deepe dissembling for will not wee thinke a man did mock vs if he should thank vs when we do him no better pleasure then thrust a knife through his cheeks so is it for men to thanke God when hee smiteth them with his plagues and thrusteth them in with the sword of his scourges and fearefull iudgements except they found that they were sanctified vnto them and that they did them good by letting out the impostume of some great corruptions that lay ranckling in their soules whereby they are now like to haue better and more found health for euer after If God shall by any meanes shew to a man at any time what benefit his sicknesse shall bring vnto him and what is the good that he shall reape out of his troubles and his affliction that thereby as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet The iniquitie of Iacob shall be purged Isai 27. 9. and this shall be all the fruite thereof to take away his sinne he hath then cause indeed to be thankefull and chearefull in his trouble but for a man to reioyce against his conscience and contrary to that he feeleth cause for is but to reioyce in playing the hypocrite for he neither is nor can be soundly merry at the heart in such a case This is as if a man should be seene to goe leaping and reioycing to the gallowes when he is to suffer not for a good cause but as a malefactor euery one knowes that is a cause of sorrowing and mournefull heauinesse and not of reioycing and they to be pittied and not to be enuied that are seene to doe so As therefore many doe feare where no cause of feare is so yet there are more that reioyce where no cause of true ioy is The Lord hath promised to make the hearts of his seruants glad and ioyfull in the house of prayer Isai 56. 7. Gods faithfull seruants they are and may be merry but they onely take comfort in that which is matter of true reioycing indeed the other like them that are sicke of light frenzies laugh at their owne shaddows and at their owne fancies and vaine conceits To conclude then this matter also hypocrites and temporary beleeuers may haue in outward shew and appearance the like for a time that haue true beleeuers though neuer any such ioy as can be found to bee in like manner true for the sinceritie of it or in like degree pure without other mixture for the soundnesse and simplicitie thereof as is theirs Their ioy is neither of like measure for fulnesse nor of like soliditie and firmenesse for continuance Their ioy therefore may rather be said to bee like then any way equal to the ioy of true beleeuers which is the onely true ioy when all is done all other being but counterfeit in comparison of the same which being compared together in respect of those sundrie dimensions that seuerally before haue been expressed and which haue in like manner betweene themselues been apart considered thereout so plaine a difference will be made to appeare betweene them as is betweene truth and falsehood betweene that which is most sound and that which is but meere seeming and in bare shewes alone We had neede therefore to looke well and to make sure worke that we desiring to haue comfort and ioy of heart wherewith to be made glad may haue of that ioy that is true indeed because we can haue no other witnes of our hauing therof but only our owne selues neither any other to helpe vs to consider of our owne estate in this behalfe how it standeth and fareth with vs in this thing then our owne selues alone so as we shall be but euen plaine cosoners of our selues if we be deceiued herein CHAP. XXVI The fifth maine difference betweene sound beleeuers and counterfeits is in their repentance and how farre hypocriees may proceed therein Question THere haue bin shewed many plaine and cleere differences betweene the 1. knowledge of Christ that men haue and betweene the manner of mens 2. apprehending and laying hold of him for saluation as also betweene the 3. perswasion and assurance that men haue of obtaining life and saluation in Christ by meanes of such their laying hold vpon him and lastly betweene the 4. ioy following thereupon which may be found in those that are but hypocrites and temporary beleeuers and in those that are vnfained in their faith and true beleeuers indeed It remaineth that forsomuch as you haue shewed in all that haue true faith indeed there must be found wrought together with all these graces bâ—fore going a sound and thorough reformation of life to follow after and for euer to be maintained and continued in to the end And that hypocrites can as well counterfeit this as any of the rest that you likewise doe now shew some prognant and cleere differences whereby the repentance of a true beleeuer whose faith is vnfained may be found to differ from the repentance of an hypocrite that is alwaies hollow at the heart and vnsound in his faith A. Repentance among other the graces of Gods spirit Repentance giuen to such as shall be saued being one of the vitall parts of the body among other the members which cannot be wanting if wee would haue life well to remaine repentance being called repentance vnto life and being in some sort as necessarie to be had as is true faith it selfe which cannot be true except this be accompanying of it and therefore they are many times ioyned together in the Scripture and both by Iohn the forerunner and by Christ himselfe that followed after the one of them is as well commended vnto vs as is the other Repent say they and beleeue the Gospell This therefore being a grace absolutely needfull for all and which all seeme to be desirous greatly to obtaine there are none that will beare themselues more bold vpon it and that will presume further vpon their vndoubted hauing of it then those that are most without it and are furthest from all likelihood or possibilitie of euer obtaining it those are hypocrites and counterfeit beleeuers of whom our Sauiour Christ saith their portion assigned to them is to be with the diuell and his angels shewing that of all others there is least hope of their being euer brought to sound repentance that so finally they may be saued for he saith that harlots and publicanes are neerer vnto it then are they and therefore sooner shall be saued as who shall before them enter into the kingdome of heauen And yet none will make a more fairer shew of being indeed humbled and of earnestly repenting then will such There is no externall action requisite to be done by him that is truly penitent How farre hypocrites goe indeed which they will not performe and that in outward appearance to the full they will faile in none of the parts that doe belong to the humbling of the outward man and bringing downe of the body though it it were
promises of the Gospell which is the word of truth are the proper obiects which faith hath Act. 24. 14. Mark 1. 15. respect to and is the ground it setleth vpon Therefore is the word called the word of faith the speciall operation Rom. 10 8. and working of it is to let the soules and hearts of those men in whom it is placed to know and to feele that they are now brought neere vnto God and haue fellowship Eph. 2. 12. 13. with him who were but strangers before and farre off by reason of their sinne that is to settle and stablish our mindes in a comfortable perswasion of Gods fauour and towards vs in and through Christ Iesus and that by him Gods heart for euer is so wonne vnto vs as nothing shall be able more to separate vs from his loue It quieteth Rom. 8. 38. and cheareth the heart with vndoubted assurance that whatsoeuer was the oddes and enmitie that was betweene God and vs before by meanes of our sinnes yet Coloss 1. 21. so are wee now receiued into fauour and so is all agreed and set thorough betweene God and vs that we are at Rom. 5. 1. Luke 2. 14. peace with God and God with vs. They that haue great ventures abroad are alwaies thinking of them how they may be got safely home they giue much for assurance they cannot sleepe till that be done their mindes are euer so running vpon them Of all aduentures there are none like to the aduenture that wee beare of our selues our soules and our bodies while we liue in this most perilous and dangerous world that they be got well home and be brought to eternall safetie in the end Now faith secureth our hearts herein and giueth vs good assurance that we shall neuer perish but haue in the end euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. life with God in Christ Iesus Faith setteth the heart at peace and secureth the conscience it giueth better and more strong assurance then any bond of the best Merchant though made in Statute-merchant nay then can doe the bond or assurance of any Prince though they should lay their Crownes in pawne or be bound in the forfeiture of their kingdomes For faith hath Gods truth laid in pawne for the making good the assurance and God hath bound himselfe in the forfeiture of his truth which he will not lose for the whole world and is vnto Gods maiestie of greater weight and regard then is the state of a kingdome to any Prince that he will be accounted no more a God of truth if hee faile in his promise This giueth vs boldnesse for the present to enter in before God euen into the holiest of holy places and to Heb. 10. 19. Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need But for so much as all this could neuer haue been effected or brought to passe for vs otherwise then that by the hand of some meete Mediatour this attonement might bee made and peace might be wrought for vs thus to reconcile vs vnto God And seeing that neither in heauen nor in earth there could any other be heard of or found that euer could be fit and able to vndertake and thoroughly and perfectly to goe through with this so great a worke of reconciling the world vnto God but he alone whom the Father had sealed who is Christ the Lord who is our Eph. 2. 14. Isai 9. 6. peace euen the Prince of peace Therefore the worke of faith is before it can thus iustifie vs and set vs at peace with God to seeke and finde out Christ for vs and to get the true and sauing knowledge of him yea to seaze and lay such hold vpon him as wee may apprehend him and embrance him for our owne appropriating and after a sort ingrossing him for our selues that so causing vs to reioyce with the ioy of Gods people in his fruition and to Psal 106. 