136 elf fweetcomfort vieof Phyficke , as to cure vs of difeafes when we are fállen into them ; fo to preferuevs from fickneffe before it hath takenholdof vs : it is the power of the word, as to afl4vage the trouble of confcience,whenit dothonce preffevs ; fo toprevent it before it hash over- taken vs. Itis a chiefepoint of worldlywifedome not to tariefor the vie of Phi heke vn- tillwebedeadly fiicke; but to beacquainted with Gods merciful'preferuationsto defend vsfrom it :likewifeitisa chiefe policreof a godly Chriftian, not onely to feeke comfort Ss,ahe. when theagonie is vpon him,but allo to vie allgood helps to meet with it before it comes. And we condenme them of follie,who will not as well labour to kecpe themfelues out of debt , astopay the debt when they owe it : fo it is a madneffenot tobeas circumfpeél to auoidalloccafons, which may bring troubleofmimic vpon vs, as wee would be proni- dent to enter enemygood way which may drawvs out of this trouble, when wehaue once entred into it. Treferustiues Theremedies preferuatiue, are firft the fearching of our flumes , and then theexarni- againftaffdi- ring of our faith. ftionsof mind. The fearchingof our (nines, is the wayto thedue acknowledgingof our hones, andto thetruefenfeand feeling of our fnnes. The acknowledging of our lanes, is either of thofe that be paf+, whether wehauevnfainedly repented vs of them : orof tholewhich be prefent, whether we be truelygrieued forthem. Thirdlyof thofe fecretcorruptions, which in the courfe of our life are likely tocome, whetherwe are reuerently afraideof them, and refolueto fupprefe thetawith all our en- deuour. Pfal.zq. Concerning finnes pall, wemuff calltotninde the fumes done of old, in our youth, in r.Cor.r 4z9. our middleage, inour oldage; that wefudging our felues, maynot be lodgedofthe Lord; that accuingofour lelucs,Satan haue no occationto acculevs; and throwing downe our felues before theLord, liemay lift vs vp. Formany going quietly away , and lleeping in carnal' fecuritie (notwithf+andingthe fumes of theiryouth)andnegle ingto snake con- fcienceof their finnes done longagoe ; fuddenly haue fallen into loch horror of minde, that (the violent remembranceof all their hones furcharging them) they haue beene o- uerwheimed. This examination loth then rightly pròceede,whenit reached] to the errors of this life, and tothe hones of ouryouth ; becaure many men ( euen from their childhood, by a ci- uill righthous life) having efcapedgroffefinites, wherewith the world couldneuer charge them, haue notwithf.andingcaried the burthen of theirfecretflimsies done in their youth. Shunsof Dauid (Plane 5.7.)prayeth theLord,not toremember the fumes of his youths e job (z;.6. yowl). the man of God) confcffeth that the Lord writing bitter timings againll him, made him to pofefe the iniquities of hisyouth. What, fhallwethinke,that Dauidor job were giuen to notoriouswickedneffe in theiryouth ? No, they knew they were fubie& to youthful! wantonneffe and vntiayednefeoftheir affe&ions; which though it did not burftout, yet itmade them Iefle careful' to glorifie God ; which loofenefe, the wayto leudnetfe ; which weakeneffe, the way tof+rangevanities; which wantonnefe,thewayto open tvickednes, is euen in the beft of Godschildren in the dayes of their youth : which beingafterwards in the timeof tl:eïr regeneration, brought(ass it were) to iudgement, aid laid before their confciences, loth aide themto repent. But hereis a thing to be blufhed at, whichmaketh mess cares to tingle when they heare it ; that many men ( farre nodoubt from thistrue repentance) can largely indeed dif- 7agloriein courlèof the thingsdone in their youth: but with fuchabrauerie, with lochboaflings,and fifyaomh. pleating ofthemfelues in the remembrance of them, as betides that they.proísoke others to his in the like, and fetthetnfelnes a flat back-byasagainf+ repentance, and thischriftian examination ; theyfeeme torevue time decayed coloursof their oldfinnes, with thefrelis 'nice of theirfecondplealurestherein. But alas , what pleafure haue they inthofethings, Rom.6.zz. whereof theyhaue no profit? whatprofit haste they of chore things whereof they film-ad beafhamed ? Neither inthis ftreine can weforget the madneÌle of them, who may feeme to fteppe one degreefarther tocvardes this examination of finne then did the former ; by thinking that theieacuimg of finne, and repenting of hone is afone. Againft tildeboth dayly
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=