Comforting Afflicted Consciences, Text (3 of 11)

Comforting Afflicted Consciences · Text (3 of 11)

p. 1012. Nor others,In peace there is a totall d…position, both of Armes and Enmity; all hostile affections are put off: In a truce, there is but a suspension, and a cessation of Armes for a season, so as duri… the same, there is stil… provision of more fo…ces, and a preparation of greater strength. by reason of a covenant with death, and an agreement with Hell. Such as those, Isai. 28▪15. who negotiate by their plausible Agents, Ease, pleasures, prosperity; and conclude some kind of concord and composition for a time with Satan, sinne, and their owne consciences. But to tell you the truth, it is no true peace, but a politicke truce. For these implacable, desperate spirituall enemies of theirs, are ever in the meane time preparing Armes, Ord'nance and many fiery darts, still levying of fresh forces, whole armies of fiery Scorpions, and flaming terrours, with which as soone as the truce is ended, they will set upon them with more violence, fury and fiercenesse then ever before.

3. Nor others, By reason of an insensible Brawnednesse growne over, and a desperate searednesse imprest upon their consciences by extraordinary villany, and variety in sinne. Such as those, Isai. 5 19. By drawing iniquity a long time with cords of vanity, and sinne, as it were with a cart-rope, by waving the glorious light of the Word under which they sit, and which shines on their faces as a foolish thing;foreign. 1. Cor. 1.18.1 Cor 1:18 by villanously trampling under foote the power of it with despite, and scorne, many times against that light, which stands in their consciences like an armed man;foreign. Nay, and by treading out with custome in sinne, the very notions that nature hath engraven in their hearts, as Men doe the ingravings of Tombe-stones which they walke upon, with foule shoes; I say thus, at length their consciences become, so utterly remorselesse, and past all feeling; so brawned, so seared, so sealed up with a reprobate sense; that with an audacious, and Giant like insolency, they challenge even God Almighty Himselfe to draw His sword of p. 102vengeance against them. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sinnes, as it were with a cart-rope: That say, Let him make speede, and hasten his worke, that wee may see it: and let the counsell of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come, that wee may know it. foreign. Iam. 2.19.Jas 2:19These Roarers, and swaggering Belials, in this respect have consciences, worse then the Divell himselfe. For Hee beleeves and trembles. Even those already, desperate and damned spirits, tremble at the fore-thought of that fuller wrath which is to come; and yet further-deserved damnation.

4. Nor others, who, when it begins ever and anon to grumble, mutter, and make a noise lull it asleepe ag…ine with songs of pleasures; and still the cries of it with outward mirth, as Saul was wont to lay the evill spirit with Musicke. These mens consciences are qujet, not because they are savingly appeasde; but because they are sensu…lly pleas…e: Not because they want matter to trouble, and terrifie; but because they will give them no leasure, to set their sinnes in order before them. For this purpose, and to keepe these furious Mastives musl'd in the meane time, they have recourse unto and improove, both variety of delights, and multiplicity of imployments. For the first: This is the reason, as one saith wittily, that many are so eager in the pursuits of their pleasures, because they would make Gods Sergeant, their owne conscience that pursues them, drunken with these pleasures: just as many men use to doe, getting the Sergeant that comes to arrest them into the Taverne, and there making him drunke, that so they may escape. For the second: How was it possible that Ahitophel should hold out so long from hanging himselfe▪ and horrible confusion of spirit; especially sith Hee harbour'd in His bosome such a false rotten abominable heart, as appeared by that villanous counsell Hee gave Absalom, to lye with His Fathers Concubines, in the sight of all Israel; except Hee had been a Counseller of p. 103State, and so necessarily taken up continually with extraordinary variety, vicissitude, and succession of most waighty and important affaires; which would wholly possesse His minde with an un-interrupted attention, agitation and exercise; and not give it any leave to reflect upon it selfe, with those severer cogitations in cold blood, which are woont to correct and condemne the enormity of exorbitant courses. And thus in all ages, many great Men, of great wisedome, beeing great offenders, purposely put and plunge themselves into multitude of businesses; that they may have no leasure, to listen unto that, which their consciences would secretly tell them in their eare, of their Machivellian plots, prodigious lusts, and plausible cruelties. The noise of attendants, visitants, Dependants, and great imployments drowne the voyce of conscience in such Cases, as the Drummes in the sacrifices to Moloch, the Cry of the Infants. But while the Men of the world are thus wholly detain'd, and doe so greedily upon purpose entertaine the time with cares of this life, and dealings in the world; their consciences deale with them, as Creditors with their Debitors: while they have any doings, as they say, and are in trading, in policy let them alone and say nothing; but if once downe the winde, in sicknesse, poverty, disgrace, &c. Then comes Sergeant after Sergeant; Arrest upon Arrest; Action upon Action: All their sinnes are set in order before them, and fall full foule upon the now distressed Soule, as Ravens upon the fallen Sheepe, to picke out the very eyes and heart of it, and to keepe it downe in the Dungeon of despaire for ever.

5. Nor others, because they cousen themselves with a formall false conceite of a comfortable spirituall state; as did the Phari…ie, Luk. 15.11. with a groundlesse presumption, that they are in Gods favour; as did those, Matth. 7.22. And the five foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. When as God knowes, they are meere strangers to the p. 104Mysterie of Christ, and farre enough from any sound Humiliation.

Thus the blindnesse, security, searednesse, slumber, Selfe-deceite, or some other such distemper of the Conscience conceales, and keepes in, the stings of those sins in sensuall men; which without turning unto the Lord, in truth, while it is called To Day, will hereafter torment with intolerable and restlesse terrour thorow all eternity.

3. A third reason, why thy unlamented, and unpardoned sinnes, tho every one of them bee armed with a severall bloody and fiery sting, and of their owne nature so heavy with horrour, that they are able to sinke Thee into the bottome of Hell; doe not as yet stirre, nor presse upon thy Soule, with the insupportable weight of divine vengeance, is this: They are in their native soyle; where they were borne, bred and brought up; in their owne Element, as they say: I meane in a carnall heart, soaking in sensualitie, and not resolved to bee reformed. Wee say in Philosophy, An Element is not heavy in it's owne Place. One Bucket full of water upon the Earth would bee burdensome to the Backe of that Man; who, were Hee in the bottome of the Sea, would feele no weight at all from all the water there, tho it were three miles high over His head. A sensuall heart, settled upon it's lees can beare without sense, or complaint, a world of wickednesse, which out of it's Element and humour, would bee crusht into Powder, and tremble with horrour upon the sad apprehension of the least sinne, especially set out by Gods just indignation. While Belshazzar was in His Element, revelling and rioting amongst His Lords, His Wives, and His Concubines, drinking wine swaggeringly and contemptuously in the golden and silver Vessels of the Temple, Hee felt no touch in point of conscience, or terrour at all. But put out of His humour, by the hand-writing upon the plaister of the Wall, His countenance was presently p. 105changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of His loynes were loosed, and His knees smote one against another.

4. Fourthly, The never-dying worme, that naturally breeds, and ddVoluptas perpetui vermis nutrix, ad tempus admodùm breve possidentem demulcet. Postremò verò ac…bioris exitum tristitiae sortitur. Basil. Exhort. Ad. Baptis…um.growes bigge in every unregenerate conscience, which beates backe still the searching power of the Word, and secret warnings of the Spirit, is like a Wolfe in the foot: Feede it continually with fresh supply of raw flesh, and it will let the Body alone; but with-draw that, and it devoures upward. While the Sonnes and daughters of pleasure, and all those who have their portion and Paradise in this life, stoppe the mouth of this hellish worme, with variety of carnall delights, they doe well enough, and finde pretty ease, and exemption for a time from the rage and bitings thereof: But they may assure themselves in evill times, when the dayes are come upon them, wherein there is no pleasure; when the Play is done; when all worldly comforts and comforters like run-away servants, and drunken Serving-men, are to seeke, when they have most use and need of them; I say, that then the time, and turne is come; that the worme of conscience, destitute now …or ever of any further satisfaction from sensuall sweetnes, will ragingly turne upon the Soule, devoure like a Lion, knaw like a Vulture, vex eternally.

5. Fifthly, If the weight of the whole world were now laid upon any of these Bodies here lately buried, it would not stirre or groane: And why? Because it is naturally dead. Proportionably, Tho the burthen of sinne, farre heavier then a mountaine of eeGrave siquidem, grave, inquam, & onerosum est peccatum, & omni plumbo ponderosius. Chrysost. Ad. Pop. Antioch. Hom. 31.Lead, then this mighty and massie earth under our feete, lyes upon every impenitent Soule, ready every houre to presse, and plunge it into the lowest Pit yet wretched, and bewitched Thing, it neither feeles any smart, nor feares any hurt; it is neither sensible of the present weight, nor troubled for the future wrath; And what is the reason? It is spiritually ffMortuus est autem peccator, maximè ille, quem moles consuetudinis premit, quasi sepultus Lazarus. Parùm enim erat qui… mortuus, etiam sepultus. August. de temp. Serm. 48.dead. It is starke dead in trespasses p. 106and sinnes. The strong man is gone away with all. And there is no stirring, nor sense of this cursed Burden, untill,Ephes. 2.1.Eph 2:1 Either a stronger then Hee lay hands upon this Hellish Tyrant, disarme Him, and throw downe His Holds; and a ggNe que negari potest, non minoris esse virtutis, immò aliquantò majoris, è morte animas mortuas excitare ac corpora mortua. Musc. In Evang. Ioan. cap. 5.John 5mightier voyce of the Sonne of God, then that which made Lazarus come out of the Grave, put life into it: Or else that the dreadfull thunder of Gods fierce and finall wrath, the Day of visitation beeing expired, awake it to everlasting woe.

6. Tho in the meane time, thou bee extreamely miserable, and if thou dyest in thine impenitent state this day, thou must most certainely lodge this night in the Lake of fire and brimstone amongst the damned; yet thy sinnes for the present doe not represent to the eye of thy conscience those formes of foulenesse, and terrour, of which they are naturally full; and which without timely repentance, thou wilt hereafter find and feele in them, to thine endlesse griefe: because thou lookest upon them in the false Glasse of vaine-glory, ignorance, selfe-love, selfe-conceitednesse; painted over by the Divels dawbing, with whorish intising colours of pleasure, profit, preferment, worldly applause, and other such goodly and golden out-sides. Whereas a true and effectuall beholding them in the cleare Christall of Gods pure Law, hunted continually at the heeles with divine vengeance; all the curses in this Booke, and plagues innumerable, internall, externall, eternall; and in the bitter Passion of Iesus Christ, without whose hearts-blood, not the least sinne that ever was committed, could ever have been remitted, were able to …right and fire a very Blackamore out of His blacke skinne and a Leopard from His spots. Ier. 13.23.Jer 13:23And thou something easest thine heart also against the terrour of the Lord for thy sinnes, by looking upon Gods mercy with false spectacles, and so enlarging it beyond the limits of His Truth. But heare, what that excellent discoverer of the Depths of our Selfe-cousoning hearts tells p. 107thee in such a case: As a man passing over a bridge, saith Hee, which his false spectacles make to seeme broader, then in deed it is, being thereby deceived goes besides the bridge, and so is drowned: so is it with those whose deceitfull hearts make the bridge of Gods mercy larger then it is, they are in danger of falling beside it, into the waters of eternall destruction. For the Gods mercy bee of the largest extent, yet it is bounded with His Truth. And therefore usually in the Scriptures wee find these two coupled together, Gods mercy and His Truth. Now His Truth tells us; that the good tydings of the Gospell belong only to the poore, to the broken-hearted, to the captives, to the blinde, to the bruised. Luk. 4.18. That Hee onelyonly who confesseth, and forsaketh His sinnes, shalt have mercy. Prou. 28.13. That except wee repent, wee shall all perish. Luk. 13.3. That except wee bee borne againe, wee cannot see the Kingdome of God. Ioh. 3.3. That God will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalpe of such an one, as goeth on still in his trespasses. Psal. 68.21. That if wee regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not heare us. Psal. 66.18. That no fornicator, nor idolater, nor adulterer, nor eff…minate, nor abuser of Himselfe with man-kind, nor theefe, nor covetous man, nor drunkard, nor reviler, nor extortioner shall inherit the Kingdome of God. 1. Cor. 6.9.10. That without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14. That every one that calleth on the Name of Christ savingly, must depart from iniquitie. 2. Tim. 2.19. &c. Compare now these and the like Places with thine heart, life, and present impenitent state, and tell mee in cold blood and impartially, whether any mercy at all as yet belongs unto thee upon good ground, yet lying in thy sinnes.

2. In a second place, the Point may serve for warning to those, who are already washed from their sins; that they defile their Soules no more: who having been cured by casti…g their eyes upon the brazen Serpent, from those many fiery stings; that they rebell no p. 108more; who wounded formerly at the heart-roote with grievous horrour, and now healed with the blood of Christ, that in the name of Christ, they turne not againe to folly. Let them call to minde, and lay to heart the ensuing considerations, when they are first tamper'd with, and tempted againe to any sinne: which, me thinkes, should be of power, not only to keep Gods blessed Ones from putting their hands to iniquity; but also to restraine, or at least to coole the courage even of the Divels slaves, in the very heate of the most furious entisement to their best-beloved sinne.

