ciuill honestie makes no great conscience of smaller sinnes as lying lesser oathes gaming prophane iesting idlenesse and pastime on the Sabbath day and the like But righteousnesse of faith hauing a sensible feeling of the heauie weight of sinne from those anguishes which the conscience felt before the infusion of faith and being still stung with a checke and smart for all kind of transgressions doth seasonably and proportionablie hate and make resistance to all knowne sinnes Sixthly ciuill honestie doth not vse to make opposition against the sinnes of the time but is euen willing to be caried with the streame onely vpon more faire and probable tearmes then notorious sinfulnesse and therefore will goe on and encourage a man in godly courses and good causes vntill he meet with either a wound to his state a disgrace to his person a disturbance to his pleasures an imputation to his forwardnesse a stop to his preferments losse of friends imminencie of danger or any such crosse and discouragement and then it teacheth him to step backe as a man ready to tread vpon a serpent and to start aside like a broken â—ow But righteousnesse of faith doth stand out for the honour of God and ordinarily goes thorow stitch in good causes come what come can crosses or calumniations good report or euill report men or diuels For it is compleatly armed with confidence of future happinesse and hath sixt the eye vpon the crowne of immortality which if heauen and earth conspired they were not able to pull it out of his hand that reserues it in the heauens for all those that sight a good fight that keepe the faith and run with constancie the race of sanctification The next point of the negatiue part of my doctrine is formall hypocrisie Which that you may more cleerely vnderstand consider with me three kinds of hypocrisie priuy hypocrisie grosse hypocrisie formal hypocrisie Priuie hypocrisie is that by which a man makes profession of more then is in his hart And this somtimes doth mixe it self euen with the fairest and most sanctified actions of Gods dearest children and doth soonest insinuate into a hart stored with the rich treasures of true godlines For Satan if he cannot detain a mans soule in notorious sinfulnes in meere ciuil honestie or formality but that by the sacred inspirations of Gods good spirit it is pulled out of the mouth of hell from the slauery of sin and courses of darkenes into the glorious light liberty of Christs kingdom he is inraged with fierce and implacable furie doth euer certainly with eager pursuit persecute that soule both by his owne immediate malice and by the cruell agencie of prophane men And if so be he cannot procure a scandalous relapse into grâ—sse sins yet that he may in some measure worke the dishonour of God and the discomfort of his noblest creature the two maine ends of all the policies of hell hee doth labour to distaine the pure streames of diuine grace in the soule puddle of our corrupted nature and at least to fasten the spots of priuie hypocrisie vpon the best actions and the very face of innocency This hypocrisie as I take it ariseth from spirituall pride For when a godly man by the great worke of regeneration is become more excellent then his neighbour as indeed he incomparablie is howsoeuer the worlds estimation be otherwise Because the one is as yet a limme of Satan receiuing from him the cursed influence of scule pollutions of vncleannes and lying of malice and reuenge of pride and prophanenes c The other is already a blessed member of Christs mysticall body continually inspired with holy motions and the life of grace The one lies polluted in his owne blood encompassed with the menstruous clouts of loathsome corruptions of all natures except onely the diuell and his angels the most wretched and woefull of the familie of hell heire of horrour and desolation The other by the immortall seed of the pure and powerfull word of God is made partaker of the diuine nature clothed with the rich and vnualuable robe of Christs iustice guarded with an inuincible troope of heauenly Angels iustly intituled to a kingdome of vnconceiueable glory and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number The one is a wrongfull vsurper of the riches honours and preferments of this life for which hereafter hee must be condemned to chaines of eternall darkenes and a dungeon of endlesse miserie and confusion the other while he continues in this world is a rightfull owner and possessor of the earth and all the creatures and blessings of God and when hee departs hence he shall bee made a glorious inhabitant of those sacred mansions where constant peace vnmixed ioyes and blessed immortality euen for euer and euer doe dwell Which great difference when the godly man perceiues and his owne prerogatiues he is filled with a strange and ioyfull amazement and admiration at his owne happinesse which Satan seeing who is perfectly experienced in all aduantages and opportunities for spirituall assaults and working vpon the reliques of mans proud nature doth cunningly draw him to aduance aboue that which is meet within himselfe in his owne opinion the