in his iudgements shall not be able to make any exception to say that in any thing hee hath erred from the streight rule of iustice And this iustice is that which in terms agreeable to our conceit is called his anger His eie therefore cannot bee deceiued in esteeming of mens sinnes I remember a good speech of Saint Ambrose to this purpose God lieth not open to passion that he should be angry seeing hee is subiect to no passion but because hee reuengeth he seemeth to be angrie to vs this seemeth because we vse to reuenge with a troubled minde So that as anger signifieth a disturbed passion of the mind troubling our vnderstanding and peruerting our iustice there is no anger there can by this Fathers iudgement no anger be in God but Gods iust reuenge wee call anger because our reuenge is mingled with anger Away therefore with this conceit that the anger of Heauen should not discerne betweene thy sinne and blasphemy against the holy-Ghost The anger of Heauen is nothing else but the iust reuenge of Heauen A second branch of thine obiection is this that though the blasphemy of the holy-Ghost be the onely sinne vnpardonable yet it is not the only sinne vnpardoned It is not the onely sinne punishable nor onely punished thine also is a sin punishable and may proue a sinne punished I confesse all this to be true what then Doth it follow that needes thou must be punished because thou maiest be punished that consequence must not be granted for then it would follow that there should bee no place for any forgiuenesse at all for sinnes are punishable and deserue eternall death To reason so were to spoile God of his honour that hee obtaineth by forgiuing sinne where of the Prophet Micah speaketh saying Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage c. It is Gods great honour to pardon sins that are punishable And it is an intollerable iniurie offered to the riches of his grace to affirme that hee will not forgiue in mercy because hee may punish in iustice And such reasoning as this would also make false all his promises and make vaine and vnprofitable the hope of all his saints grounded vppon those promises for there is none of them that hath not committed many punishable sinnes which yet they hope shall neuer be punished Yea it would make void the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and depriue him of the honour due vnto him by the saying of Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world For verily euen those sinnes for which this Lambe was slaine and sacrificed and which by the vertue of that sacrifice of himselfe he taketh away are punishable sinnes sinnes deseruing the most heauy wrath of God and the most cruel torments of hell Away therefore with this idle reasoning my sins are punishable and therefore it helpeth mee nothing to heare that they are pardonable Where sin aboundeth to deserue punishment there grace aboundeth much more to remit punishment The last branch of thy obiection is this that lesse sinnes then thine and sins more easie to be excused are often punished then why not thine There is no reason that this thing should offend thee that smaller sins are punished The Creditor may see reason to forgiue to one debtor many pounds and yet not to forgiue another a few pence The punishment of hell is due to all sinners leaue God the Iudge to the freedome of his owne will to shew mercy where it pleaseth him to shew mercy and to forgiue where and what and how it pleaseth him to forgiue Little sins when men continue them and regard not to repent of them are brought to iudgement as well as great ones And great sins when men forsake them are carefull to repent of them are put out and forgotten as well as the smallest It is not the greatnesse and smallnesse of sins that makes them to be retained or remitted but it is repentance that â—…reeth from al together This is plaine by the words of Esay who hauing called for repentance that the people should cease to doe euill and learne to doe well immediatly addeth saying Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as woll Though the spots of them were neuer so foule and though the staine of them were neuer so deepe yet God will forgiue the sinne and forgiuing it he will cleanse and purge the sinner This great mercy for the forgiuenesse of most great sins is promised to repentance Where repentance is wanting the smallest sins shall bring the transgressour to iudgement but where true repentance is found the greatest sinnes shall be done away Be carefull then to turne from thy former euill waies and bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life and God will free thee from all thy sinnes And thus it appeareth that all the feare that bred this obiection first that thy sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne of blasphemy against the holy-Ghost that the angrie eie of heauen can see no difference betweene them Secondly that thy sinne though pardonable yet is punishable and therefore must bee punished Thirdly that smaller sinnes then thine come to iudgement and therefore thine being greater cannot in iustice be passed by All this feare is needlesse feare and thy sinne still remaineth pardonable and thou maiest comfortably hope for and shalt assuredly obtaine forgiuenesse of thy sins if thou turne to God caâ—…lest vpon him and amendest thy waies CHAP. XVIII BVT feare which is not easily remoued proceedeth to another obiection the afflicted sinnâ—…r pleading thus against his own peace the iustice of heauen is so pure holy withall so strict soe seuere that it wil neuer suffer such sinne as mine is to passe vnpunished and the holynes of heauen is so cleane spotles and vndefiled that it will neuer suffer so vncleane a person as I am to enter into life For this I can alledge the expresse word of God and therefore am sure that my feare is not vaine the Prophet Dauid speaking to God who would soone haue checked his speech if it had not beene true saith Thou art not a God that loueth wickednes neither shall euill dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lies the Lord will abhorthe bluddie man and deceitfull Here is depriuation of Gods loue expulsion from dwelling with him and from standing before him here is the hatred of God in his hatred destruction threaned to them as to men abhorred of God that worke wickednes that are doers of euill that in the foolishnes of their hearts committed iniquitie that in their talke speake lies that haue
God should forgiue vnto thee thy wrongs done against his diuine maiestie But in the fourth place marke well this let it enter into thy froward heart if thy peace were presently setled and thou hadst receiued from God as cleare and as assured discharge of all thy sinnes as Dauid had when Nathan said vnto him from God The Lord hath done away thy sinne thou shalt not die Crueltie against thy brother reuoketh Gods promise which hath euer included in it this condition of shewing mercy to thy brother and forgiuing him It is a true saying of Saint Augustin Redeunt dimissa peccata vbi fraterna charitas non est The sinnes forgiuen returne againe where there is no brotherly charitie And this is plaine in the parable of the king and his seruant that ought him ten thousand talents the king being humbly intreated forgaue him the debt that is promised to forgiue it him this seruant went forth and met with a fellow seruant that owed him an hundred pence and cruelly hee cast him into prison which when the king heard of hee was highly displeased and calling this vnmercifull seruant before him hee said vnto him O euill seruant I forgaue the◅ all that debt because thou praiedst mee oughtst not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had pitie on thee So his master was wroth and deliuered him to the gailer till he should pay all that was due to him His vnmercifull dealing with his follow to whom he would not forgiue small offences reuoked the liberall promise of Gods most large mercy for the forgiuenes of his many and grieuous sinnes therefore suppresse all frowardnes of thy swelling heart and after the councell of Salomon say not I will do to him as he hath done to me I will recompence euery man according to his worke But be curteous mercifull and tender-hearted forgiuing thy brother and so God will gratiously forgiue thee There is a third condition to bee obserued of them that thinke to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and that concerneth more directly God and his glory and praise namely faith in God faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God That is firmely to hold perswasion of the mercy of God that it reacheth to the forgiuenes of sinne without exception of any sinne or any sinner as if for sinne there were any greater then his mercy and therefore such as hee neither would nor could forgiue and for the person that there were any so farre out of fauour that vpon his repentance God would not could not be mercifull vnto him the Prophet Micah saying of God for his mercy in this point Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion on vs. