THe Wise-man sayth, that A Pro. 25.11. word spoken vpon his wheels, is like apples of golde with pi­ctures of siluer; that is, a word spoken seasonably, in respect of time, place, and persons; either to awake the drowsie, instruct the ignorant, comfort the affli­cted, [Page 2]or strengthen and corro­borate the weake and feeble, is most pleasant and acceptable. If euer there were a time and age when, or place where, GODS Titus 1.7. Stewards, 2. Cor. 5.10. Ambassadors, Mal 2.7. Angels, Iob 33.23. messengers, and Ministers, had need Is. 58.1. cry and not spare, then this is the age, and this Iland the place: For if mon­strous, abominable, and odious profanenesse on the one side; & impious, wicked, and detestable Idolatry on the other side, with a high contempt of God and his sacred ordinances, may make a people immeasurably wicked, if sinne brings the curse of the most High (as sure Deut. 28. Le [...] 26. it doth) then the condition of this Land is wofull and miserable, not on­ly in respect of judgment alrea­dy powred out, but also depen­ding, especially nourishing in her bosome those locusts and vipers, who waite but opor­tunity to eate out the heart of [Page 3]their mother, as will appeare by their owne Writers and pra­ctises, in that one gun-powder plot, how had the deuill assem­bled in one Courte, all the black Guard of hell, treason, su­perstition, Atheisme, ignorance, murther, bloud, fire and sword, to bring all to a confused Chaos) worse then that Tohn and Bohu, Gen. 1.2. when the earth was with­out forme. And all this (for­sooth) was for the Catholicke cause, plotted by the Ignatian Schollers the Iesuites, tutored by the Deuils themselues, and shall wee looke for any better from them heere? Let me in­treat you, Right Honourable, Reuerend, and graue Senators, now to be assembled this Parli­ament, to take this into your se­rious consideration; and that you may the better see what these monsters amongst men are, at your leisure take but a view of their owne Writers, ci­ted [Page 4]in the Acosta de Proc. Ind. sal. l. 4 c. 3. Io Metell. seq. presat. in Osor Arnauld. in Iesuis. Plasina in hist. Pontis. margent: For my Brethren the Ministers, I am vn­willing to lay open their na­kednes, to publish it in Gath, or in the streetes of Askelon, lest the vncircumcised rejoyce and laugh at it, 2, Sam: 1.20: yet I neuer consider of it, but I see cause of complaint with the Prophet, Ier. 4.10. O my belly, my belly, I am pained at the very heart: I cannot say, our dayes and times are so euill, as sometimes the Prophet spake of the age wher­in he liued; There is not one Pro­phet left to tell vs when these things shall end. For (blessed be the Highest) Gods Word soundes, or might sound in the cares of many; for God hath vouchsafed some Prophets scat­tered heere and there, who haue receiued both Vrim and Thum­mim, light of doctrine, and light of holy conversation, whose preaching (as Aarons bells) ring sweetly amōgst the people, [Page 5]and that not without some spe­ciall fruitt. Yet liuer here still swarmes of mightie oppressing Nimrods, proud Pharaohs that say, Exod. 5.2. who is the Lord that I should serue him? wicked and vn­godly Ahabs, 1. King. 21 25. that haue solde themselues to doe wickedly in the sight of the Lord: Abominable Ieroboams, that not onely sinne themselues, but cause others to sinne, yea Rom. 1.31. fauour & delight in them that commit iniquity▪ And alas on the contrary, how small is the Flocke of the Lord IESVS among vs, faithfull as Abraham, righteous as Lot, reli­gious as Dauid, true-hearted as Ionathan and Nathaniel, zealous as Iosuah, and burning in spirit as Paul, devout as Cornelius? these are almost as rare as blacke swannes, and as the Micha 7.1. summer fruite Mat. 7.14. this gate is streight & narrow, and few finde it. God hath sent amongst vs his Pro­phets, but those are despised, & [Page 6]they hate him that reproues in the Gate, each bigamist, cavallier and bankrupt, whō the Church, and his natiue Countrey for his wickednesse hath spewed out, can reproach them, he hath tendred his spirit, as Acts 7.52. Steuen speakes to the Iewes, but that they resist, hee hath sent vs his mercies, as peace, prosperity, plenty, with a largesse of the Gospel: but these are abused, warned vs by his judgments, as warres, pestilence, and clean­nesse of teeth, but these we haue neglected. Apoc. 2.12 The Deuill ne­uer busier, for his time is but short, Antichrist neuer more fu­rious, fraudulent, and subtill, eagerly set to enlarge his king­dome, Apoc. 16.33.16. by those frogs which come out of his mouth his Eu­phrates drying vp by the Angels powring out of the sixt viall, that they might excite the Kings of the earth to that Ar­magedon, which oh our Lord ha­sten, [Page 7]and I verily beleeue is at hand, Sinne neuer more com­mon; and though the Lord pro­nounce a woe vpon them, yet Is. 5.18. they draw it with cordes of vanity, and as with cart-ropes, and Iob 16.16. drinke it in like water (as Iob sayth) men sleepe and continue in sinne, and it is safer to com­mit it, then to reproue it. Oh that abominable and accursed Idol the Masse, for which there is no shaddow of warrant in all the sacred Scripture, nor any of the ancient Fathers. Let any man shew me, if euer any Nati­on continued long, that forsook the truth, and fell to Idolatrie: search all Histories, Chronicles and Records in all Ages of the Church, îf ruine and desolation were not the guerdon and re­compence of this villanous and cursed Idolatrie, and shall wee thinke to escape? Obserue the sacred Histories of the Iudges, Kings, and Chronicles, if GOD [Page 8]plagued not the Israelites his owne people by speciall cove­nant; I confesse the Lord hath shewed long patience towardes the Heathen, who neuer had the liuely oracles, but neuer such as hee had betrusted with his statutes and testimonies, as he hath done vs; my flesh trem­bleth at the consideration here­of I feare some heauy and spee­dy vengeance from God vpon this prophane and idolatrous kingdome, if we prevent it not Amos 4.12 by meeting the Lord with speedy & vnfeigned repentance: the Lord open our eyes, to see & consider it. Shall wee now be silent, and cease to speake at all, or with the false Prophets speake false things, and Ezech. 3.18 sow pillowes vnder mens arme­holes, that the woe of GOD should come vpon vs? No veri­ly, that is neither good for vs, nor for you.

1. It is not good for vs to bee [Page 9]silent, for then the Apostles 1. Cor. 9.16 woe bee to mee if I preach not the Gospell, will fall heauily vpon vs.

2. Not to speake pleasing for then the Prophets woe will fol­low vs at the heeles, Ezechiel 13.16.

3. Not for you, for we shall but flatter and deceiue you, as the Lord sayth by the Prophet, Ier. 6.14. They haue healed the hurt of the daughcer of my people, saying peace, peace, when there is no peace; Is 57.21. for there is no peace to the wic­ked,

It is not the fairest and cal­mest Halcyon day that purifieth the ayre, but thunderings, light­nings, and blustering stormie windes: Sweet potions seldome purge, especially tough hu­mors, but bitter, healing play­sters cure not fistulaes and olde sores except corasiues precede; Therefore the wise Lord in­ioynes the Prophet, Isoy 58.1. to crie [Page 10]aloud, to lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet, &c. And elsewhere Ierem. 1.17. Trusse vp thy loynes like a man & speake all that I commaund thee, be not affraid of their faces least I consume thee before them. Wee must therefore purge, corrasiue, and apply the knife of the law, cut and launce, & stirre in your sicke soules, though you mur­mure against vs as Israel against Moses, Num 16.41 Amos 5.10. King. 22.24. Ierem. 37.15 Matt. 14.10 hate vs that reproue you as the people did Amos, smite vs on the face as Zidkiiah did Mi­chaiah, imprison vs as the Prin­ces did Ieremiah, and behead vs, as Herod did Iohn Baptist, for it is better to incurre the anger of a mortall man, then the ire and indignation of the eternall God whatsoeuer this silly sottish world thinke. I thanke God I hate no mans person, but loue all from the heart-roote in Iesus Christ, but I feare no mans face. This subiect cals mee to trans­forme my selfe into all shapes, [Page 11]sometimes to bee as Iames and Iohn Mar. 3.17. Boanerges, a sonne of thunder, and sometimes Barna­bas Act. 4.36. a sonne of consolation, for should not my wordes bee sweete and pleasanc to the vp­right, or should I be a false Pro­phet to speake peace to the wic­ked Isa. 57.21. to whom there is no peace.

This subiect that I purpose to intreat of is, to direct the humbled sinner (as the Gen. 11.19. An­gel did Hagar to the spring of water, to refresh her thirstie Son Ishmael) to the liuing waters of spirituall and true consolation, a Riddle, a Mysterie, and a Pa­radoxe to nature, & the world, to whom it is a true axiome, & maxime, that euerie like begets his like, as beasts, birds, fishes, and creeping things being the sensible creatures, and all plants, hearbs, and trees, being the ve­getatiue creatures hauing onely the life of increase, it is also a [Page 12]position true in nature that contraries doe not beget or pre­serue their contraries, but de­stroy and consume them, as the fumes being hote and dry, and the vapors and cloudes cold and moyst Iob. 36.33 What combate and opposition is there as appeares in thunders and lightnings, which are neuer quieted but by the rupture and breaking of the cloudes and vapory substance, to make way for the fiery ex­halations evacuation? But be­hold here one of the wonders of the most high, for his works in creation, prouidence, and the regenerating of men are con­trarie to all the vnderstanding of nature, as he brought Gen. 1.3. light out of darkenesse, the rainebow Gen. 9.12. a signe of present raine for the most part, and yet an euer­lasting signe of the Couenant that God made after the deluge that hee will neuer destroy the earth any more with water. He [Page 13]brings life to all his elect but out of death, euen the death of his Sonne, hee brings good out of euill, euen out of the most exquisite villanies that euer were, as out of Iudas his treason and all the wicked conspiracie of the high Priests, Scribes and Pharisees against his eternall Sonne, so in this particular, ioy, comfort, peace and felicitie is promised to the righteous, but arising out of a strange branch, and that which is opposite thereto in all mens opinion: euen sorrow and howsoeuer it cannot be a true position in na­turall things, yet it is a sound & sure position in Diuinitie, for being both graces of the spirit of God they doe conserue, and not destroy each other.

The inducements perswading me to this subiect are:

1. If it were possible to a­waken this sinnefull world to consider that God cals them to [Page 14]mourning, girding with sack­cloth, fasting and prayer in the sence of their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the time and land where wee liue, and behold as the Prophet sayth Isa. 12.13 Killing Oxen and slaying sheepe, eating and drinking, &c. a horrible sinne to be set vpon their jovall and mad mirth as the wise man speakes, throwing axes, edge­tooles, firebrands, and deadly weapons at the faces each of other, saying, am I not in jest? When the Lord cals for la­mentation and mourning. Luk. 6.25. O ponder the woe of our Sauiour you that forget God, Woe be to you that now laugh, for you shall mourne, it may be when it is too late.

2. That I might direct the poore humbled Soule (which though they be but few, scarce one of a family, or ten of a Tribe) the true way to the consolations of GOD Isa. 55.1.3. that they may [Page 15]receiue the wine and milke of comfort and their soules may liue, time hath beene. (Oh that I might truly say time is) when wee that are the dispensers of the mysteries and treasures of God, I speake experimentally haue not inioyed time three or foure houres after a Sermon to eate or refresh our selues, for an­swering the doubts of perplex­ed and afflicted consciences, a happy worke: But now Oh the obdurate and adamantine hardnesse of heart; an afflicted spirit is as a signe & wonder in Israel, yet blessed be God some there are, for whose cause, and of a tender commiseration, and respect, my soule desires to vn­dergoe any taske or trauaile for their ease refreshing and releefe; I haue knowne some in terrors of conscience, Prou. 18.14. and vnder the vexation of a wounded spirit, which the wise man saith Who can beare, tenne, twentie yeares, [Page 16]when I was not so able to admi­nister consolation, which might haue beene soone directed and recouered, with the assisstance and blessing of the spirit of God.

Now for the point, it is a cer­taine truth, that there is no true ioy to bee expected before the heart be humbled with sorrow in the sence and feeling of a mans sinne.

1. Because the current of all the promises runne thus. Our Sauiour who best knew to ad­minister a word in season pro­nounceth mourners onely to be happy. Matt. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be com­forted, and Dauid by the spirit of God teacheth this, Ps 126.5. They that sow in teares, shall reape in ioy: Againe Ps. 30.5.11 Weeping may abide in the Euening, but ioy commeth in the Morning: And in the 11. vers. Thou hast turned my mour­ning into ioy: thou hast loosed my [Page 17]sacke and guirded mee with glad­nesse, thus he proclaymeth this experiment to the comfort of all succeeding ages, and profes­seth that hee will for that fa­vour prayse God for euer.

2. A broken heart are the sweete odours and sacrifices ac­ceptable to him, and the Pro­phet vtters it as if it were all, better then all Psa. 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart, and that he will neuer despise it, what could be spoken more amply then this?

3. The Lord himselfe pro­fesseth that hee will take vp the contrite heart to keepe his roy­all Court of refidence there, and to reuiue that spirit. Isa. 66.2. To him will I looke, euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit, and trem­bleth at my word, that is, receiueth my word and doctrine with feare and trembling.

Quest. But doth the promises of happinesse and beatitude be­long [Page 18]to all sorrowes indefinitly.

Answ. That were too large, and layes open a doore of hap­pines to many which sorrow, and that excessiuely, & yet shall vndoubtedly perish; there must be therefore issued out (as the Lawyers say) a Writ of melias inquirendum, which I will doe by a distribution of sorrowes and mourners into their seuerall rankes: and answere till I come at the true sorrow, as the Lord answered 1 Sam. 16.7.12. Samuel when he sent him to annoint Dauid King of Ifrael, the sonnes of Ishai being brought Eliab, Abinadab, & Sba­muah, the Lord said to each se­uerally, the Lord hath not chosen him, nor any of Ishais seuen sonnes, vntill Dauid came, and then the Lord answered, annoint him King ouer my people, for this is he. We are therefore to obserue three kindes of sorrowes:

• 1. Naturall sorrowes.
• 2. Vnnaturall, diabolicall, or [Page 19]diuelish sorrowes.
• 3. Supernaturall.

The sorrowes of the afflicted & scandalized I call naturall, be­cause they proceed from nature and naturall causes.

The sorrowes of the afflicted for crosses, losses, and outward troubles & afflictions, are com­mon and ordinary, such as Iob speakes of, Iob 6.2. Oh that my griefes were well weighed, and my mise­ries layde together in the ballance, for it would hee now heauier then the sand of the sea: and such was that sorrow Mat. 2.1 [...] in Ier. 31.51 Ramah, where a voyee was heard, Rachel weeping for her children, & would not be comforted, because they were not: but this must not be it, be­ing too vniversall, I were better preach vniversall grace, then this doctrine, which will fetch within the compasse thereof v­niversally all the sonnes of A­dam; for there is no man, but at one time or other, laments [Page 20]the losse of wife, children, lands, possession, goods, good name, woundes, sicknesses, diseases, and such like; and yet millions of these perish, and that eternally; there is no man except he bee a Stoike, ouer-whelmed with stu­pidity & blockishnes, but hath natural passions & affections, & the world skip and leape at this as the fish at the baite but poore soules they deceiue themselues, latet anguis in herba; and there is a hooke within this baite, when they heare of the promises made to mourners, the deuill & their deceitful hearts make thē beleeue, & they fondly speake, they hope they haue their hell heere, and their heauen heereaf­ter, whenas they are but the be­ginnings and first-fruits of the wrath of the eternall God, and fore-runners of that full haruest of vengeance, which the Iust will inflict vpon them for euer in hell; for the Lord as not so [Page 21]prodigal of his best mercies, as to diffuse & scatter them thus vniversally vpon all: but as a­versly deale they with them­selues, and with the bounty of God; for if he turne the wheele of prosperity, and giue them a­bundance of peace, plenty, and outward blessings; they turne their songs, and say, if God lo­ued them not, hee would neuer bestow and cumulate those va­riety of fauours vpon them, as the children of Ephraim, when God menaced them with wrath for their sins, answered, Hosea 12.8 Not­withstanding I am rich and increa­sed in all my labours: And the Church of Laodicea sayd, Apoc. 3 16 17 she was rich, &c. Thus, which way soeuer the Lord turne himselfe towardes them, they put poy­son into the cup which God fil [...] out to them, and drinke it to the ruine of their soules, neuer in­quiring for assurance, whether God giues these conditions to [Page 22]them in his Loue, or Wrath; nor considering that which the Wiseman speakes, Eccles. 9.23. All things (that is) in these outward things, Eccl 9.1.2.3 God promiscuously be­stowes) all things alike to the good and bad, to him that sacrificeth, & to him that sacrificeth not, to him that sweareth, and feareth an oath; as is the good, so is the sinner: So that by any of these outward things, no man knowes Ioue, or hatred. Hos. 13.11. There are many rich men wicked, God gaue Saul to Israel in his wrath; & the prospe­rity of the wicked, Prov. 12.32. is their ruine: There are also many poore men abominably wicked, car­rying about them many blacke characters, and plague tokens of reprobation: It is also as cer­taine, that GOD chooseth, (though not many) rich, noble, learned, and wise, to be vessels of grace, mercy, and glory, as Abra­ham, Iob, Salomon, & others; and many poore, as S. Iames sayth, [Page 17] Iam. 2.5. Hearken my beloued, hath not God chosen the poore of this world, that they may be rich in him, and heires of the promises.

Quest. But may not Gods children grieue and mourne for outward afflictions, losses and troubles in this world?

Answ. They may, but with these two cautions or rules.

1. That their heauinesse bee rather for finne in themselues, which might cause that crosse, then for the affliction it selfe.

2. That their heauinesse and sorrow be moderate, as Paul ad­viseth, 1 Cor. 7.30. Let them that weepe, be as if they wept not: and for the losse of friends, 1 Thess. 4.13. not to weepe as men without hope for them that sleepe, &c.

Quest. But when is sorrow for afflictions moderate?

1. When it exceedes not the measure of sorrow for fin, that is, libertie enough, if not too much, for a large measure and [Page 24]degree of sorrow for sinne is re­quired and necessary.

2. When it with-drawes not the heart from God, & the holy vse or all his ordināces, through passionate and incredulous per­turbations, for that is not accor­ding to the Apostles Canon: weepe as if ye wept not: fye vpon that sorrow for outward losses that driues from God, and the duties either of generall or per­ticular callings, as of husband, wife, father, childe, or our out­ward profession and calling in this world.

3. Is. 54.7.8. It must be but for a season, because the troubles and affli­ctions of Gods children are but for a moment, Psal. 30.5. God hides his face but for a little while; and the reason is, because afflictions are vsed of God, as plasters, medi­cines, or as a furnace, Now in as much as the Godly will speedi­ly judge themselues, and make their peace, therefore the Lord [Page 25]will soone draw off the afflicti­on: Sweetly speakes our Saui­our to this purpose, Iob 36.7.15 Iohn 16.20, 23 Phil. 4.6. Luke 18.7.8. Verily I say vnto you, that yee shall weepe & lament, and the world shall reioyce, and yee shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. The pla­ster shall lye no longer, then till the sore bee whole: the golde­smith will let his mettall lye no longer in the fire, then till the drosse be melted off, or fit for his worke. For whether the Lord remoues the crosse, or puls out the sting thereof, or sweetens it with speciall mer­cies and fauours, ouer-valuing the affliction How should this checke the vnquietnesse of our hearts, as David sayth. Ps. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe my soule, and vnquiet within me &c. and to bee ashamed of the failings of our hearts, Psal. 73.26 My flesh faileth, and my heart also, but GOD is the strength of my heart, and my porti­on for euer. And to turne the [Page 26]current of sorrow against our selues, that wee should make so much of our crosses, and so little of Gods mercies.

Quest, What motiues can you giue me to mourne lesse for outward afflictions?

Sol. First they as you see, are but for a season, and therefore learne to Heb. 10.23.38. hold fast the confi­dence of our hope, and liue by faith.

2. If the Lord be angry, Psal. 73.26.28. Hab. 2.4. to hide our selues for a little season, till the indignation [...]s past, by vnfaig­ned and godly sorrow, confessi­on of sinne, prayer for pardon of sin, renewing our covenants dayly, to liue better in time to come: and such like as these.

3. Seriously to consider, if greater losses haue not befalne vs, then these terrene and out­ward things, as houses, lands, re­venues, goods, and credite.

Quest. But may there grea­ter losses befall a man, then losse of wife, children, &c?

[Page 27] Answ. The world thinkes no; but it is sure, many haue, and the dearest childe of God may; and to turne the edge of our griefe and sorrow, a taste where­of I will giue you in these few particular instances: A man is neuer worse spoyled, then when his soule suffers spirituall losses. Iob his losses by the Sabeans and Shabeans was great, but theirs are infinitely greater,

1. That lose the good seede sowen in their hearts, as the most do, Mat. 13.19 whensoeuer a man hea­reth the word of the kingdome, and vnderstandeth it not, the euill one commeth, and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart: and so hee betrayeth the seede of Gods Word into the hands of the deuill. Oh how many lose the benefite of many a Sermon, and bewaile it not.

2. That lose the Kingdome of God, in losing the meanes of the Kingdome, the ministery of [Page 28]the Word, by which an entrace is made into the Kingdome of Grace, and by which they are built vp and stablished in that Kingdome, Mal. 21.43 The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you, and giuen to a Nation that shall bring forth the fruit thereof. How many weepe and wring their handes for the losse of these earthly things, this Mammon, but can liue without meanes to saue their soules, and neuer shedde a teare for the want thereof. Oh those blessed times of Hierome, when his mouth was stopped, the people cryed out, It had beene better the Sun had beene plucked out of the firmament.

3. That lose their first loue which sometimes they had, so threatned by our Sauiour, Apoc. 2.4. I haue somewhat against thee, because thou hast lost thy first loue.

4. That lose what they haue wrought, euen all that they haue done throughout their [Page 29]life, because they haue not been done of faith, and therefore Iohn giues this caution, 2 Iohn 8. Looke to your selues, that wee lose not the things we haue done, but that wee may receiue a full reward, &c. that is, some take paines about the way to a better life, but labour not aright, & therefore lose all, and themselues.

5. That lose the presence of God, not the presence of his ef­fence, wherein Moses was singu­lar but the presence of his grace, and signes of his fauour & mer­cy▪ which the Lord himselfe threatens to take from Ephraim, Nos. 5.15. I will goe and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their sinnes, and seeke me in their affli­ction, they will seeke me diligently.

6. That lose the taste of the life to come, Hab. 6.2 as the Aurhour to the Hebrewes sayth, and all those seeming graces which sometimes they had.

7. That lose the joyes of their [Page 30]saluation, Hs. 51.13. which Dauid did, as in his dolefull prayer hee ex­presseth, Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation, &c. & questionles it is so to many a childe of God for a time, to their great sorrow and heauinesse.

8. That lose the stability and stedfastnesse of their faith, Ps. 51.12. as Dauid, for howsoeuer it is a truth, that faith cannot bee to­tally, and finally lost, yet the stedfastnes thereof hath beene, and may be in the best of Gods seruants.

9. That haue lost those things they had sometimes in spiritual things, Mat. 13.12 Let this be no won­der; for as touching degree, it may be, and is true in sundry of Gods seruants, though it is not true of the graces themselues.

10. Most of all that lose their crowne, which is either in the hypocrite leauing his perseue­rance, Apoc. 3.11 or in Gods Childe, grow­ing colde and carelesse.

[Page 31] But alas this is not the true sorrow: for of this worldly sor­row the Apostle sayth, it 2 Cos. 7.10 brings death, both temporal and eternall, so far is it from bring­ing life or grace.

2. The second state of natural sorrowes, far enough from this blessed sorrow, which will bring consolation, is the sorrow of the scandalized, or melancholie, which the Apostle Paul speak­eth of in the whole fourteenth Chapter, and beginning of the fifteenth of his Epistle to the Romanes, calling him by, the name of the weake Christiau: but indeede, because many are deceiued in this sorrow, and lose their soules; and many also thinke the godly sorrow to bee but sicknes, passion, conceit, or melancholy, and because it changeth the body often, they thinke it ariseth from the bo­dy: but there is no disease like to this for symptomes and tor­ments: [Page 32]and therefore here I will consider two things:

1. The difference betwixt godly sorrow, & fits of melan­choly.

2. How it comes to passe, that this sicknesse being in the soule, yet often it infeebleth the bo­dy.

Touching the first, there are foure differences.

1, They all are naturall, whe­ther it proceede from the cor­ruption of the bloud vniversal­ly, or the bloud in the braine onely, ingendred through in­flammation, and euill affect a­bout the stomacke and sides, which are all distinguished by Physitians, by their causes and symptomes, which in some are almost incredible and strange: but this is supernaturall, a plant of Gods owne planting, & that it is so, needes no other reason to proue it; then that God com­mands it; for naturall things [Page 33]neede no commandement, is a ruled ax [...]ome in divinity.

2. They from the constitution of the body; but this is from the constitution of the soule.

3. In melancholy the humors first, and then the imagination; but in this sorrow, the consci­ence first, and the hu [...]ors after, are affected to the weakning & wasting of the body.

4. They, euen all kindes may be cured by naturall remedies & medicines, bringing nature to his right temper; all naturall medicines vnder Heauen can­not cure this sicknes; yet I con­fesse, that sometimes these are mixed together, sicknesse of the body, and the minde, and then is it hard to cure the one with­out the other: but the cure must be indeauoured by spirituall & bodily helpes continually.

