IN THESE words here is: First a compunction and a [Page 2] thorow wounding their hearts.

2 Secondly, a consultation what to doe.

3 Thirdly, Peters ho­ly counsell; Amend your liues and be bap­tized.

From the first, in that these men when they had heard of the greatnes of their sinne, were thus wounded at the heart; obserue:

Point. That contrition in [Page 3] a new creature ordi­narily is answerable to his former vanity.

Instan. Manasse, 2. Chron. 33.6. Mary Magdalen, Luke 7. Augustine a great sinner, wrote 12 bookes of Repen­tance.

Reas. 1 To whom much is forgiuen, they loue much: and this is a fountaine of Evan­gelicall Repentance. As a traitor condem­ned to dye, receiuing [Page 4] a pardon would wonderfully breake his heart to thinke hee should be so vil­lanous to so gratious a Prince: so it is with a Christian that be­holds Gods mercy to him.

Reas. 2 Christians after their conversion de­sire to see their sinnes to the vtmost, with all the circumstances that make them hate­full, as the object, [Page 5] nature, person, time, & age, &c. in which, or how they were done, that so they may be more hum­bled for them.

If it be not so (as it may be otherwise, for God is a free a­gent and is not tyed to any proportion of sorrow) then such troubles as these vsu­ally seaze on them.

1 First, they are often afflicted with this, [Page 6] that their conversion is not through and sound, and so do not with such heartines and chearefulnesse performe the duties of Godlinesse.

Secondly, they are many times haunted with listlessenesse & coldnesse in their progresse of Christi­anity.

3 Thirdly, they are visited with some crosse or other that [Page 7] stickes by them: to make them lay a greater Load vpon sinne.

4 Fourthly, they are more subject to be overtaken with their sweete sin, because they haue no more sorrowed for it. For the lesse it is sorrow­ed for, the more it in­snares men.

5 Fiftly, some of them haue beene assault­ed vpon their bed of [Page 8] death with sorrow­full and strong temp­tations: Not that men should con­ceiue this is alwayes the reason of it; for God hath ends in all his workes, knowne only to himselfe; but thus I haue knowne some haue beene troubled, and this may be in great mer­cy to make a weake conversion more strong. Lest any [Page 9] Christian should be troubled at it, take notice in Contrition:

1 There must be sor­row of heart because of sinne.

2 There must bee a dislike of it in the will.

3 There must be a transmentation or strong reasoning in the minde out of the word of God against sinne. This is the Si­new of Repentance [Page 10] as Austin had against Playes, that all men could not draw him to them.

4 There must be a resolution and stri­ving, and watching against it, as Iob with his eye. Iob 31.1

5 There must be a grieuing that hee is not excellent in all these, and herein hee must make vp what hee wanteth in the former. These be in [Page 11] some measure in all Christians; some are more eminent in one part, some in ano­ther, as Ioseph had little sorrow, but a strong Resolution, because hee had soe strong a temptation, and withstood it; hee had strong reasons beyond nature to re­sist sinne, and resolue against it, so that it is not so much the mea­sure, as the truth of [Page 12] every part that is re­quired. But if they be not in an excel­lency in great sin­ners, they are to mourne for the want of them. To helpe herein, obserue these tenne degrees or Acts of repentance or ra­ther helpes to Humi­liation.

Act. 1 Get a sight, and survey, and full ap­prehension of all thy vilenesse, iniquities, [Page 13] transgressions, and sinne, the num­ber and nature of them.

Act. 2 Get a right appre­hension of GODS wrath and fiery in­dignation, and the pure eye of God a­gainst sinne.

Act. 3 Get a sense of the vnspeakeable mise­ry thou art lyable to by reason of sinne.

Act. 3 Get a base esteeme of thy selfe.

[Page 14] Act. 5 Get an inward sorrow of heart and bleeding of soule.

Act. 6 Get an outward be­wailing with heart-peircing confession.

Act. 7 Get an hatred and aversion in thy will from sinne.

Act. 8 Get a strong rea­soning in thy minde against sinne.

Act. 9 Get a sincere op­position in thy life, to sinne.

Act. 10 Get a sincere grie­ving [Page 15] that thou canst doe these things no better. Now for the first Act, Act. 1 (viz.) Get a sight and survey, and full apprehension of all thy vilenesse, ini­quities, transgressi­ons and sinnes, the number and nature of them; for which purpose take these three helpes.

Helpe. 1 First, keepe the eye of thy naturall con­science cleare.

[Page 16] Helpe. 2 Secondly, be ac­quainted with all the wayes thou canst possible to anato­mize thy sinne.

Helpe. 3 Thirdly, take no­tice of the guilt of o­riginall sin, because a Christian may haue his heart locked vp more at one time then at another.

Helpe. 1 For the first of which (viz.) the keeping of the eye of the naturall con­science [Page 17] cleare, ob­serue:

1 First the rules of the Heathen that never did know Christ.

2 Secondly, the in­dowments of the Heathen.

3 Thirdly the com­mon notions of na­ture which were in the Heathen.

1 For the first (viz) The rules of the Hea­then that never didThe rules of the Heathen. [Page 18] know Christ, as in­stance 1 in: Lying be­sides the word of God which banish­eth it from Heauen,Revel. 22.21. by the light of natu­rall reason Aristotle sayth, A lye is evill in it selfe, and can­not bee dispensed withall; and the rea­son of it is this: wee haue a tongue giuen vs to expresse the truth; now if our tongue tell more or [Page 19] lesse then our minde conceiues, it is a­gainst nature.

2 Ribald talking, of which many make a sport, and rather then they will lose a Iest, they will ven­ter to damne their soules. Epictetus saith, It's dangerous to digresse into ob­scenity of speech.

3 Cowardize in good causes, think­ing it good sleeping [Page 20] in a whole skinne, Aristotle Ethic. 3. cap. 1. that in some cases a man had better lose his life then be cow­ardly.

4 Drunkennesse; the dayes be so drown­ed in impiety, that if a man be not drunke every day, hee will take it in a great dis­grace if hee be not counted an honest man; whereas Sene­ca sayth it is but a [Page 21] raging madnesse, & if hee should behaue himselfe so but two or three dayes, as he doth when hee is drunkē, men would count him mad.

