he What is that all no but he proceedeth to this last act of meditation and saith I will have respect unto thy wayes Gods holy nature attributes Word workes also what is dutie what is a fault what you should be and doe what you are and what you have done what be the miseries of the wicked what is the happinesse and what are the privileges of the godly are fit matter of meditating by the direct act of the understanding That which must settle your judgement and be the rule to direct your judgement what to hold for true and good must be the Canon of Gods Word rightly understood and not your owne reason or opinion nor yet the opinions or conceits of men for these are false and crooked Rules In seeking to know the secrets and mysteries of God and godlinesse you must not pry into them farther than God hath revealed for if you wade therein farther than you have sure footing in the Word you will presently lose your selfe and be swallowed up in a maze and whirlepoole of errors heresies These deepe things of god must bee understood with sobrietie according to that measure of cleare light which God hath given you by his Word When Sinne happeneth to bee the matter of your meditation take heed lest while your thoughts dwell upon it though your intention be to bring your selfe out of love with it it steale into your affections and worke in you some tickling motions to it and so circumvent you For the cunning devices of sinne are undiscoverable and you know that your heart is deceitfull above all things Wherefore to prevent this mischiefe 1 As Sinne is not to bee named but when there is just cause so is it not to be thought upon but upon speciall cause namely when it sheweth it selfe in its motions and evill effects and when it concernes you to try and finde out the wickednes of your heart and life 2 When there is cause to thinke of sinne represent it to your mind as an evill the greatest evill most lothsome most abominable to GOD and as a thing most hatefull and hurtfull to you Whereupon you must worke your heart to a detestation of it and resolution against it 3 Never stand reasoning or disputing with it as Eve did with Satan but without any plodding thereupon you must doe present execution upon it by sheathing the Word the Sword of the Spirit into the heart of it and by the deeds of the Spirit kill it And if you would insist long in meditating upon any subject make choise of matter more pleasant and lesse infectious It is needfull that you be skilfull in this first part of meditation for hereby you finde out and lay downe propositions Whence you may conclude who is to be adored who not what is to be done what not what you should be what not But the life of meditation lyeth in the reflect acts of the soule whereby that knowledge which was gotten by the former act of meditation doth reflect returne upon the heart causing you to assume and apply to your selfe what was propounded whence also you are induced to endevour to worke your heart unto that which you have learned it ought to be This though it be most profitable yet because it is tedious to the flesh is most neglected Wherefore it concerneth you which are well instructed in the points of faith and holinesse to be most conversant in this when you are alone whether of set purpose or in your journyings or otherwise You should therefore be well read in the booke of your conscience as well as in the Bible Commune oft with it and it wil fully acquaint you with your selfe and with your estate It will tell you what you were and what you now are what you most delighted in in former times what now It will tell you what streights and feares you have beene in and how graciously God delivered you what temptations you have had and how it came to passe that sometimes you were overcome by them how and by what meanes sometimes you overcame them It will shew what conflicts you have had betwixt flesh spirit what side you tooke what was the issue of the conflict whether you were grieved and humbled when sinne got the better whether you rejoyced were thankfull in any sort when Gods grace in you held his owne or got the better Your conscience being set aworke will call to remembrance your over-sight and advantages which you gave to Satan and to the lusts of your flesh that you may not doe the like another time It will remember you by what helpes and meanes through Gods grace you prevailed got a good conquest over some sinne that you may flye to the like another time If you shal thus take observation of the passages and conflicts in this your Christian race and warfare your knowledge will be an experimentall knowledge which because it is a knowledge arising from the often proofe of that whereof you were taught in the Word it becommeth a more grounded a more perfect and a more fruitfull knowledge than that of meere contemplation It is onely this experimentall knowledge that will make you expert in the trade and warfare of Christianitie Take me a man that hath onely read much of Husbandry Physicke Merchandise Policie and martiall affaires who hath gotten into his head the notions of all these and maketh himselfe beleeve that he hath great skill in them yet one that hath not read halfe so much but hath beene of long practice and of great experience in these goeth as farre beyond him in Husbandry in giving Physick in Trading in Policie in true feats of Armes as he goeth beyond one that is a meere novice in them Such difference there is betweene one that hath onely notions brain-knowledge of Christianitie and in may be some practice withal but severed from experimentall observation and him that taketh notice of his owne experiences and is oft looking into the Records of his owne Conscience throughly to peruse them The experiments which by this meanes you shall take of Gods love truth and power of your enemies falshood wiles and methods of your owne weaknesse without God of your strength by God to withstand the greatest lusts and strongest Divell yea of an abilitie to doe all things through him that strengthneth you will beget in you faith and confidence in God and love to him watchfulnesse and circumspection lest you be overtaken with sinne yea such humilitie wisedome and Christian courage that no opposition shall daunt you neither shall any drive you from the hold you have in Christ Iesus Where reade you of two such Champions as David and Paul and where doe you reade of two that recorded and made use of their experiences like these Wherefore next to Gods booke which giveth light and rule to your Conscience reade oft the
report good of you to your face represse those speeches as soone and as wisely as you can giving the prayse of all things to God knowing that this is but a temptation and a snare and a meanes to breed and feed selfe-love pride and vaine-glory in you If this good report be true blesse God that he hath enabled you to give cause thereof and studie by vertuous living to continue it If this good report be false endevour to make it good by being hereafter answerable to the report If men report evill of you to your face Be not so much inquisitive who raised it or thought-some how to bring him to his answer or how to cleare your reputation amongst men as to make a good use of it to your owne heart before God For you must know this evill report doth not rise without Gods providence If the report be true then see Gods good providence it is that you may see your error and fault that you may repent If the report be false in respect of such or such a fact yet consider have you not runne into the appearance and occasions of those evils then say Though this report be false yetit commeth justly upon mee because I did not shunne the occasions and appearances This should humble you and cause you to bee more circumspect in your wayes But if neither the thing reported be true neither yet have yâ— runne into the occasions thereof yet see GODS wise and good providence not onely in discovering the folly of foolish and the malice of evill men who raise and take up an evill report against you without cause but in giving you warning to looke to your selfe iest you deserve thus to be spoken â—â— And what doe you â—now â—at that you shoâ—â—d have â—allen into the same or the â—â—ke evâ—ll if by these reports you had not beene forâ—warned Make use of the railings and reviling of an enemy for though he be a bad Iudge yet he may bee a good Remembrancer for you shall heare from him those things of which flatterers will not and friends being blinded or over-indulgent through love doe never admonish you Fourthly your conversation amongst all must be loving you should be kinde and courteous towards all men Doe good to all according as you have ability and opportunity Give offence wittingly to none Doe wrong to no man either in his name life chastitie or estate or in any thing that is his but be ready to forgive wrongs done to you and to take wrong rather then to revenge or unchristianly to seek to be righted As you shall have calling and opportunitie doe all good to the soule of your neighbours exhort and incourage unto well-doing If they shew not themselves to be dogs and swine that is obstinat scorners of good mâ—n conâ—emners of the pearle of good counsell you must so far as God giveth you any interest in them admonish and informe them with the spirit of meeknes and wisdome With this cloakâ— of love you should cover and cure a multitude of your companions infirmities and offences In all your demeanour towards him seeke not so much to please your selfe as your Companion in that which is good to his edification Speake evill of no man nor yet speak the evill you know of any man exceptin these or like cases 1 When you are thereunto lawfully called by Authoritie 2 When it is to those whom it concerneth to reforme and reclaim him of whom you speake and that you doe it to that end 3 When it is to prevent certaine dammage to the soule or state of your neighbour which would ensue if it were not by you thus discovered 4 When the concealment of his evil may make you guiltie and accessary 5 When some particular remarkeable judgement of God is upon a notorious sinner for his sinne then to the end that GOD may be acknowledged in his just judgments and that others may be warned or brought to repent of the same or like sinne you may speake of the evils of other But this is not to speake evill so long as you doe it not in envy and malice to his person nor with aggravation of the fault more then is cause nor yet to the judging of him as concerning his finall estate When you shall heare any in your company speake evill of your neighbor by slandering or whispering tale-bearing whereby hee detracts from his good name you must not onely stop your eares at such reports but must set your speech and countenance against him like a North-wind against raine When you heare another well reported of let it not be grievous to you as if it detracted from your credit but rejoyce at it in so much that God hath enabled him to be good and to doe good all which maketh for the advancement of the common cause wherein you are interessed Envie him not his due prayse Detract not from any mans credit either by open backbiting or by secret whispering or by any cunning meanes of casting evil aspersions whether by way of pittying him or otherwise As He is good or doth well in such and such things But c. This but marreth all And to heape up all in a word In all your speeches to men and coÌ„munication with them your speech must bee gracious that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace not vice to the hearers It must not be prophane nor any way corrupt filled out with oathes curses or prophane jests it must not be flattering nor yet detracting Not bitter not railing not girding either by close sqâ—is or salt iests against any man It mâ—…t not be wanton ribaldry lasciâ—ious and filthy It must not be false no nor yet foolish idle and fruitlesse For all eviâ— communication dâ—th corrupt good manners And Wee must answer for every idle word which wee speake Besides a man may easily be discerned of what Country he is whether of Heaven or of the earth by his language his speech will bewray him There is no wisdome or power here below can teach and enable you to doe all or any the forementioned duties This wisdome and power must bee had from above Wherefore if you would in all companies carrie your selfe worthy the Gospell of Christ First be sure that the Law of God and the power of grace bee in your heart else the Law of grace and kindnesse cannot bee in your life and speech You must be indued therefore with a spirit of holinesse humilitie love gentlenesse appeaseablenesse long-suffering meekenesse and wisedome else you can never converse with all men as you ought to doe For such as the heart is such the conversation will bee Out of the evill heart come evill thoughts and actions but A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good
