the partie with his friends and increase his discredit with his foes and againe if by all occasions of calling person tyme and place the Lord hath put you in this place to rebuke sinne consider you must put on you the person of the offender that as you spare not his sinne because of the zeale of Gods glory so you presse it not toe farre because of compassion to a brother then look that with these your heart be right in zeal and loue and so call for Gods assistance before you speak his grace in speaking and for his blessing after your speaking if any thing be left out that might haue beene profitable please not your selfe in it but be humbled for it though some infirmities be in you yet shall they not do so much hurt as Gods ordinance shall do good 43 Because great natural and worldlie sorrowe and joye will cause a man to break his sleep at midnight he wold trie himself whether sorrow for sin and joy in salvatiō had caused him to do the like 44 He rejoyced to see his friends but hee was humbled in that hee rested so much in that joye that he forget to doe the good to their salvation or to receiue good from them to his salvation which he thought he should do 45 One asking what hee thought of Fayries hee answered he thought they were spirits but hee distinguished betweene them and other spirites as commonly men distinguish betweene good witches and bad witches 46 His greatest sorrowe was when either he spake of some good thing that was not on himselfe and the greatest joy he had was in the contrarie 47 He vsed this tryal in his affections as of anger griefe joy or such like in this manner if by them he was made lesse fit to pray more vnable to do the good hee should doe lesse carefull to avoid sinne then he thought it carnall and filthie and not of God but when his anger loue grief and other affections provoked him more to praye made him fitter to doe good than he thought his affections sent to him to be as the blessing of God 48 He said whensoever he suspected and feared any evill to come vppon another he ever had a desire to be delivered and deceived of his opinion and that he would be glad to beare the shame of his priuy jealousie so as the person suspected might turne to God 49 He thought all afflictions to bee puttings of him to God frō slothfulnes 50 Vnto one afflicted in minde hee gaue this comfort First if you haue knowledge be thankfull for it and desire the Lord to giue you faith if you haue faith which vndoubtedly you may haue though not rightly discerning your self you presently perceiue it not you must waite on the Lord for feeling of it and though it may be you shall tarrie the Lords leasure long yet surely hee will giue it you in time in the meane time assure your selfe that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling because it is easie for every one in glorious feelings and joyes vnspeakable to beleeue but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord and by faith waite on him this mans faith is most great 51 To one that asked his advise whether he might avoid the doing of a thing whereunto he was called because he felt corruption in himselfe he said In avoyding societie you shal cover but not cure your infirmities and though you depart from men yet you cannot goe out of your selfe 52 He gaue this advise to one against the deadnes of the mind that overtaketh the godly First search the cause whether it be for some evil thing done or for some good thing not done so leaving some meanes of salvation vnvsed whether for some sinne seene but not repented of or some sinne repented of but not soundly or for vnthankfulnes Secondlie vse the remedie please not your selfe in it but rouse vppe your selfe as from a slumber which willingly you woulde shake from you call to minde the speciall and greatest mercie of God vse the meanes Thirdly in the meanes offer thy selfe to God waiting humbly and patiently for the time of deliverance neither esteeming toe much or toe little of thy afflictions 53 He said to one that for want of feeling was loath to pray you must not tarrie to pray vntill you find feeling but offer your selfe vp into the handes of Iesus Christ and so humbling your selfe before him pray on and continue in a praier of faith though not of feeling 54 When one asked him concerning Marriage whether it were good to marrie seing somtimes when concupiscence prickt him he was moved to it and some other times when he felt no such thing he thought he might abstene from it he answered Many came hastely into that calling not vsing the meanes of trying their estate throughly before as namely whether they by prayer fasting and avoiding all provocations of Concupiscence haue the guift of Chastitie or not Many vse some of the means but not 〈◊〉 many vse all the meanes but a 〈…〉 therefore it is good to vse first the mean◠not part of them but all of them not for a while but long and attend vppon the Lords ordinance if so be that all these things will not prevaile waite when the Lord shall giue just occasion of vsing that estate to his glorie and for our comforte 55 He said the best way to haue comfort in any of our friends was to pray for them and that he never had more joy in any than in them for whome hee most praied and in them most when he prayed the ofter and vehementliar for them whome we loue whether present or absent for this is a token of true loue to pray for them whome we loue 56 To one that complained of hardnes of heart he saide you must waite for comfort and know that you can now no more judge of your selfe than a man sleeping can judge of things which hee did waking or a man wandering in the dark canne discerne of bright colours who though environed with freshe colours and yet for want of light can haue no vse of his eies nor pleasure in the objects so you haue done great good things whilst God gaue you a waking hearte to put them in practise and the light of his spirit to discerne his graces in you though nowe you haue neither the sight nor sence of them even as he which sleepeth whilst hee waked might doe excellent things and yet now neither he himselfe knoweth of them nor another can discerne them in him and this is the thing that deceiveth and disquieteth many they look for that remisse in them which they had when Gods spirite wrought in the sweetest and fullest measure in them and beeause there is some intermission of the worke of newe birth they think it is a flat amission in them of the spirit of God but as it is a tokē of a mind
