blessing of others upon their children yet God hath promised a blessing to the offices of Communion of Saints performed by one private man towards another Can we have a greater incouragement then under God to be gainer of a soule which is as much in Gods esteeme as if we should gaine a world Spirituall almes are the best almes mercy shewed to the soules of men is the greatest mercie and wisedome in winning of soules is the greatest wisedome in the world because the soule is especially the man upon the goodnesse of which the happinesse of the whole man depends What shining and flourishing Christians should wee have if these duties were performed As wee have a portion in the communion of Saints so wee should labour to have humility to take good and wisedome and love to doe good A Christian should have feeding lips a healing tongue the leaves the very words of the tree of righteousnesse have a curing vertue in them Some will shew a great deale of humanity in comforting others but little Christianity for as kinde men they will utter some cheerefull words but as Christians they want wisedome from above to speake a gracious word in season Nay some there are who hinder the saving working of any affliction upon the hearts of others by unseasonable and unsavoury discourses either by suggesting false remedies or else diverting men to false contentments and so become spirituall traitors rather then friends taking part with their worst enemies their lusts and wills Happy is hee that in his way to heaven meeteth with a chearefull and skilfull guide and fellow-travellor that carrieth cordials with him against all faintings of spirit It is a part of our wisedome to salvation to make choice of such a one as may further us in our way An indifferency for any company shewes a dead heart where the life of grace is it is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages How many have beene refreshed by one short apt savoury speech which hath begotten as it were new spirits in them In ancient times as wee see in the Story of Iob it was the custome of friends to meet together to comfort those that were in misery and Iob takes it for granted that to him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friends for besides the presence of a friend which hath some influence of comfort in it 1. The discovery of his loving affection hath a cherishing sweetnesse in it 2. The expression of love in reall comforts and services by supplying any outward want of the patry troubled prevailes much thâ—… Christ made way for his comforts to the soules of men by shewing outward kindnesse to their bodies Love with the sensible fruits of it prepareth for any wholesome counsell 3. After this wholesome words carry a speciall cordiall vertue with them especially when the Spirit of God in the affectionate speaker joines with the word of comfort and thereby closeth with the heart of a troubled patient when all these concenter and meet together in one then is comfort sealed up to the soule The childe in Elizabeths wombe sprang at the presence and salutation of Mary the speech of one hearty friend cannot but revive the spirits of another Sympathy hath a strange force as wee see in the strings of an Instrument which being played upon as they say the strings of another instrument are also moved with it After love hath once kindled love then the heart being melted is fit to receive any impression unlesse both pieces of the iron bee red hot they will not joyne together two spirits warmed with the â—…ne heat will easily soâ—…der together §. 2. In him that shall stay the minde of another there had need to bee an excellent temper of many graces as 1. Knowledge of the grievance together with wisedome to speake a word in season and to conceale that which may set the cure backwards 2. Faithfulnesse with liberty not to concealâ—… any thing which may bee for his good though against present liking The very life and soule of friendship stands in freedome tempered with wisedome and faithfulnesse 3. Loue with compassion and patience to beare all and hope all and not to bee easily provoked by the way wardnesse of him we deale with Short spirited men are not the best comforters God himselfe is said to beare with the manners of his people in the wildernesse It is one thing to beare with a wise sweet moderation that which may be borne and another thing to allow or approve that which is not to be approved at all Where these graces are in the speaker and apprehended so to bee by the person distempered his heart will soone embrace whatsoever shall bee spoken to rectifie his judgement or affection A good conceit of the spirit of the speaker is of as much force to prevaile as his words Words especially prevaile when they are uttered more from the bowels then the braine and from our owne experience which made even Christ himselfe a more compassionate high Priest When men come to themselves againe they will bee the deepest censurers of their owne miscariage §. 3. Moreover to the right comforting of an afflicted person speciall care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance the coare must bee searched out if the griefe ariseth from outward causes then it must be carried into the right channell the course of it must bee turned another way as in staying of blood we should grieve for sinne in the first place as being the evill of all evills If the ground be sinne then it must be drawne to a head from a confused griefe to some more particular sinne that so wee may strike the right veine but if wee finde the spirit much cast downe for particular sinnes then comfort is presently to be applied But if the griefe be not fully ripe then as we use to help nature in its offers to purge by Physick till the sick matter be carried away so when conscience moved by the spirit begins to ease it selfe by confession it is good to help forward the worke of it till wee finde the heart low enough for comfort to be laid upon When Paul found the Iaylor cast downe almost as low as hell hee stands not now upon further hammering and preparing of him for mercie that worke was done already but presently stirres him up to beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ here being a fit place for an interpreter to declare unto man his righteousnesse and his mercy that belongs unto him after he hath acknowledged his personall and particular sins which the naturall guile of the heart is extreamely backward to doe and yet cannot receive any sound peace till it be done If signes of grace be discerned here likewise is a fit place to declare unto man the saving worke of grace in his heart which Sathan labours to hide from him Men oft are
aske what shall I doe for the time to come and then upon setling the soule in way of thankes will be ready to aske of it selfe What shall I returne to the Lord c. So that the soule by this dealing with it selfe promoteth it selfe to all holy duties till it come to heaven The reason why wee are thus backward to the keeping of this court in our selves is selfelove we love to flatter our owne affections but this selfe-love is but selfe-hatred in the end as the wiseman saies he that regards not this part of wisdome hates his owne soule and shall eate the fruits of his owne wayes 2. As likewise it issues from an irksomnesse of labour which makes us rather willing to seeme base and vile to our selves and others then to take paines with our owne hearts to be better as those that are weary of holding the reines give them up unto the horse necke and so are driven whither the rage of the horse caryeth them sparing a little trouble at first doubles it in the end as he who will not take the paines to cast up his bookes his bookes will cast up him in the end It is a blessed trouble that brings sound and long peace Thâ—… labour saves God a labour for therefore he judgeth us because wee would not take paines with our selves befor 3. And Pride also with a desire of liberty makes men thinke it to be a diminishing of greatnesse and freedome either to be curbed or to curbe oâ—… selves We love to be absolute and independant but this as it brought ruiâ—… upon our nature in Adam so it will upon our persons Men as Luther wâ—… wont to say are borne with a Pope iâ—… their belly they are loath to give 〈◊〉 account although it be to themselves their wils are instead of a kingdome 〈◊〉 them Let us therefore when any lawleâ—… passions begin to stir deale with oâ—… soules as God did with Ionah Doest thâ—… well to be angry to fret thus This wâ—… be a meanes to make us quiet For alâ—… what weake reasons have we often of strong motions such a man gave mee no respect such another lookt more kindly upon another man then upon me c. You have some of Hamans spirit that for a little neglect would ruine a whole nation Passion presents men that are innocent as guilty to us and because we will not seeme to bee mad without reason Pride commands the wit to justifie anger and so one Passion maintaines and feeds another Neither is it sufficient to cite the soule before it selfe but it must be pressed to give an account as we see here David doubles and trebles the expostulation as oft as any distemper did arise so oft did he labour to keep it downe If passions grow too insolent Elies mildnesse will doe no good It would prevent much trouble in this kinde to subdue betimes in our selves and others the first beginnings of any unruly passions and affections which if they be not well tutord and disciplined at the first prove as headstrong unruly and ill nurtured children who being not chastened in time take such a head thâ—… it is oft above the power of parenâ—… to bring them in order A childe set 〈◊〉 liberty saith Salomon breeds shame 〈◊〉 length to his parents Adonizeths example shewes this The like may be saâ—… of the affections set at liberty It is dangerous to redeeme a little quiet by yeelding to our affections which is never safely gotten but by mortificatioâ—… of them Those that are in great place 〈◊〉 most in danger by yeelding to themselves to loose themselves for they 〈◊〉 so taken up with the person for a tiâ—… put upon them that they both in loâ—… and speech and cariage often shâ—… that they forget both their natuâ—… condition as men and much more thâ—… supernaturall as Christians and theâ—… fore are scarce counsellable by othâ—… or themselves in those things that coâ—…cerne their severed condition that coâ—…cerneth another world Whereas iâ—… were most wisdome so to think of thâ—… place they beare whereby they are 〈◊〉 led gods as not to forget they must 〈◊〉 their person aside and die like men David himselfe that in this afflicted condition could advise with himselfe and checke himselfe yet in his free and flourishing estate neglected the counsell of his friends Agur was in jealousie of a full condition and lest instead of saying what have I done why am I thus cast downe c he should say Who is the Lord Meaner men in their lesser sphaere often shew what their spirits would be if their compasse were inlarged It is a great fault in breeding youth for feard of taking downe of their spirits not to take downe their pride and get victory of their affections whereas a proud unbroken heart raiseth us more trouble often then all the world beside Of all troubles the trouble of a proud heart is the greatest It was a great trouble to Haman to lead Mordecaies horse which another man would not have thought so the moving of a straw is troublesome to proud flesh And therefore it is good to heare the yoake from our youth It is better to bee taken downe in youth then to be broken in pieces by great crosses in age First or last selfe-deniall and victory over our selves is absolutely necessary otherwise faith which is a grace that requireth selfe-deniall will never bâ—… brought into the soule and beare ruâ—… there But what if pressing upon our soulâ—… will not help Then speake to God to Jesus Chriâ—… by prayer that as hee rebuked the windes and the waves and went upâ—… the Sea so hee would walke upon oâ—… soules and command a calme there 〈◊〉 is no lesse power to settle a peace in thâ—… soule then to command the seas to 〈◊〉 quiet It is Gods prerogative to rule 〈◊〉 the heart as likewise to give it up toâ—… selfe which next to hell is the greatâ—… judgement which should draw us 〈◊〉 the greater reverence and feare of 〈◊〉 pleasing God It was no ill wish of hiâ—… that desired God to free him from 〈◊〉 ill man himselfe CAP. VI. Other Observations of the same nature MOreover we see that a godly man can cast a restraint upon himselfe as David here staies himselfe in falling There is a principle of grace that stops the heart and puls in the reines againe when the affections are loose A carnall man when he begins to be cast down sinkes lower and lower untill he sinks into despaire as leade sinkes into the bottome of the sea They sunke they sunke like leade in the mighty waters A carnall man sinkes as a heavy body to the center of the earth and staies not if it be not stopped There is nothing in him to stay him in falling as we see in Achitophel and Saul who wanting a support found no other stay but the swords
point And the greater their parts and places are the more they intangle themselves and no wonder for they are to encounter with God and his deputy conscience who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords When Cain was cast out of his fatheâ—… house his heart and countenance wâ—… alwaies cast downe for he had nothing in him to lift it upwards But a godly man though he may give a little wâ—… to passion yet as David he recover himselfe Therefore as we would have any good evidence that we have a â—…ter spirit in us then our owne greate then the flesh or the world Let us 〈◊〉 all troubles we meet with gather 〈◊〉 our selves that the streame of our 〈◊〉 affections cary us not away too farre There is an art or skill of bearâ—… troubles If we could learne it with out overmuch troubling of our selves As in bearing of a burden there is a way so to poize it that it weigheth 〈◊〉 over heavy If it hanges all in one side it poizes the body downe The greater part of our troubles we pull upoâ—… our selves by not parting our care 〈◊〉 as to take upon us onely the care 〈◊〉 duty and leave the rest to God aâ—… by mingling our passions with oâ—… crosses like a foolish patient châ—…ing the pills which we should swallow downe We dwell too much upon the griefe when wee should remove the soule higher Wee are nearest neighbours unto our selves when we suffer griefe like a canker to eate into the soule and like a fire in the bones to consume the marrow and drink up the spirits we are accessary to the wrong done both to our bodies and soules we wast our owne candle and put out our light We see here againe that a godly man can make a good use of Privacy When he is forced to be alone he can talke with his God and himselfe one reason whereof is that his heart is a treasury and storehouse of divine truthes whence he can speake to himselfe by way of checke or incouragement of himselfe he hath a spirit over his own spirit to teach him to make use of that store he hath laid up in his heart the spirit is never neerer him then when by way of witnesse to his spirit he is thus comforted wherein the childe of God differs from another man who cannot endure solitarinesse because his heart is empty he was a stranger to God before and God is a stranger to him now So that hee cannot goe to God as a friend And for his conscience that is ready to speake to him that which he is loath to heare and therefore hee counts himselfe a torment to himselfe especially in privacy We read of great Princes who after some bloody designes were as terrible to themselves as they were formerly to others and therefore could never endure to be awaked in the night without Musique or some like diversion It may bee wee may bee cast into such a condition where we have none in the world to comfort us as in contagioâ—… sicknesse when none may come neare us we may be in such an estate wherein no friend will owne us And therefore let us labour now to bee acquainted with God and our owne hearts anâ—… acquaint our hearts with the comforâ—… of the holy Ghost then though wee have not so much as a booke to looke on or a friend to talke with yet weâ—… may looke with comfort into the book of our own heart and reade what God hath written there by the finger of his spirit all bookes are written to amend this one booke of our heart and conscience by this meanes we shall neverwant a Divine to comfort us a Physitian to cure us a Counseller to direct us a Musitian to cheare us a Controller to check us because by help of the word and spirit we can be all these to our selves Another thing we see here that God hath made every man a Governour over himselfe The poore man that hath none to governe him yet may bee a King in himselfe It is the naturall ambition of mans heart to desire governement as we see in the Braemble Well then let us make use of this disposition to rule our selves Absolom had high thoughts O If I were a King I would doe so and so So our hearts are ready to promise if I were as such and such a man in such and such a place I would doe this and that But how dost thou manage thine owne affections how dost thou rule in thine owne house in thy selfe doe not passions get the upper hand and keepe reason under foot When wee have learned to rule over our owâ—… spirits well then we may be fit to rule over others He that is faithfull in a little shall be set over more Hee that câ—… governe himselfe In the Wise-man judgement is better then he that can governe a City Hee that cannot is like a Citie without a wall where those that are in may goe out and the enemies without may come in at their pleasure So where there is not a governmeâ—… set up there finne breaks out and Setan breaks in without controule See againe the excellency of the soule that can reflect upon it selfe 〈◊〉 judge of whatsoever comes from it 〈◊〉 godly mans care and trouble is especially about his soule as David heâ—… looks principally to that because 〈◊〉 outward troubles are for to helpe thâ—… when God touches our bodies our estates or our friends hee aimes at 〈◊〉 soule in all God will never remove 〈◊〉 hand till something be wrought upon the soule as Davids moisture was as the drought in Summer so that hee roared and carried himselfe unseemely for so great and holy a man till his heart was subdued to deale without all guile with God in confessing his sinne and then GOD forgave him the iniquitie thereof and healed his body too In sicknesse or in any other trouble It is best the Divine should bee before the Physician and that men begin where God begins In great fires men looke first to their Jewels and then to their lumber so our soule is our best Jewel A carnall worldly man is called and well called a fleshly man because his very soule is flesh and there is nothing but the world in him And therefore when all is not well within hee cries out My Body is troubled my state is broken my friends faile me c. but all this while there is no care for the poor soule to settle a peace in that The possession of the soule is the richest possession no jewell so precious the account for our owne soules and the soules of others is the greatest account and therefore the care of soules should bee the greatest care What an indignity is it that we should forget such soules to satisfie our lusts to have our wils to bee vexed with any who by their judgement example or authority stopp as we suppose
