CHAP. I. The first conflict or triall, where­in the conscience of a man rege­nerate, apprehending Gods wrath for sin, is peril­lously shaken.

IT is the nature of all sinne, once committed, by guilt to affect the conscience with a fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath both tempo­rall [Page 18] and eternall, as due to the sinner. It was decreed so in the beginning by an vn­changeable law of God: In the day thou eatest thereof, Gen. [...]. thou shalt dye the death. And no sooner had Adam transgres­sed, but an horror seased vpon his soule, hee heares Gods voyce, he feares, flyes, hides himselfe: What's the matter now? Adam, where art thou? might God well say; not in what place, but in what case art thou? surely the Serpent had left his sting in Adams Conscience. Now hee is af­frighted with hearing Gods voyce but a farre off, as of a Iudge sending forth a Hue & Cry, or summons to the male­factor to appeare before him: whom before, he ioyed to be­hold, as a dutifull sonne, de­lighting [Page 19] in the presence of his louing and liberall father.

Ob. But Adam was after­wards receiued to mercy, and that by a new couenant, of Grace (the old, of workes, be­ing vtterly forfeited) and that in and through Christ, the promised seed of the woman. Is not then the case of mans Conscience now altered? Can the member of Christ, the vessell of grace, the heire of life eternall, bee from hence­forth repossessed with any such apprehension, as of Gods wrath eternall, due vnto him for his sinne? Farre be it. Can he who is once iustified from his sinne by faith in Christ, fall backe into the state of con­demnation? Rom. 8.33, 34, 35, & 11.29. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods cho­sen? It is God that iustifieth, who [Page 20] shall condemne? Ioh. 23.1, Rom. 8.35. And are not the gifts and calling of God without repentance? And whom God lo­ueth, he loueth to the end? And who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ? 1 Pet. 1.5 And are not the elect of God, kept through faith by the power of God vnto salua­tion? and hath he not said, I wil not faile thee, Heb. 13.5 nor forsake thee?

True: Notwithstanding such is the malignant poyson of sin euen in the regenerate, that though the dominion thereof be taken away, so as it cannot lead the faithfull away captiue to death eternall: yet the guilt of it may so sease vp­on the Conscience, the thicke cloud of his sin may so eclipse Gods louing countenance from him, as that hee may for the time seeme in his owne apprehension, to bee a very [Page 21] cast-away; yea and that euen then, when God is in Christ reconciled to him. Euen as a father, when his sonne hath offended, yea hath beene hum­bled for it, confessed it, intrea­ted pardon of his Father; though his father cannot put off the bowels of naturall af­fection, nor ceases to loue his sonne still, but purposeth to bestow the inheritance vpon him, yet shewes him nothing but an angry countenance, layes the rod vpon him, threa­tens to disinherit him, and all this but in loue & wisedome, disciplining his sonne, both for the sounder reformation of what is past, and securer preuention of further offences which otherwise hee might fall into. It is the Apostles comparison, Whom the Lord [Page 22] loueth, he chastiseth, and scour­geth euery sonne whom he recei­ueth. Our earthly fathers for a few daies chastened vs for their pleasures, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holines. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but grieuous, yet afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse, vnto them that are exercised thereby. And sure­ly of all other chastenings, none so terrible, as this of the Conscience, being lashed with the cords of its owne sinne. All Iobs corporall afflictions no way comparable to this. What a lamentable voyce was that vttered by Dauid, I said, I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes? And that, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And infinite the like wo­full [Page 23] conflicts had holy Dauid with the apprehension of Gods displeasure against him for his sinne. There is no death, no hell so terrible as this, when the blacke hellish cloud of sin comes betweene the soule, and the sun-shine of Gods fauourable counte­nance.

Ob. But how comes this of the nature of sinne, seeing that not all, nor most sinnes, do vsually cause this appre­hension of Gods dreadfull dis­pleasure in a mans soule? How many a couetous, voluptuous, ambitious, carnall-minded man passeth away without touch of any such apprehensi­on of Gods wrath? yea, on the contrary, the more hee thriueth in the fruition of his sinnefull desire, the more hee [Page 24] flattereth himselfe in the pre­sumption of Gods fauour to­wards him; which is the or­dinary error of the world, to measure Gods friendship by outward prosperity; which Dauids carnall judgement once had almost led him into. Psal. 73

Answ. It is not the na­ture, but the accessory dec [...]it­fulnesse of sin, growing from a habit & custome of sinning, wherewith the soule being possessed, becomes stupified and voyde of all apprehensi­on (through Sathans inchant­ments, sounding in the eares, Mercy, mercy, and closing the eyes from once looking vpon the iustice of God) of diuine indignation. Yet all this while sin is not idle, but as a worme lyes gnawing at the stomacke of the dead conscience, and as [Page 25] the moth, doth by little and little insensibly fret away all the softer and tenderer part of the soule, leauing nothing at length, Sensim si­ne sensu. but the knotty thred of an inueterate stupidi­tie. Againe, there is great dif­ference betweene the sinnes of the regenerate, and of the vn­regenerate. For although ha­bituall corruptions bee in the one, as well as in the other, but in the regenerate inherent and inhabitant onely; in the vnregenerate also regnant and predominant, though some one corruption more conspi­cuously and actually predomi­nant aboue the rest, as the Belzebub or ring-leader: Yet those indwelling inmates in the regenerate, though they be but as the Gibeonites, capti­uated to Israel, and as the re­liques [Page 26] of the Canaanites, made Tributaries, Iudg. 3. but not expelled; though I say the corrupt old man bee subdued to the new man, which after God in Christ is created in righteous­nesse and true holinesse; yet are they very grieuous to the Saints, being as thornes in their sides, and prickes in their eyes, molesting them continually, and causing euen the holiest to exclaime, O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7. who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? Where­as on the contrary, the cor­ruptions in the vnregenerate, though raigning and raging lusts, yet are no whit trouble­some or burthensome to them, except then only, when by some outward impedi­ment they are crossed, & can­not inioy their wished desire [Page 27] to the full; or else when Sa­than at the houre of death, or so, hauing hem vpon the hipp (as we say) or at aduantage in some perillous temptation, presents vnto them the hide­ous shape of those their foule enormities, that so downe the precipice of desperation they may tumble headlong into the infernall pit. Againe, the Con­science, both for the naturall quicknesse, and tendernesse of it, is not vnfitly compared to the eye. Now the eye that is sound, how is [...] offended with the least moate falling into it, nor is it quiet, till it be quit of it? whereas the vn­sound eye, hauing a thicke and hard Filme growne ouer it, yet is not sensible of any Paine, though now depriued of sight. The sound eye is the [Page 28] conscience of the regenerate man, which is offended with the least moate of sinne, yea with the very motion onely, crying out, who shall deliuer? but the vnsound eye is the conscience of the vnregene­rate, which being ouergrown with the hard filme of habitu­ated corrupt humours and lusts, is no lesse voyde of the sense of any trouble, then of the sight of his sinne.

Now, as the regenerate cry out of their inherent cor­ruptions [...] so, much more, when vpon any preualent temptation, working vpon, and taking aduantage of their want of instant and constant watchfulnes ouer their soules, their corruptions breake forth into (at least) some de­gree of act, and so, as it causeth [Page 29] scandall, hereupon their sor­row is infinitly aggrauated, and their soules cast downe into the very gulfe of horror and terrors of the wrath of God. Now they are wrapped in a thousand sad perplexities. Now they fall a arguing (Sa­thans sophistry being ready with his scriptum est) that surely God is become their enemie, that hee loueth them not, that hee hath cast them out of his fauour, discarded them out of the number of his Saints: that they haue beene but hypocrites all this while. For those that bee his, he kee­peth. He keepetp the feete of his Saints from sliding. 1 Sam. 2.9. Pro. 2.8. The wicked are they, whose feete shall slide in due time. And, Deut. 32.35. Psal. 37.23. The Lord orde­reth a good mans going, and ma­keth his way acceptable to him­selfe. [Page 30] And, none shall be pre­sented to Christ, as his spouse, but such as are without spott and wrinkle, Eph. 5.27. such as are holy and without blemish. And, the Angel reapers shall gather out of Christs kingdome al things that offend, and them which do iniquitie. Vpon these Pre­mises Sathan inferreth: But God hath not so kept thy feet; thou art not free from spots, wrinkles, blemishes; thy life hath beene offensiue, and thou a worker of iniqui­ty: therefore thou art none of Gods Saints; thou appertai­nest not vnto Christ; thou must bee culled and cast out of his kingdome for an hypo­crite, for a Reprobate. These and the like assaults Sathan maketh against the soule of Gods child afflicted in consci­ence [Page 31] for his sinne.

And now poore soule, what wilt thou doe in this case? whither wilt thou fly? God hath with drawne his louing countenance from thee, his word is drawne forth as a two edged sword to kill and cut thee off. And now what Balme is left in Gil [...]ad for thee? what Phisitian there?

Nor is this conflict for a spurt, and away, but of long continuance: how doth the poore soule languish with complaints. Day and night thy hand is heauy vpon me. My soule is sore troubled; but thou O Lord, how long? And what doth more adde to the soules griefe, then the continuance of a tedious and strong fit of temptation? Terre sa­eile est preferre graue. If heauinesse did indure but for a night, and ioy re­turne [Page 32] in the morning, it might the better be indured, though sharpe for the time. The con­tinuall storme of 15 daies, without intermission, was very tedious and terrible to those in Pauls ship. But how tedious are those stormes, wherein the soule and con­science are tossed, not for a few dayes, but for many months, & yeares together. If a naturall child, for some of­fence, bee but for a few daies debarred from his louing fa­thers presence, what a heart-griefe is it vnto him, how im­patient is hee, how penitent, how longeth hee to inioy his fathers countenance againe? If Absolon had not beene a gracelesse and vnnaturall son, 2 Sam. 14. his fiue yeares banishment from the King his fathers [Page 33] face and fauour, had beene not a little irksome to him; but especially those two yeares in Ierusalem; so that his burning of Ioabs field, might haue bene imputed to his zealous and impatient affection of seeing his father, and not to his sub­tilty, in so making away through the very fire, to his wicked ambition of vsurping the kingdome. But we speake here of a naturall gracious sonne, to whom the offence of a father is a burthen intol­lerable. Psal. 42.2. This was Dauids af­fection, when hee was so long banished but from the visible Type of Gods presence and face, the Arke of God. And till reconciliation, no peace.

CHAP. II. The Comfort. How the soule is reduced and restored into Gods fauour, and so to the peace of Con­science.

But blessed be God, whose faithfulnesse will not suf­fer his Saints to be tempted a­boue that they are able, 1 Cor. 10 but will giue the issue with the temptation, that they may bee able to beare it: Who saith, For a small moment haue I for­saken thee, Esay 54.7, 8. but with great mer­cies will I gather thee; in a litle wrath I hid my faee from thee, for a moment: but with euerla­sting kindnesse will I haue mer­cy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

[Page 35]But by what meanes is the conscience raised from this gulfe of temptation, to the hauen and rocke of comfort? How may Gods child come to get the victory ouer so sore a conflict? What? By consi­dering, God is mercifull. True: But he is no lesse iust. Or, because perhaps thou hast tasted of temporall and corpo­rall chastisments; that there­fore the bitternesse of death is ouer, and God is now paci­fied, and satisfied for what is past? Indeed temporall cha­stisements ought to be humi­liations to thee, but can be no satisfactions to God. For what proportion betweene a temporall punishment suffe­red, and an eternall deserued? Or betweene an infinite iu­stice offended, and a finite pa­tience [Page 36] satisfying? No mulct will redeeme the least sinne; not ten thousand riuers of oyle; Micah 6.7. not the first borne of thy body, for the sinne of thy soule. No man may redeeme his brother, Psal. 49.7, 8. or make agreement with God for him. It cost more to redeeme their soules. That must be let alone for euer. All Pur­gatory imaginary flames can­not purge the staine of, or sa­tisfie Gods iustice for the least sinne. That doctrine is a meere dreame, blasphemous, derogatory from the all and onely sufficient sacrifice of Christ, that any thing else, ei­ther their sacred fire, or holy water, as [...]stinct. [...]e con­ [...]atione they affirme, but that precious blood, can purge away the least sinne.

Or to let all these alone, thinkest thou that time will [Page 37] weare those fits away? Or wilt thou driue them away with merrie companie? Or drinke them away, as good-fellowes do their melancholy-fits? Alas, this doth but add more fuell to the fire of thy Conscience, while it addeth sinne vnto sinne. This is rather to delay thy comfort, then to allay thy griefe.

What course then wilt thou take? To resolue this: there are sundry speciall and soueraine preseruatiues, keep­ing the soule from sinking vnder the Gulp [...]e of a trou­bled Conscience. The first is Faith, the sauing, liuing, iusti­fying Faith, the nature wher­of, is neuer to depart from God, but to cleaue vnto him, whatsoeuer come of it, Rom. [...].18. and euen against hope to belieue [Page 38] vnder hope. It resolues, Though hee kill mee, Iob 13.15. yet will I trust in him. This Faith be­lieueth euen in vnbeliefe. I belieue Lord, Ps. 116.10.11. helpe my vnbeliefe. What a perplexed speech is that of Dauids? I belieued, therefore haue I spoken; I was greatly afflicted; I said in my hast, All men are lyers. Dauid both belieued in the promise of God towards him, and yet through humane frailtie, in hast, doubted of the same. He said in his hast, All men are lyers. And what need he re­pent of that speech, as spoken in hast? Are not all men lyers? But his meaning was, he mistrusted God in his hast; though yet hee belieued. Notwithstanding the Scrip­ture saith, He that belieueth, shall not make hast. Es. 28.16 Such a [Page 39] mixture is there in the Rege­nerate, of Faith and Infidelity at one and the same instant, about one and the same obiect. This is that Faith, which ne­uer fayleth a man in his vt­most extremitie, but supports him euen against despaire it selfe. I should vtterly haue fainted, vnlesse I had belieued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Liuing.

Obiect. But how can a man both belieue and doubt, at the same instant, about the same thing?

Answ. There is in the Re­generate, the Old man doubt­ing, and the New man be­lieuing. It is against the pro­pertie of Faith to doubt. Doubting comes of the Flesh, and belieuing of the Spirit, and these two are contrarie [Page 40] one to the other, they fight one against the other in one Soule, as Iacob and Esau in one Wombe. So that euen then, when the Soule is like to bee ouer-borne with the tempest of carnall distrust, the seed of Faith, by a secret and insensi­ble working for the present, being fast rooted and riuetted into Christ, as the Ankor in the Rocke, or the Tree-root in the firme ground, preserues it from either wracke, or wind-fall. Thus Dauid com­forts and cheeres vp his deie­cted Soule: Psal. 43· Why art thou cast downe, O my soule? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet prayse him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Againe, Faith hath two [Page 41] strong supporters, to stay it from fainting: The first is, the promises of God: the second, experience of former feelings of mercie. First, Gods promise is the proper obiect, and pillar of hope. This promise, is not a word of course, but a word of Gods solemne Couenant; a word, not transient, but permanent, a word written, in a more la­sting monument, then Lead and Stone. Yea this promise is confirmed with Gods Hebr. 6.17. Oath, and ratified with his Seale, with the Priuie Rom. 8.16. Seale of his Spirit, in euerie faith­full mans heart, and with the Broad Seales, his two Rom. 4. Sacra­ments. This promise of God in Christ for saluation, Faith [...], est veraefi­dei. Chrys. Gen. 13. Ser. 35. appropriates to the belieuers own selfe; concluding, Faith­full [Page 42] is he, who hath promised, who will also doe it. And as Satan on the one side is busie to buzze into a mans head places of Scriptures, by him peruerted, and mis-applyed: so Faith on the other side op­poses against him the sweet promises of God: Math. 11 28. as, Come vnto me, all ye that are wearie, and laden, and I will refresh you. I came not to call the righteous, Math. 9.13. but sinners to repentance. Nor doe these promises belong onely to those, who haue not yet beene effectually called, but to those, who, after their effectuall calling, haue, through humane infirmitie fallen into some sinne. As, children, 1 Ioh. 2.1 I write vnto you, that you sinne not; And if any man sinne, we haue an Aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the [Page 43] righteous, and he is the Propitia­tion for our sinnes. These, and the like promises of God, Faith laying hold vpon, are like the hand of Christ reach­ed out to sinking Peter, stay­ing the Soule from perishing in the Floods of Spirituall perturbations. Ps. 119.92▪ and ve. 49.50 Except thy Law (saith afflicted Dauid) had beene my delight, I should then haue perished in mine affliction. By Law, there, hee meaneth the Gospel, with the promises of it. For else, Gal. the Law causeth wrath, and can minister no consolation to the wounded Conscience, but onely sends the Patient to the good Phy­sitian, Christ. It is one of S [...] ­tans vsuall stratagem [...] to hide Gods promises, all hee can, from Gods child in time of Spirituall temptation, and to [Page 44] present him, Qui sta­tuit ali­quid parte ina [...]dita altera, Ae­quum li­cet statue­rit, haud [...]quus fuit Senec▪ and wholly take him vp with Iudgements, thereby to driue him to de­spaire. Therefore, as a Iudge, that heareth one parti [...], and reserueth neuer an eare for the aduerse parti [...], must needs bee vniust, yea, although hee haply pronounce right iudge­ment: So the sinfull Soule looking altogether vpon the iudgement of God, and reser­uing neuer an eye, to looke vpon his mercie and promise, is like to proceed vniustly against himselfe, though ther­by hee pull vpon his Soule a iust condemnation. But to preuent this, It stands not with the condition of the Children of the Promise, the blessed Seed, Rom. 9.8, 23. those Vessels of mercie, which God hath afore ordained vnto glorie, that in [Page 45] them he might make knowne the riches of his glorie: verse 22. It stands not (I say) with their condi­tion, to bee, as the vessels of wrath, swallowed vp of wrath, being selfe-fitted to destruction: But in the Chil­dren of the Promise, mercie shall triumph against iudge­ment, when Faith in Gods promises of life shall ouer­come all difficulties.

The second pillar and prop of Faith in the Soules faint­ing, is experience of former fruition of mercie. This was Dauids practise, Ps. 77. I haue con­sidered the dayes of old, &c. I call to remembrance my Song in the night. Thus in his di­stresse, hee cals to mind what sweetnesse, and comfort hee found formerly in God, by those familiar Soliloquies, [Page 46] which his Soule did sing vnto God by night, in the gratefull remembrance of his benefits. And Psalme 143 complaining, My spirit is ouerwhelmed with­in me, my heart within me is de­solate: Yet he comforts him­selfe with the meditation and memorie of Gods former gratious dealing towards him verse 4, 5. And Psalme 27, he euen challengeth God vpon form [...]r mercies, verse 9. saying, Hide not thy face from me, put not thy seruant away in anger: Thou hast beene my helpe, leaue me not, neither forsake me, oh God of my saluation. Thus vpon this ex­perience Dauid gathers such assurance, that though his Fa­ther and Mother forsake him ( And can a Mother forget, forsake her sonne?) yet though shee should bee so vnnaturall, [Page 47] yet saith God, I will not forsake thee) yet, saith Douid, Euen then the Lord taketh me vp. So that for the Conscience af­flicted, to recollect the expe­riments of former mercies, which the Soule once sweetly inioyed, is a solid ground of comfort, whereon to cast the Anchor of Hope in a present storme, yea and the secure Harbour also, wherein to re­pose her selfe, in a setled assu­rance of Gods loue, for the time to come, and for euer. And the reason is, Whom God loueth once in Christ, hee euer loueth. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. His blessing vpon his Children, is like that of Isaac vpon Iacob, I haue blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Balaam told Balack, that there was no reuersing of [Page 48] Gods blessing on his people; God is not as man, Num. 23.1920. that he should lye, or repent; Hath he said it, and shall he not doe it? Behold I haue receiued commandement to blesse, and he hath blessed, and I cannot reuerse it.

Obiect. But the memorie of former mercies inioyed, may serue to minister to the afflicted Soule for sinne, ra­ther matter of more griefe, then of any ioy, and rather to aggrauate our sinne, and so our sorrow, then to redinte­grate or renouate our com­fort. What a corrosiue was it to Dauid's heart, trow you, after that his sinne, to heare the enumeration of Gods ma­ny fauours and benefits to­wards him, mentioned by Nathan to him, 2 Sam. 12 7, 8. as in the per­son of God? Enough of it [Page 49] selfe, to wring from Dauid's gaulled and grieued heart a confession with teares, I haue sinned against the Lord.

