O My beloued, why fearest thou, and art so cast downe and disquieted within thy selfe? dost thou well to bee angry with my chastise­ments? and why art thou offended, that I should make thee like to my selfe, causing thee to walke in [Page 2] that way of inward & out­ward griefes, which I did tread before thee? why re­fusest thou to take vp my crosse and follow me, and to taste of that cup which I dranke before thee, and for thee?

O Lord, giue mee of thy Spirit, and all trouble with thee, or for thee, shalbe sweete vnto me: what euer thou didst beare (O Lord) it was for me: and if I were so disposed as I should, then would I be content to beare all that thou (my God) shoul­dest please to lay on me. But a­las, [Page 3] it is my cursed corrupti­on that makes me think thy crosse my burden. Lord, ther­fore vphold mee with thy grace, that I may count thy yoke easie, and finde ioy in these sufferings with thee.

I Know the cause of thy griefe and terror to bee the cōsideration of thy sins: but I pray thee, why lookest thou so to thy sins, that thou lookest not also to my mercies? why woul­dest thou so extoll thy euill deeds, that thou shouldest extenuat my rich mercies; or in any way cōpare the [Page 4] one with the other? was it for thy good deedes that first I entered into friend­ship with thee? & thinkest thou now, that for thy euill deeds I will vtterly forsake thee, seeing it is among my praises, that the worke which I begin, I perfect it? I like it well indeed, to see thee grieued for the sinnes thou hast done against me; but I would haue thee also comforted in the mercies that I haue shewed thee. Call to minde my workes of old, and what I haue done to thee since thou canst remember: how ca­red I for thee in thy young [Page 5] and tender yeeres? Looke backe now & see; did not the Angel of my presence leade thee, whē thou had­dest neither wisedome nor strength to gouerne thy selfe? did I not then begin to acquaint thee with the knowledge & feare of my Name? canst thou denie now, that my mercy pre­serued thee from many sins, whereunto thy nature was prone, and ready to haue declined? and when thou sinnedst, with what long patience haue I way­ted thy turning? & how lo­uingly haue I winked at thy transgressions? & when [Page 6] I had giuen thee grace to repent of thy sins, and to seeke my fauour & mercy for the sins of thy youth, with a melting heart, & a mourning eie, canst thou denie that I haue filled thy heart with my ioyes, and made thy toung burst out in glorying speeches? and why thē wilt thou not trust in my mercies to the end?

I Were, O Lord, most vn­thankfull, if I should not confesse, that many a time in the multitude of my thoughts thy mercies haue comforted me: but alas, I haue not an­swered [Page 7] thy louing kindnesse: for after many mercies recei­ued, I haue sinned against thee, contrary to my light, & my sins are now before me, witnessing that I am vnwor­thy to taste of the sweetnesse of thy mercy any more.

IS my mercy onely for a day, or for a yeere? or is it for euer & euer toward those whom I haue made mine in Christ Iesus? wilt thou restraine my mercies, and limit them within so narrow bounds, as to think they cannot be extended ouer all thy transgressions? [Page 8] wilt thou measure my mer­cies with so narrow a span, as to think I haue no more to giue, then thou hast an heart to receiue? Is it not among my praises, that I am able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that my Children can aske or think of me? Knowest thou not, that as the Heauens are aboue the Earth, so my thoughts are aboue thine? hast thou not considered that my mercy is aboue all my workes? how much more then is it aboue thee, who art nothing in com­parison of my works? and if it bee aboue thee, how [Page 9] much more aboue all that thou canst do? why thē wilt thou match thy sins with my mercies? If require such mercy in my childrē, that I will haue one of them to forgiue another, not onely seuen times, but seuenty times seuen times: what pitty and compassion and readinesse to forgiue is in my selfe?

Therefore, my beloued, despaire not for the multi­tude of thy sins; but be cō ­forted with my promises of mercy: I haue made them without any excepti­on of time; For, at what time soeuer a sinner doth re­pent [Page 10] him of his sins, I haue promised to put away his wickednes out of my remem­brance. I haue made them without exception of sins; for, albeit your sins were as skarlet, they shall be made as white as snow. I haue made them without exception of persons; for, whosoeuer shal depart from his wicked waies & turne to me, I shall receiue him. Let this three­fold vniuersality of my promises sustaine thee, that thy infidelitie con­tract not my mercies into narrower bounds then I haue extended them.

