Comforting Afflicted Consciences, Text (6 of 11)

Comforting Afflicted Consciences · Text (6 of 11)

p. 2572. Secondly, for our good; and that two waies: first, in Iustification: secondly, and in Sanctification.

1. For the first; wee are such strangers unto God, that wee will never come unto Him, till wee see no other remedy; being at the Pits brinke, ready to starue, hopelesse, &c. Wee see it in the prodigall Sonne: He would never thinke of any returne unto his Father, till all other helpes failed Him, money, friends, acquaintance, all sorts of food; Nay, if Hee might have fed upon huskes with the Swine, Hee would not have thought of returning, any more to his Father: This beeing denied him, the Text p. 258saith, Hee came to Himselfe: shewing us, that when Men runne on in sinfull courses, they are mad men, out of themselves; even as wee see th…se in Bedlam are beaten, kept under, den…ed comforts, till they come to themselves: And what faith Hee then? I will arise, and goe to my Father, and will say unto Him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against Thee, &c. So it is with us, untill the Lord humble, and bring us low in our owne eyes, show us our misery and spirituall poverty, and that in us there is no good thing; that wee bee stript of all helpe…, in, and without our selves; and see that wee must perish, unlesse wee beg His mercy; I say, untill then wee will not seeke his face and favour, nor have recourse to Iesus Christ, the rocke of our salvation. It is with us in this Case, Luke 8.43.Luke 8:43as it was with the Women, whom Christ healed of the bloody issue. How long was it, ere shee came to Christ? She had been sicke twelve yeeres; She had spent all her living upon Physitions, neither could she bee healed of any. Now this extremity brought Her to Iesus Christ. This then is the meanes to bring to Christ: To bring us upon our knees, to drive us out of our selues, hopelesse, as low as may bee; To shew us, where helpe is onelyonly to bee found, and make us runne unto it. The hunted Beast flies unto his Den: The Israelites being stung by fiery Serpents, made hast to the Brazen Serpent, a Type of Christ, for helpe: The Man-killer under the Law, chaced by the avenger of blood, ran…e a pace to the City of refuge. Ioab being pursued for his life, fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord, and laid fast hold upon the horne… of the Altar: A wounded man hies unto the Surgeon: Proportionably a poore Soule, broken and bruised with the insupportable burden of all his abominations, bleeding at heart-roote under sense of Divine wrath, by the cutting edge of the Sword of the Spirit, managed aright by some Masters of assemblies, chaced furiously by the Law, Sinne, Conscience, and Satan, sometimes even to the brinke of despaire, &c. will bee willing p. 259with a witnesse, to cast it selfe into the sweet compassionate inviting armes, and embracements of Iesus Christ, broken and bleeding upon the Crosse for our sinnes, and so bee made His, for ever.

2. For our sanctification also, it is good for us that the Comforters first worke bee, to worke feare in us. For wee are naturally so frozen in our dregs, that no fire in a manner will warme, or th…w us. Wee wallow in our owne blood, wee sticke fast in the mire of sinne up to the chinne, that wee cannot stirre. So that this feare is sent to pull us violently, as it were, from our corruptions; to make us holy, and looke unto our waies for the time to come. Now to effect this, sharpest things are best; as are the Law, and threatnings of condemnation, the opening of Hell, the racking of the conscience, and a sense of wrath present, and to come. So hard-hearted are wee by nature, being as the Children of the bond-woman, to whom violence must be used. Even as wee see a Man riding a young and wilde Horse to tame him; Hee will runne him against a wall, that hee may make him afraid, ride him in deepe and rough places; or if this will not doe, take him up to some high rocke, and bringing him to the brinke thereof, Hee threatneth to throw him downe headlong; maketh him shake and quake, whereby at last hee is tamed. So deales the Lord with us: Hee gives us a sight of sinne, and of the punishment due thereunto, a sense of wrath, setteth the conscience on fire, as it were; filleth the heart with feares, …orrours and dis-quietnesse; openeth Hell thus unto the Soule, brings us to the gates thereof, and threatneth to throw us in: And all this to make a man more holy, and aaChristus …o…ine instat…m terret comminatioue exclusionis è regn… coelorum. Nam qui nondùm conversi sunt, ad inferos, iam priui… detrudendi sunt, ad hoc ut inspectâ poenâ peccati, discant ab co abhorrere, quo tempore naturâ sese oblecta…. Rolloc in Iohan. cap. 3. pag. 133.hate sinne the more. The cure of the Stone in the heart, saith bbDike of Repentance, cap. 2.another, speaking to the same purpose, is like that of the Stone in the Bladder: God must use a sharpe incision, and come with his pulling and p. 260plucking instruments, and rend the heart in pieces, ere that sinne can bee got out of it. — Even as in a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should bee cast into a burning Fever, because the senses are benummed, and this will wake them, and drie up the be…otting humours; so in our dead security before our conversion, God is faine to let the Law, Sinne, Conscience and Satan loose upon us; and to kindle the fire of Hell in our soules, that so we might be rouzed: Our sinnes sticke close unto us, as the Prisoners bolts, and wee are shut up under them, as in a strong Prison: And therefore unlesse, as once in Paul and Silas their case, an earthquake, so here there come a mighty heart-quake, violently breaking open the Prison doores, and shaking off our fetters, never shall wee get our liberty, &c.

Thus wee see, what a mighty ccQuando peccati, quod divinae legis est violatio, conse…ntia stimulamur, atque convincimur, intelligimusque nos per peccatum in execrationem, acerbissimum odium, gravissi…amque Divini numinis offensiontem, atque indignationem incurrisse, mercedemque atque stipendium, quod peccatum meretur, esse, ut non solùm omnibus calamitatibus at que miserijs …uins vitae, morbisque, & morte corporis affic…amur; verum etiam, ut damnati…e atque interitu sempiterno mulitemur: simul atque ex lege agnoscimus, nos per peccatum in …unc condemnator…m statum, quo nibiltetrius cogitari potest, pervenisse: toto pectore, totâ mente, toto corde animo que cohorremus, & contremiscimus, atque ita, ut casum nostrum salutariter doleamus, & ut nosmet nostri poeni…eat, Lex, efficit; impellítque ut peccatorum veniam, iustitiam, & vitam sempiternam, (quae ex lege adipisci non possumus) a Christo servatore tantùm, & per Christum expetamus & expectemus. Alex. Nowellus Inst. Christian. Pietatis De Legis usu. Hoc loco docent, Poenitentiam esse, quae ex peccatorum & irae divinae agnitione nascitur, quae per legem Dei primum dolores & terrorem conscientiae incutiat. Scilicet cum verbo Dei int…s argu untor peccata, & redditur mens malè conscia sibi, inquieta, praetrist…s, & desperabunda, cor anxium, confractum, & pavidum, ut homo per se nullâre prorsùs erigi possit, aut consolationem nancisci, sed totus afflictissimus est, spiritu deiecto ac trepidante, & ingenti …orrore concussus à conspectuirae Dei, &c. —Súnt que sic affectis divinae promissiones …, &c. Harmon. Confess. p. 2. Bohaemica Confess. Art. 5. pag. 240.worke of the Law, and of the spirit of bondage there must bee, to prepare for Christ. And how requisite it is both for the glorifying of Gods justice and mercy; and also for the furtherance of our justification, and sanctification. For illustration of which Point, besides all that hath been said before, I have more willingly in this last Passage prest at large the authority of so great a Divine, (in which, I hope, I have not swarved from His sense) because Hee p. 261is without exception both for holinesse and learning: and so his sincere and orthodoxe judgement more currant and passable.

Ob. But hence, it may bee, some troubled Soule may take up a complaint, and say: Alas, if it bee thus, what shall I thinke of my selfe? I doe not remember, that ever I tasted so deepely of such terrours, and legall troubles, as you seeme to require: I have not been so humbled and terrified, nor had such experience of that state under the spirit of bondage, as you talke of, &c. And therefore you have cast scruples into my conscience, about the truth and soundnesse of my conversion.

Answ. I answer, in this worke of the spirit of bondage; in this Case of legall terrours, humiliations, and other preparative dispositions, wee doe not prescribe precisely just such a measure and quantitie: We doe not determine peremptorily upon such or such a degree, or height: Wee leave that to the Wisedome of our great Master in Heaven, the onelyonly wise God, ddI grant, the Lord, who is the most free Agent, takes liberty, and workes as it pleaseth him; and there is ods, and difference for time, measure, and such things: but for the generall alwaies the same; by humbling first, then comforting, &c. Mast. Rogers of Dedbam Doctr. of Faith, pag. 63.who is a most free Agent. But sure wee are, a man must have so much, and in that measure, as to bring Him to Christ. It must make him weary of all his sinnes, and of Satans bondage wholly; willing to plucke out his right eye, and cut off his right hand, I meane, to part with his best-beloved bosome-lusts; to sell all, and not leave so much as an hoofe behind. It must bee so much, as to make him see his danger, and so hast to the Citie of Refuge, to bee sensible of his spirituall misery, that hee may heartily thirst for mercy; to finde himselfe lost and cast away in Himselfe, that Christ may bee All in All unto Him: And after must follow an hatred of all false and evill waies for the time to come; a thorow-change of former courses, company, conversation; and setting Himselfe in the way and practise of …obriety, honesty and holinesse. If thou hast had experience of these affections, and effects in thine owne soule, whatsoever the measure of p. 256the work of the spirit of bondage hath been in thee lesse or more; Thou art safe enough, and mayst goe on comfortably in the holy Path, without any discouragement, either from such pretended scruples in thy selfe, or any of Satans cruell cavils, and oppositions to the contrary.

VponUpon this occasion, it will not bee here unseasonable, to tell you, How that Legall terrour, which God appoints to bee a preparative in his elect, for the spirit of adoption, and a true change, differs from that which is found in **This Legall terror and spirit of feare, is but a common worke of the Spirit. Such an one, that unlesse more follow, it can afford us no comfort. foreign in N. T. est resipisientia quae fide est po…erior & salutaris. foreign verò est poenitentia, quae fide est prior, ideo que non semper salutaris. Vt docet exemplum Iudae, Matth. 27.3. Poenitétia dicitur m…rsus & vulnus, quod animli sauciat…tem contritio, qu… sisuerit t…istitia secundum Deum gignit foreign 2. Corinth. 7.10. Sin minus, i…er est ad maximum quodque scelus, & tandem ad desperationem; ut docet exempl…m tudae. Interim tamen per Catachresin. foreign pro foreign ponitur. Alsted. Theol. Polem. p. 4. De Poenitent. & Indulg. controv. 1.Matt 27:32 Cor 7:10Aliens, and not attended with any such saving consequents: That every one, who hath had trouble of conscience for sinne, may clearely discerne, whether it hath brought Him to Christ, or left Him unconverted.

1. That happy Soule, which is under the terrifying hand of God, preparing by the worke of the spirit of bondage, for the entertainement of Christ, and a sound conversion upon that fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath, and strict visitation of his conscience for sinne, casts about for ease and reconcilement, onelyonly by the blood of the Lord Iesus, and those Soule-healing promises in the Booke of life, with a resolute contempt of all other meanes and offers, for pacification: feeling now, and finding by experience, that no other way, no earthly thing, not this whole world, were it all dissolved into the most curious, and exquisite pleasures, that ever any carnall heart conceived, can any way asswage the least pang of his grieved spirit. Glad therefore is Hee to take counsel and advise, with any that is able, or likely to leade him by a wise and discreet hand to a well-grounded comfort and refreshment: And resolveth greedily, what-ever the prescription and direction bee, to give way unto it most willingly in his performance and practise. And the people asked him, saying, What shall wee doe then? Then came also Publicans to be baptized, and said unto Him, Master, what shall wee doe? p. 257And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall wee doe? Thus were Iohns hearers affected, Luk. 3.10, 12, 14. beeing afflicted with the piercing passages of Iohns thundring Sermon; Men and brethren what shall wee doe? say the Penitent Iewes, pricked in their hearts, Acts. 2.37. The Iaylour, Acts 16.30. came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I doe to bee saved? As if they had said: Prescribe and enioyne what you will; bee it never so harsh and distastefull to flesh and blood, never so crosse and contrary to carnall reason, profit, pleasure, preferment, acceptation with the world, ease, liberty, life, &c. having warrant out of the Word, wee are resolved, and ready to doe it. OnelyOnly informe us first, how to partake, and bee assured of the person and passion of Iesus Christ; how to have the angry face of our blessed God, to whom wee have continued Rebels so long, turned into calmnesse and favour unto us. But now a Cast-away and Alien thus legally terrified, and under wrath for sinne, is never wont to come to this earnestnesse of care, eagernesse of resolution, stedfastnesse of endeavour, willingnesse upon any termes to abandon utterly all His old wayes, and to embrace new, strict and holy courses. These things appeare unto Him terrible Puritanicall, and intolerable. He commonly in such cases, hath recourse for ease and remedy to worldly comforts, and the arme of flesh. He labours to relieve his heavy heart, by a strong and serious casting his minde, and nestling his conceit upon his riches, gold, greatnesse, great friends, credit amongst Men, and such other transitory delights, and fading flowers of His fooles Paradise. For Hee is at a Point, and resolute with a sensuall impenitent obstinacy, not to passe forward thorow the Pangs of the New-birth by repentance and sanctification, into the holy Trade of new-obedience: lest Hee should, (as out of a foolish and phranticke basenesse, Hee is apt to feare) bee engaged and p. 264enchained, as it were, to too much stricknesse, precisenesse, holinesse of life, communion with Gods people, and opposition to good fellowship.