Answ. True it is, we haue no sweeter, nor stronger tyes to serue and obey God, then his benefites towards vs; which as they are moe in num [...]er (as he that hath few­est, hath so many more, then euer hee deserued) or more excellent in their nature: So, when at any time wee sinne against this our liberall Bene­factour, all those benefits stand vp as witnesses against vs, vpbrayding vs with ex­treme ingratitude and vn­kindnesse; as in the former example of Dauid. And con­sequently, in the Soules humi­liation for sin, Gods benefits comming into remembrance, [Page 50] doe so accumulate and heape themselues vpon the Soule, that (as Tarpeia, T. Liuius Lib. 1. the Romane Damosell, was pressed to death with those Iewels cast vpon her, which the Sabines wore on their left armes, the price contracted, for betray­ing to them the Capitoll of Rome) shee is now pressed downe beyond all measure. That speech ( Et tu Brute) vttered by Caesar to Brutus, might haue beene a sharper Dart to pierce Brutus his vn­kind heart, then his Poinado was to stabbe Caesar. When Ioseph was tempted by his wanton Mistrisse to folly with her, Gen. 39 he answers her, what ob­ligations of fidelity his Master had layd vpon him, in that he had intrusted him with all his goods, taking no account of [Page 51] him: and should hee not bee faithfull, not to violate that one Iewell, which alone hee had reserued to himselfe? So that, if Gods many bene­fits he hath trusted vs withall, if the liberall allowance of all the Trees in the Garden, will not, cannot (as they should) restraine vs from the one and onely forbidden fruit of sinne (as certainly they would, Gen. 2 [...] if wee tooke but heed in any temptation to set Gods innu­merable, and inestimable bles­sings towards vs before our eyes; which would make vs say, as Ioseph, How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God? But alas wee are too forgetfull) Surely then if we doe sinne, all the other Trees in the Garden will be readie to fall vpon vs, [Page 52] and presse vs downe, not affording vs so much as their shaddow, to hide vs (if pos­sible) from the wrath of Gods angry countenance, Math. 9. much lesse to refresh vs there­with. Yet in the midst of the presse of Gods benefits, wherewith the Soule is now oppressed, Faith with her finger touching vpon, and pointing vnto that euerliuing Fountaine of the grace and mercie of God in Christ, for­merly experienced, finds cure for the issue of the bleeding Conscience, euen then when it seemes to be quite spent, and cast behind Christ. So that, I say not, Math. 16 23. that to the afflicted Conscience the memorie of Gods temporall benefits will bring comfort, no nor simply, of those Spirituall mercies on [Page 53] our Soules formerly felt; sith all of them may iustly vpbraid vs for our vngratious vsing of them. But least the Soule in this conflict, of the apprehen­sion of Gods wrath deserued, should bee swallowed vp, her readie way is to haue recourse to the stabilitie of Gods loue, mercie, and grace in Christ towards vs, which hauing once, and often formerly felt, and inioyed, we may recollect our Faith, and rest assured, that wayting with patience a while, the Cloud will passe ouer, and the Sun-shine of Gods fauour will returne vp­on vs. And thus wee may reckon Gods promises, and our spirituall experiences of his mercies, as two preserua­tiues more. Onely this must bee remembred withall, that [Page 54] the more experience we haue had of Gods fauours, the more it ought to driue vs to a greater measure of repen­tance; which will follow fitly here, as a fourth Preserua­tiue.

The fourth preseruatiue then of the Conscience from perishing vnder the appre­hension of Gods wrath, 2 Cor. 7.10. is godly sorrow; so called, 1. be­cause it is a spirituall grace & gift of God. 2. because as it commeth from God, so it go­eth, tendeth vnto, and endeth in God; sorrowing, not so much, that his iustice is pro­uoked, as his mercy abused, and his glory prophaned by our sinnes. Herein it is oppo­site to worldly sorrow, which as it springeth from a guilty conscience conuicted by the [Page 55] euidence of Gods law reflect­ed vpon it: So it respecteth onely the worldly estate of a man, that he may still inioy the same, and preuent tempo­rall iudgements. 1 King▪ 21. This worldly sorrow was in wicked Ahab, and so may bee in all Repro­bates. But the godly sorrow is so farre from regarding the punishment deserued, that if the godly Penitent had it put to his choyce, hee would ra­ther suffer the very torments of hell, then to haue commit­ted the least sin against God. This is true godly sorrow, which chusing rather to dye the death, and to fry in hell, then to sinne against God: hereby it becomes a strong antidote against despaire. For what power, can euen the flames of hell fire haue ouer [Page 56] that soule, which is so dren­ched in the flood of this god­ly sorrow, one drop whereof that poore Diues had not to coole his tongue? So that to despise hell torments in com­parison of sinne, this giues a Supersede as to Despaire, and seales to the penitent soule a Quietus est, from all feares. For how shall he now be any whit appalled with the appre­hension of Gods wrath, that willingly would rather suffer his wrath in hell, 2 Cor. 11 31. Filiusi sta­roum [...]a­ [...]hrymarū perire non potest: as Ambrose comfor­ted Moni­ca Augst. mother, weeping that he was a Maniche [...] then by sin incurre it on earth? Thus iudging ourselues, wee shall not be iudged. Impossible it is, that a sonne of this sorrow should perish. Had that seuentimes heated furnace any power at all, somuch as to scinge the outer garments of those three noble Confessors, while they [Page 57] preferred the suffering in that flame, before they would once bow to the Tyrants I­dol? such a conflict is godly sorrow.

Againe, as godly sorrow looks primarily to Gods glo­rie: so, secondarily, it reflects vpon the soules speciall good, namely, saluation. For godly sorrow worketh repentance vnto saluation, not to bee repented of. 2 Cor. 7.10. But as for any temporall end, or corporall benefit, or the sauing of this present life, godly sorrow takes the least care. The difference in this point betweene godly, and worldly sorrow, is liuely set forth in those two Theeues, crucified with Christ; which two Theeues, on each hand of Christ, were a Type of all mankind, of the Elect, on [Page 58] Christs right hand, and of the Reprobate on the left. All were Theeues in Adam's fall. And to redeeme effectually all his Elect, Christ is numbred, crucified with, for Theeues. Now the one of these Theeues belieuing, confessing Christ vpon the Crosse, what was the thing he aymed at? His temporall life? A repriuall thereof? Nothing lesse. But, Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome. And how did hee answer his fellow Theefe, but not fellow Saint? Fearest thou not God? Wee are righteously here; wee suffer condignly. Such is godly sorrow, humbly submitting it selfe to all torments, as duly deserued. When on the con­trarie, the obstinate Theefe his desire was all for his tem­porall [Page 59] life: If thou be Christ, saue thy selfe and vs. As if Christ's sauing of himselfe, had beene the way to saue them. This is all the ayme of worldlings, to bee no further for Christ, or Religion, then Christ and Religion will serue their temporall turnes; at the vtmost, Num. 23.10. desiring (if they must needs at length dye) to dye the death of the righteous, and that their last end may be like his; the couetous man will then (because hee must) become liberall, giuing all from himselfe when hee can keepe it no longer▪ the drun­kard will then dye absteni­ous, because he can drinke no more: the ambitious Tempo­rizer would dye a Child of the Truth, when by neutrali­zing hee can rise no higher: [Page 60] the Pontifician Priest would dye in the garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed, ra­ther then in S. Francis Cowle, when now hee can gaine no more full offerings by impo­sing vpon the simple seduced: but now to doe this re integra, in their health, while they may yet liue longer, and get more wealth, and spend more merrie dayes, and rise higher, and liue like Abbey Lubbers, they like not to bee like the righteous man.

Againe, godly sorrow ne­uer goeth alone, but is accom­panied with sincere and inge­nuous confession of sinne to God. Till Dauid did this, hee was exceedingly troubled and tormented in Conscience. How pittifully complayneth he, Psal. 32. When I kept silence, [Page 61] my bones waxed old, &c. Psal. 32, 3, 4. I ac­knowledged my sinne vnto thee, and mine▪ iniquitie haue I not hid; I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord, and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne. Here Dauid's godly sorrow breaking forth, and venting it selfe in an humble confession of his sinne to the Lord, bringeth case and comfort to his Soule; euen as a turbulent wind, in­closed and pent in the bow­els of the Earth, causeth a terrible Earth-quake, not ceassing, till by some rup­ture it haue a vent. Or as the stomacke, striuing with some indigestible morsell, which the inordinate appe­tite had swallowed downe, Orig. in Ps. 37. is not eased, till the same bee rendred backe againe. [Page 62] Or (as the iugling Fryars make the simple beleeue) as the soule of such a rich Churle departed, cannot be at rest, till such his ill gotten goods bee restored to the owners, at least to some religious Couent. No, nor then neither, sith not before.

One ingredience more would here be added, as neces­sarie to cause our godly sor­row to worke the more kind­ly and effectually, to recouer sound health to the soule. For it may so come to passe, that the offence, which the world hath taken at a mans sinne, may affect a mans heart so much the more with sorrow, because it hath brought a dis­reputation vpon his person, and a staine vpon his good name; whereas otherwise [Page 63] perhaps hee would haue made light of that sinne, being con­cealed from the world, and so haue still continued in it. And againe it oftentimes, yea too vsually comes to passe, that for want of sound and solid repentance for former sinnes, God suffers his child euen to fall into some scandalous sin with the world, that so at length hee may bee throughly cast downe for all, and come to a perfect hatred of all sinne. And surely one sinne soundly and thorowly repented of, doth mightily and maruel­lously arme a man against the tempters assaults for the time to come, if it be but attended with a small guard of a wary watchfulnesse: Whereas on on the contrary, repentance slubbered ouer, and dallied [Page 64] with, causeth the enemy to grow much more audacious in new assaylments, while hee obserueth vs the lesse able to resist his batteries, by how much we haue beene more re­misse and carelesse in the sure making vp of later breaches. As a wound, not throughly healed, but skinned ouer, fe­stereth, & becommeth a grea­ter sore. Or as phisicke, not working kindly, doth but fit the body for more diseases. For this cause then, that we leaue no one corner of our deceitfull hearts vnswept and vnransackt, it is behouefull for vs to call our selues to a strict and seuere account for all our former old sinnes, and vpon a melius inquirendum to enter into iudgement with our selues a fresh for them, as [Page 65] finding them now guilty of Treason, which before happi­ly we condemned but of petty Larceny; when as now wee may iustly deeme, that for want of due humiliation and sorrow for them, they (as a theefe saued from the gal­lowes, that should haue beene put to death) haue beene rea­dy to cut our throate, by lea­ding vs on to the more bold committing of sinne. For as we prophecy in part, so wee practise repentance, and all o­ther duties in part. And the more imperfect our repen­tance is for sinne past, wee are not onely the more weake to stand out and resist temptati­ons, and to subdue the re­mainder of our corruptions, but the further short we come of the inioying of those solid [Page 66] comforts of Gods Spirit, which it poureth in greater a­bundance into the most peni­tent soule: So that for the greater strengthning of the wounded soule fainting vnder the waight of some great temptation for a new sinne, it is necessary to renew our re­pentance in a greater measure then euer, for all our old sins; that so the more ground wee sow with godly sorrow, wee may reape the more plentifull haruest of consolation. This was Dauids practise. In his old age, and vpon that great sinne of his, hee prayes the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth, which no doubt he had long agoe repented of, but now vpon so fearfull a fall, being driuen aground by the tempest of temptation, he [Page 67] cannot bring his vessell off a­gaine, but with a greater spring-tide of teares, in a re­dubled repentance.

But many are so mealy mouthed, that for shame, or pride, they will not confesse (at least, in particular, Pro. 28.13. as Da­uid, Psal. 51. This euill) this or that speciall sinne to God. Be­cause many times thereupon depends a necessity of restitu­tion and satisfaction to man for the offence done, Non re­mittitur peccatū, nisi resti­tuatur ablatum. Aug. without which, confession to God, in such cases, is vaine. For the sin is not remitted, vnlesse the wrong to man (if it be possi­ble) be satisfied. In the Law, robbery, cozenage, violence, periury had a sacrifice for it, but he must withall make full restitution according to the Law, the same day of his sa­crifice; [Page 68] see Leuit. 6.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

The fifth Preseruatiue of Conscience, distressed with the feare of Gods displeasure, is Prayer. O the sweet and souerain helpe, which Prayer, frequent, feruent, faithfull, humble Prayer subministreth to the Soule, when plunged in the deepth of perplexed do­lours! As Dauid, in that short, but pithy Penitentiall, Out of the deepes haue I cryed vnto thee, Ps. 130.1 O Lord. Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly, Yea, Out of the belly of Hell cryed I, and thou heardest my voyce. And when Dauid said in his hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes: Neuerthelesse (saith hee) thou heardest the voyce of my supplycations, when I cryed vnto [Page 69] thee. Prayer is of force to bring againe the dead Child, to rayse dead Lazarus, euen the stinking Soule, out of the Graue. No place, no case of calamitie, Spirituall or Cor­porall, whence Prayer may not procure deliuerance. Onely out of Hell is no deli­uerance. Why? They pray not there to God. In the Pa­rable, Diues prayed, but to Abraham, to a Saint, not to God; enough to cause his prayer to be reiected, as not worth a drop of cold water. A good example for all such Clyents, as inuocate Saints for their Aduocates. A practise learned from Diues in Hell, but which findeth neither Precept nor Promise in the Scriptures, and so can hope for no better successe.

[Page 70]Now among the many ad­mirable vses and effects of prayer, two are of singular note: the first, that prayer is a most effectuall antidote to preuent the committing of sinne. What neede I speake of the infinite experiments my selfe haue found in this kinde? Let euery child of God but take notice of his owne proofes herein. For my part, how many forcible temptati­ons, prouocations, inuitati­ons, occasions to sinne haue made battery vpon this weak Fort, when it hath beene rea­dy to hang out the flagg of parle, and of yeelding: and onely prayer steps betweene, working a suddaine & strange alteration in the affections? it bringeth a fresh supply of of grace, fortifieth the wea­kest [Page 71] places, repaireth the brea­ches, repulseth the batteries, causeth the enemy for that time to retreat. I could pro­duce strange instances in my selfe, but I forbeare. Nor is there any lawfull affaire of this life, but if prayer haue an oare in it, it makes the better way to arriue at the wished port. But for the preuenting of sinne, and restraining of our inordinate passions, it is in a manner the onely effectuall meanes. Neuer hath any temptation further preuailed, but as prayer hath beene neg­lected: I am sure this is true in mine owne experience. And surely where the daily practise of prayer is not, there it is no maruaile, if Sathan keepe his reuels. Dauid, no­ting the many corruptions [Page 72] and abominations of wicked men, and persecuting Tyrants, hee renders the reason of all, They call not vpon the Lord. Psa. 14·4 But doe not such men pray? Yes, they may; but as the Pharisees, in an outward for­malitie, and vnder a colour of long prayer, they deuoure widdowes houses. Who are more for a ceremonious and solemne formalitie of endlesse and superstitious prayers, then the Church of Rome, which yet the Holy Ghost styleth the great Whore? Can such blind prayers be effectuall, but to pull down vengeance vpon their heads, which by their pompous solemnitie haue vn­dermined the verie ground­worke, and Pillar of all true Religion and deuotion, the preaching of the Word, now [Page 73] turned into Masse and Matins? But no maruaile, if the Seuen-branched golden Candlesticke be there remoued, and turned into an Idoll-Altar, where the verie Prayer in an vn­knowne tongue. Light of Deuotion is quite put out, and the Oyle dryed vp.

The second principall vse of Prayer, is, after a man hath beene ouertaken with a temp­tation in any degree, tending at least to the actuall commit­ting of sinne, and to the fulfil­ling of it in the lust thereof, to rayse vp the humbled Con­science to a hopefull expecta­tion, to a constant affiance, and in fine, to a comfortable frui­tion of Gods mercie. We see what strong cryes Dauid (all along the most peerelesse pat­terne of practick pietie in this kind) lifted vp, when his soule [Page 74] was cast downe for his sinne; as all his Penitentials, but spe­cially the 51, doe witnesse. And surely had not the sinne-burthened Soule accesse to the Throne of Grace, and Mercie by the meanes of Prayer, what hope were there? But Prayer is like Noah's Doue, which returning, brings the poore sinner tidings, that the Deluge of Gods wrath is asswaged, and in token thereof presents him with the Oliue-branch of peace and reconciliation. Or as when God is on his March against vs, with his great Army of terrible Iudge­ments, Prayer is the Herald, sent to make an humble treaty for truce. And therefore in all Spirituall conflicts, there is no dutie, which Satan goes about more to diuert from, or [Page 75] disturbe in, then this of Pray­er. Yea, he is readie to pre­sent a man with, and to foist in, a thousand by-occasions, or cogi [...]ations, either about our profits or pleasures, thereby to diuert the Soule from prai­er, perswading a man, he may doe that as well another time, as now. And it is more then proaable, that Dauid was thus carried away, when, for al­most a yeeres space, that sinne of his in the matter of Vriah, and Bathshabe, lay as a char­med Serpent, sleeping in his bosome, vnrepented of, till Nathan came, and by his Rid­dle vncharmed it, and so rowsed him from his Le­thargie.

Obiect. But did not Dauid all that while exercise the du­tie of Prayer? Had he not at [Page 76] least the Arke in his Court, and there his morning and euening Sacrifices of Prayer?

Answ. No doubt. But it is likely, hee contented him­selfe with the publike solemn Seruice and Sacrifice of Pray­er, neglecting in the meane time his more intimous and priuate deuotion, wherein hee should haue more punctually humbled his Soule, cast him­selfe downe naked in Gods presence, and made speciall supplication for the pardon of his sinne, and so haue demean­ed himselfe in his holy wrast­ling with God in secret, as he could not doe in publike with any decorum, or without bee­ing censured by men, of indis­cretion or folly; As Hannah for her zeallous prayer was thought of Eli to haue beene [Page 77] drunke or madde. Or at least­wise, not intermitting his times of priuate prayer, yet hee remitted of that feruour and zeale, of that extraordi­narie sorrow, and teares, re­quisite for obtaining the par­don of such a sinne. Or if among other his sinnes hee bewayled this sinne, yet hee went not to the quicke, hee searched not the wound to the bottome. His repentance as yet was but an ordinarie, and euerie-day-repentance, whereas his extraordinarie sin required an extraordinarie sorrow. Hee might also the while pray for mercie and pardon, but not so effectually and heartily for such a mea­sure of mercie, as his sinne required. And the reason, that his repentance, and consequently [Page 78] his praier for pardon, at the best, was not yet so sound, as it ought (which was the cause, that as yet he found not that comfortable fruition of Gods fauour and mercie, as afterwards vpon his more se­rious repentance) was, his want of due consideration in waighing the horriblenesse, and hugenesse of his sinne. For when Ioab's messenger brought Dauid word of Vri­ah's death, 2 Sam. 11 [...]5. hee made no more of it, but returnes Ioab this answer, Let not this thing dis­please thee (in the meane time it should more haue displea­sed thee, oh Dauid) for the sword deuoureth one, as well as another. Thus he colours ouer his murther with the chance of warre. Or bearing himselfe vpon being King, perhaps he [Page 79] might applaude his owne wit in such a prittie inuention, be­ing seconded with a success­full execution, thinking it bet­ter, that euen a loyall, and in­nocent subiect should perish, then the Kings honor receiue the least blemmish; though indeed hereby it was the more fowlly stayned, and euen double dyed with that crymsin sinne. As though the committing of a new sinne, should helpe to expiate the former. Or as though for de­filing Vriah's wife, hee should make amends in taking away his life. But thus by going about (politickly as hee ima­gined) to hide his sinne of Adulterie, hee raysed the Hue and Cry of innocent blood to proclaime and paint it out to all the world. In what a fooles [Page 80] paradise was Dauid all this while, trow you? But the Prophet Nathan puls off the Visar, and lets him see his monstrous two-faced sinne. He displaies the Arras, wher­in the whole storie of his sin was liuely expressed, which Dauid had all this while kept folded vp, and cast by in a cor­ner. But now by Gods mercie comming more sadly and wistly to take a view of it, he suddainly breakes out into this lamentable voyce, I haue sinned against the Lord. 2 Sam. 12 Whereupon, and not before, he heard, The Lord hath also put away thy sinne. For as Am­brose noteth, wee seldome come to know sinne, Lib. de Paradiso. cap. 14. till after committed, which before, we accounted no sinne; Yea till wee come to feele the smart [Page 81] of it, in the punishment either of afflictions, or guilt of Con­science quickned vp, or shame of the world, or sharpe de­nouncing of Gods iudgments by his Prophets, as here by Nathan to Dauid. And per­haps all this while Dauid, out of a conceit, that his sinne was not made publicke to the world, was the lesse troubled in Conscience for it: but now beginning to perceiue, that publicke notice was taken of it, it beg [...]n the more to work vpon him, in regard of the scandall. And surely well it so might. For of all sinnes, those that are scand [...]lous, doe most deepely pierce the heart of Gods Child, making there such a wound, as is not easily cured; but while hee liueth, will prooue a heart-sore to [Page 82] himselfe, as it hath beene an eye-sore to the world. Thus by one meanes or other will God bring his Children vpon their knees, if a kindly sorrow vvill not vvorke it, a publicke shame shall.

