could not bâ— unlesse there they were But will you say Whenâ— Obj. should these arise Doth God aâ— ter in his love in his nature 〈◊〉 his fidelity Or doe the Promises which are the great staâ— of faith goe and come ebbâ— â—nd flow Doe they vary from â—â—emselves either for truth or â—oodnesse Or doth Christ the â—undation the rock on which â—ur faith is built is not he the â—â—me yesterday to day and for ever â—f so how why whence is it â—â—at a Beleever should doubt I answer That though there â—â—e the samenesse in God in Sol. â—hrist in the Word yet there is â—ot an onenesse in us and the â—ariations in us doe in no wise â—onclude any thing in them no â—ore then the severall alteratiâ—ns in the ayre doe inferre a diâ—ersity in the Sunne which is â—â—e and the same in respect of â—selfe however the changes â—ee multiplyed here below â—herefore know that the Cap. IV. Springs Causes and Occasions oâ— doubting are or may be these 1. NAturall corruption Thiâ— The first cause of doubtings is a corrupt root thâ— seed of all sinne and of unbeâ—â— liefe This is that flesh whicâ— Originall sinne the fountaine of unbelief doth lust against the spirit aâ—â— thrusts up abundance of motâ—â— on s and corupt reasonings aâ—â— motives to interrupt our faiâ—â— in its great businesse of beleeâ— ving So that when we wouâ—â— It corrupts and misinforms the mind and withholds the will doe good evill is present witâ— us and when wee would beâ— leeve unbeliefe is preseâ— with us It is very true that in our coâ—â— version the soule is graciousâ— inlarged and the powers of 〈◊〉 It is a disease hanging about the best are crushed Yet so that still 〈◊〉 goe with a chaine about 〈◊〉 leg And though sin hath 〈◊〉 deaths-wound yet so much liâ—â— Note is still remaining as to interruâ—â— our graces to resist them yea and if we look not well unto it to stay and bind them He who hath a maime in Simile his leg cannot move in that manner or measure as he desires and a wounded hand or arme hand or arme cannot stretch out it self and lay hold at all times Corruption is in the best and will doe its part and that is one reason why we cannot doe all our part in beleeving You know in the Warres Simile how the intentions and motions of one side are stopt and kept up by the malice and subtilty and power of the other and that there may be many veines of sweetest water under the earth which yet are many times checked and controlled by the falling down of earth O this body of sinne which nolentes volentes wee must yet carry about with us how backward is it to come to Christ how unbeleeving is it how suspicious how fearfull It will not be perswaded it will not hearken it will not credit it will not yeeld it will not imbrace The very Disciples who had the presence of Christ who saw the Miracles of Christ who heard the voice of Christ how often did they doubt did they question Whence shall we have bread to feed so many * Luk. 24. 21 We had trusted it should have beene he who should have redeemed Israel So that Christ reproves them more then once or twice O slow of Luk. 24. 25 heart to beleeve c. * 38. Why doe thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my selfe But Christ apologiseth for them The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak 2. Imperfection of faith A second cause of doubtings this is another cause of doubting Why should a child fall so much and a man so seldome is it not the weaknesse in the Simile nerves and sinews and low motive parts When fire is newly kindled it is but little and hath much smoke so is it with our faith the more imperfect it is the more doubtings it finds Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little Weake faith and many doubtings goe together faith wherefore didst thou doubt Little faith and great doubtings goe together like a little heart and great mists Some men are but Babes in Christ they are but plants in the garden they are but lambs in the fold Now children are apt to feare and plants to shake and lambs to flag behind and weak beleevers to doubt Lay a little burden on Simile a childs shoulder he knowes not what to doe shew him the water hee cryes out So is it with weak beleevers Their strength is not proportioned unto unusuall exigences Neither have they experiences nor that quicknesse of art to hye them to their helps And these are great matters 1. when a man wants strength to deale with his enemy and 2. when he hath not had experience Therefore let us consider this yet more Where faith is weake or imperfect there are three things incident unto those Beleevers 1. They want ability to Three things in weak beleevers argue for their experience is little and therefore their judgments are not so setled so that they cannot alwayes maintaine their ground David David because of former experiences he is not amazed at the uncircumcised Philistine but rests upon that God for victory here who had granted him former deliverances from the Beare and the Lion And so Paul 2 Cor. 1. Paul confirms himselfe 2 Cor. 1. 