2 That the body is oft in­feebled by the sicknesse of the minde, is; because of the neere [Page 34]conjunction, sympathy, and v­nion of them, both being vnited in one person; for the soule pos­sessed with feare, sorrow, lan­guishing, and heauinesse, it is not possible that the body can take any delight in naturall and bo­dily comfort, the sleepe will be short, & not so briefe as trouble­some, and tempestuous; meates and drinkes shall bee tastelesse, or loathsome, or mingled with teares, as Dauid sayth, Psal. 102.4 I for­gate to eate my bread: the vse of wife, children, house, lands, &c. shal be vncōfortable to him; for the naturall, vitall, and animall spirits being all distempered by the soule, which (as Salomon sayth,) Prov, 18.14 the spirits of a man will sustaine his infirmities, that is, all naturall infirmities, sicknes­ses, losses, & molestations; but when these fayle, in the want of the consolations of God, what shall vp-hold him?

2. It comes to passe by the [Page 35]righteous judgment of GOD, who as they haue finned vndi­vided, so are they not divided in the smart thereof, but are corrected and afflicted toge­ther, the body hath beene a ser­vant to ehe lusts of the soule, & receiueth the guerdon & wages of sinne with it. Dauid abused the vigour of his body, in the sinnes of adultery and murther, and the Lord chastneth him in both-Thus of natural sorrowes.

2. Vnnatural, or diabolical, & diuelish sorrowes.

1. Of the desperate.

2. Of the disappointed.

1. The sorrow of the despe­rate, as Iob sayth, [...] Iob 3.20. they desire to see the graue, they seeke death, and cannot finde it; that is, they feele such a racke, torment, and vexation in their conscience, & being without hope of the con­solations of God, are not able to endure this insupportable bur­then of a wounded spirit; and [Page 36]therefore are driven to one of those woful shifts, either which come to driue it away, by cal­ling in other distractions, (help­lesse alas, & comfortlesse) as mar­rying wiues, building citties, inventing muficke, & such like bables fit for fooles and childrē; buc neuer turne their thoughts to GOD, to seeke for fauour, much like the vile world now, that drinke away the thought of their latter end: but alas, what good is in this? nothing but to still the out cry and cla­mour of conscience for a time, that they may haue a greater freedome to sinne, and not bee disquieted, or else desperately to seeke death, as 2 Sam. 17 25. A [...]hitopbel, and Math. 27.5 Iudas, by laying violent handes vpon themselues, a me­dicine as euil, or worse then the disease; or else sinke vnder the burthen as those Priers and Papists, who lay like fooles vn­der stockes, crying out bitterly, [Page 37]in the sence of their tormented consciences, Francis Spire wishing that their plagues and torments in Hell might be but as many yeares, as there are droppes of water in the Sea, or as many yeares as a little bird would be in carrying away a huge mountaine in her mouth for then there would be an end, but now it will bee eternall. What shall I speake of Latonius who died roaring, as if hee had beene possessed body and soule with the Deuill, or of Hosfminster Eccius, and other whom stories make mention of.

2. The sorrow of the disap­pointed, as of Haman when his wicked deuise hee had against Mordecai and the Iewes was pre­uented Hest. 6.12 hasted home mourning, and his head couered: When Ahab could not obtaine Naba­oth veineyard, 1. King. 21.4. went home to his house heauie, lay vpon his bed, & would not eat: So Amron, Dauids sonne, when hee had missed his [Page 38]lust with his sister Thamar 2. Sam. 13.24. he fell sicke for her, the world is filled with these cursed deuillish sorrowes when they cannot at­chieue their wicked plots, stra­tagems, and hellish deuises, but this is a diabolicall and wicked sorrow, and neyther of these yet is that true sorrow, which brings true peace and ioy, and therefore we must seeke for an­other.

Thirdly supernatu­rall or religious sor­rowes, which are of two sortes

• Legall.
• Euan­gelical.

This legall sorrow goes before faith, being a griefe wrought by the preaching of the Law, inlightning and wounding the soule in the sence and feeling of sinne, racking, tormenting, and disquieting the conscience, and making it speake and crie out with inutterable clamors, and following him with hew and crie; so as wheresoeuer hee be­comes [Page 39]hee carries his accuser, Iudge, tormentor, and execu­tioner about with him, and this hath and must be the condition of euery one whom God pur­poseth to saue, at one time or other, and in some degree or other, for the Lord heales none but the wounded, with the wine and oyle of the sweete promi­ses of the Gospell; and indeede they feele no want thereof, Matt. 9.12.13. The whole neede nut the Physitian saith our Sauiour, but those that are sicke, these he came to call to repentance, not the righ­teous, that is such as are righte­ous in their owne account, and howsoeuer this bee no sauing grace, but as the Schools speake, a generall grace, or a grace of preparation, not of composi­tion, such as hee promiscuously bestowes vpon the world aswell as his people, though hee giues them more. Yet let all men know for certaintie that till le­gall [Page 40]sorrow, hath though serious fence of sin made a man trem­ble, and sorrow euen in respect of the vengeance and wrath of God, and brought him to des­payre in regarde of himselfe, he is not moued to consider seri­ously, which is the first wheele of all like the spring in a watch, which moues all the rest, much lesse to desire mercie, which is the opening of the doore of the heart to let in the Lord Iesus in­to the soule. Therefore hath the Lord set vp a Ministerie in his Church, that partly by the laws preached, driues men to their wits-end, as those three thou­sand Conuertes that at Peters Sermon cryed out Act. 2.37. What shall we doe? and partly by his works, as the Iayler when the earth­quake and opening of the pri­son-dores made him tremble, & crie out: Act. 16.29 30. What shall I doe? And Manasseh, God bindes him in chaines and sends him to [Page 41] Babell, 2. Chro. 33.12.13. and then hee hum­bled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers, and God was intreated of him & brought him backe into his owne land: Many are the gashes & wounds Sathan and sinne hath made in our soules, wee must and shall feele the smart of them before we be throughly healed. To this purpose hath God set vp and placed his monitor conscience in mans foule to crie aloud, and tell him what hee hath done amisse, to apprehend him, and set vp a Gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him, and all to bring him to himselfe to sue for pardon.

Yet is not this the sorrow which hath the promise of ioy and comfort annexed to it, though this bee not altogether separated from it, yet is this le­gall sorrow in reproba [...]es and diuels, Act. 24, 25 when Felix heard Paul dispute of temperance, and the [Page 42]iudgment to come he trembleth, &c. And S. Iames saith: Iam. 2.19 That the Diuels beleeue and tremble, which is more then many a wicked man doth. Heare this yee Pro­fane obdurate, and hard hearted monsters, and bee ashamed at your condition, that in this re­spect are worse then the Deuils, and infernall damned spirits, & fiends, & if you will not learne and be taught by your eternall soueraigne Lord & King learne thus much of the Diuels least they rise vp in iudgment against you and condemne you, as our Sauiour said of Sodome, and G [...] ­morrah, that they should rise vp in iudgement against the Iewes.

2. Now are wee come to the true sorrow, which will ap­peare 1. Sa. 16.11 as Dauid the last, least and youngest of all the sonnes of Ishai, faire, ruddy, and of a comely countenance, so is this a blessed sweete amiable grace, pe­culiar, and speciall to Gods peo­ple, Mat. 10.15 [Page 43]and a specificall worke of the holy Ghost, neuer yet did God vouchsafe this gift or grace vpon hypocrite or reprobate, but vpon his owne speciall be­loued ones, and neuer did true beleeuer want it, though some haue wanted the sence of it, sti­led in Scripture 2. Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow, or a sorrow for God, offended, & beloued put in the forefront of the blessed Couenant which God makes with his people. Ezec. 26.3 [...] A new heart also will I giue you, and a new spirit will I put in your bowels, and I will take away your stonie heart, and giue you a heart of flesh.

But that we may apprehend, and receiue this grace more per­spicuously what it is, let vs a little consider the rife and im­mediate branch, out of which it springs, and sprouts which is loue, in this manner, when faith hath apprehended the loue of God for the pardon and remis­sion [Page 44]of sinnes, our full iustifica­tion and adoption, through the bloud of Christ, Gods loue be­ing shed abroad in our heartes by the holy Ghost, the heart is immediatly rauished and infla­med with the loue of God a­gaine, and then the considera­tion which is as a blessed light held out to the mind, lets the soule see as in a chrystall glasse all the sinnes that it hath com­mitted against the mercy, good­nesse, gratiousnesse and bountie of that gracious louing Father, how they haue dishonoured his blessed Maiesty, grieued his good spirit, and deserued his wrath, now it lookes vpon Christ whom his sinnes hath pierced through, and considers with it selfe, it was not Iudas, Pilate the High Priest, Scribes and Pharises, that crucified the blessed Sonne of God, but my sinnes haue nai­led him to the Crosse, and pier­ced his pericardion, and caused his [Page 45]heart bloud to issue forth; thus doth Peter beate home this point to the conscience, in that excellent and fruitfull Sermon, wherein three thousand were converted. of whom (sayth hee) Acts 2.3.16. Yee are now the betrayers and murtherers. Could they or the whole world haue crucified Christ? no verily, when hee did but aske them, Iohn 13.4. whom seeke ye? they fell baeckward to the ground; his wordes were able to van­quish infinite millions; and as himselfe speakes to Peter, Mat. 26.5 thinkest thou not that I can now pray to my Father, and hee would giue me more then twelue Legions of Angels: one whereof 1 King. 19.5. slew a hundred fourescore and fiue thou­sand in one night: and Gen. 12.29 all the first-borne of Egypt in a night. It was then thy sinnes, & my sins, and the sinnes of all the [...]lect that crucified Christ, which the Prophet Zachary aptly expres­seth, Zach. 12.10 They shall looke vpon him [Page 46]whom they haue pierced through, Amaritudi­ne afficientur sicut amari­tudine affic [...] ­tur quispiam. and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for the losse of his on­ly sonne; And for the measure of their sorrow, the Hebrew ex­presseth it liuely: & Arrius Mon­tanus translates it significantly, amarificare enm, &c. This, this I say is the sweet braunch whence this blessed grace doth issue and spring fonrth; and hee which mourneth with this sorrow shal haue the issue and fruite thereof in joy heere, and consolation vnspeakable and glorious here­after,

Quest. May not a godly man deare and precious in Gods ac­count mourne, and sorrow for sinnes, with deepe lamentations, and yet not bee the right and true godly sorrow?

Sol. Yes questionlesse, it is the case of many a good man, and that will appeare by these rea­sons.

1. Because the sorrow euen [Page 47]of some speciall beloued ones, continues long vpon them, I haue knowne some seauen, ten, yea twentie yeares in afflictions of minde, tormented and vexed with the sence of their sinnes, and yet haue found little or no comfort, which they should haue done, had their soules been directed, by any that had the tongue of the learned to admi­nister seasonable direction, for so is the ordinarie current of the promises: Ps. 30.5. Sorrow ouer night, but ioy in the morning: Againe Ps. 126.5. They went out weeping, and car­ried pretious seed, but they shall re­turne with ioy, and bring their sheaues after them. Thus in the examples of 2 King. 20.25. Hezechias, who turned his face to the wall and wept and presently receiued consola­tion. And Iosiah who when hee heard the Booke of the 2 King. 22.8.12.13. Law found by Hilkiah, and reade by Shaphan, rent his clothes and wept sore, & sent to Huldah the pro­phetesse [Page 48]to inquire of the Lord for him and his people: recei­ved a gratious answere, and was comforted.

2. When euen a godly man cryes and roares onely in the sence of the paine and smart of sinne; yet it neither brings glo­ry to God, nor consolation to his owne soule, it is not godly sorrow, yea though the object be God offended, as

1. When men are impatient, or distrust GOD of his word, providence, and promises, the Highest is so farre from being honoured thereby, as that he is highly dishonoured, and him­selfe no way eased, but his griefe augmented and increased.

2. That sorrow which brings glory to God, and good to the party, workes in the soule a sweet motion and inclination of the heart to loue God, and so to pant, desire and breathe after the sence of Gods fauour and [Page 49]loue, as the Spouse in the Can­ticles, Cant. 5. [...]. Christ let fall some droppes of his precious grace into her heart, which inflamed her so, as it inforced her to seeke him indefatigably, vntill shee had found and imbraced him, and had beene imbraced by him: but if the Ps. 51.1 [...]. Spirit in sorrow being grieued, with-draweth himselfe, and the heart is dead, and feeles no motion to sue vnto God. O beware of such a sorrow, trust it not, it is like to bee vnfound, as Gen. 3.8. Adams, which caused him to run from God, and hide him­selfe in the thicket, which brought nought but shame; but the sorrow of the Luke 15.18 Prodigal, inclined his heart to returne vn­to his father: and Inbn 12.3. that of Mary Magdalene, drew her heart and body neerer to Christ.

3. That sorrow vnder paine, though God offended bee the object thereof, which is not ac­companied with confession and [Page 50]relinquishing of sinne, though of a godly man, is not right, be­cause it hath not the promise of remission, which onely is made to a true confessiō, which issueth onely out of godly sorrow: Iohn 1.9. If we confesse our sinnes, he is faith­full and true to forgiue vs our sins, and to cleanst vs from all vnrighte­ousnes. Oh sweete ground and foundation of consolation for faith to lay holde vpon: but on the contrary, Pro. 28.13. hee that hides his sinne, shall neuer prosper, that is in grace and consolation, & not onely to confesse, but to relin­quish the sinne; else men doe like a Cut-purse, that cryes mercy, mercy, at the judgement seat, but keepes the purse still; so do men often, especially hide the sweet morsell of their belo­ued finnes vnder their tongues, the sinne of their nature, and the sinne of their calling, not considering what the Lord sayth, Isa. 1.16.17 Wash you, make you [Page 51]cleane, put away the euill of your workes, cease to doe euill, learne to doe well, &c.

True confession hath these particulars.

1. The most wicked and re­probate man that euer was, may, and oft will confesse his sinne by lumpe, and in generall, to say, we are all sinners, &c, but this brings no glory to God, or comfort to the party confes­sing: but there is a confession which indeed brings much glo­ry to God, which Ioshua advi­seth A chan to set his heart vpon: Ios. 7.19. My sonne, giue glory to the Lord God of Israel, and confesse this day. This, this (I say) is that which will bring true peace to the conscience: thus did Dauid when hee had confessed all his sinnes in particular which hee knew, intreates the Ps. 15.12. Lord to purge him from his sec [...]rt sinnes: as if he should haue said, O Lord now I haue confessed all my [Page 52]knowne sinnes, there are yet in­finite secret sinnes which I know not, and if I knew them all, I would confesse them in speciall and particular to thy Maiestie, for otherwise there were no hope of the pardon & remission of them, & this brings case to the heart and comfort to the soule, so did Dautd also, and found comfort: Ps. 32.5. I confessed my sinne to the Lord, and thou for­gauest the iniquity of my handes. I verily beleeue there was neuer any knowne sinne pardoned to any man before it was acknow­ledged & confessed before God in specie, and in particular.

2. Confession which brings most glory to God, is a priuate confession, not before, or to man but in secret, as our Sauiour aduiseth in prayer, whereof confession is a part, Mat. [...].6. When thou prayest, enter into thy cham­ber, and shut the doore, and pray to thy Father in secret, &c. an hy­pocrite [Page 53]may confesse his sinnes, and that largely in prayer, and yet perish; but when the sinner is pinched at the heart with the sence and feeling of his sinne a­gainst God (beloued) whom he hath grieued thereby, seekes some secret chamber, closet, house, wood, where he is sure to be furthest from the eyes and eares of men, and there powre out his soule before the Lord in a corner, notonely in Paules, Christ Church, and S. Patrickes, as the manner of the Pharises, anciently was, [...], non in Te [...] ­plo. and of our igno­rant people now is, to content them which saw; but in secret, this is pleasing and acceptable to God.

Neither doe I in this infringe or deterre from publicke con­fession in these particular cases:

1. When men haue giuen publicke scandal and offence, publicke confession is necessary, so did (y) A [...]han giue glory to God.

[Page 54] 2. When after our confession of sinnes, God hath beene plea­sed to assure our soules of his mercy in the free remission and pardon of them, wee confesse them to comfort others, as Paul relates his persecution and blas­phemie, to comfort others, if any should euer so deepely be plun­ged into the like wickednesse.

3. Wee should in some cases not bee ashamed to publish our sinnes to all the world, to testifie our true repentance, & through effectuall turning vnto God▪ at David [...]se.

4. It must be free, and not ex­hausted & wrung from vs, as was that of Iosh. 7.17.18. Acban, first he was pull'd out by the Tribe, then by the Family, and after by the people, till which time he helde out without confession, when sinne hath found out the sinner, and he can hide it no longer, it's no gramercie (as wee speake,) I am not peremptory, but that [Page 55]God may, and sometime hath mercy vpon theeues, varlets, and wicked men, brought before judgment seates, and to execu­tion for their villanies, when they confesse their sinnes; but scarce one of a thousand of these confessions are sound, and would looke for a great many of sound signes before I should speake comfort to such a man; but when it comes free in times of health, peace, prosperity &c. it brings glory to God, & com­fort to the Confessor.

5. It must be to God, not to a Priest, which hath no foundati­on in sacred writ; thus did Da­uid, Hs. 51.4. against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned, &c. Haue I of­fended a Priest, or what Law of his haue I transgressed, that I should confesse to him? or hath hee power to remit my sinnes? the very Iewes and Pharisees could say, it was blasphemie for a meere man to say, Luke 7.48 thy sinnes [Page 56]are forgiuen thee: Yet wee deny not priuate confession of man to man privately in these two cases onely.

In private iniuries betwixt man and man, when by our of­fences we haue injured them as oft we doe, though the sinne be principally against God, 2. Sam. 11.11. as Dauid wronged Vriah, & in this case it was necessary that Dauid should haue confessed his iniury done to him, in deflowring and defiling his wife, and not haue seconded his first wickednesse, by writing murtherous lines to Ioab, to depraue him of his life, and that for two reasons:

1. To testifie our repentance to be vnfaigned and sound to­wardes God, to our selues, and the partie whom wee haue of­fended.

2. To testifie that wee are throughly and soundly recon­ciled each to other, and this is intended by our Sauiour Christ, [Page 57] Luke 17.4. If thy brother trespasse against thee seuen times a day, and come and say, it repents mee, thou shalt forgiue him. Thus God sends Gen. 20.7. Abimelech to Abraham, whom hee had vnwittingly wronged, to reconcile himselfe to him, & so obtaine his prayers, Iob 42.7. So are Iobs friendes sent to Iob to confesse their censoriousnesse of him, and to importune him to intreate a pacification of God for them.

2. In perplexities of consci­ence, when a man hath vsed all private meanes, as humiliation, confession of sinnes, priuate prayer, fasting, searching againe and againe ouer the Lords Re­cords, and can finde no ease, that the conscience may finde ease & peace, the Spirit of God advi­seth vs to vse the helpe of some other speciall man of wisdome, gifts and secrecy, not a Minister onely, but any other, & to con­fesse to him both his affliction [Page 58]of spirit, and the cause thereof Iames 5.16. Confesse your sinnes one to an other, and pray one for another, &c. Now I confesse, the Minister ought to bee the best prepared, Mal. 2.7. his hopes should preserue know­ledge, and the people should learne the Law at his mouth: he ought also to haue the tongue of the learned, and to bee studied in cases of conscience to ad­minister and giue consolation to a wounded and weary soule, and hath speciall promise to be heard in his counsell and pray­ers, as being a Minister of recon­ciliation betweene God and his people, and it is not causelesse that the Lord vseth this reason to Abimelech, Gen. 20 7. goe to Abraham for he is a Prophet: & that which is spoken in Iob 33.23 Iob, If a messen­ger or an interpreter one of a thou­sand declare vnto man his righte­ousnes, &c. yet these places doe not proue that the troubled conscience is obliged to one per­son, [Page 59]nor to a Priest, hauing for the most part as little skil or ex­perience of the estates of affli­cted consciences, as Balaams Asse, but to be performed also to pri­vate Christians, Therefore this is farre enough from this Auricu­lar Confession to the Priest, which was invented by the De­uill and the Pope, and his wic­ked seculars and regulars, to fill their purses; for, no money, no absolution, like their Purgato­ry, Indulgences, Trentals, Diri­gies, Masses, and the rest of their deuised trumpery, to gull the people, and delude their soules: Againe, to know and diue into the secrets of all States, Courts, Houses, and secret thoughts of men and women, and the dis­positions of all particular per­sons, and so to know fit patients for their lusts, whereof I could produce many horrible instan­ces, and both name and proue them in this Iland if it were sea­sonable: [Page 60]as also fit agents to per­petrate any villanies in stabbing of Kings, as Raviliak; Massacres, as the Duke of Guise, and the Cardinal of Loraine at Vashti, & to blow vp Parliament-houses as Faux: Lastly, it is so farre from easing the conscience, as it is a racke and tormentor thereto, & therefore miserable and lamen­table is the condition of these poore people vnder these cruel taske-masters: Lord open their blinde eyes, that they may see and discerne the subtilties and stratagems of these abominable deluders of their poore soules.

1. Quest. But if there bee so many kindes of sorrowes, which deceiue mens soules, and that Gods people in their sorrowes euen for sinnes, misse the right sorrow, and so continue with­out ease or comfort? what shall become of mee, that cannot mourne, but feele an obdurate and hard heart, which I cannot [Page 61]get molified?

Ans. I cannot deny but that this godly sorrow may be with­out rackings & terrors in some, the easiest and lowest degree hath these three things euer true in them to their consolation.

1. They vexe and grieue, be­cause they can grieue no more, they are sensible of, and discerne the hardnesse of their hearts, which is a degree of softnesse, for corruption is not discerned by corruption but by grace, and therefore they crye out with the Church, Isa 63.17. Why hast thou hardned our hearts and caused vs to erre from thy commandements, re­turne, &c.

2. They hate their speciall & beloued sinnes with a deadly hatred.

3. They indeauour a through reformation of their liues both internally, & externally which are good euidences of some softnesse of spirit, though mix­ed [Page 62]with some hardnesse and corruption.

2. Quest. But is it possible to discerne this sorrow?

Sol. Yes, and I am so farre from the opinion of Poperie concerning assurance, that I am assured, that it is hard to haue any sauing grace, but it will be perceiued and discerned, yea it will euidently manifest it selfe to all that haue skill to discerne it, and that for these reasons,

1. Grace cannot be without externall fruite, Mat. 7.16. and by their fruites sayth our Sauiour yee shall know them, men doe not gather Grapes of thornes, nor figges of thistles, and though these graces be hidden and secret in them­selues, yet doe in the true con­vert shew themselues by cer­taine demonstratiue effects, as by confession in times of perse­cutions, as Master Glouer, who though he had no sence of the assurance of Gods loue vntill hee [Page 63]came in the flames, yet indured the former scornes, and that torture, and then cryed out (to his seruant according to his re­quest, that if he felt the conso­lations of the Spirit at that last time, hee would giue some to­ken) Iohn hee is come, &c. Pro­fession notwithstanding the scornes and disgrace of the world, by victory ouer the world, loue to the word more then their appointed foode, and lastly by their loue to Gods people.

2. Grace cannot bee truely receiued but it workes a won­derfull change and alteration, the spirit of God hauing bound the strong man the Deuill that had formerly possessed the heart there bussels, throwes downe the Chayre of estate, alters the disposition and practise, affecti­ons, and all the conuersation both internall and externall, and all this stirre in reformati­on is lyable to obseruation.

[Page 64] 3. The Deuill lyes still and quiet whiles men content them­selues with common effects of historicall and temporary faith, because they feed presumption, and leaues them vnder the po­wer of damnation safe enough, but so some as iustifying faith, godly sorrow and other graces, (for they are neuer seperated) are got in the least measure into the heart, and begin to worke in purifying the heart and life from beloued sinnes, (though they worke neuer so weakely) hee bestirres himselfe by his a­gents by carnall and wicked counsell, what will you (say they) become precise and liue mopishly, come lets bee jovall and merry, and drinke away these dumpish thoughts, carnall company, a troupe of the roa­ring laddes, fit instruments for the worke of the Deuill, and then in comes the Cardes, Ta­bles, &c. or temptations, reproa­ches, [Page 65]scornes, slanders, difficul­ties, and a thousand hellish de­uises, to make this painefull, and if possible an vntimely and ab­ortive birth, daily experience teacheth this to bee true. The flesh boyles and striues within, and the Deuill injects his fierie dartes into the soule, the world is presently vpon the necke of them, and pursues them, and wonder as birdes at an Owle, Iohn. 16.19 at this suddaine change and rety­ring 1. Pet. 4.4. if men run not with them to the same excesse of ryot: Isa. 59.15▪ He that refrianeth himselfe from euill makes himselfe a prey.

4. Lastly, the Graces of God are like lampes or Sea-sconces, or Lanthornes in a darke night set vpon a mountaine or Hill to direct the lingring Pilot to be­ware of sands and Rockes, and to conduct him to some Harbor or depth where he may secure­ly anker from the violence of the storme and tempest, or like [Page 66] Diamondes and other shining & orient Pearles which giue luster in the darkest night, and can these be hid?

3. Quest. Seeing it is certaine that these graces may be discer­ned, and will shew themselues, by what symptomes or tokens may this grace of godly sorrow be discerned?

Answ. It may be discerned by these symptomes or remarke­able characters.

