open the deeper wound least the suddaine healling and closing of it vp might proue dangerous Thus thou dealt'st with Dauid who lying weltering in his blood thou the good Samaritan took'st compassion poured'st in thy healing Oyle of pardon but withall the corosiue wine of humiliation so to eat out or suppresse the luxuriant new-growne flesh lest festering inwardly it might proue to a Gangreene And when I am thus cast vpon the worlds reproch I know it is not without thy iust good and wise all-disposing hand Thou sawest what small fruit all my ordinarie and euerie-day repentance brought forth how it did not worke in me such a perfect hatred and detestation of sinne such an exact care and Conscience of auoyding the least appearance of euill as thou requirest how it laboured at the best rather to lop off the out-branches of sinne as eye-sores of the world then putting the axe to the root of the Tree to stub it vp with all the radicall sprigs and sprouts of affections And how easie is it to slubber ouer repentance when the heart is not possessed with a due estimate of the smallest sinne I thought all was well or at least tollerable being free from the maine Act nor making practise nor taking pleasure nor walking in a purpose nor watching opportunitie nor pursuing the meanes of committing sinne with greedinesse Or if at any time a temptation did ouertake me to yeald assent vpon thy gratious preuention I so reioyced with the Pharisee Lord I thanke thee c. as I neglected the Publicans Prayer Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Not duely considering in the meane time either the strictnesse of thy Law or the Sacredness of my Person Profession the one straitly prohibiting the other infinitely aggrauating the least degree of or disposition vnto sinne causing that to bee mortall in me which in others might bee accounted veniall And although thou knowest Lord which I dare the more freely recount to the glorie of thy Grace how often when occasions were offered euen inuiting mee to sinne boldnesse vsurping the seat of bashfulnesse I haue by thy present assistance not else while mine owne corruption when left to it selfe would easily haue followed auoided declined them and where I haue obserued temptations to be strongest and danger most apparant haue purposely not daring to trust vpon mine owne weake strength withdrawn my selfe where I haue beene like to bee taken with the lime-twigs which the cunning fowler layd for mee haue I not taken the wings of the Doue to fly a loft from the danger yea sometimes finding vpon triall a flexibility in the obiect haue I not disswaded haue I not counselled for good Yet all this all this while as it seemeth so deceitfull is the heart aboue all things not with that zealous affection not with that thorow hatred of sinne as was requisite Certainly I did not with all my power resist the Diuell so that it gaue him incouragement to watch still new occasions to take me tardie when I should least dreame of danger and obseruing my spirituall armour not so tightly girt to my loynes but like Ioabs sword to hang loose and dangling about me hee hoped one time or other to smite me vnawares as Ioab did Amasa kissing and killing both at once And could he at all haue inclosed mee in his toyle had not thy wonderful * Deus diligeÌ„tibus euÌ„ omnia cooperatur in bonum vsque aedeo prorssus omnia vt etiam si qui eorum deuiant exorbitaÌ„t etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Aug. de Corr. gra cap. 9 Prouidence so disposed it to a further end then Sathan imagined Hast thou there left me No surely For first hauing chastised and purged me with a fiery sicknesse nigh vnto death and heard my praier for deliuerance and for a renewed redubled strength in my Ministry to be a poore instrument of thy glory which my folly had any way stained how hast thou followed mee euer since what with assisting grace what with affâ—iccting griefe least I might bee either too much exalted with the one or too much depressed with the other And hath not thy vnchangable wisedome for this very cause left some corruptions in thy holiest Saints to keepe them in the ballance of a due temper that so the tempter might not attaine to his wished ends while hee meeteth with two contrary windes to saile withall For when hee would tempt to pride for the indowments of thy graces how doe our very corruptions stand vp against him to our humiliation On the other side when he would tempt vs to diffidence deiection desperation in regard of our indwelling or out-breaking sinnes then thy grace interposeth it selfe not onely as a token of thine vnchangeable loue but as a mighty weapon to batter downe all Satans strong holds Hereof