Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 5 (3 of 3)

Sermon Preached Several Times · Sermon 5 (3 of 3)

p. 227Note 4 A fourth Note of Sinceritie is Perpetuitie, Perpetuitie.Conſtancie, permanence, continuance: when we are not godly and religious by fits and ſtarts onelyonly, upon ſome ſpeciall and extraordinarie occaſions, butmmQualitatis verae tenor permanet: falſa non durant. Sen. epiſt. 120. Perpetua ac ſolida ſunt, quae veraſunt: ſimulata non perſeverant. Ambr. offic. lib. 2. c. 22. in a conſtant and continued courſe, at all times, even when ſuch occaſions ceaſe.nnPſal. 119.112.Ps 119:112 I have applied my ſelfe to keepe thy Commandements continually, ſaith David: And,ooPſal. 119.117.Ps 119:117 I will delight my ſelfe continually in thy Commandements, which I love. And,ppProv. 28.14.Prov 28:14 Bleſſed is the man that feareth continually, ſaith Salomon. This conſtant delight in the Word of God, this conſtant applying of our ſelves to the doing of the Will of God, this continuall ſtanding in awe of God, is a ſound note of ſinceritie. ButqqMagnam rem puta unum hominem agere. Praeter ſapientem nemo nuum agit: caeteri multiformes ſunt. Modo frugi videntur & graves; modò prodigi & vani. Mutamus ſubinde perſonam, & contrariam ei ſumimu… quam exuimus. Senec. epiſt. 120. when men ſeeme to be ſo affected onelyonly upon ſome extraordinary occaſions, and when thoſe are once over, all is gone againe, it is a ſhrewd ſigne that nothing was ever ſound or ſincere with them. And this well weighed will eaſily diſcover the unſoundneſſe of many ſorts that yet make a great ſhew for a ſeaſon. Some at the firſt hearing of the Word ſeeme to be wondrouſly affected and raviſhed with it. The noveltie and the ſtrangeneſſe of the Doctrine p. 228delivered, (as they ſay at Athens, rrAct. 17.18, 19, 32.Acts 17:18Acts 17:19Acts 17:32Wee will heare thee once againe, becauſe thou telleſt us of new Doctrine, ſuch as we never heard of before;) or the eloquence and powerfull delivery of the Preacher, (ſomeſſAct 18.24.Acts 18:24 Apollos, it may be, or ſomettMark. 3.17.Mark 3:17 ſonne of Thunder, uuMatth. 7.28, 29. Iohn 7.46.Matt 7:28Matt 7:29John 7:46one that ſpeaketh ſo as they never heard man ſpeake before;) or the conſideration of ſuchxxHeb. 6.5.Heb 6:5 glorious matters as are in it propounded, of an Heaven and an Happineſſe, and Bleſſedneſſe beyond conceit, and without end; may much affect even a naturall man, at the firſt hearing eſpecially, and make him to bee wondrouſly delighted in it: and yet may the Word have no ſound or ſaving worke on him: all may prove but a flaſh, and ſo be by and by gone againe.yyMatth 13.5, 20, 21. & 8.6, 13. Quae ſimulata ſunt, diuturna eſſe non poſſunt, ſed tanquam ad tempus virentia, citò decidunt. Quod fictum est, in principio vernat, in proceſſu tanquam floſculus diſſipatur & ſolvitur: quod autem verum & ſincerum, alta radice fundatur. Ambroſ. de offic. l. 2. c. 22.Matt 13:5Matt 13:20Matt 13:21Matt 8:6Matt 8:13 Thoſe that receive the ſeed on the ſtony ground, heare the Word at firſt with ſome delight, but ſhortly after they dwindle and wither away, becauſe they want root. This their delight is not permanent, becauſe the Word had no root in them. Yea thus, asaaGreenham obſerv. title Sermons. a reverend Divine well obſerveth, andbbQuidam ad magnificas voces excitantur, & tranſeunt in affectum dicentium, alacres vultu & animo: nec aliter concitantur, quàm ſolent Phrygi… tibicinis ſono Semiviri, & ex imperio furentes. Rapit illos inſtigat que rerum pulchritudo, non verborum inanium ſonitus. …uvat protinus, quae audiunt facere. Afficiuntur illi; & ſint quales jubentur, ſi illa animo ſorma permaneat, ſi non impetum inſignem protinus populus honeſti diſſuaſor excipiat. Pauci illam, quam conceperant, mentem domum perferre potuerunt. Sen. epiſt 108. an Heathen man alſo in effect the ſame long before him, as ſome are ſaid to be Sea-ſicke; ſo others may be ſaid to bee Sermon-ſicke. Sea-paſſengers that doe not well brooke the Seas, ſo long as they are upon the water, are faint and ſicke, and out of frame, ſo as that they thinke they ſhall ſure miſcarry with it, they make account to die no other death; but when they have gotten on land and repoſed them a while, they are as well againe as ever they were. So is it with ſome meere naturall men ſometime at a Sermon. Hearing ſome powerfull Divine, that ſtriketh ſomewhat home with them, that thundreth and lightneth, as he ſaid thatccDe quo Ariſtophanes Acharn. foreign. Fulminabat, tonabat, permiſcebat Graeciam. Cic. Orat. Vnde & Olympius dictus eſt. Plut. Fericle. Pericles did, their minde is troubled, and their conſcience touched, and their ſoule melteth, and they grow heart-ſicke, and have much inward remorſe, and begin to bethinke themſelves of taking a new courſe; but no ſooner the Sermon is done, and they are come out of the Church, and have taken a little the freſh aire of the world againe, but all is over and gone, they are reſtored to their wonted eſtate, and retired to their former courſes againe. It is with them, as with thoſe that have**foreign. Plut. ſympoſ. problem. l. 3. c. 8. taken a ſmall quantitie of ſome purging Phyſicke beneath the due doſis, enough to ſtirre and trouble them, but not enough to purge or to worke ought out of them. You may ſee ſome ſuch thing in Foelix, ddAct. 24.25.Acts 24:25when he heard Paul diſcourſe very powerfully (as right well he could) of Iustice, Righteouſneſſe, Repentance, and the judgement to come, he was caſt into a trembling fit withall for the preſent: and not able well to brooke either the matter of his Doctrine, or the manner of his delivery of it, he cauſed him to breake off; but that he was never the better for it afterward, appeareth hereby, in that notwithſtanding iteeAct. 24.26.Acts 24:26 hee perſiſted in his accuſtomed bribery, and other the like corrupt courſes. Againe thus ſome for a brunt at their firſt comming on to the profeſſion of religion, having ſome ſpeciall motive to incite them thereunto, ſeeme very fervent and zealous, evenffforeign. Rom. 12.12. fervidi.Rom 12:12 ſeething hot, as the word is; but after a while proveggTepidi. Apoc. 3.15, 16.Rev 3:15Rev 3:16 luke-warme, and at length evenhhFrigidi. Qualis Balduinus ille Cantuarienſis, ad quem Vrbanus PP. Balduino Monacho ſerventiſſimo, Abbati calido, Epiſcopo tepido, Archiepiſcopo remiſſe. Girald. Itiner. Camb. l. 2. c. 14. key-cold: **Greenham p. 2. c. 51. §. 5.like Snailes that p. 229thruſt out as it were a long paire of hornes before them; but pull them inſtantly in againe, as ſoone as they meet with ought that oppoſeth: like Peter that would needs beiiIohn 18.10.John 18:10 fighting and ſlaſhing at the firſt, but ſhortly afterkkMatth. 26.56.Matt 26:56 fled away, left him, yeallMat. 26.70, 72, 74.Matt 26:70Matt 26:72Matt 26:74 denied and forſwore him, whom he was ſo forward to fight for before. But he preſently aftermmMatth. 26.75.Matt 26:75 repented, and came on againe, and ſonnAct. 5.41. Iohn 21.18, 19.Acts 5:41John 21:18John 21:19 continued, which theſe doe not. His foule fall was but for a fit, a fit of infirmitie it was onelyonly in him. Whereas on the other ſide, their fierce forwardneſſe is but for a fit, a ſudden fit of heat it is only in them. Thus many againe, as anooNuper me amici cujuſdam languor admonuit, optimos eſſe nos, dum infirmi ſumus. Quem enim infirmum aut avaritia, aut libido ſolicitat? Non amoribus ſervit, non adpetit honores, opes negligit, & quantulumcunque, ut relicturus, ſatis habet. Tunc Deos, tunc hominem eſſe ſe meminit. Invidet nemini, neminem miratur, neminem despicit, ac ne ſermonibus quidem malignu aut attendit, aut alitur, &c. Innoxiam in poſterum, ſi contingat evadere, beatam que deſtinat vitam. Vtinam tales eſſe ſani perſeveremus, quales nos futuros profitemur infirmi. Plin. epiſt. 26. lib. 7. Heathen man alſo hath obſerved, when they lie deadly ſicke, oh then they ſeeme wondrouſly well affected, they are very ſory for their ſinnes, ſeeme even to hate and abhorre them, very devout and frequent in Prayer to God, taxing and cenſuring themſelves for their former careleſneſſe in that kinde, and now if God would vouchſafe to continue life, and reſtore health to them, they would be new men, leave their ſins, and their former lewd courſes, and lead another manner of life than ever they did. But it is with them, as it is with Sea-men ſometime in a ſtorme, that out of feare of danger and deſire of ſafetieppIon. 1.5. Act. 27.19, 38. —jactu decidere cepit Navitae cum ventis, imitatus caſtora, qui ſe Eunuchum ipſe facit cupiens evadere damno. Iuvenal. ſat. 12.Jonah 1:5Acts 27:19Acts 27:38 caſt all that ever they have over-boord, which when the ſtorme is once over, they ſtrive and labour as faſt, if by any meanes they can, to get up againe.**Plerique futuri ſupplicii metu peccatorum conſcii poenitentiam petunt: qui videntur maelorum petiſſe poenitentiam, bonorum agere; & ipſius poenitentiam agere poenitentiae ſuae. Ambr. de poenit l. 2. c. 9. When they are once free from that feare, that before affected them, they returne to their former courſes afreſh, as if it repented them now that ever it had repented them of them.qqPſal. 78.34-37.Ps 78:34–37 When God ſlew them, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, then they ſought him, and returned, and enquired after God early. But they flattered him onelyonly with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was never upright with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. And therefore well didrrApud Spinaeum alicubi ni malè memini. the Emperour Sigiſmunds Confeſſor anſwer him, when being in a ſore fit of ſickneſſe, and having made many goodly faire promiſes and proteſtations of future reformation upon recovery, and amendment of life, hee deſired of him to be informed, whereby hee might diſcerne whether ſuch his repentance were ſincere; If, quoth he, you be as carefull to make good in your health, what you now promiſe, as you are forward now in your extremitie to promiſe. And in like manner is it with many others in ſome outward danger and diſtreſſe. Ionaes Sea-men diſtreſſed by that ſudden and ſtrange ſtorme,ſſIona 1.5.Jonah 1:5 Call every one on his God, then every man to prayer, a man would thinke no devouter men againe in the world; but when the danger is once over, nothing but ſwearing and ſwaggering, blaſpheming and tearing of that Name, that before ſo reverently they invocated, none prophaner than ſome of thoſe that a little before ſeemed ſo devout. It is that which God complaineth of in Iudah and Ephraim: ttHoſh. 6.4.O Ephraim what ſhall I doe with thee? or how ſhould I deale with thee, O Iudah? for your goodneſſe is as a morning Cloud, and as the early Dew it goeth away. No longer than Gods hand was heavie upon them, and the night of his wrath did in fearfull manner over-ſpread them, was there any ſhew at all of goodneſſe or godlineſſe to bee ſeene in them. A particular and pregnant example of ſuch carriage wee may ſee in the Inhabitants p. 230of Ieruſalem: Their Citie wasuu…erem. 34.1. beſieged and begirt by the Chaldeans, and in great danger to be ſurpriſed. Hereuponxx…er. 34.7, 9, 10. admoniſhed by the Prophet, they repent them of ſome ſinnes, reforme ſome abuſes,yyIerem. 34.15, 18.Jer 34:15Jer 34:18 renue their covenants with God, ſeale it up with a ſolemne ſacrifice,zzSic Abraham Geneſ. 15.10. Hinc foreign Scindere foedus: ſicut, icere, ferire Latinis: à perco percuſſo. Vnde tamen perperam volunt Foedus nuncupatum: cum fit foreign, Vt & Fidus foreign.Gen 15:10 cutting a Calfe in twaine, and paſsing betweene the two ſides ſo ſundred: But no ſooner wasaaIerem. 37.5.Jer 37:5 the ſiege broken up, and the Citie releeved by the acceſſe of ſome aids from Aegypt, butbbIerem. 34.11, 16.Jer 34:11Jer 34:16 they returne againe to their wonted bias, ſlipping away, andccPſal. 78.57.Ps 78:57 ſtarting aſide like a deceitfull or a ſlippery bow, as the Pſalmist ſpeaketh of the Iſraelites, whoſeddMaximum indicium est malae mentis fluctuatio, & inter ſimulationem virtutum, amoremque viliorum, aſſidua jactatio. Senec. ep. 120. inconſtancie alſo he maketh an Argument of their inſinceritie. And what hee ſaith of one ſort of them, may bee well ſaid of them all.eePſal. 78 8.Ps 78:8 They had not ſet their heart aright, and therefore their ſpirit was not constant with God. Their religion and devotion is but as the motion of a winde-mill driven with the winde, that maketh griſt no longer than the winde bloweth upon it: or as the motion of**foreign, ſive foreign. M. Anton. vitae ſuae l. 7. Sigillaria, quae per ſe foreign verticillis quibuſdam ac nervis moventur. Caſau. ad Perſ. ſat. 5. Duceris ut nervis alienis mobile lignum. Horat. ſerm. lib. 2. ſat. 7. Hinc Athen. dipnoſoph. l. 9. ſcitè admodum ait Otos aves ſaltatrices & imitatrices, foreign. Quod interpres baud est aſſcutus. an Image that goeth with a device, that ſtirreth no longer than the force laſteth of the ſcrew or the ſpring that ſetteth it a ſtirring. And that is the difference betweene Naturall and Artificiall motions: the motion of the pulſe, and the breath in mans body, and the motion of an Image, or a Mill, and the like: a free motion and a forced one. The ground of the motion in the one is from within, of the other from without: there is ſome ſtreſſe and ſtraining required to the ſtaying of the one; and there is ſome like ſtreſſe and ſtraine required for the ſtirring of the other: and the one therefore ſtirres conſtantly till it be ſtaid; the other ſtaies and ſtandeth ſtill till it be ſtirred: and when that force and ſtreſſe is gone, the one againe ſtirs, when that force and ſtreſſe is gone, the other againe ſtayeth. The motion of the godly, in the good wayes of God, is like the pacing of a beaſt broken and brought to a true pace, or naturally ambling of it ſelfe, hee keepeth to his pace conſtantly, and though he may bee forced out of it, yet hee doth nothing ſo well with it,““Quomodo Senec. ep. 121. Animalia quaedam tergi durioris inverſa tamdiu ſe torquent, ac pedes exerunt & obliquant, donec ad locum repenantur. Et inquieta est deſiderio naturalis ſtatus teſtudo ſupinata; nec ante definit niti, quatere ſe, quàm in pedes conſtitit. nor is it for his eaſe, but he is ever and anon making offer to come into it againe, and ſo doth ſo ſoone as he findeth himſelfe free from ſuch enforcement. Whereas the motion of Hypocrites in Gods wayes, is as the pacing of a beaſt not truly paced, that being forced to pace, ſhuffleth but, and though he may be kept a while to it, yet cannot long hold out with it, is ready, if he be not held hard to it, at every ſtep to goe out of it, and is never well till he bee in his trot againe.††Exod. 9.27, 28. & 10.16, 17.Exod 9:27Exod 9:28Exod 10:16Exod 10:17 Pharaoh himſelfe would relent ſomewhat while Gods hand was upon him, butffExod. 8.15, 32. & 9.34, 35.Exod 8:15Exod 8:32Exod 9:34Exod 9:35 hee hardned his heart againe as ſoone as that Hand of God was gone: he was like the iron, that though it melt while it is in the fire, yet groweth ſtiffe againe after it hath beene but a while out of it: becauſeggforeign. Greg. Naz. in Baſil. Iron it was before, and Iron it is ſtill. It is true indeed that a man, eſpecially one ſuddenly converted, may be much more feelingly affected preſently upon his converſion, than he ſhall, it may be, ever after againe: as one that hath lived long in the darke, when he commeth firſt into the light. AndhhGen. 28.16, 17. 2 Sam. 6.9. 2 Chron. 20.3. & 34.19, 27. Ierem. 26.19. Act. 5.11. Heb. 12.21.Gen 28:16Gen 28:172 Sam 6:92 Chr 20:32 Chr 34:192 Chr 34:27Jer 26:19Acts 5:11Heb 12:21 that the feare of God is much more freſh at ſome times upon ſpeciall occaſions, even in the hearts of his ſervants, p. 231than at other times it is. But where there is an utter falling away from former forwardneſſe, and as it was with the Iſraelites eveniiNum. 11.6.Num 11:6 a loathing of that Manna, that at firſt they ſeemed ſo much to like, to love, to long after, thatkkExod. 16.27.Exod 16:27 even on the Sabbath they would needs goe to ſeeke it; withllNum. 11.5.Num 11:5 a preferring even of Aegyptian Leekes before it, and a longing after them againe: where an utter caſting off of all feare of God and care of good courſes, when ſuch occaſions, as put them into it, are once blowne over; it giveth juſt ground of ſuſpicion, that the former forwardneſſe in Gods cauſe was no ſincere love of God, but a ſudden fit of paſſion onelyonly in the one; the fearfulneſſe of Gods wrath no ſanctified feare, but a ſervile and ſlaviſh diſpoſition onelyonly in the other.