when there is greatest neede thereof that so our hearts may be forced to put up that petition of the Disciples to God Lord increase our faith Lord helpe us against our unbeleeving hearts c. By prayer and holy thoughts stirred up in the use of the meanes we shall feele divine strength infused and conveyed into our soules to trust The more care we ought to have to maintaine our trust in God because besides the hardnesse of it it is a radicall and fundamentall grace it is as it were the mother root and great veyne whence the exercise of all graces have their beginning and strength The decay of a plant though it appeares first from the withering of the twigs and branches yet it arises chiefly from a decay in the roote So the decay of grace may appeare to the view first in our company carryage and speeches c. but the primitive and originall ground of the same is weaknesse of faith in the heart therefore it should be our wisedome especially to looke to the feeding of the roote we must 1. looke that our principles and foundation be good and 2. build strongly upon them and 3. repaire our building every day as continuall breaches shall be made upon us either by corruptions and temptations from within or without And wee shall finde that the maine breaches of our lives arise either frō false principles or doubts or mindlesnesse of those that are true All sin is a turning of the soul from God to some other seeming good but this proceeds from a former turning of the soule from God by distrust As faith is the first returne of the soule to God so the first degree of departing from God is by infidelity and from thence comes a departure by other sins by which as sinne is of a winding nature our unbeliefe more increaseth and so the rent and breach betwixt our soules and God is made greater still which is that Sathan would have till at length by departing further and further from him wee come to have that peremptory sentence of everlasting departure pronounced against us so that our departure from God now is a degree to separation for ever from him Therefore it is Sathans maine care to come betweene God and the Soule that so unloosing us from God wee might more easily be drawne to other things and if he drawes us to other things it is but onely to unloose our hearts from God the more for hee well knowes whilest our soules cleave close to God there is no prevailing against us by any created policy or power It was the cursed policy of Balaam to advise Balak to draw the people from God by fornication that so GOD might be drawne from them the sinne of their base affections crept into the very spirits of their minde and drew them from God to Idolatry Bodily adultery makes way for spirituall An unbeleeving heart is an ill heart and a treacherous heart because it makes us to depart from God the living God c. Therefore wee should especially take heed of it as wee love our lives yea our best life which ariseth from the union of our soules with God None so opposed as a Christian and in a Christian nothing so opposed as his faith because it opposeth whatsoever opposes God both within and without us it captivates and brings under whatsoever rises up against GOD in the heart and sets it selfe against whatsoever makes head against the soule And because mistake is very dangerous and wee are prone to conceive that to trust in God is an easie matter therefore it is needfull that we should have a right conceit of this trust what it is and how it may be discerned lest we trust to an untrusty trust and to an unsteady stay We may by what hath been said before partly discerne the nature of it to be nothing else but an exercise of faith whereby looking to God in Christ through the promises wee take off our soules from all other supports and lay them upon God for deliverance and upholding in all ill present or future felt or feared and the obtaining of all good which GOD sees expedient for us Now that we may discerne the truth of our trust in God the better wee must know that true trust is willing to be tryed and searched and can say to God as David Now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee and as it is willing to come to tryall so it is able to endure tryall and to hold out in opposition as appeares in David If faith hath a promise it will rely and rest upon it say flesh and bloud what it can to the contrary true faith is as large as the promise and will take Gods part against whatsoever opposes it And as faith singles not out one part of divine truth to beleeve and rejects another so it relyes upon God for every good thing one as well as another the ground whereof is this The same love of God that intends us heaven intends us a supply of all necessaries that may bring us thither A child that beleeves his father will make him Heire doubts not but he will provide him food and nourishment and give him breeding sutable to his future condition It is a vaine pretence to beleeve that God will give us heaven and yet leave us to shift for our selves in the way Where trust is rightly planted it gives boldnesse to the soule in going to God for it is grounded upon the discovery of Gods love first to us and seeth a warrant from him for whatsoever it trusts him for though the things themselves be never so great yet they are no greater then God is willing to bestow againe trust is bold because it is grounded upon the worthinesse of a Mediator who hath made way to Gods favour for us and appeares now in heaven to maintain it towards us Yet this boldnesse is with humility which carryes the soule out of it selfe and that boldnesse which the soule by trust hath with God is from God himself it hath nothing to alleadge from it selfe but its owne emptinesse and Gods fulnesse it s owne sinfulnesse and Gods mercy it s owne humble obedience and Gods command hence it is that the true beleevers heart is not lifted up nor swells with selfe confidence as trust comes in that goes out trust is never planted and growes but in an humble and low soule trust is a holy motion of the soule to God and motion arises from want those and those only seek out abroad that want succour at home Plants move not from place to place because they finde nourishment where they stand but living creatures seeke abroad for their food and for that end have a power of mooving from place to place and this is the reason why trust is expressed by going to God Hereupon trust is a dependant grace answerable to our dependant condition
sword It is a businesse more of the heart then of the tongue more of groanes then of words which groanes and sighes the Spirit will alwayes stirre up even in the worst condition Yet for parts there is no member but it is fitted with some abilities to doe service in the body and by faith may grow up to a greater measure For God calls none to that high condition but whom in some measure hee fits to bee an usefull member and endues with a publique spirit But that is the measure which Christ thinkes fit who will make up that in the body which is wanting in any parâ—…lar member God will encrease the â—…asure of our gifts as occasion shall 〈◊〉 offered to draw them forth for there is not the greatest but may have 〈◊〉 both of the parts and graces of the â—…nest in the Church And here the â—…le may by a spirit of faith goe to God in this maner Lord the estate of Christianity unto which thy love in Christ hath called and advanced mee is an high condition and there is need of a great measure of grace to uphold the credit and comfort of it Whom thou callest unto it thou dost in some â—…asure furnish to walke worthy of it Let this be an evideÌ„ce to my soul of the â—…th of thy call that I am enabled by the Spirit for those duties that are required in confideÌ„ce of which assistaÌ„ce I will set upoÌ„ the work Thou hast promised to give wisdome to theÌ„ that ask it to â—…id none with their unworthinesse Nay thou hast promised the spirit of all grace to those that begge it it is that which I need and it is no more then thou hast promised Onely it must bee remembred that we doe not walke above our parts and graces the issue whereof will be discouragement in our selves and disgrace from others The like may be said for our particular calling wherein we are to expresse the graces of our Christian calling and serve one another in love as members of the State as well as of the Church therefore every one must have 1. a calling 2. a lawfull 3. a usefull calling 4. a calling fitted for his parts that he may be even for his businesse 5. a lawfull entrance and calling thereunto 6. and 〈◊〉 lawfull demeanour in the same Though the Orbe and Sphere we walâ—… in be little yet we must keepe within the bounds of it because for our cariage in that wee must give a strict account and there is no calling so meane but a man shall finde enough to give a good account for Our care must be to know our worke and then to doe it and so to doe it as if it were unto God with conscience of moderate diligence for over-doing and overworking any thing comes either from ostentation 〈◊〉 distrust in God And negligence is 〈◊〉 farre from getting any blessing that â—…rings us under a curse for doing Gods 〈◊〉 negligently For we must thinke 〈◊〉 callings to be services of God who 〈◊〉 appointed us our standing thereâ—… That which belongs to us in our calâ—…ng is care of discharging our duty 〈◊〉 which God takes upon him is assiâ—…ce and good successe in it Let us â—…e our worke and leave God to doe 〈◊〉 owne Diligence and trust in him 〈◊〉 onely ours the rest of the burthen is 〈◊〉 In a Family the Fathers and the â—…sters care is the greatest the childs 〈◊〉 is onely to obey and the servants 〈◊〉 doe his worke care of provision and â—…ection doth not trouble them Most of our disquietnesse in our calling 〈◊〉 that wee trouble our selves about 〈◊〉 worke Trust God and be doing 〈◊〉 let him alone with the rest Hee â—…nds upon his credit so much that it â—…ll appeare we have not trusted him â—…vaine even when we see no appearance of doing any good Peter fishâ—… all night and catched nothing yet up on Christs word hee casts in his net againe and caught so many fish as brakâ—… his net Covetousnesse when men wiâ—… be richer then God would have them troubles all it troubles the house the whole family and the house within uâ—… our precious soule which should bee 〈◊〉 quiet house for Gods spirit to dwell in whose seat is a quiet spirit If meâ—… would follow Christs method and seeke first the Kingdome of heaven all other things would bee cast upon them If thoughts of insufficiency in our places discourage us remember what God saith to Moses when he pretended disability to speake Who hath made 〈◊〉 mouth have not I the Lord All oâ—… sufficiency for every calling is from God But you will say Though by Gods blessing my particular condition be comfortable yet the state of Gods people abroad 〈◊〉 the miseries of the times disquiet me We complaine of the times but let us take heed wee bee not a part of the misery of the times that they be not 〈◊〉 worse for us Indeed hee is a dead â—…mber that takes not to heart the ill 〈◊〉 the times yet here is place for that â—…plaint Help Lord. In these temâ—… doe as the Disciples did Cry to â—…ist to rebuke the tempests and â—…mes This is the day of Iacobs trouâ—… let it also be the day of Iacobs trust 〈◊〉 the body doe as the head did in the 〈◊〉 case and in time it shall bee with 〈◊〉 body as it is with the head In this case it is good to lay before 〈◊〉 all the promises made to his â—…rch with the examples of his preâ—… in it and deliverance of the same â—…rmer times God is never neerer 〈◊〉 Church then when trouble is neere â—…en in earth they conclude an utter â—…throw God is in heaven concludeâ—… a glorious deliverance usually afâ—… the lowest ebbe followes the highâ—… spring tide Christ stands upon 〈◊〉 Zion There is a Counsell in â—…aven that will dash the mould of all â—…trary Counsels on earth and â—…ich is more God will worke the raising of the Church by that very meanes by which his enemies seek to ruine it Let us stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord. God gave too deare a price for his Church to suffer it long in the hands of mercilesse enemies As for the seeming flourishing of the enemies of Gods Church it is but for a time and that a short time and a measured time The wicked plot against the just they are plotters and plowers of mischiefe they are skilfull and industrious in it but they reape their owne ruine Their day is a comming and their piâ—… is in digging take heed therefore of fretting because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to passe for the armes of the wicked shall be broken Wee should help our faith by observing Gods executing of judgement in this kinde It cannot but vexe the enemies of the Church to see at length a disappointing of their projects but then to see the mould of all their
in him If we will not trust in salvation what will we trust in and if salvation it self cannot save us what can out of salvation there is nothing but destruction which those that seeke it any where out of God are sure to meet with How pittifull then is their case who goe to a destroyer for salvation that seeke for help from hell Here also we see to whom to return praise in all our deliverances even to the God of our salvation The virgin Mary was stirred up to magnifie the Lord but why Her spirit rejoyced in God her Saviour Whosoever is the instrument of any good yet salvation is of the Lord whatsoever brings it hee sends it Hence in their holy feasts for any deliverance the cup they drank of was called the Cup of salvation and therefore David when he summons his thoughts what to render unto God hee resolves upon this to take the Cup of salvation But alwayes remember this that when we thinke of God as salvation wee must thinke of him as hee is in Christ to his For so every thing in God is saving even his most terrible attributes of justice and power out of Christ the sweetest things in God are terrible Salvation it selfe will not save out of Christ who is the onely way of salvation called the way the truth and the life David addeth He is the salvations of my countenance that is hee will first speake salvation to my soule and say I am thy salvation and when the heart is cheered which is as it were the Sâ—… of this little world the beames of that joy will shine in the countenance True joy begins 〈◊〉 the center and so passeth to the circumference the outward man The countenance is as the glasse of the soul wherein you may see the naked face of the soule according as the severall affections thereof stand In the coutenance of an understanding creature you may see more then a bare countenance The spirit of one man may see the countenance of anothers inner man in his outward countenance which hath a speech of its owne and declares what the heart saith and how it is affected But how comes God to be the salvation of our countenance Answ. I answer God onely graciously â—…nes in the face of Jesus Christ which 〈◊〉 with the eye of faith beholding receive those beames of his grace and reâ—…ct them backe againe God shineth â—…on us first and we shine in that light â—…f his countenance upon us The joy of salvation especially of spirituall and â—…all salvation is the onely true joy all other salvations end at last in destruction and are no further comfortable then they issue from Gods saving love God will have the body partake with the soule as in matter of griefe so in matter of joy the lanthorne shines in the light of the Candle within Againe God brings forth the joy of the heart into the countenance for the further â—…eading and multiplying of joy to others Next unto the sight of the sweet countenance of God is the beholding of the cheerefull countenance of a Christian friend rejoycing from true grounds Whence it is that the joy of one becomes the joy of maâ—… and the joy of many meet in one by which meanes as many lights together make the greater light so many lightsome spirits make the greater light of spirit and so God receiveth the more praise which makes him so much to delight in the prosperity of his children Hence it is that in any deliverance of Gods people the righteous doe compasse them about to know what God hath done for their soules and keep a spirituall Feast with them in partaking of their joy And the godly have cause to joy in the deliverance of other Christians because they suffered in their afflictions and it may be in their sinnes the cause of them which made them somewhat ashamed Whence it is that Davids great desire was that those who feared God might not be ashamed because of him insinuating that those who feare Gods name are ashamed of the falls of Gods people Now when God delivers them this reproach is removed and those that had part in their sorow have part in their joy Againe God will have salvation so open that it shall appeare in the countenance of his people the more to daunt and vexe the enemies Cainish hypocrites hang downe their heads when God lifts up the countenance of their brethren when the countenance of Gods children cleares up then their enemies hearts and looks are cloudy Ierusalems joy is Babylons sorow It it with the Church her enemies as it is with a ballance the scales whereof when one is up the other is downe Whilst Gods people are under a cloud carnall people insult over them as if they were men deserted of God Wherupon they hang down their heads the rather because they think that by reason of their sins Christ his Religion will suffer with them Hence Davids care was that the miseries of Gods people should not be told in Gath. The chief reason why the enemies of the Church gnash their teeth at the sight of Gods gracious dealing is that they take the rising of the Church to bee a presage of their ruine A lesson which Hamans wife had learned This is a comfort to us in these times of Iacobs trouble and Zions sorrow The captivity of the Church shall returne as rivers in the South Therefore the Church may say Reioyce not over me O my enemy though I am fallen I shall rise againe Though Christs Spouse be now as black as the Pots yet shee shall be white as the Dove If there were not great dangers where were the glory of Gods great deliverance The Church at length will be as a Cup of trembling and as a burthensome stone The blood of the Saints cry their enemies violence cryes the prayers of the Church cry for deliverance and vengeance upon the enemies of the Church and as that importunate widow will at length prevaile Shall the importunity of one poore woman prevaile with an unrighteous Iudge and shall not the prayers of many that cry unto the righteous God take effect If there were Armies of Prayers as there are Armies of men wee should see the streame of things turned another way A few Mosesâ—… the Mount would doe more good then many souldiers in the valley If wee would lift up our hearts and hands to God he would lift up our countenance But alas wee either pray not or crosse our owne prayers for want of love to the truth of God and his people It is wee that keepe Antichrist and his faction alive to plague the unthankfull world The strength he hath is not from his owne cause but from our want of zeale we hinder those Halâ—…luiahs by private brabbles coldnesse and indifferency in Religion The Church begins at this time a little to lift up
