when Ioab's messenger brought Dauid word of Vriah's death 2 Sam. 11 â—5 hee made no more of it but returnes Ioab this answer Let not this thing displease thee in the meane time it should more haue displeased thee oh Dauid for the sword deuoureth one as well as another Thus he colours ouer his murther with the chance of warre Or bearing himselfe vpon being King perhaps he might applaude his owne wit in such a prittie inuention being seconded with a successfull execution thinking it better that euen a loyall and innocent subiect should perish then the Kings honor receiue the least blemmish though indeed hereby it was the more fowlly stayned and euen double dyed with that crymsin sinne As though the committing of a new sinne should helpe to expiate the former Or as though for defiling Vriah's wife hee should make amends in taking away his life But thus by going about politickly as hee imagined to hide his sinne of Adulterie hee raysed the Hue and Cry of innocent blood to proclaime and paint it out to all the world In what a fooles paradise was Dauid all this while trow you But the Prophet Nathan puls off the Visar and lets him see his monstrous two-faced sinne He displaies the Arras wherin the whole storie of his sin was liuely expressed which Dauid had all this while kept folded vp and cast by in a corner But now by Gods mercie comming more sadly and wistly to take a view of it he suddainly breakes out into this lamentable voyce I haue sinned against the Lord. 2 Sam. 12 Whereupon and not before he heard The Lord hath also put away thy sinne For as Ambrose noteth wee seldome come to know sinne Lib. de Paradiso cap. 14. till after committed which before we accounted no sinne Yea till wee come to feele the smart of it in the punishment either of afflictions or guilt of Conscience quickned vp or shame of the world or sharpe denouncing of Gods iudgments by his Prophets as here by Nathan to Dauid And perhaps all this while Dauid out of a conceit that his sinne was not made publicke to the world was the lesse troubled in Conscience for it but now beginning to perceiue that publicke notice was taken of it it begâ—n the more to work vpon him in regard of the scandall And surely well it so might For of all sinnes those that are scandâ—lous doe most deepely pierce the heart of Gods Child making there such a wound as is not easily cured but while hee liueth will prooue a heart-sore to himselfe as it hath beene an eye-sore to the world Thus by one meanes or other will God bring his Children vpon their knees if a kindly sorrow vvill not vvorke it a publicke shame shall Thus to returne vvhence vvee digressed effectuall prayer for the pardon of sinne issueth not but from true and vnfained repentance as this from a true knowledge and due estimate of our sinne Though that vvhich helpeth to expresse and vvring teares from Dauid's heart vvas the enumeration of Gods fauours towards him by Nathan deeply aggrauating his sinne and making it out of measure sinfull as we touched before As Peter after his three denials thinkes not yet vvhat hee had done till the Lord lookes vpon him and then the verie reflection of that gratious countenance of his deare Master checking him for his ingratefull disloyaltie yet as the Sun-beame thawing and melting his verie heart frozen by the High Priests fire causeth him to goe out and weepe bitterly The sixt preseruatiue is the example of the Saints 1 Cor. 10 11. Rom. 15.4 who haue beene raised euen from fearful fals Nor stand they for cyphers they are recorded to admonish and to teach that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope First I say the examples of the Saints fals admonish vs to beware of sin least euen then when we seeme to stand surest we take a fall Secondly they teach vs that if we haue fallen and that in our fairest way where we neuer suspected falling we should not lye still but speedily get vp again Nor let any man be out of hope for the greatnesse of his fall as if it were vnrecouerable For if he looke vpon the examples in Scripture of this nature he shall finde them to be of no meane ranke but of highest eminencie if we consider either the greatnesse of their persons or the grieuousnesse of their fals Dauid as great a Prophet as a Prince and no lesse eminent in grace then in place and calling yet how foule was his fall into those two most fearfull sinnes of adultery and murther and both out of measure aggrauated by the manifold circumstances both personall and reall attending the committing of them Salomon a glorious type of Christ a Iedidiah beloued of God indued with incomparable wisedome yet how fell he by two matchlesse sinnes lust and idolatry wherin also he lay a long time And that which made their sinnes so much the more damnable they both fell in their old age which takes away from them all excuse or plea of youth both of them aboue fifty 1 Kin. 11.4 In time of the Gospell yea in the very corporall presence of Christ Peter though a prime Apostle a chiefe pillar yet how fearefully fell hee into a flat denyall disclaiming and abiuring his deare Master and that with direfull imprecations and execrations vpon himselfe if hee so much as knew him Nor wanted it aggrauating circumstances as his Masters late immediate premonition his owne deliberate resolution and protestation to the contrary a weake wenches breath his owne sibboleth or lisping Galilean language bewraying him his Masters present deplored condition needing rather fast friends to backe him and faithfull seruants about him to own and honour him then such renegadoes to adde to his affliction seeing also this was the last seruice and honour which Peter was like to doe to his liuing dying Lord. Hereunto might we adde many more examples but these may suffice And they are of great moment For bring me euer a childe of God more sanctified then Dauid more dignified then Salomon more fortified then Peter Dauid a King a Prophet Salomon a King a type of Christ the wisest of men Peter an elect a prime Apostle And tell me what greater sinne then adultery then murther But Dauid committed adultery but once thou often Then looke vpon Salomon hee lay a long time wollowing in lust and idolatry But thy sinne is of another nature thou art an Apostate thou hast denied the Lord that bought thee Then looke vpon Peter But he did it for present feare of his life thou for loue of this present world Yet hold to the example that Peters weeping may helpe to soften thy hard heart to repentance But haply Satan may go about to perswade thee that thy sinne is greater then all theirs to driue thee to despaire Indeede Satan is euer in his extreames he either possesses a man that
heart trow you after that his sinne to heare the enumeration of Gods many fauours and benefits towards him mentioned by Nathan to him 2 Sam. 12 7 8. as in the person of God Enough of it selfe to wring from Dauid's gaulled and grieued heart a confession with teares I haue sinned against the Lord. Answ. True it is we haue no sweeter nor stronger tyes to serue and obey God then his benefites towards vs which as they are moe in numâ—er as he that hath fewest hath so many more then euer hee deserued or more excellent in their nature So when at any time wee sinne against this our liberall Benefactour all those benefits stand vp as witnesses against vs vpbrayding vs with extreme ingratitude and vnkindnesse as in the former example of Dauid And consequently in the Soules humiliation for sin Gods benefits comming into remembrance doe so accumulate and heape themselues vpon the Soule that as Tarpeia T. Liuius Lib. 1. the Romane Damosell was pressed to death with those Iewels cast vpon her which the Sabines wore on their left armes the price contracted for betraying to them the Capitoll of Rome shee is now pressed downe beyond all measure That speech Et tu Brute vttered by Caesar to Brutus might haue beene a sharper Dart to pierce Brutus his vnkind heart then his Poinado was to stabbe Caesar. When Ioseph was tempted by his wanton Mistrisse to folly with her Gen. 39 he answers her what obligations of fidelity his Master had layd vpon him in that he had intrusted him with all his goods taking no account of him and should hee not bee faithfull not to violate that one Iewell which alone hee had reserued to himselfe So that if Gods many benefits he hath trusted vs withall if the liberall allowance of all the Trees in the Garden will not cannot as they should restraine vs from the one and onely forbidden fruit of sinne as certainly they would Gen. 2â— if wee tooke but heed in any temptation to set Gods innumerable and inestimable blessings towards vs before our eyes which would make vs say as Ioseph How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God But alas wee are too forgetfull Surely then if we doe sinne all the other Trees in the Garden will be readie to fall vpon vs and presse vs downe not affording vs so much as their shaddow to hide vs if possible from the wrath of Gods angry countenance Math. 9. much lesse to refresh vs therewith Yet in the midst of the presse of Gods benefits wherewith the Soule is now oppressed Faith with her finger touching vpon and pointing vnto that euerliuing Fountaine of the grace and mercie of God in Christ formerly experienced finds cure for the issue of the bleeding Conscience euen then when it seemes to be quite spent and cast behind Christ. So that I say not Math. 16 23. that to the afflicted Conscience the memorie of Gods temporall benefits will bring comfort no nor simply of those Spirituall mercies on our Soules formerly felt sith all of them may iustly vpbraid vs for our vngratious vsing of them But least the Soule in this conflict of the apprehension of Gods wrath deserued should bee swallowed vp her readie way is to haue recourse to the stabilitie of Gods loue mercie and grace in Christ towards vs which hauing once and often formerly felt and inioyed we may recollect our Faith and rest assured that wayting with patience a while the Cloud will passe ouer and the Sun-shine of Gods fauour will returne vpon vs. And thus wee may reckon Gods promises and our spirituall experiences of his mercies as two preseruatiues more Onely this must bee remembred withall that the more experience we haue had of Gods fauours the more it ought to driue vs to a greater measure of repentance which will follow fitly here as a fourth Preseruatiue The fourth preseruatiue then of the Conscience from perishing vnder the apprehension of Gods wrath 2 Cor. 7.10 is godly sorrow so called 1. because it is a spirituall grace gift of God 2. because as it commeth from God so it goeth tendeth vnto and endeth in God sorrowing not so much that his iustice is prouoked as his mercy abused and his glory prophaned by our sinnes Herein it is opposite to worldly sorrow which as it springeth from a guilty conscience conuicted by the euidence of Gods law reflected vpon it So it respecteth onely the worldly estate of a man that he may still inioy the same and preuent temporall iudgements 1 King 21. This worldly sorrow was in wicked Ahab and so may bee in all Reprobates But the godly sorrow is so farre from regarding the punishment deserued that if the godly Penitent had it put to his choyce hee would rather suffer the very torments of hell then to haue committed the least sin against God This is true godly sorrow which chusing rather to dye the death and to fry in hell then to sinne against God hereby it becomes a strong antidote against despaire For what power can euen the flames of hell fire haue ouer that soule which is so drenched in the flood of this godly sorrow one drop whereof that poore Diues had not to coole his tongue So that to despise hell torments in comparison of sinne this giues a Supersede as to Despaire and seales to the penitent soule a Quietus est from all feares For how shall he now be any whit appalled with the apprehension of Gods wrath that willingly would rather suffer his wrath in hell 2 Cor. 11 31. Filiusi staroum â—aâ—hrymaruÌ„ perire non potest as Ambrose comforted Monica Augst mother weeping that he was a Manicheâ— then by sin incurre it on earth Thus iudging ourselues wee shall not be iudged Impossible it is that a sonne of this sorrow should perish Had that seuentimes heated furnace any power at all somuch as to scinge the outer garments of those three noble Confessors while they preferred the suffering in that flame before they would once bow to the Tyrants Idol such a conflict is godly sorrow Againe as godly sorrow looks primarily to Gods glorie so secondarily it reflects vpon the soules speciall good namely saluation For godly sorrow worketh repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 But as for any temporall end or corporall benefit or the sauing of this present life godly sorrow takes the least care The difference in this point betweene godly and worldly sorrow is liuely set forth in those two Theeues crucified with Christ which two Theeues on each hand of Christ were a Type of all mankind of the Elect on Christs right hand and of the Reprobate on the left All were Theeues in Adam's fall And to redeeme effectually all his Elect Christ is numbred crucified with for Theeues Now the one of these Theeues belieuing confessing Christ vpon the Crosse what was the thing he aymed at His temporall life A