worth of his owne graces and vertues Which that he may conuey and reprâ—sent to the view of the world with an excellencie proportionable to his owne ouerweening conceite he is forced to admit the secret and insensible poyson of priuie hypocrisie which he doth more easily at the first entertaine because the pestilencie and bitternesse thereof is not discernable by reason of the predominancie and sweetnesse of the fresh present graces of Gods spirit in his soule But when by afflictions or disgraces by some extraordinary temptation or particular checkes from the Ministery of the word the vglinesse of it is discouered to his conscience hee for euer abhorres it as a consuming canker that would fret out the very heart of grace and extinguish the life of sincerity and therefore with much humiliation and feruencie doth pray against it striue against it and by the mercies of God preuaile against it This kind of Hypocrisie belongs not to my present purpose onely by the way let mee giue aduertisement to the child of God for to him onely I speake in this point to the end he may keepe his heart vnblameable in holinesse and preserue the true relish and sound ioy of good actions entire and vndistempered that he would strongly fence his heart with a gracious and vnfained humility against priuie pride the mother of this hypocrisie as against a close vndermining and a most dangerous enemie and the more seriously and watchfully for these reasons partly drawne from the nature of the sinne and partly from the state of his soule From the nature of the sinne First other sinnes grow from poysonous and pestilent roots as Adulterie from idlenesse Faction from discontent Murder from malice Iesting out of the word of God from a a prophane heart the
obiect of his reuenging iustice the most base and vnnaturall Opposite to so pure a Maiesty and the most notorious and transcendent instrument of Satans deepest malice This kind of hypocrite belongs not to my present purpose and therefore I leaue him without sound and timely repentance to some strange and markeable iudgement euen in this life Or if he passe these few daies honourably and prosperouslie as it is many times the lot of the wicked lot him expect vpon his deaths-bed the fierie darts of Satan empoysoned with hellish malice and cruelty to be fastned deepely in his soule and such pangs and anguish of conscience that will possesse him of hell before hand Or if he depart out of this world without sense of his sinne or else at the best with some formall and perfunctorie shew of penitencie yet let his heart tremble for the feares that it shall feare at the great and terrible day of the Lord when the vizard of his hypocrisie shall certainely be pulde off his face and he ashamed and confounded in the presence of the blessed Trinity of Angels and all the men that euer were and irrecouerably abandoned from the face of God and from the fruition of his ioyes to the most consuming flame of the fire of hell and the lothsomest dungeon of the bottomlesse pit The third kind of hypocrisie is Formall hypocrisie by which a man doth not onely deceiue others with a shew of piety and outward forme of religion but also his owne heart with a false conceit and persuasion that he is in a happie state when as in truth his soule was neuer yet seasoned with sauing grace and the power of religion And I beseech you marke me in this point it is of greatest consequence to euery one for a sound triall and examination of the state of his conscience whether he yet liue the life of God and stand in the state of grace or lie enthralled in the setters and slauerie of sinne and Satan For herein I must tell you how farre a man may proceed in outward profession of the truth in supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse in some kinds and measure of inward graces and yet come vtterly short of true happinesse and without an addition of the truth of regeneration and a sound conuersion shall bee cut off for euer from all hope of immortality and shall neuer bee able to stand firme and sure in the day of the Lord Iesus For a more perspicuous explication of this point conceiue with me those perfections which may befall a man as yet vnregenerate and in state of damnation We may suppose in him first all those gifts which the possibility of nature can conferre vpon him all ornaments of Arts and knowledge of wisedome and policie not onely that which is purchased by experience obseruation and imployment in points of State but also the spirit of gouernment as Saul had To these wee may adde gentlenesse and fairenesse of conditions an exactnesse of ciuill honesty and morall iustice immunity from grosse and infamous sinnes And thus far the heathens may goe And thus far we proceeded in our last Discourse But in these times of Christianity a reprobate may goe farre further then euer the most innocent Heathen that euer liued could possibly though some of them were admirable for their mild and mercifull disposition some for their vertuous seueritie some for integritie of life some for constancie and resolution in goodnes some for preferring the vnspottednesse