men of sundrie conditions that hee might mooue them to repentance But in the next place cap. 6.10.11 he doth giue warning of the approach of mighty enemies willing vs to arme our selues in our owne defence where further obserue that Paul enrolleth himselfe in the number of Christian soldiers Therefore it hence followeth that when we haue receiued the spirit of God and haue faith wrought in our hearts and endeauour to serue the Lord in a Christian life then beginneth a fierce battell which neuer endeth till by death our spirituall enemies get a finall ouerthrowe Now though this fight be exceeding sharp and most troublesome to the poore Christian yet he may thereby gather vnto himselfe a certaine assurance that he is endued with the spirit of God and a liuely faith for when he discerneth that hee is assaulted with Sathan and his own corrupt flesh he may bee assured that Sathan is diseased of his quiet possession by a superiour power which is no other but the power of Gods spirit Secondly by his assaulting it manifestly appeareth that hee findeth some resistance so that hee cannot peaceably re-enter Thirdly that howsoeuer our faith seemeth vnto vs neuer so weake yet it is so strengthened continually by vertue of Gods spirit that Sathan and all the power of hell cannot preuaile against it Matth. 16.18 and 2. Cor. 12.9 Christ saith My power is made perfect through weaknes for otherwise how should such weaknes withstand such might Lastly beeing assured that it is the spirit of God which assisteth and enableth vs to withstand Sathan we may also bee assured that in the ende we shall obtaine victorie 1. Ioh. 4.4 Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is within you then hee that is in the world In vs is Christ in the world is the deuill Luk. 11.21.22 When the strong man armed keepeth his palace the things that he possesseth are in peace but when a stronger then hee commeth vpon him and ouercommeth him hee taketh from him his armour for as fire when it wrastleth with the water throwne vpon it ceaseth not til it hath ouercome so the resistance of the spirit against the flesh wil not cease til the full victorie be obtained and Satan himselfe troden vnder our feet Rom. 16.20 Here then is consolation for Gods children who feeling the burthen of their sinnes and beeing vexed with the continuall assaults of their spirituall enemies may comfort themselues with assurance that they are the members of the Church militant into which none but soldiers are intertained and that now they become to be Gods seruants and Saints when as Sathan opposeth himselfe against them Here also is instruction to teach that who doth not fight is none of Christs souldier thou art not seruant of Iesus Christ because to be his seruant is to bee his souldier Therefore if thou art not skilled in this spirituall battel if thou be not daily exercised to resist the deuill and to resist sin if there be not in thee a daily controlling of thine owne wayes and checking of thine heart a resisting of thine owne desires a subduing of thy owne affections that thou maiest bring euery thought to the obedience of Christ if all be at peace within thee and thou find no diuision no contradiction between the flesh and the spirit betwixt the old man and the newe man what doest thou in the Lords tents Many there are that say they are Christs and take his name in their mouthes who yet neuer drew sword nor gaue stroake in Christs behalfe who defie the deuill with their mouths but wrastle not against his workes who haue renounced the world and yet liue in league with the world and continue deepely entangled in the corruptions therof They would faine liue with Christ in heauen but yet would liue in themselues here on earth they would bee blessed in the world to come but yet would not be crossed in the pleasures of this world but this cannot be for he that hath called vs to eternall life hath told vs that we must striue Luk. 13.24 he that hath set before vs an incorruptible crowne hath withall warned vs that wee must fight for it 2. Cor. 9.25.26 2. Tim. 2.5 Thirdly a care to preuent sinne The third token that respects sinne to come is a care to preuent it 1. Cor. 9.27 I beare downe my bodie and bring it in subiection least by any meanes after that I haue preached vnto others I my selfe be reprooued This care was in Dauid Psal 39.1 I thought I will take heede to my waies that I sin not with my tongue and Psal 119.11 I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Of this care Ioseph is a notable patterne Gen. 39.12 in that he left his garment and fled from his Mistresse This care sheweth it selfe not onely in ordering the outward actions but euen in the verie thoughts of the heart for