COMFORTABLE WORDS To Afflicted Consciences: Together with a Short Advice to Ministers how to handle them. And also, MANSIO CHRISTIANA, Or the Christians Mansion-House. Being a SERMON Preached on the Lordsday, 7th. Feb. Anno Dom. 1668. at the Funeral of Mrs. MARTHA WALMISLEY the Wife of M r. Charles Walmisley. Minister of Chesham magna in the County of Bucks.  
By WILLIAM JOLE. Minister of Sarrett in the County of Hertford.  
London, Printed by john Winter for Samuel Homes, at the Sign of S. Paul in Little Britain. Anno Dom. 1671.   

To the READER.  
IF the matter be sound and seasonable, rest contented, and look not for any Rhetorical expressions: These Sermons would gladly stoop to the weakest capacities; we like the Receipt if it be proper for the Distemper, fainting Spirits will find but cold comfort from strong Lines and elegancy of Phrases; afflicted Consciences can gather but little sweetness from the Flowers of Rhetoric; the virtue of a Cordial doth not lie in the cup in which it is presented, but in the goodness of the Ingredients; we value the Meat more than the Garnishes about the Dish; if the Meat be savoury, do not slight it because it is not served up in a silver Dish; And beware that you do not say as some are apt to say, ●at this day the world even surfeits by Books of this nature) We think there is safety in the multitude of Counsellors for our Po●●●ick and Civil State. How ●●mberless are the Books and Receipts, yea, the Physician for o●r bodies grown, yet who says (we have too many?) and y●t so foolish are we to thi●k, that in the distempers and unsettled cases of our Souls, we may have too many Books, too many Counsellors, too many Physicians, too many Directions. I will add but this: Oft times a poor country Physician does good, where many great Doctors, either overlook or neglect.  
As a Woman that was in a despairing condition, proposed the doubts, and gave the first occasion of Preaching this matter; so the desire of some other Women hath now occasioned the Printing it, and for their sakes I have purposely avoided any Phrases that might seem dark or difficult; Let not the whole despise that which is prepared for the sick, nor let the strong censure what was intended for the weak.  
Vale.   

Psalm 88, Ver. 6.  
Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit, in Darkness, in the Deeps.  
THis Psalm fully answers the Title given to it, (a Psalm containing a grievous Complaint) but the occasion of it is doubtful: Some rerefer it to the Babylonish Captivity, because that is the lowest condition that the Church can be brought unto in this world, and so Figuratively may be called the lowest Pit; but others more properly make it relate only to Heman's own private condition: Some expound it of his outward afflictions, or of some sharp fit of sickness that brought him nigh to Death, which occasioned those expressions, My life driveth nigh to the Grave, I am as a man that hath no strength. Ver. 3, 4.  
But methinks there are many expressions that must rather be interpreted of a wounded Spirit lying un●e● the apprehensions of God's wrath.  
Surely if there h●d been nothing but outward afflictions, we should no● have h●ard such deep expressions of inward sorrow, the complain● would not have been so mournful as now it is; And therefore I rather accept of their Interpretation, who understand the 5. Ver. to be the words of one that is ready to despair; (free among the dead) as if he should say, the Die is cast as to my Eternal estate, there is no hope of Mercy for me, and then this Text doth second it, (Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit, in Darkness, in the Deeps) namely as to mine own sense and apprehension. I look upon my condition as desperate as one that is condemned to eternal darkness, as if my name were ent●●● among that cursed crew already, as if I were ready to drop into ●●at deep and bottomless pi● of darkness; and so the 7 th'. Ver. seems to bear the same part. Thy wrath buyeth hard up●n me. I am under such dreadful apprehensions of wrath, and have so little hope of mercy, that I look o● myself as only not in Hell, and also the 15 th'. Ver. While I suffer thy Terrors I am distracted He doth not mean a distraction of madness, but a distraction of the mind, of one that was in doubt what would become of his Soul for ever? I am hampered in such endless doubting that I am even like a distracted person: For division of the words here is, 1. an Act, Laid. 2. the Subject, Me. 3. the Agent, Thou. Lastly, the place where. In the lowest Pit, in the Darkness, in the Deeps.  
Note by the way, that Heman was one of the holiest and wisest men of his time: And now the Doctrine I shall offer is this; That the dearest of God's Children may think themselves in a state of Damnation. David is a full instance to confirm this Doctrine, 51 Psal. 11, 12. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy ●oly Spirit from ●e, restore ●nto me the joy of thy Salvation. David had lost the comfortable sense and feeling of God's love, and began highly to question his Salvation, Asaph also, 77 Psalm 7, 8, 9 shows what a great conflict he had with diffidence. Will the Lord cast off for ever? will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies? And so Heman here in the Text; Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit, etc.  
1. Because the Spirit of Bondage always goes before the Spirit of Adoption; God doth break and bruise the Souls of his Servants, before he doth bind up and heal them; He makes the Sinner to hear the terrible voice of the Law, before he hears the comfortable voice of the Gospel; He throughly convinceth us of Sin, and mak●s us sensible of the odious and defiling nature of it, before he makes us apprehend Christ as a Saviour to procure us a pardon for it; God makes us see and feel ourselves lost, utterly lost, even in a state of Damnation, before he give us any lively hope of Salvation.  
All that are brought into Heaven at last, are brought near Hell-gates at first; I do not mean all universally, but generally, the greatest part of those that are saved, apprehend themselves for a time to be damned; the Spi●i● of Bondage worketh fear and horror; A malefactor, whose Conscience within, and the Witnesses without, convince of Murder, when he hears the Sentence passed against him, and sees the Fetters on his legs, and himself thrust into the Dungeon, he knows that Execution follows; what fear and horror must needs seize on such a condenmed person, (unless he be a desperate Rogue?)  
That poor Soul that is convinced of Murdering the Lord of Life, and of many thousand Sins against God, and heareth his Sentence of condemna ion read out of the word of God, and sees the Fetters on its Soul, (namely the terror of Conscience,) and Satan standingready to torment him, & finds himself already in danger of despair, what fear and horror must needs surprise such a poor Soul? this is that which makes so many under the Spirit of Bondage, to fear that God will cast them off for ever, and to complain as though they were in Hell already.  
And questionless, the great torment and misery of a wounded Spiri● hath been the reason that made any so bold to say, That there is no Hell but that of Conscience. The Apostles words Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, do imply, that all the Elect undergo the terrors of the Spirit of Bondage, before they receive the Spirit of Adoption.  
2 Reason is, because God may, and often doth leave his Children for some time, under Spiritual desertion.  
Many precious Servants of God lie in the Little-ease of an afflicted Conscience a great while; If Christ complain as if God had forsaken Him, it is no wonder to hear a Christian complain of being forsaken. It is ●eported of one who lay in a despairing condition 12 years; and some think that Heman lay in that comfortless condition above threescore years, guessing from the age of his life when he spoke those words, Ver. 15. From my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. The Lord may forsake his Children for a little moment, (and though it be as long as they live, yet it is but a moment compared with Eternity) but Reprobates are forsaken for ever.  
3. A Child of God may relapse into some Sin which he had repent of, and that may cause terror of Conscience; God Redeemed, and brought up Israel out of Egypt, but they would go back into Egypt again, Num. 14. ver. 4. and this foolish attempt caused God to forsake them for a long time. Christ hath Redeemed us from Sin▪ and though the Christian have repent of Sin, yet many times he hath thoughts of going back, and sometimes doth relapse into some Sin formerly repent of; And it is just with God to fright him out of such wicked attempt by the terrors of Conscience; If God shoot terrors into the Soul, they will stick fast, and make us go heavily, if God set our ●ins in order before us, He can make the sense of Sin to be more painful than the most acute disease, whether Stone or Srrangury: Wracks and Strappadoes are but ●asie punishments to the wracking of Conscience; to set out the misery of such a condition, the Scripture tells us, The Spirit of a man may bear his infirmities, but a wounded Spirit who can bear ● 18 Prov. 14. The courage and strength of body may wrestle with a Disease, but the trouble of mind is insuperable and insupportable; the grief of the Soul, is the Soul of grief. If we see the fits of an Ague so easily master the greatest Spirits, and make them quiver and quake in a cold fit, and burn and be distempered in a hot fit; if a Disease can so punish the Body, than what terrors can the Almighty dart into the Soul, even to make our very knees to shake as Belshazzar's did when he saw the Handwriting against him; and for the ●ame reasons which occasioned h●s trembling, namely, because it was a hand from God; and because the writings mentioned the loss of his Kingdom. A wounded Conscience is the more filled with horror, because the writing is from God, and it doth threaten the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven.  
What Consternation was there, what sad thoughts, during the time of that devouring Fire in London? O then, when the Soul looks on God as a consuming fire, and thinks it shall dwell with everlasting burnings, what horror and disquiet must it needs be seized with?  
Usually God dealeth with obstinate Sinners, as Men deal with sturdy Rogues, (put heavier Irons upon them, and give them severer punishment) the more we load our Consciences with Sin, the more God loads us with terrors of Conscience, and so gives us sour sauce for the seeming sweetmeats of Sin; If we have been great and notorious sinners, God may chastise us with Scorpions. Manasseh was a great sinner, and it is said (he was taken among the Thorns, and bound in Fetters, in the 2 Chron. 33. chap. 11. Ver. The more we have delighted in any sin, the more it will torment conscience when God reckoneth with us for it: Paul a refractory Persecutor, was strucken to the ground when God converted him.  
4. Reason why a child of God may think himself damned for a time, is, because the wisdom of God bringeth much good out of this evil▪ this will make us more highly to prise both our Redeemer and our Redemption too: How sweet and comfortable is the sight of a Pardon to a condemned person? Ho wpretious is a glimpse of Christ's love in any promise to a sinner condemned in his own Conscience? How comfortable is the thought of Christ to Justify, unto those Souls that are ready to be swallowed up of Despair? what love, what thankfulness will such a sight beget in such a Soul? How thankful were the famishing Egyptians to Iosep● 47 Gen. 25. Thou hast saved our Lives (though they exchanged their Land for Bread,) Then what thanks is due to Jesus Christ who saveth our Souls freely?  
2. This good ariseth from this evil of an afflicted Conscience, that it will mightily increase our hatred of Sin; This is one of God's great designs in breaking our bones for sin, that he may break our Souls from sin▪ Invite a Christian that hath lain long in the stocks of the Law, to commit any of his former sins, will he not answer, (I will not buy Repentance at so dear a rate?) had your Soul been so long broken on the wheel of Conscience as mine hath been, had you so long carried in your bosom the burning coals of an accusing Conscience; had you been thus scorched with the flames of Hell, surely, like the burnt Child you would dread the fire more, you would not dare to add sin to sin, and heap up more wrath.  
3. We are made to Pray more earnestly; the Prisoner at the Bar begs heartily because he is begging for life; A self-condemned sinner prays heartily, because he is begging for the life of his soul.  
4. The terrors of Conscience will make us more humble and compassionate all our days, pride will not so easily breed in this bitter wood, the Worm takes the sweetest wood soon, the Wormwood of Conscience kills pride.  
5. God's breaking and bruising is in order to a perfect cure,  
The last reason why a child of God may think himself damned: it may arise either from a neglect of a serious examination of our condition, or from a melancholy temper which contributes very much to such despairing thoughts.  
Who hath not either read or heard what strange conceits melancholy hath caused some to have of their bodies? some fancying themselves to be a Form, and that every one would sit on them; others thinking themselves to be a Glass, and that every thing would break them; or to be like Nebuchadnezar, to have the Soul of a Beast, and to eat grass like a Beast, (which some say was but a strange effect of a strong melancholy,) even such strange apprehensions may melancholy christians have of their Souls, insomuch that many christians have thought themselves to be in H●ll, and for a long time have led most uncomfortable lives by that fearful expectation of of wrath and ●iery indignation to devour them.  