curteouslie saluted and worthelie commended of a Gentlewoman who said she heard a very good report of him he answered her the like haue I heard of you but God make our after fruites of his spirite more effectuall thā the former or else we shal not answer the glory of God and good opinion of his Saintes conceiued of vs. 19 The wicked that dare not boldly professe iniquitie redeeme times secretlie to commit it so though we haue not the strength to professe Religion publictlie yet let vs redeeme times secretly to frequent the exercises of Religion 20 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of evill he saide Though you haue occasions of sinne offered yet the cause of sinne is still in your selfe 21 Sometimes in a good action vsing good meanes with an vpright heart to a lawfull end yet our prayers be vnfrutefull and our labours want successe then let vs remember that in all these there were secret imperfections and that the Lords deferring is that wee being better prepared by humilitie to be thankfull he may grant our requests in richer manner and measure 22 Where there is an immoderate care of outward things there commonlie is little care of inwarde good things for if one haue inward good things they so content the persons that haue them that they labour not much for outwarde things if they want them desire them the carefull seeking of them bringeth a godlie neglect of outward things 23 Ministers shoulde most frequent those places where God hath made their ministerie most frutefull they shoulde heerein be like the covetous man that where they haue once found the sweetnesse of gaining of soules thither they should be most desirous to resort 24 Let their advice be a generall praescription of Phisick First the parties afflicted are to labor to haue peace of their consciences and joy of the holy Ghost through the assurance of their sinnes pardoned in Christ then carefull must they be to vse the meanes which may nourish their inward peace joy Thirdly they must rejoice and recreate themselues in wisdome and well doing with the Saints of God and holy company and lastly they must refresh themselues with Kitchin phisick and a thankfull vsing of the creatures of God 25 When one saide to him after long conference and praier Sir I haue troubled you oh my brother Not so said he I never felt it by well doing and if I may pleasure you it is as joyfull to me as ever it was to you to receiue money for for this cause I liue 26 His loue ever grewe to a man as he knewe the man to growe in godlines his loue decayed as the graces of God decayed first he was greeved and then his loue was flacked 27 Vnto one that was tempted with much vnbeliefe hee gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in praier and say Lord thou makest mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is very equitie howbeit oh Lord graunt I may by wisdome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience oh turne this to thy glory and my salvation I see and confesse what hath beene in mee a long time by that which now sheweth itselfe in me and that thy grace hath altogether hitherto kept vnder this corruption yet Lord I beleeue Lord yet I will beleeue helpe Lord my vnbeleefe thy name bee praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeliefe I am grieved as in my beliefe I am wont to be comforted and though my former ould and secrete sinnes deserue that I should not onely be given over to infidelitie but also that it should be in mee without griefe remorse yet Lord forgiue my sinnes newe and ould forgiue my vnthankfulnes Lorde increase my faith and grant good Father when thou shalt restore to mee this guift of grace againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it by fruites Or if this doe not prevaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to reade the worde of God especially his promises and bee still attending vpon the meanes wayting when the Lord shall inlarge your heart Or if this do not help go to some faithfull brother confesse yourselfe to him acknowledge your weaknes to him be not ashamed to giue God the glory by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so hee may pray for you whose praier according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinance herein Iames 5. vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus having prayed by yourselfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recoverie though you haue not present reliefe yet in meeknes of mind and patience of your spirite go to your calling knowing that your praiers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruite of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the Devill as though you could prevaile of yourselfe and as I would not you shoulde dispute with your temptation so I woulde not you shoulde despise it and make no account of it for in both are extremities If you take it toe much to heart or maruell howe you should overcome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it toe little and maruell howe such things should come into your head which was not woont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it toe fearfully Sathan will oppresse you before you beginne to fight If you account of it toe lightlie the devill needes not to wrestle with you you wil overcome yourselfe Fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruption but rest and trust in Christ your salvation If stil you ar tempted and no bodye by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will ask counsell at his word at the mouth of his Minister when he shall giue you just occasion If all this help not comfort your selfe with this pledge of Election that you are joyed when you feele your beleefe and you are grieved lest you shuld displease God by your vnbeleefe and knowe that as there is a vicissitude of the meanes of salvation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations whereof this is one against which you must striue 28 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his mind proceeded thereof hee saide on this sorte first knowe that Sathan hath no absolute power but a power by permission to trye vs against which we must arme our selues by faith which will assure vs that either the Lord will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he enlarge the tryall hee will increase our strength
