iudgements shall bee more if you be an example either of euill to others or evill to your selfe I say the greater you are in place the greater should be your care because the greater is your sinne Inferiors depend upon superiors consider I pray if you bee eminent in place what a good example from you will doe unto others that are under you and on the contrary what evill will follow from being carlesse and prophane they will marke you for an example to euill therefore you see that the greater conditions that you are in the more cause you haue to be humble The sixt meanes to get humiliation is this you must be earnest with God to get the spirit for this makes the law effectuall the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickneth the law and the letter of the law will not worke grace in you no more then the flesh will except the spirit goe with it It is the spirit that alwaies enlighteneth the minde and workes a change in the whole man and puts new habits on the faculties and objects sit for those habits and here now appeares the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell nothing will make a man truely humble without the spirit If the Lord should speake unto you this day as he spake heere to Paul yet if the spirit did not shine into your hearts it would not bee effectuall to humble you it is not the word but the spirit in the word that is able to change you and make you new creatures I say if Eliah should preach unto you or one in the spirit of Eliah hee would never humble you except the spirit accompany it it will be but like the shaking of the earth unto the Iayler Acts 16. but it must bee the spirit that changes your hearts but when the spirit comes and gives but a glimps of that light in the soule then hee can cry to Paul Sirs what shall wee doe to bee saued Felix at the preaching of Iudgement can tremble but it is the spirit that opened Lydias hart to beleeue I say if you had Paul and Eliah and Iohn Baptist that came in the spirit of Eliah yet it were nothing worth if you get not the spirit therefore be ye earnest with God to get the spirit and never rest till you finde him in your soule and remember that there was a time when the Angel stirred the water at the Poole of Bethesda that they that first stepped in were healed of what disease soeuer they had So there is a time when the Lord turnes and when the spirit mooues the heart to good let vs make vse of this opportunity and strike while the Iron is hott and grinde while the the windes blow and watch euery opportunitie because the spirit will come and mooue the heart as the Angel did the water that so wee may first steppe in and bee healed therefore if you would get humiliation bee earnest for the spirit and you may haue him for asking it is Christs promise to give him if you want him it is because you doe not aske him aske therefore that you may have him and be humbled The 7th meanes is this that as we must get the spirit so we must adde the word it is true that the spirit is the only meanes to make us humble it is the efficient meanes without which nothing will humble us it is as true also of the word because the spirit makes the word as the instrumentall meanes to humble us and therefore if you would be humble you must joyne with the Spirit the Word and that you may have the word effectually to humble you you must doe these things First you must labour to get the saving knowledge of the word because it is the meanes to humble you that is the Word with the Spirit inlightens the soule for as a man that is in the darke cannot see any thing till hee have a candle so he that is ignorant of the Word he is in darknesse and cannot see his sinnes in such a manner as to humble him or as a man cannot see the motes that are in the house till the Sunne shine into the house though they were in the house before so hee that hath not the saving knowledge of the Word in his heart cannot see the severall windings and twinings and corners corruptions of his heart till by the Spirit he come unto the saving knowledge of the Word Ahab saw not the chariots and Horsemen of Israel which Micha saw because he was Ignorant of the Word and therefore the Lord saith Ierem. 31. 34. they shall know mee from the greatest unto the least they thinke they do know me but indeede they doe not but then they shall know me that is when I haue giuen them my spirit and by the spirit they haue attained unto the true knowledge of the word then they shall know me they knew me before and they knew sinne before but now they shall know sinne by the word in another manner then they did so Paul Rom. 7. saith I knew sinne by the law that is I knew sinne before but now I know sinne by the word in another manner then I did I saw it but not with that hew as I did before the law had made mee to see things in another colour then afore Labour as to get the spirit so to get the sauing knowledge of the word The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 10. that the spirit searcheth the deepe things of God now these things are showne unto us by the word they are plainely discouered unto the soule in another manner then before Knowledge workes a deepe impression unto the soule of a Christian and searcheth into the corruptions of the heart into the diuers lusts of the flesh findes them poysonable and hence is humbled for where there is the greatest knowledge there is the greatest light and where there is the greatest light there is most filth seene and where there is most