griefe in his heart and no doubt also in his face mainely crying out of himselfe and saying Matth. 27.4 I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud Yea you know that Ahab did put on sack-cloth and went softly and fasted for his sinne and that so as God did note it in him and forbeare him for it somwhat which hee would not haue done if hee had not seene him inwardly sorrowfull for it and if hee had not euen secretly confessed it vnto him 1. Kings 21.27 So farre may a dissembler goe for the best of these was but a dissembler in being humbled But yet he doth much differ from the humiliation of the true godly man in these things The hypocrites confession and sorrow reacheth alone to some grosser sinnes not to the lesser corruptions as that of the true hearted doth Psal 51.5 Psal 19.12 Rom. 7.13.14 First the hypocrite is sorry for some one or two grosse externall faults that are more than ordinarily notorious and foule as is to be seene in Iudas and Ahab and Saul murder shedding innocent blood and seeking to slay the innocent These crimes you see touched these dissemblers but you neuer heard an hypocrite crying out as Dauid In sinne was I conceiued and againe Lord who can know his errours purge me from secret faults nor with the Apostle vexed with the law of his members drawing him captiue to sinne and crossing the law of the spirit within him The corruptions of the heart the secret and vnknowne and esteemed little disorders of heart and life especially the fountaine of all mischiefes the filthy stinking guzzle of Originall sinne the hypocrite laments not bewaileth not confesseth not with sorrow and anguish of heart to God or man but alone if hee fall into some grosse notable crime hee is much troubled and grieued for it and sometimes very sorrowfull in confessing it But the Christian man can find out more hidden corruptions and acknowledge and bewaile them and feele the burden of lesse grieuous crimes yea of things by the most esteemed no sinnes and for them can shame and blame and condemne himselfe before God So the one washeth his heart as I said before the other his hands only The hypocrites sorrow and confession comes but by fits the true Christians is ordinary and vsuall at the best Againe the confession of the hypocrite and his sorrow comes but by fits and starts sometimes now and then once or twice and vse it not Seldome haue you Pharaoh and Saul saying We haue sinned they are not often in this tune It is a rare and vnusuall thing to see Ahab going softly to heare him sighing for his sinne For indeed it ariseth not from any such ground in them as may make it lasting or perpetuall namely a true hatred of sinne or loue of God but alone from a fearefull expectation of punishment or a wearines of crosses and afflictions But now the true Christian is very constant in his confessing and at least striuing to lament sinne It is his vsuall and constant course to blame himselfe before God for his daily and particular transgressions and hee is not well almost any day vnlesse he doe take some time to accuse and iudge himselfe before his Maker For indeede he walketh with God and seeketh to approue his heart vnto him and therefore cannot but be frequent in laying open his heart vnto him and powring out his soule before him His heart will often so smite him as to driue him into Gods presence and make him say O Lord I haue sinned greatly and done exceeding foolishly but Lord doe away the sinnes of thy seruant Yea he neuer almost committeth any sinne which he knowes to be a sinne but hee will confesse it taking daily notice of his daily slips that he may the better confesse them So the sorrow and confession of hypocrites is in a quaume when the good moode comes vpon them as a drie hole that is full of water vpon a great shower but the confessing and mourning of the true Christian is daily constant perpetuall in a settled and vsuall course as the running of water in a fluent streame that hath issue from some liuing Fountaine or Well-head Againe The hypocrits confession and griefe is by force put vpon them the true Christians by themselues willingly laboured for the sorrow and confession of hypocrites is likely put vpon them by a kind of violence they be euen forced to it by some accident so pressing them for the time that they can neither will nor chuse as the common saying hath This is euident in the fore-named examples What made Ahab walke in sack-cloth with a soft pace but because he was threatned the ruine of all his household and the vtter subuersion of all his posteritie a tidings that could scarce chuse but make the heart of any Grand-father to ake and melt within him When did Pharaoh say The Lord is righteous I and my people are sinners but when the plague lay so heauie vpon him and stucke so close vnto him that he knew not which way in the world to turne himselfe And what made Saul breake forth with teares and say I haue sinned but that Dauid had then euen gone beyond all his expectations quite and cleane and had vtterly ouercome him with kindnesse by requiting his euill with good So Iudas confessed not his treason till the very sparkes of hell fier were all on a light flame within his soule I meane till the hideousnesse of a bitter and exasperated conscience did euen furiously pursue him and driue him to this too-late and bootelesse remedy So the confession of hypocrites is wrested and extorted from them euen as that of a traytor by the torture of the racke and his griefe for his finne is a compelled griefe as that of a slaue vnder the whip but the true godly man and faithfull seruant of Christ doth voluntarily and of his owne accord bring himselfe before the Lord in humble and sorrowfull confessions though no such violence be offered vnto him euen out of a kindly worke of grace mouing and inclining him still to desire to bee at one with God The child of God doth euen long to be sorrowfull for his sinnes and when no crosse affliction or tentation lies vpon him nor no other meanes of working him to griefe is vsed then hee takes paines to rend his owne heart and out of a good will to God and in a kind of comfortable and sweete sence of reconciliation with him doth acknowledge his wickednesse In very truth Gods child sometimes hauing almost kild himselfe with a presumptuous sinne is put to roaring and crying through the weight of Gods hand lying heauy vpon him day and night as Dauid saith of himselfe Psal 32.3 afore he can come to confesse his sinne against himselfe But this is a rare case with a Christian hart that it should need compulsion to bring it downe in confession before God 1. Chron. 21.8 vsually he
the power of the Word Euen as the false-hearted Iewes esteemed themselues to haue aboundantly satisfied the Law if they did tie the sacrifices with cords to the Altar though their soules were nothing affected with the spirituall things that those externall types did represent But the vpright soule is much displeased with himselfe and his seruices vnlesse hee feele the power of godlinesse in them Hence it is that hee is very sensible of deadnesse and calles much with Dauid for quickening and vnlesse hee finde the efficacie and fruit of good exercises in his heart hee is much disquieted and displeased with himselfe and cannot tell how to be satisfied with hauing so serued God for hee looketh to God that searcheth the heart and therefore it cannot giue him content if hee haue not found his worship hearty And so doe the true and false Christians deuotions differ for end matter and manner Now there is a third thing considerable in the point of good liuing An hypocrite is often precise in petty matters and so is also the true christian somtimes aboue that he should wherein they must be compared together The hypocrite is often very strict in matters of ceremony and in such small points that concerne Gods worship and in other pettie matters also so a Pharisie would not goe into the Iudgement hall to be defiled against the Passeouer for any thing Hee would not neglect to pay tithe-mint for a world you see him straining at a Gnat. And diuers times it falles out also that the true-hearted Christian out of scrupulous mis-taking and an ouer-tendernesse of conscience not sufficiently tempered with exactnesse of iudgement or out of a long custome of beeing of such a iudgement and much conuersing with men of such opinion is euen more strict than hee needeth and depriueth himselfe of his lawfull liberty of doing or forbearing what he might eyther doe or forbeare The hypocrite censorious in his strictnesse the Christian gentle to others that differ from him But there are two manifest differences in this matter the hypocrite is as censorious as strict as large in condemning others that jumpe not with him in iudgement and practise as narrow in straightning himselfe about such matters Hee is bitter sharpe tarte in his censures of them that are differently minded neither can hold peace with them nor suffer himselfe to maintaine any good conceit of them but conceiueth that they make conscience of nothing because their consciences be not of his owne laste So the Pharisies could not brooke Christ and his Apostles for not washing and the hypocriticall false teachers euen made a very rend in the Church about abolished ceremonies of the Law But the true Christian in cases of such difference holdes the bond of Peace in the vnitie of the Spirit not iudging nor despising others but charitably