hast thou giuen mee sufficient experience herein abundant cause of comfort so that may not I say with Dauid Thy rod of castigation and thy staffe of consolation and sustentation comfort mee But yet alas O Lord was there no other way to preserue the wine of thy grace in me but vpon the Lees of my corruptions No way to poise the course of my brittle barke that so it might safely bring the Pearle of the kingdome to the wished hauen but with the base ballace of sinne No antidote to preserue me from being exalted aboue measure for the portion of thy free goodnesse towards me but by the treacle compounded of the Serpent sinne But I may not reason with thee whose iudgements are vnsearchable whose wayes past finding out But Lord did not thy all piercing eye discouer some monstrous pride lurking in my heart ready to breake out and beare it selfe bigge when it should behold it selfe any way beautified with the borrowed feathers of thy Doue-like spirit and rather then I should rob thee of thy glory and so be left naked of thy grace it seemed good to thy wisedome to permit the preuention of it with the humiliation of mine own shame For otherwise hast thou not in the midst of my infinite weakenesses giuen me a minde to know thee a desire to please thee a will to obey thee a heart to prefer thy glory before my life a resolution to choose rather to dye a thousand deaths then to commit the least sinne But O wretched man that I am the cause of all my calamity is in my selfe this body of death which I carry about is the source of all my sorrow Yet seeing this is the coÌ„mon coÌ„dition of thy Saints none to be exempt from indwelling corruption all the best the holiest to cry out of it some for shame all for sorrow why should I thinke by any priuiledge to be holier then they or being the weakest the worst of all the rest shall not thy mercy thy merits be magnified so much the more in blotting out my misdeeds I am sure I cannot be a
yet is deserted of his friends Who would not wonder at this To heare a King complaining My louers and my friends stand aloofe from me Psal. 38.11 and my kinsmen stand a farre off And Psal. 88 18. Louer and friend hast thou put away farre from me and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight And Ps. 69.8 I am become a stranger vnto my Brethren euen an aliant vnto my Mothers children But wherefore all this Because he was now fallen into pouertie No such thing for hee was still a great King Or was it because hee was a Type of Christ and therefore must looke to fare so much the worse with the world and bee euill intreated of his neerest friends as Christ was For the liker to Christ the worse liked of the world Nor that neither for then Dauid might haue found much comfort to be for such a cause forsaken But that which so much estranged Dauid's familiars and friends from him was his sinne so offensiue and scandalous and withall his humiliation and open repentance for the same which caused all his carnall friends to despise him Was not his sinne the cause that his owne Sonne his chiefe Councellors all Israel almost rebelled against him as an enemie of God and as one vnworthy to rule any longer ouer them They made it a faire pretence at least which God vsed as a scourge to his Seruant both for his greater humiliation and tryall and for example of others Yea the carnal minded made a mocke also of his humiliation as Micol as Shimei as others as vnseemely for the Maiestie of a King As if in sinne-cases it became the simple and poore vulgar onely to weepe but not Kings To these two causes Dauid referreth his friends stâ—angenesse towards him First For his sinne Psalme 31.10 11. My strength faileth me because of mine iniquitie and my bones are consumed I was a reproach among all mine enemies but specially among my neighbours and a feare to mine acquaintance Plebi lacrimarâ— licâ—t Regi honeste non licet Hâ—er Ps. 69.5 10 11 12 they that did see me without fled from me For I haue heard the slander of many And O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee Secondly for his humiliation When I wept and chastened my Soule with fasting that was to my reproach I made Sack-cloth also my garment and I became a Prouerbe to them They that sit in the Gate speake against me and I was the song of the Drunkards Here let Iob's patience take brething awhile solace it selfe â—â—stum tenacem propositi viruÌ„ Non ciuium arbor praua iubentium Non vultus instantâ—s tyranni meÌ„te quatit solida Hor. And Alium multis gloria terris Tradat omnes Fama per vrbes garrula laudet Caeloque parem tollat astrii Me meatellus Lare secre to tutoqueâ—egat Sen. Yea let him with astonishment bee silent at Dauid's tryall in being thus