blood so vvas his prayer effectuall even to them vnder the Lawe much more vnto vs vnder grace and vvhen you can finde testimonie of your heart that when you would do well yet evil is present with you and that you do the evill you woulde not then doe not you it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue Rom. 7. Much more then when Sathan worketh with all buffeting you assure your selfe that God hath pittie on you and that the vertue of his power shall bee perfect in your weaknes 2. Cor. 12. 9. If you beleeue according to your faith be it vnto you but you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile and crooked hardnes of heart can bee remitted and renewed And this was the second point within the former part of my Letter I gaue you to vnderstand what was the cause of your excessiue distresse I besech you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lye nor offer iniury to Gods spirit nor to your selfe who haue receiued it tell me what is the reason why you thinke you haue no faith verely because you haue no feeling nor noe other fruites thereof as you think vvell first then agree with mee herein as you must if you will not disagree with the trueth that feeling is but an effect a fruite of faith and therefore there may be faith without feeling as the cause may bee without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sap for a season And as a man sore wounded or diseased may for a season be depriued almost of al operations of the naturall life to the outwarde shewe and his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man bee sore wounded by Sathan and be diseased by present sight and feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in that the life of the spirit ts not in him Thus Peters holie faile as you haue hearde or else the prayer of our Saviour prevailed not Thus when David Psalm 51. 12. declared that his heart was vncleane and his spirit crooked and vnstable and verse 14. that hee had lost the ioye of his salvation and the spirit of liberty or adoption yea vers 13. hee prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore he was not depriued of the spirit of sanctification Heere seemeth repugnance but there is none he was depriued for a season of the graces of the sanctifying spirit but not of the holy Ghost wherewith he was sanctified which graces as God restored vnto him so I am perswaded that he will vnto you yea I doubt whether you are deprived of them but onely that partlie melancholie and partly Sathan working therewith makes you do iniury to your selfe to the graces of the spirit in you which I beseech you take heede of But the Messenger cannot stay I therefore cannot write as I wold either of this or of the remedies you shuld vse which hereafter I will if God shall enable mee And I praye you let mee vnderstand as I requested in the beginning of your estate in particular somewhat more that by this bearer if you can because he is of your acquaintance and will bring it vnto me faithfullie Onely I adde nowe vnto that which I haue written of hardnesse of heart at large that you must diligently obserue the word Create which Dauid vseth Psal. 51. declaring howe he had no feeling of his heart To this ioyne that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the persone of God 57. 3. I create the fruite of the lippes to be peace as well to him that is far off as to him that is neere Therefore in Faith you may as well pray with the hope to obtaine as did David therefore saye vvith him often and vvith Gods people Esay 64. 12. O Lord thou art our Father wee indeede are clay but thou art our maker and wee are the work of thine handes c. Know you that God can cause Wolues Lyons Leopards c. wallowing with lambs calues and kyne Esay 11. 6. And that vvhich is vnpossible vnto men is possible vnto God euen to cause a cable rope to go through a needels eye that is to change the heart of the vnbeleeuing covetous and vvretched man much more yours yea knowe you that all things are possible to him that beleeueth Crye then I beleeue oh Lord help mine vnbeliefe and I do promise you in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that you shall haue your desire in goodnesse Thus abruptlye I must make an end I commend you vnto God and the vvorde of his grace vvhich is able for to builde you vppe and to giue you the right of inheritance amongst them vvhich are sanctified And the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout that your vvhole spirit soule and body may bee kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Faithfull is hee vvhich hath called you and vvill do it I pray you pray for me and I trust as I haue so I shall pray for you and much more Yours in Iesus Christ to vse in any neede R. GREENHAM
