raging is the strength of sin Neither for all this must we cease to sorrowe for our sins nor dispaire on the other side although our sorrow bee but small For if we be sorrowfull for the hardnes of our hearts if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sins if we can but sigh and groone because we feele our iniquities it is so much a greater comfort vnto vs as it is a greater testimony that our heartes are not altogether hardened so that if we feele â—orrowe indeede although wee weepe not yet we may gather comfort considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a loue and hunger after righteousnes yea if our assaults be distrust pride arrogancy ambition enuie concupiscence as whoâ—e as the fyre in the furnace all our daies and though Sathan layeth out oyle in great measure out of measure that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lorde that we stand and though our prayers be dull and full of wearisomenes if the striuing and strayning of our selues to goodnesse be so hard that we knowe not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a Father yet if we feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and beeing wearied and tyred with our sinnes long gladly to enioye the peace of righteousnes and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs comfort our selues there is no time to late to repent in For he commeth quickly to Christ although in the houâ—e of death that commeth willingly and in a desire of a better life howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him For as the humming Bee hauing lost her sting in an other doth still notwithstanding make a fearfull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vs but is nothing able to hurt vs so sin death hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus do not cease at all euen in the height of the parching heat of our consciences to make a murmuring and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vs and our consciences albeit they can neuer sting vs. Wherfore if Sathan charge our consciences with sin if we can feele the things a little before mentioned in our consciences let vs bid him not tell vs what we haue beene but what we woulde be For such we are by imputation as we be in affection and he is now no sinner who for the loue he beareth to righteousnes would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neyther vndoubtedly can the giltines of sinne breake the peace of our conscience seeing it is the worke of an other who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must indeed be confessed that our owne works wil do nothing in the matter of iustification which from Christ in Christ is freely giuen vnto vs it must be granted that in our selues we are weaker then that we can resist the least sinne so farre of is it that we can encounter with the law sinne death hell and Sathan and yet in Christ we are more then conquerers ouer them all When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it send it to Christ say there is a man that hath fulfilled the law to him I cleaue he hath fulfilled it for me and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vnto mee I haue nothing to do with thee I haue another law which striketh thee down euen the law of liberty which through Christ hath set me free For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace is a glorious prince to triumph ouer thee If sin come and would haue thee by the throat send it to Christ say as much as thou maist do against him so much right thou shalt haue against me For I am in him he in me wherfore O sin I am righteous through my Christ which is a condemning sin to condemne thee which art a condemned sinner If death creepe vpon thee attempt to deuoure thee say vnto it Christ hath ouercome thee opened to me the gates of euerlasting life thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sin but the same being of no force thy purpose O death hath failed and he being my life is become thy death If Sathan sommon thee to answer for thy debts send him also to Christ and say that the wife is not suable but the husband enter thine action against Christ mine husband and he will make thee a sufficient answere who then shall condemne vs or what iudge shall daunt vs syth God is our iudge and accquited vs and Christ was condemned iustifieth vs he is our iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner he is our man of law who to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttonous hell where is thy defence O cruell sin where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloody sting O roaring Lion why doest thou freete and foame Christ my lawe fighteth against thee O lawe and is my liberty Sinne against thee O sinne and is my righteousnes Christ against thee O diuell and is my sauiour Death against thee O death is my life Thou diddest desire to paue my way to the burning lake of damned soules but contrarie to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem Wherfore if we shal finde our selues forsaken of God so as we perceiue nothing but matter of dispaire let vs still hold our owne in the certainty of our faith stay our selues sith Christ is giuen vs of God that he might extinguish sin triumph ouer the law vanquish death ouercome the diuell and destroy hell for our onely comfort and consolation But peraduenture some will say my faith is weake and colde and my conscience is as a â—laming lampe and burning furnace I feare the Lorde will still pursue mee with his wrathfull indignation Thou doest well to feare but feare and sinne not For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite in that the weaker we are in our selues the stronger we are in God But that feare is dangerous which hindereth the certainty of faith in that it incourageth our enemy more fearcely to set vpoÌ„ vs when we comming into the campe will cast away our armour especially which should defend vs. Comfort thy selfe the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake the brused reede he looketh not on the quantitie but on the qualitie of our faith For as a good mother doth not reiect hir childe because through some infirmitie it is weake feeble and not able to go alone but rather doth pitie and supporte it least peraduenture it should fal recompenseth that with more motherly affection