of it neither is 〈◊〉 to bee attained or maintained without the strength and prime of our care I speake especially of and in regard of the sense and comfort of it For the sense of Gods favour will not bee kept without keeping him in our best affections above all things in the world without keeping of our hearts alwayes close and neere to him which cannot bee without keeping a most narrow watch over our loose and unsetled hearts that are ready to stray from God and fall to the creature It cannot be kept without exact and circumspect walking without constant self-deniall without a continuall preparation of spirit to want and forsake any thing that God seeth fit to take from us But what of all this Can we crosse our selves or spend our labours to better purpose one sweet beam of Gods countenance will requite all this We beat not the ayre we plow not in the sand neither sowe in a barren soile God is no barren wildernesse Nay hee never shewes so much of himselfe as in suffering and parting with any thing for him and denying our selves of that which wee thinke stands not with his will Great persons require great observance We can deny our selves and have mens persons in great admiration for hope of some advantage and is any more willing and more able to advance â—…s then the great al-sufficient God A Christian indeed undergoes more troubles takes more paines especially with his owne heart then others doe But what are these to his gaines What returne so rich as trading with God What comforts so great as these that â—…re fetched from the fountaine One day spent in enjoying the light of Gods countenance is sweeter then a thousand without it Wee see here when David was not onely shut out from all comforts but lay under many grievances what a fruitfull use he makes of this that God was his God It upholdâ—…h his dejected it stilleth his unquiet soule it leadeth him to the rock that was higher then he and there stayeth him It â—…eth him with comfortable hopes of better times to come It sets him above himselfe and all troubles and feares whatsoever Therefore waite still in the use of meanes till God shine upon thee yea though wee know our sinnes in Christ are pardoned yet there is something more that a gracious heart waites for that is a good looke from God a further enlargement of heart and an establishing in grace It was not enough for David to have his sinnes pardoned but to recover the joy of salvation and freedome of spirit Therefore the soul should alwayes be in a waiting condition even untill it bee filled with the fulnesse of God as much as it is capable of Neither is it quiet alone or comfort alone that the soule longs after no nor the favour of God alone but a gracious heart to walke worthy of God It rests not whilest any thing remaines that may breed the least strangenesse betwixt God and us CHAP. XXXIII Of experience and Faith and how to wait on God comfortably Helps thereto My God THese words further imply a speciall experience that David's soule had felt of the goodnesse of God hee had found God distilling the comfort of his goodnesse and truth through the promises and he knew he should finde God againe the same he was if hee put him in minde of his former gracious dealing His soule knew right well how good God was and he could seal to those truths he had found comfort by therefore he thus speakes to his soule My soule what my soule that hast found God so good so oft so many wayes thou My soule to be discouraged having God and My God with whom I have taken so much sweet counsell and felt so much comfort from and found alwayes heretofore to sticke so close unto me Why shouldst thou now bee in such a case as if God and thou haâ—… beene strangers one to another If we could treasure up experiments the former part of our life would come in to help the latter and the longer we live the richer in faith we should be Even as in victories every former overthrow of an enemy helps to obraine a succeeding victory The use of a sanctified memory is to lose nothing that may help in time of need Hee had need be a well tryed and a known friend upon whom wee lay all our salvation and comfort We ought to trust God upon other grounds though wee had never tryed him but when hee helps our faith by former experience this should strengthen our confidence and shore up our spirits and put us on to goe more cheerefully to God as to a tried friend If we were well read in the story of our owne lives wee might have a divinity of our owne drawn out of the observation of Gods particular dealing towards us we might say this this truth I dare venture upon I have found it true I dare build all my happinesse upâ—… it As Paul I know whom I have trustâ—…d I have tryed him he never yet failed â—…e I am not now to learn how faithfull â—…e is to those that are his Every new experience is a new knowledge of God â—…nd should fit us for new encounters If we have been good in former times God remembers the kindnesse of our â—…uth we should therefore remember the kindnesse of God even from our youth Evidence of what we have felt helps our faith in that which for the present we feele not Though it bee one thing to live by saith and another thing to live by sight yet the more wee see and feele and â—…aste of God the more we shall be led â—…o rely on him for that which as yet we neither see nor feele Because thou hast â—…een my helper saith David therefore in â—…be shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce The time was Lord when thou shewedst thy selfe a gracious Father to me and thou art unchangeable in thy nature in â—…hy love and in thy gifts Yea when there is no present evidence but God shewes himselfe 〈◊〉 contrary to us yet a former taste 〈◊〉 Gods goodnesse will enable to lay claime unto him still Gods concealing of himselfe is but a wise discipline for a time untill we be enabled to beare the full revealing of himselfe unto us for ever In the meane time though we have some sight and feeling of God yet our constant living is not by it the evidence of that we see not is that which more constantly upholds the soule then the evidence of any thing we see or feele Yea though our experience by reason of our not minding of it in trouble seemes many times to stand us in no stead but we fare as if God had never looked in mercy upon us Yet even here some vertue remaines of former sense which with the present spirit of faith helps us to looke upon God as ours As wee have a present strength from food received and digested before
425 28 Divers qualities of the praise due to God With helps therein And notes of Gods hearing our prayers 439 29 Of Gods manifold salvation for his people And why open or expressed in the countenance 463 30 Of God our God and of particular application 477 31 Meanes of proving and evidencing to our soules that God is our God 495 32 Of improving our evidences for comfort in several passages of our lives 508 33 Of experience and Faith and how to wait on God comfortably Helps thereto 529 34 Of confirming this trust in God Seeke it of God himselfe Sins hinder not nor Satan Conclusion and Soliloquite 548 IN OPVS POSTHVMVM ADMODVM REVERENDI mihique multis Nominibus colendi RICHARDI SIBBS S. T. Professoris Aulae S tae Cath. Praefecti digniss mi. VAdé Liber pie Dux Animae pie Mentis Achates Te relegens Fructu ne pereunte legat Quà m foelix prodis Prae sacro Codice sordent Bartole sive tui sive Galene tui Fidus Praeco DEI coelestis Cultor Agelli Affidui Pretium grande Laboris habet Quo Mihi nec Vitâ melior nec promptior Ore Gratior aut Vultu nec fuit Arte prior Nil opus ut Nardum Caro combibat uncta Sabaum Altà ve marmoreus Sydera tangat Apex Non eget HIC Urna non Marmoreâ—…empe â—…empe Volumen Stats sacrum vivax Marmor Urna Pro. Qui CHRISTO vivens incessit Tramite Coeli Aethereumque obiit Munus obire nequit Ducit Hic Angelicis equalta saecula Lustris Qui VERBO Studium contulit omne suum Perlegat Hunc Legum Cultrix Veneranda Senecths Et quos plena DEO Mens super Astra vehit Venduntur quanti circum Palatia Fumi Hic sacer ALTARIS CAREO minoris erit Heu Pietas ubi prisca prosana ô Tempora Mundi Faex Vesper prope Nox ô Mora CHRISTE veni Si valuere Preces unquam Custodia CHRISTI Nunc Opus est Precibus nunc Ope CHRISTE tuâ Certat in humanis Vitiorum Infamia rebus Hei mihi nulla novis sufficit Herba Malis Probra referre pudet nec ènim decet Exprobret illa Qui volet Est nostrum stere silendo queri Flere Tonabo tuas Pietas neglecta querelas Quid non Schisma Tepor Fastus Astus agunt Addo-Sed Historicus TACITUS suit optimus Immo Addam Sphaerarum at Music a muta placet EDV o BENIOSIO Cressingae Templariorum Prid. Cal. Febr. M DC XX XV. On the Work of my learned Friend DOCTOR SIBBS FOole that I was to think my easie Pen Had strength enough to glorifie the fame Of this knowne Author this rare Man of men Or give the least advantage to his name bright Who think by praise to make his name more Show the Sunns Glory by dull Candle-light Blest Saint thy hallow'd Pages doe require No slight preferment from our slender Layes We stand amaz'd at what we most admire Ah what are Saints the better for our praise Hee that commends this Volume does no more Then warme the fire or gild the massie Ore Let me stand silent then O may that Spirit Which ledd thy hand direct mine eye my brest That I may reade and doe and so inherit What thou enjoy'st and taught eternall Rest Foole that I was to think my Lines could give Life to that work by which they hope to live FRA QVA THE SOVLES CONFLICT with it selfe PSAL. XLII Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God THe Psalmes are as it were the Anatomy of a holy man which lay the inside of a truely devour man outward to the view of others If the Scriptures bee compared to a body the Psalmes may well be the heart they are so full of sweet affections and passions For in other portions of Scripture God speakes to us but in the Psalmes holy men speake to God and their own hearts as In this Psalme we have the passionate passages of a broken and a troubled spirit At this time David was a banished man banished from his owne house from his friends and which troubled him most from the house of God upon occasion of Sauls persecution who hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountaines see how this workes upon him 1. He layes open his desire springing from his love Love being the prime and leading affection of the soule from whence griefe springs from being crossed in that we love For the setting out of which his affection to the full hee borroweth an expressioÌ„ from the Hart no Hart being chased by the hunters panteth more after the waters then my heart doth after thee O God though hee found God present with him in exile yet there is a sweeter presence of him in his ordinances which now hee wanted and tooke to heart places and conditions are happy or miserable as God vouchsafeth his gratious presence more or lesse and therefore When O when shall it bee that I appeare before God 2. Then after his strong desire hee laies out his griefe which he could not containe but must needs give a vent to it in teares and he had such a spring of griefe in him as fedde his teares day and night all the ease he found was to dissolve this could of grief into the showre of teares But why gives he this way to his griefe Because together with his exiling from Gods house he was upbrayded by his enemies with his religion where is now thy God Grievances come not alone but as Iobs messengers follow one another These bitter taunts together with the remembrance of his former happinesse in communion with God in his house made deepe impressions in his soule when he remembred how hee went with the multitude into the house of God and ledde a goodly traine with him being willing as a good Magistrate and Master of a familie not to goe to the house of God alone nor to heaven alone but to carry as many as he could with him Oh! the remembrance of this made him powre forth not his words or his teares onely but his very soule Former favours and happinesse makes the soule more sensible of all impressions to the contrarie hereupon finding his soule over sensible he expostulates with himselfe Why art thou cast downe O my souls and why art thou disquieted within me c. But though the remembrance of the former sweetnes of Gods presence did somewhat stay him yet his grief would not so be stilled and therefore it gathers upon him againe one griefe called upon another as one deep wave follows another without intermission untill his soule was almost over whelmed under these waters yet he recovers himselfe a little with looking up to God who he expected would with speed and authoritie send forth his loving kindnesse with command to raise him up and comfort him and give
him matter of songs in the night For all this his unrulie griefe will not be calmed but renues assaults upon the returne of the reproach of his enemies Their words were as swords unto him and his heart being made very tender and sensible of griefe these sharp words enter too deepe and thereupon he hath recourse to his former remedie as being the most tryed to chide his soule and charge it to trust in God CAP. I. Generall Observations upon the Text. HEnce in generall wee may observe that Griefe gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first We see here passions intermingled with comforts and comforts with passions and what bustling there is before David can get the victorie over his owne heart You have some short spirited Christians that if they be not comforted at the first they thinke all labour with their hearts is in vaine and thereupon give way to their griefe But we see in David as distemper ariseth upon distemper so he gives check upon check and charge upon charge to his soule untill at length hee brought it to a quiet temper In Physick if one purge will not carry away the vicious humour then wee adde a second if that will not doe it we take a third So should wee deale with our soules perhaps one check one charge will not doe it then fall upon the soule againe send it to God againe and never give over untill our soules be possessed of our soules againe Againe In generall observe in Davids spirit that a gracious and living soule is most sensible of the want of spirituall meanes The reason is because spirituall life hath answerable taste and hunger and thirst after spirituall helps Wee see in nature that those things presse hardest upon it that touch upon the necessities of nature rather then those that touch upon delights for these further onely our comfortable being but necessities uphold our being it selfe we see how famine wrought upon the Patriarks to go into Aegypt Where we may see what to judge of those who willingly excommunicate themselves from the assemblies of Gods people where the Father Son and Holy Ghost are present where the prayers of holy men meete together in one and as it were binde God and pull downe Gods blessing No private devotion hath that report of acceptance from heaven A third generall point is that a godly soule by reason of the life of grace knowes when it is well with it and when it is ill when it is a good day with it and when a bad when God shines in the use of meanes then the soule is as it were in heaven when God withdrawes himself then it is in darknesse for a time Where there is but onely a principle of nature without sanctifying grace there men go plodding on and keep their rounds and are at the end where they were at the beginning not troubled with changes because there is nothing within to be troubled and therefore dead means quicke meanes or no meanes all is one with them an argument of a dead soul. And so we come more particularly and directly to the wordes Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me c. The words imply 1 Davids state wherein he was and 2 expresse his carriage in that state His estate was such that in regard of outward condition he was in variety of troubles and that in regard of inward disposition of spirit he was first cast downe and then disquieted Now for his carriage of himselfe in this condition and disposition he dealeth roundly with himselfe David reasoneth the case with David and first checketh himselfe for being too much cast downe and then for being too much disquieted And then layeth a charge upon himselfe to trust in God wherein we have the duty he chargeth upon himselfe which is to trust in God and the grounds of the duty First from confidence of better times to come which would yeeld him matter of praising God And then by a representation of God unto him as a saving God in al troubles nay as salvation it selfe an open glorious Saviour in the view of all The salvation of my countenance and all this enforced from Davids interest in God He is my God Whence observe first from the state he was now in that since guilt and corruption hath been derived by the fall into the nature of man it hath been subjected to miserie and sorrow and that in all conditions from the King that sitteth on the Throne to him that grindeth on the Mill. None ever hath beene so good or so great as could raise themselves so high as to be above the reach of troubles And that choice part of mankind the first fruits and excellency of the rest which we call the Church more then others which appeares by consideration both of the Head the Body and members of the Church For the Head Christ he tooke our flesh as it was subject to miserie after the fall and was in regard of that which he endured both in life and death a man of sorrowes For the Body the Church It may say from the first to the last as it is Psal. 129. From my youth up they have afflicted me The Church beganne in blood hath growen up by blood and shall end in blood as it was redeemed by blood For the members they are all predestinate to a conformitie to Christ their Head as in grace and Glory so in abasement Rom. 8. 29. neither is it a wonder for those that are born soldiers to meet with conflicts for travailers to meete with hard usage for seamen to meete with storms for strangers in a strange country especially amongst their enemies to meete with strange entertainment A Christian is a man of another world and here from home which hee would forget if he were not exercised here and would take his passage for his country But though all Christians agree and meete in this that through many afflictions we must enter into heaven Yet according to the diversity of place parts and grace there is a different cup measured to every one And therefore it is but a plea of the flesh to except against the Crosse Never was poore creature distressed as I am this is but selfe-love for was it not the case both of Head Body and members as we see here in David a principall member When hee was brought to this case thus to reason the matter with himselfe Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me From the frame of Davids spirit under these troubles wee may observe that as the case is thus with all Gods people to be exercised with troubles so They are sensible of them oftentimes even to casting downe and discouraging And the reason is they are flesh and blood subject to the same passions and made of the
