of some in hell shall be more tollerable then of some others but thereby they vnderstand rather those gripes of conscience that prouoke prayers supplications strong cryings and teares out of a heart beset and straightned with fierce accusations a conuinced conscience feared condemnatioÌ„ these assaults they say shall be more hard against the conscience of him that siuned against knowledge in a presuming manner then against the conscience of him that sinned of ignorance in a weaker manner that is yeelding rather out of his weaknes then daring out of his pride for it may be alledged for the ignorant man that if he had knowne such a thing to be euill in the sight of God he would not haue done it No such thing can be said for him that presumed against knowledge for such an one sheweth contempt of God and of his reuealed will which the ignorant man cannot be charged with all hee groneth only vnder the burden of humane errour and frailty but the other lieth vnder the burden of malice and presumption Therefore when our afflicted man pressed distinctly with some particular sinnes findeth that they were the sinnes of his ignorance let him not thinke himselfe thereby free for to be ignorant of that which is our duty required of God is of it selfe a great sinne and if his ignorance be affected ignorance as in them that refuse to be taught and contemne the meanes of knowledge when God doth offer them such ignorance differeth little or nothing from malice But let him pray vnto God in hope and let him plead before God his ignorance not as an excuse much lesse as a iustification of his fault but as a motiue by which the Lord is often led in his free mercy to forgiue sinnes And for the incouraging of his heart let him remember the examples of them to whom vpon their â—…epentance and conuersion to God mercy to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes of ignorance hath beene granted Peter in a sermon of his made vnto the multitude that came together to see the lame man whom he and Iohn had healed chargeth them with a grieuous sinne saying You denied the holy one and the iust and desired a murà erer to be giuen you and killed the Lord of life whom God raised from the dead where of we are witnesses This was a great sinne to kill the sonne of God and to make more reckoning of and to shew more fauour vnto a knowen murderer then to the Lord of life that came to saue them But this their fact he saith was of ignorance And now brethren I know that through ignorance you did it as did also your gouernors For though the lews were very maliciously bent against Iesus yet many of them knew him not to be the Lord of life and to be the holy one of God neither did they persecute him in that name Therefore doth Saint Peter saâ—…e vnto them in the same Sermon Amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may be done away Heere is mercy offered and assured vnto them that amend their liues and turne to God namely this mercy that all their enormious sinnes and euen among the rest their sinne in refusing the Lord Christ and putting him to a shamefull death should be forgiuen and the rather because they did it ignorantly And memorable is the example of the blessed Apostle Paul His sinne was persecutioÌ„ against the name of Iesus Christ his proceeding in it was furious without all compassion raging both against men and women that called vpon that name and casting them into prison in all places where he could finde them and had power against them In such sort that hee became famous or to speake more truely infamous for his cruelty so that Ananias in Damascus could say to the Lord Iesus of him Lord I haue heard by many of this man how much euil he hath done to thy Saints in Ierusalem moreouer here hee hath authority of the high Priests to bindâ—… all that call vpon thy name And yet this man had his sinnes forgiuen and was receiued into fauour and had all the degrees of holy honour done vnto him that can be done vpon earth to any among the followers of the Lord Iesus For first he was called to the knowledge and faith of the Lord Iesus and was made a true beleeuer Secondly he had honour not only to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake and was made a true confessour and marter Thirdly he was also an excellent instrument to draw other men to the knowledge and faith of Iesus and was made a teacher and an Apostle And all this was the more freely done to him because when hee was a persecurour hee finned of ignorance and knew no other but that it was lawfull and holy for him to doe so Heare what himselfe saith of that matter I thanke him that hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice when before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe Ignorance and vabeleese are not things pleasing ro God by their vertue and merit obtaining forgiuenes of all the sins growing out of them neither doth the Apostle remember his ignorance and vnbeleefe obtaining his pardon as out of worthinesse of them rather know them in themselues to be grieuous sins deseruing hell as fully as any notorious sinne that issueth from them but he that sinneth out of ignorance more easily findeth fauour then hee that sinneth against knowledge For the sinne of the ignorant man hath not in it like euidence of rebellion against the reuealed will of God as the sin of him that hath knowledge As the words of the Lord Iesus shew spoken to some of the Pharisies If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne that is if yee wanted knowledge and were blind in your vnderstanding your fault should not bee so great so notorious so blame-worthy as now it is by reason of your knowledge There is therefore though no merit of fauour yet much hope for him that can say truely in his heart vnto GOD Lord thou knowest that blindly and ignorantly I ranne into this sinne not knowing that it was against thy will and so odious in thy sight And this is for him that is distinctly charged with particular sinnes and findes that hee committed them out of ignorance a doore of hope in which these examples may incourage him to digge by prayer wherein if hee doe truely and with a right penitent heart humbly and earnestly trauell he casteth the burthen of his sinnes vpon God and shall finde case CHAP. XV. BVT say it was sinne against knowledge and thou hadst warning giuen thee many times to take heede of that same sinne and warning by the word of God so that thou couldest not but know that to doe so as thou didst was a
hope for the same mercy for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes which was freely granted to Peter for the forgiuenes of his sins Goe forth therefore with Peter in the sight of thy sins poure out the teares of repentance before God as Peter did and he that receiued Peter to grace wil also receiue thee He was pardoned vpō no peculiar mercy proper to him denied to others but vpon that vniuersall mercy and most ample grace that God is ready to extend to euery cōtrite soule then afforded to Peter that hee out of his experience might after commend it to others Therfore did the Lord Iesus say to him aforehand when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethrē That is when peace is restored to thy soule vpon assured pardon of thy sinnes past and grace giuen vnto thee to stand more firme for all times following then labour to comfort the hearts of others that haue sinned as thou diddest assure vnto them vpon their contrition the forgiuenesse of their sinne past and the presence of Gods grace for the time to come So that I am not the man but Peter nor Peter out of speculation and from his owne conceit but out of experience and vpon most sure authority from the mouth of his Master the sonne of God the sauior of mankind the Iudg of quicke dead that is warranted to tell thee that there is mercy with God to forgiue thy sinnes committed against knowledge if in this sorrow feare of thine heart thou turne to God and hartily prayest vnto him for pardon with purpose no more to cōmit the like sin I could adde the examples of many of Gods Saints that sinned against knowledge being carried away with a sodaine and violent temptation so that either they had no leisure to thinke what was fittest to doe or they wanted power to withstand the present assault and they after found fauour with God and their sinnes being forgiuen they liue with him in glorie Iacobs lie maintained to his father Isaacs face that hee was not Iacob the yonger but Esau the elder sonne was a sinne of this kind against knowledge but his mothers words as a potent temptation led him to the doing of it Iudaes adultery committed with Thamar his daughter in law though not knowne to be Thamar was a sinne of this kind against knowledge for how could Indah bee ignorant of the Law of God against adulterie written in mens hearts that would haue done execution vpon Thamar when he heard she had played the whoore but the temptation was sodaine and