THE OIL OF GLADNESS. OR, Comfort for dejected sinners. First preached in the Parish Church of Banbury in certain Sermons, And now published in this present Treatise. By WILLIAM WHATELY Minister there.  
LONDON, Printed by G M. for George Edward's, and are to he sold at his house in Greene-Arbour, at the sign of the Angel 1637.   

To all wearied sinners, all happiness here and hereafter be granted, and this following Treatise be dedicated.  
BEloved in our LORD. You know it was one part of john Baptists office, 
Isa. 40.4 & Luk. 3.5.  to fill valleys, as was foretold of him. Valleys are dejected sinners, filling the valleys, is, comforting of such sinners. This Work is both necessary and difficult. For to what purpose is it to beat down a sinner, if he be not raised up again? The demolishing of an old house doth not afford habitation, if a new building be not set up in its room: so neither doth the casting down of men's high thoughts, make them a fit dwelling for God; if the fair palace of spiritual comfort be not also erected in them. Our souls are not united to God in hearty love, nor subjected to him in sincere obedience, by bare terrors: (nay, that bitter anguish, which floweth from the sight of sin, and death deserved by sin, will rather increase our enmity against God, and irritate our rebellious nature, if it be not somewhat eased by hope.) It is the sweetness of God (the taste whereof affordeth more content in him, than any thing could give, which would allure us from him) that makes the heart to cleave to him, and to his ways. Worldly businesses, are better dispatched, after Sunrising, then at midnight; so men do make best speed in a journey, by daylight: so doth the journey of a godly conversation, and the whole work of righteousness, go forward most prosperously, when the shining beams of spiritual gladness, have enlightened the soul, as it were a quiet and light morning after a dark and tempestuous night. How hard a thing it is to quiet the troubled soul, they can best tell, that have been most employed in it. The devil opposeth the success of that labour with all his might, and craft; for he findeth inexperience, that the Lord hath none so faithful and valiant soldiers, in all his army as those whom he hath first deeply wounded and after sound healed. Terrors are the sores of the very conscience, the tenderest part of the whole soul, and therefore are not easily cured. Carnal reason, the false guide of mankind, doth always follow sense, which in this case, doth minister nothing but appearing arguments, of never b'ing comforted, and a world of labour it will prove to withdraw a man from following this guide. The truth is, none can rebuke these waves and storms, (saying to them peace and be still, that a great calm may follow) but alone our Lord jesus Christ whom even the winds and the seas do obey. Yet the Prophet Isaias telleth us, 
Isa. 57.19  that God createth the fruit of the lips to be peace peace. Instructions, exhortations, directions, comfortable spee-& persuasions of the godly, chiefly the Ministers of the Gospel, that stand in Christ's stead, these be the fruit of the lips, these are the means by which the Lord doth establish the souls of his servants in assured quietness at last. I have endeavoured to contribute something, to the cheering up of spiritual weepers, in this Treatise. This I offer to you burdened souls; as for others, I know how little agreement such food holdeth with their palates. But before you read, what I have here written and published, take with you an advertisement or two. The principal hindrances of comfort, are unfitness for it, and averseness from it. Vnfitnesse springs either from want of sincerity, in ones not being ready to see and acknowledge some sin or sins, which God would have him see, but he hangs back: or else from want of humility in that a man doth not bring his heart, to stoop so low to God's justice, as to yield himself into his hand without murmuring or quarrelling. Till God have wrought us to his own bent (as it were) in these two respects, there is no hope of comfort; Make haste therefore to let the Lord have his will in these two points. Now averseness from comfort, is a kind of spiritual pettishness, or peevishness (which was sometimes in the Psalmist, 
Psal. 77.2.  who saith, My soul refused comfort) which makes men love to strive against their own peace, taking great pains to thrust comfort away from them, & giving over themselves, either still to renew the old or multiply new objections against themselves, to study to have something to say against all that may be alleged for them, never considering, nor observing how true and reasonable the things are, which be spoken on their own behalf. The devil, (a great wranglex, that labours still to darken truths of this kind and not to clear them) suggesteth these cavils to the mind and the dazelling eye, is ready to fix itself upon them, as if they were matters of some weight and arguments or answers of good force. Be warned to forbear thus to abuse your wits to your own hurt. Study to be able to defend yourselves, and to learn how to do it. What madness is it, to lay one's naked breast open to his enemy's weapon? Reject not the consolations of God, neither let them seem small unto you. Know yourselves tied in conscience, as to humble, and to purge, so likewise to comfort yourselves, without which the former is done in vain, and the latter cannot be done at all. Be willing therefore to receive God's goodness, when it is made evident that you have interest thereunto. This is all I have to say in this Epistle. Now I leave you to the book itself, beseeching God to make you read joy and gladness, that your broken bones may rejoice, 
April 20. 1637.  and so wilrest a wellwisher to you all  
WILLIAM WHATELY.   

Perlegi hunc tractatum in quo nihilreperio quò minùs cum utilitate imprimatur.  
THO: WEEKS. R. P.  
Episc. Lond. Cap. Domest.   

THE OIL OF GLADNESS: OR Comfort for dejected Sinners.  2 SAM 12 24, 25. 
And David comforter Bathsheba his wife and went in unto her and lay with bar, and she hare a onne, and called his name Solomon and the Lord loved him.  
And he enter by the band of Nathan the Prophet, and be called his name jedidiah because of the Lord.  

CHAP. I.  
WHen agood chirurgeon meeteth with a festered sore: First, he applieth corrasives and cleansing things, to cate out the dead and proud flesh, and to draw away the filth and putrefaction. This done, he lays healing plasters to perfect the cure. So did the Lord proceed with David, his wounds did stink and were putrified, as himself speaks in the Psalm. The Lord had used reproof by nathan's mouth, and correction by his own hand. These sharper medicines had wrought excellent well upon him, and brought him to a serious confession, and a solemn fast of seven day's continuance, (as in likely.) Now it was time to give him some comfort, and make him to hear joy and gladness, that the broken bones might rejoice. This is done in the verses which I have read. And here he hath, first comfort in his own mind, by which he was able to comfort Bathsheba. For he should have been a poor comforter of her, unless he had first comforted himself: secondly outward comfort, in giving him a son by her, and giving that son two names, and that by the message of Nathan the Prophet, one Shelomo, that is, peaceable or his peace, or the peace of the Lord, and the second jedidiah, the Lord will love him, because both God did love him, and he was to be an instrument of abundance of prosperity and peace to Israel; yea because God would love him with a constant love; for jedidiah signifies the Lord will make to love. And now the breach betwixt God and David is fully made up. For in calling Solomon by that name, he would signify that he was now at peace with David. And by calling him jedidiah, he would signify that the Lord did love him also. The words are plain enough, and the matter will be fuller understood, if you read in 1 Chron. 22.9. where David tells Solomon, that God tells him that a son should be borne unto him, whose name should be Solomon, and that he would give him rest and peace; whence it is apparent, that even before the child was borne, GOD sent to him to give him this name, and to let him understand, that this son was he that was meant in the former prophecy of Nathan, who must reign after him, and build the house of the Lord. Now this could not but exceedingly rejoice David to make him assured that God was reconciled to him, because he would choose a son of his, begotten of the same woman, after the sin, to be King after him, to build him a house.  
Now let us see what instructions we may gather out of these words.   

CHAP. II.  

§. I.  
DAavid becomes a comforter of Bathsheba, by which it is evident that he was in good measure comforted himself.  
We heard him confessing his sin, we saw him lying in the dust, clothed with sackcloth, tumbling in ashes: Now you see him cheerful again speaking cheerfully to Bathsheba, and striving to revive his drooping spirits, for doubtless she was in fault as well as David, and when she heard of nathan's reproof, and saw her child's sickness and death, she cried peccavi, and she cast down herself as well as he.  
Hence learn this lesson   

§. 2.  
That the people of God, having humbled themselves after their sins, must then labour also to take comfort.  
When we have cast down ourselves before the Lord, and confessed and bewailed our offences, be they what they will, then must we raise up ourselves, and strive to settle peace and quietness, and gladness in our hearts again.  
Consolation should follow mourning, and gladness should come after sadness.  
If any Saint have fallen into some great sin, yet when he hath renewed his repentance for the sin, he should again take comfort in God, notwithstanding that sin.  
The Apostle Paul hearing of the incestuous Cortuths great grief, writes to them to comfort him, and confirm their love to him, 
2 Cor. 2.8, 9  that he might not be swallowed up of too much sorrow. Lo there is a time when a man must wade out of his griefs, for fear of being drowned in them. Therefore you know our Saviour promiseth to comfort them that mourn, 
Mat. 5.4.  and to give them the oil of gladness instead 
Isa. 61.3.  of the garments of sadness: It is not God's purpose to make his people go always in black, he would have them wear lightsomer colours after a time.  
The Apostle Paul after he had seen the Lord in the way, 
Acts 9.19  was in very great heaviness, for three days and nights, but after, he was baptised, and took comfort and began to preach Christ. The people Acts 2.37, 46. were pricked in heart, but we read after, that they did eat their meat with gladness. The jailer parted cheerfully with Paul and Silas, though he had a lamentable meeting with them.   

