A Psalme of Dauid to giue instruction .

THE Psalme hath this title common vnto it , with diuerse others ; setting downe first the author , and then the end . The author was Dauid , which is called in the Scriptures , The sweete singer of Israell : who although he was a King , yet abused not his prosperitie , to spend his time in dalliance , and in the workes of pride ; as many do when God hath advanced them ; but bestowed those houres which might be spared from his politick ●onsultations , in writing Psalms , for the exercise of his faith , & the edifying of the Church , wherin it is to be feared , that his example shal giue sentence against manie wanton nobles of this worlde , who abuse and disgrace the worthie facultie of Poetrie , with vncleane Sonnettes , to satisfie their louse mindes with a kinde of contemplatiue fornication , abandoning their good wittes , ( which God hath giuen them ) by writing of Pamphlettes , in the honour of Venus and Cupid , which one day will be coumpted no better then so many sacrifices to the Deuil . We are taught therfor , if we haue any vein of versificating , or any other good vse of our veine , how to vse it , that by this example , our writings may sauour of godlinesse to stirre vp the mindes of others , aswell as our selues therunto , not to leaue vnchast ditties behinde vs ( as it were bawdes in the world ) as many haue done .

The end of the Psalme is , to giue instruction ; that is to say , to teach others by his owne example , in a particular thing , whereof he maketh me●●tion . Now this instruction , as appeareth in the discourse of the Psalme , proceeded not from judgement gotten by much reading and obseruation of others , but by inwarde experience and obseruations of GOD his dealing with himselfe , which in the end of his laboures and agonies , hee recompteth and committeth to writing ; which appeareth by many other Psalmes to haue bene his vsual manner . So this instruction hath that singuler commendation , that it was deliuered out of the feeling of Dauids heart , that our spirites might be instructed by his : as one face aunswereth to another in water ; which kinde of teaching , if not onely , yet for the most part and principally is availeable , either to humble when a man speaketh not of spirituall things , as of the inhabitable ones ( if any such be ) but as of thinges which he himselfe felt & tasted before . And this is that holy experience , which taught the high Priestes of the Iewes compassion , and made his offrings for his brethren more zealous ; because he felt himselfe also pertaker of their infirmities , as the Epistle to the Hebrewes witnesseth : but now a daies , it may be counted amongst the causes , why the ministrie of many succeedeth not better , because they faile in this poynt ; in vsing so little conscience in teaching the people , and being without all affections : But those that are Rhetorical and prompted by the mother-witte , not by any expert soule , whereby it commeth to passe , that a godlie man , of no mouth or lippes , as Moyses calleth himselfe , that is nothing furnished with eloquence & vtterance , shall build more sound worke in Gods Church in one sermone , then those prophane Orators in twentie ; though they haue neuer so great a facilitie in vtterance , and sweete louse of their words , as many senseles men haue . Wee are therefore to make some profite of this , if we will be wise admonishers of others ; that we labour first our selues to be spirituall men , that we may discerne al things , that we may obserue how God hath wrought for vs in the like cases before ; that both we may leaue behinde vs a sting in the consciences of others , and be safe guydes in such a labyrinth , as a troubled minde is oft to bee led through . The maister of a shippe which is ignorant of the Seas , what skill soeuer he haue in Astronomie ( which thing yet is necessary for Nauigation ) whilest he gazeth vpon the starres , or any other artificiall direction , wracketh his ship vppon some rock , lurking vnder the waues , which would not bee , if experience had made him heedfull by sayling that way before . And indeed , this intollerable defect neuer sheweth it selfe more shamefullie , or with greater hurt , then when men haue neede of spiritual comforte , at the houre of death ; or in time of great affliction : for at such times those foolish sheep-heardes , when they want skill to help their poore sheep out of the ditch , are driuen to play the miserable comforters , and to take some other indirect course ( as many vse to doe in such case ) to cut the sheeps throate in time , to make him mans meate , least it should be said he died in a ditch : And these are the miserable and desperate calamities of the people prouided for , when they neede most of all spirituall instruction . And here we may espye the cause why manie admonishers and instructers of others , become so ridiculous , as to be made the jesting-stocks of sinners ; because they admonish not , nor instruct not of feeling , weakning the power of their instructiones ; if not by hypocrisie , yet by flatnes and dulnes of Spirite , that it cannot be receiued with that reuerence , that admonitions & rebukes wrought in the Primitiue congregations of the Church , when men being touched home , fell vpon their faces , worshipped God ; affirming that God of a trueth was in those ministers . I might be ashamed in a diuine exercise , to make mention of a Paganes counsel , especiallie in so spiritual a poynt as this : saue that we are not ashamed to let the Heathen get grounde in that wherein our Idiottes ought to excell their Philosophers ; if thou wilt reproue ( say they ) considder first , if the same fault be not in thy selfe , or at least some other , as ill or worse , that the reformation thereof may be a foundation whereon to build thy brothers amendement . And indeed , although it is vntrue to affirme , that a man may not reprehend the fault which he hath in himselfe ; yet where men are carried head-long into an outrage against other mens sinne , without detestation or feeling any remorse for their owne ; It is very sure , that in such a man dwelleth that spirit of hypocrisie , which is the fowlest furie of hell . Let vs haue therefore in our reprehensions , whether publik or priuat , to our friends or to enemies , the spirite of compassion and invocation ; that our wordes may haue grace with the hearers : For if before euery reprehension ( if it were possible ) and before euery instruction , we did lift vp our minds in some briefe meditation , commending the infirmities of our selues , and that present offendour , both at once to God , and then proceede to a louing censure , as occasion requireth , our sinceritie , our grauitie ; our charitie would so adorne the rebuke , that the offender would rather be rauished with the admiration of Gods grace in vs , then eyther scoffe it or grow into a choler , as many doe . But for-as-much as to men of a quiet nature , which hate the reproch of a busie bodie , the deutie of instruction & admonishing of others , seemeth an harder imposition then they are willing to beare , because there is not one amongst a thousand , that will take it in good part . It remaineth therefore , that to that purpose we gather this third instruction from this title : namely , that men must make Gods proceedings with their own consciences , profitable for the edifying of others , giuing them instructions therevnto , as here we see Dauid doth : For it is the nature of faith to open mens mouthes , and to labour to make manie pertakers of their conuersion . That loue which followeth true repentance , is neyther bashfull nor fearefull , nor enuious , nor partiall : for when a man hath once got a good conscience , all the rest of his life after he spendeth in the instruction of others . Peter being conuerted , must strengthen his brethren ; Dauid being forgiuen , must turne sinners to God . I will say more , Nabuchadnetzar being restored , published the seruice of God to the Heathen : Nay , I will yet say more , the woman of Samaria ; being but a woman , yet being reproued of her adulteries , & instructed by christ ; I will not say preached , but saith to her neighbours , Come , see a man that tolde me all that euer I did . And if her instruction be Chronicled in the Gospell to her commendation , surely the double silence and vncharitable quietnesse of those that will not meddle with other mennes matters , to instruct them when occasion is offered in matters of so great weight , must beare a note of their confusion , and be marked with the blacke coale of crueltie , and of soule-murther , for what is it els when we say , let them answere for themselues , we will not put our fingers in the fire for them : as if Cain had not murthered his brother Abell , because he said , What ? am I my brothers keeper ? If we loue God , the same spirit is in vs , which was in Dauid , Mine eyes ( saith he ) gusheth out with teares , because men keep not thy commandments ; If we loue men , the thread of our affection must be measured by our care to instruct them , and wee will saue some by plucking them out of the fire with feare ; and if we loue neyther God nor men , so that neyther the dishonour of the head , nor the hurt of the member will touch vs ; it is because we our selfes are members of another bodie , and not of Christ which is the head of his Church .

PSALM 32.

1 Blessed is he which is lifted vp from his falling away , and whose sinne is couered .

2 Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth not iniquitie , & in whose spirit there is no guile .

HItherto of the title ; Now followeth the PSALME it selfe , whose principall question is , that there is no quietnesse of conscience , nor forgiuenesse of sinnes ; where there is no sincere confession of the same : which DAVID proueth by his owne example , informing vs thereby ; that as he , so long as he helde his peace , and concealed his sinne , could not be ridde of the horrible sense of Gods wrath : No more can anie of vs ; how-so-euer otherwise wee trauaile in conuersion as hee did : If we be sowred with the leauen of like hypocrisie . And to the ende that wee should not be secure in the ratifying of a good conscience , or make light of the spyses of dispayre which are in vs , when we haue no attonement with God by the feeling of forgiuenes ; he sets downe the contrarie effects of a conscience inlarged by Gods grace , and cheared vp with the remission of sinnes , and of the hearte , fraughted with dispayre , and tormented with the terrour of condemnation , because it feeleth not the spirite of adoption . The first is set downe in these wordes ; Blessed is that man which is lifted vp from his falling away : Here the Prophet sayeth , that when God lifteth vp his children from their sinnes , and assureth their consciences of his loue , he maketh them blessed : whereout wee learne , that this indeed is that soueraign good , and high felicitie , yea the highest and only happines which can be enjoyed in this life , to be discharged of an euill conscience , tormented with the guilt of wickednesse , and fearing vengeance for the same . By this effect he encourageth al of vs , as it were with a price to runne cheerefully , & labour seriouslie for a good conscience . There is no doubt , but that vngodlie men doe manie times holde in admiration , the securitie and free estate , of godlie and vertuous