A Most Sweet Comfort for an Afflicted Conscience

A MOST SVVEET Comfort for an afflicted Conscience.

*It is thus written, Prouerb. 18:14.* The Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie: But a wounded Spirite who can beare it?

This Scripture is not onely worthy to be grauen in steele with the penne of an Adamant, and to bee written in letters of golde; but also to be laide up registred by the finger of God his spirit in the tables of our hearts. Which sentence briefly speaketh thus much to us, that what trouble befalleth a man (his minde being vnappalled) hee will indifferentlie beare it out; but if the spirit of a man be once troubled and dismayed, hee cannot tell how to be deliuered. And no maruell; for if the minde of man be the fountaine of consolation, which ministreth comfort to him in all other troubles; if that become comfortlesse, what shall comfort it? If it be voyde of helpe, when shall it bee helped? If the eye which is the light of the bodie be darkenesse, how great is that darkenesse? If the salt which sauoreth all thinges be vnsauorie, for what is it good? If the minde which sustaineth all troubles be troubled, how intollerable is that trouble? To shew this the better, I wil first declare howe greate a punishment of God this wounde of conscience is: Secondly I will teach how this trouble of minde may be preuented and auoyded: Lastly I will set downe how Gods children faling in some measure into this affliction of spirite, may bee recouered out of it.

For the first, the grieuousnesse of this malladie is seene, eyther by some due consideration of the persons that have felt it; or by some wise comparison made betweene this griefe of minde, and other outward griefes incident to a man.

The persons in whome we may consider this wounde of spirit, are eyther meerely naturall men, or such as bee renued by the spirit of God. The men meerely naturall are either the Heathen such as never knew God in Christ, or carnall professors, such as have not professed Christianitie aright. If wee looke among the Heathen, how many of them have willingly gone under pouertie, and have beene content to vnburden themselues of all worldly treasures? How have some of them (whilest their mindes were vnappalled) suffered imprisonment, exile, and extreame tortures of bodie; rather than they would betray their Countries? Howe many of them have deuoured many iniuries, and borne outwarde troubles, with some ease and with no resistance, whilest their mindes were at libertie? And yet looke not into the meanest, but the best and most excellent men among them, euen their wise Philosophers, sweete Orators, and exquisite Poets; who in bearing and forbearing thought the chiefest pointe of vertue to consist; and you shall see, when once some great distresse of minde did wounde them, some would make an ende of it by preparing a Cup of deadly poyson; some would violentlye and voluntarily runne on the enemies pikes: some woulde throwe downe themselues from hie Mountaines; some woulde not sticke to stabbe most monstrously their owne bodies with Daggers, or such like instruments of death: all which men would seeme to have great courage in sustaining many harmes, so long as their mindes were not ouermastred. But when their divine and supreame Essence (which they accknowledged to be God) did by his power crosse & ouerturne their witty deuises and headstrong attempts, so as without hope of remedie they were hampered in pensiuenes and sorrow of minde: then not being able to turne themselues under so heauie a burthen, they shrunke downe, and by violent death would ridde themselues of that disquietnes & impatience of their troubled minds.

But let us come neerer; and whether wee behold the Papists, or the familie of loue, or the common sort of Christians, wee shall see they will passe quietly through many afflictions, whether for that they have a spirite of slumbering and numbnes cast vppon them; or whether because they have brawned themselues through some sencelesse blockishnes as men hewen out of hard Oaks, or grauen out of marble stones I know not. But yet when the lord shal let loose the corde of their consciences, and shall set before their faces their sinnes committed; see what fearefull endes they have, whilest some of them by hanging themselues, some by casting themselues into the water, some by cutting their own throats have rid themselues out of these intollerable griefes. Now wherein is the difference that some die so sencelesly, and some dispatch themselues so violently? Surely the one feeling no sinne, depart like brutish swine; the other surcharged with sinne, die like barking Dogs.

But let us come to the children of God, who have in some degree felt this wounde of minde; and it will appeare both in the members and in the heade, of all burthens to bee a thing most intollerable to sustaine a wounded conscience. And to beginne with, let us set in the first ranke Iob, that man of God commended to us by the holy Ghost for a myrrour of patience; who although for his riches hee was the welthiest man in the land of Huz; for his authoritie, might have made afraid a great multitude; and for his substance was the greatest of all the men in the East: Yet when the Shabeans came violently and tooke away his cattell; when the fier of God falling from heauen, burnt up his sheepe and his seruants; when the Caldeans had taken away his Camels; when a greate winde smote downe his house vppon his children; although indeede hee rent his garmentes, which was not so much for impatience, as to shewe that he was not senceles in these euils: Yet it is saide that hee worshipping blessed the name of the Lorde, saying: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne there: The Lorde giueth and the Lorde taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lorde.

But behold when at the strange conference of his comfortless friends, his mind began to be aghast, which was not so in all his former trial, when his conscience began to be troubled, when he saw the Lord fasten in him sharp arrows, and to set him up as a butt to shoot at; when he thought God caused him to possess the sins of his youth, this glorious pattern of patience could not bear his grief: he was heavy, and now may commend the image of a wounded spirit, to all that come after. David, a man chosen according to the Lord's own heart: Ezekiah, a pure worshipper of God, and careful restorer of true religion; Jeremiah, the Prophet of the Lord, sanctified and ordained to that office before he was formed in his mother's womb, were rare and singular in the graces and favor of God: yet when they felt this wound piercing them with grief of heart, they were as sparrows mourning, as cranes chattering, as pelicans casting out fearful cries, they thought themselves as in the grave, they wished to have dwelt solitary; they were as bottles parched in the smoke, they were as doves mourning, not able without sighs and groans to utter their words, their hearts cleaved to the dust, and their tongues to the roof of their mouths.

But above all; (if these were not sufficient to persuade us in this doctrine) there remains one example, whom we affirm to be the perfect anatomy of an afflicted mind. This is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the image of the Father, the head of the body, the mirror of all graces, the wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption of all the Saints, who sustained the Cross even from his youth upward: and besides poverty, baseness, hunger, did willingly go under the great trouble of contempt and reproach, and that among them where he should have had a right deserved honor, in respect of the doctrine he taught them, and in regard of the manifold miracles he wrought among them; as the healing of the sick, the giving sight to the blind, the restoring of life to the dead. This unkindness nevertheless, did not so much strike into him. But at what time he was set as a sacrifice for all, when he was to bear our infirmities and carry our sorrows, at what time he was plagued and smitten of God, humbled and wounded for our transgressions, when he should be broken for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him; then he cried out: My soul is heavy even to the death. Then he prays, Lord if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. But how prays he? Even with sweating. How sweats he? Even drops of blood. How long prays he? Three times. When ends his agony? Not until he was dead. What said he being ready to depart? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.

Was this for his human death, as some have imagined? No, wicked men have died without complaint, whose patience then might seem to exceed his; it was his suffering in his human spirit, which encountered with the wrath of God, his Godhead suppressing itself for a while: he suffered indeed many torments in body, but much more heavily did the wrath of God lie upon his soul.

