forth and shew their faces like the faces of Lions who had courage to turne back to any that listed to pursue them and boldnesse enough to encounter their greatest force like to those worthy Gadites that were Dauids helpers of whom it is said they were valiant men of warre and men of Armes 1. Chron. 12. 8. 14. that could handle speare and shield whose faces were as the faces of Lyons one of the least could resist a hundred and the greatest a thousand Yea so lyon-like was become the courage then of those poore weak ones before as some of the weakest sex haue been heard to say when they were at the point of martyrdome and the raging fiers before them kindled ready to deuoure them in the flames thereof that if euery haire of their heads were the life of a man they would die so many times all those deaths in that cause for which they then suffered for so great was the comfort they then had and so vnspeakable and glorious indeed was the ioy that they then felt as death it selfe was bid defiance of them neither did they esteeme at all what proud flesh was able to doe vnto them when the stormes of greatest troubles met them a head yet were they of courage because they euer failed by the Cape of bone sperance hoping that God whom they did with Dauid set alwaies before them would so be at their right hand as if Psal 16. 8. they did faint he would certainly cheare them if they did Cyprian fight he would vndoubtedly crowne them and neuer faile to giue them the ioy of his saluation Psal 51. 1â— Hypocrites and counterfeit Christians they know of no such ioy they are meere strangers to this ioy that the true godly haue and as strangers they are not to meddle Prou. 14. 10. therewith as Salomon speaketh They haue carnall ioy enough and many times too much farre more then they know well to vse though it neuer will last long they can laugh and be merry they haue laughter as if they were tickled they can laugh euen at a feather If they come where worldly delights are and pleasures of sinne which yet will last but a season they sticke not to take their pleasures in them to the full yea they will be ready to burst with their fulnesse and surfet in the middst of their delights for they can keepe no measure but poure out themselues to merriments to sport and to laughter prouing their hearts aboue that euer did Salomon with vaine Eccles 2. 1. and sinfull mirth suffering them to inioy such vngodly pleasures aboue that euer did he and therefore most worthily doth such laughter deserue to be reproued with Salomons rebuke giuen vnto it who said vnto it thou art mad and of such mirth it may well be demanded What is it that thou dost If carnall men can but flourish in worldly prosperitie if they may swimme in pleasures abound in wealth be aduanced to honour they haue what their hearts desire and are ouer-ioyed with gladnesse and soone ouerset with the pleasant gales of their ouermuch ioyes as shipes are with gales that fill too full their sailes they are light and merry they are al on the hoigh they know not themselues they contemne all others boasting themselues of their Psal 10. 3. hearts desire and blessing the couetous as the Psalmist speaketh Ambitiosas honor opes foeda volupâ—as Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet whom the Lord doth abhorre If it be profit and commoditie of the world if pleasures and honour they neuer haue done enough in admiring of such things thinking them all to be either fooles or mad that doe not the like as doe themselues but such comforts as these ioyes and delights as are taken in such matters they are no better then plaine witcheries which doe disguise men and transforme them to bruit beasts But how merrie soeuer worldlings are found to be so long as things are as they would haue them and doe euer sort well to their liking yet if they bee crossed in any thing if the crosse come if trouble and affliction chance to happen then they are all a mort there are none so ioylesse and so heartlesse as are they then grow they so dead-hearted as it is in vaine to goe about to cheare them and to comfort them againe for worldly ioy rising on worldly causes the causes fading the ioy as soone hath an end and commeth to nothing Haman reioyced so long as hee was in fauour with the Hest 5. 9 11. 12. cap. 7. 6. 8. 10 King and Queene and all that time who but he but his ioy soone failed him when hee was throwne out of their fauour againe and then who could be found a more vnhappy man Men worldly minded are ioyfull in haruest time when come and wine and oyle are increased vnto them but if the fier of God come and burne it vp al their ioy is gone Thus is it not with true beleeuers they haue not onely ioy in their prosperous estate but they knowing themselues to be iustified by faith and so to be at peace with God they can reioyce in tribulation also let all their enemies doe what they can for if a man knew hee were so in the fauour of a great man as it were more then the worst and then all the enemies he hath can doe to thrust him out of his fauour againe he would be comforted though his enemies were neuer so malicious this makes true beleeuers to haue much ioy and peace in their beleeuing Rom. 15. 13. fail out whatsoeuer otherwise may happen Hypocrites who are but true beleeuers counterfeits they may and I know they often will make a shew as if they had good comfort and some ioy in their trouble as well as haue the best Christians for they are like the Egyptian Sorcerers that did striue to doe all the things that Moses did that so they might be thought to be as good as he they will seeme in their troubles not onely to take them patiently but also thankefully as if they had some comfort and felt contentment in their bearing of them when in truth they haue none they will be heard to thank God for them and yet neuer feele any manner of benefit oâ— good that they haue gotten by them which is but a very mocking of God and a deceiuing of men and to say as the truth is it is indeed but a verie wicked kind of thanksgiuing when a man with his mouth onely thankes God in some great affliction that is vpon him and when he lieth sicke it may be on his deaths-bed shall be heard to say he is sicke he thankes God when yet in his heart he connes God no thanke at all for sending it vpon him but wisheth rather a thousand times hee had neuer had it or that he could well tell how to be without it againe What is this but
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
