to forsake not some but every sinne every corruption every breach of the will of God whatsoever Hieron in his third Sermon upon Matth. 13 44. What must the sinner sell All that Hee hath What is that His Goods Lands Children No These bee none of His owne God hath but lent him these to use and some that would haue Christ and shall have no goods to sell What then is our owne Our sinnes and nothing else Hee that will have part in Christ must part with his sinnes Hee cannot have Christ and keepe any One of them Rogers in his Doctrine of Faith p. 171. c. Qui volit pro dignitate suâ astimare donum hoâ— quod ossert Christus quantum sit necesse est jam primum de peccatis suis miseriâ cogitet sic enim siâ—t ut pluris â—aciat Christum quam uniâ—ersum 〈◊〉 mundum eumque avide ad se cripiaâ— ad justificationem Salutem suam aeternam Rolloc in Ioan. cap. 6. pag. 376. t Though a Man dares not apply the promise to One onely terrified by the Law yet to One truly thus humbled by the Gospell and contrite hearted wee doe no other Rogers Ibid pag. 141. * Heb. 5.9 u Hâ—c ad exilium Babilonicum restringenda non esse dixi quia patent latissimè et doctâ—inam Evangelij comprehendunt In qua pâ—â—ecipuè est vis iâ—â—a coâ—solandi Ejus enim â—st erâ—gâ—re â—fflictos prostiatos â—â—ctios serè mortuos recreare maesâ—os 〈◊〉 tristitià Calvin Quia Captivitas liberatio illa corporalis 〈…〉 captivitatis liberationis spiritâ—â—â—is non in literâ— haerendum nobis sed ad â—â—pliâ—itatis spiritualis sub peccati â—ugo aeternâ—e mortis metu itemque redemptionis sempiternae per Christum factae cogitationem assargendum erit Scult x De spirituali Ierosolymâ loquitur cujus fundamentum Christus 1. Cor. 3 11. Scult in locum * In that sense as I teach in my Exposition of the last article of the beliefe Faith in the first act maketh us Christs reconciles us to him makes us one with him and by Him with God the Father D.D. y Rogers of Dedham in his Doctrine of Faith pag. 63. z Hee makes contrition to foâ—low Legall terrour and precede that repentaÌ„ce which is the Daughter of Faith and in order of nature followes after it See ibid. pag. 121.122 123.124 See also Master Hookers Preface to His Booke added in the second Edition a If any bee troubled because hee talkes of hope joy c. before Faith let Him seeke satisfaction Ibid pag. 161.162 and weigh well His distinction of the Gifts of God pag. 125.126 where Hee tells us of three kinds of them First some common to Elâ—ct and Reprobate as knowledge in Scripture Prophecy Tongues Miracles and such like Secondly some speciall belonging to the Elect onely as Faith by which wee are justified a renewed heart a good conscience the feare of God and such like graces Thirdly some middle ones wrought in the heart of those that bee not yet actually the children of God yet certainely shall bee And which whosoever have wrought in them shall surely have Faith and cannot goe long without it Such is this contrition and such dispositions as bee in men before Faith which yet are wrought by the Gospell These are better then common Gifts yet not actuall Graces and yet gracious inclinations to Faith which are in those that are to bee justified and which if wee speake properly cannot bee wrought in any that shall perish See Master Hooker in the Preface to the same Booke b As a great Divine saith of Faith Non ex gradu aut mensurâ— fidei dependet justificatio sed ex verâ—â—aâ—e IustificatioÌ„ depends not upon the degree but the truth of Faith Davenantius in Expos epist. ad Coloss. pag. 21. So may wee say proportionably of other graces in respect of comfort froÌ„ them and yet that of Austin is most true Si dixisti sufficit perijsti If any say hee hath grace enough hee hath just none Minimè certè bonus est qui melior esse non vult Bernard c Sunt quaedam effecta interna ad conversionem sive regenerationem praevia quae virtute verbi spiritusque in nondum justificatorum cordibus excitantur qualia sunt notitia voluntatis divinae Sensus peccati timor poenae cogitatio de liberatione spes aliqua veniae Ad statum justificationis in quo pacem habemus apud Deum per D.N. Iesum Christum non solet gratia divina homines perducere per subitum Enthusiasmâ— sed multis praevijs actionibus ministerio verbi subactos preparatos Hoc videre licet in illis qui audiâ—á Petri Concione peccati â—nus sentiunt timent dolent liberationem desiderant spem aliquam ventae concipiunt quae omnia exillis verbis colligi possunt Act. 2.37 Quùm haec audivissent compuncti sunt corde suo dixerunt ad Petrum reliquos Apostolos Virisratres quid saciemus Hoc ipsa rei natura requirit Nam sicuti in generatione hominis naturali multae sunt praeviae dispositiones quae formae inductionem praecedunt ita in spirituali per multas antecedaneas gratiae actiones ad spiritualem Nativitatem pervenitur Hoc denique apparet ex instrumentis quibus utitur Deus ad homines regenerandos Vtiturenim ministerio hominum instrumento verbi 1. Cor. 4.15 Per Evangelium ego vos genui Quod si Deus immediatè vellet hominem impium regenerare justificare nullà cognitione nullo dolore nullo desiderio nullâ veniae spe praeparatum nec hominum ministerio nec verbo praedicato hanc ad remopus esset nec ministris verbum Dei rectè secantibus cura incumberet apte prudenterque auditorum conscientias primò legis terroribus sauciandi Deinde Evangelicis promissis erigendi ac eosdem hartandi ad poenitentiam fidemquâ— Ã Deo per preces lachrymas petendam Suffrag Colleg. Theologorum Magnae Britanniae de quinque controversis remonstrantium Articulis de antecedaneis ad conversionem Thes. 2. d Yates in his Modell of Divinity lib. 2. ca. 26 c Neither let any dreame that these are any Productions of free will I heartily abhorre Popery Pelagianisme and all enemies to the Grace of God But know that they are the Effects of the Word and Spirit Sunt quaedam effecta interna ad conversionem sive regenerationem praevia quae virtute verbi Spiritusque in nondum justificatorum cordibus excitantur qualia sunt notitia voluntatis divinae sensus peccati timor poenae cogitatio deliberatione spes aliquâ veniae Suffrag Colleg. Theologorum Mag. Britan. c. De anticedanâ—is ad conversionem Thesi. 2. * Quod nam sit hoc donum ipse exponit verbis sequentibus quis sit qui dicit tibi Donum igitur est ipse Christus silius quem dedit nobis Pater Rolloc in Iohan. pag. 196. Zach. 13.1 f Vidisti
this World or the World to come But here bee tossed continually and torne in peeces like the raging Sea with restlesse distractions carking discontent And hereafter roare everlastingly in Hell with unknowne horrours and for the irrevocable exclusion from the supreme and soveraign Good the ever-springing Fountaine of all peace and pleasure and His glorious presence even for ever ever If the Soule of man saith Hooker did serve onely to give Him Beeing in this life then things appertaining unto this life would content Him as wee see they doe other Creatures Which Creatures inioying what they live by seeke no further but in this contentation doe shew a kinde of acknowledgement that there is no higher Good which doe any way belong unto them With us it is otherwise For altho the beauties riches honours sciences vertues and perfections of all men living were in the present possession of One yet somewhat beyond and above all this would still bee sought and earnestly thirsted for It is no marvell saith Greenâ—ham if riches fill not the Soule for they were all made for man His Soule for God Whatsoever is capable of God that can never bee satisfied with any thing else All riches all preferments can not satisfie one soule But when God is come it is full whatsoever is added more it runneth over These and the like are the mighty Works of Faith And even so let this Princely and victorious Grace attended with all Her heavenly traine tread down triumphantly before you still the painted Bables and Babels of al transitory glory and ungodly greatnesse hold still fresh and flourishing in your â—ie the immortality and blisse of a never-fading Crowne and shine faire and fruitfully in your Soule untill it set you downe safe in the midst of the most glorious and ever-during Kingdome of Heaven and having there finished her blessed Task resigne you up and leave you for ever to the Beatificall vision and full fruition of Iehovah everlastingly blessed and to the endlesse enioyment of fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at His right hand even thorow all eternity Your servant for the salvation of your Soule ROBERT BOLTON SOME INSTRVCTIONS FOR A RIGHT COMFORTING AFFLICTED Consciences with Antidotes against some speciall temptations PROV 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare MY Text lies as you see in a sacred Cabinet of richest Iewels I meane the most selected and wisest Aphorismes or Proverbs that ever issued out of mortall braine Every one of them for the most part especially from the tenth Chapter independant entire and absolute in themselues cleare and manifest by their owne native brightnesse not needing such reciprocall light and lustre for each others mutuall discouery and interpretation And therefore they are naturally not capable of any coherent Logicall Analysis and other circumstantiall expositions ordinarily incident to other parts of Scripture Whence it is that this Booke of Proverbs is compared to a great heape of gold rings rich and orient severally and every one shining with a distinct sense by it selfe but other contexts of holy Writ to gould chaines so interwoven and enlinked together that they must upon necessity for the rendring unto us aright and fully their severall senses be illightened and receive mutuall illustration one from another This present Proverbe doth represent unto us the extremest Hell upon earth the greatest misery and most un-supportable that can possibly befall a Man in this life I meane the horror of a guilty and enraged conscience Which is set out First by the excellency of it's opposite the invincible ability and mighty strength of that truly stoute and heroicall heart which is happily upholden with the heavenly refreshing influence of grace Gods favour and a good conscience The spirit of a man will sustaine his â—firmity Whence take this first note Doctr. The spirit of a man furnished with grace and fortified with the sense of Gods favour is able to passe thorow the pikes and conquer all commers Reas. 1. For what and why should that man feare or faint on whose side the mighty Lord of heaven and earth doth stand If God be for us who can be against us Whose mercy to his is without all stint and limit like himselfe infinite so immeasurable that it reacheth from everlasting to everlasting so tender that it suâ—passeth incomprehensibly the compassionate meltings of the lovingest mother and spared not the dearest blood of his onely Sonne Who hath ever in a readinesse for the recovery of his children out of the most desperate danger and to rescue them out of the hands of the deadliest enemy besides his owne omnipotent arme the least finger whereof can beate the greatest mountaine to powder and â—end the hardest rocke in peeces innumerable hosts of Angels one of which killed an hundred foure score and five thousand in one night charets of fire even a thousand charets in the whirlewind that faire glorious Giant which with incredible sâ—iftnesse runs post as it were thorow the skye to stand still or râ—tore the impetuous current of the raging Sea to recoyle the merciles slames of the hungry fire to become a soft and refreshing aire the â—â—placable fury of the most enraged Lions to couch at first word for his servants sake and safety Nay if need bee hee hath Caterpillers and Frogges Wormes and Lice even the most impotent and vilest vermiâ—e to fetch blood and take downe the heart of the proudest Tyrant upon earth carry he his head neveâ— so high to eate out the bowels of the bloodiest Nimâ—od or mightiest Monarch that weares a crowne upon his head if hee oppose his people He hath the very hands and consciences of all that rise up against them to bring their owne blood upon theâ—r owne heads and even Hell and extreamest horror upon their hearts in this life What then so dreadfull a face of present confusions or fore-imagined formes of future troubles aâ—e able or ought slavishly to deâ—ect and terrifie that holy heart which with a sweet and safe repose is happily and everlastingly hid under the wings of that mighty God who for the deliverance of his can worke 1. By weake meanes See Iud. 7. 1. Sam. 14. Genes 14. 1. Sam. 17. Iud. 4.21 and 9.53 2. Without meanes See 2. Chron. 20. Exod. 14. Iosu. 6. 2. Kings 19. 2. Chron. 14. 3. Contrary to meanes See Dan. 6.22 Ios. 3.16 Dan. 3.25.26 Ionah 2.6 Iosu. 10.12 13 14. 2. When the heavenly beames of Gods pleased countenance begin to breake out upon a man thorow the darke and Hellish mist of his manifold and hainous sinnes the unquenchable heate of His everlasting love thorow Christ dissolving them into nothing and fairely shine with a comfortable aspect upon His humbled Soule ipso facto as they say Heaven and Earth and all the Hosts of both are everlastingly reconciled unto him and become his friends the stormes and