where the Gospel is of force it brings euerie thought into captiuitie 2. Cor. 10.5 and the Apostles Rule is to bee followed Phil. 4.8 Whatsoeuer things are true c. if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these things This care must bee maintained in the practise of three things 1. watchfulnesse 2. sobrietie 3. prayer First of Watchfulnesse Here first is required watchfulnesse where there is no feare of danger as in heauen there needeth no watchfulnesse but there we may liue in great securitie but where there is nothing but snares laid and nets pitched to take vs where there may bee many enemies gaping after our ruine there must not be carelesnesse but circumspect vigilance Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Luk. 31.36 Watch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shal come to passe As valiant and careful soldiers who are still in danger to be assaulted by their enemies will be verie watchful to preuent dangers so must we bee because beeing assured that Sathan knowing his time is but short will redouble his forces to worke our destruction 1. Pet. 5.8 as a roaring lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure Apoc. 12.22 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the deuill is come downe which hath great wrath knowing that his time is but short Euen as souldiers wil most fiercely assault a towne when they cannot lie long at the siege either by reason of winter drawing on or the approaching of new forces to releife the towne or raise the siege To bee watchfull is a most excellent and Christian dutie Apoc. 3.2 Be awake saith Christ to the Angel of the Church of Sardi It is not bodily but spirituall and it is practised when a man hath a circumspect care in respect of the saluation of his soule Now this dutie of watchfulnesse concerneth sinne which watchfulnesse against sinne standeth in two points First a man must daily
faith by the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 To this effect maketh excellently that worthie speach of Christ Matth. 11.12 saying that the violent take the kingdom of heauen by force that is the true Israelites though they endure bitter conflicts yet by faith hold fast God apprehēded in his word and through the same faith and patience obtaine the promises Heb. 6.12 To conclude therefore we are not to build our assurance vpon our owne sense and feeling but vpon Gods vnchangable and gratious promises made vnto vs in Christ Iesus And if at any time our sense and feeling telleth one thing that is that God hath withdrawen his loue from vs Ps 77.7.8.9 and forsaken vs Esa 54.7 and the word of God assure vs of an other thing that is that God will neuer forsake vs Heb. 13.5 but continue his loue vnto vs vnto the end Esa 49.8 wee are not to trust our owne feeling but vnto Gods promise for otherwise what doe wee else but preferre our deceiuing sense before Gods infallible truth and make God a lier because we beleeue not the truth of his written promise 1. Ioh. 5.10 After that we haue attained to faith and haue felt some effectuall working of Gods spirit in vs commonly in many of Gods children succeede not long after some deadnes and dulnes and they think in themselues that they haue lost the spirit of God as we haue before shewed Here we are to search the cause whether it be for some sinne committed or for some present duty not practised for leauing and neglecting the meanes of our saluation or for for some sinne not repented of or for not vsing the meanes of saluation vprightly To which purpose the Lord commandeth vs to take knowledge of our sinnes Ier. 3.13 and to remember from whence we are fallen Apoc. 2.5 The meanes to attaine to a sight of sinne is a diligent examination of a mans own selfe Lament 3.40 and Dauid giueth the same counsell to Sauls courtiers Psal 4.4 examine your hearts This examination must be made principally by the law of God and namely by the ten Commandements which ransaketh the heart to the very quick Rom. 3.20 for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin this was the meanes of Pauls better knowledge of himselfe Rom. 7.7 I knew not sinne but by the law And as this comparing the life with the law of God made the vnbeleeuer 1. Cor. 14.24.25 to fall downe on his face and to worship God and the Psalmist being a man after Gods owne heart to say Psal 130.3 if thou O Lord straitly markest iniquities who shall stand and therefore to begge of God saying Psal 143.2 O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liue be iustified So will it be the meanes to worke in vs a sight of our sin and to repent of the same as we haue example Acts. 2.37 who vpon Peters sermon being pricked in their hearts said Men and