corruption seene there is greatest cause of humiliation therefore that the word may humble you labour to abound in knowledge Secondly as you must know the word so you must receiue the word as the word of God if you will haue the word to humble you you must receive it as Gods Word and from God for if it doe come unto you and be not received of you as the Word of God but as the word of man it will neither enlighten you nor humble you this is the difference betweene the word that is received as from God and the Word that is received as from men if you receive it as from God it will worke effectually in you it will make you to renounce the world it will worke feare and humiliation in you but if it come as the word of man it will be slighted by you it will take no solide roote in you it will wither and bring forth no fruite in you and therefore
more even as water hardneth Iron when it is hot but this godly sorrow works other effects therefore the Apostle saith I was glad that you were sorrowfull because it wrought repentance in you that is it changed your hearts so much for this question The fourth question is this whether there bee any difference betweene the godly sorrow and that which is false To this I answer that they differ in three things especially 1. In the Obiect  2. In the Causes  3. In the Effects The first difference is in the object the object of worldly sorrow is the punishment of sinne the wrath of God he lookes upon these without any relation to Christ but the object of godly sorrow is sinne as it stands in opposition with the love of God towards him in Christ and howsoever a regenerate man lookes upon the punishment yet in a different degree not so much because he feares punishment as that he should give his father such cause to take such displeasure against him but it is sinne that hee principally lookes upon viz. that he hath displeased so good so gracious a Father as God hath beene unto him and this is that which workes humiliation in him but the other sees the wrath of God and hell death and that finall separation betweene him and happinesse and hereupon for feare of punishment he is humbled Thus you see the difference in the objects The second difference is in the causes the cause of the worldly sorrow is either some judgement present either upon his person or in his substance or in his family or else it is some judgement that hee feares God will inflict upon him hereafter either in his riches or in his credit and reputation amongst men and therefore for feare of these he is humbled But the cause of godly sorrow is the apprehension of sinne as it is contrary unto the nature purity and perfection of God as also of Gods love towards a man he hath an eye given him whereby he sees into the riches of Gods love unto him and then reflects upon himselfe and sees his carriage towards God for such mercy and finding no proportion betweene them hence growes his sorrow that hee should thus requite God with sinne for mercy The third difference is in the effects for as they doe proceed not from one and the same ground so they bring not forth the same but contrary effects and they are three fold First worldly sorrow it drawes the affections of the heart from God because they see him as a judge they cannot love him as a Father he takes God to be his enemy and therefore doth what he can to flye from him because he expects no good from him this we see as before in Adam Cain and Iudas but the godly sorrow it makes a man cleave faster unto Christ to sticke faster unto grace it whets the affections to love Christ to prize Christ more it workes a willing readinesse in the soule to obey it puts by that which would make him flye from Christ Secondly worldly sorrow it hurts the body it breeds diseases it wasts and consumes the Intrailes breeds and brings consumption of the body it duls and makes dead the soule it takes away the rellish of spirituall things it makes a man carelesse to good it daules and makes a man unwilling unto any good But the godly sorrow it is the life of the soule it is the health of the body it quickneth the soule of man unto good it puts a new life into it it workes a readinesse in the will and love in the affections to Christ grace and holinesse Thirdly worldly sorrow it makes a man of a hot and a fiery spirit it stirres him up after evill to reproach and disgrace his neighbour it fils him full of hatred revenge and envy but godly sorrow it breeds another kind of Spirit in him it makes him of a meeke and a quiet spirit wordly sorrow will not put up reproach disgrace and wrong but this will put up all injuries and wrongs and whatsoever else hee meets withall for Christ thus you see the difference betweene these The fifth question is this how shall I know whether my sorrow be a godly sorrow or no. To this I answer you shall know it by these three things 1. By the Ingredients  2. By the Continuance  3. By the Event First I say you shall know it by the Ingredients for first they have not onely the sence of punishment which is common unto the worldly sorrow for I say howsoever it is the property of worldly sorrow to apprehend punishment yet it is likewise required of godly sorrow to be sensible of punishment but there is another light put into him whereby hee sees into the uncleanenesse of sinne he sees sinne in its owne dye not onely sinne to bee sinne but sinne to bee vile and hereupon he will not content himselfe with mercy unlesse he may have grace but the other cares not if he may be free