whereof is comprised in this Sillogisme or reason Cursed is euery one that abideth not in al thinges that are written in the Lawe to doe them From hence the conscience gathereth but I haue not a bidden in them wherevpon it concludeth Ergo I am accursed Héerevpon ariseth that sorrow or rather horror of mind not so much for sinne which is in the assumption as for the punishment of the Curse which is in the conclusion This Terrour of the Lawe if the grace of the Gospell come not betweene would driue a man to desperation 2 The second sorrow is for Sinne it Sorrow of offence 2. Cor. 2. selfe and for the Offences committed against God it is called Godly sorrow or a sorrow to Saluation The Efficient cause of this sorrow is Efficient cause the holy Ghost who in this case is called the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Spirit of Adoption Abba Father This openeth our mouth and enlargeth our hart to call God our Father and to call vpon him familiarly Now the Instrument whereby the holy-Ghost doth worke this sorrow or Instrument rather loue in our hearts is the Preaching of the Gospell the somme whereof is comprised in this Sillogisme or reason Hee that beleeueth shal obtaine remission A Sillogisme of sinnes shal be iustified and saued From hence the hart by Faith gathereth but I beleeue Ergo I shall obtaine remission of my Sinnes I shal be iustified and saued In this cōclusion as their is matter of vnspeakable ioy So also there is in that same matter of sorrow which is conceaued vpon the knowledge of Gods mercy for offending so mercifull a father Of this sorrow the same Bernard saith Bernard When I bethink me how I haue offēded my heauenly father I haue good cause to be ashamed Sorrow though I be not terrified He hath voluntarily begotten me by the worde of Truth Hee spared not his only begotten for me so begotten So he hath shewed himselfe a Father to me but I haue not againe shewed my selfe a Sonn to him With what face do I now lift vp mine eies to behold so good a Father being so bad a Sonne I am ashamed that I haue cōmitted things vnworthy my begetting Iam ashamed that I Or my kind haue liued so degenerate frō such a father O let mine eyes gush out with water Let confusion couer my face Let shame ouerwhelm my coūtenance darknes possesse it Let my life languish in sorrow and my yeres in mourning fie for shame whatfruit Rom 6 had we of those things wherof we are now ashamed If I haue sowne in the flesh I shal reape nothing of the flesh but corruption if in the world that also passeth the lusts thereof what I haue not beene ashamed wretched mā to preferre transitory vaine thinges whose ende is death before the loue and honor of my Eternall father I am confounded I am confounded to heare If I be your Father where is my honor c. Reuersion or returne to God A descripti-of God 2 Hauing turned frō sin y◠worst euil return to God the best good whom thou hast forsaken Take a view of God who calleth thee to whom thou must haue recourse He is Ens Compleat absolute of himselfe the chéefest good most simple most perfect therfore diuine Eternall before all things in all things after all things and in the highest degrée within all things not included without all things not excluded aboue all things not lifted vp vnder all things not cast downe to this Ens return thou Hee is the cheefe good most actuall most liberall indefficient perfect in him all goodnes Essentially and aboue all Excellency is found from him all goodnes is deriued to all creatures without any diminution to himselfe By cleauing vnto him by Faith and Charitie all the Saints are made good and happy whom by communion and participation of his goodnes he doth fill and as it were make drunke with plentie To this most excellent and most bountifull good returne that being deliuered from euill thou maiest be made pertaker of good Now thou doest returne by Faith and How to remine confidence of minde wholy resting in the mercy of God the Father through Iesus Christ and his merits This is a wonderful and supernaturall faculty of the hart apprehending and receiuing of Christ by the holy ghost and applying him to our selues Heareof riseth an internall and effectuall An Internall perswasion perswasion by the forcible working or certification of the holy Spirit concerning the mercy of God the Father in Christ Verily verily I say vnto you hee Ioh 6. that beleeueth in mee hath Eternall life Item beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou Act 16. Ephes 3. Eph 1. shalt be saued Item By Christ wee haue an entrance through confidence Item In whom yee haue hoped after that yee hard the worde of Truth euen the Gospell of