Objections 2 Yea but will ſome ſay peradventure, (for my deſire is herein to helpe weake ſoules and tender conſciences all that I can:) This is Objection 1 that that ſo much troubleth me, that I cannot finde and feele in my ſelfe ſuch inward remorſe and hearty ſorrow for my ſinnes, or ſuch alacrity and vivacity of ſpirit, as ſometime I have done, or as at my firſt ſuppoſed, but now ſuſpected, converſion I did.

Anſwer. I anſwer: Nor is it to be expected that alwayes one ſo ſhould: or is the ſoundneſſe of the parties converſion to be either queſtioned or ſuſpected in that regard if he doe not. For it ſtandeth with reaſon, that a ſtrange change, eſpecially where it is ſuddenly effected, from one contrary to another, ſhould more affect, and bee more ſenſible, than the after-continuance of that eſtate which by ſuch a change is introduced. The heat of an hot bath or an hot-houſe, is more ſenſible at our firſt entrance, eſpecially if on a ſudden we chop into it, than it is when we have beene ſome ſpace of time in it. Andmmforeign. Syneſ. epiſt. 139. the more familiar every thing groweth to bee with us, the leſſe ſenſible is the power and the worke of it upon us. In this kinde therefore alſo is there great difference betweene thoſe that are at an inſtant converted, asnnAct. 9.4, 6. & 16.30-34.Acts 9:4Acts 9:6Acts 16:30–34 Paul was, and thoſe that withoo1 Tim. 4.6. 2 Tim. 3.15.1 Tim 4:62 Tim 3:15 Timothy, have the grace of God wrought into them by degrees. The league that was naturally betweene the ſoule and Satan, is violently rent aſunder in the one, it is gentlyppSicut Cic. de Amic. Magis decere cenſent ſapientes amicitias ſenſim diſſuere, quàm repentè diſſcindere. unript and unſowed in the other. The one are ſuddenlyqqIude 23.Jude 1:23 ſnatcht out of the Devils claws, the other are ſweetly wonne andrrforeign Alliciet Deus Iaphetum. Gen. 9.27. Hoſh. 2.14.Gen 9:27 ticed out of his hands. TheſſProv. 5.22.Prov 5:22 cords of ſinne, wherein the ſoule was heldtt2 Tim. 2.26.2 Tim 2:26 captive are burſt with ſtrong hand and maine might, asuuIudg. 15.14. & 16.12.Judg 15:14Judg 16:12 Sampſons were, in the one; they are eaſily fretted by little and little, asxxPſal. 73.4.Ps 73:4 the bands of life that hold body and ſoule together in perſons weake and farre ſpent, in the other: the one have their ſpirituall fetters at once knocke off by force, the other filed off yyforeign. Gregor. Naz. in Mat. 19.Matt 19by degrees. And hence it is that the one are oft-times more ſenſible of what is wrought upon them, and done in them at their firſt converſion, than afterward; the other finde and feele their owne growth and progreſſe better than they. Nor are any to be diſmaid or to miſdoubt themſelves therefore, thoſe eſpecially of the former ſort, ſo long as they can finde in themſelves a continued love of Gods word, a conſtant uſe of good meanes, and care of good courſes, albeit good things ſeeme not ſo ſenſible with them, as they did at the firſt.

p. 232Objection 2 Againe, will ſome ſay, that troubleth me, that I finde the feare of God indeed ſo freſh in me, when Gods hand is preſent upon me, or upon ſome others in my ſight; and ſo little of it againe, when that is gone. Yea, that I ſeeme in ſuch caſes to bee more affected with the outward evill it ſelfe, than with my ſi…nes that have procured it: which maketh me to feare, that this my feare is at the moſt but a ſervile feare, and ſuch as Hypocrites are wont in the like caſes to have.

Anſwer 1 I anſwer: 1. It is agreeable both to reaſon and to religion, that the Feare of God ſhould be more freſh with us, and more than ordinary at other times, when ſpeciall occaſions thereof occurre.aa1 Chron. 13.12.1 Chr 13:12 David feared God that day, ſaith the Storie; what time Vzza was ſo ſuddenly ſmitten and ſlaine. Hee feared him before, but his feare was then much more than ordinary, by occaſion of that extraordinary judgement. Yea, for a man not to have his feare of God in ſome ſort proportioned to the various and divers occaſions of expreſſing and exerciſing it; as for a man to feare no more, or no otherwiſe, when ſome eminent judgements of God diſcover themſelves either incumbent or imminent, on himſelfe or on others, than he doth ordinarily at other times; were a ſtrange kinde of ſtupiditie, and a ſhrewd argument of unſoundneſſe. It is one thing to caſt off all feare and regard of God at other times; and another thing not to have his feare ſo freſh in us at other times, as on ſuch occaſions we finde and feele it to be.

Anſwer 2 2. It is to be conſidered, that the feare even of Gods wrath, or the ſervile feare, as it is uſually termed, isccTimor ſervilis materialiter non est malum. Riber. in Malach. 1.6. Timor ſervilis ſecundùm ſubſtantiam ſuam bonus est. Aquin. ſum. p. ſecunda ſecundae q. 19. … 4.Mal 1:6 not ſimply evill of it ſelfe. Though where it is unſanctified, by occaſion of mans corruption, as being joyned withddQuem enim metuunt odere; quem quiſque odit periſſe expetit. Cic. offic. l. 2. an hatred of him whom it feareth, it is evill, and produceth many evill and ſinfull effects. For it is a thing in nature, (and I ſpeake now not of nature corrupted, but of nature created) foreeAb interitu natura abhorret: hinc ingenita cuique cura ſui, metus mortis, fuga mali, &c. Cic. de fin. l. 5. Nullum animal ad vitam prodit ſine metu mortis. Omne animal conſtitutioni ſuae conciliatur. Simul autem conciliatur ſaluti ſuae quidque, & quae juvant, illa petit, laeſura formidat. Sen. epiſt. 121. each thing to feare that that tendeth to it owne evill. Yea it were an evill and an ungracious thing in a childe, even in Gods childe, ffforeign. Greg. Naz. in Nyſſen.not to ſtand in much awe of his fathers wrath, or not to feare his fathers rod.

Anſwer 3 3. It is not to be wondred, conſidering that there is ordinarily a farre leſſe meaſure of grace than of corruption in the moſt, and that grace alſo ſtrippeth us not wholly of this feare, but doth only qualifie and correct it, if even in Gods childrenggPſal. 32.3, 4.Ps 32:3Ps 32:4 the apprehenſion of Gods heavie indignation doe ſo drowne the conſideration of their owne tranſgreſſions, that they can hardly amids thoſe terrours andhhPſal. 55.4, 5.Ps 55:4Ps 55:5 horrours that their hearts and minds are poſſeſſed with, deſcrie and diſcerne their griefe and ſorrow for their ſinnes.iiPſal. 119.119, 120.Ps 119:119Ps 119:120 When thou takeſt away the wicked of the world like droſſe; My fleſh, ſaith David, trembleth againe for feare of thee, and I am horribly afraid of thy Iudgements. And,kkHabb. 3.16. When I heard of it, ſaith Habbakuk, my belly quaked, and my lips quivered, and I trembled and ſhooke, ſo that my p. 233bones ſeemed to be not out of joynt, but even rotten againe. Andllforeign; Greg. Naz. ad cives periclitant. if it were ſo with ſuch Worthies, no marvell if the like ſometime befall weake ones.

Anſwer 4 4. Let it be remembred, that as Grace doth not wholly ſtrip us of this Feare, ſo it doth not croſſe us, but concurre rather with us in the uſe and exerciſe of it. And it followeth not therefore that a mans ſorrow for his ſinne is not ſincere, becauſe his feare of Gods wrath is greater or rifer in him than it. It is a Question propounded bymmPerkins Caſes of Conſcience, lib. 1. c. 5. quaeſt. 1. ſect. 2. caſe 3. a worthy Divine, whether a mans griefe for his ſinne may be deemed ſincere or no, when hee can weepe more for the loſſe of ſome deare friend than for it. And his Anſwer is, which may well alſo ſerve, becauſe the reaſon will hold, here; that it may, becauſe nature and grace concurre in the one, whereas nature and grace croſſe in the other. Since that grace therefore doth not wholly either inhibite or reſtraine a man either from fearing of outward judgements, or being ſenſible of outward evills, ſo that grace and nature croſſe not but concurre rather therein; whereas in godly ſorrow for ſinne, corrupt nature concurreth not with grace, but is croſſe rather and averſe thereunto: it is not to be marvelled, (eſpecially where grace yet is but weake) if that feare and griefe be greater, or more ſenſible at leaſt, (fornnCaſus leves loquuntur, ingentes ſtupent. Sen. trag…d. the greateſs griefe is not alwayes the moſt ſenſible, nor maketh alwayes the moſt ſhew;ooPlus ſenſum afficit dolens digitus ab aciculae punctiuncula, quam integra corporis totius incolumitas. Spin. de juſtit. Chriſtian. Hinc apud Plut. de audien ille foreign. a man may feare more, and bee more heartily ſory for a conſumption that hee miſdoubteth himſelfe to be farre gone in, than for a felon on his fingers end, that putteth him to more paine, and goeth, as wee ſay, to the very heart with him, for the preſent,) wherein two agents concurre, than wherein the one is alone, and the other hindereth more than helpeth.