2. Hee, that is savingly-wounded with Legall terrour, is wont in cold blood, and being something come to Himselfe, to entertaine the very same conceit (or rather mingled with a great deale more reverence, affectionatenesse and love, as farre as the life of an immortall Soule doth surpasse in dearenesse and excellency the cure of a fraile and earthy body) of that Man of God, which by a right managing the edge of his spirituall sword, hath pierced his heart, scorched his conscience, and bruised his spirit; I say, the same in proportion, which a wise and thankefull Patient would have of that faithfull Surgeon, which hath seasonably and thorowly launced some deepe and dangerous Sore, which otherwise would have been his death. VponUpon the search and discovery, Hee clearely sees and acknowledgeth, that had not that holy incision been made into his rotten and ulcerous heart, it had cost him the eternall life of his Soule. But now the Alien put out of his sensuall humour with horrour of conscience, is ordinarily transported with much ragefull discontentment, against the powerfull Ministery of Gods paineful Messengers, who put Him to such torture, by troubling Him for sinne, and frighting Him with Hell. And thereupon cries out against them, at least with secret indignation and fretting, as the Divels did against Christ: Why doe you thus torment us before the time?

3. Aliens in such cases entertaine no other thought, and cast about for no other comfort at all, but onelyonly how they may recover their former quietnesse of mind, carnall ease, and freedome from present terrour. But hee that is fitting, by the spirit of bondage, for Faith, and the fellowship of the Saints, will never by any meanes, whatsoever come of Him, relapse to his wouted sensuall security. Nay, of the two, Hee will rather p. 265lie still upon the Racke, waiting for the Lord Iesus all the dayes of his life, then to returne any more unto foolishnesse, or hunt againe after any contentment in the miserable pleasures of good fellowship.

4. That Messenger, an Interpreter, ccSi adsit peccatori calamitate ali …u… presso, vel lethaliter aegrotanti minister Dei, annuncians …i voluntatem Dei, & exhortans adresipiscentiam & mutationem vitae in melius, cuiusmodi nunsius & interpres fidus voluntatis Dei est rarissi…us, qui indicet non Deo, sed homini aequitatem, sen rectitudinem illius nimirùm Dei, hoc est, iustissimam, & aequissimā gubernationē Dei, quâ ille erga omnes hominès, & inprimis afflictos utitur. Polan. in Ezech. cap. 20.Ezek 20One among a thousand, who in such a case can seasonably and soundly declare unto a savingly-wounded Soule His righteousnesse; assure Him, it was Christ Iesus onelyonly businesse in comming from Heaven, to disburden all that labour, and are heavy laden; and ease such trembling hearts, &c. I say, such a blessed Man of God to such a broken heart, is for ever after most deare and welcome. His secte are beautifull in his eye, every time Hee comes neere Him. Comfort of so high a nature, in extremity of such horrible consequence, doth infinitely and endlesly endeare the delivered Soule to such an heavenly Doctour. But Aliens commonly make no great account of godly Ministers any longer, then they have present need of them, and that trouble of minde makes them Melancholike, and without mirth. They seeme to reverence them, while from their generall discourses of mercy, and Gods free grace, of mercifull invitations to Christ, and certainty of acceptation (if they will come in) &c. They sucke into their false hearts before the time, and truth of humiliation, some superficiall glimmerings, and flashes of comfort and cooling. But if once the heate of their guilty rage begin to asswage, and they find againe some ease from their former terrours, and wonted rellish in earthly delights, they turne such holy men out of their hearts, cast them out of their consciences, and hold no higher, or further conceit of them, then of other, and ordinary men; if they forbeare to persecute them with thoughts of disdaine and contempt.

5. The true Penitent, having smarted under the sense of divine wrath, and frighted with the flames of horrour for sinne, doth grow fearefull for ever after to offend, and with much gracious care dreads that consuming p. 260fire. But the Alien, while hee is upon the R…cke indeede, and hath the hainousnesse of his sinnes, and Hell freshly in His eie, will easily make many glorious protestations and promises, what a rare and resolute Convert Hee will become upon his recovery. But if once the storme bee over-blowne, Gods hand withdrawne, and his painefull conscience cast againe into a deade sleepe by the power, or rather poison of some sensuall receit, Hee performes just nothing: But like a filthy swine, wallowes againe in the mire and mud of earthlinesse and carnality, and againe with the beastly dog, returnes unto, and resumes his vomit.

6. Hee that hath savingly passed thorow the Pangs of such spirituall afflictions, is wont to bee very kindlily affected, most compassionate, and tender-hearted to others, afflicted with the same wofull terrours and troubles of conscience. A woman, which hath herselfe with extraordinary paine, tasted of that exquisite torture of child birth, is wont to bee more tenderly and mercifully disposed towards another in the like torment; then she, that never knew what that miserie meant: And is more ready, willing, and skillfull to relieve in such distresses. It is proportionably so in the present Case: But the Alien beeing tainted in some measure with the Divels hatefull disposition, is by the heate of his slavish horrour, rather enraged with malice, then resolved into mercy: Hee is rather tickled with a secret content, then touched with true commiseration, to see and heare of others plunged into the same gulphe of misery, and plagued like Himselfe. Hee is much troubled with his solenesse in suffering, and the singularity of any sorrowfull Accident. Companion-ship in crosses, doth something allay the discomforts of carnall men: So that sometimes they secretly, but very sinfully reioyce, (such is their dogged, **Ex foreign, asse. …us … & gaudio … lus; Cum … has: …. Tropto ed … latibus lae…antur, ad ipsum Diabolum accedunt: And they are as like … in this p…stilent property, as if Hee had spi… them out of his … oath.divelish disposition) even to see the hand of God upon their neighbours. Neither can hee in such extremeties minister any p. 267meanes of helpe, or true comfort at all, either by prayer, counsell, or any experimentall skill; because the evill spirit of his vexed conscience, was not driven away by any well-grounded application of Gods mercies, and Christs blood, but as Saules was, by Musicke, worldly mirth, carnall advise, Soule-slaying flatteries of Man-pleasing Ministers, plunging desperately into variety of sensuall pleasures, &c.

7. Hee, which after the boisterous tempest of Legall terrours, hath happily arrived at the Port of Peace; I meane, that blessed peace which passeth all understanding, made with God himselfe in the blood of his Son, enters presently thereupon into the good way, takes upon Him the yoke of Christ, and serues him afterward in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life. And ordinarily His deeper humiliation, is an occasion of his more humble, precise, holy, and strickt walking, and of more watchfulnesse over his heart, and tendernesse of conscience, about lesser sinnes also; all occasions of scandall, appearances of evill, even aberrations in his best actions, & holiest duties, &c. But Aliens, whē once they bee taken off the Racke, and their torture determine, either become just the same men they were before; or else reforme onelyonly some one, or other grosse sin, which stuckē most upon their consciences, but remaine unamended and unmortified in the rest: or else, which often comes to passe, grow a great deale worse. For they are, as it were, angry with God, that hee should give them a taste of Hell fire before their time; and therefore knowing their time but short, fall upon earthly delights more furiously, engrosse and graspe the pleasures of the World with more greedinesse and importunitie.

These things thus premised; I come to tell you, that for the rectifying of the fore-mentioned Errour, and prevention of the danger of dawbing and undoing for ever in a matter of so weighty importance, I would advise p. 268the Spirituall Physition, to labour with the utmost improovement of all his divine skill, heavenly wisedome, best experience, heartiest praiers, most piercing persuasions, prest out of the word for that purpose, wisely to worke, and watchfully to observe the season, when hee may, warrantably and upon good ground, apply unto the woundedst soule of his spiritually-sicke Patient assured comfort in the promises of life, and that soveraigne blood, which was spilt for broken hearts; and assure him in the Word of truth, that all those rich compassions, which lie within the compasse of that great Covenant of everlasting mercy and love, sealed with the painefull sufferings of the Sonne of God, belong unto Him. Which is then, when his troubled heart is soundly humbled under Gods mighty hand, and brought at length to, first, a truly penitent sight, sense, and hatred of all sinne: secondly, a sincere and unsatiable thirst after Iesus Christ, and righteousnesse both imputed, and inherent: thirdly, an unfained and un-reserved resolution of an universall New-obedience for the time to come, &c. Here I had purposed to have been large; but I am prevented by that which hath been said already: and therefore to avoide repetition, I must remit you to the consideration of those Legall and Evangelicall preparations for the entertainement of Christ and true comfort, which I handled before, which may give some good direction and satisfaction in the Point.

Yet take notice, that in the meane time before such fitnesse bee fully effectuated, I would have the Man of God ply his Patient with his best perswasions and Proofes, seasonably mingled with motives to humiliation, of the pardonablenesse of his sinnes, possibility of pardon, damnablenesse of despaire, danger of ease by outward mirth, &c. And to hold out to the eye of the troubled conscience, as a prize and Lure, as it were, the freenesse of Gods immeasurable mercy, the generall p. 269Offer of Iesus Christ without any exception of persons, times, or sinnes; the pretiousnesse and infallibilitie of the promises, in as faire and lovely a fashion, in as orient and alluring formes, as Hee can possibly. But it is One thing, to say; If these things bee so, I can assure you in the Word of life, of the promises of life, and already-reall right and interest to all the riches of Gods free grace, and glorious purchase of Christs meritorious blood: Another thing, to say; If you will suffer your understandings to bee illightened, your consciences to bee convinced, your hearts to be wounded with sight, sense, and horrour of sin; If you will come-in, and take Iesus Christ, His Person, his Passion, his yoke; If you will entertaine these and these affections, longings, and resolutions, &c. Then most certainely our mercifull Lord will crowne your truly humbled soules with his dearest compassions, and freest love.

Lastly, bee informed, that when all is done, I meane, when the Men of God have their desire; That the Patient in their perswasion is soundly wrought upon, and professeth understandingly and feelingly, and as they verily thinke from His heart; first, that Hee is heavy laden with the grievous burden of all His sinnes; secondly, That Hee is come by his present spirituall terrour and trouble of minde, to that resolution, to doe any thing; which wee find the Hearers of Iohn and Peter, Luk. 3. Act. 2. Thirdly, That Hee most highly prizeth Iesus Christ farre above the riches, pleasures, and glory of the whole earth; thirsts, and longs for Him infinitely. Fourthly, That Hee is most willing to sell all: To part with all sinne, with His right eye, and right hand, those lusts and delights which stucke closest to His bosome; Not to leave so much as an hoofe behind. Fifthly, That hee is content with all his heart to take Christ, as well for a Lord and Husband to serue, love, and obey Him; as for a Saviour to deliver Him from the miseries of sinne. To take upon Him His yoke: To p. 270enter into the narrow way, and walke in the holy Path: To associate Himselfe to that sect, which is so spoken against everywhere, &c. I say, when it is thus with the afflicted Party, and most happy is Hee, when it is thus with Him; yet notwithstanding, because God alone is the Searcher of the heart, and the heart of Man is deceitfull above all things, wee can assure mercy and pardon, but onelyonly conditionally, (Tho by the mercy of God, wee doe it many and many times with strong and undeceiving confidence). Wee must ever adde either expressedly, or impliedly, such formes of speech as these: If all this which you professe bee in truth; If you bee thus resolved indeed; If these things bee so as you have said, &c. Why, then wee assure you in the word of life and truth, your Case is comfortable; you may sweetly repose your troubled, and truly-humbled soule upon Iesus Christ, as your wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification and redemption; upon all the Promises of life, Gods free grace, &c. as truly belonging unto you, and certainely yours for ever.

Heare two Master Builders upon the matter, confirming the present Point.

1.ffDoctor Vsher in his Answer to a Iesuites chalenge. Of the Priests power to forgive sinnes, pag. 144. To think that it lyeth in the power of any Priest truly to absolve a man frō his sins, without implying the condition of his believing and repenting, as he ought to doe, is both presumption and madnesse in the highest degree.

