knowe we shall dwell but a while Yet such bare imaginations of Death may build vp in the meane time the kingdome of pride in vs. Wherefore it shall be more auailable if with our meditation of putting off this earthly tabernacle we thinke also of putting on the heauenly Tabernacle and of putting on the royall robe of Christs righteousnes without which we shall neuer stand with comfort before the great Throne of Gods Iudgement 4 The cause why we beso loth to die is because we cannot finde in our conscience that we haue done that good thing for which we came into this life 5 If there be a desire in thee to die in respect of some iniurie shake it off it is better to be a liuing dog than a dead Lion for so long as thou liuest there is time to repent but after death there is none Therefore labour for to feele his fauour in Christ which if thou doe thou shalt neuer faile till thou come to him 6 God dealeth contrary to the course of our common Physitions which first giue one medicine and then if that will not serue a stronger but God giueth the strongest first The argument of iudgement is the last that can moue vs. That argument moueth most in Logicke which hath the best reason and most sense howsoeuer it seemeth to some yet sure I am the argument of iudgement hath the most sense or shall haue and may best serue to moue all sensual men There be three things to moue euen euil disposed men in that great iudgement shame griefe and feare Let it moue vs for shame and if this will not let vs remember the feare which then shall possesse vs if wee want this our state is lamentable for then neither Prophets nor Apostles nor the holy Ghost can tell what to say vnto vs. 7 Many are of opinion that teach without discretion that it is euill to doe any thing for feare of iudgement but all for loue and if we abstaine from any euill for feare that we are in a wrong course I haue been of this error my selfe but the holy Ghost is content to vse this as a good reason and will bee beholding to vs if wee feare to doe euill for iudgements sake Heare what Augustine saith Doe this for feare of punishment if thou caâ—st not as yet obey for the loue of iustice Bernard likens the feare of God to a needle and the loue of God to a threed first the needle entreth and then followeth the threed First feare keepeth vs from doing next loue causeth that we doe not euen then when we can doe This is tâ—â— meanes as Augustine saith A timore bonavita à bona vita bona conscientia inde nullus timor atque ita dulcescit Deus peccanti c. First we are Gods enemies then his seruants if we behaue our selues wel in his seruice we shal be made his adopted children 8 This word iudgement I would no man would let it passe without iudgement and yet there is no word read with lesse iudgement In the law the title de iudicio is best studied and it is a great title Chrysostome saith if we had that care which they haue that be arraigned before an earthly iudge we should doe well Though his iudgements be as the great deepe as the Psalmist saith yet they may be brought to foure heads and first into two the iudgement of man and the iudgement of God the iudgement of man either when another giues iudgement of vs or we giue iudgement of our selues the iudgement of God either in this life or eternall Iob chap. 29 speaketh of some yong men in his daies that feared his iudgement This feare is to be seene in heathen men as in him that ran further into the Tauerne to auoyde the sight of the Philosopher The boyes of Bethel that wanted this feare and reuerenced not Elisha the Prophet were so far gone that it was time to cut them off He cursed them and two she-beares came out of the wood and slew them But as Lucina saith of the consistorie of Christians this is a miserable Consistorie a poore iudgement euery man will pleade with the friar We are exempted Lord yet true it is they that shall iudge the world can best iudge but they shall be iudged also The second is the iudgement seate within vs which God hath made to make vs esteeme his the more It is counted an absurd thing for a man to be his owne iudge This is our owne conscience This is Gods register that registreth all things which we doe or speake and it is also our remembrancer when we are alone Blessed is the man that despiseth not this iudge no man can haue a more seuere iudge than himselfe albeit a man doe acquite himselfe the wicked is sometimes secure but neuer in safetie This is that whereby God would call vs home Euery sinner is his owne tormentor Here be surdo verbera strokes that cannot be heard and yet strokes indeed Then if there be within them such torments why are wicked men so merrie Surely I must answere them thus Peccator est sui carnifex but these are remoued from the way of sinners to the seate of scorners and then all is quiet Euery sinner is condemned in himselfe or by himselfe if he become not brutish his conscience feared and hardened And as for young mens consciences Augustine compareth them to water in a bason the water is stirred and there is no face seene but so soone as maturitie of yeares come then it will stand still and we shall see our faces and crie with Dauid and Iob Lord wipe away the sinnes of my youth The third iudgement may be compared to a quarter sessions that doth consist in depriuing of commodities the mulcte is the losse of Gods grace an vnsensible punishment but so great that if all the creatures should mourne saith Chrysostome it were not sufficient when grace is taken away from one man If we will not be moued with the losse of that which God makes account of hee will take away that which we make account of as by taking away our preferment wit c. for I account that man to haue lost his wit which is turned into a Foxe which hath nothing but craft and subtiltie Then he sendeth sicknes reproches and hearts griefe to humble vs or some singular sharp iudgement on some of very good hope and loue and taketh them out of this life to warne vs that are a great deale worse to the terrour of the wicked and that they might not see the punishments he is to bring vpon the vngodly for sin Now for as much as a man in the first iudgement is coÌ„demned in the second quited in the third repriued Therfore the Lord hath appointed a fourth iudgmeÌ„t which shall pay them home and that may be compared if I