referring them to their owne master to whom they stand or fall he that eateth not condemning him that eateth not hee that eateth not not censuring him that eateth but both louingly bearing with each other because they both giue thankes and seeke to bring glory to one master The hypocrite will almost allow no man the name of a Christian at least the esteeme and affection due to one if hee concurre not with his iudgement the true-hearted is euer charitable to the contrary side in such diuersities Againe The hypocrite is not sutable and regular in his strictnesse but the true Christian is the hypocrite is not sutable to himselfe in his strictnesse for hee is large conscienced enough in other matters and can swallow a Cammell with the same throat which did euen keckle at a Gnat if a greater and more apparant fault be more interlarded with profit it goes downe glibly enough although these little leane morsells doe sticke in the passage Such well oiled faults though of a larger quantity either he cares not to see or amend so that you would as much wonder at the greatnesse of his swallow in some things especially where pleasure and profit pleade the case as seeme strange at the too too much streightnesse of it in other cases and maruaile either how hee should be so Eagle-eyed as to see so small a matter in one kinde or else so beetle-eyed as not to see so plaine a thing in another But the vpright heart is like himselfe in his strictnesse and equall and proportionable in his making conscience of things Hee is more troubled in greater matters than in lesser and his conscience will checke him and order him with more or lesse vehemency and earnestnesse in things according as the things he doth or doth not are of more or lesse weight and moment And euen as straight as he is in some things so straight will hee likewise shew himselfe in other things of the like degree And thus you haue as neare as I was able to gather it out of Scripture the true and manifest difference betwixt the sincere and guilefull in these particular graces Yet still let mee bee bold to put you in remembrance of what I spake at first and that seasonably in this conclusion of the whole discourse viz. that because the most vprightly minded is not without some plaine admixture of guile therefore many of the effects and signes of guile wil begin to worke and shew themselues in him also but so that he doth obserue lament resist and oppose the same and continue to controle his owne heart for them till by degrees he haue gotten the better of them And so hee cannot be called an hypocrite though he haue much hypocrisie in him contrarily the hollow hearted though he be cleane ouer-runne with these effects of false-hood yet neglecteth to obserue them or is not much troubled at them when he finds them and therefore he must take his name from the vice of hypocrisie because it beareth sway and exerciseth dominion ouer him And thus now haue we explained the point in hand and so made way for the vses which we are to gather from it CHAP. X. Comtaining the first vse of the point belonging indifferently to all sorts of men FIrst then let all men learne hence not to satisfie themselues with being branches in the Vine but consider seriously whether they be of the good or of the bad branches Seeing there are and alwayes haue beene and euer will be in the Churches dissemblere as well as sincere Christians Euery man out of a godly iealousie ouer himselfe must examine what himselfe is it behoueth therefore that euery man out of an holy iealousie ouer himselfe and a godly fear of ulnesse of himselfe doe often and seriously try and examine what he is and not passe sentence of himselfe one way nor other till by touch-stone of the Scripture he hath made proofe of himselfe In other cases wee would all easily condiscend to such an exhortation Were it most certaine that within this quarter of an houre an hundred or two of this Congregation must leaue this present life
doth as Dà uid after the numbring of the people through the smiting of his owne heart betake himselfe vnto the Lord say O Lord I haue done excēeding foolishly Matth. 26.75 and as Peter after his deniall of his Master before any crosse before any force offered out of his owne tendernesse of conscience goe forth by and by and weepe bitterly Neither yet is Gods child so vnsensible of a crosse but that his afflictions doe make him looke vnto his sinnes and bestow those teares in lamenting them which the power of nature hath stirred vp And it is an happy effect of his chastisements that they increase his godly sorrow and so help to take away his sinnes but yet he doth not only mourne then he doth labour euen in prosperity to mourne for sinne and to make vse of Gods kindnesse in bestowing benefits to become a meanes of humbling him and making him grieue and in a word godly sorrow is a content vnto him and nothing doth him more good than that hee can kindly bewaile his sinnes and mourne ouer Iesus Christ A stinging crosse a bitter tentation an earnest exhortation and the power of a good Sermon may draw an hypocrite to teares but a godly man without any of these things will set himselfe to mourne and lament and most willingly out of the loue hee beares to God whom his sinnes haue offended wil euen turne his ioy into sorrow and his laughter into teares Thus you see the difference of hypocriticall humiliation from that that is vpright Reformation is another part of repentance and here we will shew how much the hypocrite may reach vnto An hypocrite may amend his life very much by the meanes of the Word preached and wherein he is defectiue An hypocrite may reforme diuers things that are amisse in him and that at the preaching of the Word and by meanes of the exhortations which hee heareth in a Sermon but herein he faileth that in some one or other thing he must be held excused Hee brooks not the generalitie of that little large word all you kill him when you presse vpon him that vniuersall exhortation Ezech. 18. Cast away from you all your transgressions O no! this he cannot doe some one or two faults are as it were darlings vnto him his soule is in loue with them and he must be dispenced with he cannot leaue them In any thing else hee will bee ruled by God but in such a thing hee must needs craue pardon though it be a sinne hee hopes it is not so great but that hee may bee borne withall therein for alacke hee cannot liue vnlesse he doe it or so forth The hypocrite hath euermore some hand or foote that he will not cut off some eye that he will not pull out and fling from him some dearely beloued sinne some most pretious euill some most sweete or gainefull offence that he cannot tell which way in the world to forgoe and therefore loues not to heare of amending it would not be reprooued for it would not be called vpon to forsake it would not think of it but would turne away his thoughts from it and would faine haue his conscience also forbeare to vrge him in that matter The hypocrite still liketh some one sin so that hee would not heare of it the true Christian would mend all and desires to heare most of those hee can least reforme Psal 119.6 He keepes some one or other wickednesse vnder his tongue as a most daintie morsell which he cannot find in his heart to spit out But now the true godly man desireth and purposeth in all things to please God hee hath respect as Dauid speaketh to all Gods commandements without picking or chusing he takes the whole Law as it lieth before him and frameth his will to bow and bend which way soeuer God will haue it whatsoeuer thing he knowes to bee a dutie that hee resolueth to doe without any further excepting or cauilling and whatsoeuer he knoweth to be a sinne that he determineth to cast from him what euer it be what euer may follow thereupon He knowes that God is a Soueraigne commander and that his will must be followed in one thing as well as another Iames 2.10 and that hee which keepeth the whole Law besides failing yet wittingly in one point is guiltie of all Wherefore hee doth not dare to giue himselfe a licence of departing from the knowne way of Gods Law in any thing Indeed a good man findeth some sinnes harder to him to leaue than others and some duties harder than others to performe but yet his purpose determination resolution is to be found obedient to God in those things also and hee doth most earnestly striue against his owne corruptions there where hee finds them most apt to be opposite to Gods Word and takes most paines to make himselfe straight there where hee finds himselfe most crooked whereas the hypocrite tolerates some euill in himselfe and takes libertie so to transgresse making some shift or other to daube vp his conscience and to secure himself from the checks thereof Thus Iudas would neuer leaue purloyning and licking his fingers as the prouer be hath it after once the bag was committed to his custodie The true heart allowes no one knowne sinne whatsoeuer the hypocrite euermore allowes at least some one sinne that hee either knowes or suspects to be sinne Satan hath alwaies some peculiar or exempt place in his heart and life where hee may reigne without controle and whether the iurisdiction of Gods Word may not be suffered to extend And yet sometimes also the hypocrite will seeme to make a proffer of pulling his necke out of Satans yoke The hypocrite for a little will make an offer to amend his best beloued sinne by promising to leaue and beginning for a spirt to make as if he would leaue his most beloued sinne but quickly returne to follow it with greedines the Christian neuer returnes againe to an allowed practice of it So Simon Magus for a little while began to desist from following his sorceries and Pharaoh said once or twice that he would let the people goe and twice Saul promised Dauid faire that he would surcease to trouble him any further But this mood holdeth not long he quickly returneth to his old wallow and laps vp like an vncleane curre his filthy vomit which hee had formerly disgorged I do not meane that he is ouertaken only to do the same fault againe once or twice or oftner for that may befall the true Christian also but he proceedes to allow himselfe in doing of it to goe on in it and follow it with greedinesse excusing it or hardning himselfe in it at least comming to this passe that hee cannot leaue it that it is not possible and therefore it is in vaine for him to striue about an impossible matter and so hee returneth to make a trade of his sin for all his good promises and offers of
