a time thou shouldest deny him CHAP. 9. Satisfaction for soules cast downe about Prayer BEsides those eight particular feares which I spake of in the sixth Chapter of the foregoing Section I added six other feares which do appeare in some dejected soules Now it s my desire to speake something to them in order to satisfie some soules that lye and labour under them Some there are that when they are cast downe doe much disquiet themselves about their prayers Case Oh say some we feare we never prayed in all our lives or if wee did wee question whether God ever heard us c. Now for the satisfaction of soules in this case I shall speake unto it in both its branches And Satisfaction First For such soules as are cast down and disquieted and cry out Oh they never prayed in all their lives It s true they say they have sometimes spoke in prayer but they doubt whether ever they prayed in prayer They feare they rather moved their lips then breathed their spirits c. There are these things which I would say unto such souls First This very fear argues a choice frame It proceeds from a very choyce spirit thus to fear Indeed a slight and common spirit doth pray it cares not how So the worke be done it s all they mind and it were well some minded so much But with what frame of spirit they pray alas that they looke not after Some there are that we call Protestants which in this are as bad as Papists that they rather give God a number of prayers then any thing else but now it argues a spirit something heightened to mind the manner of prayer to eye the spirit and the soul how that is in prayer Looke as it argues in things humaine an ordinary minde that can content it selfe with the bare doing of things how bunglingly so ever whereas it proceeds from a raisednesse of mind to see that every thing be well done as well as done to see it be done neatly c. So it argues in things divine a common spirit such an one as Caine had to be contented with a bare sacrifice a bare empty prayer But it discovers a spirit heightened such an one as Paul had to eye the spirit how it is in prayer Paul professeth he would pray in his spirit and with understanding While it may be many neither care for the spirit nor understanding So that this fear hath some good in it in as much as it proceeds from a choicenesse of spirit But Secondly Take heed you do not roshly nor groundlesly condemne your selfe Peradventure there was more of your spirit in prayer then you saw or say What dare you deny that at such and such a time your spirit was in your prayer If it were not then what meant those sighs and tears and groanes what meant that bearing of the bosome and those liftings up and wringing of the bonds if your spirit was not in your prayers Surely as in point of smning albeit wicked men should say their hearts were not in it Yet their joy and merriment in it would witnes against them So in the manner of praying though Saints doubt their hearts was not in it yet their sighs and groanes in the spirit though unutterable in themselves yet they could witnesse for them in this However Thirdly Can and dare you appeale to God that so far as you knew your heart it was at such and such a time in prayer Can you say Lord thou knowest that I desired such a grace c. and oh how glad was I in the bare thoughts and smalâ— hopes that I had of obtaining it But on the contrary how did the fear and sence of not obtaining it grieve me Surely if you can thus seriously and consideringly appeal to God you may conclude that your heart and spirit was in prayer Besides Fourthly Consider thy soule might have been and may be in a prayer notwithstanding many dulnesses and wanderings I find by experience that the ground of this fear is that dulnesse and those wandrings of our spirits in prayer Now cleare it is that notwithstanding these yet our spirit may be really and so accounted by God in duty You know in that duty of watching with Christ in his agony T is recorded the disciples slept yet marke it Christ saw and said their spirit was in it The spirit saith he is willing but the flesh is weake Christ saw their spirit and acknowledged its willingnesse notwithstanding their drousinesse And for wandrings you know t is possible for the eye to be fixed upon an object and yet not to be so fixt as to be altogether free from rowlings The eye may bee upon the sun and yet it may twinckle And certainly if we should say that the heart is not in prayer because of some wandrings wee should condemn the generation of the just For to be so intense upon God as to have no wandring thoughts at all is not attained unto by many if by any at all So that now why shouldest thou say thy spirit was not in prayer because of some dulnesse and wandrings T is possible that these things may be and yet God may see yea and acknowledge thy spirit to be in thy prayers Object But alas saith the soule cast down Suppose my spirit be or were in prayer what is that I feare I never prayed in Christs Spirit It is one thing to pray in our spirits another thing to pray in Christs spirit Now I feare I never prayed in the strength of Christs spirit however it might be in the strength and sincerity of my own For answer and satisfaction to this Ans let me intreate you to consider these particulars First This is a more choyce fear then the former It s a choyce thing to eye our owne spirit It s a choicer to eye Christs spirit in prayer Morall sincerity may a little put on the former But its divine sincerity which looks after and unto this Nadab and Abihu can content themselves with strange fire But Moses and Aaron will not offer but with holy fire It s certainly an evidence of a soule more then ordinarily heightned not to be content to pray in the sincerity of our spirit but to labour for the strength of Gods spirit Secondly T is possible to pray in the holy Ghost and yet to doubt it I find some doubting they never prayed in the spirit because they have been straitned and wanted those inlargements which others have c. Now mind it t is possible to pray in and that by the holy Ghost and yet not to be inlarged The soule may be so full as that it may not be able to vent it selfe Fulnesse of spirit doth sometimes cause straitning As now in Davids case it s said then went King David in and sat before the Lord c. Then i. e. when as Nathan had been and told him at large the rich and sweet intentions of God towards him Certainly
