Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
death_n become_v law_n sin_n 4,033 5 5.1718 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A02846 The strong helper, offering to beare euery mans burthen. Or, A treatise, teaching in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences. By Iohn Haivvard. Hayward, John, D.D. 1614 (1614) STC 12986; ESTC S103943 264,841 668

There are 27 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

euen the best regenerate man that feareth God and loueth righteousnesse that hath both his vnderstāding enlightned his will sanctified so that he wanteth neither knowledge zeale nor humility yet can neither doe the good that gladly he would nor leaue vndone the euill that his soule abhorreth This is no smal burden to the man that wold please God and doe his dutie that hee becomes his owne troubler against his owne will and crosseth himselfe by corruption in that wherein he taketh pleasure by sanctification This made Paul the Apostle to crie out in these words O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death It was death to him that such corruption was so preualent in his fraile body And in another place he calleth the same law of sinne a pricke in the flesh the messenger of satan to buffet him because it was euer seruiceable to satan and armed his hand against the holy feruant of God so that whensoeuer the Apostle did set his heart to doe well the diuell did beat him with the weapons of his owne corruption This is no small burden to an honest minded man The second ranke of these spirituall burdens are accusing thoughts checkes and terrors of conscience the worme in thy bosome gnawing thine heart This burden often followeth the former as Zophar speaketh When wickednesse was sweet in his mouth he hid it vnder his tongue and fauoured it and would not forsake it but kept it close in his mouth then his meat in his bowels was turned the gal of aspes was in the middest of him That is at first sinne in the committing of it is sweet as ratsbane poison often is goeth downe merrily and is meate and drinke to the sinner and he can not bee wonne from it because it is his delight but at last the time commeth according to the saying of God in the Psalme I wil reprooue thee and set them that is thy sinnes in order before thee According to this saying God mustereth his sinnes together and presenteth a view of them before the soule of the sinner where the diuell as a great officer in that campe setteth them forth in their colours that al the contempt of God and of his commandements all their vnthankfulnesse and forgetfulnesse of their duty all the violence filthinesse fury and disorder that accompanied their sinnes appeareth fresh to the sinners vnderstanding and what wrathin heauen what shame on earth and fire in hell he hath made himselfe worthy of and must now looke for And this turneth the meat in his stomack into 〈◊〉 this is more deadly then the poison of aspes can be then feare increaseth nope decreaseth then the wicked are confounded and could wish ●…illes and mountaines to fall vpon them to couer them from the face of God and thinking to flie deserued destruction they oft times cast themselues into eternall destruction and with Saul Achit●…phel and Iudas kil themselues Yea the best seruants of God when it pleaseth him to lay this burden in any toller●…ble measure vpon them are exceedingly affrighted for a time Dauids words being pressed with this burden shew the heauy load of it There is nothing sound in my slesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne For mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a waighty burden they are too heauy for me His affliction was great when the griefe of his minde changed the health of his body and left no soundnes●…e either in flesh or bones And so was it with the Prophet and the only cause of this so great disease was the remembrance of his sinnes and the feare of Gods ange●… by those sinnes deserued Another time laden with this burden as he was before he complained of his load as he had done before saying Innumerable troubles haue compassed me my sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are more in number then the haires of my head therefore my heart hath failed me Needes must the assault of innumerable troubles follow the remembrance of innumerable sinnes and these troubles where they lay hold doe depresse the heart that the ouercharged waight cannot looke vp to the mercy feat of God Yea where faith wageth battaile against fear and keepeth the field well strengthened with many promises and in the end preuaileth restoring peace to the conscience yet there for a time vntil the houre and power of darknesse passe ouer terrors are great when the charge of sinne lieth vpon the soule See it in him that had the greatest assurance of all the sonnes of men when the glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ for our redemption was to take vp and beare the burden of our sinnes it did put him to vnspeakable paine and was vpon his mighty shoulders a mighty burden Hence came that tripled praier O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuertheles not as I wil but as thou wilt Thence came that agony that Saint Luke speaketh of that being in an open garden and kneeling on the bare ground about the middest of night in a cold season of the yeere he fell into a great sweat and his sweat was like drops of blood trickling downe to the ground Thence came that crie vpon the crosse which was not the singing of a Psalme but the true dittie of sorrow and of a depressed soule speaking as was before prophecied of him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All these grew from the burden of our sinnes laid vpon him that he bearing our sinnes in his body vpon the tree we might be deliuered from sinne to liue in righteousnesse The burden therefore of sinne when accusing thoughts once presse and charge the conscience citing vs to appeare and answer before God for our offences is a most heauy burden the burden of the humble and broken hearted man these are the two rankes of spirituall burdens Now vnder these six rankes fower of secular burdens two of spirituall I suppose all those burdens may be comprehended which lie heauy vpon vs in this world and cause feare care and griefe vnto vs first care of the world secondly domesticall troubles thirdly troubles more remote fourthly the difficulties that follow the duties of our callings fiftly the sinfull lusts of our flesh fighting against our soules lastly accusing thoughts breeding terrors of conscience CHAP. V. YOu haue heard what the burden is now let vs consider what it is to cast this burden vpō the Lord. And hereof I will speake first generally without relation to any particular sort of these burdens and then particularly with relation to the particular sorts of burdens before named and in such order as they were named but first generally What it is to cast our burden vpon the Lord we may see by the words of Saint Peter repeating this
be made righteous by faith This Law that accurseth thee with such ●…igour and seuerity euen in that curse serueth as a Schoolemaister to instruct thee by driuing thee from all liking of thine owne waies to seeke thy iustification by Iesus Christ that died for thee As the tempest by Sea maketh men flie with all speed and skill to safe harbour and as a storme by land maketh men flie with all possible haste into the house Euen so the thundering of the Law denouncing curses against transgressors maketh them with all speed and skill to flie vnto Iesus Christ our Sauiour who onely is the sure harbour and house of rest and safetie to all poore and weather-beaten and distressed sinners To him truely and in the first place belong those words of the Prophet That man shall bee as an hiding place from the wind and as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land And as hunger and thirst kindle a desire of meat and drinke and as paine and sicknesse felt and knowne kindleth a desire of the counsell and helpe of the Physician so feare and anguish wrought in our hearts by the rigorous sentence of the Law accursing vs kindleth in vs a desire to slie vnto this man euen the man Iesus Christ our hiding place our refuge our fountaine of liuing waters our shadow that refresheth that in him we might find defence against the storme of curses that the Law powreth downe vpon vs. Be not therefore afraid of the Law but be aduised by it and confessing thy sinnes flie as the Law compels thee vnto Iesus Christ who as the Apostle Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that we being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed Turne thee therefore from the ●…igorous face of the Law to the farre more cheerefull countenance of Iesus Christ and behold him hanging vpon the tree where he suffered for sinnes not for his owne for in him was no sin nor guile in his mouth but for thy sinnes imputed to him as the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying All wee like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Looke therefore from the Law that was giuen by Moses vnto Iesus Christ by whom grace and trueth are reuealed behold him sweating in the Garden till droppes of blood fell from him to the ground behold him scourged with whippes and crowned with thornes till the blood issued from all parts of his body behold him nailed to the tree there reuiled most disdainefully by the Priests and all the people heare him crying out vnder the weight of thy sinnes and of Gods displeasure indured for them My God my God why hast thou for saken me Behold him giuing vp the Ghost his life search whether it were departed from him or no with a speare Then O troubled sinner then did he sustaine the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs as Saint Paul te●…cheth saying Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs. For it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Dooth the law thunder out curses Iesus Christ stepped in betweene the law and vs and receiued the stroke of that curse vppon his owne head whereof he gaue all the world assurance when he humbled himselfe to the death of the crosse which manner of death was by a particular sentence of the law pronounced accursed and why should the law threaten againe the curse of God against thee which alreadie before it hath not onely pronounced but executed vpō another for thee Thou art discharged from the curse of the law in the curse that Christ sustained for thee yea thou art so fully discharged of the curse that in place there of thou art made heire of the blessing promised to Abraham for so are the Apostles wordes That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gētiles through Iesus Christ. Now this blessing of Abraham is the firme fauour of God to bee our God according to the couenant which hee made with Abraham and his seede after him in their generations for euer Which seed is not to be accounted by carnall birth but by spirituall faith without regard of line●…l discent in bloud for god is able of the stones that is of the heard stonie-harted Gentiles to raise vp children vnto Abraham For which cause it was said vnto him In thy seed shal all the nations of the earth be blessed By seed in this place he meaneth the Messias the redeemer that came of Abraham Isaack Iacob Iudah Dauid and in him all nations without respect of persons beleeuing in him as Abrahams heires walking in the steps of his faith shall become blessed by inheriting the couenant euen Gods fauour according to the couenant and thou among the rest Feare not therefore the sentence of the law but from the law turne thy face to Iesus Christ and the feared curse shall not fall vpon thee Reuerence the law as it teacheth a rule of life and feare it not as it pronounceth sentence of death God made his sonne vnder the law to redeeme them that were vnder the law And the same sonne of God is called by Saint Paul The end of the law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth If therefore being in the hands of the law thou wilt looke vnto Iesus Christ tho●… hast attained to the end of the law and so art no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace And remember what Iesus Christ hath said in the Gospell As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes s●… must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue eternall life Looke vp therefore vnto that serpent lift vp vpon the tree of the crosse and the sting of death which is thy sinne and the strength of sinne which is the law shall neuer hurt thee Against all danger of death of sinne and of the law heare what the Apostle saith Thankes be vnto God which hath gi●…en vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXV ALL that is hitherto spoken cannot giue peace to this troubled minde but as one waue followeth another in the sea so one feare followeth another in his heart and new feares afford new obiections Now he pleadeth thus against himselfe I haue no reason to hope for mercy for I haue no heart to pray for mercy I want all things that pertaine to true praier First I haue no God to praie vnto that will lend any care to my praiers I find this saying of Gods recorded
that may fall vpon vs as for example Ioseph was sould vnto strangers and imprisoned in Aegypt the men of Zeklag were spoiled of all that they had in their absence with Dauid Abiathar of the house of Eli was cast out by Salomon from being Priest vnto the Lord warre and famine and the anger of Princes yea many inferior causes breed many calamities the only sure way of casting our burden vpon God is to acknowledge the worke of God in our calamity patiently to beare what he laieth vpon vs and heartily to pray vnto him for succour That wee ought to acknowledge Gods worke in our calamity and patiently to beare his pleasure Iob doth teach vs saying Shall we receiue good things at the hand of God and not receiue euill Surely we doe neuer deserue any good at the hand of God and wee doe continually deserue euill what reason then haue we to desire euer to receiue good that we neuer deserue and neuer to receiue euill that we euer deserue Patience therefore in bearing the calamity that God laieth vpon vs doth well become the sonnes of men And that in our calamity wee ought to pray vnto God if wee would haue him to ease vs of our burden is so cleare that wee neede no proofe for it What man is hee religious or profane beleuer or vnbeleuer that doth not in his calamity remember God looke vp to heauen and pray to God the Mariners in the ship whereinto Ionas was entered when he fled from God when the storme vpon the sea was sore and the tempest proued a calamity vnto them so that they threw the wares out of the ship into the sea to lighten the ship for safty of their liues without instruction they could then according to their knowledge of God fall to praier For so it is written The Mariners were affraid and cried euery man vnto his God Though it be not generall with all men being in calamity and misery to beare it patiently yet it is generall with all men in calamity and misery to pray for ease So that a religious man being burdened with any calamity needeth not so much to be taught that it is fit for him to pray as hee needeth to be comforted by being put in hope that God will in due time answer his praier as surely he will if he be called vpon in the name of his beloued sonne For so hath the Lord Iesus assured vs saying Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Let him pray therefore vnto God the father in the name of the Lord Iesus and patiently attend the Lords leisure and in due time he wil haue mercy vpon him This is when any calamity is fallen vpon vs to cast our burden vpon the Lord for our ease If it be the feare of death that is thy burden and perhaps with regard vnto others that shall be in some danger by thy death as wife children seruants and others that haue their education and maintenance vnder thee First the burden of feare of death is made easie to a godly man by many considerations in al which he cas●…eth his burden vpon the Lord. First hee will consider that it is common to all Adams posteritie A●… Dauid being ready to die saith vnto his sonne Salomon I goe the way of all the earth therefore death ought not to seeme fearefull to thee that is common to all Secondly hee will consider that hee cannot die before the time appoynted of God that gaue him life and assigned from euerlasting the certaine length of it as Iob saith Is there not an appoynted time to man vppon earth And shall any desire longer life then the giuer of life alloweth Or shall any be grieued to resigne his life into the handes of him that gaue it Thirdly hee will consider that the end of life shall bee the end of trouble vnto him that his death shall bring him rest from all troubles as the Spirit of God from heauen hath proclaimed saying ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labor Rest and ease from weary labour is obtained by our death and departure out of this life Fourthly hee will consider that the sting and danger and all bitternesse of death is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ and death vnto the Saints is made the gate of life the Apostle saying O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Lastly for his ease of feare in the approach of death yea for the filling of his heart with all true comfort in death that he may rather desire and long for then any way feare the houre of his death he will consider that his death shal be the gathering of him vnto Christ his redeemer as the Apostle saith Desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all For while we liue in the world we are absent from the Lord and we walke by faith and not by sight But when we depart this world wee are gathered vnto him to dwel for euer with him And that is performed which hee promised saying Though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe aud receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also By these considerations is the burden of the feare of death made easie to a beleeuer and in all these considerations doth hee cast his burden vpon the Lord for his ease If hee therefore feare his owne death because others shall want him his wife shal be a widow his children shal be fatherlesse his seruants shal be orphanes and many shall misse him that now haue a helper of him and for their sakes rather then for himselfe hee is afraid to die This burthen is to bee cast vppon God by commending them vnto his prouidence who giueth food to al flesh because his mercy indureth for euer and who is the keeper of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And that hee may doe this the more comfortably for the ease of his heart let him remember that the Lord saith All soules are mine both the soule of the father and also the soule of the sonne are mine He that created thee and had a care of thee as the worke of his handes to maintaine thee created also thy wife thy children thy seruants and thy poore friends and therefore hath also a care of them as the worke of his hands to maintaine them And hee that gaue his Sonne for thee to redeeme thee and therefore had a fatherly care for thee to doe all things for thy preseruation and saluation did also giue his Sonne for them to redeeme them and therefore also hath a fatherly care of them to doe all
