speciall to Gods people f Mat. 10.15 and a specificall worke of the holy Ghost neuer yet did God vouchsafe this gift or grace vpon hypocrite or reprobate but vpon his owne speciall beloued ones and neuer did true beleeuer want it though some haue wanted the sence of it stiled in Scripture h 2. Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow or a sorrow for God offended beloued put in the forefront of the blessed Couenant which God makes with his people i Ezec. 26 3â— A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put in your bowels and I will take away your stonie heart and giue you a heart of flesh But that we may apprehend and receiue this grace more perspicuously what it is let vs a little consider the rife and immediate branch out of which it springs and sprouts which is loue in this manner when faith hath apprehended the loue of God for the pardon and remission of sinnes our full iustification and adoption through the bloud of Christ Gods loue being shed abroad in our heartes by the holy Ghost the heart is immediatly rauished and inflamed with the loue of God againe and then the consideration which is as a blessed light held out to the mind le ts the soule see as in a chrystall glasse all the sinnes that it hath committed against the mercy goodnesse gratiousnesse and bountie of that gracious louing Father how they haue dishonoured his blessed Maiesty grieued his good spirit and deserued his wrath now it lookes vpon Christ whom his sinnes hath pierced through and considers with it selfe it was not Iudas Pilate the High Priest Scribes and Pharises that crucified the blessed Sonne of God but my sinnes haue nailed him to the Crosse and pierced his pericardion and caused his heart bloud to issue forth thus doth Peter beate home this point to the conscience in that excellent and fruitfull Sermon wherein three thousand were converted of whom sayth hee k Acts 2.3.16 Yee are now the betrayers and murtherers Could they or the whole world haue crucified Christ no verily when hee did but aske them l Iohn 13.4 whom seeke ye they fell baeckward to the ground his wordes were able to vanquish infinite millions and as himselfe speakes to Peter m Mat. 26.5 thinkest thou not that I can now pray to my Father and hee would giue me more then twelue Legions of Angels one whereof n 1 King 19.5 slew a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night and o Gen. 12.29 all the first-borne of Egypt in a night It was then thy sinnes my sins and the sinnes of all the â—lect that crucified Christ which the Prophet Zachary aptly expresseth p Zach. 12.10 They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pierced through Amaritudine afficientur sicut amaritudine afficâ—tur quispiam and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for the losse of his only sonne And for the measure of their sorrow the Hebrew expresseth it liuely Arrius Montanus translates it significantly amarificare enm c. This this I say is the sweet braunch whence this blessed grace doth issue and spring fonrth and hee which mourneth with this sorrow shal haue the issue and fruite thereof in joy heere and consolation vnspeakable and glorious hereafter Quest May not a godly man deare and precious in Gods account mourne and sorrow for sinnes with deepe lamentations and yet not bee the right and true godly sorrow Sol. Yes questionlesse it is the case of many a good man and that will appeare by these reasons 1. Because the sorrow euen of some speciall beloued ones continues long vpon them I haue knowne some seauen ten yea twentie yeares in afflictions of minde tormented and vexed with the sence of their sinnes and yet haue found little or no comfort which they should haue done had their soules been directed by any that had the tongue of the learned to administer seasonable direction for so is the ordinarie current of the promises n Ps 30.5 Sorrow ouer night but ioy in the morning Againe o Ps 126.5 They went out weeping and carried pretious seed but they shall returne with ioy and bring their sheaues after them Thus in the examples of p 2 King 20.25 Hezechias who turned his face to the wall and wept and presently receiued consolation And Iosiah who when hee heard the Booke of the q 2 King 22.8.12.13 Law found by Hilkiah and reade by Shaphan rent his clothes and wept sore sent to Huldah the prophetesse to inquire of the Lord for him and his people received a gratious answere and was comforted 2. When euen a godly man cryes and roares onely in the sence of the paine and smart of sinne yet it neither brings glory to God nor consolation to his owne soule it is not godly sorrow yea though the object be God offended as 1. When men are impatient or distrust GOD of his word providence and promises the Highest is so farre from being honoured thereby as that he is highly dishonoured and himselfe no way eased but his griefe augmented and increased 2. That sorrow which