a substance Doe not dispute thy selfe O soul into doubts rather receive satisfaction Christ will not lose any that are given to him It s his Fathers will he should not as he saith Joâ— 6.39 And surely hee 'l be faithfull to his Father Oh therefore be not thou fearefull of falling but if thou wilt fear let it be with a feare of diligence to keepe thee from security let it not be with a feare of diffidence to fill thee with sorrowes Christ who in no wise would cast thee off when thou commest will in no wise lose thee now thou art come If thou wander hee 'l seeke thee if thou fall hee 'l raise thee yea and what ever may be thy feares hee 'l uphold thee in his Grace even to the Grave and besides hee 'l raise thee up againe at the last day Thus have I passed through those particular Cases which I proposed to my selfe to resolve But alas all that I have said is but dead unlesse Christ quicken it READER pray over these conceptions that a spirit of life may come into them that they may so quicked dejected Soules that they may arise and say to themselves Why are we cast downe and why are we disquieted Let us not give way to our feares and sadnesse but exercise our faith and patience for we shall yet see God as the health of our countenance and as our God But these things are more fully to be spoken unto in the following Sections CHAP. 15. Cure for Soules cast downe by remainder of corruption HAving past through the particular cases of dejected soules I thought it not amisse to adde by way of supplement unto them some other I remember I touched upon eight grounds of Spirituall dejection and least upon the mention of them any soule should be troubled I shall offer somethings to satisfie such who is or may be cast downe about them so that as in the former Section I indeavoured to satisfie the particular feares of dejected soules I shall in this endeavour to cure the generall causes of all dejection Divines know there is a difference between a Cause and a Case the one is the bitter seed the other the sower fruit of dejection Now as I have said something to the one so shall I likewise speake a little to the other To begin then in that order in which I prepared them The first cause of Spirituall dejection was the remainders of corruption Cause this indeed is the root and ground of all dejections And in order to the Cure of a soule cast downe in the sight and sence of remaining corruption I shall lay downe these considerations First Cure Consider that the worke of Christ upon the soule doth not in this Life altogether destroy Place these 2 Sheets k l next after Fol. 132. sinne As long as the soule is in the body there will be sinne in the soule even Paul had a body of sinne and death in him and till death destroy the body thou must not looke to have sinne altogether dead in thee This is granted by all and why should it be questioned by thee O dejected soule Secondly Consider remaining corruption will worke one time or other A Dogge though in a chaine will barke and sometimes bite too a man cannot carry fire in his bosome but sometime or other it wil heat him if it doe not burne him Thou cryest out O dejected soul that they remaining corruption doth oft disturbe thee but why shouldest or how canst thou expect the contrary While thou dwellest in this house of Clay that Dunghill wil annoy thee But Thirdly Remember corruptions groaned under as a burden are rather a ground of rejoycing then of dejection for First it argues a life of bolinesse to feele a weight in sinne Dead men feele no weight be it never so heavie and Secondly it argues an activity of life to groane Many soules rather glory in then groane under a weight of sinne but it is a speciall mercy thou art not as they are Fourthly Beleeve it O soule Jesus Christ doth simpathize with thee under this thy burthen While thou groanest under and art cast down at the sight of remaining corruption thou art the object of Christs compassion It is a good plaister for any sore to consider the pitty of our Saviour Christ pitties thee O poore dejected soule to see thee labouring and groaning under the remainder of sinne Heb. 4.2 Fifthly Consider remaining corruption shall never ruine thee As the remaining Canaanites did not could not ruine Israel in the promised Land so neither shall remaining corruption ever ruine thy soule Could corruption ruine thy holinesse joy salvation glory c. thou mightest be much dejected indeed but that it cannot shall not doe Thy holinesse thy joy thy salvation thy glory c. are all safe in the impregnable bulwark Christs hand which is the infinite power of God and though corruption remaine in thee it shall never ruine these Sixthly Consider Jesus Christ dyed to redeeme thee from the remainders of corruption And doe thou act thy faith on thy Saviours death for thy sinnes death the vertue of his death remaines to keep under corruption from having dominion It is thy duty and let it be thy care and endeavour to goe to Jesus Christ for strength against and victory over thy remaining corruption therefore up and be doing that is beleeving Doe not sit solitary as one cast downe to see some remainders of sin Suppose O soule you had seene some gallant Captaine rescuing a person or place from the power of some potent enemy by breaking the strength and power of the Enemy and by taking up his abode in some Castle neare the place Suppose after this there should appeare some scattered Parties should the person or place be dejected at the remainder of a routed adversary should not they rather goe to their Conquerour and Captaine and intreat him to suppresse those remaining forces Beare up O cast-downe soule the case is thine Christ the Captaine of thy salvation hath routed the maine body of sinne upon his crosse and spoiled corruption of his chiefest strength he hath set up a garrison in thy soule and put in a party strong enough to repell and keep under the remaining forces O goe to him stirre up his Spirit to come forth and to bring thy Conquerours sword to check and suppresse thy tumultuous enemies I meane to lift up thy Saviours crosse against thy corruptions And beleeve it soule there is a vertue still in that Crosse to keep the remainders of corruption under Be not therefore cast downe but beleeve and if thou by the Spirit whom Christ hath put into the garrison of thy soule doe goe forth and mortifie sinne thou shalt live and it shall dye at last CHAP. 16. Cure for Soules cast downe by falls into sinne THe second cause of Spirituall dejection was as I mentioned falls into sinne This casts down the soule that the remainders of corruption doe
