Sermon for the Reformation of our Sinful and Wicked Lives, Sermon

Sermon for the Reformation of our Sinful and Wicked Lives · Sermon

p. 7A SVVEET AND COMFORTABLE SERMON FOR A TROVbled Conſcience.

PROV. 18. 14.

The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmitie: but a wounded ſpirit vvho canne beare it.

THIS Scripture is not onelyonly woorthie to be grauen in ſteele with the point of an Adamant, and in letters of golde; but alſo to bee written and regiſtred by the finger of Gods ſpirit in the tables of the hearte: which ſentence, brieflie ſpeaketh thus much vntounto vsus; that what trouble ſoever p. 8befalleth a man, his mind vnapalled, he will indifferently beare it out: But if the ſpirite of a man be once troubled and diſmaied, he cannot tell how to be deliuered. And no marvell, for if the minde of man be that fountaine of comforte, which miniſters comfort to him in all other troubles, and if it become comfortleſſe, what ſhall comfort it? if it be voide of help, where ſhall … be helped? If the eye which is the light of the bodie, be darknes; how great is that darknes? If the ſalt which ſauoreth all things be vnſauorie, for what is it good? If the minde which ſuſtaineth all troubles be troubled, how intollerable is that trouble? To ſhewe this the better, wee will firſt declare, howe great a puniſhment of God this wounde of Conſcience is. Secondly, we will teach, how this trouble of mind may be avoided. Laſtly, we will ſet downe, how Gods children falling in ſome meaſure into this affliction of ſpirit, may be recouered out of it.

For the firſt, the griefe of this maladie p. 9is ſeene, either by ſome due conſideration of the perſones that hauehave felt it, or by ſome wiſe compariſon, made betweene this griefe of minde, and other outward griefes incident to a man.

The perſons, in whome we may conſider this wounde of ſpirite, are either meerlie naturall men, or ſuch as be renewed by the ſpirite of God: the men meerly naturall, are either the heathen, ſuch as never knewe God in Chriſt: or carnall profeſſors, ſuch as hauehave not proteſted Chriſtianitie aright: If we looke among the Heathen, howe many of them hauehave willingly gone vnderunder povertie, and hauehave bene content to vnburden themſelues of all worldly treſures, how hauehave ſome of them, whileſt their minds were vnapalled, ſuffered impriſonment exile, and extreame tortures of bodie, rather than they woulde betraye their Cuntries: &c. How many of them hauehave devoured many injuries, and born outward troubles with ſome eaſe, and with no reſiſtance, whileſt their minds were p. 10at libertie? and yet look not to the … neſt, but to the beſt and moſt excellent men among them, even their wiſe Philoſophers, ſweet Oratours, and exquiſite Poets; who in bearing and forbearing, they thought the chiefeſt point of vertue to conſiſt: and yet yee ſhall ſee, when once ſome great diſtreſſe of mind did wound them; ſome would make an end of it, by preparing a cup of deadlie poyſon; ſome would violently and voluntarilie run on their enemies pykes; ſome would throwe downe themſelues from high mountaines; ſome woulde not ſtick to ſtabbe moſt monſtrouſlie their own bodies with daggers, or ſuch like inſtruments of death. All which men, woulde ſeeme to hauehave great courage, in ſuſtaining many harmes, ſo long as their minds were not ouer maiſtered; but when that devine and ſupreame eſſence which they acknowledged, did by his power croſſe and ouerturne their wittie deviſes, and head-ſtrong attemptes, ſo as without hope p. 11of remedy, they were hampered in penſiuenes and ſorrow of mind: then being not able to turne themſelues vnderunder ſo heauy a burden, they ſhrink down, and by violent death, would ridde themſelues of that diſquietnes and impatiencie of their troubled mindes. But, let vsus come neerer, and whether we behold the Papiſtes, or the familie of LoueLove, or the common ſort of Chriſtians, we ſhal ſee, they will paſſe quietly through many afflictions; whether for that they hauehave a ſpirit of ſlumbering and numneſſe caſt on them; whether becauſe they hauehave branned themſelues through ſom ſenſles blockiſhnes, as men hewen out of hard oaks, or grauen out of marble ſtones, I knowe not: but yet when the Lord ſhall let loſe the cord of their conſcience, and ſhall ſet before their faces their ſinnes committed, ſee what fearfull ends they hauehave: ſo, whileſt ſome of them by hanging themſelues, ſome by caſting themſelues into the water, ſome by cutting their owne throates, p. 12hauehave ridde themſelues out of their intollerable griefes. Now, wherein is the difference, that ſome die ſo ſenſleſlie, and ſome diſpatch them ſo violentlie? Surely, the one feeling no ſinne, depart like brutiſh hoggs: the other ſure charged with ſin, depart like barking dogs: But let vsus come to the children of God, who hauehave in ſome degrees felt this troble of minde, and it will appeare both in the members, and in the heade of all burthens, to be a thing moſt intollerable to ſuffer a wounded conſcience: and to begin with, let vsus ſet in the firſt ranke Iob, that man of God, commended vntounto vsus by the holy Ghoſt, for a mirrour of patience; who although for his riches, he was the welthieſt man in the land of VZ, and for his authoritie might hauehave made afraide a great multitude: whoſe ſubſtance was the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt: yet when the Sabeans came violently and tooke away all his cattell; when the fyre of God from heauen burnt vp his ſheep & his ſervants; p. 13when the Caldeans had taken away his Camels; when a greate winde ſmote downe his houſe vponupon his children; although indeede he rent his garments, which was not ſo much for impatiencie, as to ſhewe that he was not vnſenſible in theſe euills: yet it is ſaid, that he worſhipped & bleſſed the name of the Lord, ſaying: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither: Howbeit, beholde, when at the ſtrong conference of his comfortleſſe friendes, his minde began to be agaſht, which was not ſo in all his former tryall: when his Conſcience began to bee troubled, when he ſawe the Lord faſten in him ſharp arrowes, and to ſet him vp as a Butt to ſhoot at: when he thought God cauſed him to poſſeſſe the ſinnes of his youth, this glorious patterne of patience, could not beare his griefe, he was heauie, and ſo may commend to all, the image of a wounded ſpirite that ſhall come after. Dauid, a man choſen according to the Lords owne heart: Ezeckiah, p. 14a pure worſhipper of God, and a carefull reſtorer of true Religion, Ieremiah the Prophet of the Lord, ſanctified and ordained to that office before he was formed in his mothers wombe, were rare and ſingular in the graces of God: yet when they felt this wounde pearcing them, with grief of hart; they wer as Sparrows mourning, as Cranes chattering, as Pellicanes caſting out fearful cries: they thoght themſelues as in the graue, they wiſhed to hauehave dwelt ſolitarie, they were as bottels parched in the ſmoke, they were as Doues mourning, not able without ſighes & grones to vtter their wordes, their hartes claue to the duſt, & their tongues to the roofe of their mouth: but aboue all, if theſe were not ſufficient to perſwade vsus in this doctrine, there remaineth one example, whome wee affirme to be the perfite annotomie of an afflicted mind; that is, the Lord and Saviour of vsus all, Chriſt Ieſus, the Image of the Father, the heade of the bodie, the mirrour of p. 15all graces: the wiſedome, righteouſnes, holines and redemption of all Saints; who ſuſtained the croſſe, even from his youth vpwarde, beſides povertie, baſenes, and hunger, did willingly vndergo that great trouble of contempt and reproch, and that among them, where he ſhould hauehave had a right deſerued honour, in reſpect of the doctrine that hee taught them, and in regard of the manifold miracles wrought among them: as the healing of the ſicke; the giuing ſight to the blinde; and reſtoring life to the dead: this vnkindnes nevertheleſſe, did not ſo much ſtick into him; but, at what time hee was ſet as a ſacrifice for all, when hee was to beare our infirmities, and carie our ſorrowes; at what time hee was plagued, ſmitten of God, humbled and wounded for our tranſgreſſions; when hee ſhould be broken for our iniquities, and the chaſtiſement of our peace was vponupon him, then he cried out, My ſoule is heauie euen vntounto the death, then hee praieth, O Father, if it be p. 16poſsible, let this cup paſſe from me: but how praied hee? even with ſweating: howe ſweated he? even drops of blood: how often praied he? three times: when ended his agonie? not till hee was deade: what ſaid he being ready to depart? My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? was this for his humane death, as ſome hauehave imagined? no, wee wicked men hauehave died without complaint, whoſe patience then might hauehave ſeemed to exceede his: it was his ſuffering in his humane ſpirite, which encountered with the wrath of God, his God-heade ſuppreſſing it for a while, hee ſuffered many torments in his bodie, but much more heavilie did the wrath of God lie vponupon his ſoule: if this conſideration of an afflicted ſpirite in theſe examples, doth not ſufficiently ſhew, what a grieuous thing it is to ſuffer a wounded conſcience, let vsus proceed with the comparing of this with other euils, which falleth into the nature of man: there is no ſickneſſe, but phiſick prouideth it a p. 17remedie: there is no ſore, but Chirurgerie wil afforde a ſalue: freindſhip helpeth povertie: there is no impreſonment, but there is hope of libertie; ſute and favour recouereth a man from baniſhment: authoritie and time weareth away reproch. But what phiſick cureth: what chirurgerie ſalveth: what riches