repriuall thereof Nothing lesse But Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome And how did hee answer his fellow Theefe but not fellow Saint Fearest thou not God Wee are righteously here wee suffer condignly Such is godly sorrow humbly submitting it selfe to all torments as duly deserued When on the contrarie the obstinate Theefe his desire was all for his temporall life If thou be Christ saue thy selfe and vs. As if Christ's sauing of himselfe had beene the way to saue them This is all the ayme of worldlings to bee no further for Christ or Religion then Christ and Religion will serue their temporall turnes at the vtmost Num. 23.10 desiring if they must needs at length dye to dye the death of the righteous and that their last end may be like his the couetous man will then because hee must become liberall giuing all from himselfe when hee can keepe it no longer the drunkard will then dye abstenious because he can drinke no more the ambitious Temporizer would dye a Child of the Truth when by neutralizing hee can rise no higher the Pontifician Priest would dye in the garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed rather then in S. Francis Cowle when now hee can gaine no more full offerings by imposing vpon the simple seduced but now to doe this re integra in their health while they may yet liue longer and get more wealth and spend more merrie dayes and rise higher and liue like Abbey Lubbers they like not to bee like the righteous man Againe godly sorrow neuer goeth alone but is accompanied with sincere and ingenuous confession of sinne to God Till Dauid did this hee was exceedingly troubled and tormented in Conscience How pittifully complayneth he Psal. 32. When I kept silence my bones waxed old c. Psal. 32 3 4. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Here Dauid's godly sorrow breaking forth and venting it selfe in an humble confession of his sinne to the Lord bringeth case and comfort to his Soule euen as a turbulent wind inclosed and pent in the bowels of the Earth causeth a terrible Earth-quake not ceassing till by some rupture it haue a vent Or as the stomacke striuing with some indigestible morsell which the inordinate appetite had swallowed downe Orig. in Ps. 37. is not eased till the same bee rendred backe againe Or as the iugling Fryars make the simple beleeue as the soule of such a rich Churle departed cannot be at rest till such his ill gotten goods bee restored to the owners at least to some religious Couent No nor then neither sith not before One ingredience more would here be added as necessarie to cause our godly sorrow to worke the more kindly and effectually to recouer sound health to the soule For it may so come to passe that the offence which the world hath taken at a mans sinne may affect a mans heart so much the more with sorrow because it hath brought a disreputation vpon his person and a staine vpon his good name whereas otherwise perhaps hee would haue made light of that sinne being concealed from the world and so haue still continued in it And againe it oftentimes yea too vsually comes to passe that for want of sound and solid repentance for former sinnes God suffers his child euen to fall into some scandalous sin with the world that so at length hee may bee throughly cast downe for all and come to a perfect hatred of all sinne And surely one sinne soundly and thorowly repented of doth mightily and maruellously arme a man against the tempters assaults for the time to come if it be but attended with a small guard of a wary watchfulnesse Whereas on on the contrary repentance slubbered ouer and dallied with causeth the enemy to grow much more audacious in new assaylments while hee obserueth vs the lesse able to resist his batteries by how much we haue beene more remisse and carelesse in the sure making vp of later breaches As a wound not throughly healed but skinned ouer festereth becommeth a greater sore Or as phisicke not working kindly doth but fit the body for more diseases For this cause then that we leaue no one corner of our deceitfull hearts vnswept and vnransackt it is behouefull for vs to call our selues to a strict and seuere account for all our former old sinnes and vpon a melius inquirendum to enter into iudgement with our selues a fresh for them as finding them now guilty of Treason which before happily we condemned but of petty Larceny when as now wee may iustly deeme that for want of due humiliation and sorrow for them they as a theefe saued from the gallowes that should haue beene put to death haue beene ready to cut our throate by leading vs on to the more bold committing of sinne For as we prophecy in part so wee practise repentance and all other duties in part And the more imperfect our repentance is for sinne past wee are not onely the more weake to stand out and resist temptations and to subdue the remainder of our corruptions but the further short we come of the inioying of those solid comforts of Gods Spirit which it poureth in greater abundance into the most penitent soule So that for the greater strengthning of the wounded soule fainting vnder the waight of some great temptation for a new sinne it is necessary to renew our repentance in a greater measure then euer for all our old sins that so the more ground wee sow with godly sorrow wee may reape the more plentifull haruest of consolation This was Dauids practise In his old age and vpon that great sinne of his hee prayes the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth which no doubt he had long agoe repented of but now vpon so fearfull a fall being driuen aground by the tempest of temptation he cannot bring his vessell off againe but with a greater spring-tide of teares in a redubled repentance But many are so mealy mouthed that for shame or pride they will not confesse at least in particular Pro. 28.13 as Dauid * Psal. 51. This euill this or that speciall sinne to God Because many times thereupon depends a necessity of restitution and satisfaction to man for the offence done Non remittitur peccatū nisi restituatur ablatum Aug. without which confession to God in such cases is vaine For the sin is not remitted vnlesse the wrong to man if it be possible be satisfied In the Law robbery cozenage violence periury had a sacrifice for it but he must withall make full restitution according to the Law the same day of his sacrifice see Leuit. 6.2 3 4 5 6 7. The fifth Preseruatiue of Conscience distressed with the feare of Gods displeasure is Prayer O the sweet and souerain helpe which Prayer frequent feruent faithfull humble Prayer
subministreth to the Soule when plunged in the deepth of perplexed dolours As Dauid in that short but pithy Penitentiall Out of the deepes haue I cryed vnto thee Ps. 130.1 O Lord. Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly Yea Out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce And when Dauid said in his hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Neuerthelesse saith hee thou heardest the voyce of my supplycations when I cryed vnto thee Prayer is of force to bring againe the dead Child to rayse dead Lazarus euen the stinking Soule out of the Graue No place no case of calamitie Spirituall or Corporall whence Prayer may not procure deliuerance Onely out of Hell is no deliuerance Why They pray not there to God In the Parable Diues prayed but to Abraham to a Saint not to God enough to cause his prayer to be reiected as not worth a drop of cold water A good example for all such Clyents as inuocate Saints for their Aduocates A practise learned from Diues in Hell but which findeth neither Precept nor Promise in the Scriptures and so can hope for no better successe Now among the many admirable vses and effects of prayer two are of singular note the first that prayer is a most effectuall antidote to preuent the committing of sinne What neede I speake of the infinite experiments my selfe haue found in this kinde Let euery child of God but take notice of his owne proofes herein For my part how many forcible temptations prouocations inuitations occasions to sinne haue made battery vpon this weak Fort when it hath beene ready to hang out the flagg of parle and of yeelding and onely prayer steps betweene working a suddaine strange alteration in the affections it bringeth a fresh supply of of grace fortifieth the weakest places repaireth the breaches repulseth the batteries causeth the enemy for that time to retreat I could produce strange instances in my selfe but I forbeare Nor is there any lawfull affaire of this life but if prayer haue an oare in it it makes the better way to arriue at the wished port But for the preuenting of sinne and restraining of our inordinate passions it is in a manner the onely effectuall meanes Neuer hath any temptation further preuailed but as prayer hath beene neglected I am sure this is true in mine owne experience And surely where the daily practise of prayer is not there it is no maruaile if Sathan keepe his reuels Dauid noting the many corruptions and abominations of wicked men and persecuting Tyrants hee renders the reason of all They call not vpon the Lord. Psa. 14·4 But doe not such men pray Yes they may but as the Pharisees in an outward formalitie and vnder a colour of long prayer they deuoure widdowes houses Who are more for a ceremonious and solemne formalitie of endlesse and superstitious prayers then the Church of Rome which yet the Holy Ghost styleth the great Whore Can such blind prayers be effectuall but to pull down vengeance vpon their heads which by their pompous solemnitie haue vndermined the verie ground-worke and Pillar of all true Religion and deuotion the preaching of the Word now turned into Masse and Matins But no maruaile if the Seuen-branched golden Candlesticke be there remoued and turned into an Idoll-Altar where the verie * Prayer in an vnknowne tongue Light of Deuotion is quite put out and the Oyle dryed vp The second principall vse of Prayer is after a man hath beene ouertaken with a temptation in any degree tending at least to the actuall committing of sinne and to the fulfilling of it in the lust thereof to rayse vp the humbled Conscience to a hopefull expectation to a constant affiance and in fine to a comfortable fruition of Gods mercie We see what strong cryes Dauid all along the most peerelesse patterne of practick pietie in this kind lifted vp when his soule was cast downe for his sinne as all his Penitentials but specially the 51 doe witnesse And surely had not the sinne-burthened Soule accesse to the Throne of Grace and Mercie by the meanes of Prayer what hope were there But Prayer is like Noah's Doue which returning brings the poore sinner tidings that the Deluge of Gods wrath is asswaged and in token thereof presents him with the Oliue-branch of peace and reconciliation Or as when God is on his March against vs with his great Army of terrible Iudgements Prayer is the Herald sent to make an humble treaty for truce And therefore in all Spirituall conflicts there is no dutie which Satan goes about more to diuert from or disturbe in then this of Prayer Yea he is readie to present a man with and to foist in a thousand by-occasions or cogiâ—ations either about our profits or pleasures thereby to diuert the Soule from praier perswading a man he may doe that as well another time as now And it is more then proaable that Dauid was thus carried away when for almost a yeeres space that sinne of his in the matter of Vriah and Bathshabe lay as a charmed Serpent sleeping in his bosome vnrepented of till Nathan came and by his Riddle vncharmed it and so rowsed him from his Lethargie Obiect But did not Dauid all that while exercise the dutie of Prayer Had he not at least the Arke in his Court and there his morning and euening Sacrifices of Prayer Answ. No doubt But it is likely hee contented himselfe with the publike solemn Seruice and Sacrifice of Prayer neglecting in the meane time his more intimous and priuate deuotion wherein hee should haue more punctually humbled his Soule cast himselfe downe naked in Gods presence and made speciall supplication for the pardon of his sinne and so haue demeaned himselfe in his holy wrastling with God in secret as he could not doe in publike with any decorum or without beeing censured by men of indiscretion or folly As Hannah for her zeallous prayer was thought of Eli to haue beene drunke or madde Or at leastwise not intermitting his times of priuate prayer yet hee remitted of that feruour and zeale of that extraordinarie sorrow and teares requisite for obtaining the pardon of such a sinne Or if among other his sinnes hee bewayled this sinne yet hee went not to the quicke hee searched not the wound to the bottome His repentance as yet was but an ordinarie and euerie-day-repentance whereas his extraordinarie sin required an extraordinarie sorrow Hee might also the while pray for mercie and pardon but not so effectually and heartily for such a measure of mercie as his sinne required And the reason that his repentance and consequently his praier for pardon at the best was not yet so sound as it ought which was the cause that as yet he found not that comfortable fruition of Gods fauour and mercie as afterwards vpon his more serious repentance was his want of due consideration in waighing the horriblenesse and hugenesse of his sinne For
