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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	work_v	worthy_a	79	3	6.2329	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

his full perswasion and Abraham Rom. 8. 38. the father of the faithfull a growne man in the strength of his faith who staggered not at the promise of Rom. 4. 20. 21. God through vnbeleefe but was strong in faith and so gaue glory to God Yet let them with the poore bashful woman in the Gospell that was sicke of the disease of a Mat. 9. 20. bloody issue who durst not for shame come before him come yet creeping behind him and see if by any meanes possible they may get vnto him stretching out their hand though it be a weake and shaking hand and as I may say a short hand so as they haue much adoe to reach vnto Christ Thirdly and though they cannot take hold of Christ yet if in any sort they can ioyne themselues vnto him so as they can but truly touch him such is his vertue and so full of grace is he that the least touch of him will draw life and vertue out of him to saue their soules If they Luk. 8. 46. feare to presse to him and cannot come to touch him yet let them see if they can at the least touch priuily the hem of his garment let them goe to his ordinances his Word and his Sacraments they are his couering and as I may say a kind of garment vnder which he is hidden and in which he may be found that by those ordinances of his and out of them they may draw vertue from him and feele the powerfull operation of his Spirit therby working such grace in their hearts as may cause them more stedfastly to beleeue and to haue at the length much ioy and peace in their so beleeuing Let them take hold of the skirt of some Iew going to some worthy seruant Zach. 8. 23. of Christ and holy man in whom Christ his vertue doth shine out that hee may carrie them and by his prayers commend them to a mercifull Lord for by such many times the Lord putteth forth his power and giueth helpe to others The seruant was made to liue for the faith of the master who was the Centurion and the Luk. 7. 9. 10. Matth. 9. 2. poore palsie-man holpen when Christ saw the faith of them that brought him If they cannot for weaknesse come to touch Christ yet as the young children were brought vnto Christ so Mark 10. 13. 16 let them as babes in Christ Iesus bee brought vnto him that he may touch them if he doe but put his hands vpon them he wil vndoubtedly blesse them if they cannot feele in their hearts with comfort that they apprehend him yet let them desire to bee comprehended of him thence shall they be sure to fetch comfort for their sure stay for therein especially standeth all their safety If they can neither vse their hands to touch him and lay hold vpon him themselues nor their feet to come vnto him though creeping as vpon hands and feet together but are forced to he still as poore creeples so maimed and broken euen from the wombe by the fall they tooke in Adams first transgression as all the ioynts of their soules are vtterly loosened and all the powers and parts of mind and of members are strucken so quite out of frame as they can neither stirre hand nor foot to helpe themselues any way herein nor can be holpen by any other to bee thus brought vnto him yet as Peter and Iohn willed the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate of the Temple to looke vpon them when he desired to receiue some Act. 3. 4. comfort from them so let them looke vnto Christ and fixe their eyes wholly and onely vpon him in whose name and by whose onely power that poore creeple was made strong and had perfect soundnesse giuen vnto him in the sight of all men let them so cast their eye vpon Christ and looke vnto him and to none but to him to bee holpen and saued by him though it were but with a squint eye that hath much weakenesse and lamenesse in it as well as the other parts that are all out of frame and this shall fetch helpe and procure healing and safety to be bestowed vpon them We know that but the looking vpon the brasen serpent in the wildernesse by the wounded Israelite Numb 21. 9. though he could not come at him to touch him was enough for his curing And wee may perceiue how much such a casting of an eye and looking after Christ doth affect that our blessed Sauiour and wo●●e vpon him by that which hee speaketh to the Spouse in the Canticles Thou hast rauished my hart my sister my Spouse Cantic 4. 9. thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes We know Enery true beleeuer hath two eyes one the Eagle-eye of faith whereby he seeth him that is inuisible and maketh present that which is not scene another the eye of hope whereby he wishly looketh for what saith beleeueth there is nothing that will more or sooner moue a tender-hearted mother to bestirre her selfe to helpe her child in the weakenesse thereof then when it is so much decaied in strength as it can neither stiree hand to reach vnto her nor vtter voyce to speake to be holpen by her but alwaies looketh wishfully vpon her and followes her with the eye which way soeuer she goeth This was the course that Iehoshaphat tooke when he was ouer-matched of his enemies hauing no power to with-stand them neither knowing what to doe hee cried vnto the Lord and said there is no might in vs to stand against this great multitude neither know we what to doe onely our eyes 2. Chron. 20. 12 Psal 121. 1. 123. 1. 2. are vnto thee O Lord Thus did the seruants of God lift vp their eyes vnto the hilles from whence their helpe did come professing that their eyes should waite vpon the Lord till he had mercy vpon them euen as the eyes of the seruants did looke to the hands of their masters And no more then this doth the Lord himselfe require from all the ends of the earth that they might be saued by him Isai 45. 22. then that they doe looke vnto him This looking vpon Christ is a kind of laying hold vpon him and of vniting our selues vnto him We know the eye can as well apprehend and fasten hold vpon the obiect that it seeth as the eare can doe vpon the Word that it heareth or the hand lay hold vpon the thing that it toucheth When a word is spoken to the eare the eare catcheth hold vpon the sound that is vttered and at the same time the mind apprehendeth that which is meant thereby and so both the eare and the mind doe lay hold of one and the same speech at one instant together In like manner when any thing is looked vpon by the eye the obiect that is looked vpon is in the eye that doth see it and at the same time in the mind

pray for them yet would he deny thē nothing Nay so doth it please him to vnbowel himselfe and to open and manifest the loue of his heart which he beareth to his children that as touching their good and concerning them he saith after a sort they may Isai 45 10. command him By all which it may appeare before wee can warrantably beleeue in God as reckoning vpon his fauour and loue to finde mercie at his hands for the pardon of our sinnes and our owne gratious acceptation with him or for the receiuing any blessing from him or any righteousnesse as from the God of our saluation wee Psal 24 5. must first get the knowledge of Christ Iesus and by faith seeke to apprehend him that being first ingrafted into Christ Iesus by faith and admitted to a holy vnion and communion ●ith the Sonne wee may haue fellowship with the Father and so be brought to God by him according Ioh. 14 6. as he is said to be perfectly able to saue all that doe Heb. 7. 25. come to God by him And this is that which Peter speaketh of when hee saith that the faithfull doe by Christ beleeue in God who raised him vp from the dead and 1. Pet. 1. 21. gaue him glorie that their faith and hope might be in God CHAP. V. The manner of knowledge of Christ with the perswasion that is necessary to faith Question WHat manner of knowledge is that which is necessary for vs to haue of Christ Iesus that so we may the better beleeue in him A. Not a confused or a generall knowledge Knowledge of Christ of Christ alone not a bare speculatiue knowledge of him and of the mysterie of saluation by him which is the best knowledge that the most haue of Christ which is yet but idle and vnfruitfull and auaileth Mat. 7. 21. Luk. 6. 46. nothing to saluation But a cleare and distinct knowledge of the mysterie of saluation in Christ Iesus as the same is reuealed in the Gospell whereby we may know assuredly that it is he and hee onely whom the Father hath sealed sent into the world that the world by him might be saued who being fore-ordained to this great 1. Pet. 1. 20. and blessed worke of mans redemption and sauing the world before the very foundation of the world it selfe was laid and promised to the Fathers as God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since Luk. 1. 70. the world began was sent of God when the fulnesse of time was come though being his owne Sonne to become Galath 4. 4. also the Sonne of man and to be made of a woman And as concerning the flesh to descend of the Fathers though from all eternity in himselfe he is God ouer all blessed Rom. 9. 5. for euer A person truly that hath no peere most admirable and wonderfull who is the only Phoenix in the world that hath no fellow euen as the worke was great and difficult yea very admirable and wholly impossible by any other euer to haue been effected about which hee was to bee employed which was the redeeming of the world and reconciling of man to God This will better appeare if we consider first that God himselfe was the partie that was wronged man was the partie that had offended God was to be satisfied man stood in need to be saued necessary it was that there should come satisfaction to God for man that man being saued Gods iustice might not be lost Now the infinite Maiesty of God being wronged there could bee no satisfaction made sufficient by any that were but finite none therefore could thus satisfie but God as none ought to satisfie but man For which cause our Sauiour Christ Iesus was the onely meete person that was to be imployed about this worke which vnto all others was wholly impossible who being God became also man and tooke our nature vpon him that as he was man he might offer the sacrifice and as he was God he might make it precious and conferre worthinesse and dignitie vnto it that it might euery way be sufficient that so by that one sacrifice Heb. 9. 