can mollifie those parts that are hard as * CoÌ„serves of Roses mollifie those parts which are hard yea help break the stone Will. Langham in his garden of health p. 534. Cui sons forte siccatus lachrymarum invocato Jesu non fluxit uberior Bernard one writes of it so Christ can take away the very heart of stone as he hath promised being God Eze. 36.26 hence Bernard what hardnesse of heart was ever able to stand before Jesus 12. 12 Case When you are troubled with Melancholy and distrustfull thoughts go to Christ in that case also For as Roses have a facultie as a Thomas Hill in his Art of Gard. p. 88. they write to expell melancholy so hath b Cui in adversis diffidenti jam jamque deficienti si nomen adjuâ—orii sonuit defuit fortitudo Bernard Christ a most singular facultie to cast out and dispell all those pensive and perplexed conceits which do so torture many of his beleeving members For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. Iosh 1.5 which words of his being spoken home to the heart of a distrustfull person by his own spirit within in case you make use of him in such a time of need must needs be of such force and power as that light must even come out of darknesse as when he said let there be light Gen. 1.3 13. 13 Case When your hearts are not very stable go to Christ for stabilitie For as Roses if Plinie c Plin. Nat. hist lib. 25. may be credited confirme the tottering teeth in ones mouth so he is able to confirme and to make stable your hearts as the Apostle writes 2 Corinth 1.21 Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ c. is God marke in Christ who therefore is aptly resembled to a rock which firmly beares that edifice which is built on it d Aug retract l.c. 21. Matth. 16.10 14. 14 Case In a word when any sinfull motion or evill humour doth arise in your hearts then make haste to make use of Christ who is able to purge it out as Roses have a facultie to purge the heart so as that they suffer not any corruption to remain in it if we may give credit to that which e The Syrupe of Roses suffereth no corruption to remain in the heart Will. Langh p. 537. one writes of the same nay f Siquidem cum nominâ— Iesâ—m hominenâ— mihi propono mitem humilem corde benignum sobrium castum misericordem c. eundémque ipsum Deum omnip tentem qui me exemplo sance roboret adjutorio Vnde concludit quod nomeâ— I su totius indecoris fugat pruriginem Bernard Serm. 15 super Cant. much more For so saith the Apostle whom we may certainly beleeve Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God 15. 15 Case If you say what if one do yeeld or have given way to sin what shall he do then shall he go to Christ too I answer yes For whether will ye go else but to him who is able and ready to take away your sins and to cure your wounds after you have been bitten of sin and Satan even as the g Plin. Nat. hist l. 25. c. 2. root of a field rose is able to take away the venome out of the wound of a man that hath been bitten of a mad dog as Plinìe writes for therefore he compares himself both to a Rose in the field here and to the brazen Serpent in Israels camp which being looked on by those that were stung of fierie Serpents did heale and cure the same Ioh. 3.14 15 16. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Son of man be lifted up who as b one notes by the way by reason of his everlasting Dietie I adde and by reason of the long-lasting vertue of his death to deliver us from death notwithstanding sin which ever cleaves unto us is most aptly set forth by a serpent of brasse which is the more durable mettall that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life unto this most excellent passage of which more is to be said hereafter we may annexe that in 1 Iohn 1.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sinne not And if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the father lesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world where note by the way how Christ in such a case is compared to an Advocate so as that poore sinners who cannot plead for themselves may plead by him to escape the Iudgement of God denounced against sinners that they must die Ezech. 18.4 even as by the * Litigaturo liberum est ut vel ipse in persona propria compareat c. si ipse in judicio standi personam habeat Natura autem quidam impedâ—untur ut infantes quidaÌ„ loge ut soemiâ—ae quae per procuratores agere possâ—nt Doctor Vulteius Iuris Prud. l. 2. c. 30. civill law women children that cannot defend themselves are to plead their case by a Procurator or Advocate whereas others may plead themselves So that one may as much encourage you to go to Christ notwithstanding those sins into which through infirmitie you fall as * CavaÌ„za in suÌ„ma concil mihi p. 281. those 227. fathers which met in Trullo under the Emperour Iustinian to adde Canons unto the sixth generall Counsell of Constantinople which made none do * Liceaâ— omni Christiano monasterium ingredâ— c. in quocunque crimine deprehensus fuerit Saluaâ— tor enim noster Deus inquit Eum qui ad me venit non ejiciam for as Caxon 43. Conâ— 6. Const sic dicti animate and allow even criminall persons and notorious malefactors to enter into a Monastery yea more then they seeing the word of God it self as I shewed but now maketh for such an encouragement whereas they can bring no proofe sufficient They say indeed that Christ hath said him that comes to me I le in no wise cast out but they prove not that he who enters into a Cloyster having been a malefactor such as by the Law of God ought to die goes to Christ nay they cannot prove it For so any murderer or Sodomite to save his life may go into a Monastery and yet be farre enough from Christ wherefore I say one may more safely animate poore sinners that sin out of weaknesse to go to Christ himself rather then into a Cloyster which cannot save them as Christ can 16. If you say 16 Case what if our own hearts do even tremble and shake and condemn us as hypocrites shall we go to Christ and make use