unconceivable so the time of it is indeterminable it is everlasting and hath no end Consider this with the former and it cannot be denyed but that the peace of God doth every way passe understanding CHAP. XV. Touching the removing of presumption an impediment to Peace IF you would enjoy this happy Peace you must first remove and avoyd the impediments Secondly you must use all helps and furtherances which serve to procure and keepe it I reduce the impediments unto two heads First A false opinion and hope that all is well with a man and that all shall be well with him in point of his Salvation when yet indeed God is not reconciled to him Hence will follow a quietnesse of heart somewhat like to peace of Conscience which yet is but a false peace Secondly Causelesse doubting and false feare that a mans estate touching his salvation is not good albeit God be indeed at peace with him Hence followeth trouble and anguish of heart some-what like unto that of Hellish despaire disturbing his true peace Either of these doe hinder peace The first hindereth the having The second hindereth the feeling and comfortable enioying of peace It hath beene an old device of Satan when he would keepe any man from that which is true to obtrude upon him that which shall seeme to be true but is false Thus he did in the first calling of the Iewes and to mee is more than probable will doe at their second calling When hee saw they had an expectation of the true Christ he to divert and seduce them from the true Christ setteth up false Christs Even so in the matter of peace If he can so delude men that they shall content themselves with a false Peace hee knoweth that they will never seeke for that which is true It is a common practice with the Devill to endevour to make all that are not in state of grace to presume that they are Also such is his cunning and malice that when any man is in the state of grace he will cast all the doubts and perils hee can to make that estate doubtfull and discomfortable to vexe and to wearie him if hee cannot drive him to despaire knowing that if he could drive him into hold him in utter despaire he were as certainly in his power as if hee did presume Now the Heart of man so farre as it is Vnsanctified being deceitfull above all things is most apt to yeeld to Satan in both these cases Whence it is that there are very many which bragge of much peace and yet have least of it And many feare they have no peace who yet have much of it Wherfore the Rule is Beleeve not either your deceitfull heart or the Devill when they tel you either that you are in state of salvation or in state of damnation But beleeve the Scripture what it saith in either You may know when these perswasions come from your deceitfull heart or from the Devil thus First If the meanes to perswade you to either be from false grounds or from misapplication of true grounds Secondly If the conclusions inferred from either perswasion be to keep you in a sinful course and to keep you or to drive you from God as to make you think that you need not be so strict in godlinesse or that now it is in vaine or to late too turne seek unto GOD then it is from Satan and from a deceived heart and you must not beleeve them But if these perswasions be from a right applicatioÌ„ of true grounds and doe produce these good effects to drive you to God in prayse or prayer and unto a care to please God they are from his gracious Spirit The false Peace and evill quiet Conscience doth arise from these three causes First from Grosse ignorance of the danger wherein a man lyeth because of sinne whence followeth a blind Conscience Secondly from Groundlesse security and presumption that all shall be well with him not withstanding that hee knoweth hee hath sinned and knoweth that sinne is damnable whence hee hath a deluded Conscience Thirdly from Obstinacy through delight and custome in sin whence commeth senslesnesse of Conscience which is a seared Conscience Wheresoever any of these evils raigne albeit God hath said there is no peace to the wicked that is no true peace yet such feare no evill but promise to themselves peace and safetie like those of whom the Prophet spake who had made a covenant with death and with Hell were at an agreement Yea though they heare all the Curses against Sinners which are in Gods booke denounced against them yet will blesse themselves in their owne heart and say they shall have peace though they walke in the stubbornnesse of their hearts But whosoever is thus quiet in himselfe through a false peace it is a signe that the strong man keepeth the house and that he continuing in this fooles Paradise is not farre from sodaine and fearefull destruction from the Almighty Whosoever therefore would have true peace of GOD must beware of these three impediments First Hee must know and be throughly convinced that by nature by reason of Adams first transgression which is justly imputed to him and because of his owne inherent wickednesse of concupiscence and of actuall sinnes of omission and commission both inthought word and deed he is in state of sinne and condemnation having God for his enemie yea is an heire of wrath and of eternall vengeance of Hâ—lâ— fire According to that of the Apostle All have sinned and are become guiltie before GOD and have come short of the glorie of God Ignorance of danger may give quiet to the mind for a time but it can give no safetie Is not he foolishly secure that maketh himselfe merry in a ruinous house not knowing his danger untill it fall upon him Whereas if he had known it he should have had more feare and disquiet but should haue beene in lesse perill Secondly let no man presume upon weake and false grounds that he shal escape the vengeance of hell or attaine to the joyes of heaven Now how weakely and vainely many doe ground their hopes and from thence their peace shall appeare by that which followeth 1. Some thinke that because God made them surely hee will not damne them True if they should have continued good as hee made them God made the Devil good yea an excellent creature yet who knoweth not that he shall be damned If God spared not his holy Angels after that they became sinfull shall man thinke that hee will spare him A sinfull man shall be judged at the last day not according to what he was by Gods first making but as hee shall bee found marred and made naught by the Devill and by his owne lusts When Iudah became a people of no understanding it is said He that made them will shew
they renew their griefe and repentance yet they doe not fall into an allowed course of sinne any more Thus much in answer to the first doubt of Sanctification Secondly There are many which doubt they are not sanctified because of those swarmes and multitude of evill thoughts which are in them some whereof which is fearefull for them to thinke or speake are blasphemous unnaturall and inhumane calling Gods being truth power and providence into question doubting whether the Scripture be the word of God and many moe of this nature having also thoughts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others with many moe of that and other sorts such as they never felt at all or not so much in their knowne state of unregeneracy before they made a more strict profession of godlinesse such as they thinke none that are truly sanctified are troubled withall To resolve this doubt know that evill thoughts are either put into men from without as when Satan doth suggest or men doe solicite evill thus Iobs wife Curse God and dye Or they doe arise from within out of the evill concupiscence of a mans owne heart And sometimes they are mixt comming both from within and without Those which come onely from Satan may usually be knowne from them that arise out of mans heart by their sodainenesse and uncessantnesse namely when they are repelled they wil somtimes returne againe an hundred times in a day Also they are unreasonable and unnaturall and withall are strange and violent in their motions taking no nay but by violent resistance Wheras those which altogether or in great part are from mans owne corrupt heart they usually arise by occasion of some externall object or from some naturall cause and are not so sudden and incessant nor are so unnaturall inhumane and violent Now all those evill thoughts or thoughts of evill rather which are from Satan or from mans putting them into you if you consent not unto them but doe abhorre and resist them with detestation they are not your sinnes but Satans and theirs that did put them into you They are your crosses because they are matter of trouble to you but they are not your sinnes because they leave no guilt upon you They are no more your sinnes then these thoughts Cast thy selfe downe headlong and fall downe and worship me viz. the Divell were Christs sinnes if you consent not but resist them as CHRIST did You should heedfully observe this For if the Divell was so malicious and presumptuous as to assault our blessed Saviour with such divellish temptations casting into his head such vile blasphemous notions and thoughts should you thinke it strange that he doth pester you with the like And if for all this you have no cause to doubt whether Christ were the Sonne of GOD or no though the Divell made an if of it and it was the thing the Divel aimed at why then should it be doubted that any of Christs members may be thus assaulted and yet have no cause for this to question whether they be sanctified or in state of grace For these in them are so far from being abhominable evils that being not consented to they as I said are not their sinnes It is a peece of the Divels cunning first to fill a man full of thoughts for matter abhominable and then to be the first that shall put in this accusation and doubt viz. Is it possible for any childe of God for any that is sanctified with Gods holy Spirit to have such thoughts But consider well that an innocent Beniamin may have Iosephs cup put into his sacks mouth without his privity or fault by him who for his owne ends intended to make matter thereof wherby to accuse Beniamin of theft and ingratitude Was Beniamin any whit the more dishonest or ingrateful for all this A malicious Cutpurse having tempted a neighbour to jayn with him in cutting of purses being denyed by him doth craftily plot how to doe him a mischiefe and meeting the said neighbor in a throng of people cutteth another mans purse and closely conveigheth it into his neighbours pocket and presently asketh if none have lost their pâ—â—se which being missed hee poâ—â—â—eth at his neighbour saying that â—e suspecteth him who being taken and searched the purse is found about him yet you will judge this neighbour to be innocent Sathan doth not want malice or craft in this kinde to play his â—â—ates Where he cannot corrupt men yet there he wil veâ— and perplexe them But let it be granted that these blasphemous and abhominable thoughts which trouble you are indeede your sinnes either because they arise from your owne evill heart or because you did consent to them they being cast in by others If so then you have much cause to grieve and to repent but not to despaire or to say you are not Gods childe For it is possible for a sanctified man to be made guilty either by outward act or by consent and approbation or by some meanes or other of any one sinne except that against the holy Ghost yea of any blasphemy except that now albeit a man be guilty of these vile or blasphemous thoughts and doubtings yet if he confesse and bewaile his sinne even his blasphemy if his heart ake at the thoughts thereof if hee repent beleeve and aske mercy it shall be forgiven him For he hath our Saviours word for it And whereas you say you were not troubled with such abominable thoughts before that you made profession of an holy life I answer this is not to be woÌ„dred at For before that time the Devil and you were friends then hee thought it enough to suffer you to be proud of your civill honesty or it may bee to content your selfe with a meere forme of godlinesse suppose that you were free from notorious crimes as adultery lying swearing c. For when hee could by these more plausible wayes lead you captive at his will he saw you were his sure enough already what need was there then that hee should solicite you any further or to disturbe your quiet But now that you have renounced him in earnest and that hee and you bee two you may bee sure that he will attempt by all meanes to reduce you into your old state or if he faile of that yet as long as you live so farre as God shall permit hee will doe what hee can to disturbe your peace by vexing and molesting you Moreover GOD doth permit this for divers holy purposes 1. To discover the Devils malice 2. To chastise his children and to humble them because they were too well conceited of the goodnesse of their nature in their unregeneracy or might be too uncharitable and censorious of others and too presumptuous of their owne strength since they were regenerate 3. God likewise permitteth these buffetings and winnowings of Satan as to prevent pride and other sinnes so to exercise and make