a great comfort to him and a witnesse for him But yet if in any other place he hath incurred an euill suspition that way and that iustly vpon some aberration all his good carriage among his owne people what will it profit Is not the world apt to take euery thing in the worst part in euil concluding substances vpon shadowes and fruits of radicall iniquity where she seeth but a leafe or blossome of corruption sprouting forth beneath the new grafting of the old Crab-tree-stocke and in good contrary esteeming the substances of holinesse but as shaddowes of hypocrisie and the fruites of piety but as leaues of pride and ostentation What comfort then may hee hope for this way seeing a false suspicion once rooted is hardly remooued but passeth for currant as if the worst that could bee said were too true And it is too common that that Monster many-tongued Fame in speaking euill will as farre ouershoot all bounds of truth through malice as in speaking well shee vsually commeth as farre short through enuy But they are a louing people 1 Cor. 13 And loue couers a multitude of sinnes it reioyceth not in iniquity but in the truth is not easily prouoked thinketh no euill it beareth all things beleeueth all things in the better part hopeth all things endureth all things Indeed aâ—though to a faithfull Pastour nothing is more deare more desired effectu non affectu if so it please God as an event of his labour not as the end of his desires as the blessing of God not as an Idol of his owne making then the loue of his people which inioying he is the better armed against all discouragements and difficulties yet here is the mischiefe that when he hath by the expence of much paines and peril purchased their loue now it greeues him so much the more if not altogether to loose yet to haue hazzarded the losse of it through the least defect or default on his part So that hitherto he can find no solid comfort Where then Surely hee must goe to the God of comfort He must still againe and againe vpon the redoubling of the waues and returning of the stormes with the Disciples in bodily distresse come to Christ saying Master saue me or I perish All other comforts are but as the Egyptian Reed which the more leaned vpon pierce more deeply Thus did Dauid Psal. 142. when all other outward comforts failed him I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soule What then where should hee finde comfort I cryed vnto thee O Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the liuing And here it is worth our obseruation how Dauid goes about to lay sure and fast hold vpon the hornes of Gods Altar He intitles and ingages God onely in the quarrell of his sinne as hauing offended none but him alone Against Thee Thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight See how he doubleth the Emphasis Against Thee Thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Why had not Dauid offended and sinned against men also against Vriah his life his wife and those other that dyed with him for company yea against the whole Church against the very enemies of the Lord causing them to blaspheme c. How then saith he here Against Thee Thee only 2 Sam. 11 To omit other interpretations of this speech some referring it to David as King whom none but God could punish some as Gods Child some as spoken comparatiuely betweene God and men that though he had offended men much yet God most not onely in regard of his Law violated but of his loue vnkindly rewarded others that Dauids sinne was knowne onely to God and concealed from men in that he saith In thy sight although neither Dauids adultery with Bathshabe nor his murther of Vriah could possibly bee so closly carried but his Court and Campe and so the world might take notice of them he hauing imployed messengers to fetch the one and Ioab to betray the other had made Vriah drunke which smelled strong enough and beeing dead Ioab bids the messenger say to Dauid Thy seruant Vriah is slaine also which he knew would pacifie Dauid for that his dishonourable defeat and wherefore this I note mainly that howsoeuer men might make either the best or the worst of all this either by flattering him to his face as being a King or flowting him behind his backe as hauing enemies so that comfort he could no where finde hereupon he makes his appeale to Gods iudgement seat With whom was mercy from mans of whom he could expect but little he pleades that if any had cause to iudge then God most of all wherein Dauid desires that God would take the matter into his owne hand Dauid knowing well enough that the principall Creditor being satisfied the same will take such order with all the rest as to worke the debters peace with them vpon reasonable termes sith he hath all their hearts in his hands and is alone able by his Grace to satisfie them so as no dammage shall come vnto them by their forbearance Againe that Gods Minister in this case may find comfort in his Ministerie among his people hee must obserue another practise of Dauid which is to haue his heart established by Grace and that not onely in the assured pardon of his sinne but also in the sinceritie of his conuersion from it that hee may the more cheerfully apply himselfe to instruct others Psal. 51. Note Dauid's words well Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities That 's for the pardon of his sinne and the discharge of his debt to God What then followes Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me that is a cleane heart from the guilt of sinne past and a right Spirit to abhorre and auoid sinne to come And he adds Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore vnto me the ioy of thy Saluation and vphold me with thy free Spirit How doth hee labour to fortifie himselfe in Gods fauour and grace And what then Then will I teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Then and not before when a Minister hath found peace with God in the pardon of his sinne hee may with comfort of Conscience apply himselfe in his Ministry to bee an instrument of conuerting others vnto God As Christ said to Peter When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren As Dauid goes on Deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my Saluation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse Nor did Salomon become a Preacher of Repentance to other before hee had first repented himselfe And Esay being a man of
A like symptomes in both How shall wee then discerne the good from the bad Conscience Surely thus The bad Conscience and quiet is that whose tranquilitie or calme is contracted either of a benummednesse Consuetâ—do peccandi tollit sensum peccati and Cawle growne ouer it through long custome in sinne or from a profound ignorance of the nature of sinne and of the Law of God or from a prophane contempt of sauing knowledge and the meanes thereof and the like such are said by the Prophet to bee at ease setled vpon their lees Ier. 48.11 not poured from vessell to vessell but the good Conscience and quiet is that whose peace after trouble for sinne as a calme after a storme floweth from no other Fountaine but the mercie of God in Christ apprehended by Faith for the pardon of the sinnes of the belieuing penitent sinner as the Apostle concludeth Therefore being iustified by Faith Rom. 5.1 we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee that wants this Conscience flowing from Faith which layeth one hand on the Sacrifice Christ saying Lord be mercifull and so repentance laying the other hand on sinne saying To me a sinner can neuer goe home iustified his Conscience wants the true peace And this peace and quiet of a good Conscience is further setled by a firme purpose of pleasing God in all good duties for the time to come As the same Apostle saith Pray for vs for we trust wee haue a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 willing to liue honestly So that the good Conscience looks both waies both backwards finding true peace in Christs righteousnes by Gods mercie imputed and by Faith apprehended and applyed for the pardon of sinne past and forwards with a sincere purpose of reformation and conformitie to the Word of God for the time to come willing resoluing and indeuouring to liue honestly This is the good Conscience and quiet Again the bad Conscience and vnquiet is that which being strucke with the sting of sinne either with Iudas and Achitophel runs to the halter as if that were the next way to heale it or by diuersion seekes to put it off as Cain fals a building of Cities and following his pleasures if so he may charme the Serpents biting or skin ouer the wound or weare out the skarre and ruthfull remembrance or still the hideous cry of his horrid murther or by this kind of Dictamne cause the mortall Arrow sticking in his side to loosen away But the good Conscience and troubled is that which for sinne being humbled and vpon repentance through Faith hearing The Lord hath put away thy sinne yet as a woman with her after-birth is exercised with grieuous conflicts afterwards It was Dauids case after his absolution pronounced by the Prophet from God whereupon hee might and did no doubt for the present find solid and assured comfort Yet how many a bitter storme doth he indure in his soule How many a sharpe fit So that as a man in an Hecticke feuer without intermission hee cryeth out Thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night And Ps. 32. Ps. 38. There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor any rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as an heauy burthen they are too heauy for me All his penitentiall Psalmes breathe nothing else but groanes and sighes from a troubled Spirit Yet all the while hee possessed a good Conscience though the fruition thereof was for a time to his greater humiliation and exercise of his Faith denied and suspended from him Holy Paul in that perillous Nauigation though hee was comforted by the Angel with a promise of safetie for his owne life and theirs which sayled with him yet arriued not at the Port without great difficultie and with the losse of the lading and wracke of the Ship So Gods Child as Dauid though vpon repentance for sinne hee haue his Pardon sealed and life secured yet so hideous are the stormes of renued remorse for sinne which still lye beating vpon his brittle Barke that hee must suffer much dammage temporall before hee can vpon the Planke of redubled repentance waft and worke himselfe to reach the calme and comfortable Hauen of Melita This is that Conscience that troubled Conscience of the Conflicts and Comforts whereof wee are here to speake For as for the afflicted bad Conscience as of all such as liue in a knowne sinne without repentance and now and then are troubled with some fearefull qualmes comming ouer their stomacks while they seeke to haue not the cause which is sinne but the effect onely remoued Wee purpose not to bee troubled with such In such cases let the Adulterer repent and beccome continent the Drunkard repent and become sober the oppressing Vsurer repent and restore and become liberall to the poore and so in the rest Otherwise neuer let them looke for any true comfort and peace of Conscience Yet for their better instruction such also may reape much helpe by this Treatise to further them in the practise of true repentance thereby to obtaine true peace of Conscience For here we propound and describe the case of a troubled Conscience in the highest degree together with the remedies of it that so no troubled Conscience in any lesse degree or kind might here faile to find comfort in time of need For he that knowes how to cure the greatest wound can the more easily cure the lesse CONFLICTS AND COMFORTS OF CONSCIENCE CHAP. I. The first conflict or triall wherein the conscience of a man regenerate apprehending Gods wrath for sin is perillously shaken IT is the nature of all sinne once committed by guilt to affect the conscience with a fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath both temporall and eternall as due to the sinner It was decreed so in the beginning by an vnchangeable law of God In the day thou eatest thereof Gen. â— thou shalt dye the death And no sooner had Adam transgressed but an horror seased vpon his soule hee heares Gods voyce he feares flyes hides himselfe What 's the matter now Adam where art thou might God well say not in what place but in what case art thou surely the Serpent had left his sting in Adams Conscience Now hee is affrighted with hearing Gods voyce but a farre off as of a Iudge sending forth a Hue Cry or summons to the malefactor to appeare before him whom before he ioyed to behold as a dutifull sonne delighting in the presence of his louing and liberall father Ob. But Adam was afterwards receiued to mercy and that by a new couenant of Grace the old of workes being vtterly forfeited and that in and through Christ the promised seed of the woman Is not then the case of mans Conscience now altered Can the member of Christ the vessell of grace the heire of life eternall bee from henceforth repossessed with any such apprehension as of Gods wrath
eternall due vnto him for his sinne Farre be it Can he who is once iustified from his sinne by faith in Christ fall backe into the state of condemnation Rom. 8.33 34 35 11.29 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Ioh. 23.1 Rom. 8.35 And are not the gifts and calling of God without repentance And whom God loueth he loueth to the end And who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 And are not the elect of God kept through faith by the power of God vnto saluation and hath he not said I wil not faile thee Heb. 13.5 nor forsake thee True Notwithstanding such is the malignant poyson of sin euen in the regenerate that though the dominion thereof be taken away so as it cannot lead the faithfull away captiue to death eternall yet the guilt of it may so sease vpon the Conscience the thicke cloud of his sin may so eclipse Gods louing countenance from him as that hee may for the time seeme in his owne apprehension to bee a very cast-away yea and that euen then when God is in Christ reconciled to him Euen as a father when his sonne hath offended yea hath beene humbled for it confessed it intreated pardon of his Father though his father cannot put off the bowels of naturall affection nor ceases to loue his sonne still but purposeth to bestow the inheritance vpon him yet shewes him nothing but an angry countenance layes the rod vpon him threatens to disinherit him and all this but in loue wisedome disciplining his sonne both for the sounder reformation of what is past and securer preuention of further offences which otherwise hee might fall into It is the Apostles comparison Whom the Lord loueth he chastiseth and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth Our earthly fathers for a few daies chastened vs for their pleasures but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous yet afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised thereby And surely of all other chastenings none so terrible as this of the Conscience being lashed with the cords of its owne sinne All Iobs corporall afflictions no way comparable to this What a lamentable voyce was that vttered by Dauid I said I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes And that My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And infinite the like wofull conflicts had holy Dauid with the apprehension of Gods displeasure against him for his sinne There is no death