it is from the Lord and whatsoeuer is from the Lord to you it is in mercie and whatsoeuer comes in mercie ought not to be grieuous vnto you What losse is it when the losing of earthly things is the gaining of spiritual things What if your body be decayed your soule being renued Haue you had comfort in your body but as it is the temple of the holy Ghost the Lord preparing it for his Spirit why are you grieued Your body is the Lords and the Lords louing hand is vpon your body all shall be for your good if you make your vse of all 9 In our greatest earnestnes we should be most iealous ouer our owne hearts and then especially examine our affections When we cannot gage the depth of our hearts we should impute it to want of prayer and the not trauelling with our hearts how to doe it in wisedome 10 God by his graces and benefits marketh vs and prepareth vs for some temptation to come for he putteth not on the armour but he will also prouide for vs the battell 11 Not the finding of a want onely but the seeking of a remedie to supplie the want is a token of a godly minde 12 That God that drew light out of darknes doth often draw goodnes out of our corruption 13 The Lord will rather looke vpon his old graces which we haue receiued than on the new sinnes which we haue committed A THIRD ADDITION OF GRAVE COVNSELS AND DIVINE DIRECTIONS FOR THE ATTAINING AND RETAINING OF FAITH AND a good Conscience EVen as a man swimming in deepe waterâ— is not in daunger of drowning so long as his head still keepeth aboue the water So though wee swimme in deepe and dangerous waters of our accusing consciences yet wee are sure and secure that wee shall not finally bee ouerthrowne because our Head still remaineth aboue all in heauen which Head is CHRIST who vndoubtedly can no more condemne forsake denie and separate himselfe from vs then hee that was condemned for vs can condemne vs then the aduocate can forsake his Client then the Prince can denie the Subiect then the head can bee separated from his members So that when wee dare not present our prayers in our persons wee must present them to Christ and Christ will present them to his Father whereby our prayers that are vnworthy to appeare by reason of our corruption are most worthie because of Christ his intercession for whose sake the Lord turneth his wrath from poore sinners â—ccused by Sathan For Christ is now our gouernour not as hee is God alone for so hath hee alwayes beene but as Mediator that is as God and man which hee shall be vntill hee hauing deliuered vp the kingdome to God the Father shall cease from his Mediatorship and shall bee all in all 2 There is a generall faith and a particular faith a generall faith assuring vs that God is such a one as his word prescribeth a particular faith applying things to our selues This particular faith is either actiue or passiue actiue when we beleeue that if we keepe the law we are saued and this faith was in Adam and is in the diuels and yet neither of them hauing the iustifying faith For Adam had it when the passiue or iustifying faith needed not the diuels haue it who know that if they could fulfill the law they should be saued but they doe not beleeue it to be fulfilled of any other for them The passiue faith which is onely of the Gospell whereby we are staied in the obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs is the true iustifying faith and onely proper to God his children The actiue faith is either of the precepts or of the iudgements of God of the iudgements of God I say because one may beleeue the precepts and yet not beleeue the other Eua at the first fall beleeued the commaundement of God to be good for she could confirme it with a strong reason but she halted in beleeuing the threatning of God and extenuated it with a peraduenture 3 A strong custome in euill things is as a second nature 4 The eye is the best window for Sathan 5 As it is true that the children of darkenes are wiser in their generation than the children of light so it is as true that the children of light in their light are better than the children of darkenes 6 If a man rightly obserueth the course of corruptions in others he may haue an easie character of corruptions in himselfe or if he take a godly view of the graces of God in himselfe he shall haue a more speedie sight of the graces of God in another againe if we make an Anatomie or our owne â—â—irâ—â—ties wee shall the better discerne the veines and condâ—ites of sinne mothers or if we reuerently obserue the graces of God in another he shall see the image of that which is in himselfe Howbeit because the holy Ghost worketh by many meanes and the diuell hath many shifts and therewithall our discerning of good things is dimme and our iudgement of sinne is corrupt we must not bee too strict herein Onely we may with safety make this vse that we make others to vs and our selues to others as looking glasses â—ow good 7 Wee must in reading the Iudgements of God obserue this rule that ruinae praecedentium must be prâ—mâ—â—â—tio sequentium If any man will trie conclusions against God his conclusion he shall proue nothing in the end but himselfe to be a â—oole and if he faile in his triall by how much he might the more be before admonished by so much he is the more without excuse 8 There are manie that fâ—are Psal 14. when no cause of feare is but there are more reioyce where no cause of ioy is If a man walke in the coole of the wood and be refreshed it is nothing but if a man walke as did the three children in the fiery furnace and be refreshed that is a cooling indeede So to be refreshed with ordinarie meanes of wine oyle wheate fruits or whatsoeuer is a small thing but in prison persecution and trouble to finde comfortable refreshing is a thing both worthy to be made of and marueâ—led â—t 9 The minde being perpetually in some action may well be compared to a Mill continually grinding out either good or euill 10 It is the mercie of God and wisedome of the holie Ghost euen in things of their owne nature most lawfull and good to take order with vs for the pure vsing of them and of euery motion in them that so vnlesse wee will obstinately wee should not be guiltie of the abuse of them 11 Manie had rather part from all fauour both of God and man than that they would lose the grace of some wiâ—tie speech which they haue deuised so great a delight they conceiue in it But as we would not haue God to murther
