regard of cooling yea satisfiyng our spirituall drougth or as in respect of easing the griefes and burdens of our mindes which in deed shall be so much the better welcome vnto vs when God shall be pleased in mercy to vouchsaue vs the same by how much the burthens that we beare and the paines we indure are indeed grieuous and as wee may say and shall finde it too without grace and assistance from God vnbeareable In these outwarde matters the more that is promised the better we like and the more great and faithfull the party is that giueth vs his word the more constantly we assure our selues but if together with words we finde vndeceiueable accomplishment then is our ioy as a man may say at the toppe and full Marke these thinges here and then we shall see our comfort increased Where are more bountifull promises of truth and life then those that euery where soūd in the holy Scripture Doe not they reach to the good things of this life present and that which is to come especially Who more excellent than the Lorde that hath made them Who more great for power Who more certaine for good will Who more assured for fastnesse and fidelity than he Should not all these rayse vp our spirits in our selues that are fallen downe within vs and euen as it were cause vs in hope or vnder hope to beleeue against hope Which that we may the better perceiue in our selues and perswade our hearts of let vs a little insist or stand vpon the words He sayth and I will refresh you Who speaketh it He that eyther cannot or will not performe it no verely But Christ God and man in one person consisting yet notwithstanding of two seuerall and distinct natures the godhead and the manhood hath deliuered it that so we might be well assured as of his eternall power by reason of his godhead so of his infinite good will by reason of his humanitie and in both of them inseparably ioyned together from the time of his conception perswade our hearts for the faithfull accomplishment of this most gracious and sweete promise And wee must needes referre it to and vnderstand it of his whole person not onely because in him consisteth the fulnes of all goodnes as we haue heard yea euen the very fulnes of the godhead bodily but also because that deliuering this as the King Priest and Prophet of his Church and not accomplishing any of these offices in eyther of his distinct natures seuerally but in his whole person he must in his person needes both deliuer this sweete and comfortable promise and also effectually performe the same in the hearts of his saythfull people The word refresh is metaphoricall and well answereth indeede the tearmes before going of labouring and being heauy laden A man that laboureth sore woulde bee glad of ease who doubteth of that The party that hath a sore burthen on his backe would willingly be lighted Nature reason experience all teacheth the trueth of this How much more then hee that is pressed if not depressed with the sight of sinne with the beholding of his owne infirmities with the feeling and feare of Gods wrath against him for the same would be glad to find refreshing ease and comfort Which if it be offred and meant as here it is is excellent but if it be receyued and felt is so much the more notable by how much the soule is better then the body the griefes of the one more great then the other and therefore they being holpen and cured the mercy ministred and made effectuall and the comforts flowing therefrom farre surpassing all Wherein our Sauiour Christ surely offreth no more then what hee is able to performe nay then that which he will accomplish indeed so that wee labour by that eye of fayth which he hath bin pleased to vouchsaue vnto vs and that hand of fayth that he hath bestowed vpon vs stedfastly to looke vpon it to lay hold of it and to applie it to our owne soules because the promises of God though most holy heauenly excellent in themselues yet without fayth to feele and apply the same vnto our hearts they are as in regarde of men as if they were not at all And yet to say trueth and that indeede for the further inlarging of the comfort of distressed consciences wee are to marke that the word signifieth much more then refreshing though I deny not but that that considered as it commeth from God or in it owne selfe is a very singular grace And it shall both appeare and be so much the more gracious by how much all and euery one of vs are vnworthy of it yea most worthy of all discomfort iudgement both for the time present and all continuance But to the word I say it being compounded of a preposition or particle and a verbe that signifieth to finish ende or cease from our Sauiour noteth not onely refreshing from the paynes and pangues that we indure but putting an ende vnto all troubles and sorrowes that are vpon vs whether they be outward or inward which though it shal be principally yea onely and most absolutely performed in the life that is to be reueiled according to that of the spirit in the xiiii of the Reuelations Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they cease from their labors and their works follow them yet it is in manner and measure begunne here by fayth we stedfastly beleeue the full fruition of it and thorowe hope holde fast and with patience looke for the continuall enioying thereof And no doubt of it our Sauiour hath vsed so significant a word that he might the better prouide for and propounde comfort to the wounded spirit which as it is in anguish and griefe for the present distresse so doth it trouble and torment it selfe with this temptation that it seeth no ende of the