men , when they see them stande vnmoueable as mounte Sion , when heauen and earth are mingled together : because they themselues haue manie secret stings , and are often stabbed at the hart , who in worldly respects haue lesse cause to feare then the sheepe of Christs flock . Those therefore which reioyce not thus in the heart , howsoeuer they rejoyce in the face , must attend vnto this ministry of grace : For to what purpose doth the Lord open mens eyes to see the sweet & blessed estate of such as haue humbled themselues to walke with God , their confidence standing before God , their rich hope , their quietnesse and hartes-ease , their joy , as if they had one foote in heauen alreadie : I say , to what purpose doth God lift them vp , & let them see the riches of a good conscience , but to set their teeth an edge at it , & to rauish them with a desire of the like ; so then we see , that the Lord maketh an offer of his grace vnto vs , & entiseth vs by these examples ; that henceforwarde if we profite not thereby , our condemnation might be imputed to our selues . Let vs therefore accompt this a meruellous happines , to feele such a conuersion in our soules , that in steede of our former miserie , we shal perceaue our selues translated from bondage to libertie , from death to life ; yea , from hel to heauen : for he that hath a good conscience , hath ouer-come the worlde by his faith . If Princes loue him , it shal not puffe him vp more then a pennie giuen to him , which is worth a thousande pound ; if they hate him and persecute him , it shall not terrifie him , nor endanger him , no more then the great rebelles of Babell , endangered the heauen with their towre : For his soule is mounted vp aboue al these things , & dispiseth them from an high . As for the vndermining of Sathan , who biddeth him spiritual● combattes ; they exercise him but they vexe him not ; they make him actiue , but they destroy him not ; his force is like the face of a Lyon , & what-so-euer objecteth it self , he beareth it down before him ; as we see a notable example ( as ●t were ) of a spiritual challenge of al the creatures of God , by S. Paul to the Rom. 8 Where he casteth down his gauntlet , & biddeth a defiance to diuels , to men , to ●●ight , to depth ; to things present & things to come . And when we consider these things ; how truly may we say , that the children of God , spiritually considered , are so many Kinges and Emperours , Queenes & Empresses , enriched with such vnspeak●ble blessings , that if all the harts of the world were one hart , it could not con●eine them . And as for them which continue in sin , harden their harts , & by clo●ing of wickednes , doe twist a roape for their own necks ; how miserable is their estate , when they behold this happines ●n others , whereto they cannot atteyne , ●o pine away & perish in the beholding of other menes saluation . And thus much of the effect which the feeling of remissione of sinnes worketh . That which followeth of lifting vp from sinnes , and not imputing them , and couering them , commendeth vnto vs the grace of God , in bestowing this pardon , and sealing the assurance of the same in our hearts , as the cause of the foresaid effect , described figuratiuelie by the metaphors of lifting , imputation and couering : Al which , haue their speciall weight and importance in this sentence . Lifting vp from defection , argueth plainely a contrarietie in the estat● of man before , considering him lyein● a long in the contagious filth of his ow● sinne ; so weakned , & soaked cleane ou● of heart , with the execrable leprosie o● vngodlinesse , that he is neyther able t● stirre hand or foote , till God lift him v● from his apostasie . The word imputat●on is borrowed from accomptes , in●●nuating , that we are run so farre in a●rerages with God , that we can haue 〈◊〉 securitie of consciences , till wee haue gotten such a release , as may deliuer vs from all feare of imputation of our ●ebtes , least payment should be requi●ed of vs to the vtter-most farthing : as it ●s in the Gospel . Finally , the translation ●f couering or hiding of sinne , is taken from a generall custome of dispatching ●hose thinges out of the way , whereof a man cannot susteine the sight , without greevance o● molestation ; thereby declaring , that sinne is such an eye-sore to God , that he cannot behold it , and spare ●t but at once ; but that the deuil wil pre●ent it to God , and prouoke him to pu●ish it , except it be hid & buried in the ●ottome of the Sea : and except the of●ender be couered with the righteousnesse of Christ . So that in sum , these words doe set downe the feeblenesse , ●he pouertie and nakednes of sin , which doth so discomfort him , if his conscience be awake ; that till he haue founde remedie for each of them , hee thinketh himselfe not out of the compas , where fire and brimstone shall fall , nor can be deliuered from a fearefull expectation of Gods curse .

And on the contrarie part ; when hee feeleth himselfe comforted by God● right hande , and lifted vppe out of the quag-mire of contagious pollutions , hi● soule beginneth to taste how sweete th● Lord is : and when he feeleth the specialitie of his debtes , which was grauen in his conscience , cancelled , and so riuete● to CHRISTS crosse , that they shal neuer be imputed ; he drinketh a more hartie draught of the waters of life : but most o● all , when hee is assured that his wickednesse is so hidde , that it cannot presse to Gods throne for vengeance ; nor rise vppe in judgement against him , in the daye of his visitation ; hee is then indeede , and perfectlie blessed , and wanteth nothing that can bee added in this life , to the absoluing of most perfit● felicitie .