5 Mourning immo­derately for losse of wife or children.Sene. 100. ep.

6 Passions of anger; Morall Philosophers haue many excellent rules, the which if a naturall man would take notice of, hee [Page 22] would never be so passionate, for they say it ariseth first, 1 From a great weake­nesse of spirit. For were hee manly, hee would passe by those things with scorne: whereas he shewes himselfe to be of an effeminate spirit and impotent affections. 2 From selfe-loue. 3 From an over deli­cacy and too much nicenesse in suffer­ing [Page 23] wrong. 4 From a passing proud na­ture, being affraid to be contemned. 5 From too much credulity, so that if one or two doe whisper, hee thinkes they speake something hurtfull of him, and is rea­dy to breake out in­to rage: for which passions they giue these rules.

1 That thou con­taine thy body and [Page 24] tongue in quiet.

2 That thou say o­ver the Greeke Al­phabet before thou say any thing in rage.

3 That thou looke thy selfe in a glasse, and thou shalt see what an vgly crea­ture thou art in that rage; for sayth Ho­mer, his eyes sparkle like fire, his heart swels, his pulse beates, &c. so that [Page 25] if in this moode hee should see himselfe in a glasse he would never againe be an­gry.

2 The en­dovvments of the Heathen. Secondly, obser­ving the endow­ments of the Hea­then. Instance. 1 For instance, Regulus the Romane, being taken prisoner of his enemies the Carthaginians, and vpon promise of re­turne if he sped not, obtaining to goe [Page 26] home to Rome to treate with the Se­nate for a commu­tation of Captiues, Carthaginians for Ro­manes, of whom himselfe was one: Comming to the Se­nate, he gaue weigh­ty reasons to dis­swade them from commutation; so as chusing rather to a­bide the certaine cru­elty of his enemies, then to breake his [Page 27] faith and promise; hee returned, where hee was most cru­elly vsed of them; by whose example Christians might be ashamed that make no matter of break­ing their promises.

Instance. 2 Fabricius attained to that height of ex­cellency, that it was sayd, A man may as soone pull the Sunne from its Spheare, as that man from his [Page 28] honest and just dea­ling.

Instance. 3 Cato was so excel­lent, that it is sayd; hee did not good for feare, shame, profit, &c. but because goodnes was so in­corporated into him, that hee could not doe otherwise.

Instance. 4 Cambyses stood so stricktly against bri­bery, that a Iudge be­ing taken in that crime, hee flayed [Page 29] him, and set his skinne in the seate of Iustice, and let his son leane thereon that hee might hate that vice.

Instance. 5 Zaleuchus King of the Locrians, made a law for adultery, that whosoever was taken in that fact should haue his eyes pulled out; now his owne sonne be­ing taken in that [Page 30] fault first, because he would not violate his own decree, pul­led out one of his sonnes eyes, and one of his owne.

3 Common notions in Heathen. Thirdly, obseru­ing the common notions of nature, which were in the Heathen as,

1 All good is to be done.

2 All evill is to be avoided.

3 Kinde is to be pro­pagated.

[Page 31] 4 Do as we would be done by.

5 God is to be ho­noured, frō whence ariseth this objecti­on, namely:Quaest. Is not this notion extin­guished in them that deny God?

Ans. Not vtterly, but it generally dwels in them; so farre onely they haue vse of it, as to leaue them without excuse, Rom. [Page 32] 1.19.20.

6 A mans life is to be preserued: Now selfe preservation is soe ingrafted into the blood & veines; that therefore the selfe-murderer sinneth:

1 Against God the Father.

2 Against God the Sonne.

3 Against God the holy Ghost.

4 Against the light of nature.

1 Against God the Father. For the first, (viz.) thou sinnest against God the Father, who commandeth, Thou shalt not kill, and soe thou sinnest:

1 Against the image of God, in that thou destroyest it.

2 Against his Sove­raignty; for,

1 Hee hath appoin­ted thee to worke in his vineyard, and thou wilt rather dye, &c. as if hee were [Page 34] a hard Master, that thou darest stay no longer in his seruice.

2 Thou dishonour­est him, and gratifi­est his enemy.

3 Hee hath planted thee as a tenant at will in this earthly tabernacle, and thou beatest it about thy eares.

2 Against God the Sonne. Thou sinnest a­gainst God the Son; for,

1 Thou art none of [Page 35] thine owne, thou art bought with aprice: this will helpe thee against the Divels temptations; for when hee comes to tempt thee to that sinne, say, thou art an others 'and not thine owne.

2 Thou maymest Christs body in ta­king away a mem­ber of it.

3 Against God the Holy Ghost. Thou sinnest a­gainst God the holy [Page 36] Ghost; for,

1 Thou pollutest thy soule with blood; and,

2 It is the office of the Spirit to dwell with vs: and

3 It is the office of the Spirit to invite vs to taste of the good blessings of God, as Esay 51. Oh! Object. but my soule is blacke with sinne,Sol. &c. This is the action of the Spirit to reveale this vnto [Page 37] thee.

4 Against the light of nature. Thou sinnest a­gainst the light of na­ture most cowardly, and against forti­tude; thou sinnest against the king­dome; against thy neighbour, thy fami­ly, and thy selfe; and puttest thy selfe a­mong the sorrowes of the divels which is a Bedlam mad­nesse.

Helpe. 2 Be acquainted with [Page 38] all the wayes thou canst possibly, how to anatomize thy sinnes; for which purpose take these methods and helpes.

Method. 1 Bee perfect in the Law of God, and looke thy selfe in the pure Christall glasse thereof: be through­ly catechised in the Commandements, as in the fourth Com­mandement, where­in consider.

[Page 39] 1 Preparation.

3 Celebration.

1 Preparation, which consists,

1 In praying:

Publiquely with thy Family; Privately with thy selfe.

2 In examination.

3 In renewing thy repentance.

4 In covenanting with thy thoughts to spend that whole day in holy things.

2 Celebration.

[Page 40] 1 It may be for scan­dalous sinnes in thy life thou hast beene sorrowfull, but thou hast passed the Sab­bath with many wā ­drings; for which thou hast not beene humbled: All these are to be brought to thy minde with much bleeding.

2 An vtter Cessation or abstinence from thoughts, words, & deeds; of calling, or [Page 41] recreation; more then for necessity, mercy, or comeli­nesse.

Method. 2 Take survey of all the wrong which wee haue offer­ed to all things in Heaven and Earth; all things are the worse for a wick­ed man, soe farre as his sinne can adde hurt vnto them

Method. 3 Take a perusall of thy selfe from top to [Page 42] toe. The sinnes of thy eyes: each thing thou lookest on, not making a holy vse of them, is a sinne of omission: consider then how many there are every day, and, if in one part so many, what are there in the whole body?

