So did the Apostle Paul wish vnto himselfe when hee expressed his minde in these words Desiring to be loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all And the same Apostle speaking of the death of all the faithfull saith in this wise Wee know that if our earthly house of this Tubernacle be destroied wee haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Here is the change of the soules dwelling from a ruinous house on earth to an eternall house in heauen Afterward the same Apostle saith Wee are bold and loue rather to reâ—…one out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. Here is the change of the soules company on earth it conuerseth with mortall men in heauen it dwelleth euer with the immortall God This is all the hurt that death can doe vnto vs if this were to be called hurt it bringeth the body to rest in the graue and it bringeth the soule to present glorie with God and all the dangerous deadly and killing power that originally it had by any confederacie with sinne all that is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ. And if it were sometime to be feared as a poisoned serpent of the olde serpents brood yet it is so spoiled by that serpent that was lifted vp vpon the crosse that it hath neither tooth nor sting nor any poison left to hurt any beleeuer Heare to this purpose the words of Saint Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death therefore cannot be hurtfull to the beleeuer And if while he liue he take such order and find such fauour that God will be pleased in Iesus Christ to send him a discharge of his sinnes by faith in his sonne he hath no cause after death to feare the reuiuing of his accusation though the legions of lying diuels whose malice makes them accusers of the Saints before God should altogecrie out against him as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Thou hast no cause to feare death or any thing that followeth death if while thou liue thou returne to God and recouer his fauour in Iesus Christ for there is full discharge against accusation condemnation both in this life and after this life in the free loue of God and most meritorious intercession of our Lord Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXXI THE storme is ouer our afflicted sinner by this time seeth no cause any longer to dreame of terrifiing death and were it not that one dâ—…am of bitternes disseasoneth the comforts of life that God hath lent vnto him he should grow to some reasonable temper But one thing hee hath cause to complaine of and let vs heare him that we may vnderstanding his griefe be the better able to helpe him Hee telleth vs of a heauie case his sleepe he saith is not quiet but mixt with fearefull dreames at his table his minde taketh in more sad thoughts then his mouth doeth bits of meate the voice and face of his old acquaintance and former friends doeth now reuiue his greefe so oft as he doeth either see them or heare them the fairest roomes of his house which he had trimmed vp for his delight if hee come into them doe strike him with grieuous terrour and all those things that hee delighted in before are new matter of sorrow and heauines vnto him and it is his onely content though without to sit alone in darknesse This hee taketh to be some curse of God folowing him and an euident signe of Gods iust and fearefull anger following him for what should make Gods good creatures other mens comforts to be discomforts to him but the onely displeasure of God To this I answer that it is very likely that it is so and will continue to bee so with him so long as this burden of accusing thoughts lies heauy remaining vpon his wounded conscience It is a very kindly effect of it that hath growen out of it and wil vanish with it Thou sleepest catest with a wounded heart and hence it is that while thou sleepest and eatest thou still feelest the smart of thy wounded heart Thy ancient friends and former woonted delights appeare vnto thee now when thou art not fit to take pleasure in them as before time thou didst and that maketh thee at the present to be the more troubled thinking vpon thine old liberty now lost And the things prepared for thy pleasure while thou wert capable of pleasure in the contrary disposition of thine heart bent altogether to feare and sorrow doe now bring â—…orth a contrary effect vnto thee euen increase of sorrow And a desire of shaddow and solitarienesse though they be hurtfull doth follow a grieued minde as Ieremy saith of the man that beareth the yoke in his youth Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it vpon him And this desire of darknesse and solitarinesse either is an effect of mortification in him that is crucified to the world seeing the world crucified to him or else it groweth partly out of shame and partly out of anger that things are in no better tune and vpon the recouering of thy peace and ceasing of thy temptation this trouble will certainly vanish away In the meane time giue place to this griefe as little as thou canst and striue to reioyce in the Lord and in the good blessings hee hath bestowed vpon thee pray him that bestowed good things vpon thee to giue thee a free heart to take comfort in his guiftes that thou maiest be prouoked to praise his name And withall craue and vse the counsell and helpe of some learned and skilfull Physician for there is somthing in this griefe that hath neede of his iudgement and diligence And the God of hope fill thee withal ioy and peace in beleeuing that thou maiest abound in hope thorow the power of the holy Ghost Amen And now after some delay in answering such obiections as the vnquiet soule hath made out of his grieuous feare let vs grow vnto a conclusion concerning this burden of accusing thoughts and let vs gather together briefly orderly the scatterd grounds of hope that this burden may be cast off when God shall be pleased to giue his blessing and the scattered rules of aduice that teach how to cast it vpon God And for grounds of hope that this burden of accusing thoughts may bee cast off vpon God for the sinners â—…ase it hath beene shewed and proued First that his sinne not being that