This forcible propounding therefor● of this cause of blessednesse , hath in i● an exclusiue nature : secretly affirming , that there is no other cause of justifying , and so of true blessednesse : But this grace onely , to the end that men might be stirred vp to take this course , whereof the Holie Ghost is the guide . All men agree in this , that they woulde faine bee blessed : But there is no consent amongst men , neyther in the causes , nor in the thing it selfe . The Philosophers , for want of judgement , euerie one shotte his Bolt diuerslie , and euerie one wyde of the marke , as appeareth in the collection , which CICERO hath made of their opinions in his Tusculane questions . The carnall christan hath a true contemplation & judgment , what is that Summum bonum , that is , chiefe happinesse , but by the halting of an euill conscience , hee is turned out of the waye ; so , although he saye , it is in Heauen , yet hee seeketh it in Hell ; though hee ascribe it to the Spirite , yet hee laboureth for it in the fleshe , ( it is fearefull that I will speak ) though he acknowledge that it is the gift of God ; yet he runneth after the deuill to obteyne it ; which is then committed , when men thinke themselues happie and blessed , if they can get riches , beautie , authoritie , strength , life , & such others ; which are common to the Reprobates . What can be so ridiculous , as to heare the continual declamations of worldly men against these vanities ? And on the contrarie part ; to behold the homage and frailtie ; yea the slauerie in which they abandoned to serue such vile thinges . If Dauid be well considered , it will not be easie to finde out many Peeres to him in worldly respectes : His strength is commended by the conquest of a Lyon , his courage in quailing of Goliath ; his beautie is set forth with the praise of a sanguine complexion , and amiable countenance : the passing ripenesse of his witte is manifest in all his storie ; & touching his aduancement ; God tooke his shep-hooke from him , and deliuered a Scepter ; and after his banishment , set him in the throne of his maister , which he possessed not by ●surpation ; but ( as it were ) by a general election , that the heauens wrought with the applause of the people : His subjects were the onely men of the world ; for the rare parts wherewith they were for ●he most quallified ; his Lande flowing with milk and honie ; the temperature of the aire , incomparable withall other benefites , belonging eyther to health , profite , or delectation : with so large a hand , as if God had deuised to pleasure him ; and nature had mean't to emptie ●ll her riches into his bosome , and to continue the same by the plentiful hope of his posteritie . Right truelie might I ●aye , that this was a perfect picture of worldlie felicitie ; and yet we see , that DAVID leaueth all this , and seeketh another cause of blessednesse : for the finding whereof , these thinges before did not help at all ; teaching vs , that the same ●are ought to possesse our hearts , least they be fore-stalled with a fond affiance , of finding honie in a hiue , where ther● is nothing but waspes , & of imagining our selues to haue attayned to blessednes ; when indeed we are as vnhappie a● infelicity : because we lye along not lif●ted vp from our sins , which one day sha●● be imputed to vs ; nor hauing our wickednes couered , that it should not infec● the ayre , nor offende Gods senses , as ● dead carcase aboue the ground .

Hytherto hath bin spoken of the caus● of blessednes , which is the free grace o● God , in remitting our sins ; the circumstances wherof haue also bene touched The last member of this verse , which remaineth , In whose spirit ther is no guyle ; se●teth down a necessary effect of the same teaching an infallible rule to discern●● betuixt a presumptuous & false opinio● of remission , and a certaine persuasio● of the same : that is , if there be no guy●● in the spirite ; whereby it is vnderstoo● such a sanctification following forgiuenes , and joyned to true repentance ; tha● there remaineth no more couert dealin● to cloake our sins in whole or in part , for ●eare of worldly shame , or to seeke star●ing holes to runne from God : but that ●he mind wel perswaded of Gods loue , ●ndued with an honorable opinion of ●he Church ; thinketh it no discredit at ●●l , to make knowen to the vttermost , all ●heir infirmities & offences to God in ●ecret , & to the church publikly ; so far as the rule of edification , & Gods discipline ●equire ; as wee see two notable exam●les in this Prophet , and his Son ; wherof the one hath left to the churh , the 51 Psal. The other , the booke called Ecclesi●●●es ; as publik monuments and remem●rances of their falls , & liberal confession of the same ; to remaine as it were on ●he file , euen to all posterities ; shewing ●herby their zealiousnes in repentance , & their sincerity , in that they were not ●ender ouer their credites , in respect of ●he edification of the church . This then is the effect of that grace which forgiueth ●ndeed ; neuer to seperate the gift of forgiuenes , from the gift of sanctification and the speciall poynts thereof , which here is inforced ; is through guyle of Spirite ; to keepe back nothing vn-confessed , which the nature of true repentance would discouer : But this is not al , for generall sanctification is here shewed to be the foot-step of the holy Ghost , by the printe , whereof , we may knowe whether wee haue our portion in this grace of remission of sinnes , or whether the fearefull signes of the wrath of God abide vpon vs still or no. Saint PAV●● in the eight to the Romanes , setteth downe the same doctrine , saying ; Tha● calling justification , & sanctification , are so inseperable , that who-so-euer hath the one , hath the other also . And to TIMOTHIE ( he sayeth ) If any man call on th● name of the Lord , let him