miseries and calamities thereof But be not dismaied sayth Christ for the time shall come fayth Christ wherein I will wipe all teares from your eyes all griefe from your heartes all sorrowe from your soules and not onely stay there but giue you perpetuall rest with them that are sanctified and saued thorow me Hitherto we haue tranailed and I trust not vnprofitably chiefly in the exposition of the words interlacing now and then some things of comfort and consolation no whit I am sure strange from the meaning of Christ or improper or vnfitte for this present exercise and assembly Now it remayneth that before we go any further in the wordes of our text we doe from this verse gather some such good lessons as it doth afford vs for doctrine or consolatiō because this indeed may most properly be called the life of the word when men learne from the same good instructions and indeuour to make good and profitable vse thereof The first point of doctrine issuing out of this text is this that true and sound comfort for an afflicted conscience is no
where els eyther to be sought or found but in lesus Christ onely Where I beseech you first to marke both how this doctrine ariseth from hence and then the tearmes in which I doe propound and deliuer the same It is gathered from this place because our Sauiour calleth vs vnto him yea vnto him alone which if it had not bin the will of his Father and verie truth indeede or if hee alone had not had aboundant yea infinite matter of strong and solide comfort in himselfe he would neuer haue done as we haue already heard in the beginning of this exercise And for the wordes I doe not say there is no comfort to bee founde for meate drinke sleepe friends recreation and such like are comforts I confesse but not true and sound comfort for a distressed spirit For the affliction of the mind is inward and these are but outward therefore are not fitte for a person or partie so affected and I would as soone thinke and say that bodily food were the proper and sound nourishment of the soule as suppose that these outward things were the true and sound comfort of a broken and contrite heart But that yet wee may bee the better perswaded of the trueth of this point let vs proceed vnto some further proofes of it This was not in my mind obscurely signified vnder all the sacrifices of the old law whether they were ordinarie or extraordinarie dayly or yearly generall or particular all and euery one of them in measure more or lesse tending still vnto him whom they did prefigure and signifie as the Apostle at large declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And why him because he was he alone in whom God was pleased to reconcile the world vnto himselfe and to make the one and onely obiect of our faith And this is plainely propounded vnto vs and proued also by manifolde texts of Scripture both in the old and new testament I wil not trouble you with many for I like not much of that course Out of that great store let vs take two or three both playne and pregnant for this purpose In the 55. Chapter of the booke of the Prophet Isaiah a place cited before and is as we all know and confesse an euident prophecie concerning Christ and the graces that wee shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast fayth we labour to lay hold of him it is sayd Encline your eare and come vnto mee Oh marke how like this Euangelical Prophet our Sauiour himselfe speake let this phrase also I beseech you serue for a cōfirmation and exposition of these wordes of our text Heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Euery worde hath his waight he yea he alone will establish not a momentany but an euerlasting couenant with all his faithfull of which that wee might be the better certified hee telleth vs it shall be sure yea as sure as the mercies manifested vnto and bestowed vpon Dauid which as they were large and almost innumerable so were they irreuocable and could neuer fayle To the same purpose serueth a notable sentence of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth thorow Christ. By sufferinges of Christ he meaneth not onely those thinges that we indure at the hands of persecuters for Christes sake for Christ did not onely suffer that way but euen those anguishes also that we haue in our soules and in our spirits Christ being as much yea farre more throwne down and humbled that way than all flesh as appeareth by his conflict in the garden and by his outcries vpon the Crosse saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And though these haue bin were and are very good indeed as those that haue felt and doe feele thē know and confesse yet to the ende that wee might assure our selues that our ioyes shoulde match them he sayth Our consolations abound thorow him For if there were not a proportion betwixt our heauines and our comfort nay I will say more a superaboundance of our ioyes aboue our griefes then sure what by reason of Satans malice against vs and the dulnesse and hardnesse of our owne heartes to beleeue and the greatnesse of our griefes sorrows besides it would goe hard with a distressed spirit And therefore as for the comforting of vs against the hugenes and height of our sinnes we say with the Apostle where sinne hath abounded there grace hath ouerabounded So in this case of inward afflictions particularly we say our sorrowes may be sore and our griefes great yet our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight as of glory in the life to come so of ioy in this life raysed vp in our hearts by the comfortable feeling thereof And he that knoweth