BEcause I haue not nowe a long time , eyther by wryting or by worde of mouth heard from you , ( good Sir ) I grow into some vncertain imaginations concerning your estate , ( and by meanes thereof I freely confesse it ) not onely into neglect of some duety towardes your selfe , ( I meane comming to visite you , and writing vnto you such simple comfortes , as God hath bin pleased to explicate vnto me , which I call simple , not as of themselues , for so they are high and excellent , but as I haue them in my a a 2. Cor. 4 7. earthen vessell ) but also into cold performance at the least , of som seruice vnto God , ( I meane my supplications and praiers vnto his maiestie , The duti● of a Christian and faithfull friend , towardes hys friend . as on your behalfe . To pray for you , when God hath bene pleased to giue you , and in you me ( for I take the fauours bestowed vpon you , to be kindnesse heaped vp vpon my selfe ) thorow his merciful deliuerance of you , a iust and holy occasion to prayse his name , should be the sinne of mine owne soule , because it were the offring vp of a wrong sacrifice , and presenting vnto God a b b Malac. 1.8 . blind beast ( as it were ) As on the other side , to striue to yeeld you comfort , when you haue receiued a riche aboundance of the same from God himselfe , thorowe his holie worde , and blessed spirite , were , as it might be thought to doe a needlesse and vnnecessarie worke , for where there is fulnesse and plentie , scarsitie and barrennesse will little appeare , and doe small good . From the former , though I would gladly , as in regard of the lack of sound knowledge touching your present condition , and in respect of the dulnesse and heauinesse of my soule , as to other good workes , so to that particularlie , cease till eyther from your selfe or others that are as your selfe , I should be faithfully certified of the state wherein you are , that so I might , as a feeling member with you , eyther vnfeignedly c c Rom. 12.15 . reioyce , in the asswaging of your trobles and trials , or else heartily weepe , and pitie you , and pray with you , and for you , in the continuance and increase of these distresses : yet wil not the doubts that I haue in me touching the continuance of these calamities , and the dutie that I owe vnto you , as in that behalfe let me vtterly leaue off , but needes I must nowe and then , ( according to my poore measure ) present you before God , and that by name in my requestes and prayers ( though poore and faynt ) In the other surely , I cannot ( God ayding me ) but inlarge my selfe to my vttermost , yea beyond it ( if I could tell how ) because I know it to be the Lordes assured trueth that I shall deliuer , and though not fit perhappes now for your selfe ( by reason of your present comfort and ioy ) yet heereafter i may bee , of more then necessary vse for your selfe and others also , when these darke and glomie daies of assaultes shall againe take holde of you .

In both which respectes , as I rest perswaded that my poore paynes shall not vtterly perish , so cannot I but thorowly assure mine own heart , that both the one and the other , shall be well accepted of you , who are woont much to make of euerie thing that commeth from me . In consideration whereof , I will the more willingly assaie ( God assisting me ) the performance of the matter I purpose , that is the yeelding of you some such comfortes , as d d 2. Cor. 1.3.4 . the God of all consolation hath giuen vnto me , not onely for the staie of mine owne conscience , but to the ende also that I might acquaint others that are in tribulation with the same .

The dealings of God with his dearest saintes and seruantes ( in this behalfe especially ) are as we knowe , by the light of the world , and by experience in our selues , and examples of others , that haue gone before vs , or liue with vs , diuers and sundry , he throwing vs downe , and lifting vs vp , and e e psal. 90.3 . turning vs to destruction , and yet saying , returne you sonnes of Adam : whose wayes as euerie maner of way , so in this respect especiallie , are much more vnsearchable , and past finding out , than f f pro. 30 , 19 is the way of an Eagle in the ayre , the waie of a serpent vpon a stone , or the way of a ship , going with a right fore winde and full sayle , in the midst of the mayne sea , till God be pleased in the multitude of his mercies , in some measure to discouer the same vnto hys seruantes .

What God will doe with you ( good sir ) after so manifold and long trials is vnknowne to me , because neither I , nor any other haue g g Rom , 11 , 34 bene of his councell , in such secret and particular purposes , speciallie concerning others , whatsoeuer we may feel touching our selues . Howbeit , I cannot otherwise thinke or be perswaded , but that you haue bene , are , and so shal be for euer , h h & 9.23 . Tokens to assure men to be the vessels of mercie . a vessell of his mercy , wherein I am dayly more and more confirmed , not onely by the christian carrying of your selfe , in the dayes of your former and present troubles , you patiently bearing them , and earnestly calling vppon God , for heauenly strength to vndergoe , and ouercome , but euen by the verie afflictions themselues , that you felt or feele , God by them setting ( as it were ) his own marke vpon you , the better to knowe you for one of his owne sheepe and sonnes , and so conforming you i i Rom. & 8.29 vnto the image of his best beloued in his sufferinges , that in the same you might haue a certaine pledge of glorification with him .