§ 3.  
Now there is great reason that the Saints should take comfort after they have taken grief.  
First, 
Reason.  because they have as good and sure grounds and causes of comfort as of sorrow. Secondly, because they shall glorify God as much. Thirdly, because they shall profit themselves as much by taking comfort as by their mourning.  
First, I say a good man that hath mourned, hath as great cause to take comfort as ever he had to mourn; for he hath the promises of God to the penitent, as well as his threats against the sinner. He hath his mercy to the humble as well as his justice against the transgressor. He hath Christ's prayers, merits, intercession to stand for him, as well as the cry and clamour of his sins to stand against him. God hath as plainly and as strongly tied himself, to accept the repenting sinner, as to punish the unrepenting: and hath as earnestly required us to believe his promises as his threats, and is altogether as true in his promises, and as careful to perform them, as to perform his threats. And it is the office and work of the Spirit to be a Comforter, and to convince of righteousness, as well as of sin. The Lord hath as plainly said, 
Ezek. 18.21, 24.  If the wicked man neturne from his wicked ways he shall live; as if the righteous return from his righteousness, he shall die. He hath promised refreshing to all heavic laden, as well as threatened destruction to all wilful and wicked transgressors, and to wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on in his trespasses. 
Psal. 68.21.   
Seeing the Lord offers himself graciously to them, therefore have they cause to enjoy these consolations of his Word.  
Yea the Apostle shows that the Word was written that through comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope. 
Rom. 15.4.  So that it may appear that Gods chief end in compiling the Scripture, was to prepare comfort for the sons of men, if they humble themselves and become capable of it.  
Yea the Spirit of God is called the Comforter, and God is called the God of all consolation, and the God that comforteth the abject, all which grounds of consolation being offered us, we are bound to receive them.   

§ 4.  
Again, it is a work as truly honourable to God, and maketh as much for his glory, that his people do take the cup of consolation at his hands, as that they drink the bitter cup of wormwood, yea and more too. For to grieve even for sin, further than it tends to comfort, and ends in it, is nothing at all to the glory of God of itself: for in hell they grieve enough, but that grief is not in them a work tending to God's glory, because it aims not at comfort, but is a desperate forlorn and uncomfortable grief. For in grieving for our sins, we give God the glory of his justice, acknowledging them to be vile and loathsome and grievous. But in comforting ourselves we give him the glory of his mercy, acknowledging him to be more full of goodness, than ourselves be of badness, which is to do him the highest honour. For the Lord delighteth in showing mercy, and therefore cannot but delight that men should esteem and account him so ready to show mercy. For whosoever loveth to do any good and commendable thing, loves to be accounted ready and able to do that thing.  
And indeed God is not well pleased nor honoured, as I said before, with his Saints tears further than those tears be means of fitting them for, and making them capable of comfort: As the Chirurgeon delighteth not in the smart of his patient further than it is a means of healing the sore: nor the Physician in the bitter potions of his patient, or his sickness, further than it procureth health. Therefore (if we consider) in the old Law, 
Deut. 16.14.  he calleth upon them to be sure that they do rejoice in their feasts. And whereas he appointed one only solemn fast throughout the year, 
Levit. 26.19.  and that but one day's continuance alone, he appointed three several most solemn feasts in every year; and those also of seven day's continuance each of them. 
Exod. 23 14.  Whereby it is manifest that he takes fare more content in their gladness and solace, then in their ruth and lamentation. For indeed he liketh their griefs alone, as I said before, as a preparative to their Joy.  
Now seeing our care must be to do that that may glorify and please God, and our joys will glorify and please him, after we have been humbled, as well as our humiliation before: it is needful for us to cheer up our hearts, as well as to depress them.   

§ 5.  
Thirdly, this comfort is a thing altogether as profitable to ourselves, and as much available to our sanctification and good living, as grief: nay grief will do at all no good to the working of holiness and beating down of sin, further than it is so ordered and moderated, that it may conclude in consolation. As a man is fittest to do any natural work, when he hath his limbs all at ease and rest: so to do any spiritual good thing, when he hath his mind at ease and rest. 
Nehem. 8.10.  The joy of the Lord is your strength, saith that holy man to the people in Nehemiah, which is the cause that God hath confirmed his promise by oath, that as the Apostle saith, 
Heb. 6.18.  we might have strong consolation. The herbs and grass and corn do ripen best in warm and fun-shine weather: so the sunshine of consolation, doth bring up the herb of virtues in our hearts. Carnal and earthly joys do nothing further the growth of piety, but spiritual consolations, such as this we entreat of do make it prosper and flourish exceedingly. Never is a Christian man in better case to do any good duty, to bear any misery for God's sake, to love God, to pray, to hear the Word, to do works of mercy to the afflicted, or to perform any other services, then when he can comfort himself in God. Then the heart hath more full communion with God, and therefore is in best plight to do any thing well. I confess sorrow hath its use, it is as ploughing, and as breaking of the clods, that make the ground ready for the seed: It is as it were the sweeping and cleansing of the house, that maketh it fit for the Holy Ghost as for aguest to inhabit and to dwell in. But the very proper confirmer and strengthener of the soul is comfort: that doth minister to it ability to work God's works. As God loves, in matter of bounty, a cheerful giver: so in all services a cheerful servant. And doubtless the service will not be cheerful if the heart be not comforted: therefore in heaven, where God hath the best services, men have the most comfort. And in Paradise, where God had the best service next to heaven, man had the most comfort. And in the Thessalonians, 
1 Thess. 1 3, 6.  in whom Saint Paul did commend, the labour of love, the work of faith, the patience of hope, and whom he praiseth, because their love and their faith did grow exceedingly, he shows the foundation of this growth to have been, because they received the Word with joy in the Holy Ghost.  
Seeing well-grounded comfort is the most profitable thing that can be for our souls, we must strive for it.   

§ 6.  
Only brethren you must remember how we limited the point, viz. that after we have humbled ourselves we must then take comfort, and not before.  
There is a time saith Solomon to mourn and a time to laugh, we must take time to rend our hearts and to turn to the Lord with mourning and contrition; and then we must take time also to stir up, and to revive our hearts, and to embrace the Lords mercies with all joyfulness: we must beware of making too much haste to comfort ourselves, as also of being too slow to the work. If the sore be not throughly drawn before it be healed, than the festered matter will break out again, and the cure will not be well effected, and if it be not healed after drawing, no soundness will come to the member affected. As the body, so the soul must be healed sound, and to the bottom, and not skinned over with untimely and preposterous and ungrounded consoations.  
I pray you to observe this caution and this limitation, that none of you may abuse, and misapply the point to your own hurt, for nothing is more dangerous than false comfort. Of the twain, it is much more safe, though it seem far more troublesome, to be too much and too long in mourning, then to fetch in comfort before we have at all mourned, or before we have mourned in due measure: for to comfort one's self untimely, is to trust in a lie, and is the surest way to cut off all sound and good comfort, and to keep a man's self uncapable of true comfort. Thus daubing with untempered mortar will never make any good work, down will that daubing come, in the day when the storm and wind shall blow upon it.   

§ 7.  
If any man ask how he shall be sure not to take comfort too soon, I answer him:  
That he must not be bold to take any comfort, till he have gotten such a measure of sorrow, and let sorrow continue so long in his heart, that it hath wrought him to a plain, and free, and full confession of his sins to God, and to a firm and steadfast purpose and determination of will, to leave, forsake and abandon them. And when he hath brought himself to this, then must he mix his sorrow with some comfort, and after a while he must bid his griefs adieu, and feed constantly and principally upon comforts, renewing his griefs at fit times and seasons (as it were dipping in some sharp sauce to keep him from surfeiting) always retaining an humbled heart in the sight of sin, but not always a sad heart; for as the heart may be sad, and not humbled: so it may be humbled and not sad.    

CHAP. III.  
Use 1 But now for Use of the point.  

§ 1.  
First, it gives cause of a gentle reprehension to many of God's servants, that keep on their garments of sorrow too long, and still feed on wormwood and gall, almost refusing to be comforted, then, when comfort is due to them. Though they have searched their hearts and confessed their sins, and brought their hearts to a full purpose of amendment; yet they fail in that they do not take some measure of comfort to themselves, and do not partake of the consolations of God which he offers to them in his holy Word.  
There are some that make too much haste to comfort themselves, and some that do not make haste enough. The Commoner, and the greater fault, is, to put away sorrows too soon: yet that of putting away comfort too fare and too long from the soul is a fault also, and must not be denied where it is. Many of God's people I say are excessive in their mourning, even for their sins, in that when they have true right to comfort, and God doth speak peace unto them, yet they do not give rest and peace unto their own souls, but surfeit upon wormwood and bitterness, and thrust comfort away from themselves through unbelief. Sometimes men mourn too much and too long for crosses (that point doth not now come to be handled) and sometimes they mourn as those that have no hope, in regard of sins, and that is the fault we have now to declare and to reproove.   

§ 2.  
Know then O ye servants of God, that when you do even torment yourselves, and keep your hearts still upon the rack as it were, you do greatly dishonour God, in this unmeasurable mourning, and greatly hurt yourselves too. For what? is there not goodness in God as well as justice? Is he made all of anger? Are his mercies clean gone for ever? Hath he shut up his tender compassion in displeasure? It is a discredit to the master of the family if his servants be always sad and whining: For if they had a good and merciful Master, why should they be still languishing and complaining? See then, that ye do offend in this case, by not acknowledging the infinite mercies and tender compassions of your God. For in not comforting yourselves, you do actually deny him to be merciful. For if he be merciful, why do we not taste and feel how good he is?   

§ 3.  
And take notice that in not comforting yourselves you be also injurious to your own souls: You make yourselves unfit to serve God, in any good duty, unfit to pray, unfit to hear, unfit to live, unfit to die, by being still heavy and discouraged. When the soul goes mourning and bowed down to the ground, still in fear that God will not accept, and will not pardon, it lies open to manifold temptations, to murmuring, to weariness of well-doing, to impatiency, to frowardness, and cannot set itself resolutely, to do the work of holiness, which God requireth. Thou hind'rest the growth of grace in thyself, for want of fair weather as it were. Thou makest the fruits of the Spirit to be fare less and fewer than they would be, because they have not warmth enough to bring them up. Wherefore thou art to reprehend thyself and to say, This is my weakness and infirmity, this is my fault verily, which I must not excuse but acknowledge and blame in myself.   

