particular yet nothing but what wee have faith for one way or other if not in the particular yet in the generall viz. we beleeve that wee shall conquer all the tentations we see and all others wee neither see nor feele such as we doe know and those wee does not know of wherein a kinde of implicite faith is sufficient thus and then wee aske nothing but what wee have faith for one way or other In the generall we aske in the general and we have many things whereof wee have no faith for in the particulars Vp then and bee doing worke it out by having and using our faith Satan flyes at the sight of faith there is such an Antipathy betwixt Satan and the faith of a Christian that faith no sooner comes in place but Satan is gone Other graces have their use and place to resist the impulsions of the divell some one some another but faith as Paul showes doth quench all I say all the fiery darts of the divell because it doth take in Christ Iesus with all his merits Value Virtue and Power And thus much for the first meanes to get out of tentations which is by Beleeving 2. The second is by Resisting Resist saith Peter how resist Stedfastly how stedfastly In the faith and what then why then Satan will flye The Apostle showes us in another phrase Stand saith hee and then Sathan hee fals It is not here saith Chrysostome as it fares w th wrastlers for there except we cast down our adversity we conquer not here wee conquer Satan if hee cast not us down we are then in acceptation as though we did cast him down alas Satan is quelled and as it were cast downe and killed already he is too far in hell ever to come out againe Satan can looke for no crowne hee is in perdition his aime is to cast us downe into the same destruction he himselfe is in so that if we doe resist and but keepe our Stand this is our conquest we must not looke for a greater victory than is to bee had in this world That which troubles some with discomfort is because no sooner doe they begin to resist but it is rather worse with them than it was before these consider not that it will be thus for if we will let sin and Satan alone they will let us alone sleepe in sinne and spare not we may have quiet enough and come by degrees to be past feeling but resist wee sin and Satan and the divell will play his part to hold his hold hee is a strong man and will not out except hee be forced now possession by force wee know is with some stir struggle sin will and must when we labour to cast the old man off it will because it is now a dying and all dying things that dye by peeces as sin doth reluct and struggle and stirre for life it must because else a godly man would not so well discerne the going out of sin the Candle blazeth most stinketh worst when it burnes in the Socket and so it fares with sin when it is towards it's last There is a double death of sin one in respect of the guilt of sinne which then is killed when we have our pardon this is in Iustification and when we beginne to get our pardon the Conscience is more out of quiet greater stirs being there than when wee sate still and did nothing that way But when the pardon is had once then the conscience is alive sin is dead and our hearts are at quiet being justified by faith wee have peace with God The other death of sin is in respect of the power of sin and this is in our sanctification and this wee meane chiefest here when a godly man sets about it to kill up and dry up this running disease the plucking out of the weapon the removing of the guilt of sin is done on a sudden but the healing of the wound the mending of the languor is done gradualy now a little and then a little and when a man is come to abhor his lusts then he hath given his sin it 's deaths wound as touching the power of it so on now some then some sinne doth dye more and more Now when a man can once come to resist sinne hee is dead to sin both wayes to the guilt of it and to the power of it for had hee not the pardon of it he could not resist it had hee not some power against it hee could not resist it Now looke how much power we get to resist it so much power sin loseth And now because sin will not give ground and lose the Field without fighting and some opposition hence it is that when wee begin to resist sin and Satan make to feele to the greater head and wee take our case to bee the worse wee cannot sleepe in a quiet skinne here except wee will sit downe here by Satans fire for if wee once goe about to get off from him hee will not lose us so but some stir he will make but we must live by faith and know that Satan is going and sin is a dying When the divell went of out of the mans body he tare him and puld him miserably he would not take his far-well but he should feele it so when wee doe by prayer conjure and charm him out of our soules he will make all the hurly burly he can when he is going out but bee of good heart our faith doth assure us that there is never a prayer we make nor act of resisting that we doe use but gives Satan a knock and sin a mortifying blow when ones hands do ake for cold yet when wee come first to the fire the fingers ends ake worse which makes children cry when they first come to the fire the cause is because the heat doth draw out the cold to the utmost parts and ends of every finger like to this it is that our sinnes doe make us ake worse when first wee bring our selves to the enlightning and healing ordinances of God our sinnes then are drawne out more therefore they vex more wee doe stirre them more and therefore they stinke worse wee see them more then and are troubled at the sight of them I confesse But yet so as a man is at the sight of many huge enemies whom yet hee knowes that through the helpe of his Captaine by fighting he shall beate and conquer by resisting and fighting what ever we see and feele at first wee doe and shall conquer sin and the lusts thereof and save our selves from the tentation of the divell Some questions may here come in by the way Quest. 1. When lust is sufficiently resisted Ans Some kind of faint resisting may bee made by generall and common graces and some againe against some sins by the law of nature but for the resisting that proves effectuall and is against all sin as sin is against
such a sin and I may fall againe Now where this full point lyes that a man may be able to speake it thus much I must and have grieved and am now come to the height of sorrow that is required and now I know I shall never fall the same fall againe These bee strange riddles the heart of man I know must come down it must melt and breake but yet a little sorrow doth it in one when a great deale doth but do it in another some mens hearts after sin are like hard wax great heate is required to melt it but others like soft wax a little will supple it as we finde that at mans first conversion some men turne to it without much adoe with legall sorrowes and the sinne before regeneration I hope hardens the heart more than the sinne after for before there is nothing but a stone nothing but sin and flesh but after be the sin committed never so great yet there is some spirit some grace abiding and so some softnesse with all We Divines doe use to teach that it is the love of God and not the sorrow for sinne which is the cause to keepe us from relapsing and that too much sorrow doth hurt and drive us from Christ We all agree that a man may goe too far when there is so much as doth bring us to Christ it is sufficient and that sometimes a lesser degree of humbling and mourning will doe that GOD doth not delight to see us in our ashes no further than he may heare of us and t is not terror of the law but the peace of God which doth garrizon and keepe our hearts and mind and therfore this reason is of no force it hangs the conscience on uncertainty and no man can determine when his sorrow is come to bee enough and serve the