things for their preseruation and saluation so that thou maiest most safely commend them to his mercie And let him remember what the Prophet hath said of God pertaining particularly to this griefe as if it were intended for his ease in this case He is a Father of the fatherlesse and Iudge of the widdowes euen God in his holy habitation So that thou shalt not leaue thy wife without a husband thy children without ◅ father thy seruants without a maister and thy poore friends without a helper when thou commendest them to God He will be all in all vnto all and euery one of them And therefore in this griefe remembring Gods prouidence thou castest thy burthen vppon GOD and easest thine owne heart when thou commendest them vnto him And if it be not thine owne sicknesse death or calamitie that grieueth thee but the sicknesse death or calamitie of some other neere vnto thee as of thy husband or wife thy parents or children thy maister or seruant or some neighbour or friend that was neere and deare vnto thee with commendation of thy compassion that ought indeede to stretch it selfe to all these and further also for the seruants of God must not be without naturall affections This is in the case of their sicknesse and calamitie to cast thy burden vpon the Lord first to minister what help and comfort thou art able vnto them both with good words and also with reall seruices that they recouering the sooner out of their sicknesse and calamitie thy heart may the sooner bee freed of that griefe that thou sustainest for them And in this ministring of comfort and help vnto them thou seruest the Lord and becommest the meanes and instrument of his mercie to the afflicted Therefore it is saide of the woman of Shumem Elishaes good hostesse that her sicke sonne sate on her knees till noone that is shee was grieued for his sicknesse and with a most willing heart gaue him the best help and comfort that shee could Hence grow all those workes of mercy that the Lord Iesus saith hee will remember and reward when hee commeth in his glory Hence commeth the feeding of the hungry the refreshing of the thirstie the clothing of the naked the intertaining of the stranger the visiting of the sicke and releeuing men in bonds Hence grow all these works of mercy namely that men and women of tender hearts which haue bowels of compassion in their bodies are grieued to behold the want the miseries and calamities of others and doe ease their owne hearts by vsing all meanes to ease the others calamity so casting in a most sweete maner the burden of their owne griefe vppon God who will certainely comfort them that labor to comfort his afflicted ones Vnto this rule pertaine all the precepts of ministring to the necessities of the Saints But because while thou art thus casting the burdē of thy griefe vpon God by vsing all good means to relieue them for whom thou art grieued Because I say they are not presently freed from their calamitie nor thou from all thy sorrow conceiued for their sakes therfore vnto this diligence of helping and succouring the miserable if thou wilt soundly and fully cast thy burden vpon God patience must be added and praier patience to beare quietly their sicknesse and calamities whom thou louest for the Lords sake that hath appoynted it so glorifying him in all his workes and prayer to intreat the God of mercie to remember in his mercy those thy miserable friends and to raise them vp whom he cast downe Heere remember Dauid praying for his sicke childe Daniel praying for the returne of the captiuity the Centurion praying for his sicke seruant and the Church praying for Peter imprisoned I will insteed of all examples adde the precept of the Apostle Paul making patience and prayer the chiefe rules of obtaining ease of all burdens saying Let your patient minde bee knowne to all men the Lord is at hand be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication and giuing of thankes Thine owne diligence in shewing mercy and helping thy patient attendance vppon God with thy faithfull prayer for the asflicted are the mean◅ of casting thy burden vppon God when thou art grieued for the sickenesse and calamities of others But if it bee the death of some deare friend that thou art grieued for wherein perhappes thou thinkest thy griefe remedilesse because thy dead can not liue agayne euen for this verie cause oughtest thou to beare the death of thy friend quietly because thy dead cannot liue againe And herein wee haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude vnto vs who hauing a childe sicke did while it yet liued afflict his soule For it is written Dauid be sought GOD for the childe and fasted and went in and lay all night vpon the earth Then the Elders of his house arose to come vnto him and to cause him to rise from the ground but hee would not neither did hee eate meate with them Thus while there was hope of remedy he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart But it followeth On the seuenth day the child died and the seruants of Dauid feared to tell him that the childe was dead for they said behold while the child was yet aliue we spake vnto him and hee would not bearken vnto our voyce how shall wee say vnto him the childe is dead to vex him more But when Dauid saw his seruants whispered Dauid perceiued that the childe was dead Therefore Dauid said vnto his seruants Is the childe dead And