the dissolution of the soule and the body and that a true beleeuer should dye in all that weaknesse and feeblenes of his faith yet were it not possible that such a beleeuer could miscarrie because he dieth in Christ his faith holding him fast in Christ and holding Christ fast to him faith being of that nature that hauing once taken hold of Christ in the greatest weaknesse that can come vpon it it neuer letteth goe the hold it hath taken though being benummed for a time by some disease of tentation it may not feele the hold it truly hath till that soule be saued that once hath entertained it and had it abiding and dwelling therein it dieth not in death till it seeth that soule that so hath it to be put into life And to shew yet further how mightie and powerfull this grace is to saue euery one that doth truly beleeue it dealeth with vs and for vs towards Christ in the office that it hath to saue vs by Christ as Christ himselfe dealeth for vs towards God his Father in being our Mediatour that wee might be brought to God by him Now we know he neuer will giue ouer the office of his Mediatourship for vs till hauing finished all things for the perfecting of the worke of our full saluation putting downe and subduing all the enemies that wee haue vnto the very last of them all which is death drawing vp all his members euen to the last and to the least that belong to his body himselfe being the head that all together may be glorified with him and then shall be the end of this his office of Mediatourship in the manner as now he doth execute the same and neuer till then when the kingdome shall be deliuered vp euen to God the Father and he himselfe as Mediatour become subiect vnto 1. Cor. 15. 24. 28. him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all we being inseparably ioyned to him and vnto God by him that so we may raigne for euer in his kingdome After some such manner doth pretious faith which is the faith of Gods elect discharge the office assigned vnto it Christ is the only Sauiour of mankinde there is no name giuen vnder heauen whereby wee can be saued Acts 4. 12. but only by him he alone by himselfe hath fully perfected and finished that worke of our saluation and by the price of his bloud hath purchased eternall redemption for vs at the hands of God his Father The benefit of this purchased redemption is effectually communicated only to such as doe truly beleeue whom hee mindeth to bestow saluation vpon hee neuer faileth to giue faith vnto that they may haue a hand to receiue that which he hath a heart most freely and willingly to bestow the office of faith is to apprehend Christ and neuer more to let him goe to lay hold of saluation which Christ bringeth with him and neuer to see it lost till the soule be set safe for euer into which for this purpose it is once put and wherein it was wrought at the first Faith is most faithful in discharging al the trust that is thus coÌ„mitted vnto it and performeth to the full the office that it is appointed vnto for which cause it setteth vpon our enemies that would let our saluation and neuer giueth them ouer till it hath subdued them it repelleth what would hurt vs it remoueth out of our way what would hinder our good it feareth not our arch enemy the diuell himselfe but couragiously Power of faith and stoutly it dareth set vpon him and encounter him and buckle with him and faileth not to foile him and in the end most valiantly and victoriously to triumph ouer him conquering him in the combate and forcing Iames 4. 7. 1. Pet. 5. 9. him to flight it dareth take the whole world to task ouercome it too in the end for this is the victory whereby Eph. 5. 4. we ouercome the world euen our beleeuing it stoppeth so the mouth of the Law and putteth sinne so to silence that they can haue nothing to say against vs it iustifieth the soule in which it is and setteth it at peace with God it bringeth vs vnto Christ and so ingrafteth vs into him as it suffereth vs not euermore to be separated from him by any kind of dis-union that can happen it purifieth and purgeth the heart while we liue it comforteth and cheareth the heart when we come to die it once being entertained of vs abideth with vs for our safetie and comfort euen to the end it neuer giueth vs ouer so long as wee haue a day to liue and when death that must part vs doth appeare it yeeldeth not to death till we bee bee put into life and lets vs not goe till it hath resigned vs vp vnto Christ who then taketh vs to himselfe for euer out of the hand of faith Thus faith hauing finished the whole worke of our saluation that was to be done by it and brought it to so happie an end it then taketh a most sweete and happie farewell of vs for euer after as not being able any more to stand vs in any further stead Oh happie and blessed work of faith that it thus doth worke for vs Oh grace most gracious and precious indeed of sauing faith which being once giuen to the Saints they can neuer valew the worthinesse of the gift that is so giuen nor the good will of the giuer that most freely hath bestowed it who can neuer be enough loued of vs nor his name sufficiently magnified by vs and praised for the same Q. I will with-hold you no longer by mouing any further questions hereabout nor draw you any further away from going on to speake your iudgement about that matter you were in hand with namely how faith which is a spirituall grace that is inwardly seated and roâ—ted in the heart commeth yet at the length to be plainely discerned and made manifest But I desire to know further your mind in this what you thinke to be the readiest and best course for a man to take that is desirous to worke out his owne saluation and mâ—kâ— his election sure whereby to find out that he hath sauinâ—â—aith euen that pretious faith which is the faith of Gods elect A. I find that the most generall course in the Scriptures throughout taken by the Spirit of God himselfe who is onely wise and searcheth the heart and the reynes and knoweth all men throughly both behind and before within them and without them what they are in most exact manner so as nothing can escape his knowledge when he would make the hid things of mans heart manifest Vsuall triall of faith is by life not heart and would make men either knowne to themselues or manifest them what they are vnto others or would ouercome them himselfe and conuince them to be such as he doth challenge them for and charge them to be what
to reioyce alwaies for his goodnesse vnto them who by his gracious and wise prouidence doth so order and dispose of euery thing that doth happen as hee neuer faileth but doth cause all to work together to the good of them that truly doe loue him This is that which the Apostle willeth Phil. 4. 5. 6. and waranteth to euery good Christian that they doe reioyce in the Lord alwaies Now alwaies includeth as all times so all things and all cases that may happen for if there were any thing that might come to passe or any condition might befall a true Christian wherein there could not be found some cause of reioycing in the Lord for some one respect or other then might not a Christian reioyce alwaies but this the Apostle hath said hee may yea and ought also to doe or else he would not so directly haue spoken it and willed the doing of it and lest any should thinke hee had somewhat with the most and granted too large an allowance vnto Christians thus alwaies to reioyce to meete with that doubt and to make it cleare that there is warrant for them so to doe he saith it againe and speaketh it the second time doubling that speech as if he should say I willed you to reioyce in the Contra. 116. 128 Lord alwaies in saying whereof I haue said nothing too much I know what I doâ— say I say nothing but what I haue warrant for I will therefore say it againe Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce But it is worthy the marking he doth not will vs to reioyce alwaies in all things that may happen for some things may either be done by vs or be done to vs which are not simply to be ioyed in but to be lamented in and much be wailed by vs for which things themselues alone being considered we are to be greatly sorry as being euill in themselues But because so wonderful is the Lord in counsel and so excellent in working as he knoweth how to bring good out of the greatest euil that can happen to be done for otherwise as wel hath one of the Fathers obserued the Lord would neuer let euill bee vnlesse he knew how to bring good out of euill therefore hee willeth vs whatsoeuer cause we may haue to be humbled in our selues for that which may befall vs or vnto any others yet to reioyce in the Lord alwaies in his mercie and goodnesse iustice and truth in the excellencie of his wisedome and the absolute perfection of his skill as who knoweth without all failing to make all things beautifull in due time for Eccles 3. 11. so perfect a workeman is he as it skilleth not what matter and stuffe he taketh into his hand to worke vpon reffuse and rubbish that none others can tell how to put to any vse he will improue to such a purpose and cause so well to serue his turne as the very perfection of beauty shall bee seene in that passing workmanship of his hands which he will make euident to be done by him and to be wrought vpon the same For perfect is the worke of the mightie God and all his waies are iudgement God is true and without Deut. 32. 