ranſome: what countenance beareth out: what authoritie aſſwageth: what ſalue delayeth a troubled conſcience? All theſe banded togeather in league: though they would conſpyre a confederacie, cannot help this our diſtres of a troubled or vnquyet mynde. And yet this one comfort of a quyet mynd doth wonderfullie cure, and comfortablie aſwage all other griefes whatſoeuer. For if our aſſiſtance wer, as an hoſt of armed ſouldiers: if our friends were the Princes and all the governours of the earth: if our poſſeſſions were as large as betwene the eaſt and the weſt: if our meat were as Manna from heaven: if our apparell were as coſtelie, as the Ephod of p. 18Aaron: if euerie day were as glorious as the day of Chriſts reſurrection: yet our mindes, beeing appalled with the judgement of God, theſe things would little comfort vsus. Let experience ſpeak, if a troubled mynd impaireth not helth & dryeth not vp the blood, conſumeth not the marrowe, pyneth not away the fleſhe, and conſumeth the bones: if it make not all pleaſures painefull, and ſhortneth not the life: ſurely no wiſedome can conceale it, no counſell can adviſe it, no adviſe can aſſwage it, no aſſwagement can cure it, no eloquence can perſwade it, no power can overcome it, no ſcepter will affray it, no Enchanter can charme it; and yet on the contrary. If a man languiſh in ſickneſſe, ſo his heart be whole, and he is perſwaded of the health of his ſoule; his ſicknes doth not grieue him. If a man be reproched, ſo he be precious in the ſight of God and his Angels, what loſſe hath he? If a man be baniſhed, and yet doubteth not, that heaven is his cuntrie, and p. 19that he is a Citizen among the Saints, it doth not appall him. If a man be in trouble, and findeth peace of Conſcience, he wil quietly diſgeſt his trouble: but if the minde be troubled, who dareth meete with the wrath of the Lord of Hoſtes? Who can put to ſilence the voice of deſperation? Who wil ſtep out & make an agrement with the higheſt to ſpare vsus? Who dare make a covenant with the devill, that he would not lay claime to vsus? If then a good conſcience helpeth all evills, and all other benefites of this life, in them ſelues cannot help a troubled conſcience, nor ſee it true by proofe, which heare it by prouerb, The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmitie, but a vvounded ſpirit who can beare it? Againe, in all other afflictions, we may hauehave ſome comfort againſt ſin, but this is ever accompanied with the accuſation of ſinne: A man may be ſick, reproched, impriſoned, and yet in all theſe hauehave a cleare conſcience, his own heart telling him, that there is no ſpirituall p. 20cauſe of theſe croſſes in him, but that he may ſuffer them for the triall of his faith, or for righteouſnes ſake and wel doing: but where the ſpirit is wounded, there is ſtill a guiltines of ſinne; and when a mans ſpirit is troubled, hee ſuſpecteth all his waies, hee feareth all his ſinnes, he knoweth not what ſinne to begin with, it breedeth ſuch hurlie-burlies in him; that when it is day, hee wiſheth it were night, and when it is night, he would hauehave it day: his meate doth not nouriſh him, his dreames are fearfull vntounto him, his ſleep often tymes forſaketh him; if he ſpeake, hee is little eaſed; if hee keepe ſilence, hee boyleth with diſquietnes of heart: the light doth not comfort him, the darkneſſe doeth grieue him; to proſecute our compariſon: where all other evills are the more tollerable, becauſe they be temporall and purſues vsus but to death; this not being cured, endeth not in death, but becommeth eternallie: for even the Heathen men thought, that death was the p. 21end of al miſeries: the perſwaſion thereof, made them being in ſome miſerie, to make an end of themſelues, and haſten their owne death; as Sathan doeth make many now adaies to do, who are ignorant of the Hells, which is a place of far greater paine, than any they can ſuffer in this world whatſoeuer. Howbeit, a tormented conſcience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or if it were not before, nowe beginneth, and never endeth, world without end. For, though true it is, that povertie, impriſonment or baniſhment, hauehave ended their times in death, yet a wounded heart, which was temporall in this life; that which before death was in hope recoverable, is after death made both vncurable, and vnrecoverable. It is good then to conſidder, if even in this life, the torment of Conſcience bee ſo fearefull, how much more grievous it is to ſuſtaine it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finite; where that is vnmeaſurable, which heere is meaſurable, p. 22where is the ſea of ſorrowe, whereof this is but a drop; where is the flame of that fyre, whereof this is but a ſpark: But to ſhut vp argument, ſome there hauehave beene, that throughout their life time, hauehave beene free from other troubles; ſo as either they felt them not at all, or in very ſmal meaſure, and by that meanes never knewe their head-ache: For povertie, never knewe what want meant: who for diſcredit, were never euill ſpoken of; who ever put farre from them the evill daye of the Lord: who hauehave made a league with death (as it were) and a covenant with hell; who thoght they could crucifie every croſſe rather than come vnderunder any, yet they could never eſcape a wounded conſcience, either in this life or in the life to come: true it is, that Gods children by faith and repentance doe oft eſcape it; but the wicked and ſuch as are borne to it, as to their ſure inheritance, the more they flie from it, the more it purſueth them. If we tranſgreſſe the civil lawes, p. 23the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted: If a man hauehave committed ſome capital offence by flying his Cuntrie, hee may eſcape the Magiſtrates hands: But our conſcience telling vsus, that we hauehave ſinned againſt God: what bribe ſhall wee offer, or whither ſhall wee flee? where ſhall we go from his ſpirite, or whither ſhall we flee from his preſence? If wee aſcend into heauen, is hee not there? If we lie downe in hel, is hee not there? If wee flie to the vttermoſt partes of the earth, is he not there alſo? there nedeth no Paritoure to ſummon vsus, there needeth no Bailife to fetch vsus, there needes no accuſer to giuegive in verdite againſt vsus: ſinne will arreſt vsus, and lieth at the doore, our owne conſcience will impanell a queaſt againſt vsus, our own hearts will giuegive in ſufficient evidence, and our iniquities will pleade guiltie to our faces: Thus wee ſee, both by the experience of them that hauehave ſuffered the wound of the ſpirit, and the comparing it with other evills: what a weight moſt p. 24grievous, and a burthen intollerable it is, to hauehave a tormented Conſcience. Nowe, let vsus ſhewe howe we may preuent it, and by what meanes Gods children often fall into ſome degrees of it: but if it rage in extremitie, it is an euill vnrecoverable, yet many ſafely and quietly be deliuered from it: and heere a juſt complaint is to be taken vp; and it is a woonder to be marked, (if we may wonder at Gods works) that we ſee many ſo carefull and watchfull to avoide other troubles, and ſo few or none take any paine to eſcape trouble of minde, which is ſo grievous; we ſee men loving health, and loathing ſickneſſe; in dyet temperate; in ſleepe moderate; in phiſick expert; skilfull to purge; and ſo to avoid ſuch corrupt humours which in time many breede, though preſently they do not bring forth ſicknes: yet to avoide the diſeaſes of the ſoule, no man abateth his ſleepe, none abridgeth his dyet, no man prepareth phiſick for it, no man knoweth when to be full, and p. 25when to be emptie: howe to want, and howe to abounde: others, carried away with the louelove of riches, and fearfull to fall into povertie, will not ſtick to riſe early, to take ſleepe lately, to fare hardly, to travell and tyre their fleſhe in labour, by Land and by Sea, in faire and fowle weather, by rockes and by ſands, from farre and from neere: but to fall into ſpirituall decay, to avoide the pouertie of Conſcience, noe man taketh ſuch paines, as though ſalvation and peace in mind, were a thing not worth the labouring for: ſome ambitiouſlie hunting after honour, and not eaſilie digeſting reproach, behaue themſelues neither ſluggiſhly nor ſleepily, but are actiue in every attempt, by louelove and by counſell; by prudence & proweſſe, by wit and by practiſe, by labour and learning, by caring & diligence to become famous, and to ſhun a civill reproch: yet to be glorious in the ſight of God and his Angels, to fall before the heavens, and in the preſence of the Almightie, p. 26to be covered with ſhame and confuſion of conſcience, wee make none account, as they, who neuer vſe means to obtaine the one, nor avoid the occaſions which may bring the other: others vnwilling to come within the daunger of the Lawe, that they may eſcape impriſonment of the body, or confiſcation of goods, will be painfull in penall ſtatutes, ſkilfull in every branch of the civill lawes; and eſpecially, will labour to keep themſelues from treaſons, murther, fellonies, and ſuch like offences of life and death; yet when the Lord God, threatneth the loſſe both of ſoule & bodie, the attaching of our ſouls▪ the confiſcating of our conſciences; the baniſhing vsus from heauen; the hanging of vsus in hell; the ſuſpending of our ſalvation; the adjudging of vsus to condemnation, for the breach of his commandements: no man ſearcheth his eternall Lawe, no man careth for the Goſpell, neither the ſentence of an everlaſting devorcement from the Lord: neither the covenant p. 27of reconciliation is eſteemed of vsus. And to reache out our complainte one degree farther: beholde, the more wee ſeeke outward pleaſures, and to auoide the