deepe dissembling for will not wee thinke a man did mock vs if he should thank vs when we do him no better pleasure then thrust a knife through his cheeks so is it for men to thanke God when hee smiteth them with his plagues and thrusteth them in with the sword of his scourges and fearefull iudgements except they found that they were sanctified vnto them and that they did them good by letting out the impostume of some great corruptions that lay ranckling in their soules whereby they are now like to haue better and more found health for euer after If God shall by any meanes shew to a man at any time what benefit his sicknesse shall bring vnto him and what is the good that he shall reape out of his troubles and his affliction that thereby as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet The iniquitie of Iacob shall be purged Isai 27. 9. and this shall be all the fruite thereof to take away his sinne he hath then cause indeed to be thankefull and chearefull in his trouble but for a man to reioyce against his conscience and contrary to that he feeleth cause for is but to reioyce in playing the hypocrite for he neither is nor can be soundly merry at the heart in such a case This is as if a man should be seene to goe leaping and reioycing to the gallowes when he is to suffer not for a good cause but as a malefactor euery one knowes that is a cause of sorrowing and mournefull heauinesse and not of reioycing and they to be pittied and not to be enuied that are seene to doe so As therefore many doe feare where no cause of feare is so yet there are more that reioyce where no cause of true ioy is The Lord hath promised to make the hearts of his seruants glad and ioyfull in the house of prayer Isai 56. 7. Gods faithfull seruants they are and may be merry but they onely take comfort in that which is matter of true reioycing indeed the other like them that are sicke of light frenzies laugh at their owne shaddows and at their owne fancies and vaine conceits To conclude then this matter also hypocrites and temporary beleeuers may haue in outward shew and appearance the like for a time that haue true beleeuers though neuer any such ioy as can be found to bee in like manner true for the sinceritie of it or in like degree pure without other mixture for the soundnesse and simplicitie thereof as is theirs Their ioy is neither of like measure for fulnesse nor of like soliditie and firmenesse for continuance Their ioy therefore may rather be said to bee like then any way equal to the ioy of true beleeuers which is the onely true ioy when all is done all other being but counterfeit in comparison of the same which being compared together in respect of those sundrie dimensions that seuerally before haue been expressed and which haue in like manner betweene themselues been apart considered thereout so plaine a difference will be made to appeare betweene them as is betweene truth and falsehood betweene that which is most sound and that which is but meere seeming and in bare shewes alone We had neede therefore to looke well and to make sure worke that we desiring to haue comfort and ioy of heart wherewith to be made glad may haue of that ioy that is true indeed because we can haue no other witnes of our hauing therof but only our owne selues neither any other to helpe vs to consider of our owne estate in this behalfe how it standeth and fareth with vs in this thing then our owne selues alone so as we shall be but euen plaine cosoners of our selues if we be deceiued herein CHAP. XXVI The fifth maine difference betweene sound beleeuers and counterfeits is in their repentance and how farre hypocriees may proceed therein Question THere haue bin shewed many plaine and cleere differences betweene the 1. knowledge of Christ that men haue and betweene the manner of mens 2. apprehending and laying hold of him for saluation as also betweene the 3. perswasion and assurance that men haue of obtaining life and saluation in Christ by meanes of such their laying hold vpon him and lastly betweene the 4. ioy following thereupon which may be found in those that are but hypocrites and temporary beleeuers and in those that are vnfained in their faith and true beleeuers indeed It remaineth that forsomuch as you haue shewed in all that haue true faith indeed there must be found wrought together with all these graces bâ—fore going a sound and thorough reformation of life to follow after and for euer to be maintained and continued in to the end And that hypocrites can as well counterfeit this as any of the rest that you likewise doe now shew some prognant and cleere differences whereby the repentance of a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained may be found to differ from the repentance of an hypocrite that is alwaies hollow at the heart and vnsound in his faith A. Repentance among other the graces of Gods spirit Repentance giuen to such as shall be saued being one of the vitall parts of the body among other the members which cannot be wanting if wee would haue life well to remaine repentance being called repentance vnto life and being in some sort as necessarie to be had as is true faith it selfe which cannot be true except this be accompanying of it and therefore they are many times ioyned together in the Scripture and both by Iohn the forerunner and by Christ himselfe that followed after the one of them is as well commended vnto vs as is the other Repent say they and beleeue the Gospell This therefore being a grace absolutely needfull for all and which all seeme to be desirous greatly to obtaine there are none that will beare themselues more bold vpon it and that will presume further vpon their vndoubted hauing of it then those that are most without it and are furthest from all likelihood or possibilitie of euer obtaining it those are hypocrites and counterfeit beleeuers of whom our Sauiour Christ saith their portion assigned to them is to be with the diuell and his angels shewing that of all others there is least hope of their being euer brought to sound repentance that so finally they may be saued for he saith that harlots and publicanes are neerer vnto it then are they and therefore sooner shall be saued as who shall before them enter into the kingdome of heauen And yet none will make a more fairer shew of being indeed humbled and of earnestly repenting then will such There is no externall action requisite to be done by him that is truly penitent How farre hypocrites goe indeed which they will not performe and that in outward appearance to the full they will faile in none of the parts that doe belong to the humbling of the outward man and bringing downe of the body though it it were
furthest from him The one therefore findeth comfort and the other hath none They differ also in that which causeth the sorrow of the one and of the other and in that which is caused by either That which causeth the sorrow and repentance of hypocrites is more vsually plagues and punishments either inflicted and felt or threatned and feared when they are imminent and hang ouer their heads their hearts resemble flint stones which will cast no sparkles vnlesse they be strooke Rarely will it be found that any of them are brought to bee humbled by the sole ministery of the Word or if by that rather by the denouncing of iudgements and by the threatnings and thundrings of the Law then by the sweet and amiable voice and sound of the Gospell whereout the promises of life and offers of grace are made vnto vs. Foelix trembled when Paul preached of temperance and righteousnesse and iudgement to come but Festus mocked when hee heard him preach Christ and begin to open the secrets and mysteries of the Gospell in his hearing then hee cried out against him that he was beside himselfe and that too much learning had made him mad They be not for the most part words but blowes and stroakes and those well laid on too by the powerfull hand of a reuenging and irefull Iudge that will serue to maule and breake downe the stoutnesse and stubbornesse of the hearts of proud hypocrites though so well able is the Lord to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and to slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes as hee can make his word quicke and powerfull and forcible enough to pierce deepe and cut sharper then a two edged sword and out of that quiuer can draw out such arrowes to shoot into the sides of all hypocrites as shall be sharpe enough to pierce and to split the hearts of all the Kings enemies and be able to draw blood out of their sides and to fetch sighes out of their hearts yea to make them for the time to roare out of their throats for horrour and feare bee they neuer so secure though in the end they become little the better for it The Lord can make the threatnings of his iudgements out of his word denounced come bleake to the hearts of offenders which shall send a terrible shaking through all their bones and become as thunder strokes doubled that are able to daunt the stoutest stomack that is the Lord can make the terrour of the Law and the thundring out of the threatnings thereof to flash as the lightening in euery conscience that hath guiltinesse in it and to be as fier to make their hearts to melt though otherwise as hard as brasse Thus either by the mighty strokes of Gods reuenging hand inflicting iudgements plagues and punishments or by the terrour of the Law that doth nothing but thunder out threatnings of vengeance doe the hearts of most secure hypocrites many times come to bee daunted yea in a manner strucken dead with horrour and feare and trembling for the time And these are the things that breed and bring out the repentance that they haue and causeth all their sorrow to be such as it is On the other side the true and godly sorrow the sound and vnfained repentance the best conuersion of true beleeuers that is freest from suspition of being counterfeit is that which is caused by the ministery of the Word and by the powerfull working thereof vpon the conscience which is as a hammer to breake the stonie hardnesse of the heart that it may goe all to dust and powder and is as fier with the heate thereof to melt the heart though it were neuer so hard frozen in the dregges of sinne before as shall cause such a thaw to bee in that heart and to abound of weeping mourning and shedding teares for sinnes committed as if the very springs of sorrow were all opened and loosened that might cause whole streames The teares and waters of repentance are as that red sea wherein the whole armie of our sins which are our most dangerous enemies that do pursue vs are deeply drowned and brookes of teares to run downe and flow from the eyes of him that is truly penitent sufficient to lay in soak the very heart it selfe in that abundance of teares yea to cleanse both heart and life and wash away all filth of sin that euer before haue been committed When such a worke is wrought vpon a mans heart by the ministerie of the word and the conscience feeling it selfe wounded and strucken at the hearing thereof shall find no rest till it hath eased it selfe by abundant weeping sorrowing and mourning that God should euer be so offended by him and vntill direction bee giuen him what better course is now to bee taken crying out with those true conuerts and penitent persons in the Acts Men and brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued When the word doth thus worke vpon any without any other inforcement of outward crosse or affliction that else doe happen it is an excellent good signe and one of the best euidences that can bee brought out of the truth of that sorrow that hath been bred thereby and of the soundnesse of that repentance that hath followed thereof I denie not but that by crosses and afflictions the Lord doth oftentimes recouer and fetch home his stray-seruants and reclaime them out of their sinnes The Lord hath many meanes and hee can make all or any of them effectuall to doe good to those that are his he sometimes awakeneth his seruants by the sound of his word knocking at the doore of their hearts sometimes Act. 2. 37. 2. Sam. 12. 1. 7. 13. Neh. 9. 30. Gen. 6. 3. by his Spirit wherewith he striueth within vs somtimes by striking and whipping our naked consciences leauing them dismayed with feare and dread and hiding the light of his countenance from vs so as wee feele not the ioy we were wont to haue sometimes by corrections and punishments 2. Sam. 24. 10. Psal 38. 2. 3. 8. Iob 33. 16. 17. Ionah 1. 17. and 2. 1. 2. on our bodies for our sinnes opening our eares by them and sealing our instruction that so he may keepe back our soules from the pit and our liues from perishing the Lord making this the fruit of all the affliction he sendeth to his children euen the taking away of their sinne For Isa 27. 9. which cause it is that the heauenly iustice and fatherly care of God is often shewing vs his rods sometimes shaking them at vs sometimes striking them vpon vs to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthy and dirty puddle of our sinfull life If then the Lord bee faine to lay on bodily crosses vpon vs the better thereby to breake our hearts they being blessed of God may well be made auailable this way to doe vs good But it is not so free from suspition it is better to
