PROPOSITIONS CONTAINING ANSWERS TO CERTAIN demands in diverse spiritual matters, specially concerning the Conscience oppressed with the grief of sin.  
WITH AN EPISTLE AGAINST hardness of heart, made by that worthy Preacher of the Gospel of Christ, M. R. GREENHAM Pastor of Drayton.  MATTH. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are loaded, and I will ease you, etc. 
EDINBURGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Waldegrave Printer to the King's Majesty. ANNO 1597.  
Cum Privilegio Regio.   

CERTAIN DEMANDS answered by M. GREENHAM a learned man.  
1 IT is harder to believe in the abundance of worldly means, than it is in the want of them; for they as it were are veils set betwixt God and us, they stay our sight in them that it cannot pierce to God.  
2 Heathen men were humbled by their dreams, we are not humbled by the word: they that will not profit by God's judgements in other, shall feel themselves: we have no claim to God's mercy offered in the Gospel, until we be humbled by his threatening in the Law.  
3 If we go on still in sin, God will go on still in judgement: but if our hearts relent from sin, God will release his sentence of punishment.  
4 As the Gospel first began by simple Fishermen to be preached, but afterward being received in love, grew to the other more learned sort: so, for not receiving the word in love, but having our ears tickling to new doctrine, heresies and sects beginning now amongst us but in the simpler sort, and ignorant men of the country, are like to invade the best learned. And God purposing to punish the coldness of our age, can aswell now send an heretical spirit, not only into the common people, but into 400. learned Preachers, as he did in times past send a lying spirit into 400. Prophets.  
5 If we think we may speak, we will speak toe soon: if we may keep silence, we will hold our peace toe long, when we much love the persons to whom we speak, we flack our zeal in rebuking of sin: if we be zealous against sin, we flack our love to the person.  
6 As in marriage, though the parties met in the flesh without any sanctified means, to assure themselves to be joined of the Lord: yet if God afterward give them grace to live holily in their meetings, he showeth not only that their corrupt meeting is pardoned, but that now their meeting is blessed. So, if entering into a calling for want of gifts and affections, we have no assurance at the first of a warrantable calling: yet if GOD afterwards furnish us with able gifts, and sanctify us with pure minds, he doth not only show us that our former sin is pardoned, but also that he is well pleased with this calling whereunto he hath blessed us.  
7 Satan under the colour of repentance, bringeth many into an extreme sadness, and strictness in using the creatures of God: again, under pretence of Christian liberty, and delivering of men from extreme griefs, he allureth them to an unmoderate and an unsanctified mirth and intemperate use of the creatures of God: so blinding judgement, he after corrupteth affection.  
8 The best art of memory, is to be humbled at Gods threatening, and comforted at his promises: for sure it is, that exceeding griefs or exceeding joys, leave great impressions in us.  
9 The best art of Logic is to reason E converso, out of that saying of PAUL. There is no Temptation hath overtaken you, but it hath overtaken others. And to say thus, There hath no temptation overtaken others, but the same may overtake us: This will teach us to speak charitably and profitably of other men's infirmities.  
10 We may not go to see ungodliness to breed a greater detestation of it in us: for first, in respect of ourselves, for presuming o● a thing not warranted, it is the just judgement of God, that we should learn to fall into that sin whereof before we were ignorant. Secondly, in respect of our brethren it is unlawful: for if they be strong, we offend them; if they be weak, we mislead them. Thirdly, in regard of God's glory, it is unlawful; for such should be our zeal thereunto, if not having heretical spirits, by the motions of God's spirit to speak against it, yet that we should not once see such a thing.  
11 As natural men use Gods creatures to stir up a natural comfort, so spiritual men should use them to stir up some spiritual comfort, and to stir up godly joys in themselves: for as Satan seeing men of a sanguine complexion and sanctified, laboureth to mix with their spiritual joy a carnal joy: so seeing some of a malancholick complexion sanctified, to have spiritual sorrows, he striveth to bring upon them carnal sorrows.  
12 If you desire to hear the word with profit, observe these things; before you go to the Church humble yourself in prayer to God, that he may prepare your understanding, affection, and memory, to receive; and that the Preacher may speak to your conscience.  
13 After in hearing with some short prayer, apply the several threatenings, promises, and instructions, to your own estate: when you are come home from hearing, change all that you remember into a prayer, and desire God that you may remember it most, when you should practise it, and use to teach others, and to confer of all things remembered: It is a good thing, to remember a thing diligently and the reason of it.  
14 Let us not complain of the want of Discipline, but be thankful for the discipline we have: it is the Lords will, even in this want of Discipline to advance his own glory, in taking that to himself, which otherwise we would attribute to Discipline: for besides that, he doth that by his word and prayer, which may be done by Discipline: it may be discipline would hide many hypocrites which now are discovered, and cover many christian true hearts which now are known: for they that are godly now are godly of a conscience, being a discipline to themselves; but many may seem godly in discipline, which do it of fear and not of love.  
15 No trouble should hinder us in our calling, unless it be in case of mere ungodliness: for if for every trouble or for many troubles a man may forsake his calling, he should be out of any calling, forasmuch as every calling hath his lets and troubles.  
16 Though all exercises of pure Religion purely used, do strengthen judgement and whet up affection, yet reading hearing, and conferring, do most strengthen judgement, and in part whet on affection: But praying, singing, and meditation do most chief whet up affection, but in part strengthen judgement and understanding.  
17 As a loving husband will not take away his love from his wife for some particular wants, so long as she keepeth her love wholly and truly unto him: So the Lord will not cast off his loving kindness to us for special wants, or frailty in particular commandments, so long as we generally labour to please him.  
18 One being courteously saluted, and worthily commended of a Gentlewoman, who said, she heard a very good report of him; he answered her, the like have I heard of you; but God make our after fruits of his spirit more effectual than the former; or else we shall not answer the glory of God, and good opinion of his Saints conceived of us.  
19 The wicked that dare not boldly profess iniquity, redeem times secretly to commit it, so though we have not the strength to profess Religion publicly, yet let us redeem times secretly to frequent the exercises of Religion.  
20 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of evil, he said: Though you have occasions of sin offered, yet the cause of sin is still in yourself.  
21 Sometimes in a good action, using good means with an upright heart to a lawful end, yet our prayers be unfruitful and our labours want success: then let us remember, that in all these there were secret imperfections, and that the Lords deferring is, that we being better prepared by humility to be thankful, he may grant our requests in richer manner and measure.  
22 Where there is an immoderate care of outward things, there commonly is little care of inward good things; for if one have inward good things, they so content the persons that have them, that they labour not much for outward things: if they want them & desire them, the careful seeking of them, bringeth a godly neglect of outward things.  
23 Ministers should most frequent those places, where God hath made their ministery most fruitful: they should herein be like the covetous man, that where they have once found the sweetness of gaining of souls, thither they should be most desirous to resort.  
24 Let their advice be a general prescription of Physic: First, the parties afflicted, are to labour to have peace of their consciences, and joy of the holy Ghost, through the assurance of their sins pardoned in Christ; then careful must they be to use the means, which may nourish their inward peace & joy: Thirdly, they must rejoice and recreate themselves in wisdom and well doing with the Saints of God, and holy company; and lastly, they must refresh themselves with Kitchen physic, and a thankful using of the creatures of God.  
25 When one said to him after long conference and prayer; Sir, I have troubled you, oh my brother: Not so, said he, I never felt it by well doing, and if I may pleasure you, it is as joyful to me as ever it was to you to receive money; for, for this cause I live.  
26 His love ever grew to a man, as he knew the man to grow in godliness, & his love decayed as the graces of God decayed: first he was grieved, and then his love was flacked.  