10. who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver* but weak David was right in Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord bast not forsaken those that seek thâ—e faith hath little experience of Gods truths and of Gods power and of Gods method and times 2. They see their wants and hindrances more then their helps and incouragements like Elisha's servant who saw the multitude of the enemies compassing the city with horses and charioÌ„ts and the reupon cryed out Alas my Master Elâ—sha's servant 2 King 6. 15 16 17. how shall we doe but at first he saw not the mountaine full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha which might have stayed and upheld him It is with new and weake Beleevers as with the Israelites Israelites who did heare of the sons of Anak those mighty Gyants and of the high mighty walls about the city of Canaan they looked on these and were greatly perplexed and discouraged but they did not looke on the strong and Almighty God who did promise to goe with them and conquer for them So do these they look upon the meer temptations and suggestions of Satan they looke upon the powerfull stirrings of remaining corruption they look upon the strength of present crosses they look upon their own weaknesses against all these they look upon Gods delayings upon their owne dulnesses and whatsoever may keep them downe but they look not upon that God who hath promised
neglects of his Word by the silences of our consciences And assuredly something is ordinarily amisse when Conscience speaks unto us neither good nor bad 3. Sometimes Conscience is silent to make us look higher then Conscience and that wee might know there is a higher Court to which wee must make our addresses 4. Sometimes Conscience is silent to make us see upon what bottomes our faith is grounded whether we can beleeve because God saith as well as rejoyce because Conscience speaketh 3. But to make Conscience speak what must we doe We have had its gracious testimonies by which we have been much comforted and supported How shall we recover it to speech againe I answer 1. Speak to God and then The waies to recover conscience to speeâ—h againe God may speak to Conscience and Conscience will speak to thee God hath a greater command over Conscience then it hath over us It is with God and Conscience as with a King and his Courtiers let the King speake kindly to a Petitioner the Courtiers will then imbrace him lovingly and indeed Conscience will carry Gods face and expresse his dispositions of love Therefore this doe speak to the Lord 1. To shew thee the cause of Consciences silence 2. To give thee the testimony of his owne Spirit which will draw with it againe the testimony of thine owne conscience Rom. 8. 16. 2. Speak to duty Be sure thou doe not displease Conscience If thou hast repent and adde no more to make Conscience displeased or silent 4. But how may we support our selves in the times of silence I answer thou mayst comfort thy selfe if 1. The Word can approve thee the testimony of the Word is ever open though that of Conscience be not What is the reason Because men may have a constant audience and tryall of their estates And take one thing by the way If the Word which is alwayes open and speaking if it acquits thee Conscience though now silent whensoever it speakes will cleare thee 2. Thou hast and dost approve the Word How is that That is If the Word be thy rule thy light by which thou hast and dost walk for when Conscience comes to speak it gives its sentence from the Word by which thou walkest and of thy frame and course which thou preservest in an upright answerablenesse to the directions of the Word An Addition of foure other causes of Doubtings with a briefe resolution of them 1. SEnse of sinfull workings O! saith a distressed soul Certainly my condition is stark naught and I have no right to Christ nor to any mercy I may not beleeve Why Because I never found such vile workings of heart as of late I feele a wonderfull rebellion in my heart I cannot think on any good nor set upon any good but an army of evill is in me opposing and hindering me To a soule in such a condition Sol. I would for his help prescribe these five subsequent considerations 1. When grace comes in truth it is ever of that power to make such discoveries and to raise such stirs as the soule never felt before for Grace is a new nature and a new light and a new active principle It is put into the soul for that very end to find and lay out sin yea and to expell and thrust it out The judgement was never so convinced before