5. glorie with Gods inheritance And with the Spouse in the Canticles wee once truly beleeuing with the heart imboldening vs in most ioyfull and gladsome manner to professe with the mouth as doth she in that place My Cantic 2. 16. 7. 10. beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me That thus hauing found and apprehended Christ embracing and holding him in the armes of our faith as our blessed Aduocate and attonement-maker vnto God we may so come before the Lord and treate with him for our peace as did old Simeon when he had Christ in his armes and Luk. 2. 28. 29. 30. his eyes did see his saluation desire the Lord then to let him depart in peace Yea we may then with lesse feare and much more comfortable boldnesse shew our selues in Gods presence and appeare in his sight then could Hester though neuer so well beloued of the King aduenture Hest 5. 2. to goe in before Ahashuerosh who did kindly accept of her when hee held out the golden scepter vnto her Yea farre more warrantably and safely may we bearing Christ with vs in the armes of our faith approch and come neere to the throne of the greatest maiestie of him that is the highest Lord and Soueraigne ruler of the world who hath prepared his throne for iudgement and shall iudge the world in righteousnesse reckoning vpon Psal 97. 8. 9. a more kinde welcome and gratious acceptation at his hands then euer durst the Patriarchs Iacobs sonnes shew themselues before Ioseph then Lord of Egypt though they did carrie their younger brother Beniamin in their Gen 43. 15. 16. 30. hands at the sight of whom the heart of Ioseph yearned within him and his eyes burst out a weeping that hee could not forbeare any longer but manifest himselfe and shew his brotherly affection vnto them and falling vpon their neckes kissed and embraced them forgetting and Gen. 45. 2. 3. 14 15. forgiuing all the iniuâ—ie and wrong that euer before they had done vnto him Thus yea farre more then thus yea farre aboue all that can be vttered conceiued or comprehended is that loue of God in Christ which he beareth to Eph. 3. 19. all the faithfull and wherewith he standeth most kindly and fatherly affected to his redeemed in and through Christ Iesus as to accept of their persons and be delighted Eph. 1. 6. Cantic 2. 14. Isai 63. 7. 9. Ierem. 31. 20. Hosea 11. 8. 9. Iohn 16. 23. with their presence so to be most affectionatly moued towards them in all fatherly kindnesse and compassion that he hath of them as also to heare al their prayers and to deny them nothing which they shall aske when they come to the Father in the name of his Sonne Yea so is the heart of God the Father wonne to al that truly do beleeue in Iesus Christ his Sonne as though Christ Iesus Ioh 16. 26. 27. himselfe should seeme not to
before others they may haue more fuller contentment more solide ioy more sweeter delight more stable and sure comfort then any in the world beside not the merriest Greekes and lustiest galllants in the World beside that powre out themselues to the satisfying of their pleasures and bathe themselues in all manner of carnall delightes that take so much care for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof can come neare them for a true comfortable life indeede all the pleasures that they haue being but counterfeite shaddowes in comparison of the soundnesse and substance of the ioyes that these haue theirs are but bastardly false pleasures that will end in sorrowes these are true ioyes indeed that will neuer haue an end The sweete musicke of the Temple was typicall figuring the ioy of the Church where is assurance of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of Gods fauour in Christ Iesus how sweete is the musicke and heauenly melodie that the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding maketh in that conscience wherein it is so felt how great is that ioy that cannot be contained and kept within the heart that hath it but must needs breake out and bee expressed by singing for very ioy of heart It is Isai 65. 14. Psal 25. 13. Prou. 15. 15. said that the soule of him that feareth the Lord shall dwell at ease and he that hath a good conscience hath a continuall feast Put these two together and let them meete in a good Christian and tell mee whose state is so happie as is the state of a righteous man easie dwelling and merry-making what would any desire more if things bee rightly compared together the Friday as we vse to speake of a good Christian is better then the Sunday of a worldling And though the wicked haue their bellies in this world filled with his hid treasure yet the very scrapings of the Psal 17. 14. trenchers of Gods seruants are better then all the dainties that the wicked haue when their fare is all the best For that is true which is said by one if Christians be not merrie it is not because they are Christians but because they are not Christians enough and if Gods seruants haue not comfort and ioy of heart it is not because they serue God but because they serue him not as they might and as they ought Vnto them therefore who cannot conceiue how this possibly can be it may be said as Cyprian out of his owne experience did write vnto a certaine friend of his of Lib. â—p 1. this matter concerning himself who before his conuersion thought it impossible if he should change his manners to find such comfort in a vertuous life as afterwards hee felt saith thus to him in his writing accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur heare the report of that which is sooner knowne by feeling it to be so then learned by any teaching that it is so for he by his owne experience now felt and found that to be which before he so felt it he would not haue beleeued whosoeuer should haue told it him that it euer would haue so been As then the sense of Gods loue is the surest ground of our stable peace and the mainest prop of our greatest assurance so the same assurance so long as it can be felt causeth the heart that so feeleth it to reioyce with such a ioy as Peter saith to be vnspeakable as passing 1. Pet. 1. 8. all speech and vttering and glorious in regard that it is diuine spirituall solide and continuall which bringeth no shame with it that it may so bee differenced from the shamefull reioycings which many wicked in the world are found often to haue and to vse called glorious or ioy Rom. 14. 17. full of glory because it is part of the kingdome of heauen and the beginning of that glory that is to come To the getting of which ioy our Sauiour Christ exhorteth and inciteth his disciples when he recalling them from reioycing too much in other things though otherwise very great and excellent preferments bestowed vpon them and gifts giuen vnto them such as was the hauing of the very diuels themselues to be subdued vnto them which one would thinke might minister cause of much reioycing vnto any yet because that alone is not a ground sufficient for any to stay vpon that would haue a stable and sure lasting comfort neither can there bee found enough therein for the soule to rest vpon that desireth euery way to bee satisfied and the ioy thereof to be made full he willeth them to fetch their chiefest comfort and take their greatest ioy and reioicing from the knowledge of this that their names Luke 10. 20. were written in the booke of life this allowed them to reioyce in as that which hee knew was able to make their ioy euery way to be full This ioy of a true beleeuer that can thus know his name to bee written in the booke of life and thereupon feeleth his heart filled with much comfortable assurance and perswasion of his present most happy condition as being well assured of his now standing in God his fauor and so in the state of saluation for euer It doth goe farre beyond all the ioy that any hypocrite or misbeleeuer in the whole world of what sort so euer he be can euer haue or possibly attaine vnto when he hath done what he can And it exceedeth their ioy in all the sundry dimensions if after that sort these seuerall ioyes should be considered and compared together namely in height in depth in bredth in length in all which seuerall respects the ioy of an hypocrite commeth not neare the ioy of a true beleeuer but is in many degrees cast behind the same and these ioyes by a great distance are kept asunder and farre remoued the one from the other CHAP. XIX Hypocrites differ from sound beleeuers in all the dimensions of ioy whereof the first is the height both from whence it commeth and to which it reacheth to FIrst for height and altitude the ioy of an Hypocrites ioy is from himselfe hypocrite is neither fetched so high as is the ioy of a true beleeuer and as doth the ioy of one whose heart is sanctified and purified by his faith his ioy hath no higher descent then to comefrom himselfe and to be fetched out of the idle fancies and false conceites of his owne seducing and seduced heart which the deceiuer of the world together with the deceit that is in it selfe hath so much abused and beguiled as to bring it into such a fooles paradice as now to thinke no mans estate to be better then his owne and that therefore none may bee merrier then hee may be nor any haue better or greater ioy then he may haue so that this his ioy being but home-bred is no better then a carnall ioy and a fruite of the flesh And as it is fetched no higher then from himselfe so doth it reach no higher