27 Unto one that was tempted with much unbelief, he gave this counsel; When the temptation cometh, either fall down in prayer, and say, Lord thou makest me to possess the sins of my youth, and this temptation is very equity; howbeit, oh Lord, grant I may by wisdom herein, make this temptation an holy instruction, and suffer me to possess my soul in patience: oh turn this to thy glory and my salvation: I see and confess what hath been in me a long time, by that which now showeth itself in me, and that thy grace hath altogether hitherto kept under this corruption: yet Lord I believe, Lord yet I will believe, help Lord my unbelief, thy name be praised, for this seal of thy love, and pledge of thy spirit; that in this unbelief I am grieved as in my belief I am wont to be comforted, and though my former old and secret sins, deserve that I should not only be given over to infidelity, but also that it should be in me without grief & remorse, yet Lord forgive my sins new and old, forgive my unthankfulness, Lord increase my faith, and grant good Father, when thou shalt restore to me this gift of grace again, that I may use it in fear; and show it by fruits. Or if this do not prevail, give yourself with all humbleness to read the word of God, especially, his promises, and be still attending upon the means, waiting when the Lord shall enlarge your heart. Or if this do not help, go to some faithful brother, confess yourself to him, acknowledge your weakness to him, & be not ashamed to give God the glory by shaming your self, and opening your corruption to him, that so he may pray for you, whose prayer according to the promise of God, made to his holy ordinance, herein james 5. undoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time: Thus having prayed by yourself, and with another, and used the means of reading for your recovery, though you have not present relief, yet in meekness of mind and patience of your spirit, go to your calling, knowing that your prayers and the word of God, being as seed, must have some time between the sowing of them, and the reaping of the increase and fruit of them. Above all: reason not with your temptations, dispute not with the Devil, as though you could prevail of yourself, and as I would not you should dispute with your temptation, so I would not you should despise it and make no account of it; for in both are extremities. If you take it toe much to heart, or marvel how you should overcome such a temptation, it will make you dull or desperate: If you account of it toe little, and marvel how such things should come into your head, which was not wont to be so, it will make you not to strive, and you shall be swallowed up before you be aware: If you account of it toe fearfully, Satan will oppress you before you begin to fight; If you account of it toe lightly, the devil needs not to wrestle with you, you will overcome yourself? Fight boldly in Christ, tremble at your own corruption; but rest and trust in Christ your salvation: If still you are tempted, and no body by you, writ your temptation, and offer it to God by prayer, and promise to him, that you will ask counsel at his word, at the mouth of his Minister, when he shall give you just occasion: If all this help not, comfort yourself with this pledge of Election, that you are joyed when you feel your belief, and you are grieved, lest you should displease God by your unbelief; and know, that as there is a vicissitude of the means of salvation, which you must use; so there is also a vicissitude of temptations, whereof this is one, against which you must strive.  
28 Unto one that was tempted with worldly shame, and thought the distemperature of his mind proceeded thereof, he said on this sort; first know, that Satan hath no absolute power, but a power by permission to try us, against which, we must arm ourselves by faith, which will assure us, that either the Lord will mitigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great; or else, if he enlarge the trial, he will increase our strength according to the portion of our temptation; we must also pray, that the Lord give not out that measure of leave to the devil, which we give out to sin to work rebellion in us against his majesty; but that he would rather make Satan a Surgeon to show us our sins, than Sergeant to confound us for them. It is the policy of the adversary, to persuade many, that the weakness of their body, and feebleness of their brain proceedeth of their temptations, when indeed it cometh of their unstaid minds, wandering toe much after the motions of the devil, in that they not resting on the word, nor depending on Christ, nor contenting themselves to be tried, nor comforting themselves by meditation, attend toe much, and confer with the devils illusions and temptations, being more greved for their present sufferings, than for their sins past. The root of this worldly shame, is pride and haughtiness of mind, which is a privy evil, and hardly will be beaten into the head of them that are infected with it; but sure it is, that we would never be so grieved for the loss of a thing, if we did not toe much desire it, and toe immoderately use it, whilst we had it. john 12. 42. Which sin of haughtiness, the Lord seeing in his children, that they are more humbled, with the loss of worldly credit, than with the sense of their sins, and loss of his glory; he striketh them with the want of that thing which is most precious unto them, because they made no conscience of that honour which is most precious unto him: wherefore this is the best remedy, rather to be greved that we feel not our sins to be pardoned with God, than that we are known to be sinners amongst men, and that we be ready to shame ourselves that God may have the glory; acknowledging, shame, and confusion, and the whole hell of temptations to be due unto us; and glory, praise and compassion, to be the Lords: for this is a special mark of the child of God by temptations rightly humbled, when he is ready to shame himself for his sin, and to glorify God in his mercy.  
29 Unto one that thought himself to have sinned against the holy Ghost, he said, Satan's temptations follow our affections: for if we lightly account of sin, he bleres our eyes still with God's mercies; if we begin to make a conscience of sin, he loadeth us with the judgements of God, being as ready now to aggravate the sin, more than it is in itself, as before he would extenuate it to make it seem less than it was; howbeit, said he to the man thus afflicted. I will say unto you as Samuel said to the people after they had confessed themselves to have sinned against God with a great sin. True it is said Samuel, not flattering them in their iniquities; Ye have sinned greatly: notwithstanding, if ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hear his voice, and not disobey the word of the Lord, ye shall follow the Lord your God; but if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but disobey the Lords mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be upon you. 1. Sam. 12. 14. So I will not lessen your sin, but I say you have sinned with a great sin before the Lord, in that you made a mock of the word which you knew; yet if you turn to the Lord in fear and serve him, your sin is remissable, howsoever Satan charges your conscience, in that you have done evil against your own knowledge, and in that you are afraid lest that sin be in you, and would rejoice in God, if it were not in you: If you purpose to leave your former sins, and in truth to turn unto the Lord; I dare assure you, that as yet you are free from that sin.  
30 When a gentlewoman asked him if he were not sometimes merry: Yes saith he, we are often merry, and sometimes we are afraid of our mirth.  
31 When we distrust of God's promises, let us set before us the example of his mercy done to others; that we may be the more assured to obtain faith; and when we begin to presume, let us set before us the examples of God's judgements, that we may pray for humility.  
32 Being desired to give his judgement of a weighty matter, he answered: Sir, neither am I able to speak, nor you to hear; for that we have not prayed: indeed I may talk and you answer, as natural men; but we are not now prepared to confer as the children of God.  
33 We may thus try our mourning for the sin of others: First this sorrow for sin must be bred for our own sins, and from ourselves proceed to the sins of others. Secondly, the measure of our mourning must be agreeable and proportionable to the sins. Lastly, our grief must to be for the person, that we be moved, rather to pity and pray for him, than to hate or despise him.  
34 Unto one that with many words disabled himself; he said meekly: oh, why do you seek so much your own praise; for by this, ye bewray the privy corruption of nature, that by toe open a dispraise, desireth toe privy praise.  
35 It is not good to use that for a diet, which is prescribed for Physic; for that will not work in the extraordinary need of the body, which is used in the ordinary cause of health.  
36 Seeing a godly man having his son in his arms, whom he loved tenderly; he said to him, Sir, there is the matter of your rejoicing, God make it the matter of your thanksgiving.  
37 After one had asked his advice for sitting, or kneeling at the Lords Table; he said, as for such things, let us do as much as we can for the peace of the Church; lest we make the remedy of the evil, worse than the evil itself.  
38 To one that said he was possessed of a devil; he answered, as hoping that he was the child of God, and rather deluded than afflicted: True it is, that in as much as lieth in you, you have given yourself over to the devil: but it is not in your power, to give over yourself to him; neither is it in his jurisdiction to possess you.  