same mould subject to the same impressions from without as other men And their nature is upheld with the same supports and refreshings as others the withdrawing and want of which affecteth them And besides those troubles they suffer in Common with other men by reason of their new advancement and their new disposition they have in and from Christ their Head they are more sensible in a peculiar maner of those troubles that any way touch upon that blessed condition from a new life they have in and from Christ which will better appeare if we come more particularly to a discovery of the more speciall causes of this distemper some of which are 1 Without us 2 Some within us CAP. II. Of discouragements from without 1. GOD himselfe who sometimes withdrawes the beames of his countenance from his children whereupon the soule even of the strongest Christian is disquieted when together with the crosse God himselfe seemes to be an enemie unto them The child of God when hee seeth that his troubles are mixed with Gods displeasure and perhaps his conscience tells him that God hath a just quarrell against him because he hath not renewed his peace with his God then this anger of God puts a sting into all other troubles and addes to the disquiet There were some ingredients of this divine temptation as wee call it in holy David at this time though most properly a divine temptation bee when God appeares unto us as an enemy without any speciall guilt of any particular sin as in Iobs case And no marvaile if Christians bee from hence disquieted when as the Sonne of God himselfe having alwayes before enjoyed the sweet communion with his Father and now feeling an estrangement that he might be a curse for us complained in all his torments of nothing else but My God My God why hast thou forsaken me It is with the godly in this case as with vapours drawne up by the Sunne which when the extracting force of the Sunne leaves them fall downe againe to the earth from whence they are drawn So when the soule raised up and upheld by the beames of his countenance is left of God it presently begins to sinke We see when the body of the Sun is partly hid from us for totally it cannot in an Eclipse by the body of the Moone that there is a drouping in the whole frame of nature so it is in the soule when there is any thing that comes between Gods gracious countenance and it Besides if we looke downe to inferiour causes the soule is oft cast down by Satan who is all for casting downe and for disquieting For being a cursed spirit cast and tumbled downe himself from heaven where hee is never to come againe is hereupon full of disquiet carying a hell about himselfe whereupon all that he labours for is to cast downe and disquiet others that they may bee as much as he can procure in the same cursed condition with himselfe He was not ashamed to set upon Christ himselfe with this tempration of casting downe and thinkeâ—… Christs members never low enough till he can bring them as low as himself By his envy and subtlety wee were driven out of Paradice at the first and now hee envies us the Paradice of a good conscience for that is our Paradice untill wee come to heaven into which no serpent shall ever creepe to tempt us When Satan seeth a man strongly and comfortably walke with God he cannot endure that a creature of meaner ranke by creation then himselfe should enjoy such happinesse Herein like some peevish men which are his instruments men too contentious and bred up therein as a Salamander in the fire who when they know the cause to be naught and their adversaries to have the better title yet out of malice they will follow them with suits and vexations though they be not able to disable their opposites title If their malice have not a vent in hurting some way they will burst for anger It is just so with the devill when he seeth men will to heaven and that they have good title to it then he followes them with all dejecting and uncomfortable tentations that he can it is his continuall trade and course to seek his rest in our disquiet he is by beaten practise and profession a temper in his kinde Againe what Satan cannot doe himselfe by immediate suggestions that he labours to work by his instruments who are all for casting down of those who stand in their light as those in the Psalme who cry downe with him downe with him even to the ground a character and stamp of which mens dispositions we have in the verse before this text Mine enemies saith David reproach me As sweet and as compassionate a man as hee was to pray and put on sackcleth for them yet he had enemies and such enemies as did not suffer their malice only to boile and concoct in their own breasts but out of the abundance of their hearts they reproached him in words There is nothing the nature of man is more impatient of then of reproaches for there is no man so meane but thinkes himselfe worthy of some regard and a reproachfull scorn shews an utter disrespect which issues from the very superfluity of malice Neither went they behind his back but were so impudent to say it to his face a malicious heart and a slandering tongue goe together and though shame might have suppressed the uttering of such words yet their insolent cariage spake as much in Davids heart We may see by the language of mens cariage what their heart saith and what their tongue would vent if they dared And this their malice was unwearied for they said daily unto him as if it had beene fed with a continuall spring malice is an unsatiable monster it will minister words as rage ministers weapons But what was that they said so reproachfully and said daily Where is now thy God they upbraid him with his singularity they say not now where is God but where is thy God that thou dost boast so much on as if thou hadst some speciall interest in Him Where we see that the scope of the devill and wicked men is to shake the godlies Faith and confidence in their God As Satan laboured to divide betwixt Christ and his Father If thou beest the Son of God command that these stones be made bread So hee labours to divide betwixt Father and Son and us they labour to bring God in jealousie with David as if God had neglected him bearing himselfe so much upon God They had some colour of this for God at this time had vailed himselfe from David as hee does oft from his best children for the better discovery of the malice of wicked men And doth not Satan tippe the tongues of the enemies of Religion now to insult over the Church now lying a bleeding What becomes of their
Reformation of their Gospell Nay rather what 's become of your eyes we may say unto them For God is nearest to his children when hee seemes furthest off In the mount of the Lord it shall be seene God is with them and in them though the wicked be not aware of it it is all one as if one should say betwixt the space of the new and old Moone where is now the Moone when as it is never nearer the Sun then at that time Where is now thy God Answ. In heaven in earth in me every where but in the heart of such as aske such questions and yet there they shall finde him too in his time filling their consciences with his wrath and then Where is their God where are their great friends their riches their honors which they set up as a god what can they availe them now But how was David affected with these reproaches their words were as swords as with a sword in my bones c. they spake daggers to him they cut him to the quicke when they toucht him in his God as if he had neglected his servants when as the devill himself regards those who serve his turn touch a true godly man in his Religion and you touch his life and his best freehold he lives more in his God then in himselfe so that we may see here there is a murther of the tongue a wounding tongue as well as a healing tongue men think themselves freed from murther if they kill none or if they shed no blood whereas they cut others to the heart with bitter words It is good to extend the Commandement to awake the conscience the more and breed humility when men see there is a murdering of the tongue Wee see David therefore upon this reproach to be presently so moved as to fall out with himselfe for it Why art thou so cast down and disquieted ô my soule This bitter taunt ran so much in his minde that he expresseth it twice in this Psalme He was sensible that they struck at God through his sides what they spake in scorne and lightly hee tooke heavily And indeed when religion suffers if there be any heavenly fire in the heart it will rather break out then not discover it selfe at all We see by daily experience that there is a speciall force in words uttered from a subtle head a false heart and a smooth tongue to weaken the hearts of professors by bringing an evill report upon the strict profession of religion as the cunning and false spies did upon the good land as if it were not onely in vaine but dangerous to appeare for Christ in evill times If the example of such as have saint spirits will discourage in an army as wee see in Gideons History then what will speech inforced both by example and with some shew of reason doe To let others passe we need not goe further then our selves for to finde causes of discouragement there is a seminary of them within us Our flesh an enemy so much the worse by how much the nearer will be ready to upbraide us within us where is now thy God why shouldest thou stand out in a profession that findes no better entertainment CAP. III. Of discouragements from within BUt to come to some particular causes within us There is cause oft in the body of those in whom a melancholly temper prevaileth darknesse makes men fearefull Melancholly persons are in a perpetuall darknesse all things seeme blacke and darke unto them their spirits as it were dyed blacke Now to him that is in darknesse all things seem black and dark the sweetest comforts are not lightsome enough unto those that are deepe in melancholly It is without great watchfulnesse Satans bath which hee abuseth as his owne weapon to hurt the soule which by reason of its sympahy with the body is subject to be missed as we see where there is a suffusion of the eye by reason of distemper of humours or where things are presented through a glasse to the eye things seeme to be of the same colour so whatsoever is presented to a melancholly person comes in a darke way to the soule From whence it is that their fancy being corrupted they judge amisse even of outward things as that they are sicke of such and such a disease or subject to such and such a danger when it is nothing so how fit are they then to judge of things removed from sense as of their spirituall estate in Christ To come to causes more neere the soule it selfe as when there is want of that which should be in it as of knowledge in the understanding c. Ignorance being darknesse is full of false feares In the night time men think every bush a theefe our forefathers in time of ignorance were frighted with every thing therefore it is the policy of popish tyrants taught them from the prince of darknesse to keep the people in darknesse that so they might make them fearefull and then abuse that fearefulnesse to superstition that they might the better rule in their consciences for their owne ends and that so having intangled them with false feares they might heale them againe with false cures Againe though the soule be not ignorant yet if it be forgetfull and mindlesse if as Heb. 12. the Apostle saith You have forgot the consolation that speaks unto you c. Wee have no more present actuall comfort then we have remembrance help a godly mans memory and help his comfort like unto charcoale which having once been kindled are the more easie to take fire He that hath formerly knowne things takes ready acquaintance of them againe as old friends things are not strange to him And further want of setting due price upon comforts as the Israelites were taxed for setting nothing by the pleasant land It is a great fault when as they said to Iob the consolations of the Almighty seeme light and small unto us unlesse we have some outward comfort which we linger after Adde unto this a childish kinde of peevishnesse when they have not what they would have like children they throw away al which though it be very offensive to Gods spirit yet it seazeth often upon men otherwise gracious Abraham himselfe wanting children undervalued all other blessings Ionas because hee was crossed of his gourd was weary of his life The like may be said of Elias flying from Iezebel This peevishnesse is increased by a too much flattering of their griefe 〈◊〉 farre as to justifie it Like Ionas I dâ—… well to be angry even unto death he would stand to it Some with Rachel are so peremptory that they will not be comforted as if they were in love with their grievances Wilfull men are most vexed in their crosses It is not for those to bee wilfull that have not a great measure of wisedome to guide their wils
to desire to be troubled with a preventing trouble Let those that are not in the way of grace thinke with themselves what cause they have not to take a minutes rest while they are iâ—… that estate For a man to bee in debt both body and soule subject every minute to be arrested and caried prisoner to Hell and not to bee moved Foâ—… man to have the wrath of GOD ready to bee powred out upon him and Hell gape for him nay to cary a hell about him in conscience if it were awake and to have all his comfort here hanging upon a weake threed of this liâ—…e ready to bee cut and broken off every moment and to bee cursed in all those blessings that he enjoyes and yet not to be disquieted but continually treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath by running deeper into Godâ—… books for a man to bee thus and not to bee disquieted is but the Devills peace whilest the strong man holds possession A burning Ague is more hopefull than a Lethargy The best service that can be done to such men is to startle and rouze them and so with violence to pull them out of the fire as Iude speakes or else they will another day curse that cruell mercy that lets them alone now In all their jollity in this world they are but as a Booke fairely bound which when it is opened is full of nothing but Tragedies So when the booke of their consciences shall be once opened there is nothing to bee read but lamentations and woes Such men were in a way of hope if they had but so much apprehension of their estates as to ask themselves What have I done If this bee true that there are such fearefull things prepared for sinners why am I not cast downe Why am I no more troubled and discouraged for my wicked courses Despaire to such is the beginning of comfort and trouble the beginning of peace A storme is the way to a calme and hell the way to heaven But for raising of a right grief in the soule of a holy man looke what is the state of the soule in it selfe in whâ—… termes it is with God whether there be any sinne hanging on the fyle unrepented of If all bee not well with in us then here 's place for inward trouble whereby the soule may afflict it selfe God saw this griefe so needfull for his people that he appointed certaine dayes for afflicting them because it is fit that sinne contracted by joy should bee dissolved by griefe and sinne is so deepely invested into the soule that 〈◊〉 separation betwixt the soule and it cannot be wrought without much griefe when the soule hath smarted for sinne it sets then the right price upon reconciliation with God in Christ and it feâ—…leth what a bitter thing sinne is and therefore it will bee afraid to bee 〈◊〉 bold with it afterward it likewise aweth the heart so that it will not bee so loose towards GOD as it was before and certainely that soule that hath 〈◊〉 the sweetnesse of keeping peace witâ—… God cannot but take deeply to heart that there should bee any thing in us that should divide betwixt us and the fountaine of our comfort that should stop the passage of our prayers and the current of Gods favours both towards our selves and others it is such an ill as is the cause of all