mischiefe of pride surely as pride spoileth vertue so vice spoileth pride againe And as out of the ashes of other sinnes pride is said to spring vp so out of the flourishing againe of other sinnes all that pride is plucked downe againe And this may bee thought to bee one cause why the Lord seeth it meete not wholly to free his seruants from many infirmities and much corruption of nature which is found still remaining in them namely that as he would not cast out all the enemies of his people out of that good land to which he had brought them lest the wild beastes for want of their helpe should preuaile against them so doth the Lord suffer that strength of corruption to remaine in his children that they may be aided thereby against all the assailings of pride which is such a wild beast as otherwise could not well bee with-stood but were likely otherwise to deuoure all vertue that it could find in them and by so doing come finally to ouerthrow them Satan therefore that is so busie with Gods children to bee euer tempting them to sinne and to one sinne after another doth therein but worke against himselfe and doth but lay a traine to blow vp the castles of pride wherein himselfe should most strongly and safely abide And while he neuer leaueth till he haue drawne the childe of God at the last to commit some great and hainous sinne which proueth to be as a wakening sinne vnto him who before was slumbring in securitie and maketh him to start vp and arise out of his sleepe and considering his waies in his heart to humble himselfe at once and to repent for that and for all his sinnes beside Now Satan in this doing doth but pull as we vse to say an old house vpon his head for he pulleth downe and ouerthroweth thereby the whole frame of all the other sinnes which hee had built vp and got to be planted in that mans heart before and so by his restlesse tentations he destroyeth and crosseth his owne worke the Lord making him in despight of his teeth to worke against himselfe who though he doe what he can yet will the Lord euer be found to ouershoote Satan euen in his own bowe In all which respects the Lord through his infinite wisedome goodnesse and mercy so ordering euery thing as he maketh the very sinnes of his seruants committed by them not a little to turne to the good of themselues by causing them therby the better to know their owne frailtie and what strength of corruption is still abiding in them that so they may be drawne to a greater humiliation and more earnest repenting not alone for their last sinnes but for such sinnes also as before either were not knowne or neuer at al soundly repented on and withal to haue a far greater care bred in them how to carry themselues more warily for afterwards euermore with feare and trembling working on their owne saluation And when besides Gods seruants shall see the workes of Satan thus distolued in them that what he intended for their ouerthrow doth now serue for their furtherance and to their making for euer the diuels poyson being so altered and changed by the ouer-ruling hand as it becommeth medicine Satan tempting and drawing them to sinne and the Lord by that sinne pulling them out of more sinne so curing sinne by sinne And lastly and chiefly when they at the length doth see how the Lord doth out of the sinnes committed by them how odious and abominable soeuer they haue been which they haue done make way for his owne greater glory and the more magnifying of the riches of those his mercies whereby both the same their sinnes are pardoned vnto them and they themselues in like manner cleared and purged from the venemous infection and strong corruption of them what should let but that which being euer humbled in themselues with godly sorrow for their sinnes and going out of themselues yet the true seruants of God their sinnes notwithstanding may reioyce in the Lord and alwaies reioyce in him for the excellency of all this worke thus wrought by him Q. Though there may be some cause of a Christians reioycing in the Lords blessed worke whereby he bringeth good out of the euill of such sinnes as he hath committed when once such good effects are seene to be brought out yet while this sinne is still abiding without being put to any such vse as you haue before spoken I demaund what cause there can bee shewed or any way found to bee of a Christians reioycing in the Lords worke which hee is in hand with towards him at the very time of his sinning or still abiding in his sinne A. That I may not be mistaken herein I am so farre from either saying or thinking that any seruant of God falling into sinne may any way reioyce in himselfe in respect of the sinne that either he hath once fallen into or still is seene to continue and abide in as confidently I doe affirme he can neuer be sufficiently cast downe nor grieued enough with godly sorrowing for the same and therefore according to the counsell giuen by the Apostle Iames 4. 9. 10. Iames I say he ought to be afflicted to mourne and to weepe letting his laughter be turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse humbling himselfe daily in the sight of the Lord till hauing obtained mercy from God for hauing repentance vnto life granted to him whereby hee may turne from his sinne and bring forth fruites worthy of amendment of life the Lord may then lift him vp in giuing him sound comfort and true ioy againe Howbeit in respect of another worke which the Lord himselfe is then in hand with euen when his seruant is sinning or after hee hath sinned found still abiding in that sinne he hath committed if that worke of God could be well seene into and rightly and wisely discerned I see nothing to the contrary but there might be found the like cause of reioycing therein as the sicke patient findeth cause to reioyce in the worke which he seeth his skilfull Physitian to be in hand with when he is tempering the potion mixing the ingredients preparing the medicine and then doth administer it vnto him and sets it a working the patient cannot all this time reioyce as hauing seene and felt what is the good effect of that medicine nor in perceiuing the cure to be fully wrought and finished vpon him but knowing that the Physitian who hath taken him in hand is both skilfull and faithfull hee reioyceth to see him to bee about the worke and so diligent therein as to be a preparing the medicine within his best vnderstanding hee knoweth of all others to bee most fit for his curing So when the Lord seeth no other meanes to be so fit for the recouering of some dull and dead-hearted seruant of his out of some sinne that he is fallen into and in which hee still lieth slumbring without any
with scourges yet wil he not take his mercy from them nor falsifie his truth though for a time he may be angry yet will hee not keepe his Psal 103. 9. anger alwayes towards his children and vnto this it hath pleased the Lord to bind himselfe not onely by promise but by oath that his kindnesse shall neuer depart from his nor the Couenant of his peace be remoued from them which he would haue them know is as sure to be performed as the oath which he hath sworne shall be kept that the Isa 54 9. 10. waters of Noah shall no more goe ouer the earth and if any man can breake the Couenant which the Lord hath made with the day and night that there should not be day nor night Ier. 33. 20. 21. in their season then may they breake this Couenant which the Lord hath made with his poople in this behalfe Howsoeuer then the Lord being offended may somtimes in his displeasure hide his face from his seruants and forsake them as Christ did the Spowse that we might more desire after him and more earnestly seeke for him yet may there a fauour be found and perceiued to be borne vnto them by the Lord himselfe euen in that his displeasure yea that vey kind of forsaking of Gods children is a token that they are not forsaken because it is done by way of correction and in meaning to reclaime them When he so seemeth to goe from vs he doth indeed but offer himselfe to come nearer vnto vs though this be not so casily discerned for so doth the Author to the Hebrewes tell vs that God in chastening of vs doth offer himselfe vnto Heb. 12. 7. vs as vnto sonnes It is more fearfull forsaking of God when the Lord seemeth to doe nothing lesse then to forsake and when he bringeth no trouble nor affliction for sinne but leaueth men to themselues and to the fulfilling Psal 81. 12. Rom. 1. 28. of the lusts of their owne hearts to doe what they he is neuer more angry then when after that sort hee seemeth to be pleased in doing nothing against them for this is such a kind of dealing by the Lord as if a Physition should giue ouer a patient when his case is desperate And so on the other side the Lord is neuer lesse angry then when he seemeth to be so angry as to haue now left and forsaken vs that thereby he might the better humble vs and breake our hearts For this he vseth as the best medicine the fittest remedic to cure vs and recouer vs out of that most dangerous lethargie of carnall security into which we were fallen and therefore as sicke patients are not glad of their sicknesse and disease but being sicke are glad of the comming of the Physition that bringeth them medicine and ministreth it to them because now they hope they are in the way of being cured and recouered againe so Gods children hauing fallen by their sinning so farre to displease God as now he will giue them no countenance till their hearts be broken for their sinning and they brought to better humiliation though there is no cause they should bee pleased with their sinning yet haue they cause to reioyce in the Lords faithfulnesse vnto them that when no other way could be found sufficient for the reclaiming of them out of their sinne and bringing them home againe that were departed from him then for himselfe to be a while estranged from them hee would chuse rather to loose them for a time that so being occasioned more earnestly to seeke his face and his fauour againe hee might by meanes thereof make them more constantly to abide with him for euer after rather then by continuing his wonted fauours towards them see and suffer them to depart still further from him till there should at the length a perfect breach grow to be made betweene them and so a falling off for altogether CHAP. XXIIII Of the third let of true ioy which is the Crosse and how their ioy is augmented through the much good that comes thereby TOuching that other point of Gods drawing neere vnto vs in laying the crosse vpon our sholders and bringing troubles and afflictions vpon vs for our sinnes when he doth visit our offences with the rod and our sins with scourges the like doubt may be made how Gods children bearing the crosse should not bee so pinched and gauled with the same and being smitten and sorely strucken yea deepely wounded with Gods owne hand should not so haue all comfort and ioy in God taken from them as that possibly they should doe any other thing during all that time but lament and mourne especially when the Lord himselfe findeth it to bee a great fault in his people and complaineth of it by his Propher that he hath smitten them and they haue not sorrowed and ler. 2. 30. and 5. 3. therefore saith that in so smiting them he hath smitten them in vaine Doubtlesse it is a great fault in Gods people when being iustly smitten for their sinnes by the hand of God they turne not vnto him that smiteth them and do not Isa 9. 13. seeke the Lord of hosts when they being afflicted doe not mourne and weepe causing their laughter to be turned into Iam. 4. 9. 10. mourning and their ioy into heauinesse as Iames counselleth Howbeit that Gods seruants may still keepe their ioy and hold their reioycing in the Lord euen during the time while themselues are in heauinesse through manifold afflictions that doe befall them the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. doth plainly shew who finding these to meet together in one and the same subiect though in diuers respects saith thus writing to the dispersed people of God that were elect that they greatly reioyced that they were kept by the power of God vnto saluation though euen at that time for a season they were in heauinesse through manifold tribulations Not much vnlike to this for this matter is that which the Author to the Hebrewes saith concerning Heb. 12. 11. troubles that no chastisement for the present seemeth ioyous but grieuous neuerthelesse aftherward they yeeld the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them which are exercised thereby he saith that the troubles and chastisements are not presently so grieuous but the fruit of righteousnesse which afterward will bee reaped thereby will be euery way as pleasant and as peaceable to them that so haue endured them There is cause then why a Christian euen during the time that hee is vnder the chastisement should reioyce in hope of the good fruit he shall reape of it like as hope is said to be that which doth hold vp in comfort the hart of the husbandman who hauing been at much cost to prepare his ground and commit seed thereunto is yet cheered in hope that when haruest shall come the crop that he shall then reape will quit all the cost he hath formerly been at but aboue
