Works, Part 1 · Spiritual counsels 1 · Counsel 87 – Counsel 99
Temptations.
1 EVery man is that indeed that he is in temptation.
2 The faithfull shall not be tempted aboue their strength, but with the increase of temptation the Lord will increase our faith: or with the decrease of our faith he will decrease our temptation.
3 Gods children hauehave their faith so tried by the crosse, as alwaies some drosse of sinneThe crosses of the faithfull euer take away some drosse from them. is purged away thereby. As Iacob ceased not to wrestle though his thigh were …d, till he got the blessing: so we must not faint in temptation though we be humbled, til we get the victorie. We must not despayre of victorie, because in our striuing we had some infirmities; but rather we must reioyce in this, that God hath giuen vsus a will and a desire to cleaue vntounto him.
4 It is a great fault in time of temptation not to resist those corruptions, which after ourTo resist our corruption in temptation. temptation is ouer, we are ashamed of, and time it selfe resisteth them.
5 Outward temptations doe not hurt till our inward corruption doth yeeld: but rather they are as Surgeons to draw out our festered corruptions.Outward temptations.
6 Long and strange temptations may betoken long and strange sinnes.
7 Gods seruants being tempted, are not so much to looke at their state present, as onStrange tēptations. their estate to come: because they that presently sow in teares, in time to come shall reape in ioy.
8 He said, that when a great temptation hangeth long vponupon vsus, it were good to seekeAgainst great temptations. for some speciall sinnes in vsus, because that we shall finde that for some priuie pride, or vnthankfulnes, or such like, a tēptation remaineth long with vsus. There is a a traine of corruption in vsus, and God often punisheth one sinne with another; which if we espie not, but looke onelyonly to the grosser sinnes, we shall hardly be brought to humble our soules vnderneath the hand of God, or to profit by the admonition of others. Againe, we must auoide all occasions of drawing on sinne, and vse ruery principall meanes at the least that helpeth against sinne For although we shunne all occasions, and vse many meanes, and omit but one of the chiefest, God may correct that one omission in vsus.
9 He thought it to be a Christian d…scretion neuer to vtter a temptation, but when aWhen to manifest our temptations to our brethren. man had no comfort in himselfe, or when he stood in very great neede of comfort, and then alwaies to discerne to whom he opened it.
10 Subtiltie and violence are vsually attendant vponupon the temptations of the diuell and the flesh: the diuell especially vsing these two.
11 VntoUnto one that was much tempted with vnbeleefe, he gaue this counsell: When theSathanicall temptations. temptation commeth, either fall downe in prayer, and say, Lord thou makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth, and this temptation is of very equitie: howbeit, oh Lord,To be tempted with vnbeliefe and the remedies. grant I may by wisedome herein, make this temptation an holy instruction, and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience: oh turne this …o thy glorie and my saluation. I see and confesse what hath beene in me a long time, by that which now sheweth it selfe in me, and that thy grace …ath altogether hitherto kept vnderunder this corruption: yet Lord I beleeue, and yet Lord I will beleeue, helpe Lord my vnbeleefe, thy name be praised for this seale1 of thy louelove, and pledge of thy spirit; that in this vnbeleefe I am grieued, as in my beleefePrayer. I am wont to be comforted. And though my former old and secret sinnes, descrue that I should not only be giuen ouer to infidelitie, but also that it should be in me without griefe and remorse, …et Lord forgiue me my sinnes new and old, forgiue me my vnthankfulnes, increase my f…ith. And gr…t good father, when thou shalt restore to me this gift of faith2 againe, that I may vse it in feare, and shew it in fruites. Or if this doe not preuaile, giuegiveReading of the word. your selfe with all humblenes to reade the word of God, especially his promises, and be still attending vponupon the meanes, waiting when the Lord shall in large your heart. Or if this3 do not helpe, goe to some faithfull brother, confesse your selfe to him, acknowledge yourConfession. weakenes to him, and be not ashamed to giuegive God the glorie, by shaming your selfe, and opening your corruption to him, that so he may pray for you, whose prayer according4 to the promise of God, made to his holy ordinance herein, Iames. 5 vndoubtedly shall beAttend on your calling with patiēce. heard in the appointed time. Thus hauing prayed by yourselfe, and with another, and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouerie, though you hauehave not present reliefe: yet in meekenes of minde, and patience of your spirit, goe to your calling, knowing that your5 prayers and the word of God, being as seede, must hauehave some time betweene the sowingN…t to reason with our temptations or the diuel. of them, and the reaping of the increase and fruit of them. Aboue all, reason not with your temptations, dispute not with the diuell, as though you could preuaile of your selfe. And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation, so I would not you should despise it, and make no account of it: for in both are extremities. If you take it too much to heart, or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation, it will make you dull or desperate. If you account of it too little, and maruell how such things should come into your head, which was not wont to be so, it will make you not to striue, and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware. If you account of it too fearefully, Sathan will oppresse you before you begin to fight. If you account of it too lightly, the diuell needes not to wrestle with you, you will ouercome your selfe: therefore feare in respect of your selfe,6 fight boldly in Christ, tremble at your owne corruptions, but rest and trust in Christ yourTo waite the temptation, and so to offer it vp to God in prayer. saluation. If still you are tempted and no body by you, write your temptation, and offer it to God by prayer, and promise to him that you will aske counsell at his word, at the mouth of his minister, when he shall giuegive you iust occasion. If all this helpe not, comfort your selfe with this pledge of Election, that you are ioyed when you feele your beleefe, and you are grieued least you displease God by your vnbeleefe: and know, that as there is7 a vicissitude of the meanes of saluation, which you must vse; so there is also a vicissitudeRemedie. of temptations, whereof this is one, against which you must striue.
