wilt heare O Lord my God Hee concludes thus Thou hast seene how that any misery pressing our mortality a convenient Antâ—ote may be taken out of Scripture and all the carking of this life may bee cured neither need wee to bee greived for any thing which befals us Therefore I beseech you that henceforward you would come hither and listen diligently to the reading of divine writ And not onely when you come hither but also take the bible into your hands at home and receive with great affection the profit to bee found in it For from thence springs much gaine First that the tongue may bee reformed by it The soule also takes wings soares aloft and is gloriously illightened with the beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse and that while is freed from the entisements of impure thoughts enioying much calmenesse and contentment Furthermore that which corporall food doth for encreasing bodily strength the same doth reading performe to the soule All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable and writ by the spirit of God for this purpose saith great Basil that in it as a common Mart of soule-medicines every one of us may chuse a medicine proper and fit for his spirituall malady Jerome writing to many even of Her sexe whom as I told you before much reading of Scriptures and other good bookes made mad if the extremest malice of the most mortall enemies to the waies of God may bee credited doth stirre them up with extraordinary earnestnesse to a diligent industrious and fruitfull reading of Gods Booke in many Passages of His Epistles In that to Gaudentius about bringing up a young Maiden Hee would have Her at seaven years old and when she begins to blush learne the Psalmes of Dauid without Booke and untill twelue make the Books of Salomon the Gospels the Apostles and Prophets the treasure of Her heart To One Hee speakes thus This one thing about all others I would fore advise Thee and inculcating it I will admonish againe and againe That thou wouldest possesse thy minde with love of reading Scriptures To an other Let the Booke of God bee ever iâ— thy hands And after the holy Scriptures reade also the Treatises of learned men To another Let the sacred Scriptures bee ever in thine hands and revolved continually in thy minde Reading Scripture saith Origen daily prayers the word of Doctrine nourish the Soule even as the Body is strengthened by dainty fare The Spirit is nourished growes strong and is made victorious by such foode Which because you doe not ply doe not complaine of the infirmity of the flesh Doe not say wee would but cannot c Those reverend men that made the Homilies seeme to apprehend themselves and they commend to us the excellent sweetnesse which may bee suckt from the breasts of consolations in meditating upon the Scriptures by this their emphaticall and effectuall expression Let us ruminate say they and as it were chew the cudde that wee may have the sweet juyce spirituall effect marrow hony kernell tast comfort and consolation of them I have said all this upon purpose least melancholike men should be miss-led or disheartened by the cursed counsell of carnall freinds and wicked clamours of the world from turning their sadnesse into sorrow for sin and from plying Gods blessed booke and the powerfull ministry thereof the onely wellspring of all true lightsomnesse and ioy and able as I said before if they wil bee converted and counseled to dispell the very darkenesse of hell out of their hearts Mee thinkes they rather above others should bee encouraged hereunto 1. Because they have a passive advantage that I may so speake when it pleaseth God to sanctifie for that purpose and set on worke the spirit of bondage by reason of their sad dispositions and fearefull spirits to bee sooner affrighted and dejected by comminations of judgements against sinne more feelingly to take to heart the miseries and dangers of their naturall state more easily to tremble and stoope under the mighty hand of God and hammer of his Law Guiltinesse and horrour damnation and hell beget in their timerous natures stronger impressions of feare whereupon they are woont to tast deeplier of legall contrition and remorse and so proportionably to feel and acknowledge a greater necessity of Iesus Christ to thirst after him more greedily to prize him more highly and at length to throw their trembling soules into his blessed bosome with more eagernesse and importunity And having once entred into the holy path their native fearefulnesse beeing rectified and turned the right way they many times walke on afterward with more feare to offend and happy is the man that feareth alway more watchfulnesse over their wayes tendernesse of conscience impatiency of losing spirituall peace sensiblenesse of infirmities and failings awfulnes to Gods word c. 2. And because of all others such men have most neede of lightsomnesse and refreshing which when carnall counsellers flattering mountebanks of the Ministry labour to introduce into their darke heads and heavy hearts by the arme of flesh outward mirth and such other meanes they onely palliate and dawbe and are so farre from doing any true good that thereby they drowne them many times deeper and more desperately into the dungeon of melancholy afterward So that a melancholicke man let him turne him which way hee will is like without the light of grace to live a very miserable life upon earth and as it were in some part of hellish darkenesse to which also at length shal bee added the torment if hee dye impenitently But now let them addresse themselves to the booke of life and thence onely they may sucke and bee satisfied with the breasts of consolation Let them leane their sorrowfull soules improoving naturall sadnesse to mourne more heartily for sinne upon the promises there and every severall one will shine upon them with a particular heavenly and healing light with sound and lasting joy All those then are starke mad either with ignorant or learned malice who beare the world in hand that reading scriptures plying the powerfull ministry taking sinne to heart c. will make melancholike men mad If you desire to know before I passe out of the point the differences betweene the heavines of a melancholike humour and affliction of conscience for sinne take notice of such as these 1 Terrour for sinne springs out of the conscience and from the smart of a spirituall wound there Melancholy dwels and hath his chiefe residence in the phantasie uncomfortably ouercasts and darkens the splendour and lightsomnesse of the animall spirits in the braine 2 The melancholike man is extremely sad knowes not why Hee is full of feare doubts distrust and heavinesse without any true and just ground arising onely from the darkenesse and disorder of the phantasie the griesly fumes of that blacke humour in the braine But a broken heart a thousand to one
calmnesse of a good conscience is grounded upon a Rocke upon which tho the raine descends the floods come the windes blow the tempests beate yet it stands like Mount Zion sure sober strong lasting impregnable Nay it is of that heavenly metall and divine temper that it ordinarily gathers vigour and puissance from the worlds rage and growes in strength and resolution together with the encrease of all iniust oppositions Persecutions and resistance serue as a provocation and seasoning to it's sweetnesse It is not enforced formall artificiall affected furious desperate misgrounded ambitious upon an humour in the face onely onely in hot blood out of a vaine-glorious pang c. Such may bee found in Aliens and resolute reprobates It were nothing worthy if strangers might meddle with it If Men or Divels or the whole World could take it from us If it were sustained onely by any created power or arme of flesh This Pearle that I praise and perswade unto is of an higher price and more transcendent power then any unregenerate Man can possibly compasse or comprehend It hath for it's seate a sanctified Soule for the Fountaine of it's refreshing the Spirit of all comfort for it's foundation the favour of God for it's Warrant the promises of Amen the faithfull and true Witnesse for it's object an immortall Crowne for it's continuance the prayers of all the Saints for it's companions inward peace invincible courage an holy security of minde for it's end and perfection fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore In a word this couragious comfort and true noblenesse of spirit which dwells in the heart of the true-hearted Christian doth differ as much from and as farre surpasses all the groundlesse confidences of what carnall men or religious counterfeits soever as the reall possession of gold an imaginary dreame of gold as the true naturall lively Grape which glads the heart a painted juycelesse Grape which onely feedes the eye as a strong and mighty Oake rooted deepely in the earth which no storme or tempest can displant or overthrow a Stake in a dead hedge or Staffe stucke lightly into the ground which every hand may snatch away or blast of winde supplant and overthrow Secondly the trouble of a wounded conscience is further amplified by it's Attribute intolerablenesse But a wounded Spirit who can beare Whence note Doctr. That the torture of a troubled Conscience is intolerable Reas. 1. In all other afflictions onely the Arme of flesh is our adversary wee contend but with Creatures at most wee have to doe but with Man or at worst with Divels but in this transcendent misery wee conflict immediately with God Himselfe Fraile Man with Almighty God sinfull Man with that most holy God Whose eyes are purer then to behold evill and who cannot looke upon iniquity Who then can stand before his indignation Who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger When his fury is powred out like fire and the Rocks are throwne downe by Him When hee comes against a man as a Beare that is bereaved of her Whelpes torent the very caule of His heart and to devoure him like a Lion No more then the driest stubble can resist the fierest flame the ripe Corne the Mowers sharpest sythe or a garment the Moath no more nay infinitely lesse can any power of Man or Angell withstand the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth when Hee is angry for Sinne. When thou saith David with rebukes correctest man for iniquity thou as a Moath makest his beauty to consume Alas when a poore polluted wretch upon some speciall illumination by the Word or extraordinary stroke from the rod doth once begin to behold Gods frowning face against Him in the pure Glasse of His most holy Law and to feele divine iustice by an invisible hand taking secret vengeance upon his conscience His heavy heart immediately melts away in his brest and becomes as water Hee faints and failes both in the strength of his body and stoutnesse of his minde His bones the pillars and Master-timber of his earthly Tabernacle are presently broken in pieces and turn'd into rottennesse His spirit the eye and excellency of his Soule which should illighten and make lightsome the whole Man is quite put out and utterly overwhelm'd with excesse of horrour and flashes of despaire O this is it which would not onely crush the courage of the stoutest sonne of Adam that ever breath'd upon earth but even breake the backe of the most glorious Angell that did ever shine in Heaven should Hee lift up but one rebellious thought against his Creatour This alone is able to make the tallest Cedar in Lâ—banon the strongest Oake in Basan I meane the highest looke and the proudest heart the most boisterous Nimrod or swaggering Belshazzar to bow and bend to stoope and tremble as the leaves of the forrest that are shâ—ken with the winde 2. In all other adversities a man is still a friend unto himselfe favours himselfe and reaches out his best considerations to bring in comfort to his heavy heart But in this Hee is a scourge to Himselfe at warre with Himselfe an enemy to Himselfe Hee doth greedily and industriously fetch in as much matter as hee can possibly both imaginary and true to enlarge the rent and aggravate his horrour Hee gazes willingly in that false glasse which Satan is woont in such Cases to set before Him wherein by his Hellish malice Hee makes an infinite addition both to the already un-numbred multitude and to the too true hainousnesse of his sinnes and would faine if Hee will be lead by his lying cruelty mis-represent to his affrighted imagination every Gnat as a Camell every Moate as a Mole-hill every Mole-hill as a Mountaine every lustfull thought as a Sodomiticall villany every idle word as a desperate blasphemy every angry looke as an actuall bloody murder every intemperate passion as an inexpiable provocation every distraction in holy duties as a damnable rebellion every transgression against light of conscience as a sinne against the holy Ghost c. Nay in this amazednesse of spirit and disposition to despaire Hee is apt even of his owne accord and with great eagernesse to arme every severall sinne as it comes into his minde with a particular bloody sting that it may strike deepe enough and sticke fast enough in His already grieved Soule Hee imployes and improoves the excellency and utmost of His learning understanding wit memory to argue with all subtilty with much Sophistry against the pardonablenes of his sins and possibilitie of salvation Hee wounds even his wounds with a conceit they are incurable and vexes his very vexations with refusing to bee comforted Not onely crosses afflictions temptations and all matter of discontentment but even the most desirable things also in this life and those which minister most outward comfort Wife Children Friends Gold Goods Great mens favours Preferments Honours Offices even Pleasures themselves every
thing whatsoever is within Him or without Him or about Him whatsoever He thinkes upon remembers heares sees turne all to his torment No marvaile then tho the terrour of a wounded conscience bee so intolerable 3. As the exultations of the Soule and spirituall refreshments doe incomparably surpasse both in excellency of Object and sweetnesse of apprehension all pleasures of seâ—se and bodily delights so afflictions of the Soule and spirituall pangs doe infinitely exceede both in bitternesse of sense and intension of sorrow the most exquisite tortures can possibly bee inflicted upon the Body For the Soule is a spirit very subtile quicke active stirring all life motion sense feeling and therefore farre more capable and apprehensive of all kinds of impressions whether passions of pleasure or inflictions of paâ—â—e 4. This extremest of miseries a wounded spirit is tempered with such strong and strange ingredients of extraordinary feares that it makes a man a terrour to himselfe and to all his friends To flee when none pursues at the sound of a shaken leafe To tremble at his owne shadow to bee in great feare where no feare is Besides the insupportable burthen of too many true and causefull terrours it fills His darke and dreadfull Fancy with a world of fained horrours gastly apparitions and imaginary Hells which notwithstanding have reall stings and impresse true tortures upon his trembling and wofull heart It is empoysoned with such restlesse anguish and desperate paine that tho life bee most sweete and Hell most horrible yet it makes a man wilfully to abandon the one and willingly to embrace the other that Hee may bee rid of it's rage Hence it was that Iudas preferred an Halter and Hell before his present horrour That Spira said often what heart quakes not to heare it that Hee envied Cain Saul and Iudas wishing rather any of their roomes in the Dungeon of the damned then to have his poore heart so rent in pieces with such raging terrors fiery desperations upon his Bed of death Whereupon at another time beeing asked Whether Hee feared more fearefull torments after this life Yes said Hee But I desire nothing more then to bee in that place where I shall expect no more Expectation as it seemes of future did infinitely aggravate and enrage His already intolerable torture 5. The Heathens who had no fuller sight of the foulenesse of sinne or more smarting sense of divine vengeance for it then the light of naturall conscience was able to afford and represent unto them yet were woont in fiction to shadow out in some sort and intimate unto us the insufferable extremities of a minde troubled in this kinde by hellish furies following malefactors with burning fire-brands and flames of torture What understanding then is able to conceive or tongue to report in what case that sinfull conscience must needs bee when it is once awakened which besides the notions of naturall light hath also the full Sun of Gods sacred Word and that pure Eye which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne and cannot looke upon iniquity to irradiate and enrage it to the height of guiltinesse and depth of horrour Both heart and tongue Man and Angell must let that alone for ever For none can take the true estimate of this immesurable spirituall misery but hee that can comprehend the length and breadth of that infinite unresistable wrath which once implacably enkindled in the bosome of God burnes to the very bottome of Hell and there creates the extremity and endlesnesse of all those un-expressable torments and fiery plagues which afflict the Diuels and damned Soules in that horrible Pit 6. Not onely the desperate cries of Cain Iudas Latomus and many other such miserable men of forlorne hope but also the wofull complaints even of Gods owne deare Children discover the truth of this Point to wit the terrours and intolerablenesse of a wounded Conscience Heare how rufully three ancient Worthies in their times wrastled with the wrath of God in this kinde I reckoned till morning saith Hezekiah that as a Lion so will hee breake all my bones Even as the weake and trembling limbes of some lesser neglected Beast are crusht and torne in pieces by the unresistable Paw of an unconquerable Lion so was His troubled Soule terrified and broken with the anger of the Almighty Hee could not speake for bitternesse of griefe and anguish of heart but chattered like a Crane or a Swallow and mourned like a Dove Thou writest bitter things against mee saith Iob and makest mee to possesse the iniquities of my youth The arrowes of the Almighty are within mee the poyson thereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God doe set themselves in aray against mee O that I might have my request And that God would grant mee the thing that I long for Even that it would please God to destroy mee that Hee would let loose his hand and cut mee off Nay yet worse Thou scarest mee with dreames and terrifiest mee through visious So that my Soule chuseth strangling and death rather then my life Tho God in mercy preserves his servants from the monstrous and most abhorred Act of selfe-murder yet in some melancholike moode horrour of minde and bitternesse of spirit they are not quite freed from all impatient wishes that way and sudden suggestions thereunto My bones waxed old saith David through my roaring all the day long Day and night thy hand was heavy upon mee my moysture is turned into the drought of Summer Thine arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth mee sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne For mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for mee I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disqujâ—tnesse of my heart Heare also into what a depth of spirituall distresse three worthy servants of God in these later times were plung'd and pressed downe under the sense of Gods anger for sinne Blessed Mistris Brettergh upon Her last Bed was horribly hemmed in with the sorrowes of death the very griefe of Hell laid hold upon Her Soule a roaring Wildernesse of woe was within Her as She confessed of Her selfe She said her sinnes had made Her a prey to Satan And wished that she had never been borne or that shee had been made any other creature rather then a Woman Shee cryed out many times Woe woe woe c. A weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman with teares continually trickling from her eyes Master Peacock that man of God in that His dreadfull visitation and desertion recounting some smaller sinnes burst out into these words And for these saith Hee I feele now an Hell in my conscience Vpon other occasions Hee cryed out
in that sweetest well-spring of life and immortality then enjoy the riches pleasures and glory of the whole World everlastingly For a bitter-sweet taste of which for an ynch of time Hee villanously trampleth under-foote as it were that blessed blood by wilfully cleaving to His owne wayes and furious following the swinge of His owne sensuall heart even against the check and contradiction of His grumbling conscience 3. Of the most blissefull presence freedome and communication of the Holy Ghost and all those divine illuminations spirituall feastings sudden and secret glimpses and glances of heavenly light sweeter then sweetnesse it selfe wherewith that good Spirit is woont to visit and refresh the humbled hearts of holy men 4. Of the fatherly providence and protection of the blessed Trinity the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion with the people of God and all the happy consequents of safety deliverance and delight that floweth thence 5. Of the unknowne pleasures of an appeased conscience a Iewell of dearest price to which all humane glory is but dust in the balance Not the most exquisite extraction of all manner of Musicke Sets or Consorts vocall or Instrumentall can possibly conveigh so delicious a touch and taste to the outward eare of a Man as the sound and sense of a Certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit seal'd with Christs blood to the eare of the Soule even amidst the most desperate confusions in the evill Day when Comfort will bee worth a World and a good Conscience ten thousand earthly Crownes 6. Of all true contentment in this life of all Christian right and religious interest to any of the Creatures For never was any sound ioy or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the world found in that Mans heart which gives allowance to any lust or lyes delightfully in any sinne 7. Of an immortall Crowne the un-speakeable ioyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort which there shall be fully and for ever enioyed with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs Christian friends yea with the Lord Himselfe and all His Angels with Christ our Saviour that Lambe slaine for us the Prince of glory the glory of Heaven and Earth the brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. In a word of all those inexplicable nay unconceiveable excellencies pleasures perfections felicities sweetnesses beauties glories eternities above 2. It doth every houre expose Him to all those evils which a Man destitute of grace divine may commit and unprotected from above endure It brings all plagues 1. Internall Blindnesse of minde Hardnesse of heart deadnesse of affection searednesse of conscience a reprobate sense strong delusions the spirit of slumber slavery to lust estrangednesse from God bondage under the Divell desperate thoughts horrour of heart confusion of spirit c. And spirituall mischiefes in this kind moe and more dreadfull then either Tongue can tell or heart can thinke Least of which is farre worse then all the plagues of Egypt 2. Externall See Deut. 28.15 c. 3. Eternall See my Sermon of the foure last things 3. By it 's pestilent damning Property and poyson it turnes Heaven into Hell Angels into Divels Life into death Light into darknesse sight into blindnesse Faith into distrust hope into despaire Loue into hate humility into pride mercy into cruelty security into feare liberty into bondage health into sicknesse plenty into scarcenesse a Garden of Eden into a desolate Wildernesse a fruitfull Land into barrennesse Peace into war quietnesse into contention Obedience into rebellion Order into confusion vertues into vices blessings into curses c. In a word all kind of temporall and eternall felicities and blisse into all kinds of miseries and woe 7. What heart except it bee all Adamant and turn'd into a Rocke of flint but possessing it selfe with feeling thoughts and a sensible apprehension of the incomprehensible greatnesse excellency and dreadfulnesse of the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth would not tremble and bee strangely confounded to transgresse and breake any one branch of His blessed Lawes especially purposely and with pleasure or to sinne against Him willingly but in the least ungodly thought For alas Who art thou that liftest up thy proud heart or whettest thy prophane tongue or bendest thy rebellious course against such a Majesty Thou art the vilest wretch that ever God made next unto the Divell and His damned Angels A base and an unworthy Worme of the Earth not worthy to licke the dust that lyeth under His feete A most weake and fraile creature Earth ashes or any thing that is naught the dreame of a shadow the very Picture of change worse then vanity lesse then nothing Who when thy breath is gone which may fall out many times in a moment thou turnest into dust nay rottennesse and filth much more loathsome then the Dung of the Earth and all thy thoughts perish But now on the other side if thou cast thine eyes seriously and with intention upon that thrice glorious and highest Majesty the eyes of whose glory thou so provokest with thy filth and folly thou mayest most justly upon the commission of every sinne cry out with the Prophet O Heavens bee astonished at this bee afraid and utterly confounded Nay thou mightest marvaile and it is Gods unspeakeable mercy that the whole frame of Heauen and Earth is not for one sinne fearefully finally dissolued and brought to nought For He against whom thou sinnest inhabiteth eternity and unapprochable light The Heauen is His Throne and the earth his footstoole Hee is the euerlasting God mighty and terrible the Creatour of the ends of the earth â—c The infinite splendour of his glory and maiesty so dazles the eyes of the most glorious Seraphims that they are glad to adore Him with couered faces The Diuell and all the damned spirits those stubborne Feinds tremble at the terrour of His countenance All the Nations before Him are but as the drop of a bucket but as the small dust of the balance nay they are nothing to Him saith the Prophet yea lesse then nothing Hee fitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers The Iudges and Princes when Hee blowes upon them are but as stubble before the Whirle-winde And Hee taketh vp the Iles as a very litle thing At His rebuke the Pillars of Heauen doe shake the Earth trembleth and the foundations of the hills are mooued His presence melts the mountaines His voice teares the Rocks in pieces The blast of the breath of His nostrils discouers the chanells of waters and foundations of the world when Hee is angry His Arrowes drinke bloud His sword deuoures flesh and the fire of his wrath burnes unto the lowest Hell The Heauen is but His span The Sea His handfull The wings of the wind His walke His garments are light His Pauilion darknes His way in the whirlewind and in the storme and