forsaken of his friends And Dauid's case it is that suits with this present conflict Tell me not my Brother of thy friends forsaking thee being fallen into pouertie or into great mens disgrace or the like a masculine Spirit will easily incounter all such contempt But hast thou some thing in thee wherein thou resemblest Christ as one of his members and therefore worthy to haue the world for thine enemie And besides some thing inherent and inhabitant in thee resembling and sauouring of the old Adam whereby thou art any way obnoxious to the worlds censure yea in so much as now thy verie familiar friends forsake and fly thy societie as ashamed thereof When notwithstanding there is nothing more irksome vnto thee then to bee a stranger to God and all good men Tell me now in this case dost thou thinke any man more miserable then thy selfe And the more as thou art a man more or lesse eminent in place and graces and in estimation for wisdome and glorie What comfort now canst thou haue or hope for in thy life forsaken of all in a manner and euen abhorred of those whom thou most esteemedst When now those things which would be highly esteemed in others in thee doe loose their grace and acceptance And all this through thine owne want of care slacknesse and remisnesse in thy noble resolution to doe nothing vnworthy thy person and profession Tell me now dost thou not heare the Accuser of the Brethren Caâ—endo magis quaÌ„ puendo QuaÌ„ multa pâ—nitenda incurrunt viuendo diâ— the old Serpent whispering in thine eares O thou forlorn wretch why art thou so base minded so stupidly patient as to possesse thy life with the losse of thy reputation and of the loue of thy best friends Thou hast lost them irreuocably and yet doest thou desire to spin out a contemptible and tedious life whereof together with all those torments and griefes thou sufferest in thy Soule for thy folly and deserued disgrace thou mayest so easily so speedily many wayes bee rid And this were the readie way to please thy friends againe For to whom thy life is hatefull thy death would consequently proue gratefull and welcome Or despiâ—â—ng thee aliue they would desire and deplore thee dead as a thing pretious So that what thou canst not obtaine by liuing thou mayst by dying And by liuing longer thou mayest come to haue more cause to repent thee And what needest thou to hoyse vp Sayles to passe through a Sea of infinite troubles and perills being driuen by no other winds but those tempestuous sighes which arising from thy restlesse and distâ—mpered mind must needs cause thy wracke vpon some Rocke or other When thou mayest with one short finall breath bee wasted ouer Lethe where thou shalt neuer think of thy friendâ— more whom now thou canst not remember but with ruthfull regret Such like counsells or cold consolations is the enemie of thy Soule readie to suggest vnto thee when thou art deserted of all comfort of those whom thou most dearely louest whose losse thou so deepely lamentest CHAP. VIII The Comfort How a man may ouercome or at least not be ouercome of the former Conflict BVt hence Satan And now poore Soule hast thou foolishly lost thy friends Lament the cause more then the effect So shall thy life be now not much more bitter in the losse of thy friends then it was wont to be sweet in the inioying of them So as remembring themselues they offend not God in the excesse of their strangenesse or disaffection by adding to the burthen which they should helpe to beare And then shalt thou comfort thy selfe with hope that you shall one daâ— meet and conuerse in Heaâ—â—â— in an vnseperable inoffensiue societie In the meane time their distast shall bee but one of those biâ—ter ingredients in that strong potion which it pleaseth thy heauenly Physitian to purge the corrupt humour withall or as Rue in thy Diet-drinke to macerate thy Spirits and to frustrate the force of
worst kind Ministers are the Light of their Flockes But the Conscience inferreth My light hath been turned into darknesse and how great is that darknesseâ— Ministers are the Salt of the Earth But the Conscience inferreth I haue beene vnsauourie and so hence-forth good for nothing but to bee cast out to the dunghill Ministers are Watchmen and must giue a strict account to the great Sheepherd But the Conscience inferreth I haue not kept watch ouer mine own Soule by meanes whereof the Soules of my Flocke are in danger to perish Thus his Conscience who makes a Conscience conuicted by these and many the like sentences of Scripture and taking them all to heart Tell mee if yee can what Creature in the world can seeme more wretched more accursed then this man doth in his owne eyes in his owne apprehension May hee