the iustice of the eternal God which is endlesse and whose seueritie admitteth no mediation and this extends not to one ioynt sinew or vanie but to all neither that of the bodie onely but of the soule whose nature as it is impatible of all other things in greatest peace assurance and tranquilitie so beeing once shaken by the terrours of Gods wrath and blasted with the whirlewind of his displeasure it faileth and with it driueth the whole frame of nature into extreame miserie and vtter confusion The other hath for his cause a dry and cold humour whose subiect especially is the spleen swolne vp with windines and hardnesse vnder the left ribbes the consequents are the hemeroydes not flowing blacknesse and grossenesse of blood fearefull dreames solitarinesse sadnesse And therefore those are to be condemned which make the terrors of conscience nothing but melancholie and thereby labour to benumme the sense of that sting which sinne euer carrieth in the tayle and turne men to their vsuall pleasures and so delude the foole and simple in his waies skilfull to doe euill sottish in the pathes of righteousnesse and vtterly ignorant of her rule and wherein nature giueth some sparke of light more distinctly to discerne yet they turne them out of the way and make them like to stubborn and vnbroken horses shaking off reason despising her mannage and layeth the noble rider in the dust these be Salomons fooles that follow wickednes Like an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole that goeth to the stockes for correction and as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that he is in danger But beside these another sort are iustly taxed euen the Physitians themselues who when their patients come vnto them for physicke and they spie out their disease to be melancholy aske them vnder what minister they liue if they mention some conscionable man that deals truely with mens soules giue the parties counsell not to heare them but get from them as farre as they can Alas are not these distinct diseases and therefore what wretched persons are those that labour to turne a disease that is not vnto death into one that is both the death of bodie and soule For more particular differences consider That whensoeuer the mind according to these ingrauen lawes of nature which no man is voide of be he neuer so barbarous raiseth any molestation directly it is no fancy but a case of conscience The verie testominie of the heathen doth sufficiently witnes this point whose Poets according to their receiued opinions haue fained Hecates Eumenides and the infernall furies whose force Seneca in his tragedie of Hercules furens hath most liuely expressed These indeed are but fained persons yet the matter vnder this maske is serious true and of wofull experience This was Cains marke the spirit that possessed Saul Iudas the traytour by this wound tooke the reuenge of betraying the innocent vpon himselfe with his owne hands such was the anguish that Esau felt when he found no repentance after he had sold his birthright for a messe of pottage and such is the state of all defiled coÌ„sciences with hainous crimes whose hearts are neuer free from the worme but with deadly bite thereof are driuen to despaire This may the more plainely appeare if we consider how the soule may suffer of the body in life sense and motion The body is a great troubler of the soule not in his being but in his actions hence may he cause madnesse strange imaginations sudden feares dolefull apparitions feeblenesse of bodie and want of heart in the performance of any action but the mind will of man are of such excellency and perfection that they are not directly patible of any thing but of God alone that made them so standeth both mind and will in awe of none but of him neither admit they any other violence then from him into whose hands it is most terrible to fall No calamity comparable to the distresse of conscience All diseases of the bodie may haue some medicine either to cure them or to mitigate asswage their paine for all sores Chirurgie hath a salue freinds helpe pouertie there is no imprisonment but there is hope of libertie suite and fauour recouer a man from banishment authoritie and time weare out reproch But what physick cureth what chirurgerie salueth what riches ransome what countenance beareth out what authoritie asswageth what fauour releeueth these troubles yea if all should band themselues together in league though they would conspire a confederacie yet could they not preuaile If our assistance were an host of armed men if our freinds were princes and gouernours of the world if our possessions were as large as East and West if our meat were manna froÌ„ heauen if euery day like the day of Christs resurrection if our apparel as costly as Aarons Ephod yet al these would little comfort vs. This causeth such distresse vnto those that feele the torment hereof that they would redeeme it gladly if it were possible with the verie losse of their liues which often they assay to doe