39 He rebuked publicly a public offence of a private man in this manner. My brethren, such a sin hath passed from this place, the guiltless need not to be offended, the person guilty is to repent of it.  
40 Because God worketh the sense of sin by degrees in his children, he suspected them, who at every sin named, would show themselves forthwith troubled.  
41 Many having escaped out of the gulf of superstitions, are toe deep plunged in profaneness.  
42 Being asked how a man might reprehend, he answered: First, look that you have a ground out of the word for reproving, then look if it stand with your calling to reprove; afterward consider if some other man may do it more profitably than you; then look before whom you reprove, lest ye hinder the credit of the party with his friends, and increase his discredit with his foes: and again, if by all occasions of calling, person, time, and place, the Lord hath put you in this place to rebuke sin; consider you must put on you the person of the offender, that as you spare not his sin, because of the zeal of God's glory, so you press it not toe far, because of compassion to a brother: then look that with these, your heart be right in zeal and love, and so call for God's assistance, before you speak his grace in speaking, and for his blessing after your speaking, if any thing be left out that might have been profitable: please not yourself in it, but be humbled for it, though some infirmities be in you: yet shall they not do so much hurt, as God's ordinance shall do good.  
43 Because great natural and worldly sorrow and joy, will cause a man to break his sleep at midnight: he would try himself, whether sorrow for sin, and joy in salvation had caused him to do the like.  
44 He rejoiced to see his friends, but he was humbled in that he rested so much in that joy, that he forget to do the good to their salvation, or to receive good from them to his salvation, which he thought he should do.  
45 One ask what he thought of Fairies: he answered, he thought they were spirits; but he distinguished between them and other spirits, as commonly men distinguish between good witches and bad witches.  
46 His greatest sorrow was, when either he spoke of some good thing that was not on himself, and the greatest joy he had was in the contrary.  
47 He used this trial in his affections, as of anger, grief, joy, or such like in this manner; if by them he was made less fit to pray, more unable to do the good he should do, less careful to avoid sin, than he thought it carnal and filthy, and not of God: but when his anger, love, grief, and other affections provoked him more to pray, made him fit to do good, than he thought his affections sent to him, to be as the blessing of God.  
48 He said, whensoever he suspected and feared any evil to come upon another, he ever had a desire to be delivered and deceived of his opinion, and that he would be glad to bear the shame of his privy jealousy, so as the person suspected might turn to God.  
49 He thought all afflictions, to be puttings of him to God from slothfulness.  
50 Unto one afflicted in mind, he gave this comfort: First, if you have knowledge, be thankful for it, and desire the Lord to give you faith: if you have faith, which undoubtedly you may have though not rightly discerning yourself, you presently perceive it not: you must wait on the Lord for feeling of it; and though it may be you shall tarry the Lords leisure long, yet surely he will give it you in time: in the mean time, assure yourself, that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling; because it is easy for every one in glorious feelings, and joys unspeakable to believe: but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord, can notwithstanding believe in the Lord, and by faith wait on him, this man's faith is most great.  
51 To one that asked his advice, whether he might avoid the doing of a thing whereunto he was called, because he felt corruption in himself: he said, In avoiding society, you shall cover but not cure your infirmities; and though you depart from men, yet you cannot go out of yourself.  
52 He gave this advice to one, against the deadness of the mind that overtaketh the godly: First, search the cause, whether it be for some evil thing done, or for some good thing not done, so leaving some means of salvation unused; whether for some sin seen, but not repent of; or some sin repent of, but not sound, or for unthankfulness: secondly, use the remedy, please not yourself in it, but rouse up yourself as from a slumber, which willingly you would shake from you: call to mind the special and greatest mercy of God, use the means. Thirdly, in the means offer thy self to God, waiting, humbly, and patiently for the time of deliverance, neither esteeming toe much or toe little of thy afflictions.  
53 He said to one that for want of feeling was loath to pray; you must not tarry to pray until you find feeling, but offer yourself up into the hands of jesus Christ; and so humbling yourself before him, pray on; and continue in a prayer of faith, though not of feeling.  
54 When one asked him concerning Marriage, whether it were good to marry; seeing sometimes when concupiscence pricked him, he was moved to it; and some other times when he felt no such thing, he thought he might abstain from it: he answered, Many came hastily into that calling, not using the means of trying their estate thoroughly before; as namely, whether they by prayer, fasting, and avoiding all provocations of Concupiscence, have the gift of Chastity or not Many use some of the means, but not 〈◊〉 many use all the means, but a 〈…〉 therefore it is good to use first the mean● not part of them, but all of them; not for a while, but long; and attend upon the Lord's ordinance, if so be that all these things will not prevail, wait when the Lord shall give just occasion of using that estate to his glory and for our comfort.  
55 He said, the best way to have comfort in any of our friends, was to pray for them: and that he never had more joy in any, than in them for whom he most prayed; and in them most, when he prayed the ofter and vehementliar for them whom we love, whether present or absent: for this is a token of true love, to pray for them whom we love.  
56 To one that complained of hardness of heart, he said; you must wait for comfort, and know, that you can now no more judge of yourself, than a man sleeping can judge of things which he did waking: or a man wandering in the dark, can discern of bright colours; who though environed with fresh colours, and yet for want of light, can have no use of his eyes, nor pleasure in the objects; so you have done great good things whilst God gave you a waking heart to put them in practice, and the light of his spirit, to discern his graces in you: though now, you have neither the sight nor sense of them: even as he which sleepeth whilst he waked, might do excellent things, and yet now, neither he himself knoweth of them, nor another can discern them in him: and this is the thing that deceiveth and disquieteth many; they look for that remiss in them, which they had when God's spirit wrought in the sweetest and fullest measure in them: and because there is some intermission of the work of new birth, they think it is a flat amission in them of the spirit of God; but as it is a token of a mind toe presumptuous, and insituated in time of dead security, to persuade ourselves still of that safety, in having those graces which some times we had: so it is a sign of a mind abject, and toe much despairing; to think that because we have not even present feelings of these joys, glorious and unspeakable which we have had; therefore we never had them heretofore, or that we shall never have them again hereafter.  
57 Unto one that was willing to change his seat, for the corruption of the place where he dwelled; he said, wheresoever he purposed to live as a Christian, the cross of Christ would follow him: because on the earth are some good men, and some evil; but when we come to Heaven, all would be good; and therefore there should be no trouble.  
58 He said, although he was subject to many and grievous reproaches, yet two things did ever comfort him; the one, that his heart was well, and not evil affected to any man: secondly, that going alone, he could humble himself and willingly pray to God, that the authors of such reproaches might be forgiven to him.  
59 He said to a godly Christian, much inveighing against her unbelief; I do not now suspect your estate, when you seem to me rather to have faith, than when you seem to yourself to have it; for faith being the gift of God, is then most obtained and increased of God, when you thirsting after the increase of present feelings, are humbled under the mighty and merciful hand of God for it; rather I suspect you, when you say you have faith, because than you can lest fear and suspect yourself, and by that means lie open to unbelief again, and surely experience proveth, that then we show we have belief, when we mourn for our unbelief, & then our faith may be least, when we think it to be most: beside herein you are to comfort yourself, with show of increase of faith; because faith groweth by these two means, either by some great feeling by the word, and the spirit, and humble thanksgiving joined thereunto, or else by humbling ourselves before the mercy seat of God for want of our faith.  