as it were within them to consider them aright Expos in Psal children and shew to the generation to come the praises of the Lord his strength and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that they may make them knowne to their children and the children which yet are not borne may arise and declare them to their children that all may set their hope in God and not forget the workes which he hath wrought The workes of God saith the Psalmist are honourable and glorious to be sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein they are as scaling ladders that are set vp for vs euery where to climbe vp by them the better to see God and as bookes opened in which we may learne better to know them the dumb 111. 3. Psal 111. 2. 3. Psal 28. 5. Iob 12. 7. 8. 9. beasts if they be asked will teach man the fowles of the heauen will tell him the earth will shew him and the fishes of the sea will declare vnto him that the mighty God hath made them all Q. Touching the worke of the Creation which is the first worke of this kind wrought by God in the beginning what vse and practice are we to make of the knowledge thereof A. That seeing it is the Lord that hath made vs and Psal 100. 3. Rom. 11. 36. not we our selues and that of him through him and for him both we and all things else haue had our being we therefore endeauour by our selues and by all things else to bring glory to his name that so the Lord may Psal 104. 31. reioyce in his workes Often praying that prayer of Dauid Thy hands O God haue made mee and fashioned Psal 119. 73. me giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy Commandements Besides when we looke vpon the heauens the worke of Gods fingers the Moone and the Psal 8. 3. starres which he hath ordained and know that by the word of the Lord the heauens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth When wee behold how the Lord hath sowen and garnished the heauens Psal 33. 6. with starres aboue and gloriously couered the earth with flowers fruits and all liuing creatures here below Iob 26. 13. we who are set in this world as vpon a stage to behold these things and admire the eternall power and Godhead the goodnesse and greatnesse and wisedome that is infinite of him that did so make them which Paul saith to be the inuisible things of him but by the creation Rom. 1. 20. are cleerely to bee seene And that as those that are astonished with this his worke full of wonders wee doe crie out with the Psalmist to the praise of him that hath done them O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Psal 8. â— earth among the gods there is none like thee O Lord there is none that can doe like thy workes Psal 86. 8. Q. What vse may be made of the knowledge of the worke of the redemption of mankind and of the restoring of all things by the Messias and Sauiour of the world A. Thereby as the manifold wisedome of God is manifested and made knowne to Angels and to men so the exceeding greatnesse of the power of Gods might Ephes 3. 10. Luk. 1. 49. â—1 69. and riches of his grace and goodnesse especially to mankind is cleerly reuealed and ought freely to be acknowledged Ephes 1. 19. Ephes 2. 7. that was able and willing not onely to make all things good out of nothing in the first Creation but to restore that which was now become euill and therefore worse then nothing to a better perfection then it euer had in the first beginning a worke of greater difficulty then was the former God to make the first world spake the word and it was made he commanded and it Psal 33. 9. stood fast but the same Lord to restore the second spake many things did maruellous things and suffered vnworthy things euen things most heauie and grieuous In regard whereof this being done especially for mans saluation we may cry out with the Psalmist Lord what Psal 144. 3. is man that thou takest such knowledge of him and the sonne of man that thou makest such account of him and as Iob speaketh that thou shouldest thus magnifie him Iob 7. 17. and thus set thine heart vpon him and in respect of the Lord cry out How great is his goodnesse and how great is the beautie of his workes towards vs Oh happie the redeemed who is like vnto them a people that are thus saued of the Lord The knowledge also of our redemption should be as a double bond vnto vs to bind vs in duty vnto him that 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20 Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. hath so loued and saued vs by so great a deliuerance to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues who hauing been our Creator is also become hereby our Recreator that hath twice giuen vs our liues once out of nothing and the second time out of wofull destruction and most deadly damnation Lastly seeing we are bought with so great a price we August are not to make our selues so vile and so little worth as to sell our selues for a morsell of bread or a piece of siluer Ezech. 13. 19. Heb. 12. 16. to become slaues vnto Satan and seruants vnto sinne Q. There is yet another worke of God his daily gouerning ordering and disposing all things by his prouidence what vse may the knowledge thereof be put vnto by vs A. This may glad the hearts of all creatures in generall Mat. 28. 18. Ioh. 5. 17. 22. Ephes 1. 20. 21. 22. but especially of the redeemed to know that the Lord that saued them is the ruler of the world who sitting in heauen doth whatsoeuer hee will that his is the Psal 1 15. 3. Psal 22. 8. Ezech. 33. 11. Iob 7. 20. Psal 36. 6. power and his is the might and that the kingdome and the dominion is his who as hee hath made all things and giuen them life and being so doth hee not delight in nor desire the death of any but is said to be the preseruer of men yea vouchsafeth to let it be knowne to all that it is he that saueth both man and beast For this cause the Psal 97. 1. and 98. 7. 8. 9. Psalmist willeth all the earth to be glad of it yea not so much but the insensible creatures are called vpon to bee affected with it the sea is willed to roare the flouds to clap their hands and the hilles to be ioyfull together For since the Lord is king all may reckon vpon it that hee will iudge the world with righteousnesse and the people with equity This also may put courage and boldnesse into the hearts Psal 27. 1. of all Gods faithfull seruants not to feare what all their