brings glory to God and good to the party workes in the soule a sweet motion and inclination of the heart to loue God and so to pant desire and breathe after the sence of Gods fauour and loue as the Spouse in the Canticles r Cant. 5. â— Christ let fall some droppes of his precious grace into her heart which inflamed her so as it inforced her to seeke him indefatigably vntill shee had found and imbraced him and had beene imbraced by him but if the Å¿ Ps 51 1â— Spirit in sorrow being grieued with-draweth himselfe and the heart is dead and feeles no motion to sue vnto God O beware of such a sorrow trust it not it is like to bee vnfound as t Gen. 3.8 Adams which caused him to run from God and hide himselfe in the thicket which brought nought but shame but the sorrow of the u Luke 15.18 Prodigal inclined his heart to returne vnto his father and w Inbn 12.3 that of Mary Magdalene drew her heart and body neerer to Christ 3. That sorrow vnder paine though God offended bee the object thereof which is not accompanied with confession and relinquishing of sinne though of a godly man is not right because it hath not the promise of remission which onely is made to a true confessioÌ„ which issueth onely out of godly sorrow q Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and true to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanst vs from all vnrighteousnes Oh sweete ground and foundation of consolation for faith to lay holde vpon but on the contrary r Pro. 28.13 hee that hides his sinne shall neuer prosper that is in grace and consolation not onely to confesse but to relinquish the sinne else men doe like a Cut-purse that
as all other graces bee called Gods worke because it is hee which doth all the worke his spirit making his ordinances effectuall and therefore is that spirit called n Zach. 12.10 the spirit of mourning and supplieation and promised to all the faithfull yea put in the forefront of that blessed new Couenant which the eternall makes with his people o Ezec. 36.26 A new heart will I giue them and a new spirit will I put in their bowels and I will take away their stonie heart and giue them an heart of flesh And this spirit apparantly manifests it selfe in godly sorrow by refasolating and comforting the heart strengthning quieting and refreshing the soule with sweete showers and influences from the head Christ with vnspeakeable secret ioy peace and contentation as also affecting so the heart as it bendeth the desires thereof to the obedience of God in all things in trueth though not in perfection Yet this wee are not to suppose the Spirit doth without meanes miraculously and extraordinarily but by such ordinary meanes as God in wisedome hath appointed to the same purpose as 1. The ministery of the word is the principall as appeares in these 3000. Conuerts Dauid Iosiah and others When they heard it saith the Text p Act. 2 41â— They were pricked in their hearts c. When Nathan sent by God himselfe to preach to Dauid and had deliuered his message cried out q 2. Saâ— 1 â—0 13. I haue sinned against the Lord r 2. King 22 11. When Iosiah heard Shaphan read the Booke of the Law he rent his clothes and wept c. And saith Ieremie Å¿ Ier. 23.29 Is not my word like a hammer that breakes the hard stone 2. The sacrament of the Supper is another meanes for by it saith the Apostle t 1. Cor. 11. We remember Christ his death and both these are intended I doubt not by Paul when hee saith to the u Galat. 3.1 Galatians that Christ was before them crucified and slaine in the ministerie of the word to the eare and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper crucified and slame by the eye to the vnderstanding in the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine visibly before the people and thus is this godly sorrow wrought ordinarily in the heart both by the word Sacrament that blessed sweet grace of consideration wrought by the spirit of God making both the other effectuall for this purpose that a man now bethinkes himselfe my sinne is the cause of all this torment which Christ the blessed Sonne of God indured and therefore affectes the heart with godly sorrow for it Yet doth it not immediately breake forth but the Word Sacraments sometimes inject certaine scintillutae or sparkles which lye hid sometimes in the heart a good space euen in the childe of God and therefore the Lord vseth another meanes 3. Afflictions which are his rod which though they are not able to conuert a soule no more then the Sacrament yet are afflictions preparatory meanes to set the word on worke as in w 2. Chrâ— 33 11. Manasseh he questionlesse had oft heard the word in the time of his good Father the Paragon of all the Kings of Israel and Iudah but it little helped him therefore God bound him in chaines and sent him to Babell and when he was in prison and fetters hee bumbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers c. This also is