daily renued This repentance is figured in baptisme both in that we must die to sin and bury it and also that we must rise againe to newnes of life for a man cannot die to sin but by the vertue of Christ his death neyther can he rise to righteousnes without the power of his resurrection Now we must know that as our sinnes are forgiuen so we must also receiue Gods spirit If God promiseth mercy to our children much more to vs if we beleue and receiue his promises if to them which are a farre of much more to them that are neare And yet though we haue been baptised an hundred yeares and haue not receiued the holy Ghost we may die in our sinnes Some vnderstand by the gift of the holy Ghost the graces of God bestowed on the Apostles but in my iudgement their opinion is not sound because that was a particular thing giuen only to them of that time this promise is generall and respectes all posterities We are then to note that repentance is a continuall course of sorrowe and if we haue this in trueth then may we boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods woâ—d and from his ministers and looke what comfort they giue vs on earth the same shal be sealed also in heauen Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the ground if we will haue fruite and daily to eate if we will liue so in spirituall things we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may be refreshed with daily comfort in Christ in whose name let vs pray Our father c. FINIS Certaine wise and graue Counsels and Answers made by the same author of the former argument VNto one that was much tempted with vnbeliefe he gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in prayer say Lord thou makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is of very equity howbeit O Lorde grant I may by wisedome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience Oh turne this to thy glory and my saluation I see and confesse what hath beene in mee a long time by that which now sheweth it selfe in me and that thy grace hath hitherto kept vnder this corruptâ—on yet Lord I beleeue yet Lord I will beleue helpe Lord my vnbeliefe Thy name be praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeleefe I am grieued as in my beliefe I am wont to be comforted And though my olde and secret sinnes deserue that I should not onely be giuen ouer to infidelity but also that it should be in mee without griefe and remorse yet Lord forgiue my sinnes newe and olde forgiue my vnthankâ—ulnes Lord increase my faith and grant good father that when thou shalt restore to mee the gifte of grace againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it by fruites Or if this doe not preuaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to read the word of God especially his promises and be still attending vpon the meanes waiting when the Lord shall inlarge your hearte Or if this do not helpe goe to some faith full brother confesse your state to him acknowledg your weaknes to him and be not ashamed to giue God the glory by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so hee may pray for you whose praier according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinaÌ„ce herein Iames. 5. vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus hauing praied by your selfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouery though you haue not present release yet in meeknes of mind patience of your spirite go to your calling knowing that your praiers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruite of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the Deuill as though you coulde preuaile of your selfe And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation so I would not you should despise it For in both are extremities If you take it too much to heart or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it to little and maruell how such thinges should come into your head which was not wont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it too fearefully Sathan will oppresse you before you beginne to fight If you account of it too lightly the deuill needs not to wrestle with you you will ouerthrow your â—elfe Therefore feare in respect of your selfe fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruption but rest and trust in Christ your saluation If still you are tempted and no body by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will aske counsell of his worde at the mouth of his minister when he shall giue you iust occasion If all this helpe not comfort your selfe with this pledge of election that you are ioyed when you feele your beliefe and that you are grieued least you shoulde displease God by your vnbeliefe and know that as there is a vicissâ—tude of the meanes of saluation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations wherof this is one agianst which you must striue 2 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his minde and bodie proceeded thereof he saide on this sorte Fist know that Sathan hath not an absolute power but a power by permission to try vs against which we must arme our selues by faith which will assure vs that eyther the Lorde will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he enlarge the tryall he wil increase our strength and retch it out according to the proportion of our temptation Wee must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the diuell which we giue out to sinne to worke rebellion in vs against his maiesty but that he would rather make Sathan a Surgeon to shew vs our sinnes then a Sregeant to confound vs for our sinnes It is the pollicie of the aduersary to perswade many that the weaknes of their body and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of the vnstaidnes of their mindes wandering too much after the motions of the diuell in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting theÌ„selues to be tryed nor coÌ„forting themselues by meditatioÌ„ attend to much coÌ„for to often with the diuels illusions and temptations and so they comeplayne of the effectes and not of the causes of their temptations beeing more grieued for their present sufferinges then for their sinnes past The roote of this worldly shame is
greater fire will breede Here siluer streames shall quench thy boyling heat And hony dewes thy hungrie stomacke fill Heere sweete Repose with Comfort shall intreate Thy wounded breast to cure with busy skill Hence fetch thy ransome howsoeuer great A mine of treasures are in this faire hill From whose hye top thy scaled eies may see A glorious light that shall enlighten thee The streames are bloud the dew is bread froÌ„ heaueÌ„ The Rest and Comfort are coelestiall ioyes The ransome from the crosse was freely giuen The light is faith which darknes all destroyes THrise happy man that guides his steps so euen As his pure light no gloomy darke annoyes His ransom'd soule aeternall ioyes shall win When timelye death shall blessed life begin H. C. A MOST SVVEET Comfort for an afflicted Conscience It is thus written Prouerbâ— 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie But a wounded Spirite who can beare it THis Scripture is not onely worthy to be grauen in steele with the penne of an Adamant and to bee written in letters of golde but also to be laide vp registred by the finger of God his spirit in the tables of our hearts Which sentence briefly speaketh thus much vnto vs that what trouble befalleth a man his minde being vnappalled hee will indifferentlie beare it out but if the spirit of a man be once troubled and dismaâ—ed hee cannot tell how to be deliuered And no maruell for if the minde of man be the fountaine of consolation which ministreth comfort vnto him in all other troubles if that become comfortlesse what shall comfort it If it be voyde of helpe when shall it bee helped If the eye which is the light of the bodie be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse If the salt which â—auoreth all thinges be vnsauorie for what is it good If the minde which sustaineth all troubles be troubled how intollerable is that trouble To shew this the better I wil first declare howe greate a punishment of God this wounde of conscience is Secondly I will teach how this trouble of minde may be preuented and auoyded Lastly I will set downe how Gods children faling in some measure into this affliction of â—pirite may bee recouered out of it For the first the grieuousnesse of this malladie is seene eyther by some due consideration of the persons that haue felt it or by some wise comparison made betweene this griefe of minde and other outward griefes incident vnto a man The persons in whome we may consider this wounde of spirit are eyther meerely naturall men or such as bee renued by the spirit of God The men meerely naturall are either the Heathen such as neuer knew God in Christ or carnall professors such as haue not professed Christianitie aright If wee looke among the Hearhen how many of them haue willingly gone vnder pouertie and haue beene content to vnburden themselues of all worldly treasures How haue some of them whilest their mindes were vnappalled suffered imprisonment exile and extreame tortures of bodie rather than they would betray their Countries Howe many of them haue deuoured many iniuries and borne outwarde troubles with some ease and with no resistance whilest their mindes were at libertie And yet looke not into the meanest but the best and most excellent men among them euen their wise Philosophers sweete Orators and exquisite Poets who in bearing and forbearing thought the chiefest pointe of vertue to consist and yee shall see when once some great distresse of minde did wounde them some would make an ende of it by preparing a Cup of deadly poyson some would violentlye and voluntarily runne on the enemies pikes some woulde throwe downe themselues from hie Mountaines some woulde not sticke to stabbe most monstrously their owne bodies with Daggers or such like instruments of death all which men would seeme to haue great courage in sustaining many harmes so long as their mindes were not ouermastred But when their diuine and supreame Essence which they accknowledged to be God did by his power crosse ouerturne their witty deuises and headstrong attempts so as without hope of remedie they were hampered in pensiuenes and sorrow of minde then not being able to turne themselues vnder so heauie a burthen they shrunke downe and by violent death would ridde themselues of that disquietnes impatience of their troubled minds But let vs come neerer and whether wee behold the Papists or the familie of loue or the common sort of Christians wee shall see they will passe quietly through many afflictions whether for that they haue a spirite of slumbering and numbnes cast vppon them or whether because they haue brawned themselues through some sencelesse blockishnes as men hewen out of hard Oaks or grauen out of marble stones I know not But yet when the lord shal let loose the corde of their consciences and shall set before their faces their sinnes committed see what fearefull endes they haue whilest some of them by hanging themselues some by casting themselues into the water some by cutting their own throats haue rid themselues out of these intollerable griefes Now wherein is the difference