and vnderstanding that doth discerne that which is seene and so the same obiect is both in the eye and in the mind at one and the same instant apprehended together the eye by looking on a thing becommeth one with it after a manner to looke then to Christ is after a fort to lay hold of him and such a kind of looking to him as causeth a distressed soule in greatest extremities to looke for helpe from him alone doth so affect him as it doth rauish his heart and in a manner ouercome him faith being the beautiful eye of the Church that woundeth the heart of Christ with loue to the same Therefore doth Christ himselfe will the Spouse to turne her eyes vpon him as Tremelius doth reade it which if she shall Cantic 6. 2. doe she shall euen lift him vp with great ioy and gladnesse after Tremelius reading to see her so to beleeue in him and to depend vpon him Now who would not bee glad to cast vp such an eye to the Lord as he might be thus delighted withall If this also seemeth to be more then well can be performed by them they being in their owne conceiuing as those that are past all hope of recouerie and as men that are alreadie dead yet seeing there is no name vnder heauen Acts 4. 12. that is giuen nor any other meanes in the whole World beside to be vsed by which any can be saued but only by the name of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour Let them as knowing there is no other for them to rest vpon for saluation but vpon him him alone by some meanes or other get themselues to be rowled cast vpon him and let them not feare but that as the dead man that was cast into the Sepulcher of Elisha so soone as hee touched the 2. King 13. 21. bones of the Prophet he was made to stand vpon his feet and to liue againe so such being cast vpon Christ though they were dead yet should they surely liue there being Iohn 11. 25. infinitely more vertue in Christ that was crucified then euer was in the bones of the Prophet that was dead to reuiue and cause to liue againe all that are cast vpon him as seeking so to haue life from him Lastly if they bee able no manner of way to doe any thing to helpe themselues and further their owne saluation but onely desire to bee holpen and desire that they might be saued by Christ Iesus let them make of that desire keeping it and nourishing it and comforting themselues yet in this that God hath giuen them a desiring heart to hunger thirst and long after the saluation that is in Christ Iesus He that giueth them so to desire will also in due time giue them to haue the thing so desired onely let them waite for Christ his helping hand vsing the best meanes that possibly they can and let them keepe themselues within the compasse of Christ his walk where he vseth to come louing and resorting to the habitation Psal 26. 8. of his house and the place where his honour dwelleth that he may see them there And they shall find by good experience in the end that as our Sauiour going by the Poole of Bethesda saw that impotent man who had an infirmitie 38 yeeres and hearing him complaine of his vnablenesse Ioh. 5. 5. 6. 7. 8. to helpe himselfe and that there was no other that would helpe to put him into the Poole but while he was a comming some other was more ready to step in before him our Sauiour hauing compassion put no other taske vpon him but onely to desire to be made whole asking him if hee would bee made whole and so presently restored him to his desired strength againe willing him to take vp his bed and walke So doubtlesse these weaklings in faith that can do no more for themselues through their great infirmitie then desire to bee holpen and to haue saluation from him our blessed louing and most mercifull Sauiour who will not breake a bruised reede nor Matth. 12. 20. quench the flaxe that smoaketh beholding their great distresse and lamentable plight that they are in will be moued in pitie to relieue them And knowing that they are able to doe no more in the matter of beleeuing in him for their saluation then to desire they could beleeue better and depend more vpon him that they might be saued wil accept of such a desire in stead of the deed it selfe and as vndoubtedly saue them with such an earnest and true desire of beleeuing better as they shal euer be saued that beleeue best of all Q. In the description of faith which you made at the first beside the true knowledge of Christ and laying hold of him you ioyned therewith a comfortable perswasion also of the fauour and loue of God towards vs in and through him Doe you take it that this comfortable perswasion of Gods fauour towards vs as it is felt and perceiued by vs doth alwaies accompany true and sauing faith in Christ and that it is so necessary to the essence and being of faith as without it true faith cannot at all consist A. Not so but I take such a setled perswasion of Perswasion of Gods fauour Gods vnalterable loue towards vs in and through Christ Iesus to be necessary rather to the well-being of faith and euen to the finishing and perfecting of it when it is growne to the greatest strength and perfection that it can come vnto in this life then to the being of faith at all for to a higher pitch or degree of greater perfection faith cannot grow nor rise vp vnto so long as wee haue any being in this life euen then when it hath made the best proceedings and prospered most happily increasing with the increasings of God and hath runne through all the degrees that are set vnto faith in this life till the best and highest be attained vnto then for faith to settle the heart in a cleare full and vndoubted perswasion of Gods loue and fauour towards vs in Christ Iesus to bee so sure and vnchangeable as nothing shall euer be able to separate vs Rom. 8. 38. from the same againe like to that of the Apostles but that true faith may haue existence and being in the heart of a good Christian where such an vndoubted and comfortable perswasion is either very seldome or peraduenture neuer at all felt by the true beleeuer especially in such a degree of clearenesse and vndoubtednesse of assurance as had the Apostle may appeare first if we consider the first beginnings of faith with what great feeblenesse and imbecillitie it hath his being in vs when it is new begotten and as I may say first bred and borne lying in the swathing cloutes vnder as great weakenesse and with as little feeling and apprehending of the operation of God Coâ—oss 2. 12. in giuing it selfe being as doth the infant that is
