their Psal 103. 1. soules to praise God and call vpon all that is within them to magnifie his name they praysing God with their words Psal 47. 7. praise him with their vnderstanding also When they come to make prayers vnto God they lift vp their hearts with Lament 3. 41. 1. Tim. 2. 8. their hands vnto God in the heauens and holding vp their hands they hold vp pure hands in their prayers without wrath and doubting In comming to heare the Word of God they with an honest and good heart heare it and keep Luke 8. 15. Psal 119. 11. it holding it vp in their hearts with Dauid that it might keepe them from sinne As God loueth truth in the inward Psal 51. 6. Iohn 4. 24. parts so doe they worship God in spirit and truth They doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better then indeede they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which in truth they doe not but as God is truth so are they found in all their waies to walke in truth They beleeuing 3. Iohn 4. Iohn 14 1. God doe beleeue also in Christ their hearts therefore neede not to feare nor at all to be troubled they know with the Apostle whom they haue beleeued and that he is able to 2. Tim. 1. 12. keepe all they haue committed vnto him sure and safe vnto the day of his appearing This therefore is the victory whereby 1. Iohn 2 13. 5. 4. 5. we ouercome that euill one and the whole world with him euen their stedfast beleeuing such as doe thus may indeede be assured of vndoubted safety and saluation for euer They thus beleeuing and thus liuing may know asuredly themselues to be in Christ Iesus because they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit they haue good warrant Rom. 8. 1. Cant. 2. 16. to say that Christ is theirs and they are his and therfore laying hold of Christ they may bee assured most certainly to bee saued for euer by him They may bee fully perswaded there shall bee no condemnation to them being Rom. 8. 1. 38. 39 thus in Christ Iesus neither shall any thing be euer able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus They in this case may lay themselues downe in peace with Psal 4. 8. Psal 3. 6. Dauid and take sweetely their rest for the Lord is hee that will now make them to dwell in safetie not fearing though ten thousand had beset them round about they need not be Psal 112. 7. 1. Iohn 4. 28. afraid of any euill tidings but cast away all feare that hath painefulnesse and let their hearts bee setledly fixed and trust in the Lord for such haue their warrant made them out of Gods Word that doing these things they shall neuer Psal 15. 5. 2. Pet. 1. be moued and as the Apostle Peter saith they shall neuer fall These haue laid for themselues a good foundation for eternall life and as good builders indeed haue well Prou. 10. 25. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Isai 26. 1. builded a sure habitation for themselues to dwell safely in Saluation may bee called the walls of this building and safetie it selfe the bulwarkes thereof They that dwell in such a defenced Castle they dwell to high for any to pull them downe their defence is the munition of rockes as the Prophet speaketh they hauing thus built their faith vpon Isai 33. 16. Christ that is a rocke so strong and sure as neuer can be moued it is impossible that the gates of hell can euer preuaile against the same such as these are surely out of all Mat. 16. 18. danger and as one set vpon a high rock and standing vpon a sure and inuincible Tower they may look and laugh at al their enemies below not caring what they al cā possibly do against them how fiercely and how furiously soeuer they shal assaile them These therefore ascleane contrary to the other being those that heare the sayings of Christ and do them that truly do beleeue and thus holily doe liue they are most wise men and good builders that haue built their house vpon a rocke and therfore when the raine descends the flouds come the winds blow and beate vpon the house it doth not fall because all is founded vpon a rocke and so the whole worke of their building they thus building vp themselues in their most holy faith is not onely made beautifull for view but wisely and well contriued for necessarie vse and made strong and substantiall for continuance They hereby in all their workes thus wrought shewing themselues to haue been workemen that need not be ashamed of that they haue done as the Apostle Mat. 7. 24. gaue counsell to Timothie for the discharge of his dutie Their worke in time shall also be made manifest the day will declare it and the fier will reueale that vpon a most 2. Tim. 2. 15. sure and pretious foundation they haue builded gold siluer and precious stones and that their worke hath been 1. Cor. 3. 12. wrought according vnto God and therefore of him they may looke to receiue their reward and so to haue praise of Iohn 3. 21. God CHAP. XV. The different vses they put their perswasion vnto AS the truly faithfull lay hold of Christ so doth the hypocrite as they are comfortably perswaded to be saued by him these seeme also to bee euery day as confident therein as they and doe as boldly presume and reckon thereupon but as there is truth in that which is done by the one and much guile and falsehood in that which is done by the other as the one haue warrant for their so doing the other haue none so doe they in like manner differ in the vse they put this their assurance and Difference in the effects of assurance perswasion vnto as they differed in the ground that either of them had for their being so perswaded The one by meanes thereof feare God the more because Psal 130. 4. they know mercie to be with him the other feare him the lesse yea not at all Misbeleeuers and carnall Gospellers vpon this idle conceit that they are sure they shall be saued lay aside all feare of God and care of goodnesse they sing such a requiem to their soules as they now sing cocke on whoope as wee vse to say and sing all care and feare away yea Iob 6. 14. they are as those of whom Iob speaketh that haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie That grace of God which Iude 4. they say they hope to be saued by they turne into want onnesse they hauing gotten this by the end that the iust shall liue by his faith euen by faith alone and not by works they hereupon lay away all care of good workes which God Ephes 2. 10. hath ordained that true beleeuers should walke in and they hold thēselues
of the deepest sorrowes the highest springs of the liueliest and most lasting comforts doe oftentimes fall out to bee found and fetched forth These springs are not opened till there be Sorrow brings ioy digging so deepe into the hollow ground of the heart which aboue all things is most deceitfull as there may be comming at the length to the rockie hardnesse that is there to be met with and that rocke it selfe bee so farre digged thorough till there may be felt such a tendernesse and softnesse of the heart and such a brokennesse of spirit as the heart at length may become wholly contrite Psal 22. 14. and so molten in the bowels with godly sorrowing that it be as water powred out and being thus broken contrite and sorrowfull it so be made fit to be presented as a most acceptable and well pleasing sacrifice vnto God Now when the heart of a poore penitent is thus deepely pierced wounded and beaten downe euen to the very bottome and lowest depth of a thorough-sorrowing and holy desparing that he lie complaining and crying out of the bottome of those deepes for helpe vnto God setting out his throat and crying with Dauid Out of the deepe haue I Psal 130. 1. 2. called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice And with Ionah being in the Whales bellie cry out from thence as out of the bellie of hell then will not the Lord despise nor Psal 22. 24. abhorre the low estate of such as are so deceiued he will not hide his face from them but when they crie he will surely heare them for though hee inhabite eternitie and dwelleth on high yet will he listen and looke to him that is Isa 57. 15. of a contrite spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life and chearing to them that are contrite in heart Prayers sighes and teares going vp from such a distresse mercies and compassions from God must needs come downe to helpe all againe and the succours of the Lord are vsually in such cases so ready to be found as hee letteth those poore perplexed seruants of his to see them before their eyes and to touch and feele them as with their hands and that in such a manner as they are not alone comforted for the present but confirmed for euermore afterward to trust assuredly in him fall out whatsoeuer at any time may happen such sighing and weeping such calling and crying out vnto God for helpe in time of great need cannot but euer at the length obtaine a prosperous issue as may be seene in Dauid who by his long crying was at the length drawne out of that horrible pit Psal 40. 2. out of the myre and clay wherein before he did sticke so fast and as he else where saith had his heauinesse turned into Psal 30. 11. 12. ioy his mourning into dancing his sackcloth put off and hee himselfe girded with gladnesse for which cause his tongue gaue praise vnto God without ceasing and he vowed to giue thankes vnto him for euermore And by how much the more they haue hungred and thirsted for the consolations of God by so much the more doth the Lord fil them Psal 90. 14. 15. and satisfie them with his mercies and that right soone so as they are made to reioyce the more and to be glad all the daies of their life yea it is the Lords manner to comfort his according to the dayes that he hath afflicted them and according to the yeeres that they haue seene euill then is their mouth filled with laughter and their tongue with ioy as in Psal 126. 