deserued punishment which his grieuous wickednesse doth challenge at the hands of his righteousnesse If it be obiected that God might conuert the hypocrite if he would The answere is By his omnipotent power he might and so he migt the diuels too and the very prince of the diuels Beelzebub himselfe But wee must vnderstand that the Lord hath set downe a certaine way and order of conuerting men vnto him agreeable to the rules of his owne vnsearchable wisedome euen such a way as is in it selfe most plaine sure and infallible if the negligence and obstinacy of men doe not hinder and such a way as is most conuenient to procure the greatest honour that may be vnto him in their saluation and that is that man himselfe should become a working instrument with God to his owne conuersion and saluation Which seeing the hypocrite will not doe the Lord will neuer bee so ouer-gracious vnto him as to bring him to heauen by another way but will euen magnify himselfe in destroying him because he neglected to take the right course that was shewed him to doe himselfe good So you see reasons enow on Gods part why such branches should be separated from the Vine Consider we of themselues and see if there be not more then cause of handling them with such seuerity First they thrust away saluation from themselues Reason 2 as it is sayd of the Iewes in another case From themselues whom 1. They thrust away saluation from them Because they will not entertaine and yeeld vnto the good motions of Gods Word and Spirit that doe vrge and presse them to turne vnto the Lord and therefore what can be expected in reason but that they should procure vnto themselues euen sharpe and swift damnation For is it not most equall that he which will not receiue saluation when it is proffered vnto him by God should vtterly perish as that he should be starued and dye for hunger which will not receiue foode when it is put into his hands These men resist and oppugne the Spirit of God and will not accept of life vpon such termes as it may stand with Gods Iustice to bestow it vpon them If he would saue them and giue them leaue to goe on in their beloued sinnes too O how glad they would be of such a carnall way of comming to heauen But if he wil not giue eternall life but vnto those that are carefull throughly to reforme their hearts and liues they know not how to be at all that paynes Surely the matter standing thus betwixt the Lord and their soules it could not stand with his righteousnesse to preserue them from ruine The dissembling Christian dealeth by God as the Disciples of Christ did deale by him in the sixth of Iohn When he told them of eating his flesh and drinking his blood they sayd This was an hard saying who could heare it and so went backe and walked no more with him So the hypocrite hearing of remission of sinnes of life of saluation thinkes they bee things very desireable and out of a will to haue a part in them he will goe a great way with God but when he heares of a generall renouncing of all sinne and of washing and clensing his heart and that without this care there is no saluation he will not beleeue that the way to heauen is so narrow he shrinkes backe at these exhortations and thinkes the Lord is an hard Master and will goe with him no further So then seeing the fruitlesse branch doth carelesly or obstinately let passe the opportunity of sauing himselfe when it is often offered vnto him what can be more righteous with God then that hee should bring vpon himselfe eternall destruction Againe the hypocrite abuseth the richest of all Gods benefits his Word his Sacraments his Gospell the blood of his Son his tender of mercy and the rest of those supernaturall things that he hath to doe with He turneth the grace of God into wantonnesse and like a very Swine doth tread vnder foot the most precious pearle of Gods goodnesse in Christ and must not an heauy vengeance therefore needs oppresse him Meate drinke apparell wit strength health these be worthy gifts of God and exceeding sinfull is the abuse of them accounted in the sight of God as reason there is that it should and very heauy haue the punishments been that haue lighted vpon the abusers of such mercies But these are cōmon fauours euery dayes benefits the outcasts of the world haue them as wel as those of Gods houshold Only the Word of God his holy Ordinances the knowledge of himselfe of his Son and of his Kingdome and the offers of mercy to saue them from hell these are peculiar fauours highly-esteemed kindnesses specially bestowed vpon those of his owne family with whom hee pleaseth to bee in Couenant Now the hypocrite abuseth these he peruerteth these he flatters himselfe in his sins for all these and when God himselfe doth euen as it were come a wooing vnto him in all these ordinances and beseech him to be reconciled to receiue himselfe for an husband his Kingdome for a dowry and Heauen for a ioynture hee will none of the bargaine vnlesse he may haue the liberty of inioying his sinnes besides O how great an indignity is heere offered vnto God how shamefull a repulse doth the Lord receiue and how vndeserued a refusall wherefore by how much the mercies of God that the dissembler abuseth in cōtinuing obstinate against them are greater by so much must God in iustice needes increase the sharpnes and strength of his blowes against his soule 3. Doe much harme in the Church Againe the hypocrite doth procure a number of mischiefes in the vine where he growes which must needs occasion and hasten his cutting off These discredit Religion and cause it to bee ill spoken of these being of Gods family in shew doe bring an ill name vpon it as once the spies did vpon the land of Canaan They doe grieue the hearts of the vpright and strengthen the hands of other sinners and fill their mouthes with insultation Their barrennesse and want of good fruit doth administer matter vnto those that are ready to cauill of casting reproches vpon the roote on which they grow and vpon all the branches that grow by them Neuer did any professed enemy doe so much hurt to true Religion and so much hinder the proceeding of true piety as the hypocrite hath done Hee is one of the chiefe stumbling blocks in the world and if a woe be denounced against him by whom offences come then the heauiest of all woes must light vpon him from whose default the greatest of all scandals doe come Doe you not conceiue what triumphing there was against Christ when his owne Disciple had sold him for money The dry branch is a great impediment to the fruitfulnesse of the neighbour branches and the vnfruitfull Fig-tree doth euen keepe the ground idle Hee keepeth many from goodnesse that
's no longer nor further then as he will impart with him is wisedome with him is power greatnesse and riches and Maiesty and dominion are his Hee is infinitely iust and righteous hating sinne with ten thousand times more vehement hatred then wee can thinke hee doth and punisheth it with ten thousand times more seuerity then wee can thinke he will He is thorowly and thorowly acquainted with all that is in man needeth not to receiue information from any other His eyes in euery place behold the euill and the good and he is most fearefull and terrible to the sinner and euen farre more burning then any consuming fire Put thy selfe therefore in mind frequently of his all-searching eye all-hearing eare almighty hand and euery-where-present presence Say with Dauid Lord whither shall I goe out of thy presence And thou compassest my path and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes He that will thus set his mind on worke often to muze of Gods excellencies shall finde the candle of the knowledge of God to bee lighted vp within his soule And as a theefe endureth not the light and therefore if a candle be tinded he flies so this slie theefe of hypocrisie will bee gone if we set vp and renew this burning lampe of knowledge within vs. Wherefore gather together such worthy texts of Scripture as tend to set foorth God vnto vs and bestow much time in pondering of them and telling thine heart how true they bee and most inconceiueably great and good hee is that hath in them discouered but his backe parts vnto thee and thou shalt soone finde that the beames of this Sunne will dispell the fogs of guile within thee 5. And last to be constant in examining himselfe by the Law and discussing