Thus (to returne vvhence vvee digressed) effectuall prayer for the pardon of sinne issueth not, but from true and vnfained repentance, as this from a true knowledge, and due estimate of our sinne. Though that vvhich helpeth to expresse and vvring teares from Dauid's heart, vvas the enumeration of Gods fauours towards him by Nathan, deeply aggrauating his sinne, and making it out of measure sinfull; as we touched before. As Peter, after his three deni­als, thinkes not yet vvhat hee [Page 83] had done, till the Lord lookes vpon him, and then the verie reflection of that gratious countenance of his deare Master, checking him for his ingratefull disloyaltie, yet as the Sun-beame thawing and melting his verie heart, fro­zen by the High Priests fire, causeth him to goe out, and weepe bitterly.

The sixt preseruatiue is, the example of the Saints, 1 Cor. 10 11. Rom. 15.4. who haue beene raised euen from fearful fals. Nor stand they for cyphers; they are recorded to ad­monish, and to teach, that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope. First (I say) the examples of the Saints fals admonish vs to beware of sin, least euen then, when we seeme to stand su­rest, we take a fall. Secondly, [Page 84] they teach vs, that if we haue fallen, and that in our fairest way, where we neuer suspect­ed falling, we should not lye still, but speedily get vp again. Nor let any man be out of hope for the greatnesse of his fall, as if it were vnrecouera­ble. For if he looke vpon the examples in Scripture of this nature, he shall finde them to be of no meane ranke, but of highest eminencie, if we con­sider either the greatnesse of their persons, or the grieuous­nesse of their fals. Dauid, as great a Prophet, as a Prince, and no lesse eminent in grace, then in place and calling, yet how foule was his fall into those two most fearfull sinnes of adultery and murther, and both out of measure aggraua­ted by the manifold circum­stances, [Page 85] both personall and re­all, attending the committing of them? Salomon, a glorious type of Christ, a Iedidiah, be­loued of God, indued with in­comparable wisedome; yet how fell he by two matchlesse sinnes, lust and idolatry, wher­in also he lay a long time? And that (which made their sinnes so much the more damnable) they both fell in their old age, which takes away from them all excuse or plea of youth; both of them aboue fifty. 1 Kin. 11.4. In time of the Gospell, yea in the very corporall presence of Christ, Peter, though a prime Apostle, a chiefe pillar, yet how fearefully fell hee into a flat denyall, disclaiming, and abiuring his deare Master, and that with direfull imprecati­ons, and execrations vpon [Page 86] himselfe, if hee so much as knew him? Nor wanted it aggrauating circumstances, as his Masters late immediate premonition, his owne delibe­rate resolution, and protesta­tion to the contrary, a weake wenches breath, his owne sib­boleth, or lisping Galilean lan­guage bewraying him, his Masters present deplored con­dition, needing rather fast friends to backe him, and faithfull seruants about him, to own and honour him, then such renegadoes to adde to his affliction, seeing also this was the last seruice and honour which Peter was like to doe to his liuing dying Lord. Hereunto might we adde ma­ny more examples, but these may suffice. And they are of great moment: For bring me [Page 87] euer a childe of God, more sanctified then Dauid, more dignified then Salomon, more fortified then Peter. Dauid, a King, a Prophet: Salomon, a King, a type of Christ, the wisest of men. Peter, an elect, a prime Apostle. And tell me, what greater sinne then adul­tery, then murther? But Da­uid committed adultery but once, thou often. Then looke vpon Salomon, hee lay a long time wollowing in lust, and idolatry. But thy sinne is of another nature: thou art an Apostate, thou hast denied the Lord, that bought thee. Then looke vpon Peter. But he did it for present feare of his life, thou for loue of this present world. Yet hold to the exam­ple, that Peters weeping may helpe to soften thy hard heart [Page 88] to repentance. But haply Sa­tan may go about to perswade thee, that thy sinne is greater then all theirs, to driue thee to despaire. Indeede Satan is euer in his extreames; he ei­ther possesses a man that his sinnes are lesse then they be, that so hee may neuer come soundly to repent of them: or else, when the sinner begins to be humbled, and to be ouer-shooes in sorrow, the diuell is ready to push him ouer boots, yea to plunge him ouer head and cars; he presents him with a false glasse, wherein he be­holds his sinnes beyond all measure monstrous, and aboue all example. But herein he ly­eth. There is no sinne inci­dent to the condition of Gods childe, wherein some of Gods dearest Saints haue not gone [Page 89] before, whereof ye haue ex­amples of highest nature, of sundry kinds. For we speake not here of diabolicall sinne, committed with a high hand, and such, for which a man finds no place for repentance, as prophane Esau, or Iudas, or those Pharisees and high Priests which sinned against the holy Ghost. Heb. 12.9 But we speake of the sinnes incident to Gods Saints, which for the outward act, are not inferiour to the greatest sinnes of reprobates, but they differ mainely in the inward affection. Iudas, for loue of mony betraid his Ma­ster; Peter, for feare of his life, denied him: both repented▪ but the halter sent Iudas to his place, mercy receiued Peter to his Apostleship. Ahab com­mitted murther for a field, [Page 90] Dauid for a wife: both repen­ted. But as their hearts main­ly differed in the committing of sin, so in their repentance: so that Dauid vpon his harty repentance, obtained remissi­on of his sinne, but with tem­porall iudgements, to his fur­ther humiliation & saluation. Ahab, vpon his hypocriticall repentance, obtained an in­termission, or adiournment of temporall punishment, to his vtter condemnation and perdition. For Ahab (as all such reprobates) committed sinne with his whole heart, but repented by halfes: Dauid (as the Regenerate) on the contrary; they sinne by halfes, but repent with their whole heart. For the reprobate is all flesh, all the old man: but the regenerate is diuided be­tweene [Page 91] the old man and the new: It is no more I that sinne (saith Paul in the person of the regenerate) but sinne that dwelleth in me. In the repro­bate, in the seruice of sinne, the flesh is wholly taken vp, but in spirituall duties it is al­together lame, and vntoward, as the fish out of his element. But in the regenerate, it is the flesh onely that sinneth, but the spirit only that repenteth. And though we cannot so sen­sibly discerne this difference of sinne by the outward act: suffice it, that God, who seeth not as man seeth, clearely be­holdeth, to put a maine diffe­rence betweene the sinnes of the one, and of the other, to giue repentance, or to deny pardon.

Now to bring this downe [Page 92] to euery mans heart. In what degrees of men shall we finde a waightier instance, then a­mong the Ministers of the Gospell, who are persons of highest note, of holiest cal­ling; and such, as if they sinne against the Lord (as Eli said to his sonnes the Priests) who shall intreat for them? 1 Sam. 2.25. Yet God forbid, that such hauing sin­ned, should despaire. Non itaque, &c. (as one in Saint Au­gustine saith.) Although the Priest haue sinned, hee ought not therefore to despaire, De vera & falsa paenit. lib. cap. 5. i [...] the 4. tom. of S Aug. mork [...]s. not­withstanding it be written, who shall intreat for him? Tota namque Ecclesia, &c. For the whole Church, and some o­ther Priest, and the whole or­der of the Saints shall pray for him, and Christ himselfe, who offereth himselfe to God [Page 93] for vs, Sed ideo considerandum, &c. But therfore a Priest must be heedfull, least he easily fall, whose sinne is noted to be the more grieuous. Dicat apud se, &c. Let him say with him­selfe; If the people, empty of the word of God, shal offend, I must beare part of the bur­then: I dare not lay heauy loads vpon them, and not moue them with mine owne finger. But if I sinne what shall I doe? I shall not so ea­sily escape, I must bewaile my misery; For I am of a higher condition, then the people vn­der me. Sic Sacerdos & timeat peccare, sed magis timeat despe­rare: So the Priest let him both feare to sinne, but much more feare to despaire. So that of all examples, the Ministers sinne is most dangerous, and [Page 94] difficultest to be pardoned, ei­ther of God or man. Now be­cause I cannot be so bold with any, to make instances of as with my selfe, being a Mini­ster of the Gospell: what though my hart cannot check me of committing the like ac­tuall sinne of Adultery, as Da­uid? or of fornica [...]ion, as Sa­lomon? and blessed be God, whose onely grace, and not any godnesse, or power in my selfe, hath preserued me from committing any such sinne actually, so much as once in all my life) Or much lesse of Murther, or, of abiuration of the Lord [...]esus Christ, my mercifull Redeemer? Or least of all, of any habttuall, raigning affections, as coue­tousnesse, ambition, and the like? Yet being sensible of [Page 95] [...]y many corruptions, sundry [...]berations in life, absurd and wicked follies, which might be veniall in others, but be­come mortall in me; as being such, which haue brought a wound not onely to my Soule before God, but to my good name in the world, insomuch as neither the world can bee otherwise perswaded of me, but that I am a sonne of Belial, some prophane hypocrite, loose person, or the like: nor yet mine owne conscience can be otherwise satisfied, but that the least degree of sinne in me may stand in compari­son with the greatest enormi­ties, that euer any of Gods children haue of frailty fallen into: What shall I doe in this case? whether shall I turne mee? when I may sit mee [Page 96] downe in sad solitarinesse, and thus debate, deplore my for­lorne estate: What? such a one as I commit the least fol­ly? A Minister of Christ? was [...]uer any so absurd? euer any of Gods Prophets, or Priestes, or Apostles, or Mini­sters? I meane not traiterous Iudasses, or couetous Demas­ses, or ambitious Dio [...]repheses, or adulterous Hophnies and Phineasses, or such like, which continuing in their sinnes vn­repented, vnreformed, haue nothing of the sacred calling, but the bare name: what com­fort can these examples mini­ster to a faithfull Minister, o­uertaken with any fault, whereas themselues perished in their sins? But I meane the better, the best sort: Yes, I finde Dauid committed adul­terie, [Page 97] Murther, yet a holy Pro­phet, and repented, and was receiued to mercie. Salomon had many Concubines, many Idoll-gods, yet a holy Type of Christ, and repented, and was receiued to mercie. Peter denyed, forswore his Master Christ, yet a holy Apostle, and repented, and was receiued to mercie. What then? Haue my sinnes euer-topped theirs, that I should despaire of their mercie? Or is my person, or calling holyer or higher then theirs, that it should so aggra­uate a lesse sinne in mee, as to make it equiualent, or tran­scendent to theirs? Farre bee it. Beeing so then, here is comfort for me. Onely this account I must make withall, that the higher reckoning my least sinne amounts vnto, bee­ing [Page 98] racked vp to the highest pin by the height of my holy calling, the deeper I must bee plunged in the verie gulfe of griefe, and humiliation for the same. Considering, that as great a Sacrifice was offered for the Priest's sinne alone, Leui. 4.3, 14. as for the whole Congregation, though each sinned alike in the same kind. Dauid, Salo­mon, Peter, all smarted for their sinne. And who would buy sinne at so deare a rate, as they payd for it? But yet they found mercie, and fauour at Gods hand. This was their comfort. And their example is my comfort also. For why should any man, beholding such examples of Gods super-abundant mercy in pardoning sinnes of highest nature, hee hauing sinned, not by the pa­tronage [Page 99] of their example, but by the imprudence of his own impotent passions: Why (say I) should any man, out of a comfortlesse deiection, shut himselfe out from all hope of Gods mercie, as an abiect or out-cast, and not rather with the hand of Faith and repen­tance, which neuer knew how to be repulsed, knocke at that gate of Grace, which so easily was opened to them, yea which of its owne accord, more readily then that yron gate did to Peter, will open to euerie faithfull penitent sin­ner? Yea, for this cause, for our sakes, are those examples written, and left as euerlasting monuments, that no Adulte­rer, no Idolater, no denyer of Christ, should despaire of mercie vpon repentance. And [Page 100] though these examples are written for all, yet are they most proper for Gods Mini­sters, when they are humbled for any sinne or offence against God, or his people, least the checke of their holy calling might altogether amate them and leaue them comfortlesse, and so expose them as a prey, to the Destroyer. But blessed be God, who hath prouided such Treacle, made of the Mummy of his dead Saints, to cure his liuing ones of the Serpents mortall Sting.

Yet, the while, I ascribe no more to these examples, but as excellent adiuuants to faith, it being the principall instru­ment, whereby the Soule, in her deepest thirst, as with a bucket, drawes the waters of comfort out of the Wells of [Page 101] Saluation, the head Fountaine whereof is Christ. In this Poole of Bethesda, in this Fountaine set open for Israel, whosoeuer are washed, are cured of all their maladies. So that if the Adulteresse had neuer an example of a penitent Mary Magdalen: Acts. nor the Abiurer of Christ, a penitent Peter: nor the Coniurer, of those penitent Magitians: nor the Persecuter of Christ in his Members, of a penitent Paul: nor the Idolater, of a penitent Salomon, or Manasses: nor the Sacrilegious person, of a penitent Achan: If an Ex­tortioner, or cunning Cauiller had neuer an example of a pe­nitent Zacheus, making resti­tution: nor a whole sinfull State of a penitent Niniueh: nor the cowardly or sleepie [Page 102] Minister of a penitent Ionah: nor the Theefe, of that peni­tent on the Crosse: Yet if all, all kind of sinners looke but vpon Christ with the eye of sauing Faith, vpon him they shall find all their iniquities layd, all their burthens borne, all their debts discharged, all their bills cancelled, all their stripes healled. Those, stung with the fiery flying Serpents, some more, Num. 21. some lesse, all mortally; some, in the head, some, in the feet, some, in the eies, some, in the hands, some, in the brest, or else-where, yet all that looked on the brazen Serpent, liued. So all sinners, stung by the old fierie flying Serpent, some after one man­ner, or measure, some after another, but all mortally, the least sting of sinne wounding [Page 103] to death, whether it bee in the eye of lust, or in the feet of affections, or in the hand of action, or in the head of in­uention, or in the brest of con­ception, or the like, none liue, but such as with the eye of a liuing Faith look vpon Christ, Ioh. 3.14, 15. lifted vp vpon the Pole of his Crosse. There thou mayest see all thy sinnes nayled, all puni­shed in thy Sauiour; no lim of his body was free, no one facultie of his Soule vntor­mented, to satisfie, and heale all thy wounds, which sinne hath made in any member of thy body, in any facultie of thy Soule, or in all together. Yet, I say, out of the super-abundancie of Gods care, that no meanes should be wanting vnto his Saints to preserue them from perishing, it hath [Page 104] pleased him to leaue vnto vs the most notable examples of his mercie to his dearest, and greatest of his Saints offend­ing, for the help of our weake Faith in Christ, that no temp­tation, no not sin it selfe, arm­ed with all the power of Hell, should be able to pull vs out of his hand.

The seuenth Preseruatiue, to comfort the Conscience in the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne, is the exercise of outward afflictions, which falling vpon Gods Child after his sinne committed, they are the tokens of our heauenly Fathers loue, who leaueth vs not to our selues, to follow our follies, but mercifully chastizeth vs to our better­ment. So the Lord saith, If my Children forsake my Law, Psal. 89. and [Page 105] walke not in my Iudgments, &c. Then will I visit their transgres­sions with the rod, and their ini­quitie with stripes: Neuerthe­lesse my louing kindnesse will I not vtterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile. Lo heere a speciall marke of Gods fatherly loue to his Children, in correcting them with his Rod. Thus God dealt with Dauid, when, after hee had pardoned his sinne, yet he spares not to lay load of af­flictions vpon him. Supplicia peccatorū, post remis­sionē, cer­tamina esse, exer­citatio­nesque i [...] ­storum▪ Aug▪ de Peccat. mer. & remiss. li. [...], c. 33▪ Not that afflictions are penall satisfa­ctions for sinne, but paternall corrections, and medicinall applycations, and exemplarie instructions and admonitions, euen to warne the vngodly also. For if God spare not his owne Child: How shall the re­bellious Seruant escape. Yet out [Page 106] of this eater came meat, out of this strong, and bitter, came sweetnesse vnto Dauid's Soule. Psa. 23. For he saith, Thy rod, and thy staffe comfort mee; as well the rod of thy correcti­on, as the staffe of supportati­on and protection, comfort me. Hast thou sinned then, and doth God by and by not deferre to correct thee? Be so farre from imputing this to the anger of God towards thee, as rather hence gather assurance, that this affliction is from the verie bowels of a louing and wise Father, who will not pamper thee in thy childish folly, but will hum­ble thee, to doe thee good at thy later end, that thou mayst glorifie him in that quiet fruit of righteousnesse, which af­fliction bringeth forth in all [Page 107] those, who are his true-bred Children. Aug. de serbis Do­mini ser. 37. Magnae misericordiae est nequitiae impunitatem non relinquere, & ne cogatur in ex­tremo Gehennae damnare, modò flagello dignatur castigare. It is Gods great mercie not to leaue sinne vnpunished, and that hee vouchsafeth now to chastise with the whip, that hee may not bee compelled to condemne in the extremitie of Hell fire.

Obiect. But will some man say, Although (I confesse with griefe) I haue grieuously offended God in such or such a manner, and that to the scandall of others: Yet I thanke God he hath hitherto spared mee, forbearing to lay temporall afflictions vpon me; and so as I am sorrie for my sinnes, so I trust hee hath [Page 108] pardoned mee, and accounts me as his owne Child.

Answ. Let no man take this as a signe, that therefore God loues him, because hee doth not afflict him, although he hath committed some grie­uous sinne. But in this case, looke that thou bring not thy selfe into a fooles Paradise. Thou maist iustly suspect, that all is not right with thee; that as yet, thou hast not soundly repented thee of thy sinne. For tell me what measure, yea what manner of ioy thou fin­dest in God? Is it not rather carnall then spirituall? Rather carnall, that thy person is spa­red from affliction, and thou inioyest outward prosperity: then spirituall, that thou find­est any solid comfort of the pardon of thy sinne, sealed vn­to [Page 109] thee by Gods spirit? Would yee not thinke Dauid was a iolly and ioyfull man, so long as that hony-moone lasted, during the festiuities of his new Bride and Nuptials, spor­ting himselfe in his wished pleasures, not onely now in­ioying, but possessing his Bathshabe for wife? Did he not take himselfe (trow you) for a man in high fauour with God, and that now all was whole againe, God and hee good friends, his sinne (if all this while hee thought it a sinne) fully expiated, and all made vp in the marriage? But (tell me) what if God had left Dauid in this his prosperity, wherein he said, I shall neuer be moued? What if hee had not sent Nathan, with a rod in his hand, to whip Dauid? [Page 110] But God will not leaue his childe so. It is not long, but he disciplines him, to make him know himselfe. And be thou well assured, whosoeuer thou art, that hast thy portion in God, thou must looke for thy portion of afflictions. And til then, neuer thinke thou art, as thou shouldest be; Deus v­nicū ha­buit fili­um sine flagitio, nullum sine flagel­lo. Aug. God had but one Sonne without sinne, but not one without sorrow. But if God deferre to afflict thee for thy sin past, do not thou delay so much the more to humble thy soule; yea the more pains thou must take therewith, the more God spareth outwardly to humble thee. Seeing that outward af­fliction well vsed, is a good helpe to our humiliation.

Hereupon followeth the last Preseruatiue (to omit o­thers) [Page 111] to wit, the fruit, which true humiliation worketh in the soule. Hee that can com­mand light out of darknesse, can also, and doth so produce good out of euill, that hee would not else suffer his elect to sinne, were it not, that he is able to cause it to be an oc­casion of a farre greater good, then the euil can counteruaile. Augustine saith, God causeth all things to cooperate for good to them that loue him: Aug. de Corrept. & grat [...]. [...] cap. 9. Vsque a deo prorsus omnia, vt etiam siqui eorum deuiant, & exorbitant, etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat profi­cere in bonum, quia humiliores redeunt, atque doctiores: yea in such sort euen all things, that if any of them doe stray, or decline from the right path, he causeth this very same to further their good, because [Page 112] they return more humble and wise. Now the fruit which true repentance bringeth forth, is that which differen­ceth it mainly from counter­feit repentance. For counter­fet repentance may be very like the true; like that of Iu­das, consisting of contrition, confession, and satisfaction: but what was the fruit of it? he went & hanged himself. Ahabs repentance was a very formall penance; but what was the fruit of it? Hee continued still in his Idolatries, hee hated the true Prophets of God, and har­kened to the Prophets of Baal to his destruction. But these were not the fruits worthy, or be­seeming amendment of life, which euery true penitent must bring forth, as Iohn the Baptist preached.