4. wickednesse iust and righteous is he as Moses did sing in his Swannes song Now if any doe desire that as the Lord turneth all things to good so hee might get good also out of euery thing that so hee might alwaies reioyce in all things so made profitable vnto him the Apostle giueth him this direction following in the place before cited that in nothing being too mistrustfully carefull he doe make prayers vnto God alwaies and in all things for the same Innumerable be the things that in particular may and doe fall out in our life time which doe much and nearely concerne vs some which of themselues in their owne nature and at the first hand are very ioyfull and comfortable vnto vs sent from God as benefits and blessings to cheare comfort and doe vs good and so they are accounted of by vs and intertained with all gladnesse and reioycing on our parts returning backe againe heartie thanks and praises vnto God for the same In such things it is cleare enough a good Christian may and ought much to reioice but there are many other things happening which may seeme to be as much against vs and about such things is all the question and the greatest doubt made how in those things which first and in their owne nature are heauie things to be heard of to be seene with our eyes or felt by our owne experience which iustly doe bring matter of griefe and heauinesse to our hearts and as iustly may call for much humiliation at our hands a faithfull seruant of God may possibly gather or picke out any kind of true comfort or find how any cause of sound ioy and warrantable reioycing in any respect may be raised from the same that so this may stand true the ioy of a sound Christian is of so large an extent as it may be reached out to euery thing that doth happen and according to that the Apostle willeth that a good Christian may be warranted to reioyce alwaies in the Lord. CHAP. XXII Of the lets of true ioy and first of sinne And how the Lord raiseth thence maater of reioycing to beleeuers OF all the things that are of this nature and kinde the greatest doubt so farre as I conceiue may be made of these two in particular viz. either of such things as doe respect our dealing against God by sinning and disobeying of him or doe respect Gods dealing against vs by chaftising and not sparing of vs and that either by his withdrawing himselfe from vs in hiding his owne countenauce or by his comming neere vnto vs in iudgement to smite vs with his rod laying on heauy chastisements and bringing sore and great troubles vpon vs. For as for all else that doe befall vnto vs by any other meanes of men or diuels or any other the creatures if they were not armed and made strong against vs by our sinnes or were not sent and set on by Gods owne hand his warrant and allowance he being thereunto iustly prouoked by vs to set them vpon vs and to set them against vs wee need not weigh them a rush nor care at all what they al together could possibly do for the doing to vs any hurt or any way to hinder our steady comfort But euen in those things whereof the greatest doubt may be made if there can for the present no manner of cause be found why in any respect a true beleeuer may haue his ioy in the Lord euen then still abiding and some kinde of lawfull reioyeing in the Lord yet allowed vnto him it is not because there is wholly wanting all manner of ground from whence may be raised a true and warrantable kind of reioycing but because we cannot see it till our eyes be opened and the
mischiefe of pride surely as pride spoileth vertue so vice spoileth pride againe And as out of the ashes of other sinnes pride is said to spring vp so out of the flourishing againe of other sinnes all that pride is plucked downe againe And this may bee thought to bee one cause why the Lord seeth it meete not wholly to free his seruants from many infirmities and much corruption of nature which is found still remaining in them namely that as he would not cast out all the enemies of his people out of that good land to which he had brought them lest the wild beastes for want of their helpe should preuaile against them so doth the Lord suffer that strength of corruption to remaine in his children that they may be aided thereby against all the assailings of pride which is such a wild beast as otherwise could not well bee with-stood but were likely otherwise to deuoure all vertue that it could find in them and by so doing come finally to ouerthrow them Satan therefore that is so busie with Gods children to bee euer tempting them to sinne and to one sinne after another doth therein but worke against himselfe and doth but lay a traine to blow vp the castles of pride wherein himselfe should most strongly and safely abide And while he neuer leaueth till he haue drawne the childe of God at the last to commit some great and hainous sinne which proueth to be as a wakening sinne vnto him who before was slumbring in securitie and maketh him to start vp and arise out of his sleepe and considering his waies in his heart to humble himselfe at once and to repent for that and for all his sinnes beside Now Satan in this doing doth but pull as we vse to say an old house vpon his head for he pulleth downe and ouerthroweth thereby the whole frame of all the other sinnes which hee had built vp and got to be planted in that mans heart before and so by his restlesse tentations he destroyeth and crosseth his owne worke the Lord making him in despight of his teeth to worke against himselfe who though he doe what he can yet will the Lord euer be found to ouershoote Satan euen in his own bowe In all which respects the Lord through his infinite wisedome goodnesse and mercy so ordering euery thing as he maketh the very sinnes of his seruants committed by them not a little to turne to the good of themselues by causing them therby the better to know their owne frailtie and what strength of corruption is still abiding in them that so they may be drawne to a greater humiliation and more earnest repenting not alone for their last sinnes but for such sinnes also as before either were not knowne or neuer at al soundly repented on and withal to haue a far greater care bred in them how to carry themselues more warily for afterwards euermore with feare and trembling working on their owne saluation And when besides Gods seruants shall see the workes of Satan thus distolued in them that what he intended for their ouerthrow doth now serue for their furtherance and to their making for euer the diuels poyson being so altered and changed by the ouer-ruling hand as it becommeth medicine Satan tempting and drawing them to sinne and the Lord by that sinne pulling them out of more sinne so curing sinne by sinne And lastly and chiefly when they at the length doth see how the Lord doth out of the sinnes committed by them how odious and abominable soeuer they haue been which they haue done make way for his owne greater glory and the more magnifying of the riches of those his mercies whereby both the same their sinnes are pardoned vnto them and they themselues in like manner cleared and purged from the venemous infection and strong corruption of them what should let but that which being euer humbled in themselues with godly sorrow for their sinnes and going out of themselues yet the true seruants of God their sinnes notwithstanding may reioyce in the Lord and alwaies reioyce in him for the excellency of all this worke thus wrought by him Q. Though there may be some cause of a Christians reioycing in the Lords blessed worke whereby he bringeth good out of the euill of such sinnes as he hath committed when once such good effects are seene to be brought out yet while this sinne is still abiding without being put to any such vse as you haue before spoken I demaund what cause there can bee shewed or any way found to bee of a Christians reioycing in the Lords worke which hee is in hand with towards him at the very time of his sinning or still abiding in his sinne A. That I may not be mistaken herein I am so farre from either saying or thinking that any seruant of God falling into sinne may any way reioyce in himselfe in respect of the sinne that either he hath once fallen into or still is seene to continue and abide in as confidently I doe affirme he can neuer be sufficiently cast downe nor grieued enough with godly sorrowing for the same and therefore according to the counsell giuen by the Apostle Iames 4. 9. 10. Iames I say he ought to be afflicted to mourne and to weepe letting his laughter be turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse humbling himselfe daily in the sight of the Lord till hauing obtained mercy from God for hauing repentance vnto life granted to him whereby hee may turne from his sinne and bring forth fruites worthy of amendment of life the Lord may then lift him vp in giuing him sound comfort and true ioy againe Howbeit in respect of another worke which the Lord himselfe is then in hand with euen when his seruant is sinning or after hee hath sinned found still abiding in that sinne he hath committed if that worke of God could be well seene into and rightly and wisely discerned I see nothing to the contrary but there might be found the like cause of reioycing therein as the sicke patient findeth cause to reioyce in the worke which he seeth his skilfull Physitian to be in hand with when he is tempering the potion mixing the ingredients preparing the medicine and then doth administer it vnto him and sets it a working the patient cannot all this time reioyce as hauing seene and felt what is the good effect of that medicine nor in perceiuing the cure to be fully wrought and finished vpon him but knowing that the Physitian who hath taken him in hand is both skilfull and faithfull hee reioyceth to see him to bee about the worke and so diligent therein as to be a preparing the medicine within his best vnderstanding hee knoweth of all others to bee most fit for his curing So when the Lord seeth no other meanes to be so fit for the recouering of some dull and dead-hearted seruant of his out of some sinne that he is fallen into and in which hee still lieth slumbring without any
others that place is most pregnant and cleere for this purpose where the Apostle writing to the Romans saith that being iustified by faith we not onely are at peace with God but also reioyce euen in tribulation Rom. 5. 3. knowing how many waies tribulation bringeth benefit and profit vnto vs as he there sheweth the particulars Indeed tribulations in themselues are troublesome and doe much trouble Gods children being as needles in the flesh which make men restlesse but if they were rightly considered of vs and the great benefit well valued that might be reaped by the same we should not need to be so troubled with them as wee are but should finde and perceiue that when they doe befall vs they bring no hurt at all vnto vs though a number as if they were venome are seene to flie from them if things were rightly taken as they ought to be we should soone see that the hand of God when it were so laid vpon vs were not a destroying but a deliuering hand not put forth to thrust vs frō him but a hand reached out to draw and pull vs more neerer vnto him and that as Gods iudgements are iust vnto all so vnto vs in particular it is of very faithfulnesse that he Psal 119. 75. causeth vs to be troubled who otherwise had been like to haue perished in our sinnes if troubles had not medicined vs to pull vs out of them againe If God will euer recouer a people that haue falsified their faith and broken couenant with him hee must take that course which he told his Prophet he would take with the backsliding people of the Iewes namely cause them to passe Ezech. 20. 37. vnder the rod and so bring them into the bond of the couenant againe The Lord by manifold afflictions vseth to nurture and schoole his children partly to preuent sins 1. Cor. 11. 32. Icr. 31. 