§ 4.  

Object.  If any say alas I would comfort myself if I could, I do not desire to go languishing, but oh I cannot choose, the burden of sin is so pressing, & lies so hard upon my soul.  

Answ.  I answer, the thing that thou must be blamed for, is not because thou art not actually comforted, for therein thou must be a patiented and take it when it comes, even when God will give it, but because thou dost not set thyself to enjoy comfort, that thou dost not offer to thy mind the consolations of God, and dost not take pains to bind up thy broken and rend heart. I say thou dost not take pains to get comfort, but yieldest unto sorrow, and hangest down thine hands, and sufferest thy knees to be feeble. Thou dost not call to mind the promises of God. Thou dost not ponder upon the death of Christ. Thou dost not entertain such thoughts as are fit to bring comfort to thy soul, but sellest over thyself to sad and fearful & discouraging thoughts; still still looking to the greatness and multitude of thy sins, and not raising thine eyes to, and fixing thy thoughts upon the mercies and loving kindnesses of God, not earnestly imploring and begging the help of his Spirit to comfort thee, and this is thy fault, (arising from hence, that thou art too ready to hearken to Satan, who doth lie unto thee, and denies thine interest unto comfort.) Now suffer a gentle and mild reproof for it, and know it to be a fault; for why shouldst thou not enjoy thine own portion and take that that God giveth thee. If thou answerest still, I cannot, I cannot. I answer still thou canst labour, strive, endeavour, and thy not labouring and endeavouring is that that is blamed in thee.   

§ 5.  
As in outward crosses we are often too peremptory mourners (and with jacob will not be comforted) and resolve, we will go mourning to the grave. So sometimes in regard of sins, we will not be comforted. Sometimes this ariseth from an error in judgement, because we think not ourselves to have any interest unto comfort, when we have, and are afraid to take it, lest it should not belong to us. Many times God's people think they have not cause to take comfort, when they have, and therefore put comfort from themselves, because they mistake their own estate.   

§ 6.  
But tell me hast thou not afflicted thyself? hast thou not wept and mourned? hast thou not turned thy laughter into sorrow, and thy Joy into heaviness? hast thou not cast down thyself before the Lord? and found out and acknowledged all thy faults against thyself, (so fare as by searching thou wast able to find them.)  
If thy soul can say I have laboured to see all my sins; and laboured to confess and weep for them, and complained of them, and shamed myself and judged myself.  
Quest. Then I ask again hast thou not renounced thyself, and all thine own merits?  
Answ. Yes htat I have too.  
Quest. Hast thou not resolved to take Christ yovake? hast thou not made a Covenant with God, to fight against thy sins, and to reform and amend thy life, and make they heart and spirit new?  
Answ. Yes that I have too, I have resolved, but alas I find little power.  
I answer, upon thy resolution to obey after mourning and confessing, thou hast interest to comfort, and it must be comfort that must strengthen thy resolutions, and confirm thee in obedience.  
Now then see thy mistaking, and know thou art one to whom comfort is due, and let not error  the sun of comfort from shining upon thee.   

§ 7.  
Another cause of not being comforted is infidelity, the moourners cannot believe that the comforts appertain to themselves: but this is a fault too. For why? doth not God call to him, all that be heavy laden with sin; and in calling them to him, even bind them to take comfort?  
Indeed the devil envies the comfort of the Saints, and seeketh to hinder it with multitude of objections. And some of God's people be so weak, that they suffer the devil to have his will on them this way, and hearken too much to his leasening. But now, see that this is a fault, that doth even disgrace piety to many, and make them think that godliness, and joy cannot dwell in one heart, so that they refuse piety for fear of wanting joy, whereas no companions will better agree then these two.  
I have been long in this reproof, and yet as you see, mild and gentle enough. It is a weakness, it is a frailty. It is a thing hurtful and offensive, take notice of it, and reprehend thyself for it.    

CHAP. FOUR  

§ 1.  
Use 2 ANd secondly, let me nowpresse the Saints of God to follow David in the paths of consolation. You heard him confessing, you saw him in ashes, now you see him cheerful again.  
Hast thou followed him in that heavy path? follow him in this gladness. Now that the Lord pipeth to thee, see that thou dance. Now that God biddeth thee take comfort, see that thou take it. Coe hither all ye Saints, that have long been clad in black, and have rolled yourselves in ashes, and have mingled your drink with tears: Come hither and learn of David to comfort yourselves: O hear joy and gladness, and let your broken bones rejoice. You I say that have sat in darkness, that have wept and wailed, that with bitter sighs and salt tears have blamed and shamed yourselves before God, come hither now, and behold David, and follow him, put on thegarments of gladness and comfort yourselves in God's mercy. It is as needful and as plain a duty to believe God's promises as his threats, to acknowledge his goodness as your own badness. You have done the one, now do the other also, and let everlasting joy be upon your heads. Doth not Christ tell thee, that he came to comfort the mourners? he is here now in his Ordinances to comfort thee: o let him not comfort thee in vain.  
Sitrre up thyself, and say, jought to take comfort, and Lord through thine help, I will take comfort to myself, and give thee the glory of the riches of thy grace in Christ.   

§ 2.  
If any say, but I can feel no comfort. I answer, Thou must believe it first, and then thou must feel it after. First, thou must draw out of God's book happy condlusions of comfort. That thy sins are pardoned, that God is reconciled, that thy soul shall be saved, and then must so press and urge these conclusions upon thy soul, and bind thyself to consent to them, that in time sense of comfort may follow after.   

§ 3.  
Now that you may be able to comfort yourselves against sins, and the fear of God's wrath and damnation for them, (for you see that the Text calleth us to minister that comfort, you must take notice of four things needful to further men in comforting themselves when they be made fit for comfort. First, one notable impediment to comfort whereof you must take heed. Secondly, the true ground of comfort. Thirdly, the degrees by which comfort groweth. Lastly, the means of comforting yourselves.   

§ 4.  
1. For the first, if you will take comfort indeed, you must resolve to believe neither the devil, not the flesh, neither to credit Satan nor your own hearts, but only God, speaking in his holy Word.  
The devil is a known, and wilful, and purposed liar, and always almost frameth his tale against turth.  
If he meet with a sinner that feeleth not sin at all; he will flatter him with false hopes, and make him (if he can) to believe that all is well, and that God will show mercy to him, though he have no manner of right unto it. And by his good will he would have men lulled a sleep, with these false and vain and worthless comforts, even till their dying day. But when he cannot hold them any longer in this sweet dream, but that they begin to see and to feel sin, and to fear God's judgements; then he will tell them a quite contrary tale. That there is no hope, that the time is past, that God will not receive them, that their offences afe unpardonable, that it is in vain to seek mercy, that the date of grace is gone and passed, that so if it were possible they might be drowned in despaite, Wherefore whosoever would find comfort must stop his ears against Satan, and resolve to believe nothing he says.  
Thou foundest him a liar in his comforts, formerly, now know him a liar too in his present terrors. He is equally false when he roars as when he sings.   

§ 5.  
Again, believe not thyself, (thine own heart) for that is false and deceitful and full of error. Thou must not conclude I have no interest unto comfort, because I think I have none. God's ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts: What we think, it matters nor, but what he saith in his Word. Thou mayest see the falsehood of thine own heart also by experience, dost thou not know well, that thy heart deceived thee heretofore, in telling thee, that all was well with thee, when thy case was very miserable? Did it lie then, in ministering to thee ungrounded and lying consolations? then know, that it is as likely to lie at this time, in denying comfort to thee. So fare as we suffer our ears to be open to the suggestions of Satan, and to the conceits of our own hearts, so fare we hinder ourselves of comfort. But we must say, I will hear what God saith, 
Psal. 85.8.  he will speak peace. I will believe him and not the devil, not myself. Well now thus the heart is set in way of taking ocmfort.   

§ 6.  
Now in the second place, I will show you the ground and foundation of this spiritual comfort, whereof we are now speaking. There is indeed, a comfort against outward evils, and against other sorrows than those for sin, concerning which, many things might well be spoken, but I have not to do with them at this time. Alone I am to show the sole base and groundwork of spiritual comfort, which is the steadfast and assured apprehension or persuasion of the remission of our sins, and the love and favour of God in Christ. 
Psal 30.1  This David proveth, saying, Blessed is the man whose sins are covered, whose iniquity is pardoned, and to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, And again, having said Psal. 51.8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, he adds immediately, Hid thy face from my sins, ver. 9 The same our Saviour declareth plainly, saying to the poor Palsy-man, Son be of good comfort thy sins be forgiven thee, 
Mat. 9.2.  and to that sorrowful weeping woman in the Gospel (who made her eyes as it were a yewre to wash his feet) Daughter thy sins are forgiven. There is nothing suffcient to bear up true comfort, but a true and well grounded assurance, of this unspeakable goodness of God, which is the foundation of all other benefits. And as any man's soul hath a more solid and steadfast and well built persuasion of this mercy: so is he the more comfortable, at least more capable of comfort: as he hath less firm or less true knowledge of this, so is he less fit and able to receive consolation. So then this conclusion must be written in the heart, God hath pardoned my sins, and received me graciously in Christ, afore it can be duly comforted, and so you see the ground of the comfort we seek for.   

