daily renued This repentance is figured in baptisme both in that we must die to sin and bury it and also that we must rise againe to newnes of life for a man cannot die to sin but by the vertue of Christ his death neyther can he rise to righteousnes without the power of his resurrection Now we must know that as our sinnes are forgiuen so we must also receiue Gods spirit If God promiseth mercy to our children much more to vs if we beleue and receiue his promises if to them which are a farre of much more to them that are neare And yet though we haue been baptised an hundred yeares and haue not receiued the holy Ghost we may die in our sinnes Some vnderstand by the gift of the holy Ghost the graces of God bestowed on the Apostles but in my iudgement their opinion is not sound because that was a particular thing giuen only to them of that time this promise is generall and respectes all posterities We are then to note that repentance is a continuall course of sorrowe and if we haue this in trueth then may we boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods woâ—d and from his ministers and looke what comfort they giue vs on earth the same shal be sealed also in heauen Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the ground if we will haue fruite and daily to eate if we will liue so in spirituall things we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may be refreshed with daily comfort in Christ in whose name let vs pray Our father c. FINIS Certaine wise and graue Counsels and Answers made by the same author of the former argument VNto one that was much tempted with vnbeliefe he gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in prayer say Lord thou makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is of very equity howbeit O Lorde grant I may by wisedome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience Oh turne this to thy glory and my saluation I see and confesse what hath beene in mee a long time by that which now sheweth it selfe in me and that thy grace hath hitherto kept vnder this corruptâ—on yet Lord I beleeue yet Lord I will beleue helpe Lord my vnbeliefe Thy name be praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeleefe I am grieued as in my beliefe I am wont to be comforted And though my olde and secret sinnes deserue that I should not onely be giuen ouer to infidelity but also that it should be in mee without griefe and remorse yet Lord forgiue my sinnes newe and olde forgiue my vnthankâ—ulnes Lord increase my faith and grant good father that when thou shalt restore to mee the gifte of grace againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it by fruites Or if this doe not preuaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to read the word of God especially his promises and be still attending vpon the meanes waiting when the Lord shall inlarge your hearte Or if this do not helpe goe to some faith full brother confesse your state to him acknowledg your weaknes to him and be not ashamed to giue God the glory by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so hee may pray for you whose praier according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinaÌ„ce herein Iames. 5. vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus hauing praied by your selfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouery though you haue not present release yet in meeknes of mind patience of your spirite go to your calling knowing that your praiers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruite of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the Deuill as though you coulde preuaile of your selfe And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation so I would not you should despise it For in both are extremities If you take it too much to heart or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it to little and maruell how such thinges should come into your head which was not wont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it too fearefully Sathan will oppresse you before you beginne to fight If you account of it too lightly the deuill needs not to wrestle with you you will ouerthrow your â—elfe Therefore feare in respect of your selfe fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruption but rest and trust in Christ your saluation If still you are tempted and no body by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will aske counsell of his worde at the mouth of his minister when he shall giue you iust occasion If all this helpe not comfort your selfe with this pledge of election that you are ioyed when you feele your beliefe and that you are grieued least you shoulde displease God by your vnbeliefe and know that as there is a vicissâ—tude of the meanes of saluation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations wherof this is one agianst which you must striue 2 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his minde and bodie proceeded thereof he saide on this sorte Fist know that Sathan hath not an absolute power but a power by permission to try vs against which we must arme our selues by faith which will assure vs that eyther the Lorde will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he enlarge the tryall he wil increase our strength and retch it out according to the proportion of our temptation Wee must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the diuell which we giue out to sinne to worke rebellion in vs against his maiesty but that he would rather make Sathan a Surgeon to shew vs our sinnes then a Sregeant to confound vs for our sinnes It is the pollicie of the aduersary to perswade many that the weaknes of their body and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of the vnstaidnes of their mindes wandering too much after the motions of the diuell in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting theÌ„selues to be tryed nor coÌ„forting themselues by meditatioÌ„ attend to much coÌ„for to often with the diuels illusions and temptations and so they comeplayne of the effectes and not of the causes of their temptations beeing more grieued for their present sufferinges then for their sinnes past The roote of this worldly shame is