1. Sinne is most hatefull. It is the onelyonly Object of all Gods infinite hatred. His LoueLove is cut, as it were, into divers streames, and carried upon variety of hhPrimum enim divini amoris objectum, est ipsa Deitas, ac Filius ille dilectus. 2. Res creatae in genere. 3. Angeli. 4 Genus humanum. 5. Electi. Til. p. 1. Syntag The. 40. pag 113.Objects. He loves in the first place, infinitely, ad-equately His owne blessed Selfe, His owne Sonne, who is called the **foreign. Coloss. 1.13.Col 1:13Sonne of His Love, His Angels, His Saints, His Servants, His Creatures, All things Hee made: Thou lovest all things that are, and abhorrest nothing which Thou hast made. For never wouldest Thou have made any thing, if thou had'st hated it. But Hee hates iiDeo nihil est in odio, nisi malum, hoc est, nihil est ei invisum, o …iosum, excerabile, nisi malum. Hoc autem est peccatum ipsum, & praetereà nihil. Zanch. De naturâ Dei. Lib. 4. Cap 7.nothing at all, properly and formally, but sinne. The whole infinitenesse of all His hatred, is spent wholly upon sinne alone; which makes it infinitely and extremely hatefull. Now what a thing is this, that an infinite divine hatred, like a mighty undivided Torrent should withall it's united forces, and detestations run headlong, and rest upon every sinne; bee it but an officious lye, **Ephes. 5.4. Gal. 5.21. Matth. 5 28.Eph 5:4Gal 5:21Matt 5:28foolish talking, jesting, revelling, a wanton glance, a vaine thought, an idle word, and such like lighter sinnes in the worlds account; which to reprove in some companies, nay almost every where, would bee holden to bee a sowre and unsufferable precisenesse: So desperately impudent are the times, both in disgracing of sincerity, and dawbing of sinne! And what a wofull wretch is every impenitent Sinner, who hath such a world of unpardoned sinnes lying upon His Soule, and such an immeasurable p. 109weight of hatred lying upon every severall sinne! And what a prodigious Bedlam is Hee, who will wittingly, and willingly put His hand to any sinne; which once committed, is inseparably, and individually attended with the infinite hatred of so great a God. For which the paines of Hell must upon necessity bee suffered; either by the Party Himselfe or his Surety: Either it must bee taken off by the blood of Iesus Christ; or else the Delinquent, must burne in Hell for euer!

2. It is most foule. Even fouler then the foulest Feind in Hell, then the Divell Himselfe. And let none stumble at this truth: It appeares unanswerably thus: Sinne made him a Divell, and sunke Him into Hell and therefore sinne is more rancke Divell and horrible Hell it selfe. For it is a principle in Philosophy of unquestionable truth; kkforeign A…st. Posterio. Anal. Lib. 1. Text. 15.Whatsoever maketh such, is it selfe much more such. The Sunne that lightens all other bodies, is much more light; The fire which heates all other things, is much more hote: So that which defiles another thing▪ is much more fulsome: Sinne alone brought all hellish misery upon Satan, and made him so foule, therefore is it farre fouler. If any could strip him of his sins, hee should re-invest him into the shining roabes of all his former Angelicall excellency and perfection; and restore him into height of favour againe with the most High. llIllud, quod maximè videtur Deus odissi, scil…ce… Diabolum, non odit nisi ratione peccati: & eum amaret, si peccatum non esset, tanquam creaturam suam. V…de Sap, 11. Nihil odisti eorum quae fe…isti. Quod intelligendum, est nisi propter peccatum adjunctum, quod ipse non secit. Peral.For God hates the Divell for nothing else in the world but for sinne.

Ob. But if sinne bee so ougly, may some say▪ as you have set it out; how comes it to passe, that it is so amiable in the eyes of the most? Why doe all sorts of people pursue and practise it with such eagernesse and delight? Why doth the whole world runne a madding after it?

Answ. Herein observe an universall Soule-swallowing Depth of Satans damned Policy. Hee knowes full well, that should sin appeare it it's owne likenes, every eye would abhorre it, every Mothers Sonne would detest, p. 110and defie it. And therefore, Hee takes a course, by the exquisitnesse of his colours, and excellency of painting, to put a seeming fairenesse upon an Hellish face; whereby the greatest part dote upon this deformed Hag to their endlesse damnation. For wee must know that Satan, in this mystery of cousoning by colours, incomparably surpasseth the most famous Baudes, and noble Strumpets, that ever were. So that it seemes to bee the conceite of the ancient mmQuae omnia peccatores, & apostatae Angeli suis artious prodiderunt; quando ad terrena contagia devoluti, à coel…sti vigore rece…serunt. Illi & oculo… circumducto nigrore f…care, & … m…ndacio rub…ris infi…ere, & mutare adal…erinis …; & … & capit … corrupt…lae suae …pugnatione …. Cyprian. De habitu Virginum. Qu…s co…pus …, nisi qui & homin… spiritum malitiá transfigura…? Ille indubitate … ingenta …, ut in nob…s quodam … manus Deo in…erret. Quod nascitar, Opus Dei est. Ergo quod …ngitur, D… aboli n…gotium est. Tertull. De cultu Foeminarum. Tu verò cu…us caput Christus est, inventiones Satanae comprobabis, nec recordaberis faciem Christi—? Quae omnia si memoria teneres, eti…msi valde … …mares, non auderes tamen, nec ferre posses pulverem, … faciem tuam impodere. Chrys. Hom. 31. in Mat.Fathers, that the Divell did immediately reveale unto whorish women this Art of painting; at least, Hee was most certainely an extraordinary assistant to the first Inventors of it. Now for painting sinne, to make it more plausible and passable, wee may see variety of colours, and cousoning tricks ministred unto Satan by our false hearts, His Agents for that purpose, nnI meane … discourse of the …itfulnes of M…ns heartIn that excellent Discovery of their deceitfulnesse.

But as an old, deformed, wrinckled, whorish Hag setting out Her selfe with false haire, a painted face, and other meritricious affected dressings, entangles and ensnares the hearts of ooAt, inq…unt juvenculae, quid mali, si … sponsam …? Non …, nisi …olidum, & vecordem S…lt. in 3. cap. …esai….fooles, and eyes of vanity; whereas understanding men, and those that have eyes in their heads, discover in her so doing and daubing, an addition of a great deale of artificiall loathsomnesse to Her naturall foulnesse: So it is in this case. The greisly face of sinne beeing dawbed over with the Divels painting, and false luster, carries away captive all carnall men, and detaines in a Fooles-Paradise, indeed an hellish prison, a world of deluded Ones. Yet those few illightened Soules, whose eyes have been happily opened, by spiritu…ll Eye-salve, to turne from darkenesse to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, behold a p. 111double deformity and ouglines, in so foule a monster deceitfully dress…d in the Divels counterfeite colours, and guilded over garishly in His personated Angelical glory.

3. It is most filthy. Farre filthier then the most stinking confluence of all the most filthy, fulsome, nasty, loathsome things in the world: And it must needs bee so; For whatsoever a Man can conceive to bee most contrary, distant and opposite to the infinite clearenes, purity, sweetnesse, beauty, and goodnesse of God; all that, and much more is sinne in the highest degree. Hence it is, that in the Scriptures, it is compared to the filthiest pp2. Pet. 2.22.2 Pet 2:22myre, in which a Sow will lie downe to coole, and cover her selfe: To the loathsome vomite, not of a man, but of a Dog: qqRom. 3.13. Alludit ad hominem, qui tetrum anhelitum ex corruptis spirat extis; & ad cadaver quod ex sepulchro intolerabilem spirat odorem. Buc.Rom 3:13To the unsavoury poysonfull dampe, which rotten Carkases exhale out of opened graves: rrEzech. 16 17. Their way was before mee, as the uncleannesse of a remooved woman.Ezek 16:17To menstruous filth: ssIam. 1.21. foreign. so…des: Propriè quae in summis manuum, ac digitorum unguibus colliguntur: aut, secundum alios, illuvies quae distringitur à corporibus ol…o illit…s post sudorem: item genus quoddam ulceris sordidi. Apud. Diosc. lib. 5. cap. 99. Scap.Jas 1:21To the dirt under the nailes; or the stinking sweat of the Body; or the putrified matter of some pestilent ulcer: ttIbid. foreign. Beza reddit, excrementum malitiae, Metaphora â digestione naturali, quá qui…quid in …bo assumpto non praebet utile nutrimentum corpori, tanquam … excrementis deputatur. Par.To the very excrements, which Nature having severed frō the purer part of the meate, thrusts out of the stomack, & casts into the draught: uu2. Pet 2.20. foreign.2 Pet 2:20To the filthinesse, pollutions, and impurities of the world, so called by a singularity, for sin is the transcendent filth of the world: To all the uncleannesses, for which the Purifications, cleansings, washings, and sprinklings were appointed in the Leviticall Law: xxEzech. 22.2.Ezek 22:2To abomination it selfe, &c. Nay, and yet further, which makes for the further detestation of sinne: Whereas all outward filth defiles onelyonly the Body; this of sinne by the strength and contagion, of it's insinuating poyson soakes thorow the flesh and the bone, and enters and eates into the very minde and conscience, Tit. 1.15. defiles the pure, and immortall Soule of Man. How long might wee cast dirt into the Aire, before wee were able to infect the bright shining beames of the Sunne? Yet p. 112so filthy is sinne, that at once with a touch it infects the Soule, a clearer and purer essence then it; and that with such a crimsin and double-…ed staine, that the Flood of Noah, when all the World was water, could not wash it off: Neither at that last and dreadfull Day, when this great Vniversall shall bee turned into a Ball of fire, for the purifying and renewing of the Heaven and the Earth, yet shall it have no power to purge or cleanse the least sinne out of the impenitent Soule: Nay, the fire of Hell which burnes night and day, even thorow all eternity, shall never bee able to raze it out.

4 It is most infectious: Spits venome on all sides, farre and wide: corrupts every thing it comes neare. By reason whereof, it is fitly resembled to yyMatth 16.12.Matt 16:12Leaven; to a zz1. …. 5.6.Gangreene; to the aa2. Tim. 2 17.2 Tim 2:17Leprosie; which filthy disease quickly over spreads the whole Body: Numb. 12.10. Infects the bbPsal. 51.2. Ier. 13.27.Ps 51:2Jer 13:27clothes, the very Walles of the House: Levit. 14.37 &c. Posterity. 2 King 5.27. The first sinne that eve… the Sunne saw, was so pregnant with Soule-killing poyson, that it hath already damnably polluted all the Sonnes and Daughters of Adam, that were ever since; and will still by the un-resistable strength of the same contagion, empoys…n all their natures, to the Worlds end. Nay, at the very first breaking out, it suddenly blasted, as it were, both Heaven and Earth: And so stained the beauty of the one, the brightnesse of the other, and the originall, orient, newly burnisht glory of the ccforeign. … omnia subdita vanitat…. Nec sane reparabitur haereditas, donec reparentur haere…s. Bern.whole Creation; that from that houre, it hath groaned p. 113under the burden of that vanity and deformity, to which this first sinne hath made it subject; and will dd2. Pet. 3.10.12.2 Pet 3:102 Pet 3:12travaile in paine under the bondage of the same corruption, untill it bee purged by fire, in the great Day of the Lord. It but one sinne, bee doted upon, delightfully, and impenitently, like a lumpe of Leaven, it soures all the Soule, defiles the whole Man, and every thing, that proceeds from Him: His thoughts, desires, affections, words, actions, and that of all sorts; naturall, civill, recreative, religious. It doth not onelyonly unhallow his meate, drinke, carriage; His buying, selling, giving, lending, and all His other eeThe way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 15.9. Constat sensum genuinum huius Proverbij hunc esse: Quodque vestigium, & unumquemque pedem, quem improbus ponit, seu unumquodque opus, quod exercet, sive cogitan…o, sive loquendo, seu denique faciendo in his, quae ad proximum referuntur, Deo execrabile esse. Cartro.Prov 15:9dealings in the world, even His plowing; The plowing of the wicked is sinne. Prov. 21.4. But also turnes all his ffThe Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord▪ Prov. 15.8. In foreign [Sacrificium] est synecdoche partis procultu Dei. Grave est, si vanus sit … cultus. Mat. 1 … si Deus illum improbat; sed gravius si odio habeat; sed gravissimum, si illum non odio habe… modò, sed etiam abominetur: gravissimo verò gravius & atrocius est, quod illi abomination… sit; & illum summe abominetur. Quod cum dicit, omnem, gravius & acerbius aliquid dicendi, aditum praeclusit. Cartro.Prov 15:8Matt 1spirituall services, and divinest duties; His prayer, hearing, reading, receiving the Sacrament, &c. into abomination. If but one raging corruption, in a Minister, Magistrate, Master of a Family; as lying, swearing, filthy-talking, scoffing at Religion, opposition to godlinesse, Sabbath-breaking, an humour of Good-fellowship, or the like, represent it selfe to the eye of the World, in His ordinary carriage; and hang out as a rotten fruite in the sight of the Sunne; it is woont fearefully to infect or offend by a contagious insinuation, and ill example, all about Him; to diffuse it's venome to His Family, amongst His Sonnes, and Servants, over the Parish where Hee lives, all companies where hee comes, the whole Country round about, especially, if Hee bee a Man of eminency and Place.

5. ggI understand … in a genera…l notion, and not as restrained unto, or resident in any species. And I know, that divisio m…li, in malum culpae & malum poenae, is not generis univoci in species; but vocabuli aequivo…i in sua aequivocata. Culpa habet plus de ratione mali, quàm poena. Et non solùm quàm poen… sensibilis, quae consistit in privatione corporalium bonorum—sed etiam universaliter accipiendo poenam, secundum quod privatio gratia, vel gloriae, poenae quaedam sunt. Aquin. p. 1. q. 48 Art. 6.It is extremely ill. A farre greater ill, then the p. 114eternall damnation of a Man. For when Hee hath Ilen many millions of yeeres in the Lake of fire, and under the dominion of the second death; He is never the nearer to satisfaction for sinne. Not all those Hellish …lames thorow all eternitie, can possibly expiate the staine, or extingvish the sting of the least sinne. Nay, the very destruction of all the creatures in the world; of Men and Angels, Heaven and Earth, is a great deale lesse ill, then to offend God with the least transgression of His lawes. For all the creatures of ten thousand worlds, were they all extant, come infinitely short in excellency of worth, of the Hearts-blood of Iesus Christ. And yet without the effusion of it, no sinne could ever have been pardoned, nor any Soule saved. A man would thinke it a lesser ill to tell a lie, then to lie in Hell: But heare Chrysostome; Altho many thinke Hell to bee the supreame and sorest of all evils; yet I thinke thus, and thus wil I daily preach: That it is farre bitterer and more grievous to offend Christ, then to bee tormented with the paines of Hell.

6. It is full of most fearefull effects.

1. It deprives every Impenitent. 1. Of the fauour and love of God, the onelyonly Fountaine of all comfort, peace and happinesse: which is incomparably the most invalue-able losse, that can be imagined. 2. Of his portion in Christs blood; of which, tho the drops, waight and quantity bee numbred, finite, and measurable, yet the Person that shed it, hath stampt upon it, such height of price, excellency of merit, un-value-ablenes of worth; that hee had infinitely better have his portion in that sweetest well-spring of life and immortality; then enjoy the riches, pleasures and glory of the whole World everlastingly.

