INSTRVC­TIONS FOR A RIGHT COMFORTING AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES, with speciall Antidotes against some grievous temptations: DELIVERED FOR THE MOST PART IN THE LECTVRE AT Kettering in North-hampton­shire. By Robert Bolton Batchelor in Divi­nity and Preacher of Gods Word at Broughton in the same Coun­tie.

LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Weaver, and are to be sold at his shop at the great North-dore of Saint Pauls Church. 1631.

TO THE HO­NOVRABLE AND WORTHY KNIGHT, SIR ROBERT CARRE, Gentleman of the Kings Bed-Chamber, &c. all holy Wisedome to walke in the Way to eternall Blisse.

SIR,

YOur extraordinary ap­probation, and accep­tance of my Directions for walking with God, fal­ling into your hands, by Gods good provi­dence, I know not how; accompanied with such noble circumstances, and expressi­ons of much undeserved respect to the Au­thour; but especially of your affectionate love to the 1. Tim. 1.11. glorious Gospell of the blessed God (farre dearer to every gracious heart, which truely tastes the mysterie, and mercies of Christ in it; then it's dearest blood, or whatsoever is most de [...]re-able under the Sunne, or admired most amongst the Sonnes of men), hath en­couraged [Page] me at this time, to take the bold­nesse, to present this present Treatise more immediately, and by speciall interest into your owne hand. And I am the farre better pleased with my choise; because I hold it a matter of singular comfort, and speciall con­sequence, to have an hand in diverting the eie of any, that attends upon earthly Majesty, from too much gazing upon the outward il­lustrious splendour, which is woont to glister in the Courts of great Princes; to the admi­ration, and embracement of the glorious, and ever-lasting beauty of the Lord Iesus: In re­spect whereof, all the fairest beames of felici­ty and joy, which shine from the most orient Imperiall Diadems, that crowne the face of the Earth, are but a Moate of darkenesse, and Lumpe of vanity. And that for divers reasons; 1. First, Such as stand in the presence of mighty Kings, are, or ever should be, men of greatest parts, deepest understandings, and most eminent abilities every Way: Which being happily sanctifyed by a fruitfull influ­ence from Heaven; and by the helpe of the holy Ghost, bent to the right end, and spent upon the Objects, they ought; become glo­riously serviceable to the King of Kings; pro­portionably to their native excellency above ordinary gifts, and the vulgar sort of suffici­encies. Great endowments, in what kinde so­ever, gvided by a divine hand, in their exer­cise and agitations, doe ever, a great deale of good. To give Instance, and not stirre from [Page] the Court: The Lord of Heaven vouchsa­fed to King Iames, of famous memory, and One of the learnedest Princes, that ever wore a Crowne upon Earth, such a strong and enlarged understanding, that wee should have magnified it, as admirable, even in a pri­vate man. The same good hand of providence in great mercy, directed it upon the right Ob­ject; even the defense of the But as for the holy truth professed by my selfe, and those of the reformed Religion, &c. King Iames Re­monst. pag. 176. holy Truth of our blessedly reformed religion, and destruction of Antichristianisme, that accursed Hydra of all heresies; and notoriously infamous, both to this, and the other World, for horrible Massacres, and Bellarmine, Eudae [...]o­no-Iohannes, Suarez, Becanus, Mariana, with such Monsters▪ teach the Doctrine of Parricides Ibid. pag. 5. If any except, and say; these are but private Doctors: Heare King Iames afterward: If the Pope doth not ap­proove, and like the practise of King kil­ling; wherefore hath not his Holinesse imposed some severe censure, with a fearefull frowne, upon the Booke of Mariana the Iesuite, (by whom Parricides are commended, Nay, highly extolled) when his Holinesse hath been pleased to call-in some other of Mariana's bookes. Againe, wherefore did his Holinesse advise himselfe, to censure the decree of the Court of Parlia­ment in Paris against Iohn Chastell? Wherefore did he suffer Garnet and Oldcorne, my Powder-miners, both by Bookes and Pictures, vendible under his nose in Rome, to bee inro [...]led in the Canon of holy Martyrs? And when Hee saw two great Kings murdered one after another: wherefore by some publike declaration did not his Holinesse testifie to all Christendome, his inward sense, and true apprehension of so great misfortune, as all Europe had just cause to lament, on the behalfe of France? Wherefore did not his Holinesse publish some Law, or Pontificiall Decree, to provide for the security of Kings in time to come? Ibid. pag. 222.223. See Histor. Iesuit. put out by Lucius. Wherein you may see their bloody behaviour in many Kingdomes.murthering of Kings. Where­upon, besides that, Hee hath by his Princely Pen, given such a deadly wound to that Beast of Rome, that Hee is never like to stand upon His foure legs againe: Hee hath also left in His learned Labours, such an immortall mo­nument of Demonstrative light, & invincible Remonstrance against that bloody superstition, that I am perswaded, it will proove a most [Page] soveraigne The mighty working of King Iames his Workes upon the Ad­versaries, is intimated unto us to in the Preface before his Workes. They looke upon His Maiesties Bookes, as men looking upon Blazing [...], with amazement; feating they portend some strange thing; and bring with them a certaine influence, to worke great change and alteration in the World: Neither is their expectatiō here­in deceived; For wee have seene with our eyes, the Operatiō of His Majesties Works in the Consciences of their Men so farre, as from their highest Con [...]l [...]ve to their low­est Cells, there have been, that have been converted by them. Bishop of Winten. preservative, and a mighty Mo­tive, far stronger then a mountaine of Brasse, to keepe all His Royall Posterity, which shall hereafter successively sit upon His Regall Throne, to the worlds end, in a thorow uni­versall, and everlasting detestation of Popery. Chamier, that great glory of France, and the whole Christian World, was bountifully en­riched from Heaven with singularity of lear­ning, and Polemicall Parts; which being tur­ned the right way, have happily produced a Panstratia, such victorious Volumes, and so unanswerably triumphant over all Popish Sophistry; that not all the Iesuites in Chri­stendom, tho they should rake Hell afresh, for some new, rotten distinctions, to uphold their tottering Babell, shall ever bee able to reply to any purpose. Gnash the teeth they may with griefe and shame enough; raile like the vassals of the Revel. 19.2. great Whore, impressioned with the impudency of her forehead, and lie a­gainst Him voluminously; But for any possi­bility of a sound Answer, they must all let that alone for ever. As on the contrary, great parts empoisoned, and mis-imploied, plague extraordinarily. The greater sufficiency with­out grace, is but a sharper sword in a madder hand. Hatred to goodnesse, and height of Place, attended with capacity and cunning, worke a world of mischiefe. Iulian, the Apo­state, being an Emperour of admirable elo­quence, and exact learning; What horrible [Page] worke? What hurt and havocke did he make in the Primitive times, amongst the people of God! The Iesuites at this day, brought up in variety of literature, and Take policie as it is now a dayes taken by common phrase of speech: — As we say, that a right Polit [...]tian is a very Machiavell; — so it may bee said, that in Politicall go­vernment, or Machi­vellian policy, none goeth beyond the Ie­suites at this day. De­cacord. Quodlib. 3. Art. 4 pag. 64. No, no, their course of life doth shew what their study is: And howsoever they boast of their perfections, holinesse, meditations and exercises; yet their platforme is heathen [...]sh, tyrannicall, and able to set Aretöne, Lucian, Machiavell, and the Divell himselfe, in a sort, to Schoole. Ibid. Quodlib. 3. Art 3. pag. 62. The Iesuites manage matters more Machiavellianly, then Machiavell himselfe. Answer to the Iesuited Gent. pag. 70. Iesuites are Fathers of mischiefe, friends to themselves, benefactours to seditious persons, Masters of Machiavellisme, Traytours to England, and to their Prince. An Answer by one of our Brethren, a Secular Priest, to Blackwels letter, written to Cardinall Cajetan. 1596. Circa Med. Machivellian my­steries, become the grand Impostours, and Impoisoners of innumerable Soules; the most notorious Incendiaries, and Assasins, that ever the The Iesuites are to be marked out for the most malicious, trayterous, and irreligious Calumniatours, that ever lived on earth, unworthy that ever the earth should bea [...] them. Quodl. 4. Art. 2. pag. 99. earth bore: such But Mariana likes better, to have a Tyrant poysoned by his Chaire, or by his Apparell, and Robes, after the example of the Mauri [...]nian Kings; that beeing to poysoned onely by sent, or by contact, Hee may not bee found guilty of Selfe-fellony; and the Soule of the poore Tyrant, in the flight out of the Body, may be innocent of the fact. O Hell-hounds! O diabolicall wretches! O infernall Monsters! How long then? How long shall Kings, whom the Lord hath called his Annointed; Kings, the breathing Images of God upon earth; Kings, that with a wry, or frowning looke, are able to crush these earth-wormes in pie­ces; How long shall they suffer this viperous brood scot-free, and without punishment, to spit in their faces? King Iames Remonst. pag. 227. Such is the religion of these Reve­rend Fathers, the Pillars of the Pontifician Monarchy. In comparison of whose religion and holinesse, all the impiety, that ever was practised among the Infidels, and all the bar­barous cruelty, that ever was perpetrated among the Cannibals, may passe henceforth in the Christian World for pure clemency and humanity. Ibid. pag. 235. Adue religi­on of the Iesuites: —For to speake truth; To deale in State-matters, and to practise the death of Princes, are as essentiall parts of their function, as their confession it selfe. Iesu. Catech. lib. 3. cap. 13. murtherers of Princes, Tantum relligio potuit suadere malorum. But what would hee have done, if hee had knowne the massacre of France; or the Powder-trea­son of England? &c. They make the cause of Religion descend, to the execrable acti­ons of murthering of Princes, butchery of people, and fiering of States. Sir Francis Ba­con. Essaie. Of Religion. Butcherers of people, Firers of States, [Page] and Blowers-up of Parliaments, as former Histories never heard of. Thus, when men of Place, and imploiment, mighty and remarke­able in the World, improove the utmost pos­sibilites of their Wit and Art; of all their na­turall, and acquired Parts, to serve their own turnes, and attaine their private ends; to rise, revenge, grow rich; or more imme­diately by some speciall service, to advance the Kingdome of darknesse, and dominion of Antichrist; O the Luciferian pride, the injustice, the cruelty, the Machiavel­lisme; the putting of faire pretences up­on pestilent plots; the drowning of inno­cency in the Depths of State; the crafty and mercilesse pressures of Gods people, and those, over whom they domineere! It is then a work of great Waight and Worthinesse, to winne a great man to the waies of God. Here­by the common state of goodnesse is migh­tily strengthned; and which is an equall hap­pinesse, the Divels side goes downe, and Beli­als hang the head. For according to the emi­nency of his Gifts, and greatnesse of Place, is the excellency of good, or excesse of ill, that Hee doth. It were to bee wished therefore, if God so pleased, that all the incurable, and im­placable enemies to the grace of God, good men, and power of godlinesse, were Dunces and Fooles; that they might not bee able to manage their malice and power, with such Depths and dexterity, to the more dangerous [Page] under-mining of the kingdome of Christ; and their owne more desperate ruine, and greater damnation. 2. Secondly, Great men are subject to great temptations; And therefore, it is the harder Taske, and more honorable triumph, to turne them on Gods side. Had not an All-mighty hand mastered the tem­ptation, steeled his Faith, and represented to his eie, the matchlesse glory of an im­mortall Crowne; Moses had never been able to have parted with the magnificent state, and pompe of Pharaohs Court: where Hee might have wallowed in varietie of all worldly delights; and to take part, with His afflicted Brethren, of a world of miseries, in a vast and roaring Wildernesse. There was never carnall man since the Creation, but in such a Case would have followed the Court, and forsaken Gods people. Hester, a weake Woman, could never possibly have holden out, against the fury of so mighty a Favourite, the hazarding of Her high Place, the favour of so great a King, and even life it selfe; had She not been upholden by an extraordinary strength from Heaven. No great Woman in the World, wanting Grace, would ever have runne such an hazard: but have suffered the servants of God to sinke, or swimme; so that She might swimme downe the Current of the times without crossing, and enjoy the present without perill. It was a [...] tempta­tion▪ [...] [...]nathan, and a very [...] Dilemma: [Page] Either, leave to adhere to David, or resolve to lose a Kingdome. But the hope of an earth­ly Crowne, could not hire Him to hold His peace, and betray the innocency of His hea­venly Friend: And Ionathan answered Saul his Father, and said unto Him; Wherefore shall Hee bee slaine? What hath Hee done? The dread of dis-countenance from two angry Kings, whose indignation is as the roaring of a Lyon, was a terrible Motive, to have made Micha­jah temporize: (not a Server of the Times, and His owne turne in the World, but would in this Case have tuned His Pipe to Ahabs pleasure, especially encouraged by the flatte­ring concurrence of so many false prophets). But the sight of the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth sitting upon His Throne, and all the Host of Heaven standing by Him, infused such an holy fortitude into the spirit of this Man of God; that no greatnesse, terrour, or Ma­jesty of any crowned Potentate, could possi­bly daunt His courage, or dash Him out of countenance: And therefore Hee answeres with a resolution, as high as Heaven, and out of a sacred pang of seraphicall zeale: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto mee, that will I speake. So that Hee may discharge a good conscience, and doe as God would have Him, Hee is at a Point. That Message, which th [...] [...]lmighty had put into His mouth, must [...] Him to a centur [...] [...] from so [...] [Page] owne Coate; to a suspicion of dis-loyalty, for crossing so peremptorily the Kings Plot; to smiting, both with the fist of wickednesse, and taunts of the tongue, from His fellow Seers: Nay, tho His faithfull dealing throw Him into a Dungeon, there to bee fed with the Bread of affliction, and Water of afflicti­on; untill the full wrath of an enraged pro­phane King fall upon Him to the uttermost. Thus, let the World say what it will, what­ever flesh and blood suggest to the contrary; Howsoever unsanctified great Ones storme and disdaine; yet assuredly, every true Friend to Iesus Christ, must bee content farre rather to bee dis-courted, then desert a good cause; or not to defend the innocency of a gracious Man, tho in disgrace; and to speake for Gods people, tho Haman rage to roote them out quite, as a company of singular exorbitant fellowes, who serve God as they list, and keepe not the Kings Lawes: Hest. 3.8. As is unanswerably evident, by the precedency of these newly named, noble, and holy Saints. I confesse, this may seeme precise Doctrine, and a divine Paradox to all the great Masters of pleasure, and Minions of luxury and pride; whose blood runnes fresh in their veines, and mar­row is yet strong in their bones; Nay, who having attained the height of their ambitious aimes, sit now aloft in the very top of their un-blessed bravery and greatnesse, drunke with the pleasant wine of worldly prosperi­tie, [Page] and holding in scorne, the holy preaching of the good way, the syncerity of the ser­vants of Christ, and society of the [...]. 1. Pet 2.17. Da mihi Christianum, & s [...]t quid dico. Brother­hood. Yet I can assure them in the Word of Life and Truth, the now embracement, and practise of [...]. precise walking, will incomparably more comfort them upon their Dying-Beds, in that great and last encounter with all infer­nall powers, about the immortality, blisse and glory; or the endlesse, and unsupportable paines, and misery of their Soules; then if they had been the sole, and soveraigne Com­manders of all the Kingdoms of the Earth, all their life long. But no marvell in the meane time, that, as the Spirit of truth tells us, and punctually to my purpose;1. Cor. 1.26. Not many Wise men after the flesh, nor many Mighty, not many Noble are called: Not for any impossibility; For the irresistable might of the Spirit, worketh upon whom it will; and some Great Men are good: but by reason of the difficulty. Be­ing beset with such variety, and strength of temptations, they are rarelier, and hardlier wrought upon by the Word, and woone out of Satans en-snarements. High roomes, tem­porary happines, & abilities above ordinary, so puffe them up, and transport them beyond themselves, with such a deale of Selfe-love, Selfe-opinion, Self-prizing; that their proud and obstinated spirits, will by no meanes stoope to the simplicity of the Gospell, [...] ­gularitie of the Saints, and the foolishnesse [Page] of preaching. But if at any time, they heare of a Nathan, Ieremy, Amos, Chrysostome, Latimer, &c. They are very loth to lend their atten­tion, lest thereby, they should bee made Me­lancholike, put in mind of the Evill day, & tor­mented before their time. But if they have the patience, They are ready to startle in their seates, and whisper One to an Other: You see now these preciser Fellowes would damne us all to Hell: Let us breake their bonds asunder, and cast away their Cordes from us. Such adoe there is, and a world of worke, to bring such noble Bedlams into their right minds; and to fright such Idolizers of their owne sufficiencies; and wilfull graspers of their gilded Fetters, from their admired follies, and honorable servi­tude. 3. Thirdly, a gracious Man about a Royall Person, is a goodly Sight; & full well worth even a Kings Ransome. Fidi imperator bus manete, sed anie hos Deo, propter quem & ijs, quibus commissi a [...] traditi estis. Nazian. Orat. 12. At quî propter Deum? Quia si Deum m [...]tuetis, & studiosè dabitis ope­ram, ut eius mandata servetis, fideles his eti­am Dei causâ eritis. Elias. For never any, except himself truly feare the great God of Heaven, can possibly bee cordially, and conscionably serviceable to any of our earth­ly Gods. A Principle so cleare, and unque­stionable, that no Man of understanding, and Master of his owne Wits, except himselfe be notoriously obnoxious, can have the face to deny it. Please they may, bee politically plausible, flatter extremely, and represent themselves to ordinary observation, as the onely Men for loyalty and love: But if wee could search, and see their hearts, wee should find them then most laborious to serue them­selves; [Page] and advance their owne ends, when they seeme most zealous for their Soveraignes service. Ahitophel, in the Sunne-shine of peace, and calmenesse of the Kingdomes time, did accommodate himselfe to the pre­sent, both in Consultations of State, and reli­gious conformitie: But no sooner had this hollow-hearted man espied a dangerous tempest, raysed by Absoloms un-naturall treachery, but Hee turned Traytor to his na­turall Lord: when Hee observed the Winde to blow another way, He followed the blast, and set his sailes according to the weather: Which made David after complaine; But it was thou, O Man, even my Companion, my Guide and Familiar: We tooke sweet counsell together, and walked unto the House of God in company. Where­fore let Great Men, without grace, professe, and pretend what they will; and protest the impossibility of any such thing, as Hazael did in an other Case; yet ordinarily, (I know not what some One morall Puritan amongst a million might doe) in such tumultuous times, and of universall confusion, for the se­curing of their temporall happinesse; which, without timely turning on Gods side, is all the heaven they are like to have in this World, or the World to come: I say, upon a Point of great advantage, and advancement with safety, they would flie from the decli­ning State, and downe-fall of their old Ma­ster; tho formerly the mightiest Monarch up­on [Page] earth, as from the ruines of a falling house. And it can bee no otherwise; for they have no internall Principle, or super-naturall pow­er, to illighten and enable them, to set their shoulders against the Torrent of the times, and to bee overflowne with it. But now, Hee that truly feares God, would rather lose His high Place; Nay, his posterity; As much hearts-blood, if He had it, as would animate a whole Kingdome; then leave His lawfull Soveraigne Lord, in such a Case, upon any termes, tho Hee might have even the Im­periall Crowne set upon His owne Head. For conscience, that poore neglected Thing; Nay, in these last, and looser times, even laughed at by men of the World; yet a stronger tie of Subjects hearts unto their So­veraignes, then Man or Divell is able to dis­solve; ever holds up his Royall heart erect and unshaken, when all Shebnaes, Hamans, and Ahitophels, would hide their heads, and shrink in the wetting. Which conscience of his, if upon such occasion Hee should unhappily wound; Hee knowes full well, it would fol­low Him with guilty cries, for his so base temporizing, and traiterous slinking, all the daies of his life. Whereas gracelesse and selfe-seeking greatnesse, can well enough, in the meane time, conquer such clamorous ac­cusations of an ill conscience, with the boiste­rous excesse of carnall contentments, even as the Sacrificers of their Sonnes to M [...]loch in [Page] the fire, drowned their lamentable cries, with the louder sound of Tabrets and Drummes. Ambitious Nimrods, are able by the inordi­nate heate after humane greatnesse, to digest, and drive away the after­stings of bribery, basenesse, if not close bloodshed (their ordi­nary meanes of mounting) with their delight in domineering, and beeing adored above o­thers. It is a fit Passage therefore in our Common Prayer-Booke: That it may please Thee to endue the Lords of the Counsell, and all the No­bility, with grace, wisedome, and understanding. Grace is fitly put in the first place: For, under­standing and wisdome, without this heavenly Iewell, doe but prepare their Owners, to doe the greater mischiefe; To oppresse innocency with finer tricks, and more un­observedly; to plague Opposites more plausibly; to com­passe their owne ends more exactly; and at last, for the abuse, and mis­imploiment of their great Parts and Places, in serving themselves, and not seeking Gods glory, to be damned more horribly. Without sanctifi­cation by speciall grace; the rarest endow­ments All vertues turne to vices, when they be­come the servants of impiety. King Iames Remonst. pag. 249. degenerate: Wisedome into craft; O the vanity of great Men, who thinke it to bee the chiefe fruit of their greatnesse, to abuse their power insolently, to the ruine of their inferiours! Not remembring (being blinded by their passion) that they have a Superiour over them, to make them yeeld an account of their unjust proceedings, forcing to make restitution with interest. Histor. of France. In Lewis the tenth. Power into private reuenge; Valour into vi­olence; Prudence into plotting their owne ends; Courage into foole-hardinesse, to up­hold [Page] a faction; Policy, into plastering over soule-businesses with faire colours: All of them are basely, and unworthily made subor­dinate, and serviceable, onely to the setting forward, and safe-garding their owne out­ward felicity. Without this celestiall Load­starre, to steere aright in all affaires, there will ever be some warping. A great man, a Friend, an enemy, feare, cowardlinesse, affection, fa­ction, partiality, covetousnesse, malice, or something, will certainly sway, and transport away. But now, a godly Man, besides his pre­sence, Qui eateros dignita­te praestat & authori­tate, debet maiori eti­am pietate in Deum ef­fulgere, quò caeteris ex­emplosit, virtutem co­lendi & divina manda­ta servandi. Cyr. Alex­and. lib. 8. in Ioan. exemplary precedency in piety, and prayers, which are ever pleasing and prevai­ling with God; the discharge of his Place with integrity and truth, improving industri­ously all opportunities, high favours, interest in great Ones, and utmost possibility every way to advance Gods glory, promote good causes, protect good Men; Hee may also, by observing the calmnesse of a Royall counte­nance, and openesse of a Princely eare un­to Him, wisely and humbly suggest some things, and speake those words for the pub­like Good, and good of religion, wherby not only a Kingdome, but the whole Christian World may fare the better. Vpon these, and the like grounds, I hold it an high happinesse, and great honor, to have an hand in working spirituall good upon those excellent spirits, which hold high Roomes, or stand in neare attendance unto mighty Princes. And by [Page] this time, you easily discerne my drift, and rightly apprehend the top of my ambiti­on in this Dedication: even to doe your Soule good, Which is much more Worth then the Whole World, and must never die. To which I conceived a doore opened; when it pleased you, in more then ordina­ry manner, to manifest your liking, and al­lowance of my last Booke. And therefore, Sir, I beseech you, out of the generousnesse of your noble disposition, to doe me that f [...]vour; Nay, that right; Nay, that honour, for so I shall account it: As not to conceive the least thought, that hereby I goe about to seeke great things to my selfe; or ever to come nearer the Court, then by the continuance of my daylie heartiest praiers for the salvation, and life of King Charles, my dread and dearest Sove­raigne. I am drawing apace towards my long Home, Eccles. 12.5. and must shortly appeare before that high and everlasting Iudge; and therefore I desire to lose no time, but to ply, all I can, the businesse God hath set me about, for the short remainder of these few and evill daies; that by the mercies of God, I may finish my course with joy; and give up that last, and great ac­count, with favour and comfort, in the Name of Iesus Christ. Mee thinkes, besides many o­ther, and mighty divine Motives, that one Parete ijs, qui prae­sunt v [...]b [...] & conce [...]dite: Nam ille vigilant pro animis vestr [...]s; ta­metsi prius tam dine dictum est, tamen ne nunc quidem reticebo. Huius enim comminationis terror animum mihi concutit. [...]. De Sacerdot. lib. 6. in princ. Nam illi vigilant pro animis vestris, tanquam ratione reddituri. Hic­cine exiguus tibi vide­tur comminationis ter­ror? Equidem illum, quantus sit, verbis ex­primere non possum. Ibid. Lib. 3. Ad fin. speech of Chrysostome, who Himselfe many [Page] times preached [...] Primùmigitur persva­deamus, ut iurament [...] ­rum fuga in melius mu­tationem faciat: etsi enim heri, & nudiuster­tiùs de hac vobis locutus sum materi [...], neque tamen hodiè desistam, neque cràs, neque pe­rendiè eadem persvadere. Chrysost. Ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 5. About the beginning of His Homilies upon Genesis, Hee tells them, that Heri, Yesterday I handled this, or that; or to the like sense; And the same, Chrysostome preached in the Afternoone: as appeares by these words, Hom. 11. in 1. ad Thess. Qúemadmodum si quis lucis Lychnaeo aquam aspergeret — aut oleum duntaxat eximeret, lucemexting veret; ita habet & donum Spiritus. Hee tooke a resemblance from the Lampe that burnt by Him, when Hee was preaching; And sayes, You may qvench this Lampe, by putting in water; and you may qvench it, by taking out the oyle, &c. And so did Great Basil also, as appeares by these words: Hexam. Hom. 2. ad fin. Facta est igitur Vespera, & factum est mane dies unus. Sed hi nostri de illâ Vesperâ sermones, a [...] hac Vesperâ iàmoccupati, hic orationi nostrae finem imponunt. And so did Aust [...]n, that mighty Disputer; as appeares by these words: In Psal 88. (as Hee counts) Conc 2. Ad reliqua Psalmi de quo in matutino locuti sumus, animum intendite. every Day, and gave a Vnde & Episco­pum necessecst, in singulos, ut sic dicam, dies sementem facere: ut ipsâ saltem assuetudine Doctrinae, sermonem Auditorum animi retinere possint. De Sacerd. Lib. 6. pre­cept for it; and yet professeth, that the dread­fulnesse of those words, Heb. 13.17. For they watch for your soules, as they that must give ac­count, did strike a great terrour into his heart; should make all Gods Ministers resolve, to doe nothing else almost, but reade, meditate, preach and pray. Wherefore, noble Sir, I shall have my full desire, and utmost end, if you be but pleased, to make me the happy Instrument of helping you towards Heaven; and give me leave to gaine this advantage, for your spiri­tuall good, by your love unto my Ministeriall Labours; that they my thereby leave a more kindly, and deeper impression in your appre­hensions of heavenly things; and worke with more life and power, for a sound erection, and sure settling of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ in your owne Soule. You stand in a Sane! Aulica vita per se est status Deo placens, interìm tamen est vitae genus lubricum, periculosum, ac varijs Lipsious obnoxium; in quo multa fiunt contra Creatore [...], propter con­servandum humanum savorem: In Aulis prae­cip [...]e negotiosus est Sa­tan; Ob [...]cit spectra dis­gratiae & favori [...] prin­cipal [...]s, ut i [...]sdem exter­riti [...]uliciomittant fa­cienda, & faciant omit­tenda. Qui in Aulâ constans est in veritatis confessione, & iustitiae observatione, ille can­dem cum Christo expe­ritur sortem, qui in Au­lâ Pontificis & Hero­dis contemptus, illusus & percussus fuit. Qui meticulosus est, & in gratiam Magnatum à regulā veritatis & iu­stitiae recedit, is facili­mè in abnegationem Christi incidit. Ger­hard. In Harmo. Hist. Evang. cap. 5. In aulà, quò quis cor­rup [...]or moribus, aut corrumpentior muneri­bus, còbcatior. Satis bur. In Policrat. Bernard was wont to complaine: That the Court received such as were good, but made them [...] Cu [...]ia bonos facilius recipere, quàm facere consuevit. Plures in eâ defecisse bon [...]s, quàm malo, profe [...]issep [...] chavimus. De Consid. Lib. 4. Cap. 4. Maiórne esse poterit spes no­sira in Palatio, quàm ut [...] Imperator [...]s simus? Et ibi quid non fragile, plenúmque peri­culis? Et per quot pericula pervenitur ad grandius periculum? August. Conf. Lib. 8. Cap. 6. Hos erim ipsos, ques beavit, perdidit. How gloriously then doth a Ioseph, a Ionathan, a Deniel, a Mordeca [...], a Nehemiah, an Hester, an Ebed-melech shine in a Kings Court? slippery Place, tho you stand in the presence [Page] of the mightiest Defender of the true Religi­on, of any Monarch under Heaven. For altho Satan bee most solicitous, and stirring in all Places, and now more then ever (the long Day of Mankind drawing fast towards an e­vening; and the Worlds troubles, and time neere at an end) to doe all the mischiefe, Hee can possibly; yet you may bee assured, Hee re­serves his most desperate services, ambush­ments, surprises, practises, and Powder-plots, for Kings Courts: Because Hee findes there, an extraordinary Confi [...]ence of Greatnesse, Power, Wit, Policy, noblest Parts, and other mighty engines; the edge and excellency whereof, if Hee shall bee any waies able, by improovement of the utmost skill, in his old Trade of tempting, to turne the Wrong way; Hee gaines farre more, then if He should win to His side some millions of private Men. If Hee prevailes there, Hee knowes himselfe in a faire way, to make foule worke; and is often woont thereupon, to empoison, and plagve e­ven a whole kingdome. For your support therefore, and surer standing in such a Case; and that you may trample upon, with an holy contempt, and noble disdaine, the false, Delectatio occidit & praeterijt, vulneravit & transivit, miserum fecit & abijt, infelicem reddidit & reliquit. August. De Temp. Serm. 3. Quid permanet in homine, nisi quod quis (que) aut legendo, aut oran­do, aut bonae opera faci­endo pro animae salute, in thesauro conscientiae suae recondiderit? In­felix enim volupias, infelicior cupiditas at­que luxuria, per transi­toriam dulcedinē prae­parant sempiternam a­maritudinem. Idem. Ibid. Serm. 55. dure­lesse, [Page] pestilent sweetnesse of worldly plea­sures, and vanishing glister of all earthly glo­ry; there is no way in the world, but to em­brace the Lord Iesus, in the armes of your [...]umbled Soule, fallen out for ever Ista est filioli, vera poenitentia, quando sic convertitur quis, ut non revertatur; quan­do sic poenitet, ut non re­petat. Ibid. Serm. 3. with eve­ry sinne, and fallen in love unfainedly with all Gods blessed waies. For by Faith, and Faith alone, (which how it is brought into the heart by the Holy Ghost, you have in the Body of the Booke) wee overcome the world. And that in all respects; Not onely in regard of the furious enticements, and keene baites of carnall delights, riches, and rising; but al­so, of comminations of cruelty and torture; Nay, of the stinging provocations of con­tumelies, and cruell mockings. May you please to take notice of the power, and property of it this way; and in what manner this glorious Princesse conquers, and sets her triumphant foote upon the necke of the World, as upon Her vanquished Vassall, in two or three passages. 1. First, While as yet the Soule, tho never so admirably, and universally endowed with rarest illuminati­ons of humane wisedome, naturall, morall, metaphysicall learning, & Mysteries of State, is wholly gvided by the eies of sense, and car­nall reason; it lookes upon the world, and worldly things, as upon the onely Paradise of sweetest contentments, choicest pleasures, and chiefest Good; of the favour and fruition whereof, it would rather bee damned, then [Page] dispossest: But upon the Kingdome of Christ, and it's spirituall glory, as upon a thing not worthy searching into, and seeking after; a sower, strict, and uncomfortable condition; fit onely for some few precise fooles, and those, scorned, contemptible underlings; who understand not the world, but want Wit, and Art, to grow rich, and rise; to render them­selves remarkeable to the eies of men, and greaten their posterity. But let that glorious eie of Faith be once planted in the Soule, and the Case is quite altered. Those former fa­ding Lights of sense and reason, are obscured by the presence of this heavenly Sunne, and vanish, with all their vanities. For now this new, beautifull Lampe, shining in the face of the Soule, doth represent to it's apprehensi­on, the World, set out in greatest brauery, and to the utmost worth, as worth Esto, delicieris, E­sto, inebrieris; bodiè & cr [...]s & annos de­cem & viginti & tri­ginta, & quinquagin­ta, & centum etiam, quod est impossibile: imò f [...]voles, ponamus etiam quid ultra centum; Quid verò lucraberis? Nibil. Chrysost. in E­pist. ad Philip. Serm. 13. Si quis divitum uni­versum mundum possi­deret, tot (que) scr [...]os ha­beret, qunt nunc in [...]rbe terrarum sunt homines, ac ubique terrarum aedes, civitates, gentes suâ ditione teneret, [...]ontes ac fluuiy auro sibi pro aquâ fluèrent; tribus certè obolis huiusmodi hominem, unà cum divitijs suis, nisi ad columasp [...]aret, dignum non duceremus. Idem. In Mat. Hom. 64. nothing; as a dead rotten Carion, a very Dunghill, full of all loathsomenesse, deformity and filth. Which heated by the fire of mens furious lusts, sends up continually such fumes of vani­ty, and he lish Mists; which unhappily hide their sight from any glimpse at all, of all that incomparable beauty, which shineth in the countenance of Christ; or glory of the joyes a­bove, which last eternally. But it now lookes upon the Kingdome of grace, as upon a Rock [Page] of Diamonds, or Crystall Mountaine thicke beset, and glistering full faire with variety of richest Pearles, and truly orient; I meane, as upon the most amiable, and admirable Object under the Sunne; as the best, and blessedest thing to bee loved, and looked after in this life. 2. Secondly, Every man is naturally, and notoriously greedy of hearts-ease, and joy in one kinde or other: of which, rather then they will misse, they doe not sticke, many times, to light a candle at the Divell himselfe, for some joviall lightsom-nesse and mirth, such as it is; a madnesse above admiration, and followed with infinite miseries. And therefore, untill they lay certainely hold upon, and really pos­sesse somthing more pretious, surer comforts, sounder ioyes, which may out-balance the weight of all wordly treasures, and over-top the height of all humane happinesses, both in excellency and sweetnesse; they will by no meanes, upon no termes, suffer their hearts to bee drawne, and divorced from possession of the present, and the Bird in hand, as they say; I meane, from that poore, little, leane, ima­ginary nothing of contentment; which they seeme to extract, with much adoe, and most certaine losse of eternall blisse, from earthly things. They will, in the meane time, sticke to the world as fast, as Pherecides the Atheni­an, to the ship; who held it on the shore with his hands; and one of them cut off, Hee held it with the other; and both beeing cut off, [Page] Hee held it with His teeth. But let once the weary Soules of these former Worldings, truly wounded, and broken in peeces with weight of sinne, and sense of wrath; leane up­on, and lay downe themselves in the bosome of the Lord Iesus, bleeding upon the Crosse, prizing his purity as well, as His Passion; and so taking Him upon And how that is lear­ned, Chemnicius tells us: Ordo divinus est, quòd vult quidem E­vangelizare, sed paupe­ribus; vult sanare sed centritos; vult praedi­care dimissionem, sed captivis; Vult educe­re & liberare, sed vin­ctos, hoc est, sub peccato conclusos; Vult conso­lari, sed contristatos, & lugentes; Vult respice­re sed ad contritum spi­ritu: Beneplacitum est Domino, sed super ti­mentes eum, & in eis, quisperant super mise­ricordiá eius; Vult re­ficere, sed laborantes & oneratos; Vult corona­re misericordiâ & mi­serationibus, sed caput humiliatum, non turgi­dum; Vult infundere oleum misericordiae, sed vulneratis, &c. Exam. Decr. Trident. p. 2. De Contrit. cap. 4. Gods termes: And then reflecting with a sensible and serious contemplation, upon that Pearle of great price, of which they now stand possest; by the worth whereof, they have sealed, and made sure unto them, a full discharge from the end­lesnesse of Hellish torments, and a most un­doubted right to eternitie of Heavenly ioyes; Nay, possession given them of the thrice glo­rious, and ever-blessed Deitie, and all His per­fections, excellencies, felicities, so farre as an infinite God-head is conceiveable, and a Creature capable: I say, then, and never be­fore, will they easily, and willingly leave their Hold-fast of the World, and bee con­tent for ever after to settle their dearest love, seeke their truestHilaritatis nostrae om­nis rivulus defonte du­cendus pietatu; Winton. Opuse. Posthu. pag 73. comfort, and have their heartiest conversation Anima, quae amat, ascendit frequentèr, & currit familiaritèr per plateas coelest [...] Hierusalem, visitando Patriarchas, & Prophetas, salutando Apostolot, admirando exercitus Martyrum & Confessorum, &c. August. Tom. 9. p. 2. pag. 1003. above. 3. Thirdly, Faith hath many pretious Effects: It justifies, paci­fies, purifies, mortifies, rectifies in all trouble­some turnings of our life, and also satisfies the heart. As the Soule of Man is immortall by [Page] nature; so it is immeasurable in it's appetite and aspirations, edged with an infinite de­sire. The boundlesse capacity whereof, can never bee filled, untill it apprehend, and en­joy as it's owne, an object infinite, as well in eminency of good, as durability of time. And therefore except Faith, by bringing the Lord Christ into the Soule, give us the infinite God himself, and make Him our Portion, the Cor humanum in de­siderio aeternitatis non fixum, nunquam stabile potest esse; sed omni vo­lubilitate volubilius, de alio in aliud transit, quaerens requiem, ubi non est. In his autem ca­ducis & transitorijs, in quibus eius affectus captivi tenentur, ve­ram requiem invenire non valet; quoniam est tantae dignitatis, ut nullum Bonum, praeter summum Bonum eisus­ficere possit. Ibid. Cùm obiectum intel­lectus sit omne ens, nun­quam eius capacitas ex­plebitur, ac proindè ad ultimam persectionem non perveniet, done [...] apprehendatur omne ens: quod accidit, cùm apprehenditur Deus, qui continet in se per­fectiones omnium enti­um. Pauon. Disp. 2. q. 1. Prop. 4. heart of Man never will, or can possibly bee satisfi­ed in this World, or the World to come. But here bee tossed continually, and torne in peeces, like the raging Sea, with restlesse distractions, carking, discontent: And here­after roare everlastingly in Hell with un­knowne horrours; and for the irrevoca­ble exclusion, from the supreme and sove­raign Good, the ever-springing Fountaine of all peace and pleasure, and His glorious pre­sence even for ever & ever. If the Soule of man, saith Lib. 1. Sect. 12. Hooker, did serve onely to give Him Bee­ing in this life, then things appertaining unto this life would content Him, as wee see they doe other Creatures: Which Creatures inioying what they live by, seeke no further; but in this contentation doe shew a kinde of acknowledgement, that there is no higher Good, which doe any way belong unto them. With us it is otherwise. For altho the beauties, rich­es, honours, sciences, vertues, and perfections of all men living, were in the present possession of One: yet somewhat beyond, and above all this, would still bee sought, and earnestly thirsted for. It is no marvell, [Page] saith Quid in hoc mundo stabile? Quid firmum? Quid porrò non breve & incertum, & c [...]sui non serviens? Quale istud bon [...]m est, quod semper timeas amitte­re? Quod vel auferen­dum a [...]s te metuas, vel à te relinqueadum sci­as. Nam etsi nullo eri­piatur casu, vel morte certè perdendum est. Et si vita nostra tendatur per mille annos, & ad extremum illum totius diem aetatis, quotidia­nâ voluptate veniamus; quale hoc quaeso Diu est, quod sine deletur? Aut quis illius volup­tatis structus est, qui sta­tim ut cessaverit, vide­bitur tibi nō fuisse? Age iam, transactum vitae tuae tempus animo re­volve. Nonne videbitur tibi umbra quaedam fu­isso, quod transijt, & in­star somny tenuis incer­tum esse omne, quod vi­detur? Hoc idem & decrepitus senex senti­re potest: Cui convenit dicere cum Propheta, Dies mei sicut umbra declinaverunt, & ego sicut foenum arui. Quòd si baec etiam hîc possumus dicere, ubi quamvis brevis, tamen quia praesens est, vita ista magni penditur; Quid in futuro dicturi sumus, ubi maiori aetatis sci­entia, transactum omne pro nihilo est. Haec tu tecum diligenter revolvens, & brevitatem vitae huius aeternitatis contemplatione despiciens, ipsum quo (que) contemptum mundi maiori cum vir­tute contemne; Et ad illum tantū diem para te, in quo mundi gloria finienda est. Aug. Epist. 142. Green [...]ham, if riches fill not the Soule, for they were all made for man, His Soule for God. Whatsoever is capable of God, that can never bee satisfied with any thing else: All riches, all prefer­ments can not satisfie one soule: But when God is come, it is full & whatsoever is added more, it run­neth over. These, and the like, are the mighty Works of Faith. And even so let this Prince­ly, and victorious Grace, attended with all Her heavenly traine, tread down triumphant­ly before you still, the painted Bables and Ba­bels of al transitory glory, and ungodly great­nesse; hold still fresh and flourishing in your [...]ie, the immortality and blisse of a never-fa­ding Crowne; and shine faire and fruitfully in your Soule; untill it set you downe safe, in the midst of the most glorious and ever-during Kingdome of Heaven; and having there finished her blessed Task, resigne you up, and leave you for ever, to the Beatificall vision, and full fruition of Iehovah, everlastingly blessed; and to the endlesse enioyment of ful­nesse of ioy and pleasures, at His right hand, even thorow all eternity.

Your servant for the salvation of your Soule, ROBERT BOLTON.

SOME INSTRVCTI­ONS FOR A RIGHT COM­FORTING AFFLICTED Consciences, with Antidotes a­gainst some speciall temp­tations.

PROV. 18.14.

The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie: but a wounded spirit who can beare?

MY Text lies as you see,Alij Scripturae libri, tamet si à Spiritu San­cto dictati per [...]ectissi­mam sapientiam conti­neant, & scientiam ea­rum rerum, quas sib [...] proponunt, tamen sapi­en [...]ia & scientia, qu [...] in illis traditur, ra­ [...]ò admodùm decerpi & percipi potest, nisi ex mul [...]orum verbo­rum contextu, & con­tinuatâ serie, ita ut, si in secundo, aut tertio, aut etiam quarto versu saepè substiteris, fructum exilem & perexi­guum percepturus &c. In hoc autem libro (maximè) cum [...]d cap. 10. perventum fuerit, ex quo, & sequentibus cap. hoc nomen Proverbiorum hic liber, sortitus est) singulis pene ver­sibus, vel versiculis potius absoluta & perfecta doctrina traditur▪ Car [...] in cap. Prov. Iam inde à capite decimo, quae hîc sparsim leguntur Proverbia, recep [...]u [...] est [...]ier Theologos abs­que Methodo esse, nec perpetuo tenore scripta, ut priora novem, a Salomone. [...]inton Cone ad Clerum. prograd. Doct. Mihi inprimis itá semper placuit, inter singulas sententias cohae­rentiam & nexum aliquem frustrà confingi. Sala [...]. in a sacred Cabinet of richest Iewels; I meane the most selected, and wisest Apho­rismes, or Proverbs, that e­ver issued out of mortall braine: Every one of them, for the most part, especially from the tenth Chapter, in­dependant, entire, and absolute in themselues; cleare and manifest by their owne native brightnesse; not nee­ding [Page 2] such reciprocall light, and lustre for each others mutuall discouery, and interpretation. And therefore they are naturally not capable of any coherent Logi­call Analysis, and other circumstantiall expositions, or­dinarily incident to other parts of Scripture. Whence it is, that this Booke of Proverbs is compared to a great heape of gold rings, rich, and orient, severally; and eve­ry one shining with a distinct sense by it selfe: but o­ther contexts of holy Writ, to gould▪chaines so inter­woven and enlinked together, that they must upon ne­cessity, for the rendring unto us aright, and fully their severall senses, be illightened and receive mutuall illu­stration, one from another.

This present Proverbe doth represent unto us the ex­tremest Hell upon earth, the greatest misery, and most un-supportable that can possibly befall a Man in this life; I meane the horror of a guilty and enraged con­science. Which is set out;

First, by the excellency of it's opposite; the invin­cible ability and mighty strength of that truly stoute and heroicall heart, which is happily upholden with the heavenly refreshing influence of grace, Gods fa­vour and a good conscience: The spirit of a man will sustaine his [...]firmity: Whence take this first note.

Doctr. The spirit of a man furnished with grace, and fortified with the sense of Gods favour, is able to passe thorow the pikes, and conquer all commers.

Reas. 1. For what and why should that man feare or faint, on whose side the mighty Lord of heaven and earth doth stand? If Rom. 8.31. Quis autem non est con­tra nos? Co [...]ra nos etenim est ips [...] [...]rb [...], ty­rannt, populi, [...]ognati, ciues [...]ver [...] contra [...]os se [...]t, tant cognati, abe [...]t ut [...] quenani. ut la sa etiam nobi [...], nolint velint, coronarum sint, innumerotum­gue bonorumprocuratores, divina saprentia insidias ilior [...]m ad nostram salutem converteni [...] God be for us who can be against us? Whose mercy to his, is without all stint and limit, like Attribut a Dei sunt ipsa D [...]iessentia, seuipse Deus. himselfe, infinite; so immeasurable, that it rea­cheth from Psalm 103.17. everlasting to everlasting; so tender that it su [...]passeth incomprehensibly the compassionate mel­tings [Page 3] of the lovingest Isa. 49.15. mother; and spared not the dea­rest blood of his onely Rom. 8.32. Sonne. Who hath ever in a readinesse for the recovery of his children out of the most desperate danger, and to rescue them out of the hands of the deadliest enemy; besides his owne omni­potent arme, the least finger whereof can beate the greatest mountaine to powder, and [...]end the hardest rocke in peeces; innumerable hosts of Angels, one of which killed 2. Kings 19 35. an hundred foure score and five thousand in one night; charets of fire, even a thousand charets in the whirlewind; that faire glorious Giant, which with incredible s [...]iftnesse runs post, as it were, thorow the skye, to stand still or r [...]tore; the impetuous current of the raging Sea to recoyle; the merciles slames of the hungry fire, to become a soft and refreshing aire; the [...]placable fury of the most enraged Lions, to couch at first word for his servants sake and safety. Nay if need bee, hee hath Caterpillers and Frogges, Wormes and Lice, even the most impotent and vilest vermi [...]e, to fetch blood, and take downe the heart of the proudest Tyrant upon earth, carry he his head neve [...] so high; to eate out the bowels of the bloodiest Nim [...]od or mightiest Monarch, that weares a crowne upon his head, if hee oppose his people. He hath the very Matth. 27.5. 2. Sam 17 23. See Foxes story of Gods punishment [...] on Persecutors, &c. Acts and Monumen page 2298. &c. hands, and consciences of all that rise up against them, to bring their owne blood upon the [...]r owne heads, and even Hell and extreamest horror upon their hearts in this life. What then so dreadfull a face of present confusions, or fore-imagined formes of fu­ture troubles a [...]e able or ought, slavishly to de [...]ect, and terrifie, that holy heart, which with a sweet and safe repose is happily, and everlastingly hid under the Ruth. 2.12. Psalm. 91.4 wings of that mighty God? who for the deliverance of his, can worke:

  • 1. By weake meanes, See Iud. 7. 1. Sam. 14. Genes. 14. 1. Sam. 17. Iud. 4.21. and 9.53.
  • 2. Without meanes, See 2. Chron. 20. Exod. 14. [Page 4] Iosu. 6. 2. Kings 19. 2. Chron. 14.
  • 3. Contrary to meanes, See Dan. 6.22. Ios. 3.16. Dan. 3.25.26. Ionah 2.6. Iosu. 10.12, 13, 14.

2. When the heavenly beames of Gods pleased countenance begin to breake out upon a man, thorow the darke and Hellish mist of his manifold and hai­nous sinnes, the unquenchable heate of His everlasting love thorow Christ dissolving them into nothing; and fairely shine with a comfortable aspect upon His hum­bled Soule; ipso facto, as they say, Heaven and Earth▪ and all the Hosts of both are everlastingly reconciled unto him, and become his friends; the stormes and tempests raised by all the powers of Hell are presently calmed for ever doing him any deadly hurt. All the creatures then, pull in their hornes, retire their stings, bite in their poyson, s [...]ib'd, and awed by those divine impressions of their Creators blessed image stamped upon them by the Spirit of grace; and dare no more offer any violence or vexation to him, (except upon particular dispensation for his spirituall good and quickening) then to the Apple of Gods owne eye. Heare the promise from Gods owne mouth: And in that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowles of Heaven, and with th [...] creeping things of the ground: and I will breake the bow, and the sword, and the battell out of the earth, and will make them to lye downe safely, Hos. 2.18. Nay, they are so farre from charging their seuerall stings upon the Saints, that they will change their very natures, to doe them service. They will rather become an astonishment and horror to the whole Creation, then they be hurt. How often have they suspended and put off their native power, and properties, for the protection and good of Gods people? The very Sea, that most raging and roa­ring creature, must stay his course and current, to give passage and preservation to a true Israelite: The Starres must fight, and the Sunne stand still for the ayde and [Page 5] advantage of Gods armies. The Lions must leave their savage rage and trade of blood, and become Lambes and loving unto a Daniel. The Crowes will feed an Elijah: The flames of fire must hold in their heate, from burning a Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego: The de­vouring belly of a dreadfull fish must be turned into a Sanctuary of safty to a Ionah: A popish Furnace hea­ted with the very malice of Hell shall become a bed of doune and Roses to a Thus spake blessed Bainbam in the midst of the fire. O ye Pa­pists behold, ye looke for miracles; and here now you may see a miracle: for in this fire I feele no no more paine, then if I were in a bed of Doune; but it is to me as sweet as a bed of Roses. Acts and Monuments page 1030. Martyr of Iesus: The very dead lines of an ordinary His Maiestie was mooved to interpret and conster the latter sentence in the Letter (alleaged by the Earle of Salisbury) against all ordinary sense and construction in Grammar, as if by these words, For the danger is past as soone as you have burned the Letter, should be closely understood the suddainty and quickenesse of the danger, which should be as quickely performed, and at an end as that paper should be of blazing up in the fire; turning that word of as soone, to the sense of, as quickely. Discourse of the manner of the discovery of a late intended Treason, &c. Heare King Iames his own words. I did upon the instant interpret and apprehend some darke phrases in the Letter contrary to the ordinary grammar construction of them, (and in another sort then I am sure any Diuine or Lawyer in any Vniversitie would have taken them) to be meant of this horrible for me of blowing us up all by Powder. His Maiesties speech in the last Session of Parliament, printed 1605. Letter, must represent to a Roy­all conceite, a meaning quite contrary to the naturall sense and all Grammaticall construction, before a bles­sed Parliament be blowne up with Popish Gun-Powder: A brittle A vertuous Gentlewoman in this Land doubting very often of her Salvation, made her case knowne unto a worthy Minister of God; who often counselled her, to take heed of inquiries further then Gods word, and trust assuredly that she might conclude her Sal­vation out of Gods word, without any further revelations: yet still did the temptation grow upon her, in so much that having a Venice Glasse in her hand, and the selfe-same Minister sitting by her, presently breakes forth into lamentable words; you have often told me, that I must seeke no further then Gods word, but I have bin long without com­fort and can endure no longer: Therefore it I must be saved, let this glasse be kept from breaking, and so she threw it against the walls. Here might the Lords hand for this tempting of his Maiestie, have left her to the everlasting woes of her distrustfull heart: yet the Lord that is rich in mercy, having stamped her with the seale of his Election, was content to satisfie the languishing Soule with a miracle: the Glasse rebounds againe, and comes safe unto the ground; which the Minister having gotten into his hands; faith, Oh repent of this sinne, blesse God for his mercy, and never distrust him more of his promise: for now you have His voyce from Heaven in a miracle, telling you plainely of your estate. This was curiositie, and might have brought de­spaire; yet it was the Lords mercy to remit the fault, and grant extraordinary con­firmation of her Faith. Yates. Gods arraignement of Hypocrites, page. 357. Glasse must rebound unbroken from the har­dest [Page 6] stone, to helpe to bind up a broken heart, blee­ding with griefe, for absence of her Spouse, and wan [...] of the assurance of his love, &c. Nay the divell him­selfe, though hee walkes about like a roaring Lion seeking with restlesse rage, and desiring infinitely to devoure the Lords inheritance, yet cannot possibly adde one linke to the chaine, in which by the merci­full and mighty hand of God, he is hampered; nor goe an haires bredth beyond his commission: Though it bee utterly impossible, that that damned Angell should so farre change his divellish nature, as to doe any of Gods chosen, directly, any true good; yet he is everlastingly musled by an Almighty arme, from ever doing them any deadly hurt. He may be suffered sometimes to shake his chaine at them, and roare upon them hideously, to drive them nearer unto God, and fright them from sinne; But he shall never either in this world, or the world to come have his full swinge at them, or fasten his hellish fangs upon their redee­med soules.

3. Besides all that other excellent, compleate, im­penetrable armour of proofe mentioned, Ephes. 6. which is able to beate backe victoriously all earthly oppositions, and the very Ordnance of Hell, every one of Gods Favourites is also blessedly furnished with a mighty spirituall Deprecatio, Ecclesiae murus, qui rumpi non possit, munimentum in­concussum, daemonibus quidem formidabile. Chrysost. De orando Deum. lib. 2. Deprecatio, armatura est inexpugnabilis; ac [...]utissimum, nec unquam fallens munimentum, pari facilitate, vel unum repellens militem, vel innumerabilia hostium millia. Ibid. lib. 1 Engine, which is able to batter downe all the Bulwarkes of the Divell, to shake the whole kingdome of darkenesse, and all hellish powers; nay, to offer an holy violence to the very Throne of Tantarum vir [...]um est precatio, ut in hominis potestatem creaturas ad unam omnes, & quod mirêris, ipsum creaturarum Dominum redigat. Sc [...]l [...]. De precat. cap. 29. Non in homines tantum est ista precationis vis, sed etiam in bellua [...], in daemones, in mundi elementa, in coeli sydera, in deum ipsum. Ibid. God himselfe: witnesse, His most mercifull intreating Moses Feriendi licentiam quarit à Mose, qui fecit Mosen. Bern. To let him alone, Exod. 32.10. As though the [Page 7] mediation of a man, could binde as it were, I speake it with lowliest reverence to that highest Maiestie, the hands of his Omnipotency, from doing his people any hurt; and were able to extingvish that unquench­able wrath in the conception, which once on foote would burne unto the lowest Hell, and set on fire the foundations of the Mountain [...]s: I meane that Honos miscendi ser­monem cum Deo Ange­lorum superat maiesta­tem. De precat. lib. 2. most pretious, and almost, if not altogether omnipotent Grace of Prayer. This great Master of miracles hath wrought from time to time many and very remarke­able wonders both in Heaven and Earth. It made the Sun, that mighty creature,Ios. 10.12, 13. the Prince of all the Lights in Heaven, to stay and stand still upon the suddaine, in the heat of his swiftest course:Ion. 2.1, &c. 10. It landed Ionah safely upon the shore, out of the bellie of the Whale, and bowels of the Sea:Iud. 15.18. It drew refreshing streames out of a dry bone for the saving of Samsons life: It turned the Heaven into brasse for three yeeres and a halfe;Iam. 5.17, 18. and afterward turned the selfe-same brasse into fruitefull clouds, and fountaines of raine:2. Kings 19.15.35. It killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of the enemies of Gods people in one night: For the freeing of Elisha from a straite and dangerous siege,2. Kings 6.17. It filled a mountaine in a moment, as it were, full of Hors [...]s and Charets of [...]ire: It turned the swords of a mighty Army into the Bow­ells of one another;2 Chron 20.5, 6, &c. 23 when Iehoshaphat knew not which way to turne himselfe; but was so helpelesse and hopelesse, that he cryed unto the Lord, wee know not what to doe;Acts 12.5.7.10. only our eyes are upon thee! It loosed Peter out of prison, shoke his chaines off from his hands, and made an Iron gate to open of its owne ac­cord: Upon intelligence of the Spanish invasion, a publike Fast was proclaimed and ob­served, Anno 1588. It e [...]raged and inlarged the English Seas to swallow up the Spanish invincible Armado: And which is none of the least wonders, It brought Prince Charles out of Spaine.

But you instance, may some say, in extraordi­nary examples of extraordinary men, endowed with [Page 8] an extraordinary spirit.

Yet sure I am, they are registred by the holy Ghost, to represent unto us, and to all generations of the Church to the Worlds end, the Almighty and won­der-working power of Prayer. And I am as sure, that the Petitioners were men [...]. Iam. 5.17 subiect to like passions as we are. Perhaps, if thou be a true-hearted Nathanael, since thy new birth, thou wast never so extraordinarily passionate, as Ionah was, when out of a pang of strange distemper, hee thus answered the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth:Ionah 4 9. I doe well to bee angry even unto death.

Fourthly, Gods Favourite is further furnished with an other spirituall weapon of impregnable temper, and incredible might. I meane Faith, Faith is onely able to performe; fulnesse of ioy, and constancy of content, in the midst of the changes, wanes, eclipses and fuls of all externall things; and that one day, as well as another, through­out the course of a mans life in that lati­tude & extent, where­of this life is capable. Ward. the very Pow­er, and Arme of God for all true ioy, sound comfort, and light somnesse at the heart-roote in this life. This crowned Emperesse of all those Heavenly graces, that dwell in the Soule of a sanctified man; and which in a right sense may be said vertually to comprehend all the beautie, strength, excellency and power of Christ himselfe; is truely Credenti mundus cum principe diabolo, mors, infernus, peccatum (que) mera ludibria s [...]nt, ut dicere possit cum Paulo, Vbi tuus, ó mors, acu­leus? ubi tua, inferne, victoria? 1. Cor 15.55. Habet enim ipse contra omnia haec, quae caeteris [...]orribilia & [...]nsuperabilia sunt, victoriam per Dominum Iesum Christum, in quem cre­dit, cui adh [...]ret & innititur. Naogeor. victorious, and triumphant, 1. Ioh. 5.4 over all the World; Matth. 16 18. over the very gates of Hell, and all the powers of darkenesse; Eph. 6.16. over the Divels fieriest darts; Heb. 11.34. over the devouring flames of the raging fire; Heb. 11.33. over the roaring furie of the most hungry Lions; Heb. 11.37. over the varietie and extremitie of exquisitest tor­tures, temptations, persecutions, all outward miseries; euen Heb. 11.36. over cruell mockings. It Heb. 11.30. unresistably beares downe, or blowes up the strongest Bulwarkes, and thickest walles; Heb. 11.34. puts to flight the mightiest Armies, and Heb. 11.33. conquers the most invincible Kingdomes. And when all is done, Oh blessed Faith! at the very [Page 9] last, and deadliest lift, Psal. 23.4 Da mihi pulchram iu­stitiam, da mihi Fidei pulchritudinem. Proc [...]dat in medium, ostendat se oculis cor­dis, inspiret servorem amatoribus suis: Iam tibi dicitur, Frui me vis? Contemne quic­quid te aliud delectat, contemne pro me. E [...]ce contempsis [...]i, Parum est illi — Parum est vt contemnas quicquid te dilectabat, contemne quicquiud te terrebat, contemne carceres, con­temne vincula, contem­ne equuleum, contemne tormenta, contemme mortem, Haec vicisti, me invenisti Amat, ardet, servet, cal [...]at omnia quae dele­ctant, &c transit: venit ad aspera, horrenda, truculen [...]a, minacia; cal [...]at▪ frangit & tran­sit. August. De verbis Apostoli. Serm. 17. she triumphantly sets her foote upon the necke of the Prince of terrors, I meane death, the last and worst, the end and summe of all feared evills: And even in the middest of those dying and dreadfull pangs, beares a glorious part with Iesus Christ the Conquerour in that sweetest Song of victo­ry, O death, where is thy sting? In a word, it can doe all things. [...] luminum; non [...] luminis. Q. d. Omnis luminis, elementaris, aetherei, spiritualis & coelestis. Par. All things are possible to him that belee­veth.

Fifthly, and lastly; and in a word Grace in its owne nature, being the most glorious Creature of the [...] luminum; non [...] luminis. Q. d. Omnis luminis, elementaris, aetherei, spiritualis & coelestis. Par. Father of li [...]hts, and flowing as it were more immediately and sweetly from his blessed face, is of such a divine invin­cible, and lightsome temper, and hath such an anti-patheticall vigour and ability, against all spirituall darkenesse and dampes; whether of affliction, temp­tation, troublesome confusions of the times, the val­ley of the shadow of death, the Grave, Hell it selfe; that it is ever able, either to dispell it, or dissolve it, or support it selfe strongly and triumphantly even in the midst of it. Suppose a soule beautified with Grace, to be seated, if it were possible, in the very center of that hellish Kingdome, yet would it, by its Heavenly strength, and glory, in despite of all infernall powers keepe off at some distance all the darkenesse, torments and horrour of that damned place. Whence it is, that it is so often in the holy Scriptures compared to light. Now what power and prevalent antipathy our ordi­nary light doth exercise against his most abhorred Op­posite, darkenesse, you well know, and it is elegantly and punctually for my purpose expressed by One in this manner: We see, and prove, saith he, by dayly ex­perience how powerfull and dreadfull a thing the darke­nesse of the night is. For when it falleth, it covereth, and muffleth up the face of the whole world. It obscu­reth, and hideth, the hue, and the fashion of all crea­tures: It bindeth up all hands, and breaketh off all im­ployments: [Page 10] The night commeth, saith our Sauiour, wherein we cannot worke. It arresteth, and keepeth cap­tive all living wights, men and beasts, that they must be still, and rest there where it arresteth them: yea it ma­keth them fearefull, and faint-hearted, full of fancies, and much subiect to frights. It is of all others such a powerfull, and unconquerable Tyrant, as no man is able to withstand. And yet neverthelesse, it is not of that might, that it is able to overwhelme, or to quench the least light in the World. For we see the darken the night is, the clearer the Starres shine: Yea the least candles light, that is lighted, withstandeth the whole night, and not onely suffereth not the darkenesse to cover, or to smoo­ther, and oppresse it, but it giveth light also even in the middest of the darkenesse, and beateth it backe for some space and distance on every side of it: so that which way soever it is borne, or wheresoever it commeth, there must darkenesse depart and give place unto the light; all the power, and the dreadfulnesse of it, cannot helpe or pre­vaile ought against it. And tho the light be so weake, that it cannot cast light farre about, or drive the darkenesse farre from it, as in the sparke of an hot coale, yet can­not the darknesse cover or conceale, and much lesse quench it; but it giveth light to it selfe alone at least; so that it may be seene a farre off in the darke; and it remai­neth unconquered of the darke, tho it cannot helpe other things nor give light unto them. Yea (that which is yet more wonderfull) a rotten shining peece of wood, which h [...]th the faintest light that can be found, yet re­maineth invincible of all the power of darkenesse; and the more it is compassed about with darken [...]sse, the clea­rer light it giveth. So little is darkenesse able to over­come, or k [...]epe downe an [...] light; but that it ruleth and vanquisheth, and expelleth the dark [...]n [...]ss [...], which else overwhelmeth, and [...]areth, and fettereth▪ and putteth all things in feare. Now if this naturall light be so pow­ [...]full, and so able to prevaile against the darkenesse of [Page 11] the night: why should not that spirituall Light, that Gods Spirit doth kindle, and set up in the hearts of Gods Children, be able to afford them light in darkenesse, and to minister sound ioy and sweete comfort unto them, in the very midst of their heaviest, and most hideous af­flictions. Assuredly, it must needes be unconquerably able, with farre greater power, and in an higher pro­portion. For our visible light doth spring but from a finite and materiall Fountaine, the Sunne, it selfe a crea­ture: but the Spirituall light, I speake of, flowes im­mediately from the glorious face of the onely true, in­comprehensible and eternall [...] 1. Ioh. 2.5. Light, the Sunnes crea­tour, who dwelleth in the light that no man can ap­proach unto, and is an everlasting well-spring of all Life and Light; which it doth so farre represent and resemble in Divine excellencie, and mightinesse, that it thence receives by a secret and sacred influence, fresh successions still of an infinite triumphant power, and prevailing against all spirituall darkenesses for ever. Suppose all the men that dwell within the compasse of our Hemisphere should addresse themselues with all their wit and weapons, with all their power and policie to keepe backe that universall darkenesse, which is woont to seize upon the face of the earth at the setting of the Sunne; yet by all this strong and combined opposition, they should but beate the ayre: But now, upon the very first approach of that Princely light, but peeping up in the East, it would all [...]ly away in a Lux citò coelum, ter­ras, maria illuminat, & momento temporis sine ullâ comprehensione, re­lectis surgentis diei splendore regionibus, no­stro se circumsundit aspectui. Ambros. H [...]x. Lib. 1. Cap. [...]. moment, and vanish into nothing. Semblablely, if all the understandings upon earth, and all the An­gels in Heaven should contribute all their abilities, and excellencies to illighten with cheerefulnesse and ioy, a guilty conscience surprised sometimes with hel­lish darkenesse and cloudes of horrour upon sight of sinne, and sense of divine wrath; yet all would not doe, they should all the while, but wash a Blacka­moore, as they say: but now, let but the least glimpse [Page 12] of the light of Grace shine into that sad and heavy Soule, and it would farre more easily and irresistably chase away the very darkest midnight of any spiritu­all misery, then the strongest Summers Sunne, the [...]hinnest Mornings mist. Give me, if you will, Iudas his heart, or Spiraes horrour; or a vexed spirit torne and rent in peeces with the raging guilt of both those wo­full men; and let that supposed rufull Soule, weary of its hellish burden, and thirsting sincerely for the wa­ter of Life, but cast it selfe upon the mercy, truth, and power of the Lord Iesus, so sweetly offering himselfe in that pretious promise, Matth. 11.28. resoluing to take him for an everlasting husband; and ipso facto, as they say, it might be put into a very Heaven upon Earth. For this glorious grace of Faith, the Prince of all spirituall light and lightsomnesse in the truely hum­bled Soule, thus shed into such a darke and grieved spirit, doth enkindle and set on shining all those Fides est in Christianâ animâ fandamentum omnium virtutum Bern li. De ordine vitae. Stell [...] dixisse virtutes non me poenitet conside­rantem congru [...]tiam similitudinis Quo mo­do nempe stellae in n [...]ct [...] lucent, sic vera v [...]rtus, quae saepe in prosperis non apparet, eminet in adversis. —Ergo vir­tus est sidus, & hom [...] virtutum coelum. Idem super Cont. Serm. 27. gra­cious heavenly Starres, that are woont to beautifie the hearts of holy men; hope, love, zeale, son-like feare, humility, patience, selfe-deniall, vniversall obedience, fruitfulnesse in all good workes, &c. Which make them [...]. Eph 5.8. light it selfe, to [...]. 1. Ioh 1.7. walke in the light, towards the infinite and [...]. 1. Tim. 6.16. unapproachable light: And therefore they never neede to want lightsomnesse; but have perpetuall pregnant matter of spirituall mirth, and mightinesse of spirit.

The point appeares, and is further prooved by ma­nifest, and manifold experience: David having bin formerly, wofully wasted with great varietie and ex­tremitie of dangers and distresses, was at last plunged into a most desperate perplexity. 1. Sam. 30 6. Which had bin able to have swallowed up into despaire, the manliest vigour of the greatest spirit upon earth, not supported with grace. (The like or a lesse, caused King Saul to fall upon his owne sword;) yet He blessed man, by the power of his spirituall peace, and the [Page 13] beames of Gods pleased face-shining upon his Soule, did patiently, and sweetly comfort Himselfe in the Lord His God; and stood like an impregnable Rocke unsha­ken with the raging assaults of any tempestuous sour­ges. He was at this time hunted by Saul like a Par­ [...]ridge in the Mountaines; cashierd by the Princes of the Philistines as a f [...]llow of suspected fidelity; robd by the Amalekites of His wiues; His sonnes, and His daughters; The Towne, to which He returned for safe­ty, was burnt with fire; And to make his calamity compleate, and most cutting, even His owne men were ready to stone Him: Now in this great distresse upon the first apprehension whereof He wept, as the story saith, untill He had no more power to weepe; yet com­ming to Himselfe, and recollecting His spirituall forces, His heavy heart ready to sinke and fall asunder in His bosome, did fetch by the hand of faith, comfortably fortified by sense and experience of former fauours, such heavenly strength from Iehova, whom He had made His portion; that thereupon His courage was re­vived and raised to that height, that He presently pur­sued his enemies with extraordinary valour and resolu­tion, cut them off quite and recovered all. And David saith the text, was greatly distressed: for the people spake of stoning Him, because the Soule of all the people was grieued, every man for His sonnes, and for His daugh­ters: but David encouraged Himselfe in the Lord his God, &c.

What a bitter Sea of unmatched miseries, did breake out upon blessed Iob, which with a sudden unexpect­ed violence, bearing downe that Hedge of protection, which God had set about Him, (the raines purposely let loose by divine dispensation to Sathans malice in the meane time) did fearefully overflow him to that height and horrour; that He stands registred in Gods Booke as an unparalled Instance of extraordinary suf­ferings and sorrowes; calamities and conflicts; to all [Page 14] succeeding ages, no Nemo quisquam in ullà Historiâ tot tam­que gravibus arumnis simul adobrutus fuisse legitur. Par. story being able to afford the like: The naturall death of one deare childe, strikes sometimes so heavy to a mans heart, that for griefe he growes into a consumption; but all Iobs children, were suddenly taken away at once by a violent stroke: some petty crosse upon his outward state, and cutting off but part of his goods, causes sometimes a couetous worldling to cut Divitijs dediti, non paupertem tantum con­trem [...]s [...]un [...], sed etiam quantulumque disp [...]n [...]dium — Mul [...]gitur ex istis etiam a [...]la ne­um concurrerunt, ne­quaquam scil [...]cet tan­tum moerorem ferent [...]s. Chrysost. in Mat [...]h. Hom. 2. his ōwne throate: But Iob was robd of all; so that it is a prove be to this day; As poore as Iob: Many wives are passionate, and peevish in time of prosperity, whose h [...]arts notwithstanding will melt in compassion, and kindenesse, over their hus­bands, in any kinde of misery; but Iobus ait, Se vxorem obsecrásse per prol [...]m, quam ex illà susceperat. Idautem eam minime commovit. Ostendit igitur id contra na­turam esse, & uxorem suam in eo [...] gen [...]umpro [...]disse C [...]lv. Iobs wife, tho dearely intreated, by Her most distressed Husband, even for their childrens sake, the mutuall common pledges of sweetest loue; yet would not come neare Him. My breath, saith He, is strange to my wife though I entreated for the childrens sake of mine owne body, Chap. 19.17. Satan. I confesse, is woont to roare and rage fiercely enough about Gods blessed O [...]es, to doe them all the mischiefe, Hee can possibly; but rarely hath hee so large a reach, and his chaine so lengthned as he had against Iob. The painefull anguish of some one part▪ would not onely deprive a Man, of the plea­sure of the worlds Monarchy, if he had it in possessi­on; but also make Him weary of His life. In what a taking then was Iob ▪ who from the sole of his foote, un­to his Crowne had no part free from [...]ore b [...]les and Quod fuerit morbige­nus▪ incer [...]u [...] est Sunt qui putant elephantia­sin, aut lepram fuisse. Sed e [...]sinal [...] est l [...]ge gravius malum fuisse, & quali forfar nun­quam quisquam humi­num laborarit, Merc Iob 19 12. & 10.16.6.4 hor­ribly i [...]fl [...]med ulcers, exasperated and enraged with the sti [...]ging smart of Satans extremest malice▪ who had power given Him to inflict them God himself frownes many times, and withdrawes beames of His plea­sed face from the soules of His seruants, to their great griefe, tho for their spirituall good; But seldome doth he set them up for His Marke; hunt them as a fierce Lion; set His terrours in array against them; and com­mand the poyson of his arrowes to drinke up their spirit; [Page 15] as Iob complaines: It is no strange thing, neither should it much moove, but only make us walke more watch­fully, to heare men of the world, and drunken Belialls to belch out from their rotten hearts upon the Ale­bench such base slanders as these. These Professors for all their faire shewes, are certainely all of them notorious Hy­pocrites. Tho they looke never so demurely, they are not the men they are taken for, &c. But to have a Mans nea­rest, familiar, understanding Christian friends to charge Him with Hypocrisie, is a most cruell cut to a troubled conscience: And this was Intimi fuerunt Iobi amiet, & familiares ac voluti gregales. Beza. H [...]on dubium, spea­king of Iobs friends, quin admiran [...] sapi­entia viri fuer [...]nt, ut ex eorum disputatio­nibus, quae hoc libro inseruntur, videre est: q [...]ia & insignes pro­bitate & R [...]ligione, ut ex usdem apertum erit. Merc. Iob. case. So thus as [...]ob was singular in the universality of His afflictions, so there was a singularity of bitternesse above ordinary in e [...]very particular a [...]fliction. And what of all this? And yet for all this, this holy man, by the helpe of that pretious Nam & beatus Iob ille, insianteà praemedi­tatu [...] fuisset, non ita in certamine resulsisset, nisi certè erebrò cogi­ [...]asset, quâ [...]atione moerorem superaret; d [...]xisset omninò aliquid moestum, cum repentè [...]ysse silios r [...]scisset. Nunc vero [...] praeme­di [...]tus, exercitatus (que) fuer [...]t, ut ad omnia in­g [...]n [...] animo perstiterit; ad totiu [...] substantiae, & tam m [...]tarum rerum iacturan, ad phorum an arissimum obitum, ad uxoris affe [...]um, ad acerb [...] corporis ulcera, ad iniusta anacorum opprobria, ad ancillarum contemptum at (que) servorum. Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. 34. hoard of grace, which his heavenly heart had treasured up in the time of prosperitie; out of that spirituall strength, which He had gotten into His soule by his former humble acquaintance, and conversation with His God, and knowing full well, that tho all was gone, yet He still possessed Iesus Christ as fully, if not more feeli [...]gly as ever before; He becomes here­upon as rare and admir [...]ble a Patterne of Patience to all posterity; as He was an extraordinary astonishing spe [...]acle of adversitie and woe. Consciousnesse of His fore-spent righteous life, which he peruseth Chap. 31. The clearenesse of a good conscience Chap. 16 19 Be­hold my witnesse [...] in heaven, and my record is on high: And his invincible faith, Chap. 19.23, 24, 25 Oh that m [...] words were now written, Oh that they were pri [...]ted in a hunke! That they were graven with an Iron pen and lead▪ in the rocke for ever. For I know that my Redee­mer liveth &c. chap. 13. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him; did so strengthen and stay his spirit [Page] with a divine might, that he bore valiantly, and stood upright under the heaviest weight, and greatest varie­ty of extreame afflictions, that ever were laid upon a­ny meere man.

But now on the other side, the tyth nay the tenne hundreth part of Iobs troubles, caused gra [...]elesse Achi­tophell, to saddle his Asse, get himselfe home, put his houshold in order, and hang himselfe.

So true is that which the blessed Prophet tels us Ier. 17.5. &c. Cursed be the man, that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arme, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For Hee shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good commeth; but shall inhabite the parched places in the Wildernesse, in a salt­land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For hee shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her rootes by the river, and shall not see when heate com­meth, but her lease shall be greene, and shall not be care­full in the yeere of drought, neither shall cease from yeel­ding fruite.

This impregnable comfort springing from grace, and a good conscience, even in evill times, did steele the spirit of blessed Luther with such spirituall stout­nesse, and so hardened his fore head against a world,Ezek. 3.9. Quis non putâsset. Lu­thetū [...]anto cunctorum odio & invidiâ, cui totus penè mundus insidiabatur, etiam ille, cuius pedibus Im [...]cratores olim cogebantur cervices su [...]y ere, non mille mortes o [...]cubiturum? At forsan concitatis turbis vix s [...]perfuit, quo minùs po­testas ci [...] esse pot [...]it; Im [...]opertriginta [...]ene annos in ac [...]e perstitit, incolumis à clande­stin [...]s vetitioni [...]us, [...]uious Pon [...]ifex tollere solet homines, quos aperto Marte debellare non pos­sit: ac tandem aeger decumbens in lecto, animámque tradens illi, qui de. lit, placidè in Christo o [...]dormivit. Brightman cap. 3. Apocal. Fuit omninò vir magnanimus, qui talia ausus est, quae totu [...] miratur orbis, & qui tot gentibus adversus ipsum conspirantibus unum se op­posuit. [...] [...]hronolog. An. Christi. 1546. nay an horrible hell of most reproachfull and raging oppositions, that he became a Spectacle, a Miracle of rarest Christian fortitude, and invincible courage to the whole world, and to all posterity. I am perswa­ded, that holy truth of God, which hee so gloriously pro [...]est, and that power of godlinesse, which hee so faith­fully [Page 17] practised, did infuse into the heart of that Man as much unconquerablenesse of resolution, and fearelesnesse of the face of Man, as ever dwelt in any mortal brest, since the Apostles time. Witnesse amongst the rest, that one extraordinary expression of His im­comparable magnanimity: when his friends were ear­nest, and eager upon Him, not to venture Himselfe, a­mongst a number of Perfidious Papists, and bloud-thirsty Tigers; He replied thus: As touching mee, saith He,Fox in the story of Martin Luther, pag. 849. since I am sent for, I am resolved, and certainly de­termined to enter Wormes in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ; yea tho I knew, there were as many Divells to re­sist me, as there are tiles to cover the Houses in Wormes. This Man of God did upon the two Pillars of His He­roicall heart, courage and patience, most nobly sustaine the malice and hatred, almost of the whole world. The Divell, and the Pope did concurrently counter­mine with all their cruelty, and cunning against this vi­ctorious Champion of Heaven, and mighty underminer of their darke and damned kingdomes. Almost all the Princes, Priests, and people of Christendome, did breed & breathe out nothing but thoughts of indigna­tion and threats of Death against Him. Millions of la­sie, and lustfull Monkes, having like so many pestilent Locusts of the infernall Pit, seizd upon the face of Eu­rope, with their envenomed swarmes, and lying at ease encloistered in Sodomy and bloud, gnashed their teeth at Him with Hellish fury, and like true Frends spet fire in His face. And yet for all this, this holy Saint, (which, I more admire, and prize higher, then the victories of a thousand Caesars, or the most renowned valour of the greatest Alexander) having so many incarnate Divels continually roaring about Him, with open mouth, rea­dy every houre, and enraged with implacable thirst to drinke up His bloud, and swallow Him up quicke; yet I say, enioyed such a triumphant tranquillity of minde, and unshaken presence of spirit, that like a mightie [Page 18] Son of thunder by His constant and powerfull preach­ing, for the space of nine and twenty yeares, so shooke the pillars of Popery, that I am perswaded the Beast will never stand upon His foure legs any more: And writ eloquently and excellently, almost, if not as ma­ny volumes, as Austin did, that great glory of the Christian World in former times. A petty crosse ma­ny times will so emasculate,Carmina secessum Scri­bentis, & o [...]a quae­runt: Me mare, [...] me sera [...]. and weaken, the elevati­ons of the greatest Wit, that His conceite, invention & stile will fall to a farre lower streine, then ordinary; which contentment, & calmnesse, would raise to their highest pitch & possibility. But the terrible earthquake, as it were, of all Europe ▪ and contrary commotions of N [...]w become Anti [...]christian, as [...] A [...]ian. Christendome some, did never a whit dis-animate, or shake the heart of this heavenly man; fitly honoured by the name of a third Elias.

But now Francis Spira on the other side, having out of his I was saith He, excessively [...] of mo­ny, and accordingly [...] to get by [...], cor­rupting iudg [...]ment by deceite, inventing trickes to d [...]lude Iu­stice: Good causes I either defended de [...]ceitfully; or [...]ould thē to the adversary per­fidiously. [...] causes I maintain'd with all my might. I willingly opposed the knowne truth. And the trust committed unto me, I either betrayed or perverted. Thus did the care of this world, and the deceitfulnesse of [...] the good [...]eede that was formerly [...]owne; so as fearing hee faints and yeelds to the a [...]lurements of this present world. I know the Doctrine of Iustification by Christ, but I denied it and abjur'd it to the end, that I might keepe this fraile life from adversity, and my children from poverty: And now behold how bitter is this life unto me? And God onely knowes, what shall become of this my Family. But surely no go [...]d is like to betide it, but rather daily worse and worse, and such a ruine, as at length, one stone shal [...] not the le [...]t upon another. Nat. Bacon. In the relation of the desperate estate of Francis Spira, in the yeere 1548. I have the originall Relatours of the story; and finde this excellent translation to answere exactly to them. inordinate love to the things of this life, wo­fully wounded his conscience by that infamous [...] of the blessed Truth, which He formerly professed, became a spectacle of such spirituall misery and woe to the whole world, that there is not any thing left un­to the memory of man more remarkeable.

Vpon the very first revise of his recantation, and ser [...]ou [...] consideration in cold bloud what he had done, he acknowledged himselfe utterly undone and for ever. His spirit suddenly smitten with the dreadfull sense of divine wrath for his Apostasie, and split in pieces, as it [Page 19] were, with so grievous a bruise, fainted fearefully, faild him quite, and fell a sunder in his brest like drops of water. Heare some rufull expressions of his desperate state, from his owne mouth: Oh, that I were gone from hence, that some body would let out this weary Soule! I tell you there was never such a Monster as I am; never was man alive a spectacle of such exceeding misery. — I now feele Gods heavy wrath that burnes like the torments of hell within me, and afflicts my soule with pangs un-utterable. Verily desperation is Hell it selfe. — The gnawing worme of unquenchable fire, horrour, confusion, and which is worst of all, desperation it selfe, continually tortures me. And now I count my present estate worse, then if my soule separated from my body were with Iudas, and therefore I desire rather to be there, then thus to live in my body. — The truth is, never had mortall man such experience of Gods anger and hatred against him as I have. — If I could con­ceive but the [...]east sparke o [...] hope in my heart of a better state hereafter, I would not refuse to endure the most heavy wrath of the great God, yea for 2000. yeeres, so that at length. I might attaine out of misery. — He professed that his pangs were such, as that the damned wights in Hell indure not the like misery: That his state was worse then that of Cain and Iudas, and therefore desired to die. — O that God would let loose his hand from me, and that it were with me now, as in times past, I would scorne the threats of the most cruell Ty­rants, beare torments with invincible resolution, and glo­ry in the outward profession of Christ, till I were choa­ked in the flame, and my body turned into ashes.

Vses. 1. If it be so then, that an heavenly hoard of grace, good conscience, Gods favour &c. happily trea­sured up while it is called Today, hath the sole, and sa­cred property, and priviledge, to hold up our hearts, In times of horrour: inabling us in the meane time patiently, and profitably to master all miseries, passe [Page 20] thorow all persecutions, conquer all Commers; and at length by the helpe of God, to pull the very heart, as it were, out of Hell; with confidence, and triumph to looke even death, and the Divell in the face, and to stand with boldnesse, before the terrour of the last Day, like an unmooveable Rock, when the Sonnes and daughters of confusion, who have slept in harvest, and mispent the gratious Day of their visitation, shall in­treate the mountaines, and Rockes to fall upon them: I say, it being thus, let every one of us like Sonnes and daughters of wisedome, in this short Sommers Day of our abode upon earth, and in this glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell, and pretious seasons of grace, imploy all meanes, improove all oportunities, to gather in, with all holy greedinesse, and treasure up abundantly much spirituall strength, and lasting comfort against the evill Day. To which, let us be quickned, by such considerations as these:

1. This wise, and happy treasuring up, of heaven­ly hoards, and comforts of holinesse afore hand, will sweetely mollisie, and allay the bitternesse, and smart, of that heavinesse and sorrow; of those fearefull a­mazements, and oppressions of spirit, naturally incident to times of trouble, and feare, which ordinarily doe very grievously sting, and strike thorow the hearts of carnall and secure Worldlings, with full rage, and the very slashes, and fore-tastes of Hell. Of all other passi­ons of the Soule, sadnesse, and griefe grates most upon the vitall spirits; dries up soonest the freshest marrow in the bones; and most sensibly suckes out the purest, and refinedst bloud in the heart. All the Obiects of lightsomnesse, and ioy, are drowned in an heauy heart, even as the beauty of a Pearle is dissolved in vineger. Now the onely Cordiall, and Counter-poyson against this dampe of light-heartednesse, and Cut-throate of life, is the secret sweetenesse, and shining pleasure of that One pearls of great price;Math. 13.46. three orient raies where­of, [Page 12] are righteousnesse and peace, Math. 13.46. Rom. 14.17. and ioy in the holy Ghost treasur'd up in the Cabinet of a good conscience. The glory,Math. 13.44. pretiousnesse, and power of which hidden trea­sure, purchased with the sale of all sinne, doth many times shine faireliest upon the Soule, in the saddest times; inspires for the most part into the hearts of the owners, the greatest courage, and constancy of spirit even in the dayes of adversity, and vexation; inables them to digest, and beare without any great wound▪ or passion those crosses, and cruelties, which would breake the backe, and crush the heart of the stoutest Temporizer. Was there not a great deale of diffe­rence thinke you,Isa 38. betwixt the heart of Hezekiah, who had walked before God in truth, and with a perfect heart, when He heard the newes of death from the mouth of the Prophet;Dan. 5. and the heart of Belshazzar, when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall. Giue me a great man, who carries a way, the credit and cur­rent of the times; with all bravery, and triumph wal­lowes, and tumbles himselfe in the glory and pleasures of the present: Throw Him from the transitory top of His heaven upon earth, upon His last bed: present unto His eye at once the terrible pāgs of approaching death; the ragefull malice of the powers of Hell; the crying wounds of His bleding conscience; the griesely fourmes of His innumerable sinnes; His finall farewell with all worldly delights; the pit of fire and brimstone, into which He is ready to fall: And I tell you true, I would not endure an houres horrour of His wofull heart, for His present Paradise to the worlds end. But on the o­ther side, let me be the man, whom the corruptions of the time confine to obscuritie, who mournes in se­cret for the horrible abominations, and crying sinnes, that raigne amongst us, who thinkes that day best spent, wherein Hee hath gathered most spirituall strength, against that last, and sorest combate; and by the mercies of God, and humble dependance upon [Page 22] His omnipotent arme, I will looke in the face, the cru­ellest concurrence of all those former terrors, with [...] ­fidence and peace.

2. Secondly, By this spirituall hoarding of comfor­table provision against the Evill day, we may prevent a great deale of impatiency, dependance upon the Arme of flesh, base feares, sinkings of heart; un-manly deiections of spirit, desperate resolutions, and many passionate distempers of such raging and distracted na­ture, which are woont to seize upon, and surprise, un­holy and unprepared hearts, when the Hand of God is heavy upon them. How bravely and Heroically did patient Iob beare and breake thorow, a matchlesse va­riety and extremity of calamities and conflicts? The softest of whose sufferings would have strucke full cold to the heart of many a Carnalist, and made it to dye within Him like a stone as Nabals did. One of the least, the losse of His goods, I am perswaded, would have caused many covetous worldlings to have laid violent and bloudy hands upon themselues. For in­stance: Ahitophel, onely because the glory of his state-wisedome was obscur'd, and overtopt at the counsell-Bord, sadled His Asse, gate Him Home, put His houshold in order, and hanged Himselfe. The onely cause of His fainting in the day of disgrace, and dis-acceptation was His false, and rotten heart in matters of religion. While the Crowne sate with security, and safety upon Davids head; He walked with Him as a companion unto the House of God. But when the winde begun to blow a little another way and upon Absoloms side, like a true Temporizer. He followes the blast, and turnes his sailes according to the weather. And therefore His hollow heart, having made the Arme of flesh His Anchor, and a vanishing Blase of honour His chiefest blessednesse, shrinkes at the very first sight, and suspition of a tem­pest, and sinkes this miserable Man into a Sea of hor­rour. But now on the contrary: what was the cause, [Page 23] that Iobs heart was not crusht into pieces, under the bitter concurrence of such a world of crosses, of which any one severally was sufficient to have made a Man extreamely miserable? The true reason of His patient resolution, amid so many pressures, was the spirituall riches▪ He had hoarded up in the time of His happines. Amongst which the divinest, and dearest Iewel lay nea­rest unto His heart, as a counterpoyson, to the venome and sting of the Divels deadliest malice. I meane a sound and strong faith in Iesus Christ, the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world: which now began to shine the fairest in the darkest Midnight of His mise­ries; and sweetly to dart out many heavenly sparkles of comfort, and such glorious eiaculations as these: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him. Cap. 13.15. And that cap. 19▪ 23, &c. Oh that my words were now written, oh that they were printed in a Booke! That they were graven with an iron pen, and leade, in the rocke for ever. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c.