but that this and the like blessings proceeding from the same spirit must delight your spirits and finde grace acceptation with you I haue much presumed on your Christian patience I commend you with all yours to the tuition of the Almightie Anno Dom. 1599. Aprill 30. Yours to vse in Iesus Christ HENRY HOLLAND THE FIRST TREATISE FOR AN AFFLICTED CONSCIENCE VPON THIS SCRIPTVRE PROVERBS 18. 14. The spirite of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it THis Scripture is not onely worthie to be grauen in steele with the pen of an AdamaÌ„t to be writteÌ„ in letters of gold but also to be laid vp and registred by the finger of Gods spirit in the tables of our hearts Which sentence brieflie speaketh thus much vnto vs that what trouble befaleth a man his minde being vnappalled hee will indifferently beare it out but if the spirite of a man bee once troubled and dismayed hee cannot tell how to be deliuered And no maruell for if the minde of man bee 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 how shall it be holpen If the eye which is the light of the bodie be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse If the salt which sauoureth all things 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 will first declare how great a punishment of God this wound of conscience is Secondly I will teach how this trouble of minde may be preuented and auoided Lastly I will set downe how Gods children falling in some measure into this affliction of spirit may be recouered out of it For the first the grieuousnes of this maladie is seene either 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 man The persons in whom we may consider this wound of spirit are either meerly naturall men or such as be renued by the spirit of God The men meerly naturall are either the Heathen such as neuer knew God in Christ or carnall professors such as haue not professed Christianitie aright If we looke among the Heathen how many of them haue willingly gone vnder all pouertie haue been content to vnburthen themselues of all worldly treasures How some of them whilest their mindes were not dejected haue suffered imprisonment exile extreme tortures of bodie rather then they would betray their countries How many of them haue deuoured many iniuries and borne outward 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 point of vertue to consist and yee shall see when once some great distresse of minde did wound them some would make an end of it by preparing a cup of deadly poyson some would violently and voluntarily run on the enemies pikes some would throw downe themselues from high Mountaines some would 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 manâ—e harmes so long as their mindes were not ouer-mastered But when the diuine and supreme Essence which they acknowledged to be God did by his power crosse and ouerturne their wittie deuâ—ses and head-stronâ— attempts so as without hope of remedy they were hampered in pensiuenesse and sorrowe of minde Then not being â—ble to turne themselues vnder so heaâ—ie a burthen shrunke downe and by violent death would â—â—d themselues of that disquietnesse and impatience of their troubled mindes But let vs come neerer and whether wee behold the Papists or the Familie of Loue or the common â—â—rt of Christians wee shall see they will passe quietly through manie afflictions whether for that they haue a spirite of slum bring and nuâ—â—essâ— cast vpon them or whether because they haue brawned themselues through some senslesse blockishnesse as men hewen ouâ— of harde Oâ—kes or grauen out of marble stones â— knowe not But yet when the Lord shall let loose the coâ—rd of their consciences and shâ—ll set before their faces their sinnes committed see what fearefull eâ—des they haue whilest some of them by hanging themselues some by casting theÌ„selues into the water some by cutting their owne throates haue ridde themselues out of these intolerable grâ—s Now wherein is the difference that some die so senslesly and some dispatch themselues so violenâ—lie Surely the one feeling no sinne depart like brutish Swine the other surcharged with sinne die like harking dogges But let vs come to the children of God who haue in some degree felt this wound of minde and it will appeare both in the members and in the head of all burthens to be a thing most intolerable to sustaine a wounded conscience And to begâ—â—â—e let vs set in the first ranke Iâ—b that man of God commended vnto vs by the holâ—â— Ghost for a mirrour of patience who although for hâ—s riches hee was the wealthiest man in the land of Hâ—z for his authoritie might haue made afraide a great multitude and for his substance was the greatest of all the men in the East yet when the Sâ—beâ—ns came violently and tooke away his Cattâ—ll when the fire of God falling from heauen burnt vp his sheepe and his Seruants when the Chaldeâ—ns had taken away his Camels when a great winde smoâ—e downe his house vpon his children although indeed he rent his garments which was not so much for impatiencie as to shew that hee was not senseles in these euills yet it is saide that he worshipping blessed the Name of the Lord saying Nâ—ked came I out of my mothers wombe and â—â—â—ed shall I returne againe The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed â—ee the Name of the Lorde But beholde when at the strange conference of his comfortlesse friends his mind began to be agast which was not so in all his former triall when his conscience began to be troubled when hee saw the Lord fasten in him sharpe arrowes and to set him vp as a Bâ—â—te to shoote at when he thought God caused him to possesse the sinnes of his youth this glorious patterne of patience could not beare his griefe he was heauy and now â—aniâ— commend the image of a wounded spirit to all that come after Dauid a man chosen according to the Lords owne heart Ezeâ—â—â—h a pure worshipper of God and carefull restoret of true religion Ieremiah the Prophet of the Lorde sanctified and ordained to that office before he was formed in his mothers wombe were rate and singular in the graces and fauour of God