§ 7.  
Thirdly, I will show you by what degrees this comfort groweth in the heart usually. When a man's sins lie most heavy upon his soul, and that the law like a sword hath ripped up and lanced his very heart that it runs and bleeds again; then he heareth the doctrine of the Gospel, teaching remission of sins by jesus Christ, and doth assent to the truth of it, as that it is an undoubted verity, and then strives to apply it to himself, and hath a secret persuasion that it shall be performed even to himself, now this persuasion groweth up in three degrees.  
First, the promise makes him think with himself, Assuredly my sins may be pardoned: The righteousness of Christ is sufficient to justify me, and God can accept and forgive me. This makes him run crying and praying to God for pardon, and affords a little glimmering of comfort, as when a sick man knows his disease to be curable, and that the Physician can cure him, this is one grain of faith.  
Secondly, having continued to pray to God for aspace, he than conceiveth a little stronger hope, and saith in himself, I hope God will pardon me, which makes him yet more warm in in his suit, and bringeth a little more consolation, this is an other grain of faith.  
Lastly, he gins to conclude, God hath pardoned me; at first, making this conclusion fearfully, (not without admixture of many doubts, which he resisteth, and laboureth to reject) and at length with more strength and less doubting, till he attain a very full assurance, that scarce findeth any wavering, and then hath his soul a strong consolation, even a full weight of comfort.  
Thus I have showed you the third thing I intended, that no man may be discomforted utterly, because he is not at first able perfectly to comfort himself, as sometimes good people are, thinking that they have no faith because they have not the highest degree thereof.    

CHAP. V.  

§ 1.  
NOw in the fourth place, I will tell you by what means you must strengthen your faith, that it may afford you large and strong consolation: for though no labour of man without the power of God's Spirit can work this comfort, yet doth the Spirit of God beget it, by means of such holy labours and endeavours as himself incites us to. These means are chief four: Meditation, Prayer, Conference, and a due information of judgement concerning this matter of remission of sins.  
The first than is Meditation, and that principally of four things.  
1. Of the perfect merits of jesus Christ. 2. Of the infinite mercies of God. 3. Of the large and unlimited promises of the Word. 4. Of God's graciousness to other sinners, out of all which sound consolation may be taken, by the most broken heart that is or can be.   

§ 2.  
The first thing then to be seriously pondered upon is, the perfection of Christ's merits, for upon this foundation doth comfort most depend. For ourselves it matters not what we have deserved, or can deserve, for it must be confessed that our deserts extend to nothing but ruin and destruction. But our Lord and surety jesus Christ hath made a full and perfect satisfaction to the justice of God, and deserved full and perfect remission of sins for all that seek unto him. For of him the Scripture beareth witness, 
Mat. 3. ult.  That in him God is well pleased, and that by him all that believe, 
Act. 13.38, 39  are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. And him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. 
Rom. 3.25.  He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, 
Gal. 3 1  being made a curse for us. 
1 Cor. 1.30.  Also He is our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption. And in Him we have redemption through his blood, 
Ephes' 1.7  the forgiveness of sins. And He hath taken away the sins of the world. 
Joh. 1.29  And His blood cleanseth us from all sin. 
1 joh 1 7  And He is able to the uttermost, 
Heb. 7.25.  to save those that come unto God by him. All these places do testify the fullness and absolute perfection of his righteousness and satisfaction, that as by the sin of one man, the first Adam, many have been made sinners, so by the righteousness of one man the second Adam, 
Rom. 5.9.  many be made righteous.  
Now as it is in the case of a debtor and of his surety, so it is betwixt God and us in this matter. Though the debtor being a mere bankrupt, cannot possibly discharge his own debt, yet if his surety have already made payment of all his debts, or fully discharged them, he is safe enough from danger: So, though we be utterly destitute of all ability to satisfy for our sins, and to deserve pardon of them; yet if our surety jesus Christ have fully satisfied for them, as he hath, there is hope enough of our being pardoned. For our Lord jesus Christ was both God and man, a person infinitely more excellent than all men, and therefore his sufferings and obedience are of such infinite worth and value, that by him the wrath of God is fully appeased towards us. For it was a great demonstration of God's justice to punish him his only begotten Son for our sins in such sort as he did, as if he had punished us to all eternity. Suppose diverse debtors, one owing 10000 lb. another 5000 another 1000 another 100 lb. some more, some less, but each one more than his substance could possibly satisfy: yet if some able person had laid down diverse jewels of fare greater value than all their debts did amount unto, then were their debts sufficiently answered for, neither need they be discouraged at the greatness of them. Even so, when we have committed innumerable sins, deserving eternal death, and can no way satisfy for ourselves, yet so long as he hath perfectly fulfilled the law for us, being made under the law in our steed, and hath perfectly satisfied the justice of God by bearing the curse for us; our estate is good enough in him, though never so irrecoverable in ourselves. Wherefore compare thy sins to Christ's merits, and think, is not he my Saviour? hath not he discharged my debt? hath not he answered for mine offences? are not his death, sufferings, and obedience, much more able to pacify God's anger, than my transgressions to provoke it? Doubtless it is so: no man that professeth Christian Religion will deny it, and therefore by his blood peace of conscience may come unto the greatest sinner.   

§ 3.  
If it be objected, Ah, I know his redemption is perfect and all-surficient, but how can I tell that it shall be granted unto me? I answer, put off that question a little, till thou have first answered some few questions which I shall propound unto thee. Dost not thou think that the blood of Christ is sufficient to wash away all thy sins? is not his satisfaction full, complete and of worth enough to answer for all thy transgressions, even though they were more than they be? If thou sayest no, thou deniest the truth of the forealleged Scriptures, and disparagest the merits of our blessed Saviour, which I hope thou wilt not dare to do: but if yea, as needs thou must say yea, then harken yet further a little, and for thine own interest into this satisfaction, receive satisfaction by this reason: Our Saviour Christ calleth unto him, all that travel and are heavy laden with sin, and promiseth refreshing & rest unto their souls. Tell me, art not thou laden? art not thou crushed? Dost not thou confess thy sins to be a most insupportable burden, and so heavy a load that they will surely press thee down to hell, if he do not ease thee? if thou dost not or dost not desire so to do thou art none of them whom I intent to comfort, if thou dost, why then in God's name, let that loving invitation of our Lord satisfy thy forementioned doubt, and conclude thou thus for thyself. Every one that being heavy laden will come unto Christ, shall be refreshed, shall have rest to his soul, and therefore shall have his merits bestowed upon him, without which there can be no rest to his soul. Now I am heavy laden, and I will run to Christ (and so do I pray thee, without doubting or fear any longer) and then thou must conclude infallibly, I shall be refreshed, I shall have the merits of Christ to be mine, according to the truth of his promise.   

§ 4.  
And so you have the first meditation. The second must be of the infinite mercies of God in Christ, who is graciously ready in him, the Son of his loves, to accept of every sinner that renouncing himself, and all his own righteousness, doth fly wholly to him for refuge. For the Lord is a God, 
Exod. 14 6.  gracious & merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. His mercy is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 
Psal 103 11.  He will abundantly forgive, 
Isa. 55.7, 2, 9  and his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways higher than our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts. Yea he hath multitude of tender compassions, and is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, 
Rom. 10 12.  and his mercy endureth for ever. You see by these words of Scripture what store of mercy there is in God, and what quantity of compassion poor sinners that are humbled, must look to find with him. Now consider further, what is this mercy and compassion of God? Doubtless it is a willingness, promptness, readiness, forwardness, full resolution to accept of miserable sinners that have made themselves most wretched by their sins, and to relieve their miseries when they humbly stoop unto him. Mercy is not an ability to pardon and help if one will, but a willingness to help and pardon when one is able. We do not call him a merciful man, that could help a poor distressed person if he would, but it is not his pleasure so to do, for so it may be with a most cruel and hard hearted fellow. The most rigorous and exating rich Usurer, could forgive his debtor (that is a banckerout and can pay him nothing) if he would, but he will not though he can, and therefore doth not deserve to be called merciful. The most fierce and furious tyrant might forgive his subject, if he would, that hath offended, but because he is not willing, therefore no man styles him pitiful and gracious. So neither were the God of heaven full of grace, mercy and compassion, if only he were able to forgive humbled sinners, and would not; that were not mercy I say, that were not compassion, but this is grace, this is compassion. He is willing to receive the humbled wretch, he is ready to forgive, and fully resolved with himself to blot out all his sins from his remembrance, be they what they will for number or haighnousnes, when once he converteth unto him. Now therefore that thou knowest the store of mercy that is in God, and also what mercy is. Compare thy sins also to God's mercy, and see if they can be in any sort equal thereunto. For are not his mercies in Christ infinite, endless, boundless, and therefore fare surpassing all the sins of all sinners, which be they, what they can be, for weight and number, yet doubtless infinite they cannot be.  
Thou seest how great a thing this globe of earth and water seemeth to be to them that walk upon it, yet in comparison of the heavenly sphere that doth encompass it, what is it else, but a point, a prick, a centre, a thing of nothing, that holdeth no proportion to those higher regions, and know assuredly, that there is no more proportion betwixt all the sins of all men, and Gods mercies, then betwixt the point of earth, and the circumference of the skies. He is willing to pardon more than all of them can commit, and therefore only they be not pardoned, because they will not humble themselves to seek pardon. Thus then must thou raise up thy falling heart, I have to do with a most infinitely merciful and tender hearted Father, that doth not desire the death of him that dieth, but is ten thousand thousand times more willing to give me pardon than I am to crave or accept it. It pleaseth him more to bestow forgiveness, then me to receive it. O do not so great an injury to God, as to set any bounds and limits to his goodness, to diminish or detract from the boundlessness of his compassion, to think that thou canst possibly exceed his goodness with thy badness, but go unto him and acknowledge, saying, O Lord, the multitude of thy mercies do fare surmount the multitude of my rebellions, O therefore be gracious to me according to the multitude of thy mercies, and so thou shalt be safe.  
But thou wilt say perhaps how can I tell that God will show mercy to me? I answer, Art not thou one of those to whom he hath sealed up mercy in baptism? yea but thou wilt say, many are baptised that never find mercy. I answer, not one that in sense of want of mercy, and in a persuasion that God can be merciful to him, doth seek to the throne of grace for it. And for a fuller answer to this doubt, now proceed to the third meditation.   