There were two cutting, and cruell circumstances largely insinuated Cap. 29. and 30. which did keenely sharpen the edge, and mightily aggravate the weight of Iobs miseries:

The one was this: He had bin Cap. 29.6. &c. happy. Now as that mans happines is holden the greatest, who hath bin in miserable condition; for He tasteth the double sweete; of remembring his forpassed misery; and enioying his present felicity:Felicem fuisse, miserri­mum. So on the contrary; It is the grea­test misery, they say, to haue bin happy.

The other was that, which most nettles a generous nature. He being a Man of so great honour and worth; whose rare, and incomparable wisedome, even the Princes and Nobles adored as it were with a secret, and silent admiration, as appeares Cap. 29.9.10. was now contemned of the most contemptible. The children of fooles, and the children of base men; that were viler then the earth, make him their song, and their By-word, cap. [Page 24] 30.8.9. For when true noblenes, and worth is downe, and any one of the Lords Champions dejected, it is ordinary with all those dunghill dispositions, to whom His sincerity was an Eie-sore; His power and authori­ty, a restraint to their lewdnesse; the glory of His ver­tues, fewell to their envy; to run as a Raven to the fal­len Sheepe, to picke out His eyes; I meane, which yet [...]asts of a truly cowardly, and mercilesse constitution, to wound his very wounds, and to vexe his vexations. This was Iobs case.

But what now ministers comfort to Iobs heart, a­gainst these corrosiues? Euen consciousnesse of His gra­ces, and integrities treasur'd up, and exercisde in the dayes of His peace. He reckens up fourteene of them, Chap. 31. From consideration hereof, Hee gathers to­wards the end, this triumphant resolution against the [...]orest of His sufferings: I would even crowne mine head with the bitterest Invective of my greatest adversary: whence it is cleare, that the two potent pillars of Iobs [...]rong, and strange patience, which all generations will admire to the worlds end, were a sound faith, and the sanctified fruits thereof, prepared and practised in the time of his prosperity.

3. Thirdly, by fore-provision of Gods favour, grace, good conscience, and such spirituall store, wee shall be able worthily to grace, and honour our pro­fession; truly to enoble, and winne a great deale of glory, and reputation to the state of Christianity: when the ambitious Rufflers, and boisterous Nimrods of the world shall see and observe, that there is a gratious in­visible vigour, and strength of Heaven, which mightily supports the heart of the true Christian in those times of confusion & [...]eare, when theirs shall be like the heart of a woman in her pangs, & fall asunder in their breasts, even like drops of water. That He is as bold as a Lyon, and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the Day of di­stresse, and visitations of God; when they shall tremble [Page 25] at the shaking of a leafe, & call upon the Mountaines to cover them. That He shall be able then to say with Da­vid, Psal. 46.1.2. The Lord is my refuge, and my strength, &c. Therefore will I not feare, th [...] the earth be remooved, and tho the mountaines be carried into the middest of the Sea: But they shall cry, out of the bitternes of their spi­rits, with the hypocrites, Isai. 33.14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire! Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? God is much honoured, and His truth glorified, when it appeares in the face of men, that a poore neglected Christian, or in the worlds language, a precise foole, is able by the power of grace, and influence of his favour, to affront and out-face all the frownings, and malignant aspects of the proud Gi­ants of the world. And he is the Lords noblest Cham­pion, and a Professour of the truest, and heavenliest dye, that holds out in the wetting, and shrinkes not in the Day of adversitie. Chrysostome speakes to the people of Antioch like himselfe, a Man of an invincible spirit, against the tyrannies of his times:Ad pop. Antioch. hom. 2. In this, saith He, should a gracious differ from a gracelesse man, that hee should beare his crosses couragiously; and as it were, with the wings of Faith, outsoare the height of all humane mi­series. He should be like a Rocke, being incorporated into Iesus Christ, inexpugnable, and unshaken with the most furious incursions of the waves and stormes of worldly troubles, pressures and persecutions. And blessed bee God, that even here upon earth, in this vale of teares, there is such a visible and vast difference, betwixt a wic­ked and godly man. The one is like the raging Sea that cannot rest: the other stands fast like a Rocke, which shall never bee remooved. An unregenerate heart is ever restlesse, commonly in these three regards at the least: First, by reason of an endlesse, and unsatis­fiable appetite after pleasures, riches, honours, revenge, or what other Darling delight it hath singled out, and made speciall choice of to follow, and feede upon with [Page 26] greatest contentment, and sensuall sweetnesse, God hath iustly put that property, or rather poison into all earthly things doted upon, and desired immoderately, that they shall plague the heart, which so pursues them; by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse, iealousies, and many miserable discontent­ments: so that they become unto it, as drinke unto a man in a Dropsie, or burning Fever, serve onely to in­flame it with new heate, and fiery additions of insatia­ble thirst, and i [...]ordinate longings. Secondly, because of the many secret grumblings, and stinging reclamati­ons of a gauled conscience against its present guilty courses, and forbidden pleasures. Thirdly, in respect of a continuall ebullition, as it were, of confused and contrary lusts, out of the empoysoned Fountaine of ori­ginall corruption, which fill it with many damnable di­stractions, and tumultuations of Hell. But now if be­sides this inward boyling, it bee also tossed with out­ward troubles, what a miserable Creature is a carnall Man? Euen as the Sea, if besides its internall agitations; by the restlesse motions of estuation, descention, revolu­tion, and reflection; it be also outwardly turmoyl'd with stormes, and tempestuous winds, How ragefull & roa­ing wil it be? But the other is like a strong unmoveable mountaine, that stands impregnable against the rage of winde and weather. And all the cruell incursions, and ungodly oppositions made against it, either by men, or Divels, are but like so many proud, and swel­ling waves, which dash themselves against a mighty Rocke. The more boysterously they beate against it, the more are they broken, and turned into a vaine foame and froath. Come, what come will, His heart is still in His breast, and His resolution as high as Heaven. Pestilent then is that Principle of Machiavel, Comm. lib. 2. cap. 2. a Fellow not to bee named, but by way of detestation, and sa­vours rankely of cursed Atheisme. Whereby He tea­ches in sense and summe; That Heathenish Religion [Page 27] did inspire Her Worthies of Old, with invincible, & victo­rious spirits: But Christian Religion begets effeminat [...] ­nesse, deiections and seare. He speakes to this purpose, which to me seemes strange: That such a profound Professour of the depths, or rather diuelishnesse of po­licy should dote so sottishly. And yet it is no such strange thing: for many times we may observe; that deepest Policy, by the curse of God upon it, for opposition to goodnesse, turnes into extremest folly. And all counsels, and politicke constitutions against Christ, are but the brainelesse infatuations of Ahitophel. For that which this fellow holds there, holds strong contradiction, both to common sense, and a thousand experiences to the contrary. For the first, and in a word, Let the great Master of mischiefe, and of most abhorred atheisticall Such as that hee [...]aught unto Caesar Borgia: To imploy men in mischeivous actions, and afterwards to de­stroy them, when they have performed the mischiefe. To depresse those whom thou hast grieved; and to destroy those whom thou hast deprest, &c. Principles of State, tell me; whether a reall assurance of a Crowne of life, and endlesse ioyes in another world, be not more powerfull to raise a Mans spirit, to the highest pitch of undaunted noblenesse of spirit, and unconquerable resolution, then a vaine breath of im­mortall fame amongst miserable men after this life? And in this lies the sinew of His proofe. For the second; Let the Acts of the ancient Iews be indifferētly wayed, from whose magnanimity, in causes of most extreme hazard, those strange and unwonted resolutions have growne, which for all circumstances, saith a great Di­vine, no people under the roofe of heaven did ever hi­therto match. And that which did alwaies animate them, was their meere Religion. And let the Chroni­cles also, say I, of later times be searched, and wee shall find from time to time, many renowned Worthies to have for ever ennobled the matchlesse and incompara­ble courage of Christianity with in imitable impressi­ons of valour, and visible transcendency above all hu­mane boldnesse, and affected audacities of the most va­liant Pagans. To begin with great Constantine, the first mighty Commander of a Christian Army: with what [Page 28] victorious glory did He confound, & cut off many po­tent Extinctis quinque Ty­rannis Dioclesiano, Maximiano, Maxen­tio, Maximino, et Lici­nio tenet monarch [...]m solus Constantinus. Chron. Carion. lib. 3. Heads of Paganisme? Thrice was the whole world most famously fought for: betweene Alexander and Zerxes, Caesar and Pompey, Constantine & Licinius. This last was most Dimicârunt enim in utram partem fieret in [...]linatio; an deinceps toiꝰ orbis pareret Chri­stianis principibus, de­ [...]t [...]ris E [...]hnicas religi­ones: un verò pareret Eth [...]icis deleturis Chri­stianos. Fuit igitur causa longè major, qu [...]m ulli in im­perus unquam fuit. Ibid. illustrious, wherein Constantine the Great did mightily conquer, and triumphantly carry all before him; the heroicall and royall spirit of Christia­nity, trampling victoriously upon the desperate rage of the most furious, foole-hardy Pagan Tyrants. I might here passe on to Theodosius, and his miraculous con­quests, and so along, but the disgression would bee too unseasonable. Therefore I leave you for the prosecuti­on of this point, to Anti-Machiavel. Even in later times, wofully plagued under the reigne of Antichrist, with a vast degeneration from primitive purity and power, Christian Religion, tho empoysoned with Popish su­perstition, yet did so farre inspire it's Warlike Profes­sors with extraordinary spirits,Lib. 2. Theor. 3. that in point of man­hood they did wonders, to the astonishment of the whole world, and all succeeding Ages.That Expedition, I confesse was a devise and invention of the Pope, whereby He might come to be in feoffed in the King domes of Christian Princes. So that on His part the project was pestilent. As King Iames hath ex­cellently observed, in his Re [...]onstrance a­gainst Perron. pag. 166. For neere the space of two hundred yeeres, shee, meaning Rome, made the force and flowre of the world to fall by millions, in the foolish conqvest of Ierusalem. For­bes upon the Revelat. Chap. 18. The zeale of the Holy Land, was the Popos ordinary colour to con [...]ure the stormes raysed by the Emperours, and in sending them farre off, to have better meanes to compasse their designes at home, without controule. Iohn de Serres in the life of Lewis the ninth. Godfrey of Bul­loigne, that famous Warriour, with his followers, con­quered in lesse then foure yeeres, all the goodliest Pro­vinces of Asia, and drave out the Turkes. In that dread­full and cruell conflict in Solomons Temple, as himselfe reports in a letter to Boh [...]mund, King of Antioch, their men, by the great The Historie of the Turkes, pag. 24. Tantum ibi bu­manisanguinis fusum, ut caesorum corp [...]ra und [...] sanguiau impellente, [...]atârint, ac stuitârint. Chron. Bucole. pag. 680. slaughter of the enemy stood in blood above the ancles. At that terrible, and bloody battell at Ascalon, as most report, they slew an hundred thousand Infidels, &c. The valour and victories of Hunniades, whose mighty spirit, and incredible courage, for any [Page 29] thing I know, have no parallell in any precedent Story, were so great, and did like a violent tempest, and impe­tuous torrent so batter and beate downe the enemies of Christ, that Hee was rightly reputed the Appellatus est ful [...] ­neus terror Turcorum. Fuit enim non modò, ut de dehille Homerus in­quit, Achivorum, sed tollus reliquae Europae murus, [...]u [...]us unius vir­tus & felicitas tyran­norum impetus repres­sit, velut objecta moles exundans flumen. Car. Lib. 5. Bulwarke of Europe ▪ and thundring terrour of the Turkes; amongst whom His name became so dreadfull, that as the story Hist. of the Turkes, pag. 266. reports, they used the same to feare their crying chil­dren withall. Hee fought Vno die quinquies cum Turcis aperto Mar­te congressus, quinque victorys partis, &c. Car. lib. 5. five times with the Turkes upon one day, and five times foyled and put them to flight: Tur carii viginti millia caesa, ex Vngaris tria circiter millia desidera­ta sunt. Bonfin. Leon­cla [...]. with the losse of three thousand, He killed that valiant Vice [...]oy of Asia, Mesites Bassa, with His sonne, and twenty thousand Turkes moe: Hist. of the Turkes, pag. 270. Etseq. at that famous battell of Vascape, wherein he got the greatest victory that ever any Christian Prince before that time obtai­ned against the Turkish Kings, with fifteene thousand souldiers, He overthrew Abedin Bassa, sent against Him most ragingly, by reason of a late shamefull losse, ac­cording to Amuraths instructions, by the slaughter of the Hungarians, to sacrifice unto the Ghosts of their dead friends and companions, with an Army of fourescore thousand fighting men. Scanderbeg also, was such a Mirrour of Manhood, & so terrible to the Turkes, that nine yeares after His death, passing thorow Lyssa where His Body lay buried, they digged up His bones with great devotion; reckoning it in some part of their happines, if they might but see or touch the same: and such as could get any part thereof, were it never so little, caused the same to be set, some in silver, some in gold, to hang about their necks, or weare upon their bodies, thinking the very dead bones of that late invincible Champion would animate their spirits with strange, and extraordinary elevation, and vigour: Tam clari Herois ve­nerati, nobile bustum, Ossaque, mar [...] áque in [...]clum conden [...]ia corpus Abs [...]derant, sibi quisque in partes secta minutas. Tanquam [...] bellica vis & Mar­tius ardo [...] in [...]sset. P [...]u. lovins Ill [...]st. virolm Eglog. lib. 3. pag 381. Besides an admirable variety of other rare exploits, at one time, with the losse of sixty Chri­stians, History of the Turkes, He slew Amesa with thirty as some say, but at [Page 30] least twenty thousand Turks: Na [...]ant [...]. He kild with His owne hand above two thousand enimies: When He entered into sight▪ the Spirit of valour did so work within Him, and the fiercenes of His courage so boyled in His brest, that it was woont to make bloud burst out at [...] tantus fuit [...]. Bucole. Chron. pag 702. His lips▪ and did so steele His Arme, that He cut off many over­thwart by the middle. But take notice by the way, a [...] profession of Christian religion inspired these renow­ned Worthies, with a marchles height of courage, and might of spirit: so the Quò [...] & [...] [...]aim primùm deleri oportet, una seges & materia coriū barbarae tyran­nidi [...] [...] ner [...], orsus, & praecidentur, post. quam a Romae nefarijs sceleribus su­premâ interne [...] eyis [...] expratus fuerit, ut Apocalypsis planu facit. Brightm. Epist Dedie. mixture with Popish Idolatry did then, and doth to this day unhappily hinder all thorow successe, and constant prevailing against that most mighty, bloud-thirsty Turkish Tyrant, the ter­rour of Christendome, who drunke with the wine of perpetuall felicity holds all the rest of the world in scorne, and is the greatest, and cruellest scourge of it, that ever the Earth bore. And besides, that the Ex quibus lu [...]e clar [...]us [...]onstet, quinam ex Occidentalibus in causà sum miser­rimae [...] ex Turcis Vbi eni [...] r [...]periemus hanc Idololatriam? Equidem Pro­testantes, ut [...], & reformatae Ecclesiae cultum omnem, venerationem, & sacrum hono­rem Imaginum ad inferos relegârunt, unde primum venit. Ergo illa, quae se iactat Catholi­cam Ecclesiam, [...] est Romanus Pontifex, cujus Templa fulgent aureis, argenteis, & aeneis [...] nec lapidearum, & lig [...]earum venerationem respuit: illa, in­quam, [...] scripturis, corruptis Patrum testimonijs, entitis mi­raculis, & [...], fallacijs, I [...]ololatricam imaginum venerationem ad hunc [...] flagello non vult experg [...]s [...]eri. Brightman cap. 9. Apoc. v [...]rs 20. [...] Christianos Principes ad arma, [...] Turcam hortari, quem [...] verò [...] omnes [...]op [...]ae illi praedae sint? [...] ex ammo Praedonem hunc [...] Deos, ex [...] sacrilegum tuam prima­t [...]m, [...] quidem omnibus s [...]cleribus, [...] momentum quid [...]m [...] peccatis [...] Sed [...] Idem. Ibid. Ex quibus jam [...] donec Rom [...] diruta sit. [...] hoc [...]move­ [...]ur [...] quam thronus [...] plusigne fuerit, & [...]. Ide [...] in cap. 16. vers. 19. Ido­latry [Page 31] of the Romish Church most principally and with speciall curse, blasts, and brings to naught all underta­kings of the Christian world against that wicked Em­pire; the practise also of some pestilent Principles pro­per to that Man of sin hath plagued the most hopefull enterprises in this kinde. For instance: The king of Hun­gary, by the helpe of Hunmades, was in a faire course, and forwardnes, to have tamed, and taken downe, nay to have for ever crusht, and confounded the insolency and usurpations of that raging Nimrod; but then comes in the Pope with a beastly tricke and utterly dashes and undoes all. For He, out of His Luciferian pride, by the power or rather poison of that Antichristian cut­throate Position; Of keeping no oath, nor faith, with In­fidells, and Hereticks, unhappily undertooke to In conclusion, ha­ving much spoken, (meaning Iulian the Cardinall) of the au­thoritie and power of the great Bishop, He in his name dis-anul­led the League what­soever, by the King made with the Turke, and absolved Him, with the rest whom it might concerne, from the oath they had gi­ven and the promises they had made. Histo­rie of the Turkes, pag. 292. ab­solve Vladis [...]aus the King, & the rest whom it did con­cerne▪ from that solemne oath for confirmation of a concluded peace, taken of Him, upon the Holy Praestitum est ab u­traque parte juramen­tum; Christianis qui­dem libro Evangelio­rum, Turcis verò codici Alcorani, digitos inter jurandum imponenti­bus. Chron Bucolc. pag 702. Evan­gelists; and of Amurath, by His Ambassadors, upon their Turkish Alcaron. Whereupon, they resolutely breake the league; raise a great Army presently, and against their oath, and promise set upon the Turke with periury, and perfidiousnes accompanied with Gods curse, exposed the Christian party to a most horrible o­verthrow in that Certutum est totos dies, noctésque tres, diu fortunâ ancipiti, sed tanto animorum ardore utrinque, tant òque impetu, ut casorum sangvine campi stagn [...] ­rint. Car. Lib 5. bloudy battaile of Varna, and cast upon the Profession of Christ, such an aspersion, and shame, that not all the bloud of that rope of Popes, which constitute Antichrist, could ever be able to expi­ate.

Looke upon the story, and consider what a reproch and inexpiable staine doth rest upon the face of Chri­stian religion, by this wicked Stratagemme of Popish treachery, and that even upon record to all posterity: For Amurath the Turkish Emperour in the heate of [Page 32] the sight, pluckt the writing out of His bosome, where­in the late league was compris'de, and holding it up in his hand, with his eyes cast up to Heaven, said thus: Hist. of the Turkes, pag. 297. Behold thou crucified Christ this is the league thy Chri­stians in thy Name made with Me: which they have with­out cause violated. Now if Thou be a God, as they say Thou art, and as wee dreame reuenge the wrong now done unto Thy Name and Mee, and shew thy power upon Thy periu­rious people, who in their deeds deny Thee their God.

2. Secondly. Sith a stocke of grace, and the comforts of a sound conscience, be onely able to crush all crosses, out-face all aduersaries, take the sting out of all sor­rowes and sufferings; and serve in the evill Day as a soveraigne Antidote to save the Soule from sinking in­to the mouth of despaire, and extremest horrour; then three sorts of people here offer themselves to be censu­red, and are to bee frighted, and fir'd out of their dam­ned security, and cruell case.

1. Those fooles, Sonnes and daughters of confusion and sloth, who having a price in their hands to get wise­dome, yet want hearts to lay it out for spirituall provisi­on before hand. They enioy by Gods rare, and extraor­dinary indulgence, and favour, life, strength, wit, health, and many other outward happinesses; nay the most glorious Day of a gracious visitation, that did ever shine upon Earth; many golden and goodly oportunities, many blessed seasons and sermons to enrich their foules abundantly with all heavenly treasures: and yet they are so farre from spending their abilities, entertaining those mercifull Offers, and apprehending such happy aduantages for their true and eternall good, that they most unworthily, and unthankfully, abuse, mispend, and dis-imploy all their meanes, time and manifold mercies, to serve their own turnes, attaine their sensuall ends, and possesse the Present, with all the carnall contentment they can possibly devise. These vassals of selfe-love, and slaves of lust, are so lull'd upon the lap of pleasure by [Page 33] the Syren songs of Satans solicitors; and so drunke with worldly prosperity, by swimming down the current of these corruptest times with full saile of sensuality and ease, that they fall asleepe, for all the while of the happy Harvest in this life for Inning grace into the Soule un­der the Sun-shine of the Gospell; wasting their preti­ous time of gathering spiritual Manna, in grasping gold, clasping about the Arme of flesh, s [...]ruing themselves by all wajes and meanes into high roomes, crowning them­selves with Rose-buds, & tumbling voluptuously in the pleasures and glory of this false and flattering world. But alas poore soules, what will they doe in the evill Day! When after the hot gleame of earthly glory, and a short calme & cut ouer the Sea of this world, they are come into the Port of death, to which all windes drive them, and having there let fall that last Anchor, which can never be weighed againe, shall be set in the land of darkenes; the dust whereof is brimstone, and the riuers burning pitch; where they shall meete with whole Ar­mies of tempestuous and fiery plagues, and the enveno­med Arrowes of Gods unquenchable anger, shall sticke fast for ever in their Soule & flesh; where they shall ne­ver more see the Light, nor the Land of the living, but be drowned in everlasting perdition, in the Lake, even a boyling Sea of fire and brimstone, where they can see no banke, nor feele no bottome. What will these slee­pers in Harvest say, when they shall be awaked at that dreadfull Houre out of their golden dreames, and in their hands shall finde nothing; but the iudgement of God growing upon their thoughts as an impetuous storme, death standing before them unresistable, like an armed Man; sin lying at the doore like a bloud-hound, and a guilty conscience knawing at the heart like a Vulture? When they shall lie upon their last Beds, like wild Bulls in a net, as the Prophet speakes, full of the wrath of God; saying, in the morning, would God it were Even: and at Even, would God it were morning, for the [Page 34] feare of their heart, wherewith they shal feare, and for the sight of their eyes, which they shall see. I say in what case will they be then? Then, But my words doe faile mee here, and so doth my conceit. For as none knowes the sweetnesse of the Spouses kisse, but the Soule that re­ceives it; so neither can any one conceive this damned horrour, but He that suffers it. The Lord of Heaven in mercy awake thē in the meane time, with the peircing thunder of His sacred and saving Word,Rev. 14.2. that they may be happily frighted, & fired out of their amased Soule-murdring sloth, before they feele in Hell, those fearefull things, wee so faithfully forewarne them of.

To rouse them out of this cruell carnall security, let them entertaine into their most serious thoughts such considerations as these:

Consider,

1. Why thou camest into this world. There is not so much as one Age past, since Thou layest hid in the loathed state of being nothing. Above fiue thousand yeeres were gone, after the Creation, before there was any newes of Thee at all. And thou mightst never have bin; God had no neede of Thee: He gave Thee a Beeing onely out of His owne meere bounty.Potest Deus facere multa, qua non facit: immò in infinitum ul­tra omnia, quae unquam facta sint, alia & alia: Idq [...]e non modò secundum individuas rerum rationes, sed etiam se­cundum specificas, & generi [...]as, atque adeò simpliciter; ut docet Thomas hic Art. 5. Probatur quia ultra quaecunque facta, sunt ali [...] possibilia sine ull [...] fine, &c. Greg. de Valent. Tom. 1. Disp. 7. q. 25. punct. 3. Potentia Dei est infinita tribus modis. 1. Natur [...] suâ, & per se; quia est ipsam et essentia divina. 2. Respectu [...]ctionis, [...] au [...] agere potest. Haec enim actio nunquam est ita valida, & in­t [...]nsa, quin possit fieri validior & intensior. Nam Deus extrase, nunquam tam potenter agit, quin si velit potentius opera [...] possit. 3. Respectu Objectorum, in quae extenditur, [...] ager [...] potest qu [...] infinita sunt: seu quod idem est, respectu effectuum, quos potes [...] producere. N [...] Deus extra se nunquam tam multa agit, & operatur, quin possit pl [...]ra operari, sivelit. [...] Lib. 1. Theol. Nat. Cap. 13. Infinite millions shall never bee, which might have bin, as well as Thou [...] Gods omnipotency is equally able and active to have prod [...]ced them as Thee: And no parts of that vast A­bysse of Nothing, can possibly make any resistance to Almightinesse.

And besides being so, that Thou must needs have a [Page 35] being, there is not any Creature, that ever issued out of the hands of God, but thou mightest haue bin that, either for the kinde, or for the particular. All is One to Him, to make an Angell, or an Ant: To create the brightest Cherub, or the most contemptible Flie: For in every creation, no lesse then Omnipotency must needes bee the Efficient, and no more then Nothing is ever the Obiect. Now what a miraculous mercy was this, that passing by such an Miser ego in quan­tum deberem diligere Deum meum, qui me fecit, cum non eram? —Non enim eram, & de nihilo fecit me: non arborem, non avem, nec aliquod de animalibu [...] brutis, sed hominem me voluti esse: dedit mihi vivere, sentire, & dis­cernere August. lib. De Contritione cordis. un-numbred variety of incomparably inferiour creatures, He should make Thee an everlasting Soule like an Angell of God, capa­ble of grace, and immortality; of incorporation into Christ, and fruition of Iehova Himselfe blessed for e­ver? Nay and yet further, tho thou wast to haue the Being of a reasonable creature; yet there was not an houre from the first moment of time unto the worlds end, but God might have allotted that to Thee for thy comming into this world. And therefore Thy time might have bin, within the compasse of all those foure thousand yeares, or there abouts, from the Cre­ation untill the Comming of Christ in the flesh; when as all without the Pale, and Partition-wall, were with­out the Oracles and Ordinances of God, and all ordi­nary meanes of salvation: Or since the Gospell re­vealed, under the raigne of Anti-Christ; And then a thousand to One, thou hadst beene choakt, and for ever perisht in the damned mists of his Devillish Do­ctrines. What an high honour was this, to have thy birth and abode here upon earth appointed from all eternity in the very best and blesseddest time; upon the fairest Day of peace, and which is infinitely more, in the most glorious Light of Grace, that ever shone from Heaven upon the Children of men? And so of the place; Bee it so, that Thou must needes bee in this golden Age of the Gospell, and gracious Day; yet thy lot of living in the world at this time might have lited (for any part of the earth, might have received [Page 36] Thee, where Thou couldest have set but thy two feete) amongst Turkes, Pagans, Infidels, a whole world to Quid quòd nostris temporibus, vix sexta pars orbis habitabilis Christo nomen dederit? Suffra colleg. pag. 23. Divide the world into sixe parts, and five are not so much as Chri­stian. Burton of Me­ [...]h [...]ly pag 717. Christendome: Or if thine appearing upon Earth, must necessarily bee within the confines of Christen­dome; yet Thou mightest have sprung up in the Po­pish parts of it; or in the scismaticall, or persecuted Places of the true Church in it. It was a very singular favour; That thou shouldest be borne, and bred, and brought up in this little neglected Nooke of the world, yet very illustrious by the presence of Christ in a mighty Ministry; where Thou hast, or mightest have enioyed in many Parts thereof the glorious Gos­pell of our blessed God, and all saving Truth with much purity and power. Now put all these together; and tell me in cold bloud, and after a sensible and serious ponderation thereupon▪ Doest thou thinke, that all this adoe was about Thee, all this honour done unto Thee, and when all is done, Thou art to doe nothing, but seeke Thy selfe, serve Thine owne turne, and live sensually? Camest Thou out of Nothing into this world to doe iust nothing, but Ne (que) propt [...]r [...]à creati [...], ut ederemus, at (que) biberemus, [...]st (que) [...]eremur, sed ut pla­ [...] remus Deo, & bonis potiremur [...]uturis. Chrysost. in cap. 6. M [...]. Hom. 23. eate and drinke and sleepe▪ to game; goe in the fashion; and play the good fellow▪ to laugh and be merry, to grow rich and leave tokens of thy pleasure in every place? &c. If any after so much illightning, bee so prodigiously mad, as to continue in such a conceite, I have nothing to say to Him, but leave Him as an everlasting Bedlam, abandon'd to that folly, which wants a name to expresse it. Turne then thy course for shame, nay, as Thou hast any care to be saved, and to see the glory of the new Ierusalem; as Thou desirest to looke the Lord Iesus in the face with comfort at that great Day; as Thou fearest to receive thy portion in Hell-fire with the Devill, and His An­gells, even most intolerable and bitter torments for ever and ever; at least in this thy day, in this heate and height of Thy spirituall Harvest, awake out of thy sen­suall sleepe, come to thy selfe with the Prodigall; strik [...] [Page 37] upon thy thigh; and for the poore remainder of a few, and evill dayes, addresse thy selfe with resolution, and constancy to pursue the One necessary Thing, and to treasure up much heavenly strength and store against thine ending houre. Get thee under conscionable Meanes, and quickning Ministery, and there gather grace as greedily as the most gryping Vsurer graspeth gould; contend with an holy ambition, as earnestly for the keeping of Gods favour, and an humble famili­arity with His heavenly Highnesse by keeping faith and a good conscience, as the proudest Haman for an high Place, and pleased face of an earthly Prince. And why not infinitely more? This was the end, for which thou wast sent into this World; This onely is the way to endlesse blisse, And this alone will helpe us and hold out in the Euill day.

2. That,If a man would sit downe, and call His thoughts together, but for one halfe houre, and consider this seriously: I have but a very little time to live here; It is an­other place, where I must live thorow all eternity: As I spend this short time, so shall it be with me for ever: I say, if this were tho­rowly considered, I wonder that any thing should take up the intentions, and thoughts of a Mans heart, but onely to make sure his salvati­on. The little Point of time, we live in this world, is nothing, to the duration before it, or to the eternitie following it: It is therefore most fit, and best wisedome to spend it, were it ten times longer, in those courses which may make the everlasting time to come, endlesly and un-utterably comfortable unto us. upon the little ynch of time in this life, depends the length and breadth of all eternity in the World to come. As we behave our selves here, we shall fare everlastingly hereafter. And therefore how ought we to ply this moment, and prize that eternity? To decline all entanglement in those inordinate affections to the possessions, and pleasures of the Present, which hinder a fruitfull improovement of it, to the best ad­vantage for the spirituall good of our Soules; Let us be mooved with such reasons as these, which may be collected from the words of a worthy Writer, which run thus with very little variation:

1. If we could afford our selues but so much leasure as to consider, That he which hath most in the world, hath, in respect of the world, nothing in it: and that he which hath the longest time lent him to live in it, hath yet no proportion at all therein, setting it either by that [Page 38] which is past, when we were not; or by that time in which we shall abide for ever: I say, if both, to wit, our propor­tion in the world, and our time in the world differ not much from that which is nothing; it is not out of any excellency of understanding, saith Hee, but out of depth of folly, say I, that we so much prize the one, which hath (in effect) no being: and so much neglect the other, which hath no ending: coveting the mortall things of the world, as if our Soules were therein immortall, and neglecting those things which are immortall, as if our selues after the world were but mortall.

If it be so, That there is no difference of the time past, in respect of paines, and pleasures, betweene that fellow, which hath wallowed all his life long, in worldly delights; and Him, who hath beene exercised with variety of afflictions and like­some sufferings: what a prodigious mad­nesse is it, to preferre the sensuall ease of a vaine life, before the sweetest paine of a mortified course? E­specially, sith very shortly, the one ends in endlesse paines: and the other in endlesse pleasures. And also in the meane time, that is true; That tho the ayre which compasseth adversity, he very a [...]ure: yet there­in wee better discerne God, then in that shining light, which environeth worldly glory; through which, for the clea [...]en [...]sse therof, there is no vanity, which escapeth our sight.2. Let adversity seeme what it will; to happy men, ridiculous, who make themselves merry with other mens miseries; and to those under the crosse, grievous; yet this is true, That for all that is past, to the very instant. the portions remaining are equall to either. For be it, that we have lived many yeeres and (according to Salomon) in thē all, we have reioyced; or be it, that we have measured the same length of time, and therein have ever-more sor­rowed: yet looking backe from our present being, we finde both the one and the other, to wit, the joy and the woe sayled out of sight; and death, which doth pursue us, and hold us in chace, from our infancy▪ hath gathered it. Quicquid at at is retrò est, mors tenet. Whatsoever of our age is past, death holds it. So as who­soever he be, to whom Prosperitie hath bin a servant and the Time a friend: let him but take the accompt of his memory▪ (for we haue no other keeper of our pleasures past,) and truely examine, what it hath reserved, either of beauty and youth, or fore-gone delights; what it hath saved, that it might last, of his dearest affections, or of whatever else▪ the joviall Spring-time gave his thoughts contentment, then unvaluable; and he shall finde, that all the art, which his elder yeeres have, can draw no other vapour out of these dissolutions, then heavy, secret, and [Page 39] sad sighs. He shall finde nothing remaining, but those sorrowes, which grow up after our fast-springing youth; [...]vertake it, when it is at a stand; and overtop it utterly, when it begins to wither: in so much as looking backe from the very instant time, and from our now being; the poore, diseased, and captive creature, hath as little sense of all his former miseries, and paines; as he, that is most blest in common opinion, hath of his forepassed pleasures, and delights. For whatsoever is cast behind us, is just Quis illius voluptatis fructus est, quistatim ut cessaverit, ut debitur tibi non fuisse? Age iam, transactum vitae tuae tempus animo re­volve. Nonne videbi­tur tibi umbra quaedam fuisse, quod transijs, & instar so [...]nij tenuis in­certum esse omne quod vid [...]ur? Hoc idem & decrepitus senex senti­re▪ Cui convenit dicere cum Prophet [...], Dies mei sicut umbrae decli­naverunt, & ego sicut faenum ar [...]. Quòd si haec etiam hîc possumus dicere, uli quamvis brevis, tamen quia prae­sens est, vita ista magni penditur, quid in futu­ro dicturi sumus, ubi majori aetatis scientiá transactum omne pro nihilo est? Aug. Ep. 142. nothing.

To ponder also profitably upon eternity, that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome, and so improove this short moment upon earth, that it may goe well with us for ever; let us take notice of, and sensibly to heart, this one quickning passage, confidently averred by a great Writer. Si Deus diceret damnatis, Impleatur terra arenâ minutissimâ, ita ut totus orbis hisce a­renae granulis repleatur, à terrâ usque ad Coelum Empyreum; & millesimo quoquo anno Angelus veniat, demátque ex hoc arenae cumulo unum granulum, cúmque post tot mille­narios annorum, quot sunt granula, ea exhauserit, liberabo vos à gehennâ: O quàm exulta­rent damnati, damnatus se non aestimarent: nunc autem, post omnes hos millenarios restant alij, & alij millenary in infinitum, in aeternum & ultrá. Hoc est pondus grave aeternitatis, quod opprimit damnalos. Cogita, O peccator, hoc pondus tibi imminere, nisi resipiscas.— Qui fit, quòd tam rarò, tam modicè, tam obiter, de eâ cogitemus? If God, saith He, should speake thus to a damned Soule: Let the whole world be filled with sand from the earth to the Empyrean heauen, and then let an Angell come euery thousandth yeere, and fetch on­ly one graine from that mighty sandy mountaine; when that immeasurable Heape is so spent, and so many thou­sand yeeres expired, I will deliver Thee out of Hell, and those extreamest horrours; that most miserable forlorne wretch, notwithstanding, that he were to lie thorow that unconceiveable length of time in those intollerable Hellish torments, yet upon such a promise would infinitely re­joyce, and deeme himselfe not to be damned. But alas! when all those yeeres are gone, there are thousands upon thousands moe to be endured, euen thorow all eternitie and beyond. How heavy and horrible is the waight of [Page 40] everlastingnesse in that burning Lake, and those tor­menting flames, when a damned man would thinke himselfe in Heaven in the meane time, if he might have but hope of comming out of them, after so many infi­nite millions of yeeres in them?

3. That it would not profit a man, tho he should gaine the whole world, if he lose his owne Soule, and that a man can give nothing in exchange for his Soule: Christ him­selfe said so. Suppose thy selfe crowned with the con­fluence of all worldly felicities, to have purchased a Monopoly of all pleasures, honours and riches upon the whole earth, to be attended with all the pompe and state, thy heart could desire. Yet what were this mo­mentany golden dreame to a reall glorious eternitie? How stinging would the most exquisite delight be, cu­riously extracted out of them all, accompanied with this one conceite; the Soule is lost everlastingly. All these painted vanities, might seeme perhaps a gaudy Paradise to a spirituall Foole, who hath his portion in this life; But what true pleasure can a Man, in his right wits, but morally and illightned no further then with Philosophy, take in them; sith, setting other respects aside, they are so fading, and He so fraile. For the first: God hath purposely put a transitory and mortall na­ture into all things here below. They spring, and flou­rish, and die. Even the greatest kingdomes, and stron­gest Monarchies, that ever were, haue had, as it were, their infancy, youthfull strength, Mans state, old age, and at last their grave. See the end of the mightiest states that ever the Sun saw, shadowed by Nebuchad­n [...]zzars great Image. Dan. 2. 35. There was never Empire upon earth, were it never so flourishing or great, was ever yet so assured, but that in revolution of time, after the manner of other worldly things, it hath, as a sicke body, bin subject to many innovations and chan­ges, and at length come to nothing. Much more then, the pride and pompe of all other inferiour earthly glo­ry [Page 41] hath fallen at last into the dust, and lies now buried in the grave of endlesse forgetfulnesse. For the second; Imagine, there were constancy and eternity in the fore­named earthly bables, yet what Man of braine, would prize them worth a button, sith His life is but a bubble; and the very next houre or day to come, He may ut­terly be cut off from them all, for ever. To day hee is set up, and to morrow he shall not be found: for he is tur­ned into dust, and his purpose perisheth. Take them both together thus: Set upon the head of the Worthiest Man, that the earth beares, yet wanting grace in His Soule, all the most orient imperiall Crownes, that ever high­est ambition aimed at, or attain'd unto; put upon Him the royallest roabes, that ever enclosed the body of the proudest Lucifer; fill Him with all the wisedome, and largest comprehensions, which fall within the wide compasse, and capacitie of any depths of policy, or my­steries of state; furnish Him to the full with the exact­nesse, and excellency of all naturall, morall and meta­physicall learning; put Him into the sole possession and command of this and the other golden world: In a word crowne Him with the concurrence of all created earthly excellencies, to the utmost and highest straine: And lay this Man thus qualifyed and endowed upon the one scale of the ballance, and vanity upon the o­ther, and vanity will overweigh Him quite. Men of high degree are a lye: to be laid in the ballance, they are altogether lighter then vanitie, Psal. 62.9. The rich Foole in the Gospell teacheth us, that there is no man so assured of his honour, of his riches, health or life; but that he may be deprived of either or all the very next night. Besides, by a thousand other causes, meanes, and wayes, He may also be suddainely snatched away from the face of the earth in anger, for setting his heart and rest, upon such rotten staves of reede, transitory shadowes, and indeed that which is nothing. Wilt thou cast thine eyes upon it which is nothing? for riches, (con­ceive [Page 42] the same of all other worldly comforts) taketh her to her wings as an Eagle, and flieth into the heaven, Prov. 23.5. How truely then is that mad and miserable Man a Sonne of confusion, who spends the short Span of his mortall life in wooing the world, who was ne­ver true to those that trusted in her, ever false-hearted to all Her Favorites, and at length most certainely un­does spiritually and everlastingly every Wretch that is wedded unto Her; who passeth thorow a few and evill daies in this vale of teares, in following feathers, pursuing shadowes, raising bubbles and balls, like those which Boies out of spittle and sope in their pastimes, blowing up with their quills, ere they be tossed three times, burst of themselues, I meane worldly vanities, but in the meane time suffers His immortall Soule, more worth then many mate [...]all worlds, and for which, He can give nothing in exchange, to abide all na­ked, destitute and empty, utterly unfurnished of that comfortable provision, and gracious strength, which should support it in the day of sorrow; and leaves it at last to the tempestuous winter-night of death, and all those desperate terrours that attend it, like a scor­ched heath-ground without so much as any drop of comfort, either from Heaven or earth.

2. A second sort, worse then the former, are such, as are so farre, from treasuring up in this time of light, and mercifull visitation, soundnesse of knowledge, strength of saith, purity of heart, clearnesse of cōscience, holinesse of life, assurance of Gods favour, contempt of the world; many sanctified Sabbaths, fervent prayers, holy conferences, heavenly meditations, dayes of hu­miliation, righteous dealings with their Brethren, com­passionate contributions to the necessities of the Saints, workes of iustice, mercy and truth, a sincere respect to all Gods Commandements, a carefull performance of all spirituall Duties, a conscionable partaking of all Gods Ordinances, a seasonable exercise of every grace, [Page 43] hatred of all false wayes, an hearty and invincible loue unto God and all things that He loues, or any wayes belong unto Him, His Word, Sacraments, Sabbaths, Ministers, Services, Children, Presence, Corrections, Comming, &c. which are the ordinary provision of Gods people against the evill Day, I say, they are so farre from prizing, and preparing such spirituall store, that they hoard up stings, scourges, and scorpions for their naked soules, and guilty consciences, against the Day of the Lords visitation; I meane lies, oathes, blas­phemies; Adulteries, whoredomes, selfe-pollutions; variety of strange fashions, gamings, revellings; drun­ken matches, good-fellow meetings, wanton dancings; usuries, falshoods, hypocrisies; plurality of ill gotten goods, Benefices, Offices, honours; filthy iests, much idle talke, flanderous [...]les; scoffs, raylings, oppositi­ons to the Holy way &c. And that with a cursed gree­dinesse and delight. For they cry One unto another out of a boysterous combination of good fellowship, with much eagernesse and roaring: Come on therefore — Let us fill our selves with costly wine, and oint­ments, and let no flower of the Spring passe by us. Let us crowne our selves with Rose buds, before they be wi­thered: Let none of us goe without his part of our volup­tuousnesse: Let us leave tokens of our pleasure in every place: For this is our portion, and our lot is this. Let us lie in waite for the righteous: because hee is not for our turne, and be is cleane contrary to our Quin potiùs auferan­tur, quibus coram malè vivere pudet, qui pec­cantium frontem [...] non verb [...], quia [...] tamen ipso vita [...] dissimili feriunt [...] verberant. Ergo tanquam [...]e­lerum & malitia su [...]tes [...]es extirpare fundi­tùs nituntur & tollere, graues (que) sibi putant, tanquam vita eorum coarguatur. Lactant. Lib. 5. cap 9. doings, &c. But alas! what will bee the conclusion of all this, or ra­ther the horrible confusion? Even all their ioviall re­vellings, roaring Outrages, and sinfull pleasures, which are so sweete in their mouthes, and they swallow downe so insatiably, shall turne to gravell and the Iob 20. gall of Aspes in their bowels, and to fiery enraged scorpions in their consciences. Where lurking in the meane time, in the [Page 44] mudde of sensuality, and lust, breede such a never dy­ing worme, which if God thinke fit to awake upon their last Bed, is able to put them into Hell upon earth, to damne them above ground, to knaw upon their Soule and flesh, with that unheard-of horrour, which seizde upon Spir'as woefull heart. Caeterum vultu & fa­cie satis valens, mente & intellectu constan­tissimus, memorià po­tentissimus: nunquam eadem verba bis repetit: venientes omnes ad se recipit: sermones & doctos & graves ac maturos profert, se iusto Dei judicio damna [...], se jam in inferno esse & inde inenter crucia­ri Optare se in loco Iudae & Caini esse. Gribaldi. epist. de tre­mendo divini judicij exemplo, &c. pag. 38. Immisit Deus ex illà horâ in cor ejus ver­mem corrodentem, ig­n [...]m inextinguibilem, ut horrore, Confusione, desperatione, subitò re­pleretur. Qui vermis & ignis nunquam ex­inde illum dereliquerunt; ut se longè deteri [...]ri in statu testetur, quàm si separatâ à corpore animà cum iuda Cain, & caeteris damnatis esset: desiderans se loco cujusvis mor­tui & damnati esse pottus, quàm si in corpore vivere. Ibid pag. 43. Who protested being fully in his right minde, that Hee would rather be in Cain's or Iudas his place in Hell, then endure the present unspeakeable torment of His afflicted spirit.

To beate them from this bedlam desperate course of greedy hoarding up such horrible things unto them­selves, against their ending houre; Let them consider;

1. Besides the eternity of ioyes for the one, and of torments to the other hereafter, the vast and unvalua­ble difference in the meane time, in respect of true sweetenesse and sound contentment, betweene the life of a Saint and a Sensualist; a Puritan, as the World calls Him, and a goodfellow, as hee termes Himselfe. Let us for the purpose peruse the different passages of one day; as Tom. 5. Serm. contra Gulam & caeteras corporis volupt Producamu [...] homines duos in medium, quorum alier lasciviae sit & voluptatibus deditus, alter verò prorsus sit his rebus demortuus, &c. Adeamus istorum domos. —Inveniemus certe alterum, libris incumbentem, vacantem rei divinae, abstinentiae, vel rebus necessarus incumbentem, habentemque cum Deoser [...]onem [...] de reb [...]s coelestibus diss [...]rentem, & Angelum potiùs agentem, quàm hominem. Alterum ver [...] madentem mero-dantem operam lasciviae-debacchantem —delicijs incumbentem, non so­lùm vivendo [...] mortem, sed esse mortuis longè inferiorem, perniciosiorem (que) Daemone agita­to, & furijs. Vbi verò dies illuxit, am [...]ttit omnem, quam ex lasciviâ ceperat, voluptatem▪ si [...]dem Familiam ob mu [...]murantem & insectantem se [...]urgio conjugem, objurgantes amicos▪ [...]micos ludibrio se habentes recognoscit. Chrysostome excellently delineats them, and represents to the life. Let us produce two men, saith He; the one drown'd in carnall loosenesse, sensualities, and riotous excesse; the other crucified and starke dead to such sinfull courses and worldly delights: Let us goe to their houses and behold their behaviour.

We shall find the One, reading Scriptures, and other [Page 45] good Bookes, taking times for holy Duties and the ser­vice of God; sober, temperate, abstemious; diligent also in the necessary duties of His Calling, having holy con­ference with God, discoursing of Heavenly things, bearing himselfe liker an Angell, then a Man: The other, joviall, a vassall of luxury and ease, swaggering up and downe Ale-houses, Tavernes, or other such conventi­cles of good fellowship, hunting after all the wayes, meanes and men to passe the time merrily, plying his pleasures with what variety, hee can possibly all the day long, rayling and roaring as tho He were enraged with a Devill, tho He be starke dead, while He is alive. &c. Which is accompanied, with murmuring of the family, discontent of the wife, chiding of friends, laughing to scorne, of enemies, &c. Whether of these courses now doe you thinke were the more comfor­table? I know full well the former would bee cried downe by the greatest part, as too precise: and the lat­ter would carry it, by a world of men: but heare the Puritane Fathers impartiall holy censure, quite crosse to the common conceite, and humour of flesh and blood. It is excellent and emphaticall, arguing His re­solute abomination of the wayes of goodfellowship; and infinite love and admiration of the holy Path. Ha­ving given to the Goodfellow His hearts desire all the day long in all kindes of voluptuousnesse, and delight: yet for all this, Quis igitur, qui men­tis sit compos, non poti­ùs optet mille obire mortes, quàm diem u­num hanc vitam dege­re? Who is he saith He, that is in his right minde, and hath His braines in His head, that would not chuse rather to die a thousand deaths, then spend but one day so? This peremptory passage would bee holden a strange Paradoxe from the mouth of any moderne Minister, and so appeares to the carnall apprehension of all those miserable men, who are blindfolded and baffled by the Devill to the eternal losse of their Soules. But besides that, it might bee made good many other wayes, it is more then manifest by comparing that threefold sting, that dogs every sinfull delight at the [Page 46] heeles, &c. See my Booke of Walking with God ▪ pag. 17 [...]. with the comfortable contentment, and secret sweetenesse, which might and should attend all well-doing, and every holy duty done with uprightnesse of heart. The very Philosophers doe tell us of a congra­tulation, a pleasing contentednesse and satisfaction in doing vertuously according to their morall Rules. What true, solid, and singular comfort then, doe you thinke may bee found, in those godly actions, which spring from faith, are guided by Gods Word, directed to his glory, and whose bewailed defects and failings are most certainely pardoned by the bloud of his Son? Now what an extreme madnesse is this, for a Man to sell His salvation for a life of pleasures; abhorring the wayes of Gods Childe, as too precise, and painefull; whereas besides Hell for the one, and Heaven for the other hereafter; in the meane time every day spent so sensually, is a true Purgatory: And every day passed in the contrary Christian course, is an earthly Para­dise.

2. Secondly, Let them marke well the different Ends of these men.

Tho the one now carries away the credite and cur­rent of the times, and with all bravery and triumph tumbles Himselfe in the pleasures, riches, and glory of the world; and the other is kept, as they say, under batches, neglected and contemptible to carnall eyes, trampled upon with the feete of pride and malice by the prouder Pharisees, and hunted with much cruel­ty and hate by Men of this World: Yet watch but a while; and you shall see the End of this upright man▪ whatsoever his sorrowes and sufferings, troubles and temptations have beene in this life, to be most certain­ly peace at the last. Marke the perfect man, and be­hold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Psal. 37.37. He either passeth fairely, and calmely thorow the Port of Death, to the Land of everlasting rest, and [Page 47] reioycing; or else, if a tempest of extraordinary temp­tation seize upon Him in the Haven, when He is rea­dy, to set foote into heaven, which is the Lot of many of Gods dearest Ones, for ends seeming best to the e­ver-blessed Majesty; as, perhaps to harden those aboue Him, that hate to be reformed, &c. Yet all the hurt he hath thereby, is upon the matter, besides serving Gods secret holy pleasure, an addition to His happinesse; for an immediate translation from the depth of tem­porary horrour, as in Maister Peacocke, and Mistris Bretlergh, to the height of endlesse joy, makes even the joyes of Heaven something more joyfull. Hee feeles those never-ending pleasures, at the first entrance more delicious and ravishing, by reason of the suddaine change, from that bitternesse of spirit in the last com­bate, to the excellency, and eternity of heavenly blisse. His Soule in this case after a short eclipse of spirituall darkenesse upon His Bed of death enters more light­somly into the full Sunne of immortall glory. But what doe you thinke shall bee the end of the other Man? He is in the meane time, it may be, in great power, and spreading Himselfe like a greene Bay tree, revelling in the ruffe and top of all worldly jollity and wealth, wallowing dissolutely in choisest delights and vamest pleasures; yet waite but a while, and you shall see him quickely cut downe like grasse, and wither as the greene herb [...]. For God shall suddenly shoote at Him with a swift arrow. It is already in the bow; even a bow of steele shall send forth an arrow, that shall strike Him thorow, and shall shine on his gall. His power, and his pride shall bee overthrowne in the turne of an Hand. All his imperious boisterousnes [...]e shall melt away as a vaine foame. The eye which saw Him, shall [...]e him no more; neither shall hi [...] place any more behold him. He must downe into the grave naked and stript of all power and pompe; all beauty and strength: a weaker and poorer worme, then when he f [...]st came out of the [Page 48] wombe. Here further for this purpose and fuller ex­pr [...]ssion of my meaning in this point, how a worthy friend of mine, instancing in the exemplary and dread­full downe-falls of Haman, Shebnah and others, labours to fright gracelesse great Ones, out of their luxury and pride; security and sinfull pleasures; by consideration of their Ends. Oh then saith he, ye rich and great, ye proud, and cruell, Ambitious and honourable, take from their wofull examples, the true estimate of your riches, and your power, your pleasure and your honour, wherein ye trust, and whereof yee boast, but as Israell in Aegypt, of a broken reede. Consider that like sinnes, will have like ends: That God is to day and yesterday, and the same for ever: That the pride and cruelty; oppression and luxury of these times have no greater priviledge, then those of the former: But when for a while, you have domineered farre and neare, Had what you would, and done what you li [...]t, dispeopled Parishes and plaines for your Orchards and walkes; pulld downe many hou­ses, to set one up; from betweene whose battlements, and turrets at the top, you can see no end of your meadowes, your fields, and your lands; the measuring whereof as the Poet speakes, would weary the very wings of the kite: When your Clientary traine hath bin too long for the streete; and your bare respect hath shooke the hat from the head, and bent the knee afarre off: when you have clapt whole Manours on your backs; or turnd them downe your throates: when you have scoured the plaine [...] with your horses, the fields and woods with your bounds and the heaven with your hawkes: when with pheasant [...] tongues you have furnisht whole feasts; and with the Queene of Aegypt drunke dissolved pearle, even fifty thousand pounds at a draught, and then laide your head [...] in Dalila [...]s lappe: When, if it were possible, yo [...] have spent your whole lives, in all that royall pompe, and pleasure, which that most magnificent King and Quee [...] did Hist. 1. for an hundred and fourescore dayes: [...] [Page 49] word, when you have wallowed in all delights, and stood in pleasures up to the chin: Then even then, the pit is digged, and death, of whom you dreame not, stands at the doore. Where are you now? Or what is to bee done? Come downe, saith Death, from your pleasant Prospects; Alight from your Iades; Hood your kites; Cupple up your curres; bid adew to pleasure; out of your beds of lust; Come naked forth, and downe with mee to the chambers of death: Make your beds in the dust; and lay downe your cold carkasses among the stones of the pit at the roots of the Rockes. And you great and delicate Dames, who are so wearied with pleasure, that you can­not rise time enough to dresse your heads, and doe all your trickes against dinner: To wash your bodies with muske, and dawbe your faces with vermilion and chalke; To make ready your pleasant baites, to poy­son mens eyes, and their soules. You whorish lezabels thinke you now, you are meate for men? Nay come head-long downe to the dogs. If not suddenly so, yet di­spatch and put off your caules, eare-rings, and round tyres; your chaines, bracelets and mufflers; your rings, wimples and crisping pinns; your▪ hoods, vailes and changeable sutes: your glasses, sine linnen, with all your Mundus muliebris. Isa. 3. And put on stinke, in stead of sweete smell; baldnesse in stead of well-set haire; burning in stead of beauty: Wormes shall make their nests in your brests; and shall eate out those wanton windowes, and messengers of lust. Yea rottennesse, and stinch; slime and filth shall ascend, and sit downe in the very Throne of beauty; and shall dwell betweene your eie-browes.

All this is very wofull, and yet there is a thousand times worse. Besides all this, Thou, that now laies a­bout the for thee world and wealth; for transitory pelfe and rotten pleasures; that lies soaking in luxury and pride, vanity, and all kinde of voluptuousnesse; shalt most certainely, very shortly, lie upon thy Bed of death, like a wilde bull in a net full of the fury of the [Page 50] Lord; either sealing thee up finally in the desperate senselessenesse of thine owne dead heart, with the spi­rit of slumber, for everlasting vengeance, even at the doore; or else exemplarily enraging thy guilty consci­ence upon that thy last bed, with hellish horrour, even before hand. For I say [Ordinarily] 1. First, because, Some­times [...] notorious Ones▪ and yet without all [...], may represent, to the eye of un-judicious By-standers, whereby they are [...] fearefully hardened, a notable shew of dying well. In my time, saith the French A [...]thor of Essaies, Three of the [...]ost exercr [...]ble persons that ever I knew in all [...], and the most infamous, have been seene to die very orderly, and quietly, &c. I have also my selfe o [...]served some of higher place notorio [...]sly wicked, who by their ca­riage in their last sicknesse, have suggested conceits, especially to those who were willing to be hardned by their deaths, that they made a good end, as they say, whereas they had no true touch in Conscience at all, or feeling remorse for their former extreamely sinfull life. Which is occasioned sometimes, by the un-skilfulnesse of some spirituall Phy­sitions about them, who are ready to dawbe, and draw a skin only over their un-searched sinfull sores, now at their death, as they were to play the Men-pleasers, and Sow-pillowes under [...] in their life time; Fellowes as excellent in palliate Cures; as utter­ly un-acq [...]ainted with the mystery of comforting afflicted Consciences aright, and spea­king seasonably to such as lie upon their last Bed. Heare Master Marburies censure of such Mounteba [...]ks This intolerable defect, saith He, (meaning of experimentall knowledge in Ministers [...] it selfe more shamefully, or with greater hurt, then when Men have [...] death, or in time of great affliction: for at such times [...] want shall to helpe their poore sheepe out of the ditch, are [...], and to take some other indirect course; (as many use to [...] in time, to make him Mans meate, lest it should be said. He [...]. 2. Secondly, because, Some One of them perhaps, I know not a­mongst how many thousands, may be [...]ke the Thiefe upō the Crosse. 3. Thirdly, because, Tho meete civil [...] utterly estranged from the life of godlinesse all their life long for the most part, may make a calme quiet and peaceable end in the eye and estimate of the world, which was never able to distinguish a secure blockishnesse from an holy security; Observation whereof hardeneth a world of people in their unsaving state: Heare Green [...]ams doome of such a death: They dye, saith He, like blockes: And yet the ignorant [...] such fearefull deaths, say [...], he departed as meekely as a Lambe, he went [...] shall, when they might as well say (but for their fether-bed and their [...], and per [...]shed like an Oxe in a ditch. I say, tho this sort of Men, for the most part die so; yet I have knowne some such upon the very first thought, they should certainely die, to have fallen into desperation, and could never be recovered. And altho many f [...]rma [...]l Professours, may goe to Hell with many g [...]od speeches, and Lord▪ Lord, in them [...] appeares in the f [...]l [...]sh Virgins, and those in the seuenth of Mat­theww; yet I [...]ave [...]nowne of some of them; who have died very fearefully indeede, and full of cruely desperate horrour. ordinarily, the more notorious servants of Satan, and Slaves of lust, depart this life, [Page 51] either like Nabal, or Iudas: Tho more by many thousands die like hard-hearted sots in security, then in despaire of conscience. If it bee so with thee then, that thine heart, when thou shalt have received the sentence of death against thy selfe, die within thee as Naballs. (And most commonly, saith a worthy De­vine, Conscience in many, is secure at the time of death: God in his iustice so plaguing an affected security in life, with an inflicted security at death.) I say then thou wilt become, as a stone: most prodigiously blockish; as tho there were no immortalitie of the Soule, no losse of eternall blisse; no Tribunall in Heaven, no account to bee made after this life, no burning in Hell for ever. Which will make the never-dying fire more scorching, and the ever-living worme more stinging; by how much thou wast more senselesse, and fearelesse of that fiery lake into which thou wast ready to fall. Death it selfe, saith the same Man, cannot awaken some con­sciences, but no sooner come they into hell, but conscience is awakened to the full, never to sleepe more, and then she teareth with implacable fury, and teacheth forlorne wretches to know, that forbearance was no payment. But if it please God to take the other course with thee, and to let loose the cord of thy conscience upon thy dy­ing Bed; thou wilt be strangled even with Hellish hor­rour upon earth and damned above ground. That Worme of Hell, which is a continuall remorse, and fu­rious reflexion of the Soule upon its owne willfull fol­ly; whereby it hath lost everlasting ioyes, and must now lie in endlesse, easelesse and remedilesse torments, is set on worke, whilest thou art yet alive, and with desperate rage, and unspeakeable anguish will feede upon thy Soule and flesh. The least twitch whereof, not all the pleasures of ten thousand Worlds, would ever bee able to countervaile: For as the peace of a good, so the pangs of a guilty conscience are unspeak­able. So that at that time, thou maist iustly take unto [Page 52] thy selfe Pashur's terrible name; Magor-Missabib; Feare round about: Thou wilt be a terrour to thy selfe, and to all thy friends. And that which in this wofull case will sting extremely; No friends, nor Physicke; no gould, nor silver; no height of place, nor favour of Prince; not the glory and pleasures of the whole World; not the crownes and command of all earthly kingdomes, &c. can possibly give any comfort, delive­rance or ease! For when that time and terrour hath overtaken thee, which is threatned Prou. 1.24. Et seq. Because I have called, and yee refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded: But yee have set a [...] naught all my counsell, and would none of my reproofe: I also will laugh at your calamity, and will mocke when your feare commeth. When your feare commeth as de­solation, and your destruction commeth as a Whirle­winde; when distresse, and anguish commeth upon you. Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answere; they shall seeke mee earely, but they shall not finde mee: for that they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. They would none of my counsell: they de­spised all my reproofe. Therefore shall they eate the fruit [...] of their owne way, and be filled with their owne devises. I say, when this terrible time is come upon thee; then will the mighty Lord of Heaven and earth come a­gainst thee,Hos. 13.8. as a Beare that is bereaved of her whelpes, and will rent the caule of thy heart, and will devoure thee like a Lion: Isa. 66.15. He will come with fire, and with His charets like a Whirle-winde, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire: All his ter­rours at that houre will fight against Thee, and that un [...]quenchable anger,Deut. 32.22. that burnes to the very bottome of Hell, and sets on fire the foundations of the mountaines: The empoysoned arrowes of His fiercest indignation shall be drunke with the bloud of thy Soule, and sticke fast in it for ever. In a word, the fearefull armies of all the plagues and curses, sorrowes and un-sufferable [Page 53] paines denounc'd in Gods Booke against finall Impe­nitents, shall with un-resistable violence take hold upon thee at once, and pursue thee with that fury, which thou shalt never bee able either to avoide, or abide. And who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? who can abide in His sight when He is angry? who can deli­ver out of His hand? what man or Angell; what arme of flesh or force of Armes, what creature, or created power; what Cherub or which of the Seraphins is able to free a guilty conscience from the ever-knawing Worme, and an impenitent wretch from eternal flames? Oh, Me thinkes a sensible fore-thought of these hor­rible things even at hand, should make the hardest heart of the most abominable Behall to tremble at the roote, and fall asunder in His brest like drops of water! To haue his end in his eye; and seriously to remember the tribulation, and anguish that shall shortly come upon His Soule, the affliction, the Worme wood and the gall, should fright and fire Him out of all His fil­thy gracelesse, good-fellow courses!

3. Thirdly, Let them consider, what horrour it will bee in evill times, I meane, not onely at death and the last Day, which are the most terrible of all; but also, In times of disgrace and contempt; of common feare, and confusions of the state; of sickenesse, crosses, re­straint, banishment, temptations, or any other dayes of sorrow▪ I say at such times, to finde in stead of peace, fiery scorpions in their consciences, innumerable sins graven there, with an iron pen, un-repented of! Heare how excellently Inter omnes tribula­tiones humanae animae, nulla est major tribu­latio, quàm conscien­tia delictorum. Nam­que si ibi vulnus non sit, sanumq [...]e sit in­tus hominis, quod con­scientia vocatur▪ ubi­cunque al [...]bi passus fuerit tribulationes, illuc confugiet, & ibi inveniet Deum. Si autem ibi requies non est, propter abundantiam iniquitatum, quoniam & ibi Deus non est, quid factu­rus est homo. Quò conf [...]giet, cum caeperit patitribulationes? Fugiet [...]b [...]gro ad civitatem, à publico ad domum, à domo ad cubiculum, & sequitur tribulatio. A cubiculo jam quò fugiet, non habet nisi interius ad cubile suum. Porrò si ibi tumultus est, si fumus iniquitatis, si s [...]a [...]n­masceleris, non illuc potest confug [...]re. Pellitur enim [...]n [...]e, & cum inde pellitur, à seipso pelli­tur. Et ecce hostem suum inven [...], quò confugerat; seipsum, quò fugiturus est. Quocunque fu­gerit se, talem trohit post se: & quocunque talem traxerit se, cruciat se. In Psalm. 46. p. 502. Austin foretels & forewarnes them, [Page 54] into what a forlorne and fearefull state, they shall most certainely fall, when after a short gleame of worldly glory, they fall into tempestuous, and troublesome times. Of all afflictions incident to the Soule of man, there is none more grievous, and transcendent; then to have the Conscience enraged with the guilt of sinne. If there bee no wound there, if all bee safe and sound within, if that bird of the bosome sing sweetely in a M [...]s brest; it is no matter, what miseries be abroad in the World, what stormes, or [...] be raised against Him What arme of flesh▪ or rage of foes beset Him rou [...]d: For Hee in this are, hath presently recourse unto His conscience▪ the safest Sanctuary, and Paradise of sweetest repose, and finding that sprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe, filled with abundance of peace, and God Himselfe there, reconcil'd unto Him in the face of Christ, He is couragiously fearelesse of all, both mortall and immortall, adversaries and oppositions: Tho the earth be remooved; and the mountaines carried into the middest of the Sea, tho all the creatures in the world should bee turned into Beares or Devils about Him, yet His conscience being comfortable, hee is un­daunted and confide [...]t, and more then conquerour over the whole world, and ten thousand Hells. But on the other side, if by reason of the raigne of sinne, there be no rest there; if God be not there because of the abounding of iniquity, what shall a man doe then? Whither shall hee flye, when the hand of God hath found Him out, and the swift Arrow of the Almighty stickes fast in his side? Hee will flie, saith that auncient Father, out of the Countrey into the Citie; out of the streets into his House; out of his House into His cham­ber; horrour still dogging Him at the heeles. And from His chamber, whither will hee goe, but into the inmost Cabinet in his bosome, where his Conscience dwelleth? And if hee finde there nothing but tumult and terrour▪ but guiltinesse, confusion and cries of despaire; which [Page 55] way will hee then turne himselfe; Or whither will hee fly then? He must then, either flie from Himselfe, which is utterly impossible; or else abide that torment, which is beyond all compasse of conceite or expression of tongue. For all the racks, saith another, wheeles, wilde horses, Poena autem vehemen [...] & multò saevior illis. Qua [...] & Coeaitius gra­vis invenit, & Roada­manthus; Nocte [...]i [...] (que) suum gestare in pecture te [...]em. hot pincers, scalding lead poured into the most tender, and sensible parts of the body; yea, all the merci­lesse, barbarous, and inhumane cruelties of the holy house, are but flea-bitings, meere toyes, and May-games, compared with the torment, that an evill conscience will put a man to, when it is awakened.

3. A third sort, the worst of all and most pestilent, are those, who doe not onely not labour in the time of harvest to treasure up comfortable provision against dayes of dread, and mispend the Day of their visitati­on wickedly; but also out of a transcendent straine of impiety, labour might and maine, to put out and ut­terly extinguish the heavenly Sunne, that creates this blessed day, and makes the season of our spirituall har­vest most glorious, and incomparable: I meane to sup­presse and quench the saving light of a powerfull Mi­nistry, wheresoever planted, and prevailing; under the sacred influence, and soveraigne heate whereof, all Gods hidden Ones are woont to gather that heavenly stocke of grace, Comforts of godlinesse, and good con­science, which is able to hold up their heads invincibly in heavy times.

These are the vilest of men, and of the most Let us not bee Scot­ners, lesters, and De­riders; for that is the uttermost token and shew of a Reprobate, of a plaine enemy to God in his wisedome. Hom. Of some places of Scriptures, by which some take offence, P. 2. for­lorne hope: for they are unhappily transported with extremest malice, and storme against the very meanes, which should sanctifie them, and Men, which should save them. They doe not onely make their owne soules sure for damnation: but also hinder the power of the Word all they can, [...]. 1▪ Th [...]ssal. 2.16. lest others should bee sa­ved. Whatsoever thou doest, doe not become one of this damned crue: who heartily desire, that the Sun [Page 56] of sincere preaching were quencht, and put out, tho it were with the bloud of God [...] faithfullest Messengers; as did the M [...]n of Anathoth in Ieremies time. Ier. 11.19. 21. Shee prefer'd Iohn Bapt [...]st [...] head before the halfe of Herod's kingdome, Mark. 6 2. Herodias in Iohn Baptist time, and that [...], rurs [...]s haec in se [...]psam tr [...]nssert, & [...]llius verba quasi ad e­jus ignomin [...]am [...]l [...]ta exissimans, aliud conet­lium Episcoporum con­tra eum cogendum cu­rat. Quâ re intellectâ Ioannes percelebrem illam concionem in Ec­clesiâ recitavit, cujus exordiumest: Herodi­as denuò insanire, de­nuò commoveri, denuò saltare pergi [...]: denuò [...]put Ioinn [...]s in disco acc [...]pere quaerit Socra. Hist. Ecclesiast. Lib. 6. cap. 16. other Herodias improperly called Eudoxia in Iohn Chryso­stomes time, and many thousands, even within the Pale of the Church at all times. Above all, I say, Be­ware of that crying sinne of Let none marv [...]ll why I [...] med [...]le with [...], e­specially in this time of peace and prosperi­ty of the Gospell, as tho it were unnecessa­ry and unseasonable: For Aust [...] tels us tru­ly: Illi maxime perse­ [...]untur Ecclesiam, qui [...]re [...]iani, nolunt benè vivere. Per hos enim opprohr [...]um habet Ec­clesia, & ab his inimicitias sustine [...], quando corripiuntur, quando male vivere, non per­musuntur, quando cum eis vel verbo igitur, i [...]si, mala in suis [...]ordibus meditantur, & erum­pendi occasionem requirunt. In Psal. 30. pag. 205. Those especially persecute the Church▪ who professing Christianity will not live graciously, &c. persecuting the power of godlinesse, without which never any heart knew what true comfort meant; Profession of the truth, without which Christ will not owne us at the last day; consci­onable Ministers, under Whose painefull labours, we gather our spirituall and heavenly Store, against evill times in this harvest of grace: And that either with thine heart, by hatred, malice, heart-burning; with thy tongue, by slanders, scoffs, rash censures; with thine hand, by supplanting, oppression, wrong; with thy purse, policy, power, mis-informing, or any other way of vexing, or violence. If thou wilt needes bee wicked, bee so more moderately; If there be no helpe, but thou Wilt to Hell, post not so furiously; If no­thing will-worke, but thou art wilfully bent to bee damned, bee damned more tolerably. For Persecu­tours are transcendents in sinne, and shall hereafter bee paid home proportionably. Be none of them for such reasons as these.

1. All their malice, and rancour; all their bitter words and scornefull iests; all their bloudy, mercilesse mischiefes, and machinations against the power of preaching, and Gods people, strike immediately at the face of Iesus Christ. Acts. 9.5. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And at the pretious Ball, and Apple of Gods owne eye; Zech. 2 8. For he that toucheth you, toucheth [Page 57] the Apple of His eye. God is our Shield, Psal. 84.11. Now the Shield takes all the blowes.

2. They are hunted many times with furies of con­science and extreame horrour even in this life. Pashur put blessed Ieremie in the stockes; but thereupon, He had a new name given Him Magor-Missabib;Ier. 20.2.3. Feare round about; Hee became a terrour to Himselfe, and to all his friends. Zedechiah smote faithfull Micaiah upon the face;1. King. 22.24.25. but afterward according to that Pro­pheticall commination, Hee was faine to run from chamber to chamber, to hide himselfe. Iohn Baptists head, which Herod cut off, sate in the eye of the Ty­rants conscience, with such griesly formes of guiltinesse, and bloud; that when hee heard of the great things done by Christ, hee was perplexed, and no doubt a­fraid, that Iohn Baptist was risen from the dead to bee revenged upon Him. I have heard of a Man, who for a time did furiously, and desperately set Himselfe a­gainst a Minister of God; labour'd might, and maine, by all meanes to disgrace, and vexe him; both by power, and policy; by slanders, oppressions, malice, contempt. But at length, the Word so got within Him, and hamperd Him; and the terrours of the Almighty tooke hold upon Him with such un-resistable rage; that he came trembling and quaking unto that man of God, whom he had so wickedly wrong'd; and durst not steere a foote from him, for feare the Devill should take him away alive; or the earth open her mouth, and swallow him up quicke; or some other strange re­markeable iudgement seize upon Him suddenly, and brand Him for a notorious Beast, & cursed Cast-away. So or to such sense hee spoke.

3. Many of them come to very horrible, exempla­ [...]y, and wofull ends. Pharaoh long since, by a dread­full confusion at the red Sea was as it were hangd up in chaines, a spectacle of terrour for Persecutors, to all posterity. Antiochus swelling with anger, and brea­thing [Page 58] out fire in his rage against the people of God, did proudly protest, that He would come to Ierusalem, and make it a common Burying place of the Iewes: But the Lord Almighty, 1. Maccab. 9. the God of Israel smot [...] him with an in­curable, and invisible Plague: for as soone as hee had spoken these words, a paine of the bowels that was reme­dilesse came upon him, and [...]ore torments of the inner parts.—So that the wormes rose up out of the body of this wicked man, and whiles hee lived in sorrow and paine, his flesh fell away, and the filthinesse of his smell was noysome to all his army. Acts 12.23. Herod in the height of his hatred against the Gospell, and pride in impriso­ning and persecuting the Apostles, was eaten up of wormes in a most fearefull prodigious manner. Gar­diner gaping for newes of the dispatch of those two blessed Martyrs of Iesus, Latimer and Ridley, at Oxford deferred his dinner untill three or foure of the clocke at afternoone, delighting more in drinking the bloud of the Saints, then in his ordinary foode: But upon the re­turne of his Post, Hee fell merrily to his meate: And marke what followed: The bloudy Tyrant saith the Story,Acts and Monuments, pag. 1787. had not eaten a few bittes, but the sudden strok [...] of God, His terrible hand fell upon him in such sort, as immediatly he was taken from the table, and so brought to his bed, where he continued the space of fifteene dayes, in such intolerable anguish & tormēts, that all that [...]eane while, during those fifteene dayes, he could not avoyde by order of urine or otherwise, any thing that hee received: Wh [...]eby his body being miserably inflamed within (who had inflamed so many good Martyrs before) was brought to [...] wretched end. For further inlargement of this Point, looke into the Stories of the primitive Church, Acts and Monument [...], Theater of Gods iudgements.

4. A cry farre louder, then the noise of many waters, or voice of greatest thunder knocks continually, with strong importunity, at Gods iust Tribunall for a showre of fire & brimstone, and an horrible Tempest to be rained [Page 59] downe upon their heads▪ I meane, a cry of bloud, wrongs, disgraces, and slanders, wherewith they have loaden the Saints of God. Rev. 6.10. And they cryed with a loud voyce, saying, How long, O Lord, holy, and true, doest thou not iudge, and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth!

5. They are the principall provokers of Gods wrath against a nation. Their hatefull heate, overflowing gall, and scornefull carriage against Gods people, doth ripen apace His fiercest indignation; fill up full the vi­alls of His vengeance, and draw downe upon a king­dome a desperate, and finall ruine without all remedy. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and mis-used Hi [...] Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no re­medy. 2. Chron. 36.16.

6. Their spitefull spirits being once thorowly set on heate with this fire of hell and infernall rage against the grace of God and His people, commonly conti­nue in fl [...]me and fury untill their fearefull and finall confusion. And they being once flesht, as it were, with the bloud of the Saints,Nullus semel ore recep­tus—pollutas patitur sanguis mansuescere fauces. at lest by scoffes & slanders (for even lewd and lying tongues are keene razours, and sharpe swords, scourges and scorpions that fetch bloud) they feede insatiably upon the damned sweetnesse of such supposed cursed revenge, untill they be seizd upon with irrecoverable ruine; and fall amongst the firers of their malice, and Arch-persecutors of all Professours, the fiends of Hell. This is my meaning: This pesti­lent and crying Sinne of persecution is like the gulfe of drunkennesse, which Austin compares to the Pitt of Hell, into which, when a man is once fallen, there is no redemption, or returne. A Persecutour is rarely or never [...]eclaimde: Either by miracle or Ministry; mer­cy or misery. Fire from Heaven falling upon the first Captaine and His f [...]y, did not fright the second Cap­taine and His fifty from pressing upon Elijah to ap­prehend [Page 60] him. 2. Kings, 1.10.11. The souldiers who came to take Iesus, as soone as Hee had said, I am Hee, were strangely upon the suddaine, stroke downe to the ground. Ioh, 18.6. and yet this miracle did never a whit mollifie and abate the malice of the Priests and Pharisees against Him. Not even the Mini [...]ry of Christ Himselfe, though He spoke as never Man spake; Not that of Stephen, whose face appeared to His Hearers, as it had beene the face of an Angell; not that of the Apo­stles freshly filled with the holy Ghost from heaven, did at all dis-enrage or [...]ame those fellowes, which were possest with this f [...]ule spirit of scornefull contradicti­on. See Luc. 4.28.29. And 16.14. Act. 7 54. And 2.13. Not all those horrible miraculous plagues of Ae­gypt, were able to quench Pharaohs fury against the people of God▪ untill he was choakt in the red Sea. No kindnesse from David, though extraordinary, and matchlesse. 1. Sam. [...]4 11. And [...]6 9. could turne Sa [...]ls heart from hunting him, as when One doth hunt a Par­tridge in the mountaines.

And no marvaile, tho they be not mooved by all or any of these meanes; for they scorne, persecute and contemne the very meanes, which should amend them, and the onely Men, who should convert them. Whe­ther of the two, thinke you, is likelier to recover? That man, who being dangerously sicke; yet enter­taines the Physition kindely, and takes patiently what is prescrib'd: or Hee, who having a Potion presen­ted unto Him very soveraigne for his recovery, throwes the glasse against the wall, spils that pretious Receipt, and drives the Physition out at doores? Conceive pro­portionably; betweene the Persecutour, and the lesse pestilent sinner, who meddles nor maliciously against the Ministry.

7. They are already in the pestilent Path, and very hie-way, that leads to sinne against the Holy Ghost. The horriblenesse, and height of which dreadfull villany [Page 61] may bring upon them even in this life, impossibility of pardon. Matth. 12.31.32. and liablenesse to that fla­ming iudgement & [...]iery indignation threatned, Heb. 10.26. &c. And that they are Cum quotidiè nostram sanctificationem blas­phemant, quid aliud blasphemant quàm spi­ritum sanctum. Aug. Tom. 10. par. 1. pag. 45. growing towards this sinne, if they be not quite gone that way, appeares, because they despitefully traduce; with much malice and mis­chiefe persecute the very workes of Grace, and graces of Gods Spirit shed into the hearts, and shining in the lives of the children of light. 1. Ioh. 3.12. Psal. 38.20. 1. Pet. 4.4. If a man would drinke, sweare, swagger, revell, and roare with them: If he durst bee an Igno­rant, an Vsurer, a Sabbath-breaker, a Worldling, a doter upon, and defender of heathnish superstitious customes; a practiser, or Patrone of Old anniversarie fooleries, and rotten vanities; an incloser, gamester, good-fellow, &c. Oh! then Hee should bee the onely Man with them; entertain'd into their hearts and houses with all affectionate embracements of kind­nesse and acceptation: but if the same man, by the mercies of God, once begin to breake from them, and out of the snares of the Devill; to dis-rellish, and de­test his former wayes of nature and naughtinesse; to love and reverence the most searching Ministry; to reade the Scriptures, and best bookes; to sanctifie the Lords Day, to pray in his family; to renounce reso­lutely, His running with them to the same excesse of riot, to abandon and abominate their lewd and licentious courses; In a word to turne Christian; Oh! then Hee is an arrant Puritane, a Precision, an humorist, an Hy­pocrite, and all that naught is; even as Et nulli nocentiores habentur, quàm qui sunt ex omnibus inno­centes. Lactant. lib. 5. Cap. 9. bad, as the false tongues of the Devils Limbes can make a blessed Man. He was a good-fellow, will they say, but hee is now quite gone: a proper man, and of good parts, but his Puritanisme hath Bonus vir Caj [...]s Sei­us, sed malus tantùm quia Christianus. Ter­tul. Apol. pag. 1. mar'd all. While Paul hu­mour'd the Pharises, in persecuting and plaguing the disciples of the Lord, Hee was a principall and much honoured Man amongst them: but when hee turned [Page 62] on Christ's side, He was holden a pestilent-fellow, the very [...]. Act. 24.5. plague. So that it is plaine and palpable, what­soever may bee pretended to the contrary, that those cursed Cains, dogged Doegs, and scoffing [...]maels, that set themselues and spend their malice against the Mi­nisters and people of God, hare, slander, and perse­cute the very workes of Grace, and graces of Gods Spirit in them. Even their z [...]ale, holinesse, hatred of sinne▪ reformation, &c. are an Eye-sore, and heart­sore to such hatefull wretches, and Owles of Hell, [...]ho cannot endure any heavenly light.

8. As stigmaticall Rogues burnt in the hand, cur­tal'd of their eares, branded in the fore-head, are in the Common wealth; so are Persecutors in the Church. By mutuall intelligence, and information of Gods peo­ple, or some more publike lasting record and Monu­nument of the Church, they have many times such a Marke set upon them; that they carry it to their graves, yea to the iudgement Seate of God; that it may bee knowne a sore-hand to that glorious Tribunall and all the triumphant Church, what 2. Timot. 4.17. Ezek. 2.6. beastly men, stinging Scorpions, and pricking thorn's they have beene a­mong [...]t Gods Children, and in the sides of the Saints. Such a brand had Alexander the Copper smith set upon him by Paul. 2. Tim. 4.14.15 And such a Brand was set upon Diotrephes that m [...]litious prating companion, by Saint Iohn. 3. Ioh 10. So are those bloud thirsty Tygers, Gardiner, Bonner, and the rest of that cruell litter, and persecuting packe, branded, that their names shall rot▪ and their memories be hatefull to the Worlds end. So too many in these times, though they be very iolly fellowes in their owne conceits, ador'd as Idols, by their flattering Dependants, applauded generally as the principall Patrones of revelling & good-fellow­ship; [...]et in the censure of the Saints, and by the doome of divine wisedome, they are clearely knowne, and iustly reputed enemies of all righteousnesse, and Satans [Page 63] speciall Agents to doe mischiefe against the Ministe­ry.

9. And it is to be feared; they will finde no mer­cy upon their Beds of death, and in their last extremi­ty, cry they never so loude, or promise they never so faire. God in iust indignation is woont to deale so with those, who drinke up iniquity like Water, with [...]ut all sense or feare of a glorious dread [...]ull Majesty above. See Ezek 8.18. with those, who refuse to stoupe to Gods Ordinance, and submit to the Scepter of Christ, when they are fairely invited by the Ministery. See Prov. 1.24.28. Ier. 7.13.16. and 11.11. With great Ones, who grinde the faces of the poore. See Micah. 3 4. with abusers of the riches of His goodnesse, and long suffering ▪ See Rom. 2.4 5. How much more doe you thinke, shall impenitent Persecutors bee paide home in this kinde? See 2. Macchab. 9.13.17. There that great and cruell persecutor, Antiochus, being seizd upon by an horrible sickenesse, promiseth very gloriously upon that his last Bed; Besides many other strange refor­mations, even that he also, would become a Iew himselfe, and goe thorough all the World that was inhabited, and declare the power of God. But for all this, heare what the I know the Booke is not of divine authori­ty; and therefore the Place quoted, taken only from the hand of an humane Historian. And so conceiue of it; But we see the Au­thors conceite of that wicked man. If any thinke, that God is said to have had no mercy upon him, onely in re­sp [...]ct of deliveran [...]e from his disease: Heare what some say in the case. Antiochus was in­d [...]ed re [...]lly and seriously grieved; and acknowledged that his affliction was for His sins, lib. 1. cap 6. [...]. 11. [...] was n [...]t truly penitent for the offence committed against God, and his neigh­b [...], [...] his owne calamity, and misery, and therefore could not obtaine mercy, to remision of [...] of the punishment: So also the damned in Hell, know, and confesse, that they are pan [...]she [...] for their sinnes, but have not true repentance, for their offence against God. Of this easure and glosse, let the Authours render a reason themselues. In Antioche, saith Cyprian, An [...]ichr [...]us expressus. De Exhort. Martyr ij. Cap. 11. Writer of that story saith of his spirituall state, and of Gods resolution towards Him vers. 13. This wicked person prayed also unto the Lord, who would now have no mercy on him.

10 All their spitefull speeches, scurrill sco [...]fes, pesti­lent lyes, insolent insultations, &c. are as so many [Page 64] Crownes of Glory and ioy unto the heads, and hearts of all persecuted patient Professours. 1. Pet. 4.14. Act. 5.41. Iob. 3.36. (So that they infinitely misse the ma­licious Marke, their revengefull humours would glad­ly hit, the hurt and heart-breaking of those, they so cruelly and cunningly hunt with much rancour and hate.) And not onely so, but most certainely hereaf­ter, if they die not like drunken Nabal, and their hearts become as stones in their brests, upon their Beds of death they will all, tho now passing from them, with much bitternesse of Spirit, and without all remorse, turne into so many envenomed stings, and byting scor­pions, unto their owne consciences, and knaw upon their hearts, with extreamest horrour.

11. The whole body of the militant Church, ioyne all as one man with a strong concurrent importunitie at the Throne of grace; and with one heart and spirit constantly continue there, such piercing prayers against all stubborne impenitent scorners; all incurable, im­placable persecutours, as the people of God have bin wont to poure out in such cases, as Lament. 3.59. &c. O Lord! thou hast seen my wrong, judge thou my cause. Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their imaginations against me. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me: The lips of those that rose up against me, & their devise against me all the day. Behold their sitting downe, and their rising up, I am their musicke. Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, accor­ding to the worke of their hands. Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them. Persecute and destroy them, in anger, from under the heavens of the Lord. Now I would not be in that Mans case, against whom, Gods people complaine upon good ground at that iust and highest Tribunal, one halfe houre; for the imperiall crowne, and command of all the kingdomes of the earth: for who knowes, whether iust at that time, the righteous Lord for his children's sake, and safety may raine upon [Page 65] such a mans head, snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest.

12. And the prayers of the Saints poured out in the bitternesse of their soules vexed continually with their malicious cruelties, and cruell mockes, are meanes ma­ny times to bring Persecutours to an untimely end, to knocke them downe before their time. Doe not you thinke, that the faithfull Iewes at Ierusalem, hearing of Antiochus marching towards them, like an evening Wolfe, to drinke up their bloud, had presently recourse unto Gods righteous Throne with strong cries, to stay his rage? And doe you not thinke, that those very prai­ers drew downe upon him that horrible, and incurable plague, whereupon Hee died a miserable death in a strange Countrey in the Mountaines? Herod, for any thing wee know, might have lived many a faire Day longer, if hee had dealt fairely with the Apostles of Christ. But putting One to the sword. Act. 12.2. And another in prison. vers. 4. Hee put the Church to their prayers.Est quaedam precum omnipotentia. vers. 5. Which prayers, for there is a certaine omnipotency of prayer, as Luther was wo [...]t to say, did create full soone those vermine, that eate him up hor­ribly in the height of his pride. vers. 23. The Cùm▪ Arrius Constan­tinopoli in Ecclesiae com­munionem recipiendus esset, Alexander e [...]us ur­b [...]s Episcopus, to [...]â nocte in templo prostratus o­ravit Deum, ut Eccle­siam praesenti periculo liberaret, & de Arrio blasphemiarum poe­nas reposceret. Postri­die Arrius m [...]gnâ suo­rum catervâ in tem­plum deductus, inter cundum corripitur hor­ribilibus ventris torminibus, laxat [...] (que) alvo petit latrinam, in quâ sedens vn [...] cum excre­men [...]is effudit jecur, intestina, impuram (que) animam, sortitus soedum, sua (que) impietate dig­num exitum. Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 28. Bucol. Anno Christi. 336. Ec­clesiasticall story reports, that the loathsome, and dreadfull end of Arrius, that execrable enemie to Iesus Christ, was hastned by the prayers of the good and or­thodoxe Bishop Alexander, who wrastled with God in earnest deprecations against him all the night before. Doe you not thinke, that Gardiner went sooner into his Grave for his cruelty towards Professours of the truth, by their groanes against him, and by the cry of the bloud of that glorious Paire of Martyrs at Oxford, which hee so insatiably thirsted after? Let all those then, that tread in these mens paths, tremble at their [Page 66] ends. And if no better motive will mollifie their dog­gednesse, yet at least, let their love unto the world, themselves, and sensuall waies, take them off and re­straine them from this persecuting rage; least it set on worke the prayers of Gods people, and so they bee taken away before their time, and cut off from a tem­porary supposed heaven of earthly pleasures, to a true everlasting Hell of unspeakeable torments, sooner then otherwise they should.