If this consideration of an afflicted spirit in these examples does not sufficiently show what a grievous thing it is to sustain a wounded conscience: let us proceed to the comparing of this with other evils, which fall into the nature of man. There is no sickness but physic provides for it a remedy, there is no sore but surgery will afford it a salve; friendship helps poverty; there is no imprisonment, but there is hope of liberty; suit and favor recover a man from banishment; authority and time wear away reproach. But what physic cures? What surgery salves? What riches ransoms? What countenance bears out? What authority assuages? What favor relieves a troubled conscience? All these banded together in league, (though they would conspire a confederacy) cannot help this one distress of a troubled mind; and yet this one comfort of a quiet mind does wonderfully cure, and comfortably assuage all other griefs whatever. For if our assistance were as a host of armed soldiers; if our friends were the princes and the governors of the earth; if our possessions were as large as between the east and the west; if our meat were as manna from heaven; if our apparel were as costly as the Ephod of Aaron; if every day were as glorious as the day of Christ's resurrection; yet if our minds be appalled with the judgments of God, these things would little comfort us. Let experience speak; if a troubled mind impairs not health, dries not up the blood, wastes not the marrow, pines not away the flesh, consumes not the bones, if it makes not all pleasures painful, and shortens not the life; surely no wisdom can counsel it, no counsel can advise it, no advice can assuage it, no assuagement can cure it, no eloquence can persuade it, no power can overcome it, no scepter will affray it, nor enchanter can charm it. And yet on the contrary, if a man languish in sickness, so his heart be whole, and is persuaded of the health of his soul, his sickness does not grieve him. If a man be reproached, so he be precious in the sight of God and his angels, what loss has he? If a man be banished, and yet doubts not that heaven is his country, and that he is a citizen among the Saints, it does not appall him. If a man be in trouble, and finds peace of conscience, he will quietly digest his trouble. But if the mind be troubled, who dares meet with the wrath of the Lord of Hosts? Who can put to silence the voice of desperation? Who will step out and make agreement with the hells to spare us? Who dare make a covenant with the Devil, that he would not lay claim to us? If then a good conscience helps all evils, and all other benefits in this life, in themselves cannot help a troubled conscience; we see it true in proof, which here is in proverb: The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded spirit, who can bear it?

Again, in all other afflictions we may have some comfort against sin; this is ever accompanied with the accusation of sin. A man may be sick, reproached, impoverished, imprisoned, and banished; and yet in all these have a clear conscience; his own heart telling him that there is no special cause of these crosses in him, but that he may suffer them for the trial of his faith, or for righteousness sake and well doing. But when the spirit is wounded, there is still a guiltiness of sin, and when a man's spirit is troubled, he suspects all his ways, he fears all his sins, he knows not what sin to begin with; it breeds such hurly-burlies in him, that when it is day he wishes for night; when it is night he would have it day, his meat does not nourish him; his dreams are fearful to him, his sleep oftimes forsakes him; if he speaks, he is little eased; if he keeps silence, he boils in disquietness of heart; the light does not comfort him, the darkness does terrify him.

To prosecute our comparisons; where all other evils are the more tolerable, because they be temporal, and pursue us but to death: this not being cured ends not in death, but becomes eternal. For even the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery: the persuasion of which made them (being in some misery) to make an end of themselves, and hasten their own death; as Satan does make many now a days to do, who are ignorant of the hell, which is a place of far greater pains than any they can suffer in this world whatever. Howbeit a tormented conscience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or if it was not before, now begins and never ends world without end. For though true it is, that sickness, poverty, imprisonment or banishment have ended their term in death; yet a wounded heart which was temporal in this life, is now eternal after this life: that which before death was in hope recoverable, is after death made incurable and unrecoverable. It is good therefore to consider, if even in this life the torment of conscience be so fearful; how much more grievous it is to sustain it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finite; where that is unmeasurable, which here is measurable: where is the sea of sorrow, of which this is but a drop, where is the flame of that fire, of which this is less than a spark.

But to shut up this argument: some there have been who throughout all their life time, have been free from all other troubles, so as either they felt them not at all, or else in very small measure, and by that means never knew what outward trouble meant. As for example, some men there have been, who for sickness never knew their headache; for poverty, never knew what want meant; who for discredit, were never evil spoken of; who ever put far from them the evil day of the Lord; who made a league with death as it were, and a covenant with hell; who thought they could crucify every cross, rather than come under any cross: yet they could never escape a wounded conscience, either in this life, or in the life to come. True it is, that God's children by faith and repentance do often escape it, but the wicked, and such as are born to it, as to their sure inheritance; the more they flee from it, the more it pursues them. If we have transgressed the civil laws, the judge by bribes may be corrupted; if a man have committed some capital offence, by flying his country he may escape the magistrate's hands: but our consciences telling us that we have sinned against God; what bribe shall we offer? Or where shall we flee? Where shall we go from his spirit? Or where shall we go from his presence? If we ascend into heaven, is not he there? If we lie down in hell is he not there? If we flee to the utmost parts of the sea, is he not there also? There needs no apparitor to summon us, there needs no bailiff errant to fetch us; there needs no accuser to give in against us: sin will arrest us, and lies at the door, our own conscience will impanel a quest against us; our own hearts will give in sufficient evidence, and our own iniquity will plead us to be guilty to our own faces.

Thus we see both by the experience of them that have suffered the wound of the spirit, and by the comparing of it with other evils, what a weight most grievous and burden intolerable it is to have a tormented conscience.

Now let us show how we may prevent; and by what means God's children falling into some degrees of it, (for if it rage in extremity it is an evil unrecoverable) may safely and quietly be delivered from it. And here a just complaint is to be taken up, and it is a wonder to be marked (if we may wonder at God's works) that we see many so careful and watchful to avoid other troubles, and so few or none take any pains to escape the trouble of mind which is so grievous. We see men loving health and loathing sickness, in diet temperate, in sleep moderate, in physic expert, skillful to purge, and to avoid such corrupt humors, which in time may breed (though presently they do not bring forth) some dangerous sickness: yet to avoid the diseases of the soul, no man abates his sleep, no man abridges his diet, no man prepares physic for it; no man knows when to be full, and when to be empty; how to want and how to abound. Others carried away with the love of riches, and very likely to fall into poverty; will not stick to rise early, to take sleep lately, to fare hardly, to tear and taw their flesh in labor by land and by water, in fair and foul weather, by rocks and by sands, from far and from near: and yet to fall into spiritual decays, to avoid the poverty of conscience no man takes such pains; as though salvation and peace of mind, were not a thing worthy the laboring for. Some ambitiously hunting after honor, and not easily digesting reproaches, behave themselves neither sluggishly nor sleepily; but are active in every attempt, by love and by counsel, by prudence and prowess, by wit and by practice, by labor and learning by cunning, and diligence to become famous, and to shun a civil reproach: yet to be glorious in the sight of God and his angels, to fall before the heavens, and in the presence of the Almighty to be covered with shame and confusion of conscience, we make none account, as they, who neither use any means to obtain the one, nor avoid those occasions which may bring the other.