1. It is wrought by him, who as S. Iames saith, is the Iam. 1.17 Au­thor of euery good and perfect gift, which is from aboue euen from the father of light, &c. Euen a supernaturall worke of: Gods owne planting, whereas all other sorrowes arise from na­ture, but this grace may as all other graces bee called Gods worke, because it is hee which doth all the worke, his spirit making his ordinances effectu­all, [Page 67]and therefore is that spirit called Zach. 12.10 the spirit of mourning and supplieation, and promised to all the faithfull, yea put in the forefront of that blessed new Couenant which the eternall makes with his people. Ezec. 36.26 A new heart will I giue them, and a new spirit will I put in their bowels, and I will take away their stonie heart, and giue them an heart of flesh. And this spirit apparantly manifests it selfe in godly sor­row by refasolating and com­forting the heart, strengthning, quieting, and refreshing the soule with sweete showers and influences from the head Christ with vnspeakeable secret ioy, peace, and contentation, as also affecting so the heart, as it ben­deth the desires thereof to the obedience of God in all things, in trueth though not in perfe­ction.

Yet this wee are not to sup­pose the Spirit doth without [Page 68]meanes miraculously and ex­traordinarily, but by such ordi­nary meanes, as God in wise­dome hath appointed to the same purpose, as.

1. The ministery of the word is the principall, as ap­peares in these 3000. Conuerts, Dauid, Iosiah, and others; When they heard it saith the Text, Act. 2.41 [...] They were pricked in their hearts, &c. When Nathan sent by God himselfe to preach to Dauid, and had deliuered his message, cried out, 2. Sa [...] 1 [...]0 13. I haue sinned against the Lord: 2. King. 22 11. When Iosiah heard Sha­phan read the Booke of the Law, he rent his clothes and wept, &c. And saith Ieremie, Ier. 23.29. Is not my word like a hammer that breakes the hard stone.

2. The sacrament of the Sup­per is another meanes, for by it (saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. We remem­ber Christ his death,) and both these are intended I doubt not by Paul, when hee saith to the [Page 69] Galat. 3.1. Galatians, that Christ was before them crucified and slaine: in the ministerie of the word to the eare, and in the Sacra­ment of the Lords Supper cru­cified and slame by the eye to the vnderstanding, in the brea­king of the bread and powring out of the wine visibly before the people, and thus is this god­ly sorrow wrought ordinarily in the heart, both by the word & Sacrament, that blessed sweet grace of consideration wrought by the spirit of God; making both the other effectuall for this purpose, that a man now bethinkes himselfe my sinne is the cause of all this torment, which Christ the blessed Sonne of God indured, and therefore affectes the heart with godly sorrow for it. Yet doth it not immediately breake forth, but the Word & Sacraments some­times inject certaine scintillutae or sparkles which lye hid some­times [Page 70]in the heart a good space, euen in the childe of God, and therefore the Lord vseth an­other meanes

3. Afflictions which are his rod, which though they are not able to conuert a soule, no more then the Sacrament, yet are af­flictions preparatory meanes to set the word on worke, as in 2. Chr [...]. 33 11. Manasseh, he questionlesse had oft heard the word in the time of his good Father the Pa­ragon of all the Kings of Israel and Iudah, but it little helped him, therefore God bound him in chaines and sent him to Babell, and when he was in prison and fet­ters, hee bumbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers, &c. This also is manifest in 2. King. 20 2. He­zekiah, and especially in the Act. 16.29 Iayler when hee saw the Earth­quake, and opening of the pri­son doores, he cryed out, What shall I doe, &c. So that I say not that afflictions can conuert a [Page 71]soule to GOD, for then mee thinkes Pharaoh must of neces­sitie haue beene a conuert who had tenne fearefull plagues, and yet drowned, and likely dam­ned, but I say sometimes they make way for conuersion, by preparing the soule to attend, and hearken to the word, and also when men haue heard the word, and the immortall seede is sowen there, as a graine of corne sowen in a field lyes som­times long vntill a ground raine moysten it and then springs, & as in Physicke a pill or potion lyes in the stomacke an houre or two, and neuer stirres the party, yet let him drinke warme broth or posset-ale which haue no facultie of themselues to purge, yet setteth the Physicke on worke, so doth afflictions, the word preached, and the seed sowen tenne, twentie, or thirty yeares before; and it may be af­fected the heart therewith at [Page 72]the present, but it blowes ouer againe, with thorny cares or pleasures then comes the rodd of God; and sets all that word on worke, and brings forth not an Embrio, or abortive birth but this blessed grace of godly sor­row, which when it once seaz­eth vpon the heart eateth vp all worldly and carnall sorrowes, as Exod. 7.12 Moses his rod did eate vp all the inchaunters roddes and Serpents, yea the least scruple of this godly sorrow would weigh downe a pound of car­nall or legall sorrow, and end in sweete true ioy and content­ment. Consider this yee that spend dayes, weekes, Moneths, and yeares in worldly sorrowes without ease or comfort, learne this lesson, and practise it, and my soule for thine, thine end will bee peace and invaluable consolation.

2: Signe of this godly sor­row not onely that it is fruite­full, [Page 73]but brauncheth forth into variety of good & happy fruit: and therefore not onely true be­leeuers in Scriptures, are com­pared to Psal 1.4. trees, planted by the riuers, which bring forth fruite in due season, and in euery season, as the tree of life bearing twelue sorts of fruit euery moneth, but especially true mourners, whose sorrow ends in joy, Is. 61.5. To ap­point vnto all that mourne in Zion, and to giue them beauty for [...]shes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines, that they night be called true of righteousnesse &c. And th [...]se parties, and these graces are not such as are obnoxious steri­lity and barrennesse, or to beare euill fruite; but such as by na­ture are fertile and beare good fruite, as Psal. 30. [...] 14. Psal. 52.8 Iames 3.12. vines, oliues, figges, and such like. Therefore in such trees, barrennesse or vnfruitful­nesse alone is cause enough, to make them fewel for the venge­ance [Page 74]and wrath of the Almigh­ty; and so, not onely the Is. 5.4. wilde vine that bare wilde grapes, and bad fruite, contrary to the expectation of the Husband­man, Zach. 15.2.3.4. Luke 1 6.7. but the barren vine and fruitlesse figge, and Mat. 3.10. & 7.19. euery tree that beareth not good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire. Now let vs see what fruites this grace bringeth forth, that by the branches and fruites wee may know it to be right, and a plant of sauing grace, planted by the finger of God, Mat. 7.16. for by the fruite it shall be knowne.

These are of two sorts.

1. Speciall, or respecting our owne particular.

2. Generall, or respecting o­thers.

Those that are speciall & re­spect our selues, are of fiue seue­rall sortes;

1. For corruption of nature,

2. For speciall sinnes after cal­ling.

[Page 75] 3. For hardnesse of heart.

4. For the absence of Christ.

5. For want of the meanes.

Generall, or respecting o­thers.

1. For the dishonour of God in publique abominations,

2. For the miseries of the Church:

3. For Gods anger & threat­ning.

1. Point. For the corruptiō of na­ture, thus Paul cryeth out, Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death? And Dauid, Ps. 51.5. I was conceiued in sinne, and warmed in iniquity: & this like a loathsome leprosy & gangrene, harh spread it selfe ouer the whole man, howsoeuer not in the substance, yet in all the faculties of soule and body; and made vs as a tainted seede, poysoning and contaminating euery thought, word, and acti­on, and is the bell-damme of all the euils that proceede from vs, [Page 76]as our Sauiour sayth, Mark. 7.20 21.22.23. from the heart proceedes adulteries, mur­thers, thefts, euill thoughts &c and these defile a man; yea it so de­files vs, that, vntill we be washed effectually in the bloud of Christ, al our thoughts, speeches actions naturall & ciuill, are sin & our best actions are (as the fa­thers speake) but beautiful sins & after our regeneration and ef­fectuall calling, it puts a stain [...] vpon our best seruices euen ou [...] prayers, hearings, readings, &c▪ that we had need to returne an [...] aske forgiuenesse & pardon fo [...] the defects of them, and these robes must be tinct and washed Ap [...]. 7.14. white in the bloud of the Lambe [...] that they may appeare amiably in the eyes of God, withou [...] which there is pollution enough vpon them, to cause the Lord to abhorre and detest them; & this wee doe, and must carry abou [...] with vs so long as the soule in­habits these earthly tabernacle [Page 77]Oh where are these mourners that lament and bewayle this spawning and mischieuous sin; if a man should poyson the fountaines and springs of wa­ters, all men would cry out a­gainst such a monster; but this is infinitely more vile, & yet who complaines of it, is sorrowfull vnder the sence & feeling there­of, or cryes for the crucifying power of the Lord Iesus to sub­due it? Yet this depraued con­dition is the estate of euery mo­thers childe, as well hee that sit­teth vpon the Throne, as hee or shee that grindeth at the mill, Iob 15.15. what is man that he should bee cleane or hee that is borne of a wo­man that he should be iust: beholde he found no stedfastnes in the An­gels, and the beauens are vncleane in his sight, how much more abominable is man, &c. This Paul proues out of the Psalme, Rom. 3.10.11 Ps. 14.1.3. There is none that doth good, All are gone astray, &c. Oh that men would [Page 78]throughly consider this, how would it cause all the jovall Laddes of this world to turne their tunes, from songs, drink­ings, merry-meetings, and healthings, into howlings, la­mentations, and sorrowes; and it would change our sorrowes that bee Ministers, into rejoy­cings, and thankes-giuings, to see them with humbled hearts, & cheeks bedewed with brinish teares, inquiring after whole­some Physicke for the quieting of their crasie & wounded con­sciences, and saluation of their soules: Oh that God would o­pen the eyes of this blinde foo­lish world, that they might know & feele this wofull mise­ry; and, Oh that it would please his Highnesse to giue his poore Messengers occasion of labour and rejoycing this way.

2. Point. For speciall sins after ef­fectuall calling, for which there is in the childe of God, a large [Page 79]measure of sorrow and griefe for diuerse causes.

1. Because God hath vouch­safed more mercies then to the world, or to themselues before their calling, to common & or­dinary blessings hee hath added supernaturall, spirituall, and ce­lestiall fauours, and therefore lookes for better fruits: Mat. 25 29 for to whom much is giuen, of them much is required.

2. Because hee hath giuen his Spirit, and all the graces thereof, so that as the Apostle sayth, 1 Cor. 1.7. they are not destitute of any grace, and therefore of more a­bilitie to resist tentations then formerly; the sinners of Sion are the most offensiue to his blessed Majestie; the sinnes of the world, euen their grossest abominati­ons, as drunkennesse, whoore­domes, oathes, blasphemies, are not so vile as the sinnes of his owne people, they haue more knowledge of his righteous wil, [Page 80]of the stratagems of Sathan, de­ceitfulnesse of their owne heart, and the danger of sin. Oh that therefore we would be admoni­shed to beware of thē for time to come, and to bewaile such as are already passed vs in the su­perabundant patience of God.

3. Ephes. 4.30 They grieue the Spirit of God, by which they are sealed vp to the day of redemption, that bles­sed Guest hauing taken vp their hearts to bee his habitation Ephes 3.17 by faith, when they open the doores to let in rogues, and vil­laines, his enemies to robbe and spoyle his habitation, to defile, and like swine to lay-staule it: is there not great cause of griefe to that sacred and blessed Spirit? who could indure this indigni­tie? If any man should offer it to a Kings Pallace, would it bee tollerable? and shal the Eternall God suffer it without speciall correction and chastisement thereof; especially considering [Page 81]the good motions daily of this sweet Guest, and his combating and resisting against them, is it any wonder if hee visite them with terrors of conscience, want of the sence of his presence, and joy of his saluation, & such like buffetings?

4. These awaken the consci­ence, who hath admonished them against those sinnes being sanctified by the holy Spirit, & now set on fire with clamours and out cryes against the offen­dors, that wheresoeuer they ride or come, they carry this tormen­tor about them, a wofull condi­tion, and it will neuer bee quiet to rest or bee silent, except it bring them vpon the knees of soule and body, to seeke recon­ciliation, or else bee husht & stil­led with buffetings and ill vsage to benumme it, a medicine worse then the disease.

5. These cause the Enemies of God to blaspheme the way of [Page 82]righteousnes, euery base Varlet will exclaime against such a man; yea, the floud-gates of blasphemy wil bee opened a­gainst, not only him, but against all that professe the same truth, and against the profession, the roaring Laddes, and society of drunkards, and the riffe-raffe will make songs of him, as they did of Dauid, as himself speaks, Psal. 69.12. the drunkards and abiect slaues made their songs of me: and all the country will be on a hurry, that the people of GOD hang the head with griefe and sorrow to behold & heare these things, and in all these respects is there not great cause (thinke you) that a good heart should bee touched with deepe remorse & godly sorrow as in the examples of the Lords Worthies, who as their failings are left vpon eter­nall tallie, so also their humilia­tion, godly sorrow, and repen­tance is recorded, as beacons to [Page 83]giue warning to all to beware of the like wrackes vpon such rockes and sands, so also to bee instructions and examples to chaulke out the way of retur­ning to God, and seeking our re­conciliation & the renewment of our peace: see it in Dauid, He­zeckiah, Peter, and the rest of his Highnesse memorable seruants. Oh that wee rhatare Ministers could see the Protestants of our times, lamenting not only their seldome, but frequent euils cō ­mitted by them, by which they scandalize our Religion & Pro­fession amongst the sottish Pa­pists, that they might be low in their own eyes, and almost swal­lowed with griefe, then should wee gladly administer whole­some cordials to refresh their fainting spirits, as Paul would haue the repentant incestuous Corinth to be comforted, lest hee should be swallowed vp of ouer much heauinesse, but professers [Page 84]can sinne in drunkennesse, forni­cations, & such like, & yet passe it easily ouer: a woful and black character of an hypocrite.

3. Point. 3 Wherein this godly for­row expresseth it selfe in those things which concerne our own particular, is griefe for hardnes of heart, which the Prophet liuely sheweth to bee the estate of the Church of God, Is. 63.17. O Lord, why-hast thou caused vs to erre from thy voyce, and hardened our hearts from thy seare? returne for thy seruants sake, and for the tribes of thine in heritance. Now that we may the better conceiue what this hardnesse of heart is, let me by a distribution distin­guish it from that hardnesse which is in reprobates, or such at least as are in the state of re­probation, wherein wee are to consider, that there is a three-folde hardnesse of heart.

1. Totall and finall, as in the wicked and reprobate.

[Page 85] 2. Totall & tēporary, as in the Elect not yet effectually called.

3. Partiall & temporary as in all the elect now conuerted and called, and this kinde of hard­nesse of heart may stand with sauing grace, that is, when it feeles, complaines and mournes vnder the sence of the hardnesse of it, there must of necessitie be some softnesse; for corrup­tion is not discerned by corrup­tion, but by grace. Now that this must of necessitie bee the estate of the childe of God to bewayle his obdurate heart, is euident.

1. Because it is put in the fore­front of that Couenant which the eternall God hath made and ratified to all the Elect, and that whereby he beginnes and continues his mercie towardes thē. Ezec. 36.2 [...] I will put a new spirit within their bowels: I will take away their stonie heart and giue them an heart of flesh.

[Page 86] 2. It is a sound and vndoub­ted marke and symptome of the childe of God, for the Gospell shewes sin more vgly then the law can, for it shewes Christ in the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments bleeding vpon the Crosse, and the Speare thrust in, and letting out his heartbloud, and considers it was my sinne that did all this, whom yet God the Father vouchsafes in his be­loued Christ to call a sonne.

3. If it looke to God, it sees him infinitely prouoked, yet infinite in power and Iustice, which makes him prostrate his soule before God both lower & oftner, then Genes. 33.9. Iacob did his bo­dy before Esau to procure fa­uour.

4. Againe it sees Psal. 51.17 that a melting and bleeding heart is a sacrifice of sweet smelling odor to God, & no sacrifice pleasing without it: It sees the infinite wisdome of God in all his cour­ses, [Page 87]who neuer heales, but such as his spirit woundes and makes sicke with the sence of sinne. (n) Neuer comforts such as ne­uer mourned, Is. 57.15. hee dwels in acontrite soule to refresh it, to grace it, 1. Pet. 5.5. and it is the vsher to honour here, and glory hereaf­ter.

5. It lookes vpon it selfe as the Peacocke vpon his blacke legges, to pull downe his gay plumes, the sight and sence of his owne vnworthinesse, expe­perience of the temptations & methodes of Sathan, a slauish subiection vnder cursed lust, his infinite debt which hee can neuer examine, much lesse sa­tisfie, and therefore sees matter of daily humiliation: It sees and esteemes euery creature better then it selfe, yea the vilest Toad, Cockatrice or viper to be better then it selfe, and then weighing the infinite mercy of God in pardoning all, and of Christ in Psal. 120.5.6. [Page 88]satisfying the iustice of his Fa­ther, thinkes it selfe happy with the Luk. 15.19 Prodigall if it may bee but as a seruant in his house, & in the [...] 26 Syrophenissian, as a dog to gather crums vnder Christs Table, is thankefull for euerie mercie, because it esteemes it selfe vnworthy of any, and be­wayles daily the vnthankefull­nesse and stony heartednesse that cannot grieue for all the disho­nour it hath done to this louing Father; and the indignities put vpon Christ, and so labours to stirre it selfe vp to lamentations and sorrowes.

4. Point. 4 This godly sorrow expres­seth it selfe in mourning for the absence of Christ, for howso­euer it is true that Moses was singular in seeing the face of God, and the presence of his es­sence is inuisible, yet there is a presence of his Grace, which God commaunds wee should seeke: Ps. 17.8.9. Seeke yee my face, to [Page 89]which Dauids heart answered: Thy face O Lord will I seeke and a promise that wee shall finde if we seek it with our whole heart. Now there are foure sortes of Gods people that want eyther the ioy, or at least the sence and feeling of this presence of Gods spirit.

1. Some that are in the bud and cradle of their conuersion, who haue this presence of the spirit and ioy of their saluation, but yet neuer obserue it, eyther through ignorance of the do­ctrine of the consolations of God, that if they were asked, as the Disciples Act. 19.2. if they had re­ceiued the holy Ghost, answered, they had not heard whether there were a holy Ghost, so they would answere if they were demaun­ded haue you receiued the pre­sence and comfort of the Spirit? Wee haue neuer knowne what it meaneth, or else through ne­gligence, not obseruing how the [Page 90]Spirit doth exhibite and shew his presence in the due vse of the holy ordinances of God, as in the Ministry of the Word, Sacra­ments, prayer, meditation, &c. or else they vse some of the or­dinances of God as the pu­blicke, and neglect the priuate, and oft times they vse and per­forme some but neglect others, & therfore the vse of all the rest are blasted, & yeelds them little or no feelings of that blessed cō ­solation and presence of God.

2. Some haue this ioyfull presence of God, obserue it, and are affected with it for a time, but forget and lose it againe, es­pecially in times of affliction, Helr. 12.5. Ye haue forgotten the consolati­on which speaketh to you as to sons.

3. Some true beleeuers are in their soules, as many a poore man or woman in their bodies, who are alwayes diseased and crasie, & so haue little ioy in all their riches, state, life, &c. So is it [Page 91]with many a soule alwayes dis­eased with spirituall maladies, and that sometimes till death, as with pride, passion, or strange effectes of melancholly, and these how euer they pant and breath after the sence of Gods presence, yet it is possible for them to liue and die without any euident sence & feeling of Gods presence and ioy.

4. Some so fall after effectual calling into somegrosse sin for a time, that they may so lose the ioy of their saluation and pre­sence of God, as they may neuer recouer it to their very end, though they mourne for the want of it, as Dauid did, who sometimes recouered the com­fort againe, as in Psal. 30.7.11. But after his grosse sins of Adul­terie and Murther, it is doubtfull whether euer hee attained the former sweete sence of Gods presence, or at least in the same degree: Yet to all these [Page 92]there is cause of comfort when there is a sence of the absence and want thereof, its a true signe of life when there is com­playning of weaknesse of the spirits in wearinesse or sicknesse, or agitation of them by violent exercise of the internall or vi­tall partes. Now if this godly sorrow be in the heart, it will expresse it selfe by mourning for the want of consolation and Christs absence: as Dauid in ma­ny Psalmes, Psalm. 77 7.8.9. Hast thou shut vp thy tender mercies in displea­sure, And hast thou forgotten to be mercifull, wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer? Psal. 51.8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce. And Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me: Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation, and stablish me with thy free spirit, &c. O Dauld where is all the state, riches, strength, fortitude, the comfort [Page 93]of thy wife, children, friendes, &c. that thou art thus off the hinges? Where is the glory of a Crowne, Diademe or King­dome, that none of all these will comfort thy heart, but to bee thus complayning, mour­ning, and full of heauinesse and sorrow: In this case nothing will consolate the soule but the in­ioying of his presence wherein is life, and his absence worse then death it selfe.

Yet in some this sence of Gods presence after assurance is habituall and constant, expres­sed with admirable ioy & glad­nesse of heart, and truely not with much interruption, but then they are such as obserue these fiue rules.

1. They voluntarily seeke godly sorrow for their sinnes, for this Ps. 126.2.6 Isa. 61.3. Math. 5.5 presence and ioy is promised too, and most felt by such as mourne for sinne; but for all the rest of the world, I [Page 94]say Maisters hands off, as Salo­mon sayth: Pro. 14.10, The heart know­eth the bitternesse of his soule, and the stranger shall not meddle with his ioy.

2. Lose not Gods presence, but keepe him in thine eye still, and walke before him in since­ritie, for Psal. 16.11 at his right hand is fulnesse of ioy, and pleasures for euermore.

3. Be fruitefull in well doing, euen in all kindes of duties, for sterilitie and barrennesse in god-Iynesse is comfortlesse, and grieues the Spirit of God, but fertility and aboundance of fruitefulnesse 1. Cor. 15. vl [...]im. Col. 1.9.10.11. glads the Spi­rit and makes our ioy abound.

4. Nourish the loue of no sinne, for then it is as impossi­ble to keepe the sence of Gods presence, and ioy of the spirit, as to keepe fire and water in a pot mixed together, as the wise man sayth: Prou. 12.13 Prou. 12. [...]0. In the transgres­sion of an euill man is his snare; but [Page 95]the righteous doth sing amd reioyce: And deceite is in the heart of them that imagine euill: but to the coun­sellors of peace shall be ioy.

5. Vpon the first feelings of Christs absence complaine be­times, if possible let not the Sun goe downe vpon it, doe as in the Canticles: C [...]nt. 5.6 I opened to my welbeloued, and my welbeloued was gone and past: I called but he answered me not. Delay no time, spare no labour nor cost to seek him, goe to the watchmen, en­quire and search with all dili­gence, Can. 3.1.2 lye not in thy bed of securitie, seeke him in the vse of all his Ordinances, Mi­nistery, Sacraments, Prayer, examine the cause why hee ab­sents himselfe, humble thy soule with godly sorrow, con­fesse thine vnworthinesse, re­new thy couenants, vowes, and promises neuer to be so sleepy, fruitelesse, carelesse, & vnthank­full for his sweete presence for [Page 96]time to come: Search the Re­cords of Gods promises againe and againe, giue him no rest day nor night, be importunate, for that pleaseth him: Adde fasting as a wing to thy prayers, ob­serue the least motions of the Spirit, and the beginnings of comfort, and bee thankefull for it, and bee constant neuer to giue ouer thy search till thou finde him whom thy soule lo­veth, and he will at the last be intreated, as he was of the Spouse shee found him Cant. 3.4 tooke hold of him and would not let him goe, &c.

5. Point. 5 Godly sorrow sets the heart on worke to mourne, for the want of the meanes, espe­cially the ministery of the word and Sacraments. O blessed Da­vid thou hadst a great degree and measure of this grace, inti­mating it selfe in thy panting and longings after the bread of life, euen the heauenly Manna [Page 97]and ministery of the word: Ps. 42.2.4 My soule thirsteth for God, the liuing God, when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God. When I remembred these things, I powred out my very heart, because I had gone with the multitude, and led them into the house of God with singing, &c.

The people of God, euen when they sate by the pleasant Riuers of Bebell which was an outward comfort to them, yet there Ps. 137.2.4 they sate downe and wept when they remembered Sion, they hanged their Harpes vpon the Willowes, &c. and said (when the Babilonians in scorne called for a song, a song, an Hebrew song,) How shall wee sing, a song of the Lord in a strange land? Ad­mirable were the affections of the Church to the Ministers in the dayes of the Fathers vnder these Heathenish persecuting Emperours, who when their Ministers, guides and leaders were taken from them, came out as if distracted, and crying [Page 98]to them to take all they had so they would leaue them their guides, and of Hierome they saide it had beene better the Sunne had beene pull'd out of the fir­mament, then that his mouth should haue beene stopped: and Lord vouchsafe this mercy to vs thy poore Ministers, that our eyes might but see such happy dayes, that the people might haue Dauids spirit, who when he was exiled his natiue Countrey, and though not ignorant of that blessed promise which GOD makes to his Church, when they were in captiuity, that Ezech. 1.16. hee would bee a little Sanctuary to the [...] in the countries where they shall come; yet his blessed heare breaks forth into that patheticall ac­clamation, Psal. 84.1.2 3. O Lord of hostes, how amiable are thy Tabernacles, That his soule fainted for the courts of the Lord. as also that the spar­row & swallow were happy, that might build their nests, and lay their young by his Altars, &c. This liuely affection is in euery [Page 99]one of Christs blessed members: O that it were in the same de­gree; but it is in some measure, and that for these causes:

1. They are spirituall fathers 1 Cor. 1.15 to beget men to God by the effectuall and powerfull preach­ing of the Gospel, as instruments making vs of children of the De­uill, 1 Pet. 2.2. new borne babes, & the sons of God in Christ. And as spirituall mothers trauaile in birth of vs, Gal. 4.19. till Christ be formed in vs, vnder­going great paines to bring vs forth to God; and whereas other mothers beare children into mi­sery, these into a blessed conditi­on: After they haue begotten them thus, they doe not as the Iob 39.13. Estridge, which leaues her eggs in the sand, to bee scattered by the foote, 1 Thess. 2.7 but as gentle spirituall nurses cherish these children; 1 Pet. 2.2. and therefore as new borne babes they desire, and in want thereof will cry for the sincere milke of the word, that they may grow thereby, as euery creature doth in nature. They know that this is the food [Page 100]of the soule, and therefore rather then they will want this blessed Manna, they will as Iacob, send in­to Gen. 12.2. Egypt for food; and know­ing that when the Eternall God intends a plague with a witnes against a people, he sends thē a fa­mine, Amo. 8.11. not of bread, or a thirst of water but of his word, that they shall tra­uaile from citty to citty to finde the word of the Lord, and shall not finde it, they will not willingly bring this curse vpon themselues, as most of our Nobility and Gen­try doe; but if the Lord send this misery vpon them, they mourne vnder it as a most bitter crosse. Mat. 5.14. They are the spirituall light of the world, which without them lyes in palpable, thick, blacke Cy­merian darknesse, and therefore hauing receiued Exod 28.20 Vrim and Thummim, Apoc. 1. [...] as stars in the dark­est night, shine to others in the light of doctrine, and good ex­ample; and as candles & torches, spend and consume themselues in giuing light to this darke Egyp­tian world, Dan. 12.3. & therefore shall [Page 101]as starres shine most resplendent­ly in glory for euer and euer: Be­sides, God hath appointed them in Christ his stead, to seeke and saue what is lost; not health im­paired, as Physicians; nor wealth controverted, as Lawyers; but the lost soule, by applying the means appointed by Christ: Iob 33.24 To de­liuer the man that he go not into the pit; not by working the meanes, which is the office of the Spirit, but applying them, & pronoun­cing the sinners discharge, which is the duty of the Minister. These things considered, is it possible that a true beleeuer should liue without the ministrie of the Word, and not bee plunged into deepe heauinesse and sorrow in the want therof? it is impossible.