not only worke but that sometimes they prevaile sometimes the soule is actually overtaken with sinne and falls it may be into some foule fact now this causeth casting downe to cure which Cause I shall speake something in particular when I have premised this one thing in generall viz. It must be confessed it is sad to fall into sinne Sadnesse After the soule hath been in Christs armes to fall into the pits of Satan for so sins are must needs goe to its heart indeed it goes to Christs He is offended really and mightily that any soules who have tasted his grace in pardoning past sins and knowen that such a pardon cost his bloud I say he is offended that such should afterward commit or fall into any sinne but yet all things weighed there may be much yea and enough said to cure and comfort a soule dejected because of falls into sin after grace As First Such a thing as this is consistent with grace This is that which causeth the dejection of such soules as fall into sinne Cure that they are thereby drawne to doubt the truth of their grace for say they surely had we been ever really and strongly wrought upon wee could never have failen into such and such sins But yet these soules should doe well to remember that Sampson fell againe and againe into the same sinne of wantounesse See Judg. 14.3 15.20 16.1 and yet he is in the Catalogue of the children of Abraham and reckoned up amongst the worthy beleevers Heb. 11. It s the opinion of many holy and wise persons that David fell more then once into the sinne of lying and that therefore he prayed to be kept from the way of it Psal 119.29 I mention not this to countenance much lesse to incourage presumptuous desperate sinners but only to cure perplexed and dejected Saints ye are deceived O ye dejected soules if you thinke your falls into sinne be inconsistent with grace Secondly Consider falls into sinne are not falls from salvation The Covenant of Grace is not made null by thy fall O cast-downe soule though Israel have played the Harlot yet Christ remaines a Husband Jer. 3.1.1.14 God did expresly say though thy children sinne and though I visite their sinnes with a rod yet my Covenant will I not breake Psal 89. Peradventure O soule thou art cast downe as thinking thy fall into sinne hath cut off the band of the Covenant but thou art mistaken Yea Thirdly There is a speciall salve prepared for this sore a particular cure for this cause of dejection viz. Promises of pardon after falls into sinne I LE HEALE BACK-SLIDINGS Hos 14.3 Surely that supposeth falls into sinne after grace for what else is backsliding and that directly proposeth pardon and healing to such soules Returne yee backsliding children and I will heale your backslidings Jer. 3.22 Marke O dejected soule Christ calleth thee to returne and he speakes to thee as to a Childe still notwithstanding thy falls into sinne therefore be thou advised to arise and to goe to him urge him with his promise and hee 'l make it good Neither is this my advice but the advice of the Lord. Heare him in Hos 14. O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God marke it thy God still for thou hast fallen see soule how he points at thy state by thine iniquity Take with you words and turne to the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Rise up therefore and obey this command and counsell and certainly in this case thou wilt finde cure and comfort CHAP. 17. Cure for soules dejected about the Covenant of Grace I Said that ignorance of the Covenant of Grace was likewise a cause and a chiefe cause of Spirituall dejection and therefore I hinted in the use of the first Section advice to study it I shall briefly offer something to this here for many times dejected soules cry out They are and may be well cast downe for alas they are not in that Covenant Cause Were I in the Covenant of Grace cryes the dejected soule I could rejoyce but alas I doubt it and therefore I am dejected Alas I finde many things in that Covenant promised which indeed I could wish but alas I want and how can I thinke I am in the Covenant when I have not the things promised in it in my owne soule c. But let me intreat thee a little to consider these particulars in order Cure to cure this cause of thy dejection First The things of the â—ovenant are not wrought all together there are many particulars promised as feare new spirit tender heart c. each of which is wrought in its time and order It is true the generall root of all these is given to the soule viz. The Divine nature but yet the particular branches spring up in their season Thou wouldest see all O soul but thou must stay the time and thou shalt Secondly Neither is any one particular perfectly wrought at once a soft heart is a thing wrought by degrees and to have the Law written in our hearts is businesse of time it is a long Copy which Christs Spirit is writing a long time As we are alway learning so that is alway writing Thou O poore soule wouldest have all together and at once and in truth who would not be glad if it might be to have it so but we must wait for this worke is not the businesse of a day but of our whole life Thirdly Christ knowes who are in Covenant though we doe not He is the Mediator of it and he may see and know that thou art in that Covenant though thou doe not The Father who hath made a Purchase in his owne name and his Childes may and doth know the Childe to be in the writing though the Childe doe not Christ your Father made the Covenant in the purchase of his Bloud on your behalfe and so knowes thy name to be in it though thou cannot see nor read it there by reason of thy infant age and condition of Childe-hood But Lastly Suppose it as thou fearest take hold of the Covenant now 1 It is a free Covenant reached out to poore sinners upon tearmes of grace Free Grace rich grace and not upon workes or qualifications It promiseth all things but it requires nothing but acceptance 2 It is a full Covenant it extends to all sinnes originall actuall great little to sins of ignorance and infirmity to sins of presumption and obstinacy I say therefore Arise O cast-down soule God in the Covenant of Grace calls to rebels and saith Let them take hold of my strength that they may make peace with me they shal Esa 27.5 He calls every one to come to incline his eare and saith Hee 'l make an everlasting Covenant with them even the sure mercies of David Isa 55.1 2. It may be thou thinkest that thou hast stood out too long It is true a day