Commandements howsoeuer committed out of ignorance or out of knowledge out of weakenesse or out of malice suddenly or with premeditation be this sin against the holy-Ghost for that is a malicious striuing to disgrace the name or at the least the Religion of Iesus Christ knowne to be the true Religion rather then any prowd and licentious act in transgressing the precepts of Gods Law It is the sinne that neuer any of Gods Elect fall into though they fall into many particular enormious sinnes as of ●…olatry witchcraft blasphemy contempt of the Sabboth rebellion murder adultery drunkennesse theft lying periury and such like wherein many of Gods deare children fall oft and yet by Gods fauour rise againe by repentance Of that sinne and of the exemption of Gods elect from it is that saying of Saint Iohn to be vnderstood Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can hee sinne because he is borne of God No man regenerate nor any of Gods elect can fall into this sinne nor euerie reprobate for many of them through their ignorance that neuer come to know the truth of holy Religion cannot possibly become guilty of this blasphemy though for other sinnes wherof they obtaine not grace to repent they iustly perish from God and suffer the paines of eternall death When thou therefore findest that thou hast not sinned that vnpardonable sinne against the holy-Ghost and that thy sinne whatsoeuer and howsoeuer committed though deseruing a thousand Hels is yet by the mercie of God pardonable where he is pleased to giue repentance of that sinne and vppon that repentance to blot out the remembrance of it Dost thou not see a sweet possibility of deliuerance from thy sin fit to bee pursued with all strong desire and diligence of thy soule Dost thou not see a hole in the wall of hope through which some light though very small doth shine Then let it be thy care to digge in that hole by hearty praier and by humble deuotion that God may bee pleased at last to open a dore of mercy vnto thee and by faith and amendment of life to assure thee that thy sinnes shal neuer be laid to thy charge Thou hast his promises in which hee will not be found a falsifier and a couenant-breaker Hee saith by the Prophet If the wicked will returns from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that hee hath done he shall liue Make vse of this and such like promises and faint not in thy praiers This is to cast this burden of thine vpon the Lord. CHAP. XVII HItherto in an euē course the sinner is brought to se his sinne be pardonable When hereupon he should addresse himselfe to serue for that that may be obtained and to seeke for that that may be found euen the forgiuenesse of sinne for the quenching of his accusing thoughts and peace of his conscience Behold hee prepareth himselfe being instructed and prompted by the subtile enemie to obiect against the possibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes so weakening his owne hope and drowning his owne comfort Let vs heare his obiections that by answering of them we may at the last if God be pleased help him out of his feare bring him to reioice in God his Sauior First he obiecteth saying Though my sinne that I am in conscience charged withall bee not blasphemy against the holy-Ghost and therefore not vnpardonable Yet seeing I haue sinned notoriously not in time of ignorance but in time of knowledge when I was able to teach my selfe and others that such things ought not to be done and I was neither surprised with a sodaine temptation that gaue me no time to consider what was fit to be done nor forcibly led captiue by a strong temptation whereto my weaknesse was not able to make resistance but I did runne vpon it wilfully wildly furiously striuing to delight my selfe with the pleasures of sin to inrich my self with the wages of iniquity euen with contēpt of God whose iudgemēt at the same time I remēbred yet would not feare him●… whose mercies and goodnes to me and mine I remembred and yet would not loue him and whose commandements requiring the contrary I remembred yet wold not obey him seeing I haue sinned in this manner so boldly and so prowdly my sin if it bee not that blasphemy against the holy-Ghost yet it comes very neere vnto it and so neare that I feare the angry eye of heauen wil see no diffrence betwixt them then where am I with this possibility secōdly thogh that blasphemy be only vnpatdonable yet I am sure it is not the sin onely vnpardoned it is not the sinne that is onely punishable and that shall onely be punished my sinne is also punishable and may be punished for so it deserueth and then what am I better to heare it is pardonable when I perish in it Lastly I know that lesse sinnes then mine and more easie to bee excused are punished in hell with euerlasting death What then must I looke for but the flames of vnquenchable fire and haue I not already by my abhominable sinne kindled that fire euen the fire of Gods fierce wrath against mee which hath already begun to torment and waste my conscience This obiection consisteth of three branches the first is this that his wilfull sinne comes so neere to the height of that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eye of heauen hee feareth can and will see no difference betweene them This will easily bee answered And to beginne our answer I must intreat this afflicted sinner to remember that it hath been already declared that his sinne though grieuous yet is pardonable And let him to this purpose againe heare the words of our Sauiour Iesus All sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme And how neere soeuer his sinne commeth to the vnpardonable sinne yet not being it it remaineth pardonable And this ground of trueth can neuer bee ouerthrowne And the anger of heauen being alwayes iust euen and holie doth neither shaddow the vnderstanding nor disorder the iustice of God that hee should not be able to discerne the difference of things that are not the same or infold them rashly and disorderedly in the same sentence Anger is not in God a disturbing passion as it is in men But it is the most euen and holy carriage of his iustice as becommeth the righteous Iudge of all the world pouring out his plagues vpon sinners and executing vengeance vpon contemners according to the rule of his owne word where with hee hath made vs aforehand acquainted and according to the merites of mens workes against which their owne consciences iustifying God
or denouncing iudgement to the impenitent and vnbeleeuers Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen Wherefore doeth hee speake thus of their determination and of their word but that according to that good hope which thou hast gathered vnto thy soule from the word of God in the writings of his Prophets and Apostles and in the mouthes of his faithfull witnesses on earth according to that good hope hee will doe vnto thee in heauen And in his iudgement both at thy last day and in the worlds last day he will not varie one iot from the straight rule of his word whereon thy recouered peace is grounded Indeede if thou shouldest recouer thy peace and remoue thy accusing thoughts with the remedie of Atheists that like Dauids foole Say in their hearts there is no God that is there is no diuine power gouerning the world in iustice and rewarding euery man according to his workes If thou shouldest shake off thy temptation with that conceit of wicked men recorded in the booke of wisedome that say Wee are borne at all aduenture and wee shal be ●…ereafter as though we had neuer beene for the breath is a smoke in our nosthrilles and the words are a sparke raised out of our heart which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as the soft aire our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloud and come to ●…ought as the mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sun and cast downe with the heate thereof That is no hand of God made vs at the first to be serued with the obedience of our life and when we leaue the world we shall not appeare before the face of any God to giue account for our liues for wee were borne by no prouidence and appointment of any higher power but euen as it happened such a man to beget such a boy such a mother to beare such a child and when wee die wee returne into earth and aire ourbodies become dust our spirits vanish as a puffe of winde there is no difference after death betweene man and beast both vanish and come to nothing as we were not before we were borne so wee shall not be when we are dead I●… with these wicked conceites we seeke to stifle and choke our owne conscience or falsely flatter our selues with the securitie of contemners despising all the threatnings of God So that when they heare the words of the curse they blesse themselues in their heart saying we shall haue peace although we walke according to the 〈◊〉 of our owne hearts that is the threatnings of Gods displeasure are not to be regarded I esteeme them no more then the winde that breatheth ouer mine head and I shal be well inough whatsoeuer God say and I will hold on my course without any feare of God If vpon any such sandie and deceitfull ground thou shouldest builde thy peace and by such deuice should make dull rather then quiet thy troubled conscience verily thy accusing thoughts would returne like so many furies after death charging thee with all thine impieties before the face of thy Iudge The Atheist shall knowthat there is a God as it is said in the Psalme Doubtles there is a God that iudgeth the earth The Sadduce shall know that there is a life after this when he shall be called to answere as it is said of the ●…uill steward Giue accounts of thy stewardship for thou maist bee no longer steward And the contemner shall know the power of Gods displeasure when the wrath of the Lord and his i●…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses written in Gods booke shall light vpon him But if thy accusing thoughts be put to silence by the knowledge and faith of Gods mercy and of Christ his merit accompanied with repentance and true conuersion to God as hath beene said if by the promises and rules of Gods word thy peace while thou liuest be recouered assuerdly thy sinnes shall neuer be laid to thy charge after death for otherwise there were no faithfulnes in God nor trueth in his word wherein he hath thus spoken I will rememher their sinnes no more And in another place All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him Theresore if it shall please God by the meanes that is applied vnto thee out of his word to deliuer thee frō the storme of this temptation whilest thou liuest thou hast no cause to feare the renewing of it after death nor in that name to feare death And because thou art troubled with such fantasticall feares of death that indeed is naturally fearefull to all men let ●…e acquaint thee with the condition thereof to a Chistian it came indeede into the world by the sinne of our first parents and by the holy and iust iudgement of God it was imposed vpon vs as a punishment of sinne depriuing vs of all present good things and plunging vs into eternall euils But when the sonne of God suffred death for our sinnes and by his suffring gaue satisfaction to the iustice of God he then slew destroied death it selfe by that death of his and tooke away all deadly killing power from that dissolution of ours which we call death and made it vnto all beleeuers a gate and passage into life putting an end vnto all their present troubles ●…nd bringing them to the possession of endles happines So that it is to them as the euening is to the labourer when he both resteth from his former wearie worke and also receiueth the reward for which he wrought For the body henceforth is laied vp in the graue as vpon a bed of ease where it shall ●…euer after either shake for colde or faint for heate where it shall neuer after feele either hunger or sicknes or be wearied any more with painfull labour That is it that the Prophet meaneth when hee saith Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds euery one that walketh before him That is the righteous man that treading in the paths of Gods commandements walketh with him in his holy obedience he●… at his iournies end in his body shall lie downe to rest in his graue as on his bed and much peace shall be his portion and as for the soule from thenceforth being vnclothed of his earthly couering and remoued out of his Tabernacle and house of clay it ascendeth vp vnto Iesus Christ and being clothed with glory it hath an happy abiding with him in heauen where it inioyeth the most comfortable presence of Christ his redeemer and the desired fellowship of those redeemed that are alreadle passed out of the wildernes of this wicked world into the paradice of eternall delight So did the Lord Iesus promise to the dying theese when hee said vnto him This day thou shalt bewith mee in paradice
So did the Apostle Paul wish vnto himselfe when hee expressed his minde in these words Desiring to be loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all And the same Apostle speaking of the death of all the faithfull saith in this wise Wee know that if our earthly house of this Tubernacle be destroied wee haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Here is the change of the soules dwelling from a ruinous house on earth to an eternall house in heauen Afterward the same Apostle saith Wee are bold and loue rather to re●…one out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. Here is the change of the soules company on earth it conuerseth with mortall men in heauen it dwelleth euer with the immortall God This is all the hurt that death can doe vnto vs if this were to be called hurt it bringeth the body to rest in the graue and it bringeth the soule to present glorie with God and all the dangerous deadly and killing power that originally it had by any confederacie with sinne all that is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ. And if it were sometime to be feared as a poisoned serpent of the olde serpents brood yet it is so spoiled by that serpent that was lifted vp vpon the crosse that it hath neither tooth nor sting nor any poison left to hurt any beleeuer Heare to this purpose the words of Saint Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death therefore cannot be hurtfull to the beleeuer And if while he liue he take such order and find such fauour that God will be pleased in Iesus Christ to send him a discharge of his sinnes by faith in his sonne he hath no cause after death to feare the reuiuing of his accusation though the legions of lying diuels whose malice makes them accusers of the Saints before God should altogecrie out against him as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Thou hast no cause to feare death or any thing that followeth death if while thou liue thou returne to God and recouer his fauour in Iesus Christ for there is full discharge against accusation condemnation both in this life and after this life in the free loue of God and most meritorious intercession of our Lord Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXXI THE storme is ouer our afflicted sinner by this time seeth no cause any longer to dreame of terrifiing death and were it not that one d●…am of bitternes disseasoneth the comforts of life that God hath lent vnto him he should grow to some reasonable temper But one thing hee hath cause to complaine of and let vs heare him that we may vnderstanding his griefe be the better able to helpe him Hee telleth vs of a heauie case his sleepe he saith is not quiet but mixt with fearefull dreames at his table his minde taketh in more sad thoughts then his mouth doeth bits of meate the voice and face of his old acquaintance and former friends doeth now reuiue his greefe so oft as he doeth either see them or heare them the fairest roomes of his house which he had trimmed vp for his delight if hee come into them doe strike him with grieuous terrour and all those things that hee delighted in before are new matter of sorrow and heauines vnto him and it is his onely content though without to sit alone in darknesse This hee taketh to be some curse of God folowing him and an euident signe of Gods iust and fearefull anger following him for what should make Gods good creatures other mens comforts to be discomforts to him but the onely displeasure of God To this I answer that it is very likely that it is so and will continue to bee so with him so long as this burden of accusing thoughts lies heauy remaining vpon his wounded conscience It is a very kindly effect of it that hath growen out of it and wil vanish with it Thou sleepest catest with a wounded heart and hence it is that while thou sleepest and eatest thou still feelest the smart of thy wounded heart Thy ancient friends and former woonted delights appeare vnto thee now when thou art not fit to take pleasure in them as before time thou didst and that maketh thee at the present to be the more troubled thinking vpon thine old liberty now lost And the things prepared for thy pleasure while thou wert capable of pleasure in the contrary disposition of thine heart bent altogether to feare and sorrow doe now bring ●…orth a contrary effect vnto thee euen increase of sorrow And a desire of shaddow and solitarienesse though they be hurtfull doth follow a grieued minde as Ieremy saith of the man that beareth the yoke in his youth Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it vpon him And this desire of darknesse and solitarinesse either is an effect of mortification in him that is crucified to the world seeing the world crucified to him or else it groweth partly out of shame and partly out of anger that things are in no better tune and vpon the recouering of thy peace and ceasing of thy temptation this trouble will certainly vanish away In the meane time giue place to this griefe as little as thou canst and striue to reioyce in the Lord and in the good blessings hee hath bestowed vpon thee pray him that bestowed good things vpon thee to giue thee a free heart to take comfort in his guiftes that thou maiest be prouoked to praise his name And withall craue and vse the counsell and helpe of some learned and skilfull Physician for there is somthing in this griefe that hath neede of his iudgement and diligence And the God of hope fill thee withal ioy and peace in beleeuing that thou maiest abound in hope thorow the power of the holy Ghost Amen And now after some delay in answering such obiections as the vnquiet soule hath made out of his grieuous feare let vs grow vnto a conclusion concerning this burden of accusing thoughts and let vs gather together briefly orderly the scatterd grounds of hope that this burden may be cast off when God shall be pleased to giue his blessing and the scattered rules of aduice that teach how to cast it vpon God And for grounds of hope that this burden of accusing thoughts may bee cast off vpon God for the sinners ●…ase it hath beene shewed and proued First that his sinne not being that
is proued not to be that sinne whereof God neuer giueth repentance and therefore neuer forgiueth it pag. 208. 17 Hence follow obiections made by his troubled minde And first he obiecteth that his sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eie of heauen can se no difference and though his sinne be pardonable yet it is punishable and lesse sinnes then his are punished therefore why not his The seauenteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 225. 18 His second obiection is the iustice of heauen cannot suffer such sinne as his to passe vnpunished and the holines of heauen will not admit such sinners as hee to enter The eighteenth Chapter answereth this obiection And addeth incouragements from the promise of God and commandement of Christ. pag 234 19 His third obiection is against Christs commandement as not pertaining to him he may not aske forgiuenes of sinnes because he cannot call God his father The nineteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag. 247. 20 His fourth obiection is against Gods promise as not pertaining to him because it was Gods couenant with the house of Israell and he is no Israelite neither after the 〈◊〉 or after the promise The twenieth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 264. 21 His fift obiection is notwithstanding Christs commandement to aske and Gods promise to grant forgiuenes yet ma●…y perish therefore why not he The ●…ne twentieth chapter answereth this obi●…ction shewing the conditions of obtaining forgiuenes to be repentant toward God faith in Christ and charitie ●…oward our brethren pag. 275. 22 His sixt obiection is There is in him neither repentance nor faith nor loue The two and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 302. 23 His seuenth obiection i●… His heart is euen full of all euill thoughts If they ri●…e out of his owne heart it is incurably euill ●…f the diuel thrusts them in his heart is irrecouerable in the deuils power The three and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 312. 24 His eight obiection is this The law ●…f God curseth 〈◊〉 hee is a transgressor therefore by the law of God accur●…ed the foure and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 330. 25 His ninth obiection is He cannot pray alledgeth many impediments The fiue twentieth chap. answereth this obiection pag. 340. 26 His tenth obiection in an extreame fit of his disease is this He is forsaken o●… G●…d hee is a child of perdition and lost and he is a reprobate The six twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 368. 27 His eleuenth obiection is the h●…ight of dispaire He saith he must and will di●… and must and will be the instrument of his owne death and alledgeth reasons for it some to proue from the iustice of the fact some from the aduentage The seuen and twentieth chapter in answere to the obiection sheweth the foulenes of the fact pag. 421. 28 The eight and twentieth chapter examineth and answereth his reasons both for the supposed iustice for the supposed aduantage of the fact shewing their weakenes and errour pag. 468. 29 Being driuen from his desperate resolution he maketh ●… twelfth obiection from his vnworthines of life and of the comforts of life concluding that hee must and will abstaine from them The nine and twentieth chapter an●…wereth thi●… obiection pag. 517. 30 A thir●…eenth obiection is from the ●…eare of death that either he shall die before this ten●…ation be ouercome or that it will be renewed after death as in the proper place for then sinnes are brought to iudgement The thirtieth chapter answereth this obi●…ction pag. 533 31 A fourteenth obiection is a matter of discomfort namely that all things that minister delight and comfort to others are vnto him mingled with griefe and feare The one and thirtieth chapter answer●…th this obi●…ction and conuerteth the precept pag. 559. 32 The two and thirtieth chapter beginneth the promise pronounced in words answer able to his owne presen●… estate pag. 569. 33 The three and thirtieth chapter handleth the first part of the promise in these words he will nourish thee pag 578. 24 The fower ●…nd thirtieth chapter beginneth the second part of the promise in these words He will not suff●…r ●…he r●…ghteous to fall for euer Mens falles are here shewed to be either into sinne or into m●…serie and this chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they fall into sin to lie in it for euer pag. 35 The fiue and thirtieth chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they are ●…allen into miserie either inward or outward to lie in it for euer pag. 36 The six and thirtieth chapter gathereth the conclusion of all the whole treatise pag. Faults escaped in Printing P●…g 19 line 7 read wight p. 23. l. 13. r. you p. 54. l. 12 for r. 2●… p. 84. l. 8. ●… their burdē p. 88. l. 17. 1. f●…r mat man p 89 l. 23 r. b●… by the. p. 9●… l. 5. r. Aramite p. ●…04 l. 12 r no meat●… and l 13 〈◊〉 no drinke and l. ●…7 r. ●…rieue p. 105. l. 1●… r. repentance p 139. l. 8 r trieth p. 141. l. 15. r offices p. 1●…2 l. 26. r. to 〈◊〉 p. 153 l. 6. fo●… troubles r. burdens p. 160. l. 25. r. pnt●…eth p 164 l. 6. r 〈◊〉 p. 172. l. 12. r. muster master p. 1●…3 l 2. 6 r. louing p 20●… l 25. for that r. no constancie p. 225. l. 14 r. to shew for p. 2●…8 l. 13. r. but l. p. 290. l. 1●… r. budding p. 315. l. 20. r. deriued p. 320. l. 12. r had couered p. 〈◊〉 l. 2●… ●… sc●…uethe p 367 l. 13. r. and of th●… p 36●… l 12. ●… thou knowell whereof p. 392 l. 27. r and serue him p 424 l. ●… r d●…agon p. 427. l. 2●… r. in min●… hurt p. 428. l. 3. ●… they ●…ocke th●…m p. 432. l. 28. r. coniecture vnto me p. 436. l. 8. r. pe●…secu eth p. 442. l. 23. r. pas●…ibus p. 457. l. ●… r. limme p. 465. l. 11. r. arts p. 48●… l. 20. r. h●… receaueth p. 490. l. 11. r. cut of p. 502. l. 16. r. vnexpected p. 527 l. 15. r. idl●…e p. 560. l. 13 r. without content Other letterall faults good gentle reader beare withall THE STRONG HELPER PSAL. 5●… 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer CHAP. 1. THE violence of Saul and ●…nuy of his courtiers had bred vnto Dauid trouble and danger This trouble and danger had affrighted his mind so that trembling feare and horror oppressed his heart as appeareth in the first eight verses of this Psalme His trembling feare and horror made him ●…e vnto God before whom he complaineth of the most perfidious falsehood of his enemies and at the hands of God he craueth in iustice their death and destruction This appeareth in the next seauen verses of the Psalme By this time his mind is somewhat