turne in this Divinity besides who sees not that wicked men doe grieve over and above out of feare or shame or both for some sins and more than godly men doe for the same or the like sinnes and yet who dares say that by reason of this their griefe they could never offend in the same againe Iudas did grieve and sob extraordinary for killing Christ yet I do not thinke but had the case come in his way hee would have murthered him againe no trusting him who presently after killed himselfe and we finde some who for murther fall into those flats of sorrow that they doe run upon their owne deaths and cause themselves for very remorse of conscience to dye a dogs death Let us then say that it is a dāgerous case for a godly man to sinne the same great sin after repentance what if it doe not put him out of Christ what if it do not hang him Yet it burnes him in the hand whips him up and down the towne my meaning is that it doth cast him into a bed of miserable sorrow but withall we must say that it may possibly be that after true hearty repentance for such a fault a child of God may chance to fal into the same sin againe and again how often I cannot tel but this I can tell that how often soever hee sinneth let him repent and returne and his pardon is ready They wrong GOD in his mercy and men in their comfort who doe say the contrary 3. The third duty that wee are to looke to after the tentation is that in case we do not finish the sin not act the fault but doe drive away this fury that then wee bee very thankefull to God t is his doing only t is his grace that moved him to stand for us when we were in danger to cast away our comfort it is a great mercy to rise againe but a greater too when God comes and stands betwixt us and the fall Of the two it is better not to sin the sin than to bee recovered after wee are down as it is in it self for a man to bee preserved from a disease than to be cured of the disease I confesse that wee have a greater experimentall taste both of the love and power of GOD when wee are recovered but yet as touching our peace and comfort I hope wee all see it is better not to sin the sin than having sinned to be healed we save a great deale of inward paine and bitter sorrow by the bargaine Christ I know tels us most Divinely and sweetly that to whom much is forgiven such doe love much but yet we must not sin many sins that so much may bee forgiven us and wee love much this were to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and that which Augustine hath up and downe in his Tomes answers all that those also are to love much who have beene preserved by the providence and power of God from doing such and so many transgressions as some others have for why saith hee have we not sinned those sins was the cause in our nature Is the reason in our will No but only in the goodnesse of God wee are then to thanke him and love him for the sins we have committed and have had our pardon for them and for those many more which wee should have done had not the Lord beene all one as though wee had done them and had found a pardon of them and one degree more and that is that by reason of his meere mercy we have beene strongly preserved from so sinning against our God from so troubling the quiet of our owne hearts and in some particulars from so scandalizing the Church and people of GOD. 4. The fourth duty after the tentation is to make a good use of it to get some good out of it wee must come to some fruit after wee have beene so handled with such bitter plunges The Earth after Winter becomes fruitfull so must wee be now the good that comes by tentation is manifold 1. A sight of some corruption wee saw not before the beginning of all our comfort ariseth from an humble sight of our corruptions and t is fit that when we will not see them and abhor them by what we finde in the word we should have the experience of them in our selves then we say till now little did I thinke I had beene thus and thus given to such rebellions then wee cry ah wretched man that I am what a Beast what a divell am I This doth mightily empty us of our selves and then we quickly fill with God with Christ this is amends enough for all our toile that wee are made to see somewhat in our selves which wee never thought to bee in our hearts 2. The second is to see that ther is some sin not sufficiently and thorowly mortified that as yet wee have not gone to the quick of it and what that sin is and now to take it in hand againe and never give over till wee breake the heart of it lest it lye in the winde and doe us some spight against
stirring within and praying against them we may be kept from acting the sin in it selfe in the deed This must be borne for wee must know that our inward lust ever foameth out a loathsome fume loathsome I say even to the naturall conscience of a man and would if it were possible defile as one notes the very regenerate part sin is to be in us till we dye and therefore evill motions suggestions and delusions of Satan must be borne withall the help is that wee doe delight in the law of God as touching the Inner man and what if we see them to bee more than they were before yet it is because our light is more our sight is cleerer our spirituall sense quicker so that if wee have by prayer wonne then delight and consent away from sinne the more grace we have the more sinnes wee have not but the more sins wee see for that if God should let us see the sinnes heretofore when we had little or no grace wee see now wee then must needs have despaired we could not have borne it it being a great worke and power of grace to be able to stand before the sight of our sins and againe wee can discerne more corruption now than we could then because our eyes are now more open wee must not goe about then to conclude against the haire that sure the victory is not got because wee see and feele perhaps more evill thoughts or our evill thoughts to stir more than before alas did we not feele them and the burthen of them we would never care to come to God to have them done away and therefore it is rather an argument that the conquest is comfortably made and that the Lord doth intend us a good turne even to helpe us away with our lust more and more every day for that wee finde that our lusts doe burthen us and appeare in their odious colours more and more every day make not that then an argument against us which is rather for us say that I find it and feele it more and worse I hate it more I delight in it lesse I consent not at all this is sufficient for our comfort for the present and that man who hath gone thus far may well be said to overcome the tentation 2. The second thing to bee considered of after the tentation is that in case we do catch a fall and the tempter without lust within doe blow and push us downe yet wee must not make the matter worse by despairing for to despaire is a greater fall than the fall it selfe this were to leape into the fire to save our selves from the blame I know a godly man can never utterly despaire there is still a seed in him and where faith is there is some hope where hope is there is not a totall despaire but doubt wee doe saith Paul yet not despaire and such doubtings we have as do make our life uncomfortable and some degrees of despaire we do admit and for every degree of despaire that wee doe suck in wee doe suffer the losse of a degree of comfort wherefore wee must hold out against thoughts propositions tending to despaire rise with David rise with Peter and grow better after-than before the maine push is given because we sin after knowledge so did these two Worthies and they are in heaven and dyed for all that in peace and honour Davids conscience when hee came to dye was troubled about a lesser matter I meane the cases of Shimei and Ioab as for his bloud and murther not a word why Because hee had made a