daily renued This repentance is figured in baptisme both in that we must die to sin and bury it and also that we must rise againe to newnes of life for a man cannot die to sin but by the vertue of Christ his death neyther can he rise to righteousnes without the power of his resurrection Now we must know that as our sinnes are forgiuen so we must also receiue Gods spirit If God promiseth mercy to our children much more to vs if we beleue and receiue his promises if to them which are a farre of much more to them that are neare And yet though we haue been baptised an hundred yeares and haue not receiued the holy Ghost we may die in our sinnes Some vnderstand by the gift of the holy Ghost the graces of God bestowed on the Apostles but in my iudgement their opinion is not sound because that was a particular thing giuen only to them of that time this promise is generall and respectes all posterities We are then to note that repentance is a continuall course of sorrowe and if we haue this in trueth then may we boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods woâ—d and from his ministers and looke what comfort they giue vs on earth the same shal be sealed also in heauen Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the ground if we will haue fruite and daily to eate if we will liue so in spirituall things we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may be refreshed with daily comfort in Christ in whose name let vs pray Our father c. FINIS Certaine wise and graue Counsels and Answers made by the same author of the former argument VNto one that was much tempted with vnbeliefe he gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in prayer say Lord thou makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is of very equity howbeit O Lorde grant I may by wisedome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience Oh turne this to thy glory and my saluation I see and confesse what hath beene in mee a long time by that which now sheweth it selfe in me and that thy grace hath hitherto kept vnder this corruptâ—on yet Lord I beleeue yet Lord I will beleue helpe Lord my vnbeliefe Thy name be praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeleefe I am grieued as in my beliefe I am wont to be comforted And though my olde and secret sinnes deserue that I should not onely be giuen ouer to infidelity but also that it should be in mee without griefe and remorse yet Lord forgiue my sinnes newe and olde forgiue my vnthankâ—ulnes Lord increase my faith and grant good father that when thou shalt restore to mee the gifte of grace againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it by fruites Or if this doe not preuaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to read the word of God especially his promises and be still attending vpon the meanes waiting when the Lord shall inlarge your hearte Or if this do not helpe goe to some faith full brother confesse your state to him acknowledg your weaknes to him and be not ashamed to giue God the glory by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so hee may pray for you whose praier according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinaÌ„ce herein Iames. 5. vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus hauing praied by your selfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouery though you haue not present release yet in meeknes of mind patience of your spirite go to your calling knowing that your praiers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruite of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the Deuill as though you coulde preuaile of your selfe And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation so I would not you should despise it For in both are extremities If you take it too much to heart or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it to little and maruell how such thinges should come into your head which was not wont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it too fearefully Sathan will oppresse you before you beginne to fight If you account of it too lightly the deuill needs not to wrestle with you you will ouerthrow your â—elfe Therefore feare in respect of your selfe fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruption but rest and trust in Christ your saluation If still you are tempted and no body by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will aske counsell of his worde at the mouth of his minister when he shall giue you iust occasion If all this helpe not comfort your selfe with this pledge of election that you are ioyed when you feele your beliefe and that you are grieued least you shoulde displease God by your vnbeliefe and know that as there is a vicissâ—tude of the meanes of saluation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations wherof this is one agianst which you must striue 2 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his minde and bodie proceeded thereof he saide on this sorte Fist know that Sathan hath not an absolute power but a power by permission to try vs against which we must arme our selues by faith which will assure vs that eyther the Lorde will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he enlarge the tryall he wil increase our strength and retch it out according to the proportion of our temptation Wee must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the diuell which we giue out to sinne to worke rebellion in vs against his maiesty but that he would rather make Sathan a Surgeon to shew vs our sinnes then a Sregeant to confound vs for our sinnes It is the pollicie of the aduersary to perswade many that the weaknes of their body and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of the vnstaidnes of their mindes wandering too much after the motions of the diuell in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting theÌ„selues to be tryed nor coÌ„forting themselues by meditatioÌ„ attend to much coÌ„for to often with the diuels illusions and temptations and so they comeplayne of the effectes and not of the causes of their temptations beeing more grieued for their present sufferinges then for their sinnes past The roote of this worldly shame is