The answere must bee they warrantably can haue ioy in nothing for to whom there is no peace granted there can be no sound ioy allowed vnto them but there is no peace saith God unto the wicked and therefore Isa 48. 22. hauing nothing to doe with peace they haue as little to doe with ioy if they take ioy in any thing they doe but vsurpe the ioy that they take nay they are so farre from hauing cause to reioyce in any thing as contrarily they haue cause to feare in euery thing because they feare not him whom they ought to feare that is they doe not sanctifie the Lord of hosts to let him bee their Isa 8. 13. 14. feare and their dread who so would become a sanctuarie unto them to saue them from all things else that might hurt them They therefore may feare euery thing they meet with till they can truly come to feare God they may feare the wind the sea the earth the aire all things they haue vse of their hooke their hatchet their horse their cow their dogge that followes them the meate they feed vpon they may feare men and diuels and all things beside they wanting a good conscience washed in the blood of Christ and in all holinesse of life and conuersation which is a continuall feast cannot but want true comfort and want the feeling of sound ioy and peace in their hearts nay contrarily hauing an ill conscience that is either without feeling seared as with a hot iron or else blinded by the errour of iudgment or that hath guilt in it to accuse condemn for sin that hath bin committed it so commeth to passe that they cannot but either be restlesse for the present the accusation of their consciences euer stinging them and tormenting them with the guiltinesse of their sinne or if they haue quiet it is because hypocrisie hath put their conscience to silence heere that they may soone after roare out the lowder in hell fier where their cries neither will be pitied nor their paines euer bee eased It is truly said that euill doers they are their owne prisoners and their owne hang-men And if it be so saith one Plessis what skilles it who thou bee if thou bee not thine owne man They that are cast into prison for treason or stealing they haue after a sort already the halters about their neckes euen from the very instant of their first being taken and put in howsoeuer it bee that sometimes forgetting their owne miserie they may as desperate wretches after their cursed manner be sound merrie together playing at dice and cards to driue as they vse to say the time away Such professors as are but hypocrites and mis-beleeuers who haue an ill conscience that either euer doth or euer may be accusing of them they haue nothing to doe with sound ioy and true peace for they are peculiar comforts appointed peculiarly to true beleeuers and to righteous persons for whom onely they are sowne as light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart and vnto them alone it will come vp and by them alone such fruit will bee reaped As for the other the Lord hath bidden woe to bee cried out and proclaimed vnto them as who haue rewarded euill to their Isa 3. 11. owne soules Vnto such all things are vnpure they haue no freedome to take ioy or comfort in any thing they are those that are made prisoners in their owne houses who can neithey goe out to fetch sound comfort abroad nor haue allowed vnto them any liberty to bee merrie at home If these doe looke without themselues they being not in Christ Iesus there is nothing in all the world which they can finde iustly to belong vnto them or which they can claime rightly to be their owne If they take the vse of any thing they are but vsurpers of the same yea as very theeues they haue but stollen all they doe set hand vpon and therefore they must looke to bee had to the Gaile and put into the Lords pinfold to answere for the trespasse which they haue done vnto him as to the right owner therein The delight which they take in all outward things of this life is but as the pleasure of stollen waters that are thought sweet of them that doe drinke them and like to bread eaten in secret that is pleasant for a time but they that banquet with no better cheere vnhealthsome and vnhappie is their fare The guests that are at such feasts as Salomon telleth vs are all in the very depth of hell If these doe rest in themselues and Prou. 9. 18. seeke for some comfort at home as who would gladly be made merrie and feele some ioy and delight from that which is within for as much as their hearts are not sprinkled Heb. 10. 22. from an ill conscience and their bodies are not washâ—d with pure water there is no ioy to bee assoorded from thence nay there they find the least ease and the most torment and disquiet of all the rest that possibly they can meet with else where beside vnlesse they chance to earth themselues in the caues of obliuion that iudgement to come may not come to their minds their estate in that behalfe is as vncomfortable as is their that are clapt vp in closest prisons and cast into deepest and darkest dungeons so as they can see no manner of light of Sunne or Moone or any starre that doth shine the liberty they find there is as little as the liberty of him that is chained fast to a post that cannot stirre at all For where the conscience doth accuse their soule is made restlesse with the vexations thereof and then any pallace how princely soeuer would be no better then a prison or a Gaile to keepe the offender in yea Paradise it selfe would be little better then Purgatorie or hell it selfe as may be seene in Adam who hauing lost a good conscience by eating the forbidden fruit though hee was in Paradise still yet all the ioyes therein were not able to comfort him but as one condemned in himselfe when the Lord called for him he ran into the thicket to hide himselfe from Gods presence that he might not be found Thus are the workers of iniquity imprisoned in the little-ease of their own accusing and condemning conscience and held as captiues bound â—â—st in the cords of their owne iniquities they may dwell in good houses they may walke in faire galleries and pleasant gardens they may solace themselues in many other delights but if they bee but hypocrites that haue onely faire outsides and but rotten harts carying about with them the crying of their restlesse conscience that is euer accusing of them though outwardly they may seeme to looke as smirke and as cleere as the Sunne and not once looke awry yet within the faces of their conscience doe gather blacknesse and there are terrours and feares of damnation felt within and so
in their soules to bee like melancholike humours in their bodies which are found to lie so low and to be so hard to purge away that they who by purging would seeke to bee rid of them must almost bee purged to death before such humours wil euer be got out So when any of Gods true children haue been drawne into some foule sinne and grosse kind of offence before they can get to be recouered by repentance againe they are brought so low by sorrowing deepely and bitterly mourning for their sinne that they seeme not to bee worth the ground Leuit. 26. 39. they goe vpon by pining away for their iniquities and by such sorrowing for them vnto repentance lest they should pine away for them by punishment because they did not repent at all Repentance then cannot be without much sorrow of heart where that is there will be found mournfull heauinesse and great dolour and griefe for sinne that hath been committed And this sorrowing and mourning is so necessarie to all sound repenting as the latter can neuer be found where the former hath wholly beene wanting But where sorrowing and mourning is perceiued and found to bee for some offence that hath been done there we conclude is a kind of repenting for when men are said to repent we vnderstand by and by that they are grieued and are sorrie for that they haue done so as they would faine if it were possible haue it vndone againe And as sorrow is necessarie vnto repentance so it must be very effectuall and thorow sorrow indeede that must cause such repentance as shall be sound the heart must be contrite and ground to dust as is pepper in a morter or corne in a mill the bowels must sound like a harpe with sighing Isai 16. 9. 11. and sobbing for the offence done There must be weeping with the weeping of Iaazer and Elealah is to bee made drunke with teares by daily lamentation If corne come whole out of the mill what is it better for hauing been put to grinding If men come from vnder repentance not bruised and contrite-hearted it will profit them nothing God I know commendeth vnto men the preseruation of their health but yet hee will not that wee tender so our health that wee may not breake our hearts with sorrow after God for our sinne They that are so smyrck and so smug that being old haue yet so young faces and so few wrinckles vpon them no palenesse or leanenesse to bee seene it is to bee thought that if euer they haue come where true repentance had growne they would haue lost some of their colour by this time it is dangerous for men to be ouer-quiet with themselues after they haue once sinned for it is well obserued that the way to draw sinnes on with cart-ropes is not to be grieued for sinne and the refusing and casting off temporall griefe is the way to bee brought to eternall griefe they that driue sorrow away from their hearts worke their owne sorrow and procure to themselues the greater woe for afterwards wee surely doe know and feele much more earthly sorrow then wee should because we will not disquiet our owne soules nor trouble our selues with that godly sorrow that is required Too much merrinesse vnlesse the mirth be the better sanctified arising from the ioy and peace of a good conscience doth not well It is hard for any to bring two ends together that will not meete to thinke to flie to heauen with pleasant wings to dance with the world all day and looke to sup with God at night They that haue their hearts thorowly stung with the conscience and guilt of their sinne and feele the biting of that worme that lieth at the heart nibbling and nipping it thorow and gnawing and grating vpon it with endlesse vexation and casting the coales of hell euer in their face they can easily lay aside their vaine mirth and listen to the counsell of Iames who willeth such to sorrow and mourne to let their Iames 4. 9. laughter be turned into weeping and all their merrines into mournefull lamentation they can easily be drawne to goe and hang vp their harpes with the poore captiues vpon the Psal 137. 1. 2. willow trees and sitting by the riuer bankes goe weepe with them their bellies full Dauid how many excellent Psalmes did he compose and make for how pleasant tunes did he make those ditties which he so diuinely did frame and deuise he was worthily stiled the sweete singer of Israel 2. Sam. 23. 