Quest. But may not selfe-re­spects carry men along with de­sire after the hearing of the word preached, and to complaine in the want of it?

Answ. Yes verily they may, & I reduce these to three heads.

1. They desire knowledge, and [Page 102]indeauour to get it, not to edifie themselues (that were diuine & heauenly wisedome, as Salomon sayth, Pro 9.12. If thou he wise, be wise for thy selfe) nor to edifie others (this were gracious loue indeed, and a signe of sauing grace, as our Sauiour said, Luke 22.32 when thou art conuerted, strengthen thy brethren) but these are like the butterflye, which flyes frō flowre to flowre to adorne, bespangle & beautifie her wings; so these goe from Sermon to Sermon, to know something to be able to discourse & finde table talke, (which is meere Vanity.) If the honour & glory of the Highest were their ayme in the saluation of their soules, and labouring to know the will of the Almighty that they might doe it, our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed.

2. Is worldly profite, so long as there is hope that they shall gaine either credite or profite, they will heare the Word joy­fully: Acts 2.18. Simon Magus will fol­low the Apostles at the heeles, [Page 103]professe he beleeues, admire and desire to haue power to exhibite the visible gifts of the holy Ghost, and offer large summes of money, & all for cursed lucre. The Iewes af­ter Christ had fed them with bread, could neuer be rid of thē, following him from place to place; but wherefore was it thinke you? was it for his do­ctrine, miracles, or himselfe? no verily, but because of the loaues. Profites, pleasures, and prefer­ments, will make a man heare di­ligently, professe openly, and Ministers to preach painfully; Iob. 6.16. but if Christ bring no loaues, he shall want auditors; if the Minister be rich, invite them to his table, lend them money to answer their necessities, and will be ready at euery turne to helpe them in their bodies with cure in Physicke, in their estates to helpe them out of straites, dan­gers, troubles, &c. O then they cry out, a blessed Minister, who would not heare him: but if hee be poore, and neede their ayde, [Page 104]then they forsake him 2 Tim. 4.10 as De­mas did Paul; and if euer the complaint of the Apostle were just, it is now of Professors, Phil. 2.21. al men seeke their owne, and not that which is Christs. If hee reproue their ill dealing, covetousnesse, tale-bearings, whisperings, hy­pocrisy, they cry out, Amos 7.10 the earth is not able to beare his words: if hee speake any thing against Diana, Acts 19.24 then Demetrius the silu [...] Smith raiseth tumults in defence of his shrines, and cryes out, great is Diana of the Ephesians: we haue such spirits in our Congregati­ons, euery lame hypocrite, and halting Professor, can draw facti­ons, invent scandals, aspersions, and slanders secretly (and there­fore the more sinfully) to detract from that Ministrie which some­times they haue praysed, admired & magnified; but this is no new thing, and for mine owne part, I expect no better, seeing they did thus to a Luke 23.31 greene tree, euen the Son of righteousnes, how much more to a dry.

[Page 105] 3. Curiosity and nouelty, men haue itching eares. A new Prea­cher if he come, away with the olde, he is then either too plaine, or too eloquent, or he hath ouer many points, or ouer few, or hee vseth to repeat ouer long, or else he neuer speakes of a point but once, or he preacheth nought but the Law and damnation, or else he speakes of nothing but the promises and the Gospell, or he is too earnest, or too soft, or in his conversation he is ouer fami­liar, or too austere, rigide, and strange, right like those sullen boyes our Sauiour speakes of, that would not be drawne out of their sullennesse, neither by Math. 11.16.17. piping, nor mourning, and then to hatred, envying, back-biting, and slandering; or if his conver­sation be so apparantly gracious, as they thinke it bootes them not to traduce him openly, yet they cease not to follow him with secret whisperings in cor­ners, where the Deuill hath pre­pared sit eares to attend, that hee [Page 106]may further his own stratagems to keepe their soules vnder his vassalage, till the hand of the Ci­uill or Ecclesiastical Magistrate drawes foorth the sword of Iu­stice to dissipate such hypocrites, and then they either fall away, or get to some other new Prea­cher; if possible a soft spirit that will suffer them, or if they be de­ceiued, and meete with a man of courage, then beginnes a new broyle after tryal, for their spi­rits cannot keepe in, vnlesse they be Lords and Rulers ouer all: I speake this by lamentable expe­rience, and could point out such as these. Againe, some when a strange matter neuer heard of be­fore, is taught, it drawes multi­tudes to heare, because (say they) we neuer heare, but there is som­thing which we neuer heard be­fore, like the Act. 17.20 Athenians which would heare Paul, and inquire the meaning of his doctrine, be­cause (say they) he brings strange things to our eares, & it was their delight and life to heart and tell [Page 107]newes; but Athenians grow wea­ry both of that matter and man, when he ceaseth to be new: Like the ingrateful Numb. 1.6.7 Israelites, when Manna first comes, commend it, admire it, rejoyce in it, feed vpon it grow strong by it, wherefore I praye? It is a new and strange meat: But after, they murmure and loathe it, because of the stale­nes, notwithstanding their good GOD gaue it them euery day new: But Lord, where are these mourners for the want of this spirituall Manna? For the most part it may bee saide as those to the Prophet, 2 King. 2.19. the Land is plea­sant, as thou my Lord seest, but the waters are bitter: so men when they come into this Kingdome, choose pleasant situations, and fertile soyles, but their waters (if any) are bitter, all their care is for a body, a body; but the im­mortal soule is neuer regarded, but pynes and starues, and yet they are sencelesse of it: Lord a­waken their hearts to consider their miserie, and bewaile it, that [Page 108]it may appeare to their soules, that this grace hath possessed their hearts to their eternal con­solation.

Thus of the fiue first that con­cerne a mans owne particular:

The second, such as generally respect others.

1. This godly sorrow affecteth the heart to mourne for the dis­honour of God in publique abo­minations; so was Dauid affected with the sinnes of his time, Psal. 119. ver. 136.139 158. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water, because men keep not thy law. And Ieremiah wisheth, Iere [...] 9.1. Oh that mine head were a fountaine of teares, and mine eyes riuers of water, that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my peo­ple, &c. Thus the good seruants of God called vp their hearts to the performance of this duty, & it is necessary for true Christians so to doe:

1. Because it is an indelible marke of a childe of the Highest, and by which the destroying An­gel knowes to reserue them [...] [Page 109]the vengeance and Deut. 4.24. & 32.22. wrath of God, which burnes like a consuming fire to the bottome of hell, and cannot be quenched, and shall consume the earth with her increase, &c. but ha­uing this marke and character v­pon their fore-heads, that mourne and cry for all the abominatious that be done in the middest of Ierusalem, when these were thus marked, Ezech. 9.4.5.6. the other Angels had charge to goe after him through the citty, let your eye spare none, nor haue pitty: Destroy vtterly the old & the yong, the maides, the children, and the wo­men; but touch no man vpon whom is the marke, and beginne at my San­ctuary &c. If this be so, how few then are rhere, which in this I­land may not feare the direfull vengeance and wrath of the Al­mightie euery day, how few (I say) are there which take things to heart as they ought, or as the occasion requires? what cause hath each particular person gi­uen him of griefe, by our owne sinnes, and the sinnes of the land we liue in, by Gods judgements [Page 110]abroad and at home? And yet how little griefe any-where, ex­cept carnal and worldly sorrow, of which the land is full, (such as that of the Ho. 7.14. Israelites, when they howled vpon their beddes for corne and wine) because they are abridged and disappointed of their wonted profites and plea­sures, if onely these are stamped with the character of the Spirit of Adoption, that mourne for the abominations of these times: O Lord, where are any almost of the visible Church professing thy truth, whose case is not wo­full and m [...]serable?

2. It is a grieuous sinne not to mourne, yea not to be sicke with sorrow for the sins of the times we siue in: Paul sayth, [...]. 5.1. It is heard certainely, that there is forni­cation amongst you, and such forni­cation as is not once named amongst the Gentiles, that one should haue his Fathers wife: And yee are puffed vp, and haue not rather sorrowed, &c. as if he should haue said, it is your sinne that you haue not [Page 111]applyed it to your hearts to mourne, that God is so dishono­red amongst you. It is then a wo­full sinful world which we now liue in, where is there a man of a thousand that mournes for the abomination of this sinnefull I­land, and those which doe, are as signes and wonders in Israel, the Lord giue vs the grace of repen­tance for this hardnesse of our hearts.

3. It is certaine in these sinne­full dayes, the Lord calls vpon vs to practise this duty, and pro­nounceth a woe vpon vs if wee doe it not, and threatneth ven­geance to all such as in these times sit vpon their merry pinnes, giuing themselues to feasting, drinking, and jol­lity [...], cleane contrary to Gods Commaundement and charge which he expresseth by the pro­phet Isay, Is. 22.12.14 In that day did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping and mourning, cutting of bayre and guirding with sackcloth: But beholde slaying of Oxen, & killing of sheepe, [Page 112]eating of flesh and drinking of wine. Let vs eate and drinke, say they, to day, for to morrow (the Pro­phets say) we shall die. Hebrals. & reuelabitur in auribus meis Domini exercitunm Montanus. And it was reuealed by the Lord of hostes in my hearing: Iunlus. Let me not liue, if this impietie be done away till you die for it. By which the Lord ex­presseth his vnapeasable wrath against this detestable iniquitie after the manner of an Oath, that no sacrifice shall purge that sinne: So the Lord sweareth of Elies house, for the intollerable wickednesse of his sonnes, That hee hath sworne concerning Elies house that the impietie thereof 1. Sam. 3.14 shall not be expiated with sacri­fice nor offering for euer. And to his former threatning addeth, sayth the Lord, The Lord of bostes, doubling the speech for the greater certainetie, and that no power shall deliuer or free them from the vengeance, for he is the Lord of hostes. But alas a man may take a Torch and seeke through Ierusalem, yea through Sion vntill his strength fayleth, [Page 113]and his spirits agitated, yea wa­sted before hee shall finde a man mourning, & the tears trickling downe his cheekes for the abo­minations of these times: Wee had neede call for all Ierem. 9.17 mour­ning men and women that they may come, and weepe for the abominations of these dayes wherein wee liue, for the whole world are set vpon mad mirth, and as Iob speaketh Iob. 21.13 goe sud­dainely dauncing and ioually to hell. Notwithstanding the Almighty cals them from this, and pronun­ceth seuerall woes against such, Is. 5.11.14 Woe be to those that rise earely in the morning to follow strong drinke, and sit by it till night vntill the wine haue inflamed them: That haue the Harpe and the Viole, the Taber and Pipe with wine in their feastes: but they regard not the act of God, nor consider his handy worke. Therefore is my people led captiue, because they haue no knowledge of these things: and their honourable men are famished, and their common people destroyed with thirst: Yea [Page 114]therefore hath hell inlarged him­selfe, and vvidened her mouth beyond measure, and their glory and their multitude, euen all those that make merry among them: Let their con­dition be what it will, aswell hee that sitteth vpon the Throne, as he that worketh at the Anuill, shall goe thither downe together, Consider yee jovall and roaring laddes of this age, that delight in nothing but feasting, drinking and merryment, and thinke the whole world madde or foolish that follow not your guise, that your destinie is already read, & your doome pronounced by no lesse then the eternall Sonne of God himselfe: Luke 6.25 Woe be to you that now laugh, for you shall wayle and weepe. Yee haue your ioy and melody here, but your woe and misery shall as assuredly follow, as if it were already effected: When you shall see Abraham, Math. 8.11.12. Isaac, and Iacob with all the Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, yea all the faithfull in the kingdome of heauen, and your selues shut out of [Page 115]doores: You haue your heauen and light here, but your torment followes, as the Lord sayth by the Prophet Isai, Isa. 65.13 14.15 Behold my seruants shall eate, and yee shall bee hungry, &c. My seruants shall re­ioyce, and yee shall be ashamed: My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart, and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart, and bowle for vexation of spirit, and yee shall leaue your name as a curse, &c. O miserable men that yee are, euen in mirth and the chiefe of your jollitie, Pro. 14.13 Your hearts are heauie, you haue your flings and tortures of conscience, and the end is worse, for it ends in heauinesse. This the Lord threa­tens to all, and sweares by the excellencie of Iacob Amos 8.7, 10. surely I vvill neuer forget any of their vvorkes. And vers. 10. I vvill turne your feastes into mourning, and all your songs into lameneation, and I vvill bring sackcloth vpon all loynes, and baldnesse vpon euery head, and I vvill make it as the mourning of an onely soune and the end thereof as a bitter day.

[Page 116] But are these mourners the onely beloued ones of the high­est charactered and stamped with the speciall marke of Adoptions Alas then how few shall be saued from the stroke and plague of the destroying Ezech. 9.4 Psalm. 6.6 Angell whe [...] Gods wrath is let lose? Assured­ly they are like blacke Svva [...] or the Phoenix almost: Where are those that vvater their couche [...] vvith teares euery night vvith Da­vid? That set some times apar [...] to bewayle the abominations o [...] this sinnefull age & Iland, espe­cially that sequester times for fa­sting and prayer, that stand i [...] the gap, Ezec. 22.30 to auert the iudge­ments of God that iustly han [...] ouer our heads for our sinnes: y [...] some I know there are, to who [...] I say with the Prophet: Isa. 62.6.7 Y [...] that are the Lorals remembrante [...] giue him no rest, vntill he set vp Si [...] the prayse of the vvorld, I dare not say with Ieremie: Iere. 12.11 There is [...] man that layeth it to [...]cart: or with Isaiah, Isai. 64.7 There is no man that cal­leth vpon Gods name, or that stirreth [Page 117]vp himselfe to lay hold on him: Or with Ezechiel 22.30. There is no man that standeth vp in the gappe. Some there are which I know, & if I should say none, my heart would rebuke my penne. The Lord increase them as Ioah said to Dauid a thousand times so many more: But I feare there are but a few, yea very rare, scarce one of a Family or tenne of a Tribe, and the bestand forwar­dest of vs (the Lord helpe and pardon it) are I feare defectiue this way, and come short of that which should be in vs.

Thus of the first.

2. This godly sorrow affe­cteth the heart, to bewayle the calamities and miseries of the Churches of God in generall, and the afflictious of the parti­cular members of Christ, I will handle these two distinctly.

1. That the miseries and di­stresses of the Churches of God should affect the heart of each true member of the Church, is manifest to bee not contingent [Page 118]onely, but necessary. First from examples: It is recorded of fa­mous Nehemiah, that though he liued in Persia in the Court of Artaxerxes Neh 1.1.11 & 2.1. being his Cup­bearer, Neh. 1.4 and in high estimation and honour with him, yet when he heard of the calamitie of the Iewes, then the onely people of God, hee was so affected with their oppression and miserie, that as a man oppressed with griefe he sate downe Neh. 1.4 & wept, fasted, prayed, and mourned sundri [...] dayes together: Yea so great wa [...] his griefe that his spirits we [...] dejected, & it appeared so in hi [...] countenance that the king could not but take notice of it, Neh. 2 2 & that it was not bodily sicknes but griefe of minde. The like is said of Daniel, though for his owne particular condition in respect of outward preferment hee had cause of ioy, being chiefe Presi­dent vnder the great Monarches succeeding each other Da [...]r. 48. Naba­chadnezar, Dan. 5.29. and 6.2. Balshazar, and Da­rius: yet considering the calami­tie [Page 119]that the Church was, and had beene in a long time, he mourned three vvhole vveeks together Dan. 10.2.3 in in which space he eate no pleasant meate, neyther came flesh or vvine in his mouth, nor any oyntment (which was vsuall amongst the lewes in times of reioycing) vpon his body.

2. It is an Apostolicall Ca­non which Paul giues to all the members of the Church to bee affected with the afflictions of their brethren, & to sympatize with them in their welfare: Rom. 12.15.16. Reioyce vvith those that reioyce, and vveepe vvith them that vveepe, and be like affectioned one tovvards another: And those that feast and are frolicke in the miscries of Sion the Lord threatens with a most heauie woe, &c. Amos 6.5.6.7 They lye and siretch themselues vpon beds of Ivory, and eate the Lambes of the flocke, and the calues out of the stall, they sing to the sound of the viole: they inuent to themselues in­struments of musicke like Dauid: They drinke vvine in bovvels, and [Page 120]anoynt themselues vvith svveete oyntments, but they are not grieued for the affliction of Ioseph: There­fore non shall they goe captiue with the first that goe captiue, and the sorrovv of thē that stretched them­selues is at hand: Oh that all such as sit at ease and sleepe, snugge in the miseries of the Church, would but consider and lay to heart this dreadfull threatning of the immortall God, and wee of these Ilands of Great Britaine and Ireland, that stand and gaze onely vpon the ruines of other Churches, and like Athenians loue to heare and tell newes, but make no vse to returne into our owne bowels to cause them la­ment and turne within vs, and to expresse our inward affections to Sion by our sorrowes, and earnest supplications prayers, & teares with fasting without ceasing vn­till the Lord returne and haue mercie vpon his poore desolate Spouse: Little consider wee that our turne may be next.

3. The eternall Sonne of God, [Page 121]euen our Head Christ, is afflicted with the calamities of his Church; As saith the Prophet: Ps. 63.5. In all their troubles he was trou­bled, and the Angel of his presence went before them. He sympathi­zeth in all the welfare and woe of his Church; obserue his speech to Saul; Act. 9.15. Saul, Saul, why perse­cutest thou me? and I am Iesus whō thou persecutest: Our Sauiour hee suffers in his members, Mat. 25.2 [...] I was hungry, thirstie, naked, sicke, harbor­lesse, and in prison; that is, hee hath his share in all the wants, necessi­ties, streights, & miseries, that all his members in all parts of the world sustaine and endure for he is not in want, saith August: August in Ps. 75. in regard of any misery, & yet he wan­teth in regard of mercy: hee suffers not in his deitie of himself, and yet he suffers out of commiseration to his: & the Apostle Paul saith, he ful­filled Col. 1.24 the rest of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh for his bedies sake which is the Church: I am not ignorant that there is great adoe amongst Diuines about those [Page 122]words: The Iesuites Rhemists in their marginall notes vpon this place affirme, that Christ did not suffer all that was necessarie for mans freedome for sinne; but left much to be suffered by his mem­bers, especially men of principall note, and hence grew their Diabe­licall Supererogation, Satisfactory paines, and Indulgences kept in the Churches Treasures, a Cow that giues as good and store of milke as any in the Popes deiery, ex­cept Confession, and Purgatorie, which are his mints. But that this glosse corrupts the text, and cannot be the intention of the Apostle, is apparent: 1. Because that doctrine of Popery is contra­ry to the analogie of faith, and op­poseth these expresse texts of Scripture: Is. 53.4.6.10.12. Surely he hath home our infirmities, and carried our sor­rowes, he was woūded for our trans­gressions, he was broken for our ini­quities, and the chastisement of i [...] peace was layde vpon him, and by [...] stripes we are healed, &c. And th [...] Evangelist sayth, that when o [...] [Page 123]blessed Sauiour Ioh. 19.30. had tasted the vineger, he said, It is finished: what better testimony then of the Son of God himselfe? and if finished, Heb. 10.1. to 15. & [...].14.2.26. 2 Cor. 15.14 1 Iohn 2.1. Ps. 49.7.8. Ezech. 18.20. Gal. 6.5. what need any more propitiato­rie sacrifices? Many other texts of Scripture might be alleadged, some whereof I annexe in the margent for brevities sake, to be read at mens leasures. 2. Augu­stine is flat against this sense, whē he saith, August. tract. 44. in Iohau. Le [...]. when brethren dye for brethren, yet no bloud of Martyrs is shed for remission of sins, this Christ onely hath done: Doctor Fulke in his answer to the Rhemists, allead­geth Chrysostome vpon this text, homil. 4. Ambrose and Theodoret, yea their owne Writers are a­gainst them, a Pope could say, The iust receiue, not giue crownes: And their owne Schoole Diuines are flat against them, the Glosse hath it; for you, for the confirmati­on of you in the doctrine of the Go­spell; others affirme, that to say, Aquinat. Caietan. that the passions of the Saints are added to make vp, or fulfill the passi­on of Christ, is hereticall.

[Page 124] 3. The next verse declares this, for he did thus suffer, according to the dispensation giuen him of God, and it is euident, hee was gi­uen to edifie, not to redeeme the Church.

4. This Rhemistical sence brings in a strange and grosse absurdity; for if the words be vnderstood of the sufferings of Christ, left to his people to indure for propitiation for sinne, then the consequent must of necessitie bee, that Paul suffered all that was wanting, & so there should remaine nothing to suffer: For he saith, he suffered the rest of the sufferings of Christ. & therefore this text is nothing to their purpose: Now they may bee saide to be the sufferings of Christ, either as Christ is taken for the whole mysticall body, as Paul 1 Cor. 12.12. by Christ there, meaneth the body of Christ, or as he is the Head of the Church, and so the afflictions of his people, may bee said [...] be his sufferings, or else because they were imposed vpon him by Christ, for the Churches [Page 225]good, or because they were for Christ and the profession of his doctrine, or because of the vnion and sympathie betwixt Christ and the Christian, who accounts them as his sufferings, and this is principally intended by the A­postle, for it is questionlesse, that Christ doth so feele the calami­ties of his people, that he esteems them in that respect to bee his owne miseries, as hath been pro­ued by variety of Scriptures be­fore, [...] and vndoubtedly from hence came that witty distincti­on of Christs sufferings, into the sufferings he endured in his own Person, and the sufferings he felt in his members.

Thus of the necessity of sor­row for the Churches afflictions in generall.

2. It is as true, that euery mem­ber of the Chusch, wherof Christ is the Head, must of necessity (or else no true member of the Head Christ) sympathize with their particular fellow members in all their wealth and woe, euen the [Page 126]meanest of them, so sayth that worthy Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 11.29 who is weake, and I not weake with him? who is scandalized, but I burne with it? and so elsewhere, 1 Cor. 12.26 If any one member he honoured, all the rest re­ioyce with it, if any one suffer, all the rest suffer with it. Thus is it in the naturall body, if any tread vpon, or kicke the least toe or foot. will no the head feele? will not the tongue say, why do you tread v­pon, or kicke me? and thus it can­not but be in the mysticall body of Christ. O Lord if this be true, where are there any true mem­bers of Christ to be found in this age, let mee but finde such a man or woman, that when they see Christs members. I meane his be­leeuing neighbours hungry, thir­sty, naked, sicke, imprisoned, scan­dalized, and he or shee humbly careth for them, for care and ioy are the two fairest daughters of Loue, and out of his care is affe­cted with his miserie, prayeth to God for his reliefe, and indeauors to furnish his necessities. So on [Page 127]the contrary, if God turne the wheele of prosperity, then to re­joyce with them, especially in spirituall prosperitie after deser­tion, and then I will beleeue that such a man or woman is the child of God, & hath attained to this blessed godly sorrow, as a mostnecessary & true symptome & character thereof: and if it be otherwise, it plainly proueth, & is a black marke of reprobation, as will appeare if wee consider these reasons.

1. It plainely intimates, 1 Ioh. 5.14. we are but dead men, and not translated from death to life, 1 Ioh. 2.10. that wee are still in darknes, and without the true light: it testifies to our selues, Angels and men, that we are not onely benummed or paraliticke members, but rotten, putrified, & mortified members, which must be cut off; these are like wooden legges, that feele nothing of the bodies or members maladie: how canst thou thinke thy selfe a true member of Christ. and cryest not out vnder the afflictions of the [Page 128]poorest true beleeuer, and ex­pressest not thy sorrow by thine earnest indeauour to ease the crosse & affliction? what? liuing members, and feele nothing? It is impossible that a true beleeuer & member of Christ should bee thus blockish and sencelesse.