inward trouble of mind, the more we haſt and runne into it: and we ſpeed to plunge our ſelues in a wounded ſpirit, before we be aware: who poſteth more to become riche, who hopeth leſſe to become poore, than the Marchant man? who adventureth greater treaſures, who hazardeth his goods, who putteth in jeopardie his life, and yet ſuddenly hee ruſheth vponupon the rock of hardnes of heart, or elſe is ſwallowed vp of the gulfe of a diſpairing mind, from which happilie, he cannot be redeemed with a ſhip-full of golde? Wofull proofe hath confirmed, howe ſome men whollie ſet vponupon pleaſure, ſuch as could not away to bee ſadde, and hedged vp alwaies of godly ſorrowe, hauehave had their troubles made ſnares vntounto them, and even their exceſſe of pleaſure, hath brought exceſſe of ſorrowe: p. 28and whileſt they laboured to put the euil day farre from them, they hauehave vſed ſuch follies, as hauehave bene the bitter and moſt ſpeedy hangmen of their ſorrowfull Conſciences. There be ſome of an other ſorte, who never dreaming of a troubled mind, hauehave had their hearts ſet on nothing, but howe they might get ſome great fame & renown, and therefore hauehave ſlipt into ſuch dangerous attempts & foule flatteries, as they hauehave not onelyonly loſt the peace of their Conſciences, but alſo fallen moſt deeply into ſhame, which they ſought to ſhun. Nowe, as the peace of Conſcience and joy of mind, is ſuch a treaſure, as the eye hath not ſeene, the eare hath not heard, nor the tongue cannot expreſſe, but paſſeth all vnderſtanding: ſo the wounded ſpirit is ſuch, as the eye hath not ſeene, the eare hath not heard, nor the tongue vttered it, but paſſeth all vnderſtanding▪ and as they onelyonly knowe what the peace of minde meaneth that feele it, ſo they alone can in trueth ſpeake of a troubled p. 29minde, that hauehave taſted of it by experience. But let vsus ſhew what way is to be vſed, to keep vsus from this wound of ſpirit; it is the vſe of Phiſick, as to cure vsus from diſeaſes when wee are fallen into them, ſo to preſerue vsus from ſickneſſes, before it hath taken holde of vsus: ſo it is the power of the word, as to aſwage the trouble of Conſcience, when it doeth once preſſe vsus, ſo to prevent it before it hath overtaken vsus. It is a chiefe point of worldly wiſedome, not to tary for the vſe of phiſick, till we be deadly ſick; but to be acquainted with Gods mercifull preſervatiues to defend vsus from it: likewiſe, it is a chiefe pollicie of a godly Chriſtian, not onelyonly to ſeeke comfort when the agonie is vponupon him, but alſo to vſe all good helpes, to meet with it before it comes: and if wee condemne them of follie, who will not as well labour to keepe themſelues out of debt, as to pay the debt when we owe it: ſo it is a madnes, not to be as circumſpect, to avoid al occaſions which may bring p. 30trouble of minde vponupon vsus: as we would be provident to enter every good way, which may drawe vsus out of this trouble when wee hauehave once entered into it: theſe remedies preſervatiue are firſt the ſearching of our ſinnes, and then the examining of our faith: the examining of our ſinne, is either the due acknowledging of our ſinnes, or the ſence and feeling of them, the acknowledging of ſin, is either of thoſe that be paſt, whether we hauehave repented of them, or of thoſe that are preſent, whether we are truly greued for them: Thirdly, of thoſe ſecreet corruptions to come, whether we are reverently afraid of them: concerning ſins paſt, we muſt call to mind the ſinnes done of old in our youth, in our middle age, and in our old age, that we judging of our ſelues, may not be judged of the Lord; that accuſing our ſelues, Sathan hauehave no occaſion to accuſe vsus; and throwing downe our ſelues before the Lord, he may lift vsus vp: for many going quietly away, and ſleeping p. 31ſecurelie in their ſleeues, notwithſtanding the ſinnes of their youth; and neglecting to make conſcience of their ſins done long agoe, ſodainly hauehave fallen into ſuch horrour of mind, that the violent remembrance of all their ſinnes ſure charging, they hauehave beene overwhelmed: this examination doth then rightly proceed, when it is reached to the errours of this life, and to the ſinnes of our youth; becauſe many, even from their childe-hood, by a civill righteous life, hauing eſcaped groſſe ſins, wherewith the world culd never charge them, hauehave notwithſtanding caried the burthen of more ſecreet ſins done in their youth: David Pſalm. 25. 7. prayeth the Lord, not to Remember the ſinnes of his youth: Iob, the man of God confeſſeth, that the Lord writing bitter thinges againſt him, made him to poſſeſſe the iniquities of his youth: what ſhall wee think, that David, or Iob were giuen to notorious wickedneſſe in their youth, no: but they knew they were ſubject to p. 32youthfull wantonnes, and vntamednes of affections; which though it did not burſt out, yet it made them leſſe careful to glorifie God; with looſenes, the way to lewdnes; with weaknes, the way to ſtrange vanities; with wantonnes, the way to open wickednes, is even in the beſt of Gods Children in the daies of their youth: which being afterward in the time of their regeneration, brought as it were to judgment, and laid before their conſciences, doth cauſe them to repent. But heere is a thing to be bluſhed at, which maketh mens eares to tingle when they heare it, that many men no doubt, farre from this true Repentance, can largely indeede diſcourſe of the things done in their youth, but with ſuch a braverie, with ſuch a boſting, & pleaſing of themſelues therein, as beſides, that they provoke others to ſinne in the like, and ſet a flat back of braſſe againſt Repentance, and this Chriſtian examination; they ſeeme to renewe the decaied colours of their old ſinne, with p. 33the freſh ſent of their ſecond pleaſure therein: But alaſſe, what pleaſure hauehave they in thoſe things whereof they hauehave no profit? What profite hauehave they of thoſe things, whereof they ſhould be aſhamed? neither in this ſtraint can wee forget the madnes of them, who may ſeeme to ſteppe one degree further towards this examination of ſinne, than did the former, by thinking that the leauing of ſin, and the repenting of ſinne is all one: againſt theſe, both daily experience, and the word of God doeth ſufficiently declare. Ioſephs bretheren, (Iacobs ſons,) who deviſed evill againſt their brother, put him into the pitte, and ſolde him to ſtrangers, did ceaſe from this crueltie; but yet are not read to hauehave remembred their ſin with any remorſe; vntill 13. yeares after this ſin was committed, as we may ſee in the proceſſe of the hiſtorie: David had left his ſinnes of murther and adulterie, as thinking all quitte, and well the ſpace of a whole yeare: After which time, being admoniſhed p. 34of the Prophet Nathan, hee repented of it: and experience hath tryed in many that hauehave had ſome-working of God in them, that though they left their ſinnes many yeares agoe, yet becauſe they repented not truly for them, they hauehave rebounded vponupon them with terrible ſightes, and fearefull viſions to humble them, and to bring them to a ſerious examination of them, beeing done and lefte long ſince. Examples whereof, we need not fetch from farre, ſeing ſo many Preachers as ar acquainted with fearefull ſpirites, will giuegive vsus witneſſe hereof: the fruite of which amazed minds for ſinnes, alredy is ours, to beware of ſinnes that are to come; and that other mens harmes may teach vsus bleſſed wiſedome. Let vsus labour not onelyonly to leaue ſinne, which one may do for profite, for feare, for praiſe, or for weariſomnes; but alſo to repent of it for Conſcience ſake. This examination of our ſinnes paſt, muſt be partly of thoſe which we committed before, and partlie p. 35of thoſe we hauehave done after our calling: every man, eſpeciallie hauing his reaſon reformed by the word of God, will graunt an examination of the life, before our true knowledge of God in Chriſt, to be moſt needfull: but it may be thought, we neede not to be ſo preciſe in the ſearching of thoſe ſins which were after our knowledge: but ſeing of al other, thoſe ſinnes bite the ſoreſt, and pearce deepeſt, for that they are aggrauated with all the mercies of God going before▪ and ſin is then moſt ſinfull, when after we knowe the trueth; after we hauehave bene delivered from ſinne; after we hauehave beene enlightned with the good grace of God, we hauehave fallen into it. I think that examination moſt eſpecially is to be had of theſe ſins: wherefore, to iterate our former examples in a new matter, as we may ſee the former kinde of examining: firſt, from ſins before our calling, in the ſonnes of Iacob: ſo wee hauehave a patterne of the latter in the practiſe of the Prophet David, who p. 36at the hearing of his ſinne was ſo troubled in his ſpirit, that he could not reſt: in the Prophets ſpeach, telling him his ſinne was forgiuen him, but ſtil was diſquieted as one vtterly forſaken of God, and as though he could finde no comfort of Gods ſpirit in him: For, as it fareth often in ſores, ſo alſo it commeth to paſſe in ſinnes, we are loath to hauehave our woundes often grated on, we cannot ſo well away to hauehave our ſores rifeled, ſeared, lanced, but fedde with healing ſalues: ſo we are hardly brought to hauehave our Conſciences ſeared, or our ſinnes ranſacked, ſifted and ripped: but coulde ſtill hauehave them plaſtered with ſweet promiſes, and bathed in the mercies of God: whereas it is farre ſafer, before incarnatiue & healing medicines, to vſe coraſiue and mundifying waters: without which, though our ſores may ſeeme to cloſe and skinne vp apace, yet they proue worſe, and being rotten ſtill at the core, they hauehave aboue a thinne skinne, and