Two Treatises 2, Tract 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. In what order Humiliation is wrought.
REpentance then conſiſting of thoſe two parts, Humiliation and Reformation, let vsus ſpeake of them both ſeuerally. And firſt of Humiliation, where conſider firſt the grace it ſelfe: And ſecondly the contraries to it.
In the grace it ſelfe foure things are to be conſidered. 1. The Nature. 2. The Meaſure. 3. The Vſe and Excellency. 4. The Practiſe.
1. For the nature two poynts muſt bee conſidered.1. The nature of Humiliation in two things.
1. In what order it is wrought.
2. What are the qualities and propeties of it being wrought.
For the former; it is thus to be conſidered.
1. The ſpirit by the ſhrill trumpet of the Law arouſeth the ſinners drouſie conſcience, ſetteth his 1. The order of it.ſinnes in order before him, and preſenteth him with that fearefull ſpectacle of eternall death and condemnation. And that ſo, that the poore ſinner ſelfe-conuict, and ſelfe-condemned holding vp his guilty hands before Gods Tribunall, and receiuing the ſentence of death, doth not onelyonly ſee hell with a wide and gaping mouth ready to deuoure him, but euen in a manner feeleth himſelfe in hell already; the terrours of God fighting againſt him, and the envenomed arrowes of the Almighty ſticking in his ribbes; ſo that in this perplexity being brought downe to the very gate of hell, and feeling the very flaſhings of hell fire in his conſcience, he cries out, Miſerable man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me? Who ſhall deſcend into this deepe, to Rom. 7.helpe me out of the myre, wherein I ſticke ſo faſt?
A man in this caſe is like a rocke which with ſome mighty ſhaking is made to tremble, but yet ſtill retaines his hardneſſe; or as an iron veſſell which with ſome violent ſtroakes is broken into peeces, but theſe peeces remaine whole and hard, and are not yet molten by the fire. Now vntounto humiliation there is required not onelyonly a broken, but alſo a contrite ſpirit. And Contrition is when all is ſtamped to very duſt, and ground as it were to powder, ſo that there is a through diſſolution of that which before was firmely hardened and compacted together. But the Law of it ſelfe cannot diſſolue and ſoften the hard heart of man: Therefore the ſinner though neuer ſo violently ſhaken and battred with the thunderbolts of the Law, is not as yet truely humbled, but onelyonly prepared for, and in the way vntounto humiliation. As when a thing is torne and broken, though into great and ſolide lumps, it is neerer to diſſolution, then when it was whole and entire.
2. Therefore the ſpirit by the hammer of the Law hauing broken vsus, doth in the next place by the fire of the Goſpell melt vsus. For the word of God Ierem. 23. 9. is both a hammer breaking the rockes, and a fire. A hammer in the Law: A fire in the Goſpell, which with the heat of Gods louelove in Chriſt doth melt, mollifie, and diſſolue our hearts into the teares of godly ſorrow. For after that in the Law we hauehave ſeene our miſerable and deſperate eſtate in our ſelues, we ſhould preſently raue, and rage againſt the Lord, did hee not in this our extremity giuegive vsus ſome hope and inckling of mercy; preſenting vntounto our eye the infinite merits of Chriſt, the indefinite promiſes of the Goſpell, calling all without exception to the fruition of thoſe merits, excluding none but ſuch as exclude themſelues, and deſpiſe the grace that is offered them. But when once mercy is tendred to vsus that ſtand condemned in the Law, and that onelyonly vponupon condition of our humble & ſubmiſſiue embracing of it, Oh then the working of our bowels! the ſtirring of our affections! the melting & relenting of our repenting hearts! reaſoning thus with themſelues; And is it ſo indeed? hath the Lord giuen his owne Son to the death to ſaue ſinners? & doth hee offer vsus the benefit therof, who hauing been ſuch deſperate Rebels againſt him ſtand caſt, and condemned euen in the ſentence of our own conſciences? What marble breſt, what oaken heart is there whom ſuch kindnes would not affect? How can we chuſe but out of louelove and affection towards ſo ſweet and gracious a God, grieue, that euer we hauehave ſo grieued him?