that some die so sencelesly and some dispatch themselues so violently Surely the one feeling no sinne depart like brutish swine the other surcharged with sinne die like barking Dogs But let vs come to the children of God who haue in some degree felt this wounde of minde and it will appeare both in the members and in the heade of all burthens to bee a thing most intollerable to sustaine a wounded conscience And to beginne with let vs set in the first ranke Iob that man of God commended vnto vs by the holy Ghost for a myrrour of patience who although for his riches hee was the welthiest man in the land of Huz for his authoritie might haue made afraid a great multitude and for his substance was the greatest of all the men in the East Yet when the Shabeans came violently and tooke away his cattell when the fier of God falling from heauen burnt vp his sheepe and his seruants when the Caldeans had taken away his Camels when a greate winde smote downe his house vppon his children although indeede hee rent his garmentes which was not so much for impatience as to shewe that he was not senceles in these euils Yet it is saide that hee worshipping blessed the name of the Lorde saying Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lorde giueth and the Lorde taketh away blessed be the name of the Lorde But beholde when at the strange conference of his comfortlesse friendes his minde beganne to be agast which was not so in all his former tryall when his conscience began to be troubled when he sawe the Lord fasten in him sharpe arrowes and to set him vp as a Butte to shoote at when hee thought God caused him to possesse the sinnes of his youth this glorious patterne of patience coulde not beare his
beginneth in the hart theÌ„ce floweth into our whole life wee nothing doubt but God who hath giuen vs ioy in the holy Ghost and thereby a loue vnto him and vnto his Lawe will further confirme and strengthen vs that we may be vessels of honoure vnto his name and glorifie the Gospell of our profession with fruites agreable and according thereunto Yea the thoughts meditations and desires of the hearte are deedes before God and principall parts of that obedience which he requireth at our handes And therefore if the faithfull man should be taken awaye by death before he hath done any of the outward workes of the Lawe yet shoulde not his faith be without fruites in that being sanctified in the inward man he doth now in soule and spirit serue the Lorde and desireth abilitie and opportunitie in acte to doe his will and to honour his namâ— as appeared in that penitent malefactor that died with our Sauiour Christ. Another thing I am to admonish you of that you be not as the couetous men of the world who so gape vpoÌ„ that they further desire as they consider not but rather forget that which they alreadie haue and hauing much indeede in ther opinion haue nothing and to all purposes and vses doe as well want that which they haue as that which they haue not So it oftentimes happenneth to the deare children of God that whilest they looke and breath after that which they haue not yet attained vnto they forget and neglect that which they haue receiued and vse it not to their comfort and reioycing as otherwise they should This ouerreaching and importunite of theirs Sathan abuseth against them from the opinion of hauing nothing to blinde their eies not to see the present grace and goodnes of God towardes them It is true that the Apostle saith that in the course of Godlines and religion we may not thinke we haue attained the goale or are come vnto the ende of our rase but forgetting that which is behinde vs and preassing on vnto that which is before must contende as to a marke vnto the reward of that most high calling of God in Christ Iesus But he speaketh it not to this ende that we should not in thankfulnes acknowledge the former mercies of GOD bestowed vpon vs or not vse them vnto our comfort as testimonies of his loue and fauour toward vs But that we may not stay in our present profiting but add dayly a new and fresh increase that as from a larger and greater heape of benefits we may more and more assure our selues that we are beloued of God and shall inioy the inheritance of his kingdome When the Apostle saith work your saluation c. and laboure to make your callinge and election sure though the meaning be not that we should put confidence of saluation in workes yet it telleth vs that the workes and fruites of our faith are testifications of Gods spirit dwelling in our hearts more eâ—ident and pregnant then that Sathan himselfe can or dare deny them We may not suffer our selues to be so ouerborne of the enimie vnder the colour of zeale and desire to doe well as not to remember wherein the Lorde hath alreadie giuen vs some parte of well doing not so to striue vnto that wee haue not as to forget that which by his grace we alredy haue But rather with all thankfulnesse acknowledging the goodnes of God from thence assure our selues of the continuance and finishing of the worke begun In the courses of the worlde as slownesse getteth nothing so preposterous hast looseth all It is the subtiltie and malice of the enimie when hee cannot houlde vs with himselfe to hasten and push vs on so fast and so headelong as by rashnes wee may fall into that which by forwardnesse wee had escaped Good thinges to come therefore wee must holde them in hope and pursue them in peace but the good wee haue already attained vnto we must so farr reioice and comfort our selues in as from thence wee may be able to sustaine and support our cause against the enemy and from that we haue to let him vnderstand that wee doubt not of that which remaineth that the Lord wil both coÌ„tinue and confirme the woorke of his owne handes not forsake the same vntil it be accomplished in his kingdome of glory Thus I haue in great hast and confusedly set down so much as presently came vnto minde of those thinges which often heretofore I haue written vnto you humbly beseching the father of all mercy and God of al consolation who hath annointed you with the oyle of his grace sealed you with his spirit of adoption and geuen you a sure earnest and pledge of euerlastinge â—aluation to increase vppon you and in your heart the measure of faith and multiplie your fruites in all maner of well doeing make you stronge against the face of your enemie and crowne you with victorie in the daye of battaill that you may praise his name in the day of your deliuerance glorifie him in the whole course of your life and finally enioye with the rest of his saincts that eternall kingdom of glorie prepared for all those that loue and feare him Amen A Sermon preached by M. Richard Greenham vpon these wordes Quench not the spirit 1. Thessa. 5.19 ALl the doctrine of the Scriptures may be briefely referred to these two heades First how we may bee prepared to receiue the spirit of God Secondly how the spirite may bee retained when wee haue once receiued it And therefore Saint Paul hauing laboured to instruct the Thessalonians in the former part of this Epistle how they may receiue the spirit doth here teach them how to keepe and continue this spirit vnto the ende and this the Apostle doth by giuing them a charge and commaundement that in no wise they doe quench the spirit thereby doubtlesse teaching that as the shuÌ„ning of euill is the first steppe vnto goodnes so the readie way to continue the spirite of God in our heartes is to labour that it bee not quenched Now the Apostle vpon greate and weightie consideration doth here deliuer this precept For first of all though all those be worthely and iustly condemned that neuer tasted of the spirite of God yet as our sauiour Christ saith A more iust and fearefull condemnation is like to come vppon them that hauing once receiued it doth afterwardes loose the same againe Moreouer without this spirit of God noe holy exercise can haue his full effecte For the worde worketh not where the spirit of GOD is wanting prayers haue no power to pearce into the presence of God the sacraments seeme small and seely thinges in our eyes and all other orders and exercises which God hath graunted and ordained for man they are vnprofitable to man where the spirit is not present to conuey them into our hearts there to seale vp the fruite of of them Last of all we are fitte to receiue no good
griefe he was heauye and nowe may commende the Image of a wounded spirite to all that come after Dauid a man chosen according to the Lordes owne heart Ezekiah a pure worshipper of God and carefull restorer of true Religion Ieremiah the Prophet of the Lorde sanctified and ordained to that Office before hee was formed in his mothers wombe were rare and singular in the graces and fauour of God yet when they felt this wounde pearcing them with griefe of heart they were as Sparrowes mourning as Cranes chattering as as pellicans casting out fearefull cries they thought themselues as in the graue they wished to haue dwelt solitary they were as bottels parched in the smoke they were as Doues mourning not able without sighes and grones to vtter their wordes their hearts cloue to the dust and their tongues to the roofe of their mouthes But aboue all if these were not not sufficient to perswade vs in this doctrine there remaineth one example whome we affirme to be the perfect anatomie of an afflicted minde This is the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Image of the father the heade of the bodie the myrrour of all graces the wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption of all the Saints who sustained the Crosse euen from his youth vpward and besides pouertie basenes hunger did willingly goe vnder the greate trouble of contempt and reproch and that among them where he should haue had a right deserued honour in respect of the doctrine he taught them and in regard of the manifolde myracles be wrought among them as the healing of the sicke the giuing sight to the blind the restoring of life to the dead This vnkindnes neuertheles did not so much strike into him But at what time hee was set as a Sacrifice for al wheÌ„ he was to beare our infirmities carry our sorrowes at what time hee was plagued smitten of God humbled wounded for our transgressions when hee should be broken for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was vpon him then he cried out My soule is heauie euen vnto the death Then he prayeth Lord if it he possible let this Cup passe from mee But howe praieth hee euen with sweating how sweateth hee euen droppes of blood how long praieth hee Three times when endes his agonie not vntill he was dead What said hee beeing readie to depart My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Was this for his humane death as some haue imagined No no wicked men haue died withthout complaint whose patience then might seeme to exceede his it was his suffering in his humane Spirite which incountred with the wrath of God his Godhead suppressing it selfe for a while he suffered indeede many tormentes in bodie but much more heuily did the wrath of God lie vpon his soule If this consideration of an afflicted spirit in these examples doe not sufficiently shew what a grieuous thing it is to sustaine a wounded conscience Let vs proceede to the comparing of this with