1. the turning againe of the captiuitie of Sion So that the ioyfullest body that euer was or is is a true penitent sinner who hauing first felt the load and burthen of his sinnes and been wounded in conscience for committing of them comming at the last to haue those stiffe and starke wounds of his suppled by the powring in of that oyle of gladnesse into his heart whereby hee is cheered and comforted againe in Christ Iesus assurance being giuen vnto him to haue full redemption in his blood euen the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes Oh then there is ioy vnspeakable and glorious in that heart which so sweetly refresh the soule of that mourning sinner as he is in a manner wholly swallowed vp therewith blessing now the time that euer he so mourned for his sinne before whose so mourning before hath brought him this great measure of comfort now and hath put such gladnesse into his heart as causeth him for very ioy both to laugh and sing Isa 65. 14. These are the sweetest ioyes that are thus fetched out of the most bitter sorrowes and these are the surest ioyes that will last longest whose ground hath been laid so deepe as to be raised thus out of the lowest bottomes of a most afflicted estate in a mind that hath been sore wounded and much pierced thorough with painfull sorrowes and most wofull griefes And thus at the length commeth that promise to be fulfilled which the Lord so long ago made to his people that had endured great affliction that Isa 61. 7. for all the sorrow and shame they had endured they should haue double comforts and for their confusion he would make them reioyce in their portion Yea so are Gods seruants comforted in their troubles as euer after they are made better able to comfort others which are in trouble by the 2. Cor. 1. 4. comfort wherewith they themselues are comforted of God CHAP. XXI The difference of their ioy in the third dimension or breadth of it and how it is straitened or extended in them THe third dimension wherein the ioy of these two sorts of beleeuers may bee perceiued much to differ is in respect of the large spread that the one hath reaching it selfe out euery way farre and wide and extending it selfe to such a latitude and breadth as no man can say Thus farre goe the bounds of it and no further and on the other side the narrow breadth straâ—t lysts and short precincts within the compasse whereof the other is shut in hardly pent vp and so narrowly confined as beyond the same it can neuer be found to extend it selfe or reach out any further Hypocrites and mis-beleeuers who are no better then Hypocrites ioy is small or none meere reprobates and plaine wicked persons haue the lists of their ioy and bounds of their reioycing made so narrow and so neerely set together as if one should demand what allowance of bredth is there made vnto such to spread out their ioy vpon and to let their reioycing lawfully be extended by it may bee answered if there be respect had to the lawfulnesse of their ioy they haue not so much as the breadth of a foote of one inch or of one naile to plant and settle true ioy vpon If one would aske in what things may such men lawfully haue ioy and true reioycing
repenting for the same but to leaue him to himselfe that the falling into a greater sinne may by occasion of so great a fall be made to awake out of his slumber and be brought to a thorow and sound repentance for all his sinnes together while such a secure Christian thus sicke and diseased is committing of some great and hainous sinne the Lord who is his Physitian is in hand in the meane while with another worke of his owne namely to bee tempering of such a medicine as shall not faile to cure him the Lord taking the poyson of that sinne which he is a committing and making thereof a most soueraigne medicine it being the Lords manner as hath bin spoken before to cure sinne with sinne Now this worke which the Lord is in hand with euen at that time if it either can be seene by himselfe which is most hard so to be seene by any for the present time or can be shewed him by any other to be so a working hath matter in it sufficient to beare out a warrantable reioycing for that the Lord is a doing though otherwise there is most iust cause of deepe sorrowing and most bitter lamentation for that which already is done and is yet further a doing by his owneselfe in that thing CHAP. XXIII Of the second hinderance of ioy in Gods hiding his face and how that is made an occasion of reioycing vnto a true and sound beleeuer THe second maine point about which especially doubt may be made how a true beleeuer may alwaies haue ioy and reioyce in the Lord is in regard of Gods owne dealing towards vs and that either in regard When God hides his face of his withdrawing himselfe from vs by hiding his face or in regard of his comming neare vnto vs by smiting vs with his hand Touching the first it is true there is nothing more grieuous and fearfull then to bee forsaken of God and therefore God himselfe saith Woe vnto Hos 9. 12. you when I shall forsake you for if God bee our light our confidence and our comfort and if all our happinesse be in him then to be forsaken of God is to be depriued of all true comfort to be left to all misery and to be cast as into a whole sea and gulfe of desperate sorrow and into very hell it selfe the fauour of God being better then is life it Psal 63. 3. selfe A man were better bee out of his life then out of Gods fauour But it may be demanded with the Apostle doth or will God at any time cast off his people and it may Rom. 11. 1. be answered againe with the same Apostle God forbid God will not cast away his people And as the Psalmist saith he will not forsake his inheritance for so hath God Psal 94. 14. Heb. 13. 5. himselfe said I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee True it is God somtimes for a moment in his anger doth hide his Isa 54. 8. face from his children and carryeth the matter of his good will towards them so closely as they can know of no fauour that he beareth them it not being betweene him and them as it was yesterday and yesterday when Psal 90. 13. he is found to be vnto them as a passenger and as a stranger that tarryeth but for a night then there is hanging about him and crying with Moses and the people Oh God returne be pacified towards thy seruants then there is entreating and praying with Dauid Goe not farre from me Psal 22. 11. Psal 119. 8. O God for trouble is hard at hand and forsake me not ouerlong Oh God Yea the Lord himselfe seemeth to rise vp against his children and then there is crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thē Sion mournes and Psal 22. 1. complaines the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten Isa 49. 14. me But this hiding of Gods face is but a fatherly frowning for a time to awe his children the more and breed the better circumspection in them for afterwards when God doth forsake his children that forsaking is neither fully nor finally for euer He many times hauing forsaken them doth tarry long before he doth returne to them againe he holds off till he can hold off no longer that so he may make his children feare the more to fall out with him againe But it is a sauing feare that keepes vs in that state as we shall not need to feare anymore and it is a profitable vexation and anguish of the soule that bringeth rest thereunto for euer after Though the Lord may seeme somtimes to goe away and to hide his face yet he neuer taketh such a farwell of them as meaning Ioh. 16. 7. 22. no more to come at them But as our Sauiour Christ about the time of his departure comforted his Disciples by telling them it was expedient for them that hee did goe away assuring them that though he did goe away yet hee would see them againe and then they should haue the greater ioy yea their hearts should so reioyce as none should take their ioy from them So may it in some other respect be truly said in this case that it is somtimes expedient for Gods seruants that their heauenly Father doe hide his countenance from them withdraw his presence and goe away especially when that through their too great vnthankfulnesse and securitie they begin to play the wantons too much and it is found with them according to that which runnes in the prouerbe Too much familiarity breedeth contempt then it is time for the Lord to hide his countenance for the better awing of such then doth need require that such be made sorrie and left in heauinesse for howbeit this is euer but for a time I will goe away Hos 5. 15. saith the Lord and hide my selfe till they seeke me in their affliction they will seeke me diligently the Lord looketh for certaine to heare from such when they are in affliction but howsoeuer he doth go away yet may it truly be said to such as our Sauiour promised to his Disciples he will surely come to see them againe and their hearts shall reioyce with such ioy as none shall take from them when they shall once see his face and know his face againe and perceiue the rayes of the bright countenance of God to shine vpon their darke and cloudie hearts what light of comfort will not that bring to a poore distressed soule euen more ioy then corne and wine and oyle though neuer so encreased can possibly cause to be felt And this is that which the Lord promised his people that though for a moment in his anger hee Psal 89. 32. 33. hide his face yet with euerlasting mercy he would haue compassion upon them Yea when the Lord himselfe seemeth to be in greatest displeasure so as he doth visit the offences of his people with the rod and their sinnes