tempests raised by all the powers of Hell are presently calmed for ever doing him any deadly hurt All the creatures then pull in their hornes retire their stings bite in their poyson sâ—ib'd and awed by those divine impressions of their Creators blessed image stamped upon them by the Spirit of grace and dare no more offer any violence or vexation to him except upon particular dispensation for his spirituall good and quickening then to the Apple of Gods owne eye Heare the promise from Gods owne mouth And in that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of Heaven and with thâ— creeping things of the ground and I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to lye downe safely Hos. 2.18 Nay they are so farre from charging their seuerall stings upon the Saints that they will change their very natures to doe them service They will rather become an astonishment and horror to the whole Creation then they be hurt How often have they suspended and put off their native power and properties for the protection and good of Gods people The very Sea that most raging and roaring creature must stay his course and current to give passage and preservation to a true Israelite The Starres must fight and the Sunne stand still for the ayde and advantage of Gods armies The Lions must leave their savage rage and trade of blood and become Lambes and loving unto a Daniel The Crowes will feed an Elijah The flames of fire must hold in their heate from burning a Shadrach Meshach or Abednego The devouring belly of a dreadfull fish must be turned into a Sanctuary of safty to a Ionah A popish Furnace heated with the very malice of Hell shall become a bed of doune and Roses to a Martyr of Iesus The very dead lines of an ordinary Letter must represent to a Royall conceite a meaning quite contrary to the naturall sense and all Grammaticall construction before a blessed Parliament be blowne up with Popish Gun-Powder A brittle Glasse must rebound unbroken from the hardest stone to helpe to bind up a broken heart bleeding with griefe for absence of her Spouse and wanâ— of the assurance of his love c. Nay the divell himselfe though hee walkes about like a roaring Lion seeking with restlesse rage and desiring infinitely to devoure the Lords inheritance yet cannot possibly adde one linke to the chaine in which by the mercifull and mighty hand of God he is hampered nor goe an haires bredth beyond his commission Though it bee utterly impossible that that damned Angell should so farre change his divellish nature as to doe any of Gods chosen directly any true good yet he is everlastingly musled by an Almighty arme from ever doing them any deadly hurt He may be suffered sometimes to shake his chaine at them and roare upon them hideously to drive them nearer unto God and fright them from sinne But he shall never either in this world or the world to come have his full swinge at them or fasten his hellish fangs upon their redeemed soules 3. Besides all that other excellent compleate impenetrable armour of proofe mentioned Ephes. 6. which is able to beate backe victoriously all earthly oppositions and the very Ordnance of Hell every one of Gods Favourites is also blessedly furnished with a mighty spirituall Engine which is able to batter downe all the Bulwarkes of the Divell to shake the whole kingdome of darkenesse and all hellish powers nay to offer an holy violence to the very Throne of God himselfe witnesse His most mercifull intreating Moses To let him alone Exod. 32.10 As though the mediation of a man could binde as it were I speake it with lowliest reverence to that highest Maiestie the hands of his Omnipotency from doing his people any hurt and were able to extingvish that unquenchable wrath in the conception which once on foote would burne unto the lowest Hell and set on fire the foundations of the Mountainâ—s I meane that most pretious and almost if not altogether omnipotent Grace of Prayer This great Master of miracles hath wrought from time to time many and very remarkeable wonders both in Heaven and Earth It made the Sun that mighty creature the Prince of all the Lights in Heaven to stay and stand still upon the suddaine in the heat of his swiftest course It landed Ionah safely upon the shore out of the bellie of the Whale and bowels of the Sea It drew refreshing streames out of a dry bone for the saving of Samsons life It turned the Heaven into brasse for three yeeres and a halfe and afterward turned the selfe-same brasse into fruitefull clouds and fountaines of raine It killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of the enemies of Gods people in one night For the freeing of Elisha from a straite and dangerous siege It filled a mountaine in a moment as it were full of Horsâ—s and Charets of â—ire It turned the swords of a mighty Army into the Bowells of one another when Iehoshaphat knew not which way to turne himselfe but was so helpelesse and hopelesse that he cryed unto the Lord wee know not what to doe only our eyes are upon thee It loosed Peter out of prison shoke his chaines off from his hands and made an Iron gate to open of its owne accord It eâ—raged and inlarged the English Seas to swallow up the Spanish invincible Armado And which is none of the least wonders It brought Prince Charles out of Spaine But you instance may some say in extraordinary examples of extraordinary men endowed with an extraordinary spirit Yet sure I am they are registred by the holy Ghost to represent unto us and to all generations of the Church to the Worlds end the Almighty and wonder-working power of Prayer And I am as sure that the Petitioners were men subiect to like passions as we are Perhaps if thou be a true-hearted Nathanael since thy new birth thou wast never so extraordinarily passionate as Ionah was when out of a pang of strange distemper hee thus answered the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth I doe well to bee angry even unto death Fourthly Gods Favourite is further furnished with an other spirituall weapon of impregnable temper and incredible might I meane Faith the very Power and Arme of God for all true ioy sound comfort and light somnesse at the heart-roote in this life This crowned Emperesse of all those Heavenly graces that dwell in the Soule of a sanctified man and which in a right sense may be said vertually to comprehend all the beautie strength excellency and power of Christ himselfe is truely victorious and triumphant over all the World over the very gates of Hell and all the powers of darkenesse over the Divels fieriest darts over the devouring
now written oh that they were printed in a Booke That they were graven with an iron pen and leade in the rocke for ever For I know that my Redeemer liveth c. There were two cutting and cruell circumstances largely insinuated Cap. 29. and 30. which did keenely sharpen the edge and mightily aggravate the weight of Iobs miseries The one was this He had bin happy Now as that mans happines is holden the greatest who hath bin in miserable condition for He tasteth the double sweete of remembring his forpassed misery and enioying his present felicity So on the contrary It is the greatest misery they say to haue bin happy The other was that which most nettles a generous nature He being a Man of so great honour and worth whose rare and incomparable wisedome even the Princes and Nobles adored as it were with a secret and silent admiration as appeares Cap. 29.9.10 was now contemned of the most contemptible The children of fooles and the children of base men that were viler then the earth make him their song and their By-word cap. 30.8.9 For when true noblenes and worth is downe and any one of the Lords Champions dejected it is ordinary with all those dunghill dispositions to whom His sincerity was an Eie-sore His power and authority a restraint to their lewdnesse the glory of His vertues fewell to their envy to run as a Raven to the fallen Sheepe to picke out His eyes I meane which yet â—asts of a truly cowardly and mercilesse constitution to wound his very wounds and to vexe his vexations This was Iobs case But what now ministers comfort to Iobs heart against these corrosiues Euen consciousnesse of His graces and integrities treasur'd up and exercisde in the dayes of His peace He reckens up fourteene of them Chap. 31. From consideration hereof Hee gathers towards the end this triumphant resolution against the â—orest of His sufferings I would even crowne mine head with the bitterest Invective of my greatest adversary whence it is cleare that the two potent pillars of Iobsâ—â—rong â—â—rong and strange patience which all generations will admire to the worlds end were a sound faith and the sanctified fruits thereof prepared and practised in the time of his prosperity 3. Thirdly by fore-provision of Gods favour grace good conscience and such spirituall store wee shall be able worthily to grace and honour our profession truly to enoble and winne a great deale of glory and reputation to the state of Christianity when the ambitious Rufflers and boisterous Nimrods of the world shall see and observe that there is a gratious invisible vigour and strength of Heaven which mightily supports the heart of the true Christian in those times of confusion â—eare when theirs shall be like the heart of a woman in her pangs fall asunder in their breasts even like drops of water That He is as bold as a Lyon and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the Day of distresse and visitations of God when they shall tremble at the shaking of a leafe call upon the Mountaines to cover them That He shall be able then to say with David Psal. 46.1.2 The Lord is my refuge and my strength c. Therefore will I not feare thâ— the earth be remooved and tho the mountaines be carried into the middest of the Sea But they shall cry out of the bitternes of their spirits with the hypocrites Isai. 33.14 Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings God is much honoured and His truth glorified when it appeares in the face of men that a poore neglected Christian or in the worlds language a precise foole is able by the power of grace and influence of his favour to affront and out-face all the frownings and malignant aspects of the proud Giants of the world And he is the Lords noblest Champion and a Professour of the truest and heavenliest dye that holds out in the wetting and shrinkes not in the Day of adversitie Chrysostome speakes to the people of Antioch like himselfe a Man of an invincible spirit against the tyrannies of his times In this saith He should a gracious differ from a gracelesse man that hee should beare his crosses couragiously and as it were with the wings of Faith outsoare the height of all humane miseries He should be like a Rocke being incorporated into Iesus Christ inexpugnable and unshaken with the most furious incursions of the waves and stormes of worldly troubles pressures and persecutions And blessed bee God that even here upon earth in this vale of teares there is such a visible and vast difference betwixt a wicked and godly man The one is like the raging Sea that cannot rest the other stands fast like a Rocke which shall never bee remooved An unregenerate heart is ever restlesse commonly in these three regards at the least First by reason of an endlesse and unsatisfiable appetite after pleasures riches honours revenge or what other Darling delight it hath singled out and made speciall choice of to follow and feede upon with greatest contentment and sensuall sweetnesse God hath iustly put that property or rather poison into all earthly things doted upon and desired immoderately that they shall plague the heart which so pursues them by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse iealousies and many miserable discontentments so that they become unto it as drinke unto a man in a Dropsie or burning Fever serve onely to inflame it with new heate and fiery additions of insatiable thirst and iâ—ordinate longings Secondly because of the many secret grumblings and stinging reclamations of a gauled conscience against its present guilty courses and forbidden pleasures Thirdly in respect of a continuall ebullition as it were of confused and contrary lusts out of the empoysoned Fountaine of originall corruption which fill it with many damnable distractions and tumultuations of Hell But now if besides this inward boyling it bee also tossed with outward troubles what a miserable Creature is a carnall Man Euen as the Sea if besides its internall agitations by the restlesse motions of estuation descention revolution and reflection it be also outwardly turmoyl'd with stormes and tempestuous winds How ragefull roaing wil it be But the other is like a strong unmoveable mountaine that stands impregnable against the rage of winde and weather And all the cruell incursions and ungodly oppositions made against it either by men or Divels are but like so many proud and swelling waves which dash themselves against a mighty Rocke The more boysterously they beate against it the more are they broken and turned into a vaine foame and froath Come what come will His heart is still in His breast and His resolution as high as Heaven Pestilent then is that Principle of Machiavel a Fellow not to bee named but by way of detestation and savours rankely of cursed Atheisme Whereby He teaches in sense and summe
set upon the right object might serve to drive us unto Christ and afterwards in Gods gracious acceptation for saving repentance Mee thinkes it should bee a very quickning motive to make a man bee sorry for nothing but sin and to turne all his griefe and groanes sighs and teares upon his transgressions onely To wit To Consider that an impenitent carnall worldling doth passe thorow even in this life where hee hath all the heaven hee is ever like to have incomparably more comfortlesse hearts-griefe slavish torment of minde and heavinesse of Spirit towards endlesse paines then the strictest Christian and most mortified Saint doth endure in his passage to everlasting pleasures Fourthly That besides many other pestilent properties worldly sorrow doth also double nay multiply and mightily enrage the venome bitternesse and â—ting of every crosse accident losse disgrace c. When Ahitophel was disgraced by neglect of his counsell which was in those dayes as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God carnall griefe so grew upon him that hee gate him home to his house put his household in order and hanged himselfe What was the disgrace to this desperate end Haman beeing crossed by Mordecaies discourtesie and contempt did so trouble himselfe and take on that having told his wife and freinds of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all things wherein the King had promoted him and how hee had advanced him above the Princes and servants of the King c. Yet professeth unto them that all this availed him nothing so long as hee saw Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kings gate Now whether doe you thinke was the most greivous thing to beare the bare omission of a meere complement or an universall distaste and dis-injoyment of all outward comforts heaped upon Him to the height and in excellency The hundreth part of Iobs losses and lesse hath many times since made many a covetous worldling to cut his owne throat I have knowne some for the losse of an over-loved child to have languished fallen into a consumption and lost their owne lives But now on the other side besides many other gracious effects sorrow according to God is more delicious and sweeter then any worldly delight As Chrysostome truly tells us in many places To whom Moderne Divines accord The very teares that a good Conscience sheds saith one have more joy and pleasure in them then the worlds greatest joyes This is certaine saith another that there is more lightnesse of heart and true delight in the sorrow of the Saints then in the lowdest laughters of the world For unspeakeable joy is mingled with un-utterable groanes 2. When it is not any kindly touch of conscience for sâ—â— wrought by the ministry but terrours and affrighting distempers arising from the darke mists of a melancholicke humour in the braine which cause a man to complaine In this blacke and sad humour Satan God suffering him and of it selfe also it is pregnant enough this way hath great advantage to raise and represent to the Phantasie many fearefull things terrible objects griesly thoughts hideous injections and temptations to despaire selfe-destruction c. Whereupon the party so affected and afflicted is wont out of impatiency of such uncouth horrours and heavines to addresse himself and have recourse to some man of God some noted Physitian of the soule not from any purpose and resolution to become a new man and