no hell so terrible as this when the blacke hellish cloud of sin comes betweene the soule and the sun-shine of Gods fauourable countenance Ob. But how comes this of the nature of sinne seeing that not all nor most sinnes do vsually cause this apprehension of Gods dreadfull displeasure in a mans soule How many a couetous voluptuous ambitious carnall-minded man passeth away without touch of any such apprehension of Gods wrath yea on the contrary the more hee thriueth in the fruition of his sinnefull desire the more hee flattereth himselfe in the presumption of Gods fauour towards him which is the ordinary error of the world to measure Gods friendship by outward prosperity which Dauids carnall judgement once had almost led him into Psal. 73 Answ. It is not the nature but the accessory decâ—itfulnesse of sin growing from a habit custome of sinning wherewith the soule being possessed becomes stupified and voyde of all apprehension through Sathans inchantments sounding in the eares Mercy mercy and closing the eyes from once looking vpon the iustice of God of diuine indignation Yet all this while sin is not idle but as a worme lyes gnawing at the stomacke of the dead conscience and as the moth doth by little and little insensibly fret away all the softer and tenderer part of the soule leauing nothing at length Sensim sine sensu but the knotty thred of an inueterate stupiditie Againe there is great difference betweene the sinnes of the regenerate and of the vnregenerate For although habituall corruptions bee in the one as well as in the other but in the regenerate inherent and inhabitant onely in the vnregenerate also regnant and predominant though some one corruption more conspicuously and actually predominant aboue the rest as the Belzebub or ring-leader Yet those indwelling inmates in the regenerate though they be but as the Gibeonites captiuated to Israel and as the reliques of the Canaanites made Tributaries Iudg. 3. but not expelled though I say the corrupt old man bee subdued to the new man which after God in Christ is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse yet are they very grieuous to the Saints being as thornes in their sides and prickes in their eyes molesting them continually and causing euen the holiest to exclaime O wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Whereas on the contrary the corruptions in the vnregenerate though raigning and raging lusts yet are no whit troublesome or burthensome to them except then only when by some outward impediment they are crossed cannot inioy their wished desire to the full or else when Sathan at the houre of death or so hauing hem vpon the hipp as we say or at aduantage in some perillous temptation presents vnto them the hideous shape of those their foule enormities that so downe the precipice of desperation they may tumble headlong into the infernall pit Againe the Conscience both for the naturall quicknesse and tendernesse of it is not vnfitly compared to the eye Now the eye that is sound how is 〈◊〉 offended with the least moate falling into it nor is it quiet till it be quit of it whereas the vnsound eye hauing a thicke and hard Filme growne ouer it yet is not sensible of any Paine though now depriued of sight The sound eye is the conscience of the regenerate man which is offended with the least moate of sinne yea with the very motion onely crying out who shall deliuer but the vnsound eye is the conscience of the vnregenerate which being ouergrown with the hard filme of habituated corrupt humours and lusts is no lesse voyde of the sense of any trouble then of the sight of his sinne Now as the regenerate cry out of their inherent corruptions 〈◊〉 so much more when vpon any preualent temptation working vpon and taking aduantage of their want of instant and constant watchfulnes ouer their soules their corruptions breake forth into at least some degree of act and so as it causeth scandall hereupon their sorrow is infinitly aggrauated and their soules cast downe into the very gulfe of horror and terrors of the wrath of God Now they are wrapped in a thousand sad perplexities Now they fall a arguing Sathans sophistry being ready with his scriptum est that surely God
his sinnes are lesse then they be that so hee may neuer come soundly to repent of them or else when the sinner begins to be humbled and to be ouer-shooes in sorrow the diuell is ready to push him ouer boots yea to plunge him ouer head and cars he presents him with a false glasse wherein he beholds his sinnes beyond all measure monstrous and aboue all example But herein he lyeth There is no sinne incident to the condition of Gods childe wherein some of Gods dearest Saints haue not gone before whereof ye haue examples of highest nature of sundry kinds For we speake not here of diabolicall sinne committed with a high hand and such for which a man finds no place for repentance as prophane Esau or Iudas or those Pharisees and high Priests which sinned against the holy Ghost Heb. 12.9 But we speake of the sinnes incident to Gods Saints which for the outward act are not inferiour to the greatest sinnes of reprobates but they differ mainely in the inward affection Iudas for loue of mony betraid his Master Peter for feare of his life denied him both repented but the halter sent Iudas to his place mercy receiued Peter to his Apostleship Ahab committed murther for a field Dauid for a wife both repented But as their hearts mainly differed in the committing of sin so in their repentance so that Dauid vpon his harty repentance obtained remission of his sinne but with temporall iudgements to his further humiliation saluation Ahab vpon his hypocriticall repentance obtained an intermission or adiournment of temporall punishment to his vtter condemnation and perdition For Ahab as all such reprobates committed sinne with his whole heart but repented by halfes Dauid as the Regenerate on the contrary they sinne by halfes but repent with their whole heart For the reprobate is all flesh all the old man but the regenerate is diuided betweene the old man and the new It is no more I that sinne saith Paul in the person of the regenerate but sinne that dwelleth in me In the reprobate in the seruice of sinne the flesh is wholly taken vp but in spirituall duties it is altogether lame and vntoward as the fish out of his element But in the regenerate it is the flesh onely that sinneth but the spirit only that repenteth And though we cannot so sensibly discerne this difference of sinne by the outward act suffice it that God who seeth not as man seeth clearely beholdeth to put a maine difference betweene the sinnes of the one and of the other to giue repentance or to deny pardon Now to bring this downe to euery mans heart In what degrees of men shall we finde a waightier instance then among the Ministers of the Gospell who are persons of highest note of holiest calling and such as if they sinne against the Lord as Eli said to his sonnes the Priests who shall intreat for them 1 Sam. 2.25 Yet God forbid that such hauing sinned should despaire Non itaque c. as one in Saint Augustine saith Although the Priest haue sinned hee ought not therefore to despaire De vera falsa paenit lib. cap. 5. iâ— the 4. tom of S Aug. morkâ—s notwithstanding it be written who shall intreat for him Tota namque Ecclesia c. For the whole Church and some other Priest and the whole order of the Saints shall pray for him and Christ himselfe who offereth himselfe to God for vs Sed ideo considerandum c. But therfore a Priest must be heedfull least he easily fall whose sinne is noted to be the more grieuous Dicat apud se c. Let him say with himselfe If the people empty of the word of God shal offend I must beare part of the burthen I dare not lay heauy loads vpon them and not moue them with mine owne finger But if I sinne what shall I doe I shall not so easily escape I must bewaile my misery For I am of a higher condition then the people vnder me Sic Sacerdos timeat peccare sed magis timeat desperare So the Priest let him both feare to sinne but much more feare to despaire So that of all examples the Ministers sinne is most dangerous and difficultest to be pardoned either of God or man Now because I cannot be so bold with any to make instances of as with my selfe being a Minister of the Gospell what though my hart cannot check me of committing the like actuall sinne of Adultery as Dauid or of fornicaâ—ion as Salomon and blessed be God whose onely grace and not any godnesse or power in my selfe hath preserued me from committing any such sinne actually so much as once in all my life Or much lesse of Murther or of abiuration of the Lord â—esus Christ my mercifull Redeemer Or least of all of any habttuall raigning affections as couetousnesse ambition and the like Yet being sensible of â—y many corruptions sundry â—â—berations in life absurd and wicked follies which might be veniall in others but become mortall in me as being such which haue brought a wound not onely to my Soule before God but to my good name in the world insomuch as neither the world can bee otherwise perswaded of me but that I am a sonne of Belial some prophane hypocrite loose person or the like nor yet mine owne conscience can be otherwise satisfied but that the least degree of sinne in me may stand in comparison with the greatest enormities that euer any of Gods children haue of frailty fallen into What shall I doe in this case whether shall I turne mee when I may sit mee downe in sad solitarinesse and thus debate deplore my forlorne estate What such a one as I commit the least folly A Minister of Christ was â—uer any so absurd euer any of Gods Prophets or Priestes or Apostles or Ministers I meane not traiterous Iudasses or couetous Demasses or ambitious Dioâ—repheses or adulterous Hophnies and Phineasses or such like which continuing in their sinnes vnrepented vnreformed haue nothing of the sacred calling but the bare name what comfort can these examples minister to a faithfull Minister ouertaken with any fault whereas themselues perished in their sins But I meane the better the best sort Yes I finde Dauid committed adulterie Murther yet a holy Prophet and repented and was receiued to mercie Salomon had many Concubines many Idoll-gods yet a holy Type of Christ and repented and was receiued to mercie Peter denyed forswore his Master Christ yet a holy Apostle and repented and was receiued to mercie What then Haue my sinnes euer-topped theirs that I should despaire of their mercie Or is my person or calling holyer or higher then theirs that it should so aggrauate a lesse sinne in mee as to make it equiualent or transcendent to theirs Farre bee it Beeing so then here is comfort for me Onely this account I must make withall that the higher reckoning my least sinne amounts vnto beeing racked vp to the highest pin by
the height of my holy calling the deeper I must bee plunged in the verie gulfe of griefe and humiliation for the same Considering that as great a Sacrifice was offered for the Priest's sinne alone Leui. 4.3 14. as for the whole Congregation though each sinned alike in the same kind Dauid Salomon Peter all smarted for their sinne And who would buy sinne at so deare a rate as they payd for it But yet they found mercie and fauour at Gods hand This was their comfort And their example is my comfort also For why should any man beholding such examples of Gods super-abundant mercy in pardoning sinnes of highest nature hee hauing sinned not by the patronage of their example but by the imprudence of his own impotent passions Why say I should any man out of a comfortlesse deiection shut himselfe out from all hope of Gods mercie as an abiect or out-cast and not rather with the hand of Faith and repentance which neuer knew how to be repulsed knocke at that gate of Grace which so easily was opened to them yea which of its owne accord more readily then that yron gate did to Peter will open to euerie faithfull penitent sinner Yea for this cause for our sakes are those examples written and left as euerlasting monuments that no Adulterer no Idolater no denyer of Christ should despaire of mercie vpon repentance And though these examples are written for all yet are they most proper for Gods Ministers when they are humbled for any sinne or offence against God or his people least the checke of their holy calling might altogether amate them and leaue them comfortlesse and so expose them as a prey to the Destroyer But blessed be God who hath prouided such Treacle made of the Mummy of his dead Saints to cure his liuing ones of the Serpents mortall Sting Yet the while I ascribe no more to these examples but as excellent adiuuants to faith it being the principall instrument whereby the Soule in her deepest thirst as with a bucket drawes the waters of comfort out of the Wells of Saluation the head Fountaine whereof is Christ. In this Poole of Bethesda in this Fountaine set open for Israel whosoeuer are washed are cured of all their maladies So that if the Adulteresse had neuer an example of a penitent Mary Magdalen Acts. nor the Abiurer of Christ a penitent Peter nor the Coniurer of those penitent Magitians nor the Persecuter of Christ in his Members of a penitent Paul nor the Idolater of a penitent Salomon or Manasses nor the Sacrilegious person of a penitent Achan If an Extortioner or cunning Cauiller had neuer an example of a penitent Zacheus making restitution nor a whole sinfull State of a penitent Niniueh nor the cowardly or sleepie Minister of a penitent Ionah nor the Theefe of that penitent on the Crosse Yet if all all kind of sinners looke but vpon Christ with the eye of sauing Faith vpon him they shall find all their iniquities layd all their burthens borne all their debts discharged all their bills cancelled all their stripes healled Those stung with the fiery flying Serpents some more Num. 21. some lesse all mortally some in the head some in the feet some in the eies some in the hands some in the brest or else-where yet all that looked on the brazen Serpent liued So all sinners stung by the old fierie flying Serpent some after one manner or measure some after another but all mortally the least sting of sinne wounding to death whether it bee in the eye of lust or in the feet of affections or in the hand of action or in the head of inuention or in the brest of conception or the like none liue but such as with the eye of a liuing Faith look vpon Christ Ioh. 3.14 15. lifted vp vpon the Pole of his Crosse. There thou mayest see all thy sinnes nayled all punished in thy Sauiour no lim of his body was free no one facultie of his Soule vntormented to satisfie and heale all thy wounds which sinne hath made in any member of thy body in any facultie of thy Soule or in all together Yet I say out of the super-abundancie of Gods care that no meanes should be wanting vnto his Saints to preserue them from perishing it hath pleased him to leaue vnto vs the most notable examples of his mercie to his dearest and greatest of his Saints offending for the help of our weake Faith in Christ that no temptation no not sin it selfe armed with all the power of Hell should be able to pull vs out of his hand The seuenth Preseruatiue to comfort the Conscience in the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne is the exercise of outward afflictions which falling vpon Gods Child after his sinne committed they are the tokens of our heauenly Fathers loue who leaueth vs not to our selues to follow our follies but mercifully chastizeth vs to our betterment So the Lord saith If my Children forsake my Law Psal. 89. and walke not in my Iudgments c. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquitie with stripes Neuerthelesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile Lo heere a speciall marke of Gods fatherly loue to his Children in correcting them with his Rod. Thus God dealt with Dauid when after hee had pardoned his sinne yet he spares not to lay load of afflictions vpon him Supplicia peccatoruÌ„ post remissioneÌ„ certamina esse exercitationesque iâ—storum Aug de Peccat mer. remiss li. â— c. 33 Not that afflictions are penall satisfactions for sinne but paternall corrections and medicinall applycations and exemplarie instructions and admonitions euen to warne the vngodly also For if God spare not his owne Child How shall the rebellious Seruant escape Yet out of this eater came meat out of this strong and bitter came sweetnesse vnto Dauid's Soule Psa. 23. For he saith Thy rod and thy staffe comfort mee as well the rod of thy correction as the staffe of supportation and protection comfort me Hast thou sinned then and doth God by and by not deferre to correct thee Be so farre from imputing this to the anger of God towards thee as rather hence gather assurance that this affliction is from the verie bowels of a louing and wise Father who will not pamper thee in thy childish folly but will humble thee to doe thee good at thy later end that thou mayst glorifie him in that quiet fruit of righteousnesse which affliction bringeth forth in all those who are his true-bred Children Aug. de serbis Domini ser. 37. Magnae misericordiae est nequitiae impunitatem non relinquere ne cogatur in extremo Gehennae damnare modò flagello dignatur castigare It is Gods great mercie not to leaue sinne vnpunished and that hee vouchsafeth now to chastise with the whip that hee may not bee compelled to condemne in the extremitie of
Hell fire Obiect But will some man say Although I confesse with griefe I haue grieuously offended God in such or such a manner and that to the scandall of others Yet I thanke God he hath hitherto spared mee forbearing to lay temporall afflictions vpon me and so as I am sorrie for my sinnes so I trust hee hath pardoned mee and accounts me as his owne Child Answ. Let no man take this as a signe that therefore God loues him because hee doth not afflict him although he hath committed some grieuous sinne But in this case looke that thou bring not thy selfe into a fooles Paradise Thou maist iustly suspect that all is not right with thee that as yet thou hast not soundly repented thee of thy sinne For tell me what measure yea what manner of ioy thou findest in God Is it not rather carnall then spirituall Rather carnall that thy person is spared from affliction and thou inioyest outward prosperity then spirituall that thou findest any solid comfort of the pardon of thy sinne sealed vnto thee by Gods spirit Would yee not thinke Dauid was a iolly and ioyfull man so long as that hony-moone lasted during the festiuities of his new Bride and Nuptials sporting himselfe in his wished pleasures not onely now inioying but possessing his Bathshabe for wife Did he not take himselfe trow you for a man in high fauour with God and that now all was whole againe God and hee good friends his sinne if all this while hee thought it a sinne fully expiated and all made vp in the marriage But tell me what if God had left Dauid in this his prosperity wherein he said I shall neuer be moued What if hee had not sent Nathan with a rod in his hand to whip Dauid But God will not leaue his childe so It is not long but he disciplines him to make him know himselfe And be thou well assured whosoeuer thou art that hast thy portion in God thou must looke for thy portion of afflictions And til then neuer thinke thou art as thou shouldest be * Deus vnicū habuit filium sine flagitio nullum sine flagello Aug. God had but one Sonne without sinne but not one without sorrow But if God deferre to afflict thee for thy sin past do not thou delay so much the more to humble thy soule yea the more pains thou must take therewith the more God spareth outwardly to humble thee Seeing that outward affliction well vsed is a good helpe to our humiliation Hereupon followeth the last Preseruatiue to omit others to wit the fruit which true humiliation worketh in the soule Hee that can command light out of darknesse can also and doth so produce good out of euill that hee would not else suffer his elect to sinne were it not that he is able to cause it to be an occasion of a farre greater good then the euil can counteruaile Augustine saith God causeth all things to cooperate for good to them that loue him Aug. de Corrept grat◠◠cap. 9. Vsque a deo prorsus omnia vt etiam siqui eorum deuiant exorbitant etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores yea in such sort euen all things that if any of them doe stray or decline from the right path he causeth this very same to further their good because they return more humble and wise Now the fruit which true repentance bringeth forth is that which differenceth it mainly from counterfeit repentance For counterfet repentance may be very like the true like that of Iudas consisting of contrition confession and satisfaction but what was the fruit of it he went hanged himself Ahabs repentance was a very formall penance but what was the fruit of it Hee continued still in his Idolatries hee hated the true Prophets of God and harkened to the Prophets of Baal to his destruction But these were not the fruits worthy or beseeming amendment of life which euery true penitent must bring forth as Iohn the Baptist preached Now the fruits of true repentance are manifold As Psal. 38.17 a continuall godly sorrow for sinne past a greater care to auoid all sinne and that especially wherein he hath most offended 2 Cor. 7◠10. a greater zeale of Gods glory which we haue dishonoured a greater indeuour to profit his Church which we haue scandalized and euery kinde of way to redeeme the time Hence it is that after Peters teares for his threefold denial Iohn 21. Christ askes him three times Simon Peter louest thou me To which Peter orderly replying Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Christ addes three times Feede my Sheepe intimating to Peter that as he had dishonoured God and scandalized his Church by a threefold deniall so now he must so much the more treble his labour in feeding Gods sheepe thereby to win the more honour to God and profit to his Church yea and as Peter had denied Christ at his death for the sauing of his owne life so Christ immediately after tels him how he must by his death glorifie God Ioh. 21.18 19. We see also what abundant fruits Dauids repentance brought forth to the sound instruction and sweet consolation of Gods Church to the worlds end so in Salomon and others Paul for his many persecutings and hauocks of the Church did afterwards labour more abundantly then all his fellowes As Christ said to Peter who by his fall weakened and scandalized his brethren When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren And who more fit to comfort others consciences then they that haue been exercised with the bitter conflicts thereof themselues As the Apostle saith Blessed be God the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God And to this end holy Dauid was not ashamed to display his sinfull wretched condition to all the world that Gods Church might reape the fruit thereof by his admonitions and consolations And what though the mouthes of railing Shimeies were opened vpon him calling him a sonne of blood and of Belial Yet Dauid meekely holds on his course in bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance the benefit whereof might redound to all that feare God For a conclusion of this point let the penitent labor to get assurance to himselfe of the fauour of God and that by the obseruation of two things first of Gods dealing with vs since our sinne and vpon our repentance for the same I cannot say simply after our repentance sith our whole life must be a continuall repentance And first to obserue the comforts of God in vs. Where we must note that God is very wary in pouring into our wounded soules a greater plenty of the oyle of comfort but with much mixture of the sharpe corrosiue vinegar yea he distilleth
polluted lips had no heart to prophecie to others before the Seraphim had touched his lips with a coale from the Altar saying Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie is taken away and thy sinne purged Whereupon Esay now can say Here I am send me Esa. 6.7 So that a Ministers peace with God giues him comfort and courage to preach to others that grace and mercie whereof himselfe hath had particular experience As Paul saith For this cause I obtained mercie 1 Tim. 1.16 that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter belieue on him to life euerlasting But on the contrarie I see not with what confidence or courage a Minister can stand in the presence of God and in the face of his Congregation either to instruct others in righteousnesse which himselfe followeth not or to reproue them of sinne whereof himselfe repenteth not Famous is that example of Origen Centur. 3. cap. 10 who for his offering of Incense to the Idoll being excommunicated from the Church of Alexandria and comming to Ierusalem and there intreated yea and in a manner inforced to preach vnto them hee going vp to the Pulpit as if hee would preach recited those words in the Psalm But to the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Hee no sooner had read these words but closing the Booke fell into a sad and bitter weeping and that so abundantly that as a stream it carried the affections of the whole assembly with it to weepe for companie and that out of a fellow-feeling of those compunctions of heart which so stopped his mouth and opened the flood-gates of repentance for his late sacrificing to the Idol and for other his errours whereinto he was said to fall after that his fall Such an insupportable burden is sinne vnrepented vpon a Ministers Conscience that till by the mercie of God hee be well lightened of it vneath he shall beare the Lords burthen vnto the people But vpon his humble repentance being at peace with God and hauing obtained the comfort of his Spirit and the assistance of his grace to settle him in the state of a good Conscience and of a holy life hereupon he becomes imboldened to preach of mercy to others whereof himselfe hath so plentifully tasted and wherby sinners may be conuerted vnto God Thirdly The Minister as hee hath offended his Flocke any way iustly he must labour to make them satisfaction And this stand sin foure things especially First In dubbling his labour and diligence in the faithfull discharge of his Ministry that what he hath formerly lost by any kind of neglect either in life or Doctrine hee may endeuour to regaine Secondly In labouring so much the more to set forth himselfe as a patterne of a true belieuer in faith in patience and other vertues wherby the calling not onely of a Christian but of a Minister and Pastour of Gods people is adorned So that the constant example of his carriage and course for the time to come may be as a mouth to signifie to all his exceeding humiliation and sorrow for his sinnes past his hatred and detestation of all sinne in himselfe and others and his earnest care and purpose of hart expressed in his practise vtterly to abandon and auoid the like and all sinne for the time to come setting himselfe with all boldnesse to reproue sinne in others which now they may behold so hatefull to himselfe turning also his people that setting themselues to speedie repentance they need not to doubt of Gods mercie towards them seeing that the sinne of their Pastour was not denyed it Thirdly To be continually exercised in feruent prayer for his people that from henceforth they may reape infinitely more profite by his Ministry and example of life then formerly they haue receiued hurt by any his neglect or occasion This will be a meanes through Gods speciall blessing cooperating to reconcile and reunite the peoples hearts to their Pastour and to cause all things to succeed happily betweene them Lastly He must practise the Spirit of meekenesse towards the weake labouring to restore such considering his owne selfe who hath beene and lest hee may be yet tempted And to bee patient towards all that if he meet with any vnkind affronts or closse biting malicious frumpes hee either answer not at all remembring that God hath layd that burthen vpon