raging is the strength of sin Neither for all this must we cease to sorrowe for our sins nor dispaire on the other side although our sorrow bee but small For if we be sorrowfull for the hardnes of our hearts if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sins if we can but sigh and groone because we feele our iniquities it is so much a greater comfort vnto vs as it is a greater testimony that our heartes are not altogether hardened so that if we feele â—orrowe indeede although wee weepe not yet we may gather comfort considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a loue and hunger after righteousnes yea if our assaults be distrust pride arrogancy ambition enuie concupiscence as whoâ—e as the fyre in the furnace all our daies and though Sathan layeth out oyle in great measure out of measure that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lorde that we stand and though our prayers be dull and full of wearisomenes if the striuing and strayning of our selues to goodnesse be so hard that we knowe not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a Father yet if we feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and beeing wearied and tyred with our sinnes long gladly to enioye the peace of righteousnes and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs comfort our selues there is no time to late to repent in For he commeth quickly to Christ although in the houâ—e of death that commeth willingly and in a desire of a better life howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him For as the humming Bee hauing lost her sting in an other doth still notwithstanding make a fearfull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vs but is nothing able to hurt vs so sin death hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus do not cease at all euen in the height of the parching heat of our consciences to make a murmuring and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vs and our consciences albeit they can neuer sting vs. Wherfore if Sathan charge our consciences with sin if we can feele the things a little before mentioned in our consciences let vs bid him not tell vs what we haue beene but what we woulde be For such we are by imputation as we be in affection and he is now no sinner who for the loue he beareth to righteousnes would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neyther vndoubtedly can the giltines of sinne breake the peace of our conscience seeing it is the worke of an other who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must indeed be confessed that our owne works wil do nothing in the matter of iustification which from Christ in Christ is freely giuen vnto vs it must be granted that in our selues we are weaker then that we can resist the least sinne so farre of is it that we can encounter with the law sinne death hell and Sathan and yet in Christ we are more then conquerers ouer them all When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it send it to Christ say there is a man that hath fulfilled the law to him I cleaue he hath fulfilled it for me and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vnto mee I haue nothing to do with thee I haue another law which striketh thee down euen the law of liberty which through Christ hath set me free For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace is a glorious prince to triumph ouer thee If sin come and would haue thee by the throat send it to Christ say as much as thou maist do against him so much right thou shalt haue against me For I am in him he in me wherfore O sin I am righteous through my Christ which is a condemning sin to condemne thee which art a condemned sinner If death creepe vpon thee attempt to deuoure thee say vnto it Christ hath ouercome thee opened to me the gates of euerlasting life thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sin but the same being of no force thy purpose O death hath failed and he being my life is become thy death If Sathan sommon thee to answer for thy debts send him also to Christ and say that the wife is not suable but the husband enter thine action against Christ mine husband and he will make thee a sufficient answere who then shall condemne vs or what iudge shall daunt vs syth God is our iudge and accquited vs and Christ was condemned iustifieth vs he is our iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner he is our man of law who to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttonous hell where is thy defence O cruell sin where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloody sting O roaring Lion why doest thou freete and foame Christ my lawe fighteth against thee O lawe and is my liberty Sinne against thee O sinne and is my righteousnes Christ against thee O diuell and is my sauiour Death against thee O death is my life Thou diddest desire to paue my way to the burning lake of damned soules but contrarie to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem Wherfore if we shal finde our selues forsaken of God so as we perceiue nothing but matter of dispaire let vs still hold our owne in the certainty of our faith stay our selues sith Christ is giuen vs of God