Others unwilling to come within the reach and danger of the law, that they may escape imprisonment of body, or confiscation of goods; will be painful in penal statutes, skillful in every branch of the civil law, and especially will labor to keep themselves from treasons, murders, felonies, and such like offenses deserving the punishment of death: yet when the Lord God threatens the seizure both of soul and body, the attaching of our spirits, the confiscating of our consciences, the banishing of us from heaven, the hanging of us in hell, the suspending of our salvation, the adjudging of us to condemnation for the breach of his Commandments no man searches his eternal law; no man cares for the Gospel: neither the sentence of everlasting divorcement from the Lord, neither the covenant of reconciliation is esteemed of us.

And to reach our complaint one degree farther. Behold, the more we seek outward pleasures and to avoid the inward trouble of mind, the more we haste and run into it; and suddenly plunge ourselves in a wounded spirit ere we be aware. Who posts more to become rich, who hopes less to become poor than the merchant man? Who adventures great treasures, who hazards his goods, who puts in jeopardy his life; and yet suddenly he either rushes upon the rock of hardness of heart, or else is swallowed up of the gulf of a despairing mind: from which afterwards he cannot be delivered with a ship full of gold. Woeful proof has confirmed, how some men (wholly set on pleasures, such as could not away to be sad, and hedged up always of godly sorrow) have had their tables made snares; and even their excess of pleasures has brought excess of sorrows: and while they labored to put the evil day far from them, they have used such follies as have been the most bitter and speedy hangmen of their fearful and trembling consciences.

There be some of another sort, who never dreaming of a troubled mind, have had their hearts set on nothing but how they might get some great fame and renown; and therefore have slipped into such vainglorious attempts, and foul flatteries, as they have not only lost the peace of their consciences, but also fallen most deeply into reproachful shame, which they sought to shun.

Now as the peace of conscience and joy of mind is such a treasure, as the eye has not seen, the ear has not heard, nor the tongue expressed; but passes all understanding. So the wounded spirit is such as the eye has not seen it, the ear has not heard it, nor the tongue uttered, but passes all understanding. And as they only know what the peace of mind means, that feel it; so they alone can in truth speak of a troubled mind, that have tasted of it by experience.

But let us show what way is to be used to keep us from this wound of the spirit. It is the use of physic, as to cure us of diseases when we are fallen into them; so to preserve us from sickness before it has taken hold of us: it is the power of the word, as to assuage the trouble of conscience, when it does once press us; so to prevent it before it has overtaken us. It is a chief point of worldly wisdom not to tarry for the use of physic until we be deadly sick; but to be acquainted with God's merciful preservations to defend us from it; likewise it is a chief policy of a godly Christian, not only to seek comfort when the agony is upon him, but also to use all good helps to meet with it before it comes. And we condemn them of folly, who will not as well labor to keep themselves out of debt, as to pay the debt when they owe it: so it is a madness not to be as circumspect to avoid all occasions, which may bring trouble of mind upon us; as we would be provident to enter every good way which may draw us out of this trouble, when we have once entered into it.

The remedies preservative; are first the searching of our sins, and then the examining of our faith.

The searching of our sins, is either the due acknowledging of our sins, or the true sense and feeling of our sins. The acknowledging of our sins, is either of those that be past, whether we have unfeignedly repented us of them: or of those which be present, whether we be truly grieved for them.

Thirdly of those secret corruptions, which in the course of our life are likely to come, whether we are reverently afraid of them and resolve to suppress them with all our endeavor.

Concerning sins past, we must call to mind the sins done of old, in our youth, in our middle age, in our old age; that we judging ourselves may not be judged of the Lord; that accusing of ourselves, Satan have no occasion to accuse us; and throwing down ourselves before the Lord, he may lift us up. For many going quietly away, and sleeping in carnal security (notwithstanding the sins of their youth) and neglecting to make conscience of their sins done long ago; suddenly have fallen into such horror of mind, that (the violent remembrance of all their sins surcharging them) they have been overwhelmed.

This examination does then rightly proceed, when it reaches to the errors of this life, and to the sins of our youth; because many men (even from their childhood, by a civil righteous life) having escaped gross sins, wherewith the world could never charge them, have notwithstanding carried the burden of their secret sins done in their youth. David (Psalms 25:7) prays the Lord, not to remember the sins of his youth; Job (23:6, the man of God) confesses that the Lord writing bitter things against him made him to possess the iniquities of his youth. What, shall we think that David or Job were given to notorious wickedness in their youth? No, they knew they were subject to youthful wantonness and unsteadiness of their affections; which though it did not burst out, yet it made them less careful to glorify God; which looseness the way to lewdness; which weakness, the way to strange vanities; which wantonness, the way to open wickedness, is even in the best of God's children in the days of their youth: which being afterwards in the time of their regeneration, brought (as it were) to judgment, and laid before their consciences, does cause them to repent.

But here is a thing to be blushed at, which maketh mens eares to tingle when they heare it; that many men (farre noe doubt from this true repentance) can largely indeed discourse of the things done in their youth; but in such a brauerie, with such boastings, and pleasing of themselues in the remembrance of them; as besides that they prouoke others to sinne in the like, and set themselues a flatte Backe-byas against Repentance and this Christian examination; they seeme to renewe the decayed colours of their olde sinnes, with the fresh suite of their second pleasures therein. But alas what pleasure have they in those things, whereof they have noe profit? What profit have they those thinges whereof they shoulde bee ashamed? Neither in this streine can wee forget the madnes of them, who may seeme to steppe one degree farther towardes this examination of sinne than did the former; by thinking that the leauing of sinne, and repenting of sinne is all one. Against these both daily experience and the word of God does sufficiently declame. Iosep[•]s brethren (Iacob his sonnes) who deuised evil against their brother, put him into the pit, and solde him to strangers; did cease from this crueltie: but yet they are not read to have remembered their sins with any remorce, vntill thirteene yeares after the sinne was committed; as wee may see in the processe of the Historie. Dauid had left his sinnes of murther and adulterie (as thinking all quiet and well) the space of a whole yeare; after which time (being admonished by the Prophet Nathan) he repented of it. And experience has tried in many that have had some working of God in them, that though they left their sinnes many yeares agoe, yet because they repented not truely for them, they have rebounded up on them with terrible sights & feafull visions, to humble them, and to bring them to serious examination of them, being done and left long since. Examples whereof wee neede not fetch from farre, seeing so many preachers as are acquainted with fearefull spirits will give witnes hereof. The fruite of which amazed mindes for sins alreadie left, is ours, to beware of sinnes which are to come: and that other mens harmes may teach vs blessed wisdome, let vs labor not onely to leaue sinne, which one may doe for profite, for feare, for praise, or for werisomnes; but also to repent of it for conscience sake.