18. to come and partly to humble them for that which is past The Lord is faine sometimes to put his children into the salt brine of afflictions and long troubles thereby to season them and to sweeten them and to sucke out from them the most stinking and rotten corruptions that doe breede in them that he may the better preserue them safe vntill his last comming It is well obserued by one that the euils which men call euils are helpers vnto good men to doe good withall and furtherers of them in the exercise of vertue As pouertie serues well to bridle Basil their lusts basenesse serues to humble their pride sicknesse to meeken their stoutnes and all manner of incumbrances to driue them vnto God Sicknesse and disease doth many times proue to be wholesome medicine vnto life for the making of it to be led much better when soundnes of health doth contrarily proue often the greatest sicknesse to the soule to make it much worse and to bring it at the length to eternall death Men vse to gather acquaintance of other neighbours and familiars by liuing long and conuersing much together with them but how long soeuer wee haue liued with our selues wee hardly can gather any good acquaintance with our selues or come to know our selues till wee haue been taught it in the schoole of affliction the rod of God is that which sendeth vs home to the house lodging and priuie chamber of our own heart example in Manasseth 2. Chron. 33. 12 who learned the way into his owne heart out of the dark cold prison lying in fetters and chaines which he could neuer learne sitting in his throne and glorious palace So the prodigall sonne being at home in his fathers house hauing the companie of ciuill men knew not himselfe but when all was spent hauing the companie of swine and beasts he was led into himselfe and began to know himselfe and to know then that hee was not at home Luk. 15. 15. 16. 17. when hee was at home but his troubles brought and made him to come to himselfe againe as the Scripture speaketh and so to be in his right minde for before hee was one besides himselfe Which things and the like being well considered may iustly cause vs not onely to bee comfortable and chearefull vnder our troubles but much thankfull for them as being true tokens of Gods fatherly loue for if wee should want them we were bastards and Heb. 12. 6. 8. not sonnes and as needfull promoters of our holinesse and better sanctification for God in chastening of vs aimeth at our profit that hee might make vs pertakers of his holinesse that wee might be holy euen as himselfe Heb. 12. 10. is To conclude then this point also as touching troubles befalling a good Christian which seeme euer to bring with them causes enough to hinder their holy reioycing and not to descend to any more perticulars but to muster all troubles together manifold and after a sort infinit and innumerable though they be and for an ouerplus of store for the making the heape the greater to put and to ioyne vnto them all other things also that may happen and befall to a true Christian during his whole life time I doubt not but a wise and vnderstanding Christian may be borne out if hee in some one or other respect should finde cause of some ioy in euery thing and of his holy reioycing in the Lord for his most gracious and most wise dispensation of all things that any way doe concerne him My ground and warrant for so saying is in that remarkable place and speech of the Apostle in his writing to the Romanes which for the great light and comfort in this behalfe that it doth giue foorth shining gloriously vnto vs out of the firmament of the Scriptures seemeth among other places of Scripture to be as the morning starre shining out of the midst of a cloud yea as the passing brightnes of the Sunne it selfe that lighteneth all things when the full and perfect day is come which to bee but remembred by vs is as the sweete smell of perfume and of the most aromaticall spices which haue power in them to comfort both heart and braine and which to be spoken vnto vs is as the sweetnes of hony in the mouthes of all men namely we know saith the Apostle there that all things worke together for good to them that Rom. 8. 28. loue God As if all things did conspire together in one to lend their common helpe to further this one and onely worke to see and take heed together that nothing more or lesse be done by any thing but that which may be for the most certaine and vndoubted good of a sound and true Christian as if they were all sworne to be true vnto him herein and were in such perfect league and friendship with him as could not be broken at any time yea and as if euery thing were so willing hereunto as al might be seene prest so chearefully to bestow their labour and take paines about this
heart whereby many men be cunningly cosoned of their saluation and heere shall they haue vnfallible markes and sure direction how both exactly to trie and certainly know the soundnes of their spirituall estates The methode and phrase of this discourse is indeed plaine and familiar fitted of purpose for the capacitie of the meaner sort of people for whose good especially it was intended For though the simpler sort cannot vnderstand euen plaine things in an artificiall methode briefly expressed in proper and quaint tearmes of eloquence and art yet people of better vnderstanding can easily conceiue profound things vnfolded but in an ordinarie phrase of speech and vulgar order it being farre easier for the stronger to yeeld and condescend to the weaker then for the weaker to ascend in things beyond the reach of their power to the stronger so that the same spirituall food is so diuersly to be dressed that to the one it may bee strong meate and to the other milke In regard of the which plainnesse with the euidencie of truth this treatise is the more to be esteemed for that without all coloured masking the naked truth is therein simply pronounded with the pure beautie whereof al are to be enamoured and seeing herein the Author hath more regarded the spirituall good of others then to gaine any worldly respect to himselfe it is not the lesse but the more remarkable and worthie of esteeme Thirdly to come to the causes of publishing hereof I to whom the Author vpon his death-bed did solemnely bequeath this Treatise as a poore orphan vnder age to bee wholly at my disposing had no small doubt and conflict within my selfe whether it were best to keepe it as a domesticke seruant in priuat or to let it be made free and publique Two reasons did much moue me to the former first respect to the Author our reuerend friend for that in this knowing age this abortiue birth not perfected fully to answere either his abilitie or mâ—â—s expectation might somewhat disparage him Secondly the many good and godly treatises alreadie published vpon the same subiect did deterre me from doing so with this for that it seemed to be needlesse notwithstanding I haue bin perswaded to the latter first that I might cleerely manifest my fidelitie in that which was committed to my trust for the vse and benefit of others who both earnestly expected and often flagitated the same from me as their owne what or how euer it were Secondly that the Authors diligent endeuour and true intent not only while he liued but also after his death to edifie the Church of God might be euident to all for the help and encouragement of others in all good courses whereupon I haue surrendred this orphan vnto the naturall elder-brother of the same parent by him to be sent abroad The learnednes of the age is so farre from being any iust discouragement that it is rather to be an encouragement to publish such necessarie treatises so long as they are orthodoxe for matter though they doe want some ornaments of garnishing proceeding not from want of power in the Author but of opportunitie in time seeing that then there shall not want sufficient and equall Iudges both by the common law of veritie and also by the Chancerie of charitie who will pleade for equitie for neuer true knowledge but ignorance is an enemie to truth The diuersitie and multitude of seuerall treatises vpon one subiect so long as none of them is so absoluâ—ly perfect but that somewhat may be supplied by others thereunto neither is any of them so vniuersally fit for all persons times and places but that according to diuersitie of circumstances they may be various is no barre to exclude others of the same nature for so long as they doe all agree in the same substance of truth though they do differ in the manner of the frame phrase and application of the same according to the varietie and multiplicitie of the graces of Gods spirit in the Authors and the diuers dispositions manners and opinions of seuerall people in sundrie places and ages to whom they doe write thereby an vnanimious and vndeâ—iable testimonie is publiquely giuen to the truth and the Church and people of God still built vp in goodnesse And further though there were sufficient alreadie written if men would carefully vse it and therewithall be content yet seeing that old bookes like old garments are in time neglected and despised and the new coueted and read rather for the nouâ—ltie of the edition then for any newnesse of matter contained in them it is not amisse so to renew bookes of the same things for the spreading and continuing of the truth euen as they say by new Phenixes rising out of the ashes of the old their kind is still propagated But blessed be God we do dwell in the land of Goshen hauing the two great lights of preaching and printing as the Sunne and Moone to direct and comfort vs in the seruile Egypt of this world therefore while wee haue the light oh how carefull should wee be as the children of light to walke in the light that at the last we may raigne with God for euer who dwelleth in light which cannot be approched vnto which the Father of mercies grant vnto vs. Amen STEVEN EGERTON IOHN SYME THE PRINCIPALL HEADS and Contents of the Chapters CHAP. I. Of the knowledge of God and our selues in generall pag. 1 CHAP. II. Of the Christians practise according to his knowledge of God and his works 5 CHAP. III. The Christians practise according to the knowledge of himselfe and his owne dutie and herein first of the legall Commandements 13 CHAP. IIII. The Euangelicall commandement with the Christians practise and vse made thereof wherein there is the definition of faith with the proper obiect and speciall operations thereof 20 CHAP. V. The manner of the knowledge of Christ with the perswasion that is necessarie to faith 25 CHAP. VI. The vse that is to bee made of this that God hath giuen the commandements both of the Law and Gospell for the attaining of eternall life 39 CHAP. VII How men may be mistaken in this poynt of their beleeuing with the vse thereof 53 CHAP. VIII How faith is discerned and the true being thereof made manifest both to the beleeuer himselfe and to others 73 CHAP. IX What remedie there is for the weake in faith And withall the excellencie of faith is declared with the practise or vse to be made thereon 86 CHAP. X. Two things propounded first the differences betweene sauing and sauelesse faith and how farre a reprobate may goe in faith Secondly the notes and properties of true and precious faith and here the maine difference is entreated of 95 CHAP. XI Of the speciall differences in the principall graces appertaining to faith and first of the first grace which is knowledge with the vse that is to be made of the difference herein 104 CHAP. XII The second difference which is in their