Method. 4 Consider all the commissions, and omissions as thou standest in severall [Page 43] relations.

As a Creature, how thou hast car­ried thy selfe to thy Creator.

As an husband to thy wife.

As a Father to thy Children.

As a Master to thy Family.

As a neighbour, to them without, or to Gods chil­dren.

As a Subject, &c. [Page 44] Take notice of all thy faylings in all these, and thou shalt finde sufficient mat­ter for a day of hu­miliation.

Method. 5 Labour to get (as I am perswaded eve­ry Christian hath) two Catalogues of thy sins, before con­version, and since.

Of Gods mercies, spirituall and tempo­rall.

Helpe. 3 Take notice of the [Page 45] guilt of originall sinne. Now because a Christian may haue his heart lock­ed vp more at one time then at an­other, let them in case of barren­nesse, consider these sixe quickning points.

Quick. Point. 1 Looke to the seede, and sinke, and naturall inclination of thy heart to all manner of wicked­nesse; [Page 46] for suppose by the mercy of God thou wert able to say, and that truely, that thou couldest not possibly finde a­ny actuall sin with­in thee: yet looke backe to the corrupt fountaine, and there thou shalt finde that thou and the most holy Christian on earth, whilst thou li­vest in this house of flesh and tabernacle [Page 47] of clay, thou hast it in thy nature to sinne against the Holy Ghost, to kill Iesus Christ, to commit so­domy; and what hindereth but Gods free mercy? This then throughly con­sidered, is sufficient matter to humble thee, to consider with thy selfe what a wretch am I yet, that haue this seede still in my bowels.

[Page 48] Quic. Point. 2 Consider and throughly weigh the circumstances of all thy sinnes, of thy vnregeneration, at what time, in what place, with what scandall, &c. As Austin sayth of him­selfe, hee did won­derfully weepe in reading the fourth booke of Virgill when Dido was kil­led; what a damn'd soule had I (quoth [Page 49] hee) that could weepe for her mise­ry, and not for my owne? so when hee listned to musicke, and to the tune in singing of a Psalme in the Church, ra­ther then kept his heart to goe along with the matter: and for being much addicted to stage-playes, and many more, but especial­ly for robbing an [Page 50] orchard, which hee aggravates by many circumstances; that great renowned Fa­ther left this exam­ple to all posterity; whereas if a young man now adayes should but crye out of robbing an or­chard, hee would be thought simple and too precise. Looke the second booke of his Confessions,Cap. 4. where see his sinne [Page 51] aggravated, by these ten circumstances.

Circum∣stance. 1 Sayth hee, this theft which I com­mitted was not one­ly in the booke of God forbidden, but I had it in my heart dayly.

Circum∣stance. 2 Volui, feci I resolu­ed with free will to doe it, and I did it.

Circum∣stance. 3 Fastidio aequitatis, I did not doe it for want, but in dis­daine of goodnesse, [Page 52] and out of an eager desire to do wrong.

Circum∣stance. 4 I had abundance of the same kinde & better at home.

Circum∣stance. 5 I did steale them, not soe much to in­joy the thing, as mine owne theft, that it might be sayd of my old compani­ons, that I robd an Orchard.

Circum∣stance. 6 There was a number of desperate swaggerers and in­carnate [Page 53] Divels with mee.

Circum∣stance. 7 Nocte intempestiva, at midnight: which hee aggravates with another Circum­stance, when wee had been sporting and dancing, and drinking we did it.

Circum∣stance. 8 We carried al away.

Circum∣stance. 9 We carried so many away, that they were a burden to vs.

Circum∣stance. 10 When wee came home we gaue them [Page 54] to the swine: and then at the conclusi­on, hee cryes, Oh my God, behold my heart, Ecce cor meum Deus.

If wee would looke backe on such a Sabbath breaking, how in such a place, at such a time, so in­flamed, with lust; If drunkards, whore­mongers, vsurers, &c. would take this course, they might finde such aggrava­tions, [Page 55] that by the mercy of God, might terrifie them from their evill courses.

Quic. Point. 3 In case of barren­nesse consider, wee had our hands in the sinne of Adam, and soe brought all the sorrow, sinne, and damnation vpon all men that are or shall be damned, and we are guilty of all the horrours of consci­ence; If wee had not [Page 56] hearts of adamant, or hewn out of a rocke, or had sucked the brest of Wolues or Tigers, wee would be moued at this, which is able to breake a thousand adamants. I speake advisedly, it is able to open a wide gap of penitent teares in the most flinty soule of the most bloody sin­ner.

Quic. Point. 4 Cut of all sin both [Page 57] originall and actuall that thou hast taken notice of, and do but consider the imper­fections that follow the best actions, the innumerable distra­ctions of the most holy prayer that ever thou madest; the sins of the last Sabbath, thy deadnesse, fruit­lesnesse, &c.

Quic. Point. 5 Remoue all per­sonall sinnes, yet consider how many [Page 58] wayes wee haue our hands in others sins, which (it may be) they haue carried to hell with them. Wee haue a world of mat­ter from hence to breake our hearts: for wee may be guilty of others sins 13 wayes; There is none but are guilty of some of these wayes. viz.

1 First, by incoura­ging them, as those [Page 59] Prophets which cry­ed Peace, peace, when there is no peace, when they are but formall or civill pro­fessors, those that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes, that heale the wounds of the people with faire words, when there is nothing towards,Esa. 9.5. Eze. 13.10. Ier. 14.14. but tumbling gar­ments in blood, and vengeance, and de­vouring with fire. [Page 60] Aske all those Mini­sters that reveale not the whole counsell of God, who sent them to incourage; it shall all fall to no­thing; but you of this place are inexcusa­ble, for wherin haue I hid any thing from you? no, I dare not be guilty of any mans blood that way for the damna­tion of my soule.