alter his courses but only for hope of ease enlargement froÌ„ the tyranny of that ferall passion and recovery to wonted quietnesse of mind not expecting or aiming at all at any other change but from present melancholy to former mirth from this abhorred irkesome insupportable state of sadnesse to his accustomed sensuall or civill contentment at least In this case let the art and aide of physicke bee improou'd to abate and take off the excesse and phantasticalnesse of this horrible humour and then let the party bee advised to imploie and spend the native and kindly sadnesse of that uncomfortable constitution in sorrowing for sinne in trembling at the threats of Gods judgements in fearing to offend and flying under the wings of Christ for sanctuary that so hee may happily bring supernaturall and heavenly lightsomnesse into his soule by pardon from God peace of conscience and evangelicall pleasures It is incredible to consider what assistance and advantage a gracious man hath by his sweete communion with Iesus Christ and those refreshing beames of comfort which shine from his face to confine and conquer those many impertinent irkesome and vexing vagaries of this wild humour which with much folly and fury tyrannise in the feareful phantasies of gracelesse men and make their life very disconsolate and abhorred I am perswaded the very same measure of melancholicke matter which raises many times in the heads and hearts of worldlings having besides the guilt of their unforgiven sinnes staring with griesly representations in the face of their consciences and acquainted with no comfort but that which comes from carnall joyes continuall clouds of many strange horrours and gastly feares nay and sometimes makes them starke mad I say the very same in a sanctified man may bee so mollified and moderated by spirituall delight and soveraignty of grace that he is not onely preserved from the sting and venome of them but by Gods blessing from any such desperate extremities violent distempers and distractions which keepe the other in a kinde of hell upon earth If the very darkenesse of the hellish dungeon were in the heart yet reaching out the hand of faith and receiving Christ that blessed Sun of righteousnesse would dispell and disperse it to nothing Much more mee thinkes the light of grace and heavenly wisedome may in some good measure dissolve and maister the mists and miseries of this earthly humour Religion then and religious courses and conformities doe not make melancholike men mad as the great Bedlams of this world would beare us in hand For you must know that besides Belials and debosht companions there are a generation of worldly wise men also right brave and jolly fellowes in their owne conceits and in the opinion of some flattering clawbacks But by testimony of the Truth it selfe starke mad about the service of God and there owne salvations who cursedly â—eare their owne consciences with the hottest iron in the Divels forge by breaking out into such blasphemies as these when they heare or see any extraordinarie heavie-heartednes temptation distraction or spirituall distemper to have seizd upon any that desires to bee saved You see now what becomes of so much reading the scriptures of plying prayer and private duties with so much adoe of medling with mysteries of religion of meditating so much of heavenly things Of taking sinne so deeply to heart and holding such strict conformity to Gods word c. Blessed God! Is thine holy booke become execrable blasphemy a perverter distracter and
undiscreet heaping a great deale of comfort there where as yet a good ground-worke of true humiliation is not soundly laid Many and lamentable are the spirituall miseries in those Places where such Dawbers with untempered morter domineere who never passed thorow the Pangs of the New-birth themselves were never feelingly acquainted with the wonderfull dealings of God in that great Miracle of a Mans conversion nor trained up experimentally in the Schoole of temptations painefull exercises of mortification and counter-minings against the Depths Wiles Devises and stratagems of the Divell The blessed Prophet paints them out to the life and denounces a dreadfull woe against such flattering and foolish Prophets Ezech. 13. A Ship-Master skilfull onely in Astronomy and other speculative Passages of the Art of Navigation is no body in conducting Men safely over some dangerous Sea to Him that besides sufficiencies of Art is furnisht also with experimentall skill in those Parts by passing formerly that way Himselfe and having discovered those dangers of ruine and hidden Rockes which the other Man might easily runne upon Give me a Man in whom variety and profoundnesse of best learning doth concurre in the highest degree of excellency yet if his owne heart bee not soundly wrought upon and seasoned with saving grace Himselfe experimentally seene into the Mystery of Christ and Secrets of sanctification as Hee shall bee hardly able to wound other mens consciences and pierce them to the quicke so Hee will bee found very unfit to manage aright the spirituall miseries of a troubled Soule and to transport it savingly thorow the tempestuous terrours and temptations incident to the New-creation into the Port of true peace and Paradise of the blessed Brother-hood A right dreadfull and tender Point it is to deale with distressed consciences so many depths of Satan and deceits of Mans heart mingle themselves with businesse of so great consequence Even a well-meaning Man without much heedfulnesse and good experience both in the Point and the Party may erre dangerously and bee much deceived herein I have heard from a Man of conscience and credit besides many and many in the same kind of a fearefull imposture to this purpose A man who for the world was well enough visited with some trouble of minde for his sinnes sent for a Minister to minister comfort Hee it seemes not sounding Him to the bottome or searching to the quicke heaped upon Him unseasonably and too soone mercies and hopes of spirituall safety Amongst other things Hee asked Him whether formerly Hee had ever felt testimonies and refreshings of Gods favour and love Yea answered the Party and here take notice of a notorious depth of the Divell Once riding alone upon the way in such a Place I grew upon the sudden very lightsome and light-hearted c. This was but a flash of Satans Angelicall glory cunningly to lighten and leade him the way to further confusion Why then replied the Minister you may build upon it God is constant in His favours and whom Hee loves once Hee loves for ever Hereupon the Patient was presently healed of his wounded heart and after fell unto his former courses and grew fully as prophane as Hee was before Amongst the many important Passages of our Ministeriall imployments I feare mee this waighty affaire of visiting the sicke is passed-over also more is the pitty with much ignorance slightnesse and neglect It is incredible to consider how fearefully many offend and what a deale of hurt they doe by observing one plodding generall forme and that a poore one too towards all Patients promiscuously without any judicious discretion in distingvishing the variety of spirituall states the different degrees of unregeneratenesse former courses of life c. Commonly their carriage in such Cases is the same to the notorious sinner the meere civill Man grosse Hypocrite carnall Gospeller formall Professor Back-slider the weake and strong the tempted and untempted Christian. If they but heare from the sicke Man a generall acknowledgement of his sinnes formall cries for mercy and pardon earnest desires to die the death of the righteous c. which may bee easily and ordinarily found in a Pharisie or foolish Virgine as you have heard before they will presently needs threape Him downe that He is as sure a saved Man as if Hee were in Heaven already Herein resembling saith Marbury a foolish Shepheard who wanting skill to helpe his poore sheepe out of the ditch is driven to play the miserable comforter and to take some other indirect course as many use to doe in such case to cut the sheepes throate in time to make him Mans meate left it should bee said Hee died in a ditch Many and many a time doe such fellowes as these empty and discharge their common-Place Bookes of all the Places of mercy and comforte collected curiously and industriously for that purpose upon those Men who were never acquainted with the waies of God in their life-time nor with the truth of humiliation or truly with the great worke of Repentance upon their Beds of death Those formall Church-men who stood about Marshall Biron that great Peere and Pillar of France at his death did in this respect very ill offices of Ghostly Fathers unto Him in his greatest neede and last extremitie For when Hee behaved himselfe more like a furious Divel already amongst the damned spirits in blasphemies impatiencies and most raging passions then a meeke and humble Saint of God ready to passe into everlasting Mansions of peace they notwithstanding out of their Popish divinity gave him this absolution assuring Him that His soule was ready to see God and to bee Partaker of his glory in Heaven When it had been farre fitter to have driven him to the sight of his sinnes sense of that dreadfull houre terrour of that strict Tribunall to which hee was ready to passe and fearefulnesse of that infernall fiery Lake from which no greatnesse can priviledge gracelesse Men. I feare me there are many Trencher-Chaplaines of the true Religion also who are ready to doe proportionable service to ungodly great Ones upon whom they depend by promising them life But many and dreadfull are the mistakings and miseries which fall upon the Soules of Men both Patients and By-standers by these flattering formall visitations and Funerall Panegyricks which ordinarily follow after Happy then and hopefull is that Man who in the troubles of His Soule meetes with that One of a thousand Iob 33.23 with those Sonnes both of Consolation and thunder who are as able ready and willing rightly to binde up a bruised spirit with the Baulme of mercy and promises of life as to breake in pieces a stubborne heart with the terrours of the Law Who as they labour in the first Place to fright and fire men out of their sinfull courses into penitent dejections of Conscience a needfull preparative to a saving conversion so they have learned both speculatively and experimentally to conduct them thorow the Pangs of the
1 Mercifull and 2 Gracious 3 Long-suffering and abundant in 4 Goodnesse and 5 Truth 6 Keeping mercy for thousands 7 Forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne In which there are implyed un-answerable replies to all the scruples doubts exceptions objections which may arise in a troubled soule 1. Thou sayest perhaps that thou art plunged into the depth of extremest spirituall misery both in respect of sâ—â—fulnesse and cursednesse The present sense whereof is ready to sinke thee into despaire Be it so Then take my counsell in this Case Cast thine eye upon the first and fairest flowre in this heavenly-glorious Garland of divine goodnesse And thou shalt finde a fame greater depth of mercy ready to swallow up thy depth of misery The mercy of God and misery in this kind are relatives No misery no mercy much misery much mercy transcendent misery transcendent mercy the onely difference is the mercy of God is infinite thy misery finite And therefore how much spirituall misery soever thou bringest in a broken heart to the Throne of grace Gods bountifull hand will weigh out to thee a proportionable measure of mercy nay a measure without measure super-abundant running-over For where misery in a truly humbled soule aboundeth there mercy doth much more abound 2. Or suppose that at thy first turning unto God tho truly humbled yet thou art tempted not to take Christ out of this ccoÌ„eit because thou art but euen now come out of hell and horrible courses and as yet hast no good thing in thee at all Or after some progresse in Christianity reflecting in time of temptation upon thy whole carriage since conversion and finding it to have been so fruitlesse and full of failings Thou concludest thy selfe in thy present feeling to be extremely vile of a very doubtfull state for thy soule if not stark naught That no Professour upon earth walkes so unworthily and if Ministers knew thy heart and weake performance of holy duties they would not bee so forward to presse comfort upon thee c. I say in these two cases and the like it is a great happinesse and sweetest comfort that the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth hath proclaimed himselfe to bee Gracious which imports thus much to poure out abundance of extraordinary bounty upon a most undeserving partie To place dearest affection and desire of doing good there where there is no desert at all As if a King to make his royall favours more illustrious should raise a worthlesse Wretch a most contemptible Vassal to be his worthiâ—â—â— Favorite highest in his love And therefore bring 〈◊〉 to the Throne of Grace but a true sense of thy misery a syncere thirst for mercy an humble acknowledgement of thine unworthinesse and God hereupon for his Christs sake will thinke thee worthy of the riches of his grace the righteousnesse of his Son all the promises in his Booke all the comforts of his Spirit a Crowne of immortality and blisse For hee is gracious and an universall glorious confluence of blessednesse in all kinds is promised to poverty in spirit and shal most certainely to the vtmost bee made good unto it for ever 3. But alas I saith an other have most wretchedly mis-spent the flower and strength of mine age in vanity and pleasure in lewdnesse and lust The best of my time hath been wofully wasted in Satans notorious service and sensuall serving my selfe c. And therefore tho I bee now weary of my former waies and looke backe upon them with a trembling heart and grieved spirit yet I am affraid that God hath given over looking after mee that His patience towards mee is expired and my day of visitation out-stood And that he will not vouchsafe to cast his eye of compassion upon such a Blackamore Leopard as I am so overgrowne with corruption and growne old in sinne especially having so long neglected so great salvation forsaken mine owne mercy so long and so unthankefully despised the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance leading mee to repentance I confesse it is something rare to see men gone-on so long and growne old in sinne to returne and give way to any saving worke of the Ministry because too often in the meane time they so harden their hearts that they cannot repent yet notwithstanding bee thou assured in the Word of life and truth if now at length thou be truly touched indeed and will come-in in earnest the Father of mercies will receive thee freely to mercy and embrace thy bleeding soule in the armes of his everlasting love through Christ. For