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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09364	The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning man, simply considered in himselfe, are propounded and resolued, according to the word of God. Taught and deliuered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himselfe revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.; Cases of conscience. Part 1	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1604 (1604)	STC 19668; ESTC S114413	95,900	200

and pure and no mortall man being vncleane polluted by sinne can haue fellowship with him yet God hath shewed his mercy to those that beleue in him and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne whereby they are clensed from all their corruptiōs v. 7. If here it be asked how this pardon and forgiuenes may be known It is answered by two signes one is Hūble heartie Confession of our sins vnto god for so saith the Apostle If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all iniquitie v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and If our heart condemne vs not that is if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vs then haue we boldnesse towards God Chap. 3. v. 21. The secōd note of fellowship with God is the sanctifying Spirit whereby we are renewed in holines and righteousnes Hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is holines vprightnes of heart life To this end the Apostle saith If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknes we lie doe not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another c. Chap. 1. 6. 7. The fourth is perseuerāce in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church Let therfore abide in you that same doctrine cōcerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine in you that is if ye beleeue and obey it you also shall continue in the same and in the father Chap. 2. 24. The second Ground He that is the adopted sonne of God shall vndoubtedly be saued This point the Apostle plainely declareth when he saith Beloued now are we the sonnes of God And we knowe that is we are vndoubtedly assured by faith that when Christ shal appeare in glory we shal be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is That the latter part of these words is thus to be expounded I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul where he saith When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory And againe If we be sonnes we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Nowe put the case that the conscience of the beleeuer will not rest in this but desires to be further resolued touching the certainetie of his adoption Then I answer that he must haue recourse vnto the signes whereby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill and these are principally three First is truely to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God for those that haue God for their father are made the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And this faith shewes it selfe by obedience For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ that is that we beleeue in him and apply him with all his benefits vnto our soules If we keepe his commandements Nay further He that saies I knowe him and keepes not his commandements is a liar and the trueth is not in him chap. 2 3 4. The second signe is a heartie desire and earnest indeauour to be clensed of his corruptions Euery sonne of God that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as Christ is pure chap. 3. vers 3. The third is the loue of a Christian because he is a Christian for hereby saies the Apostle are the children of God known from the children of the deuill because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren as Cain did his brother Abel euen for the good workes which they doe On the other side Gods adopted sonnes may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life because they loue the brethren Chap. 3. 10 11 12 c. The third Ground They that are assured of the loue of God to them in particular may also be certainely assured of their owne saluation This doctrine followes necessarily vpon the Apostles words chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie to them he hath manifested his loue by sending his onely begotten sonne into the world that they might liue through him eternally But howe may a man be assured of Gods speciall loue and fauour The same Apostle answers by two notes The first is the loue of our brethren and that according to Gods commandement wherein it is commanded that he that loues God should loue his brother also 4. 21. Andif any man say I loue God and hate his brother be is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene 4. 20. Nowe that a man deceiue not himselfe in the loue of his brother Saint Iohn giues three rules One that Christian brotherly loue should not be for outward respects or considerations but principally because they are the sonnes of God and members of Christ Euery one that loueth him which did beget that is god the father loueth him also which is begotten of him 5. 1. Another is that it must not be outward in shew onely but inward in the heart Let vs not loue in word or in tongue onely but in deede and in trueth 3. 18. Lastly that it be not onely in time of prosperitie but vvhen hee stands in most neede of our loue For whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp the bovvels of compassion from him howe dvvelieth the loue of god in him 3. 17. The second note of Gods loue vnto vs is our loue of god For those whome God loueth in Christ to them hee giues his grace to loue him againe And this louing of him againe is an euident token of that loue wherewith he loueth them So saith the Apostle We loue him because hee loued vs first 4. 19. If it be demaunded howe a man may be assured that he loueth God the answer is hee may knowe it by two things first by his conformitie to him in holinesse The child that loues his father will be willing to tread in the steppes of his father and so in like manner he that loueth God will indeauour euen as hee is so to be in this world 4. 17. But howe is that not in equalitie and perfection but in similitude and conformitie striuing to be holy as he is holy and indeauouring to doe his will in all things Secondly by the vveaning of his affection from the things of this world yea from all pleasures and delights of this present life so farre forth as they are seuered from the feare and loue of