vnderneath deade fleſh: In p. 37like maner we would cloak, wee would hide and couer our ſins as it were with a curtaine: but it is more ſounde Chirurgery, to prick and parch our conſcience with the burning yron of the law, and to cleanſe the wounde of the ſoule, by ſharp threatning; leſt that a skinne pulled over the conſcience for a while, wee do lament the rotten corruption, which remaineth vncured vnderneath: and ſo wee be conſtrained to crye out, that our ſinnes openeth. As it is a folly then to diſſemble our ſores whilſt they bee curable, and after to make them knowne when they be vncurable. So it is as great folly, to diſſemble our ſinnes whileſt they may be remedied, and ſo after be conſtrained with ſhame for to blaze them abrode, when they are vnremediable. But of this by the way, becauſe we ſhall more largely touch it in the part to come: It is ſufficient to commit ſinne before knowledge, but after knowledge to ſinne, breedeth either hardneſſe of heart, or a troubled heart; p. 38both which we ſhall avoide, if in trueth we be carefull to watch our affections, and beware after our deliverie, wee fall not into ſin againe. Severall men, ſubject to ſeverall ſinnes, hauehave their ſeverall cloggs in their conſciences: ſome are overcome with wrath, and yet after the moodie ſitte, they can tell that the wrath of a man doeth accompliſh the righteouſnes of God: Some are ſubject to luſt, and afterward they ſay, it profiteth them nothing: ſome are giuen to a continuall courſe of vanitie, whome notwithſtanding canne ſay, that mans life hath another end: Some ſleeping deepe into worldlineſſe, and yet they be often wakened with terrible checks of Conſcience: well, bleſſed are they, whoſe heartes are truely grieved with ſinne: and let them beware that make a daliance with ſinne: for either hardneſſe of heart will overtake them, or a troubled Conſcience will confounde them: Wherefore, it oftentimes commeth to paſſe, that many ſpending of p. 39their bodies on luſt, do lament that euer they ſo abuſed their ſtrength; many given too much vntounto the pleaſures of this life, hauehave great griefe and ſorrowe comming vponupon them, to remember howe they hauehave miſpent Gods graces, lauiſhed his good giftes, and miſſpent their tyme: or elſe, if they hauehave not this griefe, they fall into voluptuouſneſſe, and drawe ſuch a thick skinne vppon their heartes, as will cauſe the moſt ſtrongeſt denouncing of Gods juſt judgements to redownd, be they driven on never ſo harde: And ſure it is the ſinne of this world, when men being controwled in their owne heartes and Conſciences; and that whileſt they are a praying, do feele a ſecreete charge laide againſt them, to make them to beware of falſhoode in bying and ſelling: for, either they hauehave theſe checks leſſe and leſſe, and ſo they grow too prophane; or elſe, afterwarde they are woonderfullie wounded, that they hauehave beene ſo worldlie, ſo greedilie p. 40purſuing earthly things, and ſo coldly purchaſing heavenly things: thus even our privie thoghts not profited by, are breeders of farther trouble. Nowe the remedie againſt this trouble, is willingly and wittingly not to cheeriſh ſinne, to wiſh that the miniſter ſhould touch our moſt privie and ſecreet ſinnes; to be glad privatlie to be admoniſhed, to profit by our enemies when they do reproch vsus; rather to deſire in ſuch a cauſe to be humbled, than to ſuffer our ſelues to be flattered: This trying of our ſelues muſt yet ſtretche it ſelfe further, not only to the committing of evill, but to the omitting of good: as when after ſome good working and feeling of the ſpirit, we beginne to fight and conflict with our own conſciences, ſaying: though I muſt pray, I muſt hauehave time alſo to prouide for my Family: If I go to heare the word, ſurely I ſhall be in danger to loſe this profite: If I thus attend vponupon this exerciſe of Religion, I ſhall be cut ſhort of the vſe of my pleaſures. Wherefore, p. 41it ſhall be good to ſearch our heartes, both in the careles not vſing the means, ſaying to our ſelues in this manner. I hauehave heard a Sermon, but alas! without any feeling or working of my afflictions: I hauehave bene praying, but with no power of the ſpirit: I hauehave receiued the Sacraments, but without thoſe joyes glorious and vnſpeakable which I was wont to taſte of: I ſawe the Diſcipline of the Church executed, but without any feare of ſinne in my ſelfe, or compaſſion of the members cenſured: And heere I dare for my owne obſervation, aſſuredly affirme, that outwarde ſinnes hauehave not bene ſometimes ſo grievous to Gods children; as that they hauehave ſometimes vſed the meanes with little reverence, and with leſſe fruite: and no marvell, for we ſhal ſee, that many men are ſometime not ſo much grieved for their ſickneſſe it ſelfe, as for that they hauehave, either willinglie neglected the meanes, which might hauehave preſerued their health; or they hauehave abuſed the p. 42Phiſicke, which might hauehave reſtored their health to them againe. In like maner I ſay it fareth with them, who either vnreverently hauehave refuſed the meanes which ſhould keep their ſouls from forgetting: or elſe vnthankfully hauehave abuſed thoſe helpes, which might hauehave recovered them againe. From hence it commeth, that ſome men are as much grieved, for not vſing their good giftes to the benefite of Gods Church, as others are troubled for peſtering of the Churche with vnprofitable corruptions: As wee ſhall ſee a rich man ſometimes as much humbled for not giving money to the poore, which hee might hauehave done: As for heaping vp riches falſely, which hee ought not to hauehave done. And thus many hauing received good giftes and graces from the Lord, are received and ſanctified by affliction, wherby they are taught to put their giftes in vre, and to offer their ſervice vntounto Chriſt: and others are feared to hide their gifts; who cannot be without p. 43ſome decay of Gods glory, without any offence to the weake, without the loſſe of many ſaints, which otherwiſe might be woone to the Goſpell; and without the ſtrengthening the hand of the aduerſarie, to ſlaunder our dumb and dark profeſſion: all which things, will in the end bring terrour of minde; becauſe, if the Lord cannot worke vponupon vsus, by taking away goods, freinds, credite, wife, children, or ſuch like, to bring vsus to repentance; hee will ſurely whip our naked conſciences, he will enter even into our very entralls, & pearce our ſecreete bowels: As we muſt examine our ſouls thus for ſinnes paſt, and ſinnes preſent; ſo muſt we looſe this practiſe in ſinnes to come, and this is very needefull, for were it that our life were ſuch, as neither before nor after our callings, men might juſtly accuſe it; yet the hidden corruptions of nature, may threaten ſom hainous downfall in time to come; which hath made men of very good report and converſation, to hang downe p. 44their heades, and feare their ſecreet hypocriſie, as that which may break faith, to the ſhame of all the former in time to come: But becauſe we forget to ſpeak of them, that in the examining of their liues paſt, were much grieved for the want of ſinceritie, and privie vaine glory in themſelues: Let vsus before wee go to the ſearching of our heart in ſinne, to come to ſpeak ſomwhat of this, men traveling for this privie pride are either touched or not touched. If the vale of ſinne was ſo great in them, that it hidde Chriſt from them; it is the good will of God, that by this ſight of the moſt ſecreet ſinnes, they ſhould come to ſee that righteouſnes that is in Chriſt Ieſus, and ſo they ſhall the better be kept from being juſticiary Phariſies; for being a long time well brought vp, and leading a ciuill life, the devill woulde perſwade vsus of ſome inherent righteouſnes in vsus: It is the wiſedome of our God to touch vsus with the conſcience of moſt hidden corruptions, as alſo to terriſie p. 45and make knowne vntounto vsus, that euen from our birth, there was ever ſecreet ſeed of ſinne in vsus, which without the Lord watching over vsus, wold ſurely hauehave broken forth to his diſhonour: As for them that hauehave had ſome working in them, and yet are often plagued with ſore diſeaſes: this trouble commeth to them for two ſpecial cauſes, either for ſome hypocriſie, that they did more in ſhewe than in trueth: wherefore, the Lord bringeth them backe againe, to ſee their corrupt proceeding; and that they may knowe all their Religion to be but hypocriſie, all their righteouſnes to be vnrighteouſnes: or for the abuſing of their knowledge, in that they made it but a mask to jugle in, and that they made their affections to fight with their dreamy judgment: wee muſt remedie this, by not thinking of our ſelues aboue that which is meet, and by laboring to imbrace the truth in truth: And heere lette vsus note, that many of Gods children accuſe themſelues of hypocriſie, p. 46when indeede they offend not in it; for the moſt righteous perſons are their owne greateſt accuſers; and yet that accuſation doth juſtly ariſe of ſome fault of their partes: for though they hauehave done things in truth; yet becauſe with trueth, they laboured not to ſee their ſecreet corruptions; in ſome other matters, they ſuſtaine this trouble of minde; ſo that there is nothing harder, than to ſift and ſearch our hearts to the bottome: whether we reſpect our ſinnes paſt, or our ſinnes preſent; whether we looke to our privie pride, hidden wants, or ſecreet corruptions: and to returne from whence we were digreſſed, to the examining of our hearts in ſin to come; Let vsus obſerue, that in Gods Children, there is ſuch a jealoſie, as they tremble at the firſt motions, & quake at the leaſt occaſion of ſin: although becauſe vice will ſit in reſidence very neere vntounto