2. It plainely manifests want of zeale to GOD and his glory, when either the cause of the Churches calamitie, or the parti­cular afflictions of Gods people strike vs not at the very heart, which should be more deare vn­to vs shall I say, then our owne wealth, safetie, life? yea I may truely say, then our owne salua­tion: where is the zeale of Moses, blot me out of the booke of life, Exo. 32 32. rather then destroying this people, the heathen should insult and say, because God was not able to bring his people into Canaan, therefore hee destroyde them in wildernesse, it was Gods Name that stroke Mo­ses at the heart, and this is oft e­clipsed by the afflictions of Gods people: Oh the miseries & woes [Page 129]of infinite millions of men and women, with whom it is all one what conditiō befals the Church or any particular member there­of. Were old 1 Sam. 4.18, 19. Eli & his daugh­ter the wife of Phineas now aliue, would not the captivity of the Arke be their deaths, to heare of the desolations that are made in that famous and most auncient Church of Bohemia, and her sister the Palatine, with other partes thus wasted and depopulated, the Name of the Lord of hostes to be dishonoured by that relation which our adversaries make of the victories, triumphs and suc­cesses had by that Popish and I­herian faction, and that vnnatu­rally by the Natiues and Popish English, which should bee his Maiesties loyall subiects in this I­land But alas what doe I insist v­pon these reasons to incite vs to commiserate the afflictions of the Churches of Christ abroad, great is the dishonour of God at home euen in this Kingdome, & the state of both Sion and Ierusa­lem [Page 130]is so miserable, that it giues vs just cause (oh that wee had their affections) to cry out, La [...]. 1.2.16. La [...]. 2.18. Ier. 13.27. mine eye droppeth, &c. Oh that we had not onely cause to say with the Prophet Ieremie, Because of eathes the land mourneth, but we haue just occasion to say with the Lord by the Prophet Hosea, that Hos. 4.1.2. &c. God hath a controuersie with vs, because there is no mercy, truth, nor know­ledge of God in the Land: by swea­ring, lying, killing, stealing, & whoring they breake out, and bloud toucheth bloud, therefore shall the Land mourne, and all that are therein shall be cut off, with the beasts of the field, &c. I may adde, the abominable drunkennesse, oppression, idola­try, with swarmes of those Lo­custs, the Friers, Priests, and that Ignatian brood the Iesuites, swar­ming in euery corner by scores, seducing and beguiling vnstable soules, robbing and impouerish­ing not only the poore Natiues, but the whole Kingdome, by their intollerable exactions, it is almost incredible, the masse and [Page 131]summes of money that they dai­ly rake together, I could not be­leeue it vntill I saw it by proba­ble demonstrations, that at the least 500000 pound sterling and vpward of treasure, is exhausted out of this poore Kingdome yearely, to maintaine that woful generation at home, and corro­borate and animate the enemies abroad, that the Kingdome, of necessity, must grow full of pe­nurie, & their insolencie increa­seth so fast, and our sinnes provo­king the Highest in such degree, that except Am [...]s 4.12 wee prepare to meet the Lord by speedy repentance, as the Eternal himselfe adviseth his people, what may we looke for, but some bloudy massacres, as in Paris and Vastie in the dayes of Charles the ninth in France; or at Antvverpe in the Netherlands, or else some other grieuous judg­ments another way. Oh that we which are Is. 62.6. [...]. the Lords remem­brancers, vvould giue him no rest till he repaire his Ierusalem and Zion. Oh yee Reuerend Fathers, let [Page 132]these silent lines speake in your cares, and be not incensed against them, why doe you not imploy rhe Churches weapons, which are praeces & lachrymae, to implore his Maiestie and the State, for re­formation of these horrible and detestable abominations, GOD perswade your hearts to this, I know it is the desire of sundry of your soules to see the prosperitie of Bethell and Zion, & the ruine and desolation of Bethauen and Babell; and you Right Honorable, the Nobility & State of this King­dome, pardon the importunity of these rude lines, and let them incite your noble spirits, to in­treat our God by vnfeigned and carnest supplications & prayers, Heb. 5.7. with strong cryes and teares, as our blessed Sauiour (restified by the Author to the Hebrevves) did in the dayes of his flesh. As also be­seech his Vice-gerent our dread Soueraigne, (whom the almighty long continue) to driue out these Canaauites, which are Indg. 2.2 thornes in our eyes, and goades in our sides: [Page 133]and the Lord giue his Highnesse a heart to pitty vs, and vouchsafe him the zeale of his House and Glory like of that worthy 2. King. 22.1.2.3. Io­siah, the Paragon of the world to effect it, and to see the erection of the House of our God, and ad­vancing the Kingdome of Christ, that hee may bee blessed in his blessed soule, body, government, and posteritie; and wee all as al­ready, may haue renewed occa­sion to blesse him, and to blesse God for him.

Thus of the second.

3. And lastly this godly sor­row affecteth the heart to be­wayle & mourne for the threat­ning anger and wrath of God, it is true that anger in man is a perturbation or passion in the minde, but in the most high, vn­spotted and pure nature of God it is an effect of his iustice, for my owne part I am of opinion that anger and wrath are properly in his highnesse, not improperly and by way of Anthropopatie as the most haue thought: As for [Page 134]that Text Anger is not in me: it is onely to distinguish his most iust and righteous anger and wrath, from that which is in mans, for in his most blessed and pure na­ture is neyther passion or per­turbation, but in his excellencie it is. First, an effect of his iustice: Secondly, in such a blessed and holy manner as is agreeable to his blessed name, and to vs in­conceiueable and inutterable. Thirdly, according to the mea­ning and sence reuealed in his sacred word, to the better vn­folding whereof I must consider two things.

1. The dreadfulnesse & feare­fulnesse and greatfulnesse of it, therefore Moses in his prayer by way of interrogation pro­pounds it: Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy wrath, and according to thy feare is thine indignation, as if he should say, no man is able to conceiue thy wrath nor know sufficiently to feare thee propor­tionable to thine indignation. The Prophet Nahum expresseth [Page 135]it, Nah. 1.4.5 [...] that it dryeth vp the sea, wa­steth Baashan, Carmel & the flowre of Lebanon, it makes the mountaines tremble, and the bils melt, burnes vp the world, & those that dvvel there­in, vvho can stand before his vvrath? or vvho can abide the fiercenesse thereof, it is povvred out like fire: Deut. 4.2. It teares the rockes, and rents the mountaines in sunder: And to the infinitenesse and exequisite­nesse of it, Moses compares it to a consuming fire, & addeth Deu. 32.2 that it burnes vnquenchably to the bottome of hell: but vvill consume the earth vvith all her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines. Varietie of examples proue this past and present, as Gods foredamning and reproba­ting so infinite millions of peo­ple following Adam with such inconceiueable and inutterable plagues and iudgements vpon himselfe and his: drowning of the olde world, burning of Gen. 19.24. Sodome and Gomorrah, Admah, & Zeboni, ouerwhelming and swal­lowing vp Exod. 14.2 [...] Pharaoh and his [Page 136]hoste in the sea, Act. 17.30 leauing all the Gentils in a most forlorne & desperate condition by the space of foure thousand yeares, as Paul saith, & now the miserable estate of the Ievves the first borne of God, now runnegates and vaga­bounds, yea a curse, astonish­ment, and a hissing throughout the earth. The insupportable wrath that, hee layd vpon his owne Son, which made him cry out in the anguish of his soule; Math. 27 46. My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me, and in his ago­ny; Luk. 22.44. to svveate drops of vva­ter mingled vvith bloud trickling dovvne to the ground though but a furetie for vs miserable sinners. The tortures of afflicted con­sciences plainely explicate this point, what rending of clothes, and hayre sorrowes and teares with outcryes & sighes proceed from their racked consciences in their desperate condition that their spirits are disabbed to sup­port them; yea but a droppe of his Anger let full, & out of com­miseration [Page 137]and loue also vpon his owne children, how hath it inforced them to bitter lamen­tation and sorrowes to the wa­sting and consumption, both of their flesh and spirits, as the ex­amples of Iob, Dauid, and Heze­thia is apparant in their owne relations left vpon eternall Re­cord to all ages. Lastly the infi­nite miseries and calamities that as a floud doth continually break in vpon the particular bodies of men in diseases and sickenesses which they are infinitely surpri­zed with all, as the stone, stran­gurie, gowte, palsies, apoplexies, agues, and other molestations vpon their goods, vanitie muta­tion and losses, vpon their good name, infamies, disgraces, shame, scandall, and reproach: And vpon the soule, ignorances hard­nesse of heart, deadnesse of spirit & such like with errors, and he­resies, &c. all which are euident signes of the wrath and indig­nation of the Almighty: But the time is comming and hastens [Page 138]apace when the mighty God will manifest this to the full. 2. Pet. 2.10. When the elements shall melt vvith heate, & the earth vvith the worke that are thereon shall be burnt vp, & all the kindreds of the earth shall mourne, and the crie of the dam­ned and reprobate world in all the foure corners thereof shall cry Reu. 6.16. Isai. 2.19. Luk. 23.30. Hos. 10.8. Mountaines couer vs and rockes crush vs to peeces, & breake all our bones that wee may ne­uer appeare before his presence, for the day of his vvrath is come & vvho can stand: especially the flames of hell and the tortures of the damned shall manifest this to the vtmost, and therefore consider this and lay it to heart all yee that thinke God is all mercie, and that there is neyther iustice nor wrath in your crea­tor.

2. The signes and tokens of the anger of the highest against kingdomes, Churches and pu­blike states, are these.

1. When GOD leaues his Church without Prophets, for [Page 139]as the eternall puts in the fore­front of the signes of his speciall fauour I will giue or send them Prophets according to mine owne heart, so when he meanes a plague with a mischiefe to any state, ordinarily Isai 57.1 the Lord takes away his righteous ser­uants from the euill to come, ob­serue the lamentation of the Church Lam. 2.9. There is not one Pro­phet left to tell vvhen these things shall haue an end, or when God sends them many false Prophets, & but few faithfull, it was omi­nous to Israel and Ahab when there were foure hundred false Prophets to ouerbeare one good honest 1. King. 22.6 Michaiah by whom the Deuill seduced Ahab, and doth ordinarily seduce Kings, kingdomes and publike states, Sycophants, Parasites and flat­terers, of whom Ieremiah com­plained in his time in that Pa­theticall acclamation: Iere. 14.13.14 Ah Lord the Prophets tell them no such thing that the sword shall not de­uour, &c. Its a signe of Gods [Page 140]wrath.

2. When God doth send va­rietie of faithfull Ministers and preachers, and they comparing times with times, sinnes with sinnes, and the Lords dealing formerly with his owne people, and the menaces of his most righteous law against such sins as are frequent & ordinary how­soeuer they haue no propheticall and immediate spirit of reuela­tion to foretell things to come, (as extraordinarie Prophets in former times) yet if they with one consent, with instance and earnestnesse doe foretell & that in diuers places, vpon obserua­tion of Gods former dealing who is immutable, it is time for the world to awake & consider, for as Ames saith Dan. 7.7 The Lord will doe nothing but he will reueale his secrets to his seruants the Pro­phets, and God will ratifie their righteous menaces, howsoeuer this sinfull age esteeme of them.

3. Publike afflictions are signes both of Gods wrath be­gun, [Page 141]and of greater vengeance to come, as pestilence, famine of bread, Amo [...] 8.21. famine of the word, warres, Is. 57.1. the frequent death of the best men, and such like, especially when there is a sting and curse of hardnesse of heart not to make a good vse of them when the heart is not bent to­wards the Almightie nor yeelds to him in this godly sorrow, as the Prophet Ieremie saith, Ier. 5.1. Thou hast smitten them but they haue not forrovved, thou hast con­sumed them, but they refused to re­ceiue correction, they haue made their faces harder then a stone, and haue refused to returne, what think you of this Iland? Hath not the immortall God smitten it with warres & consumed them with famine, and may not we say as Ieremie, sed non deluerunt, but they haue not sorrovved? But it may be said of vs as the drunkarde saith of himselfe Prou. 23.35. They haue smit­ten me, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten me, but I felt it not, neuer the worse, and therefore in truth [Page 142]neuer the better.

Quest. But why is this a signe of future wrath?

Ansvv. Because when the iust and most almightie God begins to correct a Nation, and they stoope not nor bend vnder his correcting hand, hee will neuer desist til he bend or breake them [...] as himselfe saith to the Iewes Louis. 26.21. If yee vvalke stubbornely against me I vvill vvalke stubbornely a­gainst you and plague you yet seuen times more for your sinnes, &c. Most liuely doth the Prophet A [...] expresse this, Amos 4.6.12. I haue sent you cleanenesse of teeth, mill-devves, yet haue yee not returned vnto me saith the Lord: therefore this vvill I doe vnto thee, and because I vvill doe this, prepare to meete thy God O Is­rael.

Seing therfore these symptomes and characters of Gods fearefull indignation, are vpon vs, euen v­pon this miserable Iland, what cause haue wee to cry out with the Prophet, Psal. 77.7.8.9. will thine anger neuer cease? hast thou forgotten to [Page 143]be mercifull? hast thou shut vp thy mercies in displeasure? And to pray convert vs vnto thee, and shevv to vs thy ioyfull face, and then vvee shal be safe: to obserue that which the Lord calls vpon vs for, by Ioel: if we would haue [...]oel 2.13.14. the Lord returne and leaue a blessing behinde him, to sanctifle a fast, and humble our selues be­fore our God: as also you that are Magistrates, to labour to stay this wrath of God by the seuere execution of justice vpon malefa­ctours, that keepe and maintain Faires and Markets vpon the Sa­baoth, vpon drunkards, swearers adulterers, as Num. 25.7 Phineas did v­pon Zimri and Cosbi, which stayd the plague. Lastly, let all of vs, af­ter the example of the King of Ionvh 3.5. Ninive, to turne from our euill vvayes; yee natiues from your I­dolatry, superstition, theft, ignorance and oathes; and yee English from your prophanesse, drunkennesse, luke-warmnesse, and all other sinnes, and let all cry mightily to God, that he will be pleased to [Page 144]accept the bloud of his Sonne to pacific his indignation towards vs, that we may be deliuered, [...]ach. 1.11. Command. 3. as Ierusale [...] out of the captiuity.

2. Signes of Gods anger to par­ticular persons are

1. Spirituall plagues vpon his soule, the bottome and dregs of the vials of the indignation and wrath of the Almighty, and the fore-runners of his eternal ven­geance, as blindnesse of minde, deadnesse of spirit, hardnesse of heart, a benummed conscience, a punishing of sin with sin, a re­probate minde, and such like.

2. If a man finde himselfe di­rectly vnder the menaces and threats of Gods eternal truth, as swearing, Command. 3. commandement the third: and that which the Lord speakes dreadfully, Deut. 2 [...].5 [...] If thou vvilt not feare this glorious Name the Lord thy God, I vvill make thy plagues vvonde [...]full, and the plague [...] of thy seede, &c. Lukewarmnesse in profession, Apoc. 3 15. vvhich the Lord vvill vomit as a loathsome thing out of his mouth, as hee [Page 145]speakes to Laodicea. Againe M [...]l. 1.8. to offer to God the hault, blinde, and lame in his seruice, to performe the holy duties of his blessed wor­ship, as prayer &c. perfunctarily without all life and affection; & sinally, all that liue in such sins contained in any of those cata­logues which the Scriptures de­nounce vengeance vpon, as 1 Cor. 6.9 be not deceiued, neither fornicators, nor [...]dulterers, murtherers, nor drunkards &c. shall inherite the Kingdome of God.

3. If a man feele not himselfe bettered by his afflictions and crosses, so as there is in them a curse, and God fighting against him in them, either in the dis­quieting and vexing his soule, or else in the hardnes of his heart that as Elihu speakes, he Iob 36.13 calls not when the Lord bindeth him, it is a fearefull signe of wrath, & that increased & inlarged vpon him.

4. If a man blesse himself when God curseth him in the threat­nings of his Law, and say as the Lord speakes, (x) I shall doe we [...] [Page 146]enough though I walke after the stubburnesse of mine owne heart, thus adding drunkennesse to thirst, hee meetes with the worlds common plea, God is mercifull, &c. the Lord answers, he mill not be merci­full to that man, but his wrath and iealousie shall smoke against him, and that hee will heape vpon him euery curse, and euery plague written in the booke of the Law till he bee de­stroyed.

5. If a man haue not the chara­cters, markes and symptomes of an Adopted childe of God vpon his soule; for, whom God loues, hee doth indelibly Ezech. 9.3.4. marke with certain graces, as faith, loue, godly sorrow, repentance, and such like; which, if vpon examinatiō, and through tryall, hee cannot finde he hath cause to feare and tremble, and in the want of them to mourne with godly sorrow, & neuer giue ouer vntill the Lord answer his soule by the witnesse of the spirit of Adoption. Oh bre­thren, ponder and consider these things, and God giue you vnder­standing [Page 147]& grace to find all these branches of holy sorrow in your soules, that so you may be assured of a plentifull crop and haruest of joy heere, and glory afterward: and so I proceede to the third signe of this sacred and holy grace.

3. Remarkable signe & symp­tome of this sound godly sorrow is, when it passeth not the limits, extent and bounds, which God in his eternall truth hath set it, which if it doe, it becomes sinful and euil for it is with this grace as with the morall vertues, which must not exceed their me­dium, the Eternall hath bounded it as the sea, by the little sandes, as the Prophet speakes, and giuen commandement as to the Israe­lites at the giuing of the Law v­pon mount Sinai, beyond which if they presumed, it Exo. 19.12 was death. Now it exceedes and passeth li­mits two wayes:

1. When it exceedes in time, that men lye vnder it not onely night, and dayes, but monethes [Page 148]and yeares, yea tenne, twentie yeares, as I haue knowne some, it is a plaine signe, that howsoeuer GOD offended is the obiect of their sorrow, yet it is his justice which their eyes behold, and le­gall sorrow at the fairest, & selfe­loue is the maine wheele which sets this sorrow on worke, the sence of his feareful wrath, like the roaring of the Lion, makes them tremble, if they could make their part good against him, they would neuer shed a teare, or bee perplexed in their spirits: Or if not so, yet in some it is want of instruction or knowledge of this grace, and how to carry them­selues, which if they did, their comfort would be both speciall and speedy, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 30.5. Sorrow ouer night, but ioy com­n [...]h in the morning, and they should feare if they finde it not. And no matuaile though some of Gods seruants misse of this right sorrow, when as such an [...]perienced souldier as Dauid missed of it, and was filled with [Page 149]roarings and perplexitie, with a roaring sorrow, which was not joyned with so much as particu­lar confession of that speciall sin that perplexed and troubled his poore soule; but when hee had recalled his thoughts, & plucked vp his spirits, resoluing vpon the rightsorrow, be confessed his sinne to the Psal. 32.5. Lord, and presently found consolatiō; for your sakes therefore that trauaile vnder the burthen of your sinnes, and finde no rest, nor know how to set your soules in a way to true comfort, I haue vndertaken the labour to lay before your sight this open way, to turne you frō all those waters of Num. 35.9 Marah, into Elim, from bitternes, to sweete fountaines of water, to satisfie your thirstie soules: me thinkes I see in that sacred Embleme of the Lord, comparing the sorrow of the godly, to the sorrow of a I [...]r. 6.24. womā in trauail, aliuely descrip­tion of this grace. Tribulation ap­prehends vs, as of a woman bringing forth: And to the same purpose [Page 150]speakes the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah, As a woman with childe nee [...]e her trauaile is vexed and cry­eth, so haue Is. 26.17. we beene before thy face Iehouah; and the sorrow of the godly (if the right sorrow) is like it: 1. Nor onely in the ex­tremitie and bitternesse of it for the time, but 2. that as the one and the other tend to a birth: 3. There is in both hope of deli­uerance, and therefore euen in that extremitie there is some joy mi [...]t with the sharpnesse of the sorrow [...], faith sets the heart on work to expect better, nay there is in both an expectation of fruit, and therefore of necessity there must be joy in the middest of the sorrow. 4. It is but short in either which ou [...] blessed Sauiour con­firmes. A Ioh. 16.21. woman when she [...] brings forth, hath sorrow because her houre is come; but when shee is deli­uered, she remembers not the sorrow for ioy that a man childe is born [...] & our Lord applyes this, so are you now in sorrow, but your heart shall rejoy [...]e, obserue then thy [Page 151]sorrow for the time and conti­nuance, if it be long, suspect it.

2. It passeth the limites when it exceedes in measure, now it passeth measure:

1. When it vnfits the body or soule for the duties either of our generall or particular callings, or from the cheereful & liuely per­formance of them, both which, the Eternall God requires at the hands of his people; he required in the Law, not dead, but liuing sacrifices, the dead were abomi­nation to him, and hee blamed hi [...] people for their vncheereful­nes in his seruice, and threatens them for it: Deut. 28.47.48. Because thou didst not serue the Lord thy God with cheerefulnes and a glad heart in the abundance of all things, thou shalt serue thine enemies in hunger and thirst, and in want of all things, and I will put an iron yoke vpon thy necke, &c. Let men obserue their sorrowes, doe they deterre and keepe them backe, either from hearing the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, &c. or from a cheerefull [Page 152]performance of them? they are then from the Deuill, and not from GOD: yea if they doe not further them in all these & draw them neerer vnto GOD, beware of such sorrowes, and auoyde them; so also may I say of du­ties to our brethren, GOD loues a cheereful giuer, & as of almes, so all other duties of charity to our neighbour, visiting the affli­cted, comforting the dejected spirit, and such like.

But alas, what will become thē of worlds of sorrows, which are vpon men that refuse the House of GOD, and doe as it were excommunicate thēselues not onely from the power of Gods ordinances, but euen from the vse of the ministry of the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, though it may be they vse some priuate helpes, which yet it is to be feared few doe.

It is also dangerous when sor­row vnfits men from family du­ties, as reading the Word, instru­ction of children, and seruants, [Page 153]and prayer, or the more priuate duties, as secret examination, confession of sinnes, secret sup­plications, thankesgiuing, medi­tation, conference, or renewing of covenants with GOD; and lastly, if it hinder and keepe men or women from conjugal duties, or to abhorre or sequester vs from the vse of meates & drinkes necessarie to the sustentation of nature, by which the body is vn­fitted to performe his necessarie seruice to GOD our neighbour, and the soule. Lastly, when i [...] keepes men from the duties of their speciall callings, to the de­triment and hurt of the wife, children, and family, which is an ordinary fault of young profes­sours in mine owne obseruation, any of these are ill signes of a ba­stard sorrow, and not of the true spiritual gracious sorrow, which hath the sacred promise of the Immortal GOD to end in Ps. 126.5. [...] ioy, and therefore beware of it.

2. It passeth his limits & mea­sure, wh [...]n it makes men forget [Page 154]consolation, and driues all ioy out of the heart, euen for the time; for these being both graces of Gods Spirit, and are not like sire and water, exhalations and vapours, but they conserue and preserue each other, yea increase one another. Griefe euen for sin must not swallow vs vp & ouer­whelme vs, the Apostle would haue the incestuous Corinth com­forted, [...] Cor. 2.7. when humbled, lest hee should be swallowed vp of ouer­much heauinesse. It must not cause vs to forget the consolation, which speakes to vs Neh. 12.5. as Children, nor cause vs breake or violate the charge which GOD giues; Phil. 4, 4. Reioyce alwayes, againe I say re­ioyce: so that howsoeuer it is true, that earnall sorrow and ioy can not be in the heart at one [...]nne, yet spiritual joy and sorrow may and must, though in diuerse re­spects: this made the Apostles Paul and Acts 16.25. Doctor Ridly Iohn Baynam M. Glouer. Sylas sing in prison, and the Martyrs to goe to the stake as to a feast, and accompt it as their marriage, to sing in the [Page 155]flames as in a bed of downe, clap their hands with joy in the sence of Christs presence, and euen in their sorrow for speciall sinnes, there is cause of joy, for Faith perswades the heart of the remis­sion and pardon of them, & the pacification of Gods wrath, and so appeaseth and quieteth the cry and blustering of the consci­ence.

If this be true, what shall wee say of the sorrow of such as will not heare of any consolation, to whom I may say with Iob, Seeme the consolations of God small vnto thee, or though they seeme not little in their eyes, yet they re­fuse all comfort, and turne off the promises as if they pertai­ned not to them, I am tenderly affected in my judgment, as also in my affections towards such as are in sits of temptation, deserti­on and melancholy, yet this I say, their griefe is not right, and therefore let them be aduised, & looke that the object bee true which is God offended and [...] ued [Page 156]for himselfe, without which they torment and vexe them­selues all their liues, and finde little comfort, for whom my daily prayers shall bee, that our most louing and gracious Father euen the God of all comfort will vouchsafe vnto them the Spirit of illumination, of saith and consolation.

Thus of the third signe.

4. Vbi [...] detor, desici [...] p [...]ni [...]tia. August. de vera p [...]it. cap. 13. Symptome of this godly sorrow is the continuance of it, its neuer dryed vp or is totally extinct in the heart, so saith Au­gustine, Where sorrow ceaseth re­pentance ceaseth, to the which al­so the speach of Paul is pregnant, 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow causeth repentance neuer to be repented of, and this wil appeare euidently by these rea­sons.

1. Reason. The examples of Gods ser­vants in the sacred history, as of of Iob, Iob 4.6. Therefore I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes, Psal. 6.2.3.32 3.51.1. &c. Dauid is oft and wonderfull in this, as appeares in all his penitentials, Iosiah when he heard the Booke [Page 157]of the Law 2 King. [...].11.12.13. Rent his clothes, & his heart also wept & sent to Huldah the prophetesse to inquire of the Lord for himselfe & his people: Mar. 1 [...].7 [...]. Peter when his Master loo­ked vpon him with the eye of his blessed compastion went out saith the text and vvept bitterly: And Paul, all these were persons truely conuerted, and yet this grace of godly sorrow was ne­uer extinct or abolished in thē.