By provoking; as [Page 37] Iob's wife sayd to him, Curse God & dye: Iob. 2.9. so,Eph. 6.4. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath, for they then are guilty of their sins

3 By familiarity with sinners, with com­pany keeping. If thou vouchsafest thy cōpany to Alehouse haunters, to pro­phane persōs, to Ido­laters, to Gods ene­mies; looke for that sharpe checke which [Page 62] the Prophet gaue to Iehosophat for associ­ating himselfe with wicked Ahab, 2. Chron. 20.37. saying Shouldest thou counte­nance the vngodly, & loue them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath vpon thee be­fore the Lord. Or as Psalm. 50.18. VVhen thou sawest a theefe, thou consentedst with him, and hast beene partakers with adul­terers. Therefore as [Page 63] Moyses sayd to the people, Separate your selues from the Tents of Corah, least ye pe­rish with them. And, Come out of Babylon, my people, haue no com­munion with that VVhore, lest yee perish in her sinnes, and be destroyed with her plagues, Rev. 18. Da­vid sayth, I haue not dwelt with vaine per­sons, nor will I haue fellowship with the vn­godly. [Page 64] Odi Ecclesiam malignantium. And who would vouch­safe to let their loue runne on such in this life, from whom they must be separa­ted in the world to come? But for works of thy particular cal­ling, as bying, selling, salutations, &c. wee must haue these, or we must out of this world, as 1. Co 5.10.11

4 By participation, [Page 65] Thy Princes are rebel­lious, Esa. 1.23. & companions of theues: so Magistrates which execute not their office, are guilty of all the sins which the people commit within the compasse of the time of their governement, and they are all set on their score, without repentance.

5 By silence when thou hearest a good man traduced & say­est [Page 66] nothing; especial­ly dumbe dogges; e­very Sabbath is a bloody day to them, for their silence is cause of all the ini­quities done that day, and all these things which they doe amisse, whether by swearing, Ale­house haunting, &c. all are set on their score: so all those that ore faint and co­wardly for Gods [Page 67] glory and truth.

6 By defending,Esa. 5.20. VVoe to them that call darknesse light, and light darknes; There­fore if any by quick­nesse of wit will la­bour to maintaine vsury, bribery, &c. they are all guilty of those sinnes.

7 By Counselling,1 Kings 21.7. as Iesabell counselled her husband to kill Naboth. Or as those who say, Come, let vs [Page 68] crowne our selues with rose buds before they be withered, Wis. 2 9 let vs all be partaker of our wan­tonnesse, &c.

8 2. Sam. 11.15.By commanding, as David command­ed Vriah to be set in the sore-front of the battell, and therefore guilty of his death.

9 By commending,Act 12.22. as those that com­mended Herod for his oration, saying, It is the voice of a God; [Page 69] they were guilty of his sin in taking ho­nour from God.

10 By connivency,1. Sam. 3.13. as Ely winked at his sons; for Which you may see what a fear­full judgement fell vpon that house for forbearing thē. If we had no other sins in a day of humiliation, it were able to breake the hardest heart; but especially for Maisters of Fami­lies, [Page 70] who winke at their children and servants swearing, Sabboath breaking, &c. If these be not guilty of the former sinnes, yet they are guilty in not praying with them & bring­ing them to extraor­dinary exercises.

11 By consenting;Acts 22.20. as Paul bewayled that hee carried the cloathes of them that slew Stephen when [Page 71] hee was stoned.

12 By not sorrowing for them:Psal. 119.136. Psal. 25.13. Mar. 3.5. David shewes what Chri­stians ought to doe.

13 By not praying a­gainst them, for the suppressing of them.

Quic. Point. 6 Consider the sins of the times: Davids eyes gush out with teares to see men transgresse the Law.Psal. 119.136. Soe Lots heart was vexed dayly with the sinnes of the people [Page 72] amongst whom hee liued, 2. Pet. 2.8. And blessed are they that mourne, so Math. 5.4. Obserue these seve­rall branches well, & thou shalt finde sins enow to mourne for.

Second Act. Now for the 2 Act. viz. A right appre­hension of Gods wrath and fierce in­dignatiō, & the pure eye of God against sin. Now the Chri­stian [Page 73] oftentimes cō ­plaines, that hee can­not apprehend Gods wrath sufficiently. Let him take these helpes

Helpe. 1 The severity of Gods Iudgement a­gainst sin; for which

2 He threw downe the Angels frō Hea­ven to be Divels for ever, (which might haue done him a­bundance of glory) and that, as some [Page 74] thinke but for a thought.

2 For but eating an apple, which some count a small fault, hee cast Adam out of Paradice, and sent a world of misery v­pon him and his po­sterity.

3 Hee drowned the world;Gen 7. which shews the infinite purity in God not to abide sinne.

4 Hee burnt Sodome [Page 75] for those very sinnes now reigning a­mongst vs.Ezec. 16.49.

5 Hee rejected the Iewes which were his most deare peo­ple: for they soe pro­voked GOD, that they are now no na­tion, and his wrath hath so fiercely seiz­ed on them, that they are most cursed va­gabonds, and soe haue beene a thou­sand sixe hundred [Page 76] yeares.

6 Consider, he hath created horrour of conscience which is a hell vpon earth for the punishment of sin; but aboue all, the torments of hell, that woefull place and state prepared for the wicked, where the greater part of the world shall be how­ling for ever.

Helpe. 2 Consider how hard a thing it is to get [Page 77] pardon for sinne, in that the Iustice of God, was hard to be satisfied. Imagine all the world were tur­ned into a masse or lumpe of gold, the stones of the streetes into precious pearles, and the Sea and Ri­vers all flowing with liquid streames of most pure gold:Mic. 6, 7. they would not satisfie the wrath of God for the least sinne: if all [Page 78] the Angels and crea­tures in heaven and earth had joyned to­gether and made one fervent prayer for mans sinne, nay if they had offered thē ­selues to haue beene annihilated, it could never haue beene effected; nay if the Sonne of God him­selfe should haue supplicated his Fa­ther with most ear­nest intreaties, hee [Page 79] could not haue been heard vnlesse he had taken our flesh vpon him, and suffered what divels & men could imagine to in­flict vpon him. Which well consi­dered, there is infi­nite cause to bring vs to a sense of Gods wrath, that he should lay, and suffer such infinite torments to be on him, that hee cryes out vnto God, [Page 80] My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? Though hee loued him infinitely as himselfe, yet hee would haue his Iu­stice satisfied.

Helpe. 3 The vnresistable comming of God against sinners, though hee is won­derfull ready and ea­sie to be intreated whilst hee vouchsaf­eth a day of visitati­on; But if men will [Page 81] withstand the day, then he comes in de­vouring rage; and his wrath being once kindled shall burne to the bottome of hell; thē his Arrowes shall drinke blood and eate flesh, Hosea 13.8. then will hee meete them as a Beare robbed of her whelpes, & teare in pieces when there is none to helpe, Psal. 7.2. And Esay 66.15. [Page 82] is set downe the manner of his com­ming, with fire and Chariots like a whirlewinde.