from punishment whether hee hath strength against corruption or no. Secondly you shall know it by the continuance of it godly sorrow is constant but worldly sorrow is but a passion of the mind it changes it lasts not though for the present it may be violent and strong and worke much outwardly yet it comes but by fits and continues not like a land flood which violently for the present over-flowes the banckes but it will away againe it is not alwayes thus but the godly sorrow is like a spring that still keepes his running it is not dryed up but runnes still it is not so violent as the other but it is more sure you shall have it still running both Winter and Summer wet and dry in hot and cold earely and late so this godly sorrow is the same in a regenerate man still take him when you will he is still sorrowing for sinne this godly sorrow it stands like the center of the earth which removes not but still remaines Thirdly you shall know it by the successe and event of it it will turne the heart unto Christ it will make the heart stand more firme in grace it will turne the whole frame of the soule unto God like the Loadstone that will not rest till it hath toucht the Iron or as the needle touched will not stand till it touch the North-pole So it is with this godly sorrow when a man hath received but a touch of the spirit he will never rest till he hath toucht Christ till he be at peace with him nothing will satisfie him till Christ come into the Soule till Christ be his nothing will make him to remove that confidence and trust that hee hath in Christ all things shall goe for Christ. But the worldly sorrow hath another successe namely to flye faster away from God as I have showed in Iudas and Caine. And thus much for this question The sixt question
loath the creature but sinne all the imperfections and blemishes and diseases and infirmities of the creature makes not God to loath it if there be not a mixture of sinne with it because they are not contrary unto God they fight not against God but sinne fights against the purity and holinesse of God and therefore Gods hatred of the creature is onely a hatred for sinne Secondly to us it is the greatest evill the argument stands thus that which deprives us of the greatest good is the greatest evill but this sinne doth Ergo. for it doth deprive us of all things that are good but especially of two things wherin standeth our chiefest good As first it deprives us of the best outward good which is God as the Prophet saith Your sinnes separate betweene you and your God and they keepe good things from you of all other good especially they hinder the comming of grace into your hearts Now what greater evill can there be then this to keepe both God and his Grace from us Secondly it deprives us of the chiefest good within us as for example First it deformes the beautie and strength of the inward man Secondly it weakens that grace that is within that is it makes us unable to resist evill this is the nature of sinne Thirdly if you cannot see it in these then come unto the effects that it workes and it will appeare to be the greatest evill First it turnes all the faculties and parts of the soule body to evill and is the breeder of all distemperature as feare and horrour in the soule Secondly it brings all the evill that doth befall a man in this life they all come by sinne all shame reproach povertie disgrace punishment comes by sinne now if you will but consider sinne in these you will see it to be evill but especially you shall see the evill of sinne in a distressed conscience what feare what amazement what astonishment and despaire what sorrow what anguish of heart is there as upon Iudas no restitution will serve no comfort will worke no perswasion will prevaile thus if you looke upon sinne it will appeare the greatest evill Fourthly sinne is the greatest evill if you consider the medicine that must come to heale it Christ must lay downe his glory for a time hee must abase himselfe hee must come from heaven to earth he must take our nature upon him and humble himselfe unto a cursed death before sinne can be healed now put them altogether sinne is evill by nature Againe it is evill because it deprives us of the greatest good both within us and without us it is the cause of all diseases shame and reproach such an evill that nothing will heale but the blood of Christ looke upon sinne thus cloathed and it will appeare the greatest evill Make conscience therefore of little sinnes for they bring great evils though the sands of the Seas be but little yet a many heaped together make a great burthen so sinne though but in an idle word thought or behaviour seeme to be but a little sinne yet lay many of them together and they will breake the soule and make it barren and unfit to good if a man owe but little debts yet if they be many if he looke and cast them up in the totall hee will finde himselfe presently to bee but a bankerupt so it is with sinne what though the sinne be but a little sinne yet give this a little vent put it to action and this sinne will proove a great sinne give once consent and in time it will be a raigning sinne and when it is thus then it turnes the soule into evill sets it on a rage imprisons it makes it to obey and to be a slave to Sathan now what greater evill can there bee then sinne thus much for the first meanes to get the Iudgement rectified which will see sinne so as to humble it The second meanes to be humbled is this you must labour to make your hearts