For a bitter-sweet taste of which, for an ynch of time, Hee villanously trampleth under-foote, as it were, that blessed blood, by wilfully cleaving to His owne wayes, and furious following the swinge of His owne p. 115sensuall heart (even against the check and contradiction of His grumbling conscience). 3. Of the most blissefull presence, freedome, and communication of the Holy Ghost; and all those divine illuminations, spirituall feastings, sudden and secret glimpses and glances of heavenly light, sweeter then sweetnesse it selfe, wherewith that good Spirit is woont to visit and refresh the humbled hearts of holy men. 4. Of the fatherly providence and protection of the blessed Trinity, the glorious guard of Angels, the comfortable communion with the people of God, and all the happy consequents of safety, deliverance and delight that floweth thence. 5. Of the unknowne pleasures of an appeased conscience, a Iewell of dearest price, to which all humane glory is but dust in the balance. Not the most exquisite extraction of all manner of Musicke, Sets, or Consorts, vocall or Instrumentall, can possibly conveigh so delicious a touch, and taste to the outward eare of a Man; as the sound, and sense of a Certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit, seal'd with Christs blood, to the eare of the Soule, even amidst the most desperate confusions, in the evill Day; when Comfort will bee worth a World; and a good Conscience, ten thousand earthly Crownes. 6. Of all true contentment in this life; of all Christian right, and religious interest to any of the Creatures. For never was any sound ioy, or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the world, found in that Mans heart, which gives allowance to any lust, or lyes delightfully in any sinne. 7. Of an immortall Crowne, the un-speakeable ioyes of Heaven; that immeasurable, and endlesse comfort, which there shall be fully and for ever enioyed, with all the children of God, Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Christian friends; yea, with the Lord Himselfe, and all His Angels, with Christ our Saviour, that Lambe slaine for us, the Prince of glory, the glory of Heaven and Earth; the brightnesse of the everlasting p. 116Light, &c. In a word, of all those inexplicable, nay, unconceiveable excellencies, pleasures, perfections; felicities, sweetnesses, beauties, glories, eternities above.

2. It doth every houre expose Him to all those evils, which a Man destitute of grace divine may commit; and unprotected from above, endure. It brings all plagues. 1. Internall; Blindnesse of minde, Hardnesse of heart, deadnesse of affection, searednesse of conscience, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, the spirit of slumber, slavery to lust, estrangednesse from God, bondage under the Divell, desperate thoughts, horrour of heart, confusion of spirit, &c. And spirituall mischiefes in this kind, moe, and more dreadfull, then either Tongue can tell, or heart can thinke. Least of which, is farre worse then all the plagues of Egypt. 2. Externall. See Deut. 28.15. &c. 3. Eternall. See my Sermon of the foure last things.

3. By it's pestilent damning Property and poyson, it turnes Heaven into Hell, Angels into Divels, Life into death, Light into darknesse, sight into blindnesse, Faith into distrust, hope into despaire, LoueLove into hate, humility into pride, mercy into cruelty, security into feare, liberty into bondage, health into sicknesse, plenty into scarcenesse, a Garden of Eden into a desolate Wildernesse, a fruitfull Land into barrennesse, Peace into war, quietnesse into contention, Obedience into rebellion, Order into confusion, vertues into vices, blessings into curses, &c. In a word, all kind of temporall, and eternall felicities, and blisse, into all kinds of miseries, and woe.

7. What heart, except it bee all Adamant, and turn'd into a Rocke of flint, but possessing it selfe with feeling thoughts, and a sensible apprehension of the incomprehensible greatnesse, excellency and dreadfulnesse of the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth, would not tremble and bee strangely confounded to transgresse and breake any one branch of His blessed Lawes, especially, purposely, p. 117and with pleasure; or to sinne against Him willingly, but in the least ungodly thought? For alas! Who art thou, that liftest up thy proud heart, or whettest thy prophane tongue, or bendest thy rebellious course against such a Majesty? Thou art the vilest wretch that ever God made, next unto the Divell, and His damned Angels; A base, and an unworthy Worme of the Earth, not worthy to licke the dust, that lyeth under His feete; A most weake and fraile creature, Earth, ashes, or any thing that is naught; the dreame of a shadow, the very Picture of change, worse then vanity, lesse then nothing; Who, when thy breath is gone, which may fall out many times in a moment, thou turnest into dust, nay, rottennesse and filth, much more loathsome, then the Dung of the Earth; and all thy thoughts perish. But now on the other side, if thou cast thine eyes seriously, and with intention upon that thrice glorious and highest Majesty, the eyes of whose glory thou so provokest with thy filth and folly, thou mayest most justly upon the commission of every sinne cry out with the Prophet: O Heavens bee astonished at this: bee afraid and utterly confounded! Nay, thou mightest marvaile, and it is Gods unspeakeable mercy, that the whole frame of Heauen and Earth is not for one sinne fearefully, & finally dissolued, and brought to nought! For He against whom thou sinnest, inhabiteth eternity, and unapprochable light: The Heauen is His Throne, and the earth his footstoole: Hee is the euerlasting God, mighty, and terrible, the Creatour of the ends of the earth, …c. The infinite splendour of his glory and maiesty, so dazles the eyes of the most glorious Seraphims, that they are glad to adore Him with couered faces ggDuae aliae alae, quibus faciem legehant, satis indicant, ne Angelos quid…m sulgorem illum D…i sust…ne…e posse, s… que ips…s … Dei consp…c…, ut … solem splendentem in…ueri volumus. Neque tamen ita …egebant Ang…li faciem … quin aliquo …ruerentur Dei conspectu. Calv. in Isai. cap. 6. The most holy Angels … of sin in nature and conscience, yet cover their faces, as abashed at …, tho doi…g his will in obeying the voyce of his mouth. Throgmorton of Faith. Pag. 146.Isa 6. The Diuell, and all the damned spirits, those p. 118stubborne Feinds tremble at the terrour of His countenance. hhIsai. 40.Isa 40All the Nations before Him, are but as the drop of a bucket, but as the small dust of the balance, nay, they are nothing to Him, saith the Prophet, yea lesse then nothing. iiIob 12.Job 12Hee fitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers: The Iudges, and Princes, when Hee blowes upon them, are but as stubble before the Whirle-winde: And kkIob 26.11.Job 26:11Hee taketh vp the Iles, as a very litle thing. llPsal. 18.7.Ps 18:7At His rebuke the Pillars of Heauen doe shake; the Earth trembleth and the foundations of the hills are mooued: mmNahum. 1.5.Nah 1:5His presence melts the mountaines, His voice teares the Rocks in pieces, nnPsal. 18.15.Ps 18:15The blast of the breath of His nostrils discouers the chanells of waters, and foundations of the world: Deut. 32.22.42.Deut 32:22Deut 32:42when Hee is angry, His Arrowes drinke bloud, His sword deuoures flesh, and the fire of his wrath burnes unto the lowest Hell. Isai. 40.12.Isa 40:12The Heauen is but His span, The Sea His handfull, The wings of the wind His walke: Psal. 104.3.2, Psal. 18.11. Nah. 1.3. Ier. …1.1….Ps 104:3Ps 104:2Ps 18:11Nah 1:3Jer 1:1His garments are light, His Pauilion darknes, His way in the whirlewind, and in the storme; and the clouds are the dust of His feete, &c. The Lord of hostes is his name, whose power and punishments are so infinitely vnresistable; that Hee is able with one word to turne all the creatures in the world into Hell; nay, even with the breath of His mouth to turne Heaven and Hell, and Earth, and all things into nothing. How darest thou then so base and vile a wretch, prouoke so great a God?

8. Let the consideration, and compassion upon the immortality, and dearenesse of that pretious Soule that lies in thy bosome, curbe thy corruptions at the very first sight of sinne, and make thee step backe as though thou wert ready to treade upon a Serpent. Not all the bloudy men upon earth, or desperate Devils in Hell, can possibly kill, and extingvish the Soule of any man; it must needs live, as long, as God Himself, and run parallell, with the longest line of eternity. OnelyOnly sinne p. 119wounds ooMors, quae non mod… nos à praesin…t…s mali… viadicat, veri…m ad supernam quoque vitam saepe traducit, haud s…io an propriè mors appellari queat, ut potè nomine magis quàm re sormidabilis.—Vna vita est oculos ad vitam conjectos habere. Vna mors, peccatum: animae enim est interitus. Navian. de funere Patris.mortally that immortal spirit, & brings it into that cursed case, that it had infinitely better never have bin, then be for ever. For by this meanes, going on impenitently to that last Tribunall, it becomes immortally mortall, and mortally immortall ppBeatè vivere, sivè per vitium, sive per supplicium perdit anima: Essentialiter autem vivere, neque per vitium, neque per suppl…um amittil. A qualitate enim vivendideficit, sed omnimodò subsi…lendi inreritum nec moriens sentit. Vt ergo breviter dixerim, & immortaliter mortalis est, & mortaliter immortalis. Greg. in 3. cap. lob cap 7. Anima & mortalis esse intelligitur, & immortal…. Mortalis quippè, quia beatè vivere amittit; immortalis autem, quia essentialitèr vivere nunquam desinit; & nature saae v…tam per…dere … vil…l, nec cum ta perpetuâ suerit morte damnata—Quâ ex recogit…rse perut & mortem sine morte, & desectum sine defect…, & sinem sine sine patiatur: quatenusei & mors immortalis sit, & defectus indeficiens, & sines insimtus. Idem. Dial. Lib. 4. cap. 45. Sic morien…ur damnati ut semper vivant: & sic vivent ut semper moriantur. Bern. de Dignit. mimae Reviviscunt ad mortem, moriuntur ad vitam.as one of the Ancients speakes. It lives to death, and dies to life: never in state of life or death yet ever in the paines of death, & the perpetuity of life; It's death is ever-living, & it's end is ever in beginning: Death without death; End without end: Ever in the pangs of death, & never dead: not able to dye, nor endure the paine: Paine exceeding not only, all patience, but all resistance: No strength, to sustaine nor ability to beare, that which heareafter, whilst God is God, for ever must bee borne. What a prodigious Bedlam cruelty is it then for a mā, by listning to the Syren-songs of this false world, the lewd motions of His own treacherous heart, or the Divels desperate counsel, to embrew His hands in the bloud of His own everlasting soule, & to make it die eternally? For a little paltry pleasure of some base & rotten lust, & sleeting vanity, which passeth away in the act, as the tast of pleasant drink dieth in the draught, to bring upon it in the other world, torments whithout end, and beyond all compasse of conceit? And his madnesse is the more, because besides it's immortality, His Soule is incōparably more worth, then the whole world. The very sensitive Soule of a little slie, saith qqMusca sole praestantior S…arte tur…ata …ne q…ererent, num ettam mascae an…mam hui… luci praestare censerem, respon ler…m etiam: in c…ne terreret musca, quòd parva est, sed q…òd viva, firmaret. Quaeriturenim, quid …'la membra tam exigua egete…, quid huc; atque tilu… pro naturali appetitu taa…ill …corpusculum ducat, quid currentis pedes in numerum m…eat; quid … pennulas mo…e…etur, at v…bret? Quod qualecunque est bene considerantibus, … magnum eminet, ut … …algori perstringenti oculos praeseratur. August. Lib. de duabas Animabus contra Manichaeos, pag. 180.Austin truly, is more p. 120excellent then the Sun: How ought wee then to prize, and preserve from sinne, our vnderstanding, reasonable Soules, which make us in that respect, like unto the Angels of God?

9. Ninthly, What an horrible thing is sinne, whose waight an Omnipotent strength, which doth sustaine the whole Frame of the world, is not able to beare? Almighty God complaines Isa. 1.14. even of the Sacrifices, and other services of his owne people, when they were performed with polluted hearts; and professes, that He was weary to beare them. And how vile is it, that stirs up in the dearest and most compassionate bowells of the All-mercifull God, such implacable anger, that threw downe so many glorious Angelicall spirits, who might have done Him so high honour for ever in the highest Heauens, into the bottome of Hell, there most iustly to continue Devils, and in extremest torment everlastingly? Cast all mankinde out of His fauour, and from all felicity for Adams sin?Micah 7.18.Mic 7:18 caused Him, who delighteth in mercy, to create all the afflicting miseries in Hell; eternal flames, streames of brimstone, chaines of darknesse, gnashing of teeth, a Lake of fire, the bottomlesse Pit, and all those horrible torments there? And that which doth argue, and yet further amplifie, the implacablenes and depth of divine indignation; the infinitenesse of sinnes prouocation,Isaiah 3….33.Isa 3:33 and desert: Tophet is said to bee ordeined of old: Everlasting fire to be prepared for the Devill and His Angells: Matth. 25.41.Matt 25:41As if the All-powerfull wisedome did deliberate, and as it were sit downe, and devise all st…ging terrible ingredients, a temper of greatest torture to make that dreadfull fi…e, hellish paines, most fierce and raging, and a fit instrument for the iustice of so great and mighty a God to torment eternally all impenitent reprobate Rebels. God is the Father of Spirits; our Soules are the immediate Creation of His Almighty Hand; and yet to every one that goeth on impenitently in his trespasses, Hee hath appointed, as it were p. 121a threefold Hell. There are three things considerable in sinne: 1. rrF…st autem peccatum hommis inordinatio, atque perversit as, id est, à praestantiore conditore aversio, & ad condita inferiora conversio. August ad Simplician. Lib. 1. q. 2. pag. 871.Aversion from an infinite, soveraigne, unchangeable good: 2. Conversion to a finite mutable, momentany good: 3. Continuance in the same. To these three severall things in sinne, there are answering three singular stings of extremest punishment. To aversion from the chiefest Good, which is objectively infinite, there answereth Paine of losse as they call it, Privation of Gods glorious presence, and separation from those endlesse joyes above; which is an infinite losse. To the inordinate conversion to transitory things, there answereth Paine of sense, which is intensively finite, as is the pleasure of sinne; And yet so extreme, that none can conceive the bitternesse thereof, but the Soule that suffers it, nor that neither; except it could comprehend the Almighty wisedome of Him that did create it. To the eternity of sinne, remaining for ever in staine and guilt, answereth the eternity of punishment. For wee must know ssAt inquiunt: Sine sine puniri non debet culpa cum sine. Iustus ninarum est omaipotens Deus: Et quod non aeterno peccato commissum est, aeterno non debet puniri tormento▪ Quibus citius respondemus, quòd recte dicerem; si…udex iustus dist…ctusqu… veniens, non corda hominum sed sacta pensaret. Iniqui enim ideò tun… cum sine deliquerunt; quia cum sine vixerunt. Vn…uissent quippe sine sine …ive…e, ut sine sine potuiss…nt in iniquitatibus permancre. Nam magis appetunt … quam vicere. Et ideò hi… semper vivere cupiunt, ut nunquam desinant pec…are, cum …. Ad … ergo judicis justitiam pertinet, ut nunquam careant supplicijs, quoru… m…ns in hac v…ta nunquam voluit carere peccato; & nullas detur iniquo terminus …l …, qui quamdiu valuit, habere noluit terminum criminis. Greg. Expos. Mor. l. 34. cap. 16. in cap. 41. Iob.that every impenitent sinner would sinne ever if he might live ever; and casteth himselfe by sinning into an impossibility of ever ceasing to sinne of Himselfe: as a Man that casteth himselfe into a deepe Pit, can never of Himsel…e rise out of it againe: And therefore naturally eternity of punishment is due to sinne. How prodigious a thing then is sinne, and how infinitely to bee abhorred, and avoided, that by a malignant meritorious poyson and provocation, doth violently wrest out of the hands of the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, the full vials of that unquenchable wrath, which brings caselesse, endlesse, and remedilesse torments upon His owne creatures, and those originally most excellent.