nor Conscience so qualified before nor the will and affections so spiritualized before therefore never marvell at the strange workings When a child is conceived in the wombe it is not now with the woman as in former times and whensoever Christ is formed in the soule it is not with that soule as in old times There is that now falne in which must purge thee and rule thee 2. If good be wrought evil will work and 〈◊〉 When Christ was born all Jerusalem was troubled so when grace is wrought sin will stir Indeed if grace came into the soule either by a finall and totall cessation of sin that there were no sin residing in the soule into the which grace comes then thou shouldst feele no stir at all Thus it shall be in heaven Grace there shall be alone Holinesse and nothing but holinesse there and therefore no combat no stir But thus it never will be on earth Sinne may be alone in some mens hearts but grace is never alone in any mans heart in this life Or if grace came into the soule by a peaceable resignation if sinfull flesh would without any more adoe make a full and free surrender and give it possession without any dispute and cavill then also thou mightst expect a calmnesse and a cessation of armes no vile stirrings But O Christian Grace and sin The Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and the flesh are contrary one to the other and therefore they lust one against the other Fire and water will not lie quiet Sad indeed were thy condition if thou hadst such a frame of vaine good against which no sinfull part in thee would oppose Every regenerate man hath a double man in him the new man and the old man that would doe good this would not doe good that would pray this would not that would mourn this would not that would beleeve this would not 3. But then thirdly thou who feelest such a rebelling and opposing flesh in thee what is that which thou dost oppose It is true thou feelest an untoward rebellious nature yet within thee but what side takest thou It is not I said Rom. 7. Paul but sin that dwelleth in me Sin in him opposed good but Paul himselfe approved good and delighted in good and willed good The same Apostle speaking of the co-habitation and the co-operation of flesh and spirit in regenerate persons that the one did lust against the other and the one was contrary to the other and that by reason of the rebellion and unrulinesse of the one we could not Gal 5. 17. doe the good which we would he yet comforteth them in such a condition in the next words If ye be led by the Spirit ver 18. ye are not under the Law As if he had said Notwithstanding all this rebellious opposition of your flesh if yet ye yeeld not to be servants to it but approve of and incline unto and follow in your hearts courses the rules of the Spirit the condition is very good safe So that though the evill remaining in us doth oppose the good in us yet if we our selves oppose not the good our condition may be good 4. Fourthly as there is evill in thee opposing of thee in any good so there is something in thee also opposing of that evil Dost thou not condemne that hardnesse which hinders thee from mourning and sheddest many a teare because thou canst not mourne Dost thou not strive with the Lord by many prayers and in the use of all his ordinances against that unbeleeving and rebelliously working nature of thine Dost thou not with Paul conflict with it
ready to sit downe and to give the day to Satan never considering that God gives his Soldiers his Armes never considering that the quarrell and battle is the Lords he is engaged in the fight for all is for his sake We think that God looks on onely and beleeve not how much he curbs Satan and sustains us As if Satan might doe what he pleased and God left us alone to grapple whereas the Lord makes manifest his power in our weaknesse and 2 Cor. 12. his grace is sufficient for us and Rom. 16. he will bruise Satan shortly under our feet A fift cause of doubtings The fift cause of doubtings may be particular and speciall sins after conversion Which are like water dropped Simile into a candle making it to burne flat and dull with a black snuffe at the top and catching as it were going up and downe for hold or as a rheume a salt rheume faln into the eyes which intercepts the sight and darkens it for a time So doe our speciall sins after conversion they do dim and darken the soule and like those inclosed spirits of the ayre in the bowels of the earth they cause many fearfull shakings and tremblings as is evideÌ„t in David after his great David Psal 51. sins of Adultery and Murder they did exceedingly weaken his spiritual condition and wiped off all his comfortables Beloved these sinnes they must needs be a strong spring of doubtings if we do but consider 1. That it is their nature to Foure