soundly and feelingly beleeueth the names natures person and offices of our Sauiour Christ together with the effects that from him in them are communicated to vs cannot chuse but see feele and confesse the trueth of this point Hee is good in him there is not or cannot be any thing but that which is absolutely good as in whose face and presence also there is the fulnes of ioy for euermore and at his right hand pleasures for euer and euer He is likewise so good that yet notwithstanding he is man like vnto vs in euery respect sinne onely excepted and one that hath bin touched with the feeling of our infirmities by meanes whereof we may the more boldly come vnto the throne of grace so receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Yea these two natures are so ioyned knit as we may say inseparably in one person euen from the very time of his blessed cōception in the wombe of his mother for the accomplishment of the worke of our redemption and our full comfort thereby as that they cannot be deuided or sundred hee being man that so hee might suffer and God that so hee might ouercome the perfection and full accomplishment of our redemption standing vpon these two partes suffering for sinne this is the first and then ouercomming sinne and death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And why is he called Iesus but because as it is sayd Matth. 1. He should saue his people from their sinnes For sinne and that that insueth vpon sinne as shame and confusion of face horror of heart condemnation c. is it that most stingeth mens mindes and soules Now all these beeing taken away in Christ why should they not as well and comfortably sing that tryumphant song O death where is thy sting O graue or hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ as well
yet we shall behold the same still The Apostle Paule was an elected vessell chosen to cary Christes name amongst the Gentiles and yet his state and condition this way is notably described in many places of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians but specially in the fourth chapter where hee saith We are afflicted on euery side yet are 〈◊〉 not in dâ—stresse we are in doubt but yet wee despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not And he maketh a particular recit all of many of them in the eleuenth chapter following But specially that of the twelfth serueth for this purpose where hee saith Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance or excellency for the Greek word doth signifie both the one and the other of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger Sathan to buffet me for this thing I besought the Lorde thrise that it might depart from me but he said vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect thorowe weaknes And shall we thinke that God woulde lay any thing vpon these the only worthies of the world saue that which was good indeed If we imagine so we are much deceiued And thinke that that will neither agree with Gods nature in loue nor stand with the fauour affection that he beareth vnto his children For no doubt but as he loued them most dearlie so he bestowed vpon them the greatest and best blessings Again if in al affliction we may in our measure say as Dauid the Prophet said in some particulars of his owne It is good for me O Lord that I haue been troubled for before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue learned to keepe thy law Then much more in afflictions of this kind I meane sorrow and sicknes of soule for sin past God vsing it not only as a meane to draw vs to repentance for that which is past but to make vs in time hereafter to come more wary of and watchfull ouer that that in former time hath bitten vs and pinched vs by the heart and prouoking vs in the heauines of our spirites to spend time that way to prouide comfort for ourselues spirituall I meane that others are constrayned to imploy about bodily ease releefe and pleasure And surely theÌ„ these inward sorrowes griefs cannot choose but be good not onlie because they are occupied about a more excellent part the soule I meane which God no doubt doth especially regarde but also because they bring forth better at least sure I am more spirituall effectes as because they pinch more more earnest prayer for grace to beare with patience to vndergo with profit and to ouercome through strength and doe more conforme vs vnto the Image of our head in his sustringes who indured much more this way than any other way and therfore also better or more excelleÌ„t Where we must yet further note that that is not simply or only as in regarde of the afflictions themselues but because God accompanieth them with the power of his sanctifying spirit which maketh vs in some measure not only peatakers of the diuine nature whilest wee fly the corruptions that are in the world but like vnto God as in other respectes so in this that as he causeth the rage of men to turne vnto his praise and at the beginuing yea and euer since to commandeth light to shine out of darknes so we out of the folly of our own sins learne spirituall wisedom from their darknes which is more palpable and grosse than that of Egypt labour and learne to setch the spirituall light of a holy life And a further proof yet we haue of this point in that God himselfe is pleased well to like of highly to commende this estate and condition We know and beleeue that he alone is the best able to discerne of men and matters and we are throughly perswaded of this also that for his entire vprightnesse he cannot giue wrong sentence or iudgment For howsoeuer