they said hee is dead then Dauid arose from the earth and washed and annoynted himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bade that they should set bread before him and hee did eat His sorrowing ended when hee once sawe that there was no hope of enioying any longer the company of his childe Now this course seemed to his seruants a new and strange kind of philosophie that he should mourne in the danger of death and yet reioyce or at least comfort himselfe with any content in death and therefore his seruants saide vnto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou diddest fast and weepe for the childe while it was aliue but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eate meat And what reason had hee for this strange and vnwonted behauiour Hee said while the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will haue mercy on me that the child may liue but now being dead wherefore shall I now fast can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me Behold the same thing that maketh thee to mourne namely that thy dead shall not returne to thee the same consideration Dauid made the ground
lost Luke 19. 10. Mat. 15. 24. Luke 18. 11 Iere. 7. 10. The estate of a Christian how it is in himselfe Mat. 1. â—… And how it is considered in Christ by vertue of his holy calling Thou canst not affirme thy selfe to be a reprobate seeing it depends vpon the vnknowne counsell of God Rom. 9. 22. The sinner secketh to proue by orgument that hee is 〈◊〉 reprobate His argument answered and taken away Sinne though déseruing yet no argumet of reprobation The sinnes of the elect may bee more vile then the sinnes of the reprobate in our eies Dauids sin and Sauls compared together Mâ—…ch may be said to exâ—…us Saul that will seeme reasonable Dauids sin declared Exo. 20. 17 Exo. 20. 14 No excuse can be made to extenuate the sin of Dauid 1. Sam. 15. 19. 2. Sam. 12. 9. Dauid was not therefore a reprobate because he sinned more vilely then a reprobate Gods wrath vpon me for sinne is no euidence of reprobation Lam. 3. 39. Mica 7. 1â—… 2. Tim. 2. 11 Micah 7. 7. Pro. 18. 14. The particular stroke of a wounded conscience is no signe of reprobation Psal. 38. 2. Acts. 4 11. Our answers are such as will stand before Gods iudgment seate Iohn 12. 48 An eleuenth obiection His sinne deserueth death hee must die must doe the execution vpon himselfe Ezeki 18. 4 Rom. 6. 23 Iob. 3. 18. An appostro phe to Satan 1. Pet. 5. 8. Reue. 12. 9. Answer to this obiection Esay 55. 3. Iohn 8. 44. The iniquity of the thing that he intendeth to doe It is rare as being the height of al wickednesse Gen 4. 23. Gen. 6. 2. Gen. 6. 11. 1. Sam. 31. 4. 2 Sam. 17. 23. 1. King 16. 18. Iud. 16. 30. 2. Mach. 14. 41. 1. Sam. 22. 9. c. 1. Samuel 2â—… 19. 1. Sam. 28. 7. It is the excesse of crueltie without all mixture of charitie â—… 〈◊〉 21. 16 Acts 1â—… 1 â—… Sâ—…m 4. 6 2. Sa. 3. 27. 2. Sam. 4. â—… â—… Kâ—… 19. 37. Matt. 7. 20 It is the losse of all patience of faith Mat. 11. 28 Phi. 4. 5. Mat. 11. 28. Phil. 4. 7. It is against the right of God who onely is Lord of life to whom onely the issue of death appertaine Psal. 19. 73. Psal. 100. 3. Psal. 22. 9. Iob. 7. 1. Psal. 68. 20 Exo. 20. 13. Gen. 4. 10. Gen. 9. 5. Deu. 32. 39 1. King 19. 4. Phil. 1. 23. Will thou loose thy life for thy owne pleasure that neuer wert willing to loose it for Gods sake Iere. 26. 14 Iere. 26. 14 Acts â—…0 â—… Mat. 10. 39 1. Corin 6 19 20 Gen. 26 27 Conclusion concerninâ—… the act that bee intendeth to do The vanity weaknes of the reasoâ—…s by which he is drawne to intend this act Three reasons seruing to prooâ—…e it a matter of iâ—…stice 1 2 3 The weakeness of his first reason â—…zec 33. 12 Ezec. 33 11 Ezec. 33 11 The weaknes of his second reason Lib. 4. Epist. 80. Esay 1. 16 Eze. 18. 21 Acts 3. 19. Being vnworthy of lâ—…fe on earth he is more vnworthy of life in heauen aswered Geâ—… 3â—… 1â—… The weaknes of his third reason Prou. 16. 7 Luke 15. 7 Luke 15. 10. â—…say 2. 3. Mat. 5. 16. Three reasons seeming to â—…roue iâ—… a matter of aduantage 1. 2. The vanity and weaknesse of the first of these reasons Exo. 14. 3. Exo. 14 17. Exo 14 17 The vanity and weaknesse of the second of these reasons How the dead may be said not to sinne The wicked continue to sinne euen when they are dead Eccle. 9. 3. Maâ—…t 16. 9 If they doe comâ—… it no new sin yet they must perish â—…r the old vnpardoned Mat. 25. 41 Mat. 25. 41 2. Cor. 5. 10 The vanity weaknes of the third of these reason There are â—…vo kâ—…des of 〈◊〉 oâ—…â—… in this life another after this life Psâ—…l 34. 19 Reu. 20. 14 From what troublâ—…s death doth deliuer In what case death leaueth theÌ„ that are de liuered so from troubles It leaueth the godly iâ—… a blessed estate De Ciuitat DeiÌ„ lib. 13. cap. 4. Iohn 5. 24. Reu. 14. 13 It leaueth the wicked in a most wicked estate Psal. 73. 18 Iob. 21. 17 Lu. 16. 22. The sinners misery that by killing himselfe seckes to be free from trouble Esa. 66. 24. A twelâ—…th obiection be iâ—… vnworthy of life and must not nourish it be is vnworthy of good things and must not vse them Mat. 25. 28 Luk. 16 2 Answere to this twelfth obiection Gen. 32. 11 Mat. 8. 8. Luke 15. 21. Wherein the error of this obiâ—…ction heth God alloweth his blessings to the vnworthy Psal. 145. 9 Mat. 5. 45. The vnworthy craue obtaine vse Gods blessings Gen. 32. 11 Mat. 8. 8. Luke 15. 19 God giueth his blssingâ—… that they should be vsed to his praise 1. Tim. 6. 17 Psal. 104. 14. Acts. 14. 17 Deu. 8. 10. Ioel. 2. 24. This abstinence is 〈◊〉 dangerous to thy life as violence can be Lam. 49. Portuis latro Eratosthenes The conclusion of the answere to this obiection 1. Tim. 4. 4 A thirtenth obiection He feareth death for two causes Gen. 3. 