[Page 113]Now the fruits of true re­pentance are manifold: As, Psal. 38.17. a continuall▪ godly sorrow for sinne past: a greater care to a­uoid all sinne, and that especi­ally wherein he hath most of­fended, 2 Cor. 7 [...] 10. a greater zeale of Gods glory, which we haue disho­noured, a greater indeuour to profit his Church, which we haue scandalized, and euery kinde of way to redeeme the time. Hence it is, that after Peters teares for his threefold denial, Iohn 21. Christ askes him three times, Simon Peter louest thou me? To which Peter orderly replying, Lord thou knowest that I loue thee: Christ addes three times, Feede my Sheepe; intimating to Peter, that as he had dishonoured God, and scandalized his Church by a threefold deniall: so now he [Page 214] must so much the more treble his labour, in feeding Gods sheepe, thereby to win the more honour to God, and pro­fit to his Church; yea, and as Peter had denied Christ at his death, for the sauing of his owne life; so Christ immedi­ately after tels him, how he must by his death glorifie God, Ioh. 21.18, 19. We see also what abundant fruits Da­uids repentance brought forth to the sound instruction and sweet consolation of Gods Church to the worlds end: so in Salomon, and others. Paul for his many persecu­tings, and hauocks of the Church, did afterwards la­bour more abundantly then all his fellowes. As Christ said to Peter, who by his fall weake­ned and scandalized his bre­thren, [Page 115] When thou art conuer­ted, strengthen thy brethren. And who more fit to comfort others consciences, then they that haue been exercised with the bitter conflicts thereof themselues? As the Apo­stle saith, Blessed be God, the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. and the God of all comfort, who comforteth vs in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God. And to this end holy Dauid was not ashamed to display his sinfull wretched condition to all the world, that Gods Church might reape the fruit thereof by his admonitions, and con­solations. And what though the mouthes of railing Shi­meies were opened vpon him, [Page 116] calling him a sonne of blood, and of Belial? Yet Dauid meeke­ly holds on his course in bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance, the benefit whereof might redound to all that feare God.

For a conclusion of this point, let the penitent labor to get assurance to himselfe of the fauour of God, and that by the obseruation of two things: first, of Gods dealing with vs since our sinne, and vpon our repentance for the same, I cannot say simply, after our repentance, sith our whole life must be a continuall repen­tance. And first, to obserue the comforts of God in vs. Where we must note, that God is very wary in pouring into our wounded soules a greater plenty of the oyle of [Page 117] comfort, but with much mix­ture of the sharpe corrosiue vinegar: yea, he distilleth his balme but by small drops, and as patients newly recouered from a strong feuer, diets vs with small bits, and pittances at a time, least by ouerfull a diet, the weake stomacke of the soule be ouercome with a surfet, and so fall into a re­laps. Secondly, to obserue the strength and ability which God hath left vs, I meane of spirituall grace, whereby we are assisted in the perfor­mance of spirituall duties, publike and priuate, domesti­call, or Ministeriall. Herein may hee comfort himselfe, when vpon his repentance, he findeth the graces of Gods spirit no way abated, but ra­ther by prayer increased, and [Page 118] his zeale to Gods glory and his truth more inflamed now, then formerly, as being incen­sed by a kinde of holy indig­nation, and reuenge for his sinne, to expose himselfe to the greater malice and oblo­quy of the world, whose ma­lice is doubled against those, who are most couragious and zealous for the truth. So that when a man obserueth how the Lord prospereth his in­deauours and labours with a rich successe of the seruice of Gods people, he may with the greater comfort and courage goe on, this being a notable e­uidence of grace, of his recon­ciliation with God, of that well of liuing water in his soule, springing vp vnto euer­lasting life. Notwithstanding by the way all along he meete [Page 119] with many rubs, and obsta­cles, difficult to incounter with, but more difficult to ouercome, as will appeare in the insuing Conflicts. For be­ing reconciled to God, yet the penitent shall finde a world of discomforts, or the dis­comforts of the world, to ex­ercise his patience, meeke­nesse, and humility. Euen as a Ship riding at anchor in the Rode or Harbour, hauing es­caped the stormes in the main Ocean, yet is tumbled and tossed with sundry proud waues and billowes, that it hardly findes any steddie rest.

The second thing, is to ob­serue certaine infallible marks and tokens of grace in the pe­nitent soule; and these are (be­sides those reckoned vp by [Page 120] the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.11) first, a sincere purpose of heart with prayer to please God in all things, hauing respect vnto all his Commandements. Ps. 119. Nor are we to rest in a purpose, and desire, thogh neuer so sincere: but to add a most carefull in­deuour in the vse of all means tending thereunto; as prayer publicke and priuate, hearing of the Word, reading, medi­tating, conferring, communi­cating, and the like, all singular and necessarie helpes to our Christian obedience, being as the Oyle to cause our Lampe to flame forth; and withall to be no lesse carefull of auoy­ding all those meanes and oc­casions, which might lead a man back again to the seruice of sinne; least also by com­ming neere to danger, hee [Page 121] tempt God, and expose him­selfe to Sathans temptations. Hast thou fallen by lust? Hast thou repented of it, abando­ned it, not onely in resoluti­on, but practice of all good meanes? Yet if thou fearest not occasions, how apt is the new cured wound to be offen­ded? Hieron. ad Nepotian. Nec in praeterita castitate confidas. There is no trusting to thy former chastity. Nec Dauide sanctior, &c. Thou art neither holier then Dauid, nor stronger then Sampson, nor canst thou be wiser then Salomon. Hieron. regulae c. 4 Cum proximat stipu­la, accendit ignem. And he saith of himselfe, Creditas experto &c. Belieue him that hath had experience, &c. Much lesse trust we to the facility of re­pentance, if we be ouertaken. Hee that once hath knowne [Page 122] truely what repentance is, will not readily come into the fire againe. They that sin and repent, and repent and sinne, doe but dally with re­pentance, as they doe with sinne, they neuer knew yet what true repentance meant. Nec statim nobis poenitentiae re­media blandiantur, Hier. reg. c. 22. quae sunt in­faelicium remedia Cauendum est vulnus, quod dolore curatur. Nor let vs be readie to flatter our selues with the remedies of repentance, which are the remedies of miserable men. Beware of the wound, which is cured with griefe. But on the contrary, if being consci­ous to thy naturall corrupti­ons which way they bend, thou art carefull to shun the occasions, not onely reioycing for ouercomming them, but [Page 123] for not comming into them: Though Nulla est laus ita esse inte­grune, vbi nemo est, qui aut velit, aut conetur corrūpere [...] Cic. Yet, Ego arbi­tror secu­rionis esse cōtinētiae, nescire qd quaeras. Hieron. this is a sure signe of grace raigning and remaining in thee. For though it be a grea­ter glory to ouercome temp­tation by buckling with it: yet it is greater safety not at all to come into it. The cold Iron, void of motion, yet comming where the Load-stone is, how quickely is it drawne towards it, and affect­ed with it? so forcible are dis­pos [...]tions and obiects when they sympathize together. Therefore he that best knew our weake temper, taught vs to pray, first, lead vs not into temptation; but if led, Deliuer vs from the euill. And, Pray, that ye enter not into temp­tation. He is fairely blest, that hath hardly escaped ship­wrack from amidst the sands [Page 124] and Rockes: But hee, that dwels safely on Land, and ne­uer tryed the Sea, hath he not cause to blesse God, for keep­ing him farre from danger, into which many run wilful­ly, some of necessitie? In a word, he must euer be bewai­ling his defects, and contend­ing after perfection, and the more slips, or trips, or falls he hath taken in the Race, the more must he mend his pace, So running, that hee may attaine the price.

CHAP. III. Conflict with Gods people offen­ded, specially when the faithfull Pastour is afflicted for the least offence giuen by him to his Flocke.

THIS conflict, next to that, wherein the Con­science wrastleth with the wrath of God, may challeng precedencie of all other, in afflicting the soule, and plung­ing it into infinite perplexi­ties. For to a faithfull Mi­nister, who makes a con­science of his Calling, and so of his answerable conuer­sation, to whom nothing in the world is more precious, then the Spirituall well-fare [Page 126] of that Flocke committed to his charge, what can bee a greater corrosiue, then to haue a stumbling blocke cast before his people, and that (which is most grieuous of all) by his owne carelesse procurement? How many sentences now stand vp against him? Wo bee to that man, by whom the offence com­meth; better, a Mill-stone were hanged about his necke, and hee cast into the bottome of the Sea, then hee should offend one of these Little-ones? Whereupon the Conscience inferreth: Then, what woe is due to me, to me a Mi­nister, for giuing offence, and that not to one alone, but to the whole Church of God, but specially (which most neerely toucheth mee) [Page 127] to mine own Flock. Againe, the Apostle admonisheth Ti­mothy, Let no man despise thy youth; And, A Bishop must bee blame-lesse: But the Con­science inferreth, I haue been obnoxious both to contempt and blame. Againe, Mini­sters must feed their Flockes, by the Word, by Hospitaltie, by Example: But the Con­science inferreth, I haue beene faultie in the worst kind. Ministers are the Light of their Flockes: But the Con­science inferreth, My light hath been turned into darknesse, and how great is that darknesse [...] Ministers are the Salt of the Earth: But the Conscience inferreth, I haue beene vnsa­uourie, and so hence-forth good for nothing, but to bee cast out to the dunghill. [Page 128] Ministers are Watchmen, and must giue a strict account to the great Sheepherd: But the Conscience inferreth, I haue not kept watch ouer mine own Soule, by meanes where­of the Soules of my Flocke are in danger to perish. Thus his Conscience (who makes a Conscience) conuicted by these, and many the like sen­tences of Scripture, and taking them all to heart, Tell mee (if yee can) what Creature in the world can seeme more wretched, more accursed, then this man doth in his owne eyes, in his owne ap­prehension? May hee not take vp that Lamentation, Is it nothing to you, Lam. 1.12. all you that passe by? Behold and see, if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow, which is done to mee▪ [Page 129] wherewith the Lord hath affli­cted mee in his fierce wrath? May hee not complaine with the Spouse, They made me the keeper of the Vineyards, Cant. 1.6 but mine owne Vineyard haue I not kept? And thus he argues with him­selfe: What is now become of all my paines, studies, inde­uours, desires to doe good, to win soules to God? Must now (alas!) one small moth fret away, and cat vp that faire garment, that hath beene spun with so much paines, wouen with so much patience, and scarce begun to be worn with any pleasure, and lesse profit? Alas, good Ieremy, how poore and impotent was that thy impatience vpon so light a cause, as to curse thy birth­day, and all because the people cursed thee? And wherefore [Page 130] did they curse thee? Thou neither took'st, nor lent'st vp­on vsurie. Was there not then a cause? Thou would'st not be an Vsurer, like them. The more happy thou. But if they had cursed thee for some folly or errour in thy life, reason rather thou might'st haue had to haue cursed the day of thy birth. O holy Iob, thou com­plainedst, thou wast become strange to thy wife, to thy Fa­mily. Why? By reason of thy loathsome body. Yea, but thy heart was sound, thy Consci­ence cleare, thy life vnstained. Where was thy Spirit, that should sustaine such infirmi­ties? But (alas!) the wounded Spirit who can beare?

But that which most of all augmenteth his miserie, and dampeth all his best delights, [Page 131] is, that hee cannot with com­fort and courage, with alacri­tie and delight exercise his Ministry among his offended [...]cke. For whatsoeuer hee goeth about to teach them, may they not say vnto him, Turpee [...] Doctoris eum [...] redargu [...] ips [...]m Physitian, heale thy selfe? Or with what face can he reproue sin in his people, that is culpa­ble thereof in himselfe? Or when he preacheth the word▪ doth he not heare that voyce of God, Psa. 50. Why preachest thou my Law, and takest my Couenant in thy mouth, wheras thou hast cast my words behind thee? Or doth hee not heare that thunder of the Apostle, Rom. [...]. Thou which teach­est another, teachest thou not thy selfe? Thou that preachest, A man should not steale, dost thou steale? Thou that sayest, A man should not commit adulterie, dost [Page 132] thou commit Adulterie? Thou that abhorrest Idols, dost thou commit Sacriledge? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law, disho­nourest thou God? Or how can hee read that Sentence to his people, Be ye followers of me, euen as I am of Christ? And, Walke so, as ye haue vs for an en­sample? When his people may shelter all their sinnes, though neuer so monstrous, vnder the lest erronious slip of his frailty and say, Qui nobis ista dicūt, et ipsi non faciunt ista. Aug. in Ps. 128 They that teach vs these things, themselues keep them not. In a word, how can hee take into his hands the dreadfull Sacraments, whereas the peo­ple account them profane, and vnwashen hands? In this case then, how shall the Minister of God, that should minister comfort to his people, find comfort to himselfe?

CHAP. IIII. The Comfort. Shewing how Gods Minister may recouer com­fort of Conscience, and that among his offended Flocke.

BVT how? By imagining his people to be so good, so wise, as measuring their Minister by themselues, to bee a man of like passions, they will the rather compassionate that in him, whereof they haue so iust cause to complain and bewayle in themselues? Alas! This is a cold comfort, for a man to be pittied for his folly. And a generous mind will disdaine to build its com­fort vpon a base fantasie. Nay rather, may hee not expect [Page 134] contumely, in stead of pittie, and contempt, in stead of Christian compassion? For where shall hee find such per­fection? Will not a mote in his eie seeme greater to them, then the beame in their own? Will they not the more light­ly leape ouer the blocke of their owne grosse iniquities, by stumbling at the strawe of his infirmitie? By straining his g [...]at, will they not the more easily swallow downe their owne Camell? If the Apostles were sacrificed vn­to, Acts. and by and by in the turn­ing of a hand stoned; If for Paul's sake the Galathians would haue pul'd out their eyes, and yet not long after became his enemies, and that for no other cause, but for tel­ling them the truth; So tick­lish [Page 135] is the state of a faithfull Pastour in the fauour of his, Obsequiū amicos ve­ritas [...]diū parit. people, quickly forfeited by telling them their owne▪ What can he hope for then of the goodnesse of a people, to whom hee is iustly become obnoxious? They cannot now doe lesse, then show dis­like, which may serue to passe for good zeale, if, for the cause, they doe not hate the person; or if now they bee not glad to make the least er­rour in his life, a iu [...]t cause to bee reuenged on him for all the truth of his Doctrine.

But hee may imagine, that being at least a well-taught people, they will consider, that as the Minister is more eminent then they in place, and so ought to bee in grace, and spirituall vertue to resist [Page 136] sinne: So hee is more subiect to manifold and more violent temptations, and that through the malice and enuy of Satan, who knoweth, that if he can smite the Sheepherd, hee may the more easily scatter the Flocke; And if his garment bee but scinged with one of his fierie Darts, yealding some ill sauour, either they may impute it to his imbecillitie, or negligence, taken napping then, when hee should haue watched: or to their neglect of prayer for him to be kept holy and blamelesse, he hauing no lesse need of their prayers, then they of his: or else they may impute it to some sinne, which themselues doe liue in without repentance, for which God may punish them in their Pastour, as Israel was [Page 137] made subiect to three dayes pestilence at the best, through the sin of Dauid's numbring the people, to which God suf­fered him to bee stirred vp by Satan. So that thus the people reflecting vpon themselues, and bearing a part of their Ministers offence, they may seeme to lighten the burthen of his distressed Conscience. But (alas!) who will duely weigh the infinite perils, which the best Saints of God, but especially his Ministers, doe continually incounter with? Or who takes thought to pray for him? Hee must pray for all; as Iob for his Children, while they were a feasting; But who for him? Although the neglect hereof may bring an old house vpon the carelesse peoples heads, [Page 138] as it befell Iob's Children. Or which of the people will smite the hand vpon his own thigh, and say, My customarie and vsuall sinnes, as in my de­ceitfull dealling, either with men in my Trading, or with God, in my lying, or in my swearing, or prophaning the sacred Ordinances of God, or the like, hath beene the cause, in part at least, why God might in iustice suffer this or that temptation to preuaile ouer my Pastour, to the further imperilling of mine own Soule, by hardning me in my sinne, through his example, which otherwise should make mee the more cautelous, least I abuse his weakenesse (for which I know not how greatly hee is humbled) to my wilfulnesse [Page 139] in committing, and continu­ing in sinne?

Or else, may not his Con­science perhaps find comfort, by considering, that though a Ministers conuersation bee of great moment to win the peo­ple to God, yet it is not that, which the people must build vpon for their saluation, but the sound Doctrine which he teacheth. It is Christ's rule: The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses his Chayre; Math. 23 2. All there­fore, whatsoeuer they bid you ob­serue, that obserue and doe; But doe not after their workes; For they say and doe not. But (alas!) howsoeuer this be true, and may serue to establish the hearts of Gods people against the stumbling blocke of his delinquencie: Yet in the meane time, what comfort [Page 140] can himselfe reape from hence? Yea, doe wee not see by common experience, that a small scandall in a Minister, be it habituall, or but in some one act, wherein hee walkes not, workes more vpon the generall corruption of the people, then the example of all his vertues, ioyned withall his painfull, and sound preach­ing, is able to counteruaile? So that, though a few will follow his Doctrine for Con­science sake, as being the Word of God: Yet the most and greatest part, especially among the rude and vndisci­plined rustickes, will rather chuse to liue by the least bad example. As Saint Augustine vpon those words ( Doe men gather Grapes of Thornes) saith, Aug in Euang. Ioh. Ser. 1. Euill Ministers are Thornes, [Page 141] which sitting in Moses his Seate, the Vine of good Do­ctrine in-twines, and wrapes about them; Doe thou gather the Grape, so as the Thorne may not pricke thee; that is, what they say, doe thou; but after their doings, doe not; Their doings are Thornes, their sayings are Grapes, springing from the Vine of the Word, from Moses his Seat. But (saith he) (I speake by experience, else I would not belieue it) many come to vs, and aske counsell of vs how to lye, and circumuent, supposing, that such things please vs. So he. So apt are naturall men to imitate the least errour in their Minister, when they could bee content, that his Doctrine also were such, as might feed them in [Page 142] their humours. Or, when they see the Grapes in-folded within the Thornes, they will hardly aduenture the pricking of their hand, when seldome by such Thornes the heart is pricked with remorse vnto repentance to saluation, while prophane worldlings, and carnall professours, bearing an in-bred malice to the Word it selfe, are glad vpon the least occasion on the Ministers part, euen to absent them­selues from his Ministrie, and Gods publicke Ordinances, yea contemning and abhor­ring them, specially if the Mi­nisters life be habitually scan­dalous, as in the examples of Hophni and Phineas. 1 Sam. 2.17. So that of necessitie such must speedi­ly breake off their course of sinne by repentance, and make [Page 143] open demonstration thereof by their reformation, that by their example their sinfull people may also be drawne to repentance.

Or, in case the Ministers offence is not of an habituall exorbitancie, but of some in­diuiduall act of infirmitie, heedlessely or negligently breaking forth from some corrupt disposition of his nature: his heart being other­wise vpright, and as true as Steele (as we say) as free from the purpose of sinning, as the cold Steele is from fire; but being strucke vpon by the Flint of some suddaine temp­tation, may expresse some sparkles of in-bred corrupti­on, which yet without the Tinder of consent, or at least without the Fuell of prosecu­tion [Page 144] or practise, quickly dy­eth: And on the other side, the whole tenour of his life being a constant progresse in Christian duties, and those specially of his Calling, con­tinually fighting with sinne, and corruption dwelling in his nature: Will not one vni­uersall habit of grace so coun­terpoyse, and counteruaile some particular act of inbred corruption, as that his people may reape much more good by the one, then hurt by the other? Seeing, a wise man will not wilfully goe throw himselfe downe headlong, be­cause his guide vnwarily hath slipped in a plaine way. And hee is a mad-man, that will desperatly goe cut his throat, because such a one hath fool­ishly cut his finger. But (alas!) [Page 145] we se, that a small skarre vp­on the fairest face, proues the fowler blemish: and the least obliquity or crookednesse marres the straightest line: and the smallest mote will most trouble the tenderest, the clearest eye: and one small fly-corruption, the whole box of the purest oyntment: and one small errour is enough to disgrace and disparage all the most beautifull actions of ver­tue. Quicquid est, in quo offenderis, id pene emnia, quae lau­danda sunt, ob­ruit. Cic. The Heathen Orator could say, whatsoeuer it is, wherein thou hast offended, it doth blurre and blot out in a manner all those things which are praise worthy. And the conceit and feare of occasioning or hazzarding the losse of one poore soule in his flocke, shall afflict him more, then the comming of many [Page 146] to God can comfort him.