partly of those which were done after our calling Euery man especially hauing his reason reformed by the word of God will graunt an examination of the life before our true knowledge of God in Christ to be most needfull But it may be some will thinke that we neede not to be so precise in the searching of those sinnes which were after our knowledge But seeing of all other sinnes these bite forest and pierce deepest for that they are aggrauated with all the mercies of God going before and sinne is then most sinfull when after we know the trueth after we haue beene deliuered from sinne after we haue beene inlightened with the grace of God we haue fallen into it I thinke that an examination most specially ought to be had of these sinnes Wherfore to iterate our former examples in a new matter as we may see the former kinde of examining of our sinnes before our calling in the sonnes of Iacob so we haue a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid who at the hearing of his sinnes was so troubled in his spirit that he could not rest in the Prophets speech telling him that his sinne was forgiuen him but still was disquieted as one vtterly forsaken of God and could finde no comfort of Gods spirit in him For as it fareth often with sores it commeth to passe in sinnes we are loath to haue our wounds often grated vpon we cannot so well away to haue our sores rifled feared and lanced but fedde with healing salues so we are hardly brought to haue our consciences ground or our sinnes ransacked sifted searched and ripped vp but would still haue them plaistered with sweet promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing medicines to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters without which though some sores may seeme to close and skin vp apace yet they proue worse and being rotten still at the core they haue aboue a thin skin and vnderneath dead flesh In like manner we would cloake we would hide and couer our sinnes as it were with a curtaine but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke pearce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law and to cleanse the wound of the soule by sharpe threatnings least that a skin pulled ouer the conscience for a while we leaue the rotten corruption vncured vnderneath and so we be constrained to cry out of our sinnes openly As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilest they be curable and after to make them known when they be growne vncurable so it is as great folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad when thou maist think them remediles But of this by the way because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come It is sufficient to commit sinne before knowledge but after some good light of the spirit to sinne breedeth either hardnesse of heart or a troubled spirit both which we shall auoid if in trueth we be carefull to watch ouer our affections and beware that after our deliuerie we fall not into sinne againe Seuerall men subiect to seuerall sinnes haue their seuerall checkes in their consciences some are ouercome with wrath and yet after the moodie fit they can tell that the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God some are subiect to lust and afterwards they say it profiteth them nothing some are giuen to a continuall course of vanitie who notwithstanding can say that mans life hath another ende some slippe deepely into worldlinesse yet they be often weakened with most terrible checks of conscience Well blessed are they whose hearts be truely grieued and let them beware that make daliance with sinne for either hardnesse of heart will ouertake them or a troubled conscience will confound them Wherefore it comes to passe that many spending their bodies on lust lament that euer they so abused their strength many giuen too much to the pleasure of this life had griefe come vpon them to remember how they haue spent Gods graces lauished his good gifts and mispent their time or else if they haue not this griefe they fall into voluptuousnesse and draw such a thicke skin vpon their hearts as will cause the strongest denouncings of Gods iudgements to rebound be they driuen on neuer so hard And sure it is the sinne of this world that men being controlled in their consciences whilest they are a praying and feele a secret charge laide against them to beware of guile in buying and selling either haue these checks lesse and lesse and so they grow to be prophane or else afterward they are wonderfully wounded that they haue beene â—o worldly so greedily pursuing earthly things so coldly procuring heauenly things Thus euen our priuie thoughts not profited by are breeders of farther trouble Now the remedie against this trouble is willingly and wiâ—tingly not to cherish sinne to wish that the Minister should touch our most priuie and secret sinnes to be glad priuatly to be admonished to profit by our enemies when they do reproch vs and rather to desire in such a case to be humbled than to suffer our selues to be flattered This trying of ourselues must yet stretch it selfe further not onely to the committing of euill but also to the omitting of good As when after some good working and feeling of the spirit we begin to fight and conflict with our owne consciences saying though I must pray I must haue time also to prouide for my familie if I goe to heare the word of God surely I shall be in danger to loose this profit if I thus attend vpon the exercises of religion I shall be cut short in the vse of my pleasures Wherefore it shall be good to search our harts not onely in the carelesse not vsing of the meanes but also in the negligent watching ouer the fruites of the meanes saying to ourselues in this maner I haue heard a Sermon but alas without any feeling or working vpon my affections I haue beene praying but with no power of the spirit I haue receiued the sacrament but without those ioyes glorious and vnspeakable which I was wont to taste of I saw the discipline of the Church executed but without any feare of sinne at all in my selfe or compassion to the member censured And here I dare for my owne obseruation assuredly affirme that outward sinnes haue not beene at sometime so grieuous to Gods children as that they haue some times vsed the meanes with little reuerence and with lesse fruite And no maruell we shall see many men at some times not so much grieued for their sicknesse it selfe as for that they haue either willingly neglected the means which might haue preserued their health or that they haue abused the Physicke that might haue restored their health to them
