The Doctrine of Faith, Doctrine (2 of 5)

The Doctrine of Faith · Doctrine (2 of 5)

p. 99Well, what is the reason thou never wert troubled at thy estate? Is it because thou wert never inlightened to know the particulars,Such as were never terrified. and depth of thy misery? It may bee; For some are ignorant indeed, and know it not, or onelyonly a little in generall, that they bee sinners; but of the depth, and particulars of their wofull estate they are not advised. Well, if it bee for want of being enlightened, then know it now, and the Lord enlighten thee. And to this end informe thy selfe of the depth of misery, in which all mankinde lye by nature, till p. 100by grace they be recovered out of it.

Or is it because thou went not convinced, that it is thy state, but hast knowne it only in generall, and so posted it over to others; and hast either not thought it true of thee, or never weighed it with thy selfe? If thou hast not beene convinced, then now be, and the Lord convince thee. To which end I speake to every one, rich, poor, man, woman, yongue, old; if thou beest one of the sonnes of Adam, thou art in this woefull state, and it is as true of thee, as of any other in the world.

Or hast thou been enlightned and convinced, and yet dost not feare? hast thou been stricken downe about it, and yet art not, humbled? thou hast an obstinate, hard, and senselesse heart indeede. Will not the hearing of all this sinne, p. 101and of all these plagues, and of the eternall wrath of the infinite God; will not, I say, all this terrifie thee? If one should tell thee all thou hast is burnt, and thy children killed, this would amaze thee, and take up thy thoughts; or that thou art condemned to die: and will not this that thou art thus and thus guilty, and in danger of all the curses in the booke of the Law; and that if thou shouldest die to night thou shouldest first to hell for ever: will not this terrifie thee? The brute creatures will condemne thee; for if they see themselves overmatcht they fall downe and feare: if the Lyon roares the beasts tremble; but if the glorious God of the whole world roare, wilt not thou a poore mortall creature, a worme, bee affraid?

Heathen Felix shall rise up in judgement against thee, who p. 102trembled at the preaching of Paul.

Yea wicked reprobate Iudas shall; nay the Divells themselves: for they tremble.

God will put terrour into thine insensible conscience ere he have done with thee; or else if the terrours of the Law cannot waken thee, the torments of hell shall.

O fearfull case, that the Law being so preached as it is (and yet oh that it were more plainly and zealously preached than it is) that so few are moved at it! Alas no; people are jolly, lusty, and stout, they doe not meane to blanke nor yeeld, but harden their hearts and goe on boldly & lustily, as if they had no cause to hang the head.

Well, the Lord will pull downe your proud lookes if you belong to him, and make your hearts heavier, or else you shall never have part in his comforts.

p. 103Is there not cause enough to make thy stout heart to yeeld? thinke of thy sinnes, of that thou deserves hereby, think of hell torments; the eternity of them; that there bee sundry in hell not halfe so great sinners as thou, and that if thou shouldest die to night thou shouldst goe thither also.

And pray God that hee that made thy heart would worke upon it, and shake it; and that by his Law, as upon them, Act. 2. 37. and throw thee downe as he did Paul, Act. 9.

Yet I will give thee leave thus to doe, begge of God that he would so shew thee thy sins and punishment, not as hee could, but as thou maiest be able to beare.

Next there are some will say, they have felt terrour of their estate, but they have outgrown it,Such as havs outgrowne it. it is past: Yea? What have you done with it? have you p. 104broke prison, or did God let you out? If you have broke prison, you must even in again; and that worse than before▪ but if God have let you out, well and good; but how prove you that? This you may know by considering the manner how God brings his from terrour to comfort in the person of this party or kind of parties that wee are now in hand with; even good Christians, who have had their terror turned into comfort, which they would not part with for the world. Why if it be thus that you have got out, God forbid that I or any living should dare to speak against it. It is of God, and no marvell; for hee aimed at no other at first: his meaning was not when hee cast thee downe at first to destroy thee, but to make thee fit to seeke comfort, and then to bestow it upon thee: therefore this is no new p. 105thing, for he doth thus by all his.

And if this be your case, it ought to stirre you up to great thankfulnesse for this wonderfull mercy of God: for he hath done much to guid you safely to this passe through so many dangers: for you might have been left in senslesse blockishnesse and perisht, and you have scapt that. In thy terrour thou mightest have fallen to despaire, or to drive it away untimely, and so have perisht: thou hast scaped that too. Yea, when thou camest to seek help, thou mightst have sought and lost; but God hath blest thee through all these, and brought thee to peace, blessed bee the Lord, seeing many have perished in the way to this, that thou art come to.

No doubt in thy first beginning to beleeve and after thy obtaining, thou thoughtst thou p. 106couldst not bee thankefull enough to God, and now beware thou be not carelesse, forgetfull, or fall from thy first love: hold on in a course of thankfulnesse and holy obedience, that thou maiest still enjoy thy comfort. Also bee carefull to helpe others by the same comforts that thou hast felt.

Ob. Yet sometimes I feare I got comfort too soone, and was not humbled sufficiently.

Ans. If thou hadst loade enough to weary thee out of thy selfe, and not to leave till thou soughtest and foundst Christ, it was sufficient, thanke God that thou wert not pressed as God could have pressed thee.

Now for the others that have broke prison; some have got out of their terror by striving against it, as, eyther they have drunke it away, or plaid it away: and if this be your case, p. 107then the more foole you, thou hast provided very ill for thy selfe. Doest thou thinke these terrours will bee consumed so, or will bee answered so? Is the debt ever the more paide, for making the Bayliffe drunken? The Creditor will set on thee againe. Or it may be thou wilt never againe come to the like offer; God was beginning to come neere thee, and thou wert somewhat beginning to come toward the way to Heaven: oh if thou hadst followed it, and strook while the iron was hot, who knoweth what it might have come to? but thou hast quencht it, and so thou wilt be harder to worke upon than ever before.

All the counsell I can give thee, is to call after these terrors which thou hast sought to drive away, and call aloud ere they be gone past call; and call quickly ere thy heart be hardened p. 108quite, and then it will cost double labour. And pray God to worke them upon thy heart againe.

Others have outgrowne them, by snatching hold of the promise of mercy and salvation ere it belonged to them, thinking themselves good Christians, because they had felt some terrors: but alas, herein quite deceived; for then Iudas was a good Christian, and the Divells themselves. No, the promise of salvation is not straight belonging to one terrified in conscience, but to one that is not onelyonly terrified for his punishment, but is contrite hearted for sinne, which is the worke of the Gospell.

There hee many steppes betweene terrour wrought by the Law, and beleeving pardon of sinnes. It is too long a study at once, as will appeare in handling the Gospels working.

p. 109These terrours if they had continued till they had beene turned to forrow and compunction of heart for sinne, it had beene well.

These must either come back againe, or else trust to a false perswasion and perish: they must learne to step one step after another according to Gods word.

Yet it may be thou shalt finde it harder the second time than before, as they that breake prison are laid in surer next time.

The third sort are they which are still under the Iron harrow.

To these I say,Such as are still under terrour and the spirit of bondage. let them know, this is somewhat, and in preparation to more; blesse the fire that melted thee, and kisse the scourge that humbled thee; thou mightst have beene left a blocke: Know this is the Lords discipline and course hee takes with his.

p. 110And let not these be weary of the yoke of God and the Law, and make overmuch haste out of this state, for so may they undoe themselves: for, as some withstanding their terror have withstood their salvation; so some have by hastening out made waste of all, and being impatient of being in this case, and overwilling to catch hold of the Promise straight, have proved but loose, unsound, and unsavoury Christians in time, which if they had tarried the Lords leysure in it, might have come to sound and true comfort, which would have continued all their dayes.

As some youths impatient of service will not serve out their time, but buy out two or three, or foure yeares of their time, and so comming to themselves, and setting up ere they have stayednesse or skill, they soone waste away their stocke, and p. 111then are faine seven yeares after to come and bee a servant with their old Master or some other, which if they had served out their time, might have bin free men long agoe, and lived in as good sort as their Masters; So these must after long deceiving themselves, either come backe againe under the bondage of the Law, and begin againe, or else after their unsound and unsavoury course ended, must perish, who might have beene free men, and had much true comfort long agoe, and beene able to comfort others, if they had not beene too hastie. Or as an impatient patient, gets the Chirurgion to pull out the tent and corrasive, or pulls it off himselfe as soone as it begins to smart a little, and so thinkes it is searcht enough, and now layes on healing plaisters. But afterwards this breakes out againe worse then p. 112ever; whereas if the corrasive had beene let lie on till it had eaten out the corruption indeed, then it might have been whole long agoe.