the spirit of a man saith Salomon will sustaine all His other infirmities but a wounded spiâ—rit who can beare Yet His soule though Hee was the Prince of glory and Lord of Heaven and earth upon the Crosse was even as a scorched Heath without so much as any drop of comfort either from heaven or earth The grievous weight of all the sinnes of all his Children the least of which had bin enough to have pressed them downe into the bottome of Hell lay now heavy upon him The powers of darkenesse were let loose to afflict Him Hee wrastled even with the fierce wrath of His Father and all the forces of the infernall kingdome with such anguish of heart that in the Garden it wrung out of his pretious Body a Sweat as it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground with such agony of spirit that upon the Crosse Hee cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And the measure of all these sufferings and sorrowes were so past all measure that all the creatures save sinfull Men onely both in heaven and earth seemed to bee amazed and moved with them The Sun in the heavens drew in his beames unwilling as it were to see the spotlesse blood of the Son of God spilt as water upon the ground The Earth it selfe shrunk and trembled under it The very Rocks rent asunder as if they had sense and feeling of His intolerable and save by Himselfe vnconquerable paines The whole frame of Nature seemed astonished at the mournefull Complaint of the Lord of the Whole World These and farre more then these or then can bee exprest our blessed Saviour being Son of the most high God endured for no other end but to ransome us from the bondage of Sathan and of Hell in a thirsting desire of saving all Penitent sinners And to offer himselfe freely a most glorious and everlasting Husband to all those who with broken and beleeving hearts cast themselves into His bosome Such admirable and unutterable perfections beauties indowments sufferings and inflamed affections as these in the heavenly Suter unto our sinnefull Soules doth mightily aggravate the hainous and horrible sinne of refusing Him Thus and in this manner would I have the Men of God to magnifie inlarge and represent to the hearts of their Hearers all the excellencies of Iesus Christ with the worth merit and efficacy of His blood To set out to the utmost they can possibly the glory of the Gospell with all the riches of mercy goodnesse and free grace revealed and offered therein c. So that they tell them withall That Iesus Christ takes none but such as are willing to take upon them His yoke That hee gives himselâ—e to none but such as are ready to sell all in the sense I have said that they may enjoy his blessed selfe That the glorious grace of the Gospell shines savingly to none but such as deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godlily in this present World That those whose Soules are cleansed by the blood of Iesus Christ from all sinne are onely such as walke in the light as God is in the light who make conscience of detesting and declining all sins and workes of darkenesse discovered to them by the light of Gods holy Booke and sincerely set their hearts and hands with love and carefull endeavour to every duty injoyned therein In a word That as that Fountaine opened to the house of David for sinne and for uncleanesse I meane the blood of that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ the holy and the righteous doth turne all the sinnes even the very scarlet and crimson of a truly broken heart and every true Mourner in Zion into snow and wooll so it will never wash away the least sinfull staine from the proud heart of any unhumbled Pharisee That hereby no strangers unto the love and life of godlinesse may bee deceived by appropriating unto themselves any of these glorious things which are onely proper to the sealed Fountaine but onely conceive of them as excellent motives to cause them to come in I would have the Preaching of Christ fill the soule of every true harted Nathanael every time with unspeakeable and glorious joy with all those Euangelical pleasures which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man But I would have it onely make every unregenerate Man sensible of what infinite blessednesse Hee bereaves Himselfe by continuing a Rebell that thereupon Hee may bee moved to make hast out of His present Hell into this new heaven so fairely opened and freely offered unto Him Besides pressing the law promising mercy proposing Christ c. to stirre men in their naturall states to make them entertaine thoughts of comming in to humble them in the sight of the Lord under the heavy burden of all their sinnes assure them also of pardon in case they will leave Sathans service and so prepare them for Christ Let Gods Ministers lay hold upon all warrantable wayes which they shall find and feele out of their Ministeriall experience and holy wisedome to be availeable and prevaile for that purpose So that the worke bee done in truth And that they doe not like the Divels dawbers deceive them to the eternall ruine and damnation of their Soules by telling them that they have Christ already and are safe enough for salvation whereas indeed as yet there is no such matter Such points as these are woont to make attentive naturall men to startle in their seates to looke about them something more then ordinarily To wit to divide the precious from the vile To distinguish that One true happy state of grace from all states of unregeneratnesse and all kinds of Hypocrisie to tell them out of the Booke of God How farre a Man may goe in generall graces and doing many things c. and yet come short of Heaven To deliver Markes of sincere Professours of a saving Faith of true repentance of a sound conversion c. But I would have this done with a great deale of spirituall wisedome and heavenly understanding with much godly discretion and caution least thereby either the formall Professour may bee incouraged or the weakest Christian disheartned To discourse of the fewnesse and scarcity of those which shall bee saved and that even under the light and within the sound of the Gospell See Math. 20.16 Many are called but few chosen Consider the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. There is but one good soile upon which the seed of the word falls prosperously but three reprobate grounds as it were upon which it is lost as water upon the ground See my first Doctr. upon Gen. 6.8 c. Thus let the Men of God acquaint themselves with such Points as they conceive the likeliest and most pregnant to pierce their Hearers hearts and come closest to their Consciences that so by the helpe of God they may pull them out of Hell And there are some
empoysoner of mens soules which beeing the glorious issue of thine owne infinite understanding was purposely created as a most pretious Panacea an universall medicinall store-house for the cure of all spirituall maladies an inexhausted treasury of all sound comfort true joy peace and refreshing Now the Lord rebuke thee Satan and returne as dung upon thine owne face this villanous base and wicked slaunder which by thy gracelesse instruments thou labourest to cast upon the glorious face of Christianity the incomparable sweetnesse of the wayes of grace and that One necessary thing I have knowne when the onely wise God hath suffered for ends seene and seeming good to his heavenly wisedome the hideous and raging humour of melancholie to darken the native clearenes of the animall spirits in the braine requisite to a due discretion of things apprehended and to blunder and disorder the objects and operations of the phantasie in his dearest child even to distraction and breaking out into that inordinate passion against reason I say then the concurrent cry and clamour of the enemies to the power of Godlines to bee This it is now to bee so bookish to follow preachers so much to be more holy then their neighbours never to have done in serving of God Her so much reading the scriptures and such poring upon precise bookes so they call those which most pierce the conscience and guide the cleerliest in the holy path hath made her starke mad The Puritan is now besides her selfe c. Now I say againe the Lord rebuke thee Satan who sits with such extreme malice and soule-killing folly in the hearts heads of such miserable men whom thou so sottishly hood-winkes and hardens to the height for a most desperate downefal and horrible confusion at last Were now the glorified soule of that blessed Saint consulted with and asked Diddest thou ever receive hurt by reading Gods blessed book by searching sweetly into the great mystery of Christ crucified by meditation upon heavenly things Did the sacred sense of those divine Oracles dissettle thy noble faculties or ever make sad thy heart c. Oh! with what infinite indignation would it sly in the face of such cursed Cavillers and wranglers against the truth Is it possible for the sole and soveraigne Antidote sent from heaven by God himselfe against the sting and venome of all heart-griefe and horror the sacred Sun of saving truth which is onely able to ennoble and glorifie our understandings with wisedome from the brest of the everlasting counsell of Iesus Christ should become the cause of discomfort and dissettlement of the soule No no. There is such a quickening healing and mighty efficacy and vigour shed into it from the Father of lights and shining in it from the face of Christ that by the helpe of the blessed spirit it can turne darkenes into light death into life hell into heaven the deepest horrour into height of joy Tell mee of any misery upon the body soule outward state or good name any calamity felt or feared in this life or the life to come and if thou wilt bee converted and counselled I can send thee to some both Promise and Precedent in this book of God which may upon good ground fill thine heart as full with sound comfort as the Sun is of Light and the Sea of Waters Nay give mee a wounded spirit with all it 's inexplicable terrors and bitternesse which is the greatest misery extremest affliction of which an understanding Soule is capable in this life And let first all the physitians in the world even the Rose-knights as they call themselves lay all their heads skill and experience together for the cure Let all the highest Monarchs upon earth shine upon it with their Imperiall favours for comfort Let the depth of all humane wisedome and the height of the most excellent oratory bee improoued to perswade it peace Let all the creatures in heaven and earth contribute their severall abilities and utmost to still it 's rage And when all these have done and have done just nothing I will fetch a cordiall out of Gods owne booke which shall mollifie the anguish expell the venome and bind it up with everlasting peace which passeth all understanding that the broken bones may rejoyce and the poore soule groaning most grievously under the guilty horrour of many foule abominations and ready to sink into the gulph of despaire bee sweetly bathed and refreshed in the fountaine opened by the hand of mercy for sinne and for uncleannesse Christs dearest bloud the glorious wel-spring of all lightsomnesse and joy Heare how precisely for this purpose and how punctually against such pestilent cauillers some of the ancient Fathers doe Puritanize There is no malady saith Chrysostome either of body or soule but may receive a medicine out of Gods booke One comes oppressed with sadnesse and anxiety of businesses overwhelmed with griefe But presently hearing the Prophet saying Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Hope thou in God for I will yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Hee receives abundance of comfort and abandons all heavines of heart Another is pinched with extreme poverty takes it heavily and grieves seeing others flowing in riches swelling with pride attended with great pompe and state But hee also heares the same Prophet saying Cast thy burden upon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee And againe Be not afraide when one is made rich when the glory of his house is increased For when hee dieth hee shall carry nothing away His glory shall not descend after him There is another which assaulted with insidiations and calumnies is much troubled thinkes his life uncomfortable finding no helpe in man Hee is also taught by the same prophet that in such perplexities wee must not resort to the arme of flesh Heare what hee saies They slandered and I prayed The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitfull are opened against mee They have spoken against mee with a lying tongue They compassed mee about also with words of hatred and fought against mee without a cause For my love they are my adversaries But I give my selfe to prayer Another is slighted and contemned by some base contemptible underlings and forsaken of his friends And that is it which most troubles his mind goes nearest to his heart But hee also if hee will come hither doth heare that blessed man saying My Lovers and my freinds stand aloofe from my sore and my kinsmen stand afarre off They also that seeke after my life lay snares for mee and they that seeke my hurt speake mischeivous things and imagine deceipts all the day long But I as a deafe man heard not and I was as a dumbe man that openeth not his mouth Thus I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes for in thee O Lord do I hope thou
can readily tell you the particular sinnes the crying abomination the legall hammer and ministeriall hand that made it bleed His trouble is everâ—pâ—â—â—â—aâ—se cleare and evident and the greatest that ever brought misery upon mankinde waight of sinne and the wrath of God A melancholike man will ride many miles walke many houres and at length bee able to giue no account of the exercise and discourse of his minde or what his thoughts have beene all the while But hee that is troubled in mind for sinne can for the most part tell right well and recount exactly to his spirituall physitian the severall temptations suggestions and injections the hideous conflicts with Satan His objections exceptions replies Methods Devises and depths which have afflicted his heavy Spirit since the first illightening convincing and affrighting his awaked and working Conscience 3 The soule may bee seized upon with terrour of conscience and spirituall distemper the body being sound and in good temper In excellency of health purity of bloud symmetry of parts vivacity of spirit c. But the horrors of melancholy are woont to haunt corrupted constitutions where obstructions hinder the free passage of the humours and spirits the blood is over-grosse and thick c. 4 Melancholy makes a man almost mad with imaginary feares strange Chymaraes of horror which have no Beeing but only in the monstrous compositions of a darkened and distempered Braine He is many times by the predominancy of that cowardly humour afraid of every man of every thing of any thing of a shadow of the shaking of a leafe of his owne hands of his owne heart Hee feares where no feare is where there is no probabilitie no possibility even in the very middest of security His feare sometimes is so extremely foolish that hee can heare of no fearefull thing fallen upon others but hee thinkes verily the very same thing shall befall him so prodigious that some of them thinking their feete to bee of glasse have beene afraid to walke Others imagining themselves to bee noted for lepers durst not come into any company c. But now a troubled conscience is ordinarily fearelesse of any thing but the anger of God Bodily tortures outward trouble tyrants threats even the Prince of terrour death it selfe in his apprehension and eie would bee as nothing to the guilty glance of one cursed lust Hee would not care or feare though all the creatures in Christendome were turned into Beares or Divels about him so that all were well at home If hee could get into his bosome that sweete peace which passeth all understanding Oh! then would hee bee more then conqverour over the whole world and ten thousand hells 5. Melancholy may bee something abated the braine cleared the heart eased by the aide and excellency of the art of physicke But in the case of a wounded conscience there is no helpe under heaven to bee had No friends or physicke no mirth or musicke no princely favour or dainty fare c. can possibly give any ease at all Nay they will all farre rather enrage the wound then weaken the rage It is Christ Christ and nothing but Christ which can comfort in this confusion of spirit 3. When complaint of sinne is confusedly onely and in generall Many deale with God and his ministers in confession of their sinnes saith a good Divine as Nebuchadnezzar with his Inchanters about his dreame that hee had dreamed hee told them and desired an interpretation But what his dreame was hee could not tell So many confesse themselves sinners and cry out that they are greiuous offenders and desire pardon But wherein they have sinned and what their sinnes are they cannot or will not tell And how is it possible the physitian should help him who only saies he is not well but will not tell him where I have sometimes visited those who being pressed to a sight and sense of their sinnefulnesse and cursednesse upon purpose to fit them for Christ have acknowledged in generall that they were sinners but descending to the particulars of the Law which was horrible to heare iustified themselves thorow out Of which extreme spirituall misery and prodigious madnesse Ignorance Tho I know Satan mannageth that and all other advantages with all the malice and cunning hee can possibly to the overthrow of soules is the principall ground the prime but pestilent occasion I say Ignorance which though it bee not perhaps so much talked of taxed and taken to heart as others yet is a loude-crying sinne of the Kingdome For it is a most incredible thing and of infinite amazement how universally it raignes in this glorious noone-tide of the Gospell And therefore musts needs prouoke God mightily and hasten the remooving of our candlesticke And in the meane time besides many moe and that dreadfull doome at last 2. Thes. 1.7.8 it brings upon most more is the pitty and shame especially so glorious beames of a blessed ministry shining about us these two speciall mischeifes which at this time I onely mention because they serve fitliest for illustration of the point First ignorant people sticking fast in his clutches stand all as they say at the Divels mercy and devotion to do with them what he will even as a poore helpeles Lambe in the bloody paw of a Lyon or asilly Wren in the ravenous claw of a Kite to slash and mangle their woful soules at his pleasure with a cursed variety of innumerable sinnes they in the meane time which is the perfection of their misery neither fearing or feeling any hurt at al by reason of the hellish mists and miserable lethargie of spirituall blindnesse which makes them sightlesse and senselesse Secondly when times of sorrow come upon them when melancholy old age growes on and they say unto the world upon which they have doted all their life long I have no pleasure in thee when losses crosses and heavie accidents befall them when hideous injections temptations to selfe-murder despaire c. presse them full sore and they thereupon begin to cast about seriously and to conceive with great terrour and anxiety of spirit what is like to become of them in the other world Then in such extremity and forced by necessity they are wont to have recourse to Ministers for ease and helpe and alas then we are at our wits end as they say and in much perplexity how to deale and what to doe with them For upon the first entrance into a discovery of their spirituall state wee see evidently with griefe of heart that their ignorance hath betraied them to the Divell and now in the evill day exposed them to his mercilesse cruelty and cunning even as if a man should commit a ship without sailes rudder pilot c. to the rage and roaring of the tempestuous devouring sea or put a poore weake naked man into the field against an implacable mighty adversary compleatly armed from top to toe Wee tell
