vpon an erronious perswasion of Gods mercie and of his owne future repentance this is the sinne of most men The second is when a man sinneth wilfully in contempt of the law of God this is called by Moses a sinne with a high hand the punishment thereof was by present death to be cut off from among the people The third when a man sinneth not onely wilfully and contemptuously but of set malice spight against God himselfe and Christ Iesus And by this we may conceiue what is the sinne against the holy Ghost which is not euery sinne of presumption or against knowledge and conscience but such a kind of presumptuous offence in which true religion is renounced and that of set purpose and resolued malice against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and Christ. Heb. 10. 29. Now follow other differences of sinne in regard of the obiect thereof which is the Law In respect of the Law sinne is twofold either of commission or of omission I say in respect of the Law because God hath reuealed in his Law two sorts of precepts the one wherein some good thing is commanded to be done as to loue God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selues the other wherein some euill is forbidden to be done as the making of a grauen Image the taking of the name of God in vaine c. Now a sinne of commission is when a man doth any thing that is flatly forbidden in the Law and word of God as when one man kills another contrarie to the Law which saith Thou shalt not kill A sinne of Omission is when a man leaueth vnperformed some dutie which the Law requireth as for example the preseruing of his neighbours life or good estate when it lieth in his power so to doe These also are truly sinnes and by them as well as by the other men shall be tried in the last iudgement Sinnes of Omission haue three degrees First when a man doth nothing at all but omits the dutie commanded both in whole and in part as when hauing opportunitie and abilitie he doth not mooue so much as one finger for the sauing of his neighbours life Secondly when a man performes the dutie inioyned but failes both in the manner and measure thereof Thus the heathen men failed in doing good workes in that the things which they did for substance and matter were good and commendable beeing done vpon ciuill and honest respects and referred to common good yet in truth their actions were no better then sinnes of omission in as much as they issued from corrupted fountaines hearts void of faith and aimed not at the maine end and scope of all humane actions the honour and glorie of God Thirdly when a man doth things in a right manner but faileth in the measure thereof And thus the children of God doe sinne in all the duties of the law For they doe the good things the law commandeth as loue God and their neighbour but they cannot attaine to that measure of loue which the law requireth And thus the best men liuing doe sinne in euery good worke they doe so as if God should enter into iudgement deale with them in the rigour of his iustice and examine them by the strict rule of the Law he might iustly condemne them euen for their best actions And in this regard when we pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes the best workes we doe must come in the number of them because we faile if not in substance and manner yet at the least in the measure of goodnes that ought to be in the doing of them We must also haue care to repent vs euen of these our sinnes of Omission as well as of the other of Commission because by leauing vndone our dutie we doe ofter offend then by sinnes committed and the least omission is enough to condemne vs i◠it should be exacted at our hands The next differēce of Sinnes may be this Some are Crying sinnes some are sinnes of Toleration Crying sinnes I call those which are so hainous and in their kind so grieuous that they hasten Gods iudgements and call downe for speedie vēgeance vpon the sinner Of this kind there are sundrie exāples in the Scriptures principally foure First Cains sinne in murthering his innocent brother Abel whereof it was saide The voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth The next is the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrha which was pride fulnes of bread abundance of idlenesse vnmercifull dealing with the poore and all manner of vncleannesse Ezech 16. and of this the Lord said that the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha was great and their sinnes exceeding grieuous The third is the sinne of Oppressiō indured by the Israelites in Egypt at the hand of Pharao and his task-masters The fourth is mercilesse Iniustice in wrongful withholding and detaining the labourers hire Now they are called Crying sinnes for these causes First because they are now come to their full measure height beyond which God will not suffer them to passe without due punishment Againe the Lord takes more notice and inquires further into them thē into others by reason that they exceede and are most eminent where they be committed Thirdly they call for present helpe to the afflicted and wronged and consequently for speedie exequution of vengeance vpon the authors and committers of them And lastly because God is wont to giue eare vn to the cries of those that endure so heauie measure at the hands of others and accordingly to helpe them and reward the other with deserued punishment Next vnto these