10. Tenthly, The height and inestimablenesse of p. 122the price, that was paid for the expiation of it, doth clearely manifest, nay, infinitely aggravate the execrable misery of sinne, and extreame madnesse of all that meddle with it. I meane the hearts-blood of Iesus Christ, blessed for ever: which was of such pretiousnesse and power, that beeing let out by a Speare, it amazed the whole Frame of Nature; darkened the Sunne miraculously, (for at that time it stood in direct ssTun… temporis d… Luminar… sac… d… stant…ii…. Na… S… erat in gra… 10. Artetis▪ & … 10. … l…q… non su… … ex naturali Sol… del… qu…o▪ ob…d▪ quò … t…mplen… ▪ … non pote… ▪opposition to the Moone) shooke the Earth, which shrunke and trembled under it, opened the Graves, clave the Stones, rent the Vaile of the Temple, from the bottome to the top, &c. Now it was this alone, and nothing but this could possibly cleanse the filth of sinne. Had all the dust of the earth been turned into silver, and the stones into pearles; Should the maine and boundlesse Ocean have streamed nothing but purest gold; would the whole world, and all the creatures in Heaven and Earth have offered themselves to bee annihilated before His angry face; Had all the blessed Angels prostrated themselves at the foote of their Creator: yet in the Point of redemption of Mankind, and purgation of sin, not any, nor all of these, could have done any good at all. Nay, if the Sonne of God Himselfe, which lay in His bosome, should have supplicated and solicited, (I meane without ttCum dicimus …lium … na…uram. … foreign …epto; v…lpotu… … quam … s…se morti nan sab…e…: sed ji. eternum D… … sil…, tu… ex hac hypot…i … Chri… … redemptionem hu…n…nam: Nam im…o …. Davennantius Expo…. Epist. ad … I…co non …, an D…us alio mo…lo quà… … &c. Respens. Anth…. Wall… censuram …an. Arnoldi …orvini. cap. 25. Qu… … sal… homi…? sed … v…luit, nec …i hoc. Chamie… ▪ Tom. 2. …. 10.…. Cap. 12. Sect. 6.suffering and shedding His blood) the Father of all mercies; Hee could not have been heard in this case. Either the Sonne of God must die, or all Mankind be eternally damned. Even then, when thou p. 123art provoked to sinne, thinke seriously, and sensibly of the price that upon necessity must bee paied for it, before it bee pardoned.

11. Sinfull pleasures are attended with a threefold bitter sting. Whereof see my Directions for walking with God, pa. 171. Which though the Divell hides from them in the heate of temptation; yet in His seasons, to serve his owne turne, Hee sets them on with a vengeance.

12. Compare the vast, and unvalu-able difference, betweene yeelding to the entisement, and conquering the temptation to sinne. For which purpose, looke upon Ioseph and David, two of Gods dearest servants. And consider the consequents: what a deale of honour and comfort did afterward crowne the head, and the heart of the one: And what horrible mischiefes and miseries fell upon the family, and uuPs. 51.3. My sinne is eve… before mee.Ps 51:3grisly horrours upon the conscience of the other. Survay also the distinct xxSee the life of Galeaci…s Caracci…lus, containing the Story of His admirable conversion from Popery, and his forsaking of His Marquesdome for the Gospels sake: written first in Italian, translated into Latine by Beza; and into English by Mast. Cr…sh… : And the History of Franciscus Spira, s…t out by severall men; and thus intituled by the first: Francisci Spine Cicitatulani borrendus Casus, qui ob nega…am in judicio, cogni…am Evangelij veritatem in miseram incidit desperationem.Stories of Galeacius Caracciolus, and Franciscus Spira, then which in their severall kinds, there is nothing left to the memory of the latter times more remarkeable. And you shall find in them as great a difference, as betweene an Heaven and Hell upon earth. The one withstanding unconquerably variety of mighty entisements to renounce the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and returne to Popery, besides the sweet peace of His Soule, attained that honour in the Church of God, that Hee is in some measure yySee Crashaw in His second Dedicatory Epistle before the Booke.paralleld even with Moses, and recommended to the admiration of Posterity by the Pen of that great and incomparable glory of the Christian World, blessed zzCalvin in His Dedicatory Epistle before His Commentary upon the first to the Corinthians. Non …; Hominem pr…mariá familliá natum, honore & opibus florentem, nobi…ssimá & caltissimi u…ore, numerosa sobole, domesticâ qujete, & concordiâ, totoque vitae slatu…atun …, ut in Christi castra migraret, patriá cessisse; ditio…fertilem, & onoenam, … peti…oniu…a, con…odam non minus, quà voluptuosam balatat…m neglexisse: ex…sse … domesticum; Patre, conjuge, liberis, cognatis, affinibus sise …, &c.Calvin. The other conquered by an unhappy temptation, to turne from the Truth of God and our true Religion, to the Synagogue of Satan, and p. 124abominations of the scarlet Whore, besides the raging and desperate confusion hee brought upon His owne spirit, became such a spectacle to the eye of Christendome, as hath been hardly heard of.

13. Compare the poore, short, aaQuòd si tantum …o…up…. as esset, quid …à … li…s, quid …bjectius? Que …mul e… ve…, …, … gitque … quam compre…endatu…: & … Chrys…in loan. … quod dele… ▪ … manet sine sine quod cruciat. Sub mom…nto libin…s impetus transit, & permanet sin▪ … He… mis… …mo, nes…s, quò … bore pun…o vul…s ac…ipi… ▪ … prijt…nam …. August. …om▪ 9. pag. 1328.vanishing delight of the choisest, sensuall, worldly contentment, if thou wilt, of thy sweetest sinne, with the exquisitnesse and eternity of Hellish torments. Out of which, might an impenitent reprobate wretch, bee assured of enlargement, after Hee had endured them so many thousand, thousand yeeres, as there are sands on the Sea-shore, haires upon His head, starres in the firmament, grasse piles upon the ground, Creatures both in Heaven and Earth; Hee would thinke Himselfe happy, and as it were in Heaven already. See before pag. 39. But when all that time is past, and infinite millions of yeeres besides, they are no neerer end, then when they begun; nor Hee neerer out, then when Hee came in. The torments of Hell are most horrible; yet I know not whether this incessant desperate cry in the conscience of a damned Soule, I must never come out, doth not outgoe them all in horrour. What an height of madnesse is it then, to purchase a moment of fugitive follies, and fading pleasures, with extremity of never ending paines?

14. bb… toties pone … Deus … …datraditus … zatur; condemnatur, & … verò contum…lus & …, inter duos … derisus▪ … per…foratus; ex omnibus … &c. Bern. Lib de conse. Call to minde, o sinfull creature, and set before thine eyes Christ crucified. Thinke thou seest His …ody stre… h… out in length upon the Crosse, His Head crowned with sharpe thrones, His Hands and His beete pierced with nailes, His Heart opened with a long spea…e, His flesh tent and torne with whips His Browes sweating water and blood. Think thou hearest Him now crying: My God, My God, why h… thou forsaken Me.? O my Brethten, let this Image of Christ crucified bee alwaies printed in our hearts, let it stirre us to the hatied of sinne, &c. ho…pon G.F.When thou art stepping ouer the threshold p. 125towards any vile act, lewd House, dissolute company, or to do the Divel service in any kinde, which God forbid; suppose thou seest Iesus Christ comming towards Thee, as Hee lay in the armes of Ioseph of Arimathea, newly taken downe from the Crosse, wofully wounded, wanne and pale; His Body all gore-blood; the beauty of His blessed and heavenly face, darkned and disfigured by the stroke of death; speaking thus unto Thee: Oh! Goe not forward upon any termes, Commit not this sinne by any meanes. It was this and the like, that drew mee downe out of the ccNonne Dei filius cuns esset in sinu Patris, aregalibus sedibus, pro animâ descondit, ut eam liberaret à potestate Diaboli? Quam cum vidisset peccatorum …unibus irretitam, jam jamque daemonibus tradendam, ut morte perpetuá damnaretur, sievit superillam, quae flere se nesciebat. Nec solism flevit, sed etiam occidi se permisit, ut pretioso sanguinis su… pretio cam redimere… Bern. de dignitate …nimae.armes of my Father, from the fulnesse of joy, and Fountaine of all blisse; to put on this corruptible, and miserable flesh; to hunger and thirst; to watch and pray; to groane and sigh; to offer up strong cries and teares to the Father in the dayes of my flesh: To drinke off the dregs of the bitter cup of His feirce wrath; to wrastle with all the forces of infernall powers; to lay downe my life in the gates of Hell, with intolerable, and, saue by my selfe, vnconquerable paine; and thus now to lie in the armes of this mortall Man, all torne and rent in peices with cruelty and spite, as thou seest. What an heart hast thou, that darest goe on, against this deare entreaty of Iesus Christ?

15. When thou art unhappily mooued, to breake any branch of Gods blessed Law, let the excellency and variety of His incomparable mercies come presently into thy minde: a most ingenuous sweet and mighty motive, to hinder and hold off all gracious hearts from sin▪ How is it possible, but a serious survay of the riches of Gods goodnes, forbearance & long-suffering leading thee to repentance, to more forwardnes and fruitfulnes in the good Way; The publike miracles of mercy, which God hath done in our daies, for the preservatiō of the Gospel, this kingdome, ourselves, and our posterity; especially, drowning the Spanish invincible Armado, discouering, and defeating the Powder-plot, sheilding Q. Elizabeth, p. 126the most glorious Princesse of the world, from a world of Anti-christian cruelties; saving us from the Papists bloudy expectations at Her death; &c. The particular, and private Catalogve of thine owne personall favours from Gods bountifull hand, which thine owne conscience, can easily leade Thee unto; and readily run over from thine infancy to the present; wonderfull protections in thine unregenerate time▪ that miracle of mercies, thy conversion, (if thou be already in that happy state); all the motions of Gods holy Spirit in thine heart, many checks of conscience, fatherly corrections, excellent meanes of sanctification, as worthy a ministry in many Places, as ever the world enjoyde; Sermon upon sermon; Sabbath after Sabbath; bearing with thee after so many times breaking thy covenants; Oportunities to at…aine the highest degree of godlinesse, that ever was; &c. I say how can it bee, but that the reuise of these and innumerable mercies moe, should so mollify thy heart, that thou shouldest hauehave no heart at all, nay infinitely abhorre, to displease or any way dishonour, that High and dreadfull Majesty, whose free grace was the well-Head and first Fountaine of them all?

Let this meditation of Gods mercies to keepe from sinne, bee quickned by considering: 1. That thou art farre worthier, to bee now burning with the most abominable Sodomite in the bottome of Hell; then to bee crowned with any of these loving kindnesses: That if thou wert able to doe Him all the honour, service and worship, which all the Saints both militant and triumphant doe; it would come infinitely short of the merit of the least of all His mercies unto Thee in Iesus Christ. 2. How unkindelylie God takes the neglect of His extraordinary kindenesses unto vsus. 2. Sam. 12.7, &c. 1. Sam. 27.28.31. Ezech. 16.

16. Marke well, and be amaz'd of thine owne fearefull and desperate folly; when thou fallest deliberately into any sinne: Thou lajest, as it were, in the one scale of p. 127the Balance, the glory of Almighty God, the endles ioies of Heaven, the losse of thine immortall Soule, the pretious blood of Christ, &c. And in the other, some rotten pleasure, earthly pelf, worldly preferment, fleshly lust, sensuall vanity: And suffers this, prodigious madnes! Bee astonished, O yee Heavens at this, and bee horribly afraid! to out-weigh all those.

17. VponUpon the first assault of every sinne, say thus unto thy self: If I now yeeld, and commit this sin; I shall either repent, or not repent: If I doe not repent, I am vndone; If I doe repent, it will cost mee incomparably, more hearts-greife, then the pleasure of the sinne is worth.

18. Consider, that for that very sinne, to which thou art now tempted,Revel. 21.8. Heb. 13.4. 1. Thessal. 4.6.Rev 21:8Heb 13:41 Thess 4:6 suppose lying, lust, ouerreaching thy Brother, &c. many millions are already damned, and even now burning in Hell. And when thy foote is upon the brinke, stay, and thinke upon the wages. And know for a truth, that if thou falelst into that sinne, thou art fallen into Hell, if God helpe not out.

19. Never bee the bolder to giuegive way unto any wickednes; to exercise thine heart with covetousnesse, cruelty, ambition, revenge, adulterjes, speculative wantonnesse, selfe-uncleannesse, or any other solitary sinfulnesse; because thou art alone, and no mortall eie lookes upon Thee. For if thine heart condemne thee, God is greater then thine heart, and knoweth all things; and will condemne thee much more. If thy conscience, bee as a thousand witnesses; God, who is the Lord of thy conscience will be more then a million of witnesses. And thou mayst bee assured, Howsoever thou blessest thy selfe in thy secrecy, that what sin soever, is now acted, in the very retyredst corner of thine heart, or any waies most solitarily by thy Selfe; tho in the meane time it bee concealed, and lie hid in as great darknesse, as it was committed, untill that last and great Day, yet then it must p. 128most certainly ddIniquitates tuae omnibus populis nudabuntur, & cunctis agminibus patebunt, u…iversa scetera tua, non sol…m a…tuum, verùm cogitationum & locutionum. Bern. lib. de Consc.out with a witnesse; and bee as a legible on thy forehead, as if it were writ with the brightest Sun-beame upon a Wall of Christall. Thou shalt then in the face of Heaven and Earth, bee laide out in thy colours, and **Prov. 28.13.Prov 28:13without confessing and forsaking▪ while it is called to Day, bee before eePensant sancti viri, quant ailla sit verecundia t… conspectu tunc humani generis, …agelorum omnium, Archangelorum que confundi.Angels, Men, and Diuels, vtterly, universally, and everlastingly shamed and confounded.