thorow-peace with God for those sins in his life and health-time he had compounded with his Iudge let us doe so in any hand resist hold out doe and suffer any thing rather than sin but if Satan hath gone beyond us lye not in sin up againe it is not death to commit sin but it is to lye in sinne repentance doth give the soule a vomit up comes all againe it showes great love in God and great faith in us to rise up againe out of great fals and when up once then fortifie our selves we must against relapses there is a seâ— depth of trouble in minde will follow if after our rising we fall againe into the same or the like offence this will cost deare but yet by the way I affirme that this may befall the child of God In the story of the Iudges the Church up and downe did sin the sin of Idolatry repented and yet fell againe and againe and this were to unchurch the Church of the Iewes to say that Gods people cannot doe that sin after repentance which they did doe before And who can thinke that Abraham did not repent of that his sin in the matter of Sarah yet the next occasiâ—n he sinned the very sinne againe and was not that a grosse sinne to tell a tale as hee did to lay his wife open to adultery to save his life which many heathens would rather have lost their lives than have endured and what to make a bargain that not for once or so but where ever we come doe thou say thou art my sister If this were not in substance in circumstance a grosse sin I know not what is they did as it were consent unto it and that Abraham finding so strange a deliverance by God as he did repented not were straying and yet after he fell into the very same sinne againe and one dares say that David committed adultery often because he took Bethsheba and had six wives besides and ten Concubines and for murther deny it who can that David went far when hee said and swore that he would be the death of Nabal and all his innocent family wherein was a godly and right vertuous wife and some religious servants this was a grosse sin and what if hee did not act the deed No thankes to him he was resolved if ever man were and yet after hee fell into the foule murther of Vriah the Church in Nehemiah and Ezre fell the second time after solemne repentance into the grosse fact of having many wives and for the word wee have nothing against it God will forgive us seventy times that is infinite times a certaine number being put for an uncertain me thinks it is a sinfull limiting the holy one of Israel in his free and infinite mercies of Christ our redeemer in his merits to say the contrary as though GOD did forgive us because wee have done the grosse sin but once after wee are in Christ and for reasons I propose but these 1. What ever sin wee may repent of that God may and will pardon but the sinne of falling againe after repentance into the selfesame great offence is a fault that a man may repent of which I thus prove because it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost or there is no sinne but that sinne which doth exclude repentance and that every
their sin of blasphemy against God too great for him to pardon as though it were possible for man to sinne a sinne which Gods mercy being simply infinite had not enough in it to forgive it This their errour is worse than the first to thinke so meanly of the rich and high and boundlesse mercy of the most Eternall and Infinite GOD we must now learne better to prize the mercy of God and say I cannot once repent of a sin bee it ever so great and maine but the mercy of God is ready to forgive it Could the Blasphemer against the Holy Ghost repent he must have his pardon conceive wee hope of pardon and then we will returne to the Lord by repentance and the Lord will take away the guilt and wash away the staine of this great sin The third tentation is of perjury Here we must take great heed that we doe not forsweare our selves chiefly in open Court where if any where a man should shew himselfe a religious a true a just and an honest man a fruit it is of deep Atheisme to perjure ones selfe and perjured persons bee hated of God and man wherefore the conscience will deepely and bitterly accuse for this sinne of perjury I could wish all men who love their owne quiet and have a desire to sleep in a whole conscience that they would take heed that they do not take a false oath come what will rather dye a thousand deaths it is much against the light of nature and more against the light of Scripture and these two will flye in our faces with wild fire and except God bee mercifull to us make us weary of God and of our selves And me thinkes by the way Women may comfort themselves against the infirmities and troubles which have ever bin afflicted on their sex since they were first in the transgression I say that sex may see a mercy that they are not so subject to this sinne of formall perjury as men are they serve not in Iuries grand or petty they are not brought in Courts to take oathes in Homages and the like they serve not the office of Church-wardens and so are not sworne and deposed any thing so often as men hence they have a great freedome from sinning this vexing sinne over men have which I would have them thanke God for and amongst other matters take this as a recompence for those many inflictions and revenges which God at first laid on that sex so that in respect of this sin and some other tentations that they are free from over men bee they may when they doe thinke of it even thanke God that they were made women and not men let not then Satan bring us into this brake it is hard getting out of it Feare an oath and of all such oathes wherein wee doe wrong and hurt to men for though there be sometimes some corruption in it as tasting of selfe-love to our selves yet for certaine sins wherein wee wrong men whom we see doe so much the more torment and racke the conscience of man and many men have mightily miscarried for this offence and sin of perjury wherefore beware and now to provide for the worst we must tell the man who hath done this sin that there is hope in Israel concerning this sinne also David himselfe was not still as good as his oath as in the case of Mephibosheth hee fell short of that oath of the Lord which hee made to Ionathans house and family and because instances work easier on weake spirits than Rules I would have such to thinke of Peter who did forsweare and renounce the person of Christ and when But in his troubles and where But in the High Priests Hall and who Why Peter a chiefe Apostle in the love and favour of Christ his master and is not Peter in heaven Teares of repentance will fetch out the deepest staine that this sinne of perjury can possibly make but it is the Rule must settle us at last and it is that if wee repent of any sin bee it never so great in substance in circumstances it is as no sinne to us I said I will acknowledge my sin he was but about to doe it and God forgave the iniquity the guilt of his sin If we confesse our sins indefinitely set downe our sins without exception GOD is faithfull and just to forgive them it stands upon him in respect of his Iustnesse to be as good as his word to forgive all repentant sinners all their sins S. Iob 33. 