strong fitted with so many opportunities hee was a yong man at that time without a wife shee sate disguised as an harlot it was in the field out of the view of men and shee was soone intreated and yeelded vnto him these opportunities strengthning the temptation made it so potent that Iuda sinned Dauids hastie sentence giuing the estate of Mephibosheth vnto Ziba was a sinne of this kind against knowledge for Dauid could not be ignorant of it that there are many false accusers that a righteous Iudge should giue the accused partie leaue to speake for himselfe before he proceed to sentence but the temptation was strong and sodaine Ziba came with a bribe he brought it in a time when Dauid had need of it The time was troublesome Abs◅lon was vppe in rebellion Why might it not be true that in this trouble of the state Mephibosheth beeing the right heire to Saul might seek to make a faction for him And Dauid had need now of friends and therefore thought fit to make Ziba sure on his side These and like considerations darkening Dauids iudgement gaue strength to the temptation And hee sinned in condemning the innocent and rewarding the wicked accuser and that against knowledge for he was not ignorant of the duety of a Iudge And yet all these haue found fauor and their sinnes haue beene forgiuen vnto them Why then should thy heart faint and thy hope faile because thy conscience tels thee that thou hast sinned against knowledge Repent and turne to God pray and thou shalt be heard This very circumstance that thou we◅ not freely maister of thine owne will but the sodaine or violent temptation led thee captiue is an hole through which hope shineth dig by hearty praier and by true contrition and a doore of mercie shall be opened vnto thee This is in this case to cast thy burden of accusing thoughts vpon God for thine ease CHAP. XVI BVT perhaps thy heart tels thee that the particular sinnes that thou art charged withall were not onely done in thy daies of knowledge whē thou hadst learned before that such things ought not to be done but they were also done in the freedome of thine heart not surprised with sudden feare nor led away captiue by any violent temptation but with full consent of will thy heart at leisure considering and freely chusing against all checke whatsoeuer to do those things venturously boldly presumptuously and as we say desperately casting behind thy backe at that time all feare of God all regard of his law all remembrance of his mercy and all bonds of thy obedience only seeking to satisfie thine owne lusts and preferring the pleasure of sinne and wages of iniquitie before the seruice of God though thou didst know that those pleasures were of that constancie and would breede eternall torments and that the wages and gaine of sinne was of small worth and fading and would breed vnto thee the eternall losse of thy soule This is a hard case indeed and if Sathan haue this aduantage against thee then hath he driuen thee vp into a narrow streight and hemmed thee in very dangerously But yet by the mercy of God there are good and sure meanes by which to escape euen out of this streight though with some difficultie for here hath that saying of the Lord Iesus place That seruant that knew his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes Many and sore gripings shall his conscience feele before he recouer his peace against this accusation it will cost him many teares sighes and grones which I doe the rather remember to make men feare to offend in this manner and to suffer sinne so to raigne in their mortall bodies But yet it is possible for the sinner thus burdened to cast his burden vpon the Lord and to obtaine ease There is yet a hole in the wall of hope wherein if thou dig by humble and hearty prayer it may proue a dore of mercy vnto thee It hath beene so with others For who euer sinned more wilfully and more presumptuously then Manasses though he were yong when he began to raigne being then but twelue yeares of age in that regard all his acts might seme to be grounded in ignorance that had not learned at the first to doe wel after would not learne yet considering the piety
easily with this double helpe learne to doe his worke in some reasonable good manner and vnto this helpe vnder God the Apostle Paul doeth send vs saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walks so as you haue vs for an example A man merrily ignorant of his way if he follow carefully step for step a skilfull guide going before him will very safely come to the place that he desireth so shalt thou doe in the way of godlines if thou keepe company with the godly and marke their behauiour to doe thereafter Augustin hauing respect of Saint Paul saith in one place If thou faile in the precept be strengthned in the example that is if by looking onely to the precept thou canst not bring to passe to keepe it looke to the example of them that doe after it and their example shall much strengthen thee Men are very apt to be led by examples and are easily transformed into the manners of those whom they keepe company with neither will their fellowship hold long that doe not conforme themselues to the manners of their company Dauid in one place hath this saying With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the vpright man thou will shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou will shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou will shew thy selfe froward The Prophet speaketh these words of God and we may safely speake them of men among the godly thou must shew thy selfe godly learning and practising their godly behauiour else they will haue small pleasure in thy company and among the wicked thou must doe as they doe else they will soone be weary of thee and sly thy fellowship The company therefore of the godly cannot but be a great helpe vnto thee vnder God to learne by them to subdue and keepe vnder thy vnruly lusts if thou conuerse with them and daily striuest to conforme thy selfe to their manners This is a good degree of casting this burden vpon God Thirdly let him shun all occasions that may aâ—…lure and prouoke him vnto these sinnes that by the corrupt lusts of his heart he findeth himselfe most subiect vnto For example if his infirmitie be pronenesse to anger wrath let him auoid the company of contentions and froward persons that are apâ—… to prouoke let him not take knowledge of euery petâ—…y wrong that is done vnto him nor harken vnto them that will tell him this or that tale what other men say of him lest suddenly he be distempered If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to drunkenes as thâ—…re are but too many that when they are at it can keepe no measure let him fly the company of pot companions let him shun the places and â—…bhorre the ceremonies of great drinking and let him not delight himselfe to behold the colour and sparkling of the Wine If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to adulterie and such vncleannes let him shun the haunt of Harlots and their houses all wanton company and let him not cast his eye vpon deceitful and bewitching beautie and so concerning all other sinnes that his heart lusteth after This rule the holy Ghost giues vs in many places Salomon saith Keepe thee from the wicked woman and from the slattery of the tongue of the strange woman desire not her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lid Her coÌ„pany her countenance and her wordes all these are inticing occasions and all these Salomon warneth him to shun that world not be betrayed by his owne frailty to commit whoredome In another place he saith Make no friendship with an angry man neither goe with the furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Company and fellowship with the froward will draw thee whether thou wilt or no into many brawles and quarrels and otherwise also breedes danger vnto thee therefore to be shunned of him that feareth his owne euill nature too prone vnto anger Againe Looke not thou vpon the Wine when it is red when it sheweth his colour in the cup and goeth downe pleasantly in the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice The beautifull colour and pleasant mouing of the Wine in the cup are prouocations to drinking hee that would not be ouertaken with drunkennes knowing his owne appetite and weakenes must shun these prouocations Generally this is a veriy good rule for him that feareth the violence of his owne sinfull lustes to sly all occasâ—…ions alluring and prouoking vnto sinneâ—… he that would not be strangled with the hooke let him not play with the bait and lie nibling at it the Diuell and the world deceiue by such meanes he that is hurdened with thâ—… lustes of his flesh desireth case to his guâ—…ed soule by casting his burden vpon God let him shun these occasioâ—…s diligâ—…ntly he that would not be huâ—…t with the Lyons clawes let him not come neare vnto his foote In the fourth place let