19. First least he die before this temptation cease that were to die without faith Ioh. 3. 18. Secondly least the accusation be renewed after death Heb. 9. 27. Answer to this obiection There is hope that thy temptation shall end before death come vpon thee Psal. 68 20. Acts 1. 1. Cor. 1â—… 13 Deut. â—… 16 1. Pet. 5. 6. If death com before yet there is faith euen where this temptation is strong In this teÌ„ptation ther is infidelity But where there is infidelitie there may be faith Rom. 7. 22 Gala. 5. 1â—… Ro. 13. 12. 1. Thes. 5. 5 Mar. 9. 24. Luke 17. 5 If the temptation hee once rightly ouercom it shall not returne after death Mat. 18. 18. Psal. 14. 1. Wis. 2. 2. Deu. 29. 19 Psal. 58. 1â—… Luke 16. 2. Deu. 29. 20 〈◊〉 31. 34 Ezeâ—… 8 2â—… Death iâ—… not to be feared for anything of a good man Esay 57. 2. Luke 23. 43 Phil. 1. 23. 2. Cor. 5. 1â—… 2. Cor. 85. 1. Cor. 15. 55. Rom. 8. 33. A fourteenth obiection all things are grieuous to him that are pleasant to other men Answere to this obiection I. am 3. 28. Rom 15. 13 Conclusion concerning this burden of accusing thoughts Grounds of hope that iâ—… may be cast off vpon God Mark 3. 28 Luk 11. 〈◊〉 Ier. 31. 34. Eze. 18. 21 Math. 〈◊〉 14 Ioâ—… 16. 23. Rulâ—… of aduiâ—… how to caâ—…l this burden vpon God Psal. 51. 4 Pro. 28. 13. Mic. 7. 9. Psa. 18. 26. 1. Pet. 5. 6. Act. 3. 19. Psa. 11. 5. Col. 3. 13. Mat. 6. 15. Ioh. 20. 31. Heb. 11. 6. Hos. 14. 1. Psal. 53. 4. The promise of recompence Luk. 10. 28 Esay 1â—… 19. Iob 21. 14. Mala. 3 24 Mala. 3. 18 Psa. 19. 11 The words of the promise are fitted to his owne present burdens Which were two one was pouerty and waâ—… 1. Sa. 25. 5. His other burdeÌ„ was a fall from his former honour 1. Sa 17. 7. The first part of this promise is the poore mans promise God will nourish his poore that attend vpon his hand He sendeth inough for all in generall Gen. 9. 2. God sendeth inough for all but couetousnes intercepteth it and the pâ—…ore cannot get their part God giueth his gifts by â—… particular prouidence to euery one 1. Sam 2. 7. Esay 65. 13 Psal. 37. 19. Luke 1. 53. Mat. 6. 15. Mat. 6. 26. Mat. 6. 28. Mat. 6. 31. The second part of the promise How many kinds of saâ—… there be Pro. 24. 16. One kinde of â—…all 〈◊〉 to fall by sin Hos. 14. 1â—… This kind of fall is most dangerous 1. Cor. 10. 12 Iam. 3. 2. He raiseth by repentance them that are fallen by sinne Phi. 2. 13. Psa. 32. 8. Ieâ—… 31. 33. Eze. 36. 25. The second kind of fall is to fall into miserie for sinne These miseries are of two sortes inward aâ—…d outward What are these inward miseries and iudgements Rom. 1. 24. Deu. 2 28. Esay 33. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 13. Luke 22. 32. Iohn 17. 20. Psal. 22. 1. Psal. 55. 4. He raiseth them vp that are fallen into these inward miseries Acts. 26. 18 Eze. 36. 26. 〈◊〉 Luke 1. 46 Psal. 30. 11. Psal. 147 3. What are the outward miseries whereunto men fall God raiseth them that are fallen into these outward miseries 2. Cor. 1. 8 Iob. 5. 1â—… Psal. 34. 19. If not in this life yet most certainly after this life Esay 57. 1 Lu 16 22 25 Reuel 21 Psal. 16. 11 The conclusiâ—…n of all Psa 9. 10. Psa. 34. 10. Esay 55. 1.
THE Strong Helper OFFERING TO BEARE EVERY MANS BVRTHEN OR A TREATISE TEACHING in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences By IOHN HAIVVARD The second Edition corrected and inlarged PSAL. 31. 22. Though I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight yet thou heardest the voice of my praier when I cried vnto thee ¶ Imprinted at London by IOHN BEALâ—… for William Welby 1614. TO THE VVOR shipfull and his most kind and louing friends Master Israel Owen and M is Bathshaba Owen his wife IN the first publication of this Treatise the argument whereof is more agreeable to the hungry desires of a troubled soule then to the dainty appetite of them that seeke to haue their eares delighted with fine inuention I commended it to none but vnto such as had the only neede thereof euen to them that are weary and laden which grone vnder that burden whereof none can ease them but only he that beareth vp all things by his mighty word Heb. 13. And healeth those that are broken in heart and giueth medicine to heale their sicknesse Psal. 147. 3. At this second edition I haue been bold to publish it vnder your Worships name not that I haue any higher conceit of it now then at the first to thinke it now worthier then at that time to beare it in the forehead thereof thename of any worshipfull patron For though it bee in some places altered and in some enlarged yet our bookes grow not vnder our hands as our children doe to become fairer stronger and wiser by continuance of yeeres but they retaine with little alteration their first proportion and members And this little booke as it was at the first so it remaineth no other then a knitting together in one continud discourse of those obseruations which in my publike exercise I deliuered in many Serâ—… mons when I intreated of that text of Scripture which I haue put downe in the beginning as the argument of the whole worke But finding my selfe inde bted vnto your loue in a greater measure then I am able to make satisfaction for which loue of yours to me hath continued now aboue twenty yeeres and aboue all other proofes thereof hath lately declared it selfe in a most free and kinde offer of extraordinary fauour I haue been bold in this dedication to testifie vnto you as I was able my thankefull heart which is the best recompence that my weake estate is able to affoord And with this little booke which I offer vnto your Worshippes I offer vnto Almighty God my most hearty praiers that the father of mercy God of all consolations will euer continue vnto you and your posterity the abundance of his grace both for a long and happy life in this world and