But if in case, against an e­uill farre fetcht fame, which the further it trauaileth, the more it lyeth (like some talka­tiue and vaineglorious trauai­ler, who would bee admired for those strange vncouth things, which he neuer saw) he can oppose his good car­riage amongst his owne peo­ple, where he is best knowne, and can protest and say with Samuel, Whose Asse or Oxe haue I taken, or what bribe, to blind mine eyes, to doe any man wrong, or the like? or if he bee traduced for an adulterer, or one viciously giuen that way, and can plead in the face of all his Parishioners, among whom hee hath liued long e­nough to be knowne, Whose wife, or daughter, or maid haue [Page 147] I corrupted to commit folly with her, or vsed any light behauiour towards her, although there were opportunity enough: may not this be a great com­fort to him, and a witnesse for him? But yet if in any other place he hath incurred an euill suspition that way, and that iustly vpon some aberration, all his good carriage among his owne people, what will it profit? Is not the world apt to take euery thing in the worst part, in euil, concluding substances vpon shadowes, and fruits of radicall iniquity, where she seeth but a leafe or blossome of corruption, sprouting forth beneath the new grafting of the old Crab-tree-stocke? and in good, con­trary; esteeming the substan­ces of holinesse but as shad­dowes [Page 148] of hypocrisie, and the fruites of piety, but as leaues of pride and ostentation? What comfort then may hee hope for this way? seeing a false suspicion once rooted, is hardly remooued, but pas­seth for currant, as if the worst that could bee said were too true. And it is too common, that that Monster many-tongued Fame, in spea­king euill, will as farre ouer­shoot all bounds of truth, through malice, as in speaking well shee vsually commeth as farre short, through enuy.

But they are a louing peo­ple; 1 Cor. 13 And loue couers a multi­tude of sinnes; it reioyceth not in iniquity, but in the truth; is not easily prouoked, thinketh no euill, it beareth all things, belee­ueth all things (in the better [Page 149] part,) hopeth all things, endureth all things. Indeed, a [...]though to a faithfull Pastour, nothing is more deare, more desired, ef­fectu non affectu, if so it please God, as an event of his labour, not as the end of his desires, as the blessing of God, not as an Idol of his owne making,) then the loue of his people; which inioying, he is the bet­ter armed against all discou­ragements and difficulties: yet here is the mischiefe, that when he hath by the expence of much paines and peril, pur­chased their loue, now it greeues him so much the more, if not altogether to loose, yet to haue hazzarded the losse of it, through the least defect, or default on his part. So that hitherto he can find no solid comfort.

[Page 150]Where then? Surely hee must goe to the God of com­fort. He must still againe and againe, vpon the redoubling of the waues, and returning of the stormes, with the Disci­ples in bodily distresse, come to Christ saying: Master saue me, or I perish. All other com­forts are but as the Egyptian Reed, which the more leaned vpon, pierce more deeply. Thus did Dauid, Psal. 142. when all o­ther outward comforts failed him, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me, refuge failed me; no man cared for my soule. What then? where should hee finde comfort? I cryed vnto thee O Lord; I said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion, in the land of the liuing. And here it is worth our ob­seruation, [Page 151] how Dauid goes a­bout to lay sure and fast hold vpon the hornes of Gods Al­tar. He intitles, and ingages God onely in the quarrell of his sinne, as hauing offended none, but him alone: Against Thee, Thee only haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight. See how he doubleth the Em­phasis: Against Thee, Thee only haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight. Why, had not Dauid offended and sin­ned against men also, against Vriah, his life, his wife, and those other that dyed with him for company, yea against the whole Church, against the very enemies of the Lord, causing them to blaspheme? &c. How then saith he here, Against Thee, Thee only? 2 Sam. 11 To omit other interpretations of [Page 152] this speech, some referring it to David as King, whom none but God could punish; some, as Gods Child; some as spo­ken comparatiuely betweene God and men, that though he had offended men much, yet God most, not onely in regard of his Law violated, but of his loue vnkindly rewarded: o­thers, that Dauids sinne was knowne onely to God, and concealed from men, in that he saith, In thy sight: (although neither Dauids adultery with Bathshabe, nor his murther of Vriah could possibly bee so closly carried, but his Court, and Campe, and so the world might take notice of them, he hauing imployed messengers to fetch the one, and Ioab to betray the other, & had made Vriah drunke, which smelled [Page 153] strong enough, and beeing dead, Ioab bids the messenger say to Dauid, Thy seruant Vri­ah is slaine also, which he knew would pacifie Dauid for that his dishonourable defeat, and wherefore) this I note main­ly, that howsoeuer men might make either the best, or the worst of all this, either by flattering him to his face, as being a King, or flowting him behind his backe, as hauing enemies; so that comfort he could no where finde: here­upon he makes his appeale to Gods iudgement seat, With whom was mercy; from mans, of whom he could expect but little; he pleades, that if any had cause to iudge, then God most of all; wherein Dauid desires that God would take the matter into his owne [Page 154] hand. Dauid knowing well enough, that the principall Creditor being satisfied, the same will take such order with all the rest, as to worke the debters peace with them vpon reasonable termes, sith he hath all their hearts in his hands, and is alone able by his Grace to satisfie them, so as no dam­mage shall come vnto them by their forbearance.

Againe, that Gods Minister in this case may find comfort in his Ministerie among his people, hee must obserue ano­ther practise of Dauid, which is, to haue his heart establish­ed by Grace, and that, not onely in the assured pardon of his sinne, but also in the sin­ceritie of his conuersion from it, that hee may the more cheerfully apply himselfe to [Page 155] instruct others. Psal. 51. Note Dauid's words well, Hide thy face from my sinnes, and blot out all mine iniquities. That's for the par­don of his sinne, and the dis­charge of his debt to God. What then followes? Create in me a cleane heart O God, and renew a right Spirit within me: that is, a cleane heart from the guilt of sinne past, and a right Spirit, to abhorre and auoid sinne to come. And he adds, Cast me not away from thy pre­sence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me; Restore vnto me the ioy of thy Saluation, and vphold me with thy free Spirit. How doth hee labour to fortifie himselfe in Gods fauour and grace? And what then? Then will I teach transgressours thy wayes, and sinners shall be con­uerted vnto thee. Then, and not [Page 156] before, when a Minister hath found peace with God in the pardon of his sinne, hee may with comfort of Conscience apply himselfe in his Ministry to bee an instrument of con­uerting others vnto God. As Christ said to Peter, When thou art conuerted, strengthen thy brethren. As Dauid goes on, Deliuer me from blood-guilti­nesse, O God, thou God of my Saluation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse. Nor did Salomon be­come a Preacher of Repen­tance to other, before hee had first repented himselfe. And Esay, being a man of pollu­ted lips, had no heart to pro­phecie to others, before the Seraphim had touched his lips [Page 157] with a coale from the Altar, saying, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquitie is taken away, and thy sinne purged. Whereupon Esay now can say, Here I am, send me. Esa. 6.7. So that a Ministers peace with God, giues him comfort and cou­rage to preach to others that grace and mercie, whereof himselfe hath had particular experience. As Paul saith, For this cause I obtained mercie, 1 Tim. 1.16. that in me first, Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suf­fering for a patterne to them, which should hereafter belieue on him to life euerlasting. But on the contrarie, I see not with what confidence or courage a Minister can stand in the pre­sence of God, and in the face of his Congregation, either to instruct others in righte­ousnesse, [Page 158] which himselfe fol­loweth not, or to reproue them of sinne, whereof him­selfe repenteth not. Famous is that example of Origen, Centur. 3. cap. 10 who for his offering of In­cense to the Idoll, being ex­communicated from the Church of Alexandria, and comming to Ierusalem, and there intreated, yea and in a manner inforced to preach vnto them, hee going vp to the Pulpit, as if hee would preach, recited those words in the Psalm, But to the wicked, saith God, what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Couenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee? Hee no sooner had read these words, but clo­sing the Booke, fell into a sad [Page 159] and bitter weeping, and that so abundantly, that as a stream it carried the affections of the whole assembly with it to weepe for companie, and that out of a fellow-feeling of those compunctions of heart, which so stopped his mouth, and opened the flood-gates of repentance, for his late sacrifi­cing to the Idol, and for other his errours, whereinto he was said to fall, after that his fall. Such an insupportable burden is sinne vnrepented vpon a Ministers Conscience, that till by the mercie of God hee be well lightened of it, vneath he shall beare the Lords bur­then vnto the people. But vpon his humble repentance, being at peace with God, and hauing obtained the comfort of his Spirit, and the assistance [Page 160] of his grace to settle him in the state of a good Consci­ence, and of a holy life: here­upon he becomes imboldened to preach of mercy to others, whereof himselfe hath so plentifully tasted, and wherby sinners may be conuerted vn­to God.

Thirdly, The Minister as hee hath offended his Flocke any way iustly, he must labour to make them satisfaction. And this stand sin foure things especially: First, In dubbling his labour and diligence in the faithfull discharge of his Mi­nistry, that what he hath for­merly lost by any kind of neglect, either in life, or Do­ctrine, hee may endeuour to regaine.

Secondly, In labouring so much the more to set forth [Page 161] himselfe as a patterne of a true belieuer, in faith, in pati­ence, and other vertues, wher­by the calling not onely of a Christian, but of a Minister and Pastour of Gods people is adorned. So that the con­stant example of his carriage and course for the time to come, may be as a mouth, to signifie to all, his exceeding humiliation and sorrow for his sinnes past, his hatred and detestation of all sinne in him­selfe and others, and his ear­nest care and purpose of hart, expressed in his practise vt­terly to abandon and auoid the like, and all sinne for the time to come, setting himselfe with all boldnesse to reproue sinne in others, which now they may behold so hatefull to himselfe; turning also his [Page 162] people, that setting them­selues to speedie repentance, they need not to doubt of Gods mercie towards them, seeing that the sinne of their Pastour was not denyed it.

Thirdly, To be continually exercised in feruent prayer for his people, that from henceforth, they may reape infinitely more profite by his Ministry, and example of life, then formerly they haue re­ceiued hurt by any his neg­lect, or occasion. This will be a meanes (through Gods spe­ciall blessing cooperating) to reconcile and reunite the peo­ples hearts to their Pastour, and to cause all things to succeed happily betweene them.

Lastly, He must practise the Spirit of meekenesse towards [Page 163] the weake, labouring to re­store such, considering his owne selfe, who hath beene, and lest hee may be yet temp­ted. And to bee patient to­wards all, that if he meet with any vnkind affronts, or closse biting malicious frumpes, hee either answer not at all, re­membring that God hath layd that burthen vpon him; or else, lest the malicious may thus, being let goe, perish in his sinne, hee is to admonish him, either priuatly, or, if oc­casion require, publickly be­fore all the companie, so, as they may learne to feare God, lest they turne the fall of their brother through weakenesse, now repented, now recouered into their own presumptuous ruine irrecouerable. But neuer to retort or returne rebuke [Page 164] for rebuke, euen as Dauid would shew no reuenge vpon cursing cursed Shimei, hoping God would doe him good for his cursing that day, and knowing, that God would not hold Shimei guiltlesse, but without repentance, without peace bring him to the graue, as it befell Shimei. Thus may the afflicted and humbled Conscience of Gods Minister bee through Gods grace and mercie inabled in some good m [...]asure to beare vp against such winds and waues of try­all, and in time to ouercome them. Although when he hath done his best, and suffered much, yet hee must make ac­count neuer to bee quit of his paine altogether, till death, but as a hurt or bruise in the body in youth, it will become an [Page 165] ach, and symptome of old age, accompanying him to his graue. As Dauid, in his old age, complaines of the aches of those sinnes in his youth, still sticking in his bones, when hee said, Psa▪ 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth, &c. So that he must conclude and re­solue with Hezechiah, Esa▪ 15. I shall goe softly all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my Soule. And say with Dauid, My sorrow is continually before me. And euer to make this vse of his former sinnes, euen to bee humbled in his best graces, and most beau­tifull actions, and prouoked to aspire to all perfection therin, not fearing now to be proud, who hath such cause to be humbled.

CHAP. V. The third Conflict, arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended.

IT was no small griefe to the Spouse, when she said, My Mothers children were angry with me. Cant. 1.6 and 5.7. And againe, The Watchmen, that went about the Citie, found me, they smote me, they wounded me, the Keepers of the Walls tooke away my vaile from me. The least offence gi­uen by a Minister, if it shall be taken to heart of the whole Sacred fraternitie, and made theirs: when the Delinquent considereth it, what a torment is it to his Conscience? when hee shall now see their coun­tenances auerse, full of high [Page 167] indignation and contempt to­wards him; when now, as a person excommunicated with Anathema Maran-Atha, they refuse to conuerse, or keepe companie with him; when now, as the Owle, he is abhorred, forsaken, left deso­late, disconsolate, of all the Birds. And all this, so much the more grieuous, as seeming to bee grounded vpon the pe­remptorie Canon of the Apo­stle, 2 Thess. 3 6. Now we command you Brethren, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye with­draw your selues from euerie Brother, that walketh inordi­nately, &c. And againe, 1 Cor. 5 11. I haue written vnto you not to keepe companie. If any that is called a Brother, be a Fornicator, or Co­uetous, or an Idolater, or a Drun­kard, or an Extortioner, with [Page 168] such a one, no, not to eat. So that most discomfortable must it needs be to a Minister, when any way iustly he falleth vpon the vniuersall displeasure of those of his owne Coat, be­ing abhorred of them, per­sons by Calling Holy, of esteeme Reuerend. In such a case then, what shall the poor Owle doe? Whither retire, but into her darke Cell, the verie embleme of Hell? Or at the best, being but as a Spar­row sitting alone vpon the House top: Or as a Pelican in the Desert, without comfort, without resort of friend, or Physitian, to comfort or cure the bleeding wound. Solitari­nesse onely affording him this benefit, that he may the more freely, Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet. without witnesse be­waile his dolefull condition. [Page 169] For to whom shall hee make his complaint, or of whom seeke comfort, when the whole Colledge of Physitians forsake him, as a man whose case is desperate, and incureable?

CHAP. VI. How in this case notwith­standing, the poore forlorn Patient may find reliefe.

YET in this perplexed state, whatsoeuer his of­fence may bee, more or lesse, this may bee one comfort to him, at least in the behalfe of the Church of God, that the Ministers thereof should bee so zealous of the credite of their Sacred calling, that if any one among them shall by some exorbitancie or irregu­laritie dishonour the same, without any apparent signe of remorse or repentance, all are so affected with it, as they looke on their Delinquent [Page 171] Brother a farre off, as men doe vpon a Plag [...]y or Leprous person. Yea let him account it his happinesse to liue in such a Church, whose Sheepherds are so tender of his, and their owne vnstained puritie. For in such a Church (if any such Church bee vpon earth) no Minister will euer dare to bee so couetous, one of a thousand as to heape vp riches, and re­uenues one vpon another, without number, waight, or measure, more like a Secular Potentate, then a Spirituall Optimus ille Dispē ­sator que sibi nihil reseruat. Hiero [...]y.Stuard, or Sheepherd: For if so, hee must looke to bee, not had in admiration for his wealth, but Nogoti­a [...]orem Clericum, et ex ino­p [...]di [...]ite [...] e [...]gnobili gloriosum, [...]. H [...]er. id Nepot. scorned and shunned of the whole frat [...]r­nitie, as a man vnwor [...]hy, vn­fit, vna [...]le to teach others the way to Heauen, who hath ta­ken [Page 172] vp his heauen vpon earth, whose whole zeale to recom­mend Heauen to others, is for no other end, but that himselfe may inioy the earth alone. None of that Churches sacred Order, no nor any other pro­phane Secular will bee so shamlesly a Boon companion, to make the Tauerne his Stu­die, the Dice and Cards his Bookes, Fortunes boxe, the Poores box, to which his cha­ritie sacrificeth of his contin­gent gaines, thus spending and spinning out the Thread of his life and liuelyhood, and all to make a Cobweb to couer him: For if so, God forbid he should hope for impunity, but let him looke iustly to bee cast out of his Brethrens so­cietie, as a prodigious prodi­gall, fitter to keepe Hogges, [Page 173] then worthy to sheere the Lords Sheepe. No Minister then could euer halt in his Re­ligion, be Idolatrously, or Po­pishly affected, or any way complie with Neutralitie and Lukewarmenesse in Religion, by preaching or otherwayes: If so, let him looke, that all the rest of his Brethren will, as one man, stand vp against him, and oppose him. No Minister will bee ambitious, haughtily affecting the honor of preeminence ouer his Bre­thren, rather then the burthen of his Office: If so, let him looke that they all, not out of carnall enuy, but holy zeale, will with their verie lookes humble and abase such a one, and with one voyce disclaime him, with a Nolumus hunc do­minari super nos. No Minister [Page 174] will easily walke inordinatly, that is, as the Apostle applyeth it, not working in his Calling, or doing the worke of the Lord negligently: For if hee do, let him looke, after admo­nition, to be auoyded of all his Brethren as a Heathen or Publican, as our Sauiour speakes. According to that of the Apostle, If any that is cal­led a Brother, be any of these, a Fornicatour, or Couetous, or an Idolater, or a Rayler, or a Drun­kard, or an Extortioner, or such like, with such a one, no not to eat. In a word then, if this be done to one, who cannot iust­ly bee taxed with any of all these, who had rather dye, then sinne, yet through some frailtie, or folly hath offended his Brethren, though it bee infinitely more offensiue to [Page 175] his owne afflicted Soule, and for which hee is like all his life long to wade in this vaile of miserie, through a sea of sorrows, and flood of teares: Then what may another ex­pect, that walketh in an open scandalous course, without the least touch of remorse, much lesse signe of reforma­tion? Especially in such a Church, whose greatest care and vigilancie is to bee found without spot or wrinckle, since the Apostle saith, If any man obey not our word, note that man, and haue no companie with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet (oh that wee would note this Apostolicke caution well, and put it in better practise!) count him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a Brother. And yet (alas!) for many [Page 176] seueere Censurers, where is one brotherly Admonisher? For all are ready to condemn, to contemne, when many times (if they knew all) they had more need to comfort their deiected and disconsolat Brother, if euer themselues tasted of the same bitter Cup of Spirituall discomforts.