Si nihil voluntarie omittit c. Gabriel Biel in Can. Missae Lect. 8. mihi fol. 11. that your memories may be so illuminated as that you may be able to recount and to remember your sins I adde and to come to the true knowledge of your selves and of your estates For so in like manner you would be loath to forget or to neglect any thing in a weightie and important earthly businesse and you would be glad to be fully informed of everything that may concern you and we know by the word of God that a deceitfull negligence is that which God condemneth because it is voluntary Ier. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and deceitfully For the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew signifieth both Let me superadde but a necessary Corollary A Corollary and then I have done with this important matter of examination That it may appeare that you do not willingly omit any thing necessary but rather use all means to come to the knowledge of your sins see that you search yourselves so diligently as that ye neglect not seriously to passe in your search through all the ten Commandements being assisted by one good Writer or other as Mr. Dod Dr. Maior Mr. Scudder or some other on the Commandements For this kinde of examination is held also by * Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 1. c. 5. sect 2. judicious Casuists to be sufficient And the reason hereof is because the Law of God is so perfect as that next unto Gods own immediate discovery there can be no more required to bring a man to the knowledge of his own sinfull estate See Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect 2. Having searched as much as you were able 2 Self-lamentation then lament and bemoane your selves as much as you can for having so highly and hainously offended so good a God and high a Majestie Thus Peter remembring himself what he had done went out of the High Priests Hall and wept bitterly Luk. 22.61 62. And Epiphanius writes of the proud * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan physiol c. 12. Peacock that when having beheld himself as he goeth and admired his beautifull glorious feathers he reflects at last upon his blackish and ugly feet he cryeth out as loud as he can in the midst of all his bravery because they are not proportionally correspondent and answerable to the other parts of his faire body and therefore well may we cry out rather then brave it out when upon an exact survey and search made we see the monstrous deformitie of our souls by reason of sin which is that abominable thing and the cause why our lives are not answerable to that transcendent beautie which is in Christ and to that proportionable comelinesse which should be in every one of us so as that we should not stand so much upon any good parts that are in us seeing that our souls have such black feet that is such ugly motions and inclinations whereupon they go and break out even into words and actions which are to be lamented even with teares of blood 3 Self-accusation if it were possible 3. Having lamented your selves fall to self-Accusation and confesse your sins I le not say to * Quid mihi ergo est cum bominibusâ—uâ— audiant consessiones meas quasiâ—psi sanaturi sâ—â—t amnes languores meos Aug. confes l. 10. c. 3. A Case of CoÌ„â—cience man who is a sinner himself and cannot forgive or justifie you but to God who is able and faithfull also and just to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1.9 You will say unto me how would you have us confesse our sins must we confesse them all to God in particular or will a generall confession serve I answer In some cases it will serve Sol. and in some it will not If you aske me in what cases it will suffice Quest I answer Answ If 1. we be prevented by time as the thiefe upon the crosse Luke 23.40 41 42 43. 2. * Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 1. c. 5. sect 2. When upon a diligent search we cannot finde out some yea many sins then we may warrantably confesse and say with David in generall Who knoweth the errors of his life cleanse me Lord from my secret sins Psal 19.19.12 But when will a generall confession not suffice A Case of Conscience I answer When we have time and may know and do know our maine sins For so saith Saint Iohn If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive them Marke here is both a promise and a condition the promise is remission the condition is confession and a confession of our sins note our now all the sins that we know and may know being main ones are ours so as that we may not say such are and such are not so as that we may chuse whether we will confesse them or no. Heare also the Judgement of holy * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in Epist ad Hebr. c. 12. hom 31. Chrysostome in this case Let us not onely call our selves offenders but let us reckon up our sins and repeat every one of them in particular I do not say accuse thy self unto others but I counsell thee to follow the Prophet saying Reveale thy way unto the Lord c. which words of his I adde lest men should think that he would have us confesse our sinnes in speciall to a Priest as the Romanists do teach and compell the people so to do No No that good * In â—ffusione notatur integritas c. Non enim confitenda sunt solum verba facta commissiones omissionès sed etiam cogitationes immuÌ„dae morâ—sae affectiones inordinatae intentiones mixtae voluntates perversa judicia suspiciones temerariae Albert Mag. Epis Ratiep in paradyso animae c. 40. Father as well as divers others was rather against then for any such auricular confession I close up this Case in the words of another great Doctor on Lam. 2.19 Powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord in the powring out of the heart saith he Integritie and universalitie is to be noted that we are to powre out our whole hearts by confession For deeds are not onely to be confessed quoth he and words commissions and omissions but uncleane thoughts also and churlish affections and disordered intentions mixt wils perverse censures rash suspicions For else as * Origâ—n one saith well such thoughts will accuse us in the last day I adde if we do not now accuse ourselves confessing them that they may not leave some impressions in our souls as in waxe Let me superadde one Corollary A Corolary keep short reckoning therefore and humble your selves often by often confessing even * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Psal 50. hom 12. daily