ones owne deeds Last of all thou must be constant in examining thy selfe by the Law of God and in discussing thine owne life calling thy selfe to account often at least euery day for the thoughts words and deeds of the day renewing the sorrowfull confessions of thy soule for what thou findest to bee amisse and thine hearty purposes of amendment Hypocrisie cannot preuaile but where a man doth suffer himselfe to passe on carelesly heedlesly thorow the world not regarding much how matters goe with his soule nor caring to set himselfe in Gods presence and consider how he hath behaued himselfe towards God He that lets his reckonings runne on a long time without setting them in order or considering how they stand is many times a very banquerupt and knowes it not but hee that doth often make his accounts euen doth likely keep before-hand We must daily cast vp our accounts with God we must daily reckon with him and our selues for our debts and arrerages But especially a man must haue a speciall eye vnto that most beloued sinne of his which he takes most delight in is most prone vnto and is lothest to see and leaue and most watchfully marke and obserue each stirring and turning and mouing of it within his soule be it what it will bee worldlinesse passion reuenge vaine-glory lust voluptuousnesse carking or the like Likely hypocrisie that is it selfe a close corruption and loues not to bee seene hath some lieutenant as it were some master-sin that keepes its place openly and holds vp its dominion See this oppose this subdue this and the raigne of guile is ouerthrowne This ferreting out of all sinne by the Law and chiefly of the master-sinne this frequent appearing before God to try our daily conuersation in his presence will cause that a man shall not bee vnder the dominion of guile He shal discouer so much hypocrisie and so much hurt comming to him by hypocrisie and so much good by the purging out of hypocrisie that by confessing and opposing it hee shall gaine certaine freedome from the tyranny and vsurpation thereof Lo brethren so many of you as haue hitherto beene seruants to guile I haue reuealed vnto you the meanes of recouering your liberty Doe these things and though you haue been to this time arrant hypocrites you shall be changed and become vpright Onely doe these things now for the present from this time forward without deferring or delaying without putting off the Lord vntill another time for the plaister will come too late when the sore is past cure After a man is dead make him a cawdle saith the Prouerbe This is madnesse indeed when God hath so long borne with thy dissimulation as that now hee resolues to beare with thee no longer nor euer to pardon thee and therefore turnes thy conscience loose vpon thee to pursue thee as he did on Iudas then shalt thou bee vnable to doe these things and then shalt thou finde it past time a day to thinke of reforming thy guile when God is now in cutting thee off for it for the night will come when no man can work as Christ telleth Wherfore now at the pure reproofes of Gods Word and at the gentle and louing motions of his Spirit addresse thy selfe to this though painfull yet happy and needfull labour of reforming thy guile and I protest vnto thee in the name of the Lord that thou shalt preuaile See thine hypocrisie grieue for it before God considering the certaine and insufferable danger of it and the assurance of escaping it by this meanes and euen falling out with thy selfe because thou canst not grieue more for it and withall pray earnestly vnto the Lord for his Spirit meditate much of his excellencies and presence and vse to marke and examine thy life daily chiefly in respect of thy most deare sinne which thou findest thy selfe lothest to see and leaue and then heare thou the Word of the Lord vnto thee Thy sinne shall be pardoned thy guile shall be remoued and thou shalt from this time forward become a liuing and a fruitfull branch O how happy shall this change be how comfortable this alteration and how shalt thou blesse the time the day the meanes the cause that so changed thee And now I pray you brethren giue mee leaue yet a little further to presse this exhortation vpon your consciences Answere each of you within himselfe and say What is thy resolution and what intendest thou to doe Wilt thou passe ouer this exhortation as carelesly as thou hast already done many others and goe as fruitlesly from this Sermon as from others heretofore neuer regarding to amend the sin which the Word of God discouereth vnto thee to bee so mischieuous wilt thou I say euen neglect and set light by this admonition and euen forget it so soone as thy backe is turned on the Church and neuer take care of following it or wilt thou heed it obserue it follow it and now begin to make thy selfe a true Christian by purging out the formerly preuailing guile of thy soule Come to a resolution before thou goest hence what thou wilt doe whether obey the Word of God or disobey it practise it or let it slide
without endeuour to practise Me thinkes it should not be possible that any amongst you should haue an heart so desperately hardened as not to obserue an exhortation so neerly concerning him and so much and earnestly beaten vpon him Me thinkes it cannot be that any marking it should possibly settle himselfe in a wilfull obstinacy of going on as he hath begun and not mending so damnable a sinne All the way that Satan hath to make you lose the fruit of this exhortation is to nuzzle you in a good conceit that sure you bee not Hypocrites but already true-hearted and therefore the exhortation though needfull yet is to you impertinent But thou must vnderstand that though thou beest not a ranke Hypocrite yet the things deliuered concerne thee and are needfull for thee also as well as for him that is For there is none of all Gods Saints so perfectly renewed but that a great deale of the leauen of hypocrisie may be found in him though not so much as by quite ouercomming him should giue him the name of an Hypocrite yet so much as by often breaking foorth in him may iustly cause him to take heed and beware of hypocrisie as our Sauiour Christ biddeth Now the same things that are auailable to beate downe any vice from bearing rule in the heart the same things are also needfull for the further and further weakening of it that it may bee lesse and lesse noysome to the heart Wherefore howsoeuer the case goe with thee thou hast a portion in this worke if thou knowest thy selfe to haue been but an Hypocrite most of all doth it appertaine to thee to practise it that thou maist no longer stand in hazard of being cast into hell euery houre If thou canst not tell whether thou beest an Hypocrite it beseemeth thee to put it in practice that thou maist in such a degree subdue hypocrisie as to bee able to know and say that thou art none Hypocrite If thou beest already so sincere The siue forenamed things doe also pertaine to the vpright that be may grow more vpright that thou canst truly and assuredly affirme thy selfe to be no dissembler yet thou also must doe the things perswaded that by more preuailing against guile thou maist haue more comfort and lest if thou doe not thus continue to mortifie this corruption it get head against thee againe so farre as almost to lay its yoke vpon thee the second time for a man that is now so true and vpright as that he is well assured the power of guile is broken within him shall yet if hee fore-slacke the performing of the things I haue formerly prescribed by little and little haue guile so apt to grow in him as weeds in a garden that hee shall bee little lesse then quite ouer-run with it in a short space Wherefore though the things be somewhat tedious to flesh and blood and though corruption hath no mind to set about them for when did any man whose body was wounded come otherwise then vnwillingly to be searched tented plaistered and who euer tooke a potion but with some rising against it of his stomacke yet inforce thy selfe vrge the necessity of doing vpon thine owne soule so much till thou haue made thine heart resolute to doe them and so mayest not alone cease to bee an Hypocrite but daily more and more cast out this sowre leauen and keepe the feast of an holy conuersation in the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth Brethren be not deafe to the voyce of the liuing God frustrate not his ordinances disappoynt not your selues of the good his Word would doe you by neglecting its directions but now consider what course hath been prescribed vnto you for the healing of hypocrisie and put it in practice and bee healed And O Lord of heauen thou that knowest who they be that haue but dissembled hitherto vouchsafe so to worke with thy Word now that they may bee made to see bewaile and resist their guile henceforward that so thou maist winne glory to thy selfe in making them fruitfull rather then in cutting them off And so much for the first part of Gods Husbandry his iust seuerity against Hypocrites CHAP. VI. Containing the second Doctrine viz. that the best branches haue need of pruning LEt vs now goe forward to consider his Fatherly goodnes towards the vpright Euery branch that bringeth forth fruit he purgeth or pruneth that it may bring forth more fruit It should seeme then that they haue need of purging and therefore haue some things amisse about them For it were an idle labour and a matter deseruing reproofe and reproch in a gardener to