Conscience by laying the heart and Conscience open to the light and touchstone of the Word Thus I have shewed you what is a first and maine impediment to be remoued viz. presumption and false hope if you would have true peace for false hopes breed onely false peace CHAP. XVI Touching false feares SECTION 1. THe second head to which I reduced impedimēts to true peace is false feare for if you doubt feare or despaire of your estate without cause it wil much disturbe and hinder your peace There is an holy feare and despaire wrought in man when GOD first convineeth his heart and conscience of sinne whereupon through sense of GODS wrath and heavy displeasure together with a sense of his owne disabilitie in himselfe to satisfie and appease Gods wrath he is in great perplexity being out of all hope to obtaine GODS favoua or to escape the vengeance of Hell by any thing which he of himselfe can doe or procure This is wrought more or lesse in every man of yeares before conversion as in those which were pricked at heart at Peters Sermon and in Saint Paul himselfe and in the Iaylor This is a good necessary feare serving to prepare a man to his conversion For in Gods order of working he first sendeth the Spirit of bondage to feare before he sendeth the Spirit of Adoption to enable a man to cry Abba Father This feare and trouble of Conscience rising from it is good and as the Needle to the thred maketh way unto true peace Moreover after that a man is converted though he have no cause to feare damnation yet he hath much matter of feare by as much as hee is yet subject unto many evils both of sinne and paine as lest hee offend GOD and cause his angry countenance and his judgements also lest he should fall backe from some degrees of grace received and lest he fall into some dangerous sin and so lose his evidence of heaven and comforts of the Spirit Wherefore we are commanded to worke out our Salvation with feare and trembling and to passe the whole time of our soiourning here in feare This feare while it keepeth due measure causeth a man to bee circumspect and watchfull lest he fall it spurreth him on forward to repent and quickens him to aske pardon and grace to recover when he is fallen yea an excellent means to prevent trouble and to procure peace of Conscience But the feare of which I am to speake and which because it disturbeth true peace is to be removed is a groundlesse and causelesse feare that a man is not in state of grace albeit hee hath given his name to Christ and hath not onely given good hope to others but if he would see it hath cause to conceive good hope that hee is indeed in the state of Grace This feare may rise either from Naturall distempers Satan joyning with them Or from Spirituall temptations rising from causelesse doubts By natural distempers I meane a disposition to frenfie or height of Melancholy in which states of body the spirits are corrupted through superabundance of choler and melancholy whereby first the braine where all notions and conceits of things to be understood are framed is distempered and the power of Imagination corrupted whence arise strange fancies doubts and fearfull thonghts Then secondly by reason of the intercourse of the spirits between the head and the heart the heart is distempered and filled with griefe despaire and horror through manifold feares of danger yea of damnation especially when Satan doth convey himselfe into those humours which as hee easily can so he readily will doe if GOD permit Where there is trouble of this sort it usually bringeth forth strange and violent effects both in body and minde and that in him that is regonerate as well as in him that is unregenerate Yea so farre that which is fearefull to thinke even those who when they were fully themselves did truly feare God have in the fits of their distemper through impotency of their use of reason through the Devils forcible instigation had thoughts and attempts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others whom they have dearely loved And when they have not well known what they have done or said have beene heard to breake out into oathes cursing and blasphemous speeches against GOD and his Word who were never heard to doe the like before These troubles may be knowne from true trouble of Conscience by the strangenesse unreasonablenesse absurditie and senselesnesse of their conceits in other things as to think they have no heart and to say they cannot doe that which indeed they doe and a thousand other odde conceits which standers by see to be most false Whereby any man may see that the root of this disturbance is in the Phantasie and not in the heart Albeit both the regenerate and unregenerate according as they are in a like degree distempered are in most things alike yet in this they differ Some beames of holinesse will glance forth now and then in the regenerate which doth not in the unregenerate especially in the intermissions of their fits Their desires will be found to be different and if they both recover the one returneth to his wonted course of holines with increase the other except God worke with the affliction to conversion continueth in his accustomed wickednesse It pleaseth God that for the most part his owne children who are thus distempered have the strength of their Melancholy worne out and subdued before they dye at which time they have somesense of Gods favor to their comfort But if their disease continue it is possible that they may die raving and in seeming if you judge by their speeches despairing which is not to be imputed unto them but to their disease or unto Satan working by the disease if they gave good testimony of holinesse in former times When these troubles are meerly from bodily distempers though they be not troubles of conscience yet they make a man uncapable of the sense of peace of conscience Therfore whosoever would enjoy the benefit of the peace of his conscience must doe what in him lyeth to preuent or remove these distempers And because they grow for the most part from naturall causes therefore naturall as well as spirituall remedies must be used 1. Take heed of all such things as feed those humors of Choler and Melancholy which must be learned of experienced men and of skilfull Physicians and when need is take Physicke 2. Avoyd all unnecessary solitarinesse and as much as may be keep company with such as truly feare God especially with those who are wise full of chearefulnesse and of joy in the Lord. 3. Forbeare all such things as stirre up these humours as over-carefull study and musing too much upon any thing likewise all sudden and violent passions of anger immoderate griefe c. 4. Shun Idlenesse and according to
your selfe to sleep at night you must as Christ foreshadowed David did have thoughts on â—…d and set him alwayes before 〈…〉 When I awake I am still with 〈…〉 saith David in the night remembred God and his hope 〈…〉 meditation was on Gods word â—…iah in the person of all the â—…hful saith With my soule have â—…sired thee in the night yea with 〈…〉 spirit within me will I seeke â—…e early 〈…〉 In the Instant of awaking let our hart be lift up to God with â— thankfull acknowledgement â—f his mercy to you For it is he â—…at giveth his beloved sleepe â—ho keepeth you both in soule and body while you sleepe Who â—…enueth his mercies every morning for while you sleepe you â—…e as it were out of actuall posâ—â—ssion of your selfe all things â—…se Now it was God that kept â—ou and all that you had restoâ—ing them againe with many â—ew mercies when you wake 2. Arise early in the morning if you be not necessarily hindred following the example of our Savior Christ and of the good housewife in the Proverbs For this ordinarily wil make much for the health of your body and for the thrift both of your temporall and spirituall state for hereby you shall have the day before you and shall gaine the most and the fittest times for exercises of Religion and for the workes of your calling 3. In the time betwixt your awaking and arising if other pertinent profitable thoughts offer not theÌ„selves it will be useful to think upon some of these I must awake from the sleepe of Sinne to Righteousnesse as well as out of bodily sleepe unto labour in my calling The night is far spent the day is at hand I must therefore east off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light I must walke honestly as in the day I am by the light of grace and kowledge to arise and walke in it 〈…〉 well as by the light of the Sun 〈…〉 walke by it Think also of your waking out of the sleepe of death â—…d out of the graue at the â—…und of the last Trumpet even 〈…〉 your blessed resurrection unto â—…ory at the last day It was one 〈…〉 Davids sweet thoughts speaâ—…ing to God When I awake I â—…ll be satisfied with thy likenesse When you arise and apparell â—our selfe lose not that prime â—ime when your wit is freshest with uncertaine impertiâ—ent boundlesse and fruitlesse â—houghts as it is the fashion of most men and women for to â—oe This is a fit time to thinke upon the cause why you have need of apparell namely the fall and sinne of your first Paâ—ents which from them is derived to you For before their fall their nakednesse was their comelinesse and seeing it they were not ashamed It will likewise be to good purpose to consider what base stuffe thâ— wise providence of God hath appointed to bee the matter oâ— apparell The riâ—ds of plants thâ— skinnes haire or wooll of bruiâ— beasts and the Spittle of thâ— Silkworm very excrements and cast apparell of vnreasonable creatures Which as it doth magnifie the wisdome power and goodnes of God in chusing and turning such meane things to such excellent use so it should humble and keepe downe the pride of man For what man who is in his wits will bee proud of the badge of his shame even of that arparell for which under God he is beholding to very plants and beasts Now also is a good time to cal to mind what rules â—reto be observed that you may apparell your selfe so as becommeth one that professeth godlines namely That your apparell for matter and fashion doc suite with your enerall and speciall calling and â—ith your â—sstate sex and age That your wearing your appaâ—ell be for health honostic and â—comelinesse 3 That you rather goe with 〈…〉 lowest than with the highest of your state and place 4. That the fashion be neither strange immodest singular or â—idiculous 5. That you be not over curions or