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea And firmely to hold perswasion of the merit and vertue of the death and bloud sheding of the Lord Iesus Christ that it is effectuall to take away the sinne of the world as Iohn Baptist saith of him Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Without exception of any sinne or of any sinner as if for the sinne there were any so grieuous that the bloud of Iesus Christ were not able to wash out the staines thereof and for the sinner that there were any so wicked that the sacrifice of the sonne of God were not sufficient to make attonement with God for him the Euangelist Iohn concerning sinne saying The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Apostle to the Hebrewes concerning sinners saying He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession to God for them This is faith in God to hold this intire perswasion of the mercy of God without making exception which none can iustly make and this is faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God to hold this intire parswasion of the merit of his precious bloud and bitter passion without making exception which none can truely make And this intire perswassion without exception includeth particular application for he that excepteth no sinne excepteth not his owne sinne a◅d he that excepteth no sinner excepteth not himselfe Of the vertue of this faith to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and all other graces at the mercifull hand of God for the merit and by the vertue of Iesus Christ the mediator these and many other places of Scripture doe speake fully and plainely Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in praier if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And in another place If thou beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth These things are spoken by the Lord Iesus himselfe And Saint Paul saith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued It may bee the remembrance of this third condition breedeth some discomfort vnto thee as threatning vnto thee no forgiuenes because thou thinkest that thou hast no faith thou thinkest that thou hast it neither in possession nor in power whether thou haue faith in possession or no it may be a questiō because thou maist haue it without presēt feeling of it And sure if euer thou hadst it thou hast it still For as the Apostle Iude saith The faith is once giuen to the saints Faith hath his summerly beautie and winterly barrennesse it admitteth increase decrease but as the tree liueth in the winter though it be bare and when colde stormes are past sheweth his life by building in the spring so faith p◅ncht and benummed with the ◅ipping colde of frostie temptations assoone as it pleaseth God to send ease of trouble sheweth it selfe by reioycing and praising God as it were in a spring and then manifestly declareth the continuance of his being when yet it could not be discerned But if thou be indeed without it it is out of question that thou hast no power to command it it is not a matter of that facilitie to beleeue in God vnto saluation that some doe account it who vse to say they can beleeue what they list For to command silence to accusing thoughts and to stop the mouth of Sathan that accuseth thee of thy sinne and to suppresse the sentence of Gods law that condemneth thee for sin and to binde the hands of Gods iustice that is readie to doe execution vpon thee for sinne and to quiet a conscience disturbed and s◅t on fire with the feare of deserued wrath and condemnation and to beleeue in God vnto saluation is to doe all this is a worke of greater difficultie then hee vnderstandeth that saith he can beleeue what he list Credulitie to thinke this or that to be true because some bodie tels vs so or because we haue reade it or because
of some in hell shall be more tollerable then of some others but thereby they vnderstand rather those gripes of conscience that prouoke prayers supplications strong cryings and teares out of a heart beset and straightned with fierce accusations a conuinced conscience feared condemnatioÌ„ these assaults they say shall be more hard against the conscience of him that siuned against knowledge in a presuming manner then against the conscience of him that sinned of ignorance in a weaker manner that is yeelding rather out of his weaknes then daring out of his pride for it may be alledged for the ignorant man that if he had knowne such a thing to be euill in the sight of God he would not haue done it No such thing can be said for him that presumed against knowledge for such an one sheweth contempt of God and of his reuealed will which the ignorant man cannot be charged with all hee groneth only vnder the burden of humane errour and frailty but the other lieth vnder the burden of malice and presumption Therefore when our afflicted man pressed distinctly with some particular sinnes findeth that they were the sinnes of his ignorance let him not thinke himselfe thereby free for to be ignorant of that which is our duty required of God is of it selfe a great sinne and if his ignorance be affected ignorance as in them that refuse to be taught and contemne the meanes of knowledge when God doth offer them such ignorance differeth little or nothing from malice But let him pray vnto God in hope and let him plead before God his ignorance not as an excuse much lesse as a iustification of his fault but as a motiue by which the Lord is often led in his free mercy to forgiue sinnes And for the incouraging of his heart let him remember the examples of them to whom vpon their â—…epentance and conuersion to God mercy to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes of ignorance hath beene granted Peter in a sermon of his made vnto the multitude that came together to see the lame man whom he and Iohn had healed chargeth them with a grieuous sinne saying You denied the holy one and the iust and desired a murà erer to be giuen you and killed the Lord of life whom God raised from the dead where of we are witnesses This was a great sinne to kill the sonne of God and to make more reckoning of and to shew more fauour vnto a knowen murderer then to the Lord of life that came to saue them But this their fact he saith was of ignorance And now brethren I know that through ignorance you did it as did also your gouernors For though the lews were very maliciously bent against Iesus yet many of them knew him not to be the Lord of life and to be the holy one of God neither did they persecute him in that name Therefore doth Saint Peter saâ—…e vnto them in the same Sermon Amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may be done away Heere is mercy offered and assured vnto them that amend their liues and turne to God namely this mercy that all their enormious sinnes and euen among the rest their sinne in refusing the Lord Christ and putting him to a shamefull death should be forgiuen and the rather because they did it ignorantly And memorable is the example of the blessed Apostle Paul His sinne was persecutioÌ„ against the name of Iesus Christ his proceeding in it was furious without all compassion raging both against men and women that called vpon that name and casting them into prison in all places where he could finde them and had power against them In such sort that hee became famous or to speake more truely infamous for his cruelty so that Ananias in Damascus could say to the Lord Iesus of him Lord I haue heard by many of this man how much euil he hath done to thy Saints in Ierusalem moreouer here hee hath authority of the high Priests to bindâ—… all that call vpon thy name And yet this man had his sinnes forgiuen and was receiued into fauour and had all the degrees of holy honour done vnto him that can be done vpon earth to any among the followers of the Lord Iesus For first he was called to the knowledge and faith of the Lord Iesus and was made a true beleeuer Secondly he had honour not only to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake and was made a true confessour and marter Thirdly he was also an excellent instrument to draw other men to the knowledge and faith of Iesus and was made a teacher and an Apostle And all this was the more freely done to him because when hee was a persecurour hee finned of ignorance and knew no other but that it was lawfull and holy for him to doe so Heare what himselfe saith of that matter I thanke him that hath made mee strong that is Christ Iesus our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice when before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe Ignorance and vabeleese are not things pleasing ro God by their vertue and merit obtaining