the partie with his friends and increase his discredit with his foes and againe if by all occasions of calling person tyme and place the Lord hath put you in this place to rebuke sinne consider you must put on you the person of the offender that as you spare not his sinne because of the zeale of Gods glory so you presse it not toe farre because of compassion to a brother then look that with these your heart be right in zeal and loue and so call for Gods assistance before you speak his grace in speaking and for his blessing after your speaking if any thing be left out that might haue beene profitable please not your selfe in it but be humbled for it though some infirmities be in you yet shall they not do so much hurt as Gods ordinance shall do good 43 Because great natural and worldlie sorrowe and joye will cause a man to break his sleep at midnight he wold trie himself whether sorrow for sin and joy in salvatiō had caused him to do the like 44 He rejoyced to see his friends but hee was humbled in that hee rested so much in that joye that he forget to doe the good to their salvation or to receiue good from them to his salvation which he thought he should do 45 One asking what hee thought of Fayries hee answered he thought they were spirits but hee distinguished betweene them and other spirites as commonly men distinguish betweene good witches and bad witches 46 His greatest sorrowe was when either he spake of some good thing that was not on himselfe and the greatest joy he had was in the contrarie 47 He vsed this tryal in his affections as of anger griefe joy or such like in this manner if by them he was made lesse fit to pray more vnable to do the good hee should doe lesse carefull to avoid sinne then he thought it carnall and filthie and not of God but when his anger loue grief and other affections provoked him more to praye made him fitter to doe good than he thought his affections sent to him to be as the blessing of God 48 He said whensoever he suspected and feared any evill to come vppon another he ever had a desire to be delivered and deceived of his opinion and that he would be glad to beare the shame of his priuy jealousie so as the person suspected might turne to God 49 He thought all afflictions to bee puttings of him to God frō slothfulnes 50 Vnto one afflicted in minde hee gaue this comfort First if you haue knowledge be thankfull for it and desire the Lord to giue you faith if you haue faith which vndoubtedly you may haue though not rightly discerning your self you presently perceiue it not you must waite on the Lord for feeling of it and though it may be you shall tarrie the Lords leasure long yet surely hee will giue it you in time in the meane time assure your selfe that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling because it is easie for every one in glorious feelings and joyes vnspeakable to beleeue but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord and by faith waite on him this mans faith is most great 51 To one that asked his advise whether he might avoid the doing of a thing whereunto he was called because he felt corruption in himselfe he said In avoyding societie you shal cover but not cure your infirmities and though you depart from men yet you cannot goe out of your selfe 52 He gaue this advise to one against the deadnes of the mind that overtaketh the godly First search the cause whether it be for some evil thing done or for some good thing not done so leaving some meanes of salvation vnvsed whether for some sinne seene but not repented of or some sinne repented of but not soundly or for vnthankfulnes Secondlie vse the remedie please not your selfe in it but rouse vppe your selfe as from a slumber which willingly you woulde shake from you call to minde the speciall and greatest mercie of God vse the meanes Thirdly in the meanes offer thy selfe to God waiting humbly and patiently for the time of deliverance neither esteeming toe much or toe little of thy afflictions 53 He said to one that for want of feeling was loath to pray you must not tarrie to pray vntill you find feeling but offer your selfe vp into the handes of Iesus Christ and so humbling your selfe before him pray on and continue in a praier of faith though not of feeling 54 When one asked him concerning Marriage whether it were good to marrie seing somtimes when concupiscence prickt him he was moved to it and some other times when he felt no such thing he thought he might abstene from it he answered Many came hastely into that calling not vsing the meanes of trying their estate throughly before as namely whether they by prayer fasting and avoiding all provocations of Concupiscence haue the guift of Chastitie or not Many vse some of the means but not 〈◊〉 many vse all the meanes but a 〈…〉 therefore it is good to vse first the mean◠not part of them but all of them not for a while but long and attend vppon the Lords ordinance if so be that all these things will not prevaile waite when the Lord shall giue just occasion of vsing that estate to his glorie and for our comforte 55 He said the best way to haue comfort in any of our friends was to pray for them and that he never had more joy in any than in them for whome hee most praied and in them most when he prayed the ofter and vehementliar for them whome we loue whether present or absent for this is a token of true loue to pray for them whome we loue 56 To one that complained of hardnes of heart he saide you must waite for comfort and know that you can now no more judge of your selfe than a man sleeping can judge of things which hee did waking or a man wandering in the dark canne discerne of bright colours who though environed with freshe colours and yet for want of light can haue no vse of his eies nor pleasure in the objects so you haue done great good things whilst God gaue you a waking hearte to put them in practise and the light of his spirit to discerne his graces in you though nowe you haue neither the sight nor sence of them even as he which sleepeth whilst hee waked might doe excellent things and yet now neither he himselfe knoweth of them nor another can discerne them in him and this is the thing that deceiveth and disquieteth many they look for that remisse in them which they had when Gods spirite wrought in the sweetest and fullest measure in them and beeause there is some intermission of the worke of newe birth they think it is a flat amission in them of the spirit of God but as it is a tokē of a mind