men of the East or all the wisedome of Egipt 1. King 4 30. But where is this learning found in the booke of God soundly vnderstood and sauingly applied vnto the conscience Who is the teacher the principal maister is God himselfe They shall be all taught of God saith Ieremie God opened the heart of Lydia saith Luke He sits in heauen that teacheth the heart saith Augustine Paul may plant and Apollos water but it is God that giueth the encrease saith Paul The ministers indeed are Gods instruments in the Church maisters of families ought to be his instruments in the house yet as Iohn only baptised with water Christ with the holy Ghost so these may speake to the outward â—are it is God that must giue vs vnderstanding in all things If we pray God to be taught as the Eunuch did Philip he will say vnto vs Ephatha be thou opened for an huÌ„ble petitioner findeth that knowledge which a curious searcher can neuer find out This well is deepe we haue nothing to drawe let downe the bucket by this chaine and thou shalt drawe vp liuing waters of eternall life But thou hast drawne vp and drunke them downe and findest them sweeter than the honie combe forget not with the prophet to praise the Lord he desireth no more he delighteth in nothing else Let his praise be in thy mouth when his law is in thine heart But take heed that thou praise him in sinceritie For faire without foule within white without blacke within and in a word all painted sepulchers they are abominable in the sight of God Chrysost speaketh to such persons thus thou hypocrite if it be a good thing to be good why wilt thou appeare to be that which thou art not if it â—e an euill thing to be euill why wilt thou be that which thou wilt not appeare if it be a good thing to appeare good it is better to be good if it be an euill thing to appeare euill it is farre worse to be euill Therefore either appeare that which thou art indeed or be that which thou dost appeare Euery one who desireth to seeme that which he is not indeed is an hypocrite saith Augustine Verse 8. I will keepe thy statutes O forsake mee not ouer-long THe Prophet now considering all that he had saide namely that all were in a blessed estate which keepe Gods commandements that they worke none iniquity that God had commaunded the obseruation of his law that hee desired to obserue it lest he should be confounded and that he should haue iust cause to magnifie Gods name when hee had learned Gods word hee concludeth this portion in these wordes I will keepe c. In which obserue 1. a promise 2. a prayer A promise I will keepe thy statutes a prayer O forsake mee not ouer long 4. I will keepe c. 1. By thy grace and assistance for otherwise I am not able I will laye vp thy statutes not in my closer to preserue them from corruption nor in thine house to keepe them from ruine but in my memorie to remember them in mine heart to loue and like them and in my life to bee directed by them The word statutes is in our Englishe Leitourgie translated Ceremonies and indeede the hebrewe word signifieth properly such constitutions and rites as were vsed in the Leuiticall Priest hood And they were so named because the ceremonies of Moses were not idle spectacles or obseruations belonging to the outward man but types shadowes and pictures of farre greater things But happily by that figure Synechdoche this part of the law is vsed for the whole word of God Yet note that Dauid was not an improuident reader or obseruer of the Ceremoniall lawe but was carefull to knowe what was meant by euery ceremonie that in them hee might finde CHRIST the ende of the Lawe and in a worde that the Types of the ceremoniall Lawe and impossibilitie of the morall might bee as a schoole-maister to bring him to IESVS CHRIST If the King of Israel keepe Gods statutes the people of Israel will bee ashamed to neglect them Caesar was wont to say Princes must not say Ite goe yee without mee but Venite Come yee along with mee So saide Gideon Iudg 7. 17. As yee see me doe so doe yee Once againe note that for the better obseruing of Gods law wee should euer carie with vs holie purposes and for our better going on in that way laye vowes vpon our selues Dauid in this verse promiseth to doe so and verse 106 sweareth to doe so I haue sworne and will performe it to keepe thy righteous iudgements Last of all doth Dauid labour to finde CHRIST in the law Why then doe not we labour to finde him in the Gospell and vpon euery occasion to applie him to our selues When I am saith Augustine assaulted by some wicked thought I then bâ— take mee to the wounds of CHRIST when my flesh casteth mee downe by the remembrance of my Sauiours woundes I rise vp againe Deth Sathan assault mee I flie to those bowells of mercie who are in my Sauiour and hee departeth away from mee Am I enflamed with lust I quench that fire with the meditation of Christs Passion Am I in any trouble I finde no more effectuall remedie then the woundes of CHRIST in them I sleepe securely and repose my selfe without feare CHRIST died for vs there is nothing so deadly which is not cured by the death of Christ. I see saith he the bowels of CHRIST through the wounds of CHRIST euen through the holâ—s in his side I behold the secrets of his heart O Lords forsake mee not ouer long God had begunne a good worke in him his desire is that hee would finish the same and therefore he prayeth that howsoeuer by the corruption of his owne heart the malice of Sathan or the pleasures of the world hee should perhaps faile in keeping that vowe which hee had formerly made and therefore for a time be left to himselfe and forsaken of God yet it would please him not to forsake him ouer long but that though he fell he might rise againe being taken vp by Gods owne hand Saul was forsaken aâ—d forsaken vtterly Dauid fearing the like desertion desireth that hee might not be forsaken for euer True it is indeede that for the correction of some sinne the triall of their faith the exercise of their patience the manifestation of his glorie and for their owne better knowledge of themselues GOD seemeth to withdraw himselfe from his seruants And as a Nource dealeth with young children to leaue them to themselues and to hide her selfe at some Pillar or vnder some curtaine that they taking some falles may both see their owne weakenesse and knowe how much they are beholding to her for preseruing them when they fell not and taking them vp beeing fallen Thus Peter was forsaken for a minute CHRIST IESVS for a fewe houres Dauid for a fewe moneths and Iob for a fewe