overlong taking up too much time in putting it on 6 Neither the making nor wearing of your apparell must savour of pride lightnes curiositie lasciâ—iousnesse prodigalitiâ— or base covetousnesse But it must be such as becommeth holinesse wisedome thrift and honesty and such as is well reported of 7 Follow the example of those of your ranke and meanes which are most soâ—er most frugall and most discreet While you apparel your selfe it wil be seasonable and profitable also by this occasion to raise your thoughts and to fixe them upon that your apparell which doth cloath and adorne your inward man which is spirituall and of a divine matter which never is cut of fashion which never weareth out but is alwaies better for the wearing Thinke thus If I goe naked without bodily apparell it will be to the shame of my person and to the hazard of my health and life But how much more will the filthy nakednesse of my soule appeare to the eyes of men of Angels and of God himselfe whose pure eyes cannot abide filthinesse whereby my soule will be exposed to most deadly temptations and my selfe to Gods most severe Iudgements except I have put on and doe keepe on mee the white linnen of Christs Spouse the righteousnesses of the Saints that is Iustification by faith in â—…st and sanctification of every 〈…〉 by the Spirit of Christ â—…nd because every day you â—…be assaulted with the world â—…esh and the devill you shall â—…veli to consider whether you â—…e put on and doe improve 〈…〉 coat of male that complete arâ—… prescribed â—…hen it shall happen that you 〈…〉 use your looking-glasse and â—xperience find that it serveth â—iscover and to direct you â—…w to reforme whatsoever is â—…omely and out of order in â—…r body you may hereby reâ—…mber your selfe of the necessiâ—… and admirable use of the mirâ—…r and glasse of Gods Word and â—…spell of Christ both read and â—…ached for the good of your â—…le For this being understood 〈…〉 beleeved doth not onely â—…w what is amisle in the soule 〈…〉 how it may bee amended 〈…〉 insome measure will enable you to amend for it doth noâ— onely shew you your owne face but the very face and glory 〈…〉 God in Christ â—esus which bâ— reflexe upon you will through the Spirit worke on you a moâ—â— excellent effect than on Mos face in the Mount which yet wâ—… so glorious that the people couâ—… not endure to behold it For 〈…〉 this Gods glory which by faitâ— you behold in the Word yoâ— shall be changed into the same 〈…〉 mage from glory to glory even 〈…〉 by the Spirit of the Lord. Touching these things whicâ— I have prescribed to be though upon when you arise and pâ—… on your apparell in the morning and those other which I shâ—… prescribe when you put off yoâ—… apparel at
goodnesse and shal continue in your sinne thereby provoking the eyes of his glory is a terrible and revengefull God who if you still erre in heart and will not walke in his waies hath sworne in his wrath that you shall not enter into his Rest who in his wrath is a consuming fire and is ready and able to destroy body and soule in the eternall vengeance of Hell fire Fistly Consider sinne in the evill effects of it namely it brought a curse upon the whole Creation for mans sake whereby the â—…reatures are become defective â—nd unserviceable nay hurtfull 〈…〉 you from your sinnes come 〈…〉 manner of diseases and crosses â—â—at ever befell you This your â—…ne untill it be repented and â—…rdoned maketh you hatefull 〈…〉 God separateth between you â—…d God causing him to withâ—â—ld good things from you and 〈…〉 inflict evill upon you even in â—is life It defileth the whole â—…an and every renewed act of â—…ne doth strengthen the body 〈…〉 sinne and worketh a decay of â—…ace in you though you be reâ—â—nerate And if it be grosse if it 〈…〉 not benumme and feare your â—â—nscience yet it will wound it â—â—d break the peace thereof if it â—…ender vexing it as motes do â—…ur eye or thornes your feet â—…sing terrors and doubtings of â—…vation God withdrawing his â—our and loving countenance â—…m you And if you be nor in Christ it will in the end bring upon you everlasting damnation Sixtly Consider the ransome 〈…〉 sinne who paid it and what waâ— paid consider Christ Iesus who he was and what he did and suffered to take away your sinne He the onely sonne of God very God did lay downe and veile 〈…〉 glory for â—rime yea came dowâ— and left heaven to dwell in the Tabernacle of humane flesh taking upon him the estate of servant was poore despised 〈…〉 men persecuted from the cratâ— to the crosse made to shed teaâ— abundantly yea so tormenteâ— with the sense of Gods wrath foâ— your sinne that for very anguiâ— he did sweat as it were dropâ— bloud He was accused condemned spit upon mockt buffetteâ— and scourged by wicked meâ— made to beare his owne crosse till oh oppressed and afflicted soule for very faintnes he could beaâ— it no longer Then he was hanged amongst theeves dying the most accursed death And which to him was more then all the rest hee in his humane apprehension was forsaken of God crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now you may be assured that if the iustice of God could have beene satisfied and your sinne expiated and done away by a lesser price Iesus Christ his onely Son should never have beene caused â—o poure out his soule a sacrifice for your sinne This looking by the eyes of your faith upon Christ whom you have pierced will at once shew you the greatnes and hatefulnes of your sin which required such â—n infinite ransome and the infinite love of God and Christ to you-ward euen when you were his enemie in providing for you a sure remedie which will free you from both guilt and power of this sinne The thoughts hereof will if any thing will even melt the heart into godly sorrow for sinne and withall give hope in the use of the means of mercy and forgiuenesse That the former Aggravations may bee more pressing observe these directions You must consider sinne in the particulars one after another for generalls leave no impressions Therefore David cryeth out of his bloudy sinne in particular You must iudge the least sinne to be damnable untill it bee pardoned and repented in particular if knowne unto you at least in generall if not knowne The greater any sinne is the greater you must judge the guilt and punishment to be Sinnes committed long since unrepented and the punishments deserved but deferred are to bee judged to bee as neare lying at the doore dogging you at the heeles as if committed at the present so that you may looke for Gods hand to be upon you this present moment they like the bloud of Abell or sinnes of Sodom cry as loud to God for vengeance now as the first day they were committed nay louder because they are aggravated by * impenitencie and by the abuse of Gods long suffering Your humiliation must in your endevour proportion your guilt of sinne the greater guilt the greater humiliation Know therefore that sinnes against God of the first Table considered in equal comparison are greater than those of the second The more grace hath beene offered by the Gospell and the more meanes any have had to know God and his will the greater is their sinne if they be ignorant and disobedient The number of sinnes according as they are multiplied doe increase the guilt and punishment The more bonds are broken in sinning as committing it against the Law of God of Nature and Nations against Conscience promises and vowes the greater the sinne and punishment All these things knowne and considered now iudge your selfe passe a condemnatorie sentence against your selfe whence will through the grace of God follow affliction of soule Now you will see that you are base and vile and that you may justly feare Gods iudgements Now you will see cause to be grieved ashamed yea even confounded in your selfe and to conceive an holy indignation against your selfe You will now thinke thus Ah that I should be so foolish so brutish so mad to coÌ„mit this to commit these sinnes think of particulars to breake so holy a Law to offend grieve and provoke so good and so great a Maiestie so ill to requite him so little to feare him vile wretch that I am that I should commit not onely sinnes of common frailty but grosse sinnes many and oft against knowledge conscience c. but still minde particulars Iesus Christ my Sauiour shed his precious bloud for me to redeeme mee from my vaine conversation and doe I yet againe and againe transgresse oh miserable man that I am What am I in my selfe at best but a lumpe of sinne and durt not worthy to be loved worthy to be destroyed one that may justly look to have mine heart hardned or my coÌ„science terrified and that if God be not infinitely merciful he should powre upon me all his plagues Wherfore remembring my doings that they are not good but abhominably evill I doe loath my selfe for mine abhominations and doe abhorre my selfe and repent as in sackcloth and ashes Now set upon the worke of Reformation and of Reconciliation Generall if you finde there be neede Particular as you finde there is neede It is not enough to search out and consider your wayes nor yet to lament them if withall you doe not turne againe unto the Lord and turne your feet unto his Testimonies and withall seeke grace and forgivenesse The Gospell openeth a
way and affoordeth meanes to attain both through the commands and promises thereof in the doctrine of faith and repentance Now therefore bring your self to the Gospell Try your selfe thereby first whether your first faith and repentance were sound then set upon reforming getting pardon of particular and later offences But learne to put a difference betweene the Commandements of the Gospell and of the Law the Law exacteth absolute obedience The gracious Gospell doth through CHRIST accept of the truth of Faith and Repentance so that there be an endevour after their perfection It would be too long to shew you at large the signes of unfained Faith and Repentance I will for the present onely say this Have you been humbled heretofore and through the promises and commandement of the Gospell which biddeth you beleeue have you conceived hope of mercy relying on Christ for it and thereupon have had a â—â—ue change in your whole man so that you make God your utmost end and out of hatred oâ—… and love unto Christ and â—is wayes have had a will in all things to live honestly and to â—…devour in all things to keepe alwayes a good conscience to wards God and man desiring the sincere milke of the Word to grow by it loving the brethren desiring and delighting in communion with them then be you confident that your first faith repentance and new obedience was sound If upon tryall you finde that they were not sound then you must begin now to repent and beleeve it is not yet too late Touching reformation and obtaining of pardon and power of your particular sinnes doe thus Consider the Commandement which biddeth you to repent and amend Consider the Commandements which bid you to come unto Christ when you are weary and beavie laden with your sin beleeving that through him they shall be pardoned and subdued to this end Consider that Christ hath fully satisfied for such and such a sinne yea for all sinne and that you have many promises of grace and forgivenesse yea a promise that God will give you grace to beleeve in him that you may have your sinnes forgiven Consider that there is vertue and power in Christs death and resurrection appliable by faith through his holy Spirit for the mortifying the old man of sinne and quickning the new man in grace as well as merit to take away the guilt and punishment of your sinne Improve this power of Christ in you unto an actuall breaking off your sinnes and living according to the wil of Christ which is done by mortifying the old man of sinne and by strengthning the new and inner man of grace In mortifying your sinne doe thus Take all your sinnes especially your bosome sins those to which the disposition of your nature and condition of your place doth most incline you your strongest and Captaine sinnes and with them the body of corruption in you the originall and mother-sinne smite at them strike at the very roote arraigne them condemne