Application is, 1. For Information, We must not censure those too hardly that lie under a Spirit of Bondage; those are not damned that may think themselves in a damned state, the new birth hath grievous pangs and throes; those whose sin is ever before their faces, must needs cry out of a heavy burden of wrath.  
Before this Spirit of Bondage, we are like Issachar, who is called a strong Ass couching under two Burdens, Gen. 49. Ver. 14.  
We have a burden of guilt, and a burden of wrath, and yet we are not sensible of either; but the Spirit of Bondage shows the intolerable burden of sin.  
That I may endeavour to speak something to afflicted Consciences,  
Although you say a Spirit of Bondage is a woeful condition, yet I assure you your condition was much worse before you came under this Spirit of Bondage.  
To be hardened in Sin, is a worse condition, then to be thus harrased by Conscience for Sin; to be bold to commit sin, is far worse than to be bruised for sin committed: you are in a great deal worse condition than all Hypocrites that go quietly to Hell; How many thousand in the world that are guilty of the same sins you complain of, and yet are senseless as stones? It is good to hear christians roar in the sense of sin: to hear a man that is bruised with a fall sensibly complain, and tell where his pain lies, is a good sign that there is hopes of his recovery: It is the same in a Christian, to complain of sin, and cry out in the fear of that wrath due to sin, is a good sign that Conscience is alive, that Conscience is awake.  
A seared Conscience is far worse than an afflicted Conscience; a senseless condition is the very worst conditions: if you rightly consider, you have cause to bless God for a Spirit of Bondage, that while many millions are riding Post to Hell, God hath stopped you that were running the same Road; Remember therefore for your comfort, that many have been lead to the place of Execution, and have stood with the rope about their necks, having the sentence of death in themselves, and yet have been pardoned after so great a fright; Many christians are dealt with after the same manner; God may leave them a long while in the Jailor's custody, in fear of eternal Execution, (I mean buffetted by Satan under temptations to despair) and yet God may come in with a Pardon at last, only he intends to fright us from sin by this means for the future. I have heard of one whose friends had got him a Pardon, and yet suffered him to be lead to the place of Execution, to make him be more afraid of lewd courses for the future: There may be a Pardon for us in God's hand, and yet it may not so presently be given into our hand; Nay, if you have been very long under a Spirit of Bondage, though God give a Pardon into your hand, yet you may not be able to read it, (being under the dread of Execution) Many now living besides me, may remember a man in Oxford, that was to draw Lots for his life, and he ●rew that paper wherein was writ (Live,) but he was so possessed by fear of death, that he threw it away, supposing that he was to die, until some that stood nigh him read his Lott, and told him that was to live▪ so it may far with an afflicted Conscience, God may write (Live,) and yet the fear of Hell may so far stupify the Soul, that it may not be able to read the writing; In case of temptation it is safest to let some other Christian read the writing for us, to let other Christians judge of our condition.  
Remember therefore, that you were under Satan's Bondage, before you were under the Spirit of Bondage; it is much better to be God's Prisoner, than Satan's, a man hardened in sin, is a Prisoner without hope; but a man bruised for Sin, is a Prisoner of hope; and though this terrifying work of a troubled Conscience be not Grace, yet it is in order ●nto Grace, all those terrors that do not end in final despair, are still in order to Conversion, and the deeper God cuts and lances the Soul, the sooner it will be healed again.  
It is a great comfort to a Patient to hear that there is good hopes of his recovery, although he be still kept in the Chirurgeons hands, or though they tell him it will be a very long cure, the hope of cure revives him, although he may endure much misery before the cure be perfected; It is a great comfort to a Traveller to hear that he is in his right way, although he may pass through many dirty lanes and rugged paths, and perhaps may be set upon by Robbers: although the way be tedious and dangerous, yet this bears him up, it is the right way, and will bring him to his journey's end at last.  
Although the way which the Spirit useth, seem a tedious and unpleasant way, yet it is the right way to Heaven; and though you may think you are kept long in a course of Spiritual Physic, yet the hope of a perfect cure at last, may keep you from despair.  
And here it w●ll be needful to answer some Objections which troubled Consciences make.  
Alas you speak all this while to a wrong party: I have no Grace, and therefore there is no hope for me.  
Answer, 1. It is a happy turn that you see the want of Grace. 2. It is well that you are made desirous to have Grace; these are good steps towards Grace.  
Answer, 2. To have Grace is one thing, and to know that we have Grace is another; that joseph liveth is one thing, and that jacob knows that joseph liveth, is quite another thing, for jacob thought he had been torn in pieces by some wild beast, and made a solemn mourning for him, Gen. 34. Ver. 34, 35. In the obscurity of a winter's night all the Wares remain in the Shop, but we see them not except we have a Candle, or tarry till day appear again; There may be Grace in the heart and we not discern it; commonly those that say they have no Grace, have more Grace than those that so confidently proclaim themselves to be Citizens of Heaven.  
2 Objection. But can such a wretch as I expect Grace, that have spent so many years in sinful courses, and have sinned so desperately as I have done?  
Answer. God s●ith, That if we condemn ourselves here, we shall not be condemned hereafter, 1 Cor. 11. chap. 31. ver. Pre-judging of thyself is a good sign that God is fitting thee for mercy. Although such is the froward disposition of men, that repeated affronts breed an irreconcilable alienation in our hearts; Yet so infinitely is God's mercy, that he called upon judah to return to him, after he had played the Harlot with many lovers, jerem. 3. ver. 1. And in the 12 ver. God bids backsliding Israel to return, and in the 55 Isa●. ver. 7. God promiseth mercy to the wicked and unrighteous man; And because the poor self-condemning sinner says he hath abundance of sin, therefore God says that he will abundantly pardon, not only those that are sinners in their own reckoning, but even those whose lewd lives have deserved the name of wicked and unrighteous; yet let them return to me says God and they shall be pardoned; no matter how desperate we think our condition to be, if Christ undertake the cure, if he be our Physician.  
Nay, if we believe that Christ is now in Heaven, who had the sins of all the world laid on his back when he was on Earth, we may the more easily believe God's readiness to pardon the greatest sinner, and also Christ's merit to be able to answer for the greatest fins.  
A 3 Objection. But F●ith and Repentance are the conditions of Pardon; but I cannot believe, nor repent, and he that belie●veth not is condemned already, john 3. ver. 1S.  
Ans. That Scripture speaks of a final unbelief, ●e that dies in unbelief; To be earnest with God for Faith, is a sign of some Faith; that man, Mark 9 ver. 24. Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief. He did not say, I can, or I cannot believe, but Lord I desire to believe, and I believe that thou canst help my unbelief: Our Saviour seems to say unto troubled Consciences, as he said to the blind man, Matt. 9 ver. 28. Do ye believe that I am able to do this? and they said, yea Lord, then says Christ, according to your Faith be it unto you; here was Faith enough to fit them for a cure.  
And for Repentance, Christ is exalted to give Repentance, and Remission of sins, Acts 5. ver. 31. Since you know that you cannot believe, nor Repent, pray unto Christ, and He will enable you: Peter denied his Master thrice, and yet Christ looked back upon him, and recovered him again; Let the greatest sinners look unto him, and they shall be pardoned.  
Take heed of Cain's unbelief, My sin is greater than I can bear; Or as the Note in the Margin of the Bible, is greater than may be forgiven: He did not say so, because it was so; but it proved to be so, because he said so: Unbelief makes sin unpardonable.  
No sin can damn the Soul, if final Unbelief be not added to it; And this made St. Austin say, Thou liest Cain, for the Mercy of God is far greater than the greatest sin.  
You say you do not repent; Pray tell me, is sin your solace or your sorrow? doth it make you merry, or doth it make you mourn? do you love Sin, or do you loath Sin? is it that evil which you allow, or that evil which you allow no●? Paul was a true Penitent even when he complained of a Body of Sin, a Law in his Members, which made him do the evil which he hated. Rom. 7. ver. 15.— 19 compared, it shows you do repent; Seeing that God hath made you so sensibly to bewail your impenitency; Therefore look unto Christ whom the Father hath exalted to give Repentance, and Remission of sins, Acts 5. ver. 31.  
Alas! I cannot weep for my sins as I ought: outward sufferings ●etch more tears from my eyes, than my sins; How bitterly did Peter weep upon the remembrance of his denial? How plentifully did Mary Magdalen shed tears when we washed our Saviour's Feet with them? but alas I can scarce weep at all.  
Answer.  
Abundance of tears do not always declare true Repentance; We read of Esa●'s Tears, but not of his Repentance. Gen. 27. ver. 34.— 38. He cried with an exceeding bitter cry, He lift up his voice and weptt.  
Tears seem to us to be all of a colour, God only can put the difference▪ Esau's tears, and Peter's, both wept bitterly, and yet both of them wept savingly.  
There may be true repentance without a flood of tears; the Thief on the Cross was truly penitent, and yet we do not read of a tear that dropped from his eyes: David truly repent, and yet we find no mention of any tears when Nathan told him of his sins, 2. Sam. chap. 12. ver. 13.  
Mr. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience hath abundantly satisfied us, that tears are not absolutely necessary to true Repentance; some are naturally more dry of constitution, and barren of Tears than others. I knew a Boy that was not able to shed a tear to save a whipping: True Repentance is to be judged of, more by the inward sorrow of the heart, then by the outward sorrow that runs down the cheeks; the greater the inward grief is, the fewer tears will fall; as a high wind keeps back the showers off, the great combustion in the soul may keep back the showers of tears; And so there may be true Repentance with dry cheeks.  
There is great weeping and wailing in Hell, but no true Repentance.  
Children are more easy to shed tears than grown men; Sighs and groans is the usual way of expressing the greatest sorrow.  
And whereas you say you cannot weep so much for sins as for outward sufferings: for aught that we can find, Hezekiah wept more at the message of Death, than when he humbled himself for the pride of his heart. Isai. 38. ver. 14.  
David's sickness drew more tears from him than his Sins, Psal. 2. ver. 5, 6. What bitter lamentation did he make when he received the unwelcome tidings of Absalom's death? 2. King's chap. 18. last ver. and 19 chap. 4. ver.  
Those things that most press the outward senses, do squeeze out most tears: To see our House on fire, would more easily force tears from our eyes, than to hear a Sermon of the fire of Hell, although that be much more dreadful news.  
To conclude this particular; A malefactor that is condemned to the Gallows, may shed more tears than one that is pardoned; and yet he that is pardoned may be more penitent than he that is executed.  
It is dangerous to make any standard to measure true Repentance; for if you will set any, it must be the highest of all: so that unless you are sure that you weep as bitterly as Peter, or Mary Magdalen, the Devil will still tell you it is not true Repentance: besides it looks so like a Papistical trick (as if you thought that rivers of tears could wash away sin without the blood of Ghrist:) And when we have wept until we can weep no more, if Faith be not mixed with our Tears, it is but legal Repentance.  
Alas! But I have committed foul facts since my first conversion.  
Answer. So did both David and Peter, and how did they recover themselves but by Faith in Jesus Christ, and Repentance from dead works; Therefore confess your sins to God, and think of that comfortable portion of Scripture, 1. Epistle john 2. chap. ver. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the Righteous: It is not said, If any man sin not, but if any man sin; Thus poor sinners go loaded to Heaven with abundance of experience of the riches of God's Grace, and freeness of his Mercy in pardoning their heinous transgressions.  
There are commonly Three hindrances in the way of afflicted Consciences.  