these respectes or it may bee for them altogether doth the Lord suffer many and some of his most worthy and excellent seruants too to haue beene ouertaken with many infirmities yea sometimes As the mightie power of God in the beginning of the world did appeare in bringing light out of darkenesse and shall appeare in the end of the world in bringing life out of death so doth the same mighty power and wisdome of God daily appeare in bringing good out of euill with very grosse and grieuous sinnes yet alwaies so ordering and disposing of euery thing as hee that is seene daily to bring light out of darkenesse neuer hath failed to bring good out of all their euill and such good as hath been for the very good of those his seruants themselues that haue done all that euill and made to the high honour and glory of his owne Maiestie who is so good in himselfe as he is goodnesse it selfe and maketh all things good that he medleth with and is wrought by his hand This is and hath been the Lords owne and onely doing and that from the beginning and worthily may it be accounted marueilous in our eyes In the first sinne that euer was committed by man how wonderfull hath been the Lords working therein to bring so much good out of that great euill as vnto all Gods elect and redeemed in Christ their case is now made farre better then euer it was farre happier and farre surer then either it was or would haue been if to this present Adam had kept his standing and should still haue kept his foot from slipping or stepping amisse The Lord we know hath turned Adams fall to his higher rising and his dangerous slipping to a more sure standing in so much as not praising the euill but him that bringeth good out of euill wee may say with that reuerend Beza Oh happy fall which hath brought vs higher Oh most happy darkenesse without which this truly Serm. on Cantic cap. 2. group light had neuer appeared vnto vs. After this manner hath the Lord still for the one improued the falles and foiles of his seruants euer to their more good Dauid that fell so foulely and committed so grosse and so hainous a sinne that gaue him cause to think of washing and cleansing himselfe from such filth and pollution that made him seeme loathsome euen in his owne eyes was brought by meanes thereof to goe ransack his whole life and search out all his other sinnes vntill he came to the gaging of the very belly and wombe of sinne where it first had the conception and from whence originally it first tooke his beginning and did first of all spring and that he crieth out on and bringeth it forth doth disgrace himselfe therewith confessing vnto God that beside that great sinne that he had now committed he saw himselfe to be an vncleane creature ouer-run with a contagious leprosie of sinne all ouer and that from his conception so as his falling into that one great sin became a meanes of his going in hand with the labour of getting himselfe washed and cleansed not onely from that but from all the rest of his sinnes euen his birth sinne and all and that not slightly but earnestly with a thorow rinsing and rubbing of himselfe till hee might become as cleare as the glasse and as white as snow Psal 51. 5. 7. Many are conceited of themselues and of their owne strength taking no notice of other filthinesse of the flesh and spirit or corruption of sinne that is within them so long as they are kept from committing grosse and enormious iniquities the Lord is faine therefore to giue them ouer and to leaue them to themselues that they may fall into such grosse sinnes as wherby their other hidden corruptions may break out and manifestly be discerned both to themselues and others how great it is There bee that will neuer thinke of thorowly repenting themselues nor of Ier. 4. 14. cleansing and washing their hearts from wickednesse that they may be saued vntill they be tumbled into some such puddle as Dauid was and bemired with such filth and then of force they are driuen to it and made to set hand at once to that worke vnlesse they care not to see themselues perish for altogether Thus the Lord is faine to make of the poison of some grosse sinne an antidote against the poison of other lesser sinnes which of themselues are baneable enough if they be not in time expelied and purged out to kill euery soule in which they are retained that so there may be a ridding away of all by a generall repenting for all though the going in hand with such repentance was at the first occasioned by one And thus we may perceiue how as the Lord is said to punish sinne with sinne in the wicked so he knoweth how to cure sinne Sinne cured by sinne by sinne in the godly so making their sinnes as well as all things else to turne to their good Looke but vpon the strange cure of that one sinne of pride which is a sinne as high-borne as any other and spreadeth out it selfe as far the whole race of mankind being either more or lesse infected Pride and tainted with the same This sinne will liue when other sinnes shall die and will raise it selfe vp out of the ruines of them all which is more to be feared among vertues then found among other vices it is the verie venome of vertue and as a spreading cankar or gangrene hauing once gotten to bee fastned vpon the body of vertue it neuer leaueth vnlesse it be the more timely cured till going from ioynt to ioynt it hath weakened and ouerthrowne that whole body how beautifull soeuer it were otherwise and goodly to looke vpon This is the greatest enemy to vertue that it hath as that which hath vertue euer in chase and still is dogging it at the heeles The Apostle himself after his high aduancement and abundance of reuelations giuen him when he had been wrapt vp into the third heauens was not exempt from the perill therof nor from the danger of the hot pursuit and assailement thereof as which was ready to set vpon him if helpe and aide the sooner had not been sent the messenger of Satan therefore was faine to bee sped out apace to stand Paul herein in some stead who fell to beating and buffeting of him 2. Cor. 12. 7. and brought him so low as he was euery way vnsitted for any manner of pride to set vpon him or once to meddle or make any whit at all with him but was faine to leaue him as it found him And so by one enemie he was holpen out of the hands of another enemy euery way as bad as hee Though Satan sending his messenger aimed at nothing lesse then at such an end but God that ouer-powreth Satan and ouer-ruleth in all things would haue it so come to passe But what is the cure of this