is too long to be out of Covenant with God but yet it is not now too late To day if you will heare his voyce O therefore close with the Covenant now and doe not lye cast downe and dejected with feares that thou art out But arise and come in for now in these Gospel times even the Strangers and Eunuch debard in the times of the Law from the Congregation are invited to take hold of the Covenant and there are promises to this purpose made unto them in Esa 56. to which place I referre thee for a further cure in this case CHAP. 18. Cure for Soules cast downe upon indisposition to duties INdisposition unto good duties is oftentimes a cause of dejection Cause and by reason of it some are cast downe as conceiving it inconsistent with a life of grace and acceptation with God Now to cure this I shall apply these particular Plaisters First Life and indisposition may consist together Cure Every living man is not lively alway Even the Spouse of Christ was sometimes asleep Cant. 5.2 Even David himselfe cryes out of straitnesse of heart It is possible thy soule may sometimes be as a Ship at Sea without a full and fresh gale I may speake it I thinke as an universall truth Never was any Saint disposed to duties at all times alike and why shouldest thou be cast downe at the common Lot and condition of all Christians Secondly It is a mercy thou art not quite dead to duty Many a soule is starke dead to prayer starke dead to the Word c. and it is Free Grace thou art at worst but indisposed better is the crawling Snaile then the dead Elephant And it is a more blessed state to be a creeping worme though with much indisposition in the way of duty and life then a skipping heart though with much agility in the way of sinne and death Thirdly Though thy indisposednesse be sad yet thy trouble for this is sweet Note Blessed is the soule that mournes for disposition to evill and indisposition to good Time was when thou couldest live and not be troubled at a totall neglect of duty it is a mercy that now thou lovest it so well as that thou art grieved that thou canst doe it no better But Fourthly Consider thy acceptance with God doth not depend upon thy doing of duty nor upon thy livelinesse and disposition in doing no it depends solely upon his grace You are accepted in the beloved as it is in that precious place Eph. 1.6 Both thy person notwithstanding its faults and thy performances notwithstanding their failings are alwayes accepted in Christ he hath made us accepted in the beloved marke it it is not thou but God that makes thee I say MAKES thee not thy selfe that makest thy selfe accepted yea and this is in the Beloved not in our duties or dispositions but in the BELOVED i. e. in Christ Jesus I tell thee poore soule couldest thou doe well and with never so much life and disposition out of Christ it were nothing And contrary though thy doings be poore thy disposition poore all poore yet thou and all thine are accepted IN THE BELOVED Fifthly It is the office of Christ to present all thy performances to God and to procure acceptation in his bloud He takes away all thy failings and indispositions and he presents all to the Father well Minde this Duties goe never from Saints to God as they come out of their owne hands but as they goe through Christs Lastly Christ O dejected soule will cure thy indisposednesse Hee 'l inlarge thy heart and inliven thy spirit and then shalt thou not only walke but run the way of his Commandements when he shall inlarge thy heart as it is Psal 119 32. The Spirit is a Spirit of life power sweetnesse inlargement and this Spirit he hath promised So that these things sucked by meditation may afford cure and comfort to thee O dejected soule who art cast downe under the sence of indisposition to duties CHAP. 19. Cure for Soules cast downe upon want of incomes BUt alas sayes some other soule I doe but in vaine I doe not complaine of indisposition to though I might urge that but of want of income in duty Cause See the thing as it is stated Sect. 1. cap. 9. I confesse it is sad to be as the parched ground alway gaping and never to have drops from above Cure But yet O soule let me intreat thee to minde a few things in this case First Divine income is not alway the same Peradventure thou hast not so much now as formerly it may be so for First God gave thee much at first to incourage thee as a beginner which he doth not alway to all Vsually it is in Gods House as it is in ours at first comming of a Servant the Master is a little more familiar then afterward At first comming God might give much to welcome thee and to ingage thee but now thou hast been long in his house he mindes thee as much as formerly though he hint it not so often Besides Secondly God may with-hold incomes to try thee whether thou servest him for LOVE or for the LOAVES Many serve Christ not for himselfe but for themselves rather for the penny of income then for respect to him Now Christ may with-hold incomes to try thee and therefore be not cast downe for want of them lest thou give him ground to suspect thee but consider Secondly It is Christs Prerogative if he will use it to make us serve for nothing The Psalmist speakes it to the Kings Daughter of Christ He is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal 45.11 He must be worshipped as a Lord because of his greatnesse though hee should not give any income or wages Yet Thirdly He doth waite to give income in its season There are times when incomes will be most sweet and Christ doth waite for those times Christ said to his Mother Woman what have I to doe with thee Joh. 2. He knew there would by and by be a fitter season to doe that which she desired then at that time your time said Christ is alwayes my time is not yet come as it is Job 7 6. O remember dejected soule Christ waites to be gracious his income shall be when fittest for thee Fourthly It will argue a choyce frame of spirit in thee and therefore I mention it to presse it on thee to doe duty notwithstanding thou want income To worke without wages argues a love to the Master we work for a mercinary spirit wil doe for pay but a gracious childe-like spirit will pay its selfe in its doing and continue praying hearing receiving c. even without any income But Lastly To cure thy dejected soule who art troubled for want of income Know that in Heaven thou shalt have income for all The Master called the Servants at the evening and gave then to each his penny O consider thou shalt ere long have income