1. Looking only upon Sin.  
2. A proud kind of seeming Humility.  
3. A searching for the fruits of Repentance, before we are sure of Faith.  
1. Many look only upon their Sins, and not to their Saviour.  
Alas says the afflicted Conscience, my Sins are crying Sins, Crimson Sins, Scarlet Sins, Scandalous Sins, foul, frequent, committed against much Light, much Love, against much Means, much Mercy: If a wounded Man should only look upon the bleeding wound, would it not make him faint for fear that he should bleed to death? But when he seeth the skilful Chirurgeon about to dress it, and considers his skill to cure it, this upholds his sinking Spirits; even so poor Sinners must needs faint, and despair of Pardon, while they look no further than their Sins, which despairing thoughts would soon vanish, if then we could look up to our Saviour, are not all sins easy to be pardoned by Infinite mercy.  
It was an excellent answer that one returned the Devil, when he told him of the heinousnefs of his sins, thy sins should be pardoned too, if thou couldst believe.  
Christ can more easily pardon seventy offences to us, than we can seven to one another; He delighteth to forgive much, so to engage us to love him much. When some ●old the Ruler that his Daughter was dead, and bid him not trouble the Master, Mark 5. ver. 35, 36. Christ bids him fear not, only believe; and so to that other person, Mark 9 ver. 23. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  
When Martha said, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days, joh. 11. ver. 39, 40. Christ checks her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst set the Glory of God?  
These were all desperate c●ses, and therefore the more proper for Christ the Great Physician.  
Christ ●an cure inveterate Ulcers, aswel as green wounds; therefore look up to Christ, while you look down upon your sins; see what power Christ hath to save, while you behold what power sin hath to damn; that so while you see in yourselves great cause of despair, you may see in Him far greater cause of hope.  
2. Hindrance to afflicted Consciences, is, a proud humility, or a kind of seeming mannerlyness; It may be like Peter, thou thinkst it not good manners to let Christ wash thy Feet, john 13. ver. 8. Thou shalt never wash my Feet; Calvin's note on those words is, Pride often lurketh under pretence of humility; away with this destructive manners, seeing that the great work which God requireth of us, is, to believe in Christ as our Saviour, and to believe tha● He both can and will save us to the uttermost, surely we cannot do it too soon.  
3 Hindrance. It may be that thou searchest for the ripe fruits of Repentance, before thou art sure that thou hast Faith; in the work of our spiritual engrafting into Christ, we are like crab-stocks newly grafted, which do not instantly bear fruit the same day, or week, or the same month that they are grafted; If we be truly engrafted into Christ by Faith, Repentance, and the fruits of it will appear afterwards, but not the same hour that we are engrafted, (I mean not so as to be discerned by us) look after Faith first, before you search after Repentance; Faith will help us to repent: Paul did not bid the Jailor to repent, but believe first, Acts 16. ver. 30, 31. He knew that Faith would work Repentance; If the Devil tell you (that you should hav● repented sooner) Remember that true Repentance can never be too late, Christ died before you sinned; If therefore you believe in Christ now, you shall be as surely pardoned as if you had begun your repentance sooner: Repent, for your deferring repentance so long, and remember that the repenting Thief was 〈◊〉 rejected, though it were at 〈…〉 hour.  
4. Objection. But I am so continually h●un●ed with temptations, either to Blasphemy, or Self-murder, or one black and devilish temptation or other, that sleeping or waking I am a terror to myself.  
Ans. So were all true Saints more or less haunted with the like temptations that have lain longer under a Spirit of Bondage: This may be a good sign that we have not given Satan a peaceable possession, when he thus strives to make a forcible entry, by such horrid temptations.  
The Devil lets them alone of whom he thinks he hath made sure work, but he assaults those most with the greatest temptations, that ar● striving to get out of his clutches.  
5. Object. But alas, I have something that tells me, I have withstood my day of Grace:  
Answer. That something must be either from God, or Satan: It cannot be from God, for He tells none, that they shall die in their sins, but such as obstinately reject Jesus Christ, and refuse to be saved by him; Indeed Christ said to the Pharisees, ● go away, but ye shall die in your sins, Io●. 8. ver. 21. But if you take notice of it, 'twas spoken to them that blasphemed Christ, and said, He had a Devi●. john 17. ver. 20.  
This may be a comfortable note; Christ said to the Penitent Adulterer, john 8. ver. 11. neither do I condemn thee; And yet he said to the self-justifying Pharisees, Ye shall die in your sins. That sinner that confesseth and bewaileth his guiltiness, him Christ absolveth; but that Soul that thinks itself Righteous without Christ's Righteousness, He abhorreth.  
If sin be your burden, Christ calls you to Him; and therefore this something that tells you you are damned, must be from Satan that old liar.  
You may know the Devil to be a liar in this, as well as in other things; for God never made Satan of his Privy Council, to know who are to be saved, and who are to be damned▪ But pray tell me,  
Suppose the Devil should tell you that you should be saved, would you believe him then?  
Why then do you heed him now, that he says you shall be damned▪ as you would mistrust your condition more, if Satan should tell you tha● you should be saved; so now you have cause to mistrust it less, because he tells you that you shall be damned; If the Devil should possibly know that you should be damned, for certain he would never tell you so, for fear of awaking your Conscience, and making you look after Salvation; If Jesus Christ do not tell us that we are damned, we need not regard what Satan says, for whatever he saith, he is a liar.  
This is not the first lie Satan hath told in this kind, many are now saved in Heaven, whom the Devil told they should be damned: You may read two remarkable stories in Mr. Clar ●s description of the Lives of Mr. Balsam, and Mr. Rothwel; and because the latter story is apposite to this purpose, I have transcribed it; The person that was possessed, his name was john Fox: The Devil spoke thus to Mr. Rothwel; Say nothing to me of this man for he is damned: Mr. Rothwel answers, thou art the Father of lies, nor art thou so well acquainted with God's mind concerning this man, which makes thee thus torment him; therefore ● believe thee not, I believe he shall ●e saved by jesus Christ.  
The Devil replied, He is a Murderer, an● thou knowest no Murderer must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Mr. Rothwel. Thou liest again, for David was a Murderer, and yet is in Heaven; and the jews with wicked hands crucified the Lord of Glory, yet, both Christ prayed to his Father to forgive them; and Peter exhorts them to repent, that their sins might be blotted out.  
Devil. But this man hath not, cannot, shall not repent.  
Mr. Rothw. If he had not, thou wouldst not have told him so; but if he have not, I believe God will give him repentance, and th●u shalt not be able to hinder it.  
6 Object. But you know there is a sin unto death, a sin that shall never be pardoned● and I fear I have committed that sin.  
Answer. I am glad you fear it, for it is so much the more likely that you have not sinned that sin: Indeed Satan doth much perplex troubled Consciences with the fear of sinning the unpardonable sin; yea, I am persuaded, that most of the Elect, if not all, are afraid they have, or shall commit that sin.  
Troubled Souls are to be dissuaded from musing so much on that nice Subject.  
No man can positively determine what the unpardonable sin is, and of all men you are the most unfit to search it out.  
7 and last Objection. Alas, I have lain so long in this despairing condition, that I doubt I shall never get out of it.  
Answer. Many were under bodily distempers, and yet were healed at last.  
When ever Christ cometh, He brings a cure with him: We read of a Man that was impotent 38 years, john 5. ver. 5, 6, 7. and yet Christ healed him.  
The Woman that was bowed together by an evil Spirit 18 years, and yet Christ loosed her from her infirmity; and that which is a comfortable word for thee to consider, Christ calls her a daughter of Abraham, although she was possessed by a Devil. Luke 13. ver. 16. The continuance of your temptation doth not hinder you from being a daughter of Abraham.  
That I may draw towards a conclusion; If you consider what hateful sins you have committed, and how long you have lived in sin without any sorrow for sin, you need not wonder that God sends you so long a time of sorrow now.  
Absalon was greatly beloved of David, and yet when he had murdered Amnon, he was banished three years from jerusalem; and when David recalled him from banishment, yet for two years more he saw not the King's face, 2. Sam. chap. 13. ver. ult. and compare it with chapter 14. verse 28. David suffered him to dwell in his Kingdom, but did not presently admit him to his Court, to show his just displeasure against his abominable murder.  
God may bring a sinner home by converting Grace, and yet not make him or her sensible that they are received into favour by comforting Grace. God doth not welcome home all his Prodigals with Music and Feasting; some one he may to declare his Mercy, but not all, to show his just abhorrence of our Prodigality.  
The blessed Spirit is first a Refiner, before it prove to be our Comforter; He is a sanctifying Spirit before he prove a witnessing Spirit, He purgeth away our Sin, before he sh●w us our Pardon; the Holy-Ghost first cleanseth us, then comfor●eth us; He first removes our 〈…〉 he remove our sorrows. ●he Apo●●● speaks of those that had received the Spirit of Adoption, when he ●aid▪ The Spirit itself beareth w●tness with our Spirit, in 8 Rom. 15, 16.  
God may make us his children, and yet may not instantly dandle us on his knee.  
To shut up this matter:  
It is said, that Israel in Egypt did not hearken to the promise of Deliverance, by reason of their anguish of Spirit, occasioned by their cruel Bondage, a very remarkable Scripture. 6. Exod. 6, 7. But though Moses spoke to them from God, yet they harkened not to the Promise, for anguish of Spirit, and for cruel Bondage: The parallel is easy, lying long under a Spirit of Bondage may make us deaf for a while to all the Promises of Pardoning Mercy, and free Grace.  
Now let me persuade you to read the Promises more often, and more more seriously, study the nature of free Grace more, Pray more, although Satan tell you you are unfit to Pray; For if the thoughts of our unfitness can drive us from Prayer, he will always suggest that we are unfit, so to make us still more unfit by our own neglect; the more unfit we are to pray, the more need we have to use the words of that Disciple in Luke 11. ver. 1. Lord teach us to Pray, etc. The more we see our unfitness to Pray, the more need we have to press God to make good that gracious Promise in Rom. 8. ver. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh Intercession for us, etc.  
Some advice is needful to Ministers, how to handle tender Consciences, and that follows in the short Notes of the next Sermon.   


Nccessary Advice to Ministers how to handle AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES.   

Luke 4. Ver. 18.  
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised.  
THese words are our Saviour's first Text which he taught upon in Nazareth, as you may see ver. 16: God the Holy Spirit directed Christ to that Text of Scripture, which might mind him of his Office, and prove most comfortable to poor sinners.  
These words are taken out of the 16 of Isa●●h, being very little altered, that being the Prophecy of what Christ now began to perform.  
For Division,  
1. Here is something affirmed; the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.  
2. A reason assigned; because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel, etc.  
3. Some particular duties of Christ's Office repeated, to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to to the Captives, to preach recovering of sight to the blind, to preach liberty to them that are bruised.  
For Explication.  
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Christians receive a measure of the Graces and gifts of the Spirit, but Christ received the Spirit without measure, john 3. ver. 34.  
Several Saints are more eminent in several Gifts and Graces: Moses had the spirit of Meekness and Miracles, All the Judges of Israel had the gift of Government and Fortitude; Solomon had the Spirit of Wisdom, the Prophet's had the Spirits of Prophecy, the Apostles had the gift of Tongues, and Interpretation of Gospel Mysteries, But in Jesus Christ the fullness of all Graces and Gifts do meet as in their proper Centre: A christian may be said to be rich in Grace and Gifts, but Christ only is full, He hath all fullness.  
Because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel. Here Christ shows the world his lawful Commission: Be ashamed all ye that climb up into the Ministry by any other way, then of lawful Ordination; Christ shows his Orders from Heaven, and mark it; our Saviour doth not say, because the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, therefore he hath sent me; but because he hath sent me, therefore the Spirit is upon me.  
God bestows a measure of Gifts upon every one whom he sends into the Ministry, but he doth not send every one into the Ministry upon whom he bestows a measure of Gifts; Gifts without Ordination, is no lawful Commission.  