it is a title of highest honour unto him to be long-suffering Hee all this while waited that hee might bee gracious unto thee And now undoubtedly upon thy first resolution to returne in truth hee will meete thee with infinitely more compassionate affectionatenesse then the Father in the Gospell his Prodigall who when hee was a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neckâ— and kissed him c. 4. Yea but saith an other Though I have been a Professour long yet many times my heart is full heavy and more loth to beleive when I seriously and sensibly call to minde the hainousnesse of my unregenerate time and see in my selfe besides since I was illightned and should have behaved my selfe in forwardnesse and fruitfullnesse for God answerably to my former folly and furiousnesse in evill so many defects and imperfections every day and such weake distracted discharging of commanded duties both to God and man Take then counsell and comfort in this Case by casting thine eye upon Gods kindnesse He is abundant in kindnesse which hath these foure pretious properties First To bee easily intreated Secondly To be intreated for the greatest Thirdly to passe by involuntary infirmities Fourthly to accept gratiously weake services Even â— fraile man if of a more noble generous and kind disposition will bee easily appeased for the unpurposed offences errours and over-sights and well pleased with the good will syncere indeavours and utmost especially of those who hee knowes to bee true-hearted unto him and desire heartily if they were able to doe all hee desires even to the height of exactnesse and expectation How much more then will our heavenly Father deale so with his children who is in himselfe essentially kinde and infinitely 5. Yea but saist thou many times when I reach 〈◊〉 the hand of my faith to fetch some speciall promise into my soule for refreshing and comfort and weighing them well and comparing advisedly my owne nothingnesse worthlesnesse vilenesse with the riches of mercy grace and glory shining in it and marking the dis-proportion I am overwhelmed with admiration and astonishment and to tell you true say sometimes to my selfe Is it possible that this should be so That so glorious things should belong to such a wretch and worme as I am But turning thine eye from a distrustfull and too much dejected dwelling upon thine owne
heavenly Father deale withal that are upright-hearted in all their troubles trials and temptations For the dearest love of the most affectionate Father or Mother to their Childe is nothing to that which hee beares to those that feare him Isa. 49.15 Psal. 103.13 Deut. 8.5 3. Thirdly there is a pretious Principle in the mysterie of salvation which as a comforting Cordiall-water serves to quicken and revive in the sownings and faintings of the Body defection of the spirits and sinking of the heart So it may bee soveraigne to support and succour in afflictions and dejections of Soule and weakenesses of our spirituall state It is thus delivered by Divines A constant and earnest desire to bee reconciled to God to believe and to repent if it bee in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation Faith repentance it selfe A weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an unfained desire not onely of salvation for that the wicked and gracelesse man may have But of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of Faith in every touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect Those are blessed who are displeased with their owne doubting and unbeliefe if they have a true earnest desire to bee purged from this distrust and to believe in God through Christ. Our desire of grace faith and repentance are the graces themselves which wee desire at least in Gods acceptation who accepteth of the will for the deede and of our affections for the actions Hungring and thirsting desires are evidences of a repenting heart True desire argues the presence of things desired and yet argues not the feeling of it It may not bee dissembled that there are in the world many definitions or descriptions of faith such as doe not comprehend in them that onely thing which is the chiefe stay of thousands of the deare servants of God and that is desires which may not bee denyed to bee of the nature of Faith I expresse my meaning thus That when a Man or woman is so farre exercisâ—d in the spirituall seeking of the Lord his God That hee would bee willing to part with the world and all things thereof if hee had them in his owne possession so that by the Spirit and Promises of God hee might bee assured that the sinnes of his former life and such as presently doe burthen his Soule were forgiven him and that hee might believe that God were now become his God in Christ I would not doubt to pronounce that this Person thus prising remission of sinnes at this rate that hee would sell all to buy this pearle did undoubtedly believe Not onely because it is a truth though a Paradoxe that the Desire to believe is Faith But also because our Saviour Christ doth not doubt to affirme that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse because they shall bee satisfied And to him that is a thirst I will give to drinke of the water of life freely And David doubted not to say The Lord heareth the desire of the humble I thinke whensoever the humbled sinner sees an infinite excellency in Christ and the savour of God by him that it is more worth then all the world and so sets his heart upon it that hee is resolved to seeke it without ceasing and to part withall for the obtaining it now I take it is Faith begun What graces thou unfainedly desirest and constantly vsest the meanes to attaine Thou hast There is no rocke more sure then this truth of God That the heart that complaineth of the want of grace desireth above all things the supply of that want useth all holy meanes for the procurement of that supply cannot be destitute of saving grace Such are wee by imputation as wee bee in affection And he is now no sinner who for the love he beareth to righteousnesse would bee no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giveth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his Children whom hee justifieth We must remember that God accepts affecting for effecting willing for working desires for deedes purposes for performances pence for pounds and unto such as doe their endeavour hath promised His grace enabling them every day to doe more and more If there be in thee a sorrow for thine unbeliefe a will and desire to believe and a care to increase in Faith by the use of good meanes there is a measure of true Faith in thee and by it thou maist assure thy selfe that thou art the Child of God It is a great grace of God to feele the want of Gods graces in thy selfe and to hunger and thirst after them If you desire healing of your nature groane in desire to grace perceive your foulenesse unto a loathing of your selfe feare not sinne hath no dominion over you Sense of Want of grace complaint and mourning from that sense desire setled and earnest with such mourning to have the want supplyed vse of good meanes with attending upon Him therein for this supply is surely of grace What graces thou unfainedly desirest and constantly usest the meanes to attaine Thou hast Take it in short from mee thus A true desire of grace argues a saving and comfortable estate The truth of which appeares clearely By Scriptures Reasons Both ancient and moderne Deuines Proofes Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnâ—sse for they shall bee filled Here to a desire of grace is annexed a Promise of Blessednesse which comprehends all the glory and pleasures of Christs Kingdome here and all heavenly joyes and everlasting blisse hereafter Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Psal. 10.17 The Lord heareth the desire of the humble Psal. 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him Luk. 1.53 The Lord filleth the hungry with good things Reu. 22.17 Let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let Him take the water of life freely Isa. 55.1 Hâ— every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters c. And Cap. 44. vers 3. I will poure water upon Him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground O Lord I beseech thee saith Nehemiah let now thine eare bee attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to feare thy Name Here those who desire to feare the Lord are stiled His servants and proposed as men qualified and in a fit disposition to have their praiers heard their petitions granted their distresses relieved their affaires blessed with successe And no doubt thâ—s Man of God would make speciall choise of such Attributes and affections which might proove powerfull and pleasing Arguments to draw from God compassion favour and protection And therefore a true-hearted desire to feare the Lord is a signe of His servant
I think in such a Case it may be convenient and that such an One hath thereupon some cause and Calling seriously and impartially to search and trie His spirituall state For which purpose ponder seriously upon such considerations as these some of which may discover unsoundnesse Others His unadvisednesse 1. It may bee the Party is not yet come in truth to that sound humiliation contrition spirituall thirsting resolution to sell all c. required by the reverend Author in that most profitable and piercing Doctrine of Faith quoted before but onely hath passed over them overly not soundly superficially not syncerely and then no marvell tho no true and reall comfort come Informe thy selfe further in this Point and that thou mayst more fully know my meaning in it and be guided aright in a marter of so great waight Ibid. Cap. 2. Of the Author and meanes of Faith And Cap. 5. Of the difficulty of Faith pag. 284 c. 2. Or it may bee howsoever Hee protest otherwise and for all His partiall Legall terrour and trouble of minde His deceitfull heart may still secretly harbour and hanker after some sweet sinne as Pride Revenge strange Fashions Worldlinesse Lust Playes Gaming Good-fellowship as it is call'd c. From which it doth not heartily yeeld resolve and endeavour to make an utter and finall cessation and divorce And assuredly that false heart which regards and allowes any wickednesse in it selfe howsoever it may be deluded with some Anabaptisticall flashes yet shall never bee truly refreshed with ioy in the holy Ghost 3. It may bee tho there was some probable and plausible shewes that the Party was principally cast downe and affected with the heavy waight of sin and horrour of Gods wrath for it yet the true predominant cause of His heavinesse harts-griefe and bitterest complaint was some secret earthly discontentment the restlesse biting of some worldly sting And in such Cases remove this and you remove His paine Comfort Him about his Crosse and you set Him where Hee was And therefore as in all this He continues a meere stranger in affection to the sweetnesse amiablenesse and excellency of Iesus Christ so it is impossible that Hee should bee acquainted with any sound spirituall comfort But I will suppose all to bee syncere and as it should bee Let mee advise Thee then to take notice of thine unadvisednesse 1. Thou art perhaps so full of the want of feeling such a stranger to so much expected and desired ioy and peace in believing and by consequent so drowned in the unnecessary distractions and distempers of a sad heart that thou utterly forgets to give thankes and magnifie Gods singular and incomprehensible mercy for illightening convincing and terrifying thy conscience offering his Sonne raising in thine heart an insatiable thirst after Him and giving Thee spirituall abilitie to rest thy weary Soule upon Him And who knowes not that unthankfulnesse keepes many good things from us and is an unhappy blocke in the way to intercept and hinder the comfortable influence and current of God favours and mercies from being showred downe so frankly and plentifully upon His people And Hee is more likely to bee the more provoked in this Case because thou suffers thine heart to bee lockt up and thy Tongue tied by Satans cunning and cruell malice from praysing the glory of Gods free grace for such a worke of wonder I meane that mighty Change of thine from nature to grace in extolling of which were all the hearts and tongues of all the Men and Angels in Heaven and Earth set on worke industriously thorow all eternitie they would still come infinitely short of that which is due and deserved 2. Or it may be when some One of a thousand upon thy complaint that no comfort comes doth seriously labour to settle thine heart in peace pressing upon Thee for that purpose invincible and unanswer-able Arguments out of the Word of Truth to open it wide that over-flowing Rivers of Evangelicall joyes which may spring to Him that is advised and believes the Prophets abundantly even from the weakest Faith to refresh and comfort it Telling thee that as thine humbled Soule learning upon Christ drawes much heavenly vertue mortifying power and sanctifying grace from him so it may and ought also to draw abundance of spirituall lightsomnesse from that ever-springing Fountaine of life c. Yet notwithstanding all this thou suffers some malicious counter-blasts and contrary suggestions of the Divell to disperse and frustrate all these well-grounded and glorious Messages And therefore it is just with God that thou fare the worse at his hands and fall short of thine expectation because thou gives more credit to the Father of Lyes then the Lord of Truth Sith thou spills all the Cordials that are tendered unto thee in the Name of Christ by His faithfull Physicions thou art deservedly destitute of comfort still Many in such Cases while Gods Messenger who can rightly declare His wayes unto them stands by opening and applying the rich treasures of Gods free mercy in the mysterie of the Gospell and with present replies repelling Satans cavils are reasonably well cheared and revived But when Hee is gone they very weakely and unworthily give way againe to that foule lying Fiend to cast a dis-comfortable mist over the tender eye of their weake Faith and to domineere as Hee did before Tell mee true If thou wert in doubt and distresse about thy temporall state Tenure of thy Lands soundnesse of thy evidence Wouldest thou advise with and take counsell from a Foole a Knaue and an enemy or wouldest Thou make choise of an honest wise understanding Friend I doubt not of thine Answer And wilt thou then so farre disparage divne truth gratifie Hell and hurt thine owne heart as in that waightiest Point of thy spirituall state to consult and resolve with the Divell a Liar a Murtherer and sworne enemy to Gods glory and thy Soules good And neglect God Himselfe blessed for ever speaking unto Thee out of His Word by that Minister which in such a Case durst not falsify or flatter Thee for a World of gold Shall many thousands of worldly-wise men give credit very readily and roundly to Dawbers with untempered morter upon a false and rotten foundation to the most certaine and eternall ruine of their Soules And shall not an humble and upright-hearted Man believe the Prophet upon good ground that the bones which the heavy burden of sinne hath broken may reioyce God forbid 3. Nay but suppose the Party bee truly humbled very thankefull resolute against all sinne labour to believe the Prophets c. And yet no comfort come I say then there is an other Duty expected at thy hands right pretious and pleasing unto God And that is waiting By which God would 1. Set yet a sharper edge and eagernesse more hungring and thirsting greater longing and panting after the ravishing sweetnesse of His comfortable presence with which melting earnest crying dispositions Hee