him often think vpon the iudgements of God threatned against sinne and executed vpon sinners that yeeld and suffer themselues to be led away by their lusts the threatnings he shal finde euery where in Gods word and the executions he may see abroad in the world Let him also meditate vpon the mercies of God promised vnto vertue and performed vnto the vertuous that walke in the spirit and putting vpon them the Lord Iesus Christ doe take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof the promises hee shall meete with euery where in Gods word and the performances he may see abroad in the world but especially in the church and among the godly whose company he was before aduised to frequent These things obserued 〈◊〉 breede in him the feare of Gods power and the loue of Gods mercy which two will be vnto him helps of great seruice against the lusts of his owne heart while on the on side the feare of God will make him walke in humility and on the other fide the loue of God will make him to serue God with gladnesse This is a very good way of casting this burden vpon God Fiftly and lastly but continually and feruently let him pray vnto God for his grace to be giuen continued and increased to him For as the flesh that is corruption â—…n vs lusteth against the spirit so the spirit that is the grace of God in vs lusteth against the flesh So Paul incumbred with the messenger of SataÌ„ buâ—…eting him by which name he vnderstood the burden of his troublesome corruptions praied vnto God if it might bee to be freed from it For all power to preuaile against sinne and to get the mastery ouer corruptions is obtained by the gift of God and by the worke of his grace in vs. Therefore doth Dauid pray to God in this manner Teach mee o Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end giue mee
the Phisitions power to be ordered by him Euen so I feeling feare in my soule crept in by reason of these accusing thoughts that make me too sensibly to feele the dangerous sicknes of my soule will not faintly yeeld vnto death that I confesse I haue deserued and might iustly fall vpon mee but euen from this feare growing from my now reuealed sicknes I will seeke out the Lord that is the onely Phisition of our soules who killeth maketh aliue bringeth down to the graue and raiseth vp And I will intreat him to make me his patient and to take me into his charge and the more I am pained the more I will sue for his helpe and I will spare no cost of praiers of sighes and grones I will poure out my whole heart vnto him and I will put my selfe wholy into his power who hath also commanded mee in such times of distresse to seeke vnto him yea hath promised when wee so seeke him to be foūd of vs saying Call vpon me in the day of troble so will I deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me This is my day of trouble therefore will I call vpon God that me obtained deliuerance I may glorifie him with praises And seing the Apostle Paul hath said that God hath shut vp all inunbeleese that he might haue mercy vpon all why should I doe so great wrong either to my owne present misery or vnto Gods infinite mercy to beleeue otherwise but that God hath holden me thus long shut vp and fast bound in the prison and fetteres of my owne vnbeliefe and naturall infidelitie and wickednes which now I see to the end that I might the more dearely esteeme of his mercy in freeing mee which I will now call for and that his mercy might bee euen to his owne name the more honorable in conuerting me Thus may the afflicted sinner troubled with this generall confused kinde of accusing thoughts cast his burden comfortably vpon God for in this kind of temptation there is this hole in the wall wherein while hee diggeth by continuall prayer it may will proue a dore of mercy easie to be entred And I further aduise this afflicted man when he feeleth himselfe entred or entring into this feare and confused kind of temptation that he will haue some care of his bodies health and craue the aduice of some godly and learned Physition for such confused feares are not alwaies meerly spirituall temptations but they doe often arise from some naturall decay in our bodily health and from some distemper of humors in vs. Great is the affinitie betweene the soule and the body and the proper passions diseases of the one by reason of that affinitie make the other to be euill affected If therefore the body be crazed it will make the mind also to be diseased and where the humor of Melancholy is predominare is not kept in any euen proportion in vs it naturally driueth vs into deepe and dull into sad heauy and fearefull thoughts and imaginations and causeth doubtings and distrust and with a little helpe of the wicked aduersary it will quench all comfortable hope and breede wofull dispaire in vs and the Diuell is cunning to iudge of our distemperature and where he findeth such weaknes he will worke vpon it as he worketh vpon the sanguine and pleasant mans disposition to make him wanton and careles of God and as he worketh vpon the cholericke and hastie mans disposition to make him wrathfull and sudden in mischeefe as he worketh vpon the fleginaticke to make him slothfull colde and negligent of doing his dutie a louer of sloth idlenes so he will not faile to be busie with the man in whom melancholy aboundeth to make him full of feare and void of hope And lamentable are the effects which often follow where he findeth such matter to worke vpon The wise Christian therefore that is affrighted with this confused kinde of temptation in termes of generall accusation must not neglect to releeue his body and to remoue from Sathans hand that euill humour that he maketh so dangerous vse of This is a thing that the afflicted man often contemneth as carnall counsell indeed it were carnall counsell if it should be required alone without recourse vnto God by prayer but it hath beene found by the mercy of God to haue beene profitable counsell And it is not to be neglected of him that in this confused kind of tentatiō desireth ease to his soule And to take this with the former prescribed course is to cast this burden vpon God CHAP. XIIII BVT if it fall out that thou be charged more distinctly with some particular enormious sinne one or many then hath Sathan espied against thee some especiall aduantage in thy doings It behoueth thee now to looke closely to thy selfe and to marke if thou canst espie any hole in the wall of hope to dig in that a dore of mercy may be opened vnto thee In this case consider whether that or those sinnes were committed in the time of thine ignorance when thou knewest not well what was lawfull or vnlawfull for thee to doe or in the time of knowledge when thine owne heart could tell thee that such things were not lawfull to be done for if they were done in the time of ignorance when perhaps thou mightest thinke it lawfull and free to be done yea perhaps good perhaps also profitable and necessarie as Saul after called Paul thought it lawfull good and necessarie for him to persecute the name of Iesus and to cast into prison them that called vpon that name as hee said before King Agrippa I verely thought in my selfe that I ought to doe many contrary things against the name of Iesus of Nazareth Or if thou didst not thinke it to be lawfull good necessarie for thee yet thou didst not thinke or at the least didst not know it to be euill for thee to doe it and any such danger to hang vpon it with Gods high displeasure as now thou perceiuest then this very circumstance maketh thy burden lighter and in the wall of hope a hole appeareth wherein if thou dig by prayer a dore of mercy wil be opened vnto thee For though ignorance doth not excuse much lesse iustifie our sinnes and the discharge of that sinne will cost thy soule some teares and prayers and other like courses of a contrite heart yet with more ease will the terror of it be ouercome then if it had beene done against knowledge Hereto pertaines that saying of our blessed sauiour That seruant that knew his masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes but he that knew it not and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with fewer stripes By these stripes some of the fathers vnderstand not torments in hell of different rigor though it cānot be denied but the condition