other ill and damps all our comforts 2. Wee should looke out of our selves also considering whether for troubles at home and abroad God calls not to mourning or troubling of our selves griefe of compassion is as well required as griefe of contrition It is a dead member that is not sensible of the state of the body Ieremie for feare he should not weepe enough for the distressed estate of the Church desired of God that his eyes might be made a fountaine of teares A Christian as hee must not bee proud flesh so neither must he be dead flesh none more truely sensible either of sinne or of misery so farre as misery carries with it any signe of Gods displeasure then a true Christian which issues from the life of Grace which where it is in 〈◊〉 measure is lively and therefore sensible for God gives motion and sense for the preservation of life As God bowels are tender towards us so God people have tender bowells toward him his cause his people and his Church The fruit of this sensiblenesse is earnâ—… prayer to God as Melanchton 〈◊〉 well If I cared for nothing I would prâ—… for nothing 2. Griefe being thus raised must as wee said before bee bounded aâ—… guided 1. God hath framed the soule aâ—… planted such affections in it as may answere all his dealing towards his children that when he enlargeth himselfe towards them then the soule shoâ—… enlarge it selfe to him againe when 〈◊〉 opens his hand wee ought to open oâ—… hearts when hee shewes any tokenâ—… displeasure we should grieve when 〈◊〉 troubles us wee should trouble aâ—… grieve our selves As God any 〈◊〉 discovereth himself so the soule shoâ—… be in a sutable pliablenesse Then 〈◊〉 soule is as it should bee when it is ready to meet GOD at every turne to joy when he calls for it to mourne when hee calls for that to labour to know Gods meaning in every thing Againe GOD hath made the soule for a communion with himselfe which communion is especially placed in the affections which are the springs of all spirituall worship Then the affections are well ordered when wee are fit to have communion with God to love joy trust to delight in him above all things The affections are the inward movings of the soule which then move best when they move us to God not from him They are the feet of the soule whereby wee walke with and before God When wee have our affections at such command that wee can take them off from any thing in the world at such times as wee are to have more neare communion with God in hearing or prayer c. As AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ he was to sacrifice left whatsoever might hinder him at the bottome of the Mount When we let our affections so farre into the things of the world as we canâ—… take them off when wee are to deâ—… with God it is a signe of spirituall iâ—… temperancie It is said of the Israelites that they brought Aegypt with theâ—… into the wildernesse so many bring thâ—… world in their hearts with them whâ—… they come before God But because our affections are neâ—… well ordered without judgement 〈◊〉 being to follow not to lead It is 〈◊〉 evidence that the soule is in a fit temper when there is such a harmony 〈◊〉 it as that wee judge of things as they are and affect as we judge and execâ—… as wee affect This harmony withâ—… breeds uniformity and constancie 〈◊〉 our resolutions so that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were an even thred drawne througâ—… the
whole course and tenour of 〈◊〉 lives when wee are not off and on 〈◊〉 and downe It argues an ill state of body when it is very hot or very colâ—… or hot in one part and cold in anothâ—… so unevennesse of spirit argues a distemper a wise mans life is of one colour like it selfe The soule bred froâ—… heaven so farre as it is heavenly minded desires to be like heaven above all stormes uniforme constant not as things under the Sunne which are alwayes in changes constant onely in inconstancie Affections are as it were the winde of the soule and then the soule is carried as it should be when it is neither so becalmed that it moves not when it should nor yet tossed with tempests to move disorderly When it is so well balaced that it is neither lift up nor cast downe too much but keepeth a steddy course Our affections must not rise to become unruly passions for then as a river that overfloweth the bankes they carry much slime and soile with them Though affections be the winde of the soule yet unruly passions are the stormes of the soule and will overturne all if they be not suppressed The best as wee see in David here if they doe not steare their hearts aright are in danger of sudden gusts A Christian must neither be a dead sea nor a raging sea Our affections are then in best temper when they become so many graces of the Spirit as when love is turned to a love of God joy to a delight in the best things feare to a feare of offending him more then any creature sorrow to a sorrow for sinne c. They are likewise in good temper when they move us to all duties of love and mercy towards others when they are not shut where they should be open nor open where they should be shut Yet there is one case wherein exceeding affection is not over exceeding As in an extasie of zeale upon a suddâ—… apprehension of Gods dishonour and his cause trodden under foot It is better in this case rather scarce to be 〈◊〉 owne men then to be calme or quiet It is said of Christ and David that their hearts were eaten up with a holy zeale for Gods house In such a case Moses unparalleld for meekenesse was turned into an holy rage The greatnesse 〈◊〉 the provocation the excellencie of thâ—… object and the weight of the occasion beares out the soule not onely without blame but with great praise in such seeming distempers It is the glory of a Christian to be carried with full saile and as it were with a spring tide of affection So long as the streame of affection runneth in the due channell and if there bee great occasions for great motions then it is fit the affections should rise higher as to burne with zeale to be sicke of love to be more vile for the Lord as David to be counted out of our wits with Saint Paul to further the cause of Christ and the good of soules Thus we may see the life of a poore Christian in this world 1. he is in great danger if hee be not troubled at all 2. when he is troubled he is in danger to be over troubled 3. when he hath brought his soule in tune againe hee is subject to new troubles Betwixt this ebbing and flowing there is very little quiet Now because this cannot bee done without a great measure of Gods Spirit our helpe is to make use of that promise of giving the holy Ghost to them that aske it To teach us when how long and how much to grieve and when and how long and how much to rejoyce the Spirit must teach the heart this who as he moved upon the waters before the Creation so hee must move upon the waters of our soules for wee have not the command of our owne hearts Every naturall man is carried away with his flesh and humours upon which the devill rides and carries him whither he list he hath no better comsellors then flesh and blood and Sathan counselling with them But a godly mâ—…n is not a slave to his carnall affections but as David here labours to bring into captivity the first motiâ—… of sinne in his heart CAP. IX Of the soules disquiets Gods dealings 〈◊〉 power to containe our selves in order MOreover we see that the soule 〈◊〉 disquiets proper to it selfe besides thâ—… griefes of Sympathy that arise from the bodie for here the soule complaines 〈◊〉 the soule it selfe as when it is out of the body it hath torments and joyes of its owne And if these troubles of the soule be not well cured then by way of fellowship and redundance they will affect the outward man and so the whole man shall bee inwrapt in miserie From whence we further see that God when he will humble a man needs not fetch forces from without if hee let but our owne hearts loose wee shall have trouble and worke enough though we were as holy as David God did not onely exercise him with a rebellious sonne out of his owne loynes but with rebellious risings out of his own heart If there were no enemie in the world nor devill in hell we carry that within us that if it be let loose will trouble us more then all the world besides Oh that the proud creature should exalt himselfe against God and runne into a voluntary course of provoking him who cannot onely raise the humours of our bodies against us but the passions of our mindes also to torment us Therefore it is the best wisedome not to provoke the great God for are wee stronger then he that can raise our selves against our selves and worke wonders not onely in the great world but also in the little world our soules and bodies when he pleases We see likewise hence a necessity of having something in the soule above it selfe it must be partaker of a diviner nature then it selfe otherwise when the most refined part of our soules the very spirit of our mindes is out of frame what shall bring it in againe Therefore we must conceive in a godly man a double selfe one which must be denied the other which must denie one that breeds all the disquiet and another that stilleth what the other hath raised The way to still the soule as it is under our corrupt selfe is not to parlee with it and divide government for peace sake as if wee should gratifie the flesh in something to redeeme liberty to the spirit in other things for we shall finde the flesh will be too encroching Wee must strive against it not with subtilty and discourse so much as with peremptory violence silence it and vexe it An enemy that parlees will yeeld at length Grace is nothing else but that blessed power whereby as spirituall wee gaine upon our selves as carnall Holy love is that which wee gaine of selfe-love and so joy and delight c. Grace
to the offence of the strong to the griefe of Gods Spirit in us to the disturbance of our owne spirits in doing good and to the disheartning of us in troubling of our inward peace and thereby weakning our assurance Therefore let us stop beginnings as much as may be and so soone as they begin to rise let us begin to examine what raised them and whither they are about to carry us The way to be still is to examine oâ—… selves first And then censure what stands not with reason As David doth when he had given way to unbefitting thoughts of Gods providence So foolish saith he was I and as a 〈◊〉 before thee Especially then looke to these sinfull stirrings when thou art to deale with God I am to have communion with a God of peace What then doe turbulent thoughts and affections iâ—… my heart I am to deale with a patieâ—… God why should I cherish revengâ—… thoughts Abraham drove away tâ—… birds from the sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. Troublesome thoughts like birds 〈◊〉 come before they be sent for but they should finde entertainment accordingly 6. In all our grievances let us loâ—… to something that may comfort us 〈◊〉 well as discourage looke to that wee enjoy as well as that wee want As iâ—… prosperity God mingles some crosses to diet us so in all crosses there 〈◊〉 something to comfort us As there is a vanity lies hid in the best worldly good So there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evill GOD usually maketh up that with some advantage in another kinde wherein wee are inferiour to others Others are in greater place So they are in greater danger Others bee richer so their cares and sâ—…res be greater the poore in the world may bee richer in faith than they The soule can better digest and master a low estate than a prosperous and is under some abasement iâ—… is in a lesse distance from God Others are not so afflicted as we than they have lesse experience of Gods gracious power than wee Others may have more healthy bodies but soules lesse weaned from the world We would not change conditions with them so as to have their spirits with their condition For one halfe of our lives the meanest are as happy and free from cares as the greatest Monarch that is whilest both sleepe and usually the sleepe of the one is sweeter than the sleepe of the other What is all that the earth caâ—… afford us if God deny health and this a man in the meanest condition may enjoy That wherein one man diffâ—… from another is but title and but for a little time Death levelleth all There is scarce any man but the good hee receives from God is more than the ill hee feeles if our unthankfull hearts would suffer us to thinke 〈◊〉 Is not our health more than our sickenesse doe we not enjoy more than we want I meane of the things that are necessary Are not our good dayes more than our evill but we would go to heaven upon Roses and usually oâ—… crosse is more taken to heart than 〈◊〉 hundred blessings So unkindly 〈◊〉 deale with God Is God indebted to us doth hee owe us any thing those that deserve nothing should be contâ—… with any thing Wee should looke to others as good as our selves as well as to our selves and than we shall see it is not our owne case onely who are we that we should looke for an exempted condition from those troubles which God 's dearest children are addicted unto Thus when we are surprised contrary to our looking for and liking wee should study rather how to exercise some grace than give way to any passion Thinke now is a time to exercise our patience our wisedome and other graces By this meanes wee shall turne that to our greatest advantage which Satan intendeth greatest hurt to us by Thus we shall not onely master every condition but make it serviceable to our good If nature teach Bees not onely to gather hony out of sweet flowers but out of bitter Shall not grace teach us to draw even out of the bitterest condition something to better our soules We learne to tame all creatures even the wildest that wee may bring them to our use and why should wee glve way to our owne unruly passions 7. It were good to have in our eye the beauty of a well ordered soule and wee should thinke that nothing in this world is of sufficient worth to put us out of frame The sanctified soâ—… should be like the Sunne in this whiâ—… though it worketh upon all these inâ—… riour bodies and cherisheth them 〈◊〉 light and influence yet is not movâ—… nor wrought upon by them againe bâ—… keepeth its owne lustre and distanceâ—… So our spirits being of a heaveâ—… breed should rule other things beneâ—… them and not be ruled by them It 〈◊〉 a holy state of soule to bee under tâ—… power of nothing beneath it selfe Aâ—… we stirred than consider It this mâ—…ter worth the losse of my quiet Whâ—… wee esteeme that wee love what wee love we labour for And therefore 〈◊〉 us esteem highly of a cleare calme temper whereby we both enjoy our God and our selves and know how to raâ—… all things else It is against nature fâ—… inferiour things to rule that which thâ—… wise Disposer of all things hath set above them Wee owe the flesh neither suit nor service wee are no debtâ—… to it The more wee set before the soâ—… that quiet estate in heaven which tâ—… soules of perfect men now enjoy and it selfe ere long shall enjoy there The more it will be in love with it and endevour to attaine unto it And because the soule never worketh better than when it is raised up by some strong and sweet affection let us looke upon our nature as it is in Christ in whom it is pure sweet calme meeke every way lovely This sight is a changing sight love is an affection of imitation we affect a likenesse to him we love Let us learne of Christ to be humble and meeke and then wee shall finde rest to our soules The setting of an excellent idea and platforme before us will raise and draw up our soules higher and â—…ke us sensible of the least movings of spirit that shall be contrary to that the attainement whereof wee have in our desires He will hardly attaine to meane things that sets not before him higher perfection Naturally we love to see symetry and proportion even in a dead picture and are much taken with some curious peece But why should wee not rather labour to keepe the affections of the soule in due proportion Seeing a meâ—… and well ordered soule is not onâ—… lovely in the sight of men and Angâ—… but is much set by by the great Goâ—… himselfe But now the greatest careâ—… those that set highest price upon theâ—… selves is how to compose their oâ—… ward carriage in some gracefull mâ—…ner never