suffice not let him answere Christs interrogatorie When the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth If no faith surely as little repentance Shall then Gods Seedes men withdraw their hand because much hath been sowne alreadie when as so little comes vp Nay verily so many as truly beleeue on the name 1. Iohn 5. 13. of the Son of God wil acknowledge they stil neede Saint John should write vnto them that they may beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God as for the world that abides in vnbeleefe the truth of God where it shines most clearely shall haue that effect which Christ foretold the Spirit of Truth the blessed Comforter should haue at his comming euen to conuince it of sin because Iohn 16. 19. they beleeued not on him Neither I hope will the manner of handling vsed by the Authour and the kind of phrase farre from affectation or the entising words of mans wisdome I hope I say this will not offend any who are content their faith should stand not in the wisdome of men but in the power of God But I returne to you most worthie Knight to you principally I offer this Treatise this field if so I may call it wherein the Pearle of faith is discouered It is not for me to teach you how you are to account thereof your wisdome cannot but approue that high estimation the Merchant in the Gospel had of the Pearle This onely I wish that as you abound in outward treasures so you may be rich in the faith and consequently heire of the kingdome which God hath promised to them that loue him And certainely if that bee true that faith workes by loue then are you not without witnesse being well reported of for your loue to the truth and such as walke in the truth Onely goe on honoured Sir to deserue well and heare well of the Church of God If thus you shall bee content with those 24 Elders Apoc. 4. to cast your earthly dignitie at the feet of the Lambe improouing all to his behoofe to the aduancing his glorie and countenancing Religion If with that worthy King Dauid in way of thankfulnes to the Lord who hath done so great things for you you shall reflect your goodnesse vpon his Saints those excellent on earth this shall lift you vp in true honour and reputation among men in this world and be found to your immortal praise and glory in the day of the Lord Iesus yea vpon you shall come the blessing of those who blesse all such in the name of the Lord as are friends to Sion and seeke the peace of Ierusalem To this I from my heart say Amen and the Lord out of Sion blesse your Worship and grant you to see the good of Ierusalem all the daies of your life So for euer stands bound to pray and in what he may to be seruiceable to your Worship IONATHAN NEOVS THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader TO preuent that preiudice whereby the regard and benefit of many good bookes is much hindred we haue thought good to premit somewhat touching the Author the treatise it selfe and the reasons why it is committed to the presse First for the Author he may well be reckoned amongst the Worthies of Gods Israel who while he liued was as another a Act. 18. 24. Apollos an eloquent man and mightie in the Scriptures instructed in the way of the Lord and feruent in the spirit and spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord a man of indefatigable paines both in his priuate studies and exercises and also in the publique worke of his Ministerie to the great benefit of the Church of God ouer which the holy Ghost had made him an ouer-seer and finally he was a iudicious and pious Diuine well seene and practised especially in these points of faith and repentance wherof he hath here written So that the qualitie of the Author doth deseruedly commend the treatise as also the nature of the treatise may wel commend the Author with whom in the birth thereof it fared as with b Gen. 35. 11. Rachel who died in trauell whereupon though this abortiue orphan may in regard of the parent thereof well brooke the name c The sonne of my sorrow Benoni yet for our due esteeme vse thereof it may fitly by vs be called d The sonne of my right hand Beniamin The reasons mouing this our Author to write any thing for publique vse as one of vs hath obserued them from his owne mouth was first for that he being restrained from benefiting the Church by the ordinarie course of his ministerie hee was both willing and desirous to be seruiceable and helpfull to the same in what he might by this way and meane Secondly he seeing the people generally both pestered with many needlesse idle vaine pamphlets and multitudes of fabulous historicall discourses and also much encombred with manifold polemicall diuinitie tractats of curious and litigious points tending rather to contention and diuision then to godly edifying and that many good and necessarie bookes were more framed to giue satisfaction to the learned then to edifie the simple therefore that he might in a subseruient manner endeuour to supplie the preteritions of the latter sort of bookes and to helpe to iussle the former rotten rapsodies out of place he thought it expedient that treatises of such necessarie matter concerning the eternall saluation of all handled in so plaine a manner that the meanest may vnderstand should also be obtruded vpon the readers at the least if it were but to interrupt and hinder somewhat the reading of such bookes as be either hurtfull or vnprofitable Thirdly that he might leaue in speciall to that people and * Lee. congregation to whom he was a carefull Minister a particular remembrancer to bring to their minds some chiefe points of his former doctrine taught amongst them which upon their second meditations thereof they might the more affect and regard and also to bequeath some note of his good affection to his louing friends and well deseruing acquaintance this treatise did he entend and fit for them often to peruse and well to respect as the last farewell and loue-token of their deare friend Secondly for the treatise it selfe though it be imperfect both for the extent in parts and measure thereof and also for the manner and forme of the same so that now it commeth farre short of that perfection which was intended and would haue been performed by the Author if God had not taken him away before that he could finish or reuise it yet seeing for substance and matter it is touching iustifying faith and sound repentance without which none can be saued neither doth any perish but by defect and error in these two therefore is this discourse thereof most worthie the diligent perusall and consideration of all who may therein finde a new discouerie of the manifold slights of the diuell and deceits of the
promises of the Gospell which is the word of truth are the proper obiects which faith hath Act. 24. 14. Mark 1. 15. respect to and is the ground it setleth vpon Therefore is the word called the word of faith the speciall operation Rom. 10 8. and working of it is to let the soules and hearts of those men in whom it is placed to know and to feele that they are now brought neere vnto God and haue fellowship Eph. 2. 12. 13. with him who were but strangers before and farre off by reason of their sinne that is to settle and stablish our mindes in a comfortable perswasion of Gods fauour and towards vs in and through Christ Iesus and that by him Gods heart for euer is so wonne vnto vs as nothing shall be able more to separate vs from his loue It quieteth Rom. 8. 38. and cheareth the heart with vndoubted assurance that whatsoeuer was the oddes and enmitie that was betweene God and vs before by meanes of our sinnes yet Coloss 1. 21. so are wee now receiued into fauour and so is all agreed and set thorough betweene God and vs that we are at Rom. 5. 1. Luke 2. 14. peace with God and God with vs. They that haue great ventures abroad are alwaies thinking of them how they may be got safely home they giue much for assurance they cannot sleepe till that be done their mindes are euer so running vpon them Of all aduentures there are none like to the aduenture that wee beare of our selues our soules and our bodies while we liue in this most perilous and dangerous world that they be got well home and be brought to eternall safetie in the end Now faith secureth our hearts herein and giueth vs good assurance that we shall neuer perish but haue in the end euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. life with God in Christ Iesus Faith setteth the heart at peace and secureth the conscience it giueth better and more strong assurance then any bond of the best Merchant though made in Statute-merchant nay then can doe the bond or assurance of any Prince though they should lay their Crownes in pawne or be bound in the forfeiture of their kingdomes For faith hath Gods truth laid in pawne for the making good the assurance and God hath bound himselfe in the forfeiture of his truth which he will not lose for the whole world and is vnto Gods maiestie of greater weight and regard then is the state of a kingdome to any Prince that he will be accounted no more a God of truth if hee faile in his promise This giueth vs boldnesse for the present to enter in before God euen into the holiest of holy places and to Heb. 10. 19. Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need But for so much as all this could neuer haue been effected or brought to passe for vs otherwise then that by the hand of some meete Mediatour this attonement might bee made and peace might be wrought for vs thus to reconcile vs vnto God And seeing that neither in heauen nor in earth there could any other be heard of or found that euer could be fit and able to vndertake and thoroughly and perfectly to goe through with this so great a worke of reconciling the world vnto God but he alone whom the Father had sealed who is Christ the Lord who is our Eph. 2. 