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
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 casâ—…eth his burden vpon the Lord. First hee will consider that it is common to all Adams posteritie Aâ—… 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
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
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 waiâ—… 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 ouâ—… 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 impuâ—…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 sinâ—… 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
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
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 reâ—…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 dâ—…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 â—…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 â—…ase it hath beene shewed and proued First that his sinne not being that
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