12 VntoUnto one that was tempted with worldly shame, and thought the distemperatureTo be tēpted with worldly shame, and the remedies. of his minde proceeded thereof, he said on this sort: First know, that Sathan hath no absolute power, but a power by permission to trie vsus: against which we must arme our selues ly faith; which will assure vsus, that either the Lord will mittigate our temptation, if our power and patience be not great: or else, if he …large the triall, he will increase our strength according to the proportion of our temptation. We must also pray, that the1 Lord giuegive not out that measure of leaue to the diuell, which we giuegive out to sinne, to worke2 rebellion in vsus against his maiestie: but that he would rather make Sathan a Chirurgion to shew vsus our sinnes, than a Sergeant to cōfound vsus for them. It is the pollicie of the aduersarie, to perswade many that the weakenes of their body, and feeblenes of their braineWhen and how temptations breed. proceedeth of their temptations; when indeed it commeth of their vnstained mindes, wandring too much after the motions of the diuell, in that they not resting on the word, nor depending on Christ, nor contenting themselues to be tried, nor comforting themselues by meditation, attend too much, and confer too often with the diuels illusions and temptations, and so they complaine of the effects, and not of the causes of the temptations, being more grieued for their present sufferings, than for their sinnes past. The roote of this worldly shame, is pride, and haughtines of mind, which is a priuie euill, and hardly will be beaten into the head of them that are infected with it. But sure it is that we would neuer be so grieued for the losse of a thing, if we did not too much desire it, and too immoderatly vse it, whilest we had it, Ioh. 12. 42. Which sinne of haughtines, the Lord seeing in his children, that they are more humbled with the losse of worldly credit, than with the sense of their sinnes, and losse of his glorie; he striketh them with the want of that thing which is most precious vntounto them, because they made no conscience of that honour which is most pr…cious vntounto him. Wherefore this is the best remedie, rather to be grieued that we feele not our sinnes to be pardoned with God, than that we are knowne to be sinners against men: and that we be readie to shame ourselues, that God may hauehave the glorie, acknowledging shame and confusion, and the whole pit of hellish temptations to be due vntounto vsus; and glorie, praise and compassion, to be the Lords only. For this is a speciall worke of the child of God, by temptations rightly humbled, when he is readie to shame himselfe for his sinne, to glorifie God in his merciemercy.
13 VntoUnto one that thought himselfe to hauehave sinned against the holy Ghost, he said: Sathans temptations follow our affections: for if we lightly account of sinne, he bleares our eyes still with Gods mercies. If we begin to make a conscience of sinne, he loadeth vsus withHow Satans temptations follow our affections. the iudgements of God, being as readie now to aggrauate this sinne, more than it is in it selfe, as before he would extenuate it to make it seeme lesse than it was. Howbeit (said he to the man thus afflicted) I will say vntounto you, as Samuel said to the people, after they hadOne fearing he had sinned against the holy Ghost. confessed themselues to hauehave sinned against God with a great sinne: True it is, said Samuel, (not flattering them in their iniquities) ye hauehave sinned greatly: notwithstanding, if ye will feare the Lord and serue him, and heare his voyce, and not disobey the word of the Lord, ye shall follow the Lord your God: but if ye will not obey the voyce of the Lord, but disobey the Lords mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be vponupon you, 1. Sam. 12. 14. So I will not les…en your sinne, but I say you hauehave sinned a great sinne before the Lord, in that you made a mocke of the word which you knew: yet if you turne to the Lord in feare & serue him, your sinne is remissible, howsoeuer Sathan chargeth your conscience, in that you hauehave done euill against your owne knowledge, and in that you are afraide, least that sinne be in you, and would reioyce in God if it were not in you: if you purpose to leaue your former sinnes, and in truth to turne vntounto the Lord, I dare assure you, that as yet you are free from that sinne.