1. but Dauid himselfe when he had so long fallen in sinne so long as he had a wolfe in his owne breast he could bee no Physitian to other men he left of making Psalmes till he had soundly recouered himself by true repentance and had gotten restored to him againe the ioy he was wont to find till then he left off his singing and fell to weeping and that in so great abundance and with so long continuance as he made his bed to swimme and watered his couch Psal 6. 6. 7. with teares and his eies did grow dimme and waxed old with weeping As for such as loue to be so iocund and to be all of the hoigh that cannot abide to heare of this repenting and of hauing their hearts to be broken with this sorrowing for their sin they may put away Preachers and keepe fooles to make them merry with but let such feare what will be the end Godlinesse will not dwell but in a broken Iohn 7. 38. heart the waters of life that must fill the belly till they flow thence againe euen the manifold graces of Gods spirit must enter through those passages into the heart of a man that is to say through the holes and cliftes of the brokennesse of a mans heart for God will giue grace to the humble and them will he teach his way Neither is it when men be called to weeping and mourning to baldnesse and Isai 22. 12. sackcloth and sorrowing for their sinne that then the way is taken to depriue men of sound comfort and take all true ioy cleane away from them but thereby they are prepared for the obtaining more sweeter comfort then euer they yet felt and to haue their ioy now more to abound then euer before it did euen so to abound vntill it be made full as our Sauiour hath spoken for they that mourne thus they Mat. 5. 9. are promised to be comforted and such godly sorrowings as these are doe euer end in contentments and are turned into the best and the most lasting ioyes yea there wanteth not some comfort and sweetnesse of ioy in the midst of most bitter mourning and greatest lamentation that is made for sinne when the heart is best humbled and most broken for the same for men are deceiued if they do not beleeue that the very teares for sinne be much more pleasant to deuout and holy men then be to wicked men their laughings mockings iestings
in their owne bosome or to take intelligence and grow acquainted with the state and common-wealth of their owne soules or once to thinke of those things that are done in their owne breasts which appertaine to none but themselues alone They delight to tell and to talke of the trouble and businesse of this or that countrey when in the meane time they care not to take any knowledge what trouble is made in their owne breasts by wrath enuie bodily lust ambition and the like in so much as they may be said to be more strangers to their owne nature to their owne soules and to the things that doe concerne themselues most neerely and peculiarly then they be to the deserts of India or to the seas that are furthest off worst to be sailed vpon and hardliest to be knowne Of whom in respect of such kind of knowledges that may bee spoken and well applied vnto them which a learned man spake of some of whom hee said that in Melancthon omnibus sciunt aliquid in toto nihil In all things they will seeme to know something and yet in the whole they know nothing and so they know nothing to any purpose The godly on the other side and true beleeuers esteeme with the Apostle to know nothing sauing Christ and him crucified and so to know themselues as they may the better know how to bee saued by him and this is their chiefest and profoundest learning that they looke after Besides the carnall men desire to bee well read in any booke rather then in the booke of their owne conscience preferring pamphlets and bookes of idle discourse written by men of corrupt and vaine mindes who haue more wit then wisedome how well to vse it of whom it may truly bee said that spider-like they draw out their bowels for the ctching but of flies before the wholesome and sauourie writings of men both godly and learned which affoord much good helpe to them that are well exercised in them for their better profiting and furtherance of their godly edification Yea before the most sacred and holy word of God it selfe and the diuine Scriptuâ—es which are the onely religious and most royall sanctuaries of the truth there being the wisedome of God reuealed vnto vs in them and that Vrim and Thummim wherby we are answered as by Oracle from God in al our controuersies yea God himselfe in them is made knowne vnto vs who drawing as it were the curtaines of heauen doth out of them reueale his owne maiestie vnto vs as with open 2. Cor. 3. 18. face If they can light vpon any thing that is extant published and brought foorth dressed and as I may say dished out and set before them which being once tasted of both in regard of the agreeablenes of the matter which they finde therein to be handled and pleasantnes of the manner and stile of writing in which it is deliuered the same be found to be meate as we vse to say for their owne teeth and as well pleasing the appetite of the old man that is vainly and carnally minded as euer did old Isaac who desired to eate of the flesh of venison take delight to eate of his sonnes venison being prepared after the manner of Rebeckahs fine dressing then as among the Iewes if any would prophecie to them of wine and Mich. 2. 11. strong drinke he should be a Prophet alone for that people Such bookes are the only bookes in these times for such sort of readers such writing they thinke most worthie their reading and are neuer wearie in so doing The man famished with hunger doth not more eagerly flie vpon or more greedily deuoure the meate that is before him then these doe the things that are so written till hauing eaten thereof to the full and satiated themselues with that windie stuffe they may blow it out againe into the eares of the next companie they come into and be able to discourse and hold talke and babble with all sorts of men of all manner of businesses saue of those onely which of all others it were most fit for them to busie themselues about But that which Seneca complained Seneca ep 88. of in his time touching things that were vnprofitable written and taught then may well be the complaint of these times that many things are written and set foorth which were worthie to be vnlearned if at all they were knowne and to be chopt off with hatchets rather then not to haue them gone These contrarily neglect not to looke to their conscience and daily to turne ouer the leaues of that booke to see what is written there as well as to reade other writings for the getting of other knowledges yea they aboue all things labour to keepe faith and the knowledge they haue in a good conscience both towards God and men alwaies and as for their choice of reading bookes and things that are written for their getting of sound knowledge and better profiting in good learning they preferre the reading of one line of the sacred Bible and holy Scriptures and one leafe of other good bookes found consonant to the Scriptures sanctifiedly and sauourly written by such as are Orthodox containing in them wholesome doctrine and profitable instruction that doe tend to spirituall edification before whole legends and vast volumes of idle and vnprofitable discourses contained in bookes though iudged neuer so wittie and found neuer so pleasing and plausible to the palate and liking of vnsanctified men The misbeleeuing professors know the Scriptures and Acts 13. 10. 2. Pet. 3. 16. abuse them and so are the worse for their knowledge peruerting the Scriptures to their owne destruction and 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21. though they know the truth and the way of righteousnes yet they turne away from the holy commandement and therefore they had been better neuer to haue knowne the same their knowledge seruing but to encrease their sinnes and to further the more their iust condemnation and as is said by the Prophet their wisedom and knowledge Isai 47. 10. doth peruert them and cause them to erre The true beleeuers know the Scriptures and are guided Psal 119. 133. 2. Tim. 3. 25. by them ordering their steps in the word of God and so are made wise by them to saluation they know Gods Iam. 1. 25. word and doe it and so become blessed in their deed They know Christ and so doe these but in a differing manner They know Christ and perish with their knowledge of him they knowing him but as the Diuels know him who knew him to confesse him saying We know who Mark 1. 24. thou art euen the holy one of God but they doe not willingly obey him nor soundly beleeue in him and therefore shall neuer be saued by him These haue the sauing knowledge of Christ they know him to acknowledge him as did Peter when hee did confesse Iohn 6. 69. him We beleeue and know thou art Christ