Chapter we shall finde it to be not any particular transgression of any or of all the precepts of the law but a wil-full opposition of our heart against as I may call it the body of religion first rightly vnderstoode and certainely knowne to be the true religion of God and vpon no other cause but out of meere enuie The Pharises heard the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ and saw his miracles and knew him to bee that sonne of Dauid that Messias that was promised they knew his doctrine to be holy and heauenly and his workes to bee wrought by the finger of God Yet because the people honoured him and vpon the sight of his miracle when hee healed the man that was possessed of a diuell and was both blind and dumbe because they then cryed out saying Is not this that sonne of Dauid They therefore out of enuy and mallice without any other cause gaue it out concerning him saying He casteth out Diuels no otherwise but by Belzebub the prince of Diuels Indeuoring by these wordes to perswade the people that he was a wicked man risen vp out of Hell set vp by the Prince of diuels and assisted with his power to publish the doctrine of diuels and to vphold his kingdome so slaundering the person of Christ the workes of Christ and the doctrine of Christ all which many of them knew to be heauenly and of God If they had not knowne him to bee thee sonne of God they had not beene guilty of that great sinne As the Lord said vnto them If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne your ignorance would haue cleered you from this wiâ—…full mallice But they knew his person to be sent of God his workes to be done by the finger of God and in his doctrine that he taught truely the will of God The Lord himselfe said vnto them Yee both know me and know whence I am Yet did they out of enuy detract from the glory of his workes that they might by that meanes bring both his person and heauenly doctrine into contempt And they ceased not this course of slandering his person of disgracing his workes and obscuring the truth of his doctrine laying wait also for his life for God giueth not repentance for this sinne till they had bought him with money of the traytor iudged him to be worthy of death vpon the knowne false testimonie of suborned witnesses extorted with their clamours his condemnation from an vnwilling Iudge pronouncing him iust whom he condemned for their pleasure added vnto his vniust death what reproch they could and after his resurrection corrupted the souldiers with money so causing it to be by them divulged that his disciples stole away his body out of the graue and that he did not rise againe from the dead by that course labouring out of enuy to suppresse the Gospell and doctrine of Iesus Christ which yet they knew by the illumination of the holy Ghost to be the very truth of God This malitious opposition of theirs against religion knowne to be the religion of God was their vnpardonable sinne It was not their vncharitabe proceeding against an innocent man their hiering of a seruant to betray his master their suborning of false witnesses against a iust person their corrupting of a Iudge to giue sentence to their liking though vniust nor the hyâ—…ing of bold men to spred a lie among the credulious multitude nor yet the cruell and vniust murdering of the Lord of life Though all these were grieuous sinnes for many were pardoned both of the people and of their gouerners that had their handes in all this iniustice though they had not so deepe a reaâ—… so enuious a purpose of ouerthrowing by his ouerthrow the religion which they knew to be of God as most of the Priestes and Pharises had many I say were pardoned that had their handes in the iniustice done to our sauiour for he praied for them saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe and that praier of his could not be in vaine But in the cunning fellowes both among the people and their goueruors that knew him and whence he was and how he wrought and what he taught and that all was of God this was their vupardonable sin that they vsed al that falshood corruption and cruelty both during his life and in his death only to this end to hinder the course of his doctrine as they say plainely in their councell If we let him thus alone all men will beleeue in him When they knew that doctrine taught by him wherein they would not haue the people to beleeue to be the very truth of God This is the vnpardonable sinne called blasphemie against the Holy Gost because it flaundereth and disgraceth the truth of God which was made knowen vnto them so made to shine in their hearts by the Holy Ghost called the spirit of truth because it leadeth into all truth This sinne is a common sinne of diuels that know God and maliciously seeke his dishonor that know the groundes of true and holy religion and enuiously seeke to depraâ—…e them to corrupt them and if they could to abolish them out of the world desiring nothing more then to disgrace the truth of God among men This sin is sometime but rarely found amongst men and in examination thy sinne will bee found not to be this sinne and therefore not to be vnpardonable which is a great ground of hope to build vpon First the sinne of him that is pressed with the generall and confused accusation of an euill and hypocriticall heart cannot be this sinne that being naturally the estate of all men that come into the world they are borne with a heart deceitfull and wicked aboue all things But no man can be borne guilty of blasphemy against the holy-ghost because no man is in his birth enlightned with the knowledge of true religion which knowledge must necessarily goe before this fearefull opposition Neither can this sinne bee found in them that are distinctly charged with a particular sinne or sins that were committed in the days of ignorance it cannot be those sinnes For he that may fall into this vnpardonable sinne must first haue a full cleere knowledge of true religion with perswasion that it is the trueth But the ignorant man wanteth that cleere knowledge And hee is far enough from this sinne Neither can it be found in them that sinne against knowledge but out of weakenesse either surprised with a sudden temptation or led captiue with a strong and violent temptation for when these men are at libertie to consider what they haue done they haue no pleasure in it But that vnpardonable sinne is a voluntary wilfull and malicious opposition against the knowne truth out of their enuy not induring the glory of Christ in his Gospel Neither can any particular breach of any one Commandement nor all the breaches of all the
and said vnto me Goe prophecie to my people Israel That is I haue in those sermons which you call Conspiracie faithfully followed the commandement of the God of Israel So also did Ieremy when the Priestes and false Prophets and the multitude of the people had laid hands vpon him in the Temple and went about to kill him for his preaching he protested his innocencie saying The Lord hath sent me to prophecie against this house against this Citie all the things that you haue heard And thine innocency being thus protested made knowne then secondly turne thee vnto God appeale to his iudgemē◅ rest vpon him He is the true discerner of all mens doings to whō it is manifest both what things are done and with what mind they are done and he is the iudge of all men and of their doings and he will reward them that truly serue him therefore taking no discomfort at the vniustice and vnthankfulnes of men pray God to iustifie thy well doing against misreporters Thou hast a promise of such mercie made by the Prophet saying He shall bring forth thy righteousnes as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day and pray him to remember thee and giue thee thy reward in heauen because on earth good seruices are not worthily valowed and in expectation of that reward at Gods hands comfort thy soule in this case And thus haue we spoken of the fower secular burdens wherein immediately we haue to doe with men in matters concerning this life and shewed how the burdens may be ought to be cast vpon God for the ◅ase of our soules CHAP. XII THere are diuers troubles wherein the man that is troubled hath to doe immediatly and at the next hand with God and the things wherin he hath to doe with God and looketh directly vpon him do concerne our soule and inward man and the good estate therof for holinesse and happinesse both now and hereafter And in regard hereof those troubles I call spirituall troubles And those I reduce to two heads The first of these spirituall burdens is the powerful lusts of the flesh enemies to the holinesse of the soule The second is the feareful accusing thoughts that are enemies to the happinesse of the soule The first is the burden of the lusts of the flesh fighting against the soule The multitude of our corruptions and the law of sinne in our members so potent and strong that we cannot doe the good we would in doing whereof God should be serued and the euil we would not that we doe by doing whereof the diuell is serued This is a grieuous burden to an honest minded man that is desirous to please God and keepe a good conscience Hee considereth who made him and desireth to glorifie his creator He considereth the manifold mercies of God towards him and desireth to approue himselfe a thankfull man He respecteth the end both of his creation and of his regeneration and desireth to come neare vnto God and to haue fellowship with his redeemer and to resemble him in holinesse and righteousnesse hee seriously thinketh vpon