the Christian for the present into a most dark and dis-cōfortable condition I meane when the most wise God for some holy ends seeming good unto Himself retires for a time with-holds from the heart of his Childe the light of His countenance the beames of His favour and sense of His love Whereupon tho the roote of spirituall life the Habite of Faith and fundamentall power of salvation and eternall safty remaine still and sure in His Soule never to bee shaken or prevailed against no not by the very gates of Hell or concurrent forces and fury of all the powers of darknesse yet for the time Hee findes and feeles in Himselfe a fearefull deprivation and dis-continuance of the feeling and fruition of Gods pleased face exercise of Faith pardon of sinne inward peace joy in the holy Ghost cheerefulnesse in wel-doing and godly duties confidence in praier assurance of beeing in a saving state c. So that Hee may judge Himselfe to have been formerly an Hypocrite and for the present can very hardly or not at all difference and distinguish His wofull condition from that of a Cast-away This secret and wonderfull work of spirituall desertion doth God much exercise and practise upon His Children in many Cases for many Causes 1. Sometimes upon a re-ensnarement in some secret bosome-lust which was their Darling and delight in the daies of their rebellion Relapse into which Satan labours industriously to procure with much adoe by all His Devises For Hee gaines greatly thereby For so the New-Convert considering in cold blood what Hee hath done may be cast upon such complaints as these Alas what have I done now This pestilent old pollution which so wofully wasted my conscience in time past hath fearefully re-infected my newly washed Soule I have againe Woe is mee fallen into the abhorred Sodome of this foule sinne I have grieved that good spirit which was lately come to dwell in me All the former horrours charge afresh upon my heart from which I was happily freed even by some glimpses of heavenly joy I have wretchedly let goe my hold lost my peace broke my vowes and blessed communion with my God c. Ah! wretch that I am what shall I now doe And thereupon may fall upon a temptation of returning to His dis-avowed sensuall Delights out of this conceit As well over bootes as over shoes Doe what I can I see I can never hold out c. Or Hee may plunge into this slavish perplexity I dare not goe to God I have used Him so villanously after such immeasurable kindenesse and provoked the eies of his glory with such prodigious impurity after I was purged I dare not fall againe to good-fellowship and former courses lest I draw some remarkeable vengeance upon mee in the meane time and bee certainely damned when I have done So that Hee can neither take pleasure upon the right hand or the left Or which is most for my purpose and that which the Divell specially desires God therefore may hide His face from Him and leave Him to the darknesse of His own spirit so that He may for a long time walke on heavily starke lame in respect of those comfortable supporters of the Soule affiance hope spirituall joy peace of Conscience sense of Gods favour boldnesse in His waies courage in good causes delight in the company of the Saints c. Such a dampe also and desertion may come upon the Soule especially after a Fall into some new open scandalous sinne whereby not onely their owne Consciences within are grievously wounded but also for their sakes and sinne the Profession of Gods truth abroad scandalized and disgraced the common state of goodnesse questioned and traduced the heart and glory of Christianity hurt and distained David was thus dealt with in Gods just judgement after His monstrous and matchlesse fall Gods good Spirit had richly crowned His royall heart with abundance of sanctification and purity and had graciously filled Him aforetime with the fruits and feeling thereof and thereupon many heavenly deawes no doubt of spirituall joyes had many times sweetly refreshed His blessed Soule But by the hainous scandalousnesse of His hatefull fall Hee so grieved that good Spirit and turned the face of God from Him that Hee had neither sense of the comforts of the one nor of the favour of the other The spirituall life of his Soule the eie of His judgement light of conscience lightsomnesse in the holy Ghost and the whole grace of sanctification were so wasted dazeled confounded weakened raked under the ashes as it were and runne into the roote that hee speakes as if He had utterly lost them and so stoode in neede of a new infusion and creation thereof Psal. 51.10 But by the way conceive aright of Davids spirituall condition at this time Tho in his owne feeling and present apprehension Hee so complaines and cries out for a New creation as tho all were gone yet even when Hee was at the lowest and worst the Soule and substance that I may so speake of saving grace and salvation did abide still rooted and resident in his heart Which once emplanted by Gods omnipotent mercifull hand in an humble Soule and taking roote it there sticks fast for ever far more un-mooveable then a thousand Mount Zyons The blossoms buds and fruits may sometimes bee fouly cankerd as it were by our owne corruptions shrewdly nipt by the frost of some earthly affections blasted by sharper tempests of Satans temptations But the foundation standeth sure grounded and founded upon the unchangeable Nature of God and immutability of His counsell and therefore mauger the malice of all both mortall and immortall rage there is still life in the roote which in due season will spring out againe and grow up unto everlasting life To the present Instance All purity and cleannesse of heart was not utterly extinguisht and abolisht in David For 1. Some little at least was left which descried and discovered those spots and pollutions of filthinesse and impurity which had lately over-growne it For grace discovers corruption not nature A sensible complaint of hardnesse of heart and an earnest desire after softnesse is a Signe that the heart is not wholly hard A syncere crying out against impurity and hearty endeavour after purity argues the presence of the purifying Spirit 2. And how was this holy ejaculation Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within mee created but by the Spirit of grace and supplications Which blessed sanctifying Spirit was all the while rooted and resident in Davids heart by a saving existence there tho not so fully by an effectuall operation and exercise Divines about this Point consider First The infinite free and eternall love and favour towards His Childe with which whom Hee loves once Hee loves for ever The gifts and calling of God that is as best Interpreters affirme the Gifts of effectuall calling effects of His free
grace are such as God never repenteth of or taketh away Secondly His sanctifying Spirit which Hee gives unto Him Thirdly The habits of graces created in his heart by that blessed Spirit justification regeneration adoption Fourthly The feeling exercises and Acts of those graces with many sweet and glorious refreshings of spirituall joy springing thence The three first after wee bee once Christs are ours for ever The last may be suspended and surcease for a time 3. By way of interpretation in the latter part of the verse Hee calleth the creation of the grace of Sanctification in his heart a renovation and raysing thereof to the same degree wherein it was in former time 4. Hee cries unto the Lord Not to take His holy Spirit from Him vers 11. And therefore that blessed spirit was not gone It were very absurd and incongruous to desire the not taking away of that thing which wee have not Hee certainely hath the holy Spirit which heartily desires Hee may not bee taken from Him Davids desire then of a cleane heart did not argue that it was utterly uncleane and wholly turned into a lumpe of filth Sanctity and cleannesse of heart is never cleane extingvished in any One once truly Sanctified it was not in David in Peter But He was so earnest after it First Because that little which was left was scarce or not at all sensible in His spirituall distresse where the glory of the Sunne hath lately been the succession of a candles light is little worth Secondly And because now Hee vehemently thirsteth after a great deale more then He presently had Learned and Rich men thinke themselves not learned and rich in respect of what they desire When the Sunne begins to peepe up wee gaze no longer at starres Gods comforting Spirit began a little to warme His heart againe whereupon Hee grew so eager and greedy of that heavenly heate that Hee thinkes his heart Key-cold except it â—lame to the height That dampe and darkenesse of Spirit into which He was fallen by reason of His grievous Fall had So frozen His affections with disconsolate deadnes and heavines of heart that a little glimpse of spirituall life and lightsomenesse is presently swallowed up as it were and devoured and serves but onely to Set an edge to his desire to whet his stomack and stirre up His appetite after a more full and further fruition of those comfortable graces and woonted communion with His God a re-tast and returne whereof is so sweet and deare unto His Soule Take heede then that you doe not mistake When I speake of a spirituall desertion I meane it not either in respect of a totall or finall dereliction and forsaking on Gods part or a totall and finall falling away on the Saints side to hold such an Apostacy were a fearefull Apostacy But onely in respect of the exercise and operation of grace of present sense and feeling as I said before Life lies still in the roote and upon the first breaking out of the heavenly and healing beames upon the Soule from the Sun of righteousnes returning in mercy puts forth againe and prospers David being astonied as they say with a mighty blow of temptation As Bernard resembles it lay for a time as it were in a Swoune But upon the voyce of the Prophet sounding in his eare Hee awaked and came to Himselfe As wee see in heated water the aire 's blowing upon it doth recover and reduce it to it 's former naturall coldnesse by the aide of that little remainder of refrigerating power which is originally rooted in that Element So by the awaking of the North wind and comming of the South I meane the blessed Spirits breathing afresh upon Davids heart Scorched dangerously with the fire of lust by stirring up and refreshing the retired and radicall power of grace that immortall Seede of God never to be lost did sweetly and graciously bring it againe to it's former spirituall comfortable temper and constitution 2. Sometimes the Lord may for a time retire the light of His countenance and sense of His graces from His Child that Hee may bee driven thereby to take a new and more exact revise a more serious thorow-survay of His youthfull sinnes of that darke and damned time which Hee wholly spent upon the Devill and so put againe as it were into the pangs of His New-birth that Christ may bee more perfectly formed in Him That Hee may againe behold with feare and trembling the extreme loathsomnesse and aggravated guilt of His old abominable lusts and so renewing His sorrow and repairing repentance grow into a further detestation of them a more absolute divorce from His insinuating Minion-delight and bee happily frighted afresh and fired for ever from the very garment spotted of the flesh and all appearance of evill That upon this occasion Hee may make a new inquisition and deeper search into the whole state of His conscience severall passages of His conversation and every corner of His heart and so for the time to come more carefully cut off all occasions of sinne and with more resolution and watchfulnesse oppose and stand at staves end with every lust passion distraction in holy duties entisements to relapse spirituall lazinesse lukewarmenesse worldlinesse c. with greater severity to crucifie our corruptions and ever presently and impartially execute the law of the Spirit against the rebellions of His flesh This it may seeme was one end of Iobs spirituall affliction in this kind In cap. 13.23 He is earnest and importunate with God to know what be those iniquities transgressions and sins which had turned His face and favour from Him in that fearefull manner as tho Hee was a meere stranger or rather a profest enemy unto His Majesty And Hee presently apprehends the burden and bitternesse of the iniquities of His youth Thou writest saith Hee bitter things against mee and makes mee possesse the iniquities of my youth At all such times when God thus hides His face from us and leaves us to the darkenesse of our owne Spirits the sins of our youth are woont to lie most heavy upon our hearts exact at our hands a more speciall renewing increase and perfecting of penitent sorrow For they are acted with the very strength of corruption in the heate of sensuality and height of rebellion Hence it was that even David Himselfe cries out Remember not the sinnes of my youth and so doth many moe many times with much bitternesse of Spirit It is so then that God may deale â—hus in mercy even with His dearest Servants Especially if penitent griefe and trouble of conscience in their conversation were not in some good measure answerable to their former abominable liâ—e and sinnefull provocations if they have been extraordinary sinners and but ordinary sorrowers for sinne if they were formerly furious in the service of Satan and now but something faint-hearted in standing on Gods side If heretofore they marched impetuously