owne condemnation yet because they labored not to se their guiltinesse acquited by the remission of sinne in Christ they plunged themselues into a bottomlesse sea of sorrowes Others hauing passed these degrees hitherto made these steps to auoyd the wounde of Conscience haue come also too short and missed of the marke when because besides the sence of sinnes pardoned by the death of Christ they felt not also the vertue of his passion crucifying sinne in them but saw that with the remission of sinne was not ioined the mortification of sin they feared that there was no forgiunesse for them but still languishing with sorrow they thought themselues to stand charged with their former guiltines Yea and which is more for that such men haue not truely beene instructed nor surely haue beene grounded in the doctrine of Christes death and resurrection that is for that they sawe not as well power flowing from his death to slay sinne in them as vertue to pardon sinne in them for that they felt not as well strength to Sanctification streaming from the rising againe of Christ as they were perswaded of iustification and righteousnes therein They haue lyne still bleeding at the heart in such sort as the wound of griefe coulde hardly or neuer bee staide and staunched Wherefore let vs strengthen our weake soules with this sixe-fold coarde of consolation against these bitter assaultes Let vs first labour to know sinne then to sorrow for sinne after to feele our sinnes in Christ forgiuen further to looke for power to crucifie the same then to lay holde on iustification by his resurrection and lastly hope for strength to proceede from thence to further vs in sanctification and holinesse of life euen vnto the ende And thus much briefly for the second thing which we matched in company with the examination of sinne euen the triall of faith both which rightly vsed shall in some measure sauegard vs from the trouble of an afflicted minde Now let vs hasten to the third parte of our deuision to shew howe Gods children beeing fallen into this wounde of spirite may be helped out of it which God willing wee will also performe after we haue answered a necessarie obiection which in the former part might seeme to encounter against vs. There is no man but will grant that Dauid Iob and others of the Saintes of God had a sight of their sins a sorrow for their sinnes and a taste of the remission of their sinnes how then commeth it to passe that these men were so troubled in minde To this I answere that their trouble so befell them either for failing in some of these former things or els they were rather afflicted for triall of their faith than for punishing of sinne in them And therefore be it alwaies prouided that wee thinke not euery conflict of Conscience continuallye and chiefely to bee for the pursuing of our sinnes but sometimes and principally that it commeth for the triall of our faith and yet secondarily or lesse principally for the scourging of sinne as we may see in Iob. Whereuppon let all men be admonished when they see good men thus humbled throwne downe in minde to lay their handes on their mouthes from saying Surely these men are but hypocrites doubtlesse these men be great sinners the Lord hath founde out their hypocrisie For good reason there is that such silence should be vsed for that the Lorde may as well make trial of their faith as take punishment on their sins For if such affliction should alwaies and chiefely be sent for sinne then it should follow that all others as they exceeded them in sinne should also exceede them in the punishment of sinne But now comming to the saluing of this soare I shall seeme very strange in my cure and so much the more bee wondered at by how much in manner of proceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein I am to vs and vncertaine To them which are troubled with such blinde griefes whereof they can see no reason as often it happeneth to Gods Children in secret prouidence vvho either neuer knew God or else had but a generall knowledge of him I answere that as I denie not Phisicke to be ministered if it in part proceede from a naturall cause so I require the word especially to shewe the principall and originall cause to beginne in the soule And this I doe the rather because I would haue wisdome both in considering the state of the bodie if neede so require and in looking chiefely to the â—oule which so fewe thinke of If a man troubled in Conscience come to a Minister it may be he will looke all to the soule and nothing to the bodie if hee come to a Phisition hee onely considereth of the bodie and neglecteth the soule For my part I would neuer haue the Phisitions counsell seuered nor the Ministers laboure neglected because the soule and bodie dwelling together it is conuenient that as the soule should be cured by the word by prayer by fasting by threatening or by comforting so the bodie also shoulde bee brought into some temperature by Physicke by purging by dyet by restoring by musicke and by such like meanes prouiding alwaies that it bee done so in the feare of God and wisdome of his spirite as we thinke not by these ordinarie meanes to smoother or smoke out our troubles but as purposing to vse them as preparatiues wherby both our soules and bodies may be made more capable of the spirituall meanes to follow after As we require these thinges to bee the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie so we woulde wishe the persons ministring to be men learned and of sounde iudgement wise and of Godly experience meeke and of most louing spirites For when the troubled patient shall be well perswaded of our knowledge and discretion there with all shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection I thinke an enterance is made and all preiudice is taken avvay so as wee may the more freely worke vppon the Conscience first bringing them to the sight of sinne as to some cause of their trouble Heerein wee must labour to put awaye all confusion and blindenesse of sorrrowe endeuoring by wisdome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect matter of their trouble and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall and secret sinne I say seuerall secret sinne because I know how many through a palpable blindnes or disordered discerning of sinne talke nothing so much as of sinne and yet they eyther can not discry seuerall sinnes or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secrete sinnes wherof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Lawe of God and the other of selfe loue which maketh vs loath euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues Now that the confession of particular sins is requisite it may appeare by the two and thirtieth Psalme wherein beeing a Psalme of