14. Isai 9. 6. peace euen the Prince of peace Therefore the worke of faith is before it can thus iustifie vs and set vs at peace with God to seeke and finde out Christ for vs and to get the true and sauing knowledge of him yea to seaze and lay such hold vpon him as wee may apprehend him and embrance him for our owne appropriating and after a sort ingrossing him for our selues that so causing vs to reioyce with the ioy of Gods people in his fruition and to Psal 106. 5. glorie with Gods inheritance And with the Spouse in the Canticles wee once truly beleeuing with the heart imboldening vs in most ioyfull and gladsome manner to professe with the mouth as doth she in that place My Cantic 2. 16. 7. 10. beloued is mine and I am his and his desire is vnto me That thus hauing found and apprehended Christ embracing and holding him in the armes of our faith as our blessed Aduocate and attonement-maker vnto God we may so come before the Lord and treate with him for our peace as did old Simeon when he had Christ in his armes and Luk. 2. 28. 29. 30. his eyes did see his saluation desire the Lord then to let him depart in peace Yea we may then with lesse feare and much more comfortable boldnesse shew our selues in Gods presence and appeare in his sight then could Hester though neuer so well beloued of the King aduenture Hest 5. 2. to goe in before Ahashuerosh who did kindly accept of her when hee held out the golden scepter vnto her Yea farre more warrantably and safely may we bearing Christ with vs in the armes of our faith approch and come neere to the throne of the greatest maiestie of him that is the highest Lord and Soueraigne ruler of the world who hath prepared his throne for iudgement and shall iudge the world in righteousnesse reckoning vpon Psal 97. 8. 9. a more kinde welcome and gratious acceptation at his hands then euer durst the Patriarchs Iacobs sonnes shew themselues before Ioseph then Lord of Egypt though they did carrie their younger brother Beniamin in their Gen 43. 15. 16. 30. hands at the sight of whom the heart of Ioseph yearned within him and his eyes burst out a weeping that hee could not forbeare any longer but manifest himselfe and shew his brotherly affection vnto them and falling vpon their neckes kissed and embraced them forgetting and Gen. 45. 2. 3. 14 15. forgiuing all the iniuâ—ie and wrong that euer before they had done vnto him Thus yea farre more then thus yea farre aboue all that can be vttered conceiued or comprehended is that loue of God in Christ which he beareth to Eph. 3. 19. all the faithfull and wherewith he standeth most kindly and fatherly affected to his redeemed in and through Christ Iesus as to accept of their persons and be delighted Eph. 1. 6. Cantic 2. 14. Isai 63. 7. 9. Ierem. 31. 20. Hosea 11. 8. 9. Iohn 16. 23. with their presence so to be most affectionatly moued towards them in all fatherly kindnesse and compassion that he hath of them as also to heare al their prayers and to deny them nothing which they shall aske when they come to the Father in the name of his Sonne Yea so is the heart of God the Father wonne to al that truly do beleeue in Iesus Christ his Sonne as though Christ Iesus Ioh 16. 26. 27. himselfe should seeme not to
sure neuer quite to fall from God for any thing that afterwards can happen and that such sauing graces can neither totally nor finally be lost of them that haue once receiued them Wee may see it true by the examples of those against whom Satan hath bent all his force and laid as it were his cannon shot endeuouring if it had bin possible to haue ouerthrowne them as of Dauid Salomon Peter and such other men who haue been in the greatest danger that way in whom their faith and life of grace haue seemed in a manner to haue been quite extinguished partly by securitie partly by the strength of tentation wherewith they were sorely assailed and yet wee know these were the Lords Worthies whom no power of the enemie was euer able to preuaile against or finally to ouercome and their graces though much eclipsed for a time yet gloriously recouering themselues againe and shining out with a more perfect brightnesse in some of them then euer before was seene The reason of it is for Certaintie that God is the Lord and changeth not his gifts and calling Mal. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 29. to his children are without repentance he will not take his sauing mercies and graces from them for euermore but whom he loueth he loueth to the end And because Gods seruants Iohn 13. 1. stand not by their owne strength but by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh they are kept by the 1. Pet. 1. 5. power of God as in a castle strongly fenced this second being a benefit equall to the first to keepe vs in a happie state after we once are brought into it For what benefit were it to a man to haue possession giuen him of a rich Citie or strong Tower or Hold and the enemie to beate him him out againe the next day Touching those instances you brought in of the failing of Dauids graces there was neuer any totall abolition of such graces in Dauid when hee was so fallen but a soporation onely and a spirituall slumber that came vpon them as one of the Fathers Bernard speaketh his faith indeed seemed to faile him for a time and the comfort of his hope for a while to haue bin gone but this was neither conceiued nor vttered of him out of any mature deliberation or staied and setled iudgment when hee was well aduised with himselfe what to determine but out of a hastie infirmitie when strength of tentation had ouerset him for hee professed hee speaking Psal 31. 22. and 116. 11. thus did but speake it in his haste And that Dauid being a worthy Prophet and a man of great and heauenly knowledge and of a sound iudgement in the truth yet in his heauinesse did pray that God would not cast him out of his presence nor take his holy spirit from him this shewed a diseased minde to be then in him and a heart much distempered through his great distresse So hard a thing is it for a man to keep himselfe sound no not in the chiefe points and principles of religion in times of sore affliction and strong tentation For trouble and griefe will sorely shatter a man when a mans eyes are full of teares it is no marueile if hee be found to misse euen in reading his owne pardon Wee know the Lord had sworne by his holinesse that hee would neuer faile Dauid and his mercies bestowed vpon him were called the sure mercies of Dauid and though Dauid might feare in his weaknesse yet God had made a faithfull promise that he would not take his spirit from Dauid as hee had taken him away from him that was before him To conclude then this point as wine failed euen in that banquet Iohn 2. 3. at which Christ himselfe was present so comfort is sometimes interrupted in that heart in which Christ himselfe dwelleth and as in the one he turned water into wine in the end so in the other he will turne all sorrow into endlesse ioy and peace at the last The comforts then of the godly are euerlasting the state of grace they stand in is sure and wil neuer faile them Faith is an euer-abiding and vnconquerable grace which al the force of the enemy can neuer destroy nor cause to miscarrie which once being planted in the hart can neuer be quite plucked vp againe till that soule be saued in which it euer did first take root Q. If all this be so which you haue spoken and set downe touching true faith which is the faith of Gods Elect according as for mine owne part I see no great reason to make any further doubt therein namely that true faith whensoeuer it is wrought and planted in a mans heart it neuer faileth to saue euery soule that hath it and that the least measure of sauing faith is as true faith as is the greatest And that true faith being once had howsoeuer it may be winnowed and assailed yet can it neuer be afterward lost till that soule be saued that euer truly had it and was possessed thereof I see that Excellency of faith this grace of faith is most excellent that thus bringeth saluation to euery soule that so hath it and that worthily it is called precious for it how well may all that bee said of it which Iob speaketh of wisedome in the praising and extolling Iob 28. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. of the same that man knoweth not the price therof Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be waighed for the price therof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphire no mentiō is to be made of Corrall nor of the Gabish for faith is more precious then all these the Topaze of Ethiopia shall not be equall vnto it neither shall it bee valued with the wedge of the most puregold And to conclude with that which you made the beginning for exhorting all to labour about getting faith I see the speech may well be applied and spoken in particular for Prou. 4. 5. 7. the getting of faith which you so remembred Salomon in his Prouerbs spake in generall of wisedome for getting of vnderstanding viz. fully iustly and truly may it be said to all get faith get the power of beleeuing forget it not faith is the principall thing therefore get faith and with all thy gettings get the grace of true beleeuing According as the Apostle himselfe putteth also this taske vpon euery Christian diligently 2. Cor. 13. 5. to examine himselfe to sift trie and prooue himselfe whether he be in the faith or no setting euery one a worke about searching and finding out the true being of faith in them vnder no lesse penalty and damage then is the losse of all their comfort of their being in Christ and of the whole claime they doe make vnto saluation by him and of their abiding otherwise in no better estate then in the state of plaine