13. The hearts, and tongues of all good men, and friends to the Gospell, are fill'd with much glorious When the wicked pe­rish, there is shouting. Prov. 11.10. joy, and heartiest songs of thankesgiving, at the downefall of every raging incurable Opposite; when the revenging hand of God hath at length to the sin­gular advancement of the glory of his justice, singled out, and paide home remarkeably, any impenitent Persecutour, and implacable enemie. See for this pur­pose, The song of [...]oses, Exod. 15. Of Deborah, Iudges 5. The Iewes feasting after the hanging of Ha­man; Esther. 9 17. Psa. 52.6.9 And 58.10. And 79.13. 1. Macca. 13.51. (Onely, let the heart of Gods childe be watchfull over it selfe with a godly jealousie in this Point. That His reioycing bee, because Gods justice is glorified, His Church delivered, Satans kingdome weakened, &c. not onely for his owne ease and end, for any personall or particular by-respect.) Now it is an heavy case: A man, in His short abode upon earth to behave himselfe, so like a dogged Curre, and incar­nate Divell, that all good men are and ought to bee passingly glad, when hee is gone.

In this Point I comprise and conclude, all sorts of Persecutours: Of which some are profest and open, as Bonner and Gardiner, and many such morning Wolues: Some Politicke and reserved, who many times are the more pernicious. For of all manner of malice, and ill will, that is most execrable, deadly, and doth the most hurt, which like a Serpent in the faire greene grasse, [Page 67] lies lurking in the flatterings and fawnings of a sleering countenance. Which kisses with Iudas, and kills with Ioab: entertaines a man with outward formes of com­plement, and curtesie, but would, if it durst or might, stabbe Him in at the fifth rib, that hee should never rise againe. When a mans words to thy face, are as soft as oyle or butter; but his thoughts towards thee, composed all of bloud and bitternesse; of gall and gunpowder. Some are notorious villaines, as ma­ny times in many places, the most desperate blasphe­mers, stigmaticall Drunkards, rotten whore mongers, cruell usurers, and fellowes of such infamous ranke, are as so many bloudy Goades in the sides of Gods ser­vants; and the onely Men to pursue all advantages against the faithfullest Ministers: Some are of more sober carriage, faire conditions and seeming devotion; Act▪ 13.50. Some are the basest fellowes, the most abiect and contemptible vagabonds, and the very re­fuse of all the Rascalls in a Countrey. This we may see by Iobs complaint. Cap 30. But now, saith Hee, they that are younger then I, have mee in derision, whose fa­thers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flocke. — They were children of fooles, yea, children of base men: they were viler then the earth. And now am I their song, yea, I am their By Word. And in Davids: Psa. 35. Yea, the Abiects gathered themselves against mee, &c. and I was the song of the drunkards, Psal. 69.12. And in the Persecutours of Paul, Act. 17. But the Iewes which bel [...]eved not, moo­ved with envie, tooke unto them certaine lewde fellowes of the baser sort, &c. Some againe are men of place and parts. As the same David complaines in the same place. They that sit in the gate, speake against mee. Haec forma praecipuè notat & laxat eos, qui e [...]ant in aliquâ digni­tate seu authoritate: uterant judices, & senio­res plebis, qut sedere, & convem [...]e solebant in loco publicorum judici­orum, ubi de R [...]p. & re­bus sorysageadum erat. Iudicia enim exerce­bantur inportis, Ruth. 4. Putatis hoc, fratres, Christo tantummodò con [...]gi [...]se? Quotidie illi in membris ejus contingit, quando forte necesse erit servo Dei prohi [...]er [...]eb ietat [...]s, & luxurias in aliquo velfundo, vel oppido, ubi non auditum suerit verbum Dei. August. in Psal. 69. That is, men in high roomes and of great authoritie.

[Page 68]And as all sorts of Persecutours, so I comprehend all kindes of persecution.

1. By hand; as did Herod. Act. 12. Iulian, Bonner, &c.

2. With tongue; by mocking, Galat. 4.24. compa­red with Gen. 21.9. See also Psal. 69.20. Hebr. 11.36. By slandering, even in reporting true things malici­ously to the prejudice of Gods children. Psalm. 52. By reproaching and reviling. Zeph. 2.8. By insulting with insolent speeches. Ezech. 36.2. and 26.2.

3. In heart; by hatred, Ezech. 35.5. By rejoycing in the downefall or disgrace of the Saints. Ezech. 35.6.

4. In gesture; Ezech. 25.6. Because thou hast clap­ped thy hands, and stamped with the feete, &c. Behold therefore, I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, &c. Take heede of so much, as looking sowre upon, or brow-beating a servant of Christ, lest thou smart for it.

Looke upon the quoted Places, and you shall see Offenders in any of these kindes, plagued and paide home as Persecutours of Gods people.

And thus let such extremely Wicked men be fright­ed from persecuting any way, those Men or Meanes, which are appointed and sanctified, to furnish us with spirituall store and strength against the dayes of evill.

Ob. But against that, which hath beene said in this Point for the singularity, and soveraignty of grace and good conscience to support the Spirit of a Man in evill times, to keepe it calme in the most tempestuous as­saults, and conquering over all commers, it may bee objected, and some may thus cavill.

Men, who never were, or ever did desire to bee ac­quainted with Gods grace or good men, expresse sometimes, and represent to By-standers an invincible stoutnesse, much boldnesse and bravenesse of minde in times of greatest extremitie, and under most exqui­site tortures; and therefore it seemes not to be pecu­liar [Page 69] to the Saints, and the priviledge of Gods Favou­rites alone, to stand unshaken in stormy times, un­daunted in distresse, and comfortable amidst the most desperate confusions?

Answ. I answere; Such confidence is onely in the face, not in the heart; enforced, not kindly; affected, not effectuall; not springing from the sole Fountaine of all sound and lasting comfort in humane Soules; sense of our reconciliation to God in Christ; but from some other odde accidentall Motives; from Weake and un­worthy grounds.

1. In some, from an ambitious affectation of admi­ration and applause, for extraordinary undauntednesse of spirit, and high resolution. It is reported of an Irish Traitour, that lying in horrible anguish upon the Wheele, an Engine of cruellest torture, with his body bruis'd, and his bones broken, asked his friend stand­ing by, whether he changed countenance at all, or no. Affecting more as it seemes, an Opinion of prodigious manlinesse, and unconquerablenesse in torment; then affected with the raging paines of a most terrible exe­cution.

2. In others, from a strong, stirring perswasion, and consciousnesse of the honesty, and honour of some ci­vill cause, for which they suffer. But fortitude in this case, doth not arise, from any inspired religious vigour or heavenly infusions; but from the severer instigati­ons of naturall conscience, and acquired manhood of a meere morall Puritane. Many such morall Martyrs have beene found amongst the more generous, and well-bred heathen. It is storied of a brave and valiant Captaine, who had long, manfully, and with incredi­ble courage with-stood Dionysius the elder in defence of a Citie; that Hee sustained with strange patience, and height of spirit the mercilesse fury of the Tyrant, and all his barbarous cruelties: most unworthy of Him, that suffered them, but most worthy him that [Page 70] inflicted the same. First the Tyrant told him; how the day before, hee had caused his son, and all his kinsfolkes to be drown'd. To whom the Captaine stoutly out staring Him, answered nothing, but that they were more hap­py then himselfe, by the space of one day. Afterward hee caused him to be stripped, and by his executioners, to be taken, and dragged through the Citty most ignominious­ly; cruelly whipping Him, and charging Him besides, with outragious and contumelious speeches: All which notwithstanding, as One no whit dismaide Hee ever shewed a constant, and resolute heart. And wit [...] [...] cheerefull, and bold countenance went on still, lowdly re­counting the honourable▪ and glorious cause of His death; which was, that Hee would never consent to yeeld his Countrey into the hands of a cruell Tyrant. With such stoutnesse did even meere morall vertue steele the an­tient Romane spirits, that in worthy defense of their li­berty; for preservation of their Countrey, or other such noble ends; They indifferently contemned gold, silver, death, torture; and whatsoever else miserable worldlings hold deare, or dismall.

3. In some, from an extreme hardnesse of heart, which makes them senselesse and fearelesse of shame, misery, or any terrible thing. This wee may some­times obserue in notorious malefactours. A long re­bellious, and remorselesse continuance, and custome in sinne▪ raging infections from their roaring companions▪ a furious pursuite of outrages, and blood; Satans ho [...] iron searing their consciences, and Gods iust curse upon their fearefull, and forlorne courses, so fill them with foole-hardinesse, and with such a ferall disposition, that they are desperately hardned against all affronts, and dis-asters. So that tho such savage-minded, and marble-hearted men be to passe thorow the streetes, as specta­cles of abhorrednesse and scorne, as hatefull monsters, and the reproach of Mankind; to be throwne into a Dungeon of darknesse, and discomfort, and there to be [Page 71] loaden with cold irons, coldnes, and want; from thence to bee hurried to that loathed Place of execution, and there to die a Dogs death, as they say; and finally to fall immediately and irrecoverably into a Lake of fire: yet I say for all this, out of a desperate hard-hearted­nesse, they seeme still to bee in heart; and to represent to the beholders, a great deale of undauntednesse, and neglect of danger in their carriage, and countenances. O the prodigious Rocke, into which the stone in a gracelesse heart may grow; both in respect of despe­ratenesse in sinning, and sense-lesnesse in suffering!

4. In others, from an enraged thirst after humane praise, and immortall fame, as they call it. Which may be so prevalent in them, and transport them with such a vaine-glorious ambition this way; that it may carry them with much seeming insensibility, affected pati­ence, and artificiall courage thorow the terrors, and tortures, of a very violent, and Martyr like death. Heare what Austin saith to this Point,Putatis Catholicos de­fuisse aut deesse posse, qui causâ humanae glo­riae paterentur? Si non essent hujusmodi homi­nes, non d [...]ere [...] Aposto­lus, si tradidero corpus meum, ut ardeam, cha­ritatom au [...]em non ha­beam, nihil mihi pro­dest. Sci [...]bat ergò esse posse quosda, q [...]i hoc jactatione [...]acerent, non dilectione. August. in Psal. 44. pag 474. This humour also haunted the Hea­then, amongst whom the most wicked did in some sort desire to leave some remembrance of themselves to posterity: Witnes that unknowne fellow, who of set purpose did burne the Temple of Diana in Ephesus; who being demanded wherefore he did it, answere [...], that hee determined by some notable villany (seeing by vertue hee could not) to leave some memory behind him after his death. Hence it was, that sometimes they would adven­ture desperately, and passe thorow, with extraordinary courage many corporall afflicti­ons, for praise of men; or to bee any waies famous in following ages. Thinke yee there never were any Catholikes, or that now there may not bee some, that would suffer onely for the prayse of men? If there were not such kind of men, the Apostle would not haue said, Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, I am nothing. Hee did know right well, that there might bee some, which would doe it out of vaine­glory and selfe-love, not for divine love, and the glory of God. O the bottomlesse depth of Hellish Hypocrisie, which lyes hid in our corrupt hearts! O the blind and perverse thoughts of foolish men! O the murderous malice of that old red Dragon, which exerciseth such horrible crueltie both upon our bodies and soules!

[Page 72]5. In some, from false grounds of a supposed good estate to Godward; from an unsound perswasion of their present spirituall well-beeing, and future well­fare. Such Pharisies, foolish Virgines, and formall Pro­fessours, are to bee found in all Ages of the Church, es­pecially, in the fairest, and most flourishing daies there­of, and when the Gospell hath the freest passage, who thus many times, in the greate it of all earthly extremi­ties, even upon their Beds of death represent to all a­bout them from a groundlesse presumption of being reconciled unto God, a great deale of confidence, reso­lution, and many glorious expectations. Vpon a par­tiall survay, and perusall of their time past, not stain'd perhaps with any great enormities, notoriousnesse, or infamous sinne; out of a vaine-glorious consciousnesse unto themselues, of their many good parts, generall graces, good deedes, and plausiblenesse with the most; by reason of a former obstinated distaste and preju­dice against sincerity, and the power of godlinesse, as tho it were unnecessary singularity and peevishnesse; and it may bee, confirmed also unhappily in their spiri­tuall selfe-cousenage, by the unskilfull, and unseasona­ble palliations, I meane mis-applications of some abu­sed promises unto their un-humbled Soules, from some dawbing Ministers,Ezek. 13 11. Isai. [...].15. The Prophet which telleth lyes is the taile. Ezek. 13.10. a generation of vilest men, excel­lent Ideots in the mystery of Christ, and mercifull Cut­throates of many miserable deluded Soules, to whom they promise life and peace, when there is no peace to­wards, but terrible things even at hand, tumbling of gar­ments in blood, Isai. 9.5. noise of damned Soules, and tormenting in Hell for ever; I say from such false and failing grounds as these, they many times in that last extremi­ty, (the Lord not revealing unto them the unsound­nesse of their spirituall estate, and rottennesse of their hopes) demeane themselues chearefully, and comforta­bly, as tho they were presently to set foote into Hea­ven, and to lay hold upon eternall life; but God hee [Page 73] knowes, without any iust cause or true ground. For immediately upon the departure of the Soule from the Body, shall they heare that wofull doome from Christs owne mouth, as Himselfe hath told us before-hand, Depart from mee; Matth. 7.23. I never knew you. Such men as these, having been formerly acquainted with, and exercisde in the outward formes and complements of Religion, are woont at such times to entertaine their visitants and By-standers, with many goodly speeches, and Scripture-Phrases, representing their contempt of the World, Willingnesse to dye, readinesse to forgive all the World, Hope to bee saved, desire to bee dissolved, and bee in Heaven, &c. They may cry aloude with much formall confidence,Many having served their appetites all their lives, presume to thinke, that the se­vere Commādements of the All-powerfull God, were given but in sport; and that the short breath, which we draw, when death presseth us, if wee can but fashion it, to the sound of mercy, is suf­ficient: O quàm multi, saith a reverend Fa­ther, cum hâc sp [...] ad aeternos labores & bel­la descendunt. Rawl. in the Preface to His History of the World. Many cōceit as great an efficacy in these five words, Lord have mercy upon mee, spoken with their last breath, for their translation of their soules into heaven, as the Pa­pists doe of their five words of consecration, for the transubstantiation of their Hoste. Dike. Lord, Lord, open to us; mercy, mercy, in the name of Christ, Lord Iesus receive our spi­rits, &c. which last eiaculations, did they spring from a truly broken, penitent, and heavenly heart, and were they the periods, and conclusions of a well-spent life, might blessedly breake open with unresistable power the gates of Heaven; unlocke the rich treasures of im­mortality, and fill the departing Soule, with the shi­ning beames of Gods glorious presence: but unto them such goodly and glorious speeches are but as so many catchings and scrablings of a Man over head in water: Hee struggles, and strives for hold to save Himselfe; but Hee graspes nothing but water; it is still water, which Hee catches; and therefore sinkes and drownes.

6. In others, from a mis-guided head-strong Zeale in will-worship; an impotent, peremptory conceit, that they suffer in the cause of God, and for the glory of Re­ligion. This unhallowed fury possessed many Here­retikes of old. Vpon this false ground, the Osiander. Cent. 4 pag. 174. Donatists in the fourth Century after Christ offered themselues wil­lingly, and suffered death most couragiously. And so did the Epiphan. Her. 80. Euphemites, who for the multitude of their [Page 74] supposed Martyrs, would needs be called Martyrians. Stories also tell us,Many of the Turkes [...]ight by turning Christians, have saved their lives, and would not, chusing rather to dye, (and as i [...] is re­ported) also to kill themselves, then to forsake their damna­ble superstition. Hist. of the Turkes, pag. 284. The Assasins are a company of most des­perate and dangerous mē among the Maho­metans, who strongly deluded with the blind zeale of their superstition, and ac­counting it meritori­o [...]s, by any meanes to kill any great enemy of their religion; for the performāce ther­of, as men prodigall of their lives, despe­rately adventure thē ­selves unto all kind of dangers. Histor. of the Turkes, pag. 120. that Turkes, Tartars and Mores both fight and dye most bravely and resolutely for the blasphemous opinions of Mahomet. And that the As­sasins, a company of bloody Villaines, and desperate Cut-throates, who would without all scruple or feare undertake to dispatch any Man, whom their Generall commanded them to murther, dyed oftentimes with great constancy and un-dismaiednesse: And this they accounted a speciall point of Religion. But especially at this Day, the Popish Pseudo-martyrs, indeed true Traytors, are starke mad with this superstitious rage. First, they drinke full deepe of the golden cup of abo­minable fornication in the hand of the great Whore. Immediately whereupon they grow into an unsatiable and outragious thirst after the blood of Soules, empoy­soning them with the doctrine of Divels: And also af­ter the blood of whomsoever withstands their accursed superstitions, even tho they weare Imperiall Crownes upon their Heads; by plotting, and practising treasons, parricides, assasinates, empoysonings, ruines of whole Nations, barbarous Massacres, blowing up of Parlia­ments ▪ and a world of bloody mischiefes, which cast an inexpiable staine, and obloquy upon the innocency of Christian Religion. At last, they come to Tyburne, or some other Place of iust execution; and then they will needes beare the world in hand, that they are going to­wards Heaven, to receive a Crowne of Martyrdome. They seeme there already to triumph extraordinarily, and to contemne tortures: with an affected bravery, they trample upon the Tribunals of Iustice, kisse the in­struments of death, in signe of happinesse at hand; and throw many resolute, and reioycing speeches, amongst the people as tho they had one foote in Heaven alrea­dy. When alas! poore, blind, mis-guided Soules, while they thus wilfully and desperately abandon their lives upon a groundlesse, and gracelesse conceite, that [Page 75] they shall become crowned Martyrs; they are like a Man, who lying asleepe upon an high and steepe Rock, dreames that Hee is created a King, guarded with a goodly traine of ancient Nobles, furnished with many princely Houses, and stately Palaces, enriched with the Revenewes, Majesty, and Magnificence of a mighty Kingdome, attended with all the pleasures, His heart could desire, &c. But starting up upon the sudden, and leaping for ioy; falls headlong, and irrecoverably into the raging Sea; and so in liew of that imaginary hap­pinesse, Hee vainely grasped in a dreame, Hee destroies Himselfe, and looseth that little reall comfort, Hee had in this miserable life. That damned paire of incarnate Divels, the English Fawkes and French Ravillac; the one, after that in the Popes cause, Hee had embrued His hands in the Royall blood of a mighty King, and the greatest Warriour upon Earth; The other having done His utmost to blow up at once, the glory, power, wise­dome; the Religion, peace, and posterity of the most renowned State under the Heavens; were both pro­digiously bold, confident, peremptory. But was this courage thinke you inspired into them, by the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah, already triumphant in the Heavens, or by that roaring Dragon of the bottomlesse Pit? A man of an understanding, impartiall, discerning spirit, would scarcely wish a clearer demonstration of the Truth, and Orthodoxnes of our Religion, then to marke the different Ends of our blessed Martyrs in Q. Maries time, & those Popish Traytors, which are sometimes exe­cuted amongst us. They both ordinarily at their Ends expresse a great deale of confidence: But in the Pseudo-Catholicks Antichristian Martyrs, it is so enforced, artificiall, ambitious, affected; Their speeches so cun­ning, and composed upon purpose to seduce the simple; Their last behaviour [...]o plotted before-hand, and for­mally acted; Their prayers so unhearty, plodding and perfunctory; Their whole carriage so unspirituall, and [Page 76] unlike the Saints of God, discovering, neither former acquaintances with the mysteries of true sanctification, nor those present feeling elevations of spirit, which are woont to fill the Soules, which are ready to enter into the Ioyes of Heaven; that to a spirituall eye, to a man verst in the purity, and power of godlinesse, it is most cleare, that their comfort in such cases, is of no higher straine, nor stronger temper, then the morall resolution of an Heathen, and head-strong conceit of Heresie can represent, or reach unto. It is otherwise with the true Martyrs of Iesus, slaine most cruelly by that great Whore, the MOTHER of HARLOTS, drunken with a world of innocent blood, as with sweet Wine: As we may see and feele in that glorious Martyriology of our Saints, in the mercilesse times of Queene Mary. The constant profession, and power of our most true, and ever-blessed Religion did create such an holy, and humble Maiesty in their carriages; such a deale of Heaven, and sober undantednesse in their countenan­ces; such ioyfull springings, and spirituall ravishments in their hearts; such grace, and powerfull peircings in their speeches; such zeale, and hearty meltings in their prayers; such triumphant, and heavenly exultations amid the flames; that it was more then manifest, both to Heaven and Earth; to Men and Angels, that their Cause, was the Cause of God; their Murtherer, that Man of sinne; their blood, the seede of the Church; their Soules, the Iewels of Heaven; and their present passage, the right and ready way, to that unfading and most glorious Crowne of Martyrdome. That which in fiction, was fathered upon Father Campion, was most true of every one of our true Martyrs:

That every one might say, with heavy heart that stood:

Here speakes a Saint, here dies a Lambe, here flowes the guiltlesse blood.

Thus you haue heard, upon what weake props and [Page 77] sandy foundations that confidence stands, and is built, which carnall men seeme to lay hold upon with great bravery in times of trouble, and distresse But the com­fort which sweetely springs from that spirit, I speake of, supported, out of speciall favour, and interest, by the hand of God, All-sufficient, and the unconquerable calmnesse of a good conscience is grounded upon a Rocke; upon which, tho the raine descends, the floods come, the windes blow, the tempests beate; yet it stands like Mount Zion, sure, sober, strong, lasting, impregna­ble. Nay, Vir pius ex perīcu­lis vires majores colli­git. Eos non vis tem­poris, non Principis ter­ror, non oratio, non in­vidia, nō metꝰ, no accu­sator, non calummator, non bellumapertè infe­rens, non clandestinas insidias struens, non in speciem noster, non alie­nus, non aurun, hoc est, occultus tyrannus, per quem nunc multa sur­sum deorsumque, velut in talorum ludo sactan­tur, non verbo [...]m il­lecebrae, non minae, non diuturna & repetita exilia (solt enim hono­rum proscriptioni in eos propter magnas i [...]as divitias, quae in pau­pertate sitae sunt, nihil licuit) non aliud quid­piam absentium, aut praesertium, aut in ex­pecta [...]ione positorum extulit, aut adducere potu [...]t, ut detertores fierent—I [...]rmò contrà ex ipsis periculis vires maiores collegerunt, atque acriori animo­rum contentione in pietatis studium & defensionem incubuerunt. Hu [...] smodi enim v [...]m ha­bet arumna pro Christi nomine suscepta, ut ardentiores amori faces subdat, vtrisque in datmi magnitudine praestantibuo ad sequentia certamina quasi arrabonis cujusmodi vicem praebeat. Nazian. Orat. 34. it is of that heavenly metall, and divine temper, that it ordinarily gathers vigour and puissance from the worlds rage; and growes in strength and re­solution together with the encrease of all iniust oppo­sitions: Persecutions, and resistance serue as a provoca­tion, and seasoning to it's sweetnesse. It is not enforced, formall, artificiall, affected, furious, desperate, mis­grounded, ambitious, upon an humour, in the face onely, onely in hot blood, out of a vaine-glorious pang, &c. Such may bee found in Aliens, and resolute re­probates. It were nothing worthy, if strangers might meddle with it: If Men or Divels, or the whole World could take it from us; If it were sustained onely by any created power, or arme of flesh. This Pearle that I praise, and perswade unto, is of an higher price, and more transcendent power, then any unregenerate Man can possibly compasse, or comprehend. It hath for it's seate, a sanctified Soule; for the Fountaine of it's refresh­ing, the Spirit of all comfort; for it's foundation, the fa­vour of God; for it's Warrant, the promises of Amen, the faithfull, and true Witnesse; for it's object, an im­mortall Crowne; for it's continuance, the prayers of [Page 78] all the Saints; for it's companions, inward peace, invin­cible courage, an holy security of minde; for it's end and perfection, fulnesse of ioy, and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore. In a word, this couragious comfort, and true noblenesse of spirit, which dwells in the heart of the true-hearted Christian doth differ as much from, and as farre surpasses all the groundlesse confidences of what carnall men, or religious counter­feits soever; as the reall possession of gold, an imagina­ry dreame of gold; as the true naturall, lively Grape, which glads the heart, a painted juycelesse Grape, which onely feedes the eye▪ as a strong, and mighty Oake, rooted deepely in the earth, which no storme or tempest can displant or overthrow, a Stake in a dead hedge, or Staffe stucke lightly into the ground, which every hand may snatch away, or blast of winde sup­plant, and overthrow.

Secondly, the trouble of a wounded conscience, is further amplified by it's Attribute, intolerable­nesse. But a wounded Spirit who can beare? Whence, note;

Doctr. That the torture of a troubled Conscience is intolerable.

Reas. 1. In all other afflictions, onely the Arme of flesh is our adversary; wee contend but with Creatures at most; wee have to doe but with Man, or at worst, with Divels: but in this transcendent misery, wee con­flict immediately with God Himselfe: Fraile Man with Almighty God; sinfull Man with that most ho­ly God,Habac 1.13. Nahum 1.6. Whose eyes are purer then to behold evill, and who cannot looke upon iniquity. Who then can stand be­fore his indignation? Who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger? When his fury is powred out like fire, and the Rocks are throwne downe by Him: When hee comes a­gainst a man as a Beare that is bereaved of her Whelpes, Hosea 13.8. torent the very caule of His heart, and to devoure him like a Lion. No more then the driest stubble can resist [Page 79] the fierest flame; the ripe Corne, the Mowers sharpest sythe; or a garment, the Moath: no more, nay infinite­ly lesse can any power of Man or Angell withstand the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth, when Hee is angry for Sinne.Psal. 39.11. When thou, saith David, with rebukes cor­rectest man for iniquity, thou as a Sed primo intuitu ab­surda videri posset comparatio Dei cum ti­neâ. Quid enim assi [...] ­ne habet vermiculo im­mensa Dei majestas? Respondeo, aptissimè Davidem hac similitu­tudine suisse usum, ut sciamus, quamvis non palam [...]ulminete coelo Deus, non aliter tamen occulatâ ejus maledictio­ne consumi reprob [...]s, actinea caeco morsu pan­num, vel lignum absu­mit: & simul respicit ad excellentiam, quam duit quasi putredine corrumpi, ubi Deus in­festus est, sicuti pretio­sissimas quas (que) vestes, suâ tabe con [...]icit tinea. Calvin. Moath makest his beauty to consume. Alas! when a poore polluted wretch, upon some speciall illumination by the Word, or ex­traordinary stroke from the rod, doth once begin to be­hold Gods frowning face against Him, in the pure Glasse of His most holy Law; and to feele divine iu­stice by an invisible hand, taking secret vengeance upon his conscience; His heavy heart immediately melts a­way in his brest, and becomes as water. Hee faints and failes, both in the strength of his body, and stoutnesse of his minde. His bones, the pillars, and Master-timber of his earthly Tabernacle, are presently broken in pie­ces, and turn'd into rottennesse: His spirit the eye and excellency of his Soule, which should illighten, and make lightsome the whole Man, is quite put out, and utterly overwhelm'd, with excesse of horrour, and flashes of despaire. O this is it, which would not onely crush the courage of the stoutest sonne of Adam, that ever breath'd upon earth; but even breake the backe of the most glorious Angell, that did ever shine in Hea­ven, should Hee lift up but one rebellious thought against his Creatour! This alone is able to make the tallest Cedar in L [...]banon, the strongest Oake in Basan; I meane the highest looke, and the proudest heart; the most boisterous Nimrod, or swaggering Belshazzar, to bow and bend, to stoope and tremble, as the leaves of the forrest, that are sh [...]ken with the winde.

2. In all other adversities, a man is still a friend unto himselfe, favours himselfe, and reaches out his best con­siderations to bring in comfort to his heavy heart. But in this, Hee is a scourge to Himselfe, at warre with Him­selfe, an enemy to Himselfe. Hee doth greedily and in­dustriously [Page 80] fetch in as much matter, as hee can possibly, both imaginary and true, to enlarge the rent, and aggra­vate his horrour. Hee gazes willingly in that false glasse, which Satan is woont in such Cases, to set before Him; wherein by his Hellish malice Hee makes an in­finite addition both to the already un-numbred multi­tude, and to the too true hainousnesse of his sinnes; and would faine, if Hee will be lead by his lying cruelty, mis-represent to his affrighted imagination, every Gnat as a Camell; every Moate as a Mole-hill; every Mole-hill as a Mountaine; every lustfull thought as a Sodo­miticall villany; every idle word as a desperate blas­phemy; every angry looke as an actuall bloody mur­der; every intemperate passion, as an inexpiable provo­cation; every distraction in holy duties as a damnable rebellion; every transgression against light of consci­ence, as a sinne against the holy Ghost, &c. Nay, in this amazednesse of spirit, and disposition to despaire, Hee is apt even of his owne accord, and with great eager­nesse, to arme every severall sinne, as it comes into his minde with a particular bloody sting, that it may strike deepe enough, and sticke fast enough in His already grieved Soule. Hee imployes and improoves, the excel­lency, and utmost of His learning, understanding, wit, memory, Sed Franciscus Spira mir [...] sagacitate ad sia­gula responaebat — Q [...]ae un (que) adjereban­tur, to [...]que [...]at, ageb it­que [...]n contraria par­tem magna violenti [...] argumentorum, & ad­mirandae orantionis [...]m pet [...]. —Nihil pot [...]it adeo ap [...]e proponi, nihil tama [...]co [...]odate adfer­ri, quod non ille vel re­fel [...]eret argutissime, vel elu [...]et calli dissime, vel dissolveret promptissime. Saepè intrà meipsum cogitavi, eum nequaquam f [...]isse it a perspicacem in [...]ulicio dogmatum, ita porrò excercitatum in disputationibus Theologi [...]is, cum sanus esset. Hist. De Francis [...]. Spi [...]a, p. 120.121. to argue with all subtilty, with much Sophi­stry against the pardonablenes of his sins, and possibi­litie of salvation. Hee wounds even his wounds, with a conceit, they are incurable, and vexes his very vexati­ons, with refusing to bee comforted. Not onely crosses, afflictions, temptations, and all matter of discontent­ment; but even the most desirable things also in this life, and those which minister most outward comfort; Wife, It is said of the same Spira, that In tantis suis malis, Hee did, silieris suorū non aliter, vultus & manus, qua tortorū semper exborrescere ▪ Ibid. p. 84. Children, Friends; Gold, Goods, Great mens favours; [Page 81] Preferments, Honours, Offices, even Mentem eripit timor hic, vultum totúmque corporis habitum im­mutat, cliā in delicijs. in tirpudijs, in Sympo­sijs &c. carnisicinam exercet. Lemmius li. 4. cap. 21. Pleasures them­selves every thing; whatsoever is within Him, or with­out Him, or Contra me quaecun (que) sunt uspiam, in Coelo & sub Coelo consenser [...]nt, ut mihi molestiam faci­ant: coelum, elementa, mundus, Deus Angeli, homines, diaboli Hist. de Spira pag 112. about Him; whatsoever He thinkes up­on, remembers, heares, sees, turne all to his torment. No marvaile then, tho the terrour of a wounded con­science bee so intolerable.

3. As the exultations of the Soule; and spirituall re­freshments doe incomparably surpasse, both in excellen­cy of Object, and sweetnesse of apprehension all plea­sures of se [...]se, and bodily delights: so afflictions of the Soule, and spirituall pangs doe infinitely exceede, both in bitternesse of sense, and intension of sorrow the most exquisite tortures, can possibly bee inflicted upon the Mul [...]o saeviorlonge (que) atrocior est anuni▪ quàm corporis crucia­tus Lemmius. lib. 1. cap. 12. Tan ò poena intolerabi­lior, quantò spiritus corpore subtilior. Body For the Soule is a spirit, very subtile, quicke, active, stirring, all life, motion, sense, feeling; and there­fore farre more capable and apprehensive, of all kinds of impressions, whether passions of pleasure, or inflicti­ons of pa [...]e.

4. This extremest of miseries, a wounded spirit, is tempered with such strong, and strange ingredients of extraordinary feares;Ier. 20 4. Prov 28 1. Levit. 26 37. Psal. 53 [...]. that it makes a man a terrour to himselfe, and to all his friends: To flee when none pur­sues, at the sound of a shaken leafe: To tremble at his owne shadow; to bee in great feare, where no feare is: Besides the insupportable burthen of too many true and causefull terrours, it fills His darke and dreadfull Fancy with a world of fained horrours, gastly appariti­ons, and imaginary Hells, which notwithstanding, have reall stings, and impresse true tortures upon his trembling and wofull heart. It is empoysoned with such restlesse anguish, and desperate paine, that tho life bee most sweete, and Hell most horrible; yet it makes a man wilfully to abandon the one, and willingly to embrace the other, that Hee may bee rid of it's rage. Hence it was, that Iudas preferred an Halter and Hell, before his present horrour. That Spira said often, (what heart quakes not to heare it?) that Hee envied [Page 82] Sae [...]e dixit infelicissi­mus Spira se invidere Caino, Saulo & Iudae. Ibid. pag. 31. Optate se in loco Iudae & Caini esse. Ibid. p. 38. Ex ill [...] h [...]r [...] im [...]sit De [...]s tu cor e [...]us [...]er­m [...]m c [...]r [...]dentem, ig­nem i [...]exting [...]thilem, ut horrine, con [...]si [...]ne, d [...]sp [...]ratione [...] ò re­pl [...]retur. Q [...]i vermis & ign [...]s nunquam ex­ [...]ude [...] derelique­rant, [...] deteri­ori in [...] quàm si separat [...] à cor­pore animà, cum Iuda, Caino & caeteris dam­natis esset: desiderans se loco [...] mor [...]ui & damnati e [...]se potius, [...] corpore vi­vere. [...]. pag. 13. Asserebat, v [...]rmem il­lum rodentem, & ig­nem inextinctam ita cordis penetralia exe­dere, & adurere, [...] sit deterior s [...]a [...] qua vel [...] Iudae, & qui [...]em ma [...] se [...]am mort [...] [...] dam­nati [...] esse, qu [...]m in ha­vita [...]. Nicol. Laurent. in Ale [...]ipharmaco adversus desperat [...]o­nis pestem. pag 31. Cain, Saul and Iudas: wishing rather any of their roomes, in the Dungeon of the damned, then to have his poore heart so rent in pieces with such raging terrors, & fiery desperations upon his Bed of death. Whereupon at another time beeing [...] f [...]turos post han [...] [...]tiam cruciatus acerbiores, aut [...] s [...]se quidem, longe durio­ra, [...] & [...] expetere, ac desiderae­re, [...] nihil ipsi gravi [...]s pertimescendum sciret. Ibid. pag. 86. asked, Whether Hee feared more fearefull torments after this life: Yes, said Hee: But I desire nothing more, then to bee in that place, where I shall expect no more. Expectation, as it seemes of fu­ture, did infinitely aggravate and enrage His already intolerable torture.

5. The Heathens, who had no fuller sight of the foulenesse of sinne, or more smarting sense of divine vengeance for it, then the light of naturall conscience was able to afford and represent unto them; yet were woont in fiction to shadow out in some sort, and inti­mate unto us, the insufferable extremities of a minde troubled in this kinde; by hellish furies, following ma­lefactors with burning fire-brands, and flames of tor­ture: What understanding then is able to conceive, or tongue to report, in what case that sinfull conscience must needs bee, when it is once awakened; which besides, the notions of naturall light, hath also, the full Sun of Gods sacred Word, and that pure Eye, which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne, and cannot looke upon iniquity, to irradiate and enrage it to the height of guiltinesse, and depth of horrour? Both heart and tongue; Man and Angell must let that alone for ever. For none can take the true estimate of this imme­surable spirituall misery, but hee that can comprehend the length, and breadth of that infinite unresistable wrath, which once implacably enkindled in the bo­some of God, burnes to the very bottome of Hell, and [Page 83] there creates the extremity and endlesnesse of all those un-expressable torments, and fiery plagues, which af­flict the Diuels and damned Soules in that horrible Pit.

6. Not onely the desperate cries of Cain, Iudas, Latomus, cum ex am­bitione contra consci­entiam, veritatem E­vangelij atrociter im­pugnasset, & inquisitor pravitatis hareti [...]ae fa­ctus, Christi fideles im­manissimè esset persecu­tus; in corpore vegeto, & sano, subitâ trepid [...] ­tione, & te [...]roribus, itae est perculsus, ut quos ex amicis no [...]erat, doctis­simos ad s [...] accerseret, suámque impietatem, in extremâ constitutus desperatione, ultrò fate­retur. Grave est, inqui­ens, peccatum meum, qui prudens, sciensque in verbo Dei persequ [...]n­do, & opprimendo, alijs operam meam collocavi. Quare adversus Spiri­tum sanctum peccavi, nec ulla v [...]lin hâc vitâ, vel in aeternâ peccati mei condonatio speran­da est Sed diaboli & corpore & animâ per­petuum sum mancipi­um, adeóque in regnum ejus incorporatus: atque ita inter horrendos mugitus mortuus est. Alexipharm. adversus Desperat. Authore Nicolao Laurentio. Latomus, and many other such miserable men of for­lorne hope, but also the wofull complaints even of Gods owne deare Children discover the truth of this Point, to wit, the terrours and intolerablenesse of a wounded Conscience. Heare how rufully three ancient Wor­thies in their times wrastled with the wrath of God in this kinde. I reckoned till morning, saith Hezekiah, that as a Isai. 38.13. Quòd autem Deum comparat Leoni, absurdum videri non debet.—Oportet enim flagellis Domini effi [...]aciam iness [...], quà humiliomur at que deijciamur usque ad ipsos inferos, & consolatione pro­pemodum destituto omnia horror is plena concipiamus: quemadmodum etiam horrores istos de­scriptos à Davide cernimus, dum ossa sua dinumerata, lectum suum lachrymis madefactum, an [...]mam suam turbatam, inferos apertos esse dicit. Sic enim pios interdum judicio Dei t [...]rreri necesse est, ut bonitatis ejus desiderio magis afficiantur. Calvin. Lion, so will hee breake all my bones: Even as the weake and trembling limbes of some lesser neglected Beast are crusht and torne in pieces by the unresistable Paw of an unconquerable Lion; so was His troubled Soule terrified and broken with the anger of the Al­mighty. Hee could not speake for bitternesse of griefe, and anguish of heart; but chattered like a Crane or a Swallow, and mourned like a Dove. Thou Iob 13 26. writest bit­ter things against mee, saith Iob, and makest mee to pos­sesse the iniquities of my youth. The Iob 6, 4.8. arrowes of the Al­mighty are within mee, the poyson thereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrours of God doe set themselves in aray a­gainst mee. O that I might have my request! And that God would grant mee the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy mee, that Hee would let loose his hand, and cut mee off. Nay yet worse: Iob 7.14, 15. Thou scarest mee with dreames, and terrifiest mee through vi­sious. [Page 84] So that my Soule chuseth Non quòd de laqueo cogitárit, sed quòd in tantâ mili acerbitate, & inquietudine tam diurn [...], quàm noctur­nà, s [...]lterutri [...]s detur optio, l [...]gè malit la­queum, quà in talem [...]i tam [...]abisane vidoloris anactus hoc dicit sui oblitu [...]. Nam neq [...]e ho [...] excusa [...]i potest. Sed ita sibi in suo dolore, & ipse suo dolo [...]s ind [...]lget. Mere. strangling, and death rather then my life. Tho God in mercy preserves his servants from the monstrous and most abhorred Act of selfe-murder; yet in some melancholike moode, hor­rour of minde, and bitternesse of spirit, they are not quite freed from all impatient wishes that way, and sud­den suggestions thereunto. Psal. 32.3, 4. My bones waxed old, saith David, through my roaring all the day long. Day and night thy hand was heavy upon mee: my moysture is turned into the drought of Summer. Thine arrowes sticke fast in mee, and thy hand presseth mee sore. There is no soundnesse in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sinne. For mine iniquities are gone over my head: as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for mee.—I am troubled, I am bowed downe greatly; I goe mourning all the day long.—I am feeble, and sore broken. I have roared by reason of the dis­quj [...]tnesse of my heart. Heare also, into what a depth of spirituall distresse three worthy servants of God in these later times, were plung'd and pressed downe under the sense of Gods anger for sinne: Blessed Mistris See the Discourse of the holy l [...]fe, and Ch [...]i­stian death of Mistris Katherin Brettergh. Bret­tergh upon Her last Bed was horribly hemmed in with the sorrowes of death; the very griefe of Hell laid hold upon Her Soule; a roaring Wildernesse of woe was with­in Her, as She confessed of Her selfe. She said, her sinnes had made Her a prey to Satan; And wished that she had never been borne, or that shee had been made any other creature, rather then a Woman. Shee cryed out many times, Woe, woe, woe, &c. A weake, a wofull, a wretched, a forsaken woman; with teares continually trickling from her eyes. Master In the narration of His dreadfull desertion upon his Bed of death. Peacock that man of God, in that His dreadfull visitation and desertion, recounting some smaller sinnes, burst out into these words. And for these, saith Hee, I feele now an Hell in my conscience. Vpon o­ther occasions, Hee cryed out, groaning most pitifully: Oh mee Wretch! Oh mine heart is miserable! Oh, Oh, miserable and wofull! The burthen of my sinne lyeth so [Page 85] heavy upon mee, I doubt it will breake my heart. Oh how wofull and miserable is my state, that thus must converse with Hell-hounds! When By-standers asked, if Hee would pray: Hee answered; I cannot. Suffer us, say they to pray for you. Take not, replyed Hee, the Name of God in vaine, by praying for a Reprobate. What grie­vous pangs, what sorrowfull torments, what boyling heates of the fire of Hell that blessed Saint of God, Acts and Monum. I [...] the story of Master Ro­bert Glover. p. 1551. Iohn Glo­ver, felt inwardly in his spirit, saith Fox, no speech out­wardly is able to expresse. Being young, saith Hee, I re­member I was once or twice with Him, whom partly by His talke I perceived, and partly by mine owne eyes saw to bee so worne, and consumed by the space of five yeeres, that neither almost any brooking of meat, quietnes of sleep, pleasure of life, yea, and almost no kind of senses was left in Him. Vpon apprehension of some back-sliding, Hee was so perplexed, that if Hee had been in the deepest Pit of Hell, Hee could almost have despaired no more of His sal­vation: saith the same Author: In which intolerable griefes of minde, saith Hee, although Hee neither had, nor could have any ioy of his meate, yet was Hee compelled to eate against his appetite, to the end to differre the time of His damnation, so long, as Hee might, thinking with Him­selfe no lesse, but that Hee must needs bee throwne into Hell, the breath beeing once out of his Body. I dare not passe out of this Point, lest some Childe of God should bee here discouraged, before I tell you, that every One of these three last named, was at length blessedly reco­vered, and did rise most gloriously out of their severall Depths of extremest spirituall misery, before their end. Heare therefore also Mistris Bretterghs In the fore-cited Dis­course. triumphant Songs, and ravishments of spirit after the returne of Her Welbeloved: O Lord Iesu doest Thou pray for mee? O blessed and sweete Saviour, How wonderfull! How won­derfull! How wonderfull are thy mercies! Oh thy love is unspeakeable, that hast dealt so graciously with mee! O my Lord and my God, blessed bee thy Name for evermore, [Page 86] which hast s [...]wed mee the Path of life. Thou didst, O Lord, hide thy face from mee for a little season, but with everlasting mercy thou hast had compassion on mee: And now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come; yea Lord, thou hast had respect unto thine hand-maide, and art come with fulnesse of ioy, and abundance of consolati­ons: O blessed bee thy Name my Lord and my God: O the ioyes! the ioyes! the ioyes, that I feele in my Soule! Oh they bee wonderfull! They bee wonderfull! They bee wonderfull! O Father, how mercifull, and marveilous gracious art thou unto mee! yea Lord, I feele thy mercy, and I am assured of thy love, and so certaine am I there­of, as Thou art the God of truth, even so sure doe I know my Selfe to bee thine, O Lord my God; and this my Soule knoweth right well, and this my Soule knoweth right well. O blessed bee the Lord; O blessed bee the Lord, that hath thus comforted mee, and hath brought mee now to a place more sweet unto mee, then the Garden of Eden. Oh the ioy, the ioy, the delightsome ioy that I feele! —O praise the Lord for his mercies, and for this ioy which my Soule feeleth full well, prayse His Name for evermore. Heare with what heavenly calmenesse, and sweete comforts, Master Peacocks heart was In the above-named Narration. refresht and ravisht when the storme was over: Truly, my heart and Soule, saith Hee (when the tempest was some­thing alayed) have been farre led, and deepely troubled with temptations, and stings of conscience, but I thanke God they are eased in good measure. Wherefore I desire that I bee not branded with the note of a cast-away, or re­probate. Such questions, oppositions, and all tending there­to, I renounce. Concerning mine inconsiderate speeches in my temptation, I humbly, and heartily aske mercy of God for them all. Afterward by little, and little, more light did arise in His heart, and Hee brake out into such speeches as these: I doe, God bee praised, feele such comfort, from that, what shall I call it? Agony, said One that stood by; Nay, quoth Hee, that is too little; That [Page 87] had I five hundred worlds, I could not make satisfaction for such an issue. Oh the Sea is not more full of water, nor the Sunne of light, then the Lord of mercy! yea His mercies are ten thousand times more. What great cause have I, to magnifie the great goodnesse of God, that hath humbled, [...]ay rather exalted, such a wretched Miscreant, and of so base condition, to an estate so glorious and state­ly! The Lord hath honoured me with His goodnesse? I am sure, Hee hath provided a glorious Kingdome for me. The ioy that I feele in mine heart, is incredible. For the third, heare Acts and Monum. Ibid.M. Fox: Tho this good Servant of God suffe­red many yeares so sharp temptations, and strong buffetings of Satan: yet the Lord, who graciously preserved Him all the while, not onely at last did rid him out of all discom­fort, but also framed him thereby to such mortification of life, as the like lightly hath not been seene; in such sort, as Hee b [...]eing like one placed in Heaven already, and d [...]ad in this world, both in word and meditation, led a life al­together celestiall, abhorring in His mind all prophane do [...]ngs.

7. No arme of flesh, or Art of man; no earthly com­fort, or created power can possibly heale or helpe in this heaviest case, and extreamest horrour; Heaven and earth, Men and Angels, friends and Physicke; gold and silver, pleasures and preferments, fauour of Princes; nay the utmost possibility of the whole creation must let this alone for ever. An Almighty hand, and infinite skill must take this in hand; or else never any cure or reco­very in this world or the world to come. Bodily dis­eases may be eased, and mollified by medicines: Sur­gery, as they say, hath a salve for every sore: Poverty may be repaired and releived by friends: There is no imprisonment without some hope of enlargement. Sute and favour may helpe home out of banishment. Inno­cency and neglect may weare-out disgrace: Griefe for losse of a wife, a Child, or other dearest friend, if not by reasons from Reason, that death is un-avoidable, [Page 88] necessary, an end of all earthly miseries, the common way of all Mankinde, &c. yet at last is lessened and ut­terly lost by length of time. Cordialls of Pearle, Sa­phyres, and Rubies, with such like, may recomfort the heart possest with Melancholy, and drown'd in the darkenesse of that sad, and irkesome humour, &c. But now not the most exquisite concurrence of all these, nor all the united abilities, which lie within the strength and sinewes of the Arme of flesh, can helpe any whit at all in this Case. Not the exactest quintessence ex­tracted from all the joyes, glory and pleasures, that e­ver the world enjoyed, can procure, or minister one jote of ease to a Soule afflicted in this kinde, and thus trembling under the terrours of God. In such an A­gony, and extremity haddest thou the utmost aide, and an universall attendance from Angels and men; couldest thou reach the top of the most aspiring hu­mane ambition, after the excellency and variety of all worldly felicities: were thy possessions as large as East and West; were thy meate continually Manna from Heaven; every day, like the day of Christs resurrecti­on: Were thy apparell as costly and orient as Aarons Ephod; nay, thy Body cloth'd with the beauty of the Sunne, and crownde with Starres; yet for all this, and a thousand more, thy heart within Thee would bee as cold as a stone, and tremble, infinitely above the heart of a woman, entring into travell of Her first Childe. For alas, who can stand before the mighty Lord God? Who dare pleade with Him, when Hee is angry? What spirit of man hath might, to wrastle with His Maker? Who is able to make an agreement with the Hells of Con­science? or to put to silence the voyce of desperation? Oh! in this conflict alone, and wofull wound of consci­ence, O miseri, in quanto errore, versamini. Pa­tatisne hunc morbum ejusmod [...] esse, quipbar­ [...]acis, aut ope humanâ supera [...]i possit [...] Credite mihi, aliunu [...] petenda est medicina. Non prodest ad animae agritudines, peccati cognitione, & irae Dei pondere pro­stratae, nec potio, nec Cataplasma, nec deductio per Pharmacum: sed in hoc genere, Medicus Christus est, vox Evangelij Autidotum. Hist. de Spira, Pag. 106.no Electuary of Pearle or pretious Baulme, no [Page 89] Bezoars stone; or Vnicornes horne; Paracelsian quin­tessence, or Potable Gold; No new devise of the Knights of the Rosie-Crosse, nor the most exquisite ex­traction, which Alchymy, or Art it selfe can create, is able any whit, or at all to revive ease, or asswage. It is onely the hand of the holy Ghost, by the blood of that blessed Lambe, Iesus Christ the holy, and the righteous, which can binde up such a bruise.

Vses. 1. Counsell to the unconverted: That they would take the stings out of their sinnes, and prevent the desperatenesse, and incurablenesse of this horrible wound, by an humble, sincere, universall turning unto the Lord, while it is called Tempestivè incipia­mus sentire conscientiae horrores, dum [...]empus est gratia, quâ vulnera­ta conscientia sanari potest suavissimus Chri­sti promissio [...]ibus. Nam si sensum hunc differa­mus, &c. Rolloc. in loan 5. pag. 287. To Day. For assuredly in the meane time, all the sinnes they have heretofore committed in thought, word or deede; at any time, in a­ny place, with any company, or to which they have bin any wayes accessary, are already upon record before the pure Eye of that high and everlasting Iudge, writ­ten exactly by the hand of divine Iustice in the Book of their consciences, with a pen of iron, with the claw of an Adamant, with the point of a Diamond, or if you can name any thing, which makes a stronger, deeper and more lasting impression: & there they lye, like so many Lions asleepe, and Giants refreshing with wine, gathe­ring much desperate poyson, and s [...]inging points; that whensoever hereafter, they shall bee effectually and fi­nally awaked by Gods angry hand, they may torment most ragingly, and teare their wofull Soules in pieces everlastingly, when there is none to helpe.

Now wee may see and observe many times, one lit­tle sin, at least in the worlds account, and conceite of car­nall men, to plunge a guilty conscience into the depth of extremest horrour, and a very Hell upon Earth: As I have heard of, and knowne in many: One for a sudden, unadvised imprecation against Her owne Soule, in case She did so or so: Another, for a thought conceived of God, unworthy so great a Majesty: Another, for cove­tously [Page 90] keeping a thing found, and not restoring it, or not inquiring after the Owner: Another for an adulterous project, without any actuall pollution: Another, by concurring with a company of scoffing Ishmaels onely once, and ere Hee was aware, by lifting up the hands, and casting up the eyes, in scorne of Gods people, &c. Yet afterwards they sadly revising these miscarriages in cold blood, some of them some five or sixe yeeres af­ter, God beeing then pleased to represent them with terrour, and their native stings, were cast into that affli­ction of conscience, and confusion of spirit, that their very bones were broken; their faces fill'd with ghastli­nesse and feare; their bodies possessed with strange tremblings and languishing distempers; their very vi­tall moysture turned into the drought of Summer: In which dreadfull perplexity they were in great danger of destroying themselves, and of being swallowed up of despaire. If the guilty sense then of one Sin, when God sets it on, and sayes unto it, Torment, drawes so many fiery points of stinging Scorpions after it; charges upon the excellency of the understanding with such hideous darkenesse; rents the heart in pieces with such desperate rage; grindes into powder, the arme and sinewes of all earthly succour; melts, like Dew before the Sunne, all those delights, and pleasures which the whole world offers, or affords to comfort in such a Case; In a word, makes a man so extreamely miserable, That Hee would make Himselfe away; wishes with unspeakeable griefe, that Hee had never been; that Hee might returne into the abhorred state of annihilation; that Hee were any other Creature; that Hee might lye hid world with­out End under some everlasting Rocke, from the face of God; Nay, that Hee were rather in Hell, then in His present horrour: I say it being thus, what unquencha­ble wrath; what streames of brimstone; what restlesse anguish; what gnashing of teeth; what knawing of conscience; what despairefull roarings; what horrible [Page 91] torments; what fiery Hells feeding upon His Soule and flesh for ever, may every impenitent wretch expect, when the whole blacke and bloudy Catalogue of all His sinnes shall bee marshold and mustered up together at once against Him? every one beeing keened with as much torturing fury, as the infinite anger of Almighty God can put into it▪ after that Hee hath accursedly with much incorrigible stubbornnesse out-stood the day of His gracious visitation, under this glorious Sun­shine of the Gospell, wherein Hee either hath, or if Hee had been as As if a foolish wretch should chuse rather to starve at the Bakers Stall, then lay out His penny in bread. So God knowes many a wretched man famish­eth his Soule to spare His purse; contented to live in a barren and drie wildernes, where there is neither bread nor water of life; where there is no visi­on, no preaching; ra­ther then to feede His Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards; that is, to dwell, where Hee may heare, or (which were more charitable) to procure that Hee▪ with others may heare, where hee dwelleth. S. Crooke. provident for His immortall Soule, as carking for His rotten Carkasse, might have enioyed very powerfull meanes all His life long: And yet all the while neglected so great salvation; forsooke his owne mercy; and so iudged Himselfe unworthy of everlasting life.

If a lighter Sinne many times lite so heavy, when the Conscience is illightened; How will thy poore Soule tremble under the terrible, and untolerable weight of all thy sinnes together? When all thy lyes, all thy oathes, all thy rotten speeches, and railings; All thy bedlam passions, and filthy thoughts; All thy Good-fellow-meetings, Ale-house-hauntings, and scoffings of Gods people; All the wrongs thou hast done, all the goods thou hast got ill, all the time thou hast mis­pent; Thy prophanation of every Sabbath, thy killing of Christ at every Sacrament, thy Non-proficiency at every Sermon; Thy ignorance, thy unbeliefe, thy world­linesse, thy covetousnesse, thy pride, thy malice, thy lust, thy luke-warmenesse, impatiency, discontentment, vaine-glory, Selfe-love; The innumerable swarmes of vaine, idle, wandring, and wicked imaginations; In a word all the pollutions, distempers, and estrangednesse from God in thine heart: all the villanies, vanities, and rebellions of thy whole life; I say, when all these shall bee charged upon thy gracelesse Soule by the implaca­ble indignation of that highest Majesty, whose mercy, [Page 92] Ministry, and long suffering, thou hast shamefully abu­sed; whose anger, patience, and pure eye thou hast vil­lanously provoked all thy life long; Alas what wilt thou doe then! What wings of the morning will then carry Thee out of the reach of Gods revenging hand? What Cave shall receive thee? What Mountaine canst Thou get by entreaty to fall upon Thee? What dar­kest Mid-night, or Hellish Dungeon shall hide thee from that wrath, which Thou shall bee neither able to abide, or to avoide? In this case, I would not have thy heart in my Brest one houre, for the riches, glory and pleasures often thousand worlds.

Neither blesse thy Selfe in the meane time, because Thou hast neither feare, fore-tast, or feeling of the wrath which is to come, the vengeance which hangs o­ver thine Head, and the horrour which dog's Thee at the heeles▪ Ne, quòd peccans non doles, parvi pendas: sed propter hoc saltem maxime gemas: quoni­am peccatorū dolorem non sent is. Non enim hoc provenit, quòd pec­catum nō mordeat, sed quòd anima peccans s [...]t insensata.—Peccantes non dolere magis eum indignari facit & irasci, quàm peccare. Chrysost. ad. pop Antioch. Hom. 46. Quòd si quis existet, qui Di­aboli plag is non persentiat; nimirùmillius norbus ex illâ indolentiâ ingravesett. Quemcun­que enim plaga una inflicta non mordet, neque attristat, is certè facile & alteram excipit: itemque & hac acceptâ, tertiam: ne (que) enim intermitit ad extremum usque spiritum feriens [...]efarius ille, quoties invenit animam supinam, prioresque plagas contemnenten. Idem de Sacerdotio. lib. 6. Isti quisanos seputabant, multò periculosius & desperatiùs aegrotahant. August de verbis Apost. Serm. 9. But Satan is not willing to deale so roughly with the unregenerate, if Hee could chuse: for Hee stands ever in most danger of losing them, when Hee carries Himselfe towards them, in so hard a fashion: wherefore Hee rather flatters, and faunes; endeavouring to rocke them asleepe still▪ if hee can, in the Cradle of securitie and presumption. Neither will Hee storme thus, (to wit, labour to pull them by the strength of utter despaire, as it were, quicke into Hell, and to make them kill them­selves, or doe some other most grosse and unnaturall crime:) but when hee sees his ad­vantage, in regard of some bodily crosse, or distemper; or that hee sees the Lord will needs awaken their sleepy consciences. Whately, New-birth Cap. 5. Qui jugum suscipiunt Diaboli, Diabolus eos delectat, & decipit, ne discedant à malo impij usque ad mortem suam. Incertus Author, In Mat. Cap. 11. Hom. 28. For that is the very complement of thy misery, and perfection of thy madnesse. To bee sicke, and senselesse of it, is the sorest sicknesse. To have Sa­tan slash thy Soule with so many sinnes, one after ano­ther, and to feele no smart, is a most desperate securitie; To have all this misery towards, and to bee confident, [Page 93] and fearelesse, is the misery of miseries.

The reasons, why thou art at rest from their guilty rage in the meane time; and that so many sleeping Li­ons, I meane all thine unpardoned sinnes, doe not yet awake and stirre; terrific and teare in pieces, are such as these.

1. Satan is suttle, that Hee will not meddle much, or molest thee extreamely, untill Hee bee able to doe thee an irrecoverable mischiefe. Hee is woont not to appeare in His true likenesse, and so terribly; not so much to disquiet and trouble any of His owne, before Hee have them at some dead lift, and desperate advan­tage; as under some extraordinary Crosse, great dis­grace, grievous sicknesse; In time of some deepe Me­lancholy, un-avoidable danger, universall confusion; When Hee conceives in all probabilitie, that they have out-stood the Day of their visitation, hardned their hearts, that they cannot repent, received the sentence of death against themselves; And at such other like times, when hee hopes, Hee shall bee able to crush, and confound them suddenly, utterly and for ever. And then hee playes the Divell indeed, and shewes Him­selfe in His colours. For Hee then infinitely endeauours with all cunning and cruell industry, after Hee hath wafted them a while downe the current of the times, with as much carnall peace and pleasure, as Hee could possibly, to cast them upon the Rocke of a most dread­full ruine, and swallow them up quicke in the gulphe of calamity and woe; of despaire, selfe-destruction, ever­lasting perdition of Body, and Soule. But you must know, that in the meane time, untill Hee can spie such an opportunity, Hee labours might and maine to keepe them in as merry a moode as may bee. Hee laies about Him, by all wayes and meanes, Hee can devise, to plot and provide for them, and that with great variety and curiosity, fresh successions and supplies continually, of pleasures, contentments, the countenance and favours of [Page 94] the times, sensuall satisfactions, all earthly prosperities. If Hee can helpe it, and have his will, they shall wallow still in all worldly felicity, and bee attended upon with all the delights their hearts can desire. And all this, to continue them with more easinesse and irresistance in the damned way: And lest otherwise, they should grow weary of His slavery, sensible of their guilded fetters, and so labour after liberty, and enlargement from His Hellish bondage. For Hee knowes full well, that if thy endured much hardship in His service, they might perhaps thinke of seeking after a new Master; that want of comfort in the world, might draw their hearts to delight in the Word; Not finding happinesse upon earth, might make them enquire after that which is in heaven. That crosses and crossing their courses, be­ing sanctified for that purpose, may happily helpe to breake their hearts, and bring them to remorse for sin; which Hee mainely feares, and opposeth with all the craft and power, Hee can possibly; lest thereupon, they breake out of His fooles-Paradise, into the Garden of Grace; out of the warme Sunne, into Gods blessing.

In managing this maine policy, for the more secure detainement of His Vassals in the invisible chaines of darkenesse and damnation, and in an everlasting distast and dis-affection to the good way; by holding up their hearts in His sinfull service, and wooing them, to go on quietly towards Hell without any grumbling; Hee workes many wayes.

1. Hee plots all Hee can to procure them successe in their wicked enterprises; and unlawfull attempts, es­pecially, against the faithfull Ministers, and people of God; for that doth infinitely confirme, harden, and en­courage them in their prophane courses, and opposition to grace. Herein Hee doth many times mightily pre­vaile, by improving the oportunities, & pressing the ad­vantages, which hee gaines, by the executions of Gods iustice, and rebellions of his Children. The sinnes even [Page 95] of His owne people doe many times provoke Gods just indignation against them; and enforces Him, to raise up their adversaries, as scourges, and to give them successe, for the humiliation, and chastisement of his chosen. See Psal. 81.14.15. Isai. 10.5 6. &c. Ezech. 22.19.20. Whereupon Satan fills the hearts of the wicked so prevailing, and conquering, with a great deale of pride, selfe-applause, insolency, contempt of godlinesse, selfe-conceitednesse of their owne righte­ousnesse and worth; and so hardens them extraordina­rily, and holds them with much obstinated resolution in the wayes of death, and prejudice against the holy Path.

2. Hee helpes all hee can, to have them thrive and prosper by oppression, usury, simony, sacriledge, bribe­ry, covetousnesse, cousoning, Machiavellian tricks, &c. That so His service may seeme more sweete and gaine­full unto them. To the effecting whereof Hee receives notable assistance, and speciall advantage from the cor­ruptions of the times, and conscionable simplicity of the Saints. For the first, These worst and ulcerous times, wherein so many Vines, Olive-trees, and Figge-trees wither away in obscurity; and so many Brambles brave it abroad in the world, tumbling themselves in the pleasures, splendour and glory of the present; wherein so many brave Princes are walking as servants upon the earth; and too many servants of luxurie and pride are mounted on horse-backe; I say they are the onely season, for Satan to gratifie all▪ His gracelesse Ones; and to hoist them up by the common, but accur­sed staires and stirrops of bribing, basenesse, tempori­sing, ill offices to humour greatnesse, and other such vile meanes, and accommodations, into eminency in the world, and high roomes; where hee keepes them in a golden captivity with great contentment, and lockes them full fast in the Scorners chaire, with much securitie to their owne sensuall hearts; and notorious service to [Page 96] Himselfe. Whereas indeed and truth to men that have eyes in their Heads the ascent is slippery, the Top sha­king, the downefall desperate. For the second; It is in­credible to consider, what a deale of advantage in worldly dealings, the covetous Dwell in a cruell and crafty worldling, doth sucke out of the single-hearted­nesse, plaine dealing & un-suspiciousnesse, of consciona­ble men, for their rising & enriching, if God crosse it not.

3. Hee drawes them by all the baites, Hee can devise, to all the incentives, and preservatives of carnal content­ment: as to Tavernes, Ale-houses, Play-houses, Whore-houses, Gaming-houses; to May-games, Morrice­dances, Church Ales; to Cardes, to Dice, to Dancing; to Feasts, Wakes, Mis-rules, Drinking-matches, revel­liu [...]s, and a world of such sinfull haunts,Galat. 5.21. Bedlam-foole­ries, and Good-fellow-meetings. Wherein He is migh­tily furthered, by Wicked Mens impatiency of solitari­nesse; and their enraged eagernesse of carrying with them to Hell, as many as may bee. For the first, Tho a good man, as Salomon sayes, bee satisfied from Himselfe; dare full well,Prov. 14.14. and desires full often to bee alone; be­cause the bird of the bosome sings sweetely to His Soule in solitarinesse: yet all the Sonnes, and Daugh­ters of pleasure, have no pleasure at all, nay ordinarily are most loth to bee by Quin & hinc est, [...]ur malus non liben­ter sit solus, nec li­benter vivat secum, sed semper consortia quaerat & sodalitia bominum voluptuariorum, cum quibus possit tempus fallere. Est enim solitaria vita eipermolesta partim propter recordation [...]m sceleru: partim propter met um poenarum: partim deni (que) quia scit, quòd secum non consentiat; & quòd conscientia evigilatura, & ingentem eì moestitiam allatura sit. Kecker n. Syst. [...]th. lib. 1. cap. 3. Can 6. Quisquis incorde premitur malâ conscientiâ, quo­mode quisquis abstillicidon exit de demo suâ, out d fume, nonibi sepatitur babitare: sic qui non baber quietumcor, habit ar [...] incorde suo libentèr non potest. Talesfords exeunt à se [...]psis ani [...] intentione, & de hi [...] quae foris sun [...] circa corpus delectantur, quietemin nugis, inspectaculis, in luxirijs, in omnibus mal squaerunt. Quare for is volueruni sib: benè esse? Quia non est ill [...] ini [...]s bene, unde gaudeans inconscienti [...] su [...]. August. in Psal. 101. page. 288. themselves. Solitarinesse puts them into their dumps, makes them extremely melan­cholike, and weary of themselves. They would rather bee any where, in any company, any wayes imploide, then alone. Mistake mee not, they can walke by them­selves, [Page 97] to feede upon contemplative filth, speculative wantonnesse, & adulteries of the heart; to plot revenge, preferment, enlargement of their estate; to renew up­on their sensuall hearts their youthfull pleasures, &c. But to bee alone, purposely, to deale with God, and their owne [...] about their spirituall Beati qui gaudent, quando merant in cor­s [...]um, & nihil mali ibi inventunt. Attendat sancticas vestra, quo­mo to noline intrare do­mus suas, qu [...] babent malas axores; quomod [...] exe [...]nt ad forum & gaudent; caepu hora esse quâ intraturi sunt in domum suam, & con­tristantur. Intraturi sun [...] enim ad taedia, ad murmura, ad amaritu­dines, ad eversiones; quta non est domus composita, abi intervi­rum & uxorem pax nud a est. Et melius illi est furis circumire. Si ergò mise [...]i sunt, qui cum redeunt ad parie­tes suos, timen ne ali­quibus sunrum pertur­bationibus coertantur: quantò sunt [...]sertores qui ad conscientiam suam redire nolunt, ne ibi litibus pec [...]at [...]rum evertantur & Ergo ut possis libens redi [...]e ad cor tuum, munda illud. — Auser inde cupidi­tatumsordes, auser la­bem avaritiae, auser trabe▪ superstitionum, aufer sacrilegia, & malas cogitationes, odia, non dic [...], adver [...] amitum, sed etiam ad­versus inimicum. Auser ista omnia, intra cor tuum & gaudebis. &c. August in Psal. 34. stare; they abhorre, [...] endure, it is to them a tor [...]ure, a Racke, the very beginning of Hell. And that is the rea­son, to decline the tings of guiltnesse, and torment be­fore their time; why they have so often recourse unto the arme of flesh, for refreshing; to the mirth and mad­nesse of wine, pleasures, and many other fugitive follies; That they cast themselves into such knots of good-fel­lowship; appoint so many set-matches of joviall mee­tings, and hunt after such variety of the times entertain­ment, as they call it: which they account the very life of their life and without which they would rather bee under ground, then aboue it. For the second, Heare, How swagge [...]ingly they cry unto their companions in iniquity, to make haste with them towards Hell. Come with us, let us lay waite for blood, let us lurke pr [...]vily for the innocent without caus [...]: Let us swallow them up a­live, as the grave, and whole, as those that goe downe into the pit: wee shall finde all pretious substance, wee shall fill our houses with spoile. Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse, Prov. 1.11. &c. Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are present: and let us speedily use the creatures as in youth. Let us fill our selves with costly wine, and ointments: and let no flower of the Spring passe by us. Let us crowne our selves with Rose buds, before they bee withered. Let none of us goe without His part of our voluptuousnesse: let us leave to­kens of our ioyfulnesse in every place: for this is our por­tion, and our lot is this, &c.

[Page 98]4. And in all these cursed conventicles of good-fellowship, and furious combinations for prophane­nesse, and against Piety, the Divell himselfe is ever pre­sent amongst them in His Pontificalibus, as they say: And there disposeth, enclines, manageth and accommo­dates all opportunities, circumsta [...] [...], mens severall corruptions, and [...] wicked wits to make their meetings, as merry, as may bee; and to put all possible sensuall sweetnesse into their carnall delights.

5. Lastly, That which is principally for my pur­pose; Besides, that like a crafty Iugler, Hee casts a mist before the eyes of His slaves; and like a false Mer­chant, puts a counterfeite glosse upon the face of sinne; Hee also hides away the sting from them, and with­holds the horrour untill afterward. Every sin in it's own nature, ever lookes fouler then the Divell Himselfe; O that the ougly, fearefull, and filthy shape of it could bee seene with bodily eyes, that thereby it might provoke all men to a mortall and immortall hate and detestation of it! The sting is pointed with the keene unquencha­ble wrath of God; the horror is heated with the very fire of Hell: And yet ordinarily Satan takes an order by His craft and industry, that these never appeare, untill it appeare unto Him, that in all probability, the sight of them will sinke their Soules into irrecoverable woe.

The not feeling then of their spirituall misery is so farre from making them not miserable, that it ministers occasion to the Divels malice, mightily to aggravate their misery, both present and future.

2. An other reason, why many are not troubled in the meane time, tho there bee infinite cause, and a world of woe to come, is, because their consciences by reason of surfet in sinne, and beeing drunke with worldly de­lights as with sweet wine, are cast into a dead sleep: And there lulled still, and lockt full fast in an imaginary Pa­radise of golden dreames and transitory fancies, by the [Page 99] charmes and enchantments of earthly pleasures. And if at any time, any noyse of terrour sound in their eares from the Lords Trumpeters in the Ministry of the Word, so that they begin to stirre, then the Divell be­gins to be stirre Himselfe, and to rocke them fast againe with His Syren-songs in the Cradle of security. Here therefore wee may take notice of a fourefold consci­ence: 1. That which is both Those Christians have this heaven up­on Earth, who are come from under the storme and tempest of temptation, and [...] in the sweet [...] and feeling [...] mercies of their [...] in Christ Iesus, sealed unto them by the te­stimony of the Spirit of God. Yates. good and quiet; when it hath peace with God, and with it selfe; so that the hap­py Soule may sweetly sing in it's owne bosome; My belov [...]d is mine, and I am His. 2. That which is neither good, nor quiet; when it lyes forlorne under the sense of Gods wrath, and full of horrour in it selfe. As that of Iudas, Latomus, &c. 3. That which is In the broken [...] contrite spirit; [...] the Lord will [...] despise. A [...] have his [...] uprightly [...] is painefu [...]ly [...] a good [...] may be [...] [...] and troubled. [...] good but not qui [...]t; when the pleased face of God doth shine upon it thorow the blood of Christ; and yet it feeles not the comfort of that blessed reconciliation: As in many new Converts, who beeing truly humbled for all sinne, cast themselves upon the Lord Iesus and his sure promises, for spirituall and eternall life; and yet are not as yet sensible of any assurance. 4. That which is quiet but not good; when it is as full of sinne as a Toade of venome, as Hell of darkenesse; and all those innumera­ble sinnes unrepented of, unpardoned, like so many mad Ban-dogs, and fell Mastives, tho asleepe for the present, will in the evill day, especially of sicknesse, death, iudge­ment, Hujusmodi [...] est instarferae alicu­jus, quae quamdiu dor­mit, videtur esse cicur, & neminem l [...]dit: sed excitata in hominem involat, & dil [...]cerare con [...]. Diligenter ita­que cavenda est [...]alie conscientia: qu [...]ppequae n [...]nnunquam per to­tum vitae curriculum quieta manet, & alto lethargo oppressa jacet: se [...] aegritudine aliqu [...] graviore, veletiam m [...]rte appropinquante excitatura Deo▪ & truculentâ suâ immanitate ho­minem terret. Alst. Theol. Casuum. Cap. 2. flye in the face of the proudest Nimrod, ready to plucke out his very throate and heart, and to tor­ment with unspeakeable horrour; and yet for all this, it is untroubled, senselesse and secure. This kind of con­science, is to bee found, I feare mee, in the most that heare mee this day, and so generally over the King­dome. It doth not in the meane time, trouble and ter­rifie.

[Page 100]1. A great number, by reason of their ignorance in the Booke of God; and by consequent un-acquainted­nesse with the sinfulnesse and cursednesse of their spiri­tuall state, revealed thereby. This is the very case of a world of poore ignorant besotted Soules amongst us; more is the pitty, especially now, when the glorious Sunne of Christs Gospell shines so faire, and fully in ma­ny places! For want of light in Gods Law, they looke upon their sinnes, as wee doe upon the Starres in a cloudy night; see onely the great ones of the first mag­nitude; and here one, and there one: But if they were further illightned, and informed aright they might be­hold hem, as those infinite ones in the fairest, frosty winters Mid-night. A worthy Divine, sets out excel­lently the quietnesse of this ignorant conscience by a very fit res [...]mblance, thus: Men iudge of their ignorant consciences, saith Hee, as they doe of their blinde, dumbe and ignorant Ministers. Such neither doe, nor can preach; can neither tell men of their sinnes, nor of their duties. Aske such a blind-guides people, what their conceite is of him, and what a kind of Man their Minister is, and you shall have Him magnified for a passing, honest, harmelesse man, wondrous quiet amongst his neigh­bours. They may doe what they will for Him; Hee is none of these troublesome fellowes, that will bee repro­ving their faults, or complaining of their disorders in the Pulpit; Oh such an one is a quiet good Man indeed. Thus iudge many of their consciences. If their conscien­ces bee quiet, and lye not grating upon them, and telling them, that their courses are sinfull and damnable, and that th [...]ir persons are in a dangerous condition: but rather by their sil [...]nce, ignorance, and vaine pretences doe justifie them, and tell them, all will bee well enough. Oh then what excellent consciences have these men! They make no conscience of Family-duties; once in the yeere to come to the Sacrament serues the turne; they are common swearers in their ordinary communication; make no [Page 101] conscience of sanctifying Sabbaths, &c. And their con­sciences let them alone in all these: doe not give them one syllable of ill language: Oh what gentle, and good-natured consciences thinke these men they have? But alas! what evill consciences have they?

2. Nor others,In peace there is a to­tall d [...]position, both of Armes and Enmi­ty; all hostile affecti­ons are put off: In a truce, there is but a suspension, and a cessation of Armes for a season, so as duri [...] the same, there is stil [...] provision of more fo [...]ces, and a preparation of greater strength. by reason of a covenant with death, and an agreement with Hell. Such as those, Isai. 28▪15. who negotiate by their plausible Agents, Ease, plea­sures, prosperity; and conclude some kind of concord and composition for a time with Satan, sinne, and their owne consciences. But to tell you the truth, it is no true peace, but a politicke truce. For these implacable, des­perate spirituall enemies of theirs, are ever in the meane time preparing Armes, Ord'nance and many fiery darts, still levying of fresh forces, whole armies of fiery Scor­pions, and flaming terrours, with which as soone as the truce is ended, they will set upon them with more vio­lence, fury and fiercenesse then ever before.

3. Nor others, By reason of an insensible Brawned­nesse growne over, and a desperate searednesse imprest upon their consciences by extraordinary villany, and variety in sinne. Such as those, Isai. 5 19. By drawing iniquity a long time with cords of vanity, and sinne, as it were with a cart-rope, by waving the glorious light of the Word under which they sit, and which shines on their faces as a foolish thing; [...]. 1. Cor. 1.18. by villanously trampling under foote the power of it with despite, and scorne, many times against that light, which stands in their con­sciences like an armed man; [...]. Nay, and by treading out with custome in sinne, the very notions that nature hath engraven in their hearts, as Men doe the ingravings of Tombe-stones which they walke upon, with foule shoes; I say thus, at length their consciences become, so utterly remorselesse, and past all feeling; so brawned, so seared, so sealed up with a reprobate sense; that with an audacious, and Giant like insolency, they challenge even God Almighty Himselfe to draw His sword of [Page 102] vengeance against them. Woe unto them that draw ini­quity with cords of vanity, and sinnes, as it were with a cart-rope: That say, Let him make speede, and hasten his worke, that wee may see it: and let the counsell of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come, that wee may know it. [...]. Iam. 2.19. These Roarers, and swaggering Belials, in this respect have consciences, worse then the Divell him­selfe. For Hee beleeves and trembles. Even those al­ready, desperate and damned spirits, tremble at the fore-thought of that fuller wrath which is to come; and yet further-deserved damnation.

4. Nor others, who, when it begins ever and anon to grumble, mutter, and make a noise lull it asleepe a­g [...]ine with songs of pleasures; and still the cries of it with outward mirth, as Saul was wont to lay the evill spirit with Musicke. These mens consciences are qujet, not because they are savingly appeasde; but because they are sensu [...]lly pleas [...]e: Not because they want matter to trouble, and terrifie; but because they will give them no leasure, to set their sinnes in order before them. For this purpose, and to keepe these furious Ma­stives musl'd in the meane time, they have recourse unto and improove, both variety of delights, and mul­tiplicity of imployments. For the first: This is the rea­son, as one saith wittily, that many are so eager in the pursuits of their pleasures, because they would make Gods Sergeant, their owne conscience that pursues them, drun­ken with these pleasures: just as many men use to doe, getting the Sergeant that comes to arrest them into the Taverne, and there making him drunke, that so they may escape. For the second: How was it possible that Ahi­tophel should hold out so long from hanging himselfe▪ and horrible confusion of spirit; especially sith Hee har­bour'd in His bosome such a false rotten abominable heart, as appeared by that villanous counsell Hee gave Absalom, to lye with His Fathers Concubines, in the sight of all Israel; except Hee had been a Counseller of [Page 103] State, and so necessarily taken up continually with ex­traordinary variety, vicissitude, and succession of most waighty and important affaires; which would wholly possesse His minde with an un-interrupted attention, a­gitation and exercise; and not give it any leave to reflect upon it selfe, with those severer cogitations in cold blood, which are woont to correct and condemne the enormity of exorbitant courses. And thus in all ages, many great Men, of great wisedome, beeing great offen­ders, purposely put and plunge themselves into multi­tude of businesses; that they may have no leasure, to listen unto that, which their consciences would secret­ly tell them in their eare, of their Machivellian plots, prodigious lusts, and plausible cruelties. The noise of attendants, visitants, Dependants, and great imploy­ments drowne the voyce of conscience in such Cases, as the Drummes in the sacrifices to Moloch, the Cry of the Infants. But while the Men of the world are thus whol­ly detain'd, and doe so greedily upon purpose enter­taine the time with cares of this life, and dealings in the world; their consciences deale with them, as Credi­tors with their Debitors: while they have any doings, as they say, and are in trading, in policy let them alone and say nothing; but if once downe the winde, in sick­nesse, poverty, disgrace, &c. Then comes Sergeant after Sergeant; Arrest upon Arrest; Action upon Action: All their sinnes are set in order before them, and fall full foule upon the now distressed Soule, as Ravens upon the fallen Sheepe, to picke out the very eyes and heart of it, and to keepe it downe in the Dungeon of despaire for ever.

5. Nor others, because they cousen themselves with a formall false conceite of a comfortable spirituall state; as did the Phari [...]ie, Luk. 15.11. with a groundlesse pre­sumption, that they are in Gods favour; as did those, Matth. 7.22. And the five foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. When as God knowes, they are meere strangers to the [Page 104] Mysterie of Christ, and farre enough from any sound Humiliation.

Thus the blindnesse, security, searednesse, slumber, Selfe-deceite, or some other such distemper of the Con­science conceales, and keepes in, the stings of those sins in sensuall men; which without turning unto the Lord, in truth, while it is called To Day, will hereafter tor­ment with intolerable and restlesse terrour thorow all eternity.

3. A third reason, why thy unlamented, and unpar­doned sinnes, tho every one of them bee armed with a severall bloody and fiery sting, and of their owne na­ture so heavy with horrour, that they are able to sinke Thee into the bottome of Hell; doe not as yet stirre, nor presse upon thy Soule, with the insupportable weight of divine vengeance, is this: They are in their native soyle; where they were borne, bred and brought up; in their owne Element, as they say: I meane in a carnall heart, soaking in sensualitie, and not resolved to bee reformed. Wee say in Philosophy, An Element is not heavy in it's owne Place. One Bucket full of water upon the Earth would bee burdensome to the Backe of that Man; who, were Hee in the bottome of the Sea, would feele no weight at all from all the water there, tho it were three miles high over His head. A sensuall heart, settled upon it's lees can beare without sense, or complaint, a world of wickednesse, which out of it's Element and humour, would bee crusht into Powder, and tremble with horrour upon the sad apprehension of the least sinne, especially set out by Gods just indig­nation. While Belshazzar was in His Element, revel­ling and rioting amongst His Lords, His Wives, and His Concubines, drinking wine swaggeringly and contemp­tuously in the golden and silver Vessels of the Temple, Hee felt no touch in point of conscience, or terrour at all. But put out of His humour, by the hand-writing upon the plaister of the Wall, His countenance was pre­sently [Page 105] changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of His loynes were loosed, and His knees smote one against another.

4. Fourthly, The never-dying worme, that natu­rally breeds, and Voluptas perpetui vermis nutrix, ad tem­pus admodùm breve possidentem demulcet. Postremò verò ac [...]bio­ris exitum tristitiae sor­titur. Basil. Exhort. Ad. Baptis [...]um. growes bigge in every unregenerate conscience, which beates backe still the searching power of the Word, and secret warnings of the Spirit, is like a Wolfe in the foot: Feede it continually with fresh sup­ply of raw flesh, and it will let the Body alone; but with-draw that, and it devoures upward. While the Sonnes and daughters of pleasure, and all those who have their portion and Paradise in this life, stoppe the mouth of this hellish worme, with variety of carnall de­lights, they doe well enough, and finde pretty ease, and exemption for a time from the rage and bitings thereof: But they may assure themselves in evill times, when the dayes are come upon them, wherein there is no plea­sure; when the Play is done; when all worldly comforts and comforters like run-away servants, and drunken Serving-men, are to seeke, when they have most use and need of them; I say, that then the time, and turne is come; that the worme of conscience, destitute now [...]or ever of any further satisfaction from sensuall sweetnes, will ragingly turne upon the Soule, devoure like a Li­on, knaw like a Vulture, vex eternally.

5. Fifthly, If the weight of the whole world were now laid upon any of these Bodies here lately buried, it would not stirre or groane: And why? Because it is naturally dead. Proportionably, Tho the burthen of sinne, farre heavier then a mountaine of Grave siquidem, gra­ve, inquam, & onero­sum est peccatum, & omni plumbo pondero­sius. Chrysost. Ad. Pop. Antioch. Hom. 31. Lead, then this mighty and massie earth under our feete, lyes upon every impenitent Soule, ready every houre to presse, and plunge it into the lowest Pit yet wretched, and be­witched Thing, it neither feeles any smart, nor feares any hurt; it is neither sensible of the present weight, nor troubled for the future wrath; And what is the rea­son? It is spiritually Mortuus est autem peccator, maximè ille, quem moles consuetu­dinis premit, quasi se­pultus Lazarus. Pa­rùm enim erat qui [...] mortuus, etiam sepul­tus. August. de temp. Serm. 48. dead. It is starke dead in trespasses [Page 106] and sinnes. The strong man is gone away with all. And there is no stirring, nor sense of this cursed Burden, un­till,Ephes. 2.1. Either a stronger then Hee lay hands upon this Hel­lish Tyrant, disarme Him, and throw downe His Holds; and a Ne (que) negari potest, non minoris esse virtu­tis, immò aliquantò majoris, è morte ani­mas mortuas excitare ac corpora mortua. Musc. In Evang. Ioan. cap. 5. mightier voyce of the Sonne of God, then that which made Lazarus come out of the Grave, put life into it: Or else that the dreadfull thunder of Gods fierce and finall wrath, the Day of visitation beeing ex­pired, awake it to everlasting woe.

6. Tho in the meane time, thou bee extreamely mi­serable, and if thou dyest in thine impenitent state this day, thou must most certainely lodge this night in the Lake of fire and brimstone amongst the damned; yet thy sinnes for the present doe not represent to the eye of thy conscience those formes of foulenesse, and ter­rour, of which they are naturally full; and which with­out timely repentance, thou wilt hereafter find and feele in them, to thine endlesse griefe: because thou lookest upon them in the false Glasse of vaine-glory, ignorance, selfe-love, selfe-conceitednesse; painted o­ver by the Divels dawbing, with whorish intising co­lours of pleasure, profit, preferment, worldly applause, and other such goodly and golden out-sides. Where­as a true and effectuall beholding them in the cleare Christall of Gods pure Law, hunted continually at the heeles with divine vengeance; all the curses in this Booke, and plagues innumerable, internall, externall, eternall; and in the bitter Passion of Iesus Christ, with­out whose hearts-blood, not the least sinne that ever was committed, could ever have been remitted, were able to [...]right and fire a very Blackamore out of His blacke skinne and a Leopard from His spots. Ier. 13.23. And thou something easest thine heart also against the terrour of the Lord for thy sinnes, by looking upon Gods mercy with false spectacles, and so enlarging it beyond the li­mits of His Truth. But heare, what that excellent dis­coverer of the Depths of our Selfe-cousoning hearts tells [Page 107] thee in such a case: As a man passing over a bridge, saith Hee, which his false spectacles make to seeme broa­der, then in deed it is, being thereby deceived goes besides the bridge, and so is drowned: so is it with those whose de­ceitfull hearts make the bridge of Gods mercy larger then it is, they are in danger of falling beside it, into the waters of eternall destruction. For the Gods mercy bee of the lar­gest extent, yet it is bounded with His Truth. And there­fore usually in the Scriptures wee find these two coupled together, Gods mercy and His Truth. Now His Truth tells us; that the good tydings of the Gospell belong only to the poore, to the broken-hearted, to the captives, to the blinde, to the bruised. Luk. 4.18. That Hee onely who confesseth, and forsaketh His sinnes, shalt have mer­cy. Prou. 28.13. That except wee repent, wee shall all pe­rish. Luk. 13.3. That except wee bee borne againe, wee can­not see the Kingdome of God. Ioh. 3.3. That God will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalpe of such an one, as goeth on still in his trespasses. Psal. 68.21. That if wee regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not heare us. Psal. 66.18. That no fornicator, nor idola­ter, nor adulterer, nor eff [...]minate, nor abuser of Himselfe with man-kind, nor theefe, nor covetous man, nor drun­kard, nor reviler, nor extortioner shall inherit the King­dome of God. 1. Cor. 6.9.10. That without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14. That every one that calleth on the Name of Christ savingly, must depart from iniquitie. 2. Tim. 2.19. &c. Compare now these and the like Places with thine heart, life, and present impe­nitent state, and tell mee in cold blood and impartially, whether any mercy at all as yet belongs unto thee up­on good ground, yet lying in thy sinnes.

2. In a second place, the Point may serve for war­ning to those, who are already washed from their sins; that they defile their Soules no more: who having been cured by casti [...]g their eyes upon the brazen Ser­pent, from those many fiery stings; that they rebell no [Page 108] more; who wounded formerly at the heart-roote with grievous horrour, and now healed with the blood of Christ, that in the name of Christ, they turne not againe to folly. Let them call to minde, and lay to heart the en­suing considerations, when they are first tamper'd with, and tempted againe to any sinne: which, me thinkes, should be of power, not only to keep Gods blessed Ones from putting their hands to iniquity; but also to re­straine, or at least to coole the courage even of the Di­vels slaves, in the very heate of the most furious entise­ment to their best-beloved sinne.