is one thing to be noted more notable that is he was not grieued for himself alone but eueÌ„ for others which made no conscience of Gods word was he grieuously vexed and tormented as portio 7. 5. Feare is come vpon me for the wicked which forsake thy law And portio 17. 8. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy law And in portio 18. 3. My zeale hath euen consumed mee because mine enemies haue forgotten thy words He was not onely grieued for his owne incredulitie but for the incredulitie of others he lamented not onely his owne wants but also the wants of others his glorie was then chiefest when the word was glorified his griefe when the word sustained wrong did most abound Like zeale was in Paul who cared not for his owne bonds so the word of God might be free neither did hee care how much he did suffer for the Gospels sake which he preached so others might thereby â—e confirmed Now if we shall lay this with due examination of our owne hearts to our seuerall liues we shall see many grieued for their owne sinnes which are not grieued for the sinnes of others But if we could be grieued both for our selues and for others it were an infallible token that we sought not our selues but Gods word Many likewise are comforted when they finde Gods glory set forth in themselues who cannot so praise God when they see it in others Many indeed as Ioâ— witnesseth can declare â—loquently against the sinnes of others yet we see few weepe and lame it for them as he did But aboue all notable is that place of the Spirit of God to stirre vs â—â—â— to this practise which is Ezech. 9. where a man is mentioned with a writers inâ—khorne by his side which is sent of the Lord to goe through the middest of Ierusalem and to saue from the destroying and reuenging Angell which was to come all them that mourned and cried for the abominations which were done in the citie In which place by marking the children of God vnto saluation is shewed the manner of theÌ„ to wâ—â— to mourne and câ—ie out against the wickednes of the people which they see committed against Gods glorie Paul 1. Cor. 5. sheweth the Corinthians that they had reiected despised the incestuous person but he also telleth them that they had not mourned for him the effect where of is set downe 2. Cor. 7. where the Apostle reioyceth that he had wrought in them a godly sorrow not to be repented of We must therefore learne to lament the sinnes of them with whom we liue and specially of them ouer whom we haue charge least in not so doing we be made guiltie of the sinnes of others Let vs then away with that carnall emulation in the graces of another and let vs learne to giue God the praise of his gifts in others as though they were bestowed on our selues But alas our corruption is great here in and is well set downe in Luke in the elder brother who repined at the receiuing of his younger brother into his fathers fauour Now to draw to the fourth and last reason which concerneth the meanes vsed of the Propheâ— they were these conference prayer praise or thanksgiuing and a vowing of his obedience to the Lord whereof I will speake in order and of the first first I am saith he port 8 7. a companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts And port 10. 7. Lâ—â— such â—â— feare thee turne vnto me and they that know thy testimonies that I may both impart my feelings and comforts vnto others and that they may strengthen me with their gifts such was his humilitie that notwithstanding his high calling he desired euen to profit by others In naturall things experience doth teach vs that young men cannot satisfie themselues with a priuate vse of their exercise but if any one haue inuented a pleasant conceit he cannot be quiet vntill he haue ioyned himselfe with others therein such is their loue to their carnall deuices Which thing if it be so vsuall in earthly things how much more is it requisite in heauenly things Many will studie for a trade and methode by themselues whereof none shall be partakers but they will still be the fathers of it but it was not so in Dauid but whatsoeuer he had he would teach it others and whatsoeuer good thing he heard he would learne it He had not this spirit to say Tush I haue enough I know many things I neede not to conferre Paul thanketh the Romanes and protesteth himselfe a debtor vnto them for their communicating of spiritual things vnto him Wherfore let vs exhortione another wher one another admonish one another and watch one ouer another for good and suffer our selues to bee exhorted to perseuerance to be whetted for our duties and to be admonished of our infirmities and let vs be grieued that wee haue made so little exchange of our talents to bring so small increase to the Lord. The second meane is prayer wherfore he said so often portioÌ„ 5. 2. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes c. portion 9 2. Teach me good iudgement and knowledge Where sometime he delireth to haue his iudgement inlightened and sometimes his affections cleered Well was hee one that was wiser than Gad and Nathan and yet had this affection to growe in the knowledge of wisedome and shall not wee be ashamed if wee pray not He felt this ioy delight of the word by measure in him he felt sometimes a cleane heart sometimes an hard heart sometimes vnspeakable ioy of mind sometimes exceeding dulnes of mind sometime hee seemed to haue enioyed the comforts of Angels sometimes no comfort at all So let vs thinke our selues to be as betweene light and darknes clowdes and brightnes sometimes hauing patieÌ„ce and sometimes murmuring sometime purposing to do good sometime fainting in bringing them to passe Concerning thanksgiuing which was another of his exercises it is said port 21. 4. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements Where hee sheweth that hee vsed this kinde of worship often which thing with vs is farre contrarie because wee pray more than we giue thankes The reason is wee are giuen in greater measure to feele our wants which prouoketh vs to prayer than to see Gods benefits receiued which might moue vs to thanksgiuing The next meanes by order the fourth which the man of God vseth is here by name set downe meditation But some will say How commeth it to passe that among so many and sundrie meanes no mention is made of hearing and reading the word of God Wee answere that this is a Psalme of experience and not of knowledge And hee that seeketh for knowledge here will want methode but wee must trauaile with the Prophet to finde the truth so applied to our hearts