forgiuenes of all the sins growing out of them neither doth the Apostle remember his ignorance and vnbeleefe obtaining his pardon as out of worthinesse of them rather know them in themselues to be grieuous sins deseruing hell as fully as any notorious sinne that issueth from them but he that sinneth out of ignorance more easily findeth fauour then hee that sinneth against knowledge For the sinne of the ignorant man hath not in it like euidence of rebellion against the reuealed will of God as the sin of him that hath knowledge As the words of the Lord Iesus shew spoken to some of the Pharisies If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne that is if yee wanted knowledge and were blind in your vnderstanding your fault should not bee so great so notorious so blame-worthy as now it is by reason of your knowledge There is therefore though no merit of fauour yet much hope for him that can say truely in his heart vnto GOD Lord thou knowest that blindly and ignorantly I ranne into this sinne not knowing that it was against thy will and so odious in thy sight And this is for him that is distinctly charged with particular sinnes and findes that hee committed them out of ignorance a doore of hope in which these examples may incourage him to digge by prayer wherein if hee doe truely and with a right penitent heart humbly and earnestly trauell he casteth the burthen of his sinnes vpon God and shall finde case CHAP. XV. BVT say it was sinne against knowledge and thou hadst warning giuen thee many times to take heede of that same sinne and warning by the word of God so that thou couldest not but know that to doe so as thou didst was a
sinne highly displeasing to God Sometime thou wert warned by a publique Sermon sometime thou wert warned by thine owne priuate reading sometime by the louing admonition of some neighbour or friend And thy iudgement was growen to a mislike of that same sinne and thou wert offended at others that committed it aud yet thou hast fallen thy selfe into the same sinne Surely this is a hard case and the tempter hath great aduantage against thee But what must the charged sinner sincke eternally vnder this burthen is there no meanes to cast euen this burthen vpon GOD for the sinners case Yes verily and Sathan hath not yet driuen vs so close vp to the wall but that wee may by Gods mercy slippe safely out of his hands Heere let the sinner consider in what case hee was when hee committed this sinne whether hee were his owne man as wee speake that is whether it were in the choise of his own wil to do it with liking or without liking For great is the weakenesse of our nature and oftentimes the regenerate and best minded serue â—…s of God though they should yeelde to die a thousand deaths with most exquintâ—… torments rather then commit â—…nie sinne to the offence of God yet either sodainely affrighted with the appearance of daunger they commit sinne before they haue time to consider what they should doe and to settle their resolution against it or else weighing at leasure both their duty to God and their present danger pusillanimity and weakenesse of heart maketh them to shrinke and yeelde at the present And must a sentence irreuocable presently come forth against this weake sheepe Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physition there is there no mercy in heauen for this sinner is there no gracious pardoner there Such a rule must needes haue sent to hell many of Gods beloued Saints that now are with him in heauen who while they liued on earth were sometime vrged with sodaine and sometime with violent temptations and haue yeelded sometime without consideration and sometime with consideration and yet after by the mercie of God haue recouered themselues and haue glorified GOD both in their life and death are now glorified of him in his kingdome And why shouldest not thou if thy sinne be like theirs hauing to do with the same God of mercie hope to finde the same fauour that they found Surely this very circumstance that thou wert surprised by a sodaine or violent temptation led captiue to do euill against thine owne liking that didst take no pleasure in it yea wert exceedingly grieued that thou hadst not strength grace to withstand it is a hole in the wall of hope through which light shineth and wherin if thou dig by humble hearty prayer it may proue a doore of mercy for thee to enter by come neare to God to be eased of thy burdeÌ„ Here consider the example of the Apostle Peter his sin was a grieuous fin for he denied before men his master the Lord Iesus Christ he did so once twice and thrice each time more vehemeÌ„tly then other for first he simply denied him passed it ouer with this saying I know not the man At the second time he augmented his sin with addition of an oath and forsweares him The third time he yet augmented his sinne more with addition of grieuous execrations and cursed himselfe that is wished himselfe accursed if hee know him And he did this in the time of knowledge after he had learned that to do so was sinne and dangerous to his soule For he had heard his Maister openly before speake thus Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse before my Father in heauen but whosoeuer shal deny me befnre men him wil I deny before my Father which is in heauen And though it were a true saying out of a liars mouth skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Yet this is true also and to be regarded aboue the other that all that a man hath euen skin and life also hee must giue cast away and esteeme as vile that he may follow Christ to glorifie him by true confession Which course only hath power to secure life As Peter also had heard from the mouth of his Lord saying If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow mee for whosoeuer will saue his life shall loose it and whosoeuer shall loose his lifs for my sake shall saue it This Peter had heard this he knew And besides these general caueats long before giuen Peter was also priuately forewarned of this thing euen the same night a little before he did it when he also took knowledge of that warning and resolued with himselfe not to doe it yea made open vow not to doe it For when the Lord Iesus Christ after his last Supper a little before his apprehension hee tolde the Apostles that they that night should all be offended by him Peter boldely answered and saide vnto him Though all men should be offended yet will not â—… be offended To whom the Lord said in the next words Verily I say vnto thee that this night before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny mee thrice Peter had no meaning to do so but rather a resolued heart not to do so And therefore aunswered presently Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee And hee spake no more than hee truely intended hee was no hypocrite onely he considered not his owne weakenesse but was ouer confident in the opinion of his own streÌ„gth And therfore when Iesus was taken and carried to the high Priests houâ—…e Peter followed a farre off and entred into the high Priests hall and put himselfe among the seruants and officers and drew neere to the fire for it was colde and first a maide challenged him to bee one of the followers of Iesus after some of the men seconded her challenge strengthening it by adding 〈◊〉 suspition that his speech bewrayed him to be a Galilean and Iesus came out of Galilee and therefore hee was not vnlikely to be one of his followers At last a coosin of his whose care Peter had smoâ—…e off in the garden flatly affirmed that hee did see him in the garden with him Peter affrighted sodainely with these challenges and being in the middest of them whom hee esteemed his enemies seeing at the present no way to escape yea hauing no leisure to thinke what was fittest for him to doe denyed his Maister and bound his deniall with oaths and curses Was not this a sin against the knowledge of his heart and what hast thou done in the particular sinnes that thou arâ—… charged withall in thine heart that Peter did not in this sinne of his and in what points are thy sinnes greater and more grieuous then his then what letteth thee that thou maiest not pray for and hope for the same mercy for