26. 28. of himselfe once offered that being a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God he might satisfie God Ephes 5. 2. Heb. 5. 9. for man and become the authour of eternall saluation to all them that will obey him Secondly and as wee are to know that in person hee was right wonderfull and in worke no lesse powerfull yea most singular most glorious and excellent so are we to know that the offices were most high and honourable vnto which he was assigned and which he bare vpon him for the accomplishment of the same as being annointed of God to those offices of greatest dignitie and respect both before God and man of being our high Priest King and Prophet by whom we might be reconciled vnto God deliuered from the hands of our enemies ruled by his lawes guided by his teaching and shewed the path and way of life that so in the end we might bee saued by Psal 16. 11. him A high Priest indeed but made not after the law of a carnall commandement in a policy that was perishable Heb. 7. 16. but after the power of an endlesse life in the promise of a dignity that should bee euerlasting A King of greatest Apoc. 1. 5. and 17. 14. Heb. 12. 27. 28. 1. Tim. 1. 17. Luk. 1. 33. Maiesty and glory but not such a one as euer may bee deposed or put out of his throne not such a one whose kingdome can euer bee shaken but who is a King euerlasting and immortall and of whose kingdome and gouernment there shall neuer bee end A Prophet mighty indeed and in word doing such workes as no other Luk. 24. 19. Ioh. 15. 24. Ioh. 7. 46. man did and speaking such words as neuer man spake who was annointed to that holy function as well as others but yet with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes Who receiued not the Spirit by measure as Psal 45. 7. doe others for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell of whose fulnesse we haue all receiued Ioh. 3. 34. Colos 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. Mat. 17. 5. Isa 42. 4. euen grace for grace him are we willed to heare and the Isles are to wait for his law Now we are to pray without ceasing that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory would giue vnto vs the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the true knowledge of him making daily more and more manifest this great mysterie of Christ Ephes 1. 17. which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes Ephes 3. 5. of men as it is now reuealed by the Spirit that wee may after this manner both know and acknowledge him Q. Beside the true knowledge of Christ in the description you made of faith

be cast too much behind or so runne that we should not obtaine Our case by our sinning and by Gods mercy prouiding a remedie to saue vs from perishing if we will looke out for it in time is not vnlike the case of one among the Iewes that had vnwillingly slaine a man and Gods mercifull indulgence vnto such a one for the sauing of him by appointing Cities of Deut. 4. 41. 42. refuge for him to flie vnto that there he might be rescued and saued out of the hands of the reuenger of blood now we may well thinke there was no need to bid such a man runne to that Citie for if he were taken before hee came thither he was in danger to be slaine and though he ran toward that Citie neuer so fast yet wee may easily conceiue he ran not without feare and trembling all the way as he ran lest the reuenger of blood should haue ouer taken him before he should haue gotten thither So is it with vs Christ is our onely refuge and propitiation 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. for our sinnes if we be taken out of Christ we are lost for euer Should we not plie vs then with all possible hast to get vs vnto Christ and labour with the Apostle aboue all things in the world to take such a course as we may be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse but Phil. 3. 9. the righteousnesse which is by faith in his name Now who shall be found to be in Christ but those that shall be found walking in this good way not walking after the Rom. 8. 