Note 5 A fift Note of Sinceritie, may be a Iealouſie of ones owne Hypocriſie: when a man is ſuſpicious of himſelfe,Iealouſie of Hypocriſie. and timorous leſt he ſhould be unſincere. As the Diſciples of our Saviour, when he told them,ppMatth. 26.21.Matt 26:21 One of you will betray me; though they knew themſelves far from any ſuch thought or purpoſe at the preſent, yet every one of them began to ſuſpect himſelfe, that he might bee the man that our Saviour Chriſt meant, andqqMatth. 26.22.Matt 26:22 to aske thereupon, Is it I, Lord? or Is it I? Iudas that was the man indeed, was moſt ſilent of any; though at lengthrrMatth. 26.25.Matt 26:25 he aske alſo for company, leſt by not asking when each other did, he might move ſuſpition, and ſo bewray himſelfe by his ſilence. And in like manner is it here, Hypocrites doe leaſt queſtion their owne ſinceritie of all others. They moſt miſdoubt it uſually that are furtheſt of all from it.**Pſal. 119.80.Ps 119:80 Oh, let mine heart be upright in thy Statutes, ſaith ſincere David; (as ſuſpecting or miſdoubting himſelfe, leſt it might prove otherwiſe;) that I may not bee ſhamed. Mad-men are not wont to queſtion whether they bee in their right wits or no. Yea, ſſNon est inſanus, inſanum quiſe dicit. Apul. in apolog aut etiam putat. Quid? caput abſciſſum demens quum portat Agave Gnati infoelicis, ſibi tum furioſa videtur? Horat. ſerm. l. 2. ſat. 3.they are not mad, ſaith one, that thinke or ſuſpect that they are. And certainly this godly jealouſie, this ſhieneſſe of unſoundneſſe is ſo good and ſo ſure an argument of ſinceritie, that I know none better, none ſurer than it. For ſuch carefull and anxious inquirie, ſuch fearfulneſſe of hypocriſie, argueth a ſtrong deſire of ſinceritie: and the deſire of Grace, as wee ſhall ſee afterward, is generally agreed on to be Grace. Yea even over-much timorouſneſſe p. 234and ſuperfluous curioſitie in this kinde, when men cannot ſatisfie themſelves with any thing, no not with the pregnanteſt proofes of it, and are therefore thereby much diſturbed, perplexed, and diſtracted, though it bee an infirmitie, and ought therefore with all good endevour to be remedied, becauſe it diſmayeth, diſheartneth, diſturbeth the peace of the minde, depriveth the ſoule of alacritie, dulleth and dampeth the ſpirits, and hindereth much in the performance of many neceſſary good duties; yet as they uſe to ſay of ſhamefaſtneſſe,ttMala cauſae bonum ſignum. It is a good ſigne of an evill cauſe, though it proceed from anuuforeign. Ariſtot. ethic. l. 4. c. 9. foreign. Idem rhet. l. 2. c. 6. evill cauſe, a conſciouſneſſe commonly of ſome defect; yet it isxxHinc Verecundiae ruborem foreign dixit Diogenes. Et foreign Pythias Ariſtot. filia apud Stob. cap. 31. & Laert. Et foreign. Cato Plut. apophth. foreign. Menand. Homopatr. foreign. Homer. Quorum mens honeſta, eorum imbecilla frons est. Symmach. lib. 1. epiſt. 84. a ſigne of ſome Grace; ſo is this, though of it ſelfe a weakneſſe, yet a ſigne of much grace and goodneſſe: it is like ſome weeds, that though they be weeds, of no good uſe, but unprofitable, and ſuch as hinder the growth of better things, that might ſucceed in their roome, if they were once removed, yet areyyforeign. Plut. de ſera vindict. ſignes of a rich and a fat ſoile, and howſoever therefore they may diſcourage an unskilfull perſon from dealing with it, yet will give a wiſe and an experienced man encouragement thereunto.

Note 6 A ſixt Note of Sinceritie may bee a ſight and ſenſe of ones owne Incredulitie and Impenitencie, Sight and ſenſe of Incredulitie, and Impenitencie; with Griefe.with a ſerious griefe for it. It was the poore mans ſpeech to our Saviour in the Goſpell;aaMark. 9.24.Mark 9:24 I beleeve, Lord; helpe my unbeleefe. His Faith he found and felt mixed with much infidelitie and incredulitie; and the ſenſe of his infidelitie, with the griefe for it, argued his Faith. AndbbVide Antoninum ſum. hiſtor. part. 3. tit. 18. cap. 6. Hartman. Schedel. aetate 6. & Petr. Mart. in 2 Sam. 24.2 Sam 24 it is reported of the Mother of three men of great note, that when ſhe told her Confeſſor, that conſidering what rare Schollers and Men of note her three ſonnes, whom ſhe had by unlawfull meanes begotten on her, had proved; the oneccPetrus Comeſtor Magiſter Hiſtoriarum. the Master of the Stories, anotherddPetr. Lombardus Mag. Sententiarum. the Master of the Sentences, and the thirdeeGratianus Decreti Compilator. the Collector and Compiler of the Decrees, ſhee could not be ſo ſory for her ſin as ſhe ſhould; he made her anſwer againe, and it was no evill anſwer;ffDole, quod non doles; quod dolere non poſſis. Bee ſorie for this then, that thou art, or canſt bee no more ſorie. And undoubtedly as when wee have beſt beleeved, yet wee ſhall have cauſe ſtill to repent us of our unbeleefe: ſo when we have repented the beſt we can of our ſinnes, wee ſhall have cauſe to repent us even then of our impenitencie, of a want of repentance in us. But this ignorant, unfaithfull, impenitent perſons are not uſually apprehenſive and ſenſible of. They beleeve and repent, they ſay, (and**foreign. Greg. Naz. de ſede Conſtant. it may well be they thinke and beleeve as they ſay,) as well as the beſt. And ſhall I tell you what is the cauſe of it?ggPeccatores dormientibus, ſomniantibus ſimiles. Ioan. Herolt. de temp. 2. Iude 8.Jude 1:8 Sinners, ſaith one, are ſleepers. They are as men in a dreame: and there ishhSomnianti nihil difficile. Magna etenim ſaepe in ſomnis faciuntque geruntque, Reges expugnant, arceſque & praelia miſcent. Et in noctis caligine Cernere cenſemus ſolem lumenque diurnum; Concluſique loco caelum, mare, flumina, montes Mutare, & campos pedibus tranſire videmur. Lucret. l. 4. nothing difficult with dreamers. Men may dreame, and many doe p. 235oft, that they flie in the Aire, and ſwimme over the Sea: but are far enough for all that from doing or being able to doe either, as they will ſoone finde, when they are once awaked out of their dreame. In like manner is it with theſe ſilly deluded ſoules. They lie faſtiiEpheſ. 5 14.Eph 5:14 aſleepe in ſinne, and ſo doingkkQuomodo de Platone Lactant. inſiitut. lib. 5. c. 14. Somniaverat Deum, non cognoverat. Et de quibuſdam Bern. Cant. 18. Dormiens in contemplatione Deum ſomniat. they dreame yet of faith and the feare of God and repentance, and other graces of Gods Spirit, they dreame, I ſay, that they have theſe things as well and as much as any, yea ſo well as better needs not to bee had. Whereas others that be awaked out of this imaginous ſleepe, and doe now indeed truly repent and beleeve, finde many wants, much defectiveneſſe, in their Repentance, their Faith, their Hope, their feare of God, their dependance upon God, and the other graces of his Spirit, truly indeed, but imperfectly as yet begun and wrought in them. Yea, as**Hinc Socrates ille de quo Oraculum foreign, de ſe, foreign. Laert. the more knowledge a man hath, the more hee commeth to know his ignorance; the more skill he hath, the more he commeth to diſcover his owne unskilfulneſſe:““Hinc illud Menedemi, foreign. Plut. de profect. A young Scholler when he hath gotten his Seton or his Ramus once by heart, thinketh he hath as much Logicke as his Tutor can teach him; but when he commeth indeed to underſtand things, he ſeeth his owne errour: So††foreign. Chryſoſt. in Mat. hom. 25. the more men beleeve, the more they come to ſee and feele their owne unbeleefe, the further they wade on in the ſtudy and practice of repentance, the more they finde out and diſcover their owne impenitence, and complaine of the hardneſſe and untowardneſſe of their hearts: the more they labour and make progreſſe in ſound Sanctification, the more come they to apprehend and to ſee into the depth of their corruption. And this very ſenſe of the want of Grace, is a good argument of Grace. It is a ſure ſigne of Grace, to ſee no Grace, and to ſee it with griefe. For,llMatth 5.3.Matt 5:3 Bleſſed, ſaith our Saviour, are thoſe that are poore in ſpirit; even as well as thoſemmMatth. 5.8.Matt 5:8 that are pure in Spirit. The one, he ſaith,nnMatth. 5.8.Matt 5:8 ſhall ſee God, and the other hath a preſent right to the Kingdome of God, which is the ſame in effect:ooMatth. 5.3.Matt 5:3 For the Kingdome of God is theirs. Hee ſaith not, Bleſſed are the rich in Grace; though that alſo be moſt true: but, Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit: that is, ſuch as are ſpiritually poore, humbled, dejected, caſt downe in the ſight and ſenſe of their owne wants, apprehending nothing ſo much as the want of Grace in themſelves. Such are bleſſed, becauſe ſuch are**Vt verum ſit hîc quod Prov. 13 7.Prov 13:7 rich, though they cannot yet come to ſee and apprehend their owne wealth. And this he ſaith no doubt, that if any weake one be not able yet to diſcern the puritie of his owne heart, he may yet bee comforted in the very povertie of his Spirit: the ſerious ſenſe whereof may aſſure him that he is in part come out of his ſinne, and is entred into the ſtate of Grace. ForppQuare vitia ſua nemo confitetur? (nemo pervidet) quia adhuc in illis est. Somnium narrare vigilantu est: & vitia ſua confiteri ſanitatis indicium est. Expergiſcamur neceſſe est, ut errores noſtros coarguere poſſimus. Sen. ep. 54. it is a ſure ſigne that a man is awaked out of his ſleepe, when he diſcovereth and ſeeth the errours of his Dreame. And it is in theſe caſes with men commonly, as it is in drawing up of water; as long as the bucket is under water wee feele not the weight of it, but ſo ſoone as it commeth above water, it beginneth to hang heavie on the hand: when a man diveth under water, he feeleth no weight of the water, though there be many tunne of it over his head;qqElementa in loco ſuo gravia non ſunt. Vide Syrianum & …tolomaeum apud Simplic. ad Ariſtot. de Coelo l. 4. c. 16. & Scortiam. de Nilo l. 2. cap. 11. The Element, they ſay, weigheth not in his owne proper place; whereas halfe a tub full of the ſame water taken out of p. 236the River and ſet upon the ſame mans head, would bee very burdenſome unto him, and make him ſoone grow weary of it. In like manner, ſo long as a man is over head and earesrrAct. 8.23.Acts 8:23 in ſinne, hee is not ſenſible of the weight of ſinne, it is not troubleſome at all to him; but when he beginneth once to come out of that ſtate of ſin, wherein he lay and lived before, then beginneth ſin to hang heavy on him, and he to feele the heavy weight of it. So long as ſin is inſſPeccatum intantum voluntarium est malum, ut niſi fuerit voluntarium, non ſit peccatum. Aug. de vera relig c. 14. Hinc Bern. de temp 58 Tolle malam voluntatem, & non erit infernus. Mala enim voluntas malorum omnium & vitiorum origo. Idem de vita ſolit. Manifeſtum est ex voluntate mala tanquam ex arbore mala fieri omnia opera mala tanquam fructus malos. Aug de nupt & concupiſc. l. 2 c. 28 & Lombard. ſent. l. 2. d. 34. B. Ergò in voluntate praecipuè conſiſtit peccatum. Ibid. d. 35. C. & 39. B. the will, the proper ſeat of ſinne, a man feeleth no weight of it,ttProv. 2.14. & 4.16.Prov 2:14Prov 4:16 he taketh rather delight in it,uuProv. 10.23. & 15.21.Prov 10:23Prov 15:21 It is a ſport and a pastime to fooles to doe evill, ſaith Salomon; and it is a good ſigne therefore that Sin is removed out of his ſeat, out of his Chaire of estate, xxPſal. 38.4. & 40.12.Ps 38:4Ps 40:12when it becommeth ponderous and burdenſome to us, as the Elements doe, when they are out of their owne naturall place.yyNemo aegrè molitur artus ſuos. Sen. epiſt. 121. A living member is not burdenſome to the body: a mans armes are no burden to him, though they bee maſſie and weightie: but a withered arme, or a limme mortified hangeth like a lumpe of lead on it. So long as**foreign. Ariſt. rhetor. l 3. c. 4. In animi morbis, contra quam in corporis, quo quis pejus ſe habet, minus ſentit. Senec. epiſt. 54. ſinne liveth in the ſoule, unkilled wholly and unmortified as yet, ſo long our corruption is nothing at all cumberſome to us; but when it is once mortified in a man, it beginneth to grow burdenſome unto him, and to hang like a lumpe of dead fleſh upon his ſoule; and then beginneth he poore ſoule, peſtred and oppreſſed with the weight of it, to cry out with the Apoſtle,zzRom. 7.24.Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am; when ſhall I be once freed from this ““foreign, Corpus mortis, p…o mortuo, ſive cadavere.carcaſe of ſinne, that hangeth ſo heavy upon my ſoule? It is with him as with one that hath had a fit of the falling ſickneſſe, or that beginneth to recover againe after a dead Palſie. So long as a man is in a fit of the falling ſickneſſe, though he be for the time in ſuch lamentable plight, that hee lieth along like a beaſt, unable to ſtand on his legs, or to lift up himſelfe, or doe ought to helpe himſelfe, foaming and ſprawling, and beating his owne body, a rufull ſight to all that ſee him; yet is hee all the while himſelfe inſenſible of ought: but when the fit is once over, and the man is come to himſelfe againe, then he beginneth to finde and feele himſelfe all out of frame, his head heavy and giddy, his eyes ſtaring and diſtorted, his braine and whole body diſturbed and ſtrangely diſpoſed, all which before he was not ſenſible of: As alſo while a man lieth, rather than liveth, held with a dead Palſie, though he be not able to ſtirre hand or foot, yet††foreign. Plut. de profect. hath hee himſelfe no ſenſe of it; but when thoſe dead parts of him are in ſome meaſure revived againe, the paſſages being opened for the vitall Spirits to repaire to them, and ſo ſenſe and motion reſtored to them in part, then making offer to goe or to ſtir, he beginneth to feele and complaine of the ſtiffeneſſe and ſtarkneſſe of his limbes and joynts, and a generall unwealdineſſe throughout his whole body. And in like manner is it here. So long as a man is whollyaaEpheſ 2.1. Coloſſ. 2.13.Eph 2:1Col 2:13 dead in ſinne, albeit he be as much diſabled unto the doing of any holy dutie, as a dead man is unto the actions of this life, yet hee findeth it not,**Mortuum est membrum, quod dolorem non ſentit. Bern. medit. c. 12. he feeleth it not, he apprehendeth no ſuch either diſability in himſelfe, or difficulty in the duties that he ſhould do; but when any meaſure of Spirituall life is once infuſed into the ſoule, wherebybbRom. 6.11.Rom 6:11 he liveth now to God, that lay before ſpiritually p. 237dead, now ſtriving to apply himſelfe unto Gods worke, and to walke in the good wayes of God, he beginneth to finde and feele, with much paine and griefe of minde, his owne infirmity and weakneſſe, the ſtrange blindneſſe of his minde, the dulneſſe and drowſineſſe of his ſpirits, the untowardneſſe of his heart; the rebelliouſneſſe of his will; the ſenſe whereof is a ſure argument of Spirituall life begun in him. For as Augustine ſaith well, though in another caſe and upon another occaſion;ccPotest eſſe vita ſine dolore; dolor ſine vita eſſe non poteſt. Aug. de Civit. l. 19. c. 13. There may be ſome life without griefe; but there can bee no griefe without life. So there may bee ſome ſpirituall life without any ſenſe of paine or griefe at all, as with the glorified ones in Heaven it is: but there can be nodd2 Cor. 7.10. Argumentum ſalutis est vis doloris. Greg. mor. l. 6. c. 17.2 Cor 7:10 godly ſorrow or ſenſe of ſpirituall paine and griefe, where no beginning at all of ſpirituall life is. And therefore it is that our Saviour alſo pronounceth themeeMatth. 5.4.Matt 5:4 Bleſſed, that thus mourne: nor doth he ſay that they ſhall be, but that they are already in a bleſſed estate, and that in due time††Ibid. they ſhall have comfort. Yea, undoubtedly theſe very heavie and uncomfortable ſignes are of all other the ſureſt ſignes of true grace and ſinceritie, becauſe leaſt ſubject to deceit and deluſion of any.