confession of thine vnworthines therein we all Gods children wil ioine with thee and euery man confesse that wee are not worthy of the least of Gods mercies because we haue beene vnthankefull for the comfort that wee haue reaped by them and haue also beene vnfaithfull not improueing them to the praise of God we will say with Iacob vnto God I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the trueth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant We will confesse vnto Christ with the Centurion and say I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And with the prodigall childe priuie to his owne riotous courses we will say to God as he said to his father Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne If vnthankefulnes can make thee vnworthy we cannot be worthy that haue beene as vnthankefull and if vnfaithfulnes can make thee vnworthy wee must stand by thee and confesse as much against our selues if any mans sinne may make him vnworthy then are wee as vnworthy as any man for wee also haue sinned and iustly displeased our God But the error is in this that because thou doest iudge thy selfe vnworthy of the good giftes of God therefore thou shouldest forbeare to vse them alas what should become of the creatures of God if all should forbeare to vse his guiftes that are vnworthy of his guiftes This must needes produce a generall decay of all Gods creatures Vnderstand therefore these things following First God doeth allow his blessings not to the worthy onely but to the vnworthy also Of him the Prophet saith The Lord is good vnto all and his mercies are ouer all his workes Because the creatures are the worke of his hands therefore without regard whether they be worthy or not worthy hee will extend his mercy vnto them Of him the Lord Iesus saith He maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust vniust God is not ignorant either of the worthines of the good and iust or of the vnworthines of the euill and vniust but hee regardeth the necessities of all and therefore because their grounds equally haue neede in time of droght of the dew of heauen and in time of winters cold of the refreshing warmth of the sunne therefore he giues the heate of the sunne and moisture of his clowdes to make all their groundes fruitefull be the owners of those groundes good or euill yet hee will bee good vnto them Secondly those men that haue in iudgement found and acknowledge their owne vnworthines yet in their necessities haue made suite vnto God for those good things which they wanted and haue thankefully receiued and cheerefully vsed the good things that God sent them Iacob that acknowledged his vnworthines euen then made request vnto God for his mercy to bee shewed him saying I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esaâ—… for I feare him least he will come and smile mee and the mother vpon the children for thou saidst I will surely doe thee good and make thy seede as the sand of the sea c. Hee earnestly craueth grace and mercy at Gods hands and that he may obtaine what he desireth he is bold to remember vnto God his gracious promise and he doeth all this euen when hee had in the same praâ—…er ackdowledged his vnworthines The Centâ—…rion that held himselfe so vile that he was not worthy to receiue Christ into his house yet euen then intreated mercy at his hand for his seruant saying Speake the word onely and my seruant shal be healed And his faithfull praier found fauour for his seruant was healed yea that prodigall child that is the patterne of all penâ—…tent sinners when hee did acknowledge his vnworthines yet euen then he made request for his fathers louing fauour saying Make me as one of thy hired seruants And his praier was heard himselfe was â—…eceiued into grace and hee obtained at his fathers hand whatsoeuer blessing a sonne might looke for so that neuer any well aduised childe of man howsoeuer â—…nowing himselfe vnworthy of the loue â—…nd mercies of God did yet either reâ—… to vse them when God did grant them or to intreat God for them when 〈◊〉 felt want of them Thirdly the good blessings of God by him giuen vnto vs are therefore giuen that wee should vse them that by the vse of them wee being refreshed 〈◊〉 see therein the fatherly â—…are of God for vs and his continuall â—…ountie and loue to vs and might so be â—…oued to giue him thankes and to trust in his mercy and being so giuen they ought not to be refused yea they canâ—…ot without our great sinne be refused for in refusing them we refuse God and the free offer of his mercy that he giueth his blessings to be vsed of vs Saint Paul teacheth vs saying Trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs ubundantly all things to inioy He giueth all things he giueth all things abundantly and hee giueth that aboundance to be vsed and inioied Therefore doeth the Prophet Dauid say Hee causeth grasse to grow for the cattell and herbe for the vse of man that he may bring forth bread out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oâ—…e to make the face to shine and bread that strengtheneth mans heart All this increase of Gods blessings the Prophet affirmeth to be giuen for mans vse and also in some sort limiteth that vse shewing vs what good God intendeth that wee should reape of his guiftes and hee intendeth his owne praise in this bountifull giuing of his blessings And therefore is it that Saint Paul at Listra commendeth to those gentiles the God that made the heauen earth commending him by his bountie in giuing those things so to make his goodnes knowen And therefore he speaketh thus of him He left not himselfe without witnes in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnes This good did God for the Gentiles he gaue them the dewe of heauen and fatnes of the earth with his guiftes hee filled their hearts that is satisfied their desires and made them to reioyce in the vse of those guiftes And all this he did for them to this ende that they might know the boundles goodnes of this God and that his blessings as so many faithfull witnesses might preach and declare this goodnes of his if by this meanes at the last they would turne backe from their idols to serue and please him and to this purpose serue the words of Moses vnto the people of Israel saying When thou hast eaten filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee In these words be
vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnesse Thus earnestly doth he contend with God by praier to be assisted with his grace which if he may obtain hee feareth not to promise vnto God some obedience notwithstanding whatsoeuer corruption abiding and mouing in his flesh And so must euery man doe that is incumbred with his owne withdrawing lusts This course will not be idle What answer God will giue vnto such praier wee may see by the answer giuen to Pauls praier by him offered to the Lord Iesus vpon like occasion fo◅ when hee had intreated God that his troublesome lusts might depart from him he receiued this answer My grace is sufficient for thee my power is made perfect through weakenesse He was promised sufficient aid from the grace of Iesus Christ that in his weakenesse being vnable to extinguish those lusts the power of Christ should perfectly appeare in strengthening him not to be ouercome of them And if with Paul thou make the same praier vnto the Lord Iesus the giuer of all grace with Paul thou shalt obtaine the same answer to be continually assisted with his sufficient grace to preserue thee from being carried away by thy fleshly lusts They shall haue being to exercise thee in the warfare of this life they shall not haue power to subdue thy heart to them To take these courses hitherto prescribed As first to exercise thy selfe in the study of holy Scriptures Secondly to frequent the company and obserue the conuersation of holy men Thirdly to shun all occasions that may moue thy corrupt lusts to attempt euill action Fourthly to thinke often of the iudgements of God threatned against sinne and executed vpon sinners and of the mercies of God promised to vertue and performed to the vertuous and lastly to m◅ngle continuall praier with the former courses This is to cast this burden of our sinfull lusts vpon God for our ease CHAP. XIII THE second branch of spirituall troubles and burdens is accusing thoughts disturbing peace and breeding terrours of conscience when it pleaseth God to bring to our remembrance our sinnes past and to set them in order against vs allowing Sathan to be master Who being priuy to our sinnes and to all circumstances concurring in the doing of them doth present them vnto vs in their t◅ue colors amplifying and aggrauating our ignorance that would not learne our contempt of God whose wil we know yet had no care to doe it our vnthankfulnesse our pride our cruelty and ouer vncleannesse with whatsoeuer other thing that may make our sinnes fearefull vnto vs not forgetting to let vs see withall what wrath from heauen and what torment in hell those our sinnes haue deserued This a most grieuous burden breeding disperation in the wicked and vnspeakable feare in the elect hee that of all the sonnes of men was best able to beare this burden and had the greatest assurance against it euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God when he bare the burden of our sinnes imputed vnto him being in himselfe most pure from sinne he did by reason of this burden offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares and was in feare and did sweat bloud and complained as one forsaken of God So that this burden is