Helpe. 4 Gods holinesse, which opposeth sin, and is contrary to it, that hee lookes not on the least sinne with the least allow­ance.

Third Act. Get a sense of the vnspeakeable mise­ry thou art lyable vn­to by reason of sinne; [Page 83] for which purpose consider all thy sins, with their circum­stances, as of times, past, present, and to come.Time past.

Looke backe vpon all thy sinnes past that ever thou com­mittedst, all thou hast beene guilty of ever since thou wast borne, originall, or actuall, knowne, or vnknowne, of thought, word and [Page 84] deede; They are written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, not to be raced out: they are all vpon Re­cord, and now lye as so many sleeping Lyons, gathering strength and vigour against such time as the Lord shall a­wake the consci­ence; and then they will appeare & rent thy soule in pieces. [Page 85] I say, let naturall men cōsider of this point, and they shall see themselues misera­ble; for there are some for a small sin put to such frights, as they could not be comforted in a long space; as some who hauing an adulte­rous project, with­out any actual pollu­tion; and others who hauing found a trifle, and made no con­science [Page 86] to restore it; by the light of na­turall conscience, knowing they did not as they would be done by, were put into vnspeakable horrour; and some who hauing an vn­worthy thought of God, were put into such amazement, that they wisht they had never beene. If these for such small things (in mens ac­count) [Page 87] haue come to such a passe, that they tooke no delight in any earthly thing, but are put to their wits end, ready to make away themselues, wishing themselues annihilated; thē what tearing of haire, what horrour of conscience will seize vpon thee on thy bed of death: with what a gashly counte­nance wilt thou [Page 88] looke vpon that blacke and hellish Catalogue of all thy sins? as lies, oathes, raylings, scoffings, at Gods people, rotten speeches; bedlam passions, goods ill gotten, time ill spent, prophanatiō of Sab­boaths, and killing Christ at every Sa­crament, as all natu­rall men doe: These shall be summoned before thee; & charg­ed [Page 89] vpon thy consci­ence by the just God; then consider in pro­portion what horror will be in thine heart; no heart can conceiue it, nor tongue of men and Angels vtter it. Now then attend, and let none blesse them­selues & say, I never felt this misery, ther­fore it shall never hurt mee; I tell the; it is the perfection of [Page 90] thy misery that thou art insensible of it: to be soule-sicke and feele it not, is the complement of mi­serie; and the reasons why thou canst not see it, are these sea­ven.

Reas. 1 The divell, while thou art his, will not trouble thee; hee is a Politician of al­most sixe thousand yeares experience, & knowes if once thou [Page 91] see thy sinnes hee shall loose thee; ther­fore hee blindes thee.

Reas. 2 Thy conscience is lull'd asleepe with carnall pleasure, and worldly content­ments.

Reas. 3 A bucket of wa­ter is heavy on earth, in its owne place it is not soe. When men are meere­ly naturall, sinne is in its owne place, [Page 92] and the weight is not felt.

Reas. 4 The conscience of a naturall man is like a wolfe in a mans body, while its fed with carnall friends, good fellowship, some great busines of the world, &c. its quiet; but take this away, and then its felt.

Reas. 5 A naturall man is spiritually dead,Ephes. 2.1. & a dead man feeles no [Page 93] weight you know.

Reas. 6 Hee lookes on sin through false glasses, as vpon covetousnes & vsury, through the glasse of good hus­bandry; so prodigali­ty through the glasse of liberality.

Reas. 7 For want of consi­deratiō; If we would by our selues consi­der when the Mini­ster presseth Sabbath breaking, or any o­ther sinne, and say, [Page 94] this is my case, but now by the mercy of God I will be humbled; this would much helpe vs to see our misery.

2 Thou hast had thy hand in murthering many a soule; all thy drunken compani­ons, thy brethren in iniquity, many per­adventure with whō thou hast conversed are dead, and in hell long agoe; thou art [Page 95] guilty of the damna­tion of their soules. Cain was a cursed man, & had a brand vpon him for killing but a man, then how will the murthering of soe many soules affright thee, if thou hast beene a meanes to set them to Hell? as

1 For thy wife; thou shouldst haue liued with her as a man of knowledge.

[Page 96] 2 For thy Children; thou shouldst haue catechised them, and brought them vp in religion.

3 For thy servants, it may be thy example hath made them swear, lye, &c: How wil their soules curse thee in the pitte of hell, and curse that time, that ever they first saw thee? but no carnall man will be­leeue this till they [Page 97] feele it.

3 Thou hast beene the slaue of Sathan, worse then a Tur­kish Gally-slaue all thy life; for whē thou mightest haue beene Gods Free-man, and wouldest not, the di­vell hath bid thee lye, sweare, breake Gods sabboath, &c. & thou hast obeyed him, and beene thee divels drudge. The Turkish fetters are [Page 98] but cold iron at the worst, but thine be invisible chaines of eternall damnation: Hee scourgeth thy naked soule with in­visible scorpions, feeds thee every day with fire and brim­stone; When thou art out of the Turkish slavery, thou mayest be a man againe: but here Sathan scourgeth thee and thou seest it not; hee [Page 99] feedeth thee with poyson, and thou ta­stest it not: And shortly he will locke thee vp in perpetu­all torments, where thou shalt never be freede from Divels.

First,For pre­sent time. now thou art in health, thou thinkest all is well; but know to the contrary, whilst thou art but natu­rall, and vnconver­ted:

[Page 100] 1 Thou doshonou­rest God in a high degree, thou provo­kest the glory of his pure eye every day by every sinne thou committest.

2 Thou tramplest vnder foote the blood of Christ in every Sacrament, if thou beest not a con­vert.

3 The Spirit puts good motions into thy heart; as at this [Page 101] time it may be, thou resoluest by the mer­cy of God to leaue all thy former wayes, and be Gods servant: but presently thou stiflest it by worldly talke, and thy old companions.

4 The Angels offer to guard thee, but thou refusest their attendance, and de­nyest to be vnder their protection, while thou wādrest [Page 102] out of thy wayes.

5 To Gods children thou art as a goade in their sides.

6 Thou drawest wife and children, neighbours and all thou canst to Hell, by thy ill example, &c.

7 The creatures thou art mercilesse vnto, for thy sin addes to their misery which they groane vnder; and thou yet addest [Page 103] to their burden by thy sinne.