him or else lest the malicious may thus being let goe perish in his sinne hee is to admonish him either priuatly or if occasion require publickly before all the companie so as they may learne to feare God lest they turne the fall of their brother through weakenesse now repented now recouered into their own presumptuous ruine irrecouerable But neuer to retort or returne rebuke for rebuke euen as Dauid would shew no reuenge vpon cursing cursed Shimei hoping God would doe him good for his cursing that day and knowing that God would not hold Shimei guiltlesse but without repentance without peace bring him to the graue as it befell Shimei Thus may the afflicted and humbled Conscience of Gods Minister bee through Gods grace and mercie inabled in some good mâ—asure to beare vp against such winds and waues of tryall and in time to ouercome them Although when he hath done his best and suffered much yet hee must make account neuer to bee quit of his paine altogether till death but as a hurt or bruise in the body in youth it will become an ach and symptome of old age accompanying him to his graue As Dauid in his old age complaines of the aches of those sinnes in his youth still sticking in his bones when hee said Psa 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth c. So that he must conclude and resolue with Hezechiah Esa 15. I shall goe softly all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule And say with Dauid My sorrow is continually before me And euer to make this vse of his former sinnes euen to bee humbled in his best graces and most beautifull actions and prouoked to aspire to all perfection therin not fearing now to be proud who hath such cause to be humbled CHAP. V. The third Conflict arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended IT was no small griefe to the Spouse when she said My Mothers children were angry with me Cant. 1.6 and 5.7 And againe The Watchmen that went about the Citie found me they smote me they wounded me the Keepers of the Walls tooke away my vaile from me The least offence giuen by a Minister if it shall be taken to heart of the whole Sacred fraternitie and made theirs when the Delinquent considereth it what a torment is it to his Conscience when hee shall now see their countenances auerse full of high indignation and
greater sinner then thou art a Sauiour Nor dost thou saue but the soule humbled with or for sinne nor dost thou salue but the wounded spirit And if no physicke can worke with me Crudelem medicum intemperans ager saut Sen. but such sharpe corrosiues Satans buffeting messengers then cut ceare spare not so thou curest me so thou workest in me such a gracious both humiliation for sinnes and humility in the vse of thy graces that being made lower then all contempt I may be hid in the dust vntill the indignation passe ouer alwaies waiting and longing for thy comming to iudgement when all sinne in thine elect shall be for euer abolished the root remoued the guilt remitted the staine washed the reproach wiped away the scars couered with beauty the scorne with glory Euen so come Lord Iesus But alas O Lord in the meane time how many are the sharpe conflicts which thy seruant must still looke to incounter with in the poore remaines if ought yet remaine of this momentany life Temptations to new temptations for old sinnes no security for the future no safty for the present terrours within fightings without no peace but onely in thee with thee How shall my Arke ouercome such a deluge my Barke beare vp against such billowes of Satans assaults of the worlds affronts as still abide me still abase me vnlesse thou the great Pilot rebuke represse restraine them adding new strength to my wearied and weatherbeaten soule to resist to ouercome Is it possible that a poore wretch forlorne forsaken of all should subsist but by an Omnipotent hand supporting Herein doth the excellency of thy grace most clearely shine as in preuenting thy Saints from falling into many enormities so much more when fallen and that into some scandalous offence the strongest of al trials in preseruing them from falling away from their faith and affiance in thee euen then when all men in face and affection are fallen away from them Soueraigne is that grace which preuents the fault but much more that ouercomes the guilt as health is more easily kept then recouered This was that all-sufficient grace of thine whereby Dauid bore vp against infinite trials and troubles inward outward by reason of his sinne A president or example sufficient to vindicate the glory of thy Grace in preseruing thy Saints from falling away from thee against all opposition And now Lord be pleased so to sustaine the weakest of all thy seruants from sinking vnder the wares euen of most violent temptations that in him all may see that all-sufficient indeficient grace of thine in thine elect being in them a well of liuing water springing vp vnto euerlasting life neuer failing nor forsaking them O neuer suffer mee thy seruant to become a spectacle of desertion least the world should say Either is that no true grace from whence the professours of grace do fall or being true they are no true Prophets that once hauing it come to loose it Thus shall my sliding be imputed to the impotency of my corrupt nature but my subsistiâ—g to the omnipotency of thy pure grace in both which shall appeare the glory both of thy mercy in pardoning and of thy grace in preseruing Thus what dammage any might receiue by the example of my frailty it may redound to their greater aduantage by the stability of my faith while thy grace shall either establish them in thy truth or restore them from their errour Thus to them that loue thee all things shall by thy grace 〈◊〉 for good euen to all the Câ—lled according to thy purpose Tâ—â—s nothing shall separate vs from thy loue Thus are we more then conquerors through thee who louest vs. Thus is thy strength made perfect in our weaknesse Rom. 8. 2 â—hes â— Thus shalt thou be glorifâ—ed in thy Saints and admired in 〈◊〉 them that beleeue Thus teach vs O Lord to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling because it is Thou that workest in vs both to will and to doe of thy good pleasure Thus if Thou be with vs who shall be against vs Thus who shall lay any thing against the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth seeing it is thou O Christ who dyedst or rather who art risen againe being at the right hand of God making intercession for vs. CHAP. VII The fourth Conflict with old friends and familiars now growne strangers IT is no small heart-breake to a man in misery when hee is forsaken of his old friends and familiars It was Iobs case who said of his friend Iob 12.5 Hee that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lampe despised in the thought of him that is at ease And chap. 16.2 Miserable comforters are yee all And chap. 17.2 Are there not mockers with me and doth not mine eye continue in their prouocation And chap. 19.3 These ten times haue yee reproached me you are not ashamed that yee make your selues strange to me And be it indeed that I haue erred mine errour remaineth with my selfe If indeed ye will magnifie your selues against me know now that God hath ouerthrowne me and hath compassed me with a net And ver 13. He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me My kinsfolke haue failed me and my familiar friends haue forgotten me And ch 15. My brethren haue dealt deceitfully as a brooke So that to all other Iobs miseries and calamities Pro. 18.24 19.4 this was no small addition no small aggrauation For as Iob saith To him that is afflicted pitty should be shewed of his friend It should so indeed But O Iob weigh well thy present state and wonder not at this It becomes not thy gray wisedome in such cases to bee deceiued For though there is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother yet wealth it is that maketh many friends but the poore is separated from his neighbour All the Brethren of the poore hate him How much more doe his friends goe farre from him But what had Iob done to demerit so to bee deserted of his friends Alas nothing at all but that God had visited him with pouertie and other corporall calamities Whereupon Iob said Iob 19.21 Haue pittie vpon me haue pittie vpon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me But this being all Iob had the lesse cause to complaine His innocencie was a Brazen wall vnto him to bid defiance to all affronts or frownes But come wee to Dauid's affliction for being forsaken of his friends That will touch to the quicke indeed Iob was forsaken of his friends because God had stript him of all his outward beautie leafe and branch no more left but the bare stumpe so that no maruaile if the beasts forsooke their old hospitall shade and shelter But behold Dauid otherwise he a King with Scepter in his Hand and the royall Diademe on his Head inioâ—ing a flourishing and rich Kingdome
yet is deserted of his friends Who would not wonder at this To heare a King complaining My louers and my friends stand aloofe from me Psal. 38.11 and my kinsmen stand a farre off And Psal. 88 18. Louer and friend hast thou put away farre from me and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight And Ps. 69.8 I am become a stranger vnto my Brethren euen an aliant vnto my Mothers children But wherefore all this Because he was now fallen into pouertie No such thing for hee was still a great King Or was it because hee was a Type of Christ and therefore must looke to fare so much the worse with the world and bee euill intreated of his neerest friends as Christ was For the liker to Christ the worse liked of the world Nor that neither for then Dauid might haue found much comfort to be for such a cause forsaken But that which so much estranged Dauid's familiars and friends from him was his sinne so offensiue and scandalous and withall his humiliation and open repentance for the same which caused all his carnall friends to despise him Was not his sinne the cause that his owne Sonne his chiefe Councellors all Israel almost rebelled against him as an enemie of God and as one vnworthy to rule any longer ouer them They made it a faire pretence at least which God vsed as a scourge to his Seruant both for his greater humiliation and tryall and for example of others Yea the carnal minded made a mocke also of his humiliation as Micol as Shimei as others as vnseemely for the Maiestie of a King As if in sinne-cases it became the simple and poore vulgar onely to weepe but not Kings To these two causes Dauid referreth his friends stâ—angenesse towards him First For his sinne Psalme 31.10 11. My strength faileth me because of mine iniquitie and my bones are consumed I was a reproach among all mine enemies but specially among my neighbours and a feare to mine acquaintance Plebi lacrimarâ— licâ—t Regi honeste non licet Hâ—er Ps. 69.5 10 11 12 they that did see me without fled from me For I haue heard the slander of many And O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee Secondly for his humiliation When I wept and chastened my Soule with fasting that was to my reproach I made Sack-cloth also my garment and I became a Prouerbe to them They that sit in the Gate speake against me and I was the song of the Drunkards Here let Iob's patience take brething awhile solace it selfe â—â—stum tenacem propositi viruÌ„ Non ciuium arbor praua iubentium Non vultus instantâ—s tyranni meÌ„te quatit solida Hor. And Alium multis gloria terris Tradat omnes Fama per vrbes garrula laudet Caeloque parem tollat astrii Me meatellus Lare secre to tutoqueâ—egat Sen. Yea let him with astonishment bee silent at Dauid's tryall in being thus forsaken of his friends And Dauid's case it is that suits with this present conflict Tell me not my Brother of thy friends forsaking thee being fallen into pouertie or into great mens disgrace or the like a masculine Spirit will easily incounter all such contempt But hast thou some thing in thee wherein thou resemblest Christ as one of his members and therefore worthy to haue the world for thine enemie And besides some thing inherent and inhabitant in thee resembling and sauouring of the old Adam whereby thou art any way obnoxious to the worlds censure yea in so much as now thy verie familiar friends forsake and fly thy societie as ashamed thereof When notwithstanding there is nothing more irksome vnto thee then to bee a stranger to God and all good men Tell me now in this case dost thou thinke any man more miserable then thy selfe And the more as thou art a man more or lesse eminent in place and graces and in estimation for wisdome and glorie What comfort now canst thou haue or hope for in thy life forsaken of all in a manner and euen abhorred of those whom thou most esteemedst When now those things which would be highly esteemed in others in thee doe loose their grace and acceptance And all this through thine owne want of care slacknesse and remisnesse in thy noble resolution to doe nothing vnworthy thy person and profession Tell me now dost thou not heare the Accuser of the Brethren Caâ—endo magis quaÌ„ puendo QuaÌ„ multa pâ—nitenda incurrunt viuendo diâ— the old Serpent whispering in thine eares O thou forlorn wretch why art thou so base minded so stupidly patient as to possesse thy life with the losse of thy reputation and of the loue of thy best friends Thou hast lost them irreuocably and yet doest thou desire to spin out a contemptible and tedious life whereof together with all those torments and griefes thou sufferest in thy Soule for thy folly and deserued disgrace thou mayest so easily so speedily many wayes bee rid And this were the readie way to please thy friends againe For to whom thy life is hatefull thy death would consequently proue gratefull and welcome Or despiâ—â—ng thee aliue they would desire and deplore thee dead as a thing pretious So that what thou canst not obtaine by liuing thou mayst by dying And by liuing longer thou mayest come to haue more cause to repent thee And what needest thou to hoyse vp Sayles to passe through a Sea of infinite troubles and perills being driuen by no other winds but those tempestuous sighes which arising from thy restlesse and distâ—mpered mind must needs cause thy wracke vpon some Rocke or other When thou mayest with one short finall breath bee wasted ouer Lethe where thou shalt neuer think of thy friendâ— more whom now thou canst not remember but with ruthfull regret Such like counsells or cold consolations is the enemie of thy Soule readie to suggest vnto thee when thou art deserted of all comfort of those whom thou most dearely louest whose losse thou so deepely lamentest CHAP. VIII The Comfort How a man may ouercome or at least not be ouercome of the former Conflict BVt hence Satan And now poore Soule hast thou foolishly lost thy friends Lament the cause more then the effect So shall thy life be now not much more bitter in the losse of thy friends then it was wont to be sweet in the inioying of them So as remembring themselues they offend not God in the excesse of their strangenesse or disaffection by adding to the burthen which they should helpe to beare And then shalt thou comfort thy selfe with hope that you shall one daâ— meet and conuerse in Heaâ—â—â— in an vnseperable inoffensiue societie In the meane time their distast shall bee but one of those biâ—ter ingredients in that strong potion which it pleaseth thy heauenly Physitian to purge the corrupt humour withall or as Rue in thy Diet-drinke to macerate thy Spirits and to frustrate the force of