verie heauy and it much concerns vs to learne how to cast this burden vpon God And in this businesse because the diuell taketh aduantage from euery the least circumstance of our sinne that may make for him against vs to increase thereby our feare and trouble of minde therefore it shall be meete that we also for our aduantage against him doe examine and marke the circumstances of the sinne we are charged with to see if wee can finde any the smallest hole through which the light of hope may shine vnto vs. And it may fall out vnto vs as it did to the Prophet Ezechiel who being entred in at the gate of the court hee looked and behold an hole was in the wall Then the Lord bad him digge in the wall and when he had diggd in the wall behold there was a doore The little hole which at the first he espied while hee attempted to digge became a dore by which hee entered with ease So may it fall out to thee in thy care of casting this burden vpon God for thy ease The least hole that we can spie in the circumstances of our sinnes through which hope of Gods mercy may shine vnto vs if we take vnto vs the instrument of praier and digge therewith may and will proue vnto vs a doore of mercy For the mercy of God is like a floud that ouerfloweth But where the waters of a floud finde but a smal hole to issue through at the first by continuance they weare the hole greater make passage for themselues and run at the last like a strong streame that cannot be stopped So the mercy of God appearing first at the hole of a small circumstance if thou continue in praier and attend vpon God wil worke it selfe freer passage and in the end shine with full brightnesse in thy conscience and the diuell shall not be able to darken the comfortable and glorious light of it First therefore let the afflicted sinner consider and weigh well the manner of his tentation whether he be vrged in a distinct maner with any particular sin ◅r whether he be more cōfusedly vrged and in a generall manner that hee hath an euill heart and is an hypocrite and loueth not the Lord and if the afflicted person cannot himselfe discerne the condition of his tētation his iudgement being oppressed and darkened by his affliction let the iudicious comforter whose helpe he seeketh obserue it for him for Satan that by Gods permission vrgeth against him this tentation findeth in som men particular matter of enormious sinnes as of murder in Cain of adultery in Dauid and of idolatry in Manasses into which particular sinnes they haue broken licentiously with great boldnesse Where hee hath this aduantage from our former violent courses he will be sure to vrge it to the vttermost as making much for him to driue vs into dispaire to say with Cain My punishment is greater then I can beare Or as Musculus reades it agreeable as he saith to the Hebrew Mine iniquity is greater then can be pardoned In some others hee findeth no such particular grosse sinne but they haue walked ciuilly and modestly and where they did sin though that were very vsuall yet they sinned of infirmity rather then of pride and vpon prouocation rather then vpon free choice Heere hee hath not aduantage as in the former And therefore in a more generall and confused manner he vrgeth against them their corruptions but specially hypocrisie and an vnsound heart that they did abstaine from grosse sins
the Phisitions power to be ordered by him Euen so I feeling feare in my soule crept in by reason of these accusing thoughts that make me too sensibly to feele the dangerous sicknes of my soule will not faintly yeeld vnto death that I confesse I haue deserued and might iustly fall vpon mee but euen from this feare growing from my now reuealed sicknes I will seeke out the Lord that is the onely Phisition of our soules who killeth maketh aliue bringeth down to the graue and raiseth vp And I will intreat him to make me his patient and to take me into his charge and the more I am pained the more I will sue for his helpe and I will spare no cost of praiers of sighes and grones I will poure out my whole heart vnto him and I will put my selfe wholy into his power who hath also commanded mee in such times of distresse to seeke vnto him yea hath promised when wee so seeke him to be foūd of vs saying Call vpon me in the day of troble so will I deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me This is my day of trouble therefore will I call vpon God that me obtained deliuerance I may glorifie him with praises And seing the Apostle Paul hath said that God hath shut vp all inunbeleese that he might haue mercy vpon all why should I doe so great wrong either to my owne present misery or vnto Gods infinite mercy to beleeue otherwise but that God hath holden me thus long shut vp and fast bound in the prison and fetteres of my owne vnbeliefe and naturall infidelitie and wickednes which now I see to the end that I might the more dearely esteeme of his mercy in freeing mee which I will now call for and that his mercy might bee euen to his owne name the more honorable in conuerting me Thus may the afflicted sinner troubled with this generall confused kinde of accusing thoughts cast his burden comfortably vpon God for in this kind of temptation there is this hole in the wall wherein while hee diggeth by continuall prayer it may will proue a dore of mercy easie to be entred And I further aduise this afflicted man when he feeleth himselfe entred or entring into this feare and confused kind of temptation that he will haue some care of his bodies health and craue the aduice of some godly and learned Physition for such confused feares are not alwaies meerly spirituall temptations but they doe often arise from some naturall decay in our bodily health and from some distemper of humors in vs. Great is the affinitie betweene the soule and the body and the proper passions diseases of the one by reason of that affinitie make the other to be euill affected If therefore the body be crazed it will make the mind also to be diseased and where the humor of Melancholy is predominare is not kept in any euen proportion in vs it naturally driueth vs into deepe and dull into sad heauy and fearefull thoughts and imaginations and causeth doubtings and distrust and with a little helpe of the wicked aduersary it will quench all comfortable hope and breede wofull dispaire in vs and the Diuell is cunning to iudge of our distemperature and where he findeth such weaknes he will worke vpon it as he worketh vpon the sanguine and pleasant mans disposition to make him wanton and careles of God and as he worketh vpon the cholericke and hastie mans disposition to make him wrathfull and sudden in mischeefe as he worketh vpon the fleginaticke to make him slothfull colde and negligent of doing his dutie a louer of sloth idlenes so he will not faile to be busie with the man in whom melancholy aboundeth to make him full of feare and void of hope And lamentable are the effects which often follow where he findeth such matter to worke vpon The wise Christian therefore that is affrighted with this confused kinde of temptation in termes of generall accusation must not neglect to releeue his body and to remoue from Sathans hand that euill humour that he maketh so dangerous vse of This is a thing that the afflicted man often contemneth as carnall counsell indeed it were carnall counsell if it should be required alone without recourse vnto God by prayer but it hath beene found by the mercy of God to haue beene profitable counsell And it is not to be neglected of him that in this confused kind of tentatiō desireth ease to his soule And to take this with the former prescribed course is to cast this burden vpon God CHAP. XIIII BVT if it fall out that thou be charged more distinctly with some particular enormious sinne one or many then hath Sathan espied against thee some especiall aduantage in thy doings It behoueth thee now to looke closely to thy selfe and to marke if thou canst espie any hole in the wall of hope to dig in that a dore of mercy may be opened vnto thee In this case consider whether that or those sinnes were committed in the time of thine ignorance when thou knewest not well what was lawfull or vnlawfull for thee to doe or in the time of knowledge when thine owne heart could tell thee that such things were not lawfull to be done for if they were done in the time of ignorance when perhaps thou mightest thinke it lawfull and free to be done yea perhaps good perhaps also profitable and necessarie as Saul after called Paul thought it lawfull good and necessarie for him to persecute the name of Iesus and to cast into prison them that called vpon that name as hee said before King Agrippa I verely thought in my selfe that I ought to doe many contrary things against the name of Iesus of Nazareth Or if thou didst not thinke it to be lawfull good necessarie for thee yet thou didst not thinke or at the least didst not know it to be euill for thee to doe it and any such danger to hang vpon it with Gods high displeasure as now thou perceiuest then this very circumstance maketh thy burden lighter and in the wall of hope a hole appeareth wherein if thou dig by prayer a dore of mercy wil be opened vnto thee For though ignorance doth not excuse much lesse iustifie our sinnes and the discharge of that sinne will cost thy soule some teares and prayers and other like courses of a contrite heart yet with more ease will the terror of it be ouercome then if it had beene done against knowledge Hereto pertaines that saying of our blessed sauiour That seruant that knew his masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes but he that knew it not and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with fewer stripes By these stripes some of the fathers vnderstand not torments in hell of different rigor though it cānot be denied but the condition
