not Famous is that example of Origen Centur. 3. cap. 10 who for his offering of Incense to the Idoll being excommunicated from the Church of Alexandria and comming to Ierusalem and there intreated yea and in a manner inforced to preach vnto them hee going vp to the Pulpit as if hee would preach recited those words in the Psalm But to the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Hee no sooner had read these words but closing the Booke fell into a sad and bitter weeping and that so abundantly that as a stream it carried the affections of the whole assembly with it to weepe for companie and that out of a fellow-feeling of those compunctions of heart which so stopped his mouth and opened the flood-gates of repentance for his late sacrificing to the Idol and for other his errours whereinto he was said to fall after that his fall Such an insupportable burden is sinne vnrepented vpon a Ministers Conscience that till by the mercie of God hee be well lightened of it vneath he shall beare the Lords burthen vnto the people But vpon his humble repentance being at peace with God and hauing obtained the comfort of his Spirit and the assistance of his grace to settle him in the state of a good Conscience and of a holy life hereupon he becomes imboldened to preach of mercy to others whereof himselfe hath so plentifully tasted and wherby sinners may be conuerted vnto God Thirdly The Minister as hee hath offended his Flocke any way iustly he must labour to make them satisfaction And this stand sin foure things especially First In dubbling his labour and diligence in the faithfull discharge of his Ministry that what he hath formerly lost by any kind of neglect either in life or Doctrine hee may endeuour to regaine Secondly In labouring so much the more to set forth himselfe as a patterne of a true belieuer in faith in patience and other vertues wherby the calling not onely of a Christian but of a Minister and Pastour of Gods people is adorned So that the constant example of his carriage and course for the time to come may be as a mouth to signifie to all his exceeding humiliation and sorrow for his sinnes past his hatred and detestation of all sinne in himselfe and others and his earnest care and purpose of hart expressed in his practise vtterly to abandon and auoid the like and all sinne for the time to come setting himselfe with all boldnesse to reproue sinne in others which now they may behold so hatefull to himselfe turning also his people that setting themselues to speedie repentance they need not to doubt of Gods mercie towards them seeing that the sinne of their Pastour was not denyed it Thirdly To be continually exercised in feruent prayer for his people that from henceforth they may reape infinitely more profite by his Ministry and example of life then formerly they haue receiued hurt by any his neglect or occasion This will be a meanes through Gods speciall blessing cooperating to reconcile and reunite the peoples hearts to their Pastour and to cause all things to succeed happily betweene them Lastly He must practise the Spirit of meekenesse towards the weake labouring to restore such considering his owne selfe who hath beene and lest hee may be yet tempted And to bee patient towards all that if he meet with any vnkind affronts or closse biting malicious frumpes hee either answer not at all remembring that God hath layd that burthen vpon him or else lest the malicious may thus being let goe perish in his sinne hee is to admonish him either priuatly or if occasion require publickly before all the companie so as they may learne to feare God lest they turne the fall of their brother through weakenesse now repented now recouered into their own presumptuous ruine irrecouerable But neuer to retort or returne rebuke for rebuke euen as Dauid would shew no reuenge vpon cursing cursed Shimei hoping God would doe him good for his cursing that day and knowing that God would not hold Shimei guiltlesse but without repentance without peace bring him to the graue as it befell Shimei Thus may the afflicted and humbled Conscience of Gods Minister bee through Gods grace and mercie inabled in some good mâ—asure to beare vp against such winds and waues of tryall and in time to ouercome them Although when he hath done his best and suffered much yet hee must make account neuer to bee quit of his paine altogether till death but as a hurt or bruise in the body in youth it will become an ach and symptome of old age accompanying him to his graue As Dauid in his old age complaines of the aches of those sinnes in his youth still sticking in his bones when hee said Psa 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth c. So that he must conclude and resolue with Hezechiah Esa 15. I shall goe softly all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule And say with Dauid My sorrow is continually before me And euer to make this vse of his former sinnes euen to bee humbled in his best graces and most beautifull actions and prouoked to aspire to all perfection therin not fearing now to be proud who hath such cause to be humbled CHAP. V. The third Conflict arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended IT was no small griefe to the Spouse when she said My Mothers children were angry with me Cant. 1.6 and 5.7 And againe The Watchmen that went about the Citie found me they smote me they wounded me the Keepers of the Walls tooke away my vaile from me The least offence giuen by a Minister if it shall be taken to heart of the whole Sacred fraternitie and made theirs when the Delinquent considereth it what a torment is it to his Conscience when hee shall now see their countenances auerse full of high indignation and