Let these therfore attend on the ministery of the Word still, till they have learned from thence what Gods meanings are towards them, who will give them such counsell, as (if they will be ruled by it) shall bring all to good end in due time.

You have heard of the working of the Law in one that should become a beleever:The Gospells working. but the Law workes no such thing; when it hath slaine a man, there it leaves him without any hope or helpe in himselfe or any other.

But now then the Gospell comes, and is glad tydings of salvation, and speakes better things, and by little and little workes faith in him that sometimes p. 113was farre off from any such thing.

First, the Gospell proclaimes a remedy, and tells the world▪ and this terrified sinner, that there is yet helpe to bee had for miserable sinners, whereby they may bee saved from all their woe, and may become the children of God, and be heires of heaven, viz. that God hath given his Sonne Iesus Christ to the world, who being eternall God become also man, and in both natures hath wrought a most perfect satisfaction for us, satisfying all our debt, and pacifying Gods wrath by his sufferings in soule and body, and by his perfect obedience hath purchased us eternall life. And that there is none excluded from their part in this, but they that exclude themselves. And that God is gracious and mercifull, not desiring the death of a sinner, but willing to have p. 114mercy upon him; so that if hee be not more willing to perish than God is to save him, hee may doe well.

Now, the Gospell revealing this, by the helpe of the spirit the partie is inlightened to understand this, which is not yet knowne of everybody.

Secondly, by the same spirit hee is made able to beleeve that there is such a remedie indeed, I meane in generall, but whether he shall have any part in it, is counsell yet to him, and farre off, so that this partie is neither ignorant of the remedie, nor yet doubtfull, but knowes and beleeves it. These be the workes of the Gospell, and that every one that beleeves shall have part in this remedy, yea, and that if hee could beleeve, he should have his part also in it.

Thirdly, the Gospell thus making us to know and beleeve p. 115the remedy, workes further: Oh it staies him from sinking under his burden, from despaire, and keepes his head above water. And this is as far as it is beleeved; for alas some are very hardly staid with this: for what is an uncertaine and absent benefite able to doe in a certain and present misery, or to stay one? but some it doth thus stay from utter despaire, though as yet they remaine in a heavie state. If one stung with a serpent, swelling and in grievous pain, should hear that there is one forty or fifty miles off that had an oile that had cured some in such case, so that if one should find him at home, & can get some of it, he might do well again. This staies him a little, but alas his tormenting pain continueth. And so it is in this case.

4. The next worke of the Gospell is contrition and brokennesse p. 116of heart in this sinner, which is a gracious worke of Gods Spirit in a man, whereby hee hearing of the mercy of God and his gracious disposition, and that there may be merciemercy for him, this breakes his heart, and turnes legall terrour for the punishment, to godly griefe for sinne it selfe, for offending God, and dishonouring him that hath been so good to him, to spare him all this while, and not cut him off, and that he understands he is of such a gracious disposition. Oh vile wretch that I am saith hee! against whom have I offended? not against a Tyrant, but against a most gracious God, that preserved and maintained mee, fed and cloathed mee, when I did nothing but rebell against him and play the bedlam, who might have damned mee thus many yeares agoe, and yet spared mee, and now puts thee in p. 117some hope that I may find mercy at his hand: Oh woefull caitiffe that I have beene and am! so long and often to have offended so good a God.

Now, that wee be not deceived and thinke wee have contrite hearts, and have not, here I will set out the notes of it, by putting a difference between it and some things like unto it.

First, betweene naturall sorrow and this contrition; nature grieves for losses, sicknesses,Diff. between it and nat. sorrow. death of neere friends: this breakes much both body and minde, and makes folkes looke old; and wee say, such an one breakes apace, or is much broken, it is seene in his face: for what is naturall sorrow but a fleeing from s…mething that is hurtfull to us, and when wee cannot flee from it, then lying under, it? But there is great difference betweene it and contrition, and godly griefe: natural p. 118sorrow comes upon worldly causes, contrition is for sin, and wrought by the Word of God.

Naturall sorrow is momentary; for though a man be grieved for his broken arme or leg, or this or that losse of goods, of childe, or wife, yet in time this griefe weares away, when God hath recompenced our losse some other way.

But contrition & sorrow for sin is perpetuall, and lasts ever: though he get comfort, yet he is broken in heart for his sins all his life long, and broken from his sinnes for ever; for he will never turne to them more.

And this may stay some that have feared their owne soundnesse, because when they have lost wife, husband, childe, they have grieved exceedingly; it hath broken their heart, caused plentifull teares, yea such heavinesse as could not be comforted; and kept within doores: p. 119But never could finde such broken hearts for their sinnes, nor weepe so bitterly in remembrance of them.

This may be in a true childe of God: for the griefe for worldly losses came sodainely, and was for a time great, but in time it weares away and is forgotten, when God hath healed him againe: But the griefe for your sinnes continueth still, doth it not? you grieve no more now for the paine or losse you had twenty yeares agoe; that is gone, but you grieve still for the sinnes you committed so long agoe. Well then this may be, and is farre greater. That was like a land flood, a sudden running over of a small brooke, but the water in a great River that keepes within its bankes is more than that.

Againe,Betweene it and legall terrour. there is this difference betweene legall terrour and this contrition, seeing that p. 120is for punishment most what, this chiefly for sinne; that wrought by the Law and legall comminations, this by the Gospell and hearing of Gods mercy: that terrifieth and amazeth a man as a blow on the head with a leaver, and smites him downe, leaving him without any feeling at all, or if there be any, it moves him to flye from God as from a terrible Iudge. But this is a smarty griefe of heart for offending God, which troubles him more than the feare of hell ever did, and so vexeth him, that if there were no hell to punish him hee would thus grieve.

Legall terrour leaves the heart as whole as it was, and still hardened. True it is that it stops the working of pride, and holds downe the acts of it for a time and damps it, but the habit and disposition thereof is the same that before▪ As … p. 121one should with a barre of Iron burst into three or foure peeces a stone, or brasse morter, yet for all that it remaines as hard as before; but a soft fire melts it, and makes it fit to bee cast into a mould. So though Felix trembled, yet the continued as covetous still as he was before, and expected a bribe, which because he failed of, hee left Paul bound. Ahab though so stucke downe and humble … yet after he continued as vile,Acts 24. 26. 27.Acts 24:26Acts 24:27 and imprisoned Michaiah; 1 King 22 27.1 Kgs 22:27so Iudas after his terrour yet added murther to murther; and they Num. 14. 1. 2. 3. 4.

But contrition mollifieth the hardnesse, and breaks in peeces the wholenesse of the heart; as wee may see in the examples of contrite ones who never committed the like, sinnes …. So David never numbred the people more.

Furthermore, there is difference p. 122betweene it and the counterfeit contrition of an hypocrite,Betweene it and counterfeit contrition. which is a light griefe, and flitting sorrow of unsound professors, who wring the hands, shed a few teares, or make some complaints of themselves for their sinnes, but it is quickly over; like a morning dew that soone is lickt up when the Sunne ariseth; or like a bull-rush that bowes while the winde blowes it, but when the blast is over, it returns to its former straightnesse.

But Contrition is a searching, pricking, and stinging sorrow, which abides also till God doth remove and turne it into quietnesse; yea, and sometimes also after. Many have had good pangs after the Word preached, which if they had lasted, might have beene the hope and beginning of true contrition indeed.

p. 123Therefore wee may see that this is a gracious and divine worke in the heart of a man sarre exceeding any of these three.

Yea an excellent gift it is that humbles a sinner truely and kindly, and so breeding humility, makes him capable of all the graces of God:Psal. 25. 9.Ps 25:9 for the humble he will teach his wayes.

It makes the heart soft and tender, that the sins may come up by the roots, yea teacheable, and apt to have any good thing planted in it, and soft to receive the impression of the Lord in it.

Yet here for all this we must understand,It is not repentance that this contrition is not repentance, but differs much from it: For contriis a preparative act sitting a man to Faith; repentance is a grace consequent and followes after faith: contrition is an ungrounded good inclination, purpose, desire, that would doe p. 124much, viz. turne from all sinne for ever, and doe all the contrary good: but alas, it is not able to performe it, in respect it cannot in it selfe, nor in Christ; for hee is not yet in Christ till faith be formed in him.

But repentance is a grounded grace, whereby a man by faith being planted into Christ, hath from him wherewithall to carry him out to turne from all sinne, and take up the contrary good. They therefore that confound contrition and repentance (as some do, & they no Papists) runne into two absurdities: First, that repentance goes before faith: Secondly, that a man may doe some good thing, and pleasing to God before faith.

