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
owne condemnation yet because they labored not to se their guiltinesse acquited by the remission of sinne in Christ they plunged themselues into a bottomlesse sea of sorrowes Others hauing passed these degrees hitherto made these steps to auoyd the wounde of Conscience haue come also too short and missed of the marke when because besides the sence of sinnes pardoned by the death of Christ they felt not also the vertue of his passion crucifying sinne in them but saw that with the remission of sinne was not ioined the mortification of sin they feared that there was no forgiunesse for them but still languishing with sorrow they thought themselues to stand charged with their former guiltines Yea and which is more for that such men haue not truely beene instructed nor surely haue beene grounded in the doctrine of Christes death and resurrection that is for that they sawe not as well power flowing from his death to slay sinne in them as vertue to pardon sinne in them for that they felt not as well strength to Sanctification streaming from the rising againe of Christ as they were perswaded of iustification and righteousnes therein They haue lyne still bleeding at the heart in such sort as the wound of griefe coulde hardly or neuer bee staide and staunched Wherefore let vs strengthen our weake soules with this sixe-fold coarde of consolation against these bitter assaultes Let vs first labour to know sinne then to sorrow for sinne after to feele our sinnes in Christ forgiuen further to looke for power to crucifie the same then to lay holde on iustification by his resurrection and lastly hope for strength to proceede from thence to further vs in sanctification and holinesse of life euen vnto the ende And thus much briefly for the second thing which we matched in company with the examination of sinne euen the triall of faith both which rightly vsed shall in some measure sauegard vs from the trouble of an afflicted minde Now let vs hasten to the third parte of our deuision to shew howe Gods children beeing fallen into this wounde of spirite may be helped out of it which God willing wee will also performe after we haue answered a necessarie obiection which in the former part might seeme to encounter against vs. There is no man but will grant that Dauid Iob and others of the Saintes of God had a sight of their sins a sorrow for their sinnes and a taste of the remission of their sinnes how then commeth it to passe that these men were so troubled in minde To this I answere that their trouble so befell them either for failing in some of these former things or els they were rather afflicted for triall of their faith than for punishing of sinne in them And therefore be it alwaies prouided that wee thinke not euery conflict of Conscience continuallye and chiefely to bee for the pursuing of our sinnes but sometimes and principally that it commeth for the triall of our faith and yet secondarily or lesse principally for the scourging of sinne as we may see in Iob. Whereuppon let all men be admonished when they see good men thus humbled throwne downe in minde to lay their handes on their mouthes from saying Surely these men are but hypocrites doubtlesse these men be great sinners the Lord hath founde out their hypocrisie For good reason there is that such silence should be vsed for that the Lorde may as well make trial of their faith as take punishment on their sins For if such affliction should alwaies and chiefely be sent for sinne then it should follow that all others as they exceeded them in sinne should also exceede them in the punishment of sinne But now comming to the saluing of this soare I shall seeme very strange in my cure and so much the more bee wondered at by how much in manner of proceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein I am to vs and vncertaine To them which are troubled with such blinde griefes whereof they can see no reason as often it happeneth to Gods Children in secret prouidence vvho either neuer knew God or else had but a generall knowledge of him I answere that as I denie not Phisicke to be ministered if it in part proceede from a naturall cause so I require the word especially to shewe the principall and originall cause to beginne in the soule And this I doe the rather because I would haue wisdome both in considering the state of the bodie if neede so require and in looking chiefely to the â—oule which so fewe thinke of If a man troubled in Conscience come to a Minister it may be he will looke all to the soule and nothing to the bodie if hee come to a Phisition hee onely considereth of the bodie and neglecteth the soule For my part I would neuer haue the Phisitions counsell seuered nor the Ministers laboure neglected because the soule and bodie dwelling together it is conuenient that as the soule should be cured by the word by prayer by fasting by threatening or by comforting so the bodie also shoulde bee brought into some temperature by Physicke by purging by dyet by restoring by musicke and by such like meanes prouiding alwaies that it bee done so in the feare of God and wisdome of his spirite as we thinke not by these ordinarie meanes to smoother or smoke out our troubles but as purposing to vse them as preparatiues wherby both our soules and bodies may be made more capable of the spirituall meanes to follow after As we require these thinges to bee the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie so we woulde wishe the persons ministring to be men learned and of sounde iudgement wise and of Godly experience meeke and of most louing spirites For when the