for a time so that they feele in themselues the graces of the holie spirit to be as it were perished and dead Further to releeue the infirmitie of your iudgment in this part and point because I knowe it may much distresse you you must vnderstand there be two kinds of hardnes of hart the one which is not perceiued felt the other which is perceiued felt and of the former that there be two sortes the first which is most fearefull when any do purposely resist the motions of God his spirit willingly refuse the means of their salvation of the which Zacharie speaketh 7. 11. They refused to harken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they shuld not heare yea they made their heart as an Adamant stone lest they should heare the Lawe and the wordes which the Lord of Hosts sent in his spirit by the ministery of his former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull tearmes 28. 15. Wee haue made a covenant with death and we are at agrement with hell though a scourge run over and passe through yet it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge vnder vanitie are we hid This was a fearfull estate indeede yet for all that no man can say but some of them hauing hardened their hearts might be and were afterwards converted the other kind of hardnes of heart which is not felt nor perceiued or if perceiued yet not felt which albeit is lesse fearefull yet is dangerous enough is in such who although they wilfully resist not Gods spirit in good meanes yet securely carlesly willingly they ly in sin and that without any remorse of it or any tast of good things Such was Davids state by the space of a yeare before Nathan the Prophet came to reprooue him and rouse him from his lulled sleepe both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from other wayes than in temptation Sathan may sometimes mooue you thereunto The other kind of hardnes of hart which is perceived and felt is of two sortes the one in them who are desirous of meanes whereby to be releeved although they doe finde small or no grace in themselues for a time In this kind the Prophet Esay in the want of some of Gods people complaineth Esay 63. 15. And such was Davids state after Nathan had reprooved him and Gods spirit began to work with him yet cryeth he out as ye heard before of the losse of Gods graces and when hee saith that God will accept of no sacrifices be they neuer so many or pretious without a contrite heart broken spirit he shewed that for a time even after the Prophet had reproued him he wanted both This is your cace and therefore in the state of salvation for David was in this cace even after he had confessed his sin as my trust is you doe and after he had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he never felt any ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in truth of heart he confessed his sinne as I hope you do and was certainly perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by Gods mercy as you must be if you will haue mercie although he was farre of from feeling it or applying it to his woefull conscience his state was good and very well to be hoped of and you must know and be perswaded of Gods Saintes namely of David and Peter such others that they are ensamples for vs if wee will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministery of his servants and wait vpon the Lords good time vntil he come neerer vnto vs by his spirite neerer I say for he was come already vnto you or it may be he never went from you because to be grieued humbled with blindnes of minde and hardnes of heart to beleeue certainly the servāts of God which bring vnto vs glad tydings of salvation and the truth of Gods promises in generall and to long after comfort vsing the meanes of the word and praier the Sacrament of the supper the company of Gods children contrary to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirite is with such and therefore vvith you This estate though it be very grievous yet it is never dangerous much lesse is it fearfull vnlesse any be so wilful that they do perseuere and continue in desperate refusing of all good meanes Vnlesse they persevere I say for that through the subtill sleights of the spirituall adversarie his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat they are so bewitched and intoxecated that they are carried with violent force of temptation to waxe weary of it or to refuse all kinde of comfort by fittes yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes even to speak evill of them but all this is