A counterpoyson, or Soverain antidote against all griefe as also, the benefit of affliction and how to husband it so that the weakest Christian (with blessing from above) may be able to support himself in his most miserable exigents : together with the victory of patience : extracted out of the choicest authors, ancient and modern, both holy and humane : necessary to be read of all that any way suffer tribulation.

Section 5.

Objection. Ay, but I cannot R••peat!

Answer. In time of temptation a man is not a com∣petent Judge in his owne case: In humane Lawes, there is a nullity held of words and actions extorted, and wrung from men by feare: because in such cases a man is held not to be a free-man, nor to have power or command in some sort of himselfe. A troubled soule

is like troubled waters, we can discerne nothing clear∣ly in it; wherefore (if thou canst) lay aside p••ejudice, and tell mee in cold bloud how it fares with thee at other times, though indeed thy words at present, are enough to convince thee: For first, thou sindest sinne a burthen too heavy for thee to heare, which thou didst not formerly; what's the reason, are thy sinnes more and greater? no, but the contrary: for though they appeare more, yet they are lesse; for sinne, the more it is se〈…〉〈…〉e and selt, the more it is hated: and thereupon is the lesse. M••ates are in a roome before the Sun shines, but they appeare onely then.

Againe secondly, the very complaint of sin, spring∣ing from a displeasure against it, shewes that there is something in thee opposite to sinne: viz. that thou art penitent in affection, though not yet in action; even as a Childe is ration••ll in power, though not in act. Yea, more thou acc••sest, and condemn••st thy selfe for thy sinnes; and by accusing our selves, we p••••••ent Satan; by judging our selves, we pre••ent God. Neither was the Centurion ever so worthy, as when he thought him∣selfe most unworthy: for all our worthinesse is in a ca∣pable misery; nor does God ever thinke well of him, that thinkes so of himselfe. But to let this passe.

Are not your faylings your griefe, are they not besides y••ur will, are they not contrary to the current of your desires, and the maine bent of your resolutions, and en∣deavours? Dost thou determine to continue in the pra∣ctice of any one sinne? yea, dost thou not make con∣science of all Gods Commandements, one aswell as ano∣ther; the first table aswell as the second, and the second aswell as the first? Matth. 5. 19. Dost thou not grieve for sinnes of all sorts, secret aswell as knowne, originall aswell as actuall, of omission as of commission,

lesser (viz. thoughts) aswell as greater: yea, aswell for the evill which cleaves to thy best workes, as for the evill workes, Rom. 7. 21. and as heartily, and unfayned∣ly desire, that thou maist never commit it, as that God should never impute it? 2 Tim. 2. 19. Dost thou not feare to displease him, not so much because he is just to punish, as for his mercy and goodnesse sake; and more feare the breach of the Law, then the curse? Dost thou not love rather to be, then seeme, or be thought good; and seeke more the power of godlinesse, then the shew of it? Job. 1. 1. If so, well may Satan and thine own consci∣ence accuse thee of impenitency, and unbelief; but Christ thy Judge never. Yea, then, notwithstanding your fai∣lings, you may say with David, I have kept thy Word: Psal. 18. 21, 22, 23. for though this be not such a measure of keeping, as the Law requireth; yet is it such a keeping, as God in Christ acc••pteth: for suppose thy knowledge is still small, thy faith weak, thy charity cold, thy heart 〈…〉〈…〉ll and hard, thy good workes few and im∣perfect, and all thy zealous resolutions easily hindered, and quite overthrowne with every small temptation: yet God that worketh in us both the will and the worke, will accept the will for the worke; and that which is wanting in us, Christ will supply with his owne righ∣teousnesse. He respecteth not what we can doe, so much as what we would doe; and that which we would per∣forme, and cannot, he esteemeth it as though it were performed: whereas, take away the will, and all acts (in Gods sight) are equall.