Saluation In whom after ye beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Item Which spirit testifieth to our spirit Rom. 6. that wee are the sonnes of God But that this Faith which is the frée The practise of Faith gift of God and is not giuen to euery one may arise in thy hart First thou shalt doe thy endeuour to The knowledge of the Gospell attaine the knowledg of the Gospel by the illumination of the holy Ghost My iust seruant by his knowledg shal iustefie many Especially thou shalt labour by an inward sence of thine owne wants to consider the promises of the Gospell whereby thou shalt giue an assent to the Gospell hard that thou be not in that number of whom it is saide That the Worde hard Heb. 4. did not profit them because it was not ioyned with faith in them that hard it For God would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the Truth Secondly thou shalt conceiue Hope of pardon whereby thou shalt beleeue that Hope of pardon thy sinne is pardonable though it be not yet pardoned thou shalt say with the prodigal Luke 15. sonne I wil arise and go to my Father and wil say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee neither am I worthy any more to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hyred seruants Thirdly thou shalt eagerly hunger and Hungring thirsting for grace thirst for his grace whieh is offred thee in Christ and shalt earnestly begge that He who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last will giue thee of the fountaine of liuing Water freely When thou art proceeded thus farre Christ doth count thee happy Blessed are they that hunger and Math. 5. thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Fourthly thou shalt come to the throne Accesse to the throne of grace Heb. 4. of grace that by apprehending Christ there thou maist finde mercy with the father Now in
inioy the most pleasant company of thy God thy creator conseruer Redéemer sanctifier whom beholding face to face thou shalt rest in his ioy who shal be all in all vnto thée Thou Cor. 13 shalt be with Christ the fayrest among Iohn 12 men and shalt see his glory which the father hath giuen him 3 Héere shalt thou beare the Image of the heauenly man and with open face 2 Cor. 3. thou shalt behold the glory of God and shalt be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory There that which is perfect commeth in place and that 1 Cor. 13 Math. 13. Luk 20 1 Iohn 3. which is vnperfect shal be abolished and thou shalt know euen as thou art knowne Thou shalt shine as the sunne in the kingdome of God the Father Thou shalt be as the Angels of God and as the sonnes of God are Thou shalt be like to God who appeareth vnto thee 4 Heere shalt thou be gathered to the company of the holy Angels and to the Heb 12 Congregation of the faithfull who are recorded in heauen where is mutuall knowledge perfect loue perpetuall praising of God 1. Pet. 3. 5 Héere thou shalt be replenished with al ioy without tediousnesse in an heritage immortall vndefiled incorruptible To those that loue him God hath prepared 1 Cor. 2. such ioyes as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart can conceiue in the heauenly Paradice 2 The way to this marke is laid open to The way to the marke Ioh. 14. Ibid. 6. Act. 14 vs. First our Sauiour Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life next it is said by him Euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath Eternall life and thirdly by many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore Christ is the way we must enter by faith we must walke through tribulations For straight narrow is the Matth. 7 way that leadeth to life This way of life to the iust is good holy right immaculat elect It is vnknowne What manner of way to mans reason few enter into it there are few walkers among so many talkers and vnpleasant and difficult is it to the flesh because of the companions that accompany the Travellers euen the crosse and deniall of our selues Yet this is the way which God hath set before vs which is pleasing to him wherin he directeth vs and which leadeth to him 3 This way is to be learned out of the Where this way is to be learned holy Scriptures rightly vnderstood by the illumination and schooling of the holy Ghost confirmed by vse and frequente meditation till by experience we féele the Spirit of God to worke in our hearts and by practise wée perceiue a chéerfulnes to walke in the waye of Godlinesse The first member Incipe beginne Ierem 6 Enter O man the way of life and looke diligently about thée where that way is and walke in it Beginne the marke is life there is a way that leades vnto it set thy longing to