And now hath Contrition it perfect worke in vsus, when the bloud of the Lambe hath melted the Adamant, and the Sun-ſhine of Gods louelove in Chriſt hath thawen the ice of our hearts. For before it was the feare of hell, and ſo indeed ſelfe-louelove, and in a manner pride that humbled vsus, becauſe we would not be miſerable. But now it is the louelove of God that humbleth vsus, becauſe of the wrong wee hauehave done him, who hath done vsus ſo much good. Before it was the hatred onelyonly of puniſhment that made vsus to grieue, but now it is the hatred of ſin (that brings the puniſhment) and that ſpecially, becauſe diſpleaſing to the Lord our good God, that cauſes all the trouble.
And thus we ſee in what order, and by what degrees Contrition is wrought.
But heere certaine queſtions may be mooued.
Queſt. 1. Whether the ſole threatnings and curſes of the Law are not of themſelues auaileable vntounto true contrition? foraſmuch as Ioſiahs heart melted in godly ſorrow, vponupon the hearing of the 2. Chro. 34. 27threatnings.
Anſw. Thoſe threatnings were not meerely Legall, but ſuch as were qualified with ſome tincture of mercy in the Goſpell. Afflictions ſoften our hearts, but how? no otherwiſe then as we apprehend Gods mercy in them: So did Ioſiah apprehend mercy in thoſe threatnings, & that they proceeded from Gods louelove, and ſo accounted them as the wounds of a friend, and thence came the melting of his heart. Dauid relented euen at Shemeies bitter reuilings, but it was through the ſenſe of Gods ſweet mercy in them.
Queſt. 2. Whether God keepe the order ſpoken of conſtantly in humbling his children, ſo that none can truely be grieued for ſinne till they hauehave beene caſt downe with legall terrours?
Anſw. 1. Many may hauehave the firſt degree of humiliation by the Law, which neuer come to the ſecond by the Goſpell. As Iudas, Caine, and other Reprobates vtterly ouerwhelmed with the terrors of the Law, as children ſometimes in the trauell are killed with the paines thereof, before they can be borne. But as there can bee no birth without the paines of the trauell going before, ſo neither no true Repentance, without ſome terrours of the Law, and ſtreights of conſcience. None can hauehave the ſecond degree without the firſt.
The Reaſon is plaine. None can hauehave Repentance, but ſuch as Chriſt cals to Repentance. Now he cals onelyonly ſinners to Repentance. Matth. 9. 13. euen ſinners heauy laden with the ſenſe of Gods wrath againſt ſinne. Math. 11. 29. He comes only to ſaue the loſt ſheep, that is, ſuch ſheep as feele themſelues loſt in themſelues, and know not how to find the way to the folde, Rom. 8. 15. Yee hauehave not againe receiued the ſpirit of bondage vntounto feare; which ſhews that once they did receiue it, namely, in the very firſt preparation vntounto conuerſion, that then the ſpirit of God in the Law did ſo beare witneſſe vntounto them of their bondage and miſerable ſlauery, that it made them to tremble. Now there vnderunder the perſon of the Romans, the Apoſtle ſpeaks to all beleeuers, and ſo ſhewes that it is eueryevery Chriſtians common caſe.
2. Yet all are not handled alike. Though none wholly ſcape, yet ſome hauehave gentler fits then others, and ſome are but ſprinkled in this baptiſme, wherein others are euen douſed ouer head and eares, and ſome doe but ſippe of that cuppe, wherof others drinke to the very dregges. It is with the trauell of a ſinner in his Repentance, as with a womans in child-birth. None trauels heere without paine, yet ſome are like thoſe Hebrew women Exod. 1. and hauehave a farre quicker diſpatch then many others. Thoſe conuerts Acts 2. in their Repentance had ſome grudgings and prickes of conſcience, but yet they had none of Iobs nor Dauids fits which held them many dayes together. For the ſame Peter that wounded, preſently healed them, and being filled with the ioy of the holy Ghoſt, they comfortably conuerſed with the Chriſtians. Matthew as it is thought at his firſt conuerſion entertained Chriſt with a feaſt, and ſo did Lydia the Apoſtles, which they could not hauehave done, if they had beene in any extremities of the agonies of conſcience. God applies himſelfe heere to the ſeuerall natures, conditions and diſpoſitions of his children.