This examination of our sinnes past, must bee partly of those that we committed beefore our calling, & partly of those which were done after our calling. Every man (especially hauing his reason reformed by the worde of God) will graunt an examination of the life, before our true knowledge of God in Christ, to be most needfull: but it may be some wil thinke that wee neede not be so precise in the searching of those sinnes, which were after our knowledge. But seeing of all other sins these bite sorest, and pierce deepest, for that they are agrauated with all the mercies of God going before, and sinne is then most sinfull, when after we knowe the truth, after wee have beene deliuered from sinne, after wee have beene inlightened with the grace of God, wee have falne into it: I thinke that an examination most specially ought to be had of these sinnes. Therefore to iterate our former examples in a new matter, as we may see the former kinde of examining of our sinnes before our calling, in the sons of Iacob; so we have a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid, who at the hearing of his sin was so troubled in his spirit, that he could not rest in the Prophets speach telling him his sin was forgiuen him, but still was disquieted, as one vtterly forsaken of God & could find no comfort of Gods spirit in him. For as it fareth often with sores, it commeth to passe in sins we are loth to have our wounds often grated upon, we cannot so wel away to have our sores rifled, seared, and lanced; but fed with healing salues: so we are hardlye brought to have our consciences grounde, or our sinnes ransacked, sifted, searched, & ripped up; but would still have them plaistered with sweete promises, and bathed in the mercies of God: whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing medicines, to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters, without which though some sores may seeme to close and skinne up a pace, yet they proue worse, and being rotten still at the coare; they have aboue a thin skin, & vnderneath deade flesh. In like manner, wee woulde cloake, we would hide and couer our sinnes, as it weare with a curtaine; but it is more sounde chirurgery to pricke and pierce our consciences with the burning yron of the law, and to cleanse the wounde of the soule by sharpe threatenings, least that a skinne pulled over the conscience for a while, wee leaue the rottten corruption, vncured vnderneath; and so we bee constrained to crye out of our sinnes openly. As it is a folly then to disemble our soares whilest they bee curable, and after to make them knowen when they bee growen vncurable; so it is as greate folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied, and so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroade when you are remedilesse. But of this by the way, because wee shall more largely touch it in the last part to come.

It is sufficient to commit sinne before knowledge, but after some good light of the spirit to sinne, breedeth eyther hardnes of heart, or a troubled spirite; both which wee shall auoyde, if in trueth we be carefull to watch over our affections, and beware that after our deliuerie we fall not into sinne gaine.

Several men subject to several sins, have their several checks in their consciences: some are overcome with wrath, and yet after the moody fit they can tell that the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God; some are subject to lust, and afterwards they say, it profits them nothing. Some are given to a continual course of vanity, who notwithstanding can say, that man's life has another end, some slip deeply into worldliness, and yet they be often wakened with most terrible checks of conscience. Well, blessed are they whose hearts be truly grieved; and let them beware that make alliance with sin: for either hardness of heart will overtake them, or a troubled conscience will confound them. Therefore it comes to pass, that many spending their bodies on lust, lament that ever they so abused their strength; many given too much to the pleasure of this life, had grief come upon them, to remember how they have spent God's graces, lavished his good gifts, and misspent their time; or else, if they have not this grief, they fall into voluptuousness and draw such a thick skin upon their hearts, as will cause the strongest denouncings of God's judgments to rebound, be they driven on never so hard. And sure it is the sin of this world, that men being controlled in their consciences, while they are a praying, and feel a secret charge laid against them, to beware of guile in buying and selling; either have these checks less and less, and so they grow to be profane; or else afterward they are wonderfully wounded, that they have been so worldly, so greedily pursuing earthly things; so coldly procuring heavenly things. Thus even our privy thoughts (not profited by) are breeders of farther trouble.

Now the remedy against this trouble is, willingly and wittingly not to cherish sin, to wish that the minister should touch our most privy and secret sins, to be glad privately to be admonished, to profit by our enemies when they do reproach us: and rather to desire (in such a case) to be humbled than to suffer ourselves to be flattered. This trying of ourselves must yet stretch itself farther, not only to the committing of evil, but also to the omitting of good. As when (after some good working and feeling of the spirit,) we begin to fight and conflict with our own consciences saying; though I must pray, I must have time also to provide for my family; if I go so to hear the word of God, surely I shall be in danger to lose this profit; if I thus attend upon the exercises of religion, I shall be cut short in the use of my pleasures. Therefore it shall be good to search our hearts, not only in the careless not using of the means; but also in the negligent watching over the fruits of the means: saying to ourselves in this manner; I have heard a Sermon, but (alas) without any feeling or working upon my affections; I have been praying, but with no power of the spirit; I have received the Sacrament, but without those joys glorious and unspeakable, which I was wont to taste of. I saw the Discipline of the Church executed, but without any fear of sin at all in myself, or compassion to the member censured.

And here I dare from my own observation assuredly affirm, that outward sins have not been at some times so grievous to God's children; as that they have sometimes used the means with little reverence and with less fruit. And no marvel, we shall see many men at some times, not so much grieved for their sickness itself, as for that that they have either willingly neglected the means which might have preserved their health, or that they have abused the physic that might have restored their health to them again: in like manner (I say) it fares with them, who either unreverently have refused the means, which should keep their souls from surfeiting: or else unthankfully have abused those helps, which might have recovered them again. From hence it comes, that some men are as much grieved for not using their good gifts to the benefit of God's Church, as others are troubled for pestering the Church with unprofitable corruptions; or as we shall see a rich man sometimes as much humbled for not giving money to the poor, which he might have done; as for heaping up riches falsely, which he ought not to have done. And thus, many (having received good gifts and graces from the Lord) are seasoned and sanctified by afflictions; whereby they are taught to put their gifts in use, and to offer their service to Christ: and others are forced to hide their gifts, which cannot be without some decay of God's glory, without offence to the weak, without the loss of many souls, which otherwise might be won to the gospel, and without strengthening the hand of the adversary to slander our dark and dumb profession. All which things will in the end bring terror of mind: because if the Lord cannot work upon us by taking away goods, friends, credit, wife, children, or such like, to bring us to repentance; he will surely whip our naked consciences, he will enter even into our very entrails, and pierce our secret bowels.

As we must examine ourselves thus for sins of time past, and present, so must we use this practice in sin to come: and this is very needful. For were it so, that our life and conversation were such, as neither before nor after our calling, man could justly accuse it: yet the hidden corruption of our nature, may threaten some heinous downfall in time to come. Which has made men of very good report and conversation to hang down their heads, and fear their secret hypocrisy, as that which may break forth to the shame of all their former life, in time to come.

But because we forgatte to speake of them, that in the examining of their liues past, are much grieued for the want of sinceritie, and for priuie vaineglorie in themselues; let vs before we go to the searching of our heartes in sinne to come, speake somewhat of this. Men troubled for this priuie pride are eyther touched, or not touched. If the veyle of sinne was so great in them, that it hid Christ from them; it is the good will of God, that by this sight of their most secret sinnes they should come to see the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesus; and so they shall the better be kept from being Iusticiarie Pharises. For when being a long time well brought up, and leading a ciuill life, the Diuell woulde perswade vs of some inherent righteousnes in vs; It is the wisedome of our God to touch vs with the conscience of most hidden corruptions, as also to certifie and make knowen to vs, that euen for our birth there was a secret seede of sinne in vs, which (without the Lord watching over vs) woulde surely have broken forth to his dishonour.