depart from iniquitie : Wherefore , it is the perfection o● madnes , for a man that remayneth dissolute , to dreame of forgiuenesse , and when an hypocrite is pure in his own● conceipt , & yet is not washed from hi● sinnes . It is to true , that in those that are regenerate , and are indeede forgiuen , there shal remaine such a waste and vnsauorie taste , as shall much annoy them , and hu●t the rellish or gift , euen of their most sanctified actions : so that the Lord had neede to looke with a mercifull and for bearing eye , vppon the highest vertues of his children ; yea , they shall not be freed from the foule sinne of hypocrisie ; but shall feele with much vexation , themselues to be pestered with such thinges : how-be-it , in substance and in the chiefest drift of their life , they are true-harted to God ; slipping into these former faultes by infirmitie , or by reason of scanter measure of mortification , then they ought to haue laboured vnto : so that the ods , is in the thing which is propounded to a mans desire ; for if his chiefest care in the loue and feare of God , be to seeke his saluation ; what-soeuer his hypocrisie be , it is not his guilt of spirit : But if he propound to himself some other thing , that his hart doth rather labour for , then for saluation ; it is certayne that hee is false-hearted to GOD , and that such an hypocrisie is ane authentick recorde , of a man that abideth in his sinnes : and such a man as this , hath neyther faith to ouer-come the worlde , nor grace to resist temptation , and though he say , that hee is perswaded of remission , and extoll the mercie of GOD aboue the skyes ; yet that guile that remayneth in his spirite , tormenteth his conscience euery daye , conuincing him by this , that because hee is not sanctified , therefore he is not pardoned . For in this worke , there is neyther water onely , nor bloud onely , but both water and bloud , as Saint IOHN witnesseth . It standeth vs therefore in hande , not to satisfie our selues with a deuotion momentanie ; but let our mindes stande bent in holy wo●kes , not to bragge of the death of CHRIST , that it hath purged our olde sinnes : But to feele how mightie it is to subdue the newe , that the sinewes of vngodlinesse in our hartes , and vnrighteousnesse and vnsober behauiour in the out-warde man , may bee cutte off ; For it is the confirmation of our election , if this sinceritie bee in vs : Neyther doth the sinne more certainelie discerne the day from the night , then this Spirite doth discerne him , which is accepted with GOD , from a wretch ; whome he reproueth ; as Saint PAVLL plainelie sayeth : If any man hath not the Spirite of Christ , the same is not of Christ .

3 When I held my tongue , my bones consumed whilest I waited all the day long .

4 For thine hand is heauy vpon me day and night , & my moysture is turned into the drought of sommer , Selah .

Hitherto the prophet hath declared that there is no true felicity where ther is no sanctified feeling of remission . Now it remaineth , that hee prooue the same which he doth by his owne example , declaring the greate anguish and torment which he felt in his conscience , even to the wasting & soaking out of the strength of his body so long as God hid his face from him , & left him destitute of the hope of saluation , the cause wherof he declareth in the first wordes of the verse to haue bin , because he held his peace that is denied to make a liberall confession of his sins , refusing no shame not other abasement what-so-euer belonging thereto , whereinto the holy Ghoste reacheth vs , that cloking of sin , howsoeuer it serueth for an excuse in the world and saueth our credite amoungst men : Yet it keepeth his conscience vpon the racke , and maketh the arrowhead of dispaire to ranckle in his bowels , whereto the saying of SALOMON agreeth in that 2● . of PROVERBS , That he which hideth his sinne shall not prosper , but hee which confesseth them , and leaueth them , shall finde mercie . But this sentence before we proceede further , if it respecteth confession to be made to God onely , and not to the Church , hath neede of exposition : For if DAVID might haue bin released from the torments which hee heere speaketh of , with a secret confession vnto God , all other witnesses being remoued , so that no discredit might redound ●o him thereby , it seemeth strange , that he would abide such troubles the space of an houre , and would not rather gette him into some secret place , & in moste ample manner confesse all the wickednes that he could remember , that he had committed euer in his life . The holie Ghost therfore in this place , by DAVID his silence , intendeth some greater crime ●gainst him , then that he was dainty of his words , & refused with his tongue to make confession vnto God ; for it is certain that a domme man may make as acceptable a confession , as he that can speake , but DAVID in this place accuseth himselfe of hypocrisie , and hardnes of heart , ●n this , that he refused to deale seriously with his owne conscience , and to persist ●n the meditation of mortification , till such time as he had a sufficient sight and detestation of his sinne , without which , ●ll the confession of men must be hypocriticall , & their smoake infect the ayre . This then indeed was Dauids silence , that he refused to giue answere to the holy Ghost calling vpon his conscience , & for want of faith was kept either with some presumption , or elles with some terrour from entring into a most graue consultation , and resolute determination , to take such perfite notise of the haynousnes of his sinnes , as the nature of true repentance doth require : for this is common to vs all , that although we desire to be saved , yet there is not one amongst an hundreth that will taske himselfe so zealouslie , as hee ought with a sincere perseuerance in humbling himselfe to