attaine to thy heauenly father from whom thou art declined after the world and the Deuill The first entry by conuersion Conuersion in 2. pointes 1 Acursion from euill Make thy beginning or entry by conuersion let thy conuersion be by auersion or turning away from euill euen the worst euill and by a reuersion or returne to good euen the best good Turne away therefore from euil euen the worst euill which is sinne and turne Ierem 25. vnto good the best good who is God Let euery man turne away from his wicked way and from his vngodly desire Motiues to turne from sinne Alienation from god Consider O thou sinner thy miserable estate whiles thou art yet in thy sinn 1 Thy sinne doth turne thée from God and God from thée whom it greuously offendeth and maketh thée his vtter enemy Now what can be more grieuous then to haue and feele God to be thine Enemie 2 Thou becommest worthy by thy sinne to be forsaken of God and after a sort to Depriuation of graces be brought to nothing being brought to extreame beggery of the Spirit to wit being depriued of Gods grace and glory To be without the chiefe Ens and good is either to be miserable or else to be nothing at all 3 Thy sinne maketh thée of a man a friend to the Deuill yea his seruant and Consorting or seruing of the Diuell slaue and the heyre of hel fire Every man by sinning selleth his owne soule to the Deuill taking the sweetnes of temporall pleasures as a price for it Againe on the other side also thou driuest away from thée As much as in thee lieth by sinning the good Angell thy kéeper 4 Sinne is a most filthy thing as the scripture setteth it out like mire wherein The filthines of sinne swine wallow like dreggs rottennes corruption leprocie Behold the prodigal Luke 15. sonne wallowed in the mire of Luxury at the last liuing among an heard of Swine Looke also if thy soule stinke not by the putrifaction and corruption of the wouÌ„ds of thy sinnes 5 If thou wax olde in thy sinne O thou Custome of sinne daungerous least impatienie follow sinner it will exercise a great Tirannye ouer thée by custome and by custome of sinn Satan so that thou shalt not repent though thou sometimes desire to repent For sinne is barbarous and exerciseth tiranny ouer the Soule that is once taken captiue to the ruine of thâ—se that receiue it chrysostom I confesse I sighed not being bouÌ„d with yroÌ„ chaines but with mine own yron wil mine August lib 8 enemie had possessed my will and had of it made a chaine for me and had bound me fast I strugled with my selfe and was ouerthrowne of my selfe 6 Whilest thou continuest in sin thou dost sustein the gyft of eternall punishment that is thou art depriued perpetually of the Eternall punishmeÌ„ts vision or sight of God and art tormented with euerlasting paine of most ardent fire Epilogus Call to minde therefore with me the miserable state of a Sinner thou art Gods enemy depriued of gods grace most beggerly most filthy a slaue to the Diuell vnder the tirrany both of Sinne and Satan an heyre of Hell Turne therefore from this worst euill But that thou maist conuert by turning from euill and returning to God Gods helpe to be craued thou hadst néede of the help of Gods grace to preuent accompany and follow thée For it is God that giueth Repentance by Grace threefolde 2. Tim 2. the knowledge of the Truth that wee may recouer out of the snares of the Diuell who are holden Captiue at his will It is God that worketh in vs both to wil Phillip 2. and to performe Say therefore with ioying Conuert me O Lorde and I shal be Ierom. 31. de voc gent Lib. 2. The working of
gods grace conuerted after thou didst turne mee I repented The grace of God saieth Prosper is aboue all iustifications or instructions perswading by exhortations warning by examples terrefieng by dangers inticing by miracles guiding by vnderstanding inspiring by counsel illuminating the hart it selfe and induing it with affections of faith Now the grace of God in turning man from sinne vseth two meanes Two means of Auersion from sinne First the knowledge of sinne Next the Consternation of the minde Thou maist come to the knowledge of thy sinne by the Lawe of God For by the Lawe is the knowledge of Sinne For the Lawe is the rule of righteousnesse shewing what is iust and what is vniust 1 The knowledge of sin Rom. 3. Whatsoeuer therefore is either in vs or is done by vs which is not agreeable to the rule of Gods Lawe that same is sinne By this rule try both thy Internal and Externall actions and thereby iudge of thy life And that thou be not deceiued in the vse of this rule Obserue these two things Whatsoeuer is contrary to the Law of God and our neigbour is forbiden by 1 