of their life before most exquisit tortures For to all these he may adde a glorious profession of the Gospell a performance of all outward duties and exercises of religion many workes of charity and monuments of his rich magnificence Nay besides all this he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination of a shadow of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblance may not be sound in the vnregenerate This last point will more clearely appeare vnto you out of the 8. of Luke and the 6. to the Hebrewes In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite who is there said to beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and inferior working of the spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him In which faith we may consider these degrees First he may be endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge in the word of God He may be perswaded that it is diuinely inspired and that it is most true He may see clearely by the Law of God the grieuous intollerablenesse of his sinnes and the heauie iudgements due vnto them He may bee amazed and terrified with fearefull horror and remorse of conscience for his sinnes He may giue assent vnto the couenant of grace in Christ as most certaine and sure and may conceiue that Christs merits are of an inualuable price and a most pretious restoratiue to a languishing soule He may be perswaded in a generalitie and confused manner that the Lord will make good his couenant of grace vnto the members of his Church and that he will plentifully performe all the promises of happinesse vpon his children He may be troubled in mind with grudgings and distractions with reluctation and scruples before the commission of sinne out of the strength of naturall conscience seconded with a seruile apprehension of diuine vengeance but especially illightned with some glimmerings of this temporarie faith Much adoe was there euen with Pilate inward trouble and tergiuersation before he would bee brought to giue iudgement on Christ. Herod was sorie before he beheaded Iohn Baptist. And these men I hope were farre short of the perfections attaineable by the formall hypocrite After a sinne committed besides the outward formes of humiliation by the power of this temporarie faith he may bee inwardly touched and affected with some kind and degree of repentance and sorrow I meane not onely that which is a preparatiue to despaire and hellish horror but which may sometimes preuent temporall iudgements as in Achab and with a slumbering and superficiall quiet secure the conscience for a time And from this faith may spring fruits Some kind and measure of hope loue patience and other graces It is said in the Euangelists that that hearer which we call the formall hypocrite receiues the word with ioy Whence may be gathered First that with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse hee may submit himselfe to the ministerie of the word With forwardnesse and ioyfulnesse hee may follow and frequent Sermons With a discourse of the sufferings of Christ he may be moued euen vnto teares for compassionate indignation that so glorious and infinite innocencie should be vext with al manner of indignities and torments for the grosse and willfull impieties of sinfull men He may loue and reuerence giue countenance and patronage to the Ministers whom he heares with gladnesse For it is the nature of man to be kindly and louingly affected vnto him
other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican There is his exemption from common prophanenes I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that I possesse There is his outward iustice and religious solennities But you must not conceiue that the formall hypocrite doth proclaime this in publicke with such grosse and palpable ostentation Nay perhaps when it arises hee lets it not rest long in his owne thoughts left by this vanity his vertues lose their grace and he his comfort But certaine it is a consciousnes of his being free from infamous impieties of his morall honestie performance of outward duties of religion and some inward in some measure though not vniuersally nor to the degree of the children of God is one of the best grounds he hath for his assurance of being in state of saluation Parallel to this of Luke is that Prou. 30. vers 12. There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthinesse That is they imagine their temper of religion their pitch of holinesse their formall Christianity to bee the very right path to heauen when indeed they were neuer truely humbled with a sense and sight of their sinnes out of the law and iudgements of God They were neuer acquainted with the pangs of conscience in a new birth or the mysteries of saluation But within are full of hollowheartednesse lukewarmenesse and much bitternes against true godlinesse and the power thereof The second reason whereby the formall hypocrite is moued to thinke his state to be good and the way of his life to be right is a preiudice which he conceiues from the imputations which the world layeth vpon the children of God such as are Pride Hypocrisie