fit to be humble and that you may doe this you must doe these things First you must labour to get some sense of holinesse that is you must get the heart in a frame of grace for except a man get the spirit he will not be humbled but when there is holinesse bred in the heart then he will see sinne to be humble hee will see sinne out of his place Take any heavy thing especially water and in its place it is not heavy but let it be remooved out of its place and it will be a heavy burthen even so will sinne bee unto you when you have once gotten the spirit you will then see sinne out of his place and to be a heavy burthen that you will not willingly beare it but you will stoope under it and therefore the more holinesse that any man gets the more will be his sight of sinne and where there is most sight of sinne there will be most griefe for sinne and this griefe is alwayes accompanied with this humiliation that I speake of and where there is the greatest humiliation for sinne there is the greatest doore of mercy opened where there is most sence of sinne there the heart is best fitted for grace and in this case the more tender of conscience the better Christian. Secondly if you would be fit to bee humble consider another thing which is the punishment of sinne if you continue in sinne you shall be damned deprived of glory you were once good consider now wherein your happinesse consists consider that you have an immortall soule and that you must be called to an account the serious considerations of these things will make you to bee humble Nebuchadnezzar when he is brought to be like a beast then he confesseth that the Lord is God and humbles himselfe even so should wee Againe doe but consider that all things are in the hands of God and that every one of you in particular are and that he is able presently to dispose of you as he will Againe consider that God is alwayes every where that hee sees all things and that he will judge all men and that a day of judgement a day of departure to judgement is appointed unto all consider also the severity of the Iudge the sentence that hee will pronounce the punishment that he will inflict the eternity of the time I say if men would but consider these things wishly they would not goe on in sinne as they doe but the want of consideration of these things keepes men from Christ. For if the adulterer would but consider what the Scripture saith that no adulterer shall be saved or if the covetous man or drunkard c. that wholly devotes themselves unto evill would but consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9. that none of these should inherit the Kingdome of God they would not goe on in sinne as they doe Againe if they did but consider that all sinne ends in paine that
feare there is in them the root of comfort remaining There are many examples that may bee brought to prove the same but I know none like that of our Saviour Christ who although he was in such unspeakeable horror of conscience that it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee yet this horror was mingled with faith comfort and the assurance of Gods favour So Gods Children may have such sorrow and be so drunken with wormewood that it may make them not to know what to doe yet in all this griefe the fire of Gods love is not quite extinguished but there are some sparkes thereof remaining under these ashes Here is a Caveat to be given of two things First Let those that are in this disposition of minde take heed of that that Satan in this condition may labour to bring us unto for then they are in a disease and those that are in a disease incline unto some thing Take heed then of polluting the Sabbath and other sinnes that hee may intice thee to for Sanus and AEger differ the one desires one thing the other another Secondly Something must bee done positively for the healing of our griefe when that we are in sorrow wee must pitch it upon the proper object to wit sinne and put away all worldly sorrow for that bringeth death but sorrow for sinne that bringeth life All these things thus being expounded the point is manifest That sinne and Gods wrath being charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible Indeed when the burthen lyes on the ground we feele it not but when it lyes on our shoulders So before this horror is charged on the conscience wee feele it not but then is it exceeding terrible It is with griefe as it is with joy There are three things in all joy 1. There is a good thing 2. There is the conjunction of that good thing to us 3. A reflect knowledge thereof So also in griefe there are threethings 1. There is a bad thing 2. The conjunction of that to us 3. The reflecting of the understanding whereby we know the hurt that comes to us thereby When a man feeles and sees and knowes his sinne then is it unsupportable and the reason thereof is because that then a mans spirit is wounded and cannot beare it selfe The Reasons of this point are these three First because that sinne and Gods wrath are in themselves the greatest evill as righteousnesse and Gods favour are the greatest good Men may thinke that punishment were the greatest evill but it is not for that is but the effect of sinne sinne is the cause thereof now we know that the cause is alwayes greater than the effect Now when God shall open our eyes to see this sinne and Gods wrath then it will be an insupportable burthen This is the reason that at the day of Judgement the wicked shall cry Hils and Mountaines fall upon us to hide