not take vp that Lamentation Is it nothing to you Lam. 1.12 all you that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow which is done to mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in his fierce wrath May hee not complaine with the Spouse They made me the keeper of the Vineyards Cant. 1.6 but mine owne Vineyard haue I not kept And thus he argues with himselfe What is now become of all my paines studies indeuours desires to doe good to win soules to God Must now alas one small moth fret away and cat vp that faire garment that hath beene spun with so much paines wouen with so much patience and scarce begun to be worn with any pleasure and lesse profit Alas good Ieremy how poore and impotent was that thy impatience vpon so light a cause as to curse thy birth-day and all because the people cursed thee And wherefore did they curse thee Thou neither took'st nor lent'st vpon vsurie Was there not then a cause Thou would'st not be an Vsurer like them The more happy thou But if they had cursed thee for some folly or errour in thy life reason rather thou might'st haue had to haue cursed the day of thy birth O holy Iob thou complainedst thou wast become strange to thy wife to thy Family Why By reason of thy loathsome body Yea but thy heart was sound thy Conscience cleare thy life vnstained Where was thy Spirit that should sustaine such infirmities But alas the wounded Spirit who can beare But that which most of all augmenteth his miserie and dampeth all his best delights is that hee cannot with comfort and courage with alacritie and delight exercise his Ministry among his offended â—â—â—cke For whatsoeuer hee goeth about to teach them may they not say vnto him Turpeeâ—â—â— Doctoris eum 〈◊〉 redarguâ—â— ipsâ—m Physitian heale thy selfe Or with what face can he reproue sin in his people that is culpable thereof in himselfe Or when he preacheth the word doth he not heare that voyce of God Psa. 50. Why preachest thou my Law and takest my Couenant in thy mouth wheras thou hast cast my words behind thee Or doth hee not heare that thunder of the Apostle Rom. â— Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that preachest A man should not steale dost thou steale Thou that sayest A man should not commit adulterie dost thou commit Adulterie Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Or how can hee read that Sentence to his people Be ye followers of me euen as I am of Christ And Walke so as ye haue vs for an ensample When his people may shelter all their sinnes though neuer so monstrous vnder the lest erronious slip of his frailty and say Qui nobis ista dicuÌ„t et ipsi non faciunt ista Aug. in Ps. 128 They that teach vs these things themselues keep them not In a word how can hee take into his hands the dreadfull Sacraments whereas the people account them profane and vnwashen hands In this case then how shall the Minister of God that should minister comfort to his people find comfort to himselfe CHAP. IIII. The Comfort Shewing how Gods Minister may recouer comfort of Conscience and that among his offended Flocke BVT how By imagining his people to be so good so wise as measuring their Minister by themselues to bee a man of like passions they will the rather compassionate that in him whereof they haue so iust cause to complain and bewayle in themselues Alas This is a cold comfort for a man to be pittied for his folly And a generous mind will disdaine to build its comfort vpon a base fantasie Nay rather may hee not expect contumely in stead of pittie and contempt in stead of Christian compassion For where shall hee find such perfection Will not a mote in his eie seeme greater to them then the beame in their own Will they not the more lightly leape ouer the blocke of their owne grosse iniquities by stumbling at the strawe of his infirmitie By straining his gâ—at will they not the more easily swallow downe their owne Camell If the Apostles were sacrificed vnto Acts. and by and by in the turning of a hand stoned If for Paul's sake the Galathians would haue pul'd out their eyes and yet not long after became his enemies and that for no other cause but for telling them the truth So ticklish is the state of a faithfull Pastour in the fauour of his ObsequiuÌ„ amicos veritas â—diuÌ„ parit people quickly forfeited by telling them their owne What can he hope for then of the goodnesse of a people to whom hee is iustly become obnoxious They cannot now doe lesse then show dislike which may serue to passe for good zeale if for the cause they doe not hate the person or if now they bee not glad to make the least errour in his life a iuâ—t cause to bee reuenged on him for all the truth of his Doctrine But hee may imagine that