or hourely if you can that you may be able to remember the manifold exorbitancies of your ever-erring souls which otherwise for the most part will be through your own carelesnesse and oscitancie buried of you in oblivion to the great damage and disquietnesse of your ever * Rom. 2.15 accusing consciences See Psal 32.3 4. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Marke all the day long and * For the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both every day and the whole day which word somtimes sig◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—heth thoughts that are evill as Psal 36.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit praevaruatio impii idest mala cogitatio every day in the which he did not confesse for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me c. I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions Mark transgressions in the plurall number lest men should think that he speaks but of one notorious sin that troubled him and such transgressions as by vertue of the * originall do also comprize his very thoughts and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sin Which sacred passage plainly commonstrates the needfulnesse of an exact and frequent confessing of our main and known â—â—nnes as without which no calmnesse or true quietnesse of conscience is to be expected wherfore as I said so I say again recount your sins often spreading them abroad before the Lord as Hezekiah the railing Letter of Rabshekeh 2 King 19.14 that so you may have the lesse work to do in the kinde when you goe to prepare your souls for Christ the most medicinall Rose of Sharon to take him as the onely soveraign medicine of your sin-sick souls Thus descend by these three steps down to that depth of humiliation which possibly you can reach unto by the help and assistance of the all powerfull God which in the use of such holy means by earnest prayer you must crave and beg at his bountifull hands 2. In the next place be well * The next thing in repentance is the change of the minde c. And this standeth in a constant purpose of minde and resolution of the heart not to sin but in every thing to do the will of God Perkins Cases of Consciâ—nce l. 1. c. 5. sect 4. resolved not to live under the reigning power of any allowed or approved sin and not to neglect the performing of any known dutie when a man is to take Physick for the good of his body he resolves to part with a little money yea any money rather then want Physicke without which he knows he shall be sickly still and that he will do any thing prescribed by the skilfull Physician who knows farre better what is good for him then himself And therefore well may you resolve too being to take the Rose of Sharon as Physick for the good of your souls that you will by Gods help forgo any money I adde any sinfull pleasure honour or whatsoever else may be offensive unto Christ and that you will follow all the good instructions and directions which he hath set down in his word that you may enjoy him and be able to take him as you do desire Better is it and a thousand times better for you to follow Christs precepts and to be without such delights honours moneys while you live then one houre to want Christ who indeed will not comfortably impart himself and his hidden vertues unto one whose heart hankereth after such fugitive follies vain delights and golden fetters for he saith He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Matt. 10.37 from whence I draw this inference and therefore how much more is he who for the present loves either money or pleasure or honour more then Christ unworthy of Christ and unfit for Christ to take him to his comfort Nay * The life of Galeacius Caraccio lus cap. 28. Let their money perish with them said once Galeacius that noble Marquesse of Vico to a Jesuite enticing him to return from Geneva into Italy to his own home wife and children who esteeme the gold in the world not worth one dayes societie with Jesus Christ c. And therefore as Barnabas did once exhort the Antiochians that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto God Act. 11.23 So do I here perswade you to the like purpose of heart that you will part with any thing though never so deare and do any thing though never so irksome to flesh and blood that Christ your deare love may impart himselfe and the sweetest influence of his grace and comforts unto you which that you may obtain I pray God in mercy to settle your hearts for such a gracious purpose of heart You will say unto me A Case of Conscience you have resolved so many times but you were never able to perform what you purposed and therefore you do not know whether you may resolve so again I answer Soâ—ut If you did rashly resolve the fault is yours and therefore be wiser next and advised as Christ himself intimates by his two parables of a builder and a King Luk. 14.25.29 30 31 32. Considering 1. What strength you have imparted unto you much or little onely as the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3.8 that you may not presume beyond it 2. What strength there is in sinne which you would vanquish whether much or little that you may not slight it and so have the lesse care to watch it and to use all holy means to over-beare it when Porters are to beare a burden they poise it first that they may know how heavie it is and so may not lye under the burden afterward but rather in the beginning may get more help if it be too heavie and therefore well may you also poise the burden of a resolution first before you take it up and charge your souls with it that they may not afterward sinke under the burden for want of more strength and help and for want of poising the burden of sinne withall whose weight indeed maketh the burden of resolution so heavie as usually men after they have taken it up do finde it to be 2. I say however it came to passe that you were not formerly able to performe and to do what you resolved yet be not disheartened but resolve again and again For he that wils you to return again and again and again and again foure times Cant. 6.13 will doubtlesse accept also hereafter of your reiterated resolutions accompanied with wisdome in making and care in keeping though as yet you were never able to do as ye * Rom. 7.15 Gal. 5.17 would For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he