them in your selfe dragge them all to the Crosse of Christ and nayle them thereunto that is by Faith see them all nayled with Christ to the Crosse whereon he was crucified and beleeve that not onelyin respect of their guilt but also of their raigning power they are al crucified with him dead and buried as is signified to you lively in your Baptisme When you see that your old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne should be destroyed you will take courage against sinne and will refuse to serve it sith by Christ you are freed from the dominion of it When you thus by faith put on the Lord Iesus Christ you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Grieve heartily for your sinnes conceive deadly hatred against them displeasure against your selfe for them These like a corrasiue will eate out the core and heart of sinne Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it but be sober in the use of all earthly things this by little and little will starve sinne Avoid all obiects and occasions of sinne yea abstaine from the appearance of it this wil disarme sinne When you feele any motion unto sinne whether it rose from within or came from without resist it speedily and earnestly by the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God as your Saviour did and as Ioseph did for which cause it must dwell plentifully in you Thus you shall kill sinne That you may strengthen the inner man by the Spirit whereby you may not onely mortifie the deeds of the flesh but bring forth the fruits of the Spirit doe thus First Apply Christ risen from the dead for you particularly beleeving that God by the same power quickneth you and raiseth you together with Christ to walke in newnes of life reckoning your selfe now to be alive unto God being dead unto sinne become the servant of righteousnesse This beleeving in Christ embracing and relying upon the precious promises of the Gospell doth draw downe Christ into your heart and doth more and more incorporate you into him by it he by his Spirit dwelleth in you wherby of his life grace you receive life and grace and so as the Apostle saith are made partaker of the divine nature flying the corruption which is in the world through lust Affect your heart with ioy unspeakeable and with peace in beleeving considering that you are iustified through our Lord Iesus Christ this Ioy of the Lord as a cordiall will exceedingly strengthen grace in the inner man Take heed of quenching or grieving the Spirit but nourish it by the frequent use of holy meditation prayer hearing and reading of the Word receiving the Sacraments by a Christian Communion with such as feare God and by following the motions of the Spirit of God which you shall know to be from it when the thing wherunto it mooveth is both for matter circumstance according to the Scripture the Word of the Spirit This is to be led of the Spirit and this will be to walke in the Spirit and then you shal not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Vpon your fasting day you shal doe well to renew your Covenant with God and in some cases so that it be done advisedly to enter into a particular vow to leave some grosse sinne with the occasions of it and to doe some necessary neglected dutie and to embrace all furtherances thereof This also will much strengthen your resolution against sinne and for holinesse There remaineth yet one principall work wherein a chiefe busines of the day of your fast lyeth for which all formerly spoken to maketh way and by which with the former meanes you may attaine to true reformation of your selfe reconciliation with your
the shortnes and lightnesse of your afflictions â—n comparison of the farre more intolerable and eternall weight of torments of Hell which you escape and in comparing afflictions with glorie I will point out to you onely the Apostles gradation you shall have for affliction glory for light affliction weight of glorie for short affliction an eternall glorie for common and ordinarie affliction excelleÌ„t glorie And albeit it might be thought that hee had said enough yet he addeth degrees of comparison yea goeth beyond all degrees calling it more excellent farre more excellent for thus he saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory Indeed you must not looke at the things which are seene with the eye of sense but at things which are not seene which are spirituall and eternall seene onely by the eye of faith You will say If you did beare afflictions for Christ then you could thus thinke and thus expect but you oft-times suffer affliction iustly for your sinne I answer Though this place principally point at martyrdom and suffering for Christs cause yet it is all one in your case if you will beare afflictions patiently for his sake A man may suffer afflictions for Christ two wayes First When he suffereth for his Religion and for his cause Secondly When a man suffereth any thing which God layeth upon him quietly for Christs with and commandement sake This latter is more general than the former the former must be comprehended in this latter else the former suffering for CHRISTS cause if it be not in love and obedience and for Christs sake our of Conscience to fulfill his will is nothing whereas he that endureth patiently GODS just punishment for sinne for Christs sake endevouring to submit his will to the will of Christ this man suffers that is patiently endureth affliction for CHRIST though he never be put to it to suffer for profession of Christ and if such a one were put to it hee would readily suffer for Christs cause And such afflictions as these thus patiently endured worke also this excellent weight of glorie as well as the other By these and the like reasonings of faith you may worke your soule to patience as David and others have done by casting anchor on God and on his Word fixing their staie and hope in GOD. Let the issue of your reasoning be this I will waite on God and yet for al matter of disquietment praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Thus David quieted his heart when he heard tydings that his Citie Ziglag was burnt and that his wives and all that he had together with the wives children and all that his souldiers had was carried captive and when he saw that his souldiers began to mutine and when he heard them speake of stoning him hee incouraged himselfe in the Lord his God And good Iehosaphat in his desperate condition cast anchor here saying O our God we know not what to doe but our eyes are on thee Thus by the exercise of your hope in God the heart may be wrought unto much patience and quiet in all distresses Thus much be said of the fourth meanes of patience in the several branches of it A fift meanes of patience is observe the patience of others as of the Prophets and faithfull servants of God who are recorded in Scripture and left as examples of suffering affliction and of patience We count them happy that endure saith Iames. You haue heard of the patience of Iob and have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is verie pittifull and of tender mercie But especially represent to your thoughts the patience of your head and Saviour Iesus Christ whom you pierced by your sins who as a Lambe dumbe before the shearer opened not his mouth Now if you would consider him who is the Author and finisher of your faith who indured such contradiction of sinners such intolerable anguish of soule when hee wrastled with his Fathers wrath then you should not be wearied nor faint in your minds when you are under any affliction If with Christ you set the ioy before you you shall be able to endure the crosse and despise the shame of all persecution for well-doing and shall so runne that race that is set before you with patience that you shal in the end sit down with Christ at the right hand of the Throne of God Sixthly and lastly Pray much for patience waiting patiently for it and without doubt the God of patience and consolation who hath commanded it who seeth that you have need of it who hath promised to give you all your petitions which you make according to his will will surely give you patience SECTION 3. Of bearing afflictions thankefully and fruitfully TO beare adversitie and afflictions well it is not enough that you beare them patiently because you deserve them and because they come from God but you must beare them thankfully chearefully and comfortably because they are as you have heard for your good We doe not onely patiently endure the hand of the Chirurgion and the â—otions of the Physician but wee â—oe thanke them pay them and are glad of their receits though they put us to paine Count it exceeding ioy saith Saint Iames when you fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your â—aith worketh patience c. Last of all unto patience and â—hankefulnesse you must adde fruitfulnesse and growth of grace this should be the fruit of al crosses and afflictions that with David you may be better for them and that you may with â—ob come out of them as gold refined and purged from drosse Therefore God doth chasten you as he did Iacob This is all the fruit to take away your sinne and that you should bee partaker of his holinesse Be better therefore for crosses then God hath his end wheÌ„ after his plowing harrowing and threshing of you hee shall reape the crop of well-doing which hee reapeth not so much for himselfe as for you for the ground that bringeth fortâ— fruit meet for him that dresseth it receiveth blessing from God Alâ— good workes are treasured up iâ— heaven for the doers thereof When you have learned thiâ— lesson also How to bee abasâ— and to suffer need as well as hoâ— to be full and to abound together with all the fore-mentioned directions how at all times and in all things to walke with GOD you shall approve your selfe to be a good Scholler in the Schoole of Christ one of the highest forme a good proficient in the profession of Christianitie one that hath walked far with God and you shal hereby declare that you are neither barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus much concerning the outward frame and
proceedeth from base and cursed causes namely from ignorance of God from unbeliefe and distrust of God in whomsoever this sinne raigneth hence it was that the Heathen abounded in this sinne And by how much this Carefulnesse is in any though it raigne not by so much he may be said to be of little sound knowledge and of little faith Sixtly Carefulnesse and hanging in doubtfull suspence about successe in any your lawfull indevours be it whether you or yours shall prosper or whether you shall profit by the meanes of grace or whether you shal be saved in the end doth produce many dangerous and mischievous effects First It will cause you to neglect provident care to use the meanes of this life or of that which is to come according as you doubt of successe in either or if you neglect them not utterly yet you shall have no heart to go about them For those that goe about others workes usually neglect their owne so you will be apt to leave your owne worke undone when you take Gods worke out of his hands And who is hee that can take paines about that which he feareth wil be to no purpose and will be labour lost Secondly you will be ready to use unlawful means for anything when you doubt of succes from lawful Thirdly Taking thought doth divide distract over-loade weare and waste the heart and spirits nothing more Fourthly You can never be thank full to GOD for anything whereof you feare that you shall have no good successe Fiftly This taking thought and plodding about successe with doubtfull feare will deprive you of the comfort of all those good things you have had and which now you doe enioy Sixtly nothing will bring ill successe unto you sooner than to be taking thought and be troubled about what may be For when any man shall not withstanding the experience hee hath had or might have had of Gods power love care and truth of his promises yet distrustfully care so far as not to content himself with his own worke so far as provident care leadeth him but also will take Gods worke and the burthen of his worke upon himselfe caring about