are sinnes of Toleration lesser then the former which though in themselues they deserue death yet God in his mercie shewes his patience and long sufferance vpon the committers thereof either deferring the temporall punishment or pardoning both temporall and eternall to his Elect. Such a sinne was the ignorance of the Gentiles before Christs comming which God deferred to punnish and as we may say winked at it More especially there be three sorts of sinnes of Toleration the first is Originall sinne or concupiscence in the regenerate after regeneration for it is not in our conuersion quite abolished but remaines more or lesse molesting and tempting vs till death And yet if we carrie a constant purpose not to sinne and indeauour our selues to resist all tentations this concupiscence of ours shall not be imputed vnto vs nor we condemned for it And to this purpose the holy Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Yet saith he not There is nothing worthie condemnation in them for Originall sinne remaines till death truly deseruing damnation though it be not imputed The second kind of sinnes of Toleration are vnknowne and hidden sinnes in the regenerate For who can tell how of the offendeth saith Dauid When a man that is the child of God shall examine his heart and humble himselfe euen for
THE FIRST PART OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE Wherein specially three maine Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe are propounded and resolued according to the word of God Taught and deliuered by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day Lectures by himselfe revised before his death and now published for the benefit of the Church PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1604 And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sir Edward Denny Knight THere is no one doctrine reuealed in the word of God or dispensed by the Prophets and Apostles of greater vse and consequence in the life of man then is that which prescribeth a forme of releeuing and rectifying the conscience The benefit which from hence issueth vnto the Church of God is vnspeakable For first it serueth to discouer the cure of the dangerousest sore that can be the wound of the Spirit Which how great a crosse it is the wise man reporteth out of true experience when he saith that the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded Spirit who can beare it And his meaning is that no outward griefe can fall into the nature of man which will not be with patience indured to the vtmost so long as the minde is not troubled or dismayed But when once the Spirit is touched and the heart which beeing well apaâ—ed is the very fouÌ„taine of peace to the whole man smitten with feare of the wrath of God for sinne the griefe is so great the burden intolerable that it will not by any outward meanes be eased or asswaged Secondly it giueth for all particular Cases special and sound direction whether man be to walke with God in the immediate performance of the duties of his seruice or to conuerse with man according to the state and condition of his life in the familie in the Church or in the Common-wealth The want of which direction of what force it is to turne the actions of men which are good in themselues to sinnes in regard of the agents S. Paul affirmeth in that generall conclusion Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Wherein he would teach vs that whatsoeuer is done or vndertaken by men in this life whether it concerne the knowledge and worship of God or any particular dutie to be performed by vertue of their callings for the common good whereof they haue not sufficient warrant and assurance in conscience grounded vpon the word that it is to be don or not to be done to them it is a sinne Thirdly it is of all other doctrines if it be rightly vsed the most comfortable For it is not founded in the opinions variable conceits of men neither doth it consist of conclusions and positions that are onely probable and coniecturall for the conscience of the doubting or distressed partie cannot be established and rectified by them but it resteth vpon most sufficient and certaine grounds collected drawne out of the very word of god which as it is mightie in operation â—earcing the heart and discerning the thoughts and intents thereof so is it alone auaileable and effectuall to pacific the minde and to giue full satisfaction to the conscience And as the benefit is great so the want of this doctrine together with the true manner of applying the same is and hath beene the cause of many and great inconueniences For euen of those that feare God and haue receiued to beleeue there be many who in the time of their distresses when they haue considered the waight and desert of their sinnes and withall apprehended the wrath of God due vnto them haue beene brought vnto hard exigents mourning and wayling and crying out as if God had forsaken them vntill they haue beene releeued by the Spirit of Christ in the meditation of the word and promise of God But those especially who haue not beene instructed in the knowledge of the truth nor beene acquainted with the course of Gods dealing with his distressed children by reason of ignorance and blindnes in matters of religion and pietie when the Lord hath let loose the cord of their consciences and set before their eyes both the number of their sinnes committed