2. ggBuckler of the Faith. By Peter de Mou… against Armo…z the Iesuite. Of A…ticular confession, pag. 390.In the Pardon, whereby a Priest hhBy pardoning here, understand not any soveraignty of remitting sinnes: wee leave that errour to the Luciferian pride of that Man of sinne, who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God. Whom if wee follow, wee must say, that in this high Priest there is the fulnesse of all graces; because Hee alone giveth a full indulgence of all sinnes: that that may agree unto Him, which wee say of the chiefe Prince our Lord, that of his fulnesse all wee have received. Oportet dicere, in summo Pontifice esse plenis …d…e… omnium, gratiarum; quia ipse solus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum: ut competat sibi, quod de primo principe Domino dicimus; quia de plenitudine …i…s …os omnes a…epimus. De regimine Principum, Lib. 3. cap. 10. inter Opuscula Thomae, num. 10. Nay, wee must acknowledge, that the meanest in the whole army of Priests, that followe… this King of pride, hath such fulnesse of power derived unto him, for the opening and shutting of heaven before men: that forgivenesse is denied to them, whom the Priest will not forgive. Negatur remissio illis, quibus noluerint Sacerdotes remittere. Bellarm. de Poenitent. lib. 3. cap. 2. I say then, by pardoning, wee must not understand any soveraignty of remitting sinnes: but a declaring and shewing to the true Repentant, that they are pardoned, ministerially onelyonly. To which truth, it is so mighty, even some Popish writers subscribe. God, saith Lombard, the Father of the Romish Schoole, hath given power to Priests to binde and unbinde, that is, to shew, that men are bound or unbound. Deus Sacerdotibus tribuit potestatem solvendi & ligandi, id est, osten dendi homines esse ligato… … solutos. Lib. 4. distinct. 18. litera F. whom a great number of Schoole-men follow, In … Sent. Dist. 18. Nay, our Polemicall Divines proove it to bee publikely taught from … time of Satans loosing, untill his binding againe, by the restoring of the purity of the Gospell in our dayes. For this purpose, these are their Authors: Radulphus Ardens; The power, saith Hee, of releasing sinnes belongeth to God alone: but the ministry (which improperly is called a power) Hee hath granted to His substitutes, who after this manner doe binde and absolve, that i… to say, doe declare that men are bound, or absolved. …ot…stas peccata relaxandi solius Dei est. Ministerium verò, quod impropriè etiam Potestas vocatur, vicarijs suis concessit; qui modo suo ligant vel absolvunt, id est, liga…os, vel solutos esse oftendunt. Hom. Dominic. 1. post Pascha. Both the Anselmes, ours of Canterbury, the other of Laon in France, in their Expositions upon Matth. 9. Iuo Bishop of Chartres, Epist. 228. Hugo Cardinalis, in Luc. 5. & Matth. 16. Allissiodorensis, lib. 4. De generali usu Clavium. Alex. Halensis, Sum. Part 4. Q. 21. Membr. 1. Bonavent. in 4. Dist. 18. Art. 2. Quaest. 1.2. Ockam. in 4. Sent. Quaest. 9. Lit. Q. Argentin. in 4. Sent. Dist. 18 art. 3. Michael de Bononiâ in Psal. 29. &c 31. Bie… in 4 Sent. Dist. 14. q. 2. & dist. 18. q. 1. Major in 4. Sent. Dist. 18. q. 1. & Dist. 14. q. 2. Cond. 3. Hadrian in Quodlibetic q. 5. art. 3. and others. How rotten and ridiculous then is that impudency of Suarez. … sontentia magistri salsa est, & iam hoc tempore er…onea. in Thom. Tom. 4. Disp. 19. Sect. 2. Num. 4.Matt 9Luke 5Matt 16Ps 29Num 4pardoneth a sinner for an offence by Him committed against God, there are two things to bee considered: One, that there is p. 271no pardon, if the sinner doth not earnestly repent; The other, that hee himselfe which pardoneth, hath need of pardon. Of these two Points, the first is the cause, that the Priests pardon is conditionall, because Hee knoweth not the heart; The other is a cause, that the Priest should consider of himselfe, that hee is rather a Delinquet, then a Iudge: and to teach him to feare, lest that after hee hath pardoned others, Hee himselfe may not obtaine pardon. It is a thing certaine, that if a sinner seriously converting▪ and beleeving in Iesus Christ, cannot obtaine absolution of his Pastor which is passionate, or badly informed of the truth; God will pardon him. On the contrary, if a Pastor that is indulgent, an winketh at vices, or that is deceived by appearance of repentance, absolveth an hypocriticall sinner, and receiveth him into the communion of the faithfull, that …ypocriticall sinner remaineth bound before God, and shall bee punished notwithstanding. For God partaketh not with the errours of Pastors, neither regardeth their passions; nor can be hindred from doing iustice by their ignorance.

p. 2723. Let mee adde iiNeque enim praeiudicamus Domino iudicatur…, quò minùs si poenitenti…m ple…am & iustam peccatoris invenerit, tunc ratum faciat, quod à nobis fuerit hic statutum. Si verò nos aliquis poenitentiae simulatione deluserit; Deus, qui non deridetur, & qui cor hominis intuetur, de his qua nos minùs perspe…imus indicet, & servorum sententiam Dominus …ē det. Ad Antonianum. epist. 2. lib. 4.Cyprian, who at the first rising of the Novatian heresie, wrote thus to Antonianus: We doe not preiudice the Lord that is to iudge; But that hee, if Hee finde the repentance of the sinner to bee full, and iust, hee may then ratifie that, which shall bee here ordained by us: But if any one doe deceive us with the semblance of repentance, God (who is not mocked, and who beholdeth the heart of man) may iudge of those things, which wee did not well discerne, and the Lord may amend the sentence of his servants.

Neither let this Truth; to wit, that our assuring of mercy and pardon must bee conditionall, upon such like termes as these; If thou doest beleeve, and repent as thou oughtest to doe; If these things bee in truth as you promise and professe, &c. discourage, or trouble any that are true of heart: For it should not prejudice, or hinder their application of the promises, taking Christ as their owne assurance of mercy and comfort: because they are conscious to themselves of the syncerity of their owne hearts. And therefore kkDoctor Vsher, in His Answer to a Iesuites Chalenge, pag. 137.Looke how the Prophet Esay was comforted, when the Angell said unto Him; llEsay. 6.7.Isa 6:7Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sinne purged; and the poore Woman in the Gospell, when Iesus said unto Her, mmLuk. 7.48.Luke 7:48Thy sinnes are forgiven: The like consolation doth the distressed sinner receive from the mouth of the Minister, when hee hath compared the truth of Gods Word faithfully delivered by Him, with the worke of Gods grace in His owne heart. According to that of Elibu: Iob 33.23.24.Job 33:23Job 33:24If there bee an Angell, or a Messenger with him, an Interpreter, One of a thousand, to declare unto man his righteousnesse; then will God have mercy upon Him, and say, Deliver him from going downe to the pit, I have received a reconciliation.

2. Too much. A little Aqua vita may happily revive and refresh the fainting spirits of a swouning Man; but too much would kill. A spoone-full of Cinnamon-water mingled with twelve spoone-fulls of Spring-water, p. 273and one spoonefull of Rose-water, &c. may bee soveraigne against the sinking of the heart; But poure at once a Pint into the Stomack, and it might unhappily choake the naturall heate, waste the Radicall moysture, and burne up a Mans Bowels. Mercy being wisely administred in the right season, and mingled with convenient Counsels and Caveats, may, by Gods blessing, binde up a broken heart with a leasurable and kindly Cure; It may mollifie in the meane time with an healing and heavenly heate, the smarting anguish of a wounded conscience; and at length seasonably close it up with sound and lasting comfort: But poured out hand over head by an unsteady, and in-discreet hand, It may by accident, dangerously dry up penitent teares too soone, and stifle the worke of the spirit of Bondage in the beginning.

But here let none either out of ignorance or malice mistake, or bee troubled with this Too much: The same Phrase in the same sense is to be found in **The comfort which is ministred to the part… in distresse, must bee allayed with some mixture of the Law; that is to say: The Promise alone must not bee applyed, but withall mention is to bee made of the sinnes of the Party, and of the grievous punishments due unto Him for the same. The reason is, because there is much guile in the heart of Man; insomuch, as oftentimes it falleth out, that men not thorowly humbled, beeing comforted, either too soone, or too much, doe afterward become the worst of all. In this respect, not unlike to the iron, which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot, and coold againe, is much more hard then it would have been, if the heate had been moderate. And hence it is, that in the ministring of comfort, wee must something keepe them downe, and bring them on by little and little to repentance. The sweetnesse of comfort is the greater, if it bee allaied with some tartnesse of the Law. Cases of Conscience, Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Sect. 5. Here remember by the way, that the comforts ministred usually and ordinarily, must not goe alone, but bee mingled and tempered with some terrours of the Law, &c.—The ministring of comfort in this distresse would not bee direct and present, but by certaine steps and degrees: Except only in the Point of death: for then a directer course must be used. I…id. Cap. 11. Sect. 1.Master Perkins, a great Master in the deepe mystery of dealing with afflicted consciences. For wee must know, that Too much, is by no meanes to bee meant of any wayes restraining, or confining the infinitenesse of Gods mercy. It were execrable blasphemy to dis-roabe Gods most glorious Attribute of it's immensity: but in respect of not mingling some Coolers and Caveats to p. 274keepe from presumption: as shall appeare in the ensuing Counsells, I shall commend for that purpose.

VponUpon this ground, I reason thus:

A man may presse, and apply Gods justice, and the terrours of the Law Too much; therefore also mercy, and the comforts of the Gospell, too much. The consequent is cleare. For as the former may plunge into the Gulphe of despaire; so the other may cast upon the Rocke of presumption: Nay, it is more then un-answerably strong; Because wee are farre readier to apprehend, and apply unto our selves mercy, then judgement. And thousands are endlesly overthrowne thorow presumption, for one by despaire.

And the Antecedent who will deny? It is rather so preposterously applauded and prest; that most, if a Minister, even with his best discretion, reveale the whole Counsell of God, and tell them; That none shalbee refreshed by Christ, but onelyonly those who labour and are heavy laden;Matth. 11.28.Matt 11:28 That they must humble themselves in the sight of the Lord, Iames 4.10. Prov. 28.13.Jas 4:10Prov 28:13if they would have him to lift them up: That none shall have mercy, but such as confesse and forsake their sinnes: That the meere ciuill man, and lukewarme formall Professour,Heb. 12.14. Revel. 3.19.Heb 12:14Rev 3:19 without holinesse and zeale, can never bee saved: That all the wicked shalbee turned into Hell, Psal. 9.17.Ps 9:17&c. In a word, if Hee take the right course to bring men from darkenesse to light, from Satan to the living God; by first wounding with the Law, before Hee heale with the Gospell; I say, the most in this Case, are ready to cry out, and complaine, that hee throwes wildfire, Brimstone and Gunpowder into the consciences of men.

Conceive therefore, I pray you;

That there is in God; first, His justice; and secondly, His mercy, both infinite and equall. OnelyOnly in regard of Man there is an inequality; For God may bee said, to bee more mercifull unto them that are saved, then just to them that are damned: For of damnation the p. 275just cause is in Man; but of salvation, it is wholly from grace.nnProprietates Dei essentiales sunt realitèr ip samet Dei essentia, & nec ab essentiâ Dei, nec inter se reipsâ differunt: Non ab essentiâ, quia sic sunt in essentiâ, ut sint ipsa essentia: Non inter se, quia quicquid in Deo est, unum est: à primâ autem unitate omnis prorsus differentia, omnisque numerus abesse debet. Polan. Syntag. Theol. Lib. 2. Cap. 7. In Himselfe and originally, they are both equal, and so are all his Attributes: But in respect of the ooProprietates Dei foreign sunt aequales, foreign inaequales. Alsted. Theol. Didactico Scholast. Sect. 1. Cap. 15.exercise, and expression upon His creatures, and abroad in the world, there is some difference. But for my purpose, and our Ministeriall emploiment and Commission, take notice;

That as the revealed effects of Gods mercy, are love, tender-heartednesse, compassion; His owne deare Sons pretious hearts-blood, pardon of sinnes, peace of conscience, unspeakeable and glorious joy thereupon, Evangelicall pleasures, comfortable presence of the Spirit even in this life, and in the other World pleasures infinitely moe then the Starres of the firmament in number, even for ever and ever: And all these vponupon all true Penitents.

So the revealed effects of His Iustice are indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; that Sword, which will devoure flesh; those arrowes, that drinke blood; that fiery anger, which will burne unto the lowest Hell, and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines; That comming against, which is with fire and charets like a whirlewinde, to render anger with fury, and rebuke with flames of fire; that meeting which is, as of a Beare bereaved of her whelps, to rent the cau…e of the heart, and devoure like a Lyon, &c. All plagues with the extremity, temporall, spirituall, eternall, all the curses in this Booke of His, all the torments in Hell, to the utmost sparke of those infernall flames; And all these, upon all impenitent sinners. Now God will bee glorified both waies, and by them both:

Give us leave then, to give them both their due:

Wee are most willing, and ready, as our great **Now 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 mee drinke, or else I die; then wee reach the cup of salvation to him, and bid him drinke of it: neither dare wee to give it to any other. Rogers of Dedham, Doctr. of Faith, pag. 186.Master p. 276in Heaven would have us, Isa. 40.1.2. and our blessed Saviour by his example doth teach us; Luk. 4.18. To convey by our Ministry into every truly-broken heart, and bleeding Soule, the warmest bloud that ever heated Christs tender heart; and to keepe backe from the true Penitent, not any one graine of that immeasurable Mine, of all the rich mercies purchased with that pretious blood.

Bee content therefore on the otherside, that wee open the Armory of Gods justice, and reveale his wrath from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of Men; That indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, shalbe upon every soule of man that doth evill, &c. As wee are ever ready to binde vp the bruised spirit with the softest oyle of Gods sweetest mercy: So let us, I pray you, have leave, in the equity of a just and holy proportion, to wound with the Hammer of the Law, the ha…ry Pate of every One that goes on in His sinne.