vertue; there may be ſomtime in them too much ſcrupulouſnes: this feare cauſeth the deareſt Saintes of God to reaſon in p. 47this ſort: O Lord, I ſee howe many excellent in giftes and beginnings, whoſe death were not like to their liues: This is true, whether we look into the word, or into the world: and it is a thing that may much humble vsus: For though we may remember what wee hauehave beene, and knowe what we are; yet who canne tell what may come to him heereafter: Oh that the ſerious meditation hereof, woulde dwell longer vponupon our Conſciences, that with an holy jealouſie, wee might prevent the ſin that is to come: But alaſſe, there bee ſome venturous Knights, which think it no maſterie to offer themſelues to masking, minſtrilſie, and dauncing: nor to runne into quarrels, brawles, and contentions: as though they had their eies, their eares, their hands, and their feet in their own power, at commandment to vſe as they liſt: howbeit, Gods children better fenced with grace, than thoſe bold buzards ar afraid of theſe occaſions; as knowing that their eies may ſoone be provoked p. 48to luſt; their eares may quickly liſten to vnchaſt delights; their hands may ſuddainly ſtrike a deade blowe; their feete may eaſilie be ſnared in carnall pleaſures: Beware O man, be circumſpect O woman; that thou proſecute not thy ſelfe to ſo much libertie: for though in comming to ſuch laſcivious or contentious places, thou didſt purpoſe none evill; yet for thy ventering without warrant, thou maiſt bee over the ſhoes in ſinne, and plunged in ſome wicked attempt, over head and eares ere thou be aware, & yet becauſe vice is ſo conſine vntounto vertue. Beware alſo of ſuppreſſion, for ſtill the enemie laboureth, either to make thee too hardy in ſinne; or elſe he will cauſe thee to be too fearefull, and ſuperſtitious; either he will puffe thee vppe with preſumption, or aſſault thee with deſperation: to theſe temptations our nature is very plyable. Firſt, to preſumption, as may appeare by our common ſpeaches: Tuſh, the Preacher is but a man as I am; I am ſure he hath infirmities p. 49as others hauehave: we are no Angels, our nature is corrupt, wee are but men: I am ſure hee would not hauehave vsus Gods: Thus the Devill commeth to tempt them; but hee apparelleth himſelfe in an other ſuite, when hee commeth to accuſe; and then of a flie, hee maketh an Elephant; of a prick of a pin, a globe of the whole earth; of a mouldhill, a mountaine: and preſſeth ſillie ſouls with feares and terrors, that they knowe not how to wind themſelues: If he can bring them to make no conſcience, where they ſhould make conſcience: hee will labour to bring them to make conſcience, where they ſhoulde make no conſcience: hee careth not whether ye will be remiſſe or ſuperſtitious, ſo ye will be one of them: If hee cannot get you to followe the Epicure ſinne of the world, as Libertines in dyet and apparell, he wil make you ſo preciſe, as to thinke it an hainous ſinne to eate one bitte of meat, or to weare one ragge of cloth more than for neceſſity. p. 50Howe needfull therefore, it is to ſayle with an even courſe: we may conjecture by other things, which will bewray the corruption of our nature: In the time of a plague, we ſhall ſee ſome ſo bolde, that without any lawfull calling or godlie warrant, they will ruſh into places infected, and then falling ſick, their conſcience pricks them for their tempting of God, by an vnadviſed boldnes in the houre of their death; others plunged as deeply in a contrary extremity, are too fearefull, when they do but heare of the ſicknes, and for very feare hauehave beene brought to deaths doore, by imagining themſelues to hauehave bin infected, when they hauehave bin moſt free, who often hauing even dyed without any naturall cauſe, that ever could be knowne, but only through an immoderate feare, and the judgment of God comming vponupon them for their infidelitie and vnbeliefe. Thus it is with vsus in our extremitie, in that as wel the oppreſſing of our ſelues with too much feare to be overcome, p. 51as the carnall ſecuritie in not fearing to be overcome, may bring ſinne vponupon vsus: Gods children muſt labour for a meaſure, and that muſt be ſought for in the word, which wil teach them, howe they ſhall neither decline on the right hand, nor on the left; but wil guid them in the narrowe way; ſhewing in every thing what is the vertue, and what is the vice; what is the meane, and what is the extreame: among many examples let vsus conſider, zeale a moſt precious vertue in chriſtianitie, ſo long as it is free from the extreamities: otherwiſe, if wee be cold in zeale, it is a ſin on the left hand; if we be zealous without knowledge, it is prepoſterous, and becommeth a ſin on the right hand: but cannot we come to ſom perfection? No, if ye vnderſtand it for an abſolute vnſpottednes; albeit, to that perfection, which the ſcriptures take for ſoundnes, trueth and ſinceritie of heart, which is voide of careleſſe remiſſion, wee may come: neither doeth the Lord deale with vsus after our ſinnes, p. 52nor rewarde vsus after our iniquities; in whoſe eies, the moſt glorious actions of man, are but as waters flowing purely from the conduit, but defiled by paſſing through a filthie channel. Wherefore, though we hauehave our imperfections, let vsus not ſeeke to be more righteous than we can be, ſaying for every errour of this life, Oh, I am none of Gods ſonnes, I am none of his daughters: for I cannot finde that perfection which is to bee required: but let vsus comfort our ſelues in the trueth of our hearts, and ſinglenes of our deſires to ſerue God, becauſe he is God, and ſo we ſhal be accepted of God. I ſpeak this to this end, that poore ſouls might heare comfort, and know, that if they abhorre ſinne as ſinne, if they examine themſelues for it, if they grone vnderunder it, if they miſlike themſelues for it, if they feare to fall into it, the Lord wil not purſue them with the rigour of the Lawe, but will giuegive to them the ſweetnes of his promiſes, they are noe more vnderunder the curſe, but vnderunder p. 53grace: but farther to inforce our exhortation, to avoid too ſcrupulous, a feare which hindereth the true examination of our hearts: Let vsus thinke, that it hapneth in the ſpirituall conflict, as in ciuill warres: We reade, that many Citties lying in great ſecuritie, hauehave ſuddenly, beene both aſſaulted and overthrowne: and alſo how ſome Cuntries, too much negligent in the warres, thorowe an exceſſiue fearfulnes, hauehave encouraged their enemies with more gredie violence to praye vponupon them: with which kinde of ſtratagems, our adverſarie the Devill beeing well acquainted with, often practiſeth this pollicie, if he ſeeth vsus without all feare, too quietly to reſt in our ſelues, he thinketh his aſſault muſt needes be the ſtronger, becauſe our aſſiſtance is the weaker: Againe, if hee diſcrieth in vsus a cowardlie feare and fainting of heart, before wee once begin to joyne battell with him, he wil ſet vponupon our moderate feare, and as villanouſlie as ſuddenly, ſtabbe vsus to p. 54the heart, and make a preſent ſpoile of vsus: common practiſe doth further teach vsus, that when wee can heare the worde without all trembling at Gods judgements; when wee can pray without all feare before the Majeſtie of God; when wee can come to the Diſcipline of the Church, without al reverence of the ordinance of the Lord, al in vaine. Again, let vsus heare with too much trembling, and we ſhall learne nothing; let vsus pray with too ſervile a feare, and our woorſhipping of God, will bee without all comfort, vncheerful. Thus if we neither leſſen ſin, that is indeede; neither make ſin of that which is not ſin in trueth; it is good to proceed to this threefold examination, & to lay the edge of this doctrine more neere our afflictions, becauſe many will be found in this ripenes of knowledge, and barrannes of conſcience, to ſpeak and diſpute of all theſe things very skilfully, which flickring, in the circumference of the braine, & not ſetling at the heart, do ſeale vp a more p. 55juſt ſentence of condemnation againſt them: To help this evill with, we muſt meditate deeply vponupon the law and Goſpell, togither, with the appertenances of them both; that finding our ſelues far from Gods bleſſing, and ſeeing our ſelues neere to the curſes due vntounto the breakers of the lawe, we may raiſe vppe ſome ſence of ſin in our ſelues: yet herein we muſt not ſtay, but go forward: for whereas many by the diligent viewe of the law, hauehave come to the ſenſe of ſin in themſelues, and ſaw their own condemnation: yet becauſe they labored not to ſee their guiltineſſe acquited, by the remiſſion of ſinne in Chriſt; they plunged in a bottomles ſea of ſorrowes: others having paſſed thoſe degrees, & hitherto made theſe ſteps to avoid the wound of Conſcience, hauehave come ſhort of the mark; who, beſides the ſenſe of ſinnes pardoned by the deth of Chriſt, felt not the vertue of his paſſion crucifying ſin in them, but ſaw, that with remiſſion of ſins was not joined mortification of ſin; p. 56feared that there was no forgiuenes for them, but ſtil languiſhing with ſorrow, they thought their ſoules to ſtand charged with their former guiltineſſe; yea, and which more is, for that ſuch men hauehave not truly bin inſtructed, nor ſurely hauehave bene grounded in the doctrine of Chriſt his death and reſurrection: that is, for that they ſawe not aſwell power flowing from his death to ſley ſinne in them, as vertue to pardone ſin in them; for that they felte not aſwell ſtrength vntounto ſanctification, ſtriving from the riſing again of Chriſt, as they were perſwaded of juſtification & righteouſnes therein: They hauehave lyen ſtill bleeding at the heart, in ſuch ſort, that the wound of