be paring a branch that hath nothing about it which would doe more hurt then good and surely the Lord of heauen need not to remoue any thing from his branches if he did not meet with some things euill superfluous vpon them Know you then Doct. 2 The fruitfull branch needs pruning the best man hath his faults that the most fruitfull branch that growes vpon this Vine hath something in it that will require the vse of a pruning knife that is to say the truest hearted Christian that euer was in this world hath had his faults and whiles he liueth in this house of clay shall haue them Euen those boughes that are hanged with large clusters of ripe and pleasant Grapes haue yet some superfluous leaues some out-growing sprigs some dry and rotten twists that were better away then there and that cause the Grapes to beneither so many nor faire nor sweet as else they would be Doth not Saint Iames tell vs that In many things we offend all Lo the expresse plainnesse of this text for there is great force in the words many and we and all for who shall exempt himselfe from that confession wherin Saint Iames himselfe found cause to beare a part Iames 3.2 and that so as he includeth in it with himselfe all the number of the Saints of God then liuing and who shall come after and say that himselfe or such and such in his time offend in nothing or in few things when of all the Saints in the Apostles time it is confessed by the holy Apostle and the holy Spirit that guided him not alone that they formerly haue offended but also that they presently did offend in many things 1. King 8.46 and 2. Chr. 6.36 Salomon also is plaine and saith that there is no man which liueth and sinneth not If in the old Testament there were none which liued sinlesse and vnder the new Testament they did all acknowledge themselues offenders in many things I hope then it is plaine enough what hath been and in all ages will be the state of good Christians and true-hearted euen that they shall bee troubled with sinnes and with many sinnes Dauid saith also Psal 19.12 by way of confession to God Lord who can know his errours not alone confessing of himselfe but of all that they haue not alone some
of Nathan the Prophet And now are you clean saith our Sauiour anon after the text by the word that I haue spoken vnto you And as all the exhortations and admonitions of the Word of God doe serue to rub off the rust from the soules of his people so chiefly the doctrine of the Gospell by vertue of the blood of Christ which it offereth and giueth vnto them is a most cleansing doctrine This leaueth in the will of the truly iustified man such a deepe impression of the bitter death of Christ for sinne as worketh in it a loathing detestation of sinne and maketh it to turne it selfe away from a thing so abominably euill And this is to crucifie our sinnes vpon the Crosse of Christ when the consideration of the extreme foulenesse and vnvtterable odiousnesse of sinne which is cleerly manifested in the sufferings of our Lord for it and of the most excellent beauty and brightnesse of the tender mercy and kindnesse of God shining forth in the same passion is so seriously receiued and doth so deeply sinke into the very heart-root of a man that it mightily draweth him to set downe and inact this conclusion in himselfe of sinning no more In this meaning it is said that faith purifieth the heart and that hauing this hope wee purge our selues as Christ is pure and therefore the Word of God chiefly the Gospell being applyed to the working and increasing of our faith and hope becomes a blessed instrument of our purging And with these proper and naturall meanes Some accidentall are vsed also certaine accidentall meanes that are made so beyond their owne nature These are chiefly three Afflictions Tentations and falls into sinne for euen by poyson oftentimes is poyson cured and by iron is iron driuen out For the first 1. Chastisements the seruants of God are and must often be chastised that they may be whited These corrections are fit to stirre vp sorrow in those to whom they befall which sorrow by grace is turned into godly sorrow the most effectuall corrosiue to eate out the dead flesh of the soule and so the fruit of them is as the Prophet speaketh the taking away of sinne Afflictions make vs to feele the dangerousnesse of sinne they testifie Gods dislike of wickednesse they manifest our owne frailty and basenesse they conuince vs of the vanity of the world they pull downe the pride of our stomacke so eating out the proud flesh that growes within vs that the medicine of the Word may come neere the sore they quicken vs to prayer they driue vs to examine our selues and inforce vs to consider of our wayes that at last wee may be able to professe with the Prophet Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy righteous iudgements There is scarce any thing more needfull for Gods children then these Fatherly chastisements they doe breake open the heart to make a free passage for the Spirit of God to enter in at They doe plough vp the heart to make it capable of the seed of life the holy doctrine of the Word of God that is spoken to them In prosperity many times the soule is dull of hearing and scorneth to bee reproued It is sated with outward contents and takes no delight in remembring the death and blood-shedding of Iesus Christ It taketh pleasure in vanity and cannot haue while to thinke of things spirituall and most profitable But afflictions awaken the heart out of the deepe sleepe of security they distaste the sweet meates of the world and bore the eare and couer the pride of heart and make a man in whom the Spirit of God is to hearken and attend vnto the motions of the Word and of the Spirit The truth is that afflictions of themselues and in their owne nature as being fruits of sinne and euill are not of this force to purge the heart but through the wisedome of him that is able to turne all things to the best and by the working of the Spirit which taketh aduantage of all seasons and opportunities they doe become most happy instruments of our cleansing and there is scarce any one of all the Saints of God but may from his owne experience affirme that it hath been a great part of his happinesse to take and drinke these potions from the hand of his wise and louing Father for they haue purged out of his soule those noysome and euill humours which would otherwise haue made him little lesse then deadly and desperately sicke But moreouer 2. Satans bitter tentations the Lord doth make the diuell himselfe an vnwilling instrument of pruning his seruants by meanes of those fierce tentations wherewith hee doth mightily assault them Euen Satans violent buffettings are by Gods goodnesse turned into most excellent purgations When the diuell is let loose vpon a Christian man as the shepheards dog vpon the sheepe and with fury and craft striues to bring him to vtter despaire making him beleeue that the very pit of hell it selfe stands gaping before him ready to swallow him vp or when he doth worke mightily vpon his sinfull affections with a kind of excessiue violence haling him to the practice of those detestable sinnes which his soule hateth and making none end to lye at him with vncessant and vehement sollicitations to commit such and such foule deeds Oh this cuts this woundeth this vexeth and tormenteth this sets them on praying on weeping on crying on bleeding this doth so shame him and disgrace him to himselfe this makes him so farre out of loue and conceit with himselfe and so extremely vile and odious in his owne eyes that he thinkes no name nor vsage bad enough for himselfe this also maketh him with a blushing and confounded face and with a most deiected and a broken spirit to runne and cry vnto the Lord his God for helpe and strength Thus the more Satan striueth to stirre corruption the better it is purged for stirred it must bee before it can bee purged and by his tentations being brought to see and feele a number of corruptions which else we would neuer see and feele wee finde his sinfull malice by Gods goodnesse made an excellent furtherance to our cleansing of our selues And not onely so 3. Their owne slips and faults but in the third and last place our owne sinnes faults and slips doe become instruments of our making cleane from sinne euen as a man doth better scowre his foule hands hauing first smeared them with some foule thing that helpeth more to rub off the foulenes that cleaueth fast vnto the skinne not that the Children doe or may at any time of purpose commit sinne to this end for it is quite besides and against the nature of them to bring forth this effect yea euery sinne is apt to leaue as a filthy spot behind the committing of it a greater pronenesse to commit it then before but that the Lord doth please diuers times to giue them ouer to be foyled of