As for them which have had some woorking in them, and yet are often plunged with sore distresses this trouble commeth to them for two especiall causes, eyther for some hypocrisie, that they did more in showe than in truth; wherfore the Lord bringeth them back againe to see their corrupt proceedinges, and that they may knowe all their religion to be but hypocrisie, & all their righteousnes to bee but vnrighteousnes: or for the abusing of their knowledge, in that they made it but a maske to iuggle in, & that they made their affections to fight with their own iudgements. We must remedy this, by not thinking of our selues aboue that which is meete, and by labouring to embrace the truth in trueth. And heere let vs note, that many of Gods Children accuse themselues of hypocrisie, when indeed they offend not in it for the most righteous persons are their own greatest accusers. And yet the accusation does iustlye arise from some fault on their partes: for though they have done things in trueth, yet because with trueth they labored not to see their secret corruptions, in some other matters, they sustain this trouble of mind. So that there is nothing harder than to sist & serch our harts to the bottom, whether we respect our sins past or our sins present, whether we looke to our priuy pride, hidden wants, or secret corruptions. And to returne from where we digressed, to the examination of our harts, in sins to come: let vs obserue that in Gods children there is such a iealousy, as they tremble at the very first motions & quake at the least occasion of sinne, although because vice wil sit in residence very neere to vertue, there may be in them sometime too much scrupulousnes. This feare causeth the dearest of the Saintes of God to reason on this sorte; O Lord, I see now manye excellent in gifts, and constant in profession for a longe time, whose end has not answered their beginnings, whose deathes were not like to their liues. This is true, whether wee looke into the word or into the world: and it is a thing that may much humble vs. For though we may remember what we have beene, and knowe what we are; yet who can tell what may come to him heereafter.

Oh that the serious meditation heereof would dwell long upon our consciences: that with an holy iealozie wee might preuent the sinne that is to come. But alas, there bee some venture some knights, which thinke it no masterie to offer themselues to masking, minstrelsie and dauncing, nor to runne into quarrells, braules and contentions, as though they had their eares, their eyes, their hands and their feete in their own power, and at commaundement to vse and gouerne as themselues list.

Howbeit, GODS Children better fenced with his grace, than those bold buxzards are afraide of these occasions: as knowing full well, that their eyes maye soone bee prouoked to lust, their eares may quickly listen to vnchast delightes, their handes may sodainly strike a deadly blow, and their feete may easily be snared in carnall pleasures.

Beware O man, bee circumspect O woman that you prostitute not your selfe to too much libertie: for although in comming to such lasciuious and contentious places you diddest purpose none evil; yet for your ventring without warrant, you maist bee over your shoes in sinne, and plunged in some wicked attempt over head and eares, ere you beest aware. And because vice is so confine to vertue, beware also of superstition: for still the enemie laboureth either to make you too hardy in sinne, or else he will cause you to be too fearefull and superstititious; eyther hee will puffe you up with presumption, or assault you with desperation. To these tentations our nature is very pliable: first to presumption, as may appeare by our common speech; tush, the Preacher is but a man as I am, I am sure he has infirmities as others have; wee are no Angels, our nature is corrupt, we are but flesh, I am sure you would not have vs Gods. Thus the Diuell commeth to tempt; but he apparrelleth himselfe in another sute when hee commeth to accuse: and then of a lie he makes an Elephant, of the verie smallest pricke of a pin, a gloabe of the whole earth: of a moale hill a mountain: and presseth silly soules with feares and terrours, that they knowe not how to winde out themselues. If hee cannot bring them to make no conscience where they should make conscience, hee will labor to bring them to make conscience where they neede make no conscience. He careth not whether you will be remisse or superstitious, so you be one of them. If he cannot get you to follow the Epicurisme of the world, as Libertines in diet and apparrell; hee will make you so precise as to think it a hainous sinne, to eate one bit of meate, or to weare one ragge of cloath more than for necessitie. How needfull therefore it is to saile which an euen course, we may coniecture by other thinges which will bewray the corruption of our nature.

In the time of a plague we shall see some will be so bold, that without any lawfull calling or godly warrant, they will rush into places infected; and then falling sicke, their conscience prickes them for their tempting of God by an vnaduised boldnes, in the hower of their death.

Others plunged as deeply in a quite contrary extremity, are too fearful when they do but hear of the sickness; and for very fear have been brought to death's door, only by imagining themselves to have been infected, when they have been most free, who oftentimes have even died, and that without any natural cause that ever could be known, but only through immoderate fear and the judgment of God coming upon them for their infidelity and unbelief. Thus it is with us in Christianity, in that as well the oppressing ourselves with too much fear to be overcome, as the carnal security, in not fearing to be overcome, may bring sin upon us. God his children must labor for a measure, and that must be sought for in the word, which will teach them how they shall neither decline on the right hand, nor on the left; but will guide them in the narrow way, showing in every thing what is the virtue, what is the vice; what is the mean, what is the extreme.

Among many examples, let us consider of zeal, a most precious virtue in Christianity, so long as it is free from the extremities. Otherwise if we be cold in zeal, it is a sin on the left hand: if we be zealous without knowledge, it is preposterous, and becomes a sin on the right hand.

But can we not come to some perfection? No, if you understand it for an absolute unspottedness; albeit to that perfection which the Scripture takes for soundness, truth, and sincerity of heart, which is void of careless remissness, we may come. Neither does the Lord deal with us after our sins, nor reward us after our iniquities: in whose eyes the most glorious actions of men, are but as waters flowing purely from the conduit, but defiled by passing through a filthy channel. Therefore although we have our imperfections, let us not seek to be more righteous than we can be; saying for every error of this life, Oh, I am none of God his sons, I am none of his daughters: for I cannot find that perfection in me which is to be required: But let us comfort ourselves in the truth of our hearts, and singleness of our desires to serve God, because he is God; and so we shall be accepted of God.

I speak this to this end, that poor souls might have comfort, and know that if they abhor sin as sin, if they examine themselves for it, if they groan under it, if they mislike themselves for it, if they fear to fall into it; the Lord will not pursue them with the rigor of his law, but will give them the sweetness of his promises; they are no more under the curse, but under grace.

But further to enforce our exhortation, to avoid too scrupulous a fear, which hinders the true examination of our hearts: let us think that it happens in the spiritual conflict as in civil wars. We read that many cities lying in great security, have suddenly both been assaulted and overthrown; as also, how some countries (too much negligence in the means) through an excessive fearfulness, have encouraged their enemies with more greedy violence to prey upon them. With which kind of stratagems our adversary the devil being well acquainted; does often practise this policy. If he see us without all fear too quietly to rest in ourselves, he thinks his assault must needs be the stronger, because our resistance is the weaker. Again, if he descries in us a cowardly fear and fainting of heart, before we once begin to join battle with him; he will set upon our immoderate fear, and as villainously as suddenly stab us to the heart, and make a present spoil of us.