To preach the Gospel to the poor. This tells for what end Christ received the Gifts of the Spirit, to make him an able Preacher of the Gospel.  
To preach the Gospel. Moses was sent to preach the Law, but Christ is sent to preach the Gospel; Moses the servant of God, handed the Law to Israel after the Flesh: Christ the only begotten Son of God, handed the Gospel unto the spiritual seed; We have lost nothing (but time) by coming last into God's Church, they were before us Gentiles in time, but we are before them in privileges.  
To preach the Gospel to the poor. That is to say, to the poor in Spirit, such as see and acknowledge their want of Righteousness; those that are sensible that they have provoked God, but they have nothing whereby to appease his wrath, and need Christ to stand their friend, to make peace between God and them.  
To heal the broken hearted. That is, such whose consciences are terrified and tormented with the guilt of Sin; according to the Greek word, it is, those whose hearts are cut asunder, meaning with the sense of sin, and sorrow for fin, God hath sent me to purify and pacify such accusing consciences.  
To preach deliverance to the Captives. He meaneth not those whom men have enslaved to their power, but those that see themselves in spiritual slavery to sin and Satan.  
And recovering of sight to the blind. Christ is the light of the world, He is the day Star from on high that visiteth us who are walking in da●kness.  
The world without Christ was a dark Dungeon; The Heathens were like the Sodomites when the Angel had struck them with blindness: It is said that they wearied themselves to find the door. Gen. 19 ver. 11. Christ is called in Scripture: the door of Salvation: the blindfolded Heathens wearied themselves in vain to find this door.  
To set at liberty them that are bruised. Those may be said to be bruised, that are struggling with sin, but cannot overcome sin, but get many falls by which their Souls are sorely bruised, and their consciences full of pain and torment; so that by all these expressions we are taught what the Gospel offereth to us; Namely, Christ offereth us his hand to pull us out of the lowest pit of sin, and out of the dark Dungeon of Ignorance, to give liberty and spiritual freedom to us that are oppressed with all kinds of miseries, that we that are poor may be enriched with his Grace, that we that are blind may be enlightened by the light of his Gospel; that we who by nature are Satan's bo●d slaves, may be made free, and set at liberty by him.  
And as the Father sent Christ on this errand, so Christ sends his Ministers on the same errand: You see therefore what kind of People you have to deal with, such as are spiritually poor, broken hearted, blind, Captives, and bruised.  
The Doctrine I shall name is this. That Christ hath an especial eye to those that are afflicted in Conscience; And the Reasons may be such as these.  
1. The reason in the Text, because it is his Office to take care of such, God hath sent him for that end and purpose.  
2 Reason is, the helplesness of such poor sinners, they can do nothing but weep and complain, sigh and mourn, and disquiet themselves more at the apprehension of their misery, but do not know what to do to ease their consciences; therefore the merciful nature of Christ makes him have a tender eye towards such.  
3 Reason. Because such are prepared for Christ to deal with, such are prepared to welcome the Gospel: Christ preached to the Scribes and Pharisees, but they thought themselves to be whole and needed not a Physician, and therefore despised his help: but when he preached to the Publicans and Sinners, they followed him; He preached to that Mary noted as a sinner, and she followed him weeping. Luke 7. ver. 37. All the Publicans and Sinners drew nigh to hear. Luk. 15. ver. 1. Whereupon the pharisees murmured▪ which gave an occasion to those Parables in that chapter, of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the lost Son.  
Christ is sent to save those that see their lost condition without him, and such only will bid welcome to the Gospel.  
4 Reason why Christ hath such an eye to afflicted consciences, is, Because Satan is so buisy with them, he seeks to drive them to final despair of mercy, and to suggest thoughts of Self-murder: Therefore as the Devil hath an evil eye towards them to destroy them, Christ hath an eye of pity and compassion towards them, to deliver them, and to preach Salvation to them, if Satan desire to winnow Peter, Christ will take the greater care of him; if Satan ●empt Peter to deny his Master, Christ will look back upon him to reclaim him again: Now this is a pattern for Christ's Ministers to imitate; have an especial eye to the sin sick Souls, the broken hearted. In the close of the former Sermon I hinted that some Advice was needful unto Ministers how to deal with afflicted consciences, I reserved it unto this place, where I might present them with such a blessed pattern to follow. Afflicted consciences during the time of temptation, they are like blind men, therefore deal with them as such, lay no stumbling blocks before them, make your Doctrine plain and obvious, be you instead of eyes unto them, perform the office of a good guide, and lead them to Christ, and to the Covernant of Grace, and to the Promises; they are broken and bruised already, therefore deal gently with them, handle their Souls with smooth, and not with rugged hands.  
We say a Chirurgeon needs an Eagles eye, a Lion's heart, and a Lady's hand: so we may say of a Minister, he needs an Eagles eye, to be of a piercing sight in the Mysteries of the Gospel; He needs a Lion's heart, having to do with wounded and Ulcerous Souls; He needs a Lady's hand, having to do with broken hearted sinners. Afflicted consciences are thirsty, and ready to faint; therefore lead them to the Rock Jesus Christ, from whose side (being struck by the rod of God,) do only flow those waters that can allay the scorching heat of an inflamed Conscience, and can refresh and revive the drooping Soul that boweth under his burden of temptations; hence do issue those waters that can cleanse the Conscience, and wash away the guilt of sin, which makes it so disquiet and tormenting: after David had sinned ●ou●y, by Adultery and Murder, he came to these waters, Psalms 51. ver. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  
Moses' rod struck the Rock, that water might gush out to the thirsty Israelites: God's rod struck the Rock Jesus Christ, that Mercy might flow out more freely to the thirsty sinner; If they be thirsty, lead them to Christ the Fountain of living waters.  
A wounded Spirit is shot with a poisoned arrow, (I mean the sting of sin) be you therefore that loving friend that may draw out the venom with your mouths; (I mean, by your godly council and seasonable advice.)  
Do not tell afflicted Consciences of a God only, but of a God reconciled in Christ: put them into the cleft of this Rock Jesus Christ, when you show them any thing of the Glory of God.  
They are bruised, therefore speak not all Law unto them, but mingle Gospel with it, lest you break those whom God hath bruised.  
Show them the cleansing and comforting Blood of Jesus Christ; and if their trembling Souls chance to propose any such Questions as are in the 6 Micah 7. will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams? Show them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.  
While they cry out of their own sinfulness, set before them Christ's perfect Righteousness, and that He freely offers to clothe them with it; show them not only Christ's ability to save, but Christ's willingness to save; for that is sound advice given by a late writer; That Soul which is disquieted for sin, must be pacified by something that is not sin: He that is sensible of his own unrighteousness, must be made to see a perfect righteousness somewhere else, even the righteousness of Christ: If it were a prevailing argument with God, Exod. 32. ver. 13. To press him to pardon Israel for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob his Servants, and his Covenant made with them. Then surely it must needs be a stronger argument, when a poor sinner shall be seech God to remember Jesus Christ his only begotten and wellbeloved Son that died for him, and his Covenant made with Christ: But as afflicted consciences will be much fingering their sore, and so put back their cure. The sight of Sin is a thick cloud, which will much hinder the sight of a Saviour; Therefore when they complain of great and manifold offenees, do you show them Gods great and manifold Me●cies, Psalm 51. ver 1. Show them David's argument, Psalm 25. ver. 11. O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great. Here is our usual Objection turned into an Argument; My Sins are great, therefore I fear God will not pardon them, says the doubting sinner; My Iniquity is great, therefore Lord pardon it, says the believing David; even merciless men will do much to purchase them a great name; the merciful God by pardoning great sinners, gets Himself a greater name of being Merciful; Show them how to frame an argument out of Gods own words, jer. 33. ver. 8, 9 And I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me, and it shall be to me a name of joy 〈◊〉 Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good th●t I ●o unto them. Press the Lord with His own words, to exalt His great name by cleansing and pardoning thy sins; and the more and the greater they are, the more will His Mercy be glorified: Seeing God designeth to be glorified in the great Attribute of his Mercy, we cannot glorify it more, than by throwing ourselves upon it.  
If Satan aggravate our Sins, (as he never fails to do it to the purpose, when he finds a sinner despairing,) than we must set all the true colours upon Mercy, great Mercy, glorious Mercy, rich Mercy, abundant Mercy▪ and that which is beyond all that Satan can say of our sins (Infinite Mercy) Show them therefore, that by casting our Souls upon God's free Mercy, we do exceedingly glorify the Mercy of our God, and the merit of our Redeemer.  
Do not rob God of the glory of his Mercy by your unbelief.  
But if the broken hearted sinner yet object against itself; Alas my sins are no ordinary sins, then do you put them in mind, that Christ is no ordinary person, His blood is no ordinary price, His Redemption no ordinary work, and God's Mercy in Christ is no ordinary matter.  
Paul did not despair of Pardon because he saw himself to be chief of sinners, 1 Tim. 1 ch. ver. 15. but gloried so much the more in Christ's coming to save such as he was: A Soul that is once enabled to look upon Christ as his Saviour, will not despair though Conscience tell him he is a great sinner, but can be as willing to accuse ●t self as Satan is to accuse it, and yet not despair of pardon, but employ Satan's malice as an argument for greater love to Jesus Christ: Those that despair of Mercy, should be much pressed with the great injury done to God's Infinite Mercy, and to Christ's Infinite Merit by such as despair of Pardon; for it is as much as to make God an unmerciful God, and Christ to be an Impotent Saviour: and it is a most dangerous sin in respect of us, ●or it blocks up the way to Mercy; ●ll other sins might be pardoned, if unbelief did not intercept our Pardon, ●n the 3 Io. ver. 18. He that believeth not ●s condemned already, because he believeth ●ot in the name of the only begotten Son of ●od. It is not said, because he was a whoremonger, or a Thief, or a drunkard, but because he believeth not in the name of Christ; So that unbelief is the greatest sin of all other.  
Satan holdeth many under despairing thoughts a long time, by telling them that they have not been broken enough yet by the terrors of the Law, and therefore are unfit for pardoning mercy yet.  
Pray is not this a strange reasoning, as if you should say to a sick man, you seek to be cured too soon▪ your case must be more desperate, before you go to a Physician.  
Doth not Reason tell us, that in a dangerous wound, the sooner we look for a Chirurgeon the better and that we cannot go too soon▪ The longer we defer seeking unto Christ, and laying on the Sovereign Plaster of his Blood, we must needs be the longer before we can be healed.  
If any violent distemper seize on your Bodies, you are ready to ask one another, why do not you go forth and seek help▪ delays are dangerous in this case. Now then ask your Souls the same question, seeing sin hath made such a dangerous wound in thy conscience, Why do not you go forth, why do not you seek after jesus Christ▪ Delays are dangerous in this case I am sure.  
If Faith be the condition of the the new Covenant, we cannot believe too soon; urge those that yield to despairing thoughts with those words of Reverend Dr. Sibbs: Judas did far worse in despairing of Pardon, than in denying of Christ; In the latter ind●ed he destroyed Christ's humane nature, but by despair he denied his Divine nature.  
Who doubts but if Cain had not despaired, he might have been pardoned.  
Will you fly from Christ because you are sinners▪ will the sick man shun the company of the Physician because he is sick▪  
The Pharisees upbraided Christ, that he was a friend to Publicans and Sinners, Matt. 11. ver. 19 to teach thee that he is no enemy to the vilest sinner that cometh to Him for mercy. Afflicted consciences are weak sighted; or like the Disciples, their eyes are held, Luk. 24. ver. 16. Christ is near them, but they see him not.  