60 Admonishing one to prevent hardness of heart in his child, by godly and discreet correction: he said, that because children have often the sins of their fathers: Parents correcting, should in wisdom first considder, if it were not a sin which they gave them, as it were, which now they are about to correct, and finding it so, that they should be humbled in themselves; and being humbled, proceed to correction, in prayer, in the fear of God, in wisdom, in love, of their conversion, & with that measure, as correcting their own sins, after a sort in their own children: so men begetting their children with regeneration, give a natural propagation of their sins, without some special blessing of God: and none in regeneration begetteth any with such gifts of nature; but unless they become new born, they have no good thing in them.  
61 He was wont rather to win men, with a loving admonition, than to gore them with a sharp reprehension; that he might easily work upon them afterward.  
62 When one was troubled in mind he gave this comfortable note: that although it came to pass, that after some travel in new birth, God's graces were not so sweet, and our sins not so sour & grievous unto us, as they were to our first entrance into regeneration: but we are now weaker in less assaults, having afore been stronger in greater temptations: we were not to despair, but to considder, from whence this gracious progress did come; namely, of God, and not of ourselves; who showed himself more favourable in the beginning, both because he would not discourage us, newly coming unto him, and for that we forsaking ourselves, with a godly suspecting of our weakness in the least temptations, did fly unto God's help by prayer; who in wisdom can hide himself under a cloud: partly, for that he will look to see some trial of strength at our hands, coming to some age in new birth; partly, for that we now less forsake or suspect ourselves, no not in greater temptations; and for presumptuously wrestling with our own strength, and staying ourselves with our own staff, we do not call to God for help, and not calling, do not obtain, and not obtaining help, we take the foil in the conflict, that the Lord may make known unto us, that notwithstanding our proceeding in Christianity, we are still but men, and God alone is God.  
63 He said, he never looked for a better estate, than that wherein he was, but often prepared himself for a worse.  
64 Some labour more for knowledge, less for affection; some more for affection, less for knowledge; some busy themselves in Church discipline, and are slender sighted in their privy corruptions: some delight to espy things in others abroad, and negligently to try themselves at home: but it is good to match both together.  
65 In the most abrupt and disordered speeches of men; he thought God disposed them for his profit: and though presently reason, could prompt no reason, why they should speak so: yet long after he would; for he was much affected with the fact of josias, who would not be moved with the speech of wicked Pharaoh, but entering battle was slain; whereupon he would say, that no man was so good, but the Lord would some time let him slip into some evil, for his further humbling: and no man of evil, but the Lord did convey goodness into him at some time, to make his condemnation the juster.  
66 He said to one troubled in mind, for a secret and small sin: I do not so much fear this sin in you, as the policy of Satan by it, either in that he will not stick to show you the less sins, and hide from you the greater; or else by the quick sight of your secret and small sins, to cast upon you an open and gross sin of vain glory and privy pride.  
67 Having received a token from a godly woman, which for some inconvenience he was willed to bestow it upon some other, rather than to use it himself; Nay, saith he, I will both keep and wear the thing, though in another fashion; that so often as I shall see the gift, I may be stirred up & put in mind to pray for her.  
68 Though he was most severe to his friends and kindred, so long as they were not reconciled to God: yet once being wearied with one, he shut up the matter with this sentence; It is wonderful, that diverse hearing the same word of God spoken, one should believe, and an other should not believe: but I am rather to thank God that I believe, than to search out a reason why another doth not believe; and as I am to be thankful for myself, so am I pitiful for the other.  
69 Being in a place, where a woman through extreme affection, forgetting all woman hood, fell down before him, in so much that they would have had him departed; he rather turning his face from the woman, and his back to her, fell on his knees, and prayed to the Lord for her.  
70 As good natures do not help of necessity to regeneration, so evil natures cannot hinder God's purpose in calling, if the means with his mercy and blessing be purely and painfully used.  
71 When a maid was so sore troubled, that two or three held her in her fit: he charged her in the name of the Lord jesus Christ, that when the agony came, she should not willingly yield to it, but in the Lord resist it: for both experience teacheth, that the over much fearing of temptation before it cometh, and little purpose to resist it when it cometh, mightily encourageth Satan: and also the holy Ghost biddeth us to resist the devil, and he will fly from us; to draw near to God, and he will draw near to us: & the maid was never after afflicted.  
72 He would say, I fear not the time of the visitation of them, that thereby do grow in the gifts and graces of God? but rather I fear the time of their deliverance, lest it should be overtaken with unthankfulness; and so woefully they should lose the fruit of that good, which so dearly they had purchased of the Lord.  
73 Being asked whether a Christian might use the help of a Papist that had done many cures: he answered, that the circumstances were to be considered of: First, whether the patiented dealt before with good Christians, of knowledge, judgement, experience, & faithfulness, or no? Secondly, whether ask the advice of such, he hath followed the same rightfully. thirdly, whether having used right counsel by right means, he hath therefore used spiritual means, prayer, fasting, searching the inward causes of visitation. Fourthly, whether there be not some faithful and experienced man, whom he hath used in advice. fiftly, whether the disease be so dangerous, or the party so weak, as ask counsel of a Papist may not be deferred, and some better means in time be inquired for. Sixtly, whether he hath not his heart toe greedily set on the Physician, or whether he doth principally seek unto the promises and providence of God. Seventhlie, whether the Papist be an open blasphemer, and whether he be a Papist of conscience or no? Eightly, whether he use not his physic for a cloak of sorcery? Ninthly, whether he hath ever healed any good professor? And lastly, whether the patiented be of strength, able to suffer him to minister unto him?  
74 Sin in such a canker, that it spreadeth secretly, and there is such a chain of untruth that yields to one, and it draweth on another; grant a little one, and a great one will follow: wherefore as it is good wisdom, not only to avoid the plague, but to eschew every little rag that may seem to carry the plague; so it is heavenly wisdom, not only to avoid gross sins, but all such shows of sins, as may draw on the other: and as we count it policy, not to go as near the river's bank as we can, lest suddenly or at unawares we should slip in; so it is spiritual policy, not to go toe near sin, lest we be overtaken of it before we be aware of it.  
75 It is good to take up the opportunity of the morning for the worship of God: for first, who so will see the Image of his heart, he shall by observing his first thoughts in the morning come to some light of it: Again, of all times it is most fit to do any thing in, and we by reason of the alacrity which cometh upon us after our rest, are most fit to do any thing in it: Besides, if we be seriously minded on good things in the morning, other vile thoughts shall the more feebly fasten on us all the day after: and again, delay the morning, with suffering worldly thoughts to seize on us; our mind will be so forestalled, and praeoccupated with them, that we cannot easily and roundly gather up our affections afterwards to God's worship: for this is a sure note, that he which consecrateth the first fruits of the day in truth to the Lord, and shutteth up the day with sacrificing to him; if he have any sin falling on him on the day time, he is checked, either with his first morning sacrifice, because he hath not done as he prayed, & promised unto the Lord; or he is controulled by the latter and Evening sacrifice, in that fear and shame of his sin makes him appalled to come in the presence of God.  
76 As we are carefully to use the means of our salvation, so must we wholly refer the blessing of the means to the grace of God: neither as some do think, that we can obtain or continue the graces of God in us without using of the means: for that is but a dream of fantastical spirits? neither as the manner of some is, so to trust to the means, as neglecting to pray for the grace of God in them; which is but a preposterous zeal of such as are not rightly instructed in the way of their salvation.  
77 It is a most certain thing in God's Children, that the more their afflictions grow, the more their faith groweth: the more Satan striveth to draw them from God, the more they draw near to God; although indeed in feeling, they cannot see so much.  