§ 5.  
This is of the wideness and largeness of God's promises to sinners, which are of such an unlimited extent, that they exclude no sinner for no sin, and in no time of coming to him. For in all these respects, are his promises wondrous large and of great extent. I say first they shut not out any sinner, but run in this generality, Come unto me (All) that are heavy laden, even all, all without any exception, so that whosoever he be that is heavy laden, he sees the gate of God's goodness standing open to him, and wide enough to receive even him also among the rest of sinners; next he excepts not any sin, but telleth us thus, The blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin. 
1 Joh. 1.7  And again, if your sins were as red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow. 
Isa. 1.18.  And again, 
Ezek. 18.22.  I will blot all his iniquities out of my remembrance, and he bids them pray thus, Take away all iniquity, 
Hos. 14.2.  and allowed David to cry and say, 
Psal. 51.9  Blot out all mine iniquities. Do you not hear how general these promises be, not narrowed with any exception, but alone to be understood with this qualification of the persons, if they be humbled for sin. And in like manner for the time of coming lies not the promise, in the day that the sinner turneth? 
Ezek. 33.12.  meaning when so ever, sooner or later, first or last, so that he turn in truth, you see no time excepted for the grant of pardon of sin. Indeed in regard of crosses, it may fall out, that a man may seek to God for freedom of them and not find it, but for pardon of sins, he that comes in truth, comes never too late. And here now is the right use of those universal promises, which are set down in Scripture. God would have no man perish, but would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, 
1 Tim. 2.4.  and He is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, 
1 joh. 2.2.  and He gave himself a ransom for all, 
1 Tim. 2.6.  and He tasted death for every man. 
Heb. 2.9.  Which the Lord hath of set purpose conceived in this ample form of words, that there might be sure and certain ground and footing, for the faith of any man whatsoever, that being tired with his sins, doth run unto this grace of God in Christ to find help in time of need. Seeing God hath not excepted thy person, or thy faults, or thy time of coming, do not thou except thyself, make not the gate of God's promises scanter, or narrower than it is. He hath opened both the leaves of these doors as wide as may be, and thinks it not fit to close them up, against any humbled and confessing sinner, at any time: O do no thou put a distrustful hand upon them, to shut them against thyself, but let them stand wide open, and enter boldly, and ask mercy, and look for mercy, and find it.   

§ 6.  
Now follows the last meditation, which must be of the examples of God's grace, in performing these promises to other sinners, as bad, if not worse than any of us can be. For the Lord hath made good these words of his in his Son to as great, heinous, wilful, presumptuous offenders, as any have been, are or can be in the world, that will come unto him. No man can name, so great a sin or sins, with so great aggravations, but that the Scriptures afford us examples of as grievous sins pardoned, and as grievous sinners saved, if they have framed themselves to humiliation and conversion. For what may thy sin be or thine obstinacy in sin? Is it murder and adultery run into with fore-resolved deliberation? continued in with great hardness and obduration? behold these were David's faults, and thou seest him pardoned and comforted, yea though he ran unto them in old age after many benefits received, and after a long time of forwardness in the true religion and service of God. Hast thou been an Idolater? a Buggerer? a Drunkard? a Railer? an Extortioner? why such were some of the Corinthians, (as Paul remembers them) and yet they were washed, sanctified, justified, as he also telleth them. Hast thou besides Idolatry followed Sorcerers and Witches? and practised enchantments and sorceries? and that with so much and so long obstinacy, as to kill those that should admonish thee of these faults? Why so did Manasses too, and yet he is pardoned. Hast thou persecuted Christ? blasphemed him? made others to blaspheme? and put them to death that would not? why so did Paul also, (and that after diverse years spent in those places, where many wonders and miracles were wrought to confirm the Gospel of Christ) and yet he is pardoned. Hast thou been an harlot? so was Rahab, and the sinful woman in the Gospel. Hast thou been a thief? so was he that defended Christ on the Cross. Hast thou denied and foresworn Christ? so did Peter also after he had been divers years his disciple, and yet all these are pardoned. Yea verily brethren, the first sin that ever was committed, was in many respects the greatest of all particular acts of sin that ever were committed since. It was virtually, radically, causally all sin, and yet lo Adam and Evah that did commit it, they are saved. The smallness of the matter makes the fault fare greater, being a light and easy thing, propounded merely for a trial, and as a sign and profession of their obedience, as if a man should forbid his child a very slender thing, and that which he might easily forbear, to testify his obedience unto him, he would be more offended against him in this case, by how much he had made choice of a more trivial matter to prove his obedience withal. Now for such persons at such a time, in such a place, in such a state, on such motives to disobey their maker in such a thing, so easy to be observed, and given to them only to prove their obedience, surely a greater disobedience (and therefore a greater sin) can hardly be named, and yet as I said before, this sin is pardoned, and those sinners saved. And who now can be hopeless? who now can cast off comfort? Now therefore stay and look upon those effects & proofs of God's mercy and truth, and say unto thyself, is not God the same God that of old? was not his justice and anger against sin, as great then as now? and is not his mercy and truth, as large and sure now as then? and why then should not I also take heart, to seek unto the same God and rest upon him. And these be the most comfortable meditations that I could propound, to the sorrowful and fearful heart of the broken sinner, for the suppling of his wounds, and fitting his soul for consolation.    

CHAP. VI  

§ 1.  
NOw these meditations must be concluded and intermixed, with confessions and supplications. The poor sinner must gather up his thoughts into petitions and requests, and refusing to be hindered by any fears, doubts, or objections, must take to himself boldness to fall down before the throne of grace, and following the counsel of the Holy Ghost, must take to himself words, and say, receive me graciously, and take away all iniquity. Address thyself unto the God of heaven in the name of Christ his Son, and say, Lord behold here the worst of sinners, appearing before thee, casting himself as low as hell, desirous to be as full of shame and sorrow as is possible, and therefore troubled, because he cannot be more grieved & more abased. I am Lord indeed a vile and grievous sinner, and these and these evils have I done, but o for the merits sake of Jesus Christ alone, thy dear and only begotten Son, accept me, forgive, and according to the multitude of thy mercies, wash me throughly from all my sins. Remember O Lord the thing that thou hast promised and sealed up to all that seek thee, even blot out all mine offences out of thy remembrance, and for my sins and iniquities, O Lord remember them no more. Be not weary of making these requests, though thou seem to thyself to receive none answer to them, but fly constantly, and run boldly to the throne of grace, to attain mercy to help in time of need. If thy soul be vexed with new fears, confirm thou it with new prayers, and resolve, if thou must be damned to be damned praying, and if thou must needs perish, to perish with a prayer in thy mouth, than thou canst not be damned, than thou canst not perish. Call upon God in the day of thy trouble, make thy prayers to him in the floods of great waters, and sure they shall not come near thee, for he will fulfil his promise, and will grant thee all that thou beggest in the name of his Son. Thus have you two helps to comfort, prayer and meditation.   

§ 2.  
The third follows, and that is conference. Make thy case known to others of God's people, for wisdom lies not all in one breast, so that any one man should be able for himself to answer all Satan's crafty cavils, especially the weak Christian cannot, therefore must he show his case, and crave counsel; David could comfort himself, Bathsheba could not. Wherefore devour not thy sorrows all alone, but ask advice, seek abroad for comfort, and make an happy use of the fellowship and communion of Saints. More easily can the devil over reach one then many, communicate therefore thy griefs and fears, to some or other of God's faithful people or Ministers. Now is the time of harkening to the counsel of Saint james, who bids us, Confess our faults one to another, 
James 5.16.  and pray one for another that you may be healed, when men that are tormented in spirit, suffer themselves to be stopped by shame or fear, from opening their wounds, they multiply their own miseries, and increase the flames by stifling them. Do not so therefore any longer, but make manifest thy terrors, and acknowledge thy sins to some or other comforter. A man in a desperate disease will run to the Chirurgeon. Be sure thou hast not committed any so grievous sins, but some or other of God's children have committed as bad. Be sure that no temptation ceaseth upon thee, so foul and hideous, but the same or as bad, hath been found before in some or other of the Saints. I say therefore again, make haste to seek advice, and discover thine whole soul freely and fully to him whom thou takest for thy Physician, and leave nothing, no nothing unuttered that doth trouble thee; and resolve to believe rather the words of him that seeks to comfort thee, than thine own strong fancies, and Satan's lying cavils against thee. It is evident that a sound man can easily do that for a sick man, which he by no means is able to do for himself in the time of his sickness. Therefore do the sick send for the whole, and the whole come to the sick, and even so must the sick and comfortless soul do likewise, only do this speedily, and put not off till thou be'st already overwhelmed with griefs. As a bone out of joint, that is too long afore it be set, is fare more hardly restored to his place, and is ever ready to be slipping out again: so a distressed soul that defers to crave counsel, is much more hardly comforted, and doth much more easily fall again into his wont griefs. Speed is necessary therefore in the latter of these two cases as well as the former, and great is the hurt of deferring. If thou hast carried thy griefs in silence long, that that is passed cannot be remedied, and thou must be sure it will be harder and longer afore thou canst be helped. But if thou be'st one that now gins to faint, let nor Satan hinder thee from revealing thy case, as he will endeavour. Two eyes see more than one, and one man alone is easily cozened. Shame, shame, carnal shame hinders many a soul from inward comfort; he is ashamed to tell to others what he finds in himself, as not knowing that all men labour of the same disease of original sin, which is an aptness to every sin. If a man have a foul disease and be ashamed to show it, either he must be the better skilled in Surgery himself, or else he dies for it, so it is for sins. Make speed therefore to look abroad for comfort, if thou find not thyself ablt to deal with thine own fears and objections.   