but becommeth eternall For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery the perswasion whereof made them beeing in some misery to make an ende of themselues and hasten their owne death as Sathan doth make many now a daies to doe who are ignorant of the hell which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this worlde whatsoeuer Howebeit a tormented conscience if before it was begun is now continued or if it was not before now beginneth and neuer endeth world without ende For though true it is that sicknes pouerty imprisonmeÌ„t or banishmeÌ„t haue ended their term in death yet a wouÌ„ded hart which was teÌ„poral in this life is nowe eternall after this life that which before death was in hope recouerable is after death made vncurable vnrecouerable It is good therefore to consider if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull how much more grieuous it is to susteine it in hell where that is infinite which here is finit where that is vnmesurable which here is mesurable where is the sea of sorow wherof this is but a drop where is the flame of that fire wherof this is lesse then a sparke But to shut vp this argument Some there haue beene who through out all their life time haue been free from all other troubles so as either they felt them not at all or else in very small measure and by that meanes neuer knewe what outward trouble meant As for example some men there haue beene who for sicknesse neuer knewe there headeach for pouertie neuer knewe what want meant who for discredite were neuer euill spoken of who euer put farre from them the euill daye of the Lorde who made a league with death as it were a couenant with hell who thought they could crucifie euery crosse rather thaÌ„ come vnderany crosse yet they could neuer escape a wounded conscience either in this life or in the life to come True it is that Gods Children by faith repentance do often escape it but the wicked and such as are borne vnto it as to their sure inheritance the more they flie from it the more it pursueth them If we haue transgressed the Ciuil Lawes the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted if a man haue committed some capitall offence by flying his Country he may escape the Magistrates handes but our consciences telling vs that we haue sinned against God what bribe shall we offer or whether shall wee flie whether shall wee goe from his spirit or whether shall we goe from his presence If we ascend into heauen is not he there If wee lie downe in hell is hee not there If we flie to the vtmost parts of the sea is he not there also There needeth no apparitor to summon vs there needes no Bayly arraunt to fetch vs there needes noe accuser to giue in against vs sinne will arrest vs and lieth at the Doore our owne Conscience will impannell a Quest against vs our owne heartes will giue in sufficient Euidence and our owne iniquitie will plead vs to be guiltie to our owne faces Thus we se both by the experience of theÌ„ that haue suffered the wound of the spirit and by the comparinge of it with other euils what a waight most grieuous and burden intollerable it is to haue a tormented conscience Now let vs shew how we may preuent by what meanes Gods children falling into some degrees of it for if it rage in extremity it is an euill vnrecouerable may safely and quietly be deliuered from it And here a iust complaint is to be taken vp it is a wonder to be marked if we may wonder at Gods works that we se many so carefull watchfull to auoide oâ—her troubles and so few or none take any paines to escape the trouble of minde which is so grieuous We se men louing health and loathing sicknes in diet temperat in sleepe moderate in Phisicke expert skilful to purge to auoide such corrupt humors which in time may breed though presently they do not bring forth some daÌ„gerous sicknes yet to auoid the diseases of the soule no man abateth his sleep no man abridgeth his diet no man prepareth Phisicke for it no man knoweth when to be ful and when to be emptie how to want and how to abound Others carried away with the loue of riches very â—ly to fall into pouerty will not sticke to rise early to take sleep lately to fare hardly to teare taw their flesh in labour by land by water in faire foule wether by rocks and by sands from farre and from neare and yet to fall into Spirituall decaies to auoid the pouertie of conscience no man taketh such paines as though saluation and peace of minde were not a thing worthy the labouring for Some ambitiously hunting after honor not easily digesting reproaches behaue themselues neither sluggishly nor sleepely but are actiue in euery attempt by loue by counsell by prudence prowesse by wit by practise by labor learning by cuÌ„ning diligence to become famous to shun a ciuill reproach yet to bee glorious in the sight of God and his Angelles to fall before the heauens and in the presence of the Almightie to bee couered with shame and confusion of Conscience we make none account as they who neyther vse any means to obtaine the one nor auoide those occasions which may bring the other Others vnwilling to come within the reach and daunger of the Lawe that they may escape imprisonment of bodye or confiscation of goodes will be painefull in penall statutes skilfull in euery branch of the ciuill law and especially wil labour to keepe themselues from treasons murthers fellonies and such like offences deseruing the punishment of death yet wheÌ„ the Lord God threatneth the seazure both of soule and body the attaching of our spirits the confiscating of our consciences the banishing of vs from heauen the hanging of vs in hell the suspending of our saluation the adiudging of vs to condemnation for the breach of his CoÌ„maundements no man searcheth his eternall Lawe noe man careth for the Gospell neither the sentence of euerlasting diuorsement from the Lord neither the couenant of reconciliation is esteemed of vs. And to reach our Complaint one degree father Behold the more we seek outward pleasures and to auoide the inward trouble of minde the more we hast and runne into it suddainely plunge our selues in a wonded spirite ere we be aware VVho posteth more to become rich who hopeth lesse to be come poore than the marchant man who aduentureth great treasures who hazardeth his goods who putteth in ieoperdie his life and yet sodenly he either rusheth vpon the rocke of hardnesse of heart or else is swallowed vp of the gulph of a desparing minde from which afterwards he cannot be deliuered with a ship ful of golde Woful profe hath confirmed how some men wholly set on