us from the presence of the Judge because that then God shall open their eyes to see their sinnes which if hee should doe now while they are here on earth would make them cry out as much As it is with comfort so it is with griefe If we know not of it it affects us not As the Army that was about Gebezai it comforted not him because hee saw it not So for griefe although hell and damnation be about us yet if we see it not wee doe not regard it The second Reason is taken from Gods manner of working on the spirit of the creature hee then leaveth it now wee are to know That the greatest comfort the Creature hath is the fruition of Gods presence the greatest griefe is his absence if we want that wee are deprived of all comfort as if the Sunne be absent wee are deprived of all light If there were but a little comfort remaining that would serve to hold the head above the water but if all comfort bee gone it then presently sinketh The proper object of feare and griefe is the absence of good and prelence of evill and both them come by the privation of Gods presence The third Reason is taken from the nature of conscience it selfe when it is awakened because that then it is sensible of the least sinne for every faculty as it is larger so it is more capable of joy and griefe therefore men are said to be more capable of joy and griefe than the bruit beasts and in man the soule is more capable than the body and in the soule conscience of all other parts most capable and as the conscience is capable of the greatest griefe so also of the greatest comfort it is capable of the peace of God which passeth all understanding And surely this horror of conscience is nothing else but a sparke of hell fire which the Heathen had some inkling of when they sayd they were exagitated with the furies Seeing then that the wrath of God is thus insuppartable this should teach us in all things especially to labour to keepe a good conscience and to labour to be free from the guilt of sinne if the wrath of God be the greatest evill then should the whole streame of our endevours be to take heed thereof by labouring for to keepe a pure conscience Proportion your care herein to the good that will come thereby it will bring the unspeakeable comfort without this labour to keepe a good conscience thou wilt neuer have thy heart perfect therefore labour for it consider the good it bringeth Men busie their heads here to the utmost for other things as for Learning Credit Riches Honour and all because they thinke that they are worthy their labour Let us then but consider the fruit that this peace of conscience will bring let us but gather up our thoughts that are busied so much about other things and but consider this a little which if men would but doe they would spend more time about it then they d ee for now these things are done but by the bye and have not that tithe of the time spent about them that should be which we spend about other things But let such know that it is but a folly to goe about that worke with a finger which requires the strength of the whole body When this worke of the building of grace doth require the whole strength of a man and we put not our whole strength thereto it is no marvell if we doe not prosper therein Let us therefore seriously consider our wayes let us consider with what tentations the Devill daily assayeth us Consider that it were as good get ground of the raging Sea as of raging lusts Consider these things with thy selfe I am verily perswaded that the chiefest cause why there is so much deadnesse in those that belong unto Christ is because they consider not their wayes Take time therefore to consider thy wayes It is no wonder to see men complaining of their weaknesse when
desires which have beene formerly set to get other things and now wholly imploy them for the getting of this strength and so much the rather because other things are but as the huske without the kernell or as the scabberd without the sword which will doe a man no good when hee stands in need of them as for example to bee strong in riches and honour and credit and and yet this is all the strength that most men desire will doe no good when yee come to wrastle with sinne and death But for to be strong in the inward man who seekes or enquires after it I know you would be strong in all earthly strength but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the inward man It is the folly weakenesse and sicknesse of men they looke all without the doores unto the strength of the outward man oh that I could but perswade you as I said before to gather the rest of your thoughts and desires together and set the soule in a frame of grace that you may mortifie these inordinate affections which keepe backe the strengthning of the inward man as covetousnesse pride pleasure love of vaine glory and the like then it would bee but an easie worke and no burthen unto you to strengthen the inward man but here men sticke the way is too narrow it is a hard matter to perswade men unto it that there is such excellency in the one and not in the other that grace is the better part Therefore that I may the better prevaile with you to strengthen the inward man I will lay downe some motiues to perswade you to it The first motive to move you to strengthen the inward man is because your comfort lyes most in the inward man even all your comfort and therefore to strengthen that is to adde unto your comfort as for example the Sunne brings comfort with it because it brings light