Two Rules whereby to know sinne the Law of God and is repugnant to the rule of iustice And contrariwise whatsoeuer agréeth with the Law of God and our neighbour is coÌ„manded by the Law of God and consonant to the rule of iustice Although by expresse wordes it seeme to be neither commanded nor forbidden The Lawe is spirituall requiring a pure perfect spirituall and perpetuall obedience whereby thou maist vnderstand that al men are guilty before Gods tribunall as transgressors of his holye Lawe Thus then thou wilt acknowledge thy selfe a Sinner 2 Then learne to know how Sinne is conceaued and fashioned in the hart and How Sinne is coÌ„ceaued afterward brought forth in worke 1 Foure manner of waies sinne is conceaued and framed in the hart by Suggestion In the hart foure waies delectation consent and defence The Suggestion is wrought by the aduersary delectation by the flesh consent by the will bould defence by pride whiles the fault which ought to terrifie the minde doth lift it vp but the more it swelleth the more it supplanteth it 2 Foure manner of waies also is sinne performed in worke First we are ashamed In worke foure waies to sinne openly After a while we can let our faults be knowne without blushing Héerevpon sinne groweth to a custome and at the last it is confirmed eyther by a false hope of mercy or by a desperate feare of misery Finally learne to know the haynousnesse of sinne for sinne is an iniury offred The hainosnes of sinne by the sinner to God A contempt of his high Maiestie while we despise his will preferring the loue of our selues and the creaturs Sinne is a most heauy burden depressing a man in the basest manner and casting him headlong except he repent from one wickednesse to another Submitting him to the Tiranye of the diuell and last of all throwing him down to Damnation This mischiefe was so vnrecouerable by any humane wisedome vertue and Aremedie strength that it was necessary that the Sonne of God should become man to be Crucified and die that we might be deliuered from it 2 After the knowledge of sinne followeth CoÌ„sternation or compunction Two fould Psal 88. a consternation or casting down of the minde sorrowing for the sinnes committed and trembling at the wrath of God and punishments due for sinne heareof thou shalt say with Dauid Thy wraths are gone ouer mee and thy terrours haue troubled me And againe Mine iniquities are risen aboue my head and are like a Psal 38. sore burthen to heauy for mee to beare This consternation or sorrow or sense of Gods wrath wil be stirred vp the more How it is stirred vp in thee Yf thou thinke on the Lawe giuen to our first parents in Paradice In what day so euer thou shalt eat of this tree Gen. 2. thou shalt die he death If thou call to mind that Thundering of God in mount Sinai Cursed is he that abideth not in all things which are written in the Lawe to doe it If thou looke to the hand writing of thy Conscience testifieng of thine owne hart both the sinne and sentence of damnation pronounced by God If thou view the signes of gods wrath whether thretned or executed as plague famine sword c. or such as prognosticate punishment iminent or neare hand Heereof riseth feare and and sorrow Feare is thrée fould as Bernard saith Two effects of the Law Feare to be depriued of the grace of God Feare to be excluded from the vision or 1 Feare three fould sight of God and feare to to be tormented in hell This feare doth Bernard stirre vp in his owne hart in this wise Way well How it is stitred vp Bern in Cant 16 Oh my soule what a fearefull and horrible thing it is to haue contemned thy maker to haue offended the Lorde of Maiestie Maiestie is to be feared Lord-ship is to be feared especially such a Maiestie such a Lordship Hee euen he is to be feared who after he An enumeration of terrible things al to be feared of impenitent sinners hath killed hath power to cast downe headlong in to Hell I tremble at hell I tremble at the Iudges countenance which maye make euen the Angels heauenly powers to tremble I tremble at the wrath of his power at the thought of the violent ruine of the World at the flaming of the Elements at the mighty tempests at the voice of the Arch-angell and the sharpe worde I tremble at the teeth of the Infernall beast at the belly of Hell at the roaring beasts prepared for a pray I am affraid of the gnawing worme the scorching fier the smoke the vapour the sulphur the Spirit of stormes the outward darknes Who will giue water to my head and a fountaine of teares to mine eyes that I may preuent by teares weeping wailing gnashing of teeth and hard manacles and fetters and weight of Cheynes pressing downe binding