for a seasonable and christian departure hence that after your yeeres bee compleate on earth you may raigne with Christ for euer in Heauen From my house in Woolchurch this thirteenth of Nouember 1613. Your Worships wel-willer Iohn Hayward To him that is wearie and laden SALOMON in the Prouerbs affirmeth that he that is full despiseth a hunnie combe And one wiser then Salomon telleth vs in the Gospell that the whole haue no neede of the Phisition Idlely therefore should I offer my labour in this treatise to them that are full and liue at ease who bearing no burden or in their strength not feeling what they beare would reiect my offer as a mocke say vnto me Brach ia da lasso potius prendenda natanti offer your hand to him that is ready to sinke in the sloud we haue no neede we sit safe vpon the shore If these mens securitie be sound I wish it may be durable vnto them and as they haue no desire vnto so I wish they may neuer stand in neede of the counsell conteined in this booke this I wish them out of loue though out of iudgement e know if they belong to Christ the tim will come when they must beare a crosse and follow him But with hope of better acceptation I offer my counsell here following vnto thee that seeâ—…est the burden that thou bearest and gronest vnder the burden that thou feelest Salomon in the forenamed place telleth vs that to the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete And the Lord Iesus affirmeth the sicke to stand in neede of the Phisitions helpe Thy burden maketh thee as fainting labourer to long for releese and the crumes of Gods mercy easing thy ouercharged soule would be acceptable to thee and the paine of thy diseased spirit more sicke of thy tentation then of a burning feauer maketh thee desirous of the Phisions helpe thou criest in thy griefe Rebus succurrite lesis helpe my greeued estate and the offer and assurance of helpe and health cannot but bee ioyfull vnto thee If thy greefe and wearines be occasioned by any troubles of this life if it grow from any secular worldly cause I haue reduced all such burdens vnto fower heades Because either it is some want in our worldly estate which commonly is the burden and trouble of the multitude or if wee bee that way well stored it is some trouble domesticall and neare vnto vs either in our selues or in our house habitation or kinred or if we haue peace in our habitation ioy in our kinred friends and seruants with life and health as we desire then there is some more remoued person or more remoued accident that is the cause of greese care and feare vnto vs or â—…f abroad aswell as at home and among strangers aswell as among friends and neighbours we liue without disturbance yet we often finde difficulties in the duties of our callings or we meete with oppositions and are wronged with mistakings are euill rewarded for our well deseruing Within the compasse of one of these foure heads fall all such secular and worldly burdens and in the first place I haue giuen aduice concerning these perhaps not altogether such as some wise men well seene and traded in worldly causes would giue but surely such as an honest man should giue and such as he must obserue that looketh to obtaine ease and helpe from God If thy trouble and greefe be of another kinde if thy burden be spirituall and tâ—…e whole busines lieth more directly betweene God and thee and either as an honest man thou art greeued that thou canst not serue him as thou shouldest or so humbled that thou art greeued that thou hast sinned against him as thou shouldest not and fearest punishment for that sin these troubles I haue reduced to two heades for either the lustes of our flesh fighting against our soules doe crosse vs in the waies of trueth and righteousnes so that we cannot doe the good we would and the euill we woud not that we doe and our desires being as the desires of the children of light our deedes become as the deedes of the sonnes of
from being lost in the first sence and meaning of that word And there is o◅e that will saue from destruction those that are ready to perish and thee among others that will deliuer from damnation those that are already iudged and thee as well as others and that wil pluck out of the iawes of death out of the snares of Satan and out from the gates of hell those that were ready to be swallowed vp and deuoured as a pray and thee assoone as others so to recouer thee from being lost in the sense and meaning of the word And this seeker is of that diligence wisdome that he cannot be disappointed of finding this sauiour is of that goodnes power that he will not and cannot be letted from sauing whom hee intendeth to deliuer of whom the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them And who is this diligent seeker that can and will so certainely finde who is this mightie Sauiour that can and will so certainely preserue it is the Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the sauiour of mankind of whom the Euangelist yea himselfe the Euangelist onely reporting his words saith The sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which was lost So that if any man be gone astray if any man bee out of the knowledge and care of God his keeper Iesus came to seeke him And if any were worthy to perish and already by sentence giuen adiudged to perish such is the condition of all men Iesu◅ is come to saue him And it is worthy obseruation that he saith The sonne of man came to seeke the sonne of man came to saue as making this seeking and sauing of them that were lost to be the onely end as indeed it was of his comming into the world For this cause was he conceiued by the Holy Ghost for this purpose was he borne of the Virgin Mary to this end and for the effecting of this saluation was the sonne of