Common practise does farther teach us, that when we can hear the word without all trembling at God his judgements, when we can pray without all fear before the majesty of God, when we can come to the discipline of the Church without all reverence of the ordinance of the Lord; all is in vain. Again, let us hear with too much trembling, and we shall learn nothing; let us pray with too servile a fear, and our worshipping of God will be without all comfort and uncheerful. Thus if we neither lessen sin, that is sin indeed; neither make sin of that which is not sin in truth, it is good to proceed to this threefold examination and to lay the edge of this doctrine more near our affections, because many will be found in this ripeness of knowledge and barrenness of conscience, to speak, dispute and declaim of all these things very skilfully, which flickering in the circumference of the brain, and not sitting at the ground of the heart, do seal up a more just sentence of condemnation against them. To help this evil with, we must meditate more deeply of the Law and of the Gospel, together with the appurtenances of them both, that finding ourselves far from God's blessings promised to the keepers of the law, and seeing ourselves near to the curses due to the breakers of the Law, we may raise up some sense of sin in ourselves. Yet herein we must not stay our foot, but give a farther stride: for whereas many by a diligent view of the law, have come to the sense of sin in themselves, and saw plainly their own condemnation: yet because they labored not to see their guiltiness acquitted by the remission of sin in Christ, they plunged themselves into a bottomless sea of sorrows. Others having passed these degrees, and here made these steps to avoid the wound of conscience; have come also too short, and missed of the mark: when because besides the sense of sins pardoned by the death of Christ, they felt not also the virtue of his passion crucifying sin in them, but saw that with the remission of sin was not joined the mortification of sin; they feared that there was no forgiveness for them, but still languishing with sorrow, they thought themselves to stand charged with their former guiltiness. Yes, and which is more, for that such men have not truly been instructed, nor surely have been grounded in the doctrine of Christ's death and resurrection; that is for that they saw not as well power flowing from his death to slay sin in them, as virtue to pardon sin in them; for that they felt not as well strength to sanctification, streaming from the rising again of Christ, as they were persuaded of justification and righteousness therein: they have lain still bleeding at the heart, in such sort, as the wound of grief could hardly or never be stayed and staunched. Therefore let us strengthen our weak souls with this sixfold cord of consolation, against these bitter assaults. Let us first labor to know sin, then to sorrow for sin, after to feel our sins in Christ forgiven, further to look for power to crucify the same, then to lay hold on justification by his resurrection; and lastly, hope for strength to proceed from there, to further us in sanctification and holiness of life, even to the end. And thus much briefly for the second thing which we matched in company with the examination of sin, even the trial of faith: both which rightly used, shall in some measure safeguard us from the trouble of an afflicted mind.

Now let us hasten to the third part of our division; to show how God's children being fallen into this wound of spirit may be helped out of it: which (God willing) we will also perform, after we have answered a necessary objection; which (in the former part) might seem to encounter against us. There is no man but will grant, that David, Job, and others of the saints of God, had a sight of their sins, a sorrow for their sins, and a taste of the remission of their sins: how then comes it to pass, that these men were so troubled in mind? To this I answer, that their trouble so befell them, either for failing in some of these former things; or else they were rather afflicted for trial of their faith, than for punishing of sin in them. And therefore be it always provided, that we think not every conflict of conscience, continually and chiefly to be for the pursuing of our sins: but sometimes and principally, that it comes for the trial of our faith: and yet secondarily, or less principally, for the scourging of sin, as we may see in Job.

Whereupon let all men be admonished, when they see good men thus humbled and thrown down in mind, to lay their hands on their mouths from saying; Surely these men are but hypocrites, doubtless these men be great sinners, the Lord has found out their hypocrisy. For good reason there is, that such silence should be used: for that the Lord may as well make trial of their faith, as take punishment on their sins. For if such affliction should always and chiefly be sent for sin, then it should follow that all others as they exceeded them in sin, should also exceed them in the punishment of sin.

But now coming to the salving of this sore, I shall seem very strange in my cure: and so much the more be wondered at, by how much in manner of proceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein. [illegible]

To them which are troubled with such blind griefs, whereof they can see no reason, as often it happens to God's Children in secret providence, who either never knew God, or else had but a general knowledge of him: I answer, that as I deny not medicine to be ministered, if it in part proceed from a natural cause; so I require the word especially to show the principal and original cause to begin in the soul. And this I do the rather, because I would have wisdom both in considering the state of the body if need so require; and in looking chiefly to the soul, which so few think of. If a man troubled in conscience come to a Minister, it may be he will look all to the soul and nothing to the body; if he come to a physician, he only considers of the body, and neglects the soul. For my part, I would never have the physician's counsel severed, nor the Minister's labor neglected; because the soul and body dwelling together, it is convenient, that as the soul should be cured by the word, by prayer, by fasting, by threatening, or by comforting; so the body also should be brought into some temperature, by medicine, by purging, by diet, by restoring, by music, and by such like means; providing always that it be done so in the fear of God, and wisdom of his spirit, as we think not by these ordinary means to smother or smoke out our troubles; but as purposing to use them as preparatives, whereby both our souls and bodies may be made more capable of the spiritual means to follow after.

As we require these things to be the matter of our ministry in such a perplexity; so we would wish the persons ministering to be men learned and of sound judgment, wise, and of godly experience, meek and of most loving spirits. For when the troubled patient shall be well persuaded of our knowledge and discretion, and therewith all shall perceive us to come in tender and loving affection, I think an entrance is made, and all prejudice is taken away, so as we may the more freely work upon the conscience; first bringing them to the sight of sin, as to some cause of their trouble. Herein we must labor to put away all confusion and blindness of sorrow, endeavoring by wisdom to bring the parties wounded to some certain object and matter of their trouble; and so draw out of them the confession of some several especial, and secret, sin. I say several and secret sin, because I know, how many (through a palpable blindness or disordered discerning of sin) talk nothing so much as of sin; and yet they either can not discry several sins, or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secret sins: whereof the one proceeds of the ignorance of the Law of God, and the other of self love, which makes us loath even in our travail of mind to shame ourselves.

Now that the confession of particular sins is requisite, it may appear by the thirty-second Psalm, wherein (being a Psalm of instruction, concerning the forgiveness of sins) the Prophet (by his own experience) teaches us, that he could find no relief of his sickness, until he had remembered, and made confession of his sins.

What? Shall we think that the Prophet of God (taught so wonderfully by the word and by the spirit) did not see his sins before? Be it far from us. Rather let us know that he had not severally and particularly ripped up his sins before the Lord, in a several confession of them. Which though the Lord knows far better than we ourselves: yet such kind of sacrifice is most acceptable to him.

Now if in this trouble the person humbled can not come to the particular sight of sin in themselves; it is good to use the help of others to whom they may offer their hearts to be gauged and searched, and their lives to be examined more deeply, by hearing the several articles of the law laid open before them; whereby they may try the whole course of their actions. For (as we said before) the grossest hypocrites will generally complain of sin; and yet deal with them in particular points of the particular precepts, and prove them in the applying of things to be done or not done to their own consciences; and we shall see many of these poor souls tossed too and fro, now floating in joys, now plunged in sorrows, not able to distinguish one sin from another.

Now when we shall see the wound of the spirit to arise of any certain and known sin, it is either for some sin already committed, wherein we lie; or else for some sin as yet not committed, but whereunto we are tempted. For the former: it pleases God oftentimes to bring old sins to mind, when we had not thoroughly repented of them before; that so (as it were) representing them to us afresh, we might fall into a more misliking of them. And yet herein is not all, to mislike ourselves for some particulars, although it be good to be occupied about some especial sins: for as it is not sufficient for the avoiding of hypocrisy, to see sin generally; so it is not enough to eschew the deceitableness of the heart, ever to be poring busily in one particular, and to be forgetful of our great and general sins. But let us learn by the particulars to pass to the generals. When any such one sin then does pursue you, rest not only therein, but say thus rather to yourself; Oh Lord, is this one sin so grievous? And does my God punish this one sin so sorely? How great then should be my punishment, if you should (O Lord) so deal with me for all my other sins.

