A09364:155
The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three main questions concerning…The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning…
The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three main questions concerning man, simply considered in himself, are propounded and resolved, according to the word of God. Taught and delivered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himself revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning man, simply considered in himselfe, are propounded and resolued, according to the word of God. Taught and deliuered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himselfe revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1604Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1604
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I. One is, that the comfort which is ministered, be delayed with some mixture of the Law; that is to say, the promise alone must not be applied, but withal mention is to be made, of the sins of the party, and of the grievous punishments, due unto him for the same. The reason is, because there is much deceit in the heart of man; in so much, as oftentimes it falleth out, that men not throughly humbled, being comforted either too soon, or too much, do afterward become the worst of all. In this respect, not unlike to the iron, which being cast into the fire vehemently hot, & cooled again, is much more hard, then it would have bin, if the heat had bin moderate. And hence it is, that in the ministering of comfort, we must somewhat keep them down, & bring them on by little & little to repentance. The sweetness of comfort is the greater, if it be delayed with some tartness of the Law.
I. One is, that the comfort which is ministred, be delaied with some mixture of the Law; that is to say, the promise alone must not be applyed, but withall mention is to be made, of the sinnes of the partie, and of the grieuous punishments, due vnto him for the same. The reason is, because there is much deceipt in the heart of man; in so much, as oftentimes it falleth out, that men not throughly humbled, beeing comforted either too soone, or too much, doe afterward becom the worst of all. In this respect, not vnlike to the iron, which being cast into the fire vehemētly hot, & cooled againe, is much more hard, then it would haue bin, if the heat had bin moderate. And hence it is, that in the ministring of cōfort, we must somwhat keep thē down, & bring them on by litle & litle to repentance. The sweetnesse of comfort is the greater, if it be delayed with some tartenesse of the Law.
II. Another rule is this: If the distressed party, be much possessed with grief, of himself, he must not be left alone, but always attended with ⟨p. 93⟩good company. For it is an usual practise of the Devil, to take the vantage of the place & time, when a man is solitary and deprived of that help, which otherwise he might have in society with others. Thus he tempted Eve, when she was apart from her husband. And in this regard, Solomon pronounces a woe to him that