God made the sonne of man yea for this and for this onely did he fulfill all righteousnes and yeelded obedience euen to the death of the crosse that he might seeke and find them that were gone astray and that he might recouer and saue them that were lost so that hee that shall deny these things to be truely intended and fully performed by Iesus Christ doeth make idle and fruitlesse the incarnation and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and denieth the vertue of the death and bloudsheding of the sonne of God Let our afflicted sinner consider these things and set his heart on worke to meditate vpon them and it will come to passe that whereas before the remembrance of his lost estate was cause of heauines vnto him the same very condition shall giue him comfort and hope and saue him as an argument to proue him to be one of those for whom Iesus Christ died to saue them For if it be true that the lord Iesus came to seeke and to saue them that were lost and be also true that ◅e is lost then it must also be true that Iesus Chist came to seeke to saue him The Lord Iesus said to the woman of C◅naan I am not sent but vnto the lost ◅eepe of the house of Israel Vnto those lost sheepe hee was sent and to none other So that if our afflicted sinner see himselfe to be a lost sheepe there is hope that the Lord Iesus was ◅ent for yea it is most sure that he was sent for him sent to seeke him sent to saue him whereas if he had a proud opinion of himselfe as had the Pharises that he were not as other men for so gloried hee saying O God thanke thee that I am not as other men or if he nourished a careles opinion of himselfe as doe the contemners of the world that he were in no danger for so doe they flatter themselues saving Wee are deliuered though we haue done all these abominations Then Iesus indeed should not profit him for hee came for none such He saith of himselfe I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance In this very name therefore that he is a lost sinner a sinner worthy to perish he may comfort himselfe in Iesus Christ and hope to be saued by him that came to seeke and saue that which was lost Let me in a few words briefely and plainely open to this sinner his estate what it is in himselfe and what it is in Iesus Christ that as in himselfe hee seeth cause of griefe and feare so in Iesus Christ he may see cause of hope and reioicing if hee looke into himselfe and consider what he is by birth what he is by kind and what he hath manifested and declared himselfe to bee by his life and conuersation surely hee is and shall find himselfe to be a lost creature and a child of wrath for he shall find nothing in himselfe but sinne deseruing eternall dest◅uction he shall find that hee was conceiued in sinne that he was borne in iniquitie and that he liued in sinne not onely in the daies of his first ignorance whi◅e sinne reigned without resistance in his mortall body but also in the daies of knowledge sinne yet remaining and misleading him into many errors and it ◅ thus not onely in him but euen in all ◅en and among all others euen in the elect of God in Gods owne peculiar people euen they at home and in themselues are lost creatures dead in sinnes and by sinnes deseruing eternall death The Angell appearing to Ioseph said vnto him of the child conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin Mary Shee shall ◅ing forth a sonne and thou shalt call his ◅me Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Those whom his father gaue vnto him therefore called his people them he saueth he saueth them from their sinnes By which speech it is plainly intimated that euen they considered in themselues are lost by their sins And so is our afflicted sinner considered in himselfe with respect to his kind to his birth and to his life hee is lost hee is a child of perdition and therein hee hath cause to be humbled and to feare the iustice of God But let not the sinner gaze so long vpon this his naturall estate that his dazled eies should after be vnable to look any higher such a view of this our naturall condition as may serue to beate downe the pride of flesh and bloud and to bring vs vnto true humilitie and to the deniall of our selues before God is sufficient Let him therefore after consider him selfe in another and view his conditiō estate in Iesus Christ by vertue of his holy calling of his second birth namely his regeneration and hee shall find himselfe another man He shall find that God hath
my selfe a reprobate This bolde and desperate reason to maintaine his former bold and desperat assertion plainely be wrayes the nature of this temptation and burden of accusing thoughts and terror of conscience it ceaseth not to accuse and to inforce those accusations that it prefers it wresteth all things for euidence to increase feare The things that he hath now last spoken may be granted him to be true that sin hath hitherto raignoâ—… too powerfully in him and that he hath sinned against God most grieuously and that the wrath of God is fallen vpon him for that sinne But the collection that â—…ee maketh and inferreth hereupon as that therefore he is a reprobate these being signes euidences of reprobation that must not be granted vnto him His argument as weake and of no good consequence must be denied For first sin euen powerfully reigâ—…ing is no signe of reprobation though euery child of man that is a reprobate and that is appointed to destruction doth afterward by his sinne deserue his reprobation and destruction yet euery man whose sinne deserueth reprobation and destruction is not a reprobate and appointed to destruction When thou â—…eest a man to wallow in sinne thou maist be bold to pronounce him a wicked man and of a wicked heart for his wicked sinne