neede so requiring yet neuer can it wholly be lost from them nor finally faile them for altogether but so is it found in the end to be restored againe with aduantage vnto them as that for their single sorrowes they haue double ioyes giuen them yea such ioyes as Peter calleth ioyes vnspeakable and glorious at what time they shall see cause to reioyce in their portion They may by their sinning against the Lord and by the prouoking of his anger against them haue the feeling of this ioy kept from them for a long time and their desired comforts so long withholden as may make their hearts to feare and to faint within them but as the Prophet Habakuk counselleth and Hab. 2. 3. giueth direction though it tarrie a little yet let them waite and hope vndoubtedly to finde it againe for certainly in the end it will come and it will not stay long and then the desire once so accomplished will much more delight their Prou. 13. 12. 19. soule and though they haue tarried for it long yet that will be verified vpon them at the last that the patient abiding Prou. 10. 28. of the righteous will proue gladnes in the end Though then the ioy of the faithfull may not be felt for a time yet is there no feare but it will be found againe afterward for their ioy is such ioy as is euerlasting in respect of the grounds thereof and which being giuen thē by Christ according to the promise he hath made none shall for euer be Ioh. 16. 22. able to take it from them any more The sun-shine of Gods fauour may for a while be hidden out of their sight but then as the Lord himselfe hath promised that though for a moment in his anger he hides his face yet with euerlasting Isai 54. 7. 8. mercie hee will haue compassion on them againe and turne their shadow of death into a most bright and chearefull morning Amos 5. 8. The ioy of a temporarie beleeuer how great soeuer it may seeme to be for a season yet as the seede sowne in stony ground it cannot be kept from withering in the scorching heate of hot persecution because it wanteth depth of earth and good ground to roote it on as not being Mak. 4. 17. grounded either vpon any stable assurance of Gods vndoubted Temporary ioy withers loue and rich mercy vnto him or vpon any good stedfastnes of his own loue to God back againe in thankfulnes for the same as who for that loue of God wherewith he seeth God to haue first loued him in Christ Iesus should bee made so farre to forget himselfe and to prize Gods glorie as for Gods cause to be found willing to carrie his owne life in his hand and to hazard the exposing of himselfe to any danger that may happen but rather raised and being grounded vpon some worldly some selfe and by-respects which failing and not falling out according to his owne reckoning and expectation then is his ioy also gone and he as much altered as if hee had neuer been the man The ioy of an hypocrite vanisheth quite away and commeth to nothing in time of tribulation How triumphing soeuer he was found to be before in his great reioycing yet when persecution and fierie triall doth come he groweth then to be most heartlesse and crest fallen of the sudden whosoeuer dare shew himselfe in presence then he will be sure to play least in sight at that time And no marueile though an hypocrite bee but a coward for what hath hee to trust vnto that might make him bold in whom nothing is sound and right as it should be who hath nothing but shewes in stead of substance And who will marueile if such a one being false to God though his heart deceiuing him hee proue false to himselfe also and if wanting such faith as is only able to giue him the victorie he be ouercome of feare that causeth him dastardly to flie the field and turning his backe vpon his enemies to runne the countrey Such kinde of persons whose faith doth so faile them and whose hope is vnsound in the time of trouble and aduersitie are like a man that is in the wilde sea in time of a storme without anchor or cable without mast or saile or any tackling to make shift with and helpe himselfe by who hauing no meanes left vnto him to vse for his succour and reliefe in time of such distresse as one dispoiled of all things but the expectation of death only what else can he looke for but to perish in that storme without all hope of any possible escaping These kinde of persons as they are left faithlesse so are they made hopelesse when they see their case to be thus helplesse and therefore ruine and vtter confusion must needes be their last end But the ioy of a true beleeuer as it hath better rooting True ioy lasteth and is grounded vpon a better foundation whence it springeth vp and taketh the beginning so is it of a more firme and fast abiding standing vnmoued what time the other is not onely shaken and wholly cast downe and then flourishing and seene still to grow greene when the Vinesoit vulnere virtus other not being able to abide the heate of persecution becommeth so sulged and blasted and so withered away as it wholly fadeth and in the end is quite brought to nothing The ioy of a true beleeuer ariseth and groweth out of faith which is vnfained whereof Christ is the author and the finisher and the holy Ghost is the worker and the framer of this blessed worke planting faith in the good ground of an honest heart and causing this ioy to spring out of that flourishing plant as the most sweete and pleasant fruite thereof for it is called the ioy 1. Thes 1. 6. Gal. 5. 22. of the holy Ghost and it is numbred among the fruits of the spirit Faith is the sure ground of this ioy from whence it springeth while by faith wee are perswaded of the loue and fauour of God towards vs in and through Christ Iesus into whom we being grafted and planted by our beleeuing doe come so to finde our selues to haue a most happie and ioyfull being in him which causeth vs not only to haue some ioy and reioycing but our ioy is made Ioh. 15. 11. full in him for there is no want in Christ but enough to be found for the making of our ioy full euery way for the fulnes of the Godhead and of all goodnesse is and dwelleth Coloss 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. in him that of his fulnes we may receiue euen this fulnes of ioy and of spirituall and heauenly consolation which he Ioh. 16. 24. himselfe willeth vs to seeke by prayer for to obtaine And so is the heart of the beleeuer filled with this ioy of the holy Ghost by Christ Iesus our Sauiour as it is more then the world or all the