other euils which fal into the nature of man There is no sicknes but Phisicke prouideth for it a remedy there is no fore but Chirurgery wil afford it a salue Friendship helpeth pouertie There is noe imprisonment but there is hope of libertie Suite and fauour recouer a man from banishment Authoritie and time weare away reproch But what Phisicke cureth what Chirurgerie salueth what riches ransometh what countenance beareth out what authoritie asswageth what fauour relieueth a troubled Conscience All these banded together in league though they would conspire a confederacy cannot help this one distresse of a troubled minde And yet this one comfort of a quiet minde doth wonderfully cure and comfortably asswage al other griefes whatsoeuer For if our assistance were as an host of armed soldiers If our frinds where the Princes and the Gouernours of the earth If our possessions were as large as betweene the East and the west If our meate were as Manna from heauen If our apparrell were as costly as the Ephod of Aaron If euery day were as glorious as the day of Christs resurrection yet if our mindes bee appalled with the iudgements of God these thinges would little comfort vs. Let experience speake If a troubled minde impareth not health drieth not vp the blood wasteth not the marrowe pineth not away the flesh consumeth not the bones if it maketh not all pleasures painfull and shortneth not the life surely no wisdome can councell it no counsell can aduise it no aduise can aswage it no asswagement can cure it no eloquence can perswade it no power can ouercome it no Scepter wil affray it nor inchaunter can charme it And yet on the contrary if a man languish in sicknes so his hart be whole and is perswaded of the health of his soule his sicknes doth not grieue him If a man bee reproched so he be pâ—ecious in the sight of God and his Angels what losse hath hee If a man be banished and yet doubteth not that heauen is his Country and that hee is a Citizen among the Saints it doth not appall him If a man be in trouble and findeth peace of conscience hee will quietly digest his trouble But if the minde be troubled who dareth meete with the wrath of the Lorde of Hoasts who can put to silence the voice of desperation who will step out and make agreement with the hells to spare vs who dare make a couenant with the Diuell that hee woulde not lay claime vnto vs If then a good Conscience helpeth all euills and all other benefits in this life in themselues cannot help a troubled coÌ„science we se it true in proofe which here is in prouerbe The spirit of a man will susteine his infirmitie But a wounded Spirit Who can beare it Againe in all other afflictions we may haue some comfort against sinne this is euer accompanied with the accusation of sinne A man may be sicke reproched impouerished imprisoned and banished and yet in all these haue a cleare conscience his owne heart telling him that there is noe speciall cause of these crosses in him but that he may suffer them for the triall of his faith or for righteousnes sake and well doing But when the spirit is wounded there is stil a guiltines of sin and when a mans spirit is troubled he suspecteth all his waies he feareth al his sins he knowes not what sinne to begin with it breeds such hurly burlyes in him that when it is day he wisheth for night when itis night he would haue it day his meat doth not norish him his dreames are fearefull to him his sleepe oftimes forsaketh him If he speaketh he is little eased if he keepeth silence hee boileth in disquietnes of heart the light doth not coÌ„fort him the darkenes doth terify him To prosecute our comparisons where al other euils are the more tolerable because they be temporal pursue vs but to death this not being cured endeth not in death
but becommeth eternall For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery the perswasion whereof made them beeing in some misery to make an ende of themselues and hasten their owne death as Sathan doth make many now a daies to doe who are ignorant of the hell which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this worlde whatsoeuer Howebeit a tormented conscience if before it was begun is now continued or if it was not before now beginneth and neuer endeth world without ende For though true it is that sicknes pouerty imprisonmeÌ„t or banishmeÌ„t haue ended their term in death yet a wouÌ„ded hart which was teÌ„poral in this life is nowe eternall after this life that which before death was in hope recouerable is after death made vncurable vnrecouerable It is good therefore to consider if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull how much more grieuous it is to susteine it in hell where that is infinite which here is finit where that is vnmesurable which here is mesurable where is the sea of sorow wherof this is but a drop where is the flame of that fire wherof this is lesse then a sparke But to shut vp this argument Some there haue beene who through out all their life time haue been free from all other troubles so as either they felt them not at all or else in very small measure and by that meanes neuer knewe what outward trouble meant As for example some men there haue beene who for sicknesse neuer knewe there headeach for pouertie neuer knewe what want meant who for discredite were neuer euill spoken of who euer put farre from them the euill daye of the Lorde who made a league with death as it were a couenant with hell who thought they could crucifie euery crosse rather thaÌ„ come vnderany crosse yet they could neuer escape a wounded conscience either in this life or in the life to come True it is that Gods Children by faith repentance do often escape it but the wicked and such as are borne vnto it as to their sure inheritance the more they flie from it the more it pursueth them If we haue transgressed the Ciuil Lawes the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted if a man haue committed some capitall offence by flying his Country he may escape the Magistrates handes but our consciences telling vs that we haue sinned against God what bribe shall we offer or whether shall wee flie whether shall wee goe from his spirit or whether shall we goe from his presence If we ascend into heauen is not he there If wee lie downe in hell is hee not there If we flie to the vtmost parts of the sea is he not there also There needeth no apparitor to summon vs there needes no Bayly arraunt to fetch vs there needes noe accuser to giue in against vs sinne will arrest vs and lieth at the Doore our owne Conscience will impannell a Quest against vs our owne heartes will giue in sufficient Euidence and our owne iniquitie will plead vs to be guiltie to our owne faces Thus we se both by the experience of theÌ„ that haue suffered the wound of the spirit and by the comparinge of it with other euils what a waight most grieuous and burden intollerable it is to haue a tormented conscience Now let vs shew how we may preuent by what meanes Gods children falling into some degrees of it for if it rage in extremity it is an euill vnrecouerable may safely and quietly be deliuered from it And here a iust complaint is to be taken vp it is a wonder to be marked if we may wonder at Gods works that we se many so carefull watchfull to auoide oâ—her troubles and so few or none take any paines to escape the trouble of minde which is so grieuous We se men louing health and loathing sicknes in diet temperat in sleepe moderate in Phisicke expert skilful to purge to auoide such corrupt humors which in time may breed though presently they do not bring forth some daÌ„gerous sicknes yet to auoid the diseases of the soule no man abateth his sleep no man abridgeth his diet no man prepareth Phisicke for it no man knoweth when to be ful and when to be emptie how to want and how to abound Others carried away with the loue of riches very â—ly to fall into pouerty will not sticke to rise early to take sleep lately to fare hardly to teare taw their flesh in labour by land by water in faire foule wether by rocks and by sands from farre and from neare and yet to fall into Spirituall decaies to auoid the pouertie of conscience no man taketh such paines as though saluation and peace of minde were not a thing worthy the labouring for Some ambitiously hunting after honor not easily digesting reproaches behaue themselues neither sluggishly nor sleepely but are actiue in euery attempt by loue by counsell by prudence prowesse by wit by practise by labor learning by cuÌ„ning diligence to become famous to shun a ciuill reproach yet to bee glorious in the sight of God and his Angelles to fall before the heauens and in the presence of the Almightie to bee couered with shame and confusion of Conscience we make none account as they who neyther vse any means to obtaine the one nor auoide those occasions which may bring the other Others vnwilling to come within the reach and daunger of the Lawe that they may escape imprisonment of bodye or confiscation of goodes will be painefull in penall statutes skilfull in euery branch of the ciuill law and especially wil labour to keepe themselues from treasons murthers fellonies and such like offences deseruing the punishment of death yet wheÌ„ the Lord God threatneth the seazure both of soule and body the attaching of our spirits the confiscating of our consciences the banishing of vs from heauen the hanging of vs in hell the suspending of our saluation the adiudging of vs to condemnation for the breach of his CoÌ„maundements no man searcheth his eternall Lawe noe man careth for the Gospell neither the sentence of euerlasting diuorsement from the Lord neither the couenant of reconciliation is esteemed of vs. And to reach our Complaint one degree father Behold the more we seek outward pleasures and to auoide the inward trouble of minde the more we hast and runne into it suddainely plunge our selues in a wonded spirite ere we be aware VVho posteth more to become rich who hopeth lesse to be come poore than the marchant man who aduentureth great treasures who hazardeth his goods who putteth in ieoperdie his life and yet sodenly he either rusheth vpon the rocke of hardnesse of heart or else is swallowed vp of the gulph of a desparing minde from which afterwards he cannot be deliuered with a ship ful of golde Woful profe hath confirmed how some men wholly set on