Ob. Is not a contrite and broken heart, acceptable to God and pleasing?

Ans. True, as it is the gift and worke of his Spirit it is, p. 125but in the beginning it is not as it comes from us: neither can the sinner know that this his contrition pleaseth God, because hee knowes not himselfe to have faith. True, it is somewhat hard to say the very time when faith is wrought; but till it bee, nothing doth simply please God. To make this plaine, understand that there bee three kindes of the gifts of God.

Some common to elect and reprobate, as knowledge in Scripture, prophecy, tongues, miracles.

Some speciall, belonging to the elect onelyonly, as faith by which we are justified, a renued heart, a good conscience, the feare of God.

Some middle ones wrought in the heart of those that yet be not actually the Children of God, yet certainely shall bee, and which whosoever have p. 126wrought in them, shall surely have faith, and cannot goe long without it. Such are, this contrition, and such dispositions as be in men before faith, which yet are wrought by the Gospell. These are better than common gifts, yet not actually graces, and yet gracious inclinations to faith, which are in those that are to be justified, and which (if we speake properly) cannot be wrought in any that shall perish.

To proceed further in shewing the working of this contrition:The working of the companions of contrition. when the Gospell speakes so graciously of the Lord, and his readinesse to forgive wretched sinners never so many or so great offences, yet the sinner terrified by the Law cannot beleeve and apply it. Oh no, saith he, no such thing for me, I have beene thus and thus vile, and have thus and thus dishonoured God, when hee p. 127waited my conversion and good: I ranne from him and plaid my parts, I despised the Ministers, and all good people, &c. Well, yet saith the Gospell, the Lord may have mercy upon thee, so as thou doest humble thy selfe: What, to me? no such matter. Yes, even to thee. Oh then you have given him his loade, hee seekes to get alone, that he might weepe his belly full; he cannot containe then: but as the gracious eye of our Saviour Christ upon Peter melted him into teares, so is his heart melted and resolved into teares of repentance. Never did Benhadad and his servants hearing that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings, humble themselves more with ropes about their necks in sack-cloath, than this man will to God.

Oh hee cryes out, Against whom have I sinned? against a Tyrant? no, but against a most p. 128gracious God, that is so merciful as could not be put out of his gracious course, by all my wickednesse; and yet gives mee some hope of mercy. Oh vile wretch, villaine that I am to offend so gracious a God.

If I had done thus much against a man, or the tithe I have done against him, hee would have pursued mee to the uttermost long ere now, and hunted me out of the country; it should have beene to hot for me: but the Lord hath spared mee all this while. Oh this cuts his soule more than the feeling of hell for the time.

This also so changeth his minde, that whereas before he could goe bolt upright for all his sinnes, now they crush him to the ground: before sinne was as sweete as hony, now more bitter than gall or wormwood: before he could goe under all his sinnes, and never p. 129shrinke, now one lies heavie upon his conscience: before the doctrine of repentance he loathed it, and fled from it as from a madde dogge, serpent, or an arrow shot, because it shot at his lusts and lewd companionship, or against sinnes which he loved as his life; now who that could come and tell him how hee might bee quite rid of his sinnes, and bee never more troubled with them or have to doe with them, were one of a thousand a most welcome man: so that now his daintiest meate is his bane, and contrariwise this bitternesse and griefe of heart makes him fetch up all his sweete morsells.

This breedes an utter and deepe dislike of all his former courses. Hee cannot abide to thinke of them; yet cannot forget them: they are ever before him, but so as hee is broken from them for ever, turning to p. 130them no more: oh it hath stung him so as hee can never have pleasure to doe any more that hee hath done; as David had small joy ever to number the people more, for which his heart smote him.

Yea it makes him angry with himselfe and vexe, as David, that hee had done so exceeding foolishly, and that he was a foolish ignorant beast.

Yea to confesse his sinnes, and shame himselfe. No body shall neede to tell him what to say, for his heart is full, and hee will powre out all to God, and say more against himselfe than any body else can.

Yea hee will aggravate his sinnes by the patience of God: Oh they be so much the vilder; because God hath had so much patience towards mee: oh I was unworthy that hee should ever thus beare with me. Also by the meanes he hath had: If p. 131I had not had the meanes of grace, it would not grieve me so much, but I that have lived so long under such meanes and made no use of them, oh wofull wretch.

It will cause him to humble himselfe before God, and throw away all conceit or trust of any thing in himselfe, of knowledge, wit, learning, worldly wisedome, civility, and righteousnesse of his owne. Oh these he stood not a little upon, and thought himselfe no meane one, but now he accounts all dung, abhorres himselfe in dust and ashes; as Paul that counted his priviledges that he was a Iew, a Pharisee, learned in the Law, zealous, strict; oh these made him proud and to lift his head full highly, but when God humbled him, he then accounted all dogs meat and dung, and sought for all good out of himselfe in Christ.

p. 132Lastly, to this contrite person is given softnesse and tendernesse of heart, whereby he is fitted and prepared to receive further instruction from the Lord; for as yet he hath his burden on his shoulder, and knowes not what God will doe with him; but goe back againe he never will, but will waite upon God for his direction, what he would have him doe.

Hee cryes out therefore and complaines, I am loaden, who shall ease me? undone, who shall helpe me? to beare it he feeles intolerable, to escape it in himselfe impossible, onelyonly some little faint hope keepes him from despairing.

Now we must take notice of the necessitie of this contrition in every kinde of sinner that shall ever come to good:Necessity of contrition. for the prophane person that hath boldly and without all feare …one on, hee must be crusht in p. 133heart for sinne, ere ever he shall have mercy at Gods hand, or any promise belong to him.

So the civill man and carnall Gospeller, and hypocriticall professors, that thinke themselves in happie case, that they please God highly with that they doe, yea, that they deserve not onelyonly health, wealth, and outward blessings, but even salvation at last at Gods hand for their good service they have done. But they must come to loathe and abhore these, and will. When God workes this contrition, then they shall see what base and poore stusse it was, they have so highly thought of, seeing now they shall discerne that God makes base reckoning of it, and holds it as abomination; for when they served God, it was onelyonly in ceremony and shew, without any substance or looking to their hearts to doe it in any p. 134carefulnesse of heart for the manner.

Yet how hard a thing it is to bring the heart of man to breake for and from his sinnes! oh it is God onelyonly can doe it,Difficulty. men had rather part with any thing, nay, all they have, nay lose their very lives than their lusts: oh the rebellious heart of man, that hath had too long acquaintance with sinne to bee broken from it shortly, and is too deepely rivetted in evill, that he should easily be pulled from it.

Now the consideration hereof should forcibly move us to be highly thankfull to God,Vse. 1. who as he hath provided a blessed remedy, so hath proclaimed it by his Gospell to the sonnes of men, which is a speciall priviledge that they have not alwayes enjoyed.

Secondly,Vse 2. let us examine whether the Gospell hath enlightened p. 135us, and whether wee know and then beleeve the remedy, and Gods mercifull nature.

Next, did you ever feele the Gospell breaking your heart, and the loving kindnesse of God melting you thus and thus, as hath beene taught?

Alas, most must say they know not what any such thing meanes: alas wee have few broken hearts for sinne; and yet there was never more cause, never more meanes also, and yet alas even the Gospell is daily preached, but few are melted herewith.

Most will not part from their corruptions, but had as liefe you should pull their hearts from them, as their lusts▪ they know not how to live; it were no life if they were barred of them; many know not how they should spend their time if they were left. It may bee at p. 136last they wish they were undone againe in respect of the punishment they see to come for them; but that is no contrition. Well, as loath as you are to come to it, your heart must be broken ere God will have any mercy for you.

Others will goe with you in many things, shew liking to the Word, love to the Ministers, be moved at the Word, desire after mercy and salvation, yea mend many things amisse, and doe many duties, and yet for a contrite heart, you must pardon them for that. If you urge it, either you shall heare no more of them, as Iohn Baptist did not of Herod, and Christ of many of his Disciples, or else they will bee borne with for that, they will coast over another way, and meet you anon, but over this steepe hill, and cragged rocke, yet shall not lead them.

p. 137Nay many thinke themselves beleevers and in great good case, that yet never came where contrition of heart grew: but their profession, religion and faith is but vaine, and will perish with them, if they trust to it; like Laodicea men would be saved and be beleevers, but they will goe to heaven whole without blemish. But know that thy heart is not …it for God till it bee broken; and as our Saviour Christ was no sacrifice for our sinnes till his soule was broken for our sinnes, so shall wee never have part in this sacrifice, till our hearts be broken for sinne.