furthest from him The one therefore findeth comfort and the other hath none They differ also in that which causeth the sorrow of the one and of the other and in that which is caused by either That which causeth the sorrow and repentance of hypocrites is more vsually plagues and punishments either inflicted and felt or threatned and feared when they are imminent and hang ouer their heads their hearts resemble flint stones which will cast no sparkles vnlesse they be strooke Rarely will it be found that any of them are brought to bee humbled by the sole ministery of the Word or if by that rather by the denouncing of iudgements and by the threatnings and thundrings of the Law then by the sweet and amiable voice and sound of the Gospell whereout the promises of life and offers of grace are made vnto vs. Foelix trembled when Paul preached of temperance and righteousnesse and iudgement to come but Festus mocked when hee heard him preach Christ and begin to open the secrets and mysteries of the Gospell in his hearing then hee cried out against him that he was beside himselfe and that too much learning had made him mad They be not for the most part words but blowes and stroakes and those well laid on too by the powerfull hand of a reuenging and irefull Iudge that will serue to maule and breake downe the stoutnesse and stubbornesse of the hearts of proud hypocrites though so well able is the Lord to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and to slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes as hee can make his word quicke and powerfull and forcible enough to pierce deepe and cut sharper then a two edged sword and out of that quiuer can draw out such arrowes to shoot into the sides of all hypocrites as shall be sharpe enough to pierce and to split the hearts of all the Kings enemies and be able to draw blood out of their sides and to fetch sighes out of their hearts yea to make them for the time to roare out of their throats for horrour and feare bee they neuer so secure though in the end they become little the better for it The Lord can make the threatnings of his iudgements out of his word denounced come bleake to the hearts of offenders which shall send a terrible shaking through all their bones and become as thunder strokes doubled that are able to daunt the stoutest stomack that is the Lord can make the terrour of the Law and the thundring out of the threatnings thereof to flash as the lightening in euery conscience that hath guiltinesse in it and to be as fier to make their hearts to melt though otherwise as hard as brasse Thus either by the mighty strokes of Gods reuenging hand inflicting iudgements plagues and punishments or by the terrour of the Law that doth nothing but thunder out threatnings of vengeance doe the hearts of most secure hypocrites many times come to bee daunted yea in a manner strucken dead with horrour and feare and trembling for the time And these are the things that breed and bring out the repentance that they haue and causeth all their sorrow to be such as it is On the other side the true and godly sorrow the sound and vnfained repentance the best conuersion of true beleeuers that is freest from suspition of being counterfeit is that which is caused by the ministery of the Word and by the powerfull working thereof vpon the conscience which is as a hammer to breake the stonie hardnesse of the heart that it may goe all to dust and powder and is as fier with the heate thereof to melt the heart though it were neuer so hard frozen in the dregges of sinne before as shall cause such a thaw to bee in that heart and to abound of weeping mourning and shedding teares for sinnes committed as if the very springs of sorrow were all opened and loosened that might cause whole streames The teares and waters of repentance are as that red sea wherein the whole armie of our sins which are our most dangerous enemies that do pursue vs are deeply drowned and brookes of teares to run downe and flow from the eyes of him that is truly penitent sufficient to lay in soak the very heart it selfe in that abundance of teares yea to cleanse both heart and life and wash away all filth of sin that euer before haue been committed When such a worke is wrought vpon a mans heart by the ministerie of the word and the conscience feeling it selfe wounded and strucken at the hearing thereof shall find no rest till it hath eased it selfe by abundant weeping sorrowing and mourning that God should euer be so offended by him and vntill direction bee giuen him what better course is now to bee taken crying out with those true conuerts and penitent persons in the Acts Men and brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued When the word doth thus worke vpon any without any other inforcement of outward crosse or affliction that else doe happen it is an excellent good signe and one of the best euidences that can bee brought out of the truth of that sorrow that hath been bred thereby and of the soundnesse of that repentance that hath followed thereof I denie not but that by crosses and afflictions the Lord doth oftentimes recouer and fetch home his stray-seruants and reclaime them out of their sinnes The Lord hath many meanes and hee can make all or any of them effectuall to doe good to those that are his he sometimes awakeneth his seruants by the sound of his word knocking at the doore of their hearts sometimes Act. 2. 37. 2. Sam. 12. 1. 7. 13. Neh. 9. 30. Gen. 6. 3. by his Spirit wherewith he striueth within vs somtimes by striking and whipping our naked consciences leauing them dismayed with feare and dread and hiding the light of his countenance from vs so as wee feele not the ioy we were wont to haue sometimes by corrections and punishments 2. Sam. 24. 10. Psal 38. 2. 3. 8. Iob 33. 16. 17. Ionah 1. 17. and 2. 1. 2. on our bodies for our sinnes opening our eares by them and sealing our instruction that so he may keepe back our soules from the pit and our liues from perishing the Lord making this the fruit of all the affliction he sendeth to his children euen the taking away of their sinne For Isa 27. 9. which cause it is that the heauenly iustice and fatherly care of God is often shewing vs his rods sometimes shaking them at vs sometimes striking them vpon vs to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthy and dirty puddle of our sinfull life If then the Lord bee faine to lay on bodily crosses vpon vs the better thereby to breake our hearts they being blessed of God may well be made auailable this way to doe vs good But it is not so free from suspition it is better to