in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himselfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of Gods loue to vs. And our Sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Now that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be rememebred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be flittering and fleeting but constant setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daiely growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truely in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Hauing thus laid downethe Groundes of cōfort I come now to the way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making triall and in applying the promise First then triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grounds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doeth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fit of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be dāned Aske him in this fit of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience and the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfained desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sinnes and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authoritie giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of conforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these rules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be delaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishments due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much deceipt in the heart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward becom the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the iron which being cast into the fire vehemētly hot cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heat had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of cōfort we must somwhat keep thē down bring them on by litle litle to repentance The sweetnesse of comfort is the greater if it be delayed with some tartenesse of the Law II. Another rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attēded with good company For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when she was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doeth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the sudden to tempt him to dispaire and to the making away of himselfe III. Thirdly the partie in distresse must be taught not to rest vpon his owne iudgement but alwaies to submit himselfe and be content to be aduised by others that are men of wisedome iudgement and discretion A thing to be obserued the rather because the very neglect thereof hath caused sundrie persons to remaine vncomforted for many yeres IV. Fourthly the partie distressed must neuer heare tel of any fearefull accidents or of any that haue bin in like or worse case thē himself is For vpon the very report the distressed conscience will fasten the accident vpon it selfe and therby cōmonly wil be drawn to deeper griefe or dispaire For the mind afflicted will imagine fearefull things and sometime the very bare naming of the Deuil will strike terrour feare into it V. Fiftly The partie that is to comfort must beare with all the wants of the distressed as with their frowardnesse peeuishnesse rashnesse and with their distempered and disordered affections and actions yea he must put vpon him as it were their persons beeing affected with their miserie and touched with their sorrowes as if they were his owne grieuing when he seeth them to grieue weeping when they doe weepe and lament VI. Sixtly he that is the comforter must not be

will and therefore no maruell though we be impatient Answ. When crosses doe come from men God vseth them as instruments to execute his iudgements vpon vs and in this worke God is the cheife doer and they are as tooles in the hand of the workeman And the Lord inflicteth them vpon vs by men to trie our patience vnder the crosse Ioseph though he knewe well the badde dealing of his brethren towards him yet he looked not to them alone but to an higher cause namely the Lord himselfe who executed his owne good will by them God saith he disposed it to good And againe God did send me before you into Egypt for your preseruation The Second ground is the commandement of God touching the crosse and obedience vnto him therein This commandement is expressed Luk. 9. 23. where we are commanded to take vp our crosse euery day and follow Christ. Abraham was commanded with his own hands to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac and to this cōmandement though otherwise a great crosse vnto him he addresseth himselfe to yeeld obedience And in the prophecie of Micah the Church saith Shee will beare the wrath of the Lord that is shee will performe obedience to him in the crosse because shee had sinned against him And S. Peter saith that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble therefore humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God And this beeing the commandement of God that we should yeild obedience to him in euery affliction we ought to be no lesse carefull to obey it then any one commandement of the morall lawe The Third ground is that God will be present with his seruants in their afflictions Vpon this ground Dauid comforts himselfe because God had promised to heare him to be with him in trouble and to deliuer him And in another place though I should walke in the