Oh this makes our preaching so unprofitable, religion so costly a service, and faith so rare, because few are ever thus broken. Oh we may teare our throats, and weare our tongues to the stumps, ere wee can perswade a sinner to see the odious p. 138hainousnesse of his sinne, and danger of it, and bring him to a detestation of it.

And why is this? because few beleeve and deepely consider either of their owne misery or of Gods gracious disposition and readinesse to shew mercy; which if they did, it could not but breake their hearts. Let us therefore bee perswaded to this duty, unto which we may be best enabled by the deepe weighing of both these together, and praying God to worke us to it. But oh the vile heart of man, sinne must have sorrow; if not here, then hereafter: If men feele not the terrours of the Law here, but be lusty, and spend their dayes in carnall delights, time will come that God will awaken their consciences, and their terrours (may bee in this life) if not, yet hereafter they will prove untolerable.

p. 139Now I would here further perswade those that be contrite hearted, first to be thankfull to God that hath brought them to this passe: the promise of God belongs to such, therefore bee of good comfort; and though thou beest not yet able to apprehend it, yet if thou couldest it is thy due, with Gods good leave. Christ came to ease the weary, finde the lost, heale the sicke, binde up the broken, and therefore he will have mercy on thee. Which that thou maiest the better beleeve, remember the example of the Publican, Prodigall, David, those Act. 2. 39. who were all in the like case.

And let this also bee added, that seeing God hath brought thee thus farre, he meanes not to leave thee now, but will have mercy on thee. And his end in casting thee downe was not to destroy but to save thee:he hath p. 140delivered thee from insensible blockishnesse and hardnesse of heart, and in thy terrour hath kept thee also, and hath not suffered thee to bewaile thy sinne sleightly, but truly, earnestly, deeply and constantly: hee would never have done all this for thee, if hee had not meant to bring thee further, hee would have left thee ere this.Iudg. 13. 23.Judg 13:23 As therefore Manaohs wife said to him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us hee would not have shewed us these things: so I say to thee, If the Lord would have cast thee off, hee would not have used so many meanes to draw thee unto him.

Now I should proceed to some other steps toward faith wrought by the Gospell betweene this contrition and faith,Answer to the contrites obiections. save that there is yet somewhat more to bee said to this contrite-hearted person, who hath his burden upon his p. 141shoulders, and is not yet perswaded that any part in the remedy doth belong to him.

Why, hath he not right in the promise? yes there is nothing on Gods part why hee may not apprehend and apply it; God gives him good leave, and the promises are made to such. And though a man dares not apply the promise to one only terrified by the Law, yet to one truly thus humbled by the Gospell, and contrite-hearted, wee dare doe no other: yet this party is not able to apprehend it, there is much both within and without him to the contrary.

1. The divell is a great enemie to it, who envies that he is come thus farre, knowing now he shall lose him; and therefore he will prolong the worke all that he can, and hinde… the proceeding of it. Hee knowe… that beleeuing is, the mother p. 142both of comfort and obedience; therefore he opposes it all hee can.

2. Himselfe hath much against it: he (it may be) with his griefe hath forgotten that God hath made promise of mercy to the penitent, or if he remember it, yet hee will call into question, whether hee be such an one or no; yea or if he be and cannot deny it, yet he is not able to apply it to himselfe through weaknesse. Like a sick man that knoweth he hath right to his meat, but is so weaker, that he is not able to reach for it and put it to his mouth.

If a man had nothing to doe for him but teach him that he knowes not, or bring to his remembrance that hee had forgotten, or make him know that he is such an one that the Promise belongs to, it were but an easie taske. But here is the p. 143difficultie, to make him beleeve that notwithstanding any thing that can be said of Sathan or his owne corruption, that he is the childe of God, and the promise of mercy and salvation belongs to him. This party hath many objections against it, some of which I will recite, and answer them, and so proceed.

Ob. When the promise of pardon is offered to this party, Alas, to me, saith he? no such matter, that were marvell: oh no I am vile, and see nothing but wretchednesse and misery, as being at the very pits brinke. They that can beleeve it, let them, they be happy men, for my part I am farre off, I dare not. A likely matter, that from such low abasement I should be advanced to such honour, from hell to heaven.

Answ. And why not you as well as others that have beene as farre off as you? and have p. 144beene long held off, yet have got comfort at last, and so shall you. God hath not excluded you, therefore shut not out your selfe. What if sorrow and comfort be contraries? yet sorrow tends to comfort; and what if he therefore cast thee downe that he might raise thee up, and would never have brought thee thus farre, if he had not purposed good to thee?

2. Ob. Alas what likelyhood is there that God should receive and accept mee when men reject me? my superiours they contemne me, my friends that have loved mee and have beene glad of my company, even they looke aloofe and care not for me.

Ans. What of this? God seeth not as men see for they see carnally. They of the world love and like their owne▪ and God likes his owne. The world… rejecting thee is no argument p. 145God will doe so, but the contrary rather, as wee see in the example of the blinde man; Iohn 9. When thou wert whole, and tall, and goodly like Eliah thon likedst thy selfe, and the world liked thee, but now thou art broken, and lame, as it were, they make no more account of thee than of an old rent garment. But God never liked thee till how thou; … a whole heart God care not for,Psal. 51. 17.Ps 51:17 but a broken heart is a sacrifice acceptable to him. For … king is his … and he likes it will. Thy heart never sent out good favour till much; as Maries oyntment; while it was in: the box, but when it was broken the smell went all over the …. And as spices whole and not … smel not, …, so is it with thee in this case. Therefore be of good comfort, thou shalt get asnow favour with God as thou p. 146shalt lose with the world. As long as God takes pleasure in thee, no matter who dislikes. Besides, thou art in better liking with the Angells and the Church of God, who thought of thee as of a prophane or civill man, but now as of one that is in the fitting for God, and to make a beleever.

Ob. 3. Me thinkes I would sometimes beginne to beleeve, and be of good hope, but then my unworthinesse puls mee backe, as a grimme Sergeant should pull back a poore Suiter that were putting up his peti… on to a great man. I can doe nothing worthy Gods acceptance: if I could doe thus or thus, there were some hope.

Ans. What hath God been doing all this while but to pull downe thy proud stomack, and yet dost thou talke of worthineffe? When thou wert a Pharisee thou thoughtst thy p. 147selfe worthy, but thou shouldest not, now that thou art a Publicane.

Thou art unworthy; it is true, if not, what need hadst of Gods mercy? or what glory should God have of giving one for another? giving something to one that were worthy to attaine it. thou speakest as though thou wouldest not bee beholding to God, but he will accept thee though unworthy, that he may binde thee to him for ever. Count not God, as a man to whom nothing bring, nothing have: God is about to make thee worthy, and they worthinesse stands in his free favour: The feeling of thy unworthinesse makes thee worthy, that is, fit for God to shew mercy to thee, seeing, besides thy sinne that makes thee unworthy, thou hast a sense of it, and a heart broken for it, and having these, God will not reject thee p. 148because of thy unworthinesse. Thou wert never worthy nor fit till now; when thou wert in better case in thine owne feeling, God cared lesse for thee, and thou wert further off. What talkst thou of worthinesse, when the Angels bee not cleer in his sight, nor the Saints worthy in themselves? Know that God respects (in shewing thee mercy) his goodnesse and mercy, and not thy goodnesse; that hee doth, is free. Againe, have others that have found mercy had it for their worthinesse? or could they see cause in themselves, why they should find mercy rather than others? And as for thy doings, thou must have that power from God after thy beleeving, therefore beleeve first.

Ob: 4. Oh but my sinnes be so many and so great.

Ans. That is not the matter that will stand between God p. 149and thee, so long as thy heart is broken for them; so long as God is the Physitian, no matter what be the disease: his mercy is above all thy sinnes. Christs merits is not a weake plaister that can heale a greene cut, but not an old sore: so to conceive of it were to disgrace the bloud of Christ; the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinnes, Psal. 51. 7. God is rich in mercy, Ephes. 2. 4. abundant in goodnesse, Exod. 34. hath a multitude of mercies, Psal. 51. Psal. 108. 4. though our sins reach up to heaven, Gods mercy reacheth above the heavens. God forgives iniquity, transgression, and sinne, Exod. 34. yea rebellion, Hos. 14. 5. Thou art not worse than Ma…asses, than they, Act. 2. that crucified Christ, than Paul that persecuted the Church of God; and Mary Magdalen. These have found mercy; therfore thou also following their p. 150example maiest be assured of it. If a man having many debtors should proclaime to them all (some owing more, some lesse) that let all of them come to him, and confesse the debt, and he will forgive them great and small: will any man doubt, because his debt is great that it shal not be forgiven, especially if he see greater sums remitted?