As the wicked sinne more then they sinne, in their de∣fire, so the Righteous doe more good then they doe, in their will to doe it. If there be a ••aratum cor, though there be not a perforatum cor, a profser of bloud, though no expence of bloud for the honour of Christ, it is

taken for M••••tyrdome, as Origen testified of one: Non ille Martyrio, sed Martyrium illi defuit. I know thy po∣verty, but thou art rich, saith the Spirit to the Church of Smyrua: poore in thy condition, rich in thy affection to goodnesse: Facultas secundum voluntatem, non voluntas secundum facultatem aestimanda est; God esteemes our charitable beneficence, not onely secundum quod habe∣mus, but secundum quod tribuere velimus. We are char∣ged to forsake all, houses, lands, friends, liberties, lives, for Christ; yet many die with houses, lands, and riches, in their possession, whom Christ receives and Crownes in Heaven, because they did part with all secundum animae praeparationem: What we would have done, shall be reckoned to us as done; we doe it quoad conatum, though non quoad effectum: In like manner God ta∣keth a heart desirous to repent, and beleeve, for a penitent and beleeving heart; volens & dolens, The vehement desire of godly sorrow, or a sorrow because we cannot sor∣row, goes for godly sorrow with God: so that to sigh and grieve for what wee cannot doe, is to come short, and yet to doe it too: for God likes the will so well, that in his Sonne what wee would doe, is in acceptance done, 2 Cor. 8. 12. Which text one brings in thus: O what an un∣speakable comfort was this cordiall verse to my afflicted soule! And well it might, for if we hate our corrupti∣ons, and strive against them, they shall not be coun∣ted ours. It is not I (saith Paul) but sinne that dwel∣leth in me: Rom. 7. 20. for what displeaseth us, shall never hurt us; and wee shall be esteemed of God to be what we love, and desire, and labour to be.

The comfort of this Doctrine is intended, and be∣longs to troubled consciences, and those that would faine doe better: but let no presumptuous sinners meddle with it; for what hast thou to doe to take (I say not the Chil∣drens

bread to ea••e, Matth. 15. 26. but even) the least parcell of Gods word into thy mouth, seeing thou ha••est to bee reformed: Psal. 50. 16, 17. But if thou beest a weary, and heavy laden sinner, thou maist comfort thy selfe thus: I doe hatefull things, but I ha••e that I doe; I breake the Law, but yet I love the Law, as holy, just, and good: Flesh is in me, but I am not in the Flesh. I must not six mine eyes only upon mine owne resistance▪ or f••yling••, but on Gods ••ssistance and acceptance in his Sonne, by which I shall be able to leap over all wals, and impediments▪ Psalme 18▪ 29. The Law is given, that grace may be required; grace is given, that the Law may be fulfilled: by us evangelically, for us by Christ (whose righteousnesse is ou••s) perfectly, as Saint Austi•• speaks. The L••w is a glasse to shew us our spots, the Gospell a foun••aine to wash th••m away. Wherefore cast not both thine ••y••s upon thy sinne, but r••serv•• one to behold the ••emedy: looke upon the L••w to keep▪ thee from presumption, and upon the Gospell to k••••pe thee from despaire.

Canst not thou aggr〈…〉〈…〉 thine owne sinnes, but thou 〈…〉〈…〉st ext••nu••te, and call in question Gods mercy, and Christs all-sufficiency, spoyle him of his power and glo∣ry? Though the grievousnesse of our sinnes should in••re••se our repen〈…〉〈…〉, ye•• they should n•••• diminish our faith, and assurance of pardon, and forgivenesse. As the plaist••r must not be lesse then the so••r••, so the tent must not be bigger then the wound. It was a sweet and even course which Saint Paul tooke, who when ••e•• would comfort himselfe against corruption, and evill acti∣ons, Rom. 7. 20. then not I, b•••••• sinne dwelling in me; when hee would humble himselfe, notwithstanding his graces, then not I, but the grace of God in me: 1 Cor. 15. 10.