1. Sinne is most hatefull. It is the onely Object of all Gods infinite hatred. His Loue is cut, as it were, in­to divers streames, and carried upon variety of Primum enim divini amoris objectum, est ip­sa Deitas, ac Filius ille dilectus. 2. Res crea­tae in genere. 3. Angeli. 4 Genus humanum. 5. Electi. Til. p. 1. Syn­tag The. 40. pag 113. Ob­jects. He loves in the first place, infinitely, ad-equately His owne blessed Selfe, His owne Sonne, who is called the [...]. Coloss. 1.13. Sonne of His Love, His Angels, His Saints, His Servants, His Creatures, All things Hee made: Thou lo­vest all things that are, and abhorrest nothing which Thou hast made. For never wouldest Thou have made any thing, if thou had'st hated it. But Hee hates Deo nihil est in odio, nisi malum, hoc est, nihil est ei invisum, o [...]iosum, excerabile, nisi malum. Hoc autem est pecca­tum ipsum, & praetereà nihil. Zanch. De natu­râ Dei. Lib. 4. Cap 7. nothing at all, properly and formally, but sinne. The whole infi­nitenesse of all His hatred, is spent wholly upon sinne alone; which makes it infinitely and extremely hate­full. Now what a thing is this, that an infinite divine ha­tred, like a mighty undivided Torrent should withall it's united forces, and detestations run headlong, and rest upon every sinne; bee it but an officious lye, Ephes. 5.4. Gal. 5.21. Matth. 5 28. foolish talking, jesting, revelling, a wanton glance, a vaine thought, an idle word, and such like lighter sinnes in the worlds account; which to reprove in some compa­nies, nay almost every where, would bee holden to bee a sowre and unsufferable precisenesse: So desperately impudent are the times, both in disgracing of sincerity, and dawbing of sinne! And what a wofull wretch is every impenitent Sinner, who hath such a world of un­pardoned sinnes lying upon His Soule, and such an im­measurable [Page 109] weight of hatred lying upon every severall sinne! And what a prodigious Bedlam is Hee, who will wittingly, and willingly put His hand to any sinne; which once committed, is inseparably, and individually attended with the infinite hatred of so great a God. For which the paines of Hell must upon necessity bee suffe­red; either by the Party Himselfe or his Surety: Either it must bee taken off by the blood of Iesus Christ; or else the Delinquent, must burne in Hell for euer!

2. It is most foule. Even fouler then the foulest Feind in Hell, then the Divell Himselfe. And let none stumble at this truth: It appeares unanswerably thus: Sinne made him a Divell, and sunke Him into Hell and therefore sinne is more rancke Divell and horrible Hell it selfe. For it is a principle in Philosophy of unquestio­nable truth; [...] A [...]st. Posterio. Anal. Lib. 1. Text. 15. Whatsoever maketh such, is it selfe much more such. The Sunne that lightens all other bodies, is much more light; The fire which heates all other things, is much more hote: So that which defiles another thing▪ is much more fulsome: Sinne alone brought all hellish misery upon Satan, and made him so foule, therefore is it farre fouler. If any could strip him of his sins, hee should re-invest him into the shining roabes of all his former Angelicall excellency and perfection; and restore him into height of favour againe with the most High. Illud, quod maximè videtur Deus odissi, sci­l [...]ce [...] Diabolum, non o­dit nisi ratione peccati: & eum amaret, si pec­catum non esset, tan­quam creaturam suam. V [...]de Sap, 11. Nihil odi­sti eorum quae fe [...]isti. Quod intelligendum, est nisi propter pecca­tum adjunctum, quod ipse non secit. Peral. For God hates the Divell for nothing else in the world but for sinne.

Ob. But if sinne bee so ougly, may some say▪ as you have set it out; how comes it to passe, that it is so ami­able in the eyes of the most? Why doe all sorts of peo­ple pursue and practise it with such eagernesse and de­light? Why doth the whole world runne a madding after it?

Answ. Herein observe an universall Soule-swallow­ing Depth of Satans damned Policy. Hee knowes full well, that should sin appeare it it's owne likenes, every eye would abhorre it, every Mothers Sonne would de­test, [Page 110] and defie it. And therefore, Hee takes a course, by the exquisitnesse of his colours, and excellency of painting, to put a seeming fairenesse upon an Hellish face; whereby the greatest part dote upon this defor­med Hag to their endlesse damnation. For wee must know that Satan, in this mystery of cousoning by colours, incomparably surpasseth the most famous Baudes, and noble Strumpets, that ever were. So that it seemes to bee the conceite of the ancient Quae omnia peccato­res, & apostatae Angeli suis artious prodide­runt; quando ad terre­na contagia devoluti, à coel [...]sti vigore rece [...]se­runt. Illi & oculo [...] cir­cumducto nigrore f [...]ca­re, & [...] m [...]ndacio rub [...]ris infi [...]ere, & mu­tare adal [...]erinis [...]; & [...] & ca­pit [...] corrup­t [...]lae suae [...]pugnatione [...]. Cyprian. De habitu Virginum. Qu [...]s co [...]pus [...], nisi qui & ho­min [...] spiritum malitiá transfigura [...]? Ille in­dubitate [...] in­genta [...], ut in nob [...]s quodam [...] ma­nus Deo in [...]erret. Quod nascitar, Opus Dei est. Ergo quod [...]ngitur, D [...] ­aboli n [...]gotium est. Tertull. De cultu Foe­minarum. Tu verò cu [...]us caput Christus est, inventiones Satanae comprobabis, nec recordaberis faciem Christi—? Quae omnia si memoria teneres, eti [...]msi valde [...] [...]mares, non auderes tamen, nec ferre posses pulverem, [...] faciem tuam impodere. Chrys. Hom. 31. in Mat. Fathers, that the Divell did immediately reveale unto whorish women this Art of painting; at least, Hee was most certainely an extraordinary assistant to the first Inven­tors of it. Now for painting sinne, to make it more plausible and passable, wee may see variety of colours, and cousoning tricks ministred unto Satan by our false hearts, His Agents for that purpose, I meane [...] discourse of the [...]itfulnes of M [...]ns heart In that excellent Discovery of their deceitfulnesse.

But as an old, deformed, wrinckled, whorish Hag set­ting out Her selfe with false haire, a painted face, and other meritricious affected dressings, entangles and en­snares the hearts of At, inq [...]unt juvenculae, quid mali, si [...] sponsam [...]? Non [...], nisi [...]olidum, & vecordem S [...]lt. in 3. cap. [...]esai [...]. fooles, and eyes of vanity; where­as understanding men, and those that have eyes in their heads, discover in her so doing and daubing, an additi­on of a great deale of artificiall loathsomnesse to Her naturall foulnesse: So it is in this case. The greisly face of sinne beeing dawbed over with the Divels pain­ting, and false luster, carries away captive all carnall men, and detaines in a Fooles-Paradise, indeed an hel­lish prison, a world of deluded Ones. Yet those few illightened Soules, whose eyes have been happily ope­ned, by spiritu [...]ll Eye-salve, to turne from darkenesse to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, behold a [Page 111] double deformity and ouglines, in so foule a monster de­ceitfully dress [...]d in the Divels counterfeite colours, and guilded over garishly in His personated Angelical glory.

3. It is most filthy. Farre filthier then the most stin­king confluence of all the most filthy, fulsome, nasty, loathsome things in the world: And it must needs bee so; For whatsoever a Man can conceive to bee most contrary, distant and opposite to the infinite clearenes, purity, sweetnesse, beauty, and goodnesse of God; all that, and much more is sinne in the highest degree. Hence it is, that in the Scriptures, it is compared to the filthiest 2. Pet. 2.22. myre, in which a Sow will lie downe to coole, and cover her selfe: To the loathsome vomite, not of a man, but of a Dog: Rom. 3.13. Alludit ad hominem, qui tetrum anhelitum ex corruptis spirat ex­tis; & ad cadaver quod ex sepulchro intolera­bilem spirat odorem. Buc. To the unsavoury poysonfull dampe, which rotten Carkases exhale out of opened graves: Ezech. 16 17. Their way was before mee, as the uncleannesse of a remooved woman. To menstruous filth: Iam. 1.21. [...]. so [...]des: Propriè quae in summis manuum, ac digitorum unguibus colliguntur: aut, se­cundum alios, illuvies quae distringitur à cor­poribus ol [...]o illit [...]s post sudorem: item genus quoddam ulceris sordi­di. Apud. Diosc. lib. 5. cap. 99. Scap. To the dirt under the nailes; or the stinking sweat of the Body; or the putrifi­ed matter of some pestilent ulcer: Ibid. [...]. Beza reddit, excrementum malitiae, Metaphora â digestione na­turali, quá qui [...]quid in [...]bo assumpto non praebet utile nutrimentum corpori, tanquam [...] excrementis deputatur. Par. To the very excre­ments, which Nature having severed frō the purer part of the meate, thrusts out of the stomack, & casts into the draught: 2. Pet 2.20. [...]. To the filthinesse, pollutions, and impurities of the world, so called by a singularity, for sin is the tran­scendent filth of the world: To all the uncleannesses, for which the Purifications, cleansings, washings, and sprinklings were appointed in the Leviticall Law: Ezech. 22.2. To abomination it selfe, &c. Nay, and yet further, which makes for the further detestation of sinne: Whereas all outward filth defiles onely the Body; this of sinne by the strength and contagion, of it's insinuating poyson soakes thorow the flesh and the bone, and enters and eates into the very minde and conscience, Tit. 1.15. de­files the pure, and immortall Soule of Man. How long might wee cast dirt into the Aire, before wee were able to infect the bright shining beames of the Sunne? Yet [Page 112] so filthy is sinne, that at once with a touch it infects the Soule, a clearer and purer essence then it; and that with such a crimsin and double- [...]ed staine, that the Flood of Noah, when all the World was water, could not wash it off: Neither at that last and dreadfull Day, when this great Vniversall shall bee turned into a Ball of fire, for the purifying and renewing of the Heaven and the Earth, yet shall it have no power to purge or cleanse the least sinne out of the impenitent Soule: Nay, the fire of Hell which burnes night and day, even thorow all eternity, shall never bee able to raze it out.

4 It is most infectious: Spits venome on all sides, farre and wide: corrupts every thing it comes neare. By reason whereof, it is fitly resembled to Matth 16.12. Leaven; to a 1. [...]. 5.6. Gangreene; to the 2. Tim. 2 17. Leprosie; which filthy disease quickly over spreads the whole Body: Numb. 12.10. Infects the Psal. 51.2. Ier. 13.27. clothes, the very Walles of the House: Levit. 14.37 &c. Posterity. 2 King 5.27. The first sinne that eve [...] the Sunne saw, was so pregnant with Soule-killing poyson, that it hath already damnably polluted all the Sonnes and Daughters of Adam, that were ever since; and will still by the un-resistable strength of the same contagion, empoys [...]n all their natures, to the Worlds end. Nay, at the very first breaking out, it suddenly blasted, as it were, both Heaven and Earth: And so stai­ned the beauty of the one, the brightnesse of the other, and the originall, orient, newly burnisht glory of the [...]. [...] omnia subdita vanita­t [...]. Nec sane reparabitur haereditas, donec reparentur haere [...]s. Bern. whole Creation; that from that houre, it hath groaned [Page 113] under the burden of that vanity and deformity, to which this first sinne hath made it subject; and will 2. Pet. 3.10.12. travaile in paine under the bondage of the same corrup­tion, untill it bee purged by fire, in the great Day of the Lord. It but one sinne, bee doted upon, delightfully, and impenitently, like a lumpe of Leaven, it soures all the Soule, defiles the whole Man, and every thing, that proceeds from Him: His thoughts, desires, affections, words, actions, and that of all sorts; naturall, civill, re­creative, religious. It doth not onely unhallow his meate, drinke, carriage; His buying, selling, giving, len­ding, and all His other The way of the wic­ked is an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 15.9. Constat sensum genui­num huius Proverbij hunc esse: Quodque vestigium, & unum­quemque pedem, quem improbus ponit, seu u­numquodque opus, quod exercet, sive co­gitan [...]o, sive loquendo, seu denique faciendo in his, quae ad proximum referuntur, Deo exe­crabile esse. Cartro. dealings in the world, even His plowing; The plowing of the wicked is sinne. Prov. 21.4. But also turnes all his The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomina­tion to the Lord▪ Prov. 15.8. In [...] [Sacrifici­um] est synecdoche par­tis procultu Dei. Grave est, si vanus sit [...] cultus. Mat. 1 [...] si Deus illum improbat; sed gravius si odio habeat; sed gravissimum, si illum non odio habe [...] modò, sed etiam abominetur: gravissimo verò gravius & atrocius est, quod illi abomination [...] sit; & illum summe abominetur. Quod cum dicit, omnem, gravius & acerbius aliquid di­cendi, aditum praeclusit. Cartro. spirituall services, and divinest duties; His prayer, hearing, reading, receiving the Sa­crament, &c. into abomination. If but one raging cor­ruption, in a Minister, Magistrate, Master of a Family; as lying, swearing, filthy-talking, scoffing at Religion, opposition to godlinesse, Sabbath-breaking, an humour of Good-fellowship, or the like, represent it selfe to the eye of the World, in His ordinary carriage; and hang out as a rotten fruite in the sight of the Sunne; it is woont fearefully to infect or offend by a contagious in­sinuation, and ill example, all about Him; to diffuse it's venome to His Family, amongst His Sonnes, and Ser­vants, over the Parish where Hee lives, all companies where hee comes, the whole Country round about, es­pecially, if Hee bee a Man of eminency and Place.

5. I understand [...] in a genera [...]l notion, and not as re­strained unto, or resident in any species. And I know, that divisio m [...]li, in malum culpae & malum poenae, is not generis univoci in species; but vocabuli aequivo [...]i in sua aequivocata. Culpa habet plus de ratione mali, quàm poena. Et non solùm quàm poen [...] sensibilis, quae consistit in privatione corporalium bonorum—sed etiam universaliter accipiendo poenam, secundum quod privatio gratia, vel gloriae, poenae quaedam sunt. Aquin. p. 1. q. 48 Art. 6. It is extremely ill. A farre greater ill, then the [Page 114] eternall damnation of a Man. For when Hee hath Ilen many millions of yeeres in the Lake of fire, and under the dominion of the second death; He is never the nea­rer to satisfaction for sinne. Not all those Hellish [...]lames thorow all eternitie, can possibly expiate the staine, or extingvish the sting of the least sinne. Nay, the very destruction of all the creatures in the world; of Men and Angels, Heaven and Earth, is a great deale lesse ill, then to offend God with the least transgression of His lawes. For all the creatures of ten thousand worlds, were they all extant, come infinitely short in excellency of worth, of the Hearts-blood of Iesus Christ. And yet without the effusion of it, no sinne could ever have been pardoned, nor any Soule saved. A man would thinke it a lesser ill to tell a lie, then to lie in Hell: But heare Chrysostome; Altho many thinke Hell to bee the supreame and sorest of all evils; yet I thinke thus, and thus wil I daily preach: That it is farre bitterer and more grievous to offend Christ, then to bee tormented with the paines of Hell.

6. It is full of most fearefull effects.

1. It deprives every Impenitent. 1. Of the fauour and love of God, the onely Fountaine of all comfort, peace and happinesse: which is incomparably the most invalue-able losse, that can be imagined. 2. Of his por­tion in Christs blood; of which, tho the drops, waight and quantity bee numbred, finite, and measurable, yet the Person that shed it, hath stampt upon it, such height of price, excellency of merit, un-value-ablenes of worth; that hee had infinitely better have his portion in that sweetest well-spring of life and immortality; then enjoy the riches, pleasures and glory of the whole World everlastingly.

For a bitter-sweet taste of which, for an ynch of time, Hee villanously trampleth under-foote, as it were, that blessed blood, by wilfully cleaving to His owne wayes, and furious following the swinge of His owne [Page 115] sensuall heart (even against the check and contradiction of His grumbling conscience). 3. Of the most blisse­full presence, freedome, and communication of the Ho­ly Ghost; and all those divine illuminations, spirituall feastings, sudden and secret glimpses and glances of heavenly light, sweeter then sweetnesse it selfe, where­with that good Spirit is woont to visit and refresh the humbled hearts of holy men. 4. Of the fatherly pro­vidence and protection of the blessed Trinity, the glo­rious guard of Angels, the comfortable communion with the people of God, and all the happy consequents of safety, deliverance and delight that floweth thence. 5. Of the unknowne pleasures of an appeased consci­ence, a Iewell of dearest price, to which all humane glo­ry is but dust in the balance. Not the most exquisite extraction of all manner of Musicke, Sets, or Consorts, vocall or Instrumentall, can possibly conveigh so delici­ous a touch, and taste to the outward eare of a Man; as the sound, and sense of a Certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit, seal'd with Christs blood, to the eare of the Soule, even amidst the most desperate confusions, in the evill Day; when Comfort will bee worth a World; and a good Consci­ence, ten thousand earthly Crownes. 6. Of all true contentment in this life; of all Christian right, and reli­gious interest to any of the Creatures. For never was any sound ioy, or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the world, found in that Mans heart, which gives al­lowance to any lust, or lyes delightfully in any sinne. 7. Of an immortall Crowne, the un-speakeable ioyes of Heaven; that immeasurable, and endlesse comfort, which there shall be fully and for ever enioyed, with all the children of God, Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Christian friends; yea, with the Lord Him­selfe, and all His Angels, with Christ our Saviour, that Lambe slaine for us, the Prince of glory, the glory of Heaven and Earth; the brightnesse of the everlasting [Page 116] Light, &c. In a word, of all those inexplicable, nay, un­conceiveable excellencies, pleasures, perfections; felici­ties, sweetnesses, beauties, glories, eternities above.

2. It doth every houre expose Him to all those e­vils, which a Man destitute of grace divine may com­mit; and unprotected from above, endure. It brings all plagues. 1. Internall; Blindnesse of minde, Hard­nesse of heart, deadnesse of affection, searednesse of conscience, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, the spirit of slumber, slavery to lust, estrangednesse from God, bondage under the Divell, desperate thoughts, horrour of heart, confusion of spirit, &c. And spirituall mis­chiefes in this kind, moe, and more dreadfull, then ei­ther Tongue can tell, or heart can thinke. Least of which, is farre worse then all the plagues of Egypt. 2. Externall. See Deut. 28.15. &c. 3. Eternall. See my Sermon of the foure last things.

3. By it's pestilent damning Property and poyson, it turnes Heaven into Hell, Angels into Divels, Life into death, Light into darknesse, sight into blindnesse, Faith into distrust, hope into despaire, Loue into hate, humili­ty into pride, mercy into cruelty, security into feare, li­berty into bondage, health into sicknesse, plenty into scarcenesse, a Garden of Eden into a desolate Wilder­nesse, a fruitfull Land into barrennesse, Peace into war, quietnesse into contention, Obedience into rebellion, Order into confusion, vertues into vices, blessings into curses, &c. In a word, all kind of temporall, and eter­nall felicities, and blisse, into all kinds of miseries, and woe.

7. What heart, except it bee all Adamant, and turn'd into a Rocke of flint, but possessing it selfe with feeling thoughts, and a sensible apprehension of the incompre­hensible greatnesse, excellency and dreadfulnesse of the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth, would not tremble and bee strangely confounded to transgresse and breake any one branch of His blessed Lawes, especially, pur­posely, [Page 117] and with pleasure; or to sinne against Him wil­lingly, but in the least ungodly thought? For alas! Who art thou, that liftest up thy proud heart, or whet­test thy prophane tongue, or bendest thy rebellious course against such a Majesty? Thou art the vilest wretch that ever God made, next unto the Divell, and His damned Angels; A base, and an unworthy Worme of the Earth, not worthy to licke the dust, that lyeth under His feete; A most weake and fraile creature, Earth, ashes, or any thing that is naught; the dreame of a shadow, the very Picture of change, worse then va­nity, lesse then nothing; Who, when thy breath is gone, which may fall out many times in a moment, thou tur­nest into dust, nay, rottennesse and filth, much more loathsome, then the Dung of the Earth; and all thy thoughts perish. But now on the other side, if thou cast thine eyes seriously, and with intention upon that thrice glorious and highest Majesty, the eyes of whose glory thou so provokest with thy filth and folly, thou mayest most justly upon the commission of every sinne cry out with the Prophet: O Heavens bee astonished at this: bee afraid and utterly confounded! Nay, thou mightest marvaile, and it is Gods unspeakeable mercy, that the whole frame of Heauen and Earth is not for one sinne fearefully, & finally dissolued, and brought to nought! For He against whom thou sinnest, inhabi­teth eternity, and unapprochable light: The Heauen is His Throne, and the earth his footstoole: Hee is the euerla­sting God, mighty, and terrible, the Creatour of the ends of the earth, [...]c. The infinite splendour of his glory and maiesty, so dazles the eyes of the most glorious Sera­phims, that they are glad to adore Him with couered faces Duae aliae alae, quibus faciem legehant, satis indicant, ne Angelos quid [...]m sulgorem illum D [...]i sust [...]ne [...]e posse, s [...] (que) ips [...]s [...] Dei con­sp [...]c [...], ut [...] solem splendentem in [...]ueri volumus. Neque tamen ita [...]egebant Ang [...]li faciem [...] quin aliquo [...]ruerentur Dei conspectu. Calv. in Isai. cap. 6. The most holy Angels [...] of sin in nature and conscience, yet cover their faces, as abashed at [...], tho doi [...]g his will in obeying the voyce of his mouth. Throgmorton of Faith. Pag. 146.. The Diuell, and all the damned spirits, those [Page 118] stubborne Feinds tremble at the terrour of His coun­tenance. Isai. 40. All the Nations before Him, are but as the drop of a bucket, but as the small dust of the balance, nay, they are nothing to Him, saith the Prophet, yea lesse then nothing. Iob 12. Hee fitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers: The Iudges, and Princes, when Hee blowes upon them, are but as stubble before the Whirle-winde: And Iob 26.11. Hee taketh vp the Iles, as a very litle thing. Psal. 18.7. At His re­buke the Pillars of Heauen doe shake; the Earth trem­bleth and the foundations of the hills are mooued: Nahum. 1.5. His presence melts the mountaines, His voice teares the Rocks in pieces, Psal. 18.15. The blast of the breath of His no­strils discouers the chanells of waters, and foundati­ons of the world: Deut. 32.22.42. when Hee is angry, His Arrowes drinke bloud, His sword deuoures flesh, and the fire of his wrath burnes unto the lowest Hell. Isai. 40.12. The Heauen is but His span, The Sea His handfull, The wings of the wind His walke: Psal. 104.3.2, Psal. 18.11. Nah. 1.3. Ier. [...]1.1 [...]. His garments are light, His Pauilion dark­nes, His way in the whirlewind, and in the storme; and the clouds are the dust of His feete, &c. The Lord of hostes is his name, whose power and punishments are so infinite­ly vnresistable; that Hee is able with one word to turne all the creatures in the world into Hell; nay, even with the breath of His mouth to turne Heaven and Hell, and Earth, and all things into nothing. How darest thou then so base and vile a wretch, prouoke so great a God?

8. Let the consideration, and compassion upon the immortality, and dearenesse of that pretious Soule that lies in thy bosome, curbe thy corruptions at the very first sight of sinne, and make thee step backe as though thou wert ready to treade upon a Serpent. Not all the bloudy men upon earth, or desperate Devils in Hell, can possibly kill, and extingvish the Soule of any man; it must needs live, as long, as God Himself, and run paral­lell, with the longest line of eternity. Onely sinne [Page 119] wounds Mors, quae non mod [...] nos à praesin [...]t [...]s mali [...] viadicat, veri [...]m ad su­pernam quoque vitam saepe traducit, haud s [...]io an propriè mors ap­pellari queat, ut potè no­mine magis quàm re sormidabilis.—Vna vita est oculos ad vitam conjectos habere. Vna mors, peccatum: animae enim est interitus. Na­vian. de funere Patris. mortally that immortal spirit, & brings it into that cursed case, that it had infinitely better never have bin, then be for ever. For by this meanes, going on impe­nitently to that last Tribunall, it becomes immortally mortall, and mortally immortall Beatè vivere, sivè per vitium, sive per supplicium perdit ani­ma: Essentialiter au­tem vivere, neque per vitium, neque per sup­pl [...]um amittil. A qua­litate enim vivendide­ficit, sed omnimodò sub­si [...]lendi inreritum nec moriens sentit. Vt ergo breviter dixerim, & immortaliter mortalis est, & mortaliter im­mortalis. Greg. in 3. cap. lob cap 7. Anima & mortalis esse intelligitur, & immor­tal [...]. Mortalis quippè, quia beatè vivere amittit; immortalis autem, quia essentialitèr vivere nunquam desinit; & nature saae v [...]tam per [...]dere [...] vil [...]l, nec cum ta perpetuâ suerit morte damnata—Quâ ex recogit [...]rse perut & mortem sine morte, & desectum sine defect [...], & sinem sine sine patia­tur: quatenusei & mors immortalis sit, & defectus indeficiens, & sines insimtus. Idem. Dial. Lib. 4. cap. 45. Sic morien [...]ur damnati ut semper vivant: & sic vivent ut semper morian­tur. Bern. de Dignit. mimae Reviviscunt ad mortem, moriuntur ad vitam. as one of the Ancients speakes. It lives to death, and dies to life: never in state of life or death yet ever in the paines of death, & the per­petuity of life; It's death is ever-living, & it's end is ever in beginning: Death without death; End without end: Ever in the pangs of death, & never dead: not able to dye, nor endure the paine: Paine exceeding not only, all patience, but all resistance: No strength, to sustaine nor ability to beare, that which heareafter, whilst God is God, for ever must bee borne. What a prodigious Bedlam cruelty is it then for a mā, by listning to the Syren-songs of this false world, the lewd motions of His own treacherous heart, or the Divels desperate counsel, to embrew His hands in the bloud of His own everlasting soule, & to make it die eternally? For a little paltry pleasure of some base & rot­ten lust, & sleeting vanity, which passeth away in the act, as the tast of pleasant drink dieth in the draught, to bring upon it in the other world, torments whithout end, and beyond all compasse of conceit? And his madnesse is the more, because besides it's immortality, His Soule is in­cōparably more worth, then the whole world. The very sensitive Soule of a little slie, saith Musca sole praestantior S [...]arte tur [...]ata [...]ne q [...]ererent, num ettam mascae an [...]mam hui [...] luci praestare censerem, respon ler [...]m etiam: in c [...]ne terreret musca, quòd parva est, sed q [...]òd viva, firmaret. Quaeriturenim, quid [...]'la membra tam exigua egete [...], quid huc; atque tilu [...] pro naturali ap­petitu taa [...]ill [...]corpusculum ducat, quid currentis pedes in numerum m [...]eat; quid [...] pennulas mo [...]e [...]etur, at v [...]bret? Quod qualecunque est bene considerantibus, [...] magnum eminet, ut [...] [...]algori perstringenti oculos praeseratur. August. Lib. de duabas A­nimabus contra Manichaeos, pag. 180. Austin truly, is more [Page 120] excellent then the Sun: How ought wee then to prize, and preserve from sinne, our vnderstanding, reasonable Soules, which make us in that respect, like unto the An­gels of God?

9. Ninthly, What an horrible thing is sinne, whose waight an Omnipotent strength, which doth sustaine the whole Frame of the world, is not able to beare? Al­mighty God complaines Isa. 1.14. even of the Sacrifi­ces, and other services of his owne people, when they were performed with polluted hearts; and professes, that He was weary to beare them. And how vile is it, that stirs up in the dearest and most compassionate bowells of the All-mercifull God, such implacable anger, that threw downe so many glorious Angelicall spirits, who might have done Him so high honour for ever in the highest Heauens, into the bottome of Hell, there most iustly to continue Devils, and in extremest torment ever­lastingly? Cast all mankinde out of His fauour, and from all felicity for Adams sin?Micah 7.18. caused Him, who delighteth in mercy, to create all the afflicting miseries in Hell; eternal flames, streames of brimstone, chaines of darknesse, gnashing of teeth, a Lake of fire, the bottomlesse Pit, and all those horrible torments there? And that which doth argue, and yet further amplifie, the implacablenes and depth of divine indignation; the infinitenesse of sinnes prouocation,Isaiah 3 [...].33. and desert: Tophet is said to bee or­deined of old: Everlasting fire to be prepared for the De­vill and His Angells: Matth. 25.41. As if the All-powerfull wisedome did deliberate, and as it were sit downe, and devise all st [...]ging terrible ingredients, a temper of greatest torture to make that dreadfull fi [...]e, hellish paines, most fierce and raging, and a fit instrument for the iustice of so great and mighty a God to torment eternally all impe­nitent reprobate Rebels. God is the Father of Spirits; our Soules are the immediate Creation of His Almigh­ty Hand; and yet to every one that goeth on impeni­tently in his trespasses, Hee hath appointed, as it were [Page 121] a threefold Hell. There are three things considerable in sinne: 1. F [...]st autem peccatum hommis inordinatio, atque perversit as, id est, à praestantiore condito­re aversio, & ad condi­ta inferiora conversio. August ad Simplician. Lib. 1. q. 2. pag. 871. Aversion from an infinite, soveraigne, un­changeable good: 2. Conversion to a finite mutable, momentany good: 3. Continuance in the same. To these three severall things in sinne, there are answering three singular stings of extremest punishment. To aver­sion from the chiefest Good, which is objectively infi­nite, there answereth Paine of losse as they call it, Privati­on of Gods glorious presence, and separation from those endlesse joyes above; which is an infinite losse. To the inordinate conversion to transitory things, there answe­reth Paine of sense, which is intensively finite, as is the pleasure of sinne; And yet so extreme, that none can conceive the bitternesse thereof, but the Soule that suf­fers it, nor that neither; except it could comprehend the Almighty wisedome of Him that did create it. To the eternity of sinne, remaining for ever in staine and guilt, answereth the eternity of punishment. For wee must know At inquiunt: Sine si­ne puniri non debet cul­pa cum sine. Iustus ni­narum est omaipotens Deus: Et quod non ae­terno peccato commis­sum est, aeterno non de­bet puniri tormento▪ Quibus citius respon­demus, quòd recte dice­rem; si [...]udex iustus di­st [...]ctusqu [...] veniens, non corda hominum sed sa­cta pensaret. Iniqui enim ideò tun [...] cum sine deliquerunt; quia cum sine vixerunt. Vn [...]uis­sent quippe sine sine [...]ive [...]e, ut sine sine potuiss [...]nt in iniquitatibus permancre. Nam magis appetunt [...] quam vicere. Et ideò hi [...] semper vivere cupiunt, ut nunquam desinant pec­ [...]are, cum [...]. Ad [...] ergo judicis justitiam pertinet, ut nunquam careant supplicijs, quoru [...] m [...]ns in hac v [...]ta nunquam voluit carere peccato; & nullas detur iniquo termi­nus [...]l [...], qui quamdiu valuit, habere noluit terminum criminis. Greg. Expos. Mor. l. 34. cap. 16. in cap. 41. Iob. that every impenitent sinner would sinne ever if he might live ever; and casteth himselfe by sinning into an impossibility of ever ceasing to sinne of Himselfe: as a Man that casteth himselfe into a deepe Pit, can never of Himsel [...]e rise out of it againe: And therefore naturally eternity of punishment is due to sinne. How prodigious a thing then is sinne, and how infinitely to bee abhor­red, and avoided, that by a malignant meritorious poy­son and provocation, doth violently wrest out of the hands of the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, the full vials of that unquenchable wrath, which brings caselesse, endlesse, and remedilesse torments upon His owne creatures, and those originally most excellent.

10. Tenthly, The height and inestimablenesse of [Page 122] the price, that was paid for the expiation of it, doth clearely manifest, nay, infinitely aggravate the execrable misery of sinne, and extreame madnesse of all that med­dle with it. I meane the hearts-blood of Iesus Christ, blessed for ever: which was of such pretiousnesse and power, that beeing let out by a Speare, it amazed the whole Frame of Nature; darkened the Sunne miracu­lously, (for at that time it stood in direct Tun [...] temporis d [...] Luminar [...] sac [...] d [...] ­stant [...]ii [...]. Na [...] S [...] e­rat in gra [...] 10. Arte­tis▪ & [...] 10. [...] l [...]q [...] non su [...] [...] ex naturali Sol [...] del [...] ­qu [...]o▪ ob [...]d▪ quò [...] t [...]mplen [...] [...] non pote [...] opposition to the Moone) shooke the Earth, which shrunke and trembled under it, opened the Graves, clave the Stones, rent the Vaile of the Temple, from the bottome to the top, &c. Now it was this alone, and nothing but this could possibly cleanse the filth of sinne. Had all the dust of the earth been turned into silver, and the stones into pearles; Should the maine and boundlesse Ocean have streamed nothing but purest gold; would the whole world, and all the creatures in Heaven and Earth have offered themselves to bee annihilated before His angry face; Had all the blessed Angels prostrated themselves at the foote of their Creator: yet in the Point of redemption of Mankind, and purgation of sin, not any, nor all of these, could have done any good at all. Nay, if the Sonne of God Himselfe, which lay in His bosome, should have supplicated and solicited, (I meane without Cum dicimus [...]lium [...] na [...]uram. [...] [...] [...]epto; v [...]lpo­tu [...] [...] quam [...] s [...]se morti nan sab [...]e [...]: sed ji. eter­num D [...] [...] sil [...], tu [...] ex hac hypo­t [...]i [...] Chri [...] [...] redemptionem hu [...]n [...]nam: Nam im [...]o [...]. Davennan­tius Expo [...]. Epist. ad [...] I [...]co non [...], an D [...]us alio mo [...]lo quà [...] [...] &c. Respens. Anth [...]. Wall [...] censuram [...]an. Arnoldi [...]orvini. cap. 25. Qu [...] [...] sal [...] homi [...]? sed [...] v [...]luit, nec [...]i hoc. Chamie [...] ▪ Tom. 2. [...]. 10. [...]. Cap. 12. Sect. 6. suffering and shedding His blood) the Father of all mercies; Hee could not have been heard in this case. Either the Sonne of God must die, or all Mankind be eternally damned. Even then, when thou [Page 123] art provoked to sinne, thinke seriously, and sensibly of the price that upon necessity must bee paied for it, be­fore it bee pardoned.

11. Sinfull pleasures are attended with a threefold bitter sting. Whereof see my Directions for walking with God, pa. 171. Which though the Divell hides from them in the heate of temptation; yet in His seasons, to serve his owne turne, Hee sets them on with a vengeance.

12. Compare the vast, and unvalu-able difference, betweene yeelding to the entisement, and conquering the temptation to sinne. For which purpose, looke up­on Ioseph and David, two of Gods dearest servants. And consider the consequents: what a deale of honour and comfort did afterward crowne the head, and the heart of the one: And what horrible mischiefes and miseries fell upon the family, and Ps. 51.3. My sinne is eve [...] before mee. grisly horrours up­on the conscience of the other. Survay also the distinct See the life of Ga­leaci [...]s Caracci [...]lus, containing the Story of His admirable con­version from Popery, and his forsaking of His Marquesdome for the Gospels sake: writ­ten first in Italian, translated into Latine by Beza; and into Eng­lish by Mast. Cr [...]sh [...]: And the History of Franciscus Spira, s [...]t out by severall men; and thus intituled by the first: Francisci Spi­ne Cicitatulani borren­dus Casus, qui ob nega­ [...]am in judicio, cogni­ [...]am Evangelij verita­tem in miseram incidit desperationem. Stories of Galeacius Caracciolus, and Franciscus Spi­ra, then which in their severall kinds, there is nothing left to the memory of the latter times more remarkea­ble. And you shall find in them as great a difference, as betweene an Heaven and Hell upon earth. The one withstanding unconquerably variety of mighty entise­ments to renounce the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and re­turne to Popery, besides the sweet peace of His Soule, attained that honour in the Church of God, that Hee is in some measure See Crashaw in His second Dedicatory Epistle before the Booke. paralleld even with Moses, and re­commended to the admiration of Posterity by the Pen of that great and incomparable glory of the Christian World, blessed Calvin in His Dedicatory Epistle before His Commentary upon the first to the Corin­thians. Non [...]; Hominem pr [...]mariá familliá natum, honore & opibus florentem, no­bi [...]ssimá & caltissimi u [...]ore, numerosa sobole, domesticâ qujete, & concordiâ, totoque vitae sla­tu [...]atun [...], ut in Christi castra migraret, patriá cessisse; ditio [...]fertilem, & onoenam, [...] peti [...]oniu [...]a, con [...]odam non minus, quà voluptuosam balatat [...]m neglexisse: ex­ [...]sse [...] domesticum; Patre, conjuge, liberis, cognatis, affinibus sise [...], &c. Calvin. The other conquered by an unhappy temptation, to turne from the Truth of God and our true Religion, to the Synagogue of Satan, and [Page 124] abominations of the scarlet Whore, besides the raging and desperate confusion hee brought upon His owne spirit, became such a spectacle to the eye of Christen­dome, as hath been hardly heard of.

13. Compare the poore, short, Quòd si tantum [...] [...]up [...]. as esset, quid [...]à [...] ­li [...]s, quid [...]bjectius? Que [...]mul e [...] ve [...], [...], [...] ­gitque [...] quam com­pre [...]endatu [...]: & [...] Chrys [...]in loan. [...] quod dele [...] [...] manet sine sine quod cruciat. Sub mom [...]nto libin [...]s impetus tran­sit, & permanet sin▪ [...] He [...] mis [...] [...]mo, nes [...]s, quò [...] bore pun [...]o vul [...]s ac [...]ipi­ [...] [...] prijt [...]nam [...]. August. [...]om▪ 9. pag. 1328. vanishing delight of the choisest, sensuall, worldly contentment, if thou wilt, of thy sweetest sinne, with the exquisitnesse and eternity of Hellish torments. Out of which, might an impenitent reprobate wretch, bee assured of enlarge­ment, after Hee had endured them so many thousand, thousand yeeres, as there are sands on the Sea-shore, haires upon His head, starres in the firmament, grasse piles upon the ground, Creatures both in Heaven and Earth; Hee would thinke Himselfe happy, and as it were in Heaven already. See before pag. 39. But when all that time is past, and infinite millions of yeeres be­sides, they are no neerer end, then when they begun; nor Hee neerer out, then when Hee came in. The tor­ments of Hell are most horrible; yet I know not whe­ther this incessant desperate cry in the conscience of a damned Soule, I must never come out, doth not outgoe them all in horrour. What an height of madnesse is it then, to purchase a moment of fugitive follies, and fading pleasures, with extremity of never ending paines?

14. [...] toties pone [...] Deus [...] [...]datraditus [...] zatur; condemnatur, & [...] verò contum [...]lus & [...], inter duos [...] derisus▪ [...] per [...]foratus; ex omnibus [...] &c. Bern. Lib de conse. Call to minde, o sinfull creature, and set before thine eyes Christ crucified. Thinke thou seest His [...]ody stre [...] h [...] out in length upon the Crosse, His Head crowned with sharpe thrones, His Hands and His beete pierced with nailes, His Heart opened with a long spea [...]e, His flesh tent and torne with whips His Browes sweating water and blood. Think thou hearest Him now crying: My God, My God, why h [...] thou forsaken Me.? O my Brethten, let this Image of Christ crucified bee alwaies printed in our hearts, let it stirre us to the hatied of sinne, &c. ho [...]pon G.F. When thou art stepping ouer the threshold [Page 125] towards any vile act, lewd House, dissolute company, or to do the Divel service in any kinde, which God for­bid; suppose thou seest Iesus Christ comming towards Thee, as Hee lay in the armes of Ioseph of Arimathea, newly taken downe from the Crosse, wofully woun­ded, wanne and pale; His Body all gore-blood; the beauty of His blessed and heavenly face, darkned and disfigured by the stroke of death; speaking thus unto Thee: Oh! Goe not forward upon any termes, Com­mit not this sinne by any meanes. It was this and the like, that drew mee downe out of the Nonne Dei filius cuns esset in sinu Patris, are­galibus sedibus, pro a­nimâ descondit, ut eam liberaret à potestate Diaboli? Quam cum vidisset peccatorum [...]u­nibus irretitam, jam jamque daemonibus tra­dendam, ut morte per­petuá damnaretur, sie­vit superillam, quae fle­re se nesciebat. Nec so­lism flevit, sed etiam occidi se permisit, ut pretioso sanguinis su [...] pretio cam redimere [...] Bern. de dignitate [...]nimae. armes of my Father, from the fulnesse of joy, and Fountaine of all blisse; to put on this corruptible, and miserable flesh; to hunger and thirst; to watch and pray; to groane and sigh; to offer up strong cries and teares to the Fa­ther in the dayes of my flesh: To drinke off the dregs of the bitter cup of His feirce wrath; to wrastle with all the forces of infernall powers; to lay downe my life in the gates of Hell, with intolerable, and, saue by my selfe, vnconquerable paine; and thus now to lie in the armes of this mortall Man, all torne and rent in peices with cruelty and spite, as thou seest. What an heart hast thou, that darest goe on, against this deare entreaty of Iesus Christ?

15. When thou art unhappily mooued, to breake any branch of Gods blessed Law, let the excellency and variety of His incomparable mercies come presently in­to thy minde: a most ingenuous sweet and mighty mo­tive, to hinder and hold off all gracious hearts from sin▪ How is it possible, but a serious survay of the riches of Gods goodnes, forbearance & long-suffering leading thee to repentance, to more forwardnes and fruitfulnes in the good Way; The publike miracles of mercy, which God hath done in our daies, for the preservatiō of the Gospel, this kingdome, ourselves, and our posterity; especially, drowning the Spanish invincible Armado, discouering, and defeating the Powder-plot, sheilding Q. Elizabeth, [Page 126] the most glorious Princesse of the world, from a world of Anti-christian cruelties; saving us from the Papists bloudy expectations at Her death; &c. The particular, and private Catalogve of thine owne personall favours from Gods bountifull hand, which thine owne consci­ence, can easily leade Thee unto; and readily run over from thine infancy to the present; wonderfull protecti­ons in thine unregenerate time▪ that miracle of mercies, thy conversion, (if thou be already in that happy state); all the motions of Gods holy Spirit in thine heart, ma­ny checks of conscience, fatherly corrections, excellent meanes of sanctification, as worthy a ministry in many Places, as ever the world enjoyde; Sermon upon ser­mon; Sabbath after Sabbath; bearing with thee after so many times breaking thy covenants; Oportunities to at [...]aine the highest degree of godlinesse, that ever was; &c. I say how can it bee, but that the reuise of these and innumerable mercies moe, should so mollify thy heart, that thou shouldest haue no heart at all, nay infinitely abhorre, to displease or any way dishonour, that High and dreadfull Majesty, whose free grace was the well-Head and first Fountaine of them all?

Let this meditation of Gods mercies to keepe from sinne, bee quickned by considering: 1. That thou art farre worthier, to bee now burning with the most abo­minable Sodomite in the bottome of Hell; then to bee crowned with any of these loving kindnesses: That if thou wert able to doe Him all the honour, service and worship, which all the Saints both militant and trium­phant doe; it would come infinitely short of the merit of the least of all His mercies unto Thee in Iesus Christ. 2. How unkindelylie God takes the neglect of His ex­traordinary kindenesses unto vs. 2. Sam. 12.7, &c. 1. Sam. 27.28.31. Ezech. 16.

16. Marke well, and be amaz'd of thine owne feare­full and desperate folly; when thou fallest deliberately into any sinne: Thou lajest, as it were, in the one scale of [Page 127] the Balance, the glory of Almighty God, the endles ioies of Heaven, the losse of thine immortall Soule, the pretious blood of Christ, &c. And in the other, some rot­ten pleasure, earthly pelf, worldly preferment, fleshly lust, sensuall vanity: And suffers this, prodigious mad­nes! Bee astonished, O yee Heavens at this, and bee hor­ribly afraid! to out-weigh all those.

17. Vpon the first assault of every sinne, say thus unto thy self: If I now yeeld, and commit this sin; I shall either repent, or not repent: If I doe not repent, I am vn­done; If I doe repent, it will cost mee incomparably, more hearts-greife, then the pleasure of the sinne is worth.

18. Consider, that for that very sinne, to which thou art now tempted,Revel. 21.8. Heb. 13.4. 1. Thessal. 4.6. suppose lying, lust, ouer­reaching thy Brother, &c. many millions are alrea­dy damned, and even now burning in Hell. And when thy foote is upon the brinke, stay, and thinke upon the wages. And know for a truth, that if thou falelst in­to that sinne, thou art fallen into Hell, if God helpe not out.

19. Never bee the bolder to giue way unto any wickednes; to exercise thine heart with covetousnesse, cruelty, ambition, revenge, adulterjes, speculative wan­tonnesse, selfe-uncleannesse, or any other solitary sinful­nesse; because thou art alone, and no mortall eie lookes upon Thee. For if thine heart condemne thee, God is grea­ter then thine heart, and knoweth all things; and will condemne thee much more. If thy conscience, bee as a thousand witnesses; God, who is the Lord of thy consci­ence will be more then a million of witnesses. And thou mayst bee assured, Howsoever thou blessest thy selfe in thy secrecy, that what sin soever, is now acted, in the ve­ry retyredst corner of thine heart, or any waies most so­litarily by thy Selfe; tho in the meane time it bee con­cealed, and lie hid in as great darknesse, as it was com­mitted, untill that last and great Day, yet then it must [Page 128] most certainly Iniquitates tuae om­nibus populis nuda­buntur, & cunctis ag­minibus patebunt, u [...]i­versa scetera tua, non sol [...]m a [...]tuum, verùm cogitationum & locu­tionum. Bern. lib. de Consc. out with a witnesse; and bee as a legi­ble on thy forehead, as if it were writ with the brightest Sun-beame upon a Wall of Christall. Thou shalt then in the face of Heaven and Earth, bee laide out in thy colours, and Prov. 28.13. without confessing and forsaking▪ while it is called to Day, bee before Pensant sancti viri, quant ailla sit verecun­dia t [...] conspectu tunc humani generis, [...]age­lorum omnium, Arch­angelorum (que) confundi. Angels, Men, and Diuels, vt­terly, universally, and everlastingly shamed and con­founded.

20. Consider the resolute resistance, and mortifyed resolutions against sinne, and all entisements thereunto of many, upon whom, the Sun of the Gospell did not shine with such beauty and fullnesse, as it doth upon vs▪ neither were so many heavenly discoveries in the king­dome of Christ, made knowne unto them, as our daies have seene. (For vpon our times, which makes our sins a great deale more sinfull, hath happily fallen, an admi­rable Confluence of the saving light and learning, expe­rience, and excellency of all former Ages, besides the ex­traordinary additions of the present; which with a glorious Noonetide of united illuminations doth abun­dantly serve our turne, for a continued further and fuller illustration of the great mystery of godlinesse, and Secrets of sanctification). HeareEgo sic cense [...], sic a [...] [...]uè praedicaho, [...] a­cerbius esse, C [...]ris [...]um offendere, quam Gehen­nae mal [...] vexa [...]. In Mat. 9. Hom. 37. Chrysostome, But I thinke thus, and this will I ever preach; that it is much bitterer to of­fend Christ, then to bee tormented in the paines of Hell. Hee that writes the life of Anselme, Nilin munao, quan­tum pe [...]care, timebat. Conscientiá meá te ie, non mentio [...]; quia saepè ill [...]m [...]b veritatis te­stimonio profitentem a [...]di [...]imus: Quòd si hine peccati horrorem; hinc [...]serni lolorem corporaliter cerneret; & necessariò uni corum immergideberet; priùs infernum, quàm peccatum appeterei. Aliud quoque non minùs forsan aliquibus mirum dicere solebat; videlicet, malle se purum à peccato, innocentem, gehennam habere, quàm peccatisorde pollutum, c [...]loru [...] regna tenere. De vitâ Anselmi. lib. 2. In oper. Anselmi. saith thus of Him; Hee feared nothing in the world more, then to sinne. My conscience bearing mee witnesse, I lie not; For we haue of­ten heard Him professe: That if on the on [...] hand▪ He should see corporally, the horrour of sinne; on the other the paines of Hell; and might necessarily bee plunged into the one, Hee would chuse Hell rather then sinne. And an other thing also no lesse perhaps wonderfull to some, Hee was [Page 129] woont to say: To wit; That Hee would rather haue Hell, beeing innocent, and free from sinne; then polluted with the filth thereof, possesse the kingdome of Heaven. It is reported of an other ancient holy Man, that He was woont to say: Hee would rather bee torne in peeces with wilde horses, then wittingly and willingly commit any sin. Ierome also in one of His Epistles, tells a Aliu [...] juveniliaetate s [...]orentem, in amoenissi­m [...]s hortulos praecepit abduci. Ibi (que) inter [...] candentia, & rubentes rosas; cum leni juxta murmure aquarum ser­peret ri [...]us, & mollifi­hilo arborum folia ven­tus perstringeret, super extructam plumis le­c [...]m re supinari: Et ne se inde posset excutere, blandis serico noxibus irretitum relinqui. Quò cum recedentibus cun­ctis moretrix speciosa venisset, capit delicatis constringere colla am­plexibus. Et quod dictu quoque s [...]elus eft, mani­bus attrectare virilia, ut corpore in libidinem concitato, se victrix im­pudica superjaceret. Quid ageret miles Christi, & quò se verte­ret, nesciebut.— Tan­dem coelitùs inspiratus praecisam morsu lin­guam in osculantis se faciem expuit: ac sic li­bidinis sensum, succe­dens doloris magnitudo superavit. Hieronym. p. 3. Tract. 8. Epist. 37. story of a young Man, of most invincible courage, and constancy in the Profession of Christ, under some of the bloody Persecuting Emperours, to this sense: They had little hope as it seemes, to conqver Him by torture; and therfore they take this course with Him: They brought Him into most fragrant Gardens, flowing with all plea­sure and delight; there they laid Him upon a Bed of Downe softly enwrapped in a net of silke; amongst the Lillies, and the Roses, the delicious murmure of the streames, and the sweet whistling of the leaves; they all depart, and in comes a beautifull strumpet, and vseth all the abominable tricks of Her impure Art, and who­ [...]sh villanies to draw Him to her desire: Whereupon the yong Man, fearing that Hee should now bee con­qvered by folly, who was Conqverer over fury, out of an infinite detestation of sinne, bites off a peece of His Tong with His owne teeth, and spits it in the face of the whore: And so hinders the hurt of sinne, by the smart of his wound. I might haue begun with Ioseph, who did so bravely and blessedly beate backe, and trample under His feete the sensuall solicitations of His wanton and wicked Mistris. Hee had pleasure and preferment in His eye, which were strongly offered in the temptation; but Hee well knew, that not all the offices and honours in Egypt, could take off the guilt of that filth; and there­fore Hee resolved rather to lie in the dust, then rise by sinne: How can I doe this great wickednesse, and sinne a­gainst God? I might passe along to the Moth [...] and se­ven brethren. 2. Mac. 7. who chose rather to passe tho­row horrible tortures, and a most cruell death, then to [Page 130] eate swines [...]lesh against the Law: And so come downe along to that noble Army of Martyrs in Q. Maries time; who were contented with much patience, and resoluti­on to part with all, wife, children, liberty, livelihood, life it selfe; even to lay it downe in the flames, rather then to submit to that Man of sinne; or to subscribe to any one Point of His Devillish Doctrine.

Thus as you haue heard, I haue tendred many rea­sons to restraine from sinne; which by the helpe of God may serve to take off the edge of the most eager temp­tation; to coole the heat of the most furious entisement; to embitter the sweetest baite, that drawes to any sen­suall delight. Now my most thirsty desire & earnest en­treaty is, that every one into whose hands, by Gods pro­vidence this Book of mine shall fall, after the perusall of them, would pause a while upon purpose, that Hee may more solemnly vow, and resolve that ever hereafter, when he shalbee set upon, and assaulted by allurement to any sinne, Hee wil first have recourse unto these twen­ty Considerations, I have here recommended unto Him, to helpe in such cases; and with a punctuall seriousnesse, let them sinke into His heart, before Hee proceede and pollute Himselfe. I could bee content, if it were pleasing unto God, that these lines which thou now readest, were writ with the warmest blood in mine heart, to re­present unto thine eie, the deare affectionatenesse of my Soule, for thy spirituall and eternall Good; so that thou wouldest be throwly perswaded, and now before thou passe any further, sincerely promise so to doe!

3. Thirdly, The point may serve to set out the ex­cellency of that high and heavenly Art, of cōforting af­flicted consciences. The more dangerous and desperate the wound is, the more doth it magnifie, and make ad­mirable the mysterie and method of the Cure and reco­very. Which were it wel knowne, and wisely practised; what a world of vnnecessary slavish torture in troubled minds would it prevent? So many thousands of poore [Page 131] abused, deluded Soules should not perish, by the dam­ning flatteries, and cruel mercies of unskillfull Dawbers: what an heaven of spirituall light-somnesse, and ioy might shine in the hearts, and shew it selfe in the faces of Gods people? Vntill it please the Lord to mooue the hearts of my learned and holy Brethren in populous Cities and great congregations, who must needs have much imploiment, and variety of experiments this way; or some speciall men extraordinarily endowed and exercised herein, put to their h [...]lping hands, and furnish the Church with more large and exact dis­courses in this kinde, take in good part this Essay of mine.

Wherein I first desire to discover and rectify some ordinary aberrations about spirituall Cures. Which fall out, when the Physition of the Soule,

1. Applies unseasonably the Cordials of the Gospell, and cōforts of Mercy; when the Corrosives of the Law and comminations of Iudgement are convenient and sutable. Were it not absurd in Surgery, to poure a most soveraigne Bal [...]am of exqvisite composition, and inesti­mable price upon a sound part? It is farre more unseeme­ly and senselesse, of & an infinitely more pestilent conse­quence in any Ministeriall passages, to profer the blood of Christ, and promises of life to an unwounded consci­ence, as belonging unto it, as yet. It is the onely right e­verlasting Method to turne men from darknes to light, from the power of Satan unto God; and all the Men of God and master-Builders, who have ever set themselves sincerely to serve God in their Ministery, and to save Soules▪ have followed the same course; to wit, First to wound by the Law, and then to heale by the Gosp [...]ll. Wee must bee humbled in the sight of the Lord; before Hee lift us vp. Iam. 4.10. Wee must bee sensible of our spirituall blindnesse, captivity, poverty; before wee can heartily seeke to bee savingly illightned enlarged from the Devils slavery, and enriched with grace. There must [Page 132] bee sense of misery, before shewing of mercy; Crying, I am uncleane, I am uncleane, before opening the Foun­taine for vncleannesse; stinging, before curing by the Brasen Serpent; smart for sinne, before a Plaister of Christs blood; Brokennesse of heart, before binding up. God himselfe De utraque apertion [...] oculorum intelligatur hic locus: [...] de conscientià & sensi [...]i [...] terne nuditatis▪ hoc est, amissa imaginis Dei, & illi [...]ò obortae in mente caecitatis, in volu [...]ale averstonis, in sensuali­tate & motibus inter­nis omnimodae pravi­tatis & [...]. De­ [...]nde, de aspectu e [...]i am externae nuditat [...], quae prius fue [...]at d [...]o ra, &c. Statim audiverunt vo­cem Dei, hoc est, statim hec tristis cogitatio di­vexavit corū animos: Heu quid s [...]cimus [...]r­borem vetitam gusta­vimus, & Despraeciptis contempsimus, Diabolo obtemperavimus: tu [...]iter decepti sumus: vestem innocentiae amisimus, pudendam nudi­tatem in nobis cernimus: Hoc parum est: Deus verax & justus est: dixit: Morte mo­riemini: manetigitur miscros, jam inevitabile mortis supplicium. Par. in 3. c. Gen. opened the eies of our first Parents, to make them see and bee sensible of their sinne and mi­sery; nakednesse and shame, &c. Gen. 3.7. Concio­nem gratiae seu veniae omninò praecessit legalis territatio, & fulm [...]n irae divinae: quod immu­tabili [...]èr siquttur pecc [...]tum, & quonecesse est peccatorem humiliari, & ad gratiam praeparari. De hac seqiatur v. 15. Ibid Before Hee promised Christ. Hac promissione auditâ Parentes pudefacti aspectu turpis­simae nuditatis suae, & conscientiá peccati, at que sensu irae Dei, neo non metu aeternae mortis, trepidi, atque dejecti haud dubie iterum erecti sunt, ut conceptá fiduciâ gratiae, & remissio­nis peccatorum propter promissum semen, (quod caput Satanae, hoc est, peccatum, mortem, in­fernum & Diabolum ipsum conte [...]eret) Deum, qaem prius fugerant, ut j [...]dicem; iterum ama­re inciperent, atque requireren [...], ut Pe [...]rem. Ibid. vers. 15. Christ Iesus tells us, [...] id est, Eos, qici sibi justi viden­tur, sive qui se justos esse somniant, quod fui [...] Pharisaorum dogma: quibus opponuntur pecca­tores; id est, q [...]i suorum peccatorum sensu vulnerati, ad unam Dei mise [...]cordiam confugi­unt. Beza. that Hee was annointed by the Lord, The Publicane was vil [...] in their eyes: Paul after his conversion, a pesti­len [...] fellow, and too precise: Them selves the onely Men. Luk. 18.1 [...]. to preach good tydings: But to whom? To the poore, To the broken hearted; To the captives; To the blind; To the bruised, Isai. 61.1. Luk. 4.18▪ That the whole neede not the Physition, but they that are sicke; And Hee came not to call the righteous, but sinners to re­pentance. Matth. 9.12.13. That is, poore Soules, sinners with a witnesse even in their owne apprehen­sion and conceit; And not selfe-conceited Pharisees, who tho they bee meere strangers to any wound of conscience for sinne; yet they will not be perswaded, that they shall bee damned; but in the meane time con­temne and condemne all others in respect of themselves: sinfull Publicanes are to grosse; sincere Professours are too godly. Whereas notwithstanding in true iudgemēt, [Page 133] Harlots are in a In quo illud [...]ireris: si qui tanquam justi se stilerunt coram co, & convenerunt ad con­demnandum mulicrem ream, ij, inquam, [...]is­cesserunt convicti con­scien [...]ijs & condemna­ti: mulier autem, quae in medio statuebatur, & rea peragebatur, abso­luta est. Ex quo illud conspicitur, quod alibi dictum legimus in E­vangelio Principibus Sacerdotum & seniori­bus: Publicani & me­retrices pra eun [...] vos in regnum coelorum. Mat. 21.31. Atque id quoque verum est hodierno die. Rolloc. in loan. cap. 8. farre happier case then they. Math. 21.31. That Hee will give rest; but to whom? To those that labour and are heavy laden. Matth. 11.28. That the Spi­rit which Hee would send, should convince the world: First, of sinne; and then of righteousnesse; to wit, of Christ; It is ordinary with the Phrophets; First to discover the sinnes of their people, and to denounce iudgements: And then to promise Christ, upon their comming in, to il­lighten and make them lightsome, with raising their thoughts to a fruitfull contemplation of the glory, ex­cellency, and sweetnesse of His blessed kingdome. Isaiah in his first chapter, from the mouth of God doth in the first place behaue Himself like a Son of Thunder, pressing vpon the consciences of those to whom Hee was sent, many hainous sinnes; horrible ingratitude, fearefull falling away, formality in Gods worship, cruelty and the like: afterward vers. 16.17. He invites to repentance: And then followes vers. 18. Come now and let us reson to­gether, saith the Lord:Vocantur ad Christii illi peccatores, qui sensu peccati premun­tur, & pro pacificandâ conscientiâ laborant. Atque illi soli sunt, qui cum fructu ad Christum veniunt. Musc. in 11. c. Mat. Though your sins bee as scarlet, they shalbee as white, as snow; though they bee red like crimsin, they shalbee as wooll. Nathan to recover even a regenerate man, convinceth Him first soundly of His sin, with much aggravation and terrour, and then upon remorse, assures Him of pardon. 2. Sam. 12.13. Consider further for this purpose the Sermons of our blessed Sa­viour Himselfe;Laborantes & oneratos intelligit Christus, qui mortis aeterme reatu conscientias afflictas ha [...]ent; & ita suis ma­lis u [...]gentur, ut defici­ant: Nam hic descitus nos adrecipiendam ejus gratiam idoaeos reddit. Calv. who taught as one having authority, and not as the Scribes: With what power, and pier­cing, did our Lord and Master labour to open the eies, search the hearts, and wound the consciences of His Hearers, to fit them for the Gospell, and His owne deare Hearts blood? See Mat. 5. &c. And 23. And 25 &c. Of Iohn Baptist, who by the mightinesse of His Ministerial spirit, accompanied with extraordinary strength from Heaven, did strike thorow the hearts of those that heard Him, with such astonishment about their spirituall state; with such horrour for their former waies, and feare of future vengeance, that they came unto Him thicke, and [Page 134] threefold, as they say: And the people asked Him saying, what shall wee doe then? Then came also Publicans to be baptized, and said unto Him, Master, what shall wee doe? And the Souldiers likewise demanded of Him, saying, And what shall wee doe? Luk. 3.10.12.14. Of Peter: who Act. 2. beeing now freshly inspired, and illuminated from aboue with large and extraordinary effusions of the ho­ly Ghost, shadowed by cloven fiery tongs; in the very prime and flower of His Ministeriall wisedome, bends Himsel [...]e to breake the hearts of His Hearers. Amongst other pie [...]ci [...]g Passages of His searching Sermon, Hee tells them to their faces, they standing before Him stai­ned with the horrible guilt of the dearest blood, that e­ver was shed upon earth, most worthy to have beene gathered up by the most glorious Angels, in vessels of gold; that they had crucified and slaine that iust and holy One, the Lord of life, I [...]sus of Nazareth. vers. 23. And againe, at the close and conclusion vers. 36. leaves the same bloody sting in their consciences; which rest­lesly wrought and boild within them, untill it begot a great deale of compunction terrour, and tearing of their hearts with extreme amazement and anguish. Now when they heard this, they were The word in the O­rigina [...] I signifieth, to vexe rent, and wound punctually; e [...]en eve­ry the least part and point of the heart. If the sharpest points of many empo [...] [...] daggers, had been all at once fastened in their hearts, in the cruel [...]est manner could bee devised: th [...]y had not by the thousanth part so tortur'd them, as did now the fling of conscience f [...] their [...]innes, and the sense of that horrible guilt of crucifying the So [...] o [...] God. Sc [...]lerum & proditionis sibi cons [...] cum essent, maximè cos pude [...]at [...] maximo assi­ [...] [...]. Buc. [...]. Scap. pricked in their heart. v. 27. Whereupon they came crying vnto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles: Men and Brethren what shall wee doe? And so beeing seasonably led, by the counsell of the Apostles Which is imply­ed in these words: In the name of Iesus Christ Baptizari in nomine Domini Iesu Christi, est Baptismatis signo sesia [...]e Christo credere, ad remissionem peccalorum. to beleeve on the Name of Iesus Christ; to lay hold upō the promise, to repent Evangelically; They had the remission of sinnes sealed vnto them by Bap­tisme, and were happily received into the number of [Page 135] the Saints of God, whose Son they had so lately slaugh­tered: Of Paul; who tho Hee stood as a Prisoner at the Barre, and might perhaps, by a generall plausible dis­course, without piercing or particularizing, have insinu­ated into the affections, and wonne the favours of His Hearers, who were to be His Iudges; and so made way for His enlargement, and particular wellfare; yet Hee for all this, very resolutely and unreservedly, cros­seth and opposeth their greedy, lustfull and carelesse humours with a right searching, terrifying Sermon of righteousnesse, temperance, and iudgement to come. Acts 24.24.25. That vnhappy Felix was a fellow polluted with abominable adultery, and very infamous for his cruell and covetous oppressions, and by consequent un­apprehensive, and fearelesse of that dreadfull Tribunall, and the terrors to come: Whereupon Paul hauing lear­ned in the Schoole of Christ, not to Et vide Paulum, quamvis cum Principe loqueretur, nihil dic [...]re corū, per quae verisimi­le erat refocillari ani­mam illius, sed talia, quibus etiam terretur, & menie concutitur. Chrysost. Hom. 51. In Acta Apost. feare any mortall man in the discharge of His Ministry, drawes the sword of the Spirit, with undantednesse of spirit, and strikes presently at the very face of those fearefull sinnes, which ra [...]gned in His principall and most eminent Hea­rers; tho Hee stood now before them in bonds, at their mercy and devotion, as they say. Hee shrewdly Tanta erat verborum Paul [...] vis, ut & Princi­pem torreant. Ibid. galls the Conscience of that Tanta erat verborum Paul [...] vis, ut & Princi­pem torreant. Ibid. great Man;M [...]gno conatu mag­nas nugas agunt. by opposing righte­ousnesse to His brybing cruelties, temperance to his adul­terous impurities,D [...]silla foemina libi­d [...]nosissima ab Azizo [...]norum rege cir­cumciso ad hunc Feli­cem, Pallantis Nero [...]is libe [...]l [...] s [...]atrem, prosa­ [...] ho [...]inem, trans [...]t. Nam hic singulari ejus [...] h [...]dine captus [...] qu [...]ndam In­d [...]orum gene [...] Cyprium sabor [...]vit, q [...] suis [...] eret. Both naught. [...] Ioseph. Antiq. Lib. 20. the dreadfulnes of Iudgement to come to His insolent lawlesse outrages & desperate security. H [...]d Paul addre [...] Himself to haue satisfyed their curio­sities, as many a rising temporizing tre [...]char-Chaplaine would have done very industriously; and to entertaine th [...]ime with a generall discourse of the wonderfull b [...]h, [...] Christ, now so much talk't of [...] in the world; with [...] pleasing discovery, onely [...] and glorious things pur­ [...] [...] by His Bloodshed; not [...] delights [...] lust, [Page 136] and other sinnes; O then, they had listned unto Him with much acceptation, and delight; all things had been carried faire, and favourably: Paul had not been inter­rupted, and so suddainly silent; Nor Felix so frighted, and distempered. But this Man of God, knewfull well that that was not the way; neither best for them, nor for His Masters honor, nor for the comfort of His owne conscience; And therefore Hee takes a course to cause the Tyrant tremble; that thereby Hee might either bee sitted for Christ, which was best of all; or at least made inexcusable; but howsoever that in so doing His duty might bee discharged, and Soule delivered; holding it farrre better, that His Body should bee in bonds; then His Soule guilty of See Ezech 3.18. Q [...] [...] perdideri [...] ▪ v [...] l [...]p [...] rapientibus, [...] adori­ [...]ti [...]us, [...] sed animae propriae j [...]i [...] face­re oportet. C [...]ys. de Sa [...]rdo. 10. Lib. [...]. blood.

Orthodox Antiquity was of the same minde, and for the same methode.

Conscientia non digna [...] san [...], si [...]ota non est. Sed loquer [...], prae­d [...]a [...], [...], praeceptu [...] Dei [...] non quies [...] & [...] audit, si non [...], si non [...] dignus [...] In Psal. 5 [...] Austen, that famous Disputer in His time counsel­leth to this purpose in this Point: (I expresse the sense and summe, and no more then may bee collected and concluded from the Place; I will not ever tie my selfe grammatically and pedantically to the words, precise­ly, and to render verbatim; save only in some cases; as of Controversie, or some other such like necessity of more Punctuall quotation).

The Conscience is not to bee healed, if it bee not woun­ded. Thou preachest and pressest the Law, comminations, the Iudgement to come, and that with much earnestnesse and importunity: Hee which heares, if Hee bee not ter­rified, if Hee bee not troubled, is not to bee comforted. Another heares, is stir'd, is st [...]ng, takes on extremely: Cure His contritions, because Hee is cast downe and con­founded in Himselfe.

After, that Iohn Baptist, saith [...] securis [...] ipsorum reu [...]ane, & aliorum introitu siliorum, & geminatione poe­ [...] [...] undique corum duritiam mollivisset, at­que ex tot malorum ti [...] ad liberationis desideriam suscit [...]sset, tum demi [...]m de Christo intu­ [...] [...]. In cap. 3. Mat. Hom. 11. Chrysostome, had tho­rowly [Page 137] frighted the minds of His Hearers, with the ter­rour of iudgement, and expectation of torment; and with the name of an Axe, and their rejection, and entertaine­ment of other children; and by doubling the punishment, to wit, of beeing hewed downe and cast into the fire: when Hee had thus every way tamed, and taken downe their stubbornnesse, and from feare of so many evils, had stir'd them up to a desire of deliverance; then at length Hee makes mention of Christ.

God powres not the oyle of His mercy, saith Dues non infandito­leum misericordiae, nisi in vas contritum. Bernard, save into a broken vessell.

So also are all our moderne Divines, who are instru­cted unto the Kingdome of Heaven.

Pulcherrima est con­cio ista Prophetae, ad eu­jus exemplum, qu [...] do­cent in Ecclesiâ, vel qui alios corrigunt, for­mare suas debent. Pri­mo loco ponit Parabo­lam: ita Ecclesiastici Doctores locum al [...]em sibi ex veter [...], vel novo [...]estamento delig [...]nr. Deinde adaptant adges praesentes, ut Nathan quando dicit, Tu es ille vir. Mox, peccatum exagitant, pet [...] ad beneficia Dei homi­nibus collata, & perca­tum quod committunt: violare legene, grave est, ac benè de nobis me­riti gr [...]vius— —Cousam item perca­ti aperit in hâc suâ me­thado; nimirum quòd Dauid contempserit De­um: & gravia, quae in­de secuta sunt, demon­strat, totumque pecca­tum patefacit. Ad ex­tremum comminationes adijcit, ut consternet peccatorem. Methodus haec servatur in concio­nibus, ut ad extremum consolationi locus detur. In 2. Sam. 12. Peter Martyr magnifies Nathans method of preaching, and commends it to all the Ministers of God. Hee first proposeth a Parable, as wee doe Doctrines, for the illumination, and conviction of the understanding. Then Hee applies it more particularly, and to the pre­sent [...] where Hee doth notably exagitate and aggravate the Sinne, by recounting, and opposing Gods extraor­dinary bounty and most mercifull dealing with Da­vid, by the cause of it, contempt of the Lords comman­dement, and dreadfull things ensuing thence: After­ward that Hee might strike the heart thorow with a­stonishment and dread, Hee threatens terribly: At last upon compunction, and crying, I have sinned, He sweet­ly comforteth and rayseth to the assurance of Gods fa­vour againe.

If this course must bee taken with relapsed Christi­ans; why not much more, with those who are starke dead in trespasses and sinnes?

Christ is promised to them alone, saith Ij [...] solis pro [...]ittitur Chri­stus, qui mansucfatti sunt, & malorum suorum sensu confusi. In Isa 6 [...]. Calvin, who are humbled, and confounded with sense of their owne sinnes.

[Page 138] Then is Christ seasonably revealed, faith Tunc opportune reve­latur Christus, quando corda mortal um praedi­catione poenitentiae com­puncta desidri [...] gra­tiae Christi renentur. In Mat. cap. 3. Musculus, when the hearts of men beeing soundly pierced by preach­ing Repentance, are possest with a desire of His gratious righteousnesse.

The way to Faith, saith [...] igitur ad sidem est [...], quoniam cogit vel invitos ad & Medicum confugere. Annot. in Mat. cap. 21. vers. 32. See the diffe­rence betweene [...], and [...] Annot. in Mat. c 3. v. 2. And in Act. c. 5. v. 31. [...]Semper enim sunt ho­mines at Evangeli [...] praedicatione legis p [...]e­parandi. In. 2. Cor. 3.11. Beza, is penitence, Legall compunction; because sicknesse enforceth men euen un­willing, to slie unto the Physician.

Men are ever to bee prepared for the Gospell, by the preaching of the Law.

A Sermon of the Law, said Paenitere & res [...]p [...] [...]ere differunt, sicut apud Hebraeos [...] & [...]: Apud Grae [...]os [...] Il­l [...]dest [...]; ho [...] cor­ [...]s: [...] etiam in pi­ [...]rum; hoc non a [...]s [...] [...]o­ru [...]n: quamuis hoc dis­crimen non semper observatur. Hoc sensu poenite [...]tia prior est fide & justificatione. Atque huc resp [...]cit Scrip [...]a, [...]. Mark. 1.15. &c. Qua leg [...]s concio praemit­ten [...]a est doctrinae [...]. Nec obstat, q [...]òd [...] [...]. E [...]si [...] mutatuo, que ac [...] [...]i [...] ess [...] [...] tamen [...]: Cor. 7. [...]0 Svntag Theol. p 2 c. 45. Tilenus, while hee was yet Orthodoxe, must go before the Doctrine of the Gos­pell, that the Oyle of mercy may bee powred into a con­trite vessell.

In our exhortations to follow Christ saith [...] In Iohan. cap. 8. Rolloc, the minds of men are ever to bee prepared with a sense of mi­sery, and their darke estate; and afterward with a desire of enlargement and light.

It is the care of those Ministers, which divide Gods Word aright, say our [...] great Divines of Great Britaine, first fitly and wisely to wound the Consciences of their hea­rers with the terrours of the Law, and after to raise them by the Promises of the Gospell, &c.

[...] The Spirit first terrifies those, who are to bee justifi­ed, with the Law: breaking and humbling them with [Page 139] threats scourges and lashes of Conscience, that thereby de­spairing of themselves, they may flie unto Christ.

Wee cannot learne out of the Gospell saith Evangelium genera­tim, & protolâ doctri­na Christi, acceptum, est praedicatio poenitentiae & remission [...]s peccato­rum. Neque enim ex Evangelio addiscere possumus nos in Christo esse benedi [...]n [...]os, insi per antuhesin, [...] [...]u­theros loquitur, simul, agnosia [...]us nos per le­gen esse maledictos.—Prae [...] poenitenti [...]e [...] [...]nitionis peccato­rum necessario praenitti debet, si fides de re­conciliatione locum ha­bere debeat. Harmo. E­vang. cap. 73. Chemmi­tius, that wee are to bee blessed in Christ, except by an an­thithesis, as Luther speakes, we also acknowledge, that wee are accursed by the Law.

The Doctrine of the Law, saith Doctrina legis propo­nenda est impijs — ad terrorem incutiendum, ad demonstrandam ju­stam illorum damnatio­nem, ni resipiscant, & ad Christum Mediato­rem consugiant. In cap. 1. [...]d Coloss. Davenant ▪ is to be propounded to the impious and impenitent—to strike terrour into their hearts and to demonstrate their just damnation, except they repent, and she to Iesus Christ.

Of the nature and practise of Repen­tance Cap. 3. Rom. 8.15. Perkins that great Light of our Church, both for soundnesse of learn [...]ng, sincer [...]ty of iudgement, and in­sight into the Mystery of Christ, te [...]ching, How Repen­tance is wrought, tel [...] vs,

That first of all a Man must have knowledge o [...] foure things: Of the Law of God; Of sinne against the Law; Of the guilt of sinne; and of the Iudgement of God against sinne, which is His eternall wrath: In the second Place must follow an application of the former knowledge to a Mans selfe, by the worke of the conscience assisted by the holy Ghost, which for that cause is called the spirit of bondage; in this manner.

The breaker of the Law is guilty of eternall wrath, saith the Minde:

But I am a breaker of the Law of God, saith the Con­science as a Witnesse, and an Accuser:

Therefore I am guilty of eternall death, saith the same Conscience, as a Iudge.

Every Law shall have His part in the Lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone: Reuel. 21.8.

But I am a Liar:

Therefore I shall have my part in that everlasting fiery Lake.

And so of other sinnes; Covetousnesse, Cruelty, Drunkennesse, Whoredome, Swearing, Defrauding, Temporizing, Vsury, Filthinesse, Self-uncleannesse, Foo­lish talking, [...]esting, Ephes. 5.4. Revellings, Galat. 5.21. [Page 140] Prophaning the Lords Day, strange apparell, Zeph. 1.8. And innumerable sinnes moe; which beeing all several­ly prest upon the heart, by a discourse of the guilty conscience, as I have said, must needs full sorely crush it with many cutting conclusions: from which set on by the spirit of bondage, is woont to arise much trouble of minde; which, saith Hee, is commonly called, the sting of the conscience, or penitence, Act. [...].37. and the compunction of heart. And then succeedes seasonably, and comfortably the worke of the Gospell. The Soule beeing thus sensible of and groaning under the burden of all sinne, is hap­pily See Isa. 57.15. Mat. 11.28. & 9.13. fitted for all the glorious revelations of the abun­dant riches of Gods dearest mercies; for all the com­forts, graces and favours which shine from the face of Christ; for all the expiations, refreshings, and exultati­ons, which spring out of that blessed Fountaine, Zech. 13.1. opened for sinne and for uncleannesse.

Never any of Gods Children, saith Of Repentance. Sern. 7. Greeneham, were comforted thorowly, but they were first humbled for their Sinnes.

The course warranted unto us by the Scriptures, saith The Preachers [...]. pag 201.202.203.204 Hieron, is this: First, to endeavour the softning of our Hearers hearts, by bringing them to the sight and sense of their owne wretchednes, before we adventure to apply the riches of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus. The preaching of the Gospell is cōpared by our Saviour Himself unto the Sow­ing of seedes as therefore the ground is first torne up with the pl [...]gh, Mat. 13. before the seede be committed unto it: so the f [...]llow ground of our hearts must first bee broken up with the sharpenesse of the Law, Ier. 4.3. and the very terrour of the Lord, 2. Cor. 5. [...]. before wee can bee fit to entertaine the sweete seed of the Gospell—I would have a Preacher to preach peace, and to aime at nothing more, then the comfort of the Soules of Gods people: yet I would have Him withall, frame his course to the manner of Gods appearing to Elijah. The Text saith, 1. [...]g. 19 12.12. that first a mighty strong winde rent the Mountaines, and brake the rockes: then, after that came [Page 141] an earthquake; and after the earthquake came fire: and after all these, then came a still, and a soft voyce. After the same manner, I would not have the still and milde voy [...]e of the Gospell come, till the strong tempest of the Law hath rent the sto [...]y hearts of men, and have made the [...] beli [...]es to tremble, Habak. 3.16. and rottennesse to enter into their bones. — Or at least, because our Auditories are mixt, consisting of men▪ of divers humours, it shall bee good for Him to deliver His doctrine with that caution, that nei­ther the humbled soules may be affrighted with the severi­ty of Gods judgements, nor the prophane and unrepentant grow presumptuous by the abundance of Gods mercy. Prou. 27.7.— The person that is full, despiseth the hony-combe, saith Salomon: And what doth a proud Pharisie, or a churlish Nabal, or a Politicke Gallio, or a scoffing Ishmael, care to heare of the breadth, Eph. 3.18. and length, and depth, and height of the love of God in his Sonne Iesus? Except it bee to set­tle them faster upon their lees.Act. 7.51. The Doctrine of that na­ture is as unfitting such uncircumcised eares, as the snow the Summer,Prov. 26.1.3. and the raine the Harvest. Vnto the Horse belongs a whip, to the Asse a bridle, and a rod to the Fooles backe, &c.— Hee that intendeth to doe any good in this frozen generation, had need rather to bee Boaner­ges, one of the sons of thunder, Marke 3 17. then Bar-Ionah the Sonne of a Dove.

The Word of God, saith In His Commentarie upon the Revel. c. 14. Forbes, hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of men. For, first it falleth to mens eares as the sound of many waters, a mighty great, and confused sound, and which commonly, bringeth nei­ther terrour, nor ioy, but yet a wondering, and acknow­ledgement of a strange force, & more then humane power. This is that effect which many felt, hearing Christ, when they were astonished at His Doctrine,Mark. 1.22.27. Luk. 1.32. Ioh. 7.46. as teaching with authority. What manner doctrine is this? Never man spake like this man. This effect falleth even to the repro­bate, which wonder and vanish: Ha [...]ak. 15. Act. 13.41. The next effect is the voice of thund [...]r. Which bringeth [Page 142] not onely wonder, but feare also: not onely filleth the eares with sound, and the heart with astonishment, but more­over shaketh and terifyeth the conscience. And this second effect may also befall a reprobate. As Felix. Act. 24. The third effect is proper to the elect: the sound of harping, while the word not onely ravish [...]th with admiration, and striketh the Conscience with terrour; but also, lastly filleth it with sweete peace and ioy, &c. Now albeit the first two degrees may bee without the last; yet none feele the last, who have not in some degree, felt both the first two.

God healeth none The whole Armour of God. pag 237.238. saith Gouge, but such as are first wounded. The whole need not a Physitian, but they that are sicke.M [...]t. 9.12. Christ was annointed to preach the Gospell to the poore,Luk. 4.18. to heale the broken hearted, &c.

Acts 16 4.Ob. Many have believed, who never grieved for their misery, as Lidia, &c.

Answ. Who can tell, that these greeved not? It follow­eth not that they had no greife, because none is recorded. All particular actions and circumstances of Actions are not recorded: It is enough that the greefe of some, as of the Iewes, Acts 2.37. & 16 29. Luk. [...] 38. of the Iaylour, of the woman that washed Christs feete with Her teares▪ and of others, is recorded.

Lidia might bee prepared before she heard Paul. For sh [...]e accompanied them which went out to pray, Acts 16.13 14. and shee worshipped God: Or else Her heart might be then touch­ed, when she heard Paul preach. The like may bee said of those which heard Peter, Act. 10.41.45. when Her preached to Corneli­us; And of others. Certaine it is that a man must both see and feele Hi [...] wretchednesse, and bee wounded in Soule for it before Faith can be wrought in Him. Yet I deny not, but there may be great difference in the manner and mea­sure of greeving, &c.

Yates. [...] against the [...] of Gods wi [...]l [...] 5. Rom. 8.15. The heart is prepared for faith, and not by faith. Iusti­fi [...]ation beeing the worke of God is perfect in it selfe: but our hearts are not fit to apply it, untill God have humbled us brought us to despaire in our selves.—The whole pre­paration beeing legall wrought by the Spirits of bondage [Page 143] to bring us to the Spirit of Adoption, leaves us in despaire of all helpe either of our selves, or the whole world; that so beeing in this wofull plight wee might now submit our selves to God, who infusing a lively faith into our hearts, gives us His Son and our iustification with Him.

Sclater. The sicke Soules Salve. pag. 5. None ever had conscience truly pacifyed, that first felt not conscience wounded.

Dike of Repentance cap. 1. pag. 11. The preparation to repentance. (Hee meanes Evan­gelicall) are those legall sits of feare and terrour, which are both in nature and time too, before Faith.

Ibid. cap. 2. p. 23.24. As there can bee no birth without the Quid sunt dolores ut parturient [...], nisi dolo­res p [...]entis. August. in Psal 48. paines of the travell going before; so neither, no true repentance with­out some terrours of the Law, and streights of Conscience. —The reason is plaine. None can have repentance, but such as Christ cals to Repentance. Now Hee cals only sin­ners to Repentance. Mat. 9.13. even sinners heavy laden with the sense of Gods wrath against sinne. Mat. 11.28. Hee comes onely to save the lost sheepe, that is such sheepe, as feele themselves lost in themselves, and know not how to finde the way to the fold. It is said Rom. 8.15. Yee have not received the spirit of bondage againe, to feare: which shewes, that once they did receive it, namely, in the very first preparation vnto conversion, that then the spirit of God in the Law did so beare witnes unto thē, of their bon­dage and miserable slavery, that it made them to tremble. Now there, vnder the person of the Romans, the Apostle speakes to all Beleevers, and so shewes, that it is every Christians common case.

Hinde, of the O [...]ice and vse of the morall Law of God in the dayes of the Gospell. pag. 104. Hee quotes in the Margent. Matth. 27.3.2. Timoth. 2.25. Bez. in Mat. 3.2. and in Act. 5.31. I the rather name this Booke, because I could wish all those, who are ignorantly and lewdly tampering and medling about an utter abrogating and abolishing the whole Law of Moses since the death of Christ, would reade it over, and re­turne unto their right minde. the law hath His use to worke [...], poenitenti­am. The Gospell His force to worke [...], resipiscenti­am; and both are needfull for Christians even at this Present, as formerly they have ever bin.

Dike of the Deceitfulnes of Mans Heart. cap. 15. p. 190. Gods mercy may not bee such, whereby His Truth in any sort should bee impeached. As it should, if it be pro­stituted [Page 144] indifferently and promiscuously to all, as well the insolent, and impenitent, as the poore humble, and broken hearted sinner. For unto these latter onely is the promise of mercy made. And if to others, the gate of mercy should bee set open; Gods mercies (as Solomon saies of the wic­ked's, that they are cruell mercies) should be false and un­iust. mercies. But God never yet learned so to bee merci­full, as to make Himselfe false and unfaithfull.

The first thing that drawes unto Christ, is to consider our miserable estate without Him. D. P. —Therefore wee see that the Law drives men to Christ: And the Law doth it by shewing a Man His sin, and the curse due unto the same. — Wee must know, that nothing performed of us can give satisfaction in this matter of humiliation.— Yet it is such a thing without which wee cannot come to Christ. It is as much as if a man should say, the Physitian is ready to heale Thee, but then it is required, that Thou must have a sense of the disease: &c! No Man will come to Christ except He bee hungry. Onely those that are trou­bled receive the Gospell.

No Man will take Christ for his Husband, till Hee come to know & feele the Waight of Satans yoke. Till that time, Hee will never come to take upon Him the yoke of Christ.

To all you I speake, that are humbled: Others that minde not this Doctrine, regard not the things of this nature; But you that mourne in Zion, that are broken-hearted; you that know the bitternesse of sin, to you is the salvation sent.

C [...]lverwell in His Treatise of Faith p. 45 Vnder the causes I comprehend all that worke of God, whereby Hee worketh Faith in any, which standeth especially in these three things:

1. That God by His word, and Spirit first illightneth the understanding, truly, to conceive the Doctrine of Mans misery, and of His full recovery by Christ.

2. Secondly, by the same meanes Hee worketh in His heart, both such sound sorrow for His misery, and [Page 145] fervent desire after Christ the remedy; that Hee can ne­ver bee at quiet, till Hee enioy Christ:

3. Thirdly, God so manifesteth His love in freely offe­ring Christ with all His benefits to Him a poore sinner, that thereby hee drawes Him so to giue credit to God, therein, that Hee gladly accepts Christ offered vnto Him. These three works of God, whosoever findeth to have bin wrought in Himselfe, Hee may thereby know certainly Hee hath Faith. But without these, what change of life so­ever may bee conceived, there can bee no certainty of Faith.

Throgmorton in His Treatise of Faith. pag. 149. The Law first breakes us, and kills us with the sight, and guilt of sin, before Christ cures us, and binds us up.

The holy Ghost worketh and maketh Faith effectuall by these three Acts: D. P.

1. First, it puts an efficacy into the Law, and makes that powerfull to worke on the heart; to make a man poore in spirit; so that hee may bee fit to receive the Gos­pell. —The Spirit of bondage must make the Law ef­fectuall; as the Spirit of adoption doth the Gospell, &c.

2. The second worke, is to reveale Christ, when the heart is prepared by the spirit in the first worke, then in the next place, Hee shewes the unsearchable riches of Christ, what is the hope of His calling, and the glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints; what is the exceeding greatnesse of His power in them that beleeve. I say wee neede the Spirit to shew these things, &c.

3. The third Act of the Spirit, is, The testimony which hee gives to our spirit, in telling us that these things are ours. When the heart is prepared by the Law; and when these things are so shewed unto us, that wee prize them, and long after them, yet there must bee a third thing: To take them to our selves, to be­leeve they are ours: and there needes a worke of the Spirit for this. For tho the promises bee never so cleare, yet having nothing but the promises, you shall never bee able to apply them to your selves. But when the [Page 146] holy Ghost shall say, Christ is thine, All these things belong to Thee, and God is thy Father; when that shall witnesse to our spirit by a worke of His owne, Then shall wee be­leeve, &c!