Ob. 5. Yea but I have been a mocker at goodnesse, a scoffer at the deare children of God, hated the Ministers, given to all vilenesse.

Ans. True, this is vile; for wee see the Ismaelites cast out for mocking, and the children torne by the Beares. But yet no matter what thou hast been, seeing now it shall be enquired what thou art, and wouldst bee hereafter. As long as God hath given thee another heart, that that is past shall be forgotten: as thou remembrest them God p. 151forgets them.

Ob. 6. Yea but there bee few that shall have part in this remedy, and it is so great, that I feare it is too great for me.

Ans. If the Lord will give thee it, who shall hinder thee? Great gifts become great Princes: consider what gifts Princes give, five hundred pounds a year or a thousand pounds, make Noblemen of Gentlemen, Favourits Marquesses. The greater it is, the more cause hast thou to be thankfull, both here and in heaven. And for the fewnesse, if it please the Lord to work that in thee that he workes in few, and to bestow that mercy on thee that hee gives to few; if, I say, he will be thus gracious, the more cause hast thou to admire his mercy.

Ob. 7. Oh but I have not beene humbled enough; the promise is made to the contrite; If I had bin so humbled p. 152as some, then I could beleeve.

Ans. Beware thou become not a Papist in thinking to merite mercy by thy contrition: oh it is not thy contrition, if it had been a hundred times more, could merit pardon of the least of thy sinnes. If the …ord Iesus had not suffered infinite sorrow and griefe in soule and body for them, it is not all our grieving could satisfie Gods justice for the least of our sinnes; no not though wee should weepe out our eyes, and mourne to death. Therefore though God hath appointed all to whom hee will shew mercy to bee contrite hearted; yet not to come to mercy thereby as by a meritorious meanes, but as by a convenient and meet disposition to prepare us to seek & receive mercy with thankfulnes.

This is but a tricke of Satan, who before contrition held thee from sorrow, and would p. 153have made thee thinke any too much, and more than needes; but now hee knowes that thou hast sufficient in respect of Gods gracious acceptance, he would perswade thee it is never enough, because hee would sinke thee if it were possible. Though hee see thee stand trembling with thy load on thy shoulders, yet he would perswade thee that thou feelest no burthen.

That contrition is enough that God will accept and put an end to, and that which drives us so to seeke Christ, as wee cannot bee satisfied without him.

If it please God to grant thee mercy and comfort with more ease, and more speed than some others, be thankefull for it, and adde not loade to thy burthen. The Lord knowes what is fit for every one; thou maiest soon have more than thou canst p. 154beare: God keepes not a measure to all in this thing.

Ob. 8. But all the promises are made to beleevers, and none others, and I have no faith.

Ans. Though faith bee not yet found in thee, nor thou able to apprehend Christ, yet thou art not farre from it: therefore seeing the promise belongs to thee, why dost thou not strive now to lay hold on it? Thou hast great neede of a Physitian, and Christ hee hath comfort for such: thou must have helpe or else art undone, and Christ is very willing to helpe such, and such onelyonly; why then doest thou not catch hold of him, reach out thy hand of faith and touch him, that vertue may goe out of him to heale thee? If thou canst not runne to him, then goe, if not goe, creepe; but be sure to lay hold on him and touch him, as the p. 155woman with the issue of bloud, whom our Saviour Christ reproved not for so doing, but commended her highly: and so would he thee if thou wouldest follow her example and beleeve in him. Wee must not thinke it plaseth God that wee should stand straining of courtesie, but that wee beleeve God on his word, that we may have hearts and mouths to praise him, and to set about the work of a godly life.

Thus the contrites doubts being answered, and by Gods goodnesse somewhat removed, hee growes somewhat on further, and hearing the Lords large and loving offer, and without exception, and considering his neede of it, and the truth of God that promiseth it, yea and to him; this breeds in him a further thing, that is, a desire after his part in this mercy, which hath sundry comp… nions p. 156with it, which are like the hiding of the pearle by the wise Merchant when hee had found it.

For between contrition and faith are divers steppes. The Lord could dispatch it at once, seeing the contrite person hath right to the promise, and God meanes at last to doe him good, save onelyonly that God seeth it not so good for him, but is long preparing him for so great a worke. And seeing it is for the best, God doth him no wrong, especially seeing hee is upheld by hope of obtaining in the end, which keepes him from: discouragement. As betweene the finding of the pearle and buying it, are hiding it, departing which joy, selling all: now then is the pearle found, when promise is made to the humble and contrite, of pardon in Christ, and salvation: after which followes a desire p. 157with care and joy, and then hungring and thirsting for it, and selling all for it; and then buying it, which is beleeving, when he apprehends the promise, and applies it to himselfe. Now for desire: Oh hee sees the excellency of mercy, his need, Gods offer, and that hee is in good sadnesse; oh hee hath an earnest desire in his heart; Oh that it might bee, oh the Lord grant it to me.

Ob. But what, is this partie come no further than to desire all this while? I thought he had come to faith by this time: you talkt of desire before, that finding himselfe in a miserable case, desired to be out of it.

Ans. There is great difference betweene that desire and this; that was ungrounded, and onelyonly feeling himselfe in ill case, he desired to be out of it, but this is a grounded desire, upon the promise that God p. 158makes to him of mercy whereupon he builds: Lord thou hast promised mercy to them that labour and are heavie loaden if they come to thee; Mat. 11. 28Matt 11:28Lord I come to thee, therefore have mercy on mee.

As if a rich man having many debters unable to pay him, one of them feeling himselfe so, desires hee had his debt forgiven him, though hee have no hope of it; but afterwards the rich man sends him word, if he will come to him, and confesse the debt, and aske to have it forgiven, he will: now hee desires it after another fashion with a more lively desire. Yea, this party begins to lay some hold on the promise, which puts some life and warmth into him, whereas when the minister before spake of the promises, it was musicke to a sad heart, but now he desires, and is glad to heare the promises applyed p. 159to him: wheras before he sought for judgements, now he turnes the Booke for comforts and promises.

Now to this desire is added request;Request for he cannot keepe in his desire in his heart, but it must out, and so hee falls to poure out his heart to God, to lay out his bitter complaint, confessing and crying for pardon, leaning upon the promise as upon his staffe, which before he could not fasten upon.

For God will inure him betimes to that order hee must take after with him, viz. to offer up his owne request, and petition, not giving unto him till he be able to aske it: therefore the spirit helpes his infirmity, and teacheth him how to pray, and what to aske, sending up sighes and grones that cannot be expressed.

Thus did the Publican,Luk. 18. 13.Luke 18:13 Oh Lord bee mercifull unto mee a sinner. p. 160So the Prodigall,Luk. 15. 19Luke 15:19 Make me as one of thy hired servants. So Manasses prayed to God, and God heard him.

Which confession and prayer though an hypocrite may make, yet not from a broken heart. It is true, Pharaoh and Iudas confessed, but not in a sound and right manner.

To this is joyned care;Care. not a hopelesse feare that God will not be mercifull, but a scrupulous solicitude, lest hee should misse of his desire. He casts that perill that never shall bee nor can be (for God will shew him mercy) and yet hee hath this thought: But what if I should misse? which serves onelyonly to adde to his industry, and increase the bent of his indeavours.

As no, man hath any great matter in hand, though hee be very far from it, but will have a thought, What if he should be p. 161prevented? to whet on his desire, and stirre up his endeavours that hee may neglect no meanes.

The next is hope, viz. that he shall obtaine,Hope. and that onelyonly because God hath spoken it: and though hee have not the strength to hold; it fast, yet hee hopes hee shall, which doth greatly animate him.

This hope, though it bee not the hope that is the daughter of faith, that makes not ashamed, which is as stedfast as faith it selfe,Rom. 5. 5.Rom 5:5 and is the anchor of the foule, yet it is farre differing from the blinde groundlesse hope of the world.

The next is joy, proceeding from this hope that he shall obtaine, and that he is so neere it; as it is said of the Merchant when hee had hid the pearle, that hee departed with joy, as being glad that he was so neere a good bargaine, though yet he p. 162had not bought it. Which joy, though it be not so great as that that comes after faith which is unspeakeable, yet it is farre beyond the joy of hypocrites, w^ch^ is upon no, or false grounds; as that of Agag, 1. Sam. 15. his false joy of safety; and of worldlings in their corne and wine, or prophane ones in their beastly lusts, whose joy shall be turned into wailing and gnashing of teeth. This joy refresheth greatly as the little Ionathan hony that … did eates and what if he had eaten his fill? so what shall bee to this party after beleeving?