and said vnto me Goe prophecie to my people Israel That is I haue in those sermons which you call Conspiracie faithfully followed the commandement of the God of Israel So also did Ieremy when the Priestes and false Prophets and the multitude of the people had laid hands vpon him in the Temple and went about to kill him for his preaching he protested his innocencie saying The Lord hath sent me to prophecie against this house against this Citie all the things that you haue heard And thine innocency being thus protested made knowne then secondly turne thee vnto God appeale to his iudgemē●… rest vpon him He is the true discerner of all mens doings to whō it is manifest both what things are done and with what mind they are done and he is the iudge of all men and of their doings and he will reward them that truly serue him therefore taking no discomfort at the vniustice and vnthankfulnes of men pray God to iustifie thy well doing against misreporters Thou hast a promise of such mercie made by the Prophet saying He shall bring forth thy righteousnes as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day and pray him to remember thee and giue thee thy reward in heauen because on earth good seruices are not worthily valowed and in expectation of that reward at Gods hands comfort thy soule in this case And thus haue we spoken of the fower secular burdens wherein immediately we haue to doe with men in matters concerning this life and shewed how the burdens may be ought to be cast vpon God for the ●…ase of our soules CHAP. XII THere are diuers troubles wherein the man that is troubled hath to doe immediatly and at the next hand with God and the things wherin he hath to doe with God and looketh directly vpon him do concerne our soule and inward man and the good estate therof for holinesse and happinesse both now and hereafter And in regard hereof those troubles I call spirituall troubles And those I reduce to two heads The first of these spirituall burdens is the powerful lusts of the flesh enemies to the holinesse of the soule The second is the feareful accusing thoughts that are enemies to the happinesse of the soule The first is the burden of the lusts of the flesh fighting against the soule The multitude of our corruptions and the law of sinne in our members so potent and strong that we cannot doe the good we would in doing whereof God should be serued and the euil we would not that we doe by doing whereof the diuell is serued This is a grieuous burden to an honest minded man that is desirous to please God and keepe a good conscience Hee considereth who made him and desireth to glorifie his creator He considereth the manifold mercies of God towards him and desireth to approue himselfe a thankfull man He respecteth the end both of his creation and of his regeneration and desireth to come neare vnto God and to haue fellowship with his redeemer and to resemble him in holinesse and righteousnesse hee seriously thinketh vpon the end of vertue and reward of vice the first to be eternall life the other to be eternall destruction and with his whole heart and soule he desireth and striueth to auoid euill which hee abhorreth and to do good which he loueth And while he striueth to goe on in this course nothing hindereth him more then the root of sin that is deeply fastened in his owne flesh The Diuell offereth a temptation and his false flesh yeeldeth presently vnto it The flattering world presenteth showes of vanity and the flesh greedily imbraceth them Occasions are offered and presented to our eies and our traiterous flesh suddenly apprehendeth them and our actions fall out to be sinfull and euill sometime at vnawares before wee haue leisure to consider what we ought to doe Sometime against fore-fight yea against repugning will For that corruption that is in our flesh which for the authority that it vsurpeth and for the power that it exerciseth in vs the Apostle calleth the law in our members that corruption rebelleth against the law of our minde and leadeth vs captiue into all actuall sinne And wee are compelled in the campe of our enemies to serue against our beloued Lord. And this is no small griefe vnto a sanctified soule that desireth to serue and worship God in spirit and truth How heauy this burden is the Apostles words doe teach vs crying out by reason of it in this manner O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death It was vnto him more bitter then death that sinne was of such power in his mortall body Vpon men groaning vnder this burden compassion ●…is to be taken both in regard of God whom it grieueth them to offend and dishonour and also in regard of themselues so intangled and indangered not by any fo●…aine malice but by their owne inbred sinfulnesse Therefore for the case of such ouercharged soules to giue them some comfort notwithstanding the continuance of their burden these things are to be considered First that where God hath giuen an heart grieued for these infirmities he neuer imputeth vnto them the sinnes that they so vnwillingly and grieuedly commit their broken and displeased hearts being a pleasing sacrifice to him According to the saying of the Prophet The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise So that God taketh more pleasure to see them sorrow for their committing sinne then he doth displeasure for the sinne that they commit for to commit sinne is common to all mankinde and we cannot chuse but to doe amisse while we liue in this flesh but to mourne and to be grieued for sin to striue against it and not to commit it but with dislike offence taken for it is proper onely to them that truely loue the Lord. Secondly though they cannot attaine vnto such perfect holinesse vppon earth as they desire nor vnto such an absolute conquest ouer their corruptions and such a full measure of mortification that sin shal haue no life nor power of mou●…ng in them yet their good wil being true and vnfained and their holy desire beeing sound and not dissembled is before God as well accepted as if they were altogether without sinne Therefore is it that God requireth the heart saying My sonne giue me thine heart and let thine eies delight in my wayes He that can by the mercie of God attayne vnto this to delight in in the wayes of God and to haue a sound heart within his weake bodie he hath attained vnto as great perfection of holinesse as this present life is capable of if that desire and delight of his be ioyned with knowledge and vnderstanding so that hee be free from their errour whom the Apostle speaketh of saying They being ignorant of the righteousnesse
of God and seeking to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God A single good intent without knowledge is the deuotion of fooles it hath no true comfort tied vnto it it saueth not from destruction it leadeth men blindefolde and sleeping into hell But when men haue learned out of the word of God what hee requireth and what is their duety vnto that knowledge ioyne a true desire to doe their duetie then vnfained desire is before God esteemed a perfect worke Therefore doth Saint Paul say That loue is the fulfilling of the Law And in another place The end of the Law is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law requireth no more but loue which will neuer be idle and that obtained the Law hath attained his true end in vs. And to him that thus loueth as much is due as vnto him that perfectly fulfilleth the commandement Thirdly to him that thus in heart desireth while he liueth here full perfect and absolute holinesse being grieued that the lusts of his flesh should stand vp in his way with such strength as they doe that which hee desireth shall in due time be granted with increase of grace in the meane while For when death comes in which hee pulleth off sinfull flesh he shal put off sin al corruption togither with the flesh and thenceforth hee shall offend his God no more nor be in any danger of offending him For the Apostle truely saith He that is dead is freed from sinne both from the act of sinne and from all lusting after sinne And when he shall receiue his bodie againe in the resurrection hee shall receiue it cleansed and purged from that corruption that was in it before For so doth Saint Paul testifie saying The body is sowne in corruption and is raised in incorruption By which incorruption he vnderstandeth not onely an estate of strength and health whereby it shall be freed from that decaying that it was subiect to before in regard whereof we haue relieued it with daily food to repaire the daily decaies and also freed from sicknesse and paine that it suffred here before in regard whereof wee take much physicke to ease the paine of it and to maintaine the health of it but he vnderstandeth rather by incorruption an estate of purenesse holinesse whereby it shall bee freed from sinning and offending God and shall stand and remaine for euer purged and cleansed from all sinfulnesse and in as perfect sanctitie as the blessed Angels of God And our true holinesse begunne heere shall be consummated and become perfect holinesse there These are matters of comfort to cheere his heart that is grieued with the burthen of his owne corruptions not suffering him to serue God as hee would his defaults displeasing him shall not bee laid to his charge His loue and true desire shall be accepted as if his life were without fault and hereafter in due time he shall be wholly freed from all corruptions And these comforts are some ease of his burthen that though his lusts be still as strong as they were yet his g●…iefe for them is not so much as it was But let vs see further how a man may cast this burthen vpon God to be eased of it and get masterie ouer his lusts For the casting of this burthen vpon God these are good rules and profitable seruing to procure case and whereby strength against the corruptions and lusts of the flesh is obtained First let him be diligent in the study of the word of God which Dauid calleth A lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths Because in the spirituall darkenesse which ouershadoweth our souls in this world so that of our selues wee cannot see nor finde out the paths of righteousnesse wherein wee should walke if wee take vnto vs the word of God it like a shining light will reueale vnto vs the old way which is the good way that we may goe forward in it It will teach vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and will guide vs aright against the dangerous seducings of our owne euill lusts And great force it hath to keep vs in our way euen in those men in whom their lusts and corruptions are most strong As for example in yong men in whom there is more pride of wit and more stubbornnesse of wil then in men of other ages in them the word of God is powerfull to make them aduised and to humble them Dauid asketh this question Wherewith all shall a yong man redresse his wayes and hee giueth answer in the next words saying In taking heed there to according to Gods word Such an excellent help against the seducing lusts of the flesh is the word of God for the redressing of our waies So that if a man burdened with his corruptues desiring to obtain strength against them doe giue himselfe to study the word of God and do take heed vnto it though he were as prowd witted and as stubbornely wilfull as were those yong men the sonnes of Iacob that cōmitted the outrage at Shechem yet the word of God will bring downe his prowd wit reclaime the forward wils of the very dissolute gallants of the world And this doth Dauid being yet but a yong man out of experience in himself affirme saying By thy commandements thou hast made mee wiser then mine enemies for they are euer with me that is I am a continuall student in thy commandements I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation that is my minde is alwayes vpon thy testimonies I vnderstand more then the ancient because I haue kept thy precepts that is age teacheth much by obseruation and experience but Gods word teacheth more So that while a man is carefull to study the Scriptures as Dauid was and maketh them his meditation hee shall soone become more wise then his teachers and more able to direct himselfe then the ancient that think themselues able to giue councell There shall not moue nor stir a corrupt lust in his heart attempting to draw him aside to sin but he being exercised in the study of Gods word shal presently be able with iudgement to checke that desire of his heart to oppose against it Gods owne will Secondly let him frequent the company of good men in whom hee seeth great power to subdue keepe vnder disordered lusts then is in himselfe and let him obserue imitate their behauiour this will helpe him much For if the word of God on the one side giue him a rule how to keepe vnder his raging lusts these men on the other side will be vnto him an example patterne shewing him how to doe it and a very simple workman when he hath not onely rules giuen him to direct his iudgment but a patterne also laid before him to direct his hand will very
of some in hell shall be more tollerable then of some others but thereby they vnderstand rather those gripes of conscience that prouoke prayers supplications strong cryings and teares out of a heart beset and straightned with fierce accusations a conuinced conscience feared condemnatiō these assaults they say shall be more hard against the conscience of him that siuned against knowledge in a presuming manner then against the conscience of him that sinned of ignorance in a weaker manner that is yeelding rather out of his weaknes then daring out of his pride for it may be alledged for the ignorant man that if he had knowne such a thing to be euill in the sight of God he would not haue done it No such thing can be said for him that presumed against knowledge for such an one sheweth contempt of God and of his reuealed will which the ignorant man cannot be charged with all hee groneth only vnder the burden of humane errour and frailty but the other lieth vnder the burden of malice and presumption Therefore when our afflicted man pressed distinctly with some particular sinnes findeth that they were the sinnes of his ignorance let him not thinke himselfe thereby free for to be ignorant of that which is our duty required of God is of it selfe a great sinne and if his ignorance be affected ignorance as in them that refuse to be taught and contemne the meanes of knowledge when God doth offer them such ignorance differeth little or nothing from malice But let him pray vnto God in hope and let him plead before God his ignorance not as an excuse much lesse as a iustification of his fault but as a motiue by which the Lord is often led in his free mercy to forgiue sinnes And for the incouraging of his heart let him remember the examples of them to whom vpon their ●…epentance and conuersion to God mercy to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes of ignorance hath beene granted Peter in a sermon of his made vnto the multitude that came together to see the lame man whom he and Iohn had healed chargeth them with a grieuous sinne saying You denied the holy one and the iust and desired a muràerer to be giuen you and killed the Lord of life whom God raised from the dead where of we are witnesses This was a great sinne to kill the sonne of God and to make more reckoning of and to shew more fauour vnto a knowen murderer then to the Lord of life that came to saue them But this their fact he saith was of ignorance And now brethren I know that through ignorance you did it as did also your gouernors For though the lews were very maliciously bent against Iesus yet many of them knew him not to be the Lord of life and to be the holy one of God neither did they persecute him in that name Therefore doth Saint Peter sa●…e vnto them in the same Sermon Amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may be done away Heere is mercy offered and assured vnto them that amend their liues and turne to God namely this mercy that all their enormious sinnes and euen among the rest their sinne in refusing the Lord Christ and putting him to a shamefull death should be forgiuen and the rather because they did it ignorantly And memorable is the example of the blessed Apostle Paul His sinne was persecutiō against the name of Iesus Christ his proceeding in it was furious without all compassion raging both against men and women that called vpon that name and casting them into prison in all places where he could finde them and had power against them In such sort that hee became famous or to speake more truely infamous for his cruelty so that Ananias in Damascus could say to the Lord Iesus of him Lord I haue heard by many of this man how much euil he hath done to thy Saints in Ierusalem moreouer here hee hath authority of the high Priests to bind●… all that call vpon thy name And yet this man had his sinnes forgiuen and was receiued into fauour and had all the degrees of holy honour done vnto him that can be done vpon earth to any among the followers of the Lord Iesus For first he was called to the knowledge and faith of the Lord Iesus and was made a true beleeuer Secondly he had honour not only to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake and was made a true confessour and marter Thirdly he was also an excellent instrument to draw other men to the knowledge and faith of Iesus and was made a teacher and an Apostle And all this was the more freely done to him because when hee was a persecurour hee finned of ignorance and knew no other but that it was lawfull and holy for him to doe so Heare what himselfe saith of that matter I thanke him that hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice when before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe Ignorance and vabeleese are not things pleasing ro God by their vertue and merit obtaining forgiuenes of all the sins growing out of them neither doth the Apostle remember his ignorance and vnbeleefe obtaining his pardon as out of worthinesse of them rather know them in themselues to be grieuous sins deseruing hell as fully as any notorious sinne that issueth from them but he that sinneth out of ignorance more easily findeth fauour then hee that sinneth against knowledge For the sinne of the ignorant man hath not in it like euidence of rebellion against the reuealed will of God as the sin of him that hath knowledge As the words of the Lord Iesus shew spoken to some of the Pharisies If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne that is if yee wanted knowledge and were blind in your vnderstanding your fault should not bee so great so notorious so blame-worthy as now it is by reason of your knowledge There is therefore though no merit of fauour yet much hope for him that can say truely in his heart vnto GOD Lord thou knowest that blindly and ignorantly I ranne into this sinne not knowing that it was against thy will and so odious in thy sight And this is for him that is distinctly charged with particular sinnes and findes that hee committed them out of ignorance a doore of hope in which these examples may incourage him to digge by prayer wherein if hee doe truely and with a right penitent heart humbly and earnestly trauell he casteth the burthen of his sinnes vpon God and shall finde case CHAP. XV. BVT say it was sinne against knowledge and thou hadst warning giuen thee many times to take heede of that same sinne and warning by the word of God so that thou couldest not but know that to doe so as thou didst was a