shaddowe of death I would feare none ill for thou art with me c. Nowe that we may the better vnderstand this doctrine we are to consider what be the Ends or Effects of Gods beeing with vs in a●fliction whereby he testifieth his presence and they are three The first is to worke our deliuerance from the crosse Call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee This promise must not be vnderstood simply but with an exception so farre forth as it shall be for our good For all promises of temporall deliuerance are conditionall and must be conceiued with this limitation of the crosse and chastisement if God please to impose it Some may say how if God will not deliuer vs but leaue vs in the affliction what comfort shall we then haue Answ. In the second place therefore we must remember that God will temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to beare them Habbakuk praieth vnto God in the behalfe of the Church that he would in wrath remember mercie And Paul saith that the Lord will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation Thirdly put the case that God doeth not moderate our afflictions but suffer them to remaine vpon vs not onely for some time of our life but to the very death yet then will be testifie his holy presence another way namely by giuing the partie distressed power and strength to beare his affliction Vnto you it is giuen saith Paul for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake The Fourth ground of comfort in affliction is that euery affliction vpon the seruants of God hath some speciall goodnesse in it Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God And in regard hereof the crosses which are indured by Gods children are so farre from beeing preiudiciall to their saluation that they are rather helpes and furtherances of the same Now this Goodnes is perceiued two waies First by the fruit and effect of it and then by the qualitie and condition thereof In both which respects afflictions are good Touching the fruits of Afflictions because they are manifold I will reduce them to seauen principall heads I. Afflictions doe make men to see consider their sinnes Iosephs brethren for twentie yeares together were little or not at all troubled for their wickednes in selling their brother yet vpon their affliction in Egypt they beganne to consider what they had done We haue say they verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he be sought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Manasses in the time of his peace gaue himselfe to witchcraft and the worshipping of strange gods but when he was captiue in Babylon then was he brought to the sight of his sinnes and mooued to humble himselfe before God for them II. Afflictions serue to humble men in their soules before God The young vnthrift in the Gospel called the Prodigall child while his portion lasted he spent liberally and was grieued for nothing but when he came to be pinched with hunger and that through his owne follie then he humbled himselfe before his father and returned home vnto him Dauid saith of himselfe that in his prosperitie he thought he should neuer be mooued because the Lord of his goodnes had made his mountaine to stand strong but saith he thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled then cried I vnto the Lord. III. They serue to worke amendement of life No chastising saith the Author to the Hebrewes for the present seemeth to be ioyous but aftervvard it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them that are thereby exercised that is afflictions and chastisments that seaze vpon Gods children doe leaue after them amendment of life as the needle passeth through the cloath and leaueth the threed behinde it When we are iudged saith the Apostle vve are nurtered of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world And Dauid confesseth Psal. 119. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes And the good husbandman purgeth and pruneth the vine that it may bring forth more and better fruit IIII. They cause men to denie themselues and to rely wholy on the mercy of God Thus Paul receiued the sentence of death in himselfe that he should not trust in himselfe but in God that raiseth the dead V. The fi●t is Inuocation For afflictions make vs to crie hartelie and feruently vnto god to bringe our selues into his presence and there to abase our selues before him Thus the Lord saith of his children that in their affliction they will seeke him diligently VI. The sixth is Patience Affliction bringeth forth patience patience experience c. As if he should say because the loue of God is shed in our

troubled and oftentimes sicknes faintings do follow But the thoughts that men conceiue of themselues cause neither feare nor fainting nor sicknes Fourthly blasphemous thoughts cannot come ordinarily from the heart of any saue of those alone that are of reprobate minds But the parties that are thus distressed are honest ciuill and such as professe the Gospel at least in shew yea sometime they befall such as are the true mēbers of Christ. Therfore it is manifest that they come from without euen from the Deuill casting them into the minde and not from within a mans owne selfe In the next place Inquirie must be made whether the partie doth approoue loue like these and such like thoughts or no To this he will answer if he be asked that he abhorres thē as the Deuill and Hell it selfe thus euen naturall men will answer and that truly After Inquirie thus made the Remedie is to be applied And the first and principall remedic pertaines to doctrine and instruction in which the partie is to be informed of his or her estate namely that the foresaid blasphemies are not his sinnes but his crosses For they are the Deuills sinnes and he shal answer for them and they are not ours till we intertaine receiue approoue and giue consent vnto them For proofe hereof let this be considered That vncleane thoughts which haue their residence