being at least a well-taught people they will consider that as the Minister is more eminent then they in place and so ought to bee in grace and spirituall vertue to resist sinne So hee is more subiect to manifold and more violent temptations and that through the malice and enuy of Satan who knoweth that if he can smite the Sheepherd hee may the more easily scatter the Flocke And if his garment bee but scinged with one of his fierie Darts yealding some ill sauour either they may impute it to his imbecillitie or negligence taken napping then when hee should haue watched or to their neglect of prayer for him to be kept holy and blamelesse he hauing no lesse need of their prayers then they of his or else they may impute it to some sinne which themselues doe liue in without repentance for which God may punish them in their Pastour as Israel was made subiect to three dayes pestilence at the best through the sin of Dauid's numbring the people to which God
polluted lips had no heart to prophecie to others before the Seraphim had touched his lips with a coale from the Altar saying Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie is taken away and thy sinne purged Whereupon Esay now can say Here I am send me Esa. 6.7 So that a Ministers peace with God giues him comfort and courage to preach to others that grace and mercie whereof himselfe hath had particular experience As Paul saith For this cause I obtained mercie 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter belieue on him to life euerlasting But on the contrarie I see not with what confidence or courage a Minister can stand in the presence of God and in the face of his Congregation either to instruct others in righteousnesse which himselfe followeth not or to reproue them of sinne whereof himselfe repenteth not Famous is that example of Origen Centur. 3. cap. 10 who for his offering of Incense to the Idoll being excommunicated from the Church of Alexandria and comming to Ierusalem and there intreated yea and in a manner inforced to preach vnto them hee going vp to the Pulpit as if hee would preach recited those words in the Psalm But to the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Hee no sooner had read these words but closing the Booke fell into a sad and bitter weeping and that so abundantly that as a stream it carried the affections of the whole assembly with it to weepe for companie and that out of a fellow-feeling of those compunctions of heart which so stopped his mouth and opened the flood-gates of repentance for his late sacrificing to the Idol and for other his errours whereinto he was said to fall after that his fall Such an insupportable burden is sinne vnrepented vpon a Ministers Conscience that till by the mercie of God hee be well lightened of it vneath he shall beare the Lords burthen vnto the people But vpon his humble repentance being at peace with God and hauing obtained the comfort of his Spirit and the assistance of his grace to settle him in the state of a good Conscience and of a holy life hereupon he becomes imboldened to preach of mercy to others whereof himselfe hath so plentifully tasted and wherby sinners may be conuerted vnto God Thirdly The Minister as hee hath offended his Flocke any way iustly he must labour to make them satisfaction And this stand sin foure things especially First In dubbling his labour and diligence in the faithfull discharge of his Ministry that what he hath formerly lost by any kind of neglect either in life or Doctrine hee may endeuour to regaine Secondly In labouring so much the more to set forth himselfe as a patterne of a true belieuer in faith in patience and other vertues wherby the calling not onely of a Christian but of a Minister and Pastour of Gods people is adorned So that the constant example of his carriage and course for the time to come may be as a mouth to signifie to all his exceeding humiliation and sorrow for his sinnes past his hatred and detestation of all sinne in himselfe and others and his earnest care and purpose of hart expressed in his practise vtterly to abandon and auoid the like and all sinne for the time to come setting himselfe with all boldnesse to reproue sinne in others which now they may behold so hatefull to himselfe turning also his people that setting themselues to speedie repentance they need not to doubt of Gods mercie towards them seeing that the sinne of their Pastour was not denyed it Thirdly To be continually exercised in feruent prayer for his people that from henceforth they may reape infinitely more profite by his Ministry and example of life then formerly they haue receiued hurt by any his neglect or occasion This will be a meanes through