open the deeper wound least the suddaine healling and closing of it vp might proue dangerous Thus thou dealt'st with Dauid who lying weltering in his blood thou the good Samaritan took'st compassion poured'st in thy healing Oyle of pardon but withall the corosiue wine of humiliation so to eat out or suppresse the luxuriant new-growne flesh lest festering inwardly it might proue to a Gangreene And when I am thus cast vpon the worlds reproch I know it is not without thy iust good and wise all-disposing hand Thou sawest what small fruit all my ordinarie and euerie-day repentance brought forth how it did not worke in me such a perfect hatred and detestation of sinne such an exact care and Conscience of auoyding the least appearance of euill as thou requirest how it laboured at the best rather to lop off the out-branches of sinne as eye-sores of the world then putting the axe to the root of the Tree to stub it vp with all the radicall sprigs and sprouts of affections And how easie is it to slubber ouer repentance when the heart is not possessed with a due estimate of the smallest sinne I thought all was well or at least tollerable being free from the maine Act nor making practise nor taking pleasure nor walking in a purpose nor watching opportunitie nor pursuing the meanes of committing sinne with greedinesse Or if at any time a temptation did ouertake me to yeald assent vpon thy gratious preuention I so reioyced with the Pharisee Lord I thanke thee c. as I neglected the Publicans Prayer Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Not duely considering in the meane time either the strictnesse of thy Law or the Sacredness of my Person Profession the one straitly prohibiting the other infinitely aggrauating the least degree of or disposition vnto sinne causing that to bee mortall in me which in others might bee accounted veniall And although thou knowest Lord which I dare the more freely recount to the glorie of thy Grace how often when occasions were offered euen inuiting mee to sinne boldnesse vsurping the seat of bashfulnesse I haue by thy present assistance not else while mine owne corruption when left to it selfe would easily haue followed auoided declined them and where I haue obserued temptations to be strongest and danger most apparant haue purposely not daring to trust vpon mine owne weake strength withdrawn my selfe where I haue beene like to bee taken with the lime-twigs which the cunning fowler layd for mee haue I not taken the wings of the Doue to fly a loft from the danger yea sometimes finding vpon triall a flexibility in the obiect haue I not disswaded haue I not counselled for good Yet all this all this while as it seemeth so deceitfull is the heart aboue all things not with that zealous affection not with that thorow hatred of sinne as was requisite Certainly I did not with all my power resist the Diuell so that it gaue him incouragement to watch still new occasions to take me tardie when I should least dreame of danger and obseruing my spirituall armour not so tightly girt to my loynes but like Ioabs sword to hang loose and dangling about me hee hoped one time or other to smite me vnawares as Ioab did Amasa kissing and killing both at once And could he at all haue inclosed mee in his toyle had not thy wonderful * Deus diligeÌ„tibus euÌ„ omnia cooperatur in bonum vsque aedeo prorssus omnia vt etiam si qui eorum deuiant exorbitaÌ„t etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Aug. de Corr. gra cap. 9 Prouidence so disposed it to a further end then Sathan imagined Hast thou there left me No surely For first hauing chastised and purged me with a fiery sicknesse nigh vnto death and heard my praier for deliuerance and for a renewed redubled strength in my Ministry to be a poore instrument of thy glory which my folly had any way stained how hast thou followed mee euer since what with assisting grace what with affâ—iccting griefe least I might bee either too much exalted with the one or too much depressed with the other And hath not thy vnchangable wisedome for this very cause left some corruptions in thy holiest Saints to keepe them in the ballance of a due temper that so the tempter might not attaine to his wished ends while hee meeteth with two contrary windes to saile withall For when hee would tempt to pride for the indowments of thy graces how doe our very