that he might extinguish sin triumph ouer the law vanquish death ouercome the diuell and destroy hell for our onely comfort and consolation But peraduenture some will say my faith is weake and colde and my conscience is as a â—laming lampe and burning furnace I feare the Lorde will still pursue mee with his wrathfull indignation Thou doest well to feare but feare and sinne not For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite in that the weaker we are in our selues the stronger we are in God But that feare is dangerous which hindereth the certainty of faith in that it incourageth our enemy more fearcely to set vpoÌ„ vs when we comming into the campe will cast away our armour especially which should defend vs. Comfort thy selfe the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake the brused reede he looketh not on the quantitie but on the qualitie of our faith For as a good mother doth not reiect hir childe because through some infirmitie it is weake feeble and not able to go alone but rather doth pitie and supporte it least peraduenture it should fal recompenseth that with more motherly affection
worke to perfection For so he dealeth with other thinges in the world Some corne is sowen and neuer riseth some springeth and yet shortly withereth some groweth vp to an eare and yet then is stricken or blasted and other some at his good pleasure doth come to a timelie ripenesse In like manner some trees are planted and neuer take roote some take roote but yet not blossome some blossoms and yet neuer bring forth fruit other some through his goodnesse do bring foorth fruite in good season If the Lorde deale so with the plant and herbe of the field why may he not deale so with vs the sonnes of men If we cannot conceiue the reason of this we must holde our peace for all the workes of GOD are done in righteousnesse and all our knowledge is vnperfect therefore we must heerein rather accuse our selues of ignorance then the Lord of vnrighteousnesse nay we our selues doe deale in like sort with those thinges which are vnder our handes In Colledges Fellowes are first chosen to be probationers and if they be then approued they be made full Fellowes otherwise they are not If a man beeing childlesse do take vnto him some friendes childe to make him heire of all his goods he will keepe him vppon liking if his manners be honest he shall be preferred yea it may be set ouer all his house and yet afterward for some fault be quit cast off Some other man taketh an other childe for the same ende and maketh him his heire indeed Therfore we must thinke it righteous in the Lorde to deale thus with vs seeing we are in his hande and we must not be offended though he call some and doe not inlighten them and although hee inlighten some and do not continue them and doe of his greate mercy continue some euen vnto the ende let vs rather see what vse we must make of this doctrine First we must take heede that wee neuer quench any grace or gift that GOD bestoweth vppon vs. Secondlye wee must still laboure to haue greater measure of giftes for the wicked may come to haue some small giftes and such as may bee quite taken away from them Lastly it doth put a playné difference betweene the Godly and the Godlesse beweene them that beare a shew of holinesse and them that are indeede the holy ones of the Lorde for the one endureth but for a time and the other lasteth for euer Now if we require a further tryall whereby we may knowe whether we haue receiued that spirit which lasteth but for a time or that which will abide for euer with vs then let vs marke these rules which put a plaine difference betweene them First we must marke that inlightning and insight wee haue in to the worde of God Ceâ—taine it is that both the godly and wicked are inlightned but the inlightning of the godly is one and the insight of the wicked is an other for that knowledge and insight which the godly haue receiued is certaine and distinct and therefore in particuler thinges they be able to apply the threatning of Gods iudgements to the humbling of themselues and the promises of God to comfort themselues Againe their knowledge is sufficient to direct them both generally and in euery particular deuty And last of all it neuer sayleth them but directeth them vnto the ende But the knowledge of the wicked is not so for it is confused general and vncertaine And therfore though they haue a general knowleâ—ge of the threatnings and of the promises of God yet can they not make perticular vse of the same Their knowledge is insufficient nor able to direct them in their particular actions and therfore it doth leaue them in the ende Therfore as the knowledge of the godly for the clearenes the certaintie and the sufficiencie of it is compared to the Sunne so the knowledge of the wicked is compared to the lightning which doth not giue any certaine light it doth not continue any time and when it is gone men are worse then they were before So doth it fall out with the wicked for beside that their knowledge doth soone vanish there is also in them afterwardes greater and more dangerous darkenes then there was before heerein then we do see one plaine and manifest note of difference Secondly we come to our affections Certaine it is that the wicked doe desire the helpe and the fauor of God but looke to the cause and that will shewe a difference betweene them and the godly The wicked doe onely seeke helpe because of some extremitie which they suffer they onely desire to be in the fauour of God because they woulde be freed from griefe and therfore it is common with them to say Oh that I were out of this payne Oh that this my sorrowe were taken from me By which speaches they shewe that so