concerning the Man that trusteth in God if the fire hath proclaimed it selfe unable as much as to singe an haire of His head If Lyons beasts ravenous by nature and keene with hunger beeing set to devoure have as it were religiously adored the very flesh of the faithfull Man what is there in the World that shall change His heart overthrow His faith alter his affection towards God or the affection of God to Him Nay and besides sith I onely understand a temporary passive Desertion I must suppose it in Him also who sees full well and doth acknowledge from whence Hee is fallen is very sensible of His spirituall losse afflicted much with the absence of the quickning and comforting influence of grace and grieved at the heart-roote that Hee cannot doe His God service and performe holy duties with that life power and lightsomnesse as Hee was woont and thereupon resolves to give no rest unto His discontented Soule from cries complaints and groanes untill Gods face and favour bee turned towards Him againe and bring with it former feelings and fruitfulnesse now so highly prized and heartily praied for Which blessed behaviour doth clearely difference Him from the Back-slider a truly miserable and right wofull Creature indeede who insensibly falles from his forwardnesse first love intimate fellowship with the Saints and all lively use and exercise of the ordinances and divine duties and yet is never troubled to any purpose neither doth chalenge or judge Himselfe for it at all For wee are to know that the presence of spirituall weakenesses decaies and wants and absence of due dispositions accustomed feelings and former abilities of grace onely then argue a Backslider and are evill signes of a dangerously declining Soule when they are willingly carried without remorse or taking much to heart without any eager desire or earnest endeavour after more heate and heavenly mindednesse A Christian may be without Gods gratious presence and comfortable exercise of grace in present feeling and yet no Forsaker of God but rather left of Him for a time His heavenly wisedome for some secret holy ends so disposing while by grieving striving strong desires Hee unfainedly thirsts after and seriously pursues his former acceptation and forwardnesse Here then is comfort God hath hid his face from thee for a season and thou art left to the darknesse and discomforts of thine owne spirit and thereupon art grievously dejected thinkes thy Selfe utterly undone yet take notice that In a spirituall Desertion properly so called thou doest not willingly forsake God but God forsakes Thee or rather as Divines truly speake seemes to forsake Thee For Hee dealeâ— with Thee in this Case as a Father with His Childe who sometimes upon purpose still loving Him extremely hides Himself from Him as tho He were quite gone to make it discover and manifest it's love unto Him by longing seeking and crying after Him And that for excellent ends and ever for thy endlesse comfort first To trie whether Thou wilt trust in Him tho He slay Thee as Iob did Every Cock-boate can swim in a River every Sculler saile in a Calme In ordinary gusts any man of meaner skill and lesser patience can steere aright and hold up the head But when the blacke tempest comes a tenth wave flowes One deepe calls an other when the tumultuous darkenesse of the sky the roaring of that restlesse Creature represents terrible things and Heaven and earth are blundered together as it were with horrible confusions when nature yeelds spirits faint hearts faile then to stand upright and unshaken then to say with David I will not feare tho the earth bee removed and tho the mountaines bee carried into the middest of the Sea Tho the waters thereof roare and bee troubled tho the Mountaiâ—es shake with the swelling thereof Selah I say thatâ—s the Man which is found at the heart-roote indeede and steele to the backe and then is the invincible might and incomparable valour of Faith made knowne with a witnesse who ever hath Gods sure Word for the Compasse and the Lord Iesus at the Helme Then doth this glorious grace shine and triumph above nature sense reason worldly wisedome the arme of flesh and the whole Creation In such desperate extremities and sorest trials it shewes it selfe like the Adamant that nothing will breake the Palme tree that yeelds not to the waightiest burden the Shoote-Anchor that holds when other tacklings breake the oile that ever over-swims the greatest quantity of water we can poure upon it And with this improovement of the extraordinary power of faith God is exceedingly well-pleased and highly honoured Secondly To en-ure thee to patience obedience and submission to His blessed Will in every thing even extremest sufferings if Hee so please Thirdly To worke in Thee a deeper detestation of sinne and further divorce from the world Fourthly To quicken improove and exercise some speciall graces extraordinarily Thou didst hide thy face saith David and I was troubled Then I cried unto Thee O Lord c. Then was the spirit of praier put to it indeede and so was the grace of patience waiting and the like Fifthly To cause thee to prize more dearely and to keepe more carefully when it comes againe Gods glorious presence and the quickning influence of His grace and comfort Wee never apprehend the worth and excellency of any thing so well as by the want of it The un-interrupted secure enjoyment of the best things and even those that please us best without vicissitude and enter change is woont to breed such cheapnes and satiety and so dulls the Soules appetite that it is neither so affected with their pretious sweetnesse nor thankfully â—â—vished with the present possession of them as it ought Health is then highly valewed when sicknesse hath made us sensible of such a Iewell wee then rellish our food extraordinarily when wee have fasted longer then ordinary Rest doth then refresh us most when our bodies have been tired and over-travelled Sixthly To make thee conformable in some measure to Christs immeasurable spirituall sufferings Seventhly To manifest and make illustrious His mightinesse and mercy in thy deliverance and the power of Christs resurrection Wilt thou shew wonders to the Dead saith Heman Shall the dead arise and praise thee Selah Those whom the mercifull hand of God hath lifted up out of the depth of a spirituall desertion will easily acknowledge it as omnipotent a worke and wonder as to pull out of the mouth of Hell and raise a dead man out of the grave Eighthly To represent unto thee the difference of thy condition in this life and that which is to come This is our time of nurture not of Inheritance Here wee walke by faith not by sight Wee live by faith not by feeling In this vale of teares wee are killed all the day long But heavenly glimpses of unspeakeable and glorious ioy and spirituall ravishments of Soule are seldome and short Their
sanctified unto her that it was a furtherance to a better grace namely to repentance and selfe-deniall and base esteeme of her selfe And I call repentance a better grace then ioy because howsoever ioy is a most excellent gift of the Spirit yet unto us repentance is more profitable For I make no question but that a mourning Christian may bee saved without ravishing ioy and that Christ may wipe away his his teares in heaven but no Christian shall bee saved without repentance and selfe-deniall For instance The darkenesse of our Spirits in spirituall desertions sets our Faith on worke extraordinarily In such a Case it hath recourse with more love and longing to all the fountaines of life The Person and Passion of Christ all the Promises Gods free grace His sweet Name and survaies them more seriously searches and sounds them to the bottome that by some meanes at least it may subsist and hold up the head in such an evill time and amongst so many terrours and boisterous tempests It is now put to the improvement of the very utmost of all it 's heavenly vigour and valour and inforced to put forth it 's highest and most heroicall Act even to cleave fast to the sure Word of God against all sense and feeling against all terrours tricks of Satan and temptations to the contrary And by this extraordinary exercise and wrastling it is notably strengthened and steeled for the time to come For as sloth idlenesse and want of exercise doth much emasculate and make our bodies more unactive and unable but hard-ship agitation and imployment doth much quicken and fortifie them So it is in the present Point Without oppositions and assault Faith langvisheth and lies hid but when stormes and spirituall troubles are towards it stirres up it selfe gathers it's strength and forces together casts about for subsidiary assistance by prayer Ministeriall counsell meditation upon speciall promises for the purpose experimentall recounting former deliverances mercies and favours upon our selves and others c. And so becomes farre more excellent and victorious for future incounters It furthers also Repentance In respect of first Sight of sins For thorow the glasse of spirituall Affliction we see more and them more monstrously vile The clouds of inward trouble especially unite as it were and collect the sight of our soules and so represent our sinnes more to the life and in their true colours where as the glistering of prosperity is wont to disperse and dazle it Secondly Of sense wee are then more apprehensive of divine wrath and weight of sinne when wee are terrified but with a taste of those immeasurable Seaes of bitternesse and terrour which it infinitely merits at the hands of God Thirdly Of hatred and opposition wee then grow into a more hearty loathing of that sweet meat which wee are too apt to tumble into our mouth hide under our tongue when wee feele it accompanied with such sower sauce and turned into gall and gravell within us Wee shall afterwards bee farre more watchfull and afraid to give entertainement or warmth in our bosomes to those Vipers which have so bitten and stung us It makes Selfe-deniall more resolute and thorow For the dearest and most desirable things of this life compared with Christ were never viler dung in our esteeme then at such a time Wee then finde that most true That tho all the Starres shine never so bright yet it is still night because the Sunne is gone But the alone presence of that Prince of light creates a comfortable and glorious day though never a Starre appeare So let us enjoy the Lord Iesus and no matter tho all the creatures in the World bee turned into Beares or Divels about us But if hee withdraw himselfe and the light of his countenance set out of our sight the confluence of all the comforts the whole Creation can afford will doe us no good at all It quickneth notably our New-obedience In respect of first Holinesse towards God and reverent heavenly behaviour about the first Table A generall taste and triall whereof wee may take by comparing Marriners in a storme and arrived in the Haven Prisons with Theaters Burialls with Banquets Beds of sickenesse and expectation of death with strength of youth and prosperous health and which is punctuall for my purpose fits of temptation with times of spirituall wellfare For as in the one state wee may observe too much presumption and putting farre from us the evill day forgetfulnesse of God security and sloth so in the other Trouble danger and distresse much alter the Case Wee shall then see them bitterly bewayling their former sinnes trembling in the dust seeking early Gods face and favour falling to prayer vowing better obedience and promising upon deliverance much holinesse and a happy change What mighty groanes of spirit proceede from the deserted in such a Case which are the strongest praiers tho in that agony they falsely complaine that they cannot pray How greedy are they of godly conference counsell and comfort out of the Word daies of humiliation of the most searching Sermons godliest company presence and praiers of the precisest Ministers How fearefull are they to heare any worldly talke upon the Lords day How sensible of the least sinne any dishonour of God and all appearance of evill In a word how busie are they about that One necessary thing Secondly Of compassionatenesse towards others Selfe-sufferings soften mens hearts towards their Brethren Personall miseries makes them pittifull and painefull to afford all possible help in times of distresse Experience of our owne weakenesses wants danger to sinke under the waves of Gods wrath and dis-ability to subsist by our selves begets a sweet mildnesse and gentle behaviour towards our neighbours whose assistance visitation and praiers wee now see wee stand in need of in extremities and evill times Prosperity is apt of it selfe to produce scornefulnesse insolency selfe-confidence and contempt of others But Gods hand upon us especially in afflictions of Soule teacheth us another lesson to wit how fraile weake and unworthie wee are Thirdly Of selfe-knowledge In times of peace and calmenesse looking thorow the false spectacles of selfe-love and conceitednesse we are ready to over-weene and out-prize our gifts to mistake shadowes for substances smallest Mites of vertues for richest talents the infant beginnings of grace for tallnesse in Christ But remove these deceiving glasses and let the touchstone of some sorer triall represent our selves unto our selves and wee shall more clearely see our spirituall abilities in their true nature and proportion Then all unsound semblances of selfe-conceited sufficiencies and former flourishes of unhumble assurance which like gilded Papers or Posts shewing gloriously in the Sunshine and seeming pure gold in outward appearance will vanish quite away and come to nothing in the fire of spirituall afflictions Then the weaknesse of our too much vaunted of Christian valour will bee discovered unto us and acknowledged of us when wee are put to wrastle