make the hard stones softer then the clay and to worke our hearts as wax to take the impression of his Law he is able to make vs vessels of honour for holy acceptable seruices in his house and hee is able to make vs Abrahams seede and true Israelites You know the words of Iohn the Baptist spoken to the prowd Iewes that gloried so much in this that they were Abrahams seed and in Abrahams right were heires of the Couenant Hee spake thus vnto them Say not within your selues we haue Abraham to our Father for I say vnto you that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham So that of him that is no Israelite that is no child that is no heire God is able to make an Israelite a child an heire Of Gods goodnesse toward them that were no Israelites and no people the Prophet Hosea speaketh in this manner I will haue mercie vpon her that was not pitied and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God If thou wert therefore of that company that is not pitied thou maiest yet find mercie at GODS hands and if thou wert of that company that is not Gods people thou mayest yet become one of his The feare therfore that thou fainest vnto thy selfe hath no ground Consider him whom thou hast to deale withall and hope in his mercie that is so liberall in his promises and is also most faithfull in the performance of his word Thou hast sinned and hee hath promised to forgiue thy sinnes Appeale vnto his promises he cannot faile to effect that which hee hath giuen his word for of which word of his himselfe saith thus It shall not returne vnto mee void but it shall accomplish that which I will it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it So that hauing sent forth that gracious word of promise to forgiue and forget thy sinnes it shall not returne to him void it shall not be found a false or faulty word but a word of truth and power Pray vnto God for the effect of it and it shall prooue prosperous to thy peace CHAP. XXI ALl that hath hitherto been said is not able to calme the storme that is raised in this poore sinners conscience but his restlesse mind stil replies arguing against himself in this manner If this leaue of asking and this promise of granting forgiuenes of sinnes be so free for euery one borne of beleeuing parents as you would make mee beleeue how commeth it then to passe that so many perish in their sinnes not onely of them who are borne and brought vp of and among vnbeleeuers that know not the true God but of them also that are descended of beleeuers and all their time broght vp in the bosome of the church that can say before the Iudge We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Yea they proceeded further in the businesse of the church cā say to the Iudge Lord haue not we by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great works and yet vnto them the Lord wil answer make profession say ing I neuer knew you depart frō me ye that worke iniquitie The way that leadeth to death destruction is broad and easie and many walke in it and perish I am one among others that haue run in that way and I am yet in it But the way that leadeth to life and saluation is a narrow way and few do find it and I am one of them that cānot find it I am now out of it and indeed neuer had any pleasure to seeke it that I might walke in it And yet you make the promise of the forgiuenesse of sinnes to be very large and giuen to al within the church And why may not I notwithstanding so gracious large a promise misse of forgiuenes and fall into condemnation aswel as others yea before many thousands of others hauing deserued condemnation as worthily as any other and moreworthily then many other therefore I think that there is something required to the obtaining of forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation that I yet know not and not knowing it it is very like I haue it not and not hauing it I remaine still vnder cōdemnation and must perish eternally And I feele it so in the feare of my soule for notwithstanding all that you haue spoken to put life and hope into my soule yet the burden of my sinnes and the feare of damnation is no lesse heauy vpon me then before you began to speake vnto me I confesse indeede that the things that haue beene spoken offer great comfort but I want a right hand to take it withall Help me therefore thorow and shew me what are the conditions vpon which God forgiueth sinnes that hearing them I may know whether I bee capable of that desired happines and if I be not presently that yet I may indeuour in time to be and so at the last obtaine it For though you haue not deliuered me from al my fear yet you haue wrought in mee a great desire to recouer and get out of it not without some hope that it may one day by the mercy of God bee happily effected to my saluation This obiection is tempered with some mildenes and while the storme is something laid hearken and I will teach thee what the conditions are so shalt thou know both why others perish in their sinnes notwithstanding this promise namely by neglecting these conditions and also how thou maiest obtaine forgiuenes of thy sinnes according to this promise by the obedient and carefull keeping of these conditions The conditions required at our hāds if we thinke to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes are in number three The first of these three concerneth our selues and our renouation It is called repentance a departure from sinne and a returne to God in holines and righteousnesse for it is meete for him that would haue his sinnes past to be forgiuen him to cease from sinne and hate the works of darknesse wherein he tooke pleasure before Which ought to be hated first in regard of God because they are displeasing to him that is most holy and hee that is most glorious is dishonoured by them Secondly they are to be hated in regard of our selues because they cast vs out of Gods loue into his iust hatred and robbing vs of true peace doe fill our hearts with feare and horrour And for thine owne part I hope thou findest that the workes of darkenesse are to be hated and hast a will also to hate and abhorre them seeing what wofull feare and danger they haue brought thee into And this repentance and turning to God will surely deliuer thee from thine old sinnes so that they shall neuer bee laied to thy charge It is a true saying of Saint Augustine
the power of God to saue that is the instrument by which hee powerfully saueth Though therefore thou hast not power to settle thine own hart by giuing saith vnto thy selfe yet thou hast no cause to be discomforted for by praier vnto God and by study in the word of GOD it is obtained at his hands These are the conditions betweene God and man which God requireth where he forgiueth sins three in number One that concerneth most directly thy selfe that is repentance renewing thy heart to hate sinne and to loue vertue and reforming thy life to slie sinne and practise vertue A second that concerneth most directly thy brother that is charitie and compassion to forgiue vnto him the wrongs done vnto thee to comfort him and to doe good to him as thou wouldest that God should forgiue vnto thee the wrongs that thou hast done vnto him that God should comfort thee and doe good vnto thee A third that concerneth most directly God himselfe reuealed vnto vs in his sinne Iesus Christ namely our faith that wee neither thinke basely of the mercy of God nor of the merite of Iesus Christ as if there were some person that it could not releeue and thy selfe that person and some sinne that it could not do away and thy sinne that sinne And now maiest thou vnderstand what it is that causeth so many to perish in their sinnes and how it commeth to passe that so few are saued when yet without exception of any sinne the Lord Iesus commandeth and by commandement giueth leaue to aske and hope to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne and likewise without exception