Therefore let all Ministers, and also all good Christians endeavour to help that defect, by leading them unto Christ, and opening the Promises of the Gospel unto them; end since they feel the sting of the fiery Serpent in their Souls, show them their Saviour, who is the truth of the brazen Serpent; help them to lean upon Christ that tried Stone, so called Isa. 28. ver. 16. Christ is a tried Stone indeed, whom neither the weight of the sins of the whole world, nor the maliee of all the Devils in Hell, nor the rage of his persecutors on Earth, nor the weight of God's wrath due for the sins of mankind, (which was much heavier than all the former) could once make to yield at all, or to fly out of its proper place; and therefore Christ is only fit to be the chief corner stone. He is the only immovable Foundation, able to bear up the whole building of his Church; And whosoever builds his Soul upon this Foundation, (Jesus Christ) the Gates of Hell shall not be able finally to prevail against him.  
Such as are afraid to fall, lead them to Christ that Rock of ages, that they may see themselves placed in a safe condition; and do you carry those young Lambs that cannot go: I have not written this as though I were able to advise my Reverend Brethren of the Clergy, but to move them to consider the case of afflicted consciences, that they may labour more to heal the broken hearted, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, that 〈◊〉 people may have greater cause to 〈◊〉, How beautiful are the Feet of those that bring glad tidings of Salvation?    


MANSIO CHRISTIANA, Or the Christians Mansion-House. Being a SERMON Preached on the Lordsday, 7th. Feb. Anno Dom. 1668. at the Funeral of Mrs. MARTHA WALMISLEY the Wife of M r. Charles Walmisley. Minister of Chesham magna in the County of Bucks.  
By WILLIAM JOLE. Minister of Sarrett in the County of Hertford.  
2 Ephesians 6. And hath made us sit together in Heavenly Places.  
London, Printed for Samuel Homes, at the Sign of S. Paul in Little Britain Anno Dom. 1671.   

To his Reverend Brother in the Gospel M r. Charles Walmisley, Husband of Mrs. Martha Walmisley Deceased, Grace and Peace.  
Worthy Sir,  
THat which is reported of Egesias the Philosopher, that he could so accurately decipher the miseries & wretchedness of Life, as to make Men out of love with it, and so colour over the grim face of Death, as to make it desirable; that is only really performed by this Text: A little Rhetoric may serve to persuade a poor man to forsake his thatched Cottage, if you can assure him that by so doing, he shall have a better habitation: The most effectual way to make a Christian to despise Life, and desire Death, is, to present him with a sight of his Heavenly Mansion, and then with S. Paul, He can groan earnestly to leave this earthly Tabernacle, when he knows he hath a building of God, a House not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens; for though nature abhor a dissolution, yet it covets happiness; so that Reason itself may well assent to the desire of being dissolved; when Faith hath rightly informed it that it is far better; for it is wisdom to admit a change, when we are sure it shall be for our greater advantage.  
Sir, if you thus look on Death (though as a dark entry) yet as the ready passage to our Heavenly Mansions, than I shall need to say no more, either to quiet your Spirit concerning the Death of your dear Wife, at whose Funeral this Sermon was Preached, or to make you more willing to entertain more familiar thoughts of your own dissolution; If it be far better to be with Christ, than to linger still on Earth, than what remains? but that we patiently bear the departure of our dearest Friends and nearest Relations, and cheerfully expect our own; that we may be so far from fearing death, as rather to welcome it: who baulks a friends Invitation, because he employs a Blackamoor to be the Messenger? What though Christ send his Negro (Death?) seeing it is to invite us to a Feast with him in his Kingdom; We know Christ is our best Friend, and though at first we may startle at the Messenger, yet the very Message shows that Death befriends us too; If God make this Sermon useful to be your remembrancer in these great duties, let him have all the Praise while you receive the profit.  Your affectionate Brother in the Gospel of our blessed Lord and Master jesus Christ. W. J.  

John 14. Ver. 2.  
In my Father's House are many Mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.  
IN occasions of great sorrow a single advice may not be sufficient to quiet and compose our afflicted Minds; Christ had advised his Disciples in the former Verse not to be troubled at his absence, which he backs with a strong Reason in this Verse; I go to prepare a place for you: Consider the end of my departure, and you have no more reason to be troubled at it, than you have, if a friend that hath invited you to a Feast, should say, I must go home before you to see all things set in a readiness for your Entertainment: So great a necessity is there for my leaving you now; Christus non abit nos deserere, sed ut lautisimum convivium nobis praeparct. Christ doth not mean to leave us, but He goes to make provision for us.  
Christ seeing them troubled, seemed to neglect himself, that He might hearten them against the fear of his Crucifixion.  
It is not unlikely, but that the minds of the Disciples might be filled with such troublesome thoughts as these; Alas! in what hole shall we hide our heads from a melitious Devil ● persecuting World, now that our Champion is taken from us? Where can We be secure if He suffer? Can We think to escape, if He be put to Death? What Crosses must we look for, if Innocency itself be Crucified? If they deal thus barbarously with our Lord, what will they do, or what will they not do rather against his Servants when He is gone?  
What will become of us when the light of our eyes is departed? yea, the very breath of our Nostrils? If the Shepherd be smitten, what will become of the timorous Sheep?  
Against all these carnal fears Christ opposeth a greater cause of Hope; Against all this matter of trouble, He seasonably opposeth a surer cause of Spiritual Joy & Tranquillity of mind▪ Bear my absence patiently, for it shall redound to your eternal advantage, I go to prepare a place for you. This Text will not admit of such a Methodical Division, as other Texts of Scripture do.  
The first words are Christ's Consolatory Reason, why the Disciples should not be troubled at his absence: In my Father's House are many Mansions. The former words may be added to confirm that assertion, If it were not so I would have told you; and that you may be sure it is so, I go to prepare ● place for you. In these word, is observable,  
1. An Act, Go.  
2. An Agent, I go.  
3. An End, To prepare a place.  
Lastly, The Person for whom, For you.  
Explication, In my Father's house.  
Heaven is called God's House; Because there God dwelleth, and there Saints and blessed Spirits shall dwell with God for ever: Christ calls it His Father's House for our greater consolation, to show us that He hath much power there, who is the only begotten Son and Heir of all things; He is the Dominus Fac totum: Heaven is a place where I have Power to make you welcome, For it is my Father's House; No Son and Heir can have so much privilege at home to bid his friends freely welcome, as I have to make you my friends welcome in my Father's House, are many Manions: There are Mansions, not Tabernacles, to denote the unchangeableness of the condition of Saints in Heaven; here on Earth you can have but movable Tents, but in Heaven you shall have a settled condition, a Mansion-house, even in our English phrase, signifies that House where we live most of our time: Great Men may have several Houses, and yet but one of them is called their Mansion-house; that is to say, the place of their most constant abode, where they dwell the most part of the year▪ It is but a short time that we spend on Earth, but we shall dwell for ever in Heavenly Mansions. Christians are here spoken of, as being Great Persons (being made Honourable by Christ) who, though they may have Earthly Tabernacles, yet have but one Mansion-house, and that is Heaven.  
Many Mansions; There is not only room for Me, but for all my Members also.  
Though there may be so many thousands of glorious Inhabitants in Heaven already, yet there is still room for every Saint too.  
In Scripture God is represented to us, as a great Housholder, and the Saints are called God's Household or Family; Every wise man provides a House according to the largeness of his Family: Aretius says, that the word Mansions, is a word of diminution, where little is spoken of the greatest matter; as if we would call the vast Ocean, a great Pond.  
We must not imagine that Heaven is divided as the Earth is (into several Habitations) but Heaven is fitly called a Mansion, because there is a fullness of glory and happiness; however Men live in their flitting-houses, as I may call them, where they stay but a night or two; yet in their Mansion-houses they will far● plentifully, every Saint in Heaven shall have a fullness of Glory and happiness.  
2. In Heaven there is a permanency, and therefore called a Mansion; for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Latin word Mansiones, and the English word Mansions, do all imply the eternity of the Glory and happiness in Heaven.  
3. Heaven is called a Mansion-house, in respect of the different degrees of Glory in Heaven. In a King's Court there are several Offices, but all are contented, for all are Courtiers; In Heaven, the House is the same, and the happiness is the same; but there are different degrees of Glory: But the Saints in Heaven shall be as free from envy, as the Stars in the Firmament are: one Star differs from another in Glory, yet they do not quarrel about their different degrees of Light and Lustre; no more shall the Saints in God's House: If it were not so I would not have told you; I would not delude you, or feed you with vain hopes, promising that which I cannot perform: When you come to Heaven you shall find much more than what you are able now to understand of the happiness you shall inherit there. I go to prepare a place for you; The great end of Christ's ascending into Heaven, is to prepare a place for his Elect, to make way for their coming thither: take notice of our Saviour's Consolations; He doth not say, Let not your hearts be troubled, for ere long I will make you earthly Princes, and make you ●read on the necks of your enemies; Bu● he gives them comfort of another kind, I am preparing Glory for you, Let not your hearts be troubled. When by my Death and Resurrection I have fitted all things for your entertainment, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.  
It was the manner of Bridegrooms, when they had made all things ready, to come themselves, and fetch home their Brides to their Father's houses: I go to prepare, and I will come again and fetch you unto myself. O the wonderful tenderness and infinite condescension of Divine Love; Christ will do all himself. He came once from Heaven already to make himself known unto us; but his love engageth him to make one journey more to fetch us, and take us up unto himself: then he came to prepare us for Heaven; He is now gone to prepare Heaven for us: I go to prepare a place for you. These may allude to Travellers, (as Musculus notes) where many travail together in a company; they choose out some one to ride before, and provide Lodgings, and a Supper for them▪ Our Saviour attempereth his Speech to our understandings, the incomprehensible things of Heaven are painted out in these humane colours, because we are much taken with these things and partly because the Disciples did yet dream that Christ would establish a worldly Kingdom, and would have ruled some time as an Earthly Monarch; Christ therefore in a sweet and friendly manner works them off from expecting any such thing here, by telling them what he is going to prepare for hereafter: your expectations shall not be altogether disappointed; you shall have honour and happiness, but it shall be in a better place, in Heaven's for thither I go to prepare for you● the Providence of God sent joseph secretly beforehand to provide a place for his unnatural Brethren; Christ the truth of Iosep●, is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for all his Brethren, though by our sins we both sold him and crucified him, Hebr. 6. v. 20: Christ is called the Saint's forerunner, implying that the Saints shall follow him into heaven.  
Before Christ ascended, he said, Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, john 17. ver. 24. Therefore he is gone before to prepare a place for them: Heaven is prepared already, but our Sins had shut it against us; Christ is gone to provide admission for us.  
The Doctrine I shall offer, is,  
That Christians must look on Heaven as their dwelling place.  
Reasons of the Doctrine are,  
1. Because God designeth heaven as our Dwelling-place: A Christian hath a Body and a Soul, an earthly and an heavenly part: A Body form of the Earth, and a Soul infused from heaven; This Earth was made for the delight of the Body, here is beauty to delight the Eye, and sweetness for the Taste, and variety to delight the outward Senses: But Heaven was made for the Soul; In the Body we resemble the Beasts on Earth, in the Soul we resemble the Angels in heaven; The Body is contented with the things of the Earth, and thinks it good to be here; but the Soul finds nothing able to satisfy it here on earth And therefore is always mounting up to heaven by contemplation, and desirous to be dissolved from its earthly clay. God made Man looking upwards towards heaven, and the Beasts bowing downward towards the earth to show us that the Earth is the proper place for brute Beasts; but heave● is the place whither Man should aspire.  
