The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.

II. Question touching hearers is, How are they to be comfor∣ted, who after long hearing of the word, either profit very li∣tle, or not at all?

For resolution of this Question, the Cau∣ses of not profiting, are distinctly to be con∣sidered. And they are of two sorts.

The first sort of Causes, are the sinnes of the hearers. And that sinnes are the causes of not profiting, it will appeare by this signe; if the memorie, vnderstanding, and other parts of the minde in common mat∣ters, be strong and pregnant, but dull and weake in apprehending, and retaining the doctrine taught. Now these sinnes are prin∣cipally two.

First, Hardnes of heart, when a man is not inwardly mooued and affected with the word preached, but remaines in the same state he was before. This is set forth by the hard ground, that is by the high way side, and by the stonie ground, Math. 13. 4, 5. And such is the heart that is not mooued nor af∣fected either with ioy, sorrow, feare, or con∣solation. The hardnes of heart, ariseth from a custome in sinning and from that the de∣ceitfulnesse of sinne, Heb. 3. 13.

Secondly, worldly Cares, that is, a heart possessed with desire of profits, pleasures, honours, preferments, and such like; which be as thornes that choake the seede of the word, and suffer it not to grow and fructifie: yea that fill the heart full of wandering ima∣ginations, which steale away the mind from attending to the word preached. Those that are thus hindred from profiting, are rather to be reprooued, then comforted: for that the cause of their non-proficiencie, is in, & from themselues. They are therefore to vse all good meanes for the remooueall of their sinnes, that of hard hearted and carnall, they may become good and profitable hearers of the word. The meanes are these.

First, they must labour to be touched in heart, with sense and feeling, of their spiri∣tuall pouertie, and want of Gods fauour and mercie in the pardon of their sinnes. The reason is giuen of Dauid, Psal. 25. 9. The Lord teacheth the humble his waies. And by Marie, in her song, Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the hun∣grie with good things, and the rich he hath sent emptie away. The second meanes is, to heare the word of God with an honest heart, ioy∣ned with a constant purpose of not sinning. The third, to be as carefull to bring good affections, as a good vnderstanding. For affe∣ctions are the feete that carrie the heart, and Salomon biddes vs to take heede to our feete, when we enter into the house of God, Eccl.

4. 17. They are the very key of knowledge and memory; and therefore Dauid saies, The secret of the Lord is reuealed to those that feare him, and his couenant is to giue them vnderstan∣ding: Psal. 25. 14. And that which he saith of Feare, may be said also of other good affecti∣ons.

The second sort of Causes, are ordinary and vsuall defects of naturall gifts; as of ca∣pacity, or conceipt, of memory, and vnder∣standing. For all men haue not the like gifts of nature, and therfore all men cannot reape benefit by the word preached. These wants may be discerned thus; If the mind and me∣mory be weake or wanting, as well in com∣mon wordly matters, as in diuine things that belong to gods kingdome. And to this kinde of men which are thus troubled for not pro∣fiting, there belongeth comfort; Yet not sim∣ply, but vpon these conditions. First, if they know the principall grounds of religion. Se∣condly, if they haue care to profit and in∣crease in knowledge. Thirdly, if they liue according to the measure of their know∣ledge, in obedience to Gods will. These bee∣ing obserued, such parties are to comfort themselues in this, that God in mercy will accept of their indeauour, forgiue their ig∣norance, and beare with their infirmities. This is to be seene in the example of Peter, whose faith was highly commended by Christ, when he said, the gates of hell should not

preuaile against it. Matt. 16. 16. And yet at that very time, Peter was ignorant of many maine pointes of Religion, as of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. And in his person, the other discisples are com∣mended also for their faith, because they held Christ to be the Messias and Sauiour of the world, though they were ignorant of the manner of his redemption, thinking he should haue beene an earthly king. Act. 1. A∣gaine, the want of knowledge in such as haue naturall defects, may be supplied by good affection, if they be not wanting in an honest heart, and carefull indeauour of god∣ly life. Thus the Church of the Iewes in the old Testament, did farre exceede the Church of the new, in good affection, though it came farre short of it in knowledge and appre∣hension.