all would scarce bee able to giue him satisfying that his disease were curable and might well bee holpen he would doubt that all the Balme in the Lords Gilead would not suffice to make for him a remedy that should bee soueraigue and sauing enough nor that all they together should haue sufficient skill how to apply it so as hee might haue good recouerie thereby Yea if it once grow ill with them in their faith and repentance and that these graces are smitten at strooken and wounded by some soare and dangerous tentation then in stead of complaining of the weakenesse and hurt of their faith and repentance they fall to entertaine a conceit into their mindes which troubleth them worse then did all the rest namely that they haue no faith at all that they haue no true repentance nor euer yet had But I would demand if they had not some remainder of the life of these graces of faith and repentance by which they feele the wounds and hurts that these affected members and parts of the inner man haue receiued how come they to make complaint in particular about their faith and repentance that it is not well with them Can a man that hath his leggs cut off so hauing no legs be affected with the aching or painefull dolour of the wounds and hurts which are in his legs he may complaine of paines in other partes but griefes in his leggs he can neither feele nor complaine of for he hath none at all to be pained in But if a man hauing indeed a leg that is now hurt and wounded then were it meere solly and madnesse for him to complaine and say that he hath no leg because his leg is so maimed and hurt for that proueth that he hath a leg in that he complaineth all his paine is in his leg and complaines not of his arme nor of his head which both may be well for all that Q. True but may not a man complaine he hath no legs at all if his legs indeed be once cut off A. But I demand againe Can a man in like manner Of feeling complaine that hee hath no heart at all if his heart bee plucked out We know that then he is but a dead man for the heart is the most vitall part of the body and the very seate of life which being principally in it the life it selfe by it is communicated to all the rest destroy therefore and pluck out the heart and then tell me what life will be remaining in that body for it to complaine it hath no heart Faith is as vitall a part for the life of the soule as the heart is for the life of the body for it is the only organe and receptacle of all the life of the soule that it receiueth from Christ the onely fountaine of true life and by it that spirituall life which is receiued from Christ is communicated to euery power and part of the soule beside It is the very soule of our soule for wee liue by faith wee walke and worke by it and not by sight the life of faith is that which doth animate all other vertues beside that are in vs. Plucke this faith away and destroy faith which is the life of the soule and then what life will there be remaining in that soule for a man to feele by it that he hath no faith or to complaine of the weaknesse and wants of his faith for then he should be as a dead man that should haue no feeling in him as vnbeleevers and wicked persons are said to be dead euen while they liue 1. Tim. 5. 6. Iude 12. yea twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes and are past feeling as the Apostle speaketh Nay the complaining by weake Christians about their faith for the weaknesse thereof or for the want of their faith argueth the presence and being in life of their faith by which they haue such feeling and make such complaining as one complaining that he feeleth paine at his heart that doth argue that he hath a heart and that his heart is in life which maketh him so to complaine These are not vnlike vnto that melancholike person Treatise of Me lacholy pa. 215 who being ouer borne and ouerset with that dangerous humour of melancholy complained he had no head nor could not possibly be otherwise perswaded then by that course which that prudent Physition Phylotimus did take with him when he caused to be made a cap of lead very waightie and heauie and the same to be put vpon his head that feeling the weight thereof vpon his head hee might be brought to conceiue otherwise and be perswaded that hee had a head And as they are not much vnlike that melancholike for kinde of disease who was deluded with melancholie conceits to thinke that he wanted that which indeed hee had so doe I thinke the like kinde of remedie in this case not vnfit to be vsed for their cure which was vsed for his I would therefore lay vpon these weake Christians no other burthen but the weight of their owne burthen of holy sorrow and griefe and doubtfull despaire for their wanting of faith as themselues doe deeme which is so weightie as they are like to sinke vnder it wholly to be broken down with the load thereof yet that being laid vpon the head of their faith they may bee asked whether they feele any such burthen and are pressed vnder the heauie weight of the same which if they do let them neuer make doubt more but that they haue faith and their faith hath both head and hart too that hath life in it which moueth that sense and causeth that feeling and worketh that holie griefe and sorrow so to complaine the whole soule being quickened thereby throughout and all the graces of Gods spirit that are therein There is no life of spirituall graces otherwise to be had then as the same be deriued from Christ who is our life and the fountaine thereof there is no passage for this life to flow into our soules but as by faith the same be let in which only is the instrument of the vnion that is betweene Christ and vs and the proper hand to receiue all grace from him the very receptacle and as I may say the cisterne to hold the grace it hath receiued from him as out of the fountaine and so to distribute it to all the rest of the graces that are in that soule wherein it is seated If therefore there be any liuely feeling of our want of faith and mourning for our want if we complaine of the want of faith feeling it to be a burthen vnto vs that is too heauie for vs to beare if wee sigh and groane vnder that burthen with earnest longings and daily prayers to be eased and with such desires of obtaining that which we want as willingly we neglect no meanes that we can know is to be vsed for our better comming by it doubtlesse there is the
occasion from the present want that he found him to be in as one left of his Father that now was to shift for himselfe and he reasoneth thus with him If thou be the Sonne of God thou canst cause these stones in this Mat. 4. 3. thy hunger to be made bread but that thou canst not therfore thou art not the Sonne of God If he thus durst be bold to call the filiation of the Sonne of God himselfe into question whom will he spare or bee afraid of to sift in that point and that to the full whose euidence is so cleere in this behalfe as the diuell shall not know what to say against at the least to find something to cauill at and to quarrell thereabout Nay the true children of God haue too much experience of Satans malice this way true beleeuers can haue no rest for Satans troubling of them in these points let him be answered neuer so oft he will take no answere nor euer giue ouer he is like to malitious and wrangling aduersaries who will neuer giue ouer to molest such as they hate but will spend all they haue at law to vndoe their poore neighbours and not leaue them worth a groat If they be ouerthrowne in one Court they will begin their suit in another if they haue lost the day at one Assize they will about with it againe to try it at another So this cauiller and enuious enemie of ours Satan he will beare good Christians downe either they haue no faith at all or that their faith hath this or that fault in it that it can stand them in no stead and so stopping them at the point of their faith as in the head he would by his good will neuer suffer them to proceed to get any such assurance as wherby they might find any sound rest for their soules and where he findeth the best assurance of all that any of Gods seruants during their abode in the flesh can bee found possibly to haue though they were men as well growne vp in the strength of their faith as euer was Abraham the father of the faithfull Rom. 4. 19. 20. of whom the Apostle saith that he was not weake in the faith neither did he stagger through vnbeleefe yet will he not faile to trie what he can doe euen against the best he will thrust as sore at them as he can that they might fall and though he cannot wholly ouerthrow them yet will he labour to bend and to make to shake the very foundation of their faith and stedfast beleeuing And albeit at one time he findes he can doe little against them they being in some sort aware of him and well armed to withstand him yet will he come another time when they shall not be so well prouided and trie againe Sampson-like to bend the pillars of their faith and of the confidence of their hope And thus by his vncessant assailings he sometimes hath wronged euen the most principall of Gods seruants Abraham that was so inuincible in his Rom. 4. 19. 20. faith at one time at another time was made to stagger weaknesse of faith in the best and bewray the weaknesse of his faith and trust hee had of Gods keeping of him by betaking himselfe to such a way of shifting for himselfe and escaping of a danger Genes 12. 13. 18. 19. and 20. 2. 9. and that not once alone but againe the second time as did not beseeme the constancy and victoriousnesse of the faith of so great a Patriarke Moses was brought to shew weaknesse of faith in not giuing glory to God but speaking Psal 106. 