corruptions stand vp against him to our humiliation On the other side when he would tempt vs to diffidence deiection desperation in regard of our indwelling or out-breaking sinnes then thy grace interposeth it selfe not onely as a token of thine vnchangeable loue but as a mighty weapon to batter downe all Satans strong holds Hereof hast thou giuen mee sufficient experience herein abundant cause of comfort so that may not I say with Dauid Thy rod of castigation and thy staffe of consolation and sustentation comfort mee But yet alas O Lord was there no other way to preserue the wine of thy grace in me but vpon the Lees of my corruptions No way to poise the course of my brittle barke that so it might safely bring the Pearle of the kingdome to the wished hauen but with the base ballace of sinne No antidote to preserue me from being exalted aboue measure for the portion of thy free goodnesse towards me but by the treacle compounded of the Serpent sinne But I may not reason with thee whose iudgements are vnsearchable whose wayes past finding out But Lord did not thy all piercing eye discouer some monstrous pride lurking in my heart ready to breake out and beare it selfe bigge when it should behold it selfe any way beautified with the borrowed feathers of thy Doue-like spirit and rather then I should rob thee of thy glory and so be left naked of thy grace it seemed good to thy wisedome to permit the preuention of it with the humiliation of mine own shame For otherwise hast thou not in the midst of my infinite weakenesses giuen me a minde to know thee a desire to please thee a will to obey thee a heart to prefer thy glory before my life a resolution to choose rather to dye a thousand deaths then to commit the least sinne But O wretched man that I am the cause of all my calamity is in my selfe this body of death which I carry about is the source of all my sorrow Yet seeing this is the coÌ„mon coÌ„dition of thy Saints none to be exempt from indwelling corruption all the best the holiest to cry out of it some for shame all for sorrow why should I thinke by any priuiledge to be holier then they or being the weakest the worst of all the rest shall not thy mercy thy merits be magnified so much the more in blotting out my misdeeds I am sure I cannot be a
in this life haue lost euen that grace which they seemed to haue How should not then Gods child be quickly puffed vp and enamoured with the beautie of his graces and so as Satan to bee cast forth of Heauen like lightning as Christ admonisheth his Disciples Luke 10.18 if he had not some allay of corruption or sinne to presse him downe and humble him Was not the Apostle exercised with a Thorne in the Flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him least hee should bee puffed vp with aboundance of Reuelations Or how should Gods power bee magnified in our weakenesse who said vnto him My grace is sufficient for thee My strength is made perfect through weakenesse Or how else should wee worke out our saluation with feare and trembling seeing it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Or how shall God tread Satan vnder our feet shortly if wee bee alreadie Conquerours Or how shall wee presse hard toward the marke if wee bee alreadie perfect Or how shall wee shake off the sinne that doth so easily beset vs and euerie waight of humane frailtie to run with patience the race that is set before vs if Gods Saints here bee altogether without sinne Or how shall the Spirit fight against the Flesh if the Enemie bee alreadie vanquished Or what need haue wee of Gods mercie that wee should daily pray Forgiue vs our sins if we did not euerie day commit sinne So that to grieue that one offence in the Regenerate should bee sufficient to scandalize Religion and the profession of it may serue to muzzle either Papists in their pride or Carnall men in their ignorance who may thinke that either there is a perfection of grace on Earth or else holinesse beeing imperfect there is no difference at all among men but onely in outward appearance some seeming to be better then others So that all this might seeme to mitigate the Patients maladie But yet alas all this cannot giue him any solid comfort For although there bee no perfection of degrees in holinesse here in the regenerate yet a perfection of parts there is and so of the parts that Gods child must still bee growing on and aspiring towards the perfection of degrees Whereunto striuing if by the way in regard of infinite incombrances outward and no lesse infirmities within him hee stumble or fall stagger or stray neuer so litle hee is so much the more displeased with himselfe and deiected in spirit by how much hee pursued after perfection with greater sincerity and eagernesse And although it stand not with the state of grace to be without many inbred corruptions still dwelling but not raigning in the regenerate Yet it is no small griefe of heart vnto him to haue committed the least sin But when his corruption breakes out into a blaine or bile of open offence and scandall