Manifold and long afflictions a verie grieuous temptation . Wherein though I acknowledge that it cannot be but verie greeuous , to be long held and much exercised , and the rather because it is not one , but manifold assaultes and temptations , with which you are troubled on euerie side , yet doubt I not , but that the issue and end that God shall worke of all these , An answere to it of the end . shal be exceeding good , not onely in regard of k k 2. Cor. 4.17 . a far most excellent weight of eternal glory , that I know they pledge vp in you & other of Gods children , but of the effects also that for the time present , they bring forth in you , Of the effects . as adding an edge vnto your prayers , which for the time , seemed to be colde or dead rather : lessening , yea beating backe the force of many other temptations , which no doubt might strongly assault , and mightily encounter with you : conforming you in vnfeigned affection , to the obedience of Gods good will ( a worthy worke doubtlesse , and a matter of no small difficultie ) filling you , and that for your selfe and others also , with the comfortes and consolations which are from aboue , Afflictions to the faithfull , not so much a cause of discouragement , as to looke to themselues , and to cal vpon God for ayd and strength . whiche hardly but by such meanes wee taste of , or attayne vnto , with sundrie such like .

In my poore iudgement therefore , you may , yea you ought to be so farre off from beeing discomfited and cast downe in this estate , wherein you are , that you haue rather iust occasion offered you to l l Heb. 12.12 . lift vp your handes which hang downe , and to strengthen your weake knees , yea to raise vp your decaied spirites , assuring your selfe that howsoeuer the Lord lead you along , in manifolde and manifest afflictions , and carry you ( as it were ) from one sorrow to another , yea howsoeuer hee seeme to bring you to the pits bruicke , and make all the surges , and m m Psal. 42.7 . waues of his displeasure , to rise vp against you and mount ouer your head , that yet I will not n n 2. Cor. 4 8. destitute you , nor o o Heb. 13.5 . fayle you for euer , as well because hee trieth you no otherwise , Two reasons . nor exerciseth you no further , than he hath done those that haue bene deare and precious in his owne eyes , as also because he is both faithfull and powerfull to perfourme , both in heauen and in earthe , whatsoeuer hee hath promised to the sonnes of men , much more to his owne seruauntes .

Two apt similitudes declaring Gods loue towardes his children . Wherein also no doubt he dealeth no otherwise with you , than earthly parentes doe many times with their owne deare children , who to make them the more plainly see , and the more strongly to be perswaded of their fatherly loue towardes them , and manlike strength for their deliuerance , bring their sayd children to the fire side , that so they may feele more than a woonted heate thereof , and learne to feare it withall .

The like they practise towards them also in another element , namely in water , not onely carrying them all along the edge , brimme , or bancke , of some pond or riuer , but nowe and then making semblance , as if they would throw or thrust them into the same . And yet wee knowe they loue them no whit the lesse for all this : nay we are assured of this , the more nigh they are to daunger , whether it arise from the negligence and ignoraunce of the children themselues , or seeme to be layd vppon them from the very louing and naturall parentes , the more sure and fast hold they take of them . And shal not we be much more perswaded , I wil not say of the like loue , but of farre p p Esay . 49.15 . more exceeding loue in God , towards his sonnes and daughters ? with whose fauour towardes his people , and power for his childrens good , no affections , 〈◊〉 might ( I dare auouch this ) not of any , but of all , not men alone , but fathers and mothers in the worlde , ( though lincked neuer so straitly vnto vs ) is no maner of way matchable , nor so much as meete to be thought or spoken of with it , at the selfe same time .

Obiection , answered by example . Your troubles in the soule , and you● dangers that way , cannot seeme in any equall or vpright iudgment , to be more greeuous , or further past recouery , than q q Ionas . 2.2 . &c. Ionas his were , when he was in the Whales belly : and yet the Lord commaunded that great fish , to deliuer him vp againe , whose absolute authoritie he coulde not withstand , but as a man that hath his stomacke surcharged , vomited him out . And is Gods r r Esay 59.1 . hand streitened now , or his power shortned ? s s Psal 77.8.9 . or his mercy abated , that he can not or will not performe as much for you ? Or rather doth not God worke then moste mightily and mercifully both when in mens eyes the way is stopped vp , not onely agaynst a deed , but against hope or hart to conceiue it ? To what ende tend these comfortable promises , both of the olde and the new testament : t t Isay 42.16 . I will bring the blinde by a waie that they knowe not , and lead them by pathes that they haue not knowne : I will make darknesse light before them , and crooked thinges streight : these thinges will I doe vnto them , and not forsake them : and againe : v v Math. 16.18 . the gates of hell shall not preuaile against you : but to confirme vs more and more , A singular comfort farre beyond expectation . in the vnchangeablenesse and certaintie of hys goodnesse towardes vs , and to let vs vnderstand , though there bee infinite barres and lets betweene him and vs , so that his mercy cannot seeme to haue anie passage vnto vs , that yet hee will breake them all to peeces , and ouerthrowe x x 2. Cor. 10.5 . euerie high thing , that so we may plainly perceiue , and effectually & comfortablie feele , the incomprehensible treasure of his fauour towardes vs ?