pleasures such as could not away to be sad and hedged vp alwaies of godly sorrow haue had their tables made snares and euen their excesse of pleasures hath brought excesse of sorrowes and whilest they laboured to put the euill day farre from them they haue vsed such follies as haue beene the most bitter and speedie hang-men of their fearefull and trembling consciences There be some of another sort who neuer dreaming of a troubled minde haue had their harts set on nothing but howe they might get some greate fame and renowme and therefore haue slipt into such vaine glorious attempts and foule flatteries as they haue not only lost the peace of their Consciences but also fallen most deepely into reprochfull shame which they sought to shunne Now as the peace of conscience and ioye of minde is such a treasure as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the tongue expressed but passeth all vnderstanding So the wounded spirit is such as the eye hath not seene it the eare hath not heard it nor the tongue vttered but passeth all vnderstanding And as they onely knowe what the peace of minde meaneth that feele it so they alone can in trueth speake of a troubled minde that haue tasted of it by experience Bet let vs shew what way is to be vsed to keepe vs from this wounde of the Spirit It is the vse of Phisicke as to cure vs of diseases when wee are falne into them so to preserue vs from sicknes before it hath taken holde of vs it is the power of the worde as to asswage the trouble of Conscience when it doth once presse vs so to preuent it before it hath ouertaken vs. It is a chiefe point of worldly wisdome not to tarry for the vse of Phisicke vntill we bee deadly sicke but to be acquainted with GODS mercifull preseruations to defend vs from it likewise it is a chiefe pollicie of a godly Christian not onely to seeke comfort when the agonie is vpon him but also to vse all good helpes to meetâ— with it before it comes And wee condemne them of folly who will not as well laboure to keepe themselues out of debt as to pay the debt when they owe it so it is a madnes not to bee as circumspect to auoide all occasions which maye bringe trouble of minde vppon vs as wee woulde bee prouident to enter euery good waye which may drawe vs out of this trouble when we haue once entred into it The remedies preseruatiue are first the searching of our sinnes then the examining of our faith The serching of our sinnes is either the due acknowledging of our sinnes or the true sense and feeling of our sinnes The acknowledging of our sinnes is eyther of those that bee past whether wee haue vnfeinedly repented vs of them or of those which bee present whether wee be truelye greeued for them Thirdly of those secret corruptions which in the course of our life are likely to come whether wee are reuerently afraide of them and resolue to suppresse them with all our indeuour Concerning sinnes past we must call to minde the sinnes done of old in our youth in our middle age in our olde age that we iudging our selues may not be iudged of the Lorde that accusing of our selues Sathan haue noe occasion to accuse vs and throwing downe our selues before the Lord he may lift vs vp For many going quietly awaie and sleeping in carnall securitie not withstand-the sinnes of their youth and neglecting to make conscience of their sinnes done long agoe sodainely haue falne into such horrour oâ— minde that the violent remembrance of all their sinnes surcharging them they haue beene ouerwhelmed This Examination dooth then rightly proceede when it is reacheth to the errors of this life to the sinnes of our youth because many men euen from their childhood by a ciuill righteous life hauing escaped grose sinnes wherewith the world could neuer charge them haue notwithstanding caried the burthen of their secret sinnes done in their youth Dauid Psal. 25.7 prayeth the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth Iob 23.6 the man of God confesseth that the Lord writinge bitter things against him made him to possesse the iniquities of his youth What shall we thinke that Dauid or Iob were giuen to notorious wickednes in their youth No they knew they were subiect to youthfull wantonnes and vnstaiednes of their affections which though it did not burst out yet it made them lesse carefull to glorifie GOD which loosenes the way to leaudnes which weaknes the waie to strange vanities which wantonnesse the way to open wickednes is euen in the best of Gods Children in the daies of their youth which being afterwards in the time of their regeneration brought as it were to iudgement and laide before their consciences doth cause them to repent But here is a thing to be blushed at which maketh mens eares to tingle when they heare it that many men farre noe doubt from this true repentance can largely indeed discourse of the things done in their youth but in such a brauerie with such boastings and pleasing of themselues in the remembrance of them as besides that they prouoke others to sinne in the like and set themselues a flatte Backe-byas against Repentance and this Christian examination they seeme to renewe the decayed colours of their olde sinnes with the fresh suite of their second pleasures therein But alas what pleasure haue they in those things whereof they haue noe profit what profit haue they those thinges whereof they shoulde bee ashamed Nether in this streine can wee forget the madnes of them who may seeme to steppe one degree farther towardes this examination of sinne than did the former by thinking that the leauing of sinne and repenting of sinne is all one Against these both daily experience and the word of God doth sufficiently declame Iosepâ—s brethren Iacob his sonnes who deuised euill against their brother put him into the pit and solde him vnto strangers did cease from this crueltie but yet they are not read to haue remembered their sins with any remorce vntill thirteene yeares after the sinne was committed as wee may see in the processe of the Historie Dauid had left his sinnes of murther and adulterie as thinking all quiet and well the space of a whole yeare after which time being admonished by the Prophet Nathan he repented of it And experience hath tried in many that haue had some working of God in them that though they left their sinnes many yeares agoe yet because they repented not truely for them they haue rebounded vp on them with terrible sights feafull visions to humble them and to bring them to serious examination of them being done and left long since Examples whereof wee neede not fetch from farre seeing so many preachers as are acquainted with fearefull spirits will giue witnes hereof The fruite of which amazed mindes for sins alreadie left is ours to beware
we must not be austere in reprehending euery infirmity but pitifull in considering of it tender frailtie Neither do I speake this to nourish pettishnesse in any but would haue them to labour for patience and to seeke for peace which though they finde not at the first yet by prayer they must waite on the Lord and say Lorde because there is mercie that thou maist be feared I will waite vpon thee as the eye of the seruant waiteth vpon the hand of his Master I will condemne my selfe of folly and say Oh my soule why art thou so heauy Why art thou so cast downe within mee Still trust in the Lorde for he is thy health and thy saluation FINIS Another shorte Treatise belonging to the Comfort of an afflicted Conscience IN all afflictions Gods children must looke vnto the ende They are to desire to profite by them and in them to seeke the way of perfect coÌ„fort and consolation which that they may finde they must know that the afflictions of the godly last but a while they serue them but for salues and medicines the ende of them is alwaies happy In them they are not onely preserued and purified from many sinnes but also much beautified with the Image of Iesus Christ who is the eldest Sonne in the house of God Againe the crosse of true Christians is the sweete and amiable call of God vnto repentance in that he putteth vs in minde thereby to bethinke vs of our debts because we are giuen to thinke the daie of payment is yet farre of yea we fall a sleepe vntill our turne be ended and whilest God lengtheneth our daies waiting for our repentance we neuer thinke of our sinnes vntill the houre come wherein we perish with shame The best meeting then with the Lordes visitation is without delay and in syncerity to pray for our sinnes to be pardoned For therefore doth the Lord oftentimes shackle vs the more with the chaines of his chastisements because we are more carefull to be vnburthened of our sicknes then to be freed from our sinne which wee the rather are loath to confesse because we would not be espied to be in the wrath of God Others there bee that nearing of their sinnes in the time of their afflictions will acknowledge indeede their infirmities to be the mother of such a broode yet they haue no true remorse to restraine themselues from sinne because they haue but a confused conceite thereof and though their ship be neuer so much tossed and turmoyled yet thinke they not that God holdeth the sterne These men if God beare with them do as it were settle in their lees and are as it were soked in their sinnes For prosperitie is a drunkennes to cast our selues into a dead sleepe and when the Lord setteth vs alone we cease not to sooth vp our selues bearing our selues in hand that we are in Gods fauour and that he loueth vs because he scourgeth vs not And thus retchles we are whilest we measure Gods loue according to our sence and humor Wherin we be wray our ignorance of the exercise of the crosse in that affliction is the mother of humilitie humilitie breedeth repentance repentance obtaineth mercy Some also there are who vsually whilest the fearefull iudgement of God is before their eies eyther in themselues or in others haue a fewe glancing motions and starting cogitations of their sinnes and of Christ his passion yet at all other times their mindes are so clasped vp from thinking of temptations their hearts so locked vp from foreseeing or forethinking of iudgments that they feele no godly sorrow They mocke the mourning daies of the elect as of them that be of a melancholy nature they make a sport of sin as little remembring the sting which will either pricke them to the hart blood most fearfully in the houre of death or meete theÌ„ with gryping agonies in the day of their visitatioÌ„ more speedily But happely they thinke they haue giuen good testimony word of their repentance and remembrance of God when they giue one deepe sigh and away and passe ouer Gods heauy indignatioÌ„ as ouer burning coals So that whilest the Lord in prosperity affordeth large peniworthes of his loue vnto them they dally with his Maiesty and make a sport of his mercy All which imperfections may be better corrected if in our deepest rest with a reuerente humble feare of gods iudgmeÌ„ts we did waite for the day of our tryall prepare our selues to the lords visitations as they who by the writing of their owne conscience do acknowledge themselues by iust title to be fosterers therof for the feeling of Gods mercy must come from the sight of our misery by sinne which being pardoned we shall soone haue our infirmities heled Wherfore let vs first learne to cleanse our soules from sin and then to sustaine the sores of our body Sure it is that if we haue suffered our hearts to be harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements as occasion from the Lord hath bene giuen that we are become soft well exercised in the feare of God we shall come to the feeling of our sins the sence wherof if it bring as it were a sicknes to the body a corsey to the soule it is an vndoubted earnest of our regeneration happy are we if we find our selues so diseased and troubled with our sinnes that we can hardly being in the skirmish agony make any difference between the motions to any euil the consent vnto the same for oftentimes euil motions do so possesse the soules of gods children sucking down so strongly in theÌ„ that though they weepe pray and meditate which be the last meanes remedies to ease cure them yet though they feele them with irksomenes loathsomenes as we feele sicknes in our bodies yet those motions will be continually in them without diminishing the delight onely excepted Wherefore for our comfort herein we are not to martyre our selues with disquietnes of minde because we are so pestered thronged with wicked motions and assaultes but rather let vs quiet our selues and not suffer our selues to be hindred with sicknes either of body or mind by means wherof we should become more vnprofitable to our selues the whole church of God For the godly shall not be so freed from sinne but that they shalbe assalted with euill motions suspitions delusious vaine fan tiâ—â—â—s imaginations the body of sin shall neuer be froÌ„ vs so long as we liue For the scome therof is almost continually boyling wallopping in vs foming out such filthy froth stinking sauor into our mindes that it is not only detestable to the minde regenerate and renewed by the spirit of God but also it would make abashed the very naturall man to looke into so loathsome a stye of sin sink hole of iniquity Yea it maketh vs often to quaile if it were possible it would corrupt the very part regenerate For mighty is the power