Singularity Melancholie Simplicitie and the like But before I descend to these particulars giue me leaue to propose vnto you the fountaine and ground of them which I take to bee that great and eternall opposition which is naturally betwixt light and darkenesse the life of grace and a death in sinne sincerity and prophanenesse the children of God and the wicked Gods children you know in this world liue as sheepe amongst wolues In the stormie times of the Church their persecutors are indeed euen wolues in the euening for their insatiable crueltie and vnquenchable thirst in drinking vp the blood of the Saints And in the Halcyon daies and fairest times of the Church yet they haue those which will bee pricks in their eyes and thornes in their sides If they cannot vexe them in a higher degree yet they will bee sure to lay on loade with base indignities disgraces slanders and lying imputations And their hatred is of that strange nature and quality that it is discharged euen against the goodnesse of the godly their zeale their forwardnesse in religion their faithfulnesse in their calling and the like as against it proper obiect This is plaine in Ieremie Ieremie neither borrowed on vsurie nor lent on vsurie hee was free from all colour of giuing offence or doing wrong Nay his gratious heart was so wholly melted in compassion that he wished that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe day and night for the destructions of his people And yet of that people euery one contended against him there was not a man but hee cursed him The onely reason was because whatsoeuer the Lord said that he faithfully spoke and kept nothing backe but shewed them all the counsell of God It is yet more plaine in Dauid Psal. 38.20 They also that reward euill for Good are mine aduersaries because I follow goodnesse The word there in the originall insinuateth such an extreme and deadly hatred that from thence comes the diuels name Satan So that howsoeuer this enmitie betwixt the world and the children of light be many times bridled by the restraining spirit of God sometimes by the ingenuousnesse of the wicked or their morall vertue or policie or some by-respect or by accident bee turned into loue because by the presence and praiers of the godly they many times escape iudgements and receiue blessings Yet I say howsoeuer it be thus bridled in it selfe it is more then ordinary or naturall and hath in it some degree and mixture of hellish virulencie Ordinarie hatred expires in the downe-fall of his aduersarie Nay any one of generous mind out of the interest he challengeth in the common state of humanitie will commiserate the distresse and affliction euen of his greatest and basest enemie but much more of one of noble spirit and eminent worth and more then that of one that hath followed him with all offices of kindnes and loue yet the flame of this hatred is so fiâ—rce so set on fire by hell that it is not extinguished euen with the blood of his supposed Opposite but barbarously sports in his miseries with insoleÌ„cy tramples vpon his desolations This appeareth clearely in the example of Dauid Psal. 35.15 But in mine aduersity they reioyced and gathered themselues together the abiects assembled themselues against me and I knew not they tare mee and ceased not Who without indignation can thinke vpon these leaud companions and base drunkards that with the false scoffers at bankets gnashed their teeth and cruelly insulted ouer the miserie and disgrace of that man that was a man after Gods owne heart of incomparable excellency and so kindly affected towards them that when they were sicke he clothed himselfe with a sacke he humbled his soule with fasting and mourned as one that mourneth for his mother You see then the fountaine both of the greater stoods of bloodie persecutions and the lesser streames of inferiour vexations as slanders railings and false imputations To some particulars whereof I now come First for Pride It is most certaine that Pride truely so called is the most pesâ—lent and incompatible Opposite that Grace hath and therefore hee that is most sanctified most fights against it For besides that this fiery dart is deepely impoysoned in our corrupted nature Satan knowes out of his owne experience how to manage it with notable cunning and he followes this weapon with such eagernesse and confidence that after it is broken vpon the shield of faith yet he labours with might and maine to fasten some splinter or other euen in the soule humbled for sinne and vowed vnto the seruice of God as I told you in the first part of priuie hypocrisie But I appeale vnto the consciences of the children of God whether many times the world doth not interpret that to be pride in their actions and cariage which is nothing else but a gracious freedome of spirit arising from a consciousnesse of their innocencie and independancy whereby they are inabled to stand with courage against corruptions and the sinnes of the time to follow good causes with boldnesse and with resolution to defend a knowne and warrantable truth and indeed to prefer the saluation of