that this might off their stomach they would be content if it were possible to suffer all other kinds of miserie at the verie selfe same time This giues no warning as the diseases of the body doe for in them we find the head beginne to ake or stomach trouble vs lassitude of body remoovâ—d of sleep want of appetite to our meat but this taketh of a suddain like lightning and giueth no warning Here the purity of the blood and the sincerity and liuelines of the spirits auaile nothing to mitigate the paine it drieth vp the blood wasteth the marow pineth the flesh consumeth the bones makes pleasure painefull shortens life no wisedome can counsell it no counsell can aduise it no aduisment asswage it no asswagement cure it no eloquence perswade it no power ouercome it no scepter affray it no inchanter charme it A man languishing in sicknes as long as he is heart-whole he hath hope of recouery he that is in reproach among men and yet can remember that he is in fauour with God will not much care for the shame of the world he that is banished out of his owne country and yet remembreth that he is a citizen of the kingdom of heauen will not be ouermuch grieued but the wound of conscience is so deadly that he dare not sue vnto him that should be the only physitian of it because he thinks that he is his onely enemie Alas who dare meet with the Lord of hosts who can put to silence the voyce of desperation who will make an agreement with the hells of conscience what compact with the deuill In all other afflictions there is some comfort against sinne but this is alwaies accompanied with the accusation of sin this breeds hurliburlies in men that when it is day he wisheth for night when night for day his meat doth not nourish him his dreames terrifie him
of the way and then assuredly that our pleasant way did not affoard vs so much comfort but the want of the signes will as much discomfort vs and therefore affliction may more comfort vs then all worldly pleasure because the Lord hath made the one a signe we are going toward heauen Heb. 12.6 but the other none at all saue onely of our iourneying toward hell But you may obiect that euerie crosse is not a marke for first the sinne against the holy Ghost is a mark of reprobation secondly impenitencie and therfore when he hath these sinnes in the eies of his conscience how shall he be perswaded that he can euer be brought into the way to heauen For the answer of this point let vs consider a threefold fountaine of this perswasion First for that open and wilfull apostasie from God is a voluntary willingnes malitious hatred against the profession of a knowne truth now the fruits will iudge the cause Is there in you the renouncing of Gods truth which before you haue professed heartily embraced perceiue you this malice prosecuting this mischiefe what persecution doe you remember in word or deede you euer raised against the truth what sword haue you euer drawn against it or what volumes haue you either written or approued against found doctrine with purposed opposition against your owne conscience neither that of frailty but of meere will and obstinacie of this examples are rare as Iulianus the Emperour called Apostata Of the second impenitencie there is the same fountaine but not in the same degree and that is extremitie of hardnesse of heart of which kind was Cain Esau Saul Iudas many of the prophane people of the world that know not Christ and such as knowe him onely in vaine profession outwardly and so continue are partners of the sinne and shal be examples of Gods vengeance This fountaine cannot be in them that sinne onely against their conscience for then should euerie man be guiltie of it when the sinne was committed we may remember that the illumination of our vnderstanding the regeneration of our wills did oppose it but both beeing weake and imperfect we were drawn vnto the euill And here before I come to the second fountaine I propound a briefe distinction of temptations some touch our faith whether we beleeue or not othersome the fruits of faith either of profession of the truth or els of obedience sutable and kindly to our profession the former is tryed by persecutions feare fauour c. the second concerning persons possessions and good name is knowne by charitie in keeping of the second table Now these are not the things that exclude Christs propitiatorie sacrifice except incredulitie bringing forth impenitencie and vtter renunciation of the faith be ioyned with them But here we often heare the cries of Gods children alas I beleeue not therfore draw vpon me the paine due to the vnfaithfull Here I would intreat euery one to waigh with circumspection and due consideration his owne estate in so waightie a point as this And therefore let him be aduised that there be other two fountaines that may scare our soules with these feares The first is corporall infirmitie deluding the heart and braine whereby strange imaginations are wrought in our heads and dolefull passions in our hearts these things alwaies vrge