case many will doe as with some bodily sickenesse thinking to finde ease by change of ayre especially farr remote from the place where the disease was contracted where the offence was giuen As many hauing made themselues obnoxious to censure and an euil report in England packe away beyond the Seas thinking to expiate all with Irish ayre and so to heale vp the wound But of such the saying is too commonly verified Coelum non animum mutant quitrans mare currunt Mutatio 〈◊〉 non ingenti Aug. They rather change the ayre then their manners For by that meanes they may rather hide then heale rather couer then recouer their hurt rather priuily bury their sinne in the graue where it more and more putrifieth then in the fire of godly zeale burne it openly that so being resolued into the ashes of humiliation and exposed to the view of all it may the more quickly be blowne away and scattered with the breath of better Fame Yea in stead of curing this change of place although ioyned with true repentance yet leaueth a suspicion behind that he carries his sinne with him which if he do the further hee goeth the more places he infecteth whereas on the contrary the onely surest and honestest way to blot out the ill name contracted whither of euill habit or of accident is with a Christian courage and patience not with a shamelesse boldnesse to stay by it there where the offence was giuen and by an euident reformation in time to weare out the ill opinion or report and by his good example or otherwise also by humble acknowledgement where it is requisite to make the best satisfaction hee can to the offended while they who haue reported or reputed thee for a bad or debosht man may with their eyes see the contrary they that haue seene thy fall may behold thy rising againe to preuent them from falling by the example of thy fall or if they haue fallen to â—each them to rise againe by the example of thy repentance I say in this ease he hath â—eed of a mighty courrage and patience supported with humility denying disclaiming himselfe as that conuert-youngman to his late Paâ—amour who meeting her was strange to her and shee saying Knowest thou not me It is I he replyed Aâ— ego non sum ego but I am not 〈◊〉 He must resolue and arme himselfe with an humble meekenesse to abide frumpes frownes or contemptuous affronts now and then Nor can hee expect to worke out the â—oyson of an ill name otherwise but as a strong body haâ—ing ouercome the poyson workes it out with a great deale of patience in loathsome botches or pimples dâ—facing the fairest body for the time Such is the poyson wherewith sinne hath infected a good name it must first bee ouercome with the Antidote of gâ—ace and the preseruaâ—iue of a strong faith in the heart whereby the strength of the poyson is ouercome the conscience now recouering and beginning to enioy peace with God and so wrought out although for along time it may taint the best life and most beautifull actions specially falling into the hands of cruell and vnconscionable Chirurgions who to make a long cure poyson the sore wiâ—h some malignant plaster tempered with the poyson of Aspes vnder the lips which but breathed on the Patient through the Serpents hissing or the foule mouth of Fame of meere enuy keepe vertue from recouering her natiue hue And although hee hath done all that he can vsed the best possible meanes to cleare himselfe yet must hee not rest here or so giue ouer he must not looke to bee so thorowly cured but know that the Cicatrix or scarre will still remaine to the eye of the world which yet may serue both daily to put him in minde of his fall still to repent of it and to preuent the like and admonish others not to bee secure but to auoid shipwrack by their daily beholding such a Sea-marke But yet with these cautions first and last and all a long on the one side let him looke mainly to the sincerity of his heart in the truth of his repentance and thinke hee hath neuer humbled himselfe enough On the other side let him withall looke to his peace with God the peace of his conscience in the pardon of his sin By this meanes deere Christian soule though thou canst not hope of euer quitting thy reputation and credit with all men while thou liuest yet comfort thy selfe that thy name is written in heauen and that thou hast a new name giuen thee of Christ ingrauen in a white stone pure from all blemish or blame such as is built vpon the foundation of Gods Election and made white in the blood of the Lambe whose righteousnesse imputed is the pure linnen of the Saints which shall neuer bee taken from thee And if thou beest a Minister of Christ who hast giuen cause of scandall to thy sacred profession although hereupon thou hast passed the sentence of condemnation vpon thy selfe as vnworthy any more to take the name of Christ into thy mouth which thou hast caused to bee blasphemed yet bee not altogether dismaid but know that those whom God vpon their Repentance receiueth into grace and fauour againe being not left destitute of his gifts and graces hee denyeth not vnto them the priuiledge to be or remaine publike instruments of his seruice as Dauid Peter Salomon And now who fitter to minister a word of comfort to the afflicted conscience then he who hath had such experience in himselfe not only of the grieuous conflicts of sinne but also after many fierce trials temptations and wrastlings with the apprehension of Gods wrath of those vnspeakable comforts of Gods Spirit in the peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Who can better then hee giue direction and admonition to the people of God how to beware of the deceitfulnesse of sinne who hath himselfe so dearely bought the experience of hauing beene deceiued by it In conclusion as the Patient hath need of patience vntill the comming of the Lord So let him pray instantly that the Lord would hasten his comming to wipe off all staines from his seruants all teares from their eyes and to cloath both their names and persons with eternall beautie CHAP. XI The sixt Conflict With the Enemies of the truth IT goes hard with the poore seruant of Christ when hee hath giuen cause of offence to the enemies of the truth whether they be without or within the Church open or priuate profest Papists or prophane Protestants For if the Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner surely the Angels of darkenes and wicked persons enemies of the truth reioyce at the fal or least slip of one that beareth Christs Image Yea it is meate and drinke vnto them They do so hunger after this waiting for the halting of the godly man that rather then faile they will inuent how to fasten slanders cast aspersions euen
vpon the most innocent so little need hath any of Gods children to be heedlesse of his conuersation as to expose his name as a prey to their teeth And yet this hath bene the lot euen of the strongest Champions and holiest Saints of God Dauid smarted so much the more because he had by his sinne caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme O how neere doth this goe to the heart of Gods child when hee considereth how instead of being an example of vertue to inuite the enemies of the truth to the loue of it beholding it to shine in the professors of it on the contrary hee causeth them to mis-deeme the truth it selfe yea to blaspheme it thereupon to condemne al that professe it For such is the malice of enuious men against the excellent glory of the truth the highest obiect of enuy that the least miscarriage of one Professor preuailes more with them to condemne the whole communion of Saints militant on earth as hypocrites and dissemblers then the vnspotted conuersation of thousands is able to wipe off or to possesse them with a good opinion of their Profession Yea and in stead of taking profit and making vse of the enemies of the truth among whom wee haply conuerse while their vicinity or neighbourhood should make vs more heedfull of our wayes least we offend them nothing being more disgracefull to a man then to commit any vnseemely act in the presence of his enemy the Apostle admonishing Walke wisely towards them that are without wee on the otherside cause much hurt vnto them not onely the greater shame to our selues by obfirming them in their ignorance prophannesse idolatry or superstition which now they dare more confidently preferre euen before Gods pure religion it selfe while their naturall morality or superstition may seeme in the least degree to outstrip our practicall diuinity Much more then what a disgrace is it for a Protestant to run riot in the presence of Papists Not that Papists can shew any great holinesse of their religion by the holines of their liues seeing they so much exclaime vpon holinesse in the professors of the truth giuing it the nick-name of a new kind of I wot not what heresie as Puritanisme or the like so that they plainely disclaime holinesse in themselues neither hath their religion it in it for all their infused righteousnesse to infuse any holines Bellarmine making the sanctitie of Doctrine not of Life to be that which sheweth the Church of Rome to bee holy into the professors of it a thing confessed by Bellarmine His eight marke of the Church Bellar. de Ecclae noâ—â— cap. 1â— that hee is faine to trauaile farre to deriue holinesse to make the Church of Rome holy namely among others from the holinesse of Bellar. de notis Ecclae cap. 13. Nota. 10â— S. Dominicke and S. Francis the Founders of their religious Orders Yea and the better to comply with Protestants as the Iuy winding about the Oake in time eates out the heart of it they fauour them most in whom they obserue the fewest and least tokens of grace and holinesse speaking euill of the best hereby not onely making a diuision between Protestants but insinuating themselues into an vnited societie of the worst sort of Protestants whose weakenesse maketh them way the more easily to instill their poysonous Doctrines into them while they so liberally will promise Pardons and Indulgences to those whose profane liues stand in need of the whole Ocean of Gods Mercies of the whole Fountaine of Christs Merits in his Blood to wash and purge them and not those imaginarie Waters that flow from the See of Rome whose Conduits conuey nothing but emptie ayre to thirstie Consciences but flow backe againe with streames of Gold which the Alchimistes of Rome do spunge from the full pouches of emptie braines Nor speake wee of any bastard Protestants who casting off all care and conscience of a Christian conuersation answerable to their generall calling are willing rather to symbolize with Papists in their profanation of all holy things as the hallowing of the Lords day in all such Christian duties as God requireth and so consequently run along with them vnto all excesse of riot railing at those that run not with them such Neutralls are neither good Fish nor Flesh but we speake of such Protestants as making conscience of their wayes to walke worthy of their calling if they chance to step besides the narrow path and of humaine frailtie commit the least errour so as euen the Papist comes to take notice of it It is enough to rayse a clamour not onely against the person in particular but against the whole Profession to make it odious if possible to all the world Certainly if any sober Protestant doe but enter into a consideration hereof he will be exceedingly wounded for the least offence giuen in this kind either by himselfe or by another Nor doth the offence onely reach to enemies without but it more neerely toucheth the Conscience for enemies within the Church What an indignation was it to Dauid trow you when hee heard how the verie drunkards and debosht sons of Belial within the Church made their Songs of him It was grieuous to Iob to be the derision of those base brats whose fathers formerly Iob accounted not for their vile conditions not for their pouertie worthy to bee set with the Dogges of his Flocke But this might the more easily bee brooked sith not any iust offence in Iob but his vertues so formerly enuied but now scorned being couered ouer and defaced with outward calamities made him to bee the obiect of contempt But Dauid's case was much more pittifull when those drunken companions at their vsuall Bacchanals made his sinne their song Can an ingenuous and noble Heauen-borne Spirit euen without bursting brooke such an indignitie And yet not so much the shame which himselfe sustaineth as the blame which Religion beareth for his sake and the desperate danger also whereinto by occasion of his example such Coribantes precipitate themselues is the thing that most of all troubleth his noble Spirit What comfort then in such a case CHAP. XII The Comfort How in this Conflict the Soule may stay it selfe and wind out of it WHo would not here stand agast and appall'd to consider into what a Maze of perplexities and Sea of sorrowes sinne though but in some errour of our life doth inwrap and ingulfe the poore child of God still one waue following in the necke of another like Iob's messengers and euerie one more grieuous then other How is it possible but the poore man should bee swallowed vp in the bottomlesse gulfe But loe euen in his vtmost extreamitie there is a planke for him to saue him from drowning First for the offence to the enemies without the Church The wound that is deeper will require the longer tent the longer time the greater pains the greater patience in curing of it For first this must redoubble and renue