Another mitigation of his maladie may arise from the consideration of the perfect condition of these his Bre­thren, and that as others sinne, so (it is to bee hoped) their owne also in the first place, cannot but bee displeasing to themselues, and then the comfort may bee, that one time or other at last, they will looke more fauourably vpon him, be reconciled vnto him, take him into their bosome [Page 177] againe, they cannot bee impla­cable at least rebuke him in the Spirit of meekenesse, as knowing that themselues also may be tempted. And thus let me be the obiect of contempt to my Brethren, while I may inioy the sight of the vnstain­ednesse of their perfections: and themselues without enuie honoured and admired of all. But yet (alas!) these comforts will not come home enough. To reioyce at the happy estate of Gods Church and Chil­dren, though it be a symptom and signe of true grace, and a qualitie proper to none, but to Gods elect Saints: Yet what comfort can it bee for a man, to reioyce at others well-fare, and in the meane time to bee pressed downe with the waight of his owne vnwor­thinesse? [Page 178] Or how can he be comforted to see others in ho­nor, that is himselfe compassed about with disgrace? Could the sight of Lazarus in Abra­ham's bosome any whit com­fort poore Diues, now in Hell torments, or not rather add fuell to those flames? Much lesse shall hee euer thinke to extenuate his owne sinne, and consequently mitigate his sor­row, by discouering or vn­charitably thinking that there may be farre greater obliqui­ties in others, then hee can ea­sily find to bee in himselfe. As though anothers Plague would asswage my Feuer: Or anothers Gangreue my Re­duuiae, or sore finger. Yea, on the contrarie, the least sinne becomes the more damnable, when it seekes a patronage, or [Page 179] shaddow from some others Master-sinne. This is to looke vpon others sinnes with a Perspectiue glasse, turning that end outward, which di­lateth and multiplyeth the ob­iect, but the other towards a mans selfe, which contracteth and abateth it. Nor is it safe for a man so to compare or parallel himselfe with others, as looking onely on their in­firmities and slips, but not on their more masculine vertues and graces: And on the other side, reflecting vpon his owne moralities, perhaps not mix­ed with the like imperfecti­ons, at least in apparence, yet comming as farre short of the others perfections, and nobler parts, thereupon either to comfort himselfe, or to contemn them, in comparison [Page 180] of himselfe. As I remember a sweet obseruation of Saint Augustine to this purpose: Aug. cōtra Manich. l. 22. c. 68. Multi nunquam Christum vel semel abnogauerunt, nec eius pro nostra salute passionem im­probauerunt, nec Gentes Iuda­izare coegerunt, & tamen Pe­tro, qui haec fecit, impares com­parebunt. Ita multi fideles, nul­lius appetentes vxorem, nullum maritum appetitae vsque ad mor­tem persequentes, Dauidicum tamen meritum, qui ista fecit, non attingunt. Tantum interest, quod cuique in seipso, quantun (que) displiceat, vt penitus extirpetur: & quid pro eo fructiferum, & opulentum ingenti feracitate consurgat: quia & agricolae plus placent agri, qui spinis etiam magnis eradicatis, centenum pro­ferunt: quam qui nullas vnquam spinas habuerunt, & vix ad tri­cenum [Page 181] perueniunt. Many neuer, no not once, denied Christ, nor discommended his Passi­on for our Saluation, nor com­pelled the Gentiles to Iudaize; and yet they will be found far inferiour to Peter, who did these things. So also many Be­lieuers, hauing neither des [...]red any mans wife, nor persecuted the husband of any desired, vnto the death, yet they attaine not to Dauid's excel­lencie, who did these things. Of so great consequence is it, what displeaseth euerie man in himselfe, and how much, that it may vtterly bee rooted out; and what in stead there­of springeth vp, as a fruitfull and rich crop: because euen those Fields doe more delight the Husbandman, which ha­uing great Thornes scrubbed [Page 180] [...] [Page 181] [...] [Page 182] vp, doe bring forth an hun­dred fold: then those, which neuer had any such Thornes, and yet scarcely amount to thirtie-fold. So he.

But to find solid comfort, the Patient must imitate the Spouse, who being beaten by the Watchmen, for not keep­ing her owne Vine, yet goes on with all care and diligence to seeke out him, whom her Soule loued, whom till shee found, she could find no sound comfort. Christ is that great and good Sheepherd, that gaue his life for his Sheep. He is that mercifull High Priest, who takes compassion of our infirmi­ties. If any man sinne, we (wee saith the beloued Disciple) we haue an Aduocate with the Fa­ther, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our [Page 183] sinnes. This is that sweet Iesus, who reiected not his penitent Apostle, though he had denied him thrice. This is that Iudge, before whom the woman [...]e­prehended in Adulterie, being accused, shee found mercie, when her accusers, readier to stone her, then so much as once to smite vpon their own brest, yet slunke away selfe-condemned, not abiding the issue of their accusation, while shee, neither seeking to hide her sinne, nor to hasten from the sentence, wholly commit­ting her cause to the clemency of the Iudge, was dismissed with this comfortable speech, Neither do I condemne thee, go, & sin no more. To this merciful Iudge let the distressed Con­science appeale, when all the world accuseth, condemneth.

[Page 184]And now O Lord Iesus Christ, thou onely compassio­nate Physitian of the wound­ed Spirit, thou onely refresher of the wearie, and laden, thou onely mercifull High Priest, who wast therefore acquaint­ed with infirmities, yet with­out sinne, that thou might'st take compassion euen of our sinfull infirmities: Vouchsafe to reflect one looke of grace vpon thy wretched Scruant, which as the Sunne-beame may so warme the cold com­fortlesse Soule, as sending vp vapourie sighes towards Hea­uen, they may distill in such a kindly sad showre of godly sorrow, as to cause the parch­ed ground of my heart to fru­ctifie more abundantly, as af­ter the latter raine, to a blessed Haruest. O Lord Christ, my [Page 185] sinnefull Soule dare the more boldly appeale, and approch to thy Iudgement Seat, bee­cause thy selfe was iudged for me, and art become not onely my Iudge, but my Aduocate. At thy Barre, I feare not to hold vp the hand of my faith, and to open the mouth of humble sorrow to confesse guiltie. Seeing I cannot doe this, but presently, as by the Law of Relation, thou auou­chest thy selfe my Sauiour, my Suretie, my Sacrifice, my Sa­tisfaction, in whose pure Blood all my pollutions are washed, on whose Crosse the hand-writing of all that debt of mine, more then ten thou­sand Talents, is fast nayled, and cancelled. Oh, that it where my lot, to haue none other Iudge, but thy selfe, to be sen­tenced [Page 186] at none other Barre, but thy Tribunall! Why? Because thou ar [...] not Iust? Yea a most vpright Iudge. But oh, that I might fall into thy hands onely, and not into the hands of men! For with thee there is mercie, that thou mayest be feared. Thou so forgiuest sinne, Aug. de peccatorū meritis et remiss. l. 2. cap. 19 as withall thou forget­test it, cancelling and crossing thy Booke: But man once of­fended, writes it in his marble heart, for perpetuall remem­brance. Onely thou playest the good and wise Physitian, keeping Idcirco Sanctos et fideles suos in aliqui­bus vitiis tardius sanat, vt in his eos minùs, quàm implendae ex omni parte iustitiae sufficit, delectet bonum, vt quantum tertinet ad integerrimam regulam veritatis eius, non iustificetur in conspe­ctu eius omnis v [...]uens Nec in eo ipso vul [...] nes dam [...]abiles, sed humiles, commendans nobis ean­dem gratiam suam, ne facilitatem in omnibus as­secuti, nostrum putemus esse, quod e [...]us est. long open the deep­er [Page 187] wound, least the suddaine healling and closing of it vp might proue dangerous. Thus thou dealt'st with Dauid, who lying weltering in his blood, thou the good Samaritan took'st compassion, poured'st in thy healing Oyle of par­don, but withall the corosiue wine of humiliation, so to eat out, or suppresse the luxuriant new-growne flesh, lest fester­ing inwardly, it might proue to a Gangreene. And when I am thus cast vpon the worlds reproch, I know it is not without thy iust, good, and wise all-disposing hand. Thou sawest what small fruit all my ordinarie and euerie-day re­pentance brought forth, how it did not worke in me such a perfect hatred and detestation of sinne, such an exact care [Page 188] and Conscience of auoyding the least appearance of euill, as thou requirest; how it la­boured at the best rather to lop off the out-branches of sinne, as eye-sores of the world, then putting the axe to the root of the Tree, to stub it vp with all the radicall sprigs and sprouts of affecti­ons. And how easie is it to slubber ouer repentance, when the heart is not posses­sed with a due estimate of the smallest sinne? I thought all was well, or at least tol­lerable, being free from the maine Act, nor making pra­ctise, nor taking pleasure, nor walking in a purpose, nor watching opportunitie, nor pursuing the meanes of com­mitting sinne with greedi­nesse. Or if at any time a [Page 189] temptation did ouertake me, to yeald assent, vpon thy gra­tious preuention, I so reioy­ced with the Pharisee, Lord, I thanke thee, &c. as I neglected the Publicans Prayer, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner. Not duely considering in the meane time, either the strict­nesse of thy Law, or the Sa­credness of my Person & Pro­fession, the one straitly prohi­biting, the other infinitely ag­grauating the least degree of, or disposition vnto sinne, causing that to bee mortall in me, which in others might bee accounted veniall. And although thou knowest, Lord (which I dare the more freely recount, to the glorie of thy Grace) how often, when occasions were offered, euen inuiting mee to sinne [Page 190] (boldnesse vsurping the seat of bashfulnesse) I haue by thy present assistance (not else, while mine owne corruption, (when left to it selfe) would easily haue followed) auoided, declined them; and where I haue obserued temptations to be strongest, and danger most apparant, haue purposely, not daring to trust vpon mine owne weake strength, with­drawn my selfe, where I haue beene like to bee taken with the lime-twigs, which the cunning fowler layd for mee; haue I not taken the wings of the Doue, to fly a loft from the dan­ger? yea sometimes finding vpon triall, a flexibility in the obiect, haue I not disswaded, haue I not counselled for good? Yet all this, all this while, as it seemeth, so deceit­full [Page 191] is the heart aboue all things,) not with that zealous affection, not with that tho­row hatred of sinne, as was requisite. Certainly I did not with all my power resist the Diuell; so that it gaue him in­couragement to watch still new occasions to take me tar­die, when I should least dreame of danger; and obser­uing my spirituall armour not so tightly girt to my loynes, but like Ioabs sword to hang loose, and dangling about me, hee hoped one time or other to smite me vnawares, as Ioab did Amasa, kissing and kil­ling both at once. And could he at all haue inclosed mee in his toyle, had not thy wonder­ful Deus diligētibus eū omnia cooperatur in bonum, vsque ae­deo prors­sus omnia, vt etiam si qui eo­rum deui­ant & exorbitāt, etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat pro­ficere in bonum quia hu­miliores redeunt, atque do­ctiores. Aug. de Corr. & gra. cap. 9 Prouidence so disposed it to a further end, then Sathan imagined? Hast thou there [Page 192] left me? No surely. For first, hauing chastised and purged me with a fiery sicknesse nigh vnto death, and heard my praier for deliuerance, and for a renewed, redubled strength in my Ministry, to be a poore instrument of thy glory, which my folly had any way stained: how hast thou fol­lowed mee euer since? what with assisting grace, what with aff [...]iccting griefe, least I might bee either too much exalted, with the one; or too much depressed with the o­ther? And hath not thy vn­changable wisedome for this very cause, left some corrup­tions in thy holiest Saints, to keepe them in the ballance of a due temper, that so the tempter might not attaine to his wished ends, while hee [Page 193] meeteth with two contrary windes to saile withall. For when hee would tempt to pride for the indowments of thy graces, how doe our very corruptions stand vp against him to our humiliation. On the other side, when he would tempt vs to diffidence, de­iection, desperation, in regard of our indwelling or out-brea­king sinnes, then thy grace in­terposeth it selfe, not onely as a token of thine vnchangeable loue, but as a mighty weapon, to batter downe all Satans strong holds. Hereof hast thou giuen mee sufficient experi­ence: herein abundant cause of comfort: so that, may not I say with Dauid, Thy rod (of castigation) and thy staffe (of consolation and sustentation) comfort mee? But yet (alas!) [Page 194] O Lord, was there no other way to preserue the wine of thy grace in me, but vpon the Lees of my corruptions? No way to poise the course of my brittle barke, that so it might safely bring the Pearle of the kingdome to the wished ha­uen, but with the base ballace of sinne? No antidote to pre­serue me from being exalted aboue measure, for the porti­on of thy free goodnesse to­wards me, but by the treacle, compounded of the Serpent, sinne? But I may not reason with thee, whose iudgements are vnsearchable, whose wayes past finding out. But Lord did not thy all piercing eye disco­uer some monstrous pride lurking in my heart, ready to breake out, and beare it selfe bigge, when it should behold [Page 195] it selfe any way beautified with the borrowed feathers of thy Doue-like spirit: and rather then I should rob thee of thy glory, and so be left na­ked of thy grace, it seemed good to thy wisedome to per­mit the preuention of it with the humiliation of mine own shame? For otherwise, hast thou not (in the midst of my infinite weakenesses) giuen me a minde to know thee, a de­sire to please thee, a will to o­bey thee, a heart to prefer thy glory before my life, a resolu­tion to choose rather to dye a thousand deaths, then to com­mit the least sinne? But, O wretched man that I am, the cause of all my calamity is in my selfe; this body of death which I carry about, is the source of all my sorrow. Yet [Page 196] seeing this is the cōmon cōdi­tion of thy Saints, none to be exempt from indwelling cor­ruption, all, the best, the ho­liest, to cry out of it, some for shame, all for sorrow, why should I thinke by any priui­ledge, to be holier then they? or being the weakest, the worst of all the rest, shall not thy mercy, thy merits be magnified so much the more in blotting out my misdeeds. I am sure I cannot be a greater sinner, then thou art a Sauiour. Nor dost thou saue, but the soule, humbled with, or for sinne: nor dost thou salue, but the wounded spirit. And if no physicke can worke with me, Crudelem medicum intempe­rans ager saut. Sen. but such sharpe corro­siues, Satans buffeting mes­sengers; then cut, ceare, spare not, so thou curest me; so thou [Page 197] workest in me such a gracious both humiliation for sinnes, and humility in the vse of thy graces, that being made lower then all contempt, I may be hid in the dust, vntill the in­dignation passe ouer; alwaies waiting and longing for thy comming to iudgement, when all sinne in thine elect shall be for euer abolished, the root remoued, the guilt remit­ted, the staine washed, the re­proach wiped away, the scars couered with beauty, the scorne with glory. Euen so come Lord Iesus.

But (alas!) O Lord, in the meane time, how many are the sharpe conflicts, which thy seruant must still looke to incounter with in the poore remaines (if ought yet re­maine) of this momentany [Page 198] life? Temptations to new, temptations for old sinnes; no security for the future, no saf­ty for the present, terrours within, fightings without, no peace but onely in thee, with thee. How shall my Arke o­uercome such a deluge, my Barke beare vp against such billowes of Satans assaults, of the worlds affronts, as still a­bide me, still abase me, vnlesse thou the great Pilot, rebuke, represse, restraine them, ad­ding new strength to my wea­ried and weatherbeaten soule, to resist, to ouercome. Is it possible, that a poore wretch, forlorne, forsaken of all, should subsist, but by an Om­nipotent hand supporting? Herein doth the excellency of thy grace most clearely shine: as in preuenting thy Saints [Page 199] from falling into many enor­mities: so much more, when fallen, and that into some scan­dalous offence (the strongest of al trials) in preseruing them from falling away from their faith and affiance in thee, euen then, when all men, in face and affection, are fallen away from them. Soueraigne is that grace which preuents the fault; but much more, that ouercomes the guilt; as health is more easily kept, then recouered. This was that all-sufficient grace of thine, whereby Da­uid bore vp against infinite trials and troubles, inward, outward, by reason of his sinne. A president or exam­ple sufficient to vindicate the glory of thy Grace in preser­uing thy Saints from falling away from thee, against all [Page 200] opposition. And now Lord be pleased so to sustaine the wea­kest of all thy seruants from sinking vnder the wares euen of most violent temptations, that in him all may see that all-sufficient indeficient grace of thine in thine elect, being in them a well of liuing water, springing vp vnto euerlasting life, neuer failing, nor forsaking them: O neuer suffer mee thy seruant to become a spectacle of desertion, least the world should say, Either is that no true grace, from whence the professours of grace do fall; or being true, they are no true Prophets, that once hauing it, come to loose it. Thus shall my sliding be imputed to the impotency of my corrupt na­ture, but my subsisti [...]g to the omnipotency of thy pure [Page 201] grace, in both which shall ap­peare the glory both of thy mercy in pardoning, and of thy grace in preseruing. Thus what dammage any might re­ceiue by the example of my frailty, it may redound to their greater aduantage, by the stability of my faith, while thy grace shall either establish them in thy truth, or restore them from their errour. Thus to them that loue thee, all things shall by thy grace [...] for good, euen to all the C [...]lled according to thy pur­pose. T [...]s nothing shall sepa­rate vs from thy loue. Thus are we more then conquerors through thee, who louest vs. Thus is thy strength made perfect in our weaknesse. Rom. 8. 2 [...]hes▪ [...] Thus shalt thou be glorif [...]ed in thy Saints, and admired in [...] them that be­leeue. [Page 202] Thus, teach vs, O Lord, to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling, because it is Thou, that workest in vs both to will and to doe, of thy good pleasure. Thus, if Thou be with vs, who shall be against vs? Thus, who shall lay any thing against the charge of Gods E­lect? It is God that iustifieth, who is he that condemneth? see­ing it is thou, O Christ, who dy­edst, or rather who art risen a­gaine, being at the right hand of God, making inter­cession for vs.

CHAP. VII. The fourth Conflict, with old friends and familiars, now growne strangers.

IT is no small heart-breake to a man in misery, when hee is forsaken of his old friends and familiars. It was Iobs case, who said of his friend, Iob 12.5. Hee that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lampe des­pised in the thought of him, that is at ease. And chap. 16.2. Mi­serable comforters are yee all. And chap. 17.2. Are there not mockers with me, and doth not mine eye continue in their pro­uocation? And chap. 19.3. These ten times haue yee re­proached me, you are not asha­med, that yee make your selues [Page 204] strange to me: And be it indeed that I haue erred, mine errour remaineth with my selfe. If in­deed ye will magnifie your selues against me; know now that God hath ouerthrowne me, and hath compassed me with a net. And ver. 13. He hath put my bre­thren far from me, and mine ac­quaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolke haue fai­led me, and my familiar friends haue forgotten me. And ch. 15. My brethren haue dealt deceit­fully as a brooke. So that to all other Iobs miseries and cala­mities, Pro. 18.24. & 19.4. this was no small ad­dition, no small aggrauation. For as Iob saith, To him that is afflicted pitty should be shew­ed of his friend. It should so in­deed. But O Iob, weigh well thy present state, and wonder not at this. It becomes not [Page 205] thy gray wisedome in such cases to bee deceiued. For though there is a friend, that sticketh closer then a brother; yet wealth it is that maketh many friends; but the poore is separated from his neigh­bour. All the Brethren of the poore hate him: How much more doe his friends goe farre from him?

But what had Iob done to demerit so to bee deserted of his friends? Alas, nothing at all, but that God had visited him with pouertie and other corporall calamities. Where­upon Iob said, Iob 19.21. Haue pittie vpon me, haue pittie vpon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me. But this being all, Iob had the lesse cause to com­plaine. His innocencie was a Brazen wall vnto him, to bid [Page 206] defiance to all affronts, or frownes. But come wee to Dauid's affliction for being forsaken of his friends. That will touch to the quicke in­deed. Iob was forsaken of his friends, because God had stript him of all his outward beautie, leafe and branch, no more left, but the bare stumpe; so that no maruaile, if the beasts forsooke their old hos­pitall shade and shelter: But behold Dauid otherwise; he, a King, with Scepter in his Hand, and the royall Diademe on his Head, inio [...]ing a flouri­shing and rich Kingdome, yet is deserted of his friends. Who would not wonder at this? To heare a King com­plaining, My louers and my friends stand aloofe from me, Psal. 38.11. and my kinsmen stand a farre off? [Page 207] And, Psal. 88 18. Louer and friend hast thou put away farre from me, and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight. And, Ps. 69.8 I am become a stranger vnto my Brethren, euen an aliant vnto my Mothers chil­dren. But wherefore all this? Because he was now fallen in­to pouertie? No such thing; for hee was still a great King. Or was it, because hee was a Type of Christ, and therefore must looke to fare so much the worse with the world, and bee euill intreated of his neerest friends, as Christ was? For the liker to Christ, the worse liked of the world. Nor that neither; for then Dauid might haue found much comfort to be for such a cause forsaken. But that which so much estranged Dauid's familiars and friends [Page 208] from him, was his sinne, so offensiue and scandalous; and withall his humiliation and open repentance for the same, which caused all his carnall friends to despise him. Was not his sinne the cause, that his owne Sonne, his chiefe Coun­cellors, all Israel almost rebel­led against him, as an enemie of God, and as one vnworthy to rule any longer ouer them? They made it a faire pretence at least, which God vsed as a scourge to his Seruant, both for his greater humiliation and tryall, and for example of others. Yea the carnal minded made a mocke also of his hu­miliation, as Micol, as Shimei, as others, as vnseemely for the Maiestie of a King. As if in sinne-cases it became the simple and poore vulgar onely [Page 209] to weepe, but not Kings. To these two causes Dauid refer­reth his friends st [...]angenesse towards him. First, For his sinne: Psalme 31.10, 11. My strength faileth me, because of mine iniquitie, and my bones are consumed: I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but spe­cially among my neighbours, and a feare to mine acquaintance, Plebi la­crimar [...] lic [...]t, Regi honeste non licet. H [...]er. Ps. 69.5▪ 10, 11, 12 they that did see me without, fled from me. For I haue heard the slander of many. And, O God, thou knowest my foolishnesse, and my sinnes are not hid from thee. Secondly, for his humiliation; When I wept, and chastened my Soule with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made Sack-cloth also my garment, and I became a Prouerbe to them. They that sit in the Gate, speake against me, and I was the song of the Drun­kards. [Page 210] Here let Iob's patience take brething awhile, & solace it selfe. [...]stum & tenacem propositi virū, Non ciuium arbor pra­ua iuben­tium, Non vultus in­stant [...]s ty­ranni mē ­te quatit solida. Hor. And Alium multis gloria ter­ris Tradat & omnes Fama per vrbes gar­rula lau­det, Caelo (que) parem tol­lat, & as­trii, Me meatellus Lare secre to, tuto (que) [...]egat. Sen. Yea let him with asto­nishment bee silent at Dauid's tryall, in being thus forsaken of his friends.