but in temptation therfore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christes sake Thus Iob cursed the daye of his birth and wished to bee strangled Ieremiah almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarsely abslaind from blasphemy David moued with the spirite of ambition though dutifully admonished yet wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaine-gloriouslie presuming of his owne strength beeing most wisely effectually praemonished of his weaknesse even by our Lord Iesus yet vvittinglie rusheth as an horse into the battell and then very cowardly yeeldeth and doublie denieth yea strengthneth his sinne with a threefolde corde and fastneth it with banning and cursing and yet all these obtained mercy bountifullie for why as Sathan had desired to winnowe them so our Saviour Christ prayed for them that their faith although it was battered yet it should not be destroyed although it were sore oppressed yet it should not bee extinguished And heere be you fullie perswaded that though Luke 22. the wordes seeme to runne as belonging to Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile yet that hee prayed as well for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull for first hee saith not Simon Sathan hath desired to winnowe thee but you why then saith hee I haue prayed for thee Verely because he shuld more grievouslie offend than the rest althogh their offence was very great therefore his and our most blessed Saviour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it to him onelye and restraine it from the rest and compare with this place Iohn 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that hee prayed not onely for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their worde Yea further our Lorde Iesus Christ was yester day and to day and shall be for ever And as the Fore-fathers were baptised into him and did eat his fleshe and drink his
curteouslie saluted and worthelie commended of a Gentlewoman who said she heard a very good report of him he answered her the like haue I heard of you but God make our after fruites of his spirite more effectuall thā the former or else we shal not answer the glory of God and good opinion of his Saintes conceiued of vs. 19 The wicked that dare not boldly professe iniquitie redeeme times secretlie to commit it so though we haue not the strength to professe Religion publictlie yet let vs redeeme times secretly to frequent the exercises of Religion 20 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of evill he saide Though you haue occasions of sinne offered yet the cause of sinne is still in your selfe 21 Sometimes in a good action vsing good meanes with an vpright heart to a lawfull end yet our prayers be vnfrutefull and our labours want successe then let vs remember that in all these there were secret imperfections and that the Lords deferring is that wee being better prepared by humilitie to be thankfull he may grant our requests in richer manner and measure 22 Where there is an immoderate care of outward things there commonlie is little care of inwarde good things for if one haue inward good things they so content the persons that haue them that they labour not much for outwarde things if they want them desire them the carefull seeking of them bringeth a godlie neglect of outward things 23 Ministers shoulde most frequent those places where God hath made their ministerie most frutefull they shoulde heerein be like the covetous man that where they haue once found the sweetnesse of gaining of soules thither they should be most desirous to resort 24 Let their advice be a generall praescription of Phisick First the parties afflicted are to labor to haue peace of their consciences and joy of the holy Ghost through the assurance of their sinnes pardoned in Christ then carefull must they be to vse the meanes which may nourish their inward peace joy Thirdly they must rejoice and recreate themselues in wisdome and well doing with the Saints of God and holy company and lastly they must refresh themselues with Kitchin phisick and a thankfull vsing of the creatures of God 25 When one saide to him after long conference and praier Sir I haue troubled you oh my brother Not so said he I never felt it by well doing and if I may pleasure you it is as joyfull to me as ever it was to you to receiue money for for this cause I liue 26 His loue ever grewe to a man as he knewe the man to growe in godlines his loue decayed as the graces of God decayed first he was greeved and then his loue was flacked 27 Vnto one that was tempted with much vnbeliefe hee gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in praier and say Lord thou makest mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is very equitie howbeit oh Lord graunt I may by wisdome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience oh turne this to thy glory and my salvation I see and confesse what hath beene in mee a long time by that which now sheweth itselfe in me and that thy grace hath altogether hitherto kept vnder this corruption yet Lord I beleeue Lord yet I will beleeue helpe Lord my vnbeleefe thy name bee praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeliefe I am grieved as in my beliefe I am wont to be