men thorow blindnes partialitie or other corrupted respects haue been and are fouly misled erred in matter of opinion and fact yet none of these thinges falling into God he can do no otherwise but determine according to right so absolute and perfect is all and euery thing that is in God But hee hath told vs that he liketh wel of will respect and regard indeed those that are this way exercised Of which if any man doubt let him but marke and imbrace that which we speak according vnto godlines and trueth and I doubt not but he shall be well perswaded In the 51. Psal Dauid as well experienced in these cases as any man saith thus The sacrifices of God that is to say such as the Lord now delighteth in and accepteth of are a broken spirit by which he meaneth a mind that is bruised and cast downe in it selfe with the priuity of his owne infirmity and vnworthinesse What can be more plain what can be more pregnant And yet as though this were not sufficient he addeth further A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Gods not despising is indeed esteeming and he vseth so meane a speech the better to expresse so excellent a matter for no doubt of it but he wil well accept thereof as his owne work in vs. And agreeable vnto this is that of the Prophet Isaiah in the 66. chap. I looke to him saith God that is poore and broken in spirit and that tremble that my word As if he should say others I regard not though they come with their hands full of sacrifices for that hypocrites may and do performe but this none can come vnto indeed but such as be sound hearted and assuredly belong vnto me and are indeed my holy temple and dwelling place And what shall wee say of that that Salomon speaketh euen from God himselfe in the 28. chap. of the Prouerbs Blessed is the man that feareth much continually Is it not a plaine proofe of this point And doth it not directlie crosse our corrupted iudgment Wee say they are in miserable and wretched estate But wee are ignorant and cannot discerne of those matters specially no more than a blind man is able to iudge of colours But God saith he or they be blessed If he be the only wise God why stay wee not our selues vpon his sentence To shut vp and that as if it were in a word or two the confirmation of this point wee say that whosoeuer either considereth God from whom these anguishes and distresses are sent to good ends doubtlesse as in regard of his people or regardeth the persons vpon whom they are laide to wit the dearest and the best of Gods people or respecteth the fruites and effectes that they bring forth in the seruants of God or beleeueth God so highly accouning of them hee cannot choose but giue glorie to God
that bee thus throwne downe and humbled vnder Gods mighty hand for that is presumptuous against the Lord and vncharitable towards men And another vse may be made of this point as in regard of the faithfull themselues who minding too much their owne sinnes and by meanes there of miserie and vnworthinesse in themselues iudgements from God against them for the same many times make their owne mouthes meanes to expresse fearefull thinges against their owne soules as for example no man in so wofull taking as I I feare I am a castaway or els why should I thus bee tormented And these thinges I doubt not but they deliuer from a heart that feeleth as much as the mouth expresseth Howbeit I say what art thou that takest the Lords office into thy hands and deliuerest these hard and heauie things and that not against other men which were indeed vncharitable but euen thine own selfe which is vnnaturall Tell me I pray thee May blindnes so farre preiudice mens iudgements that it shall hinder them from beholding their owne and other mens states and shall it not obscure thine owne also yea and that euen concerning thy selfe and touching thine owne present state But further knowe this O man that sometimes greatnes and continuance of griefes maketh the best of Gods Saintes to say as much against themselues as thou doest and yet for all that bee in neuer a whit the worse case Dauid in the xxii Psa crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsakē me And yet euen thē he was neare vnto God yea deare vnto him also or els he coulde not haue called vpon God and that in such particular maner applying him to himselfe as hee did neither would the Lord haue so graciously graunted him his requestes And why should not this be thy state rather than the state of a damned or reprobated wretch To vphold thy heart thou hast something euen the sanctified examples of the people of God but to depresse thee so aboue measure thou hast nothing but imagination and conceit either of that which is not in God or if it bee is not in him to that ende that thou supposest or els of that which is not in thy selfe or if it be is not in that measure and quantitie or to those ends that thou imaginest Besides I beseech you consider that it is one thing what men speake of themselues according to their present feeling either of sinne in their soules or the wrath of God against them therefore which many times may be more thā is eyther meete or true another what God is in his owne nature what he himselfe saith of them God is exceedingly good merciful and is not indeede bound to ratifie euery sentence of mans mind or mouth which he vttereth either against his owne soule or against others I hope no man is sure I am no man can be rightly perswaded that any particular person is more than the whole Church And yet God no otherwise approoueth the Churches iudgement to ratifie it in heauen than they on the