2 Reason why Christians should look on heaven as their Dwelling-place, lieth in the Text; Because Christ prepares it for them: and where can he better provide a place than in his and our Father's house? I assend to my Father and your Father, Joh. 20. ver. 17. My Father by Nature, your Father by Grace, as S. Austin interprets it; Where can he better prepare a place for his Elect than in his own Kingdom? It's the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. chap. 1. ver. 11. Where can Christ better prepare a p●ace for them, than in that Kingdom which God the Father hath freely bestowed on them? Luke 12. ver. 32. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom; fear not want or trouble here, but look on yourselves as Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Where can he prepare a place better than in that Kingdom which Christ also appointed for them? Luk. 22. ver. 29, 30. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, that ye may eat and drink at my Table, and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel; And therefore you may be sure that this is meant of heaven: For here on Earth Saints do not sit on Thrones, but rather on Dunghills, as job and Lazarus did; they do not Judge here, but rather are judged and hardly censured.  
3 Reason why Christians must look on Heaven as their Dwelling-place, is, because the word of God directs us so to do; To s●t our affection on things above, and to seek those things: to look on the world but as our Inn; but on Heaven as our home.  
4 Reason. Because experience doth show, that on Earth Christians have no certain Dwelling-place, 1 Cor. 4. ver. 11. here we travail and meet with troubles; here we sojourn, here we suffer, here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come, Heb. 13. ver. 14. Indeed neither Believer, nor Unbeliever have any settled condition on Earth; But it is more especially appropriated to Believers.  
1. Because of the World's ill dealing with them; they are always driving them from Post to Pillar, as we say, from place to place; Moses was much longer a stranger in Madian, than a Courtier in Egypt.  
2. Because Believers do look upon Earth as an uncertain place, where they cannot set up their rest; they look on the world as a Camp, where they wall meet with opposition, rather than as a City where they should expect safety and quiet. The Christian expects his resting place to be in that City which Abraham looked for, Hebr. 11. v. 10. A City that hath Foundations, whose Builder & Maker is God. All the Cities on Earth are so easily removed, as if they had no Foundations, Heaven only is an immovable City.  
Last Reason why Christians must look upon Heaven as their dwelling place, is, to move them to a Heavenly Conversation; such as our hopes is, such will our Conversation be; if your hope be only in this life, than your trade and dealing, your thoughts and actions shall be to get worldly things, your Conversation will be earthly; the prevailing degree of love in all you do, will be for earthly things; or as the Scripture doth phrase it, you will mind earthly things, Philip. 3. ver. 19 All our aims, actions, and endeavours will be but to get Money, to buy Land, to build Houses, to settle your rest on Earth; your discourses will be about dividing the Inheritance like theirs, Luk. 12. ver. 13. or about making more room for your worldly store like the fool in the Gospel: but if your hope be in Heaven, your Conversation will be Heavenly. Hope is a deep dye that casts a tincture, and leaves its colour in the whole Conversation of a Christian.  
He that looks on the world as his Pilgrimage, or place of Travel, will provide only as for a Traveller; But he that looks on the Earth as his dwelling place, will be providing as for an Inhabitant: one Room will suffice a Traveller; but an Inhabitant wanteth a whole house; a few things will suffice a man in his Journey, but an Inhabitant needs a great deal of Furniture; and therefore the Scripture always puts a difference between a man in the World, and a man of the world. john 15. ver. 19.  
By our feet we walk on earth, but by our heart we dwell in heaven.  
Application.  
1. For Information. To teach us what thoughts we must have of earth and heaven: We must look on the earth as David did, to be but the house of his Pilgrimage, Psalm 119. ver. 54. But we must look on heaven as our Mansion-house, as the Text doth represent it, a place prepared for us to dwell in for ever: And what a glorious place must heaven needs be, which the Bridegroom of our Souls hath now been 16 hundred years preparing for his Bride? We must look upon heaven as our home, our Father's house.  
If you ask what ground a Christian hath for this confidence? I answer, the Text telleth us, Christ is gone thither to prepare a place for them.  
Christ entered into heaven as a common person in the name of his Elect, and so is gone to take possession in their right, as a Guardian takes possession of a house and Land in the right of his Ward; but Christ entered in his own right and ours both, as he is our Guardian.  
The high-Priest under the Law entered into the holy of holies, with the names of the twelve Tribes on his Breastplate, to show that he acted there for them whose names were there written; Christ our great high Priest is entered into heaven, whereof the holy of holies was but a Type: thither hath he carried the names of his Elect, for whom he is to provide Mansions; and therefore Christians are said to have an Inheritancereserved in Heaven for them. 1 Pet. chap. 1. ver. 4. how should this make us high in our hopes, and lowly in our hearts? heaven is ours in Reversion; Great hopes, or hopes of great things beget great Spirits, and keep Men from doing any base or sordid things, which are below what they hope for: a Christians hope keeps up his heart, and hinders him from doing any thing unbeseeming his hope: The Eagle scorns to catch at Flies; A Christias is that true Eagle, that soareth above these petty things below; the hope of Heavenly Mansions should should lift us above the Earth. 2. It should make us lowly in our hearts, not to strive and fight for places here, but to be contented with any place, remembering that while we are in this world we are out of our proper place; Those that are neglectful to look after Heavenly Mansions, are most quarrelling for places on Earth; a christian may call all the things of this world Esek, and Sitnah, as Isaac named those 2 Wells, about which the Philistines strove with him, Gen. 26. 20, 21. If God give House or Land to a christian, it doth but make the Men of the world strive with him and hate him for it, as the Philistines did envy Isaack's Flocks & Herds, Gen. 26. 14. But a Christian may call Heaven Rehoboth, by the name of Isaack's Well which they strove not for. Now God hath made room for me, says Isaac; a christian hath one place which ugodly men will not strive for; namely Heaven: what an Argument therefore is this, to remove our desires from earthly Houses, and to fix them on our Heavenly Mansions? in Earthly Houses we are always either wanting room, or furniture, or food, or peace in eating it, or assurance of continuing, but our Heavenly Mansions have all these properties.  
Heaven is a good place, for it is of Christ's own preparing; Heaven is a large place, there is many Mansions, room enough, and provision enough of all things to make a Saint happy. Abraham's Servant asked Rebeckah, (i● there room in thy Father's house for us to lodge in? She answered, we have both Straw and Provender enough, and room to lodge in, Gen. 24 ver. 23— 25. A Christian need not make such an inquiry concerning Heaven, there is room enough, and provision enough.  
God prepared the world for Adam's use, before he sent him to be there; God built the House, and ready furnished it, and then raised up Man. God our Redeemer is gone to prepare Heaven, before he carry his Members thither.  
Heaven is also a safe place; where God dwelleth there can be no fear of enemies to molest us. Israel in the earthly Canaan had plenty, but not safety; the Canaanites continually were invading them; Heaven only is the place of Peace. The Heavenly jerusalem is described to have a great wall, and high, and 12 Gates, and 12 Angels watching at the Gates, and the City to be built upon a great and high Mountain. Revel. 20. ver. 10— 12. Namely, all things that may import safety.  
Heaven is too high for danger to climb up to it; it is so immured that there can be no scaling it, the Gates are so strong, that there is no breaking them open, and the Watchers so watchful that there can be no fear of surprise.  
And in Heaven also is suitable company, there we shall dwell with God, the Holy Trinity, with Holy Angels, and Saints; here on Earth unsuitable company may make us weary of our Habitations. Lot chose the Plain of Sodom to dwell in, but what an uncomfortable place did it prove to that righteous man, by reason of the wicked company of those beastly Sodomites? no doubt had he known their evil manners before, nothing could have tempted him to have thought of dwelling there.  
Christians that know and see this Earth to be a Sodom, must not choose it for their dwelling place.  
Lastly, Heaven is a place that abideth for ever; Worldly Cities have no firm Foundations, but the Wall of Heaven is described to have twelve Foundations, Rev. 21. ver. 14. Earthly Houses may be burned, or beat down either by accident or design, as we see a woeful instance in London, that City most famed throughout the world; but you know that the World itself is reserved for the general Conflagration: will you make that your Dwelling-place, which you know must be destroyed?  
We linger like Lot, and are loath to come out of this Sodow; but the Lord is merciful by sending us many crosses, pulleth us hence.  
This showeth us further how we come to neglect Heavenly Mansions; We over-value Earthly Tabernacles, and that makes us undervalue heavenly Mansions, Earthly Houses are visible, their Gardens, and Orchards, Parks, and Forests, Fishponds, and Motes, Arbours, and Banquetting-houses; but Heavenly Mansions, and what Provision is made there, is only known to Faith, 1. Cor. chap. 2. ver. 9 as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; which if it be true of those things prepared in the Gospel, it is more true of those things prepared in Heaven.  
This consideration of Heavenly Mansions may much quiet and com●ort those that either are not born to House and Land, or that are driven from House and home by any sad Providence; your Tents may be removed, but your Mansions endure for ever.  
2. Use of Exhortation to all that hope for Heavenly Mansions.  
1. Search the Land where you hope ●o dwell for ever; Israel ●ent spies to ●earch for Canaan, but the●r spies were of two sorts: Some brought an evil ●eport on Canaan; saying, there were Giants, and yet brought of the good fruits of the Land; but Caleb & joshus told them the truth, If the Lord delight in us, he will bring us into this Land, Numb. 14. ve. 8. Harken unto Caleb and joshua, unto the faithful spies and true Ministers, which declare from the word of God what place Heaven is, and harken not unto any that endeavour to bring an evil report on this good Land, where only is fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore; Indeed there are some difficulties will meet us in our way thitther, but no impossibilities; Say with Caleb, the Lord is with us, we are able to overcome them. Numb. 13. compared with Num● 14. ver. 9 2. Pray against earthly mindedness. The young man that seemed so earnest to get to Heaven, as is set out by his postures of running and kneeling, and ask what to do yet his great earthly Possessions hindered him from being prevailed with by the promise of Heavenly treasure Mark 10. ver. 2●. Reuben and Gad had so much Cattle, that they are not eager to dwell in Canaan; Iacob's Flocks and Herds made him drive slowly homewards, Gen. 33. v. 14. though I grant his fear of Esau might be a great cause also.  
Those Christians are in most danger of neglecting Heavenly Mansions, that are well seated in Earthly places, haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori, these things make us unwilling to die. Let us use the Earth as the Birds do, the Air is their proper place, and they care not to descend on the Earth but only for their times of Feeding; so long as they keep aloft they are secure; but when they come to settle on the Ground, there are Nets or Guns, or some Snare to endanger them: So long as Christians keep their thoughts on Heaven, and the thing above, they are ●afe from Temptation; but when they ●et them hover too long upon Earth, and the things ●●low, Satan is ready to shoot at them, or hath one Snare or other to catch them, though your daily Bread grows on Earth, yet look on Heaven as your home, and send your thoughts & desires thither again, that it may appear though you Table here, you expect to dwell in Heaven. A few words more, and then I shall conclude.  
1. Be content though God allo● you but a low place, or no place in this world, seeing Christ is preparing a place for you in a better world.  
2. Get your affections more weaned from earthly Houses (you that have them) and fix your thoughts more on those Heavenly Mansions; Because Children know no better things, they are so much in love with every painted Gewgaw; It is our ignorance of the Joys in Heaven that makes us so greatly pleased with these toys on Earth.  
3. Be not immoderate in grieving for any Relations or Friends departed, (no, though you have h●d them but a little while with you.)  
So long as we are in the Body, we are absent from the Lord; the Apostle Paul groaned earnestly in desires of enjoying his Heavenly Mansion, 2 Cor. chap. 5. ver. 2. and he gives us his Reason in the 1. ver. Who would not go out of a thatched Cottage to inherit a Palace? those that die in the Lord, do but leave an Earthly Tabernacle, to inherit an Heavenly Kingdom; and will you think it too s●on for them to be thus happy? Solon being asked who were happy? tells a story of two Youths, who out of affection drew their Mother's Chariot to the Temple, and the Gods to recompense them, caused them to die presently: those are happy that can number Death among their privileges, and bid it welcome; If I could offer your Wife or Children, House, or Land, would you say, (no I thank you, I cannot spare them yet, they shall tarry with me one year longer before they go to possess it.) We are wiser in earthly matters, why are we such fools in Heavenly matters? if we did cordially believe, and seriously meditate on the blessedness in Heaven, we should grudge at every hour we ●arry on earth, we should think the shortest life too long, and like the next Heir, be eagerly desirous to inherit.  