things here about speciall sins set us off from the shoare and harbour You know that a Ship which lies quiet in the harbour or by the shoare thrust it out lanch it into the Simile sea it is tossed againe Now in all knowne sins which wound the conscience after conversion wee loosen the Anchor and put off The Promises and Christ upon which our confidences Speciall sinnes though they loose not the estate yet they loosen our hold were anchored doe now seeme to give they will leave they will withdraw But suppose in their sensible virtue they should not which yet they do neverthelesse we cannot fasten now for the very temper of the soule is injured our spirit is wounded You know though the staffe Simile doth stand where it did and as it did yet if my hand be wounded I cannot claspe it nor use it as formerly Now what think you must not the soule needs be filled with feares and with doubts which hath thrust it selfe thus from such a gracious harbour as the mercies the loving kindnesses the sweet and blessed promises of God may it not say now as David once Psal 77. 3. I remembred God Psal 77. 3. and was troubled and well mayst thou be troubled who wouldst for such a sin pull away thy hand from such a God 2. God doth really take these sinnes ill very ill from those upon whom hee hath conferred such fruits of his love For this is a truth that Gods goodnesse aggravates our sinning in case of offences Love and Bounty can give in the strongest and heaviest aggravations As in that of David 2 Sam. 12. 7. I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of 2 Sa. 12. 7. the hand of Saul 8. And I gave thee thy masters house and gave thee the house of Israel and Iudah and if that had beene too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to doe evill in his sight c. Observe how the Lord pleads it and aggravates it upâ—â— David Now when a child Simile knows that he hath committed a fault concerning which his father gave him a speciall charge See thou doe it not and withall he knowes that his father is fully acquainted with all the businesse it is likely we find it so that feares and doubtings gather within the breast of the child Hee dares not keep off and yet he is afraid to come in he knows that his father hath taken it ill at his hands So it is with us after our speciall sins we know that God hates them he hates them Note Sin in any hated of God not personally but naturally not because in such persons but because in any persons Their nature is repugnant 〈◊〉 his as we hate poison 〈◊〉 Simile selfe and therefore â—et it 〈◊〉 a Toad or in a Princes 〈◊〉 we hate it still and they 〈◊〉 have falne upon such sins 〈◊〉 have incensed a gracious 〈◊〉 ther what notable fears what strange misgivings what appalings get up now upon the heart Where is my Father saith the offending child He is within saith one away hee runs or he is abroad and then downe he sits and weeps and bewailes his losse I shall never gaine his favour againe Thus it is with us after our speciall sins If God seeme to draw towards us we are ready to fly from him I heard thy voice saith Adam and was afraid and hid my selfe And if he doth not draw towards us we sit downe wring our souls and fetch many a deep Ah Ah what have I done Ah mee 〈◊〉 Where am I now I 〈◊〉 provoked my God and 〈◊〉 afraid to come unto him c. 3. God doth not easily open 〈◊〉 favour unto those who thus abuse it There was free intercourse twixt God and the soule before but now the doore is shut which before was open and God himselfe will keep the key so that nothing no meanes or wayes shall open unto us untill hee doth please You remember how David kept his distance David to Absolom from Absolom for his lewdnesse he kept him off a long time he might not see the Kings face And David himselfe for his sinnes against his Father could not without And God to David long suings see the face of God as before Psal 51. Psal 51. And now thinke you it strange that the soule should doubt Assuredly great desires Note delayed and prorogued doe cause great feares yea it breeds singular suspitions May be I shall be still put off will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Ps Psal 77. 7. 4. Nay now the soule being made sensible and having weighed all circumstances can and doth teach it selfe many Tender wounded hearts apt to multiply exceptions against theÌ„selves arguments and reasons to keep off It is apt enough to fall upon it selfe and to keep downe any readinesse which it observes to give on upon God or Christ It is some time before faith can find a way to ingratiate this offending soule and to espie a sufficient medium by and through which it may close with God for pardon and favour And when faith hath found it out then our mis-giving hearts beat us off and as our weak children pluck Simile down the bird soaring up with a string so do our weak hearts