griefe could hardly or neuer be ſtopped and ſtanched: wherfore, let vsus ſtrengthen our weake ſoules with this ſevenfold coard of conſolation, againſt theſe bitter aſſaults: let vsus firſt labour to know ſinne, then to ſorrow for ſinne, after to feele our ſinnes in Chriſt forgiven; farther to looke for power to p. 57crucifie the ſame, then to lay holde on Iuſtification, by his Reſurrection; and laſtly, hope for ſtrength, to proceede from thence to further vsus in ſanctification, and holines of life even vntounto the end. And thus much briefly for that ſecond thing which we matched in companie with the examination of ſinne, euen vntounto the triall of faith; both which rightly vſed, ſhall in ſome meaſure fafegarde vsus from the trouble of afflicted mindes. Now let vsus haſten to the third part of our diviſion, to ſhew how Gods children being fallen into this wounde of ſpirit may be helped out of it: which God willing we alſo wil performe; after we hauehave anſwered a neceſſary objection, which in this former part might ſeeme to encounter againſt vsus: There is no man but will graunt, that David, Iacob, and others of the ſaints of God, had a ſight of their ſinnes, a ſorrow for their ſinnes, a taſt of their remiſſion of ſinne: and yet how commeth it to paſſe, that theſe men were ſo trobled in mind. To p. 58this I anſwer, that their trouble ſo befel them, either for failing in ſome of thoſe former things, or elſe they were rather afflicted for the triall of their faith, than for the perſecuting of ſin in them; and therfore be it alwaies provided, that we think not every conflict of conſcience, continually & chiefly to be for the purſuing of our ſins, but ſometime & principally for the ſcoring of ſin, as we may ſee in Iob, wherevpon, let all men be admoniſhed, when as they ſee good men thus humbled in minde, to laye their handes on their mouthes from ſaying: Surely, theſe men are but Hypocrites, doubtles theſe men be great ſinners, the Lord hath found out their iniquitie, the Lord hath diſcovered their hypocriſie; for good reaſon there is, that ſuch ſilence ſhould be vſed: for that the Lord may aſwell make triall of their faith, as take puniſhment on their ſinnes: for if ſuch afflictions ſhould alwaies & chieflie be ſent for ſinne, then it ſhould followe, that all others, as they exceeded p. 59them in ſinne, ſhould alſo exceed them in that puniſhment of ſinne: but nowe comming to the ſalving of this ſore, I ſhal ſeeme very ſtrange in my cure, and ſo much the more to be wondred at, by howe much in manner of proceeding I differ from the moſt ſort of men herein; I am not ignorant, that many viſiting of afflicted conſciences, cry ſtill, Oh! comfort them, oh! ſpeake joyfull things vntounto them: yea there be ſome, and that of the learned, who in ſuch caſes are full of thoſe and ſuch like ſpeeches: Why are you ſo heavy my brother, why are you ſo caſt downe my ſiſter, be of good cheere, take it not ſo grievouſlie, what is there that you ſhould feare? God is mercifull, Chriſt is a Saviour; theſe be ſpeeches of louelove indeed: but they often do the poore ſouls as much good herein, as if they ſhould powre colde water in their boſomes, when as without farther ſearching of their ſores, they may aſwell miniſter a malady as a medicine: For as all nutriture and carnall medecines p. 60are not good for every ſicke perſon, eſpeciallie, when the body needeth a ſtrong purgation, then to miniſter matter reſtoratiue: And as all incarnatiue medicines may for a time ſtay the paine of the patient, but afterwardes the griefe becommeth more grievous: So comfortable applying of Gods promiſes, are not ſo profitable for every one that is humbled; eſpecially, when their ſoules are rather to be caſt farther down, than as yet to be raiſed vp: ſo, the ſugered conſolations, may for a while over heale the Conſcience, and abate ſome preſent griefe: but ſo as afterward the ſmart may be the ſorer, & the griefe may growe the greater. Heereof enſueth this effect, that comfort ſeemeth to cure for a while: but for the wante of wiſedome, in the right diſcovering of the cauſe, men miniſter one medicine for another; and ſo for want of skill, the latter fit grindeth them ſorer than the former. Some there are, that without all precepts and practiſe, will be their p. 61owne Phiſitions; and theſe, ſo ſoone as the fitte commeth vponupon them, thinke it beſt to chaſtiſe & chaſe away their ſorrowe, by drinking at Tavernes, by minſtrilſie, in merry companies, by purgeing melancholies, in taking phiſick: all which, may ſeeme to weare away the paines for a while; but yet after it biteth more deeplie; when the burning feaver of their ſpirites ſhaketh them with the ſecond recourſe: and for that they were not before trulie ſearched, purged, ſeared and launced; it comes to paſſe, that the ſecond relapſe is the more dangerous. To come to our purpoſe, we muſt knowe that all griefes are either confuſed or diſtinct, and ſure it is, that the mind is appalled, either for ſome cauſe knowne to vsus as certaine, or for ſomething vnknowne to vsus, and vncertaine to them which are troubled with ſuch blinde griefes; whereof they can ſee no reaſon. As oft it hapneth to Gods children in ſecreet election, who either neuer knowe God, or elſe had but a generall p. 62knowledge of him. I anſwere, that as I deny not phiſick to be miniſtred, if in any parte it proceede of a naturall cauſe, ſo I require the word eſpeciallie, to ſhewe the principall and originall cauſe to beginne in the ſoule: I do the rather, becauſe I would hauehave wiſedome both in the conſidering the ſtate of the bodie if need ſo require, and in looking chieflie to the ſoule, which fewe thinke on: If a man troubled in Conſcience, come to a Miniſter, it may be, he will look all to the ſoule, and nothing to the bodie: If he come to a Phiſition, he onlie conſidereth of the bodie, and neglecteth the ſoule: For my part, I woulde neither hauehave the Phiſitions counſell ſeuered▪ nor the Miniſters labour neglected: becauſe the ſoule and bodie dwelling together, it is convenient, that as the ſoule ſhould be cured by the word, by praier, by faſting, by threatning, or by comforting: ſo the body ſhould be brought into ſome temperature by phiſick, by purging, by dyet, by reſtoring, p. 63by muſick, and ſuch other like meanes: provided alwaies, that it be done ſo in the feare of God, and wiſedome of his ſpirite; as we think not by theſe ordinarie meanes, to ſmother and ſmoke out our troble, but as purpoſing to vſe them as preparatiues; wherby both our ſouls and bodies may be made more capable of the ſpirituall meanes to follow after: As wee require theſe thinges to be the matters of our miniſterie in ſuch a perplexitie; ſo we would wiſh the perſons miniſtring, to be men learned, and of ſound judgment; wiſe, and of godly experience; meek, and of moſt loving ſpirits: for when the troubled patient ſhall be well perſwaded of our knowledge & diſcretion; and therewithall ſhall perceiue vsus to come in loving and tender affection: I think an entrance is made, and all prejudice taken away, ſo as we may more freely worke vponupon that conſcience: Firſt, bring them to the ſight of ſinne, as to ſome cauſe of their trouble, wherein we muſt labour to put away al p. 64confuſion and blindnes of ſorrowe by wiſedome; to bring the parties wounded to ſome certaine object and matter of their troble, and ſo draw out of them the confeſſion of ſome ſpeciall ſecreet and ſeverall ſinnes: I ſay ſecreete and ſeverall ſinnes, becauſe I knowe, howe that many through a palpable blindenes, or diſordered diſcerning of ſinne, talke nothing ſo much as of ſinne, and yet either they cannot deſcrie ſeverall ſinnes, or they will not be brought to acknowledge their ſecreet ſins: whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Lawe of God, the other of ſelfeloue; which maketh vsus loth, even in our trauell of minde to ſhame our ſelues: Now, that confeſſion of particular ſins is requiſite, it may appeare by the 32. Pſalme, wherein being a Pſalme of inſtruction, concerning the forgiuenes of ſinnes: the Prophet by his owne experience teacheth vsus, that he could finde no reliefe of his ſicknes, vntill hee had remembred and made confeſſion of his p. 65ſinnes: What ſhall we think of the Prophet of God, which taught ſo wonderfully by the word and by the ſpirit, and did not ſee his ſins before: be it far from vsus, rather let vsus, knowe, that he had not ſeverally and particularlie ripped vppe his ſinnes before the Lord, in a ſeverall confeſſing of them, which though the Lord knowes farre better than wee our ſelues, yet ſuch kind of ſacrifice is more acceptable to him. Nowe, in this trouble, the perſons humbled cannot come to this particular ſight of ſinne in themſelues: It is good to vſe the helpe of others, to whome they may offer their hearts to bee gaged and ſearched; and their liues to be examined more deeplie, by hearing the ſeveral articles of the Law, laid open before them: whereby, they may ſquare the whole courſe of their actions. For as we ſaid before, the groſſeſt hypocrite will generally complaine of ſinne; and yet deale with them in particular pointes of the particular precepts, and proue them in the applying p. 66of things to bee done or vndone to them, to their owne conſcience; and we ſhall ſee many of theſe poore ſouls toſſed to and fore; nowe fleeting in joyes, nowe plunged in ſorrowes, not able to diſtinguiſh one ſin from another. Now, when we ſhall ſee the wound of the ſpirit, to ariſe of any certaine and knowne ſinne: it is either for ſome ſinne already committed wherein wee lie, or elſe for ſome ſin yet not committed, but whereunto wee are tempted. For the former, it pleaſed God often to bring old ſinnes to minde, when we hauehave not