comforted and though my former ould and secrete sinnes deserue that I should not onely be given over to infidelitie but also that it should be in mee without griefe remorse yet Lord forgiue my sinnes newe and ould forgiue my vnthankfulnes Lorde increase my faith and grant good Father when thou shalt restore to mee this guift of grace againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it by fruites Or if this doe not prevaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to reade the worde of God especially his promises and bee still attending vpon the meanes wayting when the Lord shall inlarge your heart Or if this do not help go to some faithfull brother confesse yourselfe to him acknowledge your weaknes to him 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 ordinance herein Iames 5. vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus having prayed by yourselfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recoverie though you haue not present reliefe yet in meeknes of mind and 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 Devill as though you could prevaile of yourselfe and as I would not you shoulde dispute with your temptation so I woulde not you shoulde despise it and make no account of it for in both are extremities If you take it toe much to heart or maruell howe you should overcome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it toe little and maruell howe such things should come into your head which was not woont 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 toe fearfully Sathan will oppresse you before you beginne to fight If you account of it toe lightlie the devill needes not to wrestle with you you wil overcome yourselfe Fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruption but rest and trust in Christ your salvation If stil you ar tempted and no bodye by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will ask counsell at his word at the mouth of his Minister when he shall giue you just occasion If all this help not comfort your selfe with this pledge of Election that you are joyed when you feele your beleefe and you are grieved lest you shuld displease God by your vnbeleefe and knowe that as there is a vicissitude of the meanes of salvation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations whereof this is one against which you must striue 28 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his mind proceeded thereof hee saide on this sorte first knowe that Sathan hath no absolute power but a power by permission to trye vs against which we must arme our selues by faith which will assure vs that either the Lord will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he enlarge the tryall hee will increase our strength
haue had him depart hee rather turning his face from the woman and his back to her fell on his knees and prayed to the Lord for her 70 As good natures do not help of necessitie to regeneration so evill natures cannot hinder Gods purpose in calling if the meanes with his mercie and blessing be purely and painefully vsed 71 When a maid was so sore troubled that two or three held her in her fit hee charged her in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that when the agonie came she should not willinglie yeeld to it but in the Lord resist it for both experience teacheth that the over much fearing of temptation before it commeth and little purpose to resist it when it commeth mightilie incourageth Sathan and also the holy Ghost biddeth vs to resist the devill and he will flie from vs to drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to vs the maid was never after afflicted 72 He would say I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby do growe in the guifts and graces of God but rather I feare the time of their deliverance lest it should be overtaken with vnthankfulnes and so woefullie they shoulde loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they had purchased of the Lord. 73 Being asked whether a Christian might vse the helpe of a Papist that had done many cures hee answered that the circumstances were to be considered of First whether the patient dealt before with good Christians of knowledge judgment experience faithfulnes or no Secondly whether asking the advise of such he hath followed the same rightfullie Thirdlye whether having vsed right counsell by right meanes hee hath therefore vsed spirituall meanes prayer fasting searching the inward causes of visitation Fourthly whether there be not some faithfull and experienced man whome hee hath vsed in advise Fiftlie whether the disease be so dangerous or the partie so weake as asking counsell of a Papist may not bee deferred and some better meanes in time bee enquired for Sixtly whether he hath not his heart toe greedilie set on the Phisition or whether hee doth principally seeke vnto the promises and providence of God Seventhlie whether the Papist bee an open blasphemer and whether hee be a Papist of conscience or no Eightly whether hee vse not his phisick for a cloak of sorcerie Ninthly whether he hath ever healed any good professor And lastly whether the patient be of strength able to suffer him to minister vnto him 74 Sin in such a canker that it spredeth secretly and there