brethren what shal we doe To whom Peter prescribed the remedie ver 38. requiring them to amend their liues Thus by his repentance did Dauid recouer Psal 52.5 and thus Peter recouered weeping bitterly after the Lord looked vpon him Luk. 22.61.62 for if we repent God will forgiue Ier. 18.8 who after he hath spoyled vs will heale vs and hauing wounded vs will bind vs vp Heb. 6.1 for he came to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luc. 19.10 and he came not to call the righteous but the sinners vnto repentance Math. 9.13 to whom he promiseth ease and comfort Cap. 11.28 To him therfore let vs pray and say Hos 14.3 Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lippes Another remedie to recouer and stay vs in this distresse that we sinke not into the gulfe of destruction is in calling to our remembrance the times past in which we haue enioyed the loue mercie and goodnes of God and in which we in token of thankfullnes haue glorified God by a iust holy and sober conuersation Dauid being grieuously afflicted could not receiue in his soule any true comfort Psal 77.3.4 for howsoeuer he did thinke vpon the Lord yet he was still troubled what helpe did he then finde in this his present distresse he tells vs ver 5.6 that he considered the dayes of old and the yeares of auncient times he communed with his owne heart and his spirit searched diligently he remembred the workes of the Lord and his wonders of old Iob apprehending and conceuing of God as of his enemy in respect of his present sense and feeling and being moued by his freinds to doubt of his grace which he had receiued and also to condemne himselfe for an hypocrite comforteth himselfe and strengtheneth his faith in the midst of all these greiuous temptations by calling to his remembrance his fruits of faith works of sanctification which he had discerned in himselfe informer times Iob. 31.1 c. Thus we see that the faithfull feare for a time but they gather their spirits againe and recouer warm'th at the sun-shine of Gods mercies their feete were almost gone Psal 73.2 but not altogether they went into the sanctuary of the Lord ver 17. a proppe to keep them vp at length they confesse against themselues This is my infirmitie they reprooue themselues for their diffidence and howsoeuer they say in their hast that all men are liars and perhaps God himselfe not true yet by leasure they repent it and remembring Gods mercies receiue comfort Psal 119.52 The Apostle doth pithily expresse my meaning 2. Cor. 4.8 Staggering but not wholy sticking Ionah was a prisoner in a strange dungeon without light without companie without comfort in a whales belly where he accounteth himselfe as cast out of Gods sight Ion. 2.4 saying I am cast away out of thy sight but behold presently hee giueth the checke to himselfe hee recouereth in the instant when hee was in the pits mouth readie to sinke eternally and said that he would looke againe towards the Lords holy Temple This then is the fruit of beleeuing and calling to remembrance the sweete mercies of our Sauiour that in the day of sorest triall it is able to keepe vs vpright who else should fall down groueling vnto death This dulnesse and deadnes and doubtfulnesse is commonly incident vnto Gods children beeing at the same time in the estate of grace and is a part of that inbred corruption and fleshly old man which before our calling wholly possessed and ouerruled vs and after also beareth some sway in vs euen when wee are regenerate till with all other corruptions we lay this aside also by death But worldly and carnall men do neuer discerne how dull and drowsie they are in Gods seruice nor feele the huge masse of inbred corruption but fondly flatter thēselues imagining that they are in exceeding good case and verie deuout in Gods seruice which indeede as they performe it
is meere formall customable but not conscionable Now then when the Lord by the ministerie of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his spirit doth pull off the thicke skinne of carnall securitie from off the hearts of Gods children cause the scales of ignorance to fall from their eies so as they plainely discerne and feele this their dulnes drousinesse c. let them not be dismaied nor debarre their soules of that consolation which of right belongeth vnto them for flesh and blood doth not reueale this their corruption deadnesse and dulnesse in Gods seruice but the spirit of God which hath begunne alreadie to worke in them shewing them their corruptions and moouing them to an vnfained dislike of them and therfore they may assure themselues that he who hath begun this good worke in them will also bring it in his good time to perfection Phil. 6. onely as the Psalmist