into their hearts their sorrowing haue soone been giuen ouer and they quickly haue ceased from their mourning and so haue lost all benefit that might haue come thereon and making no better vse of such their sorrowing for a time they haue gone away and growne to bee more hardned euer after and haue been found to become worse then they were euer before according to that of Peter their end is worse then their beginning Besides worldly sorrow in worldly minded men causeth death while they too eagerly pursuing the things of the world and setting their hearts too much and too strongly vpon them for the enioying of them if they haue not their longing if they be crossed in their desires if they misse of their purposes and cannot obtaine what they so much aimed at and trauel for they grow sicke with Ahab and pensiue they tumble on their beds and will eate no bread 1. King 21. 4. they pine away to nothing Men for worldly things are sometimes seene to goe and runne mad to loose their wits yea to hang and kill themselues Saul killed himselfe not sorrowing for his sinne but lest the Philistims should mocke him or insult ouer him So Achitophel because his counsell was no better regarded and followed It is reported of Lycurgus the Law-giuer among the Lacedemonians that hee would haue hanged or starued himselfe Tertullian Apcap 46. because somewhat against his credit they had mâ—nded his Lawes Some haue been so impatient of disgrace as they haue been ready to hang themselues for not playing their parts well in a Play Thus worldly and carnall sorrow being the onely sorrow that all hypocrites can haue is found to cause death euery manner of way CHAP. XXXII Of the seuen atendants on godly sorrow in the heart of euerie true conuert and vnfained beleeuer GOdly sorrow being the sorrow of true conuerts and of vnfained beleeuers that on the other side causeth life for it couseth true repentance which is called repentance vnto life and it causeth not a single and bare kind of repentance alone but a repentance richly furnished with such graces as are most fit and found to bee most meete to bee her attendants and they are reckoned vp by the Apostle to bee seuen in number which wee know makes a perfect number all which are brought forth and set euery one in her place and order as so many maidens of honour to giue their attendance to accompany and waite vpon their Lady and Mistris true and sauing repentance which among many other vertues taketh place before them and sitteth as a great Princesse and chiefe Lady of honour whom the rest are to giue much way vnto and dulie to attend vpon Now godly sorrow marshalleth in all these graces as which procureth and causeth them all the Apostle setteth it out as a very generous grace and fruitfull vertue hauing a goodly traine following her and a very fruitfull off-spring and generation of other graces that spring out of her and are produced by her The first grace mentioned by the Apostle which groweth out of godly sorrow and is caused thereby is care and that not an ordinarie care after an ordinarie manner taken but a singular and very speciall care euery way notable and remarkeable as the words vsed by the Apostle to shew and set it forth by doe plainely import that it was a care worthy the marking and looking vpon when hee saith behold your care and not simply your care but what a care with a new rise and as it were a double vye both words shewing that it was a very great and extraordinarie care that they were now seene to haue after they had once sorrowed thus godly So long as men haue not the sight and knowledge of their sinnes and haue not the sense and feeling of their sorrow and griefe for them they abide secure and carelesse and are troubled with nothing but when their hearts are thorowly once pierced and wounded with sorrow for them then they begin to bestirre themselues and to looke about them then they begin to take care for the businesse how things may bee remedied that are so much amisse how they may get out of Satans clouches of whom they haue been held fast as prisoners so long and when as poore prisoners they haue scaped out of the hands of a rough and cruell Iailor to care and take heede neuer to come into his fingers any more And since by grieuing Gods spirit we haue been thus grieued our selues to haue care to shew our selues more tractable euer after to follow better his guiding and the leading of his hand The word that is vsed may signifie studie earnest labour and diligence which they vsed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 correct the fault and take away the scandall it was not an idle thinking but a deepe weighing and laying matters together and as it were a beating of their braines with an earnest studie and care about those things So that where godly sorrow hath been first wrought for offending God by our sinnes committed that sorrow will breede and bring in this caring this studying and euer taking thought about the matters of our saluation how God that hath been so offended may againe be pacified how his anger that is kindled may be quenched and be caused to cease what we are to doe that we may be saued what course we may take to please God better It breeds in vs care to shunne all such occasions as by which we were drawne to fall into sinne before and care to vse all good meanes without neglecting any whereby we may be confirmed in our better standing and kept from falling for afterward In whom such a care is not found to be wrought and follow vpon their sorrowing for sinne their sorrow is vnsound and they themselues are farre from repenting truly for they are not come yet to the first steppe that should leade to the same The second grace caused by godly sorrow was a cleering of themselues and that too in a notable manner for of all these seuerall graces the Apostle vseth the same words to shew they were all very remarkable in them Behold saith hee what a care behold what a cleering Giuing all to vnderstand that these graces were right and of the best kinde and were in a very notable and excellent degree found to be in them Now the word may signifie Apologie or defence of a mans selfe whereby hee may be excused This cleering of themselues was rather by a free acknowledging of the fault confessing of the action asking mercie for it by suing out a pardon to haue it forgiuen and they that way to be cleered and discharged when the action is once withdrawne the contrcuersie taken vp and the suite so brought to an end then for them to stand vpon poynts with God in holding plea with him to make that either nothing or lesse then it is made by God himselfe in his declaration that hee hath drawne and put