successe which onely belongeth to God and which God onely can doe and beare this folly and presumption doth so much provoke God that it causeth him out of his wise Iustice to cease caring for such a one leaving him to his owne care and to his wit friends or any other earthly helpes to make him by wofull experience see feele how little any or all these without GOD can availe him Nay it causeth God not onely to withdraw his owne helpe but the helpe of all things wheron such a man doth relye and which is more causeth them in stead of being for him to be utterly against him Is it not just with God that whosoever will not be beholding to God to beare their burthen but will take it up and beare it themselves should be made to beare it alone to the breaking of their back or at lest to be much bowed and crusht under it Wherefore all these things waighed I returne to the exhortation or conclusion before propounded viz. Roule your selfe and your affaires upon God Cast all your care on God be carefull in nothing Oh! How happy are we Christians if we did but know or knowing would enioy our Happinesse We are cared for in every thing that wee need and that can bee good for us We may live without taking thought or care in any thing Our worke is onely to study and indevor to please God walking before him in sincerity and with a perfect heart then we may cleave to him and rest on him both for our bodies and soules without feare or distraction GOD is Al-sufficient and all in all to such he is known by his name Iehovah to such even to bee the being and the accomplisher of his promises to them If we shall wisely and diligently care to doe our work we serving so good and so able a master need not care for our wages If we would make it our care to obey and please so good and so rich and bountifull a Father We need not be carefull for our maintenance here in our minority and non-age nor yet for our eternall inheritance when we shall come to full age We in this holy security and freedome from Carefulnesse if wee were not wanting to our selves might live in an heaven upon earth and that not onely when wee have meanes for even then our securitie is in God not in the meanes but when to the eye of flesh we have no meanes For God is above and more than all meanes That you may leave carking and be brought to cast all your care on God 1 Deny your selfe and your owne wisedome bee not wise in your owne conceit nor presumptuous of your wit skill or meanes 2 Get soùnd knowledge faith hope and confidence in God live by faith beleeving to the preservation both of body and soule Get not onely faith in his promise but in his providence also When you shall see no way or meanes of having the good you desire or of keeping you from the evill which you feare or of delivering you from the evill you feele then call to minde not onely the promises of God viz. I am with you I will not leave nor forsake you and All things worke together for good and many such like but beleeve also that God will provide meanes to bring to passe what he hath promised though yet you see not how When you can say with faithfull Abraham God will provide you shall be out of feare and doubt But if with Abraham in the case of the promise of issue of his body in whom the Nations of the earth should be blessed you beleeve GODS promises in the maine but not Gods providence in the meanes then you will be so fearefull doubtfull and carefull that of your selfe or by others solicitations you wil readily find out and use unlawfull meanes to obtaine the thing promised as he did when he went in to Hagar or to faint in waiting as many others have done For we see the like in David when he had faith in Gods providence he could say of Saul The Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descend into the battell and perish The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lords annointed But when he doubted of Gods providence then he saith I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul 3 Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For when you know assuredly that GOD is your heavenly Father and Christ Iesus your Redeemer and that you are of his family having your name written in heaven you then shall easily free your heart from being troubled with feare and carking care being sure that your heavenly Father and Savior
strength and meanes be fully imployed in some lawfull businesse 5. Out of the fit the party thus affected must not oppresse his heart with feare of falling into it againe any more then to quicken him to prayer and to cause him to cast himselfe upon God 6. Out of the fits and in them also if the partie distempered be capable spirituall counsell is to be given out of GODS Word wisely according as the partie is fit for it whether to humble him if he hath not beene sufficiently humbled or to build him up and comfâ—â—â— him if he be already humbled 7. Lastly remember alwayes that when the troubled person is himselfe that he be moved to prayer and that others then pray much with him and at all times pray much for him When these troubles are mixt comming partly from naturall distemper and partly from spirituall temptation then the remedie must be mixt of helpes naturall and spirituall What the natural helps are hath bin shewne also what the spirituall in generall and shall be shewed more particularly in removing false feares rising from spirituall temptations The feares which rise for the most part from distemper of body may be knowne from those which for the most part or onely rise from the spirituall temptation thus When the first fort are clearely resolved of their doubts and brought unto some good degree of chearefulnesse and coÌ„fort they will yet it may be within a day or two sometimes within an houre or two upon every slight occasion and discouragement returne to their old complaints and will need the same meanes to recover them againe But those whose trouble is meerly out of spirituall temptation and trouble of conscience although for the time it is very grievous and hardly removed and sometimes long before they receive a satisfying answer to their doubts yet wheÌ„ once they receive satisfaction and comfort it doth hold and last untill there fall out some new temptation and new matter of feare This is because their Phantasies and memories are not disturbed in such sort as the others were The seeming grounds of feares that a man is not in state of grace when yet he is are for varietie almost infinite I have reduced them into this order and unto these heads First they who are taken with false feares will say their sinnes be greater than can be pardoned Secondly when they are driven from that they say then that they feare GOD will not pardon When they are driven from this by causing them to take notice of the signes of Gods actual love to them which give proofe that he will save them Then Thirdly they will question the truth of Gods love and favour But being put upon the ttyall whether God hath not already justified them and given them faith in Christ which are sufficient proofes of his love then Fourthly they will seeme to have grounds to doubt whether they have faith from which they are driven by putting them to the tryall of their Sanctification then Fifthly they doubt and will obiect strongly that they are not sanctified which being undeniably proved then Sixthly and lastly they feare they shall fall away and not persevere to the end Which feare being taken away also and all is come to this good issue they shall have no cause of disquiet feare This is the easiest most familiar and the most naturall method so farre as I can conceive both in propounding and in removing false feares SECTION 2. Removing false feare rising from thoughts of the greatnesse of punishment and sinne FIrst some in their fits of despaire speake almost in Cains words saying that their punishment which they partly feele and which they most of all feare is greater than they can beare or than can be forgiven I answer such If sense and feare of wrath and punishment be your trouble I would have you not to busie your thoughts about the punishment but divert them and pitch them upon your sinnes which are the onely cause of punishment for get your sinnes off and in one the same worke you get off and free your selfe from the punishment Labour therefore that your heart may bleed with godly sorrow for sin cry out as David did against his sinne so doe you against yours confesse them to GOD strike at the root of sinne at the sinne of your nature wherein you were conceived aggravate your actuall sinnes hide none spare none finde out arraigne accuse condemne your sinnes and your selfe for them grow first into utter detestation of your sinnes which have brought present punishment and a sense and feare of the eternall vengeance of hell fire then likewise grow into a dislike with your selfe for sinne loath your selfe in your owne sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Now when you are as a prisonerat the barre who hath received sentence of condemnation when you are in your owne apprehension a damned wretch fearing every day to be executed Oh then it concerneth you and it is your part and duty to runne to GOD the King of Kings whose name and nature is to forgive iniquity transgression and sinnes and that you may be accepted goe to him by Iesus Christ whose Office is to take away your sinnes and to present you without sinne to his father whose Office is also to procure and sue out your pardon Wherefore in Christs name pray and aske pardon of God for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake and withall bee as earnest in asking grace and power against your sinne that you may serve him in all well-pleasing Doe this as for your life with all truth and earnestnesse then you may nay must beleeve that God for Christs sake hath pardoned your sinne and hath done away the punishment of your sinne For this is according to the Word of Truth even as true as God is who hath Commanded you to doe thus and to beleeve in him But some will Reply this putting me unto a consideration of my sinnes breedes all my woe and feare for I finde them greater and more than can be pardoned Oh Say not so for you can hardly commit a greater sinne than indeed to thinke and to say so It is blasphemy against GOD yet this sinne if you will follow GODS Counsell and all other may and shall be pardoned I intend not to extenuate and lessen your sinne but you must give me leave to magnifie Gods truth and mercy and to extoll Christs love and merit Howsoever it is true that because sinne is a transgression of a law of infinite holinesse and equity in respect of the evil disposition of the heart is of infinite intention would perpetuate it selfe infinitely if it had time and meanes and because God the object and Person against whom sinne is committed is infinite therefore sinne must needes contract an infinite guilt and deserve infinite punishment which the very least sinne doth yet because the subiect of sinne the man that sinneth is