Let us deale faithfully even with▪ wicked men, lest wee answere for the blood of their soules, By telling them; That, as certainely as all the glorious comforts, and blessed consequents of Gods infinite mercy shall crowne the heart and heade of every true-hearted Nathanael for ever: so all the dreadfull effects of his angry Iustice will at length seize upon the Soules, and confound the consciences of all un-holy men with extremest severity, and terrour.

Let it bee thus then, and let our Ministeriall dispensation bee in this manner: If thou bee an impenitent Person; I would tell Thee, That the vtmost wrath of God, vnquenchable and everlasting vengeance, all earthly and infernall plagues, are thy certaine Portion: But I would mollify and sweeten the bitternesse of this sentence, with assurance of mercy upon Repentance, to prevent the assaults of despaire.

On the other side, If the Ministry of the Word hath p. 277wrought upon Thee effectually; and now thy truly-humbled soule thirsts after Christ with a syncere hatred and opposition against all sinne; I would assure thy troubled and trembling heart in the Word of life and truth, of all those most pretious blessings and sweetest comforts, which the Booke of God doth promise, and the blood of Christ hath bought: But withall I would commend unto thee some Coolers and Counterpoisons against presumption, and falling to Pharisaisme.

For which purpose, and for prevention of danger, and spirituall undoing by unskilfull, and undiscreet dawbing in the Case proposed; I come now to tender such Counsels and Caveats as these, or the like, which the faithfull Physition of the Soule according to occasions, circumstances, and present exigents, may thinke fit to bee mingled with administration of mercy, and wisely propounded to the afflicted Party.

It may not proove unseasonable to speake thus, or in some such manner, to thy spirituall Patient.

1. If these things bee truly and soundly so: If thou finde and feele indeed such a mollified and melting spirit, such broken and bleeding affections in thy bosome; Thou art certainely blessed. If that sorrowfull soule of thine doth renounce from the very heart-roote, with speciall distaste and detestation all manner of sinne; insatiably thirst after righteousnesse; unfainedly resolve, for the short remainder of a few and evill dayes, to bend it selfe towards heaven in all New-obedience; I say, if this bee syncerely, the holy disposition and resolution of thine heavy heart, notwithstanding all thy present terrour and trouble of minde, Thou art truly and everlastingly happy. OnelyOnly take notice (lest my ministring of mercy bee mistaken, or thy conceiving of comfort mis-carry) that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things. A bottomlesse depth it is of Falshoods, dissemblings, hypocrisies. An endlesse Maze of windings, turnings, and hidden passages. No eye can search p. 278and see it's center and secrets, but that All-seeing One alone, which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sun; to which the darkest Nooke of Hell is as the Noone-day. And therefore not I, nor any man alive, can promise pardon, or apply the promises, but conditionally, upon supposition: If these things bee so, and so, as thou hast said. And the syncerity of thy heart, and truth of these hopefull protestations, which wee now heare from thee in this extremity; (and I must tell thee by the way, such like may be enforced by the slavish sting of present terrour, not fairely and freely flow from a true touch of conscience for sinne; I say, this may bee, tho I hope better things of Thee). The truth, as I said, both of thy heart, and these affectionate promises, will appeare, when the storme is over, and this dismall tempest, which hath over-cast and shaken thy spirit with extraordinary feare, and astonishment, is overblowne. Thy course of life to come, will proove a true Touch-stone, to try, whether this bee the kindly travaile of the New-birth; or onelyonly a temporary taking-on during the fit, by reason of the uncouthnesse, and exquisitenesse of this invisible spirituall torture, without true turning to Iesus Christ. If when the now-troubled powers of thy soule, which the wound of thy conscience hath cast into much distracted and uncomfortable confusion, shall recover their wonted calmenes and quiet, thou turne unto thine old bias, humour, company and conversation; it will then bee more then manifest, that this Furnace of terrour and temptation, wherein thou now lies and languishes, was so far from working thine heart to heavenlinesse and grace, that it hath hammered it to more hardnesse and ungraciousnesse: from purging and refining; that it hath occasioned more earthlinesse, epicurisme and raging affections in sensuality and sinfull pleasures. But if, when thou art up againe, and raised by Gods mercifull hand out of the Depth of this spirituall distresse, into which the horrible p. 279sight, and heavy waight of thy sinnes have sunke thee; if then thou expresse, and testifie thy true-heartednesse in these present solemne protestations made now, as it were, in thy hot blood; I meane, of thy hatred against sinne, by an earnest opposition, watchfulnesse, and striving against all, especially that, which in thine unregenerate time stucke closest to thy bosome: of thine hunger and thirst after a comfortable fruition of Gods face and favour, by a conscionable and constant pursuit, and exercise of all good meanes and opportunities, of all his blessed ordinances, appointed and sanctified for groath in grace, and bringing us nearer unto Him: of thy future New-obedience, and Christian walking, by plying industriously, and fruitfully with thy best endeavour, and utmost ability, those three glorious workes of Christianity; Preservation of purity in thine owne Soule and Body: righteous dealing with all thou hast to doe-with: Holy carriage towards God in all religious duties.Tit. 2.11▪ 12.Titus 2:11Titus 2:12 In a word, by denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and living soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world, of which the grace of God teacheth every true Convert to make Conscience. I say, if upon thy recovery, this bee thy course; Thou art certainely New-created. Such blessed behaviour as this, will infallibly evidence, these present terrours to have been the Pangs of thy New-birth, and thy happy translation from death to life, from the vanity and folly of sin into the light and liberty of Gods Children.

2. Secondly,Zech. 13.1.Zech 13:1 say unto Him: When once that blessed Fountaine of Soule-saving blood is opened upon thy Soule, in the side of the Sonne of God, by the hand of Faith for sinne and for uncleannesse; then also must a Counter-spring, as it were, of repentant teares bee opened in thine humbled heart, which must not be dried up untill thy ppAs concerning sorrow, seeing the causes still remaine, namely, corruption and affliction; therefore this sorrow must continue to our lives end: Tho in a different manner; now mingled with comfort; whereas the former before Faith could have none. Whereas on the other side, the sorrow that quite drieth up, was never sound, as it is to bee seene in many, who beeing once deepely afflicted, and in great heavinesse for their miserable state, afterward comming to some comfort, are growne so secure and senselesse, that having no true griefe, or remorse for their daily corruptions, content themselves, that they were once cast downe: whose lives, as they bee foule, and full of blots; so their ends bee oft fearefull; either senselesse or uncomfortable: so dangerous is it to quench the spirit in any pat. Culverwell in his Treat…se of Faith, pag. 46.47. Certum est sine sensu peccati & miseriae primùm, deinde …iberationis in Christo Iesu … eadem illá miseriá, nullam in Christo esse veram consolationem. Nos quidem hodierno die expectamus non primumillum, sed secundum Christi adventum. Vt igitur eum cum aliquâ consolatione expectemus, danda nobis opera est in totâ vitâ, ut magis magis que in sensu peccati, & miseriae nostrae proficiamus: alioqui pro…ectò tantum aberit, ab eo, ut cum consolatione & gaudio …um Christi adventum expectemus, ut è contrà cum horroribus a…i…i & conscientiae n…n tam expectemus illum diem, quàm eum aversemur, Rolloc. in Iohan▪ pag. 346. Perpetuò resipiscamus; In perpetuâ luctâ & perpetuâ resipiscentiâ simus. Idem. Ibid. pag▪ 337. Some are onelyonly slightly humbled, and having got comfort, are never more grieved: whereas a true Beleever, even after Faith, grieves still for his daily sinnes: but these thinke it enough that they were once grieved; and therefore now grieve no more for their foule sinnes. Rogers of Dedham. Doctr. of Faith, pag. 367. Cum sèmper nobis agnoscenda sint peccata nostra, & credendum, quòd remittantu… nobis peccat… propter. Christum, sen…imus semper etiam in h…c vitâ nobis agendam esse poenitentia…. Harmon. Confess. p. 2. Wirtenbergica, Confess. de poenit. pag. 153. Wee are to note, that repentance is a continuall course of sorrow; and if wee have this in truth, then may wee boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods Word, and from His Ministers, and looke what comfort they give us on Earth, the same shall bee sealed also in Heaven. Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the ground, if wee will have fruit; and daily to eate, if wee will live: so in spirituall things, wee must bee humbled with continuall sorrow, that wee may bee refreshed with daily comfort in Christ. Greenham, Serm. 7. Of Repentance. I the rather quote these Divines for this Point; to oppose the wicked and ignorant folly of some ill-tong'd Anti-nomists, and other peevish and proud Phantasticks.dying Day. This is my meaning; p. 280(for every Christian hath not teares at command: the heart sometimes may bleed, when the eyes are dry). Thou must bee content to continue the current of thy godly sorrow upon that abominable Sinke and Sodom of all the lusts, vanities and villanies of thy darke and damned time; and also upon those frailties, infirmities, imperfections, defects, relapses, back-slidings, which may accompany thy regenerate state; even untill that body of sinne, which thou carries about Thee, bee dissolved by the stroke of death. As concerning thine old sinnes, and those that are past, it is not enough that now the fresh horrour of them, and those grissely affrighting formes, wherein they have appeared to the eye of thy wounded conscience, have wrought upon thy heart, by Gods blessing▪ some softnesse, heart-rising, p. 281remorse and hatred: But thou must many and many a time hereafter, in the extraordinary exercises of renued repentance, presse thy penitent spirit to bleede afresh within thee, and qq…. Sam. 7.6. Hauserunt aquas è pu…eo cordis sui, & abundè lachrymati sunt coram▪ Domino, resipiscentes. Chald. Paraph.draw water againe out of the bottome of thy broken heart with those Israelites, and poure it out before the Lord in abundāce of bitter teares, for thy never sufficiently sorrowed-for abominations and rebellions, against so blessed and bountifull a God. Now the solemne times and occasions, when wee are called to this renued Repentance, are such as these:

1. When wee are to performe some speciall services unto God; because then out of a godly jealousie wee may feare, lest the face and favour of God, the love and light of His countenance may not lie so open unto us, by reason of the cloudy interposition of our former sinnes. 2. When wee seeke for any speciall blessing at Gods mercifull hands; because then out of a gracious feare we may suspect, that our old sinnes may intrude; and labour to intercept and divert from our longing Soules, the sweet and comfortable influences of the Throne of grace. It may seeme that David in the current of his prayer, saw His old sinnes charge upon Him, and therefore cries out by the way; Remember not the sinnes of my youth. 3. In the time of some great affliction, and remarkeable Crosse; when upon a new search, and strict examination of our hearts and lives; we humbling our selves more solemnely againe in the sight of the Lord, and mourning afresh over Him, whom wee have pierced with our youthly pollutions, and provoke daily with many wofull failings, are wont to seeke Gods pleased face, and our former peace; sanctification of it unto us in the meane time, and the remoovall of it from us in due time, in the name of Iesus Christ. 4. After relapse into some old secret lust, or fall into some new scandalous sinne. Davids remorse for adultery and murder, brought his heart to bleede over his birth-sinne, Psal. 51.5. Above all, upon all those p. 282mighty Dayes of humiliation by prayer and fasting, publike, private, or secret: wherein Gods people wrastle with God by the omnipotency of prayer,Est quadam precum omnipotentia. Luth. and worke so many wonders from time to time. 6. Some there are also, who setting apart some speciall times to conferre with God in secret, lay together before Him, the glorious Catalogue of the riches of His mercy, reaching from everlasting to everlasting, all his favours, preservations, deliverances, protections, &c. from their first beeing, to that time; and the abhorred Catalogue of all their sinnes from Adam to that houre, Originall, both imputed, and inherent; actuall both before and since their calling; and this they doe with hearty desire of such different affections, as they severally require. A serious and sensible comparing of which two together, makes sinne a great deale more loathsome, and the mercies of God more illustrious; and so prooves effectuall many times, by the helpe of the Holy Ghost, to soften their hearts extraordinarily, to make them weepe heartily, and fils their Soules with much joyfull sorrow, and humble thankefulnesse. 7. VponUpon our Beds of death. Then because wee take our farewell of Repentance, we should take our fill of it; because it is the last time wee shall looke upon our sinnes for that purpose, we should dismisse them with utmost, and extremest loathing. At such times, and upon such occasions as these, and the like, when thou art called to a more solemne, strict and severe search, and review of thy old sinnes and former life, Thou must renue this present repentance of thy New-birth, make thine heart breake againe, and bleed afresh with the sight of thy heretofore much doted-upon, but now most abhorred abominable courses. And so often also, as thou lookes backe upon them, Thou must labour to abominate and abandon them with more resolute aversion, and new degrees of detestation. Tho…e may bee, by the mercies of God, they shall never bee able to rr— Quntum prin…us ego lum. Hoc ergo apud beatum Paulum siduciae & consolationis accipite fratres, ut ad Dominum iam conversos, non nimis cri… ciet praeteritorum co… scientia delictorum: sed tantùm bum…lie… vos, sicut & ipsum. Ego sum inquit minimus Apostolorum: qui non sum dignus vocari Apostolus, qui sum persecutus ecclesiam Dei. Ita & nos humiliemur sub potenti man… Dei, &c. Bern. Col. 225.…ng thee againe with the same slavishnesse of p. 283guilty horrour; yet thou m…st still endeavour, in thy cold blood to strangle utterly thy former delight in them, with more hearty additions of deadly hatred; and to bee more and more humbled for them untill thy ending houre. It is a very high happinesse, and blessing above ordinary, to bee able to looke backe upon thy choisest youthfull pleasures and pollutions, without either sensuall delight, or slavish horrour: with syncere hatred, holy indignation, and hearty mourning.