earth bind according to his will And why should it be otherwise as in regard of particular persons Haue they better priuiledges than the whole Church hath if it bee so let them produce a lawe not of the twelue tables amongst the Romans but of the ten commandementes amongst the people of God or else there is no credit to be giuen O my brethren it fareth in the diseases of the minde as it doth in the sicknes of the body Many a man yea skilfull Physitions take them to be at deathes doore when God giueth afterwards long life On the other side some blesse themselues in their owne heartes and thinke all is well when death sodainely seizeth vpon them leadeth them to the graue and hell Remember I beseech you what was said before out of the 28. of the Prouerbs Blessed is the man sayth the Lorde there that feareth much continually This state and condition of ours whensoeuer or wheresoeuer it pleaseth God to exercise vs therewithall is a principall argument vnto vs that God woulde not haue vs perish with this wicked world hee by this as by other meanes thorow his grace making vs able thus to iudge our selues And indeede to haue such a fearefull and checking heart of our selues for sinne past or for feare to fall into it hereafter is one plaine difference betwixt the godly and vngodly who are seldome or neuer this way touched at the least with comfortable effect And therefore let the afflicted soule gather consolation to his conscience and correct his iudgement for surely that which he taketh to be bitter as gall or wormewood is by the Lord himselfe and not by the voyce of man to be proclaymed to bee sweete as hony or the hony combe The promise specified in the last wordes of this verse commeth nowe to bee looked into Out of which gracious and sweet promise we may learne two things One that the fulnes of all spirituall ioy and comfort is to be found in Iesus Christ and no where else which because it is the same that hath bin handled heretofore wee will but onely touch and put you in mind of it not standing vpon it because it is done already And indeede though the point be excellent and would be handled againe againe yet because the time passeth away we are to come to other points we will say no more Onely let the faithfull conscience looke well vnto it and prouide his comfort this way or else let him know he shall neuer be comforted indeede The other is this that if a man will find sound cōfort indeede he must be wel acquainted with the promises of the word This doctrin as others is both gathered out of this place cōfirmed by it as may appeare by this that our Sauior Christ is here so plentiful in the promises I will refresh you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules which course also he obserueth in many other places I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice and againe I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And most sweete is that in the third chapt of the Gospell according to S. Iohn God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Neyther is this his practise onlie but the spirit also in all the writings of the old and new Testament is large this way and speciallie in that euangelicall prophet Isaiah as we may see by the manifold promises contayned therein and speciallie in three or foure chapters together as 53.54.55 c. But amongst the rest how comfortable is that of chapt 41. from whence euen vnto the end of his prophecie almost hee doth nothing els but publish promises and confolations amongst which howsoeuer hee doe sometimes intermingle terrour and threatning yet he doth it to no other onde but to make the mercies of God more
closely implying vnderstanding them Wherein surely he dealeth no otherwise then he doth in the commandements by a good thing commanded forbidding the contrary cuill and by an euil thing prohibited inioyning straightly the louing and doing of the contrary good that so wee seeing what God aymeth at both in his precepts promises threates and all namely not only our obedience and humiliation but comfort also we might learne to attaine that and to look to and for that which he hath prouided for our good And yet we shall more clearlie perceiue and behold this trueth if we respect Gods worde or the holy scirptures in the seuerall partes thereof fundred as if it were from the promises For if we looke vpon the threats contained therin against sinne and sinners they will be so farre off from performing this dutie of comfort and consolation that they will rather worke in vs horror and trembling and make vs to bee so not only cast downe but dismayed in ourselues as wee shall hardly or not at al admit comfort The doctrine of the law separated from the curse and threatning due to the transgressors thereof will indeed set before vs Gods absolute and exact righteounesse and disconer vnto vs the duties that wee shuld do to him and to our neighbors But when we consider withall that it setteth out our sinne against euery particular precept that will bee so farre from yeelding vs consololation that it will ouer whelme vs with despaire when wee either respect Gods absolure righteousnes or our own innumerable transgressions against his blessed law And though I doubt not but these former things may bee good and powerfull to humble vs and somake vs indeed more fit for consolation and comfort euen as preparatiues going before better physicke for the scouring away of bodily diseases yet can they not of themselues helpe or heale but wounde and terrifie rather for that is the peculiar both office and worke of Gods promises made essectuall in our