§. I.

DAavid becomes a comforter of Bath­sheba, by which it is evi­dent that he was in good measure comforted him­selfe.

We heard him confes­sing his sin, we saw him lying in the dust, clothed with sackcloth, tumbling in ashes: Now you see [Page 8]him cheerefull againe speaking cheerefully to Bathsheba, and striving to revive his drooping spi­rits, for doubtlesse shee was in fault as well as David, and when shee heard of Nathans re­proofe, and saw her childes sickenesse and death, she cryed peccavi, and she cast downe her selfe as well as he.

Hence learne this lesson

§. 2.

That the people of God, having humbled themselves after their sins, must then labour [Page 9]also to take comfort.

When wee have cast downe our selves before the Lord, and confessed and bewailed our offen­ces, be they what they will, then must we raise vp our selves, and strive to settle peace and quiet­nesse, and gladnesse in our hearts againe.

Consolation should follow mourning, and gladnesse should come after sadnesse.

If any Saint have fallen into some great sinne, yet when he hath renewed his repentance for the sinne, hee should [Page 10]againe take comfort in God, notwithstanding that sinne.

The Apostle Paul hea­ring of the incestuous Cortuths great griefe, writes to them to comfort him, and confirme their love to him, 2 Cor. 2.8, 9. that he might not be swallowed up of too much sorrow. Loe there is a time when a man must wade out of his griefes, for feare of be­ing drowned in them. Therefore you know our Saviour promiseth to comfort them that mourne, Mat. 5.4. and to give them the oyle of gladnesse in­steadIsa. 61.3. [Page 11]of the garments of sadnesse: It is not Gods purpose to make his peo­ple goe alwaies in black, hee would have them weare lightsomer co­lours after a time.

The Apostle Paul af­ter hee had seene the Lord in the way,Acts 9.19 was in very great heavinesse, for three daies and nights, but after, he was baptized, and took com­fort and began to preach Christ. The people Acts 2.37, 46. were pricked in heart, but we read af­ter, that they did eate their meate with glad­nesse. [Page 12]The Iayler parted cheerefully with Paul and Silas, though he had a lamentable meeting with them.

§ 3.

Now there is great reason that the Saints should take comfort af­ter they have taken griefe.

First,Reason. because they have as good and sure grounds and causes of comfort as of sorrow. Secondly, because they shall glorifie God as much. Thirdly, because they shall profit them­selves [Page 13]as much by taking comfort as by their mourning.

First, I say a good man that hath mourned, hath as great cause to take comfort as ever he had to mourne; for he hath the promises of God to the penitent, as well as his threats a­gainst the sinner. He hath his mercy to the hum­ble as well as his justice against the transgressor. He hath Christs prayers, merits, intercession to stand for him, as well as the cry and clamour of his sinnes to stand against [Page 14]him. God hath as plaine­ly and as strongly tyed himselfe, to accept the repenting sinner, as to punish the unrepenting: and hath as carnestly re­quired us to believe his promises as his threats, and is altogether as true in his promises, and as carefull to performe them, as to performe his threats. And it is the office and worke of the Spirit to be a Comfor­ter, and to convince of righteousnesse, as well as of sinne. The Lord hath as plainely said,Ezek. 18.21, 24. If the wicked man neturne from [Page 15]his wicked waies he shall live; as if the righteous returne from his righteous­nesse, he shall die. Hee hath promised refreshing to all heavic laden, as well as threatned destru­ction to all wilfull and wicked transgressors, and to wound the hairy scalpe of such an one as goeth on in his trespasses. Psal. 68.21.

Seeing the Lord offers himselfe gratiously to them, therefore have they cause to enjoy these consolations of his Word.

Yea the Apostle shewes that the Word [Page 16]was written that through comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope. Rom. 15.4. So that it may appeare that Gods chiefe end in com­piling the Scripture, was to prepare comfort for the sonnes of men, if they humble themselves and become capable of it.

Yea the Spirit of God is called the Comforter, and God is called the God of all consolation, and the God that comforteth the abject, all which grounds of consolation being offered us, we are bound to receive them.

§ 4.

Againe, it is a worke as truly honourable to God, and maketh as much for his glory, that his people doe take the cup of consolation at his hands, as that they drink the bitter cup of worme­wood, yea and more too. For to grieve even for sinne, further then it tends to comfort, and ends in it, is nothing at all to the glory of God of it selfe: for in hell they grieve enough, but that griefe is not in them a worke tending to Gods [Page 18]glory, because it aimes not at comfort, but is a desperate forlorne and uncomfortable griefe. For in grieving for our sinnes, we give God the glory of his justice, ac­knowledging them to be vile and loathsome and grievous. But in comforting our selves we give him the glory of his mercy, acknow­ledging him to be more full of goodnesse, then our selves bee of bad­nesse, which is to doe him the highest honour. For the Lord delighteth in shewing mercy, and [Page 19]therefore cannot but de­light that men should esteeme and account him so ready to shew mercy. For whosoever loveth to doe any good and commendable thing, loves to bee ac­counted ready and able to do that thing.

And indeed God is not well pleased nor honou­red, as I said before, with his Saints teares further then those teares bee meanes of fitting them for, and making them capeable of comfort: As the Chyrurgion deligh­teth not in the smart of [Page 20]his patient further then it is a meanes of healing the sore: nor the Physi­tian in the bitter potions of his patient, or his sicknesse, further then it procureth health. Ther­fore (if we consider) in the old Law,Deut. 16.14. he calleth vpon them to bee sure that they doe rejoyce in their feasts. And where­as he appointed one on­ly solemne fast through­out the yeare,Levit. 26.19. and that but one daies continu­ance alone, he appointed three severall most so­lemne feasts in every yeare; and those also of [Page 21]seaven daies continuance each of them.Exod. 23 14. Whereby it is manifest that hee takes farre more content in their gladnesse and so­lace, then in their ruth and lamentation. For in­deed hee liketh their griefes alone, as I said before, as a preparative to their Joy.

Now seeing our care must be to doe that that may glorifie and please God, and our joyes will glorifie and please him, after wee have beene humbled, as well as our humiliation before: it is needfull for us to [Page 22]cheare up our hearts, as well as to depresse them.

§ 5.

Thirdly, this comfort is a thing altogether as profitable to our selves, and as much availeable to our sanctification and good living, as griefe: nay griefe will doe at all no good to the wor­king of holinesse and beating downe of sinne, further then it is so orde­red and moderated, that it may conclude in con­solation. As a man is fit­test to doe any naturall work, when he hath his [Page 23]limmes all at ease and rest: so to do any spiritu­all good thing, when he hath his minde at ease and rest.Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your strength, saith that holy man to the people in Nehemiah, which is the cause that God hath confirmed his promise by oath, that as the Apostle saith,Heb. 6.18. wee might have strong consola­tion. The herbs and grasse and corne doe ri­pen best in warme and fun-shine weather: so the sun-shine of consolation, doth bring up the herbe of vertues in our hearts. [Page 24]Carnall and earthly joyes doe nothing fur­ther the growth of piety, but spirituall con­solations, such as this we intreate of doe make it prosper and flourish ex­ceedingly. Never is a Christian man in better case to doe any good du­ty, to beare any misery for Gods sake, to love God, to pray, to heare the Word, to doe works of mercy to the afflicted, or to performe any other services, then when he can comfort himselfe in God. Then the heart hath more full commu­nion [Page 25]with God, and ther­fore is in best plight to doe any thing well. I confesse sorrow hath its use, it is as plowing, and as breaking of the clods, that make the ground ready for the seed: It is as it were the sweeping and cleansing of the house, that maketh it fit for the Holy Ghost as for aguest to inhabit and to dwell in. But the ve­ry proper confirmer and strengthener of the soule is comfort: that doth minister to it ability to worke Gods works. As God loves, in matter of [Page 26]bounty, a cheerefull gi­ver: so in all services a cheerefull servant. And doubtlesse the service will not be cheerefull if the heart be not comfor­ted: therefore in hea­ven, where God hath the best services, men have the most comfort. And in Paradice, where God had the best service next to heaven, man had the most comfort. And in the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. 1 3, 6. in whom Saint Paul did commend, the labour of love, the worke of faith, the patience of hope, and whom he praiseth, be­cause [Page 27]their love and their faith did grow excee­dingly, hee shewes the foundation of this growth to have beene, because they received the Word with joy in the Holy Ghost.

Seeing well-grounded comfort is the most pro­fitable thing that can be for our soules, we must strive for it.

§ 6.

Onely brethren you must remember how we limited the point, viz. that after we have hum­bled our selves we must [Page 28]then take comfort, and not before.

There is a time saith Salomon to mourne and a time to laugh, we must take time to rend our hearts and to turne to the Lord with mourning and contrition; and then we must take time also to stirre up, and to revive our hearts, and to em­brace the Lords mercies with all joyfullnesse: we must beware of making too much hast to com­fort our selves, as also of being too slow to the worke. If the sore bee not throughly drawne [Page 29]before it be healed, then the festered matter will breake out againe, and the cure will not be well effected, and if it be not healed after drawing, no soundnesse will come to the member affected. As the body, so the soule must be healed soundly, and to the bottome, and not skinned over with untimely and preposte­rous and ungrounded consoations.

I pray you to observe this caution and this li­mitation, that none of you may abuse, and mis­apply the point to your [Page 30]owne hurt, for nothing is more dangerous then false comfort. Of the twaine, it is much more safe, though it seeme far more troublesome, to be too much and too long in mourning, then to fetch in comfort before we have at all mourned, or before we have mour­ned in due measure: for to comfort ones selfe untimely, is to trust in a lie, and is the surest way to cut off all sound and good comfort, and to keepe a mans selfe un­capable of true comfort. Thus daubing with un­tempered [Page 31]morter will never make any good worke, downe will that daubing come, in the day when the storme and winde shall blow upon it.