God and staying it selfe vpon his authoritie Or Acquired which is produced by the light of reason discourse and created testimony The latter is to bee found in the diuels for they beleeue and tremble And in the Papists for their faith is no better according to their grounds and principles My reason is this briefly for I will deliuer my selfe of this point in a word The Iesuites by their iugling haue cast themselues into a circle about the faith of the truth and diuinitie of Scriptures and that is this Ask any Papist in this land how he beleeues Scripture to be the word of God and diuinely inspired he will answere Because thâ— Church deliuereth it so to be And why beleeueth he the testimonie of the Church Because it it is infallibly guided by the spirit And how doth that appeare Because it is so contained in Scripture as in Iohn 16. The Spirit will leade you into all truth And how shall wee know this scripture of Iohn to bee the word of God and diuinely inspired Because the Church deliuereth it so to bee and so they must needs run round in this circulation Now I would propose to the Papists the choice of these three one of which they must of necessitie accept First whether they wil run round in this circle wax giddy and fall and sink into that pit where Poperie was first hatcht or they wil break the circle at the authoritie of the Scriptures and so by consequent they must fall to our side and the truth or they will breake it at the testimonie of the Church and so all their faith as I told you must needs be onely acquired because it depends on a finite and created testimonie and consequently comes farre short of saluation I doubt not but the Papists will acknowledge and approoue that difference betwixt infused and acquired faith consented vpon by the Schoolemen That infused faith relieth immediately vpon an increated authoritie but acquired vpon a finite and created testimonie I know the Iesuites a kind of men inspired with a transcendencie of Antichristian imposture labour busilie to passe plausibly and handsomly out of this circle but if their shifts be thorowly sisted they followed with force of argument it is certaine they will either be driuen into the circle againe or enforced to start out at the one of those breaches I told you of Becaâ—us one of them after hee had long tired himselfe in this circle and at last by the helpe of Gregorius de Val. and former Iesuites got out but with shamefull absurditie and inconuenience in a poore reuenge to relieue himselfe he threatens vs with another circle and so writes a Treatise de Circulo Caluinistico but very weakely and falsly as might be demonstrated euen out of the sounder Schoolemen in their question of the last resolution of faith But I intended no discourse of controuersie but of sanctification and therefore I proceed and take the formall hypocrite along further towards the state of grace For besides knowing and assenting to the truth of Gods word by an historicall faith hee may by the vertue of a temporarie faith adde three degrees moe That is He may moreouer professe it in outward seruices of religion He may inwardlie reioice in it He may bring forth some kind of fruit But these things are onely found in him so long as they do not mainely crâ—sse but are compatible with his worldly peace wealth libertie and other delightfull contentments Here therefore I must leaue him and acquaint you with those workings and degrees of sauing faith which qualified as I shall propose them are peculiar to Gods child and so distinguish and diuide the regenerate man from the state of formall hypocrisie They are these A feeling and speciall approbation of the word of life and promises of saluation a most feruent expetition and thirsting for the enioyment of them an effectuall apprehension a particular application a full perswasion a delight and ioy thence rising sound and vnconquerable That you may vnderstand these you must conceiue that the soule of Gods child comming fresh out of the pangs and terrors of his new-birth a mysterie to the formall hypocrite humbled vnder the mightie hand of God by a sight and sense of his sinnes lookes vpon the whole body of diuine truth as vpon a precious iewel wherin Christ his gratious promises shine vnto him especially as a stone of inestimable worth and valuation whereupon with a peculiar dearenes he sets such a liking that with it hee holds himselfe an heire of heauen without it a child of endlesse perdition Hence followes an expetition and desire of it enforced with groanes vnutterable and a gasping for it as the dry and thirstie ground for drops of raine Thirdly hee apprehends it with a fast and euerlasting hold Fourthly hee applies it closely and particularly to his owne soule Fifthly he is truely and fully perswaded by Gods good spirit out of a consideration of his vniuersall change that it is his owne for euer Lastâ—y he lies downe in peace that passeth all vnderstanding He is filled with ioy that no man can take from him He delights in the grace apprehended as in a treasure farre more deare vnto him then the glory of infinite worlds or life it selfe From the power and workings of this inward grace