And it is not to bee thought strange he should have any joy before beleeving; oh yes, finding himselfe so neere a good turne, it glads his heart. As the poore blinde man, Mar. 10. 50. that our Saviour Christ called to him, hee threw away his cloak, and arose hastily: so Zacheus, p. 163Luk. 19. came downe hastily and received Christ joyfully, ere ever hee had received any good from him, though it may be hee had some hope hee should, if he were at his house once.

And all these together are answerable to the hiding of the pearle, and going away rejoycing; for what was that but a casting and musing in the mind, and having divers conceits about it; as thus, What successe had I that ever I should finde such a pearle … thousand findes any? what an opportunity have I now of enriching my selfe for ever? what a foole should I bee if I should neglect it? were I ever like to come to the like offer againe? oh what neede have I of it? what shall become of me without it? and so doth he that hath found the spirituall pearle.

Next followeth hungringThirsting. p. 164and thirsting for mercy and Christ, all one with that of selling all to buy the pearle.

But because the holy Ghost useth both phrases, I will speake of both. The desire of him that shall have mercy is compared to hunger sometimes, most often to thirst; not onelyonly for some resemblance between them, but to shew that it is not a desire fit to obtaine Christ and his bloud, except it be like thirst.

Hunger is a want of hot and dry, thirst a want of cold and moist, both grievous, but thirst the more sore by much. If hot and dry be wanting, yet if the other bee supplyed, nature is long supplyed and upheld: not contrariwise. Thirst is of all sensuall appetites the strongest, most impatient of being unsatisfied, and impotent of being without that it desireth.

1. He shew some resemblances betweene the naturall p. 165and spirituall thirst: Thirst is an emptinesse of cold and moist, and a great paine arising from the same by the sucking and drawing of the veines in the stomack, for some coole moisture to nourish the lower parts, when there is none, & so it pincheth the reines together, and causeth great paine: So in the spirituall thirst there is a great emptinesse of all health, hope, and happinesse in himselfe, and so a great paine of soule for want thereof.

2. The thirsty hath a great desire; an earnest, not faint or cold desire after drinke,Psal. 42.Ps 42 as the Hart for the rivers, or the dry chapt gaping earth for raine, yea and that without delay, thinking everie day a yeare, and an houre to bee a whole day.

So the spirituall thirster for the bloud of Christ, doth not coldly and …ily wish for it, but p. 166importunately desires it, yea cannot be content to say, hereafter and one day I hope I shall, and that is as good, in sicknesse, at my death. Oh no, give mee drinke else I die: oh I faint for want of it.

3. This makes him set a high price upon the thing hee wants, without which he seeth hee perisheth. I would give twenty pound, a hundred pound for drinke enough to satisfie mee, to save my life. And so also it is in the spirituall thirst.

4. And this makes him take any paines to compasse it; whence is our proverbe, hunger breakes thorow stone walk. Oh it will adventure it selfe, take any paines. As one that eagerly seekes to kill one that would else kill him; so he that spiritually thirsteth will runne, …ide, early, late, heare, reade, pray, conferre, and doe them p. 167againe and againe to get faith, and to compasse his desire. And whereas before hee would not stirre out of doore, now he careth not what paines he taketh to have his desire satisfied.

5. The thirsty in his extremity thinkes with himselfe of his folly when he had his fill, how little he regarded it, and was not thankful in that he had at his list to drinke and satisfie himselfe; that he threw away oft that hee would bee full glad of now, yea it may be abused it to drunkennesse, and now hee accuseth himselfe of his former folly: So the spirituall thirster thinkes with vexation to himselfe, How oft have I heard of the sweet promises of the Gospell, and never regarded them? take them who would, I prized them not, they were as water spilt for me: heaven was offered, take it who would, and the merits of Christ; p. 168I had other matters in hand: But now the least promise would glad my heart. I was a full man that cared not for a hony-combe, now if I had the least of Gods sweet promises, the crummes under the table the droppings of the honey, it would much refresh me.

6. Hee then comes to pity them that endure thirst, the poore which hee heard complaining sometimes, but never pitied, because hee never felt what it was: Oh beast, saith he, that I was, I never regarded the state of the poore when I he…d them complaine, now I seek what it is. Oh what a goodly matter it is to have ones fill at their need at any time▪ … is greet pity the poor … better regarded. If ever I get w…ter to save my life, I will pity: the poore hungry soules more than ever I ….

So the spirituall … p. 169out, that he hearing some complaine, and wring their hands, and take great paines in hearing the Word, pitied them not, but thought them fooles, and idle, in that they must needs speake with the Minister. I thought ill of them for it, and counted it needlesse; but now I know what it is, I feele it my selfe; I hope if ever I bee throughly satisfied, I shall bee more pitifull and charitable in censuring others.

7. If a man thirst, when he thinkes of all else he hath, hee takes no pleasure in them: what will his wealth, gold, house, land, doe him good if hee perish for thirst? nay it rather increaseth his griefe, to thinke he must goe from all for want of drinke. Bring him gay cloathes, sweete smells, musick: Away with all, give me drinke to quench my thirst. As Sampson had no joy of his great victory p. 170of the 1000. Philistines, because he feared he should die for thirst, Iudg. 15. 18. So hee that spiritually thirsteth, priseth Christ above all; so that if you lay all the honours, profits, pleasures in one scale, and Christ in the other, he counts all dung in comparison of him. And he that is the greatest person, if hee come to this hunger, hee takes no pleasure in all hee hath, without, or in comparison of this.

8. If any man should in this case come to him, and bring him drinke or water (as to a man chased over a dry desart in parching weather) would hee straine courtesie, and say hee is loth to be beholding, and he never deserved it of him? oh no, but hee gladly and thankefully receives it, and eagerly falls to it.

So if any come to him in this case, and comfortably apply the p. 171promise of Christ and salvation to him, and be an instrument of comfort to him, oh he remembers that day for ever, and counts that party one of a thousand, loves him ever after, and gladly embraceth this gracious offer when he tendreth it unto him. And if God will vouchsafe to bestow this mercy on him, oh hee thinketh himselfe bound to serve him on hands and knees all daies of his life; oh that were to bee written in his heart with a pen of iron.

Selling all,Selling all. is when a man to obtaine Christ and a part in his death and obedience, for salvation, is content to part with any thing that should stand in his way to hinder him from it.

What must the sinner sell? all that he hath? what is that? his goods, lands, children? No, these be, none of his owne, God hath but lent him these to use; p. 172and some that would have Christ, and shall, have no goods to sell. What then is our owne? our sinnes, and nothing else: these therefore wee must sell. Tush, what should you name them? they be not worth the selling to purchase Christ, seeing they are but base things. True, they bee such things as one would thinke should not be named with Christ, or that we should make any account of them; but such is our wretchednesse, and sinne is so sweete, and stickes so close, as, though they be nought worth, yet wee preferre them above any thing, and love them as, yea before our lives: many a man loseth his life for his lusts. Therefore when a man comes to this pass, with indignation to be willing to part with his sinnes, to have no more to doe with them (as hee must that will have part in Christ, he cannot have Christ; p. 173and keepe any one of his sinnes) this is a great matter, and that partie shall have the pearle.

And thus God brings along the man,Buying. and when he is at this passe God seales it up to him, and enables him to beleeve, and saith, Seeing thou wilt have no nay, be it unto thee according to thy desire: and God seales him up by the spirit of promise, as surely as any writing is made sure by sealing of it: then hee beleeves the word of God, and rests, and casts himself upon it. And thus he findes himselfe discharged of all woe, made partaker of all good, at peace in himselfe, and fitted, and in tune to doe God some service.

This is to some sooner, to some later, according to the helpes and meanes they have, and wise handling they meete withall, and as God gives power.

Some in the time of hearing p. 174of the Word, open themselves, and apprehend the promise; some after, when they are casting over that they have heard, and musing, and trying themselves thereby, get comfort and lay hold.

Some after humble and earnest prayer, some at the Sacrament. And then is hee planted into Christ, and a happy man thence forward that ever hee was borne.

It is hard to say at what instant faith is wrought, whether not till a man feels that hee apprehends the promises, or even in his earnest desires, hungring and thirsting; for even these are pronounced blessed.

Some having got hold, hold it faster than some by much, yet none but with doubtings sometimes; yet some are much priviledged this way, especially they that came hardliest by it.

Some ever and anon, let it p. 175goe, and are full of doubtings, and to seeke of that sometimes they had; some upon one occasion some upon another, some upon no occasion: But even God that gave them power to beleeve, withdrawing his hand but a little, they are much troubled, that hereby they may know whence their strength is.