Now for the time to come, and those sinnes, which hereafter the rebelliousnesse of thy naughty nature, and violence of the Divels temptations may force upon thee; if thy heart bee now truly toucht, and conscience savingly illightned, Thou shalt find much matter, necessity, and use of continuing thy Repentance, so long as thy life lasts. In a leaking ship there must bee continuall pumping; **Et si preces quotidiè, quotidiè poenitentiam aga…: quod in antiquis domibus facere solemus, cum fuerint putrefactae, putrida subtrahimus, & supponimus nova, & à continuâ curâ nunquam desinimus. Chrysost. Ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 80.A ruinous house must be still in repairing: These bodies of death wee beare about us, are naturally liable to so many batteries, and breaches by the assaults of originall sinne, and other implacable enemies to our soules, that there is extreme need of perpetuall watch and ward, repenting and repairing, lest the Newman bee too much opprest, and too often surprized by the many, and cunning encounters of the old Adam. When thou art in company, solitary, busied about thy particular Calling, there may suddenly arise in thine heart, some greedy wish, some grosse conceite, some vaine, uncleane, ambitious, revengefull thought; ejaculate presently a penitent …igh, and …ervent prayer for pardon of it in the Passion of Christ. In thy family, perhaps amongst thy children and servants, by reason of some crosse-accident, thou mayst breake out into some unadvised passionate speech; and disgrace thy selfe and Profession, by over hasty intemperate heate, not without some danger of hurting and hardening those about thee thereby: Get thee presently upon it into thy Closer, or some place for that purpose; Throw p. 284thy selfe downe with a truly-grieved, and humbled Soule before the Trone of grace, and rise not untill thou bee reconciled unto thy God. If at any time, which God forbid, Thou bee over-taken with some more publike scandalous sinne, or dangerously haunted with some enormous secret lust; appoint for thy selfe a solemne Day of humiliation; and then cry unto the Lord like a woman in travaile; and give him no rest, untill Hee returne unto Thee with the wonted favour and calmnesse of His pleased countenance. If Christians would constantly take to heart, and ply this blessed businesse of immediately rising by repentance, after every relapse and fall into sinne, they should find a further Paradise and pleasure in the wayes of God, then they ever yet tasted. This course continued with present feeling, and after-watchfulnesse, would helpe excellently, by the blessing of God, and excercise of Faith, the onelyonly Conduit of all spirituall comfort, to keepe in their bosomes that, which they much desire, and often bewaile, the want of a chearefull, bold, and heavenly spirit.

Neither let any here bee troubled, because I presse the exercise and use both of renewed and continued Repentance all our life long; as tho thereupon the Christians life might seeme more uncomfortable: For wee are to know, that sorrow according to God, Evangelicall mourning, is **If any doubt, how godly sorrow and spirituall ioy may consist together at the same time, in the same Subiect; let them take satisfaction even from Philosophy: De dolore & gaudio dupliciter loqui possumus: uno modo secundum quod sunt passiones appetitus scusitivi. Et sic nullo modo possunt essè simul: eò quòd sunt om…inò contrariae, Velex parte obiecti, (put à cum sunt de eodem), vel saltem ex parte motus cordis: Nam gaudium est cui… dilstatione cordis; tristitia verò cum constrictione. Et hoc modo loquitur Philosophus. Eth. 9. …io modo possumus loqui de gaudio, & tristitiâ, secundum quod consistunt, in simplici actu voluntatis, cui aliquid placet, vel displicet. Et secundum hoc non possunt bab… contrari…tate… nisi ex parte Obiect:, putà, cum sunt de codem, & secundum idem. … non possunt … esse gaudium & tristitia: quia non potest simulide…s secundum idem placene & displi…re … verò gaudiu… & tristitia sic accepta non sint de eodem s…dumidem, sed vel de diversis, vel de eodem secundum diversa, sic non est contrarietas gaudij & tristitia. Vnde nihil probebēt hominem simul gandere, & tristari: putà▪ si videamus iustum affligi, … placet nobis ei… iustitia, & displicet a… flictio. Et hoc modo simul potest alicui displicere quòd peccavit, placere quòd hoc ei displicet cum spe veniae: ita quòd ipsa tristitia sit materia gaudij: unde & Augustinus Semper dolcat Poenitens, & de dolore gaudeat. Aquin. pag. 3. quaest. 84. Art. 9. Ad secundum. As in prophane joy, even in laughing the heart is sorrowfull: So in godly sorrow, even in weeping the heart is light, and chearefull. Though sinne grieve us, yet our grieving for sinne pleaseth us. As when wee see a good man wronged, wee grieve at his wrong, but rejoyce in His goodnes. Dyke of Repentance, cap. 4.mingled with abundance of spirituall p. 285joy, which doth infinitely surpasse in sweetnesse and worth, all worldly pleasures and delights of sense. Nay, whereas all the Ioviall good-fellow-mirth of carnall men is but a flash of Hellish folly; This is a very glimpse of heavenly glory. Let mee tell you againe, how sweetly and truly that excellent Divine of Scotland speakes of it: ccConcedo quidem illud in ipso m…rore & dolore piorum plus gaudij inesse, & verae laetitiae, quàm in risuhuius mundi: Nam cum suspirijs inenarrabilibus coniunctum est g…udium ineffabile. Rolloc in Ioan. cap. 11. p. 610.John 11There is, saith He, more lightnesse of heart, and true delight in the sorrow of the Saints, then in the Worlds loudest laughter. For unspeakeable ioy is mingled with un-utterable groanes. The ancient Fathers are of the same minde with this Man of God: Godly sorrow, saith **Quid tristitiâ molestius? Sed quando secundum Deum sit, mundi gaudio melior est. In 2. Cor. 7. Hom. 15. Sicut mundi gaudium tristitiae consortio c…pulatur, ita etiam secundum Dominu… lachryma iugem pariunt certámque laetitiam. In Matth. 2. Hom. 6. Iamque…ste talis, ea quae videntur cuncta despiciens, in compunctione continuá perseverat, largo assiduè flu…s fonte lacbrymarum, multámque hinc capiens voluptatem. Ibid.2 Cor 7Matt 2Chrysostome, is better then the ioy of the World. Even as The ioy of the World is ever accompanied with sorrow; so teares according to God beget continuall and certaine delight. Againe, Such a man as this now (meaning Him whose heart is inflamed with an heavenly heate) despising all things here below, doth presevere in continuall compunction, pouring out abundance of teares every day, and taking thence a great deale of pleasure. Let the Repentant, saith ddHinc semper …leat, & de dolore gaudeat. Tom. 4. pag. 2. De verâ & falsa poenitentiâ, Cap. 13.Austin, be alwaies sorrowfull for sinne, and alwaies reioyce for that sorrow.

3. Beware of two dangerous errours: 1. Either to conceive, that thou mayst not admit of any comfort, or apply the promises comfortably; because Thou still finds in thy selfe more matter of mourning, and further humiliation. 2. Or to thinke; When Thou hast on… laid hold upon Christs Person and pretious sufferings, for the pardon of thy sinnes, and quieting of thy Soule, that then Thou must mourne no more.

1. For the first, know, That were our heads Seaes, p. 286and our eyes Fountaines of teares, and poured out abundantly every moment of our life: Should our hearts fall asunder into drops of blood in our breast, for anguish and indignation against our selves for our transgressions; yet should wee come infinitely short of the sorrow and hearts-griefe, which our many and hainous lusts and pollutions justly merit, and exact at our hands. Therefore wee cannot expect from our selves any such sufficiency of sorrow, or worthinesse of weeping for our sinnes, as by the perfection and power thereof to win Gods favour, and draw his mercy upon us. Such a conceit were most absurd, senselesse, and sinfull, and would rather discover and taste of naturall pride, then true humility, as they perhaps mistake: tend unhappily to the disgrace of Gods mercies, and gracing our owne merits. True it is; Had wee a thousand eyes, it were too little to weep them all out, for the very vanity of that one sinfull sense: Had we a thousand hearts, and they should all burst with penitent griefe, and bleed to death for the sinnes of our soules; it were more then immeasurably, unconceiveably insufficient. For were al this so, ssBeware thou become not a Papist, in thinking to merit meerely by thy contritiō, &c. it is not thy contrition, if it had been an hundred times more, could merit pardon of the least of thy sinnes. If the Lord 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 smallest offence; no not tho wee should weepe out our eyes, and mourne to death. Therefore, tho 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 seeke and receive mercy with thankfulnesse. Rogers of Dea…a…. Of Faith, pag. 152. Nonin flatibus nostris, non in actions nostris, sedin Advocati nostri … … tione confidamus. Gregor. in Ezech. Hom. 7.yet were it not this; but the hearte-blood of Iesus Christ, could make the Fathers heart to yerne compassionately over us, or purchase pardon, and acceptation at his hands. Tender therefore unto that poore troubled soule, who beeing sorely crushed, and languishing under the burden of his sinnes, refuses to bee raised and refreshed, endlesly pleading, and disputing against himselfe, out of a strong, fearefull apprehension of his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse, putting off all comfort by this mis-conceit, that no Seaes of p. 287sorrow, no measure of mourning will serve the turne to come comfortably unto Iesus Christ: I say, presse upon such an One this true Principle in the high and heavenly Art of rightly comforting afflicted consciences.

So soone as a Man is truly and heartily humbled for all his sinnes, and weary of their waight, tho the degree of his sorrow bee not answerable to his owne desire, yet Hee shall most certainely bee welcome unto Iesus Christ.

It is not so much the ttAd recipiendam gratiam remissionis, necessaria est ex nostrâ parte contritio fidei & poenitentiae verae: sed quod addit, (Bellarminus sc.) Neminem scire an suae fides & poenitentia sit talis, & tanta, quantae à Deo requiritur, falsissimum est. Non enim ex gradu, aut mensurâ fidei, vel poenitentiae, depēdet iustificatio, sed exveritate. Davenant. Expos. Epist. ad Colos. pag. …1.muchnesse and measure of our sorrow, as the truth and heartinesse, which fits us for the promises and comforts of mercy. Tho I must say this also: Hee that thinkes, Hee hath sorrowed uuSi dixisti, Sufficit, Per…sti. August.enough for His sinnes, never sorrowed savingly.

2. For the second, which is more properly and specially pertinent to our purpose; Take notice, That the blood of Christ beeing seasonably and savingly applyed to thine humbled Soule, for the pardon and purgation of sinne, must by no meanes damne and dry up thy well-spring of weeping, but onelyonly asswage and heale thy wound of horrour. That pretious Balme hath this heavenly property and power, that it rather melts, softneth, and makes the heart a great deale more weeping-ripe. If these bee truly the pangs of the New-birth, wherewith thou art now afflicted; Thou shalt find, that thy now cleaving with assurance of acceptation unto the Lord Iesus, will not so much lessen, hinder, or cease thy sorrow; as rectifie, season, and sweeten it. If thy right unto that Soule-saving Passion bee reall; and thou cast thine eye with a beleeving, hopefull heart upon Him, whom thou hast therein pierced with thy sins (and those sinnes alone are said properly to have pierced Christ, which at length are pardoned by his blood). Thou canst not possibly containe, but excesse of love unto thy crucified Lord, and sense of Gods mercy, shed into thy Soule thorow his merits, will make thee weepe againe, and fa…ely force thine heart to burst out p. 288abundantly into fresh, and filiall teares. (See how freshly Davids heart bled with repentant sorrow, upon His assurance by Nathan of the pardon of His sinne: Psal. 51). Thou canst not chuse, but mourne more heartily Evangelically, and that which should passingly please Thee, and sweetely perpetuate, the spring of thy godly sorrow, more pleasingly unto God.

Take therefore speciall notice and heede of these two depths of the Divell, that I have now disclosed unto thee:

1. When thou art truly wrought upon by the Ministry of the Word, and now fitted for comfort; Beleeve the Prophets; those Ones of a thousand, learned in the right handling of afflicted consciences, and thou shalt prosper. As soone as thy Soule is soundly humbled for sinne, open and enlarge it joyfully like the thirsty ground, that the refreshing dew and Doctrine of the Gospell may drop and distill upon it, as the small raine upon the parched grasse. Otherwise;

1. Thou offers dishonour, and disparagement, as it were, to the dearenesse, and tendernesse of Gods mercy; who is ever infinitely more xxAnd therefore will the Lord waite, that Hee may be gracious unto you, &c. Isa 30.18 Oh thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy s…oues with faire colours, and lay thy foundations with Saphires. Cap. 54.11. Hee retaineth not his anger for euer, because Hee delighteth in mercy. Hos. 7.18.Isa 30:18Hos 7:18ready, and forward to bind up a broken heart, then it to bleed before Him. Consider for this purpose the Parable of the prodigall Sonne, Luk. 15. Hee is there said to goe, but the Father ran.

2. Thou maist, by the unsettlednesse of thy heavy heart unnecessarily, unsit and dis-able thy selfe for the duties, and discharge of both thy Callings.