burning and neuer consuming Wo is me O my mother why diddest thou beare me a sonne of sorrow bitternes indignation and eternall weeping 1 Sorrow two fould 2 Sorrow of compunction which ariseth out of the consideration of the heinousnes of sinne is two fould 1 The first sorrow is for the punishmeÌ„ts Sorrow of punishmeÌ„ts deserued it is called worldly sorrow or a sorrow to death The efficient cause of this sorrow is 2. Cor 7 Eficient cause euen the holy ghost who in this case is called the Spirit of Bondage to feare who testifieth vnto vs our seruile and miserable estate while we are straungers Rom. â—pirit of bondage from Christ and therefore doth strike a feare and horror into vs. Now the Instrument whereâ—â— the holy ghost doth worke this sorrow in our Instrument hearts is the preaching of the Lawe the some
is offended with thy sinnes induce thee to the studie of godlines 14. Let the coÌ„mandement of the most best and most greatest God who willeth thy sanctification compell thée to the practise of Christian charitie 15. Let the regard of thy dutie due to God call thée to an obedience of holinesse that thou maiest testifie thy gratitude towardes him for thou art Gods debter 16. Let thy renouation begun wherby thou art become a new man stir thée vp daily for he that is borne of God sinneth not And a good tree bringeth forth good fruits 17. Let thy faith if it be liuely bring forth stir vp sharpen and maintaine the studie of vertue For without works faith is dead shewe therefore thy faith by thy workes 18. Let the light and knowledge of the will of God and his misteries kindle in thy minde holinesse Thou knowest Gods will doe it 19. Thou owest to thy God a sacrifice of worship to be seasoned by the fâ—â—â— of faith to bee enflamed by the fire of the holy Ghost to be sanctified by the merite of Christ 20. Thou art the Temple of the holy spirit wherewith thou art annointed and endued kéepe this Temple holy set forth the praise of God with thought word and mind mouth and life 21. Let the comforts of the holy Ghost whereby thou art refreshed running in the race of vertue and comforted in thy prayers bee as spurres vnto thée in the course of godlinesse 22. Let that swéete franquillitie of a good conscience and the inward ioy of heart which thou enioyest by vertue minister fire vnto thy deuotion 23. Let the manifold commodities which accompanie Pietie pricke thée forward for Pietie hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 24. Let the hope of fruite that comes thereby moue thée for thereby thou shalt relieue thy neighbour thou shalt glorifie God thou shalt stop the mouth of thy aduersaries 25. Let the vncertaintie of thy life and death euery where and at all times lying in waight for thée warne thee Liue well that thou maiest dye well 26. Let that glorious Tribunall of Christ and the fearefull iudgement of the last day before whom thou shalt be presented and at which time thou must giue an account terrifie thée 27. Let the terrour of ii fernall torments wherewith all the wicked shall be tortured compell thée to the obedience of faith 28. Let the reward of life and glorie eternall which with great ioy thou shalt enioy in Gods own presence in the midst of all celestiall happinesse illure thee 29. Be earnest to followe righteousnesse for by attaining thereto thou shalt obtaine the commendations of a wise man who is as the apple of Gods eye 30. If thou be iust thou shalt be happie euen as that thée which being planted by riuers of water fructifieth in due season and remaineth vnwithered As a florishing Palme trée or as a Cedar planted in the house of the Lord. The praises and priuiledges of the iust First thou shalt be noble in déed being the sonne of God borne of God 2. Thou shalt bee the very Image and liuely similitude of the liuing God 3. Thou shalt bee the beautifull and beloued spouse of Christ Thou shalt bée called the ioy delight of the most highest 4. Thou shalt be the Tabernacle and liuing Temple of the liuing God a certaine Chappel for the holy Ghost 5. Thou shalt spring forth as a bright light and encrease to perfect day 6. Thou shalt mount to heauen despising and treating vnderfoot all earthly and transitorie things 7. Being assured of Gods helpe thou shalt alwaies hope for saluation without doubting 8. Thou shalt beare iniuries patiently and pardon wrongs willingly 9. Thou shalt enioy true peace and tranquilitie of minde thou shalt be filled with true godlines and pleasures 10. Thou shalt be worthy of all manner of sound honour thou shalt be glorious in worship and praise 11. Thou shalt be adorned with Christ pietie with most beautifull ornaments 12. Thou shalt