our troubles and wants His wisdome is there and his goodnesse O how shall I be delivered How Let faith work and that will tell thee how Why should I thus be troubled Why Let faith work and that will tell thee It is in very faithfulnesse saith David And It is good for me that I am afflicted No child of God thus Nay let faith work and it will cleare all That a good condition is not exempted from afflictions and that though God had one Son without sin yet he had no Son without sorrow 3. Our incouragements are more then our discouragements and our helps exceed our oppositions therefore faith is not to be restrained The Prophet healed up his servants doubtings 2 King 6. 2 Kin. 6. 16 Elâ—shaes servant 16. Feare not for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them And so Christ to his perplexed Christ to his Disciples and doubting Disciples about those exigencies and casualties to which they were exposed Feare not little flocke A Kingdome opposed to temporall safety it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome q. d. Be not so disquieted so anxious for your lives for your safeties Though you be a flock and a little flock and the wolves are many yet let the worst come to the worst you shall have a Kingdome Oppose that to this and you need not doubt and feare So S. John 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are 1 Joh. 4. 4. Gods Spirit opposed to Satans Antichrists of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Once more S. Paul Rom. 5. Rom. 5. 20 Grace opposed to sin 20. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound And 21. As sinne reigned unto death so grace reignes through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. So againe for outward troubles Esay 41. 14. Feare not thou Esa 41. 14 Help to trouble weakness And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also c. 2 Cor. 4. 17 Our light afflictions c. work for us a far more exceeding waight of glory worme Jacob q. d. Thou art a weak creature contemptible creature a worme yet thou art Jacob and therefore fear not for I will help thee saith the Lord. Though Jacob be weak yet the God of Jacob is strong So for outward losses 2 Chron. 25. 9. said Amaziah to the man of God But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Israel The man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more then this From all which we see that Faith hath the better grounds to rest on there are more with faith then against it for none can be against it except the evill creatures and he who is for it is the mighty Creator All his power and his goodnesse and his Christ and his My Father is greater then all saith Christ Spirit and his Word of Truth is for it He is greater then all so that faith may have singular matter to work upon in all occurrences It is on the better side and on the greater side on that side which will carry it and beare downe the contrary Satan is against me But greater is he is that Ob. Sol. Spirit of Christ in me then he that is in the world Sin is against me But greater is Christ who is Ob. Sol. for me then sinne which is in me Grace hath much more abounded Men in their power are against Ob. me But greater is that Almighty God before whom the Nations Sol. are but as the drop of the bucket and lighter then a dust in the ballance Troubles are upon me Ob. Sol. But my comforts are greater then my sorrows and the glory which I expect infinitely exceeds the trouble which I suffer Wants are upon me Ob. Sol. But my supplies are exceeding I have a provident Father And though I have not a large portion of earth yet I have a sure Kingdome in heaven Beloved if we would but often consider of this that faith is still on the better on the surer side we would quit all our doubtings we would Note not feare what man can doe unto us what Satan can doe unto us our owne infirmities would not disable us nor afflictions for still faith falls to the surest partie and therefore give it scope Faith pitcheth upon no weak causes upon no weak helps upon no weak stayes it stayes upon the Name of the God of Iacob O how might faith out-face the greatest oppositions and trample-under all our affronts and losses and doubts if we did let it get out unto its encouragements could we once come with faith to be perswaded indeed that they who are for us are more then they who are against us Brethren in our spirituall combats we have the better cause and the better strength what help heaven can afford we have Therefore in all our distresses let us hearten our selves and incourage our faith Let us as Iehu in another case look up and say Who is on my side who and then wee may even say what the Psalmist spake Psal 124. 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our Psa 124. 