2. This true spirituall gracious godly sorrow is neuer wanting wholly, because the cause there­of which is sin, neuer ceaseth: but so long as we carry about vs these earthly tabernacles, and bodies of flesh, wee also must of necessitie carry with it a bodie of sinne and corrupt on which will cause vs also cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 7.1 [...] O wretched man that I am.

3. Because the roote and branch of which it immediatly springs, is faith and loue, ney­ther of which is euer deficient in this life, therefore the fruite [Page 158]also is indeficient, and reneweth oft: yea euen vpon all occasions, and therefore such persons as flatter themselues in their first sorrow, at their seeming conuer­sion, and neuer feele any opera­tion thereof afterward, but giue themselues to securitie, yea though they fall into horrible grosse sins that iustly occasion a large measure of renewed hu­miliation, and yet can beare it out and be pleasant, are to con­sider that temporary faith hath legall sorrow, and deepe woun­ding of the heart by the law, but after they once receiue some see­ming comfort by the promises, they grow jocund and merry, and put off all with a conceite of that first humiliation; but let all flesh know and tremble before God when they bring their hearts vpō the anuill of through examination, and finde not this blessed grace of humiliation con­tinue, it was neuer sound, nor had they euer that true joy which is the blessed immediate fruite [Page 151]thereof. To these I might adde, that repentance is a continued act all a mans life, and without it no hope of remission of sins, and this repentance springs 2. Cor. 7.9. from godly sorrow, and lastly God hath in his wisedome ap­pointed, that the true beleeuers should not onely as 2. King 5.3 [...] Naaman the Assyrian wash in Iordan sea­uen times for the cleansing of his Ieprosie, but sinne is such a renewing leprosie that requires washing [...] all a mans life; and this is one of those duties of mortification, euen those chrystaline streames and fountaines that the eternal hath in his wisedome appointed vs to wash in, for our cleansing, and there is not a man vpon earth hath euer had, or shall haue, any true comfort in the assurance of remission and pardon of any one knowne sinne, which hee doth not bewayle with godly sorrow, confesse particularly, and priuat­ly to God, and pray, yea begge, importune, and cry vnto God, [Page 160]for remission as for life & death, let the blind world, doteing hy­pocrite, or carnall Protestant, think or speake what they will to the contrary.

5. True godly sorrow as it be­gins in God and hath his blessed Maiestie the Author of it being a plant of his sacred planting, and a supernaturall grace & gift of his spirit, I may say of it as Salomon of the waters. Eccles. they all come from the Sea by the in­fluence & operation of the Sun, so they all goe to the sea againe: So this godly sorrow wheeles about and ends in God, and not onely leads to God as the sorrow of the Luk. 15.17 Prodigall when hee came to himselfe for he was mad and out of his wits before (as euery vnregenerate man is) forced him to goe to his Father with teares in his eyes, repentance in his heart, & confession in his mouth. I vvill goe to my father, & say, Fa­ther I haue sinned against heauen & before thee, and am no more wor­thy to be called thy sonne, &c. but [Page 161]also ends in God, and goes not away without the sence of his loue, and the consolation of the spirit and ioy of saluation, as in the example of Psal. 32. Dauid, Iosiah, and others of Gods, scruants which is true ioy & comfort in­deede, as Dauid speakes to the Courtiers of Saul, wherein hee professeth if it pleased God but to lift vp the light of his countenance vpon him, hee should haue more delight then the world when their Ps. 4.6.7. Corne, and vvine, and oyle did abound. This was the lose and farewell of the sorrow of that worthy 1. Sam. 1.7. Hanna, when shee was vexed by Peninah, she fasted and wept: but faith per­swading her heart that God would grant her request she weat her vvay (saith the text) eate and dranke, and looked no more sad: And this is the ordinary end of the sorrow of the godly, if right; But when sorrow departs with the ceasing of paine; or increase of outward things, or if men driue out sorrow with feasting, [Page 162]merry company and such like, it hath an ill end, and is not from God, but from the Deuill, and corrupted and depraued nature.

6. Finally the Apostle Paul to the Corinthes hath seauen seue­rall signes or notes of this god­ly sorrow, the first whereof in our ordinary translation is care, others haue it study, Montanus addeth in the margent solicitudo a restlesse care or diligence, [...] or study in the minde how to walk so as wee may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto God; and that in these two things especially:

1. In that which is our maine errand for which we were borne and came into this world, and wherein the chiefe and princi­pall honour wee possibly can giue vnto our Creator consists, as Peter speaketh: 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue dili­gence to make your calling and ele­ction sure, that is, study with all diligence to make your calling sure, and then yee make your election sure, Armilla au­rea. for these graces are like a golden chaine, that one [Page 103]linke depends vpon another, & are neuer segregated or diuided, he that hath one, hath all, and to this purpose speakes the Author to the Hebrewes: Hebr. 4.11. Let vs therefore study, [...] or rather study with all hast and importunitie to enter into that rest, &c. So that this grace of godly sorrow or re­morse for sinne, quickeneth vp the heart to a wonderfull serious & sedulous diligent care about the assurance and euidence of Gods fauour in the remission & forgiuenesse of sinnes, and all other graces of the Spirit, and assuredly I haue in my poore ob­seruation seene this seldome or neuer fayle, or such a person sel­dome or neuer to fall backe a­gaine; whereas such as haue been industrious about speculations chronoligies, genealogies, & such like, but not intended that spe­ciall maine point, haue seldome continued, and therefore let eue­ry childe of God lay vp this, as a speciall remarkable note:

2. Our study and solicitous [Page 164]care must be so to liue as beseems such mercies and fauours, as our gracious Father hath vouchsa­sed to bestow vpon vs in giuing vs so much and forgiuing so in­finite a debt, Ps. 119.15 vvee must ayme at Gods Commaundements as a [...]a marke, and as the Apostle saith, to vvalke vvorthy of the Lord and please him in all things, being fruit­full in all good workes. especially shew it in these particulars.

1. Study to walke with God in the sence of his blessed pre­sence, so knowing and being affected with his loue as we for­get not his sacred presence, as the Lord commaunds Abraham, Gene. 17.1. vvalke before me & be vpright.

Obiect. I but may the poore humbled sinner say, I haue such a corrupt, wandring, vnmorti­fied heart, as I cannot bring it to this passe?

Answ. Micha 6 8. Learne and practise that aduise which the Lord ad­viseth by the Prophet, Hamble thy selfe before him, to get a bet­ter abilitie and power to vvalke [Page 165]vvith thy God, for godly sorrow with fasting and prayer will get it, or nothing will.

2. Set the law of God alwayes before thee as the onely perfect rule of all thy actions, as Dauid, this is to be vpright in our vvay, & to vvalke in the Lavv of the Lord which makes a man a blessed man: Psal. 119.1. as for those that vvalke by crooked and by pathes will the Lord lead with the workers of iniquitie, but peace shall be vpon Israel.

3. Obserue the motions and stirrings of Gods spirit within thy soule to any good, else the spirit will bee grieued within thee, which by no meanes thou mayst doe, for that is against the Apostles charge: Ephes. 4.30. Grieue not the holy Spirit of God by vvhich yee are sealed vp to the day of redēp­tion: But in any case and by all meanes bee carefull to obey the motions thereof, and that with­out reasonings against it, or de­layes which are dangerous, but with all readinesse, speede and cheerefulnesse, this is to walke [Page 166]after the spirit, Gal. 5.25. and not after the flesh: to reuine the spirit and not to quench it. Rom. 8.1.

4. To excell all ciuill and ho­nest men and hypocrites in this, that we carry a carefull eye and respect to all Gods Commaun­dements, 1. Thes. 5.19. which will assure vs of safetie, then shall I not be confoun­ded when I haue respect to all thy Commaundements, and wee shall liue according to the wish and desire of GOD himselfe: Oh that there were such an heart in this people that they might feare me and keepe all my Commaundements alwayes that it might goe well with them and with their children after them: Psal. 119. Deut. 5.29. So that to make cōscieuce of euery sinne; by prayer and the practise of all the duties of mortification, to avoyd it, and also to obey God both in our soules and bodies, & that in eue­ry part and faculitie of both, and that all our dayes, so would it go well with vs, and we should lay vp a good inheritance for our children after vs.

[Page 167] 5. We should so admire Gods loue, Ps. 1 16.8.9.12 in deliuering our soules from death; our eyes from teares and our feete from falling, that we seeke the face of God in the light of the liuing, and neuer to come emptie handed, but to stu­dy with the kingly Prophet Da­uid, Ps. 56.12.13. vvhat to render to the Lord for all his mercies, & so let Gods vowes be vpon vs, and wee should euer be rendring prayse, which is our best sacrifice, yea all wee can re­tribute to him againe.

6. And the second of the sea­ven which the Apostle hath, [...] is defence or apologie euen the stipu­lation of a quiet good conscience vvhich maketh request to God, 1. Pet. 3.21 for it is the proper worke of a quiet good conscience to make Apo­logie or excuse vs before GOD: whence ariseth tranquilitie of minde, which the Apostle cal­leth the peace of God vvhich pas­seth all vnderstanding, Phil. 4.7. which hee prayeth may possesse the Philip­pians mindes in Christ Iesus: This is a blessing peculiar to Gods people, [Page 168]that haue it washed by faith in the bloud of Christ, and in the lauers of mortification, for this can proceede from no perfection in man; true it is that Adams conscience in his integrity, did excuse him before God, because there was nothing in him blame­worthie, but since the depraued estate of man by the fall, no mans conscience can excuse him.

For besides those palpable sins of commission and omission, wherunto each mans conscience is priuy, is there a man liuing whose conscience can excuse him in the best workes that euer he did? may not all flesh cry out with the Church? Isay. 64.6. is not all our righteousnesse as filthy and menstru­ous cloa [...]hes, Ps. 43.2. &c. and with the Psal­mist, Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall none liuing be iustified. And did not the Eternall appoint A aron to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the offe­rings of the children of Israell? but faith assuring the heart and con­science of remission of sinnes, & [Page 169]the pacification of the wrath of God justly conceiued against vs for them, breeds loue, loue works godly sorrow, which is a sweete witnes of Gods loue to vs, and so quieteth the conscience.

Obi. It may be objected, that many wicked mens consciences lye quiet?

Answ. There is in man, a quiet good conscience, and a quiet ill conscience, which is improperly said to be quiet, but only seemeth to bee quiet, yet is it but for a time, which if it be once awaked and rowsed vp either by the law, afflictions, or judgments of God, it will rage and storme like a fell dragon, tiger, or fierce cruell lion or mad dog, as did the conscien­ces of Kaim, A chicophel, and Iudas: Mat. 27.5. The reasons why the conscien­ces of the most wicked men lye quiet and still, and that in the most till death, are

1. Ignorance, as did Pauls con­science, he thought he did GOD seruice in persecuting the Saints, and that be ought to doe many con­trary [Page 170]things against the Name of Iesus: it was the ignorance of his conscience which was the cause of his vnfeelingnes.

2. Impurity, for the conscience is defiled, and so defileth the acti­ons, and makes them vncleane, as Paul sayth, Tit. 1.15. to the impure and vn­beleeuing, nothing is pure, for euen their minds & coösciences are defiled: and how can the conscience doe his office being thus defiled?

3. In constant, because vngroū ­ded, and so is carried and hurried hither and thither vpon euery supposition.

4. Deceitfull, hauing lost the plainnesse and innocency which it had by creation, and is restored to the true beleeuer by Christ, 2 Cor. 1.12. which Paul rejoyced in, and doth now nothing but juggle, foyst, and deceiue.

5. Injustice, so that in judging it determines against the truth, a­gainst God, and against the salua­tion of the soule: a wofull con­dition,

6. Lastly, through ill vsage [...] [Page 171]hath lost his tendernes; for when it hath cryed oft times, it hath not beene heard, or not regar­ded, or that which is worse, snib­bed, buffeted, and beaten, and so resolued to admonish no more; but as a scholler, apprentice, or seruant, continually hained at, buffeted and beaten, growes de­sperate, so is it with the consci­ence; that it is like that which Paul speakes of those auncient Heretickes, which had their con­science feared with a hote i [...]oo. 1 Tim. 4.2.

Quest. How comes the consci­ence to make Apologie, or to ex­cuse vs from godly sorrow?

Answ. The conscience being deliuered from darknes, the Son of God inhabiting it, and bring­ing light into it, is able to dis­cerne what the soule hath per­formed, that which is comman­ded by God on his parn, and the promise and covenant made by the Highest on his part, by which he hath obliged himselfe to bee propitious and fauourable, yea to giue comfort and joy: Blessed are [Page 172]they that mourne, Mat. 5.4. Psal: 26.6. for they shall bee comforted, and they that sow in teares, shall reape in ioy, causeth the heart to rest vpon the pro­mises with an holy security.

2. The Almighty hath appoin­ted, as all the duties of mortifica­tion to be speciall meanes of this in particular, to mundifie and cleanse the conscience from that impurity and vncleannes which naturally is vpon it, that a man is able to say with boldnesse, as Paul, Act. 23.1. I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day: and so a great care in all things to do vp­rightly.

3. Being thus cleansed and pu­rified, it hath in it that plainnes, innocency, simplicity, and harm­lesnes, which the Apostle speakes of, 2 Cor. 1.12. Our reioycing is this, the testimo­ny of our conscience, that is, simplicity and godly purenes, &c. we haue had our conuersation in the world, &c.

4. Which brings forth in the conscience a diuine, sentence, so as in determining it judgeth for God, and as God, according to [Page 173]the sacred Canon of his euerla­sting word: and so

5. Constancy, and a kinde of habitual peace & tranquility, so as no power of man or Deuil can compell or shake it, as Iob sayth, Iob 27.6. I will keepe my righteousnes, & will not forsake it, my heart also shall not reproue me of my dayes:

6. And so becomes a continuall refreshing, yea as Salomon saith, Trev. 15.15 a good conscience is a continuall feast: it will dwel with him, be with him at bed and board, ride with him, be a sweet companion with him when hee is alone, comfort him in his most vncomfortable affli­ctions, like a louing faithful wife that no chaunges or alterations can transmutate her affectionate heart from her dearest beloued husband, so is it with this blessed guest, a quiet good conscience a­rising from the sence of our re­conciliation with God, wil make apology or defence for vs against the world & Deuill, in all times, places, companies &c.

Thus haue I according to my [Page 174]poore talent, opened and vnfol­ded this point of godly sorrow, which is one of the greatest pa­radoxes in all practicall Diuini­ty, with as much plainnesse and perspicuity as possibly I can, if I should further proceed as I haue begun in the other fiue signes & notes of Godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7.11. which the Apostle Paul hath set downe in the Corinths, I should be tedious & therefore there being amōgs [...] Diuines no difference about the interpretation of them, I referr [...] thee to the blessed labors of tha [...] Diuine Master Caluin, Caluines in­stitut. Commenta­riis in 2 Cor. 7.11. Sermon of repentance. as also tha [...] worthy Master Arthure Deu [...] who doe particularly handle th [...] onely a word or two by way o [...] exhortation or vse.

1. Here is a sound ground o [...] consolation and comfort for a [...] true humbled soules, if it be tru [...] godly sorrow, they may say with Iob, After darknes I shall see light, this sence of misery shall bring me to the sweet sence of mercy this sorrow may last for a night but ioy shall come in the morning, af­ter [Page 175]two dayes he wil remoue vs, and the third we shall liue in his sight; and as the Prophet Hosea, Hos. 6.2. I know this hand which is heauy v­pon me, is vnder my head, to bring me light out of this darknes, & life out of that which for the present is more bitter then death it selfe.

2. It reproues the most part of men; first, multitudes thinke it an easie matter to be saued, & that there needes not so much adoe, that a few light sighes, and Lord haue mercy vpon vs, a little be­fore, or at the last gaspe, is suffici­ent; & some say also, they thank God their sinnes neuer troubled them, whereas it is certaine, that neuer man went to Heauen, but with great difficultie, and there­fore our Sauiour being asked, if many should bee saued? answe­red: Striue to enter in at the streight gate, for many shall striue, & shall not be able to enter. Neuer yet man went to Heauen, but sayled by hell, nor euer shall; & they that neuer felt yet the smart of sinne, shall one day finde, and that to [Page 176]their cost and miserie, that there is the more behinde.

3. Many weepe & howle for their sinnes, & yet poore soules, are easelesse and remedilesse, be­cause they are not directed to the right sorrow, & so spend weekes, moneths, and yeares, but ne­uer the better, the smart re­maines, & the gashes and wounds made by the Deuill and corrup­tion not cured, but the heart left comfortlesse still, & for such this Treatise is vseful, to lead them to the sweet fountaines of Elim, Numb. 33. that they drinking of them, may sa­tisfie their thirstie soules, and liue for euer.

4. This reproues all flesh, whose hearts are set vpon foolish & mad laughter & merriment, drinking, carowsing, banqueting, iesting, and such like, and thinke all the world fooles but themselues and such as they are, which cast fire­brandes, poll-axes, swords and speares at the eies & faces of each other, saying, am I not in iest, as Sa­lomon speakes: Deut 32.29. Oh that they would [Page 177]be wise, then would they vnderstād, then would they consider their latter end. Oh that these men would but take the aduice which God gaue to his own beloued people, euen to consider what will be­come of all this foolish, wicked, abominable, sinful mirth, & whe­ther it will hold out and comfort them vpon their sick beds, or be­fore the Almighties Tribunal, as also our blessed Sauiour, the wise­dome of the Father, cals them from this mirth and jollity, & curseth them if they continue in it, w [...]e be to you which now laugh, Luke 6. for you shall howle & cry; and seeing it is a sealed truth, ratified in Heauen like the Lawes of the Medes and Persians, neuer to bee repealed, that either men must mourne heere, or be damned, perish and howle etenally hereafter; Let me exhort; yea beseech you in the Name of the Lord Iesus, to set on worke about this grace speedily and seriously; and the rather, be­cause no time is properly ours but the present, for time past [Page 178]is irrecouerable, not to bee recal­led by Angels or men, & for time to come, that is not ours, but the Almighties, who knowes the co­tinuance of his life, are we not al tenants at will, and therefore de­lay not, nor procrastinate, if the Lord doe length out thy daies, thou art not sure of the continu­ance of the meanes God now of­fereth thee in the ministry of the word, the Candlesticke may bee re­moued, Apoc. 2.1.4. as GOD threatned the Church of Ephesus: And the Kingdome of Heauen may be ta­ken from thee, or thy heart may grow obdurate & hard, as Phara­ohs did, or thou mayst ouer slip the time of the Lords gracious visitation, & so giuen vp to a re­probate minde, & haue that curse set vpon thy soule, which Salo­mon speakes of, Pron. 1. because I haue cal­led, & yee haue refused, you shall call and cry, & I will not heare you; but I will laugh at your destruction, and mocke when your feare commeth: & that which the Prophet Isay speakes of from the Lord: [...] 6.9 10. Goe & [Page 179]say vnto this people, ye shall heare in­deed, but y [...] shall not vnderstand: ye shall see and not perceiue: make the heart of this people fat, make their eares heauy, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, heare with their eares, & vnderstand with their hearts, and conuert, & I should heale them. To this purpose speaks the Author to the Hebrewes, Heb. 8.6 7. com­paring the heart of man to the earth, & the ministry of the word vnto the raine & dew from Hea­uen, if it fall vpon a soyle, that is not onely obnoxious to sterili­ty; but brings forth briars & thorns; it is neere vnto cursing, whose end is to be burned. So that it is necessary that euery man should take the opportunity of the grace of God, & so the Scriptures call vpon vs to doe, seeke the Lord while he may be found, call vpon him while hee is neere, intimating to all flesh, that a man may let slip and passe ouer the season of mercy and fauour: & againe, to day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts, as in Meribab, &c. Al men obserue their [Page 180]times, the Mariner obserues the winde & compasse, th [...] husband­man his seasons for seede-time & haruest, al mē their Marts, faires & markets, the seasō of Gods grace, & the tender & offer of Christ & the promises of the Gospel in the ministry of the word, is not al­wayes obvious, the winde is not alwayes seasonable, seed-time & haruest is not euery season, euery day is not the Mart, Faire & mar­ket day, there is a time for the comming of the Bridegroome, & if men sleep and be carelesse, not looking to get oyle in their lamps, that is, sauing graces, and fruits of faith, their time may be past, Mat. 25. and they lose their soules: there was a time when Esau see­king the birth-right with teares, yet could not obtaine it: & it is possible that men liuing vnder a powerful ministry of the word, and shut their eares against it, resist the motions of the blessed Spirit, and cryes of their consciences, that that curse may bee set vpon that mans soule, (and I verily beleeue [Page 181]it is vpon the soules of many li­uing vnder the Gospel) which our Sauiour set vpon the fig tree, Neuer fruit grow on thee hereafter, because when he looked for fruit he found nothing but leaues: so when God lookes vpon congre­gations, & particular persons (li­uing vnder speciall, effectuall, & powerful ministry) to find good fruit, findes nothing but leaues of formall profession (if that) it is just with his Maiesty to curse that congregatiō & heare: neuer fruit grow on thee: Neuer Sermō do thee good but hardē thy heart, to thy deeper & mote fearefull condemnation, neuer mercie doe thee good; or chastisment, but brawne vp thy heart vnto fur­ther vengeance and wrath, this is the dregs and bottome of the vials of the wrath of God in this world, and where this curse is v­pon any mans soule, his case is miserable, Ierem. 15.1. Ezech. 14.14 & that which our Sa­viour said, Woe be thee Corazin & Bethsaida, for if the great vvorkes which haue beene done in thee, had [Page 182]beene done in Tyrus and Sidon, &c. and it should be easier for Tyrus and Sidon in the day of iudgement, then for thee, &c. Yea whole king­domes, and Churches cases may be dangerous and desperate, that God will heare no prayers for them, no, not of the most righ­teous men, Iob, Samuel, Daniel, and that he shall commaund his Pro­phets not to pray for them, or if they doe he wil not heare them. Therefore thou shalt not pray for this people, neither lift vp cryor pray­er for them, nor intreat me, Iere. 7.16. for I vvill not heare thee. So that a Church or kingdome that pro­fesse Religion may so prouoke the eyes of Gods glory that their condition may be worse, & more dangerous and desperate then the condition of the Heathen; for concerning them the Lord himselfe sometimes giues com­maundement that his people should pray for them. Ierem. 29 7 And seeke the prosperity of the City whe­ther I haue caused you to be carryed away captiues, & pray vnto the Lord [Page 183]for it. This being so miserable and wofull must of necessitie bee the condition of many a man, yea of some Churches, the Lord giue grace to this Iland to consider it, and I conclude this point with the speech of righteous Noah, The Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Thus of the dutie.

Next of the fruite, benefite or priuiledge thereof which is strange and wonderfull, for the Lord workes in matters of grace by contraries in the iudgement of flesh & bloud, the thoughts of the Lord are not as the thoughts of man, but as the Prophet Isai saith, Isai. 55.9. For as the heauens are higher then the earth, so are my vvayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts aboue your thoughts. Na­turall Philosophie, & mans rea­son teacheth, it is a sure axiome in naturall things, that each like begets his like, but in Diuinitie it is oft as true & certain, that con­trary causes beget contrary ef­fects; as life springs out of death, [Page 184]the way to bee rich, and to bee Kings, yea to inioy the King­dome of grace here, & the king­dome of glory hereafter is for mē to be poore, as our blessed Sauior saith: M [...]th. [...].3. Iohn 8. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen, Men must serue if they would be free, and touching our point in hand, men must mourne with true godly sorrow if they would be partakers of the con­solations of God, and thus runne all the promises in Scripture: Matt [...]. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be comforted: Againe Psa. 126.5. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Behold here one of the greatest wōders in the world though no miracle, a Paradoxe to nature, and incredible to the world, that the onely way to a merry blessed life is to mourne, & also that if neuer any man or woman did, or euer shal, be waile their sinnes with this true godly sorrow, but it brings foorth the pleasant and sweete fruite of ioy and diuine consolation? If a man [Page 185]should aske a Diuine this que­stion, what should I doe to bee merry when I am sad & heauy? Were it not a strange answer, go mourne and we [...]pe, and yet it is not more strange thē the course our Sauiour took with the blind man whom he cured, Iohn 9, [...]. he made clay with spittle and anoynted his eyes, in all naturall reason a me­dicine fit to put out the eyes, ra­ther then to procure sight, and yet it cured him: much like the counsel he gaue to the rich yong man in the Gospell, that pro­pounded that sauory question: Good master what shall I doe to en­ter into life? When hee iustified himselfe to haue kept the Com­maundements, bad him if hee would be truly rich, Goe sell all thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen. This is the sacred and wholsome counsell the holy Ghost giues oft to all that would attaine to a true sweete, comfortable merry life, forsake & relinquish the pro­fits, and carnall delights, which [Page 186]at the best are but sensuall, tem­porary, or naturall, and get thee with that Leprous Assyrian and wash in Iordane, get to the sweet lauers of mortification, especial­ly this chrystaline fountaine of godly sorrow, set before thine eyes God offended and beloued, let thine heart feele the smart of thy sinne committed, against a God, not of infinite Maiestie splendor and glory onely, but of infinite bountie, goodnesse, graciousnesse and mercie, who hath not onely bestowed and gi­ven thee so infinite fauours, but also forgiuen thee so infinite debts: behold thy blessed Saui­our induring the insupportable wrath of his father, in his agony sweating droppes of water min­gled with bloud, nayled vpon the Crosse, shedding his most precious and sacred bloud, and crying out, Matth. 27.46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me, and all this for thy sins, say to thy soule my sins are the cause of all these indignities, and torments which [Page 187]he indured, it was not so much Iudas the high Priestes or Pilate that thus vexed my deare Saui­our, as my sinnes, they were the traytor, crucifier, and murtherer of this blessed Sonne of God, & assure thy selfe, yea my soule for thine, the sacred Spirit the com­forter will refresh, refocilate and cōfort thy poore afflicted heart: this, this is the right way to the fountaine of true spirituall con­solation, and this is the sauorie & wholesome counsell of the spirit of God the only true comforter. Listen not to those Syrens of Rome that aduise afflicted con­sciences to goe on pilgrimage to Rome, Gōpostella, Ierusalē, Croagh-Patricke, saint Swithens-well, or go cruciate and vexe thy selfe with whippings, going barefoote, or vpō bared knees, or giue so much money to such a Colledge, Fra­ternitie, Abbey and such like, of all which I may truely say as the Lord by the Prophet: Iere. 29.5 Who required these things at your hands: Thus did Martine Luther cru­ciate [Page 188]and vexe his soule and bo­dy but found no ease, but the paine, torment, and smart of his sinne remained still vpon him, vntill he humbled his soule with this sorrow. And as bootelesse and helplesse is the counsell of the world, who when they see a man dumpish and sad, aduise him to imitate the practise of cursed Cain to build Cities, &c. and the doctrine of our wicked, jovall, aduisers is to drinke away such dūpish & mopish heart quames, of all which I may truely say as Iob said of his friends: Miserable comforters are yee all.