33. vnaduisedly with his lips for which he was punished with the rest in not being suffered to enter into Canaan but only Num. 20. 12. to see it with his eyes Aaron the Saint of the Lord caused to take an vnsanctified course in making a molten Calfe which they said to bee the Gods of Israel which Exod. 32. 4. brought them vp out of the land of Egypt Dauid in his hast made to say all men be liers and to yeeld so farre through Psal 116. 11. much weaknesse of his faith as to say of himselge he was now cast off of God Nay though Satan did surely know Psal 31. 22. as I am perswaded that of some he maketh no other reckoning that in dealing against them he shall neuer preuaile finally to ouerthrow their faith with all that he can doe nor to hinder their attainment of saluation in the end yet will he neuer let them alone nor faile otherwise to trouble them what he can and to wearie them by molesting them from time to time and though hee cannot destroy theirliues yet such is his enmity against them and malice that will neuer be laid aside hee will doe his best to make their liues as vncomfortable as possibly hee may If God will but send him or his messenger to Paul though he finde him so strongly supported by the presence of Gods grace as hee cannot vtterly ouerthrow 2. Cor. 12. 7. him yet it will doe him good that he may bee suffered well to buffet him and to beate him as blacke and blew before he be constrained to leaue him and to part from him againe It is vsuall then for all that haue true and sound faith indeed to haue it tried and that many times to the full such trying of it prouing the truth of it their enemies being iudge who else would neuer so assaile it that the triall of the faith of Gods children and of the assurance thereof being much more precious then gold that 1. Pet. 1. 7. perishâ—th may be found to their praise The Lord seeing it meet to haue it thus doth sometimes trie the faith of his children his owne selfe and sometimes permitteth Satan to doe his best against them that he may know their faith and trie their assurance and thrust at it with all his might to make it yeeld yea to breake it downe for altogether if possibly he could Not that the Lord in permitting Satan so to doe would either pleasure or gratifie him or wrong his owne seruants or see theÌ„ wronged by him nothing lesse but to speak as the truth is the Lord in suffering Satan so to do giues him nothing but rather makes him an instrument of his owne shame and ouerthrow he doth not so much giue them into his hands as rather Rom. 16. 20. giues him vp to bee vanquished and ouercome by his seruants whom he doth so aide and strengthen as hee makes them able to conquer him and to tread him vnder their feet the Lord preparing thus for his seruants a glorious victorie that hauing thus ouercome they may reioyce and triumph for euermore CHAP. XVIII The fourth maine difference betweene them is seene in their ioy where the soundnesse and stability of the ioy of true beleeuers with the contrary of 〈◊〉 is declared Question AS you have shewed much
The answere must bee they warrantably can haue ioy in nothing for to whom there is no peace granted there can be no sound ioy allowed vnto them but there is no peace saith God unto the wicked and therefore Isa 48. 22. hauing nothing to doe with peace they haue as little to doe with ioy if they take ioy in any thing they doe but vsurpe the ioy that they take nay they are so farre from hauing cause to reioyce in any thing as contrarily they haue cause to feare in euery thing because they feare not him whom they ought to feare that is they doe not sanctifie the Lord of hosts to let him bee their Isa 8. 13. 14. feare and their dread who so would become a sanctuarie unto them to saue them from all things else that might hurt them They therefore may feare euery thing they meet with till they can truly come to feare God they may feare the wind the sea the earth the aire all things they haue vse of their hooke their hatchet their horse their cow their dogge that followes them the meate they feed vpon they may feare men and diuels and all things beside they wanting a good conscience washed in the blood of Christ and in all holinesse of life and conuersation which is a continuall feast cannot but want true comfort and want the feeling of sound ioy and peace in their hearts nay contrarily hauing an ill conscience that is either without feeling seared as with a hot iron or else blinded by the errour of iudgment or that hath guilt in it to accuse condemn for sin that hath bin committed it so commeth to passe that they cannot but either be restlesse for the present the accusation of their consciences euer stinging them and tormenting them with the guiltinesse of their sinne or if they haue quiet it is because hypocrisie hath put their conscience to silence heere that they may soone after roare out the lowder in hell fier where their cries neither will be pitied nor their paines euer bee eased It is truly said that euill doers they are their owne prisoners and their owne hang-men And if it be so saith one Plessis what skilles it who thou bee if thou bee not thine owne man They that are cast into prison for treason or stealing they haue after a sort already the halters about their neckes euen from the very instant of their first being taken and put in howsoeuer it bee that sometimes forgetting their owne miserie they may as desperate wretches after their cursed manner be sound merrie together playing at dice and cards to driue as they vse to say the time away Such professors as are but hypocrites and mis-beleeuers who haue an ill conscience that either euer doth or euer may be accusing of them they haue nothing to doe with sound ioy and true peace for they are peculiar comforts appointed peculiarly to true beleeuers and to righteous persons for whom onely they are sowne as light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart and vnto them alone it will come vp and by them alone such fruit will bee reaped As for the other the Lord hath bidden woe to bee cried out and proclaimed vnto them as who haue rewarded euill to their Isa 3. 11. owne soules Vnto such all things are vnpure they haue no freedome to take ioy or comfort in any thing they are those that are made prisoners in their owne houses who can neithey goe out to fetch sound comfort abroad nor haue allowed vnto them any liberty to bee merrie at home If these doe looke without themselues they being not in Christ Iesus there is nothing in all the world which they can finde iustly to belong vnto them or which they can claime rightly to be their owne If they take the vse of any thing they are but vsurpers of the same yea as very theeues they haue but stollen all they doe set hand vpon and therefore they must looke to bee had to the Gaile and put into the Lords pinfold to answere for the trespasse which they haue done vnto him as to the right owner therein The delight which they take in all outward things of this life is but as the pleasure of stollen waters that are thought sweet of them that doe drinke them and like to bread eaten in secret that is pleasant for a time but they that banquet with no better cheere vnhealthsome and vnhappie is their fare The guests that are at such feasts as Salomon telleth vs are all in the very depth of hell If these doe rest in themselues and Prou. 9. 18. seeke for some comfort at home as who would gladly be made merrie and feele some ioy and delight from that which is within for as much as their hearts are not sprinkled Heb. 10. 22. from an ill conscience and their bodies are not washâ—d with pure water there is no ioy to bee assoorded from thence nay there they find the least ease and the most torment and disquiet of all the rest that possibly they can meet with else where beside vnlesse they chance to earth themselues in the caues of obliuion that iudgement to come may not come to their minds their estate in that behalfe is as vncomfortable as is their that are clapt vp in closest prisons and cast into deepest and darkest dungeons so as they can see no manner of light of Sunne or Moone or any starre that doth shine the liberty they find there is as little as the liberty of him that is chained fast to a post that cannot stirre at all For where the conscience doth accuse their soule is made restlesse with the vexations thereof and then any pallace how princely soeuer would be no better then a prison or a Gaile to keepe the offender in yea Paradise it selfe would be little better then Purgatorie or hell it selfe as may be seene in Adam who hauing lost a good conscience by eating the forbidden fruit though hee was in Paradise still yet all the ioyes therein were not able to comfort him but as one condemned in himselfe when the Lord called for him he ran into the thicket to hide himselfe from Gods presence that he might not be found Thus are the workers of iniquity imprisoned in the little-ease of their own accusing and condemning conscience and held as captiues bound â—â—st in the cords of their owne iniquities they may dwell in good houses they may walke in faire galleries and pleasant gardens they may solace themselues in many other delights but if they bee but hypocrites that haue onely faire outsides and but rotten harts carying about with them the crying of their restlesse conscience that is euer accusing of them though outwardly they may seeme to looke as smirke and as cleere as the Sunne and not once looke awry yet within the faces of their conscience doe gather blacknesse and there are terrours and feares of damnation felt within and so