throughly repented of them before, ſo as it nowe repreſenting them to vsus a freſh, we may fall into a more miſliking of them; and yet herein is not al, to miſlike our ſelues for ſome particulars, although it bee good to be occupied about ſome ſpeciall ſin: for, as it is not ſufficient for the avoiding of hypocriſie, to ſee ſin generally: ſo it is not ynough to eſchew the damnablenes of the heart, ever to bee purring in every particular, and to be p. 67forgetfull of the great and generall ſins: and lette vsus learne by the particulars to paſſe to the generalls. When any ſuch one ſinne doth purſue the reſt, not onelyonly therein, but ſay thus rather vntounto thy ſelfe; O Lord, is this our ſinne ſo grieuous, and doth my God puniſh this one ſo ſorely? howe great ſhould be my puniſhment, if thou ſhouldeſt (O Lord) ſo deale with me for all my other ſinnes? Let vsus labour to hauehave a ſence, both of particular and generall ſinnes, leſt in time our grief paſſe away without any fruit, whileſt, that not being diſpleaſed with one ſinne, aſwell as with another, we either look to ſuch ſpecially and generally. Concerning thoſe ſins whereunto we are tempted, as when a man is noted to think blaſphemouſlie of God the Father, or to doubt whether there is a Chriſt or no, or to imagine groſlie of the holy Ghoſt, or to deny God, or to doubt of the Trinitie, or to be moved to adulterie, or ſuch like. In all which temptations, hee feeleth the ſpirit, oft p. 68checking him for them; ſo as he knoweth not in this caſe what to doe; that on the one ſide he dares not liſten willinglie to ſuch feareful & monſtrous temptations: and on the other ſide, he feareth, leſt then by long ſute, he might fal into them: or at leaſt, for that hee ſeeth not howe to be delivered from them. I ſuppoſe, theſe motions are not ſo much to be diſputed with, as we by them are to bee provoked to a more inſtant and extraordinary zeale of prayer: Surely, theſe are dangerous temptations, and therefore are not to be kept cloſe with our nature, which eaſily will incline vntounto, but particularly are to be confeſſed of vsus: for the Deuill will come ſometimes to thee, to keep thee ſtill in a general acknowledging of ſinne, and vrge thee on this manner: Surely, thou muſt do this ſinne, thou ſeeſt thou canſt hauehave no eaſe vntill thou haſt conſented, thou art ordained to it, the reaſon why thou art tempted, is becauſe thou doeſt not thus take thy pleaſure, go to deny God, p. 69beleeue not his word, it is but a pollicie to keepe men in awe, Religion is no ſuch matter as men make it: Thus, for feare of yeelding of the one hand, and for ſhame of diſcloſing temptations on the other hand, many men hauehave pyned away, and almoſt hauehave bene overcome by them: If we ſhould diſcloſe this, ſaith theſe men, what woulde people ſay of vsus? they would count vsus Atheiſts, they would think vsus the wickedſt men in the world: Well, for inſtructions and conſolations, let vsus learne herein, that theſe kinde of temptations, are either corrections for ſome ſinnes paſt, or puniſhment for ſome ſinne preſent, or forwarner of ſome ſinnes to come: Wee ſhall ſee many tempted to adulterie, who no doubt, can not be brought to commit it: and becauſe they repented not of it, it came to them againe, that in their youth they hauehave committed it: the like may be obſerved in theſe, gluttony, and in other temptations, which are not ſo much ſeen to vsus preſently to overcome p. 70vsus; as to put vsus in mind, that ſometimes heretofore, we hauing bene overcome with them, ſhuld now repent for them: Sometimes a man ſhal ly in ſome ſins, whereof, when hee will not be admoniſhed, neither by the publick and privat meanes, even then ſome other ſtrange temptation ſhall fall vponupon him, differing from that wherein he preſently lyeth, to admoniſh him of that other ſin. As when a worldling ſhall be tempted to adulterie, a thing which hee hath no deſire to doe: yet it is to make him to look to his worldlines; when he hath ſo ſtrong and ſo through a liking, whereat, if he wil not be awaked, he may ſuddainly fal into that to; and ſo by the puniſhment of God, in puniſhing one ſin with another; both his ſinnes vntounto his ſhame ſhall be laid open, and one ſinne ſhall make known another. Sometime alſo it commeth to paſſe, that one ſhall be tempted with ſuch a ſinne, as neither heretofore nor preſently he hath given any liking or intertainement vntounto; and p. 71yet the Lord by it may forewarne him, howe he may fal into it hereafter; as alſo to ſhewe, that he hath ſtoode all his former life rather by the grace of God, than by the ſtrength of fleſh and blood: Wherefore, when thou art mooved to doubt of God, of Chriſt, of the word, of juſtification; do not ſo much ſtand wondring at theſe ſtrange temptations, as think with thy ſelfe, that it is the mercy of God by them, to cauſe thee better to diſcerne of thoſe temptations in others. When thou ſhalt hauehave obſerved with feare and trembling, howe they may make their firſt entire into a mans hart, howe they gather ſtrength, howe they agree with our corrupt nature, in what degrees they come vntounto ſome growth, how the ſpirit of God doth reſiſt them, what be the meanes beſt to prevaile againſt them: and thus if thou make thy profit by them, thou ſhalt ſo wonderfully ſearch and deſcrie by ſeverall veines, the body, age, & ſtrength of theſe temptations in others, by an holy experience p. 72which God hath taught thee in others; that beſides that, thou ſhalt lay foorth mens ſecreete corruptions, as if thou were in their boſomes, thou ſhalt be able by the ſeede of ſorrowe in thy ſelfe, to beget an vnſpeakable joy in others: who in time may be tempted, as thou nowe art. Thus moreover and beſides, that ſuch is the efficacie of ſinne, that they who nowe are no Papiſtes, Heretikes, Adulterers or Theeues, may for their ſecure contemning & fooliſh paſſing over of theſe temptations ſent vntounto them ſodainly, ſhortly after fall into them: becauſe they would not ſeeme to make ſome vſe of them, nor confeſſe before the Lord, both their pronenes and worthineſſe to fall into them: But if we will humble our ſelues in ſuch temptations, and learne by them, meekly to diſcerne the corruptions of our heart, we ſhall not onelyonly deliver our ſelues preſently from peril; but be further inabled to aſſiſt others hereafter in the like danger: but ſome will oppoſe againſt theſe p. 73things which wee hauehave delivered. Do you think it is a remedie, to caſt downe them that are already humbled, this is rather to be a butcher than a builder of a mans conſcience? to whome I anſwer, that I deſire Preachers to be builders, and not butchers: and it is a thing generally to apply, and another thing particularlie to lay the medicine vntounto the wound: It is good to begin the ſore by the viniger of the Law, and after to ſupply it with the oyle of the Goſpell; both which muſt be done in wiſedome, vſing them to ſome in greter, to ſome in leſſer meaſure: For, as ſome hauing nothing but a decay of nature, and no naturall humour neede rather reſtoratiue than purging medicines: ſo rather ſome troubled for ſome ſpiritual wants, than for groſſe ſinnes, need not ſo much the ſharpe threatnings of the Lawe, as the ſweete promiſes of the Goſpell: But if the body through ſome extraordinarie repletion, hath gotten ſome gret ſurfet, not ſo much to the weakning of nature, p. 74as to the thretning of imminent death: and therfore, doth rather require ſome ſtrong purgation, than comfortable and cordiall medicines. Then the ſoule brought to deaths doore with extraordinarie ſinne, is rather to be boared and pearced, with the denounce of God his judgement than otherwiſe: but becauſe we would deale more plainly, and leſſe confuſedly, it is good in our acceſſe to an afflicted conſcience, to lay theſe two grounds: Firſt, wee muſt perſwade the parties humbled, that their ſins are pardonable, and their ſores curable: and after, that this viſitation is not ſo much a ſigne of Gods wrath and anger, as a ſeal of Gods merciemercy and favoure: in that it is not either blinde or barren, but plentifull in good effects, and fruitful alſo in godly Iſſue: This ſorrowe, how needefull it is, the experience of ſo many (almoſt) as hauehave bene throwne downe, is a ſufficient witnes, who hauehave had this, as a tagge tyed to their temptations, that never any wer ſo plunged as they, p. 75none ever had the like temptations: the Lord will ſurely make an ende of them in ſome ſtrange and vnknowne temptation, wherein they are not vnlike to men fallen into ſome dangerous diſeaſe, who thinking to be without the fadome of Phiſitions skill, and not to be within the compaſſe of things recoverable, do adde a ſecond and ſorer griefe to their former: wherfore, as theſe men ſeeme to be half healed; when any man of knowledge can be brought, who by experience hath cured the like malady in like degrees in others, ſo then the ſorrowfull ſoules are not a litle by hope refreſhed and ſtrengthened, for to look for ſome eaſe, when they canne ſee no other temptations to hauehave overtaken them: then ſuch as hauing fallen into the nature of man, hauehave founde merciemercy at the handes of God, that he might be feared. This ground work framed, is good to build vp and repaire the decayed joy of the mind; partly by the Lawe, to make a preparatiue for thoſe joyes: p. 76If the minde not truly humbled, is not fit truly to be comforted, & namely by the Goſpell: if the Conſcience kindely throwne downe, is become a fit ſubject to apply the ſweete promiſes of God in Ieſus Chriſt vntounto it. And here again, to anſwer you that deny the Law whollie or not at all to be vſed, when we would breed comfort in one. I demaund, whether it being neceſſary to mantaine