they might be at rest or liue at their case they woulde little weigh of the helpe or fauour of God But the godly finde such sweetenes in the fauour of God that for the desire thereof they can be contente to forgoe all the pleasures of this life yea they can be content to suffer much and endure the crosse patiently so that at the last they may assuredly enioy Gods fauour Not the godly onely but the wicked also are grieued when they haue sinned but the wicked do therefore sorrowe because their sinne hath or will bring some punishment vppon them And the godly sorrowe because they haue offended God and giuen him occasion to drawe his fauour from them therefore his correction doe they beare patiently but the remembrance of their sinne that toucheth them still at the verie quicke Then in their ioy and in theiâ— sorrow may appeare a seconde difference The thirde difference is in loue for though both of them doe loue GOD yet it is after a diuerse manner the one of sinceritie the other for wages A poore childe that is taken vp fedde and cloathed will loue him that doth thus feede and cloath him but if he receiued no more of that man then of another he woulde like him and loue him no better then another Euen so is it with the wicked if their bellies be filled their barnes stuffed and they haue their heartes desire they loue God indeede but yet onely for their belly and their barnes Thus did Saule loue God but it was for his kingdome Thus did Achitophell loue God but it was because he was aduanced to be a councellour And thus did Iudas loue God but it was because he was chosen to be an Apostle and caried the bagg But what became of their loue the histories doe testifie Saule was a little afflicted and forsooke God Achitophell somewhat crossed in his deuises hangeth himselfe and Iudas for againe of money betrayed Christ. Some experience of this wee may see among vs Courtiers will be professours and Schollers of ripe wittes will be religious if Courtiers may come to be Counsellers and if Schollers may
greater fire will breede Here siluer streames shall quench thy boyling heat And hony dewes thy hungrie stomacke fill Heere sweete Repose with Comfort shall intreate Thy wounded breast to cure with busy skill Hence fetch thy ransome howsoeuer great A mine of treasures are in this faire hill From whose hye top thy scaled eies may see A glorious light that shall enlighten thee The streames are bloud the dew is bread froÌ„ heaueÌ„ The Rest and Comfort are coelestiall ioyes The ransome from the crosse was freely giuen The light is faith which darknes all destroyes THrise happy man that guides his steps so euen As his pure light no gloomy darke annoyes His ransom'd soule aeternall ioyes shall win When timelye death shall blessed life begin H. C. A MOST SVVEET Comfort for an afflicted Conscience It is thus written Prouerbâ— 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie But a wounded Spirite who can beare it THis Scripture is not onely worthy to be grauen in steele with the penne of an Adamant and to bee written in letters of golde but also to be laide vp registred by the finger of God his spirit in the tables of our hearts Which sentence briefly speaketh thus much vnto vs that what trouble befalleth a man his minde being vnappalled hee will indifferentlie beare it out but if the spirit of a man be once troubled and dismaâ—ed hee cannot tell how to be deliuered And no maruell for if the minde of man be the fountaine of consolation which ministreth comfort vnto him in all other troubles if that become comfortlesse what shall comfort it If it be voyde of helpe when shall it bee helped If the eye which is the light of the bodie be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse If the salt which â—auoreth all thinges be vnsauorie for what is it good If the minde which sustaineth all troubles be troubled how intollerable is that trouble To shew this the better I wil first declare howe greate a punishment of God this wounde of conscience is Secondly I will teach how this trouble of minde may be preuented and auoyded Lastly I will set downe how Gods children faling in some measure into this affliction of â—pirite may bee recouered out of it For the first the grieuousnesse of this malladie is seene eyther by some due consideration of the persons that haue felt it or by some wise comparison made betweene this griefe of minde and other outward griefes incident vnto a man The persons in whome we may consider this wounde of spirit are eyther meerely naturall men or such as bee renued by the spirit of God The men meerely naturall are either the Heathen such as neuer knew God in Christ or carnall professors such as haue not professed Christianitie aright If wee looke among the Hearhen how many of them haue willingly gone vnder pouertie and haue beene content to vnburden themselues of all worldly treasures How haue some of them whilest their mindes were vnappalled suffered imprisonment exile and extreame tortures of bodie rather than they would betray their Countries Howe many of them haue deuoured many iniuries and borne outwarde troubles with some ease and with no resistance whilest their mindes were at libertie And yet looke not into the meanest but the best and most excellent men among them euen their wise Philosophers sweete Orators and exquisite Poets who in bearing and forbearing thought the chiefest pointe of vertue to consist and yee shall see when once some great distresse of minde did wounde them some would make an ende of it by preparing a Cup of deadly poyson some would violentlye and voluntarily runne on the enemies pikes some woulde throwe downe themselues from hie Mountaines some woulde not sticke to stabbe most