3. Thou shalt gratifie the Divell; who will labour mightily by his lying suggestions, (if thou wilt not bee counselled and comforted, when there is cause) to detaine thee in perpetuall horrour here, and in an eternall Hell hereafter. Some find him … furiously and mali…iously busie to keepe them from comfort, when they are fitted; as from fitnesse for comfort.

4. Thou art extremely un-advised, nay, very cruell p. 289to thine owne Soule. For whereas it might now be filled with unspeakable and glorious ioy, 1. Pet. 1.8. Phil. 4.7.1 Pet 1:8Phil 4:7with peace that passeth all understanding, with Evangelicall pleasures, which are such,1. Cor. 2.9.1 Cor 2:9 as neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of Man, by taking Christ; To which thou hast a strong and manifold Calling: Isai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come yee to the waters, &c. Matth. 11.28. Come unto mee all yee that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Ioh. 7.37. If any man thirst, let him come unto mee, and drinke. Revel. 22.17. And let him that is a thirst, come.. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Yea, a Commandement; 1. Ioh. 3.23. And this is his commandement, that wee should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ: And yet for all this, Thou, as it were, wilfully stand'st out, wilt not beleeve the Prophets, forsak'st thine owne comfort, and liest still upon the Racke of thy unreconcilement unto God.

2. On the other hand: when the angvish of thy guilted Conscience, is upon sure ground something allayed, and suppled with the oyle of comfort; and thy …unded heart warrantably revived with the sweetnesse of the Promises, as with marrow and fatnesse: Thou must not then, either shut up thine eyes from further search into thy sins, or yyResipiscentia illa non est vera ac solida, quae non virtualiter continuatur, & actu renovatur subinde, à tempore conversionis ad finem usque vitae. Amesius Medulla. Theol. Lib. 1. cap. 26.dry them up from any more mourning. But comfort of remission must serve as a pretious Eye-salve, both to cleare their sight, that they may see moe, and with more detestation; and to enlarge their Sluces, as it were, to poure out repentant teares more plentifully. Thou must continue ripping up, and ransacking that hellish Heape of thy former rebellions, and pollutions of youth: still dive and digge into that Body of death thou bearest about thee, for the finding out, and furnishing thy selfe with as much matter of sound humiliation as may bee; that thou mayst still grow viler and viler in thine owne eyes, and bee p. 290more and more humble untill thy dying Day. But yet so, That as thou holdest out in the one hand the cleare Cristall of Gods pure Law to discover the vilenesse and variety of thy sinnes; all the spots and staines of thy Soule; so thou hold out in the other hand, or rather with the hand of Faith lay hold upon the Lord Iesus hanging, bleeding, and dying upon the Crosse for thy sake. The one is soveraigne, to save from flavish stings of conscience, bitternesse of horrour, and venome of despaire: The other mingled with faith, will serve as a quickning preservative to keepe in thy bosome a… humble, soft, and lowly spirit; which doth ever excellently fit, to live by Faith more chearefully, to enjoy God more neerely, to apply Iesus Christ more feelingly, and to long for his comming more earnestly. In a word, to climbe up more merrily those staires of joy, which are prest upon us by the holy Prophet, Psal. 32. Bee glad.—Reioyce—and shout for ioy, all yee that are upright in heart.

4. Conceive that hypocrisie may lurke in very goodly outward formes, and fairest promises and protestations of Selfe-seeming earnest humiliation. Looke upon Ahab, 1. King. 21.27. upon the Israelites, Psal. 78.3… ▪ 35. I meane not onelyonly grosse Hypocrisie, whereby mens false hearts teach them to deceive others; but also that, which else-where I have stiled Formall Hypocrisie, whereby mens owne hearts deceive even their own selves. For I make no question, but the promises of amendment, which many make, when they are pressed, and panting under some heavy crosse, or grievous sicknesse, proceede from their hearts; I meane, they speake as they thinke; and for the present, purpose performance; who notwithstanding, upon their recovery, and restitution to former health, and wonted worldly happinesse, returne with the dog unto the vomit; and plunge againe perfidiously into the cursed current of their disclaimed pleasures. But by the way, and in a p. 291word, to illighten a perplexed Point, and prevent a scruple, which may trouble true hearts indeed; who hold truth of heart in their repentances, services and duties towards God, to bee their Peculiar, and a speciall Touchstone to trie and testifie the soundnesse of their sanctification, the truth of their spirituall states, and a distinctive Character from all sorts of unregenerate men; and all kindes of Hypocrisie: I say, purposes and promises made from the heart in the sense, I have said, with earnest eager protestation, while they are in angvish and extremity, and yet after deliverance and ease, melt away, as a morning cloud, and like the early deaw; proceede from hearts, rather affected onelyonly with sting of present horrour, naturall desire of happinesse, mis-conceite, that it is a light thing to leave sinne, and the like; then truly broken and burdened with sight of their owne vilenesse, sense of Gods displeasure, hatred of wickednesse, and former sensuall waies; or enamoured with the sweetnesse of Iesus Christ, amiablenesse of grace, and goodnesse of God, &c. Howsoever for my purpose, certaine it is, and too manifest by many wofull experiences; that as it often falles out, and fares with men in their corporal visitations, & outward crosses; to wit, That while the storme and tempest beates sore upon them, they run unto God as their Rocke, and enquire early after Him, as it is said of the Israelites, Ps. 78.34. But when once, an hot gleame of former health and prosperitie shines upon them againe, they hie as fast out of Gods Blessing into the warme Sunne, as they say, from sorrow for sinne, to delight of sense; from seeking God, to security in their old waies: I say, even so it is sometimes also, with men in aflictions of Soule, and troubles of conscience: while the agony and extremity is upon them, they take on, as though they would become trve Converts; both promise, and purpose many excellent things for the time to come, and a remarkeable change: But if once the fit be cover, they p. 292start aside, like a broken Bow; and fearefully fall away from what they have vowed, with horrible ingratitude, and execrable villany; having been extraordinarily schooled and scorched, as it were, in the flames of horrour, and warned to take heed by the very vengeance of Hell. For the former, heare the experience of reverend Divines: Many seeming, saith One, to repent affectionately in dangerous sicknesse, when they have recovered, have been rather worse then before. I would have thought my selfe, saith another, that many monstrous Persons, whom I have visited, when Gods hand upon them, caused them to cry out, and promise amendment, would have prooved rare examples to others, of true conversion unto God: But to my great griefe, and to teach …ee experience, what becommeth of such untimely fruits, they have turned backe againe, as an arrow from a stone wall, and as the dog to His owne vomit, &c.

For the latter; I could here make it good also by too many experiences, were it convenient; But I forbeare for some reasons, to report them at this time.

I publish this Point, and speake thus; Not to trouble any true Converts about the truth of their hearts in their troubles of Conscience: **Damus, qui hypocriticâ & temporariá fide credunt: eos falli, dum putant se ve…è credere, et non verè credunt. Sunt enim illorum instar, qui somniant, se Reges esse, cum sint pauperrimi: At negamus illos, qui verâ fide credunt, ignorare, an verè credant, & falti, quum affirmant, & sentiunt, se verè credere. Sunt eium instar illorum, qui gemma… m…nu tractant…s, qui… s…nsu praediti sunt, sciunt, & aiunt se illam habere. Quod si nemo posset certò n…sse, an verè credat, necu…: cur ait Apostolus: explorate vosmetipsos, an sit is in fide? —As … quis fidem adhibens alicuius verbis, certò novit se verè illi credere: quantò magis id is n…vit, qui fide verâ donatus d Spiritu Sanct…, credit Evangelio? Zanch. de Naturâ Dei, lib. 5. cap. 2.consciousnesse unto themselves of their New-birth already happily past; their prizing, and cleaving to the Lord Iesus, unvalewably, unvincibly; their present New-obedience, new courses, new company, new conversation, &c. makes it more then evident, that they were savingly mollified and melted in the furnace of their spirituall afflictions; fashioned and framed by the hand of the Holy Ghost to bee Gods Iewels: But to terrifie those miserable men, who having tasted that transcendent torture of a p. 293wounded conscience, dare upon any termes look-backe againe upon the world with delight and doting; and againe commit those sinnes, which have already stung their hearts with the very terrours of Hell: Or rather at this time, to teach and tell the afflicted in conscience, that when the rich treasures of Gods free mercy, and the unsearchable riches of Christ are opened, and offered unto Him, Hee drinke not so undiscreetly at first of that immeasurable Sea, as presently to fall into a surfet of security. But to prevent mis-carriage in a matter of so unvalew-able moment, let him rather mingle Motives to humiliation with his Medicine of mercy. Let Him looke well to the grounds, and good speeches, upon which the spirituall Physition is encouraged to comfort Him, that they shrinke not in the wetting, as they say. Let him feare and attend his owne deceitfull heart withall narrow watch, and a very jealous eye. Otherwise that false heart of his, may proove a Depth, to drowne His owne deare Soule in the Pit of endlesse perdition. For in time of extremity and terrour, especially of conscience, it may seeme pliable, and promise faire; and yet when it comes to performance and practise; either impudently and perfidiously wallowes againe in open wickednesse, or rests onelyonly in a Forme of godlinesse at the best. Let Him bee stedfast in the Covenant, and then Hee may bee sure, that his heart was upright; and that Hee did not flatter with His mouth, or lye unto God with his tongue.

5. Sith Thou art now upon termes of turning unto God, taking Profession upon Thee, and giving up thy Name unto Christ, the blessedest businesse that ever Thou went'st about: Be well advised, consider seriously what thou undertakest, and cast deliberately beforehand, what it is like to cost Thee. Thou must make an account to become the Drunkards Song, and to have those that sit in the Gate to speake against Thee; The vilest of Men to raile upon thee, and the wisest of the p. 294World to laugh at Thee. Thou must bee content to live a despised Man,Matth. …0.22. to bee scoft-at, to bee hated of all men; To crucifie the flesh, with the affections and lusts; To looke upon the world, set out in the gaudiest manner with all her baites and Bables of riches, honours, favours, greatnesse, pleasures, &c. as upon an unsavoury rotten aaWee beeing taken out of the co…uyti…es of Adam ▪ and ingr…f…ted in Christ… death, and Passion, can no l…ng…r live the life of the World, but the life of Christ; and must now looke upon the World ▪ … as the World loo…d … upon us … shall follow his steps, to… it, as upon …o many abominable, and crucified carcasses. Bishop of Lincolne, In H. Ser…mon before the Higher House of Parliament, pag 21.22. Hee doth not meane here (to wit, Gal…l. 6.26.) the Heavens or the Earth, saith Saint Chrysostome, nor the World in the … ; but the things of the World, Glory, Port, Riches, Greatnesse. foreign, all that make a shining and glitteri…g in the World. These are all but so many carcasses, and a very abomination to a truly regenerate Man. Idem. Ibid. pag. 16.17. If wee begin to breathe the life of righteousnesse, when the world fawnes upon us with Honours, Riches▪ greatnesse, Favours, or frownes upon us with Hatred, Malice, Persecutions, Oppressions, and the like; wee must turne our head aside another way with a godly kind of pride (as Picus Mirandula was wont to call it) and no more regard her, then a carcasse crucified. pag. 23.Carrion: Thou and the World must bee as two dead carcasses upon one Beere, without any delightfull mutuall commerce, or enter-course; strangers and bbEt Ego mundo] Non tamen Deo mundi. Mundum enim quantum ad conversationem eius posuit, cui renunciando mutuò transfigimur & invicèm morimur. Tertul. Adversus Marcion. Lib. 5. … concupiscit Apostolus mundi, nihil agnoscit Mundus Apostoli: Ambros. in Loc. Sunt sicut duo mortui, ex quibus nullus tangit, vel diligit alterum. Remig. Doctissimo citante Episcopo.starke dead one unto another, in respect of thy any further trading with the vanities thereof. For keeping a good conscience, standing on Gods side, and Christs sake, Thou must deny thy Selfe, Thy worldly wisedome, carnall reason, corrupt affections; Thy acceptation with the World, favour of great Ones, credit and applause with the most; Thy passions, profit, pleasures, possibility of rising, and growing great; Thy nearest friends, dearest companions, ease, liberty, life: and grow by little and little into Hesters most noble and invincible resolu…ion, ever when doing Gods will, threatneth any earthly danger; And if I perish, I perish. But not to perish so, is everlastingly to perish; and so to perish, is to bee saved for ever. Thou must thus resolve upon this Selfe-deniall, when Thou first enters into Profession; or else thou wilt never bee able to hold out in thy spirituall Building, or conquer in the Christian Warfare.