BE mercifull (O Lord) to my infidelity: I beleeue in part, Lord, helpe my vn­beliefe, stablish & confirme my vnstable heart with thy good and holy spirit. My con­science doth in such sort con­demne mee, that I stand in feare of thy iustice; for thou art greater then the consci­ence, & wilt much more con­demne me, if thou dost enter into iudgement with me.

O My beloued, consider that the cause of thy present vnquietnes, is, be­cause [Page 12] with the one eye, thou lookest to thy sins, & my Fathers iustice: & with the other lookest not to me; in whome his iustice is satisfied, and thy sins pu­nished already. Tell me (I pray thee) thinkest thou to get in thy selfe, and the ho­lines of thy dispositiō, that which shall exempt thee from the feare of his Iu­stice? Or art thou content to seeke it in me? If in thy selfe thou seekest it, re­member what thou art do­ing: wilt thou haue the Lord bound and obliged to thee? wilt thou be thine own Sauiour? or shall it be [Page 31] sayd▪ his mercy saued thee not? if no miserie were in thee, whereupon should his mercy be manifested? and if thy disposition in the earth were such as it should be, then what re­maineth, but that the prais of his mercy should fall to the ground? turne thee therefore to mee, and seeke thy life in mee.

If thou wilt know what is thine: thou art a sinner; let my praise bee reserued to my selfe, I am thy Sauiour. Esteemest thou that my wounds are ineffectuall? or that there is no force in my sufferings? countest [Page 14] thou thy sinnes so deadly, that my merit and vertue cannot cure them? Will a­ny Phisicion powre out a rare oyntment, either where no need is; or else, where it cannot profit? and thinkest thou, that my Fa­ther would haue my bloud to be shed in vaine? If his iustice terrifie thee, remē ­ber his iustice was satisfied in mee, and that he pro­nounceth this sentence himselfe, This is my wel-be­loued Son, in whom I am well pleased. I came into the world, not to call the righ­teous, but sinners to re­pentance. Tarry not from [Page 15] mee because thou art a sin­ner, but for that cause come to mee, and I will refresh thee.

O Lord, I know that there is a clensing and recon­ciling vertue in thy bloud; that life is in thy death: but still I feare, my sins deserue thou shouldest neither apply thy vertue nor thy merit to me: for, alas, I find that yet the old man is strong and liuely in mee: and that yet the motions of sinne haue power in mee, to bring foorth fruite vnto death.

BE not, I pray thee, in­iurious to the worke of my Grace in thee; complaine not so of thy corruption, but that thou maist giue vnto mee mine own praise. Canst thou de­ny but that thou hast felt my power working in thy Soule? Haue I not sprink­led thy conscience many times with the pacifying bloud of Christ; frō which hath flowed to thee such a witnessing of good things; such a sense of mercy, as for the time, hath filled thy heart with ioy, and thy [Page 17] mouth with song of praise? Haue I not some­time stirred thee vp in great feruencie, to call on the Name of the Lord? Haue I not made thee to giue Christs name a pub­like testimonie, with thine owne disaduantage? and how oft hath thine heart been effectually moued at the hearing of my word, in such sort, that it hath wrought in thee an holy remorse, & an inward con­trition for thy sins, which hath broken out into teares? haue I not made thee a wrestler against thy inordinate lusts? haue I [Page 18] not giuen thee strength many a time to stand a­gainst Sathans temptati­ons, whereas if I had left thee to thy selfe, how of­tē haddest thou bin made a prey to thine enemie?

Remembrest thou not that the Tempter hath as­saulted thee, but I haue with-drawne the occasion of sin? and when the occa­sion serued, did not I re­straine and hold back the Tempter? [...], when both the Tempter and occasion were present, haue I not filled thy heart with the feare & loue of my name, and so kept thee from sin­ning [Page 19] against me? & wher­as many times of thy weaknes thou hast offended, did I not with a melting heart & mourning eye, raise thee againe, and re­new my former familiari­ty with thee; so that thou canst neuer say, from the first houre that I begun to renew thee, that I suffered thee to lie in thy sin, as I haue done others that are strangers from my grace? And many moe notable effects of my working in thee thou canst not deny.