walke with God ; yea , and least any man should resolue with himselfe , not to bee stripped of sackcloth , and ashes , nor to put away the purpose of sorrowe , and lamentation , in seeking after his welbeloued ( as it is in the song of SALOMON ) till he had found her . The diuel hath infected the heartes of many men with a damnable errour in the definition o● repentaunce , making them beleeue , that , euery terror of the heart for sinne , is the nature of true repentaunce , and to that purpose hee abuseth the Scriptures , that CHRIST will not quench the smoking flaxe , nor breake the brused reede . And by these fallacions and false comfortes , he quencheth the zeale of many , and maketh them giue ouer their laboure and consultationes of humbling them-selues and seeking of CHRIST , before their conscience haue felt any comfort at all . As if euerie sorrow were godly sorrow , or as if it were possible for mercie to bee founde and yet neuer felt , or for repentance to bee separated from faith , and the spirite of fredome . This cursed discontinuance of our trauel in Godly sorrow , the Prophet ESAY derideth , calling pennance for a daye , and bowing downe the head lik a Bulrush . And the Prophet AMOS likeneth it , to the dewe and the Morning cloude which is suddainelie gone , And this is the swept and garnished house , mentioned by CHRIST , Repossessed by seuen worser spirites then before : For as this false repentance , feedeth their hearte with false hope , and suffereth not true comfort to take place ; as appeareth in the daye of visitation : So may this negligence , & giuing ouer our labour in mortification , bee worthelie accompted the cause , why men wallow in fowler enormities then before , swallowing againe , ( as S. PETER sayth ) The vomite which before they had cast ; as it is most certaine and true : those men finde in themselues lesse power to doe well ; and are carried with more raging affections to do wickedlie , then euer they felt before . What shall wee say then ? Do we require such a measure of sorrow , as might counter-weight the same ; or do we esteeme remission , by the dignitie of repentance ? nothing lesse : For we know , that if wee had a thousand eyes , it were too little to weepe them out all , because of our sins : yea , if we had a thousand hearts , though they al burst with sorrow because of our transgressions ; yet it were not this , but Christes hearte bloud , that could make the fathers heart to yearne ; or could merite remission at his handes ; what is it then that we require ? namely , that men returne not from the schoole of repentance to worldly delights , which quench the spirite , till their hartes bee made joyfull by the holy Ghoste , by feeling an heartie detestation of their wickednesse , and a resolute determination to continue cherefully in the course of godlines , so long , vntill both faith & hope be abolished , that then resting from their laboures , they may solace themselues with loue celestial , as sainct PAVLE speaketh ; for the trueth is , that manie when they compare themselues with DAVID & other of Gods children , I meane the difficulties and long afflictions of them , and the short worke which they themselus haue made , & so easiely dispatched in this worke of repentance , haue cause to suspect themselues vehementlie , and to examine themselues straightlie , by the fruites of feeling , and conversion , whether they haue right repented or no ▪ Sainct PAVL in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. the 7. Cap. like a man of experience , setteth downe seuen notable affectes of repentance ; I woulde they were well pervsed , that wee might trye our selues by them , for it is a care that ought to possesse all the powers both of bodie and soule ; considdering that Sathan with this engine , maketh a number of soules pertakers of their owne condemnation ▪ The matter therefore groweth to this poynt , that although we confesse neuer so absolutelie , that we are sinners , with the greatest vehemency of speach that can bee , yet so long as there remayneth selfe-loue in vs , prevailing so farre with vs , as to make vs take exceptions against the seueritie of this spirituall discipline al this while ; because we cannot finde in our heartes to plucke out our eyes and cutte off our handes , at Christes commandemente : that is , to deale seuerelie with our selues in mortifying euery provocation to offence : wee doe but flatter our breath in the winde , and the hypocrise that is in vs drowneth the sounde of our confession , so as A voyce cannot ●e heard , as the Prophet ESAY witnesseth . Let vs therfore as we are aduised in the REVELATION , be zealous in repen●ance , that the holy Ghoste may assure our conscience , that our mourning is growen into the nature of true repentance , not deceauing our selues with beginninges , because the Scripture sayeth plainely , that the proceedinges of a ●rue convert , is not to stay himselfe with a perswasion of repentance , when hee ●s pricked at the hearte ; but to steppe yet further , to lay holde vpon repentance it selfe , as vpon a more excellent and infal●ible grace ; as we may reade , that it befel ●o PETERS auditorie , in that 2. of the ACTES , of whom the holy Ghoste sayeth , first , That they were pricked in their heartes ; which least it should be taken for ●epentance , he sayeth , that vpon further ●nstruction , and more carefull searche , they atteyned to repentance it selfe afterward , that we may knowe , that pricking at the heart , & repentance are not all one , but two seuerall thinges , whereof one may be in a lost child , as that was in IVDAS , but the other belongeth oneli● to the sons and daughters of God . Thu● hath DAVID declared how he brought himselfe into fearefull troubles , ( as i● were ) by gagging of his owne conscience , least he should make such a confession as it required at his handes .