monstrously their owne bodies with Daggers or such like instruments of death all which men would seeme to haue great courage in sustaining many harmes so long as their mindes were not ouermastred But when their diuine and supreame Essence which they accknowledged to be God did by his power crosse ouerturne their witty deuises and headstrong attempts so as without hope of remedie they were hampered in pensiuenes and sorrow of minde then not being able to turne themselues vnder so heauie a burthen they shrunke downe and by violent death would ridde themselues of that disquietnes impatience of their troubled minds But let vs come neerer and whether wee behold the Papists or the familie of loue or the common sort of Christians wee shall see they will passe quietly through many afflictions whether for that they haue a spirite of slumbering and numbnes cast vppon them or whether because they haue brawned themselues through some sencelesse blockishnes as men hewen out of hard Oaks or grauen out of marble stones I know not But yet when the lord shal let loose the corde of their consciences and shall set before their faces their sinnes committed see what fearefull endes they haue whilest some of them by hanging themselues some by casting themselues into the water some by cutting their own throats haue rid themselues out of these intollerable griefes Now wherein is the difference that some die so sencelesly and some dispatch themselues so violently Surely the one feeling no sinne depart like brutish swine the other surcharged with sinne die like barking Dogs But let vs come to the children of God who haue in some degree felt this wounde of minde and it will appeare both in the members and in the heade of all burthens to bee a thing most intollerable to sustaine a wounded conscience And to beginne with let vs set in the first ranke Iob that man of God commended vnto vs by the holy Ghost for a myrrour of patience who although for his riches hee was the welthiest man in the land of Huz for his authoritie might haue made afraid a great multitude and for his substance was the greatest of all the men in the East Yet when the Shabeans came violently and tooke away his cattell when the fier of God falling from heauen burnt vp his sheepe and his seruants when the Caldeans had taken away his Camels when a greate winde smote downe his house vppon his children although indeede hee rent his garmentes which was not so much for impatience as to shewe that he was not senceles in these euils Yet it is saide that hee worshipping blessed the name of the Lorde saying Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lorde giueth and the Lorde taketh away blessed be the name of the Lorde But beholde when at the strange conference of his comfortlesse friendes his minde beganne to be agast which was not so in all his former tryall when his conscience began to be troubled when he sawe the Lord fasten in him sharpe arrowes and to set him vp as a Butte to shoote at when hee thought God caused him to possesse the sinnes of his youth this glorious patterne of patience coulde not beare his
but becommeth eternall For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery the perswasion whereof made them beeing in some misery to make an ende of themselues and hasten their owne death as Sathan doth make many now a daies to doe who are ignorant of the hell which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this worlde whatsoeuer Howebeit a tormented conscience if before it was begun is now continued or if it was not before now beginneth and neuer endeth world without ende For though true it is that sicknes pouerty imprisonmeÌ„t or banishmeÌ„t haue ended their term in death yet a wouÌ„ded hart which was teÌ„poral in this life is nowe eternall after this life that which before death was in hope recouerable is after death made vncurable vnrecouerable It is good therefore to consider if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull how much more grieuous it is to susteine it in hell where that is infinite which here is finit where that is vnmesurable which here is mesurable where is the sea of sorow wherof this is but a drop where is the flame of that fire wherof this is lesse then a sparke But to shut vp this argument Some there haue beene who through out all their life time haue been free from all other troubles so as either they felt them not at all or else in very small measure and by that meanes neuer knewe what outward trouble meant As for example some men there haue beene who for sicknesse neuer knewe there headeach for pouertie neuer knewe what want meant who for discredite were neuer euill spoken of who euer put farre from them the euill daye of the Lorde who made a league with death as it were a couenant with hell who thought they could crucifie euery crosse rather thaÌ„ come vnderany crosse yet they could neuer escape a wounded conscience either in this life or in the life to come True it is that Gods Children by faith repentance do often escape it but the wicked and such as are borne vnto it as to their sure inheritance the more they flie from it the more it pursueth them If we haue transgressed the Ciuil Lawes the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted if a man haue committed some capitall offence by flying his Country he may escape the Magistrates handes but our consciences telling vs that we haue sinned against God what bribe shall we offer or whether shall wee flie whether shall wee goe from his spirit or whether shall we goe from his presence If we ascend into heauen is not he there If wee lie downe in hell is hee not there If we flie to the vtmost parts of the sea is he not there also There needeth no