Are not these the vn­doubted tokens of my Grace in thee? will Nature [Page 20] doe such things? mayest thou not feele by these, that I haue begun to ap­ply to thee Christs merit for the remission of thy sin, and Christs vertue for quickening thee to a new life? Therefore think of thy selfe as basely as thou wilt, but let the worke of my grace be esteemed of thee according to the excellen­cie of it, be humble & cast downe when thou lookest to thine owne corruption; I finde no fault with thee, but I reioyce, & am glad at the new Workmanship which I haue begunne in thee. Indeed, if there were [Page 21] nothing in thee, but that which thou hast of nature, thy estate were miserable: but seeing thou seest a new workmanship in thee, be comforted: art thou so in darknesse, that there is no light in thee? or doth sin so possesse thee, that be­side it, also there is not in thee a will to do good, & a loue to righteousnesse? If thou saist thou hast no sin in thee, thou art a lier: and if thou saist that there is no other thing in thee but sin, thou art also a lier. And thinkest thou, that seeing I haue begunne to translate thee from darknes into my [Page 22] light, and to make thee a new Creature; thinkest thou that I will leaue thee, vntil I haue done my work in thee? Therefore, my be­loued, giue not such eare to Sathan, or thine owne corruption, as to take their testimonie against me, or to make thee thinke that my pledges which I haue giuen thee, are not worthy of credit, that by thē thou shouldest be assured of mercy.

I Cannot deny, O Lord, but that many times I haue felt the sweetnes of thy hea­uenly [Page 23] consolations, which haue greatly reioyced my Soule. But alas, my griefe is so much the greater, that by mine owne default I should now be depriued of them: for I haue grieued thy holy Spi­rit: yea, I haue done what I could to quench him: & ther­fore it is that the Comforter, who was wont to refresh my soule, is away, nor can I feele his presēce with me as before.

BEcause I am not chan­ged, therefore is it that ye, O Sons of Iacob, are not consumed. Many indeed are the changes whereun­to [Page 24] ye are subiect, but I re­maine the same, & there is no shaddow of alteration with me, I am. 1. 17. Be not therefore afrayd (O my Wel-beloued) neyther esteeme thy selfe to be re­iected of me, albeit that sometime I hide my face from thee; al my wayes are mercy and truth to mine. It is for thee, that some­times I go from thee; and it is for thee, that againe I returne vnto thee: for if I come, it is for thy consola­tion, that continuall heaui­nes, through thy manifold temptations, should not oppresse thee. How oft [Page 25] hast thou found this, when thou wert sicke of loue, I haue strengthened thee with the Flagons of my Wine, & comforted thee with my Apples? My fruit hath beene sweete in thy mouth, & I haue put my left hand vnder thy head, and with my right hand I haue embraced thee, Cā. 2.

But lest the greatnesse of my consolations should exalt thee to disdaine thy brother, and offend me, by imputing that to thine owne disposition, which thou hast of my dispensati­on: I haue againe with­drawne these glorious fee­lings [Page 26] from thee: giue me the praise that I know best what is expediēt for thee. Had my Seruant St. Paul need to be humbled with the buffets of Sathan, lest he should haue been exal­ted out of measure by the greatnes of his reuelati­ons, & hast not thou need that by thy inward exerci­ses I should hold thee humble? If my comforts were alwayes present with thee, thou wouldest thinke thy heauen & permanent City were on the earth, & so cease to enquire for a better to come: thou woul­dest take the place of thy [Page 27] banishment for thy home; and the earnest for the principall summe which I haue promised thee. Con­sider this wisely with thy selfe, that albeit I laugh not alike on thee at all times, & fil thee not alway with my ioyes, yet I al­waies loue thee: for whom I loue, I loue vnto the end. If I close the dore of my Chamber vpon thee, it is not to hold thee out, but to learne thee to knock. If I couer my selfe with ma­ny vailes, that thou canst not see a glance of my lo­uing countenance, it is onely to stirre thee vp to [Page 28] seeke me: & if sometime I seeme to goe from thee, it is to prouoke thee to fol­low me, that thou mayest make haste from the earth to heauen, where thou shalt inioy me without in­termission. Was Ioseph so wise, as to conceale his tender affection from his brethren, till he brought thē to an humble acknow­ledging of their sin? & was he againe so louing, that when hee saw them hum­bled, his affection was in­flamed, & compelled him to reueale himselfe vnto them? & thinkest thou that I am lesse wise and louing [Page 29] in dealing with mine?