in the minde of man are of two sorts Inward and Outward Inward are such as haue their originall from the flesh and arise of the corruption of mans nature though stirred vp by the Deuill And these at the very first conceiuing are our sinnes though they haue no long abode in our mindes and they are directly forbidden in the tenth commandement Outward thoughts are those which haue relation to an outward cause or beginning of which sort are those euill thoughts that be conucied into the minde by the Deuill and if we take no pleasure in them nor yeeld consent vnto thē they are not to be accounted our sinnes but the Deuils by whome they are suggested The truth hereof appeares in Christs example into whose minde the deuil cast this blasphemous tentation therby moouing him to infidelitie couetousnes idolatrie which neuerthelesse were not his sins because his holy heart gaue not the least approbation to thē but abhorred repelled thē therfore was free frō any taint of sin in or by them This distinction of thoughts must be remembred For hence it followes that blasphemous thoughts not consented to by vs are not our sinnes but the Deuils Euen as in like case when one wickedly disposed sollicites another to treason or murder if the said partie listen not nor yeild thereto he cannot be holden guiltie of those crimes Therefore men must not feare those kind of thoghts ouermuch at least if they please not themselues ouermuch in them because though they be indeede their crosses yet are they not their personall sinnes for which they shall incurre the wrath and displeasure of God Againe they must let them goe as they come they are not to striue against them for the more they labour to resist them the more shall they be intangled with them The second thing to be vsed in way of remedie for the staying of the mind in this tentation is that though it should be graunted that the foresaid euill and blasphemous thoughts are our sinnes yet we are to remember that they may through the mercie and goodnesse of God be pardoned if they be heartily and vnfainedly repented of yea further that neither they nor any other sins except that against the Holy Ghost doe condemne him that praieth against them and is heartily sorrie for them It was Pauls complaint Rom. 7. 19. That he did not the good which he would doe speaking of the inward indeauour of his heart and againe that he did the euill which he would not meaning in respect of the corruption of his nature Now vpon this that he indeauoured to doe that which was agreeable to the will of God that he loathed and detested the contrarie stroue against his corruptions how did he comfort himselfe Marke words following v. 20. If I do that I would not that is to say if against my generall purpose I sinne against God if I be sorrie for it if I be displeased with my selfe in that I cannot obey God in that perfection I desire It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me From this example of Paul I gather that if any man haue in his minde euill thoughts and doeth as Paul did grieue because he thereby offendeth God if he doe abhorre them and pray against them he shall not be condemned for them they shall neuer be laid to his charge The partie then that is troubled with these thoughts may vpon these grounds stay his minde and comfort himselfe for if he shall not be condemned for them then let him not feare them aboue measure The third point to be remembred is that the partie must not be alone For this Tentation beginnes and is confirmed by solitarinesse and the parties thus distressed loue to be apart by themselues from the societie of others and for that cause in case they be lyable to this distresse they must vse to solace themselues in good company that is meere and fit for them and their mindes are to be exercised in holy meditation of the word and singing of Psalmes and they are to be occupied in good speech and conference Our first parent Eue was tempted by Sathan when shee was apart from Adam and our Sauiout Christ when he was alone out of company and societie then was he by the malice of the Deuill in the wildernesse assaulted with strong and mightie tentations The fourth point to be remembred of the partie troubled is that he must as heartely and earnestly repent him of those his euill thoughts as of euill wordes and deedes For the trueth is because men haue no more care of their thoughts then commonly they haue therefore the Lord iustly suffers the deuill to plague them and torment them by conuaying into their hearts most vile and damnable cogitations Furthermore the said partie must labour to be renued in the spirit of his minde that is to haue his minde inlightened by the spirit whereby he may know and vnderstand the will of God in his word After repentance for euill thoughts there must follow watchfulnesse and a carefull circumspection ouer all his waies but principally he must haue an eie vnto his heart the fountaine of all Keepe thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon that is aboue all things see that thou countergard thy thoughts desires motiōs and affections That the heart of a man may be garded two rules are to be obserued First that the word of God dwell plentifully in it for by this meanes it is guided and directed that it swarue not from God and his word and our hearts are then ruled and gouerned by the