§ 3.  
Do this also plainly and fully, without any reservation, stick not at any thing that troubles thee, but clear thy mind fully, and wholly, and be not like a child that holdeth out the wrong finger, and will not be known where his worst pain is. If need be, thou mayst tie thy Physician to secrecy, by the strongest bond of an oath, but be not thou in any one thing secret or reserved, chiefly conceal not that sin sins or temptations that do most perplex thee, or any one aggravating circuemstance of them. All labour is lost till this be done. Till the thorn be pulled out, that causeth swelling, the swelling will not be assuaged. The answering of all other objections will avail nothing for thy comfort unless this be answered. Let nothing make thee hold back any of thy griefs, more than stay too long before thou begin to crave help. Fear not, squeame not to lay open the worst of thy sores, let the very issue and leprosy be seen that should be healed. A man shall but bungle in the cure that is not throughly informed of the sickness. And as sick men do, so do thou; they believe their tender rather then their own eyes or conceits: for sick men are exceeding apt to mistake things out of their bodily distemper, and so are also troubled and distempered hearts. God's words alone can be the ground of comfort, man's may and must be the instrument of comfort, that by believing man, we may be helped to believe in God. As a man must hope above hope, so he must believe above belief. He must captivate his reason to his comforter that seeles to a comforter, and say, what he concludes for me out of God's Word, I will credit, though I cannot feel it to be so, and will rely more on his judgement then mine own. And why should not a wise and godly Minister be rather credited, than a lying and malicious spirit, and a distracted and disquieted heart? The sick man's palate deemeth sweet things to be sour, his dimned eyes can see no light at noontide, finding this he credits those about him, that have better disposed senses, and judges of things, not as himself thinketh, but as others tell. In this virtuous credulousness, must be the sick souls first beginnings of comfort, and he that will thus betake himself to counsel, shall find that in the multitude of counsellors, there will be peace.   

§ 4.  
And so much also for the third means of comfort. I will conclude with the fourth and last, namely the right information of our judgements, that we may be able to answer such objections as are brought against the remission of our sins, and whereby the devil and the flesh would have us conclude, but the conclusion is false, that our sins neither be, nor shall be pardoned. The chief of these I will set down in order, with their answers so well as I am able.  
But before I speak of them, I will show you what be the only true arguments to prove that a man's sins be not, nor (whilst he so continues) can be pardoned.  
First, the not feeling of sin to be a burden.  
Secondly, the not confessing of sin plainly to God, and in cases needful to man also.  
Thirdly, the not resolving to leave it.  
Fourthly, the not seeking for pardon in Christ, and in him alone.  
These four do infallibly prove, that a man's sins are not pardoned, neither shall be, so long as he doth remain in that case. But if these four things be done, viz. 1. That sin be felt with anguish and grief of heart. 2. That it be plainly confessed to God and man, in case needful and of offence given. 3. That a man have steadfastly resolved to leave it. 4. That he seek and cry for pardon in Christ, and in him only, none other argument that can be alleged against the pardon of sin is of any source. Now I will set down the chief objections, and show their invalidity. They are drawn likely from four heads. 1. The greatness of ones sins. 2. The defects of his graces. 3. His own feelings. And lastly, his horrible temptations.   

§ 5.  
From greatness of sin there are three grand objections. First then, the newly humbled sinner, looketh back upon his life past, and finding his outstrayings so many and so grievous, and withal, considering for how long a space, with how much hardness and obstinacy, and against how many reproofs and checks, he continued to wallow in them, is ready to conclude, that there is no possibility of pardon. This reason must be thus framed, He that hath committed many and foul offences, persisted long in them, with much wilfulness, and against many means, is sure unpardoned, and shall not be pardoned. But alas alas, so have I done as mine affrighted conscience doth now bear witness against me: Therefore I neither am nor shall be pardoned. To the which the answer is, that the first proposition of the argument upon which the whole is built, is most apparently false. There is no Text of Scripture that doth say so, nor can it be confirmed by any part of the Word of God, therefore as a false suggestion of the devil or of the guilty heart, it must be utterly denied. Yea the Scripture doth plainly declare the quite contrary, and doth make it most evident, that those in whom all the things mentioned in that proposition, have been manifestly found, have yet been pardoned or might have been. For did not Manasseh continue a most wilful transgressor in most grievous kinds, and that against many admonitions of Prophets sent unto him immediately from God, and that so that he slew and murdered these Prophets, and that also, so long, till he was cast into the dark dungeon and laden with chains of irons: Yet even then was he accepted, upon his humble confessions, and supplications: Yea did not Paul proceed in persecuting with great fury, and after that the Lord had sent his Apostles to work many strange miracles, to inform him with the rest of the Jews that Jesus was the Lord, yet went on to blaspheme that holy Name, and imprison them that confessed it, and that all the time from Christ's resurrection, till the hour that the Lord did meet him in the way and knock him down to the ground: and yet did not God pardon him, and set forth him for an example of his long-suffering to chief sinners. It must therefore be acknowledged for a certain truth, that how heinous so ever amans sins have been, how long so ever he have hardened himself in them, how many offers of grace so ever he have refused, how many admonitions so ever he have heglected and despised, yet if he now do turn unto the Lord, he shall be accepted. So saith jeremy, Chap. 26.13. Therefore now amend your ways, and your works, and hear the voice of the Lord your God, that the Lord may repent him of the plague that he hath pronounced against you. God had sent many Prophets, many years together, rising early, and sending them, at this time also he had sent jeremy with the same message again, and now instead of hearing, they laid hands upon, and were ready to kill him, yet even now he tells them, that if now they would turn, the Lord would repent of he evil. Whatsoever therefore is gone and passed, if in the present time thou convert, lament, confess amend, thou shalt be forgiven. Sin may so harden the finners' heart, that he cannot repent, it cannot so harden God's heart against him, that if he repent, the Lord will not pardon him. O then believe not the lying devil. He telleth thee, thy sins are so many and so vile, that they cannot be forgiven, the Lord tells, as obstinate and as grievous sinners as ever were, that if they now turn, he will repent him of the evil, and consequently they shall be pardoned, wilt thou not give credit to God rather than to the devil? This is the first doubt taken from sin.   

§ 6.  
An other and a sorer follows. Ah I, since the time that I thought myself called and converted, have yet again rushed into gross and grievous sins, and that also willingly and upon deliberation, and what shall I do then, sure I was but an hypocrite, and sure I cannot be pardoned, at least I am not. This reason also must be cast into this form. Whosoever after his calling and conversion committeth great sins wilfully, was sure but an hypocrite, and is not nor can be pardoned. But so have I done, therefore I am but an hypocrite, I am not pardoned nor can be. To this I answer again, that the first part of the argument is apparently false, and therefore such is also the conclusion. It is false that he which hath so sinned after calling was but an hypocrite, and is not pardoned, for this was the verycase of David whose example we now are handling. Did not he fall in the self same fort as thou hast said, and yet he was no hypocrite, but he was pardoned. I demand of the therefore, Hast thou renewed thy confessions and thy sorrows, and thy resolutions of amendment since thy fall, and art thou returned to a form, purpose and endeavour of walking before the Lord in uprightness. If thou hast, than I assure thee by warrant of David's example, that thou wast sincere before, and that thou art pardoned. If thou hast not, I require thee now, in God's name, settle about these things, & apply thyself seriously to renew thy repentance, and to turn again to God, and thou shalt be pardoned. So is the second doubt answered taken from great sins.   