neede so requiring yet neuer can it wholly be lost from them nor finally faile them for altogether but so is it found in the end to be restored againe with aduantage vnto them as that for their single sorrowes they haue double ioyes giuen them yea such ioyes as Peter calleth ioyes vnspeakable and glorious at what time they shall see cause to reioyce in their portion They may by their sinning against the Lord and by the prouoking of his anger against them haue the feeling of this ioy kept from them for a long time and their desired comforts so long withholden as may make their hearts to feare and to faint within them but as the Prophet Habakuk counselleth and Hab. 2. 3. giueth direction though it tarrie a little yet let them waite and hope vndoubtedly to finde it againe for certainly in the end it will come and it will not stay long and then the desire once so accomplished will much more delight their Prou. 13. 12. 19. soule and though they haue tarried for it long yet that will be verified vpon them at the last that the patient abiding Prou. 10. 28. of the righteous will proue gladnes in the end Though then the ioy of the faithfull may not be felt for a time yet is there no feare but it will be found againe afterward for their ioy is such ioy as is euerlasting in respect of the grounds thereof and which being giuen thē by Christ according to the promise he hath made none shall for euer be Ioh. 16. 22. able to take it from them any more The sun-shine of Gods fauour may for a while be hidden out of their sight but then as the Lord himselfe hath promised that though for a moment in his anger he hides his face yet with euerlasting Isai 54. 7. 8. mercie hee will haue compassion on them againe and turne their shadow of death into a most bright and chearefull morning Amos 5. 8. The ioy of a temporarie beleeuer how great soeuer it may seeme to be for a season yet as the seede sowne in stony ground it cannot be kept from withering in the scorching heate of hot persecution because it wanteth depth of earth and good ground to roote it on as not being Mak. 4. 17. grounded either vpon any stable assurance of Gods vndoubted Temporary ioy withers loue and rich mercy vnto him or vpon any good stedfastnes of his own loue to God back againe in thankfulnes for the same as who for that loue of God wherewith he seeth God to haue first loued him in Christ Iesus should bee made so farre to forget himselfe and to prize Gods glorie as for Gods cause to be found willing to carrie his owne life in his hand and to hazard the exposing of himselfe to any danger that may happen but rather raised and being grounded vpon some worldly some selfe and by-respects which failing and not falling out according to his owne reckoning and expectation then is his ioy also gone and he as much altered as if hee had neuer been the man The ioy of an hypocrite vanisheth quite away and commeth to nothing in time of tribulation How triumphing soeuer he was found to be before in his great reioycing yet when persecution and fierie triall doth come he groweth then to be most heartlesse and crest fallen of the sudden whosoeuer dare shew himselfe in presence then he will be sure to play least in sight at that time And no marueile though an hypocrite bee but a coward for what hath hee to trust vnto that might make him bold in whom nothing is sound and right as it should be who hath nothing but shewes in stead of substance And who will marueile if such a one being false to God though his heart deceiuing him hee proue false to himselfe also and if wanting such faith as is only able to giue him the victorie he be ouercome of feare that causeth him dastardly to flie the field and turning his backe vpon his enemies to runne the countrey Such kinde of persons whose faith doth so faile them and whose hope is vnsound in the time of trouble and aduersitie are like a man that is in the wilde sea in time of a storme without anchor or cable without mast or saile or any tackling to make shift with and helpe himselfe by who hauing no meanes left vnto him to vse for his succour and reliefe in time of such distresse as one dispoiled of all things but the expectation of death only what else can he looke for but to perish in that storme without all hope of any possible escaping These kinde of persons as they are left faithlesse so are they made hopelesse when they see their case to be thus helplesse and therefore ruine and vtter confusion must needes be their last end But the ioy of a true beleeuer as it hath better rooting True ioy lasteth and is grounded vpon a better foundation whence it springeth vp and taketh the beginning so is it of a more firme and fast abiding standing vnmoued what time the other is not onely shaken and wholly cast downe and then flourishing and seene still to grow greene when the Vinesoit vulnere virtus other not being able to abide the heate of persecution becommeth so sulged and blasted and so withered away as it wholly fadeth and in the end is quite brought to nothing The ioy of a true beleeuer ariseth and groweth out of faith which is vnfained whereof Christ is the author and the finisher and the holy Ghost is the worker and the framer of this blessed worke planting faith in the good ground of an honest heart and causing this ioy to spring out of that flourishing plant as the most sweete and pleasant fruite thereof for it is called the ioy 1. Thes 1. 6. Gal. 5. 22. of the holy Ghost and it is numbred among the fruits of the spirit Faith is the sure ground of this ioy from whence it springeth while by faith wee are perswaded of the loue and fauour of God towards vs in and through Christ Iesus into whom we being grafted and planted by our beleeuing doe come so to finde our selues to haue a most happie and ioyfull being in him which causeth vs not only to haue some ioy and reioycing but our ioy is made Ioh. 15. 11. full in him for there is no want in Christ but enough to be found for the making of our ioy full euery way for the fulnes of the Godhead and of all goodnesse is and dwelleth Coloss 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. in him that of his fulnes we may receiue euen this fulnes of ioy and of spirituall and heauenly consolation which he Ioh. 16. 24. himselfe willeth vs to seeke by prayer for to obtaine And so is the heart of the beleeuer filled with this ioy of the holy Ghost by Christ Iesus our Sauiour as it is more then the world or all the
furthest from him The one therefore findeth comfort and the other hath none They differ also in that which causeth the sorrow of the one and of the other and in that which is caused by either That which causeth the sorrow and repentance of hypocrites is more vsually plagues and punishments either inflicted and felt or threatned and feared when they are imminent and hang ouer their heads their hearts resemble flint stones which will cast no sparkles vnlesse they be strooke Rarely will it be found that any of them are brought to bee humbled by the sole ministery of the Word or if by that rather by the denouncing of iudgements and by the threatnings and thundrings of the Law then by the sweet and amiable voice and sound of the Gospell whereout the promises of life and offers of grace are made vnto vs. Foelix trembled when Paul preached of temperance and righteousnesse and iudgement to come but Festus mocked when hee heard him preach Christ and begin to open the secrets and mysteries of the Gospell in his hearing then hee cried out against him that he was beside himselfe and that too much learning had made him mad They be not for the most part words but blowes and stroakes and those well laid on too by the powerfull hand of a reuenging and irefull Iudge that will serue to maule and breake downe the stoutnesse and stubbornesse of the hearts of proud hypocrites though so well able is the Lord to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and to slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes as hee can make his word quicke and powerfull and forcible enough to pierce deepe and cut sharper then a two edged sword and out of that quiuer can draw out such arrowes to shoot into the sides of all hypocrites as shall be sharpe enough to pierce and to split the hearts of all the Kings enemies and be able to draw blood out of their sides and to fetch sighes out of their hearts yea to make them for the time to roare out of their throats for horrour and feare bee they neuer so secure though in the end they become little the better for it The Lord can make the threatnings of his iudgements out of his word denounced come bleake to the hearts of offenders which shall send a terrible shaking through all their bones and become as thunder strokes doubled that are able to daunt the stoutest stomack that is the Lord can make the terrour of the Law and the thundring out of the threatnings thereof to flash as the lightening in euery conscience that hath guiltinesse in it and to be as fier to make their hearts to melt though otherwise as hard as brasse Thus either by the mighty strokes of Gods reuenging hand inflicting iudgements plagues and punishments or by the terrour of the Law that doth nothing but thunder out threatnings of vengeance doe the hearts of most secure hypocrites many times come to bee daunted yea in a manner strucken dead with horrour and feare and trembling for the time And these are the things that breed and bring out the repentance that they haue and causeth all their sorrow to be such as it is On the other side the true and godly sorrow the sound and vnfained repentance the best conuersion of true beleeuers that is freest from suspition of being counterfeit is that which is caused by the ministery of the Word and by the powerfull working thereof vpon the conscience which is as a hammer to breake the stonie hardnesse of the heart that it may goe all to dust and powder and is as fier with the heate thereof