am moâ— chatus est eam incorde suo hoc est dicere Qui dat operam in venusta corpora curiosiùs intueri decoras aucupari facies talÃque animam spectaculo pascere obscoenos pulchris etiam vultibus oculos assigere Chrys. in Matth. 5. Hom. 17. q Bellarmines Death by C.I. a Iesuite p. 343. r Not much unlike the Pharisie Luk. 18. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers s If Bellarmine was so notoriously holy how came it to passe that amongst the rest hee lâ—t fall also this speech For my selfe I shall thinke it no small fauour to bee sure of Purgatory and there to remaine a good while in those flames that must purge and cleanse the spots of mine offences and satisfie the just wrath and justice of Almighty God pag. 372. I know very well what Bellarmine concludeth de Purgatorio lib. 2. cap. 2. sect ult purgatorium pro ijs tantùm esse Qui cum venialibus culpis moriuntur Et rursum pro illis qui decedunt cum reatu poenae culpis jam remissis But yet sith the Pontificians teach that veniall sinnes may bee taken away in this life by knocking the breast by the Bâ—shops blessing by onely entring into an hallowed Church by being sprinkled with holy water by other such easie remedies See Azor. Tom 1 Lib. 4. c. 11. Sect. quint. quaeritur 7. Cartw. against the Rhem. pag. 30. Vsher in his Answer to a Iesuites challenge pag. 178. What extreme madnesse possessed this man who would not prevent those horrid flames by so many â—ost easie obvious meanes t He said the Pater noster and Ave Maria And he said distinctly the Psalme Miserere to the end And he said the Creed all thorow As though meere saying did sanctifie and save Resting upon opus operatum the worke wrought is an horrible popish imposture empoysoning all their supposed religious services When it ringeth to the Ave Maria saith Ledesma Christian doctrine pag. 35. Wee may obtaine indulgence by saying at the first Toll Angelus Domini c. at the second Toll Ecce Ancilla Domini c. at the third Toll Et verbum caro factum est c. Is not here sweet worke Prodigious foppery When I reade such passages in learned men I am extraordinarily amazed their strange infatuation and ever receive satisfaction from that 2. Thes. 2. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie If this curse were not justly upon Bellarmine Ledesma and the rest it were impossible that ever they should have made such transcendent fooles of themselves by writing and beleeving so sottishly and ridiculously u The last words of those Matth. 7.22 were Lord Lord and yet Christ in that day shall professe unto them I never knew you x For hee fasted prayed gave almes Matth. 6. and tithes of all that hee possessed which even formall services would seeme to our ignorant Iusticiaries too much forwardnes x I knew a man a meere stranger to Iesus Christ both in knowledge and practise and yet not visibly notorious Who pleasing himselfe many yeeres that he was not noted to bee extraordinarily naught upon a time was suddenly set upon by some drunken companions made drunk Whereupon in cold blood he tooke on extremely and was very much grieved As evidently appeared by his not sleeping many nights together and by the troublednesse of his countenance Hee came to a Minister cryed out against himselfe and those who ensnared him that after so many yeeres sobriety he should bee so shamefully overtaken c. Hee was counselled upon this occasion to make a full and further search into his heart and life and so proceede to a sound and saving repentance c. But the ground of his griefe being specially shame of his fact amongst his neighbourâ— after the nine nights wonder of his being drunke was over Hee was where hee was before Now had the Minister ministred comfort hand over head at the first sight and drawne over a skinne without any further search tho the man might bee undone both wayes yet by so doing Hee should have been justly liable to that fearefull woe denouâ—â—ed against them who strengthen the hands of the wicked that Hee should not returne from His wicked way by promising Him life But dealing faithfully He delivered His owne Soule y Morbilateralis nota sunt dolor punctorius difficilis spiratio febris continua tussis pulsus serratilis Piso de Morb. Cogn Cur. lib. 2 cap 7. * Indefinita Propositio valet universalem in materiâ necessariâ Paulus ab Eitzen lib. 2. pag. 116. a Some thinke it onely an action But that Phrase Zech. 12.10 Of powring the Spirit of grace meaning Repentance upon the House of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem seemes to argue it to be a quality or infused gift so as Faith and Charity are So also that Phrase of giving Repentance Act. 5.31 and 11.18 For if God give it wee receive it Now wee cannot properly bee said to receive an action which wee doe but the power gift or grace whereby we doe it That speech also Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruit meet for repentance shewes that Repentance it selfe is not an outward action but an inward grace to bee expressed in outward actions Dike of Repentance cap. 1. b It is the inward and habituall Repentance the inward frame bent and disposition of the Soule that God respects more then the outward Act as wee may see by that of David Psalm 32.5 I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin The inward purpose and disposition of Davids heart to repent was sufficient to moove God to forgive His sin before His outward actuall and particular Repentance was expressed Prynne of the Perpetuity of a Regen mans estate In his Answ. to Arg. 24. c Id quod primùm omnium operatur in nobis sitim hanc ac desiderium hoc gratiae est sensus peccati ac miseriae nostrae Rolloc in Iohan cap. 7. pag. 474. d The Lord will not part from any drop of His mercy to them which fâ—â—st have not been swallowed up of His judgemeâ—ts which have not laboured and been heavy laden which have not been locked up in Hell for a season and felt for a time the fire therof in their bones which have not been Baptised with the Baptisme of their owne teares Hee that feeles not these things in some measure here elsewhere Hee shall feele them Grâ—â—â—â—ham pag. 2. cap. 32. Edis 3. e Hîc refelluntur qui peccatorum veniam se consequnturos non dubitant modò unius horae quadrantem quo Deum invocent nacti fuerint Cum hoc in loco Deus se noÌ„ ex audituruÌ„ dicat si à mane ad vesperam eum inclamitent Hos etiam toto
aut aegrotant morbis cùm animi tuÌ„ corporis fracti nunquam sanè convenâ—t Pastores ecclesiarum saluti suae gregis invigilare accuratiùs quà m in huiusmodi morbis infirmitatibus Harmon conf pa. 1. Helvet Conf. cap. 25. pag. 80. q Vpon Psal 22. pag. 5. r Voisin said unto Him that hee had too much care of his Body which was no more his owne Hee turned to Him in choller with an oath saying I will not have him meaning the Executioner touch mee so long as I shall bee living if they put mee into choller I will strangle half the company that is here and will force the rest to kill me I will leape downe if you thrust mee into despaire History of France pag. 1049. Sicut autem per omnem calamitatem protervè se atque impatientèr gesserat sic vel tum maximè aspecta truci ac pene sâ—â—ente vâ—ce verbis deniqâ—e totogestu animi in pocentiamindicans 〈◊〉 ad praestandam accincturo sese operam accedere volentem minis ne se tangeret absterâ—â—tt circumspiciens undique tanquam gladium si vidisset arrepturus Specul Tragiâ— pag. 187.188 s Siquidem multis presbyteratus committitur dispensatio seâ— ron omnes pariter commissae dispensationis inserviâ—nt Ministerio Alius eâ—uidem commodis praesentibus que sâ—a sunc non quae Iesu Christi exquirens inexplebiliter inbiatâ— alius praepeâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 suffocatur ex ignorantiâ tamen ignorans ignorabitur alius ve 〈…〉 tempâ—s explorat respondet que probati vita 〈…〉 Ministery Ex his vocandi sunt si noveris peritiores cuâ—â—â—â—ores Si 〈◊〉 morbis corporum Medici probatiores exquiruntur quantò magis spiritalibus animarum putredinibus adhibendi sunt Medici subtiliores si dici liceat spiritaliores August Tom. 9. p. 2. De visitatione infirmorum lib. 2. cap. 7. An hundred to one then These Ones of a thousand are never to bee found amongst worldly-minded and ambitious Ministers negligent Ministers or those that are ignorant But amongst the most skilfull searching and spirituall of such as are faithfull As appeares by this ancient Passage in Austin u Spiritualis benedictio duplex est una imperfecta manca aliera perfecta plena omniáque spiritualia dona compleâ—iens Illâ—i priori multi etiam reprobi donantur Talis enim benedictio est Fides temporaria aliqua vera Dei cognitio gustus aliquis Spiritus Sancti aliquod initium honestae vitae id genus alia Dei dona De quibus Apostolus scripsit ad Heb 6. Zanchius in 1. ad Eph. v. 3. Some Temporaries besides profession are mooved at the Word affected with some kindes of griefe at such Doctrines as serve to moove griefe and joy in that that mooves joy yea also reforme many things cut away outward evils take up many good duties publike yea and private yet fall short Men may have great knowledge assent Profession yea excellent gifts and shewes of every grace and goe a great way to the deceiving of themselves and many others and yet for want of particular apprehension of Christ they are not planted into Him have no sap of grace and sanctification Master Rogers of Dedham in His Doctrine of Faith cap. 1. pag. 8.9 x Matth. 13.20 y Heb. 6.5 z Thousands lose their Soules by thinking lesse will serve the turne then wil. If One would buy a Iewell of five hundred pounds and will give but foure hundred for it hee might as well bid nothing Nay the doing something in Christianity and not going thorow-stitch hardens a Man by accident Where were there nothing but notoriousnesse it might serve to humble us Because Satan cannot keepe us quite from Religion Hee deales with us as wee with our children when they cry for pieces of gold wee still them with Counters and Rattles DIP. Many a man loseth a great deale of labour and his soule too for want of a little more added A small thing parts God and them Many a time they lose heaven for one lust as Iudas for his covetousnesse God hath set downe that hee will not abate a haires breadth of his price and they thinke they offer faire and will goe no further if this will doe it they will goe on with their bargaine else not c. Tho the Temporary offer faire yet hee will not come up to the Lords price O bee not so unwise lose not all this labour you have taken in hearing reading praying professing and it may bee have been called Puritan and been hated for your well-doing and yet lose your soule for a little more Master Rogers of Dedham Doctrine of Faith cap. 1. pag. 13.14 How neere come some that yet shall never have Christ and salvation They lose Heaven for some lust If they could but yeeld up that One thing that was wanting it might have been a bargaine Ibid. cap. 2. pag. 188. Exod. 10.26 a As Divines affirme that an Hypocrite may have shewes of every grace See Master Rogers of Dedham Doctr. of Faith cap. 2. pag. 8. And doe outwardly all things which true Christians doe See Perkins in his Treatise How farre a Reprobate may goe and feigne whatsoever Gods children doe faithfully Novimus hypocritas ea fingere comnia quae fideles verè efficiunt Chamier Tom. 3. lib. 13. cap. 20. sect 5. So I doubt not but Hee may represent outwardly even the dejections complaints and sad behaviours of One truly troubled in Conscience And that so cunningly that He may for a while deceive judicious Ministers Some Painters have had such a gift in the lively expressing of the formes of Birds and other Beasts that true Birds and living Beasts have been deceived in taking them for their Mates But the Hypocrite puts downe the Painter for by his glozing and glistering shewes in all outward workes hee doth so perfectly resemble the true Christian that hee deceiveth not as the Painter silly Birds but reasonable Men yea learned and experienced Christians Dike in his Discovery of the deceitfulnesse of Mans heart cap. 2 pag. 29. Nay may hee not therein out-goe them As false gold in glistering goes beyond true and hired mourners in lamentation beyond the deceased Parties owne friends and fawning flatterers in outward complements of friendship beyond true friends themselves So may Hypocrites in outward workes seeme to carry it away from the soundest Christians Ibid. b Revel 12.9 c Hypoc iâ—a hoc est histrio vocatur is qui in Theatro aâ—enam personam sumit sic in hac vitâ ad suos mores orchestras atque theatrum exercâ—nt 〈◊〉 qui alia corde gerentes alia exirmsecùs hominibus prae seâ—serunt Basil. Serm. 2. De â—e junio d For peccare de Dei creatoris clementiâ praesumere pelago iustitiae eius exponi est Gregor in 1. Reg. c. 3. Nec putent satis sibi esse ut sua peccata displiceant nisi etiam vigilantissimâ deinceps intentione vitentur nec in eis vitandis vires
promises from them But rather in admiration of Gods wonderfull goodnesse mercy and compassion upon such unworthy wretches to give glory unto God in Believing and accepting this mercy so freely offered which they must â—oe before they shall see such a thorow change of heart and life in them as they earnestly dâ—sirâ— and for want wâ—â—â—eof they thinke 〈…〉 not to be 〈…〉 is to such if 〈…〉 onely yet 〈…〉 let and 〈…〉 in faith 〈…〉 son it by these his 〈…〉 draw them 〈…〉 tho weakly yet tâ—â—ly to stay 〈◊〉 â—poÌ„ Gods great 〈◊〉 so revealed to 〈◊〉 then assuredly shall they see and 〈◊〉 this change in their 〈◊〉 that they know not what to say or thinke of Gods mercy in pardoning such as they feele themselves to bee This cannot but breed an unfained love in them to God with an earnest desire and true purpose to glorifie Him which bee the chiefe â—arts of an holy life and surest proofes of saving Faith which can no more want these then true fire can want heate tho too many carnall Gospellers thinke otherwise and so miserably perish Culverw Of Faith pag. 220. d 2. Chro. 6.27 e I must bring unto the receiving of Christ an empty hand That it may be of grace God will make us let fâ—ll every thing before wee shall take hold of Him Tho qualified wiâ—â— humiliation I must let all fall not trusting unto it as to make mee worthier to receive Christ as some thinke I say when thus at first for my justification I receive Him I must let fall any thing I have to lay hold on Him that so Hee may finde mee in my sâ—â—t as it were in my blood D. O. f Matth. 11.28 1. Ioh. 3.23 Revel 3.18 g Thou wilt keepe Him in perfect peace whose 〈◊〉 is stayed on thee because Hee trusteth in Thee Isai. 26 3. Is stayed on Thâ—e or leaneth upon Thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nixus innixus fuit incuâ—uit Buxtorf Fides illa proprie 〈…〉 quâ incumbimus in ChristuÌ„ ad remissionem peccatorum salâ—tem Amesius Medal Theolog. lib. 1. cap. 27. Sect. 27. Credere in Deum est credendo 〈◊〉 rere Deo inniti Deo ac qui esâ—ere in Deo tanquam in vitâ ac salute nostrâ omnisuffiâ—iente Deut 30.20 Adhaerendo â—i Nam ipse est vita tua Idem Lib. 1 Cap. 3. Sect. 15. Adhaerendo A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haesit adhaesit Buxtor Quòd verò fiducia dicitur fructus fidei verum id est de fiduciâ— pro ut râ—spiciâ— Deum in futurum est spes firma sed pro ut respicit Deum in Christo in praesentiâ— se offerentem est ipsa fides Idem Ibid. Sect. 21. h Many despaire of helpe because of their owne unworthinesse as tho there were no hope of Gods mercy except wee bring in our gift and pawne in our hands to Him But this were to discredit the Lords mercies and to bring into credit our merits and rather to binde the Lord unto us then us unto Him But if our sinnes bee great our redemption is greater Tho our merits bee beggerly Gods mercy is a rich mercy c. Greenham in his Grave Counsels pag. 9. * Ioh. 1.12 Ephes. 