children even Christ himselfe Secondly Gods wrath is rather in appearance then in truth It is a Vizzard not thy Fathers face that lookes so terrible thy Fathers face is love all love only love fury is not in him only now he hath put on a Vizzard to scare thee a little and hee 'l lay it aside againe he doth but hide his face under that Maske hee 'l open it againe In a little wrath I hid my face from thee Isa 54.2 Marke it wrath is but a vaile that hides Gods face in it is not his reall face it is but as we say A copy of his countenance There is never a black letter in all Gods face especially as to his children no God is love it is his Name in love there is no unlovely letter Thou sayest God is angry it is true he appeares so Note this but he is not so As he is never truly pleased with sinners but is angry against them every day notwithstanding their conceit so he is never indeed displeased with Saints whatever they feele or feare But Thirdly All the anger and wrath of God is not against thy person but against thy sinne Suppose thy Childe be sick and wounded deeply wounded with some bloody gash or cut desperately sicke of some ugly Disease thou art displeased but with what with his Person with thy childe No but with his wound with his disease So it is with God he is only angry and displeased with thy sinne thy corruption and his rough hand which thou feelest is but to take away and purge out that he is wel pleased with thee Ephraim is a deare still though God speake against him his bowels are troubled for him as it is Jerem. 31.18 Againe Fourthly It is a mercy to be sensible and sorrowfull for Divine displeasure There is many a hard-hearted wretch in the world that slights God that makes a mock of sin and wrath too Blessed be God that thou as David canst say My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Psal 119.120 And Fifthly God will not contend nor be wroth for ever Your Fathers anger O sad soul wil over as we say i. e. wil goe away this cloud and storme wil not last alwayes Read O dejected soule Isa 57. heare God himselfe saying I will not contend for ever neither will I bee alwayes wroth for the spirit would faile before me and the soules which I have made For the iniquity of his covetousnesse I was wroth and smote him and he went on frowordly in the way of his heart I have seene his wayes and I will heale him I will lead him also and restore comfort unto him I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and I will heale him vers 16 17 18 19. Pray minde these healing words Christ will heale and restore comfort hee 'l not retaine his wrath hee 'l create peace out of that Chaos of confusion in which thou now art Though there be nothing but darknesse upon the face of thy deep so David called his dejection yet God who at first caused light to shine out of darknesse will shine into thy heart to give thee the knowledge of himselfe in the face of Christ as it is 2 Cor. 4.6 Beleeve this and rejoyce O dejected soule creating power is ingaged by promise to fill thee with peace who now cryest out of wrath Lastly The time is comming that thou shalt be for ever freed from so much as the very appearances of wrath In heaven you shall alwaies behold your Fathers face thy sunne shall no more goe downe by day there are no clouds in the heaven of heavens Mindest thou not what David said and he was sometimes dejected as thou art As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Psal 17. last Take in these crums of comfort O thou cast downe soule though I be but briefe and give only drops yet sip them and thou wilt finde them spirits O why art thou cast downe why art thou dejected Trust thou in God and expect him O tarry thou a little thy Lords leasure and thou shalt see him ere long come leaping over the mountaines appearing in his owne glorie and then shalt thou appeare with him inglory then shall he wipe away all teares from thine eyes and scatter all feares in thine heart yea then will he satisfie thee in all thy cases and cure thee of all these causes of dejection and then shalt thou praise him indeed as thy God Object Peradventure you will say he tarries long Reas It is true yet hee 'l come though he do tarry He said Yet a little while and ye shall see me it is but a little while indeed though it be long in thought Dejection and casting downe is not the posture you should be in no you ought to arise and WALKE to looke up and to waite to expect and looke out to lift up your heads and hearts and not to be cast downe O that Christ may finde more standing bearing up against all difficulties and under all dejections doing his work and suffering his wil with all faithfulnesse faith and patience Blessed wil our soules be if Christ at his comming finde us thus doing and saying worke O soule and waite for your Saviour who is now comming and whom you shall praise in that day saying Loe this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be glad in his Salvation Isa 25.9 SECT III. PSALM 42. ult Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me CHAP. 1. Another Doctrine raised and beld forth from the words I Have dispatched the fust Doctrine raised from the words And shall now proceed to the second which is It is the wisdome and should be the care of soules when they are cast down not to give way thereunto but to argue the case with themselves Thus doth David and his thus doing is the foundation of this Doctrine His practice hath in it the force of precept to command us without doubt we should imitate this pattern And it wil be our wisdome so to doe Two things there are which I posite and would presse in this point The first is That Christians dejected should not give way to dejection The second is That they should argue the case with their own soules Both these branches of the Doctrine are in Davids Expostulation The first Virtually the second formally David doth not say weep on O soul thou dost well He doth not say as Job in another case O turne away from me and suffer me to weep a little He doth not say as the Prophet Looke away from me I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me No this were to give way to his sadnesse this were to nourish his heavinesse But mark it he