20. Consider the resolute resistance, and mortifyed resolutions against sinne, and all entisements thereunto of many, upon whom, the Sun of the Gospell did not shine with such beauty and fullnesse, as it doth upon vsus▪ neither were so many heavenly discoveries in the kingdome of Christ, made knowne unto them, as our daies have seene. (For vponupon our times, which makes our sins a great deale more sinfull, hath happily fallen, an admirable Confluence of the saving light and learning, experience, and excellency of all former Ages, besides the extraordinary additions of the present; which with a glorious Noonetide of united illuminations doth abundantly serve our turne, for a continued further and fuller illustration of the great mystery of godlinesse, and Secrets of sanctification). HeareffEgo sic cense…, sic a…i…uè praedicaho, … acerbius esse, C…ris…um offendere, quam Gehennae mal… vexa…. In Mat. 9. Hom. 37.Matt 9 Chrysostome, But I thinke thus, and this will I ever preach; that it is much bitterer to offend Christ, then to bee tormented in the paines of Hell. Hee that writes the life of Anselme, ggNilin munao, quantum pe…care, timebat. Conscientiá meá te ie, non mentio…; quia saepè ill…m …b veritatis testimonio profitentem a…di…imus: Quòd si hine peccati horrorem; hinc …serni lolorem corporaliter cerneret; & necessariò uni corum immergideberet; priùs infernum, quàm peccatum appeterei. Aliud quoque non minùs forsan aliquibus mirum dicere solebat; videlicet, malle se purum à peccato, innocentem, gehennam habere, quàm peccatisorde pollutum, c…loru… regna tenere. De vitâ Anselmi. lib. 2. In oper. Anselmi.saith thus of Him; Hee feared nothing in the world more, then to sinne. My conscience bearing mee witnesse, I lie not; For we hauehave often heard Him professe: That if on the on… hand▪ He should see corporally, the horrour of sinne; on the other the paines of Hell; and might necessarily bee plunged into the one, Hee would chuse Hell rather then sinne. And an other thing also no lesse perhaps wonderfull to some, Hee was p. 129woont to say: To wit; That Hee would rather hauehave Hell, beeing innocent, and free from sinne; then polluted with the filth thereof, possesse the kingdome of Heaven. It is reported of an other ancient holy Man, that He was woont to say: Hee would rather bee torne in peeces with wilde horses, then wittingly and willingly commit any sin. Ierome also in one of His Epistles, tells a hhAliu… juveniliaetate s…orentem, in amoenissim…s hortulos praecepit abduci. Ibi que inter … candentia, & rubentes rosas; cum leni juxta murmure aquarum serperet ri…us, & mollifihilo arborum folia ventus perstringeret, super extructam plumis lec…m re supinari: Et ne se inde posset excutere, blandis serico noxibus irretitum relinqui. Quò cum recedentibus cunctis moretrix speciosa venisset, capit delicatis constringere colla amplexibus. Et quod dictu quoque s…elus eft, manibus attrectare virilia, ut corpore in libidinem concitato, se victrix impudica superjaceret. Quid ageret miles Christi, & quò se verteret, nesciebut.— Tandem coelitùs inspiratus praecisam morsu linguam in osculantis se faciem expuit: ac sic libidinis sensum, succedens doloris magnitudo superavit. Hieronym. p. 3. Tract. 8. Epist. 37.story of a young Man, of most invincible courage, and constancy in the Profession of Christ, under some of the bloody Persecuting Emperours, to this sense: They had little hope as it seemes, to conqver Him by torture; and therfore they take this course with Him: They brought Him into most fragrant Gardens, flowing with all pleasure and delight; there they laid Him upon a Bed of Downe softly enwrapped in a net of silke; amongst the Lillies, and the Roses, the delicious murmure of the streames, and the sweet whistling of the leaves; they all depart, and in comes a beautifull strumpet, and vseth all the abominable tricks of Her impure Art, and who…sh villanies to draw Him to her desire: Whereupon the yong Man, fearing that Hee should now bee conqvered by folly, who was Conqverer over fury, out of an infinite detestation of sinne, bites off a peece of His Tong with His owne teeth, and spits it in the face of the whore: And so hinders the hurt of sinne, by the smart of his wound. I might hauehave begun with Ioseph, who did so bravely and blessedly beate backe, and trample under His feete the sensuall solicitations of His wanton and wicked Mistris. Hee had pleasure and preferment in His eye, which were strongly offered in the temptation; but Hee well knew, that not all the offices and honours in Egypt, could take off the guilt of that filth; and therefore Hee resolved rather to lie in the dust, then rise by sinne: How can I doe this great wickednesse, and sinne against God? I might passe along to the Moth… and seven brethren. 2. Mac. 7. who chose rather to passe thorow horrible tortures, and a most cruell death, then to p. 130eate swines …lesh against the Law: And so come downe along to that noble Army of Martyrs in Q. Maries time; who were contented with much patience, and resolution to part with all, wife, children, liberty, livelihood, life it selfe; even to lay it downe in the flames, rather then to submit to that Man of sinne; or to subscribe to any one Point of His Devillish Doctrine.

Thus as you hauehave heard, I hauehave tendred many reasons to restraine from sinne; which by the helpe of God may serve to take off the edge of the most eager temptation; to coole the heat of the most furious entisement; to embitter the sweetest baite, that drawes to any sensuall delight. Now my most thirsty desire & earnest entreaty is, that every one into whose hands, by Gods providence this Book of mine shall fall, after the perusall of them, would pause a while upon purpose, that Hee may more solemnly vow, and resolve that ever hereafter, when he shalbee set upon, and assaulted by allurement to any sinne, Hee wil first have recourse unto these twenty Considerations, I have here recommended unto Him, to helpe in such cases; and with a punctuall seriousnesse, let them sinke into His heart, before Hee proceede and pollute Himselfe. I could bee content, if it were pleasing unto God, that these lines which thou now readest, were writ with the warmest blood in mine heart, to represent unto thine eie, the deare affectionatenesse of my Soule, for thy spirituall and eternall Good; so that thou wouldest be throwly perswaded, and now before thou passe any further, sincerely promise so to doe!

3. Thirdly, The point may serve to set out the excellency of that high and heavenly Art, of cōforting afflicted consciences. The more dangerous and desperate the wound is, the more doth it magnifie, and make admirable the mysterie and method of the Cure and recovery. Which were it wel knowne, and wisely practised; what a world of vnnecessary slavish torture in troubled minds would it prevent? So many thousands of poore p. 131abused, deluded Soules should not perish, by the damning flatteries, and cruel mercies of unskillfull Dawbers: what an heaven of spirituall light-somnesse, and ioy might shine in the hearts, and shew it selfe in the faces of Gods people? Vntill it please the Lord to mooue the hearts of my learned and holy Brethren in populous Cities and great congregations, who must needs have much imploiment, and variety of experiments this way; or some speciall men extraordinarily endowed and exercised herein, put to their h…lping hands, and furnish the Church with more large and exact discourses in this kinde, take in good part this Essay of mine.

Wherein I first desire to discover and rectify some ordinary aberrations about spirituall Cures. Which fall out, when the Physition of the Soule,

1. Applies unseasonably the Cordials of the Gospell, and cōforts of Mercy; when the Corrosives of the Law and comminations of Iudgement are convenient and sutable. Were it not absurd in Surgery, to poure a most soveraigne Bal…am of exqvisite composition, and inestimable price upon a sound part? It is farre more unseemely and senselesse, of & an infinitely more pestilent consequence in any Ministeriall passages, to profer the blood of Christ, and promises of life to an unwounded conscience, as belonging unto it, as yet. It is the onelyonly right everlasting Method to turne men from darknes to light, from the power of Satan unto God; and all the Men of God and master-Builders, who have ever set themselves sincerely to serve God in their Ministery, and to save Soules▪ have followed the same course; to wit, First to wound by the Law, and then to heale by the Gosp…ll. Wee must bee humbled in the sight of the Lord; before Hee lift us vp. Iam. 4.10. Wee must bee sensible of our spirituall blindnesse, captivity, poverty; before wee can heartily seeke to bee savingly illightned enlarged from the Devils slavery, and enriched with grace. There must p. 132bee sense of misery, before shewing of mercy; Crying, I am uncleane, I am uncleane, before opening the Fountaine for vncleannesse; stinging, before curing by the Brasen Serpent; smart for sinne, before a Plaister of Christs blood; Brokennesse of heart, before binding up. God himselfe aaDe utraque apertion… oculorum intelligatur hic locus: … de conscientià & sensi…i… terne nuditatis▪ hoc est, amissa imaginis Dei, & illi…ò obortae in mente caecitatis, in volu…ale averstonis, in sensualitate & motibus internis omnimodae pravitatis & foreign. De…nde, de aspectu e…i am externae nuditat…, quae prius fue…at d…o ra, &c. Statim audiverunt vocem Dei, hoc est, statim hec tristis cogitatio divexavit corū animos: Heu quid s…cimus …rborem vetitam gustavimus, & Despraeciptis contempsimus, Diabolo obtemperavimus: tu…iter decepti sumus: vestem innocentiae amisimus, pudendam nuditatem in nobis cernimus: Hoc parum est: Deus verax & justus est: dixit: Morte moriemini: manetigitur miscros, jam inevitabile mortis supplicium. Par. in 3. c. Gen.opened the eies of our first Parents, to make them see and bee sensible of their sinne and misery; nakednesse and shame, &c. Gen. 3.7. bbConcionem gratiae seu veniae omninò praecessit legalis territatio, & fulm…n irae divinae: quod immutabili…èr siquttur pecc…tum, & quonecesse est peccatorem humiliari, & ad gratiam praeparari. De hac seqiatur v. 15. IbidBefore Hee promised Christ. ccHac promissione auditâ Parentes pudefacti aspectu turpissimae nuditatis suae, & conscientiá peccati, at que sensu irae Dei, neo non metu aeternae mortis, trepidi, atque dejecti haud dubie iterum erecti sunt, ut conceptá fiduciâ gratiae, & remissionis peccatorum propter promissum semen, (quod caput Satanae, hoc est, peccatum, mortem, infernum & Diabolum ipsum conte…eret) Deum, qaem prius fugerant, ut j…dicem; iterum amare inciperent, atque requireren…, ut Pe…rem. Ibid.vers. 15. Christ Iesus tells us,ddforeign id est, Eos, qici sibi justi videntur, sive qui se justos esse somniant, quod fui… Pharisaorum dogma: quibus opponuntur peccatores; id est, q…i suorum peccatorum sensu vulnerati, ad unam Dei mise…cordiam confugiunt. Beza. that Hee was annointed by the Lord, eeThe Publicane was vil… in their eyes: Paul after his conversion, a pestilen… fellow, and too precise: Them selves the onelyonly Men. Luk. 18.1….Luke 18:1to preach good tydings: But to whom? To the poore, To the broken hearted; To the captives; To the blind; To the bruised, Isai. 61.1. Luk. 4.18▪ That the whole neede not the Physition, but they that are sicke; And Hee came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matth. 9.12.13. That is, poore Soules, sinners with a witnesse even in their owne apprehension and conceit; And not selfe-conceited Pharisees, who tho they bee meere strangers to any wound of conscience for sinne; yet they will not be perswaded, that they shall bee damned; but in the meane time contemne and condemne all others in respect of themselves: sinfull Publicanes are to grosse; sincere Professours are too godly. Whereas notwithstanding in true iudgemēt, p. 133Harlots are in a ffIn quo illud …ireris: si qui tanquam justi se stilerunt coram co, & convenerunt ad condemnandum mulicrem ream, ij, inquam, …iscesserunt convicti conscien…ijs & condemnati: mulier autem, quae in medio statuebatur, & rea peragebatur, absoluta est. Ex quo illud conspicitur, quod alibi dictum legimus in Evangelio Principibus Sacerdotum & senioribus: Publicani & meretrices pra eun… vos in regnum coelorum. Mat. 21.31. Atque id quoque verum est hodierno die. Rolloc. in loan. cap. 8.Matt 21:31farre happier case then they. Math. 21.31. That Hee will give rest; but to whom? To those that labour and are heavy laden. Matth. 11.28. That the Spirit which Hee would send, should convince the world: First, of sinne; and then of righteousnesse; to wit, of Christ; It is ordinary with the Phrophets; First to discover the sinnes of their people, and to denounce iudgements: And then to promise Christ, upon their comming in, to illighten and make them lightsome, with raising their thoughts to a fruitfull contemplation of the glory, excellency, and sweetnesse of His blessed kingdome. Isaiah in his first chapter, from the mouth of God doth in the first place behaue Himself like a Son of Thunder, pressing vponupon the consciences of those to whom Hee was sent, many hainous sinnes; horrible ingratitude, fearefull falling away, formality in Gods worship, cruelty and the like: afterward vers. 16.17. He invites to repentance: And then followes vers. 18. Come now and let us reson together, saith the Lord:ggVocantur ad Christii illi peccatores, qui sensu peccati premuntur, & pro pacificandâ conscientiâ laborant. Atque illi soli sunt, qui cum fructu ad Christum veniunt. Musc. in 11. c. Mat. Though your sins bee as scarlet, they shalbee as white, as snow; though they bee red like crimsin, they shalbee as wooll. Nathan to recover even a regenerate man, convinceth Him first soundly of His sin, with much aggravation and terrour, and then upon remorse, assures Him of pardon. 2. Sam. 12.13. Consider further for this purpose the Sermons of our blessed Saviour Himselfe;Laborantes & oneratos intelligit Christus, qui mortis aeterme reatu conscientias afflictas ha…ent; & ita suis malis u…gentur, ut deficiant: Nam hic descitus nos adrecipiendam ejus gratiam idoaeos reddit. Calv. who taught as one having authority, and not as the Scribes: With what power, and piercing, did our Lord and Master labour to open the eies, search the hearts, and wound the consciences of His Hearers, to fit them for the Gospell, and His owne deare Hearts blood? See Mat. 5. &c. And 23. And 25 &c. Of Iohn Baptist, who by the mightinesse of His Ministerial spirit, accompanied with extraordinary strength from Heaven, did strike thorow the hearts of those that heard Him, with such astonishment about their spirituall state; with such horrour for their former waies, and feare of future vengeance, that they came unto Him thicke, and p. 134threefold, as they say: 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? And the Souldiers likewise demanded of Him, saying, And what shall wee doe? Luk. 3.10.12.14. Of Peter: who Act. 2. beeing now freshly inspired, and illuminated from aboue with large and extraordinary effusions of the holy Ghost, shadowed by cloven fiery tongs; in the very prime and flower of His Ministeriall wisedome, bends Himsel…e to breake the hearts of His Hearers. Amongst other pie…ci…g Passages of His searching Sermon, Hee tells them to their faces, they standing before Him stained with the horrible guilt of the dearest blood, that ever was shed upon earth, most worthy to have beene gathered up by the most glorious Angels, in vessels of gold; that they had crucified and slaine that iust and holy One, the Lord of life, I…sus of Nazareth. vers. 23. And againe, at the close and conclusion vers. 36. leaves the same bloody sting in their consciences; which restlesly wrought and boild within them, untill it begot a great deale of compunction terrour, and tearing of their hearts with extreme amazement and anguish. Now when they heard this, they were hhThe word in the Origina… I signifieth, to vexe rent, and wound punctually; e…en every the least part and point of the heart. If the sharpest points of many empo… … daggers, had been all at once fastened in their hearts, in the cruel…est manner could bee devised: th…y had not by the thousanth part so tortur'd them, as did now the fling of conscience f… their …innes, and the sense of that horrible guilt of crucifying the So… o… God. Sc…lerum & proditionis sibi cons… cum essent, maximè cos pude…at … maximo assi… …. Buc. …. Scap.pricked in their heart. v. 27. Whereupon they came crying vntounto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles: Men and Brethren what shall wee doe? And so beeing seasonably led, by the counsell of the Apostles iiWhich is implyed in these words: In the name of Iesus Christ Baptizari in nomine Domini Iesu Christi, est Baptismatis signo sesia…e Christo credere, ad remissionem peccalorum.to beleeve on the Name of Iesus Christ; to lay hold upō the promise, to repent Evangelically; They had the remission of sinnes sealed vntounto them by Baptisme, and were happily received into the number of p. 135the Saints of God, whose Son they had so lately slaughtered: Of Paul; who tho Hee stood as a Prisoner at the Barre, and might perhaps, by a generall plausible discourse, without piercing or particularizing, have insinuated into the affections, and wonne the favours of His Hearers, who were to be His Iudges; and so made way for His enlargement, and particular wellfare; yet Hee for all this, very resolutely and unreservedly, crosseth and opposeth their greedy, lustfull and carelesse humours with a right searching, terrifying Sermon of righteousnesse, temperance, and iudgement to come. Acts 24.24.25. That vnhappy Felix was a fellow polluted with abominable adultery, and very infamous for his cruell and covetous oppressions, and by consequent unapprehensive, and fearelesse of that dreadfull Tribunall, and the terrors to come: Whereupon Paul hauing learned in the Schoole of Christ, not to kkEt vide Paulum, quamvis cum Principe loqueretur, nihil dic…re corū, per quae verisimile erat refocillari animam illius, sed talia, quibus etiam terretur, & menie concutitur. Chrysost. Hom. 51. In Acta Apost.feare any mortall man in the discharge of His Ministry, drawes the sword of the Spirit, with undantednesse of spirit, and strikes presently at the very face of those fearefull sinnes, which ra…gned in His principall and most eminent Hearers; tho Hee stood now before them in bonds, at their mercy and devotion, as they say. Hee shrewdly llTanta erat verborum Paul… vis, ut & Principem torreant. Ibid.galls the Conscience of that llTanta erat verborum Paul… vis, ut & Principem torreant. Ibid.great Man;mmM…gno conatu magnas nugas agunt. by opposing righteousnesse to His brybing cruelties, temperance to his adulterous impurities,nnD…silla foemina libid…nosissima ab Azizo …norum rege circumciso ad hunc Felicem, Pallantis Nero…is libe…l… s…atrem, prosa… ho…inem, trans…t. Nam hic singulari ejus … h…dine captus … qu…ndam Ind…orum gene… Cyprium sabor …vit, q… suis … eret. Both naught. … Ioseph. Antiq. Lib. 20. the dreadfulnes of Iudgement to come to His insolent lawlesse outrages & desperate security. H…d Paul addre… Himself to hauehave satisfyed their curiosities, as many a rising temporizing tre…char-Chaplaine would have done very industriously; and to entertaine th…ime with a generall discourse of the wonderfull b…h, … Christ, now so much talk't of … in the world; with … pleasing discovery, onelyonly … and glorious things pur… … by His Bloodshed; not … delights … lust, p. 136and other sinnes; O then, they had listned unto Him with much acceptation, and delight; all things had been carried faire, and favourably: Paul had not been interrupted, and so suddainly silent; Nor Felix so frighted, and distempered. But this Man of God, knewfull well that that was not the way; neither best for them, nor for His Masters honor, nor for the comfort of His owne conscience; And therefore Hee takes a course to cause the Tyrant tremble; that thereby Hee might either bee sitted for Christ, which was best of all; or at least made inexcusable; but howsoever that in so doing His duty might bee discharged, and Soule delivered; holding it farrre better, that His Body should bee in bonds; then His Soule guilty of ooSee Ezech 3.18. Q… … perdideri… ▪ v… l…p… rapientibus, … adori…ti…us, … sed animae propriae j…i … facere oportet. C…ys. de Sa…rdo. 10. Lib. ….Ezek 3:18blood.