to confesse in the eare of a Priest all and euery one of his 1. Vnto men sinnes in particular how secretly soeuer they haue been done and so many times doe vrge men to doe open penance for secret sinnes inuerting the discipline of the Church this neither the Word of God any where requireth neither the Orthodox Church hath taught as well doth Master Perkins make to appeare in his Reformed Catholike in his Treatise of Confession that Auricular August Confess lib. 10. cap. 3. Chrysost tom 5. hom 5. de dei natura Et in Psal 50. hom 2. confession was not knowne vnto Augustine it is cleare for he said What haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as though they should heale all my diseases And likewise Chrysostome I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe I doe not bid thee confesse them to thy fellow-seruants who will mocke thee but confesse them to God who will cure and heale thee The Papists doe likewise erre about the confession of sinnes which they make vnto God in that it is and must 2. Vnto God be made in a tongue or language not vnderstood of the speakers thereof being ignorant which hindreth the feruencie of his zeale that so doth make his confession and the breaking of his hart with sorrow for that sinne which hee confessing knoweth not what it is that hee doth confesse and therefore may well thinke such confessing will bee fruitlesse and bootlesse and all in vaine for it is not likely that euer God will take knowledge of that for the forgiuing of it though pardon in some sort may be asked of him when he that asketh it knoweth not what he asketh and vnderstandeth not what he saith it is not like that euer the Lord will heare him that heareth not himselfe all the while he is a speaking he cannot tell what Now in the next place to come to the openly prophane 2. From open Atheists and vngodly persons they offend against the making confession of sinnes vnto God at least in any particular manner because they are shut vp in hardnesse of heart so as they cannot repent and therefore will bee brought to no speciall confession at all which course doth need no light of Gods word and glorious Gospell to shew the damnablenes thereof for the candle light of the Heathen is sufficient to discouer their state to bee most desperate and past all hope Seneca could say that as to tell a dreame is the part of one that first wakened himselfe out of his dreame that now hee may tell it vnto others so to confesse sinne is the office and part of him that is in the way of being recouered out of sin whereby is intimated the contrarie for any to hold his peace this way is to be in his dreame still and to lie drowned in the gulph of perdition and in a deadly lethargie and sleepe of sinne But to come to set downe some differences of confessing 3. From common Protestants sinnes betweene common Protestants I meane those that only are but carnal Gospellers hypocrites and counterfeit conuerts at the best and them that are throughly penitent and who haue their hearts broken indeede with godly sorrow for their sinnes The first sort if they could 1. Difference get their shame and ignominie remoued and still keepe credit with men they care not though they doe keepe still their sinne which appeareth by the manner of their making confession of their sinnes which is done after so slight a fashion and in a stubborne manner hauing such a companion of pride ioyned with the same as will strangle it to death before it come foorth but a true penitent childe of God doth make confession of his sinnes with shame and confusion of face for them yet not sparing nor caring for any shame amongst men by confessing his sinnes nor what cause he hath to looke sadly vpon them but how he may in all humilitie looke vp with hope and comfort vnto God hee careth not what punishment soeuer God laieth vpon him so as his sinne may be taken away he is still crying out with Dauid Lord take away mine iniquitie and blot out all my sinne for the Psal 51. nature of true repentance is to make a man ashamed of sinne which hee hath committed but not ashamed with griefe to confesse it when it is done but men are for the most part so full of selfe-loue as they will not yeeld to make any other confession of their sinnes then such as will as they thinke stand with their owne outward safetie credit and honour Hypocrites are more generall in folding vp all their 2. Difference sinnes in a bundle together when they come to make confession of their sinnes regarding no more one then another of them but shuffling of them together vpon a heape they doe make a generall and confused kinde of confession and acknowledgment of them and such also is their humiliation for them But as in surfets taken in eating some one kinde of meate intemperatly eaten may be the principall cause of that surfet so among many sins there may be some one or two chiefe festring sins which doe lie rankling in mens consciences that require speciall cost to be bestowed about them and regard to be had of them True penitents therefore doe deale more particularly and looke to their speciall and chiefe sinnes acknowledging them with griefe of heart vnto God making their beginning there and hauing their thoughts most specially to dwell vpon the consideration of them It is meet that men should take seuerall repentances for their seuerall sinnes and for the vaine pleasures and carnall delights they haue taken therein that hauing had many vnlawfull pleasures in sinnes they doe not shut vp all with one repentance alone There is a storie 2. Sam. 21. 1. that in Dauids time God sent a plague vpon the land for a sinne committed in the daies of Saul if Dauid and his people were punished for not regarding Sauls sinne how much more liable was he to punishment if he had not regarded his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his time It was well said by one that if for the blood of the Martyrs shed in this land in Queene Maryes time wee had had euery yeere since a fast throughout the whole land for that blood shed it had been little enough how much more then for our owne proper sinnes and the sinnes of this time which now ouerflow the bankes both of religion and ciuill honestie Where capitall and principall sinnes that haue much angred the Lord and greatly prouoked his displeasure against the offenders haue not in speciall manner been bewailed acknowledged and confessed vnto the Lord when men haue made their repentance and humbled themselues for their sins it hath come to passe that such as haue gone forward a great way in repentance haue been faine to goe a great way backe againe to
laying hold of Christ for saluation 124 CHAP. XIII Of the third difference which is in the difference of their assurance to be saued wherein is entreated of the want of feeling of true faith or of the former or present comfort thereof 137 CHAP. XIIII Further differences betweene hypocrites and sound beleeuers in their assurance to be saued and first in the whole building thereof as also of the builders themselues 153 CHAP. XV. The different vses they make of their perswasion 162 CHAP. XVI How easie it is to get a false perswasion but difficult to attaine sound assurance of saluation which is another difference betweene them 164 CHAP. XVII Of another speciall difference which is that the misbeleeuer is free from the assaults of Satan wherewith the true Christian is alwaies troubled 167 CHAP. XVIII The fourth maine difference betweene them is seene in their ioy where the soundnes and stabilitie of the ioy of true beleeuers with the contrary of Temporizors is declared 172 CHAP. XIX Hypocrites differ from sound beleeuers in all the dimensions of ioy whereof the first is the height both from whence it commeth and to which it reacheth to 178 CHAP. XX. Of the second dimension of ioy wherein they differ which is the depth of a deiected and disconsolate estate 187 CHAP. XXI The difference of their ioy in the third dimension or breadth of it and how it is straitned or extended in them 194 CHAP. XXII Of the lets of true ioy and first of sinne and how the Lord raiseth thence matter of reioycing to beleeuers 203 CHAP. XXIII Of the second hindrance of ioy in Gods hiding his face and how that is made an occasion of reioycing vnto a true and sound beleeuer 215 CHAP. XXIIII Of the third let of true ioy which is the crosse and how their ioy is augmented through the much good that comes thereby 219 CHAP. XXV The difference of ioy in the last dimension or the longitude thereof and how the ioy of sound beleeuers is permanent and enduring the ioy of hypocrites transitotorie and fained 240 CHAP. XXVI The fifth maine difference betweene sound beleeuers and counterfeits is in their repentance and how farre hypocrites may proceed therein 259 CHAP. XXVII The description of Repentance that is vnto life with the kindes of it And how true beleeuers and hypocrites differ in them as also in the whole body and frame of Repentance 264 CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of Repentance seuerally considered and first in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessitie of sorrow in repentance 269 CHAP. XXIX The diuersity of sorrow with the obiects about which they are conuersant 276 CHAP. XXX How they differ also in the effects which either doe bring foorth and in the causes of either 281 CHAP. XXXI How the sorrow of true beleeuers and hypocrites differeth in that which is caused by either 287 CHAP. XXXII Of the seuen attendants on godly sorrow in the heart of euery true conuert and vnfained beleeuer 292 CHAP. XXXIII How sorrow for sinne causeth confession of sinne according to the diuers kinds of it and of the differences to be seene in men therein 306 CHAP. XXXIIII Of Satisfaction and the diuers kinds thereof with the differences betweene true beleeuers and Hypocrites therein 328 The end of the Contents MANS ACTIVE OBEDIENCE OR THE POWER OF GODLINES especially in the commandement of the Gospell which requireth faith of euery Christian CHAP. I. Of the knowledge of God and our selues in generall Question LEt me I pray you in the beginning of this our conference heere shortly declared what wee are to propound for our chiefest end in this present discourse and then shew me therewithall wherein the full and whole dutie of euery true Christian doth summarily consist Ans The maine and chiefe end should be our better learning how to feare God and keepe his commandements Eccles 12. 13. for this ought to be the whole of euery mans chiefe endeauours and best imployments whose duties all if they be summed vp together may well be reduced vnto these two heads of Knowledge and of Practice Q. May not one of these be thought sufficient to shew what a mans dutie is that you name both A. Both are necessary to expresse all that is required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 5. 12 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilfull or knowing for knowledge without practice makes men no better then diuels who know more then we doe but doe not as they know and practice without knowledge makes Psal 49 20 73 22 32. 9. Iob 35. 11. Psal 147. 15. Isal 48. 13. Psal 148. 8. men differ little from brute beasts yea from the insensible creatures who in their kind are more obedient for the fier and haile the snow and vapour and stormie wind they do his will though they know not what they doe Q. What things are necessary for vs to know A. God and our selues his workes and our duties All the tongues of Men and Angels are not able to vtter so significant a word as should fully expresse what God is Q. What are we to know concerning God A. Wee are to know what God is in himselfe and what he is to vs. Q. What are we to know as touching what God is in himselfe A. We are taught out of the Scriptures that he is a Exod. 3. 14. 11. 7. 1. Tim. 6. 16. Iob 37. 23. Acts 17. 28. 1. Cor. 86. diuine essence of vnspeakable maiestie and glorie who hath his being of himself and doth giue life and being to all things else that are who is so high and excellent omnipotent eternal and infinit as to the greatest vnderstanding of the wisest and best of al his creatures he is in glorious God good without qualitie great without quantitie infinite without place and euerlasting without time maiestie most incomprehensible and yet hee hath made himselfe knowne to his creatures to be onely one God ouer all distinct in three persons the Father our Creatour the Sonne our Redeemer and the holy Ghost our Comfortor instructor and guider in all our waies Q. What are we to know that God is to vs A. That God in the second Person in the Trinitie is Matth 28. 19. Mat. 1. 23. 1. Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 1. 3. Col. 1. 15. Ioh. 14. 7. 1. 18. Exod. 23 21. Gal. 4. 5 6. 1. 4. so reconciled vnto vs in him he is become God with vs euen God manifested in the flesh and made knowne vnto vs in the face of Christ Iesus who being the brightnes of his glorie and the expresse image of his person he that hath seene and knowne him hath seene and knowne the Father yea in and by him knoweth God also to bee his Father through the operation of the holy Ghost Q. What are we to know touching the workes of God A. Generally that they are perfect and holy all done