§ 7.

If any man aske how he shall be sure not to take comfort too soone, I answer him:

That he must not bee bold to take any com­fort, till he have gotten such a measure of sor­row, and let sorrow con­tinue so long in his heart, that it hath wrought him [Page 32]to a plaine, and free, and full confession of his sins to God, and to a firme and stedfast purpose and determination of will, to leave, forsake and aban­don them. And when he hath brought himselfe to this, then must hee mixe his sorrow with some comfort, and after a while he must bid his griefes adew, and feed constantly and princi­pally upon comforts, renewing his griefes at fit times and seasons (as it were dipping in some sharpe sauce to keepe him from surfeting) al­waies [Page 33]retaining an hum­bled heart in the sight of sinne, but not alwaies a sad heart; for as the heart may be sad, and not humbled: so it may bee humbled and not sad.

§ 1.

First, it gives cause of a gentle reprehension to many of Gods servants, that keepe on their gar­ments of sorrow too long, and still feed on [Page 34]wormewood and gall, almost refusing to bee comforted, then, when comfort is due to them. Though they have sear­ched their hearts and confessed their sinnes, and brought their hearts to a full purpose of amendment; yet they faile in that they doe not take some measure of comfort to themselves, and doe not partake of the consolations of God which he offers to them in his holy Word.

There are some that make too much haste to comfort themselves, and [Page 35]some that doe not make hast enough. The Com­moner, and the greater fault, is, to put away sor­rowes too soone: yet that of putting away comfort too farre and too long from the soule is a fault also, and must not be denied where it is. Many of Gods peo­ple I say are excessive in their mourning, even for their sinnes, in that when they have true right to comfort, and God doth speake peace unto them, yet they doe not give rest and peace unto their owne soules, [Page 36]but surfit upon worme­wood and bitternesse, and thrust comfort a­way from themselves through unbeliefe. Som­times men mourne too much and too long for crosses (that point doth not now come to bee handled) and sometimes they mourne as those that have no hope, in re­gard of sinnes, and that is the fault we have now to declare and to reproove.

§ 2.

Know then O yee servants of God, that when you doe even tor­ment [Page 37]your selves, and keepe your hearts still upon the racke as it were, you doe greatly dishonour God, in this unmeasurable mourning, and greatly hurt your selves too. For what? is there not goodnesse in God as well as Iustice? Is he made all of anger? Are his mercies cleane gone for ever? Hath he shut up his tender compassi­on in displeasure? It is a discredit to the master of the family if his ser­vants be alwaies sad and whining: For if they had a good and mercifull [Page 38]Master, why should they be still languishing and complaining? See then, that ye doe offend in this case, by not ac­knowledging the infinite mercies and tender com­passions of your God. For in not comforting your selves, you doe actually deny him to bee mercifull. For if he be mercifull, why doe wee not taste and feele how good he is?

§ 3.

And take notice that in not comforting your selves you be also injuri­ous to your own soules: [Page 39]You make your selves unfit to serve God, in any good duty, unfit to pray, unfit to heare, unfit to live, unfit to die, by being still heavie and discouraged. When the soule goes mourning and bowed downe to the ground, still in feare that God will not accept, and will not pardon, it lies open to manifold temp­tations, to murmuring, to wearinesse of well-do­ing, to impatiency, to frowardnesse, and can­not set it selfe resolutely, to doe the worke of ho­linesse, which God re­quireth. [Page 40]Thou hindrest the growth of grace in thy selfe, for want of faire weather as it were. Thou makest the fruits of the Spirit to be farre lesse and fewer then they would be, because they have not warmth enough to bring them up. Wher­fore thou art to reprehend thy self and to say, This is my weakenesse and infir­mity, this is my fault verily, which I must not excuse but acknowledge and blame in my selfe.

§ 4.

Object. If any say alasse I would comfort my selfe if I [Page 41]could, I doe not desire to go languishing, but oh I cannot choose, the bur­den of sin is so pressing, & lies so hard upō my soule.

Answ. I answer, the thing that thou must bee bla­med for, is not because thou art not actually comforted, for therein thou must be a patient and take it when it comes, even when God will give it, but because thou dost not set thy selfe to enjoy comfort, that thou dost not offer to thy minde the consolations of God, and dost not take paines to binde up [Page 42]thy broken and rent heart. I say thou dost not take paines to get comfort, but yeeldest unto sorrow, and hangest downe thine hands, and sufferest thy knees to be feeble. Thou dost not call to mind the promi­ses of God. Thou dost not ponder upon the death of Christ. Thou dost not entertaine such thoughts as are fit to bring comfort to thy soule, but sellest over thy selfe to sadd and fearefull & discouraging thoughts; still still looking to the greatnesse and multitude [Page 43]of thy sinnes, and not rai­sing thine eyes to, and fixing thy thoughts up­on the mercies and lo­ving kindnesses of God, not earnestly imploring and begging the helpe of his Spirit to comfort thee, and this is thy fault, (arising from hence, that thou art too ready to hearken to Satan, who doth lye unto thee, and denies thine interest unto comfort.) Now suffer a gentle and mild reproofe for it, and know it to bee a fault; for why shouldst thou not enjoy thine own portion and take that [Page 44]that God giveth thee. If thou answerest still, I cannot, I cannot. I answer still thou canst labour, strive, endea­vour, and thy not labou­ring and endeavouring is that that is blamed in thee.

§ 5.

As in outward crosses wee are often too pe­remptory mourners (and with Iacob will not bee comforted) and resolve, we will goe mourning to the grave. So sometimes in regard of sinnes, wee will not be comforted. [Page 45]Sometimes this ariseth from an error in Iudge­ment, because we thinke not our selves to have any interest unto com­fort, when we have, and are afraid to take it, least it should not belong to us. Many times Gods people thinke they have not cause to take com­fort, when they have, and therefore put com­fort from themselves, because they mistake their owne estate.

§ 6.

But tell me hast thou not afflicted thy selfe? [Page 46]hast thou not wept and mourned? hast thou not turned thy laughter into sorrow, and thy Joy in­to heavinesse? hast thou not cast downe thy selfe before the Lord? and found out and acknow­ledged all thy faults against thy selfe, (so farre as by searching thou wast able to find them.)

If thy soule can say I have laboured to see all my sinnes; and labou­red to confesse and weepe for them, and complained of them, and shamed my selfe and [Page 47]judged my selfe.

Quest. Then I aske againe hast thou not re­nounced thy selfe, and all thine owne merits?

Answ. Yes htat I have too.

Quest. Hast thou not resolved to take Christ youake? hast thou not made a Covenant with God, to fight against thy sinnes, and to reforme and amend thy life, and make they heart and spi­rit new?

Answ. Yes that I have too, I have resolved, but alasse I find little power.

I answer, upon thy [Page 48]resolution to obey after mourning and confes­sing, thou hast interest to comfort, and it must bee comfort that must strengthen thy resoluti­ons, and confirme thee in obedience.

Now then see thy mistaking, and know thou art one to whom comfort is due, and let not error over-shadow the sunne of comfort from shining upon thee.

§ 7.

Another cause of not being comforted is infi­delity, the moourners can­not [Page 49]believe that the com­forts appertaine to them­selves: but this is a fault too. For why? doth not God call to him, all that be heavie laden with sin; and in calling them to him, even bind them to take comfort?

Indeed the divell en­vies the comfort of the Saints, and seeketh to hinder it with multitude of objections. And some of Gods people bee so weake, that they suffer the divell to have his will on them this way, and hearken too much to his leasenings. But [Page 50]now, see that this is a fault, that doth even dis­grace piety to many, and make them thinke that godlinesse, and joy can­not dwell in one heart, so that they refuse piety for feare of wanting joy, whereas no companions will better agree then these two.

I have beene long in this reproofe, and yet as you see, milde and gentle enough. It is a weake­nesse, it is a frailty. It is a thing hurtfull and offensive, take notice of it, and reprehend thy selfe for it.

§ 1.

Vse 2 ANd secondly, let me nowpresse the Saints of God to follow David in the paths of consolati­on. You heard him con­fessing, you saw him in ashes, now you see him chearefull againe.

Hast thou followed him in that heavie path? follow him in this glad­nesse. Now that the Lord pipeth to thee, see that thou dance. Now that God biddeth thee take comfort, see that [Page 52]thou take it. Coe hither all yee Saints, that have long beene clad in black, and have rolled your selves in ashes, and have mingled your drinke with teares: Come hi­ther and learne of David to comfort your selves: O heare joy and glad­nesse, and let your bro­ken bones rejoyce. You I say that have sate in darkenesse, that have wept and wailed, that with bitter sighs and salt teares have blamed and shamed your selves be­fore God, come hither now, and behold David, [Page 53]and follow him, put on thegarments of glad­nesse and comfort your selves in Gods mercy. It is as needfull and as plaine a duty to believe Gods promises as his threats, to acknowledge his goodnesse as your owne badnesse. You have done the one, now doe the other also, and let everlasting joy be up­on your heads. Doth not Christ tell thee, that hee came to comfort the mourners? hee is here now in his Ordinances to comfort thee: ô let him not comfort thee in vaine.

Sitrre up thy selfe, and say, Iought to take com­fort, and Lord through thine helpe, I will take comfort to my selfe, and give thee the glory of the riches of thy grace in Christ.

§ 2.

If any say, but I can feele no comfort. I an­swer, Thou must believe it first, and then thou must feele it after. First, thou must draw out of Gods booke happie condlusions of comfort. That thy sinnes are par­doned, that God is [Page 55]reconciled, that thy soule shall bee saved, and then must so presse and urge these conclusi­ons upon thy soule, and binde thy selfe to con­sent to them, that in time sence of comfort may follow after.

§ 3.