Orthodox Antiquity was of the same minde, and for the same methode.

ppConscientia non digna … san…, si …ota non est. Sed loquer…, praed…a…, …, praeceptu… Dei … non quies… & … audit, si non …, si non … dignus … In Psal. 5…Ps 5Austen, that famous Disputer in His time counselleth to this purpose in this Point: (I expresse the sense and summe, and no more then may bee collected and concluded from the Place; I will not ever tie my selfe grammatically and pedantically to the words, precisely, and to render verbatim; save only in some cases; as of Controversie, or some other such like necessity of more Punctuall quotation).

The Conscience is not to bee healed, if it bee not wounded. Thou preachest and pressest the Law, comminations, the Iudgement to come, and that with much earnestnesse and importunity: Hee which heares, if Hee bee not terrified, if Hee bee not troubled, is not to bee comforted. Another heares, is stir'd, is st…ng, takes on extremely: Cure His contritions, because Hee is cast downe and confounded in Himselfe.

After, that Iohn Baptist, saith qq… securis … ipsorum reu…ane, & aliorum introitu siliorum, & geminatione poe… … undique corum duritiam mollivisset, atque ex tot malorum ti… ad liberationis desideriam suscit…sset, tum demi…m de Christo intu… …. In cap. 3. Mat. Hom. 11.Chrysostome, had thorowly p. 137frighted the minds of His Hearers, with the terrour of iudgement, and expectation of torment; and with the name of an Axe, and their rejection, and entertainement of other children; and by doubling the punishment, to wit, of beeing hewed downe and cast into the fire: when Hee had thus every way tamed, and taken downe their stubbornnesse, and from feare of so many evils, had stir'd them up to a desire of deliverance; then at length Hee makes mention of Christ.

God powres not the oyle of His mercy, saith rrDues non infanditoleum misericordiae, nisi in vas contritum.Bernard, save into a broken vessell.

So also are all our moderne Divines, who are instructed unto the Kingdome of Heaven.

ssPulcherrima est concio ista Prophetae, ad eujus exemplum, qu… docent in Ecclesiâ, vel qui alios corrigunt, formare suas debent. Primo loco ponit Parabolam: ita Ecclesiastici Doctores locum al…em sibi ex veter…, vel novo …estamento delig…nr. Deinde adaptant adges praesentes, ut Nathan quando dicit, Tu es ille vir. Mox, peccatum exagitant, pet foreign ad beneficia Dei hominibus collata, & percatum quod committunt: violare legene, grave est, ac benè de nobis meriti gr…vius— —Cousam item percati aperit in hâc suâ methado; nimirum quòd Dauid contempserit Deum: & gravia, quae inde secuta sunt, demonstrat, totumque peccatum patefacit. Ad extremum comminationes adijcit, ut consternet peccatorem. Methodus haec servatur in concionibus, ut ad extremum consolationi locus detur. In 2. Sam. 12.2 Sam 12Peter Martyr magnifies Nathans method of preaching, and commends it to all the Ministers of God. Hee first proposeth a Parable, as wee doe Doctrines, for the illumination, and conviction of the understanding. Then Hee applies it more particularly, and to the present… where Hee doth notably exagitate and aggravate the Sinne, by recounting, and opposing Gods extraordinary bounty and most mercifull dealing with David, by the cause of it, contempt of the Lords commandement, and dreadfull things ensuing thence: Afterward that Hee might strike the heart thorow with astonishment and dread, Hee threatens terribly: At last upon compunction, and crying, I have sinned, He sweetly comforteth and rayseth to the assurance of Gods favour againe.

If this course must bee taken with relapsed Christians; why not much more, with those who are starke dead in trespasses and sinnes?

Christ is promised to them alone, saith ttIj… solis pro …ittitur Christus, qui mansucfatti sunt, & malorum suorum sensu confusi. In Isa 6….Isa 6Calvin, who are humbled, and confounded with sense of their owne sinnes.

p. 138Then is Christ seasonably revealed, faith uuTunc opportune revelatur Christus, quando corda mortal um praedicatione poenitentiae compuncta desidri… gratiae Christi renentur. In Mat. cap. 3.Matt 3Musculus, when the hearts of men beeing soundly pierced by preaching Repentance, are possest with a desire of His gratious righteousnesse.

The way to Faith, saith xx… igitur ad sidem est foreign, quoniam cogit vel invitos ad & Medicum confugere. Annot. in Mat. cap. 21. vers. 32. See the difference betweene foreign, and foreign Annot. in Mat. c 3. v. 2. And in Act. c. 5. v. 31. …Semper enim sunt homines at Evangeli… praedicatione legis p…eparandi. In. 2. Cor. 3.11.Matt 21:32Matt 3:2Acts 5:312 Cor 3:11Beza, is penitence, Legall compunction; because sicknesse enforceth men euen unwilling, to slie unto the Physician.

Men are ever to bee prepared for the Gospell, by the preaching of the Law.

A Sermon of the Law, said yyPaenitere & res…p…s…ere differunt, sicut apud Hebraeos foreign & foreign: Apud Grae…os foreign Ill…dest …; ho… cor…s: … etiam in pi…rum; hoc non a…s… …oru…n: quamuis hoc discrimen non semper observatur. Hoc sensu poenite …tia prior est fide & justificatione. Atque huc resp…cit Scrip…a, …. Mark. 1.15. &c. Qua leg…s concio praemitten…a est doctrinae …. Nec obstat, q…òd … foreign. E…si … mutatuo, que ac…i…i… ess… … tamen … : Cor. 7.…0 Svntag Theol. p 2 c. 45.Mark 1:15Tilenus, while hee was yet Orthodoxe, must go before the Doctrine of the Gospell, that the Oyle of mercy may bee powred into a contrite vessell.

In our exhortations to follow Christ saith zz… In Iohan. cap. 8.Rolloc, the minds of men are ever to bee prepared with a sense of misery, and their darke estate; and afterward with a desire of enlargement and light.

It is the care of those Ministers, which divide Gods Word aright, say our aa…great Divines of Great Britaine, first fitly and wisely to wound the Consciences of their hearers with the terrours of the Law, and after to raise them by the Promises of the Gospell, &c.

bb…The Spirit first terrifies those, who are to bee justified, with the Law: breaking and humbling them with p. 139threats scourges and lashes of Conscience, that thereby despairing of themselves, they may flie unto Christ.

Wee cannot learne out of the Gospell saith ccEvangelium generatim, & protolâ doctrina Christi, acceptum, est praedicatio poenitentiae & remission…s peccatorum. Neque enim ex Evangelio addiscere possumus nos in Christo esse benedi…n…os, insi per antuhesin, … …utheros loquitur, simul, agnosia…us nos per legen esse maledictos.—Prae … poenitenti…e … …nitionis peccatorum necessario praenitti debet, si fides de reconciliatione locum habere debeat. Harmo. Evang. cap. 73.Chemmitius, that wee are to bee blessed in Christ, except by an anthithesis, as Luther speakes, we also acknowledge, that wee are accursed by the Law.

The Doctrine of the Law, saith ddDoctrina legis proponenda est impijs — ad terrorem incutiendum, ad demonstrandam justam illorum damnationem, ni resipiscant, & ad Christum Mediatorem consugiant. In cap. 1. …d Coloss.Davenant ▪ is to be propounded to the impious and impenitent—to strike terrour into their hearts and to demonstrate their just damnation, except they repent, and she to Iesus Christ.

ccOf the nature and practise of Repentance Cap. 3. Rom. 8.15.Rom 8:15Perkins that great Light of our Church, both for soundnesse of learn…ng, sincer…ty of iudgement, and insight into the Mystery of Christ, te…ching, How Repentance is wrought, tel… vsus,

That first of all a Man must have knowledge o… foure things: Of the Law of God; Of sinne against the Law; Of the guilt of sinne; and of the Iudgement of God against sinne, which is His eternall wrath: In the second Place must follow an application of the former knowledge to a Mans selfe, by the worke of the conscience assisted by the holy Ghost, which for that cause is called the spirit of bondage; in this manner.

The breaker of the Law is guilty of eternall wrath, saith the Minde:

But I am a breaker of the Law of God, saith the Conscience as a Witnesse, and an Accuser:

Therefore I am guilty of eternall death, saith the same Conscience, as a Iudge.

Every Law shall have His part in the Lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone: Reuel. 21.8.

But I am a Liar:

Therefore I shall have my part in that everlasting fiery Lake.