time he doth enter into plea with them or hold and maintaine any controuersie against them that then his course is to put this more vpon the triall of such mens liues then vpon the disposition of their hearts more to stand vpon what is seene to come from them then to stand arguing the case whether it bee true that they say they haue or haue not this or that vertue or vice within them Like as it will also be the course that the righteous Iudge of the whole world will take in that great assize according as himselfe in part hath made it knowne afore-hand vnto vs when all men shall be made to appeare and shall bee put vpon their last triall euen the triall of life and of death the triall will passe and the iudgement will bee giuen vpon them either for guilty or guiltlesse not so expressely according to what hath been in their hearts as according to what hath appeared in their liues and what hath been found to haue been the deed and workes of their hands as namely he telleth vs they that haue done Iohn 5. 29. good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill vnto euerlasting fier and it will be said go you cursed Mat. 25. 34. 41. you gaue me no meat you did not visite me come you blessed you fed mee and you clothed mee And this is that which the Apostle also saith wee must giue an account 2. Cor. 5. 10. according to that we haue done in our bodies Hee saith not according to that we haue had dwelling and abiding in our hearts for the plaine manifesting of the one will be sufficient and enough to make the other well enough knowne So that though we are not iustified by our workes yet shall we be iudged by them they being the infallible testimonies of our vnfained faith in Christ Iesus and though workes doe not iustifie vs yet workes doe iustifie that that must iustifie vs euen our faith by which we beleeue to be saued that it is a liuely faith and a faith that is not fained therefore doth Iames bring forth his workes to manifest his faith by as the directest course that can be taken and the most ready to haue faith made knowne by Now if any thinke he can doe otherwise and without workes get his faith to which he trusteth to be manifested and made knowne to bee God hee calles him forth to doe his best in shewing how that can bee performed shew me saith hee thy faith without Iames 2. 18. works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Which he so speaketh not that any can possibly do it but that their folly may the rather be laid open and the more discouered that so doe thinke it They bee the workes which come from faith that must both shew faith and iustifie it to be true Faith is operatiue and worketh by loue if any will find out faith let him seeke after the measures Gal. 5. 6. of his loue to God and to his Saints If any would know whether hee bee elect or no to eternall life let him gather the knowledge thereof from the effectualnesse of his calling and sanctification of his life for by these Pcter leadeth the Christians as by the hand to the finding it 1. Pet. 12. out We must not soare alost to know whether or no we be elected If any man would know whether the Sunne shineth or no let him looke vpon the ground to see the reflexion of the Sunne-beames from thence and not vpon the body of the Sunne which will but dazle the more his sight As then we gather the cause by the effect the paterne by the picture and by the forme of a seale printed in waxe we easily vnderstand what is the very forme and fashion of the seale it selfe so by the true and proper effects of liuely faith we conclude the existence and being of true faith it selfe and the same effects like seales doe imprint and stampe the image of Gods election in vs. Q. But may not faith as well bee found out by the causes which causeth faith as by the effects which faith worketh and bringeth forth As for example the publication of the promises of the Gospell made to poore sinners calling all that are wearie and heavie laden with the burden of their sinnes to come to Christ promising they shall bee eased and promising that all that doo beleeue in Christ they shall never perish but haue euerlasting life and withall commanding vs that wee doe beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 1. Iohn 3. 23. Now if with the publishing of such promises out of the Gospell preached and declaration of such acommandement giuen the Spirit of God who is the onely efficient cause and worker of this grace shall be pleased to ioyne his owne working with the word of that preaching and so open a doore of faith to the poore sinnâ—r that heareth such promises as he shall not onely assent vnto them but lay hold of them also and assume them to himselfe and taking God at his wora beleeue indeed that hee shall haue his sinnes pardoned and his soule for euer saued May not a poore sinner so beleeuing find out this way that he hath true faith indeed without any further inquiring or making any more question about the same A Yes doubtles and no way better then thus if so be he Faith knowne by causes can after this manner apprehend and feele that so he doth beleeue for now he hath set his foot vpon that rocke that will neuer faile vnder him but beare vp his whole building and giue him a sure standing for his faith to rest vpon now hath hee come to the very ground worke of his beleeuing and hath laid open to himselfe the foundation to the bottome whereupon his faith is set so firme sure that it is not possible it shall bee moued to the ouerwhelming thereof for euermore And therefore he may comfortably cheare vp his heart as did the Apostle against euery obiect of feare or discomfort that might stand before him at any time to dismay him and say with him I am not ashamed neither doe I passe at all for this for I 2. Tim. 1. 12. know whom I have beleeued and vpon what I haue grounded my so beleeuing and I am perswaded that hee that hath thus promised is both able and faithfull to doe that he hath promised and that hee will also performe it But if it be well marked this faith euen by this search is not found out by the causes alone but by that which is caused by it and by that which it is in hand with to effect and worke in the heart of that beleeuer in whom it is so wrought for it is in hand with this worke to bring the sinner to his Sauiour to ioyne the soule that hath sinned to Christ that hath saued it by an vnseparable vnion
these respectes or it may bee for them altogether doth the Lord suffer many and some of his most worthy and excellent seruants too to haue beene ouertaken with many infirmities yea sometimes As the mightie power of God in the beginning of the world did appeare in bringing light out of darkenesse and shall appeare in the end of the world in bringing life out of death so doth the same mighty power and wisdome of God daily appeare in bringing good out of euill with very grosse and grieuous sinnes yet alwaies so ordering and disposing of euery thing as hee that is seene daily to bring light out of darkenesse neuer hath failed to bring good out of all their euill and such good as hath been for the very good of those his seruants themselues that haue done all that euill and made to the high honour and glory of his owne Maiestie who is so good in himselfe as he is goodnesse it selfe and maketh all things good that he medleth with and is wrought by his hand This is and hath been the Lords owne and onely doing and that from the beginning and worthily may it be accounted marueilous in our eyes In the first sinne that euer was committed by man how wonderfull hath been the Lords working therein to bring so much good out of that great euill as vnto all Gods elect and redeemed in Christ their case is now made farre better then euer it was farre happier and farre surer then either it was or would haue been if to this present Adam had kept his standing and should still haue kept his foot from slipping or stepping amisse The Lord we know hath turned Adams fall to his higher rising and his dangerous slipping to a more sure standing in so much as not praising the euill but him that bringeth good out of euill wee may say with that reuerend Beza Oh happy fall which hath brought vs higher Oh most happy darkenesse without which this truly Serm. on Cantic cap. 2. group light had neuer appeared vnto vs. After this manner hath the Lord still for the one improued the falles and foiles of his seruants euer to their more good Dauid that fell so foulely and committed so grosse and so hainous a sinne that gaue him cause to think of washing and cleansing himselfe from such filth and pollution that made him seeme loathsome euen in his owne eyes was brought by meanes thereof to goe ransack his whole life and search out all his other sinnes vntill he came to the gaging of the very belly and wombe of sinne where it first had the conception and from whence originally it first tooke his beginning and did first of all spring and that he crieth out on and bringeth it forth doth disgrace himselfe therewith confessing vnto God that beside that great sinne that he had now committed he saw himselfe to be an vncleane creature ouer-run with a contagious leprosie of sinne all ouer and that from his conception so as his falling into that one great sin became a meanes of his going in hand with the labour of getting himselfe washed and cleansed not onely from that but from all the rest of his sinnes euen his birth sinne and all and that not slightly but earnestly with a thorow rinsing and rubbing of himselfe till hee might become as cleare as the glasse and as white as snow Psal 51. 5. 7. Many are conceited of themselues and of their owne strength taking no notice of other filthinesse of the flesh and spirit or corruption of sinne that is within them so long as they are kept from committing grosse and enormious iniquities the Lord is faine therefore to giue them ouer and to leaue them to themselues that they may fall into such grosse sinnes as wherby their other hidden corruptions may break out and manifestly be discerned both to themselues and others how great it is There bee that will neuer thinke of thorowly repenting themselues nor of Ier. 4. 14. cleansing and washing their hearts from wickednesse that they may be saued vntill they be tumbled into some such puddle as Dauid was and bemired with such filth and then of force they are driuen to it and made to set hand at once to that worke vnlesse they care not to see themselues perish for altogether Thus the Lord is faine to make of the poison of some grosse sinne an antidote against the poison of other lesser sinnes which of themselues are baneable enough if they be not in time expelied and purged out to kill euery soule in which they are retained that so there may be a ridding away of all by a generall repenting for all though the going in hand with such repentance was at the first occasioned by one And thus we may perceiue how as the Lord is said to punish sinne with sinne in the wicked so he knoweth how to cure sinne Sinne cured by sinne by sinne in the godly so making their sinnes as well as all things else to turne to their good Looke but vpon the strange cure of that one sinne of pride which is a sinne as high-borne as any other and spreadeth out it selfe as far the whole race of mankind being either more or lesse infected Pride and tainted with the same This sinne will liue when other sinnes shall die and will raise it selfe vp out of the ruines of them all which is more to be feared among vertues then found among other vices it is the verie venome of vertue and as a spreading cankar or gangrene hauing once gotten to bee fastned vpon the body of vertue it neuer leaueth vnlesse it be the more timely cured till going from ioynt to ioynt it hath weakened and ouerthrowne that whole body how beautifull soeuer it were otherwise and goodly to looke vpon This is the greatest enemy to vertue that it hath as that which hath vertue euer in chase and still is dogging it at the heeles The Apostle himself after his high aduancement and abundance of reuelations giuen him when he had been wrapt vp into the third heauens was not exempt from the perill therof nor from the danger of the hot pursuit and assailement thereof as which was ready to set vpon him if helpe and aide the sooner had not been sent the messenger of Satan therefore was faine to bee sped out apace to stand Paul herein in some stead who fell to beating and buffeting of him 2. Cor. 12. 7. and brought him so low as he was euery way vnsitted for any manner of pride to set vpon him or once to meddle or make any whit at all with him but was faine to leaue him as it found him And so by one enemie he was holpen out of the hands of another enemy euery way as bad as hee Though Satan sending his messenger aimed at nothing lesse then at such an end but God that ouer-powreth Satan and ouer-ruleth in all things would haue it so come to passe But what is the cure of this