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
earth vnto heauen If after this manner we shall bee diligent in vsing all good meanes both for the beginning and encreasing of precious and true sauing faith in our hearts and shall be found no way to bee wanting to our selues God will not be wanting to giue his blessing but doe that for vs in this behalfe which Paul craued of him in the behalfe of the Thessalonians namely Fulfill 2. Thes 1. 11. all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and perfect the whole worke of faith in our hearts with power to our eternall saluation in this life and in that which is to come CHAP. VII How men may be mistaken in this point of their beleeuing with the vse thereof Question BVt may not men be mistaken about this point of their beleeuing and thinke they haue obtained like precious faith with Gods Elect looking to be saued as soone and as well as the best as many may be heard so to speake and yet misse of all in the end and fall short of their reckoning both deceiuing others by their so confident boasting and to their euerlasting woe prouing by lamentable experience that they are worst and most of all deceiued themselues A. Yes vndoubtedly and in nothing sooner then in Many deceiued this according as there is no one sauing grace though Satan be an enemie to all against which that vowed enemie of our saluation doth more bend all his force Satan beguiles with false faith to the ouerthrowing of it where hee findeth it to be in truth or about which that deceiuer of the world doth more beare his braine or set a worke his seuen heads to vse greater cousonage or more sleighty working and cunning craftinesse to deceiue then about this one grace of faith either for the keeping of men from hauing faith or caring to haue it if he seeth they bee without it or else in making them beleeue when hee perceiueth they are of mind that faith is needful to bee had that they haue faith without all doubt and that euen of the best and strongest faith that is in the world beside then the which no better can bee had when their faith scarce hath so much to be seene in it as the very shadow or shew of a true faith or when it is at the best it is but a counterfait mocke-faith euen a false fained faith which he well knoweth can doe them at all no good nor stand them in any manner of stead This is his subtilty and diuellish policy with the shewes of nothing to make men beleeue they haue all things and when they are emptie to thinke they are full This is truly said to bee one of the chaine-shot wherwith he slayeth thousands vpon thousands and with which as it were with the Iaw bone of an Asse Sampson-like he daily doth make heapes vpon heapes Men are fowly and fondly deceiued and most childishly cousened by the diuell in this point of their beleeuing which yet is a case of so great waight and a matter of such importance and consequence as to bee mistaken about it proueth to be the vtter vndoing of men and their finall ruine For altogether lamentable it is to see that men should trust so much to their broken bankerupt estate in their soules affaires and should so hazard their soules and beare so great an aduenture of their liues for euer vpon the hope of being saued by such a faith as can no way helpe them but will vtterly faile them in the end They are like foolish and desperate persons that dare goe to sea in a rotten or riuen shippe or like the foolish man of whom our Sauiour speaketh in the Gospell that buildeth his house vpon the sand looking to bee sheltered there and saued from all harme against euery storme but wheÌ„ the storm coÌ„meth beateth vpoÌ„ his building all falleth about his eares and the fall therof is the greater by how much the more he hoped and was conceited in himselfe that he had built it so strong as it could neuer faile him in any need True and pretious sauing faith is not so common True faith rare a grace nor so easie to come by as many doe thinke for There bee that doe trauell as painfully to bring it forth and doe with as great difficulty and hardnesse come to finde and to feele that they haue it as any weake woman by her forest labour when shee endureth the sharpest brunts and strongest paines of trauell in child-birth commeth at the length to bring forth her fruit So that in respect of their hard comming by it and the paines they endure for it and charge that it cost them at the length to obtaine it become owners of it it may well be called and reckoned in their account to be indeed pretious faith according as it is in it selfe in regard of the inestimable worth that is found to be in it and of the admirable effects that it causeth and of the precious fruites that it doth bring forth it most worthily and deseruedly hath that honourable stile and title put vpon it to be called precious faith for it is vnto some the price in a manner 2. Pet. 1. 1. of their dearest life And I doubt not but as Rachel hauing hard labour died herselfe when Beniamin was Gen. 35 16. 18. borne so some may as well die in the throwes of the new birth and pangs and paines of their trauell about hauing faith to be borne and getting that fruit to bee brought forth which yet being once borne and so brought forth will neuer faile to saue them that beare it though they die themselues in the birth thereof And therefore in regard of their owne feeling they may seeme to haue cause with Rachel to call it their Ben-oni euen the sonne of their sorrow though as Iacob changed the name of that son whom Rachel called Ben-oni for the sorrowfull trauell she brought him forth with and called him Beniamin so in regard of the powerfull and blessed effects that faith worketh for the vndoubted sauing and bringing to eternall life such as truly doe beleeue he that is the author of this precious faith and the onely true father that hath begot it in them may iustly haue it named not Ben-oni but Beniamin that is the â—â—n of strength against which no power of the enemic can preuaile or the sonne of the right hand euen such a hand as layeth hold of life and such life as neuer will haue an end I know there be a companie who resting vpon a vaine and false fained faith that may be truly said of them in regard of their speedy and easie comming by such faith which they yet conceit to be as good as any bodies faith is beside which the Egyptian midwiues said of the women of Exod. 1. 19. the Hebrewes that they were not like other women of Egypt but were so liuely so lustie and strong as they needed not their helpe but
were deliuered before euer they could come at them So this sort of people they are deliuered of this kind of faith without any aide of Gods Ministers they are so healthie so lustie and so strong as themselues doe deeme that they neede none of their helpe for they are not acquainted with the pangs of conscience in the new birth whereby others are hazarded there being many a poore weake Christian that is seene to lye trauelling to bring out true sauing faith in such weaknesse as they are ready to faint and giue ouer before euer that can bee brought forth and seeme to bee borne But these of a sudden growing great and swelling bigge with a windie conceit that puffeth them vp make their reckoning that faith is formed in them they trauell indeed about it but as the Prophet speaketh they trauell with the wind and bring out nothing but the Hos 8. 7. Isa 33. 11. Psal 7. 14. whirle-wind they conceiue chaffe and shall bring forth stubble they trauell with falshood and bring forth a lie their surest faith being nothing else but most dangerous presuming There is then great mistaking about this question of faith Some thinking their faith to bee lesse then it is and though it be in them in truth yet that it is not in them at all Others thinking their faith to bee greater then it is and that they are richly stored therewith when they are wholly emptie of it and haue not of it in quantitie so much as is the least graine of mustard-seed Who therefore haue no cause to be so secure as they are and to reckon vpon such safety as they doe for vndoubtedly their faith so failing them they from mistaken grounds deceiuing themselues they cannot but perish in the end and wofully at the length miscarry for altogether Q. This then being a matter of so great importance and case which many times on both sides is so much mistaken as you haue already spoken me thinkes it were worth the labour to haue this thing somewhat better scanned vpon for the clearing of the doubts that may arise about the same And first where you made mention of some who thinke worse of themselues then there is cause in whom though there is true faith indeed they yet feele it not to bee so but are as much dismayed as though they had no faith at all I desire to heare what you conceiue of the estate of such and what you thinke may be the reason why faith being giuen vnto them they yet should not haue giuen vnto them the feeling of the same A. When God the onely author and finisher of pretious Faith without feeling and sauing faith in all his elect hath begun to put his hand to this blessed worke of giuing life and being to this indeleble and neuer-failing grace till the last end thereof be attained vnto which is the eternall saluation of euery soule that hath it when I say God hath once infused this grace into vs and planted it in our hearts that it hath a true being there though wee be not aware thereof for God who can worke without vs without our merit and desart without all manner of helpe and aide from vs can also worke within vs without our discerning of his worke or his making vs priuie to that hee is in hand with or any way acquainting vs with what he is a doing and a working for vs till in his wisedome hee seeth it fit and meet to haue this made knowne vnto vs for our greater comfort then and from thenceforth for euer may it be said of that soule which was said of Zacheus Luk. 19. 