2 Thou art lyable to all the ill a man vnconverted may indure, or to any sin that a man destitute of divine grace may commit as,

1 To spirituall hard­nesse of heart, blind­nesse of minde, sla­very vnder thy lusts, searednesse of con­science, or commit­ting the sinne against [Page 104] the Holy Ghost.

2 To temporall; any thing that may be­fall any man,For time to come. as to be possessed of the divell, &c. I wish e­very naturall man seriously to consider this; for thou dying in thy naturall estate, art certainely dam­ned, and for any thing thou knowest thou mayest dye the next moment, and then all things are [Page 105] thine enimies; death, which is certaine: but how, when, or where, thou know­est not. Calvin sayth, A man may dye a thou­sand wayes in one houre. Some Physiti­ans say, there are three hundred disea­ses in the body, all mortall: Besides new sins haue begotten new diseases; & thou mayest die suddenly by an impostume: [Page 106] thy house may be fiered and thou con­sumed by it; thy horse may stumble, and soe destroy thee; a tile may fall as thou art walking, and so kill thee; an Adder vnder the grasse or hearbes may sting thee. Canst thou promise thy selfe to see the Sun againe when it's once sette, though now thou be in [Page 107] perfect strength? But however, nature will end at length, Sathan then is ready to come with his vt­most malice, when thou art faint and loath to depart; then hee will lay open all thy sinnes, and then the very next step is,

3 The Iudgement seat of Gods tribu­nall, where God will declare what mercy hee offered [Page 108] thee, and the Divell will pleade to haue thee.

4 Then comes the internall separation from God and pos­session of those tor­ments which are easelesse, endlesse, & remedilesse. Oh the tearing of the heart, and the gnashing of the teeth, that this will produce, especi­ally when you con­sider God every [Page 109] Sabbaoth stretched out his armes to im­brace you, and you would not; Christ offered to make a plaster of his hearts blood to cure you, but you trampled it vnder your feete: The holy Ghost put good motions into your heart, but you rejected them; the Minister hee pressed hard to haue you yeeld, hut you with­stood [Page 110] him Oh the hellish cryes that these will fetch from such an heart.

Fourth. Act. Wherefore let this betimes begette in thee a base esteeme of thy selfe; consi­der,

Helpe. 1 Thou art worse then a Toad; nay a Toade is a faire a­miable creature in comparison of thee. For first, a Toad fol­lowing the instinct [Page 111] of nature, serues the Creator in its kinde, it suckes vp the ve­nome of the earth, which otherwise would poysō vs: but thou art a degene­rate creature & Trai­tor, who drinkest poyson out of Gods mercy, to sin more a­gainst him. Thou art a sworne friend to his most deadly e­nemy, and breakest all his commande­ments. [Page 112] Secondly, the venome of a Toad kills but the body: the poyson of sinne kills both body and soule. Thirdly, When a Toad dyes its mi­sery is ended, but then thy woe be­gins; then thou wilt wish thou hadst beene any thing but a man

Helpe. 2 If thou hadst look­ed vpon that man in Math. 8. possessed [Page 113] with a Devill, who dwelt among the Tombes, went na­ked, chaines would not hold him, the Devill was soe powerfull in him: thou wouldst haue thought him a dread­full spectacle of ex­treame misery; to haue a legion of de­vils by computation sixe thousand sixe hundred sixtie sixe: but I tell thee thou [Page 114] hadst better haue a thousand Legions, then one vnrepented sinne; for

1 The devill he can haue power but o­ver the body, and so he may over a Saint, and had over Christ to carry him to the top of a Pinnacle: but never sin, like thine of obstinate and fi­nall impenitencie, was found in a san­ctified man.

[Page 115] 2 Sinne made the divell so vgly as hee is, being else of an Angelicall nature; onely sinne makes him odious; therfore it is worse than a thousand divels, yea worse than either the tongue of men and Angells can ex­presse.

3 All the divels in hell in thy body, cannot doe the one pinnes­worth of hurt for [Page 116] the salvation of thy soule: but one sinne wilfully vnrepented of, and so vnpardon­ed, will damne it; so that it were better to be possessed with a thousand devills, then one sinne vnre­pented of; & vnpar­doned.

Fifth Act. Get an inward wounding of thine heart and bleeding of soule; Where take these helpes.

[Page 117] Helpe. 1 First, thy heart that hath beene the foun­taine, or rather sinke from whence haue issued many foule streames, where all ill hath beene for­ged, all evill words, raging passions, & wicked thoughts; Now then by the rule of proportion, let thy heart be a fountaine of sorrow for sinne; If Christ o­pen a fountaine of [Page 118] mercy for mourners, let not vs be exclud­ed for want of sor­row.

Helpe. 2 Consider the heart of Christ, he had not taken vpō himselfe a heart of flesh, but for sinne, which for thy sake was tilled with that singular depth of sorrow & griefe, that if all the god­ly sorrow of all the Christian soules frō the beginning of the [Page 119] world to the end thereof, in heauen or in earth, dead or a­liue, were collected into one heart, they could not counter­vaile the depth of his anguish. Shall then his blessed soule fall asunder in his blessed breast, assaul­ted with al the wrath of God, and the se­cond death? Shall his soule be like a scorch­ed hearth; & so pres­sed [Page 120] with the flames of Gods revenging wrath, which wrūg from him those bloody drops and ruefull cryes, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? The wrath of God was so fierce on him, that (I say) droppes of blood fell from him: and shall thy heart be as a stone within thy breast, and never be moued? Oh pro­digious [Page 121] hardnesse, and worse then hea­thenish ingratitude!

Helpe. 3 If thy heart be not wounded here in some measure truly, it shall hereafter be filled with such end­lesse horrour, that would grieue and breake ten thousand hearts to thinke on it. Is it not better then to mourne a little here for sinne, than to haue our hearts [Page 122] inlarged to indure vnto all eternity the horrour of hell? Is a­ny man so senselesse to thinke he shall goe to heaven as in a bed of downe; and never be touched for his sinne, which is as im­possible, as for thee to reach heaven with thy hand. Whē Hezekiah a man per­fect in all his wayes,Esa. 38.14. complained & chat­tered like a Crane: [Page 123] David roared all the day long: Psal. 32.3. Iob complained,Iob. 6.4. The arrowes of the Almigh­ty are within mee, the venom whereof doth drinke vp my spirit. Nay Christ himselfe cryed out in the A­gony of his Spirit.