spring outward actions both in his generall calling of Christianity and his particular vocation which by the mercies of God are faithfull constant vniforme impartiall resolute vniuersall comfortable Whereas those which are produced by the more weake and inferiour degrees of temporarie faith incident to the formall hypocrite are weake wauering many times interrupted variable guided much by occasions the time forced by hope or feare swayed by secret respects to priuate ends and worldly contentments But these more inward markes of difference howsoeuer by a sweete and gratious experience they be felt and acknowledged of the child of God yet generally and to the vnregenerate they are hidden mysteries and vndiscernable to the brightest eye of the naturall man Therefore I will come to those markes of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace which are more outward familiar and more generally and casilie discernable Of which one may be this The power of grace doth beget in a regenerate man a watchfulnesse care and conscience of smaller offences of secret sins of sinfull thoughts of appearances of euill of all occasions of sinne of prophane companie of giuing iust offence in indifferent actions and the like whereas the formall hypocrite taketh not such things as these much to heart but either makes no conscience of them at all holding it a point of precisenes to be too conscionable or else proportions it to serue his owne turne or to giue satisfaction to others And in forbearance of sinnes he hath an especiall eye onely at those that may notoriously disgrace him in the world entangle him in danger of law or vexe his conscience
the faithfull Christian. The fifth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsly perswade himselfe to bee truly happie and so by consequent that keeps him short of the state of grace may be this When by some good motion of Gods spirit stirred vp in him by the preaching of the word he begins to set and addresse himselfe to a sanctified vse and exercise of religion and to a faithfull and constant course of true holinesse indeed hee presentlie meets with a sore and strong opposition by his owne inward corruptions by tempâ—ations of Satan and vexation from the world which he perceiuing and being very sensible of such sudden disturbance from his former securitie perswades himselfe that the passage to grace is not so rough and boisterous and therefore retires and reposeth himselfe vpon his formall Christianitie as the best state he sees any possibility of attaining vnto But if hee will saue his soule he must acknowledge and feele by his owne experience the truth of that saying of Isai. 59.15 He that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray For what child of God is there truly conuerted who at the very first step out of the world and the vanities thereof met not with many crosses and discouragements He knowes and may remember full well whosoeuer he bee how his owne flesh fretted when it felt it selfe snaffled and guided by the Law of the spirit how by making conscience of sinne he laid himself more open to the aduantages wrongs and insultations of his enemies how the companions of his former leaudnesse and iniquitie railed and raged against him as against an Apostata from goodfellowship and high resolution And Satan that he may giue edge and vigour to all these vexations hee busilie bestirres himselfe and casts about to hinder our conuersion While a prisoner lies in a dungeon fast in fetters the Iaylor is quiet and secure but if hee once knocke off his bolts breake the prison and escape there is presently a tumultuous clamour in the house the Countrie is raised and he is followed with Hue and Cry Euen so while we lie quietly in the captiuitie of sinne vnder the chaines of eternall death he neither disquiets himselfe nor vs But if by the mercies of God we bee once enlarged and set foot into the libertie and light of grace why then all the powers of hell are presently in armes and vprore and with much malice and furie the instruments of darkenes are set on foot to regaine vs into his kingdome This point appeares in the fifth of the Canticles Our blessed Sauiour is there said to stand at the doore and knocke being full of the pretious dew and drops of diuine grace and waiting patiently in the cold and darknesse of the night but yet we see what ado and stirre there is with the Christian soule before she can get vp out of the bed of pleasures and vanitie the sweetnesse of sinne and sensualitie had so deepely possest and bewitched her that by her excuses and delaies she hazards so great saluation and happines tendered vnto her by her spoâ—se Yea and at length after she is resolued to renounce her pleasures and in some good measure hath conquered her inward corruptions so that shee opens the doore followes Christ besides other troubles and encumbrances she finds abroad the very watchmen that should haue told her the way and directed her after her spouse euen they set vpon her and smite her and wound her and take away her vaile Euery man then that will come vnder the banner of Christ and haue part in