Let us labor to have a sense both of general and of particular sins, lest in time our grief pass away without fruit; while that not being displeased as well with one sin, as with another; we either look too superficially to general, and not to particulars; or else too superstitiously observe particulars and not the generals.

Concerning those sins whereunto we are tempted; as when a man is moved to think blasphemously of God the Father, or to doubt whether there be a Christ or no, or to imagine grossly of the Holy Ghost, or to deny God, or to doubt of the Trinity; or to be moved to murder, adultery, or such like: in which temptations he feels God's spirit to check him for them, so as he knows not in this case what to do, for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearful and monstrous temptations; and on the other side, he fears lest in time by long suit he might fall into them, or at the least for that he sees not how to be delivered from them: I suppose these motions are not so much to be disputed with, as we by them are to be provoked to more instant and extraordinary zeal of prayer.

Surely these are dangerous temptations, and therefore are not to be kept close; which our nature will easily incline to: but particularly are to be confessed of us. For the Devil will come sometime to you, to keep you still in a general acknowledging of sin, and urge you on this manner; Surely you must needs do this sin, you see you can have no ease, until you have consented, you are ordained to it: the reason why you are thus incessantly tempted, is because you do not thus take your pleasure. Go to, deny God, believe not his word: it is but a policy to keep men in awe; Religion is no such matter as men make it. Thus for fear of yielding on the one hand, and for shame of disclosing the temptations on the other hand; many men have pined away, and almost have been overcome by them. If we should disclose this (say these men) what would people say of us? They would count us Atheists, they would think us the wickedest men in the world. Well for our instruction and consolation herein; Let us learn that these kinds of temptations, are either corrections for some sins past, or punishments for some sin present, or forewarners of some sin to come. We shall see many tempted to adultery, who (no doubt) cannot be brought to commit it; and yet because in their youth they have committed it, and not repented of it, it comes to them again. The like may be observed in theft, in gluttony, and in other temptations, which are not so much sent to us, presently to overcome us, as to put us in mind, that some time heretofore we having been overcome with them, should now repent for them. Sometime a man shall lie in some sin, whereof when he will not be admonished, neither by the public nor private means, and then some other strange temptation shall fall upon him, differing from that wherein he presently lies, to admonish him of that other sin. As when a worldling shall be tempted to adultery, a thing which he has no desire to do; yet it is to make him look to his worldliness, whereof he has so strong and thorough a liking: Whereat if then he will not be awaked, he may suddenly fall into that too, and so by the punishment of God, in punishing one sin with another, both his sins shall be to his great shame laid open, and one sin shall make known another. Sometime also it comes to pass, that one shall be tempted with such a sin, as neither heretofore, nor presently he has given any liking or entertainment to; and yet the Lord by it may forewarn him how he may fall into it hereafter, as also to show that he has stood all his former life, rather by the grace of God than by the strength of flesh and blood. Therefore when you are moved to doubt of God, of Christ, of the word, or of justification, do not so much stand wondering at these strange temptations, as think with yourself that it is the mercy of God by them, to cause you better to discern of those temptations in others: when you shall have observed with fear and trembling how they make their first entry into a man's heart, how they gather strength, how they agree with our corrupt nature, in what degrees they come to some growth, how the spirit of God does resist them, what be the means best to prevail against them. And thus if you make your profit by them, you shall so wonderfully search and descry by several veins, the body, age and slight of these temptations in others, by a holy experience which God has taught you in others, that besides that you shall lay forth men's secret corruptions, as if you were in their bosoms; you shall be able also by the seed of sorrow in yourself, to beget an unspeakable joy in others, who in time may be tempted as you now are.

Think moreover and besides, that such is the efficacy of sin, that they who are now no Papists, Heretics, Adulterers, or Thieves, may for their secure contemning and foolish passing over of these temptations sent to them, suddenly, shortly after fall into them; because they would not seek to make some use of them, nor confess before the Lord both their proneness and worthiness to fall into them. But if we will humble ourselves in such temptations, and learn by them meekly to discern the corruptions of our hearts, we shall not only presently deliver ourselves from peril, but be also further enabled to assist others hereafter, in the like danger.

But some will oppose against these things which we have delivered: Do you think it a remedy to cast down them that are already humbled? This is rather to be a butcher than a builder of a man's conscience. To whom I answer, that I desire preachers to be builders, and not butchers; and it is one thing generally to apply, and another particularly to lay the medicine to the wound. It is good to begin with searching first, and to purge the sore by the vinegar of the law, and after to supple it with the oil of the Gospel. Both which must be done in wisdom, using them to some in greater, to some in lesser measure. For as some having nothing but a decay of nature, and no mortal humor, need rather restorative, than purging medicines: so some rather troubled for some spiritual wants, than for grosser sins, need not so much the sharp threatenings of the law, as the sweet promises of the Gospel. But if the body, through some extraordinary repletion has gotten some great surfeit, not so much to the weakening of nature, as to the threatening of imminent death, and therefore requires rather some strong purgation, than comfortable and cordial medicines: then the soul brought almost to death's door with some extraordinary sin, is rather to be bored and pierced with the denouncing of God's judgments than otherwise. But because we would deal more plainly and less confusedly, it is good in our access to afflicted consciences, to lay these two grounds. First, we must persuade the persons humbled, that their sins are pardonable and their sores curable: and after, that this visitation is not so much a sign of God's wrath and anger, as a seal of his mercy and favor, in that it is not either blind or barren, but plentiful in good effects, and fruitful in godly issues. The former how needful it is, the experience of so many almost as have been thrown down, is a sufficient witness; who have had this as a tag tied to their temptations that never any were so plagued as they, none ever had the like temptations. The Lord will surely make an end of them in some strange and unknown temptation. Wherein they are not unlike to men fallen into some dangerous disease, who thinking to be without the fathom of the physician's skill, and not to be within the compass of things recoverable, add a second and sorer grief to their former.