and the iust anger of God purchased thereby what haue they done surely despairing of their owne estates and of the mercie of God they haue either growne to phrensie and madnes or els sorted vnto themselues fearefull ends some by hanging some by drowning others by murthering their owne selues And if not in regard of griefe and trouble of minde yet for want of better resolution in particular cases within the compasse of their generall or personall callings though otherwise men indued with some measure of knowledge and obedience herein they haue failed that they haue either abused or els quite relinquished forsaken their callings and thereby haue become scandalous offeÌ„siue vnto others Now as this is a matter of great waight importance so is it most meete that the best and fittest course should be taken in the teaching and inforcing of the same In which regard we haue iust cause to challenge the Popish Church who in their Case-writings haue erred both in the substance and circumstances of this doctrine as shall appeare in the sequele First because the dutie of releeuing the Conscience is by them commended to the sacrificing Priest which though according to their owne Canons he should be a man of knowledge and free from imputation of wickednes yet oft times it falls out that he is either vnlearned or els wicked and leud of conuersation and consequently vnfit for such a purpose Secondly they teach that their Priests appointed to be comforters releeuers of the distressed are made by Christ himselfe iudges of the cases of conscience hauing in their owne hands a iudiciarie power and authoritie truly and properly to binde or to loose to remit or to retaine sinnes to open or to shut the kingdome of heauen A blasphemous doctrine Considering that Christ onely hath the keyes of Dauid which properly and truly openeth and no man shutteth and properly and truly shutteth no man openeth And the Ministers of God are not called to be absolute Iudges of the CoÌ„science but only MesseÌ„gers Embassadors of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ wherupon it followeth that they caÌ„not be the authors and giuers of remission of sinnes but onely the Ministers and Dispensers of iâ—â—e same Thirdly the Papists in their writings haue scattered here and there sundrie false and erronious grounds of doctrine much preiudiciall to the direction or resolution of the Conscience in time of neede as namely I. That a man in the course of his life may build himselfe vpon the faith of his teachers and for his saluation rest contented with an implicite vn-expressed faith Which doctrine as it is an onely meane to keepe men in perpetuall blindnes and ignorance so it
vnderstanding with other endowmeÌ„ts both of nature and grace the Lord had inriched him withall so doe they carrie with theÌ„ the sweet sauour of pietie and sanctification wherewith he approued his heart vnto god his life vnto meÌ„ Wherin also vpoÌ„ occasion he hath propounded and explained sundrie notable rules of directioÌ„ resolution of the conscience as wil appeare to the view of the learned and well-aduised reader To let passe all the rest this present worke doth affoard very sufficient testimonie of his knowledge and dexteritie in that kind attained vnto not without great paines much obseruation and long experience A labour which commendeth it selfe vnto the Church of God in two respects principally One because his grounds and principles whereupon he giues direction are drawne either directly or by iust consequeÌ„ce out of the writteÌ„ word so are of greater force to giue satisfaction to the mind either doubting or distressed The other for that it is deliuered with such perspicuitie and disposed in such order and Methode as fitteth best for the vnderstanding and memorie of him that shall peruse it Now this whole treatise of the Questions I haue made bold to present vnto your Worship and to publish abroad vnder your patronage and protection as one to whome they doe iustly beloÌ„g First because God who honoureth those that honour him hath adorned you not onely with ciuill authoritie and dignitie in the Commonwealth but with the honourable name of a Friend to the Church of God a thing directly confirmed by your vnfained loue of the truth and your continuall fauours to the teachers of the same the Ministers and dispensers of the Gospel Secondly because as the Author of these Cases was himself in many respects bound vnto you while he liued so his wife and children for his sake haue receiued much kindnes at your hands since his death a manifest proofe of the truth and sinceritie of your affection towardes him in the Lord. And in the last place it was my desire by setting forth this and the other two parts that shall follow vnder your name to giue some testimonie of dutie to your Worship presuming that as you loued the Author so you wil be pleased to patronize the worke and fauourably to interpret of the paines and good intention of the publisher And so ceasing your further trouble I humbly take my leaue and commend your Worship to the grace and fauour of God in Christ. From Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge Iun. 28. 