Note 7 A ſeventh Note of Sinceritie, is an earneſt deſire of Grace. Deſire of Grace.Though a man cannot diſcerne yet any Grace in himſelfe, yet if he doe ſeriouſly and earnestly deſire Grace, it is a good ſigne of ſome beginning of Grace. For it is Grace, even to deſire Grace. It is the firſt ſtep unto Grace, for a man to ſee no Grace; and it is the firſt degree of Grace, for a man to deſire Grace: when a mans heart doth with an holy Eccho anſwer Gods voyce as Davids did:ffPſal. 27.8.Ps 27:8 Seeke my face; ſaiſt Thou. O Lord, thy face will I ſeeke. And,ggPſal. 119.4, 5.Ps 119:4Ps 119:5 Thou haſt commanded us diligently to keepe thy Law. Oh that my wayes were ſo directed, that I might keepe thy Statutes. When it can ſay ſeriouſly with Augustine; Lord, enable hhDa, Domine, quod jubes, & jube quod vis. Aug. confeſſ. l. 10. c. 31. & de perſever. c. 20.me to doe what thou enjoyneſt me, and then enjoyne me what thou wilt. iiPars magna bonitatis est velle fieri bonum. Sen. ep. 34. Quid tibi opus est, ut ſis bonus? velle. Idem epiſt. 80.It is a principall part of goodneſſe, ſaith the Heathen man, for a man to be willing to be good. And**Iuſta vita, cùm volumus, adeſt, quia eam ipſam planè velle juſtitia eſt. Nec plus aliquid perficienda juſtitia est, quàm perfectam habere voluntatem. Auguſt. ep. 45. it is the very eſſence of Righteouſneſſe, ſaith Augustine, for a man to be willing to be Righteous. It is not an helpe onelyonly unto health, but even a degree of health, though““foreign. Ariſt. ethic. Eudem. l. 7. c. 2. not in the body, yet in the ſoule, for a mankkPars ſanitatis velle ſanari fuit. Sen. Hippol. 1. 2. Corpus enim multis rebus eget ut valeat: animus ex ſe creſcit, ſe alit, ſe exercet. Sen ubi ſupra. to bee willing to bee healed. As††Pars est morbi nolle ſanari: pars ſanitatís velle ſanari. D… Iackson the Creed, p. 2. l. 2. c. 6. §. 3. it is a principall part of our ſickneſſe to be unwilling to be cured: ſo is it a principall part of health with us here to be willing to bee healed: When wee can in ſinceritie of heart anſwer that queſtion of our Saviour to the ſicke man,““Iohn 5.7.John 5:7 Wilt thou be healed? with a Sana me, Domine, ¶¶Ier. 17.14.Jer 17:14Heale me, O Lord, as Ieremie, and I ſhall then bee healed: And,**Pſal 41.4.Ps 41:4 Heale my ſoule, as David, for I have ſinned againſt thee. llNehem. 1.11.Neh 1:11Let thine eares, O Lord, ſaith Nehemie, bee attentive to the prayers of thy ſervants that deſire to feare thy Name. And,mm2 Chron. 30.18, 19.2 Chr 30:182 Chr 30:19 The good God, ſaith Hezekias, be mercifull to that man that ſetteth his heart to ſeeke the Lord. And ſurely, as Bernard ſaith well, diſcourſing on thoſe words of the Prophet;nnLam. 3.25.Lam 3:25 The Lord is good to thoſe that wait on him, and to the Soule that ſeeketh him: For as it is elſewhere,ooProv. 8.17. 1 Chron. 28.9.Prov 8:171 Chr 28:9 thoſe p. 238that ſo ſeeke him, ſhall finde him. ppSi tam bonus quaerenti, quid invenienti? niſi quod hoc mirum eſt, quod nemo te quaerit, niſi quiprius invenerit: Vis inveniri ut quaeraris; vis quaeri ut amplius inveniaris. Potes quaeri & inveniri, praeveniri non potes. Bern. de Deo dilig. c. 3. Non pedum paſſibus, ſed affectibus quaerit, nec deſiderium ſanctum extundit, ſed extendit foelix inventio. Idem in Cant. 84.If God, ſaith he, bee ſo good to thoſe that ſeeke him; what will hee bee to them, when they finde him? But this is a ſtrange thing, that no man can ſo ſeeke him before hee hath found him. And ſurely, as no man can ſincerely ſeeke God in vaine; ſo no man can ſincerely deſire grace in vaine.qqQuid tibi jubet Deus? dilige me. Aurum diligis Quaeſiturus es forte, nec inventurus. Quiſquis me quaerit, cum illo ſum. Me ama: Ipſe amor praeſentem me tibi facit. Auguſt. in 1 Ioan. 6. Hinc Guigo medit c. 17. Ama quod amando carere nequeas, ī Deum. A man may love gold, and yet not have it: but no man loveth God, but he is ſure to have God, ſaith Augustine. rrProv. 13.4.Prov 13:4Wealth a man may deſire, and yet bee never the nearer it: but Grace no man ever ſincerely deſired and miſſed of it. It is true here that the Pſalmiſt in another caſe ſaith;ſſPſal. 10.17.Ps 10:17 Lord, thou heareſt the deſire of the poore; thou haſt prepared their heart, and thine eare hearkneth to their prayers. It is God that hath prepared the heart, and wrought this deſire in it; (forttPhilip. 2 13.Phil 2:13 It is God that worketh ſuch willingneſſe in us:) and hee will never fruſtrate the deſire that himſelfe hath there wrought. Yea, as no man, ſaith he, can ſeeke God but he that hath found him; and it is a ſigne therefore that a man hath already found God in part, when ſeriouſly and ſincerely he ſeeketh him: So““Huc uſque te faciente profeci, ut deſiderem deſiderare te. Quid eſt autem deſiderare deſiderium? Si enim deſidero eſſe deſiderans, jam invento me deſiderantem. Sed nunquid deſiderium tui deſiderantem, quaſi non habeam, aut deſiderium majus quam habeam? Gulie…m. de S. Theodor. de amor. Dei c. 2. no man can deſire Grace, but hee that already hath grace: (for he that deſireth Grace, hath grace to deſire it:) and it is an infallible ſigne therefore, that a man hath already ſome meaſure of Grace, that doth ſeriouſly deſire to have it. He would never deſire to feare God, that ſtood not in ſome awe of him already: nor deſire to feele in himſelfe a love of God, that did not in ſome meaſure already love God: Nor could a man ever truly deſire ſanctifying Grace, were not his heart already ſanctified by the Spirit of Grace, which hath wrought alſo in him that deſire of it. Not to adde that theuuChriſtiani ſumus affectu magis quàm effectu. Et maxima pars Chriſtianiſmi est toto pectore …elle fieri Chriſtianum. Itaque ſcitè Auguſt. in 1. Ioan. tr. 4. Tota vita boni Chriſtiani ſanctum deſiderium est. Et Bern. in Cant. 84. Magnum bonum quaerere Deum: primum in donis, ultimum in profectibus eſt. Virtutum nulli accedit, cedit nulli. Cui accedat, quam nulla praecedit? cui cedat, quae omnium magis conſummatio est? Quae enim v…rtus aſcribi potest, non quaerenti Deum? aut quis terminus quaerenti Deum? Pſal. 105.4. Sed & Lactant. inſtit. lib. 6. cap. 5. Virtus noſtra tota poſita est in voluntate faciendi bona.Ps 105:4 greateſt part of a Christian mans perfection in this life, (witneſſexxRom. 7.15, 18, 19, 21. Philip. 3.12, 15. Duplex est perfectio, una quae est in expletione virtutum, quam ſe negat aſſecutum; altera cum quis proficit, & ad anteriora nititur. Origen. in Rom. Et imperfectum & perfectum ſe dicit; imperfectum cogitando quantum ſibi ad juſtitiam deſit, cujus plenitudinem eſurit & ſitit; perfectum autem quod & imperfectionem confiteri non erubeſcit, & ut bene perveniat, bene procedit. Aug. ad 2. Ep. Pelag. l 3. c. 7.Rom 7:15Rom 7:18Rom 7:19Rom 7:21Phil 3:12Phil 3:15 Pauls owne ingenuous confeſsion of himſelfe: and who went ever beyond him? How farre at leaſt come the moſt ſhort of him?) conſiſteth rather in will, than in worke, and in deſire and endevour, more than in deed.

True it is indeed, that any naturall man may deſire happineſſe, glory, ſalvation, and eternall well-being.aaNum. 23.10.Num 23:10 Oh, ſaith Balaam, that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my latter end might bee like his: (††Optabat ſibi extrema juſtorum, ſed non ita & principia. Mortem ſpiritualium optant ſibi carnales, quorum vitam tamen abhorrent. Bern. in Cant. 2. Non curant quaerere, quae tamen deſiderant invenire: cupiunt conſequi, non & ſequi. Ibid.Song 2 he deſired indeed to die their death, but to live their life he could not endure:)bbforeign. Ariſtot. ethic. l. 1. c. 1. & polit. l. 1. c. 1. it is naturall for every one to deſire his owne naturall good. But to deſire ſpirituall Grace, Holineſſe, ſound Sanctification, Faith unfained, the true Feare of God, ſerious Repentance, is more than any naturall man ever did or can doe. And therefore Bleſſed are they, ſaith our Saviour, as,ccMatth. 5.3.Matt 5:3 that are poore in ſpirit, andddMatth. 5.4.Matt 5:4 that mourne for their ſpirituall defects; ſoeeMatth. 5.6.Matt 5:6 that hunger and thirst after Righteouſneſſe, after Spirituall Grace, after a ſupply of them. Now what isffforeign. Ariſtot. de anima. l. 2. c. 3. hunger but a want of food with a ſenſe p. 239thereof, and an earneſt deſire of it? or what is thirſt but a drought, a want of drinke, and a vehement deſire of it? For in hunger and thirſt there are theſe three things: firſt, an emptineſſe in the one, and a want of moisture in the other: forggHinc foreign. Plut. ſympoſ. probl. l. 5. c. 3. Et inde Sitiendi verbum deduci, foreign, quia …ibum ſequitur ſitis. Iul. Scalig. de cauſ. ling. Lat. c. 126. it is not want of food ſimply, but want of wetting that cauſeth this: ſecondly, a ſenſe of this emptineſſe and want of moiſture, with a ſpeciall kinde of paine and griefe in the body proceeding from it: For a man may be empty bodied, and yet not affected thus with it, ashhforeign. Plut. ibid. c. 2. in ſome diſeaſes, and where naturall heat is much waſted: and thirdly, a vehement deſire of ſuch either nouriture or moiſture, whereby this emptineſſe may be filled, or this drought ſlaked: For a man may bee emptie, and ſicke againe in ſome ſort with it, yea ready to die of it, and yet have no appetite to his meat neither, but**Quanto inanior, tanto faſtidioſior. Auguſt. confeſſ. l. 2. c. 1. a loathing of that rather, whereby hee might be refreſhed and releeved: he may be empty of food, and yet feele it not; hee may feele it in ſome ſort, and yet not deſire food. But in hunger and thirſt ordinarily doe theſe all three concurre. Yea, ſo vehement and violent is this deſire of ſuch ſupply oft in hunger and thirſt, thatii2 King 6.25, 28, 29. Lament. 1.11. Hinc Lyſimachus ſiti laborans cùm post ſe ſuoſ que hoſti deditos bibiſſet, foreign; Plut in apophth.2 Kgs 6:252 Kgs 6:282 Kgs 6:29Lam 1:11 for a bit of bread, or a cup of drink, men have many times beene content to part with the deareſt and pretiouſeſt things that they have beene poſſeſt of. In like manner is it in this ſpirituall hunger and thirſt. There is firſt ſpirituall povertie, a vacuitie, an emptineſſe of Grace, to ſight and ſenſe it may bee, utterly of all, in deed and truth of ſome degree of it: there is ſecondly a ““Fames & ſitis dolores ſunt. Aug. confeſſ l. 10. c. 31. Vide & eundem de Muſic. l. 6. c. 5.griefe and painfulneſſe in the heart and ſoule ariſing from the apprehenſion of it, a mourning and bemoaning of ones ſelfe for the want of it: and thirdly,††Est ſitis interior, uti & venter interior; quia est homo interior. Aug. in Ioan. 32. Ipſum deſiderium ſitis est animae. Idem in Pſal. 62.Ps 62 an earneſt deſire of it above all things in the world, ſo that as a man throughly an hungred counteth all nothing in regard of meat, a man heartily a thirſt all nothing in compariſon of drinke, hee would give any thing for it: ſo the ſoule thus affected, with the bleſſed Apoſtle countethkkPhilip. 3.8, 9, 10.Phil 3:8Phil 3:9Phil 3:10 all nothing but droſſe and dung, in compariſon of Chriſt, the knowledge of him, faith in him, and conformitie unto him. It is with it, as withllforeign. Macar. hom. 45. a Kings childe, that though it be never ſo richly arrayed, and have never ſo many coſtly jewels hanging about it, yet all is as nothing to it, nothing but the nurſes breſt can ſtill it, when for want of food it is out of quiet. So nothing but ſpirituall Grace can here ſatisfie the ſoule, and all other things are eſteemed as nothing to it. Or as with ſome women that goe with childe, and are ſubject to longing; they will part with any thing for that that they long for, and are ready even to ſinke downe, to faint, to goe away, yeammQuomodo Rachel de prole. Gen. 30.1.Gen 30:1 to die, if they have it not: So here ſpirituall Grace and the ſenſe and aſſurance of it, is the thing longed for, and that they would give a whole world for to obtaine, if they had it, and they are ready even to faint and ſinke under that heavie weight of griefe that ſurchargeth their diſtreſſed ſoules, becauſe they cannot yet finde and feele that in themſelves, which yet undoubtedly they have. For certainly whoſoever they be that can finde themſelves in this ſort affected,““Verba Domini ſunt; non est fas fidem ſuſpendere. Credant, quod non experiuntur, ut fructum quandoque experientiae fidei merito conſequantur. Bern. in Cant. 84. either they muſt confeſſe themſelves to be in a bleſſed eſtate, and conſequently in the ſtate of grace, (for what true happineſſe out of it?) or elſe they muſt contradict our Saviour, and chargennIohn 14.6.John 14:6 Truth p. 240it ſelfe with untruth, who hath pronounced them bleſſed that are ſo affected. And this I deſire to have well weighed and ſeriouſly conſidered for the ſtaying of many troubled ſoules. What is it that doth ſo much trouble thee, and in this lamentable wiſe diſtreſſe and diſtract thee? Oh, ſaith he preſently, I have no Faith, no Repentance, no Love, no feare of God, no ſanctifying, no ſaving grace in me. Why? doeſt thou ſee a want of theſe things in thy ſelfe? Yes, that is it that ſo grieveth me: that I cannot love God, ſtand in awe of him, truſt in his mercy, repent of my ſinnes as I ſhould. Yea but, doeſt thou not ſeriouſly and unfainedly deſire to doe thus? Oh yes, I deſire it above all things in the world, and I would bee willing to buy, and it were with a whole world, the leaſt meaſure, a dramme or a drop onelyonly, of ſuch grace. And**Quaerit anima verbum, ſed quae à verbo prius quaeſita ſit. Audi profugam & deviam, quid doleat, & quid petat. Pſal. 119.176. Nec expoſitam omninò nec relictam dixerim quae reverti cupit, & requiri petit. Vnde enim haec voluntas illi? niſi quod à verbo viſitata ſit & quaeſita. Noc otioſa quaeſitio, quae operata est voluntatem, ſine qua reditus eſſe non potest. Meminerit ergò ſe & quaeſitam prius & prius dilectam, atque inde eſſe quod & quaerit & diligit. Cant. 3.1. Bern. in Cant. 84. Nec repellet requirentem, qui contemnentem requiſivit. Ibid.Ps 119:176Song 3:1 who is it, I pray thee, that hath wrought this deſire in thee? Not the Devill: hee would rather quench it all hee could in thee: Not thine owne corrupt heart: that is naturally moſt averſe thereunto: It muſt needs then bee the worke of the Spirit of God, and of him who affirmeth them to be all in a bleſſed plight that thus hunger and thirſt after grace, and aſſureth them withall, that they ſhall one day bee ſatisfied.““Luke 8.55.Luke 8:55 Give her meat, ſaid our Saviour, when he had raiſed Iairus his daughter, ††In ſignum verae & perfecta ſanitatis. Ianſen. har. cap. 34.to ſhew that ſhe was not revived onelyonly, but recovered. A good ſtomacke, we ſay, is a ſigne of good health. And as hunger is a ſigne of health in the body: ſo is this ſpirituall hunger of health in the Soule.