the end of vertue and reward of vice the first to be eternall life the other to be eternall destruction and with his whole heart and soule he desireth and striueth to auoid euill which hee abhorreth and to do good which he loueth And while he striueth to goe on in this course nothing hindereth him more then the root of sin that is deeply fastened in his owne flesh The Diuell offereth a temptation and his false flesh yeeldeth presently vnto it The flattering world presenteth showes of vanity and the flesh greedily imbraceth them Occasions are offered and presented to our eies and our traiterous flesh suddenly apprehendeth them and our actions fall out to be sinfull and euill sometime at vnawares before wee haue leisure to consider what we ought to doe Sometime against fore-fight yea against repugning will For that corruption that is in our flesh which for the authority that it vsurpeth and for the power that it exerciseth in vs the Apostle calleth the law in our members that corruption rebelleth against the law of our minde and leadeth vs captiue into all actuall sinne And wee are compelled in the campe of our enemies to serue against our beloued Lord. And this is no small griefe vnto a sanctified soule that desireth to serue and worship God in spirit and truth How heauy this burden is the Apostles words doe teach vs crying out by reason of it in this manner O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death It was vnto him more bitter then death that sinne was of such power in his mortall body Vpon men groaning vnder this burden compassion ◅is to be taken both in regard of God whom it grieueth them to offend and dishonour and also in regard of themselues so intangled and indangered not by any fo◅aine malice but by their owne inbred sinfulnesse Therefore for the case of such ouercharged soules to giue them some comfort notwithstanding the continuance of their burden these things are to be considered First that where God hath giuen an heart grieued for these infirmities he neuer imputeth vnto them the sinnes that they so vnwillingly and grieuedly commit their broken and displeased hearts being a pleasing sacrifice to him According to the saying of the Prophet The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise So that God taketh more pleasure to see them sorrow for their committing sinne then he doth displeasure for the sinne that they commit for to commit sinne is common to all mankinde and we cannot chuse but to doe amisse while we liue in this flesh but to mourne and to be grieued for sin to striue against it and not to commit it but with dislike offence taken for it is proper onely to them that truely loue the Lord. Secondly though they cannot attaine vnto such perfect holinesse vppon earth as they desire nor vnto such an absolute conquest ouer their corruptions and such a full measure of mortification that sin shal haue no life nor power of mou◅ng in them yet their good wil being true and vnfained and their holy desire beeing sound and not dissembled is before God as well accepted as if they were altogether without sinne Therefore is it that God requireth the heart saying My sonne giue me thine heart and let thine eies delight in my wayes He that can by the mercie of God attayne vnto this to delight in in the wayes of God and to haue a sound heart within his weake bodie he hath attained vnto as great perfection of holinesse as this present life is capable of if that desire and delight of his be ioyned with knowledge and vnderstanding so that hee be free from their errour whom the Apostle speaketh of saying They being ignorant of the righteousnesse
offered vnto God for vs is accepted as our righteousnes and the reward of it is giuen vnto vs. His righteousnes is our righteousnes yea hee himselfe is our righteousnes and in him we are righteous not without reference vnto that place of the Prophet Ieremie doeth the Apostle Paul say thus of him You are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption First he is made vnto vs wisdome that is in him and by the knowledge of him wee attaine vnto that wisdome which only is worthy of that name which philosophie and all the religions in the world the Gospell of Iesus Christ excepted could neuer afford vs for this wisdome maketh vs wise vnto saluation secondly he is made vnto vs righteousnes that is by the imputation of his righteousnes vnto vs we are accepted as righteous and holy and are in him righteous and holy Thirdly he is made vnto vs sanctification that is in him and by the vertue of his death and resurreotion we are recouered out of the dominion of sinne and haue power giuen vs to keepe vnder suppresse mortifie our earthly members and carnall lusts and doe euen in this sinfull world make beginning to serue God in holines and righteousnes with sinceritie and truth of heart Lastly he is giuen to be vnto vs redemption that is when we are once made wise by the knowledge of him and are iustified by his imputed righteousnes sanctified by his quickning grace we shall in the end vndoubtedly come to full redemption in heauen by him And by his meanes thou which of thy selfe art an vncleane person such an one as the holines of heauen may iustly denie entrance vnto art made in Iesus Christ a most holy and pure person worthily admitted by the holines of God to enter into glory And this other part of thy feare and so thy whole obiected feare is remoued the iustice of God that will haue sinne punished and the holines of God that will suffer no vncleane thing to stand before him both hauing receiued full satisfaction in the mediation of Iesus Christ Iustice in his death suffred for vs and holines in his perfect obedience and righteousnes imputed vnto vs so free way is made for the mercy of God which thou foolishly callest prodigall mercy For nothing euer was with more wise prouision bestowed to come vnto thee to forgiue thy great and abominable sinnes and to saue a great and an abominable sinner Now therefore fall to praier in the name of so gracious a mediator intreat the most merciful louing God to forgiue thy sins to receiue thee to fauor And for thy incouragement first vnderstand that without exception of any sin whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or aduisedly done the Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen thee leaue yea hee hath commanded thee to craue the forgiunes of thy sins teaching and commanding thee to say vnto God Forgiue vs our sinnes Looke then vpon the sinnes that lye so heauie vpon thy conscience marke thē well and if thou findest them to be thine as i◅ most like thou shalt know that thou hast leaue giuen thee and art also commanded to be a suitor for the forgiuenes of them whatsoeuer they be being sins And consider by whom this leaue and this commandement is giuen thee euen by him that is appointed to be the iudge of quicke and dead who while he giueth thee leaue commandement hath also himselfe drawne the petition for thee by which thou art commanded and permitted to craue the forgiuenes And surely it is a beginning of mercy granted to grant thee leaue and to imbolden thee with a commandement to aske for mercy his rule being Aske and it shall be giuen thee And it is not with out hope yea great hope of forgiuenes of sins when the iudge that hath power to grant it doth both permit thee command thee instruct thee how ◅o craue it This being also on of his rulers in the fore remēbred place Seek ye shall find Secondly to incorage thee further vnderstand that without exception of any sinne whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or advisedly done almighty God against whom thy sinne is commited and whose heauie wrath for thy sinnes thou art so greatly afraid of hath promised both to forgiue and forget thy sins saying I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more And when doeth God giue this promise but when hee maketh a couenant with his people whereby he bindeth himselfe vnto them And what shall we say was not God aduised of his owne meaning and considerate when he made this promise who can say otherwise of the most wise God but that he was aduised Or did he dissemble or promise this fainedly when he had no meaning to performe it who can say otherwise of the God of trueth but that he fully intended to performe his promise or hath hee forgotten now what hee promised then that by this meanes his promise should be as no promise because not remembred to be euer giuen who can imagine this of that God who knew all his owne workes from the beginning to whom all times both past and to come are euer present and of whom the Prophet saith He hath alwaies remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations Looke then againe vpon the sinnes that are so heauie vpon thy conscience and marke them well and if they be thy sinnes which thou canst not denie as the Lord Iesus hath giuen thee leaue by his commandement to aske forgiuenes so God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath promised to grant thee forgiuenes of them Here is a dore of mercy set wide open enter confidently but humbly with thy praier in the name of Iesus the mediator Thou hast the promise of the God of trueth of that God whose word is his deed who saith As I haue spoken so will I bring it to passe And what or whome shouldest thou now be afraid of CHAP. XIX BVT the afflicted sinner that cānot easily cast off this cleauing burden to his owne further trouble obiecteth against the incouragment giuen him from the commandement of the Lord Iesus to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes affirming that that gracious commandement giuing so franke leaue and so large hope of asking and obtaining forgiuenesse neither doth nor can pertaine vnto him pleading against himselfe in this manner This commandement of Christ that giueth leaue to aske and hope to receiue forgiuenesse of sins cannot belong vnto me neither haue I any right to the benefit and aduantage of it because that commandement is giuen to them that can call God their father for so beginneth the Lords praier wherein that commandement is comprehended our father which art in heauen But cannot call God my father neither haue I any