1 side now may the Beleever Israel say 2. If it had not been the Lord c. 7. Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare c. 8. Our help is in the Name of the Lord c. 5. A fift spring of doubtings was speciall and particular sins after conversion These like a strong disease do shake the very heart and spirit of the Christian and stagger him on every side and like a cloud fold up all our comfortable communion with God like a dead fly they fall in all our services If thou dost ill sinne lies at the doore said God to Cain And so you shall find it that speciall sinnes after conversion doe much interrupt us in our approaches and in our confidences Now the way to cure this spring is 1. To renew our sorrowes to set upon the fountaine David David did so after his great sins and so did Peter the one did Peter water his couch and his teares were his meat day and night and the other went out and wept bitterly Bitternesse of sorrow you read of it in Zach. 12. 10. imports Bitternes what it imports 1. Anguish 1. an anguish of spirit As David said for his Ionathan My soule is distressed for thee so here the falne Christian is distressed for sinning thus against his God for losing his God There is oft times a very tearing and renting in the soule 2. A sensible fulnesse of 2 Fulnesse of griefe griefe As Ioseph was full of compassion and his bowels could hold no longer upon the oration of Iudah so the falne Christian is full of holy meltings his heart
is ready to break and like a full vessell it must have vent Many a time he must and doth consider this vile sin and hies him alone to poure out his grieved heart before the Lord and shames himselfe before him and confesseth with confusion of face his treacherous and unworthy dealing against his God There is you know a naturall Three sorts of sorrows sorrow as for the losse of children and a politicall sorrow as was that for the good King Josiah and there is a spirituall sorrow which is for our sins This must now be exceedingly renewed and you may raise it by consideration of mercy O Lord what have I How to raise our sorrow done Why have I done this Thou shewedst me mercy in opening my eyes in changing my heart in calling me to holinesse in pardoning of former sins yet after all this I have sinned against thee I have wounded my heart dishonoured thy Name turned thy grace into wantonnesse lost thy favour broke my peace injured my Christ grieved thy Spirit turned away thine eare given advantage to Satan and deserved for ever to sit in darknesse c. Beloved if you find your hearts unhumbled you shall finde your hearts still to be unbeleeving For besides that great sins are great provocations to our Note gracious God they are also til we are humbled for them great impediments to faith faith cannot do service for us it cannot uphold us it cannot bring a comforting Promise unto our hearts untill our hearts are humbled for our sins God comforts none but mourners and faith cannot fall in with him untill our hearts fall out with our selves And here take heed you be not sleight and too quick if you be you shall have your doubtings againe God doth seldome or never speak easie peace after a great sin If you skin up a sore it will break out againe If your sorrows be not deep and sound your fears will be fresh and multiplyed but let them be pious and serious and then the soule will after a while recover it selfe and plead and find mercy with God and be able to answer and silence all the doubtfull reasonings which will rise against faith in its wonted communions and applications But you will say If wee Ob. should sorrow thus yet wee should still doubt of mercy and Gods favour I answer Sol. 1. Thou hast now to answer A great current wil bear down the dam and true sorrow will carry away our doubtings thy doubtings True I did sin thus but I have truely grieved for this sinne and though I might not apply mercy because I sinned yet now I may because I am grieved 2. See Gods disposition to Ephraim Ier. 31. 18. I have surely Jer. 31. 18. heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe c. ver 19. I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth But then ver 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Though God be offended with our sins yet he is delighted in our sorrows and nothing melts him more then to see us come melting before him The mournfull behaviour of Iosephs brethren moved him and the returning Prodigals The father likes the sons submissions though not his rebellions falling downe to his Father and cryings out went to the heart of him And it is not without cause that David prayes Regard my teares that fall And Are not my tears registred And Put thou my teares into thy bottle Melting teares doe melt a tender God and Father 2. To renew our repentance in which I would comprehend both detestations and forsakings These sins must be made very hatefull to the soul you must imbitter them you must purge out all the sweetnesse of them all the liking of them Nay you must set upon them as on things most abominable Hence that phrase of loathing your abominanations Ezek. 36. Ezek. 36. S. Iohn Rev. 2. 