enemies he hath besides can doe to plucke that ioy from him which Christ hath once giuen Ioh. 16. 22. him or so to rifle and rob him of it againe as it can euer truly be said he is now wholly emptie who before was full according to that which Naomi spake in the griefe Ruth 1. 21. of her heart as touching the change of her estate and he is now dispoyled of all ioy and hath all cause of reioycing wholly taken from him that before was so abundantly filled and replenished with the same For light being sowne for the righteous and ioy for the upright in heart Psal 97. 11. as being the pleasant fruite and rich crop which they are to reape of their sowing to the spirit that fruit is not like to the summer fruite which will not last that soone must be spent but it is lasting fruite that will endure not alone all the yeere but all their life time for them to liue vpon and to cheare their hearts so long as they haue a day to liue vpon earth And therefore doth the spirit of God call vpon the righteous to be glad and all such to reioyce Psal 32. 11. Phil. 4. 4. Psal 5. 11. and be ioyfull as be vpright in heart they are willed to reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe to reioyce yea to reioyce and triumph for euermore Now if all ioy could bee so wholly extinct at any time as not onely all power should be wholly taken away of bringing it into act for the present but in like manner all such ground and causes of it remoued that otherwise might as warrantablie and sufficiently cause it to bee though now it is not for the present act in being as doth the true cause bring foorth the naturall and proper effect how could this possibly bee done which the spirit of God in these and many the like places of Scripture doth will and warrant the righteous to doe The reason why true ioy in Christ being once giuen to the faithfull can neuer bee afterwards taken from them againe is because Gods gifts of grace to his children are without all repentance Rom. 11. 29. the mercies of God which he giueth to them are called the sure and the euerlasting mercies of Dauid God hauing promised to Dauid that he would not take away his mercies 2. Sam. 7. 15. Psal 89. 28. 33. 35. from him and his as he tooke them away from Saul that was before him And this is no more then that which in expresse words our Sauiour Christ did promise to his Disciples before he left them that he would come againe Ioh. 16. 22. vnto them and their hearts should reioyce and their ioy should none take from them All true beleeuers then to whom God at any time hath giuen to haue true ioy and peace in beleeuing may with a ioyfull reuerence reioycing Psal 2. 11. with feare and trembling before the Lord hold fast this their ioy and following the example of that worthy leader in the Lords campe and hoast euen that blessed Apostle Paul challenge all their enemies to doe their Rom. 8. 35. worst herein and aske who or which of them all shall bee able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus which alone is the surest ground and mainest foundation of all this their ioy and constant reioycing If anguish tribulation affiction or persecution things which already haue been so much treated on shall stand out to trie what they can doe hereabout they are things indeed grieuous to the flesh and to a worldly minded man they are as prickes and thornes in the flesh that will make him restlesse disquiet his carnall ease and peace in the world and such may they be as not onely by feeling of them when they come but by the feare of them before they light vpon him not onely take all ioy from him but strike him dead at the heart witnesse the example of Nabal But to a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained and who by his faith knoweth himselfe to be certainly iustified and so set at peace with God all afflictions that may befall him can cause no such effect euer to bee seene wrought vpon him as can wholly and altogether bereaue him of all comfort and take for euer his ioy from him howsoeuer for the sudden by the power and strength of tentation they may somewhat astonish him yet calling himselfe to better remembrance hee well perceiueth and soone commeth to know that they are but sent of God for the exercising of that precious faith which once by his grace he hath receiued from him that now the worth and the value thereof may be the better knowne and that they are come rather to be triers then destroyers of his faith that the triall thereof being much more precious then gold that perisheth may cause to him the greater praise and 1. Pet. 1. 7. make more to his honour and glory at the appearing of Christ Iesus And therefore by that faith of his whereby hee findeth himselfe inabled to ouercome the world it selfe hee feareth not to encounter such afflictions such tribulations and persecutions as he meeteth with in the world as not onely daring to wrastle with them but to promise to himselfe the carrying away of the victorie from them and so finally in the end to ouercome them yea in all such things to looke with the Apostle to be more then a conquerour Rom. 8. 35. 37. 38. 39. through him that hath loued him These things then cannot wholly extinguish nor destroy the ioy of a true beleeuer they may better serue to double then to destroy the ioy of such a man It is that property which is onely peculiar to the ioy of faith so to abide in tribulation as it maketh him that is iustified by his faith and so is at peace with God not to be troubled with his troubles but 2. Cor. 6. 10. and 8. 2. 1. Thes 1. 6. to reioyce in tribulation and to suffer valiantly and patiently yea cheerfully and ioyfully euery thing that falleth out by God his appointment for his trying The fishes are not more fresh in the salt sea then Gods seruants remaine faithfull and comfortable in their afflictions and greatest persecutions there are no misaduentures can dishearten their wel resolued minds the Christian resolution of a valorous and stedfast beleeuer in the cause and quarrell of Christ Iesus is so stiffened with a magnanimious and manly temper as nothing can daunt his valiant If there were as many diuels in Wormes as there are tiles on their houses I will among them saith Luther Psal 56. 4. courage from looking the stoutest proudest enemie of Christ in the face for he knoweth his cause to be so good as he is ready to beare the hazard of the most dangerous aduentures and feareth not what flesh at all can doe vnto him for when God hath once spoken peace to his soule
forth and shew their faces like the faces of Lions who had courage to turne back to any that listed to pursue them and boldnesse enough to encounter their greatest force like to those worthy Gadites that were Dauids helpers of whom it is said they were valiant men of warre and men of Armes 1. Chron. 12. 8. 14. that could handle speare and shield whose faces were as the faces of Lyons one of the least could resist a hundred and the greatest a thousand Yea so lyon-like was become the courage then of those poore weak ones before as some of the weakest sex haue been heard to say when they were at the point of martyrdome and the raging fiers before them kindled ready to deuoure them in the flames thereof that if euery haire of their heads were the life of a man they would die so many times all those deaths in that cause for which they then suffered for so great was the comfort they then had and so vnspeakable and glorious indeed was the ioy that they then felt as death it selfe was bid defiance of them neither did they esteeme at all what proud flesh was able to doe vnto them when the stormes of greatest troubles met them a head yet were they of courage because they euer failed by the Cape of bone sperance hoping that God whom they did with Dauid set alwaies before them would so be at their right hand as if Psal 16. 8. they did faint he would certainly cheare them if they did Cyprian fight he would vndoubtedly crowne them and neuer faile to giue them the ioy of his saluation Psal 51. 1â— Hypocrites and counterfeit Christians they know of no such ioy they are meere strangers to this ioy that the true godly haue and as strangers they are not to meddle Prou. 14. 10. therewith as Salomon speaketh They haue carnall ioy enough and many times too much farre more then they know well to vse though it neuer will last long they can laugh and be merry they haue laughter as if they were tickled they can laugh euen at a feather If they come where worldly delights are and pleasures of sinne which yet will last but a season they sticke not to take their pleasures in them to the full yea they will be ready to burst with their fulnesse and surfet in the middst of their delights for they can keepe no measure but poure out themselues to merriments to sport and to laughter prouing their hearts aboue that euer did Salomon with vaine Eccles 2. 1. and sinfull mirth suffering them to inioy such vngodly pleasures aboue that euer did he and therefore most worthily doth such laughter deserue to be reproued with Salomons rebuke giuen vnto it who said vnto it thou art mad and of such mirth it may well be demanded What is it that thou dost If carnall men can but flourish in worldly prosperitie if they may swimme in pleasures abound in wealth be aduanced to honour they haue what their hearts desire and are ouer-ioyed with gladnesse and soone ouerset with the pleasant gales of their ouermuch ioyes as shipes are with gales that fill too full their sailes they are light and merry they are al on the hoigh they know not themselues they contemne all others boasting themselues of their Psal 10. 3. hearts desire and blessing the couetous as the Psalmist speaketh Ambitiosas honor opes foeda volupâ—as Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet whom the Lord doth abhorre If it be profit and commoditie of the world if pleasures and honour they neuer haue done enough in admiring of such things thinking them all to be either fooles or mad that doe not the like as doe themselues but such comforts as these ioyes and delights as are taken in such matters they are no better then plaine witcheries which doe disguise men and transforme them to bruit beasts But how merrie soeuer worldlings are found to be so long as things are as they would haue them and doe euer sort well to their liking yet if they bee crossed in any thing if the crosse come if trouble and affliction chance to happen then they are all a mort there are none so ioylesse and so heartlesse as are they then grow they so dead-hearted as it is in vaine to goe about to cheare them and to comfort them againe for worldly ioy rising on worldly causes the causes fading the ioy as soone hath an end and commeth to nothing Haman reioyced so long as hee was in fauour with the Hest 5. 9 11. 12. cap. 7. 6. 8. 10 King and Queene and all that time who but he but his ioy soone failed him when hee was throwne out of their fauour againe and then who could be found a more vnhappy man Men worldly minded are ioyfull in haruest time when come and wine and oyle are increased vnto them but if the fier of God come and burne it vp al their ioy is gone Thus is it not with true beleeuers they haue not onely ioy in their prosperous estate but they knowing themselues to be iustified by faith and so to be at peace with God they can reioyce in tribulation also let all their enemies doe what they can for if a man knew hee were so in the fauour of a great man as it were more then the worst and then all the enemies he hath can doe to thrust him out of his fauour againe he would be comforted though his enemies were neuer so malicious this makes true beleeuers to haue much ioy and peace in their beleeuing Rom. 15. 13. fail out whatsoeuer otherwise may happen Hypocrites who are but true beleeuers counterfeits they may and I know they often will make a shew as if they had good comfort and some ioy in their trouble as well as haue the best Christians for they are like the Egyptian Sorcerers that did striue to doe all the things that Moses did that so they might be thought to be as good as he they will seeme in their troubles not onely to take them patiently but also thankefully as if they had some comfort and felt contentment in their bearing of them when in truth they haue none they will be heard to thank God for them and yet neuer feele any manner of benefit oâ— good that they haue gotten by them which is but a very mocking of God and a deceiuing of men and to say as the truth is it is indeed but a verie wicked kind of thanksgiuing when a man with his mouth onely thankes God in some great affliction that is vpon him and when he lieth sicke it may be on his deaths-bed shall be heard to say he is sicke he thankes God when yet in his heart he connes God no thanke at all for sending it vpon him but wisheth rather a thousand times hee had neuer had it or that he could well tell how to be without it againe What is this but