heartes by the touch and operation of the spirit Nay I will say more than that though the ground of Christian religion and the maine points of faith be excellent things and haue their vse not only for increase of knowledge but euen for the building of vs vp in care and conscience of well doing and being wel felt may answer many temptations that arise in a scrupulous and doubtfull mind yet still the promises of the worde minister matter of assured comfort and comfortable assurance and feeling which also wee may perceiue by this that many may haue the knowledge of faith and yet in the daye of temptation not be able to strengthen their owne hands or others But to proceede a little further in the proofe of this point We cannot but confesse that the examples of mercie and comfort in the word are full of strong sound consolation because they be as if it were so manie seales set vnto the writings of Gods promises that as heretofore hee hath beene to others so he will hereafter or still be fauourable vnto his people And yet wee shall see that they lie open though not of themselues yet by reason of mans corrupted heart to manie exceptions as for example they to whom they were accomplished were better than wee God was more fauourable then than he will be now because we haue more meanes of mercie and haue profited lesse and therefore are not so properly fit for consolation as the promises are For ouer and besides that they are but in men and therefore full of weaknes and wants wee know and confesse euerie where that as we must liue not by examples but by rules so we must bee comforted not so much by examples as by promises And therfore though examples be good yet not so strōg whereas the truths certaintie and power of the promises is from the might and mercy of him that hath made them who also is both greater then all exception and free from the least shew or shadowe of turning And yet let vs be vnderstood I beseech you as we should namely that wee ascribe not this excellent worke vnto the promises themselues though also wee deny not but euen in that respect they are spirituall holy heauenly c. but as by the spirit they are made powerfull in vs and as by the hand of faith wee are strengthned to applie them vnto our selues for otherwise we may say of them as wee do of the rest of the word that without the spirit and faith they are as if it were a sealed book vnto vs for vnderstanding and a dead letter for instruction cōsolation hauing euen no other vse in vs than the rest of the worde not felt or obayed namely to make vs without excuse or to cause our sorrowefull heauie estate to becōe more sorrowfull and heauie because wee see holy heauenly thinges propounded vnto vs and yee haue not either hearts to vnderstand or soules to beleeue This therefore must be our principall care to make that profitable vnto vs that GOD graciously prouideth and propoundeth for our good Now wee come to the vse of this necessarie doctrine which as I take it is or may bee twofolde First for instruction Secondly for confutation For instruction wee may plainly perceiue hereby what is the reason of so much heauines of heart sorrow and feare in so manie of Gods people and children in the world Surely either they are ignorant of these sweet and gracious promises not so much as hauing either heard them or knowne them or els if they haue in some measure of knowledge beene acquainted with them they haue in the carelessenes of their owne hearts or not seeling present vse of them let them slippe out of their mindes like leaking vesselles not able to containe such good things or els if they haue knowne them remembred them thorow want of comfortable feeling of the good things propounded therein they haue beene vnto them as if they had either not been at all or as though they had contained in them no such sweetnes and pleasure as they doe indeed And let vs not thinke this strange for euen as ignorance in religion and carelesnes to obey the things that wee know is a principal cause of all transgression and loose life men not being either willing or able to do the things they are not acquainted withall and for the things that they know blearing out their knowand laying the raines in their owne neckes so they not knowing of the promises or they not minding of them or not striuing comfortablie to feele them is the verie welspring as I maie so call it of all inward and outward discomforte and distresse of conscience especially For how can the wounded conscience admit comforte when he vnderstandeth not the comfort presented vnto him or if hee forget it where is his ioy in the middest of his forgetfulnesse We saie that of an vnknowne thing there is no desire wee maie in proportion saie the same
acknowledge the trueth of this namely that the state and condition of a man or woman wounded in spirit is not so hard or heauy so dangerous or deadlie as many times we take it or men make it to be But now let vs descende to the vses of it By all this wee may see howe much they are out of the way that iudge the disquiet and distressed estate of Gods people in this worlde either by God to bee layde vpon them for sinne which is false for God doth not alwayes punish his for their iniquities and there are many causes that may mooue the godly to mourne as well as for their owne sinnes for examples the mischiefes intended and practised against the Church the disorders and breaches of the common wealth the generall ouerflowing of sinne and iniquitie in others with sundry such like or els take it to be meer madnes in them or at least superfluitie and predominance