P. Baine in his Serm. upon Ioh 3.16. p. 39. This is the order observed in our iustification: 1. First There is a sight of our misery, to which wee are brought by the Law. 2. Secondly, There is by the Gospell an holding forth of Christ, as our redemption from sin and death. 3. Thirdly, there is a working of Faith in the heart to rest on Christ, as the ransome from sinne and death. Now when a man is come hither, Hee is truly and really iust.

Cade in his Iustific. of the Church of Engl. Lib. 1. Cap. 5. Sc [...]. 1. Wee teach that in trve conversion a man must bee wounded in his conscience by the sense of his sinnes; His contrition must bee compungent, and vehement, bruising, breaking, renting the heart, and feeling shee throwes (as a woman labouring of Childe) before the new-Creature bee brought forth, or Christ truly formed in Him. It is not done without bitternesse of the Soule; without care, indignati­on, revenge. 2. Cor. 7.11. But as some Infants, are borne with lesse paine to the mother, and some with more: so may the new-man be regenerated, in some with more, in some with lesse anxiety of travell. But surely grace is not in­fused into the heart of any sinner, except there bee at least so great affliction of Spirit for sinne foregoing that He can­not but [...]eele it, &c.

D.S. in his Bruised Reede. pag. 13.14.15. This bruising is required before conversion. 1. That so the Spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts! &c 2. To make vs set an high price upon Christs death—This is the cause of re­lapses, and Apostasies, because men never smarted for sin at the first; They were not long enough under the lash of the Law. Hence this inferiour worke of the Spirit in brin­ging downe high thoughts, is necessary before conversion.

By this time it doth most clearly, and plentifully ap­peare; what a foule, and fearefull fault it is; for men, ei­ther in the managing of their Publike ministery; or more private Passages, of conference, visitations of the sicke, [Page 147] consultations about a good estate to Godward, and o­ther occasions of like nature; to apply Iesus Christ and the promises, to promise life and safety in the evill Day, to Soules as yet not soundly illightned and afflicted with sight of sinne, and sense of Gods wrath; to consciences never truly wounded and awaked. I insisted the longer upon this Point, because I know it full well, to bee a most universall, and prevailing Policy of the Devill, whereby hee keepes many thousands in His cursed sla­very, and from salvation: To confirme as many Pa­stours as Hee can possibly, willing enough to drive their Flocks before them to damnation, in an ignorant, or af­fected Preiudice, and forbearance, of that saving method of bringing Soules out of Hell, mentioned before; and made good with much variety of evidence: And to nou­rish also in the hearts of naturall men, a strong and sturdy disconceite, opposition & raging, against downe­right dealing, and those men of God (able as they say, but falsely and furiously against their owne Soules by their terrible teaching to drive their hearers to di­straction, Selfe-destruction, or despaire) who take the only right course to convert them and to bring them to Iesus Christ as Hee Himselfe invites them, to wit, la­bouring and heauy laden with their sinnes, Matth. 11.28.

Dawbers then, who serue Satans craft in this kinde, and all those who dispence their ministery without all spirituall discretion and good conscience, of whom there are too many, as great strangers to the right way of working grace in others, as to the worke of grace in themselves; I say, they are a generation of dangerous men. Old excellent, as they say in an accursed Art of conducting poore blinded Soules, merrily, towards everlasting miserie, and setting them downe in the very midst of Hell, before they bee sensible of any danger, or discovery of their damnable state. Great men they are with the men of this world, with al those wise fooles and sensuall great ones, who are not willing to bee tor­mented [Page 148] before their time, or rather who desire impossi­bly to live the life of pleasures in the meane time, and yet at last to die the death of the righteous. They have still ready at hand, hand over head, mercy, and par­don. Heaven and salvation for all commers, and all they come neere, without so much as a desire to put any dif­ference, or divide the pretious from the vile. Which is a prodig [...]usly-arrogant folly, pernicious in the highest degree, both to their own soules, and those they delude. He [...]e [...] they are branded in the Booke of God; calling them: [...]-S [...]wers under mens elboes; Ezek. 1 [...].1 [...]. That [...] laid [...] soft and lockt fast in the Cra­dle of security, th [...] may sinke suddenly into the Pit of destruction, before they be aware: Criers of peace, peace; when no peace is towards, Ier. 6.14. but horrible stirs, tumbling of garments in bloud; burning and devouring of fire: A [...]n-pleasers, [...]alat. 1.10. who chuse rather to tickle the itching eares of their carnall hearers with some f [...]othy, Frier-like conceits out of Dung-hill [...] And so smooth Great Ones in their humours, by their cowardly flatteries, especially, if they any waies depend upon them for countenance, rising, and prefer­ment; rather then conscionably to discharge that trust [...] upon them by their great Lord and Master in Hea­ven, upon answerablenes for the bloud of those Soules, which shal perish by their temporizing silence, and flat­tering vnfaithfulnesse: Healers of the hurt of their Hea­rers with [...] [...] words. Ier. 6.14. while their Soules are [...] by the wounds of sinne unto eternall death; Preachers of [...]. See Ezek. 13.13.15. Ier. 14.15.16. Isa. 30.13.14. smooth things. Isa. 30.10. which kinde of [Page 149] Men, the greatest part, and all worldlings wonderfully They are equally transported with ad­miration, and doting vpon such Dawbers; and, with indignation and heart-rising a­gainst Plaine-Dealers; holding them out of a wicked and Soule kil­ling Mis-conceite, to bee too terrible Tea­chers, and their Mini­stery intolerable. affect and applaud, tho to their owne everlasting vn­doing. They swell under such Teachers with a Pharisai­call conceite, that they are as safe for salvation, as the precisest of them all; but alas! their hope is but like a hollow wall, which beeing put to any stresse, when the tempest of Gods searching wrath begins to shake it, in the time of a finall triall of it's truth, and soundnesse; it shatters into pieces and comes to naught. Heare the Prophet: Isai. 30.8. &c. Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a booke, that it may bee for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that wil not heare the Law of the Lord: which say to the Seers, see not; Populus nihil adversi sibi nunciari volebat: proptered infestus erat Prophetis, quòd dum vi­tia ejus accusarent, & acr [...]èr pungerent, simul propinquae Dei vindictae tes [...]es erant. Huc perti­nent ejusmodi verba: nolite videre, nolite prospicere recta: Non quod ita loquerentur, sed quod ita affecti es­sent, & moderationem requirerent in prophe­tis, nec tam acerbas eo­rum objurgationes ae­quo animo ferre possint. Calv. in. loc. Impios vis & efficaciae verb [...] acuit et exasperat, ut tanquā immanes bel­luae ferociam & tru­culentiam suam promant: Libenter quidem eluderent: sed velint, nolint, Deum loquentem audire, ejusque Majestatem reform; dare coguntur. Hanc amarulentiam sequitur odium Pro­phetaerum, insidiae, terrores, persecutiones, exilia, cruciatus, mortes quibus doctrinam cum do­ctoribus summoneri ac deleri, posse existimant. Cupiunt enim homines sibi potiꝰ narrari somnia, & futiles nugas, quam fideliter doceri. Ibid. and to the Prophets, pro­phesie not unto us right things; speake unto us smooth things, prophesie deceits. Get you out of the way: turne aside out of the path: cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore, thus saith the Holy One of Is­rael: Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppres­sion, and perversenesse, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shalbee to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking commeth suddenly at an instant. And Hee shall breake it as the breaking of the potters vessell, that is broken in pieces, hee shall not spare; so that there shal not be found in the bursting of it, a sheard to take fire from the harth, or to take water with all out of the Pit. Dawbers with untempered morter: Ezech. 13.11. Who erect in the conceits of those who are wil­ling to bee deluded by them, Pharises at the best, a rot­ten Building of false hope, like a [...] metaphoricè caementum lateritium sine stramine dicitur, id est, non rectè confectum, & temperatum, quo si quid aedisicetur, structura parum firma sit, & durabilis. Pagn. Non dubito quin significet arenam absque calce Calv. Lutum absque paleis quibus firmatur & stringitur; nil roboris potest praebe [...]e parieti. Hieron. mudde-wall without [Page 150] straw, or morter made onely of sand without lime to binde it; which in faire weather makes a faire shew for a while; but when abundance of raine falls, and winter comes, it moulders away, and turnes to myre in the streetes. Their vaine confidence in prosperous times, be­fore it come to the Touchstone of the fiery triall by Gods searching Truth, may seeme currant; But in the tempest of Gods wrath when the stormy winters night of death approacheth, or at furthest, at the iudge­ment Seate of the iust and Highest God, it prooves to bee counterfeite:Matth 7.22. & 25.11. when at last they shall cry Lord Lord like the foolish Virgins, And those Mat. 7. in steade of imaginary comfort, they shalbee crusht with horrible and everlasting confusion.Ezech. 13.11. &c. Heare the Prophet: Say un­to them which daube it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall bee an overflowing showre, and yee, O great haile stones, shall fall, and a stormy winde shall rent it. Loe, when the wall is fallen, shall it not bee said unto you where is the daubing wherewith yee have daubed it? Ther­fore thus saith the Lord God, I will rent it with a stormy winde in my fury: and there shall be an overflowing showre in mine anger, and great hailestones in my fury to con­sume it. So wil I breake downe the wall that yee have dau­bed with untempered morter, and bring it downe to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shal bee discovered, and it shall fall, and yee shall bee consumed in the midst thereof: and yee shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have it dawbed with untempered morter, and will say un­to you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it: To wit, the Prophets of Israel, which prophesie concerning Ie­rusalem, and which see visions of peace for Her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God: Such as with lies make the heart of the righteous sad, whom God hath not made sad; and strengthen the hands of the wicked, that Hee should not returne from His wicked way by promising Him life. Ezech. 13.22. These fellowes hold and beare [Page 151] meere civill men in hand, that their estate is sound e­nough to Godward, whatsoever the purer and preciser Brethren prate to the contrary: Sunt etiam apud nos qui bene alioqui, & ci­uilitèr vivunt, qui ta­mèn nullo desiderio verbi tenentur: istos homines nunquam ego sanctificatos di [...]rim, neque eorum virtutes esse existimarim, sed virtutum umbras dun­taxat, & simulachra, cum sine sanctisicatione & participatione divi­nae naturae, nulla possit esse vera virtus. Rol­loc. In Ioh. cap. 8. Time hath been, perhaps, when wee have thought civill hone­sty to be regenerati­on: God forgive us: It must be more then civilitie that brings to Heaven; more then formalitie that makes a Christian, &c. Dr. Sclater, Sicke Soules Salve, pag. 21. and yet the holy Ghost tells us, that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Hebr. 12.14. That formall Professours are very forward men; whereas Iesus Christ professeth, that Hee will spew the luke-warme out of His mouth. Nay, and if there bee talke even of a good fellow especially of some more commendable naturall parts, and plausible carri­age; if Hee be so but moderately, that I may so speake, and not iust every day drunke; well, well, will they say, wee have all our faults, and that is His. But as concer­ning the faithfull servant of God; they are woont to entertaine the same conceite of Him, which Ahab did of Elijah to wit, that 1. King. 18.17. Hee was a troubler of Israel: Which one of the captaines had of the Prophet sent to annoint Iehu, that Hee was a 1. King. 9.11. mad fellow: which the false Pro­phets had of Micaiah; that Hee was a fellow of a singular and od humour by Himselfe, and guided by a private spirit of His owne: which Tertullus had of Paul, that he was a 1. King. 22.24. pestilent fellow: which the Phari­ses had of Christs Followers; that they were a contem­ptible and Acts 24.5. cursed generation; a company of base, rude illiterate underlings. Nay sometimes, when the bedlam fit is upon them, they will not sticke to charge Gods people in some proportion most wickedly and falsely; as the ancient Heathens did the primitive Christians, with conventicles and meetings of hatefull Ioh. 7.48.49. Haec est sententia Con­cilij Sacerdotalis & Pharisaici contra ple­bem à Christo penden­tem. [...] inquiunt, hoc est, Sub maledicto sunt: execrabiles — ideoque & excommunicandi▪ —Haec est infamia Evangelicae doctrinae, quāfere cogitur apud potentes, ac prudentes hujus seculi, quòd sectatores habeat ho­mines plebeios, obscuros, & imperitos, qui si docti essent, haudquaquam illi adhaererent. Musc. impurities, faction, disaffection to Caesar, and many other horrible things; whereas poore Soules! they were most inno­cent, and infinitely abhorred all such Dicimur sceleratissimi, de sacramento insanticidij, & pabulo inde: & post convivium incesto, quòd eversores luminum, canes, lenones scilicet, tenebrarum & libidinum impiarum invere­cundia procurent. Tertul. Apolog. cap. 7. Sed quod omni cruciatu gravius erat, insignia de eis mendacia spargebantur, Incusabatur eos humanis c [...]rnibus vesci, infantes dijs suis immola­re, incestibus sese polluere, & nefandissima quaeque perpetrare. [...]unc. Com. in Chron. Lib. 6. villanies; And [Page 152] they met in the morning even before Day, not to doe, God knowes any such ill, but for the Ince [...]uosus sum, cur non requirunt? Insan­ti [...]ida, Cur non extor­quent? —In Caesares aliquid comitto; cur nō audior? &c. Tert. Apolog. cap 4. Haec coitio Christianorum meritò sane illicita, si illicitis par, meritò dananda, si quis de cā quaeri­tur, eo titulo quo de sa­ctionibus querela est. In cujus perniciem ali­quando convenimus? Hoc sumus congregati, quod & dispersi. Hoc universi, quod & singu­li; neminem Laedentes, neminem contristantes. Cum probi, cum boni cocunt; cum pi [...], cum casti congregantur, non est factio dicenda sed curia. At è contrario illis nomen factionum accommodandum est, qui in odium [...]o [...]orum, & proborum conspirant, qui adversum sanguinem innocenti­um co [...]el [...]ant, prete [...]entes sanè ad odij defensionem, illam quoque vanitatem, quod exi­stiment omnis publicae cl [...]dis, omnis popularis incommodi, Christianes esse causam. Idem, ibid. cap 39. service of God, (even their more ingenuous Coimus in coetum & aggregationem, ut ad Deum quasi manu fact [...] precationibus ambiamus orantes. Haec vis Deo grata est. Oramus etiem pro imperatoribus, pro ministris eo­rum, [...] potestatibu [...], pro statu seculi, pro rerum quiete—Coimus ad literarum divinarum commemorationem, si quid praesentium temporum qualitas, aut praemonere cogit, aut recognos­cere. Certè [...]id [...]m, sanctis vocibus pascimus, spem erigimus, fiduciam sigimus, disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus i [...]culcationibus densamus. Ibidem etiā exhortationes, castigationes, & censura divina. Ibid. cap. 39. adversaries being wit­nesses) to sing prayses to Christ. God to confirme their discipline, forbidding all manner of sinne, &c. with Plinius enim Secundus, cum Provinciam regeret, dam­n [...]tis quibusdam Christianis, quibusdam gradu pulsis, ipsa tamen multitudine perturbatus, qu [...]d de caete [...]o ageret, consul [...] tunc Trajanis Imperatorem, allegans praeter obstinationem non sacrificandi, nihil aliud se de sacris corum comperisse, quam coetus antelucanos ad canendum Christo & Deo, & ad conf [...]derandam disciplinam: homicidium, adulterium, fraudem, perfidi­am, & caetera scelera prohibentes. Ibid. cap. 2. Func. Comm. in Chronol. Lib. 5. Bucolc. Ann. Christi 110. pag. 636. all the miscarriages, miseries and calamities that fell vpon the State, as tho they were the causes. Whereas those few neglected Ones which truly serve God are the onely men in all Places where they live to make up the hedge and to stand in the gappe against the threatned inundations of Gods dreadfull wrath; and all the Opposites to their holy Profession are the true Cut­throats of Kingdomes, able by their dissolutenesse, and disgracing godlinesse, to dissolve the sinewes of the strongest state upon Earth. Looke upon Amos 4.1.2. And there you shall finde who they are, which cause God to enter a controversie with the Inhabitants of a Land. Contra Christianam fidem querelas impias jactare non quiescunt, dicentes, quod antequam ista doctrina per mundum praedicaretur, tanta mala non paticbatur genus humanum. August epist. 122. Dicis plurimos conqueri, quod bella crebrius surgant; quod lues, quod fames saeviant, quod que imbres & pluvias s [...]rena longa suspendant, nobis im­putar [...]. Cyp. Contra Demetrianum, dicentem Christianis imputari debere omnia, quibus tunc mu [...]dus urgeretur. Si [...] moenia; si Nilus non ascendit in ar [...]a; si Coe­l [...]m stetit, [...], Christanus ad Leonem, acclamatur. Tertul. Apolog. cap 39.

[Page 153]Heare how Absit ut dicamus vo­bis: vivite ut vultis, securi estote, Deus ne­minem perdit, tantum­modo sidem Christia­nam tenete: non per­det ille quod redemit, non perdet pro qui­bus sanguinem suum sudit: Et si spectaculis volucritis oblectare a­nimos vestros, ite: quid mali est? Et festa ipsa, quae celebrantur per u­niversas civitates in laetitia convivantium, & publicis mensis seip­sos, ut putant, jucun­dantium, reverà magis perdentium, ite, cele­br [...]te, magna est Dei misericordia, quae to­tum ignoscat. Corona­te vos rosis antequam marcescant. Impleamini cibo, et vino, c [...] vestris. Ad hoc enim date est ista creatura, ut [...]â per­ [...]ruamini.— Haec si dixerimus, fortè congregabimus turbas ampliores: & si sint quidam, qui nos senti­ant hoc dicentes, non rectè sapere paucos of­fendimus, sed multitu­dinem conciliamus. Quod si secerimus, non verba Dei, non verba Christi dicentes, sed nostra, erimus Pastores nosmetipsos pascentes, non oves. Lib. de Pastoribus, Tom. 9. pag. 1333. Austin describes some of these Selfe-seeking, and Soule-murthering Dawbers in His Daies; Farre be it from us, saith Hee, that we should say unto you: live as you list, doe not trouble your selves, God will cast away none; onely hold the Christian Faith: Hee will not destroy that which He hath redeemed, He will not destroy those for whom He hath shed His blood; And if you please, to recreate your selves at Plaies, you may go; what hurt is there in it? And you may go to those Feasts, which are kept in all Townes, by joviall companions, making themselues merry as they suppose at these publike meetings & comes­sations, but indeed rather making themselves most mise­rable, I say you may go, and be jovial, Gods mercy is great, and may pardon all. Crowne your selves with Roses be­fore they wither.—You may fill your selves with good cheere and wine, amongst your good-fellow compani­ons: For the creature is giuen unto us for that purpose that wee may enjoy it.— If wee say these things, perad­venture wee shall h [...]ve greater multitudes applaude and adhere unto our Doctrine. And if there bee some, which thinke, that speaking these things, wee are not well advisde, wee offend but a few, and those precise Ones, But wee winn [...] thereby a world of people. But if wee shall thus doe speaking not the words of God, not the words of Christ, but our owne; wee shalbee Pastours feeding our Selves, not our flocke.

The Authour of the imperfect commentary in Chryso­stome sorted by Non sunt Homiliae, sed nescio quis ità disse­cuit opus ▪ Erasm. some Body into Homilies upon Matthew, seemes to intimate, that the cause of the overflowing and rankenesse of iniquity, is the basenesse of these Self-preaching men-pleasers. Tolle hoc vitium de clero, ne velint hominibus placere, & sine labore om­nia vitia resecantur. Ex hoc vitio nascitur ut ne velint inter se meliorem habere, sicut Iudaei Christum. Hom. 43. Ex cap. 23. In haec verba. Omnia autem opera sua saciunt, ut ab ho­minibus videantur.] I am perswaded, it was no small Motive to enrage the Scribes and Pharises against Christ, because Hee taught with power to the astonishment of His hea­ver [...]. Luk. 4.32. but their teaching was heartlesse, cold, fro­zen, and formall. Ne­que enim dubium est, summo vigore, summa­que veritat [...]s [...], Chri­sti sermones suisse prae­di [...]or; quum interim Scribarum, & [...]hari­saeorum doctrina [...]orpi­da esset, [...]lumb [...], & fri­gida. Apud Matlorat. in Mat. cap. 23.29. Tolle hoc vitium de Clero, [Page 154] saith Hee; Take this fault from the Clergy, to wit, that they bee not It seemes by this word, [...], [...]dhuc, in Pharisa [...]mo videlicet adhuc perseveran [...]. Ga­lat. 1.10. That Paul was tainted with this fault, while Hee was yet a Pharise, and ser­ued the times: But when Hee was con­verted, Hee turned His Dawbing into downe-right Dea­ling. [...]. men-pleasers, and all sinnes are easily cut down. But if they blunt & rebate the edge of the Sword of the Spirit with dawbing, slattery, temporizing; or strike with it in a scabberd garishly and gaudily em­broiderd with variety of humane learning, tricks of wit, frier-like conceits, &c. it cannot possibly cut to any pur­pose; it kills the Soule, but not the sinne. They are the onely men howsoever worldly wisedome raue, and un­sanctified learning bee besides it selfe, to beate downe sinne, batter the Bulwarks of the Deuill, and build vp the Kingdome of Christ; who setting aside all private ends and by-respects, all vaine glorious, covetous and ambitious aimes; all serving the times, proiects for pre­ferment, hope of rising, feare of the face of Man, &c. addresse themselves, with faithfulnesse and Zeale to the worke of the Lord, seeking sincerely to glorify Him in converting mens Soules, 1. Cor. 1.21. by the foolishnesse of that Prea­ching which God hath sanctified, to save them that be­leeve: In a word, who labour to imitate their Lord and Master Iesus Christ, and His blessed Apostles, in tea­ching Mat. 7.29. as men having 1. Cor. 2 4. authority; in Hic autem significat authoritatem, & pote­statem Spiritus, corda penetrantis; quae com­munis est Christo, & ve [...] Ministris, [...] non equals mensur [...], nam unicuique distri­buitur pro mens [...]. Buc. demonstration of the Spirit, and power; And not as the Scribes. By embroide­red Scabberd; I meane the very same, which King Iames not long before His Death, did most truly out of His deepe, and excellent wisedome, conceive to bee the Bane of this Kingdome: To wit, A light, affected and unprofitable kinde of preaching, which hath been of late yeeres taken up in Court, Vniversity, City and Country. Heare something more largely what reason led His roy­all iudgement to this resolution; and desire of reforma­tion:

The reasons of the Kings Directions for Preaching and Preachers, as I received them from the Hand of a publike Register. His Maiesty beeing much troubled and grieved at the heart to heare every day of so many defections from our religion Both to Popery, and Anabaptisme, or other [Page 155] Points of separation in some parts of this Kingdome; And considering with much admiration, what might bee the cause thereof, especially in the Raigne of such a King, who doth so constantly professe Himselfe an open adversary to the superstition of the One and madnesse of the other; His Princely wisedome could fall upon no One greater pro­bability, then the lightnesse, affectednesse, and vnprofita­blenesse of that kind of preaching, which hath been of late yeares too much taken up in Court, Vniversity, Citty, and Country. The usuall scope of very many Preachers is no­ted, to bee a soaring vp in Points of Divinity too deepe for the capacity of the people; or a mustring vp of much rea­ding; or a displaying of their own wits, &c. Now the people bred up with this kinde of teaching, and never instructed in the catechisme, and fundamentall grounds of religion, are for all this aiery nourishment no better then abrasae Tabulae, meere Table Bookes ready to bee filled up, either with the Manualls, and Catechismes of the Popish Preists or the Papers and Pamphlets of Anabaptists, &c.

In another place, hee resembles with admirable fit­nesse the vnprofitable pompe, and painting of such Selfe-seeking discourses, patched together and stuft with a vaineglorious variety of humane allegations, to the redde and blew flowers, that pester the corne, when it stands in the fields; where they are more noysome to the growing crop, then beautifull to the beholding eye. They are King Iames his owne In the Preface to his Rem [...]nstrance a­gainst an Oration of the Cardinall of Per­ron. words. Whereupon, a little after, hee tells the Cardinall; That it was no decorum to enter the Stage with a Pericles, in his mouth, but with the sacred Name of God: Nor should his Lordship, Saith his Maiesty, have marshalled the passage of a Royall Pro­phet, and Quid saceret cum psalterio Horatius? Cum Evangelijs Maro? Cum Apostolis Cicero? Hieron. Poet, after the example of an heathen Ora­tour:

These things being So; how pestilent is the Art of Spirituall Dawbing? What miserable men are Men­pleasers, who being appointed to helpe mens Soules out of hell, carry them headlong, and hoodwinkt by [Page 156] their vnfaithfulnesse and flatteries towards euerlasting miseries? Oh, how much better were it, and comforta­ble for every man that enters upon, and undertakes that most waighty and dreadfull charge of the ministery, a On [...], vel Angelorum humeris formidandum. Neque enim nobis hic res est, de ducendit mi­litibus aut de regno [...] ­bernando sed de sun­ctione Angelicae virtu tis indigente. Chrys. de Sacerdotio, Lib. 6. burden, as Some of the Ancients elegantly amplify it, able to make the shoulders of the most mighty Angell in heaven to shrinke under it, to tread in the steps of blessed 1. Thes. 2.5.6. 2. Tim. 4.2. Matth. 7.29. 1. Cor. 2.4. Acts. 20.20.16. 1. Thes. 2.19.20. Paul; by vsing no flattering words nor a cloake of covetousnesse, nor seeking glory of men; but preaching in season, and out of season; not as the Scribes, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; Keeping no­thing backe that is profitable, declaring unto their hea­rers all the counsell of God; holding the Spirituall chil­dren which God hath given them, their glory, ioy, and crowne of reioycing ▪ still watching for the Soules of their flocks as they that must giue account. Heb. 13.17. (The terrour of which place, Parete us qui pra­sunt [...]bi [...], & concedi­te: Nam illi [...]igilant pro animabus vest [...]s. —Huius Commina [...]i­oni [...] terror animum mi­hi concu [...]i [...]. Ibid. Chrysostome professeth, made his heart to tremble) I say by such holy and heavenly behaviour, as this, in their ministery; To be able at least to say with him in sincerity, not without vnspeakeable comfort: Act. 10.26. I take you to record this Day that I am pure from the blood of all men! Let us bee moved to this course and frighted from the contrary; by considerati­on of the different effects and consequents of plaine dealing, and dawbing, in respect of comfort or confusi­on: Faithfulnesse this way:

1. Begets those which belong unto God to grace and new obedience: See Peters piercing Sermon; Act. 2.23.37.

2. Recovers those Christians, which are fallen, by re­morse and repentance, to their former forwardnesse, and first loue; See Nathans downe-right dealing with David ▪ 2. Sam. 12.7.13.

3. Makes those which will not be reformed, inexcusa­ble. See Pauls Sermon to Foelix: Act 24.26. How strangely will this fellow be confounded, & more then vtterly without all excuse, when hee shall meet Paul at [Page 157] that great Day, before the highest Iudge?

4. It is right pleasing and profitable to vpright hearted men, and all such as happily hold on in a constant and comfortable course of Christianity. Doe not my words do good to him that walketh vprightly? Micah: 2.7. It makes them still more humble, zealous, watchfull, hea­venly minded, &c.

5. Hardens the rebellious and contumacious. See Pronunciat sore, ut populus ratione, & in­telligentiâ destitut us, pe [...]eat, nec ullus sit am­pli [...]s remedio locus: & tamen simul admonet, operā prophetae, quam­vis exi [...]ialis sit, ac mor­tisera Iudaeis, sibi gra­tam fore sacrificium. Calv. in Isa. cap. 6. Est quidem hoc dic [...]u aspe [...] Divinitus pro­phetam mitti, qui au­res obturet, oculos ob [...]i­nat, & cor populi obsti­net: quia videntur haec minimè competere in Dei naturam, ade [...]que aliena esseé ab ejus verbo. Sed absurdum videri non debet, si Deus populi malitiam ultimâ ex [...]ecatione u [...] ­ciscitur. —Talis excoecatio atque induratio non proficiscitur ex naturâ verbi, sed accidentali [...] est, solique hominum pravitati tribuenda. Ibid. Nec deus, nec verbum, nec prophetae, per se quenquam exc [...]cant: De prophetâ tamen & verbo hic d citur. Im­m [...] & de [...] su Deo. Ioh. 12.40. Causa; quia verbum, quod per prophetas concionatus est De­us, quibusdam ex accidente sit odor mortifer. Lusci [...]fus clarissi [...]à sac [...] sibi oppositâ magis caetu [...]i [...]: Canora vex laede [...] aures debiliores: Cal [...]. assus â frigidá ess [...] ves [...]et. [...]eul in [...]un­dem locum. Isa. cap. 6. In which faithfull ministers are also unto God a sweet savour of Christ 2. Cor. 2.15.

6. And the Man of God himselfe shall hereafter bles­sedly Dan. 12.3. shine as the brightnes of the firmament, and as the Starres for ever and ever. And all those happy Ones which hee hath puld out of Hell by his downe-right dealing, shall Et hoc attendite sr [...]es, qui [...] [...] carnales medici, quo­ties ad eos qui in corpore aegrot are videntur, ven [...]unt, omnia quae eis defectabilia esse vide ban­tur abse [...]dunt: & quod dulce est, ad integrum interdieunt. Al [...]quoties etiam frigidam ac­cipere non permittunt, interdum & amarissi [...] aspotiones hibere cogunt, & asperrimis serra­mentis vulnera frequenter incidunt. Hoc ergo quod pro sanitate corporum carnales [...] diti faciunt, pro animarum salute spiritales medici caercere contendunt. Ha [...] ergo cogitan [...] fra­tres charissimi & tam pro meâ quam pro v [...]strâ salute rationem ni [...] reddit [...]m esse ante tri­bunal [...] ignorans, eligo aspera quide [...], sed salubria vobis medicamenta in­g [...]ere, ut vobiscum posse [...] in Angelorum consortio perpetuâ merear incolumitate gaudere. [See afterward, in what sense merear is here to be taken. It makes nothing at all for the Popish [...]otten Tenent of Merit.] August, de Temp. Serm. 67. raigne and reioyce with Him in un­knowne and vnspeakeable Bliste through all eterni­ty.

But now on the otherside the Effects of Dawbing and men-pleasing are most accursed and pestilent; in many respects.

1. In respect of Gods word and messages: first, not [Page 158] dividing it and dispensing them aright. Secondly, Dishonouring the Majesty, and weakening the pow­er of them many times, with the vnprofitable mix­ture of humane allegations, ostentations of wit, fine frier-like conceits digged with much adoe out of Po­pish postills, &c. Even as wee may see at haruest time a land of good corne quite choaked up with red, blew and yellow flowers. As King Iames doth excellently allude in the forecited In the Preface of his Remonstrāce against Cardinall Perron. place. Thirdly, Fearefull prophaning them by mis-application against Gods will: Ezech. 13.22. Making the heart of the righteous Sad, whom God would not have made Sad; and streng­thening the hands of the wicked, that hee should not re­turne from his wicked way, by promising him life. Fourth­ly, Villanous perverting and abusing them to their owne advantage, applause, rising, revenge, and such other pri­vate ends:

2. In respect of the flattering, and unfaithfull Mini­sters themselves. First, Extreme vilenesse, Isa. 9.15. Secondly,Sanguinem ejus Do­ [...]inus de manu specu­latoris requirit, quia ipse hunc occidit, qui cum tacendo morti pro­didit. Guiltinesse of spirituall bloudshed. Ezech. 3.18. Thirdly, Liablenesse to the fierce wrath of God, in the Day of visitation. Ier. 14.15. 1. King. 22.25.

3. In respect of their hearers, who delight in their lies, in their smooth and silken sermons; Suddaine, hor­rible, and unavoidable confusion. Isa. 30.13.14.

Quibꝰ omne cōsiliū Dei annunciare siu [...]uit, ab eorum sanguine mun­dus suit. In quá voce nos convenimur, nos constringimur, nos rei esse ostendimur. —Qui supra ea mala, quae propriae habemus alienas quo ne mortes addimus: quia tot occidimus, quot ad mortem ire quotidiè tepidi & [...]acentes videmus. Gregor. in Ezech. 16. 1. Hom. 11.4. Et qui sollicitus esse non studuit, in praedicatione, factus est particeps in damnatione. Idem, Ibid. Benè nostis fratres charissimi, me vobis frequenter suppl [...]cas [...]e, & paternâ sollicitudine common [...]isse, pa­riter, & contestatumesse, ut illas sacrilegas Paganorum consuetudines observare minimè de­be [...]etis. Sed quantùm a [...]me multorum relatione pervenit, apud aliquos parum profecit ad­monitio mea, quia si vobis ego non dixero; & pro me, & pro vobis malam sum redditurus rationem in dic judic [...]; & vobiscum mihi erit necesse aeterna supplicia sustinere. Ego me apud Deum absolvo, dum iterum at (que) iterum admonco pariter & con [...]es [...]or, Aug de temp. Ser. 241. Burning both together in hell for euer, without timely and true repentance; banning there each other continually, and crying with mutuall hideous yellings: [Page 159] O thou bloody Butcher of our Soules, hadst thou bin faithfull in thy Ministery, wee had escaped these eter­nall flames! O miserable man that I am; Woe is mee, that ever I was Minister; for now besides the horrour due unto the guiltinesse of mine owne damned Soule, I have drawen vpon mee, by my unfaithfull dealing, the cry of the bloud of all those soules, who have perished under my Ministery, to the everlasting enraging of my already intollerable torment!

Give mee leave to conclude this point, with that pa­theticall, and zealous passage of reuerend and learned Greenham against negligent pastors, amongst whom I may justly ranke and reckon also all Dawbers (for as well never a whit, as never the better) & Men-pleasers; For selfe preachers are, for the most part, [...]or the painefulnes of that unprofitable way of preaching, wherein there is ordi­narily so much affe­ctation on the one side, and expectation on the other, of such a deale of curiosity, va­riety of extraordina­ry conceits, tricks of wit, ostentation of reading, &c. that it puts the Pen-man to a great deale of paines, and tortures his wit extremely: Then, afterwards, the irkesome tediousnesse of committing it so punctually and precisely to memory; The fearefulnesse in delivery, and danger of being out; Vaine-glorious, doubting that they shall not bee app [...]ded, as they were wont: Feare, lest the next time should less [...]n their former reputation of wit, reading, &c. I say, such considerations as these, are many times notable [...], to keepe them from appearing too often in the Pulpit. seldom-prea­chers. Heare In His Godly Observations, concerning di­vers Arguments, and Common Places in Religion. Cap. 13. His words:

Were there any love of God from their hearts in those, who in stead of feeding to salvation, starve many thou­sands to Destruction: I dare Say, and say it boldly that for all the promotions under Heaven, they would not offer that iniury to one Soule, that now they offer to many hun­dred Soules. But, Lord, how doe they thinke to give up their [...] quotidiè no­biscum rationes, quas cum nostro judice habebimus. — [...] q [...]od lucrum Deosicimus nos, qui accepto talento abeo ad negotium missisumus. [...] dicit: Negotiamini dum ve­nio. Ecce jam v [...]nit, ecce de nostro negocio lucrum requir [...]. Quale e [...] da [...]marum lucrum de nostra negotiatione monstrabimus? Quot ejus conspectuian [...] m [...]nipulos de praedicatio­nis no [...]rae segete illaturi sumus? Ponamus ante oc [...]los nostros illum tantae distinctionis diem quo judex veniet, & rationem, cum seruis quibus talenta credidit, pon [...]t. Ecce in majestate terribili, inter angelorum atque archangelorum choros videbitur. In illo tanto examine, ele­ctorum omnium & reproborum multitudo dedu [...]etur, & unusquisque quid sit operatus osten­detur. Ibi Petrus cum Iudaea conversa, quam post se traxit apparebit. Ibi Paulus conver­um, ut ita dixerim, mundum ducens. Ibi Andreas post se A­chaiam, ibe Joannes A­siam, Thomas I [...]diam, in conspectum sut judi­cis conversam ducet: Ibi omnes dominici gregisarietes cum ani­marum lucr [...] appare­bunt, quisanctis praedi­cationibus Deo post se subditum gregem tra­hunt. Cum igitur tot p [...]stores cum gregibus suts ante aeterni pastoris oculos venerim, nos mi­seri quid [...] su­mus, qui ad Dominum nostrum post negotium vacui redimus, qui pa­storum, n [...]men habui­mus, & oves quas ex nutrimento nostra de­beamus ostender [...], non habemus? Hic pasto­res vocati samus, & ibi g [...]egem non duci­mus. Gregor. in Evan­gel. Hom 17. reckoning to thee, who in most strict account will [Page 160] take the answere of every Soule committed unto them▪ one by one? Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehem [...]nt speech of our Saviour Christ, Feede, Feede, Feede? with what eyes doe they so often read [...] that pier­cing speech of the Apostle, Feede the slocke committed un­to you? But if none of these will move them then the Lord open their eyes to heare the grievous groanes of many Soules lying under the griefly altars of destruction, and complaining against them; O Lord the revenger of blood, behold these men, whom thou hast set over us to give us the bread of life; but they have not given it us: Our tongues, and the tongues of our children have stucke to the roofe of our mouths for calling and crying, and they would not take pitty on vs: Wee have given them the tenths which thou appointedst us, but they have not given us thy truth; which thou hast commanded them: Reward them. O Lord, as they have rewarded us; Let the bread betweene their teeth turne to rottennesse in their bowells. Let them be clothed with shame, and confusion of face, as with a garment: Let their wealth as the Dung from the earth, bee swept away by their executours; And upon their gold & silver, which they have falsely treasured up, let continually bee written, the price of blood, the price of blood: For it is the value of our blood, O Lord. If thou didst heare the blood of Abel, being but one man, forget not the blood of many, when thou goest into judge­ment.

I now returne to rectify and tender a remedy against the first aberration. Which I told you was this: When mercy, Christ, the promises, salvation, heaven & all are applied hand overhead and falsely appropriated to vn­humbled sinners: whose Soules were never rightly il­lightened with sight of sinne, and waight of Gods wrath; nor afflicted to any purpose with any legall wound, or hearty compunction by the Spirit of bon­dage: In whose hearts, Fo sumus omnes in­genio, ut nunquā veli­mus quaerere Christum, nisi impulsi sensu aliquo miseriae, ac indigentiae nostrae. Qui valent, non egent medico, sed male affecti, inquit Christus; Venite ad me omnes, qui fatigati & onerati estis, & ego faciam ut requiescatis. Quotquot igitur Chri­stum praedicant, Christi exemplo hoc discant, nempo, quo tempore al­liciunt homines ad fi­dem, propositâ illâ sua­vitate, quae est in Christo, codem tempore extimulandos esse ipsos peccati ac miseriae suae sensu ad Christum am­plectendum: Nam hae duae partes doctrinae semper conjungendae sunt, Doctrina miseriae, & Doctrina misericordiae in Christo Iesu. Rolloc. in Ioan. c. 4. sense of their spirituall misery, and want, hath not yet raised a restlesse and kindly [Page 161] thirst after Iesus Christ?

In this case mine advise is; that all those who deale with others about their Spirituall states, and undertake to direct in that high and waighty affaire of mens Sal­vation, either publikly or privatly in their ministry, visi­tations of the sicke, or otherwise; that they would fol­low that course of which I largely discoursed a little be­fore taken by God himselfe, his Prophets, his Sonne, the Apostles, and all those men of Let none speak against the preaching of the Law, for it is the wholesome way that God Himselfe, and His Servants in all Ages have taken. Hee did reprove, convince, and curse Adam and Eve, and after Hee preached, the Seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head. —So Iohn Baptist dealt with His hearers. And our Saviour Christ saith, Hee came to seeke, and to save the lost. Peter, Act. 2.37. first preached the Law, and after the Gospell. So Paul and Silas, Act. 16. The contrary, is the way to make peo­ple curse us hereafter, tho it please them for the present; As if one should heale a sore on the top, and not corrasive it, to draw and eate out the core, it would within a while breake out againe, with farre greater danger: So shall wee find it in this case. Rogers of Dedham in His Doctrine of Faith, pag. 97.98. God in all ages, who have set themselves, with Sincerity, faithfulnesse, and all good Conscience, to seeke Gods glory in the salvati­on of mens Soules; to discharge aright their dreadfull charge, and to keepe themselues pure from the blood of all men; To wit, That they labour might and maine, in the first Place, by the knowledge, power, and application of the Law, The Law first humbles, then the Gos­pell comforts. The Law hath three works: First, it inlighteneth a miserable sinner, in whom God hath a meaning to worke Faith, with a cleare, and particular sight of His misery, and wofull estate Hee stands in by sinne. Secondly, it doth also by the working of the Spirit, convince the Party, that that is particularly true of Him, which before Hee used to poste over His head, as pertaining to others, not to Him: But now God makes Him take this to Himselfe, and to apply and appropriate it, as if the Minister spoke to Him alone by Name; and to thinke the Minister knowes all His heart, looketh on Him, and speakes directly to Him; Though it may bee the Minister knew Him nor, or not His case, but God makes Him so to thinke. Thirdly, upon these two, it raiseth terrour, and puts this sinner out of His old, secure, and peaceable course of impenitency, that He went on in. Whether it bee the prophane that went on boldly in His sinne; or the civill man trusting in His owne righteousnesse. —And makes Him as one shot into flesh with a crosse, or bearded arrow, which He can­not shake out, nor a­bide the smart, but stampes as one s [...]ng with an Add [...]r, [...] cannot stand His ground, but is wholly possessed with fear [...] Ibid pag. 68. &c. to illighten, convince, and terrify those that they have to doe with, concerning conversion, with a sensible particular apprehension, and acknowledgement [Page 162] of their wretchednesse, and miserable estate, by reason of their sinfulnesse and cursednesse: To breake their hearts, bruise their Spirits, humble their Soules, wound and awake their Consciences, &c. To bring them by all meanes to that Legall astonishment, trouble of minde, and melting temper, which the Ministry of Iohn Baptist, Paul and Peter wrought upon the Hearts of their hea­rers. Luk. 3.10.12.14. Act. 16.30. And 2.37. That they may come crying feelingly and from the heart, to those Men of God who happily fastened those keene arrows of compunction and remorse in the sides of their Con­sciences and say; Men and Brethren, what shall wee do? Sirs, what must wee doe to bee saved? &c. As if they should have said: Alas! wee see now, wee have bin in Hell all this while; and if wee had gone on a litle lon­ger, wee had most certainely lien for ever in the fiery Lake; The Devill and our owne lusts were carrying us hood-winkt, and headlong towards endlesse perdition. Who would have thought wee had bin such abomina­ble beasts, and abhorred Creatures as your Ministry hath made us; and in so forlorne & wofull estate? Now you blessed Men of God, helpe us out of this gulfe of spirituall confusion, or wee are lost everlastingly. By your discovery of our present sinfull and cursed estate, wee [...]eele our hearts torne in [...] [...]. Act. 2 37. pieces with extreme, and restles anguish, as tho many fiery Scorpions stings stuck fast in them; Either lead us to the sight of that blessed Anti-type of the Brazen Serpent to coole and allay the boyling rage of our guilty wounds, or we are vtterly undone: Either bring us to the Blood of that just and holy One, which with execrable villany wee have spilt as water upon the ground, that it may bind up our bro­ken hearts, or they will presently burst with despaire, and bleed to eternall death. Give us to drinke of that soueraigne Fountaine,Isai. 55.1. Ioh 7.37. opened by the hand of mercy, for all thirsty Soules or else wee dye. There is nothing you can prescribe, and appoint, but wee will most willingly [Page 163] doe.Matth. 5.29.30. Wee will with all our hearts, pluck [...] out our right eyes, cut off our right hands; We meane; part with our beloved lusts, and dearest sinfull pleasures; abominate, and abandon them all for ever, from the heart root to the Pit of Hell: If wee can bee rid of the Devills sette [...] welcome shall bee Christs sweete and easy yoke: In a word, wee will Matth. 13.44. By that a man hath, is meant sinne, and by selling it, the renoun­cing and disclaiming of sinne.—Now to sell this, is (as the na­ture of selling wee know requires) to part with the right, and ti­tle, and interest, that a Man hath unto it▪ the secret and inward loue to it, and the outward and common practise of it. He that would enioy this heavenly treasure, which the Lord doth so freely and graciously tender unto us, by the prea­ching of the Gospell, must resolve to make a through sale, and to forsake not some, but every sinne, every corruption, every breach of the will of God, whatsoever. Hieron. in his third Sermon upon Matth. 13 44. What must the sinner sell? All that Hee hath. What is that? His Goods, Lands, Children? No, These bee none of His owne, God hath but lent him these to use; and some that would haue Christ, and shall, have no goods to sell: What then is our owne? Our sinnes and nothing else. Hee that will have part in Christ, must part with his sinnes; Hee cannot have Christ, and keepe any One of them. Rogers in his Doctrine of Faith. p. 171. &c. Qui volit pro dignitate suâ astimare donum ho [...] quod ossert Christus, quantum sit; necesse est jam primum de peccatis suis, & mi­seriâ cogitet; sic enim si [...]t, ut pluris [...]aciat Christum; quam uni [...]ersum [...] mundum; eum­que avide ad se cripia [...], ad justificationem, & Salutem suam aeternam. Rolloc. in Ioan. cap. 6. pag. 376. sell all, even all our Sinnes to the last [...]il­thy ragge of our heretofore doted vpon minion delight, So that wee may injoy our blessed Iesus, whom, you have told us, and wee now beleeve, God hath made both Lord and Christ: &c.

Now when wee shall see, and find in some measure the hearts of our Hearers, and spirituall Patients thus prepared; both by legall dejections and terrours from the spirit of bondage; Though a Man dares not apply the promise to One, onely terrified by the Law, yet to One truly thus humbled by the Gospell, and contrite hearted, wee doe no other. Rogers, Ibid pag. 141. and also possessed with such melting and eager affections, wrought by the light of the Gospell, and Offer of Christ: When their Soules once begin to feele all sins, even their best beloved One, heauy and burdensome; to prize Iesus Christ far before all the world, to thirst for Him infinitely more, then for riches, pleasures, honours, or any earthly thing; to resolue to take him as their husband, and to Heb. 5.9. obey Him as their Lord for ever, and all this in truth: I say then, and in this case, wee may haue comfort to mi­nister comfort. Then, upon good ground wee may goe about our Masters command. Isa. 40.1. (which man-pleasers [Page 164] many times pittifully abuse) Comfort yee, Com­fort yee my people; (H [...]c ad exilium Ba­bilonicum restringenda non esse dixi; quia pa­tent latissimè, et doct [...]i­nam Evangelij compre­hendunt; In qua p [...]e­cipuè est vis i [...]a co [...]so­landi. Ejus enim [...]st, e­r [...]g [...]re [...]fflictos & pro­stiatos, [...]ctios, & serè mortuos recreare: mae­s [...]os [...] tristitià. Calvin. Quia Captivitas & li­beratio illa corporalis [...] captivi­tatis, & liberationis spirit [...]is, non in li­ter [...] haerendum nobis, sed ad [...]pli [...]itatis spi­ritualis sub peccati [...]u­go, & aetern [...]e mortis metu, itemque redemp­tionis sempiternae per Christum factae cogita­tionem assargendum e­rit. Scult. I meane in respect of spirituall bondage)— Speake yee comfortably to Ierusalem, and cry unto Her, that Her warre is accomplished, that Her iniquity is pardoned. Wee may tell them, with what a compassionate Pang, and deare compellation, God Himselfe labours to refresh them. Isa. 54.11. Oh thou afflicted, and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort; be­hold, I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay De spirituali Ieroso­lymâ loquitur, cujus fundamentum, Christus. 1. Cor. 3 11. Scult. in locum. thy foundations with Saphirs, &c. Wee may assure them in the word of life and Truth, that Iesus Christ is theirs, and they are His: And compell them, as it were, by an holy violence, not without a great deale of just indig­nation against their lothnesse to beleeue, and holding off in this case to take his Person, His merit, His blood, all His Spirituall riches, priviledges, excellencies: And with Him possession of all things, even of the most glo­rious In that sense as I teach in my Expositi­on of the last article of the beliefe. Faith in the first act, maketh us Christs, re­conciles us to him, makes us one with him, and by Him with God the Father. D.D. Deity it selfe, blessed for ever: See 1. Cor. 3.21.22.23. Ioh. 17.21.

But now in the meane time, untill sense of Spirituall misery and poverty raise an hunger and thirst after Ie­sus Christ; before such like preparations, and prece­dent affections, as have been spoke of, be wrought in the hearts of men, by pressing the Law, and pro­claiming the Gospell; and that in Sincerity; (for the degree and measure, wee leave it to God, as a most free Agent, in some they may bee stronger, in some weaker) the preaching or promising of mer­cy, as already belonging unto them is farre more unseasonable, and unseemely, then Snow in Sum­mer, raine in harvest, or honour for a foole. It is upon the matter, the very Sealing them up with the Spirit of de­lusion, that they may never so much as thinke of taking the right course to bee converted. What sottish and sa­crilegious audaciousnesse then is it in any Dawber to thrust his prophane hand into the treasury of Gods mercy, and there hand over head, without any allow­ance [Page 165] from his highest Lord to scatter His dearest, and most orient pearles amongst Swine? To warrant salva­on to any unhumbled Sinner? To strengthen the hands of the wicked, who never yet tooke sinne to heart to any purpose, and thirst farre more (such true Gadarens are they) after gold, satisfying their owne lusts, and perking above their brethren, then for the blood of Christ, by promising them life? To assure meere civill men, and Pharises who are so farre from the sense of any spiritu­all poverty, that they are already swolne as full as the skin will hold, with a selfe-conceit of their owne rotten righteousnesse, that they shall bee saved as well as the most puling precisian? Especially, sith there is such a cloud of witnesses to the contrary, as you have heard be­fore. Besides all which, upon this occasion, take two or three moe. Heare a most faithfull and fruitfull work­man in the Lords harvest, of great skill, experience and successe in the most glorious Art of converting Soules, which makes mee more willing to vrge his authority, and esteeme His judgement in Points of this nature. None, Rogers of Dedham in his Doctrine of Faith, pag. 63. saith hee, can prove or shew president, that faith was wrought in an instant at first, without any prepara­tion going before: Nor can it bee conceived how a man should beleeve in Christ for salvation, that felt not him­selfe before in a miserable estate, and wearied with it, and desired to get out of it into a better. As the needle goes be­fore to pierce the cloth and makes way for the threed to sew it: So is it in this case. Afterward Hee tells us how and in what manner & order, these predispositions, and preparative Acts, required for the plantation of faith, and so securing us of the right season, and a comfor­table calling to assure men of Spirituall safety, are wrought in such, as God is drawing unto Iesus Christ. Hee requires from the law, First, Illumination: Secondly, Conviction: Thirdly, Legall terrour. From the Gos­pell by the helpe of the Spirit; First, Revealing the reme­dy: Secondly, Beliefe of it in generall: Thirdly, Support in [Page 166] the meane time from sinking under the burthen, and fal­ling into despaire. Fourthly,Hee makes contriti­on to fo [...]low Legall terrour, and precede that repentāce which is the Daughter of Faith, and in order of nature followes af­ter it. See ibid. pag. 121.122 123.124. See also Master Hoo­kers Preface to His Booke, added in the second Edition. Contrition; Which is at­tended, with some kind of, First, Desire. Secondly, re­quest. Thirdly, Care. Fourthly,If any bee troubled, because hee talkes of hope, joy, &c. before Faith, let Him seeke satisfaction. Ibid pag. 161.162. and weigh well His distinction of the Gifts of God, pag. 125.126. where Hee tells us of three kinds of them: First, some common to El [...]ct, and Repro­bate; as knowledge in Scripture, Prophe­cy, Tongues, Mira­cles, and such like. Secondly, some spe­ciall belonging to the Elect onely, as Faith, by which wee are ju­stified, a renewed heart, a good conscience, the feare of God, and such like graces. Thirdly, some middle ones, wrought in the heart of those, that bee not yet actually the children of God; yet certainely shall bee; And which whosoever have wrought in them, shall surely have Faith, and cannot goe long without it; Such is this contrition, and such dispositions as bee in men before Faith, which yet are wrought by the Gospell. These are better then common Gifts, yet not actuall Graces, and yet gracious inclinati­ons to Faith, which are in those that are to bee justified; and which (if wee speake pro­perly) cannot bee wrought in any that shall perish. See Master Hooker in the Preface to the same Booke. Hope. Fiftly, Ioy. Sixthly, Hungring and thirsting after mercy and after Christ. Se­venthly, Resolution to sell all, to wit, all sins, not to leave an hoofe behind, &c. And thus (saith hee) God brings along the man, that Hee purposeth to make His. And when he is at this passe, God seales it up to him, & inables him to beleeue; And saith: Sith thou wilt haue no Nay; Bee it unto thee according to thy desire: And God seales him up by the Spirit of promise, as surely as any writing is made sure by sealing of it. Then he beleeves the word of God, and rests, and casts himselfe vpon it. And thus hee finds himselfe discharged of all woe, made partaker of all good, at peace in himselfe, and fitted, and in tune to doe God some service. This is to some sooner, to some later; according to the helpes and meanes they haue, and wise handling they meet withall, and as God gives power.— It is hard to say, at what instant faith is wrought, whether not till a man feeles that hee apprehends the promises, or even in his earnest desires, hungring and thirsting; For even these are pronounced blessed.

But here (for I desire and endevour as much as I can possibly, in every passage to prevent all matter, both of scruple in the upright hearted, and of ca­vill in the contrary minded) let no truly humbled sinner bee discouraged, because Hee cannot finde in himselfe these severall workings, or other graces, [Page 167] in that degree and height, which Hee desires and hath perhaps, seene, heard, or read of in some others: If hee have them in As a great Divine saith of Faith: Non ex gradu, aut mensur [...] fidei dependet justifica­tio, sed ex ver [...]a [...]e: Iu­stificatiō depends not upon the degree, but the truth of Faith. Davenantius in Ex­pos. epist. ad Coloss. pag. 21. So may wee say proportionably of o­ther graces, in respect of comfort frō them; and yet that of Austin is most true; Si dixi­sti, sufficit, perijsti: If any say, hee hath grace enough, hee hath just none. Minimè certè bonus est, qui melior esse non vult. Bernard. truth, and truly thirsts and la­bours for their increase, hee may goe on with com­fort. Neither let any bee disheartened, though Hee did not observe so distinctly the order of the precedent acts, nor could discerne so punctually their severall ope­rations in His Soule: yet if in substance and effect they have been wrought in Him, and made way for Iesus Christ, Hee needs not complaine.

As this man of God in experimentall divinity, so our renowned and invincible Sunt quaedam effecta interna ad conversionem sive regenerationem praevia, quae vir­tute verbi, spiritusque in nondum justificatorum cordibus excitantur; qualia sunt, noti­tia voluntatis divinae. Sensus peccati, timor poenae, cogitatio de liberatione, spes aliqua ve­niae. Ad statum justificationis, in quo pacem habemus apud Deum per D.N. Iesum Christum, non solet gratia divina homines perducere per subitum Enthusiasm [...], sed multis praevijs actio­nibus, ministerio verbi subactos, & preparatos. Hoc videre licet, in illis, qui audi [...]á Petri Concione, peccati [...]nus sentiunt, timent, dolent, liberationem desiderant, spem aliquam ventae concipiunt; quae omnia exillis verbis colligi possunt: Act. 2.37. Quùm haec audivissent, com­puncti sunt corde suo; & dixerunt ad Petrum, & reliquos Apostolos; Virisratres, quid sa­ciemus? Hoc ipsa rei natura requirit; Nam sicuti in generatione hominis naturali, multae sunt praeviae dispositiones, quae formae inductionem praecedunt; ita & in spirituali per mul­tas antecedaneas gratiae actiones ad spiritualem Nativitatem pervenitur. Hoc denique ap­paret ex instrumentis, quibus utitur Deus ad homines regenerandos. Vtiturenim ministerio hominum & instrumento verbi. 1. Cor. 4.15. Per Evangelium ego vos genui. Quod si Deus immediatè vellet hominem impium regenerare, & justificare, nullà cognitione, nullo dolore, nullo desiderio, nullâ veniae spe praeparatum, nec hominum ministerio, nec verbo praedicato hanc ad remopus esset; nec ministris verbum Dei rectè secantibus, cura incumberet, apte, pruden­terque auditorum conscientias primò legis terroribus sauciandi, Deinde Evangelicis promissis erigendi, ac eosdem hartandi ad poenitentiam, fidemqu [...] à Deo per preces & lachrymas peten­dam. Suffrag. Colleg. Theologorum Magnae Britanniae, de quinque controversis re­monstrantium Articulis, de antecedaneis ad conversionem. Thes. 2. Champions in their Polemi­call discourses upon other occasion, speake to the same purpose, telling us also of some antecedent Acts hum­bling and preparing the soule for conversion. There are say they; certaine internall effects going before conversi­on or regeneration, which by vertue of the word and Spi­rit, are wrought in the hearts of those which are not yet iu­stified: Such as: Illumination of the mind and conscience [Page 168] with the knowledge of the word and will of God, for that purpose, Sense of sin, feare of punishment or legall terror; advising and casting about for enlargement from such a miserable estate, some hope of pardon: &c. Let mee but adde one other, and Hee also of excellent learning; And then I have done; Such is the nature of man, Saith Yates in his Modell of Divinity, lib. 2. ca. 26 hee; that before hee can receiue a true justifying faith, hee must as it were bee broken in pieces by the law: Ier. 23.29.— Wee are to bee led from the feare of slaves, through the feare of Penitents, to the feare of sonnes: And indeed, one of these makes way for another, and the perfect love thrusts out feare; yet must feare bring in that perfect love, as a needle or Bristle drawes in the threed after it; or as the potion brings health. In the preparation and fitting us for our being in Christ, hee requireth two things: First, The cutting of us off as it were from the wild Olive-tree. By which hee meaneth two things. First, A violent pul­ling of us out of the corruption of nature, or a cutting, as it were by the knife of the law, of an unregenerate man from His security, &c. Secondly, A violent atraction to Christ for ease; man at the first plainely refusing it. The hunted beast flies to his den, the pursued malefactor to the hornes of the altar, or city of refuge. Pauls misery Rom. 7.24. Drives him to Gods mercy. The Israelites are driven into their chambers by the destroying Angell; Balaam is made to leane backe by the naked Sword; Agur to runne to Ihiel and Veall, that is Christ: Pro. 30.1.2.3; When he is confounded with his owne brutishnesse. God must let loose his Law, Sinne, Conscience, and Satan to baite us, and kindle hell fire in our Soules, before wee will bee driven to seeke to Christ. Secondly. A paring and trim­ming of us, for our putting into Christ by our humilia­tion for sin, which is thus wrought: God giveth the sin­ner to see, by the law, his Sinne, and the punishment of it: The detection whereof drives Him to compunction, and a pricking of heart, which is greater, or lesser, and carries with it divers Symptomes, and sensible passions of griefe. [Page 169] —And workes a Sequestration from his former cour­ses, and makes Him loath Himselfe, &c.

And yet by the way, & once for all, take this Caveat, and forewarning: If any should think of these precedent Acts, Neither let any dreame, that these are any Productions of free will; I heartily abhorre Popery, Pe­lagianisme, and all e­nemies to the Grace of God: But know, that they are the Ef­fects of the Word and Spirit. Sunt quaedam effecta interna ad conversio­nem, sive regeneratio­nem praevia, quae vir­tute verbi, Spiritusque in nondum justificato­rum cordibus excitan­tur; qualia sunt noti­tia voluntatis divinae, sensus peccati, timor poenae, cogitatio delibe­ratione, spes aliquâ ve­niae. Suffrag. Colleg. Theologorum Mag. Britan. &c. De antice­dan [...]is ad conversio­nem. Thesi. 2. these preparative workings of the Law, and Gospell, which make way for the infusion of faith, as a­ny meritorious meanes to draw on Christ; it were a most false, rotten, foolish, execrable, popish, absurd, Lu­ciferian misconceit; and might justly merit never to ob­taine mercy at Gods bountifull hands, nor part in the merits of Christ: I speake thus to fright every one for ever, from any such abhorred thought. God the father offers His Sonne most freely. God so loved the world, that hee gave His onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever beleeveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Ioh. 3.16. Vnto us a child is borne, unto us a Sonne is given. Isa. 9.6. If thou knewest the gift of God, saith Christ unto the woman of Samaria, and who it is, that saith to Thee, Give mee to drinke. Ioh. 4.10. Much more they, which receive abundance of grace, and of the Gift of righ­teousnesse, &c. Rom. 5.17. Christ calleth Himselfe, a Gift; And it is called, the Gift of righteousnesse. And no­thing so free as Quod nam sit hoc do­num ipse exponit ver­bis sequentibus, & quis sit qui dicit tibi: Do­num igitur est ipse Christus silius, quem dedit nobis Pater. Rol­loc. in Iohan. pag. 196. Gift. And therefore those Divines speake not unfitly, who say, It is given unto us, as fathers give Lands and Inheritance to their children; as kings grant pardons, to their subjects, having merited death: They give them, because they will, out of the freenesse of their minds. All those who would come unto Christ and desire to take him as their wisedome, righteousnesse, San­ctification, and redemption, must bee utterly unbotto­med of themselves, and built onely on the rich and free mercy of God revealed in the Gospell. They must bee emptied, First, Of all conceit of any righteousnesse or worth in themselves at all: Secondly, Of all hope of any ability or possibility to helpe themselves. Nay fil­led, thirdly, with sense of their owne unworthi­nesse, naughtinesse, nothingnesse: Fourthly, and [Page 170] with such a thirst after that water of life, Ioh. 4.14. that they are most willing to sell all for it, and cry heartily, Giue mee drinke, or else I die. And then when they are thus most nothing in themselves, doe so long for the rivers of living water, they are certainely most welcome unto Iesus Christ; and may take Him most freely; Heare how sweetly Hee calls them; Ho, every one that thirsteth, come yee to the waters; and hee that hath no mony, Come yee, buy, and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk, without mony, and without price. Isa. 55.1. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Iesus stood, and cryed saying; If any man thirst let him come unto mee, and drinke, Hee that beleeveth on mee, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; Ioh. 7.37.38. It is done; I am Alpha, and Omega, the Begin­ning and the End. I will give unto him, that is a thirst, of the Fountaine of the water of life freely. Revelat. Chap. 21. Vers. 6. And let him that is a thirst come, & whosoever will let him take the water of life free­ly, Rom. 22.17. Wee must therefore by no meanes con­ceive of the forenamed preparatiue humiliations and precedent workes of the Law and Gospell, as of any meritorious qualifications to draw on Christ (for hee is given most freely) but as of needfull predispositions, to drive us unto Christ. For a Man must feele Himselfe in misery, before Hee will goe about to find a remedy; bee sicke before Hee will seeke the Physition; bee in Prison before Hee will sue for a pardon; bee wounded before Hee will prize a Plaster, and pretious balsam. A sinner must bee weary of His former wicked wayes, and tired with legall terrour, before Hee will haue recourse to Ie­sus Christ for refreshing, and lay downe His bleeding Soule in his blessed Bosome; Hee must bee sensible of His Spirituall poverty, beggery, and slavery under the Deuill, before Hee thirst kindly for heavenly righte­ousnesse, and willingly take up Christs sweet and easy yoke. Hee must bee cast downe, confounded, condem­ned, [Page 171] a cast away, and lost in Himselfe, before Hee will looke about for a Saviour; Hee must cry heartily; I am uncleane, I am uncleane; before Hee will long, and labour to wash in that most soveraigne, and Soule-sa­ving Fountaine, Zach. 13.1. opened to the house of David, and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin, and for uncleannesse; he must sell all, before hee will be willing and eager to buy the Treasure hid in the field.

Now thus to prepare, wound, afflict, and humble the Soule, that it may bee fitted for Iesus Christ, and so for comfort upon good ground, let ministers, or whosoever meddle in matters of this nature, publickely or privatly, vse all warrantable meanes, Vidisti ulcus? vidi­sti morbum insanabi­lem non unius, non duo­rum, non decem, sed mille? Quidergo dicit posthaec, Lavamini, mundi estote? Num peccatum putas habet? Ipse Deus dicit, non au­diam vos: & dicit, La­vamini; Quorum v­trumque utilitèr inge­ritur, id, ut terream, hoc, ut alliciam; sed cos non audis, spem poe­nitentiae non habent. Quòd si non habent poe­nitentiae spem, quomo­dò dicit, Lavamini? &c. Chrysost. tom 5. de Poenitentiâ, Ho­mil. 3. faire, and foule, as they say, let them presse the law, promise mercy, propose Christ, &c. Doe what they will seasonably and wisely; Let them improve all their learning, wisedome, discre­tion, mercifullnesse, experience, wit, eloquence, Sanctifi­ed unto them for that purpose; So that the worke bee done.

Besides many other large Commentaries, and Expositions, Downam, and Whately are excellent for a more punctuall, cleare, and compendious Ope­ning of the Law, and ranking in order, and distinct representing of the severall sinnes against it. Make use of the twenty considerations before, pag. 63. &c. and of the three wayes of examining the Conscience in my Treatise of the Lords Supper, to helpe to make a Man Miserable and vile in His owne eyes; sensible of His sinfull, and cursed state, that thereupon He may be stirred to goe out of Himselfe, and make towards Christ. In pressing the law, besides other dexterities and di­rections for managing their ministry in this Point suc­cesfully by Gods Blessing, let them take notice of this Particular, which may prove very availeable to begin this Legall worke; It is a Principle, attended upon with many a Probatum est:

Pressing upon Mens consciences with a zealous, dis­creet powerfullnesse, their speciall, principall, fresh-blee­ding Sins, is a notable meanes to breake their hearts, and bring them to remorse. That most hainous and bloudy sinne of killing Iesus Christ, in which they had newly imbrued their hands, pressed upon the Consciences of Peters hearers, breakes and teares their hearts in pieces. [Page 172] Act. 2.23.36.37. So Adultery, secretly, intimated by Christs words, unto the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.18. Seemes to have strucke her to the heart, vers. 19. So the Iewes having Idolatry pressed upon their consciences by Samuel, 1. Sam. 7.6. The sin of asking a king; ibid. 12.19. Vsury by Nehemiah, 5.12. Strange wives by Ezra, cap. 10.9. were therevpon mightily moved, and much mollified in their hearts, as appeares in the cited Places. Consider for this purpose, that worke upon Davids heart, by Nathans Ministry, And Felix trembling, when Paul strucke Him on the right veine.

The reasons, why this more particular discovery, and denouncing of judgement against a Mans principall sinne, is like, God assisting with the Spirit of bondage, to put such life into the worke of the Law, are such as these.

1. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, being welded by the hand of the holy Ghost; and ed­ged as it were, with the speciall power of Gods blessing, for the cutting asunder of the iron-Sinewes of a stub­borne and stony heart, doth crush and conquer, strike through and breake in pieces, with an unresistable puis­sance, proportioned to the insolency, or easinesse of re­sistance. My meaning is this; As Philosophers say of the Lightning; that by reason of the easinesse of the pas­sage, weakenesse of resistance, porosity of the parts, it pierceth through the Purse, Scabberd, and Barke with­out any such scorching and visible hurt; but melts the mony, the sword, rents and shivers the tree, because their substance and solidity, doth more exercise, and im­prove its activenes and ability: So this Spirituall Sword, tho it strike at every sinne, and passeth thorow, even to the diuiding asunder of Soule and Spirit, and of the joynts, and marrow; yet the hairy pate of the maine corrupti­on, and Master sinne, it wounds with a witnesse; it there tortures and teares in pieces with extraordinary anguish and smart, Searching and sence: for that opposeth with [Page 173] the most flinty iron-Sinew, to blunt and rebate its edge, if it were possible.

2. In Consciences regularly, and rightly wounded, and awaked, sinnes are wont to bite, and sting propor­tionably to their hainousnesse, and the exorbitancy of their former sensuall impressions. Some like a Mastife, some like a Scorpion, some like a Wolfe in the Eve­ning: (But vnderstand, that spirituall anguish surpas­seth immeasurably any corporall paine; therefore conceiue of them with a vast dis-proportion) Now the Minion delight or Captaine sinne frighting the heart with greatest horrour, and stinging with extre­mity proportionable to its former vastation of Con­science, doth by an accidentall power, (God bles­sing the businesse) give a great stroke, to drive a man to deepest detestation of Himselfe, to throw Him downe to the lowest step of penitent dejection, to eneager His thirsty greedinesse after pardon and grace, and at length to fire Him out of His naturall estate.

3. A Mans principall, and most prevailing sinne is Sathans strongest Hold. When Hee is in danger to be dislodged, and driven by the power of the word out of the other parts of the Soule, as it were, and from Posses­sion of a Man by all other sinnes; Hee retires Hither as to His Castle, and most impregnable Fort. And there­fore if this bee soundly beaten upon by the Hammer, and Horrour of the Law, and battered about His eares, hee will bee quickly enforced to quit the Place quite.

It may bee good counsell then, and often seasonable to say unto those Men of God, who desire to drive the Devill out of Others, in some sort, as the King of Syria said to his Captaines, Fight neither with small nor great, save onely with the King of Israel. My meaning is; Let them addresse the sharpest edge of their spirituall Sword, yet as well with an holy charitable discretion, as with resolute, downeright dealing against those sinnes, which beare greatest sway in them, they have to deale [Page 174] with. Bee it their covetousnesse, ambition, Lust, drun­kennesse, Lukewarmenesse, monstrousnesse of the fa­shion, sacriledge, oppression, vsury, Back-sliding, mur­der, luxury, Opposition to the good way, Hatred of the Saints, or what other sinne soever they discover in them, to minister greatest advantage to Satan, to keepe them fastest in his clutches. No sinne must bee spared, but let the raigning sin be paid home especially.

For opening of the most rich and Orient Mines of all those sweetest mercies folded vp within the Bowells of Gods dearest compassions, [...]. Co­los. 1.13. and of the Mysterie of his free grace and love through the Sonne of his lous; vpon purpose to invite, and allure those that are without, to come in, and to stirre vp our Hearers, The wisedome of the blessed Spirit Himselfe teacheth us to make use of Gods mercies, to preach mercy for this pur­pose. See Isai. 55.7.8.9 [...]oel 2.13. Rebels will farre more willingly come in upon Pro [...]lamation promising mercy, and assuring them of par­don, if they will hum­ble themselves, and returne to obedience; If there bee no hope of being received to grace, there will bee no desire to returne into the state of grace. [...]a est conscientia pec­cati & irae Dei adver­sus peccatum, ut nisi al­lecti suavi aliquo mi­sericordiae de [...]n Chri­sto sensa, nunquam ve­limus credere in cum, aut ad cum consugere. Roll [...]c. in Iohan cap. 5. vers. 20 pag. 270. to bring broken hearts, bruised Spirits, bleeding Soules unto the Throne of grace, upon the same ground, but infinitely more gra­cious, that incouraged the Seruants of Benhadad, to ad­dresse themselves towards the King of Israel; 1. Kings 20.31. And his Servants said unto Him; Behold now, wee have heard that the Kings of the House of Israel, are mercifull Kings; Let vs, I pray thee, put Sackecloth upon our loines, and ropes upon our heads, and goe out to the King of Isra­el, peradventure, hee will save thy life. The most despe­rate Rebels heretofore, upon present true remorse for their former rage in sinne, resolving sincerely to stand on Gods side for ever hereafter, may safely and upon good ground thus reason within themselves; Alas! wee have done very villanously, we have served Satan a long time; we walk up & downe as condemned men, ripe for destruction long agoe; Hell it selfe even groanes for us, wee may justly look every moment for a Mitti­mus, to cast us headlong into the dungeō of Brimstone, and fire: and yet we will trie; we will goe and throw downe our selves before the Throne of grace in dust and ashes, and cry as the Publican did unto the great God of heaven▪ for Hee is a mercifull God, gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodnesse, and truth, keeping [Page 175] mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sinne. And then, not onely peradventure; but most cer­tainely, they shall bee received to mercy, and hee will save the life of their Soules; I say for this Point, of Prea­ching mercy onely to hearten Men to come in, and to nourish in them a hope of pardon, in Case of penitency, &c. See my discourse of true happines. p. 173. And I will only adde and advise at this time this one thing of great importance in the Point: That after a plentifull magni­fying and amplifying the mercy of God, by its infinite­nesse, eternity, freenesse, and imcomparable excellency every way, onely upon purpose to assure the greatest sin­ners of most certaine acceptation, and pardon, if they will presently turne with truth of heart, from Sathan to the living God, from all sinne to his holy Seruice; I say that wee then take heed and make sure, as much as in us lies, that no impenitent unbelieving wretch, none that goes on in his trespasses, or lies willingly, and delightful­ly in any one sinne, receive any comfort by any such dis­course, as though, as yet, Hee had any part or interest at all in any one drop of all that boundlesse and bot­tomlesse Sea of mercy (that were a meanes to naile Him fast to His naturall estate for ever;) But onely thence conceive, that if Hee will presently lay downe armes a­gainst the Majesty of Heaven, and come in with a truly penitent humbled soule, thirsting heartily for Iesus Christ, and resolve vnfainedly to take His yoke vpon Him, there is no number or notoriousnesse of sinne, that can possibly hinder his gracious entertainement at Gods mercy-Seate. For this end let vs tell all such that though the mercies of God be infinite, yet they are dis­pensed according to His Verba, quae di [...]i, scrip­ta sunt, & divinis au­thoritatibus continen­tur; quia misericors, & miserator dominus, longanimis, & multùm misericors, & verax; multùm delectat omnes peccatores, & amato­res hujus saeculi, quia misericors, & miserator Dominus, quia longanimus & multùm miseri­cors. Sed siamas tam multa mitia, time, ibi & ultimum quod ait, & Verax. Si enim nihil [...]liud diceret, nisi misericors, & miserator Dominus, longanimis, & multum misericors, quasi jam converteres te ad securitatem & impu­nitatem, & ad licenti­am peccatorum, & sa­ceres quod v [...]lles, utere­ris saeo [...]lo▪ vel quantum tibi pe [...]it [...]tcretur, vel quantum tibi libido jussisset. Et si quis te be­ [...]è monendo objurgaret, [...]ue terreret, ut cohi­beres te ab immodera­to lux [...], cu [...]do post con­cupiscentias tuas, & deserendo deum tuum; inter medias voces ob­jurgantis obsisteres, im­pudenti quidem fronte, veluti auditâ divinâ authoritate, & legeres de libro dominico: Quid me terres de Deo nostro? Ille misericors est, & miserator, & multùm miseri­cors. Ne talia homines dicerent, unum verbum addidit in fine, quod ait, & Verax. Et excussit [...]etitiam malè praesumentium, & induxit timorem [...]olentium. August. Tom. 9. pag. 1148. Truth. Now the Oracles of Divine Truth tell us, that those who shall find [Page 176] mercy, are such as confesse, and forsake their sinnes; Who so confesseth, and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy. Proverb. 28.13. Those then who doe not con­fesse, and Qui malè agere non [...]essant, in vanum misericordiam Dei expectant, quam recte expectarent, si à malo recederent. Bern. De modo benè vivendi. Serm. 2. Col. 1241. forsake them, shall haue no mercy. That the Parties to whom good tidings of mercy and comfort are to bee preached: are the poore, the broken hearted, them that are bruised: those that labour, and are heavy laden; All that mourne, &c. Luk. 4.18. Mat. 11.28. Isa. 61.2.3. That the man to whom the Lord lookes graci­ously, is, even Hee that is poore, and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at his word. Isa▪ 66.2. That whosoever, by his free mercy through Christ, is borne of God, doth not commit sin. 1. Ioh. 3.9. I meane, Vt ex Dei parte datur universalis remissio peccatorum, sic debet etiam in nobis esse univer­salis detestatio peccatorum, atque illud proculdubio verissimum est, in omni homine verè re­conciliato, semper repe [...]iriodium omnium suorum peccatorum, propositum etiam & studium deinceps abstinendi ab omnibus▪ nam qui remissionem omnium accepit, infusionem graciae simul accepit, qua illum arm [...]t, & munit contra omnia. Frustra, igitur blanditur sibi de peccatis remissis, qui amorem peccati cujuscunque & propositum in eodem permanendi, quasi in sinu cordis sa [...]s [...]vet. Davenant. expos. epist. ad Coloss. in cap. 2. vers. 13. pag. 271. Fides & bona Conscientia non conveniunt, nec in eodem corde morantur cum proposito peccandi & displicendi Deo. Ibid. pag. 67. Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non [...]acit.] Notanda vis verborum, non, inquit, peccatum [...]acit, quòd patitur potiùs quám facit; qui natus est ex Deo, non potest peccare; perseverando scilicet in peccato. Bern. de Nat. & Dig. A [...]oris divini, cap 6. —Whosoever lives in any One knowne sinne, let Him know to His face, Hee Hath no true Faith. Rogers in his Doctrine of Faith, pag. 377. with allowance, pur­pose, perseverance. No sinne Remissio peccatorum universalis tollit reatum universorum peccatorum nostrorum; Infusio etiam gratiae huic con­juncta tollit Dominium universorum. Davenant. loco suprà citato. Peccatum in hác vitâ quantum ad sanctos attinet, regnum perdit, in aliâ perit. Hîc regnum perdit, quandò post concupiscentias nostras non imus, Ibi autem perit, quando dicetur, ubi tua, O mors, victo­ria? August. de verbis Apost. Serm. 6. Aliud est, non peccare, aliud non habere peccatum. Nam in quo peccatum non regnat, non peccat, id est, qui non obedit desiderijs. August. in ex­pos. epist. ad Galatas, cap. 5. raignes in such a One, &c. And yet alas! How many miserable men, will needs most falsely perswade themselves, and others, that they [Page 177] have a portion in the mercies of God, and hugge with extraordinary applause, and embracement, the formall flattering messages of Men-pleasers and Time-servers, to dawbe over such rotten hopes; who yet notwith­standing, goe on still in their trespasses; who were never yet sensible of the burden of their corruptions, and spirituall beggery; never wounded in conscience, or troubled in minde to any purpose for their sinnes, never mourned in secret and sincerely for the abomi­nations of their youth; could never yet find in their hearts to sell all for the buying of that one pearle of great price, nor ever yet so prized Iesus Christ, as to leave their darling pleasures, though very base, and abominable, to enjoy the unspeakeable and glo­rious pleasures of His gratious kingdome? Nay such as heartily serve some Captaine, and Commanding sinne in heart, or life, or calling, as their owne con­sciences, if they consult with them impartially in cold blood, can easily tell them; as Lust, the world, ambiti­on, the times, the fashion, their pleasures, their profits, their Passions, their ease, selfe love, pride, revenge, the dunghill delight of good fellow-ship, or the like. And here then Let mee discover a notable depth of Sathan, whereby hee doth baffle, and blind fold His slaves most grossely: you know full well, and heare often the com­mon Iust, as in the Pro­phets time; This is a rebellious people, lying Children, Children that will not Heare the Law of the Lord▪ which say to the Seers, See not, and to the Prophets▪ Prophecy not unto us right things, speake un­to us smooth things, &c. Isa. 30.9.10. Cry of all carnall men, especially under any con­scionable Ministery, against preaching of judgement, and for preaching of mercy; See the causes why they cannot downe with downeright dealing, and powerfull application of the law: Disc. of true Happinesse. pag. 179, &c. But what doe you thinke is the reason, that they gape so greedily after Preaching of mercy? Not that they can, endure the preaching of it, as I now have taught, and as it onely ought, to those that are without; To wit, To have first, the dearenesse, the sweetnesse, the freenesse, the full glory of Gods immeasurable mer­cy revealed unto them, onely as a motive, and incou­ragement [Page 178] to come in; but ever at the Close and conclu­sion, to bee made to understand and know certainely, that not so much as one drop of all that bottomlesse depth of mercy and bounty in Iesus Christ, doth as yet belong unto them, lying in any state of unregeneratnes, or in any kind of Hypocrisy; whilest they regard any wickednesse in their heart, and are not willing to plucke out their right eyes, and cut off their right hands, I meane to make an everlasting divorce from their former dea­rest sensuall delights, and sinnes of their bosome: for onely they who confesse and forsake their sinnes, shall have mercy. Pro. 28.13. This way of preaching mercy would nettle and gall them, as much perhaps as pressing of judgement, Nay, why not more? Proportionably to that which A Deo ahaliena, [...]. Basil. As­cet. cap. 2. Omnia [...] qu [...]e in pote [...]tite [...] obtinere. Ber­nard. Multi hominum Ge­henuam ta [...]t [...]ms [...] [...]; ego autem illias gloriae ami [...]io [...]em, G [...] ­hennil [...] amario­remesse dico. Intolera­bilis [...], & il­la p [...]na; tamen licet quis innumeras po [...]at G [...]oemias, tale nil dicet, quale illi fali [...] ▪ excidere glori [...], à Christa odio haberi, Audire, Nesii [...] [...]. Chrysost. ad Popul. Antiochenum. Hom. 47. Intolerabilis quidem res est, etiam Gehen­n [...] quis nesciat & supplicium illud herribale? Tamen si mille aliquis ponat Gehennas, nihil tale dicturtis est, quale est, à beat aeillius gloriae honore repelli, exosumque esse Christo, & audire ab i [...]. Non Novi Vos. Idem, in Matth. Hom. 24. Divines hold, That the privation and losse of heavenly joyes, and beatificall presence of God is far bitterer, then the torments of sense, and positive paines of Hell. But to tell you their true meaning, and their ve­ry hearts: Their aime in so complaining, and calling for mercy from our Ministry, is, to have it so, and in such a manner proposed, and preached, that they may thence collect, and conceive, that they are in state good e­nough, to goe to Heaven as they are; though in truth, they bee meere strangers to the life of God, and holy strictnesse of the Saints; were never truly humbled with sight of sinne and sense of wrath, nor experimentally ac­quainted at all, with the Mysterie of the New birth; That they may conclude, and say within themselves: Howsoever some Ministers of the purer, and preciser streine, fright us continually with nothing but judge­ment, terrour, damnation, and will not suffer us to bee quiet, no not so much as in One sinne; yet it is our good [Page 179] hap, sometimes to meet with some mercifull men, who will help us to Heaven without so much adoe, and up­on easier termes, &c. In a word, they would upon the matter have just so much mercy, as might assure, and warrant them to carry securely their sinnes, in their bo­some to Heaven with them; to live as they list in this life, and to dye the death of the righteous; Which is a conceit most ridiculous, absurd, and more then utterly impossible. What a hatefull tricke then is this, and hor­rible imposture, which they suffer Sathan to put them upon!