therefore the more light the more comfort so the more of the inward man you have the more light and ioy Now the reason wherefore the inward man brings the most comfort is because it is the greater faculty and the greater the faculty is the greater is either the joy or the sorrow as for example take a man that is troubled in minde None so humble so penitent so sorrowfull as he and therefore it is said that the Spirit of a man will beare his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare a man may be able to beare any outward trouble but the griefe of a troubled mind who can on the contrary take a man that is at peace with God who so joyfull and comfortable as he now the outward man is the lesse faculty and therefore it is capable of the lesse comfort it doth not in any measure know what true comfort and ioy there is in the inward man Againe what joy the outward man hath in outward things it is but in the opinion of the inward man they comfort no more but as they are esteemed of the inward man if the inward doe not esteeme them as worthy the reioycing in they will not bring comfort Againe all the paines and labour that you bestow on the outward man is but lost labor that will bring you no great advantage but the strength of the inward man will arme you against losses and crosses and reproach that you shall meete withall in the world whilest you are in the way to heaven Againe consider that though you bee strong in the outward man yet you are moveable subject to shaking and fleeting but it is otherwayes with the inward man it makes a Christian sted fast and unmoveable it will so establish the heart in grace that he will stand firme unto Christ in all estates It is with the outward man as it is with the Seas though the strength of the streame runne one way yet if the wind blow contrary it moves and stirres and strives and disquiets it so when losses and crosses come they breake the frame and strength of the outward man but the inward man is like the dry ground let the winde blow never so violent yet it moves not it stands firme Againe in the abundance of outward things there is no true contentednesse Neither in the want of them where the strength of the inward man is is there cause of dejectednesse This we shall see in Adam and Paul Adam though hee was lord of all things and had the rule of all the creatures yet when hee was weake in the inward man what joy had hee nay what feare had he not when he hid himselfe in the Garden Againe looke upon Paul in the want of these outward things he is not dejected at all as in Acts 16. 25. it is said that when Paul and Silas were in prison in the stockes the prison rung for joy now what was the reason of it but this because they were strong in the inward man And therefore you see that all true joy is that which comes from grace within and when you rejoyce in that your rejoycing is good you stand then upon a good bottome Alas you thinke to have contentment in your riches but you will be fooled by them they will deceive you if you build upon them you will build without a foundation and goe upon another mans legges now were it not farre better for you to get legges of your owne and build upon a sure foundation and this you shall doe if you will strengthen the inward man Againe consider that if you doe not strengthen the inward man you will have wicked thoughts in your hearts and evill actions in your hands were it not better to bee strong in the inward man and to have holinesse and grace in the heart Let this therefore move you to strengthen the inward man because your comfort lyes most in the inward man Thus much for the first motive The second motive to moove you to strengthen the inward man is this if you labour to strengthen the inward man you shall thereby please God If a man had never so much strength yet if it be not the strength of the inward man hee cannot please God he cannot performe any holy dutie in such a holy manner as God will approove of and therefore the Prophet saith That God doth not delight in any mans legs He cares not for any mans strength be it never so great and excellent except it be the strength of the inward man and on the contrary hee regards the holy man with his strength though outwardly weake as in Esa. 56. 2. I will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit hee that is of a contrite spirit he is spiritually strong and therefore I will dwell with him now what is the reason that men seeke so much the favour of Princes but because they may be exalted unto honor then why should not you much more labour to be in favour and have familiaritie
as they will not labour to keepe a good conscience it is all one as if a sluggard should complaine of his poverty or an idle scholler should complaine of his ignorance Be exhorted therefore to prize the peace of conscience spend the chiefest of your cares for it what if you loose some few other things so you get that they are all nothing in comparison to that but the common fashion now is to spend but a little time in such things as these are and so thinke that enough too This sheweth us the miserable condition of those that still lye in their sinnes it may be they thinke the burthen thereof to be light and account it not but when the burthen of their sinnes shall be layed upon them they will finde to be intollerable now while the burden lyes not on their shoulders they feele it not but when God shall once say Let him beare the burden of his sinnes we shall finde them to be unsupportable