the righteouſnes of Chriſt, it be not alſo as neceſſarie to maintaine the righteouſneſſe of the Lawe: ſeing the righteouſnes of the Lawe of vsus not fulfilled, will driue vsus to the righteouſnes of Chriſt, to vsus imputed; which is never throughlie and truly eſteemed, vntill we ſee the righteouſnes of the Lawe, of vsus to be vnperformed. Againe, if our Saviour Chriſt did foreſhew his Diſciples, that the firſt worke of the holy Ghoſt at his comming, ſhould convince the worlde of ſinne: to make men know, that without Ieſus Chriſt, there is nothing but ſin: and then that he ſhould rebuke the p. 77world of righteouſnes, that they might ſee, howe Chriſt died not for his owne ſinne, but for the ſinne of others. I ſee not why it ſhould not be very conveniient, firſt to lay open the righteouſneſſe of the Lawe, that men may ſee their ſin; and then the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, that men may ſee their ſin diſcharged in him: beſides, where the Lord ſaith by his Prophet: At what time ſoeuer a ſinner doth repent him of his ſinne, from the bottome of his heart, I vvill put all his ſinne out of my remembrance. It may well bee gathered, that there muſt a ſounde ſorrowe for ſinne go before, and then the true joy of ſin pardoned, may the more frely, by vertue of this promiſe, be both hoped for, and looked for afterwarde. Moreover, ſeeing the whole promiſes of God in the Goſpell, are commended to vsus vnderunder the title and tenour of reſtoring ſight to the blind, hearing to the deafe, ſtrength to the lame, helth to the ſick, and life to the dead: It is manifeſt, not onelyonly that there is no diſeaſe of the p. 78ſoule which Chriſt cannot heale; ſo alſo, that wee muſt firſt finde our ſelues blinde, deafe, dumb, lame, and dead; before he wil medle with vsus: becauſe they that are whole, never need the Phiſition: and he came to call ſinners, and not the righteous to repētance. Now, to do this in wiſedome, by neither preſſing the conſcience too ſeverely; nor releaſing the conſcience more vnadviſedlie: it ſhall be the ſafe way, to vſe the well tempered ſpeach of the Apoſtle to the Sorcerer, Repent, that if it be poſsible, thy ſinnes may be forgiuen thee: where he doth not wholly diſcourage him, becauſe it may be, his ſinne may be pardoned: neither yet too boldly to incorage him, in that without repentance, hee ſheweth it altogether impoſsible to bee pardoned: and that we be not too prepoſterous in our conſolation, let vsus bee warned by that blaſphemous ſpeach of that deteſtable Arian; who of late yeares was put to death at Norwiche: this helliſh heretike, a litle before hee ſhould be executed, p. 79afforded a few whoriſh teares: asked whether he might be ſaved in Chriſt or no: when one told him, that if he repented he ſhould ſurely not periſh: he breaketh forth moſt monſtrouſlie vntounto this ſpeache: Nay, is your Chriſt ſo eaſilie intreated as you ſay, then I defie him and care not for him: Oh! howe good a thing had it bene, not to hauehave caſt this precious ſtone to this ſwine: Oh! howe ſafe had it bene, to hauehave dealt more bitterly and to hauehave dealt more vehemently vponupon the conſcience of this Caitife. Now to attaine ſome diſcretion in curing of this wounded ſpirit, we learne wiſely to judge of the perſon afflicted, and of the nature of his affliction: Firſt, wee may note, whether it be a man or a woman: becauſe wee may vrge more carefully, the vſe of the law to a man as being the ſtronger veſſell: and as Sathan knewe her to be moſt eaſie, and framable to be wrought vponupon at his firſt temptation, ſo hee is not ignorant, that ſhee is the weaker partie to ſuſtaine accuſation; p. 80then let vsus conſidder, whether they that are thus humbled hauehave knowledge or no: becauſe, if they hauehave no knowledge, then they think trouble of minde to be ſo ſtrange a thing, as never any before had it: If they hauehave knowledge, then Sathan is redy to accuſe them of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt; as though every ſinne done againſt knowledge were a ſinne of preſumption: farther, we are to inquire howe ſtrong or weak they are: that if they be ſurely ſtricken, wee ceaſe to humble them any farther: If they be not ſufficiently wounded, then to touch them with ſome deep ſenſe of ſinne: alſo, we muſt be circumſpect to find out, whether by nature they be more fearefull & melancholike or no: as alſo, whether they be vſuall ſinners, or hauehave fallen ever of infirmitie; that ſo vponupon their diſpoſition and inclination, wee may build our ſpeaches the better: To theſe it is good to adde the conſideration of the perſons age, eſtate, and abilitie: as if the party be troubled for worldlines; duplicate page p. 81duplicate page p. 80p. 81whether he be not a great houſholder: If hee complaine of his eſtate; whether he be a young man and vnmaried: If he be humbled with covetouſnes; whether he be not olde, becauſe divers cuntries, callings, ages, conditions, and eſtates of men, hauehave their divers & peculiar ſins; which wee muſt rightly diſcerne: howbeit of what ſects, ſorts, man or woman; … what complexion ſoever they are; of what knowledge to diſcerne ſinne; of what degree in committing ſin; of what age, authoritie, wealth, eſtate, or condition ſoever they are: It is good to mark, that there be many, who are more tro…led for the vexation and diſquietnes of their minde being diſtempered, than for the vilenes and horriblenes of their …nne committed: who are wounded more with feare of ſhame, with feare of being madde, or with the feare of running out of their wittes, than with the conſcience of ſinne: which thing, if wee finde in them, it is our parte to travell with them; that they may make a leſſe p. 82matter of the outward ſhame, & more conſcience of the inward ſinne; neither muſt we herein forget to make a diſtinction betwene our ſpeaches vſed to the humbled, in the very time of their extreame agonie, & burning ague of their troubles; and thoſe ſpeaches which we vſe then, the fit being paſt; becauſe the former requireth more conſolation & leſſe exhortation than the other; and the latter wold hauehave vsus more abundant▪ in admoniſhing, and more ſparing in comforting, when wee may wiſely admoniſh them to beware of ſinne, which ſo procureth their own woe in this brething time. It is alſo expedient to exhort them, that for ſome ſeaſon, vntill they ſhall finde greater power in regeneration, they would tye themſelues to ſome holy orders & godly vowes: that thereby, they either may be furthered in mortifying ſome ſpeciall ſin, which for that they could finde no power againſt it, did moſt greue them, or ſtrenthened in ſome ſpeciall grace, the want p. 83whereof, did alſo wounde them: but before we launch deep into the ſea of particular temptations; and begin to ſound the dangerous paſſages of natural corruptions and originall ſinne: the troubleſome froth whereof, doth almoſt ouerwhelme many poore Pilgrimes: It ſhall be good to giuegive this caution, that both in theſe, and in the former trobles, men would be ſtil admoniſhed, patientlie to bear with a wounded ſpirit, albeit it falleth out ſo, that they be ſomewhat pettiſh, ſeeing the holy Ghoſt ſpeaketh ſo favorably of them: ſaying, a wounded ſpirit who can bear it. And ſurely, our practiſe in other things, by the law of equitie may vrge this at our handes: For if men by the light of reaſon, can ſee it to be a dutie convenient, not frivolouſlie to travell; but meekly to ſuffer, & wiſely to put vp vnadviſed ſpeaches of a man, diſtempered in braine, by reſon of ſome burning ague, or other vehement ſicknes. We may eaſily gather even by this rule of reaſon; not ſo ſeverely to ſenſure p. 84the impatient ſpeaches of him, who by reaſon of ſome parching feavour of the ſpirit, is diſquiered in mind; and hath all the veines of his hart (as it were) in a ſpirituall agonie vexed: wherefore, both vnſavorie of godly wiſedome, & vncharitable for want of Chriſtian louelove, are their murmuring obtractations, which ſay, What is the godly man? Is this hee that is trobled for his ſins? why ſee how pettiſh he is, nothing can pleaſe him, no body can ſatisfie him. Conſider O man, if thou canſt bear with a frail body, that thou muſt much more bear with a fraill mind: conſider, that this his pettiſhnes doth more wound him to the hart, than any injurie thou couldeſt pearce him with: and therefore, ſeeing he afflicteth his own ſoule for it, thou muſt not adde any thing to his afflictions, and to exaſperate his ſmart: conſidder, that it is a bleſſed thing, mercifullie to bethink vsus of the ſtate of the needy: and that to rub a freſh wound, and to ſtraine a bleeding ſore, is nothing elſe, but that which Iobs p. 85friendes did, to bring a newe torment where there is no neede of it. If the wiſe Father, rather doeth pittie than rebuke his child, when by reaſon of ſicknes the appetite is not eaſilie pleaſed: ſo if wee purpoſe to do any good with an afflicted mind, we muſt not be auſtere in reprehending every infirmitie; but patient in conſidering of it, as tender frailtie: neither do I ſpeake this, to nouriſh pettiſhnes in any, but wold hauehave them to labour for patience, and to ſeeke for peace: which though they finde not at the firſt, yet by praier they muſt wait on the Lord; and ſay, Lord, becauſe there is merciemercy with thee, that thou maieſt bee feared: I will wayte vponupon thee, as the eye of the ſervant waiteth vponupon the eye of his maſter: I will condemne my ſelfe of follie, and ſay: O my ſoule, why art thou ſo heavy, vvhy art thou ſo caſt downe within me, ſtill truſt in the Lord for he is thy helpe and thy ſalvation.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Greenham, Sermon for the Reformation of our Sinful and Wicked Lives (1595)