not bee So here Why art thou cast down is as much as there is no cause or reason for this casting down of my selfe and giving way unto it for it should not be When our Lord perceived the dejection of his Disciples upon the thought of his departure he bids them not give way unto it Let not your hearts be troubled John 14.1 He saw a storme like that of waters arising in their spirits but he bids them not to give way unto it The word that is translated disquieted in this text The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used here Iob 14 1. and the Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe is as I opened a word used sometimes for the disquiet of waters Our Lord seems to allude to it for the word translated troubled signifies so as Waters are troubled Now mind it O poor dejected ones Christ saith you should not be dejected so nor give way unto it His word is imperative he saith let it not be both signifie a trouble as of waters I need not stand to prove it further This one Demonstration wil clear it We should not give way to that which we have no reason for But we have no reason to be dejected so as to be disquieted Therefore c. David indeed sought for a reason but hee found none He asked his soule why it was disquieted implying his judgement saw no reason for it But his soul doth not indeed could not make any rationall answer This question silenceth his soule As that in the Parable why diddest not give my mony into the banke that at my comming I might have required mine owne with usury Luk. 19.23 This question struck the idle servant dumb So here Why art cast down It strikes the soule dumb and it cannot answer nor give a reason for this dejection Christians Why should you be irrationall why should you give way to that which you cannot give a reason for You cannot at any time give any reason for your dejection unto that disquietnesse which we opened Your case is not cannot be miserable The Heathen could say The Diety being reconciled to him he could not be miserable Numine placato non miser esse queo Why Saints God is reconciled to you in Christ you cannot be miserable being reconciled Ah! Why should you that are blessed so as that you cannot be miserable I say why should you be dejected without doubt you can give no sollid reason for dejection therefore it should not be neither should you give way to it But as there is no reason for dejection so there are many reasons against it I shall insist only upon two Reasons why dejected Saints should not give way c. The Reasons are because dejection is 1 A Passion 2 Perillous First Dejection and disquiet is a Passion Now passions should be curbed not given way unto Passion is an unruly beast and wee should not let its reines loose Reason should moderate but Religion should mortifie all passions Col. 3.5 Amongst the rest of the things to be mortified passion is one Indeed we read it inordinate affection as if it were two words But it s in the originall onely one word which may be translated passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word which is used by the Syriack translators signifies sicknesse Indeed passion signifies a kind of suffering Passio derivator a patior Wee are commanded to mortifie our passions Not that Religion destroyes all passions but that regulates all Were sorrow and disquietnesse given way unto it were not regulated Certainly that sorrow which is irregular and hath no reason as wee said formerly must be mortified Casting downe disquietnesse troubles c. are passion and therefore not to be given way unto But Secondly T is perilous to give way unto disquietings There is danger in disquiet and to give way unto it is to give way to dangers This danger is three-fold viz. In regard of 1 It selfe 2 Satan 3 The Soule First There is danger in giving way to disquiet in regard of it selfe It will get ground and strength and the more its given way unto the harder it will be to rule Passion is an unruly beast which must be curbed and which if it have the reines loose wil grow master-lesse Disquiet is a disease and a disease of that nature which increaseth by degrees and every increase thereof is dangerous sorrow wil quickly overflow in case it be given way unto it s as a floud which if not stopt wil arise and over-flow all bankes Spirituall dejection is the soules Consumption now Consumptions increase if given way unto But Secondly T is dangerous to give way to dejection in regard of Satan hee 'l get ground by dejection Satan knowes how to make use of disquiets he would have sorrowfull soules to give way unto sorrow that so sorrow might swallow up the soule as t is 2 Cor. 2.7 The Apostle exhorts the Church to be tender of the dejected person who as some thinke had been excommunicated and filled with sorrow and dejection thereupon now the Apostle would have the Church to forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ingulphed as one sucked up and drowned in a gulph and comfort him least he should be swallowed up c. and least Satan should get an advantage as t is vers 11. Satan hath his devices and one of them is to make the soule give way to dejection then in the depth of dejection he comes with temptations to despaire and Self-murder c. And in truth experience tells us Satan hath a mighty advantage over us especially when we are dejected and give way unto it Thirdly It s dangerous to give way to dejection in regard of the soule it loseth ground thereby The soule is a great loser by dejection 1 The more its given way unto the weaker the soule is The soule much dejected is unfit for any service 't was this that unfitted the Disciples to watch it s said Christ found them sleeping for sorrow Luk. 22.45 sorrow brings one asleep both Naturall and Spirituall dejection causeth drowsinesse The soule when it gives way to dejection is thereby drowsie and the drowsie soule is unfit for duty Yea 2 The soule dejected is weakned unto warfare Sad soules are not fit for souldiers the cheerful soule is a Gyant refreshed with Wine it can fight the Lords Battels with courage The sad soule is liable unto cowardize As the joy of the Lord is our strength so the sorrow of our spirits is our weaknesse 3 The soule cast downe is unfit for comfort Sorrow given way unto shuts out joy and the more roome the one hath the lesse is left for the other Some soules when cast downe are so full of sorrow that there is scarce a hole for comfort to enter sorrow where it rules hath so many Centinels and Guards that its hard for comfort to get in unlesse it be by violence A sorrowful soule forgets to eate his