In proposing of Christ, Let the Man of God, set out as much as Hee can possibly; the excellency of His Per­son, the unvaluable pretiousnesse of His blood, the ri­ches of His heavenly purchases, the gracious sweetnesse of His invitations,Mark. 16.15. Matth. 11.28. Ioh. 7.37. Rev. 22.17. the generality, and freenesse of His of­fers, the glorious Priviledges Hee brings with Him; re­conciliation to God, Adoption, forgivenesse of sins, justification, righteousnesse, wisedome, sanctification, re­demption, &c. Possession of all things; For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas; or the world, or life, or death; or things present, or things to come; All are yours, And yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods. 1. Cor. 3.22.23. Let Him tell His Hearers, that the blood of Christ, is called the blood of God, Act. 20.28; and therfore of infinite merit and unvaluable price. It sprang out of His humane nature, and therefore finite in it's owne nature and lost upon the ground; But the Person that shed it, being the It was the Sonne of God, and Lord of life, that dyed for us upon the Crosse, but it was the nature of Man, not of God wherein Hee died; and it was the nature of God, and infinite excellency of the same, whence the price, value, and worth of His Passion grew. Field, Of the Church, Lib. 5. cap. 16. Docet sanguinem Christi propter Hyposlaticam utriusque naturae in uno Chri­slo conjunctionem, [...]acoque propter communicationem idiomatum, ve [...]e dici posse, non solum sangutacia silij hominis, sed etiam sanguinem filij Dei, atque adeò sanguinem ipsius Det. Zanch. in 1. Epist. Iohan. cap. 1. vers. 7. Nil certius, quàm ex unione personali naturarum, consequi omnes operationes Iesu Christi esse totius suppositi; ac proinde divinas hominis, hu­manas Dei. Naminde audimus Filium hominis descendisse e Coelis, & Deum esse mortuum. Concedimus etiam satisfactionis dignitatem oriri à personâ satisfaciente; ideóque satisfa­ctionem Christi, maxi­mae, imò infinitae digni­tatis esse. Chamierus, Tom. 3. lib. 9. cap. 2. sect. 18. Christus obtulit ut Pon­tis [...]x carnem & san­guinem suum, quá ho­mo: sed victimae suae immensam essi [...]aciam aspirat per spiritum ae­ [...]nam, qu [...] Deus est. Pat. in epist. ad Heb. cap. 9. vers. 14. Sonne of God, did set upon it [Page 180] such an excellency and eternity of vertue, and value, that the infinitenesse of its merit, and inestimablenesse of its worth lasts everlastingly. It will bee as fresh, orient, and effectuall, to wash away the sinnes of the last man that shall bee called upon earth, as it was those of the Penitent Thiefe, who saw it with His bodily eies gush­ing out of his blessed side upon the crosse; or the first man who did first savingly apprehend that first Pro­mise: The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head. Let him assure them it is so soveraigne; That in a truly broken, humbled, and thirsty soule, it turneth the most Scarlet, and Crimson sinnes into snow, and wooll: That upon compunction, and comming in, it washed a­way that horrible, and bloody guilt, from the soules of them that Plures ex his, qui ode­rant C [...] islum, compun­cti corde, conversi sunt, & tanti sanguinis, tam impie, atque immaniter sasi, indulgentiam per­ceperunt, ipso redempti sanguine, quem fade­rant. August. Expos. in Evangel. Iohan. Tract. 92. spilt it. Act. 2. Let them know also: in how high a degree, and hainously they offend from time to time, who refuse to I meane with a hear­ty willingnesse to sell all, to part with all sinne, and with a sin­cere resolution for af­ter-obedience: To take Him as a Savi­our, and a Lord. Ne­ver did any take Iesus Christ savingly; who tooke him not as an Husband and a Lord, to serve, love, and obey him for ever after; as well as a Saviour, to disburden Him of His sinnes, as a King to governe Him by His Word and Spirit, as well as a Priest to wash him in His blood. Never was any truly justified, who was not also in some mea­sure truly sanctified. take Iesus Christ offered most free­ly, & without exception of any person, every Sabbath, every sermon, either in plaine, and direct termes, or im­plyedly, at the least. Oh! Litle doe people thinke, who sit under our Ministry, unwrought upon by the word, what a grievous, and fearefull sinne they commit, and carry home from the House of God, day after day; in neglecting so great salvation, in forsaking their owne mer­cy, and in judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life; I meane, by chusing, upon a free Offer of his Soule-sa­ving blood, to cleave rather to a Lust, Horrible indigni­ty! then to Dignitas & amplitudo tum personae filij Dei, tum beneficij, ac salu­tis tantae, per tantam personam comparatae, augebunt suprà modum incredulitatem nostram, ut qui multò meliori laco faissemus, si nihil unquam in vitâ de Christo audissemus, quam si audientes neglexiss [...]mus tamen tantam salutem acquisitam nobis, & annunciatam à tan­tâ personâ. Rolloc. in Ioan. cap. 3. Iesus Christ blessed for ever: rather to wal­low in the mire, and mudde of earthly pelfe, in the [Page 181] filth, and froth of swinish pleasures, In idlenesse, pride, worldlinesse, whoredome, drunkennesse, strange fashi­ons, scorning Professours, contempt of the power of godlinesse, railing against religion, revelling, Selfe-un­cleannesse, &c. then abandoning these filthy harlots, to take the Sonne of God for their deare and everlasting Husband. This not Beleeving, This refusing Christ, This not taking Him, in the manner, and sense, as I have said, is such a sinne, though not so thought upon, and taken to heart, that Arguet mundum. Tum causam reddens, eò inquit, quòd non credunt in me. Pecca­tum igitur designat in­credulitatis nomine, quam [...] ita insignit, licet non sit u­nicum illud increduli­tatis peccatum. Sunt enim alia peccata varij generis verum peccatum omnium gravissimum est incredulitas, quae secum unà trahit reatum maximum, & condemnationem gravissimam simul & velocissimam. Ideò dictum est suprà; Qui non credit in filium, jam condemnatus est. Contrà verò fides, justitia potissima est, adeoque sola. Nam ea aufert reatum omnium peccatorum, & liberat à condemnatione. Nulla est condemnatio ijs qui sunt in Christo Iesu. Atque hinc usurpata est praeclara illa senten­tia; Nullum peccatum nisi infidelitas; nulla justitia nisi fides. Non quòd sola infidelitas sit peccatum; sed quòd infidelitate, ut ait Augustinus, manente, man [...]at peccatum omne; & eâ rursùs decedente, aboleatur, quoad reatum, peccatum aliud quodcunque. Et certè peccantibus tam clarâ luce Evangelij, quovis modo▪ sive per adulterium, sive homicidium, sive per surtum, &c. ascribendum est maximè infidelitati, & obstinationi cordis, quâ tantae luci resistitur. Rolloc. in Iohan. cap. 16. De peccato quidem, inquit, quia non crediderunt in me; hoc enim peccatum, quasi solum sit, prae caeteris posuit. Quia hoc manente, caetera retinentur, & hac discedente, caetera remittuntur. August. Expos. in Evang. Iohan. Tract. 15. Si manife­stum est, praeter hanc infidelitatem, alia multa hominum esse peccata, cur de hoc solo mundum spiritus sanctus arguet? An quia peccata omnia per infidelitatem tenentur, per fidem dimit­tuntur? Proptereà hoc unumprae caeteris imputat Deus, per quod sit, ut caetera non solvantur; dum non credit in humilem Deum homo superbus — Cùm dicitur; Arguit mundum de pec­cato, non alio quam quod non crediderunt in christo. Hoc denique peccatum si non sit, nulla peccata remanebunt, quia justo ex fide vivente cuncta solvantur. Sed multum interest, utrum quisque credat ipsum esse Christum, & utrum credat in Christum. Nam ipsum esse Christum, & daemones crediderunt; Ille enim credit in Christum, qui & sperat in Christum, & diligit Christum. Idem, de verbis Dom. in Evang. secundum Iohan. Serm. 61. Take all the sinnes that ever were committed, none like to this; no greater thing can bee laid to our charge, then to refuse the Sonne, to refuse the righteousnesse revealed, &c. D.P. Atrocitas pec­cati, quod contemptu Evangelij admittitur, notatur particulâ, [...], tanta sa­lutis. Par. in Epist. ad Hebraeos. cap. 2. Magnum autem crimen incredulitatis, quoniam vn [...]genitus ipse sit Dei filius. Nam quantò praestantius est, quod contemnitur, tanto majori­bus, qui spernit, supplicijs subjacebit; judicatum vero jam ait essem credulum, quod ipse in seipsum, (quoniam largitorem indemnationis non suscepit) condemnations intulit sententi­am. Cyril. in Ioan. lib. 2. cap. 53. This sinne of unbeliefe is a greater sinne, then the world is aware of. Men thinke theft, murther, drunkennesse, to bee hainous, and so indeed they bee; but unbeliefe is a farre worse: for it is the Mother of these, and all other evils. Rogers of Dedham, of Faith, cap. 10 pag. 409. Divines speake of it, as of a most transcen­dent [Page 182] sinne, the greatest sinne, the sinne of sinnes, the one­ly sinne, as it were, from such Places as these: But when the King heard thereof, Hee was wroth, and Hee sent foorth His armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their City▪ Mat. 22.7. Hee meanes, those who were invited to the Sons marriage, and made light of it. Hee that beleeveth not is condemned already, because, hee hath not beleeved in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God. Ioh. 3.18. When the Comforter is come▪ Hee will convince the world of sinne.—because they beleeve not on mee. Hee meanes, this sinne alone, saith Austin. As though not beleeving on the Sonne of God, were the onely sinne. It is indeed the maine, and master sinne, because (as the same Father speakes truly) This remai­ning, the guilt of all other sinnes abides upon the soule; this removed, all other sinnes are remitted. Nay, and besides the horriblenes, and hainousnes of the sin; what height, and perfection of madnesse is it? That whereas a Man but renouncing his base, rotten, transitory, sinfull plea­sures, dogged continually at the heeles with vengeance, and horror; And only taking Iesus Christ in whom are hidden, and heaped up the fulnes of grace▪ and treasures of all perfection; might have therevpon (to say nothing of the excellency of his person, purchases of his passion and possessiō of the most blessed Deity) a full & free dis­charge thereby, at the hands of so happy an Husband, from every moment of the everlastingnesse of Hellish torments; and a Quod autem lucrum dari filium? O mag­num & supra huma­nam mentem, ut omnis qui credit in illum, duo illa lucretur: vnum quidem, quod non pe­rit; alterum, quod vi­tam habet, & vitam aterna [...]. Theoph. in Io [...]n. cap. 3. Deed presently sealed with His owne hearts-blood, for an undoubted right, to every minute of the eternity of heavenly joyes, yet should in cold blood most wickedly, and willingly, after so many in­treaties, invitations, importunity, onely for the good of His poore immortall Soule, refuse the change! Heaven and earth may be astonished, Angels, and all Creatures, may justly stand amazed at this prodigious sottishnes, and monstrous madnesse of such miserable men! The world is wont to call Gods people, precise fooles, be­cause, [Page 183] they are willing to sell all they have, for that One pearle of great price, to part with profits, pleasures, pre­ferments, their right hand, their right eye, every thing, a­ny thing, rather then to leave Iesus Christ, &c. But who doe you thinke now, are the true, and great fooles of the world? And who are likeliest one day to groane for anguish of Spirit, and say within themselves, This was hee, whom wee had sometimes in derision, and a Proverbe of reproch. Wee fooles accounted His life madnesse, and His end to bee without honour. Now is hee numbred a­mong the Children of God, and His Lot is among the Saints. Therefore haue we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us, and the Sun of righteousnesse hath not rose upon us: wee wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destru­ction: yea, wee have gone through deserts where there lay no way: But as for the way of the Lord, wee have not knowne it. What hath pride profited us? Or what good hath riches with our vanting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that hasted by, &c. Nay, and yet further, besides the extraordinarinesse of the iniquity, & folly in refusing Christ freely offered, it shall most certainely bee hereafter plagued with ex­tremest tormenting fury, and most desperate gnashing of teeth. For with what infinite horrour, and restlesse anguish will this conceit rent a Mans heart in pieces, and gnaw upon His Conscience, when Hee considers in Hell, that Hee hath lost Heaven for a lust: and whereas Hee might at every sermon, had even the Son of God His husband, for the very The worke is done one Christs part▪— There is a righteous­nesse which God hath prepared, and is therefore called, The righteousnesse of God. Nothing is looked for at our hands, but onely to take it, to beleeve it, and apply it unto our selves. D.P. Christ is a free Gift, and may bee had for the accepting. —Humiliation is no further requisite thereunto, then as it is a meanes to bring us to accept, and lay hold of that grace, and life in Christ, which is freely offered. D.V. But lest any mistake this Taking, heare what resolution before, and conversation afterward, these two great Divines, excellently versed in the mystery of Christ, speake of: Obiect. But some will say, Is nothing else required? Must God doe all, and wee nothing, but take the righteousnesse prepared? Answ. It is true; wee must live a holy, religious, and sober life; for this end the grace of God hath appeared, &c. D.P. Howsoever though thou mayest have him freely, yet notwithstāding, thou must have him as thy Lord: thou must bee his servant, Hee thy King, and thou His Subject, &c. When God h [...]th inlighte­ned the eyes of a Man, that He can see where this treasure is, — Hee is so inflamed with the love thereof, that Hee resolves He will have it, whatsoe­ver it cost Him —Yea but there is a price put upō it; it must cost thee deare; a great deale of sorrow, trou­ble, and other crosses. Tush, tell mee not of the price; whatsoever I have shall goe for it, I will doe any thing for it. Why, wilt thou cu [...] be thine a [...]ections? Wilt thou give up thy life? Wilt thou bee content to tell all that thou hast, and begge all thy life time, so thou mayest have this treasure? I will doe it with all my heart; I am content to sell all that I have; nothing is so deare unto mee, but I will part with it; my right hand, my right eye; nay, if Hell it selfe should stand betweene mee and Christ, yet would I passe thorow the same unto him. This is that violent affection which God, putteth into the hearts of His Children, that they will have Christ whatsoever it cost them. Although I confesse, all that repent and lay hold on Christ shall have mercy; yet what is this to thee, thou wretched Man? So long as sinne hath dominion over thee, what art Thou? So long we are not only dead, but also rotten in sinne; so that it may be said of us, as it [...]as as Lazarus, Ioh. 11. Lord, saith Martha, hee stinketh already. So wee are not onely [...] and rotten in sinne, but even stinke thereof, so long as any sinne or sinnes have dominion over us. D.V. Christ re­ceives none, but them that denie themselves; are willing to take up the Crosse, and follow Him; that mortifie the deeds of the Body by the Spirit. To Iustification nothing but Faith is required: but this caution must bee added; It must bee a Faith that purifies the heart, that may worke an universall change, that may shew it selfe in fruites, and bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life. D.P. taking; and have li­ved [Page 184] with Him for ever in unspeakeable Blisse, yet neg­lecting so great salvation, must now, crying out there­fore continually against Himselfe, as the most raging Bedlam that ever breathed, lie in unquenchable flames, without remedy, ease, or end! It is the highest honour that can be imagined, and a Mystery of greatest amaze­ment that ever was, that the Sonne of God should make sute unto sinfull Soules to be their Husband. And yet so it is; Hee stands at the doore, and knocks, if you will give Him entrance, Hee will bring Himselfe and Heaven into your hearts. We are Christs Ambassadours, as though God did beseech you by us, Wee pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God; Wee are Christs spokes-men, that I may so speake, to Wooe and Winne you unto Him. Now what can you say for your selves that you stand out? Why come you not in? If the Divell would give you leave to speake out, and in plaine termes: One would say, I had rather bee dam­ned then leave my drunkennesse; Another, I love the world better then Iesus Christ; A third, I will not part with my easie and gainefull trade of Vsury, for the trea­sure hid in the field; And so on, So that upon the mat­ter, [Page 185] you must needs all confesse, that you hereby judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life, that you are wil­full bloody Murderers of your owne Soules, that you commit such a wickednesse, that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cry shame upon you for it. Nay, and if you go on without repentance, you may expect that the Hellish gnawing of Conscience for this one sinne of refusing Christ, may perhaps hold scale with the Vni­ted horrors of all the rest. What is the matter I marvell, that you will not entertaine the Match? If wee stand upon honour, and noble family; Hee that makes love, and sute unto our soules,Revel. 19 16. hath on his vesture and on his thigh, a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. If upon beauty: Heare how hee is described. Cant. 5. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thou­sand: His head is as the most fine gold; his lockes are bushie and blacke as a Raven. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves, by the rivers of water, washed with milke, and fit­ly set. His cheekes are as a bed of Spices, as sweet flowers. His lips like Lillies, dropping sweet smelling myrrhe. His hands are as the gold rings set with the Berill: His belly is as bright Ivory, overlaid with Saphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon Sockets of fine gold: His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars. His mouth is most sweet, yea, hee is altogether lovely, See Gifford upon the place. Alsted. Theol. Cas. cap. 6. De pulchritudi­ne omnium pulcherri­mâ, quae est Iesus Chri­stus.— Now you must understand, that the Spirit of God by these outward beauties and braveries, labours in some mea­sure to shadow out, and represent unto us, the incompa­rable excellency of inward graces; the dignity, the glo­ry, the spirituall fairenesse of Iesus Christ, that wee may know, that Hee is wholly and altogether lovely, dele­ctable, and precious. If upo [...] ease, and contentment, Hee can lead us to fulnesse of joy, and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore. If wee desire honorable Alliance; Hee will bring us to an innumerable company of Angels, to the generall assembly, and Church of the first borne, which are written in heaven; and to God the Iudge of all, [Page 186] and to the spirits of just men made perfect. If we stand up­on wealth, we shall haue In Christo, tanta bona possidetis: ut domini mundi, & omnium re­rum sitis. Par. in lo­cum. 1. Cor. 3.21. all things with him; which is a large Possession. If we respect love: Ioh 15.13. Greater love hath no Man then this, that a Man lay downe His life for his friends. And hee being the brightnesse of His Fathers glory, and the expresse image of his person, Hoc verb [...] [ [...]] non voluit dicere Apo­stolus, Christum per as­sumptionem sormae ser­vi, abjecisse forma dei, & desusse quod erat: sed tantùm quòd glori­am illam & Majesta­tem, in quà erat apud Patrem, ita abdiderit in formâ servi, ut c [...] sese penitut Evacuasse visus sit: quia nimi­rùmea gloria in carne non fulgebat, ut ab om­nibus conspici posset. came downe from his bosome, the well-spring of immortality and blisse, the fulnesse of joy, and that unapprocheable light, into an House of flesh, upon this base and misera­ble earth. Hee passed thorow a life full of all manner vexations, miseries, persecutions, indignities, slanders, speaking against of Sinners, &c. He was so prodigiously slandered, that they said, Ioh. 8 48. Hee had a divell; Whereas, Col. 2.9. the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelled in him bodily. Hee was cunningly hunted long, and at last violently haled by a Packe of Hell-hounds, to a cruell and bloody death, which for the extremity and variety of paines, for the enraged spight of the executioners, for the innocency, and excellency of the Person suffering, the like never was, shall, or can bee endured. His passi­ons were such, so bitter, and unsupportable, that they would have made any meere creature to have sunke downe under the burden of them to the bottome of Hell. Hee was tortured extremely, and suffered grie­vous things both in Body and Soule, from Heaven, Earth, and Hell. His blessed Body was given up as an Anvile to bee beaten upon, by the violent, and villanous hands of wretched Miscreants, without all measure or mercy; untill they had left no one part free from some particular and speciall torment. His skin and flesh were [...]ent with scourges; His hands and feet pierced with nailes; His head with thornes; His very heart with the speare point. All His senses, all his parts, indeed His whole sacred body was made a rufull spectacle to An­gels and to Men, of all the most base and barbarous v­sage, which malice could devise, and cruelty execute. But all this yet, was but a shadow of His suffering, the [Page 187] substance of His suffering, was the Omnes poenae à nobis, commeritae toleratae sunt à Christo: At poe­nae animae erant à nobis commeritae. Ergò poe­n [...]ts animae Christus to­leravit. Chamierus, Tom. 2. de dese [...]ulu ad inferos, Lib 5 cap. 12. Sect. 1. Neither doth Hee, or [...] meane, that Christ suffered in Soule onely by Sym­pathy with the Body; But also immediately from the wrath of God for our sinnes. Heare him a little af­ter. Contra sua sophismata Bellarminus tam [...]n con­cludit, Christum passum animâ et corpore. Quod ipsum Calvinus conten­dit, & nos asserimus. Quid igitur frustrà laborant Sophistae in oppugnand [...] veritate, quam ipsi tandem, ipsi, inquam, fateri cogantur? Nisi forte in animâ. patiente, nihil aliud considerant, nisi ipsos dolores corporis tantum [...], per assistentiam, & [...], non verò [...] & propriè suo sensu. Quo quid possit absurdiùs dici? Certè antequàm corpus quicquam pateretur, Christus ipse testabatur suam animam esse perturbatam, & quidem usque ad mor­tem. Ibid. Sect. 3. Leo it is that first said it (and all Antiquity allow of it) Non soluit uni­onem, sed subtraxit visionem. The vnion was not dissolved; True, but the beames, the in­fluence was restrained; and for any comfort from thence, His Soule was even as a scorch­ed heath ground; without so much as any drop of dew of divine comfort: as a naked tree, no fruit to refresh Him within, no leafe to give Him shadow without: the power of darknesse let loose to afflict Him: the influence of comfort restrained to relieve Him. winchesters Sermons, pag. 356. Wounded Hee was in Body, wounded in Spirit, left utter­ly desolate. Ibid. pag. 157. Agony of His Soule; Give mee any affliction save the affliction of the mind, For the spirit of a man, saith Salomon, will sustaine all His other infirmities; but a wounded spi [...]rit, who can beare? Yet His soule, though Hee was the Prince of glory, and Lord of Heaven and earth, upon the Crosse, was even as a scorched Heath, with­out so much, as any drop of comfort either from hea­ven or earth. The grievous weight of all the sinnes of all his Children, the least of which had bin enough to have pressed them downe into the bottome of Hell, lay now heavy upon him. The powers of darkenesse were let loose to afflict Him; Hee wrastled even with the fierce wrath of His Father, and all the forces of the infernall kingdome, with such anguish of heart, that in the Garden, it wrung out of his pretious Body, a Sweat, as it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground; with such agony of spirit, that upon the Crosse, Hee cry­ed, My God, my God, why hast thou There are sixe kinds of dereliction, or forsaking, where­of Christ may bee thought to have complained: First, by dis-union of person: second­ly, by losse of grace: Thirdly, by diminution, or weakening of grace: Fourthly, by want of assurance of future deliverance and present support: Fiftly, by deniall of protection: Sixthly, by with-drawing▪ of solace, and destituting the forsaken of all comfort. It is im­pious once to thinke, that Christ was forsaken any of the foure first wayes. For the uni­ty of His person was never dissolved; His graces were never, either taken away, or dimi­nished; Neither was it possible Hee should want assurance of future deliverance, and present support, that was eternall God, and Lord of life. But the two last wayes hee may rightly bee said to have been forsaken. Field of the Church, Lib. 5. cap. 18. forsaken mee! And [Page 188] the measure of all these sufferings, and sorrowes, were so past all measure, that all the creatures, save sinfull Men onely, both in heaven, and earth, seemed to bee a­mazed and moved with them. The Sun in the heavens drew in his beames, unwilling as it were to see the spot­lesse blood of the Son of God, spilt as water upon the ground. The Earth it selfe shrunk, and trembled, under it. The very Rocks rent asunder, as if they had sense and feeling of His intolerable, and, save by Himselfe, vncon­querable paines; The whole frame of Nature seemed astonished at the mournefull Complaint of the Lord of the Whole World. These, and farre more then these, or then can bee exprest, our blessed Saviour, being Son of the most high God, endured for no other end, but to ransome us from the bondage of Sathan, and of Hell, in a thirsting desire of saving all Penitent sinners; And to offer himselfe freely, a most glorious, and everlasting Husband to all those, who with broken and beleeving hearts cast themselves into His bosome. Such admira­ble, and unutterable perfections, beauties, indowments, sufferings, and inflamed affections, as these, in the hea­venly Suter unto our sinnefull Soules, doth mightily ag­gravate the hainous and horrible sinne of refusing Him.

Thus, and in this manner, would I have the Men of God to magnifie, inlarge, and represent to the hearts of their Hearers, all the excellencies of Iesus Christ, with the worth, merit, and efficacy of His blood: To set out to the utmost they can possibly, the glory of the Gospell with all the riches of mercy, goodnesse, and free grace, revealed, and offered therein &c. So that they tell them withall; That Iesus Christ takes none, but such as are willing, to take upon them His yoke: That hee gives himsel [...]e to none, but such as are ready, to sell all, in the sense I have said, that they may enjoy his blessed selfe. That the glorious grace of the Gospell shines savingly, to none, but such as deny ungodlinesse, [Page 189] and worldly lusts; and live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present World; That those whose Soules are cleansed by the blood of Iesus Christ from all sinne, are onely such, as walke in the light, as God is in the light; who make conscience of detesting and declining all sins, and workes of darkenesse discovered to them by the light of Gods holy Booke, and sincerely set their hearts and hands, with love, and carefull endeavour to every duty injoyned therein. In a word, That, as that Foun­taine opened to the house of David for sinne and for un­cleanesse, I meane the blood of that immaculate Lambe, Iesus Christ, the holy and the righteous, doth turne all the sinnes even the very scarlet and crimson, of a truly broken heart, and every true Mourner in Zion, into snow, and wooll, so it will never wash away the least sin­full staine from the proud heart of any unhumbled Pha­risee, That hereby no strangers unto the love and life of godlinesse, may bee deceived by appropriating unto themselves any of these glorious things, which are one­ly proper to the sealed Fountaine; but onely conceive of them as excellent motives to cause them to come in. I would have the Preaching of Christ fill the soule of e­very true harted Nathanael every time with unspeakea­ble and glorious joy, with all those Euangelical pleasures, which neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of man; But I would have it onely make every unregenerate Man sensible of what infinite blessednesse Hee bereaves Himselfe by continu­ing a Rebell; that thereupon Hee may bee moved to make hast out of His present Hell, into this new heaven so fairely opened, and freely offered unto Him.

Besides pressing the law, promising mercy, proposing Christ, &c. to stirre men in their naturall states, to make them entertaine thoughts of comming in, to humble them in the sight of the Lord under the heavy burden of all their sinnes, assure them also of pardon, in case they will leave Sathans service, and so prepare them for [Page 190] Christ; Let Gods Ministers lay hold upon all warran­table wayes, which they shall find, and feele out of their Ministeriall experience, and holy wisedome to be avai­leable, and prevaile for that purpose. So that the worke bee done in truth: And that they doe not like the Di­vels dawbers, deceive them to the eternall ruine, and damnation of their Soules, by telling them that they have Christ already, and are safe enough for salvation, whereas indeed, as yet, there is no such matter.

Such points as these, are woont to make attentive na­turall men, to startle in their seates, to looke about them something more then ordinarily: To wit, to divide the precious, from the vile; To distinguish that One true happy state of grace, from all states of unregeneratnesse, and all kinds of Hypocrisie: to tell them out of the Booke of God, How farre a Man may goe in generall graces, and doing many things, &c. and yet come short of Heaven: To deliver Markes of sincere Professours, of a saving Faith, of true repentance, of a sound conver­sion, &c. But I would have this done with a great deale of spirituall wisedome, and heavenly understanding, with much godly discretion, and caution; least thereby, either the formall Professour may bee incouraged, or the weakest Christian disheartned: To discourse of the fewnesse, and scarcity of those which shall bee saved; and that even Exijt, qui [...]eminat, se­minare, inquit] Semen hic do [...]trinam suam, arva ce [...]ò & campos aminas huminum, se­minatorem autem seip­sum appellat. Quid igi­tur de illo senisne sit? Tribus perditis parti­bus, una tantummodò salvatur. Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. 45. Hâc parabold discipu­los docuit & exercuit, ut etsi plures corum, qui praedicationem A­postolonum suscepturi erant, perderentur, non caderent aulmis cum id etiam in Domino at­que Magistro pariter factum recordarentur: Neque tamen ipse, quamvis, ita id futu­rum non ignoraret, semina proijcere neglexit. Ibid. Vocati; [...]] scilicet, exlernè perver­bum. Electi; [...]] scil. Ad vitam aeternam. Christus loquitur de vocatione externâ, quá per Evangelij pr [...]dicationem vocantur tam reprobi, quà electi, &c. Piscat. in Matth. cap. 20. Iste popict [...], qui in medio populi suscepit misericordiam Dei, quantium numerum babet? Quèm panc [...] sunt? Vix inveniuntur aliqui. Illisne contentus Deus erit & perdet tantam multitudinem? Dicunt hoc, qui sibi promittunt hoc, quod à Deo promit [...]ents non au­di [...]runt.—Quot sunt illi, qui vi [...]entur servare praecepta Dei? Vix invenitur unus vel duo, vel paucissimi. Ipsos solos Deus liberaturus est, caeteros damnaturus? Absit, inqutunt, cum venerit, & videbit tantam multi [...]udinem, ad sinistram, miserebitur, & dabit indulgen­tiam. Hoc pla [...]è etiam serpens ille promisit primo homini: Nam minatus erat Deus mortem, si gastaret. Ille autem, [...]bsit inquit, morte non moriemini. Crediderunt serpenti, invene­rant, verumesse, quod minatus est Deus, falsum, quod promiserat diabolus. Ita & nunc fratres, &c. August▪ in Psal. 48. pag. 528. under the light, and within the sound [Page 191] of the Gospell; See Math. 20.16. Many are called, but few chosen. Consider the Parable of the Sower. Mat. 13. There is but one good soile, upon which the seed of the word falls prosperously; but three reprobate grounds, as it were, upon which it is lost, as water upon the ground. See my first Doctr. upon Gen. 6.8. &c. Thus let the Men of God acquaint themselves, with such Points, as they conceive, the likeliest, and most pregnant to pierce their Hearers hearts, and come closest to their Consciences; that so, by the helpe of God, they may pull them out of Hell.

And there are some places also in the Book of God, which being rightly handled, and powerfully applied, seeme to have a speciall keennesse to strike at, and cut asunder the iron sinewes of the most obstinate heart; And of more aptnesse to serve for the rowsing and awa­king of meere civill men, formall Professours, Pharisies, and foolish Virgins out of their desperat slumber of spi­rituall Selfe-deceit. Such as these. Deut. 29.19.20. And it come to passe, when hee heareth the words of this curse, that hee blesse Himselfe in His heart, saying; I shall have peace, though I walke in the imagination of mine heart, to adde drunkennesse to thirst: The Lord will not spare Him, but then the anger of the Lord, and His jealousie, shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this Book, shall lie upon Him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven. Ps. 78.21. God shall wound the hairy Scalpe of such a One as goeth on still in his tres­passes. Pro. 1.24.28. Because I have called, and yee refu­sed, I have stretched foorth my hand, and no Man regar­ded: &c. Then shall they call upon mee, but I will not an­swer; they shall seeke me early, but they shall not And justly they find Him not, ex l [...]ge talio­nis. God himselfe an­swers them; Nay, their owne hearts an­swere themselves: Go, whom you haue spent your life in seeking, seeke to them now. Let them save you, at this, whom yee sought at all other times. As for mee, it shall come to passe, as I cryed, and you would not heare; So you shall cry, and seek, and shall not find, or bee heard, (saith the Lord). Yes, they found Him; but with a dore shut be­tweene Him & them. But what found they? The Parable of the ten Virgins tells us; a Nescio vos. —Hoe knoweth them not: they tooke too short a time to breede acquaintance in. Nescio vos they find, that so seeke. Profectò ad hoc toni­tru &c. At this clap, Hee that waketh not, is not asleepe, but dead. Winchesters Sermons, pag. 181. I demand; Will any time serue to seeke God? Is God at all times to bee found? It is certain, Not, The very limitation, (of Dum inveniri potest) sheweth plainely, that other times there bee, wherein Seeke Him you may, but find him you shall not. Idem Ibid. pag. 178. find [Page 192] mee. Pro. 29.1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without re­medy. Ezek. 24.13. In thy filthinesse is lewdnesse, be­cause I have Quanquam Deus ip­sos mundavit, hoc est, tum verbo suo praece­pit, ut se mundarent, & toties ac tamdiu per prophetas, imperavit, 2. Cro. 36.15. Iesa. 1.16. tum aquâ & sapone afflictionum abluere, & baculo calamitatum sordes excutere studio habuit: tamen impuri manserunt. Iesa. 1.5. & sequentibus; Polan. in Locum. purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthinesse any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. 1. Pet. 4.18. If the righteous scarcely bee saved; Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare? 1. Ioh. 3.9. Who­soever is borne of God doth not commit sinne. 1. Pet. 2.17. Love the brotherhood. Heb. 12.14. Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Iam. 2.19. The Divels also beleeue and tremble. Luke. 13.24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seeke to enter in, and shall not bee able. Math. 10.14.15. And whosoever shall not receive you. &c. Veri [...]y, I say unto you, it shall bee more tolerable for the land of Sodom, and Gomorrah in the Day of judgement, then for that city. And. 11.12. And from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist, untill now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. And 5.46. And if you salute your brethren onely, what doe you more then others? and vers. 20. I say unto you, That except your righteousnes shall exceed the righ­teousnesse of the Scribes, and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of heaven. These fellowes re­presented to the eye of the World, a goodly and glori­ous shew of freedome from grosse sinnes; I am not, saith the Pharisee, Luke. 18. as other men are, extortio­ners, unjust, adulterers, &c. Of workes; First, Of righte­ousnesse; I give tithes of all that I possesse: Secondly, Of Piety; Hee went up to pray. Thirdly, Of mercy; Besides fasting, and prayer, they gave almes, Mat. 6. &c. And yet Christ speakes thus peremptorily to his hearers. Ex­cept your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, &c. ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven. Hee saith not simply; yee shall not enter: But yee shall in no case enter. And yet how many who come short of these, will bee very angry, if the mi­nisters, [Page 193] tell them, that they shall certainely come short of the kingdome of heaven.

I have done with dawbing and plaistering over rot­ten hearts with plausible perswasions, that they shall not bee damned: I meane that most cruell, and accursed trade of strengthening with lies, the hands of the wicked, that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promi­sing him life. Ezek. 13.22. Whereby thousands, are sent hood-winckt to hell, more is the pitty! even in this bles­sed time of the Gospell: And I come now to another er­rour, about comforting afflicted Consciences. Which is this:

2. When the spirituall Physition promiseth comfort, applies the promises, assures of mercy, acceptation and pardon:

1. When the ground of griefe, is not in truth trou­ble for sinne, but some outward trouble. Some, in such a case may cast out by the way some faint, and formall complaints of their sinnes, and seeme to seeke direction, and satisfaction about the state of their Soules; when as the true root and principall Spring of their present heavinesse, and hearts-griefe, is some secret earthly dis­contentment, the bi [...]ng and bitternesse of some worldly sting. It may bee the losse or desperate course of some over-loved child; decay, and going backward in their estate; feare of falling into beggery; some unexpected discontents and disappointments after marriage; Some great disgrace, and shame fallen upon them in the eye of the world; Some long and tedious sicknesse, pinch­ing them extremely for want of peace with God, and patience to passe thorow it. Or the like.

In this case, after the man of God by his best wise­dome, and searching experimentall tryals, and Interro­gatories fitted for that purpose, whereby he may give a strong conjecture, if not a peremptory censure, hath dis­covered the Imposture: Let his desire and endeavour be, to turne the torrent of worldly teares (and taking on for [Page 194] transitory things) upon sinne. When a veine is broken, and bleeds inward, or a man bleeds excessively at the Nose, the physition is wont to open a veine in the arme, so to divert the current of the blood, that it may bee car­ried the right way, for the safety and preservation of the party. Doe proportionably in this point.

Let such know. First, That 2. Cor. 7.10. sorrow of the world wor­keth death. Quid autem est secli­di [...]m mundum? Quan­dò contristaris propter divitias, propter glori­am, propter mortuum; omnia haec secundum mundu [...]; id [...]ò & mor­tem fa [...]t. Nam qui propter gloriam contri­statur, invi [...]et, & sae­pe perire cogitur. Qua­lis erat tristitia Cain & Esau: hanc tristitiam vo [...]at secundum mun­dum, quae trisiibus per­niciosa. Chrysost. in 2. Cor. cap. 7. Sicut tinea comedit vestimentum, & sicut vermis rodit lignum, ita tristitia nocet cor­di. Bern. de modo be­nè vivendi. cap. 11. It pierceth even to the marrow of the bone, it maketh bitter our whole life, and poysoneth all our acti­ons. Char. lib. 1. cap. 31. Worldly sorrow worketh a change in the body, it brings gray haires on the head, and furrowes and wrinkles in the face. It turnes youth into old age, and strength into weakenesse, and so causeth death. Dike of repentance. cap. 1. It dries the bones, consumes the marrow, chils the blood, wastes the Spirits, eates up the heart, shortneth life, and cutteth off too soone, from the day of gracious visitation. It is a base thing for an immortall Soule to bee put thus out of tune, and temper with mor­tall things, & most unworthy it's heavenly birth, bree­ding under the ministery, and everlasting abode. Se­condly, That sorrow spent upon the world, is like a per­fum'd precious water, throwne into the channell, or sinke-hole, which would make a sweet sent in an hum­bled soule, and helpe excellently against the noisome sa­vour of sinne. Fire put into the thatch, would turne all into combustion; Tri­stitia enim sic est, quomodo stercus. Stercus non loco suo positum immunditia est. Stercus non loco suo positum, immundam facit domum; loco suo positum, fertilem facit agrum. — Inveni nescio, quem tristem: stercus video, locum quaero: Dic, amice, unde tristis es? Perdidi, inquit, pecuniam. Locus immundus, fructus nullus, Audiat Aposiolum; Tristitia mundi mortem operatur. Non solum fructus nullus sed magna pernicies. Sic & de caeteris rebus ad gau­dia secularia pertinentibus; quas res longum est enumerare. Video alium tristantem, ge­mentem, flentem: multum stercor [...]s video, & ibi locum quaero. Et cum viderem tristem, flen­tem inspexi & orautem. Orans, nescio quid mibibonae significationis ingessit. Sed adhuc locum quaero. Quid enim si iste oraus, gemens, magno fletu mortem roget inimicis suis. Etiam sic jam plorat, jam rogat, jam orat; Locus immundus, fructus nullum▪ — Inspexialium rursus, gementem, flentem, o­rantem; stercus agnos­co locum quaero. Inten [...]di autem orationi ejus, & audito dicentem, ego dixi, domine, mise­rere mei, sana animam meam, quia peccavi ti­bi: Ge [...]it peccatum: agnosco agrum, expecto fructum: Deo gratias. Bono loco est stercus, non ibi vacat, fructum par­turit. August. de temp. Serm. 151. Dung placed in your parlour, would impoison all; But lay the one upon the hearth, and it would warme, and comfort; the other upon the land, and it fatneth and makes fruitfull: So sorrow mispla­ced upon earthly things, fills a man with swarmes of carking confusions, and brings many devouring [Page 195] Harpies into the heart; but being turned upon Tristitia illa solùm ad peccata utilis est; quod hinc manifestatur: Qui pro amissis divitijs contristatur; damnum non solvit: Qui pro mortuo contristatur, jacentem non excitat: Qui propter morbum contristatur, non solùm non curatur, sed etiam auget morbum. Qui verò in peccatis contristatur, hîc solùm utilitatis aliquid ampliùs à tristitiâ accepit; absumit enim & evanescere facit peccata. Chrysost. in 2. Cor. cap. 7. Mortem lugere omittens, luge peccata, ut ipsa deleas: propter hoc enim tristi­tia facta est, non ut in morte, nec in vllâ aliâ re tali doleamus, sed ut ipsâ ad delenda ut amur peccata: Et quòd hoc verum sit, exemplosacio manifestum. Remedia medicinalia propter illos tantùm morbos, facta sunt, quos toller [...] possunt, non propter illos, quos nihil ad juvare possunt, &c. Mulctatus est quispiam pecunijs, tristatus est, mulctam non emendavit: silium amisit, do­luit, mortuum non resuscitavit, nec defuncto pr [...]fuit: Flagellatus est quis, alapis caesus, con­tumelijs affectus, doluit, non revocavit contumcliam, &c. Vides horum nulli prodesse tristi­tiam. Peccavit quis, tristatus est, peccatum delevit. Idem ad Popul. Antiochenum, Hom. 5. sin, and former sinfull courses, which is the onely right, proper, profitable vse thereof, it may procure a great deale of ease, and enlargement to the heavy Spirit, and helpe to bring foorth fruits meet for repentance. Thirdly, That the tithe perhaps of taking on, trouble of mind, vexa­tion of Spirit, sadnesse and sorrow, about worldly things in respect of the bulke, and quantity, if sincere, and set upon the right object, might serve I meane both repentances: Legall, which is bred by beleeving the threats of the Law, and by accident leades unto Christ. Evangelicall, which springs from Faith in the pro­mises of the Gospell, after wee have taken Christ. For Faith must goe before this repen­tance, as the ground and roote thereof. In time, Faith and Evangelicall repentance are both together, but in the order of nature, Faith is first. to drive us unto Christ, and afterwards in Gods gracious acceptation, for saving repentance. Mee thinkes it should bee a very quickning motive to make a man Quid enim quispiam sacere possit, quo genero sum virum cogat contristari? Auseret pecunias? Sed habet in Coelis diviti­as. Patriâ eijciet? Sed in coelestem civitatem mittet. Vincula inijciet? Sed habet Conscien­tiam solutam, & exteriorem non sentiet catenam. Sed interficiet corpus? At iterum resur­get. Et sicut cum umbrâ pugnans, & aërem verberans perculere poterit neminem: Sic & cum justo pugnans cumumbrâ tantùm pugnat, & vires suas dissolvit, nullam illi plagam valens in­fligere. Itaque da mihi de Coelorum r [...]gno confidere, & s [...]vis, me hodie jugula; caedis? gratias tibi habeo, quòd me celeriter ad illa hona transmattis. Chrysost. ad Pop. Antioch. hom. 5. bee sorry for nothing but sin, and to turne all his griefe and groanes, sighs, and teares, upon his transgressions Igitur postquàm manifestè oratio demonstravit, quòd neque pecuniarum mulctam, neque contumeliam, neque calumniam, neque flagella, neque valetudinem, neque mortem, neque aliud quid talium inducta tristitia iastaurare posset, sed solùm delere peccatum, & bujus est destru­ctiva; certum, quò à propter hanc solam causam facta est. Ne amplius igitur pecuniarum ja­cturam doleamus; sed cum peccamus, tantùm doleamus: multa enum hic ex [...]ri [...]iâ utilitas. Mul [...]la [...]us es? ne do­leas; neque enim pro­derit. Pe [...]cu [...] Dole, utile namque est. Ibid. onely: To wit; To Con­sider, [Page 196] that an impenitent carnall worldling doth passe thorow even in this life (where hee hath all the hea­ven hee is ever like to have) incomparably more comfortlesse hearts-griefe, slavish torment of minde, and heavinesse of Spirit towards endlesse paines, then the strictest Christian, and most mortified Saint, doth endure in his passage to everlasting pleasures. Fourthly, That, besides, many other pestilent pro­perties, worldly sorrow doth also double, nay mul­tiply, and mightily enrage the venome, bitternesse, and [...]ting of every crosse, accident, losse, disgrace, &c. When 2. Sam. 17.23 Achitophel, ita ratio­cinatur: Absolom, aut vincet, au [...] non: sino [...] vincat, incidam in ma­nus Davidis: Si vice­rit, adhuc ego inglorius vivam, Chusat consilio videbitur vicesse. Voluit potiùs mori, quàm inglorius vivere. [...]et. Mart. in 2. Sam. cap. 17. Ahitophel was disgraced, by neglect of his counsell, which was in those dayes, as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God, carnall griefe so grew upon him, that hee gate him home to his house, put his household in order, and hanged himselfe. What was the disgrace to this desperate end? Ha­man beeing crossed by Mordecaies discourtesie, and contempt, did so trouble himselfe, and take on, that, having Hest. 5.11.12.13. told his wife, and freinds, of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all things, wherein the King had promoted him, and how hee had advanced him above the Princes, and servants of the King, &c. Yet professeth unto them; that all this avai­led him nothing, so long as hee saw Mordecai the Iew, sitting at the Kings gate. Now whether doe you thinke was the most greivous thing to beare; the bare omission of a meere complement, or an universall di­staste, and dis-injoyment of all outward comforts hea­ped upon Him to the height, and in excellency? The hundreth part of Iobs losses, and lesse, hath many times since, made many a covetous worldling to cut his owne throat. I have knowne some, for the losse of an over-loved child, to have languished, fallen into a consumption, and lost their owne lives. But now on the other side, besides many other gracious effects, sorrow, according to God, is more delicious, and sweeter then any [Page 197] worldly delight: As Quamvis quid tristi­tiâ molestius? Sed quan­do secundum deum fit, mundi gaudio melior est. Illud enim in nihi­lum desinit; haec autem poenitentiam haud poe­nitendam in salutem operatur. Et enim, quod admirabile in ist [...], hoc est, quod nullum poeni­tet sic doluisse, id quod mundanae tristitiae pro­prium est. Quid ger­manius germano filio? & quid morte illius majorem dòlòrem in­fert? Attamen paren­tes se ipsos prae dolore plangentes impetu lu­ctus, quamvis inde nul­lam ferant utilitatem, ij tamen post tempus poenitentiā agunt quòd immodicè doluerunt, [worldly mournig must be mourned for, and such teares un­wept, with a new sup­ply of teares] cum ni­hil utilitatis inde con­secuti sunt, imò & se magis afflixerint: sed non talis est tristitia se­cundum Deum, sed ha­bet gemina commoda: & quòd quis se non in­cusat ob dolorem; & quòd tristitia in salutem desinit: Ambobus illis commodis ista pri­vata est: Chrysost. in 2. Cor. cap. 7. Hom. 15. Sicut enim mundi gaudium tristitiae consor­tio copulatur, ita etiam secundum dominum lacbryme jugem pariunt, certámque laetitiam. Idem, in Matth. 2. hom. 6. Chrysostome truly tells us in ma­ny places. To whom Moderne Divines accord. The very teares, that a good Conscience sheds, saith Ier. Dike of conscience. cap. 13. pag. 232. one, have more joy, and pleasure in them, then the worlds greatest joyes. This is certaine, saith Concedo quidem illud, in ipso moerore, ac dolore piorum plus gaudij inesse, & verae laetitiae, quàm in risu huius mundi: Nam cumsuspirijs inenarrabilibus conjunctum est gaudium ineffabile. Rolloc. in Iohan. cap. 11. pag. 670. Dulciores sunt lachrymae orantium, quàm gaudia Theatrorum. August. in Psal. 127. pag. 743. another, that there is more lightnesse of heart, and true delight in the sorrow of the Saints, then in the lowdest laughters of the world. For un­speakeable joy is mingled with un-utterable groanes.

2. When it is not any kindly touch of conscience for s [...] wrought by the ministry: but terrours, and affrigh­ting distempers arising from the darke mists of a me­lancholicke humour in the braine, which cause a man to complaine. In this blacke, and sad humour, Satan, God suffering him, (and of it selfe also it is pregnant enough this way) hath great advantage to raise, and represent to the Phantasie many fearefull things, terrible objects, griesly thoughts, hideous injections and temptations to despaire, selfe-destruction, &c. Whereupon the party so affected and afflicted is wont out of impatiency of such uncouth horrours, and heavines to addresse himself, and have recourse to some man of God, some noted Physiti­an of the soule; not from any purpose and resolution to become a new man, and alter his courses; but only for hope of ease, enlargement frō the tyranny of that ferall passion, and recovery to wonted quietnesse of mind: not expecting or aiming at all, at any other change; but from present melancholy to former mirth; from this abhorred, irkesome, insupportable state of sadnesse; to his accustomed sensuall, or civill contentment at least.

In this case let the art, and aide of physicke bee im­proou'd, [Page 198] to abate and take off the excesse and phantasti­calnesse of this horrible humour: and then let the par­ty bee advised, to imploie, and spend the native, and kindly Dolor melancholicus converti debet in dolo­rem, qui est secundum Deum. Alsted. Theol. Casuum, cap. 25. sadnesse, of that uncomfortable constitution, in sorrowing for sinne, in trembling at the threats of Gods judgements, in fearing to offend, and flying under the wings of Christ for sanctuary; that so hee may happi­ly bring supernaturall, and heavenly lightsomnesse into his soule, by pardon from God, peace of conscience, and evangelicall pleasures. It is incredible to consider, what assistance, and advantage a gracious man hath, by his sweete Quid Christo suavi­us? — Apprehensio cujus est cum suavitate magna, & gaudio in­credibili, ut re [...] planè suavis est ea, quae ap­prehenditur. Rolloc. in Iohan. cap. 8. pag. 556. communion with Iesus Christ, and those refre­shing beames of comfort which shine from his face, to confine and conquer those many impertinent, irkesome, and vexing vagaries of this wild humour; which with much folly and fury tyrannise in the feareful phantasies of gracelesse men, and make their life very disconsolate, and abhorred. I am perswaded, the very same measure of melancholicke matter, which raises many times in the heads, and hearts of worldlings, (having besides, the guilt of their unforgiven sinnes staring with griesly representations in the face of their consciences, and ac­quainted with no comfort but that which comes from carnall joyes) continuall clouds of many strange horrours, and gastly feares, nay and sometimes makes them starke mad; I say, the very same in a sanctified man may bee so mollified and moderated by spirituall delight, and soveraignty of grace, that he is not onely preserved from the sting, and venome of them, but by Gods blessing from any such desperate extremities, vio­lent distempers and distractions, which keepe the other in a kinde of hell upon earth. If the very darkenesse of the hellish dungeon were in the heart; yet reaching out the hand of faith, and receiving Christ that blessed Sun of righteousnesse, would dispell and disperse it to no­thing: Much more mee thinkes, the light of grace and heavenly wisedome, may in some good measure, dis­solve [Page 199] and maister the mists and miseries of this earthly humour. Religion then, and religious courses, and con­formities doe not make melancholike men mad; as the great Bedlams of this world would beare us in hand. For you must know that besides Belials and debosht companions, there are a generation of worldly wise men also, right brave and jolly fellowes in their owne conceits, and in the opinion of some flattering claw­backs; But by testimony of the Truth it selfe, starke mad about the service of God and there owne salvations, who cursedly [...]eare their owne consciences, with the hottest iron in the Divels forge, by breaking out in­to such blasphemies as these, when they heare, or see, any extraordinarie heavie-heartednes, temptation, di­straction, or spirituall distemper, to have seizd upon any that desires to bee saved: You see now, what becomes of so much reading the scriptures, of plying prayer, and pri­vate duties with so much adoe; of medling with mysteries of religion; of meditating so much of heavenly things; Of taking sinne so deeply to heart, and holding such strict con­formity to Gods word, &c. Blessed God! Is thine holy booke become, (execrable blasphemy!) a perverter, di­stracter, and empoysoner of mens soules; which beeing the glorious issue of thine owne infinite understanding, was purposely created as a most pretious [...], hoc est, à sanandis omni­bus morbis. Panacea, an universall medicinall store-house for the cure of all spi­rituall maladies; an inexhausted treasury of all sound comfort, true joy, peace, and refreshing! Now the Lord rebuke thee Satan, and returne as dung upon thine owne face this villanous, base and wicked slaunder, which by thy gracelesse instruments thou labourest to cast upon the glorious face of Christianity, the incom­parable sweetnesse of the wayes of grace, and that One necessary thing. I have knowne, when the onely wise God, hath suffered for ends seene and seeming good to his heavenly wisedome the hideous, and raging hu­mour of melancholie, to darken the native clearenes of [Page 200] the animall spirits in the braine, requisite to a due dis­cretion of things apprehended; and to blunder, and dis­order the objects, and operations of the phantasie in his dearest child, even to distraction, and breaking out into that inordinate passion, against reason; I say then, the concurrent cry and clamour of the enemies to the pow­er of Godlines to bee: This it is now to bee so bookish, to follow preachers so much, to be more holy then their neigh­bours, never to have done in serving of God: Her so much reading the scriptures, and such poring upon precise bookes (so they call those, which most pierce the con­science, and guide the cleerliest in the holy path) hath made her starke mad: The Puritan is now besides her selfe, &c. Now I say againe, the Lord rebuke thee Sa­tan, who sits with such extreme malice, and soule-kil­ling folly in the hearts & heads of such miserable men, whom thou so sottishly hood-winkes, and hardens to the height, for a most desperate downefal, and horrible confusion at last.

Were now the glorified soule of that blessed Saint consulted with, and asked: Diddest thou ever receive hurt by reading Gods blessed book, by searching sweet­ly into the great mystery of Christ crucified, by medita­tion upon heavenly things? Did the sacred sense of those divine Oracles dissettle thy noble faculties, or ever make sad thy heart? &c. Oh! with what infinite indignation, would it sly in the face of such cursed Cavillers, and wranglers against the truth?

Is it possible for the sole, and soveraigne Antidote sent from heaven by God himselfe against the sting and venome of all heart-griefe, and horror; the sacred Sun of saving truth, which is onely able to ennoble and glo­rifie our understandings with wisedome from the brest of the everlasting counsell of Iesus Christ, should be­come the cause of discomfort, and dissettlement of the soule? No, no. There is such a quickening, healing, and mighty efficacy and vigour shed into it from the Father [Page 201] of lights, and shining in it from the face of Christ, that by the helpe of the blessed spirit, it can turne darkenes into light, death into life, hell into heaven, the deepest horrour, into height of joy. Tell mee of any misery up­on the body, soule, outward state, or good name; any calamity felt or feared in this life, or the life to come; and if thou wilt bee converted and counselled, I can send thee to some, both Promise, and Precedent in this book of God, which may upon good ground fill thine heart as full with sound comfort, as the Sun is of Light, and the Sea of Waters. Nay, give mee a wounded spirit with all it's inexplicable terrors, and bitternesse; which is the greatest misery, & extremest affliction, of which an un­derstanding Soule is capable in this life. And let first all the physitians in the world, even the Rose-knights, as they call themselves, lay all their heads, skill, and experi­ence together, for the cure; Let all the highest Monarchs upon earth shine upon it with their Imperiall favours for comfort; Let the depth of all humane wisedome, and the height of the most excellent oratory bee im­prooued to perswade it peace; Let all the creatures in heaven and earth contribute their severall abilities and utmost, to still it's rage: And when all these have done, and have done just nothing; I will fetch a cordiall out of Gods owne booke, which shall mollifie the anguish, expell the venome, and bind it up with everlasting peace, which passeth all understanding; that the broken bones may rejoyce, and the poore soule groaning most grievously under the guilty horrour of many foule abo­minations, and ready to sink into the gulph of despaire, bee sweetly bathed and refreshed in the fountaine ope­ned by the hand of mercy for sinne, and for uncleannesse, Christs dearest bloud, the glorious wel-spring of all lightsomnesse, and joy.

Heare how precisely for this purpose, and how pun­ctually against such pestilent cauillers some of the an­cient Fathers doe Puritanize:

[Page 202] There is no malady, saith Nulla est in humanâ naturâ vel co [...]pori [...], vel animae passio, quae me­ [...]inam hinc accipere nequeat. Quomodo? Dic obsecro. Ingreditur quis huc, tristi [...]s & nego­ [...]i [...]rum solicitudine [...] ­u [...]ratus, & ingressus huc ita mae [...]ore adeb­ [...]utus, statim ut audi­ [...] prophetam dicen­t [...]m, quare tris [...]is es a­ [...]mamea, et quare con­turbas me? Spera in P [...]um, q [...]uiam confi­ [...]bor [...]: salatare vul­tus mei, & Deus meus: susti [...]tenti consolatione s [...]s [...]e [...]tâ ab [...], etomnem i [...]la a mentis tristiti­am ex [...]tit. Aliusitem extr [...]m [...] p [...]raturinoptâ, gravatim fert, & moeret, videns alios divitijs affluere, & valdè in­stari, & [...]g [...]anapparatu, & pompâstipari: aud [...]t & hic [...]undem prophetam dicentem, Iacta [...] Do [...]i [...] s [...]licit idinem tuam; ipse te enutriet. Et iterum, ne timeas cum ditatus fuerit homo, [...] licata fuerit gloria ejus: quia cum morietur non accipiet omnia, &c. Est & alius quoque [...]uiinsidias & calumnias su [...]tineus dolet, & insuavem putat vitam, nusquam [...]umanum [...] enir [...] valens auxilium: docetur & hic ab eodem prophetain talibus angustijs non ad hu [...] [...] praesidium confugiendum. Audiquidipse dicat. Ipsi detrahebant mihi, ego [...]utem o [...]a [...]m.—I [...]s [...]per abus abijs, quiprius si [...]i mini [...]irabant, despicitur, & contemnitur, & ab amic [...]re [...]: [...], hoc est quod [...]ntem [...] maximè conturbat, & confundit: sed & hic si huc [...], audit beatum illum dicentem, Ami [...]i mei & proximimei adversum me appro­pinquia unt, & [...] ut, & vim faciebant, qui quaerebant animam m [...]am: & qui quaerebant [...]lam [...], lo [...], & [...]i a [...]dul [...]ntias totâ die meditabantur—Quidergo ille interim, d [...] [...], & va [...]iamstruunt, egit? Ego autem, inquit, quasi surdus non audi­ens, & quasi [...] non aperiensos suum. Et factus sum, quasi homo non aud [...], & non ha­bens in [...]re [...] largutiones.—Vidisti quomodo quacun (que) calamitate humanam naturam, premente, conveniens ex scripturis antidotum acciper [...]liceat, & omnis vitae hujus repellatur [...], neque ab ull [...] quod accidit, gracemur. Proptercà, obsecro, ut sabinde huc veniatis, & [...]: non solùm, cum huc venitis, sed & domi divina bib­ [...] [...] positam, magnosiudio sus [...]pite. Iude enim multum [...] ref [...]rmetio: demde anima pennas assumit, & [...], perque tempus illud abimmund [...]rum cogita­ [...] [...] multâ quiete, ac tranquilitate fruens. Ins [...]per quod ad augendas vtres corpori [...] cibus facit, id anime lectio praestat. Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 29. Chrysostome, either of bo­dy, or soule, but may receive a medicine out of Gods booke;

One comes oppressed with sadnesse, and anxiety of busi­nesses, overwhelmed with griefe; But presently hearing the Prophet saying, Psal. 42.11. Why art thou cast downe, O my soule? and why art thou so disquieted within mee? Hope thou in God, for I will yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God; Hee receives abundance of comfort, and abandons all heavines of heart.

Another is pinched with extreme poverty; takes it heavily, and grieves, seeing others flowing in riches; swel­ling with pride, attended with great pompe, and state: But hee also heares the same Prophet, saying; Psal. 55 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and hee shall sustaine thee: And againe, Psal. 49.16 17. Be not afraide when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased: For when hee dieth, [Page 203] hee shall carry nothing away: His glory shall not de­scend after him.

There is another, which assaulted with insidiations, and calumnies, is much troubled, thinkes his life uncomforta­ble, finding no helpe in man: Hee is also taught by the same prophet, that in such perplexities, wee must not resort to the arme of flesh. Heare what hee saies; They slande­red, and I prayed.Psal. 109.2.3 4. The mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitfull are opened against mee: They have spoken against mee with a lying tongue. They compassed mee about also with words of hatred; and fought against mee without a cause. For my love, they are my adversaries; But I give my selfe to prayer. Ano­ther is slighted, and contemned by some base contemptible underlings; and forsaken of his friends; And that is it, which most troubles his mind, & goes nearest to his heart: But hee also, if hee will come hither, doth heare that bles­sed man saying:Ps. 38.11.12.13.14.15. My Lovers and my freinds stand a­loofe from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afarre off. They also that seeke after my life lay snares for mee: and they that seeke my hurt, speake mischeivous things, and imagine deceipts all the day long. But I, as a deafe man heard not; and I was as a dumbe man that ope­neth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofes: for in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt heare, O Lord my God. Hee concludes thus:

Thou hast seene, how that any misery pressing our mor­tality, a convenient Ant [...]ote may be taken out of Scrip­ture, and all the carking of this life may bee cured; nei­ther need wee to bee greived for any thing which befals us. Therefore I beseech you that henceforward, you would come hither, and listen diligently to the reading of divine writ. And not onely when you come hither, but also take the bible into your hands at home, and receive with great affection, the profit to bee found in it. For from thence springs much gaine: First, that the tongue may bee re­formed [Page 204] by it: The soule also takes wings, soares aloft, and is gloriously illightened with the beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse, and that while is freed from the entise­ments of impure thoughts, enioying much calmenesse, and contentment. Furthermore, that which corporall food doth for encreasing bodily strength: the same doth reading per­forme to the soule.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable: and writ by the spirit of God for this purpose, saith great [...]. Basil. in Ps. 1.Non dicit, ut inde alij nobis applicent pharmaca, sed [...]]singuli ipsi nobis eligamus. Basil, that in it, as a common Mart of soule-medicines, every one of us may chuse a medicine proper, and fit for his spirituall malady.

Jerome, writing to many En tibi octo muliercu­l [...]s, Letam, Laetae filiam, Paulum huius filiae avi­am, atque amitam, De­metriadem, Salviam, Celantiam, Marcel­cellam, in usque com­mendatam s [...]riò Scrip­turarum [...]ectionem. Addo nonam, Eustochiam; decimam, Blesillam; undecimam, Principiam; duodecimam, Algasiam Cham. De Canonis usu, l. 10. c. 4. And amongst the rest, heare how extraordinarily excellent Marcella was in knowledge of the Scriptures: Idem in Mar­cellâ laudat Scripturarum ardorem incredibilem, quò fieret ut [...] sum Hieronymum nunquam conveni [...]et, quin de Scripturis aliquid interrogaret: tantámque sibi eruditionem compara­ret, ut [...] in aliquo testimonio Scripturarum esset oborta contentio, adillam judicem pergeretur! Ita [...]u? Mul [...]ere [...] judicare de Scripturis? O scelus! O audaciam! Sed apud Papistas: Apud Ca [...]ballcos [...]era pi [...]tas. Idem. Ibid. Sect. 18. This should make many of our Gentlewo­men mightily ashamed, who are Old excellent in taking up every new monstrous fashi­on; but come infinitely short of this noble Christian woman in Scripture-knowledge. even of Her sexe, whom as I told you before, much reading of Scriptures and o­ther good bookes made mad, if the extremest malice of the most mortall enemies to the waies of God may bee credited; doth stirre them up with extraordinary ear­nestnesse to a diligent, industrious and fruitfull reading of Gods Booke, in many Passages of His Epistles.

Par. 3. Tract. 15. Ad Gaud▪ Cum autem virgunculam rudem & edentulam jam septimus ata [...]suae annus exceperit; & coeperit erubescere—discat memoritèr Psalterium: & us (que) ad annos ubert [...]tis libros Solomonis, Evangelis, Apostolos & Prophetas sui cordis the saurum faciat. In that to Gaudentius, about bringing up a young Maiden: Hee would have Her at seaven years old, and when she begins to blush, learne the Psalmes of Dauid without Booke; and untill twelue, make the Books of Salo­mon, the Gospels, the Apostles and Prophets, the treasure of Her heart.

[Page 205] Ad Demetriadem Vnum illud tibi natae D [...]o; praeque omnibus unum, praedicam, & repetens iterum, ite­rumque moncho: ut a­nimum tuum sacrae le­ctionis a [...]cre occupes. To One Hee speakes thus: This one thing about all others, I would fore advise Thee; and inculcating it, I will admonish againe and againe: That thou wouldest possesse thy minde with love of reading Scriptures.

Ad Salviam. Semper in manibus tuis sit di­vina lectio. — Post Scripturas san [...]os do­ctorum ominum tra­clatus lege. To an other: Let the Booke of God bee ever i [...] thy hands:—And after the holy Scriptures, reade also the Treatises of learned men.

Ad Celantiam de institutione Matris­familias. Sint divinae Scripturae semper in manibus tuis, & jugi­ter in mente volvantur. To another: Let the sacred Scriptures bee e­ver in thine hands, and revolved continually in thy minde.

Reading Scripture, saith Si ad ecclesiam fre­quenter venias; aurem literis divinis admove­as; explanatione man­datorum capias: sicut cibis & delicijs caro: ita spiritus verbis di­vinis convalescet; ac sensibus robustior effe­ctus, carnem sibi pare­re cogit, ac suis legibus obsequi. Nutrimenta igitur spiritus sunt; divina lectio, orationes assiduae, sermo doctri­nae. His alitur cibis, his convalescit, his victor efficitur. Quod quia non facitis, nolite conqueri de infirmitate carnis; Nolite dicere quia vo­lumus, sed non poss [...] ­mus. Super Levit. Hom. 9. Origen, daily prayers, the word of Doctrine nourish the Soule, even as the Body is strengthened by dainty fare. The Spirit is nourished, growes strong, and is made victorious by such foode. Which because you doe not ply; doe not complaine of the infirmity of the flesh: Doe not say, wee would but cannot, &c:

Those reverend Hom. For reading of Scriptures. men that made the Homilies, seeme to apprehend themselves, and they commend to us the excellent sweetnesse, which may bee suckt from the breasts of consolations in meditating upon the Scriptures, by this their emphaticall and effectuall expression: Let us ruminate say they, and as it were chew the cudde, that wee may have the sweet juyce, spirituall effect, marrow, hony, kernell, tast, comfort and consolation of them.

I have said all this, upon purpose, least melancholike men should be miss-led, or disheartened by the cursed counsell of carnall freinds, and wicked clamours of the world, from turning their sadnesse into sorrow for sin; and from plying Gods blessed booke, and the power­full ministry thereof, the onely wellspring of all true lightsomnesse, and ioy; and able as I said before, if they wilbee converted, and counseled, to dispell the very darkenesse of hell out of their hearts. Mee thinkes, they rather above others, should bee encouraged hereunto: 1. Because they have a passive advantage, that I may so speake, when it pleaseth God, to sanctifie for that pur­pose, and set on worke the spirit of bondage, by reason [Page 206] of their sad dispositions, and fearefull spirits, to bee soo­ner affrighted, and dejected by comminations of judge­ments against sinne; more feelingly to take to heart the miseries, and dangers of their naturall state; more easily to tremble and stoope under the mighty hand of God, and hammer of his Law. Guiltinesse, and horrour; damnation and hell beget in their timerous natures stronger impressions of feare: whereupon they are woont to tast deeplier of legall contrition, and remorse; and so proportionably to feel and acknowledge a grea­ter necessity of Iesus Christ; to thirst after him more greedily, to prize him more highly; and at length to throw their trembling soules into his blessed bosome with more eagernesse, and importunity. And having once entred into the holy path, their native fearefulnesse beeing rectified, and turned the right way, they many times walke on afterward, with more feare to offend, (and happy is the man that feareth alway) more watchfulnesse over their wayes, tendernesse of consci­ence, impatiency of losing spirituall peace, sensiblenesse of infirmities, and failings, awfulnes to Gods word, &c. 2. And because of all others, such men have most neede of lightsomnesse, and refreshing: which when carnall counsellers, & flattering mountebanks of the Ministry, labour to introduce into their darke heads, and heavy hearts by the arme of flesh, outward mirth, and such other meanes, they onely palliate, and dawbe: and are so farre from doing any true good, that thereby they drowne them many times deeper and more desperate­ly into the dungeon of melancholy afterward. So that, a melancholicke man, let him turne him, which way, hee will, is like, without the light of grace, to live, a very mi­serable life upon earth, and as it were in some part of hellish darkenesse: to which also at length, shalbee ad­ded the torment, if hee dye impenitently. But now let them addresse themselves to the booke of life, and thence onely they may sucke, and bee satisfied with the breasts [Page 207] of consolation: Let them leane their sorrowfull soules, improoving naturall sadnesse to mourne more heartily for sinne, upon the promises there: and every severall one will shine upon them with a particular, heavenly, and healing light, with sound, and lasting joy. All those then are starke mad, either with ignorant or learned malice, who beare the world in hand, that reading scriptures, plying the powerfull ministry, taking sinne to heart, &c. will make melancholike men mad.

If you desire to know, before I passe out of the point, the differences betweene the heavines of a melancho­like humour, and affliction of conscience for sinne, take notice of such as these.

1 Terrour for sinne springs out of the conscience, and from the smart of a spirituall wound there: Melan­choly dwels, and hath his chiefe I meane in respect of terrible representa­tions. For I know well from the learnedst Physitions, that that humour is originally settled in the spleene. But from thence arise cloudes of Melancho­like vapours, which annoy the heart, and passing up to the braine, counterfets terrible obiects to the Phantasie; and pol­luting both the sub­stance, and the spirits of the braine, causeth it without externall occasion, or object, to forge monstrous ficti­ons, and terrible to the conceite; which the judgment taking, as they are presented by the disordered Instrument, delivers to the heart; which by rea­son of the Sympathy betweene the braine and the heart, the thoughts and affections, and having no judgement of discretion in it selfe, but giving credit to the mistaken report of the braine, is affected proportionably with terrour, sadnesse, and feare. residence in the phan­tasie: uncomfortably ouercasts, and darkens the splen­dour, and lightsomnesse of the animall spirits in the braine.

2 The melancholike man is extremely sad, & knowes not why: Hee is full of feare, doubts, distrust, and heavi­nesse, without any true and just ground, arising onely from the darkenesse and disorder of the phantasie, the griesly fumes of that blacke humour in the braine: But a broken heart, a thousand to one, can readily tell you, the particular sinnes, the crying abomination, the legall hammer, and ministeriall hand that made it bleed. His trouble is ever [...]p [...]a [...]se, cleare, and evident, and the greatest that ever brought misery upon mankinde; waight of sinne, and the wrath of God. A melancho­like man will ride many miles, walke many houres, and at length bee able to giue no account of the exercise, and discourse of his minde, or what his thoughts have beene [Page 208] all the while: But hee that is troubled in mind for sinne, can for the most part tell right well, and recount exactly to his spirituall physitian, the severall temptations, sug­gestions, and injections; the hideous conflicts with Sa­tan: His objections, exceptions, replies, [...], Ephes. 6.11. [...], 2. Cor. 2.11. [...], Revel. 2.24. Methods, Devises, and depths, which have afflicted his heavy Spi­rit, since the first illightening, convincing, and affrigh­ting his awaked, and working Conscience.

3 The soule may bee seized upon with terrour of conscience, and spirituall distemper, the body being sound and in good temper; In excellency of health, puri­ty of bloud, symmetry of parts, vivacity of spirit, &c. But the horrors of melancholy are woont to haunt corrup­ted constitutions; where obstructions hinder the free passage of the humours, and spirits; the blood is over­grosse, and thick, &c.

4 Melancholy makes a man almost mad with imagi­nary feares, & strange Chymaraes of horror, which have no Beeing, but only in the monstrous compositions of a darkened and distempered Braine. He is many times by the predominancy of that cowardly humour, afraid of every man, of every thing, of any thing; of a shadow, of the shaking of a leafe, of his owne hands, of his owne heart. Hee Haec est ratio, cur ali­qui timent non timen­da: cur in suspiciones mirabiles & falsissimas cadunt: ita ut credant se aliquan [...]o quaeri ad mortem, vel ad incarce­ratione [...], vel spoliationem, & inde fugiunt nemine persequente, trepidantes timore, ubi non est ti [...]or. Cognovitalem tempore meo, qui ingeniosissimus erat, & peritus valdè in medicinâ, qui tandem fugit in nemora occulta, nec ultrà comparuit. Gerson de passionibus animae Consid. 20. feares where no feare is, where there is no probabilitie, no possibility, even in the very mid­dest of security. His feare sometimes is so extreme­ly foolish; that hee can Let a melancholy person upon the sudden heare, or see some fearefull thing, the strength of his imagination is such, that hee will presently fasten the thing upon himselfe. As if hee see, or heare, that a man hath hanged himselfe, or is possessed of a Divell, it presently comes to his minde, that hee must doe so to himselfe, or that hee is, or at least, shall bee possessed. In like manner upon relation of fearefull things, pre­sently his phantasie workes, and hee imagineth, that the thing is already; or shall befall him. Perkins. Cases of Conscience. cap. 12. sect. 2. heare of no fearefull thing fallen upon others, but hee thinkes verily, the ve­ry [Page 209] same thing shall befall him: so prodigious, that Sic aliquis existima­bat se gallum, & more galli cantabat. Alius murilegum, & sub le­ctis mures quaerebat. Alius imaginans se ha­bere cornua in fronte, verecundabatur quo­tiescunque videbat se inspici, & frontem te­gebat. Alius imaginans se notari de insectione leprae, vel de morbo ca­duco, omnes fugiebat, & trepidabat aspectus, & sermones. Alius ima­ginans se habere pedes ferreos calcabat vali­dissimè super terram. Alius ambulare non au­debat phantasians pe­des suos esse vitreos. Gerson. loco suprà ci­tato. some of them, thinking their feete to bee of glasse, have beene afraid to walke: Others imagining them­selves to bee noted for lepers, durst not come into any company, &c. But now a troubled conscience is ordina­rily fearelesse of any thing, but the anger of God. Bodi­ly tortures, outward trouble, tyrants threats, even the Prince of terrour, death it selfe in his apprehension and eie, would bee as nothing, to the guilty glance of one cursed lust. Hee would not care, or feare though all the creatures in Christendome were turned into Beares, or Divels about him, so that all were well at home. If hee could get into his bosome that sweete peace which pas­seth all understanding; Oh! then would hee bee more then conqverour over the whole world, and ten thou­sand hells.

5. Melancholy may bee something abated, the braine cleared, the heart eased by the aide and excellency of the art of physicke: But in the case of a wounded con­science, there is no helpe under heaven to bee had; No friends, or physicke, Non Siculae dapes, &c. Not all King Denis dainty fare, Can pleasing taste for them prepare: No song of Birds, no musicks sound, Can lullaby to sleepe propound. no mirth or musicke, no princely favour or dainty fare, &c. can possibly give any ease at all. Nay they will all farre rather enrage the wound, then weaken the rage. It is Christ, Christ, and nothing but Christ, which can comfort in this confusion of spi­rit.

3. When complaint of sinne is confusedly onely and in generall: When any comes with a troubled conscience for sinne, wee ought wisely to discerne, whether they bee meanely grieved with a generall sight of their sinne, or whether they be extremely throwne downe with the burthen of particular sinnes▪ if so they bee, then it is good at the first to shew, that no sinne is so great, but in Christ it is pardonable, and that there is mercy with God that hee might bee feared: so on the otherside, shew­ing the mercy to come from God, but so as they are nothing fit to receive mercy, unlesse they feele their particular and pricking sinnes. But if their sorrow bee more con­fessed in generall things, then it is good to humble them more, and more, to give them a terrour of Gods justice for particular sinnes: for experience doth teach, that this is the best way to obtaine sound comfort both to see our sinne, and to bee humbled to see our sinne: —That beeing throughly throwne downe, wee may directly seeke Christ, and keepe no stay untill we have found comfort in him, who then is most rea­dy to free us from our sinne, and to comfort us with his spirit when wee are most cast downe with our sins, and most feare them. Greeneham. In his Grave counsels pag. 6. Many deale with God, and his ministers in [Page 210] confession of their sinnes, saith a good Divine, as Nebu­chadnezzar with his Inchanters about his dreame, that hee had dreamed; hee told them, and desired an interpre­tation; But what his dreame was hee could not tell. So many confesse themselves sinners, and cry out that they are greiuous offenders, and desire pardon: But where­in they have sinned, and what their sinnes are, they can­not, or will not tell. And how is it possible the physitian should help him, who only saies, he is not well, but will not tell him where? I have sometimes visited those, who being pressed to a sight and sense of their sinnefulnesse, and cursednesse, upon purpose to fit them for Christ, have acknowledged in generall, that they were sinners, but descending to the particulars of the Law, (which was horrible to heare) iustified themselves thorow out. Of which extreme spirituall misery and prodigious madnesse, Ignorance (Tho I know Satan mannageth that, and all other advantages with all the malice, and cunning hee can possibly, to the overthrow of soules) is the principall ground; the prime, but pestilent occasi­on: I say, Ignorance, which though it bee not perhaps so much talked of, taxed, and taken to heart as others, yet is a loude-crying sinne of the Kingdome. For it is a most incredible thing, and of infinite amazement, how universally it raignes in this glorious Id quidem aud [...]o di­cere, clariorem Evan­gelij Christi doctrinam nulli unquam populo ante propositam esse, quam sit ca, quam nos quotidiè audimus in Ecclesijs nostris. — Si profectò non ba­ [...]eremus aliquid aliud [...]om sub Coelo: exceptá hac tam clará verb [...]lace, ea debet nos vel sola consolari. Quis est, qui non gaudet, & recrea­tur, cum ex tenebris educit ut in lucemistam solare [...]? At nos qui aliquando submersi jacuimus in tenebra [...], longè borribilissimis, multò clariorum lucem babemus, Solem nimirùm illum Iusti­tia. Rolloc. in Iohan. cap. 6. pag. 389. noone-tide of the Gospell! And therefore musts needs prouoke God mightily, and hasten the remooving of our candlesticke. And in the meane time, besides many moe, and that dreadfull doome at last. 2. Thes. 1.7.8. it brings upon most, (more is the pitty and shame, especially so glori­ous beames of a blessed ministry shining about us) these two speciall mischeifes; which at this time I onely men­tion, because they serve fitliest for illustration of the [Page 211] point. First, ignorant people sticking fast in his clutches, stand all, as they say, at the Divels mercy, and devotion, to do with them what he will; even as a poore helpeles Lambe in the bloody paw of a Lyon, or asilly Wren in the ravenous claw of a Kite; to slash and mangle their woful soules at his pleasure, with a cursed variety of Per ignorantiae ma­lum à nescientibus in­numerabilia perpetran­tur mala. Aug. Tom. 7. pag. 2. lib. 6. contra su­lia. Palag. in­numerable sinnes; they, in the meane time, which is the perfection of their misery, neither fearing or feeling any hurt at al, by reason of the hellish mists, and miserable le­thargie of spirituall blindnesse, which makes them sight­lesse, and senselesse. Secondly, when times of sorrow come upon them, when melancholy & old age growes on, and they say unto the world, upon which they have doted all their life long, I have no pleasure in thee; when losses, crosses, and heavie accidents befall them; when hideous injections, temptations to selfe-murder, despaire &c. presse them full sore; and they thereupon begin to cast about seriously, and to conceive with great terrour and anxiety of spirit, what is like to become of them in the other world: Then in such extremity, and forced by necessity, they are wont to have recourse to Ministers for ease and helpe; and alas! then we are at our wits end, as they say, and in much perplexity how to deale, and what to doe with them. For upon the first entrance in­to a discovery of their spirituall state, wee see evidently with griefe of heart, that their Those that have no minde at all to heare, or reade the Word, if at any time through the remorse of their conscience which ac­cuseth them, they feele any inward griefe, sorrow or hea­vinesse for their sins, for so much as they want the salve and comfort of Gods Word, which they doe despise, it will bee un­to them rather a mean to bring them to utter desperation, then o­therwise. Hom. of Re­pentance, pag. 2. ignorance hath betrai­ed them to the Divell, and now in the evill day exposed them to his mercilesse cruelty and cunning; even as if a man should commit a ship without sailes, rudder, pi­lot, &c. to the rage, and roaring of the tempestuous de­vouring sea; or put a poore weake naked man into the field against an implacable mighty adversary, com­pleatly armed from top to toe. Wee tell them truely, that the true way to comfort, is to Repent and Beleeve. But for the first, by reason of the sottish disacquaintance with themselves, with their miserable, sinfull naturall state, and their grosse ignorance in the Law and Word [Page 212] of God, they onely cry out in the generall, they are very grievous sinners; but to descend to any competent exa­mination of the conscience, search of their soules by the sight of the law, particular survay of their sinnes, and so to speciall repentance, because, of their spirituall blinde­nesse, they are vtterly unable. Nay many in this case are so destitute of matter of humiliation for sinne, that they can scarce tell you what sinne is. At the most, they have not learned, or thinke that there is any other breach of the seventh commandement, but the grosse acts of uncleannesse; that there is any sinne against the ninth, but giuing in false witnes against their neighbours in open Court: They looke no further into the sixth commandement, but unto the actuall bloody murder of the hand; into the third, but to blasphemy and swea­ring; And so proportionably in the other commande­ments. For the other also, although they have heard much of Iesus Christ, and if hee bee talkt of, pretend a very foolish and false presumption of having part in him; yet to the knowledge of his person, offices, excel­lency, sweetnesse, effectuall ministry, and of his whole mysterie, they are meere strangers. And so, when they should now upon this occasion of trouble of mind, bee brought by knowledge and application of the Law and Gospell, through the pangs of the new-birth into the holy Path, they are to begin to learne the very first prin­ciples of religion; in How wisely, graci­ously, and necessarily then did King Iames direct, for profitable catecheticall teaching in the after-noone up­on the Lords Day, in all▪ Parish-Churches throughout the King­dom▪ heare the words. So farre are these di­rections f [...]om abating, that his Maiesty dot [...] expect at our hands, that it should increase the number of Sermons, by renewing upon every Sunday in the ater-noone in all Parish-Churches throughout the Kingdome, that primitive and most profitable exposition of the Catechisme, wherewith the people, yea, very children may bee timely seasoned, and instructed in all the heads of Christian Religion: The which kind of teaching to our amendment bee it spoken, is more diligently observed in all the Reformed Chur­ches of Europe, then of late it hath been here in England. I find his Majesty much moved with this neglect, and resolved, if wee that are his Bishops, doe not see a reformation hereof, which Ierust wee shall, to recommend it to the care of the Civill Magistrates, &c. Reasons of the Kings directions for preaching, and Preachers. As I received them by authority from the hand of a publike Register. Is it not strange and lamentable, that for all this Prince­ly and pious earnestnesse, this soule-murdering neglect should yet every day grow greater and grosser. which they have not so much [Page 213] skill (I speake a reprochfull thing) as I could teach a child of five, or sixe yeares old in few daies. Now when the old red Dragon hath drawne them into the Lists, armed with all the power and policy of hell, and furnished with all his fiery darts, they are so farre from ability to put on, and manage the whole spirituall armour with dexterity, and wisedome, that they are starke Ideots and Infants, in the very speculative knowledge of the nature and vse of every piece thereof. They have no skill at all at that excellent, invincible weapon, the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God: by which Iesus Christ foyled that foule Fiend in the most hideous and horrible Cast thy selfe downe; Destroy thy selfe. Mat. 4.6. Fall downe and worship mee. Then which, I thinke, there was never more ab­horred injection. v. [...]. temptations, that were ever suggested to the mind of man. And therefore hee doth bring them too often thus blindfolded and baffled, to perish themselves, as they say, in a most bloody and desperat [...] manner, both temporally, and eternally.

The Pharisies, Papists, and our ordinary Ignorants, are all fouly faulty this way. They love, and labour to enquire, and looke no further into Gods Law, then to the grosse acts, and greatest transgressions onely. If they find themselves free from these, they out of a most absurd, and sottish selfe-conceitednesse, justifie and ap­plaud themselves, as no such dangerous and damnable Delinquents. Hence it was, that Christ teaches, and tells the Pharisies, that not onely the grosse act of adultery was to be taken notice of, but also, that even a I am mo [...] chatus est eam incorde suo] hoc est di­cere: Qui dat operam in venusta corpora cu­riosiùs intueri, & deco­ras aucupari facies, ta­líque animam spectacu­lo pascere, & obscoenos pulchris etiam vultibus oculos assigere. Chrys. in Matth. 5. Hom. 17. lascivi­ous, and lustfull looke after a woman, was a transgressi­on of that Law; and to be taken to heart as adultery be­fore God. That not onely killing a man with a bloody hand, but also rash anger in the heart, railing, and revi­ling speeches; Nay, even a frowning face, a contemptu­ous gesture, discovering inward rancour and rage, kill the soule, and cast into hell, &c.

Hence it was, that Bellarmine, as the grand Impo­stor, and Impoisoner, so the great Pharisie of Christen­dome, upon his bed of death, could hardly finde what to [Page 214] confesse, or any matter of absolution. Prodigious Phari­saisme! Of which, heare some passages from the repor­ter of his death:

Bellarmines Death, by C.I. a Iesuite, p. 343. Such was the innocency of the man, (to wit, Bellar­mine) that albeit hee was in his perfect sense, yet could hee hardly finde what to confesse; Insomuch as his ghostly Fa­ther was in some perplexity, as wanting matter of absolu­tion; till by recourse to his life past, hee found some small defects, of which hee absolved him.

Now nothing troubles my conscience. For God (his goodnesse bee still Not much unlike the Pharisie, Luk. 18. God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, un­just, adulterers. thanked therefore) hath so preserved mee hitherto, as I doe not remember in the whole course of my life, ever to have committed any scandalous action; Pag. 355. How If Bellarmine was so notoriously holy, how came it to passe, that amongst the rest, hee l [...]t fall also this speech: For my selfe, I shall thinke it no small fauour to bee sure of Purgatory, and there to remaine a good while in those flames that must purge, and cleanse the spots of mine offences, and satisfie the just wrath and justice of Almighty God. pag. 372. I know very well what Bellarmine concludeth de Purgatorio, lib. 2. cap. 2. sect. ult. purgatorium pro ijs tantùm esse: Qui cum venialibus culpis moriuntur. Et rursum pro illis, qui decedunt cum reatu poenae, culpis jam remissis. But yet sith the Ponti­ficians teach; that veniall sinnes may bee taken away in this life; by knocking the breast, by the B [...]shops blessing, by onely entring into an hallowed Church, by being sprinkled with holy water: & by other such easie remedies. See Azor. Tom 1 Lib. 4. c. 11. Sect. quint. quaeritur 7. Cartw. against the Rhem. pag. 30. Vsher in his Answer to a Iesuites challenge, pag. 178. What extreme madnesse possessed this man, who would not prevent those horrid flames by so many [...]ost easie & obvious meanes? holy was his life, not stained with mortal sinne? How secure a conscience, that had at his death no scruple; But for the exchange of one good worke for a­nother &c. pag. 367. This holy man began his Prayers, He said the Pater noster and Ave Maria: And he said distinctly the Psalme Miserere to the end: And he said the Creed all thorow. As though meere saying did sanctifie and save. Resting upon opus operatum, the worke wrought, is an horrible popish imposture, empoysoning all their supposed religious ser­vices. When it ringeth to the Ave Maria, saith Ledesma, Christian doctrine, pag. 35. Wee may obtaine indulgence by saying, at the first Toll, Angelus Domini, &c. at the second Toll, Ecce Ancilla Domini, &c. at the third Toll, Et verbum caro factum est, &c. Is not here sweet worke? Prodigious foppery! When I reade such passages in learned men, I am extraordinarily amazed their strange infatuation, and ever receive satisfaction from that, 2. Thes. 2. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. — For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleeve a lie. If this curse were not justly upon Bellarmine, Ledesma, and the rest, it were impossi­ble, that ever they should have made such transcendent fooles of themselves, by writing and beleeving so sottishly, and ridiculously. said the Pater noster, and Aue Maria, and began a­gaine [Page 215] the Pater noster: which beeing ended, hee said di­stinctly the Psalme, Miserere, to the end: and beeing war­ned to say also the Creed, &c. said it all through, and with the end of the Creed, ended his speech; His The last words of those, Matth. 7.22. were Lord, Lord; and yet Christ in that day shall professe unto them, I never knew you. last words were, vitam aeternam, Amen. pag. 387.

Hence it is, that carnall men are well enough content to heare the Commandements read, and perhaps will bee angry if at any time they bee omitted: Would you know the reason? They goe along with the Minister, and applaud themselves pharisaically all the while, say­ing secretly, and securely to their owne soules; Wee thanke God, wee are no image-worshippers, no mur­derers, no adulterers, &c. And so depart home from time to time, as highly conceited of themselves, and yet more damnably deceived, then that Pharisie, Luk. 18.11.12. Of whose outward, For hee fasted, pray­ed, gave almes, Matth. 6. and tithes of all that hee possessed, which even formall services, would seeme to our ignorant Iusticiaries, too much forwardnes, religious, charitable, and righteous performances, they come farre short. But they cannot possibly with any patience, endure a parti­cular unfolding, and powerfull application of Gods Law after Christs manner, Matth. 5. a punctuall sur­vay of their sinfull states, and speciall search into their lives and hearts. This cutting, yet conscionable course, stirres up, and raises in them the ill spirits of murmuring, cavilling, reviling, and perhaps persecuting the faithfull Messengers of God, as a generation of terrible Teach­ers. To expositions, exercises, and considerations of this nature, they are drawne with very ill will, and much a­doe; even as a bankrout to his counting-booke, a foule face to the looking-glasse, and a Traytour to the racke.

By reason of this affected ignorance in the Law of God, and lothnesse to descend to particulars, it comes to passe, that many in trouble of minde complaine in ge­nerall of sinne onely, and confusedly. And thereupon, as though they were competently cast downe, expect comfort; and perhaps many draw it from some Daw­bers: Whereas particularizing of our sinnes, is a nece­sary precedent, and preparative to a sound humiliation.

[Page 216]And therefore in this case wee must deale with such, as Surgeons are wont to doe with a tumour, or swelling in the body: Who first apply to the affected place drawing, and ripening plaisters to bring the sore to an head, that the corruption may have issue, and then heale: So a generall complaint of sinne, and confused griefe, must bee reduced to particulars. It is a principle in the mysterie of Christ resolved upon by best Divines, rightly instructed to the Kingdome of Heaven: That a confused acknowledgement, and generall repentance onely for knowne sinnes is never sound and saving; But onely common, formall, perfunctory, and that of counterfeite Converts, not truly touched with sense of their sinnes, nor heartily resolved to forsake their pleasures. If they can bee first brought to the sight, sense, and acknowledge­ment of some one speciall notorious sinne, which hath most reigned in their heart, life, o [...] calling; and bee in some good measure illightened, convinced, and terrified about the hainousnesse, and horrible guilt of it, it may bee a good meanes by Gods blessing, to bring in the rest. For ordinarily true repentance is first occasioned by some one speciall sinne laid to heart. The Apostles, Act. 2. doe specially presse the murder of Christ upon the Iewes. Christ himselfe adultery upon the Woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4. Samuel, Idolatry upon the Israe­lites, 1. Sam. 7. The sin of asking a King, chap. 12. Ezra, taking strange wives: Ezra 10. Nehemiah, usury: chap. 5. &c.

To further the worke of a more particular setting their sinnes in order before their eyes; it were much to bee wished, and a very happy thing, if all the wounded consciences, and troubled in minde wee meete with, were furnished before-hand, with a competent specula­tive knowledge, at the least of the particulars in Gods Law, exorbitant passages of their life, and grosse cor­ruptions of their hearts. Wee might so, by Gods helpe, more easily bring them to particular remorse, and fit [Page 217] them sooner, and more seasonably for comfort. We find a most hard, and right heavy taske, to encounter the Divels devises, wiles and depths, in a poore, distressed, tempted Ignorant.

4. When the party is dejected for some notorious sinne onely. It is I knew a man a meere stranger to Ie­sus Christ, both in knowledge and pra­ctise; and yet not vi­sibly notorious. Who pleasing himselfe ma­ny yeeres that he was not noted to bee ex­traordinarily naught, upon a time was sud­denly set upon by some drunken compa­nions, & made drunk. Whereupon in cold blood he tooke on ex­tremely, and was very much grieved. As e­vidently appeared by his not sleeping ma­ny nights together, and by the troubled­nesse of his counte­nance. Hee came to a Minister, cryed out against himselfe, and those who ensnared him: that after so ma­ny yeeres sobriety, he should bee so shame­fully overtaken, &c. Hee was counselled upon this occasion to make a full and fur­ther search into his heart and life, and so proceede to a sound, and saving repentance, &c. But the ground of his griefe being specially shame of his fact amongst his neighbour [...], after the nine nights wonder of his being drunke was over, Hee was, where hee was before. Now had the Minister ministred comfort hand over head at the first sight, and drawne over a skinne, without any further search; tho the man might bee undone both wayes; yet by so doing, Hee should have been justly liable to that fearefull woe denou [...]ed against them, who strengthen the hands of the wicked, that Hee should not returne from His wicked way, by promising Him life. But dealing faithfully, He delivered His owne Soule. sometimes seene in meere civell men, that having a long time preserved their reputations en­tire and unstained, in the eye of the world, from grosse and notable enormities; and yet after foulely shaming themselues in the sight of men by some infamous fall, seeme to take on much, as tho they were truly troubled with the remorse; whereas perhaps the present hearts-griefe ariseth rather from losse of credit, then wound of conscience (tho to favour their credit, they cunningly father it upon conscience). Or let them bee indeed af­frighted very grievously for a time with the horrour of that one sin; yet stay the cry, and abate the rage of that One with some superficiall comfort, and they are hea­led, and put into an happy case in their owne conceite, and in the opinion also perhaps of their unskilfull Phy­sition; tho they search no further, and dive no deeper into the loathsome Dunghill of those many abomina­ble lusts, and corruptions in their heart and life, of which they are as full as the skinne will hold.

Now it is a foule and fearefull over-sight in a Mini­ster; nay, it may proove an errour stained with spiritu­all bloodshed, to promise pardon to such partiall Pe­nitents.