sinne highly displeasing to God Sometime thou wert warned by a publique Sermon sometime thou wert warned by thine owne priuate reading sometime by the louing admonition of some neighbour or friend And thy iudgement was growen to a mislike of that same sinne and thou wert offended at others that committed it aud yet thou hast fallen thy selfe into the same sinne Surely this is a hard case and the tempter hath great aduantage against thee But what must the charged sinner sincke eternally vnder this burthen is there no meanes to cast euen this burthen vpon GOD for the sinners case Yes verily and Sathan hath not yet driuen vs so close vp to the wall but that wee may by Gods mercy slippe safely out of his hands Heere let the sinner consider in what case hee was when hee committed this sinne whether hee were his owne man as wee speake that is whether it were in the choise of his own wil to do it with liking or without liking For great is the weakenesse of our nature and oftentimes the regenerate and best minded serue ●…s of God though they should yeelde to die a thousand deaths with most exquint●… torments rather then commit ●…nie sinne to the offence of God yet either sodainely affrighted with the appearance of daunger they commit sinne before they haue time to consider what they should doe and to settle their resolution against it or else weighing at leasure both their duty to God and their present danger pusillanimity and weakenesse of heart maketh them to shrinke and yeelde at the present And must a sentence irreuocable presently come forth against this weake sheepe Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physition there is there no mercy in heauen for this sinner is there no gracious pardoner there Such a rule must needes haue sent to hell many of Gods beloued Saints that now are with him in heauen who while they liued on earth were sometime vrged with sodaine and sometime with violent temptations and haue yeelded sometime without consideration and sometime with consideration and yet after by the mercie of God haue recouered themselues and haue glorified GOD both in their life and death are now glorified of him in his kingdome And why shouldest not thou if thy sinne be like theirs hauing to do with the same God of mercie hope to finde the same fauour that they found Surely this very circumstance that thou wert surprised by a sodaine or violent temptation led captiue to do euill against thine owne liking that didst take no pleasure in it yea wert exceedingly grieued that thou hadst not strength grace to withstand it is a hole in the wall of hope through which light shineth and wherin if thou dig by humble hearty prayer it may proue a doore of mercy for thee to enter by come neare to God to be eased of thy burdē Here consider the example of the Apostle Peter his sin was a grieuous fin for he denied before men his master the Lord Iesus Christ he did so once twice and thrice each time more vehemētly then other for first he simply denied him passed it ouer with this saying I know not the man At the second time he augmented his sin with addition of an oath and forsweares him The third time he yet augmented his sinne more with addition of grieuous execrations and cursed himselfe that is wished himselfe accursed if hee know him And he did this in the time of knowledge after he had learned that to do so was sinne and dangerous to his soule For he had heard his Maister openly before speake thus Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse before my Father in heauen but whosoeuer shal deny me befnre men him wil I deny before my Father which is in heauen And though it were a true saying out of a liars mouth skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Yet this is true also and to be regarded aboue the other that all that a man hath euen skin and life also hee must giue cast away and esteeme as vile that he may follow Christ to glorifie him by true confession Which course only hath power to secure life As Peter also had heard from the mouth of his Lord saying If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow mee for whosoeuer will saue his life shall loose it and whosoeuer shall loose his lifs for my sake shall saue it This Peter had heard this he knew And besides these general caueats long before giuen Peter was also priuately forewarned of this thing euen the same night a little before he did it when he also took knowledge of that warning and resolued with himselfe not to doe it yea made open vow not to doe it For when the Lord Iesus Christ after his last Supper a little before his apprehension hee tolde the Apostles that they that night should all be offended by him Peter boldely answered and saide vnto him Though all men should be offended yet will not ●… be offended To whom the Lord said in the next words Verily I say vnto thee that this night before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny mee thrice Peter had no meaning to do so but rather a resolued heart not to do so And therefore aunswered presently Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee And hee spake no more than hee truely intended hee was no hypocrite onely he considered not his owne weakenesse but was ouer confident in the opinion of his own strēgth And therfore when Iesus was taken and carried to the high Priests hou●…e Peter followed a farre off and entred into the high Priests hall and put himselfe among the seruants and officers and drew neere to the fire for it was colde and first a maide challenged him to bee one of the followers of Iesus after some of the men seconded her challenge strengthening it by adding 〈◊〉 suspition that his speech bewrayed him to be a Galilean and Iesus came out of Galilee and therefore hee was not vnlikely to be one of his followers At last a coosin of his whose care Peter had smo●…e off in the garden flatly affirmed that hee did see him in the garden with him Peter affrighted sodainely with these challenges and being in the middest of them whom hee esteemed his enemies seeing at the present no way to escape yea hauing no leisure to thinke what was fittest for him to doe denyed his Maister and bound his deniall with oaths and curses Was not this a sin against the knowledge of his heart and what hast thou done in the particular sinnes that thou ar●… charged withall in thine heart that Peter did not in this sinne of his and in what points are thy sinnes greater and more grieuous then his then what letteth thee that thou maiest not pray for and
in his iudgements shall not be able to make any exception to say that in any thing hee hath erred from the streight rule of iustice And this iustice is that which in terms agreeable to our conceit is called his anger His eie therefore cannot bee deceiued in esteeming of mens sinnes I remember a good speech of Saint Ambrose to this purpose God lieth not open to passion that he should be angry seeing hee is subiect to no passion but because hee reuengeth he seemeth to be angrie to vs this seemeth because we vse to reuenge with a troubled minde So that as anger signifieth a disturbed passion of the mind troubling our vnderstanding and peruerting our iustice there is no anger there can by this Fathers iudgement no anger be in God but Gods iust reuenge wee call anger because our reuenge is mingled with anger Away therefore with this conceit that the anger of Heauen should not discerne betweene thy sinne and blasphemy against the holy-Ghost The anger of Heauen is nothing else but the iust reuenge of Heauen A second branch of thine obiection is this that though the blasphemy of the holy-Ghost be the onely sinne vnpardonable yet it is not the only sinne vnpardoned It is not the onely sinne punishable nor onely punished thine also is a sin punishable and may proue a sinne punished I confesse all this to be true what then Doth it follow that needes thou must be punished because thou maiest be punished that consequence must not be granted for then it would follow that there should bee no place for any forgiuenesse at all for sinnes are punishable and deserue eternall death To reason so were to spoile God of his honour that hee obtaineth by forgiuing sinne where of the Prophet Micah speaketh saying Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage c. It is Gods great honour to pardon sins that are punishable And it is an intollerable iniurie offered to the riches of his grace to affirme that hee will not forgiue in mercy because hee may punish in iustice And such reasoning as this would also make false all his promises and make vaine and vnprofitable the hope of all his saints grounded vppon those promises for there is none of them that hath not committed many punishable sinnes which yet they hope shall neuer be punished Yea it would make void the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and depriue him of the honour due vnto him by the saying of Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world For verily euen those sinnes for which this Lambe was slaine and sacrificed and which by the vertue of that sacrifice of himselfe he taketh away are punishable sinnes sinnes deseruing the most heauy wrath of God and the most cruel torments of hell Away therefore with this idle reasoning my sins are punishable and therefore it helpeth mee nothing to heare that they are pardonable Where sin aboundeth to deserue punishment there grace aboundeth much more to remit punishment The last branch of thy obiection is this that lesse sinnes then thine and sins more easie to be excused are often punished then why not thine There is no reason that this thing should offend thee that smaller sins are punished The Creditor may see reason to forgiue to one debtor many pounds and yet not to forgiue another a few pence The punishment of hell is due to all sinners leaue God the Iudge to the freedome of his owne will to shew mercy where it pleaseth him to shew mercy and to forgiue where and what and how it pleaseth him to forgiue Little sins when men continue them and regard not to repent of them are brought to iudgement as well as great ones And great sins when men forsake them are carefull to repent of them are put out and forgotten as well as the smallest It is not the greatnesse and smallnesse of sins that makes them to be retained or remitted but it is repentance that ●…reeth from al together This is plaine by the words of Esay who hauing called for repentance that the people should cease to doe euill and learne to doe well immediatly addeth saying Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as woll Though the spots of them were neuer so foule and though the staine of them were neuer so deepe yet God will forgiue the sinne and forgiuing it he will cleanse and purge the sinner This great mercy for the forgiuenesse of most great sins is promised to repentance Where repentance is wanting the smallest sins shall bring the transgressour to iudgement but where true repentance is found the greatest sinnes shall be done away Be carefull then to turne from thy former euill waies and bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life and God will free thee from all thy sinnes And thus it appeareth that all the feare that bred this obiection first that thy sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne of blasphemy against the holy-Ghost that the angrie eie of heauen can see no difference betweene them Secondly that thy sinne though pardonable yet is punishable and therefore must bee punished Thirdly that smaller sinnes then thine come to iudgement and therefore thine being greater cannot in iustice be passed by All this feare is needlesse feare and thy sinne still remaineth pardonable and thou maiest comfortably hope for and shalt assuredly obtaine forgiuenesse of thy sins if thou turne to God ca●…lest vpon him and amendest thy waies CHAP. XVIII BVT feare which is not easily remoued proceedeth to another obiection the afflicted sinn●…r pleading thus against his own peace the iustice of heauen is so pure holy withall so strict soe seuere that it wil neuer suffer such sinne as mine is to passe vnpunished and the holynes of heauen is so cleane spotles and vndefiled that it will neuer suffer so vncleane a person as I am to enter into life For this I can alledge the expresse word of God and therefore am sure that my feare is not vaine the Prophet Dauid speaking to God who would soone haue checked his speech if it had not beene true saith Thou art not a God that loueth wickednes neither shall euill dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lies the Lord will abhorthe bluddie man and deceitfull Here is depriuation of Gods loue expulsion from dwelling with him and from standing before him here is the hatred of God in his hatred destruction threaned to them as to men abhorred of God that worke wickednes that are doers of euill that in the foolishnes of their hearts committed iniquitie that in their talke speake lies that haue
bluddie handes cruell hearts and cunning and deceitfull heades But such an one am I I haue wrought wickednes I haue done euill I haue through the foolishnes of mine heart committed much iniquitie I haue beene a lyar my handes are full of bloud I haue beene cruell deceitfull therefore I am depriued of Gods loue I shall not dwell in his kingdome not be able to stand before him in iudgement I am iustly hated of him and shall bee iustly destroied by him and hee must needes abhor me as a thing most vile Who can speake against these things grounded on such authoritie must not the seuere iustice of heauen condemne such sinnes as mine are must not the pure holines of heauen exclude such vile sinners as I am surely it may be called prodigall mercy if such sinnes as mine escape vnpunished and if such a sinner as I may euer be saued This obiection seemeth to consist of two parts inregard of iustice that cannot suffer sin to escape vnpunished in regard of holines that will admit no vncleane person to haue fellowship and cohabitation with it But they ioyne together in one to increase this poore mans feare yet let vs helpe him with our answere It is a comely thing to to thinke reuerently of the iustice and holines of heauen for certainely iustice will not suffer the least sinne to escape vnpunished neither will holines euer suffer any vncleane thing to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet that cannot hence be concluded that thou gatherest namely that therefore mercy can find no free passage to forgiue thy sinnes and to bring thee to glory for the wisdome and power and loue of heauen which are able to worke wonders aboue the reach of mans vnderstanding will find yea haue found out a way to satisfie iustice by the punishing of sinne and to satisfie holines by the purging of sinne and yet to saue the sinner that committed that sinne Lift vp thine heart and eares and harken to that that shal be deliuered thou shalt find an helmet of the hope of saluation to couer and saue thy head withall The glorious Trinitie by an eternall decree ordained defore all time and effected in the fulnes of time sent downe the eternall word the second person called the sonne who being conceiued by the holy Ghost tooke flesh and was borne of the virgin Mary of the linage of Dauid and was made man true man the sonne of man the sonne of Adam of Abraham and of Dauid in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne and him the father gaue vnto vs to be our mediator and to be the Lord our righteousnes and to the satisfying of the iustice of heauen God laied vpon him our sinnes and he willingly submitted himselfe to the burden of our sinnes to the curse of the law to the death of the crosse and to the wrath of his father for those sinnes of ours Excellent to this purpose is the testimonie of Esaie speaking more like an Euangelist or an apostle then like a Prophet saying He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our 〈◊〉 was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne wai●… and the Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all We are the men that haue sinned and gone astray from God stripes woundes and death were due to vs for sinnes God imputed to him our sinnes and he was contented to stand before God a sinner in our name The stripes the woundes the death that we deserued hee receiued sustained and indured for vs. Thus iustice is satisfied our sinnes being in him punished it were iniustice to punish the same sinnes againe in them that plead the suffringes of Iesus for them Thus are his stripes our cure his woundes our health and his death our life Vnto that saying of Esaie let vs ad another of the Apostle Saint Paul Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the gentiles through Iesus Christ. The law curseth euery one that abideth not in all that is written in that booke to doe it and we haue failed in all or in most and the sentence of the curse did lie vpon vs then it pleased the Lord Iesus Christ by yeelding himselfe to the cursed death of the crosse to take vpon him the curse that should haue fallen vpon vs. So was iustice executed according to that sentence of the law iustice so satisfied giueth waie to mercy for the curse being borne by Iesus Christ the blessing promised to Abraham is our inheritance Here the one halfe of thy feare is remoued because in the death of Iesus Christ iustice hath receiued satisfaction for thy sinnes if thou plead this satisfaction by what iustice art thou to be punished for thy sinnes The other halfe of thy feare is this that the holines of heauen will neuer suffer such an vncleane sinner as thou art to enter into the kingdome of God to remoue this feare vnderstand that the same Lord Iesus Christ that bare ou●… sinnes imputed to him and suffered for them to satisfie iustice doeth also inuest and cloth vs with his perfect righteousnes both originall and actuall impu●…ed to vs that all our vnrighteousnes and vncleanenes both originall and actuall being therewith hidden and couered from the view of God most holy wee might appeare cleane spotles in him to the satisfying of the holines of heauen Therefore is it that Paul saith speaking of Iesus God hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him This place plainely sheweth that God made an exchang betweene Iesus Christ and vs. He knew no sinne that is he had no acquaintance nor fellowship with sinne in him was no sinne to deserue death That sinne abounded in vs and God laied it vpon Iesus and he died for it On the other side we had no righteousnes no righteousnes of God that is no such pure and perfect righteousnes as God requireth and as might commend vs vnto God to be admitted for it into heauen That righteousnes was in Iesus Christ who fulfilled all righteousnes keeping the law bearing perfect loue both to God man and performing all offices pertaining to that loue and that righteousnes of his doth God impute vnto vs making vs righteous in him Therefore is it that the Prophet Ieremie calleth him the Lord our righteousnes And this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes Not our iustifier that pardoning our sin●… pronounceth vs righteous by holding vs excused which thing also verely he doeth for vs but our righteousnes because in him we are accepted and his righteousnes
offered vnto God for vs is accepted as our righteousnes and the reward of it is giuen vnto vs. His righteousnes is our righteousnes yea hee himselfe is our righteousnes and in him we are righteous not without reference vnto that place of the Prophet Ieremie doeth the Apostle Paul say thus of him You are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption First he is made vnto vs wisdome that is in him and by the knowledge of him wee attaine vnto that wisdome which only is worthy of that name which philosophie and all the religions in the world the Gospell of Iesus Christ excepted could neuer afford vs for this wisdome maketh vs wise vnto saluation secondly he is made vnto vs righteousnes that is by the imputation of his righteousnes vnto vs we are accepted as righteous and holy and are in him righteous and holy Thirdly he is made vnto vs sanctification that is in him and by the vertue of his death and resurreotion we are recouered out of the dominion of sinne and haue power giuen vs to keepe vnder suppresse mortifie our earthly members and carnall lusts and doe euen in this sinfull world make beginning to serue God in holines and righteousnes with sinceritie and truth of heart Lastly he is giuen to be vnto vs redemption that is when we are once made wise by the knowledge of him and are iustified by his imputed righteousnes sanctified by his quickning grace we shall in the end vndoubtedly come to full redemption in heauen by him And by his meanes thou which of thy selfe art an vncleane person such an one as the holines of heauen may iustly denie entrance vnto art made in Iesus Christ a most holy and pure person worthily admitted by the holines of God to enter into glory And this other part of thy feare and so thy whole obiected feare is remoued the iustice of God that will haue sinne punished and the holines of God that will suffer no vncleane thing to stand before him both hauing receiued full satisfaction in the mediation of Iesus Christ Iustice in his death suffred for vs and holines in his perfect obedience and righteousnes imputed vnto vs so free way is made for the mercy of God which thou foolishly callest prodigall mercy For nothing euer was with more wise prouision bestowed to come vnto thee to forgiue thy great and abominable sinnes and to saue a great and an abominable sinner Now therefore fall to praier in the name of so gracious a mediator intreat the most merciful louing God to forgiue thy sins to receiue thee to fauor And for thy incouragement first vnderstand that without exception of any sin whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or aduisedly done the Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen thee leaue yea hee hath commanded thee to craue the forgiunes of thy sins teaching and commanding thee to say vnto God Forgiue vs our sinnes Looke then vpon the sinnes that lye so heauie vpon thy conscience marke thē well and if thou findest them to be thine as i●… most like thou shalt know that thou hast leaue giuen thee and art also commanded to be a suitor for the forgiuenes of them whatsoeuer they be being sins And consider by whom this leaue and this commandement is giuen thee euen by him that is appointed to be the iudge of quicke and dead who while he giueth thee leaue commandement hath also himselfe drawne the petition for thee by which thou art commanded and permitted to craue the forgiuenes And surely it is a beginning of mercy granted to grant thee leaue and to imbolden thee with a commandement to aske for mercy his rule being Aske and it shall be giuen thee And it is not with out hope yea great hope of forgiuenes of sins when the iudge that hath power to grant it doth both permit thee command thee instruct thee how ●…o craue it This being also on of his rulers in the fore remēbred place Seek ye shall find Secondly to incorage thee further vnderstand that without exception of any sinne whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or advisedly done almighty God against whom thy sinne is commited and whose heauie wrath for thy sinnes thou art so greatly afraid of hath promised both to forgiue and forget thy sins saying I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more And when doeth God giue this promise but when hee maketh a couenant with his people whereby he bindeth himselfe vnto them And what shall we say was not God aduised of his owne meaning and considerate when he made this promise who can say otherwise of the most wise God but that he was aduised Or did he dissemble or promise this fainedly when he had no meaning to performe it who can say otherwise of the God of trueth but that he fully intended to performe his promise or hath hee forgotten now what hee promised then that by this meanes his promise should be as no promise because not remembred to be euer giuen who can imagine this of that God who knew all his owne workes from the beginning to whom all times both past and to come are euer present and of whom the Prophet saith He hath alwaies remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations Looke then againe vpon the sinnes that are so heauie vpon thy conscience and marke them well and if they be thy sinnes which thou canst not denie as the Lord Iesus hath giuen thee leaue by his commandement to aske forgiuenes so God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath promised to grant thee forgiuenes of them Here is a dore of mercy set wide open enter confidently but humbly with thy praier in the name of Iesus the mediator Thou hast the promise of the God of trueth of that God whose word is his deed who saith As I haue spoken so will I bring it to passe And what or whome shouldest thou now be afraid of CHAP. XIX BVT the afflicted sinner that cānot easily cast off this cleauing burden to his owne further trouble obiecteth against the incouragment giuen him from the commandement of the Lord Iesus to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes affirming that that gracious commandement giuing so franke leaue and so large hope of asking and obtaining forgiuenesse neither doth nor can pertaine vnto him pleading against himselfe in this manner This commandement of Christ that giueth leaue to aske and hope to receiue forgiuenesse of sins cannot belong vnto me neither haue I any right to the benefit and aduantage of it because that commandement is giuen to them that can call God their father for so beginneth the Lords praier wherein that commandement is comprehended our father which art in heauen But cannot call God my father neither haue I any