not bee well regarded of him Why say they haue we fasted and thou seest it not Isa 58. 3. why haue we afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge of it And our Sauiour Christ telling vs of such sort of men how it will bee with them in the day of iudgement bringeth them in before vs comming to heauen gate as though they were in hast and calling earnestly to haue the gate opened vnto them as maruelling they should be let to stand without so long crying Lord Lord open vnto vs haue not we prophesied in thy name and Luk. 13. 25. 26. 27. hast not thou taught in our streets vnto whom for all this it will be answered depart you away I know you not yoâ— haue been workers of iniquitie Though the worke of prophecying and so of hearing reading praying fasting and the like were and are in themselues holy actions yet the doers of them not doing them holily may be workers of iniquitie for doing vniustly that which otherwise in it selfe were iust to be done Prayer and prophesying are spirituall Isa 1. 13. actions but they may for all that be carnally performed and so turned to sinne vnto them that are the doers of them He is an euill worker or a worker of iniquitie first that doth that which is in it selfe euill secondly that doth not that which is good being the good that he ought to doe thirdly that doth that which is good but doth it not well as doing it in some sinister respect of an euill mind vain-gloriously or hypocritically and the like And thus all that before haue been mentioned that temporary beleeuers and hypocrites may doe or possibly can doe not being soundly and sincerely done in such truth and vprightnesse as God doth require all is but lost labour that so is done and according to the prouerbe As good neuer a whit as neuer the better When holy things in themselues are thus hollowly done and in in so great hypocrisie by the doers of them the things which were otherwise most excellent are now most vile and whatsoeuer shewes they haue they are but beautifull abominations the fairest workes are then become the foulest faults and their best deedes their worst sinnes Things thus done by such deceitfull workers in their so doing of them they haue but marred as wee vse to say good matters in the handling and all that they haue so wrought euen in the working will crumble away as betweene their fingers and come to nothing They may deceiue others for a time but they will finde by wofull experience that they haue most of all deceiued themselues in the end that they haue toyled themselues in vaine and that they haue but wrought as in the fier which as quickly Habaâ— 2. 13. did consume it as they could worke it and bring it off their hand Hypocrisie is said to bee spunne vpon a fine thred but for all that it will make no good cloth nor garments that will couer them they may weaue it who that will but as the Prophet speaketh they shall weaue but the spiders webbe their webbes will be no garments Psal 59. 5. 6. neither shall they couer themselues with their workes Such builders as these that haue builded but after this fashion when they haue set vp all this goodly frame they may leane vpon their house as Iob speaketh but it will Iob 8. 15. not stand they may hold fast by it but it will not endure And because it is slightly built aboue it is as vnsoundly and vnsetledly founded below being set vpon so vnsteadie and so sandie a foundation when the raines shall descend Mat. 7. 26. 27. the flouds come and the windes blow and beate vpon that house it will all come downe and be ouerthrowne it will surely Iob 11. 20. fall and the fall thereof will be great Then shall the eyes of these men faile and they not escape and their hope shall bee Iob 18. 14. euen as the giuing vp of the Ghost Their confidence shall then be rooted out of their tabernacle and they be brought themselues to the King of feare Yea terrours will then for all this great boasting of strong assurance take hold of them as waters and tempests will carry them away by night The East wind will carrie them away and they shall depart and as a storme it will hurle them out of their place then will God cast vpon them and will not spare Iob 27. 20 21. 22. 23. though they would faine flee from vnder his hand men shall then clap their hands at them and hisse them out of their place as Iob doth thus speake time and experience will shew what manner of workmen these haue been the day will declare it and the fier will reueale it of what sort this whole worke is namely that they haue builded vpon a tottering and rotten foundation no better stuffe then timber hay and stubble and therefore all in the end 1. Cor. 3. 12. 13. will be consumed wholly ouerthrowne and brought to nothing On the other side the Spirit of God which is the spirit Sound builders of truth and leadeth vnto all truth hath a cleane contrary working in the hearts of true beleeuers who are said to be good and true in heart and such as in whose spirit Psal 125. 4. Psal 3â— 2. there is no guile like those worthies of the Tribe of Zebulon that came to Dauid to Hebron who are commended 1. Chron. 12. 33 to haue been men that were not of a double heart they are guided to doe that they doe with innocent Psal 24. 4. Psal 119. 1. 6. hands and vpright hearts not lifting vp their minds to vanitie nor swearing deceitfully but to bee vndefiled in their way which way so euer they shall walke still hauing respect to all Gods commandements In their behauiour Psal 101. 2. 3. at home to walke in the vprightnesse of their hearts in the middest of their house without setting any wicked thing before their eyes In their outward behauiour towards men or in the carriage of themselues towards God in his worship and seruice to follow the Apostles practice in endeauouring euermore to keepe faith and a good Acts 24. 16. conscience both towards God and man In their dealings with men to doe no ill to their neighbour to speake euery one Psal 15. 2. 3. the truth from his heart as children that will not lie in comming to serue God to cleanse their hands in innocency Isai 63. 8. Psal 26. 6. and so to compasse Gods Altar not as doe hypocrites to draw neare to God with their lipps when their hearts in the Isai 29. 13. meane while being remoued from him but so as they with Dauid say and professe euen vnto God as did hee O God Psal 57. 7. my heart is prepared my heart is prepared I will now sing and giue praise In giuing God thankes they awaken
vse and practice of it al the dayes of their life and therefore the extraordinary repentance of hypocrites with whom the ordinarie is euer wanting especially that also being sickly and faulty as it euer is is like to stand them in very little stead which can no way bee allowed to be repentance vnto life which were safe for any to trust vnto Againe the repentance of a true conuert differeth from that of an hypocrite in the whole body of repentance and frame of it as it is compact and made vp together and in the seuerall ioynt parts and members if it if they be a part considered and so taken asunder they differ in the obiect which either of them doe most respect and are most occupied about they differ in the effect which they worke and which either of them doe bring forth they differ in that which causeth either and in that which is caused by either The words for repentance vsed in the new Testament are two the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of a word that signifieth as much as for one to come to his right mind to be wise at the least after some ouersight to recouer ones selfe it is after-wit or after-wisedome so called because the children of God take warning by the Spirit of God to be wiser after they haue once been ouerseene and beguiled through the deceitfulnesse of sinne this hath in it a godly sorrow with hope of Gods mercy truly and wisely conuerting all the powers of the soule and causing a through change in the whole man from sinne to righteousnesse and so it becommeth repentance vnto life And this is properly the repentance of true beleeuers and of all such as shall be saued for it is sound repentance and hath the perfection of parts in it though not of degrees The other word vsed in the new Testament to set out repentance by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming of a word that signifieth to bee sorrie after a fact committed to bee heauie and pensiue to be vexed and grieued for it it is after-griefe because sorrow and griefe pensiuenesse and heauinesse of heart vexation and trouble of conscience vsually doe follow vpon the committing of some hainous sinne This may be without any conuersion or change of a man to make him better this after-griefe may be without that after-wisdome which brings a man to his right mind againe but the other is neuer without this but hath it alwaies included in it for it is sound and hath the perfection of all parts in it This may bee alone without the other which yet is the chiefest part of true repentance and therefore it is vnsound and vnperfect repentance and so vnprofitable and vnauailable euery way to saluation and this is indeed properly the repentance of hypocrites and may be the repentance of all manner of reprobates This is that repentance that Iudas had for the Scripture saith of him that he repented but with this Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance he went to the halter and so from thence vnto hell fier Thus the repentance of true beleeuers doth differ from the repentance of hypocrites in the whole frame and body of repentance when all of it is taken and considered together CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of repentance seuerally considered in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessity of sorrow in Repentance THey differ also in the parts and seuerall members of the whole they being looked on apart and considered asunder There is in true repentance a sorrow for sinne which is the first occasion of a mans repenting for if a man had not his heart troubled for that he had done he would neuer repent and change his couse then followeth a turning from sinne and a bearing out of fruits that may be worthy of amendment of life Our soules by sweruing from God and going out of the path of Gods Commandements breed their owne sorrow and bring painfull griefe and vexation vpon the heart such as many times hardly can bee endured like bones that are broken or out of ioynt cause heauie dolours to the body and paine intollerable and the longer they abide so not well set and put into socket againe the more painfull is the aking that is felt therefrom so is it with the wounds that doe pierce the soule they will neuer leaue aking till some good meanes be vsed for the well curing of them Sinne which is as a serpent carrying his sting in his taile after it hath been once committed leaueth such a guilt in the conscience that is as painfull to be felt as is the sting of a Scorpion that is dashed into the flesh or the biting of those fierie serpents in the wildernesse that did torment them with extreame paines as if fier had been burning in their flesh Sinne is like a most venomous serpent and draggeth a long taile of punishment after it where euer it becommeth God hath tied together as with fetters of brasse the pleasures of sinne and pains of punishments and plagues for sin he that will haue one must haue both they that will sowe iniquitie shall be sure to reape affliction much smart much griefe much sorrow of heart will alwaies follow after the sence of the guiltinesse of sinne cannot bee felt but the heart will be made restlesse and it will disquiet all the peace thereof causing those painfull dashes and heauie compunctions in the tender soule as hath forced out those lamentable voices and sorrowfull outcries Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued And without such bitter griefe and sorrow of heart that may force vs thus to cry out yea to roare like beares and mourne sore like Isa 59. 