indeed true members of Christ seeing that the Lord hath pleased to make you knowne for such by doing that for you which hee doth performe for all true Christians and onely for them I confesse that there is a kinde of cleansing A kind of cleansing may befall an vnsanctified man which is not from Gods sanctifying Spirit such as hath bin found euen in Heathen men without the Church and without Christ This is such a leauing of some one or other outward grosse sin as ariseth from age or misery or other like naturall causes the heart in the generall disposition still remaining the same for a mans owne rod may so beate him as the common Prouerbe speaketh that he may be forced from those euill practices which once he followed as the vnthrifty man after he hath wasted his estate almost to the bottome and perceiueth penury comming against him may so farre returne to himselfe as to cease to bee riotous and the theese that hath beene frighted once or twice with the narrow escape of hanging may cease to giue himselfe ouer to theeuery and the man whose age and bodily decay doth not serue the turne to performe his vnchaste pleasures may cease to follow harlots and so in other like particulars This departing from a few outward acts of euill the heart remaining still impoysoned with the wonted inward disorders or other as bad is not the cleansing which the Lord doth afford to the true branches of the Vine neither may any man intitle himselfe to the comfort wee haue in hand from such a maimed kind of reformation But if any man doe finde himselfe cleansed in soule from the loue and liking of all known euils proportionably that what by the Word what by afflictions or such like meanes hee hath been made to take notice of more corruptions in himselfe then euer before he thought to haue beene there and seeing the same to detest them and abhorre himselfe for them before God crauing his strength and power to reforme them and by crauing strength hath obtained at Gods hands though not a totall release from these corruptions yet a great decay of them and a farre greater ability to leaue them then in former time Let these men reioyce in the liuing God and take this worke of his Spirit in them for an assured proofe of their being truly ingraffed into the body of Christ Those that doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit they shall liue those that are crucified together with Christ shall raigne with him and hauing beene made conformable to his death shall also be made conformable to his glory Wherefore as Samson fed on the honey which he found in the carkase of the Lion that hee had slaine so let all Gods people feede vpon the comfort which growes vnto them from the sinnes that they haue ouercome For doubtlesse nothing is more auailable to increase the worke of mortification then with ioy to looke vpon the good beginnings thereof and comfortably to behold the dying of sinne that a man may say to himselfe Loe now mine inward and spirituall enemies are smitten downe before me and become like foes that are put to flight and many of them slaine in the chase When a man lookes into himselfe and comparing himselfe with himselfe findes that by Gods grace such and such euils doe lesse preuaile within him then they were wont yea that now the least motions of them are more hatefull to him then formerly some grosse outward faultings therein and that the inclinations of that kind which hee feeleth in himselfe are either fewer or weaker or both that hee sooner spyeth more heartily and inwardly lamenteth and condemneth more carefully and diligently resisteth and opposeth them at least is much more humbled and abased to himselfe by meanes of them then formerly This is to be pruned and this is a true signe of a liuely branch in the true Vine Christ Iesus Neither let the people of God take lesse comfort in this pruning because it is not totall nor all at once but if they finde it to goe forward though slowly and by small degrees and to haue been attained by their spirituall industry in the vse of spirituall meanes now let them clap their hands and triumph in God saying Through God I haue done valiantly for he hath troden downe mine enemies that rose vp against me We must not suffer our selues to be so much vexed with the remainders of our corruptions as to depriue the Lord of the glory and our owne soules of the comfort which wee might reape from the beginning of their ouerthrow but must make our selues exceeding glad of this their first falling before vs that so we may more assuredly conclude as they doe concerning Haman when he began to fall before Mordecai that he should not preuaile but should surely fall quite before him When wee obserue the fruits of our faith as meanes to confirme our faith and the good workes of Gods grace as arguments to assure vs that wee are receiued into the state of grace this is an excellent meanes to make these fruits of faith and workes of grace to grow stronger and stronger in vs. An heart cheered vp in beholding and acknowledging the goodnesse of God that hath in some measure blessed his indeuour against sinne shall bee greatly furthered in this spirituall combate It animates souldiers to fight when as Ionathan speaketh concerning Sauls souldiers they eate the spoyle of their enemies but when they doe keepe themselues fasting as it were like as Saul did his souldiers pretending thereby to make them more eager in following the chase this makes them to be faint and weary and so doth very much hinder the slaughter of the foe Wherefore ye Christian souldiers that haue fought manfully vnder Christ your Lord with the weapons of the Word and Prayer and the like and haue found that your holy meditations and prayers haue diminished the force of your corruptions in some good measure eate you the spoyle of your spirituall enemies comfort your selues in the sence of this good worke and with great contentment of spirit conclude for your selues that you are true branches because the Husbandman doth bestow the paynes of pruning vpon you CHAP. XV. Containing the third vse of the poynt to incourage the Saints in striuing against sinne because the Lord will helpe them in this labour and they shall surely preuaile BVt this poynt doth yeeld likewise a third vse Vse 3 Incouragement to proceed in resisting of sinne to animate the people of God to a resolute opposing of all their corruptions because loe the God of heauen is ready at hand to cut off those euils which they are hewing at A man is sure of successe in the worke of mortification if he want not diligence to labour in that worke The flesh must downe corruptions shall tumble the Spirit shall bee victorious stronger is he that is in vs then he which is in the world and certainly the grace
and all the good effects thereof Wherefore againe and againe bee intreated to make it the principall scope of your liues to waxe more and more godly and righteous in life CHAP. XIX Containing a comfort to them that haue growne and doe grow in goodnesse IN the last place Vse 3 let all those that do perceiue themselues to be growing in fruitfulnesse Comfort to them that doe grow receiue much comfort heerein O well are they growth is a most sure signe of life a rotten branch growes not a rotten arme growes not Whosoeuer therefore perceiueth that his care of liuing godlily in Christ Iesus increaseth that he is more and more desirous to obey God and that his workes are better at last then at first blessed be he of the Lord let him receiue this happy comfort from the mouth of God and conclude himselfe infallibly to bee a liuing branch a sound-hearted Christian Indeed the people of God to whom this consolation doth most duly appertaine are not euer forward for the most part to imbrace the same yea they are ready to depriue themselues of it by diuersity of obiections and by name thus you shall haue them speaking against themselues Alas is there not a growth of Hypocrites as well as of the true-hearted Doth not the blade spring vp as well in the stony and in the thorny ground as in the good ground And how can I assure my selfe but that this growth of mine is such as may befall a dissembler I answere It must not be denyed that the man of a guilefull spirit the close Hypocrite hath his fulnesse his period his state to which he may come and to which till he haue reached he seemeth both to himselfe and others to grow But the difference is manifest and expresse The difference betwixt the growth of Hypocrites and the true-hearted The Hypocrites growing in the shewes of goodnesse causeth him also to grow in conceit of himselfe he thinkes better of himselfe and much applaudeth his owne proceedings but the godly man groweth in a meane conceit of himselfe and as he waxeth better and better so doth more more condemne himselfe that he is not better then he is He sees things to be better with him then they were but alas he sees them also to be so farre short of what they should be that hee is euen grieued with himselfe to thinke of his wants and defects The true godly man growes in humility as in other graces but the Hypocrite growes in conceitednesse and high esteeme of himselfe When a man prayes but is much moued with dislike of himselfe because hee prayes no better meditates but blames himselfe because his meditations are so shattered and distracted is merciful but is angry against himselfe because he is not more mercifull this mans growth is a sound perfect and sincere growth but when hee performeth these duties so that hee is good in his owne eyes because of the performance of them this is but a shooting vp of a blade that after will wither and come to nothing The fruitful branch in his fruitfulnesse sees so many wants that hee is humbled thereby the vnfruitfull branch is so satisfied with his shewes of fruitfulnesse that he still magnifieth himselfe and despiseth others being increased in pride by the increase of those things that seeme good in him It is a most manifest thing in all true godly men that when all men else doe perceiue them to grow and commend them