Now that you may be able to comfort your selves against sinnes, and the feare of Gods wrath and damnation for them, (for you see that the Text calleth us to mini­ster that comfort, you [Page 56]must take notice of foure things needfull to fur­ther men in comforting themselves when they be made fit for comfort. First, one notable impe­diment to comfort whereof you must take heede. Secondly, the true ground of comfort. Thirdly, the degrees by which comfort groweth. Lastly, the meanes of comforting your selves.

§ 4.

1. For the first, if you will take comfort in­deed, you must resolve to beleeve neither the [Page 57]divell, not the flesh, nei­ther to credit Satan nor your owne hearts, but onely God, speaking in his holy Word.

The divell is a knowne, and wilfull, and purpo­sed lyar, and alwaies al­most frameth his tale against turth.

If he meete with a sin­ner that feeleth not sinne at all; hee will flatter him with false hopes, and make him (if he can) to beleeve that all is well, and that God will shew mercy to him, though he have no man­ner of right unto it. And [Page 58]by his good will hee would have men lulled a sleepe, with these false and vaine and worthlesse comforts, even till their dying day. But when he cannot hold them any longer in this sweete dreame, but that they begin to see and to feele sinne, and to feare Gods judgements; then hee will tell them a quite contrary tale. That there is no hope, that the time is past, that God will not receive them, taht their offences afe unpardo­nable, that it is in vaine to seeke mercy, that the [Page 59]date of grace is gone and past, that so if it were possible they might bee drowned in despaite, Wherefore whosoever would finde comfort must stop his eares against Satan, and resolve to beleeve no­thing he sayes.

Thou foundest him a lyer in his comforts, for­merly, now know him a lyer too in his present terrors. Hee is equally false when hee roares as when he sings.

§ 5.

Againe, beleeve not thy selfe, (thine owne heart) for that is false and deceitfull and full of error. Thou must not conclude I have no inte­rest unto comfort, be­cause I thinke I have none. Gods waies are not our waies, nor his thoughts our thoughts: What we thinke, it mat­ters nor, but what hee saith in his Word. Thou mayest see the false­hood of thine owne heart also by experi­ence, dost thou not know [Page 61]well, that thy heart de­ceived thee heretofore, in telling thee, that all was well with thee, when thy case was very miserable? Did it lie then, in ministring to thee ungrounded and ly­ing consolations? then know, that it is as likely to lie at this time, in de­nying comfort to thee. So farre as we suffer our eares to be open to the suggestions of Satan, and to the conceits of our owne hearts, so farre we hinder our selves of comfort. But we must say, I will heare what God [Page 62]saith, Psal. 85.8. he will speake peace. I will believe him and not the divell, not my selfe. Well now thus the heart is set in way of taking ocmfort.

§ 6.

Now in the second place, I will shew you the ground and founda­tion of this spirituall comfort, whereof we are now speaking. There is indeed, a comfort against outward evills, and a­gainst other sorrowes then those for sinne, con­cerning which, many things might well bee [Page 63]spoken, but I have not to doe with them at this time. Alone I am to shew the sole base and ground-worke of spiri­tuall comfort, which is the stedfast and assured apprehension or perswa­sion of the remission of our sinnes, and the love and favour of God in Christ.Psal 30.1 This David proveth, saying, Blessed is the man whose sinnes are covered, whose iniquity is pardoned, and to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne, And againe, having said Psal. 51.8. Make mee to heare joy and gladnesse that [Page 64]the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce, hee adds immediately, Hide thy face from my sinnes, ver. 9. The same our Saviour declareth plain­ly, saying to the poore Palsy-man, Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes be forgiven thee, Mat. 9.2. and to that sorrowfull weeping wo­man in the Gospell (who made her eyes as it were a yewre to wash his feet) Daughter thy sinnes are forgiven. There is no­thing suffcient to beare up true comfort, but a true and well grounded assurance, of this un­speakeable [Page 65]goodnesse of God, which is the foun­dation of all other be­nefits. And as any mans soule hath a more solid and stedfast and well built perswasion of this mercy: so is he the more comfortable, at least more capeable of com­fort: as hee hath lesse firme or lesse true know-ledge of this, so is hee lesse fit and able to re­ceive consolation. So then this conclusion must be written in the heart, God hath pardoned my sinnes, and received me gratiously in Christ, [Page 66]afore it can bee duely comforted, and so you see the ground of the comfort we seeke for.

§ 7.

Thirdly, I will shew you by what degrees this comfort groweth in the heart usually. When a mans sinnes lie most hea­vie upon his soule, and that the law like a sword hath ripped up and laun­ced his very heart that it runs and bleeds againe; then he heareth the do­ctrine of the Gospell, teaching remission of sins by Iesus Christ, and [Page 67]doth assent to the truth of it, as that it is an un­doubted verity, and then strives to apply it to him­selfe, and hath a secret perswasion that it shall be performed even to himselfe, now this per­swasion groweth up in three degrees.

First, the promise makes him thinke with himselfe, Assuredly my sinnes may be pardoned: The righteousnesse of Christ is sufficient to justifie me, and God can accept and forgive me. This makes him runne crying and praying to [Page 68]God for pardon, and affoords a little glimme­ring of comfort, as when a sick man knowes his disease to be curable, and that the Physitian can cure him, this is one graine of faith.

Secondly, having con­tinued to pray to God for aspace, he then con­ceiveth a little stronger hope, and saith in him­selfe, I hope God will par­don me, which makes him yet more warme in in his suit, and bringeth a little more consolati­on, this is an other graine of faith.

Lastly, he begins to conclude, God hath pardo­ned me; at first, making this conclusion feareful­ly, (not without admix­ture of many doubts, which he resisteth, and laboureth to reject) and at length with more strength and lesse doubt­ing, till he attaine a very full assurance, that scarce findeth any wavering, and then hath his soule a strong consolation, even a full weight of comfort.

Thus I have shewed you the third thing I in­tended, that no man [Page 70]may bee discomforted utterly, because he is not at first able perfectly to comfort himselfe, as sometimes good people are, thinking that they have no faith because they have not the highest degree thereof.

§ 1.

NOw in the fourth place, I will tell you by what meanes you must strengthen your [Page 71]faith, that it may affoord you large and strong consolation: for though no labour of man with­out the power of Gods Spirit can worke this comfort, yet doth the Spirit of God beget it, by meanes of such holy labours and endeavours as himselfe incites us to. These meanes are chie­fly foure: Meditation, Prayer, Conference, and a due information of judgement concerning this matter of remission of sins.

The first then is Me­ditation, and that princi­pally [Page 72]of foure things.

1. Of the perfect me­rits of Iesus Christ. 2. Of the infinite mercies of God. 3. Of the large and unlimited promises of the Word. 4. Of Gods gratiousnesse to other sinners, out of all which sound consolation may be taken, by the most broken heart that is or can be.

§ 2.

The first thing then to be seriously pondered upon is, the perfection of Christs merits, for upon this foundation [Page 73]doth comfort most de­pend. For our selves it matters not what we have deserved, or can deserve, for it must be confessed that our deserts extend to nothing but ruine and destruction. But our Lord and surety Iesus Christ hath made a full and perfect satisfaction to the justice of God, and deserved full and perfect remission of sinnes for all that seeke unto him. For of him the Scripture beareth witnesse,Mat. 3. ult. That in him God is well pleased, and that by him all that beleeve, Act. 13.38, 39. are justified from [Page 74]all things, from which they could not bee justified by the law of Moses. And him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud. Rom. 3.25. Hee hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, Gal. 3 1 being made a curse for us. 1 Cor. 1.30. Also He is our Wisedome, Righte­ousnesse, Sanctification and Redemption. And in Him wee have redemption through his bloud, Ephes 1.7 the forgivenesse of sinnes. And He hath taken away the sinnes of the world. Joh. 1.29 And His bloud cleanseth us from all sinne. 1 Ioh 1 7 And He is able to the uttermost, Heb. 7.25. to [Page 75]save those that come unto God by him. All these places doe testifie the fullnesse and absolute perfection of his righ­teousnesse and satisfacti­on, that as by the sinne of one man, the first Adam, many have beene made sinners, so by the righte­ousnesse of one man the se­cond Adam,Rom. 5.9. many be made righteous.

Now as it is in the case of a debtor and of his surety, so it is betwixt God and us in this mat­ter. Though the debtor being a meere banque­rupt, cannot possibly [Page 76]discharge his owne debt, yet if his surety have al­ready made payment of all his debts, or fully discharged them, he is safe enough from dan­ger: So, though we be utterly destitute of all ability to satisfie for our sinnes, and to deserve pardon of them; yet if our surety Iesus Christ have fully satisfied for them, as he hath, there is hope enough of our be­ing pardoned. For our Lord Iesus Christ was both God and man, a person infinitely more excellent then all men, [Page 77]and therefore his suffe­rings and obedience are of such infinite worth and valew, that by him the wrath of God is ful­ly appeased towards us. For it was a great de­monstration of Gods justice to punish him his onely begotten Sonne for our sinnes in such sort as he did, as if he had punished us to all eternity. Suppose di­vers debtors, one owing 10000 lb. another 5000 another 1000 another 100 lb. some more, some lesse, but each one more then his substance could [Page 78]possibly satisfie: yet if some able person had laid downe divers Iew­els of farre greater va­lew then all their debts did amount unto, then were their debts suffici­ently answered for, nei­ther need they be dis­couraged at the great­nesse of them. Even so, when we have commit­ted innumerable sinnes, deserving eternall death, and can no way satisfie for our selves, yet so long as he hath perfectly ful­filled the law for us, be­ing made under the law in our steed, and hath [Page 79]perfectly satisfied the justice of God by bea­ring the curse for us; our estate is good enough in him, though never so irrecoverable in our selves. Wherefore com­pare thy sins to Christs merits, and thinke, is not he my Saviour? hath not he discharged my debt? hath not he answered for mine offences? are not his death, sufferings, and obedience, much more able to pacifie Gods an­ger, then my transgres­sions to provoke it? Doubtlesse it is so: no man that professeth [Page 80]Christian Religion will deny it, and therefore by his bloud peace of con­science may come unto the greatest sinner.