78 It is a profitable note to observe, when extraordinary gifts of God be for our good, and when for our hurt. If our extraordinary blessings drive us more carefully to seek to the ordinary means, than it is of God's mercy: but if they slacken our care in the ordinary means, and puffing us up with a spiritual pride, cause us to rest in them; then they are for our farther condemnation: as if God bless us marvelously without prayer in any thing, if we are driven more to prayer by it, this is of God: if it cause us to leave prayer, it is perrelous.  
79 As the Lord doth feed poor prisoners, even with a little food, who though they desire more food, can have no more; and do not refuse more ordinary means: and the same God suffereth many to be pined, who having abundance, think themselves rather clothed with the means, than nourished be God's providence. So the Lord extraordinarily doth nourish the souls of them, who having few means, do look for the ordinary means more plentifully: and suffereth some to rot in ignorance, who being at the full measure of the means, have no reverend regard of the necessity of them: and hereof it cometh to pass, that some hungry souls have been filled with more grace at one Sermon, than the proud, who having heard many sermons, are sent empty away.  
80 Of all sacrifices, most acceptable is that of thanksgiving; and therefore, in many words the Saints of God have vowed, and entered into bands with the Lord to pay this oblation; both to prevent the untowardness of nature which is so unwilling of this, as also to shame themselves more, if happily they grow herein negligent; in which repetition of their vows and promises, which argueth their great desire of their hearts (for, look what one delighteth in, he often speaketh of it, and in many words) they declare, that as even in things agreeable to nature, we will help our delight by often speaking and repeating of them; so much more this help is requisite in things above nature, and among all the parts of godliness which are above nature; and chief in thanksgiving; which is more contrary to nature: for we will pray oft for a thing, but hardly give thanks once, & yet experience proveth in civil things, that of all arguments to persuade one to give us a gift, none is more eloquent or forcible, than to promise ourselves to be thankful and mindful of that we shall receive.  
81 The cause why our meditations & prayers are no stronger in the night, is because we join not with meditation, the examination of our hearts upon our beds, which if we did in some truth, it would keep us from drowsiness, and want of reverence in our prayers; aswell as worldly men are kept waking, by thinking on worldly matters: here we are taught by David's example, when we want the more solemn and glorious means in dignity, to make a supply by often and sincere using of such private means as we can.  
82 It is very hurtful, that abuses have so long time been declaimed, and the true uses of things so slenderly urged: for though holy days have justly been spoken against, yet the reverend use of the Sabbath hath been little defended; though superstitious fasts have been defaced, yet true fasting is not embraced: though the carnal presence of Christ hath been confuted, yet the real and true presence of Christ hath not been established: though popish discipline hath been misliked, yet who so maintaineth true Discipline, is thought to be a Pope in his own parish: though popish confession hath rightly been banished, yet christian confession is neither known nor acknowledged.  
83 Though we find not the spiritual joy which we should feel, yet let us not be toe much cast down; so that our conscience tell us, that we are ready to withdraw somewhat from our outward pleasures, for want of this inward pleasure; and that we have not prevented or smothered out these spiritual joys, but are grieved that we have them not, and wait for the time to feel them: for of all things, we must beware, that we draw not into their stead carnal joys, and so drive as it were exile the working of God's spirit in us by them.  
84 As it argueth great height and willingness to sin, when men fearing to sin in the day, redeem, & steal time to sin in the night: so it showeth a great height and willingness to godliness, when men being not sufficiently contented to do good in the day, stretch their well doing even to the night also; wherein they show themselves to be free from vain glory; that none seeing them, yet they do good for love of God, and not for outward things.  
85 As by nature we are long and hard to be brought to be grieved; so being once down, we are hard to get up, and to rise out of our grief again: for two extremities attend upon us, the one to be grieved and feared toe little; the other, to be grieved and feared toe much: the one makes us secure, and the other dead and dull. To meet with these two, it is good in time of joy to think what judgements have befallen us heretofore, what may befall us hereafter. In time of humbling, we are to consider what mercies we have received, and what mercies are stored up, and tarry for us again: and surely, no one thing makes grief more to waste us, than the forgetfulness of God's mercies past, and the carefulness of them that are to come: though mercies succeed mercies, yet the sea of God's mercies is never drawn dry, if we claim hold of them by our former experience.  
86 Two things especially may warrant both the speakers and the hearers of their doctrine, if their calling be good and godly; if the general course of their doctrine be sound and pure. jere. 17.  
87 If the health of body be such a thing, as is rather with comfort enjoyed, than in words to be expressed; how great is the peace of Conscience and joy of the holy Ghost, which may be tasted, but cannot be uttered.  
88 Because we will not observe one another which is godly Discipline; others shall observe us, even the wicked, which is a near discipline.  
89 There be some which have peace neither with God nor with themselves, as desperate heretics: some have peace with themselves, but not with God, as secure sinners: some have peace both with God and with themselves, as repentant Christians.  
90 As in prosperity nothing is a greater token of God's favour than to fear ourselves, so in adversity there is a pleasant pledge of our conscience, when we wait & attend on the Lord for the time, the manner and the measure of our deliverance: There be four properties of this waiting: The first, to wait in our souls. Many will not outwardly murmur, and yet inwardly they boil and fret: but where is quietness of heart, there can be no great disquietness in the tongue or in the hand. The second, is to wait on the word; for some will wait, but it is to obtain something the sooner, not to show their faith and obedience to the word. The third, is to continue in it; if we had a definitive determination, how many days, or months, or hours we should wait, the end of our term drawing near would sustain us: but it is hard to leave all moments and conditions to the Lord, and to be in a continual expectation: but let us consider how justly God may suspend his answer in helping us; either in that our sins are not sufficiently bewailed, or our faith not sufficiently purified, or his grace not sufficiently wrought in us. The fourth is by vehemency in waiting, to be kept from faltering or fainting in hope: to be vehement in hope for a while is easy, but not to slake the heat of our affections, and not to be remiss and dead in the suit of our desire, though no appearance of deliverance be seen; this is hard indeed: vehemency argueth faith, and deferring of our desire, doth not break our zeal in waiting; it bewrayeth want of faith, when without all hope we are greedy, and ravenous to have our requests, or else we cast all away.  
91 Satan hath two buffet, when by example we are provoked to patience: First, he smelleth of despair, and telleth us that true it is; so did such men abide trouble, but they were rare men, of rare faith, of rare feelings, of rare patience; God hath not called us to that measure of grace; we are unworthy, by reason of our sins, to hope for the like faith, or the like fruits of faith. This other temptation smelleth of pride, when he will make us equal in dignity, with the highest of God's Saints, but unequal in duty with them; then he persuadeth us, God is as good to us, as he hath been to others; but he keepeth us from using those means whereby they had, and we should have the goodness of God conveyed unto us: wherefore, as we must not distrust God, that we shall obtain the like mercies with other, if we use the same means; so we must not dream, that we shall have the like fruits with them, except we have also the like faith with them, though not in quantity, yet in quality.  
92 Many despair of help, because of their own unworthiness, as though there were no hope of God's mercy, unless we bring in our gift, and pawn in our hands to him; but this were to discredit the lords mercies, and to bring in credit our merits; and rather to bind the Lord to us, than us unto him: but if our sins be great, our redemption is greater; though our merits be beggarly, God's mercy is a rich mercy: If our case be not desperate, and we past hope of recovery, our redemption should not be so plentiful, but when all seems to go one way; when Heaven and Earth, the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars go against us; then to ransom us, and to make a perfect restitution, is to draw something out of nothing: even as in sickness, to have either little danger, or in great danger; deliverance by present means, is nothing; but in extreme peril, when Physic can do nothing, and nothing maketh for us but the Grave, then to be rescued from the grave, and to recover our life from the pit is Redemption.  