and yelling They shall never more bee heard tho with much violence they throw their serikings into the Aire and cry with sighes and groanes as piercing as a sword Not but that the Gates of Heaven and armes of mercy may stand wide open untill their last breath But alas They have already so hardened their hearts that they cannot repent After thine hardnesse saith Paul and heart that cannot repent They now but howle upon their Beds they doe not cry unto God with their heart as the Prophet speakes Hos. 7.14 Their earnest and early crying in this last extremity is onely because Their feare is come upon them as desolution and their destruction as a whirlewinde When they cast out their considerations for comfort It is not the whole Creation can possibly help them for they must stand or fall to the Tribunall of the everlasting God mighty and terrible the Creator of the ends of the Earth If they looke up to God the Father that Prov. 1.24.26 comes presently into their heads with much horrour and quite kills their hearts Because Hee hath called all our life long and all that goodly time wee refused Hee will laugh now at our calamity and mocke when our feare is come Iesus Christ as they strongly conceive and un-mooveably conclude against themselves hath now to them for ever closed up His wounds as it were and will not afford them one drop of His blood because they have so often by comming unworthily spilt it in the Sacrament persecuted Him in His members and despised Him in the Ministry The blessed Spirit because in the Day of visitation they repelled all his inward warnings and holy motions preferring Satans impure suggestions before His sacred inspirations doth now in their own acknowledgement by the equity of a just proportion in this Day of vexation leave them to eat the fruit of their former wilfulnesse and reape the reward of their owne wayes Thus these forlorne wretches are disclaimed forsaken and abandoned of Heaven and Earth God and Man of all the comforts in this life and blessings of the World to come And so by finall despairing of Gods mercy the greatest of sinnes they most unhappily and cursedly follow Iudas the worst of men into the darkest and most damned nooke in Hell 2. Others die senselesly and blockishly They demeane themselues upon their dying Beds as tho there were no immortality of the Soule no Tribunall aboue no strict account to bee given up there for all things done in the flesh no everlasting estate in the world to come wherein every one must either lie in unspeakeable paines or live in un-utterable pleasures In their life time they were never woont to tremble at Gods judgments or rejoyce in his promises or much trouble themselves with the ministry of the Word or about the state of their soules All was one to them what Minister they had whether a Man taught to the kingdome of Christ or a generall Teacher or an ignorant Mangler of the word or a dissolute fellow or a Dawber with untempered morter or a dumbe Dog If they were neither Whores nor Thieves but well accounted of amongst their neighbours thriued in the world prospered in their outward state prouided for posterity slept in a whole skinne were not vexed on the Lords day with any of these precise Trouble-townes They were well enough and had all they looked for either in this world or in the world to come Wherefore at their death by reason of their former disacquaintance with spirituall things and God not opening their eies they are neither afflicted with any feare of Hell or affected with any hope of Heaven they are both un-apprehensive of their present danger and fearelesse of the fiery lake into which they are ready to fall In these regards they are utterly untouched die most quietly and without any trouble at all And it is their ordinary Answere when they are questioned about their spirituall state and How it stands with them betweene God and their owne Consciences I thanke God nothing troubles me Which tho they thinke it makes much for their owne credit yet alas It is small comfort to judicious By-standers and such as wish well to their Soules But rather a fearefull confirmation that they are finally giuen ouer to the spirit of slumber and sealed up by divine justice in the sottishnesse and security of their owne senselesse hearts for most deserved condemnation Thus these men as One speakes live like stocks and die like blocks And yet the ignorant people saith Greeneham will still commend such fearefull deaths saying He departed as meekely as a Lambe Hee went away as a bird in a shell when they might as well say but for their featherbed and their pillow hee dyed like a beast and perished like an Oxe in a ditch 3. Others die formally I meane they make very goodly shewes and representations of much confidence and comfort Having formerly beene formall Professours and so furnished with many formes of godly speeches and outward Christian behaviours And the spirit of delusion and spirituall Selfe-cousenage wich in their life time detained them in constancy of security and selfe-conceitednesse about the spirituall safty of their soules without any such doubts troubles feares temptations which are woont to haunt those who are true of heart for ordinarily such is the peace of unsound Professors continuing their imaginary groundlesse persvasion and presumption in the height and strength unto the end for their very last breath may bee spent in saying Lord Lord open unto us as wee see in the foolish Virgines and those Mat. 7. I say such men as these thus wofully deluded and fearefully deceiving others may cast out upon their last beds many glorious speeches intimating much seeming confidence of a good estate to God-ward contempt of the world willingnesse to die readinesse to forgiue all the world hope to bee saved desire to bee dissolved and goe to Heaven c. They may cry aloud with a great deale of formall confidence Lord Lord Mercy Mercy in the name of Christ Lord Iesus receive our spirits c. And yet all these goodly hopes and earnest eiaculations growing onely from a forme not from the power of godlines are but as I said somewhere before as so many catchings and scrablings of a Man over-head in water He strugles and strives for hold to save Himself but he graspes nothing but water it is still water which He catches and therefore sinkes and drownes They are all but as a spiders web Iob. 8. 14.15 Vpon which One falling from the top of an house laies hold by the way for stay and support Hee shall leaâ—e upon his house but it shall not stand Hâ—e shall hold it fast but it shall not endure O how many descend faitlâ— an ancient Father with this hope to eternall trauailes and torment How many saith an other worthy Doctour goe to Hell with a vaine hope of Heaven whose chiefest
for his soule untill his last sicknes should for that sin alone bee snatcht out of the world in great anger even suddenly so that there bee scarce a moment betwixt the height of His temporall happinesse and depth of his spirituall misery That His foolish hope may bee frustrated and His vaine purpose come to nothing Hee may bee cut off as the Top of an care of corne and put out like a candle when hee least thinkes of death and dreames of nothing lesse then departure from His earthly Paradise They are exalted for a little while saith Iob but are gone and brought low they are taken out of the way as all other and cut off as the tops of the eares of corne Fifthly a long continued custome is not woont to bee shaken off in an instant Is it like that a Blackamore should change his skinne and a Leopard his spots in three or foure dayes which they have contracted in forty or threescore yeeres Therefore I marvell that any should bee so blindfolded and baffeld by the Divell as to embolden Himselfe to drive off untill the last by that Place before Confession At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wicked out of my remembrance saith the Lord Especially if Hee looke upon the Text from whence it is taken which Mee-thinkes beeing rightly understood and the conditions well considered is most punctuall and precise to fright any from that desperate folly The words runne thus Ezech. 18.21.22 But if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes which hee hath committed and keepe all my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely live hee shall not die All his transgressions c. Hence it appeares that if any man expect upon good ground any portion in this pretious promise of mercy and grace Hee must leave all his sinnes and keepe all Gods Statutes Now how performest thou the condition of leaving all thy sinnes when as in this last extremity having received the sentence of death against thy selfe Thy sinnes leave Thee and not Thou thy sinnes that I may speake in the Phrase of an ancient Father And what space is left to come to comfort by keeping all Gods Statutes when thou art presently to passe to that highest and dreadfull Tribunall to give an exact and strickt account for the continual breach of all Gods Lawes all thy life long Sixthly many seeme to bee passingly penitent and promise exceeding faire in the evill day and upon their sicke Beds who beeing recovered and restored to their former state are the very same they were before if not worse I never knew nor heard of any un-wrought upon under conscionable meanes who after recovery performed the vowes and promises of a new life which Hee made in his sicknesse and times of extremity For if Hee will not bee mooved with the Ministry God will never give that honour unto a crosse to doe the deede Nay Father Abraham saith the rich Glutton but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent And hee said unto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they bee perswaded the one rose from the dead Luke 16.30.31 It would amaze thee much if one of thy good-fellow companions should now rise from the dead and tell thee that Hee who was thy Brother in iniquity is now in Hell and if thou follow the same sensuall courses still thou must shortly most certainely follow Him to the Place of torment And yet even this would not worke at all if thou bee a despiser of the Word It may bee while the dead Man stood by Thee Thou wouldst be extraordinarily mooved and promise much but no sooner should He bee in His Grave but thou wouldst bee as gracelesse as thou wast before Seventhly what wise man seeing a fellow who never gave his name to religion in his life time now only troubled about sinne when hee is sure Hee must die will not suspect it to be wholly slavish and extorted for feare of Hell My sentence is saith Greenham that a man lying now at the Point of death having the snares of death upon him in that straite of feare and paine may have a sorrow for His life past but because the weakenesse of flesh and the bitternesse of death doth most commonly procure it wee ought to suspect c. Eighthly painefull distempers of body are wont to weaken much and hinder the activenes and freedome of the Soules operations nay sometimes to distract and utterly over-throw them Many even of much knowledge grace and good life by reason of the damp and deadnesse which at that time the extremity and anguish of their disease brings upon their spirits are able to doe no great matter if anything at all either in meditation or expression How then doest thou thinke to passe thorow the incomparably greatest worke that ever the Soule of Man was acquainted with in this life I meane the new-birth at the Point of death It is a wofull thing to have much worke to doe when the power of working is almost done When wee are come to the very last cast our strength is gone our spirits cleane spent our senses appalled and the powers of our Soules as numbe as our senses when there is a generall prostration of all our powers and the shadow of death upon our eyes then something wee would say or doe which should doe our Soules good But alas How should it then bee 3. When the spirituall Physition powres the baulme of mercy and oyle of comfort into a wounded conscience 1. Too soone The Surgeon that heales up a dangerous Sore and drawes a skinne over it before His corrosives have consumed the dead flesh before Hee hath opened it with his Tents ransackt it to the roote and rent out the Core is so farre from pleasuring that hee procures a great deale of misery to His Patient For the rotten matter that remaines behind will in the meane time rankle and fester underneath and at length breake out againe perhaps both with more extremity of anguish and difficulty of cure They are but Mountebankes as they call them Smatterers in Physicke and Surgery upon the matter but plaine Cheaters and Couseners who are so ready and resolute for extemporary and palliate Cures Sudden recoveries from rooted and old distempers are rarely sound If it be thus in bodily Cures what a deale doe you thinke of extraordinary discretion heavenly wisedome precise and punctuall ponderation of circumstances well-advised and seasonable leasure both speculative and experimentall skill heartiest ejaculations wrastlings with God by Prayer for a blessing is very convenient and needfull for a true and right methode in healing a wounded conscience Which doth passe immeasurably all other maladies both in exquisitenesse of paine tendernesse of touch deceitfulnesse of Depth and in highest and greatest consequence either for the
advise with any that is able or likely to leade him by a wise and discreet hand to a well-grounded comfort and refreshment And resolveth greedily what-ever the prescription and direction bee to give way unto it most willingly in his performance and practise And the people asked him saying What shall wee doe then Then came also Publicans to be baptized and said unto Him Master what shall wee doe And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him saying And what shall wee doe Thus were Iohns hearers affected Luk. 3.10 12 14. beeing afflicted with the piercing passages of Iohns thundring Sermon Men and brethren what shall wee doe say the Penitent Iewes pricked in their hearts Acts. 2.37 The Iaylour Acts 16.30 came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and said Sirs what must I doe to bee saved As if they had said Prescribe and enioyne what you will bee it never so harsh and distastefull to flesh and blood never so crosse and contrary to carnall reason profit pleasure preferment acceptation with the world ease liberty life c. having warrant out of the Word wee are resolved and ready to doe it Onely informe us first how to partake and bee assured of the person and passion of Iesus Christ how to have the angry face of our blessed God to whom wee have continued Rebels so long turned into calmnesse and favour unto us But now a Cast-away and Alien thus legally terrified and under wrath for sinne is never wont to come to this earnestnesse of care eagernesse of resolution stedfastnesse of endeavour willingnesse upon any termes to abandon utterly all His old wayes and to embrace new strict and holy courses These things appeare unto Him terrible Puritanicall and intolerable He commonly in such cases hath recourse for ease and remedy to worldly comforts and the arme of flesh He labours to relieve his heavy heart by a strong and serious casting his minde and nestling his conceit upon his riches gold greatnesse great friends credit amongst Men and such other transitory delights and fading flowers of His fooles Paradise For Hee is at a Point and resolute with a sensuall impenitent obstinacy not to passe forward thorow the Pangs of the New-birth by repentance and sanctification into the holy Trade of new-obedience lest Hee should as out of a foolish and phranticke basenesse Hee is apt to feare bee engaged and enchained as it were to too much stricknesse precisenesse holinesse of life communion with Gods people and opposition to good fellowship 2. Hee that is savingly-wounded with Legall terrour is wont in cold blood and being something come to Himselfe to entertaine the very same conceit or rather mingled with a great deale more reverence affectionatenesse and love as farre as the life of an immortall Soule doth surpasse in dearenesse and excellency the cure of a fraile and earthy body of that Man of God which by a right managing the edge of his spirituall sword hath pierced his heart scorched his conscience and bruised his spirit I say the same in proportion which a wise and thankefull Patient would have of that faithfull Surgeon which hath seasonably and thorowly launced some deepe and dangerous Sore which otherwise would have been his death Vpon the search and discovery Hee clearely sees and acknowledgeth that had not that holy incision been made into his rotten and ulcerous heart it had cost him the eternall life of his Soule But now the Alien put out of his sensuall humour with horrour of conscience is ordinarily transported with much ragefull discontentment against the powerfull Ministery of Gods paineful Messengers who put Him to such torture by troubling Him for sinne and frighting Him with Hell And thereupon cries out against them at least with secret indignation and fretting as the Divels did against Christ Why doe you thus torment us before the time 3. Aliens in such cases entertaine no other thought and cast about for no other comfort at all but onely how they may recover their former quietnesse of mind carnall ease and freedome from present terrour But hee that is fitting by the spirit of bondage for Faith and the fellowship of the Saints will never by any meanes whatsoever come of Him relapse to his wouted sensuall security Nay of the two Hee will rather lie still upon the Racke waiting for the Lord Iesus all the dayes of his life then to returne any more unto foolishnesse or hunt againe after any contentment in the miserable pleasures of good fellowship 4. That Messenger an Interpreter One among a thousand who in such a case can seasonably and soundly declare unto a savingly-wounded Soule His righteousnesse assure Him it was Christ Iesus onely businesse in comming from Heaven to disburden all that labour and are heavy laden and ease such trembling hearts c. I say such a blessed Man of God to such a broken heart is for ever after most deare and welcome His secte are beautifull in his eye every time Hee comes neere Him Comfort of so high a nature in extremity of such horrible consequence doth infinitely and endlesly endeare the delivered Soule to such an heavenly Doctour But Aliens commonly make no great account of godly Ministers any longer then they have present need of them and that trouble of minde makes them Melancholike and without mirth They seeme to reverence them while from their generall discourses of mercy and Gods free grace of mercifull invitations to Christ and certainty of acceptation if they will come in c. They sucke into their false hearts before the time and truth of humiliation some superficiall glimmerings and flashes of comfort and cooling But if once the heate of their guilty rage begin to asswage and they find againe some ease from their former terrours and wonted rellish in earthly delights they turne such holy men out of their hearts cast them out of their consciences and hold no higher or further conceit of them then of other and ordinary men if they forbeare to persecute them with thoughts of disdaine and contempt 5. The true Penitent having smarted under the sense of divine wrath and frighted with the flames of horrour for sinne doth grow fearefull for ever after to offend and with much gracious care dreads that consuming fire But the Alien while hee is upon the Râ—cke indeede and hath the hainousnesse of his sinnes and Hell freshly in His eie will easily make many glorious protestations and promises what a rare and resolute Convert Hee will become upon his recovery But if once the storme bee over-blowne Gods hand withdrawne and his painefull conscience cast againe into a deade sleepe by the power or rather poison of some sensuall receit Hee performes just nothing But like a filthy swine wallowes againe in the mire and mud of earthlinesse and carnality and againe with the beastly dog returnes unto and resumes his vomit 6. Hee that hath savingly passed thorow the Pangs of such spirituall afflictions is wont to bee very kindlily affected
prejudice against the power of godlinesse and pestilent perswasions of Pillow-sowers under their elbowes that in so doing they shal bee utterly undone and never have good day afterward But to speake in their owne language fall presently into the hands of the Puritanes into the strict tortures and Hypocriticall miseries of precisenesse into fowrenesse vnsociablenesse dumps of Melancholy and indeede into a state not past a step short of distraction and madnesse And these therefore cast about to get out of trouble of minde and sense of divine terrour with as great impatiency and precipitation as the former onely more plausibly and with seemingly fairer but truly false satisfaction to their owne Soules For the former rush with furious indignation out of these spirituall dejections of Conscience as unmanly feares not fit for worthy spirits and men of Ioviall resolution into greater excesse and variety of worldly delights and sensuall loosenesse and so ordinarily become afterward very notorious and more desperate enemies to the Kingdome of Christ Because the power of the Word hath once stung their carnall hearts with some remorsefull terrour they ever after heartily hate the sound and searching Ministry and managers thereof the Inflicters of their smart for no other reason in the world but that they tell them the truth and thereupon torment them before their time that so if they be not wanting unto themselves they may escape the torments of eternity hereafter And they set themselves against godly Christians with incompatible estrangement and implacable spite onely because they are Professours of Selfe-deniall holy strictnesse inconformity to the world repentance mortification c. the entertainement and exercise whereof they furiously more detest and flie from then the death of their Bodies and damnation of their Soules But these latter passe more plausibly out of trouble of conscience and take a fairer course of the two tho it proove but an imaginary and counterfeite Cure For they labour to close up their spirituall wound with comfort out of the Word and promise peace to their troubled hearts from the promises of life But herein they faile and fearefully deceive themselves in that they conceive the first fits and qualmes as it were of Legall terrour to bee saving repentance a generall speculative apprehension of Christ's Passion to procure a speciall pardon for all their sinnes fruitlesse speculations of Faith to prevent and secure them from the wrath that is come a meere verball profession to be forwardnesse enough except a Man would bee too precise Vpon the first fright and feeling the smart of a confused remorse and horrour for sinne without any further penitent wading into Particulars or thorow-search into their hearts lives consciences and Callings without suffering the worke of the spirit of Bondage to drive them to Christ and a resolution to sell all c. They presently hand over-head apply by the strong delusion of their owne idle groundlesse conceite all the gracious promises and priviledges of Gods Childe to their un-humbled Soules and enforce their understandings by a violent greedy error to think they are justified by such an artificiall heartles Notion which they falsely call Faith and so resting in a counterfeite perswasion that they are true Converts ordinarily turne carnall Professours Who are a kind of people who have no more spirituall life then a dead Faith can infuse into them No more comfort in the communion of Saints then an outward correspondence in Profession speculative Discourses of religion and meetings at the Meanes can yeeld No more interest or right to Heaven then a bold presumptuous confidence built first upon their owne wilfull fancy and seconded with Satans lying suggestion can give them Whose sorrow for sinne at the most is commonly no more then afflicting their Soules for a Day and bowing downe their heads like a Bul-rush without loosing the bands of wickednesse or departing from iniquity Whose conversion is nothing but onely a speculative Passage from a confused apprehension of sinne to a generall application of Christ without any sensible or saving alteration in their waies Whose New-obedience consists onely in a formall conformity to outward exercises of Religion without all true Zeale life heartinesse holinesse or indeed honest dealing with their Brethren But these men are to know that Christs blood never pardoned any mans Soule from sinne whose spirit the power thereof did not purge from guile It never saves any one from Hell whom it doth not first in some good measure season with holinesse and heavenly life In vaine doe they build comfort upon his Passion who doe not conscionably conforme to the practise of his Word And let them further bee informed for a more cleare discovery of their grosse and damnable Selfe-deceit that howsoever a dead Faith according to it's name and nature enters if it hath any entitie at all into the understanding without any remarke-able motion sense and alteration yet that Faith which truly justifies pacifies purifies mortifies sanctifies and saves is evidently discernable by first Many stirring Preparatives Sight and sense of a Mans miserable state by nature of his sinfulnesse and cursednesse Humbling himselfe in the sight of the Lord fearefull apprehensions wrought by the spirit of bondage Illumination conviction Legall terrours c. Secondly Violent affections about the infusing of it which are wont to bee raised in the humbled heart by the Holy Ghost extreme thirst inflamed desires vehement longings un-utter-able groanings of spirit prizing and preferring the Person and Passion of Christ before the Possession of infinite Worlds willingnesse to sell all to part with any thing for Him tho neuer so deare or so much doted upon heretofore with pleasure riches preferments a right hand a right eye liberty life c. Nay if in such a Case if even Hell it selfe should stand betweene Iesus Christ and a poore Soule He would most willingly passe thorow the very flames thereof to embrace His blessed crucified Lord in the armes of a lively Faith Thirdly inseparable consequents and companions first an hearty and everlasting falling-out with all sinne secondly sanctification thorowout in Body Soule Spirit and Calling and in every power part and passage thereof tho not in perfection of degrees as they say yet in truth and effectually thirdly A set and solmne course of New-obedience spent principally in Selfe-sobriety righteousnesse towards our Brethren and holinesse towards God Many unfaithfull men in the Ministry both in their publike teaching and private visitations of the sicke have much to answer-for in this Point who for want of skill in that highest Art of saving soules of familiarity with God and secret workings of his Spirit of experience in their owne change and of the spirit of discerning c. many times concurre with such miserable men to marre all in stife-ling the very first stirrings of Legall remorse by healing the wounds of their conscience with sweet words before they be searcht and sounded to the bottome and by an unseasonable and