If this be not comfortable , I know not what is : in which poynt of special consolation , The cause mouing to write more largely of this poynt . I write nowe , both the more willingly and largely vnto you , because I perceiue by your last ( though long since sent vnto me , vnto which also I then shaped a short aunswere , supposing because I heard not from you , that that had satisfied you ) and by some report of sundrie , that loue vs both in the Lord ( to which , for the further stirring of me vp thereto , I adde the dayly thoughts and feares of mine own hart concerning your case ) that you haue not onely bene terrible shaken for the time , but y y and 12.7 . sore buffeted , and that not with some one meane temptation , but with many great and grieuous assaultes : the consideration whereof raised vp such a thicke mist before your vnderstanding , whilest you dwelt too much , and ouerlong in the minding thereof , and in the beholding of your owne , both vnworthinesse and weakenesse , that as the comfortable sight of Gods grace and goodnes towards you in Iesus Christ , seemed for the time to be vanished from before you , yea altogether lost , ( so you thought ) in your selfe , and would haue perswaded others , that you were vtterly condemned and cast away .

But be not anie whit at all dismaied , A reason or meane to respect this temtation . with the violence and rage of this tempest , but rather comfort your selfe , yea assure your selfe of this , that Sathan dealeth herein no otherwise with you , A similitude . than a cruel and bloud-thirstie captaine , besieging aninuincible and irrepugnable hold , who at the first beginneth temperately and coldly ( as you would say ) as well for the sparing of his owne forces and charge , as to gaine some little credite with those that are beset : but when he seeth that preuayleth not , hee dooth by little and little increase the fiercenesse of his batterie , and the bitternesse of his assault : but not gayning that way neyther , he putteth it al at once vpon the last pushe , wherein hauing taken the foyle , hee is glad also to betake himselfe to a shamefull flight . And what though the cannons roare , yea the double cannons thunder in such sorte , that they make heauen and earth to shake ( as it were ) and would seeme to iumble them altogether , yet in trueth they are nothing els but sure pledges of the wasting and wearing of your aduersaries forces , and dishonourable running awaie on the one side , and moste comfortable messengers on the other side , of your happie and ioyfull deliuerance approching , and euen at the dores : which as it plainely appeareth by this , A similitude that euen as a little before day breake , the darkenesse is greatest , and then afterwardes commeth moste comfortable light , steppe by steppe , and degree by degree , the Sunne with his brightnesse and heate , chasing away all those thicke mistes and strong smelling fogs so may we be certainly assured of it , by the manifold examples of the word , and particularly of him that was possessed , z z Mar. 9.25.26 . with a dumbe and deafe deuil , out of whome when our sauiour charged him to come , and to enter no more into him , he cried and rent him sore , and left him for dead , taking ( as we say ) his pe●worthes then vppon him because he knewe , that as his time was but short , so hee should neuer after molest or vexe him .

For your sinnes which you complaine of , Accusation of conscience for the sight and giltinesse of sinne . I suppose verely that they are more in your owne iudgement , than in the sight of all the worlde beside , before whom notwithstanding your hard accusing of your self , you haue through Gods goodnesse liued an vpright and vnblamable life , and that not onely in the testimonie of them that feare God , but in the witnesse also of them that a a 1. Tim 3.7 . are without , which ought notwithstanding the greatnesse of your assault in your selfe , to yeeld you no small comfort , that in the viewe not onely of those that can iudge rightly : ( such as Gods children are , who haue their eyes inlightened by the knowledge of his trueth ) you haue caried your selfe christianly , and yet if you had failed , would in the b b Prou. 10.12 . 1. Pet. 4. ● . multitude of loue ( according to their duetie ) haue couered a multitude of transgressions , but in the iudgement of those , that are led with prying and malicious eyes ( who manie times obserue in Gods seruantes , more than they should , Of the accusation of a tender conscience . or iustly can , and the rather for their profession and troubles sake ) haue lead a harmelesse and irreproueable conuersation .

But let vs graunt that your owne heart accuseth you much . What then ? Accusation implieth not conuiction , much lesse condemnation , speciallie in such a height as we imagine . And yet withall giue me ●eaue to councell you , not to beleeue it further then it bringeth the euidence of truth with it . The wicked haue no profitable feeling of their sins . This I am sure you cannot be ignorant of , that as the wicked want with profite & continuance that sting of hart ( with profit I say , because though they haue it , it doth them no good : and with continuance , because it is but as a flashe of lightning in them , raysed vp for their greater iudgement , as soone vanishing as it doth appeare ) so the godly looking too much vppon themselues , The feeling of the godly . and their sinnes , and secluding both from sight and sense , the viewe and memorie of Gods mercies , lay to hard and heauie burthens vppon their owne soules .