I say nothing of the party deceased (though she hath left a good name behind her) because I was totally ● stranger to her.   
FINIS.   


PAUL, The Pattern of PARDONING MERCY.  
Being A SERMON ON 1 Tim. Chap. 1. Ver. 15. Howbeit for this cause I obtained Mercy, that in me first jesus Christ might show forth all Long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.   

1 Tim. 1. Chap. 16. Ver.  
Howbeit, for this cause I obtained Mercy, that in me jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.  
THis Verse referreth to the last words of the former Verse, (whereof I am chief; howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy;) as if the Apostle would say, Although I was so heinous a sinner, yet jesus Christ hath made me a pattern of mercy to all others.  
As God makes some stand as fearful monuments of his wrath to fright ●hose that are impenitent, (like Lot's wife tu●ned into a Pillar of Salt to season after Ages.) So God is pleased to set others as Monuments of freegrace to invite all penitent Sinners; the Apostle tells us what was God's aim in pardoning him that was so great an offender, to make a pattern of long suffering to encourage the greatest sinners to lay hold on his Mercy.  
For Division of the words,  
1. Here is an Act mentioned (Obtained.)  
2. The thing mentioned, (Mercy.)  
3. The Person mentioned. (I that needed long sufferings, I the chief of sinners.)  
Lastly, the Reason mentioned, (for this cause, that I might be a pattern to them that shall hereafter believe,) that is to say, that by my Example the greatest Sinners m●ght be encouraged to lay hold on the offer of Free Pardon, seeing such a desperate opposer of Jesus Christ as I was, received into favour, that none might hereafter despair of Pardon, but all Sinners might be encouraged to come to God through Jesus Christ.  
The Doctrine will be most comfortable thus rendered.  
That God hath set Paul as a glorious pattern of Mercy, to encourage all sinners by his Example to seek for pardoning Mercy.  
The orderly handling of this Doctrine will be,  
1. To see what a Pattern is.  
2. How Paul may be said to be a Pattern?  
3. Why Paul was made a Pattern?  
Lastly, What excellent ●ncouragement all Sinners hereafter may make of this glorious Pattern of Freegrace?  
For the First, What a Pattern is?  
For on this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lieth the stress of the whole matter.  
A Pattern is, materie proposita ad imitandum, something that is laid before our eyes for us to imitate; when a Li●mner hath drawn some curious Picture in which he thinks he hath showed much of his Art, he hangs it out for all Passengers to look on, to show them what he can do; every piece is not fit to be a Pattern, but the most exact Pi●ces▪ In the converting of Paul (who by his own confession was one of the greatest sinners in the world.) God doth show to all Men in this Pattern, what free Grace can do, how he can pardon the greatest sinners; God hath made Paul fit to be a Pattern of pardoning Mercy, to show all the world how much he can forgive. And this leadeth me to the next particular. How Paul might be said to be a Pattern.  
1. Consider his own Confession what a kind of Sinner he was, and that will lend some light into this Phrase.  
2. Con●ider the manner of his Conversion.  
3. God's dealing with him after his Conversion.  
1. Let us hear his own Confession how great a sinner he was, chief of sinners; not only sensu humilitatu, so in his own apprehension; nor only salvandorum primus, chief sinner of those that shall be saved; but as he was a proud Pharisee that went about to set up his own righteousness in direct opposition to Christ's rightoviness: Surely, (except the unpardonable sin) there cannot be a greater sin than this; and in this sense Christ's words may be understood, that Publicans and Harlots were nearer Heaven, than the self-justifying Pharisees, Mat. 21. ver. 31. For Publicans and Harlots did not deny that Christ's imputed righteousness was the only meriting cau●e of our Justification; but the Pharisees denied this.  
The Apostle confesseth how exceeding mad he was against this Doctrine so long as he was a Pharisee, and persecuted all that professed to be justified by Faith in Jesus Christ, Acts. 26. from ver. 9 to ver. 12. He would not yield to cast away the thoughts of his own righteousness, and to rely upon the righteousness of Christ imputed; and this made him persecute unto the death all such as professed a contrary way of being justified; and herein he was a greater sinner, than if he had been a Thief, or Drunkard, or any other kind of sinner, those are trespasses against the commands of the Law, but this is the highest Trespass against the great Command of the Gospel; namely, that we should embrace Christ as he is called, the Lord our righteousness, jer. 23. ver. 6. There is more hopes of Publicans and Harlots, of Thiefs and Murderers, than of those that reject Christ's imputed Righteousness, except the Devils & Damned in Hell; Christ can have no greater enemies, than those that cry up their own righteousness, and cry down the Doctrine of his imputed Righteousness. Paul before Conversion, was tooth & nail, as we say, against this Doctrine; so that we may see a most elaborate piece of the work of free Grace, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, may be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) saith Passor, nota incisa, insculpta, percussione, vel pulsatione facta. The Chra●cter of Free Grace is deeply cut in this Pattern; Paul, a proud Pharisee, was beaten down to the ground; and he that before so hotly persecuted the name of Christ, is now made a Preacher of it; here is now the depth of humility, where there was the height of Pride before; Here God hath wrought a curious frame out of a rugged knotty piece of timber. Here is a Lion-like nature changed into a Lamb; he that before was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, interpo●ito v,) that is to say, unquiet like the Sea, and turbulent, is now Paul, quiet and peaceable; see what Free Grace can do: here is a rare Pattern indeed!  
For a Physician perfectly to cure one that is stark mad, and bring him to his right mind, this shows great skill indeed: this God hath done; Paul was exceeding mad, persecuting all wheresoever he met them, that professed to be justified by Faith in Christ's Righteousness; and yet the Grace of God hath perfectly cured him, and now makes him to seek to Christ for Righteousness, and count his own Righteousness but dung, and to preach the same way of Justification to others. If a Chirurgeon go into an Hospital, and pick out those that are most desperately sick & lame, and cure them, is it not the greater argument of his skill? so here in Paul's Conversion and Pardon; God doth show what Free Grace can do; for Paul 〈◊〉 perfectly cured, that was most 〈◊〉 sick of Pride and Self-love.  
2. Consider the man of his Conversion, and then his name Paul may be derived from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signisies Wonderful, for the manner of his Conversion was wonderful indeed, recorded, Acts 9 ver. 1. While he was yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the Church, he made himself accessary to the murder of Stephen, by holding the Garments of them that stoned him, Acts 8. ver. 58. But this did whet his malice, and sharpen his rage the more, this did but flesh his Fury, and make him more eager to persecute; this was but a younger practice, to what he afterwards intended; He seeks to get a Commission to empower him to persecute all that came in his way; and being armed with authority, and come nigh to Damascus, (which was the end of his journey,) God surprised him suddenly, and turned a p●oud Saul into an humble Paul, and made him a zealous Preacher of Christ, who came thither out of a design to show himself a bitter Persecutor of that name; He that was prancing on Horseback before, is now fallen to the Earth; He that came to punish Christ's Disciples, now owneth Christ as his Lord, and begs now to know wh●t he will have him do, Acts 9 ver. 14. He that was r●ging before, is trembling and astonished now; A little light from Heaven, will tame the most furious Persecutor, any discovery either of th● glorious Majesty of Jesus Christ, o● of our vileness, will humble any sinner; see here the irresistible power of Grace, that can meet with a Wol● seeking for his Prey, and can suddenly change him into a harmless Lamb.  
3. Consider how graciously God dealt with him after Conversion, in employing him as a Prime Officer in the Church of Christ; yea, as a Master-builder, and as a chief Pillar of that Church which he sought before to pull down. God sent him as an honourable Ambassador to bear Christ's name before Kings, and the Children of Israel, whose great ambition before was to be the Saints common Executioner: Christ intended that Paul should suffer much for his name, who came to Damascus to make all them suffer that professed Christ's name.  
It is remarkable, that of all the Apostles, Paul only was wrapped up in the thi●d Heaven; God dealt so graciously with him, that he that was the greatest enemy to Christ before his Conversion, is now used as the most endeared friend of Christ after his conversion, and hath the most glorious discoveries of Christ, and of the Mysteries of his Gospel of all others, and now his name may be called Wonderful indeed; for here is a Scene on which before Conversion, corrupt Nature acted her outrageous Fury; and after conversion, sanctifying Grace showed her sacred force, and both to such an extent, as few Stories can parallel. In Saul was seen as much as can well be in a Man void of Grace; and in Paul was discovered as much as need be looked for in the most eminent Saint; his former madness is equalled by his present zeal, and now all that jewish Learning which he had raked together, intending only thereby to defend the righteousness of the Law, and the Traditions of the Elders, and to dispute against Christ and his Gospel; God employs it better, to make him more able to confound the jews, and to prove that Jesus is the very Christ, Acts 9 ver. 22.  
None preach Christ crucified so plainly, and the Doctrine of Justification by Christ's impured Righteousness so powerfully, and so thoroughly as Paul does; none beat so much on this string, as he, Romans 3 ver. 27. Galat. 2. ver. 16. and in Galat. 3. ver. 10. None cry down the Righteousness of the Law so vehemently, nor cry up the imputed Righteousness of Christ so earnestly as Paul does: thus as he was behind no man in wickedness before his conversion; so was he not infer, or to the very chief Apostles after conversion, but laboured more abundantly than they all, I Cor. chap. 15. ver. 10. Now he would preach nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver. and would glory in nothing, but in the Cross of our Lord Jesus, Gal. 6. ver. 14. Thus Paul was even a miracle of Mercy, and a glorious pattern of Grace.  
The next particular is, why Paul was hung out as a pattern of Free grace?  
1. Because he had been such a notorious persecuter; and therefore as the noise of his mad and ignorant zeal had filled the world before, so now the news of his conversion would be the more wonderful, and he would be the more fit to be a pattern, because the Example of so great a Sinner, would be more encouragement for other sinners to seek for Mercy, Galat. 1. ver. 23, 24. When the Churches heard that Paul preached the Faith which he once destroyed, they glorified God in him. When sinners remember that Paul was pardoned, they may glorify Go●s Mercy by seeking Pardon too.  
2. Paul was made a Pattern of Free Grace, because he was an eminent jew, and by Sect, a Pharisee, and so might prove a leading Pattern to all the jews, and to that obstinate Sect of the Pharisees, to leave off per securing the Church of Chr●st, and to join themselves unto it, ●o follow his Example in renouncing the Righteousness of Works, and embracing the Righteousness of Faith: Paul was well read in all their Jewish Traditions, and was as zealous of them as they, and therefore they might see more of the power of Grace in his conversion, that now made him hazard his own life to advance that way, which before he persecuted unto Death.  
3. Paul was chose to be a Pattern, because in such a Pattern the freeness of Grace would appear more clearly, here all the world may see, that we are not saved out of any Wo●ks foreseen; here was nothing to fit him to receive Grace (unless making havoc of the Church be a preparatory work) Such Works the Romish Saints are full of; here was a raging Persecutor tamed and pardoned.  
It is not our Faith apprehending Christ that saves us, but our Christ apprehended by Faith; Christ is the meriting cause, and Faith is the Instrumental.  