I gaue at the first, sharpe answeres to the petitions of that Woman of Cana­an▪ & so will I sometimes seeme to deale roughly with those whome I loue, and to be angry euen at their prayers; but in the end I will make my loue manifest to them, and with my endlesse mercies embrace them.

SVffer me yet once againe (Lord) to speake vnto thee, that thou maist answere me, and I shall complaine no more. If we saw that such [Page 30] were our disposition as thy holy word doth require in vs, then should thy comforts reioyce vs: but alas, how far am I from that which I should be? My strength is enfeebled, therfore do my in­ordinate affections oft-times ouercharge me. If I turne me to pray, I cannot for the hardnesse of my heart: the contrite spirit, the melting heart, the mourning eie, is gone from me: If I seeke com­fort in thy word, I finde it not, I am troubled also with doubtings, armies of feares and sorrowes are against me, & all through weaknes of my Faith: for partly for wāt [Page 31] of that light that should in­forme me, my infidelity abu­seth me, to think that thy vi­sitations come from thine anger, & causeth me to an­swere the errours of my con­science, as if they were iust accusations, and partly for want of that apprehending and applying vertue that is in Faith, I am spoyled of the comfort that thy word hath offered vnto me: Therefore, O Lord, haue pittie on the desolate state of my soule.

LEt not (my beloued) the consideration of thy wants, defects, and im­perfections [Page 32] discourage thee: remember that the measure of Grace which I haue giuen to my Saints vpon earth, I haue called it an earnest-penny, & the first fruits of the Spirit, to tell them, that what euer grace they haue gotten, it is nothing in comparison of that which they wil get. Seeke not therefore that in the earth, which I haue resolued to giue thee no wayes, till thou dost come to heauen: thy blessednes in this life stands not in a sacietie and full inioying of that which thou woul­dest haue, but in an hun­gring [Page 33] and thirsting for it. If I had pronounced them blessed that are now satis­fied with righteousnesse, thē thy wants might most iustly haue discouraged thee; but I called them blessed that hunger. If therefore thou dost follow after sanctification, & art weary of the seruitude of thy sin; If thou doest seeke comfort in my Word, & canst finde none of these at the first, as thou wouldest; yet remember I haue pro­mised to fulfill the desires of them that feare mee.

If it grieue thee, that thou canst not pray at all [Page 34] times alike, remember that my Children are oft­times euill Iudges of thē ­selues, and that their estate is not alway to be measu­red according to their fee­ling, for many prayers may be made in them to me by my Spirit, with sighs and sobs, which they thēselues are not able to expresse, yet are knowne to me, and are like loude crying voy­ces, which I cannot but answere.

O My Soule, content thee with the Lords dispen­sation, and doubt not, but all [Page 35] thy wants and holy desires shall once be satisfied: re­member how carefull thy Sa­uiour was of those people that followed him. I haue com­passion (saith he) on this people, because they haue continued with me alrea­dy three dayes, and haue nothing to eate: I will not let them depart fasting, lest they faint in the way. O most sweete and comforta­ble speeches! they seeke not from him, and he is carefull to giue them. If he was so carefull to satisfie their bodi­ly necessities, will he neglect the spirituall necessities of his owne? They followed him [Page 36] three dayes, and he counteth it a long time; they are to goe from him, and hee feareth lest they faint. O my di­strustfull Soule, wilt thou once learne to trust in the mercy of thy God assuredly? will he not saciate thee, who seekes him? will he not an­swere thee, who cries vnto him? will he not care for thee who hast waited vpon him, not three dayes, but many yeeres? & will he let thee faint in following him, who would not let thē faint, who were to go from him? O sweet Sauiour, happy are they who trust in thee. (Lord) there­fore increase my faith in [Page 37] thee, that nothing be able e­uer to sunder me from thee.