troubled patient shall be well perswaded of our knowledge and discretion there with all shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection I thinke an enterance is made and all preiudice is taken avvay so as wee may the more freely worke vppon the Conscience first bringing them to the sight of sinne as to some cause of their trouble Heerein wee must labour to put awaye all confusion and blindenesse of sorrrowe endeuoring by wisdome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect matter of their trouble and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall and secret sinne I say seuerall secret sinne because I know how many through a palpable blindnes or disordered discerning of sinne talke nothing so much as of sinne and yet they eyther can not discry seuerall sinnes or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secrete sinnes wherof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Lawe of God and the other of selfe loue which maketh vs loath euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues Now that the confession of particular sins is requisite it may appeare by the two and thirtieth Psalme wherein beeing a Psalme of
which in her child is wanting by occasion in like manner the Lorde God our most gracious father doth not cast vs off because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraide to drawe neerer to the throne of grace but rather pitieth vs and seing vs a farre of desirous to come vnto him meeteth vs by the way by grace strength of his owne hand directeth our steps vnto his kingdom And as he which freely purposeth to giue a wedge of gold will not withdrawe his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it is weak troubled with the gout palsy or leaprosie so that by any meanes though in greate weakenes he be able to holde it euen so the Lorde purposing in free mercie to bestowe on vs an immortall weight of glory will not depriue vs of it though many filthy blemishes haue poluted and weakened or faith so that in any small measure we be able to take holde of his promises neither are we â—o loke on our faith which the Gospell hath called vs vnto because we neuer beleeue as we ought but rather on that which the Gospell offereth giueth that is on Gods mercy and peace in Christ in whose lappe if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn then we are in felicitie securitie and perfect quietnes Contrariwise there be some who notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent that it were much better that all the creaturs rose vp against vs euery one bringnig their bane then once to come before the dreadful face of God are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes If they bee pricked with sicknes they crye alas if they be pinched with pouertie thy can complaine but as for the torment of minde they caÌ„not skil of it And eueÌ„ to talke of abrused coÌ„trite broken hart is a strange laÌ„guage For profe whereof our consciences are rocked aslepe so that not one amongest a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies whilest sinne may be both punished and purged For though God spare vs for a time yet we know what he keepeth for our end Wherefore it is the best for vs to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least we tarry till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall sommon vs to the barre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impannelling the great inquest of his Saintes against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation for we see many that haue beene carelesse and haue made good cheare all their life long yea and when men haue laboured to make them feele the iudgements of God they haue turned all to mockery but whose iolytie the Lorde hath so abated when they drawe towardes death that in steade of resting and sporting whereunto they had bene giuen they haue felt the terrour of death hell and damnation and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation haue forced out cursinges against their filthie pleasures Wherefore if wee in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption Let vs in a contrite spiriâ—e cry vnto the Lorde Haue mercy vpon mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee forgiue all mine iniquities and heale all mine infirmities Thou healest those that are broken in hearte and byndest vp their soares why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe my God Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God of him commeth my saluation he is my strength therefore I shall not much be moued his mightines is enough to giue me courage yea and shalbe euen when I am forlorne I knowe that the diminishing of my body goods friendes or any other thing is a calling of me to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daly thither that I might not doubt that when my body is laide in the graue and there consumed as it were to nothing yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord shall returne vnto me and shall rise to glory euen as it resting in this life in the mercies of Christ did rise to grace verely I see that with ioy that my flesh must go to decay for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it it diminished day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not so smale an infirmitie in my bodie but the same is vnto me a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes I am assured that he will reach me his hande to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance so that this smale cottage and shed of leaues being brought to the graue shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle Thus communing with our owne harts and being still in the peace of a good conscience concerning our outward sufferings we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly and louing chastismeÌ„ts intendeth nothing more then to proue our obedience as good reason it is that he should and to confirme our faith as also is most necessarie Howbeit still as I saide he vseth a fatherly correction that is in mercy measure and iudgement For as he striketh vs downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hande so he raiseth vs vp againe in loue for our saluation with the other hand For albeit his corrections be wearisome woundes to flesh and bloude yet are they soueraine medicines to the soule and conscience especially when the Lorde giueth vs that priuiuiledge of his children that by his holy spirite he doth ouermaister vs least that finally we should be his Iudge and he not ours And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on as it were a contrary face to locke vs vp in a prison of aduersitie to restraine vs from the libertie of our sinnes which Sathan faine would make vs violently to rush into And surely though the wisdome of the flesh perswadeth vs that nothing is better then to be spared and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vs to reckoning yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate without the syre of affliction and boulter of aduersitie teacheth vs that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this being the mother of humilitie and nource of true repentance Againe the Lorde fitteth vs often by inward temptations and outwarde crosses to flitte vs from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in
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
Gods people O Lord thou art our Father wee indeed are clay but thou art our maker and wee are the worke of thy handes c. Know also God can cause wolues lions leopards c. to dwell louingly with lambes calues and kids c. that which is vnpossible to men is possible with God euen to cause a cable rope to go through a needles eye that is to change the hard heart of the vnbeleeuing couetous wretched man much more yours yea know you that all things are possible to him which beleeueth Cry then I beleeue O Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and I dare promise you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you shall haue your hearts hesire in goodnes Thus abruptly I must ende I coÌ„mend you to God the word of his grace which is able to builde you vp and giue you the right of inheritance among them that are sanctified And the very God of peace sanctify you throughout that your whole spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Faithfull is hee which hath called you which will do it Amen I pray you pray for me I trust as I haue so I shall pray for you and much more Yours in Christ Iesus to vse in any neede R. G. An other Comfortable Letter by Master R. G. to Master M. BRother beloued in our Lord Iesus Christ seeing you haue had heeretofore not onelie knowledge but also experience of Gods gracious and mercifull goodnes in Iesus Christ of your owne vnbeliefe and of Sathans subtlenes I could meruaile why you should giue such place and not keepe your ground no furer if I were not much acquainted with such occurrences I know not therfore whether with wordes of rebuke or of comfort I should seeke to relieue you Because I cannot come vnto you my counsell and desire is that you would come vp to London the next Tearme at the farthest that so I might aske of God to frame my speech to your Good In the mean season I beseech you to call vnto minde that which you cannot be ignorant of that in the lawe sacrifices were offered for Gods people not onely at their first entrance into couenant with the Lorde but also afterwardes manie times and that not only for sinnes committed by ignorance but also by errour that is forgetfulnes frailenesse retchlesnes carelesnesse c. If you haue not Tremelius his translation by you you must take heede of the english that hath ignorance for they failed that so translated it It is manifest that the sinne of errour is there opposed against the sinne committed with an hie hande that is to blasphemie with contempt of God and making his lawe of none effect but to bee in vaine Which sinne Iam sure you are most farre off from I would you were as farre off from vnbeliefe and distrust That Gods children may fall after their calling into diuers foule faultes may appeare by many proofes First in the Lawe when the Lord speaketh in his Maiestie and proclaimeth his glory yet in howe many wordes commendeth he his mercy and for howe many seuerall sortes of sinnes Doth not Esay the holy Prophet call the people of his daies the people of Gomorrha and their Princes the Princes of Sodome Doth not he accuse them as grieuous transgressors both of the first and second Table and yet doth afterwardes promise them that though their sinnes were as crimson they shall be as white as snowe though they were redde like scarlet they shall bee as woole Doth hee not charge them that they were sunke deepe in rebellion and yet exhorteth them to returne vnto the Lorde Yea doth he not charge them not onelie with rebellion but also with vexing the holy spirit of God And yet reade what is written Pray as there you may learne Esay tenth Chap. fiue sixe c. What doth not the holy Prophet Ieremie shewe that Ephraim was as an vntamed Calse c. yet so soone as he mourned and was ashamed of himselfe doth not the Lord shew that his bowels of mercy were troubled for his estate Doâ—h not the Lorde offer mercy vnto the prophane and