If any man thirst Let Him come unto mee and drinke And these are thine owne words Those who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse shall be filled I challenge thee Lord in this my extremest thirst after thine owne blessed Selfe and spirituall life in Thee by that Word and by that Promise which thou hast made that thou performe and make it good unto mee that lies groveling in the dust and trembling at thy feet Oh! Open now that promised Well of life For I must drinke or els I die Heare then and in a word is thy comfort In these hungrings and thirstings of the soule there is as it were the spawne of Faith semen fidei there is aliquid fidei in them as excellent Divines both for learning and holinesse doe affirme Howsoever or in what phrase soever it bee exprest sure I am such desires so qualified as before shall bee fulfilled satisfied accomplished possessed of the Well of life and that is abundant to put the thirsting Partie into a comfortable and saving-state as I said at first The words of Scripture are punctuall and down-right for this which I say Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee filled Mat. 5.6 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Ioh. 7.37 The Lord heareth the desire of the humble Psal. 10.17 Hee will fullfill the desire of them that feare Him Psal. 145.19 The Lord filleth the hungry with good things Luk. 1.53 Let Him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Hâ— every One that thirsteth come yee to the waters c. Isa. 55.1 I will poure water upon him that is thirsty flouds upon the dry ground Cap. 44.3 These longings and desires this hunger and thirst before a sensible apprehension and enjoyment of Christ arise from a sense of the necessity and want of His blessed Person and pretious bloodshed which the afflicted Soule now prizeth before tenne thousand Worlds and for whose sake is most willing to sell all and to abandon wholly the Devils service for ever Those after a full entrance into the holy Path and joyfull grasping of the Lord Iesus in the armes of our Faith arise partly from the former taste of unutterable sweetnesse we found in Him partly from the want of a more full and further fruition of Him especially when He is departed in respect of present feeling as in times of desertion extraordinary temptation c. In the Passage that is past I understand the former in those that follow the latter 2. Secondly Concerning desertions I intend a larger and more particular discourse and therefore I passe by them here 3. Thirdly Wee may have recourse for comfort to this pretious Point in some speciall temptations of doubtfullnesse and feare about our spirituall state When spirituall life is runne as it were into the roote in some particulars and actuall abilities to exercise some graces and discharge some duties are returned to nothing for the present but groanes desires and longings to doe as God would have us For instance Thou art much afflicted because thou feeles the spirit of prayer not to stirre and worke in Thee with that life and vigour as it was woont but beginnes to langvish in the inward man for lacke of that vitall heate and feeling in the mutuall entercourse and commerce betweene God and thine owne Soule which heretofore hath many times warmed thine heart with many sweet refreshings springing from a comfortable correspondence between thy holy eiaculations and his heavenly inspirations betweene thine humble complaints at the Throne of Grace and his gracious answers Nay it may bee thou throwes downe thy selfe before His Seate of mercy in much bitternesse of spirit and for the time can say little or nothing the present dullnesse and indisposition of thine heart stopping all passage to thy woonted prayers and damming up as it were the ordinary course of thy most blessed heart-ravishing conference with thy God in secret But tell mee true poore Soule Tho at such a time and in such an uncomfortable Damqe and spiritual deadnesse thou feeles not thine heart enabled and enlarged for the present to poure out it selfe with accustomed fervency and freedome yet doth not that heart of thine with an unutterable thirst and desire long to offer up unto his Throne of Grace thy suites and Sacrifices of prayers and praises with that heartinesse and feeling with al those broken and bleeding affections which a grieved sense of sinne that hangs so fast on and an holy greedinesse after pardon grace and nearer communion with his heavenly Highnesse are wonâ— to beget in truly-humbled Soules If so Assure thy selâ—â— this very desire is a prayer of extraordinary strength dearenesse and acceptation with thy God I say with that thy mercifull Lord God who is as farre more compassionately and lovingly affected to his Childe then the kindest Father to his dearliest beloved Sonne as the infinite love of a tender-hearted God doth surpasse the faint affection of a fraile and mortall man Suppose thy dearest Childe were in great extremity and should at last grow so low and weake that it were not able to speake but onely groane and sigh and cast it's eye upon Thee as One from whom alone it look't for helpe Would not thine heart melt over thy Child a great deale more in that misery then ever before when it was able to expresse it's minde I am sure it would It is just so in the present Point For like as a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare Him Nay and much more if wee consider the muchnesse and quantity For looke how farre God is higher then man in Majesty and greatnesse which is with an infinite distance and disproportion so farre doth Hee passe him in tender-heartednesse and mercy See Isa. 55.8.9 Thou mayst sometimes upon the awakening illumination and search of thy conscience after some drouzy repose and deeper sleep upon the bed of security some fouler ensâ—arement and longer abode in some knowne scandaloâ—s sinne after the Canker of earthly cares and teeth of worldly-mindednesse have ere thou bee well-aware with an insensible pleasing consumption eaten too farre into the heart of thy Zeale and other graces In the apprehension of some present terrour arising from a more serious and sensible survay of the now abhorred villanies and abominations of thine unregenerate time or from the grieved remembrance of thy falls and failings of thy sins and unservice-ablenes since thy conversion which I am perswaded trouble the Christian most and goe nearest to his heart c. I say in such Cases as these Thou maist feele such a fearefulnesse and faintnesse to have surprised the hand of thy Faith that it cannot so presently and easily recover it 's former hold nor claspe about the glorious justice and meritorious blood of Christ with that fastnesse and firmenesse of assent with that comfort and
alwayes observed for a speciall difference betwixt good and bad men that the one hated sinne for the love of vertue the other only for the feare of punishment The like difference doe our Adversaries make betwixt Contrition and Attrition That the hatred of sin in the one proceedeth from the love of God and of righteousnesse in the other from the feare of punishment And yet teach for all this that Attrition which they confesse would not otherwise suffice to iustifie a man being ioyned with the Priests absolution is sufficient for that purpose Hee that was attâ—ite being by vertue of this Absolution made contrite and iustified that is to say hee that was led only by a servile feare and consequently was to bee ranked among disordered and evill persons being by this meanes put in as good a Case for the matter of the forgivenesse of his sinnes as hee that loveth God syncerely For they themselves doe grant that such as have this servile feare from whence Attrition issueth are to bee accounted evill and disordered men c. But leaving these blind Pharisies in the endlesse Maze of their inextricable errours untill it please the Lord to illighten them and by a strong hand pull them out which I heartily desire and will ever pray I come to prosecute mine owne Point 2. Secondly If you aske mee when trouble for sinne is saving I would answer when it is true If you further demand when it is true I would say when it drives Thee utterly out of thy Selfe and to sell all in the sense I have said before and brings thee with a syncere thirst and setled resolution to Iesus Christ to live and die with Him as a Saviour and a Lord and is accompanied with an universall change in Body Soule and Spirit 3. Thirdly take notice of such considerations as these 1. God beeing a most free Agent doth not tie Himself constantly unvariably to ordinary expected set and the same formes measures times proportions of his waies and workings upon his Children For Hee is wise without limit and above measure and therfore hath many secret and glorious ends and aimes which according to His good pleasure much diversifie the meanes serviceable and subordinate thereunto From whence may spring these three Conclusions 1. Hee may for the most part create in the heart of the true Convert terrours and troubles of Conscience amazements and mourning answerable in some good measure to the varietie vanity and villany of His former wicked waies and lewd life As appeares before in Manasses the sinnefull Woman Idolatrous Israelites Hearers of Peter and many in these dayes if it were convenient to name them For the most part saith a great Divine the violence of humiliation in the Calling of a sinner is according to the continuance and greatnesse of His actuall transgressions According to the same is the rent in the conscience and Soule Therefore if there bee any who hath been a great and grievous sinner and hath not with violence been pulled from his sinne Hee may doe well to suspect and search Himselfe soundly 2. Hee may sometimes suffer a notorious sinner â—â— passe something more easily and unterribly thorow thâ— Pangs of the New-birth But then such a One is woont to walke more humbly before God all His life after for that Hee was not humbled with more remarkeablenesse of penitent remorse and spirituall angvish in His conversion And so extension and continuance of Godly griefe that Hee was not more grieved makes up as it were that desired intension and extremity of pangs which might justly have pained Him in His passing from death to life Every hearty and sensible complaint that the Pangs of the New-birth were not more painefull and proportionable to the pollutions of His youth is as it were and in the sense I have said a Pang of the New-birth Or else upon some occasion afterward in His Christian course Hee may bee revisited and vexed afresh with more terrour and trouble of conscience then in His first change As in such Cases as these first If Hee should which God forbid by some volent enticement and snaring opportunity bee entangled againe and re-infected with any former sensuall pleasure of His unregenerate time or by neglect of His care and watchfulnesse over His waies bee suddenly surprised with some new scandalous sin Secondly upoÌ„ the assault of some extraordinary frighting temptation or pressing of hideous thoughts upon his melancholick imagination Thirdly when some heavy crosse or sicknesse after many prosperous daies shall seize upon Him which may lye sore and long Fourthly upon His Bed of death especially if Hee fall upon it immediately after some relapse backsliding or new wound of Conscience There is a kinde of naturall power besides Gods speciall hand in sicknesse sorrow darknesse melancholy the night extraordinary crosses the Bed of death to represent the true number and hainousnesse of sinnes with greater horror and more unto the life Whereas prosperity health and daies of peace doe rather delude the eyes of the conscience and like false and flattering glasses make those foule Fiends seeme fairer then they are indeede And therefore the christian especially that I speake of beeing outwardly distressed cast upon His Bed of death or any waies extraordinarily visited by Gods hand seeing his sinnes upon the sudden marshalled and marching against Him moe in number and more fiercely then heretofore may for the while bee surprised and exercised with unexpected terrour untill by meditation upon Gods former speciall mercy unto Him in spirituall things upon the markes and effects of His Change upon the uprightnesse of His heart towards God in the daies of health upon those testimonies and assurances which His ChristiaÌ„ friends can give Him of His beeing in a gracious state with such like holy helpes And so in cold blood and above all resolving to sack so ever fast to the Lord Iesus tho He kill Him Hee bee raised againe from such dejections of spirit to the â—oonteâ— confidence and comfort of His interest in Christ and salvation of His Soule Here by the way let none think it strange that even the dearest servants of Christ may bee re-visited with more horrour of conscience afterward then at their first turning on Gods side As appeares in Iob Ezechiah David in Miâ—â— Brettergh Mr. Peacock c. See before pag. 84. l 21. 31. Besides the proposed Cases this revisitation may befall them also Fifthly For their owne triall This was the end as it may seeme why Iob was set up as a marke for the envenomed Arrowes of the Almighty to aime at and whole armies of terrours to fight against Hee approoved Himselfe to be steele to the backe as they say by that victorious ejaculation Cap. 13.15 Though He slay mee yet will I trust in Him Whereby God was mightily honoured Satan utterly confounded that controversie whether Iob feared God for nought or no gloriously ended on Gods
from between the teeth of bloody persecuting Wolues 2. Tim. 4.17 Secondly Sometimes Hee takes away or lessens the sting and fury of the torment and torturers The fire had no force at all over the bodies of those blessed men Dan. 3.27 And no doubt in Queene Maries dayes of most abhorred memory Hee many times mollified and sweetned the rage and bitternesse of those mercilesse flames for our Martyrs sakes Thirdly Sometimes he supports and supplies them with supernaturall vigour and extraordinary courage over the smart and rigour of the most terrible and intolerable tortures The heart of that holy Proto-Martyr Steven was furnished and filled with those heavenly infusions of spirituall strength and ioy when the Heavens opening He saw the glory of God and Iesus standing on His right hand which were gloriously transcending and triumphant over the utmost of all corporall paine and Iewish cruelty And so graciously dealt He with many other Martyrs in succeeding ages as we may reade in Ecclesiasticall Stories Fourthly Hee may sometimes also out of His mercifull wisdome put into their hearts such a deale of Heaven before-hand and ravishing comforts of the World to come that the excesse thereof doth swallow up and devoure as it were the bitternesse of all bodily inflictions and sufferings of sense Thus mercifully dealt Hee with that worthy Martyr Master Robert Glover even when He was going towards the Stake He poured into His Soule upon the sudden such over-flowing Rivers of spirituall joyes that no doubt they mightily abated and quencht the ragefull fury of those Popish flames wherein Hee was sacrificed for the Profession of the Gospell of Christ and Gods everlasting truth And assuredly that comfortable Sun-shine of unexpresse-able joy which by the good hand of God was shed into Master Peacocks sorrowfull heart in the depth of His darkenesse and desertion a little before the resignation of His happy Soule into the hands of God did make the pangs of death and that dreadfull Passage a great deale lesse painefull and sensible if not very lightsome and pleasant Now in both these men of God a wofull spirituall dereliction was a fit introduction and immediate preparative to the effusion of such a sudden torrent of strange exultations and ravishments of spirit upon their sad and heavy hearts Conceive the Point then thus The Lord sometimes even in tendernesse and love to His owne deare Children whom Hee designes for extraordinary sufferings may purposely possesse them with such a Paradise of divine pleasures as a counter-comfort to the extremity of their paines that besides their owne private refreshing and support their couragious insensibility and victorious patience thereupon may bring a great deale of terrour to their tormentors glory to their Mercifull Maister credit unto the cause and confusion to the enemies of grace And that there may be an addition of more heart and life to such joyfull elevations of spirit and that He may make the excellency of that spirituall joy proportionable to the exquisitnes of their tortures and trouble He may in His unsearchable wisedome make way thereunto by a spirituall desertion As Hee did in the fore-named glorious Martyr Master Glover For want of the sense of the comforts of godlinesse for a season doth make our Soules a thousand times more sensible of their sweetnesse upon their re-infusion 8. Eighthly Thus may the Lord sometimes deale with His best and dearest Children even by withdrawing the light of His countenance leave them for a while to these inward conflicts and confusions of spirit that thereby they may bee fitted and informed with an holy experimentall skill to speake feelingly and fully to the hearts of their Christian Brethren which may afterward bee tempted and troubled as they have been For God is woont at all times in His Church so gracious is Hee purposely to raise up and single out some speciall men whom Hee instructs and enables in the Schoole of spirituall experiments and afflictions of Soule with extraordinary dexterity and Arte to comfort and recover other Mourners in Zion in their distresses of consciences stronger temptations spirituall desertions decaies of grace relapses Eclipses of Gods face and favour wants of former comfortable feelings in case of horrible thoughts and hideous injections darkenesse of their owne spirits and such other Soule-vexations And such a blessed Physition which is able to speake experimentally to a dejected sorrowfull heart out of practise and sense in His owne Soule is farre more worth both for a true search and discovery and sound recovery and cure of a wounded conscience then an hundred meere speculative Divines Such an One is that One of a thousand spoken of by Iob which can wisely and seasonably declare unto His Soule-sicke Patient the secret Tracks hidden Depths of Gods dealings with afflicted spirits Let us take instance in those experimentall abilities which David gained for such a purpose by His passing thorow that most grievous spirituall desertion Psal. 77. The Case of that Christian were most rufull both in His owne fearefull apprehension and to the un-judicious 〈◊〉 the Beholders who having spent a long time 〈◊〉 Zealous professiō of the Truth walking with God and secret communion with Iesus Christ should come to that passe and fall into those wofull straights of spirituall trouble First That Hee should feare not without extraordinary horrour lest the mercies of God were departed from Him for ever and that the Lord would never more bee intreated or ever shine againe with his favourable countenance upon His confounded Soule Secondly that the very remembrance of God which was woont to crowne his heart with a confluence of all desire-able contentments should even rent it asunder and make it fall to pieces in His bosome like drops of water Thirdly That the pouring out of His Soule with pittifull groanes and complaints in secret unto His God which heretofore did set wide open unto Him heavenly flood-gates of gracious refreshing should now quite overwhelme His spirit with much distracted amazement and feare Fourthly That that heart of His which had formerly full sweetly tasted those holy pleasures which farre passe the comprehension of any carnall conceit should now be so brim-full and damm'd up with excesse of griefe that no vent or passage should bee left unto His speech Fifthly And which Mee thinkes is the perfection of His misery in this kinde that amidst all these heavy discomforts His Soule should refuse to bee comforted That tho the Ministers and Men of God stand round about Him bring into His minde and presse upon Him the pregnant evidences and testimonies of His owne godly life the unchangeablenesse of Gods never-failing mercies to His the sweetnesse of His glorious Name the soveraigne power and mighty price of His Sonnes blood the infallible and inviolable pretiousnesse and truth of the promises of life c. Yet in the agony and angvish of His grieved spirit Hee puts them all away from 〈…〉 none of His nor as properly belonging to His
other affrighting and stinging temptations Hee deales with them in this Case as Absalom with Ioab when Hee would not come at Him by sending once and againe Hee causes his servants to set His field of barley on fire and then there was no neede to bid him hie When inferiour miseries and other meanes will not doe it God sets as it were their Soules on fire with slames of horrour in one kinde or other and then they looke about them indeede with much care and feare searching and syncerity They seeke Him then with a Witnesse earnestly and early For afflictions of Soule are very soveraigne and have singular efficacy to stirre and quicken extraordinarily to weane quite from the world and keepe a Man close and clinging unto God How many tho perhaps they thinke not so would grow proud worldly Luke-warme cold in the use of the Ordinances Selfe-confident or something that they should not bee if they were not sometimes exercised with iniections of terrible thoughts By this fiery dart the Divell desires and endeavours to destroy and undoe them quite But by the mercy of God it is turned to their greater spirituall good It is in this Case as it was with Him who thrusting his enemy into the Body with â—ull purpose to have killed Him lanceâ— the ulcer which no Physition was able to 〈◊〉 and let out that corrupt mâ—tter that would have cost Him his life By representation of such horrour out of Satans cruellest malice they are happily kept more humble watchfull earnest in praier eager after the Meanes weaned froÌ„ the World compassionate to others c. Hiding of Gods face from Him and leaving Him to the darknesse of His owne spirit did put and preserve Master Iohn Glover in a most zealous holy and heavenly life for ever after Heare the story This gentleman being called by the light of the holy Spirit to the knowledge of the Gospell and having received a wondrous sweet feeling of Christs heavenly Kingdome His minde after that falling a little to some cogitation of his former affaires belonging to His vocation began by and by to misdoubt himself upoÌ„ occasion of those words Heb. 7.4 For it is impossible c. Vpon considerations of which words Hee was so farre deserted as to bee perswaded that Hee had sinned against the holy Ghost even so much that if Hee had been in the deepest Pit of Hell Hee could almost have despaired no more of His salvation Beeing young saith Foxe I remember I was once or twice with Him whom partly by his talkâ— I perceived and partly by mine owne eies saw to be so wornâ— and consumed by the space of five yeares that neither almost any brooking of meate quietnesse of sleepe pleasure of life yea and almost no kinde of senses was left in Him Who in such intolerable griefes of minde altho Hee neither had nor could have any ioy of His meate yet was hee compelled to eate against His appetite to the end to deferre the time of his damnation so long as Hee might thinking with Himselfe no lesse but that Hee must needs bee throwne into Hell the breath being once out of the Body Albeit Christ hee thought did pitty his case and was sorry for Him yet hee could not as Hee imagined helpe because of the verity of the word which said It is impossible c. But what was the happy issue and effect of these extraordinary spirituall terrours and terrible desertion The same blessed Man of God who writes the Story and was himselfe with the Party tells us Albeit Hee suffered many yeares so sharpe temptations and strong buffetings of Satan yet the Lord who graciously preserved Him all the while not onely at last did rid Him out of all discomfort but also framed Him thereby to such mortification of life as the like lightly hath not been seene In such sort as Hee beeing like one placed in Heaven already and dead in this World both in word and meditation led a life altogether celestiall abhorâ—ing in His minde all prophane doings Thus a spirituall desertion or some other affliction of spirit doth that alone many times which variety and a long continued succession of ordinary outward crosses one upon the Necke of an other is not able to effect For troubles of Soule sooner take and are of a quicker and stronger operation then those which afflict the Body The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity But a wounded spirit who can â—eare Prov. 18.14 All other afflictions are nothing to this They are but flea-bitings to this fiery Scorpion The stoutnesse of a Mans spirit will stand under a world of outward miseries many times But if the eie which is the light of the Body bee in darkenesse how great is that darkenesse If the spirit it selfe bee crusht which should support the whole man how great is the confusion Hence it was that faithfull David waded thorow a world of troubles yet all that time no malice of Saul no hatred of the Philistines no rebellion of Absalom no treachery of Ahitophel no grapling with a Lion no fighting with a Beare no threatning of a vaunting Goliah could so much discourage Him But when at any time Hee suffered immediately in His soule under the wrath of God O! then his very bones the master-timber of His Body are broken in peeces Hee roares all the day and His moysture is turned into the drought of Summer Then Hee speakes thus unto God When thou with rebukes doest correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a Moath Thus having discovered the Cases and Causes of spirituall Desertion I come now to the comforts and the Cure 1. And let us first take notice of a double desertion first Passiue when God withdrawes Himselfe from us secondly Active when wee with-draw our selves from God And they are both two-fold first Temporary and secondly Finall 1. Passive desertion temporary As in David Psal. 77. Heman the Ezrahite Psal. 88. Iob. Both the Glovers See their story Acts and Monuments 1885. 1891. Mistris Brettergh Master Peacocke And many moe of Gods Children 2. Finall In many after a wofull and willfull abuse of many mercies meanes of salvation and generall graces As Saul Iudas c. Such as have out-stood all opportunities and seasons of grace and all those Prov. 1.24 1. Active desertion temporary As in Solomon c. 2. Finall as in those Heb. 10. Now in the present Point I understand onely a Passive temporary Desertion And therefore in that Man which is truly ingraffed into Christ by a justifying Faith and regenerated who can never possibly either forsake finally or be finally forsaken of God Of whom Hooker thus speakes Blessed for ever and ever be that Mothers Childe whose Faith hath made Him the Child of God The earth may shake the Pillars of the World may tremble under us The countenance of the Heaven may be appaled the Sunne may loose his light the Stars their glory But