Lastly, Paul was set as a Pattern of Free Grace, to encourage other sinners beholding the Mercy of God unto him to look after Mercy too, that as in a Glass or Mirror, all men may see more clearly the freeness of Grace, it is a good means to prevent our despair when we see such an instance of pardoning Mercy before our eyes; and this leadeth me to the last particular: What encouragement may other sinners draw from this great pattern of Paul's obtaining Pardon. My meaning is not, that others should expect to be miraculously converted, as Paul was; (for you may as well expect to be caught up into the third Heaven:) But by Paul's being pardoned, you may look after a Pardon: Paul believed and was obedient to the voice from Heaven, and so obtained Mercy. This voice from Heaven was the voice of Christ, why p●rsecutest thou m●? and Acts 9 ver. 5. I am jesus whom thou persecutest.  
The Gospel now is Christ's voice from Heaven, he that believeth this voice, and is obedient to it, shall as surely obtain Pardon as ever Paul did; and he that will not obey Christ's voice in the Gospel, shall n●ver be pardoned. It is remarkable, that Christ did not tell Paul by the voice from Heaven, what he should do, but sent him to be taught by Ananias, who was a Minister of the Gospel, Acts 9 ver. 6. So now he doth not miraculously tell sinners what they must do to be saved, but sends them to his Word and Ministers to be instructed; and therefore pray compare those two places together, Hebr. 4 ver. 7. To day if you will hear his voice: what is that voice of Christ? Luk. 10. ver. 16▪ He that heareth you, heareth me. Christ spoke this to his Seventy Disciples when he sent them out to preach the Gospel; Christ gives his Ministers the same power to preach, as he did them, though he hath not given them power to work Miracles: he still says, He that heareth you heareth me▪ for it is Christ's word, and not Ministers to re●urn to the question, how other sinners may draw encouragement from Paul's obtaining Mercy? W●y this this a pattern for other sinners, (ad imitandum Paul● fidem) to believe, and so they shall obtain mercy. When you see a very deformed person well married, you are apt to say, nay, then, none need ever hereafter despair of a husband; other sinners may say so from this pattern of Free Grace. seeing that Paul the chief of sinners is married to Jesus Christ; seeing so great a si●ner is pardoned, no sinner hereafter need despair of pardon; thus one Beggar encourage●h another▪ by ●elling them, or showing them what a good Alms they have 〈◊〉; I sped well at such a door and 〈◊〉 enco●rageth others to go 〈◊〉 too.  
Though indeed begging is now grown such a common Trade, that you may be soon wearied out with Beggars; such is man's emptiness, that he cannot be always giving; but such is God's fullness, that he delights to be dealing of his dole of Mercy; the oftener you come to the door of Mercy, the better you shall speed, and therefore this is an encouraging Pattern: And consider beloved, how great is God's goodness in giving us such Patterns to invite us to the throne of Grace?  
To see Matthew and Zaccheus, two Publicans pardoned, may encourage all Publicans to look after Pardon too; to see Mary Magdalen, out of whom went seven Devils; and the Woman taken in the very act of Adultery, both pardoned, may encourage all sinners to seek pardon; to hear Paul say, I was a Blasphemer, and a Persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained Mercy, may greatly encourage all sinners to follow God by Prayer for to show them Mercy; it is a very great mercy that we have not only Promises of Pardon, but also Patterns of notorious sinners that have been pardoned.  
1. Because such Patterns sufficiently declare the infinite merit of Christ's death: who could be fitter Trumpets of Christ's Power and Mercy, than those blind, and lame, and leprous, and the Woman cured of her bloody Issue, and that other Woman bowed together; all which Christ cured in the days of his Flesh?  
When the Jews spoke against Christ, the man whom he had restored to sight pleaded hard for him, john 9 ver. 30. 33. If this man were not of God he could do nothing: The Jews knew not what to object, but proudly asked him, Dost thou undertake to teach us, ver. 34.?  
What can any poor sinner object against the Power & Mercy of Christ, when they see ten Lepers cleansed at once? but may be enforced to cry out with that Leper, Matt. 8. ver. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean: He that cured Ten, can cure ten Millions▪ though it is not so with bodily Physicians, their Art is fallible, but Christ is the infallible Physician.  
To hear that Christ came to save sinners, may not move us so much as to see it in the Examples of Manasseh, and the Thief on the Cross, and those others beforementioned; such remarkable instances do abundantly declare, that the merit of Christ's death is exceedingly beyond the demerit of our sins; Christ's healing all manner of diseased that were brought unto him shows that he can heal all manner of diseased Souls that come unto him now.  
2. Such Instances do evince, that God is ready to deal out Pardons to all sorts of Sinners, let their Sins be what they will, that come in Christ's name to ask Pardon: the poor Soul is apt to say, How shall I know that God will pardon such a wretched sinner as I am? Why you may believe it in such Patterns as Paul, and those before mentioned.  
3. It is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy; for in these we may more clearly see what is the great design of free Grace? namely to set open the door of Mercy, and invite all sinners to come freely, and to give pardons to all that will come to God in Christ's name: And therefore Peter and Paul the two greatest Apostles and Pillars of the Church, are both set as Patterns of Free Grace, to encourage other sinners to look after Pardon; Peter denied, yea abjured his Saviour, and yet was pardoned. Paul persecuted him, and blasphemed his name, and compelled others to do so to, and yet was pardoned: Now as some profane wretches in Salvians time did presume to sin, because David, and Noah, and Let sinned, Si David, cur non & ego; si Noah, si Lot, cur non & ego? Here the poor penitents may turn their presumption into a blessed hope, and say with an humble confidence, si Petrus cur non & ego? si Paulus, cur non & ego? si David, si Noah, si Lot, cur non & ego? If all these were pardoned, why may not I follow God for pardon?  
God's gracious design in suffering such Examples to be Registered of notorious sinners that were pardoned, is, that by such precedents of Mercy, all other sinners might take encouragement to seek for Mercy in such marv●●lous ex●mles as these, Satan's greatest Objection is answered to our hands.  
What doth such a wicked creature as you hope for pardon? in such patterns of M●rcy, as Manasseh, Peter, Paul▪ and the like. God teacheth us how to answer the Devil: God hath pardoned as great sinners as I am▪ and therefore I am sure God can pardon me, and I believe God will pardon all that seek to him in Christ for pardon; and therefore I will ply the Throne of Grace in Christ's name to beg pardon; In such patterns God doth as it were make a show of his Mercy, that we may see no sins are so great but they shall be pardoned, if we do not add Unbelief unto them. Mr. Lightfoot hath an excellent note to this purpose on Paul's conversion The most notorious persecuter that the Gospel had yet found, is chosen of all others to be the Doctor of the Gentiles, that 〈…〉 his own example, or rather the glorious example of God's Mercy in his conversion, might be a comfortable Doctrine to those notorious sinners of the Gentiles, as well as his Preaching.  
Lastly, it is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy, because such instances are a good means to keep all sinners from despair; your case is not desperate if the Counsellor can show you a Precedent of the like: If the Physician can show you many now living whom he hath recovered of the same distemper, this may be a good encouragement for you to hope for a cure too: This is Paul's meaning when he calls himself chief of sinners, and says, that he obtained Mercy for this cause, that he might be a pattern to others; as much as to say, ●n me God shows as from an high Tower, that all sinners may be pardoned as I was, if they seek to him in Christ's name as I did; and as David said, they that fear thee, will be glad when they see me, Psal. 119. ver. 24. it may be turned here, they that see David pardoned, and Paul pardoned, they may be glad of such encouraging patterns to make them hope for pardon too; the Doctrine of free Grace is the only Doctrine to invite guilty sinners, if pardon be offered freely to all that will ●ome to God in Christ: Then if I go to pray to God for pardon in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, I shall be pardoned as well as they; and this consideration moves the poor sinner to go to the throne of grace to beg pardon.  
God who hath no respect of persons, can have no motive from within, but his own free love, to pardon a poor sinner; and the word Sinner, sufficiently declares that there can be no motive from without; therefore, the same Free Grace that hath pardoned other sinners, will pardon all sinners that seek pardon; Yea, this is a good sign that God intends to pardon us, when he makes us with David pray earnestly to be pardoned.  
Application; is for Exhortation, to press all sinners to draw that encouragement from this glorious pattern of Paul's obtaining Mercy, which God intends us; Why do we sit still, as the Lepers said one to another, 2 Kings chap. 7. ver. 3. Why do not we pray for pardon?  
There are three things which God doth most delight to glorify, his name, his Son, his Covenant, and then we most glorify these three things when we look after pardon. As for Gods Name▪ he tells us plain enough, jer. 33. ver. 8, 9 That he would exalt his Name before all Nations of the Earth by pardoning his People Israel; therefore let us urge God with his own words, Lord glorify thy name of Mercy in pardoning my sins, that all the world may be enforced to say in those words, 〈◊〉 7. ver. 18. who is a God like unto thee, that pardon●th Iniquity, etc.  
Concerning his Son, God therefore named him jesus, that all the world might hear by that very name, that he was sent to be a Saviour; thus Paul ●old the Jews, Acts 5. ver. 30▪ 31. That ●●sus whom they hanged on a Tree, God had exalted to be their Saviour, to give Repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of Sins.  
And concerning the Covenant, You know it is called, the Covenant of Grace; Pardon of Sin is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace, jer. 31. ver. 34. last words, for I will forgive their Iniquity, and remember their Sin no more, than we glorify God's name of Mercy, and Christ's name as a Saviour, and the name of the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace, when we are moved by these to pray for pardoning mercy; remember now is the day of Grace; that 〈◊〉 to say, Now God is ready to give us Pardon, if we seek pardoning Grace: Heaven is said to have twelve Gates, Rev. 21. ver. 12. intimating to us, that now there is free admission every way, to all sinners that come to the Throne of Grace; But there is a day of Judgement coming, than God will as much delight to glorify his Justice in damning all those that refused to seek for Pardon in the day of Grace.  
There are Twelve Steps that lead a sinner to the hope of Pardon.  
1. To see his absolute need of Pardon.  
2. To set a possibility of Pardon; for we can have no hope of that we judge impossible; he sees it possible by the glorious Patterns of such as have been pardoned.  
3. To desire a Pardon.  
4. To admire the freeness of Grace in all such as have obtained Mercy.  
5. To see that the only way of obtaining Mercy, is, to believe in the Lord Jesus.  
6. To see Christ's ability to pardon, and to begin to seek after him.  
7. To read and eye the promises of Pardon.  
8. To believe the truth of those Promises.  
9 To desire to have an Interest in those Promises.  
10. To venture our Souls on the free offer of Pardon.  
11. To follow God by Prayer in the name of Christ to pardon us.  
Lastly, Now the sinner arriveth at the Cape of good Hope, and a good Hope is the beginning of assurance.  
When the poor sinne● looks towards Christ, than it begins to hope for Pardon.  
No matter what the Disease was, if the party had but Faith to be healed, as is said of the Man lame in his Feet, Acts 14. ver. 9  
No matter what our sins are, if we ●ave but Faith to believe in Christ for Pardon. Physicians care not for meddling in dangerous cases; but such desperate cases bring more glory to Jesus Christ; thus curing him that had been thirty eight years impotent. joh. 5. to ver. 8. and healing her that had spent all upon Physicians, Mark 5. ver. 25, 26. and raising LaZarus that had been dead four days, joh. 11. 39 working through these natural impossibilities, made Christ's power be more admired by all that saw his Miracles: even so this high pattern of Paul a Persecuter, and a Blasphemer, and one of the chief of sinners; and yet obtaining Mercy, doth much more advance the riches of free Grace, and may be a greater encouragement to all that hear of it to seek after pardoning Mercy; no matter how desperate our case seem to us, if we make use of Christ as our Physician.  
God hath set us two grea● 〈◊〉 in P●ter and 〈◊〉, both great sinners, yet both obtaining pardoning Mercy. The Lord giye us his grace, that we may imitate Peter's sincere Repentance, and Paul's saving Faith, that we may also obtain Mercy, through Christ Jesus that came to save sinners.