1. Some hauehave beene more hainous ſinners, and of longer ſtanding then the reſt. Now the more feſtred and dangerous the wound is, the ſharper muſt be the cure. Some ſores will as eaſily bee let out with the pricking of a pinne, as others with the Surgeons launching. The more viſcous and glutinous the humour is, the ſtronger muſt the purge be. The greater the burthen is, the greater will bee the paine of the backe. Hence it was that Paul being a more hainous offender then the reſt of the Apoſtles, as being a malicious perſecutor, whereas they had beene honeſt and ſober fiſhermen, hence it was I ſay, that hee taſted deeper of this cup then they, as we ſee Acts 9. inſomuch that he ſayes the Law ſlew him. Rom. 7. Hence alſo it is that ſuch who in their tender yeeres by meanes of religious nurture hauehave beene ſeaſoned with the grace of God, dropping by little and little into them, before any groſſer defilement of actuall tranſgreſſion, doe not behold that grim and ſeuere countenance of the Law, which thoſe commonly ſee who ſtand idle to the twelfth houre.
2. God meanes to employ ſome in more worthy ſeruices. For the which hee ſees it fit to prepare them by the deepeſt humiliation. For the higher, and greater the building is, the deeper muſt the foundation be layd in the earth.
3. Some are of greater places and parts then others, ſome naturally of a more crabbed & crooked diſpoſition, ſome more ſtout, bold, hardy then others. Now the hard knotty wood muſt hauehave a hard wedge. An angry word or looke workes more vponupon a ſoftly, then an hundred blows would vponupon a croſſe and ſturdy ſpirit. Both theſe reaſons hold alſo in S. Paul that Prince of the Apoſtles, ordained of God to bee a worthier inſtrument then the reſt, being a man of great parts & ſingular learning, and withall, as it ſhould ſeeme by the ſtory, of a fierce and fiery ſpirit. So great perſonages whoſe high places puffe them vp, that they may truely repent had need to be taken down throughly with a deep ſenſe of the legall terrors. For euen we poore worms that hauehave nothing almoſt either in regard of our parts or places to make vsus ſwell, ſee yet, what a do we hauehave to be humbled, and what neede wee hauehave of the wedge of the Law, and afflictions to be driuen in throughly into our hearts.
Queſt. 3. To what end and purpoſe doth the Lord thus exerciſe his children, whom hee brings to repentance?
Anſw. There are more eſpecially ſixe reaſons of Gods proceeding in this manner.
1. To vrge them to ſeeke vntounto Chriſt, as the hunted beaſt flies to his den, and the purſued malefactour to the hornes of the altar, and as vnderunder the Law the chaſed man-killer to his city of refuge. Thus Agar confounded with the ſenſe of his owne brutiſhneſſe fled vntounto Ithiel, and Vcal, that is Chriſt Ieſus. Prou. 30. 1. 2. 3. Paul likewiſe when ſo followed by the Law that being almoſt out of breath, he cried out, Miſerable man that I am, hides himſelfe in the hole of this rocke, euen in the wounds of Chriſt. I thanke God through Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 7. Thus the deſtroying Angell droue the Iſraelites into their chambers, and made them lurke there. Exod. 12. 32. Iſ. 26. 20. and Dauids deepes made him ſend foorth many a deepe ſigh, and ſtrong cry to the throne of grace Pſal. 130. 1. as Chriſt himſelfe did in the like caſe. Hebr. 5.