1. flesh but after the spirit haue we not cause then by faith to get vs into this way with all the speed that may be and to ply vs as fast on in it after wee be once entred as possibly we can and will any blame vs if we doe not all this without feare and trembling seeing there is so much danger on euery hand For if either wee should mistake the way at our first entring or goe out of the way againe after we had once well begunne or slacke our pace as we are a going that heauen gate should be shut before wee come all were lost with vs and wee were vtterly gone if we had a thousand liues they would perish all without any redemption Is not feare and trembling then worthily remembred by the Apostle in this case and not without great neede commended vnto vs which are so good helpes for vs and fit meanes to remedie all this that will not suffer vs to abide secure but stirre vs vp with all carefulnesse to looke well about vs in euery respect And where it is conceiued that such fearing and trembling would hinder our Christian reioycing and dash all our comfort let mee adde this for a conclusion about this point that as the sweetest ioyes doe many times spring out of the bitterest griefes and out of the lowest bottomes of the deepest sorrowes the highest springs of the liueliest and most lasting comforts doe oftentimes fall out to be found and fetched forth so out of this feare and trembling lest in any thing wee should be wanting that were needfull to be done for our attaining to saluation a most comfortable boldnesse and most solide assurance of our firme standing in the state of grace and saluation will at the length bee fetched and wrought out as by a strong hand For what should make vs to doubt or cause vs to feare any more if Gods spirit hath pronounced peace to all such as walke according Gal. 6. 16. to the rule that himselfe hath set downe for their direction giuing his word and promise that there shall bee no condemnation to such as walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And our owne consciences which haue been witnesses with vs in all our waies are ready to comfort vs in this behalfe and to say for vs that such hath been our most vsuall and most ordinary course who shall then stand vp to make vs afraid or what should hinder the stablenesse of our comfort and the assurance of our peace Nay hauing warrant from God to goe with this message and to say to him that walketh in his righteousnesse it shall be well with him I would meeting Isa 3. 10. with such greet and salute them as did the children of Beniamin greet and encourage Dauid saying Thine are we O Dauid and with thee thou sonne of Ishai Peace 1. Chro. 12. 18. peace be vnto thee and peace to all thy helpers for thy God helpeth thee CHAP. VIII How faith is discerned and the true being thereof made manifest both to the beleeuer himselfe and to others Question NOw if it please you to returne againe to your former speech you were in hand with I would be glad to heare somwhat more of that point how faith which you haue said may haue a being in a mans heart when yet it is not felt commeth at all to be discerned and how at length the true being thereof may be made manifest A. When the seed of God his Word which is immortall How faith is discerned and abideth euer whereof this precious faith is begotten is once sowne in our hearts and becommeth so blessed there and prospered from aboue as it shooteth out this blessed bud and causeth this pleasant plant of sauing faith how tender soeuer it may appeare to be at the first to spring vp as from a most sure lasting and liuely roote full of sappe and good nouriture so to feede and cherish it alwaies as it can neuer die afterward till wee be saued In whom it is so planted that this sauing faith hath once giuen vnto it a sound beginning of the true being therof that it is now habituated and incorporated into the minde of the true beleeuer which is called the first act of faith when I say we once become to haue the habite of this grace put into vs and soundly planted and seated in our hearts the knowledge of this if it can be truly discerned and vndoubtedly fastened vpon is questionlesse the surest and safest to trust vnto for them that are able to find out such a work thus to be wrought in them for this worke being once done is neuer to doe againe because it cannot be vndone for euer any more for such grace once truly had neuer faileth the hauer afterward it being a part of the regeneration and new-birth of a Christian whereby power is giuen vnto him to become the Sonne of God now once borne the child of God he remaineth so euer he is no more to bee borne againe the second time euen as Baptisme the outward Sacrament of the new-birth is once onely administred and so is sufficient for all our whole life time and is no more reiterated at any time againe But though this bee the surest yet because it is the hardest to finde out otherwise then by the second act which is the more liuely