And this may teach us Ministers to shew the people the doctrine of Faith distinctly,Vse 1. and particularly the working of it, and by what steps God brings men to it, that they may try themselves, and not bee deceived; without which they that have gone thus along, yet may still hang in doubt whether they have faith or no,

And many thinke they have it, when they never came neere it, taking such long strides as deceive themselves.

2. This may move also the p. 176people to try themselves. They that have attained faith, and assurance, and comfort, and came by it thus, and by these steps, let them enjoy it and bee thankfull: no man dares speake against it; nor let them call it into question, or bee made to doubt. Many are still questioning of their beginnings, and though they came to faith and comfort by these steps, yet are still fearing that they have not begun in truth, or that they are not in the right way, or tooke comfort ere it belonged to them. True, it is good to bee very carefull in laying the foundation of our house, but if wee be ever pulling up after it is laid, wee shall never finish the building.

3. They that now be in this case, and on the anvill (as it were) in framing to make beleevers of them, may also make good use of that which hath p. 177beene said. Didst thou ever finde this earnest desire? didst thon poure out thy humble and earnest requests to God for mercy, ease and pardon? hast thou felt this care, this hope? and hast thou felt this joy, even because thou foundest thy selfe not farre from enjoying so unspeakable a benefit? hast thou felt such a hungring and thirst after the blood of Christ, as thou couldest not be quiet without it; nothing else would satisfie? hast thou highly prized it, and doest thou finde thy selfe willing, as thou wouldest have any mercy, to part with all thy sinnes, even those that have beene the most profitable, and pleasing ones; that were sometimes to thee as neere as thy skin, as deare as thy life, so as thou couldst uot bring thy heart to thinke of leaving of them, but thoughtst thou couldst not live without them? p. 178hast thou now finally made them away?

Be of good comfort, Christ is thine, and the promise belongs to thee, and God can no more deny thee thy part in mercy and salvation, than hee can lie, repent, or deny himselfe: and hath hee not promised from time to time eternall life to such? Revel. 21. and 22. yea makes proclamation Isai. ah 55. 1. the price is no mony, but a thirsting soule, and Ioh. 7. 39. and 4. 14. to the woman of Samaria.

Wherein is great difference between the naturall and spirituall thirst; for in the naturall a man may thirst, and yet bee farre from drinke, or any thing to coole or refresh him: his thirst prepares him for drinke, but prepares no drinke for him. But in this its farre otherwise; for as the spirituall thirst prepares a man for drinke, so i… p. 179prepareth drinke for the man:Mat. 5. 5.Matt 5:5 for God hath promised to satisfie every such one.

So that a man may say of this man and his thirst, as Christ of Lazarus, This thirst is not unto death;Iohn 11.John 11 for thou canst not but have the well of water of life: for God hath provided it for such, yea for all such and none other.

In the other thirst, it is easie to be a thirst, nay impossible in parching heat & labour but to be so, but the difficulty is to get water, which is furthest off many times when it is most needed. In the spirituall the difficulty is to get a thirst; for if that bee, the worst is over: for then the water of life is at hand, and cannot be wanting.

Nay it is said he that drinkes of this water by faith, shall never thirst more.Ioh. 4. 14.John 4:14 In the naturall, hee that hath his thirst slaked at one time, may yet at another p. 180time thirst, and dye therewith. Not so in the spirituall; hee shall never thirst more. i.e. deadly: for though he shall desire more grace, more assurance of Christ and salvation, yet he shall at first drinke such a draught of Christ, as hee shall never bee quite drie more. And though hee may sometimes lose some of his feeling, or all, for a time, yet he shall not deadly thirst, for it shall spring up in him againe in time.

Yea he shall have out of his belley even rivers of water of life, flowing out to everlasting life. Hee shall have comfort to himselfe, and be able to helpe, coole, and refresh others. As many a one sometimes unable to lay hold of any comfort themselves, after are able to comfort others graciously.

Be therefore of good comfort: It is thine, it is done in p. 181heaven that thou wouldest have: It only wants to be done in thy conscience, which shall be sure ere long; strive against any doubting, and apprehend. Gods call is for thee, therefore come: hee bids thee beleeve, therefore doe so. Though comfort be a cordiall lockt up with the Lord, yet the thirster hath unlocked it by his thirst, and set open the vessell; and though other water may be farre from the thirsty, this is no further off than God, who is ever neer to those that call upon him faithfully.

But how few come to this state of thirsting! As there are few contrite, as I said before, so few come to these steps; most people are full, some with their lusts and sinnes: they satisfie and please them so well, as they desire nothing else: they feele no neede of Christ, they have no leisure to attend him; hee doth p. 182but trouble them: what is this but to preferre Barrabas before Christ, as Esau preferred pottage to the birth-right?

They are full of draffe and hogs meate, but empty of any good nourishment. If these lusts and they might ever abide together, then it were the lesse to be wondered at, but in the midst of all their lusts comes the vengeance of God upon them, and marres all the play: as wee see in Balthashar. But when God shall by death or judgement call them to account, what then? But that is not thought of, its too sad a thought. Then as they have beene full of sinne, they must also now bee filled with the wrath of God.

Some are so full of their wealth, honour, and businesses, and some of worldly dealings, that these take them up sufficiently. Alas poore vanities p. 183poore Gadarens!

Some full of their civill righteousnesse, others of their knowledge, gifts, and profession. These are puft up with wind, but it contents them: they be full, and feele no want of Christ.

God must, and will emptie your stomacke, and bring you to another passe ere ever you finde any mercy at his hand: you must bee purged of this stuffe. God will make you as empty and lanke as a glove ere ever you have any part of his mercy or Christ. Many would have Christ, but they desire coldly, lazily: now and then they bestow a few cold wishes, and prayers, or sighes for him; but they can stay their stomacks well enough without him: what may they thinke of themselves, when some others cry out, and wring their hands, weepe for one drop of the p. 184blood of Christ, and they greater sinners than these, and yet are not one whit moved? Being asked if they be perswaded of the love of God, and the forgivenesse of their sinnes: No truly (say they) but I would I were. If you wanted but a point to your hose, would you wish you had one, and not indeavour to get it? Wishers and woulders goe without. I hope I shall one day (say they) ere I die. So they have it in their sicknesse, and at their death, they can now spare it. These be too indifferent to obtaine: then they would have some of other folkes oyle, but oh they must be more earnest and present suitors if they will speed.

And thinke wee God will give men such a jewell in death, that cared little for it in life? No; it may be then they would full faine. Now give me that same, Lord, that thou offeredst p. 185me a great while agoe. No, it had beene good taking a good bargaine when it was offered. If a man should bring to one of you a hundred pound, and you were shoveling up dirt, or playing at cardes, and should pray him not to trouble you, and bid him come againe afterward, would not any say hee were worthy to misse it at his need? If one having a pardon offered him, and should make light of it, and should on the ladder desire it, might hee not well goe without it?

Hath God nothing to doe with his mercy (thinke you) and Christs blood, but to cast it away on those that can scarce thinke they need it, or will scarce thanke him for it? No, Gods mercies goe not a begging yet, God can finde such to bestow them on, as will thanke him heartily, and embrace them joyfully.

p. 186Now wee his Ministers, his Almoners to distribute his comforts, even as many as bee in the Scripture, dare not lavish them out, and promise them to such lazy indifferents as these: But if wee see any ready to faint for want, saying, Give me drinke or else I die, then wee reach the cup of consolation to him, and bid him drinke of it; neither dare wee to give it to any other.

God will not poure the oyle of Grace or precious comfort into a vessell full of cracks, that will let it leake out againe. Get therefore a thirsty soule, see thy voidenesse of all good in thy selfe, and that without Christ there is nothing to bee expected but perishing.

Take the load of thy sinnes on thy shoulders, and this will so weary thee, as it will bring thee to a thirst.

How few ever come to sell p. 187all for Christ? No, but somewhat they will part with, but not with some by any meanes. So Ananias and Saphira were content to forgoe two parts: and those hypocrites, Micaiah 6. would part with a thousand of Rams, &c. but not with their sinnes. Thou art a higler, a benchwhistler, a base chapman that standest halfe-penying with God, and shalt neuer come to be the owner of this treasure. How many bee like him, that comes and tastes, and likes the Merchants wine, commends it, cheapens, askes the price, offers somewhat towards it, but not to the worth? The Merchant will abate nothing, and tells him it is a very good pennyworth: the other will give no more, and so they part. The Merchant hath his wine still, but the other goeth away empty, and after (may be) comes againe, and it is gone: p. 188another came and swept it away.