5. adviseth decayed Rev. 2. 5. Ephesus to remember from whence she was falne and to repent Beloved this is not a condition to stay in This water is deep and drowning is possible if we lie in it But if wee rise out of our sinnes then our doubtings will fall It is with our consciences as it is with water in a pot if you put no Simile fire under it it is quiet but if you kindle a fire the water will boyle and bubble it hath no quiet So though conscience be quiet and kind and molests us not if yet fire come under if any notable sin come in and kindle in the heart now the boylings now the feares and doubts of the soule And in these tumblings the way to cease them is to remove the fire and then you shall see how the water grows to a stilnesse again and by degrees The sea will be calme if the winds cease leaves fuming So will our soules come to a pacified temper to a setlednesse if once our sins be removed leave the Esay 1. 16 17. Cease to doe evill learne to doe well 18. Come now and let us reason together c. sins and ordinarily the doubts will leave the sinner For as sinne is our unquiet sea so Repentance is our secure harbour Any knowne sinne unrepented still puts in and inlivens doubts in us but Repentance plucks out the venome and the rage An amended child comes againe before his Father and a reformed Christian and penitent may * Loc. cit yet be confident 3. Sue out a speciall assurance You may see by Davids disposition after his speciall sins that a generall acquitance would not serve the turne for speciall sins you must sue out speciall assurance of pardon Your consciences will never be quiet else Nay this will not satisfie thee that yet they are pardonable that they are such as doe not exclude thee out of the Proclamation thou wilt never be quiet untill God speaks peace untill he doth put his seale to acquit thee of particular sins Sin will rise it will lie uppermost thou shalt feele it so it will fly in thy face it will come up in serious times untill thou repent of it and sue out thy discharge therefore be earnest with the Lord for pardon of it for a speciall acquitance If the Lord Jesus did seale his blood upon thy heart thy doubtings would cease But you will say There is Ob. now no hope though wee should grieve though we should repent though wee should sue for pardoning mercy there is now no hope for these are sins after conversion and they are great ones too and besides we find no particular promise to ease our souls upon Let me answer this doubt Sol. fully for it is a folded one there are many in it Consider therefore 1. The promise of pardon Three things The pardoning promise
lest And that we might bestow our tears not our tongues on others sinning he should be over-exalted so to many Christians the Lord doth returne unto them the sensible sting of some notable guilt to abase their hearts to put them in mind of themselves For this reduction of former gilt it gives up unto us our base and treacherous natures and the births of our owne hearts Ah! faith such a person this heart this nature of mine what was it what is it if the Lord leaves it See here the grapes the sowre grapes of this wild-vine little reason have I to be so highly conceited of my self as long as I perceive such loath some accounts and issues from my selfe And veriâ—y it makes us oft-times to despise our selves to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes And this is one great Our present graces make us good and the sense of former sins keeps us humble end and use which the Lord makes of former sins To keep the heart in a very humble frame We must have something or other still put unto us of our owne which will let us see how foolish we are by nature that is Davids phrase and how brutish we were that is Solomons phrase 3. To make us more carefull For the sharp remembrance of sinne doth in a godly heart work stronger detestation and stronger watchfulnesse God doth make their Remembring the gall the wormwood Lam. 3. new considerations to be our present preventiâ—â—s Future commissions of sinâ—â—e are many times prevented by new impressions of former sins What should I sinne thus again saith the humble heart have I not reason to crush these births to crucifie that bitter root to pray against it to watch against it to resist it to deny it which hath beene and is now a sword in my conscience But now consider that there is a double carefulnesse wrought by the new rising of sinne 1. One