27. If one say I have sinned hee will deliver his soule say peccavi and cry GOD mercy and we shall saith Salomon have mercy mercy presently in pardoning of our sins and mercy now some and then some in healing our iniquities Never did any man confesse his sin to God but hee went away with his pardon wicked men may confesse to their fellowes and to good men they may as Saul did to David but it is an harder matter than so for a man to confesse to God except it be for company or for outward glory but for a man to take God aside to confesse alone to him I thinke a wicked man cannot doe that I finde no instance in the Word that ever any unregenerate man did it A man had need have hope of pardon to confesse to the Iudge Adam did flye from God fell to shifting and so wee doe all while wee are as hee then was out of the state of grace I meane not the grace of election no man can have hope of pardon but by faith and by that I doe hold that it is a signe of a godly man to confesse all alone to God and then I can never beleeve that a man will confesse his sin honestly and ingeniously betwixt GOD and his owne soule except he hate that sinne Now how a wicked man can come to the hatred of his sinne is past my skill to understand To come backe I say despaire not it is worse than perjury it makes GOD a lier or worse than a lier it accuseth him of a kinde of perjury for a man to say there is no hope no pardon to be had repent we never so much sith God hath not only said it but sworne it that he will not the death of a repentant sinner repent and bee pardoned The fourth is breaking of Vowes a vow broken doth crack the comfort of mans conscience exceedingly A vow is defined to bee a religious promise made to God I say that every vow is such a promise but al such promises are not vowes for a vow properly and strictly taken is when a promise is made to GOD of this or that within our power with condition of obtaining some what at Gods hands other promises are simply made and absolutely without any such condition of getting any thing from the hands of God and thus Baptisme is soundly and learnedly denied to bee formally
to back it the Almighty power of God and Satan cannot stand before this breath of the Lords nostrils we deceive oâ—r selves if we thinke that Reason is of any force that Inconveniences will hold against Satan to say shame will follow danger will come I shall but create trouble to my selfe should I kil or whore or steale Satan will come within us for all these hee will set such a glosse on the matter that wee shall thinke wee have greater reason to sin the sinne than we can show to the contrary Reason was never appointed or sanctified to this use dispute but with Satan and hee will so befoole us that we shall think we cannot live no nor scarce goe to heaven neither except wee sin some sins for a time or so Beware then of going that way to worke wee have a better course that is to runne to the Word the Word will doe it it is written will pack him away but what if he come againe and againe with the selfe-same tentation as Satan both may and doth why the same places of the word will doe the deed againe Satan is not afraid of big lookes and words circles and holy water are but toyes to him but it is the word of GOD which makes him avoid Christ wee see did not pray hee could have prai'd I hope none the like but onely the word is his defence being thus to grapple and enter into duell with the divell I speake not that prayer is not of great use I have set downe my mind of that already but that with our prayer must be joyned the word and the word will doe it and of these two if both by strictnes of time cannot be used bee we sure to make use of the Word of God the words and experience of Luther are just to our purpose when saith he the motions of the flesh doe rage the onely remedy is to take to us the sword of the Spirit that is the word of salvation and to fight against them which if wee doe let us not doubt but we shall obtaine the victory although so long as the battell endureth wee feele quite the contrary but set the Word out of sight and there is no help nor counsell remaining of this that I say I my selfe have good experience I have suffered many great passions and the same also very great and vehement but so soone as I â—aid hold of any place of Scripture and staid my selfe upon it as upon my chiefe Anchor-hold strait-wayes my tentation did vanish away which without the word it had beene impossible for me to endure any little space and much lesse to overcome them Thus Luther A brave speech and fitting the Author of it Learne of him to have our Bible at command and Satan dares not stay I speake not as though we were to turne the Text of Scripture into a charme as though to repeate a place by rote and in a heartlesse manner would prove a bug-beare to Satan No no Satan hath gotten much amongst the superstitious and ignorant by that conceit but the Word must bee held out by faith it was not so much Scanderbegs sword as his arme that held it which gave him such victories it is the hand of faith and of the spirit by which the word of God is held out which doth the deed wherefore we see what reason we have sith wee have such an adversary who is though not simply every where yet in every place where we be hee is or some of his Angels are great reason I say there is that we should bee expert in the word of righteousnesse to have places at our fingers ends ready to draw out as occasions shall require that we may have a fit a pat place to meet with the severall impulsions of the flesh and objections of the divell there is neither sin or tentation neither inward corruption nor outward motion but the word hath a soveraigne remedy for it to be fitted in a peculiar sort to the nature of the disease it is not for nothing that we are commanded to search the Scriptures and as Chrysostome often notes as men doe in Mynes for gold and the rather because here is all gold and no drosse and as there is an art in mining for gold so there is an holy skill to finde out golden places fit for our present purpose and thus a godly wise Christian say hee bee often in the fire yet he is like the burning bush never consumed and why because one place or other of the word comes in to his succour the particulars that wee are to follow are three 1. We must have ready the precept and statute of God forbidding the sinne to which we are solicited as say it be to Sabbath breaking then say it is written thou shalt keepe holy the Sabbath day or to murther ones selfe or some other say it is written thou shalt not kill or to uncleannesse urge the place avoid Satan it is written thou shalt not commit adultery and so thou shalt not steale and the like in the speciall branches of every Commandement 2. Wee must have at hand the promise too that in case we consent and obey not and refuse the divels offer wee shall have comfort here and heaven hereafter The divell will come with his hands full of glorious proffers but we must out of the Word set against him the faire and certaine and goodly promises of the Word as there is no sinne but we shall finde one promise or other made in plain termes to us if we resist it resist the divell and GOD will draw neere to you hee offers the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them God offers the kingdome of heaven and the glory of it 3. The threatning that if we yeeld we endaÌ„ger al that we do subject our selves to the curse of God say we doe beleeve the Commandement yet except wee doe beleeve the threatning and doe set the commination against the tentation wee are not like nor sure to hold here Eve lost her selfe in whose losse we all lose our selves the commandement shee did hold that shee was not to eate of the for bidden fruit but now for the threatning that in the day shee did eate thereof she should dye the death there she came short and so yeelded that shee was quick and strict in the precept it is plaine by the words of the Text for whereas it is in the charge of the Lord of the tree of knowledge of good and evill Thou shalt not eate of it Eve having occasion to urge this divine prohibition doth not onely say that God said Ye shall not eate of it but to shew her pious minde to the mandat of the Lord she saith more and addeth yee shall not touch it which words wee finde not in the letter of that law but when it came to the commination ye shall dye the death Satan was too hard for