§ 3.

If it be objected, Ah, J know his redemption is perfect and all-surficient, but how can I tell that it shall be granted unto me? I answer, put off that question a little, till thou have first answe­red some few questions which I shall propound unto thee. Dost not thou thinke that the bloud of [Page 81]Christ is sufficient to wash away all thy sins? is not his satisfaction full, compleate and of worth enough to answer for all thy transgressions, even though they were more then they bee? If thou sayest no, thou denyest the truth of the fore-alledged Scrip­tures, and disparagest the merits of our blessed Sa­viour, which I hope thou wilt not dare to doe: but if yea, as needs thou must say yea, then hearken yet further a little, and for thine owne interest into this satisfaction, receive [Page 82]satisfaction by this rea­son: Our Saviour Christ calleth unto him, all that travell and are heavy la­den with sin, and promi­seth refreshing & rest un­to their soules. Tell me, art not thou laden? art not thou crushed? Dost not thou confesse thy sins to be a most insupporta­ble burden, and so hea­vie a loade that they will surely presse thee downe to hell, if he doe not ease thee? if thou dost not or dost not desire so to doe thou art none of them whom I intend to com­fort, if thou dost, why [Page 83]then in Gods name, let that loving invitation of our Lord satisfie thy forementioned doubt, and conclude thou thus for thy selfe. Every one that being heavy la­den will come unto Christ, shall bee refre­shed, shall have rest to his soule, and therefore shall have his merits be­stowed upon him, with­out which there can bee no rest to his soule. Now I am heavy laden, and I will runne to Christ (and so doe J pray thee, with­out doubting or feare any longer) and then [Page 84]thou must conclude in­fallibly, I shall be refre­shed, I shall have the me­rits of Christ to be mine, according to the truth of his promise.

§ 4.

And so you have the first meditation. The se­cond must be of the infi­nite mercies of God in Christ, who is gratiously ready in him, the Sonne of his loves, to accept of every sinner that re­nouncing himselfe, and all his owne righteous­nesse, doth flie wholy to [Page 85]him for refuge. For the Lord is a God,Exod. 14 6. gratious & mercifull, slowe to anger, abundant in kindnesse and truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving ini­quity, transgression and sinne. His mercy is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. Psal 103 11. He will abundantly forgive, Isa. 55.7, 2, 9. and his waies are not as our waies, nor his thoughts as our thoughts, for as the hea­vens are higher then the earth, so are his waies higher then our waies, and his thoughts above our thoughts. Yea hee hath multitude of tender [Page 86]compassions, and is rich in mercy to all that call up­on him, Rom. 10 12. and his mercy endureth for ever. You see by these words of Scripture what store of mercy there is in God, and what quantity of compassion poore sin­ners that are humbled, must looke to finde with him. Now consider further, what is this mer­cy and compassion of God? Doubtlesse it is a willingnesse, prompt­nesse, readinesse, for­wardnesse, full reso­lution to accept of miserable sinners that [Page 87]have made themselves most wretched by their sinnes, and to relieve their miseries when they humbly stoope unto him. Mercy is not an ability to pardon and helpe if one will, but a willingnesse to helpe and pardon when one is able. Wee doe not call him a merci­full man, that could help a poore distressed person if he would, but it is not his pleasure so to doe, for so it may be with a most cruell and hard hearted fellow. The most rigo­rous and exating rich Usurer, could forgive [Page 88]his debtor (that is a banckerout and can pay him nothing) if hee would, but he will not though he can, and ther­fore doth not deserve to be called mercifull. The most fierce and furious tyrant might forgive his subject, if he would, that hath offended, but be­cause he is not willing, therefore no man styles him pitifull and grati­ous. So neither were the God of heaven full of grace, mercy and com­passion, if onely he were able to forgive humbled sinners, and would not; [Page 89]that were not mercy I say, that were not com­passion, but this is grace, this is compassion. He is willing to receive the humbled wretch, he is ready to forgive, and fully resolved with him­selfe to blot out all his sinnes from his remem­brance, bee they what they will for number or haighnousnes, when once he converteth unto him. Now therefore that thou knowest the store of mercy that is in God, and also what mercy is. Compare thy sinnes also to Gods mercy, and see [Page 90]if they can be in any sort equall thereunto. For are not his mercies in Christ infinite, endlesse, boundlesse, and there­fore farre surpassing all the sinnes of all sinners, which bee they, what they can be, for weight and number, yet doubt­lesse infinite they cannot bee.

Thou seest how great a thing this globe of earth and water seemeth to be to them that walke upon it, yet in compari­son of the heavenly spheare that doth incom­passe it, what is it else, but [Page 91]a poynt, a prick, a center, a thing of nothing, that holdeth no proportion to those higher regions, and know assuredly, that there is no more propor­tion betwixt all the sins of all men, and Gods mercies, then betwixt the poynt of earth, and the circumference of the skies. He is willing to pardon more then all of them can commit, and therefore onely they bee not pardoned, because they will not humble themselves to seeke par­don. Thus then must thou raise up thy falling [Page 92]heart, I have to doe with a most infinitely mercifull and tender hearted Father, that doth not desire the death of him that dieth, but is ten thousand thousand times more willing to give me pardon then I am to crave or accept it. It pleaseth him more to bestow forgivenesse, then me to receive it. O doe not so great an in­jury to God, as to set any bounds and limits to his goodnesse, to diminish or detract from the boundlesnesse of his compassion, to thinke [Page 93]that thou canst possibly exceed his goodnesse with thy badnesse, but go unto him and acknow­ledge, saying, O Lord, the multitude of thy mercies doe farre sur­mount the multitude of my rebellions, O there­fore be gratious to mee according to the multi­tude of thy mercies, and so thou shalt bee safe.

But thou wilt say perhaps how can I tell that God will shew mercy to me? I answer, Art not thou one of those to whom he hath sealed up mercy [Page 94]in baptisme? yea but thou wilt say, many are baptized that never finde mercy. I answer, not one that in sence of want of mercy, and in a perswa­sion that God can bee mercifull to him, doth seeke to the throne of grace for it. And for a fuller answer to this doubt, now proceed to the third meditation.

§ 5.

This is of the wide­nesse and largenesse of Gods promises to sin­ners, which are of such [Page 95]an unlimited extent, that they exclude no sinner for no sinne, and in no time of comming to him. For in all these re­spects, are his promises wondrous large and of great extent. J say first they shut not out any sinner, but runne in this generality, Come unto me (All) that are hea­vie laden, even all, all without any exception, so that whosoever he be that is heavy laden, hee sees the gate of Gods goodnesse standing open to him, and wide enough to receive even him also [Page 96]among the rest of sin­ners; next hee excepts not any sinne, but telleth us thus, The bloud of Christ purgeth us from all sinne. 1 Joh. 1.7 And againe, if your sinnes were as red as scarlet they shall bee as white as snow. Isa. 1.18. And againe,Ezek. 18.22. I will blot all his iniquities out of my re­membrance, and he bids them pray thus, Take away all iniquity, Hos. 14.2. and al­lowed David to cry and say,Psal. 51.9 Blot out all mine ini­quities. Doe you not heare how generall these promises bee, not nar­rowed with any excepti­on, [Page 97]but alone to be un­derstood with this quali­fication of the persons, if they be humbled for sin. And in like manner for the time of comming lies not the promise, in the day that the sinner turneth? Ezek. 33.12. meaning when so ever, sooner or later, first or last, so that hee turne in truth, you see no time excepted for the grant of pardon of sinne. Indeed in regard of crosses, it may fall out, that a man may seek to God for freedome of them and not find it, but for pardon of sinnes, he [Page 98]that comes in truth, comes never too late. And here now is the right use of those univer­sall promises, which are set downe in Scripture. God would have no man perish, but would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. and He is a propitia­tion for the sinnes of the whole world, 1 Ioh. 2.2. and Hee gave himselfe a ransome for all, 1 Tim. 2.6. and He tasted death for every man. Heb. 2.9. Which the Lord hath of set purpose conceived in this ample forme of words, that there might [Page 99]bee sure and certaine ground and footing, for the faith of any man whatsoever, that being tyred with his sinnes, doth runne unto this grace of God in Christ to finde helpe in time of need. Seeing God hath not excepted thy person, or thy faults, or thy time of comming, doe not thou except thy selfe, make not the gate of Gods promises scanter, or narrower then it is. He hath opened both the leaves of these dores as wide as may bee, and thinkes it not fit to [Page 100]cloze them up, against any humbled and con­fessing sinner, at any time: O doe no thou put a distrustfull hand upon them, to shut them against thy selfe, but let them stand wide open, and enter boldly, and aske mercy, and looke for mercy, and finde it.

§ 6.