forgetfull transgressors of his holy couenant Is not this part of the couenant made with all the sonnes of Dauid in Christ Iesus that if they not onely omitting many good things but also commit rebellions iniquities that though hee may visit them yet it shall bee with the rodde of his children and that his mercy hee will not take from them nor break of his couenant made with them in Iesus Christ Therfore remember that the holy promises threatnings precepts examples are written that we should not sinne but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust he is the reconciliation of our sinnes not for our sins onely but for the sinnnes of the whole world Doth not the blessed Apostle Paule charge the Corinthians whom he affirmeth to bee rich in Christ and destitute of no spirituall gift to be more carnall then spirituall yet babes in Christ yea to be falne Into idolatry committing of euill things fornication tempting not only of God but of Christ yea murmuring against them yet doth hee not heerein comfort them that no temptation hath token hold on them but such as appertaineth to man that God will be mercifull vnto Dauid praieth against presumptuous sinnes that they should not raigne ouer him Signifying though he sinned presumptuously yet if he did not perseuer in presumption obstinately without desire to repent that such sinne or sinnes were pardonable Nowe the Lords couenant towards his in Iesus Christ is not to deale after their sins nor to reward theÌ„ after their iniquities much lesse will he not regard in wrathful displesure their infirmities For if he should so marke what is said or done amisse who were then able to abide it But with him is mercy in Iesus Christ that he may be feared Therfore lift vp your hands which hange downe strengthen your weak knees say vnto your soule why art thou so cast down and vnquiet within mee I will yet trust in Iesus Christ and waite vpon the mercifull graces of God purchased by his merites Consider that true humilitie a riseth of faith in Iesus Christ and that is true faith that ingendreth humilitie as we may not diminish our sinnes so may wee not too much aggrauate them nor diminish Christes merits haue euermore in your minde the example of the prodigall sonne who saith not I am not thy sonne but I am no more worthie to be called thy sonnes he saith not let me bee thy bondslaue nay hee saith not let me bee thy hyred seruant but let me be as one of thy hyred seruants his father came and met him fell on his necke c. So shall it come to you good brother I neede
Gods goodnes finde matter of comfort Remember therefore what mercie the Lord hath shewed you in this parte whiâ—h what desire and affection you haue heard the word of God Howe pretious it hath bene vnto you aboue gold euen the most fine golde how sweete and comfortable euen aboue the hony and the honie combe Remember with what fruite of knowledge in the will of God increase of faith in his promises purpose and indeauour of amendment of life you haue often times hearde the same Call to minde with what zeale earnestnes of spirit you haue somtimes called vpon the name of God both publikely priuately with others alone by yourselfe with what ioy reioicing of the soule you haue praised the lord for his mercies towards his Church and towardes you selfe Call to minde what hath beene in you at any time the power of those Sacramentes which are annexed as seales vnto the promise of saluation by Christ and howe farre they haue by the blessing of God erected your minde in hope and assurance of his goodnes towardes you If your present discouragement resist the comfort of these meditations it is no newe thing that in our weaknes we shoulde after the manner of those that be sicke disaduantage our selues of that which might doe vs most good yet remember howe iniurious a thing it were to esteeme the children of God by their present agonies and conflict of conscience rather then by the comfort of that estate wherein the grace of God shined plentifully vpon them and in them For as when men are diseased it cannot therof be concluded that they were neuer in health so the present discomfortures of the children of God though they take away the sense of his mercie for a time yet they are no repeale of his former goodnes and fauour towardes them nor denie them to haue beene euen in their owne iudgement and feeling deare vnto the Lord and still to be though the storme and tempest of their present affliction suffer them not so liuelie and comfortably to enioy the same as before For which cause they must with Iob and Dauid call to remeÌ„brance the comfortes of times past from thence to assure themselues of the returne of the good hande of the Lorde in due time I doubt not but you can be witnesse vnto God and to your owne selfe that the time hath beene when your comfort and assurance of Gods fauour was such as Sathan himselfe coulde not denie the testimonie which then the spirite of God did beare vnto your spirite Nowe the giftes and calling of God are without repentance and whome hee loueth he loueth vnto the ende neyther doth our saluation depend vppon any thing of our owne for then wee shoulde a thousande times perish and fall before the enemie but vppon that eternall and euerlasting loue of God wherewith hee hath loued vs in Iesus Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide which loue of his if it hath at anie time beene made knowen vnto vs and apprehended of vs wee haue assurance greater then the testimonie of men and Angels But you will say that which sometimes I felt is now gone and in steade thereof I am perpetually opprested with the horror of the wrath