to melt the heart though it were neuer so hard frozen in the dregges of sinne before as shall cause such a thaw to bee in that heart and to abound of weeping mourning and shedding teares for sinnes committed as if the very springs of sorrow were all opened and loosened that might cause whole streames The teares and waters of repentance are as that red sea wherein the whole armie of our sins which are our most dangerous enemies that do pursue vs are deeply drowned and brookes of teares to run downe and flow from the eyes of him that is truly penitent sufficient to lay in soak the very heart it selfe in that abundance of teares yea to cleanse both heart and life and wash away all filth of sin that euer before haue been committed When such a worke is wrought vpon a mans heart by the ministerie of the word and the conscience feeling it selfe wounded and strucken at the hearing thereof shall find no rest till it hath eased it selfe by abundant weeping sorrowing and mourning that God should euer be so offended by him and vntill direction bee giuen him what better course is now to bee taken crying out with those true conuerts and penitent persons in the Acts Men and brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued When the word doth thus worke vpon any without any other inforcement of outward crosse or affliction that else doe happen it is an excellent good signe and one of the best euidences that can bee brought out of the truth of that sorrow that hath been bred thereby and of the soundnesse of that repentance that hath followed thereof I denie not but that by crosses and afflictions the Lord doth oftentimes recouer and fetch home his stray-seruants and reclaime them out of their sinnes The Lord hath many meanes and hee can make all or any of them effectuall to doe good to those that are his he sometimes awakeneth his seruants by the sound of his word knocking at the doore of their hearts sometimes Act. 2. 37. 2. Sam. 12. 1. 7. 13. Neh. 9. 30. Gen. 6. 3. by his Spirit wherewith he striueth within vs somtimes by striking and whipping our naked consciences leauing them dismayed with feare and dread and hiding the light of his countenance from vs so as wee feele not the ioy we were wont to haue sometimes by corrections and punishments 2. Sam. 24. 10. Psal 38. 2. 3. 8. Iob 33. 16. 17. Ionah 1. 17. and 2. 1. 2. on our bodies for our sinnes opening our eares by them and sealing our instruction that so he may keepe back our soules from the pit and our liues from perishing the Lord making this the fruit of all the affliction he sendeth to his children euen the taking away of their sinne For Isa 27. 9. which cause it is that the heauenly iustice and fatherly care of God is often shewing vs his rods sometimes shaking them at vs sometimes striking them vpon vs to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthy and dirty puddle of our sinfull life If then the Lord bee faine to lay on bodily crosses vpon vs the better thereby to breake our hearts they being blessed of God may well be made auailable this way to doe vs good But it is not so free from suspition it is better to
fetch better repentance that they may repent for that which yet they neuer repented of as in the time of Ezra 10. 10. 11 the people hauing repented long were faine to go back to fetch now repentance and hauing fasted before to fast again turne all mirth into mourning because they forgate a speciall sinne of marrying with strange wiues For as in an Euidence and writing for assurance there may be left our such words as should be most effectuall in the conueiance to the great preiudice of the lawfull owner which must cause it to be new written againe so in a mans repentance many things may be found out which were forgotten at the first to the great hindrance of a mans comfort Hence it is that men often remember vpon their death-beds with much griefe of heart the sinnes of their youth their incontinencie their pride their oppression their slanders and wrongs they haue done to their neighbours that are dead and gone no satisfaction hauing been therefore made by them And experience hath tried and taught this that many though they left their sinnes long agoe yet because they did not throughly and soundly repent for them they haue rebounded backe vpon them with terrible sights and fearfull visions to humble them and to bring them to a more serious examination of them and better sorrowing for them though long since left and in a manner quite forgotten I doe not denie but that hypocrites and reprobates The confession of Iudas may somtimes through the great distresse of conscience Matth. 27. 3. 4. that they are in be brought to make a more particular confession of their sinnes and to make speciall mention of their most hainous and enormious vices which they are guilty of and which now haue brought them to that distresse wherein they are Iudas was a rank hypocrite and a close cunning one if euer there was any yet he is said to haue repented and in the hellish sorrow that he was in he made confession of his sin yea he made confession of his particular sin that openly he cared not who heard him and he confessed that sinne that was of all his sinnes the greatest and whereby hee had most offended but because it was without faith in Gods mercie and without any true humbling of himselfe before the Lord seeking vnto him to haue it pardoned and was made not in the true and perfect hatred of that sinne because it was sinne but because hee could keepe his owne counsell no longer and the ouer-ruling hand of God would haue that he should penne his owne inditement and confesse the action that he was guiltie of the fact for which hee was in his conscience now arraigned before he should be hanged that being out of his owne mouth thus condemned all the world might know that hee died iustly damned This confession of his though it was of his particular sinne though it was of his chiefest and most hainous sinne and that openly made to his owne shame yet was it no better then his satisfaction when hee brought againe the money and cast it a forehead from him for nothing can bee well done in a wicked man which yet would bee excellent found done by a good man Besides the confession of Iudas was a falfe confession made to wrong parties such as were guiltie of the same sinne himselfe had committed and therefore were no way fit nor able to relieue him He made his confession to man hee made none to God whom hee had so greatly offended to aske mercie of him he humbled not himselfe before his Lord and Master whom most villanously aboue all he had wronged to aske pardon and forgiuenes at his hands who only could helpe him it was a confession of desperation and not of hope a confession that had no true humiliation ioyned with it a confession more of the innocencie of Christ then of the greatnesse of that sinne by which hee had done all that mischiefe that then was done it was therefore but an effect of worldly and hellish sorrow that caused his death and iust damnation But the humble confession which godly sorrow in the True confession hearts of such as are truly penitent doth cause them to make is the reuerend and modest blushing of their guiltie consciences they now putting themselues to shame not hiding their sinnes any longer but making open confession of them both before God and men when there is iust cause for them so to doe with desire of reconciliation with hope of obtaining mercie at the hands of God and pardon for the same and these doe so confesse their sinnes as it is done with an vtter loathing and perfect hating of them as those that haue no purpose at all to haue any more to doe with them from that time forward as Ephraim who said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe with Idols any more The confession of sinne made by hypocrites and such 3. Difference as are vnsound in their repentance is not a voluntarie humble confession of sinne in the griefe of their hearts that they haue done it mooued by a loath some hating of it that makes them so to throw it out as ouerburdensome longer to be kept for they commonly doe not confesse their sinnes before their sinnes be knowne in such sort as the deniall of them is in vaine and without colour and before the confession of sinne bee extorted out of them by the extremitie of some iudgement and plague vpon them As when that terrible thunder and haile mingled with fier Exod. 9 27. so grieuous as neuer before was knowne was throwne downe vpon Pharaohs head and vpon all his land and that innumerable Exod. 10. 16. armie of locusts sent after the haile had deuoured all the fruit which the haile had left then was this confession wroong out of Pharaohs mouth that he had sinned that God was righteous but he and his people were wicked that he had sinned against God and had sinned against his people Hypocrites come not to confession till they bee drawne out as by the eares to the making of it as was Adam Iosh 7. 18. and that they be arrested and attached by some iudgements sent from God as the Lord was said to haue taken Adam and so he was brought out to make his confession When they doe make their confession they do make it but by halues and with their mouthes as halfe open confessing something but not fully the whole matter as it was by them done They confesse their sinne as did Adam who for all his confessing as Iob saith of him Iob 31. 33 yet did still hide his sinne so doe these making confession of their sinnes for all that keepe close much iniquitie in their bosome Adam because his sinne was knowne vnto the Lord who now called to examination for the same did indeede at the last with much adoe say he had eaten but hee kept close his owne iniquitie in his bosome and