then to himselfe for beyond himselfe vpward it truly and properly cannot be said to go it mounteth not so high as to reach vnto God aboue as vnto the most worthy and principall obiect that it can find to settle vpon and to solace it selfe and take delight in Such a one seemeth to haue a delight indeede and take some great pleasure in the fauour of God which hee standeth perswaded he now abideth in and which he holds by misapplying of promises and mistaking of grounds without all controuersie to belong vnto him Those fauours of God how slightly superficially or wtongfully soeuer they be laid hold vpon hee can well enough ioy in when once they are descended and come downe so low as they are found to light vpon him as he conceiues that now he may seeme to touch them and take hold of them reckoning without all faile to bee saued by them as well and as soone as the best Neither need any to marueile though they are seene to haue such a ioy for what reprobate is there that is so foolish that would not with that foolish prophet Balaam that was more blind and brutish then the dumbe Asse he rode vpon be ioyfull and glad if he knew he might bee saued at the last and share with the righteous in his latter end this differeth not much from the pleasure delight and contentment which a very bruite beast may haue the Hogge which hunteth after nothing more then to get his rauenous appetite satisfied seemeth to bee glad when hee can get vnder an Acorn tree greedily gathering vp the Acorns that fali from the tree and neuer leaues eating till he hath eaten his fill it is the fruit onely that he ioyes in as for the tree he neither cares for nor any whit doth looke after Much after this manner is the ioying of these kind of beleeuers they ioy in Gods fauours so farre as they may any benefit by them but God himselfe they little care for neither doe they so much delight themselues in him if saluation might fall to their lot they would leape and be glad but to haue the Lord himselfe their portion that doe they not so greatly desire nor so much reckon vpon The faith the loue the feare and ioy of such sore of men and all whatsoeuer else they doe proceede but of corrupt selfe loue whereby they loue their owne welfare their present and future good estate they desire Gods fauour and they ioy in conceiting that they shall haue it not simply for it selfe but in a by-respect either to escape some euill as Pharaoh desired fauour to haue the plague gone or to obtaine some greater good as Balaam that wished hee might be saued and Esau as prophane as he was could yet desire to bee blessed They pretend the loue of God when yet they loue him not for himselfe but in respect of his benefits as Saul loued God for a Kingdome The ioy then of this sort of beleeuers arising out of a wrong perswasion which they haue entertained into their hearts that they are in Gods fauour and are as well loued as any and therefore shall be saued with the best in the end is but a fruit of selfe-loue and therefore no fruite of faith but a fruit of the flesh which is wholly thus occupied about themselues for as it tooke the first beginning from themselues alone so endeth it in themselues and in no other thing that being the vttermost aime that it euer hath to respect their owne good higher then themselues simply it cannot be said to reach and further then to themselues properly it cannot be said to goe On the other side the ioy of the iust and righteous seruants Beleeuers ioy is spirituall of God who are true beleeuers indeed is fruite of a more noble off-spring and of a farre higher descent for it is said to be the fruit of the spirit and ioy of the holy Ghost Gal. 5. 22. 1. Thes 1. 6. It is spirituall heauenly and diuine like the wisdome that is said to be from aboue which is pure and pcaceable so doth this come from 2n high as being giuen of God and comming from him that is the Father of light euen the Father of mercies and God of all consolation hee that created all things of nothing in the beginning createth still the fruite Isaiah 57. 19. Isai 65. 18. of the lipps to be peace to his people it is he that createth Ierusalem a reioycing and her people a ioy He that is the heauenly Psal 97. 11. husbandman is he that hath sowne light for the righteous and ioy for the vpright of heart and in due time when this that is sowne shal once come vp and be ripe for them and they be come ready for it then shall they that mourne Isai 61. 3. Psal 125. 5. 6. in Zion haue beautie in stead of ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and garments of gladnesse for the spirit of heauines then shall they that haue sowne in teares reape in ioy in the time of that haruest bringing not their armes full but their hearts full of these bundles of gladnesse that will make them reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious This ioy of the faithfull is said to be the ioy of the Lord because hee is the onely author of it and it alone is giuen by him none can either take ioy or comfort for himself or giue it to another that doth want it if God doe with-hold it but on the other side if hee doe giue comfort and peace none can make trouble if he doe giue ioy none can take that away Nehem 8. 