of God iust against me for my sinnes It is true that the power and sence of faith is not alwaies alike in the children of God yet is it a false and sophisticall conclusion suggested from him that is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lying to say wee feele not faith therefore there is no faith in vs. For in many diseases of the bodie wee haue no sence of life and yet we liue The sunne shineth not in the night season nor when it is obscured with cloudes shall wee say therefore that there is no sunne or that it hath vtterlie no operation Admitte also which yet may not bee admitted that the Lorde had for a time vtterlie giuen vs ouer can wee conclude thereof that hee will neuer againe be mercifull vnto vs Nay hee that founde vs when we sought him not will surelie returne vnto the worke which hee hath begunne though he seemeth for a while to haue forsaken it There is somtime as it were an ecclips of our faith and of the feeling of the grace of GOD towardes vs but let vs assure our selues that as the Sunne and Moone doe not perish in their ecclipses nor loose their lighte for euer soe in this ecclips which happeneth for a time vnto our fayth and sence of Gods goodnes the same shall not perish or loose his vertue for euer but shall in good time be restored or rather quickened in vs againe vnto our further and more assured comfort This you haue seene in many the deare children of God whose heauines hath beene knowne vnto you that they haue not beene forgotten for euer but that the Lord who seemed for a while to frowne vpon them did in the ende cause his most gracious and louing countenance to shine vpon them againe you haue felt it in your selfe that there hath beene an interchangeable course of sorrow and comfort of faith and feare and that the one hath contially succeeded the other that the same hand that humbled you did raise you vp againe that he that inflicted the wounde into your soule applied thereunto the most sweete and soueraigne remedie of his grace So ancient and so experienced a soldiour as you are in this spirituall battaile should now be valiant and strong vnto the combat our victorie wherein though it be not to be hoped from the weakenes of flesh yet the experience we haue had of the goodnes of God in our former troubles ought to assure vs of the returne of his helping hand in al our necessities Shall I put you in minde of the grace of God towardes you in your comforting of others euen then when your selfe haue beene in some discouragement If others haue receiued comfort from you raise vp the same comfortes vnto your selfe Neither is there anie cause you shoulde feare least that spirite which in you was able to erect and confirme others should not be able to refresh comfort your owne soule In other things we loue our â—elues too much and doe well vnto our selues rather then to others but heere many times by the fraude of the enemie we are made cruell vnto our owne bowels and become his abused instruments to torment our selues who will put a sworde into the hande of his aduersarie to wounde himselfe with all And who will strengthen his enemie that is alreadie too strong for him Yet this is our folly that we will conspire with Sathan against our selues and arme him with weapons vnto our owne destruction Saint Peter saith resist the Diuell beeing strong in faith We must not therefore yeald our selues vnto his tyrannie nor cast away that weapon of faith by which alone we may be able to ouercome But I will
grace at Gods handes nay wee doe not esteeme Gods graces when we haue not the spirit to teach vs to set a due price vpon them for speake of the Law or of the Gospell of sinne or of righteousnes speake of Christ or of our redemption iustification by him yea speake of that huge and heauy waight of glory wher with the elect of God shall bee crowned all this mooueth not wee are little affected therewith vnlesse God giue vs of his good spirit to profit by the same The Apostle ther forewith good reason gaue this precept and wee for many greate causes are to listen vnto it least by any meanes the spirit of God be quenched in vs so we depriue our selues of all these fruites Now whereas the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit it may appeare he speaketh to those that had alredy receiued the spirit For as the fire caÌ„not be said to be queÌ„ched where it is not so they cannot be sayd to quench or loose the spirit which haue not as yet receiued it Then knowe that this precept doeth properly beelong to them that haue receiued the spirit of God and they especially are to make a special vse of it for the other it cannot profite them vnlesse that as the seede lying in the ground a long time doth afterwarde budde and become fruitfull so this continue in their mindes tyll they haue tasted in some good sorte of the spirite of GOD and then breede in them some carefulnesse that they doe not quench it Well then to them that haue felt and founde the spirite of GOD in them to them saith Sainte Paul in this place Take heede that yee quench not the spirite Of this if wee doe somewhat seriouslye consider these two questions will offer them selues and soone arise in our minde First how wee may know whether we haue the spirit of God or no Secondly if wee haue it whether it may bee lost againe or no which if they bee well and sufficiently answered they will doubtlesse giue greate force vnto this precept For the first then if wee will know whether wee haue the spirit or no wee must surely vnderstande that as hee knoweth best that he hath life which feeleth it in himselfe so he best knoweth whether we haue the spirit of God that feeleth