exhorteth let them carrie the Lords leasure waite vpon and trust in him and he shall comfort their hearts Senondly how a man may be assured of his Saluation A man may gather the knowledge of his owne faith and election and stand assured of his saluation by signes and testimonies in himselfe These testimonies are two the testimonie of Gods spirit and the testimonie of our spirit Rom. 8.16 First the testimonie of Gods spirit 1. Gods spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that wee are the children of God Rom. 8.16 But the testimonie of the spirit is most certaine for the spirit cannot bee deceiued neither deceiue any for Rom. 8.15 the spirit of adoption expelleth all feare and where no feare is there loue is perfect 1. Ioh. 4.18 and where no feare is there is no painfulnesse and therefore neither doubtfulnesse nor mistrust Againe what more certaine truth can be imagined then that which the Spirit of God witnesseth to our spirit seeing all the conditions required as true witnesse do concurre in him in the highest degree which are knowledge truth and faithfulnesse Touching knowledge he is a God of knowledge 1. Sam. 2.3 who knoweth all things euen the eternall counsell and decree of God concerning our election 1. Cor. 2.10 The spirit searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God And this spirit doe we receiue v. 12. that wee may knowe the things that are giuen to vs of God as our election iustification adoption c. 2. Touching truth he is most true yea truth it selfe and in regard hereof hee is called the spirit of truth which leadeth vs into all truth Ioh. 16.13 as therefore touching his knowledge he cannot be deceiued so in respect of his truth he cannot deceiue 3. Touching faithfulnesse hee is most faithfull 1. Cor. 1.9 God saith the Apostle is faithfull by whom you are called 1. Thess 5.24 Faithfull is hee which hath called you especially in his word Psal 19.7 for his testimonie is sure and therefore he cannot erre neither will hee conceale the truth for any respect of persons and therefore whatsoeuer this al-knowing true and faithfull witnesse testifieth wee are vndoubtely to beleeeue as beeing most sure and certaine The ende why the holy Ghost comes into the heart as a witnesse of adoption is that the truth in this case hidden and therefore doubtfull might be cleared and made manifest Now if God himselfe haue appointed that a doubtfull truth among men shall bee confirmed and put out of doubt by the mouth of two or three witnesses it is absurd to thinke that the testimonie of God himselfe knowing all things and taking vpon him to be a witnesse should be doubtfull and coniecturall Hauing thus prooued that the testimonie which the spirit giueth is true and infallible next we are to speake that the spirit giueth testimony where three points are to be taught 1. First that hee doth testifie in the hearts and consciences of euery beleeuer that he is the Sonne of God as is proued Rom. 8.15.16 Gal. 4.6 Here first he excludeth the spirit of bondage which like the Papists faith causeth vs to feare and doubt of our election and saluation and Rom. 8.16 hee telleth vs that the spirit beareth witnesse to our spirits c. Now wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that is not onely his spirituall graces in this life as election faith iustification c. but also those excellent ioyes in Gods kingdome in the life to come of which also we haue some knowledge and tast by the illumination of the same spirit Rom. 5.2 and Cap. 14.17 Extraordinarie Reuelations are ceased and yet the holy Ghost in by the word reueales some things vnto men for which cause he is called truely the spirit of reuelation Eph. 3.5 Againe the holy Ghost giues testimonie by applying the promises of the remission of sinnes life euerlasting by Christ particularly to the heart of man when the same is generally propounded in the ministerie of the word 2. Secondly the spirit of God doth not onely giue this bare testimonie that wee are elected and adopted and shall bee saued but also doth fully perswade vs hereof as beeing a thing most certaine and without question 1. Ioh. 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And blessed Paul by the spirit of God was so stedfastly assured of Gods loue that hee was firmely perswaded that nothing could separate him from it Rom. 8.38.39 and prayed for the Ephesians Eph. 1.17.18 that God would giue them the spirit of wisedome and reuelation that the eies of their vnderstanding might be lightened that they might know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints Gods spirit then doth throughly perswade the faithfull that they are elected and shall be saued but it doth not this at all times For when wee are like newe borne babes in Christ the motions of the spirit are but weake in vs and we are not as yet skilfull to discerne the heauenly language of the spirit Such as these are not said to haue no faith but to bee of little faith Matth. 