feare and trembling how they make their first entrie into a mans heart how they gather strength how they agree with our corrupt nature in what degrees they come to some growth how the spirit of God doth resist them what bee the meanes best to preuaile against them And thus if thou make thy profite by them thou shalt so wonderfully search and descrie by seuerall veines the body age and sleight to of these tentations in others by an holy experience which God hath taught thee in others that besides that thou shalt lay forth mens secrete corruptions as if thou wast in their bosomes thou shalt be able also by the seede of sorrowe in thy selfe to begette an vnspeakeable ioy in others who in time may bee tempted as thou now art Thinke moreouer and besides that such is the efficacie of sinne that they who are now noe Papistes Heretiques Adulterers or Theeues may for their secure contemning and foolish passing ouer of these tentations sent vnto them sodainely shortly after fall into them because they woulde not seeke to make some vse of them nor confesse before the Lord both their pronenesse worthinesse to fall into them But if wee will humble our selues in such tentations and learne by them meekely to discerne the corruptions of our hearts we shall not onely persently deliuer our selues from perill but bee also further enabled to assist others herafter in the lâ—ke danger But some will oppose against these things which wee haue deliuered Doe you thinke it a remedie to cast downe them that are already humbled This is rather to bee a Butcher than a builder of a mans conscience To whome I answeere that I desire Preachers to bee Builders and not Butchers and it is one thinge generally to apply and another perticularly to lay the medicine vnto the wound it is good to begin with searching first and to purge the sore by the vineger of the Lawe and after to supple it with the oyle of the Gospel Both which must bee done in wisedome vsing them to some in greater to some in lesser measure For as some hauing nothing but a decay of nature and no mortall humor neede rather restoratiue than purging medicines So some rather troubled for some spirituall wants than for grosser sinnes neede not so much the sharpe threatnings of the Lawe as the sweete promises of the Gospell But if the bodie through some extraordinarie repletion hath gotten some greate surfet not so much to the weakening of nature as to the threatning of imminent death and therefore requireth rather some stronge purgation than comfortable and cordiall medicines then the soule brought almost to deathes doore with some extraordinary sinne is rather to be boared and pierced with the denouncing of Gods iudgements than otherwise But because we would deale more plainely lesse confusedly it is good in our accesse to afflicted consciences to lay these two grounds First we must perswade the persons humbled that their sins are pardonable and their sores curable And after that this visitation is not so much a signe of Gods wrath and anger as a seale of his mercie and fauoure in that it is not either blind or barren but plentifull in good effects and fruitefull in Godly issues The former how needfull it is the experience of so many almost as haue bin throwne downe is a sufficient witnes who haue had this as a tagge tyed to their tentations that neuer any were so plagued as they none euer had the like temptations The Lord will surelie make an end of theÌ„ in some strange and vnknowne tentation Wherein they are notvnlike vnto men fallen into some dangerous disease who thinking to be without the fadome of the Phisitians skill and not to be within the compasse of things recouâ—rable adde a second and sorer griefe vnto their former Wherefore as these men seeme to be halfe healed when any man of knowledge can be brought who by experience hath cured the like maladie in like degrees in others So then the sorrowfull soules are not a little by hope refreshed and strengthned to loke for some ease when they see none other tentation to haue ouertaken them than such as hauing fallen into the nature of man haue fouÌ„d mercie at the handes of God that he might bee feared This ground worke framed it is good to build vp and repaire the decayed ioy of the minde partly by the Law to make a preparatiue for these ioyes if the minde not truely humbled is not fit truely to be comforted and partly by the gospell if the conscience kindly throwne downe is become a fit subiect to aply the sweet promises of God in Iesus Christ vnto it And here again to answere them that denie the law wholly or at all to bee vsed when we would breed comfort in one I demand whether if it be necessary to maintaine the righteousnes of Christ it be not also as necessary to preserue the righteousnes of the Law Seing the righteousnes of the Law of vs not fulfilled wil draw vs vnto the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed And sith the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed is neuer throughly truly esteemed vntill we se the righteousnes of the law of vs to be vnperformed Again if our Sauiour Christ did foreshew his Disciples that the first work of the holy Ghost at his coÌ„ming should be to conuict the world of sinne to make men knowe that without Iesus Christ their is nothing but sinne and then that he should rebuke the world of righteousnesse that they might see how Christ dyed not for his owne sinne but for the sinnes of others I see not why it should not be verie conuenient first to lay open the righteousnes of the lawe that men may see their sinnes and then the righteousnes of Christ that men may see their sins discharged in him Besids where the Lord saith by his Prophet At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent of his sins from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednes out of my remembrance it may wel be gathered that there must be a souÌ„d sorrow for sin goe before and then true ioy of sinnes pardoned may the more frely by vertue of his promise be both hoped for loked for afterward Moreouer seeing all the promises of God in the gospel are coÌ„mended vnto vs vnder the title and tenor of restoring sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe strength to the Lame health to the Sicke and life to the Deade it is manifest not onlye that there is noe disease of the soule which Christ cannot heale but also that wee must first finde our selues blinde deafe dumbe lame sicke and deade before hee will meddle with vs because they that are whole neede not the Phisition and hee came to call sinners not the Righteous to repentance Now to doe this in wisedome by neither pressing the conscience too seuerely nor releasing the conscience more vnaduisedly it shalbe a safe way to vse the well