and scoffings which they delight so much in and if they doe not thinke fasting to be sweeter to the one then feasting is to the other though they should fare neuer so daintily fed with Plouers Quailes Pheasants and such other costly meats and most daintie dishes Now as there be some that cannot abide to bee called to this sorrowing and to heare of such mourning for their sinne there be others that would sorrow more abundantly and mourne more thorowly and in farre greater measure if they knew how it is the griefe of their hearts that they cannot bee grieued enough they are still complaining of the hardnes of their hearts because they relent no better are not more broken asunder they complaine of the drinesse of their eyes and of the dulnesse and deadnes of their affections that are not more moued for their sinnes to open themselues as so many fresh springs of sorrow abounding so in the heart that the head might be filled with water and the eyes made a fountaine of teares to weepe day and night for all their offences and things they haue done amisse They sigh and are sorrowfull in their very soules to perceiue what softnesse and tendernesse they find in their hearts readily to bee moued for any worldly matter falling out any thing crossely with them And on the other side how stony and flinty their hearts are felt to be when they would sorrow most for their sin and fainest get their hearts to melt with greatest remorse for the same True it is as one hath well obserued it were it to grieue at earthly occasions in things wherein we are crossed in the world here our affections will come to vs before we sent for them but to sorrow godly that is not so ready with vs we haue not our affections at command in that case our foolish hearts loue not holy mourning our hard hearts till God hath better softned them are farre from relenting How beit let such know this for their comfort if they doe mourne for the hardnesse of their hearts if they bee truly grieued because they cannot bee better grieued and desire yet more to be grieued and further to be humbled there is doubtlesse comfort and hope in such an estate for what is this but the smoake of true repentance whose sparkes are now new kindled in such a heart and though the fier thereof hath not yet gotten such strength as to flame forth with that hot burning and lightsome shining as may bee hoped for it will doe afterward in the due time yet hath our Sauiour promised hee will not for the present quench nor suffer to be put out Mat. 12. 20. such smoake as this but nourish it and cherish it and neuer leaue it till he hath made it to blaze out with a stronger burning And so much may bee enough to haue spoken about the making cleare of this point that it is absolutely needefull for euery one that would be brought to repent for his sinne that he specially labour for the humbling of his heart to get it much broken and contrite with deepe sorrow for the same CHAP. XXIX The diuers sorts of sorrow with the obiects about which they are conuersant NOw of griefe and sorrow thus necessary to bee found in euery kind of repentance there are two sorts the one is a godly sorrow or sorrow after God the other is a worldly sorrow conceiued for worldly respects and fleshly ends Godly sorrow is that sorrow which God himselfe is the authour of and Godly sorrow which is wrought by Gods owne Spirit in the hearts of his elect and therefore cannot but alwaies be pleasing vnto God It is called godly sorrow because it is more for Gods cause then for our owne caused more with disqueit Psal 51. 3. and griefe for the sinne that hath been committed then with the smart of the punishment for sinne either feared or felt It is a griefe for sinne because it displeaseth God which Zach. 12. 10. is made so much more to abound by how much more we apprehend and haue feeling of his fauor and his loue vnto vs in Christ Iesus This godly sorrow may be occasioned not onely by our owne matters but others matters may in like manner iustly cause this godly sorrowing when men can be grieued to see God to be dishonoured by others Deut 9. 28. Numb 14. 6. Ioshua 7. 8. 9. and crie out with Moses and Ioshua when they saw Gods glorious name was in danger to be blasphemed by the Heathē after the people hauing sinned God was stirred in wrath to bee reuenged and to execute heauy iudgements vpon them When Gods seruants with Dauid can put on sackcloth Psal 35. 13. in others heauinesse and their soules with Iobs can be in heauinesse for the poore weeping for such as be in miserie Iob 30. 25. Psal 119. 136. when mens eyes can gush out as did Dauids with riuers of teares because men keepe not Gods Law when they can mourne with those mourners in the dayes of Ezekiel for the abominations in the land All such kind of sorrowing is to sorrow godly and teares so shed are teares of loue and pitty to men and teares of zeale and pietie towards God Now this godly sorrow is the sorrow that is only proper and peculiar to the elect of God to all true beleeuers such as are truly sanctified indeed which causeth and bringeth forth in them that repentance which is vnto life by which they shall vndoubtedly bee saued in the end A worthy and excellent gift which God hath giuen to his elect as one of the Fathers hath well obserued That saith he which God gaue first for a punishment he hath Ambrose Peccatum peperit dolorem dolor contririt peccatum now turned into a blessing sinne hath caused sorrow and sorrow hath consumed sin like as the wood breedeth the worme and the worme consumeth the wood againe that is a happie sorrow that doth driue sinne away one teare of true repentance caused by this godly sorrow is worth a thousand sack-clothes of all hypocrites beside There is also another sorrow which the Apostle calleth Worldly sorrow a worldly sorrow when hee that sorroweth sorroweth as men of the world vse to doc that are wholly addicted and giuen to the world and not as men that are renued by the Spirit of God This sorrow is like to that spoken of by the Prophet Hoseah which makes men whine because Hosea 7. 14. the world is hard And this sorrow is common to all worldlings and indeed is but the sorrow of all hypocrites for they haue no better though they can better colour the matter then others and cast a fairer cloake of a pretence of holinesse to doe sanctifiedly all that they doe when yet their most spirituall actions are but carnall deeds and workes of the flesh Worldly sorrow may be occasioned as well by others matters sometimes as by mens owne when
any mourne sorrow and lament for the troubles losses and crosses of other men their kindred friends and acquaintance but yet in a worldly respect There is a Vixque tenet lachrimas quia nil lachrimabile cernit kinde of sorrow that is conceiued about others matters which is the sorrow of enuie conceiued for others welfare which is diuellish and destroying sorrow But to leaue others matters and to consider of the sorrow of a worldling in his owne particular case This worldly sorrow is such a sorrow as is conceiued by him for worldly respects for fleshly and carnall ends when one is made sorrowfull not so much in respect of God or any reuerence hee beareth to his glorious Maiestie whom he hath so much offended as for the present paine that is vpon his carkase the anxietie vpon his conscience and the grieuousâ—es of some iudgements and plagues either feared or felt this is but a blind terror vexation and anguish of conscience which being brought vpon them they many times neither know from whom that commeth that doth so trouble them nor for what it is that they are so smitten Stricken they are and they know not by whom they finde not out the cause that procures their griefes which are their sinnes and wickednesse to get them remoued and therefore the cause not being remoued the effect must still remaine They lie snared and held fast by the cordes of their owne iniquities to those heauie miseries plagues and calamities which God by his righteous and iust iudgement doth bring vpon them And as blinde men in the dark they see no way to escape or how possibly to get out and therefore they must needs miscarrie in it their sorrow being but sorrow vnto death This kinde of sorrow is either intended in a high degree or it is in such a measure as may be suffered when it is in an high degree desperation is the end of it making them to lay violent hands vpon themselues to become their owne hangmen and executioners to deuoure themselues When it is but in a small measure then by little and little it vanisheth away as it began and soone commeth to nothing againe no sooner the paine ouer and the affliction gone that did trouble them but their teares and their sorrowes are at an end and no more to be heard on they becomming as bad as euer before without any amendment to be seene but with the swine they turne againe to their filthie puddle and wallowing in the mire and with the vncleane dogge they fall to the eating vp againe the vomite which they spued out before Such sorrow bettereth not the heart by changing and turning a man so as he become soundly conuerted by meanes thereof but only moueth the heart for the present with the diuquiet of paine which onely was the cause why it hath been so vexed By all this it may appeare how the sorrow that is in the repentance of a true conuert is found to be differing from the sorrow that is in the repentance of an hypocrite and that is in the obiect that either of them doe respect and is occupied about The sorrow of him that is truly penitent is most conuersant and occupied about malum peccati The euill of his sinne whereby God hath been offended to be most grieued for that The sorrow of him whose repentance is vnsound is most of all occupied about malum poenae The euill of punishment and this by the marueilous slie and subtill working of Satan and the vnknowne deceitfulnes of his owne heart is alwaies and euen then done when it may be a false hearted hypocrite doth both thinke with himselfe and boldly professe to others that it is his sinne that he mournes for and is most troubled about when indeed if the truth were knowne and could bee sounded and seene into which lieth so deeply buried vnder a masse and as I may say a mountaine of hollow hypocrisie of such a mans heart it would be found that it were either feare of some further punishment then yet he hath endured or shame for his sinne alreadie committed which hath thus broken out or losse of his credit or some profit and benefit that is like to follow thereof or else the sense of some stinging iudgement and plague that hee now goeth vnder and things of the like nature all which are yet but punishments for his sin to be the things that he is most chiefly moued for About these things he principally is grieued and that in the first place and for their owne sakes as which he is most afraid of and which hee doth most abhorre He may also be grieued for his sinne False sorrow for sinne and wish it had neuer been done but this hee doth in a secondary place and in a by respect not simply grieuing for the sinne and abhorring it therfore because it is sinne but because it is like to bring all this woe vpon him and is the cause of the punishment that he presently doth goe vnder For who knoweth the depths of Satan how cunning a deceiuer hee is that can deceiue the false-hearted hypocrite himselfe that is so ordinary a deceiuer of others and cause that in a most materiall point necessary to saluation he shall be ouerseene most and soonest deceiue himselfe And who knoweth besides Satans cunning working how many nookes and crookes windings and turnings againe is in that labyrinth of an hypocrites hollow heart wherein deceit may closely be hid and neuer found out no not the wrong and wrie respects that are in his owne heart and priuily doe leade and guide him in the actions that himselfe doe commit they are not easily discernable to his owne selfe much lesse can they be shewed by others which they are and where they lie that so they may be the better taken heed of But indeed the maine obiect of the sorrow of an hypocrite is malum poenae the euill of the punishment with which hee is smitten and made so to smart that hee cannot rest in quiet and that maketh him so much to sorrow and be grieued which else he would not He may be humbled but it is rather before his sicknesse with which he is afflicted then before the Lord whom he hath offended CHAP. XXX How they diffâ—r also in the effects which either doe bring forth and in the causes of either THe one namely godly sorrow of a true conuert Effects of godly sorrow draweth a man to God and causeth him to seeke comfort from him alone euen then when he seemeth most of all to bee enemie vnto him saying with Iob Iob 13. 15. Though thou shouldest kill me yet will I trust in thee The other which is the worldly sorrow of an hypocrite driueth a man away from God after hee hath sinned and causeth him to flie what he can the presence of God in whose sight he dares not be seene but shunning his presence hee thinketh himselfe neuer more safe then when he is