That Heathenish Religion did inspire Her Worthies of Old with invincible victorious spirits But Christian Religion begets effeminatâ—nesse deiections and seare He speakes to this purpose which to me seemes strange That such a profound Professour of the depths or rather diuelishnesse of policy should dote so sottishly And yet it is no such strange thing for many times we may observe that deepest Policy by the curse of God upon it for opposition to goodnesse turnes into extremest folly And all counsels and politicke constitutions against Christ are but the brainelesse infatuations of Ahitophel For that which this fellow holds there holds strong contradiction both to common sense and a thousand experiences to the contrary For the first and in a word Let the great Master of mischiefe and of most abhorred atheisticall Principles of State tell me whether a reall assurance of a Crowne of life and endlesse ioyes in another world be not more powerfull to raise a Mans spirit to the highest pitch of undaunted noblenesse of spirit and unconquerable resolution then a vaine breath of immortall fame amongst miserable men after this life And in this lies the sinew of His proofe For the second Let the Acts of the ancient Iews be indiffereÌ„tly wayed from whose magnanimity in causes of most extreme hazard those strange and unwonted resolutions have growne which for all circumstances saith a great Divine no people under the roofe of heaven did ever hitherto match And that which did alwaies animate them was their meere Religion And let the Chronicles also say I of later times be searched and wee shall find from time to time many renowned Worthies to have for ever ennobled the matchlesse and incomparable courage of Christianity with in imitable impressions of valour and visible transcendency above all humane boldnesse and affected audacities of the most valiant Pagans To begin with great Constantine the first mighty Commander of a Christian Army with what victorious glory did He confound cut off many potent Heads of Paganisme Thrice was the whole world most famously fought for betweene Alexander and Zerxes Caesar and Pompey Constantine Licinius This last was most illustrious wherein Constantine the Great did mightily conquer and triumphantly carry all before him the heroicall and royall spirit of Christianity trampling victoriously upon the desperate rage of the most furious foole-hardy Pagan Tyrants I might here passe on to Theodosius and his miraculous conquests and so along but the disgression would bee too unseasonable Therefore I leave you for the prosecution of this point to Anti-Machiavel Even in later times wofully plagued under the reigne of Antichrist with a vast degeneration from primitive purity and power Christian Religion tho empoysoned with Popish superstition yet did so farre inspire it 's Warlike Professors with extraordinary spirits that in point of manhood they did wonders to the astonishment of the whole world and all succeeding Ages Godfrey of Bulloigne that famous Warriour with his followers conquered in lesse then foure yeeres all the goodliest Provinces of Asia and drave out the Turkes In that dreadfull and cruell conflict in Solomons Temple as himselfe reports in a letter to Bohâ—mund King of Antioch their men by the great slaughter of the enemy stood in blood above the ancles At that terrible and bloody battell at Ascalon as most report they slew an hundred thousand Infidels c. The valour and victories of Hunniades whose mighty spirit and incredible courage for any thing I know have no parallell in any precedent Story were so great and did like a violent tempest and impetuous torrent so batter and beate downe the enemies of Christ that Hee was rightly reputed the Bulwarke of Europe and thundring terrour of the Turkes amongst whom His name became so dreadfull that as the story reports they used the same to feare their crying children withall Hee fought five times with the Turkes upon one day and five times foyled and put them to flight with the losse of three thousand He killed that valiant Viceâ—oy of Asia Mesites Bassa with His sonne and twenty thousand Turkes moe at that famous battell of Vascape wherein he got the greatest victory that ever any Christian Prince before that time obtained against the Turkish Kings with fifteene thousand souldiers He overthrew Abedin Bassa sent against Him most ragingly by reason of a late shamefull losse according to Amuraths instructions by the slaughter of the Hungarians to sacrifice unto the Ghosts of their dead friends and companions with an Army of fourescore thousand fighting men Scanderbeg also was such a Mirrour of Manhood so terrible to the Turkes that nine yeares after His death passing thorow Lyssa where His Body lay buried they digged up His bones with great devotion reckoning it in some part of their happines if they might but see or touch the same and such as could get any part thereof were it never so little caused the same to be set some in silver some in gold to hang about their necks or weare upon their bodies thinking the very dead bones of that late invincible Champion would animate their spirits with strange and extraordinary elevation and vigour Besides an admirable variety of other rare exploits at one time with the losse of sixty Christians He slew Amesa with thirty as some say but at least twenty thousand Turks He kild with His owne hand above two thousand enimies When He entered into sight the Spirit of valour did so work within Him and the fiercenes of His courage so boyled in His brest that it was woont to make bloud burst out at His lips and did so steele His Arme that He cut off many overthwart by the middle But take notice by the way aâ— profession of Christian religion inspired these renowned Worthies with a marchles height of courage and might of spirit so the mixture with Popish Idolatry did then and doth to this day unhappily hinder all thorow successe and constant prevailing against that most mighty bloud-thirsty Turkish Tyrant the terrour of Christendome who drunke with the wine of perpetuall felicity holds all the rest of the world in scorne and is the greatest and cruellest scourge of it that ever the Earth bore And besides that the Idolatry of the Romish Church most principally and with speciall curse blasts and brings to naught all undertakings of the Christian world against that wicked Empire the practise also of some pestilent Principles proper to that Man of sin hath plagued the most hopefull enterprises in this kinde For instance The king of Hungary by the helpe of Hunmades was in a faire course and forwardnes to have tamed and taken downe nay to have for ever crusht and confounded the insolency and usurpations of that raging Nimrod but then comes in the Pope with a beastly tricke and utterly dashes and undoes all For He out of His Luciferian pride by the power or rather poison
humorist an Hypocrite and all that naught is even as bad as the false tongues of the Devils Limbes can make a blessed Man He was a good-fellow will they say but hee is now quite gone a proper man and of good parts but his Puritanisme hath mar'd all While Paul humour'd the Pharises in persecuting and plaguing the disciples of the Lord Hee was a principall and much honoured Man amongst them but when hee turned on Christ's side He was holden a pestilent-fellow the very plague So that it is plaine and palpable whatsoever may bee pretended to the contrary that those cursed Cains dogged Doegs and scoffing â—â—maels that set themselues and spend their malice against the Ministers and people of God hare slander and persecute the very workes of Grace and graces of Gods Spirit in them Even their zâ—ale holinesse hatred of sinne reformation c. are an Eye-sore and heart-sore to such hatefull wretches and Owles of Hell â—ho cannot endure any heavenly light 8. As stigmaticall Rogues burnt in the hand curtal'd of their eares branded in the fore-head are in the Common wealth so are Persecutors in the Church By mutuall intelligence and information of Gods people or some more publike lasting record and Monunument of the Church they have many times such a Marke set upon them that they carry it to their graves yea to the iudgement Seate of God that it may bee knowne a sore-hand to that glorious Tribunall and all the triumphant Church what beastly men stinging Scorpions and pricking thorn's they have beene amongâ—t Gods Children and in the sides of the Saints Such a brand had Alexander the Copper smith set upon him by Paul 2. Tim. 4.14.15 And such a Brand was set upon Diotrephes that mâ—litious prating companion by Saint Iohn 3. Ioh 10. So are those bloud thirsty Tygers Gardiner Bonner and the rest of that cruell litter and persecuting packe branded that their names shall rot and their memories be hatefull to the Worlds end So too many in these times though they be very iolly fellowes in their owne conceits ador'd as Idols by their flattering Dependants applauded generally as the principall Patrones of revelling good-fellowship â—et in the censure of the Saints and by the doome of divine wisedome they are clearely knowne and iustly reputed enemies of all righteousnesse and Satans speciall Agents to doe mischiefe against the Ministery 9. And it is to be feared they will finde no mercy upon their Beds of death and in their last extremity cry they never so loude or promise they never so faire God in iust indignation is woont to deale so with those who drinke up iniquity like Water withâ—ut all sense or feare of a glorious dreadâ—ull Majesty above See Ezek 8.18 with those who refuse to stoupe to Gods Ordinance and submit to the Scepter of Christ when they are fairely invited by the Ministery See Prov. 1.24.28 Ier. 7.13.16 and 11.11 With great Ones who grinde the faces of the poore See Micah 3 4. with abusers of the riches of His goodnesse and long suffering See Rom. 2.4 5. How much more doe you thinke shall impenitent Persecutors bee paide home in this kinde See 2. Macchab. 9.13.17 There that great and cruell persecutor Antiochus being seizd upon by an horrible sickenesse promiseth very gloriously upon that his last Bed Besides many other strange reformations even that he also would become a Iew himselfe and goe thorough all the World that was inhabited and declare the power of God But for all this heare what the Writer of that story saith of his spirituall state and of Gods resolution towards Him vers 13. This wicked person prayed also unto the Lord who would now have no mercy on him 10 All their spitefull speeches scurrill scoâ—fes pestilent lyes insolent insultations c. are as so many Crownes of Glory and ioy unto the heads and hearts of all persecuted patient Professours 1. Pet. 4.14 Act. 5.41 Iob. 3.36 So that they infinitely misse the malicious Marke their revengefull humours would gladly hit the hurt and heart-breaking of those they so cruelly and cunningly hunt with much rancour and hate And not onely so but most certainely hereafter if they die not like drunken Nabal and their hearts become as stones in their brests upon their Beds of death they will all tho now passing from them with much bitternesse of Spirit and without all remorse turne into so many envenomed stings and byting scorpions unto their owne consciences and knaw upon their hearts with extreamest horrour 11. The whole body of the militant Church ioyne all as one man with a strong concurrent importunitie at the Throne of grace and with one heart and spirit constantly continue there such piercing prayers against all stubborne impenitent scorners all incurable implacable persecutours as the people of God have bin wont to poure out in such cases as Lament 3.59 c. O Lord thou hast seen my wrong judge thou my cause Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me The lips of those that rose up against me their devise against me all the day Behold their sitting downe and their rising up I am their musicke Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the worke of their hands Give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord. Now I would not be in that Mans case against whom Gods people complaine upon good ground at that iust and highest Tribunal one halfe houre for the imperiall crowne and command of all the kingdomes of the earth for who knowes whether iust at that time the righteous Lord for his children's sake and safety may raine upon such a mans head snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest 12. And the prayers of the Saints poured out in the bitternesse of their soules vexed continually with their malicious cruelties and cruell mockes are meanes many times to bring Persecutours to an untimely end to knocke them downe before their time Doe not you thinke that the faithfull Iewes at Ierusalem hearing of Antiochus marching towards them like an evening Wolfe to drinke up their bloud had presently recourse unto Gods righteous Throne with strong cries to stay his rage And doe you not thinke that those very praiers drew downe upon him that horrible and incurable plague whereupon Hee died a miserable death in a strange Countrey in the Mountaines Herod for any thing wee know might have lived many a faire Day longer if hee had dealt fairely with the Apostles of Christ. But putting One to the sword Act. 12.2 And another in prison vers 4. Hee put the Church to their prayers vers 5. Which prayers for there is a certaine omnipotency of prayer as Luther was woâ—t to say did create full soone those vermine that eate him up horribly in the height
Iesus Christ c. But who doe you thinke now are the true and great fooles of the world And who are likeliest one day to groane for anguish of Spirit and say within themselves This was hee whom wee had sometimes in derision and a Proverbe of reproch Wee fooles accounted His life madnesse and His end to bee without honour Now is hee numbred among the Children of God and His Lot is among the Saints Therefore haue we erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sun of righteousnesse hath not rose upon us wee wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction yea wee have gone through deserts where there lay no way But as for the way of the Lord wee have not knowne it What hath pride profited us Or what good hath riches with our vanting brought us All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a post that hasted by c. Nay and yet further besides the extraordinarinesse of the iniquity folly in refusing Christ freely offered it shall most certainely bee hereafter plagued with extremest tormenting fury and most desperate gnashing of teeth For with what infinite horrour and restlesse anguish will this conceit rent a Mans heart in pieces and gnaw upon His Conscience when Hee considers in Hell that Hee hath lost Heaven for a lust and whereas Hee might at every sermon had even the Son of God His husband for the very taking and have lived with Him for ever in unspeakeable Blisse yet neglecting so great salvation must now crying out therefore continually against Himselfe as the most raging Bedlam that ever breathed lie in unquenchable flames without remedy ease or end It is the highest honour that can be imagined and a Mystery of greatest amazement that ever was that the Sonne of God should make sute unto sinfull Soules to be their Husband And yet so it is Hee stands at the doore and knocks if you will give Him entrance Hee will bring Himselfe and Heaven into your hearts We are Christs Ambassadours as though God did beseech you by us Wee pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God Wee are Christs spokes-men that I may so speake to Wooe and Winne you unto Him Now what can you say for your selves that you stand out Why come you not in If the Divell would give you leave to speake out and in plaine termes One would say I had rather bee damned then leave my drunkennesse Another I love the world better then Iesus Christ A third I will not part with my easie and gainefull trade of Vsury for the treasure hid in the field And so on So that upon the matter you must needs all confesse that you hereby judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life that you are wilfull bloody Murderers of your owne Soules that you commit such a wickednesse that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cry shame upon you for it Nay and if you go on without repentance you may expect that the Hellish gnawing of Conscience for this one sinne of refusing Christ may perhaps hold scale with the Vnited horrors of all the rest What is the matter I marvell that you will not entertaine the Match If wee stand upon honour and noble family Hee that makes love and sute unto our soules hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords If upon beauty Heare how hee is described Cant. 5. My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand His head is as the most fine gold his lockes are bushie and blacke as a Raven His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set His cheekes are as a bed of Spices as sweet flowers His lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe His hands are as the gold rings set with the Berill His belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires His legs are as pillars of marble set upon Sockets of fine gold His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars His mouth is most sweet yea hee is altogether lovely Now you must understand that the Spirit of God by these outward beauties and braveries labours in some measure to shadow out and represent unto us the incomparable excellency of inward graces the dignity the glory the spirituall fairenesse of Iesus Christ that wee may know that Hee is wholly and altogether lovely delectable and precious If upoâ— ease and contentment Hee can lead us to fulnesse of joy and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore If wee desire honorable Alliance Hee will bring us to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect If we stand upon wealth we shall haue all things with him which is a large Possession If we respect love Greater love hath no Man then this that a Man lay downe His life for his friends And hee being the brightnesse of His Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person came downe from his bosome the well-spring of immortality and blisse the fulnesse of joy and that unapprocheable light into an House of flesh upon this base and miserable earth Hee passed thorow a life full of all manner vexations miseries persecutions indignities slanders speaking against of Sinners c. He was so prodigiously slandered that they said Hee had a divell Whereas the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelled in him bodily Hee was cunningly hunted long and at last violently haled by a Packe of Hell-hounds to a cruell and bloody death which for the extremity and variety of paines for the enraged spight of the executioners for the innocency and excellency of the Person suffering the like never was shall or can bee endured His passions were such so bitter and unsupportable that they would have made any meere creature to have sunke downe under the burden of them to the bottome of Hell Hee was tortured extremely and suffered grievous things both in Body and Soule from Heaven Earth and Hell His blessed Body was given up as an Anvile to bee beaten upon by the violent and villanous hands of wretched Miscreants without all measure or mercy untill they had left no one part free from some particular and speciall torment His skin and flesh were â—ent with scourges His hands and feet pierced with nailes His head with thornes His very heart with the speare point All His senses all his parts indeed His whole sacred body was made a rufull spectacle to Angels and to Men of all the most base and barbarous vsage which malice could devise and cruelty execute But all this yet was but a shadow of His suffering the substance of His suffering was the Agony of His Soule Give mee any affliction save the affliction of the mind For
penitently and resoluedly to bee reformed if Hee recover and yet His sorrow of minde but such onely as the terrours of an awaked guilty conscience produce and His resolution to cast away His sinnes onely such as a man hath in a storme to cast away His goods not because hee doth not love them but because hee feareth to loose his life if hee part not with them Or a meere civill Man or formall Professour may upon His Bed of death bee very confident and seeme to bee full of comfort and yet that confidence no other then the strong imaginary ioyfull conceit of a covetous man grasping a great deale of gold in his dreame but when Hee awaketh behold his hands are empty For a more full and cleare apprehension of my meaning and iudgement in the Point let us take a survay of the different and severall kinds of death which ordinarily befall the Godly and the wicked The death of Gods Children are divers 1. Some of their holy and zealous lives doe determine and expire sweetly fairely and gloriously even like a cleare Sunne in a Summers evening without any storme or cloud of temptation and discomfort The darkesome and painefull passages and pangs of death are illightened and sweetned with the shining beames of Gods glorious presence and fast embracement of Iesus Christ in the armes of their Faith So that to them the very ioyes of Heaven and exultations of everlasting rest mingle themselues with those last agonies and expirations of death Their heads are as it were crowned with immortality and endlesse peace upon their beds of death Luther that blessed Man of God died sweetly and triumphantly over Hell the Pope and the Divell My heavenly Father said Hee at his death eternall and mercifull God thou hast manifested unto me thy deare Son our Lord Iesus Christ. I have taught him I have knowne him I love him as my life my health and my redemption whom the wicked have persecâ—â—ed maligned and with iniury afflicted Draw my Soule to Thee After this Hee said as insued thrice I commend my spirit into thine hands thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth God so loved the world that hee gave his onely Sonne that all that beleeve in Him should have life everlasting Ioh. 3. Heare how another blessed Saint of God ended his dayes Having the day before hee died continued his meditation and exposition vpon Rom. 8. for the space of two houres or more on the sudden Hee said O stay your reading What brightnesse is this I see Have you light up any candles To which I answered No It is the Sun-shine for it was about five a clocke in a cleare Summers evening Sun-shine saith Hee nay my Saviour-shine Now farewell world welcome heaven The Day-starre from on high hath visited my heart O speake it when I am gone and preach it at my Funerall God dealeth familiarly with man I feele his mercy I see his Maiesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God hee knoweth but I see things that are un-utterable So ravished in spirit Hee roamed toward heaven with a chearefull looke and soft sweete voyce but what Hee said wee could not conceive With the Sunne in the morning following raising himselfe as Iacob did upon his staffe hee shut up his blessed life with these blessed words O what an happy change shall I make From night to day From darkenesse to light From death to life From sorrow to solace From a factious world to an heavenly beeing O my deare brethren sisters and friends It pittieth mee to leave you behind yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feele I hope you shall finde ere you die that God doth and will deale familiarly with men And now thou fiery Chariot that came downe to feth up Eliah carry mee to my happy Hold And all yee blessed Angels who attended the Soule of Lazarus to bring it up to heaven beare mee O beare mee into the bosome of my Best beloved Amen Amen come Lord Iesus come quickly And so hee fell asleepe That this is true the reporter and By-stander that ancient learned reverend Minister of God Master Leygh addeth I say the truth my Brethren I lie not my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost c. 2. Others may end their dayes very uncomfortably in ravings impatiencies and other strange behaviours Nay the fiery distempers of their hot diseases may sometimes even in the Saints of God produce furlous carriages fearefull distractions and some despairefull speeches But these being the naturall effects and issues of melancholike excesses Phrensies and burning Fevers are sins of infirmity in sanctified men For which if they come againe to themselves they actually repent if not they are all undoubtedly by a generall habituall repentance and Gods gratious acceptation thereof pardoned by the Passion of Christ and buried for ever in his bloody death That last and unreversable doome at the dreadfull Tribunall of the ever-living God must passe upon us not according to the violent and unvoluntary distempers at our last houre but according to the former Passages of our life the sinfull or sanctified expense of the daies of health Heare that other great Artist in the Mysterie of dealing with trouble consciences The common opinion is that if a man die quietly and goe away like a Lambe which in some diseases as consumptions and such like any Man may doe then hee goes straight to heaven but if the violence of the disease stirre up impatience and cause franticke behaviours then men use to say there is a judgement of God serving either to discover an Hypocrite or to plague a wicked man But the truth is otherwise For indeede a man may die like a lambe and yet goe to Hell and one dying in exceeding torments and strange behauiours of the body may goe to heaven 3. The death of some others is mixt to wit of fearefull tempestuous stormes and almost if not altogether despairefull agonies in the beginning of their last sicknesse and a faire refreshing glorious calme and ioyfull triumphs over temptations and feare towards the conclusion of their life For some secret end and holy purpose seeming good to his heavenly wisedome God suffers sometimes even his dearest servants to taste as it were of the fire of Hell and for a while to feele in their consciences those damned flames as a preparative to drinke more sweetly of the Well of life and Rivers of endlesse pleasures So himselfe is most honoured by helping when all hope is past The heart of his Child more ravisht with the first sight of those un-utterable joyes beeing suddenly rais'd to the height of happinesse from the depth of horrour The enemies to the narrow way dasht and confounded by observing his deliverance whom out of prophane blindnesse they deemed an Hypocrite Godly Christians gratiously reviv'd when they see That tho the Lord hide His face from his Childe for a moment yet