of anie sinne God the â—…ather of our Lord Iesus Christ promiseth to forgiue sinne First they haue no caâ—…e of repentance to forsake sinne yea with delight they dwell in it liue in it and die in it and they will rather forsake God and renounce heauen then leaue their pleasant and gainfull sinnes Secondly they haue no care of charitie and compassion to their neighbour they regard not the rest the credit the prosperitie the peace and safetie of their neighbour and being full of pride of wrath and furie they prosecute the least wrong till they be reuenged Thirdly they regard not to know how ample the Lords mercie is and the death of Christ and doctrine of saluation are foolishnesse to them they pray not for faith and they stoppe their cares against the word of God And hereby it commeth to passe that they perish in their sinnes not that their sinnes are so great that they cannot bee pardoned or God so mercilesse that he will not pardon them or Iesus Christ so defectiue in his mediation that he hath not done and suffered enough to discharge them but themselues are so carelesse so prowd so contemptuous so desperate that they will not leaue to sinne they will not loue their neighbours they will not know God but they will goe on in their courses like them whom Ieremie complaineth of saying They are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the trueth vppon the earth for they proceed from euill to worse they haue not known me saith the Lord. This is the cause why they perish And here maiest thou vnderstand how to reape the benefit of the leaue that Christ hath giuen thee by his commandement to aske forgiuenesse of thy sins how to reape the benefit of the promise that God hath giuen thee to grant forgiuenesse of sinnes First forsake the sinnes that haue been so chargeable vnto thee and hauing already found the reckoning to be so heauy vnto thee diet no more at the Ordinarie of fleshly lusts where the soule must pay for it in hell and the inheritance waste that God hath dearely bought for thee And finding how great need thou hast of mercie and forgiuenesse to keep thee from being eternally miserable Learne to bee tender hearted toward thy brother and afford him thy forgiuenesse that thou maist obtain the same measure of mercy at the hands of God And let it bee the chiefe of thy daily studies to vnderstand more cleerely then yet thou dost how infinite and boundlesse the mercie of God and the merit of Christ his bloud is In the word of God thou shalt finde these things And while thou are occupied with desire in these studies faith in the mercies of God will grow apace and in a short time bring thy conscience to that happy quietnesse that S. Paul speaketh of saying Being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus is thy feare growing from the multitude of them that perish and from the small number of them that are saued notwithstanding the commaundement of Christ giuing leaue to aske forgiuenes and the promise of GOD offering forgiuenesse shewed to bee an idle feare if thou wilt haue care of these conditions vpon which God granteth forgiuenesse of sinnes CHAP. XXII BVT heare againe the afflicted conscience breaketh out into grieuous complaintes and faith If these be the conditions required where sinnes are to be forgiuen I must neuer looke to grow vnto any agreement with God for the forgiuenes of mine for I haue not one of these three things in me For first I want repentance sinne aboundeth in me and whether I hate it or no I cannot tell though I know I haue no cause to loue it that proueth now so grieuous vnto me And secondly I hold my selfe to be void of loue to my neighbour I feare least I shall enuie other men their happy peace of conscience and their happy hope of saluation and that standeth not with loue And sure I am that I haue hurt them oft with the vniust act of my sinne and haue grieued and offended them with the vngodly example of my sinne And these things haue no agreement with loue And as for faith of all three it is furthest off If dispaire could obtaine forgiuenes of sinne I should soone speed for I am not far from that but if saluation must be apprehended by saith I am most far from it for I haue litle or no faith the present feare that I am in is directly opposite to faith This is the miserable condition of this burden that they which are pressed with it doe quickly apprehend and too well remember any thing that may increase their feare but they are dull too apprehend and doe soone forget any thing that might giue them comfort If this troubled sinner could but remember while the three conditions were spoken of what was said vnto him why hee should not be discomforted at the hearing of these conditions as if they or any one of them did breed impossibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes of sinnes he would not now make this fâ—…uolous obiection But let vs helpe his memorie that when God shall be pleased to looke gratiously vpon him his feare may be remoued for the ease
of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hanging vpon the crosse and being vnder the same temptation for other mens sins which thou art vnder for thine owne sinnes vsed the same words that Dauid did saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee I intreat this afflicted sinnet hearing the sonne of God complaine that he was forsaken of his father to tell mee his opinion whether he thinkes he was forsaken eternally or was forsaken onely for a time and whether after this forsaking God did not returne vnto him and deliuer him from all his feare If hee should answer that he thinkes hee was eternally forsaken and that God â—…turned not to deliuer him and that he was neuer deliuered from his feare it â—…ere an absurd answer For the history is plaine and cleare that though he were forsaken vnto the death and lest vnto the will of his enemies and sealed vp in his graue yet as the Prophet in his person had spoken to God before saying Thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue â—…ither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption So God dealt with him hee was not left in the graue hee did not see corruption for on the third day God raised him vp again to life Forty daies after that hee ascended vp into heauen euen with his body and now in all fulnesse of glory and maiesty he sitteth at the right hand of God So that his folly would fully bewray it selfe if he should answer that Iesus was eternally forsaken and that God returned not to deliuer him from his feare And if hee answer as truth will compell him that he was forsaken onely for a time and after inioyed againe and still inioyeth the fauour of his father then it will follow by his owne confession that all that are forsaken are not eternally forsaken and some are onely left for a time to be tried exercised and humbled and after triall taken of their faith after patience perfected and true humility wrought in them hee that had forsaken them doth gather them againe into his lap he that had left them to themselues doth again receiue them into his charge And why then may not our sinner that crieth out thus that he is forsaken of God suppose himselfe to be onely forsaken for a time And if our sinner complayning that hee is forsaken thinketh otherwise as namely that God hath forsaken him for euer I answer him first that he speaketh foolishly and out of ignorant feare that being a matter of Gods secret counsel where of it is not possible that he should haue certaine knowledge that hath not so much knowledge as hee should of Gods reuealed will Let him goe first and make himselfe better acquainted with Gods reuealed will let him study to learne and know the promises the threatnings the precepts and rules contained in Gods word And as for the secret counsell of the Lord so much as concerneth him to vnderstand God â—…ill in time by his worke make knowen â—…nto him In the meane time let him learne to keepe silence that hath no certaine knowledge of the thing whereof he presumeth to pronounce Secondly I say vnto him that the â—…nner of his temptation argueth and concludeth against his owne saying that hee is not forsaken for euer For if God had purposed to forsake him for 〈◊〉 hee would not haue laied vpon him this temptation to make him thereby to see his sinne and the danger that his sinne bringeth him into for the sight of these things is a very ready way to repentance for it maketh a man to bee truly displeased with his sinne and it â—…aketh him restlesly carefull and desirous to winde himselfe out of the danger and it doth awake him with a witnesse out of his old security But rather if the Lord had intended his eternall reâ—…ection hee would haue rocked him asleep in his security with continual prosperity and much peace after the manner of the world that he might haue had no cause to feare sinne so long as the prodigall sonnes