her and put her off from that and so she fell perhaps she halted in adding to the Lords words for IEHOVAH had forbid them to eate it but hee did no where forbid them to touch it yet this shewes that therein she was strict and more strict than the words wil beare but for the theatning where God said yee shall dye she falters and hath it thus least yee dye and for certaine when we doe not keep to the threatning wee shall not hold our selves to the commandement it goes with us as it did with our first fathers a want of holding the threatning fast did cast them downe and if we be short there and doe not oppose the threatning wee cannot stand as soone as ever Satan is at us to yeeld to our lust say no it is forbidden by God let it be to Adultery answer it is written thou shalt not commit adultery then adde to the prohibition the commination Adulterers and Fornicators God will judge I must not I am forbidden I dare not yeeld if I do I shall dye the death I shall damne and so Satan hath his answer The last generall Rule wee propose is to aske helpe of other men and the directions which come in here to bee set downe are these 1. Never to let any man know what the matter is if by any meanes we can have comfort from GOD acquaint no man with it if we can get him to doe the cure in ordinary matters see what the use of ordinary prayer will doe in cases extraordinary stretch our strength to the most that our prayers may bee strong and long let us wing them with faith and with a fast that they must up to the bosome of the father to say I have prayed and can finde no ease and therefore I will make use of a friend is well enough but I have prayed fasted and waited too as long as ever I can and yet it will not come then we must but til then till we have tried the utmost I could wish men to secret their tentations from the world God will not take himselfe to be wel used for us to goe to others when wee may have it for the comming at his hands with comfort and encouragement A father loves not a child shold run to neighbours for physick when hee may have it of him besides it is sweetest when we have it immediately from the hands of God our father when a child is sick the same cordiall or sweet meat sent by a servant is not so accepted when father or mother brings it and gives it with their owne hands we see many must have mother give it else they will not take it so it is with us it cannot but be best welcome when God doth give us our comforts with his owne hands and tell us good tydings of peace and mercy with his owne mouth and then againe we do not conceive how it wil wound out hearts that we have let any man know our state and case when wee are to come to our selves againe if so be then wee finde and conceive that all might have beene well and the cure done betwixt God and our selves without the knowledge of any man the trouble that way many times wounds more than ever the tentation did and some have even wished them dead and fairely buried to whom in times of their heavinesse they have broken their mindes and therefore the counsell I give is first to try all meanes to use all patience to watch to pray to fast to waite and if God at any time will come in with comfort let him doe all and have all the praise we hiding our grifes from all the world in great inward sorrowes wee are too apt to open our selves more than needs therefore this counsell is in season 2. See whether we can cure our selves as thus what would I say to or think of another should he come to me with my sore complaint the same say wee to our selves and see what that will do 3. When all will not doe and we finde that GOD doth look straying yet and wee can hold no longer then wee must know that GOD doth call us to vent and open our griefe to some one or other now the griefe must be opened God doth call us to a free discovery of our selves to another and without wee doe breake open the matter the end is not like to be good So Iames Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another and there shall bee an healing and in this case without this mutuall and reciprocall confession there shall not be an healing I know God could make all well without this but he will not there is a naturall reason why we find ease by this venting because it doth open the sore and make it as it were runne and so there comes some ease but the spirituall cause is it which carries it and it is because God will have acommunion of Saints amongst us he will not have us straying one to another and hee knowes that by curing another we cure our selves upon that it is that the pain of the foule in this case doth not nor shall not stake till we have acquainted one or other with our case so wee see that tho the party to whom we confesse say no more to us than wee knew before yet the very venting brings some ease Satan I know cannot abide this for few ever open all but there is a remedy and his tentation is at an end and therefore hee urgeth hard upon the point to hinder us by all meanes from telling any body What saith he it will all the Country over hee will tell his friend and that friend another friend and out it will and thou art either shamed or undone for ever Indeed when God doth not call us to this it is dangerous to tell our veriest friend for though he be our friend yet commonly we are not his confident friend but he bath some other and hee must know it under benedicite and then he is sick til his friend knowes it too who is commonly some third man and so there is great danger that it will abroad wherefore if wee can doe up our matters by telling God alone let no man know but now when wee have tried and it will not be then say God hath called mee to out with it and out with it I must and will live by faith that God will make them keepe my counsell or if they doe not yet shame mee no shames I will follow God and confesse I will what ever comes of it and here we must know that when we find a great disposition in us to keep it from all the world that then Satan meanes us some great danger and therefore hee will fill our heads with a thousand proclamations of shames and dangers and all to make us keepe all close to our owne undoing and ruine say then I know by this that great hurt comes
with those heavy tydings and grievous feares and just in the nick God said unto him Arise goe up to Bethel and dwell there and make there an Altar unto God that appeared unto thee when thou fled'st from the face of Esau thy brother and then both long and late yet at least being drawne to it Iacob doth performe his vow It is true he did it though it were long first yet wee see the Lord was faine to fire him out of his negligence and to force him to remember himselfe His putting off so often his long delaying was as great a sinne as our very breaking of our vow neither had he ever done it had he bin let alone and yet Iacob was all this while a deare servant of God and he was pardoned his delaying his vow and he is in heaven let us not thinke but our case is good albeit we have made and broken many a vow Repentance will come heale all againe The summe is that we make no more vowes than needs must sith Satan is apt to thrust us on our vows knowing that our nature is sick to breake out when it is so bound and when we have failed then hee roares and cries there is nothing left but hell and desperation for a covenant-breaker with God and therefore wee must be choice this way never to vow but when we are truly called unto it and when we are called to it to vow and feare nothing sith wee vow not on our owne strength but only on the power and grace of God were we to performe the vow by any force any wit of our owne men should rather vow never to vow than to vow at all but sith we go by the help presence and assistance of God when wee have a calling to it vow and spare not and if wee doe fall so farre as to breake our vowes yet let us hold our own we are not the first others have