apparitor to summon vs there needes no Bayly arraunt to fetch vs there needes noe accuser to giue in against vs sinne will arrest vs and lieth at the Doore our owne Conscience will impannell a Quest against vs our owne heartes will giue in sufficient Euidence and our owne iniquitie will plead vs to be guiltie to our owne faces Thus we se both by the experience of theÌ„ that haue suffered the wound of the spirit and by the comparinge of it with other euils what a waight most grieuous and burden intollerable it is to haue a tormented conscience Now let vs shew how we may preuent by what meanes Gods children falling into some degrees of it for if it rage in extremity it is an euill vnrecouerable may safely and quietly be deliuered from it And here a iust complaint is to be taken vp it is a wonder to be marked if we may wonder at Gods works that we se many so carefull watchfull to auoide oâ—her troubles and so few or none take any paines to escape the trouble of minde which is so grieuous We se men louing health and loathing sicknes in diet temperat in sleepe moderate in Phisicke expert skilful to purge to auoide such corrupt humors which in time may breed though presently they do not bring forth some daÌ„gerous sicknes yet to auoid the diseases of the soule no man abateth his sleep no man abridgeth his diet no man prepareth Phisicke for it no man knoweth when to be ful and when to be emptie how to want and how to abound Others carried away with the loue of riches very â—ly to fall into pouerty will not sticke to rise early to take sleep lately to fare hardly to teare taw their flesh in labour by land by water in faire foule wether by rocks and by sands from farre and from neare and yet to fall into Spirituall decaies to auoid the pouertie of conscience no man taketh such paines as though saluation and peace of minde were not a thing worthy the labouring for Some ambitiously hunting after honor not easily digesting reproaches behaue themselues neither sluggishly nor sleepely but are actiue in euery attempt by loue by counsell by prudence prowesse by wit by practise by labor learning by cuÌ„ning diligence to become famous to shun a ciuill reproach yet to bee glorious in the sight of God and his Angelles to fall before the heauens and in the presence of the Almightie to bee couered with shame and confusion of Conscience we make none account as they who neyther vse any means to obtaine the one nor auoide those occasions which may bring the other Others vnwilling to come within the reach and daunger of the Lawe that they may escape imprisonment of bodye or confiscation of goodes will be painefull in penall statutes skilfull in euery branch of the ciuill law and especially wil labour to keepe themselues from treasons murthers fellonies and such like offences deseruing the punishment of death yet wheÌ„ the Lord God threatneth the seazure both of soule and body the attaching of our spirits the confiscating of our consciences the banishing of vs from heauen the hanging of vs in hell the suspending of our saluation the adiudging of vs to condemnation for the breach of his CoÌ„maundements no man searcheth his eternall Lawe noe man careth for the Gospell neither the sentence of euerlasting diuorsement from the Lord neither the couenant of reconciliation is esteemed of vs. And to reach our Complaint one degree father Behold the more we seek outward pleasures and to auoide the inward trouble of minde the more we hast and runne into it suddainely plunge our selues in a wonded spirite ere we be aware VVho posteth more to become rich who hopeth lesse to be come poore than the marchant man who aduentureth great treasures who hazardeth his goods who putteth in ieoperdie his life and yet sodenly he either rusheth vpon the rocke of hardnesse of heart or else is swallowed vp of the gulph of a desparing minde from which afterwards he cannot be deliuered with a ship ful of golde Woful profe hath confirmed how some men wholly set on
no maruel we shall see many men at some times not so much grieued for their sicknesse it selfe as for that that they haue either willingly neglected the meanes which might haue preserued their health or that they haue abused the Phisicke that might haue restored their health to them againe in like manner I say it fareth with them who eyther vnreuerentlie haue refused the meanes which shoulde keepe their soules from surfetting or else vnthankfully haue abused those helpes which might haue recouered them againe From hence it commeth that some men are as much grieued for not vsing their good giftes to the benefit of Gods Church as others are troubled for pestering the Church with vnprofitable corruptions or as we shall see a rich man sometimes as much humbled for not giuing money to the poore which hee might haue done as for heaping vp riches falselie which hee ought not to haue done And thus many hauing receiued good giftes and graces from the Lord are seasoned and sanctified by afflictions whereby they are taught to put their giftes in vre and to offer their seruice to Christ and others are forced to hide their giftes which cannot bee without some decay of Gods glory without offence to the weake without the losse of many soules which otherwise might be wonne to the gospell and without strengthening the hande of the aduersarie to slaunder our darke and dumbe profession All which thinges will in the ende bring terrour of minde because if the Lord cannot worke vpon vs by taking away goods friendes credit wife children or such like to bring vs to Repentance he will surely whippe our naked consciences he will enter euen into our very entrailes and pierce our secret boweles As wee must examine our selues thus for