And Dauid's case it is, that suits with this present con­flict. Tell me not, my Brother, of thy friends forsaking thee, being fallen into pouertie, or into great mens disgrace, or the like; a masculine Spirit will easily incounter all such contempt. But hast thou some thing in thee, wherein thou resemblest Christ, as one of his members, and therefore worthy to haue the world for thine enemie? And besides, some thing inherent and inha­bitant in thee resembling and sauouring of the old Adam, whereby thou art any way [Page 211] obnoxious to the worlds cen­sure, yea in so much, as now thy verie familiar friends for­sake and fly thy societie, as ashamed thereof? When notwithstanding there is no­thing more irksome vnto thee, then to bee a stranger to God, and all good men: Tell me now in this case, dost thou thinke any man more misera­ble then thy selfe? And the more, as thou art a man more or lesse eminent in place and graces, and in estimation for wisdome and glorie. What comfort now canst thou haue or hope for in thy life, forsa­ken of all in a manner, and euen abhorred of those, whom thou most esteemedst? When now those things, which would be highly estee­med in others, in thee doe [Page 212] loose their grace and accep­tance. And all this through thine owne want of care, slacknesse, and remisnesse in thy noble resolution, to doe nothing vnworthy thy person and profession. Tell me now, dost thou not heare the Accu­ser of the Brethren, Ca [...]endo magis, quā puendo. Quā mul­ta p [...]ni­tenda in­currunt viuendo di [...] the old Serpent, whispering in thine eares, O thou forlorn wretch, why art thou so base minded, so stupidly patient, as to pos­sesse thy life with the losse of thy reputation, and of the loue of thy best friends? Thou hast lost them irreuocably, and yet doest thou desire to spin out a contemptible and tedious life, whereof together with all those torments and griefes thou sufferest in thy Soule for thy folly, and deser­ued disgrace, thou mayest so [Page 213] easily, so speedily many wayes bee rid? And this were the readie way to please thy friends againe. For to whom thy life is hatefull, thy death would consequently proue gratefull and welcome. Or despi [...]ng thee aliue, they would desire and deplore thee dead, as a thing pretious. So that what thou canst not ob­taine by liuing, thou mayst by dying. And, by liuing longer, thou mayest come to haue more cause to repent thee. And what needest thou to hoyse vp Sayles to passe through a Sea of infinite trou­bles, and perills, being driuen by no other winds, but those tempestuous sighes, which arising from thy restlesse and dist [...]mpered mind, must needs cause thy wracke vpon some [Page 214] Rocke or other: When thou mayest with one short finall breath bee wasted ouer Lethe, where thou shalt neuer think of thy friend [...] more, whom now thou canst not remember but with ruthfull regret? Such like counsells, or cold consolations is the enemie of thy Soule readie to suggest vnto thee, when thou art de­serted of all comfort of those, whom thou most dearely louest, whose losse thou so deepely lamentest.

CHAP. VIII▪ The Comfort; How a man may ouercome, or at least not be ouercome of the former Conflict.

BVt hence Satan. And now poore Soule, hast thou foolishly lost thy friends? Lament the cause, more then the effect. So shall thy life be now not much more bitter in the losse of thy friends, then it was wont to be sweet in the inioying of them; So as, re­membring themselues, they offend not God in the excesse of their strangenesse, or dis­affection, by adding to the burthen, which they should helpe to beare. And then shalt thou comfort thy selfe with [Page 216] hope, that you shall one da [...] meet and conuerse in Hea [...] in an vnseperable inoffensiue societie. In the meane time their distast shall bee but one of those bi [...]ter ingredients in that strong potion, which it pleaseth thy heauenly Physi­tian to purge the corrupt hu­mour withall, or as Rue in thy Diet-drinke, to macerate thy Spirits, and to frustrate the force of strongest Poyson. But are they, for all this, be­come thine enemies? God forbid. They are onely strange to thee in a two-fold regard: First, Because they would haue thee to know, that they loue thee so intirely, as that they cannot indure the least spot or blemish in thee. Secondly, Because (not being priuie to those grieuous con­flicts, [Page 217] so long & still afflicting thy Soule, none taking notice thereof, but God) their estran­ged countenance might silent­ly admonish thee, thus smit­ing thee friendly, & reprouing thee. Though no doubt all this must needs add to thy greater humiliation. Which is such a benefit, as though they know it not, yet thou mayest ac­knowledge it. If outward crosses of the world had been the onely causes of this deser­tion, this had but deserued to be ranked among them, as or­dinarie, and so the more easily borne of him, who makes no more vse of his friends, but to serue their turnes, rather then his own. In which regard the fewer friends hee hath, the lesse trouble, if a man had ra­ther auoid the paines, then [Page 218] inioy the pleasure of well-doing. But now that they stand aloofe for some offence taken in point of moralitie, it can be no other, but a testimo­nie of their more sincere loue to vertue. So that in such a case, take heed thou dost not take offence. For else, what comfort for thee?

But now in this destitution, what shall the desolate man doe? How shall he be com­forted, weeping for those friends, which now are not? when he may say with Dauid, I looked vpon my right hand (he meaneth, Psal. 142.4. where his neerest and dearest friends should be) and beheld; but there was no man that would know me; re­fuge fayled me; no man cared for my Soule. Surely in Dauid's case take Dauid's course. [Page 219] What did Dauid then? verse [...]. I cryed vnto thee, O Lord, I said, Thou art my refuge, and my por­tion in the Land of the Liuing. O well-fare such a friend, who when all other faile, is a sure refuge! And such is God to the faithfull forlorne Soule, when of all the world forsa­ken. And this benefit thou mayst take of thine estranged friends, hereby to take occasi­on to take the faster hold, and make thy fuller interest in God, as Dauid did. Note And euer as thy friends faile thee, by death or otherwayes, or the world frowneth on thee, [...]et it driue thee to indeare Gods friendship the more vnto thee, who is better to thee, then tenne Sonnes, then tenne thousand Friends, then all the World. And art thou denyed [Page 220] the societie of thy friends? Thou shalt the lesse desire it, the more thou walkest with God in thy solitarinesse, in­creasing thine acquaintance with him. Thus shalt thou ne­uer be lesse alone, then when alone.

Psa. 51.12.13.Againe, Being a Minister, first be reconciled to God thy selfe, and then labour by thy faithfulnesse and assiduitie in thy Ministry, to reconcile and win others to God, so beget­ting new friends vnto him: So shalt thou be sure neuer to want most faithfull and fast friends; All that loue God, will loue thee. And these bee such friends, as not measuring their loue by worldly and car­nall respects, as worldlings doe, no change of fortune can change their friendship. Yea [Page 221] these also beeing indued with that loue, which is kindled in their hearts by Fire from Heauen, euen the Holy Ghost, it is so tempred with humili­tie, in a sense and experience of humaine infirmities, as that it will not by and by cast or cut off a fellow-member, af­fected with some accidentall humour fallen into it, but will rather apply fit medicines to cure it. Following the Apo­stles counsell, Brethren, if a man bee ouertaken in a fault, Gal. 6.1. ye which are spirituall, restore such a one in the Spirit of meekenesse, considering thy selfe, least thou also be tempted. Beare ye one anothers burthen, and so fulfill the Law of Christ. In these shalt thou find that Well of liuing Water springing vp vnto euerlasting life, whose [Page 220] Christall streames of loue, are neither dried vp with the parching heat of persecution, nor frozen vp with the pinch­ing cold of stormie temptati­ons suffered in their Brethren, but at all times are open to re­fresh the wearie Soule. To whom that of the Heathen Poet may bee applyed, which he sang of true friends, whom yet he neuer knew:

In a word, thy solitariines from old friends shall herein be a solace to thee, that thou [Page 221] takest it from the good hand of God vpon thee, to which thou doest willingly submit thy selfe. Perhaps formerly thou madest more account of thy friends loue, then of Gods loue: Bee the rather content then, and patient, that God hath layd this burthen vpon thee, nor simply as a punish­ment, but for thine amend­ment, yea and inlargement of diuine loue, learning hereby to loue and inioy God, aboue the best things of this life. And if friends fly from thee, neuer do thou run after them. Onely pray for them, and so leaue them and thy selfe to Gods all-disposing proui­dence, who giues and takes away as pleaseth him; Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

CHAP. IX. The fifth Conflict with an euill name.

AS of all outward good things, none is compara­bly so gratious, so louely, as a good Name, being as a preti­ous Oyntment poured foorth: So of all outward euills (spe­cially to him, that would ascend the Mount of Honour by the steps of Vertue) none so ruthfull, so odious, as an ill Name. And of all other Iewels, a good Name is rarest to be found, farre sought, and deare bought, suddainly lost, and seldome or neuer recouer­ed, but with extreame diffi­cultie, nor then neither. Which haply is the cause, [Page 225] that so many will not hazard so much toyle to attaine that, which possessed, at the best is but like the purest Christall Venice glasse, or China vessel, which fetcht from farre, dum splendet, frangitur, many times broken in the washing, and when most bright, most brit­tle. And many can content themselues with the Bristow Diamond, or a painted Rubie, rather then goe to the price, or perill to fetch the true In­dian Diamond. Forasmuch as a good Name, like the purest garment, may be moth-eaten with enuy, and like the inno­cent Sheepe conuersing among the bushes, looseth here a locke, and there a locke, and like the wholsome streame poysoned with the tongues of mad Dogges, or Serpents, lap­ping [Page 224] in it, or meeting with some muddy soyle, looseth of its natiue sweetnesse, and clearnesse: But on the contra­rie, the ill name, the further it goes, the more it is augmen­ted, as a selfe-murthered corps buried in the open field betweene sundry highwayes, where euerie passenger casts his stone of infamie, and de­testation vpon the heape, in perpetuam rei infamiam. So that of all wounds this is the most incurable, ludibrium Medicorum. The Prouerbe is, As good bee halfe hanged, as haue an ill name. Which hath beene the cause, that many be­ing oppressed with the shame of it, and out of hope of any likely remedie, haue gone and hanged themselues out-right. Yea, among the Heathen, an [Page 225] ill name hath beene so detesta­ble, as on a time, A. Gall. Noct. Att. l. 18. c. 3 when one in Lacedemon, of a notorious vicious life, but wittie, and one that could speake well, in a dangerous exigent of af­faires, gaue such aduice, as all the Citizens applauded it, and would haue it presently en­acted and decreed vnder his name (as the manner was) thereat one of the nobler Se­nators starting vp, with a spi­rit full of indignation, vttered these words, What meane you, O yee Lacedemonians, or what hope is there, that euer this Citie and Weale-publike should long continue in safe­tie, if wee shall vse such cor­rupt Counsellours? If that his sentence bee good and ho­nest, I pray you let vs not suf­fer it to bee stained with the [Page 228] reproach of a most filthy Au­thour. And hauing said this, he chose a man among the rest for courage, and vprightnesse, but of a poore speech, and vneloquent, and commanded him, with the consent and re­quest of all, to pronounce the same sentence, in as good termes as he could, that with­out mention of the former, this Decree of the people might bee recorded in his name onely, in regard he reci­ted it anew. And thus as the sage Senatour counselled, it was done. Sic b [...]n [...] sententia mansi [...], [...]urpis au­ [...]or mu­ [...]atus est. So the good sen­tence stood good, but the in­famous Author was changed. And euer, Gratior est pulchro, veniens è corpore virtus. And in Sacred storie, Dauid must not build the Temple, because hee had beene a man of blood in [Page 229] so many battels; nor must Moses haue the honour to This was in a my­stery Mo­ses sinning was the Law broken, which could not bring Mo­ses thither condu [...]t Israel into Canaan, because (by his owne humble confession) hee had dishono­red the Lord by his vnbeleefe, at Meribah. And Salomon in his boo [...]e of repentance, in dislike of the vani [...]es hee had committed being King, stiles himselfe, The Preacher, not Salomon the King; saying one­ly, I the Preacher haue beene King in Ierusalem. On the con­trary, Ioab would not send the newes of Absolons death by good Ahimaas, but by Cushi. And when Dauid heard of two comming running to bring newes, and the one Ahi­maas, he promised to himselfe good tydings, for saith he, He is a good man, and bringeth good tydings. So preiudiciall is the [Page 228] person to the cause, good or bad, for the very name sake.

Now it hath beene the lot euen of Gods dearest Saints, to be ill reported of. Iohn the Baptist was reported for a Daemoniaeke, or one possessed with a diuel: yea Christ him­selfe, the innocent Lambe of God, in whose mouth was no guile, yet escaped not scot-free, but was famed for a wine-bibber, a friend of Pub­licans and sinners, also a sedici­ous person, and I wot not what. And Dauid heard of Shimei, Come out thou man of blood, thou sonne of Belial; as much as, Thou bloud-shedder, thou debosht person; yea, the drunk­ards made songs of him. And Iob complaines, Iob 17.6 He hath made me a by-word of the people, and I am as a Tabret vnto them. And [Page 229] Saint Paul heard, 2 Cor. 6. One that stir­reth vp sedition. And hee went through euill report, and good report, as a deceiuer, and yet true.

Onely the difference is, how the ill name is deserued, how iustly or vniustly raised. And although by reason of the worlds vnreasonable ma­licious enuy against true ver­tue, generally Gods Saints are falsely reproached: yet it may so fall out, as euen the holiest man, may iustly and worthi­ly fall into an euill report. Who holier than Dauid? yet it was his case, which Shi­meis railing did in part at least reflect vpon, calling him, a man of blood, and sonne of Be­lial, murtherer, and adulterer. For Dauids adultery and mur­ther were not so closely carri­ed, [Page 232] but men might easily take notice of it, howsoeuer the maiesty of his person & place might somewhat smother and smooth it ouer, by keeping mens tongues in awe: yet it was so known already, as Na­than tels him, he had giuen the enemie cause to blaspheme. So that the very Philistins had notice of it, much more Da­uids owne people and Court. Gloss. O [...] ­din. And the Hebrews say, that A­chitophel [...]ooke part with Ab­salon, in reuenge of Bathshe­bas chastity and honour, be­cause she was his Neece. This being so, what a torment was it to poore Dauids heart, thus to be reported, thus reputed, seeing he had so deepely and [...] dese [...]ued it? seeing Da­uid ▪ [...]as no prophane Prince, whose lust was his law, or [Page 233] who held it as his priuiledge to be vniust, in taking away the wife or life of any of his liege subiects, as though he might sinne by authority, or adultery were but a tricke of youth, and veniall in Court; or the manner of making a­way Vriah a politicke deuice, to make a fairer way to his lustfull ends: but as he was a sacred person, a King anoin­ted, a holy Prophet, and Saint of God, so nothing could so excruciate and vexe his noble spirit, then thus to see the crowne of all his graces cast in the dust, the beauty thereof defaced, Gods name disho­noured, his owne name dis­graced, religion reproached, and such a brand of infamy inusted on Dauid [...] name, and that imprinted in sacred Re­cord, [Page 232] neuer to be blotted out, as it were in capitall letters, Sauing in the matter of V­riah.

Now tell me brother, thou that art in estimation for wisdome and glory, in whose estimate nothing is so preci­ous, as a good name, to haue a good report with all good men: in case, through some folly thou hast made ship­wracke of thy credit, and so of all that fraight of graces, which thou hast toyled about all thy life, now thy sincerity is censured for hypocrisie, and all turned topsie turuie: What wilt thou doe? Now thou maist finde, that a good conscience wounded, may more easily be cured with God, then thy credit, once crackt with men; the cure [Page 233] whereof depends vpon as ma­ny Physitians, as there are men in the world; whereof though some few possest with di­uine loue, may be willing to licke it whole with their tongues, or as the noble Em­perour Constantine, who said, that if he did with his eyes see a Bishop to defile another mans bed, hee would cast his purple robe ouer it, least ther­with any should be offended: as he threw the bundle of the Bishops mutuall complaints at the Councell of Nice, into the fire, saying it became them to pardon one another, sith all needed pardon of Christ: Yet the most will out of the super­fluity of maliciousnesse not sticke to invenome it the more with their Serpentiue tongues and teeth.

CHAP. X. The Comfort. How in this de­plored case, the deiected soule may sustaine it selfe, and hold out to the end.

IN this case, many will doe, as with some bodily sicke­nesse, thinking to finde ease by change of ayre; especially farr remote from the place where the disease was contracted, where the offence was giuen. As many hauing made them­selues obnoxious to censure, and an euil report in England, packe away beyond the Seas, thinking to expiate all with Irish ayre, and so to heale vp the wound. But of such the saying is too commonly veri­fied, [Page 237] Coelum non animum mu­tant, quitrans mare currunt. Mutatio [...], non ingenti▪ Aug. They rather change the ayre, then their manners. For by that meanes they may rather hide, then heale, rather couer, then recouer their hurt, ra­ther priuily bury their sinne in the graue, where it more and more putrifieth, then in the fire of godly zeale burne it openly, that so being resolued into the ashes of humiliation, and exposed to the view of all, it may the more quickly be blowne away and scattered with the breath of better Fame. Yea in stead of curing, this change of place, although ioyned with true repentance, yet leaueth a suspicion be­hind, that he carries his sinne with him; which if he do, the further hee goeth, the more [Page 236] places he infecteth: whereas on the contrary, the onely su­rest, and honestest way to blot out the ill name, contracted whither of euill habit, or of accident, is with a Christian courage, and patience, (not with a shamelesse boldnesse) to stay by it there, where the offence was giuen, and by an euident reformation, in time to weare out the ill opinion or report, and by his good ex­ample, or otherwise also by humble acknowledgement, where it is requisite, to make the best satisfaction hee can to the offended; while they who haue reported or reputed thee for a bad or debosht man, may with their eyes see the contrary; they that haue seene thy fall, may behold thy rising againe, to preuent them from [Page 237] falling by the example of thy fall: or if they haue fallen, to [...]each them to rise againe by the example of thy repen­tance. I say in this ease he hath [...]eed of a mighty courrage and patience supported with humility, denying, disclai­ming himselfe, as that con­uert-youngman to his late Pa­ [...]amour, who meeting her, was strange to her; and shee saying, Knowest thou not me? It is I: he replyed, A [...] ego non sum ego: but I am not [...]. He must resolue, and arme himselfe with an humble meekenesse to abide frumpes, frownes, or contemptuous af­fronts now and then. Nor can hee expect to worke out the [...]oyson of an ill name other­wise, but as a strong body ha­ [...]ing ouercome the poyson, [Page 240] workes it out with a great deale of patience in loathsome botches or pimples, d [...]facing the fairest body for the time. Such is the poyson, where­with sinne hath infected a good name, it must first bee o­uercome with the Antidote of g [...]ace, and the preserua [...]iue of a strong faith in the heart, whereby the strength of the poyson is ouercome, the con­science now recouering, and beginning to enioy peace with God: and so wrought out (although for along time it may taint the best life, and most beautifull actions, (spe­cially falling into the hands of cruell and vnconscionable Chirurgions, who to make a long cure, poyson the sore wi [...]h some malignant plaster, tempered with the poyson of [Page 241] Aspes vnder the lips, which but breathed on the Patient through the Serpents hissing, or the foule mouth of Fame, of meere enuy, keepe vertue from recouering her natiue hue:) And although hee hath done all that he can, vsed the best possible meanes to cleare himselfe, yet must hee not rest here, or so giue ouer; he must not looke to bee so thorowly cured, but know that the Ci­catrix or scarre will still re­maine to the eye of the world, which yet may serue, both daily to put him in minde of his fall, still to repent of it, and to preuent the like; and ad­monish others not to bee se­cure, but to auoid shipwrack, by their daily beholding such a Sea-marke.

But yet with these cautions, [Page 242] first and last, and all a long, on the one side let him looke mainly to the sincerity of his heart in the truth of his re­pentance, and thinke hee hath neuer humbled himselfe e­nough. On the other side, let him withall looke to his peace with God, & the peace of his conscience in the par­don of his sin. By this meanes deere Christian soule, though thou canst not hope of euer quitting thy reputation and credit with all men while thou liuest, yet comfort thy selfe, that thy name is written in heauen, and that thou hast a new name giuen thee of Christ, ingrauen in a white stone, pure from all blemish or blame, such as is built vpon the foundation of Gods Ele­ction, and made white in the [Page 243] blood of the Lambe, whose righteousnesse imputed is the pure linnen of the Saints, which shall neuer bee taken from thee.