desparing vnder the crosse then when Sathan perswadeth vs that neuer any were handled so roughlye or els woulde beare vs in hande that although GOD afflicted the faithfull that haue beene before vs yet they were not so weake as wee But let vs remember that GOD hath so pinched his seruantes euen them whome hee loued and whose welfare was deare and precious in his fight and hath often brought them to such extremities as they were not able to looke vp any more not wist how to speake nor how to houlde their peace Wherefore least our infirmities shoulde ouermaister vs and when temptations are fierce vppon vs wee knowe not where to become Let vs call too minde the Saintes of God who were constrained with sighes and grones to stoup vnder the hande of GOD whose martyrs and tormented children ought to bee our looking glasses to the ende that by them wee may learne that according as GOD dealeth forth the giftes of the Spirite thereafter doth hee sende greater afflictions both to make theÌ„ the more estemed and also to cast vp a more plentifull fruite of their faith How did God deale with Abraham not a common man but rather an Angell the tenth part of whose sufferings would make a stout heart to quaile How was Dauid the seruant of God exercised in Gods schole who felt all Gods darâ—s and had all his arrowes shot at him Thus it is requisite that Gods graces shoulde not bâ— idle in his children but set on worke by afflictions whereby they may be knowne in due time and place How did God play the Lion wiâ—h Ezechias who as with pawes teeth brused and crushed his bones not that wee may accuse God of crueâ—tie but that wee may see with what anguish the Lorde doth some times exercise his children and with what patience he doth arme them who notwithstanding his vehement trialles doe stay them selues vpon God accusing themselues Mat. 7.9 I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him and exâ—using the Lord with all humblenes with Dauid Psal. 114 I know O Lord that thy Iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly c. It is much auaileable to mortification and Christian patience also to occupie our heartes in the house of mourning euen in our greatest banquetting and to betake our selues vnto some serious meditation of aduersiâ—ie when present pleasures would most deuâ—rce vs from the remeÌ„brance thereof So though wee haue much in possession wee shall haue little in affection when God doth most aduance vs we shall feare our wantes of humilitie and â—hen espâ—cially be ransacking our infirmities when the Lord for ouâ— triall enricheth vs most with his benefits For if the Lord God by multiplying his mercies increaseth our account we are often to suspect to call to iudgement and to arraine our selues for the vsing of Gods creatures who often giueth that in iudgement which he might deny vs in mercy and often wayneth vs from some things in his loue which hee might giue vnto vs in his anger FINIS Sweete and sure signes of Election to them especially that are brought lowe A clearing of iudgement conceiuing of the truth and true meaning of the Scripture making for vs or against vs. A rebuking of sinne inwardlie a pouertie of spirite from thence and a mourning therfore A being cast dowe in our owne conceite a meeknes to beare our punishment therby wrought An hungring after the righteousnes which is in Christ and a prising and esteeming it aboue all eartly things A musing vpon and a desire to thinke and speake of heauenly thinges A conflict of the flesh and spirite and therin by practise the poweâ— of the spirite gettinge the vpper hand A fowing to the spirit by the vse of the means as of the word prayer c. A purpose vnfained vpon strength receiued of vowing ones selfe wholly to the glorie of God and good of our brethren A resignation of our selues into Gods hands An expecting of the daily increase of our soules health and our bodies resurrection The forgiuing of our enemies An acknowledging of our offences with a purpose truely to leaue them A delight in Gods Saints A desire that after death the Church of GOD may flourish and haue all peace A spirite without guile that is an vnfained purpose alwaies to doe well howsoeuer our infirmities put vs by it FINIS A letter from M. Richard Greeneham to a friend of his M. M. against hardnes of heart I Beseech God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ giue mee his holy spirit in writing to giue aduice and you in reading to receiue it Amen Since the time I receiued M. S. his letter wherein hee declared his carefull compassion ouer your estate I haue beene not a litle grieued because partly for want of a conuenient messenger partly because of my manifould distractions with the like occurrances other waighty affairs I haue beene hindred hitherto from wrighting vnto you And albeit euen still I am in the same case yet conscience towards God compassion loue towards you forceth mee to ouercome lets which hardly I could otherwise preuaile against And albeit I cannot write as I would yet of that which I shall write proceeding froÌ„ the forenamed groundes I looke for some blessing from God through Iesus Christ if you will not too much faint in faith and yeeld to the aduersarie yea if you will but hope so well of your selfe as in the feare of GOD I doe write it I hope of you First whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieued becaus you tarried not still at Cambridge according to mine aduise you must knowe I aduised it not as a thing necessary but more conuenient as I theÌ„ supposed but I aduised you to obey your father if his pleasure still continued to haue you home whereunto you yeelding I cannot see â—owe you offended it beeing your Fathers pleasure you shoulde so doe And who knoweth whether beeing there you might not haue beene as much troubled there beeing no priuiledge for persons and places in such cases And who knoweth whether it be the Lordes pleasure for the exsample and instruction and I hope the consolation of others in the ende And albeit you will nowe thinke that heere you were nearer the moe and stronger meanes yet knowe you and bee persâ—aded that God can and doth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker according to his good pleasure Besides it is in our corrupt nature to make much of such meanes as we cannot haue and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs as we should I beseech you therefore in the name of Iesus Christ humbly to praise God for those meanes he offereth in mercy vnto you and to vse them in faith accordingly and so God shall blesse you by them And then by such conference as you may haue from hence by letters wherein if I may stand you in any steede rather for the
good opinion you haue of me then for any greate matter I am able to performe I shalbe ready to offer any office of loue vnto you as God shall inable mee and so farre forth as I shall bee at any time instructed in your perticular estate in some letters sente from you by conuenient messengers That which I perceiue presently by M. S. letter is that you are afflicted with the blindnes of your mind and hardnes of your heart which cannot be moued either with the promises of Gods mercies or feare of his iudgements nor affected with the loue delight of the things which bee good nor with the hatred and loathing of the euill Great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of dispaire dare I grant because I am perswaded that your perswation is somewhat false partly for wante of a sounde iudgement of your estate and partly for some defect of faith somewhat through your owne default First therefore know you for a certaintie that this is no other tentation than such as diuers of Gods children haue beene humbled with and afterwarde haue had a good issue out of it and if it please God to moue ye to credit me I my selfe haue knowen others as deepely this way plunged as you can be Remember therfore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare And yet farther to confirme you heerein the holy scriptures do recorde that this way God heeretofore hath humbled his owne people in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably complaineth O Lord looke down from heauen behold from thy dwelling place of thy holines and of thy glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from me And afterwardes O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardened our heartes from thy feare And in the next chapt Wee haue beene alas an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde doth take vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold on thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And before Wee grope for the wall like the blinde and we grope as one without eies we rore like beares and mourne like doues So complaineth Ezechias in the bitternes of his soule Like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a doue And when Dauid crieth Create in me O God a cleane heart renue in me a right spirit Restore to me the ioy of my saluation establish me with thy free spirit doth he not declare that his heart was vncleane his spirit crâ—ked the ioy of his saluation lost and himselfe subiect to â—he spâ—rit of bondage so that wanting the spirit of liberty or adoption he could nâ—yther cry Abba Father nor haue any power against sinne Tâ—us you see how Gods children may be blinded in minde and hardened in heart for a time so that they feele in themselues the grace of the holy spirite to be as it were perished and dead Faâ—ther to releeue the infirmitie of your iudgement in this case because I know it may much distresse you you must vnderstand that there bee two kindes of hardnes of heart the one which is not felt nor perceiued The other which is perceiued felt and of the former that there be two sortes the first which is most fearefull when any doe purposely resist the motions of Gods spirite and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation of which the Prophet Zachary speaketh 7.11 They refused to harken and pulled away their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their heartes as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law and