2. To bring their taſtes into better relliſh with Chriſt. Thirſt makes vsus relliſh our drinke; Hunger our meat. The full ſtomacke of a Phariſie ſurcharged with the ſuperfluities of his owne merits, will loath the hony-combe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe. Their heart is fat as greaſe (ſaith Dauid) but I delight in thy Law. By the oppoſition ſhewing that Pſal. 119. 70.it is onelyonly the leane heart, pined and pinched with ſpirituall famine that feeles delight in the promiſes. This was it which made that young Prodigall to relliſh euen ſeruants fare, though before wanton, when full fed at home. Nothing more vnſauoury to a ſenſeleſſe brawny heart then Chriſts bloud. No more relliſh feeles hee in it, then in a chip. But ô how acceptable is the fountaine of liuing waters to the chaſed Hart panting and braying? The bloud of Chriſt to the weary and tired ſoule? to the thirſty conſcience ſcorched with the ſenſe of Gods wrath? He that preſents him with it how welcome is he? euen as a ſpeciall choyce man, one of a thouſand. The deeper is the ſenſe of miſery, Iob 33. 19. 23.the ſweeter is the ſenſe of mercy. The traytour layd downe on the blocke is more ſenſible of his Soueraignes mercy in pardoning, then he who is not yet attached. Therefore cxcellently S. Paul, God hath ſhut vp all vnderunder ſinne, that hee might hauehave mercy on all. As though hee could not ſhew mercy without ſhewing iuſtice, becauſe wee cannot taſte the ſweet of his mercy, vnleſſe before our mouths be imbittered with the wormewood of his iuſtice. With thee the father lee ſhall finde mercy, ſaith repenting Hoſ. 14. 4.Iſrael. When a man is brought into the ſtraits of a poore deſolate ſhiftleſſe orphane, then is hee fit for mercy. Sweetly Bernard, God poures not the Deus non infundit oleum miſericordiae niſi in vas contritum.oyle of his mercy, ſaue into a broken veſſell. For indeed whole veſſels are full veſſels: And ſo Gods precious oyle would runne ouer, and be ſpilt on the ground if powred into them. Therefore firſt muſt they be emptied of their euill liquour; and that they cannot, vnleſſe Gods hand ſhake, tumble, batter and breake them, and then will they be capable of that oyle.
3. To worke a more perfect cure of their ſins. For the cure of the ſtone in the heart is like that of the ſtone in the bladder. God muſt vſe ſharpe inciſion, and come with his pulling and plucking inſtruments, and rend the heart in peeces, ere that ſin can be got out of it. Euen as a tree that is deepely rooted in the earth, cannot be pluckt vp by the very roots, but the earth though firme before, muſt be broke vp. And as in a lethargie it is needefull the patient ſhould be caſt into a burning feuer, becauſe the ſenſes are benummed, and this will wake them, and dry vp the beſotting humors; ſo in our dead ſecurity before our conuerſion, God is faine to let the Law, Sinne, Conſcience and Sathan looſe vponupon vsus, and to kindle the very fire of hell in our ſoules, that ſo wee might bee rouſed: Our ſinnes ſticke cloſe vntounto vsus as the priſoners bolt, and wee are ſhut vp vnderunder them, as in a ſtrong priſon: and therefore vnleſſe, as once in Paul and Silas their caſe, an earth-quake, ſo heere there come a mighty heart-quake, violently breaking open the priſon doores, and ſhaking of our fetters, neuer ſhall wee get our liberty. We goe on reſolutely and ſtoutly in our ſinnes, and vnleſſe wee bee ſcared as once Balaam in his couetouſneſſe by the naked ſword of the Lord threatning deſtruction, wee will neuer turne backe. How violently did Sathan driue Paul in the way of perſecution? Would he euer hauehave giuen ouer, if a contrary winde had not encountred him, and blew him off his horſe, and ſmit him down to the ground dead and blinde? But then hee had his leſſon giuen him for euer perſecuting more. How now Paul is it good perſecuting? how now vnhappy venturous childe is it good running neer the fire, the water, when thy father ſhall take thee vp by the heeles, and ſcorch thee, and drench thee, and almoſt let thee quite fall in? How now Lot, is it good ſtaying in Sodome, when fire and brimſtone are comming about thine eares? If Dauid like of his broken bones, let him fall againe to murther and adultery. If thou like the ſowre ſawce of a guilty helliſh conſcience, fall to the ſweet meat of thy ſin, and eat vntounto ſurfet. But this ſowre ſawce makes the Elect of God loath their meat, though neuer ſo ſweete. When they ſee they cannot retaine their right hands, eyes and feet, without ſuch aches, ſuch tortures, yea and danger of the ouerthrow of the whole body, then they yeelde them to the cutting and mortifying hand of the Surgeon. Then farwell profit, farwell pleaſure, treaſure and all, rather then I will endure ſuch a racke, ſuch a hell in my conſcience.