Therefore as these men seem to be half healed, when any man of knowledge can be brought, who by experience has cured the like malady in like degrees in others: so, then the sorrowful souls are not a little by hope refreshed and strengthened to look for some ease, when they see none other temptation to have overtaken them, than such as having fallen into the nature of man, have found mercy at the hands of God, that he might be feared. This groundwork framed; it is good to build up and repair the decayed joy of the mind, partly by the law, to make a preparative for these joys; if the mind not truly humbled, is not fit truly to be comforted: and partly by the Gospel, if the conscience kindly thrown down, is become a fit subject to apply the sweet promises of God in Jesus Christ to it. And here again, to answer them that deny the law wholly, or at all to be used, when we would breed comfort in one: I demand whether if it be necessary to maintain the righteousness of Christ, it be not also as necessary to preserve the righteousness of the law? Seeing the righteousness of the law, of us not fulfilled, will draw us to the righteousness of Christ to us imputed: and since the righteousness of Christ to us imputed, is never throughly and truly esteemed, until we see the righteousness of the law of us to be unperformed. Again if our Savior Christ did foreshow his disciples, that the first work of the Holy Ghost at his coming, should be to convict the world of sin, to make men know, that without Jesus Christ there is nothing but sin, and then, that he should rebuke the world of righteousness, that they might see how Christ died not for his own sin, but for the sins of others: I see not why it should not be very convenient, first to lay open the righteousness of the law, that men may see their sins; and then the righteousness of Christ; that men may see their sins discharged in him. Besides, where the Lord says by his prophet, At what time soever a sinner does repent of his sins from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance: it may well be gathered that there must be a sound sorrow for sin go before; and then true joy of sins pardoned, may the more freely by virtue of his promise be both hoped for, and looked for afterward. Moreover, seeing all the promises of God in the Gospel are commended to us under the title and tenor of restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, strength to the lame, health to the sick, and life to the dead; it is manifest, not only that there is no disease of the soul which Christ cannot heal: but also that we must first find ourselves blind, deaf, dumb, lame, sick and dead, before he will meddle with us; because they that are whole need not the physician, and he came to call sinners, not the righteous to repentance. Now, to do this in wisdom, by neither pressing the conscience too severely, nor releasing the conscience more unadvisedly, it shall be a safe way, to use the well-tempered speech of the Apostle to the sorcerer; Repent, that if it be possible, your sin may be forgiven you. Where he does not wholly discourage him, because it may be his sin may be pardoned; neither yet too boldly encourage him, in that without repentance, he shows it altogether impossible to be pardoned.

And that we be not too preposterous in our consolations, let us be warned by the blasphemous speech of that detestable Arian, who of late years was put to death at Norwich. This hellish heretic, a little before he should be executed, afforded a few whorish tears asking whether he might be saved in Christ or no? When one told him, that if he truly repented, he should surely not perish: he broke out most monstrously into this speech: Nay, is your Christ so easily to be entreated indeed, as you say? Then I defy him, and care not for him. Oh how good a thing had it been not to have cast this precious stone to this swine? Oh how safe had it been to have dealt more bitterly, and to have dwelt more vehemently on the conscience of this caitiff?

Now to attain some discretion in curing this wounded spirit, we must learn wisely to judge, both of the person afflicted, and of the nature of his affliction. First, we may note whether it be a man or a woman, because we may urge more fearfully the use of the law to a man, as being the stronger vessel. And as Satan knew the woman to be most easy and frameable to be wrought upon, at his first temptation: so is he not ignorant that she is the weaker party to sustain any temptation now. Then let us consider, whether they that are thus humbled have knowledge or no? Because, if they have no knowledge they think trouble of mind to be so strange a thing, as never any before had it: if they have knowledge, then Satan is ready to accuse them of the sin against the Holy Ghost, as though every sin done against knowledge, were a sin of presumption. Further, we are to enquire, how strong or weak they are, that if they be sorely stricken we cease to humble them any further, if they be not sufficiently wounded then to touch them with some deeper sense of sin. Also we must be circumspect, to find out whether by nature they are more fearful and melancholy or no: as also, whether they be usual sinners, or have fallen once of infirmity; that so upon their disposition and inclination we may build our speeches the better. To these it is good to add the consideration of the persons age, estate and ability: as if the party be troubled for worldliness, whether he be not a great householder: if he complain of uncleanness, whether he be not a young man and unmarried: if he be humbled with covetousness, whether he be not old: because divers countries, callings, ages, conditions and estates of men, have their divers and peculiar sins, which we must rightly discern. Howbeit of what sex soever they are men or women, of what complexion soever they are, of what knowledge to discern sin, of what degree of committing sin; of what age, authority, wealth, estate, or condition soever they are, it is good to mark that there be many, who are more troubled for the vexation and disquietness of their mind being distempered, than for the vileness and horribleness of their sin committed; who are wounded more with the fear of shame, with the fear of being mad, or with the fear of running out of their wits, than with the conscience of sin. Which thing if we find in them, it is our part to travel with them, that they make a less matter of the outward shame, and more conscience of the inward sin. Neither must we here forget to make a distinction between our speeches used to the humbled in the very time of their extreme agony and burning ague of their troubles, and those speeches which we use to them the fit being past; because the one and former requires more consolation and less exhortation, the other and latter would have us more abundant in admonishing, and more sparing in comforting, when we may wisely admonish them to beware of sin, which so procured their own woe. In this breathing time, it is also expedient to exhort them, that for some season until they shall find greater power of regeneration, they would tie themselves to some holy orders, and godly vows, whereby they may either be furthered in mortifying some special sin; which for that they could find no power against it, did most grieve them, or strengthened in some special grace, the want whereof did also wound them.

But before we launch deeper into this sea of particular temptations, and begin to sound the dangerous passages of natural corruption, and original sin, the troublesome froth whereof does almost overwhelm many poor pilgrims, it shall be good to give this caution, that both in these and in the former troubles, men would be still again admonished, patiently to bear with a wounded spirit, albeit it fall out so, that they be somewhat pettish, seeing the Holy Ghost speaks so favorably of them, saying: A wounded spirit who can bear? And surely our practice in other things, by the law of equity, may urge this at our hands. For if men by the light of reason can see it to be a duty convenient, not furiously to control, but meekly to suffer, and wisely to put up the unadvised speeches of a man distempered in brain, by reason of some burning ague, or such like violent and vehement sickness: we may easily gather even by the same rule of reason, not so severely to censure the impatient speeches of him, who by reason of some parching fever of the spirit, is disquieted in all parts of his mind, and has all the veins of his heart (as it were in a spiritual agony) vexed. Therefore both unsavory for want of godly wisdom, and uncharitable for want of Christian love, are their murmuring detractations which say, what? Is this the godly man? Is this he that is so troubled for his sins? Why! see how pettish he is, nothing can please him: no body can satisfy him. Consider, O man, if you can bear with a frail body, that you must much more bear with a frail mind. Consider, O man, that this his pettishness does more wound him to the heart, than any injury you could press him with. And therefore seeing he afflicts his own soul for it, you need not add anything to his affliction, and to exasperate his grievous smart. Consider that it is a blessed thing mercifully to bethink us of the estate of the needy, and that to rub a fresh wound, and to strain a bleeding sore, is nothing else, but with Job's friends to bring a new torment, where there is no need of it. If the wise father does rather pity than rebuke his child, when by reason of sickness the appetite is not easily pleased: even so, if we purpose to do any good with an afflicted mind, we must not be austere in reprehending every infirmity, but pitiful in considering of its tender frailty. Neither do I speak this to nourish pettishness in any, but would have them to labor for patience, and to seek for peace, which though they find not at the first, yet by prayer they must wait on the Lord, and say; Lord, because there is mercy that you may be feared: I will wait upon you, as the eye of the servant waits upon the hand of his Master. I will condemn myself of folly, and say, Oh my soul, why are you so heavy? Why are you so cast down within me? Still trust in the Lord, for he is your health and your salvation.

FINIS.