3.19 Ioh. 1.16 11.25 a Faith and the purpose of sinning can never stand together Perkins Graine of Muster-seed Conclu 6. b Si tùm pendeat ex nudo quast Dei verbo promissione sanè quà m potest maximè Deum honorat id quod â—ecisse Abrahamum legimus qui contra spem subspe credidit Deum quod promiserat potuissè etiam sacere ac proindegloriam Deo tribuisse dicitur Voluit hominem ex sensu imperfectionis insâ—mitatis ac miseriae suae perpetuò per fidem Christi confugere ad gratuitas ili â—â— promissiones in Christo Iesu ab illis prorsùs pendere eâ quippe re existimavit sese quà m maxime gloriâ—icari Iâ—llitiailla Christi aeterna nobis imputata maior est iustitiâ hominem Angelorum omnium vita quae est ex iliá nâ—stitiâ maior est vitâ câ— quae fuisset ex institiâ operum si fing as Adamum perstitisse in illo statu innocentiae in quo tumprimùm creatus est Rolloc in Iohan. cap. 3. c Impios extremae blasphemiae reos facit quia Deum mendacij arguunt Certè Deo nihil pretiosius est quà m sua veritas quare nùlla illi atrocior iniuria fieri potest quà m dum hoc honore spoliatur Ergò ut nos ad credendum incitet argumentum à contrario sumit Nam si Deum facere mendacem horribilis est execranda impietas quia tunc quod illi maximè proprium est eripitur quis non horreat fidem Evangelio derogare in quo Deus unice verax fidelis vult haberi Mirantur aliqui cur tantoperè Deus fidem commendet cur tam severè damnetur incredulitas Atqui hîc vertitur summa Dei gloria Nam cum praecipuum veritatis suae specimen in Evangelio edere voluerit nihil illi faciunt reliquum quicunque oblatum illic Christum respuunt Calv. in loc Insignitèr Deum iniurijs contumelijs afficiunt qui de verbis eius dubitant credere morantur Magnus Dei cultus fides magna in Deum blasphemia incredulitas Naogeor Ibid. d Deus est misericors suâ aeternâ simplici essentiâ non autem qualitate aliquâ non affectu non passione Polan Syntag. Theol lib. 2. cap. 23. Quia Deus naturaliter diligit clementiam ideò tam facilis est ad ignoscendum peccatoribus Calv. in Michaeam cap. 7. e Misericordia Dei melli iustitia verò aculeo comparatur Bern. f Cogita scintillam si in mare ceciderit non poterit stare aut apparere Quantum scintilla ad mare se habet tantum hominis malitia ad Dei clementiam pictatémque imò verò non tantum modò sed lonè suprà Nam pelagus tamet si magnum sit mensuram recipit Dei verò clementia pictas mensuram non habet Haec dicam non quò vos desidiores sed promptiores reddam Chrys. Tom. 5. De Poenit. g Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem Vide quà m citò dicitur quantum valet Deus est Pater est Deus potestate Pater bonitate Quà m felices samus qui Dominum nostrum Patrem invenimus Credamus ergò in cum omnia nobis de ipsius â—â—sericordiâ promittamus Quia oâ—nipotens est ideò in Deum Patrem omnipotentem credimus Nemo dicat non potest mihi dimittere peâ—â—ata Quomodo non potest omnipotens Sed dicis ego multum peccavi Et ego dico sed ille omâ—ipotens est Et tu Ego taâ—a peccata com nisi unde liberari mundari non pussum Respoâ—â—ieo sed ille omnis oteâ—â— est Ad hec nobis est erus omnipotentia necessaria August De temp Scrip. 119. h Quemadmodum igitur si quis in carâ—eris
cusâ—odiam 〈◊〉 nammos ob dâ—â—edâ—â—entem conijciaâ— neque â—osum solum sed cum illa propter illum simâ—lâ—â—orem liberos fâ—mâ—los vâ—mâ—is verò aliuâ— qui â—ptam qui non solu solâ—at dicem illos nummâ—â— sâ—â—t iâ—â—â—mera 〈◊〉 talenta largiatur vinctâ—mque in regâ—lem auâ—am inducat in 〈…〉 honoâ—â—◠〈…〉 is â—â—eneâ—ator 〈…〉 â—â—gere iâ—a 〈◊〉 factum 〈…〉 siquiten 〈…〉 debeamus Christus pronobis solvit tantoque plura quanto guttâ—hâ—m exigâ—am pâ—lâ—gus excilli â—m ensum Noli itaque dissidere O homo cùm 〈◊〉 honorum aâ—râ—â—ias vtaeâ—s nâ—que solâ—â—tas inquiras quomodò scintillula illa mortis atque peccati toâ—tosit donorum sâ—perinducto maâ—i soluta extincia Chrys. Hom. â—1 in 5. and Rom. Satanta inaequalitus prelij redempâ—â— quanta immensi maris umus guttulae quorsùm supplemtatum meritorum c Chamiâ—â— Tom. 3. pag. 249. i Concedimus satisfactionis dignitatemoriâ—i à Personá satisfaciente ideo â—ue satisfactionem Christi maximae imò infinitae dignitatis esse Idem Ibid. pa. 245. Philip. 4.7 1. Pet. 1.8 1. Cor. 2.9 * Master Rogers of Dedham k Sed videte qualis debet esse poenitentia quia multi assidâ—è se duâ—nt esse peccatores tamen adhuc illos delectat peccare Professio est non emendatio Accusatur anima non sanatur Pronunciatur Offensa non tollitur Poetentiam certam non facit nisi odium peccati amor Dei. Quandosiâ— poeâ—â—tes ut tibi amarum sapiat in animo quod ante dulâ—e fuit in vitâ quod te prius oblectabaâ— in corpore ipsum te cruciat in mente c. August de Temp. Serm. 7. * QuantuÌ„ inter tranquillissimuÌ„ interest portum mare tempestuosum atque incommodum Chrysost. ** Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of His servant that walketh in darkenesse and hath no light Let Him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isai. 50.10 Here it appeares that one which truly feares God may walk in darkenesse and have no light of coâ—fort And that such an One may bee certainely saved by staying upon â—is God By leaning upon Him as One leanes upon a staâ—fe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 niti inniti incumbere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incumbebat hastae suae nitebatur super hastam suam 2 Sam. 1.6 Bâ—xtor l Those that are afflicted in conference because they want assuâ—rance of salvation have no cause of despaire or of discouragement as long as with an heavy loaden soule hungring for mercy they trust in Christ and cast themselves wholly upon His merits for salvation according to the Gospell For the condition of the Gospell required of sinners to salvation is not a comfort but a Duty not an assurance that they are saved but a trust in Christ that they shall be saved So that as long as they rest on Christs merits seeke to no other meanes but with such an heart as hath been said to seeke to Christ for salvation as soone as they have believed in Christ they are justified sinners tho they doe not presently feele by the witnesse of the Spirit a full assurance that they are saved Chibald in his Triall of Faith lib. 2. cap. 4. pag. 185 Wherefore comfort yourselves O ye that are tender-hearted and troubled-minded Christians because you feele not the assurance of your salvation in as much as the condition of the Gospell is not That Hee that believes in Christ shall bee assured of salvation but that Hee shall bee saved so that though thou never have in thine owne Soule a feeling of assured perswasion that thou art saved yet as long as with a heart mourning after Christ and gasping for Him as the barren Land for water thou casts thy selfe upon Him and hangs on Him still for salvation with trust unto the merits of His death and obedience thou shalt in the end and event certainely bee saved Idem Ibid. pag 187. There bee that doe truly believe in Christ and that to salvation if they should then die that yet are not come to bee perswaded that Christ is theirs c. Rogers of Dedham in His Epistle to the Reader pag. penult m Exultemus in Domino gaudeamus cum fletu Memores simus dignationis divinae captivitatis nostrae August de temp Serm. 3. * See the Properties of a saving Thirst beâ—â—â—e pa. 377. lin 31 c. a In desiderio illo pij animi suspiria inenarâ—abilia gaudium ineffabile mirisiâ—è coadunantur suspiria inquam gaudium quae ne ipse quidem qui ea sentit potest plenè enarrare Rolloc in Iohan. cap. 8. pag. 556. 1. Pet. 2.17 d Many are still questioning of their beginnings and though they came to Faith and comfort by these steps yet are still fearing that they have not begun in truth or that they are not in the right way or took comfort ere it belonged unto them And this because their corruptions bee so strong and that they cannot doe as they would But corruptions felt hated and striven against are no Markes that wee are not the Lords but the contrary It is the subtilty of Satan to keepe them ever at the beginning that they may never get forward True it is good to bee very carefull in laying the foundation of our house But if we be ever pulling up after it is laide wee shall never finish the Building Moster Rogers of Dedham Doctr. of Faith cap. 2. pag. 177. For a true Christian to denie the work of Gods grace in Himselfe doth no good to Him But interrupts His prayers hinders his humiliation estrangeth Him from God and turneth godly sorrow for His sinne into desperate sorrow for the punishment of sinne Master Whately Gods Husbandry cap. 12. e Take heed of false reasoning As because our fire doth not blaze out as others therefore we have no fire at all and by false Conclusions to sinne against the Commandement in bearing false witnesse against our selves The Prodigall would not say Hee was no sonne but that hee was nâ—t worthy to bee called a Sonne Wee must neither trust to false evidence nor deny true for so wee should dishonour the Worke of Gods Spirit in us and lose the helpe of that evidence which wâ—uld cherish our love to Christ and arme us against Satans discouragements Some are so faulty this way as if they had been hired by Satan the Accuser of the Brethren to pleade for Him in accusing themselves Doctor Sibbes Bruised Reed pag. 94. f Homil. of Repentance pag. 1. g Dike of Repentance cap. 4. h Secundum conscientiae molem exhibenda est poenitentiae magnitudo Ambr. ad Virg. â—orr cap. 8. i Qui culpam exaggeraverit exaggeret etiam poenitentiam Idem de Poenit. lib. 1. cap. 2. k Quà m magna deliquimus tam graviter desâ—eamus Cypr. de Lapsis ad sin l Vniuscuiusque mens tantum poenitendo coÌ„punctionis suae bibat lachrymas
transierint quomodò terram promissam acceperint a In the Story of Tho. Whittell first recanting and then repenting the same b God suffered mee to faint faile through humane infirmitie by the working of the Arch-enemy in His sworne Souldiers the Bishops and Priests In whom so lively appeareth the very visage and shape of Satan that a Man if it were not prejudice to Gods Word might well affirme them to bee Divels incarnate as I by experience do speake Acts and Monuments pag. 2019. a Nedicus est adhâ—â— putrehabes nescio quid Clamas Sed adbuc secat non tollit manum nisi secuerit quantum videtur Etenim medicus crudelis est qui exaudit hominem parcit vulnera putredini Matres quomodo sricant in balneis ad salutem filios Nonne parvuli clamant inter manus earum Illae ergò crudeles sunt ut non parcant non exaudiant lachrymas Nonne plenae sunt pretate Et tamen clamant pueri non eis parcitur Sic Deus noster plenus est charitate sed ideoò viâ—etur non exaudire ut sanet paâ—â—aâ— in sempiternum August in Psal. 33. Lethargicâ— excitantur Phâ—enetica â—eantur sâ—d tamen utrique amantur Idem in Psal 34. Si malum morbâ—soâ—â—us creveriâ— maiora remedâ—a â—â—eruntur pro 〈◊〉 â—ominis 〈…〉 potus 〈…〉 error Gentil 〈…〉 * Foxe In the Story of Master Robert Glover and of Iohn Glover His Brother pag. 1885. * In his Sermon upon Habac. 1.4 Of the certainty and perpetaâ—y of the Faith in the Elect. In this wee know wee are not deceived neither can wee deceive you whâ—â— wee teach that the Faith whereby wee are sanctified cannot faile it did not in the â—â—â—phet it shall not in you Ibid pag. 6. They which are of God doe not sinne either 〈◊〉 or in any thing any such sinne as doth quite extingvish grace 〈…〉 Christ Iesus because the seede of God abideth in them and doâ—â— thieâ—◠〈◊〉 from â—â—â—eiving any irrâ—mediable wound Their Faith when it is at 〈…〉 weake 〈…〉 when it is at the weakest so strong that utterly it 〈…〉 â—â—together no not in them who thinke it utterly 〈…〉 Pag. â— * Tamdiu non relabimur retrò quamdiu ad priora contendimus August Epist. 142. c Non deserit etiamsi deserere videatur Non deserit etiamsi deserat August Quosdam deserit quosdam deserere videtur Ambr. In Psal. 118. Deus bonos non negligit cùm negligit Nec obliviscitur sed quasi obliviscitur Rustin in Psal. Psal. 46. * Ex ae privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dâ—mo Quòd nullis ictibus cedat ** Palma non cedit ponderi sed quò magis rami illius premuntur eò assurgunt altiùs Hinc apud veteres fuit victoriae insigne ut apparet ex Apocal. 7. v. 9. Alst. Psal. 30.7.8 Psal. 88.10 2. Cor. 5.7 Habbak 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 Rom. 8.36 d Heus Donâ—ine Deus â—â—ra hora brevis mora Sapit quidem svavissimè sed guslatur rarissimè Bernard Psal. 73.25 Rom. 11.29 Iohn 13.1 Malach. 3.6 * Semelelectus semper dilectus a Renatus non denascitur Side Deo conceperis certus crit partus tuus non erit aborsuâ— August Rom. 8.38.39 b De quo sanctissimus ille vir alij in Sacrâ Scripturâ certò considere potuit ae â—o etiam alij sancti viri certò confidere possunt dehent Ratio quia ommum sanctorum sides codem fundamento promissionum divinarum nititur idémque spiritus omnes inhabitat licèt diversâ mensurâ De gratiâ propriâ remissione peccatorum Iob David Paulus certò considere potuerunt ut est demonstratum DecÃdem igitur alij sancti certò considere possunt at debent Par. adversus Bellande Iustisicat Lib. 3. Cap 5. Sect. Statigitur c Ergò inquam irascitur Deuâ— inter dum suis id est iustes At non deserit Imò deserit Isaiae quinquage simo quarto Ad punctum in modico dereliquite in miserationibus magnis congregabote Psalmo vigesimo secundo Deus meus Deuâ—meus quare dereliquisti me Haec manifesta Tantùm distingvendum Iraâ— Dâ—i alias reprobationis esse quae adversus iustos nulla sit unquam alias correptionis quae omnibâ—â— communis Non sâ—eleratis-tantùm sed etiam iustis utrisque tamen propter peccata Eâ—dem modo dâ—sertio iudicanda Temporalis an t eterna Illa quae homines permittit ad tempus lucâ—ari cunt malo interdum culpae saepitis poenae Haec quae ijsdem laxat habenas ut à peccatis in peccat a delopsi poenas dent tandem aeternas Hoc modo iustos idest fideles nunquam dâ—serit Deus 〈…〉 Chamier Tom. 3. Lib. 11. Cap. 18. Sect. 6. d Vt fides certiùs niti promissioni possit Deus iureiurando foedus suum sancit atque imbecillitati naturae consulit Valdè enim difficile est in hac carnis nostrae imbecillitate in hac peccatorum aerumnarum mole quibus oppressi sumus retinere hane fidem quòd simus in gratiâ apud Deum et quòd iâ—â—e animum suum erga nos non mutet etiamsise in poenis irasci nonnunquam ostendat Sed excitanda est fides in hac luctâ consideratione inrisjurandi quo Deus promissionem confirmat Maius enim à Deo praestari non potest quà m quòd sacrum suum nomen adhibet illúdque tanquam pignoris vice promissioni adijcit Moller in Locum e Accidit interdùm ut Christum in nobis sentiamus qui sensus illiâ—ò nullus sit Residet tamen in nobis ut anima in corpore dormientis licèt nec ipsa nec ulla eius operatio sentiatur Spin. de justir Christi f Mulier foetum conceptum non semper molitantem sentit ubi tamen semel iterum sensit praegnantemse esse non ambigit Idem Ibid. * Of which see my Directions for a more comfortable walking with God pag. 319. a Deus efficaciter electos vocando indit â—psis Principium aeterna durationis quod in ijs solis reperitur hoc in Scripturis vocatur Radix insita Matth. 13.21 Semen manens 1. Ioh. 3.9 immortale 1. Pet. 1.23 Vnctio manens 1. Ioh. 2.27 Sermo insitus Iam. 1.21 Spiritus inhabitans 1. Cor. 3.16 Fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam Ioh 4.14 Ames Coron Art 5. Cap. 1. Iob 20 1â— h Chrysostomus alicubi docet Satius esse longe in carcere detineri obscurissimo teterrimo quà m in Theatris versari Quispiam saepè ingreditur carcerem superbus exit demisso animo ingreditur suribundus exit mansuetus ingreditur delicatus exit patiens miseriarum c. Versà vice se res babet in Theatris Ingrederis modestus exis lascivus ingrederis mitis exis in furorem proiectus tragoedias ingrederis animo moderato virili exis dissolatus in delicias vanitates c. I am sure I retaine Chrysostomes