everlasting health or endlesse horrour of an immortall Soule Hence it was that that One of a thousand and learned Doctour in this heavenly Mystery did so farre differ from all Dawbers with untempered Mortar and the ordinary undoing-courses in this kind But now comming to the salving of this Sore saith Hee I shall seeme very strange in my cure and so much the more bee wondred at by how much in manner of proceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein I am not ignorant that many visiting afflicted consciences cry still Oh comfort them O speake ioyfull things unto them Yea there bee some and those of the most learned who in such Cases are full of these and such like speeches Why are you so heavy my Brother Why are you so cast downe my Sister Bee of good cheare Take it not so grievously What is there that you should feare God is mercifull Christ is a Saviour These bee speeches of love indeed but they often doe the poore soules as much good herein as if they should powre cold water into their bosomes when as without further searching of their Sores they may as well minister a Malady as a Medicine For as nutritive and cordiall medicines are not good for every sicke Person especially when the Body needeth rather a strong Purgation then a matter restorative and as in carnative medicines may for a time allay the paine of the Patient but after the griefe becommeth more grievous So the comfortable applying of Gods promises are not so profitable for every One that is humbled especially when their Soules are rather further to be cast downe then as yet to bee raised up so those sugred consolations may for a while over-heale the conscience and abate some present griefe but so as afterwards the smart may bee the sorer and the griefe may grow the greater Hereof ensueth this effect that comfort seemeth to cure for a while but for want of wisedome in the right discerning of the cause Men minister one Medicine for another and so for want of skill the latter fit grindeth sorer then the former Calvine also that great Pillar and glory of the Christian World for syncere and sound Orthodoxe doctrine concurres in judgement with this blessed Man of God and so I doubt not doe all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ Let this bee the first degree of Repentance when Men feele that they have been grievous offenders and then the griefe is not to bee immediately cured as Impostors deale flatteringly and nicely with Mens consciences that they may favour themselves as much as may bee and bee notably deceived with superficiall dawbing The Physition will not forthwith asswage the paine but will consider what may bee more expedient Perhaps hee will increase it because a sharper Purge will bee necessary Even so doe the Prophets of God when they see trembling Consciences doe not presently apply sweet consolations but rather tell them that they must not dally with God and stirre up those who are so forward of their owne accord that they would propose unto themselves the terrible iudgement of God that they may yet bee more and more humbled Another excellent and skilfull Work-man in the great mystery of saving Soules tells us truly That the promise of salvation is not straight belonging to one terrified in conscience but to one that is not onely terrified for His punishment but is contrite-hearted for sinne which is the worke of the Gospell Let not these bee weary of the yoke of God and the Law and make over much haste out of this state for so may they undoe themselves For some withstanding their terrour have withstood their salvation c. Even as an impatient Patient gets the Chirurgion to pull out the Tent and Corrosive or pâ—ls it off himselfe as soone as it begins to smart a little and so thinkes it is searcht enough and now layes saith Hee on healing plaisters But afterward breakes out againe worse then ever whereas if the Corrosive had been let lie on till it had eaten out the corruption indeed then it might have been whole long agoe If Dawbers in this kind did rightly understand and acknowledge or had ever had any experimentall feeling in their owne Soules of Christs Rule and the Holy Ghosts method which is first To convince of sinne to deject and humble in the sight of the Lord with apprehension and sense of a most abominable and cursed state before there follow a conviction of the righteousnesse of Christ to raise up See Ioh. 16.8 or of the necessity of the worke of the spirit of bondage to fit and prepare for Christ and comfort I say then they would not deale so ignorantly and overly in a matter of so deare and everlasting importance They would not so hastily hand over-head without all warrant and wisedome without any further search discovery or dejection offer mercy pardon and all the promises to a man formerly wicked onely for some faint and enforced confession of sinnes or because now beeing overtaken by the evill day Hee howles upon his bed not for any true hatred of sinne but for present smart and expected horror c. But would labour to let the spirit of bondage have it's full work and lay Him open more at large in the true colours of his skarlet sinnes and not onely cause a bare confession of them but such a conviction which may stop his mouth that Hee hath not a word to speake but trembles to see such a sinke Sodom and Hell of sinne and abomination in Himselfe c. O how oft have I heard many a poore ignorant soule in the Day of sorrow beeing mooved to humble Himselfe in the sight of the Lord that Hee might lift Him up first to get His heart broken with the abhorred burden of all His sinnes and then to bring it thus bleeding to the Throne of Grace that Christ might binde it up I say beeing thus intreated To answer Yes yes with all my heart I am sorry for my sinnes with all my heart I trust in Iesus Christ with all my heart and thus whatsoever you can counsell or advise Hee doth it with all His heart Whereas alas Poore heart as yet His understanding is as darke as darkenesse it selfe in respect of any I say not onely saving knowledge but almost of any knowledge at all and his heart in respect of any true remorse as hard as a Rocke of flint Now those unskilfull Physitions of the Soule who in this and the like cases will needs without any more adoe without any further illightning or labour threape mercy and comfort upon them are like those foolish sheapherds as Marbury calls them who when they want skill to helpe their poore sheepe out of the ditch are driven to play the miserable comforters and to take some other indirect course as many use to doe in such cases to cut the sheepes throate in time to make him Mans meate lest it should
aright by some Masters of assemblies chaced furiously by the Law Sinne Conscience and Satan sometimes even to the brinke of despaire c. will bee willing with a witnesse to cast it selfe into the sweet compassionate inviting armes and embracements of Iesus Christ broken and bleeding upon the Crosse for our sinnes and so bee made His for ever 2. For our sanctification also it is good for us that the Comforters first worke bee to worke feare in us For wee are naturally so frozen in our dregs that no fire in a manner will warme or thâ—w us Wee wallow in our owne blood wee sticke fast in the mire of sinne up to the chinne that wee cannot stirre So that this feare is sent to pull us violently as it were from our corruptions to make us holy and looke unto our waies for the time to come Now to effect this sharpest things are best as are the Law and threatnings of condemnation the opening of Hell the racking of the conscience and a sense of wrath present and to come So hard-hearted are wee by nature being as the Children of the bond-woman to whom violence must be used Even as wee see a Man riding a young and wilde Horse to tame him Hee will runne him against a wall that hee may make him afraid ride him in deepe and rough places or if this will not doe take him up to some high rocke and bringing him to the brinke thereof Hee threatneth to throw him downe headlong maketh him shake and quake whereby at last hee is tamed So deales the Lord with us Hee gives us a sight of sinne and of the punishment due thereunto a sense of wrath setteth the conscience on fire as it were filleth the heart with feares â—orrours and dis-quietnesse openeth Hell thus unto the Soule brings us to the gates thereof and threatneth to throw us in And all this to make a man more holy and hate sinne the more The cure of the Stone in the heart saith another speaking to the same purpose is like that of the Stone in the Bladder God must use a sharpe incision and come with his pulling and plucking instruments and rend the heart in pieces ere that sinne can bee got out of it Even as in a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should bee cast into a burning Fever because the senses are benummed and this will wake them and drie up the beâ—otting humours so in our dead security before our conversion God is faine to let the Law Sinne Conscience and Satan loose upon us and to kindle the fire of Hell in our soules that so we might be rouzed Our sinnes sticke close unto us as the Prisoners bolts and wee are shut up under them as in a strong Prison And therefore unlesse as once in Paul and Silas their case an earthquake so here there come a mighty heart-quake violently breaking open the Prison doores and shaking off our fetters never shall wee get our liberty c. Thus wee see what a mighty worke of the Law and of the spirit of bondage there must bee to prepare for Christ. And how requisite it is both for the glorifying of Gods justice and mercy and also for the furtherance of our justification and sanctification For illustration of which Point besides all that hath been said before I have more willingly in this last Passage prest at large the authority of so great a Divine in which I hope I have not swarved from His sense because Hee is without exception both for holinesse and learning and so his sincere and orthodoxe judgement more currant and passable Ob. But hence it may bee some troubled Soule may take up a complaint and say Alas if it bee thus what shall I thinke of my selfe I doe not remember that ever I tasted so deepely of such terrours and legall troubles as you seeme to require I have not been so humbled and terrified nor had such experience of that state under the spirit of bondage as you talke of c. And therefore you have cast scruples into my conscience about the truth and soundnesse of my conversion Answ. I answer in this worke of the spirit of bondage in this Case of legall terrours humiliations and other preparative dispositions wee doe not prescribe precisely just such a measure and quantitie We doe not determine peremptorily upon such or such a degree or height Wee leave that to the Wisedome of our great Master in Heaven the onely wise God who is a most free Agent But sure wee are a man must have so much and in that measure as to bring Him to Christ. It must make him weary of all his sinnes and of Satans bondage wholly willing to plucke out his right eye and cut off his right hand I meane to part with his best-beloved bosome-lusts to sell all and not leave so much as an hoofe behind It must bee so much as to make him see his danger and so hast to the Citie of Refuge to bee sensible of his spirituall misery that hee may heartily thirst for mercy to finde himselfe lost and cast away in Himselfe that Christ may bee All in All unto Him And after must follow an hatred of all false and evill waies for the time to come a thorow-change of former courses company conversation and setting Himselfe in the way and practise of â—obriety honesty and holinesse If thou hast had experience of these affections and effects in thine owne soule whatsoever the measure of the work of the spirit of bondage hath been in thee lesse or more Thou art safe enough and mayst goe on comfortably in the holy Path without any discouragement either from such pretended scruples in thy selfe or any of Satans cruell cavils and oppositions to the contrary Vpon this occasion it will not bee here unseasonable to tell you How that Legall terrour which God appoints to bee a preparative in his elect for the spirit of adoption and a true change differs from that which is found in Aliens and not attended with any such saving consequents That every one who hath had trouble of conscience for sinne may clearely discerne whether it hath brought Him to Christ or left Him unconverted 1. That happy Soule which is under the terrifying hand of God preparing by the worke of the spirit of bondage for the entertainement of Christ and a sound conversion upon that fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath and strict visitation of his conscience for sinne casts about for ease and reconcilement onely by the blood of the Lord Iesus and those Soule-healing promises in the Booke of life with a resolute contempt of all other meanes and offers for pacification feeling now and finding by experience that no other way no earthly thing not this whole world were it all dissolved into the most curious and exquisite pleasures that ever any carnall heart conceived can any way asswage the least pang of his grieved spirit Glad therefore is Hee to take counsel and
to lift them up That none shall have mercy but such as confesse and forsake their sinnes That the meere ciuill man and luke-warme formall Professour without holinesse and zeale can never bee saved That all the wicked shal bee turned into Hell c. In a word if Hee take the right course to bring men from darkenesse to light from Satan to the living God by first wounding with the Law before Hee heale with the Gospell I say the most in this Case are ready to cry out and complaine that hee throwes wild-fire Brimstone and Gunpowder into the consciences of men Conceive therefore I pray you That there is in God first His justice and secondly His mercy both infinite and equall Onely in regard of Man there is an inequality For God may bee said to bee more mercifull unto them that are saved then just to them that are damned For of damnation the just cause is in Man but of salvation it is wholly from grace In Himselfe and originally they are both equal and so are all his Attributes But in respect of the exercise and expression upon His creatures and abroad in the world there is some difference But for my purpose and our Ministeriall emploiment and Commission take notice That as the revealed effects of Gods mercy are love tender-heartednesse compassion His owne deare Sons pretious hearts-blood pardon of sinnes peace of conscience unspeakeable and glorious joy thereupon Evangelicall pleasures comfortable presence of the Spirit even in this life and in the other World pleasures infinitely moe then the Starres of the firmament in number even for ever and ever And all these vpon all true Penitents So the revealed effects of His Iustice are indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish that Sword which will devoure flesh those arrowes that drinke blood that fiery anger which will burne unto the lowest Hell and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines That comming against which is with fire and charets like a whirlewinde to render anger with fury and rebuke with flames of fire that meeting which is as of a Beare bereaved of her whelps to rent the cauâ—e of the heart and devoure like a Lyon c. All plagues with the extremity temporall spirituall eternall all the curses in this Booke of His all the torments in Hell to the utmost sparke of those infernall flames And all these upon all impenitent sinners Now God will bee glorified both waies and by them both Give us leave then to give them both their due Wee are most willing and ready as our great Master in Heaven would have us Isa. 40.1.2 and our blessed Saviour by his example doth teach us Luk. 4.18 To convey by our Ministry into every truly-broken heart and bleeding Soule the warmest bloud that ever heated Christs tender heart and to keepe backe from the true Penitent not any one graine of that immeasurable Mine of all the rich mercies purchased with that pretious blood Bee content therefore on the otherside that wee open the Armory of Gods justice and reveale his wrath from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of Men That indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish shal be upon every soule of man that doth evill c. As wee are ever ready to binde vp the bruised spirit with the softest oyle of Gods sweetest mercy So let us I pray you have leave in the equity of a just and holy proportion to wound with the Hammer of the Law the haâ—ry Pate of every One that goes on in His sinne Let us deale faithfully even with wicked men lest wee answere for the blood of their soules By telling them That as certainely as all the glorious comforts and blessed consequents of Gods infinite mercy shall crowne the heart and heade of every true-hearted Nathanael for ever so all the dreadfull effects of his angry Iustice will at length seize upon the Soules and confound the consciences of all un-holy men with extremest severity and terrour Let it bee thus then and let our Ministeriall dispensation bee in this manner If thou bee an impenitent Person I would tell Thee That the vtmost wrath of God vnquenchable and everlasting vengeance all earthly and infernall plagues are thy certaine Portion But I would mollify and sweeten the bitternesse of this sentence with assurance of mercy upon Repentance to prevent the assaults of despaire On the other side If the Ministry of the Word hath wrought upon Thee effectually and now thy truly-humbled soule thirsts after Christ with a syncere hatred and opposition against all sinne I would assure thy troubled and trembling heart in the Word of life and truth of all those most pretious blessings and sweetest comforts which the Booke of God doth promise and the blood of Christ hath bought But withall I would commend unto thee some Coolers and Counterpoisons against presumption and falling to Pharisaisme For which purpose and for prevention of danger and spirituall undoing by unskilfull and undiscreet dawbing in the Case proposed I come now to tender such Counsels and Caveats as these or the like which the faithfull Physition of the Soule according to occasions circumstances and present exigents may thinke fit to bee mingled with administration of mercy and wisely propounded to the afflicted Party It may not proove unseasonable to speake thus or in some such manner to thy spirituall Patient 1. If these things bee truly and soundly so If thou finde and feele indeed such a mollified and melting spirit such broken and bleeding affections in thy bosome Thou art certainely blessed If that sorrowfull soule of thine doth renounce from the very heart-roote with speciall distaste and detestation all manner of sinne insatiably thirst after righteousnesse unfainedly resolve for the short remainder of a few and evill dayes to bend it selfe towards heaven in all New-obedience I say if this bee syncerely the holy disposition and resolution of thine heavy heart notwithstanding all thy present terrour and trouble of minde Thou art truly and everlastingly happy Onely take notice lest my ministring of mercy bee mistaken or thy conceiving of comfort mis-carry that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things A bottomlesse depth it is of Falshoods dissemblings hypocrisies An endlesse Maze of windings turnings and hidden passages No eye can search and see it's center and secrets but that All-seeing One alone which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sun to which the darkest Nooke of Hell is as the Noone-day And therefore not I nor any man alive can promise pardon or apply the promises but conditionally upon supposition If these things bee so and so as thou hast said And the syncerity of thy heart and truth of these hopefull protestations which wee now heare from thee in this extremity and I must tell thee by the way such like may be enforced by the slavish sting of present terrour not fairely and freely flow from a true touch of conscience for sinne I say this may