oh what intollerable torment doth seaze vpon his soule as we see in Dauid but no man can take an estimate of the waight of this burthen but he that hath it vpon him Therefore to conclude all and to wind our selues at length out of this Meander of a turn-sicke conscience besides other meanes of comfort mentioned before wee will here adde onely these two First that the Delinquent or Offendant giue such testimony of his continuall heart-griefe for his sinnes past as that hee may euen driue the most carnall man into an astonishment and to reflect vpon his owne great and many sins thus resoluing with himselfe if so be that one sinne and that committed of weakenesse not of purpose casually not of custome cost a man so much sorrow and humiliation then what repentance and sorrow is requisite for all my great and many sinnes Now I see that sin is not so slightly to be regarded as formerly I haue imagined Thus by Gods grace may the wickedest man be brought to repentance for his euil life past by beholding thy great humiliation for the least sinne What a comfort then shall this bring vnto thy soule when thou shalt bee an occasion of pulling an other out of the fire by letting him see how grieuous the burning of soule and body in hell flames shall be when but one sparke casually lighting vpoâ— the soule hath beene enougâ— euen to make thy precious life tedious to thy selfe and thy more precious name odious to all The second meanes of comfort herein is to possesse thy soule with a greater indignation against the least sinne in thy selfe but with a greater compassion of others weakenesses Pardon others many things but thy selfe nothing For if the Apostles reason for spirituall compassion be forcible as when hee saith Brethren if a man be ouertaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse and the reason is added Considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted then 〈◊〉 much more forcible is it 〈…〉 to whom it may bee â—aid Considering thy selfe who hast beene tempted and ouer taken Thus shalt thou reape a double fruite the first that thy lenity towards others grossely offending shall make them the more amicable and gentle towards thee in pardoning thy lesser offence towards them Not that because we haue offended therefore wee should remit our zeale after the testimony of our â—â—pentance to reproue 〈◊〉 sinnes for so it should beâ—â—â—â— to the Prouerbe Mâ—â—lus mulum scabit but that our zeale in reprouing others should appeare to bee kindled at our indignation for our owne sinnes in the first place Thus when others shall perceiue that our zealous reproofes are bent against their sinnes not their persons which they shall the more easily discerne when it commeth from a hatred of sinne in ourselues it will so much the more affect them not onely with a loue towards our persons but a hatred towards their owne sinnes The second fruit is that howsoeuer the Patient shall bee incountred with vnkind affronts frowns or frumps now and then yet his indignation and zeale aâ—â—inst himselfe if it cannot mitigate others sharpnesse towards him yet shall it bee such an armour of proofe vnto him being tempered with faith humility meeknesse patience as all Sathans fiery darts shal not be able to pierce it at leastwise not mortally to wound him And in a word so many outward discouragements as either hee hath or yet shall meete withall in the world for his offence past they shall from henceforth be but as so many * thorne-hedges round about him ready to pricke and wound him when any temptation would diuert or draw him to the least transgression FINIS
against despaire it selfe I should vtterly haue fainted vnlesse I had belieued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Liuing Obiect But how can a man both belieue and doubt at the same instant about the same thing Answ. There is in the Regenerate the Old man doubting and the New man belieuing It is against the propertie of Faith to doubt Doubting comes of the Flesh and belieuing of the Spirit and these two are contrarie one to the other they fight one against the other in one Soule as Iacob and Esau in one Wombe So that euen then when the Soule is like to bee ouer-borne with the tempest of carnall distrust the seed of Faith by a secret and insensible working for the present being fast rooted and riuetted into Christ as the Ankor in the Rocke or the Tree-root in the firme ground preserues it from either wracke or wind-fall Thus Dauid comforts and cheeres vp his deiected Soule Psal. 43· Why art thou cast downe O my soule And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God Againe Faith hath two strong supporters to stay it from fainting The first is the promises of God the second experience of former feelings of mercie First Gods promise is the proper obiect and pillar of hope This promise is not a word of course but a word of Gods solemne Couenant a word not transient but permanent a word written in a more lasting monument then Lead and Stone Yea this promise is confirmed with Gods Hebr. 6.17 