which in her child is wanting by occasion in like manner the Lorde God our most gracious father doth not cast vs off because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraide to drawe neerer to the throne of grace but rather pitieth vs and seing vs a farre of desirous to come vnto him meeteth vs by the way by grace strength of his owne hand directeth our steps vnto his kingdom And as he which freely purposeth to giue a wedge of gold will not withdrawe his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it is weak troubled with the gout palsy or leaprosie so that by any meanes though in greate weakenes he be able to holde it euen so the Lorde purposing in free mercie to bestowe on vs an immortall weight of glory will not depriue vs of it though many filthy blemishes haue poluted and weakened or faith so that in any small measure we be able to take holde of his promises neither are we â—o loke on our faith which the Gospell hath called vs vnto because we neuer beleeue as we ought but rather on that which the Gospell offereth giueth that is on Gods mercy and peace in Christ in whose lappe if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn then we are in felicitie securitie and perfect quietnes Contrariwise there be some who notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent that it were much better that all the creaturs rose vp against vs euery one bringnig their bane then once to come before the dreadful face of God are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes If they bee pricked with sicknes they crye alas if they be pinched with pouertie thy can complaine but as for the torment of minde they caÌ„not skil of it And eueÌ„ to talke of abrused coÌ„trite broken hart is a strange laÌ„guage For profe whereof our consciences are rocked aslepe so that not one amongest a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies whilest sinne may be both punished and purged For though God spare vs for a time yet we know what he keepeth for our end Wherefore it is the best for vs to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least we tarry till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall sommon vs to the barre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impannelling the great inquest of his Saintes against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation for we see many that haue beene carelesse and haue made good cheare all their life long yea and when men haue laboured to make them feele the iudgements of God they haue turned all to mockery but whose iolytie the Lorde hath so abated when they drawe towardes death that in steade of resting and sporting whereunto they had bene giuen they haue felt the terrour of death hell and damnation and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation haue forced out cursinges against their filthie pleasures Wherefore if wee in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption Let vs in a contrite spiriâ—e cry vnto the Lorde Haue mercy vpon mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee forgiue all mine iniquities and heale all mine infirmities Thou healest those that are broken in hearte and byndest vp their soares why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe my God Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God of him commeth my saluation he is my strength therefore I shall not much be moued his mightines is enough to giue me courage yea and shalbe euen when I am forlorne I knowe that the diminishing of my body goods friendes or any other thing is a calling of me to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daly thither that I might not doubt that when my body is laide in the graue and there consumed as it were to nothing yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord shall returne vnto me and shall rise to glory euen as it resting in this life in the mercies of Christ did rise to grace verely I see that with ioy that my flesh must go to decay for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it it diminished day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not so smale an infirmitie in my bodie but the same is vnto me a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes I am assured that he will reach me his hande to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance so that this smale cottage and shed of leaues being brought to the graue shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle Thus communing with our owne harts and being still in the peace of a good conscience concerning our outward sufferings we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly and louing chastismeÌ„ts intendeth nothing more then to proue our obedience as good reason it is that he should and to confirme our faith as also is most necessarie Howbeit still as I saide he vseth a fatherly correction that is in mercy measure and iudgement For as he striketh vs downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hande so he raiseth vs vp againe in loue for our saluation with the other hand For albeit his corrections be wearisome woundes to flesh and bloude yet are they soueraine medicines to the soule and conscience especially when the Lorde giueth vs that priuiuiledge of his children that by his holy spirite he doth ouermaister vs least that finally we should be his Iudge and he not ours And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on as it were a contrary face to locke vs vp in a prison of aduersitie to restraine vs from the libertie of our sinnes which Sathan faine would make vs violently to rush into And surely though the wisdome of the flesh perswadeth vs that nothing is better then to be spared and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vs to reckoning yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate without the syre of affliction and boulter of aduersitie teacheth vs that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this being the mother of humilitie and nource of true repentance Againe the Lorde fitteth vs often by inward temptations and outwarde crosses to flitte vs from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in