prosperity lasted hee neuer thought of returning home to his fathers house That surely is the way to scale vp sinners in their security and to keepe them from all thought or all desire or at least from all resolution with speede for to leaue sinne And so vseth God to deale with them whom hee forsaketh for euer As Iob obserued saying vnto God Wherfore doe the wicked liue and wax old and grow in wealth their seed is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eies Marke in the next words what followeth Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them They are not troubled with any temptation like thine Their Bullocke gendereth and faileth not their Cow calueth and casteth not her Calfe They send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes dance They take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs They spend their daies in wealth and suddenly goe downe to the graue Thus for the most part God dealeth with them whom he meaneth to forsake for euer And this continuall prosperity most kindly locketh vp all the powers of their soule in security as in a dead sleepe that they neuer intend repentance but are confirmed in their sinne and in the contempt of God As Iob in the same place noteth in the very next words saying They say also vnto God depart from vs wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies who is the almighty that wee should serue him and what profit shall we haue if wee should pray vnto him Thus continuall prosperity shuttâ—…th vp the heart in security and bringâ—…th the wicked asleepe in sinne whereas no temptation that can come vnto a man doth so kindly waken the heart and open the eies of a sinner to see his sinne to hate his sinne to forsake his sinne to turne to God and to seeke pardon by repentance as doth this tentatiâ—… of thine Thinke rather that God is gâ—…thering thee to himselfe and laies this burden vpon thee to stay thee from râ—…nning still from him then that hee hath eternally forsaken thee But against this fearefull perswasion oâ—… finall forsaking the best of all arguments is the gracious maner of the Lords merciful dealing with his people whom yet hee dealeth withall no lesse sharply then he hath now dealt with thee The Prophet Esayâ—… sets downe that manner of the Lords dealing and deliuers it in the words of Gâ—…d himself saying For a litlâ—… while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redemer This is Gods manner these are his owne words Now let vs compare thy words with these words of God and see how neare thou comest to his truth I hou saist God hath forsaken
me for â—…uer and God saith for a little while haue I forsaken thee Thou saist God hath hid his face for euer and thou shalt neuer see againe the light of his countenance and God saith for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season Thou 〈◊〉 God hath cast thee away for euer and thou art fallen finally out of the lap of his loue and tender compassion and God saith with great compassion will I gather thee and with euerlasting mercy haue I compassion on thee being thy lord and redeemer How agree these sayings of God of thine Iust as yea and no as light and darknesse And yet thou wouldest haue thy words be taken for words of truth and wouldest haue no reply be made against them Rather doe thou take the words that God hath spoken for words of truth as verily they are and rest in them without making any reply against them for so it becommeth thee But thou vsest varietie of speech in thine obiection and thou saiest thou art lost and thou art a childe of perdition Wel be it so is there therefore no remedie if thou thinke so thou art deceiued We reade in the Gospell of a sheep that went astray and was lost But the owner of it left the flocke in the field and went forth and sought for it and found it and brought it home with ioy and called his neighbours and friendes togither and said vnto them Reioice with me for I haue found my sheepe which was lost In the same place I reade of a woman that â—…auing ten peeces of money lost one and then lighted a candle swept the house and searched all corners and at last found it and called in her friends and neighbours and said vnto them Reioice with me for I haue found the peece which I had lost There also I read of a young man the second sonne of his father that wandred long wasted his fathers goods fell into misery and by misery was compelled to returne home whom his father espying a farre off ran vnto him and with much copassion ioy intertained him and made a feast for gladnes and gaue this reason of his gladnes This my sonne was dead and is aliue againe and hee was lost but he is found Thou saiest thou art lost I heare thee and I say with thee the sheepe was lost the peece of money was lost the sonne was lost But what became of them when they were lost perished they no what then they were found againe the sheepe was found and safely put together with the rest in the fold the peece of money was found and with the rest was safely laied vp and the sonne was found and kindely receiued againe into his fathers house And canst thou not see in them what is like to become of thee that art lost as they were whatsoeuer is written of that sheepe and of that peece of money and of that sonne is all written to teach thee what thou maiest and what thou oughtst to pray for and to hope for perceiuing thy selfe to bee lost Thou art that lost sheep and Iesus Christ is the Shepheard and Lord of the flock that seeketh thee thou art that lost peece of money the church the spouse of Iesus Christ is that carefull woman that by the ministrie of the Gospell as with a light in her hand searcheth euery corner for thee thou art that lost child as thou but with an euill mind callest thy selfe God in Christ euen God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ is that most louing and kind father that is ready to intertaine thee and if thou wouldest but turne thy steps toward him hee would meete thee as it is said of that father When hee was yet a great way of his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neeke and kissed him Be not then discomforted in thy lost estate as if there were no hope of recouering thee and restoring thee The name of lost is vsed in two seuerall senses For sometime we say a thing is lost when hee that had it in possession or keeping knowes not what is become of it the thing in the meane time beeing perhaps very safe in some vnknowen place and it is onely lost to him that had it in his keeping and now knoweth not where it is and what is become of it but it is not lost in it selfe As when some horse or other beast is straied out of thy ground thou knowest not where it is and it is in some good pasture of thy neighbour very safe and not far from thee and sometime we say a thing is lost when it is spoiled and perished remaining still in the possession of him that had it before in keeping and he knowes both where it is and what is become of it as where thy horse or other beast being yet within thine owne ground were fallen into some pit and drowned or by some other mischance were killed in both these cases a man saith I haue lost such a beast The opposite to loosing and being lost in the first sence is to seeke the thing that is staied and out of the way vntill thou find it and recouer the possession of it And the opposite of loosing being lost in the second sence is to saue the thing that was ready to be spoiled to perish If a man come in time and to vse all good meanes for preseruation of it and by those meanes to preserue it and saue it froÌ„ perishing Now I would intreat this afflicted sinner tell to me in which sence he thinketh himselfe to be lost I beleeue that though he haue not thought vpon it before yet he will answere me that he is lost both in the first and also in the second sence First God looketh not after him he taketh no knowledge of him as he doeth of those whom he hath any caâ—…e of and so he is lost in the first signification of the word being out of the knowledge of him that was heretofore his keeper for God vseth to say to such wicked men as he is depart I know you not workers of iniquitie And secondly God hauing brought his sin to remembrance and for those sinnes hauing powred out a viall of wrath vpon him in this his great affliction hee is lost in the second signification of the word as a thing perished for hee feeleth himselfe â—…are to destruction appointed to destruction alreadie deliuered into the hands of cruel executioners by the iust sentence of God to be destroied Thus doeth hee thinke himselfe euery way lost This were a heauie case if it were so But let it be granted to be so yet there is hope of recouery for thy lost soule for there is one that will seeke thee find thee wheresoeuer thou art and will bring thee home into the knowledge possession custodie of thy first keeper so to recouer thee