10. againe and this ioy of the Lord is said to be his peoples strength This ioy is so high and so heauenly as it is part of the kingdome of heauen and is the beginning of the glory that is to come this ioy it is part of the kingdome of God here which our Sauiour Christ saith to bee within Luke 17. 21. vs the Lord setting vp his kingdome in the hearts of his elect and ruling mightily there by his Word and by his Spirit Now this kingdome saith the Apostle consisteth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and Rom. 14. 17. ioy in the holy Ghost It is called the ioy of the holy Ghost because it is not so much our ioy as the ioy of the holy Ghost that moueth our ioy and causeth our ioy especially this ioy of our saluation to haue the assurance thereof and comfortably to stand perswaded of the loue of God towards vs and of his sauing mercies in and through Christ Iesus for it is he that is the Comforter that was promised Iohn 14. 16. 17 Ephes 4. 30. to be sent vnto vs it is he by whom we are sealed vp to the day of our redemption he is giuen vnto vs not alone to be with vs but to be in vs that wee may haue him remaining with vs and

vse and practice of it al the dayes of their life and therefore the extraordinary repentance of hypocrites with whom the ordinarie is euer wanting especially that also being sickly and faulty as it euer is is like to stand them in very little stead which can no way bee allowed to be repentance vnto life which were safe for any to trust vnto Againe the repentance of a true conuert differeth from that of an hypocrite in the whole body of repentance and frame of it as it is compact and made vp together and in the seuerall ioynt parts and members if it if they be a part considered and so taken asunder they differ in the obiect which either of them doe most respect and are most occupied about they differ in the effect which they worke and which either of them doe bring forth they differ in that which causeth either and in that which is caused by either The words for repentance vsed in the new Testament are two the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of a word that signifieth as much as for one to come to his right mind to be wise at the least after some ouersight to recouer ones selfe it is after-wit or after-wisedome so called because the children of God take warning by the Spirit of God to be wiser after they haue once been ouerseene and beguiled through the deceitfulnesse of sinne this hath in it a godly sorrow with hope of Gods mercy truly and wisely conuerting all the powers of the soule and causing a through change in the whole man from sinne to righteousnesse and so it becommeth repentance vnto life And this is properly the repentance of true beleeuers and of all such as shall be saued for it is sound repentance and hath the perfection of parts in it though not of degrees The other word vsed in the new Testament to set out repentance by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming of a word that signifieth to bee sorrie after a fact committed to bee heauie and pensiue to be vexed and grieued for it it is after-griefe because sorrow and griefe pensiuenesse and heauinesse of heart vexation and trouble of conscience vsually doe follow vpon the committing of some hainous sinne This may be without any conuersion or change of a man to make him better this after-griefe may be without that after-wisdome which brings a man to his right mind againe but the other is neuer without this but hath it alwaies included in it for it is sound and hath the perfection of all parts in it This may bee alone without the other which yet is the chiefest part of true repentance and therefore it is vnsound and vnperfect repentance and so vnprofitable and vnauailable euery way to saluation and this is indeed properly the repentance of hypocrites and may be the repentance of all manner of reprobates This is that repentance that Iudas had for the Scripture saith of him that he repented but with this Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance he went to the halter and so from thence vnto hell fier Thus the repentance of true beleeuers doth differ from the repentance of hypocrites in the whole frame and body of repentance when all of it is taken and considered together CHAP. XXVIII How they differ in all the parts of repentance seuerally considered in their sorrow for sinne and the effects of it where also is shewed the necessity of sorrow in Repentance THey differ also in the parts and seuerall members of the whole they being looked on apart and considered asunder There is in true repentance a sorrow for sinne which is