14 When a maide was so sore troubled, that two or three held her in her fit: he chargedToresist tēptation. her in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, that when the agonie came, she should not willingly yeeld to it, but in the Lord resist it. For both experience teacheth, that the ouer much fearing of temptation before it commeth, and little purpose to resist it when it commeth, mightily incourageth Sathan: and also the holy Ghost biddeth vsus to resist the diuell, and he will flie from vsus; to draw neere to God, and he will draw neere to vsus. And the maide was neuer after afflicted.
Thankesgiuing.
1 OF all sacrifices, most acceptable is that of thanksgiuing: and therefore, in many words the Saints of God hauehave vowed, and entred into bands with the Lord to pay this oblation, bo…h to preuent the vntowardnes of nature, which is so vnwilling to this, as also to shame themselues more if happily they grow herein negligent: in which repetition of their vowes and promises (which argueth the great desire of their hearts: for looke what one delighteth in, he often speaketh of it, and in many words) they declare, that as euen in things agreeable to nature, we will helpe our delight by often speaking and repeating of them: so much more this helpe is requisite in things aboue nature, & among all the parts of godlines which are aboue nature, and chiefly in thanksgiuing, which is most contrarie to nature: for we will pray often for a thing, but hardly giuegive thankes once. And yet experience proueth in ciuill things, that of all arguments to perswade one to giuegive vsus a gift, none is more eloquent or forcible, than to promise our selues to be thankfull and mindfull for that we shall receiue.
2 It is our common corruption, that the immoderate griefe of euils present, stealethNote. from vsus all the remembrance of former benefits, and all thankfulnes for them.
Vnbeleefe.
1 HE gaue this aduice to one, that when he felt mistrust of Gods promises, he should set before him the examples of Gods mercies done to others, that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith: and when he began to presume,Against presumption and dispaire. he should set before him the examples of Gods iudgements, that he might pray for humilitie.
2 He said to a godly Christian, much inueighing against her vnbeleefe; I doe not now suspect your estate, when you seeme to me rather to hauehave faith, than when you seeme to your selfe to hauehave it. For faith being the gift of God, is then most obtained and increasedFaith and feeling. of God, when you thirsting after the increase of present feeling, thinke the smallest measure obtained to be no faith: and therefore be yet humbled vnderunder the mightie and mercifull hand of God for it. Rather I suspect you when you say you hauehave faith, because then you can lesse feare & suspect your selfe, and by that meanes lie open to vnbeleefe againe. And surely experience proueth, that when we shew we hauehave beleefe, when we mourne for our vnbeleefe, and then our faith may be least, when we thinke it to be most. Besides, herein you are to comfort your selfe with hope of increase of faith, because faith growethThe growth of faith by two meanes. by these two meanes, either by some great feelings, by the word and the spirit, and humble thanksgiuing joyned thereunto: or else by humbling our selues before the merciemercy seate of God for want of our faith.
Vngodlines.
1 WE may not goe to see vngodlines, to breede a great detestation of it in vsus. For1 first, in respect of our selues in so doing, & presuming on a thing not warranted,Not to be present at the Masse, or any such superstitious seruice. it is the iust iudgement of God, that we should learne to fall into that sin, whereof before we were ignorant, because naturally we are inclined to such an action▪ Secondly, in respect of our brethren it is vnlawfull: for if they be strong, we offend them; if they be weake, we misleade them. Thirdly, in regard of Gods glorie it is vnlawfull: for such should be our zeale thereunto, (if not hauing heroicall spirits, by the motions of Gods spirit to speake against it) that we should not ouersee such a thing. Dan. 3. 15.23
Vse of the creatures.
1 AS naturall men vse Gods creatures to stirre vp a naturall comfort: so spirituall men should vse them to procure some spirituall comfort, and to stirre vp godly ioyes and fruitfull meditations in themselues: for as Satan seeing men of a sanguine complexion and sanctified, laboureth to mixe with their spirituall ioy a carnall i…y: so seeing some of a melancholie complexion sanctified, to hauehave spirituall sorrowes, he bestirreth himselfe to bring vponupon them carnall sorrowes.