for it they doe most complaine and condemne themselues for want of growth for they are so stil carryed onward to that the is before thē as they forget that that is behind but the dissembler so looketh behinde him and forgetteth what is before that he stands admiring himselfe for that which he hath already done and thinkes hee is better then this man and that man and compareth and preferreth himselfe before others Againe the godly man doth commend others that are better then himselfe and beholds their goodnesse with great liking and approbation being discontented with himselfe that hee is out-stripped by them but the Hypocrite is moued with enuy and indignation against those that goe beyond him and will haue some quarrell to picke against their as hee counteth it ouer-forwardlinesse The godly man saith still he is an vnprofitable seruant the Hypocrite brags of his seruice and glories in himselfe that hee is increased in wealth Now then consider if thy growth in goodnesse be accompanyed with a growth in humility and in an abasing of thy selfe and thinking better of others then of thy selfe or if it be ioyned with conceit of thy selfe and magnifying thy selfe aboue others and enuy against them that seeme to obscure thy praises and if it be with thee in the former manner thou growest indeed and must inioy comfort if in the latter manner thou growest alone in shew and hast no right nor interest into this comfort But further the good man will say against himselfe Alas I doe not grow I doe not bring forth more fruit I demand then Vpon what ground is it that thou chargest thy selfe with not growing Is it because thou findest thy selfe not all out so able to continue praying and mourning as in some times heretofore I answere that the true Christian is likely most affectionate at the first by reason of the strange alteration that he findes in himselfe But say Is not thine heart more abased now in the sence of thy faults Art thou not more sharpe against thy selfe more fauourable to others Is not thine heart now more carryed with a respect of God lesse with a respect of thy selfe Doest thou not become more hardly conceite of thy selfe then formerly Surely when a mans mind is more and more alienated from himselfe then hee growes most though hee seeme to himselfe least to grow and though he thinke himselfe lesse able to performe many good duties then formerly he was Wherefore now let all Gods seruants stay vp their hearts with diuine consolations and gather to themselues a ioyfull assurance of their being vpright by their increase in fruitfulnesse When a rich man casts ouer his accounts and findeth his stocke to be greater then it was and his reuenewes to be inlarged O how his heart leapeth within him and what good it doth him to perceiue that he is increased in wealth Why should not the godly man whose wealth is inward and spirituall perceiuing the stocke of vertue to be augmented and his two Talents to haue gained other two behold this with much praise to God and with a great deale of content and peace in himselfe Wee are bound in conscience to see and acknowledge the goodnesse of God this way and to prepare our selues for a further increase by taking delight in the gaines which we haue already made to our selues in the trade of godlinesse I deny not but that a godly man must still consider how farre he is remoued from the goale of perfection and comparing himselfe with the Law complaine much of himselfe for being vnprofitable But there is no contradiction betwixt these two A man may well consider of his wants to behumbled in them and yet withall take notice of his increase to be ioyed in that both must be done and the one of these will exceedingly helpe to the doing of the other If wee doe not ioyne these two together we shall finde much inconuenience by separating them Hee that still thinketh how much he is able to doe in the worke of obedience and doth not seasonably mind himselfe of his many defects shall bee in danger of swelling and puffing vp But hee that alwayes lookes to his wants and imperfections and doth not sometimes raise vp his heart in the meditation of the worke of grace within him which hath edifyed and built him vp in godlinesse and made the little he had at first far more then it was shall become heereby deiected vncheerfull and vnthankfull Wherefore feed humility with the one of these cogitations and thankfulnesse with the other It is yeelded that thou art as Paul saith nothing yea lesse then nothing in comparison of what thou shouldest but againe thou art something in comparison of what thou wast and what thou shouldest haue been but for the worke of Gods grace in thee Acknowledge therefore to the glory of the Vine and the Husbandman and to the consolation of thine owne heart Lord what by thy Word what by afflictions what by one or other meanes that thou hast vsed and blessed and by the gracious assistance of thy Spirit in and with all I doe truly perceiue my selfe to bee in some measure confirmed and strengthened in grace my faith is stronger my patience more stedfast mine heart more set vpon heauenly things my care of shunning all sinne and the occasions thereof my desire of seruing thee in all obedience more constant and earnest then it hath been Blessed bee thy name thou art indeed a good Husbandman and by thy good husbandry hast made mee that else should haue beene a dry and barren branch to bee somewhat fruitfull and to increase in fruitfulnesse Vertue is then improued to the best when it is put to the vse of making our soules to giue more glory to God and to take more comfort in him FINIS
damnation For the thing in regard of which he doth hate sinne and would faine bee rid of it is neither onely nor chiefly this that it is like enough to bring his soule to hell but this also yea this chiefly that it is offensiue to God and displeaseth his louing Father and makes him vnable to hold such familiar and friendly society with God as else he might haue So that the misapplying of this consolation to nourish security presumption and boldnesse in sinning is a sore signe of a man that is farre enough off from any truth wherefore we desire that none of you should so abuse the sweet comforts of Gods Word But make the right and true vse of this comfort and lay it like a good plaister discreetly and seasonably to thy wounded soule and when thy doubting heart by Satans crafty prompting shall tell that thou art none of Gods because of such and such faults that thou hast committed and dost often fall into and that to this end that thereby he may cause thee to giue ouer all hope and cast off all care of praying to God and humbling thy soule in confession and suing for pardon in Christ and so to frame thee either to vtter desperation or vtter loosenesse one of which things must necessarily-follow vpon the beleeuing of that conclusion When I say Satan is busie thus to turne thy sinnes to the ouerthrow of thy faith and to the turning thee quite out of the way of godlinesse and peace now answere by the seasonable remembring and due applying of the present poynt No no. O mine vnbeleeuing heart I am full of sinnes but I confesse them and am troubled with them I fall often but I euer rise and euer resolue to rise to goe to the Lord and acknowledge and striue to bewaile them and to craue and beg his helpe against them more and more earnestly Wherfore I am sure that those sinnes cannot disproue my being a true Christian and a child of God and therefore I will both call vpon him and stay vpon him and resoluing still to striue to bee more free from sinne will rest vpon Christ for what I cannot but acknowledge to bee wanting in my selfe To see our sinnes so as to grow vile in our owne eyes and more and more contemptible in our owne account and more and more to labour to haue our soules contrite and broken for them this is a good sight of them and we must be perswaded to it but to see them so as to giue ouer hoping in Gods mercy for their pardon and labouring against them in his strength because our often foyles and failings do make vs conclude it is in vaine this is no way allowable As good scald as burnt the Prouer be saith As good not see our sinnes at all as make so bad an vse of the sight of them But now O all ye that are fruitfull branches keepe fast your title and interest into that name and let not your many superfluities so long as you finde them in pruning and cutting off make you deeme your selues vncapable of that honour CHAP. XI Containing the third poynt of doctrine that God will prune the fruitfull branches that is helpe true Christians against their corruptions ANd that you may the better inioy and not abuse this comfort proceed we now to the third of those foure poynts which wee propounded to speake of viz. Gods goodnesse in purging his seruants This pruning must needs import some act of God which is the same to the soule of a Christian man that cutting off the superfluities of the Vine-branches is to them and this can be nothing else but the helping of them against their corruptions For looke what superfluity of leaues twigs or the like is to a branch the same are corruptions of all sorts to the Christian man and therefore pruning is the taking away remouing strengthening them against these corruptions Know then for a surety that as a good and husbandly Gardener wil take away from the Vine all out-shooting and ouer growing things that might make it yeeld him lesse increase