wherein this expostulation lyes The second thing followes i. e. Why should dejected soules thus expostulate the matter with themselves For this I might give many reasons I shall instance briefly in these five First Because God hath given to men as men much more to Saints as Saints a power and principle to expostulate with themselves Men have a judgement and conscience and surely these things should be made use of and improved as in other particulars so likewise in this It s the priviledge of men above beasts that they have a naturall faculty to argue and reason businesses within themselves and it s the priviledge of Saints above men that they can cast a restraint upon themselves as Doctor Sibs observed upon this text now its reason that we should reason the case with our soules fith God hath given us a faculty so to doe But Secondly Dejected soules should argue the case with themselves because many times they shall finde they are dejected caus-lesse As wicked men are sometimes in feare where no feare is i. e. where there is no just cause of feare So Saints are sometimes dejected when they have no just cause for it It s certaine that take dejection in the sence formerly opened a Saint hath never a just ground for it David said Wherefore should be feare in the dayes of evill when the iniquity of his heeles compasse him about Psal 49.5 his meaning is even then when all his sins did compasse him he had no cause to be afraid or cast downe But certainly many times even Saints are dejected for no just reason now we should therefore expostulate with our selves It s but a homely comparison yet sith it comes home to the matter I le use it Sometimes we are as fearefull Horses who flight and startle at every bush and shadow we feare even the shadowes of feare and we are cast downe when there is no substantiall ground It s but meet therefore that when we are cast downe we should argue the case with our selves and see what reason there is for it and what weight is in that reason Thirdly By reasoning or arguing with our seules we lay a stop in sorrowes way looke as it is in the point of finning so is it in the businesse of sorrow If sinners would but a little expostulate with themselves they would not run on in sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore the Psalmist saith Stand in awe and sinne not commune or expostulate with your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4.4 In like manner Saints would not give way unto sadnesse i. e. speake in your hearts if they did but commune and reason the case with themselves Did Saints but reason with sorrow thus Why art thou whither tendest thou what sweet is in thee c surely such a reasoning as this it would at least restraine sorrow and keep it under And to this Fourthly Christians or Saints cast downe should thus reason with themselves because this will be some excuse for them if they cannot prevaile That soule that gives way to sadnesse and in no kinde strives against and expostulates with it hath no excuse to plead as sinners that rush into sinne violently and willingly as the horse into the battell they have no excuse It s some though but a small excuse that a soule can say I strived against temptation I opposed corruption I expostulated with my soule against it so a soule that is carried downe the streame of sorrow may plead a little for its selfe if it hath done its best against it whereas if it gives way and expostulates not the matter at all its inexcusable The soule may with some boldnesse call for and with some confidence expect helpe from Christ to raise it being cast downe in case it can plead That it hath strived and expostulated with it selfe as well as it could Then Lastly A soule dejected should argue the case with its selfe because hereby he is fitter for cure This selfe-expostulation renders the minde willing to be convinced and it doth also make the soule fitter to open its case and condition Like as the person that hath examined and found out his disease is fitter for to make it known and so to be cured So is the soule that hath expostulated the businesse of his dejection with himselfe Many poore soules are not able to open their cases and one maine reason is they never did argue it with themselves but still let it run on till they are cast downe into a pit where they cannot see in as much therefore that selfe-expostulation doth so advantage dejected soules as to cure and satisfaction it s but reason that they should use it CHAP. 7. Some Vses of this Branch THis truth that dejected soules should argue the case with themselves serves both To 1 Reprove and 2 Direct First This truth reproves such as being cast downe never doe thus It s the fault and folly of many dejected hearts that they take it for granted and sure that they may and ought to be cast downe and therefore they never enquire into the matter nor expostulate or argue the thing at all they cry out oh they are cast downe but they never say Why or wherefore This they take for granted they have cause Surely you are to be reproved who goe sad and heavie all the day long and never argue with your selves Why is it Secondly and chiefly Be directed oh ye dejected soules what to doe in your dejection viz. argue or expostulate the businesse with your selves now for your direction herein take these rules 1 Be serious and solemne charge your soules againe and againe so doth David here observe here is not one why but two whyes First Why cast downe Secondly Why troubled why and why O be you very serious and keepe your hearts to it Doe not let thy heart be quiet till it indeed discover unto thee the true reason of its sadnesse 2 Be very cautious and sober doe not dispute too much nor inquire too farre Satan wil dispute too long and bring you into Labyrinths which you cannot get out off Doe not dive into the Divine decrees If thy soule say It s sad by thinking on them tell thy soule that those things are above thy reach and therefore are not to cause thy sorrow If thy soule urge particulars and positions about Predestination c. be not too curious to pry into those particulars nor to dispute those cases tell thy soule The Word is night thee even in thy heart and that this is the word of the Gospel viz. That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 3 Beware how you conclude against your soule because you cannot satisfie your selfe T is possible thy case may be satisfiable and yet thou art not able to doe it Doe not say I may and I must be cast downe for I cannot say any thing to the contrary I cannot satisfie my doubts and feares c. Why though thou