done it and are in heaven it is a pardonable sinne repentance will take up the matter betwixt God and us make us as good and perhaps better friends than ever The best friendship is often after a falling out and wee must know that many times repentance pleaseth God better than never to have done the sin because it humbles a man more and drives a man more out of himselfe and there is as much saith in it for a man to beleeve that God on his meere repenting will forgive him as there is in holding out against the tentation and not breaking the vow at all neither is it besides the booke to say that there is as much grace in it for a man when hee is downe to repent and returne as there is in not falling at all for by our fall the powers of the soule are weakened the force of grace is decaied and the strength of our sinfull matter is confirmed and the conscience of a man after a fall is as a distempered lock the more wee tamper with it the worse all this showes that it is a signe of much love great favour of God to repent of a great and foule fault it is the vomit of the soule and of all physick none so difficult and hard as it is to vomit and therfore we must comfort our selves and say I confesse I did God great wrong in breaking my promise and did highly provoke him but I now see that hee meaneth all good to my soule in that he hath given mee the heart and grace to repent of my sin and this is a fruit of an upright heart to take displeasure at sin There is I know an uprightnesse and that is of obedience when we sin but a few sins in comparison so Ezekiah comforted himselfe in that he walked uprightly before the Lord. 2. Another of repentance when we catch many sore fals sin many great heynous sins but yet we pick up al againe by mourning and repentance so David did and his heart was all out as upright as ever Hezekiahs was he was a man after Gods owne heart and carries as large-testimonies of his uprightnesse and sincerity as the Old testament hath any Now this uprightnesse of repentance is as sincere and showes as true an heart to God as the other of obedience rest wee then our comfort on this point that say we have not kept our selves to our covenant and our vow yet saving that it must and wil cost us sorrow upon sorrow our repenting of our breach of promise is as pleasing to God and ought to bee as comfortable to us as our Not sinning would have been and sith God thinks never the worse of us for our breaking our vow we must not be more just or more holy than God we must not thinke ever the worse of our selves The last is unbeleefe and a kind of Atheisme as touching Christ Iesus Atheisme I call it with the Apostle sith he that is without Christ is without God and when a man is a spirituall man hee shall finde that his unbeleefe this way will mightily punish his cōscience for lose our hold here and all is lost it being not faith in God but Christ which doth save us and this is an high and an hard point of Divinity here a man is put upon a totall deniall of himselfe sense reason and all but meere pure faith is against it A man hath a law of nature and principles answerable which teach him somewhat concerning the Being of God a man hath in him as hee is a man somewhat which will give a kind of sight of GOD but for Christ his Nature his Birth his Offices his Death his Resurrection natures law hath not a letter in it to teach us any thing concerning these matters they are Mysteries heavenly Riddles nothing can spell them and find them out but faith alone they are ours onely by revelation as good goe about to fore-see future contingents as to finde out any thing as touching Christ Iesus except by the Word and Spirit only Things in the morall law finde some seeds in the light and law of nature but ask nature at the best as touching Christ and the answer is that the Gospell is foolishnesse God to be made man by dying to conquer death to rise and not rot in the grave and for manhood to put it selfe for the maine of heaven happinesse on one who 〈◊〉 as the worst of the three was crucified betwixt two theeves these are things impossible and incredible to flesh and bloud to beleeve Now here is a field yeelding a world of perplexities to the disputer and therefore our only course must be to become fooles in our selves that we may be wise in Christ to rely only on the Word of God to find out our Christ in the word to circumcise the eyes of reason it is faith must doe it I shall lose my selfe except I put my selfe upon It is written Say though
I cannot finde a reason of things beleeved as touching Christ Iesus yet I doe finde a reason of my beleeving them and that is because I finde it so in the Word I must live and dye by the booke the Bible must carry it How do I know that there is any such thing as sin but because it is written I must then passe my soule upon it First that there is Christ Secondly that Iesus is the Christ Thirdly what this Christ is and what he did and doth for the salvation of the Church Fourthly that hee is my Christ my Iesus my Saviour I say I must dye upon it because these things are in and out of the Word many scruples break in but dare any man set it under his hand that Iesus is not the Christ that any else is the Saviour No. Are wee not ready when wee are at the worst if we be called to subscribe with our hands to this proposition that Iesus borne of the Virgin Mary was and is the Messias the Saviour of his people Why then downe with all oppositions and dubitations dash them al out of countenance with this I doe beleeve in Iesus Christ because it is in the Word the eye and hand of faith must doe it dye with this in our mouthes hee is hee because the word saith so and I do beleeve it the rather because Satan and lust cannot abide to heare of it Hold we our selves then to the letter and tenor of the Gospell and the tentation will blow away faith workes strongest at last where reason is most against it and we finde dying men doubt least of all about the Articles of Christ and the principles of faith it being a received axiome in the Church of Christ that saith workes best and clearest when it workes alone and it workes alone in things wherein reason saith no but the word of God saith yea Thus much concerning the particulars in the first Table now followes to bee treated of some chiefe of the second table The thing we must begin with is that the pangs of conscience which arise out of sinnes in the second Table were generally greater and stronger than of the first and it is because that there is lesse of the light and law of nature in us of the worship of God than of the duties of our neighbour we have here a double sting the spirituall conscience cries and the naturall conscience cries and when two come together to cry that cry must needs bee great it is the better to maintaine order and discipline amongst men that there is more of natures law in the things of men than of God and a greater light to discerne those than these The world must stand and hold in some quiet til the period of it expire which could not be were it not for this bond and law of nature and thus wee have it that in weaker Christians especially greatest troubles of mind come from matters of the second table And if you aske what the matters of the second table be which doe most vex the conscience of a man and doe prove the worst tentations wee answer that men are usually most disquieted which murther against the sixth uncleannesse against the seventh and theft against the eighth Commandement Disobedience to Parents and Authority as it is first in the second table so caeteris paribus it is the greatest sin and hath the sharpest punishment the Ravens of the Valleys shall pick out their eyes which is never set downe for a punishment of murther it selfe wee read not that hee that is cholerick with his brother must dye but hee that but speaketh