bee tho I hope better things of Thee The truth as I said both of thy heart and these affectionate promises will appeare when the storme is over and this dismall tempest which hath over-cast and shaken thy spirit with extraordinary feare and astonishment is overblowne Thy course of life to come will proove a true Touch-stone to try whether this bee the kindly travaile of the New-birth or onely a temporary taking-on during the fit by reason of the uncouthnesse and exquisitenesse of this invisible spirituall torture without true turning to Iesus Christ. If when the now-troubled powers of thy soule which the wound of thy conscience hath cast into much distracted and uncomfortable confusion shall recover their wonted calmenes and quiet thou turne unto thine old bias humour company and conversation it will then bee more then manifest that this Furnace of terrour and temptation wherein thou now lies and languishes was so far from working thine heart to heavenlinesse and grace that it hath hammered it to more hardnesse and ungraciousnesse from purging and refining that it hath occasioned more earthlinesse epicurisme and raging affections in sensuality and sinfull pleasures But if when thou art up againe and raised by Gods mercifull hand out of the Depth of this spirituall distresse into which the horrible sight and heavy waight of thy sinnes have sunke thee if then thou expresse and testifie thy true-heartednesse in these present solemne protestations made now as it were in thy hot blood I meane of thy hatred against sinne by an earnest opposition watchfulnesse and striving against all especially that which in thine unregenerate time stucke closest to thy bosome of thine hunger and thirst after a comfortable fruition of Gods face and favour by a conscionable and constant pursuit and exercise of all good meanes and opportunities of all his blessed ordinances appointed and sanctified for groath in grace and bringing us nearer unto Him of thy future New-obedience and Christian walking by plying industriously and fruitfully with thy best endeavour and utmost ability those three glorious workes of Christianity Preservation of purity in thine owne Soule and Body righteous dealing with all thou hast to doe-with Holy carriage towards God in all religious duties In a word by denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and living soberly righteously and godlily in this present world of which the grace of God teacheth every true Convert to make Conscience I say if upon thy recovery this bee thy course Thou art certainely New-created Such blessed behaviour as this will infallibly evidence these present terrours to have been the Pangs of thy New-birth and thy happy translation from death to life from the vanity and folly of sin into the light and liberty of Gods Children 2. Secondly say unto Him When once that blessed Fountaine of Soule-saving blood is opened upon thy Soule in the side of the Sonne of God by the hand of Faith for sinne and for uncleannesse then also must a Counter-spring as it were of repentant teares bee opened in thine humbled heart which must not be dried up untill thy dying Day This is my meaning for every Christian hath not teares at command the heart sometimes may bleed when the eyes are dry Thou must bee content to continue the current of thy godly sorrow upon that abominable Sinke and Sodom of all the lusts vanities and villanies of thy darke and damned time and also upon those frailties infirmities imperfections defects relapses back-slidings which may accompany thy regenerate state even untill that body of sinne which thou carries about Thee bee dissolved by the stroke of death As concerning thine old sinnes and those that are past it is not enough that now the fresh horrour of them and those grissely affrighting formes wherein they have appeared to the eye of thy wounded conscience have wrought upon thy heart by Gods blessing some softnesse heart-rising remorse and hatred But thou must many and many a time hereafter in the extraordinary exercises of renued repentance presse thy penitent spirit to bleede afresh within thee and draw water againe out of the bottome of thy broken heart with those Israelites and poure it out before the Lord in abundāce of bitter teares for thy never sufficiently sorrowed-for abominations and rebellions against so blessed and bountifull a God Now the solemne times and occasions when wee are called to this renued Repentance are such as these 1. When wee are to performe some speciall services unto God because then out of a godly jealousie wee may feare lest the face and favour of God the love and light of His countenance may not lie so open unto us by reason of the cloudy interposition of our former sinnes 2. When wee seeke for any speciall blessing at Gods mercifull hands because then out of a gracious feare we may suspect that our old sinnes may intrude and labour to intercept and divert from our longing Soules the sweet and comfortable influences of the Throne of grace It may seeme that David in the current of his prayer saw His old sinnes charge upon Him and therefore cries out by the way Remember not the sinnes of my youth 3. In the time of some great affliction and remarkeable Crosse when upon a new search and strict examination of our hearts and lives we humbling our selves more solemnely againe in the sight of the Lord and mourning afresh over Him whom wee have pierced with our youthly pollutions and provoke daily with many wofull failings are wont to seeke Gods pleased face and our former peace sanctification of it unto us in the meane time and the remoovall of it from us in due time in the name of Iesus Christ. 4. After relapse into some old secret lust or fall into some new scandalous sinne Davids remorse for adultery and murder brought his heart to bleede over his birth-sinne Psal. 51.5 Above all upon all those mighty Dayes of humiliation by prayer and fasting publike private or secret wherein Gods people wrastle with God by the omnipotency of prayer and worke so many wonders from time to time 6. Some there are also who setting apart some speciall times to conferre with God in secret lay together before Him the glorious Catalogue of the riches of His mercy reaching from everlasting to everlasting all his favours preservations deliverances protections c. from their first beeing to that time and the abhorred Catalogue of all their sinnes from Adam to that houre Originall both imputed and inherent actuall both before and since their calling and this they doe with hearty desire of such different affections as they severally require A serious and sensible comparing of which two together makes sinne a great deale more loathsome and the mercies of God more illustrious and so prooves effectuall many times by the helpe of the Holy Ghost to soften their hearts extraordinarily to make them weepe heartily and fils their Soules with much joyfull sorrow and humble thankefulnesse 7. Vpon our Beds
afford him a morall Change or a formall Change or a mentall Change I meane it onely in respect of the spirit of illumination and generall graces or a temporary Change of which see My Directions for walking with God pag. 310. And yet continue him still within the confines of His cursed kingdome and in a damnable state Hee doth improove to the utmost as occasion of advantage is offered both the grisseliest shape of a foule Fiend and the most alluring light of His Angelicall glory to doe us a mischiefe any way either upon the right hand or the left How many thousands Ah pitie even in this clearest Noone-tide of the Gospell doth Hee keepe in a presumptuous confidence that they are converted and yet most certainely his owne still and in a willing slavery to some one or other predominant Lust at the least Bee advised then in the Name of Christ whosoever thou art when the hand of God great mercy shall visit and vex thy conscience for sinne by the piercing power of the Ministry Bee sure to follow the direction and guidance of that blessed hand without dawbing or diversion out of the kingdome of darkenesse thorow the Pangs of the New-birth into the holy Path wholly and for ever Make sure worke whatsoever it cost Thee Have never any thing more to doe with the Divell Give over the Trade of sinning quite never more to turne agains unto Folly upon any termes And if Satan set upon Thee with baites and allurements to detaine Thee in his spirituall Bondage but by one darling delight to which thou hast been most addicted Answer him in this Case with an un-shaken resolution as Moses did Pharaoh in a Point of temporall Bondage There shall not so much as an hoofe bee left behind Yeeld not an haires breadth upon any condition to that Hellish Pharaoh especially in so great a matter as the endlesse salvation or damnation of thy Soule If hee can keepe possession but by one reigning sinne in which thou liest with delight against the light of thy conscience hating to bee reformed Hee desires no more One knot in a thread will stay the Needle 's Passage as wel as five hundred c. See to this purpose my Directions of walking with God pag. 34. Beware then of closing up the wound of thy terrified and troubled conscience with any out-side halfe or unsound conversion which I make the fourth Passage out of trouble of mind for sin 5. And why may not Satan sometimes by Gods permission bee suffered to inflict and fasten his fiery darts of terrours and temptations upon a mans conscience continue them there some while with much angvish and horrour for some secret holy end seene and seeming good to divine wisedome and at length remoove and retire them not upon succession of any sound comfort or true peace from the promises of life and pardon of sinne but onely upon a meere cessation of the Divels pleasure to torment and terrifie any longer Not that Hee can hurt the least or most contemptible creature that ever God made when He please but that it pleaseth God sometimes to give him the raines and leave to rage Quieting the conscience in this Case is no comfortable cure from positive helpe but a counterfeite palliation by ceasing to hurt See Satans proportionable practises in matters of Witchcraft in Giffards Dialogve concerning Witches and Witchcrafts pag. 11. 6. Nay Let mee here further before I passe out of the Point discover unto you a mysterie but it is of iniquity and horrible Hypocrisie I have knowne some would you thinke it who have counterfeited even trouble of Conscience and made shew with out all truth or true touch of sundry temptations and spirituall distempers incident onely to the Saints And have for that purpose addrest themselves with much industry and noise and had recourse many times to some spirituall Physitions with many teares an heavy countenance and other rufull circumstances expressing almost exactly the scruples doubts distrusts complaints of such as are truly grieved in spirit and true of heart O the wonderfull Depth which lieth hid in the confluence of the Hypocrisies of mans false heart and the Devises of that old Serpent which deceiveth the whole world Such as these take upon them and lay aside terrours of conscience as Players doe their apparell and Parts 7. The passages past doe all mislead into By-paths but there is One blessed way besides all these tho it be a narrow One which conducts directly out of a naturall state through the pangs of the new-birth with out diversion or dawbing with out any longer detainement in any lust sensuall pleasure or beloued vanitie in any kind of hypocrisie or degree of unregeneration into the Paradise of grace fully and for ever This neither plunges a man into the Pit of Despaire nor misguides him by carnall counsell and his own wicked conceit into the fooles Paradise and tastlesse fooleries of outward mirth nor pacifies unseasonably with untimely and counterfeit peace nor leaves in the deceiving formes of an unsound conversion and unsaving flourishes of generall graces only c. But convaies and transports him happily by an universall syncere supernaturall thorow-change into the holy Path And that thus and by such degrees as these 1. The first is an Illumination of the minde conviction of the conscience terryfying the heart with sight sense and horrour of sinne in some true measure The first worke of the Spirit Iohn 16.8 is to convince of sin which presupposeth illumination and produceth terror The Spirit of bondage must bee first set on worke to shew us our spirituall misery to humble us to prepare for Christ. And yet this worke in it selfe is common to the Alien with the child of the New-birth And ordinarily here they part The Alien and hee that hates to bee reformed out of an inveterate unhappy prejudice against the saving precisenesse of the Saints and â—othnesse to leave utterly his former courses company conversation being obstinated against passing on forward into the way which is called holy Regeneration the new-birth Repentance mortification sanctification self-deniall New-obedience walking with God turning Puritan as they say c are termes perhaps of as great terrour unto him as his present trouble of conscience doth now here divert and afterward willfully and wofully perish in some pestilent or plausible By-path In this case hee labours and layes about him for ease any way yea sometimes he will have it from the Divell himself if he can by the help of a Wizzard rather then misse of it so that he may attaine and keepe it without any great alteration of his former waies or especially without parting with his darling pleasure And therefore he assaies either to conquer his spirituall affliction with worldly comforts carnall counsell choise contentments c. Or else to allay the present storme of his guilty rage with some counterfeit calme or at best to still the cry of his
heavenly Father deale withal that are upright-hearted in all their troubles trials and temptations For the dearest love of the most affectionate Father or Mother to their Childe is nothing to that which hee beares to those that feare him Isa. 49.15 Psal. 103.13 Deut. 8.5 3. Thirdly there is a pretious Principle in the mysterie of salvation which as a comforting Cordiall-water serves to quicken and revive in the sownings and faintings of the Body defection of the spirits and sinking of the heart So it may bee soveraigne to support and succour in afflictions and dejections of Soule and weakenesses of our spirituall state It is thus delivered by Divines A constant and earnest desire to bee reconciled to God to believe and to repent if it bee in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation Faith repentance it selfe A weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an unfained desire not onely of salvation for that the wicked and gracelesse man may have But of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of Faith in every touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect Those are blessed who are displeased with their owne doubting and unbeliefe if they have a true earnest desire to bee purged from this distrust and to believe in God through Christ. Our desire of grace faith and repentance are the graces themselves which wee desire at least in Gods acceptation who accepteth of the will for the deede and of our affections for the actions Hungring and thirsting desires are evidences of a repenting heart True desire argues the presence of things desired and yet argues not the feeling of it It may not bee dissembled that there are in the world many definitions or descriptions of faith such as doe not comprehend in them that onely thing which is the chiefe stay of thousands of the deare servants of God and that is desires which may not bee denyed to bee of the nature of Faith I expresse my meaning thus That when a Man or woman is so farre exercisâ—d in the spirituall seeking of the Lord his God That hee would bee willing to part with the world and all things thereof if hee had them in his owne possession so that by the Spirit and Promises of God hee might bee assured that the sinnes of his former life and such as presently doe burthen his Soule were forgiven him and that hee might believe that God were now become his God in Christ I would not doubt to pronounce that this Person thus prising remission of sinnes at this rate that hee would sell all to buy this pearle did undoubtedly believe Not onely because it is a truth though a Paradoxe that the Desire to believe is Faith But also because our Saviour Christ doth not doubt to affirme that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse because they shall bee satisfied And to him that is a thirst I will give to drinke of the water of life freely And David doubted not to say The Lord heareth the desire of the humble I thinke whensoever the humbled sinner sees an infinite excellency in Christ and the savour of God by him that it is more worth then all the world and so sets his heart upon it that hee is resolved to seeke it without ceasing and to part withall for the obtaining it now I take it is Faith begun What graces thou unfainedly desirest and constantly vsest the meanes to attaine Thou hast There is no rocke more sure then this truth of God That the heart that complaineth of the want of grace desireth above all things the supply of that want useth all holy meanes for the procurement of that supply cannot be destitute of saving grace Such are wee by imputation as wee bee in affection And he is now no sinner who for the love he beareth to righteousnesse would bee no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giveth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his Children whom hee justifieth We must remember that God accepts affecting for effecting willing for working desires for deedes purposes for performances pence for pounds and unto such as doe their endeavour hath promised His grace enabling them every day to doe more and more If there be in thee a sorrow for thine unbeliefe a will and desire to believe and a care to increase in Faith by the use of good meanes there is a measure of true Faith in thee and by it thou maist assure thy selfe that thou art the Child of God It is a great grace of God to feele the want of Gods graces in thy selfe and to hunger and thirst after them If you desire healing of your nature groane in desire to grace perceive your foulenesse unto a loathing of your selfe feare not sinne hath no dominion over you Sense of Want of grace complaint and mourning from that sense desire setled and earnest with such mourning to have the want supplyed vse of good meanes with attending upon Him therein for this supply is surely of grace What graces thou unfainedly desirest and constantly usest the meanes to attaine Thou hast Take it in short from mee thus A true desire of grace argues a saving and comfortable estate The truth of which appeares clearely By Scriptures Reasons Both ancient and moderne Deuines Proofes Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnâ—sse for they shall bee filled Here to a desire of grace is annexed a Promise of Blessednesse which comprehends all the glory and pleasures of Christs Kingdome here and all heavenly joyes and everlasting blisse hereafter Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Psal. 10.17 The Lord heareth the desire of the humble Psal. 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him Luk. 1.53 The Lord filleth the hungry with good things Reu. 22.17 Let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let Him take the water of life freely Isa. 55.1 Hâ— every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters c. And Cap. 44. vers 3. I will poure water upon Him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground O Lord I beseech thee saith Nehemiah let now thine eare bee attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to feare thy Name Here those who desire to feare the Lord are stiled His servants and proposed as men qualified and in a fit disposition to have their praiers heard their petitions granted their distresses relieved their affaires blessed with successe And no doubt thâ—s Man of God would make speciall choise of such Attributes and affections which might proove powerfull and pleasing Arguments to draw from God compassion favour and protection And therefore a true-hearted desire to feare the Lord is a signe of His servant
confidence as it was woont So that for a time Thou mayst lie under the torture of an heavy heart uncheerfullnesse in all thy waies and some degree of horrour because thou canst get no better hold-fast But more is thy fault For never did dearest Father so lovingly entertaine into His greedy armes a penitent Sonne returning from going astray then our mercifull God upon thy renewed humiliation is willing to shine upon thee againe with the refreshing beames and blessings of his woonted favour Yet tell mee true deare Heart Tho for the present that precious and happy prayer of Paul for the Romanes The God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeving be not fulfilled upon thy Soule Tho thy former joyfull feelings bee turned into distrustfull feares yet doth not that heavy heart of thine desire farre more to bee re-comforted with the presence and pleased face of thy Beloved then crowned with the glory and pleasures of many worlds Wouldest thou not much rather feele the hand of thy Faith fastned againe with peace and full perswasion upon the Person Passion and promises of the Lord Iesus then graspe in thy bodily hand the richest Imperiall Crowne that ever sate upon any Caesars head If Satans spitefull craft taking a cruell advantage of thy present dejection of spirit doe not hinder thy trembling heart from telling the truth I know thou canst not deny this And then I must tell Thee These hearty longings and longing desires in the meane time untill God give more strength be right deare to that tender-hearted Father of thine which doth infinitely more esteeme one groane or sigh from a broken spirit then a thousand rammes or tenne thousand rivers of oyle and are most pretious and piercing to that compassionate heart that poured out it's warmest and dearest blood to purchase the salvation and refresh the sadnesse of every truly-humbled Soule Ground upon it then and bee of good cheere If thy troubled spirit fild with the sense of the want of it's former sweet and joyfull feelings finde in it selfe a true and hearty longing after the supply of that want a constant and conscionable pursuite of all holy meanes for the procurement of that supply I can assure Thee in the Word of life and truth in Gods season Thou shalt bee satisfyed Hee will fullfill the desires of them that feare Him Hee also will heare their cry and will save them And this blessed promise for the accomplishment of thy desire is as surely thine as the breath in thy Body Hee must sooner cease to bee God and deny Himselfe which is more then infinitely impossible and prodigious blasphemy to imagine then faile in the least circumstance or syllable of all His love and promises of life to any One that heartily loves Him All the sacred Sayings in His holy Booke and all those promises of salvation are signed with the hand of Truth it selfe and sealed with the blood of His beloved Sonne And so are farre surer then the Pillars of the Earth or Poles of Heaven For Heaven and Earth must passe away before any title of His Word fall unto the ground And therefore as Hee will most certainly poure upon the hairy Pate of every One which hates to bee reformed all the plagues and curses threatned there even to the least sparke of the flames of Hell and the last drop of the full vials of His infinite endlesse unquenchable wrath so will Hee abundantly make good to every upright Soule syncerely thirsting after Iesus Christ in the best time all the promised good in His blessed Booke and that aboue all expectation expression conceit 4. Fourthly Thou mayst bee diversly distressed upon thy Bed of death 1. Casting thine eye backe upon thy whole life all thy sinnes from Adam to that houre and willing as thou must now take thy farewell so to take thy fill of repentance They appeare to the eie of thy conscience farre moe in number and more ougly then ever before And no marvaile for beeing now sequestred for ever from all worldly comforts and company distractions and diversions and the cloudes of naturall feare raised by the dreadfull circumstances of approaching dissolution uniting as it were and collecting the sight of thy Soule which imploiments in the world commerce amongst men and Sunne-shine of outward prosperity did before too much disperse dazle and divert they are represented farre more to the life and in their true colours Whereupon comparing the poore weake nothingnesse as thou now apprehends of thy godly sorrow hatred and opposition against them with thy present apprehension of their hainousnesse hatefulnesse and horrible number Thou begins to bee dejected and knowest not well what to thinke of thy Selfe I say then for thy comfort consult with thy sanctified heart and thou shalt finde and feele an infinite hearty desire that thy repentance for them detestatiō of them and heart-rising against them had been and now were as thorow sound and resolute as ever was in any penitent Soule that breathed the life of grace upon earth 2. Secondly Revising now thy whole Christian conversation spending of Sabbaths pouring out prayers reading Scriptures hearing the Word love of the Brethren dayes of humiliation workes of mercy receiving the Sacrament godly conference living by Faith in all estates c. Thou mayst see them in this last impartiall cleare retired examination of thy conscience to have been pestered with so many failings imperfections deadnesse of spirit distractions distempers that thou begins to feare and conceive As well never a whit as never the better as they say c. In this case also reflect upon the holy habituall disposition of thy heart and thou shalt feele it thirsting and longing unfainedly that all the holy duties and good deeds that ever passed thorow thy heart and hands had been done in answerable exactnesse to the rules of divine Truth and if it had so pleased God with absolute freedome from all infirmities 3. Thirdly Thou mayst bee troubled at that time because beeing perhaps as yet but of little standing in Profession thou hast done God so little service and in that short time hast not stood on Gods side with that courage and life nor walked in his holy wayes with that watchfulnesse and Zeale as thou mightest And it cuts thy heart the more because thou spent so much of thy time in serving thy selfe and Satan and expectest now to enjoy immortall joyes and a Crowne of endlesse blisse But here is thy comfort It is the unfained desire and resolution of thine heart If the Lord would bee pleased to allow Thee a longer time in this life and adde many moe yeeres unto it Thou wouldest double thy diligence and improove all oportunities to doe thy God every way farre more glorious service then heretofore all the daies of thine appointed time Oh! then thou wouldest doe so and so c. Assure now thy selfe in these three cases and troubles upon thy last Bed this syncere desire of thine