4. To make vsus the more pliable to Gods will. How refractary was the woman of Samaria, till Ioh. 4.Chriſt ſat as a Iudge in her conſcience, and pinched her with that cloſe imputation of adultery. There was no dealing with Iob till the whirl-wind ſchooled Iob.him. An vnhumbled ſinner is as vnfit for Gods inſtruction, as an vnbroken colt for the ſaddle, and as the hard and clotty fallow ground not ſubdued by Ierem. 4.the plough is for the ſeede. Who can weilde a mightie hard rocke? but let it bee broken to fitters, and ſtamped to duſt, the hand of the Artificer may worke it as he will. When Iſay Iſ 6. Acts 9.and Paul were tamed with the terrors of the Lord, then, Lord heere I am. What wilt thou hauehave mee doe? When the Lyons and Beares are meekned, then a little childe may lead them. Iſ. 11. Hence thoſe ſpeeches, The Lord ſhall direct the humble. Humble Pſalm. 25. Mic. 6. 2. Chro. 30. 8. Ierem. 44. 10.thy ſelfe to walke with thy God. Be not ſtiffe-necked, but giuegive the hand to the Lord, to be lead by him. They are not humbled, neither hauehave they walked in the wayes of the Lord. There is no more reſiſtance in a bruiſed heart againſt the Lord, then in ſoft waxe againſt the ſeale.
5. To procure vsus the ſounder comfort. Whole ſores throb and rage. Eaſe is by breaking. The deeper the wound is ſearched and teinted, and the ſharper corraſiues be applied, the ſounder will the fleſh be afterward. The lower ebbe, the higher tide. The deeper our deſcent in Humiliation, the higher our aſcent in Conſolation. Therefore when Chriſt promiſeth vsus his ſpirit to be our Comforter, he ſhewes this ſhall bee the firſt ground-worke of Comfort which hee ſhall lay, the conuincing of our conſcience of ſinne. I will ſend the Comforter, and hee Ioh. 16.ſhall conuince the world of ſinne. A miſerable Comforter one would thinke; no, but marke whether this Conuiction of ſinne tends. For it is added, that he ſhall conuince them of righteouſneſſe; After he hath ſoundly conuicted them of ſinne in themſelues vntounto condemnation. He ſhall to their comforts conuict their iudgements, and perſwade their hearts of righteouſneſſe in Chriſt vntounto iustification. So the Prophet ſheweth how his peace was wrought out of his trouble, When I heard, my bellie Hab. 3. 16.trembled, my lips ſhooke, rottenneſſe entred into my bones, and I trembled, but marke the end of all this, that I might reſt in the day of trouble. Surely after the moſt toyleſome labour is the ſweeteſt ſleepe. After the greateſt tempeſts the ſtilleſt calmes. Sanctified trouble eſtabliſhes peace. And the ſhaking of theſe windes makes the trees of Gods Eden take the deeper rooting.