Vnthankfulnes.
1 HE would say, I feare not the time of the visitation of them, that thereby doe grow in the gifts & graces of God: but rather I feare the time of their deliuerance, least it should be ouertaken with vnthankfulnes; and so wofully they should lose the fruite of that good, which so dearely they had purchased of the Lord.
Visions.
1 BEing asked if there might now be visions agreeable to the word, he said: They might be extraordinarie, but not to be credited but for the words sake: and who so is moued with them, and not with the word, wherewith a man is charged to be moued, and is not drawne the more by the vision to the true meanes, that mans faith is suspitious.Visions and preaching. And as visions hauehave beene ordinarie, and preaching extraordinarie: so now preaching is ordinarie, and visions extraordinarie. But if you obiect that the visions be true: he said, Sathan will speake truth, and keepe touch twice or thrice in lesse matters, to get vsus in the lu…ch in greater matters, and at length in some contrarie to the word of God.
Of Vsurie.
1 VSurie is the diuels Alchymistrie to turne siluer into golde; it is lucre by lending,Lucrum ex …o. L…o…s puluinarii. and they that vse it be a gracious kinde of theeues; it is a sinne that hath many aduocates & patrons. But to whom may this be vsed? Men are either poore, meane, or rich: to the poore giuegive freely, to the meane lend freely, of the rich take vsurie. The Lord was neuer the author of this diuision. Aristotle by the very light of reason, saw that it was a monstrous thing, for money to beget money, but Gods law goeth further, Leuit. 25 36. Deu. 5. 19. Againe, the Iewe of a Iewe might not take interest, but the linke of a Christian is neerer than of a Countrie: their brother-hood was but by Countrie onelyonly, ours by redemption. Indeed recompence is to be made, where the thing is the worse for the vsing that is lent, Exod. 21. 14. but money for the lending is not worse, Ergo nothing to be taken for the lending of it. No member is permitted but that which directeth others in their callings, as the eye, or labours, being directed, as the hand: so is it, or ought to be in our vocations: then the Vsurer doing neither, is not to be permitted.
2 A certaine man that was an Vsurer, asking him how with a good conscience he might vse his money, he said: Occupie it in some trade of life, and when you can lend to the poore, do it freely & willingly, and that you may henceforth labour as well against couetousnes in occupying that trade, as before you desired to striue against vsury: especially vse prayer, the word of God, and the companie and conference of his children: and whatsoeuer you get by lawfull gaine, giuegive euermore the tenth to the poore.
Word of God and the hearing of it.
1 EVermore be musing, reading, hearing, and talking of Gods word, and praying, that we may keepe the puritie of doctrine and a good conscience, to wade out of the iniquitie of the time, and to doe good as long as we may.
2 If you desire to heare the word with profit, obserue these things. Before you goe to Church humble your selfe in prayer to God, that he may prepare your vnderstandingPreparatiō to the hearing of the word. 1and affection to learne, and memorie to retaine, and that the preacher may speake to your consciences. After in hearing with some short prayer, applie the seuerall threatnings, promises and instructions, to your owne estate: when you are come home from hearing, change all that you remember into a prayer, and desire God that2 you may remember it most, when you should practise it, and vse to teach others, and to3 conferre of all things remembred. And this is a good way to remember a thing, and the4 reason of it.
3 As the Lord doth feede poore prisoners, euen with a little foode, who though theySimile. desire more foo…e, can hauehave no more, and doe not refuse more ordinarie meanes; and the same God suffereth many to be pined, who hauing abundance, thinke themselues ratherMeanes of saluation. cloyed with the meanes, than nourished by Gods prouidence: so the Lord extraordinarily doth nourish the soules of them, who hauing few meanes, doe looke for the ordinarie meanes more plentifully: and suffereth some to rot in ignorance, who being at the full measure of the meanes, hauehave no reuerent regard of the necessitie of them. And hereof it commeth to passe, that some hungrie soules hauehave beene filled with more grace at one sermon, than the proud, who hauing heard many sermons, are sent emptie away.
Witchcraft.