the wordes which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministery of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull termes we haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at aâ—reement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshoode our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidden This was a fearefull estatâ— indeede yet for all that no man can say but some of those hauing hardened their â—eartes might bee and were afâ—erward conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt not perceiued or if percâ—iued yâ—t not felt which albeit it is lesse fearefull yet it is dangerous enough is in such as although they wilfully resist not Godâ— spirite in good meanes yet securely carâ—lesly and willingly they lie in sinne without any â—emorse of iâ— or true tast of good thinges Such was Dauid his estate for the space of a yeare before Nathan the Prophet ame to reproue him and rouse him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwise than in temptation Sathan may sometimes mooue yee thereunto The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sortes the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be releeued although they do finde small or no ease at all in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of gods people complained And such was Dauids state Afâ—er that Nathan had reproued him and gods spirit began to to worke wiâ—h him yet he crieth out as ye heard before of the losse of gods graces and when he saith that God will accept of no sacrifices be they neuer so many nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen aâ—ter the prophâ—t had reproued him he wanted both This is your case and therefore you are in the state of saluation for Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sinne and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his finne as my trust is you doe and was certainlie perswaded of the pardonablenesse of iâ— by gods mercie athough he was farre off from the feeling it or applying it to his wofuâ—l conscience his state was good verie well to be hoped of And you must know be perswaded that those things which are written of gods saints namelie of Dauid Peter such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants wait vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I saie for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued
things he had somtimes inioyed he doth not only expresse the great affection he had to be restored vnto his former estate but also giueth the atteÌ„tiue reader to vnderstand a secret worke of that grace of God from the remembrance of that which had been insinuating an hope of that which shold be as the eueÌ„t it self afterward declared which issue of his troubles S. Iames would haue vs diligently to consider when he saith Ye haue heard of the sufferings of Iob and haue seene the ende of the Lord. But it fareth in this case with the afflicted soule many times as it doth with those that gredily striue for the goods of this world Their affection of hauing more is so strong doth so violently possesse and carry them as it not only depriueth them of the vse of that they haue but also maketh them forget the same which is yet moâ—e protest against it as if they had it not at all So the humbled afflicted spirit ouerborne for the time with present griefe and anguish of minde not onely vseth not the comforts it hath cannot presently discerne but also causeth an vtter forgetfulnes of them and which more is protesteth against them as if they were not yea as we se often in Iob he so complaneth of the contrary as if the Lord had not only forsaken his seruant but had armed himselfe and did fight against him to destroy him Here therfore we must bridle chastise our impatient and murmuring spirit and remember that of Iob so farre contrary to the other that though the Lord should destroy him yet he will trust in him Neither must we so much vexe and vnquiet our haâ—ts for that we want as labour to make vse of that we haue which though it seeme little vnto vs for the present yet in truth is more then Sathan by all his force is able to ouercome as may appeare vnto vs by that endles resistance which the spirit of god dwelling in vs maketh against him For he that so fighteth is not yet captiue he that standeth in face of the enimie and endureth all his assaults is not yet vanquished Yet that he holdeth out in so great weaknes of his owne against so strong furious assaults of the enimy it plainely argueth that he standeth by a greater strength then his owne by which as he is presently preserued that hee fals not into the hand of his aduersary so nede he no doubt therby to be finally deliuered be crowned with victory tryumph in despite of Sathan all hee is able to worke against him But if the enimie whose quarrelling with vs is endles as his malice is vnsatiable will not thus leaue vs giue vs rest then as I said before it is our best safest way at once to end all disputation with him And we cannot better shake him of theÌ„ by exercising our selues in prayer reading and meditâ—tion of the word of God by diligent walking in the works labours of our callings for there is no greater oportunitie nor aduantage that can be giuen vnto the aduersary then if he shal finde vs idle vnoccupied If the minde be alreadie possessed of occupied in good things it cannot so easily be trsaÌ„ported vnto that which is euill But if he finde the house emptie and fit for him he then entreth without difficultie In the question of faith wee haue comfort also from the works effects therof in our selues For as the tree is knowne by the fruits so faith wanteth not her fruites wherby she may be discerned These are of diuers sorts sorow for sinne past hatred of euill care and indeauor to auoide it both in generall and in particular the loue of God of his righteousnes desire care with labour contention to please him both in generall perticular duties And here againe wee haue a lawful necessary recorse vnto the time past For albeit wee haue nothing to glory in before God when the question is of the cause of our saluation yet the effects of this grace and fauour of God towards vs in the former fruites of our faith may yeeld vs noe small comfort in the time of our heauinesse and of the anguish of our spirites here of it is that the Prophet in the psalmes doth so often protest his obedience vnto God care to doe his commaundements hereof it is that Iob vnto the comforting of his distressed conscience remembreth the course of his former life led in the feare of God and obedience of righteousnes For although we may not attribute any merit vnto our workes but must giue the whole glorie of our saluation vnto Christ alone yet our works doe witnes for vs that we are the children of God because wee are guided by his spirite and as the Apostle saith though the body be deade in respect of sinne yet the spirite is life for righteousnes sake Also the gratious effectes of Christ himselfe dwelling in our heartes by faith are sure and certaine testimonies that we are members of his bodie doe belong vnto him because as branches implaÌ„ted into him which is the vine we bring forth fruite according vnto the nature of the vine If it be said we doe yet sin our answere is that that happeneth vnto vs not from the new creature but from that other part yet remaining in vs stil subdued vnder sin in which the Lord of mercy doth not esteeme vs but in that new man which is fashioned againe according vnto his own image In so much as S. Paul doubteth not to say that the sins of the faithful proceding froÌ„ the remaÌ„der of corruption yet abiding in theÌ„ are not their workes but the works of the flesh which being already wouÌ„ded vnto death by the power of the death of Christ languisheth more more shal finally be abolished by death which is the end accomplishment of our mortification fully endeth the battell betweene the flesh the spirit What shall I say of the loathing of this life and the vanitie thereof of that desire which is in the children of God to be dissolued to be with Christ of conteÌ„meÌ„t in all estates patience in afflictions constancie in the truth loue towards those that loue the Lorde pitie towardes those that are in misery and the desiring of the good euen of their enimies and those that hate them Which vertues though they beare not an equall saile by reason of the weaknes of the flesh and of the malice and resistance of the enimie yet are they vndoubted testimonies of our loue towards God which is not but in those who are first beloued of him and haue tasted how good and gratious hee is If wee shall looke vnto the exercises of pietie and of the worshippe of GOD though wee may here as els where complaine of our wants and defectes yet wee shal through
gifte in that kinde who by conference writing or otherwise hath not bestowed some parte of his trauaile vnto your comforte I coulde my selfe name a greate number besides those aboue mentioned but your selfe can remember many more nowe the testimonie of so many faithfull seruantes of Christ witnessing the grace and goodnesse of GOD towardes you must bee as the voyce of GOD himselfe who is not as man that hee shoulde lie or as the sonne of man that hee should repente or alter that which hee hath once testified And if Iob doe acknowledge that the comforte of one faithfull witnesse on the behalfe of GOD is enough to the erecting and chearing of the heauiest minde what can Sathan say vnto the testimonie not of 2 or 3 witnesses which the lawe onely requireth but vnto the testimony of 2 or 3 score the meanest and weakest whereof should be able to answere in your behalfe vnto all that the enemie is able to obiect against you The second thing I note is that these haue not come vnto you by errour or by chance but by speciall addresse of Gods mercifull prouidence as sent from the throne of grace to binde vp your wounde and to minister comfort vnto your conscience The third that these speake not their owne wordes nor of themselues but are the faithfull interpreters and declarers of the will and counsell of God not indeede immediatelie from himselfe but by viewing and esteeming of the worke of God and the fruites of his grace in those that are his The fourth that as they declare vnto the afflicted that fauour of God towardes them which themselues are not able for the present to discerne so they commend them by praier vnto the Lorde who hath promised to heare and to graunt their requestes The fift that for comfort in this cause we must passe out of our selues in whom there is nothing that may ease our griefe and cast our eye and cogitation onelie vpon Christ in whom all fulnesse of saluation doth dwell considering that this is one of the meanes whereby Sathan doth most distresse and anguish the afflicted soules that he holdeth them in the cogitation of their sinnes and transgressions against GOD and suffereth them not to see that length breadeth height and depth and to knowe that loue of Christ that passeth all knowledge that they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God The sixt that the Lorde both mercifullie blesseth the labours of his seruantes in comforting his children and also graciouslie heareth their prayers and supplications made in their behalfe vnto his