is such a chaine of vntrueth that yeelds to one and it draweth on another grant a little one and a great one wil followe wherefore as it is good wisdome not only to avoide the plague but to eschue every litle ragge that may seeme to carry the plague so it is heavenlie wisdome not onely to avoide grosse sinnes but all such shewes of sins as may drawe on the other and as wee count it pollicie not to go as neer the rivers bank as wee can lest suddenly or at vnawares wee should slip in so it is spirituall pollicie not to go toe neere sinne lest wee be overtaken of it before wee bee aware of it 75 It is good to take vp the opportunitie of the morning for the worship of God for first who so will see the Image of his heart hee shall by observing his first thoughts in the morning come to some light of it Againe of all times it is most fit to doe any thing in and wee by reason of the alacritie which commeth vpon vs after our rest are most fitte to doe any thing in it Besides if we be seriously minded on good things in the morning other vile thoghts shall the more feeblie fasten on vs all the day after and again delay the morning with suffering worldly thoghts to seaze on vs our minde will be so forestalled and praeoccupated with them that wee cannot easilie and roundly gather vp our affections afterwards to Gods worship for this is a sure note that he which consecrateth the first fruites of the daye in trueth to the Lord and shutteth vp the day with sacrificing to him if he haue any sinne falling on him on the day time hee is checked either with his first morning sacrifice because hee hath not done as he prayed promised vnto the Lord or hee is controulled by the latter and Euening sacrifice in that feare and shame of his sinne makes him appalled to come in the presence of God 76 As wee are carefully to vse the means of our salvation so must we whollie referre the blessing of the meanes to the grace of God neither as some doe thinke that wee can obtaine or continue the graces of God in vs without vsing of the meanes for that is but a dreame of fantasticall spirits neither as the manner of some is so to trust to the means as neglecting to praye for the grace of God in them which is but a praeposterous zeale of such as are not rightly instructed in the way of their salvation 77 It is a most certaine thing in Gods Children that the more their afflictions growe the more their faith groweth the more Sathan striveth to draw them from God the more they draw neere to God although indeed in feeling they cannot see so much 78 It is a profitable note to obserue when extraordinary gifts of God be for our good and when for our hurt If our extraordinary blessinges driue vs more carefully to seek to the ordinary meanes then it is of Gods mercie but if they slacken our care in the ordinarie meanes and puffing vs vp with a spirituall pride cause vs to rest in them then they are for our farther condemnation as if God blesse vs marvelouslie without praier in any thing if we are driven more to praier by it this is of God if it cause vs to leaue prayer it is perrelous 79 As the Lord doeth feede poore prisoners euen with a little foode who though they desire more food can haue no more and doe not refuse more ordinarie meanes and the same God suffereth many to bee pyned who having aboundance think themselues rather clothed with the meanes than nourished be Gods providence So the Lord extraordinarilie doth nourish the souls of them who having fewe meanes doe looke for the ordinary meanes more plentifullie and suffereth some to rot in ignorance who beeing at the full measure of the meanes haue no reverent regard of the necessitie of thē and hereof it commeth to passe that some hungrie soules haue beene filled with more grace at one Sermon than the proud who having heard many sermons are sent emptie away 80 Of all sacrifices most acceptable is that of thanks-giving and therefore in many wordes the Saintes of God haue vowed and entred into bandes with the Lord to paye this oblation both to prevent the vntowardnes of nature which is so vnwilling of this as also to shame themselues
wee be farre from it and as it is but a small comfort to bee ravished with sweete odours so long as we are in the Apothecaries shoppe and afterward to want them so it is but a flattering joye nay rather a starting joye no longer to be affected with the worde and exercises of Religion than wee are in the Church therefore wee must gather heere and there somewhat of the things we heare that may worke on our affections when wee bee farre from the place where they grewe 107 As the arme being soundly knit to the body receiveth pith and strength from the bodie to resist all evill and to draw all good things vnto it and being but out of joynte and the veines which did knit it to the body being loosed it hath no such force so our faith beeing the meanes spirituallie to joyne vs vnto the Lord receiveth strength so long as it is sounde both to resist evill and to accomplish good but if it decaye and fall as it were out of joynt then wee cannot drawe that full strength from the Lord for our defence and strength which we were woont A LETTER AGAINST hardnes of heart I Beseech God the Father of Iesus Christ to giue me his good spirit in writing