Helpe. 4 If thou get this broken heart into thy breast, thou shalt bring downe the glorious majesty of heauen; GOD Al­mighty [Page 124] with his chaire of State to sit in thy soule; for hee hath two habitati­ons.Esay. 57.15.

1 In heaven.

2 In an humble heart.

Helpe. 5 Get this and get all. Thou gettest true title and interest vn­to the passion of Christ, and all the cōforts in the booke of God, the promises both of this life, and [Page 125] of that to come.

Sixt Act. Get an outward be­wayling with heart-pearcing confession: where

Helpe. 1 Consider first, the practice of the Saints of God.

1 They powred out teares as men water out of Buckets.1. Sam. 7.

2 Mary washed Christs feete with her teares.

3 The Publican strucke on his breast [Page 126] with a sorrowfull acknowledgemēt of his sinnes.

Helpe. 2 Consider second­ly, thy hands, & eies, and tongue, and heart haue beene in­struments of Gods dishonour, therefore by rule of proporti­on, thou shouldst haue the workes of thy hands instru­mentall demonstra­tions of repentance; thy eyes fountaines [Page 127] of teares; thy tongue should vtter, and heart suffer griefe.

Helpe. 3 Consider, that for outward things men will weepe teares, as for dejection from high places, losses, crosses, in wife or children, as David for Absolon: so it is with many; what wring­ing their hands, tea­ring their haire, bit­ter crying, &c. Then the losse of Christ, [Page 128] who is infinitely better than husband, wife, child, or any thing in the world; this, this, how should it breake thy heart! If all Iobs troubles were on thee, and could wring one teare from thee; then one sinne should wring blood from thy heart.

Seventh Act. Get a hatred and aversion in thy will from sin, considering [Page 129] these three helpes.

1 What sinne is in it selfe.

2 How God is pro­voked with it.

3 How thou art hurt by it.

Helpe. 1 What sinne is.

Sinne in it selfe is fouler than any fiend in hell, because it made that so; as fire is hotter then water that is heat.

2 It's extreamely ill, nothing comes [Page 130] neare it. I consider of sinne here in the ab­stract, so its a greater ill, than the damna­tion of a mans soule; for when two ills fight together, that which cōquers must needes be the grea­ter; now when a man hath lyen in hell ten thousand yeares, hee is as farre from comming out as e­ver; for the eternall duration in hell can­not [Page 131] expiate sinne.

3 Its most infectious, It's compared to a Leprosie; for,

1 The first sinne that peeped into the world stayned the beauty of it; no soo­ner sinne was com­mitted by Adam, but the Stars seemed im­pure in Gods sight, the beasts were at variance, the earth full of brambles, and all things cursed.

[Page 132] 2 Secondly, it sow­red all natural, reli­gious, and civill acti­ons.

3 Thirdly, if a man in authority be sin­full, all vnder him will be infected.

4 Sin is most filthy, compared to the most vile things that can be named; to menstruous ragges, the vomite of doggs, &c. Nay not any dirt, or filthy thing [Page 133] can staine a Sunne­beame, but sin staines a more glorious crea­ture, which is the soule of man.

5 Sin is of that hel­lish nature, that it drawes out & takes in, to it selfe the wrath of God.

6 Sin is full of cur­sed consequences.

1 Privatiue.

3 Positiue.

1 Privatiue, losse of Gods favour; the [Page 134] blood of Christ; the guard of Angels; peace of conscience, &c.

2 Positiue it brings all misery spirituall; hardnesse of heart, blindnesse of minde, horrour of consci­ence, despaire, &c. with all temporall losses and crosses here, and hereafter e­ternall torments of soule and body.

Helpe. 2 God is provoked [Page 135] with it.

1 Each sinne is the only object of Gods infinite hatred. His loue is diversified to himselfe, his Sonne, the Angels, the crea­tures: but his hatred is confined onely to sinne. What infinite of infinites of ha­tred hast thou on thy soule, with all thy sinnes, when each sinne hath the infi­nite hatred of God [Page 136] vpon it?

2 Each sin is against the Majesty of that dreadfull Lord of Heaven and earth, who can turne all things into hell, nay heavē & hell into no­thing by his word. Now against this God thou sinnest, & what art thou, but dust and ashes, a bagge of filth and flegme, and all that's naught. And what is [Page 137] thy life, but a span, a bubble, a dreame, a shadow of a dreame? And shall such a thing offend such a God?

3 Every sin strikes at the glory of Gods pure eye.

4 Sin is that which killed his Sonne; the least sinne could not be pardoned but by Christs carrying his heart blood to his Father, and offering [Page 138] it for sinne.

5 Each sinne is an offence to all his mer­cies. This aggravated the sinne vpon Eli, 1. Sam. 2.29. David 2. Sam. 12.8.9. &c. Mercy is the most e­minent attribute of God, and therefore the sinne against it is the greater. What therefore are our sins in the time of the Gospell?

Helpe. 3 Consider how [Page 139] thou art hurt by it: for

1 Each sin kills thy soule which it better then the world.Mat. 16.29.

Each sinne, bring it never soe much pleasure in the com­mitting, leaues a threefold sting:

• 1 Naturall.
• 2 Temporall.
• 3 Immortall.

1 Naturall, after worldly pleasure comes melancholly: [Page 140] properly either be­cause it lasted no lon­ger, or they had no more delight in it, &c. That as all wa­ters end in the salt sea: so all worldly joyes are swallow­ed vp in sorrowes bottomlesse gulfe.

2 Temporall: ther's labour in getting, care in keeping, and sorrow in parting with worldly goods.

3 Immortall: God [Page 141] will call thee to judgment for it. Each sin robbes thee of a­bundance of com­fort. What a vast dif­ference do we see in conquering sin, and being conquered by sinne? as for instance in Ioseph and David. the one raised after his cōquest to much honour; the other, scarce enjoyed one good day after hee was conquered; but [Page 142] as Ezekias, walked heavily in the bitter­nesse of his soule all his dayes. As some Divines haue said of Guliacius and Spira, the one is honour'd in Calvins Epistles for ever: the other af­ter his backsliding liued a while in ex­quisite horror, and after dyed in de­spaire.

4 Thy owne con­science will accuse [Page 143] thee one day for e­very sinne, though now it seemes hid to thee; and thy consci­ence is more then a thousand witnesses, therefore thou wilt certainely be over­throwne.

5 For the sins which peradventure thou liuest now in, and accountest but petty and veniall, many poore soules are at this instant burning [Page 144] in hell for; What mi­sery and hurt then attends on thee for the same?