Oath and ratified with his Seale with the Priuie Rom. 8.16 Seale of his Spirit in euerie faithfull mans heart and with the Broad Seales his two Rom. 4. Sacraments This promise of God in Christ for saluation Faith * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est veraefidei Chrys. Gen. 13. Ser. 35. appropriates to the belieuers own selfe concluding Faithfull is he who hath promised who will also doe it And as Satan on the one side is busie to buzze into a mans head places of Scriptures by him peruerted and mis-applyed so Faith on the other side opposes against him the sweet promises of God Math. 11 28. as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you I came not to call the righteous Math. 9.13 but sinners to repentance Nor doe these promises belong onely to those who haue not yet beene effectually called but to those who after their effectuall calling haue through humane infirmitie fallen into some sinne As children 1 Ioh. 2.1 I write vnto you that you sinne not And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sinnes These and the like promises of God Faith laying hold vpon are like the hand of Christ reached out to sinking Peter staying the Soule from perishing in the Floods of Spirituall perturbations Ps. 119.92 and ve 49.50 Except thy Law saith afflicted Dauid had beene my delight I should then haue perished in mine affliction By Law there hee meaneth the Gospel with the promises of it For else Gal. the Law causeth wrath and can minister no consolation to the wounded Conscience but onely sends the Patient to the good Physitian Christ. It is one of Sâ—tans vsuall stratagemâ— to hide Gods promises all hee can from Gods child in time of Spirituall temptation and to present him Qui statuit aliquid parte inaâ—dita altera Aequum licet statuerit haud â—quus fuit Senec and wholly take him vp with Iudgements thereby to driue him to despaire Therefore as a Iudge that heareth one partiâ— and reserueth neuer an eare for the aduerse partiâ— must needs bee vniust yea although hee haply pronounce right iudgement So the sinfull Soule looking altogether vpon the iudgement of God and reseruing neuer an eye to looke vpon his mercie and promise is like to proceed vniustly against himselfe though therby hee pull vpon his Soule a iust condemnation But to preuent this It stands not with the condition of the Children of the Promise the blessed Seed Rom. 9.8 23. those Vessels of mercie which God hath afore ordained vnto glorie that in them he might make knowne the riches of his glorie verse 22. It stands not I say with their condition to bee as the vessels of wrath swallowed vp of wrath being selfe-fitted to destruction But in the Children of the Promise mercie shall triumph against iudgement when Faith in Gods promises of life shall ouercome all difficulties The second pillar and prop of Faith in the Soules fainting is experience of former fruition of mercie This was Dauids practise Ps. 77. I haue considered the dayes of old c. I call to remembrance my Song in the night Thus in his distresse hee cals to mind what sweetnesse and comfort hee found formerly in God by those familiar Soliloquies which his Soule did sing vnto God by night in the gratefull remembrance of his benefits And Psalme 143 complaining My spirit is ouerwhelmed within me my heart within me is desolate Yet he comforts himselfe with the meditation and memorie of Gods former gratious dealing towards him verse 4 5. And Psalme 27 he euen challengeth God vpon formâ—r mercies verse 9. saying Hide not thy face from me put not thy seruant away in anger Thou hast beene my helpe leaue me not neither forsake me oh God of my saluation Thus vpon this experience Dauid gathers such assurance that though his Father and Mother forsake him And can a Mother forget forsake her sonne yet though shee should bee so vnnaturall yet saith God I will not forsake thee yet saith Douid Euen then the Lord taketh me vp So that for the Conscience afflicted to recollect the experiments of former mercies which the Soule once sweetly inioyed is a solid ground of comfort whereon to cast the Anchor of Hope in a present storme yea and the secure Harbour also wherein to repose her selfe in a setled assurance of Gods loue for the time to come and for euer And the reason is Whom God loueth once in Christ hee euer loueth The gifts and calling of God are without repentance His blessing vpon his Children is like that of Isaac vpon Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed Balaam told Balack that there was no reuersing of Gods blessing on his people God is not as man Num. 23.1920 that he should lye or repent Hath he said it and shall he not doe it Behold I haue receiued commandement to blesse and he hath blessed and I cannot reuerse it Obiect But the memorie of former mercies inioyed may serue to minister to the afflicted Soule for sinne rather matter of more griefe then of any ioy and rather to aggrauate our sinne and so our sorrow then to redintegrate or renouate our comfort What a corrosiue was it to Dauid's