God should forgiue vnto thee thy wrongs done against his diuine maiestie But in the fourth place marke well this let it enter into thy froward heart if thy peace were presently setled and thou hadst receiued from God as cleare and as assured discharge of all thy sinnes as Dauid had when Nathan said vnto him from God The Lord hath done away thy sinne thou shalt not die Crueltie against thy brother reuoketh Gods promise which hath euer included in it this condition of shewing mercy to thy brother and forgiuing him It is a true saying of Saint Augustin Redeunt dimissa peccata vbi fraterna charitas non est The sinnes forgiuen returne againe where there is no brotherly charitie And this is plaine in the parable of the king and his seruant that ought him ten thousand talents the king being humbly intreated forgaue him the debt that is promised to forgiue it him this seruant went forth and met with a fellow seruant that owed him an hundred pence and cruelly hee cast him into prison which when the king heard of hee was highly displeased and calling this vnmercifull seruant before him hee said vnto him O euill seruant I forgaue the●… all that debt because thou praiedst mee oughtst not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had pitie on thee So his master was wroth and deliuered him to the gailer till he should pay all that was due to him His vnmercifull dealing with his follow to whom he would not forgiue small offences reuoked the liberall promise of Gods most large mercy for the forgiuenes of his many and grieuous sinnes therefore suppresse all frowardnes of thy swelling heart and after the councell of Salomon say not I will do to him as he hath done to me I will recompence euery man according to his worke But be curteous mercifull and tender-hearted forgiuing thy brother and so God will gratiously forgiue thee There is a third condition to bee obserued of them that thinke to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and that concerneth more directly God and his glory and praise namely faith in God faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God That is firmely to hold perswasion of the mercy of God that it reacheth to the forgiuenes of sinne without exception of any sinne or any sinner as if for sinne there were any greater then his mercy and therefore such as hee neither would nor could forgiue and for the person that there were any so farre out of fauour that vpon his repentance God would not could not be mercifull vnto him the Prophet Micah saying of God for his mercy in this point Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion on vs. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea And firmely to hold perswasion of the merit and vertue of the death and bloud sheding of the Lord Iesus Christ that it is effectuall to take away the sinne of the world as Iohn Baptist saith of him Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Without exception of any sinne or of any sinner as if for the sinne there were any so grieuous that the bloud of Iesus Christ were not able to wash out the staines thereof and for the sinner that there were any so wicked that the sacrifice of the sonne of God were not sufficient to make attonement with God for him the Euangelist Iohn concerning sinne saying The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Apostle to the Hebrewes concerning sinners saying He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession to God for them This is faith in God to hold this intire perswasion of the mercy of God without making exception which none can iustly make and this is faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God to hold this intire parswasion of the merit of his precious bloud and bitter passion without making exception which none can truely make And this intire perswassion without exception includeth particular application for he that excepteth no sinne excepteth not his owne sinne a●…d he that excepteth no sinner excepteth not himselfe Of the vertue of this faith to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and all other graces at the mercifull hand of God for the merit and by the vertue of Iesus Christ the mediator these and many other places of Scripture doe speake fully and plainely Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in praier if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And in another place If thou beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth These things are spoken by the Lord Iesus himselfe And Saint Paul saith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued It may bee the remembrance of this third condition breedeth some discomfort vnto thee as threatning vnto thee no forgiuenes because thou thinkest that thou hast no faith thou thinkest that thou hast it neither in possession nor in power whether thou haue faith in possession or no it may be a questiō because thou maist haue it without presēt feeling of it And sure if euer thou hadst it thou hast it still For as the Apostle Iude saith The faith is once giuen to the saints Faith hath his summerly beautie and winterly barrennesse it admitteth increase decrease but as the tree liueth in the winter though it be bare and when colde stormes are past sheweth his life by building in the spring so faith p●…ncht and benummed with the ●…ipping colde of frostie temptations assoone as it pleaseth God to send ease of trouble sheweth it selfe by reioycing and praising God as it were in a spring and then manifestly declareth the continuance of his being when yet it could not be discerned But if thou be indeed without it it is out of question that thou hast no power to command it it is not a matter of that facilitie to beleeue in God vnto saluation that some doe account it who vse to say they can beleeue what they list For to command silence to accusing thoughts and to stop the mouth of Sathan that accuseth thee of thy sinne and to suppresse the sentence of Gods law that condemneth thee for sin and to binde the hands of Gods iustice that is readie to doe execution vpon thee for sinne and to quiet a conscience disturbed and s●…t on fire with the feare of deserued wrath and condemnation and to beleeue in God vnto saluation is to doe all this is a worke of greater difficultie then hee vnderstandeth that saith he can beleeue what he list Credulitie to thinke this or that to be true because some bodie tels vs so or because we haue reade it or because
the power of God to saue that is the instrument by which hee powerfully saueth Though therefore thou hast not power to settle thine own hart by giuing saith vnto thy selfe yet thou hast no cause to be discomforted for by praier vnto God and by study in the word of GOD it is obtained at his hands These are the conditions betweene God and man which God requireth where he forgiueth sins three in number One that concerneth most directly thy selfe that is repentance renewing thy heart to hate sinne and to loue vertue and reforming thy life to slie sinne and practise vertue A second that concerneth most directly thy brother that is charitie and compassion to forgiue vnto him the wrongs done vnto thee to comfort him and to doe good to him as thou wouldest that God should forgiue vnto thee the wrongs that thou hast done vnto him that God should comfort thee and doe good vnto thee A third that concerneth most directly God himselfe reuealed vnto vs in his sinne Iesus Christ namely our faith that wee neither thinke basely of the mercy of God nor of the merite of Iesus Christ as if there were some person that it could not releeue and thy selfe that person and some sinne that it could not do away and thy sinne that sinne And now maiest thou vnderstand what it is that causeth so many to perish in their sinnes and how it commeth to passe that so few are saued when yet without exception of any sinne the Lord Iesus commandeth and by commandement giueth leaue to aske and hope to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne and likewise without exception of anie sinne God the ●…ather of our Lord Iesus Christ promiseth to forgiue sinne First they haue no ca●…e of repentance to forsake sinne yea with delight they dwell in it liue in it and die in it and they will rather forsake God and renounce heauen then leaue their pleasant and gainfull sinnes Secondly they haue no care of charitie and compassion to their neighbour they regard not the rest the credit the prosperitie the peace and safetie of their neighbour and being full of pride of wrath and furie they prosecute the least wrong till they be reuenged Thirdly they regard not to know how ample the Lords mercie is and the death of Christ and doctrine of saluation are foolishnesse to them they pray not for faith and they stoppe their cares against the word of God And hereby it commeth to passe that they perish in their sinnes not that their sinnes are so great that they cannot bee pardoned or God so mercilesse that he will not pardon them or Iesus Christ so defectiue in his mediation that he hath not done and suffered enough to discharge them but themselues are so carelesse so prowd so contemptuous so desperate that they will not leaue to sinne they will not loue their neighbours they will not know God but they will goe on in their courses like them whom Ieremie complaineth of saying They are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the trueth vppon the earth for they proceed from euill to worse they haue not known me saith the Lord. This is the cause why they perish And here maiest thou vnderstand how to reape the benefit of the leaue that Christ hath giuen thee by his commandement to aske forgiuenesse of thy sins how to reape the benefit of the promise that God hath giuen thee to grant forgiuenesse of sinnes First forsake the sinnes that haue been so chargeable vnto thee and hauing already found the reckoning to be so heauy vnto thee diet no more at the Ordinarie of fleshly lusts where the soule must pay for it in hell and the inheritance waste that God hath dearely bought for thee And finding how great need thou hast of mercie and forgiuenesse to keep thee from being eternally miserable Learne to bee tender hearted toward thy brother and afford him thy forgiuenesse that thou maist obtain the same measure of mercy at the hands of God And let it bee the chiefe of thy daily studies to vnderstand more cleerely then yet thou dost how infinite and boundlesse the mercie of God and the merit of Christ his bloud is In the word of God thou shalt finde these things And while thou are occupied with desire in these studies faith in the mercies of God will grow apace and in a short time bring thy conscience to that happy quietnesse that S. Paul speaketh of saying Being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus is thy feare growing from the multitude of them that perish and from the small number of them that are saued notwithstanding the commaundement of Christ giuing leaue to aske forgiuenes and the promise of GOD offering forgiuenesse shewed to bee an idle feare if thou wilt haue care of these conditions vpon which God granteth forgiuenesse of sinnes CHAP. XXII BVT heare againe the afflicted conscience breaketh out into grieuous complaintes and faith If these be the conditions required where sinnes are to be forgiuen I must neuer looke to grow vnto any agreement with God for the forgiuenes of mine for I haue not one of these three things in me For first I want repentance sinne aboundeth in me and whether I hate it or no I cannot tell though I know I haue no cause to loue it that proueth now so grieuous vnto me And secondly I hold my selfe to be void of loue to my neighbour I feare least I shall enuie other men their happy peace of conscience and their happy hope of saluation and that standeth not with loue And sure I am that I haue hurt them oft with the vniust act of my sinne and haue grieued and offended them with the vngodly example of my sinne And these things haue no agreement with loue And as for faith of all three it is furthest off If dispaire could obtaine forgiuenes of sinne I should soone speed for I am not far from that but if saluation must be apprehended by saith I am most far from it for I haue litle or no faith the present feare that I am in is directly opposite to faith This is the miserable condition of this burden that they which are pressed with it doe quickly apprehend and too well remember any thing that may increase their feare but they are dull too apprehend and doe soone forget any thing that might giue them comfort If this troubled sinner could but remember while the three conditions were spoken of what was said vnto him why hee should not be discomforted at the hearing of these conditions as if they or any one of them did breed impossibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes of sinnes he would not now make this f●…uolous obiection But let vs helpe his memorie that when God shall be pleased to looke gratiously vpon him his feare may be remoued for the ease
all societies hee knitteth mens hearts together in loue and maketh them to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the band of peace It is he that hath promised in the Church of Christ and kingdome of the Messias the rod of the stocke of Ishai to do this The wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the leopard shall lie with the kidde and the calfe and the lion and the fat beast together and alittle childe shall leade them and the cowe and the beare shall feed their yoong ones shall lie together and the lion shall eate straw like the bullocke and the sucking child shall play vppon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand vppon the cockatrice hole By the wolfe the leopard the lion the beare the aspe the cockatrice he vnderstandeth men of prowd cruell minds apt to do al hurt bicause they are void of al loue by the lamb the kid the calfe the fat beast the cow the bullocke the sucking child the new weaned child he vnderstādeth men of an humble mild heart apt to do good vnwilling to doe hurt because they are full of loue by the harmelesse society of these so vnlike people he giueth vs to vnderstand that he wil take away from men their pride their fiercenesse their cruelty their vnmercifulnesse and in place thereof he will giue them humilitie mildenes loue and mercie This is a worke that hee doth and this hee will doe pray therfore vnto God who is loue it selfe and he wil giue thee a heart to loue thy brother Faith likewise is his gift and hee himselfe is a most faithfull God worthy to be trusted the God of truth that neither can nor will deceiue them that according to his couenant and promise of mercy doe trust in him The Apostle telleth vs that faith is his gift saying By grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Euery good gift and euery perfect giuing commeth from him who is the Father of lights pray him therefore to giue a beleeuing heart vnto thee and hee will not faile thee So that if thou haue neither repentance charitie nor faith which are the conditions vppon which God giueth forgiuenesse of sins yet thou maiest haue them for GOD doth giue them pray then vnto God and thou shalt in due time obtain them For the want of this triple grace thou hast a triple commandement to call for grace with a triple promise to obtaine all grace The Lord Iesus saying Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Then aske repentance and it shall be giuen thee seeke for charitie and a mercifull heart and thou shalt find it and knocke at the gate of heauen for faith and it shall be set wide open vnto thee Wherefore is it that God at this time doth make thee see thy want but because he would haue thee to call for his help CHAP. XXIII BVt still obiections arise in a trobled conscience and the poore burdened sinner complaineth that his estate must needs be desperate For saith he I feele a continuall swarme of euill thoughts in extreame disorder stirring in my heart Thoughts against the maiesty of the most glorious Trinitie thoughts against the veritie of the diuine and humane natures personally vnited in the Lord Iesus Christ thoughts against all the Articles of the Christian saith thoughts rebellious against authoritie and seditious against peace thought malicious against my neighbour and vnnaturall against my selfe thoughts vnchristian vnciuill inhumane thoughts monstrous and fearefull I tremble to thinke that I haue such thoughts And these must either spring and arise out of mine owne heart and then wo vnto so wicked heart It is like vnto the Inne vnto which the virgine Mary came with the Lord Iesus in her wombe there was no roome for her in the Inne all the Chambers were filled with other guests she was glad to creep into the stable and there shee brought forth her first begotten So if any come to bring Christ or any christian thoght into my heart there is no roome in the Inne all the corners of my heart are taken vp with other thoughts they must seeke a resting place else-where and not with mee Or if they spring not from mine owne heart then are they thrust into my heart by Satan who did thrust the thought of treason against his master into the heart of Iudas then surely the diuell hath alreadie possession of my heart and either hee sendeth these thoughts as new inhabitants to dwell there and to keepe possession of my heart to his vse as the king of Ashur sent new inhabitants into Samari●… to keepe the Citie and Countrie to his vse or else he sendeth them as so many hagges and furies what should I call them so may executioners with firebrandes to torment me and being so fully in his power it is too late to thinke of deliuerance Now the Lord of hosts help thee poore afflicted soule and case thee of this burden that presseth downe so heauily And for thy comfort vnderstand that if these thoughts arise out of thine owne heart as they are in thy heart and grow in the field in which they spring they are yet but as the first graffe of sinne and haue neither blade nor eare nor fruit to poison and kill withall if wee take not liking of them nor suffer our iudgement to be corrupted by them taking them for rules of truth and intertaining them as imbraced opinions nor suffer our will to be seduced by them interpreting them as rules and directions to leade vs into action Iames the Apostle hath an excellent saying to this purpose Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupisence and is intised then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death By concupisence he vnderstandeth the first flattering thoughts the first euill motions that stir in our hearts that make the first proposition to our iudgement and will to trie whether they will take holde or no and howsoeuer the feeblest euill thought be sinfull in Gods sight who loueth trueth in our inward affections and it is an euidence of that sinfull nature that wee bring into the world with vs deserued vnto vs from our first parents through all the interceding generations and howsoeuer the same euill thought being sinfull deserueth in the iustice of God eternall death yet the Apostle Iames looking vnto rules of mercy and speaking according to those rules telleth vs that it is not dangerous vnto vs neither bringeth forth sinne vnto death except a man be inticed and drawne away by it For when the iudgement yeeldeth and is corrupted by it approuing as good that that is euill and approuing as true that that is false and when the will yeeldeth and is seduced by it intertaining the