11. 12. doues we may doubt of our repentance and can haue small hope of obtaining any forgiuenesse or pardon for our sinne as well as may any woman hope to get to bee deliuered of her child while she is a sleep or in a dreame without euer enduring any further paines or trauell vsuall to all women in their child-bearing as for a sinner to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes without the sorrowes the painfull throwes and pangs of thorow and vnfained repentance whose working is many times felt so forcible vpon the heart as it is ready to ouercome it and make it for a time vtterly to faint Sinne will not be got away without a great deale of sorrow and griefe and that of such sort as must breake and bruise the soule and grind the very heart to dust and to powder Sinne sticketh so fast to and is so baked on as there must be rubbing hard to get it off Wooll is as fit to wipe away pitch or birdlime as an ouerly sighing or slight saying Lord haue mercie vpon mee will get sinne done away who so doth goe about by truely repenting and humbling of themselues to doe away their sinnes shall find sinne
done by the people when they are once reclaimed out of their way of erting and shewed the right way they were to take and walke in he saith they should not onely leaue worshipping of grauen Images care no more for them and doe them away but shew their indignation against them by defacing them spoiling the couerings of them teare and rend their golden ornaments defile that Isai 30. 22. that was about them and then cast them all away as a menstruous cloth with words of greatest abhorring and defiance spoken vnto them when they shall say vnto them Get thee hence This is that feruent anger and indignation that is caused by godly sorrow in the hearts of them that doe truly repent against all their sinnes which they haue committed and wherewith God so much hath been offended The fourth grace caused by godly sorrow in the heart of him that is truly penitent is feare a grace that is contrarie to securitie prophanenesse and all contempt of God This feare so it be vnderstood of a holy feare such as may beseeme a true seruant and child of God to haue may bee carried as farre and as wide as you will it hath included vnder it all that is to bee feared for he that is thorowly touched and wounded in his conscience with godly sorrow cannot abide carelesse any more nor remaine voide of much trembling and feare fearing for that that is past and cannot bee vndone what mischiefe and harme may grow thereupon fearing for that which through the hidden corruption of nature may be fallen into and committed yet worse then that which hath been done if grace be not in time begged and sought of God for preuenting the same fearing lest by this his falling into sinne God shall now be dishonoured his truth slandered the Gospel disgraced the holy profession euil spoken of and brought in contempt fearing lest his example in sinning should imbolden others vnto euill doing and should lye as a stumbling blocke in the way to cause others to fall offending the weake grieuing the good and opening the mouthes of the wicked to blaspheme fearing Satans malice lest he doe againe assaile him and set anew vpon him fearing his owne frailtie lest he should againe bee ouercome fearing lest God being displeased with him should with-hold his grace from him and lest being left to himselfe he should let the spirit be quenched in him and the sparkles of grace die out that were so lately but new lighted and kindled in his heart There is nothing that he may not in some sort feare of the things that are to be shunned and which he ought to be carefull euermore to preuent all that he can according to that A good man feareth alwaies and that is the best way to cause him to depart from euill Many labour to put away this feare but then they put away that which should breed their safetie and their best securitie in the end in this doing they lay the raines vpon the necke of their owne lusts being without feare to bee carried by them which way they take liking and then they were as good ride vpon a wild colt without a bridle there being no bridle to keepe men in from sinning if the feare of God be not found to be in them the feare of a wounded conscience is whereby they forecast all the worst things to themselues and labour to preuent them The fifth grace which godly sorrow causeth in the heart of him that is truly penitent is desire which is a grace contrary to that dulnesse and dead-heartednesse that sluggish and carelesse negligence that is vsually found to be with them that are neuer troubled about the estate they abide in and therefore they seldome or neuer are moued with any thing they haue dead hearts and feele nothing and their desires after goodnesse are as dead as their hearts so as they care for nothing But a poore grieued and humbled soule that is strucken and wounded in his conscience with the guilt of his sinne hee is made of desires he hath nothing but desires in him The Hart that is chased desireth not more after the water brookes then his soule is a thirst for God euen for the liuing God that he might see the light of his countenance lifted vp vpon him and so be receiued into his loue and fauour againe How doth his soule open it selfe in desire unto God after reconciliation with him for the obtaining of pardon for his sinne and that he might be refreshed with his mercies right soone euen as the thirstie and dry ground when it is chopt and dry gapeth and riueth for want of raine till it may be mostened and refreshed with showers from heauen What is there more in the longing desire of his heart for afterward then to cry out with Dauid Oh that my waies might now be made so direct as I might henceforth keepe the Commandements of God alwaies and that a new heart might be giuen and a right spirit renewed in him that he might haue strength to withstand tentation the next time and that measure of grace giuen him as by which he might be able to ouercome his chiefest corruptions denie himselfe bring vnder due obedience the rebellion of his will and rule better his vnruly affections that his life may be so reformed as God may be wel pleased the Church better satisfied he may haue more peace and sound comfort in his heart These and the like are the holy desires which a godly sorrow will cause in that heart wherein it is once wrought Such will complaine they cannot pray as others remember Sermons as others preuaile against their sinnes as doe others but they haue desires to doe all these and so they being of the number of them whose desires are still vnto goodnesse and who are euer hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse they therefore are pronounced by Christ his owne mouth to be blessed because such in the end shall vndoubtedly be satisfied The sixth grace which godly sorrow causeth in the heart of a true penitent is zeale which is somwhat more then is desire for it is desire intended and encreased This zeale is occupied either about that which is good with great and feruent desire after a most earnest manner for louing of it and hauing it better practised or about that which is euill with like desire to haue it shunned and abhorred It is a most earnest affection of the soule which cannot be kept in but breaketh through all and bewrayeth it selfe it is a feruency of spirit arising of a mixture of loue and anger causing men with all earnestnesse to stand for the truth and the maintenance of goodnesse piety Gods worship and honour and all things that may make for the furtherance and aduancement thereof And on the contrary so to be filled with griefe displeasure indignation and holy anger to see God dishonoured and the truth wronged or goodnesse any way to bee disgraced as Gods seruants haue not
laid the whole blame of the fault vpon another person When hypocrites come to confesse their sin they seeke how to extenuate it and make it seeme as little as possibly they can excusing it in themselues all they are able and laying the greatest 〈…〉 vpon the shoulders of other men if they can fastâ—n vâ—â—â—â—ny partners in the same course with them As in â—aâ—s example and practice is euident to be seene who being challeâ—ged by Samuel for 1. Sam. 15. 14. 15 20. 24. 