terror and distrust and deludeth vs with opinion of want of that whereof we haue no lacke as others often are caried with opinion and confidence of those things whereof they haue no part Aetius reporteth that Phylotimus was faine to put a cap of lead vpon a Melancholickes head that could not be perswaded he had any head at all vntill at the length feeling the waight to oppresse him cryed out my head akes why thē saies his freinds you haue a head Artemidorus the Grammarian did imagine that he wanted both an hand and a legge when euery man els could iudge it was but a fancie from which he could not be recalled to his dying day So often deales the deuill with vs by deluding of our phancies that we want both head and heart to God-ward and that we haue disposed both to him-ward But many a bleeding soule may go further what tell you me of melancholie it is a disease that I am free from well let that be granted yet rare it is to finde persons without it that are touched with this kinde of griefe yet we finde a third fountaine that may without all delusion streame this water of bitternes as the sense of our sinnes may pricke vs especially such as most hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and are poore in spirit and broken in heart yet this is an infallible token of grace that they long after the liuing God and their soules pant for him Oh when shall I enter into his presence Oh men of God what shall I doe to be faued The rest of the world except some vengeance of God lay hold vpon them or some horrible fact gnaw their wounded consciences passe their time in blind securitie carelesse of God and empty of all sense hope of a better life these passe their daies and finish their courses as the calfe passeth to the shambles not kowing his ende to be slaughter by the butchers knife You therfore that truly grone vnder the burden of your sinne consider the groūd of your error you iudge your faith by inward feeling and your actions proceeding therefrom by your thirst of righteousnesse and presence of your wants Here you iudge by the quantitie of faith and not by his vertue when a very graine of mustard seed a little smoking flax or a broken reed may suffice with God to bring forth a tree a burning fire and a stable plant of righteousnesse for both the sense of faith the sincerity of the fruits and increase of the measure are all the gifts and graces of God dispensed vnto vs according to his owne wisedome making most for his glory and our good If we consider but the extemity of our misery the lest sparke of faith may giue vs a world of comfort and the smallest worke of obedience performed in sincerity though not in perfection may perswade vs of the same loue of God as though we were as strong as our father Abraham or any resolue martyr that hath sealed his religion with his blood But the Christian saies I haue no feeling of Gods grace and therefore no faith I answer true faith may bee without feeling and therefore it is dangerous to iudge the want of faith Faith without feeling by the want of feeling That this is the truth let these be the grounds of it First a man may rest vpon God and yet want the feeling of the loue of God as Iob. Dauid the woman of Canaan c. Iob 13.15 God is mine enemie the arrowes of the Almightie drinke vp my blood he makes me as a butte to shoote at here Iob hath none of the feeling of Gods loue
any consolation or what assurance of escape if wee would flee the punishment hath no miserie to compare with it the sense of it passeth the capacity of man for as blessednes with God is aboue all conceit of mans bea rt and report of tongue so the contrarie estate exceedeth all vnderstanding of the mind and vtterance of speach and is such as is aboue measure vnhappy and most miserable inflicted by Gods reuenge who is himselfe a consuming fire whose wrath once kindled burneth to the bottome of hell Againe the minister of reuenge is without all compassion he will not be content with Iobs riches and possessions but he vrgeth skin for skin would haue God permit him to streatch out his hand to touch his bones and flesh neither there would he satisfie himselfe but euen against Gods expresse commandment if it were possible bring his life into the dust neither there would he rest vntill he had brought him to damne both bodie and soule Now if God would but look on as he did while the deuil was beating Iob it would wonderfully refresh the wicked though the Lord meant neuer to helpe them but alas hee wil not vouchsafe them the lest countenance but suffer the deuill to torment and racke them to the vttermost of his power Therefore as he hath mourthered the soules of infinite men he shal be praying on them for euer Oh wofull estate I know not what to say of it our life and length of dayes will forsake vs the deuill worse then all tyrants sauage beastes harpies vultures yea then all the creatures of God shall seaze vpon vs our consciences with a worme that neuer dyeth shall gnaw vpon vs surely for want of words I must leaue it therefore