Suppose a man sicke of a Plurisie, should send to a Physition, and tell Him, Hee is sore troubled with a [Page 218] Cough, and intreate His help, concealing other Morbilateralis nota sunt, dolor punctorius, difficilis spiratio, febris continua, tussis, pulsus serratilis. Piso de Morb. Cogn. & Cur. lib. 2 cap 7. signes and symptomes, which ordinarily accompany that dis­ease; as His short and difficult breathing, the stinging stitch in His side, &c. The Physition may addresse Him­selfe to cure the Cough, and yet the Patient die of an inflammation seized upō the membrane girding the ribs and side. It is proportionably so in the present Point. A man may complaine, and cry out, houle and take on extremely for some one horrible hainous sinne, and that may bee well; but except hee proceede to a further discovery, and sorrow proportionable for his other knowne sinnes, they will bee the destruction, and death of His Soule. If a dozen Theeves bee entred in­to thy house, it is not enough for Thee to lay hold on the Captaine Thiefe onely, and thrust Him out at doores: If Thou suffer but one of them to lurke in any corner undiscovered, and not turned out, Hee will serue the turne to cut thy throate, and take away thy trea­sure. Crying out of one capitall sinne onely is not suf­ficient: wee must confesse and forsake Indefinita Propositio valet universalem in materiâ necessariâ. Paulus ab Eitzen. lib. 2. pag. 116. all, if wee looke to find mercy: Prou. 28.13.

And yet here I would have no true Penitent deje­cted, or mistake: the bare omission of some particular sinnes, in this case is not ever damnable. For wee must know, that if a man deale truly with his owne heart in a sincere acknowledgement, confession, and repentance for discovered and knowne sinnes; (and Hee ought to labour, by clearing the eye of naturall conscience, and industrious inspection into Gods pure Law, to know as many as may bee) and for all those that come into His minde, when Hee sets himselfe apart, solemnely to hum­ble and afflict His Soule before God; (and Hee ought to remember as many as Hee can possibly) I say, if so, then for secret and unknowne sinnes, which are com­mitted in weakenesse and ignorance, the Lord accep­teth a generall confession, as wee see in Davids pra­ctise, Psalm. 19.12. Who can understand His errours? [Page 219] Cleanse thou mee from secret faults. Sinnes there are many, and that in the best men, which are not onely un­noted of others, and free from the worlds observation, but even unknowne to a mans owne selfe, and invisible to the watchfullest eye of the most waking conscience; which notwithstanding are clearely subject to the search of Gods All-seeing eye, and to the censure of His pure Majesty: For Hell and destruction are before the Lord, how much more the secretest waies of the sonnes of men? Sinnes there are also, which even in the zea­lous exercise, and holy worke of Repentance, may not come into the consideration and remembrance of one truly Penitent; which if Hee could recover into his me­mory, Hee would heartily, and with much indignation acknowledge, bewaile and detest: So un-numbred are the cursed by-paths of mens crooked wayes. But for both these sorts of sinnes, I must say thus much for the comfort of the true Convert; that both those unknowne sins which Hee commits of ignorance, if He truly repent for all His knowne sinnes, and labour with sincerity and zeale for further illumination of conscience, and fuller revelation of every corrupt Passage both in heart & life, in judgement and practise; and those sins of knowledge also, which came not into his minde, if with diligence, and without dissimulation, with hearty prayer, and best intention of spirit, He endeavour to recover them into His memory, that Hee might also mourne for, and mor­tifie them with the rest; carrying ever in His heart this resolution, that as any sinne shall bee discovered to His conscience, or returne into His mind, Hee will abomi­nate and abandon it; I say, both these kinds of sinnes (it is a Pearle for the true Penitent, let no stranger meddle with it) to such an one, upon such conditions are most certainely washed away by Christs blood, and Gods free mercy, upon His generall confession and repen­tance. Davids Petition, O cleanse thou mee from my secret faults, did assuredly prevaile with God for the [Page 220] forgivenesse of all His unknowne sinnes, and shall bee powerfull for that end, to the worlds end, to all those that so pray, with Davids spirit and sincerely.

Besides these two cases; first, want of knowledge; and secondly, want of remembrance in the sense I have said: There is also a third, and that is, thirdly, want of time: which if truly so, doth also sometimes excuse the omission of some particular sinnes. As wee may see in the Thiefe upon the Crosse. For want of leisure, Hee could not possibly punctually revise His vile abomina­ble life, nor peruse with remorse all the particulars of His former, wicked, and abhorred courses. But He had infused into His Soule by Iesus Christ an habituall Some thinke it one­ly an action. But that Phrase, Zech. 12.10. Of powring the Spirit of grace (meaning Re­pentance) upon the House of David, and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem, seemes to argue it to be a quali­ty, or infused gift, so as Faith and Charity are. So also that Phrase of giving Re­pentance, Act. 5.31. and 11.18. For if God give it, wee receive it. Now wee cannot pro­perly bee said to re­ceive an action, which wee doe, but the pow­er, gift or grace, whereby we doe it. That speech also, Matth. 3.8. Bring forth fruit meet for repentance, shewes, that Repentance it selfe is not an outward action, but an inward grace to bee expressed in outward actions. Dike of Repentance, cap. 1. grace of true Repentance; which if Hee had lived, would have carried Him faithfully along over all the notorious Passages of His lewd and lothsome life, with a truly contrite, broken, and bleeding Soule. So that, if Hee had had space, I doubt not, but Hee would have prooved a very eminent, extraordinary, and exemplary Penitent. And therefore the Lord in mercy, did grati­ously It is the in­ward and habituall Repentance, the inward frame, bent, and disposition of the Soule that God respects more, then the outward Act; as wee may see by that of David, Psalm. 32.5. I said, I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord, and so thou forgavest the ini­quity of my sin. The inward purpose and disposition of Davids heart to repent, was suffici­ent to moove God to forgive His sin, before His outward, actuall, and particular Repen­tance was expressed. Prynne of the Perpetuity of a Regen. mans estate. In his Answ. to Arg. 24. accept the desire and purpose, the inclination and preparation of His heart that way.

But to returne to the Point, and give my advise in the Case proposed:

Let the Party, who so takes on for some notorious sin only, and there takes up His rest, be told; That tho He dwell with deepest sighes, heaviest heart and saltest teares, upon some of His greatest and most speciall sinnes; yet the rest must by no meanes bee neglected. [Page 221] That which is most crying, and crimson, must serve as a Cryer, that I may so speake, to summon the rest into the Court of Conscience, and as a Remembrancer to bring them to minde and remorse: As Davids murder and adultery brought even His Birth-sinne into His memo­ry: Psalm. 51. And that sinne of strange wives many other sinnes to Ezra's minde, Ezra 9. When a father beates His childe for some one speciall fault, He is wont to remember unto Him, and reckon with Him for ma­ny former mis-demeanours also. When a Bankrout is once clapt up for one principall debt, the rest of His Creditours ordinarily come thicke and threefold upon Him. When once Thou begins to reckon with thy conscience for some one extraordinary rebellion, never cease untill thou hast searcht thorowly, and ransackt it to the bottome, that it may smart soundly, before Thou hast done, with penitent anguish, and true remorse for all thy other sinfull corruptions also. When horror for some one hainous sinne hath seiz'd upon thy heart, fol­low Gods blessed hand leading thee to conversion, and thorow the Pangs of the New-birth to unspeakeable and glorious joy, by giving way to all the rest, to bring in their severall inditements against thy Soule. And bee not afraid thus to arraigne, cast and condemne thy Selfe as guilty of innumerable sinnes, and worthy ten thou­sand Hells, before Gods just Tribunall. For then shalt thou there most certainely find a gracious Advocate at His right hand; To whom if Thou make sute, and seeke in truth, Hee will by the plea and price of His owne pretious blood, sue out a pardon for thine everlasting peace. When the guilty rage of thy raigning corrupti­on begins to presse upon thy conscience, lay on loade, and more weight still by a penitent addition, and paine­full apprehension of all thy other sinnes, that growing very sensible of thy spirituall slavery, weary of the Dun­geon of lewdnesse and lust, sensuality and death, where­in the Divell hath kept Thee long; and thine heart be­ing [Page 222] happily broken and bruised to the bottome, and scorch'd, as it were, in some measure with Hellish flames of guilty horrour; Id quod primùm om­nium operatur in nobis sitim hanc, ac desideri­um hoc gratiae, est sen­sus peccati, ac miseriae nostrae. Rolloc. in Io­han. cap. 7. pag. 474. Thou mayst see, and feele the grea­ter necessity of Iesus Christ, set Him at an higher price; with more eagernesse and impatiency thirst for His righteousnesse, and blood; long for spirituall enlarge­ment, more then for worlds of pleasures, glory, or wealth; rellish the hidden Manna of the promises most kindlily, and cast thy wounded and bleeding Soule with more delight and sweetnesse, into His blessed armes of mercy and love. For, O how acceptable is the Fountaine of living waters, saith a worthy Divine, to the chased Hart panting, and braying? The blood of Christ to the weary and tired Soule? To the thirsty con­science scorched with the sense of Gods wrath? Hee that presents Him with it, How welcome is Hee? Even as a speciall choise man, One of a thousand. The deeper is the sense of misery, the sweeter is the sense of mercy. The Traytour laid downe upon the blocke, is more sensible of His Soveraignes mercy in pardoning, then Hee, who is not yet attached. — In our dead security before conver­sion, God is faine to let the Law, Sinne, Conscience, Satan, a deepe sense of our abominable and cursed state loose upon us, and to kindle the very The Lord will not part from any drop of His mercy to them, which f [...]st have not been swallowed up of His judgeme [...]ts, which have not laboured, and been heavy la­den, which have not been locked up in Hell for a season, and felt for a time the fire therof in their bones, which have not been Baptised with the Baptisme of their owne teares: Hee that feeles not these things in some measure here, elsewhere Hee shall feele them. Gr [...]ham, pag. 2. cap. 32. Edis. 3. fire of Hell in our soules, that so wee might bee rouzed, and afterward more sweet­ly and soundly raised and refreshed. For after the most toylesome labour is the sweetest sleepe, after the greatest tempests the stillest calmes. Sanctified troubles and ter­rours establish the surest peace. And the shaking of these windes makes the trees of Gods Eden take the deeper ro [...] ­ting.

I confesse, that commonly true Converts at the first touch, and turning, and after too, cry out most of, and are extraordinarily troubled with some One capitall sin, and that which in their dayes of darknesse and vanitie, [Page 223] wasted their conscience most, and detained them with strongest entisements, and hold-fast in the Divels bon­dage. Hence it was, that Zacchaeus was so ready, and willing to restore fourefold, that so Hee might bee rid of the sting and horrour of His former raigning sinne, Luk. 19.8. That blessed Paul, as it seemes, amongst other dreadfull apprehensions of His former unregene­rate courses, was so much vexed and wounded in heart, for that Hee had been a Persecuter, 1. Timoth. 1.13. 1. Cor. 15.9. But yet should they take-on never so much, houle and roare for that one sinne; if besides, they did not by the conduct of the blessed Spirit, de­scend also to a more particular acknowledgement, con­fession and repentance of all other knowne sinnes, (and they ought, by clearing the eye of naturall conscience, industrious inspection into the pure Cristall of Gods Law, discover as many as they can possibly) all were no­thing. Hee which is grieved, say Divines, for one sinne truly, and unfainedly from His heart, will proportionably bee grieved for all the sinnes that Hee knoweth to bee in Himselfe. If wee favour any one sinne in our heart, or life, or calling, wee cannot enjoy Gods favour. If there bee any sensuall lust, or secret corruption, which a man purposely labours to cover and conceale from Gods pure eye, the search of His Word, and mortifying grace; what hope can Hee have, that it is covered with the blood of Christ from the wrath that is to come, or warranted by any promise of grace from the damnation of Hell? In a true Penitent, there ought to bee an ut­ter cessation from all grosse abandonable sinnes, and at least dis-allowance, dis-affection, and all possible oppo­sition, even to un-avoidable infirmities, and inseparable frailties of the flesh.

5. Fiftly, when the Physition of the Soule promiseth mercy and pardon hand over head, without that spiri­tuall discretion, which is convenient for a matter of so great consequence, and requiring such a deale of dexte­rity [Page 224] in discerning, to a man upon His Bed of death, who hath formerly bin notorious, or onely civill, howsoever a meere stranger to the power of godlines, and the truth of Profession, because now in the evill Day, He takes on extremely, by reason of His extremity; cries out of his sins; O I am an hainous, horrible and grievous sinner! If I were to live againe, what would not I doe? A World for comfort now, and to die the death of the righteous: because Hee Howles vpon His bed, as the Prophet speaketh, and breakes out oftentimes into a roaring complaint of sinne, and cry for pardon, by reason Hee now begins to feare and feele the revenging hand of God ready to seize upon Him for his former rebellions, &c. Or when Hee assures Him, having been a formall Professour onely, and foolish Virgine, of blisse and glory; because out of a former habituated spirituall Selfe-deceite, Hee cries, Lord, Lord; seemes to by-standers very confident, that He shal presently receive a Crowne of life, thankes God that nothing troubles Him; Pro­fesses to every one that comes to visite Him, that Hee believes and repents with all His heart, forgives all the world, makes no doubt of Heaven, &c.

Here by the way, wee must take notice, that many having out-stood the day of their gratious visitation, having neglected so great salvation, forsaken their owne mercy, and iudged themselues unworthy of everlasting life, all their life long, by standing out against the Mini­stry of the Word, in respect of any saving worke upon their soules; and now at length beeing overtaken after the short gleame of worldly prosperity, with the boy­sterous winter-night of death, and darkenesse of the evill day, may keepe a great stirre upon their dying-Beds, or in some great extremity, with grievous com­plaints of their present intolerable misery, and former sinfull courses procuring it, with incessant cries for ease and deliverance, being now caught like wilde Bulls in a N [...]t full of the wrath of God, with earnest and eager [...]u­ing [Page 225] and seeking for pardon and salvation, now when worldly pleasures are past; and yet bee not truly peni­tent, not soundly and savingly humbled, not rightly fit­ted for Christ and comfort. Consider for this purpose, Prov. 1.24.28. In the day of visitation, God called up­on them, and stretched out His hands, but they refused, did not regard; set at naught all His counsell, and would none of His reproofe: And therefore in the Day of vex­ation, when extremity and anguish shall come upon them, like a Thiefe in the night, a whirle-winde, travaile upon a woman, suddenly, extremely, un-avoidably, Hee professeth before-hand, that then they shall call upon Him, but Hee will not answer; Hîc refelluntur, qui peccatorum veniam se consequnturos non du­bitant modò unius ho­rae quadrantem, quo Deum invocent, nacti fuerint: Cum hoc in lo­co Deus se nō ex audi­turū dicat, si à mane ad vesperam eum inclami­tent. Hos etiam toto coe­lo errare constat, qui putant omnes eos ser­vatos esse, qui mori­bundi Deum invocant. Ex hoc enim loco satis liquet, multos quibus in ore est, Domine mi­serere nostri, ad infe­ros descendere. Ergo, dicet aliquis, quo modo constat promissionis illius veritas, salvum fore, qui Dei nomen invoca­verit, Ioel 2. Resp. Illud de ijs intelligitur, qui Deum verè, & synecrè invocant: 1. Fide, quod isti nequeunt, qui fidem non habent, & sapiusculè, quid sit nesciunt. 2. Cum affectu Deum glorificandi: Isti verò in clamoribus suis propriam solummodò respiciunt salutem. 3. Di [...]cedendo ab iniquitate. 2. Tim. 2.19. Quod isti non faciunt. Cartw. in Locum. They shall seeke Him early, but they shall not find Him. Psal. 78.34.35.36.37. When Gods hand was upon them, then they Non est [...]ec [...]atum quarere Deum in calamitatibus, & ab eo opeus & auxilium petere: imò manda­tū divinū est, ut in aerumnis, & periculis ad Deū consug [...]amus: sicut dicitur, Invoca me in die tribulationis. Psal 50. Sed tantum petere, ut sensus mali tollatur, & ut nos molestijs & periculis eximamur, atque intereà perseverare in peccandi proposito, id verò est irridere Deum, atque iram ipsius provocare. Moller. in Locum. sought him: and they returned, and enquired early after God, &c. Neverthelesse, they did flatter him with their mouth: and they lyed unto Him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with Him, &c. Hos. 7.14. They how­led upon their Beds. Will not a Dog or a Beast, or any unreasonable creature, when they are pinched, when they are in extremity, will they not cry, will they not mourne for helpe, &c. Their cries in the evill Day were not hearty prayers, but Howlings upon their Beds. Their earnestnesse in such a case is ordinarily like the teares, prayers, and cryes of a malefactour newly condemned. Hee is very earnest with the Iudge to spare Him. Hee roares out sometimes, and takes on extremely, yet [Page 226] not heartily for his former lewdnesse, but horribly, be­cause Hee must now loose His life. Hee seemes now, when Hee sees His misery to relent, and to bee toucht with remorse, but it is onely because hee is like to bee hanged. Againe, many there are, who satisfying them­selves and others, with a goodly shew of a Forme onely of godlines, may upon their last Bed discover, and repre­sent to By-standers, a great deale of fearelesnesse about their spirituall state, much O quàm multi, saith a reverend Father, cum hac spe ad aeternos labores & bella descen­dunt! confidence, many ostentati­ons of Faith, and full assurance, and behave themselves, as tho they were most certainely going to everlasting blisse, when as, God knowes, their Answer at His just Tribunall must bee, I know you not: And in truth and triall, they have no more part in Christ, nor other porti­on in Heaven, then the foolish Virgins, and those, Luk. 13.26.27. They are so confident, not because they have escaped the danger, but because they never saw the danger. And hence it is, that many of them die with as much confidence, as the best Christians; they have no more trouble then holy men. To bee sure I am free from danger, and not to know it, may beget equall confi­dence.

Now concerning the present Case, I must tell you, that for my part, I would not much alter my censure and conceite of a Man's spirituall state, whom I have thorowly knowne before for the manner of His death. The end of Gods dearest servant, after an holy life and unblame-able conversation, may not appeare in the eye of man so calme and comfortable, as was expected; by reason of much tendernesse of conscience, some strong temptation, spirituall desertion, violent distemper of Body; or because God would have the manner of His death serue the glory of His justice, in hardning those about him, who were so farre from being won by His godly life, that they heartily hated it; or for some other secret and sacred end seene, and seeming good to Divine wisedome, who ever disposeth every circumstance, even [Page 227] of the least affaire most sweetly and wisely. And yet this, as it doth not prejudice His salvation, neither should it His Christian reputation. Heare that great Greeneham in His grave Counsell and godly Observation, Pag. 9. Doctor in the Art of rightly comforting afflicted consciences. But what if you should die in this discomfort? For my part (as I my selfe looke for no great things in my death) I would not thinke more hardly of you; neither would I wish any to iudge otherwise of Gods Childe in that state of death: For wee shall not bee iudged according to that particular instant of death, but according to our generall course of life; not according to our deede in that present, but according to the desire of our hearts ever before: And therefore wee are not to mistrust Gods mercy in death, bee wee never so uncomfortable, if so bee it hath been before sealed in our vocation and sanctification. Non potest male mori, qui benè vixerit. Pror­sùs consirmo, audeo di­cere, credidi propter quod loquutus sum: Non potest male mori, qui bene vixerit. Au­gust. lib. de Disciplina Christ. cap. 2. On the other­side, a notorious wretch which hath swumme downe the current of the times, and wallowed in worldly plea­sures all his life long, may seeme to die penitently and resoluedly to bee reformed, if Hee recover; and yet His sorrow of minde, but such onely as the terrours of an awaked guilty conscience produce; and His resolution to cast away His sinnes, onely such, as a man hath in a storme to cast away His goods, not because hee doth not love them, but because hee feareth to loose his life, if hee part not with them. Or a meere civill Man, or formall Professour, may upon His Bed of death bee ve­ry confident, and seeme to bee full of comfort; and yet that confidence no other, then the strong imaginary ioy­full conceit of a covetous man grasping a great deale of gold in his dreame, but when Hee awaketh, behold, his hands are empty.

For a more full and cleare apprehension of my mea­ning and iudgement in the Point, let us take a survay of the different and severall kinds of death, which ordina­rily befall the Godly, and the wicked.

The death of Gods Children are divers.

1. Some of their holy and zealous lives doe deter­mine [Page 228] and expire sweetly, fairely, and gloriously, even like a cleare Sunne in a Summers evening, without any storme, or cloud of temptation and discomfort. The darkesome and painefull passages and pangs of death are illightened, and sweetned with the shining beames of Gods glorious presence, and fast embracement of Ie­sus Christ in the armes of their Faith. So that to them, the very ioyes of Heaven, and exultations of everlasting rest mingle themselues, with those last agonies, and ex­pirations of death. Their heads are, as it were, crowned with immortality, and endlesse peace upon their beds of death. Luther, that blessed Man of God, died sweet­ly Decimo septimo Fe­bruarij die, Lutherus coepit aegrotare gravitis ex pectore: & quan­quam erat imbecillior, prandit tamen cum fi­lijs, & familiaribus su­ [...], atque coenavit. Inter coenandum argumentis assèruit sore, ut in al­terâ vitâ illâ beatâ al­ter alierum recognos­cat. Post caenam sump­to unicornu ex vino pro medicamento, & ad quietem se componens, salutatis amicis qui a­derant, Orate, inquit, Deum, ut Evangelij doctrinam nobis conservet. Pontisex enim & Concilium Tridentinum dira moliuntur. Haec ubi dixit, facto silentio dormit aliquamdiu; sed urgente vi morbi, post mediam noctem excitatus queritur de pectoris angustiâ: & prae­senticus iam instare sinem, his verbis Deum ardenter invocat: Pater mi coelestis, Deus & Pa­ter Domini Iesu Christi, Deus omnis consolationis, ago tibi gratias, quòd filium tuum Iesum Christum mihi revelâsti: cui credidi, quem sum professus, quem amavi, quem celebravi: quem Pontifex Romanus, & reliqua impiorum turba persequitur; & afficit contumeliâ: Rogo te, mi Domine Iesu Christe, suscipe animulam meam. Mi Pater coelestis, etiamsi divellor ex hac vit á, licèt corpus hoc mihi sit iam deponendum, certò tamen scio, me tecum esse permansurum in sempiternum, neque possè me tuis ex manibus à quoquam avelli: Non multò post eam pre­cationem, ubi spiritum suum in manus Dei semel & iterùm commendâsset, tanquam dormitu­rus, paulatim [...] vitâ decedit, nullo cum corporis, qui quidem animad verti posset, cruciatu. Osi­and. Hist. Eccles. Cent. 16. Lib. 1. cap. 56. and triumphantly over Hell, the Pope, and the Di­vell: Acts and Monum. vol. 2. pag. 994. I no more weigh Cochlaeus his cursed lyes to the contrary, or of any his fellow stigmaticall Knights of the Post, as Bolsec. &c. then I would doe the barking of a Dog, the braying of an Asse, or bellowing of a Divell. My heavenly Father, (said Hee at his death) eter­nall and mercifull God, thou hast manifested unto me thy deare Son, our Lord Iesus Christ. I have taught him, I have knowne him, I love him as my life, my health, and my redemption: whom the wicked have persec [...]ed, maligned, and with iniury afflicted. Draw my Soule to Thee. After this, Hee said as insued thrice. I commend my spirit into thine hands, thou hast redeemed mee, O God of truth. God so loved the world, that hee gave his onely Sonne, that all that beleeve in Him should have life everlasting. Ioh. 3. [Page 229] Heare how another blessed Master Iohn Hol­land, a faithfull Mini­ster of Gods Word, Saint of God ended his dayes: Having the day before hee died continued his me­ditation and exposition vpon Rom. 8. for the space of two houres, or more, on the sudden Hee said; O stay your reading! What brightnesse is this I see? Have you light up any candles? To which I answered, No; It is the Sun-shine, for it was about five a clocke in a cleare Summers evening. Sun-shine, saith Hee, nay, my Savi­our-shine. Now farewell world, welcome heaven; The Day-starre from on high hath visited my heart. O speake it when I am gone, and preach it at my Funerall, God dealeth familiarly with man. I feele his mercy, I see his Maiesty; whether in the body, or out of the body, I can­not tell, God hee knoweth; but I see things that are un-ut­terable. So, ravished in spirit, Hee roamed toward hea­ven, with a chearefull looke, and soft sweete voyce, but what Hee said, wee could not conceive.—With the Sunne in the morning following, raising himselfe, as Iacob did upon his staffe, hee shut up his blessed life, with these blessed words: O what an happy change shall I make? From night to day? From darkenesse to light? From death to life? From sorrow to solace? From a factious world to an heavenly beeing? O my deare brethren, sisters, and friends! It pittieth mee to leave you behind: yet remember my death when I am gone, and what I now feele, I hope you shall finde, ere you die, that God doth, and will deale familiarly with men. And now thou fiery Chariot, that came downe to feth up Eliah, carry mee to my happy Hold: And all yee blessed An­gels, who attended the Soule of Lazarus, to bring it up to heaven, beare mee, O beare mee into the bosome of my Best beloved. Amen, Amen, come Lord Iesus, come quickly. And so hee fell asleepe. That this is true, the In His Sermon inti­tuled, The Soules So­lace against sorrow, pag 17. &c. reporter and By-stander, that ancient learned re­verend Minister of God, Master Leygh addeth: I say the truth, my Brethren, I lie not, my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost, &c.

[Page 230]2. Others may end their dayes very uncomfortably in ravings, impatiencies, and other strange behaviours. Nay, the fiery distempers of their hot diseases, may sometimes, even in the Saints of God, produce furlous carriages, fearefull distractions, and some despairefull speeches. But these being the naturall effects and issues of melancholike excesses, Phrensies, and burning Fe­vers, are sins of infirmity in sanctified men. For which, if they come againe to themselves, they actually repent; if not, they are all undoubtedly, by a generall habituall repentance, and Gods gratious acceptation thereof, par­doned by the Passion of Christ, and buried for ever in his bloody death. That last and unreversable doome, at the dreadfull Tribunall of the ever-living God must passe upon us; not according to the violent, and unvolun­tary distempers at our last houre, but according to the former Passages of our life; the sinfull, or sanctified ex­pense of the daies of health. Heare that other Perkins in his Salve for a sicke Man. great Artist in the Mysterie of dealing with trouble conscien­ces. The common opinion is, that if a man die quietly, and goe away like a Lambe, (which in some diseases, as consumptions, and such like, any Man may doe) then hee goes straight to heaven: but if the violence of the disease stirre up impatience, and cause franticke behaviours, then men use to say, there is a judgement of God serving either to discover an Hypocrite, or to plague a wicked man. But the truth is otherwise: For indeede a man may die like a lambe, and yet goe to Hell: and one dying in exceeding torments, and strange behauiours of the body, may goe to heaven.

3. The death of some others is mixt, to wit, of feare­full tempestuous stormes, and almost, if not altogether, despairefull agonies, in the beginning of their last sick­nesse, and a faire refreshing glorious calme, and ioyfull triumphs over temptations, and feare, towards the con­clusion of their life. For some secret end and holy pur­pose seeming good to his heavenly wisedome, God suf­fers [Page 231] sometimes even his dearest servants, to taste, as it were, of the fire of Hell, and for a while to feele in their consciences, those damned flames, as a preparative to drinke more sweetly of the Well of life, and Rivers of endlesse pleasures. So himselfe is most honoured, by helping when all hope is past: The heart of his Child more ravisht with the first sight of those un-utterable joyes, beeing suddenly rais'd to the height of happinesse, from the depth of horrour: The enemies to the narrow way dasht and confounded, by observing his delive­rance, whom, out of prophane blindnesse, they dee­med an Hypocrite: Godly Christians gratiously re­viv'd, when they see, That tho the Lord hide His face from his Childe for a moment, yet at last with everlasting kindnesse will Hee have mercy on Him. And that Hee will never utterly, and finally forsake any of His. Thus died those blessed Servants of God, Mistris Bretergh, Master Peacock, &c. Mistris Bretergh in the heate of temptatiō, wished that she had never bin borne, or that she had bin made any other creature, rather then a woman: But when that Hellish storme was over-blowne by the returne of the glorious beames of the Sun of righteous­nesse into Her Soule; She turnd her tune, and triumphed thus: Oh happy am I, that ever I was borne, to see this bles­sed Day! I confesse before the Lord his loving kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sons of men: For hee hath satisfied my Soule, and filled my hungry Soule with goodnesse.

Master Peacocke in the height of His dreadfull De­sertion, told those about Him, that hee converst with Hell- [...]ounds; That the Lord had cursed him; That Hee had no grace: That it was against the course of Gods pro­ceeding, to save Him, &c. But when that horrible tem­pest of spirituall terrours was happily disperst; and the light of Gods comfortable countenance begun to shine againe upon His most heavy and afflicted spirit; Hee dis-avowed all inconsiderate speeches, as hee called [Page 232] them, in his temptation, and did humbly and heartily aske mercy of God for them all; And did thus triumph: What should I extoll the magnificence of God, which is un­speakeable, and more then any heart can conceive? Nay ra­ther let us with humble reverence acknowledge His great mercy. What great cause have I to magnifie the great goodnesse of God, that hath humbled, Nay rather exal­ted such a wretched miscreant, of so base condition to an e­state so glorious and stately! The Lord hath honored mee with his goodnesse: I am sure, hee hath provided a glori­ous Kingdome for mee: The joy which I feele in my heart is uncredible.

4. Some of Gods worthiest Champions, and most zealous servants doe not answere the unreprooveable sanctity of their life, and unspotted current of their for­mer conversation, with those proportionable extraordi­nary comforts, and glorious Passages upon their beds of death, which in ordinary congruity might be expected, as a conuenient conclusion to the rare and remarkeable Christian cariages of such blessed Saints. So bottomlesse and infinitely un-fathomable by the utmost of all crea­ted vnderstandings are the depths of Gods most holy waies, and His inscrutable Counsells, quite contrary ma­ny times to the probable conclusions of Man's best wis­dome. But every one of His, sith he certainly passes tho­row those pangs into pleasures and joyes endlesse and unspeakeable, must be content to glorifie God, & to be seruiceable to His secret ends, with what kinde of death Hee please: whether it bee glorious and untempted: or discomfortable, because of Bodily distempers, and con­sequently interpretable by undiscerning spirits: or min­gled of temptations, and Triumphs: or ordinary, and without any great shew, or remarkeable speeches, af­ter extraordinary singularities of an holy life, which promised an end of speciall note, and admiration.

Why may not some worthy heavenly-minded Chri­stians sometimes by strong mortifying meditations, and [Page 233] many conquering fore-conceits of death in their life time, make it before-hand so familiar and easie unto them, an by continuall conversing above, and constant peace of conscience, taste so deepely of spirituall ioyes, that that dreadfull Passage out of this life, as it may breede no great sense of alteration in themselves, so no extraordinary matter of speciall observation to others.

Of the wicked, and those, who were ever strangers to the mystery of Christ and truth of godlinesse:

Some die desperately. Tho thousands perish by Of one Reprobate that dyes in this de­spaire and torment of conscience, there bee millions that dye in presumption of mer­cy, without sense of sinne, or punishment: The reason whereof is, because Satan, who knowes Hee hath time little enough in this life to draw men to sinne, and long e­nough after this life to torment them for it, doth therefore or­dinarily reserue the tormenting of sinners to the Day of iudge­ment, and till they be in Hell; left if Hee shuld deale so rough­ly with all sinners in this world, they might, being so pincht with terrours, seeke after the meanes of salvation, as did the Iaylo [...]r, and the [...]ewes. Act. 16.30, and 2.37. &c. Chibald. Triall of Faith, lib. 1. cap. 5. p. 70. presumption, to One of these who despaire; yet some there are, to whom upon their beds of death all their sins are set in order before them, and represented to the eie of their awaked consciences in such griesly formes and so terribly, that at the very first and fearefull sight, they are presently struck starke dead in soule and spirit, utterly over-whelmed and quite swallowed up with guilty and desperate horrour. So that afterward, No counsell, or comfort; no consideration of the immea­surablenesse of Gods mercy, of the unvaluablenesse and omnipotency, that I may so speak, of Christs bloud shed, of the variety & excellency of gracious promises, of the losse of their owne immortall soules, can possibly drive and divert from that infinitely Wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition, wherein there should bee ground of despaire, considering our sinnes bee the sinnes of Man, His mercy the mercy of an in­finite God. Doctor Sibbes, Brused Reede, Preface to the Reader. false conceite, and cursed Cry; My sinnes are greater, then can bee pardo­ned. Whereupon most miserable, and forlorne wret­ches, they very wickedly, and willfully throw them­selves into Hell, as it were, upon earth, and are damned above ground. Thus the Lord sometimes for the terror of others, glorifying his owne iustice, & bringing exem­plary confusion upon impenitent obstinacy in sinne, and willfull opposition to grace, doth in greatest indignati­on by the hand of divine vengeance, unclaspe unto [Page 234] them, the Booke of their owne Conscience, and of His owne holy Law. In one of which they find, now at length, all their innumerable iniquities, transgressions and sinnes engraven with the Point of a diamond, enra­ged with Gods implacable wrath, aggravated with the utmost malice of Satan; And never to bee razed out, or remitted, but by the bloud of the Son of God, in which they peremptorily professe themselves to have no part. In the other, they see the fiercenes, and fulnesse of all the curses, plagues and torments denounced there, and due unto all impenitent sinners, ready to bee poured upon their bodies and soules for ever; And no possibility to prevent them, no waies to decline them, but by Gods infinite bounty thorow Iesus Christ, in which they also utterly disclaime all right and interest. And therefore they are now finally, and desperately resolved to looke for no mercy: But in their owne judgement, and by their owne confession▪ stand reprobates from Gods co­venant, and voide of all hope of His inheritance, ex­pecting with unspeakeable terrour and amazement of spirit, the consummation of their miserie, and fearefull sentence of eternall damnation. They are commonly such, Out of the cursed Nurcery of such sorts of sinners as these, God doth now and then single out some, and hang them up as it were in chaines, as wofull Spectacles of despai [...]e, for warning to others. as have been grosse Hypocrites like Iudas, and lien in some secret abomination against the know­ledge of their hearts, all their life long; that have fol­lowed still their owne sensuall wayes, and course of the world against the light of the Ministry, standing like an armed man in their consciences to the contrary; who have been Scorners and Persecutours of the power of godlinesse, and the good way; who have abjured the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and forsaken the Truth for ho­nour, wealth, or worldly happinesse: To whom the Lord in their life-time vouchsafed many mercies, much prosperity, great meanes of salvation, long forbearance, &c. And yet they stood out still they still hated to bee reformed, set as naught all His counsell, and would [...] of His [...] proofe. Wherefore the Day of gratious visita­tion [Page 235] beeing once expired, a thousand Worlds▪ will not purchase it againe; Heaven and Earth cannot recall it. No mercy, no comfort, no blessing can then bee had, tho they seeke it with teares and yelling. They shall never more bee heard, tho with much violence they throw their serikings into the Aire and cry with sighes and groanes, as piercing as a sword. Not, but that the Gates of Heaven, and armes of mercy may stand wide open, untill their last breath: But alas! They have al­ready so hardened their hearts, that they cannot repent. After thine hardnesse, Rom. 2.5. saith Paul, and heart, that cannot repent. They now but howle upon their Beds, they doe not cry unto God with their heart; as the Prophet speakes, Hos. 7.14. Their earnest and early crying in this last extremity, is onely because▪ Their feare is come upon them as desolution, and their destruction as a whirle­winde. When they cast out their considerations for comfort. It is not the whole Creation can possibly help them; for they must stand or fall to the Tribunall of the everlasting God, mighty and terrible, the Creator of the ends of the Earth. If they looke up to God the Fa­ther; that Prov. 1.24.26. comes presently into their heads with much horrour, and quite kills their hearts: Because Hee hath called all our life long, and all that goodly time wee refused; Hee will laugh now at our calamity, and mocke when our feare is come. Iesus Christ, as they strongly conceive, and un-mooveably conclude against themselves, hath now to them for ever closed up His wounds as it were, and will not afford them one drop of His blood; because they have so of­ten, by comming unworthily, spilt it in the Sacrament, persecuted Him in His members, and despised Him in the Ministry. The blessed Spirit, because in the Day of visitation they repelled all his inward warnings and ho­ly motions, preferring Satans impure suggestions, before His sacred inspirations, doth now in their own acknow­ledgement, by the equity of a just proportion, in [Page 236] this Day of vexation, leave them to eat the fruit of their former wilfulnesse, and reape the reward of their owne wayes. Thus these forlorne wretches are disclaimed, forsaken, and abandoned of Heaven and Earth, God and Man; of all the comforts in this life, and blessings of the World to come. And so by finall despairing of Gods mercy, the In what sense de­spaire is the greatest sinne: for it is not simply so. Ever the more excellent the vertue is▪ the more pestilent is the oppo­site vice. Hatred of God in it selfe is a greater sinne then desperation; because the Love of God is a more excellent grace then Hope. See 2 [...]. q. 2. art. 3. Though Aqu [...] ­n [...] His Summes bee a vast dunghill of much rotten superstit [...]ō, and false Divinity; yet a­bout vertues & vices, lawes and other Phi­losophicall Points, He lets [...]all some Truths. Desperat [...]o m [...]tor est [...] [...]e [...]p ratio peior est omni peccato. Bern. Perpetrare stagitium aliquod, [...] est. Se [...] disperara est [...]escendere in infernum. Isid. Iudas mag [...]ex hoc offendit Dominum, q [...]a se su [...]pend [...]t, [...]udu [...] quòd Dominum prodidit. Hieron▪ in [...]sal 108. Iudam tradito [...]em [...] misit, quàm indulgentiae desperatio fecit penitùs interire. August. de [...]lit P [...]nit. Quid aliud est desperare, quàm Deum sibi comparare? —Qui [...] comparat, [...]inem [...]mponit divine virtuli, dans sinem ixfi [...]uto, & [...] ause [...]ns [...]o: cui nihil deest, quodetiam cogitar i non po­test. Idem de [...] cap. 5. But doe not mistake the good Father, or upon His word presume; but heare what Hee addes: Sunt alij inimici desperationis, qui ad [...]ò p [...]aesem [...], & [...] Deo confid [...], quòd quandam sibi licentiam acquirunt peccandi: & sine poe [...]temi [...] [...]xp [...]llant ventam: qui credunt, quoniam Christiani sunt, non posse damnari: adulantes si [...], eà quòd scriptum est, omnis quicunque invo [...]averit nomen Domini, salvus e [...]it. [...]utan [...]en [...] no [...]cu Dominita vocare, quo [...]a [...]possunt Christum credere, & Sacra­mem a Ecclesiae samere, non verentes, multos esse vocasos, sed paucos electos. Ibid. cap. 6. greatest of sinnes, they most unhap­pily, and cursedly follow Iudas the worst of men, into the darkest and most damned nooke in Hell.

2. Others die senselesly and blockishly. They de­meane themselues, upon their dying Beds, as tho there were no immortality of the Soule, no Tribunall aboue, no strict account to bee given up there for all things done in the flesh, no everlasting estate in the world to come; wherein every one must either lie in unspeake­able paines, or live in un-utterable pleasures. In their life time, they were never woont to tremble at Gods judg­ments, or rejoyce in his promises, or much trouble themselves with the ministry of the Word, or about the state of their soules. All was one to them, what Minister they had, whether a Man taught to the king­dome of Christ, or a generall Teacher, or an ignorant Mangler of the word, or a dissolute fellow, or a Daw­ber with untempered morter, or a dumbe Dog. If they were neither Whores nor Thieves, but well accounted [Page 237] of amongst their neighbours, thriued in the world, pros­pered in their outward state, prouided for posterity, slept in a whole skinne, were not vexed on the Lords day with any of these precise Trouble-townes: They were well enough, and had all they looked for, either in this world, or in the world to come. Wherefore at their death by reason of their former disacquaintance with spirituall things, and God not opening their eies, they are neither afflicted with any feare of Hell; or affected with any hope of Heaven; they are both un-apprehensive of their present danger, and fearelesse of the fiery lake, into which they are ready to fall. In these regards, they are utterly untouched, die most quietly, and without any trouble at all. And it is their ordinary Answere, when they are questioned about their spirituall state, and How it stands with them betweene God and their owne Consciences; I thanke God nothing troubles me. Which, tho they thinke it makes much for their owne credit, yet alas! It is small comfort to judicious By-standers, and such as wish well to their Soules; But rather a fearefull confir­mation, that they are finally giuen ouer to the spirit of slumber, and sealed up by divine Indeed sometimes, and most commonly conscience in many is secure at the time of death. God in his ju­stice plaguing an affe­cted security in this life, with an inflicted security at death. And the Lord seemes to say, as once to the Prophet; Goe, make their consciences a­sleepe at their death, as they have made it asleepe all their life, lest conscience should see and speake, and they heare and bee saved. —Therefore they die, tho not desperate as Saul and Ahito­phel; yet sottishly without comfort and feeling of Gods love; as Na [...]al. Dyke of Con­science, cap. 12. justice, in the sottish­nesse and security of their owne senselesse hearts, for most deserved condemnation. Thus these men, as One speakes, live like stocks, and die like blocks. And yet the ignorant people, saith Greeneham, will still commend such fearefull deaths, saying, He departed as meekely, as a Lambe, Hee went away as a bird in a shell; when they might as well say, (but for their featherbed, and their pil­low) hee dyed like a beast, and perished like an Oxe in a ditch.

3. Others die formally; I meane they make very [Page 238] goodly shewes and representations of much confidence and comfort. Having formerly beene formall Profes­sours, and so furnished with many formes of godly spee­ches▪ and outward Christian behaviours; And the spirit of delusion, and spirituall Selfe-cousenage, wich in their life time detained them in constancy of security, and selfe-conceitednesse about the spirituall safty of their soules, Whom Satan seeth [...] of Gods favour, whom H [...]e knoweth [...], and [...] to bee cast into H [...]ll fire; those doth Hee [...]alsely perswade, that they are out of all danger, and never suffer them so much as to perceive their lamentable estate: But whom [...]ee seeth God doth favour, whom Hee knoweth to bee Christs bre­thren, and fellow-heires of the King­dome of heaven, those will Hee tempt very often to seate, to doubt, yea sometimes even to despaire of their salvation. Touch­stone for a Christian. pag. 81. without any such doubts, troubles, feares, tem­ptations, which are woont to haunt those who are true of heart, (for ordinarily such is the peace of unsound Professors) continuing their imaginary groundlesse per­svasion and presumption in the height and strength un­to the end, for their very last breath may bee spent in saying Lord Lord open unto us, as wee see in the foolish Virgines, and those, Mat. 7. I say such men as these, thus wofully deluded and fearefully deceiving others, may cast out upon their last beds many glorious speeches▪ in­timating much seeming confidence of a good estate to God-ward, contempt of the world, willingnesse to die, readinesse to forgiue all the world, hope to bee saved, desire to bee dissolved, and goe to Heaven, &c. They may cry aloud with a great deale of formall confidence, Lord, Lord, Ex hoc l [...]co satis li­quet, multos, quibus in ore est, Domine misere­re nostri, ad inferos de­scendere. Cartw. in cap. 1. Proverb. Sunt quicredunt, quo­ni [...]m Christiani sunt, non posse damnari: adulantes sibi, eò quòd scriptum est, Omnis qui­ [...]nque [...]nvoca [...] [...]rit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Putant enim se nomen Domini invocare, quo­niam possunt Christum credere, & sacramenta Ecclesiae sumere, non verentes, multos esse vo­ca [...]ot, sed pauco [...] electos. August. De verâ & falsâ Poenit. cap. 6. Mercy, Mercy in the name of Christ, Lord Iesus receive our spirits, &c. And yet all these goodly hopes, and earnest eiaculations, growing onely from a forme, & not from the power of godlines, are but, as I said somewhere before, as so many catchings and scrablings of a Man over-head in water; He strugles and strives for hold to save Himself, but he graspes nothing but water; it is still water, which He catches, and therefore sinkes and drownes. They are all but as a spiders web, Iob. 8. 14.15. Vpon which, One falling from the top of an house, laies hold by the way, for stay and support. Hee [Page 239] shall lea [...]e upon his house, O quà [...] multi cum hac spe ad aeternos labores & bella descendunt [...] How many goe to Hell with this hope? but it shall not stand; H [...]e shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. O how many descend faitl [...] an ancient Father, with this hope to eternall tra­uailes and torment? How many saith an Doctor Featly. other worthy Doctour, goe to Hell with a vaine hope of Heaven: whose chiefest cause of damnation is their false persuasion and groundlesse presumption of salvation? Audi dominum: Mors peccatoris pessima. Quae tibi videtur hona, pessi­ma est, si intùs videa [...]. Vides for [...]s [...]ace [...]em in let to, nunquid vides in­tùs [...]aptum ad gebe [...] ­nam? August. in Ps. 33. Of all the foure kindes of death, which ordinarily befall such as are not saved, this is the fairest in shew; but yet of greatest im­posture to those about them, and of most pestilent con­sequence to harden especially all of the same humour, that heare of it.

4. Some die Penitently: But I meane seemingly so, not savingly. Many having served their appetites all their lives, and lived in pleasure; now when the Sun of their sensuall delights begins to set, and the darke mid­night of misery and horrour, to seize upon them, would very gladly bee saved. And I blame them not, If they might first live the life of the wicked, and then die the death of the righteous: If they might have the earthly Heaven of the worlds Favourites here, and the Heauen of Christs Martyrs in the world to come. Ostenditur nobis per haec verba, quòd illo in tempore inter angustias diversorum terrorum videntes se peccatores, anxiabuntur & current huc & illuc ad sacerdotes, doctrinam & poe­nitentiam sibi quaerentes. Alij autem interrogantes, quid eos oporteat facere, sed festinante judicio, & necessitatibus alijs super alias venientibus, cum non sit docendi licentia, nec temp [...]s faciendae justitiae, aut agendae poenitentiae, festinatio eorum vacua erit. Hoc enim & in quotidi­ano usu videmus fieri. Quotidie enim sacerdotes clamant in Ecclesiâ: Qui peccavit, poeniten­tiam agat:—Neque seducant vos honores, & devitiae temporales; quia tempus vestrum prope est: Et si consummatio vestra tardaverit, mors vestra non tardat, & nemo credit, nemo ob [...] ­dit: cum autem venerit super illos mors; festinant, & anxiantur▪ vocant sacerdotes, poenitenti­am volunt agere, quando jam poenitentiae locus non est. Itaque dum expo [...]unt peccata sua, & capitur anima eorum, & vadunt vacui, magis autem ligaci justo j [...]dicio Dei; quta non propter odium peccatorum displicentes sibi vol [...]ham poenitentiam agere, sed propter mortis timorem. Adhuc enim si vivere po [...]uissent, non sibi displicuissent. Ine [...]tus author. Hom. 52. in cap. Mat. 25. Vlulant quidem in cubilibus, id verò doloris impatientiâ faciunt, quē expoenis concipiunt, non quòd peccata sua deplorent. Gualt. in cap. 7 Hos. Fui [...]e [...] est is se [...]sus, ea conscientia peccati & miseriae, praesertim verò conscientia tanti contemplus obl [...]tae l [...]cis, idque ex judicijs, quibus exercebuntur, ut tum quidem seriò cruc [...]andi sint de [...]ide [...] in Christi: Non quidem, quòd id desiderium sit [...]uturum Christi, propter ipsum Christum, — aut propter odium Peccati, sed propter sensum miseriae, quem ferre non poterunt. Rolloc. in cap. 8. Iohan. These Men [Page 240] are woont in this last extremity, to take on extremely; But it is but like their Howling upon their Beds. Hos. 7.14. Because they are pinched with some sense of present horror and expectation of dreadful things: They cry out mightily for mercy; But it is no other, then their early seeking, Prov. 1.28. Because distresse and anguish is come upon them: They enquire eagerly after God, and would now bee gladly acquainted with Him; But just like them, Psal. 78. And to seeke Him then, is not to seeke Him; Non quaerebant Eum. No: they seeke Him not, they dissem­ble with Him (saith Asaph in the next verse). For, when God to trie them, reprived them never so little time, they fell to their old byas; and when as Hee ceased killing, their seeking was at an end. So are all forced seekings: like to a Bow­string brought to his full bent, but remit you never so little, it starteth backe againe. Nay, it is not quaere­bant, no kindly seek­ing; but a base ignoble creeping to, without all ingenuity, when wee must either die, or doe it. Winchesters Sermons. pag. 181. When Hee slew them, then they sought Him: and they returned, and enquired early after God. And they remembred that God was their Rocke, and the high God their Redeemer. Neverthelesse, they did flatter Him with their mouth: And they lyed unto Him with their Tongs: For their heart was not right with Him. They promise very faire, and protest gloriously, what mended men they will bee, if the Lord restore them: But all these goodly promises are but as a morning cloud, and as the early dew. They are like those of a Thiefe or murtherer at the Barre, which beeing now cast, and seeing there is now no way but one: O what a reformed man would Hee bee, if Hee might bee re­prieved! Antiochus, as the Apocryphall Booke of the 2. Maccab. 9. Maccabees reports, when the hand of God was upon Him horribly, vowed excellent things: O what Hee would doe; so and so extraordinarily for the people of God! yea and that He Himselfe also would become a Iew; and goe through all the world, that was inhabited, and de­clare the power of God. But what was it, thinke you, that made this raging Tyrant to relent, and thus see­mingly repent? A paine of the bowells that was remedi­lesse came upon Him, and sore torments of the inner parts. So that no man could endure to carry him for His intole­rable stinke; And He himselfe could not abide His owne smell. Many may thus behaue themselves upon their Beds of death with very strong shewes, and many boisterous representations of true turning unto God, whereas in truth and triall, they are as yet rotten at [Page 241] heart roote.

And as yet no more comfort upon good ground belongs unto them, then to those in the fore-cited Places: And if any spirituall Physition in such a case, doe presse it hand over head, or such a Patient presume to apply it, it is utterly misgrounded, mis-applied. Heare what Doctor Vsher in His Answer to a Iesuites Challenge, pag. 152. One of the worthiest Divines in Christendome saith: Now put case One commeth to His ghostly Father with such sorrow of minde, as the terrours of a guilty conscience usually doe produce, and with such a resolution to cast away His sinnes, as a Man hath in a storme to cast away his goods; not because Hee doth not love them, but because Hee feareth to lose His life, if Hee part not with them: doth not hee betray this mans soule, who putteeh into His head, that such an extorted repentance as this, which hath not one graine of love to season it withall, will qualifie Him sufficiently for the receiving of an absoluti­on? &c. And Dyke, of Repen­tance, cap. 16. [...]. Mat. 13 52. Poenitentia nunquam sera si seria: Sed sera rarò vera. Agens poeni­tentiam & reconcilia­tus; cum sanus est, & posteà benè vivens, se­curus hinc exit. Agen [...] poenitentiam ad ulti­mum & reconciliatus, si securus hinc exit, E­go non sum securus. August. Hom. 41. ex 50. Ambros. Exhort. ad poenitent. Quomodo agit poenitentiam in extremis vitae fi [...]bus constitutus? —Poenitentia quae ab in [...]ir [...]o petitur, [...]nsirma est. Poenitentia quae à moriente tantùm petitur, timeo ne ipsa moria­tur. August. de temp Serm. 57. C [...]m venerit super illos mors, [...]estinant & anxiantur, vo­cant sacerdotes, Poenitentiam volunt agere, quando iam Poenitentiae locus non est. —Qu [...]a non propter odium peccatorum displicentes sibi volebant poenitentiam agere, sed propter mor­tis timorem. Incert. Author in Mat. Hom. 52. another excellently instructed unto the Kingdome of Heaven: Repentance at death is sel­dome sound. For it may seeme rather to arise from feare of iudgement, and an horrour of Hell, then for any griefe for sinne. And many seeming to repent affectionately in dangerous sicknesse, when they have recovered, have been rather worse then before. It is true, that true Repentance is never too late, but late Repentance is seldome true: For here our sinnes rather leave us, then wee them, as Am­brose sayes, And as Hee addes, Woe bee unto them, whose sinne and life end together. This received Prin­ciple among the ancient Fathers, That late Repentance is rarely true, implyes, that it is often false and unsound, and so by consequent confirmes the present Point. Too manifold experience also makes it good: Amongst [Page 242] many for my part, I have taken speciall notice of two: The one beeing laboured-with in prison, was seemingly so extraordinarily humbled, that a reverend Man of God was mooved thereby, to bee a meanes for his re­prive, whereupon a Pardon was procured. And yet this so extraordinary a Penitent, while death was in his eye, having the terror removed, returned to His vomit; and some two yeeres after, to the same Place againe, as notorious a Belial as Hee was before. Another, having upon His Bed of sicknesse received in His owne con­ceite the sentence of death against Himselfe; and beeing pressed to humiliation, and broken-heartednesse; for Hee had formerly been a stranger and enemy to purity, and the power of godlinesse, answered thus: My heart is broken: and so broke out into an earnest confession of particular sinnes: Hee named uncleannesse, stubborn­nesse, obstinacy, vaine-glory, hypocrisie, dissimulation, un­charitablenesse, covetousnesse, luke-warmenesse, &c. He compared himselfe to the Thiefe upon the Crosse. And if God, saith Hee, restore mee to health againe, the world shall see, what an altered man I will bee. When hee was prest to syncerity and true-heartednesse in what hee said; Hee protested, that hee repented with all his heart and Soule, and minde, and Bowels, &c. And desired a Minister that stood by, to bee a witnesse of these things betweene the world and Him. And yet this Man upon His recovery, became the very same, if not worse then Hee was before.

Now sith upon this Perusall of the different deaths incident to the godly and the wicked, it appeares; that some men never soundly converted, may in respect of all outward representations, die as confidently and com­fortably in the conceite of the most, as Gods dearest Children: and that Christs best servant sometimes may depart this life And thus many deare servants of God are oftentimes grie­vously perplexed, troubled in spirit, gau­led in mind, long seek­ing and labouring for release; and finding none, condemning themselves, that they are the very fire­brands of Hell, and cannot bee saved: Nay, many times they doe even die with speeches in their mouthes, which much savour of despaire. Hieron in His Caveat and Comfort for Beleevers, pag. 41. uncomfortably to the eye, and in the [Page 243] opinion of the greatest part; And wee heard before, that our last and everlasting Doome must passe upon us, according to the syncerity, or sensuality, the zealous forwardnes, or formality of our former courses; and not according to the seeming of our last carriage upon Bed of death, and enforced behaviour in that time of ex­tremity: I say, these things beeing so, I hold my con­clusion still, and resolution; not much to alter my cen­sure and conceit of a mans spirituall state, for the man­ner of His death. I except the Thieves upon the Crosse: My meaning is, that there may bee some, (I know nor how few, but I am sure there is none, except Hee have in Him the perfection of the madnesse of all the Bed­lams that ever breath'd, would run that hazard) who formerly out of the way and unreformed, may now at last, being very extraordinarily, and mightily humbled under Gods mighty hand, & cleaving to the Lord Iesus with truly broken hearts indeede, follow by a miracle, as it were, the Thiefe upon the Crosse, to an everlasting Crowne. And here now, I require the care, conscience, heavenly wisedome, experimentall skill, and all His mi­nisteriall dexterity in the Physition of the Soule, to dis­cerne aright betweene these, and seeming Penitents: and then to apply Himselfe proportionably with all holy discretion and seasonablenesse, to their severall different estates.

But to fright and fire every One for ever, from that extremest Sed ne fortès charis­simi) aliquem nimis se­curum saciat, aut re­missum tam nova feli­citas credulitatis; Ne sortè dicat aliquis in corde suo, Non me usque adeò conturbet & cruciet rea conscientia; Non me usque adeò con­tristet culpabilis vita, video sub momento, video sub exiguo spacio latroni crimina sua do­nata.—Deterreant quaeso nos ab hâc persuasione, innumerabiles populi sub tali securitate nudi & vacui bonis, & malis pleni ex hac luce prae [...]epti. —Immittit Diabolus securita­tem, ut infera [...] perditionem, neque dinumerari possi [...], quantos haec inanis spei umbra decepe­rit. —Deinde stul [...]is [...]mum est, ut causa, quae de necess [...]atibus agitur aeternis, inutilitatibus vitae deficientis committatur extremis. —O dibile est apud Deum, quando homo sub siduciâ poenitentiae in senectatem reservatae liberius peccat. August. De Temp. Serm. 120. folly of hoping to follow that miraculou­sly penitent Thiefe; and from going on in sinne, and de­ferring Repentance upon such a deceiving and despe­rate [Page 244] ground; let us consider;

1. First, what an holy and learned Greenham, pag. 2. cap. 32. Edit. 3. Man of God saith to this Point: In great wisedome, that men at the last gaspe should not utterly despaire, the Lord hath left us but one example of exceeding, and extraordinary mer­cy, by saving the Thiefe on the Crosse. — Yet the per­versenesse of all our nature may bee seene by this, in that this one serveth us to loosenesse of life, in hope of the like: whereas wee might better reason; That it is but one, and that extraordinary, and that besides this One, there is not Legi, inquit Augu­stinus, & perl [...]gi Scrip­turam: & neminem inveni in duobus milli­bus annorum sal [...]atum in sine, nisi L [...]tron: mincruce. Nicolaus Lau­rentius adversus des­perationem, pag 371. one moe in all the Bible; and that for this One that sped, a thousand thousands have missed: And what folly is it to put our selues in a way, where so That, that may bee said, is this, and it is nothing. True, some one or two of a thou­sand, and ten thou­sand, that have. How then? Shall wee not therefore follow our instruction, and seeke Him before? —Some going a jour­ney, have sound a Purse by the way: It were mad counsell▪ to advise us to leave o [...] money behind, upon hope of like hap in ours, &c. Winchesters Serm. pag. 180. Si mille homines perus­sent ex cibi ali [...]uius [...]enenali perceptione, uno duntoxat miraculose servito, [...] cibum illum gustares? Harmon Evang. cap. 15. pag. 18 [...]. many have miscar­ried? To put our selves into the hand of that Physition, that hath murthered so many; going cleane against our sense and reason: whereas in other wee alwaies leane to that which is most ordinary, and conclude not the Spring of one Swallow? It is as if a Man should spurre His Asse till Hee speake, because Baalams Asse did once speake: so grossely hath the Divell bewitched us.

2. Secondly, the singularities about the good Thiefe: first, His heart was broken with one short Sermon, as it were; but thou hast, or mightest have heard many, and art yet hard-hearted. Secondly, the other Thiefe saw also that soveraigne Soule-healing blood gush freshly and abundantly out of His blessed side, and yet was not strucke, or stird at all. Thirdly, His example is onely for true Penitents; but Thou upon this presump­tion despising in the meane time, the riches of Gods good­nesse, and forbearance, and long-suffering, leading Thee to repentance, hardenest thy heart, that thou canst not repent. Fourthly, His case was singular, and such, that the like is not to bee found in the whole Scripture. A King sometimes pardons a Malefactour at the Place of exe­cution; wilt thou therefore runne desperately into some [Page 245] horrible villany, deserving death, hoping to bee that One amongst many thousands? Fifthly, It was a We digest not them that call on us for the seeking of God, but seek our selves (as the A­postle speakes) Magi­stros secundum deside­ria, that may enter­taine us with specula­tions, of what may be done by Miracle at the houre of death: that may give us daies, & elbow-roome enough to seek other things, and to shrinke up his seeking into a narrow time at our End; and tell us, time enough then, Winche­sters Sermons, pag. 179. mi­racle, saith an excellent Dyke upon Repen­tance, cap. 17. Divine, with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of the Crosse; we may almost as well expect a second crucifying of Christ, as such a second Thiefe. Christ then triumphing on the Crosse, did as Princes doe in the triumph of entring into their Kingdomes, they pardon grosse offences before com­mitted, such as they pardon not afterwards. 6. Having an eye upon this Thiefe, that thou mayest more fully and freely follow thy pleasures, Thou makest a cove­nant with death, and an agreement with Hell, and puts the evill Day farre from Thee: But the Lord hath pro­fessed; That thy covenant with death shall bee dis-annul­led, and thy agreement with Hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow, then shalt thou bee trodden downe by it.

3. Thirdly, the ordinary impossibilities of follow­ing the blessed Thiefe in His miraculous Repentance. First, thou art cryed unto continually by Gods Messen­gers to come in, now while it is called to Day; yet thou standest out still, out of this Inebriatus es? Ven­tri indulsisti? Rapuisti? Siste iam gradum, ver­te te in diversum, con­ficere Deo gratiam, quòd non in medijs pec­catis te abstulit: ne quaere aliud privilegi­um, ut malè opereris. Multi quum iam alijs dimnum fraudulentèr facerent, subitò periérunt, & ad manifestum iudicium abiérunt. Time ne & in hoc patiare inexcusabilis. Sed multis, inquis, dedit Deus hoc privelegium, ut in ultimâ senectâ consiteren­tur. Quid igitur? An tibi quoque concedet? Concedet fortasse, inquis. Quidais sortasse, & inter­dum, &c. Cogita quòd & d [...] animâ deliberas, proinde etiam de contrario cogita, & dic, Quid autem si non det? &c. Tuni bellum egressus, non dicis, non est opus ut testamentum con­dam fortassis redibo; Neque de nuptijs deliberans dices, uxorem egentem accipiam multi enim & sic praeter spem ditati sunt; Neque domum extruens, subijciam fundamenta pu­tria, multae enim & sic constitére domus: De anima autem agens, apprehendis magis putria, dicens, fortassis, & sapiùs [...]venit, & contingit aliquando, téque incertis tradis. Chrysost. Hom. 22. in 2. ad Cor. 10. conceite onely, or rather deceite, to take thy fill of pleasure in the meane time, and to seeke God sufficiently upon thy Bed of death, by repenting with the Thiefe at last. But know for thy terrour, and timely turning, that the longer thou puts off and deferres, the more unfit thou shalt be to repent. Thy custome in sinning will exercise more Tyranny o­ver [Page 246] Thee: The curse of God for thy going on still in thy trespasses will bee more heavy upon Thee. The cor­ruptions that lurke in thine owne bosome, will be more strengthened against thee. And this threefold cord is hardly broken: These three Giants will be maistered with very much adoe. The further thou walkest in the wayes of death, the more unwilling, and more unable wilt thou bee to returne, and bee reformed. Thine un­derstanding will be more darkened with Hellish mists, thy judgement more perverted, thy will more stub­borne, thy memory more stuft with sensuall notions, thine affections will become more rebellious, thy thoughts more earthly, thine heart more hardened, thy conscience more feared, thy selfe more sold to sinne, and every day that comes over thine head in this state of darkenesse, much more the Child of the Divell, then thou wast before. To refuse Christ upon this Point so freely and fairely offered, is to receive Gods curse un­der Seale; and to make sure thy covenant with Hell, and League with death, untill thou bee slaine by the one, and swallowed up of the other, without all mercy, or recovery. For in this time of delay, God growes more angry, Satan more strong, thy selfe more unable to re­pent, sinne more unconquerable, thy conversion more hard, thy salvation more impossible. A ruinous house, the longer thou lettest it run, the more labor & charge will it require in repairing. If thou drive a naile with an hammer, the more blowes thou givest to it, the more hard will it bee to plucke it out againe. It is just so in the Case of continuing in [...]inne: and every new sin is a new stroke with an hammer, that drives the naile in further. Secondly, with what possibility art thou like to passe thorow the great work of saving repentance? or with what heart canst thou addresse thy selfe unto it? when upon thy sicke Bed, thou art set upon at once, if thy conscience bee waking, with the ugly sight of all thy sinnes charging upon thee with insupportable hor­rour, [Page 247] with the pangs of death, with Tempore mortes s [...]e­uiùs maiorí (que) dolo [...]en­tat & consligit; s [...]ens si tunc defecerit penitùs se frustratum. Gerson de temptationibus di­ver. Satans utmost malice, and His very Powder-Plot, and with the ter­rour of that approaching strickt Tribunall. Which dreadfull encounter is able to put to it, the spirituall strength of many yeeres gathering. Thirdly, Resoluti­on to deferre Repentance, when grace is offered, doth justly merit, to bee deprived for ever after of all opor­tunity, and ability to repent. Fourthly, it is just with God, that that man, who doth purposely put off repen­tance, and provision for his soule, untill his last sicknes, should for that sin alone, bee snatcht out of the world in great anger, even suddenly, so that there bee scarce a moment betwixt the height of His temporall happi­nesse, and depth of his spirituall misery. That His foo­lish hope may bee frustrated, and His vaine purpose come to nothing, Hee may bee cut off, as the Top of an care of corne, and put out like a candle, when hee least thinkes of death, and dreames of nothing lesse, then de­parture from His earthly Paradise. Iob 14.14. They are exalted for a little while, saith Iob, but are gone and brought low, they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut Repentinam & inspe­ratam corum mortem, quâ opprimantur, in­nuit. Merc. in Loc. Elevati sunt ad modi­cum & non subsistent] Iniquorum potentia [...]oeni [...]loribus compara­tur: quia nimirùm carnalis gloria dum ni­tet, cadit: dum apudse extollitur, repentino intercepta sine terminatur. Sic aurarum statu in altum stipula rapitur, sed casu concito adima revocatur: Sic ad nubila sumus attollitur, sed repentè in nihilum tu­m [...]scendo dissipatur: Sic ab insimis nebula descendendo se erigit; sed exortus hanc solis ra­dius, ac si non suerit, abstergit: Sic in herbarum supersicie noct [...]rni roris humor aspergitur, sed diurni luminis subito calore si [...]catur: Sic spumosae aquarum bullae inchoantibus pluvijs excita [...]ae, abintimis certatim prodeunt, sedeò celeruis diruptae depereunt, quò instatae citiùs extenduntur; cumque excrescunt ut appareant, cres [...]endo peragunt ne subsistant. Gregor. Ibid. off as the tops of the eares of corne. Fifthly, a long continu­ed Nemo nec post centum peccata, nec post misle crimina de misericordiâ divinâ despe­ret. Sic tamen non desperet, ut sinc ullâ morâ Deum sibi repropitiari festinet, ne fortè, si con­suetudinem fecerit, etiam sivelit, de Diabolilaqueis liberari non possit. August. de t [...]mpo­re, Serm. 58. custome is not woont to bee shaken off in an in­stant. Is it like, that a Blackamore should change his skinne, and a Leopard his spots in three or foure dayes, which they have contracted in forty or threescore yeeres? Therefore I marvell that any should bee so blindfolded, and baffeld by the Divell, as to embolden [Page 248] Himselfe to drive off untill the last, by that Place before Confession; At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinne, from the bottome of his heart, I will put all his wicked out of my remembrance, saith the Lord: Especially, if Hee looke upon the Text from whence it is taken; which Mee-thinkes, beeing rightly understood, and the conditions well considered, is most punctuall, and precise, to fright any from that desperate folly: The words runne thus, Ezech. 18.21.22. But if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes which hee hath committed, and keepe all my Statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall surely live, hee shall not die. All his transgressions, &c. Hence it appeares, that if any man expect upon good ground, any portion in this pretious promise of mercy and grace, Hee must leave all his sinnes, and keepe all Gods Statutes. Now how performest thou the condition of leaving all thy sinnes; when as in this last extremity, having received the sen­tence of death against thy selfe, Thy sinnes leave Thee, and not Thou thy sinnes, that I may speake in the Phrase of an ancient Viste de dubio libe­rare, vis quod incer­tum est, evadere? Age p [...]nitentiam dum sa­nus es. Sienimagis ve­ram poenitentiam dum sanuses, & invenerit te novissimus dies: se­curus es. Ergo curre ut reconcilieris; si sic ag [...]s, securus es. Quare se­curus es? Qu [...] egisti poenitentiameo tempo­re, quo & peccare potu­isti. S [...] autem vis age­re poenitentiam ipsam tunc, quando peccare non potes, peccata te di­miserunt, non tu illa. August. Tom. 10. De vere Poenitentibus. Hom. 41. ex 50. Am­bros. Exhort. ad Porni­ [...]ent. Father? And what space is left to come to comfort, by keeping all Gods Statutes; when thou art presently to passe to that highest and dreadfull Tri­bunall, to give an exact and strickt account for the con­tinual breach of all Gods Lawes, all thy life long? Sixth­ly, many seeme to bee passingly penitent, and promise exceeding faire, in the evill day, and upon their sicke Beds; who beeing recovered, and restored to their for­mer state, are the very same they were before, if not worse. I never knew, nor heard of any, un-wrought upon, under conscionable meanes, who after recovery performed the vowes and promises of a new life, which Hee made in his sicknesse, and times of extremity. For if Hee will not bee mooved with the Ministry, God will never give that honour unto a crosse, to doe the deede. Nay, Father Abraham; saith the rich Glutton, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And [Page 249] hee said unto him, If they heare not Moses and the Pro­phets, neither will they bee perswaded, the one rose from the dead. Luke 16.30.31. It would amaze thee much, if one of thy good-fellow companions should now rise from the dead, and tell thee, that Hee who was thy Brother in iniquity, is now in Hell, and if thou follow the same sensuall courses still, thou must shortly most certainely follow Him to the Place of torment. And yet even this would not worke at all, if thou bee a de­spiser of the Word. It may bee, while the dead Man stood by Thee, Thou wouldst be extraordinarily moo­ved, and promise much: but no sooner should He bee in His Grave; but thou wouldst bee as gracelesse, as thou wast before. Seventhly, what wise man seeing a fellow, who never gave his name to religion in his life time, now only troubled about sinne, when hee is sure, Hee This time, is the time when all Hypo­crites, Atheists, tagge and ragge come in, and seeke Him in a sort: And shall not wee bee confounded to see our selves in their number? Win­chesters Serm. pag. 181. must die, will not suspect it to be wholly slavish, and extorted for feare of Hell? My sentence is, saith Greenham, that a man lying now at the Point of death, having the snares of death upon him; in that straite of feare and paine, may have a sorrow for His life past, but because the weakenesse of flesh, and the bitternesse of death doth most commonly procure it, wee ought to suspect, &c. Eighthly, painefull distempers of body are wont to weaken much, and hinder the activenes and freedome of the Soules operations; nay, sometimes to distract, and utterly over-throw them. Many even of much knowledge, grace and good life, by reason of the damp and deadnesse, which at that time the extremity and anguish of their disease brings upon their spirits, are able to doe no great matter, if anything at all, either in me­ditation or expression. How then doest thou thinke to passe thorow the incomparably greatest worke, that ever the Soule of Man was acquainted with in this life, I meane the new-birth, at the What is our seeking thē? Is it not to lie still on our Beds, and suf­fer a few words to bee spoken in our eares? Have a little opiate Di­vinitie ministred to our Soules, and so sent away. Winchesters Ser­mons, pag. 181. Is this it? Would wee then seeke Him, when wee are not in case to seeke any thing else? Would wee turne to Him then, when wee are not able to turne our selves in our Bed? Or, rise early to seeke Him, when we are not able to rise at all? Or enquire after Him, when our breath fai­leth us, and wee are not able to speake three words together? —No houre, but the houre of death. No time, but when Hee taketh time from us. Idem Ibid. pag. 180. Point of death? It is a [Page 250] wofull thing to have much worke to doe, when the power of working is almost done. When wee are come to the ve­ry last cast, our strength is gone▪ our spirits cleane spent, our senses appalled, and the powers of our Soules as numbe as our senses: when there is a generall prostration of all our powers, and the shadow of death upon our eyes: then something wee would say or doe, which should doe our Soules good. But alas! How should it then bee?

3. When the spirituall Physition powres the baulme of mercy, and oyle of comfort into a wounded consci­ence:

1. Too soone. The Oportet Dei sacerdo­tem non obsequijs deci­pientibus fa [...]ere, sed remedijs salutaribus providere. Imperitus est medicus, qui tumen­tes vulnerum sinus ma­nu parcente contrecta [...]; & in altis recessibus viscerum virus inclu­sum, dum servat, ex­aggerat. Aper [...]endum vulnus est, & secan­dum; & putaminibus amputatis m [...]delâ sor­tiore curandum. Voci­seretur, & clamet, lic [...]t; & conqueratur aeger impatiens per dolorem; gratias agit postmodum; cum senserit sanitatem. Cyprian de Lapsis. Medicus crudelit est, qui exaudit hominem, & parcit vulneri & putredini. August. in Psal. 34. Soothing Preachers are like unskilfull chirurgions, who softly touch the wound on the outside, thereby making it to fester the more dangerously in the inside. Who observeth not, that the smooth tongue of the Preacher maketh an impostumed heart of the Hearer? Squire in his Assize Sermon▪ pag. 12. out of Cyprian. Surgeon, that heales up a dan­gerous Sore, and drawes a skinne over it, before His corrosives have consumed the dead flesh, before Hee hath opened it with his Tents, ransackt it to the roote, and rent out the Core, is so farre from pleasuring, that hee procures a great deale of misery to His Patient. For the rotten matter that remaines behind, will in the meane time rankle and fester underneath, and at length breake out againe, perhaps, both with more extremity of anguish, and difficulty of cure. They are but Moun­tebankes, as they call them, Smatterers in Physicke and Surgery; upon the matter, but plaine Cheaters and Couseners, who are so ready and resolute for The true Ministers of Christ never cure, and comfort the sicke hastily, as Wizards and Impostors doe. Greenham having to deale with divers humbled Consciences, Hee would mislike them, that would not abide to tarry the Lords leisure, but they must needs bee helped at once, even by and by as soone as they heard Him speake, or else they would then thinke farre worse of Him then ever before, notwith­standing the good opinion conceived of Him: For besides, Hee that beleeveth maketh not hast; This is a comming rather, as it were, to a Magitian (who by an incantation of words, makes silly soules looke for health) then to a Minister of God, &c. In His grave Counsels, and godly observations. pag. 5. extem­porary, [Page 251] and palliate Cures. Sudden recoveries from rooted and old distempers, are rarely sound. If it be thus in bodily Cures; what a deale, doe you thinke, of ex­traordinary discretion, heavenly wisedome, precise and punctuall ponderation of circumstances, well-advised and seasonable leasure, both speculative and experimen­tall skill, heartiest ejaculations, wrastlings with God by Prayer for a blessing, is very convenient, and needfull for a true and right methode in healing a wounded conscience? Which doth passe immeasurably all other maladies, both in exquisitenesse of paine, tendernesse of touch, deceitfulnesse of Depth, and in highest and grea­test consequence, either for the everlasting health, or endlesse horrour of an immortall Soule.

Hence it was, that that Greenham in His Treatise for an af­flicted Conscience▪ pag. 136. One of a thousand, and lear­ned Doctour in this heavenly Mystery, did so farre dif­fer from all Dawbers with untempered Mortar, and the ordinary undoing-courses in this kind:

But now comming to the salving of this Sore, saith Hee, I shall seeme very strange in my cure: and so much the more bee wondred at, by how much in manner of pro­ceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein. I am not ignorant, that many visiting afflicted consciences, cry still; Oh comfort them! O speake ioyfull things unto them! Yea, there bee some, and those of the most learned, who in such Cases, are full of these and such like speeches. Why are you so heavy, my Brother? Why are you so cast downe, my Sister? Bee of good cheare: Take it not so grievously. What is there that you should feare? God is mercifull, Christ is a Saviour. These bee speeches of love indeed: but they often doe the poore soules as much good herein, as if they should powre cold water into their bo­somes; when as without further searching of their Sores, they may as well minister a Malady, as a Medicine. For as nutritive and cordiall medicines are not good for every sicke Person, especially when the Body needeth rather a strong Purgation, then a matter restorative; and as in [Page 252] carnative medicines may for a time allay the paine of the Patient, but after, the griefe becommeth more grievous: So the comfortable applying of Gods promises are not so profitable for every One that is humbled, especial­ly when their Soules are rather further to be cast downe, then as yet to bee raised up: so those sugred consolations may for a while over-heale the conscience, and abate some present griefe; but so, as afterwards the smart may bee the sorer, and the griefe may grow the greater: Here­of ensueth this effect, that comfort seemeth to cure for a while, but for want of wisedome in the right discerning of the cause, Men minister one Medicine for another; and so for want of skill, the latter fit grindeth sorer then the former. Calvine also, that For mine owne part, saith Hooker, I thinke Calvin incomparably the wisest man, that ever the French Church did enioy, since the houre it enioyed Him. In His Preface, pag. 3. Tho thou­sands were debters to Him, as touching Divine knowledge; yet hee to none, but onely to God, the Author of that most blessed Fountaine, the Booke of life, and of the ad­mirable dexterity of wit, together with the helpes of other learning, which were his guides. Ibid. Wee should bee iniurious unto vertue it selfe, if wee did derogate from them, whom their industry hath made Great. Two things of principall moment there are, which have deservedly procured Him honour throughout the World: the one, His exceeding paines in composing the Institutions of Christian Religion; the other, His no lesse industrious travailes for exposition of holy Scripture. —In which two things whosoever they were, that after Him bestowed their labour, Hee gained the advantage of preiudice against them, if they gaine-said; and of glory above them, if they consented. Ibid. pag. 9. The more learned and holy any Divine is, the more heartily Hee subscribes to Paulus Thurias, his true censure of His Institution: Praeter Apostolicas, post Christi tempora, chartas, Huic peperereli [...]r [...]saeculae nulla parem. Besides the holy Writ, No booke is like to it. Or, No Age since Christ brought forth A booke of so great worth. No marvaile then, that a learned Bishop of London in Queene Elizabeths time, begun His Speech thus against a lewd fellow, which had railed against Calvin [...]: Quod dixisti in vir [...]m Dei, Calvinum, tuo sanguine non potet redimere, &c. great Pillar and glory of the Christian World for syncere and sound Orthodoxe doctrine, concurres in judgement with this blessed Man [Page 253] of God, and so, I doubt not, doe all the faithfull Mini­sters of Iesus Christ: Sit igitur hic primus poenit [...]tiae gradus, dum homines sentiunt, quàm gravitèr deliquerint: illic non statim curan­dus est doler, quemad­modum imposto [...]es deli­niunt conscientias, ita ut sihi indulgeant, & se [...]allant ina [...]i [...]us blan­ditijs. Medicus enim non statim l [...]niet dolo­rem, sed videbit, quid magis expediat: fortè magis augebit, quia ne­cessaria erit acrior pur­gatio. Sic etiam faciunt Prophetae Dei, quum vident trepidas consci­entias, non statìm adhi­bēt blandas conso [...]to­nes, sed potiùs osten­dunt non esse ludendum cum Deo, —& solici­tant sponte currentes, ut sibi proponant ter­ribile Dei iudicium, quò magis, ac magis humili­entur. Calvin in Ioel, cap. 2. Let this bee the first degree of Repentance; when Men feele that they have been grie­vous offenders; and then the griefe is not to bee immedi­ately cured; as Impostors deale flatteringly and nicely with Mens consciences, that they may favour them­selves as much as may bee, and bee notably deceived with superficiall dawbing. The Physition will not forth­with asswage the paine, but will consider what may bee more expedient: Perhaps hee will increase it, because a sharper Purge will bee necessary. Even so doe the Pro­phets of God, when they see trembling Consciences, doe not presently apply sweet consolations; but rather tell them, that they must not dally with God; and stirre up those, who are so forward of their owne accord, that they would propose unto themselves the terrible iudgement of God, that they may yet bee more and more humbled.

Master Rogers of Dedham, Doctrine of Faith, pag. 108.109.110.111. Another excellent and skilfull Work-man in the great mystery of saving Soules, tells us truly; That the promise of salvation is not straight belonging to one terri­fied in conscience, but to one that is not onely terrified for His punishment, but is contrite-hearted for sinne, which is the worke of the Gospell. —Let not these bee weary of the yoke of God and the Law, and make over much haste out of this state, for so may they undoe themselves: For some withstanding their terrour, have withstood their salvation, &c. Even as an impatient Patient gets the Chirurgion to pull out the Tent and Corrosive, or p [...]ls it off himselfe as soone as it begins to smart a little, and so thinkes it is searcht enough, and now layes (saith Hee) on healing plaisters: But afterward breakes out againe worse then ever; whereas if the Corrosive had been let lie on, till it had eaten out the corruption indeed, then it might have been whole long agoe.

If Dawbers in this kind did rightly understand and acknowledge, or had ever had any experimentall fee­ling in their owne Soules of Christs Rule, and the Holy [Page 254] Ghosts method, which is first, To convince of sinne; to de­ject and humble in the sight of the Lord with appre­hension, and sense of a most abominable and cursed state, before there follow a conviction of the righte­ousnesse of Christ to raise up; See Ioh. 16.8. or of the necessity of the worke of the spirit of bondage, to fit and prepare for Christ and comfort; I say then, they would not deale so ignorantly and overly in a matter of so deare and everlasting importance. They would not so hastily hand over-head, without all warrant and wise­dome, without any further search, discovery or deje­ction, offer mercy, pardon, and all the promises to a man formerly wicked; onely for some faint and enfor­ced confession of sinnes, or because now beeing over­taken by the evill day, Hee howles upon his bed, not for any true hatred of sinne, but for present smart, and ex­pected horror, &c. But would labour to let the spirit of bondage have it's full work, and lay Him open more at large in the true colours of his skarlet sinnes; and not onely cause a bare confession of them, but such a con­viction which may stop his mouth, that Hee hath not a word to speake, but trembles to see such a sinke, Sodom and Hell of sinne and abomination in Himselfe, &c. O how oft have I heard many a poore ignorant soule in the Day of sorrow, beeing mooved to humble Himselfe in the sight of the Lord, that Hee might lift Him up; first, to get His heart broken with the abhorred bur­den of all His sinnes, and then to bring it thus bleeding to the Throne of Grace, that Christ might binde it up; I say, beeing thus intreated: To answer, Yes, yes, with all my heart; I am sorry for my sinnes with all my heart; I trust in Iesus Christ with all my heart; and thus whatsoever you can counsell or advise, Hee doth it with all His heart: Whereas alas! Poore heart, as yet, His understanding is as darke, as darkenesse it selfe, in respect of any, I say not onely, saving knowledge, but almost of any knowledge at all; and his heart in re­spect [Page 255] of any true remorse, as hard as a Rocke of flint. Now those unskilfull Physitions of the Soule, who in this and the like cases, will needs without any more adoe, without any further illightning or labour, threape mercy and comfort upon them, are like those foolish sheapherds, as In his Expos. upon Psal. 32. pag. 5. Marbury calls them, who when they want skill to helpe their poore sheepe out of the ditch, are driven to play the miserable comforters, and to take some other indirect course (as many use to doe in such cases) to cut the sheepes throate in time, to make him Mans meate, lest it should bee said, Hee died in a Ditch. They are Desolators, not Consolators, as Austin some­where calls them: Not sound Comforters, but true Cut­throates.

Besides that which I have said before, of the prece­dency of the working of the Law, and of the spirit of bondage, to make way for Christ; let mee further tell you upon this occasion, that it may appeare, that much more is to bee done herein, then is ordinarily imagined, before comfort may upon good ground, and seasona­bly bee applied to the Conscience awaked, what an ex­cellent Divine, both for depth of learning, and height of holinesse, delivered somewhere in this Point to this purpose:

No man must thinke this strange, that God dealeth with men after this strange manner: as it were to kill them, before Hee make them alive; to let them passe through, or by, as it were, the gates of Hell, to Heaven; to suffer the spirit of bondage to put them into a feare, in­to a shaking, and trembling, &c. For Hee suffers those that are his, to bee terrified with this feare:

1. First, in respect of His owne glory; For the mag­nifying both of His iustice, and of His mercy:

1. Hee glorifies His iustice, when lessening, or al­together, for the time, abstracting all fight of mercy, Hee lets the Law, Sinne, Conscience, and Satan loose upon a Man, to have their course, and severall comminations; [Page 256] and sets the spirit of bondage on worke, &c. Thus, as in the great worke of As in the worke of Creation, so in the worke of Redempti­on, God would have the praise of all his at­tributes. Hee is much honoured, when they are acknowledged to bee in Him in highest perfection; and their infinitenesse and ex­cellency admired and magnified. In the former, there appeareth gloriously His infinite Wisedome, Goodnes, Power, Iustice, Mercy, &c. [...]nd yet in the worke of Redempti­on, which was the greater, they seeme [...]o shine with more [...]eetnesse, amiable­ [...]sse, and excellency. [...] in it appeared all the treasures of wise­dome and knowledge, &c. And in conveying it to the Church, first, His Wisedome there appeareth infinite wisedome, in finding out such a meanes for the redemption of Mākind, as no [...]eated understanding could possible imagine, or [...] of. Secondly, [...] immeasurably sweet and admirable, in not sparing His owne Sonne, the Sonne of His loue; that Hee might spare us, who had so grievously transgressed against Him. Thirdly, His Iustice in it's highest excellency; in spa [...]ing us, not to spare▪ His owne onely Sonne: laying, as it were, His head upon the blocke, and chopping it off; renting and [...]ea [...]ing that blessed Body, even as the Vaile of the Temple was rent, and making His Soule an Offering for sinne, &c. This was the perfection of Iustice. redemption, Hee would have the glory of His iustice appeare; so would Hee have it also in the application of our redemption, that iustice should not bee swallowed up of mercy: But even as the Woman, 2. King. 4. who had nothing to pay, was threatned by Creditours to take away her two sonnes, and put them in prison: so wee having nothing to pay, the Law is let loose upon us, to threaten imprisonment and damnation; to af­fright and terrifie: and all this, for the manifesting of His iustice. Furthermore, the Booke of God is full of ter­rible threatnings against sinners: Now shall all these bee to no purpose? The wicked are insensible of them; to them therefore in that respect, they are in vaine. Some there must needs bee, upon whom they must worke; Shall the Lion roare, saith the Prophet, and no man bee affraide? Sith then, they who should, will not; Some there bee who must tremble. This the Prophet excellently setteth [...]orth, Isai. 66.2. where the Lord sheweth, whom Hee will regard. But to this man will I looke, even to Him that is poore, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word. Neither is it without good cause, that God dea­leth thus with his owne in this manner, tho it bee sharpe in the experience. First, wee must feare, tremble, and bee humbled: and then wee shall receive a spirit not to feare againe.

2. His mercy also is thereby mightily magnified. Which would never bee so sweet, nor relish so well, nor bee so esteemed of us; if the awfull terrour of iustice had not formerly made us smart. A King sometimes doth not on­ly suffer the Law to passe upon some grievous malefactor [Page 257] for high treason; but also causeth him to bee brought to the place of execution, yea, and lay downe his head upon the blocke, ere Hee pardon: and then mercy is mercy in­deed, and A man, who other­wise would not cry, nor shed a teare for a­ny thing; despiseth death, and would not feare to meete an host of men; I say, such an One, now having at the last instant a par­don brought from the King, it worketh won­derfully upon him, and will cause soft­nesse of heart, and teares to come many times, where nothing else could. Hee is so strucke with admiration of so great mer­cy, so sweet and seaso­nable in such an ex­tremity, that Mee stands amazed, and knowes not what to say; but many times falles a weeping, part­ly for ioy of His deli­verance; and partly also out of indignati­on against Himselfe, for His barbarous be­haviour towards so pittiful a Prince. This was to bee seene in some great men, at the beginning of King Iames His Reigne, condemned for trea­son, and pardoned at the Blocke. melts the heart abundantly with amaz [...]m [...]nt and admiration of it. So God dealeth with us many times: Lets the Law loose against us, puts us in feare, casts us into Prison, and threatneth condemnation in Hell for ever; so that when mercy commeth to the Soul [...], beeing now lost in it selfe, and at the Pits brinke, it appeares to bee a wonderfull mercy, the riches of exceeding mercy, most seasonable, most Exaudime Domine, quoniam suavi [...] est misericordia tua: tantundem valet, ac si dixisset, I am noli differre exauditionem, in ta [...]t â tribulati [...]ne sun, ut suavis mi­hi sit misericordia tua. Ad hoc enim subvenire differebas, ut mibi dulce esset, quòd subveni­ebas. August. Concione 2. in Psal. 68. sweet, most ravishing. Why doe so many find no savour in the Gospell? Is it because there is no matter of sweetnesse or delight in it? No, it is be­cause they have not tasted of, not been soundly toucht and terrified by the Law, and the spirit of bondage; They have not smarted, nor as yet been afflicted with a sense of the bitternesse of sinne, nor of iust punishment due unto the same. God therefore sends into our hearts the spirit of feare and bondage, to prepare us to rellish mercy: And then the spirit of adoption, not to feare againe. And thus by this order, the one is magnified, and highly esteemed, by the fore-going sense of the other.