Now followes the last meditation, which must be of the examples of Gods grace, in per­forming these promises to other sinners, as bad, [Page 101]if not worse then any of us can be. For the Lord hath made good these words of his in his Son to as great, hainous, will­full, presumptuous offen­dors, as any have beene, are or can bee in the world, that will come unto him. No man can name, so great a sinne or sinnes, with so great ag­gravations, but that the Scriptures affoord us ex­amples of as grievous sinnes pardoned, and as grievous sinners saved, if they have framed them­selves to humiliation and conversion. For what [Page 102]may thy sin bee or thine obstinacy in sin? Is it murder and adultery runne into with fore-re­solved deliberation? continued in with great hardnesse and obdurati­on? behold these were Davids faults, and thou seest him pardoned and comforted, yea though he ran unto them in old age after many benefits received, and after a long time of forward­nesse in the true religi­on and service of God. Hast thou beene an Ido­later? a Buggerer? a Drunkard? a Rayler? an [Page 103]Extortioner? why such were some of the Corin­thians, (as Paul remem­bers them) and yet they were washed, sanctified, justified, as he also tel­leth them. Hast thou besides Idolatry fol­lowed Sorcerers and Witches? and practised inchantments and sorce­ries? and that with so much and so long ob­stinacy, as to kill those that should admonish thee of these faults? Why so did Manasses too, and yet he is pardoned. Hast thou persecuted Christ? blasphemed [Page 104]him? made others to blaspheme? and put them to death that would not? why so did Paul also, (and that after divers yeares spent in those places, where many wonders and mi­racles were wrought to confirme the Gospell of Christ) and yet he is par­doned. Hast thou beene an harlot? so was Rahab, and the sinnefull woman in the Gospell. Hast thou beene a theefe? so was hee that defended Christ on the Crosse. Hast thou denied and foresworne Christ? so [Page 105]did Peter also after hee had beene diverse yeares his disciple, and yet all these are pardoned. Yea verily brethren, the first sinne that ever was committed, was in many respects the greatest of all particular acts of sin that ever were commit­ted since. It was virtu­ally, radically, causally all sinne, and yet loe Adam and Evah that did commit it, they are saved. The smalnesse of the matter makes the fault farre greater, being a light and easie thing, propounded meerely for [Page 106]a triall, and as a signe and profession of their obe­dience, as if a man should forbid his childe a very slender thing, and that which hee might easily forbeare, to testifie his obedience unto him, he would be more offen­ded against him in this case, by how much hee had made choyce of a more triviall matter to proove his obedience withall. Now for such persons at such a time, in such a place, in such a state, on such motives to disobey their maker in such a thing, so easie to [Page 107]bee observed, and given to them onely to proove their obedience, surely a greater disobedience (and therefore a greater sinne) can hardly be na­med, and yet as I said before, this sinne is par­doned, and those sinners saved. And who now can be hopelesse? who now can cast off com­fort? Now therfore stay and look upon those ef­fects & proofes of Gods mercy and truth, and say unto thy selfe, is not God the same God that of old? was not his ju­stice and anger against [Page 108]sin, as great then as now? and is not his mercy and truth, as large and sure now as then? and why then should not J also take heart, to seeke unto the same God and rest upon him. And these be the most comfortable meditations that I could propound, to the sor­rowfull and fearefull heart of the broken sin­ner, for the suppling of his wounds, and fitting his soule for consolation.

§ 1.

NOw these meditati­ons must be conclu­ded and intermixed, with confessions and sup­plications. The poore sinner must gather up his thoughts into petiti­ons and requests, and refusing to be hindered by any feares, doubts, or objections, must take to himselfe boldnesse to fall downe before the [Page 110]throne of grace, and fol­lowing the counsell of the Holy Ghost, must take to himselfe words, and say, receive me gra­tiously, and take away all iniquity. Addresse thy selfe unto the God of heaven in the name of Christ his Sonne, and say, Lord behold here the worst of sinners, ap­pearing before thee, ca­sting himselfe as low as hell, desirons to bee as full of shame and sorrow as is possible, and there­fore troubled, because he cannot be more grieved & more abased. I am Lord [Page 111]indeed a vile and grie­vous sinner, and these and these evills have I done, but ô for the merits sake of Jesus Christ alone, thy deere and onely begotten Sonne, accept me, for­give, and according to the multitude of thy mercies, wash mee throughly from all my sinnes. Remember O Lord the thing that thou hast promised and sealed up to al that seeke thee, even blot out all mine of­fences out of thy re­membrance, and for my sinnes and iniquities, O [Page 112]Lord remember them no more. Be not wea­rie of making these re­quests, though thou seeme to thy selfe to re­ceive none answer to them, but fly constantly, and runne boldly to the throne of grace, to at­taine mercy to helpe in time of need. If thy soule be vexed with new feares, confirme thou it with new prayers, and resolve, if thou must be damned to be damned praying, and if thou must needs perish, to pe­rish with a prayer in thy mouth, then thou canst [Page 113]not bee damned, then thou canst not perish. Call upon God in the day of thy trouble, make thy prayers to him in the flouds of great waters, and sure they shall not come neere thee, for he will fullfill his promise, and will grant thee all that thou beggest in the name of his Sonne. Thus have you two helpes to comfort, pray­er and meditation.

§ 2.

The third followes, and that is conference. [Page 114]Make thy case knowne to others of Gods peo­ple, for wisdome lies not all in one brest, so that any one man should bee able for himselfe to an­swer all Satans crafty cavills, especially the weake Christian cannot, therefore must he shew his case, and crave coun­sell; David could com­fort himselfe, Bathsheba could not. Wherefore devoure not thy sor­rowes all alone, but aske advice, seeke abroad for comfort, and make an happy use of the fellow­ship and communion of [Page 115]Saints. More easily can the divell over reach one then many, commu­nicate therefore thy griefes and feares, to some or other of Gods faithfull people or Mini­sters. Now is the time of hearkening to the counsell of Saint Iames, who bids us, Confesse our faults one to another, James 5.16. and pray one for another that you may be healed, when men that are tormented in spirit, suffer them­selves to bee stopped by shame or feare, from opening their wounds, they multiply their own [Page 116]miseries, and increase the flames by stifling them. Do not so there­fore any longer, but make manifest thy ter­rors, and acknowledge thy sinnes to some or other comforter. A man in a desperate di­sease will runne to the Chyrurgion. Bee sure thou hast not commit­ted any so grievous sins, but some or other of Gods children have committed as bad. Bee sure that no temptation ceaseth upon thee, so foule and hideous, but the same or as bad, hath [Page 117]beene found before in some or other of the Saints. J say therefore againe, make haste to seeke advice, and disco­ver thine whole soule freely and fully to him whom thou takest for thy Physitian, and leave nothing, no nothing un­uttered that doth trou­ble thee; and resolve to beleeve rather the words of him that seekes to comfort thee, then thine owne strong fancies, and Satans lying cavills a­gainst thee. It is evident that a sound man can easily doe that for a sick [Page 118]man, which hee by no meanes is able to doe for himselfe in the time of his sicknesse. There­fore doe the sicke send for the whole, and the whole come to the sicke, and even so must the sick and comfortlesse soule doe likewise, onely doe this speedily, and put not off till thou beest alrea­dy overwhelmed with griefes. As a bone out of joynt, that is too long afore it bee set, is farre more hardly restored to his place, and is ever ready to be slipping out againe: so a distressed [Page 119]soule that defers to crave counsell, is much more hardly comforted, and doth much more easily fall againe into his won­ted griefes. Speed is ne­cessary therefore in the latter of these two cases as well as the former, and great is the hurt of deferring. If thou hast carryed thy griefes in silence long, that that is past cannot be remedi­ed, and thou must bee sure it will bee harder and longer afore thou canst be helped. But if thou beest one that now begins to faint, let nor [Page 120]Satan hinder thee from revealing thy case, as he will endeavour. Two eyes see more then one, and one man alone is easily cousened. Shame, shame, carnall shame hinders many a soule from inward comfort; he is ashamed to tell to others what he findes in himselfe, as not know­ing that all men labour of the same disease of originall sinne, which is an aptnesse to every sinne. If a man have a foule disease and bee ashamed to shew it, either hee must bee the better [Page 121]skilled in Surgery him­selfe, or else he dies for it, so it is for sinnes. Make speed therefore to look abroad for com­fort, if thou finde not thy selfe ablt to deale with thine owne feares and objections.

§ 3.

Doe this also plainely and fully, without any reservation, sticke not at any thing that trou­bles thee, but cleere thy minde fully, and wholy, and be not like a childe that holdeth out the [Page 122]wrong finger, and will not bee knowne where his worst paine is. If need be, thou maist tie thy Physitian to secrecy, by the strongest bond of an oath, but be not thou in any one thing secret or reserved, chiefely conceale not that sinne sinnes or temptations that doe most perplexe thee, or any one aggra­vating circuemstance of them. All labour is lost till this be done. Till the thorne be pulled out, that causeth swelling, the swelling will not be asswaged. The answering [Page 123]of all other objections will availe nothing for thy comfort unlesse this be answered. Let no­thing make thee hold backe any of thy griefes, more then stay too long before thou begin to crave helpe. Feare not, squeame not to lay open the worst of thy sores, let the very issue and le­prosie bee seene that should be healed. A man shall but bungle in the cure that is not through­ly informed of the sick­nesse. And as sick men doe, so doe thou; they beleeve their tender ra­ther [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 124]then their own eyes or conceits: for sicke men are exceeding apt to mistake things out of their bodily distemper, and so are also troubled and distempered hearts. Gods words alone can bee the ground of com­fort, mans may and must bee the instrument of comfort, that by belee­ving man, wee may bee helped to beleeve in God. As a man must hope above hope, so hee must beleeve above beleefe. He must captivate his rea­son to his comforter that seeles to a comforter, [Page 125]and say, what hee con­cludes for mee out of Gods Word, I will cre­dit, though I cannot feele it to be so, and will rely more on his judgement then mine owne. And why should not a wise and godly Minister bee rather credited, then a lying and malitious spi­rit, and a distracted and disquieted heart? The sicke mans pallate dee­meth sweete things to be sower, his dimned eyes can see no light at noone­tide, finding this he cre­dits those about him, that have better disposed [Page 126]sences, and judges of things, not as himselfe thinketh, but as others tell. In this vertuous credulousnesse, must bee the sicke soules first be­ginnings of comfort, and he that will thus betake himselfe to counsell, shall finde that in the multitude of counsel­lours, there will bee peace.

§ 4.

And so much also for the third meanes of com­fort. I will conclude with the fourth and last, namely the right infor­mation [Page 127]of our judge­ments, that we may bee able to answer such ob­jections as are brought against the remission of our sinnes, and whereby the divell and the flesh would have us conclude, but the conclusion is false, that our sinnes neither bee, nor shall be pardoned. The cheefe of these I will set downe in order, with their an­swers so well as I am able.