motion with assent and liking then from the first thought there is a progresse made vnto some sinfull action and in that action men continue sometime impenitent vnto death This is indeed a dangerous course and if thou giue such way vnto these euill thoughts and first sinfull motions that thou allowest their appearance without checke and sufferest their daily returne without controuling thē and harknest vnto them with pleasure or at least with patience then thou art as Iames saith inticed and drawne away and then it is likely that those thoughts will conceiue by the company of thy will and bring forth some monstrous birth of sinne whereunto when thou art once entred it is dangerous and doubtfull whether thou shalt finde grace to returne by repentance or no. And this first deformed birth of sin bringeth forth another deformed and fearefull birth namely death The first of these foule births namely sinne is thy shame and the second of them namely death is thy snare and destruction as the Apostle Saint Paul saith What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed for the end of those things is death But if at the first apparance of these thoughts and euill motions thou checke them and shew thy iust dislike of them if thou arme thy iudgement and thy will against them with-holding thy Iudgement from approuing them by shewing how false and vngodly they bee and with-holding thy will from assenting vnto them by shewing how sinfull and abominable they be if thou vse all diligence to expell them out of thine heart as thou art able and callest in better thoughts to occupie their places falling into some holy meditation of the glory the greatnesse the holines the riches the bountie the iustice power of God or into some meditatiō of the right worship of god of thy duty to him as thou art a christian by generall calling or as thou art bound by any other particular calling among christians or into some other meditation of the glory of heauen of the purchase of it for beleeuers by the death of Iesus Christ of the meanes by which we may come to the fruition of it and what manner persons in their conuersation they ought to bee that take themselues to bee coheires with Iesus Christ of that glory If thou fall into such meditations when thou art at leisure or set thy minde vpon thy worke ●…nd busines if thou then haue any in hand that by this good imploiment of thy minde and bodie there may be neither roome nor libertie for those euill thoughts to abide and wander in thy heart Certainly those thoughts though very busie with thee shall not be able to hurt thee they shall no more be imputed vnto thee for sinne vnto death then the motions of P●…tiphars wise were vnto Ioseph when shee said vnto him come lie with me was imputed vnto him And this course last remembred is the onely way in such a case of casting thy burden vpon God if thou bee carefull withall to pray vnto God for his grace to help thee to ouercome these swarmes of euill thoughts as he helped the Israelites to ouercome the swarmes of the Amalekites Philistims other enimies and that also thou take heed of idlenes and chiefely idlenes ioined with solitarines Idlenes is the sinne to be shunned solitarines doth but make the ●…dlenes to be more dangerous But certainely they that are troubled with the assault of such thoughts to them nothing is more dangerous then idlenes and want of imploiment for their mindes Then are they at leisure for the diuell then are they like the house spoken of in the Gospell whereunto the diuell entred As it is written When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drie places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will returne into mine house whence I came and when hee is come hee findeth it emptie swept and garnished then he goeth and taketh vnto him seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning Marke well this saying Hee found it emptie swept and garnished that is hee found it idle vnimploied God was not there with good thoughts becomming his presence and therefore the diuell entred with wicked thoughts becomming his presence Where the heart is not carefully manured by the owner thereof to bring forth good thoughts it will of it selfe to an idle owner bring forth euill thoughts It will be like to the field of the slouthfull that Salomon passed by And lo it was all growne ouer with thorne●… and nettles hard couered the face of it and the stone wall thereof was broken downe as it was in this ground because the owner through sloth did not sowe good seeds in it euill weeds ouercame the same So will it be in thy heart if through idlene●… thou haue no good thoughts tending to Gods glory the seruice of his Church thy heart of it selfe will abound with euill thoughts But if these thoughts rise not out of thine own heart through thy idlenes euil studies but be the suggestions of Sathan thrusting them into thine heart as he did thrust that thought of treasō into the heart of Iudas ●…f thou doe not open thy heart by thy sloth and other sinnes vnto those thoughts and be prepared for the intertainment of them as a man waiting at the dore of his house to open it to those guests whose entrance hee desireth or is pleased withall for so did Iudas hee did open his heart to the diuels suggestion by his enuie and couetousnes for when the woman powred the precious ointment vpon the head of Iesus and Iudas murmured at the waste saying it might haue beene solde for much and giuen to the poore and Iesus had defended her fact saying she did it to prepare him to his buriall then presently Iudas who caried the purse receiued the almes giuen to his master now missed this prey out of couetousnesse and enuy hereupon went presently to the high priests offring to betray him for a reward and was as ready to entertaine that thought as the diuell was to offer it vnto him and his enuie and couetousnes held open his heart vnto it if thou by thine idlenes and other sinnes doest not set open thy heart to such thoughts the offer of them in thy heart is the diuels sinne and not thine And if thou repell them as before hath beene shewed they shall no more hurt thee then the suggestions of Sathan in the wildernes offred to the Lord Iesus did hurt him What those suggestions were the Euangelists doe shew and that the diuell audaciously like a tempter did offer them to the Lord Iesus they also shew but in what manner they were offred to him they speake not as whether the diuell spake them audiblie to his eare or which is more agreeable to the nature of the diuell
from being lost in the first sence and meaning of that word And there is o●…e that will saue from destruction those that are ready to perish and thee among others that will deliuer from damnation those that are already iudged and thee as well as others and that wil pluck out of the iawes of death out of the snares of Satan and out from the gates of hell those that were ready to be swallowed vp and deuoured as a pray and thee assoone as others so to recouer thee from being lost in the sense and meaning of the word And this seeker is of that diligence wisdome that he cannot be disappointed of finding this sauiour is of that goodnes power that he will not and cannot be letted from sauing whom hee intendeth to deliuer of whom the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them And who is this diligent seeker that can and will so certainely finde who is this mightie Sauiour that can and will so certainely preserue it is the Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the sauiour of mankind of whom the Euangelist yea himselfe the Euangelist onely reporting his words saith The sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which was lost So that if any man be gone astray if any man bee out of the knowledge and care of God his keeper Iesus came to seeke him And if any were worthy to perish and already by sentence giuen adiudged to perish such is the condition of all men Iesu●… is come to saue him And it is worthy obseruation that he saith The sonne of man came to seeke the sonne of man came to saue as making this seeking and sauing of them that were lost to be the onely end as indeed it was of his comming into the world For this cause was he conceiued by the Holy Ghost for this purpose was he borne of the Virgin Mary to this end and for the effecting of this saluation was the sonne of God made the sonne of man yea for this and for this onely did he fulfill all righteousnes and yeelded obedience euen to the death of the crosse that he might seeke and find them that were gone astray and that he might recouer and saue them that were lost so that hee that shall deny these things to be truely intended and fully performed by Iesus Christ doeth make idle and fruitlesse the incarnation and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and denieth the vertue of the death and bloudsheding of the sonne of God Let our afflicted sinner consider these things and set his heart on worke to meditate vpon them and it will come to passe that whereas before the remembrance of his lost estate was cause of heauines vnto him the same very condition shall giue him comfort and hope and saue him as an argument to proue him to be one of those for whom Iesus Christ died to saue them For if it be true that the lord Iesus came to seeke and to saue them that were lost and be also true that ●…e is lost then it must also be true that Iesus Chist came to seeke to saue him The Lord Iesus said to the woman of C●…naan I am not sent but vnto the lost ●…eepe of the house of Israel Vnto those lost sheepe hee was sent and to none other So that if our afflicted sinner see himselfe to be a lost sheepe there is hope that the Lord Iesus was ●…ent for yea it is most sure that he was sent for him sent to seeke him sent to saue him whereas if he had a proud opinion of himselfe as had the Pharises that he were not as other men for so gloried hee saying O God thanke thee that I am not as other men or if he nourished a careles opinion of himselfe as doe the contemners of the world that he were in no danger for so doe they flatter themselues saving Wee are deliuered though we haue done all these abominations Then Iesus indeed should not profit him for hee came for none such He saith of himselfe I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance In this very name therefore that he is a lost sinner a sinner worthy to perish he may comfort himselfe in Iesus Christ and hope to be saued by him that came to seeke and saue that which was lost Let me in a few words briefely and plainely open to this sinner his estate what it is in himselfe and what it is in Iesus Christ that as in himselfe hee seeth cause of griefe and feare so in Iesus Christ he may see cause of hope and reioicing if hee looke into himselfe and consider what he is by birth what he is by kind and what he hath manifested and declared himselfe to bee by his life and conuersation surely hee is and shall find himselfe to be a lost creature and a child of wrath for he shall find nothing in himselfe but sinne deseruing eternall dest●…uction he shall find that hee was conceiued in sinne that he was borne in iniquitie and that he liued in sinne not onely in the daies of his first ignorance whi●…e sinne reigned without resistance in his mortall body but also in the daies of knowledge sinne yet remaining and misleading him into many errors and it ●… thus not onely in him but euen in all ●…en and among all others euen in the elect of God in Gods owne peculiar people euen they at home and in themselues are lost creatures dead in sinnes and by sinnes deseruing eternall death The Angell appearing to Ioseph said vnto him of the child conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin Mary Shee shall ●…ing forth a sonne and thou shalt call his ●…me Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Those whom his father gaue vnto him therefore called his people them he saueth he saueth them from their sinnes By which speech it is plainly intimated that euen they considered in themselues are lost by their sins And so is our afflicted sinner considered in himselfe with respect to his kind to his birth and to his life hee is lost hee is a child of perdition and therein hee hath cause to be humbled and to feare the iustice of God But let not the sinner gaze so long vpon this his naturall estate that his dazled eies should after be vnable to look any higher such a view of this our naturall condition as may serue to beate downe the pride of flesh and bloud and to bring vs vnto true humilitie and to the deniall of our selues before God is sufficient Let him therefore after consider him selfe in another and view his conditiō estate in Iesus Christ by vertue of his holy calling of his second birth namely his regeneration and hee shall find himselfe another man He shall find that God hath
I haue prouoked him to anger and by his iust sentence I must not liue Also I haue spent the daies of my life on earth so wickedly that I must liue no longer There the earth is ouer-loaden with my transgressions and refuseth to beare the burden of them And as for the life of heauen it were folly and madnes in mee yea it were shameles presumption in me to hope for any fruition of i●… I know no other place of life but these two earth where life is mortall and heauen where life is immortall and heauen will not admit me to liue there and the earth hath indured my life too long Therefore I must die This is the sentence of God The Prophet Ezekiel saith The soule that sinneth it shall die And the Apostle Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death Who can controule this iudgement of God who shall open his mouth against it I doe my selfe approue it And therefore I am become my selfe an enemie to mine owne life yea heauen doeth abhor it the earth doeth loath it it must not continue to the offence of God and his Angels to the greefe of the Church and all true members of it And therefore I ●…hat heitherto haue had no care to serue and glorifie God wi●…h the continuance of my life will yet at the least and at the last serue and glorifie God with the end of my life intending to be the executioner of Gods holy sentence vpon my selfe So shall I cease to sinne any longer against God As the dead cannot praise him so the dead can not blaspheme him and as they haue no place to doe well so I thinke they haue no place to doe euill and by such course I shall deliuer my selfe from this violent temptation I shall obtaine an end of my feare Doth not Iob say of death and of the graue The prisoners rest together and heare not the voice of the oppressor there are small and great and the seruant is free from his master There shall Ire●… hauing put off this heauy burden What greater oppressour can there be then an accusing and condemning conscience And there he saith I shall not heare the voice of the oppressor O place to be desired O sweet graue I long to be laied vp in thee and am I not a seruant and a slaue to sinne is it not now a most cruell and tyrannous master to me and there I shall be freed from his tormenting power This being so iust in regard of God so full of aduantage and ease vnto my selfe it must be done it shall be done and I must do●… it yea I wil doe it disswade mee not from so iust and so gainefull a course wherein I am resolued O malice of Satan this is thy voice this is thy counsell in all the former obiections wherein thou hast beene a medler thou hast shewed thy selfe but in this thou exceedest thy selfe Hee that knew thee not before by this obiection may know thee to be as saint Peter calls thee A roaring lion that walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure Heereby thou maiest be knowne to be as S. Iohn calls thee the great dungeon that olde serpent called the diuell and Satan which deceiueth all the world In this temptation thou seekest to deuoure but the prey shall be plucked out of thy iawes in this thou thinkest to deceiue but thy dangerous falshood shall be discouered and auoyded The victorious Lion of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid shall rescue and deliuer his seely sheepe The Serpent that was lifted vp vpon the crosse shall b●…uise thine head and heale the wound that thou like a fiery serpent hast made The Lord rebuke thee Satan The Lord tread thee downe vnder the feete of this afflicted sinner and that shortly But thou O sorrowfull sinner hearken to the councell of God let not the serpent that deceiued our first parents deceiue thee stoppe thine eare against his lying words and be ready to heare what shall be taught thee in the name of God God saith by the Prophet Heare your soule shal liue Heare that thy soul may liue Thou art vrged to desire deser ued death thou art vrged yeldest with thine owne hands to hasten his death Thy resolution to hasten it seemeth to be grounded vpon these reasons First thou hast wronged and prouoked to anger the Lord of life and therefore deseruest in his iustice to die Secondly thou hast burdened the earth the place of mortall life with thy sinnes and art not worthy to liue any longer vpon the face thereof and then to thinke that thou maiest liue in heauen the place of immortal life thou holdest to be shamlesse presumption Thirdly thou holdest thy life to be loathsome it is so to thy selfe because it is offensiue to God and to his Angels to the church and members thereof Fourthly because thou hast not serued and glorified God by the continuance of thy life thou wilt serue and glorifie him by hastening the end of it Fistly thou hast multiplied sinne all the daies of thy life and thou thinkest that thou shalt cease to sin if once thou be dead Lastly whereas thy life is full of feare sorrow and bitternesse thou thinkest by death to be freede at once from all These are the reasons vpon which thou groundest thy resolution to hasten thy death with thine owne hands they may preuaile as reasons with them whom God hath left in the power of him whom the Lord Iesus calleth a murtherer from the beginning But whosoeuer remaineth in the protection of the Lord and giuer of life to him these allegations cary not the estimation of perswading reasons o●… if they beare any such estimation with them yet God wil n●…uer suffer them so to preuaile that they shal take effect but he will preuent their execution as ●…e did with the affrited Gaoler of Philippi●…●…hom ●…hom being ready to fall vp●… his sword when he perceiued the effects of the earth-quake and feared that his prisoners were ●…led the mercifull GOD preserued him by the voice of Paul My heart trembleth to thinke of this obiection and it breaketh out beyond the bounds of my conceit that thought the precedent obiection to haue beene the height of Sathans malice and of this poore afflicted sinners danger But this exceedeth all height heere is extremity of malice in the tempter heere is extremity of danger in the tempted If the Deuill preuaile in this temptation hee xedeth not to vse any other And if the ●…ner giue place to this temptation it is ●…othing worth to 〈◊〉 and ouer come ●…lother In answering this temptation ●…il first examine the point that he saith ●…is resolued vpon and then the rea●…ons vpon which hee groundeth his resolution The thing that he is resolued vpon is ●…o cut the threed of his own life in plain ●…ords he intendeth to kill himselfe In the whole history of the Bible that con●…neth the