to confesse in the eare of a Priest all and euery one of his 1. Vnto men sinnes in particular how secretly soeuer they haue been done and so many times doe vrge men to doe open penance for secret sinnes inuerting the discipline of the Church this neither the Word of God any where requireth neither the Orthodox Church hath taught as well doth Master Perkins make to appeare in his Reformed Catholike in his Treatise of Confession that Auricular August Confess lib. 10. cap. 3. Chrysost tom 5. hom 5. de dei natura Et in Psal 50. hom 2. confession was not knowne vnto Augustine it is cleare for he said What haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as though they should heale all my diseases And likewise Chrysostome I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe I doe not bid thee confesse them to thy fellow-seruants who will mocke thee but confesse them to God who will cure and heale thee The Papists doe likewise erre about the confession of sinnes which they make vnto God in that it is and must 2. Vnto God be made in a tongue or language not vnderstood of the speakers thereof being ignorant which hindreth the feruencie of his zeale that so doth make his confession and the breaking of his hart with sorrow for that sinne which hee confessing knoweth not what it is that hee doth confesse and therefore may well thinke such confessing will bee fruitlesse and bootlesse and all in vaine for it is not likely that euer God will take knowledge of that for the forgiuing of it though pardon in some sort may be asked of him when he that asketh it knoweth not what he asketh and vnderstandeth not what he saith it is not like that euer the Lord will heare him that heareth not himselfe all the while he is a speaking he cannot tell what Now in the next place to come to the openly prophane 2. From open Atheists and vngodly persons they offend against the making confession of sinnes vnto God at least in any particular manner because they are shut vp in hardnesse of heart so as they cannot repent and therefore will bee brought to no speciall confession at all which course doth need no light of Gods word and glorious Gospell to shew the damnablenes thereof for the candle light of the Heathen is sufficient to discouer their state to bee most desperate and past all hope Seneca could say that as to tell a dreame is the part of one that first wakened himselfe out of his dreame that now hee may tell it vnto others so to confesse sinne is the office and part of him that is in the way of being recouered out of sin whereby is intimated the contrarie for any to hold his peace this way is to be in his dreame still and to lie drowned in the gulph of perdition and in a deadly lethargie and sleepe of sinne But to come to set downe some differences of confessing 3. From common Protestants sinnes betweene common Protestants I meane those that only are but carnal Gospellers hypocrites and counterfeit conuerts at the best and them that are throughly penitent and who haue their hearts broken indeede with godly sorrow for their sinnes The first sort if they could 1. Difference get their shame and ignominie remoued and still keepe credit with men they care not though they doe keepe still their sinne which appeareth by the manner of their making confession of their sinnes which is done after so slight a fashion and in a stubborne manner hauing such a companion of pride ioyned with the same as will strangle it to death before it come foorth but a true penitent childe of God doth make confession of his sinnes with shame and confusion of face for them yet not sparing nor caring for any shame amongst men by confessing his sinnes nor what cause he hath to looke sadly vpon them but how he may in all humilitie looke vp with hope and comfort vnto God hee careth not what punishment soeuer God laieth vpon him so as his sinne may be taken away he is still crying out with Dauid Lord take away mine iniquitie and blot out all my sinne for the Psal 51. nature of true repentance is to make a man ashamed of sinne which hee hath committed but not ashamed with griefe to confesse it when it is done but men are for the most part so full of selfe-loue as they will not yeeld to make any other confession of their sinnes then such as will as they thinke stand with their owne outward safetie credit and honour Hypocrites are more generall in folding vp all their 2. Difference sinnes in a bundle together when they come to make confession of their sinnes regarding no more one then another of them but shuffling of them together vpon a heape they doe make a generall and confused kinde of confession and acknowledgment of them and such also is their humiliation for them But as in surfets taken in eating some one kinde of meate intemperatly eaten may be the principall cause of that surfet so among many sins there may be some one or two chiefe festring sins which doe lie rankling in mens consciences that require speciall cost to be bestowed about them and regard to be had of them True penitents therefore doe deale more particularly and looke to their speciall and chiefe sinnes acknowledging them with griefe of heart vnto God making their beginning there and hauing their thoughts most specially to dwell vpon the consideration of them It is meet that men should take seuerall repentances for their seuerall sinnes and for the vaine pleasures and carnall delights they haue taken therein that hauing had many vnlawfull pleasures in sinnes they doe not shut vp all with one repentance alone There is a storie 2. Sam. 21. 1. that in Dauids time God sent a plague vpon the land for a sinne committed in the daies of Saul if Dauid and his people were punished for not regarding Sauls sinne how much more liable was he to punishment if he had not regarded his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his time It was well said by one that if for the blood of the Martyrs shed in this land in Queene Maryes time wee had had euery yeere since a fast throughout the whole land for that blood shed it had been little enough how much more then for our owne proper sinnes and the sinnes of this time which now ouerflow the bankes both of religion and ciuill honestie Where capitall and principall sinnes that haue much angred the Lord and greatly prouoked his displeasure against the offenders haue not in speciall manner been bewailed acknowledged and confessed vnto the Lord when men haue made their repentance and humbled themselues for their sins it hath come to passe that such as haue gone forward a great way in repentance haue been faine to goe a great way backe againe to