evill of father or mother is a man of death by the word of God but yet these cases doe not use to stagger the conscience most in most be-because it is not so flat against the light of Nature neither are they held such heynous faults amongst men and wee use to judge too much of the greatnesse and soulenesse of sins by custome the estimate of men we do account those the worst sins not ever which the Word saith are the greatest sins but such as amongst men in the time and place where we live goe for the mighty sinnes and trouble of conscience doth arise from our opinion and apprehension wee have of things which by the way must teach us not altogether to be led by the wrack of our conscience for conscience is blind in al unregenerate men and in the best it is in part defiled and corrupt and imperfect and therefore it is mistaken and cannot bee our rule and it is our sin to set our conscience in the roome of the Word of God when conscience speakes in the Holy Ghost and according to the word then it must be heard else conscience doth sometimes complaine most of some things that are no sins at all as we see in the Pharisie who was troubled in minde if hee should chance to eate with unwashen hands and through misprision and error they thought they did GOD good service to kill Christ and his Apostles and therefore we must not set up conscience too high put it not in Gods place but when it speakes for God and from God and hath light enough to see what is what then when it speakes out of the word the conscience must bee heard God is greater than our heart and therefore wee must hold to him and to his Word which onely is his Interpreter in this world it concludes not then simply to say my conscience tels me it is a sin my conscience tels me I am not in Gods favour but to returne we must know that those sins doe trouble most which doe most disturbe the society of men for it is the naturall conscience that gives the heaviest blow there is most light and sight in the natural conscience of man in those matters which concerne humane societies of men and so because bloud lust and theft do undermine the state of mankinde and cast all into confusion hence it is that these sins make such a cry as they doe and that not simply because they are the greatest that bee nor for that they are most against the nature or will of God but because they doe most hurt to men and are most against the order and governement of mankinde before I descend to those particulars I would have men to aske the question whether their trouble bee because the tentation is bad or base or bad and base both 1. If we be troubled only because the sin is base and brings with it or after it the shame of the world than it is from sinne and pride that we are so vexed and that is made a matter of conscience which is wholly or chiefly a matter of self-respects or if it be within our selves and secret and yet out of a conceit of our selves wee are much afflicted that we should be haunted to doe or drawne to act such and such vile and
is towards him albeit for the present wee feele not our hearts and affections to move towards him our affections are usually most deepe when they run on without any noise wherefore what ever Satan puts upon us we must hold our owne that for all him and his tentations and those impulsions of Originall sin we doe love our selves and love our second selves full dearely and would be full loth to suffer any wrong to bee done to them 2 The true and right meanes of helpe in these bloudy tentations are First to labour to bee contented with our selves the peace wee have the comfort wee have the health wee have the meanes we have and considering what we doe deserve to blesse God that it is no worse with us A cheerefull heart is not subject to such malicious motions of the divell he useth to worke on man whom hee takes to bee discontented We are alone thinking on heaven by some Well-side he seeing us alone taking us to bee there in some discontented moode thrusts at us with a tentation to cast our selves into the water here runne not away walke on still proceed in good meditations thrust away these thoughts that are put in by the divell and know that our Originall sin is the receiver worse than the theefe 2. Humble for that wee carry about with us such a corrupt heart as will on such occasions take thought of discontent it is our proud flesh that will not sit downe under some heavey crosse and because we have not al we would have and cannot bee that wee would be we care not to be at all we must have as others have else wee fall a powting presently we must learne to be thankfull for any life downe with the proud humour bee not high minded these thunders and lightnings of tentations are to fright us and by such feare to bring us to walke humbly before the Lord. 3. See what sin wee live in if in any that is a true cause of deepe discontent repent of that doe the contrary duty sin is the proper cause not to the crosse which makes us weary of our lives Satan sets our eyes onely on the crosse for he knowes it is out of our reach to remove that but indeed it is some sinne that doth pinch us and put a sting into the affliction and we have it in our hands by repentance to remove the sin and the crosse will remove it selfe Goe to God to finde out the sinne for us and away with that if there bee any and as when the tooth is once drawne we shall finde ease and peace presently if we bee not weary of sinne it is but fit wee should be made to be weary of our selves if no sin then know it is to humble us and to fit us for some great peece of service that the Lord meanes to imploy us in Waite and joyne with the tentation to rend the heart to bring the minde low and then it will be gone 4. See whether we do not abuse God and our selves in our wives and children perhaps we dote upon them make so many Gods of them and if so then it is reason that they shold by this tentation be made bitter unto us that wee may have wives and children as though wee had none at all or if otherwise we sinne against God in them oâ— for them let this goe for the cause why Satan is set on and let on us with such killing suggestions that we may be corrected in the very thing wherein wee have offended 5. That which must hit it on the head and doe the deed it selfe is to get it off by prayer by a fast if need bee and by the Word There are some which will not off but by prayer and fasting but there are none so terrible so strong but prayer and fasting will give us ease and comfort against them but the matter must bee sanctified to us by the Word wee must bring Scripture not reason To tell Satan or our selves of the shame of the danger to us to ours will not doe the deed that which will worke the worke is to set the word of commandement of promise of the threatning against the powers of Sathan I shall sin if I doe I shall offend God It is written thou shalt not kill if not an enemy then not a friend if not a friend then much lesse my selfe Love to mine enemy is the reason why I must not murther him love doth begin at home and it runs warmest in mine owne veines in mine owne bosome therefore I will not lay hands on my selfe I shall dye the death if I doe The word and prayer will fright him away sin and Satan care for nothing feare nothing but the word they are the Ordinances and the power of God and by his might do extinguish all the fiery darts of the divell 6. Never thinke of making any mends or satisfaction by destroying ones selfe for any sin perhaps Iudas thought by killing himselfe to make some amends for his horrible murther committed against the person and life of Christ Iesus Satan never doth a man more hurt than when hee comes preaching and sets upon us with holy ends that because we have done this or that grand offence and abuse to God that therefore they are to pacifie him or to satisfie