but thou thy selfe thinkest absurd for others and yet thou thinkest it reason for thy selfe But God himselfe denieth this argumēt to be of any strēgth while he saith or commandeth the prophet in his name to say Say vnto them As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die O yee house of Israel Is not God the Iudge Is it not hee against whom thou saiedst thou hast sinned and deserued death and therefore must die It shall be granted that thou hast sinned It shall be granted that by that sinne thou hast deserued death but where is that must where is that necessity of dying that thou speakest of when God saith it and sweares it by his life who liueth euer that hee desireth not the death of a sinner Thou dreamest of some inexorable seuerity in God and some ineuitable necessity of death in the sinner God saith no to both There is no such seueritie in God Hee is farre from vrging that desires not the death of a sinner And there is no such vnauoidable danger to man while God doth offer him the way of life euen then when he hath by this sinne deserued death saying As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Seest thou not the vanitie of this first Argument where of trueth afforded the premisses for thou hast sinned against god and thy sinne deserueth death But errour danger death and the diuell drew in the conclusion against trueth for there is no necessitie seeing God the Iudge requires no such death As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked and contrary to that conclusion sheweth a way of life to his mind more ag●…eeable to the sinner more safe But that the wicked turne from his way and liue returne this argumēt to the diuel that lent it thee it may be retorted vpon him in full strength For he hath sinned against God and by his sinne deserued death and therefore must die for God desireth the death of wicked angels hauing shut them vp in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the last day and hath not shewed vnto them any way of life But for thy selfe learne to argue better and frame thy argument so that God may allow of it I haue sinned against God therefore I must repent I must turne from my waies vnto God and learne to walke in his waies And againe my sinne hath deserued death therefore I must turne from my waies that I may liue for God hath sworn●… that he desires not the death of a sinner but that the sinner turne from his wicked way and liue These Conclusions are inferred according to Gods will who desireth both thy conuersion from thy former sinnes and also thy saluation contrary to the merit of thy sinnes saying Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die Oyee house of Israel These conclusions haue holinesse in them agreeable to all the commandements of God whereas thy former conclusions inuite to murder contrarie to GODS commandements and these conclusions containe life and saluation in them according to all the promises of God whereas thy former conclusions containe death and destruction contrarie to his promises If by thy former sinnes thou hast incurred the iust displeasure of God This manner of reasoning that I haue taught thee shews thee how to recouer his loue and liking and if thy former sinnes haue brought thee into the danger of death this maner of reasoning that I haue taught thee shewes thee how to recouer life and saluation Throw therefore thy foolish reason I haue sinned and therefore must die in the face of him that framed it for thee and remember euer that comfortable speech of God As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way liue And frame thy Arguments by the direction of this word I haue sinned against God therefore I must turne from my wicked waies And my sinne against God hath deserued death Therefore I must turne from my wicked waies so shal I liue this māer of arguing being as thou seest agreeable to Gods word is both pleasing vnto God and safe for thy selfe Thy second reason grounded as thou thinkest vpon iustice is this I haue loden and ouer charged the earth with the burden of my sinnes it groneth vnder that burden and can no longer beare it therefore it must bee eased by the remouing of me And forasmuch as I haue beene the man that haue laied this load vpon the earth it is meete I should also be the man to remoue it This latter part of thy reason that thou shouldest be the man to remoue the burden that hast beene the man to lay on the burden I hold to be most reasonable he that did the wrong ought to make the mends But let vs agree of the true burden that hath beene laid on by wrong and must be remoued by right That burden thou speakest of in the first part of thy reason wherein thou arguest thus I haue loaden the earth with the burden of my sinnes which it can no longer beare therefore I must by death be remoued Doest thou not behold and see an error in this arguing yea a wicked and most deceitful fraud of Satan seeking subtilly to destroy thee while in the antecedent of thy argumēt thou speakest of the burden that presseth the earth thou namest thy sins and they indeed make the earth to grone and when thou commest in the conclusion of thy argument to speake of remouing this burden thou ●…aiest nothing of remouing the sinne but speakest altogether of remouing thy selfe thy sinne is the burden and thou concludest not to remoue the sinne but to remoue thy selfe If a man wounded by another and desirous to be healed should apply his meanes to the party that made the wound and not to the wound it selfe doest thou not see that man that made the wound may bee remoued and the wound remaine still as dangerous as it was at the first but if he apply his meanes to the wound that was made the wound shal be healded and so remoued the man that made it remaining still Thy case is altogether like it thou hast giuen the earth a wound by the burden of thy sinnes if the meanes for the easing of the earth be applied not to the sinne to take away it but vnto thee to take away thee thou maiest be remoued but the guiltines of thy sinnes shall remaine vnto iudgement But if meanes be rightly applied to take away the sinne the earth is eased of her burden and thou also remainest in safetie thy argument therefore should be framed thus The earth groneth vnder the burden of my sinnes therefore these sinnes must be remoued Hee
had commanded Moses to goe toward the sea to lift vp his rod and streich out his hand vpon the sea that a way being opened in the diuided waters Israel might goe thorow he said Behold I will harden the hearts of the Aegyptians that they may follow them and I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his host vpon his Chariots and vp on his Horse-men Then the Aegyptians shal know that I am the Lord when I haue gotten me honour vpon Pharao vpon his Chariots and vpon his Horse-men And how was this honour gotten but by destroying those wicked men for after they were entered in betweene the wa●…ts at Gods commandement Moses stretched forth his hand vpon the sea and the sea returned to his force early in the ●…ning and the Aegyptians fled against 〈◊〉 but the Lord ouerthrew the Aegyptians in the middest of the sea So the water returned and couered the Chariots and the Horse-men euen all the hoast of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them there re●…ained not one of them Heere was honour gotten by the destruction of the Aegyptians But marke how he speakes of it I will get me honour vpon Pharao and vpon all his Host. Hee got it they did not giue it him they had no intent to doe him honor and to make his name glorious but he tooke it hee wrought it out for himselfe by his mighty power in their destruction hee made himselfe ●…nowen to be a iust a mighty and vpright God that giueth to euery man according to his workes and respecteth to mans person and is able to bridle tyrants and to cut of the vngodly whatsoeuer they be Thus he glorifieth himselfe by winning the praise of a holy iust and omnipotent God when he cutteth off the wicked and bringeth them down into destruction They that perish had no intent to glorifie him nor may they looke for any thankes or reward in regard of the glory that God hath by them for they neuer studied to yeeld him any such praise he wonne it altogether against their minde and purpose And so in thy case if thou shouldest persist in thy vngodly purpose and shouldest out of thine owne daies by killing thy selfe thy frowardnesse and wickednes should turne to his praise his iustice should appeare to his great glory But to thee no thankes nor reward should be due as if thou haddest intended and laboured to bring glorie to his name for what hast thou do●…e that thou canst thinke agreeable to his will and worthy of his acceptation and reward Did he euer giue thee any authority to take away the life of any shew thy commission and warrant from God that thy obedience and care to set vp Gods praise may appeare in thy lawfull and warrantable action Many trespasses of subiects deserue death and it is the Kings honour that wickednesse in his people be punished but is it lawfull presently for a priuate man to kill that trespasser because hee hath iustly deserued death he that doth it without authority and warrant from the King shall hee not bee culpable of murder If authority be giuen thee it is thy praise to doe iustice if thou haue no authority that act of iustice will be thy sinne it will bee iustice to him that is slaine but it will be murder in thee that diddest take away his life So howsoeuer thy sinne doe deserue death yet if thou kill thy selfe without authority and God neuer gaue authority nor wil giue to any to kill himselfe thou sinnest presumptuously and insteede of honouring God doest dishonour him first in committing wickednesse and secondly in preuenting the noble honour of God which he might haue won in forgiuing thy sinne Gods glory is sought and often wrought by aduenturing thy life in his seruice yea by loosing thy life in his seruice this hee often requireth and euer rewardeth Therein a man truely sheweth that he preferreth Gods glory before his owne life Thus the Prophets and Apostles and all holy Martyrs haue glorfied God by aduenturing first and loosing at last their liues in his seruice It is their comfort their glory their saluation so to yeeld vp their liues to the seruice of the giuer of it But Gods glory is not sought nor wrought by them that in their discontent and impatience grudging at the troubles that hee hath laied vpon them and despairing of his helpe to support and deliuer them doe kill themselues because they will not suffer Therein they truely shew themselues enemies of Gods glory grudgers at Gods will preferring euen to the losse of life their owne wil before Gods will their owne vniust will refusing to beare the correction of God before his iust will in correcting them Can there be a more proud a more wilfull a more wicked and obstinat opposition against God then this that a man shall say I wil die before I will indure this at Gods hands and after to doe it because hee may not haue his will against God Neuer any Prophet neuer any Apostle or holy man euer did so There is no comfort nor glory in it but dispaire horror and eternall confusion in it This therfore is a most false and wicked reason Thou shalt truely glorifie God if thou amend thy life thou shalt but dishonour and offend him in ending thy life Thy second reason grounded vpon supposed aduantage is this Thou thinkest that by cutting of thy life thou shalt sinne no more And to cease from sinne thou holdest to bee very pleasing vnto God and so it will proue beneficiall to thee This reason is full of fraude For first where thou thinkest that after death thou shalt sinne no more I deny it to be true in all men otherwise then thus that they can no more sinne after the manner of this world they cannot betweene death and the resurrection giue their members that laie leueles in the graue and turue to dust As weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Ahabs false Prophets being dead can lie vnto him ●…o more Ioab being dead can murder ●…o more the swearer the adultery tho thief being dead can with their tongues blaspheme no more with their hands rob spoile no more nor pollute their members by vncleannesse any more but doth it follow therefore that they sinne no more is not the hatred of God sin impatiency in suffering deserued damnation is it no sinne can any imagine that damned soules haue laied off al maliciousnesse and that those men that while they liued and were called vpon to serue the Lord were allured by many blessings giuen and by promise of many more were threatned with Gods iudgements and felt also some fauourable and easie corrections would yet neuer hearken to the voice of God would neuer loue him neuer feare him neuer cease from sinne neuer regard to amend their waies but continued obstinate and died in their ignorance stubbornnesse malice and all their sinne can any imagine that these assoone as they are
dead should become free from sinne and holy Saints to please God by abstayning from euill and to merit fauour O most absurd imagination to think that a man should become holy in Hell that was profane vnto the last point of his life on earth Hitherto properly belong the words of Salomon saying If the tree doe fal toward the South or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth in there it shall be In that place he exhorteth to liberality and vertue while we liue because when death comes then there is no place of bearing after any fruits of goodnesse after death there followeth no alteration of this kinde to make either the good man worse then hee was or the euill man better then hee was if the tree fall toward the South it turneth not it selfe after to the North and if it fall toward the North it turneth not to the South The good mans goodnesse continueth with him and is increased rather then diminished because he then inioyeth the goodnesse of God in Heauenly maner to raise his loue vnto God to the highest degree and measure and the wicked mans wickednes after death continueth with him and is increased rather then diminished because he now feeleth the wrath of God in the heauiest manner to raise his hatred against God ●…nto the highest straine Death can make no such change in a man that hee that was a sinner vnto death and in death should cease to bee a sinner after death this reason will deceiue thee if earth was able to make the a contemner then Hell is able to make thee a blasphemer for if correction intended for thy amendment could not make the cease from sinning while thou didst liue How much lesse can punishments laid vpon thee not by way of correction but by way of condemnation make thee cease from sinning the minde of the condemned how it stands affected toward God we may see by that which is written in the Booke of the Reuelations Men boiled in great heate and blasphemed the name of God which hath power ouer these plagues and they repented not to haue giuen him glorie When sinners are once tormented in those flames they are so farre from repenting of their sin to cease from it that their whole carriage is rage and blasphemy They can doe nothing else and therefore though being dead thou can doe no euill after the fashion of this world yet it followeth not that therefore thou shalt not sinne But say thou canst not commit any new sinne what aduantage is that vnto thee when thy olde sinne is vnforgiuen for want of repentance before thy death yea thy very death wrought by thine owne hands without warrant from God yea directly contrary to the commaundement of God addeth vnto thy condemnation deserued before Doth it helpe the thiefe fast shut vp in prison that he stealeth no more when for the olde theft vnpardoned hee must be hanged Surely no and his ceasing to steale while he is a prisoner will not bee interpreted to proceede from my new grace and purpose of amendment but to be want of libertie want of meanes and opportunitie Hee doth ●…ot steale because hee cannot steale it is no new mind in him but the streight●…esse of his imprisonment that maketh him for beare and though hee commit no new robberies yet hee must die for the olde And if thou couldest sinne no more after thy death the not committing of new sinnes would be as smal aduantage vnto thee that perishest for the olde vnpardoned and thy forbeating in thy graue will not be interpreted to be any fruit of repentance and a renewed heart but to bee a necessitie imposed vpon thee thy earthly members beeing tied and restrained by the condition of death and therfore thogh thou commit no new sinne thou must perish eternally for thy old not repented by thee and therefore not pardoned of God There shall not be laied to the charge of them that shall heare this sentence at the last day Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Any other sinne then those which they committed vpon the earth where they liued among the little ones of Christ for thus shall it be said vnto them I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged mee not I was naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not These were no sinnes committed after they were gone out of the earth while their bodies were in the graue and their soules in hell fire Christ was not there among them in his members hungry thirsty wandring naked sicke and in prison and they there had neither bread nor drinke nor clothes not lodging chambers to relieue him withall they are their olde sinnes vnpardoned not any new sinnes after death committed that the wicked shall be condemned for at the last day And so much Saint Paul doth teach vs where hee saith We must all appeare before the tudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that hee hath doone whether it bee good or euill When thou shalt come to iudgement before Iesus Christ that shal iudge both quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome thou shalt not be questioned for any thing done out of thy body when thou art dead but onely for those things which thou did dest in thy body while thou wert aliue Where is then that aduantage that thou dreamest of by not sinning any more after death Seest thou not by this time what a strange delusion it was that thou sholdest sinne no more after death and that ceasing from sinne should winne thee some fauour with God and be take●… for true repentance and that therefore it should be a benefit vnto thee to cut off thine owne life that so thou mightest withall cut off the too long continued course and custome of thy sinne if thou haue any such purpose indeed to cease from sinne which I beseech God to giue thee if thou haue it not and to continue in thee if thou haue it nourish thy life that God hath giuen thee and while thou art in the bodie cease to doe euill and learne to do wel●… make haste to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to day and whilest thou hast time bring forth fruits woorthy amendment of life This will be taken for true repentance this will cause all thy former sinnes to be put out of all remembrance And then whensoeuer God shall be pleased to call thee out of thee out of the world thou shalt end thy dayes in peace and comfort and then thou shalt indeede cease from sin and thy workes shall follow thee to the gaine of eternall life This doe and repent thee of thy former resolution for hitherto the reasons whereuppon it is grounded are vaine
and dangerous Thy third and last reason grounded vpon supposed aduantage is this thou thinkest that thy death shall bring with it an end of all thy troubles of all thy paine and of all thy feare And I verely beleeue that all the former reasons were but idlely pleaded by thee that thou wert nothing at all mooued with them and that thou didst onely alledge them to make shew of doing that with reason for which indeede thou canst haue no reason and this last alleadged reason though as weake as vaine and as deceitfull as all the other was the onely thing that carried thy resolution For all they that resolue vpon such desperate courses doe it out of a conceit to ridde and free themselues from shame and troubles But verily this act if thou shouldest doe it which God defend thee from can not deliuer thee from trouble from danger or from shame It is one of Satans lies as truely as hee tolde our first parents that by breaking Gods commaundement they should be as gods so truely doth he tell thee that by this act which is a manifest and violent breach of Gods commandement thou shalt free thy self from troubles There is not a more readie way to throw thy selfe into endlesse troubles And let vs consider seriously of this point that thou maiest see thy errour There are troubles dangers and shames that belong to this world and to the life of man in this world this world is their proper place and thy life heere is their proper time Some other there are that belong to an other world and to the time that followeth our departure out of this world Hell that receiueth the wicked is their proper place and the time that succeedeth this life their proper time Of the first sort are pouertie and vnexpert losses wearines weaknesse and sickenesse in our bodie disquietnesse in our house slaunders and disgraces banishment imprisonment publique shame displeasure of Princes persecution and such like Of these the Prophet speaketh saying Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all Of the other sort are the worme that dieth not and the fire that neuer goeth out which Esay speaketh of shame and perpetuall contempt which Daniel speaketh of outward darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth which our Sauiour speaketh of euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angells tormenting flame abiection from God the second death and the bottomlesse pit whose smoake ascendeth for euer Of these speaketh Iohn the Euangelist saying Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire The first sort belonging to this life are short tollerable and mixed with many comforts the second sort belonging to the time after this life are eternall intolerable and no comfort is mixed with them not so much as one drop of water to coole the scorched tongue The first sort is common both to good and bad men and may be borne yea ouercome with patience the second sort is prepared onely for the wicked euen for the appointed vessels of wrath and they giue no place to patience And among all these troubles one I finde that seemeth to be common to both these places and that is accusing thoughts thy present burden but with this difference that in this life it is but a matter of feare though a tormenting feare and after this life it is matter of torment euen a most fearefull torment in this life both good and bad are affrighted with this tormenting feare after this life onely the wicked and the reprobate are tormented with this fearefull torment Now from which of these troubles doth death free vs and in what estate doth it leaue vs when it hath freed vs These are materiall considerations for a man in thy condition and therefore hearke diligently that thou maiest not be deceiued in thy account and fall into endlesse and intolerable troubles while thou striuest to free thy selfe from short and easie troubles Death doeth put an end vnto the troubles of this life not because it taketh away troubles but because it taketh away life and with the end of life needes must there be an end of the trouble that is proper to life For death doth not help our paine a●… Physician but as an executioner the Physician cureth the griefe and preserueth life the executioner cureth the griefe by taking away the life for by cutting off the head hee frees the patient from euer complaining of the tooth-ach And Imtreate thee to regard this manner of deaths cure If thou wert sicke of the gowt or palsi●… or other disease wouldst thou send for the common hangman to cure thee with a sword or with a halter This is not to take away the disease but to assist the disease too weake of it selfe to destroy thee speedily and therefore thou callest for helpe not to assist thee against the disease to ouercome it but to assist the disease against thee to ouercome thee I perswade my selfe thou wouldst not send for the hangman but wouldest send for the Physician to cure thy disease with safety of thy self whose knowledge and fidelitie might oppose against the danger of thy disease and comfort thee to ouercome thy disease and weaken the disease that it might not ouercome thee so deale with thy selfe in the time of thy Spirituall disease Send not for death the hangman death came into the world by the Iustice of God as a punishment of our sinne but send vnto God the Physician that is able to remoue thy disease and preserue thy life God healeth by preseruation not by destruction deaths act in this maner required if it may be called a healing healeth by destruction not by preseruation though I must confesse that with death there comes an end of all present troubles from sence and feeling whereof he is deliuered that is dead But in what case doeth death leaue them that are thus deliuered from present short and sufferable troubles surely it leaueth not all in like case the difference is great betweene the dead When death commeth by the ordinary worke of Gods hand to whom the issues of death belong and the partie that dieth is well prepared by faith in Christ to leaue this world at the will of his GOD that he may be gathered to his Redeemer which is best of all Death leaueth this man in a blessed estate it is the period of his present troubles and then begins his eternall rest Vnto this man death hath left his sting and is made vnto him the way and bridge by which he passeth ouer to enter into true life And this comes to passe not by any secret vertue of death it selfe but by the vertue of the death of Christ making that by his grace to bee our medicine that sinne had made to bee our poison Augustine intreating of