in Christ. 2 the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell 3. the last and strict day of accouâ—… 4. The vanity of all earthly things 5. The uncertainty of our lives c. From the meditation of these truthes the soule wil be prepared to have rigâ—… conceits of things and to discourse upon true grounds of them and thinke with it selfe that if these things be so iâ—…deed then I must frame my life sutable to these principles hence arise true affections in the soule true feare of God true love and desire after the best things c. The way to expell â—…ind oâ—… of our bodies is to take some wholesome nourishment and the way to expell windy fancies from the soule is 〈◊〉 feed upon serious truthes 4. Moreover to the well ordering of this unruly faculty it is necessary that our nature it selfe should be changed for as men are so they imagine as the treasure of the heart is such is that which comes from it An evill heart cannot thinke well before the heart be changed our judgment is depraved in regard of our last end we seeke our happinesse where it is not to be found Wickednesse comes from the wicked as the Proverb is If wee had as large and as quick apprehensions as Sathan himselfe yet if the rellish of our wil affections be not changed they will set the imagination a worke to deuise satisfaction to themselves For there is a mutuall working and refluxe betwixt the will and the imagination the imagination stirres up the will and as the will is affected so imagination worketh When the law of God by the Spirit is so written in our hearts that the law and our hearts become agreeable one to the other then the soule is enclined and made plyable to every good thought When the heart is once taught of God to love it is the nature of this sweet affection as the Apostle saith to thinke no evill either of God or man and not onely so but it carries the bent of the whole soule with it to good so that we love God not onely with all our heart but with all our minde that is both with our understanding and imagination Love is an affection full of inventions and sets the wit a worke to devise good things therefore our chiefe care should bee that our hearts may be circumcised and purified so as they may be filled with the love of God and then we shall finde this duty not onely easie but delightfull unto us The Prophet healed the waters by casting salt into the spring so the seasoning of the spring of our actions seasons all And indeed what can bee expected from man whilest hee is vanity but vaine imaginations What can wâ—… looke for from a Viper but poyson A man naturally is either weaving spidâ—… webbs or hatching Cockatrices egges thâ—… is his heart is exercised either in vaâ—… or mischiefe for not onely the frame 〈◊〉 the heart but what the heart frameth iâ—… evill continually A wicked man that iâ—… besotted with false conceits will adâ—… of no good thoughts to enter 5. Even when wee are good and devise good things yet there is still some sicknesse of fancie remaining in the best of us whereby wee worke trouble to our selves and therefore it is necessary we should labour to restraine and limit our fancie and stop these waters at the beginning giving no not the least way thereunto If it begins to grow wanton tame the wildnesse of it by fastning it to the crosse of Christ whom wee have pierced with our sinnes and amongst other with these sinnes of our spirits who hath redeemed us from our vaine thoughts and conversations set before it the consideration of the wrath of God of death and judgement and the woefull estate of the damned c. and take it not off till thy heart bee taken off from straying from God When it begins once to runne out to impertinencies confine it to some certaine thing and then upon examination wee shall finde it bring home some hony with it otherwise it will bring us nothing but a sting from the bitter remembrance of our former misspent thoughts time which wee should redeeme and fill up with things that most belong to our peace Idlenesse is the houre of temptation wherein Sathan joynes with our imagination and sets it about his owne work to grinde his greese for the soule as a Mill either grinds that which is put into it or else works upon it selfe Imagination is the first wheele of the soule and if that move amisse it stirres all the inferiour wheeles amisse with it It stirres it selfe and other powers of the soule are stirred by its motion and therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence For as the imagination conceiveth so usually the judgement concludeth the will chuseth the affections are carried and the members execute If it breake loose as it will soone runne ryot yet give no consent of the will to it though it hath defiled the memory yet let it not defile the will though it be the first borne of the soule yet let it not as Ruben ascend unto the fathers bed that is our will and defile that which should be kept pure for the spirit of Christ resolve to act nothing upon it but crosse it before it moves to the execution and practise of any thing As in sicknesse many times wee imagine by reason of the corruption of our tast Physick to be ill for us and those meates which nourish the disease to be good yet care of health makes us crosse our owne conceits and take that which fancie abhorres So if we would preserve sound spirits wee must conclude against groundlesse imagination and resolve that whatsoever it suggests cannot be so because it crosses the grounds both of religion and reason And when we finde imagination to deceive us in sensible things as Melancholy persons are subject to mistake we may well gather that it will much more deceive us in our spirituall condition And indeed such is the incoherence impertinencie and unreasonablenesse of imagination that men are oft ashamed and angry with themselves afterwards for giving the least way to such thoughts and it is good to chastise the soule for the same that it may bee more wary for time to come whilest men are led with imagination they worke not according to right rules prescribed to men but as other baser creatures in whom phantasie is the chiefe ruling power and therefore those whose will is guided by their fancies live more like beasts then men Wee allow a horse to praunce and skip in a pasture which if hee doth when he is once backt by the rider we count him an unruly and an unbroken jade so howsoever in other creatures wee allow liberty of fancie yet wee allow it not in man to frisk and rove at its pleasure because in him it is to bee bridled
conceits of things and then we cannot be very much cast downe with any thing befalls us here Therefore when any thing is presented to our soules which wee see is ready to worke upon us wee should aske of our selves upon what ground wee entertaine such a conceit whether we shall have the same judgement after we have yeelded to it as now wee have and whether wee will have the same judgement of it in sicknesse and death and at the day of reckoning as we have for the present That which is of it selfe evill is alwayes so at one time as well as another if the time will come when wee shall thinke those things to be vaine which now we are so eagerly set upon as if there were some great good in them Why should wee not thinke so of them now when as the reforming of our judgement may doe us good rather then to be led on with a pleasing error untill that time wherein the sight of our error will fill our hearts with horror and shame without hope of ever changing our condition Here therefore is a speciall use of these Soliloquies to awake the soule and to stirre up reason cast asleepe by Sathans charmes that so scattering the clouds through which things seeme otherwise then they are wee may discerne and judge of things according to their true and constant nature Demand of thy soule Shall I alwayes bee of this minde Will not the time come when this will prove bitternesse in the end Shall I redeeme a short contentment with lasting sorrow Is my judge of my minde Will not a time come when all things shall appeare as they are Is this according to the rule c To conclude therfore whereas there be divers principles of mens actions as 1. naturall inclination inclining us to some courses more then others 2. custome which is another nature in us 3. imagination apprehending things upon shallow grounds from whence springs affectation whereby wee desire glory in things above our own strength and measure and make shew of that the truth whereof is wanting in us 4. true judgement discerning the true reasons of things 5. Faith which is a spirituall principle planted in the soule apprehending things above reason and raising us up to conceive of all things as GOD hath discovered them Now a sound Christian should not bee lightly led with those first common grounds of naturall inclination custome opinion c. but by judgement inlightned advanced and guided by faith And wee must take heed we suffer not things to passe suddenly from imagination to affection without asking advice of our judgement and faith in the way whose office is to weigh things in Gods ballance and therupon to accept or refuse them CAP. XIV Of help by others Of true comforters and their graces Method Ill successe §. 1. BVt because we are subject to favour and flatter our selves it is wisedome to take the benefit of a second selfe that is a well chosen friend living or dead books I meane which wil speak truly without flattery of our estates A friend is made for the time of Adversity and two are better than one for by this meanes our troubles are divided and so more easily borne The very presence of a true hearted friend yeelds often ease to our griefe Of all friends those that by office are to speake a word to a weary soule are most to be regarded as speaking to us in Christs stead Oftentimes especially in our owne case wee are blinded and benighted with passion and then the judgement of a friend is clearer Living friends have a three-fold priviledge 1 their advice is sutable and fit to our present occasion they can meet with our grievance so cannot bookes so wel 2 what comes from a living friend comes lively as helped by his spirit 3 in regard of our selves what they say is apprehended with more ease and lesse plodding and bent of minde There is scarce any thing wherein we see God more in favour towards us then in our friends and their seasonable speeches our hearts being naturally very false and willingly deceived God often gives us up to be mislead by men not according to his but our owne naughty hearts As men are such are their Counsellors for such they will have and such God lets them have Men whose wills are stronger then their wits who are wedded to their owne wayes are more pleased to heare that which complies with their inclinations then a harsh trueth which crosses them this presages ruine because they are not counsellable wherefore GOD suffers them to bee ledde through a fooles paradise to a true prison as men that will neither heare themselves nor others who would doe them good against their wills It was a signe God would destroy Elies sonnes when they would heare no counsell God fills such men with their owne wayes Men in great place often in the abundance of all things else want the benefit of a true friend because under pretence of service of them men carry their owne ends as they flatter themselves so they are flattered by others and so robbed of the true judgement of themselves Of all spirituall judgements this is the heaviest for men to be given up to such a measure of selfewillnesse and to refuse spirituall balâ—… to heale them usually such perish without remedy because to be wilfully miserable is to bee doubly miserable for it addes to our misery that wee brought it willingly upon our selves It is a course that will have a blessing attending it for friends to joine in league one to watch over another and observe each others wayes It is an usuall course for Christians to joyne together in other holy duties as hearing receiving of the Sacrament prayer c. but this fruit of holy communion which ariseth from a mutuall observing one another is much wanting whence it is that so many droope so many are so unchearfull in the wayes of God and lie groaning under the burden of many cares and are battered with so many temptations c. because they are left onely to their owne spirits What an unworthy thing is it that wee should pity a beast overloaden and yet take no pity of a brother whereas there is no living member of Christ but hath spirituall love infused into him and some ability to comfort others Dead stones in an Arch uphold one another and shall not living It is the worke of an Angell to comfort nay it is the office of the Holy Ghost to be a Comforter not onely immediately but by breathing comfort into our hearts together with the comfortable words of others thus one friend becomes an Angell nay a God to another and there is a sweet fight of God in the face of a friend for though the comfort given by Gods Messengers bee ordinarily most effectuall as the blessing of Parents who are in Gods roome is more effectuall than the
suggesting unto us this is the way walke in it Wee owe God this respect to depend upon him for direction in the particular passages of our lives in regard that hee is our Soveraigne and his will is the rule and we are to be accountable to him as our Iudge It is God onely that can see through businesses and all helps and lets that stand about After we have rolled our selves upon God wee should immediately take that course he enclines our hearts unto without further distracting feare Otherwise it is a signe wee commit not our way unto him when we do not quietly trust him but remain stil as thoughtfull as if wee did not trust him After prayer and trust followes the peace of God and a heart void of further dividing care Wee should therefore presently question our hearts for questioning his care and not regard what feare will be ready to suggest for that is apt to raise conclusions against our selves out of selfe-conceited grounds whereby wee usurpe upon GOD and wrong our selves It was a good resolution of the three young men in Daniel We are not carefull to answer thee O King We know our duty let God doe with us as hee pleaseth If Abraham had hearkened to the voice of nature hee would never have resolved to sacrifice Isaack but because he cast himselfe upon Gods providing God in the Mount provided a Ramme in stead of his Sonne CHAP. XVIII Other grounds of trusting in God namely the Promises And twelve directions about the same § 1. BUt for the better setling of our trust in God a further discovery is necessary then of the nature and providence of God for though the nature of God be written in the book of the Creatures in so great letters as hee that runs may reade and though the providence of God appeares in the order and use of things yet there is another booke whereby to know the will of God towards us and our duty towards him We must therefore have a knowledge of the promises of God as well as of his providence for though God hath discovered himselfe most graciously in Christ unto us yet had we not a word of promise wee could not have the boldnesse to build upon Christ himselfe therefore from the same grounds that there is a God there must be a revealing of the will of God for else we can never have any firme trust in him further then hee offers himselfe to be trusted Therefore hath God opened his heart to us in his word and reached out so many sweet promises for us to lay hold on and stooped so low by gracious condescending mixed with authority as to enter into a covenant with us to perform all things for our good for Promises are as it were the stay of the soule in an imperfect condition and so is faith in them untill all promises shall end in performance and faith in sight and hope in possession Now these promises are 1. for their spring from whence they proceed freâ—… ing agements of God for if hee had not bound himselfe who could and 2. they are for their value pretious and 3. for their extent large even of all things that conduce to happinesse and 4. for their vertue quickning and strengthning the soule as comming from the love of God and conveying that love unto us by his Spirit in the best fruits thereof and 5. for their certainty they are as sure as the Love of God in Christ is upon which they are founded and from which nothing can separate us For all promises are either Christ himselfe the promised seed or else they are of good things made to us in him and for him and accomplished for his sake they are all made first to him as heire of the promise as Angell of the covenant as head of his body and as our Elder brother c. for promises being the fruits of Gods love and Gods love being founded first on Christ it must needs follow that all the promises are both made and made good to us in and through him who is yesterday and to day and for ever the same That wee should not call Gods love into question he not onely gives us his word but a binding word his promise and not only a naked promise but hath entred into Covenant with us founded upon full satisfaction by the blood of Christ and unto this Covenant sealed by the blood of the Lord JESUS he hath added the seales of Sacraments and unto this he hath added his oath that there might be no place left of doubting to the distrustfull heart of man there is no way of securing promises amongst men but God hath taken the same to himselfe and all to this end that we might not onely know his mind towards us but be fully perswaded of it that as verily as he lives he will make good what ever he hath promised for the comfort of his Children What greater assurance can there be then for Being itâ—…o â—…o lay his being to pawne and for life it selfe to lay life to pawne and all to comfort a poore soule The boundlesse and restlesse desire of mans spirit will never bee stayed without some discovery of the chiefe good and the way to attaine the same men would have beene in darknesse about their finall condition and the way to please God and to pacifie and purge their consciences had not the word of God set downe the spring and cause of all evill together with the cure of it and directed us how to have communion with God and to raise our selves above all the evill which wee meet withall betwixt us and happines and to make us every way wise to salvation Hence it is that the Psalmist preferres the manifestation of God by his â—…d before the manifestation of him in his most glorious works And thus wee see the necessity of a double principle for faith to rely on 1. God and 2. the word of God revealing his will unto us and directing us to make use of all his Attributes Relations and providence for our good and this â—…rd hath its strength from him who gives a being and an accomplishment unto it for words are as the authority of him that uttereth them is When wee looke upon a Grant in the word of a King it stayes our mindes because wee know he is able to make it good and why should it not satisfie our soules to looke upon promises in the word of a God whose words as they come from his truth and expresse his goodnesse so they are all made good by his power and wisedome By the bare word of God it is that the heavens continue and the earth without any other foundation hangs in the mids of the world therefore well may the soule stay it selfe on that even when it hath nothing else in sight to relye upon By his word it is that the covenant of day and