8.27 All men in this naturall life haue their degrees to proceede in which they neuer change As first they bee children then afterward grow to a more vnderstanding which was euen true of Christ in this flesh Luk. 2.52 who is said to haue increased in wisedome and stature Euen so the spirituall birth is not perfect the first day but it hath as it were a childhood and we are babes to be fed with milke 1. Pet. 2.2 and then afterward we growe from faith to faith and from one degree of grace to another 2. Pet. 3.18 growe in grace and knowledge saith the Apostle Now as Paul saith 1. Cor. 13.11 when he was a child he vnderstood as a child but when he became a man hee put away
when the strong man possesseth the house all things are in peace Luk. 11.21.22 but we perceiue corruption in vs by a contrarie grace of Gods spirit But yet though our faith be assaulted with doubtings it may be certaine The fun alwaies shineth in the firmament though the clouds haue couered it and the light appeare not the tree hath life in it though it be not in winter discerned so faith hath some assurance and perswasion though it bee shaken with doubtings and assaulted with temptations And when we feele those doubtings and imperfections let vs set against them the certainty of Gods truth and the vnchangeablenes of Gods promises let vs drawe neere to the holy Sacraments and thereby seeke strength and increase of faith But presumption is confident and neuer doubteth nor maketh any question of his election and saluation but saith with the proud Pharisie Luk. 18.11 I was neuer troubled I thanke God as touching my election and saluation as many are but alwaies haue had a strong beleife that I am in Gods loue and shall vndoubtedly be saued This is the voyce of presumption and not that testimonie of Gods spirit Fourthly those who haue the testimony of the spirit of God haue the spirit of praier supplication which is so called Zach. 12.10 because it stirreth vp the heart and maketh it fit to pray Rom. 8.26 For imploring God grace and mercie is a notable fruit of Gods spirit working in vs as is further declared Rom. 8.16 in that hee saith that the spirit maketh vs crie Abba father vnto whom we pray so earnestly with groans and sighes as though a man would euen fill heauen and earth with the cry not of his lipps but of his heart touched with sense and feeling of his manifold sinnes and offences Obiect Bellarmine saith there be many that cal God their father as the Iewes Iob. 8.41 and many say in the Lords prayer O our father who are not assured that they are the sonnes of God Ans Touching the calling of God father we must vnderstand that the Apostle speaketh not of crying with the mouth but of a crying in the heart Gal. 4.6 for though all vtter the same voyce yet it is not the same crying The vncleane spirit made the same confession of Christ outwardly Mat. 5.7 acknowledging him to be the sonne of God which Peter did make Math. 16.16 yet were not both one kind of confession the beleife in the heart which was in Peter did discerne their confessions and distinguish them either from other Supplication and prayer is an ordinary worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue Rom. 10.14 and he that would know whether he hath the spirit truly dwelling in his heart shall know it by this Rom. 10.13 whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued But this praier must be the praier of faith Iam. 1.5 Matth. 21.22 and must be performed in spirit and in truth 1. Ioh. 4.24 and not with deceitfull lippes for it is to no purpose to draw neare vnto God with our mouthes if our hearts be farre from him Isa 29.13 But presumption is in them that vse not to call vpon the name of God which is a signe of a worker of iniquirie Psal 14.4 Psal 53.4 who happily I denie not to speake prayers but doe not pray indeed whose speaking prayers God answereth with silence Isa 1.15 Fiftly that which maketh the last difference betweene the testimonie of the spirit and the illusion of Sathan is the affection of a dutifull child of God a most louing father and his affection makes a man stand in feare of the Maiesty of God wheresoeuer hee is and to make conscience of euery euill way The wise man saith Pro. 28.14 that blessed is the man that feareth alwaies where hee doth not vnderstand a doubtful feare of our election but a feare to sin and a conscionable care to avoide those things which are displeasing to Gods sight Phil. 2.12 make an ende of your owne