p. 295(See and consider the occasion, and how earnestly Christ enioynes it: Matth. 16.24. &c. Luk. 14.24. &c. and presses it with two Parables). But all will come to naught; and thou cursedly conclude in open Apos…acy, grosse Hypocrisie▪ or Selfe-deceiving Formalitie. Consider the young Man in the Gospell: Hee came hastily unto Iesus Christ, and would needs bee His Disciple, and follower upon the sudden. But alas! Hee did wofully mistake. Little did he know, neither indeed would know, what belonged unto it: That the servant of such an heavenly Master must bee no earthworme; That every one of his Disciples must take up their crosse and follow him; For his sake, part with any thing, every thing; bee it riches, honours, credit, pleasures, &c. And therefore, when once Christ for the triall of his heart had bid Him go, and sell that he had, &c. Hee had soone done: Hee was quickly gone. Now had this young Man gone away without this Lesson, Hee had gone away a Disciple, as well as any other, and perhaps as iolly a Professour, as the forwardest of them all; and that both in his owne strong opinion, and charitable mis-conceite of the rest, who were true of heart. As Iudas did a long time, and the foolish Virgines all their life long. Too many such Professours, as Hee would have prooved, are to bee found, even in this Noone-tide of the Gospell abroad in the World: who beeing at their first entrance into Profession, not soundly humbled, nor laying a sure foundation; not resolved upon an universall Selfe-deniall; nor weighing with due fore-cast, what it will cost them, doe afterward behave themselves thereafter upon any gainefull occasion greater triall, and temptation, or beeing put to it indeed: They are wont from time to time to discover their rottennesse, open the mouthes of the prophane, and shame all. They are like unto Reeds, which in a calme stand bolt upright, and seeme stiffe and strong; but let a tempest breake-in upon them, and p. 296they bend any way: While their temporall state is untoucht, their outward happinesse unhazarded; they seeme resolute, thorow, and couragious; but let a storme of persecution bee raised against them; Let them bee put into a great fright, that if they stand to it, they may bee undone, &c. And then they cowardlily hide their heads, pull in the hornes, as they say, and shamefully shrinke in the wetting: unhappily holding it better to sleepe in a whole skinne, then with a good conscience. Like the Eagle, they soare aloft with many goodly religious shewes and representations; but they still keepe their eye upon the Prey; and therefore when advantage is offered, they will basely stoope from forwardnesse, honesty, generosity, humanity, any thing, to seize upon a worldly commodity, office, honour, some earthly pelfe, and transitory Nothing. Some of these after Profession for some time, fall quite away from it, and turne Epicures, or Worldlings, if not Scorners and Persecutors: Others hold-on in a plodding course of formall Christianity all their life long; and at last, depart this life like the foolish Virgins, and in that formall manner I told you of before. Neither be thou dis-heartned with this counsell of leaving all for Christ. For thou shalt bee no loser, but a great gainer thereby. Besides, eternall life in the World to come; Thou shalt receive an hundred-fold now in this time, as Christ Him selfe tells thee, Mark. 10.30. If thou part with worldly ioies, thou shalt have quiet in the holy Ghost, spirituall joy unspeakable and glorious, neerer familiarity with God, deerer cōmunion with Iesus Christ, &c. To which the pleasures of ten thousand Worlds, were they all extant, were but extremest paine. If thou lose thine Husband: He that made thee,Isai. 54.5.Isa 54:5 will be in his stead unto Thee, Thy Maker is thine Husband, the Lord of Hosts is his Name. If thou lose thy Father; The Al-sufficient Iehouah, blessed for ever,Psal. 103.13.Ps 103:13 will pitty thee, as a Father pittieth his Children. If thou lose thy friends, and the worlds favour, Thou shalt p. 297have all and the onelyonly excellent upon earth,Psal. 16.3.Ps 16:3 to love Thee dearely, and to pray heartily for Thee. In a word, If thou lose all for Christs sake, Hee will bee unto Thee All in All: Colloss. 3.11.And in **Dicimus creatura…in Deo videri, quialicèt in se ipsis secundum suum esse propriū videantur, videntur tamē, ut quidame effectus Dei, at que ut aliquid pertinens ad Deum; ídque eadem visione, quâ Deus. Gregor. de Val. Tom. 1. Col. 250. Res naturales veriùs Esse habent in mente divinâ, quàm in seipsis. Aqu. p. 1. q 18. Sicut domus nobilius Esse habet in mente Artificis, quàm in materiâ. Ibid.Him all things shall be thine in a farre more sweet and eminent manner. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; All are yours, and yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods.

6. When the spirituall Physition shall see the soile of his Patients heart well softned with sorrow for sinne, comfortably warmed with refreshing beames of fauour from the face of Christ, and so seasonably fitted, for to enter a Christian course, and to bring forth fruits meete for repentance; let him throw-in some timely seedes of Zeale, holy precisenesse, undaunted courage, and unshaken resolution about the affaires of Heaven, and in the cause of God; from such quickning Scriptures, and excellent examples as these, Luk. 13.24. Rom. 12.11. 12. Ephes. 5.15. Phil. 1.10.11. Matth. 11.12. Revel. 3.16. Ruth 4.11. Esth. 4.16. Nehem. 6.11. 1. King. 22.14. Heb. 11.24.25. 1. Sam. 20.32. Acts 21.13. &c. 1. Cor 3.22.23.1 Cor 3:221 Cor 3:23That it may bee happily preserved from the ranke and flourishing, but rotten and fruitlesse weede of formality and luke-warmenesse. Which pestilent Canker, if it once take roote in the heart, it will never suffer the Herbe of grace, if I may so speake, the heavenly unfading flowers of saving grace, to grow by it, while the world stands. Nay, and will proove one of the strongest bolts to barre them out; and the most boysterous cart-rope to pull-downe extraordinary vengeance upon the head of the Party. For as a loathsome vomite is to the stomacke of him that casts it out; so are lukewarme Professours to the Lord Iesus, Reuel. 3.16. I marvaile many times what such men meane, and what worship, service and obedience they would have the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth to have. Hee offers to us in the Ministry, His owne blessed Sonne to be our p. 298deare, and everlasting Husband; His Person with all the rich and royall endowments thereof, the glory and endlesse felicities above, His owne thrice glorious, and ever-blessed Selfe, to bee enjoyed thorow all eternity, which is the very soule of heavenly Blisse, and life of eternall life, &c. Doe you thinke it then reasonable or likely, that Hee will ever accept at our hands an heartlesse, formall outwardnesse; a cold, rotten carcasse of religion: That wee should serve our selves in the first Place, and Him in the second? That wee should spend the prime and flower of our loues, ioyes, services, upon some abominable bosome-sinne; and then proportion-out to the everlasting God, mighty and terrible Creator, and Commander of Heaven and Earth, only some outward religious formes and conformities; and those also so farre onelyonly, as they hurt not our temporall happinesse, but may consist with the entier enjoyment of some inordinate lust, pleasure, profit or preferment? Prodigious folly, nay, fury to their owne soules! This very one most base, and unworthy conceit of so great a God, and His due attributions, meriteth justly exclusion from the Kingdome of Heaven, with the foolish Virgins, for ever. My Counsell therefore is; when the spirituall Patient hath passed the tempestuous Sea of a troubled conscience, and is now upon termes of taking a new course, That by all meanes Hee take heed, that Hee runne not upon this Rocke. It is better to bee key-cold, then luke-warme: and that the milke boile over, then bee raw.

7. Tho it bee an ordinary, yet it is a dangerous and utterly un-doing errour and deceite, To conceive, that all is ended, when the afflicted Party is mended; and hath received ease and enlargement from the terrible pressures of his troubled conscience. To thinke, that after the tempest of present terrour, and rage of guiltinesse bee allayed and over-blowne, there needes no more to bee done. As tho the New-birth were not p. 299ever infallibly and inseparably attended with new-obedience. As tho, when once the soule is soundly and savingly strucke thorow, humbled, and prepared for Christ, by the terrifying power of the Law revealing the foulenesse of sinne, and fiercenesse of divine wrath, which set on by the spirit of bondage, is able, like a mighty ccSee Forbes upon cap. 14 of the Revel, v. 2.thunder to breake and teare in pieces the iron synewes of the most stubborne and stony-heart, there followed not hearty shewers of repentant teares, never to bee dried up, untill our ending houre, as I taught before, when all teares shall bee everlastingly wiped away with Gods mercifull hand; And that the Sunne of righteousnesse did not presently breake forth upon that happy Soule, to dispell the Hellish clouds of sensuality, lust, lying in sinne, &c. and to illighten, inflame, and fill it with the serenity, and cleare sky, as it were, of sanctification, and purity, a kindly fervour of Zeale for Gods glory, good causes, good men, & keeping a good conscience, and fruitfull influence of sobriety, righteousnesse and holinesse for ever after. And therefore if upon recovery out of trouble of conscience, there follow not a continued exercise of Repentance both for sinnes past, present, and to come, as you heard before; an universall change in every power and part, both of Soule and Body, tho not in perfection of degrees, as the Schooles speake, yet of Parts; an heart-rising hatred and opposition against all sinne; a shaking-off old companions, brethren in iniquity, all Satans good-fellow Reuellers; a delight in the word, waies, services, Sabbaths, and Saints of God; a conscionable and constant endeavour to expresse the truth of protestations and promises made in time of terrour, as I told you before, &c.2. Cor. 5.17.2 Cor 5:17 In a Word, if there follow not a new life, if all things doe not become new, there is no New-birth in truth; all is naught, and to no purpose in the Point of salvation.

They are then miserable Comforters; Physicions of p. 300no value; nay, of notorious spirituall blood-shed, who having neither acquaintance with, nor much caring for the manner, meanes, methode, any heavenly wisedome, spirituall discretion, or experimentall skill, in managing aright such an important businesse; if any waies they can asswage the rage, and still the cries of a vexed guilty Conscience, they thinke they have done a worthy worke; Tho after their dawbing, there bee nothing left behind in it, but a senselesse skarre; Nay, and perhaps more brawnednesse, & benummednesse brought upon it, because it was not kindlily wrought-upon in the furnace of spirituall affliction; and rightly cured.

I feare mee, many poore soules are fearefully aaThere are some will say, They have felt terrour of their estate; but they have out-growne it, it is past: yea? What have you done with it? Have you broke Prison, or did God let you out? If you have broke Prison, you must even in againe, and that worse then before, &c. All the counsell, I can give thee in such a case, is to call after these terrours againe, which thou hast sought to drive away; and call aloud, ere they bee gone past call; and call quickly, ere thy heart bee hardened quite, and then it will cost double labour. And pray God to worke them upon thy heart againe. Rogers of Dedham Doctrine of Faith, pag. 104.107. A man may have quietnesse after trouble, and yet the House not wonne, to wit from the strong Man: Hee may also have some kind of reioycing; and yet the comforter not there abiding. That thou mayst not therefore bee deceived, consider the whole course of thy life, since that time. —For the holy Ghost will not governe as the Divell did, they are of so contrary a nature. Touchstone for a Christian, cap. 3.deluded, who beeing recovered, out of terrours of Conscience, too suddenly, unseasonably, or one way or other, unsoundly, conceive presently, they are truly converted; tho afterward, they bee the very same men, of the same company and conditions, they were before; or at best, blesse themselves in the seeming happinesse of an halfe bbBy this halfe Herodian conversion, they may leave many sinnes, and doe many things, heare the best Ministers gladly, respect and count…nance them, &c. And yet for all this, in respect of their owne Personall salvation; As well never a whit, as never the better; As well not at all, as not thorow-stitch.conversion.

For a more full discovery of this mischiefe, and prevention of those miseries, which may ensue upon this last miscarriage; Let mee acquaint you with foure or five Passages out of Pangs of Conscience, which still leade amisse; and leave a man the Divel's still: And for all his faire warning by the smart of a wounded spirit, drowne Him in the workes of darkenesse, and waies of death.

p. 3011. Some, when by the piercing power and application of the Law, their consciences are prest with the terrible and intolerable waight of their sinnes; and the worme that neuer dies, which hath been all this while dead-drunke with sensuall pleasures, is now awaked by the hand of divine justice, and begins to sting; They presently with unspeakeable rage and horrour, fall into the most abhorred, and irrecoverable Dungeon of despaire. The flames of eternall fire seize upon them, even in this life; They are in Hell upon Earth, and damned, as it were, above ground. Such they are commonly, who all their life long have been contemners of the conscionable Ministry; Scorners of the good way; Quenchers of the Spirit; Revolters from good beginnings, and Profession of grace; Harbourers of some secret, vile, abominable lusts in their hearts against the light of their conscience; close Agents for Popery and Prophanenesse; plausible Tyrants against the power of godlinesse; and such other like notorious Champions of the Divell, & infamous Rebels to the highest Majestie. Whom, sith they have bin such, and have so desperately, and so long despised the riches of His goodnes, and forbearance, and long-suffering, leading them to Repentance; God most justly leaves now in the evill day, when once the hot transitory gleame of worldly pleasures is past, and His judgements begin to grow upō their thoughts, like a tempestuous storme; and death to stand before them unresistable, like an armed Man; and sinne to lie at the doore, like a Bloodhound; and the guilty conscience to gnaw upon the heart, like a Vulture, &c. I say, then Hee leaves them in His righteous iudgement to sinke or swimme, to eate the fruit of their owne waies, to the fulnesse of that unquenchable wrath; which by their innumerable sinfull provocations, impenitency, and unbeliefe, they have treasured up against this Day and wrath. That raging worme, which never dies in the damned, and naturally breeds in every p. 302gracelesse conscience, by their insatiable surfet in sinne, and greedy drinking-in iniquitie like water, growes so strong, and to such a strange bignesse; that taking advantage, especially in the time of terrour, of their weakenesse and confusion of spirit upon the Bed of death, at some dead lift, and irrecoverable danger, it surprises them upon the sudden, with unexpected Hellish armies of guiltinesse and horror; and over-throwes them quite, horse and man, never to rise againe in this world, or the world to come. Then would those wofull wretches, who would never bee warned betime, give tenne thousand Worlds, if they had them, for one moment of that mercifull time of grace, which they have cursedly long abused, for the benefit of the Ministry, which they have insolently scorned; for a drop of that precious blood, which by their desperate villanies, and hatred to bee reformed, they have trampled under foote. But alas! no mercy, no blessing, no comfort will then bee had; tho with prophane Esau, they seeke it with teares, and throw their rufull, and piercing cries into the aire with hideous groanes and yelling. And therefore, turning their eye upon their torments, will roare out like those sinfull Hypocrites, Isai. 33.14. with un-utterable angvish of spirit: Who among us shall dwell with the devouring dd…fi Assyrius veluti ignis fuit, qui suo ardore terram exureret, tamen aliquid longè atrocius exprimere voluit Propheta: interius videlicèi tormentū, quo exagitantur impij: conscientiae aculeos, qui retundi non possunt, inextingvibile scelerum incendium, quo cruciatus omnes superantur. Calv. in Loc.fire? Who amongstus shall dwell with everlasting burnings? In the Morning they shall say, Would God it were Even: and at Even they shall say, Would God it were Morning, for the feare of their hearts wherewith they shall feare; and for the sight of their eyes which they shall see. In their life-time they behaved themselves like cruell Beasts, and bloody Goades in the sides of the Saints, and against their syncerity; and how at last themselves are caught with a witnesse, and lie upon their Beds of extremity and terrour like wilde Bulls, and Beasts in a net, full of the fury of the Lord.