§ 7.  
The third follows, and that is worse than both the former. Ah I have made long defections from the covenant of grace, and revolted, backslided, apostated from the ways of God, and in my backsliding vein have run into, I know not how many and how grievous offences. Since I found some good things working in my soul, and had for a great space and with great forwardness, continued to walk in the paths of piety. I have again broken forth and continued a long time in my wanderings, without any care of returning, and therefore now I fear that my case is desperate, and that I have committed the unpardonable sin. This argument must be likewise cast into this form, whosoever hath been guilty of long and grievous defections and backslidings, hath his sins unpardoned, and hath committed the unpardonable trespass, nor can be pardoned. Now so I have done, as mine own heart is too sure a witness against me: Therefore I neither am nor can be pardoned. Mine answer to this reason, is in the same manner that the former. The first part of it must be denied, as being evidently false and against the Word of God. For David in my Text did thus backslide in some degree, but Solomon (whose birth is here mentioned, and who is here graced with the name jedidiah, because the Lord, not alone did but also would love him) did make even such an Apostasy to the very full and yet he recovered himself by repentance, he was upright before, and he was pardoned. For hath not the Lord promised Israel to heal her backslidings? Tell me then, since thy backsliding, hast thou not recovered, and with much shame and remorse craved pardon and returned to do or labours to do thy first works. If not, thou art not the man I seek to comfort, unless thou shalt now address thyself to this reconversion, as I may so term it. If yea, why then know that thy case is good enough, the disease that is healed doth never kill, but to thee appertain the promises made to backsliding Israel. And whereas thou sayest, my sin is sure that unpardonable sin. Understand that the Scripture never calleth any sin unpardonable. Some sins indeed are never pardoned, because the committer thereof doth never repent; but that a sin repent of should be uncapable of pardon, it is more than the Word of God doth ever afsirme: but if there be any such sin, this sin of thine cannot be that sin. For he that wholly falleth away, after some degrees of grace received, it is impossible that he should renew him again by repentance, but thou dost again renew thyself by repentance, for thou confessest, and lamentest thy turning aside, and returnest again to crave pardon. Let thine heart return a true answer; dost thou not find it aching, and relenting for thine Apostafie, longing, desirous to come on again, and careful to seek pardon for former declinings? if so, then art thou renewed by repentance and therefore didst not wholly fall away. If backslidings shall breed in any man, either utter hardness, or utter despair, so that either one is not sorry for them, or will not seek forgiveness of them, that is a sore sign of utter relapsing, but thou dost come back again to the Lord, falling out with thyself, for falling of from him, and casting down thyself before him, above and against all hope, dost crave mercy of him. I am certain therefore that thy case is good, and thou art or shalt be pardoned. And for this so terrible objection of backsliding, let the Prophet fully satisfy thee. For to Israel that had played the harlot from God and followed many lovers, the Lord saith by his Prophet, Yet return unto me, Chap. 3 ver. 1. & ver. 12. 
Jer. 3.  Return o backesliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee, for I am merciful saith the Lord, and will not keep anger for ever, only acknowledge your iniquity, and so forth, and then after, Turn o backsliding children, for I am married unto you, and I will take you, one of a city, and so as it followeth in the Prophet. Lo now the truth of God, whatsoever fearful Apostasy thou hast made, if thou return and acknowledge, here is promise of acceptance, and this very turning, shows that thou hast not committed that never-to-be pardoned sin, for that offence is therefore only never pardoned, because the man that hath run into it, will never return, either out of hardness, or despair, or both.    

CHAP. VII.  

§ 1.  
ANd these objections arise from the quality of sins committed, either before or after calling. An other troop arise, from those many wants and defects which the soul doth find in itself. And first the soul finds fault with itself for want of repentance, reasoning thus against itself. Alas I have no repentance, and therefore I am not pardoned. To which I answer, that it must be confessed for a truth, whosoever hath not repent is not pardoned. But why dost thou say I have not repent? To answer this doubt, inform thyself aright, what repentance is. It is a duty consisting of these four parts: 1. Sorrow for sin. 2. Confession of it to God. 3. Earnest calling upon God in the name of Christ for pardon and help. 4. A firm purpose and endeavour of amendment. Consider, hast thou not these things, dost thou not perform these actions, or endeavour to perform them? If thou dost, than thou hast the grace of repentance, as sure as he is a man that hath a soul and body. O but saith the fearful soul, I am not sorry enough for sins, I do not grieve for them so much as I should, nor crave pardon of them so earnestly as I should, nor mend them so well as I should. I answer, that is very true, But where hath the Lord said, that he which hath not performed these duties so well as he should, hath not true repentance? This is no where found in Scripture, it is one of thy false conceits, and a very false conceit it is, tanding to confound the Law, and the Gospel; for the Law requireth to do all things perfectly, and rejecteth all works which a man doth not perform so well as he should, but the Gospel is a doctrine of grace, and accepts endeavours to perform duties, though one fall fare short of that measure of duty which he ought to attain. Dost not thou strive and endeavour to do these things more and better, and blame thyself for defects and failings: If so, then dost thou repent as well as thou shouldest, in the language of the Gospel. Yea but I do not lament sin so much as others do, and as the Scriptures tell that some godly men have done. I answer, but hast thou not heretofore some time with plenty of bitter tears, bewailed thine offences, even almost as much as any the Word speaketh of; & if so, then understand that these large and great sorrows are not always to continue; There must be a time of drying such floods of tears from the eyes of the Saints. I answer again, that if thou hast not lamented as much as some of God's Saints have done in Scripture, yet thou hast lamented as much as some others, Thou readest not of such extreme lamentation in the conversion of Abraham, or Zaccheus, and Matthew, and some others. The Word of God hath left us examples of some that have grieved very much, and of others that have not grieved so much, if thou hast not attained to the examples of one of these, yet hast thou followed the other: and again, I answer, that God doth not reject the sorrows of his people, because they be not so great as those which others attain. It is no where said in Scripture, that he reputes not which grieveth not as much as others do or have done. And for the point of grieving for sin, understand that not the quantity is so much to be respected as the quality; if a man grieve never so much, and his grief carry him not to confess and seek pardon and grace and help, and diligently to endeavour amendment, they be nothing worth, and if they do bring forth these effects, they be accepted, though they be not very great.   

§ 2.  
Yea but saith the heart yet again, I cannot ask pardon earnestly, and hearty, nor at all pray unto God for it with any life or fervency. I answer, why wilt thou say so? That which a man desireth more than life, and more than all the profits and pleasures of life, that he desireth earnestly and hearty, I trow, or else, who can be said to desire earnestly? Now tell me, wouldst thou not rather choose to have thy sins pardoned, and thy soul healed, then to have long life, great riches, store of pleasures, and all worldly contents? if this be true, as thou canst not deny it, than thou dost earnestly pray for these things, denying that to be found in thee (as in temptation it is usual) which any other man may manifestly see to be in thee.   

§ 3.  
Yea but I want that last part of repentance, and that which is the perfection of all, I do not amend, I do not amend, but I still slip into the same sins, and cannot leave them. Why tell me what sins be they that thou canst not leave, Is it murder, blasphemy, whoredom, etc. O no, but I find deadness, dullness, coldness in prayer, distractedness and forgetfulness in hearing, passionateness, impatiency, and a number like faults, still breaking forth in me. I answer, what dost thou make of God and of his mercy, when thou concludest from hence that thy sins be not pardoned? Is not he ready to pass by such weaknesses in his children and servants, as thou canst easily pass by in thine. Doth not he call himself a Father, doth not he tell us that he knows that we be but dust. Doth not the Scripture say, 
James 3.2  In many things we offend all, and who can say his heart is clean? 
Pro 20.9.  Sure if this were a good argument that ones sins were not pardoned, no sins were pardoned to any sinner. For find me a man or woman under heaven, that hath not cause to complain thus. Assure thyself therefore that these continual weaknesses are not contrary to remission of sins. Sanctification must be true, else the soul is not justified, but it is not needful, nay nor in this life possible that it should be perfect. And it is true, so long as thou continuest to confess and lament, and strive against these imperfections, though thou be still cumbered with them, else would not Saint Paul have said, The flesh lusteth against the spirit, 
Gal. 5.17.  so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Away with this objection therefore, it savours of pride, thou wilt not think thou art pardoned, unless thou canst bring to God some such measure of goodness, as might seem half, or almost to deserve it. If thou wilt not believe thou art pardoned, till thou find no such faults, thou shalt never believe thou art pardoned.   

§ 4.  
Yea but I feel not alone these common imperfections, but I feel also some one or other corruption so strong and violent in me, that it doth often even again and again break forth, and that also too too palpably and grossly. I answer, But dost not thou feel in thine heart a perpetual warring against these corruptions. Dost thou not renew thy sorrowful confessions, and resolutions of amendment, as often as thou sinnest and fare oftener too? Dost thou not usually and ordinarily hold fast thy resolution not to sin, and art overcome alone sometimes, but commonly keepest under the sin from palpable breaking forth? Dost not thou fall seldomer and with less content, and more reluctation, and rise sooner out of the sin: Yea is it not thy continual prayer to be kept against it, & dost not thou find that these endeavours keep thee so, that thou offendest not by many degrees, so much & often, as before thou didst, & as else thou shouldst do? I answer then, that where sin hath not dominion, there it is healed, and a man's soul is truly sanctified, and himself in the state of grace; 
Rom. 6.24.  For it is said, Sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are under grace. Now it is certain, that where any sin is thus constantly and conscionably resisted & opposed with these spiritual weapons (namely by the consideration of God's goodness in Christ, & of his commandments, threats and promises in his Word) it is subdued, and the dominion there of is broken: Such an one doth mortify the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, and is in killing them, though they be not quite slain, that ruleth not that is perpetually resisted, oppugned, fought against. Therefore though some such corruption be very violent, & do both often and palpably break out, yet it is pardoned, for he doth not love & serve sin that doth thus fight against it and resist it. O but I do not repent in truth. I answer, dost thou thus confess and lament and resist every sin, one as well as an other, and that before God in secret? Then surely thou repentest truly, for no man sets against all sin, and that before God, but he doth it in uprightness and sincerity of soul.   

§ 5.  
Ah but I have no faith, I have no faith, and therefore I am not pardoned. I answer first, thou mayst have it hereafter if thou hast not yet attained it, yea thou shalt have it if thou continue to beg it: yea I answer again, this is a false accusation, thou hast faith. For he that doth so acknowledge the perfect righteousness of Christ, that he concludes, Christ can pardon me, and therefore follows him with continual supplications for pardon, he hath faith, and a good measure of faith too. For how shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed saith the Apostle, & our Saviour saith to the blind men that confessed he could help them, and ran crying after him for help, according to your faith be it unto you. Well therefore thou dost believe, and though thy faith may be weak, yet some it is, & that so much as shall make thee accepted, for weakness of faith cannot hinder remision of sins, seeing the Apostles were pardoned, whom yet our Saviour reproveth, because they were men of little faith. O but all graces are weak and feeble in me, even so weak, that I cannot tell whither I have any or none. I answer, an infant is a very weak thing, and hath little and feeble limbs, and so small use of reason, that one can hardly perceive him to have any at all, and yet he is a man, a reasonable creature. Grace is as little at first as natural life and reason in a new borne babe, but if it be true, all is well, then at last it shall be strong, and true it is, if one find its own weakness, and be made little in his own eyes because of its littleness, and mourn because it is so little, and would fain have it more, and use the best means he can to increase it, and by not finding so great an increase as he desireth, is not driven to cast off all means, but rather labours to use them more and better, that by them it may at last attain its wished confirmation.    