according to the portion of our temptation wee must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the devill which we giue out to sinne to work rebellion in vs against his majestie but that hee would rather make Sathan a Surgeon to shewe vs our sinnes than Sergeant to confound vs for them It is the pollicie of the adversarie to perswade many that the weaknes of their bodie and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of their vnstaid minds wandering toe much after the motions of the devill in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting themselues to be tryed nor comforting themselues by meditation attend toe much and conferre with the devils illusions and temptations being more greved for their present sufferings than for their sinnes past The roote of this wordly shame is pride and haughtines of minde which is a privie evill and hardly will be beaten into the heade of them that are infected with it but sure it is that we would neuer be so grieved for the losse of a thing if wee did not toe much desire it and toe immoderatlie vse it whilst wee had it Iohn 12. 42. Which sinne of haughtines the Lord seeing in his children that they are more humbled with the losse of worldly credit than with the sence of their sinnes and losse of his glory hee striketh them with the wante of that thing which is most pretious vnto them because they made no conscience of that honour which is most precious vnto him wherefore this is the best remedie rather to be greved that we feele not our sinnes to be pardoned with God than that we are knowne to be sinners amongst men and that we be readie to shame our selues that God may haue the glory acknowledging shame and confusion and the whole hell of temptations to be due vnto vs and glory praise and compassion to be the Lords for this is a speciall mark of the child of God by temptations rightly humbled when hee is ready to shame himselfe for his sinne and to glorifie God in his mercie 29 Vnto one that thought himselfe to haue sinned against the holy Ghost he said Sathans temptations followe our affections for if wee lightly account of sinne hee bleres our eies still with Gods mercies if we beginne to make a conscience of sin hee loadeth vs with the judgments of God being as ready now to aggravate the sin more than it is in it selfe as before he would extenuate it to make it seeme lesse than it was howbeit saide he to the man thus afflicted I wil say vnto you as Samuel said to the people after they had confessed themselues to haue sinned against God with a great sinne True it is said Samuel not flattering them in their iniquities Ye haue sinned greatlie notwithstanding if ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voice and not disobey the worde of the Lord ye shall followe the Lord your God but if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord but disobey the Lords mouth then shall the hand of the Lord be vppon you 1. Sam. 12. 14. So I will not lessen your sin but I say you haue sinned with a greate sinne before the Lord in that you made a mock of the worde which you knewe yet if you turne to the Lord in feare and serue him your sinne is remissable howsoever Sathan charges your conscience in that you haue done evill against your owne knowledge and in that you are affraide lest that sinne be in you and wold rejoyce in God if it were not in you If you purpose to leaue your former sinns and in trueth to turne vnto the Lord I dare assure you that as yet you are free from that sinne 30 When a gentlewoman asked him if hee were not sometimes merrie Yes saith he wee are often merry and sometimes we are afraide of our mirth 31 When we distrust of Gods promises let vs set before vs the example of his mercie done to others that wee may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when we begin to presume let vs set before vs the examples of Gods judgmēts that we may pray for humilitie 32 Being desired to giue his judgement of a waightie matter he answered Sir neither am I able to speak nor you to heare for that wee haue not praied indeed I may talk and you answer as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as the children of God 33 Wee may thus trie our mourning for the sinne of others First this sorrowe for sinne must be bred for our own sins and from our selues proceede to the sins of others Secondly the measure of our mourning must be agreable and proportionable to the sinnes Lastly our griefe must to be for the person that we be moued rather to pittie and praye for him than to hate or despise him 34 Vnto one that with many words disabled himselfe hee saide meekly oh why doe you seeke so much your owne praise for by this ye bewraie the privie corruption of nature that by toe open a dispraise desireth toe privie praise 35 It is not good to vse that for a dyet which is prescribed for Phisick for that will not work in the extraordinarie neede of the body which is vsed in the ordinarie cause of health 36 Seeing a godly man having his sonne in his armes whome hee loued tenderlie he said to him Sir there is the matter of your rejoycing God make it the matter of your thanks-giving 37 After one had asked his advise for sitting or kneeling at the Lords Table he said as for such things let vs doe asmuch as wee can for the peace of the Church lest wee make the remedie of the evill worse than the evill it selfe 38 To one that said he was possessed of a devill he answered as hoping that he was the child of God and rather deluded than afflicted True it is that in asmuch as lieth in you you haue given your selfe over to the devill but it is not in your power to giue over your selfe to him neither is it in his jurisdiction to possesse you 39 Hee rebuked publicklie a publick offence of a private man in this manner My brethren such a sinne hath passed from this place the guiltles neede not to be offended the person guiltie is to repent of it 40 Because God worketh the sence of sinne by degrees in his children hee suspected them who at every sinne named would shew themselues forthwith troubled 41 Many having escaped out of the gulfe of superstitions are toe deep plunged in prophanesse 42 Being asked howe a man might reprehend he answered First looke that you haue a ground out of the worde for reproving then look if it stand with your calling to reproue afterward consider if some other man may doe it more profitably than you then look before whome you reproue lest yee hinder the credit of