AS for the weaknes of thy Faith, which I see is the ground of all thy trouble, it proceedeth ei­ther from the want of knowledge, or else from the want of application. It is indeede a speciall bene­fit to haue the minde en­lightened with true light. Seeke therefore my light to shine vnto thee by con­tinuall prayer and search­ing the Scriptures, that thou be not troubled with the error of Conscience, [Page 38] as if it were a iust accusati­on. I haue set conscience indeed to be a warner vn­to thee; but then shalt thou take heed to her warnings, when they are warranted by my word. If the error of thy consciēce terrifie thee in any thing, and make thee think that thy crosses and visitations do come from mine anger, go and informe conscience better by the Word; remember whom I chastise, I loue: & when I chastise thee, I am not seeking a satisfaction to my iustice: what mar­uell such thoughts disqui­et many? Consider, I pray [Page 39] thee, that notable promise of mine, made to my ser­uant Dauid, and in him to all the rest of my Saints. If they breake my statutes, I will visite their transgressi­ons with my rods, yet my lo­uing kindnesse will I not take from them, neither alter my Couenant.

O Word full of comfort! my Soule, forget it ne­uer, that euen when his rods are layd on thee, yet his lo­uing kindnesse is not taken from thee; and though thy transgressions be many, yet will hee not alter his Coue­nant [Page 40] with thee: remember it (I say) that in thy trouble thou giue no more place to these misconceptions of Gods working with thee. As godly Iob thought in his trouble, that the Lord was pursuing him for his sins, and making him to possesse the iniquitie of his youth, which as yet ap­peares by the course of that Historie, was not the Lords intention: so haue I thought many times, that the heauie hand of the Lord laid on me, had proceeded from his wrath, as if hee had shut vp his tender mercie in dis­pleasure from me for euer but (Lord) let thy light a­bide [Page 41] with me, that I sinne no more with such distrustfull motions against thee: and now (Lord) speake on yet fur­ther to thy Seruant, for thy comforts haue reioyced my Soule

NOw concerning the weaknesse of thy faith in the apprehension and the application of my pro­mises: remember that I am he who will not breake the bruised Reede, nor quench the smoking flaxe: what smaller thing is there then a graine of mustard­seed? albeit the measure [Page 42] of thy faith were no more, yet haue I not excluded it from the participation of my promises.

A louing Father will de­light to be holden by the hand of his tender Child; and knowest thou not, that as a father spareth his son, so will the Lord spare thē that feare him? hast thou not read, that although the faith of my seruant Ia­cob was very weak, as thou maist perceiue by the great feare he conceiued of Esau, yet his weak faith was able to hold me till I blessed him? Be not there­fore discouraged; for albe­it [Page 43] thou canst not lay hold on me with the hand of strong faith, if thou canst but touch the hem of my garment with thy finger, thou shalt draw vertue out of me. Consider also with thy selfe, that the Faith of my children is neuer grea­ter, then when their fee­ling is weakest, and least perceiued. It is easie for e­uery one to beleeue in the middest of glorious fee­lings, and vnspeakeable ioyes; but when a man can feele no sensible comfort in mee, and yet beleeueth in mee, and waiteth on me for comfort, certainely the [Page 44] Faith of that man is great: and such was the Faith of my seruant, who in his greatest trouble gaue mee this answere, Albeit thou wouldest slay me, O Lord, yet both against sence & feeling will I trust in thee. And did not also that wo­man of Canaan with in­uincible Faith cleaue to my mercy, euen then, when she had no feeling of mercy, and I gaue her no fauourable answer? for which in the end I called her faith, a great Faith.