Gods speciall blessing cooperating to reconcile and reunite the peoples hearts to their Pastour and to cause all things to succeed happily betweene them Lastly He must practise the Spirit of meekenesse towards the weake labouring to restore such considering his owne selfe who hath beene and lest hee may be yet tempted And to bee patient towards all that if he meet with any vnkind affronts or closse biting malicious frumpes hee either answer not at all remembring that God hath layd that burthen vpon him or else lest the malicious may thus being let goe perish in his sinne hee is to admonish him either priuatly or if occasion require publickly before all the companie so as they may learne to feare God lest they turne the fall of their brother through weakenesse now repented now recouered into their own presumptuous ruine irrecouerable But neuer to retort or returne rebuke for rebuke euen as Dauid would shew no reuenge vpon cursing cursed Shimei hoping God would doe him good for his cursing that day and knowing that God would not hold Shimei guiltlesse but without repentance without peace bring him to the graue as it befell Shimei Thus may the afflicted and humbled Conscience of Gods Minister bee through Gods grace and mercie inabled in some good mâ—asure to beare vp against such winds and waues of tryall and in time to ouercome them Although when he hath done his best and suffered much yet hee must make account neuer to bee quit of his paine altogether till death but as a hurt or bruise in the body in youth it will become an ach and symptome of old age accompanying him to his graue As Dauid in his old age complaines of the aches of those sinnes in his youth still sticking in his bones when hee said Psa 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth c. So that he must conclude and resolue with Hezechiah Esa 15. I shall goe softly all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule And say with Dauid My sorrow is continually before me And euer to make this vse of his former sinnes euen to bee humbled in his best graces and most beautifull actions and prouoked to aspire to all perfection therin not fearing now to be proud who hath such cause to be humbled CHAP. V. The third Conflict arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended IT was no small griefe to the Spouse when she said My Mothers children were angry with me Cant. 1.6 and 5.7 And againe The Watchmen that went about the Citie found me they smote me they wounded me the Keepers of the Walls tooke away my vaile from me The least offence giuen by a Minister if it shall be taken to heart of the whole Sacred fraternitie and made theirs when the Delinquent considereth it what a torment is it to his Conscience when hee shall now see their countenances auerse full of high indignation and
incurable ludibrium Medicorum The Prouerbe is As good bee halfe hanged as haue an ill name Which hath beene the cause that many being oppressed with the shame of it and out of hope of any likely remedie haue gone and hanged themselues out-right Yea among the Heathen an ill name hath beene so detestable as on a time A. Gall. Noct. Att. l. 18. c. 3 when one in Lacedemon of a notorious vicious life but wittie and one that could speake well in a dangerous exigent of affaires gaue such aduice as all the Citizens applauded it and would haue it presently enacted and decreed vnder his name as the manner was thereat one of the nobler Senators starting vp with a spirit full of indignation vttered these words What meane you O yee Lacedemonians or what hope is there that euer this Citie and Weale-publike should long continue in safetie if wee shall vse such corrupt Counsellours If that his sentence bee good and honest I pray you let vs not suffer it to bee stained with the reproach of a most filthy Authour And hauing said this he chose a man among the rest for courage and vprightnesse but of a poore speech and vneloquent and commanded him with the consent and request of all to pronounce the same sentence in as good termes as he could that without mention of the former this Decree of the people might bee recorded in his name onely in regard he recited it anew And thus as the sage Senatour counselled it was done Sic bâ—nâ— sententia mansiâ— â—urpis auâ—â—or muâ—atus est So the good sentence stood good but the infamous Author was changed And euer Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus And in Sacred storie Dauid must not build the Temple because hee had beene a man of blood in so many battels nor must Moses haue the honour to This was in a mystery Moses sinning was the Law broken which could not bring Moses thither conduâ—t Israel into Canaan because by his