and ouerruling of melancholie As for madnesse surely call it by what name you wil frensie lunacie or I cannot tell what it cannot be so for then it should goe and come according to the increase and waning of the Moone and should cause them affected therewith to be so vnorderly yea so vnruly as no man or matter almost should be able to holde or guide them But those that are in this way touched we know to bee for the most part in one estate and so farre from vnrulines that they are very meeke patient and ready to be guided hauing so profited vnder the hand of God and by the feeling of their owne vnworthinesse that if any come to them and handle them roughly in word or deed they beare it with quietnesse and say in some measure as the faithfull doe in the Prophet Micah J will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgment for me at which time hee will bring mee foorth to the light I shal see his righteousnes And as for melancholy I will not deny indeede but that the conflict of conscience may be somewhat increased by abundance of that perillous humor And I thinke no man that knoweth what it meaneth and the conceits it worketh in them in whom it aboundeth will euer gainesay it But there is not all For if it were onely from thence why shoulde not all melancholike persons haue it in proportion according to the superaboundance of that humor in them But that is not so as dayly experience sheweth Or why should others and of other complexions also besides the melancholicke be sicke of this disease and that many times more dangerously then diuers of those that haue aboundance of melancholy bearing sway in them Surely God sheweth vs hereby not onely that their iudgement is corrupt that thus thinke but also that they are blinde and buzze out a word touching a matter that they haue small skill in and lesse experience of yea none at all Small skill because they knowe not the Scriptures nor the power of God without which indeede no man shall bee skilfully acquainted with these causes No experience because they neuer felte hell in their heartes or Gods wrath against men for sinne vnlesse it haue bin in them either as a flash of lightning for a while to make them without excuse or as a mighty fire and flame to torment them without ease that so they and the wicked that deny God heauen hell immortalitie of soule and all might see in themselues though they haue no comfort thereby but wonderfull terror rather how much they are seduced We say and we say truely that a blind man cānot discerne of colours And why so because he that must iudge thereof must both haue sight and wisedome One of these the blinde man lacketh if not both Yea we see many that notwithstanding they haue their eyes are not yet able for want of iudgement experience to discerne of the diuersitie of colours specially if so be they be mingled or compounded Hee that must determine rightly of this matter either as in regard of himselfe or as in respect of other men must haue more then the eyes of his head and more then the vnderstanding of his naturall heart for the naturall man perceiueth not the things that belong to the spirit of God neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned and he is carnall and sold vnder sinne Yea he must haue euen the eies of God and wisedome vnderstanding from aboue that is spirituall and such as he vouchsaueth to bestow onely vpon his owne children and to which also for their better incouragement of them in it of his owne mercy he promiseth a blessing in the 41. Psalme saying Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble The Lord wil keepe him and preserue him aliue hee shall bee blessed vpon the earth and thou wilt not deliuer him vnto the will of his enemies The Lord wil strengthen him vpon the bed of sorrow thou hast turned all his bed in his sicknes Wherefore when the afflicted person hath many times his griefes inlarged within him not onely by the sight and sense of his owne sinne and Gods wrath against the same but by this also that such a man and such a man thinketh so of him and sayth so of him wee may see hee hath in a readines and may easily answere euen for himselfe in this behalfe with the Apostle or as the Apostle did in another not much vnlike saying It is a small matter for me to be iudged of man or of mans daies the rather too because God hath not giuen iudgement vnto men but reserued it in his owne handes as who is best able euery way most rightly to pronounce Agayne hee may well and truely say thus to his owne soule they that so censure me are ignorant or vnexperienced or hard hearted or partiall and one way or another souly ouertaken and vnfitte to giue sentence they know not themselues or their owne estate howe shoulde they knowe mine We must stand or fall to the Lord and not vnto men With these such like are they to rayse vp their heartes and cheare their spirits against the blind vnexperienced rash yea vncharitable iudgement of other men hudled out thicke and threefold against them in the dayes of their affliction and sorrow And if in other cases of farre lighter waight the Apostle wil not haue vs to iudge one another but sharply reproueth it saying What art thou that iudgest another mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Lord yea he shall be established for God is able to make him stand Shall we thinke hee woulde approue or beare so grosse a corruption and foule a fault as this No verely Let vs learne therefore to lay our hands euē vpon our hearts our mouths both not giue our selues libertie either to thinke euill of or to speake hardly of those