him by sacrifising of our selves This corrupt Divinity growes in our flesh as we see by those who fetch their penniworth as they thinke out of themselves by whipping themselves a mad part it is for a man to thinke that by committing murther the greatest of all murthers upon himselfe to make any an ends for their sinfull life and yet so foolish doth the divell make som men Beware of this deceit fire is not put out with fire no satisfaction can possibly bee made but by the bloud of the Lambe that holy Lambe Christ Iesus and I would have men beware how they plead for such as draw their owne bloud because thereby they doe make way for Satan to push hard on the consciences of weake Christians by bearing them in hand that they may ease themselves of some present horrors by killing themselves and yet be saved in heaven for all that such cases perhaps may possibly be but for man to pleade for such to exempt them out of the rule may make foule worke for Satan to play upon the weaknesse of many poore Christians souls I know no medicine next to the Word and prayer of better use to hold such mens hands from their own lives than feare of being damned in hell an indirect plea it is for any to speak for such and full of danger some think thereby to ease perplexed consciences but it is the ready way to perplex the hearts and engulsie the soules of feeble Christians they doe not know what hurt they doe to men under this tentation to vent such unsavory Doctrine that a man do well for the main for all this that
pay use and to shew a contentednesse that the Vsurer should hold it when he hath it because of great inconveniencies in that he else cannot have money to serve his need against another time this is a mixt act of willingnesse which is construed to be naturally done unwillingly but willingly accidentally All this is grounded on the law of God which makes usury a sin and a sinne against justice too Zacheus did offer to restore that which hee did fetch in by forged cavillation he might like enough have kept it and no man have thought much of it it was gotten by sin and restore he would and what the Vsurer takes is his by sinne and restore he must The Law I know permitted it to the Iewes to the stranger what of that It followes the rather that it is of it selfe a sin because permission is of sins not of duties but the thing I say is there was a law to kill the Canaanite and yet I hope that killing was not murther no more was that usury to them a sin The Law doth urge it most that it be not done to the poore was it not because the Iewes were then too noble and generous to goe a borrowing except it were the poorer sort What should the Law then forbid that to bee done by rich men which most rich men never did but after wee have prohibitions plenty that are indefinite we are forbidden wee must not rob the poore because hee is poore good sport for theeves if therefore it may bee thought to follow that it is a lawfull matter to rob the rich neither can the law against usury be thought to be a judiciall law of Moses for such lawes as such are knowne only by some intelligence from the bookes of Moses but Heathens of all sorts who never once heard of Moses's writings have with one voice cryed sinne upon usury and shame upon Vsurers Poets Orators Historians Philosophers all They have condemned this sin by the instinct and light of nature and therefore it could not be a politicall law of Moses Besides we have it forbidden in the New Testament wheÌ„ judicials were out of date lend saith the LORD IESUS looking for nothing againe Question is made whether children bee bound to restore that which their Parents have gotten by use upon use and left unto them The negative seemes to bee affirmed by a most holy man but my thinkes reason would that we say such goods should be restored though not we but our predecessors have gotten them unlawfully the saddle is anothers still in equity and conscience and it ought to bee set on the right horse meere possession cannot give us a right title to that which in truth Coram Deo is anothers And what if the property be altered yet that makes nothing against restitution sith a child is bound by the grant of all to restore the price now in his hands of any thing his father first stole and then turned into money Restitution is to be in the very kinde if that may bee if not then in that which is answerable and equivalent The Schooles are divided in setting downe the reason of restitution one side will have it to be because the Vsurer is a dammage to the borrower the other sort with whom I joyne say that it is because by usury there is no true title Iure Divino no not in justice to that which comes in that way and sith this is the truth I conclude and say that the child is bound to make restitution because his father hath conveyed that to him which never was his fathers right and therefore cannot be the sonnes some cases may free the child which also would have freed the father as when it is not in his power hath not the ability to doe it and the like but in ordinary course it is not his owne it is anothers and by that reason he is not to keepe it but to restore it Papists teach us that in case a man be in very necessity when he tâ—kes use and makes profit by his money yet if after this necessity cease he is not bound to make restitution when hee hath wherewithall and this necessity they stretch and will have reach to his estate A large field for a man to lose his conscience in for when will a man say that he is not in some necessity in respect of his estate and condition and when will hee bee out of need to beare up his port Men will make necessities enough might this goe for good doctrine But dangerous it is and the ground of it is most false for say they by the law of nature all things are common mine thine came in after by law positive Now say they necessity dispenseth with all positive lawes and makes the goods of another mine and mine againe his and so they say that when a man to fill up his necessities doth gaine by use from another indeed and in right it is but his owne because then and in that case all things are common no man is after bound to restore that which when he tooke it was but his own Write false upon these conclusions for the truth is that meere necessity of a mans person doth not take away propriety in great extremity for a man to take this or that which is anothers is to lay hands on that which is not ones owne what ever it should have beene had not Adam fallen I enquire not but since Adams fall there is such a propriety of Meum Tuum that no necessity bee it never so urgent can dissolve Tully resolves the case thus that say a man bee on the point to starve yet rather than hee should take the least matter from another he should rather famish it being better to dye the death than to violate any man for ones owne cause Erasmus doth descant on this quidâ—â—y of the Schooles what saith he merrily and truly is not theft theft in case of necessity nay though one do it with a minde to make it good again say one must lose his life if hee doe not perjure himselfe and beare false witnesse doth that necessity make it no sin say one by committing adultery without offering violence to the person of the adulteresse may save his owne life doth the necessity of saving ones life make adultery lawfull now Put the case saith he that a man must dye or tell a lye is it not a sinne in this case of necessity to lye If then meere personall necessity doth not dispence with these Commandements Thou shalt not lye Not beare false witnesse Not commit adultery what colour of truth can there bee in this to affirme that any necessity whatsoever can make that law to be no law when he saith Thou shalt not steale If necessity cannot make an others wife at my command no more can necessity make an others goods mine owne Gods Ten