maiestie And the last that God in his good time erecteth the mindes of the afflicted and openeth their mouthes to praise his name and to protest his goodnes that hee hath brought againe their soule from the pitt and hath shined vpon them with the light of life Which effect of the grace of GOD because you haue both seene in others and felt in your selfe manie times you haue greate cause to hope and expecte the returne of his comforting hande in due season who also shall once determine these conflicting daies and set vs in that peace which shall neuer bee interrupted and wherein all teares shall be wiped awaye from our faces for euer The malice of the enemie during this life hath no ende nor measure at all and therefore wee may iustlie feare all extremity of attempt against vs but we must strengthen our selues in him who can and will inable vs vnto all thinges The Last and most grieuous assaulte of sathan against the afflicted is that he calleth into doubt their election For because that saluation is onely of the elect he laboureth by all meanes to shake this grounde and pillar of comfort and if it be possible to subuert and ouerthrowe the same It behooueth vs to take heede howe wee carrie our selues as in that temptation which all others is moste difficulte and dangerous First therefore wee muste beware of that gulfe wherein the enemie hopeth to deuoure vs that we enter not into the secrete and hidden counsell of GOD. For the secretes of the Lorde are for him selfe But the thinges that are reuealed are for vs and our posteritie after vs for â—uer as Moses saith what then hath the Lorde reuealed concerning our election First the spirite of GOD witnesseth vnto our spirites that wee are the Children of GOD. Then it teacheth vs to crie Abba Father and stirreth vp in vs those gronings that cannot bee expressed From these let vs descende vnto faith it selfe the voyce whereof if it bee not suppressed by the grieuousnesse of temptation soundeth cheerefully vnto vs that wee are beloued of GOD redeemed be Christ and fellow-heires with him of his fathers kingdome If heere also the enemye haue darkened our senses and obscured our light Wee muste of necessitie with Iob releeue our selues from the fruites of our faith these what they are hath alreadie beene sayde If necessitie doe soe compell vs wee must flye vnto the times that are past referre our selues vnto the testimonies of the faithfull ministers of GOD who as they are for their wisdome and manyfolde experience better able to iudge of our estate then our selues so haue they power and authoritie from GOD to decide the controuersie betweene vs and our enemie and to pleade our cause against him Also where the enemie from our presente trouble and torment of minde seeketh to driue vs vnto dispaire wee are to vse against him his owne weapons for amongest manie testimonies of our state in grace and fauour with GOD there is none more euidente and sensible then is that conflicte which wee finde and feele in our selues of the spirite againste the fleshe of faythe against vnbeliefe of a sanctified minde against that parte that is vnregenerated and finally of the newe creature against the olde man and of Christ himselfe in vs against the power of Sathan If hee replie that this is not so but the contrarie Wee may answere that albeit there haue beene many times wherein wee haue had a more presente and mightie hande of the Lorde vppon vs yet euen nowe Sathan himselfe cannot denie but wee hate sinne and loue righteousnesse that we loue God and to our power obeye his will and flie the baites and occasions of euill whereof if if there were for the presente no manifest and apparant effectes as yet by the grace of GOD there are notwithstanding the onelye affection and desire of the heart thirsting and longing after God his kingdome and righteousnesse are sufficiente argumentes of the worke of grace begunne in vs which shall so longe be continued by the good hande of our heauenlie father vntill it be consummated and perfected in the life to come For if it be God as the Apostle faith that giueth both the will and the deede hee that hath giuen vs to desire to obey his wil will also inable vs vnto the doing of the same And seeing the worke of sanctificatioÌ„
pride and hautinesse of minde which is a priuie euill and hardly will be beaten into the head of them that are infected therwith But sure it is that we wold neuer be so grieued for the losse of a thing if we did not too much desire it and too immoderately vse it whilst wee had it Iohn 12 42. Which sinne of haughtines the Lord seeing in his children that they are more humbled with the losseof worldly credit then with the sence of their sinnes and the losse of their glory â—ee striketh them with the wante of that thing which is most precious vnto them because they made no conscience of that honor which is most precious vnto him Wherefore this is the best remedie rather to be grieued that we feele not our sinnes to be pardoned with God then that we are knowne to be sinners amongst men and that we be ready to shame our selues that God may haue the glory acknowledging shame and confusion and the whole hell of temptations to be due vnto vs and glory praise compassion to be only the Lords For this is a speciall marke of the child of God by temptations rightly humbled when he is ready to shame himselfe for his sin that he may glorifie God in his mercy 3 Vnto one that thought himselfe to haue â—inned against the holy Ghost he saide Sathans temptations follow our affections For if we lightly account of sinne he bleares our eyes still with Gods mercies if we beginne to make a conscience of sinne he loadeth vs with the iudgements of God being as ready now to aggrauate the sinne more then it is in it selfe as before he woulde extenuate it to make it seeme lesse then it was Howbeit said he to the man thus afflicted I will saye vnto you as Samuel saide to the people after they had confessed themselues to haue sinned against God with a great sinne True it is said Samuel not flattering them in their iniquities Ye haue sinned greatly notwithstanding if ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voice and not disobey the word of the Lorde ye shall follow the Lord your God But if ye will not obey the voyce of the Lorde but disobeye the Lordes mouth then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you 1. Sam. 12.14 So I will not lessen your sine but I say you haue sinned with a great sinnne before the Lord in that you made a mocke of the worde which you knew yet if you turne to the Lord in feare and serue him your sinne is remissible howsoeuer Sathan chargeth your conscence that you haue done euill against your owne knowledge For although euery sinne against the holy Ghost is against a mans conscience knowledge yet euery sinne against our knowledge and conscience is not against the holy Ghost For then Dauid and Peter had sinned against the holy Ghost for they sinned after the holy Ghost was come vpon them which is not true as may appeare by their godly repentance ensuing Some sins are against knowledge but of humane frailty some are against knowledge of a rebellious obstinacy These last are the persecutions of the spirit of God as he is the power of God Those first are not so precisely against the holy ghost but against God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost the one which may be repented of is remissible the other which is without repentance is irremissible wherfore in that you quake and are affraid least this sin be in you would reioice in God if it were not in you If you purpose to leaue your former sins in trueth henceforth turne vnto the Lord I dare assure you that as yet you are free from this sinne 4 Vnto one afflicted in mind he gaue this coÌ„fort First if you haue knowledge be thankful for it desire the lord to giue you faith if you haue faith which vndoubtedly you may haue though not rightly discerning your selfe you presently perceiue it not you must wait on the Lord for feeling of it And though it may be you shal tarry the lords leasure long yet surely he wil giue it you in time In the meane time assure your self that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling Because it is easy for euery one in glorious feelings ioies vnspeakable to beleue but when a man feeling no sensible coÌ„fort in the Lord can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord by saith wait on him this mans faith is very great 5 He gaue this aduise to one against the deadnes of the mind that ouertaketh the godly first search the cause whether it be for some euill thing done or for some good thing not done so leauing some means of saluatioÌ„ vnused whether for some sin seene but not repented of or some sin repented of but not souÌ„dly or for vnthankfulnes Secondly vse the remedy please not your selfe in it but rouse vp your selfe as froÌ„ a sluÌ„ber which willingly you would shake from you cal to mind the special greatest mercy of God vse the means Thirdlie in the meanes offer your selfe to God waiting â—umbly patiently for the time of deliuerance neither esteming to much or to little of your afflictions 6 To one that coÌ„plained of the hardnes of his hart he said You must wait for coÌ„fort know that you can now no more iudge of your selfe than a man sleeping can iudge of thinges which he did waking or a man wandring in the darke can discerne of bright colours For as the one may whilest he was waking doe exccellent things and yet nowe neyther himselfe knoweth of them nor any other can espie them in him the other may be enuironed with fresh and flourishing colours yet for want of light can haue no vse of his eies nor pleasure in the obiects so you haue done great good things whilst god gaue you a waking heart to put them in practise and the light of his spirit to discerne his graces in you though now you haue neyther the sight nor sence of them And this is the thing that deceiueth and disquieteth many they look for that discerning of theÌ„selues wheÌ„ the graces of God are more cold which they had when gods spirit wrought in the swetest fullest measure in them And because there is some intermission of the work of their new birth they thinke there is a â—lat amission in theÌ„ of the spirit of God But as it is a token of a mind to presumpteous infatuated in time of a dead security to perswade our selues still of that safety in hauing those graces which somtimes we had so it is a signe of a minde abiect too much dispairing to thinke that because we haue not in present feelings these ioyes glorious vnspeakable which we haue had therfore we neuer had theÌ„ heretofore or that we shall neuer haue theÌ„ again hereafter 8 He saide to a godly Christian much inuaying against our vnbeleefe I doe not now suspect