owne humble confession hee had dishonored the Lord by his vnbeleefe at Meribah And Salomon in his booâ—e of repentance in dislike of the vaniâ—â—es hee had committed being King stiles himselfe The Preacher not Salomon the King saying onely I the Preacher haue beene King in Ierusalem On the contrary Ioab would not send the newes of Absolons death by good Ahimaas but by Cushi And when Dauid heard of two comming running to bring newes and the one Ahimaas he promised to himselfe good tydings for saith he He is a good man and bringeth good tydings So preiudiciall is the person to the cause good or bad for the very name sake Now it hath beene the lot euen of Gods dearest Saints to be ill reported of Iohn the Baptist was reported for a Daemoniaeke or one possessed with a diuel yea Christ himselfe the innocent Lambe of God in whose mouth was no guile yet escaped not scot-free but was famed for a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners also a sedicious person and I wot not what And Dauid heard of Shimei Come out thou man of blood thou sonne of Belial as much as Thou bloud-shedder thou debosht person yea the drunkards made songs of him And Iob complaines Iob 17.6 He hath made me a by-word of the people and I am as a Tabret vnto them And Saint Paul heard 2 Cor. 6. One that stirreth vp sedition And hee went through euill report and good report as a deceiuer and yet true Onely the difference is how the ill name is deserued how iustly or vniustly raised And although by reason of the worlds vnreasonable malicious enuy against true vertue generally Gods Saints are falsely reproached yet it may so fall out as euen the holiest man may iustly and worthily fall into an euill report Who holier than Dauid yet it was his case which Shimeis railing did in part at least reflect vpon calling him a man of blood and sonne of Belial murtherer and adulterer For Dauids adultery and murther were not so closely carried but men might easily take notice of it howsoeuer the maiesty of his person place might somewhat smother and smooth it ouer by keeping mens tongues in awe yet it was so known already as Nathan tels him he had giuen the enemie cause to blaspheme So that the very Philistins had notice of it much more Dauids owne people and Court. Gloss. Oâ—din And the Hebrews say that Achitophel â—ooke part with Absalon in reuenge of Bathshebas chastity and honour because she was his Neece This being so what a torment was it to poore Dauids heart thus to be reported thus reputed seeing he had so deepely and 〈◊〉 deseâ—ued it seeing Dauid â—as no prophane Prince whose lust was his law or who held it as his priuiledge to be vniust in taking away the wife or life of any of his liege subiects as though he might sinne by authority or adultery were but a tricke of youth and veniall in Court or the manner of making away Vriah a politicke deuice to make a fairer way to his lustfull ends but as he was a sacred person a King anointed a holy Prophet and Saint of God so nothing could so excruciate and vexe his noble spirit then thus to see the crowne of all his graces cast in the dust the beauty thereof defaced Gods name dishonoured his owne name disgraced religion reproached and such a brand of infamy inusted on Dauidâ— name and that imprinted in sacred Record neuer to be blotted out as it were in capitall letters Sauing in the matter of Vriah Now tell me brother thou that art in estimation for wisdome and glory in whose estimate nothing is so precious as a good name to haue a good report with all good men in case through some folly thou hast made shipwracke of thy credit and so of all that fraight of graces which thou hast toyled about all thy life now thy sincerity is censured for hypocrisie and all turned topsie turuie What wilt thou doe Now thou maist finde that a good conscience wounded may more easily be cured with God then thy credit once crackt with men the cure whereof depends vpon as many Physitians as there are men in the world whereof though some few possest with diuine loue may be willing to licke it whole with their tongues or as the noble Emperour Constantine who said that if he did with his eyes see a Bishop to defile another mans bed hee would cast his purple robe ouer it least therwith any should be offended as he threw the bundle of the Bishops mutuall complaints at the Councell of Nice into the fire saying it became them to pardon one another sith all needed pardon of Christ Yet the most will out of the superfluity of maliciousnesse not sticke to invenome it the more with their Serpentiue tongues and teeth CHAP. X. The Comfort How in this deplored case the deiected soule may sustaine it selfe and hold out to the end IN this