1604. Your W. in all dutie to command Tho. Pickering To the godly and well affected Reader whosoeuer IT was not my purpose Christian Reader at the first to haue sent abroad onely one part of the Cases of Conscience without the rest but that I was mooued thereunto partly vpon the importunitie of some of the Authors friends and partly because I desired to satisfie thy expectation in a thing which I perswade my selfe hath beene long expected Upon which two motiues I haue now commended vnto thee this first part promising by the grace of God ere it be long to adde the second and the third so farre as the Author proceeded in this Treatise before his death And although I could haue wished this labour had beene vndertaken by others better able to performe it then my selfe yet beeing well acquainted with the copie which is mine owne and knowing it to haue bin perused by the Author himselfe before his death I was the more incouraged to bestow my paines for thy good in that behalfe If in reading thereof thou finde either any thing amisse or thy selfe not fully satisfied in the particulars then remember that the Author himselfe is gone who might haue brought the worke to perfection if God had pleased to prolong his daies vpon the earth And withall consider that it were better for thee to accept of these his labours as they are now imparted to thee then by the suppressing of them to be depriued of so great a benefit And thus hoping of thy kinde acceptance of my paines for thy behoofe I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace Iune 28. 1604. T. P. Faults escaped in the printing After page 38. read for 27 29. Places false quoted correct thus Read pag. 60. for Iam. 2. 20. Iam. 2. 10. p. 70. for Col. 3. 26 Col. 3. 3 4. Read pag. 8. lin 24. for actonis actions p. 12. 25. for ptesent present p. 29. for yets o yet so p. 37. 22. for it a it is a. p. 38 4. for bonds bosâ—ds p. 49. 9. come to the answer p. 74. 5. for of sence offence p. 92. 3. for conforting comforting p. 80. peâ—ult for vaine veine p. 82. 1. for finnâ— sinne p. 105. 1. for print present p. â—ad 10. thorgh but once p. 108. 6. which shall be laid c. p. 152. 17. for yncleate vncleate p. 154. 19. Marke the words p. 157. 1. for mighe might p. 160. 12. for apprenhendeth apprehendeth p. 161. 22. for consceence conscience p. 162. 1. for diuihe diuine p. 165. 17. for decre deare p. 169. 24. for faults falles The Contents of the Booke I. The Grounds or preambles foure 1. Priuate confession pag 5. 2. The degrees of Goodnesse in things and actions 6. 3. The Nature and Differences of Sinne. 9. 4. The Subiection and power of Conscience 43. II. The Questions of Conscience touching Man simply considered in himselfe three I. What man must doe that â—e may come into Gods fauour and be saued Answer is by performance of foure Duties 1. Humiliation before God 50. 2. Faith in Christ. 55. 3. Repentance 57. 4. Newe-Obedience 59. II. How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation 65. Answered by 5. teâ—â—s of Scripture 1. Rom. 8. 16. 65. 2. Psal. 15. 66. 3. The 1. epist. of Iohn 68. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 19. 74. 5. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 75. III. How a man beeing in Distresse of mindâ— may be comforted releeued 76. Here. Generally â—oâ—ching all distresses is shewed 1. What is Distresse of minde â—7 2. The Originall and kinds of distresses 77 78. 3. The generall remedie of theâ— all 79. Specially the Distresses are fiue I. The Distresse arising of the Diuine Tentation with the examples occasions effects and Remedies 95. c. II. The Distresses arising of outward Afflictions 106. These are three 1. Deferring of deliuerance 117. 2. Bodily and Temporall death 126. 3. Satanicall molestation of persons and places of â—bode 140. III. The Distresse of minde arising of the Tentation of Blasphemies with the meanes danger and cure thereof 148. IV. The Distresse of minde arising from a mans owne sinnes with the degrees and Remedie thereof 158. V. The Distresse of minde arising from a mans owne bodie partly by Melancholie partly by strange alterations in the bodie with the degrees effects and Remedies 173 c. FINIS Isaiah 50. 4. The Lord God hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I should knowe to minister a word in
Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore the Ends of a good worke are manifold first the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankefulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting The fourth is to exercise confirme our faith and repentance both which be much strengthned by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punnishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteous life euerlasting Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in dooing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our duty of praise and thanksgeuing After the worke is done then comes the acception of it God acceptes of our workes diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs and secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. We then after we haue done the worke must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wantes of our workes say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant and with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame cōfusion but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holines no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight and for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Great reason then that we should humble our selues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit II. Question THe next generall Question touching man as he is a Christian is How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation For answer to this Question diuers places of scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of conscience is fully answered and resolued The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe the Spirit of God dwelling in vs testifying vnto vs that we are Gods children and our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the holy Ghost Here put the case that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. VVe know it sufficiētly to be true and not painted fire if there be heare though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must then haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctification which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to begin to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fall and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceede and sanctification is begunne One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demaunded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely VVho of all the mēbers of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sinceritie approouing his heart and life to God the secōd is to deale iustly in all his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall signes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour thē that feare God The fift is in our wordes to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending and to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doeth all these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off frō the Church as an hypocrite The Third place of scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope whereof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his saluation And the principall grounds of assurance which are there laid down may be reduced to three heads The first is this He that hath communion or fellowship with God in Christ may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation This conclusion is propounded Chap. 1. v. 3. 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church that the end of the preaching of the Gospel vnto them was that they might haue fellowship not onely mutually among themselues but also with God the father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And further that hauing both knowledge and assurance of this heauenly communion to be begun in this life and perfected in the life to come their ioy might be full that is they might thence reape matter of true ioy and sound comfort vnto their soules and consciences Now whereas it might be haply demaunded by some beleeuers how they should come to this assurance S. Iohn answers in this Epistle that the certainty thereof may be gathered by foure infallible notes The first is Remissiō of sins For though God be in himselfe most holy
discouraged though after long labour and paines taking there follow small comfort and ease to the partie distressed For vsually it is long before comfort can be receiued and why surely because God hath the greatest stroke in these distresses of minde and brings men thorough all the temptations that he hath appointed before he opens the heart to receiue comfort The Church in the Canticles seekes for her beleeued but before shee can finde him shee goes about in the citie through the streets and by open places passing by the Watchmen theÌ„selues and after shee hath vsed all meanes without helpe or hope at length shee finds her beloued him in whome her soule delighteth Thus much for the generall remedie of all distresses nowe I come to the particular distresses themselues The first distresse ariseth of a diuine Temptation which is a combate with God himselfe immediately And this distresse is when the conscience speaks some fearefull things of God and withall the partie distressed feeles some euident tokens of Gods wrath Examples hereof we shall finde many in the word of God One is the example of righteous Iob who hauing beene long in outward afflictions was withall exercised with the apprehension of the anger of God and in that state he saith that the arrows of the Almightie were in him that the venime thereof did drinke vp his spirit that the terrors of God did fight against him Yea further he addeth that God was his enemie and writ bitter things against him and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth And at another time he complaineth that Gods wrath had torne him that he hated him gâ—ashed vpon him with his teeth and had sharpened his eies against him In all which and diuers other places it appeares that his conscience was exercised with the sense of the wrath of God which had nowe euen seazed vpon his soule Another example we haue in Dauid who also was exercised with this temptation and trouble of minde as the first wordes of the 6 Psalme and the whole tenour thereof doe euidently shewe For first he desires the Lord not to rebuke him in his wrath and afterward complaineth that his griefe was so great that his very flesh consumed his bones were vexed and his bodie brought to such a state as no sicknesse could haue brought him vnto And it is not vnlike that the same Prophet did often fall into the like kind of distresse of minde as may be gathered out of Psalme 77 and sundrie other places Now as it fared with these and diuers other seruants