sinnes of time past and present so must we vse this practise in sinne to come and this is very needefull For were it so that our life and conuersation were such as neither before not after our calling man could iustly accuse it Yet the hidden corruption of our nature may threaten some haynous downefall in time to come Which hath made men of very good report and conuersation to hang downe their heades and feare their secret hypocrisie as that which may breake foorth to the shame of all their former life in time to come But because we forgatte to speake of them that in the examining of their liues past are much grieued for the want of sinceritie and for priuie vaineglorie in themselues let vs before we go to the searching of our heartes in sinne to come speake somewhat of this Men troubled for this priuie pride are eyther touched or not touched If the veyle of sinne was so great in them that it hid Christ from them it is the good will of God that by this sight of their most secret sinnes they should come to see the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesus and so they shall the better be kept from being Iusticiarie Pharises For when being a long time well brought vp and leading a ciuill life the Diuell woulde perswade vs of some inherent righteousnes in vs It is the wisedome of our God to touch vs with the conscience of most hidden corruptions as also to certifie and make knowen vnto vs that euen for our birth there was a secret seede of sinne in vs which without the Lord watching ouer vs woulde surely haue broken forth to his dishonour As for them which haue had some woorking in them and yet are often plunged with sore distresses this trouble commeth to them for two especiall causes eyther for some hypocrisie that they did more in showe than in truth wherfore the Lord bringeth theÌ„ back againe to see their corrupt proceedinges and that they may knowe all their religion to be but hypocrisie all their righteousnes to bee but vnrighteousnes or for the abusing of their knowledge in that they made it but a maske to iuggle in that they made their affections to fight with their own iudgements We must remedy this by not thinking of our selues aboue that which is meete and by labouring to embrace the truth in trueth And heere let vs note that many of Gods ChildreÌ„ accuse themselues of hypocrisie when indeed they offend not in it for the most righteous persons are their own greatest accusers And yet the accusation doth iustlye arise from some fault on their partes for though they haue done things in trueth yet because with trueth they labored not to see their secret corruptions in some other matters they sustain this trouble of mind So that there is nothing harder thaÌ„ to sist serch our harts to the bottom whether we respect our sins past or our sins present whether we looke to our priuy pride hidden wants or secret corruptions And to returne from whence we digressed to the examinatioÌ„ of our harts in sins to come let vs obserue that in Gods children there is such a iealousy as they treÌ„ble at the very first motions quake at the least occasioÌ„ of sinne although because vice wil sit in residence very neere vnto vertue there may be in them sometime too much scrupulousnes This feare causeth the dearest of the Saintes of God to reason on this sorte O Lord I see now manye excellent in gifts and constant in profession for a longe time whose end hath not answered their beginnings whose deathes were not like to their liues This is true whether wee looke into the word or into the world and it is a thing that may much humble vs. For though we may remember what we haue beene and knowe what we are yet who can tell what may come vnto him heereafter Oh that the serious meditation heereof would dwell long vpon our consciences that with an holy iealozie wee might preuent the sinne that is to come But alas there bee some venture some knights which thinke it no masterie to offer themselues to masking minstrelsie and dauncing nor to runne into quarrells braules and contentions as though they had their eares their eyes their hands and their feete in their own power and at commaundement to vse and gouerne as themselues list Howbeit GODS Children better fenced with his grace than those bold buxzards are afraide of these occasions as knowing full well that their eyes maye soone bee prouoked to lust their eares may quickly listen vnto vnchast delightes their handes may sodainly strike a deadly blow and their feete may easily be snared in carnall pleasures Beware O man bee circumâ—pect O woman that thou prostitute not thy selfe to too much libertie for although in comming to such lasciuious and contentious places thou diddest purpose none euill yet for thy ventring without warrant thou maist bee ouer thy shoes in sinne and plunged in some wicked attempt ouer head and eares ere thou beest aware And because vice is so confine vnto vertue beware also of superstition for still the enemie laboureth either to make thee too hardy in sinne or else he will cause