Lorde woulde not take away his holy spirite from him howe can these two stande together first to pray that a new spirite may be created in him and then that the spirite of God may not be taken from him Surely the spirite it selfe was still in him and therfore he prayeth that it may not be taken froÌ„ him but the graces gracious working of the spirite they were deade and gone and therefore hee prayeth that they may bee renewed in him By this then we see that the very chiefe graces of the spirite may be quenched euen in the most godly when they fall into sinne But yet that no libertie may be taken hereby let vs a litle consider what griefe and punishment they procure to themselues that do by any means loose the graces of the spirite First of all we must know that though the spirite of God cannot be goâ—ten by our labour yet it causeth vs much labour and we must vndergoe much trauell and suffer much trouble before the spirite of God do take possession of vs now when the graces of the spirite are lost all this our labour seemeth to bee lost and what griefe is it to see the whole labour and trauaile of a man to vanish and come to nothing Secondly when a man receiueth the spirit of GOD and by the same spirite is assured that his sinne is forgiuen him and that hee is in the fauour of GOD there doth arise in his hearte a great ioy in the holy Ghost a ioy I say that is vnspeakeable and glorious and this ioy is lost and gone when the graces of Gods spirite are gone with how greate griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Againe when the graces of the spirite are choaked in men then they haue no hart to doe good they haue no affection to goodnesse but all is gone and they are made for the time as it were an vnprofitable burthen of the earth What griefe can be greater then this What sorrow can sinke more deepe then that a good man should be cleane withholden from doing good Moreouer it is sure that when the giftes of the spirit are in this sorte gone then hee that was most righteous before may soone fall into greate sinnes yea and which is more they shall also suffer the reproch of their sinnes For this is a part of the couenant that GOD made with his That though he will not take his mercies vtterly from them yet he will visite their sinnes with the rodde and their iniquities with scouâ—ges and what griefe this is the example of Gods children may shew vs what griefe was it to Noah become a laughing stocke to his owne sonne what heartbreaking to Dauid by his owne son to be thrust froÌ„ his kingdome so grieuous were those punishments laid vpon them that if without anye respect of hell or heauen we coulde consider of them wee had rather want all the pleasures of sinne which they enioyed then wee woulde beare the reproch and feele the paine which they suffered Last of all when the graces of the spirite of GOD are once decayed they can neuer be repaired and recouered but with much sorrowe and greate daunger for it cannot but breede much sorowe of hearte to remember his former sinnes to examine and see the greatnesse of them to apply Gods iudgements to them and to prouoke himselfe to sorrowe for them This is as it were to goe thorough the pikes and through a purgatorie in this present life and yet this must bee done before wee can recouer Gods graces againe Againe it is a very dangerous thing for in such cases men are brought as it were with Ionas into the bottome of the sea and as Dauid saith into the deepe waters so that all the surges and waues doe passe and flow ouer him Now wee know what danger it is for a man to bee thrust ouer heade and ears into the deepe waters and therefore they that are in such a case are in great danger wherefore all these things considered the losse of all our labour the losse of all true ioye the vnfitnesse to doe good the readinesse to sinne the griefe and danger that ensueth thereof will or at the least wise may cause vs to bee ware how wee quench the spirit And this is the vse of the Doctrine in humblinge of of vs which also doth furthermore serue to comfort vs knowing that we may suffer a greate decay of GODS graces yet by the rodde or by the worde of GOD or by both they shall bee renewed in vs againe And thus much of this commaundement that the Apostle giueth here that wee shoulde not quench the spirite FINIS The Seconde Sermon preached by M Richard Greenham It is thus written Acts 2. Vers. 37.38 37 Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38 Then Peter saide vnto them amende your liues and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes c. IN this portion of the holy booke of God is set down to vs an effecte or rather a fruite of Peter his sermon which hee made for the answering of the sclanderous reports of the Iewes at what time they saw the wonderfull giftes of GOD sent downe vpon the Apostles In which sermon the Apostle had pricked their consciences whith shewing them their sinnes telling them of a suretie that their iniquities was the cause of Christ his death whereby a certaine care began to be wrought in them insomuch that being thus troubled they enquired and saide men and brethren what shall we doe whereupon afterward followed the second Sermon of Peter wherein he exhorteth theÌ„ to coÌ„tinue in their repeÌ„tance teacheth vs that if our sorrowe be good we must go forward therin Further he sheweth theÌ„ to this end that they must beleeue that beleuing they may be baptised that being baptised they might receiue the gifte of the holy Ghost Lastly it is manifest how they hearing that sermon first receiued the doctrine and after perseuered in the practise of the same Briefely therefore three thinges are here to bee noted First the fruite of the former Sermon of Peter contained in these wordes Now when they hearde it c. Scondely the summe of a new Sermon of Peter in these worde Then Peter saide vnto them amende your liues c. Thirdly is set downe the fruite of their obedience In the former part of this Chapter wee may knowe the wonderfull workes of GOD that the Apostles who were neuer brought vp in scholes speake with diuers tongues which when the multitude hearde some are saide to maruaile and to be astonied some mocked them and saide They are full of new wine But when Peter with greate boldenesse of spirite had in this Sermon which hee made set the truth of God against their false accusations and had preached against their
sinnes then they lefte of mocking were pricked in their harts Where first we may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersitie of tongues nor other giftes of the holy Ghost coulde pricke their â—eartes as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thinge then to cause a goâ—ly sorrow theÌ„ to haue our conscience pricked What so able to pricke our conscience as the worde of GOD Indeede many feele sorrowe and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word They be either sencelesâ—e as blocks or in their feeling they are murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of GOD his worde in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our heartes and worke in vs any fruite without the same For though the Lorde shoulde shewe vnto vs al the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the olde worlde and on Sodome although hee shoulde lay all the plagues vpon vs which he laide on Pharaoh and on the Aegyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites should become as hardeharted as euer were Pharaoh the Aegyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs noe blessing from aboue no benefite from beneath can profite vs vntil the worde of GOD commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfecte way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the worde to pricke our conscience Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling againste the worde or ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first wee must knowe that this is the beginning of repentance and this is the enteâ—ie to godlines euen to conceiue a sorrow for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their minde vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can wee hartily longe for Christ. To this agree the lawe the Prophets and the Apostles The lawe because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of hart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophets as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth psalme and fiâ—t verse â—ayeth Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to trew repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgementes of GOD we will neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In the Psal. 51. Vers. 18.19 the Prophet like wise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neitheir praise or thanksgiuing vnlesse we bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith the sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where he vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of spirite and contrition of hearte For the affliction of the soule contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sinnes humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholly at the mercie of God Noe maruaile then if by this means we being confounded and ashamed of our selues and staying our selues on the only promises of God doe confesse our owne nakednes and wreatchednes why the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with this sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esai cap 40. V. 6.7.8 saith All flesh is grasse the beautie therof as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it where the Prophet painting out man in his proper couliers and driuing him to seeke our saluation not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdoÌ„e memorie knowledge and vnderstaÌ„ding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fall before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby wee are borne againe Wherefore the considering meditating of our traÌ„sitory estate driuâ—th vs to a contrition humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esai whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold wil come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more then if we should kill a man choke a dog or offer swines flesh which was counted an abhominable thing among the Iews or praise the thing that is vnright Lastly to this accordeth the Gospel and the Apostles Our sauiour Christ Mat. 9.13 saith I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance not euerie sinner but that sinner which condeÌ„neth sinne in him is weary and laden with his sinnes Mat. 11.28 Mat. 21.32 our Sauiour Christ preferreth the harlotts Publicans before the Pharises for they being pricked for their sins conuicted did sorrow heard Iohn preaching vnto them So then Christ giueth reliefe to those that want righteousnes to theÌ„ that feele themselues sinners ease to them which are burthened lightto them which are in darknes life to them which are dead saluation to them which condeÌ„ne theÌ„selues 1. Cor. 14. the Apostle declareth how the Corrinthians were moued with straÌ„ge tongues but yet had not in admiration the word Besides he sheweth by comparing the gifte of tongues prophecying together that if an Infidell or vnlearned man should come and heare them speake with strange tongues he would say they were out of the witts but if he should heare them speake the word of god plainly he wold be rebuked of all meÌ„ iudged of all men so the secrete of his heart shold be mad manifest he wold fal down on his and worshippe God and say plainely when he feeleth his sinnes they rifle mine hearte they shewe my secret sinnes doubtlesse this is Gods doing God is in them I will follow this religion Wherefore in this appeareth the power of the