starte for the best Wee had reason to say for our selues courage to defend our selues against all them that did deale with vs but now the spirite draweth vs into the presence of God it letteth vs see that we haue to doe with God and that our strength is weakenesse in respect of him Then doth our harte beginne to fayle vs then doe wee lay our handes on our mouthes and dare not answere nay then doe wee quickly take vp our crosse because the Lord himselfe hath done it Beholde here how the spirit worketh beholde how sinne is corrupted and who so can beholde here this in himselfe may assuredly say that the spirit of God is in him that it is not in vaine within him nay that it is mightie and liuely in operation in his heart The third note and effect is the bringing on forwarde of this worke vnto iustification for when the spirite hath brought vs thus farre then doth it beginne to open vnto vs a doore vnto the graces and fauour of God it doth put into our mindes that there is mercie with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercie at his handes afterwarde it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the worlde that in the righteousnesse of Christ wee may looke to be iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see only but doth effectually worke a sure perswasion of it in our heartes and confirmeth the same by two notable effectes The first is a ioy most vnspeakeable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needs be wholly taken vp and rauished when wee see our selues by the righteousnes of Christ of the free mercy and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freede from the fearefull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience which indeede passeth all vnderstanding While sinne and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest no quietnesse to be founde but feare within terrours without and troubles on euery side But when sinne is once nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt of sinne is taken out of our consciences and the puninshment thereof farre remoued then must needes ensue great peace for our accusers dare not proceed against vs our sinnes are forgiuen vs and God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimonie of the spirit Can flesh and bloode perswade vs of it can any creature assure vs how God is affected towardes vs no doublesse And therefore where this ioy and peace is there must needes be the holy ghost the author and worker of the same for as no man knoweth what is in man but the spirit of man which is in him so none knoweth the will of God but the spirit of God and therefore it is the spirit of God that must certifie our hearres and spirites of the same And hereof there doth arise that which wee take as the fourth note when we finde it in our selues to wit The life and nemblenes that is in vs to doe good for when a man doth finde fauoure from God for the forgiuenesse of sinnes then the loue of God constraineth him that ioy which hee conceiueth inforceth him and putteth life into him for the performance of those thinges which are pleasing vnto God then hee beginneth to finde himselfe not onely reclamed from euill but also applyed and framed to that which is good then is his vnderstanding inlyghtened to see into the mysteries of godlinesse and into that great worke of his redemption and into whatsoeuer concerneth the sauing health of his soule then is his iudgement reformed and he is made able to iudge betweene false religion and trewe betweene the workes of the fleshe and of the spirit betwene that which is good and that which is euill and displeasing in the sight of God Then are his affections in some good measure altered his desire is set not vpon earthly but vpon heauenly thinges his ioyes are not in the eaâ—th but in the heauens his anger is wasted and spent not vpon his owne priuae cause and quarrels but vpon his owne sinnes and vpon whatsoeuer hindereth the glory of his God This is the life of God in him thus he liueth that hath receiued the spirite and thus he leadeth his life continually for they that haue receiued the spirite are led by the spirit and do liue accordingly bringing forth the fruites of the spirite But this hath weakenes ioyned with it and men through frailtie may sone fal and therefore their life is sayde To be hid in Christ because in full and perfect manner it doth not appeare Therefore if notwithstanding these frailties and falles wee will know whether wee still retaine the spirite of God wee must search our selues and trye our hearts by these rules First if when through frailtie wee haue fallen for who is hee that falleth not We will then know whether by our fall we haue lost the spirite of God or no let vs see what liking or mislykinge wee haue of sinne for it after our fall wee doe holde our former hatred of sinne and the oftenner wee fall the more thorough and deadly hatred wee conceiue against sinne vndoubtedly that frailetie hath not as yet depriued vs of the spirite Secondly come and see how it standeth with thy sorrow for so long as thy sorrow encreaseth for thy sinnes it cannot bee thought that sinne and the fleshe haue ouercome and vtterly quenched the spirite in thee Thirdly try thy care and if thou grone in a godly care both how thou mayst bee able to wage battaile against sinne in the plaine fielde and how thou mayst preuente sinne in all his pollicies thou hast a further assurance that sinne although it be as great as Goliah yet it hath not hitherto preuailed against thy poore and little Dauid I say against those fewe and small graces which the good spirite of God hath bestowed vppon thee but the last is most certaine and that is this When thou art carefull to redeem that which by thy fall thou hast lost hast a care to runne so much faster forwarde by how much more thou hast beene letted by thy fall then it doth appeare that the spirite is in thee yea liuely and mighty in operation and such as shall neuer be taken from the vntill the day of Christ. Thus may wee in some good and competent measure try and prooue whether wee haue the spirite of GOD or noe for where these fruits are to bee founde there is also the spirite of GOD. For further confirmation whereof wee may note the manner of speach where hee saith Quenche not the spirite Wee doe commonly vse to say the fire is quenched when the light and heate thereof is taken away and indeede nothing can properly be saide to be quenched but the fire Now whereas the Apostle saith Quench not the spirite he giueth vs to vnderstande that the spirite is in some respect like vnto