contrition no remission But when comest thou to that measure and degree which may give thee some contentment about the pardon of thy sinnes Goe unto them in this Point for resolution and reliefe and thou goes unto a Racke Consult with their Chapters de quantitate contritionis of the muchnesse of sorrow and they are able to confound thee with many desperate distractions 1. Looke backe upon the elder Schoolemen and you shall have Adrian Quaest. de poenit Quodlib 5. Artic. 3. and others tell you of a Contrition intensivè summa in the highest sâ—reine and to which nothing can bee added as Valent. reports it This opinion Vega refutes de iustif lib. 13. cap. 14. ad princ And Bellarmine dislikes it De poenit lib. 2. cap. 11. Art denique si summus Note by the way how sweetly they agree our concord is Angelicall in respect of their confusions 2. Goe to Scotus In 4. Sent. Dist. 14. Q 2 and his Followers And you shall finde him to talke of a certaine intension of contrition which is soli Deo cognita onely knowen unto God but this Greg. de Valent. censures as very false Tom. 4. Col. 17.24 You see againe as there is no truth in their Tenets so no constancy no concord and by consequent no comfort to a truly troubled spirit 3. Come at length to the latter Locusts some Moderne Iesuites dawbers over of their superstitious ruines with many rotten distinctions I meane Bellar. Greg. de Valent. and their fellowes And they dare not stand either to the unknowne intension of Scotus nor that of highest pitch which Hadrian holds But come in with a sorrow for sin appreciativè summus And what is that thinke you Hence Bellarmine for Valent. speakes more warily in the quoted place Art Neque verò Yet very weakely too for in such Cases the troubled minde is not woont to rest upon generalls onely but will will wee nill we bring us to particular howsoever Scotus Navar and Madinâ— advise the contrary Sorrow for sinne saith hee is then summus appreciativè when the will doth more esteeme the detestation of sinne then the attainement of any good or escaping any ill And so by consequent for as I intimated a troubled conscience in such a Case is very curious and inquiâ—itive and will not stay onely upon confused and generall notions of good and ill but easily descend to Particulars to know it's state more perfectly especialy in a Point of so great importance A man must finde his heart first to prize the hatred of sinne before the happinesse of heavenly joyes or avoiding hellish paines before hee can come to comfort of the remission of his sinnes What a torture were it to a troubled spirit to fall into the hands of such true Pharisies who lay heavy burdens upon others but will not touch them themselves with the least of their fingers But blessed bee God! wee truly teach that it is not so much the measure and muchnesse as the truth and heartinesse of oâ— sorrow which fits for the promises of life and pardon of sinne Yet I must say this also Hee that thinkes hee hath sorrowed sufficiently never sorrowed truly And I like Bellarmines last Proposition well in the fore-â—â—â—ted place If it bee thus understood That wee must desire aime and endeavour after the highest pitch of godly sorrow which can possibly bee attained But 〈◊〉 is one thing to say either just so much measure of sorrow or no mercy such a quantitie of contrition or no remission An other thing to say wee must long and labour to bring our naughty hearts to this Even to bee willing rather to lie in Hell then to live in sinne Perfections of grace are aimed at in this life not attained 4. I confesse some of them sometimes by reason of freedome in their Schooles over-ruled like Caiphas or over-mastered by the clearenesse and invinciblenesse of the truth c. speake something more orthodoxally As in this Point Vega. lib. 13. cap. 24. Art Ad qua accedit Ibid. Art Et Sacerdotes Tolet. Instruct. Sacerd. Lib. 2. cap. 5. Art Quartum dubium Navar. Cap. 1. Num. 18. Estius In 4. Sent. dist 16. § 7. Art Adde quòd fi summus Gratians Mothers Confessour But you see them still like the foure windes blow in one anothers faces Hereupon I have many times marvailed that understanding Papists looking into the Point are not plunged into desperate perplexities considering the varietie of opinions and uncertainety of the degree of sorrow required to their ContritioÌ„ But when I reflected upon another rotten dawbing tricke of theirs I rather wonder at the depths of their Anti-Christian craft in so politikly and plausibly patching together their Popish Paradoxes that they may still keep their damnably-deluded Disciples in contentment and please them still at least with some palliate cures It is this I meane They hold also prodigious infatuation it is impossible that the learned on the Popes side but that that curse is justly upon them 2. Thes. 2.10.11 Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God sends them strong delusion that they should believe a lie should ever bee so grosely blinded I say they hold that a man ex attrito by the power of the priestly absolution is made contritus and that ex opere operato as Valent. affirmes Which upon the matter is thus much That having but only Attrition Legall repentance that fruitlesse sorrow which may be found in a Iudas a Latomus and which a reprobate may carry with him to hell is by the vertue of their sained Sacrament by the Sacrâ—mentall act of Abâ—olution as they call it made truly and savingly Contrite put into a state of justification Heare it in the words of that great famous light of Ireland and for ever abhorre all such Popish impostures When the Priest with his power of forgiving sins interposeth himselfe in the businesse they tell us that Attrition by vertue of the Keyes is made Contrition that is to say that a sorrow arising from a servile feare of punishment and such a fruitlesse repentance as the reprobate may carry with them to hell by vertue of the Priests absolution is made so fruitful that it shall serve the turâ—â— for obtaining forgivenesse of sinnes as if it had been that godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to bee repented of By which spirituall cousenage many poore soules are most miserably deluded while they perswade themselves that upon the receit of the Priests acquittance upon this carnall sorrow of theirs all skores are cleered untill that day and then beginning upon a new reckoning they sinne and confesse confesse and sinne a fresh and tread this round so long till they put off all thought of saving repentance and so the blind following the blind both at last follow into the pit Or thus a little after It hath been
deale and converse with for recovery and cure This secret and saving influence I speake of might bee evidently discerned in Master Peacocke even at the worst Some reverend Ministers standing by his bed of sorrow asked him if they should pray for him Marke well his answer Take not the Name of God in vaine said hee by praying for a Reprobate Which words well weighed seeme to imply and represent clearely to a spirituall discerning judgement some good measure even of the highest degree of divine love preferring the glory of God before the wellfare of his owne soule rather willing to have the meanes of his salvation neglected then the Lord dishonoured One asking another time whether hee loved such an One meaning a godly man Yes saith hee Why For his goodnesse Another comming to him upon the Lords day willed him to put his hand to a note of certaine debts This is not a day for that said hee And at the same time hee would hardly suffer any to stay with him from the Sermon Beeing told of suffering plaisters out of Gods Word to rest upon his wounded soule Hee brake out thus Oh! if I had Oh! if it would please God I had rather then any thing in this or other three thousand Worlds By these we may see and other passages to the same purpose that our blessed God had a secret working and saving influence upon his soule even in the depth and hideous darkenesse of his most grievous desertion Here is love first unto God in a high degree secondly deare affection unto his Children and that for his Image shining in them thirdly love unto his Sabbaths and salvation of others fourthly vehement desires after grace and Gods favour All which were undeniable demonstrations of an undamned state to every understanding eye Nay unquestionable arguments of spirituall life and designation to eternall blisse Whereupon my resolution was then and protestation upon good ground That if all the powerfull eloquence which rested with in the reverent bosome of mine owne deare Mother the famous Vniversity of Oxford managed by the Sâ—raphicall tongue of the highest and most glorious Angell in heaven had been industriously set on worke for that purpose except I had heard my blessed Redeemer say I will rend a member from my Body and throw it away The holy Spirit say I will pull my seale from that Soule which I have savingly sanctifyed my gracious and mercifull Father say I wil this once faile forsake One of mine I could never have been possibly perswaded that that soule of his so richly laden with heavenly treasure and gifts of God never to be repented of so syncerely exercised in the waies of God and opposition to the corruption of the times c. should possibly perish 2. Secondly suppose thou shouldest walke in darkenesse and have no light in the sense of the Prophet for the residue and remainder of thy few and evill dayes in this vale of teares nay and dye so before comfort comes yet be not discomforted For fearing God and being upright-hearted thy Soule shall most certainely bee preserved in spirituall and eternall safety by staying upon thy God tho thou bee without any sense of joy and peace in believing This life tho never so long is but a moment to the life to come But the kindnesse is everlasting with which hee will have mercy on thee Thy sufferings are but short whatsoever they bee But thou hast eternity of joyes in the World above purchased and prepared for thee by the hearts-blood of that blessed Saviour of thine upon whom thy soule relies It is the Divels policy say Divines to procure for his slaves all the favours honours and advancements all the prosperities and pleasures hee can possibly lest if hee should not follow and fullfill their humours this way they might thinke upon seeking after and serving a new Master Noâ— caring to vexe or molest them in this World because hee knowes full well hee shall have time enough hereafter to torment them in Hell And wilt not thou contrarily be content if God so please to passe thorow this vale of teares even with Hemans horrour Psal. 88.15 Sith Heaven is so neare at hand and thou hast a little before thee an everlasting time to row in the bottomlesse and boundlesse Ocean of all glory and blisse in an endlesse variety of new and fresh delights infinitely excellent and sweet aboue the largest created conceite 6. Let us suppose a Christian in these three states And it is no uncouth thing to those who obserue or feele Gods secret and unsearchable dealings with his Children 1. First in a faire and comfortable calme and Sun-shine after the tempestuous troubles and travaile in the pangs of the New-birth when the light of Gods countenance the first refreshing warmth of his sanctifying Spirit the fresh sweetnesse and vitall stirrings of grace the ravishing consciousnesse of his happy conversion doe fill his soule as with marrow and fatnesse and feede it with a kindly and more lively disposition to all good and godly dueties 2. Secondly in a spirituall Desertion when the sense of Gods favour love and woonted presence the comfortable vse and exercise of the Ordinances graces and spirituall affaires langvish and leave him for a time 3. Thirdly In the state of recovery and restitution from such a fearefull Dampe and deprivation of divine comfort unto former ioyfull feelings and re-enjoyment of his Beloved so that his revived soule may sweetly sing My Beloved is mine and I am his Now I doubt not But that the middle of these three estates being accompanied with hearty griefe and groanes for Christs absence restlesse pantings and longings after a new resurrection as it were of the sensible and fruitfull operations of grace renewed desires and endeavours for regainement of accustomed surer hold by the hand of Faith patient and praierfull waiting for the returne of Gods pleased face c. is as pleasing and deare if not more to our mercifull Father as either of the other two Doe you not thinke that the Fathers of our flesh are as lovingly affected and meltingly mooved to heare the obedient Child sigh and sob cry out and complaine because they looke not kindly upon him but for triall of his affection have hid for a time the much desired beames of their fatherly favour under some affected angry frownes as when things are carried more currently and comfortably betwixt them without any great distast and discontentment or occasion to discover the mutuall impatiency of their loves one unto another And shall not the Father of our Spirits who loves us with the same love with which he loves the Lord Iesus himselfe surpasse as farre in affectionate compassion towards us in the like Case as an Almighty God doth a mortall Man He cannot chuse because the word is already gone out of his mouth Like as a Father pittieth his Childe so the Lord pittieth them that feare him Psa. 103.13 I am
convenimur nos constringimur nos rei esse ostendimur Qui supra ea mala quae propriae habemus alienas quo ne mortes addimus quia tot occidimus quot ad mortem ire quotidiè tepidi â—acentes videmus Gregor in Ezech. 16. 1. Hom. 11. m Et qui sollicitus esse non studuit in praedicatione factus est particeps in damnatione Idem Ibid. Benè nostis fratres charissimi me vobis frequenter supplâ—casâ—e paternâ sollicitudine commonâ—isse pariter contestatumesse ut illas sacrilegas Paganorum consuetudines observare minimè debeâ—etis Sed quantùm aâ—me multorum relatione pervenit apud aliquos parum profecit admonitio mea quia si vobis ego non dixero pro me pro vobis malam sum redditurus rationem in dic judicâ— vobiscum mihi erit necesse aeterna supplicia sustinere Ego me apud Deum absolvo dum iterum atque iterum admonco pariter conâ—esâ—or Aug de temp Ser. 241. n â—or the painefulnes of that unprofitable way of preaching wherein there is ordinarily so much affectation on the one side and expectation on the other of such a deale of curiosity variety of extraordinary conceits tricks of wit ostentation of reading c. that it puts the Pen-man to a great deale of paines and tortures his wit extremely Then afterwards the irkesome tediousnesse of committing it so punctually and precisely to memory The fearefulnesse in delivery and danger of being out Vaine-glorious doubting that they shall not bee appâ—â—â—ded as they were wont Feare lest the next time should lessâ—n their former reputation of wit reading c. I say such considerations as these are many times notable 〈◊〉 to keepe them from appearing too often in the Pulpit o In His Godly Observations concerning divers Arguments and Common Places in Religion Cap. 13. p 〈◊〉 quotidiè nobiscum rationes quas cum nostro judice habebimus 〈◊〉 qâ—od lucrum Deosicimus nos qui accepto talento abeo ad negotium missisumus 〈◊〉 dicit Negotiamini dum venio Ecce jam vâ—nit ecce de nostro negocio lucrum requirâ—â— Quale eâ— daâ—marum lucrum de nostra negotiatione monstrabimus Quot ejus conspectuian 〈◊〉 mâ—nipulos de praedicationis noâ—â—rae segete illaturi sumus Ponamus ante ocâ—los nostros illum tantae distinctionis diem quo judex veniet rationem cum seruis quibus talenta credidit ponâ—t Ecce in majestate terribili inter angelorum atque archangelorum choros videbitur In illo tanto examine electorum omnium reproborum multitudo deduâ—etur unusquisque quid sit operatus ostendetur Ibi Petrus cum Iudaea conversa quam post se traxit apparebit Ibi Paulus converum ut ita dixerim mundum ducens Ibi Andreas post se Achaiam ibe Joannes Asiam Thomas Iâ—diam in conspectum sut judicis conversam ducet Ibi omnes dominici gregisarietes cum animarum lucrâ—â— apparebunt quisanctis praedicationibus Deo post se subditum gregem trahunt Cum igitur tot pâ—stores cum gregibus suts ante aeterni pastoris oculos venerim nos miseri quid 〈◊〉 sumus qui ad Dominum nostrum post negotium vacui redimus qui pastorum nâ—men habuimus oves quas ex nutrimento nostra debeamus ostenderâ— non habemus Hic pastores vocati samus ibi gâ—egem non ducimus Gregor in Evangel Hom 17. q Fo sumus omnes ingenio ut nunquaÌ„ velimus quaerere Christum nisi impulsi sensu aliquo miseriae ac indigentiae nostrae Qui valent non egent medico sed male affecti inquit Christus Venite ad me omnes qui fatigati onerati estis ego faciam ut requiescatis Quotquot igitur Christum praedicant Christi exemplo hoc discant nempo quo tempore alliciunt homines ad fidem propositâ illâ suavitate quae est in Christo codem tempore extimulandos esse ipsos peccati ac miseriae suae sensu ad Christum amplectendum Nam hae duae partes doctrinae semper conjungendae sunt Doctrina miseriae Doctrina misericordiae in Christo Iesu. Rolloc in Ioan. c. 4. r Let none speak against the preaching of the Law for it is the wholesome way that God Himselfe and His Servants in all Ages have taken Hee did reprove convince and curse Adam and Eve and after Hee preached the Seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head So Iohn Baptist dealt with His hearers And our Saviour Christ saith Hee came to seeke and to save the lost Peter Act. 2.37 first preached the Law and after the Gospell So Paul and Silas Act. 16. The contrary is the way to make people curse us hereafter tho it please them for the present As if one should heale a sore on the top and not corrasive it to draw and eate out the core it would within a while breake out againe with farre greater danger So shall wee find it in this case Rogers of Dedham in His Doctrine of Faith pag. 97.98 s The Law first humbles then the Gospell comforts The Law hath three works First it inlighteneth a miserable sinner in whom God hath a meaning to worke Faith with a cleare and particular sight of His misery and wofull estate Hee stands in by sinne Secondly it doth also by the working of the Spirit convince the Party that that is particularly true of Him which before Hee used to poste over His head as pertaining to others not to Him But now God makes Him take this to Himselfe and to apply and appropriate it as if the Minister spoke to Him alone by Name and to thinke the Minister knowes all His heart looketh on Him and speakes directly to Him Though it may bee the Minister knew Him nor or not His case but God makes Him so to thinke Thirdly upon these two it raiseth terrour and puts this sinner out of His old secure and peaceable course of impenitency that He went on in Whether it bee the prophane that went on boldly in His sinne or the civill man trusting in His owne righteousnesse And makes Him as one shot into flesh with a crosse or bearded arrow which He cannot shake out nor abide the smart but stampes as one sâ—â—â—ng with an Addâ—r 〈◊〉 cannot stand His ground but is wholly possessed with fearâ— Ibid pag. 68. c. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Act. 2 37. Isai. 55.1 Ioh 7.37 Matth. 5.29.30 s Matth. 13.44 By that a man hath is meant sinne and by selling it the renouncing and disclaiming of sinne Now to sell this is as the nature of selling wee know requires to part with the right and title and interest that a Man hath unto it the secret and inward loue to it and the outward and common practise of it He that would enioy this heavenly treasure which the Lord doth so freely and graciously tender unto us by the preaching of the Gospell must resolve to make a through sale and
He will have it whatsoever it cost Him Yea but there is a price put upoÌ„ it it must cost thee deare a great deale of sorrow trouble and other crosses Tush tell mee not of the price whatsoever I have shall goe for it I will doe any thing for it Why wilt thou cuâ— be thine aâ—â—ections Wilt thou give up thy life Wilt thou bee content to tell all that thou hast and begge all thy life time so thou mayest have this treasure I will doe it with all my heart I am content to sell all that I have nothing is so deare unto mee but I will part with it my right hand my right eye nay if Hell it selfe should stand betweene mee and Christ yet would I passe thorow the same unto him This is that violent affection which God putteth into the hearts of His Children that they will have Christ whatsoever it cost them Although I confesse all that repent and lay hold on Christ shall have mercy yet what is this to thee thou wretched Man So long as sinne hath dominion over thee what art Thou So long we are not only dead but also rotten in sinne so that it may be said of us as it â—as as Lazarus Ioh. 11. Lord saith Martha hee stinketh already So wee are not onely 〈◊〉 and rotten in sinne but even stinke thereof so long as any sinne or sinnes have dominion over us D.V. Christ receives none but them that denie themselves are willing to take up the Crosse and follow Him that mortifie the deeds of the Body by the Spirit To Iustification nothing but Faith is required but this caution must bee added It must bee a Faith that purifies the heart that may worke an universall change that may shew it selfe in fruites and bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life D.P. Revel 19 16. y See Gifford upon the place Alsted Theol. Cas. cap. 6. De pulchritudine omnium pulcherrimâ quae est Iesus Christus y In Christo tanta bona possidetis ut domini mundi omnium rerum sitis Par. in locum 1. Cor. 3.21 z Ioh 15.13 a Hoc verb◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non voluit dicere Apostolus Christum per assumptionem sormae servi abjecisse forma dei desusse quod erat sed tantùm quòd gloriam illam Majestatem in quà erat apud Patrem ita abdiderit in formâ servi ut câ— sese penitut Evacuasse visus sit quia nimirùmea gloria in carne non fulgebat ut ab omnibus conspici posset b Ioh. 8 48. c Col. 2.9 d Omnes poenae à nobis commeritae toleratae sunt à Christo At poenae animae erant à nobis commeritae Ergò poenâ—ts animae Christus toleravit Chamierus Tom. 2. de deseâ—ulu ad inferos Lib 5 cap. 12. Sect. 1. Neither doth Hee or â— meane that Christ suffered in Soule onely by Sympathy with the Body But also immediately from the wrath of God for our sinnes Heare him a little after Contra sua sophismata Bellarminus tamâ—n concludit Christum passum animâ et corpore Quod ipsum Calvinus contendit nos asserimus Quid igitur frustrà laborant Sophistae in oppugnandâ— veritate quam ipsi tandem ipsi inquam fateri cogantur Nisi forte in animâ patiente nihil aliud considerant nisi ipsos dolores corporis tantum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per assistentiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non verò 〈◊〉 propriè suo sensu Quo quid possit absurdiùs dici Certè antequà m corpus quicquam pateretur Christus ipse testabatur suam animam esse perturbatam quidem usque ad mortem Ibid. Sect. 3. Leo it is that first said it and all Antiquity allow of it Non soluit unionem sed subtraxit visionem The vnion was not dissolved True but the beames the influence was restrained and for any comfort from thence His Soule was even as a scorched heath ground without so much as any drop of dew of divine comfort as a naked tree no fruit to refresh Him within no leafe to give Him shadow without the power of darknesse let loose to afflict Him the influence of comfort restrained to relieve Him winchesters Sermons pag. 356. Wounded Hee was in Body wounded in Spirit left utterly desolate Ibid. pag. 157. e There are sixe kinds of dereliction or forsaking whereof Christ may bee thought to have complained First by dis-union of person secondly by losse of grace Thirdly by diminution or weakening of grace Fourthly by want of assurance of future deliverance and present support Fiftly by deniall of protection Sixthly by with-drawing of solace and destituting the forsaken of all comfort It is impious once to thinke that Christ was forsaken any of the foure first wayes For the unity of His person was never dissolved His graces were never either taken away or diminished Neither was it possible Hee should want assurance of future deliverance and present support that was eternall God and Lord of life But the two last wayes hee may rightly bee said to have been forsaken Field of the Church Lib. 5. cap. 18. f Exijt qui â—eminat seminare inquit Semen hic doâ—trinam suam arva ceâ—ò campos aminas huminum seminatorem autem seipsum appellat Quid igitur de illo senisne sit Tribus perditis partibus una tantummodò salvatur Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. 45. Hâc parabold discipulos docuit exercuit ut etsi plures corum qui praedicationem Apostolonum suscepturi erant perderentur non caderent aulmis cum id etiam in Domino atque Magistro pariter factum recordarentur Neque tamen ipse quamvis ita id futurum non ignoraret semina proijcere neglexit Ibid. Vocati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scilicet exlernè perverbum Electi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scil Ad vitam aeternam Christus loquitur de vocatione externâ quá per Evangelij prâ—dicationem vocantur tam reprobi quà electi c. Piscat in Matth. cap. 20. Iste popictâ—â— qui in medio populi suscepit misericordiam Dei quantium numerum babet Quèm pancâ— sunt Vix inveniuntur aliqui Illisne contentus Deus erit perdet tantam multitudinem Dicunt hoc qui sibi promittunt hoc quod à Deo promitâ—ents non audiâ—runt Quot sunt illi qui viâ—entur servare praecepta Dei Vix invenitur unus vel duo vel paucissimi Ipsos solos Deus liberaturus est caeteros damnaturus Absit inqutunt cum venerit videbit tantam multiâ—udinem ad sinistram miserebitur dabit indulgentiam Hoc plaâ—è etiam serpens ille promisit primo homini Nam minatus erat Deus mortem si gastaret Ille autem â—bsit inquit morte non moriemini Crediderunt serpenti invenerant verumesse quod minatus est Deus falsum quod promiserat diabolus Ita nunc fratres c. August in Psal. 48. pag. 528. c And justly they find Him not ex lâ—ge talionis