9. house after Christ Iesus once set his foot within the doores thereof this day is saluation come into this house so that day and houre that instant time wherein faith had any entrance way made for it to be planted to haue being in the soule that once hath it wrought therin it may bee said of that soule this day is saluation come to this soule and that saluation that will be euerlasting so as it is thenceforth safe for euer from finally perishing or euer miscarrying And the safety of such a soule is as sure by the true being of it without the sensible seeling and discerning of such a being as euer it shall be safe either by the most liuely and comfortable feeling of the being of faith Yea or of the hauing of that for which faith euer had such being namely saluation it selfe when wee shall be most surely and fully possessed of it in Gods kingdome We are I say from that very instant of time as sure to be saued as if wee were saued alreadie and were euen now in heauen It is therefore no small fauour from God vnto vs when our estate is thus most certainly in it selfe become an estate of saluation and most euidently many times discernable so to bee by others to whom a spirit of discerning is giuen though in like manner not so beleeued so felt or perceiued to be by our selues And though the Lord for good respects and causes best knowne to himselfe doth see it meete not to exempt vs from staggering and doubting and still calling into question the state of our owne saluation yea letting vs abide vnder great feare and much trembling lest that wee should not at all belong vnto him that so wee may giue the better diligence to make our election which is euer sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. in it selfe to be also sure to vs yet ought wee herein to submit our selues And if it shall please him lest wee should become lasie and idle and carnally secure by knowing too soone before we are fitted to vse well that which in this behalfe we so should know euen the certaintie of our saluation to keepe vs from knowing for a time that which is and hath been knowne to himselfe before 2. Tim. 2. 19. all beginnings to the end hee may set vs a worke about the more diligent vsing of all such meanes and carefull endeuouring to doe all such things as are needfull to be vsed and done by euery one for the attainment of saluation and that not without great feare and trembling also lest especially if we should in any respect herein be found wanting we should misse of our desired saluation in the end And if he will that by such our painfull endeuours in the discharge of all Christian duties we shall so worke out our owne saluation as with our owne hands Phil. 2. 12. that is to say labour that our owne selues may at the length come to know that which alwaies was knowne to God before which is that wee with the rest of Gods elect shall vndoubtedly also be saued that so that saluation may after a sort by such our endeuours be wrought out by vs which yet was fully accomplished wrought out before for vs by him which was thereunto appointed before the world had a beginning and who
teÌ„perance patience brotherly kindnes the like as Peter counselleth that so as they might neither be idle nor vnfruitful so these things being in theÌ„ and abounding they may become sure they shall neuer fall Their danger of perishing for want of knowledge is not for want of literall theoricall and speculatiue knowledge but for want of liuely effectuall practicall knowledge their Rom. 6. 23. Psal 125. 5. Psal 9. 17. Heb. 12. 14. minds are inlightned sufficiently in generall to know that the reward of all sin is death that all workers of iniquity must perish that the wicked shal be turned into hel and all the people that forget God and that without holinesse no man shall see God but I feare many are â—eceiued in this point who know much otherwise to thinke that there may be virtutis niâ—ium men may be too precise and too strict in their holines and in that they dreame of a greater libertie and make larger grants licenses to themselues to continue in their sinnes then they can find warrant for out of Gods Word and yet hope for all that to come well enough to heauen And others when they see them that are learned so to take liberty and so to liue they follow after without either feare or wit as we vse to speake holding it for a principle that tutum est errare authoribus illis these men say they know as much as the best if they knew they might not doe it they would not doe as they doe if such men erre we dare at a venture erre with them for company If there bee any thing hidden kept secret from men in these knowing and vnderstanding times wherein the world and age we liue in may be said after a sort to bee as full of knowledge as the sea is of water it is in things not so much appertaining to the information of mens minds as to the reformation 2. Cor. 4. 4. of mens manners the god of the world so blinding the eyes of the most euen among them that are professors of the faith that the light of the glorious Gospell though it shine clearely enough to make known this whole matter yet it should not shine vnto them to let them see how absolutely necessary it is to the attainement of saluatioÌ„ for al that nameth the name of Christ to depart from al maner of 2. Tim. 2 19. iniquity and so to be changed and throughout sanctified as not to rest with Agrippa in being almost or halfe perswaded Acts 26. 28. 29. to leaue their sinnes and reforme their liues but wholly to be like Paul and altogether of his practice who bestowed labour vpon himselfe for the taming of his body 1. Cor. 9. 27. and bringing it vnder lest by any meanes when he had preached to others he himselfe should be a cast-away That which was a secret in Dauids time or whosoeuer else it was that made the Psalme for the Sabbath is still a secret to this day vnto men of the like fashion that is an vnwise or brutish Psal 92. 6. 7. man knoweth not neither doth a foole vnderstand this that all the workers of iniquitie euen when they flourish most shall be destroyed for euer and that many who know Christ to professe him and know Christ to preach him yet shall not be knowne of Christ in that day of his appearing Matth. 7. 22. but be sent away with this answere giuen them Depart from me I know you not and all because they haue been workers of iniquitie and then they shall though too late see their owne folly in the end and how much for all their good knowledge that in other things they haue had they yet haue been deceiued in this when they shal haue cause too iustly to complaine that destruction and Rom. 3. 16. 17. vnhappinesse haue been in their wayes and the wayes of truth they haue not knowne Let men haue what knowledge they may if they faile in obedience to Gods commandements there is not a dramme of sound wisdome and sauing knowledge in them at all as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet How doe you say we are wise and the Law of the Iâ—r 8. 8. 9. Lord is with vs they haue reiected the word of God and then what wisedome is there in them That was good learning Seneca ep 95. which a HeatheÌ„ Philosopher could say was the learning and wisdome of old time which taught nothing more Iob 28. 28. then what was fit to be done and what to be left vndone Now we are taught more how to dispute well how men were much better though not so learned now men since they are growne more learned haue left of to be so good Of all learning it is the best learning truly to know God and feare him the feare of the Lord being true wisedome and the departing from euill being the best vnderstanding according to that which the Psalmist speaketh that a good vnderstanding Psal 111. 10. haue they that doe there-after and the praise thereof will endure for euer If any desire to know how with all their other knowledges they might come to know this last and of all the rest the best and most needefull point of knowledge namely so to know Christ as there withall to know also that all that are in Christ and looke to bee saued by him of necessitie must bee new creatures and purge themselues as he is pure let them with prayer and Psal 25. 9. holy meditation learne in humility the way of liuing wel in learning it let them obey it and in obeying they shall still learne it better as our Sauiour himselfe hath promised to them that will doe the will of his Father And so much Iohn 7. 17. 8. 31. 32. let be said concerning this point of the difference of the knowledges that may be discerned and found to bee among men CHAP. XII The second difference which is in their laying hold of Christ for saluation Question BEside knowledge you haue shewed there must be also a laying hold of Christ with a perswasion that God will be fauourable to vs in and through him and for as much as in hypocrites these also may seeme to be found as well as the knowledge of Christ I pray you shew what difference may be put betweene the apprehension of Christ for saluation by a true beleeuer and the perswasion he hath of obtaining saluation by him and that which can bee found in one that is not currant nor sound in his beleeuing A. The one layeth hold of Christ in imagination and Diuers apprehension of Christ conceit onely and therefore is neuer the better the other in truth and certaintie and so vndoubtedly becommeth saued thereby The apprehension of Christ by an hypocrite in his owne imagination is but as the holding of an Angell of gold in the hand of one that is deceiued by a Iuggler that hath his senses