Note 8 An eighth Note of Sinceritie may be a deſire and endevour of growth in grace: Deſire and endevour of Growth in Grace.Deſire, I ſay, and endevour; for where deſire indeed is, there endevour alſo will bee: there cannot but bee a ſerious endevour, where the deſire of the heart is ſincere. Butoo2 Pet. 3.18.2 Pet 3:18 grow in grace, ſaith Saint Peter, inciting hereunto, and in the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And,**1 Pet. 2.2.1 Pet 2:2 Deſire the ſincere milke of the Word, that yee may thereby grow. And it is the joynt prayer of the Apoſtles to their Saviour and ours;ppLuke 17.5.Luke 17:5 Lord, increaſe our faith, therein craving a further improvement of that Grace that already they had received. And the Heathen man himſelfe maketh it a note of a good man, that““—foreign. Euripid. apud Ariſtot. Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. he ſtudieth dayly how he may grow better than he is, not contenting himſelfe with any degree or meaſure of goodneſſe. Yea the Apoſtle Paul telleth us, thatqqEpheſ. 4.16.Eph 4:16 the whole Bodie of Chriſt (whereofrrRom. 12.5. 1 Cor. 12.27.Rom 12:51 Cor 12:27 every true Chriſtian is a limbe) is ſo††foreign. compact together in it ſelfe, and ſo firmly faſtned with certaine ſpirituall nerves and ligaments to the head, that from it there is by them conveighed to each part a continuall ſupply of ſpirituall Grace, both ſufficient to furniſh it, and to further the growth of it.

Objection 1 Yea but, peradventure will ſome ſay, that is it that maketh mee miſdoubt my ſelfe, that to mine owne ſeeming I ſtand at a ſtay; and mee thinketh, I have ſo done for a long time together.

Anſwer 1 I anſwer: It may well ſo be, and yet mayeſt thou bee growing p. 241for all that.ſſforeign. Greg. Naz. epiſt. 65. foreign. Baſil. Caeſ. homil. 3. Vt oculus, ſic animus ſe non videns, alia cernit. Ex Cic. Tuſcul. l. 1. Ioan. Sarisb. metalog. l. 4. c. 20. Corporis oculus alios oculos videt, ſe non videt: non ſic mens. Aug. de Trinit. l. 9. c. 3. The eye can ſee other things, but it cannot ſee it ſelfe: ttOculis corporis magis alii oculi noti ſunt, quam ipſi ſibi. Nunquam enim praeter ſpecula ſe vident. Aug. de Trin. l 10. c. 3. Facies niſi in ſpeculo non videtur. Abſens enim ab aſpectu noſtro etiam facies ipſa, quia non ibi est quo dirigi potest. Ibid. c. 9.Wee can eaſily ſee the face and the countenance of another, we cannot behold our owne, but by reflection onelyonly. Chriſtians many times better diſcerne how others grow in grace and come forward, than how themſelves doe, though it may bee growing as faſt or faſter than they.**Qua vehimur navi fertur, cùm ſtare videtur: Quae manet in ſtatione, ea propter creditur ire. Et fugere ad puppim colles campique videntur, Quos agimus praeter navim, veliſque volamus. Lucret. rer. nat. lib. 4. The Boat that croſſeth us on the River, ſeemeth to goe farre ſwifter than ours, though our owne goe as faſt or faſter than it; and““Vides ne navem illam? nobis ſtare videtur. At eis qui in navi ſunt, moveri haec villa. Cic. Academ. lib. 4. Gemina his habet Origen. in Pſal. 36. hom. 5.Ps 36 the land it ſelfe to paſſe by us, while wee ſtand ſtill, when indeed we paſſe by it, and it ſtandeth ſtill. Strangers that come by ſtarts, ſome continuance of time betweene, to us, can better judge of the growth of our Children than our ſelves, who have them continually in our eye. And it is the manner therefore of curious Artiſts, Picture-drawers and the like,uuforeign. Greg. Naz. in Cyprian. foreign. Baſil. homil. 3. Homines neque proximē aſſita, neque longulè diſſita cernimus. Apul. florid. 1. to ſtand ſometime aloofe off viewing their worke, yea orxxforeign. Plut. de iracund. to goe wholly away from it, and to leave it a while, and after ſome ſpace of time to returne to it againe, that they may the better diſcerne any the leaſt defect in it.yyforeign. Ibid. Aliena nobis, noſtra plus aliis patent. Aliena quiſque melius cernit quàm ſua. Ter. beaut. 3. 1. Aiunt homines plus in alien… negotio videre quàm in ſuo. Quaedam ſunt quae ſapientes etiam in alio quàm in ſe diligentius vident. Senec. epiſt. 109. Facilius eſt de alienis judicare quàm deſuis. Lactant. inſtit. lib. 2. cap. 3. Our continuall converſing with our ſelves, maketh our owne growth many times to bee not ſo diſcernable of our ſelves as of others. Which may the rather befall us, becauſe this ſpirituall growth in the moſt is ordinarily butzzforeign. Plut. de profect. by inſenſible degrees. A man may ſtand gaſing a long time upon the Diall, and yet not perceive how the hand there ſtirreth, though it bee ſtirring all that while: he may in warme ſpringing weather ſit night and day beſide the young greene graſſe, and yet not diſcerne the ſhooting up of it, though by the warmth of the weather it bee continually ſprouting.

Thou maiſt well therefore be growing, though thou doeſt not Anſwer 2 diſcerne it. As a man may have grace, and yet not know it: ſo he may be growing in grace, and yet not be aware of it. But doſt thou not deſire and endevour to grow in it?aaMagna pars est profectus velle proficere. Senec. epiſt. 72. Ambulare proficere est. Sedet is, qui proficere non curat. Id caveto, & ſi morte praeventus fuerit, in refrigerio eris. Omnes enim qui in deſiderio inveniuntur proficiendi, ſi morte praeoccupati fuerint, in eo quod eis deeſt ſunt perficiendi. Bern. in Cant. 49. If thou doſt ſo, it is certaine that††Amando bonum meliores efficimur. Aug. in Pſal. 143. Ambulas ſi amas. Non enim paſſibus ad Deum, ſed affectibus currimus. Idem de Cant. nov. cap. 2.Ps 143 thou doſt grow, and art growing, howſoever thou ſeeſt it not. To uſebbQuando peregrinatur quis ad S. Iacobi, aliquando proficiſcitur viam recogitans; aliquando progreditur, nihil recogitans; aliquando nec progreditur, nec recogitat, dum dormit. In primo est continuatio naturae & moris actualis; in ſecundo naturae actualis, moris virtualis; in tertio diſcontinuatio motus naturalis, ſed continuatio motus moris habitualis; quia non est appoſita oppoſita voluntas. Gerſon. de valore orat. Gerſons ſimilitude, or one ſomewhat like it at leaſt: A man is bound for the East-Indies, and ſhapeth his courſe thitherward; but by the way is put off oft by croſſe winds to the Weſtward, he is compelled to put into divers harbours, and to make p. 242ſome ſtay by the way there, either to ſhift off ſtormy weather, or to take in freſh water. And yet all this while we ſay, hee is going onward on his way, becauſe his purpoſe and reſolution ſtill continueth the ſame. It is much more ſo in ſpirituall things, becauſe our very growth it ſelfe in them conſiſteth much even in reſolution and deſire. The ſtrength of deſire never a whit furthereth the Seaman ſo long as hee lieth winde-bound to the making of his Port; but““Omnis amor aut aſcendit, aut deſcendit. Deſiderio enim bono levamur ad Deum, & deſiderio malo ad ima praecipit amur. Aug. in Pſal. 122. Non enim ambulando ſed amando ad Deum itur. Idem ep. 52. Non pedibus, ſed affectibus, nec migrando, ſed amando ad eum venimus. quanquam ſecundùm interiorem hominem, & quiamat, migrat. Aliud enim est migrare corpore, aliud corde. Migrat corpore, qui motu corporis mutat locum: migrat corde, qui motu cordis mutat affectum. Idem in Ioan. 32. Hic non ſolùm ire, ſed pervenire, nihil est aliud quàm velle ire. Idem confeſſ. l. 8. c. 8.Ps 122 the very ſtrength of our deſire may conveigh us neare to God, may carrie us higher, as with Eagles wings, up towards Heaven.

Anſwer 3 Yea this thy greedy deſire of grace may make thee leſſe ſenſible of thine owne growth: as the Heathen man obſerveth, thatccQuaeris quid ſit quod oblivione acceptorum nobis faciat? cupiditas accipiendorum. Cogitamus non quid impetratum, ſed quid impetrandum ſit. Sen. epiſt. 81. Solebat Attalus hac imagine uti: Vidiſti aliquando canem miſſa à Domino fruſta aperto ore captantem? quicquid excepit, protinus devorat, & ſemper ad ſpem futuri hiat. Ibid. 72. Vltra ſe cupiditas porrigit, & foelicitatem ſuam non intelligit: quia non unde venerit respicit ſed quo tendat. Idem de be…. l. 2. c. 27. the earneſt deſire of what men would have, maketh them forgetfull of what they have.ddPhilip. 3.13.Phil 3:13 I forget what is paſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, and preſſe on to what is before. Their eye is more upon what they want, than upon what they have. It is with good Chriſtians in this caſe, as with rich worldlings, thateeInſtat equis auriga ſuos vincentibus, illum Praeteritum temnens extremos inter euntem. Horat. ſerm. l. 1. ſat. 1. like men in a race have their eye on thoſe that bee before them, not on thoſe that come after them; they are ever eying thoſe that ſeeme to out-ſtrip and out-goe them in wealth, and thinke they have nothing, they are but poore men, ſo long as they come ſhort of ſuch and ſuch. And ſo is it with theſe; they are oft eying thoſe, whoſe either examples they read of, or whoſe courſes and graces they are in ſome ſort eye-witneſſes of, and thinke that they have nothing, they make no progreſſe, at leaſt worth ſpeaking of, ſo long as they come behinde, and keepe ſhort of ſuch: And this is it oft that maketh them complaine ſo much of their wants and their ſlow progreſſe, and that they cannot perceive but that they ſtand ſtill at a ſtay. Which yet complaint of theirs, and fervent deſire of growth in grace, is a ſure argument of ſincere and undoubted grace in them. Yea it is an argument that they love not life only but Grace, that they love Grace for it ſelfe, that they love Grace as it is Grace, when they deſire ſo much to increaſe and to grow in Grace, eſpecially ſuppoſing themſelves to be in the eſtate of it already.