us We should labour likewise for a single heart to trust in God onely there is no readier way to fall then to trust equally to two stayes whereof one is rotten and the other sound therefore as in point of doctrine wee are to relie upon Christ onely and to make the Scriptures our rule onely So in life and conversation what ever wee make use of yet we should enjoy and relye upon God onely for either God is trusted alone or not at all those that trust to other things with God trust not him but upon pretence to cary their double mindes with lesse check Againe labour that thy soule may answer all the Relations wherein it stands to God by eleaving to him 1. as a Father by trusting on his care 2. as a teacher by following his direction 3. as a Creator by dependance on him 4. as a husband by inseparable affection of love to him 5. as a Lord by obedience c. And then we may with comfort expect whatsoever good these Relations can yeeld All which God regarding more our wants and weaknesses then his owne greatnesse hath taken upon him Shall these Relations yeeld comfort from the creature and not from God himselfe in whom they are in their highest perfection Shall God make other fathers and husbands faithfull and not be faithfull Himselfe All our comfort depends upon labouring to make these Relations good to our soules And as we must wholly and only trust in God so likewise we must trust him in all conditions and times for all things that we stand in need of untill that time comes wherein wee shall stand in need of nothing for as the same care of God moved him to save us and to preserve us in the world till we be put in possession of salvation So the same faith relyes upon God for heaven and all necessary provision till wee come thither It is the office of Faith to quiet our soules in all the necessities of this life and we have continuall use of trusting while wee are here For even when we have things yet God still keepes the blessing of them in his own hands to hold us in a continuall dependance upon him God traines us up this way by exercising our trust in lesser matters to fit us for greater thus it pleaseth God to keepe us in a depending condition untill he see his owne ◅me but so good is God that as he intends to give us what wee wait for so will he give us the grace and spirit of faith to sustaine our soules in waiting till we enjoy the same The unrulinesse of a naturall spirit is never discovered more then when God deferres therefore we should labour the more not to withdraw our attendance from God Further we must know that the condition of a Christian in this life is not to see what he trusts God for hee lives by faith and not by sight and yet that there is such a vertue in faith which makes evident and present things to come and unseene Because God where he gives an eye of faith gives also a glasse of the word to see things in and by seeing of them in the truth and power of him that promiseth they become present not only to the understāding to apprehēd thē but to the will to rest upō thē to the affections to joy in thē It is the nature of faith to work whēit seethnothing and oftentimes best of all then because God shewes himself more clearly in his power wisdome goodness at such times and so his glory shines most and faith hath nothing else to looke upon then whereupon it gathers all the forces of the soule together to fasten upon God It should therefore be the chiefe care of a Christian to strengthen his faith that so it may answer Gods maner of dealing with him in the worst times for God usually 1. that he might perfectly mortifie our confidence in the creature and 2. that he might the more indeere his favours and make them fres◅ and new unto us and 3. that the glory of deliverance may bee entirely hi◅ without the creatures sharing with him and 4. that our faith and obedience may be tryed to the uttermost and discovered suffers his children to fall into great extremities before he will reach forth his hand to help them as in Iobs case c. Therefore Christians should much labour their hearts to trust in God in the deepest extremities that may be fall them even when no light of comfort appeares either from within or without yea then especially when all other comforts faile despaire is oft the ground of hope when the darknesse of the night is thickest then the morning begins to dawne that which to a man unacquainted with Gods dealings is a ground of utter despaire the same to a mā acquainted with the waies of God is a rise of exceeding comfort for infinite power goodnes can never be at a loss neither can faith which looks to that ever be at a stand whence it is that both God and Faith worke best alone In a hopelesse estate a Christiā will see some doore of hope opened 1. because God shewes himself neerest to us when we stand most in need of him help Lord for vain is the help of man God is never more seen then in the Mount He knowes our soules best our souls know him best in adversity thē heis most wōderful in his Saints 2 because our praiers thē are strōg cryes fervent and frequent God is sure to heare of us at such a time which pleaseth him well as delighting to heare the voice of his Beloved For our better incouragement in these sad times and to helpe our trust in God the more we should often call to minde the former experiences which either our selves or others have had of Gods goodnesse and make use of the same for our spirituall good Our Fathers trusted in thee saith the head of the Church and were not confounded Gods truth and goodnesse is unchangeable he never leaves those that trust in him so likewise in our owne experiences we should take notice of Gods dealing◅ with us in sundry kindes how many wayes he hath refreshed us and how good we have found him in our worst times After wee have once tryed him and his truth we may safely trust him God will stand upon his credit he never failed any yet and he will not begin to breake with us If his nature and his word and his former dealing hath beene sure and square why should our hearts be wavering thy word saith the Psalmist is very pure or tryed therefore thy servant loveth it the word of God is as silver tryed in the furnace purified seven times It is good therefore to observe and lay up Gods dealings Experience is nothing else but a multiplyed remembrance of former blessings which will
help to multiply our faith tryed truth and tryed faith unto it sweetly agree and answer one another It were a course much tending to the quickning of the faith of Christians if they would communicate one to another their mutuall experiences this hath formerly beene the custome of Gods people Come and heare all ye that â—…re God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule And David urgeth this as a reason to God for deliverance that then the righteous would compasse him about as rejoycing in the experience of Gods goodnesse to him The want of this makes us upon any new tryall to call Gods care and love into question as if hee had never formerly beene good unto us whereas every experiment of Gods love should refresh our faith upon any fresh onset God is so good to his children even in this world that he traines them up by daily renewed experiences of his fatherly care for besides those many promises of good things to come he gives us some evidence and taste of what wee beleeve here that by that which wee feele wee might be strengthned in that wee looke for that so in both 1. sense of what we feele and 2. certainty of what we looke for we might have full support But yet we must trust God as he will be trusted namely in doing good oâ—… else we do not trust him but tempt him Our commanding of our soules to trust in God is but an Eccho of what God commands us first and therefore in the same maner he commands us we should command our selves As God commands us to trust him in doing good so should wee commit our soules to him in well doing and trust him when wee are about his owne workes and not in the workes of darknesse we may safely expect God in his wayes of mercy when we are in his wayes of obedience For Religion as it is a doctrine of what is to be beleeved so it is a doctrine according to godlinesse and the mysteries of faith are mysteries of godlinesse because they cannot be beleeved but they will inforce a godly conversation where my true impression of them is there is holinesse alwayes bred in that soule therefore a study of holinesse must goe joyntly together with a study of trusting in God faith lookes not onely to promises but to directions to duty and â—…eds in the soule a liking of whatsoever pleaseth God There is a mutuall strengthning in things that are good trusting stirres to duty and duty strengthens trusting by increasing our liberty and boldnesse with God Againe wee must maintaine in our soules a high esteeme of the grace of â—…aith the very try all whereof is more â—…ious then gold what then is the grace of faith it selfe and the promises which it layeth hold on certainely they transcend in worth whatever may draw us from God whence it is that the soule sets a high price upon them and on faith that beleeves them It is impossible that any thing in the world should come betwixt the heart and those things if once we truly lay hold on them to undermine faith or the comfort we have by it the heart is never drawne to any sinfull vanity 〈◊〉 frighted with any terrour of trouble till faith first loseth the sight and estimation of divine things and forgets the necessity and excellency of them Our Saviour Christ when hee would stirre up a desire of faith in his Disciples shewed them the power and excellency of the same great things stirre up faith and keepe it above and faith keepes the soule that nothing else can take place of abode in it when the great things of God are brought into the heart by faith what is there in the whole world thâ—… can out bid them Assurance of these things upon spirituall grounds over-rules both sense and reason or what ever else prevailes with carnall hearts CAP. XIX Faith to be prized and other things undervalued at least not to bee trusted to as the chiefe THat faith may take the better place in the soule and the soule in God the heart must continually be taught of what little worth all things else are as reputation riches and pleasures c. and to see their nothingnesse in the word of God and in experience of our selves and others that so our heart being â—…ed from these things may open it selfe to God and imbrace things of a higher nature otherwise baser things will be neerer the soule then faith and keepe possession against it so that faith will not be suffered to set up a throne in the heart There must bee an unloosing of the heart as well as a fastning of it and God helpes us in both for besides the word discovering the vanity of all things else out of God the maine scope of Gods dealing with his children in any danger or affliction whatsoever is to imbitter all other things but himselfe unto them Indeed it is the power of God properly which makes the heart to trust but yet the Spirit of God useth this way to bring all things else out of request with us in comparison of those inestimable good things which the soule is created redeemed and sanctified for God is very jealous of our trust and can endure no Idoll of jealousie to be set up in our hearts Therefore it behooves us to take notice not onely of the deceitfulnesse of things but of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts in the use of them Our hearts naturally hang loose from God and are soone ready to joyne with the creature Now the more we observe our hearts in this the more wee take them off and labour to set them where they should be placed for the more wee know these things the lesse we shall trust them But may wee not trust in riches and friends and other outward helps at all Yes so farre as they are subordinace to God our chiefe stay with reservation and submission to the Lord onely so far and so long as it shall please him to use them for our good Because God ordinarily conveyes his help and goodnesse to us by some creature we must trust in God to blesse every mercy wee in joy and to make all helps serviceable to his love towards us In a word we must trust use them in under God and so as if all were taken away yet to thinke God being al-sufficient can doe without them whatsoever hee doth by them for our good Faith preserves the chastitie of the soule cleaving to God is a spirituall debt which it oweth to him whereas cleaving to the creature is spirituall adultery It is an error in the foundation to substitute false objects either in Religion or in Christian Conversation for 1. in religion trusting in false objects as Saints workes c. breeds false worship and false worship breeds Idolatry and so Gods jealousie and hatred 2. In Christian Coâ—…versation false objects
are good but confidence in them is hurtfull and there is more of our owne in them for the most part to humble us then of Gods spirit to embolden us so farre as to trust in them Alas they have nothing from us but weaknesse and defilement and therefore since the fall GOD would have the object of our trust to be out of our selves in him and to that purpose he useth all meanes to take us out of our selves and from the creature that he only might be our trust Yea wee must not trust trust it selfe but God whom it relyes on who is therefore called our trust All the glorious things that are spoken of trust are onely made good by God in Christ who as trusted doth all for us God hath prescribed trust as the way to carry our soules to himselfe in whom we should only rely and not in our imperfect trust which hath its ebbing and flowing Neither will trust in God himselfe for the present suffice us for future strength and grace as if trusting in God to day would suffice to strengthen us for tomorrow but wee must renew our trust for fresh supply upon every fresh occasion So that wee see God alone must be the object of our trust There is still left in mans nature a desire of pleasure profit and of what ever the creature presents as good but the desire of gracious good is altogether lost the soule being wholy infected with a contrary taste Man hath a nature capable of excellency and desirous of it and the Spirit of God in and by the word reveales where true excellency is to bee had but corrupt nature leaving God seeketh it elsewhere and so crosseth its owne desires till the Spirit of God discovers where these things are to be had and so nature is brought to its right frame againe by turning the streame into the right current Grace and sinfull nature have the same generall object of comfort onely sinfull nature seekes it in broken Cisterns and grace in the fountain the beginning of our true happinesse is from the discovery of true and false objects so as the soule may cleerely see what is best and safest and then stedfastly rely upon it It were an happy way to make the soule better acquainted with trusting in God to labour to subdue at the first all unruly inclinations of the soule to earthly things and to take adâ—…antage of the first tendernesse of the soule to weede out that which is ill and to plant knowledge and love of the best things in it otherwise where affections to any thing below get much strength in the soule it will by little and little be so overgrowne that there will be no place left in it either for obiect or act God or trust God cannot come to take his place in the heart by trust but where the powers of the soule are brought under to regard him and those great things hee brings with him above all things else in the world beside In these glorious times wherein so great a light shineth whereby so great things are discovered what a shame is it to be so narrow hearted as to fixe upon present things Our aymes and affections should be sutable to the things themselves set before us Our hearts should be more and more inlarged as things are more and more revealed to â—…s Wee see in the things of this life as wisedome and experience increaseth so our aimes and desires increase likewise A young beginner thinkes it a great matter if hee have a little to begin withall but as he growes in trading and seeth further wayes of getting his thoughts and desires are raised higher Children thinke as Children but riper age puts away childishnesse when their understandings are inlarged to see what they did not see before we should never rest till our hearts according to the measure of revelation of those excellent things which God hath for us have answerable apprehension of the same Oh if we had but faith to answer those glorious truths which God hath revealed what manner of lives should we leade CHAP. XX. Of the method of trusting in God and the tryall of that trust LAstly to add no more our trusting in God should follow Gods order in promising The first promise is of forgivenesse of sinne to repentant beleevers next 2. of healing and sanctifying grace then 3. the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven to them that are sanctifyed 4. and then the promises of all things needfull in our way to the Kingdome c. Now answerably the soule being inlightned to see its danger should looke first to Gods mercy in Christ pardoning sinne because sinne onely divides betwixt God and the soule next to the promises of grace for the leading of a Christian life for true faith desires hea ling mercy as well as pardoning mercy and then to Heaven and all things that may bring us thither By all this wee see that it is not so easie a matter as the world takes it to bring God and the soule together by trusting on him It must be effected by the mighty power of God raising up the soule to himselfe to lay hold upon the glorious power goodnesse and other excellencies that are in him God is not onely the object but the working cause of our trust for such is our pronenesse to live by sense and naturall reason and such is the strangenesse and height of divine things such our inclination to a selfe sufficiency and contentment in the creature and so hard a matter is it to take off the soule from false bottomes by reason of our unacquaintance with God and his wayes besides such guilt still remaines upon our soules for our rebellion and unkindnesse towards God that it makes us afraid to entertaine serious thoughts of him and so great is the distance betwixt his infinite Majesty before whom the very Angels doe cover their faces and us by reason of the unspiritualnesse of our nature being opposite to his most absolute purity that we cannot be brought to any familiarity with the Lord so as to come into his holy presence with confidence to rely upon him or any comfort to have communion with him till our hearts be sanctified and lifted up by divine vigour infused into them Though there be some inclination by reason of the remainder of the image of God in us to an outward morall obedience of the Law yet alas we have not onely no seeds of Evangelicall truths and of faith to beleeve them but an utter contrariety in our natures as corrupted either to this or any other good When our conscience is once awaked we meditate nothing but feares and terrors and dare not so much as think of an angry God but rather how wee may escape and fly from him Therefore together with a deepe consideration of the grounds wee have of trusting God it is necessary wee should thinke of the indisposition of our hearts unto it especially