But before I speake of them, I will shew you what be the onely true arguments to proove [Page 128]that a mans sinnes bee not, nor (whilest hee so continues) can be pardo­ned.

First, the not feeling of sinne to bee a bur­den.

Secondly, the not confessing of sin plainely to God, and in cases needfull to man also.

Thirdly, the not resol­ving to leave it.

Fourthly, the not see­king for pardon in Christ, and in him a­lone.

These foure do infal­libly prove, that a mans sinnes are not pardoned, [Page 129]neither shall bee, so long as hee doth remaine in that case. But if these foure things be done, viz. 1. That sinne bee felt with anguish and griefe of heart. 2. That it be plainely confessed to God and man, in case needfull and of offence given. 3. That a man have stedfastly resolved to leave it. 4. That he seeke and cry for pardon in Christ, and in him onely, none other argu­ment that can be alled­ged against the pardon of sinne is of any sorce. Now I will set downe [Page 130]the chiefe objections, and shew their invalidi­ty. They are drawne likely from foure heads. 1. The greatnesse of ones sinnes. 2. The defects of his graces. 3. His owne feelings. And lastly, his horrible temptations.

§ 5.

From greatnesse of sinne there are three grand objections. First then, the newly humbled sinner, looketh backe upon his life past, and finding his out-strayings [Page 131]so many and so grie­vous, and withall, con­sidering for how long a space, with how much hardnesse and obstinacy, and against how many reproofes and checks, he continued to wallow in them, is ready to con­clude, that there is no possibility of pardon. This reason must be thus framed, Hee that hath committed many and foule offences, persisted long in them, with much willfullnesse, and against many meanes, is sure un­pardoned, and shall not be pardoned. But alasse [Page 132]alasse, so have I done as mine affrighted consci­ence doth now beare witnesse against mee: Therefore J neither am nor shall bee pardoned. To the which the an­swer is, that the first proposition of the argu­ment upon which the whole is built, is most apparantly false. There is no Text of Scripture that doth say so, nor can it bee confirmed by any part of the Word of God, therefore as a false suggestion of the divell or of the guilty heart, it must be utterly denied. [Page 133]Yea the Scripture doth plainely declare the quite contrary, and doth make it most evident, that those in whom all the things mentioned in that proposition, have beene manifestly found, have yet beene pardo­ned or might have beene. For did not Manasseh continue a most willfull transgres­sour in most grievous kindes, and that against many admonitions of Prophets sent unto him immediately from God, and that so that he slew and murdered these Pro­phets, [Page 134]and that also, so long, till he was cast in­to the darke dungeon and laden with chaines of irons: Yet even then was he accepted, upon his humble confessions, and supplications: Yea did not Paul proceed in persecuting with great fury, and after that the Lord had sent his Apo­stles to worke many strange miracles, to in­forme him with the rest of the Jews that Jesus was the Lord, yet went on to blaspheme that holy Name, and imprison them that confessed it, [Page 135]and that all the time from Christs resurrecti­on, till the houre that the Lord did meete him in the way and knocke him downe to the ground: and yet did not God pardon him, and set forth him for an example of his long­suffering to chiefe sin­ners. It must therefore be acknowledged for a certaine truth, that how hainous so ever amans sinnes have beene, how long so ever hee have hardened himselfe in them, how many offers of grace so ever he have [Page 136]refused, how many ad­monitions so ever hee have heglected and de­spised, yet if hee now doe turne unto the Lord, he shall bee accepted. So saith Ieremy, Chap. 26.13. Therefore now amend your waies, and your workes, and heare the voice of the Lord your God, that the Lord may repent him of the plague that hee hath pro­nounced against you. God had sent many Prophets, many yeares together, rising early, and sending them, at this time also he had sent Ieremy with [Page 137]the same message againe, and now insteed of hea­ring, they laid hands upon, and were ready to kill him, yet even now he tells them, that if now they would turne, the Lord would repent of he evill. Whatsoever therefore is gone and past, if in the present time thou con­vert, lament, confesse amend, thou shalt be for­given. Sinne may so harden the finners heart, that he cannot repent, it cannot so harden Gods heart against him, that if he repent, the Lord will [Page 138]not pardon him. O then beleeve not the ly­ing divell. Hee telleth thee, thy sinnes are so many and so vile, that they cannot bee forgi­ven, the Lord tells, as obstinate and as grievous sinners as ever were, that if they now turne, hee will repent him of the evill, and consequently they shall be pardoned, wilt thou not give credit to God rather then to the divell? This is the first doubt taken from sinne.

§ 6.

An other and a sorer followes. Ah I, since the time that I thought my selfe called and con­verted, have yet againe rushed into grosse and grievous sinnes, and that also willingly and upon deliberation, and what shall I doe then, sure I was but an hypocrite, and sure J cannot bee pardoned, at least I am not. This reason also must bee cast into this forme. Whosoever af­ter his calling and conversion committeth [Page 140]great sinnes willfully, was sure but an hypo­crite, and is not nor can bee pardoned. But so have I done, therefore J am but an hypocrite, I am not pardoned nor can be. To this I answer againe, that the first part of the argument is ap­parantly false, and there­fore such is also the con­clusion. It is false that he which hath so sinned after calling was but an hypocrite, and is not par­doned, for this was the verycase of David whose example wee now are handling. Did not hee [Page 141]fall in the felfe same fort as thou hast said, and yet hee was no hypocrite, but he was pardoned. I demand of the there­fore, Hast thou renewed thy confessions nad thy sorrowes, and thy reso­lutions of amendment since thy fall, and art thou returned to a forme, purpose and endeavour of walking before the Lord in uprightnesse. If thou hast, then I assure thee by warrant of Da­vids example, that thou wast sincere before, and that thou art pardoned. If thou hast not, I re­quire [Page 142]thee now, in Gods name, settle about these things, & apply thy selfe seriously to renew thy repentance, and to turne againe to God, and thou shalt be pardoned. So is the second doubt an­swered taken from great sinnes.

§ 7.

The third followes, and that is worse then both the former. Ah I have made long defecti­ons from the covenant of grace, and revolted, backslided, apostated from the waies of God, and in my backsliding [Page 143]veine have runne into, I know not how many and how grievous offences. Since I found some good things working in my soule, and had for a great space and with great for­wardnesse, continued to walke in the paths of piety. I have againe broken forth and conti­nued a long time in my wandrings, without any care of returning, and therefore now I feare that my case is despe­rate, and that J have committed the unpar­donable sinne. This ar­gument must bee like­wise [Page 144]cast into this forme, whosoever hath beene guilty of long and grie­vous defections and backslidings, hath his sinnes unpardoned, and hath committed the un­pardonable trespasse, nor can be pardoned. Now so I have done, as mine owne heart is too sure a witnesse against mee: Therefore I neither am nor can bee pardoned. Mine answer to this rea­son, is in the same man­ner that the former. The first part of it must bee denied, as being evident­ly false and against the [Page 145]Word of God. For David in my Text did thus backslide in some degree, but Salomon (whose birth is here mentioned, and who is here graced with the name Iedidiah, because the Lord, not alone did but also would love him) did make even such an Apostacy to the very full and yet hee recovered himselfe by repentance, hee was upright before, and hee was pardoned. For hath not the Lord pro­mised Israel to heale her backslidings? Tell [Page 146]me then, fince thy back­sliding, hast thou not recovered, and with much shame and remorse craved pardon and re­turned to doe or labours to doe thy first workes. If not, thou art not the man I seeke to comfort, unlesse thou shalt now addresse thy selfe to this reconversion, as I may so terme it. If yea, why then know that thy case is good enough, the di­sease that is healed doth never kill, but to thee appertaine the promises made to backsliding Israel. And whereas [Page 147]thou sayest, my sinne is sure that unpardonable sinne. Understand that the Scripture never cal­leth any sin unpardona­ble. Some sinnes indeed are never pardoned, be­cause the committer thereof doth never re­pent; but that a sinne repented of should bee uncapeable of pardon, it is more then the Word of God doth ever af­sirme: but if there bee any such sinne, this sinne of thine cannot bee that sinne. For he that wholy falleth away, after some degrees of [Page 142] [...] [Page 143] [...] [Page 144] [...] [Page 145] [...] [Page 146] [...] [Page 147] [...] [Page 148]grace received, it is im­possible that he should renew him againe by repentance, but thou dost againe renew thy selfe by repentance, for thou confessest, and la­mentest thy turning aside, and returnest a­gaine to crave pardon. Let thine heart returne a true answer; dost thou not finde it aking, and relenting for thine Apo­stafie, longing, desirous to come on againe, and carefull to seeke par­don for former decli­nings? if so, then art thou renewed by repen­tance [Page 149]and therefore didst not wholy fall away. If backslidings shall breed in any man, either utter hardnesse, or utter despaire, so that ei­ther one is not sorry for them, or will not seeke forgivenesse of them, that is a sore signe of ut­ter relapsing, but thou dost come backe againe to the Lord, falling out with thy selfe, for falling of from him, and ca­sting downe thy selfe before him, above and against all hope, dost crave mercy of him. I am certaine therefore [Page 150]that thy case is good, and thou art or shalt bee pardoned. And for this so terrible objection of backsliding, let the Pro­phet fully satisfie thee. For to Israel that had plaide the harlot from God and followed many lovers, the Lord saith by his Prophet, Yet re­turne unto me, Chap. 3 ver. 1. & ver. 12.Jer. 3. Returne ô backesliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee, for I am mercifull saith the Lord, and will not keepe anger for ever, onely acknowledge your iniquity, and so [Page 151]forth, and then after, Turne ô backsliding chil­dren, for I am married unto you, and I will take you, one of a city, and so as it followeth in the Prophet. Loe now the truth of God, whatsoe­ver fearefull Apostacy thou hast made, if thou returne and acknow­ledge, here is promise of acceptance, and this very turning, shewes that thou hast not committed that never-to-be pardo­ned sin, for that offence is therefore onely never pardoned, because the man that hath runne into [Page 152]it, will never returne, either out of hardnesse, or despaire, or both.