And if thou beest a Mini­ster of Christ, who hast giuen cause of scandall to thy sacred profession, although hereup­on thou hast passed the sen­tence of condemnation vpon thy selfe, as vnworthy any more to take the name of Christ into thy mouth, which thou hast caused to bee blas­phemed: yet bee not altoge­ther dismaid, but know, that those whom God, vpon their Repentance, receiueth into grace and fauour againe, being not left destitute of his gifts and graces, hee denyeth not vnto them the priuiledge to be, or remaine publike instru­ments [Page 244] of his seruice, as Da­uid, Peter, Salomon. And now, who fitter to minister a word of comfort to the afflicted conscience, then he, who hath had such experience in him­selfe, not only of the grieuous conflicts of sinne, but also (af­ter many fierce trials & temp­tations, and wrastlings with the apprehension of Gods wrath) of those vnspeakable comforts of Gods Spirit in the peace of conscience, and ioy of the holy Ghost? Who can better then hee, giue di­rection and admonition to the people of God, how to beware of the deceitfulnesse of sinne, who hath himselfe so dearely bought the experi­ence of hauing beene deceiued by it.

In conclusion, as the Pati­ent [Page 245] hath need of patience vn­till the comming of the Lord: So let him pray instantly, that the Lord would hasten his comming, to wipe off all staines from his seruants, all teares from their eyes, and to cloath both their names and persons with eternall beautie.

CHAP. XI. The sixt Conflict. With the Enemies of the truth.

IT goes hard with the poore seruant of Christ, when hee hath giuen cause of offence to the enemies of the truth, whe­ther they be without, or with­in the Church, open or pri­uate, profest Papists, or pro­phane Protestants. For if the Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner, surely the Angels of darkenes, and wicked persons, enemies of the truth, reioyce at the fal, or least slip of one that bea­reth Christs Image. Yea it is meate and drinke vnto them. They do so hunger after this, [Page 247] waiting for the halting of the godly man, that rather then faile, they will inuent how to fasten slanders, & cast aspersi­ons euen vpon the most inno­cent; so little need hath any of Gods children to be heedlesse of his conuersation, as to ex­pose his name as a prey to their teeth. And yet this hath bene the lot euen of the stron­gest Champions, and holiest Saints of God Dauid smarted so much the more, because he had by his sinne caused the e­nemies of the Lord to blas­pheme. O how neere doth this goe to the heart of Gods child, when hee considereth, how instead of being an ex­ample of vertue, to inuite the enemies of the truth to the loue of it, beholding it to shine in the professors of it: on the [Page 248] contrary, hee causeth them to mis-deeme the truth it selfe, yea to blaspheme it, & there­upon to condemne al that pro­fesse it. For such is the malice of enuious men against the ex­cellent glory of the truth (the highest obiect of enuy) that the least miscarriage of one Professor preuailes more with them to condemne the whole communion of Saints mili­tant on earth, as hypocrites, and dissemblers, then the vn­spotted conuersation of thou­sands is able to wipe off, or to possesse them with a good o­pinion of their Profession. Yea and in stead of taking profit, and making vse of the enemies of the truth, among whom wee haply conuerse, while their vicinity or neigh­bourhood should make vs [Page 249] more heedfull of our wayes, least we offend them (nothing being more disgracefull to a man, then to commit any vn­seemely act in the presence of his enemy, the Apostle admo­nishing, Walke wisely towards them that are without) wee on the otherside cause much hurt vnto them (not onely the grea­ter shame to our selues) by ob­firming them in their igno­rance, prophannesse, idolatry, or superstition, which now they dare more confidently preferre euen before Gods pure religion it selfe, while their naturall morality, or su­perstition may seeme in the least degree to outstrip our practicall diuinity. Much more then what a disgrace is it for a Protestant to run riot in the presence of Papists? [Page 250] Not that Papists can shew a­ny great holinesse of their re­ligion, by the holines of their liues, seeing they so much ex­claime vpon holinesse, in the professors of the truth, giuing it the nick-name of a new kind of I wot not what here­sie, as Puritanisme, or the like; so that they plainely disclaime holinesse in themselues: nei­ther hath their religion it in it, for all their infused righte­ousnesse, to infuse any holines ( Bellarmine making the san­ctitie of Doctrine, not of Life, to be that, which sheweth the Church of Rome to bee holy) into the professors of it; a thing confessed by Bellarmine, His eight marke of the Church. Bellar. de Ecclae. no­ [...], cap. 1 [...] that hee is faine to trauaile farre to deriue holinesse to make the Church of Rome [Page 251] holy, namely (among others) from the holinesse of Bellar. de notis. Ec­clae. cap. 13. Nota. 10 [...] S. Do­minicke and S. Francis, the Founders of their religious Orders: Yea and the better to comply with Protestants, (as the Iuy winding about the Oake, in time eates out the heart of it) they fauour them most, in whom they obserue the fewest and least tokens of grace and holinesse, speaking euill of the best, hereby not onely making a diuision between Protestants, but insinuating themselues into an vnited societie of the worst sort of Prote­stants, whose weakenesse maketh them way the more easily to instill their poyso­nous Doctrines into them, while they so liberally will promise Pardons and Indul­gences [Page 252] to those, whose pro­fane liues stand in need of the whole Ocean of Gods Mercies, of the whole Foun­taine of Christs Merits in his Blood to wash and purge them, and not those imagi­narie Waters that flow from the See of Rome, whose Conduits conuey nothing but emptie ayre to thirstie Con­sciences, but flow backe a­gaine with streames of Gold, which the Alchimistes of Rome do spunge from the full pouches of emptie braines.

Nor speake wee of any ba­stard Protestants, who casting off all care and conscience of a Christian conuersation, an­swerable to their generall cal­ling, are willing rather to symbolize with Papists in their profanation of all holy [Page 253] things, as the hallowing of the Lords day in all such Christian duties, as God re­quireth, and so consequently run along with them vnto all excesse of riot, railing at those that run not with them; such Neutralls are neither good Fish nor Flesh; but we speake of such Protestants, as making conscience of their wayes, to walke worthy of their cal­ling, if they chance to step be­sides the narrow path, and of humaine frailtie commit the least errour, so as euen the Pa­pist comes to take notice of it: It is enough to rayse a cla­mour not onely against the person in particular, but against the whole Profession, to make it odious (if possible) to all the world. Certainly, if any sober Protestant doe [Page 254] but enter into a consideration hereof, he will be exceedingly wounded for the least offence giuen in this kind, either by himselfe, or by another.

Nor doth the offence onely reach to enemies without, but it more neerely toucheth the Conscience for enemies with­in the Church. What an in­dignation was it to Dauid (trow you) when hee heard how the verie drunkards, and debosht sons of Belial within the Church, made their Songs of him? It was grieuous to Iob to be the derision of those base brats, whose fathers for­merly Iob accounted not (for their vile conditions, not for their pouertie) worthy to bee set with the Dogges of his Flocke? But this might the more easily bee brooked, sith [Page 255] not any iust offence in Iob, but his vertues, so formerly enui­ed, but now scorned, being couered ouer and defaced with outward calamities, made him to bee the obiect of contempt. But Dauid's case was much more pittifull, when those drunken compa­nions at their vsuall Baccha­nals made his sinne their song. Can an ingenuous, and noble Heauen-borne Spirit, euen without bursting, brooke such an indignitie? And yet not so much the shame, which himselfe sustaineth, as the blame which Religion bea­reth for his sake, and the de­sperate danger also, whereinto by occasion of his example such Coribantes precipitate themselues: is the thing, that [Page 256] most of all troubleth his no­ble Spirit. What comfort then in such a case?

CHAP. XII. The Comfort; How in this Conflict the Soule may stay it selfe, and wind out of it.

WHo would not here stand agast, and ap­pall'd, to consider into what a Maze of perplexities, and Sea of sorrowes, sinne, though but in some errour of our life, doth inwrap and ingulfe the poore child of God; still one waue following in the necke of another, like Iob's messen­gers, and euerie one more grieuous then other? How is it possible, but the poore man should bee swallowed vp in the bottomlesse gulfe? But [Page 258] loe, euen in his vtmost extrea­mitie there is a planke for him to saue him from drowning. First for the offence to the enemies without the Church. The wound that is deeper will require the longer tent, the longer time, the greater pains, the greater patience in curing of it. For first, this must re­doubble and renue his repen­tance. Secondly, he must pray the more feruently for Gods enemies, for their conuersion to God. Thirdly, hee must expresse such fruits of his re­pentance in his life and con­uersation, that euen they that are without, may thereby bee brought within the Church. Fourthly, if he be a Minister, he must so much the more la­bour in his Calling, and that not onely by preaching, but [Page 259] otherwise also, if God haue giuen him abilitie and opor­tunitie, that thereby they may bee brought to Christs Fold. And if by his labour hee can rescue but one Soule out of the Diuels paw, it will both comfort him for the present, and procure vnto him a more glorious reward hereafter. Fifthly, though all his labour and industry this way cannot preuaile to win any one of Gods enemies, yet his good purposes and endeauours shal not bee defrauded of Gods gratious acceptance, nor fru­strated of a mercifull recom­pence. Sixthly, if the enemies of God remaine obstinate in their Idolatry and superstiti­on, it is not now (whatsoeuer their pretence bee) because of offence taken at him who pro­fesseth [Page 260] the truth, but because they are possest with the spi­rit of obstinacie to affect fals­hood and lyes, rather then the truth. For although through humaine weakenesse hee had giuen them cause of offence, to helpe to harden them in their Infidelitie: yet now vp­on the more cleare euidence of his repentance, confirmed by his constant reformation, they ought to bee reconciled to God by his example. For if they will wilfully and malici­ously harden themselues in sin by others example of falling: then on the contrarie they ought wisely and willingly to abandon their sinfull estate by the patern of his rising again. Otherwise, they therefore lye not in their sin, because Gods child hath vnwarily sinned, [Page 261] whom they haue seene to re­pent: but because their habi­tuall malice against the truth hath blinded their eyes, not to imbrace it. So that the Child of God going on in the pra­ctise of these foresaid duties, he shall find much comfort in his Conscience, and much peace in his Soule. In the last place, as it fared with Dauid, so it faring with any Saint of God in the like kind, to be vn­der Gods rod inflicted (as we noted before) not as an expi­atorie or vindicatorie punish­ment for sinne, alreadie satis­fied by, and pardoned for Christ, both for guilt and mulct, but as a profitable me­dicine, not onely to humble the Patient, but to warne and terrifie Gods verie enemies not to sinne, seeing God spa­reth [Page 262] not his owne children offending: hereupon the ene­mies ought to take speciall notice of, and lay to heart the afflictions infli [...]ed vpon Gods children, [...]hom they haue noted to offend; and to bee thereby moued to take heed, either how they pre­sume to censure him, or Reli­gion for his sa [...]e; much [...]esse, that they should the more ob­stinately persist in their Infi­delitie and impietie; euer ha­uing before their eyes that saying of the Holy Ghost by Peter: Iudgement must begin at the House of God; And if it first begin at vs, what shall the end be of them, that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righ­teous scarcely bee saued, where shall the vngodly, and the sinner appeare?

[Page 263]Secondly, For offence giuen to the enemies within the Church, such as are false Bre­thren, halfe-Christians, ene­mies of the Crosse of Christ, such as the Apostle describes, Phil. 3.18, 19: When to such Gods child is become a scan­dall and scorne, and that in some sort worthily (though none ought to be so diabolical, as to make a scoffe of anothers weakenesse, but to mourne for it rather) how shall his (otherwise) magnanimous Spirit bee able to vndergoe such an indignitie? Surely not by accounting their scorn of lesse moment, because though deserued, it is no [...]esse vsuall with profane persons in their surquedry to canuas and bandie, like a Tennis-ball in the Racket-court, the good [Page 264] names of best Christians, cast­ing all aspersions vpon them, though neuer so vniust. Or may not his griefe herein find some mi [...]igation, that foras­much as nothing more disqui­ets him, then that he hath cau­sed the profane Rout to speake euill of Religion, and the true professours of it: yet he well knowes, that before this, their malice wanted no incentiue against it? No surely; this is so farre from giuing him any comfort at all, that it rather much exasperates his sorrow. For while carnall worldlings, out of an inbred antipathy to true Religion (at lest touching the life and power of it) speak euill thereof, and hate the beautie of it, which shining in her Sonnes, discouers th [...] deformities of the Children [Page 265] of Darkenesse so much the more; in all which they are left without excuse, being conuicted of their owne Con­science, while they hate good­nesse for no other cause, but because it is good: But now when the practicioner and professour of goodnesse hath so exorbitated from the strait and strict path thereof, as hee fals vnder the Checke of such Mates, hee puts a weapon into their hands, not onely for of­fence, whereby they wound his vprightnesse, but for de­fence, to maintaine their owne sinne. Yea doth hee not put a Dart into their hand, where­with through his sides, lying open, for neglect of strait guirding on his Armour, they wound the whole Band of his fellow-Souldiers? Oh, [Page 266] what a wound is this to his Soule?

Yet why should he, at least so much torment himselfe for this? Doth hee not know, that Religion is still an in­temerated and vnuiolated Virgin, notwithstanding all the reproaches cast vpon her by maleuolent tongues, thogh in some measure occasioned by the humaine imbecillitie of her otherwise faithfull Traine? And are not all the Children of Truth, though Saints by calling, though washed, sanctified, iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God, yet full of the Dregges of Corruption re­maining to bee purged out by daily prayer, repentance, [...] the practise of pious dutie [...] [Page 267] Is there not still in such a bo­dy of sinne to be destroyed? Still a Law in the Members, still sinne dwelling in them? Why then should some one actuall errour in such persons bee made such a Monster, or vn-heard-of wonder, as to bring a scandall vpon the whole Profession, yea or vp­on the Person himselfe offen­ding, so farre forth, as to ac­count him as a Reprobate? As though sanctification con­sisted in an vtter abolition of sinne, branch and root, and not rather (for the present con­dition of this life) in the de­struction of the tyrannicall dominion of sinne; and a dai­ly conflict with the Reliques of it. For although all the truly regenerate bee Saints, translated from the state of [Page 268] darkenesse to light: Yet they put not off the nature of men, yea of weake and sinfull men, while they carrie about with them this body of death. For alas, how should the old bot­tles of our mortall bodies bee able to containe the pure new Wine of perfect holinesse (perfect I meane in the de­grees) and not burst, and the Wine run out? How many, possessed but with a conceit and opinion of perfection in this life, haue lost euen that grace, which they seemed to haue? How should not then Gods child be quickly puffed vp and enamoured with the beautie of his graces, and so, as Satan to bee cast forth of Heauen like lightning, as Christ admonisheth his Dis­ciples, Luke 10.18. if he had [Page 269] not some allay of corruption, or sinne to presse him downe, and humble him? Was not the Apostle exercised with a Thorne in the Flesh the mes­senger of Satan to buffet him, least hee should bee puffed vp with aboundance of Reuelati­ons? Or how should Gods power bee magnified in our weakenesse, who said vnto him, My grace is sufficient for thee, My strength is made perfect through weakenesse? Or how else should wee worke out our saluation with feare and trembling, seeing it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure? Or how shall God tread Satan vnder our feet shortly, if wee bee alreadie Conquerours? Or how shall wee presse hard toward the marke, if wee bee [Page 270] alreadie perfect? Or how shall wee shake off the sinne that doth so easily beset vs, and euerie waight of humane frailtie, to run with patience the race that is set before vs, if Gods Saints here bee alto­gether without sinne? Or how shall the Spirit fight against the Flesh, if the Ene­mie bee alreadie vanquished? Or what need haue wee of Gods mercie, that wee should daily pray, Forgiue vs our sins, if we did not euerie day com­mit sinne? So that to grieue, that one offence in the Rege­nerate should bee sufficient to scandalize Religion, and the profession of it, may serue to muzzle either Papists in their pride, or Carnall men in their ignorance, who may thinke, that either there is a perfecti­on [Page 271] of grace on Earth, or else holinesse beeing imperfect, there is no difference at all among men, but onely in out­ward appearance, some see­ming to be better then others. So that all this might seeme to mitigate the Patients ma­ladie.

But yet (alas!) all this can­not giue him any solid com­fort. For although there bee no perfection of degrees in holinesse here in the regene­rate, yet a perfection of parts there is; and so of the parts, that Gods child must still bee growing on, and aspiring to­wards the perfection of de­grees. Whereunto striuing, if by the way, in regard of infi­nite incombrances outward, and no lesse infirmities with­in him, hee stumble or fall, [Page 272] stagger, or stray, neuer so litle, hee is so much the more dis­pleased with himselfe, and de­iected in spirit, by how much hee pursued after perfection with greater sincerity and ea­gernesse. And although it stand not with the state of grace to be without many in­bred corruptions still dwel­ling, but not raigning in the regenerate: Yet it is no small griefe of heart vnto him, to haue committed the least sin. But when his corruption breakes out into a blaine or bile of open offence and scan­dall, oh what intollerable tor­ment doth seaze vpon his soule, as we see in Dauid! but no man can take an estimate of the waight of this burthen, but he that hath it vpon him.

Therefore to conclude all, [Page 273] and to wind our selues at length out of this Meander of a turn-sicke conscience: be­sides other meanes of com­fort mentioned before, wee will here adde onely these two. First, that the Delinquent or Offendant giue such testi­mony of his continuall heart-griefe for his sinnes past, as that hee may euen driue the most carnall man into an asto­nishment, and to reflect vpon his owne great and many sins, thus resoluing with himselfe: if so be that one sinne, and that committed of weakenesse, not of purpose, casually, not of custome, cost a man so much sorrow and humiliati­on: then what repentance and sorrow is requisite for all my great and many sinnes? Now I see, that sin is not so slightly [Page 274] to be regarded, as formerly I haue imagined. Thus by Gods grace may the wickedest man be brought to repentance for his euil life past, by beholding thy great humiliation for the least sinne. What a comfort then shall this bring vnto thy soule, when thou shalt bee an occasion of pulling an other out of the fire, by letting him see how grieuous the burning of soule and body in hell flames shall be, when but one sparke, casually lighting vpo [...] the soule, hath beene enoug [...] euen to make thy precious life tedious to thy selfe, and thy more precious name odious to all.

The second meanes of com­fort herein, is to possesse thy soule with a greater indigna­tion against the least sinne in [Page 275] thy selfe, but with a greater compassion of others weake­nesses. Pardon others many things, but thy selfe nothing. For if the Apostles reason for spirituall compassion be forci­ble, as when hee saith, Bre­thren, if a man be ouertaken in a fault, ye which are spirituall re­store such a one in the spirit of meekenesse; and the reason is added, Considering thy selfe, least thou also be tempted: then [...] much more forcible is it [...], to whom it may bee [...]aid, Considering thy selfe who hast beene tempted and ouer ta­ken? Thus shalt thou reape a double fruite: the first, that thy lenity towards others grossely offending, shall make them the more amicable and gentle towards thee, in par­doning thy lesser offence to­wards [Page 276] them. Not that because we haue offended, therefore wee should remit our zeale (after the testimony of our [...] ­pentance) to reproue [...] sinnes, for so it should be [...] [...] to the Prouerbe, M [...]lus mulum scabit: but that our zeale in reprouing others should appeare to bee kindled at our indignation for our owne sinnes in the first place. Thus when others shall per­ceiue, that our zealous re­proofes are bent against their sinnes, not their persons, (which they shall the more easily discerne, when it com­meth from a hatred of sinne in ourselues,) it will so much the more affect them, not one­ly with a loue towards our persons, but a hatred towards their owne sinnes. The second [Page 277] fruit is, that howsoeuer the Patient shall bee incountred with vnkind affronts, frowns, or frumps, now and then; yet his indignation and zeale a­ [...]inst himselfe, if it cannot mitigate others sharpnesse to­wards him; yet shall it bee such an armour of proofe vn­to him, being tempered with faith, humility, meeknesse, & patience, as all Sathans fiery darts shal not be able to pierce it, at leastwise, not mortally to wound him. And in a word, so many outward discourage­ments as either hee hath, or yet shall meete withall in the world for his offence past, they shall from henceforth be but as so many * thorne-hed­ges round about him, ready to [Page 278] pricke and wound him, when any temptation would di­uert or draw him to the least trans­gression.