that God will not call you before you dye It were a farre wiser and better course for you that will bee thus hasty in judging your selves to be Reprobates to busie your selves first with other things Acquaint your selves with Gods revealed will in his Word Learne to know what God hath commanded you to doe and do that also what he hath threatned and feare that and what hee hath promised and beleeve and rest on that After you haue done this you may looke into your selves and you shall reade your Election written in golden and great Letters For God never intended that the first lesson which a Christian should learne should be the hardest and highest lesson that can be learned taken out of the book of his eternall counsell decree and so to descend to the A. B. C. of Christianity Which were a course most perplexed and preposterous But his wil is that his schollers children should learn out of his written Word here on earth first that God made all things and that hee made man good and how that man hearkening to Sathan they found out evill devices and so fell from grace and from God and so both they and the whole world that came of their loynes became guilty of eternal dānation Next God would have you to learne that hee in is infinite wisdome goodnesse and mercy thought of and concluded a new covenant of Grace for the effecting whereof hee found out and appointed a way and meanes to pacifie his wrath by satisfying his justice punishing sin in mans nature by which he opened away unto his mercie to shew it to whom he would namely Hee gave his onely Sonne very God to become very man and being made a common person and surety in mans stead dyed and endured the punishment due to the sinne of man and rose againe and was exalted to sit at Gods right hand to raigne having all authority committed vnto him Thus he made the new covenant of grace established in his Sonne Iesus Christ the tenour and condition whereof required on mans part is that man accept of enter into this covenant beleeving in Christ in whom it is established then whosoever beleeveth in him shall not dye but have everlasting life This God did in his wisedome justice mercy and love to man that hee himselfe might be inst and yet a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus And hath therefore given his Word and Sacraments and hath called and hath given gifts to his Ministers thereby to beget and increase faith in men by publishing this good newes and by commanding them as in Christs stead in Gods name to beleeve and to be reconciled to God and to live no longer according to the will of their old Masters the Divell the World and the Flesh under whom they were in cursed bondage but according to the will of him that redeemed them in holinesse and righteousnesse whose service is a perfect blessed freedome Now when you have learned these lessons first and by looking into your selves can finde faith and new obedience then by this your effectuall calling you may as by safe stayres ascend to that high point of your Predestination which will give you comfort through assurance that you shall never fall away When you observe this order in learning your Election to life it will not minister vnto you matter of curious and dangerous dispute either with God or man thereabout but of high admiration thankesgiving and unspeakeable comfort causing you to cry out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. And Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in love having Predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his well-beloved c. There are yet some who having heard that there is a sinne against the holy Ghost and that it is unpardonable are full of feares that they have committed that sinne thence conclude that they are Reprobates for they say that they have sinned willingly against knowledge conscience since they received the knowledge of the truth and tasted of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of God If you who thus object have sinned against knowledge and conscience you have much cause of griefe complaint against your selfe and have much cause of humbling your selfe before God confessing it to him asking pardon of him and grace to beleeve and repent both which you must endevour by all means Yet I see no cause why you should conclude so desperately that you have sinned against the holy Ghost and are a Reprobate For as few in comparison though too many commit this sinne so few know what it is All sinne against knowledge and conscience is not this sinne Nor yet all wilfull sinning It is not any one sinne against the law nor yet the direct breach of the whole law nor every malicious opposing of the Gospell if it be of ignorance neither is it every blasphemie or persecution of the Gospell and of those that professe the truth if these be done out of ignorance or passion Nor yet is it every Apostacie and falling into grosse sinnes of diverssorts though done against knowledge and conscience yet this sinne against the holy Ghost containeth all these and more It is a sinne against the Gospell and free offer and dispensation of grace and salvation by CHRIST through the Spirit Yet it is not any particular sinne against the Gospell nor yet a rejecting of the whole Gospell if in ignorance nor yet every denying of Christ or sudden revolting from the outward profession of the Gospell when it is of infirmitie through feare such like temptation Neither is it called the sinne against the holy Ghost and is unpardonable because it is committed against the Essence or Person of the holy Ghost for the essence of the three persons in Trinitie is all one And the person of the holy Ghost is not more excellent than the person of the Father and the Sonne but it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost and becommeth unpardonable because it is against the Office of the holy Ghost and against the gracious operations of the holy Ghost and therein against the whole blessed Trinitie all whose works out of themselves are consummate and perfected in the worke of the holy Ghost Moreover know that it is unpardonable not in respect of GODS power but in respect of his will Hee having in his holy wisedome determined never to pardon it And good reason why he should will not to pardon it in respect of the
and strive to be obedient to his will as well as to beleeve his promises to hope for happinesse this iâ— to strive Now never any did thus strive in seeking to enter though it were but the last day of their life that was put backe and not received Wherefore say not it is to late But say the more time I have lost the more cause there is why now I should presently set to Religion in earnest not loose time in questioning whether I shal be accepted or no. And whereas you said you are afraid to use the meanes of Salvation for the reasons before objected hereby you may see that all this is but the malice and craft of the Divell by keeping you from the meanes to keepe you from Salvation For it is most false to say that to pray heare the Word c. is to increase your sin because you cannot performe these as you should and as you would I am sure it is a greateâ— sinne in you to for beare these necessary duties out of despaire that they shall ever profit you or that you shall be accepted oâ— God You should thinke thus if â—â— doe not use the meanes of salvation I shal certainly perish everlastingly but if I do pray heare c. I may be saved therefore in obedience to God I will doe as well as I can But little doth a man know how well hee may doe if he would indevour neither can a man conceive how acceptable a little indevour shall be if he doe but desire to be true in his indevour For as GODS power is seene in mans weakenesse so is Gods grace seene in manâ—insufficiencie When wee are weake then God in us can be strong And when wee in humilty like our services worst then through Christ God may be best pleased with them But whatsoever you doe Doe not neglect nor absent your selves from exercises of Religion for weakest observances where is truth are farre more acceptable than whole emissions Wherefore if as you say you would not increase your sinne and thereby your damnation be willing to use and to joyne with others in the use of all good meanes of Salvation then if you be not saved yet you shall have the lesse punishment But you may be assured that if in obedience to Gods Commandement you shall pray heare the Word receive the Sacrament and have communion and conversation with those that feare God you shall be saved in the end What if you doe not yet feele benefit and comfort when you use these meanes of salvation according to your desire yet you must waile the good houre both of grace and comfort even as the impotent folke did who lay waiting for the Angels comming to move the waters that they might be healed of their diseases at the â—oole of Bethesda For if when God hideth his face you will waite and looke for him then God will waite his time to be gracious and blessed shall you be that waite for him It may be it commeth justly upon you that God should make you waite his leasure and cause you to buy wisdome wise deare experience because you did once account it an easier matter to beleeve and repent and therefore you did not take the first offers but made God wait If it were thus yet despaire not of grace onely be humbled For God doth not deale with us after our sinnes nor reward us after our iniquities but according to his rich mercie and promise made to us in Christ Iesus SECTION 4. A removall of feares rising from doubts of Gods love THere are very many who have true proofes that they are the Elect of God and have reason to thinke that God not onely can but will doe them good yet because they will deny that to bee bestowed upon them and to be in them which indeed is therefore they feare and are causelesly disquieted I would have such to consider first whether they have not in them already evident proofes and sigues of GODS effectuall love towards them in Christ These will acknowledge that it is most true that if they were sure that GOD did love them they should not feare but this is all their doubt that GOD doth not love them Some give this reason of their doubt God hath afflicted them and still doth Plague them yea albeit they have professed the name of Christ they are in some thing or other chastened daily in so much that they seeme to bee in the condition of those whom GOD hath threatned to curse in every thing they put their handes unto Therefore say they GOD doth not love them Such weake and inconsiderate reasonings are incident to those whom GOD truely loveth Did not the holy men of GOD reason and conclude thus But when doe Gods Children thus It is in their haste before they be well advised what they think or say And whence is it Is it not from their ignorance and brutishnesse being carried away by sense So foolish was I and ignorant saith the Prophet c. But when they come to themselves and doe come to learne what is truth by the Word then they learn that it is not outward prosperitie will make wicked men happie neither is it outward affliction that can make a good man miserable Then they will neither applaud nor envie the prosperity of the wicked nor yet misconstrue nor repine at their own afflictions For they learne that no man can know Gods love or hatred by any outward thing that doth befall the sonnes of men in this life They learne that God doth oft smile on his enemies and that he doth oft frowne upon is angry with and doth correct those whom he dearely loveth even as a Father doth his Children They learne by the Word likewise that GOD hath excellent ends in all this even in respect of them and all for their good namely for tryall of their graces for prevention of sinne for to remove sinne bringing them to repenrance and that they might be made partakers of his Holinesse Besides herein he doth much glorifie himselfe shewing that he is wonderfull in Counsell excellent in Working causing the affliction to worke for his glory in his peoples good Yea you may learne by the Word and by your owne experience that although the childe of God in his infirmitie and passion when he is under the rod may let goe his hold of God yet that God in his love and compassion towards his childe will hold him fast by his right hand and will not leave him but will guide him with his Counsell that he may afterward receive him unto Glorie This is the way of GOD with his Children wherefore none from hence hath cause to question GODS love but to conclude it rather But I have brought afflictions upon my selfe by mine owne sin and folly I am impatient under them and am little or no whit better for