expostulates the matter with his owne soule he summons it to a reasoning He askes his soul why art thou cast down and he pursues the question again and saith why art thou disquieted within me CHAP. 2. Something premised in order to the first branch of the Point ERe I doe proceed to the proofe of the first branch I shall premise this viz. That the soule is apt to give way to dejections Dejected persons are very free to give way and to yeeld unto dejection Peradventure this may bee hinted here in this word cast downe and which may be rendred why dost thou cast downe thy selfe some read it quare conturbas me i.e. why dost thou O my soul trouble me The soule is apt to trouble it selfe Rachell wept and would not be comforted She gave so much way to weeping that she would not give way to comfort Are not my dayes a few saith Job cease then that I may mourne a little so some render that Ut plangum paululum Dolorem â—â—â—um Job 10.20 Sure Job did give way to his sorrow when he set himselfe as it were to weep And the Psalmist holds forth as much when hee saith my soul refuseth to be comforted Psa 77.3 Certainly he that refuseth comfort gives way to sorrow You dejected soules speake the truth is it not thus Do not you give way to sadnesse at least sometimes How oft do you dispute against your selves How oft do you maintaine your sorrowes How oft doe you argue against your comforts and flye from your comforters Surely you do often give way to sadnesse Now the reasons whence it comes to passe that dejected soules are proane to give way to sadnesse and dejection may be these First A strong conceit that they have reason so to do Oh-say many we may well weep and mourn we may wel be dejected and castdown we have reason for it so they conceit And albeit when the reason is told it appears light yet they are apt to conceit it weighty It s with dejected souls as it was with Micah when his carved Image his Ephod his Teraphim his graven Image and his Priest were taken away Hereupon he gathers together his servants and neighbours to pursue them that had stole them And being asked the reason he saith ye have taken away my gods c. and doe you aske me what aileth me He conceited hee had great reason to be troubled Even so many poore soules who have lost it may be but their Idolls Relations Parts Inlargements c. which they idolized they are cast downe and they give way to it as conceiting they had ground so to be Secondly Dejected soules are prone to give way to dejections From a strange kind of perversnesse which doth often times seize them especially in their sadnesse Even good Jonah was overtaken with this evill God sees him cast down and comes to him and saith Doest thou well to be angry and he said I do well to be angry even to the death Jonah 4.9 Ah Lord what a perverse speech is here How sweetly doth God reason with him God might have reprooved him have chid him but hee doth not he only askes him if it were well done as a loving father askes the sad child child dost well to be sad And yet observe Jonah's perversenesse I do well saith he yea I do well to be troubled unto death What a sullen speechis this Dejected soules is it not so with you sometimes Are not you perverse Doth not your soul say it s well to be sad This is another reason of your giving way thereunto Thirdly An over-high esteem of some things which the dejected soule hath lost makes it give way to sadnesse Soules doe over-value many things this makes them over sad many times Rachell did prize her children too high and that made her give way to sorrow so farre as that she would not be comforted because her children were not T is possible to prize even spiritual things too high as Parts Performances Ordinances c. And if we prize them too high we will soon give way to sorrow for want of them too farre Fourthly An opinion though groundlesse that it must be so makes many give way to sorrow and dejection Some conceit because t is said that blessed are they that mourn and woe to them that laugh c. Therefore the soule must be sad and heavy and dejected These Scriptures are mistaken and the mistake of them is the reason why many give way to dejection It s true Christ pronounced the mourners blessed but it was rather to stop their mourning then to increase it It was rather to give them joy then to give them ground to sorrow It s true also Christ did denounce woe to them that were merry and did laugh But it was such whose mirth was carnall and so madnesse Not to such as rejoyce in the Lord for that we are commanded to doe alwayes But yet from the mis-understanding of these and the like Scriptures dejected soules conceit a recessity of sadnesse that it must be and therefore they give way unto it Fiftly Some conceive that the truth of humiliation lyes in its depth and therefore they give way to dejection as conceiving that to be deep and true humiliation It was observed by an experienced Divine Dr. Sibs that men are deceived when they thinke a dejected spirit an humbled spirit Many a poor heart thinks its weeping its sorrow its going heavy c. to be true and deep humiliation and I wish some Preachers had not gon too far this way now upon this account it s no wonder if they give way to it Lastly It s the innate nature of melancholly to give way thereunto There is certainly a religious melancholly and some delight in it They conceive a kind of Divinity in dejection Sorrow hath a kind of sweetnesse in it And a soul cast downe is prone to feed upon its dejection There is an innate propensity in all sadnesse and melancholly as indeed there is in all the passions to feed and nourish it selfe And hence it is that souls cast down are prone to give way thereunto CHAP. 3. The first Branch proved that Christians should not give way to sadnesse HAving premised that we are prone to give way to sadnesse and dejection I shall now prove the contrary It s true de facto O dejected soules that you art prone to give way to your dejections But it s not true de jure I know by experience you are lyable to it but I know that it should not be It is your wisdom and it should be your care not to give way to your dejections and castings down The Text witnesseth it selfe clearely to this truth This question hath in it the force of a negation why art thou cast downe virtually is as much as thou shouldest not be cast down As Ier. 2.36 Why gaddest thou about c. It s as much as there is no cause for it and it should