the first occasion of a mans repenting for if a man had not his heart troubled for that he had done he would neuer repent and change his couse then followeth a turning from sinne and a bearing out of fruits that may be worthy of amendment of life Our soules by sweruing from God and going out of the path of Gods Commandements breed their owne sorrow and bring painfull griefe and vexation vpon the heart such as many times hardly can bee endured like bones that are broken or out of ioynt cause heauie dolours to the body and paine intollerable and the longer they abide so not well set and put into socket againe the more painfull is the aking that is felt therefrom so is it with the wounds that doe pierce the soule they will neuer leaue aking till some good meanes be vsed for the well curing of them Sinne which is as a serpent carrying his sting in his taile after it hath been once committed leaueth such a guilt in the conscience that is as painfull to be felt as is the sting of a Scorpion that is dashed into the flesh or the biting of those fierie serpents in the wildernesse that did torment them with extreame paines as if fier had been burning in their flesh Sinne is like a most venomous serpent and draggeth a long taile of punishment after it where euer it becommeth God hath tied together as with fetters of brasse the pleasures of sinne and pains of punishments and plagues for sin he that will haue one must haue both they that will sowe iniquitie shall be sure to reape affliction much smart much griefe much sorrow of heart will alwaies follow after the sence of the guiltinesse of sinne cannot bee felt but the heart will be made restlesse and it will disquiet all the peace thereof causing those painfull dashes and heauie compunctions in the tender soule as hath forced out those lamentable voices and sorrowfull outcries Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued And without such bitter griefe and sorrow of heart that may force vs thus to cry out yea to roare like beares and mourne sore like Isa 59. 11. 12. doues we may doubt of our repentance and can haue small hope of obtaining any forgiuenesse or pardon for our sinne as well as may any woman hope to get to bee deliuered of her child while she is a sleep or in a dreame without euer enduring any further paines or trauell vsuall to all women in their child-bearing as for a sinner to be freed and deliuered from his sinnes without the sorrowes the painfull throwes and pangs of thorow and vnfained repentance whose working is many times felt so forcible vpon the heart as it is ready to ouercome it and make it for a time vtterly to faint Sinne will not be got away without a great deale of sorrow and griefe and that of such sort as must breake and bruise the soule and grind the very heart to dust and to powder Sinne sticketh so fast to and is so baked on as there must be rubbing hard to get it off Wooll is as fit to wipe away pitch or birdlime as an ouerly sighing or slight saying Lord haue mercie vpon mee will get sinne done away who so doth goe about by truely repenting and humbling of themselues to doe away their sinnes shall find sinne

furthest from him The one therefore findeth comfort and the other hath none They differ also in that which causeth the sorrow of the one and of the other and in that which is caused by either That which causeth the sorrow and repentance of hypocrites is more vsually plagues and punishments either inflicted and felt or threatned and feared when they are imminent and hang ouer their heads their hearts resemble flint stones which will cast no sparkles vnlesse they be strooke Rarely will it be found that any of them are brought to bee humbled by the sole ministery of the Word or if by that rather by the denouncing of iudgements and by the threatnings and thundrings of the Law then by the sweet and amiable voice and sound of the Gospell whereout the promises of life and offers of grace are made vnto vs. Foelix trembled when Paul preached of temperance and righteousnesse and iudgement to come but Festus mocked when hee heard him preach Christ and begin to open the secrets and mysteries of the Gospell in his hearing then hee cried out against him that he was beside himselfe and that too much learning had made him mad They be not for the most part words but blowes and stroakes and those well laid on too by the powerfull hand of a reuenging and irefull Iudge that will serue to maule and breake downe the stoutnesse and stubbornesse of the hearts of proud hypocrites though so well able is the Lord to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and to slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes as hee can make his word quicke and powerfull and forcible enough to pierce deepe and cut sharper then a two edged sword and out of that quiuer can draw out such arrowes to shoot into the sides of all