CHAP. VIII.  

§ 1.  
SO have I answered those objections which are taken from our own defects of graces: now follow more, taken from want of feeling, yea from feeling of great terrors even from God. First, I answer to that objection taken from want of feeling. It may be thou thinkest that thou hast no feeling: but hast thou not sometimes when thou prayest earnestly some little kind of ease and refreshing and hope? if thou hast, why that is feeling though thou didst not know it. And I think scarce any Christian can say he hath continued long to pray, but he hath had some such feeling. Secondly, I answer, if thou hast had yet no feeling, thou mayst have in due time, for thou takest the right way to get it. And again I answer, David had as little feeling as thou hast, when he complained, 
Psal. 119.82, 83.  That his eyes failed in waiting for God's salvation, and that he was become like a bottle in the smoke. A man may feel no comfort in remission of his sins, and yet have his sins pardoned: for a Christian as I said before, must not live by feeling, but by faith, yea he must believe first, and feel after. Sense will deceive in the judging of colours and quantities, how much more in spiritual things that be above sense. Wherefore what conclusion may be duly diducted out of Scripture, that is most true and certain, though a man have no feeling of it, yea though he feel the contrary was this conclusion, I have my sins pardoned, or shall have, may be diducted out of Scripture, (for such a man as feeleth nothing but overwhelming griefs) thus. All that being heavy laden come unto Christ shall be refreshed, but Jam heavy laden and come unto Christ, therefore I shall be refreshed and find rest to my soul. For he comes to Christ heavy laden, that in the sense of great anguish continues to cry and pray, therefore must he labour to support himself with hope, that his case shall be good, howsoever it be for the present, and so animate himself to continue praying and crying.   

§ 2.  
Yea but I find myself even weary of praying, and ready to faint & give over. I answer, so did David too, Psal. 69. when he said his eyes did fail and he was weary of crying, and yet he cried still, and so do thou, which so long as thou dost, thou art in none other estate than he was, and therefore in a good estate, only so that thou wilt be content, as I said to live by faith and not by feeling. Yea but I am not alone void of all peace and comfort, but even filled with fears & terrors. I answer so was David too, in diverse places, by name Psal. 69.1. where he saith, that the waters were come unto his soul and that he stuck fast in the mire. If any say this is meant alone of danger from his outward enemies. I answer, believe that who can, I cannot. David was no coward, that the apprehension of a mere natural death should drive him unto such complaints, sure there was more in it then so, his soul also was well near overwelmed with temptations & fears of God's displeasure as well as thine. So was he that made the 77. Psalm, he saith, my soul refused comfort, he neither could nor scarce would take comfort, yea complains, will the Lord cast off for ever? showing that he had much ado to keep himself from sinking under despair. So Heman the Ezrahite, Psal. 88 saith, ver. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, and thy terrors cut me off, but how behaved he himself in these terrors? he cried unto the Lord, and said, that in the morning his prayers should prevent him. I say then to thee, whither do thy terrors drive thee, from God, or to God? If from God, let them do so no more, and thou shalt have comfort, if to God, do so still, and that will prove thy state good.   

§ 3.  
And so are those objections answered, that arise from feelings. Now the last sort spring from Satan's temptations. O I am laden and filled with temptations to despair, to hurt myself, to blaspheme God, to deny God and his Word, and other most execrable things, and I have long continued in this estate. I answer, Hast thou not sins of thine own to answer for, but that thou wilt also charge thyself with the devil's sins? understand therefore that this temptation is grounded upon a mere false position, that he who is pursued and molested with hellish temptations is not God's child, nor hath his sins pardoned. And know that if Satan cast in the most vile temptations (for he can cast in temptations, as it is said, he put it into the heart of jud. is to betray Christ) so long as those temptations be rejected & abhorred, they be not the man's sins, but his trials and afflictions only. For tell me, was not Christ forty days in the wilderness tempted of the devil? Doubtless in all that space he pursued him with all the most noisome temptations he could invent, we read indeed of three alone, but we may be well assured, that they were above 3000. even numberless. It may seem that those three are recorded, because they were most crafty and subtle: when the devil had spent all his skill & pains before to no purpose, he proceedeth to these as his last & main assaults; for the two former were so subtly conveyed, that a man can scarce see, that Christ had sinned, if he had yielded to them, for might not he as well make bread of stones as wine of water? and leap from the temple, as walk on the sea? But to work a miracle at the devil's suggestion (either out of doubting because he spoke against him, or of presuming because he spoke for him) this had been a fault in Christ. And for the last it came so suddenly and violently, that it would have even carried a man away before he was ware, to give but one bow for such a reward. Now sure if Christ might be thus tempted forty days, than any Christian maybe likewise tempted as many months, as many years. Tell me therefore, dost thou not oppose those temptations by the word of God, and when thou canst too, by prayers, at least by secret groans & inward sighs? Are they not most bitter to thy soul, even more untastfull than gall & wormwood, and wouldst thou not rather then any thing be rid of them? Canst thou then be so ill conceited of God as to fear that he will impute them to thee, know that they be only thy miseries not thy sins, and this will be a good means to rid thee of them. For tell me, hadst thou a child, which some wicked fellow should lock into a room that he could not get out, and there should tell thy child, thy father is a rascal, a villain, a knave, a thief, a miscreant, curse him, wish him hanged, wish him damned, cut his throat, and the like, but the child's heart and hair riseth at the hearing of these words, he abhors them, & him that utters them, and would if he could cut out his tongue that useth them. What now wouldst thou think of this child? specially if thyself shouldst have put them both together, merely to try how thy child would behave himself in such a case, or for some other like purpose. Surely thou wouldst not love thy child one jot the worse; nay rather much more for this trial. Now do but conceive that God is as just & merciful as thyself wouldst be, for this is thy case directly and none other; or think that some filthy fellow had surprised thy wife in a room by herself, and there should solicit her with shameful words & gestures, which she did repel with disdain, crying out to thyself that wast within hearing to come and help her, wouldst thou account thy wife less honest for this? and not rather commend her honesty the more for this. Even so it is betwixt thyself and Satan, and therefore such and none other shall the Lords sentence be of thee.   

§ 4.  
Yea but I have yielded to some of these vile thoughts, I have yielded to them, and how then shall I do? I answer, the multitude and violence of them did sometimes so tyre thee, and put thee out of breath and strength as it were, that thou couldst not give a loud and earnest, but alone a faint and whispering, nay, & hereupon Satan hath made thee believe that thou didst yield, but know that it is one thing to yield to a temptation, an other thing to be overwearied and tired with it, that a man is not able to make such sensible resistance as he did once. If a strong and sturdy fellow, full of lewd desires, meeting with an honest but weak woman, should so long wrestle with her, till she were quite out of breath and could scarce speak or stir any longer, and in that her weariness should use some unfit gesture to her, were she the less chaste wife for that, in the censure even of the most jealous husband? So then, that that thou callest yielding, was not yielding, but an inability through faintness, to make resistance. § 5. But say thou had styeelded to some evil, even most loath some for a little time, being over-tired with resisting: Hast thou not now recalled & recanted thine yielding, dost not thou now abhor thyself for yielding, crave pardon of it, and resolve never to do it, nor yield to it hereafter any more? Sure if some varlet should by much importunity, entice thy servant, to let him into thine house that he might rob thee, or do thee hurt, and after many repulses at last, should be so overlaide by importunity, that he should consent, & promise to do it; but so soon as ever the fellow was gone, should abhor it, and refuse to put it in practice, and with tears in his eyes, come tell thee what had passed, craving pardon, wouldst thou not forgive him? wouldst thou cast him out of thine house? There have been Princes so merciful, that when some have been inveigled to conspire their death, but after have repent, & of their own accord revealing the conspiracy, have submitted to their mercy, could and did show them mercy, and will not God be more merciful than ever man was or can be? Be not therefore disheartened because of thy long temptations, and sometimes sudden yeeldances. This the Lord can and will pass by, and much more than this.   

§ 6.  
So have I answered the chiefest of those temptations and objections which I could meet with, that are used to hinder the Saints from comfort in persuasion of the remission of their sins. It is your part that would be comforted, to continue meditating, praying, conferring, labouring to inform your judgement aright in these things, which in doing, you shall not lose your labour. He that shall come, will come and will not tarry. The night shall pass, and the day shll arise: If any say, I have long waited for comfort, and find it not. I answer, so did David, as I said above, but resolve to wait still on Christ, and to continue striving for comfort though you perceive Little good effect for the time, for the more slowly it cometh to you at the first, the more fully it shall abound in you at thelast. If faith cannot comfort you, let hope. If you cannot say God hath pardoned me, yet say I hope he will, and so sustain yourselves. And that hope, which purgeth your hearts, driveth you to prayer, sets you at defiance with all sin, and makes you esteem highly of Christ, that will support you, and bring grounded and plentiful comfort in the end. Those of you brethren, therefore, that have thrown themselves down, pulled down their proud hearts, and tumbled their faces in the dust before the Lord: Irequire them to yield unto God the glory of his mercy, and to Christ the glory of his merits, and to go away comforted, at least resolute to labour for comfort, with assurance that they shall have it, for he that said, will perform it, Blessed be they that mourn for they, shall be comforted.    
FINIS.