The answere must bee they warrantably can haue ioy in nothing for to whom there is no peace granted there can be no sound ioy allowed vnto them but there is no peace saith God unto the wicked and therefore Isa 48. 22. hauing nothing to doe with peace they haue as little to doe with ioy if they take ioy in any thing they doe but vsurpe the ioy that they take nay they are so farre from hauing cause to reioyce in any thing as contrarily they haue cause to feare in euery thing because they feare not him whom they ought to feare that is they doe not sanctifie the Lord of hosts to let him bee their Isa 8. 13. 14. feare and their dread who so would become a sanctuarie unto them to saue them from all things else that might hurt them They therefore may feare euery thing they meet with till they can truly come to feare God they may feare the wind the sea the earth the aire all things they haue vse of their hooke their hatchet their horse their cow their dogge that followes them the meate they feed vpon they may feare men and diuels and all things beside they wanting a good conscience washed in the blood of Christ and in all holinesse of life and conuersation which is a continuall feast cannot but want true comfort and want the feeling of sound ioy and peace in their hearts nay contrarily hauing an ill conscience that is either without feeling seared as with a hot iron or else blinded by the errour of iudgment or that hath guilt in it to accuse condemn for sin that hath bin committed it so commeth to passe that they cannot but either be restlesse for the present the accusation of their consciences euer stinging them and tormenting them with the guiltinesse of their sinne or if they haue quiet it is because hypocrisie hath put their conscience to silence heere that they may soone after roare out the lowder in hell fier where their cries neither will be pitied nor their paines euer bee eased It is truly said that euill doers they are their owne prisoners and their owne hang-men And if it be so saith one Plessis what skilles it who thou bee if thou bee not thine owne man They that are cast into prison for treason or stealing they haue after a sort already the halters about their neckes euen from the very instant of their first being taken and put in howsoeuer it bee that sometimes forgetting their owne miserie they may as desperate wretches after their cursed manner be sound merrie together playing at dice and cards to driue as they vse to say the time away Such professors as are but hypocrites and mis-beleeuers who haue an ill conscience that either euer doth or euer may be accusing of them they haue nothing to doe with sound ioy and true peace for they are peculiar comforts appointed peculiarly to true beleeuers and to righteous persons for whom onely they are sowne as light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart and vnto them alone it will come vp and by them alone such fruit will bee reaped As for the other the Lord hath bidden woe to bee cried out and proclaimed vnto them as who haue rewarded euill to their Isa 3. 11. owne soules Vnto such all things are vnpure they haue no freedome to take ioy or comfort in any thing they are those that are made prisoners in their owne houses who can neithey goe out to fetch sound comfort abroad nor haue allowed vnto them any liberty to bee merrie at home If these doe looke without themselues they being not in Christ Iesus there is nothing in all the world which they can finde iustly to belong vnto them or which they can claime rightly to be their owne If they take the vse of any thing they are but vsurpers of the same yea as very theeues they haue but stollen all they doe set hand vpon and therefore they must looke to bee had to the Gaile and put into the Lords pinfold to answere for the trespasse which they haue done vnto him as to the right owner therein The delight which they take in all outward things of this life is but as the pleasure of stollen waters that are thought sweet of them that doe drinke them and like to bread eaten in secret that is pleasant for a time but they that banquet with no better cheere vnhealthsome and vnhappie is their fare The guests that are at such feasts as Salomon telleth vs are all in the very depth of hell If these doe rest in themselues and Prou. 9. 18. seeke for some comfort at home as who would gladly be made merrie and feele some ioy and delight from that which is within for as much as their hearts are not sprinkled Heb. 10. 22. from an ill conscience and their bodies are not washâ—d with pure water there is no ioy to bee assoorded from thence nay there they find the least ease and the most torment and disquiet of all the rest that possibly they can meet with else where beside vnlesse they chance to earth themselues in the caues of obliuion that iudgement to come may not come to their minds their estate in that behalfe is as vncomfortable as is their that are clapt vp in closest prisons and cast into deepest and darkest dungeons so as they can see no manner of light of Sunne or Moone or any starre that doth shine the liberty they find there is as little as the liberty of him that is chained fast to a post that cannot stirre at all For where the conscience doth accuse their soule is made restlesse with the vexations thereof and then any pallace how princely soeuer would be no better then a prison or a Gaile to keepe the offender in yea Paradise it selfe would be little better then Purgatorie or hell it selfe as may be seene in Adam who hauing lost a good conscience by eating the forbidden fruit though hee was in Paradise still yet all the ioyes therein were not able to comfort him but as one condemned in himselfe when the Lord called for him he ran into the thicket to hide himselfe from Gods presence that he might not be found Thus are the workers of iniquity imprisoned in the little-ease of their own accusing and condemning conscience and held as captiues bound â—â—st in the cords of their owne iniquities they may dwell in good houses they may walke in faire galleries and pleasant gardens they may solace themselues in many other delights but if they bee but hypocrites that haue onely faire outsides and but rotten harts carying about with them the crying of their restlesse conscience that is euer accusing of them though outwardly they may seeme to looke as smirke and as cleere as the Sunne and not once looke awry yet within the faces of their conscience doe gather blacknesse and there are terrours and feares of damnation felt within and so
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
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
and giuen vnto him the ioy of his saluation such peace and such ioy vnto him are as brazen boots to make him runne without feare through all briers and thornes that are in his way and through the sharpest pikes themselues of most cruell persecutions Of the truth of these things we haue whole clouds of Gods witnesses that the ioy of such as are true beleeuers and sound in deed in the faith hath still abidden with them as well in the time of their greatest triall as of their most happie and longest continued peace for such hath been found to haue been the ioy of Gods seruants as in their greatest troubles it hath caused them to find comfort yea and ease vpon the very racke it selfe some haue been so refreshed in the fier as if they had been laid vpon the bed of sweet roses Iames Bainham Act. and Mon. pag. 939. One burned at Bruxels p. 799. when they were but frying among the faggots many haue been seene to haue looked on deaths face with good assurance and to haue stood vpright in the middest of all other ruines that haue happened on euery side and so haue the holy Martyrs been rauished with ioy in John Bradford pag. 1474. and Cicely Ormes burned at Norwich Act. and Mon. pag. 1835. Cyprian willed his friends to giue the executioner for his paines 25. rials Thomas Haukes burned at Copehall pag. 1447. Ten Martyrs burned at Colechester p. 1822. their greatest sufferings as they haue not onely patiently endured them but most cheerfully and ioyfully embraced them kissing the stake to which they were bound rewarding the executioner that should put theÌ„ to death clapping their hands in the flame while they were a burning and that with as great triumph and kind of heauenly reioycing as the victorious souldier after his valour hath been shewed in the field commeth at length to be made a knight or as doth a king when he entreth vpon his kingdome and goeth to be crowned with such pompe and solemnity as may beseeme his kingly dignity They were comforted of the Lord with such inward ioy as some writing to their friends professed they were neuer so merrie in all their liues before some leaping for iow some for triumph would put on their scarfes some their wedding garment when they went to the fier One saith well That to be cooled in the shade is'a thing of no great wonder but to be refreshed in a hote fiery furnace is strange and admirable to bee cheered and refreshed with wine and oyle at banquets and feasts is not a matter so much worthy the speaking of but in prison persecution and trouble to bee refreshed and find comfortable cheering is a thing worthy both to be made of and maruelled at but thus hath it been with diuers Witnesse that famous Italian Martyr Pomponius Algerius who Pomponius Algerius his story pag. 857. found euen when he lay in prison in that same deepe and darke dungeon a very Paradice of pleasure and in that place of sorrow and death he found to dwell tranquillity and hope of life in that infernall caue he found heauenly ioy hee found ease and rest to his soule in his strait bonds and cold irons yea where other did weepe there did he reioyce and there had he boldnesse and strength where others through feare did tremble and shake and so he shutteth vp his excellent letter with as comfortable a farwell bidding his friends farwell in the Lord from the delâ—ctable Orchard of Leonyne prison But in reporting of these things which euery way Isa 53. 1. may seeme strange and incredible to a carnali worldling we may say and cry out with the Prophet Lord who will beleeue our report Doubtlesse it may well be thought that the ioy of the holy Ghost euen that ioy that Peter saith to bee vnspeakable and glorious wherewith the hearts of these worthy Martyrs were so abundantly replenished and the interiour heate of Gods loue in them The creature that serueth the Creator as it encreaseth his strength against the vnrighteous for their punishment so it abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in him Wisd chap. 16. 24. See Acts and Monuments pag. 1879. The history of Iohn Dauis Heb. 11. 38. wherewith they were fired within did much surmount the heate and burning of those fierie flames that outwardly did fasten vpon them the feruent zeale and burning of which fier within sustained them so in their greatest torments as they shrunke no whit nor gaue any place at all to such things which otherwise without that sustaining had been able to haue enforced them not only to haue giuen backe but to haue giuen ouer for altogether the cause wherein so manfully they stood without any staggering These things which men of renowne in former times euen the worthies of God whom worthily the Apostle saith the world was not worthy of haue abundantly tryed by their owne experience to haue been most true their cheerings and comforts hauing so farre surmounted their sorrowes and griefes in the middest of all their torments and paines as that when they were tried with the greatest tortures and put to the most painfull rackings and then offers made them to bee released they haue yet refused to bee deliuered so great was their constancy the ioy and the comfort that they had in their hope of obtaining a better resurrection these things Heb. 11. 35. I say are so high and doe so farre transcend not onely all sense by feeling but all height of reason by apprehending and conceiuing how possibly they could euer bee in the vnderstanding of any mortall man as that euen vnto Gods children themselues especially to such of them as are of the weaker sort who through frailty feare seeme to be very doubtful what they should do if times of triall should euer come to them that saying of Cyprian to his friend had neede in this case be againe remembred which was alleaged before Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur Heare the report of that which better shall bee knowne by experience feeling then any can now learne or so well stand perswaded of by others telling or their owne hearing as well as did those blessed Martyrs find by their owne triall and proofe whom God called forth to the witnessing of his truth who of weake ones were made strong ones as the Apostle speaketh waxing valiant in battell so as though at Heb. 11. 34. the first they did quake and tremble as so many fearefull Hindes and Harts that were ready to runne for hiding and couert into euery thicket and behind euery bush yet when they were brought forth and put to the triall in deede the cause of God being hazzarded and pawned vpon their heads then were they found to be most chearefull and of courage inuincible their feare was then taken from them and they which before were wont to runne away quaking and trembling did then come