Now it remaineth to be considere● what troubles those were . My bones sait● he , consumed and waxed olde , &c. That is care which eateth out the hearte , mad● her impressione in my body , and th● thoughts which I had taken , did so pyn● me away , that it burneth the marrow● out of my bones , & drieth vp my youthfull humours with pensiuenes ( as it ha● beene with olde age ) which he repeateth in the next verse in other wordes saying , That the hand of God was so he 〈◊〉 vpon him day and night , that it spent his n●ture , and turned the best moysture within 〈◊〉 into the drought of sommer ; as if it had beene entering into the most incurable consumption of all otheres , when that which is called , humidum radicale , beginneth to spende . These speeches are vsed ●o teach vs into what plight , concealing of sinne bringeth men , and we are the rather inforced , that we should not thinke that these clowdes would bee so easilie ouer-blowne , as those miseries which proceed of worldly causes . Marke then , what wee haue to learne in this place , what is the estate of them which be not in league with God , if wee looke vpon them with a worldly eye ; I confesse wee shal see many of them with their breasts full of milke , & their bones full of marrowe : yea they haue collopes in their flankes , ( as IOB saieth ) but if we look vpon their conditione with a spirituall eye , wee shal wel perceaue , that their conscience as often as their presumptione is intermitted , is nothing-els but an hell , and themselues so terified with the horrible stiching thereof , that it worketh the● more woe nor all their worldlie peace i● worth : for such is the estate of men no● reconciled to God , That the sound of fear● is neuer out of their eares , ( as wee reade i● IOB , ) and this is the cause why these men cannot sustaine to heare the judgement of God against sin , because they thinke themselues all the while to be arrained at Gods barre ; for where there i● no truce with God , the law goareth th● conscience , and the soule thinketh i● selfe tormented before the time : and i● this be so , how greate is the hardnes o● those mens heartes ? and how monsterous is their cruelty to their own soules ▪ which can shake of the care of reconcilement , & can rejoyce with a Sardinian laughter in sinne , when the Lord● bendeth his browes against them . Furthermore , we haue here an ample testimonie of the frowardnes of our nature ▪ which will not be reclamed without extreame dealing ; for DAVID himself● ( you see ) is layde vpon the racke , and almost streached a sunder , euerie ioynte one from another , before hee can bee brought to a sincere confession , such a work hath the Lord with vs before hee can make anie grace to growe in our ●eartes , which ought to teache vs these ●wo thinges . First , that we enter into an ●eartie mislike of our selues , and to bee ●rieuously displeased with our vntracta●lenes , which compelleth God to heare vs vp , and cast vs downe against the ground ; ( As DAVID elles where saieth , ) and to ●fflict many so sore , that ( God his secret grace excepted ) they seeme otherwise ●n respect of the maruelous afflictions which God is driuen to lay vpon them , ●o be shackled foote to foote , with re●robate and desperate persons : all this I say ) proceeding , not of cruelty or fu●● in the Lorde , but of our owne vn●ractablenes ( who otherwise coulde not ●ossibly be saued ) should make vs to be 〈◊〉 perpetual warre with our affections , ●nd to conceaue a present hatred , as it ●ere , even of our selues : for if the Lorde might espie that in vs , that wee woulde Iudge our selues , hee woulde not bee our judge , but our comforter in such a conflict . The next thinge that wee haue to learne , is to judge wisely of the afflicted soule , & to beware how wee condemn● anie , because the hand of God is terrible vpon them , for the text saith , that euen DAVID himselfe , who had conscience of some former sincerity , and wa● able to subdue manie assaultes , and tentations in knowledge , yet was he eve● brought to the brinke of dispaire , an● was tormented with an horrible fear● of damnation : euen as it is vsuall with God to exercise his children with those tryalls , no otherwise , nor if he whippe● them with Scorpions . The worldly● men , which neuer were translated from death to life , being ignorant of God● spirituall miracles ; in calling ; mortifying , regenerating , and chastening o● his children , when they see a man in thi● perplexitie ; they say hee is madde , melancholious & desperat , increasing th● griefes of the afflicted , with bitter tantes & mockes ; which is to be feared , many one day wil rue it . It standeth vs therefore in hand , to expel such vncharitable conceipts ; knowing that the dearest children of God , may be wonderfullie perplexed and racked with exceeding and long torments of conscience ; yea , many times their sayle is rent in peeces ; their tackles , and all their tackling burst ; their bruised bark left to the wilde waters & the winde ; and yet for al