And so of other sinnes; Covetousnesse, Cruelty, Drunkennesse, Whoredome, Swearing, Defrauding, Temporizing, Vsury, Filthinesse, Self-uncleannesse, Foolish talking, …esting, Ephes. 5.4. Revellings, Galat. 5.21. p. 140Prophaning the Lords Day, strange apparell, Zeph. 1.8. And innumerable sinnes moe; which beeing all severally prest upon the heart, by a discourse of the guilty conscience, as I have said, must needs full sorely crush it with many cutting conclusions: from which set on by the spirit of bondage, is woont to arise much trouble of minde; which, saith Hee, is commonly called, the sting of the conscience, or penitence, Act. ….37.and the compunction of heart. And then succeedes seasonably, and comfortably the worke of the Gospell. The Soule beeing thus sensible of and groaning under the burden of all sinne, is happily ffSee Isa. 57.15. Mat. 11.28. & 9.13.Isa 57:15Matt 11:28Matt 9:13fitted for all the glorious revelations of the abundant riches of Gods dearest mercies; for all the comforts, graces and favours which shine from the face of Christ; for all the expiations, refreshings, and exultations, which spring out of that blessed Fountaine, Zech. 13.1.Zech 13:1opened for sinne and for uncleannesse.

Never any of Gods Children, saith ggOf Repentance. Sern. 7.Greeneham, were comforted thorowly, but they were first humbled for their Sinnes.

The course warranted unto us by the Scriptures, saith hhThe Preachers …. pag 201.202.203.204Hieron, is this: First, to endeavour the softning of our Hearers hearts, by bringing them to the sight and sense of their owne wretchednes, before we adventure to apply the riches of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus. The preaching of the Gospell is cōpared by our Saviour Himself unto the Sowing of seedes as therefore the ground is first torne up with the pl…gh, Mat. 13.Matt 13before the seede be committed unto it: so the f…llow ground of our hearts must first bee broken up with the sharpenesse of the Law, Ier. 4.3.Jer 4:3and the very terrour of the Lord, 2. Cor. 5.….2 Cor 5before wee can bee fit to entertaine the sweete seed of the Gospell—I would have a Preacher to preach peace, and to aime at nothing more, then the comfort of the Soules of Gods people: yet I would have Him withall, frame his course to the manner of Gods appearing to Elijah. The Text saith, 1. …g. 19 12.12.that first a mighty strong winde rent the Mountaines, and brake the rockes: then, after that came p. 141an earthquake; and after the earthquake came fire: and after all these, then came a still, and a soft voyce. After the same manner, I would not have the still and milde voy…e of the Gospell come, till the strong tempest of the Law hath rent the sto…y hearts of men, and have made the… beli…es to tremble, Habak. 3.16.Hab 3:16and rottennesse to enter into their bones. — Or at least, because our Auditories are mixt, consisting of men▪ of divers humours, it shall bee good for Him to deliver His doctrine with that caution, that neither the humbled soules may be affrighted with the severity of Gods judgements, nor the prophane and unrepentant grow presumptuous by the abundance of Gods mercy. Prou. 27.7.Prov 27:7— The person that is full, despiseth the hony-combe, saith Salomon: And what doth a proud Pharisie, or a churlish Nabal, or a Politicke Gallio, or a scoffing Ishmael, care to heare of the breadth, Eph. 3.18.Eph 3:18and length, and depth, and height of the love of God in his Sonne Iesus? Except it bee to settle them faster upon their lees.Act. 7.51.Acts 7:51 The Doctrine of that nature is as unfitting such uncircumcised eares, as the snow the Summer,Prov. 26.1.3.Prov 26:1Prov 26:3 and the raine the Harvest. VntoUnto the Horse belongs a whip, to the Asse a bridle, and a rod to the Fooles backe, &c.— Hee that intendeth to doe any good in this frozen generation, had need rather to bee Boanerges, one of the sons of thunder, Marke 3 17.Mark 3:17then Bar-Ionah the Sonne of a Dove.

The Word of God, saith iiIn His Commentarie upon the Revel. c. 14.Rev 14Forbes, hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of men. For, first it falleth to mens eares as the sound of many waters, a mighty great, and confused sound, and which commonly, bringeth neither terrour, nor ioy, but yet a wondering, and acknowledgement of a strange force, & more then humane power. This is that effect which many felt, hearing Christ, when they were astonished at His Doctrine,Mark. 1.22.27. Luk. 1.32. Ioh. 7.46.Mark 1:22Mark 1:27Luke 1:32John 7:46 as teaching with authority. What manner doctrine is this? Never man spake like this man. This effect falleth even to the reprobate, which wonder and vanish: Ha…ak. 15. Act. 13.41. The next effect is the voice of thund…r. Which bringeth p. 142not onelyonly wonder, but feare also: not onelyonly filleth the eares with sound, and the heart with astonishment, but moreover shaketh and terifyeth the conscience. And this second effect may also befall a reprobate. As Felix. Act. 24. The third effect is proper to the elect: the sound of harping, while the word not onelyonly ravish…th with admiration, and striketh the Conscience with terrour; but also, lastly filleth it with sweete peace and ioy, &c. Now albeit the first two degrees may bee without the last; yet none feele the last, who have not in some degree, felt both the first two.

God healeth none kkThe whole Armour of God. pag 237.238.saith Gouge, but such as are first wounded. The whole need not a Physitian, but they that are sicke.M…t. 9.12. Christ was annointed to preach the Gospell to the poore,Luk. 4.18.Luke 4:18 to heale the broken hearted, &c.

Acts 16 4.Acts 16:4Ob. Many have believed, who never grieved for their misery, as Lidia, &c.

Answ. Who can tell, that these greeved not? It followeth not that they had no greife, because none is recorded. All particular actions and circumstances of Actions are not recorded: It is enough that the greefe of some, as of the Iewes, Acts 2.37. & 16 29. Luk. … 38.Acts 2:37Acts 16:29of the Iaylour, of the woman that washed Christs feete with Her teares▪ and of others, is recorded.

Lidia might bee prepared before she heard Paul. For sh…e accompanied them which went out to pray, Acts 16.13 14.Acts 16:13and shee worshipped God: Or else Her heart might be then touched, when she heard Paul preach. The like may bee said of those which heard Peter, Act. 10.41.45.Acts 10:41Acts 10:45when Her preached to Cornelius; And of others. Certaine it is that a man must both see and feele Hi… wretchednesse, and bee wounded in Soule for it before Faith can be wrought in Him. Yet I deny not, but there may be great difference in the manner and measure of greeving, &c.

llYates. … against the … of Gods wi…l … 5. Rom. 8.15.Rom 8:15The heart is prepared for faith, and not by faith. Iustifi…ation beeing the worke of God is perfect in it selfe: but our hearts are not fit to apply it, untill God have humbled us brought us to despaire in our selves.—The whole preparation beeing legall wrought by the Spirits of bondage p. 143to bring us to the Spirit of Adoption, leaves us in despaire of all helpe either of our selves, or the whole world; that so beeing in this wofull plight wee might now submit our selves to God, who infusing a lively faith into our hearts, gives us His Son and our iustification with Him.

mmSclater. The sicke Soules Salve. pag. 5.None ever had conscience truly pacifyed, that first felt not conscience wounded.

nnDike of Repentance cap. 1. pag. 11.The preparation to repentance. (Hee meanes Evangelicall) are those legall sits of feare and terrour, which are both in nature and time too, before Faith.

ooIbid. cap. 2. p. 23.24.As there can bee no birth without the **Quid sunt dolores ut parturient…, nisi dolores p…entis. August. in Psal 48.Ps 48paines of the travell going before; so neither, no true repentance without some terrours of the Law, and streights of Conscience. —The reason is plaine. None can have repentance, but such as Christ cals to Repentance. Now Hee cals only sinners to Repentance. Mat. 9.13. even sinners heavy laden with the sense of Gods wrath against sinne. Mat. 11.28. Hee comes onelyonly to save the lost sheepe, that is such sheepe, as feele themselves lost in themselves, and know not how to finde the way to the fold. It is said Rom. 8.15. Yee have not received the spirit of bondage againe, to feare: which shewes, that once they did receive it, namely, in the very first preparation vntounto conversion, that then the spirit of God in the Law did so beare witnes unto thē, of their bondage and miserable slavery, that it made them to tremble. Now there, vnderunder the person of the Romans, the Apostle speakes to all Beleevers, and so shewes, that it is every Christians common case.

ppHinde, of the O…ice and vse of the morall Law of God in the dayes of the Gospell. pag. 104. Hee quotes in the Margent. Matth. 27.3.2. Timoth. 2.25. Bez. in Mat. 3.2. and in Act. 5.31. I the rather name this Booke, because I could wish all those, who are ignorantly and lewdly tampering and medling about an utter abrogating and abolishing the whole Law of Moses since the death of Christ, would reade it over, and returne unto their right minde.Matt 27:32 Tim 2:25Matt 3:2Acts 5:31the law hath His use to worke foreign, poenitentiam. The Gospell His force to worke foreign, resipiscentiam; and both are needfull for Christians even at this Present, as formerly they have ever bin.

qqDike of the Deceitfulnes of Mans Heart. cap. 15. p. 190.Gods mercy may not bee such, whereby His Truth in any sort should bee impeached. As it should, if it be prostituted p. 144indifferently and promiscuously to all, as well the insolent, and impenitent, as the poore humble, and broken hearted sinner. For unto these latter onelyonly is the promise of mercy made. And if to others, the gate of mercy should bee set open; Gods mercies (as Solomon saies of the wicked's, that they are cruell mercies) should be false and uniust. mercies. But God never yet learned so to bee mercifull, as to make Himselfe false and unfaithfull.

The first thing that drawes unto Christ, is to consider our miserable estate without Him. D. P.—Therefore wee see that the Law drives men to Christ: And the Law doth it by shewing a Man His sin, and the curse due unto the same. — Wee must know, that nothing performed of us can give satisfaction in this matter of humiliation.— Yet it is such a thing without which wee cannot come to Christ. It is as much as if a man should say, the Physitian is ready to heale Thee, but then it is required, that Thou must have a sense of the disease: &c! No Man will come to Christ except He bee hungry. OnelyOnly those that are troubled receive the Gospell.

No Man will take Christ for his Husband, till Hee come to know & feele the Waight of Satans yoke. Till that time, Hee will never come to take upon Him the yoke of Christ.

To all you I speake, that are humbled: Others that minde not this Doctrine, regard not the things of this nature; But you that mourne in Zion, that are broken-hearted; you that know the bitternesse of sin, to you is the salvation sent.

rrC…lverwell in His Treatise of Faith p. 45VnderUnder the causes I comprehend all that worke of God, whereby Hee worketh Faith in any, which standeth especially in these three things:

1. That God by His word, and Spirit first illightneth the understanding, truly, to conceive the Doctrine of Mans misery, and of His full recovery by Christ.

2. Secondly, by the same meanes Hee worketh in His heart, both such sound sorrow for His misery, and p. 145fervent desire after Christ the remedy; that Hee can never bee at quiet, till Hee enioy Christ:

3. Thirdly, God so manifesteth His love in freely offering Christ with all His benefits to Him a poore sinner, that thereby hee drawes Him so to giuegive credit to God, therein, that Hee gladly accepts Christ offered vntounto Him. These three works of God, whosoever findeth to have bin wrought in Himselfe, Hee may thereby know certainly Hee hath Faith. But without these, what change of life soever may bee conceived, there can bee no certainty of Faith.

ssThrogmorton in His Treatise of Faith. pag. 149.The Law first breakes us, and kills us with the sight, and guilt of sin, before Christ cures us, and binds us up.

The holy Ghost worketh and maketh Faith effectuall by these three Acts:D. P.

1. First, it puts an efficacy into the Law, and makes that powerfull to worke on the heart; to make a man poore in spirit; so that hee may bee fit to receive the Gospell. —The Spirit of bondage must make the Law effectuall; as the Spirit of adoption doth the Gospell, &c.

2. The second worke, is to reveale Christ, when the heart is prepared by the spirit in the first worke, then in the next place, Hee shewes the unsearchable riches of Christ, what is the hope of His calling, and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints; what is the exceeding greatnesse of His power in them that beleeve. I say wee neede the Spirit to shew these things, &c.

3. The third Act of the Spirit, is, The testimony which hee gives to our spirit, in telling us that these things are ours. When the heart is prepared by the Law; and when these things are so shewed unto us, that wee prize them, and long after them, yet there must bee a third thing: To take them to our selves, to beleeve they are ours: and there needes a worke of the Spirit for this. For tho the promises bee never so cleare, yet having nothing but the promises, you shall never bee able to apply them to your selves. But when the p. 146holy Ghost shall say, Christ is thine, All these things belong to Thee, and God is thy Father; when that shall witnesse to our spirit by a worke of His owne, Then shall wee beleeve, &c!

ttP. Baine in his Serm. upon Ioh 3.16. p. 39.John 3:16This is the order observed in our iustification: 1. First There is a sight of our misery, to which wee are brought by the Law. 2. Secondly, There is by the Gospell an holding forth of Christ, as our redemption from sin and death. 3. Thirdly, there is a working of Faith in the heart to rest on Christ, as the ransome from sinne and death. Now when a man is come hither, Hee is truly and really iust.

uuCade in his Iustific. of the Church of Engl. Lib. 1. Cap. 5. Sc…. 1.Wee teach that in trve conversion a man must bee wounded in his conscience by the sense of his sinnes; His contrition must bee compungent, and vehement, bruising, breaking, renting the heart, and feeling shee throwes (as a woman labouring of Childe) before the new-Creature bee brought forth, or Christ truly formed in Him. It is not done without bitternesse of the Soule; without care, indignation, revenge. 2. Cor. 7.11. But as some Infants, are borne with lesse paine to the mother, and some with more: so may the new-man be regenerated, in some with more, in some with lesse anxiety of travell. But surely grace is not infused into the heart of any sinner, except there bee at least so great affliction of Spirit for sinne foregoing that He cannot but …eele it, &c.

xxD.S. in his Bruised Reede. pag. 13.14.15.This bruising is required before conversion. 1. That so the Spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts! &c 2. To make vsus set an high price upon Christs death—This is the cause of relapses, and Apostasies, because men never smarted for sin at the first; They were not long enough under the lash of the Law. Hence this inferiour worke of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts, is necessary before conversion.