and then they are vncleane the seuenth day and so all their labour is in vaine Others when they cannot away with this strictnes to continue say on this manner Seeing we are still vnperfect let vs be vnperfectly vnperfect let vs be vncleane still let vs prepare riuers of sinne for Christ shed streames of blood the more wee sinne the greater glorie will come to Christ. And thus they stand at a stay their holines is a standing holines it fils not it stands at a stay they are no perfect Nazarites they still lie in their pollutions their motions are from the house to the Church and from the Church home againe and at the yeares end they are as holy as in the beginning of the yeare they goe go to the Church and make many voyages as an horse in the Mill makes manie circuites who labours still from morning vntil night and then he is but where he was at the first so they are in a motion from morning vntill night and at night they are euen where they were when they begun in the morning There is another sort not standing still but they make many beginnings and when they come to the third day they beginne againe and againe and againe still they goe backe and then they must begin againe and so they come to holines by fits These manie beginnings are not good There is but one motion commanded but it must be continued we must fulfill our many dayes when we haue once begun we must not defile our selues to become new Nazarites Neither must we stand at a stay but goe forward but if happily we doe fall wee must take a viewe of our selues that if we fall not the second time we will fulfill our dayes indeede The equitie hereof stands in this the Lord respects the fruite and not the blossome He calles himselfe Alpha the beginning for he is so but in respect of the end he is also Omega So must it stand with them that are his Temple they must not be only Alpha but also Omega they must fulfill their holines In regard whereof we see Ezech. 9. that the mourners are marked it is with the letter Tau which is the last letter in the Hebrue Alphabet and it betokeneth an ende to shewe they had not quaumes and starts of well doing but they were men fulfilling their dayes Wee know the Trees in Gods Orchyard are Palmes and Cedars The nature of the Palme tree is to growe being young and to beare fruit continually the Cedar though it be long indeede ere it grow yet when they bring forth they beare fruit long and when they are very olde So they that are planted in the Lords house the older they growe the more fruite they beare being of the nature of the Cedar growing from faith to faith not making many beginnings And if the Lord be not content to abound but to ouer-abound in mercie then must we also euen abound more and more in mercie grace and sanctification 13 It is not possible without affliction to enter in Christs kingdome except ye sup of that cup and be baptized with that baptisme that hee was baptized with Why But here is now no persecution Surely if wee haue not Esaues sword we shall be sure to haue Ismaels tongue and that is worse than a two edged sword This time will affoord no sharper but when the beast shall be loosed againe and when the Dogge-dayes come in againe wee must learne ioy fullie to receiue the other and to accompt a chaine of golde lesse honourable than a fetter of yron which shall be clapt vpon vs for Christ and his Gospell sake 14 The bellie was the first sword the diuell drew against man Paul saith to Timothie drinke no more water in sicknesse or infirmities we haue leaue to drinke wine otherwise we must take heed of wine wherein there is excesse Noah thought that after the great water wine would haue done him no hurt but it made him a laughing stock to his owne son The children of Israel did eate and drinke and then rose vp to play for they had not so much lust before meate and what play plaied they at that time that which made Moses breake the Tables for anger Lot did most shamefully abuse his body where though hee cannot be accused for wilfulnes yet he may be condemned of negligence And what children came of that stocke surely the washpot and the maker cleane of shooes the enemies of God his children which might not be receiued after fourteene generations WheÌ„ Eliah was to be prouided of God to haue him his Cater what meate fed he of A cake bakte on the coales and a pot of water might not God haue sent him rost meate and baked meate But he knew it was not best for him So Daniel being in the lyons den God might also easily haue caught one of Nabuchadnezzers garde carrying a seruice vp to the Kings board to bring meate to Daniel he seazed vpon Habacucke carrying the Reapers their meat which I thinke was but a homely seruice Elisha when he made a set feast for the yong Prophets they had nothing to dinner but a fewe worts and there were Coliquintidaes among them too Daniel durst not venture on the Kings fare but put vp a supplication that they might haue nothing but gruell 15 It is too vnnaturall to yoke the spirit vnder the flesh in most miserable thraldome to set the crowne on her head to make her a Ladie and to compell the spirit to take lawes iniunctions and commandement at her hands to set her at the helme and to make her word to stand and if she say I will that thou abuse thy body with surfettings drunkennes adulterie it must be done whatsoeuer it cost Why this is to set a blind horse or an vntuly mad horse formost in the teeme this is to saw off our owne legge of flesh and to get vs on a woodden legge this is to take the Crown the Scepter the kingdome from the Oliue tree and Figge tree and to giue it to the scratching and vnprofitable Bramble which will serue vs to no vse but to scratch vs by the hands True it is it goeth well with this bodie of sinne that it should be so and it goeth to her heart it should bee otherwise But alas consider though to a man ruled by the flesh adulterie â—ee at the first as sweete as the honey combe and as smooth as the oyle yet the end is verie wormehood nay nay it is a pearcing sword Though wine in the glasse hath a goodly looke yet at last it â—â—ingeth like a Serpent and biteth like a Cockatrice Though to be vnruly in wringing and oppressing grudge not the conscience awhit though stolne water bee sweete and bread priuily eaten hath a good taste yet in the end their mouth shall bee full of grauell and Sâ—châ—ms whoredome will end with a sword and Achans Baby