that , at the last they obteyne a safe aryval to the shore . Let vs then , for the conclusion of this poynt ( if any such thing be fall vs ) beware to lay any vn-reasonable thing to Gods charge ; yea , rather let vs acknowledge his mercie ; who , when he might haue punished our long and tedious hypocrisie , with hardnesse of heart ; choose rather to put himselfe to all that payne , to reclayme vs by correction , that wee might take heede to our sores , how wee suffer them to runne long cured on the out-side , but festering within ; knowing that by these meanes , we shall put our selues to greater paynes at the last , before they can bee cured : how-be-it , for that which is past , and cannot be reuoked ; let vs not be dismayed with this example , from submitting our selues to the mightie hande of GOD , For hee is a faithfull keeper of soules , and will not suffer them to bee tempted , aboue ( measure , or ) their power . Thus hauing considered the effect of DAVID his silence , we are to giue heed to a special circumstance , which he setteth downe in these words , that He roared all the day long . Signifying thereby , that his praiers so long as they were not mixed with faith , nor seasoned with true repentance , were no better then roaring : That is , then the crying or bellowing of some bruitish & vn-reasonable creature . For this is a metaphore , taken from Lyons , taken in a snare , or being in some other distresse , as appeareth in the third chapter of Amos , and in other places , where the worde is vsed in his proper signification ; whereby we learne , what difference there is , betwixt the prayers of the faithfull , and of them which nowrish fraud & deceit ●n their spirit : The sacrifice of the one is ●indled from heauen , & when he hath ●oured out his spirite , he hath eased his hearte ; hauing cast his burthen and care ●herof vpon the shoulders of CHRIST : ●ut the hypocrite , in the day of visitation , fareth like a beast that is sticked or ●aled with ropes , wanting all reason & fore-cast to helpe it selfe : and therefore vseth no meeknesse nor entreatie , but with roaring and strugling , strayneth it selfe , and tangleth it selfe more ; & with bruitish raging , doubleth the pain . There ●s no doubt , but where great afflictions ●ight vppon men that are taynted with hypocrisie : the aire is beaten with manie such roaringes , and men flutter like birdes in the net , when God hath caught ●hem : but all those senselesse prayers a●aile them nothing more , then if an Ox ●hould break out of the slaughter-house , with the roape tied about his hornes , & his toung hanging out , with much bellowing and madnesse , when hee had caught a knock with the axe . And therfore we may see the excellency of faithfull prayers : Yea , the Angell of GOD doth ascende vp in the smoke of this sacrifice , whereas men that wil not yeeld , but will reteyne their sins , cannot pray , but rage and roare desperatlie , like Lyons and Beares . Neuerthelesse , it behoueth vs wiselie to vnderstand this doctrine , that it concerneth hypocrites , and them that holde their falshood in the right hande . I say , it belongeth to them , because they haue not faith , nor consolation in their prayers : For otherwise , it is certaine , that the most excellent children of GOD , are many times so lowe brought , with the anguish of an afflicted conscience , that they cannot vtter anie perfite prayers with their lippes : but do speake abruptlie halfe sentences ; yea , halfe wordes , being broken off with the extreamitie of their pangues that come betuixt ; ( As Ezechiah writeth of himselfe ) That he chattered like a Crane or 〈◊〉 Swallow , and mourned like a Doue . And there is no doubt , but all Gods Children doe feele a strife and a combate in their spirite , in many of their prayers ; e●en as we see green-wood lieth sobbing and smoking long before it will burne : We are therefore to put a differance betweene this and roaring ; because the Scriptures are full of examples of imperfite speaches in the prayers of Gods children : yea , in the praiers of CHRIST himselfe ; which commeth to passe , because manie of those sacrifices , are so seasoned and peppered with salt , and with fire ; yea , afflictions come so thick on Gods children , that they haue no time to swallow their spittle : But yet in them there is a sweete sense of Gods grace ; and the Lorde inlargeth the footing vnder them ; yea , he puts his owne arme betuixt them and the graue , that they should not bruise themselues with any fall ; for although hee leaue some trouble of minde , yet hee looketh vpon them through the chinkes of the doore , he hath compassion of their dolorous lamentations , and putteth all their teares into a bottel : For why , they haue yeelded vnto GOD , they haue kept nothing backe , and therefore can praye with a feeling spirite ; whereas the hypocrite doth not pray , but roare ; because hee will not trust God : For an euill conscience , doth stoppe his mouth , & the sins of his youth , are still in his bones .