hypocrites as shall be sharpe enough to pierce and to split the hearts of all the Kings enemies and be able to draw blood out of their sides and to fetch sighes out of their hearts yea to make them for the time to roare out of their throats for horrour and feare bee they neuer so secure though in the end they become little the better for it The Lord can make the threatnings of his iudgements out of his word denounced come bleake to the hearts of offenders which shall send a terrible shaking through all their bones and become as thunder strokes doubled that are able to daunt the stoutest stomack that is the Lord can make the terrour of the Law and the thundring out of the threatnings thereof to flash as the lightening in euery conscience that hath guiltinesse in it and to be as fier to make their hearts to melt though otherwise as hard as brasse Thus either by the mighty strokes of Gods reuenging hand inflicting iudgements plagues and punishments or by the terrour of the Law that doth nothing but thunder out threatnings of vengeance doe the hearts of most secure hypocrites many times come to bee daunted yea in a manner strucken dead with horrour and feare and trembling for the time And these are the things that breed and bring out the repentance that they haue and causeth all their sorrow to be such as it is On the other side the true and godly sorrow the sound and vnfained repentance the best conuersion of true beleeuers that is freest from suspition of being counterfeit is that which is caused by the ministery of the Word and by the powerfull working thereof vpon the conscience which is as a hammer to breake the stonie hardnesse of the heart that it may goe all to dust and powder and is as fier with the heate thereof to melt the heart though it were neuer so hard frozen in the dregges of sinne before as shall cause such a thaw to bee in that heart and to abound of weeping mourning and shedding teares for sinnes committed as if the very springs of sorrow were all opened and loosened that might cause whole streames The teares and waters of repentance are as that red sea wherein the whole armie of our sins which are our most dangerous enemies that do pursue vs are deeply drowned and brookes of teares to run downe and flow from the eyes of him that is truly penitent sufficient to lay in soak the very heart it selfe in that abundance of teares yea to cleanse both heart and life and wash away all filth of sin that euer before haue been committed When such a worke is wrought vpon a mans heart by the ministerie of the word and the conscience feeling it selfe wounded and strucken at the hearing thereof shall find no rest till it hath eased it selfe by abundant weeping sorrowing and mourning that God should euer be so offended by him and vntill direction bee giuen him what better course is now to bee taken crying out with those true conuerts and penitent persons in the Acts Men and brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued When the word doth thus worke vpon any without any other inforcement of outward crosse or affliction that else doe happen it is an excellent good signe and one of the best euidences that can bee brought out of the truth of that sorrow that hath been bred thereby and of the soundnesse of that repentance that hath followed thereof I denie not but that by crosses and afflictions the Lord doth oftentimes recouer and fetch home his stray-seruants and reclaime them out of their sinnes The Lord hath many meanes and hee can make all or any of them effectuall to doe good to those that are his he sometimes awakeneth his seruants by the sound of his word knocking at the doore of their hearts sometimes Act. 2. 37. 2. Sam. 12. 1. 7. 13. Neh. 9. 30. Gen. 6. 3. by his Spirit wherewith he striueth within vs somtimes by striking and whipping our naked consciences leauing them dismayed with feare and dread and hiding the light of his countenance from vs so as wee feele not the ioy we were wont to haue sometimes by corrections and punishments 2. Sam. 24. 10. Psal 38. 2. 3. 8. Iob 33. 16. 17. Ionah 1. 17. and 2. 1. 2. on our bodies for our sinnes opening our eares by them and sealing our instruction that so he may keepe back our soules from the pit and our liues from perishing the Lord making this the fruit of all the affliction he sendeth to his children euen the taking away of their sinne For Isa 27. 9. which cause it is that the heauenly iustice and fatherly care of God is often shewing vs his rods sometimes shaking them at vs sometimes striking them vpon vs to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthy and dirty puddle of our sinfull life If then the Lord bee faine to lay on bodily crosses vpon vs the better thereby to breake our hearts they being blessed of God may well be made auailable this way to doe vs good But it is not so free from suspition it is better to