How neere come some that yet shall never have heaven? they lose heaven for some one lust; if they could but yeeld up that one thing that was wanting, it might have beene a bargaine. Oh folly! oh madnesse to be bewailed! play not the foole; away with that other lust too: it is an unspeakable rich bargaine. Oh shall I part with my deceit in my shop, my lust, my pleasure, this way and that? alas, spare me in this one thing. What talkst thou of pleasure, lay away thy sinne, that brings sinfull and deadly stinging pleasure, that will end in eternall paine; and take up Christ that will bring thee true and sound pleasure, that shall begin here, and never end, but be full and perfect hereafter for ever in heaven.

God open peoples eyes. p. 189A body would thinke there should bee no great ado to perswade men to such a reasonable, nay to such a gainefull bargaine: but such is mans wofull blindnesse, and inability to see or to judge what is best, as hee chuseth most preposterously to his owne destruction.

And thus much of the causes and meanes of Faith, and how it is wrought in us.

Having spoken of the author and meanes of Faith,Degrees of Faith. it followeth that wee now speake of the degrees of it. All attaine not to a like measure, neither is any great measure attained unto at once, but in time and by degrees. There is a strong Faith and a weake: see Rom. 4. 18. &c. where the Apostle sheweth what had beene a weake Faith, or what it had beene for Abraham to have consulted with flesh and bloud, with sense and reason, and so p. 190to have doubted of the promise of God, which hee did not, but was contrariwise strengthned in faith, &c.

A little Faith and a great Faith are both mentioned in Scriptures: of a great Faith we have an example in the Centurion, Matth. 8. 10. I have not found so great Faith, no not in Israel. and Matth. 15. in the woman of Cana, that did abide so many repulses, and yet hung still on Christ, O woman great is tby Faith, &c. Of small Faith we have an example in the Disciples, Matth. 16. 8. O ye of little Faith: So, Matth. 8. 26. all the Disciples are for their little Faith reproved: and Peter alone, Matth. 14. 31. Some Faith is so weake that it is called unbeleefe, as Mark. 9. I beleeve; Lord helpe my unbeleefe, &c. So when the Disciples asked our Saviour why they could not heale the lunaticke childe, hee p. 191answereth them, because of your unbeleefe, Matth. 17. 20. For if you had Faith as a graine of mustard seede, &c. So that besides beleevers and unbeleevers, such as have no Faith, which bee many: some that have no shew of it; some that have a bold presumptuous conceit, some a temporary Faith, which are sometimes bold, and lifted up, sometimes as quite to seeke againe, and all because they have no good foundation, and indeede have no true Faith. There are also degrees betweene true beleevers, even as God pleaseth to bestow on some more on some lesse, Ephes. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 2. 11. Rom. 1 2. 3. even as God hath imploiment for them, or as they have meanes, or as they bee carefull in the use of them. As therefore God deales in the bodily stature, making some high some low, &c. as in the temporall p. 192goods, some are rich, some poor, some from poore become rich, some continue ever poore, some of rich become poore &c. And as in the family of yonguer folkes there bee children of all sorts, some can worke, one rocke the cradle, another in the cradle &c. So it is in the Church of God.

First then I will speake of a weake Faith,1. Weake Faith. and then of a strong. A weake Faith is either when a man or woman is of small knowledge in the Scriptures and principles of Religion, or weake in apprehension of the promises of God concerning forgivenesse of sinnes and salvation by Christ, having attained some perswasion, and sometimes a little confidence in it, and yet againe doubtfull, and to seeke, and full of feares lest it be not so, and that they never begunne well. Or when a man is cast backe p. 193againe, and becommeth doubtfull sometimes of perseverance, when considering what enemies there be, and how weake he is, and what oppositions hee may meete with.

Sometimes fearing hee shall never get strength against some of his corruptions, and that therefore his Faith will faile him at the last, and hee shall marre all: sometimes when hee gets a little ground, hee is of good hope; sometimes againe in his dumps and deepe feares.

So sometimes Christians are weake in the other inferiour promises,Note Mat. 4. and Mat. 26 at the voice of the mai…e.Matt 4Matt 26 and grow soone discouraged by little things; and as the Disciples, Matth. 8. If they be in any trouble, they are ready to faint, or thinke it over long, to be freed. If helpe come not by and by, then they are discouraged, and are ready to helpe themselves by unlawfull meanes, as Asa, 2. Cro. 16. p. 194or else they are full of cares for the world, fearing they shall want ere they die, and therefore grow too carefull, though God hath made promises to the contrary.

Examples of weak faith there are many in the Scripture: as in the Disciples Matthew 26. 28. who all fled from their Master, & could not beleeve his Resurrection, when Mary told them.

Many there were in the times of persecution, that hid themselves, or fled; some taken that recanted, though soone after getting more strength, they againe put forth themselves, and suffered couragiously; some never had strength, which yet no doubt had some measure of Grace.

Many in our own times, yea too many, are weake in faith, some ever and anon in their dumpes and feares after some comfort received: and so in other things.

p. 195Quest. But how can you tell that this is true faith at all, that is so full of doubtings, &c?

Ans. Yes very well, by this, that the comfort and assurance they sometimes have, they have got it the right way, and came to it by the steps whereby it pleaseth God to bring men to faith by.

2. The spirit of God, which cannot deceive them, witnesseth to their spirit.

3. These signes shew it, seeing they constantly and earnestly still seeke the Lord Iesus Christ, and the favour of God; they grieue at their unbeliefe, mourne for it, and strive against it.

They hunger after the Word, they love the Saints of God dearely; they are very fearefull to offend God, and desire to live an unblameable life, &c.

2. Quest, How chanceth it then seeing their faith is true p. 196that it is so weake?

Ans. Alas there is small need to aske this; for it is easie to have weake faith, but hard to have it strong.

1. Some are but novices newly converted, these being infants must needs bee weake, and have many turne-againes and feares. And if it bee so, its the better signe; for who can looke it should bee otherwise? doe any thinke a new borne childe, or of a quarter old, should goe alone? Christ would have no burthens laid on his yongue disciples, nor strong new wine put into old vessells.

2. Some have small knowledge, and therefore their faith must needs be small, and they held downe with many a temptation: as the Disciples that fled from their Master, because they knew little to stay them.

3. Some are not able to discerne p. 197of the comforts offered them, and have no power to apprehend the promise; which is no wonder, for it is not a small thing so to doe, as Samuel at first discerned not Gods voyce.

4. Some want meanes: some that attaine the publike, yet neglect the private helpes of secret prayer, reading and meditation, and so are weake.

5. Some are so close that they keepe all to themselves, and open not their doubts to some godly Minister or experienced Christian, and so they must needs be weake the longer. Some thinke they were never humbled enough.

6. Some thinke they see and finde more corruption in themselves, than can bee in one that is a beleever and the childe of God: though herein they are deceived; for the sight of it, with hatred and resistance, rather p. 198proves their faith.

7. Some also walke not so carefully, but are carryed too much after the world: or fall into this or that sin, and make not hast out of it againe by repentance, and so weaken themselves.

Yet wee are to know, that this weak faith, is true faith; as 1 Tim. 1. Faith unfamed, and like pretious faith, they had with other the worthy Saints of God. As precious, though not so great; the same holy Ghost the author; the same Gospell the instrument, &c.

Little faith is true faith, as well as great, a little man is a man as well as a great man, a little water is as truely water as the Ocean Sea, &c.

The Disciples had true Faith, and yet very weake; weake in knowledge: though they beleeved, Matth. 16. that he was the Messias, that should p. 199save the world, yet how, they could not tell: they were ignorant of his death; for when he told them of his sufferings, Matth. 20. and Marke 9 34. and Luke 9. 43. yet it is said they understood not that word, and Peter tooke his Master aside and counselled him not to goe to Ierusalem to dye,Mat. 16.Matt 16 &c.

They were ignorant also of his resurrection; for when Mary told them of it they beleeved it not.

Of his ascension, Iohn 13 and chapt. 14 when hee spake of a little tarrying with them, and then of his going away, they understood it not, they knew not whither he went, they said, and knew not the way. Now how weake was this their knowledge to bee ignorant of such maine Articles?

Also they were ignorant of Christs Kingdome, dreaming p. 200of an earthly kingdome, and desired to sit at his right and left hand, &c. Yea and in this ignorance they continued even after his Resurrection, as Act. 1. Yea and as they were weake in knowledge, so also in beleeving; and therefore fled all from Christ. But weake Faith may prove strong in time: the learnedst Clerke was in his horne book, the greatest Giant was in swadling clouts, the tallest Oake was a twigge, and Faith groweth from a graine of Mustard seede to a tall tree: As from a childe to a man, so corne groweth from a weake blade to a stalke, and eare, and ripe corne therein, &c.