For God in mercie turneth all things euen sinne it selfe to the good of them that be his and therfore sinne committed cannot either waste or extinguish grace receiued but by diuihe dispensation serueth to amplifie and inlarge the same so as where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth much more Rom. 5. 20. And the Lord said to Paul beeing in great extremity 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenes Hence it appeareth that the grace of God is not vtterly lost but appeareth liuely in the time of distresse The fourth ground is this The promises of God touching remission of sinnes and l●fe eternall in respect of beleeuers are generall and in regard of all and euery man indefinite that is they doe not define or exclude any person or any sinner or any time onely they admit one exception of finall impenitencie Here a question may be mooued Howe long he that ministreth comfort must stand vpon the possibilitie of pardon I answer vntill he hath brought the partie distressed to some measure of true repentance and this beeing done then he is to proceede to the second degree of comfort The second degree of comfort is to teach that the sinne or sinnes of the partie distressed are indeede pardoned But it may be asked vpon what signes may this comfort be applyed I answere vpon these two First if the partie distressed confesse that he or shee is heartily grieued that by their sinne or sinns they haue offended so louing and so mercifull a God Secondly if they professe that they desire with all their heart to be reconciled vnto God in Christ and at least doe desire to repent for their sinnes and withall doe carrie in heart a purpose to sinne no more but in all things as much as in them lieth to performe newe obedience vnto God Nowe for the better enforcing of this comfort some textes of Scripture fitting this purpose must be rehearsed as for example Matth. 9. 12 13. I came not to call the righteous that is to say those that iudge themselues righteous but sinners that is those which are grieued because in their owne conscience they are vile and hainous offenders to repentance Againe Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me allye that are wearie and ●eauie laden and I will refresh you To conclude this point there remaines yet a further question to be resolued and that is this A man after repentance for some grieuous sinne falls into it againe and is distressed more then before It is a case somewhat grieuous For we knowe that if a man be recouered of an ague and through distemper in diet or otherwise makes a relapse in●o it againe his case is often desperate and he hardly scapeth with his life In the same manner it is a dangerous case if after repentance men make a relapse into the same sin againe It may then be asked how such persons may be recouered after a relapse I answer though we finde not any one particular example in scripture of any one person that was restored againe after a relapse yet neuerthelesse there is some comfort for such persons Vpon what grounds may some say Ans. Men that haue not so much as a drop of mercy in cōparison of God must forgiue their brethrē often many times yea as our Sauiour Christ saith to Peter till seuenty times seauen times if they returne say it repents them Now God is infinite in all his attributes He is much in sparing with him is plenteous redemption and therefore he will questionlesse vpon true repentance often forgiue forget euen the same sinne iterated againe and againe Nowe these persons are to be releiued in this sort First they must haue their Consciences setled in this point that their relapse is pardonable though very dangerous For proofe hereof read Esay 2. 18. Where mention is made of diuers Apostataes that were by God called to repentance with promise of pardō if they turned vnto him And in Luk. 15. the Prodigall child by whome I vnderstand one that after grace receiued ●ell from his repentance and obedience to God when he did but purpose in his heart to returne againe was pardoned and receiued into fauour In the 2. Cor. 5. 20. Paul saith to the Corinths that were fallen away We pray you in Christs steade that ye be reconciled vnto God Secondly beeing thus setled in cōscience they must againe repent them of their sinnes Thirdly and lastly they are to be comforted with the promise of remission of sinnes after that some signes of renewed repentance for sins past haue beene giuen The Second Tentation or Trouble of minde which is more common and lesse violent befalls the children of God and it is a griefe of heart more or lesse wherby men are troubled in respect of the want of grace in their hearts and defects of obediēce in their liues Paul the deere seruant of God was possessed with this trouble of minde as we may read Rom. 7. And indeede there is no childe of God but more or lesse one time or other he feeles the stings of sinne the buffe●ings of Satan which cause griefe in his heart But this griefe is a notable grace of God and therefore they which want it must labour to haue it and they which haue it must not seek to put it out but to keep it in measure order And the grounds of comfort whereby the heart may be staied in this sorrow that it be not immoderate may be these I. Ground It is Gods will that the worke of sanctification or regeneration should be imperfect in this life and remaine vnfinished til death This point needs no proofe for it is manifest both in the word of God and in daily experience The reasons for which God will haue it to be so may be these First of all God giues grace according to the measure and manner of our receiuing of it which in this life is imperfect Some giftes of God in Christ bestowed on his seruants as remission of sinnes by his death and iustification by his obedience are not put into vs but are only applyed and made ours by imputation Some other giftes there be which are infused and put into vs as namely sanctification regeneration the loue of God and man and by one of these two meanes to wit either by imputation or infusion are all the giftes of God in Christ made ours Yet before we can haue them we must receiue them and the meanes whereby we receiue them is faith which God hath ordained to be the hand of our soules to receiue his benefits bestowed on vs. Which faith because it is weake and imperfect in this life therefore the gifts which we receiue thereby are also imperfect For though Gods benefits be like a bottomlesse sea yet the faith whereby we lay hold of them is like vnto a vessell with a narrowe necke which though it be cast into the great Ocean receiues but a