93 There is nothing so precious, as God's grace; which changeth the face of Heaven and Earth; and nothing so vile as sin, who openeth hell, and staineth the Earth, and shutteth up Heaven.  
94 There are two working of God's Spirit in us: the one inferior, which bringeth but certain fruits of the Spirit, without any special fruit of grace: the other superior, and more certain, when the spirit worketh an infallible sanctification: the first, may totally be darkened and fully quenched: the other hath but particular Eclipse, and in measure may be dimned, as it was in DAVID Psal. 51. But this is not finally quenched. As God made man so that he might fall, though afterwards he had mercy upon him: so he regenerateth us so, that we may fall, though afterwards he may raise us up again, and will. And it is fearful enough, that there may be such particular decays of it in us, as to feel less comfort in the word, less fear of sin, less care of well doing, less zeal in praying, less fruits in the means; so that all our actions are turned to be bitter, which were sweeter unto us than any worldly increase to the worldly man, or honey can be to them that love it: these are evident tokens of the sanctifying spirit, to love good, because it is good; and to hate sin, because it is sin: the more we grow in gifts, the more to hunger, the more to complain of our unworthiness, the more to be humbled in ourselves, the more meekly to judge of others: when we are most quiet with all things, then to think ourselves least quiet, & then most to fear out selves; so to feel the graces of God in us, and yet our sense and feeling of sin is not lessened, and to fear and quake at the first degrees and motions of sin; not lest they fully quench, but lest they cool the heat of the spirit in us.  
95 They whose knowledge is in swelling words, and painted eloquence of human wisdom, being but a doctrine of the letter, in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified: and whereof comes it, that there is so much preaching, and so little learning? but because men preach and delight to hear plausible novelties to please the ear, rather than the simple power of the word to pierce the heart; they take the bone, and refuse the marrow; they are content with the shell, but want the kernel; and not only the Law killeth, but even the Gospel also; that is, the letter of the Gospel, being ministered without the spirit: Ask the wounded conscience, what comfort it is, to hear that Christ died for our sins: nay, ask if this gall not as much as the Law itself, so long as it is rather conceived by reason, than received by faith.  
96 As of all gifts, the gift of God's spirit is the dearest, so the loss of it is most dangerous: for besides that, we know how few taste of it, and with what pain they that have gotten it keep it; and with what hard brunts they that lose the graces of it recover them again, we may conjecture the greatness of the loss, by our experience in other things: they that have been in reputation for their riches, and are become bankrupts, are grieved and ashamed; how much more than should their grief be, who by the riches of God's graces have been comfortable to themselves, and honourable amongst others; and now by the decay of those gifts, have lost both the sweet peace and joy in themselves, and their credit with God, and in the conscience of the godly.  
97 We must be like Children in three things chief: First in respect, little babes. Secondly, in regard of innocents. Thirdly, in respect of them that are growing from childhood. First, babes are never quiet, except the pap be in their mouth; or else having late been at it, they are well fed: so ought we still to desire to lie at the food of our souls, and to find unquietness in our souls, if we be long from it. Secondly, waned children, though they are not without natural corruption; yet this corruption doth rather show itself by imitation, than by action: and if they do any evil, it is rather violent, than permanent: Thus should we be: Not making an occupation of sin, but are occupated of sin; not forecasting patterns of sin, but bend our minds how we may not sin; we are violently drawn thereunto by another; rather than voluntarily commit it ourselves. Thirdly, they that grow out of childhood do things beseming manhood rather than childishness: so though babish things both in life & doctrine become us being babes, yet having passed our childhood, the Lord looks for more manly ripeness both in knowledge & godliness of life; though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection.  
98 As little children, whether in teachableness to good, or reformablenes from sin, are either won by affair word, or alured by a trifling benefit, or awed by a check, or feared by a frowning look, or stilled by seeing another beaten before them, or else quieted with the rod: So if we be children, either the promises of God must affect us, or the mercies of God must allure us, or his threatenings in his word must awe us, or his angry countenance must fear us, or his correcting of others must humble us; or else the corrections of God upon ourselves, must pull us down: but as those children are of most liberal and ingenious natures, who are rather alured with fair words, than driven to duty with the rod; for they are most gracious, which are most broken with the conscience of their unkindness; more provoked by the promises of God, than by all the curses, thunderings, and threatenings of the Law: but they that are affected with neither degenerate yet from the affection of children.  
99 As milk moderately yielded out of the dug, is natural milk and good nourishment; but being unnaturally pressed, it is mixed with corrupt matter, and is unwholesome meat: so a similitude meekly handled, giveth forth some doctrine, but being hardly strained, it filleth the receivers, not with natural milk, but with unnatural blood, as many have abused similitudes, with reverence and fear be it spoken (as a ship man's hose) sucking out poison in steed of honey.  
100 Though it be the good mercy of God, both to mourn at john Baptists doleful threatenings, and to dance at Christ jesus his sweet promising and piping; yet it is better to offer a voluntary and free sacrifice in respect of God's mercy, as do the Angels; than a violent and constrained obedience, as do the devils: and this dare I say, that though the fearful pronouncing of the curse, the wrath and the judgement of God be fearful in the Law, yet the denouncing of our separation from God's kingdom, of the gnawing worm, of the second death, is far more fearful in the Gospel; which, by how much it is the more proper seat, and treasury of God's mercies: so when thunderings and lightnings do proceed from thence, they are the more fearful.  
101 To know when the use of the doctrine is general, and when particular; which is set down in singular examples, (because we bring our neck out of the yoke, or else tie the mercies of God only to them) three rules are to be observed: First, if we read of any thing in particular, we are to search whether in some other places of the Scriptures, the same thing is not set down generally; that is, whether that which is commended, or discommended in some proper person, be not commanded or forbidden to all; if it be, the use of it is general, not particular; but if it be a particular precept joined to some one, and no warrant found in the word, that it is to be done of another; than it is a thing personal, proper to some, not general, appertaining to all. The second rule is, that wheresoever there is a general equity of a thing, there is a general practice to be had; howsoever we see it set down but in particular. The third is, wheresoever by the scope of the place there appears a general drift, either by something going before or coming after, though the present place seemeth to be particular, yet there is a general use of the doctrine to be gathered out of it.  
102 Some think this is a high point of patience, to exempt themselves from all grief: others eat up their hearts with grief, as the flesh of the body is eaten up with a corrosive; and so make themselves dull stones, rather than feeling members: the mean is not to be to quiet, as without all grief; or to be unquiet toe much, as being without a God. For the first is marvelous, that Satan in times past being made known, only by colours, by a flaming breath, by a hollow voice, by horns and claws, and such sensible things, was much more feared, than now by the clearer sight of the truth being described, to be a spiritual and greater adversary, felt before he be seen, at hand before we be aware of him, and bold to set upon the best, even in their best estate; and yet is less feared than before he was. For the second, it is marvelous he should be toe much feared, seeing he hath but a derived power, and therefore a limited power; and therefore a power lest to be feared. If we fear him toe little, he makes account of us without taking any great pains: if toe much, he is the prouder and bolder to take some pains about us.  
103 In afflictions we must search the cause, first by ascending to God, then by descending into ourselves: first, we must ascend to God, pleading guilty, craving mercy, and not stand quarreling with the malice of men, or hatred of the devil against us: for as it were no good wisdom for a man condemned to die, to make any long suit to the jailor, or to the Executioner; (for they be but under officers and can do nothing) but he must labour to the judge, who can either reprieve or release him: so it is no good policy to stand about Satan in our temptations, who doth all by constraint and restraint under the Lord; but we must go to the principal, that is God; in whose hands, are both the entrance and the issues of our sufferings. Secondly, we must search ourselves, how far either reason is unreformed, or affections unrenewed; knoing that the devil himself can never hurt us, until we have hurt ourselves; and in what measure our reason is corrupt, or our affections disordered; and in that measure are we weak, either to be overcome of men, or of Satan; and in what measure our reason is sound, and our affections sincere; in that measure we remain invincible.  