this point that death which he calleth poenam vitiorum and supplicium peccator is the iust paine of wickednes punishment of sinners should become as hee calles it arma virtutis and iusti meritum the armour of vertue and merit or happines of a righteous man hee saith this commeth thus to passe non quia mors bonum aliquod facta est quae antea malum fuit not because death is now become a good blessing that before was an euill curse Sed tantam Deus fidei praestit it gratiam vt mors quam vitae constat esse contrariam instrumentum sieret per quod transiretur in vitam that is but God did afford so much grace vnto faith in his Son that death which is knowne to be contrarie to life should be made the instrument or way by which we might passe into life So that death comming by the order of God to a man prepared by faith in Christ that neither through impatience hasteneth death before his time nor through loue of this world or ignorance of his future happinesse cowardly shrinketh desiring to liue beyond his time death comming to such a man in this maner deliuering him from his present short and sufferable troubles leaueth him in a blessed and happy condition absolutely freed from all troubles for the second death hath no power ouer him and he is presently receiued into glorie To him pertaine these words of Christ He that heareth my wordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life As the beleeuing thiefe passed from the Crosse to Paradise and as soone as he was deliuered from his present trouble entred into eternall glorie and neuer felt eternall troubles so euery beleeuer when God calles him out of this world from earth passeth to heauen as Lazarus did from his houell into Abrahams bosome and death leaueth him in a most happy state For Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours No more trouble no more dāger no more sorrow shal come to them But death doth not prooue so beneficiall to all For when a wicked man dies whether hee perish by fire as did the Sodomites or perish by water as did Pharao and his Egyptians or be swallowed vp of the gaping earth as was Korah and his company or were stoned to death as was Achan or be slaine with the sword as was Ioab or perish of some foule disease as did Herod or die a faire death in his bed as the greatest number do or fall by his owne hand as Achitophel and some other did howsoeuer he come to his end with honour or reproach with ease or with paine the wicked man by death though deliuered frō the troubls of this life yet is left in a most wofull estate being ledde into the depth of all miseries For from the earth they passe to hell from short to eternall from tollerable to vnsufferable crosses from trobles mixed with comforts which also in their bitterest condition may bee indu●…ed and ouercome with some little patience to troubles mixed with no comforts making euen the remembrance of that sweet name of comfort to be a new addition of discomfort and which giue no place for the least measure of patience to abide with them Of the end and endlesse condition of the wicked when death hath fetched them from hence the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme Surely thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation How suddenly are they destroied perished and horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh O Lord when thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their image despised There prosperity before death is slippery as Ice there is no firme standing vpon it and when death commeth that seemeth to giue ease and end of some intermixed troubles they fall with violence and there fall is remedilesse they perish in it and remaine miserable for euer whatsoeuer conceit they nourished of lasting and continued ease it becommeth like a dreame which proueth idle when the dreamer awaketh Iob speaketh excellently of the wretched condition vnto which death bringeth the wicked saying How oft shal the Candle of the wicked be put out and there distruction come vpon them Hee will deuide their liues in his wrath they shall be as slubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away God will laie vp the sorrow of the father for the children when hee rewardeth him he shall know it his eies shall see his distruction and he shall drinke of the wrath of the almighty for what pleasure hath he in his house after him when the number of ●…is moneths is cut off This good man Iob knew something in what condition death leaueth a wicked man when it hath fetcht him out of this world then is he deliuered vp to the violent storme of Gods iust indignation the stubble is not more easily nor more confusedly scattered then hee then commeth the reward of all his wickednesse hee was a doer before from that time hee becommeth meerely a sufferer then the fury of the almighty ceazeth vpon him his daily drinke shall bee nothing else but the wrath of God his pleasure after his death is altogether ended and eternall woe lighteth vpon him Let vs not stand onely vpon sentences which may perhaps bee esteemed as lawes which great men easily breake thorow and delude Let vs looke into the acts of God and consider his reall proceeding wee haue a notable example commended vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ to whom the father hath committed all iudgement and therefore hee should not bee ignorant of Gods carriage He remembreth a great man a rich man which was cloathed in Purple and fine linnin and fared wel and dilicately euery day His welth and great estate could not protect him from the stroke of death that made an end of him and so of the troubles of his life if his life were acquainted with any But in what case did death leaue him our Sauiour telleth vs in these words The rich man died and was buried and being in hell in torments hee lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome then he cried and said father Abraham haue mercy vpon me and send Lazarus that hee may dippe the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame but Abraham said sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure and contrariwise Lazarus paine now therfore is he comforted and thou art tormented Ther was his answer stoping his mouth leauing no place for any further hope of any good While he liued he was wel if any thing were a little amisse it was fully recompenced with many pleasures in the end he died and in that death his troubles if he had any ended and his
pleasures also And where did death leaue him in Hell in what estate there in torments with what hope of helpe he had liberty to crie and call but there was no reliefe and it seemeth the man vnderstood and feared so much and therefore in his request he was very moderate if I may call it moderation which was rather the faint request of a despairing heart for hee desired not to be taken out of Hel to be placed in Heauen where Lazarus was he desired not to bee quitted wholy of his torments and to possesse the ioyes of Paradice he knew it was in vain to hope for or craue any such thing And therefore like a saint-harted fearing doubting and despairing creature hee begged a drop of colde water a thing of nothing soone dried vp in the heat of that Fornace of fire where he fried In the measure of his request hee shewed the measure of his hope hee craues a thing of nothing as knowing that nothing was to be obtained This is all the deliuerance from trouble that thy act in killing thy selfe and adding that vnnaturall sinne vnto all thy other sinnes can helpe thee vnto namly to deliuer thee from sicknesse by thy death and that death eternall to deliuer thee from needlesse feare by certain danger and that danger for euer remedilesse to deliuer thee from a little greese by endlesse woe and that we also vnsufferable to deliuer thee from some discontent by eternal vexation heaped vp beyond measure to deliuer thee from the slight offence of a litle sun-burning by casting thee into the flames of Hell fire that neuer shal be quenched to deliuer thee from some disgrace among men by making thee as Esay speaketh to be an abhorring to all flesh This is that sweet aduantage that thou dreamest of that thy death shall bring with it an end of all thy feares troubles and disgraces indeede it is the most sure way to bring vpon thee all feare trouble and disgraces it endeth present and beginneth future troubles It endeth short and beginneth eternal troubles it endeth easie and tolerable euils it beginneth wofull and intolerable euils So that there is no deliuerance to be hoped for this way it turneth in conueniences into mischiefes and turneth offences into hellish torments in one word it turneth a weary life that may bee helped into a wofull death that cannot be helped Hee that hateth thee with a deadly hatred cannot deuise to doe or wish vnto thee a greater mischiefe then this that thou vnwisly concludest against thy self therfore change thy minde while yet thou hast time hurt not thy selfe please not thine enemies offend not thy God quench not the light of life that he hath kindled in thy breast breake not the prison of thy body in which God hath shut vp thy soule as a prisoner for a season it is neither a matter of iustice for thee without commission to punish thy selfe with death neither is it a matter of aduantage for feare of falling into danger to throw thy selfe headlong into danger Beare thy crosse with patience yet a little while and trust in the mercy of God by Christ. So shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thy life shall be saued and in due time peace shall be restored to thy soule CHAP. XXIX THE sinner by this time partly afraid and partly ashamed of his former vniust and dangerous resolution and seeing the iniquity and absurdity of it lets it fall vpon the ground but is not yet won to that care and loue to the preseruation of his owne life that should be in him and therfore obiecteth againe in a lesse violent manner but very vnkindly saying If I may not kill my selfe that haue deserued to die yet why should I cherish my selfe that am not worthy to liue is not life a gift and blessing of God is it not a talent of his welth that he hath committed to our occupying that wee might bee faithfull and hee might bee a gainer by the right vse of it and first of all as it is his gift and blessing bestowed vpon me I haue beene vnthankfull to him for it the vnreasonable beasts the sencelesse trees and plants haue beene more thankfull for a viler and worse-qualified life then I for my life yea the stones and dead earth that haue no life haue beene more thankfull for a bare being then I for my life adorned with excellent qualities And shall so vnthankfull a man thinke to continue the vse of so great a blessing And as it is his goodes and that Talent that hee hath committed to mee to vse to his aduantage that hee might get glory by his owne possession I haue beene very vnfaithfull and haue wasted the daies thereof not onely vnprofitably but also hurtfully many daies haue beene spent in ignorance while I knew not my duty many daies in sloth and idlenesse while I had no care to doe my duty many daies in vanity while I sought my pleasure many in wickednesse while I sought the satisfying of mine owne lusts And shall so vnfaithfull a seruant thinke to haue still in vse such goods of his masters that hee hath done no good withall was it not said if the vnprofitable seruant take th●… talent from him and giue it vnto him that hath ten talents And was it not said to the wastfull Steward How is it that I heare this of thee giue an account of thy Stewardship for thou maiest be no longer Steward Such a Steward such a seruant am I I haue made waste of the daies of my life I haue brought no glory to God by them therefore I hold my selfe vnworthy of life and wil not seeke to nourish it besides I am not worthy of meat I wil not eat I am not worthy of drinke I will neuer quench my thirst I am not worthy of my clothes to couer my wicked carcase nor of my bed to rest my vngodly bones vpon I am not worthy of thy company of thy comfort of these mercifull words of counsell that thou giuest mee I am worthy of nothing cast me out to the dung-hill as a crumbe of vnsauory salt speake no more vnto mee doe no more seruice for me giue nothing vnto me let me perish I know how vile I am before God and I am as vile in mine owne sight and let mee be no dearer in your ●…ies my sinnes make me vnworthy of all good things and worthy onely of death and therefore in reuerence to God I will absteine from the vse of all good things and waite for deserued death O poore afflicted soule these words doe much moue my compassion toward thee to see that humilitie should become hurtfull to any poore seruant of God and that the confession of our vnworthines should preiudice our comfort in God and our releefe from God euen then when God doth ofter releefe and in those things wherein God doeth offer comfort Here is an error that must be helped This error is not in thy
fall into misery is of infinite variety no man can number the seuerall miseries and troubles that sinne hath made our life subiect vnto yet they may be reduced to two generall heads for either they are iudgements vpon the inward man inward miseries and afflictions vpon the soule or else they are outward iudgements vpon the outward man in outward things that touch not the peace of the soule The inward iudgements and miseries which follow the fall into sin and wherinto for sinne man falleth are either the blinding of our vnderstanding and the hardening of our heart often inflicted as punishments of foregoing sinnes and such was the iudg●…ment of God vpon Pharao whose heart God hardened and such a iudgement and misery the Apostle Paul telleth vs the Gentiles fell into as a punishment of precedent sins when he saith Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannesse to de●…ile their owne bodies betweene themselues And in many more words he recordeth that iudgement or they are those feares and terrours of heart that cast vs downe from hope that empty our soules of comfort fill them with feares and make vs as it were to stagger shrinke and fall in our faith of this kind is that iudgement that God threa●…neth by Moses in these words the Lord shall simite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and astonishment of heart when a man is amased and confounded with his feares that hee knoweth not which way to turne him for comfort and helpe and deepe fallen into this miserie were they whom Esay speaketh of saying The sinnes in Sion are afraid a feare is come vpon the hipocrites who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings They conceiued no otherwise of God then of a consuming fire and therefore feare possessed altogither their hearts hope vanished faith had no abiding there And all these inward miseries falling immediately vpon the soule and the facultie thereof tend chiefely to this to ouerthrow our faith by decay of it to ouerthrow vs for faith is the firme standing of our soule grounded vpon the assurance of Gods mercy Therefore doeth the Apostle vse this phrase Watch you stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong Because he that hath the stronger faith standeth the more strong and steadfast and hee that hath the weaker faith standeth more weakely and loose and thoug the faith of the Saints of God once giuen vnto them neuer totally decaieth for as the Lord Iesus saith hee praied for the continuance and confirmation of Peters faith to whom he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not So he praied for all his chosen ones that beleeue in him when he said to his father I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in mee thorough their word Yet the faith of the Saintes suffereth sometimes an eclipse or deceasing at some other times an increasing whereby as in the increasing of their faith they stand fast and are full of comfort so in the deceasing of their faith their footing becommeth slipperie and they take many sore falles feele their hearts oppressed with feare as it was with Dauid when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so far from my health and from the words of my roaring And when he complained at another time saying Mine heart trembleth within mee and the terrors of death are fallen vpon mee feare and trembling are come upon mee and an horrible feare hath couered mee In this manner their faith at that time being in the wane the righteous oppressed with a weight of anguish and feare doe often fall through the shrinking of their faith and feele themselues sore bruised in their soules But yet such is the mercy of God that he doeth not suffer the righteous being fallen into these inward iudgements and miseries to fall for euer And if it be a blinded vnderstanding or a hardned heart that they are fallen into he raiseth them vp out from a blinded vnderstanding by sending the knowledge of the 〈◊〉 As the Lord Iesus sent Paul among the ignorant Gentiles with this commission I send thee to open their 〈◊〉 that they may turne from darkenes to light c. And he raiseth them vp from hardnes of heart by mollifying their hearts as hee promiseth by Ezekiel saying I will take away the ston●…e heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh And if they be fallen into any feare and terror of conscience he raiseth them vp by repairing their faith and by reuiuing their comfort To that end he bringeth to their remembrance the large promises of his grace the boundles measure of his mercy the riches of his free vnchangeable loue and then doeth hee make them remember that they haue a mediator that died for their sinnes and rose againe for their iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare a place for them and sitteth on the right hand of his father in highest fauour and greatest authoritie to make intercession for them continually vrging the vertue of his death and bloudshedding that hath taken away the sinne of the world who is the prince of peace that hath made their peace and is that beloued sonne in whom the father is well pleased making vs accepted in that his beloued To the same end doeth he spread the beames of his louing countenance and cause the light thereof to shine within their consciences sending downe the spirit of adoption into their hearts to beare witnes with their spirits that they are the sonnes of God so raking together the sparkes of their almost smothered faith from among the cold ashes of anguish and feare where it lay deepe couered giuing heate and life vnto it with the warming fire of his comfort so that they begin to lift vp their heads and to reioice their hearts and to shake of their their sorrow and feare and to glorie in God saying with the blessed virgin My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast tnrned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sacke and girded mee with gladnes And that God doeth thus not suffring the righteous to fall and languish in these inward miseries for euer besides the experience of Gods elect daily renewed with light and grace and daily refreshed with comfort and peace the scriptures also doe testifie it to be the gracious manner of Gods dealing with his chosen The Prophet saith of him Hee healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their soares These words can be referred to no other worke of God for the more sure and full performance whereof God sent his sonne into the world who came to call sinners vnto repentance and to seeke and saue them that