hee himselfe saith Psalm 32. 3. 4. 5 was while he kept silence and would still haue kept close his sinne and bit in his sorrow and griefe he felt for the same but such smothering of his sin was as if hee hauing hot coales powred into his bosome should haue clasped his garments close about him so to shut them in which euery one knoweth would haue been a course not to be abidden for the burning and scalding would haue been intollerable and neuer to haue bin indured and borne vntill all had been ript open and throwne out againe Therefore when hee could find no more ease by keeping silence he burst out to make open confession of what he had done and came to the acknowledging of his sinne without any further hiding of his iniquity for so he saith he did conclude with himselfe and resolued to do euen to confesse his transgressions vnto the Lord shewing what a blessed effect followed vpon this course taken that then hee was refreshed and found ease to his soule the Lord was pacified towards him and forgaue him the iniquitie of his sinne A very memorable example and thing most worthie to be marked as we are well giuen to vnderstand by that word Selah Sinne in the conscience is as a thorne in a mans foote as needels in the flesh or as poysonfull matter in a soare which lieth burning and belching and aking with paine not to be abidden there is no rest in such cases vntill they be got out the soare launched and the poyson expelled then commeth ease to the patient Iob doth say that If he Iob. 31. 33. had couered his transgressions as did Adam by hiding his iniquitie in his bosome he could haue had no comfort by that course in his distresse Yea the Spirit of God directly setteth it downe that whosoeuer couereth and hideth his sinnes shall neuer prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes that is the man that shall haue mercy Prou. 28. 13. The couers and cloakes of sinne doe nothing but intercept and hide the gracious light of Gods countenance from shining vpon the obtenders and vsers thereof for why should God vouchsafe to forgiue that to vs which wee will not vouchsafe to acknowledge seeing that mortall men doe looke for confession of such faults as others though being but their fellow-seruants haue done against them before they will forgiue them Thrusting out of sinne then and a clearing of the conscience by casting it vp and vomiting of it out of the stomack of the soule as a loathsome burden that cannot any longer be borne by a free an open and plaine confession made thereof and by an acknowledgement of the euill that hath been done though it be against a mans owne selfe that hath been the doer of the same is the readiest and best way that can bee taken to ease a grieued heart that is oppressed with sorrow and heauily laden with the importable burthen of his sinne * Confessio peccati est medicina peccati Nazianz. for confession of sinne is the medicine to cure sin and where sorrow is in such a degree felt in the hart it cannot alwaies bee kept in but it will force out some confession to be made by the tongue to trie if that way any ease can come to the heart or any reliefe possibly bee gotten by such a course taken This confession of sinnes is to be made first and chiefly 1. To God Publike to God and that both publikely with and before others in the publike Congregations and Assemblies of the Church and also priuately in our secret and priuate prayers Priuate by our selues which is then sufficient when our sinnes are not knowne to others or none else thereby wronged and offended vnlesse we find cause to discouer our priuy faults and secret infirmities to some faithfull Minister or friend that is fit and able to counsel and comfort vs in respect of the same as Iam. 5. 6. willeth Christians to do And we are to confesse our sins vnto God not as to one that were ignorant of them and knew them not before to haue been done but as to him that knoweth and perfectly remembreth all things hauing them as it were written before him in a booke who searcheth the heart and knowes all that wee doe amisse that spieth out all our waies and hath the heauens the earth and our owne consciences the faithfull witnesses of our sins against vs therfore are we the rather to confesse our secret sins vnto him because we know he knoweth them that by our so confessing of them wee may doe him to know that wee also know them our selues and that our hearts are so filled with sorrow within for hauing done them that wee cannot but expresse the bitternesse of our griefe by making such an humble confession of our sinnes vnto him who taketh knowledge of all sinnes and that onely can forgiue them and grant vs pardon for them as he hath promised so to doe Prou. 28. 13. 1. Iohn 1. 9. and hath accordingly performed to Dauid and others 2. Sam. 12. 13. Beside this confessing of sinne vnto God if the sinne 2. To men committed hath not onely been done in the sight and knowledge of God but also before men with scandall and offence to the Church wherein it is so done then is it to be openly confessed both to God and men thereby offended that the plaister of confession being spread as far as the hurts and wounds of sinne haue extended they may be soundly cured Sinnes for which confession is due vnto men are either such as be offensiue and hurtfull vnto some certaine and particular persons onely vnto whom like priuate confession is requisite by the testimonie of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 23. 24. or else they are such as bee publikely offensiue and scandalous to a whole Church or Congregation either in regard of the notoriousnesse of the crime committed or in respect of the obstinacie of the offender proceeding vnreclaimeably with an obdurate heart and high hand in 1. Cor. 5. Matth. 18. 17. any priuate or lesser sinne whereby he doth iustly deserue and cause that it should be made publike that others may take heed of him and hee accordingly be censured ashamed chastised for these no lesse then publike cōfession is sufficient that thereby the Church and Congregation may be satisfied and the poore sinners sorrow and griefe of heart as one that is indeed truely penitent may bee brought out and made manifest to be true and sound as it ought to be Here in confession of sinne also there is many manifest Difference thereof and plaine differences betweene the repentance of sound conuerts and of those that are impenitent vnrepentant and at the best but counterfeit And first to begin with the Papists who for priuate 1. From popish confession confession are more seuere in their tradition then God is in his Word vrging euery man vnder paine of damnation
fetch better repentance that they may repent for that which yet they neuer repented of as in the time of Ezra 10. 10. 11 the people hauing repented long were faine to go back to fetch now repentance and hauing fasted before to fast again turne all mirth into mourning because they forgate a speciall sinne of marrying with strange wiues For as in an Euidence and writing for assurance there may be left our such words as should be most effectuall in the conueiance to the great preiudice of the lawfull owner which must cause it to be new written againe so in a mans repentance many things may be found out which were forgotten at the first to the great hindrance of a mans comfort Hence it is that men often remember vpon their death-beds with much griefe of heart the sinnes of their youth their incontinencie their pride their oppression their slanders and wrongs they haue done to their neighbours that are dead and gone no satisfaction hauing been therefore made by them And experience hath tried and taught this that many though they left their sinnes long agoe yet because they did not throughly and soundly repent for them they haue rebounded backe vpon them with terrible sights and fearfull visions to humble them and to bring them to a more serious examination of them and better sorrowing for them though long since left and in a manner quite forgotten I doe not denie but that hypocrites and reprobates The confession of Iudas may somtimes through the great distresse of conscience Matth. 27. 3. 4. that they are in be brought to make a more particular confession of their sinnes and to make speciall mention of their most hainous and enormious vices which they are guilty of and which now haue brought them to that distresse wherein they are Iudas was a rank hypocrite and a close cunning one if euer there was any yet he is said to haue repented and in the hellish sorrow that he was in he made confession of his sin yea he made confession of his particular sin that openly he cared not who heard him and he confessed that sinne that was of all his sinnes the greatest and whereby hee had most offended but because it was without faith in Gods mercie and without any true humbling of himselfe before the Lord seeking vnto him to haue it pardoned and was made not in the true and perfect hatred of that sinne because it was sinne but because hee could keepe his owne counsell no longer and the ouer-ruling hand of God would haue that he should penne his owne inditement and confesse the action that he was guiltie of the fact for which hee was in his conscience now arraigned before he should be hanged that being out of his owne mouth thus condemned all the world might know that hee died iustly damned This confession of his though it was of his particular sinne though it was of his chiefest and most hainous sinne and that openly made to his owne shame yet was it no better then his satisfaction when hee brought againe the money and cast it a forehead from him for nothing can bee well done in a wicked man which yet would bee excellent found done by a good man Besides the confession of Iudas was a falfe confession made to wrong parties such as were guiltie of the same sinne himselfe had committed and therefore were no way fit nor able to relieue him He made his confession to man hee made none to God whom hee had so greatly offended to aske mercie of him he humbled not himselfe before his Lord and Master whom most villanously aboue all he had wronged to aske pardon and forgiuenes at his hands who only could helpe him it was a confession of desperation and not of hope a confession that had no true humiliation ioyned with it a confession more of the innocencie of Christ then of the greatnesse of that sinne by which hee had done all that mischiefe that then was done it was therefore but an effect of worldly and hellish sorrow that caused his death and iust damnation But the humble confession which godly sorrow in the True confession hearts of such as are truly penitent doth cause them to make is the reuerend and modest blushing of their guiltie consciences they now putting themselues to shame not hiding their sinnes any longer but making open confession of them both before God and men when there is iust cause for them so to doe with desire of reconciliation with hope of obtaining mercie at the hands of God and pardon for the same and these doe so confesse their sinnes as it is done with an vtter loathing and perfect hating of them as those that haue no purpose at all to haue any more to doe with them from that time forward as Ephraim who said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe with Idols any more The confession of sinne made by hypocrites and such 3. Difference as are vnsound in their repentance is not a voluntarie humble confession of sinne in the griefe of their hearts that they haue done it mooued by a loath some hating of it that makes them so to throw it out as ouerburdensome longer to be kept for they commonly doe not confesse their sinnes before their sinnes be knowne in such sort as the deniall of them is in vaine and without colour and before the confession of sinne bee extorted out of them by the extremitie of some iudgement and plague vpon them As when that terrible thunder and haile mingled with fier Exod. 9 27. so grieuous as neuer before was knowne was throwne downe vpon Pharaohs head and vpon all his land and that innumerable Exod. 10. 16. armie of locusts sent after the haile had deuoured all the fruit which the haile had left then was this confession wroong out of Pharaohs mouth that he had sinned that God was righteous but he and his people were wicked that he had sinned against God and had sinned against his people Hypocrites come not to confession till they bee drawne out as by the eares to the making of it as was Adam Iosh 7. 18. and that they be arrested and attached by some iudgements sent from God as the Lord was said to haue taken Adam and so he was brought out to make his confession When they doe make their confession they do make it but by halues and with their mouthes as halfe open confessing something but not fully the whole matter as it was by them done They confesse their sinne as did Adam who for all his confessing as Iob saith of him Iob 31. 33 yet did still hide his sinne so doe these making confession of their sinnes for all that keepe close much iniquitie in their bosome Adam because his sinne was knowne vnto the Lord who now called to examination for the same did indeede at the last with much adoe say he had eaten but hee kept close his owne iniquitie in his bosome and