whether he did speake them spiritually and inwardly to his vnderstanding hereof they speake nothing Onely Saint Luke saith that the diuell did shew vnto Iesus the glorie of the kingdomes of the earth In the twinkling of an eie Which sure was a spirituall manner of presenting and why may we not aswell thinke that he vsed a spirituall manner of speaking but howsoeuer it was the diuels worke in thrusting those vngodly thoughts into th◅e heart is like that diuels worke that offred those sinfull motions vnto the Lord Iesus The diuell sinned therein as a tempter that would haue drawne another to wickednesse but the Lord Iesus sinned not in them while hee gaue no place vnto them neither was drawne by them to doe euill but confuted them by the scriptures those suggestions were no hurt vnto him Euen so in those thoughts thrust into thine heart the diuell sinneth in them as a tempter that would draw thee to cōmit wickednes but thou sinnest not in them if thou giue no place vnto them and suffer not thy selfe to be drawne by them to doe euill but confutest them by the scriptures Surely those thoughts if thou carry thy selfe thus shall doe no hurt to thee Againe let me remember thee to call vpon God for the assistance of his grace against those euill thoughts And to take heede of idlenes and solitarines remembring Salomons Vae soli woe vnto him that is alone And here I will also aduise the sinner which is troubled with these swarmes of euill thoughts to confer with some godly and learned Phisition and to vse his counsell for there is oft in the assault of such thoughts some mixture of some distemper in the body which he that is wise in God desireth true rest vnto his soule will not yea must not be carelesse of And whereas in the frame of thy obiection thou saist that if those thoughts be the suggestions of Sathan in thine heart then the diuell hath alreadie possession of thy heart and thou art fully in his power it is too late to thinke of deliuering thee on t of his hand This is but a false phantasie the fruit of thine owne feare without any truth in it for the diuell hath often leaue to tempt when he hath no power to ouercome Thou heardst euen now how hee had leaue to tempt the Lord Iesus in the wildernesse but he had no power to ouercome him And thou knowest the historie of Iob. The diuell had leaue to tempt him and and that was limited leaue hee was not able to touch a sheepes taile of Iobs till God permitted him and hee could not passe a step further then God allowed him and whatsoeuer he did to Iob either in his possessions or in his owne bodie yet had he no power ouer his mind to make him to blaspheme God which was the d◅uels cheefest desire whereof he had accused Iob before And thou knowest what Iesus saith of the Apostles that the diuell made suite to winnow them as wheat but hee interposed his praier for them that their faith might not faile in the most hote and violent temptation So that the diuell hath no power at all either to trouble by tempting or to hurt whom he troubleth But as God in his holy wisdome giueth him leaue Malice and desire to hurt aboundeth in that enemy but power he must obtaine at Gods hands And in thy selfe thou maiest see it plain by the very maner of thy trouble that though he haue leaue by these thoughts to tempt thee yet thou art not wholly in his power for if hee had power to hurt thee with deedes hee would not trifle the time with thee to trouble thee with thoughts for the diuell euer goeth as farre as ◅is commission extendeth in doing hurt to the sonnes of men he◅ hath no mercie and charitie to spare where he may do a mischiefe And if he had as ful possession of thee as euer hee had of any child of disobedience yet were it not therefore too late to thinke vppon and to seeke deliuerance out of his power For the Apostle saith that hee himselfe and the Ephesians to whom he writeth walked sometime according to the course of this world and after the prince that ruleth i◅ the aire euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience He sometime preuailed in Paul and the Ephesians further then to molest them with vngodly thoughts for they walked in their deedes after his course and yet they were deliuered out of his power and made the faithful seruants and obedient sonnes of God Indeed the Deuil is a strong man armed that to his vttermost power keepeth those things that hee possesseth in peace But the Lord Iesus saith in the Gospel When a stronger then hee commeth vppon him and ouercommeth him hee taketh from him al his armour wherein hee trusted and diuideth his spoiles And this stronger then Satan is our Lord Iesus Christ wholeadeth euen captiuity captiue and by suffering death in his flesh hath destroyed death as the Prophet speaketh O death I will be thy death O graue I will bee thy destruction And him also that had power of death to hurt vs withall as the Apostle saith That hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And to what end hath he subdued this enemy but that hee might diuide his spoiles and set at liberty those whom he held captiue as it followeth in the same place That he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Where wee see deliuerance granted to them that the deuill had possession of and held in peace as the spoils that he had taken And the same may be seene by an other saying of the Apostle writing to Timothy Instruct them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded proning if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the trueth and that they may come to amendment out of the snares of the deuill which are taken of him at his will Marke it and make vse of it those whom the deuill hath taken at his pleasure are not such men in his power and whom he hath ins◅ared with the cords of ignorance and of wickednesse in the blindnesse and stubbornenesse of their hearts those God deliuereth and setteth free bringing them to the knowledge of the truth and to amendment of life And doth it by the milde instruction of Timothie that is by the word of the Gospel vnder the free ministerie whereof thou liuest happily in the bosome of the Church The power of which word if thou hearken vnto it in ouerthrowing the power of Satan and diuiding his spoiles we may yet further see by that that is written in the Gospell The Lord Iesus sent forth seuenty Disciples to preach the Gospel sending them two and two together and after their ministerie was fulfilled the Seauentie returned