O My Sauiour, thou art the strength whereby I stand in temptation: cursed be he that would make my Soule to conceiue wrongfully of thee. Be mercifull, O Lord, vnto me, and neuer let the malice of mine enemie pre­uayle ouer me. Sweete Iesus, keepe the heart, that through thine own Grace would faine keep thee: and now, my Soule, remember that this is but the time of fighting; the time of triumphing will come: why then shall the con­tinuance of these restlesse as­saults disquiet thee? If thou [Page 46] haddest neuer beene victori­ous but ence in all thy life­time; yet what mercie had it beene, that the Lord in the middest of the battaile, should make thee to triumph? but thou canst not deny, that many ioyfull victories now and before, hath the Lord giuen thee.

Therefore now, my Soule, reioyce and returne to thy former rest: For the Lord hath been beneficiall to thee, and account thou euery one of these temporall victories a pledge to thee of that full and finall victorie that once thou shalt enioy ouer all thine enemies, when the God of [Page 47] peace shall tread downe Sa­than vnder thy feete.

O Lord, if such comfort be in thy crosse, what is in thy Crowne? and if thou dost giue vs such ioy, when thou takest vs into thy hand to correct vs with thy rods Lord: what wilt thou make vs to finde, when thou shalt imbrace vs in thy armes, to kisse vs with the kisses of thy mouth? Oh that these feelings might for e­uer abide with me: what [Page 48] trouble would not be easie, where thy comforts are pre­sent? Surely, O Lord, all trouble vanisheth, so soone as thou dost beginne to glance vpon my soule. Therefore O my Loue, my light, my life, my ioy, my crowne, my glo­ry, my strength, my helpe in the time of neede, stand thou on my side, and I will not feare what my enemy can doe to me. O happie time that euer I know thee. Blessed be the name of the Lord for euermore.

O Enemy Sathan, al­beit thine enmity be troublesome vn­to mee: yet I thanke my God through Iesus Christ, that thou art against mee, and that he hath put mee in his warr-fare to fight against thee.

When I consider, that in Paradise the Lord proclai­med irreconciliable emnitie betweene thee and my blessed Sauiour, the seede of the woman, Christ Ie­sus, [Page 50] I account my hope hap­py, that thou art against mee: and that grace is gi­uen vnto mee to fight a­gainst thee: for thereby I know that I am none of thine, but that I doe stand on that side, whereof Christ is the Captaine, all his Saints are Souldiers, and the victorie is most cer­taine

O deceitfull Serpent! if I haue found such errour arising of those sinnes, which foolishly I did by thy intise­ments: what should I haue found, if I had followed thee in all the rest, from the which, the LORDS pre­uenting [Page 51] mercies did keepe mee? I haue learned by ex­perience, that thou art a faithlesse Traitor; thou dost tempt a man to sinne, and for the same sinnes, which he did by thy instigation, thou art the first that doth accuse him.

The Lord confirme this good purpose of my heart, that I neuer harken any more to thy lying words, and suffer not my Soule to bee circumuented with thy deceitfull snares. And as for the worke of my saluati­on, seeing it is a worke that my GOD will worke in despite of thee, wherefore [Page 52] shall I regard thy testimo­nie? Thou didst put it in question to my Sauiour, whe­ther or no he was the Sonne of GOD: and what mar­uell, if thou darest say to his Children, that they are none of his? Is there any truth so vndoubted, but thou darest deny it at any time? why therefore shall I enter into disputing with thee any more? My salua­tion standeth neither in thy questioning, nor in any an­swering, but vpon the Lords vnchangeable decree of E­lection.

If thou shouldest speake for mee, yet should I not bee [Page 53] the better; neyther if thou speake against me, am I the worse. When thou didst con­fesse that Iesus was the Sonne of GOD, hee re­buked thee, and thought it no honour to him to haue thy testimonie. When thou didst cry out, that Paul and Silas were the seruants of the most high GOD, albeit thou spakest the truth, yet did thy not accept of thy testimonie: so although thou wouldest say to mee, that I were the elect Child of GOD, shall I thinke my selfe the surer for that? and if on the contra [...] thou doest denie it, a [...] there­fore [Page 54] the more vnsure of sal­uation? Speake what thou wilt; thou art alwaies alike thy selfe, thou hast beene a lyar from the beginning. Cursed of the LORD art thou in all thy wayes, and with all thy confederats: Cur­sed are they that are in friendship with thee: and blessed for euer be the Lord, who hath deliuered me from thy deceit and tyranny.