manifest in x 2. King 20 2. Hezekiah and especially in the y Act. 16.29 Iayler when hee saw the Earthquake and opening of the prison doores he cryed out What shall I doe c. So that I say not that afflictions can conuert a soule to GOD for then mee thinkes Pharaoh must of necessitie haue beene a conuert who had tenne fearefull plagues and yet drowned and likely damned but I say sometimes they make way for conuersion by preparing the soule to attend and hearken to the word and also when men haue heard the word and the immortall seede is sowen there as a graine of corne sowen in a field lyes somtimes long vntill a ground raine moysten it and then springs as in Physicke a pill or potion lyes in the stomacke an houre or two and neuer stirres the party yet let him drinke warme broth or posset-ale which haue no facultie of themselues to purge yet setteth the Physicke on worke so doth afflictions the word preached and the seed sowen tenne twentie or thirty yeares before and it may be affected the heart therewith at the present but it blowes ouer againe with thorny cares or pleasures then comes the rodd of God and sets all that word on worke and brings forth not an Embrio or abortive birth but this blessed grace of godly sorrow which when it once seazeth vpon the heart eateth vp all worldly and carnall sorrowes as z Exod. 7.12 Moses his rod did eate vp all the inchaunters roddes and Serpents yea the least scruple of this godly sorrow would weigh downe a pound of carnall or legall sorrow and end in sweete true ioy and contentment Consider this yee that spend dayes weekes Moneths and yeares in worldly sorrowes without ease or comfort learne this lesson and practise it and my soule for thine thine end will bee peace and invaluable consolation 2 Signe of this godly sorrow not onely that it is fruitefull but brauncheth forth into variety of good happy fruit and therefore not onely true beleeuers in Scriptures are compared to t Psal 1.4 trees planted by the riuers which bring forth fruite in due season and in euery season as the tree of life bearing twelue sorts of fruit euery moneth but especially true mourners whose sorrow ends in joy u Is 61.5 To appoint vnto all that mourne in Zion and to giue them beauty for â—shes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines that they night be called true of righteousnesse c. And thâ—se parties and these graces are not such as are obnoxious sterility and barrennesse or to beare euill fruite but such as by nature are fertile and beare good fruite as w Psal 30. â— 14. Psal 52.8 Iames 3.12 vines oliues figges and such like Therefore in such trees barrennesse or vnfruitfulnesse alone is cause enough to make them fewel for the vengeance and wrath of the Almighty and so not onely the x Is 5.4 wilde vine that bare wilde grapes and bad fruite contrary to the expectation of the Husbandman y Zach. 15.2.3.4 Luke 1 6.7 but the barren vine and fruitlesse figge and z Mat. 3.10 7.19 euery tree that beareth not good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire Now let vs see what fruites this grace bringeth forth that by the branches and fruites wee may know it to be right and a plant of sauing grace planted by the finger of God a Mat. 7.16 for by
bee touched with deepe remorse godly sorrow as in the examples of the Lords Worthies who as their failings are left vpon eternall tallie so also their humiliation godly sorrow and repentance is recorded as beacons to giue warning to all to beware of the like wrackes vpon such rockes and sands so also to bee instructions and examples to chaulke out the way of returning to God and seeking our reconciliation the renewment of our peace see it in Dauid Hezeckiah Peter and the rest of his Highnesse memorable seruants Oh that wee rhatare Ministers could see the Protestants of our times lamenting not only their seldome but frequent euils cōmitted by them by which they scandalize our Religion Profession amongst the sottish Papists that they might be low in their own eyes and almost swallowed with griefe then should wee gladly administer wholesome cordials to refresh their fainting spirits as Paul would haue the repentant incestuous Corinth to be comforted lest hee should be swallowed vp of ouer much heauinesse but professers can sinne in drunkennesse fornications such like yet passe it easily ouer a woful and black character of an hypocrite 3. Point 3 Wherein this godly forrow expresseth it selfe in those things which concerne our own particular is griefe for hardnes of heart which the Prophet liuely sheweth to bee the estate of the Church of God k Is 63.17 O Lord why-hast thou caused vs to erre from thy voyce and hardened our hearts from thy seare returne for thy seruants sake and for the tribes of thine in heritance Now that we may the better conceiue what this hardnesse of heart is let me by a distribution distinguish it from that hardnesse which is in reprobates