104 We must pity them that are in grief of spirit, though they be unquiet; it is an easy matter, when one desireth much to be quiet with God, to be unquiet with men, who oft hinder our quietness with God. Psal. 42. 5.  
105 Some afflicted consciences after some deliverances, look no more to be delivered: for as God is most liberal, so we must not weary or make tedious his bountiful dealing with us: but the Lord hath many deliverances in store, which it is as impossible to waste, as it is, that the Lord himself should be lessened, he will make an end of his own work in us, for his own glory; which as he hath appointed to be endless in our deliverances, so the means thereunto are also endless; yea when we seem as it were in a whirlpit, and to be carried in a violent gulf of troubles we know not whither, and are constrained oft to dive and plunge down, the waters of affliction running over our head; yet the Lord will recover us and set our feet in steady places: if we be cast down, so we can but scraule up again: if we be resisted of Satan, so we can but kick against him; if we can but open our lips, and accuse his malice before the Lord, there is sound hope of comfort to be found of him.  
106 As it is but a small pleasure, so long as we are in the Garden, to be delighted with the smell of herbs, unless we gather of every kind some to carry with us; that so we may have the benefit of the garden, though we be far from it; and as it is but a small comfort, to be ravished with sweet odours, so long as we are in the Apothecary's shop, and afterward to want them: so it is but a flattering joy, nay rather a starting joy, no longer to be affected with the word and exercises of Religion than we are in the Church: therefore we must gather here and there, somewhat of the things we hear, that may work on our affections, when we be far from the place where they grew.  
107 As the arm being sound knit to the body, receiveth pith and strength from the body to resist all evil, and to draw all good things unto it, and being but out of joint, and the veins which did knit it to the body being loosed, it hath no such force: so our faith being the means spiritually to join us unto the Lord, receiveth strength so long as it is sound, both to resist evil and to accomplish good: but if it decay, and fall as it were out of joint; then we cannot draw that full strength from the Lord for our defence and strength, which we were wont.   

A LETTER AGAINST hardness of heart.  
I Beseech God, the Father of jesus Christ, to give me his good spirit; in writing to give advice, and you in reading to receive it. Amen. Since the time that I received M. S. Letter, wherein he declared his careful compassion over your estate: I have been not a little grieved, because partly for want of a convenient messenger, and partly because of my manifold distractions with the like occurrences, and other weighty affairs, I have been hindered from writing hitherto unto you. And albeit even still I be in the same case, yet conscience towards God, & love and compassion towards you, forceth me to overcome lets, which hardly I could otherways prevail against. And albeit I cannot speak as I would, yet of that which I shall write, proceeding from the forenamed grounds; I look for some blessing of God through jesus Christ: If you will not toe much faint in faith, and yield to the Adversary; yea if you will but hope so well of yourself as (in the fear of God I writ it) I hope of you. First, whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieved, because you tarried not still at Cambridge, according to my advice; you must know, that I advised it not as a thing necessary, but more convenient as I then supposed; but yet as I advised you to obey your Father, if his pleasure still continued to have you home, whereunto you yielding, I cannot see how you offended, it being your Father's pleasure you should so do. And who knoweth whether being here, you might not as much have been troubled, there being no privilege for persons and places in such cases. And who knoweth whether it be the Lords pleasure for the example and instruction, and I hope the consolation of others in the end. And albeit, you wish that here you were nearer the more and stronger means, yet know you and be persuaded, that God can and doth in such cases, work by fewer and weaker means, according to his good pleasure: beside, it is in our corrupted nature to make much of such means as we cannot have, and not so to esteem those which God doth offer us as we should do. I beseech you therefore in the name of jesus Christ, humbly to praise God for those means which he offereth in mercy unto you, and to use them in faith accordingly; and so God will bless you by them: and then by such conference as you may have from hence by Letters, wherein if I may stand you in any stead, rather for the good opinion you have of me, than for any great matter I am able to perform: I shall be ready to offer my office of love unto you, as God shall enable me, and so far forth as I shall be instructed in your particular estate, by some letters sent from you by convenient messengers: by which I presently perceive by M. S. Letters, that you are afflicted with the blindness of your mind, and hardness of your heart, which cannot be moved, either with the promises of God's mercies, or fear of his judgements; nor affected with love and delight of the things which be good, or with hatred and loathing of the evil: great cause you have of grief I confess, but no cause of despair do I grant; because I am persuaded, that your persuasion is somewhat false; partly for want of a sound judgement in your estate, & partly for some defect of faith, somewhat through your own default. First therefore, know you for a certainty, that this is no other temptation, than such as diverse of God's children have for a time been humbled with, and afterwards have had good issue thereout: and if it please God to move you to credit me, I myself have known others as deeply this way plunged as you can be: Remember therefore, that God is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you shall be able to bear. 1. Cor. 10. 13. and yet further to confirm you herein, the holy Scriptures do record, that this way God heretofore hath humbled his own people, in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably thus complaineth, 63. 15. O Lord, look down from Heaven, and behold from the dwelling place of thy holiness, and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength? the multitude of thy mercies & of thy compassions are restrained from me: And afterwards, O Lord, why hast thou made us err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear: And in the next Chapter, verse 6. We have been all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy clouts, and we all do fade like a leaf, and our iniquity like the wind taketh us away, and there is none that calleth upon thy name, neither that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us because of our iniquities. And in the 59 Chapter, verse 10. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as one without eyes, and we stumble in the noon day as in the twilight, we are in solitary places like dead men, we roar like Bears, and mourn like Doves. So complains Hezechias in the bitterness of his soul 34. 14. of Esay. Like a Crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a Dove. And Psal. 51. 10. where David crieth, Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit: restore to me the joy of my salvation, and 'stablish me with thy free spirit. Doth he not declare, that his heart was unclean, that his spirit was crooked, that the way of his salvation was lost, and himself subject to the spirit of bondage: so that wanting the spirit of liberty or adoption, he could not cry Abba Father, nor have any power against sin. Thus you see how God's children may be blinded in mind, and hardened in heart for a time: so that they feel in themselves the graces of the holy spirit, to be as it were perished and dead. Further, to relieve the infirmity of your judgement in this part and point, (because I know it may much distress you) you must understand there be two kinds of hardness of heart: the one which is not perceived & felt, the other which is perceived & felt: and of the former, that there be two sorts: the first, which is most fearful, when any do purposely resist the motions of God his spirit, & willingly refuse the means of their salvation: of the which Zacharie speaketh, 7. 11. They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear; yea they made their heart as an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent in his spirit by the ministry of his former Prophets. The outrageous sin of these men, the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their own fearful terms. 28. 15. We have made a covenant with death, and we are at agreement with hell; though a scourge run over and pass through, yet it shall not come at us; for we have made falsehood our refuge, & under vanity are we hid. This was a fearful estate indeed: yet for all that, no man can say, but some of them having hardened their hearts, might be, and were afterwards converted: the other kind of hardness of heart, which is not felt nor perceived, or if perceived, yet not felt, (which albeit is less fearful, yet is dangerous enough) is in such, who although they wilfully resist not God's spirit in good means, yet securely, carelessly, & willingly they lie in sin; and that without any remorse of it, or any taste of good things. Such was David's state by the space of a year, before Nathan the Prophet came to reprove him, and rouse him from his lulled sleep: both these kinds I am persuaded you are free from; other ways than in temptation, Satan may sometimes move you thereunto. The other kind of hardness of heart, which is perceived and felt, is of two sorts: the one in them who are desirous of means, whereby to be relieved; although they do find small or no grace in themselves for a time: In this kind the Prophet Esay, in the want of some of God's people, complaineth. Esay 63. 