§ 1.

ANd these objecti­ons arise from the quality of sinnes committed, either be­fore or after calling. An other troope arise, from those many wants and defects which the soule doth finde in it selfe. [Page 153]And first the soule findes fault with it selfe for want of repentance, rea­soning thus against it selfe. Alas I have no repentance, and there­fore I am not pardo­ned. To which I an­swer, that it must bee confessed for a truth, whosoever hath not re­pented is not pardoned. But why dost thou say I have not repented? To answer this doubt, in­forme thy selfe aright, what repentance is. It is a duty consisting of these foure parts: 1. Sorrow for sin. 2. Confession [Page 154]of it to God. 3. Ear­nest calling upon God in the name of Christ for pardon and helpe. 4. A firme purpose and endeavour of amend­ment. Consider, hast thou not these things, dost thou not performe these actions, or endea­vour to performe them? If thou dost, then thou hast the grace of repen­tance, as sure as he is a man that hath a soule and body. O but saith the fearefull soule, I am not sorry enough for sins, I do not grieve for them so much as I should, nor [Page 155]crave pardon of them so earnestly as I should, nor mend them so well as I should. J answer, that is very true, But where hath the Lord said, that he which hath not per­formed these duties so well as he should, hath not true repentance? This is no where found in Scripture, it is one of thy false conceits, and a very false conceit it is, tanding to confound the Law, and the Gospell; for the Law requireth to doe all things perfectly, and rejecteth all works which a man doth not [Page 156]performe so well as hee should, but the Gospell is a doctrine of grace, and accepts endeavours to performe duties, though one fall farre short of that measure of duty which he ought to attaine. Dost not thou strive and endeavour to doe these things more and better, and blame thy selfe for defects and failings: If so, then dost thou repent as well as thou shouldest, in the language of the Gospell. Yea but J doe not la­ment sinne so much as others doe, and as the [Page 157]Scriptures tell that some godly men have done. I answer, but hast thou not heretofore some time with plenty of bitter teares, bewailed thine offences, even allmost as much as any the Word speaketh of; & if so, then understand that these large and great sorrowes are not alwaies to con­tinue; There must bee a time of drying such flouds of teares from the eyes of the Saints. I answer againe, that if thou hast not lamented as much as some of Gods Saints have done [Page 158]in Scripture, yet thou hast lamented as much as some others, Thou readest not of such ex­treame lamentation in the conversion of Abra­ham, or Zaccheus, and Matthew, and some others. The Word of God hath left us exam­ples of some that have grieved very much, and of others that have not grieved so much, if thou hast not attained to the examples of one of these, yet hast thou fol­lowed the other: and againe, I answer, that God doth not reject the [Page 159]sorrowes of his people, because they bee not so great as those which others attaine. It is no where said in Scripture, that hee repents not which grieveth not as much as others doe or have done. And for the point of grieving for sin, understand that not the quantity is so much to be respected as the qua­lity; if a man grieve ne­ver so much, and his griefe carry him not to confesse and seeke par­don and grace and help, and diligently to endea­vour amendment, they [Page 160]be nothing worth, and if they doe bring forth these effects, they be ac­cepted, though they bee not very great.

§ 2.

Yea but saith the heart yet againe, J can­not aske pardon earnest­ly, and heartily, nor at all pray unto God for it with any life or fervency. I answer, why wilt thou say so? That which a man desireth more then life, and more then all the profits and pleasures of life, that he desireth [Page 161]earnestly and heartily, I trow, or else, who can be said to desire earnestly? Now tell me, wouldst thou not rather choose to have thy sinnes par­doned, and thy soule healed, then to have long life, great riches, store of pleasures, and all worldly contents? if this be true, as thou canst not denie it, then thou dost earnestly pray for these things, denying that to be found in thee (as in temptation it is usuall) which any other man may manifestly see to be in thee.

§ 3.

Yea but I want that last part of repentance, and that which is the perfection of all, I do not amend, I doe not amend, but J still slip into the same sins, and cannot leave them. Why tell me what sinnes bee they that thou canst not leave, Is it murder, blasphemy, whoredome, &c. O no, but I finde deadnesse, dullnesse, coldnesse in prayer, distractednesse and forgetfullnesse in hearing, passionatenesse, impatiency, and a num­ber [Page 163]like faults, still brea­king forth in me. J an­swer, what dost thou make of God and of his mercy, when thou con­cludest from hence that thy sinnes be not pardo­ned? Is not hee ready to passe by such weake­nesses in his children and servants, as thou canst easily passe by in thine. Doth not hee call him­selfe a Father, doth not he tell us that he knowes that we be but dust. Doth not the Scripture say,James 3.2 In many things wee offend all, and who can say his heart is cleane? Pro 20.9. Sure if this [Page 164]were a good argument that ones sins were not pardoned, no sins were pardoned to any sinner. For finde me a man or woman under heaven, that hath not cause to complaine thus. Assure thy selfe therefore that these continuall weake­nesses are not contrary to remission of sinnes. Sanctification must bee true, else the soule is not justified, but it is not needfull, nay nor in this life possible that it should be perfect. And it is true, so long as thou continu­est to confesse and la­ment, [Page 165]and strive a­gainst these imperfecti­ons, though thou bee still cumbred with them, else would not Saint Paul have said, The flesh lusteth against the spirit, Gal. 5.17. so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would. Away with this objecti­on therefore, it savours of pride, thou wilt not think thou art pardoned, unlesse thou canst bring to God some such mea­sure of goodnesse, as might seeme halfe, or allmost to deserve it. If thou wilt not beleeve thou art pardoned, till [Page 166]thou finde no such faults, thou shalt never beleeve thou art pardoned.

§ 4.

Yea but I feele not alone these common im­perfections, but I feele also some one or other corruption so strong and violent in me, that it doth often even againe and againe breake forth, and that also too too palpa­bly and grossely. I an­swer, But dost not thou feele in thine heart a per­petuall warring against these corruptions. Dost [Page 167]thou not renew thy sor­rowfull confessions, and resolutions of amend­ment, as often as thou sinnest and farre oftner too? Dost thou not usually and ordinarily hold fast thy resolution not to sinne, and art over­come alone sometimes, but commonly keepest under the sinne from pal­pable breaking forth? Dost not thou fall seldo­mer and with lesse con­tent, and more reluctati­on, and rise sooner out of the sinne: Yea is it not thy continuall pray­er to be kept against it, [Page 168]& dost not thou find that these endeavours keepe thee so, that thou offēdest not by many degrees, so much & often, as before thou didst, & as else thou shouldst doe? I answer then, that where sin hath not dominion, there it is healed, and a mans soule is truly sanctified, and himselfe in the state of grace;Rom. 6.24. For it is said, Sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are un­der grace. Now it is cer­taine, that where any sin is thus constantly and conscionably resisted & opposed with these spiri­tuall [Page 169]weapons (namely by the consideration of Gods goodnes in Christ, & of his commandmēts, threats and promises in his Word) it is subdued, and the dominion there of is broken: Such an one doth mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, and is in killing them, though they bee not quite slaine, that ru­leth not that is perpetu­ally resisted, oppugned, fought against. There­fore though some such corruption be very vio­lent, & do both often and palpably break out, yet it [Page 170]is pardoned, for he doth not love & serve sin that doth thus fight against it and resist it. O but J do not repent in truth. J an­swer, dost thou thus con­fesse and lament and re­sist every sin, one as well as an other, and that be­fore God in secret? Then surely thou repentest tru­ly, for no man sets against all sin, and that before God, but hee doth it in uprightnesse and sinceri­ty of soule.

§ 5.

Ah but I have no faith, I have no faith, and [Page 171]therefore I am not par­doned. I answer first, thou maist have it here­after if thou hast not yet attained it, yea thou shalt have it if thou continue to beg it: yea I answer againe, this is a false ac­cusation, thou hast faith. For he that doth so ac­knowledge the perfect righteousnesse of Christ, that he concludes, Christ can pardon me, and ther­fore followes him with continuall supplications for pardon, he hath faith, and a good measure of faith too. For how shall they call upon him in whom [Page 172]they have not beleeved saith the Apostle, & our Saviour saith to the blind men that confessed hee could helpe them, and ran crying after him for helpe, according to your faith be it vnto you. Well therefore thou dost be­leeve, and though thy faith may be weake, yet some it is, & that so much as shall make thee accep­ted, for weakenesse of faith cannot hinder re­mision of sins, seeing the Apostles were pardoned, whom yet our Saviour reprooveth, because they were men of little faith. [Page 173]O but all graces are weak and feeble in me, even so weake, that I cannot tell whither I have any or none. I answer, an infant is a very weake thing, and hath little and feeble limbs, and so small use of reason, that one can hard­ly perceive him to have any at all, and yet he is a man, a reasonable crea­ture. Grace is as little at first as naturall life and reason in a new borne babe, but if it be true, all is well, then at last it shall be strong, and true it is, if one find its own weak­nesse, and be made little [Page 174]in his owne eyes because of its littlenesse, and mourne because it is so little, and would faine have it more, and use the best meanes he can to in­crease it, and by not fin­ding so great an increase as he desireth, is not dri­ven to cast off all meanes, but rather labours to use them more and better, that by them it may at last attaine its wished confirmation.

§ 1.