or such at least as are in the state of reprobation wherein wee are to consider that there is a three-folde hardnesse of heart 1. Totall and finall as in the wicked and reprobate 2. Totall tēporary as in the Elect not yet effectually called 3. Partiall temporary as in all the elect now conuerted and called and this kinde of hardnesse of heart may stand with sauing grace that is when it feeles complaines and mournes vnder the sence of the hardnesse of it there must of necessitie be some softnesse for corruption is not discerned by corruption but by grace Now that this must of necessitie bee the estate of the childe of God to bewayle his obdurate heart is euident 1. Because it is put in the forefront of that Couenant which the eternall God hath made and ratified to all the Elect and that whereby he beginnes and continues his mercie towardes thē l Ezec. 36 2◠I will put a new spirit within their bowels I will take away their stonie heart and giue them an heart of flesh 2. It is a sound and vndoubted marke and symptome of the childe of God for the Gospell shewes sin more vgly then the law can for it shewes Christ in the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments bleeding vpon the Crosse and the Speare thrust in and letting out his heartbloud and considers it was my sinne that did all this whom yet God the Father vouchsafes in his beloued Christ to call a sonne 3. If it looke to God it sees him infinitely prouoked yet infinite in power and Iustice which makes him prostrate his soule before God both lower oftner then l Genes 33.9 Iacob did his body before Esau to procure fauour 4. Againe it sees m Psal 51.17 that a melting and bleeding heart is a sacrifice of sweet smelling odor to God no sacrifice pleasing without it It sees the infinite wisdome of God in all his courses who neuer heales but such as his spirit woundes and makes sicke with the sence of sinne n Neuer comforts such as neuer mourned o Is 57.15 hee dwels in acontrite soule to refresh it to grace it p 1. Pet. 5.5 and it is the vsher to honour here and glory hereafter 5. It lookes vpon it selfe as the Peacocke vpon his blacke legges to pull downe his gay plumes the sight and sence of his owne vnworthinesse expeperience of the temptations methodes of Sathan a slauish subiection vnder cursed lust his infinite debt which hee can neuer examine much lesse satisfie and therefore sees matter of daily humiliation It sees and esteemes euery creature better then it selfe yea the vilest Toad Cockatrice or viper to be better then it selfe and then weighing the infinite mercy of God in pardoning all and of Christ in x Psal 120.5.6 satisfying the iustice of his Father thinkes it selfe happy with the q Luk. 15.19 Prodigall if it may bee but as a seruant in his house in the 〈…〉 26 Syrophenissian as a dog to gather crums vnder Christs Table is thankefull for euerie mercie because it esteemes it selfe vnworthy of any and bewayles daily the vnthankefullnesse and stony heartednesse that cannot grieue for all the dishonour it hath done to this louing Father and the indignities put vpon Christ and so labours to stirre it selfe vp to lamentations and sorrowes 4. Point 4 This godly sorrow expresseth it selfe in mourning for the absence of Christ for howsoeuer it is true that Moses was singular in seeing the face of God and the presence of his essence is inuisible yet there is a presence of his Grace which God commaunds wee should seeke ſ Ps 17.8.9 Seeke yee my face to which Dauids heart answered Thy face O Lord will I seeke and a promise that wee shall finde if we seek it with our whole heart Now there are foure sortes of Gods people that want eyther the ioy or at least the sence and feeling of this presence of Gods spirit 1. Some that are in the bud and cradle of their conuersion who haue this presence of the spirit and ioy of their saluation but yet neuer obserue it eyther through ignorance of the doctrine of the consolations of God that if they were asked as the Disciples t Act. 19.2 if they had receiued the holy Ghost answered they had not heard whether there were a holy Ghost so they would answere if they were demaunded haue you receiued the presence and comfort of the Spirit Wee haue neuer knowne what it meaneth or else through negligence not obseruing how the Spirit doth exhibite and shew his presence in the due vse of the holy ordinances of God as in the Ministry of the Word Sacraments prayer meditation c. or else they vse some of the ordinances of God as the publicke and neglect the priuate and oft times they vse and performe some but neglect others therfore the vse of all the rest are blasted yeelds them little or no feelings of that blessed cōsolation and presence of God 2. Some haue this ioyfull presence of God obserue it and are affected with it for a time but forget and lose it againe especially in times of affliction u Helr 12.5 Ye haue forgotten the consolation which