the spirit working in him And if wee will further know by the peculiar working and effectes of the spirite then let vs marke these First of all if there bee nothing in man but the nature of man if nothing but that may bee attained by the art and industry of a man then surely in that man is not the spirit of God for the spirit is from God it is from aboue it is aboue nature and therefore the Apostle doth set the spirit of God against the spirit of the world when he saith we haue receiued the spirit not of the worlde but of God Besides the spirit of God is eternall and endureth for euer but all the doings and deuises of men they perish and in time they haue an ende Therefore though a man haue wisedome with greate knowledge though in wit and skill hee passe and excell the common sort of men yet if from aboue he haue not beene inlightned if from heauen his wisedome hath not bene sanctified his knowledge shall decay his wisdome shall wyther like grasse hee hath not as yet tasted of the spirit of God that endureth for euer And therefore saith S. Paul We teach the misteries of God which none no not the Princes and the men of this worlde which are aboue others most excellent are able to vnderstande Secondly consider whether in hee there bee any alteration or change For the wise men which were experâ—e in nature coulde say that in euery generation there is a corruption And wee see that the seede sowen is much changed before it growe vp and beare fruite Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sinne so that as seede in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decaye that the new man may be raised vp the spirit of God takeing possession of our soules Therefore the Euangelist Iohn doth make this the first worke of the spirit that it shal rebuke the worlde of sinne and this so needefull that without it there is not the spirit of God neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man Hereof it was that Christ compared the Iewes to Children in the market place who would not daunce though they were piped vnto and the reason was because they had not first learned with Iohâ— to mourne for they that by the preaching of Iohn learned to lament their sinnes and for their sinnes were â—pensiue in their owne soules they receiued Christ they dauÌ„ced and did reioyce to heare the ioyfull tydings of the Gospell Therefore Christ saith That whores and harlots entred into the kingdom of heauen seeing they lameÌ„ted their sins before the proud Pharisies which were tuched with no remorce for their sinnes And for the same cause it is that Christ calleth vnto him them onely that labour and are heauie laden teaching â—hat if they finde not sinne to bee a heauie loade and burthen to them they haue not the spirit of God neyther are they fitt to receiue Christ. Then to be rebuked of sinne is the first worke of the spirite which the spirite worketh in vs by these degrees First it raiseth vp in vs a great and generall astonishment by reason of all those greate and enormous sinnes that wee haue committed and this doth strike vs downe it doth terrifie vs and houlde vs amazed woonderfully then it dealeth with vs more perticularly and besides that it bringeth vs vnto a speciall griefe for speciall sinnes it doth bereaue vs of our cheefe desires and bringeth vs out of conceite and liking with the best thinges that are in vs for then it doth display before vs the vanitie and darkenesse of our vnderstanding how vnfit and vnmeete wee are to vnderstande and conceiue those things that do aboue all others especially concerne vs then doth it let vs see the peruerse corruption of our iudgement that before God and in thinges belonging to GOD wee bee as bruite beastes not able to discerne thinges that differ nor to put a sound difference betweene good ad euill then doth it let vs see that our reason is vnreasonable nay that it is hurtfull vnto vs a greate enimie to faith and a greate patrone of infidelitie and vnbeliefe When it commeth to our affections it turneth them vpside downe it turneth our myrth into mourning our pleasure into painefulnesse and our greatest delight into most bitter griefe If it doe proceede further and come once to the hearte and to the stomacke and courage that is in vs then it cutteth vs to the quicke then doth it at once throwe vs downe in humilitie vnder the hande of GOD for while wee had to deale with men wee were as stoure as any and woulde not
fire therfore if we do but a litle consider of the nature of fire we shal a greate deal better iudge of the spirite And among others these properties we finde to be in the fire First of all it will burne vp and consume things that may bâ— burned and consumed and therefore lighting vpon shawe stubble stickes or such like it bringeth them to ashes and doth make them as though they had not beene at all Secondly it doth purge and purifie those things that can abide to be purged and this it doth first by taking away the superfluity of drosse that hath ouer couered the thing to be purged Then by fyning the thing it selfe and by making it purer and purer Thirdly it giueth light euen in the most dimme darkest places And last of all it giueth heate and with all doth as it were put life into those thinges which are capable of life for whilest a man is frozen and starued for colde hee is numbde and as it were without life but being broughtto the fire he is hâ—tt he is reuiued he is cheared and then becometh actiue nimble These are the properties of fire and these doe in some manner sort resemble and shadowe out vnto vs the workes and effectes of the spirite for first of all when the spirit of God seaseth