Quest. But what is this ioy & cōfort that is promised to these mourners so oft in the sacred Scriptures, that wee may knowe and desire it?

Answ. It is as hard to knowe and discerne this ioy, as it is to conceiue the sorrow, for nature teacheth it not, but it is superna­turall and a speciall gift of the highest to his elected, and con­verted children, and those onely [Page 189]know what it is which volunta­rily seeke this godly sorrow, I will answer this question there­fore by a distribution as former­ly of sorrowes, so now of ioy in­to the seuerall kindes vntill I come at that true ioy, and there are three kindes of ioy.

1. Naturall ioyes.

2. Vnnaturall or diabolicall.

3. Spirituall.

Concerning naturall which I call so, because they proceede from nature and naturall causes and these are of two sortes.

1. Such are meere naturall ioyes which in themselues are neyther good nor euill, but are made good or euill according to the obiect they are set vpon, and the measure not passing their li­mites and boundes God hath set them which Salomon commends. Ecel. [...].15. I praysed ioy, for there is no good­nesse vnder the Sunne, saue to eate and drinke and reioyce: like so Pro. 15.13 A ioyfull heart makes a cheer [...]efull countenance, &c.

2. Some are from nature de­praued [Page 190]and corrupted, wherein men become sensuall, giuing themselues vp to Epicurisme, to­tally taken vp with the delight of the pleasures of this life, as banqueting, carrowsing, sports, for which the wise man vpbraids and derides the young man, Eccles. 11.9 Reioyce O young man in thy youth, &c. And Iob speaketh of these wicked persons, Iob. 21.12, 13. that they take the T [...]bret and Harpe, and reioyce in the sound of the Organes. Deut. 32.29 They spend their dayes in wealth & neuer looke vp to God, or consider their latter end which would make them wise, but in that estate and condition suddainely They goe downe to the graue, &c.

2. Vnnaturall or diuelish joies and they are of two sortes.

• 1. More apert.
• 2. More secret.

1. Those that are more ex­presse and plaine are of two sortes.

1. To ioy in sin, eyther our owne sins as Sal [...]mon saith, The foole that is the wicked man, [Page 191] makes but a sport of sinne, or else to reioyce in the euils of others, & the sinnes of the times which we ought to mourne for, and be­wayle with inward and hartie griefe.

2. It is a diabolicall and di­uellish ioy to reioyce in the mi­sery and calamitie of the Church of God, this is a grieuous sinne, for which the Lord threatned Ezech. 25.5, 6. Rabbah, that it should bee a [...]welling place for Camels, and the Ammonites a sheepe-coate, euen because they reioyced in heart, clapped their hands at the fall of the people of God.

2. Those which are more se­cret and hard to bee discerned are of two kindes.

1. When as through impa­tience, shortnesse of spirit, and diffidence in sharpe and tedious afflictions, they are wearie of their liues, & though they feare to lay violent hands vpon them­selues, yet would be glad (a sin against nature) that any would depriue them of life, of which [Page 190] [...] [Page 191] [...] [Page 192] Iob speakes, Iob. 3.21.22 They long for death, and if it come not: they would euen search it more then treasures which ioy for gladnesse, and reioyce when they can finde the graue.

2. A ioy from the illusion of Sathan feeding mens securitie with seeming ioy, delighting & rauishing the heart for the time meere conceits without founda­tion from the sacred Scriptures, from whence all the cōsolations the spirit of God exhibites are deriued. This is a meer presūpti­on which causeth the hypocrite to reioyce when he hath no iust cause, he thinkes all his seeming graces to be sound and sauing, a [...] faith, loue, sorrow, and repen­tance, when (if he would brin [...] them to examination & try all) all would be found farre other­wise. Like a begger that in [...] drunken sleepe dreames, that h [...] is noble, possessed of stately Pa­laces and large reuenews, his Ta [...] ­ble richly furnished with fat an [...] pleasant meates and wine in a [...] boundance, full cofers, plenti [...] [Page 193]of at tendants, and costly appa­rell, with instruments of musicke &c. A meere delusion, for when, heawakes, he is base, poore, na­ked, haroourlesse, hungry, &c. O beioued let vs not be deceiued by the methodes and stratagems of Sathan to trust in vaine hopes which will not profit vs, as if we were true beleeuers, because som­times we haue eyther been ama­zed and terrified for our fins at the prenching of the word, as Felix trembled at Pauls Sermon, and Aheb was troubled at the hearing of Eliah: or because we haue sometimes felt great ioy in hearing. It is questionlesse thou mayst eyther weepe, or reioyce at a Sermon and bee damned for ought I know, if those be all the markes thou hast of the truth of thy sauing graces. For the Scrip­tures are expresse and plentifull, that an hypocrite may receiue the word with ioy, Math 13.20 Hebr. 6.5. and 10. Tact of the heauenly gift, as a Cooke, though not as a guest, haue some apprehension of Christ, some [Page 194]sight of the fauour of God, some worthy gifts of the holy Ghost, some glympse of the hope of eternall glory (all which make vp his ioy.) And yet for all this be but an hypocrite, and fall to­tally and finally from these gra­ces of the spirit of God, and die vnder the sinne against the holy Ghost, be a reprobate and eter­nally damned in the end of his life. This is so like and neere the cōsolation & ioy that no Ephrai­mite can distinguish it, no more then Iudg. 12.6. [...] Shibboleth from Sibbo­leth, that not two & forty thou­sand onely, but infinite million of soules perish for want of th [...] knowledge and examination o [...] the truth of this grace in the [...] owne hearts: and it is certain that no wicked man euer did, o [...] possibly can know, much lesse at­taine this blessed priuiledge: Pron. 14.10 The stranger shall not meddle wi [...] this ioy, this is that R [...]ue. 2.17. white sto [...] spoken of in the Apocalypse h [...] ­ving the new name written whi [...] ­ [...]one knoweth but he that receiueth [...]

[Page 195] 3. Spirituall ioyes, which I call spirituall, because they are celestiall, heauenly and superna­turall, wrought and exhibited by the spirit of God, and perpetua­ted by the same blessed spirit for euer, this is a Riddle & Paradoxe to nature, and therefore as the Church prayed: Cane. 4.16. arise O North and come O South and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out: So I besech the most high God to powre vpon me the spi­rit and grace of illumination, and holy affections that I may con­ceiue and be inabled to vnfold & make plaine this sacred blessing to the vnderstanding of the sim­plest, that their soules may par­take thereof.

Spirituall ioyes are of two sorts.

• 1. In this life.
• 2. In the life to come.

Those in this life are of two sortes.

• 1. The one a dutie.
• 2. The other a grace.

1. That which is a dutie, is [Page 196]that which man brings & ought to bring vnto God, as his cōman­dement, the want whereof the Lord threatens to punish and plague in his owne people: Deut. 28.47. Because thou diddest not serue the Lord thy God with cheerefulnesse and a glad heart in the abundance of all things, therefore thou shalt serue thine enemies in hunger and thirst, and nakednesse & want of all things, &c. This dutie is requisite & ne­cessary in each particular seruice or worship which any man per­formes to God or duty of righ­teousnesse or loue and charitie eyther to the good, or euill, and I doubt not but this also springs from, and is much furthered by Euangelicall and godly sorrow, but yet it is not that which is my purpose to speake of and insist vpon.

2. Is a grace which God giues to man as a testimonie and symp­tome of his acceptance of our humiliation and godly sorrow, and the Lord not only comman­deth his seruants to reioyce: Phil. 4.4 [Page 197] Reioyce in the Lord alwayes, againe I say reioyce: Zeph. 3.1 Reioyce O daugh­ter Sion, be yee ioyfull O Israel: be glad & reioyce with all thine heart: O daughter of Ierusalem. So doth Dauid inioyne spirituall reioy­cing to all vpright hearted, Psal. 32.11 & riseth by three degrees as ap­peares in the Originall.

1. Shimon of Shamac. Be glad signifying inward and hearty ioy conceiued by the presence or hope of some belo­ved and defirable good.

2. Gilae of Gil. Hormina of R [...]n. Reioyce o [...] expresse the ioy by some outward gesture, some­times vsed for dauncing.

3. Be ioyfull: or showte for ioy, thus I say not onely God com­maunds his people to reioyce, & commaunds his Embassadors to comfort them: Is. 40.1.2 Speake comfor­tably to Ierusalem, &c. but also the gracious & mighty Lord is obli­ged & bound by promise to giue them speciall ioy and gladnesse as a speciall prerogatiue and priui­ledge. For besides that the Gos­pell in generall is the doctrine of glad tydings, there are particular [Page 198]and speciall promises for ioy Isay 51.3. Surely the Lord shall comfort Sion, he shall comfort all her desolations, & shall make her desert like Eden, and her wildernesse like the garden of the Lord, ioy and gladnesse shall he found therein, [...] Isay 65.14 prayse and the voyce of sing­ing. Againe: Iere. 31.12 My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart, and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart, &c. And as the Lord binds himselfe in generall to exhibite & giue ioy to all his seruants, so more specially to those that mourne doth hee not onely promise ioy: but also to perpetuate their ioy: Ioh. 6.22. And yet now therefore are in sorrow, but I will see you againe, and your hearts shall reioyce, and your ioy shall no man take from you: Math. 5.4. Blessed art they that mourne, for they shall be comforted: Psal. 36.5 They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy. Againe, sor­row ouer night but ioy in the morning.

Quest. Wherein doth this pro­mised ioy of these mourners con­sist? And this question is necessa­ry both to bee propounded and answered.

[Page 199] 1. In respect of the world; who object and say, they can see nei­ther such joy, or cause of joy in these Professors.

2. In respect of many poore weake beleeuers themselues, who are either in the bud and nonage of their conuersion, or in some fit of temptation and desertion, and so are not sensible thereof.

Answ. Their joy ariseth two waies:

• 1. Internally.
• 2. Externally.

1. Internall is twofold:

• 1. in things pre­sent.
• 2. In things to come.

1. In things present, and that in seuen particulars:

1. They haue the presence of God like the Sun to refresh them The Lord E [...]ph. 3.15 Ps. 84.11. hath taken away thy iudgments, he hath cast out thine ene­my; the King of Israel, euen the Lord is in the middest of thee, thou shalt see no more euill. To this pur­pose speakes Dauid, that God shall giue them drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures. God is in the midst of his people by his special presence Ps. 36.7.8 [Page 200]not of his essence, but of his grace, & is the same to them, & is more excellent then the Sun is to the creatures, or the riuers & pleasane streames to the thirfly: the vision of God is the greatest felicity of the Saints in Heauen, albeit their great excellency and glory, and the presence & vision of God by faith in the state of grace, is the beleeuers speciall happines & fe­licity, euen Heauen vpon earth, this the miserable mole-eyed world vnderstands nor sees not.

2. [...]h. 14.16. They haue in thē the Spirit of God, euen him that is called the Comforte, whom our Sauiour prayeth may abide with them for euer, which no vnregenerat [...] man hath, or euer had, & this Spi­rit of God is an euerlasting spring of spirituall and heauenly joy, sweetning & refreshing the soule two wayes:

1. In the testimony of the Spi­rit, Iuke 10.20. that our names are written in the Booke of life, wherein our blessed Sauiour hath bidden vs rejoyce, rather then that the Deuils are [Page 201]subiected to vs, and this joy by the testimony of the Apostle Pe­ter is (e) vnspeakable and glorious, he is the great Comforter of his Church.

2. The graces of the Spirit are full of heauenly delight to bee as­sured, that a man hath receiued them effectually and sauingly. Faith hath a speciall sweetnes & pleasant joy, and therefore called the ioy of faith, Phil. 1.25. yea the Apostle sayth, it hath a power that reach­eth to the consolation each of o­ther, I long to see you, Rom 1.12. that I may bee comforted by our mutuall saith. And if temporary faith hath such joy, much more justifying & sauing faith. So hath hope also his plea­sure & delight in the expectation of the promises of this life, Rom. 12.12. and the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore.

3. They haue joy in the con­tēplation & meditation of the miseries they are freed and deli­uered from, as the wrath of God the power of death, hell sinne, the graue, the deuil, that the sting of 1 Pet. 1.8. [Page 202]all their enemies is taken out, and that they can beholde them as vanquished foes and adversaries, haue they not much more cause to leape and showte for joy, [...]od. 15. then Moses; Aaron, and Miriam, & the people to take the timbrell, and to daunce at their deliuerance frō Pharaoh & his hoste; no wonder then though there is heard in all their Tabernacles and houses the voyce of melodie, Psalmes, and thankesgiuing.

4. They haue assured know­ledge of a right to all Gods promises to comfort them, 2 Pet. 1.3.4 by which they are made partakers of the diuine nature. This is a sweet fountaine, out of which they draw waters of re­freshings and joy.

5. As there is great joy in the assurance and first euidence of the sauing graces of Gods Spirit plan­ted & settled in the heart, so to see them bud, sprout & spring, as men in the spring-time delight & solace themselues in beholding the seedes to spring, and budds to [...]ut outin the seueral plants, espe­cially [Page 203]considering our Lord Iesus delightes to come into the gar­dens to walke there to delight himselfe in beholding the sweete & blessed growth in graces & ho­ly duties, and hence ariseth joy e­uen in afflictions for the name, & in the honor of Christ, as in al the Martyrs, & the Saints, Heb. 10.34. who suffe­red with ioy the spoyling of their goods. As also to see the weedes of sin to be ouer-mastred, and roo­ted out thereby.

6. In the testimony of a good conscience, which is (as Salomon sayth, a continuall feast: Cor. 1.12. hauing witnes that in simplicity and godly purenes, and not in fleshly wisedome, he hath conuersed. That a man hath not moyled, & al be smeared and durtied himselfe & the con­science in lusts and pleasures, but hath maintained a blessed com­bate, and cherished the pantings, breathings, and longing desires of the Spirit, against the cursed lusts and corruption of the flesh: As al­so in the fauour of God, reconci­led by Christ, the conscience te­stifying [Page 204]this atonement, Rom. 5.11. the soul [...] is at quiet peace and repose in his loue, as the childe in the mothers lap or fathers armes.

7. In Iesus Christ who is in 2 Cor. 5.17. vs by faith, Gal. 2.20. liueth, & Eph. 3.17. dwels in vs; & so as Paul say the we wor­ship God in the Spirit, Phil. 3.3. and re­ioyce in Iesus Christ. The wise Mer­chant takes more pleasure in the pearle, then in all his estate be­sides. Phil. 3.8. And the Apostle accounts al but losse & dung in comparison of Christ: Zaccheus receiued Christ joyfully, not into his house onely, but into his heart especial­ly: And it is not possible to be o­therwise for the faithfull soule being the sweete and beloued Spouse of Iesus Christ, should e­stimate, or delight in any thing in the world aboue, or comparable to her amiable & beloued Head and louing husband.

2. [...] Rom 12.12 For time to come, they find much joy in the hope & expe­ctatiō of that ioy & glory which they shal inioy in Heauen, in the mercy and saluation of God, as Dauid [Page 205]saith, Psal. 13.5. I trust in thy mercy mine heart shall reioyce in thy saluation: In that presence of glory where the Lord shalbe more then a Sun to refresh & reviue them, Ps. 84.11. and more then a shield to defend them.

Thus of the internall meanes or well springs of heauenly ioyes.

2. Externall, or from without, and that in three particulars:

1. In the Word & blessed ordi­nances of God [...]; for the Word, Ps. 11 [...]. Dauid esteemed and delighted in it more then in his appointed food, & pathetically cryes out O how loue I thy Law, it is my medita­tion continually. It is a character & true vndoubted marke of such as feare God, that they haue great delight in his commaundements. Ps. 11 [...]. [...]. In the Word are described & deli­neated the wayes of wisedome, & the invaluable pleasures & trea­sures thereof, which make a man, possessing her truly happy. Pro. 3.13.18 Bles­sed is the man that findeth wisedome, and getteth vnderstanding: for the merchandise thereof are better then the merchandise of siluer, & the gaine [Page 206]thereof better then golde: length of dayes are in her right hand, & in her left hand riches & glory: her wayes are wayes of pleasure, & all her paths prosperity: she is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her, and blessed is hee that retaineth her. The Gospel is a deep & sweete fountaine of pre­cious promises, Rom. 15.4. & the Spirit wor­keth consolation by the Scrip­tures. There is the ioyful tydings of saluation, the blessed doctrine and assurance of free remission of sinnes, & our full iustification, by the redemption of Iesus Christ, published and proclaimed; there are the pleasures of Gods House, there is foode for the children of the most High and great King, to nourish them vp to eternal life; this they desire, 1 Pet. 2.2. as infants clothe them with tissue or cloath of gold, bespangle them with the most Orient pearles that the East or West Indies can afford, set most curiously in the finest gold of O­phir or crusado, trundle before thē apples of gold, bring them instru­ments, make the most melodious [Page 207]harmony & musicke that Art can deuise, make them heires of this great Vniuerse, yet nothing plea­seth them but the brest; so assu­redly not any thing can satisfie the true childe & adopted heire of God, but the sweete sincere milke of the Word, that is their proper element, they will trauail from sea to sea to finde the word of the Lord, they can no more liue without it, then the fish without water, the mole without earth, the camelion without aire, & the Salamander without fire, and when they finde it, they feed vp­on it, and uourish vp their soules with ioy to eternal life.

And for the ordinances of God they are as Is. 12 3. wels and foun­taines, out of which they draw with ioy waters of life and com­fort, as the ministery of the word they long after it with earnest & most affectionate desires, as the Psal. 42.1. chased Hart panteth after the coole chrystaline streames, when they are absent from it and de­priued of it, they cry out, Ps. 84.2.5. [Page 208] Oh how amiable are thy Taberna­cles O Lord God of hostes. My soule longeth and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord: pronouncing the Sparrow and Swallow happy that may build their nests neere the Altar, concluding that they are blessed which dwell in his house, for they feede vpon the words of Christ vnto eternal life, and so haue their hearts lifted vp to ioyfulnesse and the prayses of God.

The Sacraments are other bles­sed fountaines and wels of ioy, wherein Christ is before them crucified to the eye, to the in­creasing & strengthning of faith & all other sauing graces of the spirit, which faith is the roote & mother of. In like manner is spi­rituall ioy conueyed to the soule in the vse of the rest of the or­dinances of God as confession of sinnes, godly sorrow, prayer, rea­ding, conference, and such like, wherof euery true beleeuer hath experience, in the secret consola­tions & rauishments of the heart, [Page 209]which the spirit of God doth ex­hibite in the due & serious vse of these sacred ordinances.

2. In the sweete fellowship & communion of Saints they finde secret ioy, Psal. 16.2 Dauid professeth that all his delight is in them that excell in vertue. In respect of this Paul longed to be with the Romanes that he might be comforted by their mu­tuall saith, Rom. 1. to haue fellowship with them publikely in the vse of the Ministry of the word, Sa­cran ents, & prayer, and priuate­ly in the vse of the more prinate duties of godlynesse, as exhorta­tion, they as Salomon saith, The face of a friend sharpens his friend, & as the Apostle saith, whet one ano­ther to loue and good workes, Psal. 122. Hos. 6 2. they surre vp & inkindle the graces of God: I may say of such, as Dauid, I reioyced when they said let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord: pull brandes in sunder, and you ex­tinguish them, lay them together and they flame, and as the ioy & felicitie of Gods people is inlar­ged by their mutuall presence, so [Page 210]also is it great ioy to heare of their welfare being absent, eyther the prosperitie of any priuate & particular beleeuer, or the wel­fare of the Church in generall: When Iethro heard of all the good the Lord had done for Is­rael, reioyced: great is the ioy of euery true beleeuer to see the word to bee magnified, Exod. 18.9. and the Gospell to haue free passage, pul­ling men out of the fire of sinne, and snares of the Deuill by the mighty power of it, in which the very angels ioy, much more man, but most of all faithfull Ministers account it the chiefe and princi­pall part of their happynesse in the world to beget & bring home soules of wandring sheepe to the fold of their Lord: yea they pre­ferre Ierusalem and Sion to their chiefe ioy. And if this be a great portion of the ioy of the Saints in heauen, it is vndoubtedly a special part of the true beleeuers ioy on earth.

3. They reioyce in the fruites of their faith & that two wayes.

[Page 211] 1. In their Euangelicall obe­dience or action, because they know it is both pleasing and ac­ceptable to God, to Christ, and to the spirit within them, Coa. 15.58. as also because they are sure of a blessed recompence of reward, as Paul saith, Bee stedfast, vnmoueable al­wayes, abounding in the worke of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. They know that their sweete husband Christ comes into the garden among the beds of spices, and to gather Lillies, when the garden of their hearts bring forth abundance of sweet flowers and fruites of holinesse and righ­teousnesse, it is delectable & ioy­full vnto Christ whom they loue, it must needes bee ioyfull vnto themselues. They well vnder­stand, that if they feast Christ with their obedience, he supping and feasting with them as he pro­miseth, will feast them, and with the blessed influence of his grace and consolations of his spirit, Apoc. 3.20. they herein are like to their bles­sed head Christ, whose meate & [Page 212]drinke was to doe the will of his Father: Assuredly the experience of euery childe of God knowes this in his soule, that, that day wherein hee is most f [...]uitefull in well doing, his heart is most sa­tiate with spirituall ioy and hea­venly contentment.

2. As they reioyce in their holy actions, and obedience, so in their passions and afflictions, for the Gospell and name of Christ, Ia [...]es. 1. they count it all ioy when they fall into manifold tribulations, they know it is a gift of God, not onely to beleeue, but also to suffer for his name, that the Sonne of God is a copartner with them in their sufferings. Thus it is euident how the Lord in his eternal wisedome and loue to his poore seruants to prouide all these holy meanes to conuey sacred and secret holy ioy into the hearts of his, & ye [...] are they not exempted or barred from their portion of ioy in out­ward thinges (which is all the ioy wicked men haue) and in these the worse and weakest beleeue [...] [Page 213]hath more right and cause of re­ioycing then the best, richest, and most potent carnall man in the world.

Before I passe this point I sup­pose it meete to answer some ob­iections.

1. Oblect. The prophane scor­ners say, that none reioyce in the word but such as haue nothing else to reioyce in onely a compa­ny of poore people.

Ans. This is an impudent false­hood by which the Deuill be­guiles them, was not Dauid rich & yet he said: The law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and siluer. That kingly Prophet by the spirit of prophecie fore­saw & foretels of all the Gentile kings, when they should come & ta [...]e the sweetenesse of the Gos­pell, Psal 119.7 [...] Psal. 13.4. [...]. should sing the prayses of the Lord; because the glory of the Lord is great.

2. Obiect. The ciuill man saith he seeth no such mirth and ioy in such as professe: Nay it is a re­ [...]ued axiome, and maxime a­mongst [Page 214]them, that those who in­deede and good carnest resigne themselues to liue the Christian life, are lumpish, heauie, and vn­comfortable, and that they al­wayes bid farewell to all mirth.

Answ. This is a grosse imputa­tion, and an impious scandal put vpon religion by their father the Deuill, & their wretched hearts, & tongues, to bring religion into disgrace, & disregard in the eyes of men: but:

1. It is to bee obserued, that Moles, Owles, and Battes cannot see the light, nor the blinde iudge of colours, they haue no vn­derstanding of these things. The natural man, saith the Apostle perceiueth not the things that bee of God, neither can he, because they art spiritually discerned: they must be Iewellers that value pearles of price, [...]ro. 14.10. and of Gods Family, for the stranger shall not meddle with the [...] ioy. It is true indeede that thi [...] sweet ioy is an immediate branc [...] issuing & springing out of godly sorrow, & no man euer was, or [...] ­ [...]er [Page 215]shalbe truely cheereful, that neuer was soundly humbled at the sight of his sinnes, and this pusseleth the squint eyed world, who either cannot see, or haue not faith to beleue Gods almigh­ty power, who out of this dark­nes bringeth light, and ioy to the righteous.

2. They are deceiued in the people of God, who after inlight­ning & conuersion hauing tasted of these celestial ioyes, cannot now reioyce carnally, as before; but thinke & esteeme al that ioy, madnes and folly, like fooles to throw axes, hammers, firebrands, and deadly weapons at the faces each of other; but now fixes his eyes vpon better obiects & cau­ses, which the world not able to discerne, thinke they haue no ioy at all because earthly ioy is vnsa­vory to him at least in cōparison of these: but I may answere with our Sauior, I haue meat that ye know not of: so they haue ioy and mirth which they conceiue not.

3. The world themselues are [Page 216]the cause to disquiet and vnsettle the ioy of Gods people by those wrongs, iniuries, scandals, and af­flictions that they cast vpon, and bring them into, not willing that they should inioy any glad­nes, peace, or content, and then they lay the blame vpon their profession.