respects the guilt of it and here our care is to get our acquitance renewed and inlarged O how doth the Lord by these risings of sin soone cause the soule to rise up in suing out his grace and favour It causeth many a teare many a prayer many a wrestling with God many pressings upon the promises many an earnest beseeching to have our pardon and discharge more fully sealed unto our consciences by the bloud of Jesus Christ and testimony of the Spirit 2. Another respects the sins themselves in their corrupt qualities and inclinations and motions and this is a greater study against them firmer resolutions strengthning of covenants confirmations of grace of circumspection of detestation of resistance of any thing or way by which the powers of sin may be more subdued and cast downe 4. To make us more thankfull Perhaps the Lord hath pardoned those sins which rise anew in thy heart they doe not alwayes rise because God hath not discharged their guilt but because thou hast not discharged thy new debt they arise as a debt for the discharge of a debt as we use to put men in mind of their former miseries not that thereby they are made miserable but because thereby they should be made thankfull Beloved to have former sins discharged it is mercy I say mercy yea and a rich mercy greater then to give a condemned person life or to give an imprisoned person liberty far greater No such mercy as that which blots out our sins which saves a soule from hell and gives it pardon and life Now great mercies should be answered with great thankfulnesse Thou didst in the sense and sting of thy guilt go with an heavy heart with bitter sighes with deep oppressions O that I had mercy O this burden O this wound O this sinne Yea and with deep protestations If the Lord will but pardon it If he will shew me mercy If he would receive me graciously he should have the calves of my lips I would love him indeed I would serve him I would praise and thank him I would speak good of his name I would say Who is a God like him that forgiveth iniquities transgressions and sins and passeth by the sins of his people Well the Lord hath shewed himselfe like himselfe a God very gracious and mercifull but we perhaps have shewed our selves like our selves in distresses earnest and full of promises but in our exemptions flat and full of forgetfulnesse Now the Lord doth exceedingly dislike this vanity and doubting of heart he loves that mercy should be still acknowledged to be mercy he would have us to look back as well as to look up and to give him thanks for that mercy for which not long since wee would have given all the world and our soules too And therefore doth he cast unto us our accounts he lets us thereby see what they were and what he hath done that wee may confesse our error for not answering great mercy with great thankfulnesse But perhaps you will inquire Ob. What if we our selves for our part be the cause of reviving of former guilt and sting of former sins I answer If it be by way of Sol. humiliation to seek the pardon and to make confession to the God of mercy and to get victory over them this should no way discourage us for this is no more hurt or prejudice to the soule then the after laying open of the wound to the Chirurgion to dresse and cure it is prejudiciall to the safety and welfare of the body But if it be by way of commission either by relapsing into the same sins or multiplying of sinne in another kinde both which will dig up again our buried and fore-past guilts then I know no way of peace and safety no way to allay these renewed accusations and stings but by renewed sorrow and repentance And verily what I delivered unto you heretofore about recovery from relapsing that is the course presently to be taken here O let us haste in before the Lord with hearts trickling down with tears of bloud for old and present wounds the very abundance of sorrow the bitternesse of griefe the art of self-affliction I cannot say that sorrow of sorrow that hatred of hatred that indignation of indignation that revenge of revenge that repentance of repentance which are here necessarily required and that too with longest continuance Doe what thou wilt shuffle off cut to thy selfe a peace thou shalt never have it thy sinnes shall ever and anon gall and vexe and wound thee untill thou hast renewed thy bitternesse of most humbled sorrow for renewing thy filthinesse and basenesse of thy audacious sinning But then suppose that Satan Ob. through his malicious art doth revive our former guilt by his accusations for our greater interruption and disquietment what is now to be done I will shew you here briefly Sol. two things 1. One is how you may know that the reviving of former guilt be from Satan or no. 2. Another is what is then to be done by us 1. You may know that