By this time it doth most clearly, and plentifully appeare; what a foule, and fearefull fault it is; for men, either in the managing of their Publike ministery; or more private Passages, of conference, visitations of the sicke, p. 147consultations about a good estate to Godward, and other occasions of like nature; to apply Iesus Christ and the promises, to promise life and safety in the evill Day, to Soules as yet not soundly illightned and afflicted with sight of sinne, and sense of Gods wrath; to consciences never truly wounded and awaked. I insisted the longer upon this Point, because I know it full well, to bee a most universall, and prevailing Policy of the Devill, whereby hee keepes many thousands in His cursed slavery, and from salvation: To confirme as many Pastours as Hee can possibly, willing enough to drive their Flocks before them to damnation, in an ignorant, or affected Preiudice, and forbearance, of that saving method of bringing Soules out of Hell, mentioned before; and made good with much variety of evidence: And to nourish also in the hearts of naturall men, a strong and sturdy disconceite, opposition & raging, against downeright dealing, and those men of God (able as they say, but falsely and furiously against their owne Soules by their terrible teaching to drive their hearers to distraction, Selfe-destruction, or despaire) who take the only right course to convert them and to bring them to Iesus Christ as Hee Himselfe invites them, to wit, labouring and heauy laden with their sinnes, Matth. 11.28.

Dawbers then, who serue Satans craft in this kinde, and all those who dispence their ministery without all spirituall discretion and good conscience, of whom there are too many, as great strangers to the right way of working grace in others, as to the worke of grace in themselves; I say, they are a generation of dangerous men. Old excellent, as they say in an accursed Art of conducting poore blinded Soules, merrily, towards everlasting miserie, and setting them downe in the very midst of Hell, before they bee sensible of any danger, or discovery of their damnable state. Great men they are with the men of this world, with al those wise fooles and sensuall great ones, who are not willing to bee tormented p. 148before their time, or rather who desire impossibly to live the life of pleasures in the meane time, and yet at last to die the death of the righteous. They have still ready at hand, hand over head, mercy, and pardon. Heaven and salvation for all commers, and all they come neere, without so much as a desire to put any difference, or divide the pretious from the vile. Which is a prodig…usly-arrogant folly, pernicious in the highest degree, both to their own soules, and those they delude. He…e … they are branded in the Booke of God; calling them: …-S…wers under mens elboes; Ezek. 1….1…. That … laid yy…soft and lockt fast in the Cradle of security, th… may sinke suddenly into the Pit of destruction, before they be aware: Criers of peace, peace; when no peace is towards, Ier. 6.14. but horrible stirs, tumbling of garments in bloud; burning and devouring of fire: A …n-pleasers, …alat. 1.10. who chuse rather to tickle the itching eares of their carnall hearers with some f…othy, Frier-like conceits out of Dung-hill … And so smooth Great Ones in their humours, by their cowardly flatteries, especially, if they any waies depend upon them for countenance, rising, and preferment; rather then conscionably to discharge that trust … upon them by their great Lord and Master in Heaven, upon answerablenes for the bloud of those Soules, which shal perish by their temporizing silence, and flattering vnfaithfulnesse: Healers of the hurt of their Hearers with …… words. Ier. 6.14. while their Soules are … by the wounds of sinne unto eternall death; Preachers of aa…. See Ezek. 13.13.15. Ier. 14.15.16. Isa. 30.13.14.Ezek 13:13Ezek 13:15Jer 14:15Jer 14:16Isa 30:13Isa 30:14smooth things. Isa. 30.10. which kinde of p. 149Men, the greatest part, and all worldlings wonderfully bbThey are equally transported with admiration, and doting vponupon such Dawbers; and, with indignation and heart-rising against Plaine-Dealers; holding them out of a wicked and Soule killing Mis-conceite, to bee too terrible Teachers, and their Ministery intolerable.affect and applaud, tho to their owne everlasting vndoing. They swell under such Teachers with a Pharisaicall conceite, that they are as safe for salvation, as the precisest of them all; but alas! their hope is but like a hollow wall, which beeing put to any stresse, when the tempest of Gods searching wrath begins to shake it, in the time of a finall triall of it's truth, and soundnesse; it shatters into pieces and comes to naught. Heare the Prophet: **Isai. 30.8. &c.Isa 30:8Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a booke, that it may bee for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that wil not heare the Law of the Lord: which say to the Seers, see not; ccPopulus nihil adversi sibi nunciari volebat: proptered infestus erat Prophetis, quòd dum vitia ejus accusarent, & acr…èr pungerent, simul propinquae Dei vindictae tes…es erant. Huc pertinent ejusmodi verba: nolite videre, nolite prospicere recta: Non quod ita loquerentur, sed quod ita affecti essent, & moderationem requirerent in prophetis, nec tam acerbas eorum objurgationes aequo animo ferre possint. Calv. in. loc. Impios vis & efficaciae verb… acuit et exasperat, ut tanquā immanes belluae ferociam & truculentiam suam promant: Libenter quidem eluderent: sed velint, nolint, Deum loquentem audire, ejusque Majestatem reform; dare coguntur. Hanc amarulentiam sequitur odium Prophetaerum, insidiae, terrores, persecutiones, exilia, cruciatus, mortes quibus doctrinam cum doctoribus summoneri ac deleri, posse existimant. Cupiunt enim homines sibi potiꝰ narrari somnia, & futiles nugas, quam fideliter doceri. Ibid.and to the Prophets, prophesie not unto us right things; speake unto us smooth things, prophesie deceits. Get you out of the way: turne aside out of the path: cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore, thus saith the Holy One of Israel: Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression, and perversenesse, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shalbee to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking commeth suddenly at an instant. And Hee shall breake it as the breaking of the potters vessell, that is broken in pieces, hee shall not spare; so that there shal not be found in the bursting of it, a sheard to take fire from the harth, or to take water with all out of the Pit. Dawbers with untempered morter: Ezech. 13.11. Who erect in the conceits of those who are willing to bee deluded by them, Pharises at the best, a rotten Building of false hope, like a ddforeign metaphoricè caementum lateritium sine stramine dicitur, id est, non rectè confectum, & temperatum, quo si quid aedisicetur, structura parum firma sit, & durabilis. Pagn. Non dubito quin significet arenam absque calce Calv. Lutum absque paleis quibus firmatur & stringitur; nil roboris potest praebe…e parieti. Hieron.mudde-wall without p. 150straw, or morter made onelyonly of sand without lime to binde it; which in faire weather makes a faire shew for a while; but when abundance of raine falls, and winter comes, it moulders away, and turnes to myre in the streetes. Their vaine confidence in prosperous times, before it come to the Touchstone of the fiery triall by Gods searching Truth, may seeme currant; But in the tempest of Gods wrath when the stormy winters night of death approacheth, or at furthest, at the iudgement Seate of the iust and Highest God, it prooves to bee counterfeite:Matth 7.22. & 25.11.Matt 7:22Matt 25:11 when at last they shall cry Lord Lord like the foolish Virgins, And those Mat. 7. in steade of imaginary comfort, they shalbee crusht with horrible and everlasting confusion.Ezech. 13.11. &c.Ezek 13:11 Heare the Prophet: Say unto them which daube it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall bee an overflowing showre, and yee, O great haile stones, shall fall, and a stormy winde shall rent it. Loe, when the wall is fallen, shall it not bee said unto you where is the daubing wherewith yee have daubed it? Therfore thus saith the Lord God, I will rent it with a stormy winde in my fury: and there shall be an overflowing showre in mine anger, and great hailestones in my fury to consume it. So wil I breake downe the wall that yee have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it downe to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shal bee discovered, and it shall fall, and yee shall bee consumed in the midst thereof: and yee shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have it dawbed with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it: To wit, the Prophets of Israel, which prophesie concerning Ierusalem, and which see visions of peace for Her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God: Such as with lies make the heart of the righteous sad, whom God hath not made sad; and strengthen the hands of the wicked, that Hee should not returne from His wicked way by promising Him life. Ezech. 13.22. These fellowes hold and beare p. 151meere civill men in hand, that their estate is sound enough to Godward, whatsoever the purer and preciser Brethren prate to the contrary: ddSunt etiam apud nos qui bene alioqui, & ciuilitèr vivunt, qui tamèn nullo desiderio verbi tenentur: istos homines nunquam ego sanctificatos di…rim, neque eorum virtutes esse existimarim, sed virtutum umbras duntaxat, & simulachra, cum sine sanctisicatione & participatione divinae naturae, nulla possit esse vera virtus. Rolloc. In Ioh. cap. 8. Time hath been, perhaps, when wee have thought civill honesty to be regeneration: God forgive us: It must be more then civilitie that brings to Heaven; more then formalitie that makes a Christian, &c. Dr. Sclater, Sicke Soules Salve, pag. 21.John 8and yet the holy Ghost tells us, that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Hebr. 12.14. That formall Professours are very forward men; whereas Iesus Christ professeth, that Hee will spew the luke-warme out of His mouth. Nay, and if there bee talke even of a good fellow especially of some more commendable naturall parts, and plausible carriage; if Hee be so but moderately, that I may so speake, and not iust every day drunke; well, well, will they say, wee have all our faults, and that is His. But as concerning the faithfull servant of God; they are woont to entertaine the same conceite of Him, which Ahab did of Elijah to wit, that ee1. King. 18.17.1 Kgs 18:17Hee was a troubler of Israel: Which one of the captaines had of the Prophet sent to annoint Iehu, that Hee was a ff1. King. 9.11.1 Kgs 9:11mad fellow: which the false Prophets had of Micaiah; that Hee was a fellow of a singular and od humour by Himselfe, and guided by a private spirit of His owne: which Tertullus had of Paul, that he was a gg1. King. 22.24.1 Kgs 22:24pestilent fellow: which the Pharises had of Christs Followers; that they were a contemptible and hhActs 24.5.Acts 24:5cursed generation; a company of base, rude illiterate underlings. Nay sometimes, when the bedlam fit is upon them, they will not sticke to charge Gods people in some proportion most wickedly and falsely; as the ancient Heathens did the primitive Christians, with conventicles and meetings of hatefull iiIoh. 7.48.49. Haec est sententia Concilij Sacerdotalis & Pharisaici contra plebem à Christo pendentem. foreign inquiunt, hoc est, Sub maledicto sunt: execrabiles — ideoque & excommunicandi▪ —Haec est infamia Evangelicae doctrinae, quāfere cogitur apud potentes, ac prudentes hujus seculi, quòd sectatores habeat homines plebeios, obscuros, & imperitos, qui si docti essent, haudquaquam illi adhaererent. Musc.John 7:48John 7:49impurities, faction, disaffection to Caesar, and many other horrible things; whereas poore Soules! they were most innocent, and infinitely abhorred all such kkDicimur sceleratissimi, de sacramento insanticidij, & pabulo inde: & post convivium incesto, quòd eversores luminum, canes, lenones scilicet, tenebrarum & libidinum impiarum inverecundia procurent. Tertul. Apolog. cap. 7. Sed quod omni cruciatu gravius erat, insignia de eis mendacia spargebantur, Incusabatur eos humanis c…rnibus vesci, infantes dijs suis immolare, incestibus sese polluere, & nefandissima quaeque perpetrare. …unc. Com. in Chron. Lib. 6.villanies; And p. 152they met in the morning even before Day, not to doe, God knowes any such ill, but for the llInce…uosus sum, cur non requirunt? Insanti…ida, Cur non extorquent? —In Caesares aliquid comitto; cur nō audior? &c. Tert. Apolog. cap 4. Haec coitio Christianorum meritò sane illicita, si illicitis par, meritò dananda, si quis de cā quaeritur, eo titulo quo de sactionibus querela est. In cujus perniciem aliquando convenimus? Hoc sumus congregati, quod & dispersi. Hoc universi, quod & singuli; neminem Laedentes, neminem contristantes. Cum probi, cum boni cocunt; cum pi…, cum casti congregantur, non est factio dicenda sed curia. At è contrario illis nomen factionum accommodandum est, qui in odium …o…orum, & proborum conspirant, qui adversum sanguinem innocentium co…el…ant, prete…entes sanè ad odij defensionem, illam quoque vanitatem, quod existiment omnis publicae cl…dis, omnis popularis incommodi, Christianes esse causam. Idem, ibid. cap 39.service of God, (even their more ingenuous mmCoimus in coetum & aggregationem, ut ad Deum quasi manu fact… precationibus ambiamus orantes. Haec vis Deo grata est. Oramus etiem pro imperatoribus, pro ministris eorum, … potestatibu…, pro statu seculi, pro rerum quiete—Coimus ad literarum divinarum commemorationem, si quid praesentium temporum qualitas, aut praemonere cogit, aut recognoscere. Certè …id…m, sanctis vocibus pascimus, spem erigimus, fiduciam sigimus, disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus i…culcationibus densamus. Ibidem etiā exhortationes, castigationes, & censura divina. Ibid. cap. 39.adversaries being witnesses) to sing prayses to Christ. God to confirme their discipline, forbidding all manner of sinne, &c. with nnPlinius enim Secundus, cum Provinciam regeret, damn…tis quibusdam Christianis, quibusdam gradu pulsis, ipsa tamen multitudine perturbatus, qu…d de caete…o ageret, consul… tunc Trajanis Imperatorem, allegans praeter obstinationem non sacrificandi, nihil aliud se de sacris corum comperisse, quam coetus antelucanos ad canendum Christo & Deo, & ad conf…derandam disciplinam: homicidium, adulterium, fraudem, perfidiam, & caetera scelera prohibentes. Ibid. cap. 2. Func. Comm. in Chronol. Lib. 5. Bucolc. Ann. Christi 110. pag. 636.all the miscarriages, miseries and calamities that fell vponupon the State, as tho they were the causes. Whereas those few neglected Ones which truly serve God are the onelyonly men in all Places where they live to make up the hedge and to stand in the gappe against the threatned inundations of Gods dreadfull wrath; and all the Opposites to their holy Profession are the true Cutthroats of Kingdomes, able by their dissolutenesse, and disgracing godlinesse, to dissolve the sinewes of the strongest state upon Earth. Looke upon Amos 4.1.2. And there you shall finde who they are, which cause God to enter a controversie with the Inhabitants of a Land.ooContra Christianam fidem querelas impias jactare non quiescunt, dicentes, quod antequam ista doctrina per mundum praedicaretur, tanta mala non paticbatur genus humanum. August epist. 122. Dicis plurimos conqueri, quod bella crebrius surgant; quod lues, quod fames saeviant, quod que imbres & pluvias s…rena longa suspendant, nobis imputar…. Cyp. Contra Demetrianum, dicentem Christianis imputari debere omnia, quibus tunc mu…dus urgeretur. Si … moenia; si Nilus non ascendit in ar…a; si Coel…m stetit, …, Christanus ad Leonem, acclamatur. Tertul. Apolog. cap 39.