the conquest must together with the new man put on a Christian courage both to tame and represse the rebellions of his owne flesh and to withstand and repell assaults and persecutions from abroad The sixth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsely perswade himselfe to bee in state of true happines may be an obseruation of the death and ends of other men whose liues he perswades himselfe come short of those perfections and degrees of goodnesse he findes in himselfe As if he take notice of a notorious sinner who vpon his deaths-bed by a perfunctorie shew of penitencie and some formall eiaculations for mercy and pardon makes the world beleeue he dies a Saint Or if he obserue the end of an honest ciuill man yet neuer acquainted with the power of grace to bee quiet peaceable and confident without impatiency feare or despaire he presently out of a comparatiue examination of his owne state which he finds not onely free from notorious sinnes but besides morall honestie graced with outward religiousnesse I say he presently conceiues his owne workes in respect of theirs to be works of supererogation his owne life certainely to be without all exception and so himselfe without all danger of damnation And this conceit is notably confirmed if there follow some glorious and flattering Panegyricke of funerall commendation For then he holds the assurance of his happinesse to be sealed vnto him by the mouth of the minister and so with resolution and obstinacie sticks fast in his present state and will no further Mistake me not in this last point beloued in Christ Iesus For first I do not go about to confine the boundles and vnlimited mercies of God nor absolutely to exclude repentance from the deaths bed I know that pretious truth registred in Ezechiel At what time soeuer a sinner c. like a Pearle in a ring and a Starre in his Orbe shines amongst many other gracious promises in the booke of God with speciall comfort vnspeakable and glorious vpon the darkened and drouping soule of euerie true penitent at what time soeuer But yet this I say in this point That any man that knowes and is acquainted rightly and truly with the narrownesse of the way to heauen the nature of Gods iustice the cunning sleights of Satan the difficultie of true repentance how fearefully mans heart is hardned by custome and continuance in sin he would not deferre his repentance to his old age or deaths-bed for ten thousand worlds I adde this That As a sudden death in respect of time or a death wherein appeares much impatiencie fiercenesse and vncomfortable behauiour by reason of the qualitie of the disease or some extraordinarie temptation for the time or that God will be so glorified by iustly hardning the wicked may bee the way to euerlasting happinesse so a lingring patient and lamblike death may be a passage to endlesse woe and miserie For that great iudgement is to passe vpon our soules not according to the strange effects symptoms of our sicknesse not according to the short moment and violent passions of our death but according to the actions of our health the former affections of our hearts and the generall course of our life Secondly I would by no meanes be too busie or vncharitable in my iudgement vpon those which haue alreadie stood or falâ—e to their owne master But as I esteeme that crueltie and
and pretious vnto him and lets all his thoughts with loose raines greatest ioyfulnesse and oftenest meditation run after it and sweetly refresh themselues with the glory and comfort of it If a man vpon the way should find some pretious orient pearle hardly could he keepe his eyes from gazing vpon it his excesse of ioy would easâ—ly command and confine the sight to so rare and hopefull an object vntill hee meet with some skilfull Lapidarie or come where hee might thorowly bee acquainted with the worth and fully enioy the wealth of it Euen so after a man by the illightened eye of his soule and the hand of sauing faith once seaze and lay sure hold vpon the pearle of great price the graces of Gods spirit and eternall life the heart is presently so filled with loue and admiration that for euer after it spends the most the dearest and the noblest thoughts vpon it and they once set on foot are so cheered and rauished with the heauenly beautie thereof that they follow with continuall increase of feruencie and longing vntill they come vnto the cleere vision and full possession of it at the right hand of God in the endlesse ioyes of the world aboue The thoughts then of a true Christian are of a farre more heauenly temper diuine nature and higher straine then the largest heart of the best vnregenerate man can or doth possiblie comprehend The formall hypocrit may haue his mind worthily busied in points of deepest learning in the mysteries of State affaires of kingdomes in the best and highest considerations which nature art moralitie or policy can afford nay he may sometimes entertaine into his thoughts with ioy the promises of grace the happinesse of the Saints the ioyes of heauen and the like though these haue neuer any root or long residence in him But that the word of grace