saluation with feare and trembling here also the Apostle would not haue vs feare least we should be reiected and damned after we are truly commited vnto God but least we fall into sinne and neglect that duty which we owe to our heauenly father There is a twofold feare mentioned in Scripture the first is a seruile feare proceeding from incredulity whereby men feare God as an angry iudge who is ready to inflict vpon them these punishmēts which by their sins they haue deserued The other is a sonne-like feare which is a fruite of faith whereby we doe not feare God as an angry iudge but as a gratious father whose displeasure we would by no meanes incurre not because wee feare so much his wrath as because we would not do any thing which might cause him to looke vpon vs with a frowning countenance And this sonne-like feare is commended vnto vs in the Scriptures as being a part of the honour and seruice which we owe vnto God Mal. 1.6 If I be a Master where is my feare Psal 2.11 serue the Lord in feare 1. Pet. 1.17 passe the time of your dwelling here in feare Psal 112.1 blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. But presumption feareth not to displease God Pro. 28.14 he that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill here feare is opposed to carnall security and hardnes of heart for he that hardneth his heart and continueth in carnall security runneth headlong into the euill of sinne and consequently of euerlasting damnation Thirdly by what meanes the Spirit giueth testimonie The means by which the spirit of God giueth a particular testimonie to a mans conscience of his adoption comes now to be considered The meanes are three 1. the word 2. the Sacraments 3. the fruits of the spirit 1. First the word of God As touching the word of God the spirit of God perswadeth vs of our adoption and saluation with arguments grounded vpon Gods word To which purpose here is required a double worke the first of the Minister the second of the hearer The Minister is to make particuler application of the word generally preached to the speciall vse of the hearer As Nathan to Dauid 2. Sam. 12.7 thou art the man as Peter to the Iewes Act. 2.23 him haue you taken by the hands of the wicked c. And as all the prophets to their seuerall peoples to whom they were sent The Minister speaketh not to euery man particularly one by one but speaking to the assembly he laboureth to make euery man conceiue of that that is spoken as particularly spoken to himselfe for the word of God being as a proclamation in writing common to all the Minister is as the voice of the crier to giue notice to that congregation that the matter of the proclamation concerneth them and euery of them saying in effect Act. 13.26 Ye men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this word of saluation sent Act.
And first of all we must be carefull and conscionable hearers of the word of God because by the power of Gods word this godly sorrow is wrought in our hearts Heb. 4.12 for the word of God is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword Mens affections are cold neither are they touched and displeased with their sinnes so long as they be in ignorance but when the word of God peirceth into the deepest bottome of their heart and telleth them that they haue to doe with the Lord then they are touched with sorrow and begin to feare and to come to the knowledge and feeling of that whereof before they were ignorant Ioh. 16.8 For he reproueth the world of sinne that is the spirit of God by the word awaketh our consciences that those sinnes which before were hid should be made manifest It was a good while before Dauid openly confessed his cruell sinnes to Nathan or to God neither did he find comfort of conscience vntill he had thus confessed 2. Sam. 12. Iosephs brethren were thirteene yeares and neuer remembred their sinne vntill after such time as the Lord laide it out before them Gen. 42.21 The woman of Samaria was pleasant and iested with our Sauiour Christ vntill her sinnes were opened and then she beganne to answere with more reuerence for vntill she was willed to call her husband she thought all was safe but after she was told she had played the Adultres she acknowledged him that he was a prophet The Iewes cared not for the Apostles nor made any conscience of their sinnes but after they had heard Peter preaching against their sinnes then they left off mocking were pricked in their hearts Act. 2.37 Paul 1. Cor. 14.24.25 saith If all doe prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all men and so are the secrets of the heart made manifest and so will he fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you in deed where he sheweth that the word of God citeth and sommoneth our consciences before the tribunall of God and woundeth vs with a liuely feeling of Gods iudgements and sense of our sinnes Because it is a supernaturall worke we must intreate the Lord according to his promise Zach. 12.10 to put his spirit into vs and thereby to mollifie our stony hearts as he hath couenanted Ezech. 