vse and practice of it al the dayes of their life and therefore the extraordinary repentance of hypocrites with whom the ordinarie is euer wanting especially that also being sickly and faulty as it euer is is like to stand them in very little stead which can no way bee allowed to be repentance vnto life which were safe for any to trust vnto Againe the repentance of a true conuert differeth from that of an hypocrite in the whole body of repentance and frame of it as it is compact and made vp together and in the seuerall ioynt parts and members if it if they be a part considered and so taken asunder they differ in the obiect which either of them doe most respect and are most occupied about they differ in the effect which they worke and which either of them doe bring forth they differ in that which causeth either and in that which is caused by either The words for repentance vsed in the new Testament are two the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of a word that signifieth as much as for one to come to his right mind to be wise at the least after some ouersight to recouer ones selfe it is after-wit or after-wisedome so called because the children of God take warning by the Spirit of God to be wiser after they haue once been ouerseene and beguiled through the deceitfulnesse of sinne this hath in it a godly sorrow with hope of Gods mercy truly and wisely conuerting all the powers of the soule and causing a through change in the whole man from sinne to righteousnesse and so it becommeth repentance vnto life And this is properly the repentance of true beleeuers and of all such as shall be saued for it is sound repentance and hath the perfection of parts in it though not of degrees The other word vsed in the new Testament to set out repentance by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming of a word that signifieth to bee sorrie after a fact committed to bee heauie and pensiue to be vexed and grieued for it it is after-griefe because sorrow and griefe pensiuenesse and heauinesse of heart vexation and trouble of conscience vsually doe follow vpon the committing of some hainous sinne This may be without any conuersion or change of a man to make him better this after-griefe may be without that after-wisdome which brings a man to his right mind againe but the other is neuer without this but hath it alwaies included in it for it is sound and hath the perfection of all parts in it This may bee alone without the other which yet is the chiefest part of true repentance and therefore it is vnsound and vnperfect repentance and so vnprofitable and vnauailable euery way to saluation and this is indeed properly the repentance of hypocrites and may be the repentance of all manner of reprobates This is that repentance that Iudas had for the Scripture saith of him that he repented but with this Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance he went to the halter and so from thence vnto hell fier Thus the repentance of true beleeuers doth differ from the repentance of hypocrites in the whole frame and body of repentance when all of it is taken and considered together CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of repentance seuerally considered in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessity of sorrow in Repentance THey differ also in the parts and seuerall members of the whole they being looked on apart and considered asunder There is in true repentance a sorrow for sinne which is the first occasion of a mans repenting for if a man had not his heart troubled for that he had done he would neuer repent and change his couse then followeth a turning from sinne and a bearing out of fruits that may be worthy of amendment of life Our soules by sweruing from God and going out of the path of Gods Commandements breed their owne sorrow and bring painfull griefe and vexation vpon the heart such as many times hardly can bee endured like bones that are broken or out of ioynt cause heauie dolours to the body and paine intollerable and the longer they abide so not well set and put into socket againe the more painfull is the aking that is felt therefrom so is it with the wounds that doe pierce the soule they will neuer leaue aking till some good meanes be vsed for the well curing of them Sinne which is as a serpent carrying his sting in his taile after it hath been once committed leaueth such a guilt in the conscience that is as painfull to be felt as is the sting of a Scorpion that is dashed into the flesh or the biting of those fierie serpents in the wildernesse that did torment them with extreame paines as if fier had been burning in their flesh Sinne is like a most venomous serpent and draggeth a long taile of punishment after it where euer it becommeth God hath tied together as with fetters of brasse the pleasures of sinne and pains of punishments and plagues for sin he that will haue one must haue both they that will sowe iniquitie shall be sure to reape affliction much smart much griefe much sorrow of heart will alwaies follow after the sence of the guiltinesse of sinne cannot bee felt but the heart will be made restlesse and it will disquiet all the peace thereof causing those painfull dashes and heauie compunctions in the tender soule as hath forced out those lamentable voices and sorrowfull outcries Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued And without such bitter griefe and sorrow of heart that may force vs thus to cry out yea to roare like beares and mourne sore like Isa 59. 11. 12. doues we may doubt of our repentance and can haue small hope of obtaining any forgiuenesse or pardon for our sinne as well as may any woman hope to get to bee deliuered of her child while she is a sleep or in a dreame without euer enduring any further paines or trauell vsuall to all women in their child-bearing as for a sinner to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes without the sorrowes the painfull throwes and pangs of thorow and vnfained repentance whose working is many times felt so forcible vpon the heart as it is ready to ouercome it and make it for a time vtterly to faint Sinne will not be got away without a great deale of sorrow and griefe and that of such sort as must breake and bruise the soule and grind the very heart to dust and to powder Sinne sticketh so fast to and is so baked on as there must be rubbing hard to get it off Wooll is as fit to wipe away pitch or birdlime as an ouerly sighing or slight saying Lord haue mercie vpon mee will get sinne done away who so doth goe about by truely repenting and humbling of themselues to doe away their sinnes shall find sinne
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
now neuer come or that which they felt shall now not tarry long trusting to the merit of their halting lame and euery way imperfect repentance wherewith they seemed to be humbled as that Michah of Mount Ephraim neuer promised to himselfe more confidently though most vainly and vnwarrantably that God would now doe him Iudg. 17. 13. good seeing that he had a Leuite to be his Priest then these after once they can say they haue they thanke God repented of their sinnes they haue humbled themselues they haue mourned and wept they haue asked God mercy for all that they haue offended in will heereupon be ready to say they know now assuredly that they shall be spared and doubt not but the iudgements which already are vpon them shall shortly bee remoued and not tarry long they are made hereby as secure from feare of euer perishing as was Agag the Amalekite growne foolishly and desperately carelesse of the sudden a little before the time that execution was to the full to bee done vpon him for they trust too much to lying vanities and follow not that course that would assuredly procure them mercy and therefore they come at the length to sinke vpon the sands of security If they fast often as did the Pharisie in the Gospell if they wrinkle their faces with weeping and looke sowre as they then vsed to doe in that time if they weepe and howle and roare out vpon their beds if they afflict their soules with fasting and bow downe their heads like bulrushes for a time they make so full reckonings and presume so largely vpon the merit of that they haue done as though God were now come to be in their debt and that they had abundantly deserued it at the hands of God to haue all things granted which in such a manner they should seeke to obtaine and that the Lord should denie nothing which men so humbled after such a fashion should make suite for and request to haue giuen yea they seeme to be impatient of any delay to bee made and that the Lord is not more present looking beside vpon all others to attend better vpon them and so these run a-shelfe vpon the steep bankes of presumption where they once touching can neuer be safely got off againe till they haue made their graues there and doe sinke right downe to the bottome of deepe destruction Anorher way by which this worldly sorrow causeth death is when there being no measure kept in it nor moderation that can be had of it to keepe it within the compasse that were fit the sorrow that is awakened and raised vp out of the heart that before was secure breaketh out to all extremities in the highest degree there being No outward balme able to asswage a raging conscience nothing to stay or ballaste the heart from being vtterly ouerwhelmed