Whereas on the other ſide, it is an argument of inſinceritie and unſoundneſſe, when men having gotten ſome ſmall meaſure of ſpeculative knowledge, or having attained to ſome ſlight degree of ſuperficiall conformity, far enough indeed from any ſound ſanctification, they can quietly ſit downe by it, and have no minde to goe any further: yea how much ſoever they have attained to, if they can ſet downe their reſt there, ſing a requiem to their ſoules, and ſay with the rich Glutton in the Goſpell,ffLuke 12.19.Luke 12:19 Soule, thou haſt much good; or,ggGeneſ. 33.9. Si dixiſti, ſufficit, defeciſti. Bern. de conſid. 2.Gen 33:9 I have enough, with Eſau: what ſhould I labour for any more? It was the Church of Laodiceaes ſong,hhApoc. 3.17. Quomodo enim proficis, ſi tibi jam ſufficis? Ibid.Rev 3:17 I am rich, and full, and need nothing. He isiiGalat. 6.3. 1 Cor. 8.2.Gal 6:31 Cor 8:2 nothing worth indeed that ſo deemeth of himſelfe.kkOmnia illi deſunt, qui ſibi nihil de eſſe putat. Bern. de conſid. l. 2. He wanteth every thing, he hath not any thing, that thinketh hee p. 243wanteth nothing; ſaith Bernard. The ſame is to be ſaid of thoſe that thinke themſelvesllSatis nos conſequi. ſi inter peſſimos non ſumus. Senec. epist. 76. Non est bonitas peſſimis eſſe meliorem. Ibid. 79. Perfectum nolle eſſe delinquere est. Hieron. ad Heliod. & ad Iulian. foreign. Greg. Naz in Matth. 19.11, 12.Matt 19:11Matt 19:12 well enough, if they be but a little better than thoſe that are ſtarke naught, that are groſſely impious and extremely prophane: That uſe to aske when they are incited to a more frequent and diligent uſe of the means, for the furtherance of their Chriſtian growth: Why? may not a man be ſaved, though he know no more than this, and this? Or though he have no more than ſuch a meaſure of Faith, or though he doe not live ſo preciſely as ſuch and ſuch doe? For ſuch evidently ſhew, that it is not Grace but Life, not Sanctification that they deſire, but Salvation onelyonly. They ſerve God, onelyonly to ſerve their owne turnes upon God. It is not the pleaſing of God, but the ſaving of themſelves that they doe not ſo much affect, as they are content to have grace for.mmQui melior eſſe non cupit, nec est bonus. Vbi incipis nolle fieri melior, ibi deſinis eſſe bonus. Bern. epiſt 91. Vbi ſunt qui dicere ſolent, ſufficit nobis, nolumus eſſe meliores quàm patres noſtri? non vis proficere? vis ergo deficere. nolle proficere, deficere eſt. Sic, inquis, mihi vivere volo; & manere in quo perveni: nec pejor fieri patior, nec melior cupio. Hoc ergò vis quod eſſe non potest. Quid enim ſtat in hoc ſeculo? Homo nunquam in eodem ſtatu permanet. Nolle ergò proficere, non niſi deficere est. Idem epiſt. 254. He was never indeed good, that deſireth not to be better. Yea,nnQui melior eſſe non vult, pro certo non est bonus. Bern. epiſt. 91. Imò, qui non vult eſſe optimus, non est revera bonus. Injust…s est, qui non deſiderat amare te quantum ab aliqua creatura rationali poſſibile est te amari. Deſiderat ergò etiam minimus quiſque, quicunque ille est, tantum te amare, quantum amat, quicunque pl…s eo amat, non aemula inſectatione, ſed pia & devota imitatione. Guliel. de S. Theod. de amor. Dei cap. 3. He is ſtarke naught, that deſireth not to be as good as the beſt. For he cannot be good, that loveth not goodneſſe. Nor can any man truely love it, but he muſt needs deſire more of it. For,ooEccleſ. 5.10. Avarus animus, nullo ſatiatur lucro. P. Syr. Senec. epiſt. 94. Nil ſatis est. Horat. ſerm. 1. Semper avarus eget. Idem epiſt. 2. foreign. Plut. de profect.Eccl 5:10 He that loveth money, ſaith Salomon, will never have enough of it: ppNeſcit virtus menſuram gratiae. Ambr. in Luc. l. 5. c. 6. Amori nihil ſatis est: Amor exaeſtuat; ſe non capit; immenſitatem aemulatur, dum metam neſcit affectui ponere: non excuſat, ſed accuſat ſe de infirmitate; no… capit de impoſſibilitate remedium. Gilbert. in Cant. 19.And ſo he that truly loveth Grace, will never thinke he hath enough of it, and will conſequently bee ever deſiring to grow in it. Which deſire of growth in grace, as it is a good ſigne of ſinceritie of grace, ſo the want of it is too ſure an argument of unſoundneſſe.

Objection 2 Yea but will ſome other peradventure ſay, I have heard it oft ſaid, that no true Christian, yea, thatqqIob 14.2. Nihil ſtat, nihil fixum manet. Auguſt. in Ioan. 31. Non ſtat vel temporis puncto, ſed ſine intermiſſione labitur, quicquid continua immutatione ſenſim currit in finem non conſummantem, ſed conſumentem. Idem de pecc. mer. & remi. lib. 1. c. 16.Job 14:2 no man at all ever ſtandeth at a ſtay: But that every one as he isrrIob 9.26. Vita noſtra navigationi ſimilis est. Is namque qui navigat, ſtat, ſedet, jacet, vadit; quia navis impulſu ducitur: ita & nos, ſive vigilantes, ſive dormientes, &c. per momenta temporum quotidiè ad finem tendimus. Greg. in regiſtr. lib. 6. epiſt. 26. Nam vita morti propior est quotidie. Phaedr. fab. l. 4. Velut ſecundo cymba vecta flumine Senſim propinqu…t litori: ſic indies Vivendo morti appellimur propinquius. Ritterſhuſ.Job 9:26 continually going on toward his end, ſo he isſſInter profectum & defectum nihil medium invenitur. Sed quomodo ipſum corpus noſtrum continuè aut creſcere conſtat aut decreſcere: ſic neceſſe est & ſpiritum aut proficere ſemper, aut deficere. Bern. epiſt. 254. continually growing either better or worſe: like the Angels on the ttGen. 28.12. Vidit Iacob in ſcala Angelos aſcendentes & deſcendentes: ſtantem vel reſidentem nominem. Idem epist 91. & de vit. ſolit. Vnum ergò è duobus neceſſe est, aut ſemper proficere, aut prorſus deficere. Idem de diverſ. 36. Plut. ipſe de profect. foreign.Gen 28:12Ladder that Iacob ſaw, whereof ſome went upward, ſome downward, but none of them ſtood ſtill. And with mee the declination to the worſe ſide is too evident: For I finde that I am not able to continue in prayer, or to keepe my minde long bent to any intention of meditation, yea that I cannot endure to hold out in hearing, or to retaine or call to minde againe what I have heard, as I formerly have done, or have beene able to doe. It is the uſuall complaint of many good Chriſtians held with lingring infirmities and ſuch bodily diſeaſes as waſte the ſpirits, weaken the ſenſes, decay p. 244the memory, and diſable the functions of thoſe faculties of the ſoule that are wont to be in theſe holy exerciſes employed.

Anſwer. For Anſwer hereunto; to omit what before was ſaid, thatuuIndefeſſum proficiendi ſtudium, & jugis conatus perfectionis (profectus, imò &) perfectio reputatur. Bern. epiſt. 254. Et ſi ſtudere perfectioni perſectum est eſſe, uti Idem ibid. certè & Profectui ſtudere, ipſum est proſicere. where an earneſt deſire and endevour of growth is, there is no ſtanding at a ſtay. It followeth not, becauſe perſons cannot performe outward, yea or inward actions as formerly they have done, that therefore there is a decay of Spirituall grace in them. ForxxAnimi imperium, corporis ſervitium. Saluſt. Catill. the Soule, we know, while it abideth in the body, worketh by it and the parts of it. And the working of it therefore cannot be other, than the affection of thoſe parts, it worketh by, will afford. AsyyAriſtot. de anima, l. 1. c. 4. the Heathen Philoſopher therefore well obſerveth, that it followeth not that either the ſoule it ſelfe, or the facultie of ſeeing in the ſoule (for itzzforeign. Menand. apud Plut. de fortun. & Cercida apud Stob. c. 4. Animum videre & audire; non eas partes quae quaſi feneſtrae ſunt animae. Cic. Tuſcul. l. 1. is not the bodie, nor the eye it ſelfe that ſeeth, to ſpeake properly, but the ſoule that ſeeth by it) is growne weake and decayed, becauſe it cannot ſee ſo well by or with an old eye, as it could doe and did by or with a young one: aaforeign. Ariſt. ibid.Give it a young eye againe, and it will ſee as well as ever. Nor doth it follow thatbbVt quamvis tacet Hermogenes, cantor tamen, atque Optimus est modulator: ut Alfenus vafer, omni Abjecto inſtrumento artis, clauſaque taberna Sutor erat. —Horat. ſerm. l. 1. ſat. 3. a work-man hath either loſt or leſſened his skill, becauſe either he wanteth tooles, and therefore hee cannot worke, or hath bad tooles, and cannot therefore worke ſo well as he could, when he had better than now he hath: that a Muſitian is not ſo good or skilfull an Artiſt as he was, becauſe he cannot make ſo good Muſicke with his Viole or Citharne, being now cracked and craſed, or evill-ſtringed, as he could when it was new and ſound, and well-ſtringed at firſt. So neither doth it follow that Spirituall Grace is therefore abated or decayed in the ſoule, becauſe it cannot hold out now with that continuance of attention, or ſtrength and vigour of intention in meditation, invocation, or other the like holy exerciſes,ccCorpus enim tunc inſtar organi Muſici, non jam contemperati, & rectè diſpoſiti, ſed quaſi confracti & inutilis. Auguſt. nomine de ſpir. & anim. c. 14. the body being, by age, or ſickneſſe and feebleneſſe accruing from either, much decayed and diſabled, as it could formerly, when the parts and functions of it were freſh. I ſay not, (for I would not herein bee miſtaken) if the deſire of doing what it hath done, but cannot now doe, what it is now reſtrained of, or diſabled unto, be not as fervent as formerly. For the deſire uſually rather on ſuch occaſions increaſeth. And it is a ſhrewdddforeign. Plut. de profectus indiciis. evill ſigne, as even an Heathen man alſo could obſerve, when men reſtrained of the meanes or the uſe of them, or diſabled unto their wonted performance of ſuch duties, are not at all therewith moved, but can well enough endure ſuch want. It was by one deemedeeNe nunc quidem vires deſidero adoleſcentis: non plus quàm adoleſcens etiam vires tauri aut elephantis deſiderabam. Cic. deſenect. as unequall for an old man to deſire the ſtrength he had when hee was young, as for a young man to deſire the ſtrength that an Oxe hath, or an Elephant. But for a man here not to deſire to doe as he hath done, may well miniſter ſome ſuſpition, of an heart not very ſound, which they that thus complaine of, by this their complaint doe evidently ſhew themſelves not to be free onelyonly, but to be farre from.ffforeign. Plut. de profect. The p. 245very abſence and reſtraint of things loved, longed after, and delighted in, is a great means to incenſe and inflame much the deſire. Nor can there be a decay of grace, though the worke of it may be reſtrained or ſuſpended, where the deſire continueth ſuch. Spirituall grace is of the ſame nature, in ſome ſort, with the Soule: As that is an immortall ſubstance; ſo is thisggforeign. 1 Pet. 1.23.1 Pet 1:23 an incorruptible ſeed. Nor is it therefore any phyſicall or naturall defect, though ſuch may either in whole or in parthhHinc illud Virg. Aen. 6.—quantum non noxia corpora tardant; Terreni que hebetant artus, moribunda que membra. reſtraine the operation, that can poſſibly either deſtroy, or decay either by ſome naturall defects indeed, (ſuch as either ſuſpend or abandon the uſe of reaſon and underſtanding, and make a man by that meanes uncapable of inſtruction,) a man may beiiRom. 10.14, 17.Rom 10:14Rom 10:17 diſabled in ordinary courſe, (for extraordinary workings we leave unto God; who as he gavekkNum 22.28. 2 Pet. 2.16.Num 22:282 Pet 2:16 power of ſpeech and utterance ſometime to a dumbe beaſt, and hisllLuk. 1.15. In utero priuſquam naſceretur renatus. Greg. mor. lib. 3. cap. 4. Quod tamen Aug. impoſſibile cenſet. Nemo, inquit, ante renatus quam natus. Et, Renaſci nemo poteſt antequam fit natus. Aug. ep. 57. & de verb. Ap. 14. Verum regenitum ſi dixiſſet Gregorius, & id eſt propriè loquendo foreign, contradictionis ſpeciem omnem ſuſtuliſſet.Luke 1:15 ſanctifying Spirit to a Babe yet unborne, ſommDivina potentia non est mediis alligata. Auguſt in Gen. ad lit. l. 6. c. 13. is able to worke in this kinde as hee will:) unto the attaining of ſaving Grace, whereas yet it is not. But where it is already wrought, there cannot any ſuch naturall defect, either craſe it, or wholly raze it out againe. It were as abſurd to imagine that a fit of the dead Palſie continuing with a man ſome good ſpace of time, and depriving him thereby of ability unto the performance of holy duties, ſhould of it ſelfe therefore make himnnActiones enim corporis; animi virtutes & vitia. Aug. nom. de ſpir. & anim. c. 14. leſſe holy than he was when it firſt ſeized upon him; as to ſuppoſe a man well affected to be leſſeooEtiam in maximis anguſtiis liberalis eſt animus. Sen. de benef. l. 1. c. 8. liberally minded, becauſe being fallen into povertie, he cannot now doe that, which before hee was wont to doe, when he had better means and a more plentifull eſtate. It is not therefore any diſabilitie ariſing from ſuch defects and infirmities, that argueth any decay of grace.