Deut. 28 67.Deut 28:672. Others there are, who finding their sinnes discovered, p. 303and their consciences wounded by the light and power of the Word; and now feeling sadnesse, heavy-heartednesse, uncouth terrours, much perplexity and anxiety of spirit comming upon them, addresse themselves presently, and have speedy recourse to the Arme of flesh, outward mirth, carnall contentments, and such other miserable comforters. They falsely suppose, and to their owne utter, and everlasting overthrow, that these spirituall pangs that are now upon them; which if rightly managed, might proove an happy preparative, and Legall Petard, as it were, to breake the iron barres, and open the everlasting doores of their Soules, that the King of glory might come in; bee nothing but fits of Melancholy, or sowre and unseasonable effects and compressions of some Puritanicall Ministry, & dangerous temptations to despaire. And therefore they ccSome men are pricked, and to put away their sorrow, they will goe sleepe, they will goe sport, they will get to merry company, and passe away the time; and so, as they terme it, they will purge, and drive away the rage of melancholy: they never goe to any Preacher, to aske of the Lord, or at the mouth of his Spirit: they never respect prayer, nor seeke any comfort in the Word of God. But to put away sorrow on this sort, is to call it againe, and to feele it more freshly either in the houre of death, or in Hell. Greenham, in Sermon of Repentance. The reprobates in their sorrow runne away from God, even as a Dogge from him that whippeth Him. Iudas in his terrours ranne to the high Priests, the enemies of Christ, and to the Halter. Cain to building of Cities. Saul to Musicke, to a Witch, and at last to His Sword. Dike of Repentance, cap. 3. But alas! the franticke dealing of men in this case is too palpable, and to bee wondred at; when Gods Word strikes upon them; when they feele the keene-nesse of it; when the threatnings have cut, so that they smart for it; then they run to dicing, carding, drinking, dancing, &c. as it were of set purpose to drive away the Spirit of God, that was comming towards them, to heale their Soule. Whately, Redemption of time, pag. 62. It is the property of ungodly men, to remoove the discomforts of their heart by worldly delectations; As Saul called for Musicke, when he was troubled with an evill spirit. And to this purpose, men that bee afraid of despaire, and love not to be humbled under the mighty hand of God doe, use their wives, their friends, then meat, and their drinke, with all the Pastime that can bee devised, to reioyce themselves withall, that they might put themselves out of their dumpes, as they call it. Marbur, in His Sermon upon Psal. 32.Ps 32hie out of them as fast as they can, by posting after worldly pleasures, Pastimes, Plaies, Musicke, Gaming, merry Company, Ioviall meetings of good-fellowship, Tavernes, Ale-houses, Visites, Entertainements, improovement of their chiefe carnall contentment, &c. If p. 304not to Wisards, and even to light a candle at the Div… for lightsonmesse of heart. Thus I know not, whether with more sinne or folly, they endeavour to come unto themselves againe, by the mirth and madnesse of wine, earthly joy, carnall counsell, &c. Wherein they are not unlike those bloody Israelites, who while they burnt up their children in sacrifice to Molech, filled their eares with ffWhen they sacrificed their sonnes to this Idoll, they did beare upon Tabrels and Drummes, that the cry of the childe might not bee heard by the father. Godwins Moses and Aaron, Lib. 4. Cap. 2.noise of Instruments; lest by the rufull cries of their little Babes, they should bee moved to pitie, and so staied in the cruell service of that blood-sucking Idoll. Iust so these Men of pleasure and perdition, doe sinfully seeke to stop the guilty clamours of their vexed consciences with the comforts of this life, and sensuall joy, while their soules are sacrificing to Satan, and making fit fewell for the fire of Hell; lest by listning to their cryes and controlements, they should bee stirred up to take compassion of their owne poore immortall Soules, and stopt in the pursuite of their fugitive follies, and delights of sense. But alas! in so doing, they are also like a Man in a burning …ever, who lets downe cold drinke eagerly and m…rrily, because in the extremity of thirst, it cooles Him a little; But after a while, Hee shall finde the heat, the paine, and the danger all doubled upon Him. Earthly pleasures may, for the presens, still the noyse of in accusing conscience, and seeme somewhat to allay it's guilty …ge; but assuredly they will afterward kindle such a fire in the Bowels of these miserable men, that will burne even to the very bottome of Hell, and blow them up Body and Soule with irrecoverable ruine for ever. Hee that goes about, to cure the wound of his conscience for sinne with sensuall delight, is as if, to helpe the tooth-ake, Hee should knocke out his braines; or when hee is stung with a Waspe, should rub with a Nettle the smarting place▪ or finding no good by Physicke, should runne … Wise-men; as if in extremity of thirst, hee should drinke ranke poyson to quench it; apply a venemous p. 305plaister to his sore, and prop up his falling Roofe with burning fire-brands: Remedies farre worse, and more pestilentiall then the Malady; For they either plunge them deeper into the Dungeon of Melancholy, and heavy-heartednesse; or else draw a skinne onelyonly over the spirituall wound, whereby it festers and rankles underneath more dangerously: For thus stopping the mouth of that never-dying worme, that insatiable Wolfe in the meane time, doth make it, when there is no more supply of carnall pleasures, whereupon it feeds for a while, to fall more furiously upon the conscience that bred it; and to gnaw more ragingly, by reason of it's former restraint, and enforced diversion.

I know full well, Satan is right-well pleased, and doth much applaud this pestilent course of theirs; and therefore Hee helpes forward this accursed businesse all hee can, of abandoning and banishing all trouble of minde for sinne with worldly toyes. For ordinarily out of his cruell cunning, thus He proceeds in these Cases:

1. In the first Place, and above all, hee labours might and maine, to detaine men in that height of hardheartednesse, that they may not bee mooved at all with the Ministry, or suffer the Sword of the Spirit to pierce. And then, like a strong man armed, Hee possesseth their Bodies and Soules, which are his ggContra nos eò vehementius incitator, quo ex corde nostro quast… iure propria habitatlonic expellitar. Greg. in cap. 33. Iob. col. 8….Palace, with much peace; and disposeth them wholly in any hellish service at his pleasure. Thus Hee prevailes with a world of men amongst us. They heare Sermon after Sermon, Iudgement upon Iudgement, and yet are no more stirr'd with any penitent astonishment for sinne, or saving worke of the Word, then the very Seates whereon they sit, the Pillars to which they leane, or dead Bodies upon which they tread. They are ordinarily such as these: First, Ignorants, of two sorts: first, Vnskild, both in the Rules of reason and religion; Such are our extremely sottish, and grossely ignorant people, p. 306which swarme amongst us in many places, to the great dishonour of the Gospell, by reason of the want of Catechising, and other discipline: secondly, Led by the light of naturall conscience to deale something honestly; but Ideots in the great mystery of godlinesse; Such are our meerely civil honest men. Secondly, Those that are wise in their owne conceits, Isai. 5.21. Beeing strongly perswaded of their good estate to God-ward, whereas, as yet, they have no part at al in the first resurrection. Such as those, Matth. 7.22. and 25.11. Thirdly all such as are resolved not to take sinne to heart. See, Isai. 28.15. These either, first, hhMultum delectat omnes peccatores, & amatores buius seculi, quia misericors & miserator dominus, quia longanimis & multùm misericors. Sed siamas, tum multa mitia time ibi, & ultimum quod ait, & verax. Si enim vibil aliud diceret nisi misericors, & miserator Dominus, longanimis & multùm misericors, quast iam convertereste ad securitatem, & impunitatem & ad licentiam peccatorū, & faceres, quodvelles, utereris seculo, vel quantū tibi permitteretur, vel quantum tibi libido iussisset. Etsi quis te b…ne monendo obiurgaret, atque terreret, ut cobiberes te ab immoderato luxu, eundo post coxcupiscentias tuas & deserendo Deum tuum, inter medias voces obiurgantis obsisteres, impudenti quidem fronte, veluti audit â divinâ authoritate, & legeres de libro Dominico: Quid ni… terres de Deo nostro? Ille Nisericers est & miserator & multùm misericors Ne talia homi…s dicerent, …um verbum addidit in fine, quod, & verax: & excussit Letitiam malè praesumentium & induxit timorem dalentium. Gaudeamus ad misericordiam Domini, sed timean… us ad iudicium Domini. Parcit dum tacet. Tacet, sed non semper tacebit. August. Lib. de decem chordis, cap. 1. Nòs perversitate nostra sic volumus Deum esse misericordem, ut non sit iustus. Idem de temp. Serm. 109.make God all of mercy: secondly, or preserue a secret reservation in their hearts to repent hereafter: thirdly, or have so prodigiously hardened their hearts, that they feare not the iudgement to come: fourthly, or with execrable villany desire to extinguish the very notions of a Deity, by a kind of an affected Atheisme; and beeing drowned in sensuality, labour not to beleeve the Word of God; that they may sinne without all checke or reluctation.

2. But if it fall out so by Gods blessing, that the Word once begin to get within a Man, and to worke terrour and trouble of minde for sinne; so that He sees him grow sensible of His slavery, weary of His former waies, and like enough to breake the Prison, and bee gone; then doth Hee seriously observe and attend, which way the Partie enclines, and how hee may bee easiliest diverted, that hee may thereafter proportion His Plots and Attempts against Him, the more prosperously.

p. 307First, if hee find Him to have been an horrible sinner, of a sad and Melancholike disposition, much afflicted with outward crosses, &c. Hee then laies load upon His affrighted Soule, with all his cunning and cruelty; that if it bee possible, Hee may drive Him to despaire. For this purpose Hee keen's the sting of the guilty conscience it selfe, all he can; sharpens the empoysoned Points of his owne fierydarts; addes more grisselinesse to his many hatefull transgressions; more horrour to the already flaming vengeance against sin, &c. That if God so permit, Hee may bee sure to strike desperately home, and sinke Him deepe enough into that abhorred Dungeon.

Secondly, But if hee perceive Him not to have been infamous and noted for any notorious sinnes; By naturall constitution, to bee merrily disposed; impatient of heavy-heartednesse, and formerly much addicted to good fellowship: If hee spie him, to strive and struggle for dis-intanglement out of these uncouth terrours; and re-injoyment of his former worldly delights, and Ioviall companions: I say, then Hee is most forward to follow and feede His iiIntuetur inimicus generis humani uniu… cuiusque mores, cul vitio sint propinqui, & illa opponit ante faciem, ad quae cognoscit facililiùs inclinars mentem: ut blandes u… latis moribus sape luxuriam proponat, &c. Greg. in cap. 18. Iob. Col. 456.humou… … way also: that so He may stifle, and utterly extin…sh, the worke of the spirit of bondage in the very beginning. And to this end, he blunts, with all the cun… he can, the sting of a Mans owne Conscience, and quite remooves his owne: Hee procures and offers all occasions of o…ward contentment; Hee furnishes His Fellowes in iniquity, and the Divels proctors with pernicious eloquence, and store of entisements, to bring him backe againe to their bent and beastly courses: He ministers his owne delicious … of carnall pleasure, to cast His conscience asleepe … ▪ In briefe, He leaves no Policy, plot, or practise un-assayed, un-attempted to make the power of the Law unprofitable unto Him; and to drowne all his sorrow for sinne in sensuall drunkennesse.

p. 308This then I make the second pestilent Passage out of pangs of conscience: to wit, when a man, to decline them, is driven by the subtilty of Satan, and perversenesse of his owne flesh, if not to Wisards and Wisemen, as they call them, and other such Oracles of the Divell; yet at best to humane Helpes, to worldly wisedome, to outward mirth, Good-fellowship, pleasant company, His heapes of gold, hoards of wealth, riches, Pastures, variety of choisest Pastimes: nay, for ease to any thing, even to Drinking, dancing, dicing, Masking, Mis-rule, revelling, roaring, &c. or any other such ribald, bedlam, and raging fooleries.