in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against theÌ„ because they rebell against God nor hous-holders perceiue that seruants doe not their dueties to them because they doe not their duety to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull are we lesse riotous and filthy defilers of our flesh and are we more sober chast and holy are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are we not backbiters slaunderers or sowers of discord causers of contention â—mong our neighbours beeing farre off from mainteyning loue vnited and the good name of our brethren The cause why we cannot see further into these things is because we flatter our selues and because we compaire our selues with our selues with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne ourselues he will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Sathan to accuse vs if we iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgment to come if we be displeased for our sins God will be pleased in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrary whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if we iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and be reuenged of our sinne he wil set our house on fire he will send enemies he will sende earthquakes he will sende famines to make vs to consume our goods he will make friends foes he will sende sicknes and sorenes vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent come to a feeling of our sinnes And why doth God all this because we wil not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.30 that is because we iudge not our selues many are weake sicke among you many sleepe 31. for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged 32. but when we are iudged we are chastined of the Lord that we shoulde not be condemned with the worlde Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. 30.31.32.33 But if his children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgments if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandementes Then will I visite their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnes will I not take from him neyther will I falsifie my trueth For as a father withdraweth from his child sometimes his loue whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his here but his enemies will he iudge in the world to come if we be not punished here the punishment wil be as a thunderbolt in the day of iudgmeÌ„t Hast thou bene afflicted not profited will not a litle crosse serue thee a greater shall come to thee will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sin here it is the way to hell if he be troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bene troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioye They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercy but they that be vexed and amende not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comforte in the remission of sinnes vnlesse we also haue sorrowe for committing our sinnes For neuer any of gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinne lawfully To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can he not or will he not destroy thee for sinne hath he ouerthrowen whole nations and will he suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full Hell is alreadie and yet daily we runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the bloode of Iesus Christ Oh how soule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his hart blood oh how great was our guiltines that were ransomed by such a price How greate was the sore that needed such a salue howe deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakeable loue towards vs Shall Christ be slaine for our sinnes and we not slaye sinne in our selues Shall Christ die for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ be crucified for vs and will we not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his hearte pricked with a speare and shall not we haue our harts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditating of Christ his passion We are wont to defy the Iewes for accusing Christ we spit at Iudas for betraying Christ and we condemne Pilate for condemning Christ but we are much more to be at defiance with our sinnes which accused him before the iudgement seat of God we are to accuse our selues who haue and daily doe betray him we must condemne our selues whose sinnes haue condemned him But if neither the iudgements of God hell nor the crosse of Christ can moue vs then let vs examine our selues how we can reioyce in Christ. It followeth to speake of the counsell of Peter Repent as if he should say I know your heartes are pricked how be it I will shewe you how it is the pollicy of the Diuell to make these good motions quickly to waxe dry in you he will stay you from perseuering you must therfore endeuoure to continue in this godly sorrow The Apostle saw that this sorrow which as Paule witnesseth is not to be repented of was well begunne in them but in continuing his sermon still to that effect he sheweth that our sorrow must be also continuall Many sorrow as hath beene shewed but in a worldly sorrowing which bringeth eternal death not in a godly griefe which bringeth repentance Wherfore we are to note that repentance beginneth in vs continueth and endeth with sorrow Now if it might be it were expedient to shew what repentance is In one word Repentance is not a bare leauing of sinne but an vtter condemning and misliking of that sinne which we haue left For though we haue left it yet Sathan may make vs to sorrow for it many yeares after yea euen at the point of death ' Dauid had left his sinne but it caused him to sorrow an whole yeare after Iosephs brethren had forsaken and almost forgotten their sinne yet it troubled them and grieued them thirteene yeares after Our pricking of heart therfore must be continued and