euery one as he loues the good of his owne soule let him bee admonished to thinke of this fearefull sentence I will set thy sinnes in order before thee Reasons First because the conscience is made of God a little iudge and witnes of all our deeds and actions and therefore must be ioyne with the Lord against his owne subiect Reas 2. Because wicked men should be happie if it were not for their consciences therefore must the Lord needs awake them to see their miserie Reas 3. That his law may haue his effect and that the power of him may be made manifest whereby God may be glorified the wicked ashamed for putting out so good a light and fret and gnash with their teeth that they regarded not so good admonitors as the law of God and their own conscience did continually set before their eies Reas 4. That their misery might be perpetuall and dispossesse them of all ioy it is necessary that the Lord should make their sinnes euer to stand before the eyes of their conscience Vse 1. Reprehension confutation of the wicked that they would neuer consider of their sinnes but still did forget God and his law putting them farre from them but now shal they be sure to haue both sinne and punishment God and his law to draw so neere them that they could wish themselues to bee nothing or at least that the verie mountaines and rockes might fal vpon them a burden more easie to beare then the least touch of their conscience seeing their sinne feeling their punishment from the law accusing and God himselfe reuenging the violation of the same Secondly a correction of the godly that they be not too cruell vnto their owne soules conceiuing that the Lord hath done vnto them as he hath done vnto the wicked when indeed it is rather their owne phansie assisted by their corruption that makes them iudge so miserably of themselues as though they were reprobates and with Cain cast out of the presence of God for euer yet let them knowe that is but the tendernesse of the conscience and not that violent haling of them to the stake which is in the wicked whose consciences strike against the law as stones and hammers that would rather haue the lawe broken then themselues to bee broken and hammered by it Vse 2. Instruction first admonition to the wicked that they be not so cruell vnto themselues but consider that euery sinne they commit is the stabbing and wounding of their consciences and he that stabbes often the selfesame place wil be sure to bring out his heart blood and make a most fearefull ende for though the wounds of the conscience bleeding fresh are not so sensible yet beeing festered and full of corruption hauing no oyle of grace powred into them shall bee extraordinarie sores and so miserably felt of the patient that when the Lord shall touch them they shall roare and gnash with their teeth for the extremity of the paine Secondly direction to the godly to bee most tender for the eie of their conscience We vse the eye of the bodie most tenderly and great is our care to safegard it much more ought wee to tender the eye of our soule beeing farre more excellent then the eie of the bodie Vse 3. Consolation first in all distresse to knowe that it is a happie thing to beare the yoke in our youthes to know our diseases betimes and haue our sinnes discouered for then is there hope of cure but if they continue vntill old age then wil they be in greater danger Secondly in all our welfare to labour for the assurance of a good conscience which is our best felicitie Application of the whole sentence in the two last verses Want of consideration makes men forget God and both these are forerunners of Gods vengeance and euerlasting destruction therefore the admonition is to all wicked and godlesse men that betimes they arraigne themselues call a Iurie try their wayes and examine their own hearts how they stand with God for it seemes their estate is verie lamentable First in that they are styled forgetters of God and he that forgets God cannot but forsake God Ier. 2.12 Oh yee heauens be astonied at this be afraid and vtterly confounded for my people haue commited two euills they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters to digge them pits euen broken pits that can hold no water Oh generation take heede to the word of the Lord consider in your minds ponder in your hearts and obserue in your waies whether the Lord hath bin as a wildernesse vnto you or as a land of darknesse Oh consider what a mischeife you haue procured vnto your selues in that you haue forsaken the Lord your God which hath lead you by the way and hath bin as a familiar friend vnto you nay as a prince to command heauen earth to giue you safe-conduct through all the dangers and perills that might befall you Can a maid forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet you for whom I haue done all this haue forgotten me dayes without number But if you will not consider then assure you selues that your owne wickednesse shall correct you and your turnings backe shall reprooue you know therefore