of God in ancient times so are we not without some instances thereof in our daies Amongest many that worthy man Master Luther writes of himselfe that he was in this particular temptation and that he learned in it the doctrine of the Iustification of a sinner by the meere mercie of God without any merit of workes and vpon the sense and experience of the nature and properties of this distresse he wâ—oteâ— notable exposition of the 6. Psalme of Dauid â—â—e scope and intent whereof he writeth to be nothing else but a soueraigne remedie of this and the like distresses of the minde and conscience If it be demanded what is the occasion of this kinde of temptation I answer that it ariseth some times vpon the commission of some notorious sinne which doth wound the conscience as in Cain Iudas and Saul who for their great and capit all sinnes that stinged and wounded their consciences grew to a fearefull state and consequently perished in this temptation Sometimes againe it comes when there is no sinne committed but obedience to God performed and then there cannot be rendred any reason of it either in man or out of man saue this that God will haue it so to be And the trueth hereof is plaine by the examples of Iob and Dauid before remembred The Effects of this Temptation are many and very strange For outwardly it works vpon the bodie as it were a burning ague it causeth the entralls to rise the liuer to rowle in the bodie it sets a great heat in the bones consumes the flesh more then any sicknes can doe And that it is so as I say beside experience it is cleare in the word of God Dauid in this distresse affirmeth that his eyes were eaten as it were with wormes and sunke into his head Psal. 6. 7. that his moisture became as the drought in sommer Psal. 32. 4. and Iob saies that his skinne was blacke vpon him his bones were burnt with heat yea that by meanes of this distresse he was now full of wrinkles and his leanenes did rise vpon him It is a principle which Physitians doe hold that The minde follows the temperature of the bodie and is affected according to the good or euill constitution thereof which though it be true yet withall it is as manifest on the other side that the bodie doth often follow the state and condition of the minde For a distressed heart must of necessitie make a fainting and a languishing bodie But the principall thing to be sought for in this temptation is the Remedie thereof whereunto there be fiue things required which are to be practised as occasion shall be offered First choise must be made of the most fit and present remedie and that must be vsed in the first place Now the most fit and present remedie is to bring the partie troubled to the personall exercises of faith and repentance by and in him selfe For this ende he must examine his conscience most straigthly and narrowly of all the sinnes of his heart and life Secondly he must humbly confesse against himselfe all his knowne sinnes and withall acknowledge the due condemnation that he thereby hath deserued Thirdly he must crie to heauen for mercie intreating the Lord most instantly for pardon and for the restraint of his wrath due vnto him for his sinne Dauid beeing in this distresse performed all these duties as we may read in the 6. Psalme and he saith further of himselfe that whilst he concealed his sinnes the hand of God was heauie vpon him but vpon his earnest confession and deprecation he receiued mercie And if we read the booke of Iob we shall finde that the principall scope thereof is this namely to shew vnto vs that Iob was throughly exercised with this temptation and that in the ende hauing beene rebuked both by his friends and by God himselfe his recouerie was made by humbling himselfe when he saith Behold I am vile againe now I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Some may here demand If it fall out that the person himselfe cannot performe any good dutie of himselfe by reason of his distraction in soule and bodie what must then be done Ans. If the partie can but sigh and sobbe vnto God for mercie and comfort it is no doubt a worke of Gods spirit and a practise both of faith and repentance We
word when we know meditate vpon the commandements and promises of God This rule is of speciall vse For therfore doe men hatch breed euill thoughts in their hearts because they are not takeÌ„ vp with holy meditations hence it is that the heart of man is made euen a pray vnto the deuill because the word of God is not lodged therein ExcelleÌ„t was the practise of Dauid in this case who kept the word of God in his heart that he mighe not sinne against him The second rule of the keeping of the heart is to establish our thoughts by counsell It is the wisemans aduise in so many words Prou. 20. 