15. And such was David's state after Nathan had reproved him, and God's spirit began to work with him; yet crieth he out as ye heard before, of the loss of God's graces: and when he saith, that God will accept of no sacrifices, be they never so many or precious, without a contrite heart & broken spirit: he showed, that for a time (even after the Prophet had reproved him) he wanted both. This is your case, and therefore in the state of salvation: for David was in this case even after he had confessed his sin (as my trust is you do) and after he had received absolution and pardon from God by the ministery of Nathan, although he never felt any joy thereof, nor true grief for the other: yet because in truth of heart he confessed his sin, as I hope you do; and was certainly persuaded of the pardonablenes of it by God's mercy, as you must be if you will have mercy (although he was far of from feeling it, or applying it to his woeful conscience) his state was good and very well to be hoped of, and you must know, and be persuaded of God's Saints; namely, of David and Peter, & such others, that they are ensamples for us, if we will stay ourselves upon the word of God in the ministry of his servants, and wait upon the Lords good time, until he come nearer unto us by his spirit; nearer I say, for he was come already unto you (or it may be he never went from you) because to be grieved & humbled with blindness of mind and hardness of heart, to believe certainly the servants of God which bring unto us glad tidings of salvation, and the truth of God's promises in general; and to long after comfort, using the means of the word, and prayer; the Sacrament of the supper, & the company of God's children, contrary to hope under hope; yea without any present feeling: all this is a certain argument that God's spirit is with such, and therefore with you. This estate though it be very grievous, yet it is never dangerous, much less is it fearful, unless any be so wilful, that they do persevere and continue in desperate refusing of all good means. Unless they persevere I say, for that through the subtle sleights of the spiritual adversary & his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat: they are so bewitched and intoxecated, that they are carried with violent force of temptation to wax weary of it, or to refuse all kind of comfort by fits; yea almost to have no desire at all unto them, yea sometimes even to speak evil of them: but all this is but in temptation, therefore God will be merciful unto them for Christ's sake. Thus job cursed the day of his birth, and wished to be strangled. jeremiah almost repent that ever he preached in the name of the Lord: both scarcely abslaind from blasphemy. David moved with the spirit of ambition, though dutifully admonished, yet wilfully went on in numbering the people. Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his own strength, being most wisely & effectually praemonished of his weakness, even by our Lord jesus: yet wittingly rusheth as an horse into the battle, and then very cowardly yieldeth and doublie denieth, yea strengtheneth his sin with a threefold cord, and fasteneth it with banning and cursing; and yet all these obtained mercy bountifully: for why, as Satan had desired to winnow them, so our Saviour Christ prayed for them; that their faith, although it was battered, yet it should not be destroyed; although it were sore oppressed, yet it should not be extinguished. And here be you fully persuaded, that though Luke 22. the words seem to run as belonging to Peter (I have prayed for thee, that thy faith should not fail) yet that he prayed as well for the rest of the Apostles, yea for all the faithful: for first he saith not, Simon, Satan hath desired to winnow thee, but you: why then saith he, I have prayed for thee? Verily, because he should more grievously offend than the rest (although their offence was very great) therefore his and our most blessed Saviour applied to him the promise, but did not appropriate it to him only and restrain it from the rest: and compare with this place, john 17. 20. and you shall see that the heavenly verity affirmeth, that he prayed not only for the Apostles, but for all those that should believe through their word: Yea further, our Lord jesus Christ was yester day, and to day, and shall be for ever. And as the Forefathers were baptized into him, and did eat his flesh and drink his blood; so was his prayer effectual, even to them under the Law, much more unto us under grace: and when you can find testimony of your heart, that when you would do well, yet evil is present with you, and that you do the evil you would not: then do not you it, but sin in you, when it leadeth you captive. Rom. 7. Much more then, when Satan worketh with all, buffeting you, assure yourself that God hath pity on you, and that the virtue of his power shall be perfect in your weakness. 2. Cor. 12. 9 If you believe, according to your faith be it unto you; but you will say, you cannot believe, that this vile and crooked hardness of heart, can be remitted and renewed. And this was the second point, within the former part of my Letter, I gave you to understand, what was the cause of your excessive distress. I beseech you in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, that you will not willingly lie, nor offer injury to God's spirit, nor to yourself, who have received it: tell me what is the reason why you think you have no faith? verily because you have no feeling nor no other fruits thereof as you think: well, first then agree with me herein (as you must if you will not disagree with the truth) that feeling is but an effect & a fruit of faith: and therefore there may be faith without feeling, as the cause may be without the effect, and the tree without any appearance of fruit, yea of sap for a season. And as a man sore wounded or diseased, may for a season be deprived almost of all operations of the natural life to the outward show, and his own judgement and feeling: so may a spiritual man be sore wounded by Satan, and be diseased by present sight and feeling of his sinful corruptions; specially, in that the life of the spirit 'tis not in him. Thus Peter's holy fail (as you have heard) or else the prayer of our Saviour prevailed not. Thus when David Psalm. 51. 12. declared that his heart was unclean, and his spirit crooked and unstable: and verse 14. that he had lost the joy of his salvation, and the spirit of liberty or adoption: yea vers. 13. he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him: therefore he was not deprived of the spirit of sanctification. Hear seemeth repugnance, but there is none: he was deprived for a season of the graces of the sanctifying spirit, but not of the holy Ghost, wherewith he was sanctified: which graces as God restored unto him, so I am persuaded that he will unto you: yea I doubt whether you are deprived of them; but only that partly melancholy, and partly Satan working therewith, makes you do injury to yourself, & to the graces of the spirit in you, which I beseech you take heed of. But the Messenger cannot stay, I therefore cannot write as I would, either of this, or of the remedies you should use: which hereafter I will, if God shall enable me. And I pray you, let me understand as I requested in the beginning, of your estate in particular somewhat more, & that by this bearer if you can: because he is of your acquaintance, and will bring it unto me faithfully. Only I add now unto that which I have written of hardness of heart at large, that you must diligently observe the word Create, which David useth, Psal. 51. declaring how he had no feeling of his heart. To this join that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the person of God. 57 3. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace, as well to him that is far off, as to him that is near. Therefore, in Faith you may as well pray with the hope to obtain, as did David: therefore say with him often, and with God's people, Esay 64. 12. O Lord, thou art our Father, we indeed are clay; but thou art our maker and we are the work of thine hands, etc. Know you, that God can cause Wolves, Lions, & Leopards, etc. wallowing with lambs, calves, and kine. Esay 11. 6. And that which is unpossible unto men, is possible unto God, even to cause a cable rope to go through a needle's eye: that is, to change the heart of the unbelieving, covetous, and wretched man; much more yours: yea, know you, that all things are possible to him that believeth: Cry then, I believe, oh Lord help mine unbelief: and I do promise you in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, that you shall have your desire in goodness. Thus abruptly I must make an end, I commend you unto God, and the word of his grace which is able for to build you up, and to give you the right of inheritance amongst them which are sanctified. And the very God of Peace, sanctify you throughout, that your whole spirit, soul, and body, may be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord jesus Christ: Faithful is he which hath called you, and will do it. I pray you pray for me, and I trust as I have, so I shall pray for you and much more.  
Yours in jesus Christ to use in any need R. GREENHAM.