SO have I answered those objectiōs which are taken from our owne defects of graces: now follow more, taken from want of feeling, yea from feeling of great terrors even from God. First, I answer to that objection taken from want of fee­ling. It may be thou thin­kest that thou hast no feeling: but hast thou not [Page 176]sometimes when thou prayest earnestly some little kinde of ease and refreshing and hope? if thou hast, why that is feeling though thou didst not know it. And I think scarce any Christi­an can say he hath conti­nued long to pray, but he hath had some such fee­ling. Secondly, I answer, if thou hast had yet no feeling, thou maist have in due time, for thou ta­kest the right way to get it. And againe J answer, David had as little fee­ling as thou hast, when he complained,Psal. 119.82, 83. That his eyes [Page 177]failed in waiting for Gods salvation, and that he was become like a bottle in the smoke. A man may feele no comfort in remission of his sins, and yet have his sins pardoned: for a Christian as J said be­fore, must not live by feeling, but by faith, yea he must beleeve first, and feele after. Sence will deceive in the judging of colours and quantities, how much more in spiri­tuall things that bee a­bove sence. Wherefore what conclusion may be duly diducted out of Scripture, that is most [Page 178]true and certaine, though a man have no feeling of it, yea though hee feele the contrary was this conclusion, I have my sins pardoned, or shall have, may be diducted out of Scripture, (for such a man as feeleth no­thing but overwhelming griefes) thus. All that be­ing heavy laden come unto Christ shall bee re­freshed, but Jam heavy laden and come unto Christ, therfore I shall be refreshed and find rest to my soule. For he comes to Christ heavy laden, that in the sence of great [Page 179]anguish continues to cry and pray, therefore must hee labour to support himselfe with hope, that his case shall bee good, howsoever it bee for the present, and so animate himselfe to continue praying and crying.

§ 2.

Yea but J find my selfe even weary of praying, and ready to faint & give over. I answer, so did Da­vid too, Psal. 69. when he said his eyes did faile and he was weary of crying, and yet he cried still, and so do thou, which so long [Page 180]as thou dost, thou art in none other estate then he was, and therfore in a good estate, onely so that thou wilt be content, as I said to live by faith and not by feeling. Yea but I am not alone void of all peace and comfort, but even filled with feares & terrors. I answer so was David too, in divers pla­ces, by name Psal. 69.1. where he saith, that the waters were come unto his soule and that he stuck fast in the mire. If any say this is meant alone of danger from his outward ene­mies. J answer, beleeve [Page 181]that who can, I cannot. David was no coward, that the apprehension of a meere naturall death should drive him unto such complaints, sure there was more in it then so, his soule also was well neere overwelmed with temptations & feares of Gods displeasure as well as thine. So was he that made the 77. Psalme, he saith, my soule refused com­fort, he neither could nor scarce would take com­fort, yea complaines, will the Lord cast off for ever? shewing that hee had much adoe to keep him­selfe [Page 182]from sinking under despaire. So Heman the Ezrahite, Psal. 88. saith, ver. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, and thy ter­rors cut me off, but how behaved he himselfe in these terrors? he cryed unto the Lord, and said, that in the morning his prayers should prevent him. I say then to thee, whi­ther do thy terrors drive thee, from God, or to God? If from God, let them do so no more, and thou shalt have comfort, if to God, do so still, and that will prove thy state good.

§ 3.

And so are those ob­jections answered, that arise from feelings. Now the last sort spring from Satans temptations. O J am laden and filled with temptations to despaire, to hurt my selfe, to bla­spheme God, to deny God and his Word, and other most execrable things, and J have long continued in this estate. J answer, Hast thou not sins of thine owne to answer for, but that thou wilt al­so charge thy selfe with the divels sinnes? under­stand therefore that this [Page 184]temptation is grounded upon a meere false posi­tion, that hee who is pur­sued and molested with hellish temptations is not Gods child, nor hath his sinnes pardoned. And know that if Satan cast in the most vile temptati­ons (for hee can cast in temptations, as it is said, he put it into the heart of Iud. is to betray Christ) so long as those temptati­ons be rejected & abhor­red, they be not the mans sins, but his trialls and af­flictions onely. For tell me, was not Christ forty daies in the wildernesse [Page 185]tempted of the divell? Doubtlesse in all that space hee pursued him with all the most noy­some temptations hee could invent, we read in­deed of three alone, but we may be well assured, that they were above 3000. even numberlesse. It may seeme that those three are recorded, be­cause they were most crafty and subtill: when the divell had spent all his skill & paines before to no purpose, he procee­deth to these as his last & maine assaults; for the two former were so sub­tilly [Page 186]conveighed, that a man can scarce see, that Christ had sinned, if hee had yeelded to them, for might not hee as well make bread of stones as wine of water? and leape from the temple, as walk on the sea? But to worke a miracle at the divels suggestion (either out of doubting because hee spake against him, or of presuming because hee spake for him) this had beene a fault in Christ. And for the last it came so suddenly and violent­ly, that it would have even carried a man away [Page 187]before he was aware, to give but one bow for such a reward. Now sure if Christ might be thus tempted forty daies, then any Christiā maybe like­wise tempted as many moneths, as many yeers. Tell me therefore, dost thou not oppose those temptations by the word of God, and when thou canst too, by prayers, at least by secret groanes & inward sighs? Are they not most bitter to thy soule, even more untast­full then gaule & worme­wood, and wouldst thou not rather then any thing [Page 188]be rid of them? Canst thou then bee so ill con­ceited of God as to feare that he will impute them to thee, know that they be only thy miseries not thy sins, and this will be a good meanes to rid thee of them. For tell me, hadst thou a child, which some wicked fel­low should locke into a roome that he could not get out, and there should tell thy child, thy father is a rascall, a villaine, a knave, a theefe, a miscre­ant, curse him, wish him hanged, wish him dam­ned, cut his throat, and [Page 189]the like, but the childs heart and haire riseth at the hearing of these words, he abhors them, & him that utters them, and would if hee could cut out his tongue that useth them. What now wouldst thou thinke of this child? specially if thy selfe shouldst have put them both together, meerely to trie how thy child would behave himselfe in such a case, or for some other like purpose. Surely thou wouldst not love thy child one jot the worse; nay rather much more [Page 190]for this triall. Now doe but conceive that God is as just & mercifull as thy selfe wouldest be, for this is thy case directly and none other; or think that some filthy fellow had surprized thy wife in a roome by her selfe, and there should solicite her with shamefull words & gestures, which shee did repell with disdaine, cry­ing out to thy selfe that wast within hearing to come and helpe her, wouldest thou account thy wife lesse honest for this? and not rather com­mend her honesty the [Page 191]more for this. Even so it is betwixt thy selfe and Satan, and therefore such and none other shall the Lords sentence bee of thee.

§ 4.

Yea but I have yeel­ded to some of these vile thoughts, I have yeelded to them, and how then shall I do? I answer, the multitude and violence of them did sometimes so tire thee, and put thee out of breath and strength as it were, that thou couldest not give a loud and earnest, but alone a faint and [Page 192]whispering, nay, & here­upon Satan hath made thee beleeve that thou didst yeeld, but know that it is one thing to yeeld to a temptation, an other thing to bee over­wearied and tyred with it, that a man is not able to make such sensible re­sistance as he did once. If a strong and sturdy fel­low, full of lewd desires, meeting with an honest but weak woman, should so long wrestle with her, till she were quite out of breath and could scarce speake or stirre any lon­ger, and in that her wea­rinesse [Page 193]should use some unfit gesture to her, were shee the lesse chast wife for that, in the censure even of the most jealous husband? So then, that that thou callest yeel­ding, was not yeelding, but an inability through faintnesse, to make resi­stance. § 5. But say thou had styeelded to som evil, even most loath some for a little time, being over­tired with resisting: Hast thou not now recalled & recanted thine yeelding, dost not thou now abhor thy selfe for yeelding, crave pardon of it, and [Page 194]resolve never to do it, nor yeeld to it hereafter any more? Sure if some var­let should by much im­portunity, intice thy ser­vant, to let him into thine house that he might rob thee, or do thee hurt, and after many repulses at last, should bee so over­laide by importunity, that he should consent, & promise to do it; but so soone as ever the fellow was gone, should abhorre it, and refuse to put it in practise, and with teares in his eyes, come tell thee what had passed, craving pardon, wouldst thou not [Page 195]forgive him? wouldst thou cast him out of thine house? There have been Princes so mercifull, that when some have beene inveigled to conspire their death, but after have repented, & of their own accord revealing the conspiracy, have submit­ted to their mercy, could and did shew them mer­cy, and will not God bee more mercifull then ever man was or can be? Bee not therefore disheart­ned because of thy long temptations, and some­times sodaine yeeldan­ces. This the Lord can [Page 196]and will passe by, and much more then this.

§ 6.

So have I answered the chiefest of those tempta­tions and objections which I could meete with, that are used to hin­der the Saints from com­fort in perswasion of the remission of their sins. It is your part that would be comforted, to conti­nue meditating, praying, conferring, labouring to informe your judgement aright in these things, which in doing, you shall not loose your labour. He [Page 197]that shall come, will come and will not tarry. The night shall passe, and the day shll arise: If any say, J have long waited for comfort, and finde it not. I answer, so did Da­vid, as J said above, but resolve to waite still on Christ, and to continue striving for comfort though you perceive Lit­tle good effect for the time, for the more slowly it commeth to you at the first, the more fully it shall abound in you at thelast. If faith cannot comfort you, let hope. If you cannot say God hath [Page 198]pardoned me, yet say J hope he will, and so su­staine your selves. And that hope, which purgeth your hearts, driveth you to prayer, sets you at de­fiance with all sinne, and makes you esteeme highly of Christ, that will support you, and bring grounded and plentifull comfort in the end. Those of you bre­thren, therefore, that have throwne them­selves downe, pulled down their proud hearts, and tumbled their faces in the dust before the Lord: Irequire them to [Page 199]yeeld unto God the glo­ry of his mercy, and to Christ the glory of his merits, and to goe away comforted, at least reso­lute to labour for com­fort, with assurance that they shall have it, for hee that said, will performe it, Blessed bee they that mourne for they, shall bee comforted.