36.26 Otherwise we may toile out our selues in vaine and after a long and tedious strife be as farre nay further from a tender and sorrowful heart then we were at the beginning The Apostle Iam. 4. requireth vs to draw neare vnto God to witte by the ministerie of the word by partaking of the holy Sacraments and by faithfull and feruent praier and then he saith that God will draw neare vnto vs namely in his mercie and goodnes and in all the fruits and effects thereof Now ver 9. marke what the Apostle addeth Afflict your selues sorrow and weepe c. The griefe signifieth that heauines which is ioyned with a certaine shamefastnesse as appeareth in the countenance And if we thus begin to cast downe our selues before the Lord he will assuredly raise vs vp ver 10. We must aggrauate our sinnes by calling to our minds our many and great offences against his Maiestie and by laying before our eyes in as particular manner as we can our corruptions both originall and actuall before and since our callings here consider how grieuous they haue beene many of them being committed against our knowledge and consciences yea against those promises and couenants that we haue made vnto the Lord for the resisting and forsaking of them Further we are to thinke with our selues of how long continuance they haue beene how offensiue how pernitious and infectious to others how many we haue poysoned by them of whose recouery we are altogether vncertaine some of them for ought we know to the contrarie being alreadie in torments in hell fire for the sinnes whereinto we haue drawne them and others perchance likely enough to goe the same way after them if the Lord doe not in mercie preuent them by his grace These and the like meditations will cause our hearts if they be not past sense and feeling somewhat to relent Thus Nehemiah aggrauateth their sins that liued in his time Neh. 6.7 c. And so did Dauid his owne corruptions endeauouring in many words to make them odious in his owne eyes Psal 51.5 acknowledging that he was conceiued in sinne which was the fountaine of all and brought forth in iniquitie that God required truth in the inward parts ver 9. but he had beene hypocriticall and false-hearted that God had taught him wisedome in the secret of his heart but he had put that out of his consideration and cast it behind his backe when it should haue restrained him from all those ill courses that he tooke Thus holy Dauid labours to set out the haniousnes of his offenses that his owne soule might abhorre them and all the world might see his vtter detestation of them We must not onely with patience endure but with earnestnes entertaine the admonitions and reproofes of those which haue beene and are acquainted with our behauiour For we are so full of selfe loue that others may easily discerne more euill in vs then we can espie in our selues and those of all other are the best and most faithfull freinds that will mercifully and wisely though sharply and roundly tell vs of our faults as Nathan dealt with Dauid when his heart had bin withdrawne by lying in sinnes vnrepented of 2. Sam. 12. which priuate admonition of his as we may obserue was then a more effectuall meanes for his rowzing out of that dead slumber then the publike ordinances of God which is not spoken as if this priuate dealing were to be preferred before Gods publike ordinances but that we may haue each of them in due estimation When we by our owne searching and examination and by the plaine and faithfull admonitions of others haue found out our manifold corruptions and sinnes then in the next place let vs inwardly and seriously meditate vpon the infinit mercy of God in giuing vs his Sonne and also consider the incomparable loue of the Sonne in submitting himselfe to become a ransome for vs 1. Ioh. 4.10 Rom. 5.8 when as we neuer intreated or desired it on our part nay euen then when wee were children of wrath Ephes 2.3 and his mortall enemies Rom. 5.10 This was the thing that caused the Iewes Zach. 12.10 so to mourne and lament because they considered what Christ had suffered in their behalfe And this should breake and bruise our hearts as it did others that we wounded and pearced Christ our Sauiour by our transgressions For the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we were healed Isa 53.5 Looke as the blood followed the nailes that were stricken through