Eight. Act. Get a strong rea­soning in thy minde against sinne: as first, these three grand reasons.

Reas. 1 The horrour of hell; Therefore Chri­stians wrong them­selues, that will not vse this as a motiue; the vnquenchable wrath of God shall [Page 145] feede vpon thy soule if thou committest this sinne.

Reas. 2 The joyes of heavē; I shall dwell with God for ever, if be­leeving, I make con­science of every sin, as an evidence and fruit of saving faith.

Reas. 3 And aboue all, the glory of God: if Gods glory and the damnation of our soules were in a bal­lance, his glory [Page 146] should preponderate and prevaile, while wee preferre Gods glory aboue our owne salvation; Mo­ses and Paul would haue done that, al­though wee cannot seeke it, but in and by our salvation, as the meanes is subordi­nate to the end.

Secondly, from e­very line in Gods booke:

His attributes, as

• [Page 147]1 His Iustice.
• 2 His mercy.

1 His Iustice to ter­rifie sinners.

2 His mercy to al­lure vs to him.

3 His Iudgements.

4 His Promises.

Thirdly, from lo­gicall places: (See Ro­gers on meditations, and in each particu­lar consider of thy sinne.)

• As 1 The definitiō.
• As 2 The division.
• [Page 148] As 3 The causes.
• As 4 The effects.
• As 5 The subject.
• As 6 The adjunct.
• As 7 The compari­son.
• As 8 The contrary.

Fourthly, from places of Scripture.

1 From examples in Scripture: How shall I do this, & so sin against God? saith Ioseph.

2 From your former estate; Yee were dark­nesse, but now yee are [Page 149] light &c.

3 From the end of all things, Seeing all things must be dissol­ved, what manner of men ought wee to be?

Fiftly, from thy selfe.

1 Thy soule is im­mortall, all the De­vils in hell cannot kill it.

2 Thy body is fraile, all helps cannot long vphold it.

Sixtly, from Christ.

[Page 150]Looke vpon him weeping, nay bleed­ing on the crosse, and saying thus, Sinne brought mee from the bosome of my Father to dye for it.

Seaventhly, from the incomprehensi­ble excellencie of God, against whom thou sinnest.

Ninth Act. Get a sincere op­position in thy life to sinne.

Helpes thereto.

[Page 151] Helpe. 1 When any bait of Sathan, or old com­panions would al­lure thee to sin, take this dilemma:

Either I must re­pent, and then it will bring more sorrow than the pleasure did good, or not re­pent, and then it's the damnation of my soule.

Helpe. 2 Consider thy mad­nesse, which layest most desperately in [Page 152] one scale of the bal­lance heaven, the fa­vour of God, the blood of Christ, and thine owne soule in the other, a little dung, pelfe, base lust &c. And lettest this oversway, which bringeth rottennesse to thy bones, perhaps losse of thy good name &c.

Helpe. 3 And that thou maist yet be further armed to withstand [Page 153] the assaults of thy three grand enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devill, which dayly seeke the de­structiō of thy soule: cōsider these twelue Antidotes:

Consider the short­nes of the pleasure of sin, with the length of the punishment, the one for a mo­ment, the other ever­lasting.

2 Consider the com­panions [Page 154] of sinne: for one sinne never goes alone, but being once entertained, it sets all the faculties of the soule also in a com­bustion; and so pro­cures a spirituall judgement, if not temporall, vpon e­state and person.

Consider, thy life is but a span, a breath, a blast soone gone: now if wee had all the pleasure in the [Page 155] world, yet being so soone to loose it, it's not worth esteem­ing.

4 Consider, sin cau­seth vs to lose a grea­ter good than that can be, as the favour of God, interest in Christ, guard of An­gels, right to the crea­tures &c.

5 Consider the vn­certainty of repen­tance; thou maist ne­ver haue motion to [Page 156] repent after thou hast sinned, and so art damned.

6 Consider the near­nesse of death to thee; some haue liu­ed out aboue halfe their time, others al­most all of it; young and old dye sudden­ly many times.

7 Consider one mo­ment in hell will be worse then all the pleasure in the world did good, though it [Page 157] should haue lasted a thousand yeares twice told. So on the contrary, one mo­ment in heaven doth more good than all the hardnesse and paines in good du­ties, or persecution for them did hurt.

8 Consider the dig­nity of thy soule; it's more worth then a world. Lose it not then for any sinne.

9 Consider the pre­ciousnesse [Page 158] of a good conscience which is a continuall feast. This thou losest by sinne.

10 Consider, thou sinnest against a world of mercies, which God hath sent to thee, as to soule, body, good name, estate, & others, that belong to thee.

11 Consider nothing can wash away any sinne but the blood [Page 159] of Christ. And wilt thou now pollute thy selfe againe, as it were to haue him kill'd afresh to wash away thy sinne.

12 Consider the an­cient Martyrs and Worthies chose ra­ther to burne at a stake, than they would sin, and wilt thou soe easily be drawne to it, or ra­ther runne to it? An­selme sayd, if the [Page 160] flames of hell were on the one side, and sinne on the other side, I would rather lye in those flames than sinne. And o­thers would rather be torne in pieces with wild horses. Wee haue as preci­ous meanes as they, and if our hearts were as good wee should haue the like affections.

Tenth Act. Get a sincere grie­ving [Page 161] that thou canst do these things no better, as consider­ing,

1 Though thou hadst a thousand eyes, and could weepe them all out and shed ri­vers of teares, and a thousand hearts to burst; yet all were not sufficient for the least sinne or vanity, either of the eye or heart: How much more when our [Page 162] hearts are barren and dry, had wee neede to labour for this sorrow?

2 Considering when thou hast made the best praier, or watch­ed most diligently o­ver thy selfe, for the right and due sancti­fication of the Sab­baoth, or spent thy selfe in a day of hu­miliation; thou hadst neede to crye and burst thy heart a­gaine [Page 163] for the imper­fections and failings thereof.

3 In this sorrow, that thou canst per­forme good duties no better. Weaue vp the web, whats lack­ing in any of the rest, here make it vp; and to incourage thee, thou hast this hap­pinesse joyned with it, that though thy griefe be small, if it be true, to cause thee to [Page 164] sell all: that is, to part from every sinne for Christ, and take him as a husband and a Lord, both for pro­tection, and govern­ment? Then by the consent of all Di­vines it it godly sor­row, and certain­ly accepted in Christ. ⁂