to giue advice and you in reading to receiue it Amen Since the time that I receiued M. S. Letter wherein he declared his carefull compassion ouer your estate I haue beene not a little grieued because partly for want of a convenient messenger and partly because of my manifolde distractions with the like occurrances and other waightie affaires I haue beene hindred from writing hitherto vnto you And albeit even still I be in the same cace yet conscience towards God loue and compassion towards you forceth me to overcome letts which hardlie I could otherwayes prevaile against And albeit I cannot speake as I woulde yet of that which I shall write proceeding from the forenamed groundes I looke for some blessing of God through Iesus Christ If you will not toe much faint in faith and yeeld to the Adversarie yea if you will but hope so vvell of your selfe as in the feare of God I write it I hope of you First whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieved because you tarryed not still at Cambridge according to my advice you must know that I advised it not as a thing necessarie but more convenient as I then supposed but yet as I advised you to obey your Father if his pleasure still continued to haue you home wherevnto you yeelding I cannot see howe you offended it being your Fathers pleasure you should so doe And who knoweth whether being heere you might not asmuch haue beene troubled there being no priviledge for persons and places in such cases And who knoweth whether it be the Lords pleasure for the example and instruction and I hope the consolation of others in the end And albeit you wish that heere you were neerer the more and stronger meanes yet knowe you and be perswaded that God can and doeth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker meanes according to his good pleasure besides it is in our corrupted nature to make much of such meanes as we cannot haue and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs as wee should doe I beseech you therefore in the name of Iesus Christ humbly to praise God for those meanes which hee offereth in mercie vnto you and to vse them in faith accordingly and so God will blesse you by them and then by such conference as you may haue from hence by Letters wherein if I may stand you in any stead rather for the good opinion you haue of me than for any great matter I am able to performe I shall be ready to offer my office of loue vnto you as God shall enable me and so farre foorth as I shall be instructed in your particular estate by some letters sent frō you by convenient messengers by which I presently perceiue by M. S. Letters that you are afflicted with the blindnes of your minde and hardnes of your heart which cannot bee mooued either with the promises of Gods mercies or feare of his Iudgements nor affected with loue and delight of the things which bee good or with hatred and loathing of the evil great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of dispaire doe I grant because I am perswaded that your perswasion is somwhat false partly for want of a sounde iudgement in your estate partlie for some defect of faith somewhat through your owne default First therefore know you for a certaintie that this is noe other temptation than such as divers of Gods children haue for a time beene humbled with and afterwards haue had good issue thereout and if it please God to mooue you to credit me I my selfe haue knowne others as deepely this way plunged as you can be Remember therefore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare 1. Cor. 10. 13. and yet further to confirme you heerein the holy Scriptures do record that this way God heeretofore hath humbled his owne people in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentablie thus complaineth 63. 15. O Lord looke downe from Heaven and beholde from the dwelling place of thy holines and of thy glorye where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies of thy compassions are restrained from mee And afterwards O Lorde why hast thou made vs erre from thy waies and hardened our heart from thy fear And in the next Chapter verse 6. We haue beene all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes and we all do fade like a leafe and our iniquitie like the winde taketh vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And in the 59. Chapter verse 10. Wee grope for the wall like the blind and wee grope as one without eyes and we stumble in the noone day as in the twy-light wee are in solitarie places like dead men wee roare like Beares and mourne like Doues Soe complaines Hezechias in the bitternes of his soule 34. 14. of Esay Like a Crane or a swallowe so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue And Psal. 51. 10. where David cryeth Create in mee O God a cleane heart and renue in me a right spirite restore to me the joye of my salvation and stablish me with thy free spirite Doth hee not declare that his heart was vncleane that his spirit was crooked that the way of his saluation was lost and himselfe subiect to the spirit of bondage so that wanting the spirit of libertie or adoption hee could not crye Abba Father nor haue any power against sinne Thus you see howe Gods children may be blinded in mind and hardned in hart