laid the whole blame of the fault vpon another person When hypocrites come to confesse their sin they seeke how to extenuate it and make it seeme as little as possibly they can excusing it in themselues all they are able and laying the greatest 〈…〉 vpon the shoulders of other men if they can fastâ—n vâ—â—â—â—ny partners in the same course with them As in â—aâ—s example and practice is euident to be seene who being challeâ—ged by Samuel for 1. Sam. 15. 14. 15 20. 24. 30. the bleating of the sheâ—pe iâ— his eares and the loughing of the oxen which were kept vbsâ—â—ine though at the length being strongly notably conuinced by Samuel he was brought in spite of his heart to make coâ—â—â—â—sion of his sinne and that twice for failing once after his conuiction and then againe the second time before Samuel wholly left him yet at the first he stood stoutly to the matter that he was innocent and free from all blâ—â—e yea that he deserued much commendation for hauing done all that God commanded him and performed his whole will in all that hee would haue done for he for his part had slaine the Amalekites as for that fault of keeping some of the fat beasts aliue hee transferreth the blame therof wholly from himself as if he had had no hand in it and laieth it al vpon the people they indeede saith he spared the fat beasts for sacrifice Wherein he dealt like a notable hypocrite indeed for of that which was well done he would haue the whole praise as though he himselfe had done it all alone but of that which was euill done he would haue all thinke that he stood cleare from all manner of fault therein that others must answer for let the people share that and part it amongst them and much good doe it them for he will none thereof And this is the most vsuall dealing of false-hearted hypocrites that haue liued since and doe liue at this time in good things if they haue done any thing they wil haue it vnderstood that they haue done all things but in euill things except they haue done all things they would haue men beleeue that they haue done nothing if they can picke out any that haue done as bad as they or though not so bad but fallen into the lapse of those sinnes wherein they doe lye notably bemired though they cannot deny but they haue done euill yet they presently haue such an answere as this ready to make to all that list to charge them therewith I cannot indeed deny but that I haue not done well in doing of this thing but I am not the first that in like manner haue done amisse neither shall I bee the last there be others I warrant you that be as bad as I neither am I alone in this sinne there were others as well as I that ioyned with me in it and were as forward as I and prouoked mee to it and though I cannot say I haue done well in doing of 〈◊〉 yet I pray God I neuer doe worse I haue as good a heart to God-ward as any whosoeuer and I had a good meaning to doe for the best how hainous soeuer you make the matter God bee mercifull to vs if I should not doe thus there were no liuing in this world but to be vndone and laughed at for a precise foole This and much more might Saul haue answered to Samuel which answere would haue been as good as an aprone of Figge leaues to couer his nakednesse They that are truly penitent indeede take none of these courses when they are humbled before the Lord or before men to make confession of their sinne they doe it after a much differing yea after a cleane contrarie fashion When their hearts are wounded and stricken thorow with godly sorrow for sin there need no great vrging nor inforcing of them to make their humble confession and acknowledgement of them they are neuer well till that is done their hearts are so oppressed and filled with sorrow within that they are as if they should burst till after this manner they haue sâ—ught to ease them they stay not alwaies the extremitie vntill by some outward iudgement the confessing of their sinnes be extorted from them it is enough that the greatnesse and heinousnesse of their sins is set before them and made knowne vnto them and that there by they haue offended God their hearts being conuinced of them and smitten with remorse and griefe for the doing of them this is found sufficient without the enforcement of further terrour and feare of punishment to bring them on their knees before God yea and before men also when there is iust cause for them so to doe to make their free and humble acknowledgement of their sinnes and to craue earnestly the pardon and forgiuenesse of them And in the confessing of their sinnes they doe not mince the matter to make their sinnes either fewer or lesser then they are they seeke not excuses pretences and cloakes to couer their sinnes and to shift of the blame and fault from themselues to lay it vpon other men but they discouer all their sinne and lay them open to the full they seeke not how to extenuate but rather how to aggrauate the faults that they haue committed they leaue other men and take the blame vpon themseluâ—â— and lay the burthen vpon their owne shoulders There are none so hard and seuere vnto them as they are vnto themselues in making the most and worst of their sins and passing out the sharpest sentences and censures against themselues aboue that any others would euer doe they comming to take the scantling of their owne sinnes doe set them vpon the tenter-hookes to draw them out to the full and furthest length and breadth that they can extend vnto yea they straine them many times so hard that they doe reach them beyond the true extent of them and doe make them greater then either God himselfe or man would doe There are none haue been so humbled none that haue thought so meanely and basely of themselues or that haue cast themselues downe so low in the sight of their sinnes and conscience of their vnworthinesse as haue done some of Gods most worthie and excellent seruants as it is plaine to be seene by the Scriptures Agur Prou. 30. 2 Prou. 30. 2. saith of himselfe Surely I am more foolish then â—ny man and haue not the vnderstanding of man in me Now it is sure Agur was a wise man and a holy man yet he thus meanely conceiueth and speaketh of himselfe So the Apostle speaketh of himselfe that he was of all other the greatest sinner 1. Tim. 1. 15 and yet answering for himselfe before 1. Tim. 1. 15. Acts 23. 1. the Iewes and High Priest Acts 23. 1 he saith Men and brethren I haue in all good consciâ—nce serued God vnto this day Doubtlesse no other godly and wise man liuing in those times and knowing these men would
hath chiefly in chase and for which he most pursueth vs by his iudgements for still retaining of them For commonly men that could bee contented that all their sinnes might die with the leane cattell slaine by Saul yet haue they some one or two fat sinnes which 1. Sam. 15 9. they would as faine spare as Saul did the fat beasts and Agag the King There is no gift of God giuen to many men that is so deare vnto them but there is something forbidden by God that is in like sort as deare to them as that is and as loth to be parted from Herod would not Mat. 14. part with his darling sinne but God when he hath sinne in chase and pursueth men with his iudgements because they will still retaine those sinnes will neuer giue them ouer no more then Ioab pursuing Sheba the son of Bichri 2. Sam. 20. did giue ouer his pursuit vntill the traitors head was throwne ouer the wall vnto him Gods iudgements are as his armies of souldiers that doe pursue vs for our sins wee are to bee as wise therefore for making peace with God as was the woman with Ioab in Abel by whose counsell Vers 22. the traitors head was cut off by cutting off the heads of all such our sinnes and casting them away speedily from vs that God may cease any further to pursue vs with his iudgements for them There are also some sinnes most specially aimed at as chiefe in the treason which God will see speciall execution to be done vpon before euer he will giue vs ouer their heads are to bee cut off in time and they most specially to be throwne out hy humble confession and pardon craued for them We are therfore to be most heedfull in obseruing our chiefest infirmities our strongest corruptions our commonest and most masterfull sins that haue foiled vs most and into which we are most in danger soonest and oftenest to fall to acknowledge them especially vnto God as bewailing them most with desire to haue mercy for them and power against them euer keeping a vigilant eye open ouer our greatest frailties that we may be most humbled for them before the Lord most afraid of them in our selues in regard of our knowne weaknesse and labour to arme our selues the better and to make ouer selues the stronger to deale with them and to wrastle against them both for the throwing them out of vs when they are got in and for the keeping them out when they are once expelled and gone For as one saith well they that are the best men of warre against all the vanities and fooleries of the world doe alwaies keepe the strongest guards against themselues to defend themselues against themselues from selfe-loue selfe-estimation selfe-opinion and such other home-bred sinnes In confessing of sinne beside the variety and multitude Quality of sins of our sinnes which thus are to be searched out the quantity and quality of sinne is to be waighed and considered to the end our humiliation may bee thereby the better furthered And first for the finding out the heauinesse and waightinesse of our sinnes wee are not to doe as they that comming to waigh gruffe or massie mettall bring great scales and leaden and great iron waights but wee are to waigh them in the tryed scales and waights of the Sanctuarie that are as the waights wher with men weigh gold that will shew what is wanting though it were but the waight of a dramme graine or lesse The cause why we vnderualue sinne is because we take out our owne waights to waigh it by which are as waights of leade if things be not somwhat excessiue heauie wee cannot perceiue or find any great want or difference with them But nothing is little nor lightly to be accounted of that is committed against the great Maiesty of God the price of Christs redemption the couenant that we haue made in Baptisme by the coÌ„mitting whereof we are made couenant Nihil leue quod praeponderatur mundo breakers and as periured persons That cannot be accounted light that is able to waigh against and to outwaigh the whole world and ouerthrow it too as we know sinne hath done one iot of Gods Law is more esteemed by him then all heauen and earth is beside We know what the Psalmist saith of men yea and of men in their best estate how by sin they are made so subiect to vanitie as if they should be laid in the ballaÌ„ce they would be found lighter then vanitie it selfe and if the Lord should hold the scales and put a sinner into the ballance though weighed but with the least sinne that euer can be commmitted yea though without any actuall sinne at all no more being put in than his bare Originall corruptin as let it be an Infant newly come into the world and not yet a day old he would be found not to hold waight in the Lords ballance and therefore the sentence of Gods iustice passing out against such an one would be so heauie as would make manifest the waightinesse of his sinne for therby he would not only be thrust downe from the throne of an earthly kingdome as was Balthazar Dan. 5. but of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen but also pressed downe into endlesse torment and most wofull condemnation in hell Let no man then account of that to bee light which is able to sinke and waigh down any vnder it into vtter destruction and euerlasting confusion which the least sinne in the world is able to doe As for the quality of euery sinne there is as great difference betweene sinnes and sinnes as betweene moats and beames hundreths of pence and thousands of talâ—nts betweene fifties and fiue hundreths in our reckonings accounts Yea euen the same sinne againe and againe committed multiplyeth according to that order which is in cyphering where that figure which in the first place standeth for single in the second place is ten times as much in the third place an hundreth in the fourth a thousand and so infinitely encreasing by tens hundreths and thousands according to the order of the place wherin it standeth The same sinnes by circumstances are greater in one then in another according to the differences of mens persons and places Sinnes are greater in publike persons then in priuate in such as haue knowledge then in them that are ignorant the white haires of old men doe make their sinnes a great deale the blacker and this that men sinne in the cleere light and sunshine of the Gospell setteth them vp to a farre higher degree of wickednesse and of iust condemnation both before God and man then if they had done the same wickednesse in the night of ignorance and times of darknesse Sinnes of wilfulnesse are aboue sinnes of weaknesse but if there be any one sinne to be named more dangerous then another it is security hardnesse of heart and impenitencie all other sinnes through faith and repentance may be pardoned