1 SEnding his friend to one that thought her selfe bewitched, he gaue these aduertisements: First and chiefly to beware of sending to Wizards. Secondly, to vse prayerAduertisements against witchcraft. 1that Sathan might be confounded. Thirdly, to labour to bring the person to repe…t for2 sinne, because God permitteth such things to be done, either to correct some euill, or to3 trie our faith. Lastly, to perswade the partie to waite for the time of deliuerance, though4 it were long before it came: because hauing repented for sinne, yet the Lord will defe…e health to make a further triall of vsus: whether we will still trust in his helpe, or flie to vnlawfull meanes.
2 One asking what he thought of Fayries: he answered, he thought they were spirits: but he distinguished betweene them and other spirits, as commonly men distinguish betweene *Not for that they are good or lawfull, but of blind people so called and reputed.good witches and bad witches.
Worship of God.
1 IT is good to take vp the oportunitie of the morning for the worship of God. For first, who so will see the image of his heart, he shall by obseruing his first thoughts in theThe morning how fit for Gods worship. 1morning come to some light of it. Againe, of all times it is most fit to doe any thing in,2 and we, by reason of the alacritie which commeth vponupon vsus after our rest, are most fit to do any thing in it. Besides, if we be seriously minded on good things in the morning, other vile thoughts shall the more feeb…y fasten on vsus all the day after. And againe, delay the3 morning, with suffering worldly thoughts to seaze on vsus, and our minde will be so forestalled4 with them, that we cannot easily and roundly gather vp our affections afterwards to Gods worship. For this is a sure note, that he which consecrateth in truth the first fruitsNote. of the day to the Lord, & shu…teth vp the day with sacrificing to him; if he hauehave any sin falling on him in the day time, he is checked, either with his first morning sacrifice, because he hath not done as he prayed, and promised vntounto the Lord: or he is controuled by the euening and latter sacrifice, in that a feare and shame of his sinne, makes him appalled to come into the presence of God.
World.
1 VVHen two gentlemen ride a hunting, it is hard to discerne each others hounds,Simile. because they be mingled together, which afterward is more easily done when the hunters are seuered: Euen so, so long as Gods children and worldlings walke as it were together, it is hard to distinguish betweene the heires of the one and of the other: but when they are seuered by persecution, it will surely be seene who be the children of God, and who be the heires …f the world.
Word preached.
1 MAny come to prayer, and of custome resort to the Sacraments, who either do not1 at all heare the word preached; or else they heare at their leisure; or else they do2 it bu… in ceremonie without vnderstanding; or if they doe vnderstand it, they doe not3 practise it; or if they practise it, it is done coldly, and not in power, and yet their owne4 practise in some things is somewhat strange. They will graunt that to come to the Sacrament5 requireth a more solemne preparation: and yet they dare boldly aduenture onPreperation to the word and Sacraments. prayer and on hearing of the word, without any preparation at all. But certainly as the abuse of the Sacrament bringeth iudgement; so the abuse of prayer and the word wil procure it: for as the prayer of faith is a sweet oblation to the Lord; so the prayer of the vnbeleeuer is an abomination to the Lord. We must not onelyonly bring the eare of vnderstanding, but we must also bring the eare of remembrance, and of practise, and beware that the word by little and little waxe not lesse pretious vntounto vsus, as honey to the mouth that is satisfied.Of profiting in holy exercises. And this is sure, when & how much the word preached doth preuaile, so much our prayers & sacrifices do preuaile: looke how much the word preached doth profit, so much doe we profit in prayer, and in the Sacraments. And whensoeuer our delights in the word waxe faint, our prayers and all good exercises are like shortly to decay. Prayer bringeth aAll our power in prayer commeth from the word. feeling, and the Sacraments a more confirming of that which we hauehave in the word. We must beware therefore that we be not too quiet in sinne, that we please not our selues in a generall good, and in a perswasion we hauehave heard enough, but still let vsus labour for the word: for I dare say that all our power in prayer commeth from the word, euen as the life that is in a tree is inuisible, and yet by the fruites comming out in due season is discernedSimile. of all: and as the life of a childe is a thing not seene, but by mouing, going and feeling isSimile. easily perceiued; so the life of faith is a thing very secret, and yet by the effects of it at one time or other is discerned of good men. There may seeme to be workes, and yet not faith; and there may be faith, and yet not workes by and by following. Many men thinke the word now preached not to be the right word, because few men are brought to the obedience of God by so long preaching of it. But we must rather reason the contrarie: this is a sure note it is the true word, because it is so much refused, and men are made the worse by abusing the word: which as it would make them better, and doth make better all that obey; so it maketh worse all that doe not receiue it in louelove, that they may be saued▪ 2. Thess. 2. 11.