should so emplant it selfe into the inner man that the thoughts should neuer be so well or welcome to the heart as when they are wading in the great mysterie of godlines and with an holy wisedome plotting for the inlargement of Christs glorious kingdome in himselfe and others That it should make all other discourses of the mind subordinate and contributarie to such heauenly meditations and to this end set bounds and limits to the millions of imaginations that daily arise and erect an holy regiment amongst them I say this is the speciall prerogatiue of a sanctified man For he alone because of his truth sincerity and vprightnesse in the inner parts makes conscience of idle vaine and wandring thoughts of which the formall hypocrite either takes no notice at all or not much to heart Hee is as much cast downe vext and grieued with their disorder and exorbitancie as with the errors and infirmities of his words and actions and therefore establisheth as it were a gratious gouernment amongst them to keepe out confusion idlenes and rebellion He confines them to a reuerent and feeling meditation vpon Gods word and workes to a care of conscionable managing the affaires of his calling onely sometimes but sparingly with many cautions exceptions and seasonablenes letting them out to honest recreations Whatsoeuer thought is wandring without this compasse or within it vnsincere is sinful so that if he take any stragling without these limits any enticers to vanities and impertinencies any obtruders and disturbers of so happie inward peace he presently apprehends them by the watchfull eye of his spirituall wisedome examines them by the law of God arraignes them in the consistorie of an illightened conscience and so cuts them off in time by the power of grace and sword of the spirit that is by opposing against them at the first rising in the heart by present repentance prayer and after-watchfulnesse he blessedly rids himselfe of the miseries and distraction of prophane and troublesome thoughts That this is no Idea I now propose vnto you howsoeuer it so be to euery vnregenerate man and so when hee heares it he conceiues of it for little knowes hee what adoe euery child of God hath with his thoughts I say that this is no Idea or idle abstraction appeares pregnantly and plentifully in Dauids practise who for all the strong enticements ordinarilie incident to the pleasures of a Court and naturall libertie of Princes although the cares and waight of a kingdome lay vpon him and that his Royall innocencie was still haunted and assailed with such indignities and vexations which might almost haue swayed the blessed and quiet thoughts of a glorious Angell to distraction and discontentment yet for all this the law of God did still principally take vp his heart and that day and night Gods word and workes his statutes and iudgements were meate and drinke vnto his mind and his meditation continually as is more then plaine in many places of the 119. Psalm Oh saith he in the 13. portion how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually So vnexpresseable here was his pang of holy loue vnto Gods law that hee prefixeth a particle of zeale and extraordinarie passion Oh saith hee And where the heart hath once truely and sixedly set it loue there all the thoughts feast themselues with dearest apprehensions and with greatest impatiencie of all other imployment This is the verie case then of all Gods seruants they meditate on the word of God most contentedly and continually because they loue it farre before and aboue all earthly things and so dearely doe they loue it because in it with speciall security are conueied vnto them all the rich treasures of mercy remission of sinnes spirituall comfort and eternall life and particularly sealed vnto them by 〈◊〉 Spirit of the same word Salomon confirmes this worthie 〈◊〉 of his Father by his testimony Prou. 12.5 The thoughts of the iust are right iudgement or iustice for so the word signifies in the Originall but the suttle deuices of the wicked are deceit The thoughts of all vnregenerate men are commonly either rooting in the earth or drowned in pleasures or running after preferment or ranging vp and downe idly and prophanely or fruitleslie melancholike or if sometimes they glance or settle themselues vpon good things they are still as a menstruous clout and abomination to the Lord because their consciences are not renewed their hearts purged their persons sanctified and accepted But the thoughts of euery child of God are ordinarily working for the maintenance and furthering of Gods glory and good causes for procuring true good to their brethren especially in spirituall things for increasing grace in themselues and their store of comfort against the day of triall And if so be which sometimes befals the best they be crost by sinful motions in themselues or suggestions of Satan yet by their surprizing and suppressing them at the very first rising and assault and by present repentance they are vndoubtedly euer pardoned vnto them in Christ Iesus Giue me leaue I pray you to illustrate this varietie and difference of thoughts which I haue