his repentance Secondly he must pray the more feruently for Gods enemies for their conuersion to God Thirdly hee must expresse such fruits of his repentance in his life and conuersation that euen they that are without may thereby bee brought within the Church Fourthly if he be a Minister he must so much the more labour in his Calling and that not onely by preaching but otherwise also if God haue giuen him abilitie and oportunitie that thereby they may bee brought to Christs Fold And if by his labour hee can rescue but one Soule out of the Diuels paw it will both comfort him for the present and procure vnto him a more glorious reward hereafter Fifthly though all his labour and industry this way cannot preuaile to win any one of Gods enemies yet his good purposes and endeauours shal not bee defrauded of Gods gratious acceptance nor frustrated of a mercifull recompence Sixthly if the enemies of God remaine obstinate in their Idolatry and superstition it is not now whatsoeuer their pretence bee because of offence taken at him who professeth the truth but because they are possest with the spirit of obstinacie to affect falshood and lyes rather then the truth For although through humaine weakenesse hee had giuen them cause of offence to helpe to harden them in their Infidelitie yet now vpon the more cleare euidence of his repentance confirmed by his constant reformation they ought to bee reconciled to God by his example For if they will wilfully and maliciously harden themselues in sin by others example of falling then on the contrarie they ought wisely and willingly to abandon their sinfull estate by the patern of his rising again Otherwise they therefore lye not in their sin because Gods child hath vnwarily sinned whom they haue seene to repent but because their habituall malice against the truth hath blinded their eyes not to imbrace it So that the Child of God going on in the practise of these foresaid duties he shall find much comfort in his Conscience and much peace in his Soule In the last place as it fared with Dauid so it faring with any Saint of God in the like kind to be vnder Gods rod inflicted as we noted before not as an expiatorie or vindicatorie punishment for sinne alreadie satisfied by and pardoned for Christ both for guilt and mulct but as a profitable medicine not onely to humble the Patient but to warne and terrifie Gods verie enemies not to sinne seeing God spareth not his owne children offending hereupon the enemies ought to take speciall notice of and lay to heart the afflictions infliâ—â—ed vpon Gods children â—hom they haue noted to offend and to bee thereby moued to take heed either how they presume to censure him or Religion for his saâ—e much â—esse that they should the more obstinately persist in their Infidelitie and impietie euer hauing before their eyes that saying of the Holy Ghost by Peter Iudgement must begin at the House of God And if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Secondly For offence giuen to the enemies within the Church such as are false Brethren halfe-Christians enemies of the Crosse of Christ such as the Apostle describes Phil. 3.18 19 When to such Gods child is become a scandall and scorne and that in some sort worthily though none ought to be so diabolical as to make a scoffe of anothers weakenesse but to mourne for it rather how shall his otherwise magnanimous Spirit bee able to vndergoe such an indignitie Surely not by accounting their scorn of lesse moment because though deserued it is no â—esse vsuall with profane persons in their surquedry to canuas and bandie like a Tennis-ball in the Racket-court the good names of best Christians casting all aspersions vpon them though neuer so vniust Or may not his griefe herein find some miâ—igation that forasmuch as nothing more disquiets him then that he hath caused the profane Rout to speake euill of Religion and the true professours of it yet he well knowes that before this their malice wanted no incentiue against it No surely this is so farre from giuing him any comfort at all that it rather much exasperates his sorrow For while carnall worldlings out of an inbred antipathy to true Religion at lest touching the life and power of it speak euill thereof and hate the beautie of it which shining in her Sonnes discouers thâ— deformities of the Children of Darkenesse so much the more in all which they are left without excuse being conuicted of their owne Conscience while they hate goodnesse for no other cause but because it is good But now when the practicioner and professour of goodnesse hath so exorbitated from the strait and strict path thereof as hee fals vnder the Checke of such Mates hee puts a weapon into their hands not onely for offence whereby they wound his vprightnesse but for defence to maintaine their owne sinne Yea doth hee not put a Dart into their hand wherewith through his sides lying open for neglect of strait guirding on his Armour they wound the whole Band of his fellow-Souldiers Oh what a wound is this to his Soule Yet why should he at least so much torment himselfe for this Doth hee not know that Religion is still an intemerated and vnuiolated Virgin notwithstanding all the reproaches cast vpon her by maleuolent tongues thogh in some measure occasioned by the humaine imbecillitie of her otherwise faithfull Traine And are not all the Children of Truth though Saints by calling though washed sanctified iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God yet full of the Dregges of Corruption remaining to bee purged out by daily prayer repentance 〈◊〉 the practise of pious dutieâ— Is there not still in such a body of sinne to be destroyed Still a Law in the Members still sinne dwelling in them Why then should some one actuall errour in such persons bee made such a Monster or vn-heard-of wonder as to bring a scandall vpon the whole Profession yea or vpon the Person himselfe offending so farre forth as to account him as a Reprobate As though sanctification consisted in an vtter abolition of sinne branch and root and not rather for the present condition of this life in the destruction of the tyrannicall dominion of sinne and a daily conflict with the Reliques of it For although all the truly regenerate bee Saints translated from the state of darkenesse to light Yet they put not off the nature of men yea of weake and sinfull men while they carrie about with them this body of death For alas how should the old bottles of our mortall bodies bee able to containe the pure new Wine of perfect holinesse perfect I meane in the degrees and not burst and the Wine run out How many possessed but with a conceit and opinion of perfection
against despaire it selfe I should vtterly haue fainted vnlesse I had belieued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Liuing Obiect But how can a man both belieue and doubt at the same instant about the same thing Answ. There is in the Regenerate the Old man doubting and the New man belieuing It is against the propertie of Faith to doubt Doubting comes of the Flesh and belieuing of the Spirit and these two are contrarie one to the other they fight one against the other in one Soule as Iacob and Esau in one Wombe So that euen then when the Soule is like to bee ouer-borne with the tempest of carnall distrust the seed of Faith by a secret and insensible working for the present being fast rooted and riuetted into Christ as the Ankor in the Rocke or the Tree-root in the firme ground preserues it from either wracke or wind-fall Thus Dauid comforts and cheeres vp his deiected Soule Psal. 43· Why art thou cast downe O my soule And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God Againe Faith hath two strong supporters to stay it from fainting The first is the promises of God the second experience of former feelings of mercie First Gods promise is the proper obiect and pillar of hope This promise is not a word of course but a word of Gods solemne Couenant a word not transient but permanent a word written in a more lasting monument then Lead and Stone Yea this promise is confirmed with Gods Hebr. 6.17 Oath and ratified with his Seale with the Priuie Rom. 8.16 Seale of his Spirit in euerie faithfull mans heart and with the Broad Seales his two Rom. 4. Sacraments This promise of God in Christ for saluation Faith * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est veraefidei Chrys. Gen. 13. Ser. 35. appropriates to the belieuers own selfe concluding Faithfull is he who hath promised who will also doe it And as Satan on the one side is busie to buzze into a mans head places of Scriptures by him peruerted and mis-applyed so Faith on the other side opposes against him the sweet promises of God Math. 11 28. as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you I came not to call the righteous Math. 9.13 but sinners to repentance Nor doe these promises belong onely to those who haue not yet beene effectually called but to those who after their effectuall calling haue through humane infirmitie fallen into some sinne As children 1 Ioh. 2.1 I write vnto you that you sinne not And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sinnes These and the like promises of God Faith laying hold vpon are like the hand of Christ reached out to sinking Peter staying the Soule from perishing in the Floods of Spirituall perturbations Ps. 119.92 and ve 49.50 Except thy Law saith afflicted Dauid had beene my delight I should then haue perished in mine affliction By Law there hee meaneth the Gospel with the promises of it For else Gal. the Law causeth wrath and can minister no consolation to the wounded Conscience but onely sends the Patient to the good Physitian Christ. It is one of Sâ—tans vsuall stratagemâ— to hide Gods promises all hee can from Gods child in time of Spirituall temptation and to present him Qui statuit aliquid parte inaâ—dita altera Aequum licet statuerit haud â—quus fuit Senec and wholly take him vp with Iudgements thereby to driue him to despaire Therefore as a Iudge that heareth one partiâ— and reserueth neuer an eare for the aduerse partiâ— must needs bee vniust yea although hee haply pronounce right iudgement So the sinfull Soule looking altogether vpon the iudgement of God and reseruing neuer an eye to looke vpon his mercie and promise is like to proceed vniustly against himselfe though therby hee pull vpon his Soule a iust condemnation But to preuent this It stands not with the condition of the Children of the Promise the blessed Seed Rom. 9.8 23. those Vessels of mercie which God hath afore ordained vnto glorie that in them he might make knowne the riches of his glorie verse 22. It stands not I say with their condition to bee as the vessels of wrath swallowed vp of wrath being selfe-fitted to destruction But in the Children of the Promise mercie shall triumph against iudgement when Faith in Gods promises of life shall ouercome all difficulties The second pillar and prop of Faith in the Soules fainting is experience of former fruition of mercie This was Dauids practise Ps. 77. I haue considered the dayes of old c. I call to remembrance my Song in the night Thus in his distresse hee cals to mind what sweetnesse and comfort hee found formerly in God by those familiar Soliloquies which his Soule did sing vnto God by night in the gratefull remembrance of his benefits And Psalme 143 complaining My spirit is ouerwhelmed within me my heart within me is desolate Yet he comforts himselfe with the meditation and memorie of Gods former gratious dealing towards him verse 4 5. And Psalme 27 he euen challengeth God vpon formâ—r mercies verse 9. saying Hide not thy face from me put not thy seruant away in anger Thou hast beene my helpe leaue me not neither forsake me oh God of my saluation Thus vpon this experience Dauid gathers such assurance that though his Father and Mother forsake him And can a Mother forget forsake her sonne yet though shee should bee so vnnaturall yet saith God I will not forsake thee yet saith Douid Euen then the Lord taketh me vp So that for the Conscience afflicted to recollect the experiments of former mercies which the Soule once sweetly inioyed is a solid ground of comfort whereon to cast the Anchor of Hope in a present storme yea and the secure Harbour also wherein to repose her selfe in a setled assurance of Gods loue for the time to come and for euer And the reason is Whom God loueth once in Christ hee euer loueth The gifts and calling of God are without repentance His blessing vpon his Children is like that of Isaac vpon Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed Balaam told Balack that there was no reuersing of Gods blessing on his people God is not as man Num. 23.1920 that he should lye or repent Hath he said it and shall he not doe it Behold I haue receiued commandement to blesse and he hath blessed and I cannot reuerse it Obiect But the memorie of former mercies inioyed may serue to minister to the afflicted Soule for sinne rather matter of more griefe then of any ioy and rather to aggrauate our sinne and so our sorrow then to redintegrate or renouate our comfort What a corrosiue was it to Dauid's