wherein he liueth with delight prooueth so much But thou maiest not therefore pronounce him a reprobate for God may giue him repentance and vppon repentance forgiue his sinne And what God will doe to him thou canst not tell and thou hast more cause to hope of Gods mercie then pronounce of his iustice so long as this sinner liueth in the Church and vnder the ministry of the Gospel where God doth allow the meanes of repentance and maketh daily offer of forgiuenesse of sinnes God calleth some in their youth and some in their age as the housholder hired laborers to worke in his vineyard some in the morning and beginning of the day some at the eleuenth houre when the Sunne was ready to set Therefore whereas before in his obiection hee had said that hee was a viler sinner then many reprobates that was granted to be true and hee may be so and yet no reprobate For oft-times the elect of God doe sinne more grieuously to the iudgement of man then thereprobate doe and after obtaine repentance which the reprobate doe not To this end let vs compare together the sinnes of an elect child and of a reprobate as the Scripture giues testimony of them Saul was a reprobate his end proued him so to bee Dauid was one of Gods elect for the holy Ghost testifieth that he was a man after the heart of God Looke into the sinnes of their liues and it will appeare vnto our eies that Dauids sinnes were more vile then Sauls Saul was commanded to stay the Amalechites and to destroy them vtterly both man and beast in the execution of this iudgement of God contrary to the commandement giuen him he saued aliue Agâ—…g the King of the Amalechites and the best of their kine and sheepe and brought them home as a pray into the land of Israel For the extenuating of this disobedience how many excuses reasonable in our eies might be alledged First for the sparing of Agags life it may be pleaded Agag was a man and it was humanity to saue a mans life and being an enemy it was noble mercy to saue an enemy the cowardly and tiâ—…erous heart neuer doe so and being a King it was royall mercy to saue him if he did it in reuerence to royall Maiesty If he did out of politike respect either to teach his owne subiects euer to reuerence the person of a King or to inrich himself and his kingdome with the ransome of a King it was a point of commendable wisdome Then for the sparing of the fat cattell it might bee said would you haue had him make war with flockes of sheepe and heards of kine That had been rather to play the part of a mad man then of a noble warriour And if they must be slaine was it not better to kill them some to day and some to morrow so as they might be meate for the people of God then to kill them at once and so to leaue their carkases to rot and stinke aboue the ground and to be meate for dogs and for the fowles of Heauen And was there not many a poore man in Israel that was not worth a Cow and many a poore Widdow in Israel that was not worth a sheepe that might be inriched at least releeued with this pray Further was it not meete that God who had giuen them a notable victory against their enemies should be remembred with sacrifices of praise And this pray would plentifully serue for that holy seruice so that the Altars of God might smoke with burnt offerings and yet the people of Israel not be impouerished or in any measure burdened with the charge These and such other excuses in the iudgement of man reasonable though against an expresse commandement of God nothing worth might be alledged to extenuate the â—…ault of Saul Let vs now heare the recorded sinne of Dauid and consider if any such reasonable excuse may be made to extenuate it and whether his or Sauls will appeare vnto vs to be the viler sinne Dauid rose vp from his bed of sloth whereon he had slept in the heat of the day and walking on the roofe of his Palace from thence hee saw a faire woman washing hirselfe in a Garden Lust that commonly accompanieth sloth seazed vpon his heart and hee began to desire that womans company And inquiring of hir he learned that she was the wife of Vriâ—… a valiant seruant of his that was now abroad in battell in the seruice of Dauid against the Ammonites To hir he sendeth the messengers of his lust she commeth vnto him and notwithstanding Gods commandement whereof Dauid was not ignorant thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife hee did couet hir And notwithstanding the commandement which also he well knew Thou shalt not commit adultery hee committed adultery and did lie with hir Shee conceiued by him in her husbands absence shee sends him word of it Now Dauid fearing the publike reproch among men that might light vpon him for this soule fact studieth how to couer it and sendeth to the Campe for Vriah entertaineth him kindly all the day and sendeth him away at night hoping that hee would goe home to his owne house and lie with his wife and so couer the fault that Dauid had made But Vriah hauing taken leaue of the King went not home but like a souldier takes vp his lodging among the Kings Guard and visits not his wife The King hearing this in the morning staies him also that day and makes him drunke at supper hoping that being heated with wine hee would desire to goe home to his wife but hee againe takes vp his lodging where he did