of Grapes Doct. 3 so the Lord will lessen weaken redresse the disorders of all sorts that are in his seruants The Lord will more and more weaken the corruptions of his people euen their ignorance their blindnesse their pride their passion their selfe-love their worldly-mindednesse and the like The Lord is very carefull and ready to helpe his seruants against the sinnes of their hearts and liues and against all the euill of their corrupted nature The most High is a partner with a Christian in his combate against his lusts yea the chiefe workman in this businesse of reforming what is amisse in him He will bestow dressing on his sheepe whiting on his linnen weeding on his garden and on his field Those sinnes that are in the people of God not raigning with their good liking but vsurping without their allowance haue Gods holy eyes bent vpon them indeed to obserue and take notice of them not to hate the person in whom they be for he lookes vpon the person through Christ and as Paul saith It is no longer they but sinne in them but to helpe and assist the person against them euen as a good and louing father obserues the spots of his childs face to make him wash them off and his scabs or itch to prouide him a medicine or as a kind Chirurgion lookes on a sore to search and dresse and heale it not to kill the man for it As he that meeteth with an Apple rotten at core though it look soundly on the outside casts it away from him to the dunghill so the Lord meeting with those in whom sinne hath dominion cuts them off and reiects them vtterly but as a man meeting with an Apple a little specked heere or there pickes out that is naught and pares and eates it so the Lord finding men in whom sinne is dwelling in some degree but is not predominant pickes out that sinne and preserues them for the vse of his glory The Apostle saith that God will tread Satan vnder our feet shortly and it is out of question that Satan can neuer be troden vnder foot if sinne be not yea sinne saith the same Apostle shall not haue dominion ouer your mortall bodies Can wee desire a more expresse promise The same thing we may note in the words of the Prophet I will take away the heart of stone out of your bodies and giue you an heart of flesh And againe I will deliuer you from all your vncleannesses We see the Lords intention plaine enough hee will helpe his seruants not alone against one or two but against all their filthinesses So doth the Prophet Isaiah foretell saying The Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughter of Sion and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the middest thereof with the spirit of iudgement and the spirit of burning All these places put the truth of the poynt out of doubt and
the reasons of it are as cleere as can be not onely from the truth and power of God who is able abundantly to mortifie our sinnes and hath told vs that hee is faithfull and true to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse but also from two other pertinent considerations namely first that their need requireth it secondly that it standeth vpon his honour to performe it For first Reason 1 if the Lord their God should not vndertake the purging and cleansing of them Because else they should perish by the preuailing of sinne their sinnes would totally and finally preuaile against them and they could not possibly but perish If a Garden be not timely weeded it will quickly be so ouer-runne with weeds that there will bee no place left for good and wholesome herbes and flowers to grow therein If a dangerous fote bee not plaistered with conuenient salues it will fester and rankle and rot the ioynt and bring death to the body wherein it bred euen so would sinne also preuaile against the best of Gods seruants to their vtter destruction if hee himselfe did not ioyne to helpe them against it For in truth all their power without the perpetuall assistance of his speciall grace would bee to little purpose for the subduing thereof Either therefore the Lord must purge his people or see them dye for euer for want of purging This latter his tender pity and fatherly compassion his eternall infinite vnspeakable free and vnchangeable loue can neuer indure to see wherefore his wisedome power and goodnesse will set themselues on worke to effect the former euen to purge them that they may be saued And that the rather because in the second place Reason 2 it much importeth his owne honour so to doe It is for Gods honour to perfect the worke be hath begun in them For this is one of those wayes whereby hee is made glorious in all his Saints for that his working in them is so miraculously effectuall as to change blindnesse into sight lamenesse into soundnesse weaknesse into strength and death into life For as a Physiciā hauing vndertaken the cure of some desperat disease wil not for his credit leaue it off bunglingly in the middest halfe whole halfe ill but must perfectly consummate accōplish it to the totall strength of the member ill-affected and person diseased because the glory of a Physiciā doth stand in the multitude of those whom he hath perfectly healed of grieuous maladies So the Lord of heauen and earth hauing begun to heale the sicke yea desperately sicke soules of his poore afflicted and sinfull seruants must euen goe thorow with that hard worke for his glory sake that it may not be said he laid the foundation and was either so weak that he could not or so vnconstant that he would not set vp the roofe and he must winne to himselfe the glory of infinite power and skill in making them euery whit sound as our Sauiour speaketh of one whom himselfe had restored to bodily health It is his honour to shew himselfe strong in their weaknesse true in their falshood wise in their folly good in their badnesse and fuller of excellent ability to redresse their euils then they can be of euils that may need redressing and the glory of glories that hee affecteth to haue in his Church is this that hee turneth Lions into Lambs Woolues into Sheepe and Beares into Kine and Serpents into Sucklings fooles into wise men and sinners into Saints so taking away the most mischieuous violent ouerbearing and but by his strength vnsubduable corruptions of their nature whom he sanctifieth by grace as that he worketh the quite contrary vertuous qualities in them CHAP. XII Shewing the meanes and manner of the Lords pruning NOw hauing sufficiently manifested the present poynt to be true let vs for the better cleering thereof and to make it more easily and plentifully vsefull acquaint you with two necessary poynts about this pruning First The meanes of this pruning by what meanes it is effected and then in what manner For the first the meanes of purging are of two sorts proper Some proper that are fit to bring forth that effect of their owne nature and accidentall that doe not of their owne nature serue for so good a purpose but by Gods wisedome and power are ouer-ruled to the helping forward thereof The proper meanes are also of two kinds principall and instrumentall The principall is the blessed Spirit of God 1. The chiefe Gods holy Spirit for that reason tearmed a Spirit of burning because it serueth to consume the corruptions out of our soules as fire doth the drosse out of the metall The holy Ghost is giuen vnto them that beleeue that they may mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit which bestoweth his efficacie vpon them in those spirituall ordinances of his that he hath appoynted they are then said to crucifie their lusts by the Spirit when they doe carefully vse those spirituall weapons wherewith the holy Ghost will neuer faile to cooperate And if there were not a supernaturall operation of the Spirit of Christ Iesus in vs to heale and helpe vs against these euils neuer should we by all our owne indeuours attaine any sound and thorow purging but alone a slight and superficiall washing of the outside And it is of great importance for vs to vnderstand that the holy Ghost is the chiefe worker in this worke without whom it would neuer succeed happily though we should labour therein with all our might both that we may be able with a more abundant thankfulnesse to acknowledge his care of vs and loue to vs in so great and beneficiall a seruice giuing away the whole praise from our selues to him and also that wee may bee ready with more humble carefulnesse to receiue and yeeld our selues vp vnto this heauenly worke of his which can by no meanes be hindred or interrupted but by our not regarding or not submitting our soules vnto it Wee must be strong in Christ Iesus and in the power of his might His Spirit must cloath vs and come vpon vs through him we must doe valiantly in this spirituall warfare and he must tread downe those lusts that rise vp against vs But this Spirit worketh in 2. The instrumentall the Word of God and by an excellent instrument the Word of God the Law and Gospell read preached heard meditated vpon which therfore we tearme an instrumentall cause of our purging For when as a Christian man doth exercise himselfe in the Word as for example by comming to heare it preached the Spirit of God doth then worke withall to make those speeches effectuall stirring vp and inclining his heart to marke and obserue the corruptions that are discouered vnto him and so to heed the words as to be moued by them So we reade that God cleansed Dauid from his impenitent continuance in his foule sinnes by the wholesome reproofe