6. God heerein hath reſpect to his owne glory which he gaineth to himſelfe in working thus by contraries, ioy out of feare, light out of darkneſſe, heauen out of hell. When he meant to bleſſe Iacob Gen. 32.he wreſtled with him as an aduerſary, euen till hee lamed him. When he meant to preferre Ioſeph to the throne, hee threw him downe into the dungeon; to the golden chaine about the necke, hee laded him with iron ones about his legges, and cauſed the iron to Pſal. 105.enter into his ſoule. When he meant to make a moſt beautifull and orderly world, he makes firſt a vaſt gulfe, a groſſe Chaos, wherein was nothing but darkneſſe and confuſion: and yet out of it he cauſed light to ſhine, and out of it brought hee this goodly frame of heauen and earth which now wee ſee. Euen ſo in the ſecond creation which is by Regeneration, firſt there is nothing but a helliſh Chaos of darkeneſſe in the minde, of Confuſion in the heart, and yet at length comes forth the goodlieſt creature that euer was, the new creature in Chriſt.
The Vſe of all this is,
1. To diſcouer their errour who thinke they hauehave true Repentance, when they hauehave only ſome legall qualmes of ſorrow, ſome ſtirrings and ſtingings of conſcience, which euen the fiends in hell hauehave, who yet are vncapable of Repentance. Indeed theſe are preparations to Contrition as wee heard in the Elect, and are as the pricking of the needle before the thread. But contrition it ſelfe is a further matter. Chriſt biddes the heauy loaden come vntounto him, and learne of him to bee humble. A man therefore may be heauy loaden, and as yet not come to him, nor truely humbled. When thoſe whom Peter pricked asked what they ſhould doe to be eaſed of that paine, hee preſcribed them Repentance, as the ſalue for that ſore of a wounded conſcience. A man may hauehave a ſore, and feele it, and yet want the ſalue that ſhould heale it. And yet the feeling of the ſore is the firſt ſtep to recouery. For this makes vsus enquire after the ſalue.
2. To terrifie ſuch as being ſtupefied in conſcience, and are wholly vnſenſible of ſinne, can carry it away lightly as Sampſon did the gates of the city, and their backes neuer complaine of the burthen. Theſe blocks, that neuer in their life were moued with Gods threatnings, neuer in any ſtraight of conſcience, neuer groaned vnderunder the burthen of Gods anger, they hauehave not ſo much as entred into the porch of this houſe, or lift the foote ouer the threſhold of this ſchoole of Repentance. In Dauids Repentance for numbring the people, this is noted at the firſt ſtep, his heart ſmote him, So in 2. Sam. 24.his Repentance for adultery, hee notes this to bee the ground, My ſinne is euer before me. The terrible Pſal. 51.image thereof affrights me continually. But for theſe Brutes, their ſinne is euer behinde them. Nothing is before them, but their profits, their pleaſures, their bagges, their barnes. And the delightfull image of theſe things ſo bewitches and beſots them, that they will neuer ſee the face of ſinne, till they feele the fire of hell. And iuſt it is, that ſuch who will not ſee ſinne heere by the light of Gods word, ſhould at laſt ſee it for euer by the light of the Diuels fire.