cheerefull seruice of them that are about thee vse thy bed thy clothes thy meate prepared for thy ease thy couering thy nourishment vse all the creatures of God in their kinds and praise God that thou maiest haue them S. Paul saith Euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and praier It ought not saith he to be refused it ought to be receiued with giuing of thankes And if we vse praier vnto God that it will please him to blesse vnto vs his owne gift which the word of God alloweth vs to vse he will sanctifie it for our good For God that giueth these things is good the things themselues that God doth giue are good therefore the effect of them being Christianly vsed cannot but bee good Continue the opinion of thine owne vnworthinesse but reiect thy vnwise purpose of refusing to vse Gods creatures for thine vnworthinesse CHAP. XXX OVR poore distressed sinner reclaymed from the conrses that in his last obiections hee remembred the first being a quicke violent and apparent purpose of ending his owne life the second being a slow dangerous and close purpose of wasting his life is not yet so freed from the troubled thoughts of death that he can with a quiet hope of life looke to the God of life and thus further out of remayning feare obiecteth to the disquieting of his owne heart though I may not hurt my life with violent hands as first I thought to doe and must nourish my life with seruiceable hands which in the second place I thought not to haue done yet my life must come 'to an end by the condition that all Adams children are subiect vnto God said to Adam in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne This was the condition of the first man this is the condition of all men and among all it is also my condition I must die if I cherish life neuer so carefully And this remembrance of death considering my present woefull estate is fearefull vnto mee two manner of waies First I feare lest death should take mee away before I be deliuered from this temptation as it may well doe for I may die to day or to morrow yea I may die presently And if I should so hastily die while this feare directly contrary to faith lieth yet vpon my conscience I should die in my infidelity I should die without faith in Christ and so to die without faith in the sonne of God is the high-way to eternall damnation for the Lord Iesus saith he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten sonne of God Secondly if there should be any ceasing and intermission of these accusing thoughts before my death yet I feare death because after death this accusation may bee renewed and the precedent ceasing proue no doing away for euer but onely a deferring for a time of this plague And I haue cause to feare such a thing because the right time of preferring accusations against sinners is the time after death when men must come to iudgement as the Apostle saith it is appointed vnto men that they shal once die and after that commeth the iudgement After death the soule commeth to iudgement the book of conscience must then be opened and accusations then or neuer must be heard and if these accusations now be so grieuous vnto mee now while iudgement is far off while there is place for repentance and hope of forgiuenesse surely they will then be much more fearefull woefull miserable horrible therefore the remembrance of death come it sooner or come it later come it before or after the stay of this temptation is fearfull vnto me This obiection is not hard to bee answered thou fearest death two manner of waies First lest it come before thou haue ouercome this temptation and recouered peace with God by faith in our Lord Iesus And thou fearest this hasty comming of death for two causes one is because it is possible that it may so come for we may and must if God cal die presently another because it is dangerous so to die thou takest thy temptation to bee directly opposit to faith therefore if thou die before it bee ouercome thou diest without faith and to die without faith is sure damnation Thus thou fearest deathes hasty comming and to thy feare of death this way growing we will first make answer Against thy feare of death comming before thy temptation be ouercome God giueth comfortable hope that death shall not come before thy temptation be ouercome And it comes not at all but by the appointment of God neither sooner nor later then he appointed it For hee sent vs with life into the world he hath appointed the length of our life in the world and the time and manner of our dying and departing out of the world lieth onely in his pleasure of whom the Prophet saith To the Lord God belongeth the issues of death The set time for the produceing of all his appointed workes resteth in his owne counsell when the Apostles questioned the Lord Christ after his resurrection for the restoring of the kingdome to Israel he made them answer It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power And if the time of all his workes be put and placed only in his power then the time of thy death which is one of this workes is put only in his power But his God that hath the sole disposing of thy death hath as I said giuen thee comfortable hope that death shall not come before this thy temptation be ouercome For this we haue his gracious promise deliuered by the pen of the blessed Apostle Paul saying God is faithfull that will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temtation that ye may be able to beare it Here he promiseth an issue of euery temptation and also that the man burdened there with shal be able to beare it and ouercome it And hitherto though this temptation hath beene grieuous vnto thee and in bearing of it thou hast felt and found thine owne weaknesse yet God hath supported thee and thou hast beene inabled to indure weary daies and comfortlesse nights And in the meane time while this temptation hath lasted for thy further strengthening thou hast inioyed many mercies of God both in thy soule and body and estate and friends for hee hath not smitten thy soule with the stroke that fell vpon Nebuchadnezzar thou hast had and stil hast thine vnderstanding free to inquire after God and harken after his mercy and he hath not smitten thy body with the bile of Aegypt