18. wherin he would teach vs that it is the property of a worldly wise man in matters of waight not to trust to his own wit but to follow the direction and counsel of wise and skilful men And if this be a sound course in matters of the world much more ought it to be taken in the maine matters of religion and conscience concerning the heart and soule of man And therfore by the law of proportioÌ„ it giues vs direction not once to thinke or conceiue so much as a thought but vpon aduice and direction taken at God and his word Thy testimonies saith Dauid are my delight and my counsellers And what benefit had he by taking such a course surely by the word of God which was his continuall meditation he gat vnderstaÌ„ding he became wiser theÌ„ the ancient it made him to hate al the waies of falshood it kept him from declining from God either to the right hand or to the left The same rule must be practized of vs in the vse of our senses our speeches and actions and then shall the heart be kept cleane and free from these temptations And seeing this temptation is so dangerous fearefull as hath beene said and doeth ostâ—â— befall men our dutie is to make conscience of practising the foresaid rules continually And thus much concerning the third kinde of distresse of conscience The Fourth Distresse of mind is that which ariseth from a mans owne sinnes or rather from some one special sinne committed And this kind of tentation is twofold For either it is more violent and lesse common or lesse violent and more common The violent Distresse of minde shewes it selfe by feares and terrors of the conscience by doubtings of the mercie of God by lamentable and fearefull complaints made to others Nowe Question is mooued Howe this violent distresse of minde arising from our owne sinnes is to be cured Answ. That it may be cured by the blessing of God three things must be done First that particular sinne must be knowne which is the cause of this violent distresse And here we are to know by the way that it is an vsuall thing with the parties thus distressed to dissemble and cloake their sinnes and therefore they will alleadge that their trouble ariseth froÌ„ some euill thoughts from wicked affections and from the corruption of nature whereas commonly men are not distressed in violent manner for euill thoughts affections c but the violent distresse commeth from some actuall and odious sinne or sins done which wound the conscience and are the causes of great distraction of minde and they are many which hauing bin vpon occasion before rehearsed I will not now repeat them Onely this must be remembred that the greater sinnes against the third sixt and seauenth commandements are the maine and proper causes of violent distresses and the more secret these sinnes are the more horrour goeth with them Secondly the particular sinne being known Inquiry must be made as much as possibly may be by signes whether the partie distressed repenteth yea or no. For except he hath repented he cannot be fitted to receiue comfort and vnlesse he be first fitted to receiue comfort he cannot be releiued in Conscience Now if it be found that the partie hath repented then care must be had in the next place that his repentance may be renued for the particular sinne committed Thirdly hauing thus done the comfort must be ministred for the moderating or taking away of the distresse And here remember by the way that the comforts ministred vsually ordinarily must not go alone but be mingled teÌ„pered with some terrors of the Law that being thereby feared with the consideration of sinne and of the wrath of God due vnto the same the comfort may appeare to be the sweeter The ministring whereof in case of this distresse would not be direct and present but by certaine steppes and degrees except onely in the point of death for then a directer course must be vsed These degrees are two First the partie is to be informed of a possibilitie of pardon that is that his sinnes are pardonable and though in themselues they be great and hainous yet by the mercie of God in Christ they may be remitted Nowe put the case that the afflicted apprenhendeth onely the odiousnesse of his sinnes and the wrath of god due to the same and in this fit puts off the pardon from himselfe and cannot be perswaded that his sinne may be forgiuen what then is to be done Ans. Then for the effecting of this first degree certaine grounds are to be laid downe whereupon assurance in that case may be built vp in his heart The first grouÌ„d of possibilitie of pardoÌ„ is That the mercy of god is infinite yea ouer al his works Psal. 145. 9. That the death of Christis of infinite price merit and value before God That God is muchin sparing Isa. 55. 7. That with the Lord is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. That Christs satisfaction is not only a price but a couÌ„terprice 1. Tim. 2. 6. able to satisfie for the sinnes of all men yea for them that haue sinned against the Holy Ghost for that sinne is not therefore vnpardonable because the offence thereof is greater then the merit of Christ but because the partie offending neither doth nor can apply the merit of Christ vnto himselfe An ancient father vpon Cains words My punishment is greater then I can beare saith Thou liest Cain for Gods mercie is greater then thy sinnes The mercie of God was very great to Manasses and to Salomon and to many others though they were great offenders The second ground Men of yeares liuing in the Church of God and knowing the doctrine of saluation shall not be condemned simply for their sinnes but for lying in their sinnes Vpon this ground I say that men distressed must be grieued not so much for committing of sinne as for lying and continuing in sinnes committed A third ground It pleaseth God many times to leaue men to themselues and to suffer them to commit some sinne that woundeth consceence It is true and cannot be denied But we must withall remember that sinnes committed doe not vtterly take away grace but rather make it the more to shine and shew it selfe