seuerall sorts being counted Salomon saith Aiust man falleth seauen times a day riseth againe not so often falling still in the same kind but diuersly falling in seuerall kinds and obtaining helpe to rise againe from euery fall and these many falles may be reduced vnto two generall heads for either a man falleth into sinne or hee falleth into some misery and trouble that sinne maketh our life to be subiect vnto And vnder these two names of sinne and misery we will speake of these falles and consider how true this promise is that GOD will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The first of these falles is our falling into sinne For the commandements of God being as so many paths beaten out before our faces for vs to walke in he that keepeth them is as one that walketh vprightly with God and hee that transgresseth and breaketh them is as one that stumbleth in his way and falleth downe flat to his great danger Therefore doe we call Adams sinne the fall of Adam Therefore doe we call the lighter errours of the Saints their slidings and their grosser errours we call their falles And this name of fall is giuen to the sinne that we commit by the Prophet Hosea saying O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thoâ—… hast fallen by thine iniquity This is a dangerous kinde of fall whereof it behoueth vs to take great heede Heli the Priest fell from the seat whereon he sate brake his necke Ahaziah the sonne of Ahab King of Israel fell thorow the Lattisewindow in his vpper chamber and brused his body whereof he died Yet is not such a fall as either of them haue taken any thing neere so dangerous as to fall into sinne This fall of sinne made the Angels fall out of Heauen and out of the fauour of God irrecouerably And it made our first parents fall out of Paradise and from that blâ—…ssed estate of innocency and immortality wherin God created them And many of their posterity by salling into sinne doe fall from God and sinke downe into hell and there perish eternally It behoueth all men therefore to take heed of it as the Apostle aduiseth saying Let him that standeth take heede lest hee fall There is no man of so sure footing that can walke steedily in Gods commandements without sliding and falling for as Sant Iames saith In many things we sinne all And the more weake our footing is the more warily we had need looke vnto our waies that as much as is possible we may escape falles especially considering how dangerous it is in this kind to fall But â—…et such is the mercy of God that he will not suffer the righteous to fal for euer but in due time hee will raise vp them by repentance that are fallen by their sinnes To which end hee giueth vnto vs his word that teacheth vs the way wheâ—…ein we should goe and sendeth vnto vs his messengers with that word in their mouthes that they may be our guides to that end he prepareth our eares for the hearing and our hearts for the vnderstanding of that word that we may learne and profit thereby After this he humbleth our will and bringeth into order all our affections that our knowledge may not be idle for want of willing obedience And because neither knowledge nor willingnesse are able by reason of our weaknesse to effect any thing without him he also strengthneth vs and worketh in vs what hee would haue wrought by vs. As the Apostle speaketh It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede out of his good pleasure Thus he proceedeth in his good worke to raise vp by true repentance them that were fallen by their sinnes And to assure vs there of that we may with comfort hope for the helpe of his grace when our weaknes hath made vs fall into sinne Hee hath giuen vs many gracious promises For thus hee saith in the Psalme I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eie Thus hee promiseth in the Prophecy of Ieremy I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And thus hee speaketh by the Prophet Ezekiel Then will I powre cleane water vpon you and you shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I clense you a new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shal keepe my iudgements and doe them These and many such gracious promises hath God giuen vnto vs to assure vs that when the righteous fall into sinne hee will raise them vp againe by repentance Hence haue issued the calling of the Gentiles and the conuersion of all vnbeleeuers that for many succeeding ages liued in ignorance and sinne and yet in the end obtayned mercy to returne to God by repentance Hence hath issued the regeneration and new birth of the Saints that being originally shut vp in vnbeleefe and naturally dead in trespasses and sinnes haue beene quickned by Gods grace and begotten againe by the word of truth to be the first fruits of his creatures and by his mercifull worke haue been brought out of darknesse vnto his glorious light to liue thenceforth not as children of darknesse and of the night but as children of the light and of the day Hence hath this issued euen that God will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer and from their daily slidings hee doth raise them that when they haue sinned as Adams children they may repent and amend as the children of God The Prophet saith in the Psalme The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding Let the righteous therefore that either finde their owne ignorance in mischoosing their way or feele their owne weakenesse in walking in their way let them pray vnto God for grace that he will not suffer them to erre and fall for euer and let them say vnto God with the Prophet Teach mee thy way O God and leade me in a right path This is the first kinde of fall to fall into sinne and it is the worst because it draweth with it the second kinde of fall which is to fall into misery CHAP. XXXV THE second kinde of fall in which God will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer is an effect of the former produced by the iust iudgment of God namely a falling into misery This kinde of fall mankinde had neuer beene acquainted withall if they had not taken the first fall for if man had neuer sinned against God God would neuer haue suffered man to haue felt any misery This kind of
fall into misery is of infinite variety no man can number the seuerall miseries and troubles that sinne hath made our life subiect vnto yet they may be reduced to two generall heads for either they are iudgements vpon the inward man inward miseries and afflictions vpon the soule or else they are outward iudgements vpon the outward man in outward things that touch not the peace of the soule The inward iudgements and miseries which follow the fall into sin and wherinto for sinne man falleth are either the blinding of our vnderstanding and the hardening of our heart often inflicted as punishments of foregoing sinnes and such was the iudgâ—…ment of God vpon Pharao whose heart God hardened and such a iudgement and misery the Apostle Paul telleth vs the Gentiles fell into as a punishment of precedent sins when he saith Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannesse to deâ—…ile their owne bodies betweene themselues And in many more words he recordeth that iudgement or they are those feares and terrours of heart that cast vs downe from hope that empty our soules of comfort fill them with feares and make vs as it were to stagger shrinke and fall in our faith of this kind is that iudgement that God threaâ—…neth by Moses in these words the Lord shall simite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and astonishment of heart when a man is amased and confounded with his feares that hee knoweth not which way to turne him for comfort and helpe and deepe fallen into this miserie were they whom Esay speaketh of saying The sinnes in Sion are afraid a feare is come vpon the hipocrites who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings They conceiued no otherwise of God then of a consuming fire and therefore feare possessed altogither their hearts hope vanished faith had no abiding there And all these inward miseries falling immediately vpon the soule and the facultie thereof tend chiefely to this to ouerthrow our faith by decay of it to ouerthrow vs for faith is the firme standing of our soule grounded vpon the assurance of Gods mercy Therefore doeth the Apostle vse this phrase Watch you stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong Because he that hath the stronger faith standeth the more strong and steadfast and hee that hath the weaker faith standeth more weakely and loose and thoug the faith of the Saints of God once giuen vnto them neuer totally decaieth for as the Lord Iesus saith hee praied for the continuance and confirmation of Peters faith to whom he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not So he praied for all his chosen ones that beleeue in him when he said to his father I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in mee thorough their word Yet the faith of the Saintes suffereth sometimes an eclipse or deceasing at some other times an increasing whereby as in the increasing of their faith they stand fast and are full of comfort so in the deceasing of their faith their footing becommeth slipperie and they take many sore falles feele their hearts oppressed with feare as it was with Dauid when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so far from my health and from the words of my roaring And when he complained at another time saying Mine heart trembleth within mee and the terrors of death are fallen vpon mee feare and trembling are come upon mee and an horrible feare hath couered mee In this manner their faith at that time being in the wane the righteous oppressed with a weight of anguish and feare doe often fall through the shrinking of their faith and feele themselues sore bruised in their soules But yet such is the mercy of God that he doeth not suffer the righteous being fallen into these inward iudgements and miseries to fall for euer And if it be a blinded vnderstanding or a hardned heart that they are fallen into he raiseth them vp out from a blinded vnderstanding by sending the knowledge of the 〈◊〉 As the Lord Iesus sent