Me thinketh this rather woulde be stood vppon , that sith euen from that , that woundeth them most , I meane the continuall charging and accusing of themselues , men that haue their minds inlightned from God , may reape singular consolations , they should labour euen from thence to gather strong comfortes vnto themselues against their temptations , which they may doe by this holy consideration , that the heart wounded with the dailie sight and sense of sinne that is past , is pushed forward thereby to speedy and vnfeigned repentance ( God to that end setting the same before them , that so in the lothsomnesse thereof they might make haste vnto him ) which otherwise as in the want thereof , it could not so much as thinke vpon , much lesse performe : is strengthned also against sinne that is to come , because hardly haue anie bene found to fall into that which they haue with vpright and dayly iudgement misliked , in themselues principally , and in others secondarily , the fear of the former , causing them to keepe a good watche ouer themselues in the latter : and is prouoked in and by themselues , tenderly to pitie & earnestly to pray for such , whose state that waie foorth , they knowe and feel by experience in themselues , to be as lamentable and as much to be regarded as their owne . All which bringing with them the glory of God , their own benefite and other mens good , that euen in the least thinges , cannot but yeeld them comfort , that seriously thinke thereupon , vnlesse they will deeme Gods honour light , or their owne comfort base , or the loue of the fa●thfull , and their welfare , a meane , yea a vilde thing .

But we will put the case , that your sinnes were as huge and as high , as your selfe take them to be : yea let vs imagine that they had spread themselues , throughout both heauen and earth , and did reach from the one end of the world to the other , yet who can , will , or dare denie , but that as God himselfe , so his mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ , c c Co. 3.20 . The mercy of God in this life chiefly appeareth in the forgiuenesse of sinne . ouer reacheth them euery way , and the rather sith his meanes are no waie in this life more euidently manifested , than in the forgiuenesse of the sinnes of his seruantes ? Concerning which trueth we may , and ought to be certainly perswaded , not onely by reason , A reason taken of Gods nature , which is infinite . taken from the infinitnesse of Gods owne nature , who beeing infinite himselfe can haue nothing in him , but that which is infinite , and therefore his mercie beeing in him , must also be infinite , with whom ( howsoeuer ) our sins be in numerable , as in respect of our selues : d d Psal. 19.12 . for who vnderstandeth his iniquitie , or is able to account his transgressions ? yet they are finite and certaine as in regard of himselfe , that e e & 147.4 . counteth the number of the stars , and calleth them all by their names : but also from the large and moste faithfull promises , Of Gods promises . that in euerie place almost of his word , for the vnderpropping of our weake fayth , hee hath plainly and plentifully propounded vnto vs : amongest which euen these most sweete sayinges , seeme not of the least reckoning : f f & 103.12 As farre as the East is from the West , so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs . Againe in another place : g g Isa. 1.18 . Though our sinnes were as Crimsin , they shal be made white as Snow , though they were red as Skarlet , they shall be as wooll . And again : h h Rom. 5.20 . Where sinne hath abounded , there grace hath more than abounded : with sundrie suche like , with which I knowe you are acquainted , as hauing laid them vp in your heart , for the peace of the same , and hauing expressed them with your mouth for the testification of your ioy .

Hitherto I haue laboured , neither vnsoundly , as in regard of Gods trueth propounded , nor vnprofitably , as in respect of you afflicted , nor vndutifully , as inconsideration of my selfe trauailing , generally to deliuer generall comfortes against generall transgressions .

Now it remaineth that I come , to applie particular consolations , ( as if it were ) speciall medicines and plaisters , to those peculiar offences & griefes , that you saie are in your selfe , and it hath pleased you to acquaint me withall , to this end ( as I take it verily ) that of my poore store , and penurie indeede , you might yet receiue some spirituall reliefe and comfort . What measure of mercie I haue receiued that way , hee that hath bene pleased freely to giue the same vnto me , best knoweth . Howbeit howe small or great soeuer it be , this doth not a little incourage me to a liberall vse of the same , that I knowe certainly I shall not decrease mine owne by that I bestow vpon others , but rather increase the same much , it seruing me , ( as the widdowes i i 2 , King . 4 , 2. &c. pitcher of oyle did in the dayes of Elisha , being miraculously increased ) not onely to inable me , in some sort to pay my debts , though it be but fiue shillinges in the pound ( as we saie ) but the rest being sufficient , for my selfe and my children to liue vpon .

But to those thinges which you obiect against your selfe , and to that first which you first put downe . Obiections answered .