Note 9 A ninth Note of ſinceritie may be an endevour to finde out and diſcover our owne corruptions; Diligence in Diſcoverie of Corruptions.and a gladneſſe when wee have diſcovered them by the light of Gods Word, or ſuch other good means as God ſhall offer us. This buſineſſe had David beene buſie about, what time he brake out into that exclamation;ppPſal. 19.12.Ps 19:12 O, who can tell how oft he ſinnes? or, What man is he that underſtandeth his owne errours? qqSpinaeus de Iuſtit. Chriſtian. Poſtquam diligenter cubiculum everrimus, id nobis perpurgatum videtur. At ſole per feneſtras illucente, radios atomorum ſordibus infinitis permiſlos videmus.It fared with David, ſaith Spina, as with the Houſwife that having diligently ſwept her houſe and caſt the duſt out at doores, can ſee nothing amiſſe now, no ſpecke of duſt in it; whereas if the Sunne doe but a little ſhine in thorow ſome cranie in the wall, or ſome broken quarell in the window, ſhe may ſoone ſee the whole houſe ſwimme and ſwarme with innumerable motes of duſt floating to and fro in the aire, which for dimneſſe of light or ſight before ſhee was not able to diſcerne. And ſo fared it with David; he was a man of no looſe life, but even from his younger yeares carefull of his courſes,rr1 Sam. 13.14.1 Sam 13:14 Vpright and after Gods owne heart; ſo that little might ſeeme to bee amiſſe, or to require reformation and amendment with him: yet when he came to looke more intentively into Gods Law, a little beame of light reflecting upon his ſoule from it, diſcovered unto him ſuchſſPſal. 40.12.Ps 40:12 an innumerable company as well of corruptions in his p. 246heart, as of errours and over-ſights in his life, that it made him, as one amazed, crie out in that manner, as gueſſing by what hee now ſaw, that he had not ſeene before, how much corruption remained yet in him unſeene. In like manner had hee beene ſifting of himſelfe, when he ſaid;ttPſal. 119.59. Nos contra. Diſſimulamus Domini quaerere voluntatem, dum & noſtram facere, & aliquam de ignorantia excuſationem habere volumus. Bern. de diverſ. 26.Ps 119:59 I conſidered my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies. And of the joy that hee conceived, when upon ſuch view and ſearch he had light upon ſomewhat that hee was ignorant of before, and came to the notice of ſome dutie concerning himſelfe, that before he was not aware of:uuPſal. 119.162.Ps 119:162 I rejoyce, ſaith he, at thy Word, (to wit, when ſomewhat from it is diſcovered unto me,) as one that findeth a great ſpoile; that hath gotten a rich bootie. An alluſion to rich ſpoiles taken from the enemie in the field, wherein the pleaſure is uſually as much as, or more than the profit. And hee ſaith further therefore, ThatxxPſal. 119.7.Ps 119:7 he will praiſe God with an upright heart, when he ſhall have learned his righteous Teſtimonies: Hee will thanke him heartily, when hee ſhall by his Law informe him of ought. Yea how glad was hee when Abigail had diſcovered unto him his errour, and by that means ſtayed his hand from an unwarrantable act, that in his heat of paſſion hee had before reſolved to execute? Andyy1 Sam. 25.32, 33.1 Sam 25:321 Sam 25:33 how doth he bleſſe her, and bleſſe God for her, her, as a meſſenger of God, and God, as one that had ſent her to meet him, and ſo to with-hold him from that outrage? Andzzforeign. Plut. de profect. indic. this is alſo a ſingular good note of a ſincere heart, when a man is carefull to ſearch into his owne corruptions and overſights, is willing to bee informed of them, glad to ſee them diſcovered, and ready to reforme them when they are evidently diſcovered to him, and his conſcience convinced of them out of Gods word. As on the contrary part when men**Vt liberius peccent, libenter ignorant. Bern. de grad humil. c. 2. are not willing to have their corruptions diſcovered to them, cannot endure thoſe that are dealing in any ſort with their ſinnes,aaPſal. 32.9. Amos 5.…0. Prov. 9.7, 8. foreign. Plut. de profect. foreign. Ib.Ps 32:9Amos 5Prov 9:7Prov 9:8 fume and ſtorme againſt thoſe that even in the kindeſt and moſt Chriſtian manner informe them of them, albeit they cannot wholly excuſe them or deny them to be ſuch: when men will of ſet purpoſe forbeare, yea and forſweare to, the hearing of thoſe, whoſe plaine dealing and powerfull delivery of Gods Word, hath begun to lay open to them their corruptions, and to touch them a little to the quicke: Or when (as Auguſtine well obſerveth of ſome, ſpeaking of thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt; bbPſal. 36.2, 3.Ps 36:2Ps 36:3He flattereth himſelfe in his owne eyes, till his iniquitie be found abominable; and he refuſeth to underſtand:)ccQuaſi …onantur quaerere, & timent invenire. Aug. in Pſal. 35.Ps 35 they will ſeeme to ſearch, but are loth to finde; and therefore, asddMatth. 19.22.Matt 19:22 the young man in the Goſpell, that moved a queſtion to our Saviour,eeMultos cognovi veritate aguita triſtiores diſceſſiſſe, quod jam confugere ad ignorantiae excuſationem non liceret. Bern. in Cant. 74. they are ſory that ever they ſought, and goe away with heavie hearts, when they finde not as they would, when they have not an iſſue and an anſwer to their owne minds: and asffIerem 42.2, 3, 5, 6. & 43.2, 3, 4.Jer 42:2Jer 42:3Jer 42:5Jer 42:6Jer 43:2Jer 43:3Jer 43:4 the Iewiſh Captaines that repaired for advice and direction to Ieremie, refuſe thereupon to follow what they are informed of, or to reforme what upon ſuch ſearch they meet with, and finde to be amiſſe with them in heart or life: It is a fearfull ſigne that their heart is not upright, andggQuia dolosè agebant, ut invenirent. ubi invenerint, non oderunt. Si enim ſincerè & non dolosè agerent, quod invenirent, odiſſent. Aug. in Pſal. 35.Ps 35 their ſeeming ſearch was never made in ſinceritie.

p. 247Note 10 The laſt Note of Sinceritie ſhall be a love of God and good things, and of the Children of God for God; together with a ſtedfaſt purpoſe to depend ſtill upon God, to continue constant in the frequent and diligent uſe of all the holy Ordinances of God, and to perſever and goe on in the good wayes of God, though a man cannot yet finde or feele in himſelfe any aſſurance of Gods ſpeciall favour Love of God, and Gods children; with purpoſe of conſtant adherence unto him, even in want of aſſurance of his ſpeciall favour.towards him, or any comfort in the Ordinances of God that he uſeth.

Theſe I am the rather willing thus to pile up together, and to comprehend under one Head, though they might ſeverally be inſiſted on, becauſe I would haſten to an end, fearing that I have been over-long in what is paſt already: The worke growing greater than I made account it would have done.

That our Love of God Love of God.is a ſure argument of Gods ſpeciall Love of us it is moſt evident.hhProv. 8.17.Prov 8:17 I love them, ſaith the Wiſedome of God, that love me. And,iiIohn 14.21, 23. & 16.27.John 14:21John 14:23John 16:27 Hee that loveth mee, ſaith our Saviour Chriſt, both the Father and I will love him. kkNemo ſe fallat. Non nos Deum diligeremus, niſi ipſe prius nos dilexiſſet, & ſui dilectores feciſſet. Aug. de grat. & lib. arb. c. 18. Niſi prius quaeſita non quaereres; niſi prius dilecta non diligeres. Bern. in Cant. 69.A man could not love God, did not God firſt love him, and llRom. 5.5. Charitas Dei donum Spiritus Dei. Bern. de humil. grad. 3. Non amatur Deus niſi de Deo. Aug. de diverſ. 2. Non habet homo unde Deum diligat niſi ex Deo. Idem de Trinit. lib. 15. c. 17. Prorſus donum Dei est diligere Deum. Ipſe ut diligeretur dedit, qui non dilectus dilexit. Idem in Ioan. 102.Rom 5:5worke this very love of himſelfe in him. mmNihil dilectae, nihil diligenti timendum. Paveant, quae non amant. Quae amat, ne timeat, quia amat; quod non amata omninò non faceret: Itaque etiam amatur. Quae amat, amari ſe ne dubitet, non magis quàm amare. Bern. in Cant. 69. & 84.Nor need any man, that truly (though““Nos etſi te minus diligimus, quàm debemus, diligimus tamen quantum valemus, tantum autem valemus quantum accepimus: petimuſque & expetimus, ut à te amplius accipiamus, unde amplius diligamus. Bern. ep. 85. but weakly, yet ſo well as he is able, or rather as God hath enabled him;) loveth God, doubt but that God loveth him. FornnNemo ſe diffidat amari qui jam amat. Libenter Dei amor noſtrum, quem praeceſſit, ſubſequitur. Quomodo enim redamare pigebit, quos amavit necdum amantes? Bern. epiſt. 107. Ejus amor noſtrum & praeparat & remunerat. Idem de dilig. Deo cap. 3. how can he chooſe but love them againe, when they love him, whom he loved even before they loved him? How can hee but love them, when they love him, thatoo1 Iohn 4.9, 10. Potest nondum diligere etiam dilectus: ſed niſi ante dilectus diligere non poteſt. Bern. in Cant. 71.1 John 4:91 John 4:10 loved them, when they loved not him; that loved them ſo deerely when theyppPſal. 81.15. Tit. 3.3.Ps 81:15Titus 3:3 hated him, andqqRom. 5.8, 10. & 8.7.Rom 5:8Rom 5:10Rom 8:7 were enemies to him, as to give his Sonne to die for them. If God, ſaith that††Bradford Sermon of Repentance. bleſſed Man and Martyr of God, ſo loved us when we hated him and fled away from him, that hee ſent his Sonne after us to ſeeke us, and with loſſe of his owne life to redeeme and reduce us, how can we thinke otherwiſe, but that now loving him, and lamenting becauſe we doe no more love him, he will ſurely love us for ever?

And that the Love of Gods Children for God, Love of Gods children for God.is a good Signe of the love of God, it is no leſſe apparent.rr1 Iohn 5.1.1 John 5:1 Hee that loveth him that begat, ſaith Saint Iohn, loveth him alſo that is begotten. And hee that loveth him that is begotten, ſay I, loveth him alſo that begat. It wasſſ2 Sam. 9.3, 7.2 Sam 9:32 Sam 9:7 for Ionathans ſake principally, that David loved and favoured Mephiboſheth. Nor could a man for God love the Children of God, if hee did not firſt love God himſelfe. In regard whereof alſo Saint Iohn maketh this Love of Gods Children a Signe that a mantt1 Iohn 2.10.1 John 2:10 is in the light, to wit, of Gods favour; that heuu1 Iohn 3.14.1 John 3:14 is paſt from death to Life, is in the ſtate of ſalvation; that hexx1 Iohn 4.7.1 John 4:7 is borne of God, is regenerate, is the Childe of God; thatyy1 Iohn 4.12.1 John 4:12 God dwelleth in him, hee abideth in his heart by his Spirit; and that he dothzzIbid. Sincerely love God, and is beloved p. 248conſequently of God. And as David teſtifieth the ſinceritie of his Love unto God, by his loving, aaPſal. 16.2, 3. & 119.63.Ps 16:2Ps 16:3Ps 119:63liking of, and delighting in the Saints of God: ſo he makethbbPſal. 15.1, 4.Ps 15:1Ps 15:4 the honouring and reſpecting of thoſe that feare God, a note and marke of ſuch as are free Deniſons of the heavenly Ieruſalem.

Purpoſe of Dependance.The like might be ſaid ſeverally ofccDeut. 4.4. & 30.20. Pſal. 73.27, 28. Act. 11.23.Deut 4:4Deut 30:20Ps 73:27Ps 73:28Acts 11:23 the ſtedfaſt purpoſe of depending upon God, and ddPſal. 1.2. & 119.15, 16. Eſa. 58.13.Ps 1:2Ps 119:15Ps 119:16Isa 58:13of continuing conſtant in the diligent uſe of the Ordinances of God, and eePſal 119 8, 40, 44, 48. & 128.1.Ps 119:8Ps 119:40Ps 119:44Ps 119:48Ps 128:1walking carefully in his wayes. But that which I here in this laſt Note principally aime at, and will therefore moſt inſiſt on,Conſtant uſe of Gods ordinances. is this, that then the Sinceritie of a mans heart herein doth moſt evidently appeare, when he perſiſteth thus conſtantly in loving God, and Gods Children, cleaving to God, following him, frequenting his Ordinances, and depending upon him, though God ſeeme not to regard him, And obſervance of Gods wayes.nor doe reveale himſelfe yet unto him in that comfortable manner,ffPſal. 1…9 132.Ps 1:9 as hee doth frequently and uſually unto thoſe that be his.††Eſa 8.17.Isa 8:17 Yet will I wait upon the Lord, ſaith the Prophet Eſay, though he have hid his face from us. And,ggIob 13.15.Job 13:15 Though he ſlay me, ſaith Iob, yet will I ſtill truſt in him: Notwithſtanding want of aſſurance and comfort.Yea,hhIob 13.24. Nec ſic probatus ab offi…io receſſit. Tu, inquit, avertis faciem tuam à me, ſed ego non ſum averſus à te. Ruffin. in Pſal. 29.Job 13:24Ps 29 though hee hide his face from me, and carry himſelfe towards mee as an enemie. Hereby doe the People of God in the Pſalme approve their Sinceritie unto God, and the uprightneſſe of their hearts with him, in thatiiPſal. 44.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24 Nec iratum colere deſtiterant numen: uti Sen. ad Marc. c. 13.Ps 44:17Ps 44:18Ps 44:19Ps 44:20Ps 44:21Ps 44:24Mark 13 though God ſeemed to have cleane forgotten them, and to have utterly caſt them off, yet they had not left him, nor taken occaſion thereby, either to neglect him or to ſtray from him, either in heart or in life, and to ſeeke to any other helps. And it is certainly an argument of a great meaſure of Grace, when a Chriſtian Soule, though finding in it ſelfe ſo weake encouragement, in regard of comfort or aſſurance, to depend upon God, yet can firmely reſolve conſtantlykkEſa. 50.10.Isa 50:10 to rely and reſt wholly upon him: when thoughllPſal. 77.3.Ps 77:3 it feele little or no comfort at all in ought that it doth, yetmmPſal. 119.81, 82, 83.Ps 119:81Ps 119:82Ps 119:83 it will not thereby be diſcouraged from perſiſting in the obſervance of holy exerciſes, and the performance of good duties, content with Patience, and yet not without a kinde ofnnPſal. 6.3. & 13.1. Subtractio namque rei quam amas, augmentatio de ſiderii est: & quod ardentius deſiderat quis, aegrius caret. Bern. Cant. 51.Ps 6:3Ps 13:1 religious impatience too,ooPſal. 62.1, 5, 6, 7.Ps 62:1Ps 62:5Ps 62:6Ps 62:7 to ſubmit it ſelfe to Gods good pleaſure,ppPſal. 40.1.Ps 40:1 wait his holy leaſure, andqqLament. 3.26, 27, 28, 29, …0.Lam 3:26Lam 3:27Lam 3:28Lam 3:29 expect when hee ſhall ſee it fit and ſeaſonable in mercy, further to reveale himſelfe, and to miniſter unto it the inward comforts of his Spirit. As on the other ſide it is a ſhrewd Signe of inſincerity and unſoundneſſe, when men are ready to caſt off all religious regard, if they cannot in good exerciſes finde preſent comfort; or ſhall be ready, if God doe not inſtantly anſwer them according to their deſires, to ſay with Iorams profane Purſuevant,rr2 King 6.33.2 Kgs 6:33 What ſhould I doe waiting on God any longer? Or with Saul, ſſ1 Sam. 28.6, 7.1 Sam 28:61 Sam 28:7to leave God, and betake them to other courſes, yea thoſe, ſuch as he in his Word hath expreſly inhibited.