be very rich for thou shalt want nothing at any time And for thy sake the Lord will blesse the Citie and other 13. No creature shall hurt thée if thou be iust but euery creature shall serue for thy good For all things were made for thy behoofe and are preserued 14. Thou shalt haue the kingdome of God within thée and shalt be a King 15. All thinges shall prosper happily with thée Euen aduersitie shall make thy state most happie 16. Thou shalt haue God to bee thy protector thy gardian and reuenger 17. God will haue a speciall care of thee whom thou shalt haue to be thy teacher and guide 18. Thou shalt onely serue God and Christ being a perfit fréeman 19. Thou shalt haue God thy friend and whatsoeuer thou askest thou shalt obtaine And whatsoeuer thou giuest him shall be most acceptable to him 20. Thou shalt be a fellowe citizen with the Saints being admitted to the heaueÌ„ly Citie And being an heire of the eternall kingdome as the sonne of God 21. Being a souldier of Iesus Christ in the Christian warfare thou shalt â—â—ght manfully and valiantly 22. Thou shalt be in God and Christ and God and Christ shall be in thee 23. Thou shalt liue a long and blessed life in Christ the sonne of God And all manner of blessednesse shall bee in thée 24. Death shall not be fearefull vnto thée and thou shalt expect it ioyfully for dying thou shalt not dye but liue for euer 25. Thou shalt obtaine assured victorie against all thine enemies 26. When thou shalt enter into heauen thou shalt be crowned with heauenly glory and honour 27. In the generall iudgement thou shalt be adorned with praises by Christ the Iudge 28. Thou shalt sit with Christ to Iudge the world and shalt triumph gloriously with all the blessed Secondly be thou stirred vp O man by exhortations and examples of Heathen men Heare and blush I vse saith Seneca this authoritie against my self and euery day I arraigne my selfe when the candle is taken away and my wife is silent who now knoweth my manner I begin to examine with my selfe the whole day past I viewe ouer all my deedes and words I conceale nothing from my selfe I passe ouer nothing for why should I feare any my errors when I may say See thou doe it no more I forgiue thee for this time Againe he saith What is better than this custome to examine the whole day How sweete is that sleepe that followeth this surviewe of our selues how quiet how sound and free when the soule being either commended or admonished becomes an especiall and priuie censor of it selfe iudging of her owne meaning Therefore saith the same Seneca enquire into thy selfe first performe the part of an Accuser next of a Iudge lastly of an Intreator Sometime also offend or displease thy selfe For he doth willingly erre who knoweth not that hee doth erre he doth ouerloue himselfe who is content that other should erre
glory Viewe one the one side God and Paradise which is the dwelling of the blessed and on the other side the world and the conuersation of worldlings and tell me whether estate is more to be desired O how great ioy shalt thou be filled with when by death thou shalt depart hence if for humane fauour or displeasure thou wert neuer hindred or ashamed to liue to God 2. Take heede of Relapse that is Relapse daungerous Fall not backe into thy former sins The memory of thy life past which before thy conuersion thou didst leade as it séemed swéetly in the fulfilling the lustes of the flesh is wont to draw with it a certaine sadnes in the will because thou perceiuest that thou art perpetually excluded from that pleasant life by thy conuersion to God But knowe thou that this Relapse as they call it or falling backe into sicknesse is dangerous Our Sauior Christ threatning vs that of a man falling backe to Vnderstand fal or end his old sinne the last shall bee worse than the first And that in thrée sorts 1. In respect of the diuel who doth assault the man lately deliuered from the In respect of the diuel sinnes wherewith he held him in slauerie more cruelly he attendeth him more watchfully he inuadeth him more sharply as a praie recouered out of hie hands or as a morsel snatched out of his Iawes And not finding rest he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out And leadeth with him seuen other spirits worse than himselfe The man therefore relapsed in respect of Sathan is in worse case than before he was 2. In respect of God also because such a sinner as a dogge to his vomite In respect of God or as a swine to her wallowing in the myre is sooner forsaken of God We haue healed Babilon saith the Lord by the Prophet but yet shee is not Ierem. 51 sound Loe let vs leaue her Item Who will haue pittie on thee O Ierusalem Ierem. 