conscience of particulars Papists and Iusticiaries because they haue no knowledge but rest vpon their doings they can haue no conscience 2 In our cōscience we must begin with the weightiest matters as that our sins are remitted by Christ that our infirmities are couered c but to begin at small matters and passe ouer great is to swallow vp a Camel and to straine at a gnat to tithe Mint Anise and Commine it is Pharisaicall Keepe the foundation if wee erre in inferiours Gods spirite will in time reueale it and the fire will consume it 3 Conscience approoueth our doings to God that is the thing that is done albeit there be infirmity in the action that is either the manner of doing or the affection of our doing is not good A thing is named of the greater part Wine a little mixed with water is wine Aqua vitae is so called because it is the principall so it is called a good conscience though some infirmitie be in it 4 Conscience is good or euill naturall and good an erroneous conscience is where is no knowledge but ignorance or doubting as to doubt in Gods prouidence Mat. 4. Commaund that these stones may be bread c. CHAP. II. Of order and how necessarie it is in all things BEtweene Maries part and Marthaes part wee must take Maries part first for it is the best And when wee come to euill things wee must make a better difference than Saul did who spared the Amalekites whom hee should not spare but dealt more cruelly with the Gibeonites but wee must prouide that the Amalekites bee more grieuously punished than the Gibeonites This doctrine standeth against two sorts of men the first is of them that cleane peruert all and can away with no order the other is of them that make a mixture of many things It hath beene an old complaint of the world that in the webbe of the law the poore flie is taken but the hornet escapes the poore man is intangled the mightie personage is deliuered for they keepe much adoe about a little But if we keepe a blowing a raking so all day long in the motes and neuer can stumble vpon the beame wee peruert order As for them that are shufflers of all together who can finde no degree in things but they doe first whatsoeuer comes first to hand let them knowe that as the Lord will not haue things done confusedly no more will hee haue things done preposterously 2 Order must be had in all things especially in heauenly things for if in all Arts there be an order it were ill to thinke that in the science of sciences there should bee confusion We shall see an order euen in God himselfe in the Trinitie though all the persons bee equall yet there is an established order of the second person of the third person though not for essence which is indiuisible yet for better order of teaching of vs to come to the knowledge of God And as God is an order in himselfe so he requireth and commandeth an order to bee vsed 1. Cor. 14. 40. It is the decree of the Apostle as a generall rule Let all things be done in order Coloss. 2. 5. Paul reioyceth that they had order among them but 1. Thess. 4. he describing notable wicked fellowes notes them by this that they walked inordinately nothing was first or last with them they did all with disorder Lastly Iob. 10. Hell it selfe is noted to bee a place where there is no order and therefore inordinate walkers doe well belong to that place So that generally we see by the Lord by his workes by the godly by the wicked that order is good much more is order requisit in action The wise men saw that the deede done in such a preposterous confused manner is as good as not done Now if this be so in all actions much more must it be in the commandements of the Lord. 1. Sam. 2. there is mention made how the children of Heli whilest the meate was yet a seething they fetched it foorth of the pot with flesh-hookes and though they did afterward burne the fat for sacrifice which should bee the speciall thing to bee done in order though I say they did not omit to sacrifice yet for that they serued themselues first who should haue beene last and so serued the Lord at last who should haue been first it is noted as a special sinne prouoking the wrath of God A plainer case than this is in the new Testament Matth. 6. where an order is in seeking First seeke the kingdome of God then c. Here is first and then a plaine order Hee that was called in the Gospell to follow Christ though he denied not absolutely to follow but would follow somewhat preposterously though he desired but first to take his leaue of his friends and then would be a follower he had a repulse hee had a checke for it not for not following but because hee would make that first that should be second and the second first and so the order was chaunged And this is for order in generall in particular wee must obserue order in refusing the euill and chusing the good the greatest euil is most to be eschewed the best good most to be chosē That which is most good must haue the first reward that which is the greatest euill must first be punished Frist we must forsake the euill then chuse the good first gather the tares saith Christ then take vp the good corne also so that we must not onely doe good but doe it in order CHAP. III. Of hearing the word of God WE must heare the word attentiuely and fruitfully and not with the eares of the world which are deafe eares As the Apostle saide it is al one to bee a child in discretion and a child in yeeres so it is all one to be deafe by nature and to make our selues deafe The Adder is called deafe for that she maketh her selfe so she is saide not to haue eares when she hath eares but not to heare the charmer least shee should lose her poyson such hearers are Deut. 29 19. such hearers had Steuen Act. 7. 57. such hearers are Ierem. 7. 10. Another kinde of hearing there is when one doth heare a voyce but a greater noise is in his head excellentius sensibile as Aristotle calleth it so that hee cannot heare the lesse It is the voyce of the Estrich Bring bring Emolumentum is excellens sensibile it is the finest word that euer was inuented it maketh that nothing else can be heard for it There is a third kinde of hearing the most vsual of all and yet hainous enough They haue eares to sleepe A very vnproper speech that is they cannot heare for sleepe as Eutychus had in the Acts at Pauls sermon where Eutychus fell downe and had almost broke his necke for it See the iudgement of God vpon the first euill hearer of the Gospell Well