vpon a man and entreth into his soule then it beginneth to burne to wast and consume in him those things that will be wasted after this sort euill affections noysome lustes other stuble which is in man by the spirite of God are consumed and burned Secondly it doth purge vs from grosse sinnes and daily more and more doth purifie vs that we may be a cleane and holy vessell and Temple for him to rest and dwell in Thirdly it is a shining lampe euer burning and continually giuing light vnto vs in that way which we haue to walke And lastly it doth set vs on heate and inflameth vs with a zeale of Gods glorie with a care of our duety and with a loue of all mankinde yea withall it putteth life and lust into vs to walke in that good way which it doth leade vs and to doe all those good workes which may glorifie God or be commodious vnto men Thus we see what likelihoode there is betweene the â—pirite and fire for which cause the spirite in the scripture is compared vnto fire nay it is sometimes called fire for Iohn saith That our Sauiour Christ shoulde baptise with the holy ghost with fire that is with the holy ghost which is like vnto the fire Therefore as truely and as certainly as we may say that there is fire where we see strawe and such like thinges consumed or golde and siluer finely purged or great light in darke places or great heate in bodies that were nummed before euen so truely wee may say and so certainly we may perswade our selues that the spirit of God is in vs when we see our coruption consumed our soules purged from the drosse of sinne our heartes inâ—ightened and made hot in walking and working according to that light The second question to be considered is whether that man which hath once tasted of the spirite may loose it and haue it quenched in him To this it may be saide that because the spirite of God commeth to and worketh in diuers men diuerselie in diuerse measures therefore wee must consider of the diuerse woorking of the spirite and then frame our answere accordingly First then there is a lighter and lesser worke of the spirite which may be quenched in them that haue it and that this inferiour or lesser kinde of woorking may bee taken away appeareth plainelye by the parable of the seede which our Sauioure CHRIST propoundeth for there besides them that receiue the worde into good grounde and bring foorth fruites some an hundreth some thirtie some sixtie folde he doth also make mention of some others that receiued the worde and yet continued not And what had not these the spirite of God in them yes doubtlesse for they receiued the worde yea they receiued it gladly that which is more they beleeued that which they had receiued Beholde then three fruites of Gods spirite in these men and yet they continued not for they beleeued indeede but their faith was temporarie it lasted but for a time and after a time it vanished away and the spirite departed from them for eyther the pleasures and profites of this life did drawe out the graces of God and drie them vp or else the fierie heate of persecution did quite consume them More plaine and notable for this purpose is that in the sixt to the Hebrewes for there the Apostle faith That some may taste of the holy ghost and thereby be made to taste of the good worde of God to be inlightned to receiue heauenly giftes yea and to tast of the power of the life to come and what then surely the Apostle saith That if such fall it is impossible they should be renewed giuing vs to vnderstand that euen they which haue receiued the holy ghost that haue beene inlightned that haue receiued heauenly giftes haue tasted of the power of the life to come eueÌ„ such may fall away and the spirite may be quenched in such There is a second kinde of working of the spirite which is a more thorough and effectuall working which can neuer be taken away from them that haue receiued it This the Apostle Peter describeth when he saith That the chosen of God are begotten againe of the immortall seede of the worde This is not a bare receiuing or a light tasting of the word but it is a deepe tast of the same whereby we are begotten and borne againe The Apostle Iohn setteth downe an other note of it saying That they that are thus borne againe cannot sinne that is they cannot make an occupation of sin they câ—nnot fall flat away by sinne and why Euen because the the seede of God abideth in them euen that seede wherewith they were begotten to a liuely hope of life euen that seede doth abide and will abide vnto the ende Who so is begotten again by this seed and hath this seede abiding in him the spirite hath wrought that in him which shall not be taken from him and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith The worde that I speake is spirite and life And in an other place he saith that none shall take his sheepe from him for the father is mightier then all and therfore in another place he saith That it is impossible that the elect should be seduced Thus then we see the question is answered namely that there is an inferiour working which may be lost and a more effectuall woorking of the spirite which can neuer be taken away from them that haue it And this must not seeme strange to vs neyther must we bee offended that the Lorde should take some and leue others or that he shoulde beginne in some and not bring his
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