joy and comfort if you would feele for them Amongst many I will reckon these First you may know you have Faith by your feeling and opposing of the contrary if you feele a fight and conflict betweene beleeving and doubting fearâ— and distrust and in that combat you take part with beleeving hope and confidence or at least desire heartily that these should prevaile and are grieved at heart when the other get the better If you feele this doe not say you haue no feeling Doe not say you have no faith This conflict and desire to have faith gaue proofe that the man in the Gospel who came to Christ to cure his child had faith I beleeve Lord saith hee Lord helpe my unbeliefe Doe not say as I have heard many this man could say I beleeve but we cannot say so I tell you if you can heartily say Lord helpe my unbeliefe I am sure any of you may say I beleeve For whence is this feeling of unbeliefe and desire to beleeve but from Faith Secondly You may know you have Faith I speake still to an afflicted soule which dareth not sinne wittingly for that you wil not part with that Faith which you have upon any termes I will aske you that have given hope to others that you doe beleeve that yet doubt you have not truth of faith hope in God only these questions and as your heart can answer them so you may judge Will you part with that faith and hope which you call none for any price Would you change present states with those that presume they have a strong Faith whose consciences do not trouble them but are at quiet though they live in all manner of wickednesse Or at best are meerely civilly honest Nay would you if it were possible forgoe all that faith and hope and other graces of the Spirit which you call none at all and returne to that former state wherein you were in the dayes of your vanity before you did indevor to leave sinne and to will to indevour to settle to Religion in earnest Would you lay any other foundation to build upon then what you have already layd Or is there any person or thing wheron you desire to rest for Salvation and direction besides Christ Iesus If you can answer no but can say with Peter To whom shall wee goe Christ onely hath the words of eternall life you know no other foundation â—o lay then what you have laid and have willed and desired to lay it right you resolve never to pull downe what you have built thogh it be but a little It is your griefe that you build no faster upon it By this answer you may see that your conscience before you are aware doth witnesse for you and will make you confesse that you have some true faith and hope in GOD or at least hope that you have For let men say what they will to the conttary they alwaies thinke they have those things which by no meanes they can be brought to part with Thirdly If you would have feeling and proofe of your faith and Iustification feele for it in the most certaine effect which is the exercise of your Sanctification Doe you feele your selves loaden and burthened with sinne Doe you feele your hearts â—ke with sorrow for sinne And with all do you feele your selves to be altered from what you were Doe you now beare good will to Gods Word and Ordinances And doe you desire the pure word of God that you may grow in grace by it Doe you affect Gods people therefore because you thinke they feare God Is it your desire to approve your selves to God in holy obedience And is it your trouble that you cannot doe it Then certainly you have Faith you have an effectuall Faith For what are all these but the very Pulse breath and motions of faith If you feele grace to be in you it is a better feeling then feeling of comfort for grace in men of understanding is never severed from effectuall Faith but comfort many times is for that may rise from Presumption and false Faith Grace onely from the Spirit and from true Faith SECTION 6. A removall of feares rising from doubting of Sanctification IT is granted by all that if they be truly Sanctified then they know that they have Faith anâ— are iustified But many feare they are not Sanctified and that foâ— these seeming reasons First some feare they are noâ— Sanctified because they doe noâ— remember that ever they fâ—â— those wounds and terrours of conscience which are first wroughâ— in men to make way to Conveâ—sion as it was in them who weâ—â— priâ—â—â— aâ— heart at Peters Seâ—… mon and in S. Paul and the Iaylor Or if they felt aâ—â— terrâ—… they feare they we but certaine flashes and for runners of Hellish â—â—â—ments liâ—â— those of Cain and Iudas As it is in the naturall birth with the mother so it is in the spirituall birth with the childe There is no birth without some travell and paine but not all alike Thus it is in the new birth with all that are come to yeares of discretion Some haue so much griefe feare horror that it is intolerable and leaveth so deepe an impression that it can never be forgotten others have some true sense of griefe and feare but nothing to the former in comparison which may easily be forgotten There are causes why some have or at least feele some more some lesse 1. Some have committed more grosse and more hainous sinnes than other therefore they have more cause and neede to have mâ—re terrour and heart-breaking than others 2. God doth set some apart for greater imployments than others such as will require a man of great trust and experience wherefore GOD to prepare them doth exercise such with greatest tryals for their deepe humiliation and for their more speedy and full reformation that all necessary graces might bee more deeply and more firmely rooted in them 3. Some have beene religiously brought up from their infancie whereby as they were kept from grosse sinnes so their sinnes were subdued by little and little without any sensible impression of horror Grace and comfort being instilled into them almost insensibly 4. Some by naturals constitution and temper of body are more fearefull and more sensible of anguish than others which may cause that although they may bee alike wounded in conscience for sinne yet they may not feele it all alike 5. There may be the like feare and terror wrought in the conscience for sinne in one as well as another yet it may not leave the like lasting sense and impression in the memory of the one which it doth in the other Because God may shew himselfe gracious in discovering a remedy and giving comfort to one sooner than to the other As two men may be in perill of their lives by enemies the one as soone as hee seeth his danger seeth an impregnable
which also doth minister unto you matter of assured hope and comfort Another will say I doe even faint in my troubles and in my feares and I am ready to give over all what shall I doe What would you have me to doe Your case is not singular many other have beene and are in this case It is no otherwise with you than it was with the Psalmist and Ionah Doe as they in that their fainting did First give not over but remember God call upon him give him no rest Secondly trust on him and wait untill you have comfort That holy man of GOD said My flesh and my heart faileth but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Likewise Ionah â— said I am â—ast out of thy sight yet I will looke againe toward thine holy Temple And againe when my soule fainted within mee I remembred the Lord and my prayer came up unto thee into thine holy Temple that is as if he had said unto God I prayed unto thee in the name of Christ and thou didst heare me When you walke in the darkenesse of affliction and inward discomfort Hee to whom God gave the tongue of the learned to speake a word in due season to him that is wearie giveth you counsell and whose wil you in this state of yours follow if not his his counsel is this saying Who is among you that feare the Lord and obey the voyce of his servant that walketh in darkenesse and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Marke it He that feareth and obeyeth yet may bee in darkenesse and have no light what darknesse is this but that spoken of vers 4. viz. an afflicted wearie soule without light of comfort And men thus distressed must trust in the Lord and stay on their God Yet these poore soules who whether they should be sharply reproved or pitied more is hard to say I am sure they deserve both will yet object strongly It is true they that feare God and obey him may trust in the Lord and stay upon God And he hath made most rich promises to theÌ„ that know him that doe feare and obey him See here is promise with condition saith one I must feare the Lord I must obey him I know God will doe his part if I could doe mine but these I doe not what warrant then or ground have I to looke for comfort or any thing at Gods hand for his promises belong not to me I know well that with this doubt the Devill doth much perplexe the afflicted soules of many of Gods dearest children and by it keepeth off all the remedies which Gods Word can afford so that they cannot fasten and doe them good For the propositions of the Word are easily assented unto but all the matter lyeth in the application of them to the wound It is still put off and keepe his Commandements there he promiseth with Condition here he absolutely promiseth those on whom hee intendeth to bestow these blessings that he will put his feare in their heart that they may be capable of them And which is more to the end that men might repent beleeve and live godly which is the Condition to which the promise of forgivenesse and Salvation is made God declareth that he hath raised Christ and exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give this faith and repentance that their sinnes may be forgiven and their soules saved by him I pray consider well whether al these promises of this sort be not made absolutely on GODS part and without any Condition on mans part Wherefore whereas God hath made many excellent promises of free and great rewards as to heare the prayers and to fulfill the desire of them that feare him and to give life and glory to them that beleeve obey him and that do hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing to the end you see that here are promises of the first sort made with a kinde of Condition But that GOD will give his people both to will and to doe these things required in the condition he hath absolutely promised as hath beene clearely proved If you yet reply and say are not these latter promises made under condition of our well using the outward meanes thereof such as hearing of the Word prayer c. GOD indeede commandeth these meanes to be used and if we performe them aright God will not faile to blesse the good use of these meanes but this well using them is not in our owne power neither is it a Condition for which God is necessarily bound to give Faith and to plant his feare in our harts any otherwise than by his promise but it is a Condition by which he hath ordained ordinarily to give these graces to al which in the use of them shall waite upon him for them For both the giving of his word and the giving us minds to heare the Word and the opening of the heart to attend and the convincing and alluring the heart to obey hang all upon those absolute promises They shall be all taught of God and the rest before mentioned Wherefore let none of yeares thinke that without hearing praying and the right using of Gods ordinances they shall ever have faith and the feare of God wrought in them or shall ever come to Heaven For wee are commanded to pray heare c. and that in Faith or else we can never looke to receive any thing of the LORD And doing what lieth in manspower in the right using the meanes of Saluation is of great consequence although it be not a sufficient cause to move GOD necessarily to give grace For I am perswaded that the best should have more grace if they would doe what in them lay continually to make good use of the outward meanes of grace and the worst should be guilty of lesse sinne if they would doe what in them lay to profit by the good use of the said meanes And the neglect or abusing of the means is sufficient cause why God should not onely withhold grace but condemn men for refusing it But some will yet say let all which hath beene said be granted I finde that God hath not fulfilled these his absolute promises to me for I doe not yet feare God and obey How can I hope How can I choose but feare my estate Let this for the time be granted that God hath not planted his feare in your heart c. as yet May hee not doe it hereafter Sith hee hath made unto you such excellent promises to fulfil them without condition on your part but that you should onely use the meanes and waite Will you not give him leave to fulfill them in his owne time And will you not waite and be glad if they may be fulfilled at any time Times and seasons of Gods communicating his graces are reserved