Neither are we to thinke that the Prayers and other holy exerciſes of ſuch ſo affected, as before was ſaid, in regard of the want of that alacrity and cheerfulneſſe of Spirit in them, are therefore either altogether unprofitable to themſelves, or unacceptable in Gods ſight. For to omit, that there is oft more true Spirituall vivacitie in the prayers and other exerciſes of perſons even ſo affected, than in the prayers and exerciſes of many others;ttVideatur ſimilitudo de Aqua tubis & canalibus concluſa; apud Greg. Naz. orat. 31. Chryſoſt, contra Anomaeos orat. 5. & Greg. Rom. in Paſtore p. 3 c. 1. §. 1…. their inward p. 249ſenſe of their wants and inſtant deſire of having them ſupplied, putting a great deale of ſpirit and life more than ordinary into them: An hungrie belly, an emptie maw, will make a begger begge more earneſtly, than when hee hath beene feeding but a little before. Reade butuuPſal. 42. & 44. & 63. & 77. & 84. & 88. & 89. & 102. & 119. &c.Ps 42 the Pſalmes and Prayers that the Saints of God have made and penned in ſuch caſes, and upon ſuch occaſions, and marke what a deale of ſpirituall vigour and vivacitie appeareth in them. Not to ſtand, I ſay, upon this; Even the weakeſt and the feebleſt that are, muſt for their comfort and encouragement in this kinde be informed, thatxxSpinaeus de Iuſtit. Chriſtian. tranſlated into Engliſh by M^r I. Field. A booke that I wiſh were reprinted againe. as the broths, and meats, and medicines that ſicke perſons take, though they delight not the taſte, nor doe they finde any good reliſh in them, by reaſon of their preſent infirmity and weakneſſe, yet may doe them much good, and be a means both to preſerve life, to keepe from fainting and further weakneſſe, and to ſtrengthen alſo in ſome meaſure: ſo holy actions though performed with much infirmity and weakneſſe, yet with an holy and religious diligence, may much benefit the ſoule ſo performing the ſame, albeit it finde little ſpirituall reliſh in them, or feele no comfort from them for the preſent. Yea, howſoever it be true, as I ſaidaaMotive 2. before, that the want of alacrity and cheerfulneſſe in performance of holy Duties, eſpecially procured by ſome wilfull neglect, or by ſome peeviſh and wayward diſpoſition, framing matter of griefe to it ſelfe from idle toyes and trifles unto the diſturbance of it ſelfe in ſuch duties, doth much diminiſh, and take away much the grace of them: yet it is no leſſe true thatbbQuibuſdam lac, quibuſdam vinum apponitur. Lac ſuaviter bibitur, dulciter liquatur, ſine laeſione, ſine amaritudine; vinum asperius est, & minus ſuave. Lac bibunt qui in ſancto propoſito ſuaviter incedunt, dulciter currunt, &c. Vinum bibunt, qui vias vitae aggreſſi, & ingreſſi, corporis animae que tribulationibus contorquentur, ſed non cedunt, neque recedunt tamen. Sed quis horum tibi videtur vel ille qui in ſuavitate, vel ille qui in aſperitate currit viam mandatorum Dei? primus foelicior, ſecundus fortior; uterque tamen juſtus, uterque pius, Bern. de conſcient. c. 3. the conſtant and conſcionable perſiſting in performance of ſuch duties, notwithſtanding that all good means uſed, the poore Chriſtian ſoule cannot attaine to that alacrity that faine it would, may make them no leſſe acceptable, if not more acceptable to God, than if they were done even with the greateſt delight. Suppoſe two perſons attend the King in his hunting, or at his ſports, the one that taketh much delight in the game, the other that hath little or no delight in it: or the one luſty and healthy, and that attendeth him therefore with eaſe; the other weake and faint, or lame, or having ſome hurt about him, in regard whereof he cannot follow him but with much paine and difficulty, and yet will not give over, but be hard at his heeles ſtill, as ready and forward as the former. HisccVoluntas est, quae apud nos ponit officium. Senec. de benef. lib. 6. c. 12. will may bee every whit as good as the other, and his Soveraigne is no leſſe, if not more, for ſuch his ſervice beholden to him, than to the other. Nor may the ſervice of ſuch a poore ſoule therefore be the leſſe acceptable to God, becauſe it cannot performe it with ſuch alacrity and delight asddQuomodò de aegroto Aug. in Pſal. 118. conc. 8. Aegrotus qui faſtidio laborat, & vult evadere hoc malum, concupiſcit defiderare cibum, dum concupiſcit non habere faſtidium. Et appetit animus, ut appetat corpus, quando appetit animus, nec appetit corpus.Ps 118 it deſireth. And in like manner for Faith and dependance upon God. It is not an argument of no Faith, when a man cannot yet attaine to a full perſwaſion and aſſurance of Gods ſpeciall favour towards him, and of the free remiſſion of his ſinnes in Chriſt, that many other faithfulleeGalat. 2.20. 1 Iohn 3.14. & 5.19, 20.Gal 2:201 John 3:141 John 5:191 John 5:20 have had, and many doubtleſſe alſo ordinarily have. This is a conſequent rather of Faith, that asffNon praecedunt juſtificandum, ſed ſequuntur juſtificatum. Aug. de fid. & oper. c. 14. Augustine ſaith of workes, p. 250rather followeth the perſon justified, than precedeth and goeth before Iustification, as Faith beingggRom. 3.28. & 3.1.Rom 3:28Rom 3:1 an instrumentall cauſe of producing it as an effect doth. It is a conſequent, I ſay, of it, deduced from it, as the ſame Father wellhhServator loquitur, Veritas pollicetur: Qui audit verba mea, & credit ei qui miſit me, habet vitam aeternam, tranſiit de morte ad vitam, & in judicium non veniet. Ego audivi, credidi; infidelis cùm eſſem, factus ſum fidelis: Tranſii ergò à morte ad vitam, & in judicium non veniam, non praeſumptione mea, ſed ipſius promiſſione. Aug. in Ioan. 5.24.John 5:24 ſheweth, by a Syllogiſme, wherein Faith is aſſumed, and this perſwaſion concluded from it: and that not ſimply and abſolutely neceſſary neither, but ſuch as is, by generall conſent, oft ſevered from it. But for a man, though he cannot yet attaine to it, yea though he never ſhould ſo long as he liveth, yet to reſolveiiAct. 11.23. Hoc ſuaderi, à verbo quaeri; perſuaderi, inveniri eſt. Bern. in Cant. 84.Acts 11:23 to cleave unto God with full purpoſe of heart, to ſticke cloſe unto him, to depend wholly upon him, and not to give over ſtill ſeeking and ſuing to him for it, and the conſtant uſe of all good meanes to attaine it;kkPſal. 13.1, 5. & 43.2, 5.Ps 13:1Ps 13:5Ps 43:2Ps 43:5 like a Courtier, who though the King ſhew him no Countenance, but ſeeme wholly to neglect him, and not at all to regard him, yet will ſtill follow the Court, and tender his ſervice, and reſolve to give attendance, hoping yet to find acceptance at length, yea to doe it conſtantly, whether he ſhall finde acceptance or no; or likellMatth. 15.22-28.Matt 15:22–28 the woman of Canaan, that would follow Chriſt ſtill, and would take no nay of him, though he ſeemed not only not to regard her, or any other that made ſuit for her, but to reject and put her off with much diſgrace: it is a ſound argument of a true and a lively Faith, and of no ſmall meaſure of the ſame.

Queſtion. Where if it be demanded how this truſting to, and dependance upon God, may ſtand with the want of ſuch aſſurance; I ſhall not need to ſay much, becauſe the Argument hath bymmM^r Chibald Triall of Faith. a reverend Brother been of late handled at large.

Anſwer. OnelyOnly I make it plaine by this familiar Compariſon. Put caſe a poore man hath occaſion to make uſe of ſome great Courtier for the effecting of ſome buſineſſe of great conſequence for him, even as much as his life lieth on, or all that ever he is worth, as ſuppoſe the procuring him his pardon for ſome capitall crime from the Prince. And this great Courtier telleth him, that though hee bee but a ſtranger, one that can claime no ſuch thing from him, yea one that hath deſerved many wayes evill of him, yet if hee truſt onelyonly to him, and rely wholly upon him, he will doe that for him, which the poore wretch requireth of him. This poore man now in this caſe may truſt onelyonly to him, and neglecting all other means that either others may adviſe him to, or himſelfe ſometime thinke on, rely wholly upon him; and yet he may not be fully perſwaded that he will effect it for him neither. The conſideration of his owne want of worth and evill deſert,nn—quod nimis miſeri volunt, Hoc facilè credunt. Immò quod metuunt nimis, Nunquam amoneri poſſe, nec tolli putant. Prona est timori ſemper in pejus fides. Senec. Herc. fur. 2.1. Nec tutum patitur eſſe ſecurum pavor. Idem de gaudio. Luk. 24.41.Luke 24:41 his immoderate feare ariſing from the apprehenſion of the great danger that hee is in, and the ſubtill perſwaſion of others that would beare him in hand that hee will but delude him, and not doe for him as hee ſaith, may either ſeverally or joyntly bee a meanes to hold his minde in ſuſpence, and to keepe him from ſuch aſſurance, Yea his very miſtaking and miſconſtruction of the great mans meaning, when he ſaith, If you will truſt to, or rely upon mee alone for it, being poſſeſt with a conceit that his want of a full perſwaſion that hee will doe it, which hee cannot yet for his heart-bloud bring his minde to any ſetled aſſurance of, doth evidently ſhew that hee doth not truſt to him, may bee a p. 251meanes to make him beleeve, that hee will never doe it for him, becauſe hee doth not, what hee ſuppoſeth is therein abſolutely required of him, which to that great man alſo, if hee ſhould bee demanded of it, not daring to tell an untruth, would appeare. And yet for all this hee may reſolve to ſticke to his mediation only, and to rely wholly upon him, and not to ſeeke or trie any other way, whatſoever any man ſhall perſwade him to the contrary, or whatſoever the iſſue and event of it ſhall be. And even ſo may it well bee, and is queſtionleſſe with a Chriſtian ſoule many times.ooIohn 3.16, 36. & 5.24.John 3:16John 3:36John 5:24 God hath proclaimed and publiſhed a Patent of Pardon and ſalvation by Chriſt, to all that truſt to him for the ſame. A man may ſo doe, encouraged thereunto by this gratious offer and the condition to it annexed, yea many an one ſo doth, and yet partly out of the ſight and conſideration of his owne unworthineſſe, partly out of a kinde of timorouſneſſe and puſillanimitie of Spirit, partly by reaſon of ſome ſtrong melancholike imagination, and partly alſo through ſome powerfull deluſion of Satan, not bee able poſſibly to perſwade himſelfe that Chriſt is yet his, or that hee hath intereſt in him, hath his ſinnes pardoned for him, and ſhall live eternally by him. Yea the very miſtaking of the true Nature of ſaving Faith, and ſuppoſing the very eſſence of it to conſiſt in this particular perſwaſion, (which yet is onelyonly an effect and a fruit, yea ſuch a fruit of it, as doth not neceſſarily alwayes ſpring from it,ppPſal. 31.22. & 77.7, 8, 9. & 88.14. & 116.11.Ps 31:22Ps 77:7Ps 77:8Ps 77:9Ps 88:14Ps 116:11 nor is at all times of the yeere ever conſtantly found on it,) and that therefore hee doth not truſt in Chriſt ſo long as hee wanteth it, is a maine meanes to keepe many from it, and from the comfort of it, which yet have true Faith, and doe unfainedly truſt in Chriſt for all that: As by many other ſound and undoubted Arguments, which if they bee queſtioned with and urged to it, not daring to deny them, leſt they ſhould lie againſt their owne Conſcience, may bee drawne from their owne confeſſions and anſwers concerning themſelves, (when there is no feare of Hypocriſie, leſt they ſhould therein diſſemble, being more prone to charge than to cleare, and to alledge matter againſt themſelves, than to produce any thing for themſelves;) will evidently appeare. Among which Arguments alſo even this, though it come laſt, yet is none of the leaſt, if their Conſcience unfainedly can teſtifie for them, that though they have not yet ſuch a perſwaſion and aſſurance of Gods mercy toward them in Chriſt for the remiſsion of their ſinnes and the ſalvation of their ſoules, yet theyqqPſal. 51.11, 12.Ps 51:11Ps 51:12 unfainedly deſire, andrr2 Pet. 1.10.2 Pet 1:10 labour inſtantly for it, and though they cannot yet attaine to it, yet theyſſEpheſ. 6.24.Eph 6:24 love the Lord Ieſus heartily, and ttColoſſ. 1.4.Col 1:4his members for his ſake, and uu2 Chron. 14.11.2 Chr 14:11reſt and repoſe themſelves wholly upon him, and Gods mercy in him, xxAct. 4.12. Iohn 6.68.Acts 4:12John 6:68renouncing all other meanes of remiſsion of ſinne and ſalvation without him, with yyIob 13.15.Job 13:15a full purpoſe of heart and reſolution ſtill ſo to doe, zzPſal. 40.1.Ps 40:1expecting when God ſhall in mercy be pleaſed to looke gratiouſly upon them, and to vouchſafe them that aſſurance that as yet they have not. **Prov. 16.10.Prov 16:10Who ſo trusteth in the Lord, ſaith Salomon, O bleſſed is hee. And what a great meaſure of grace is it for a man to truſt thus in God, **This is that certaintie of adherence, diſtinct from the certainty of evidence, of which M^r Hooker on Abakk. 1.4.and cleave faſt unto him, while p. 252hee lieth yet under the ſenſe and apprehenſion of his wrath?

Concluſion.Thoſe therefore, whatſoever they are, that having by theſe or the like Notes and Signes examined themſelves, have found their hearts to bee ſincere and upright with God, albeit this their beginning of Grace bee mixt with much weakneſſe, they may know thereby and aſſure themſelves that they have right to, and intereſt in the Light and Ioy of the Iuſt here ſpoken of: and they may therefore ſafely lay hold on it, admit it, give way to it, receive it and harbour it in their hearts; yea that they wrong themſelves, Gods grace in them, and his goodneſſe towards them, whenaaPſal. 77.2.Ps 77:2 they refuſe and repell it, having ſo good and ſure ground for it, having ſo great cauſe, as wee have here ſhewed, to rejoyce.

Light and Ioy being ſowen here, not for the righteous alone, but for all that are upright in heart.

Which Ioy the Lord in mercy vouchſafebbEſa. 61.3.Isa 61:3 to all in Sion that yet want it, and increaſe it dayly in the hearts of all thoſe that already have it, untill wee come all to meet and partake together in thatccPſal. 16.11.Ps 16:11 fulneſſe of Ioy, which ſhall never againe bee interrupted or eclipſed in us,ddIohn 16.22.John 16:22 ſhall never in whole or in part bee taken againe away from us, Amen.

FINIS.