3. To comfort ſuch as are diſtreſſed in conſcience in the apprehenſion of Gods wrath againſt their ſinne. It is a ſpeciall worke of the ſpirit thus to diſcouer vntounto them their miſery, and in the ſight thereof to touch their heart. Yee hauehave not againe receiued Rom. 8. 15.the ſpirit of bondage vntounto feare, ſaith Paul. The word Receiued implieth that the trouble of conſcience is to be accounted of, as a gift: and the word Spirit ſhewes the author of the gift. Heere is comfort then; thou art in the way to ſaluation, thou haſt receiued the firſt gift which the ſpirit beſtoweth vponupon all thoſe whom it bringeth to Repentance, in that thou ſeeſt thy bondage, and trembleſt. Yea, but poore comfort thou wilt ſay, to behold and feele God as an enemy, with his ſword wounding me, & then with his naile continually raking in the wounds, with his axe continually hewing and hacking mee, yea, and quite cutting me downe, and laying me flat on the ground. Silly man who ſeeſt not the depth of Gods wiſedome. Gods wounds are not mortall but medicinable, the wounds not of a Swaſh-buckler, that giues a gaſh and runnes away, but of a Surgeon that wounds and then heales; God ſees the Diuell hath giuen thee many a ſecret wound which will feſter, vnleſſe he heale them with theſe wounds of his. Gods axe hewes thee down not for the fire, but for the building, that thou mayeſt be a piller in his houſe. The Reuel. 3.Maſon pluckes downe an houſe, but not with an intent to deſtroy it, but to re-edifie it, and raiſe it vp againe in better forme and faſhion. God brings thee downe to the belly of hell, but it is but to bring the vp into the boſome of Abraham. Hee ſends his Sergeant to arreſt thee for thy debt, commands thee and all thou haſt to bee ſold. But hee doth but diſſemble, and hide his fatherly affections, as once Ioſeph did his brotherly; His meaning is in concluſion to forgiue thee eueryevery farthing. He ſcorches thee with the heate of his wrath, and afflicts thee with a maruellous thirſt like that of Diues. But in the middeſt of thy extremity hee releeues thee as once Hagar, opening thine eyes to ſee that Zach. 13. 1.bleſſed Fountaine iſſuing out of the pierced ſide of Chriſt. He troubles thy heart, and ſtirres vp the mud of thy guilty conſcience, but it is no otherwiſe then the Angel troubled the poole of Betheſda; Gen. 9.now mayeſt thou expect health and helpe. The raine-bow though it threaten raine, yet it is a ſigne the world ſhall no more bee drowned with raine. So the wounds and terrors of conſcience, though they threaten damnation to the Elect, yet are they a ſigne, that they ſhall not be ouerwhelmed with it. Nay as the ſottiſh ſecurity of the wicked is a ſigne of vndoubted deſtruction, as in the olde worlds prophane worldlineſſe, and Baltaſhars ſacrilegious carouſings: ſo contrarily, heere terror and trouble are fore-runners of aſſured peace. As when they cry peace, peace, heauen, heauen, hell and perdition are at hand: ſo when theſe in their diſtreſſe cry, Hell, Hell, damnation, damnation, Heauen and ſaluation are at hand. And ſurely, much better is this hell which leades vntounto, and ends in an eternall Heauen, then that tranſitory heauen of ſecure worldlings, which ends in an euerlaſting hell. Happy then are wee if wee hauehave ſo our hell in this life, that we may hauehave our Heauen for euer in the life to come. Be not afrayd of this hell which will deliuer thee vp ſafely into Heauen: fear not that fal into Gods dungeon which ſhal rebound thee back into his palace. Feare not that hand which in killing quickens, in oppreſſing eaſes: nay euen in the valley of death, mayeſt thou boldly ſay, Thy rod, euen thy ſmiting rod, comforts mee; In the middeſt of theſe ſore trauels and troubles, looking with the Pſal. 23.trauailing woman to the ioyfull iſſue, the happy birth of ſauing Repentance. Remembring that the ſhort paine of this Surgeons cutting of thee, ſhall eaſe thee of that continuall and farre heauier paine of the ſtone in thy heart. Surely, as when Chriſt called the blinde man the Diſciples ſayd. Be of good comfort, he calleth thee: ſo may I boldly ſay to all burthened in conſciencc: Be of good comfort, Chriſt Ieſus calleth you, ſaying, Come vntounto mee all yee that are heauy loaden that I may eaſe you. If thou feeleſt the weight of this burthen now, there is Matth. 11.one that will tranſlate it from thy ſhoulders to his owne. If not, thou ſhalt certainely feele it in the life to come; when thou alone muſt beare it for euer. Is it not then a happy turne, that ſince thou muſt be thus burthened here, or hereafter thou art laden heere, where Chriſt may eaſe thee, ſo that thou mayſt auoyd that clog in hell, eaſeleſſe and eternall.