things he had somtimes inioyed he doth not only expresse the great affection he had to be restored vnto his former estate but also giueth the atteÌ„tiue reader to vnderstand a secret worke of that grace of God from the remembrance of that which had been insinuating an hope of that which shold be as the eueÌ„t it self afterward declared which issue of his troubles S. Iames would haue vs diligently to consider when he saith Ye haue heard of the sufferings of Iob and haue seene the ende of the Lord. But it fareth in this case with the afflicted soule many times as it doth with those that gredily striue for the goods of this world Their affection of hauing more is so strong doth so violently possesse and carry them as it not only depriueth them of the vse of that they haue but also maketh them forget the same which is yet moâ—e protest against it as if they had it not at all So the humbled afflicted spirit ouerborne for the time with present griefe and anguish of minde not onely vseth not the comforts it hath cannot presently discerne but also causeth an vtter forgetfulnes of them and which more is protesteth against them as if they were not yea as we se often in Iob he so complaneth of the contrary as if the Lord had not only forsaken his seruant but had armed himselfe and did fight against him to destroy him Here therfore we must bridle chastise our impatient and murmuring spirit and remember that of Iob so farre contrary to the other that though the Lord should destroy him yet he will trust in him Neither must we so much vexe and vnquiet our haâ—ts for that we want as labour to make vse of that we haue which though it seeme little vnto vs for the present yet in truth is more then Sathan by all his force is able to ouercome as may appeare vnto vs by that endles resistance which the spirit of god dwelling in vs maketh against him For he that so fighteth is not yet captiue he that standeth in face of the enimie and endureth all his assaults is not yet vanquished Yet that he holdeth out in so great weaknes of his owne against so strong furious assaults of the enimy it plainely argueth that he standeth by a greater strength then his owne by which as he is presently preserued that hee fals not into the hand of his aduersary so nede he no doubt therby to be finally deliuered be crowned with victory tryumph in despite of Sathan all hee is able to worke against him But if the enimie whose quarrelling with vs is endles as his malice is vnsatiable will not thus leaue vs giue vs rest then as I said before it is our best safest way at once to end all disputation with him And we cannot better shake him of theÌ„ by exercising our selues in prayer reading and meditâ—tion of the word of God by diligent walking in the works labours of our callings for there is no greater oportunitie nor aduantage that can be giuen vnto the aduersary then if he shal finde vs idle vnoccupied If the minde be alreadie possessed of occupied in good things it cannot so easily be trsaÌ„ported vnto that which is euill But if he finde the house emptie and fit for him he then entreth without difficultie In the question of faith wee haue comfort also from the works effects therof in our selues For as the tree is knowne by the fruits so faith wanteth not her fruites wherby she may be discerned These are of diuers sorts sorow for sinne past hatred of euill care and indeauor to auoide it both in generall and in particular the loue of God of his righteousnes desire care with labour contention to please him both in generall perticular duties And here againe wee haue a lawful necessary recorse vnto the time past For albeit wee haue nothing to glory in before God when the question is of the cause of our saluation yet the effects of this grace and fauour of God towards vs in the former fruites of our faith may yeeld vs noe small comfort in the time of our heauinesse and of the anguish of our spirites here of it is that the Prophet in the psalmes doth so often protest his obedience vnto God care to doe his commaundements hereof it is that Iob vnto the comforting of his distressed conscience remembreth the course of his former life led in the feare of God and obedience of righteousnes For although we may not attribute any merit vnto our workes but must giue the whole glorie of our saluation vnto Christ alone yet our works doe witnes for vs that we are the children of God because wee are guided by his spirite and as the Apostle saith though the body be deade in respect of sinne yet the spirite is life for righteousnes sake Also the gratious effectes of Christ himselfe dwelling in our heartes by faith are sure and certaine testimonies that we are members of his bodie doe belong vnto him because as branches implaÌ„ted into him which is the vine we bring forth fruite according vnto the nature of the vine If it be said we doe yet sin our answere is that that happeneth vnto vs not from the new creature but from that other part yet remaining in vs stil subdued vnder sin in which the Lord of mercy doth not esteeme vs but in that new man which is fashioned againe according vnto his own image In so much as S. Paul doubteth not to say that the sins of the faithful proceding froÌ„ the remaÌ„der of corruption yet abiding in theÌ„ are not their workes but the works of the flesh which being already wouÌ„ded vnto death by the power of the death of Christ languisheth more more shal finally be abolished by death which is the end accomplishment of our mortification fully endeth the battell betweene the flesh the spirit What shall I say of the loathing of this life and the vanitie thereof of that desire which is in the children of God to be dissolued to be with Christ of conteÌ„meÌ„t in all estates patience in afflictions constancie in the truth loue towards those that loue the Lorde pitie towardes those that are in misery and the desiring of the good euen of their enimies and those that hate them Which vertues though they beare not an equall saile by reason of the weaknes of the flesh and of the malice and resistance of the enimie yet are they vndoubted testimonies of our loue towards God which is not but in those who are first beloued of him and haue tasted how good and gratious hee is If wee shall looke vnto the exercises of pietie and of the worshippe of GOD though wee may here as els where complaine of our wants and defectes yet wee shal through