15 or who will goe to intreat for thy peace for thou hast forsaken mee saith the LORD thou art gone backward And Christ saith to the man cured of the Palsie Behold thou art made whole sinne no Ioh. 5. more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Item Thou vngratious seruant Mat. 12. I forgaue thee all that debt when thou desiredst me shouldest not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pittie on thee And the Lord being wrath deliuered him to the Iaylors till hee should pay the whole debt Ye knowe how it saide Hee that loueth danger shall perish in it 3. In respect of the sinner himselfe who often falleth backe into sinne the last In respect of the sinner is worse than the first for sundry causes First because in euery sinne there is a turning from God by the transgression of the commandement and a turning to the diuel by the delight in sin And out of this delight by custome of sinne are engendred euill habits which make our returne to God hard So that we get as the Prophet saith A harlots forhead Ierom. 3. that cannot blush And Saint Augustine Out of our peruerse will riseth lust and while wee serue our lust wee breede a custome and while we resist not custome it becomes a necessitie And Solomon saith The wicked when hee is come into the deepe make light of it All other sinners doe warre against thrée enemies but he that often falleth The three enemies The Diuel world flesh backe into sinne must warre against a fourth enimie to wit custome the hardest enemie among all Secondly he that is reconciled to God and is deliuered out of the power of darknesse euen the diuel and is restored to The fourth Custome Sin in a Christian more hainous than in an infidell 2. Pet. 2. the frée libertie of the spirit doth sinne more heinously by Relapse than hée that is by nature a child of wrath and liues in slauery to sinne hauing neuer receiued faith nor the grace of Christ It had bin better for them not to haue known the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to fall backe from the holy Commandement which was giuen vnto them And Basil As the aire which is drawn in pestilent places doth breed priuie diseases in the body so out of euill custome many mischiefes arise though they be not by and by felt and perceiued Thirdly consider with mee what a great indignitie is in this matter For what can bee imagined more absurde than euen now to haue wept and mourned An indignitie and to haue entreated Gods infinite mercie to obtaine remission of thy sinnes and sodenly changing thy purpose to forget thy selfe to set light by Gods grace to renounce godlinesse to bee clearely an other man and to thinke otherwise than eare-while thou wast and desirest alway to be Fourthly when we often fall backe Hard to obtaine Gods fauour to the same sinnes it is an harder matter no doubt to returne againe into Gods fauour both because the iniurie is greater and Gods displeasure iuster and because we our selues haue hardned our hearts and finally because Sathans power and dominion ouer our soules is encreased For this cause are wee Heb. 10. taught That to those that sinne wilfully after the knowledge of the truth receiued there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and deuouring fire which shall consume the aduersaries But this place is rather vnderstood of Apostasie and sinne against the holy Ghost Be not therefore negligent in auoiding Exhortation such cogitations as solicite thée to returne againe to thy old life yea the more often and earnestly that they thrust themselues into thy mind the more spéedily and strongly let them be cast out We must saith Ciprian meete with the suggestions of the diuel and not nourish a snake till hee become a serpent And Hierom. Kill thy enemie while he is small and dash iniquitie in peeces euen in the seede Be seruent in prayer and often vse that prayer which was so familiar to Saint Augustine Da quod iubes iube quod vis Giue ô Lord that which thou biddest and bid what thou wilt The third member Profice Goe forward or proceede IT is the gift of God to procéede in the God the cause of profiting Iere. 10. way of Saluation For God giueth the encrease I knowe O Lord that the way of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to correct his owne way Wee must therefore aske this gift of Praier the meanes God by prayer in whose hand it is And Dauid Leade me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies make thy way plaine before my face Wée must therefore pray That according to the riches of his glory hee will strengthen vs by his spirit in our inward man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by