in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against theÌ„ because they rebell against God nor hous-holders perceiue that seruants doe not their dueties to them because they doe not their duety to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull are we lesse riotous and filthy defilers of our flesh and are we more sober chast and holy are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are we not backbiters slaunderers or sowers of discord causers of contention â—mong our neighbours beeing farre off from mainteyning loue vnited and the good name of our brethren The cause why we cannot see further into these things is because we flatter our selues and because we compaire our selues with our selues with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne ourselues he will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Sathan to accuse vs if we iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgment to come if we be displeased for our sins God will be pleased in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrary whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if we iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and be reuenged of our sinne he wil set our house on fire he will send enemies he will sende earthquakes he will sende famines to make vs to consume our goods he will make friends foes he will sende sicknes and sorenes vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent come to a feeling of our sinnes And why doth God all this because we wil not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.30 that is because we iudge not our selues many are weake sicke among you many sleepe 31. for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged 32. but when we are iudged we are chastined of the Lord that we shoulde not be condemned with the worlde Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. 30.31.32.33 But if his children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgments if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandementes Then will I visite their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnes will I not take from him neyther will I falsifie my trueth For as a father withdraweth from his child sometimes his loue whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his here but his enemies will he iudge in the world to come if we be not punished here the punishment wil be as a thunderbolt in the day of iudgmeÌ„t Hast thou bene afflicted not profited will not a litle crosse serue thee a greater shall come to thee will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sin here it is the way to hell if he be troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bene troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioye They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercy but they that be vexed and amende not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comforte in the remission of sinnes vnlesse we also haue sorrowe for committing our sinnes For neuer any of gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinne lawfully To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can he not or will he not destroy thee for sinne hath he ouerthrowen whole nations and will he suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full Hell is alreadie and yet daily we runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the bloode of Iesus Christ Oh how soule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his hart blood oh how great was our guiltines that were ransomed by such a price How greate was the sore that needed such a salue howe deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakeable loue towards vs Shall Christ be slaine for our sinnes and we not slaye sinne in our selues Shall Christ die for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ be crucified for vs and will we not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his hearte pricked with a speare and shall not we haue our harts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditating of Christ his passion We are wont to defy the Iewes for accusing Christ we spit at Iudas for betraying Christ and we condemne Pilate for condemning Christ but we are much more to be at defiance with our sinnes which accused him before the iudgement seat of God we are to accuse our selues who haue and daily doe betray him we must condemne our selues whose sinnes haue condemned him But if neither the iudgements of God hell nor the crosse of Christ can moue vs then let vs examine our selues how we can reioyce in Christ. It followeth to speake of the counsell of Peter Repent as if he should say I know your heartes are pricked how be it I will shewe you how it is the pollicy of the Diuell to make these good motions quickly to waxe dry in you he will stay you from perseuering you must therfore endeuoure to continue in this godly sorrow The Apostle saw that this sorrow which as Paule witnesseth is not to be repented of was well begunne in them but in continuing his sermon still to that effect he sheweth that our sorrow must be also continuall Many sorrow as hath beene shewed but in a worldly sorrowing which bringeth eternal death not in a godly griefe which bringeth repentance Wherfore we are to note that repentance beginneth in vs continueth and endeth with sorrow Now if it might be it were expedient to shew what repentance is In one word Repentance is not a bare leauing of sinne but an vtter condemning and misliking of that sinne which we haue left For though we haue left it yet Sathan may make vs to sorrow for it many yeares after yea euen at the point of death ' Dauid had left his sinne but it caused him to sorrow an whole yeare after Iosephs brethren had forsaken and almost forgotten their sinne yet it troubled them and grieued them thirteene yeares after Our pricking of heart therfore must be continued and