in the stresse and storme of tentation when it commeth vpon the conscience no light of comfort no dram of faith can then bee found to giue any succour in time of that wofull distresse or to support and hold vp the heart from falling flat downe and sinking quite vnder the importable and intolerable loade and burden of sorrow pressing hard vpon them but yeelding ouer as those that can resist no longer to the lust and will of their vowed enemie who all the while did but seeke oportunitie to worke their vtter ruine they tarry not til he destroy them but damnably destroy themselues and desperately doe take on their course to throw off this sorrow that shortly would otherwise of it selfe haue here had an end making haste by laying violent hands vpon themselues to rush into hell at once and that with such violence as if by force they would breake open the gates of that gaping gulfe before them that they might haue the more speedie entrance there to grow acquainted with those sorrowes that wil neuer haue an end which can neither be throwne off nor possibly boarne can neuer bee auoided nor no way indured ridding themselues out of these painefull feares of some worser things that might haue happened vnto thē wherwith they were before endlesly perplexed tortured and tormented by comming to feele the worst of all many thousand times worse then the worst they could possibly haue feared before that so from fearing they may bee brought to feeling of as much and more then euer they feared When though they shall neuer find any cause to feare any more that that can bee worse then they doe feele yet shall they feele worse and much more then euer they could haue feared and such feare hauing an end their feeling shall be euerlasting of paines that are vnspeakable and torments that neuer will haue an end Thus worldly sorrow prooueth hellish sorrow in the end and when it is an ouer-deepe sorrow intended to the vttermost and furthest degree it causeth death and death euerlasting by swallowing men vp in the gulfe of deadly despaire and dashing them against that most dangerous rocke where they split in a thousand pieces and wracke wofully to their finall and euerlasting vndoing All this may be seene in Saul Achitophel and in that arch-traitor Iudas who hauing been a long while secure and dead-hearted euery way vnreclaimeable from further going on with that mischiefe hee was in hand with till he had cōmitted it when once he had done that enormious fact that hainous sin of his most vnnaturall treacherie and villany against his Lord Master that incomparable wickednes and vnmatchable villany of his did lye so boyling in his conscience as made him restlesse and neuer gaue him ouer till for want of other ease and comfort elsewhere to bee found he sought to get rid out of that trouble by strangling himselfe in an halter and so though he sorrowed as much as some other and repented more then did or doe many yet because it was but a slubbering sorrow and a fruitlesse and false repentance his hellish sorrow drowned him vp in despaire and for all such repentance he went to hell in the end for his labour Againe some sorrowing for sinne how commendable soeuer it may seeme to be in the outward appearing and very hopefull for a time that much good will come thereon yet not being deepely enough rooted and soundly wrought in the heart but slight and ouerly so as the heart is but a little rased by it and not wholly rent vp such kind of sorrowing being still but of the nature of worldly sorlow haue been seene to haue brought out no good effect but in the end to haue also caused death Some that haue been much astonished and soarely gastred by some extraordinarie iudgement happning and who haue sometimes come wounded from a sermon mourning for a time and making bitter lamentation for their sinne because they haue not held fast their sorrow by a longer labour of serious meditation in better considering their own waies in their hearts that so their sorrow might soake and sinke deepe enough
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
the delinquents on both sides vnsanctified persons whose consciences are neuer soundly touched with true remorse for committing any sinne neither for violating wholesome and good lawes what wrong soeuer that way hath been done by them they stand not vpon making any recompence or giuing satisfaction so farre as they are able to tender their goods where they are found sufficient to make it or to yeeld their bodies where their goods cannot doe it or patiently to lay downe their liues in cases wherein nothing else can be found sufficient fully to satisfie but they seeke shifts how to auoid all if they be great in the world they stand vpon their prerogatiues their greatnesse must allow them to bee lawlesse they are like the great flies which doe breake through the cobwebs they will not bee taken there is nothing can hold them If they bee poore and it be a pecuniarie mulct that is imposed vpon them for their trespasse they shift off the matter by their pouerty by meanes whereof they promise to themselues an immunity in such cases standing vpon that maxime where there is nothing to be had there the King must loose his right and so they will be sure by their shifting to pay nothing whether then be able yea or no. If their bodies bee attached they their next course is to spie out some aduantage how to scape away and breake out of the hands of them that haue taken them If seeing of the Sergeant or bribing of the Bailiffe will not serue the turne if they be clapt vp iâ— prison the prison must be strong if it can long hold them they will haue many times files to get off their bolts they haue deuices to open lockes to breake barres and find shifts to make a way for their scaping where no way could haue been immagined might haue been made before If they be put by all their muses and preuented of all their courses and no remedie but to the gallowes they must come there men of this sort are found to die either most desperately as those who after all the wrongs they offered to others all their life time sticke not to wrong God and nature it selfe in the end by carelesly yea madly casting away their life as though it were a thing but vile which God hath made so precious and nature teacheth all to be so charie of to stand so much for to make so much of as daily may bee seene Or else to take their deaths most impatiently as those who would yeeld no obedience nor giue any willing satisfaction either to law or to Magistrate otherwise then it is thus extorted from them but hold their rebellion to the end and so die therein Hereof we haue a pregnant example in that arch-enemie to the Gospell and most bloody persecutor of Gods faithfull seruants and traitor to the Prince and State Doctor Storie Doctor Story who first brake prison into which he was put and then being caught againe when he himselfe was brought to suffer death who had been the meanes of putting to death hundreds of others that died Martyrs in Gods cause in time of his most deserued execution by quartering was as the story doth report so impatient that he did not onely roare and cry out but also strucke the executioner while he was doing his office and resisted as long as strength did serue him and was Fulke in his confutation of Papists quarrels pag. 14. faine to be kept downe by three or foure men vntill hee was dead But they whose hearts are throughly touched and deeply pierced with sorrow for the sinnes they haue committed and whom God doth giue grace vnto to consider rightly their owne wayes in their hearts after they hauing been left to themselues for a time through strength In true penitents of tentation and frailty of nature haue not onely been ouercome to transgresse the lawes by some lesser crimes fallen into and faulted in but also drawne to commit some hainous wickednesses and enormious vices greatly preiudiciall to the State and Common-wealth in which they doe liue so as the wrong and hurt they haue done thereby cannot be recompensed nor the law satisfied the vnpartiall executing of Iustice by the Magistrate saued harmelesse without confiscation of their goods attaching of their bodies yea and in some cases the taking away of their very liues for so much as these knew there is no hope of obtaining any pardon of sinne at the hands of God if in the wrong done to a brother and persisted in the same be asked much lesse hauing dong a wrong vnto a whole society of brethren yea a whole state of a kingdome the parties delinquent should come to the court of heauen to sue for their pardon would their petition he euer regarded or looked vpon but the answere would be made them as Christ taughr in his doctrine If thou knowest thy brother hath ought against thee leaue thy Mat. 5. 23. gift at the Altar and goe and bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer And because they can haue no comfort of their sorrow if their sorrow cause not satisfaction nor proue that their repentance is vnto life if fruits worthy of repentance and amendment of life bee not borne out they willingly doe not betake themselues to any such shifts as are ordinarily to be found to bee taken by the other sort of offenders but they come in and submit themselues vnto the law and yeeld themselues to the Magistrate and that for conscience sake to make what recompence they can for the fault that they haue done and giue the best satisfaction that they are able they offer their goods where they will serue the turne they yeeld their bodies to prison where their goods cannot be taken and where their bodies yeelded to prison or to other punishment will not be taken for a sufficient satisfaction in regard of the hainousnesse of their transgression then their very liues themselues are no longer held so deare vnto them but that euen they also shall be laid downe to make the paiment full But all this is done of them with such humble submission and in so good a fashion as all that tooke themselues to haue been wronged by them before seeme now to rest contented and to be satisfied to the full Yea some that are executed as malefactors are many times found to take their deaths so patiently and so penitently with such brokennesse of heart with such sorrowing and mourning for their sins and abundant bewailing the mis-leading of their liues with shewing such testimonies of their sound repenting and being found to beare out such fruits of repentance vpon the tree they doe hang on that that tree seemeth now to be laden with good fruit and that of the best kind whilest with the good theefe on the Crosse they condemne themselues they iustifie the Law they reprooue Luk. 23. 40. 41. sinne in others they exhort to amendmeni of life they