3. Obi. The last obiection is of such as professe Religion, who oft complaine of their want of con­solation, and are ready to mur­mure, and discouraged.

Answ. I confesse there are ma­ny who want the comfort and sence of the ioy and consolations of God, as some in their nonage and cradle of godlines, & some o­ther in fits of tentation, or times of desertion, and many through their own ignorance, negligence, and carelesnes.

1. In some it is through igno­rance of the markes and signes of faith, and the rest of the sauing graces of Gods Spirit, and so are in doubts and feares, and the Spi­rit of bond [...]ge, as the Apostle cals it.

[Page 217] 2. Some are ignorant of the causes of true ioy, as that their names are written in the Booke of Life: Iohn 1. that they are borne not of the will or blouds of men, but of God, sonnes of the most high, heires, yea coheires with Christ the naturall Sonne, to an eternall Kingdome by adoption & grace, members of Christ, estated into a blessed interest and right, to al the creatures, blessings, and ordinan­ces, guarded by Angels, kept by the Almighty himselfe and his power vnto saluation.

3. They obserue not, or con­ceiue how the Spirit of God doth exhibite and giue this ioy and comfort in the due vse of his or­dinances, as the ministry of the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, or else in the due vse of the priuate, as meditation, conference, prayer, reading, singing of Psalmes, &c: Ioh. 16.24. & so grieue the holy Spirit.

4. Ier. 33.3.8 They doe not seriously seeke the pardon of sinnes, as condem­ned prisoners at the barre, impor­tune the Iudge for their liues: or [Page 218]if they pray sometimes, it is but seldome.

4. They are not conscionable in the practice of all the duties of godlines, they sowe not good seed, Iob. 4.36. Gal. 6.8.9.10 that be which soweth, and he that reapeth may reioyce together. Could men bee more fruitfull in wel-doing, they should haue Mat. 25.21 Is. 35.8.10 more joy; sterility & barrennesse brings anguish and sorrow, and fruitfulnes in obedience, brings consolation, and abundance of peace, and heauenly delight and joy.

5. Many are incumbred and intangled with some grosse sin, as the sin of their nature, or of their particular calling, which hinders this consolation and joy of the soule. Pro. 25.6. The transgress on of the wic­ked is his snare, but the righteous doth rei [...] y [...]e and sing.

6. They receiue not the Law of God into their hearts, which if they did beholde the promise verse 11: Is. 51.7.11. The redeemed of the Lord shall returne, & come with ioy to Si­ [...]n, and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon [Page 219]their beads, &c: they only haue an idaea or superficies in the brain, but it comes not into the heart.

7. Many liue not in peace, but are passionate and contentious, and so breake off all their ioy, or at least hinder and weaken it much, for passion, contention and pride, do strangely, though secret­ly disturbe and hinder the conso­lations of God, & therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthes, Be of good comfort, bee of one minde, 2 Cor. 13. [...]. liue in peace, and the God of loue & peace shalbe with you.

8. They sorrow not for their sins, or not with godly sorrow, for if they did, Ps. 126.5.6. Is. 61.1.2.3. they should reape in ioy.

Thus it manifestly appeares that true Religion & the profes­sion thereof is not the cause of the vncheerefulnes, heauines, and sor­row that is in the world, but the cleane contrary, and that the fault is the corruptiō which is in men, and therefore let vs lay the impu­tatiō & blame where it is, in mans owne corruption and defects.

[Page 220] Againe, such professors are to be blamed as leade a melancholick, he any, vncheerefull life, because thereby they obscure the lustre and glory of their Christian pro­fession, and are a dishonour to their Lord and Master, for the world that know not the priui­ledges and libertie of the sonnes of God, easily thinke they serue a hard and rigide master, or father, who is not willing to haue his children and seruants inioy any sweet mirth, or liue sweetly and comfortably. They doe besides al this, hinder & wrong themselues, by detaining themselues from thankfulnes, it is also an obstacle to their faith, pravers, layes them open, & exposeth them to temp­tations, or apostacy, & generally, vnfits them to all the duties of piety and righteousnes: And for the most part this deapnes of spi­rit and sadnes, ariseth from passi­on, pride, worldly sorrowes, and griefes, or some of the causes be­fore specified.

Quest. But seeing so many sortes [Page 221]of false joyes may be, & are oft in the soule, by what characters, and symptomes may the true ioy bee discerned, from the counterfeit, especially the illusions of the de­uill, and temporary joyes of the hypocrite? because an hypocrite goes farre, especially in ioy, & yet lose his soule, & bee damned in the end, for hee may receiue the word with ioy, taste the heauen­ly gift, haue some apprehen­sion of Christs excellencie, some sight of Gods fauour, some wor­thy, (though but generall gift of the Holy Ghost, and an hope of euerlasting life, as appeares by the text of Scripture in the margent) all which concurre together to lift him vp with false ioy, & yet lose all and his soule too.

Answ. I consider the examina­tion of this grace three wayes:

1. In the causes thereof, it ari­seth from the apprehension of celestiall and heauenly things. It is kindled vpon the sence of God [...] fauour, and is a blessed handmaid of faith, and therefore the Apostle [Page 222] Peter annexeth it to beleeuing. 1 Pet. 1.8. Psal. 4.6. Lord life thou vp the light of thy countenance vpom mee: thou hast gi­uen me more ioy of heart, &c.

2. That our names are written in the Booke of Life, a greater cause of reioycing by the resti­monie of our Sauiour Christ him­selfe, [...]e 10.20. then to worke miracles, and cast out deuils; and greater cause of ioy then wisedome, strength, riches, &c. to know God, that he is mercifull, in the assurance of Gods election, and blessed resurrection and eternall life, that our soules shall liue immortally happie.

3. It is exhibited and giuen by the holy Spirit of God, and ordi­narily the soule as it were rety­ring it selfe into the sweete pre­sence of God, to haue some spiri­tuall Soliloquie or priuate confe­rence with him, but especially & principally in meditation & pri­mate prayer, are these sweet ioyes selt, though not onely, but the soule doth draw the wine of ioy out of all the wels of saluation, Is. 12.3. but euery Christian soule, who vsu­ally [Page 223]trades with God, can expe­rimenlally iustifie this truth, that it is felt most frequently and liue­ly in meditation & priuat prayer. Is 32.3.

4. The Spirit neuer speakes cōfort to the soule, but from the written word and promises of God; and therefore the Apostle saith to the Ephesians, After they beleeued, Eph. 1.13. they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise. If it witnes, seale, and comforts not from the sacred promises, it is a delusion of Sathan, and not true ioy.

5. It vsually followes humilia­tion and godly sorrow for sinne, which is that true & right branch that beares it, our blessed Sauiour was sent to comfort those that mourne in Zion, Is. 61.2.3. to giue them beautie for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mour­ning, the garment of gladnes for the spirit of beauiues, &c. Ioh. 16.20 23. Verily I say vnto you, ye shall weape and lament, and the world shall reioyce, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. Woe be to that ioy that hath not hu­miliation anteceding it, it is hy­pocriticall and vnsound.

[Page 224] 2. This true ioy is knowne by the degree, for it carrieth a man into an extasie, for as the obiect therof excels all terrene & earth­ly things, as the obiect of true ioy, being God himselfe, Christ Iesus, the assurance of the graces of the Spirit, the word, increase, and spirituall growth in grace, &c. so doth the Christians joy in them, exceed all other ioyes. Thy Law is better to me then thousands of siluer and gold. Ps. 119.7 [...]. Ps. 137.6. Againe, If I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy. The hypocrites ioy neuer exceedes the ioy in the world, the profites and pleasures of this world doe more affect their hearts then the ioy of these supernaturall, super­excellent & heauenly things. The truely wise marchant sels all for the blessed Pearle of the Gospel, M [...]. 13.46. and goeth away reioycing also. And if this be so, how few found beleeuers doth this world afford, that for the measure & degree of their ioy, can free themselues frō being hypocrites, and who (if this be a truth) shalbe saued.

[Page 225] 3. It may bee discerned and knowne by the blessed effects thereof.

1 This ioy stands by a man when all other ioyes fade, relinquish & forsake him, euen in adversity as wel as prosperity, and this the Proph [...]. Hab. 3.17. [...] Habakack liuely expres­seth: For the sigge tree shall not flou­rish, neither shal fruit be on the vines the labour of the oliue shall faile, and the fields shall yeeld no meate: the sheepe shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no bullocke in the staules. What more miserable condition can befall the sonnes of men, yet behold this sweet ioy comforts them: But I will reioyce in the Lord, I will ioy in the God of my saluation. So that no condition of the true childe of God can bee so miscrable in this world, but that the ioy of God will com­fort and sustaine them. The same doth Paul testifie, we reioyce in tri­bulation, Rom. 5 3. Phil. 2.17. and of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles he saith, And though I be offered vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith, I am glad [Page 226]and reioyce with you all.

2. This ioy marres & distastes all carnal ioyes whatsoeuer, it makes a man sind little or no re­lish or taste in earthly delights, they will be to him as the white of an egge, wherein saith Salomon, what sauour is there? If men had re­ceiued this true ioy once, wee should soon see a change in their conuersation, there would not be such wide gaping and laughter in vaine, and foolish jestes, appa­rel, and a thousand things of this sort, as now there is.

3. Ia [...]. It will keep a man from ma­sterlines and censoriousnes of o­thers, as also to be compassionate and tender hearted, to sympa­ [...]hize in the wants and sorrowes of others, especially such as are vn­der spiritual afflictions.

4. And last effect of true ioy is as it springs from true humilitie and godly sorrow, so it ends in it, and destroyes not, but preserues that blessed grace, it keepes the soule in a preparednesse and ape­ [...]esse to acknowledge his owne [Page 227]vilenesse, & vuworthinesse of so great a portion and mercy from God as this ioy is.

Thus haue I according to my vnderstanding and gift receiued from God, expressed my thoghts and meditations touching this sacred point, and the true tryall thereof, whereas the joyes which are temporarie, or from the illusi­sions or methods of Sathan, com­fort no man in adversity, finde sweetnes in carnal ioyes, are ma­sterly and censorious, and make men proud and aduaunce them­selues, and are in all things con­trary vnto the holy true ioyes, which the Spirit of GOD doth exhibite and giue vnto those which seek true ioy in vnfeigned and godly sorrow.

1. Quest. But may some hum­bled beleeuer say, I can finde little comfort or ioy, what ad­uite will you giue me, or what shall I doe to get this sweete grace of happy ioy into my heart?

Answ. 1. Take heede of such [Page 228]things as grieue the fountaine of true ioy which is the blessed spi­rit of God, as the Apostle sayth: And grieue not the holy spirit of God by which yee are sealed vp to the day of redemption: of which I will giue you a taste.

1. Beware thou neglect not the renewing of thy holy faith day­ly, nor the duties of mortificati­on, as examination of thy slippes and faylings, which will bring thee to vnfeigned: confession and acknowledgement of thy sin to God, that prouokes the soule to godly sorrow, and so to prayer, & opens a doore to consolation, for the heart gathers soyle euery day, and if it be not washed and kept cleane by these mundifying waters, the vncleanenesse of the soule will grieue the blessed guest the spirit, and so keepe out these blessed ioyes.

2. Beware of a barren and vn­fruitefull heart, for vnprofitable­nesse is the cause of much disrest to the soule.

3. Beware of neglecting the [Page 229]meanes, by which the spirit ex­hibites this true consolation, which are both publike and pri­nate, a Christian must not looke for miracles, but if he would haue it, he must diligently attend the meanes, which are the ministrie of the word, Sacraments, and prayer, and for the priuate, espe­cially neglect not priuate prayer from whence the spirit of God doth most frequently administer this ioy.

4. Take heede thou bee not oner borne and ouer ruled by euill affections, as, passion, enuie; pride, immoderate cares, and the loue of the world, all which and many more doe exceedingly quench and dead the consola­tions of the spirit of God.

5. Lastly beware of the loue of any one sinne, though neuer so secret, for it betraies the euidence of thine vprightnesse, and how eanst thou expect any other then blasted ioy and comfort when thou hast lost or forfeyted the euidence of thy assurance.

[Page 210] 2. Be exceedingly carefull to do such duties as bring true com­fort: as

1. Be diligent to know the dif­ference betwixt counterfe it gra­ces and true sauing graces; for the Deuill & mans corruption hath framed a counterfeit & shaddow of euery vertue, so that if thou be ignorant of the methodes & de­ceites, & bee not able to get good cuidences and signes of the truth and soundnesse of them, the heart will be distracted with feares and doubts, and be a meanes of vnrest and vnquietnesse, Is. 55.15. and so depriue thee of this ioy, to bee Gods seruant, which otherwise thou mightest inioy be sure.

2. Voluntarily seeke godly sorrow, and try it according to the former rules, be importunate with God by prayer, and the vse of all the rest of Gods ordi­nances, and neuer giue ouer drin­king euery day a draught of hu­miliation vntill thou feele in thy selfe some good degree of soft­nesse of heart, that it may oft [Page 211]bleed inwardly in the sence and feeling, especially of thy beloued sins committed, not onely against a God of infinite Maiestie, Psaim. 126.23.5.6. Isay 61.3. Maith. 5. [...]. po­wer, &c. but especially of infinite sweetnesse, goodnesse, mercie, gra­ciousnesse, bounty and loue, who hath giuen thee so much, and for­giuen thee so great a debt, and a­gainst CHRIST, pierced him through with so infinite sorrowes for these blessed ioyes are promi­sed to, & most felt of those that mourne most for their sinnes.

3. If yet thou findest not com­fort & these spirituall ioyes, adde fasting to put wing, and feruency to thy prayers, performe with through humiliation of thy soule & seeke in all the records of God, if euer any Church in generall, or any particular and priuate man euer went away without some speciall sweet answere from God in his greatest disrest & vnquiet­nesse, & thinke thy case shall not be singular, but the Lord will be the same to thee, that hee hath beene to other of his seruants in [Page 232]former times.

4. If yet thou findest not an­swere to thy desires vnfolde thy griefe to some mercifull expe­rienced Christian who may ad­minister true consolation, and es­pecially some faithfull experien­ced man of God, who though (as Elihu speakes) hee bee but one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse, Iob. 33.23.26. yet he will haue mercy vpon him, and will say, deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit: for I haue receiued a reconciliation. Then shall his flesh be as fresh us a childes, and shall returne as in the dayes of his youth. He shall pray vn­to God, and he will be fauourable to him, & he shall see his face with ioy, &c. Thus did the Spouse find her welbeloued, Cant. 3. she went and inqui­red of the watchmen, and vvhen shee was a little past shee found him whom her soule loued: Many a poore soule is kept in heauinesse a long time by Sathans policie, labou­ring with them to keepe secret his subtilties & their own wants, which by wholesome counsell [Page 233]might easily and speedily be re­lieued and comforted.

5. If yet thou getest not com­fort, trauaile with thine owne heart to delight in the Lord, and then the promise is, hee will giue thee thine hearts desire; thou shalt neuer get these sweet refreshings and spirituall ioyes, except thou loue to be Gods seruant, deligh­ting in him and all his holy ordi­nances, obserue how liuely and plainly the Lord expresseth this. Also the strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him, and to loue the [...] of the Lord, Isay 56.6.7. and to be his ser­uants, euery one that keepeth my sa­baoth, and polluteth it not, and im­braceth my Couenant. Them will I bring also to mine holy mountaine, & make them ioyfull in my house of prayer.

Quest. Sometimes I feele spiri­tuall ioyes, bue soone loose the sence of them againe, what may I doe to preserue both the grace & the sence thereof in my soule that it may be habituall in me?

Answ. Trade seriously and oft [Page 234]in all the holy duties of mortifi­cation, to which the promises are frequently made. I instance in three particulars.

1. Confession of sinnes vpon which God hath pledged his fi­delity to forgiue and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse, 1 Ioh. 1.9 confes­sion if true hath assurance of re­mission of sinnes & iustification, out of which springs true and so­lide ioy.

2. Godly sorrow which as you haue seene already, ends in ioy.

3. Prayer, as our Sauiour ad­viseth: Aske and yee shall receiue that your ioy may be ful: these swee­ten the soule, Psal. 126.5.6. Mat. 5.5 Iohn 16.23. & are the ordinarie conduites of cōsolation, the heart gathering soyle and corruption daily, must of necessitie be clean­sed by these, or else the spirit will be grieued, & neyther take away the vnquietnesse, or administer those sweete refreshings, which otherwise it might inioy.

4. Beware of much carnal ioy, or external reioycing, for the im­moderate [Page 235]delighting in outward things, is like Opium to the bodie which stupifies the braine, and makes it senselesse, so doe these earthly ioyes stupifie the soule & make it insensible of the consola­tions of the spirit of God, bring­ing therevpon hardnesse of heart in the things of God, and most people hereby are gulled by Sa­thans stratagemes hindering thē ­selues from this blessed comfort, & neuer discerne the cause there­of, when they giue to these earth­ly ioyes eyther prioritie or supe­rioritie.

5. Be plentifull in well doing, labour that the heart may be like the Tree of life which brought forth fruite, not only some kind, but all manner of fruite, and at al times, euery Moneth, take vp all oportunitie to doe good, for a man can neuer haue assurance of the sinceritie & truth of his obe­dience, Psalm. 119. vnlesse it be vniuersall to all Gods commaundements: as Dauid saith then shall I not bee con­founded, when I haue respect to all [Page 236]thy commandements. This the Lord wisheth in his people when they gaue Moses those faire speeches. All that thou commaundest vs from the Lord we will doe. Deut. 5.29. and 6.2 The Lord an­swers; Oh that there were such an heart in this people, that they might feare me and keepe all my commaun­dements alwayes that it might goe well with them, and with their children for euer. Doe any thinke it shall goe well with them, or that they can possibly preserue the ioyes of God in the heart, that are eyther partiall in their obedience, or that performe it, but by sits and starts, there must therefore care be vsed to preserue vprightnesse for such shall haue an haruest of ioy, but if a man nourish but the loue of one sinne, its impossible to retaine the ioyes of God. Prou. 29.6. In the transgression of an euill man is a snare. but the righteous doth sing & reioyce, espe­cially be carefull to preserue vni­tie and peace, and procure it in others, P [...]ou. 12.20 for to the counsellers of peace shall be ioy.

[Page 237] 4. Get an humble and meeke spirit, for as passion doth disrest and vnquiet the heart, so doth pride wonderfully quench and hinder the refreshings of God. Isay 29.19 The meeke also shall increase their ioy in the Lord, and the poore among men shall reioyce in the holy one of Israel.

5. Haue an eye as to the Law, which is the rule of life, so to the promises, which are the legacies of thy father wherein is bequea­thed that to thee which wil con­tinually refocilate & refresh thy soule, hang vpon these as the brests of thy consolation, as the Prophet sayth: Isay 66.1. That yee may sucke and be satisfied with the brests of her [...]onsolation, that yee may milke out & be delighted with the abundance of her glory. And in this, two things are to be heeded.

1. A faithfull remembrance of the promises, for that which is not remēbred is as if not known, the memory therefore must bee carefull to keepe in this office, and open the records and rowles [Page 238]of God to the soule, to put it in minde of the priuiledges to be [...] reioyced in, or else looke to finde little or none of these ioyes.

2. Blessed wisedome to apply the seuerall promises, whether generall or speciall to thine owne particular condition and necessi­tie: else they are like abundance of meate in a Cookes shoppe to a hungry stomacke not eaten, so are the promises not digested and applied by faith, though remem­bred, as fumes of meate to a hun­gry belly, or spirits of wine to a thirsty man not eaten, not drunke but poore refreshing or comfort.

6. Keepe God in sight and in thine eye still, loose not his pre­sence, but walke before him in all vprightnesse & sinceritie: For, At his right hand is fulnesse of ioy, and pleasures for euermore.

7. Neglect not any one of Gods ordinances publike or priuate, & adde often priuate fasting to thy priuate prayers, which will bring comfort, search all the Scriptures, if euer God refused to giue an­swer [Page 239]to the prayers of any of his people when the wings of fa­sting were giuen to cause them soare vp to heauen, and its iust with God to blast the vse of the publike, as ministry of the word Sacraments & prayer, when ey­ther family duties are neglected, or the more inward and priuate betwixt God and thine owne heart are eyther neglected or slighted. Againe if there be per­formance of the priuate, and the publike despised or neglected, yea, if but any one of eyther pu­blike or priuate be not consciona­bly performed, its no wonder though the spirit of God answer not the soule, with his sweete re­freshings.

8. If thou feele the absence or the leaf [...] decay of these spirituall comforts, complaine betimes, for delayes in this cause are dange­rous, examine the cause why thy beloued hides himselfe, be sure to remoue the cause, call and seeke after him with all importunitie, and neuer giue ouer vntill thou [Page 240]hast recouered againe the sweete sence of his presence as did the Church: Cant. 3.4. to catch hold of him, Cant. 5.6. and not to leaue him: vntill h [...] haue brought thee into thy Mothers house, &c.

9. Beware of the carelesse and perfunctorie vse of any of the ordinances of God, for to offer the halt, blinde, and lame in sa­crifice, Mal. 1. is abomination to the Lord, be sedulous, Eccles. 4.17. watchful and dili­gent to doe all duties of pietie to GOD with preparation, yea that the very feet of thy soule be eleuated and lifted, that thy affe­ctions being raised, thou mayst offer not a dead, but a liuing sa­crifice, alwaies acceptable to his sacred Excellencie in IESVS CHRIST.

10 Lastly, take no care for the world, nor the things of the world, for where the loue of the world is, the loue of the Father cannot dwell; can a louing and kinde wife carry that respectiue loue to her husband, if she see him embrace the bosome of a strange [Page 241]woman, and take her into his house to bed and board, is it pof­fible that the Spirit of Christ who hath taken possession of thy heart, should shew that sweet­nesse in thy soule, as formerly if hee see thee take into his house, thy heart, that filthy strumper the world, it is not possible, and therefore take heede of receiuing the loue of the world into thy heart, if thou purposest to perpe­tuate this ioy.

Quest. But are these ioyes sen­sible to euery beleeuer alwayes? Answ. No: for first some are in the nonage and bud of their con­version in whom these ioyes are not felt for these causes.

1. Because of their ignorance of the doctrine, eyther of true godly sorrow, or the true ioyes of the holy Ghost: They may say with the Church, being as­ked if they had receiued the holy Ghost since they beleeued, they answered, They had not somuch as heard this there was an holy Ghost: how then can they haue the bles­sed [Page 242]sence of that which they are ignorant of.

2. Some know that there are such ioyes, but obserue not how the spirit doth exhibite and giue them in the due vse of the ordi­nances of God, and therefore de­priue themselues of the comfort, by want of obseruation, and by a meere neglect.

3. Some haue this ioy, obserue, and are affected with it for the time, but loose the comfort of it from two causes.

1. They soone forget, the con­solation and the ground thereof as the Apostle sayth, Yee haue for­gotten the cōsolation which speaketh, [...] [...]. 12.5. to you as to sonnes,

2. Because they are not well grounded in the assured truth & soundnesse of their ioy they su­spect it, and that breakes off their ioy, and dasheth and eclypseth all their solace and gladnesse.

4. Some feele exceeding fla­shes and passions of ioy & glad­nesse, but because they are incum­bred with passions of anger and [Page 243]violēt perturbations arising from their distempered constitution & natural turbulent affections, this ioy is hindered from being con­stant and habituall, as other wise it would be.

5. In some this ioy is solide & habituall, which constantly ari­seth from the assurance of their reconciliation and peace with God though they oft feele not any great passions or rauishings of the heart: yet both these may be the true ioyes of the holy Ghost, yet the latter I wi [...] & de­sire from my soule good Reader may be both thine, & mine owne portion, and that for euer. Thus haue I lead thee the way by the seeming waters of Marah vnto the true sweet fountaines of Elin [...] where I leaue thee to so [...]ace and satiate thy soule. But let the world know that they haue no part in this spiritual ioy as Salomon saith. The stranger shall not inc [...]dle with this ioy, hands off, it is not for you, it is the particular & speciall pri­viledge of the houshold of faith, [Page 244]and there is great reason because they haue no cause of true ioy, no nor of any ioy at all in them; For what cause of ioy hath any man who is dead in trespasses and sins, as all vnregenerate men are, till the second Adam who is made a quickning spirit to all the elect reuiue them by his spirit & grace. What cause of ioy can hee haue that is a condemned man, as our Sauiour sayth. Hee that beleeues not is condemned already, that is in Gods decree, in the sentence of Gods iust and righteous law, in his owne conscience which hath and doth arraigne & condemne him, if it bee not a sleepe? What ioy can a man haue in all his mirth when our blessed Sauiour calleth him from it, & pronoun­ceth a curse vpon him? Woe be to you that now laugh, for yee shall howle and weepe. Lastly he can no more reioyce in any of the crea­tures, then a theefe in a true mans purse, neyther can that bee true joy in the creature, which ariseth from the creature, resteth in the [Page 245]creature, and eleuateth or raiseth the heart no higher then the creature, but such is the ioy of the hypocrite & euery ignorant ciuill and wicked man, and there­fort hee hath neyther true ioy or cause thereof. Miserable then and wofull is the condition of all the iovall Lads of this world, whose Comedy begins, and continues here with seeming mirth & shall end Tragically in inutterable sorrow, heauinesse and vexation and that for euer, Whereas the Tragicall beginning of the righ­teous, though it begin in true sorrow yet it is soone recompen­ced with that true ioy which e­ven for the present is filled with celestiall and heauenly solace, and delight and perpetuated vnto all eternitie, which I pray God to increase in thy heart by the spirit of comfort for the Sonne of his loues sake. Amen.