30. the bleating of the sheâ—pe iâ— his eares and the loughing of the oxen which were kept vbsâ—â—ine though at the length being strongly notably conuinced by Samuel he was brought in spite of his heart to make coâ—â—â—â—sion of his sinne and that twice for failing once after his conuiction and then againe the second time before Samuel wholly left him yet at the first he stood stoutly to the matter that he was innocent and free from all blâ—â—e yea that he deserued much commendation for hauing done all that God commanded him and performed his whole will in all that hee would haue done for he for his part had slaine the Amalekites as for that fault of keeping some of the fat beasts aliue hee transferreth the blame therof wholly from himself as if he had had no hand in it and laieth it al vpon the people they indeede saith he spared the fat beasts for sacrifice Wherein he dealt like a notable hypocrite indeed for of that which was well done he would haue the whole praise as though he himselfe had done it all alone but of that which was euill done he would haue all thinke that he stood cleare from all manner of fault therein that others must answer for let the people share that and part it amongst them and much good doe it them for he will none thereof And this is the most vsuall dealing of false-hearted hypocrites that haue liued since and doe liue at this time in good things if they haue done any thing they wil haue it vnderstood that they haue done all things but in euill things except they haue done all things they would haue men beleeue that they haue done nothing if they can picke out any that haue done as bad as they or though not so bad but fallen into the lapse of those sinnes wherein they doe lye notably bemired though they cannot deny but they haue done euill yet they presently haue such an answere as this ready to make to all that list to charge them therewith I cannot indeed deny but that I haue not done well in doing of this thing but I am not the first that in like manner haue done amisse neither shall I bee the last there be others I warrant you that be as bad as I neither am I alone in this sinne there were others as well as I that ioyned with me in it and were as forward as I and prouoked mee to it and though I cannot say I haue done well in doing of 〈◊〉 yet I pray God I neuer doe worse I haue as good a heart to God-ward as any whosoeuer and I had a good meaning to doe for the best how hainous soeuer you make the matter God bee mercifull to vs if I should not doe thus there were no liuing in this world but to be vndone and laughed at for a precise foole This and much more might Saul haue answered to Samuel which answere would haue been as good as an aprone of Figge leaues to couer his nakednesse They that are truly penitent indeede take none of these courses when they are humbled before the Lord or before men to make confession of their sinne they doe it after a much differing yea after a cleane contrarie fashion When their hearts are wounded and stricken thorow with godly sorrow for sin there need no great vrging nor inforcing of them to make their humble confession and acknowledgement of them they are neuer well till that is done their hearts are so oppressed and filled with sorrow within that they are as if they should burst till after this manner they haue sâ—ught to ease them they stay not alwaies the extremitie vntill by some outward iudgement the confessing of their sinnes be extorted from them it is enough that the greatnesse and heinousnesse of their sins is set before them and made knowne vnto them and that there by they haue offended God their hearts being conuinced of them and smitten with remorse and griefe for the doing of them this is found sufficient without the enforcement of further terrour and feare of punishment to bring them on their knees before God yea and before men also when there is iust cause for them so to doe to make their free and humble acknowledgement of their sinnes and to craue earnestly the pardon and forgiuenesse of them And in the confessing of their sinnes they doe not mince the matter to make their sinnes either fewer or lesser then they are they seeke not excuses pretences and cloakes to couer their sinnes and to shift of the blame and fault from themselues to lay it vpon other men but they discouer all their sinne and lay them open to the full they seeke not how to extenuate but rather how to aggrauate the faults that they haue committed they leaue other men and take the blame vpon themseluâ—â— and lay the burthen vpon their owne shoulders There are none so hard and seuere vnto them as they are vnto themselues in making the most and worst of their sins and passing out the sharpest sentences and censures against themselues aboue that any others would euer doe they comming to take the scantling of their owne sinnes doe set them vpon the tenter-hookes to draw them out to the full and furthest length and breadth that they can extend vnto yea they straine them many times so hard that they doe reach them beyond the true extent of them and doe make them greater then either God himselfe or man would doe There are none haue been so humbled none that haue thought so meanely and basely of themselues or that haue cast themselues downe so low in the sight of their sinnes and conscience of their vnworthinesse as haue done some of Gods most worthie and excellent seruants as it is plaine to be seene by the Scriptures Agur Prou. 30. 2 Prou. 30. 2. saith of himselfe Surely I am more foolish then â—ny man and haue not the vnderstanding of man in me Now it is sure Agur was a wise man and a holy man yet he thus meanely conceiueth and speaketh of himselfe So the Apostle speaketh of himselfe that he was of all other the greatest sinner 1. Tim. 1. 15 and yet answering for himselfe before 1. Tim. 1. 15. Acts 23. 1. the Iewes and High Priest Acts 23. 1 he saith Men and brethren I haue in all good consciâ—nce serued God vnto this day Doubtlesse no other godly and wise man liuing in those times and knowing these men would
euer haue giuen such a hard sentence of either of them Question The question then from hence may be how farre a man may amplifie his owne weaknes vnworthines without preiudicing the truth Answere For answer hereunto we are to know that as an act of iustice differeth from an act of charitie so the sentence of iudgement differeth from the sentence of affection and sense an act and deed of iustice wee know must goe by a straight thread without swaruing any way at all but an act of charitie hath latitude or breadth as the health 〈◊〉 a mans bodie hath and the Zodiack Circle in the heauens within the extreame whereof the Moone is neuer out of her right course though she moue not euer with her Center vnuariably vpon the ecclipticke line Now in the practice of repentance which is an immediate act of the affections men may according to their feeling make their faults and the reuengement thereof with the most rather then with the lest and yet be within the compasse of the truth of their conceiuing and feeling though beyond the extent of the truth of their sins in themselues exactly considered according to the practice of Zacheus Luke 19. 8. who repenting of his getting goods vniustly said he would giue half of his goods to the poore which thing though an act of repentance will allow a man to doe yet an act of strickt iustice and iudgement will not designe and inioyne a man to doe so much Zacheus repenting said If he had done any Leuit. 6. 5. man wrong he would restore him fourefold which was more then the Law would haue required An indifferent and vpright Iudge comming to iudge betweene two sinners must iudge according to the truth of things neither more nor lesse but a repentant person comming to iudge of himselfe hee iudgeth with the hardest according to the truth of that he doth conceiue and feele to be in himselfe so in the act of charitie a man thinketh best of others and worst of himselfe as wee see in the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. who in true sorrow for his sinne cryeth out of himselfe Rom. 7. 24. expounded as of a most wretched man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is a double compound vsed when one would most disgrace a man now we know the Apostle had not committed any so hainous a sin after his conuersion for in his apologie for himselfe Act. 23. 1. he saith that in all good conscience he hath serued God vnto that day and 2. Cor. 1. 12. he saith that that was his reioycing euen the testimony of his conscience that in all simplicity and godly purenesse he hath had his conuersation in the world c. Now according to this president set before vs in that which was thus done by this blessed Apostle is the course and practice of true conuerts that are throughly humbled and cast downe with sorrow and griefe for their sinnes there is none that will thinke more meanly of them nor any that will cry out more loudly against them then they will thinke meanly and abiectly of themselues and cry out with a note higher then they that are loudest against them for their vnworthines and euill doing And Qui sibi displicet in vitijs deo placet Bernard indeed the more abiect that any true penitent seruant of God is in his owne account so hee ende in faithfull humility and not in stubborne desperation it is the better And so much may serue to haue been spoken for shewing some differences betweene the confession of sins made by hypocrites and those that are sound conuerts and true penitent persons Now as touching confessing of sinnes in geneall when Confession in generall we are brought vpon our knees before the Lord to confesse acknowledge our sins vnto him though we may be specially moued thereunto by some one or some few later grosse and grieuous sinnes committed and fallen vnto by vs yet is it meet that we rest not alone in the consideration of that one or those few sinnes so lately committed but by meanes thereof to take occasion to find out our other sinnes also and them all if we could by which in former time we transgressed and offended that all may be repented of and wee the better humbled for them As when one lighting a candle to goe seeke some one thing that he misseth by meanes of that light and seeking doth finde another yea many times many things that were ouercast and in a manner quite forgotten As a worthy man hath wisely obserued out of the practice of Dauid that being checked by Nathan for one grosse sinne lately committed and by him done he comming to make his repentance for it thinketh of more and neuer resteth till he come to the root of all to be humbled for his Originall sinne as well as for his actuall Psalm 51. as in that penitentiall Psalme composed by him is euident to be seene so is it meet that when by meanes of some grosse sinne lately or lastly committed our consciences are so wounded and our hearts so pierced and smitten thorow with sorrow and griefe as there is no abiding for vs longer to deferre and put of our repentance and humbling of our selues before the Lord for making our peace with him that wee take occasion therefrom to suruay and ouerlooke all our wayes to cast ouer the day-booke of our whole life to see what Items the Lord hath against vs and what arrearages we haue runne into by our transgressing his most righteous lawes and to goe so farre backe in searching and trying our wayes and Iob 14. 4. Psal 25. 7. well considering them in our hearts according as the Lord willeth vs to doe by the mouth of his Prophets Lam. 3. 40. Hag. 1. 5. 7. vntill we come with Iob and Dauid to bewaile the very sinnes of our youth and to aske mercy for them yea vntill we come to the head spring and fountaine of our Originall corruption and to gage the very belly and wombe of sin in our first conception and so acknowledge that with all the rest vnto God as particularly as we can labouring to breake our hearts for them all ioyntly and seuerally that so our hearts may fall into the more pieces there being the more stroks giuen to the same by the more sinnes we can remember to haue been committed by vs vntill our hearts may be so smitten and so contrite that they may be as if they were grownd euen to dust and powder for the which purpose we must narrowly search and sift our selues vnto the which course the Prophets haue so much and so often called Gods seruants by their earnest exhortations Zeph. 2. 1. Now albeit we be willing to take knowledge of all Of speciall sins our sinnes in generall yet are wee most to humble our selues to aske mercy and seeke reconciliation for our speciall sinnes whereof we are guilty if we can gesse which they are that God