2. Secondly, for our good; and that two waies: first, in Iustification: secondly, and in Sanctification.

1. For the first; wee are such strangers unto God, that wee will never come unto Him, till wee see no other remedy; being at the Pits brinke, ready to starue, hope­lesse, &c. Wee see it in the prodigall Sonne: He would never thinke of any returne unto his Father, till all other helpes failed Him, money, friends, acquaintance, all sorts of food; Nay, if Hee might have fed upon huskes with the Swine, Hee would not have thought of returning, any more to his Father: This beeing denied him, the Text [Page 258] saith, Hee came to Himselfe: shewing us, that when Men runne on in sinfull courses, they are mad men, out of them­selves; even as wee see th [...]se in Bedlam are beaten, kept under, den [...]ed comforts, till they come to themselves: And what faith Hee then? I will arise, and goe to my Fa­ther, and will say unto Him, Father, I have sinned a­gainst heaven, and against Thee, &c. So it is with us, untill the Lord humble, and bring us low in our owne eyes, show us our misery and spirituall poverty, and that in us there is no good thing; that wee bee stript of all helpe [...], in, and without our selves; and see that wee must perish, unlesse wee beg His mercy; I say, untill then wee will not seeke his face and favour, nor have recourse to Iesus Christ, the rocke of our salvation. It is with us in this Case, Luke 8.43. as it was with the Women, whom Christ healed of the bloody issue. How long was it, ere shee came to Christ? She had been sicke twelve yeeres; She had spent all her living upon Physitions, neither could she bee healed of any. Now this extremity brought Her to Iesus Christ. This then is the meanes to bring to Christ: To bring us upon our knees, to drive us out of our selues, hopelesse, as low as may bee; To shew us, where helpe is onely to bee found, and make us runne unto it. The hunted Beast flies unto his Den: The Israelites being stung by fiery Serpents, made hast to the Brazen Serpent, a Type of Christ, for helpe: The Man-killer under the Law, cha­ced by the avenger of blood, ran [...]e a pace to the City of refuge. Ioab being pursued for his life, fled to the Ta­bernacle of the Lord, and laid fast hold upon the horne [...] of the Altar: A wounded man hies unto the Surgeon: Proportionably a poore Soule, broken and bruised with the insupportable burden of all his abominations, bleeding at heart-roote under sense of Divine wrath, by the cutting edge of the Sword of the Spirit, mana­ged aright by some Masters of assemblies, chaced furi­ously by the Law, Sinne, Conscience, and Satan, some­times even to the brinke of despaire, &c. will bee wil­ling [Page 259] with a witnesse, to cast it selfe into the sweet com­passionate inviting armes, and embracements of Iesus Christ, broken and bleeding upon the Crosse for our sinnes, and so bee made His, for ever.

2. For our sanctification also, it is good for us that the Comforters first worke bee, to worke feare in us. For wee are naturally so frozen in our dregs, that no fire in a manner will warme, or th [...]w us. Wee wallow in our owne blood, wee sticke fast in the mire of sinne up to the chinne, that wee cannot stirre. So that this feare is sent to pull us violently, as it were, from our corruptions; to make us holy, and looke unto our waies for the time to come. Now to effect this, sharpest things are best; as are the Law, and threatnings of condemnation, the opening of Hell, the racking of the conscience, and a sense of wrath present, and to come. So hard-hearted are wee by nature, being as the Children of the bond-woman, to whom violence must be used. Even as wee see a Man riding a young and wilde Horse to tame him; Hee will runne him against a wall, that hee may make him afraid, ride him in deepe and rough places; or if this will not doe, take him up to some high rocke, and bringing him to the brinke thereof, Hee threatneth to throw him downe headlong; maketh him shake and quake, whereby at last hee is tamed. So deales the Lord with us: Hee gives us a sight of sinne, and of the punishment due thereunto, a sense of wrath, setteth the conscience on fire, as it were; filleth the heart with feares, [...]orrours and dis-quietnesse; openeth Hell thus unto the Soule, brings us to the gates thereof, and threatneth to throw us in: And all this to make a man more holy, and Christus [...]o [...]ine insta­t [...]m terret comminatio­ue exclusionis è regn [...] coelorum. Nam qui non­dùm conversi sunt, ad inferos, iam priui [...] detrudendi sunt, ad hoc ut inspectâ poenâ peccati, discant ab co abhorrere, quo tempore naturâ sese oblecta [...]. Rolloc in Iohan. cap. 3. pag. 133. hate sinne the more. The cure of the Stone in the heart, saith Dike of Repentance, cap. 2. another, speaking to the same purpose, is like that of the Stone in the Bladder: God must use a sharpe incision, and come with his pulling and [Page 260] plucking instruments, and rend the heart in pieces, ere that sinne can bee got out of it. — Even as in a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should bee cast into a burning Fever, because the senses are benummed, and this will wake them, and drie up the be [...]otting humours; so in our dead security before our conversion, God is faine to let the Law, Sinne, Conscience and Satan loose upon us; and to kindle the fire of Hell in our soules, that so we might be rouzed: Our sinnes sticke close unto us, as the Prisoners bolts, and wee are shut up under them, as in a strong Pri­son: And therefore unlesse, as once in Paul and Silas their case, an earthquake, so here there come a mighty heart-quake, violently breaking open the Prison doores, and shaking off our fetters, never shall wee get our liberty, &c.

Thus wee see, what a mighty Quando peccati, quod divinae legis est viola­tio, conse [...]ntia stimula­mur, atque convinci­mur, intelligimusque nos per peccatum in ex­ecrationem, acerbissi­mum odium, gravissi­ [...]amque Divini numi­nis offensiontem, atque indignationem incur­risse, mercedemque at­que stipendium, quod peccatum meretur, esse, ut non solùm omnibus calamitatibus at (que) mi­serijs [...]uins vitae, morbisque, & morte corporis affic [...]amur; verum etiam, ut damnati [...]e atque interitu sempiterno mulitemur: simul atque ex lege agnoscimus, nos per peccatum in [...]unc condemnator [...]m statum, quo nibiltetrius cogitari potest, pervenisse: toto pectore, totâ mente, toto corde animo que cohorremus, & contremiscimus, atque ita, ut casum nostrum salutariter doleamus, & ut nosmet nostri poeni [...]eat, Lex, efficit; impellítque ut peccatorum veniam, iusti­tiam, & vitam sempiternam, (quae ex lege adipisci non possumus) a Christo servatore tantùm, & per Christum expetamus & expectemus. Alex. Nowellus Inst. Christian. Pietatis De Le­gis usu. Hoc loco docent, Poenitentiam esse, quae ex peccatorum & irae divinae agnitione nas­citur, quae per legem Dei primum dolores & terrorem conscientiae incutiat. Scilicet cum ver­bo Dei int [...]s argu untor peccata, & redditur mens malè conscia sibi, inquieta, praetrist [...]s, & de­sperabunda, cor anxium, confractum, & pavidum, ut homo per se nullâre prorsùs erigi possit, aut consolationem nancisci, sed totus afflictissimus est, spiritu deiecto ac trepidante, & ingen­ti [...]orrore concussus à conspectuirae Dei, &c. —Súnt que sic affectis divinae promissiones [...], &c. Harmon. Confess. p. 2. Bohaemica Confess. Art. 5. pag. 240. worke of the Law, and of the spirit of bondage there must bee, to prepare for Christ. And how requisite it is both for the glori­fying of Gods justice and mercy; and also for the fur­therance of our justification, and sanctification. For illu­stration of which Point, besides all that hath been said before, I have more willingly in this last Passage prest at large the authority of so great a Divine, (in which, I hope, I have not swarved from His sense) because Hee [Page 261] is without exception both for holinesse and learning: and so his sincere and orthodoxe judgement more cur­rant and passable.

Ob. But hence, it may bee, some troubled Soule may take up a complaint, and say: Alas, if it bee thus, what shall I thinke of my selfe? I doe not remember, that ever I tasted so deepely of such terrours, and legall troubles, as you seeme to require: I have not been so humbled and terrified, nor had such experience of that state under the spirit of bondage, as you talke of, &c. And therefore you have cast scruples into my consci­ence, about the truth and soundnesse of my conver­sion.

Answ. I answer, in this worke of the spirit of bon­dage; in this Case of legall terrours, humiliations, and other preparative dispositions, wee doe not prescribe precisely just such a measure and quantitie: We doe not determine peremptorily upon such or such a degree, or height: Wee leave that to the Wisedome of our great Master in Heaven, the onely wise God, I grant, the Lord, who is the most free Agent, takes liberty, and workes as it plea­seth him; and there is ods, and difference for time, measure, and such things: but for the generall alwaies the same; by hum­bling first, then com­forting, &c. Mast. Ro­gers of Dedbam Doctr. of Faith, pag. 63. who is a most free Agent. But sure wee are, a man must have so much, and in that measure, as to bring Him to Christ. It must make him weary of all his sinnes, and of Satans bondage wholly; willing to plucke out his right eye, and cut off his right hand, I meane, to part with his best-beloved bosome-lusts; to sell all, and not leave so much as an hoofe behind. It must bee so much, as to make him see his danger, and so hast to the Citie of Refuge, to bee sensible of his spirituall misery, that hee may heartily thirst for mercy; to finde himselfe lost and cast away in Himselfe, that Christ may bee All in All unto Him: And after must follow an hatred of all false and evill waies for the time to come; a thorow-change of former courses, company, conversation; and setting Himselfe in the way and practise of [...]obriety, honesty and holinesse. If thou hast had experience of these affections, and ef­fects in thine owne soule, whatsoever the measure of [Page 256] the work of the spirit of bondage hath been in thee lesse or more; Thou art safe enough, and mayst goe on com­fortably in the holy Path, without any discouragement, either from such pretended scruples in thy selfe, or any of Satans cruell cavils, and oppositions to the con­trary.

Vpon this occasion, it will not bee here unseasona­ble, to tell you, How that Legall terrour, which God appoints to bee a preparative in his elect, for the spirit of adoption, and a true change, differs from that which is found in This Legall terror and spirit of feare, is but a common worke of the Spirit. Such an one, that unlesse more follow, it can afford us no comfort. [...] in N. T. est resipisientia quae fide est po [...]erior & salutaris. [...] verò est poenitentia, quae fide est prior, ideo (que) non semper salutaris. Vt docet exemplum Iudae, Matth. 27.3. Poenitétia dicitur m [...]r­sus & vulnus, quod a­nimli sauciat [...]tem con­tritio, qu [...] sisuerit t [...]i­stitia secundum Deum gignit [...] 2. Co­rinth. 7.10. Sin minus, i [...]er est ad maximum quodque scelus, & tan­dem ad desperationem; ut docet exempl [...]m tu­dae. Interim tamen per Catachresin. [...] pro [...] ponitur. Alsted. Theol. Polem. p. 4. De Poenitent. & Indulg. controv. 1. Aliens, and not attended with any such sa­ving consequents: That every one, who hath had trou­ble of conscience for sinne, may clearely discerne, whe­ther it hath brought Him to Christ, or left Him uncon­verted.

1. That happy Soule, which is under the terrifying hand of God, preparing by the worke of the spirit of bondage, for the entertainement of Christ, and a sound conversion upon that fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath, and strict visitation of his conscience for sinne, casts about for ease and reconcilement, onely by the blood of the Lord Iesus, and those Soule-healing pro­mises in the Booke of life, with a resolute contempt of all other meanes and offers, for pacification: feeling now, and finding by experience, that no other way, no earthly thing, not this whole world, were it all dissolved into the most curious, and exquisite pleasures, that ever any carnall heart conceived, can any way asswage the least pang of his grieved spirit. Glad therefore is Hee to take counsel and advise, with any that is able, or like­ly to leade him by a wise and discreet hand to a well-grounded comfort and refreshment: And resolveth greedily, what-ever the prescription and direction bee, to give way unto it most willingly in his performance and practise. And the people asked him, saying, What shall wee doe then? Then came also Publicans to be bap­tized, and said unto Him, Master, what shall wee doe? [Page 257] And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall wee doe? Thus were Iohns hearers af­fected, Luk. 3.10, 12, 14. beeing afflicted with the piercing passages of Iohns thundring Sermon; Men and brethren what shall wee doe? say the Penitent Iewes, pricked in their hearts, Acts. 2.37. The Iaylour, Acts 16.30. came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I doe to bee saved? As if they had said: Prescribe and enioyne what you will; bee it never so harsh and distastefull to flesh and blood, never so crosse and contrary to carnall reason, profit, pleasure, preferment, acceptation with the world, ease, liberty, life, &c. having warrant out of the Word, wee are resolved, and ready to doe it. Onely informe us first, how to partake, and bee assured of the person and passion of Iesus Christ; how to have the angry face of our blessed God, to whom wee have continued Rebels so long, turned into calmnesse and favour unto us. But now a Cast-away and Alien thus legally terrified, and under wrath for sinne, is never wont to come to this earnestnesse of care, eagernesse of resolution, stedfast­nesse of endeavour, willingnesse upon any termes to a­bandon utterly all His old wayes, and to embrace new, strict and holy courses. These things appeare unto Him terrible Puritanicall, and intolerable. He common­ly in such cases, hath recourse for ease and remedy to worldly comforts, and the arme of flesh. He labours to relieve his heavy heart, by a strong and serious casting his minde, and nestling his conceit upon his riches, gold, greatnesse, great friends, credit amongst Men, and such other transitory delights, and fading flowers of His fooles Paradise. For Hee is at a Point, and resolute with a sensuall impenitent obstinacy, not to passe forward thorow the Pangs of the New-birth by repentance and sanctification, into the holy Trade of new-obedi­ence: lest Hee should, (as out of a foolish and phran­ticke basenesse, Hee is apt to feare) bee engaged and [Page 264] enchained, as it were, to too much stricknesse, precise­nesse, holinesse of life, communion with Gods people, and opposition to good fellowship.

2. Hee, that is savingly-wounded with Legall ter­rour, is wont in cold blood, and being something come to Himselfe, to entertaine the very same conceit (or ra­ther mingled with a great deale more reverence, af­fectionatenesse and love, as farre as the life of an im­mortall Soule doth surpasse in dearenesse and excellen­cy the cure of a fraile and earthy body) of that Man of God, which by a right managing the edge of his spiri­tuall sword, hath pierced his heart, scorched his consci­ence, and bruised his spirit; I say, the same in proporti­on, which a wise and thankefull Patient would have of that faithfull Surgeon, which hath seasonably and tho­rowly launced some deepe and dangerous Sore, which otherwise would have been his death. Vpon the search and discovery, Hee clearely sees and acknowledgeth, that had not that holy incision been made into his rot­ten and ulcerous heart, it had cost him the eternall life of his Soule. But now the Alien put out of his sensuall humour with horrour of conscience, is ordinarily trans­ported with much ragefull discontentment, against the powerfull Ministery of Gods paineful Messengers, who put Him to such torture, by troubling Him for sinne, and frighting Him with Hell. And thereupon cries out a­gainst them, at least with secret indignation and fret­ting, as the Divels did against Christ: Why doe you thus torment us before the time?

3. Aliens in such cases entertaine no other thought, and cast about for no other comfort at all, but onely how they may recover their former quietnesse of mind, carnall ease, and freedome from present terrour. But hee that is fitting, by the spirit of bondage, for Faith, and the fellowship of the Saints, will never by any meanes, whatsoever come of Him, relapse to his wou­ted sensuall security. Nay, of the two, Hee will rather [Page 265] lie still upon the Racke, waiting for the Lord Iesus all the dayes of his life, then to returne any more unto foo­lishnesse, or hunt againe after any contentment in the miserable pleasures of good fellowship.

4. That Messenger, an Interpreter, Si adsit peccatori ca­lamitate ali [...]u [...] presso, vel lethaliter aegrotanti minister Dei, annunci­ans [...]i voluntatem Dei, & exhortans adresipis­centiam & mutatio­nem vitae in melius, cu­iusmodi nunsius & in­terpres fidus volunta­tis Dei est rarissi [...]us, qui indicet non Deo, sed homini aequitatem, sen rectitudinem illius ni­mirùm Dei, hoc est, iu­stissimam, & aequissimā gubernationē Dei, quâ ille erga omnes homi­nès, & inprimis affli­ctos utitur. Polan. in Ezech. cap. 20. One among a thousand, who in such a case can seasonably and sound­ly declare unto a savingly-wounded Soule His righte­ousnesse; assure Him, it was Christ Iesus onely businesse in comming from Heaven, to disburden all that labour, and are heavy laden; and ease such trembling hearts, &c. I say, such a blessed Man of God to such a broken heart, is for ever after most deare and welcome. His secte are beautifull in his eye, every time Hee comes neere Him. Comfort of so high a nature, in extremity of such hor­rible consequence, doth infinitely and endlesly endeare the delivered Soule to such an heavenly Doctour. But Aliens commonly make no great account of godly Mi­nisters any longer, then they have present need of them, and that trouble of minde makes them Melancholike, and without mirth. They seeme to reverence them, while from their generall discourses of mercy, and Gods free grace, of mercifull invitations to Christ, and certain­ty of acceptation (if they will come in) &c. They sucke into their false hearts before the time, and truth of hu­miliation, some superficiall glimmerings, and flashes of comfort and cooling. But if once the heate of their guilty rage begin to asswage, and they find againe some ease from their former terrours, and wonted rel­lish in earthly delights, they turne such holy men out of their hearts, cast them out of their consciences, and hold no higher, or further conceit of them, then of other, and ordinary men; if they forbeare to persecute them with thoughts of disdaine and contempt.

5. The true Penitent, having smarted under the sense of divine wrath, and frighted with the flames of horrour for sinne, doth grow fearefull for ever after to offend, and with much gracious care dreads that consu­ming [Page 260] fire. But the Alien, while hee is upon the R [...]cke indeede, and hath the hainousnesse of his sinnes, and Hell freshly in His eie, will easily make many glorious protestations and promises, what a rare and resolute Convert Hee will become upon his recovery. But if once the storme bee over-blowne, Gods hand with­drawne, and his painefull conscience cast againe into a deade sleepe by the power, or rather poison of some sensuall receit, Hee performes just nothing: But like a filthy swine, wallowes againe in the mire and mud of earthlinesse and carnality, and againe with the beastly dog, returnes unto, and resumes his vomit.

6. Hee that hath savingly passed thorow the Pangs of such spirituall afflictions, is wont to bee very kindlily affected, most compassionate, and tender-hear­ted to others, afflicted with the same wofull terrours and troubles of conscience. A woman, which hath her­selfe with extraordinary paine, tasted of that exquisite torture of child birth, is wont to bee more tenderly and mercifully disposed towards another in the like tor­ment; then she, that never knew what that miserie meant: And is more ready, willing, and skillfull to re­lieve in such distresses. It is proportionably so in the present Case: But the Alien beeing tainted in some mea­sure with the Divels hatefull disposition, is by the heate of his slavish horrour, rather enraged with malice, then resolved into mercy: Hee is rather tickled with a se­cret content, then touched with true commiseration, to see and heare of others plunged into the same gulphe of misery, and plagued like Himselfe. Hee is much troubled with his solenesse in suffering, and the singula­rity of any sorrowfull Accident. Companion-ship in crosses, doth something allay the discomforts of car­nall men: So that sometimes they secretly, but very sinfully reioyce, (such is their dogged, Ex [...], asse. [...]us [...] & gaudio [...] ­lus; Cum [...] has: [...]. Trop­to ed [...] latibus lae­ [...]antur, ad ipsum Dia­bolum accedunt: And they are as like [...] in this p [...]stilent pro­perty, as if Hee had spi [...] them out of his [...] oath. divelish dispo­sition) even to see the hand of God upon their neigh­bours. Neither can hee in such extremeties minister any [Page 267] meanes of helpe, or true comfort at all, either by pray­er, counsell, or any experimentall skill; because the evill spirit of his vexed conscience, was not driven away by any well-grounded application of Gods mercies, and Christs blood, but as Saules was, by Musicke, worldly mirth, carnall advise, Soule-slaying flatteries of Man-pleasing Ministers, plunging desperately into variety of sensuall pleasures, &c.

7. Hee, which after the boisterous tempest of Legall terrours, hath happily arrived at the Port of Peace; I meane, that blessed peace which passeth all understan­ding, made with God himselfe in the blood of his Son, enters presently thereupon into the good way, takes up­on Him the yoke of Christ, and serues him afterward in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life. And ordinarily His deeper humiliation, is an occasion of his more humble, precise, holy, and strickt walking, and of more watchfulnesse over his heart, and tendernesse of conscience, about lesser sinnes also; all occasions of scan­dall, appearances of evill, even aberrations in his best actions, & holiest duties, &c. But Aliens, whē once they bee taken off the Racke, and their torture determine, ei­ther become just the same men they were before; or else reforme onely some one, or other grosse sin, which stuckē most upon their consciences, but remaine un­amended and unmortified in the rest: or else, which of­ten comes to passe, grow a great deale worse. For they are, as it were, angry with God, that hee should give them a taste of Hell fire before their time; and there­fore knowing their time but short, fall upon earthly de­lights more furiously, engrosse and graspe the pleasures of the World with more greedinesse and importu­nitie.

These things thus premised; I come to tell you, that for the rectifying of the fore-mentioned Errour, and prevention of the danger of dawbing and undoing for ever in a matter of so weighty importance, I would ad­vise [Page 268] the Spirituall Physition, to labour with the utmost improovement of all his divine skill, heavenly wise­dome, best experience, heartiest praiers, most piercing persuasions, prest out of the word for that purpose, wisely to worke, and watchfully to observe the season, when hee may, warrantably and upon good ground, apply unto the woundedst soule of his spiritually-sicke Patient assured comfort in the promises of life, and that soveraigne blood, which was spilt for broken hearts; and assure him in the Word of truth, that all those rich compassions, which lie within the compasse of that great Covenant of everlasting mercy and love, sealed with the painefull sufferings of the Sonne of God, be­long unto Him. Which is then, when his troubled heart is soundly humbled under Gods mighty hand, and brought at length to, first, a truly penitent sight, sense, and hatred of all sinne: secondly, a sincere and un­satiable thirst after Iesus Christ, and righteousnesse both imputed, and inherent: thirdly, an unfained and un-reserved resolution of an universall New-obedience for the time to come, &c. Here I had purposed to have been large; but I am prevented by that which hath been said already: and therefore to avoide repeti­tion, I must remit you to the consideration of those Le­gall and Evangelicall preparations for the entertaine­ment of Christ and true comfort, which I handled be­fore, which may give some good direction and satisfa­ction in the Point.

Yet take notice, that in the meane time before such fitnesse bee fully effectuated, I would have the Man of God ply his Patient with his best perswasions and Proofes, seasonably mingled with motives to humiliati­on, of the pardonablenesse of his sinnes, possibility of pardon, damnablenesse of despaire, danger of ease by outward mirth, &c. And to hold out to the eye of the troubled conscience, as a prize and Lure, as it were, the freenesse of Gods immeasurable mercy, the generall [Page 269] Offer of Iesus Christ without any exception of per­sons, times, or sinnes; the pretiousnesse and infallibilitie of the promises, in as faire and lovely a fashion, in as orient and alluring formes, as Hee can possibly. But it is One thing, to say; If these things bee so, I can assure you in the Word of life, of the promises of life, and al­ready-reall right and interest to all the riches of Gods free grace, and glorious purchase of Christs meritorious blood: Another thing, to say; If you will suffer your understandings to bee illightened, your consciences to bee convinced, your hearts to be wounded with sight, sense, and horrour of sin; If you will come-in, and take Iesus Christ, His Person, his Passion, his yoke; If you will entertaine these and these affections, longings, and resolutions, &c. Then most certainely our mercifull Lord will crowne your truly humbled soules with his dearest compassions, and freest love.

Lastly, bee informed, that when all is done, I meane, when the Men of God have their desire; That the Pa­tient in their perswasion is soundly wrought upon, and professeth understandingly and feelingly, and as they verily thinke from His heart; first, that Hee is heavy laden with the grievous burden of all His sinnes; se­condly, That Hee is come by his present spirituall ter­rour and trouble of minde, to that resolution, to doe any thing; which wee find the Hearers of Iohn and Peter, Luk. 3. Act. 2. Thirdly, That Hee most highly prizeth Iesus Christ farre above the riches, pleasures, and glory of the whole earth; thirsts, and longs for Him infinite­ly. Fourthly, That Hee is most willing to sell all: To part with all sinne, with His right eye, and right hand, those lusts and delights which stucke closest to His bosome; Not to leave so much as an hoofe behind. Fifth­ly, That hee is content with all his heart to take Christ, as well for a Lord and Husband to serue, love, and o­bey Him; as for a Saviour to deliver Him from the miseries of sinne. To take upon Him His yoke: To [Page 270] enter into the narrow way, and walke in the holy Path: To associate Himselfe to that sect, which is so spoken against everywhere, &c. I say, when it is thus with the afflicted Party, and most happy is Hee, when it is thus with Him; yet notwithstanding, because God alone is the Searcher of the heart, and the heart of Man is de­ceitfull above all things, wee can assure mercy and par­don, but onely conditionally, (Tho by the mercy of God, wee doe it many and many times with strong and undeceiving confidence). Wee must ever adde either expressedly, or impliedly, such formes of speech as these: If all this which you professe bee in truth; If you bee thus resolved indeed; If these things bee so as you have said, &c. Why, then wee assure you in the word of life and truth, your Case is comfortable; you may sweetly repose your troubled, and truly-humbled soule upon Iesus Christ, as your wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification and redemption; upon all the Promises of life, Gods free grace, &c. as truly belonging unto you, and certainely yours for ever.

Heare two Master Builders upon the matter, confir­ming the present Point.

1.Doctor Vsher in his Answer to a Iesuites chalenge. Of the Priests power to for­give sinnes, pag. 144. To think that it lyeth in the power of any Priest tru­ly to absolve a man frō his sins, without implying the con­dition of his believing and repenting, as he ought to doe, is both presumption and madnesse in the highest degree.

2. Buckler of the Faith. By Peter de Mou [...] a­gainst Armo [...]z the Iesuite. Of A [...]ticular confession, pag. 390. In the Pardon, whereby a Priest By pardoning here, understand not any soveraignty of remitting sinnes: wee leave that errour to the Luciferian pride of that Man of sinne, who exalteth himselfe above all that is called God. Whom if wee follow, wee must say, that in this high Priest there is the fulnesse of all graces; because Hee alone giveth a full indulgence of all sinnes: that that may agree unto Him, which wee say of the chiefe Prince our Lord, that of his fulnesse all wee have received. Oportet dicere, in summo Pon­tifice esse plenis [...]d [...]e [...] omnium, gratiarum; quia ipse solus confert plenam indulgentiam om­nium peccatorum: ut competat sibi, quod de primo principe Domino dicimus; quia de pleni­tudine [...]i [...]s [...]os omnes a [...]epimus. De regimine Principum, Lib. 3. cap. 10. inter Opuscula Thomae, num. 10. Nay, wee must acknowledge, that the meanest in the whole army of Priests, that followe [...] this King of pride, hath such fulnesse of power derived unto him, for the opening and shutting of hea­ven before men: that forgivenesse is denied to them, whom the Priest will not forgive. Negatur remissio illis, quibus noluerint Sa­cerdotes remittere. Bellarm. de Poenitent. lib. 3. cap. 2. I say then, by pardoning, wee must not understand any soveraignty of re­mitting sinnes: but a declaring and shew­ing to the true Re­pentant, that they are pardoned, ministerial­ly onely. To which truth, it is so mighty, even some Popish writers subscribe. God, saith Lombard, the Father of the Romish Schoole, hath given power to Priests to binde and unbinde, that is, to shew, that men are bound or unbound. Deus Sacerdotibus tribuit potestatem solvendi & ligandi, id est, osten dendi homines esse ligato [...] [...] solutos. Lib. 4. distinct. 18. litera F. whom a great number of Schoole-men follow, In [...] Sent. Dist. 18. Nay, our Polemicall Divines proove it to bee publikely taught from [...] time of Satans loosing, untill his binding againe, by the restoring of the purity of the Gospell in our dayes. For this purpose, these are their Authors: Radulphus Ardens; The power, saith Hee, of releasing sinnes belongeth to God alone: but the ministry (which improperly is called a power) Hee hath granted to His substitutes, who after this manner doe binde and absolve, that i [...] to say, doe declare that men are bound, or absolved. [...]ot [...]stas peccata relaxandi solius Dei est. Ministerium verò, quod impropriè etiam Potestas vocatur, vicarijs suis concessit; qui modo suo ligant vel absolvunt, id est, liga [...]os, vel solutos esse often­dunt. Hom. Dominic. 1. post Pascha. Both the Anselmes, ours of Canterbury, the other of Laon in France, in their Expositions upon Matth. 9. Iuo Bishop of Chartres, Epist. 228. Hu­go Cardinalis, in Luc. 5. & Matth. 16. Allissiodorensis, lib. 4. De generali usu Clavium. Alex. Halensis, Sum. Part 4. Q. 21. Membr. 1. Bonavent. in 4. Dist. 18. Art. 2. Quaest. 1.2. Ockam. in 4. Sent. Quaest. 9. Lit. Q. Argentin. in 4. Sent. Dist. 18 art. 3. Michael de Bononiâ in Psal. 29. &c 31. Bie [...] in 4 Sent. Dist. 14. q. 2. & dist. 18. q. 1. Major in 4. Sent. Dist. 18. q. 1. & Dist. 14. q. 2. Cond. 3. Hadrian in Quodlibetic q. 5. art. 3. and others. How rotten and ridiculous then is that impudency of Suarez. [...] sontentia magistri salsa est, & iam hoc tempore er­ [...]onea. in Thom. Tom. 4. Disp. 19. Sect. 2. Num. 4. pardoneth a sinner for an offence by Him committed against God, there are two things to bee considered: One, that there is [Page 271] no pardon, if the sinner doth not earnestly repent; The other, that hee himselfe which pardoneth, hath need of par­don. Of these two Points, the first is the cause, that the Priests pardon is conditionall, because Hee knoweth not the heart; The other is a cause, that the Priest should consider of himselfe, that hee is rather a De­linquet, then a Iudge: and to teach him to feare, lest that after hee hath pardoned others, Hee himselfe may not obtaine pardon. It is a thing certaine, that if a sinner seriously converting▪ and beleeving in Iesus Christ, cannot obtaine absolution of his Pastor which is passionate, or badly informed of the truth; God will pardon him. On the contrary, if a Pastor that is indulgent, an winketh at vices, or that is deceived by appearance of repentance, ab­solveth an hypocriticall sinner, and receiveth him into the communion of the faithfull, that [...]ypocriticall sinner re­maineth bound before God, and shall bee punished not­withstanding. For God partaketh not with the errours of Pastors, neither regardeth their passions; nor can be hin­dred from doing iustice by their ignorance.

[Page 272]3. Let mee adde Neque enim praeiudi­camus Domino iudica­tur [...], quò minùs si poe­nitenti [...]m ple [...]am & iustam peccatoris inve­nerit, tunc ratum faci­at, quod à nobis fuerit hic statutum. Si verò nos aliquis poenitentiae simulatione deluserit; Deus, qui non deride­tur, & qui cor hominis intuetur, de his qua nos minùs perspe [...]imus in­dicet, & servorum sen­tentiam Dominus [...]ē ­det. Ad Antonianum. epist. 2. lib. 4. Cyprian, who at the first rising of the Novatian heresie, wrote thus to Antonianus: We doe not preiudice the Lord that is to iudge; But that hee, if Hee finde the repentance of the sinner to bee full, and iust, hee may then ratifie that, which shall bee here ordai­ned by us: But if any one doe deceive us with the sem­blance of repentance, God (who is not mocked, and who beholdeth the heart of man) may iudge of those things, which wee did not well discerne, and the Lord may amend the sentence of his servants.

Neither let this Truth; to wit, that our assuring of mercy and pardon must bee conditionall, upon such like termes as these; If thou doest beleeve, and repent as thou oughtest to doe; If these things bee in truth as you promise and professe, &c. discourage, or trouble any that are true of heart: For it should not prejudice, or hinder their application of the promises, taking Christ as their owne assurance of mercy and comfort: because they are conscious to themselves of the syncerity of their owne hearts. And therefore Doctor Vsher, in His Answer to a Iesuites Chalenge, pag. 137. Looke how the Pro­phet Esay was comforted, when the Angell said unto Him; Esay. 6.7. Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sinne purged; and the poore Woman in the Gospell, when Iesus said unto Her, Luk. 7.48. Thy sinnes are forgiven: The like con­solation doth the distressed sinner receive from the mouth of the Minister, when hee hath compared the truth of Gods Word faithfully delivered by Him, with the worke of Gods grace in His owne heart. According to that of Elibu: Iob 33.23.24. If there bee an Angell, or a Messenger with him, an Interpreter, One of a thousand, to declare unto man his righteousnesse; then will God have mercy up­on Him, and say, Deliver him from going downe to the pit, I have received a reconciliation.

2. Too much. A little Aqua vita may happily re­vive and refresh the fainting spirits of a swouning Man; but too much would kill. A spoone-full of Cinnamon-water mingled with twelve spoone-fulls of Spring-water, [Page 273] and one spoonefull of Rose-water, &c. may bee soveraigne against the sinking of the heart; But poure at once a Pint into the Stomack, and it might unhappi­ly choake the naturall heate, waste the Radicall moy­sture, and burne up a Mans Bowels. Mercy being wise­ly administred in the right season, and mingled with convenient Counsels and Caveats, may, by Gods bles­sing, binde up a broken heart with a leasurable and kindly Cure; It may mollifie in the meane time with an healing and heavenly heate, the smarting anguish of a wounded conscience; and at length seasonably close it up with sound and lasting comfort: But poured out hand over head by an unsteady, and in-discreet hand, It may by accident, dangerously dry up penitent teares too soone, and stifle the worke of the spirit of Bondage in the beginning.

But here let none either out of ignorance or malice mistake, or bee troubled with this Too much: The same Phrase in the same sense is to be found in The comfort which is ministred to the part [...] in distresse, must bee al­layed with some mix­ture of the Law; that is to say: The Pro­mise alone must not bee applyed, but with­all mention is to bee made of the sinnes of the Party, and of the grievous punishments due unto Him for the same. The reason is, because there is much guile in the heart of Man; insomuch, as oftentimes it falleth out, that men not thorowly humbled, beeing comforted, either too soone, or too much, doe afterward become the worst of all. In this respect, not unlike to the iron, which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot, and coold againe, is much more hard then it would have been, if the heate had been moderate. And hence it is, that in the ministring of comfort, wee must something keepe them downe, and bring them on by little and little to repentance. The sweetnesse of comfort is the greater, if it bee allaied with some tart­nesse of the Law. Cases of Conscience, Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Sect. 5. Here remember by the way, that the comforts ministred usually and ordinarily, must not goe alone, but bee mingled and tempered with some terrours of the Law, &c.—The ministring of comfort in this distresse would not bee direct and present, but by certaine steps and degrees: Except on­ly in the Point of death: for then a directer course must be used. I [...]id. Cap. 11. Sect. 1. Master Per­kins, a great Master in the deepe mystery of dealing with afflicted consciences. For wee must know, that Too much, is by no meanes to bee meant of any wayes restraining, or confining the infinitenesse of Gods mer­cy. It were execrable blasphemy to dis-roabe Gods most glorious Attribute of it's immensity: but in re­spect of not mingling some Coolers and Caveats to [Page 274] keepe from presumption: as shall appeare in the ensu­ing Counsells, I shall commend for that purpose.

Vpon this ground, I reason thus:

A man may presse, and apply Gods justice, and the terrours of the Law Too much; therefore also mercy, and the comforts of the Gospell, too much. The con­sequent is cleare. For as the former may plunge into the Gulphe of despaire; so the other may cast upon the Rocke of presumption: Nay, it is more then un-answer­ably strong; Because wee are farre readier to appre­hend, and apply unto our selves mercy, then judgement. And thousands are endlesly overthrowne thorow pre­sumption, for one by despaire.

And the Antecedent who will deny? It is rather so preposterously applauded and prest; that most, if a Mi­nister, even with his best discretion, reveale the whole Counsell of God, and tell them; That none shalbee re­freshed by Christ, but onely those who labour and are heavy laden;Matth. 11.28. That they must humble themselves in the sight of the Lord, Iames 4.10. Prov. 28.13. if they would have him to lift them up: That none shall have mercy, but such as confesse and for­sake their sinnes: That the meere ciuill man, and luke­warme formall Professour,Heb. 12.14. Revel. 3.19. without holinesse and zeale, can never bee saved: That all the wicked shalbee turned into Hell, Psal. 9.17. &c. In a word, if Hee take the right course to bring men from darkenesse to light, from Satan to the li­ving God; by first wounding with the Law, before Hee heale with the Gospell; I say, the most in this Case, are ready to cry out, and complaine, that hee throwes wild­fire, Brimstone and Gunpowder into the consciences of men.

Conceive therefore, I pray you;

That there is in God; first, His justice; and second­ly, His mercy, both infinite and equall. Onely in regard of Man there is an inequality; For God may bee said, to bee more mercifull unto them that are saved, then just to them that are damned: For of damnation the [Page 275] just cause is in Man; but of salvation, it is wholly from grace.Proprietates Dei es­sentiales sunt realitèr ip samet Dei essentia, & nec ab essentiâ Dei, nec inter se reipsâ diffe­runt: Non ab essen­tiâ, quia sic sunt in es­sentiâ, ut sint ipsa es­sentia: Non inter se, quia quicquid in Deo est, unum est: à primâ autem unitate omnis prorsus differentia, om­nisque numerus abesse debet. Polan. Syntag. Theol. Lib. 2. Cap. 7. In Himselfe and originally, they are both equal, and so are all his Attributes: But in respect of the Proprietates Dei [...] sunt aequales, [...] inaequales. Al­sted. Theol. Didactico Scholast. Sect. 1. Cap. 15. ex­ercise, and expression upon His creatures, and abroad in the world, there is some difference. But for my pur­pose, and our Ministeriall emploiment and Com­mission, take notice;

That as the revealed effects of Gods mercy, are love, tender-heartednesse, compassion; His owne deare Sons pretious hearts-blood, pardon of sinnes, peace of con­science, unspeakeable and glorious joy thereupon, E­vangelicall pleasures, comfortable presence of the Spirit even in this life, and in the other World pleasures infini­tely moe then the Starres of the firmament in number, even for ever and ever: And all these vpon all true Peni­tents.

So the revealed effects of His Iustice are indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; that Sword, which will devoure flesh; those arrowes, that drinke blood; that fiery anger, which will burne unto the lowest Hell, and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines; That com­ming against, which is with fire and charets like a whirle­winde, to render anger with fury, and rebuke with flames of fire; that meeting which is, as of a Beare bereaved of her whelps, to rent the cau [...]e of the heart, and devoure like a Lyon, &c. All plagues with the extremity, temporall, spirituall, eternall, all the curses in this Booke of His, all the torments in Hell, to the utmost sparke of those infer­nall flames; And all these, upon all impenitent sinners. Now God will bee glorified both waies, and by them both:

Give us leave then, to give them both their due:

Wee are most willing, and ready, as our great Now wee his Mini­sters, His Almoners to distribute his com­forts, even as many, as bee in the Scripture, dare not lavish them out, and promise them to such lazy indiffe­rents as these: But if wee see any ready to faint for want, saying, Give mee drinke, or else I die; then wee reach the cup of salvation to him, and bid him drinke of it: neither dare wee to give it to any other. Rogers of Dedham, Doctr. of Faith, pag. 186. Ma­ster [Page 276] in Heaven would have us, Isa. 40.1.2. and our bles­sed Saviour by his example doth teach us; Luk. 4.18. To convey by our Ministry into every truly-broken heart, and bleeding Soule, the warmest bloud that ever heated Christs tender heart; and to keepe backe from the true Penitent, not any one graine of that immeasu­rable Mine, of all the rich mercies purchased with that pretious blood.

Bee content therefore on the otherside, that wee o­pen the Armory of Gods justice, and reveale his wrath from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of Men; That indignation and wrath, Tribulation and an­guish, shalbe upon every soule of man that doth evill, &c. As wee are ever ready to binde vp the bruised spirit with the softest oyle of Gods sweetest mercy: So let us, I pray you, have leave, in the equity of a just and holy proportion, to wound with the Hammer of the Law, the ha [...]ry Pate of every One that goes on in His sinne.

Let us deale faithfully even with▪ wicked men, lest wee answere for the blood of their soules, By telling them; That, as certainely as all the glorious comforts, and blessed consequents of Gods infinite mercy shall crowne the heart and heade of every true-hearted Na­thanael for ever: so all the dreadfull effects of his angry Iustice will at length seize upon the Soules, and con­found the consciences of all un-holy men with extre­mest severity, and terrour.

Let it bee thus then, and let our Ministeriall dispen­sation bee in this manner: If thou bee an impenitent Person; I would tell Thee, That the vtmost wrath of God, vnquenchable and everlasting vengeance, all earthly and infernall plagues, are thy certaine Portion: But I would mollify and sweeten the bitternesse of this sentence, with assurance of mercy upon Repentance, to prevent the assaults of despaire.

On the other side, If the Ministry of the Word hath [Page 277] wrought upon Thee effectually; and now thy truly-humbled soule thirsts after Christ with a syncere hatred and opposition against all sinne; I would assure thy troubled and trembling heart in the Word of life and truth, of all those most pretious blessings and sweetest comforts, which the Booke of God doth promise, and the blood of Christ hath bought: But withall I would commend unto thee some Coolers and Counterpoisons against presumption, and falling to Pharisaisme.

For which purpose, and for prevention of danger, and spirituall undoing by unskilfull, and undiscreet dawbing in the Case proposed; I come now to tender such Counsels and Caveats as these, or the like, which the faithfull Physition of the Soule according to occasi­ons, circumstances, and present exigents, may thinke fit to bee mingled with administration of mercy, and wise­ly propounded to the afflicted Party.

It may not proove unseasonable to speake thus, or in some such manner, to thy spirituall Patient.

1. If these things bee truly and soundly so: If thou finde and feele indeed such a mollified and melting spi­rit, such broken and bleeding affections in thy bosome; Thou art certainely blessed. If that sorrowfull soule of thine doth renounce from the very heart-roote, with speciall distaste and detestation all manner of sinne; in­satiably thirst after righteousnesse; unfainedly resolve, for the short remainder of a few and evill dayes, to bend it selfe towards heaven in all New-obedience; I say, if this bee syncerely, the holy disposition and reso­lution of thine heavy heart, notwithstanding all thy present terrour and trouble of minde, Thou art truly and everlastingly happy. Onely take notice (lest my ministring of mercy bee mistaken, or thy conceiving of comfort mis-carry) that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things. A bottomlesse depth it is of Falshoods, dissemblings, hypocrisies. An endlesse Maze of win­dings, turnings, and hidden passages. No eye can search [Page 278] and see it's center and secrets, but that All-seeing One alone, which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sun; to which the darkest Nooke of Hell is as the Noone-day. And therefore not I, nor any man alive, can pro­mise pardon, or apply the promises, but conditionally, upon supposition: If these things bee so, and so, as thou hast said. And the syncerity of thy heart, and truth of these hopefull protestations, which wee now heare from thee in this extremity; (and I must tell thee by the way, such like may be enforced by the slavish sting of present terrour, not fairely and freely flow from a true touch of conscience for sinne; I say, this may bee, tho I hope better things of Thee). The truth, as I said, both of thy heart, and these affectionate promises, will appeare, when the storme is over, and this dismall tempest, which hath over-cast and shaken thy spirit with extraordinary feare, and astonishment, is over­blowne. Thy course of life to come, will proove a true Touch-stone, to try, whether this bee the kindly tra­vaile of the New-birth; or onely a temporary taking-on during the fit, by reason of the uncouthnesse, and ex­quisitenesse of this invisible spirituall torture, without true turning to Iesus Christ. If when the now-troubled powers of thy soule, which the wound of thy consci­ence hath cast into much distracted and uncomforta­ble confusion, shall recover their wonted calmenes and quiet, thou turne unto thine old bias, humour, compa­ny and conversation; it will then bee more then mani­fest, that this Furnace of terrour and temptation, where­in thou now lies and languishes, was so far from work­ing thine heart to heavenlinesse and grace, that it hath hammered it to more hardnesse and ungraciousnesse: from purging and refining; that it hath occasioned more earthlinesse, epicurisme and raging affections in sensuality and sinfull pleasures. But if, when thou art up againe, and raised by Gods mercifull hand out of the Depth of this spirituall distresse, into which the horrible [Page 279] sight, and heavy waight of thy sinnes have sunke thee; if then thou expresse, and testifie thy true-heartednesse in these present solemne protestations made now, as it were, in thy hot blood; I meane, of thy hatred against sinne, by an earnest opposition, watchfulnesse, and stri­ving against all, especially that, which in thine unrege­nerate time stucke closest to thy bosome: of thine hun­ger and thirst after a comfortable fruition of Gods face and favour, by a conscionable and constant pursuit, and exercise of all good meanes and opportunities, of all his blessed ordinances, appointed and sanctified for groath in grace, and bringing us nearer unto Him: of thy future New-obedience, and Christian walking, by plying industriously, and fruitfully with thy best endea­vour, and utmost ability, those three glorious workes of Christianity; Preservation of purity in thine owne Soule and Body: righteous dealing with all thou hast to doe-with: Holy carriage towards God in all religi­ous duties.Tit. 2.11▪ 12. In a word, by denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and living soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world, of which the grace of God teacheth every true Convert to make Conscience. I say, if upon thy recovery, this bee thy course; Thou art certainely New-created. Such blessed behaviour as this, will in­fallibly evidence, these present terrours to have been the Pangs of thy New-birth, and thy happy translation from death to life, from the vanity and folly of sin into the light and liberty of Gods Children.

2. Secondly,Zech. 13.1. say unto Him: When once that blessed Fountaine of Soule-saving blood is opened up­on thy Soule, in the side of the Sonne of God, by the hand of Faith for sinne and for uncleannesse; then also must a Counter-spring, as it were, of repentant teares bee opened in thine humbled heart, which must not be dried up untill thy As concerning sor­row, seeing the causes still remaine, namely, corruption and affliction; therefore this sorrow must continue to our lives end: Tho in a different manner; now mingled with comfort; whereas the former before Faith could have none. Whereas on the o­ther side, the sorrow that quite drieth up, was never sound, as it is to bee seene in ma­ny, who beeing once deepely afflicted, and in great heavinesse for their miserable state, afterward com­ming to some com­fort, are growne so se­cure and senselesse, that having no true griefe, or remorse for their daily corrupti­ons, content them­selves, that they were once cast downe: whose lives, as they bee foule, and full of blots; so their ends bee oft fearefull; either senselesse or uncomfortable: so dangerous is it to quench the spirit in any pat. Culverwell in his Treat [...]se of Faith, pag. 46.47. Certum est sine sensu peccati & miseriae primùm, deinde [...]iberationis in Christo Iesu [...] eadem illá mise­riá, nullam in Christo esse veram consolationem. Nos quidem hodierno die expectamus non primumillum, sed secundum Christi adventum. Vt igitur eum cum aliquâ consolatione expe­ctemus, danda nobis opera est in totâ vitâ, ut magis magis (que) in sensu peccati, & miseriae nostrae proficiamus: alioqui pro [...]ectò tantum aberit, ab eo, ut cum consolatione & gaudio [...]um Chri­sti adventum expectemus, ut è contrà cum horroribus a [...]i [...]i & conscientiae n [...]n tam expecte­mus illum diem, quàm eum aversemur, Rolloc. in Iohan▪ pag. 346. Perpetuò resipiscamus; In perpetuâ luctâ & perpetuâ resipiscentiâ simus. Idem. Ibid. pag▪ 337. Some are onely slightly humbled, and having got comfort, are never more grieved: whereas a true Be­leever, even after Faith, grieves still for his daily sinnes: but these thinke it enough that they were once grieved; and therefore now grieve no more for their foule sinnes. Rogers of Dedham. Doctr. of Faith, pag. 367. Cum sèmper nobis agnoscenda sint peccata nostra, & credendum, quòd remittantu [...] nobis peccat [...] propter. Christum, sen [...]imus semper etiam in h [...]c vitâ nobis agendam esse poenitentia [...]. Harmon. Confess. p. 2. Wirtenbergica, Confess. de poenit. pag. 153. Wee are to note, that repentance is a continuall course of sorrow; and if wee have this in truth, then may wee boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods Word, and from His Ministers, and looke what comfort they give us on Earth, the same shall bee sealed also in Heaven. Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the ground, if wee will have fruit; and daily to eate, if wee will live: so in spirituall things, wee must bee humbled with continuall sorrow, that wee may bee refreshed with daily comfort in Christ. Greenham, Serm. 7. Of Repentance. I the rather quote these Divines for this Point; to oppose the wicked and ignorant folly of some ill-tong'd Anti-nomists, and other peevish and proud Phantasticks. dying Day. This is my meaning; [Page 280] (for every Christian hath not teares at command: the heart sometimes may bleed, when the eyes are dry). Thou must bee content to continue the current of thy godly sorrow upon that abominable Sinke and Sodom of all the lusts, vanities and villanies of thy darke and damned time; and also upon those frailties, infirmities, imperfections, defects, relapses, back-slidings, which may accompany thy regenerate state; even untill that body of sinne, which thou carries about Thee, bee dis­solved by the stroke of death. As concerning thine old sinnes, and those that are past, it is not enough that now the fresh horrour of them, and those grissely af­frighting formes, wherein they have appeared to the eye of thy wounded conscience, have wrought upon thy heart, by Gods blessing▪ some softnesse, heart-rising, [Page 281] remorse and hatred: But thou must many and many a time hereafter, in the extraordinary exercises of renued repentance, presse thy penitent spirit to bleede afresh within thee, and [...]. Sam. 7.6. Hauserunt aquas è pu­ [...]eo cordis sui, & abun­dè lachrymati sunt co­ram▪ Domino, resipis­centes. Chald. Paraph. draw water againe out of the bottome of thy broken heart with those Israelites, and poure it out before the Lord in abundāce of bitter teares, for thy never sufficiently sorrowed-for abominations and rebellions, against so blessed and bountifull a God. Now the solemne times and occasions, when wee are called to this renued Repentance, are such as these:

1. When wee are to performe some speciall services unto God; because then out of a godly jealousie wee may feare, lest the face and favour of God, the love and light of His countenance may not lie so open unto us, by reason of the cloudy interposition of our former sinnes. 2. When wee seeke for any speciall blessing at Gods mercifull hands; because then out of a gracious feare we may suspect, that our old sinnes may intrude; and labour to intercept and divert from our longing Soules, the sweet and comfortable influences of the Throne of grace. It may seeme that David in the cur­rent of his prayer, saw His old sinnes charge upon Him, and therefore cries out by the way; Remember not the sinnes of my youth. 3. In the time of some great afflicti­on, and remarkeable Crosse; when upon a new search, and strict examination of our hearts and lives; we hum­bling our selves more solemnely againe in the sight of the Lord, and mourning afresh over Him, whom wee have pierced with our youthly pollutions, and provoke daily with many wofull failings, are wont to seeke Gods pleased face, and our former peace; sanctificati­on of it unto us in the meane time, and the remoovall of it from us in due time, in the name of Iesus Christ. 4. After relapse into some old secret lust, or fall into some new scandalous sinne. Davids remorse for adul­tery and murder, brought his heart to bleede over his birth-sinne, Psal. 51.5. Above all, upon all those [Page 282] mighty Dayes of humiliation by prayer and fasting, publike, private, or secret: wherein Gods people wra­stle with God by the omnipotency of prayer,Est quadam precum omnipotentia. Luth. and worke so many wonders from time to time. 6. Some there are also, who setting apart some speciall times to conferre with God in secret, lay together before Him, the glori­ous Catalogue of the riches of His mercy, reaching from everlasting to everlasting, all his favours, preserva­tions, deliverances, protections, &c. from their first bee­ing, to that time; and the abhorred Catalogue of all their sinnes from Adam to that houre, Originall, both imputed, and inherent; actuall both before and since their calling; and this they doe with hearty desire of such different affections, as they severally require. A se­rious and sensible comparing of which two together, makes sinne a great deale more loathsome, and the mer­cies of God more illustrious; and so prooves effectuall many times, by the helpe of the Holy Ghost, to soften their hearts extraordinarily, to make them weepe hear­tily, and fils their Soules with much joyfull sorrow, and humble thankefulnesse. 7. Vpon our Beds of death. Then because wee take our farewell of Repentance, we should take our fill of it; because it is the last time wee shall looke upon our sinnes for that purpose, we should dismisse them with utmost, and extremest loathing. At such times, and upon such occasions as these, and the like, when thou art called to a more solemne, strict and severe search, and review of thy old sinnes and former life, Thou must renue this present repentance of thy New-birth, make thine heart breake againe, and bleed afresh with the sight of thy heretofore much doted-up­on, but now most abhorred abominable courses. And so often also, as thou lookes backe upon them, Thou must labour to abominate and abandon them with more re­solute aversion, and new degrees of detestation. Tho [...]e may bee, by the mercies of God, they shall never bee able to — Quntum prin [...]us ego lum. Hoc ergo apud beatum Paulum siduciae & consolatio­nis accipite fratres, ut ad Dominum iam con­versos, non nimis cri [...] ­ciet praeteritorum co [...] ­scientia delictorum: sed tantùm bum [...]lie [...] vos, sicut & ipsum. Ego sum inquit minimus Apostolorum: qui non sum dignus vocari A­postolus, qui sum per­secutus ecclesiam Dei. Ita & nos humiliemur sub potenti man [...] Dei, &c. Bern. Col. 225. [...]ng thee againe with the same slavishnesse of [Page 283] guilty horrour; yet thou m [...]st still endeavour, in thy cold blood to strangle utterly thy former delight in them, with more hearty additions of deadly hatred; and to bee more and more humbled for them untill thy ending houre. It is a very high happinesse, and bles­sing above ordinary, to bee able to looke backe upon thy choisest youthfull pleasures and pollutions, without either sensuall delight, or slavish horrour: with syn­cere hatred, holy indignation, and hearty mourning.

Now for the time to come, and those sinnes, which hereafter the rebelliousnesse of thy naughty nature, and violence of the Divels temptations may force upon thee; if thy heart bee now truly toucht, and conscience savingly illightned, Thou shalt find much matter, neces­sity, and use of continuing thy Repentance, so long as thy life lasts. In a leaking ship there must bee conti­nuall pumping; Et si preces quotidiè, quotidiè poenitentiam aga [...]: quod in antiquis domibus facere sole­mus, cum fuerint putre­factae, putrida subtrahi­mus, & supponimus nova, & à continuâ cu­râ nunquam desinimus. Chrysost. Ad pop. An­tioch. Hom. 80. A ruinous house must be still in repai­ring: These bodies of death wee beare about us, are na­turally liable to so many batteries, and breaches by the assaults of originall sinne, and other implacable enemies to our soules, that there is extreme need of perpetuall watch and ward, repenting and repairing, lest the New­man bee too much opprest, and too often surprized by the many, and cunning encounters of the old Adam. When thou art in company, solitary, busied about thy particular Calling, there may suddenly arise in thine heart, some greedy wish, some grosse conceite, some vaine, uncleane, ambitious, revengefull thought; ejacu­late presently a penitent [...]igh, and [...]ervent prayer for pardon of it in the Passion of Christ. In thy family, perhaps amongst thy children and servants, by reason of some crosse-accident, thou mayst breake out into some unadvised passionate speech; and disgrace thy selfe and Profession, by over hasty intemperate heate, not without some danger of hurting and hardening those about thee thereby: Get thee presently upon it into thy Closer, or some place for that purpose; Throw [Page 284] thy selfe downe with a truly-grieved, and humbled Soule before the Trone of grace, and rise not untill thou bee reconciled unto thy God. If at any time, which God forbid, Thou bee over-taken with some more publike scandalous sinne, or dangerously haun­ted with some enormous secret lust; appoint for thy selfe a solemne Day of humiliation; and then cry un­to the Lord like a woman in travaile; and give him no rest, untill Hee returne unto Thee with the wonted fa­vour and calmnesse of His pleased countenance. If Christians would constantly take to heart, and ply this blessed businesse of immediately rising by repentance, after every relapse and fall into sinne, they should find a further Paradise and pleasure in the wayes of God, then they ever yet tasted. This course continued with present feeling, and after-watchfulnesse, would helpe excellently, by the blessing of God, and excercise of Faith, the onely Conduit of all spirituall comfort, to keepe in their bosomes that, which they much desire, and often bewaile, the want of a chearefull, bold, and heavenly spirit.

Neither let any here bee troubled, because I presse the exercise and use both of renewed and continued Repentance all our life long; as tho thereupon the Christians life might seeme more uncomfortable: For wee are to know, that sorrow according to God, Evan­gelicall mourning, is If any doubt, how godly sorrow and spi­rituall ioy may consist together at the same time, in the same Subiect; let them take satisfaction even from Philosophy: De dolore & gaudio dupliciter loqui possumus: uno modo secundum quod sunt passiones appeti­tus scusitivi. Et sic nullo modo possunt essè simul: eò quòd sunt om [...]inò contrariae, Velex par­te obiecti, (put à cum sunt de eodem), vel saltem ex parte motus cordis: Nam gaudium est cui [...] dilstatione cordis; tristitia verò cum constrictione. Et hoc modo loquitur Philosophus. Eth. 9. [...]io modo possumus loqui de gaudio, & tristitiâ, secundum quod consistunt, in simplici actu vo­luntatis, cui aliquid placet, vel displicet. Et secundum hoc non possunt bab [...] contrari [...]tate [...] nisi ex parte Obiect:, putà, cum sunt de codem, & secundum idem. [...] non possunt [...] esse gaudium & tristitia: quia non potest simulide [...]s secundum idem placene & displi [...]re [...] verò gaudiu [...] & tristitia sic accepta non sint de eodem s [...]dumidem, sed vel de diversis, vel de eodem secundum diversa, sic non est contrarietas gaudij & tristitia. Vnde nihil probebēt hominem simul gandere, & tristari: putà▪ si videamus iustum affligi, [...] placet nobis ei [...] iustitia, & displicet a [...] ­flictio. Et hoc modo si­mul potest alicui displi­cere quòd peccavit, pla­cere quòd hoc ei displi­cet cum spe veniae: ita quòd ipsa tristitia sit materia gaudij: unde & Augustinus Semper do­lcat Poenitens, & de dolore gaudeat. Aquin. pag. 3. quaest. 84. Art. 9. Ad secundum. As in prophane joy, even in laughing the heart is sorrowfull: So in godly sorrow, even in weeping the heart is light, and chearefull. Though sinne grieve us, yet our grieving for sinne pleaseth us. As when wee see a good man wronged, wee grieve at his wrong, but re­joyce in His goodnes. Dyke of Repentance, cap. 4. mingled with abundance of spi­rituall [Page 285] joy, which doth infinitely surpasse in sweetnesse and worth, all worldly pleasures and delights of sense. Nay, whereas all the Ioviall good-fellow-mirth of car­nall men is but a flash of Hellish folly; This is a very glimpse of heavenly glory. Let mee tell you againe, how sweetly and truly that excellent Divine of Scot­land speakes of it: Concedo quidem illud in ipso m [...]rore & dolo­re piorum plus gaudij inesse, & verae laeti­tiae, quàm in risuhuius mundi: Nam cum sus­pirijs inenarrabilibus coniunctum est g [...]udi­um ineffabile. Rolloc in Ioan. cap. 11. p. 610. There is, saith He, more lightnesse of heart, and true delight in the sorrow of the Saints, then in the Worlds loudest laughter. For unspeakeable ioy is mingled with un-utterable groanes. The ancient Fathers are of the same minde with this Man of God: Godly sorrow, saith Quid tristitiâ molestius? Sed quando secundum Deum sit, mundi gaudio melior est. In 2. Cor. 7. Hom. 15. Sicut mundi gaudium tristitiae consortio c [...]pulatur, ita etiam secundum Dominu [...] lachryma iugem pariunt certámque laetitiam. In Matth. 2. Hom. 6. Iamque [...]ste talis, ea quae videntur cuncta despiciens, in compunctione continuá perseverat, largo assiduè flu [...]s fonte lacbrymarum, multámque hinc capiens voluptatem. Ibid. Chrysostome, is better then the ioy of the World. Even as The ioy of the World is ever ac­companied with sorrow; so teares according to God be­get continuall and certaine delight. Againe, Such a man as this now (meaning Him whose heart is inflamed with an heavenly heate) despising all things here below, doth presevere in continuall compunction, pouring out abun­dance of teares every day, and taking thence a great deale of pleasure. Let the Repentant, saith Hinc semper [...]leat, & de dolore gaudeat. Tom. 4. pag. 2. De verâ & falsa poenitentiâ, Cap. 13. Austin, be alwaies sorrowfull for sinne, and alwaies reioyce for that sor­row.

3. Beware of two dangerous errours: 1. Either to conceive, that thou mayst not admit of any comfort, or apply the promises comfortably; because Thou still finds in thy selfe more matter of mourning, and further humiliation. 2. Or to thinke; When Thou hast on [...] laid hold upon Christs Person and pretious sufferings, for the pardon of thy sinnes, and quieting of thy Soule, that then Thou must mourne no more.

1. For the first, know, That were our heads Seaes, [Page 286] and our eyes Fountaines of teares, and poured out abundantly every moment of our life: Should our hearts fall asunder into drops of blood in our breast, for anguish and indignation against our selves for our transgressions; yet should wee come infinitely short of the sorrow and hearts-griefe, which our many and hainous lusts and pollutions justly merit, and exact at our hands. Therefore wee cannot expect from our selves any such sufficiency of sorrow, or worthinesse of weeping for our sinnes, as by the perfection and power thereof to win Gods favour, and draw his mercy upon us. Such a conceit were most absurd, senselesse, and sin­full, and would rather discover and taste of naturall pride, then true humility, as they perhaps mistake: tend unhappily to the disgrace of Gods mercies, and gracing our owne merits. True it is; Had wee a thousand eyes, it were too little to weep them all out, for the ve­ry vanity of that one sinfull sense: Had we a thousand hearts, and they should all burst with penitent griefe, and bleed to death for the sinnes of our soules; it were more then immeasurably, unconceiveably insufficient. For were al this so, Beware thou be­come not a Papist, in thinking to merit meerely by thy con­tritiō, &c. it is not thy contrition, if it had been an hundred times more, could me­rit pardon of the least of thy sinnes. If the Lord Iesus had not suffered infinite sor­row and griefe in Soule and Body for them; it is not all our grieving could satisfie Gods justice for the smallest offence; no not tho wee should weepe out our eyes, and mourne to death. Therefore, tho God hath appointed all, to whom hee will shew mercy, to bee contrite-hearted; yet not to come to mercy thereby, as by a meritorious meanes; but as by a convenient and meet dispositi­on, to prepare us to seeke and receive mercy with thankfulnesse. Rogers of Dea [...]a [...]. Of Faith, pag. 152. Nonin flatibus nostris, non in actions nostris, sedin Advocati nostri [...] [...] ­tione confidamus. Gregor. in Ezech. Hom. 7. yet were it not this; but the hearte-blood of Iesus Christ, could make the Fathers heart to yerne compassionately over us, or purchase pardon, and acceptation at his hands. Tender therefore unto that poore troubled soule, who beeing sorely crushed, and languishing under the burden of his sinnes, refuses to bee raised and refreshed, endlesly pleading, and dispu­ting against himselfe, out of a strong, fearefull appre­hension of his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse, put­ting off all comfort by this mis-conceit, that no Seaes of [Page 287] sorrow, no measure of mourning will serve the turne to come comfortably unto Iesus Christ: I say, presse up­on such an One this true Principle in the high and hea­venly Art of rightly comforting afflicted conscien­ces.

So soone as a Man is truly and heartily humbled for all his sinnes, and weary of their waight, tho the degree of his sorrow bee not answerable to his owne desire, yet Hee shall most certainely bee welcome unto Iesus Christ.

It is not so much the Ad recipiendam gra­tiam remissionis, neces­saria est ex nostrâ parte contritio fidei & poeni­tentiae verae: sed quod addit, (Bellarminus sc.) Neminem scire an suae fides & poenitentia sit talis, & tanta, quantae à Deo requiritur, fal­sissimum est. Non enim ex gradu, aut mensurâ fidei, vel poenitentiae, depēdet iustificatio, sed exveritate. Davenant. Expos. Epist. ad Co­los. pag. [...]1. muchnesse and measure of our sorrow, as the truth and heartinesse, which fits us for the promises and comforts of mercy. Tho I must say this also: Hee that thinkes, Hee hath sorrowed Si dixisti, Sufficit, Per [...]sti. August. enough for His sinnes, never sorrowed savingly.

2. For the second, which is more properly and spe­cially pertinent to our purpose; Take notice, That the blood of Christ beeing seasonably and savingly apply­ed to thine humbled Soule, for the pardon and purgati­on of sinne, must by no meanes damne and dry up thy well-spring of weeping, but onely asswage and heale thy wound of horrour. That pretious Balme hath this heavenly property and power, that it rather melts, soft­neth, and makes the heart a great deale more weeping-ripe. If these bee truly the pangs of the New-birth, wherewith thou art now afflicted; Thou shalt find, that thy now cleaving with assurance of acceptation unto the Lord Iesus, will not so much lessen, hinder, or cease thy sorrow; as rectifie, season, and sweeten it. If thy right unto that Soule-saving Passion bee reall; and thou cast thine eye with a beleeving, hopefull heart up­on Him, whom thou hast therein pierced with thy sins (and those sinnes alone are said properly to have pier­ced Christ, which at length are pardoned by his blood). Thou canst not possibly containe, but excesse of love unto thy crucified Lord, and sense of Gods mercy, shed into thy Soule thorow his merits, will make thee weepe againe, and fa [...]ely force thine heart to burst out [Page 288] abundantly into fresh, and filiall teares. (See how freshly Davids heart bled with repentant sorrow, upon His assurance by Nathan of the pardon of His sinne: Psal. 51). Thou canst not chuse, but mourne more heartily Evangelically, and that which should passingly please Thee, and sweetely perpetuate, the spring of thy godly sorrow, more pleasingly unto God.

Take therefore speciall notice and heede of these two depths of the Divell, that I have now disclosed un­to thee:

1. When thou art truly wrought upon by the Mi­nistry of the Word, and now fitted for comfort; Be­leeve the Prophets; those Ones of a thousand, learned in the right handling of afflicted consciences, and thou shalt prosper. As soone as thy Soule is soundly humbled for sinne, open and enlarge it joyfully like the thirsty ground, that the refreshing dew and Doctrine of the Gospell may drop and distill upon it, as the small raine upon the parched grasse. Otherwise;

1. Thou offers dishonour, and disparagement, as it were, to the dearenesse, and tendernesse of Gods mer­cy; who is ever infinitely more And therefore will the Lord waite, that Hee may be gracious unto you, &c. Isa 30.18 Oh thou afflicted, tos­sed with tempest, and not comforted! Be­hold, I will lay thy s [...]oues with faire co­lours, and lay thy foundations with Sa­phires. Cap. 54.11. Hee retaineth not his anger for euer, be­cause Hee delighteth in mercy. Hos. 7.18. ready, and forward to bind up a broken heart, then it to bleed before Him. Consider for this purpose the Parable of the prodigall Sonne, Luk. 15. Hee is there said to goe, but the Father ran.

2. Thou maist, by the unsettlednesse of thy heavy heart unnecessarily, unsit and dis-able thy selfe for the duties, and discharge of both thy Callings.

3. Thou shalt gratifie the Divell; who will labour mightily by his lying suggestions, (if thou wilt not bee counselled and comforted, when there is cause) to de­taine thee in perpetuall horrour here, and in an eternall Hell hereafter. Some find him [...] furiously and mali [...]i­ously busie to keepe them from comfort, when they are fit­ted; as from fitnesse for comfort.

4. Thou art extremely un-advised, nay, very cruell [Page 289] to thine owne Soule. For whereas it might now be fil­led with unspeakable and glorious ioy, 1. Pet. 1.8. Phil. 4.7. with peace that passeth all understanding, with Evangelicall pleasures, which are such,1. Cor. 2.9. as neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of Man, by taking Christ; To which thou hast a strong and manifold Calling: Isai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come yee to the waters, &c. Matth. 11.28. Come unto mee all yee that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Ioh. 7.37. If any man thirst, let him come un­to mee, and drinke. Revel. 22.17. And let him that is a thirst, come.. And whosoever will, let him take the wa­ter of life freely. Yea, a Commandement; 1. Ioh. 3.23. And this is his commandement, that wee should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ: And yet for all this, Thou, as it were, wilfully stand'st out, wilt not be­leeve the Prophets, forsak'st thine owne comfort, and liest still upon the Racke of thy unreconcilement unto God.

2. On the other hand: when the angvish of thy guilted Conscience, is upon sure ground something al­layed, and suppled with the oyle of comfort; and thy [...]unded heart warrantably revived with the sweet­nesse of the Promises, as with marrow and fatnesse: Thou must not then, either shut up thine eyes from further search into thy sins, or Resipiscentia illa non est vera ac solida, quae non virtualiter conti­nuatur, & actu reno­vatur subinde, à tem­pore conversionis ad fi­nem usque vitae. Ame­sius Medulla. Theol. Lib. 1. cap. 26. dry them up from any more mourning. But comfort of remission must serve as a pretious Eye-salve, both to cleare their sight, that they may see moe, and with more detestation; and to enlarge their Sluces, as it were, to poure out repentant teares more plentifully. Thou must continue ripping up, and ransacking that hellish Heape of thy former re­bellions, and pollutions of youth: still dive and digge into that Body of death thou bearest about thee, for the finding out, and furnishing thy selfe with as much mat­ter of sound humiliation as may bee; that thou mayst still grow viler and viler in thine owne eyes, and bee [Page 290] more and more humble untill thy dying Day. But yet so, That as thou holdest out in the one hand the cleare Cristall of Gods pure Law to discover the vilenesse and variety of thy sinnes; all the spots and staines of thy Soule; so thou hold out in the other hand, or rather with the hand of Faith lay hold upon the Lord Iesus hanging, bleeding, and dying upon the Crosse for thy sake. The one is soveraigne, to save from flavish stings of conscience, bitternesse of horrour, and venome of de­spaire: The other mingled with faith, will serve as a quickning preservative to keepe in thy bosome a [...] humble, soft, and lowly spirit; which doth ever excel­lently fit, to live by Faith more chearefully, to enjoy God more neerely, to apply Iesus Christ more feeling­ly, and to long for his comming more earnestly. In a word, to climbe up more merrily those staires of joy, which are prest upon us by the holy Prophet, Psal. 32. Bee glad.—Reioyce—and shout for ioy, all yee that are upright in heart.

4. Conceive that hypocrisie may lurke in very good­ly outward formes, and fairest promises and protestati­ons of Selfe-seeming earnest humiliation. Looke upon Ahab, 1. King. 21.27. upon the Israelites, Psal. 78.3 [...] ▪ 35. I meane not onely grosse Hypocrisie, whereby mens false hearts teach them to deceive others; but also that, which else-where I have stiled Formall Hypocri­sie, whereby mens owne hearts deceive even their own selves. For I make no question, but the promises of amendment, which many make, when they are pressed, and panting under some heavy crosse, or grievous sick­nesse, proceede from their hearts; I meane, they speake as they thinke; and for the present, purpose perfor­mance; who notwithstanding, upon their recovery, and restitution to former health, and wonted worldly happinesse, returne with the dog unto the vomit; and plunge againe perfidiously into the cursed current of their disclaimed pleasures. But by the way, and in a [Page 291] word, to illighten a perplexed Point, and prevent a scruple, which may trouble true hearts indeed; who hold truth of heart in their repentances, services and duties towards God, to bee their Peculiar, and a spe­ciall Touchstone to trie and testifie the soundnesse of their sanctification, the truth of their spirituall states, and a distinctive Character from all sorts of unregenerate men; and all kindes of Hypocrisie: I say, purposes and promises made from the heart in the sense, I have said, with earnest eager protestation, while they are in angvish and extremity, and yet after deliverance and ease, melt away, as a morning cloud, and like the early deaw; proceede from hearts, rather affected onely with sting of present horrour, naturall desire of happinesse, mis-conceite, that it is a light thing to leave sinne, and the like; then truly broken and burdened with sight of their owne vilenesse, sense of Gods displeasure, hatred of wickednesse, and former sensuall waies; or enamou­red with the sweetnesse of Iesus Christ, amiablenesse of grace, and goodnesse of God, &c. Howsoever for my purpose, certaine it is, and too manifest by many wo­full experiences; that as it often falles out, and fares with men in their corporal visitations, & outward cros­ses; to wit, That while the storme and tempest beates sore upon them, they run unto God as their Rocke, and enquire early after Him, as it is said of the Israelites, Ps. 78.34. But when once, an hot gleame of former health and prosperitie shines upon them againe, they hie as fast out of Gods Blessing into the warme Sunne, as they say, from sorrow for sinne, to delight of sense; from seeking God, to security in their old waies: I say, even so it is sometimes also, with men in aflictions of Soule, and troubles of conscience: while the agony and extre­mity is upon them, they take on, as though they would become trve Converts; both promise, and purpose many excellent things for the time to come, and a re­markeable change: But if once the fit be cover, they [Page 292] start aside, like a broken Bow; and fearefully fall away from what they have vowed, with horrible ingrati­tude, and execrable villany; having been extraordinari­ly schooled and scorched, as it were, in the flames of horrour, and warned to take heed by the very ven­geance of Hell. For the former, heare the experi­ence of reverend Divines: Many seeming, saith One, to repent affectionately in dangerous sicknesse, when they have recovered, have been rather worse then before. I would have thought my selfe, saith another, that many monstrous Persons, whom I have visited, when Gods hand upon them, caused them to cry out, and promise a­mendment, would have prooved rare examples to others, of true conversion unto God: But to my great griefe, and to teach [...]ee experience, what becommeth of such un­timely fruits, they have turned backe againe, as an arrow from a stone wall, and as the dog to His owne vomit, &c.

For the latter; I could here make it good also by too many experiences, were it convenient; But I for­beare for some reasons, to report them at this time.

I publish this Point, and speake thus; Not to trouble any true Converts about the truth of their hearts in their troubles of Conscience: Damus, qui hypocri­ticâ & temporariá fide credunt: eos falli, dum putant se ve [...]è credere, et non verè cre­dunt. Sunt enim illo­rum instar, qui somni­ant, se Reges esse, cum sint pauperrimi: At negamus illos, qui verâ fide credunt, ignorare, an verè credant, & fal­ti, quum affirmant, & sentiunt, se verè crede­re. Sunt eium instar illorum, qui gemma [...] m [...]nu tractant [...]s, qui [...] s [...]nsu praediti sunt, sciunt, & aiunt se illam habere. Quod si nemo posset certò n [...]sse, an verè credat, necu [...]: cur ait A­postolus: explorate vosmetipsos, an sit is in fide? —As [...] quis fidem adhibens alicuius verbis, certò novit se verè illi credere: quantò magis id is n [...]vit, qui fide verâ donatus d Spiritu Sanct [...], credit Evangelio? Zanch. de Naturâ Dei, lib. 5. cap. 2. consciousnesse unto themselves of their New-birth already happily past; their prizing, and cleaving to the Lord Iesus, unvalewa­bly, unvincibly; their present New-obedience, new courses, new company, new conversation, &c. makes it more then evident, that they were savingly mollified and melted in the furnace of their spirituall afflictions; fashioned and framed by the hand of the Holy Ghost to bee Gods Iewels: But to terrifie those miserable men, who having tasted that transcendent torture of a [Page 293] wounded conscience, dare upon any termes look-backe againe upon the world with delight and doting; and againe commit those sinnes, which have already stung their hearts with the very terrours of Hell: Or rather at this time, to teach and tell the afflicted in conscience, that when the rich treasures of Gods free mercy, and the unsearchable riches of Christ are opened, and offe­red unto Him, Hee drinke not so undiscreetly at first of that immeasurable Sea, as presently to fall into a sur­fet of security. But to prevent mis-carriage in a mat­ter of so unvalew-able moment, let him rather mingle Motives to humiliation with his Medicine of mercy. Let Him looke well to the grounds, and good speeches, upon which the spirituall Physition is encouraged to comfort Him, that they shrinke not in the wetting, as they say. Let him feare and attend his owne deceit­full heart withall narrow watch, and a very jealous eye. Otherwise that false heart of his, may proove a Depth, to drowne His owne deare Soule in the Pit of endlesse perdition. For in time of extremity and terrour, especi­ally of conscience, it may seeme pliable, and promise faire; and yet when it comes to performance and pra­ctise; either impudently and perfidiously wallowes a­gaine in open wickednesse, or rests onely in a Forme of godlinesse at the best. Let Him bee stedfast in the Cove­nant, and then Hee may bee sure, that his heart was up­right; and that Hee did not flatter with His mouth, or lye unto God with his tongue.

5. Sith Thou art now upon termes of turning unto God, taking Profession upon Thee, and giving up thy Name unto Christ, the blessedest businesse that ever Thou went'st about: Be well advised, consider seriously what thou undertakest, and cast deliberately before­hand, what it is like to cost Thee. Thou must make an account to become the Drunkards Song, and to have those that sit in the Gate to speake against Thee; The vi­lest of Men to raile upon thee, and the wisest of the [Page 294] World to laugh at Thee. Thou must bee content to live a despised Man,Matth. [...]0.22. to bee scoft-at, to bee hated of all men; To crucifie the flesh, with the affections and lusts; To looke upon the world, set out in the gaudiest man­ner with all her baites and Bables of riches, honours, favours, greatnesse, pleasures, &c. as upon an unsavou­ry rotten Wee beeing taken out of the co [...]uyti [...]es of Adam ▪ and ingr [...]f [...]ted in Christ [...] death, and Passion, can no l [...]ng [...]r live the life of the World, but the life of Christ; and must now looke upon the World [...] as the World loo [...]d [...] upon us [...] shall follow his steps, to [...] it, as upon [...]o many abo­minable, and crucified carcasses. Bishop of Lincolne, In H. Ser [...]mon before the Higher House of Parliament, pag 21.22. Hee doth not meane here (to wit, Gal [...]l. 6.26.) the Heavens or the Earth, saith Saint Chrysostome, nor the World in the [...]; but the things of the World, Glory, Port, Riches, Greatnesse. [...], all that make a shining and glitteri [...]g in the World. These are all but so many carcasses, and a very abomination to a truly regenerate Man. Idem. Ibid. pag. 16.17. If wee begin to breathe the life of righteousnesse, when the world fawnes upon us with Honours, Riches▪ greatnesse, Favours, or frownes upon us with Hatred, Malice, Persecutions, Oppressions, and the like; wee must turne our head aside another way with a godly kind of pride (as Picus Mirandula was wont to call it) and no more regard her, then a carcasse crucified. pag. 23. Carrion: Thou and the World must bee as two dead carcasses upon one Beere, without any de­lightfull mutuall commerce, or enter-course; strangers and Et Ego mundo] Non tamen Deo mundi. Mundum enim quantum ad conversationem eius posuit, cui renunciando mutuò transfigimur & invicèm morimur. Tertul. Adversus Marcion. Lib. 5. [...] concupiscit Apostolus mundi, nihil agnoscit Mundus Apostoli: Ambros. in Loc. Sunt sicut duo mortui, ex quibus nullus tangit, vel diligit alterum. Remig. Doctissimo citante Episcopo. starke dead one unto another, in respect of thy any further trading with the vanities thereof. For kee­ping a good conscience, standing on Gods side, and Christs sake, Thou must deny thy Selfe, Thy worldly wisedome, carnall reason, corrupt affections; Thy ac­ceptation with the World, favour of great Ones, credit and applause with the most; Thy passions, profit, plea­sures, possibility of rising, and growing great; Thy nea­rest friends, dearest companions, ease, liberty, life: and grow by little and little into Hesters most noble and in­vincible resolu [...]ion, ever when doing Gods will, threat­neth any earthly danger; And if I perish, I perish. But not to perish so, is everlastingly to perish; and so to pe­rish, is to bee saved for ever. Thou must thus resolve upon this Selfe-deniall, when Thou first enters into Profession; or else thou wilt never bee able to hold out in thy spirituall Building, or conquer in the Christian Warfare.

[Page 295](See and consider the occasion, and how earnestly Christ enioynes it: Matth. 16.24. &c. Luk. 14.24. &c. and presses it with two Parables). But all will come to naught; and thou cursedly conclude in open Apos [...]a­cy, grosse Hypocrisie▪ or Selfe-deceiving Formalitie. Consider the young Man in the Gospell: Hee came hastily unto Iesus Christ, and would needs bee His Dis­ciple, and follower upon the sudden. But alas! Hee did wofully mistake. Little did he know, neither indeed would know, what belonged unto it: That the ser­vant of such an heavenly Master must bee no earth­worme; That every one of his Disciples must take up their crosse and follow him; For his sake, part with any thing, every thing; bee it riches, honours, credit, plea­sures, &c. And therefore, when once Christ for the tri­all of his heart had bid Him go, and sell that he had, &c. Hee had soone done: Hee was quickly gone. Now had this young Man gone away without this Lesson, Hee had gone away a Disciple, as well as any other, and perhaps as iolly a Professour, as the forwardest of them all; and that both in his owne strong opinion, and charitable mis-conceite of the rest, who were true of heart. As Iudas did a long time, and the foolish Vir­gines all their life long. Too many such Professours, as Hee would have prooved, are to bee found, even in this Noone-tide of the Gospell abroad in the World: who beeing at their first entrance into Profession, not sound­ly humbled, nor laying a sure foundation; not resol­ved upon an universall Selfe-deniall; nor weighing with due fore-cast, what it will cost them, doe afterward be­have themselves thereafter upon any gainefull occasi­on greater triall, and temptation, or beeing put to it indeed: They are wont from time to time to disco­ver their rottennesse, open the mouthes of the pro­phane, and shame all. They are like unto Reeds, which in a calme stand bolt upright, and seeme stiffe and strong; but let a tempest breake-in upon them, and [Page 296] they bend any way: While their temporall state is un­toucht, their outward happinesse unhazarded; they seeme resolute, thorow, and couragious; but let a storme of persecution bee raised against them; Let them bee put into a great fright, that if they stand to it, they may bee undone, &c. And then they cowardlily hide their heads, pull in the hornes, as they say, and shame­fully shrinke in the wetting: unhappily holding it bet­ter to sleepe in a whole skinne, then with a good con­science. Like the Eagle, they soare aloft with many goodly religious shewes and representations; but they still keepe their eye upon the Prey; and therefore when advantage is offered, they will basely stoope from for­wardnesse, honesty, generosity, humanity, any thing, to seize upon a worldly commodity, office, honour, some earthly pelfe, and transitory Nothing. Some of these after Profession for some time, fall quite away from it, and turne Epicures, or Worldlings, if not Scorners and Persecutors: Others hold-on in a plodding course of formall Christianity all their life long; and at last, de­part this life like the foolish Virgins, and in that formall manner I told you of before. Neither be thou dis-heart­ned with this counsell of leaving all for Christ. For thou shalt bee no loser, but a great gainer thereby. Besides, e­ternall life in the World to come; Thou shalt receive an hundred-fold now in this time, as Christ Him selfe tells thee, Mark. 10.30. If thou part with worldly ioies, thou shalt have quiet in the holy Ghost, spirituall joy unspeak­able and glorious, neerer familiarity with God, deerer cōmunion with Iesus Christ, &c. To which the pleasures of ten thousand Worlds, were they all extant, were but extremest paine. If thou lose thine Husband: He that made thee,Isai. 54.5. will be in his stead unto Thee, Thy Maker is thine Husband, the Lord of Hosts is his Name. If thou lose thy Father; The Al-sufficient Iehouah, blessed for ever,Psal. 103.13. will pitty thee, as a Father pittieth his Children. If thou lose thy friends, and the worlds favour, Thou shalt [Page 297] have all and the onely excellent upon earth,Psal. 16.3. to love Thee dearely, and to pray heartily for Thee. In a word, If thou lose all for Christs sake, Hee will bee unto Thee All in All: Colloss. 3.11. And in Dicimus creatura [...]in Deo videri, quialicèt in se ipsis secundum suum esse propriū videantur, videntur tamē, ut qui­dame effectus Dei, at que ut aliquid pertinens ad Deum; ídque eadem visione, quâ Deus. Gre­gor. de Val. Tom. 1. Col. 250. Res naturales veriùs Esse habent in mente di­vinâ, quàm in seipsis. Aqu. p. 1. q 18. Sicut domus nobilius Esse habet in mente Artificis, quàm in ma­teriâ. Ibid. Him all things shall be thine in a farre more sweet and eminent manner. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; All are yours, and yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods.

6. When the spirituall Physition shall see the soile of his Patients heart well softned with sorrow for sinne, comfortably warmed with refreshing beames of fauour from the face of Christ, and so seasonably fitted, for to enter a Christian course, and to bring forth fruits meete for repentance; let him throw-in some timely seedes of Zeale, holy precisenesse, undaunted courage, and un­shaken resolution about the affaires of Heaven, and in the cause of God; from such quickning Scriptures, and excellent examples as these, Luk. 13.24. Rom. 12.11. 12. Ephes. 5.15. Phil. 1.10.11. Matth. 11.12. Revel. 3.16. Ruth 4.11. Esth. 4.16. Nehem. 6.11. 1. King. 22.14. Heb. 11.24.25. 1. Sam. 20.32. Acts 21.13. &c. 1. Cor 3.22.23. That it may bee happily preserved from the ranke and flourishing, but rotten and fruitlesse weede of for­mality and luke-warmenesse. Which pestilent Can­ker, if it once take roote in the heart, it will never suffer the Herbe of grace, if I may so speake, the heavenly un­fading flowers of saving grace, to grow by it, while the world stands. Nay, and will proove one of the stron­gest bolts to barre them out; and the most boysterous cart-rope to pull-downe extraordinary vengeance up­on the head of the Party. For as a loathsome vomite is to the stomacke of him that casts it out; so are luke­warme Professours to the Lord Iesus, Reuel. 3.16. I marvaile many times what such men meane, and what worship, service and obedience they would have the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth to have. Hee offers to us in the Ministry, His owne blessed Sonne to be our [Page 298] deare, and everlasting Husband; His Person with all the rich and royall endowments thereof, the glory and endlesse felicities above, His owne thrice glorious, and ever-blessed Selfe, to bee enjoyed thorow all eternity, which is the very soule of heavenly Blisse, and life of eternall life, &c. Doe you thinke it then reasonable or likely, that Hee will ever accept at our hands an heart­lesse, formall outwardnesse; a cold, rotten carcasse of religion: That wee should serve our selves in the first Place, and Him in the second? That wee should spend the prime and flower of our loues, ioyes, services, upon some abominable bosome-sinne; and then proportion-out to the everlasting God, mighty and terrible Creator, and Commander of Heaven and Earth, only some out­ward religious formes and conformities; and those also so farre onely, as they hurt not our temporall happi­nesse, but may consist with the entier enjoyment of some inordinate lust, pleasure, profit or preferment? Prodigious folly, nay, fury to their owne soules! This very one most base, and unworthy conceit of so great a God, and His due attributions, meriteth justly exclu­sion from the Kingdome of Heaven, with the foolish Virgins, for ever. My Counsell therefore is; when the spirituall Patient hath passed the tempestuous Sea of a troubled conscience, and is now upon termes of taking a new course, That by all meanes Hee take heed, that Hee runne not upon this Rocke. It is better to bee key-cold, then luke-warme: and that the milke boile over, then bee raw.

7. Tho it bee an ordinary, yet it is a dangerous and utterly un-doing errour and deceite, To conceive, that all is ended, when the afflicted Party is mended; and hath received ease and enlargement from the terrible pressures of his troubled conscience. To thinke, that after the tempest of present terrour, and rage of guilti­nesse bee allayed and over-blowne, there needes no more to bee done. As tho the New-birth were not [Page 299]