Paul among the ignorant Gentiles with this commission I send thee to open their 〈◊〉 that they may turne from darkenes to light c. And he raiseth them vp from hardnes of heart by mollifying their hearts as hee promiseth by Ezekiel saying I will take away the stonâ—…e heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh And if they be fallen into any feare and terror of conscience he raiseth them vp by repairing their faith and by reuiuing their comfort To that end he bringeth to their remembrance the large promises of his grace the boundles measure of his mercy the riches of his free vnchangeable loue and then doeth hee make them remember that they haue a mediator that died for their sinnes and rose againe for their iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare a place for them and sitteth on the right hand of his father in highest fauour and greatest authoritie to make intercession for them continually vrging the vertue of his death and bloudshedding that hath taken away the sinne of the world who is the prince of peace that hath made their peace and is that beloued sonne in whom the father is well pleased making vs accepted in that his beloued To the same end doeth he spread the beames of his louing countenance and cause the light thereof to shine within their consciences sending downe the spirit of adoption into their hearts to beare witnes with their spirits that they are the sonnes of God so raking together the sparkes of their almost smothered faith from among the cold ashes of anguish and feare where it lay deepe couered giuing heate and life vnto it with the warming fire of his comfort so that they begin to lift vp their heads and to reioice their hearts and to shake of their their sorrow and feare and to glorie in God saying with the blessed virgin My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast tnrned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sacke and girded mee with gladnes And that God doeth thus not suffring the righteous to fall and languish in these inward miseries for euer besides the experience of Gods elect daily renewed with light and grace and daily refreshed with comfort and peace the scriptures also doe testifie it to be the gracious manner of Gods dealing with his chosen The Prophet saith of him Hee healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their soares These words can be referred to no other worke of God for the more sure and full performance whereof God sent his sonne into the world who came to call sinners vnto repentance and to seeke and saue them that
Heb. 1â—… 10 Deut. 8. 16 2 Goâ—… 4. 17 Vse of this patience in domestic all troubles Mat. 11. 29 The second generall is prayer Psa. 50. 15 Psal. 99. 6. Ge 32. 11. Ezo 14 15 Exo. 14. 30 Ps. 145. 18. Need of praier First for thy selfe Iam. 1. 4. Secondly for them that trouble or grieue thee Mat. 5. 4â—… â—… Sâ—… 6. 18. 2. Sa. 6. 20. Gen. 25. 21 Gen. 49. 48 Ruth 2. 4. Dan. 6. 10. Ex. 15 26 Deut. 32. 39. 2. Sam. 12. 26 Mat. 8. 6. Act. 12. 5. Thirdly for all the rest Ioh. 6. 67. Ioh 17. 12. Iam. 5. 13. Particular rules of casting these troubles vpon God These troubles are wronâ—…s or griefes Wrongs occaâ—…oned sometime by our selues How to cast those wrongs vpon God Not occasioned by our selues 1. Sam. 12. 3 Psal. 7. 3. Prou. 16. 18 How to caâ—… these vpon God 1. Pe. 2. 20. Troubles not continued nor iterated 2. Sam. 16. 22. Troubles continued If for a short time This troâ—…ble may be remoued by reforming the troublers Iob. 2. 10. Pro. 31. 26 1. Pet. 3. 1 â—… Pro. 29. 15 Pro. 29. 17. Pro. 29 19 Pro. 29. 21. Ephes. 6. 4. Coloss. 4. 1 1. Sa. 19. 4. 2 Kin. â—… â—…3 Leu. 19 17 Maâ—… 18. 15 1. Pet. 4. 8. By weakening the power of the trobler Gen. 31. 24 Gen. 3â—… â—…9 1. Sa. 19. 10 How then to cast it vpon God 2. 5â—… 15. 31 Psal. 9. 19. Psal. 35. 19 Psal. 140. 8 2. Kin. 1. 10 Psal. 35. 4. Psal. 109. 6 Act. 8. â—…0 1. Tim. 4. 14. August in Psal. 35. Mat. 5. 44. By remouing the troubler from thee or thee from him If his remoue bâ—… by death Psal. 36. 9 Psal. 68. â—…0 Esai 57. 1. Ezo 20. 13 1. Sa. 26. 10 If it be by shift of place Mat. 10. â—…3 Rulet concerning remoue of children or seruants Mark 9. 43 〈◊〉 thy trouble continue long Consolations to comfort in long troubles Iob 14. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1â—… Matth. 11. â—…9 Math 25. 42. â—… Acts. 9. 4. 2. Sam. 16. 11. If thy troble be griefe â—… not wrong If griefe grow from sicknesse in thy selfe Deut. 32. 39. 1. Pet. 5. 6. Psal. 32. 4. Esa. 38 2. Esa 38. 18. 2. Chro. 16. 12. If it be any other calamity Iob 2. 10 Ion. 1. 5. Iob. 16. 23. If it be feare of death 1. King 2. 2 Iob 7. 1. Reu. 14. 13 1. Corin. 15 55. Phil. 1. 23. Iohn 14 3. â—…zoc 18. 4 Psal 68. 5. If thâ—…u â—…rt grieued 〈◊〉 others First help to ease theÌ„ what thou caâ—…st â—… Kin. 4. 20 Theâ—… patience and prayer Phil. 4. 5. If it be for the death of others 2. Sa. 12. 16 2. Sa. 12. 18 2. Sa. 12. 21 2. Sa. 12. 22 Esa. 26. 19 1. thes 4 13 The third secular burden is troubles more remote Generally 〈◊〉 patiâ—…ce 1. Ki. 11. 14 Psal. 39. 6. And â—…se praier Particularly for wrongs If thou gauest the occasion â—… Sâ—… 19. 18 If thou giue not the occasion Pro. 15. 15 1 Pet. 4. 15 If God will reforme the troubler Mat 18 15 Acts 7. 58. Acts 8. 1. Acts 9. 31. Acts 7. 60. Aug. Ser. 4. de Sanctis If God will remoue by death If God will remoue by shift of place Themistocles If God will continue thy trouble If thy trouble be griefe 〈◊〉 others Not usuall to be grieued for others Gen. 40. 2â—… Amos 6. 6. What to doe in griefe Col. 3. 1â—… The fourth secular burden difficulties of our callings Rom. 13. 1. If we be insufficient If we be sufficient but are crossed If we doe well and be misconstrued Iâ—… we be insufficient by 〈◊〉 owne fault And be not far from â—… sufficiencie If we be far from sufficiencie Zechar. 13 5. If we be not insufficient by our own faults Psal. 8. 2. 2. Cor. 1â—… 9. Phil. 4. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 15. If we be sufficient but crossed what then to doe 1. Thes. 2. 15. Psal 140. â—… Psal. 108. 12. Psal. 90. 17. If thy deed be misconstrued what to doâ—… Amos. 7. 10. Amos. 7. 15. Iere. 26. 12 Psal. 37 6. â—…urdens of spirituall troubles The first spirituall burdeÌ„ lustâ—… of the flesh Grieuous to the honest man Rom. 7. 23 Rom. 7 24. These men are to be potied Matter of comfort for them Psa. 51. 17 Pro. 23 26. Rom. 10. 3 Rom. 13. 10. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Rom. 6. 7. 1. Corin 15 〈◊〉 This comfort is some case of his burden To cast this burden vpon God first study the Scriptures Psa. 119. 105 Psa. 119. 4 Ps. 119. 98. Secondly vse the company of good men Phil. 3. 17. Psal. 56. Psa. 18. 25 Thirdly sly occasions that may stir thy lusts Pro 6. 24. Pro. 22. 24 Pro. 23. 32 Fourthly thinke vpon iudgements and mercies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praâ—…er Psal. 119. 33. 2. Cor. 12. 9 Two Spirituall burden accusing thoughts A most grieuous burden To cast thiâ—… burden vpon God looke into the circumstances of the sinne Ezec. 8. 7. If thou heâ—… vrged generally Gen. 4. 13. There is ease in that that thou hast not fallen into grosse actuall sinne Such is the originall estate of euery man conceiueâ—… in sinne Psal. 51. 5. Eples 2. 1 Iere. 17. 9â—… â—… Cor. 2. 11 Hebr. 4. 13 Eccles. 7. 22. Prou. 20. 9 Yeeld to be as thou art charged and make it a warning to craâ—…e Gods helpe 1. Sam. 2. 6 Psal 50. 15 Rom 11. 32. And haue care of the body to help the weakenes of it In dâ—…inct and â—…cular â—…sations Consider if in were done in the time of thy ignorance Acts. 26. 9. Ignorance maketh thy sinne the sooner pardonable Luke 12. 47. Examples of then 〈◊〉 that some of ignorance Acts. 3. 14. Acts 3. 17. Acts 3. â—… Acts 9. 13. 1. Tim. 1. 1â—… Iohn 9. 41. If it were done agenst thy knowledge Consider if thy wâ—… was not ouer swâ—…ed by som strong temptation Iere. 8. 12 There is 〈◊〉 hope in this circâ—… Examples of men pardoned that thus sinned in the time of knowledge Mat. 10. 32 Iob 2. 4. Mar. 16. â—…4 Mat. 26. 33 34 35 Luk 22. 32 Gen. 27. 19 Ge. 38. 15 2. 〈◊〉 16. 4 Is it were dâ—…n aâ—…niast knowledge aâ—…d wiâ—… fâ—… consent of 〈◊〉 will This is dâ—…ngerous yet there 〈◊〉 help Luke 1â—… 47. As appeareth in the example of Manasses sinning against knowledge 1 King 2. 1 â—… King 18. And with fâ—…ll course of will 2. Chr. 33. â—… And yet finding fauour 2. Châ—… 33. 11. And in the thâ—…efe that sâ—…ffered with Iesus Luke 23. 42. 43. Lu. 23. 42. 43. Câ—…m in Lu chap. 23. 10. There is one onely sin â—…npardonable Called blasâ—…hemie against the Holy Ghost Mark 3 2â—… â—…at this blasphemie iâ—… Maâ—… 12. 2â—… 24. Iohn 9. 41. Iohn 7. 〈◊〉 Luke 23. 34. Iohn 11. 4â—… Tâ—… sinne â—…nnot bee 〈◊〉 sinne It ' can not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 with general accusation Nor his that sinneâ—… of ignorancâ—… Nor his whoâ—…e 〈◊〉 is ouerruled Nor his that breaketh