even able to presse us downe to hell as here they did Iudas The common fashion of men is not to regard what sinne they runne into for the escaping of some outward crosse thinking that to be the greater but they shall one day to their cost finde the contrary that these outward punishments and losses are nothing in comparison to the inward that as outward cold and heat is nothing to the inward the heat in summer is nothing to the heat of the feaver so that these outward crosses are but as the heat in summer inward like the heate of the feavor But it s a wonderfull thing to see how men like little children rejoyce and tremble at appearances Children cry not at things to be feared but at things not to be feared as Hobgoblins and the like they cry so doe men most commonly feare those things that are but umbrae doloris for outward evils are like the scabbard without the sword which cannotcut they are only inward evils which are like a deepe pit out of which we cannot be recovered Set your hearts therefore in a right disposition of judging of sinne that you may judge aright thereof as it is in it selfe labour to apprehend Gods wrath for sinne and beat downe those lusts that like mists hinder us from the sight thereof Judge of sinne as the Scripture judgeth of it for that is the true glasse judge of these outward things as they are see how you should judge of them in the day of death and so judge of them now and by this meanes you shall foresee the plague and prevent it Seeing then that sinne is so unsupportable when once it is charged upon the conscience this should teach us earnestly to sue for pardon for it above all other things if we meane to have it It is now become the fashion of the world to pray for the pardon of their sinne in a superficiall manner but such shall never obtaine it but only those that are fervent in prayer for it for God will be glorified of every man both of the unjust and just 2. For the wicked he will be glorified of them at the day of Judgement in their destruction This is the meaning of that place Rev. 1. 7. Behold he commeth with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wayle because of him But for his owne servants those that he calleth he first woundeth he causeth them for to see their sinnes and the pittifull case they are in by reason of them and then he causeth them to see him in his Attributes of Love Mercy and Judgement and maketh them to sue unto him for pardon as a man condemned and ready to be executed and thus he is also glorified by them Seeke therefore for the pardon of your sinnes if you did but feele the burthen thereof a while as Iudas did you would if you cannot see your sinnes labour to see them Some may here say How shall wee doe to get pardon we desire it with all our hearts Use a right method 1. Labour to be humbled by the Law 2. Labor to be comforted againe by the Gospel 1. For the Law that must humble us 1. By the declaration of the fault 2. By the commination of punishment Which thou must apply unto thy selfe 1. Thou must apply unto thy selfe the corruption of thy nature by reason of thy sinnes 2. Thou must consider what thou hast deserved for this thy sinne Thefirst being as the Jury that tels a man hee is guilty the second being as the Judge that pronounceth the sentence of death This is the way to be humbled and so to come to sound repentance Thus did Paul with Foelix Act. 24 25. He reasoned of temperance righteousnesse and judgement to come 1. He reasoned of Righteousnesse and Temperance that is he told him what righteousnesse and temperance was required of them that should be saved 2. He added judgement to come that is he threatned the terrors of the Law and so made himto tremble So likewise let us doe first consider what righteousnesse temperance purity and holinesse is required of them that would be saved then in the second place considerthe judgement that is threatned if we doe not performe these things Now that we may the better see the fault 1. Fasten thine eyes upon some particular grosse sin as suppose it be of drunkennesse uncleannesse lying against the conscience see if thou art guilty of such sins first as the woman of Samaria did by her adultery Ioh. 4. So David when he had committed adultery first he saw that and the seeing that hee came to see the corruption of his owne nature for it is a loud sound that must first awaken a man then being once awakened he will heare lesser sounds 2. After thou hast thus done then consider the corruption of thy nature looke on all the faculties of the soule see how they are out of square the understanding is dulled the conscience when it should cry then it s still and when it should be still then it cryes the memory ready to forget good things but prone to retaine privy grudges towards our neighbors the will wil do a thing when as the understanding tels it that it is contrary to Gods will therefore should not be done and so likewise for the other affections all which when we have done let us looke on the streightnesse of the law the crookednes of our lives how short we come of doing that we should and then see what we have deserved for it 2. This being done let us comfort our selves with the Promises of the Gospell for grace can never truly be wrought untill by the Gospell we beleeve humiliation cannot do it we must therfore know that God is exceeding merciful more thē we canimagin and lay hold upon his love in Christ by a true faith Every man knowes that God is mercifull but we are not fit for to