warne all before them they pray much and feruently they looke to Christ they commit themselues to his mercy and so taking their deaths patiently all that see them thus dying make no doubt at all of their saluation Besides such a kind of satis-faction giuen to a publike 2. For not performing vniust lawes and wicked state by parties offending for violating wholesome and good lawes that haue been made euen the innocent serseruants of God when they haue been taken and condemned for offenders against a State because they haue not yeelded simple and absolute whole and ready obedience to all lawes in force thoug somtimes there haue and may fall out to be that there is an antinomie betweene the lawes of men and the lawes of God they also haue not refused neither yet will refuse in cases wherin they cannot satisfie the Law or the Magistrate by obeying the precept there to make satisfaction by their suffering the penalties that are set downe and that whether it be to the loosing of their goods and the loosing of their liuings they haue both learned and practised to suffer with ioy the spoyling of their goods because they Heb. 10. 34. looke to receiue in heauen a better and more enduring substance or whether it be to bonds or to imprisonment they are ready with Paul to be bound and refuse not to goe to Act. 21. 13. Gen. 39. 20. Psal 105. 18. prison with Ioseph though the iron doe enter into their soules when they are hurt in the stockes Yea they haue not refused to lay downe their liues if nothing but that would goe for payment As did the three children in Daniel for Dan. 3. 22. not obeying the Kings command suffer themselues to be throwne into the hot fierie furnace And Daniel himselfe Dan. 6. 16. to be throwne into the den of Lions for not obeying the decree of Darius which as a law of Medes and Persians might not be broken whose examples the blessed Martyrs of God haue since worthily followed And such kind of transgressors of lawes as this second sort are that haue been now mentioned are not to bee ranked vp among rebels neither are to bee euery way counted as persons that are disobedient for there must be a distinction made of obedience there is an obedience in doing and there is an obedience in suffering now where that which the Law commandeth cannot so safely with a good conscience or readily be done if that which the Law setteth downe as punishment to be inflicted for it bee patiently borne there is then another obedience shewed and a satisfaction giuen for the want of the former and for that which else could not be done Daniel though he disobeyed the commandement of the King in the doing of that though it were a law of the Medes and Persians which Dan. 6. 22. being once made might not be broken that hee might obey God the better yet iustified himselfe in that he had done and said plainly to the King that he had done him no wrong he was no rebell hee was no vndutifull subiect which may be said for others of Gods seruants in the like case and respect There is yet another kind of satisfaction and that is 4. Priuate and particular men more particular and priuate betweene man and man when wrong is offered to any man And this is also requisite to be made by euery person that is truly penitent if he would either giue testimony to others that his repentance is sound or take comfort to himselfe that his sinnes shall euer be pardoned For Augustine hath well set that Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum August downe there is no looking for pardon for the sinne if that which was taken away be not restored againe And this did Daniel giue in counsell to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 27. who had been a great spoyler waster and vndoer of the greatest part of the world he hauing vndone many and made them poore he counselleth him to make some satisfaction vnto them againe and so breake off his sinnes by exercising now more righteousnesse and shewing mercy to the poore whom in some sort hee shall satisfie for the wrongs before hee had done them in spoyling of them if now againe hee will succour them and helpe them in their need Hypocrites and worldly-minded persons they haue Difference in hypocrites no skill of this restitution nor will to make this kind of satisfaction if they haue got any thing that is no matter how that they thinke to bee their owne that they will hold fast and they will be sure to part with nothing They are of their religion that will neither doe right to others nor take any wrong to themselues Wherin they goe not so farre as Iudas that notable hypocrite did nor doe not so much as did he the money that Iudas had gotten for selling his Master was as iustly and as lawfully his as the money of many is theirs that they come by for it was his by buying and selling and performing his bargaine now it was as lawfully his as the money that men sell good corne for and put chaffe and drosse into it and as the money that men get by oppression and vsurie who feeling the sweetnesse of gaining care not how they come by money though it were by sucking out the very life-blood of the owners thereof so they may haue it But though these know and feele the sweetnesse of the comming of it in they know not with what bitternesse it will goe out againe Iudas might haue kept his money by any law of the land he had sold and performed his bargaine and why might hee not haue kept the money that hee had therefore gotten but his conscience so pincht him and prickt him for his treason against his Master whom he had sold to get this money it being the purchase of that his iniquitie and knowing how vnlawfully he had got it his hands could hold it no longer he was neuer quiet till he had brought it againe and giuen it to them of whom he had it though that neither would quiet him for nothing was done as it should be soundly by him his repentance was a false repentance and this satisfaction a false fruit of the same What then may be hoped for of them that goe not so farre in making satisfaction and restoring againe that which they haue most vniustly taken as this damned diuell Iudas did who is now in hell But they that are truly penitent indeed for their sinne whatsoeuer wrong they either know themselues or can be shewed by others that they haue offered to any man either in his person in his name or in his goods they neuer can be quiet till they naue made the partie satisfaction and that to the full if their ability will extend so farre that so it may be performed by them If meanes bee wanting that they cannot doe as they would they shew themselues more penitent and by a greater submission they humble themselues before the parties wronged and aske them forgiuenesse of that which they cannot make any better satisfaction for And in such kind of wrongs wherein others haue been wronged in their goods either vniustly taken away or wrongfully with-held by them if the parties be dead to whom such wrong hath been offered then seeke they out who are left that did belong vnto them and were neerest of their kinne that to them they may make a full restitution and satisfaction for the wrong If none such can be found to bee liuing they will rather bring it to the Church for holy vse and see the poore to haue it distributed among them then they will keepe pennie or pennies-worth thereof which as the plague would infect all they had beside and fret as a canker till it had consumed whatsoeuer before had been iustly gotten and which with good peace they might haue still possessed well and kept lawfully as their owne This care to make restitution they haue learned from the practice of that blessed penitent and saued-conuert rich Zacheus who hauing been a great piller and powler of the people in the day that saluation by Christ was brought to his house stood forth and said Lord halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken any thing from any man by forged accusation I restore him foure-fold Thus much touching confession and satisfaction which two do neuer faile to accompany that sorrow especially which is godly that causeth repentance neuer to be repented of being repentance vnto life FINIS Errata Page 1. line 24. read heare p. 74. l. 4. r. which p 81. l. 21. r. good p. 84. l. 22. r Lydia p 86. l. 22. r. the tongue p. 92. l. 3. r. which ibid. 18. r. for it p. 94. l. 25. r. as if it p. 97. l. 2. r. as if it p. 97. l. 2. r. truth p. 100. l. 14. r. so thirdly p. 192. l. 2. r. deiected ibid. 6. r. reuiue p. 240. chap. r. permanent and enduring p. 269. chap. r. considered and first p. 134. l. 6. r. rending p. 140. l. 10. r. as p. 145. l. 36. r. hurts p. 154. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 171. l. 14. r. himselfe p. 180. l. 3. r. haue p. 182. l. 36. r. And as p. 183. l. 31. r. much p. 186. l. 16. â— lâ—fe p. 189. l. 17 r. are such p. 192. l. 2. r. deiected ibid. l. 6. r. reuiue p. 199. l. 26. r. haue him p. 212. l 6. r. doe see 213. l 1â— r. is found ibid. 26. r. which in p. 224. l. 31. r. on p. 231. l. 25. r. cruelly p. 234. l. 20. r. beloued p. 235. l. 1. r. father in law p. 252. l. 25. r. ioy