far to our selves as to stir up this affection in us Another cause may bee a kinde of doublenesse of heart whereby wee would bring two things together that cannot suite We would grieve for sin so far as we thinke it an evidence of a good condition but then because it is an irksome taske and because it cannot be wrought without severing our heart from those sweet delights it is set upon hence we are loath God should take that course to worke griefe which crosseth our disposition The soule must therefore by selfe-deniall be brought to such a degree of sincerity and simplicity as to be willing to give God leave to worke this sorow not to bee sorrowed for by what way hee himselfe pleaseth But here we must remember againe that this selfe-deniall is not of our selves but of God who onely can take us out of our selves and if our hearts were brought to a stoâ—…ping herein to his worke it would stop many a crosse and continue many a blessing which God is forced to take from us that he may worke that griefe in us which he seeth would not otherwise be kindly wrought God giveth some larger spirits and so their sorowes become larger Some upon quicknesse of apprehension and the ready passages betwixt the braine and the heart are quickly moved where the apprehension is deeper and the passages slower there sorow is long in working and long in removing The deepest waters have the stillest motion Iron takes fire more slowly then stubble but then it holds it longer Againe God that searcheth and knows our hearts better then our selves knows when and in what measure it is fit for to grieve He sees it fitter for some dispositions to goe on in a constant griefe We must give that honour to the wisdome of the great Physitian of soules to know best how to mingle and minister his potions And we must not bee so unkinde to take it ill at Gods hands when he out of gentlenesse and forhearance ministers not to us that churâ—…sh Physick hee doth to others but cheerefully embrace any potion that he thinkes fit to give us Some holy men have desired to see their sinne in the most ugly colours and God hath heard them in their requests But yet his hand was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their very graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers For a conclusion then of this point If wee grieve that we cannot grieve and so far as it is sinne make it our griefe then put it amongst the rest of our sinnes which we beg pardon of and helpe against and let it not hinder us from going to Christ but drive us to him For herein lyes the danger of this temptation that those who complaine in this kinde thinke it should be presumption to goe to Christ when as he especially calleth the weary and heavy laden sinner to come unto him and therefore such 〈◊〉 are sensible that they are not senâ—… enough of their sin must know though want of feeling be quite opposite to the life of Grace yet sensiblenes of the want of feeling shews some degree of the life of Grace The safest way in this case is from that life and light that God hath wrought in oâ—… soules to see and feele this want of feeling to cast our selves and this our indisposition upon the pardoning and healing mercy of God in Christ. We speake onely of those that are so farre displeased with themselves for their ill temper as they doe not favour themselves in it but are willing to yeeld to Gods way in redressing it and doe not crosse the Spirit moving them thus with David to check themselves and to trust in God Otherwise an unfeeling and carelesse state of Spirit will breed a secret shame of going to God for removing of that wee are not hearty in labouring against so farre as our conscience tells us we are enabled The most constant state the soule can bee in in regard of sin is upon judgement to condemne it upon right â—…nds and to resolve against it Thereupon Repentance is called an afâ—…isdome and change of the minde And â—…s disposition is in Gods children at 〈◊〉 times And for affections love of that â—…ich is good and hatred of that which 〈◊〉 evill these likewise have a setled â—…tinuance in the soule But griefe 〈◊〉 sorow rise and fall as fresh occasions â—…re offered and are more lively stirred 〈◊〉 upon some lively representation to 〈◊〉 soule of some hurt wee receive by â—…e and wrong wee doe to God in it â—…e reason hereof is because till the â—…e be separated from the body these â—…ctions have more communion with 〈◊〉 body and therefore they cary more â—…ward expressions then dislike or â—…omination in the minde doth We 〈◊〉 to judge of our selves more by that â—…ich is constant then by that which is â—…ing and flowing But what is the reason that the affectiâ—…s doe not alwayes follow the judgement 〈◊〉 the choise or refusall of the will Our soule being a finite substance is caried with strength but one way at one time 2. Sometime God calls us to joy as well as to grieve and then no wonder if griefe be somewhat to seeke 3. Sometimes when God calleth â—…o griefe and the judgement and will goeth along with God Yet the heart is not alwayes ready because it may bee it hath runne out so farre that it cannot presently be called in againe 4. Or the spirits which are the instruments of the soule may be so wasted that they cannot hold out to feed a strong griefe in which case the conscience must rest in our setled judgement and hatred of ill which is the surest and never-failing Character of a good soule 5. Oft times God in mercy takes us off from griefe and sorow by refreshing occasions because sorow and griefe are affections very much afflicting both of body and soule When is godly sorrow in that degreâ—… wherein the soule may stay it selfe from uncomfortable thoughts about its condition 〈◊〉 Ans. 1. When we finde strength against that sin â—…ich formerly we fell into and ability to â—…e in a contrary way for this answers Gods end in griefe one of which is a prevention from falling for the time 〈◊〉 come For God hath that affection 〈◊〉 him which hee puts into Parents â—…hich is by smart to prevent their childrens boldnesse of offending for the time to come 2. When that which is wanting in griâ—…fe is made up in feare Here there is 〈◊〉 great cause of complaint of the â—…nt of griefe for this holy affection is 〈◊〉 â—…band of the soule whereby it is â—…pt from starting from God and his â—…yes 3. When after griefe wee finde in â—…rd peace for true griefe being Gods â—…orke in us hee knowes best how
to â—…easure it Therefore whatsoever â—…e God brings my soule into I am 〈◊〉 rest in his goodnesse and not except â—…gainst his dealing That peace and joy â—…ich riseth from griefe in the use of â—…eanes and makes the soule more â—…ble and thankfull to God and lesse censorious and more pitifull to others is no illusion nor false light The maine end of griefe and sorow is tâ—… make us value the grace and mercy of God in Christ above all the contentments which sinne feeds on Which where it is found we may know that griefe for sin hath enough possessed the soule before The sufficiency of things is to be judged by an answerablenesse to their use and ends God makes sinne bitter that Christ may be sweet that measure of griefe and sorow is sufficient which brings us and holds us to Christ. Hatred being the strongest deepest and steadiest affection of the soule against that which is evill Griefe for sinne is then right when it springs from hatred and encreaseth further hatred against it Now the soule may bee knowne to hate sin when it seekes the utter â—…lishing of it for hatred is an impâ—…ble and irreconcileable affection True hatred is caried against 〈◊〉 whole kinde of sin without respect 〈◊〉 any wrong done to us but only out of meere Antipathie and contrariety of â—…sposition to it As the Lambe hateth â—…he whole kinde of Wolves and man â—…eth the whole kinde of Serpents A load does us no harme but yet wee â—…e it That which is hatefull to us the â—…earer it is the more wee shun and abâ—…orre it as venomous Serpents and â—…full creatures because the neerenesse of the object affects us more deeply Therefore if our griefe spring â—…om true hatred of sinne it will make â—…o new league with it but grieve for 〈◊〉 sinne especially for our owne particular sinnes as being contrary to the worke of Gods grace in us then is griefe 〈◊〉 affection of the new creature and every way of the right breed But for fuller satisfaction in this case â—…e must know there is sometimes griefe 〈◊〉 sin in us when we thinke there is none 〈◊〉 wants but stirring up by some quickning word the remembrance of Gods â—…avours and our unkindnesse or the aâ—…â—…aking of our consciences by some â—…osse will raise up this affection feelingly in us As in the affection of love many thinke that they have no love to God at all yet let God be dishonoured in his name truth or children and their love will soone stirre and appeare in just anger In want of griefe for sinne we must remember 1. That wee must have this affection from God before we can bring it unto God And therefore in the second place Our chiefe care should be not to harden our hearts against the motions of the spirit stirring us to seasonable griefe for that may cause a judicial hardnesse from God God oft inflicteth some spirituall judgement as a correction upon men for not yeelding to his spirit at the first they feele a hardnesse of heart growing upon them This made the Church complaine Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy feare which if Christians did well consider they would more carefully entertaine such impressions of sorow as the spirit in the use of the meanes and observation of Gods dealing towardâ—… tselves or others shall worke in â—…m then they doe It is a saying of 〈◊〉 Let a man grieve for his sinne and 〈◊〉 for his griefe Though wee can neiâ—…er love nor grieve nor joy of our â—…es as we should yet our hearts tell 〈◊〉 wee are often guilty of giving a â—…ck to the spirit stirring these affectiâ—… in us which is a maine cause of the â—…y sharp afflictions wee endure in â—…is life though Gods love in the main â—…er of salvation be most firme unto 〈◊〉 We must not thinke to have all this â—…fe at first at once for oftentimes â—…n deeper after a sight and feeling of Gods love then it was before God is a 〈◊〉 Agent and knowes every mans seâ—…ll mould and the severall services â—…is to use them in and oft takes liberâ—… afterwards to humble men more â—…en he hath inabled them better to â—…e it then in their first entrance inâ—… Religion Griefe before springs â—…monly from selfe-love and feare â—…ger Let no man suspect his estate â—…se God spares him in the beginning For Christians many times meete with greater trials after their conversion then ever they thought on When men take little fines they means to take the greater rent God will have his children first or last to feele what sin is and how much they are beholding to him for Christ. This griefe doth not alwayes arise frâ—… poring on sinne but by oft considering of the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ and thereby reflecting on our owne unworthinesse not onely in regard of sinne past but like wise of the sin that hangeth upon us and issues daily from 〈◊〉 The more holy a man is the more hee sees the holinesse of Gods nature with whom he desires to have communion the more he is grieved that there shoul be any thing found in him displeasing to so pure a Majestie And as all our griefe comes noâ—… 〈◊〉 first so God will not have it come 〈◊〉 once but to be a streame alwayes â—…ning fed with a spring yet withiin 〈◊〉 bankes though sometimes deepâ—… sometimes shallower Griefe for sâ—… iâ—… like a constant streame griefe for â—…her things is like a torrent or swelling waters which are soone up soone downe what it wants in greatnesse is made up in continuance Againe If wee watch not our nature there will be a spice of Popery which is a naturall Religion in this great desire of â—…re griefeâ—… as if we had that then we had something to satisfie God withall â—…nd so our mindes will run too much â—…pon workes This griefe must not â—…ly bee wrought by God revealing 〈◊〉 sinne and his mercy unto us in Christ But when it is wrought wee â—…st altogether rest in a sense of our â—…e emptinesse upon the full satisfaâ—…on and worthinesse of Christ our Saâ—… All this that hath beene said tends 〈◊〉 to the abating of our desire to have 〈◊〉 tender and bleeding heart for sinne 〈◊〉 that in the pursuit of this desire we 〈◊〉 not cast downe so as to question our â—…es if we feele not that measure of â—…se which we desire and endeavour 〈◊〉 Or to refuse our portion of joy which God offers us in Christ. Considering griefe is no further good then it makes way for joy which caused our Saviour to joyne them together Blessed are the mourners for they shall bee comforted Being thus disposed wee may commit our souls to God in peace notwithstanding Satans troubling of us in the houre of temptation CHAP. XXIII Other spirituall causes of the soules trouble discovered and removed and objectâ—…ons answered ANother thing that
devices turned upon their owne heads will more torment them In this case it will much comfort to goe into the Sanctuary for there wee shall be able to say Yet God is good to 〈◊〉 God hath an Arke for his there is no condition so ill but there is Balme in Gilead comfort in Israel The depths â—…f misery are never beyond the depths of mercy God oft for this very end strips his Church of all helpes below that it may onely rely upon him and that it may appeare that the Church is ruled by an higher power then it is opposed by And then is the time when we may exâ—…ct great deliverances of the Church when there is a great faith in the great God From all that hath beene said wee see that the only way to quiet the soul is to lay a charge upon it to trust God â—…d that unquietnesse and impatiency me symtomes and discoveries of an unâ—… leeving heart CHAP. XXVI Of divine reasons in a beleever Of his minding to praise God more then to bee delivered TO goe on I shall yet praise him In these words David expresseth the reasons and grounds of his trust namely from the interest hee had in God by experience and speciall covenant wherein in generall we may observe that those who truly trust in God labour to back their faith with sound arguments faith is an understanding grace it knowes whom it trusts and for what and upon what grounds it trusts Reason of it selfe cannot finde what we should beleeve yet when God hath discovered the same faith tells us there is great reason to beleeve it faith useth reason though not as a ground yet as a sanctified instrument to finde out Gods grounds that it may rely upon them He beleeves best that knowes best why hee should beleeve Confidence and love and other affections of the soule though they have no reason grafted in them yet thus farre they are reasonable as that they are in a wise man raised up guided and laid downe with reason or else men were neither to be blamed nor praised for ordering their affections a right whereas not only civill vertue but grace it selfe is especially conversant in ruling the affections by sanctified reason The soule guides the will and affections otherwise then it doth the outward members of the body It swayes the affections of confidence love joy c. as a Prince doth his wiser subjects and as Counsellors doe a well ordered State 〈◊〉 ministring reasons to them but the â—…le governes the outward members by command as a master doth a slave â—…his will is enough The hand and foot â—…ve upon command without regarding any reason but wee will not trust 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God without reason or a 〈◊〉 of reason at the least Sinne it selfe never wanted a reason 〈◊〉 as it is but we call it unreasonable â—…use it hath no good reason for it for reason being a beame of God cannot strengthen any worke of darknesse God having made man an understanding creature guides him by a way sutable to such a condition and that is the reason why God in mercy yeelds so far to us in his word as to give us so many reasons of our affiance in him What is encouragement and comfort but a demonstration to us of greater reasons to raise us up then there are to cast us downe Davids reasons here are drawne partly from some promise of deliverance and partly from Gods nature and dealing with him whom as he had formerly found an healing a saving God so he expects to finde him still and partly from the covenant of grace hee is my God The chiefe of his reasons are fetched from God what he is in himselfe and what hee is and will be to his children and what to him in particular though godly men have reasons for their trst yet those reasons be divine and spirituall as faith it selfe is for as naturally as beames come from the Sunne and branches from the roote even so by divine discourse one truth issueth from another And as the beames and the Sunne as the roote and branches are all of one nature so the grounds of comfortable truths and reasons taken from those grounds are both of same divinity and authority though in time of temptation discourse is oft so troubled that it cannot see how one truth riseth from another this is one priviledge of heaven that our knowledge there shall not be so much discoursive proving one thing by another as definitive seeing things in their grounds with a more present view the soule being then raised and enlarged to a present conceiving of things and there being no flesh and blood in us to raise objections that must be satisfied with reasoning Sometimes in a clearer state of the soule faith hath not so much use of reasons but upon neere and sweet communion with God and by reason of some likenesse betweene the soule that hath a divine nature stamped upon it and God it presently without any long discourse runneth to God as it were by a supernaturall instinct as by a naturall instinct a childe runneth to his Father in any distresse Yea and from that common light of nature which discovereth there is a God even naturall men in extremities will runne to God and God as the Author of nature will sometimes heare them as he doth the yong Ravens that cry unto him but comfortably and with assurance onely those have a familiar recourse unto him that have a sanctified sutable disposition unto God as being well acquainted with him Sometimes againe faith is put to it to use reasons to strengthen it selfe and therefore the soule studieth arguments to help it selfe by either from inward store laid up in the soule or else it hearkeneth and yeelds to reasons suggested by others and there is no gracious heart but hath a frame sutable and agreeable to any holy and comfortable truth that shall be brought and enforced upon it there is something in his spirit that answers what ever comes from the spirit of God though perhaps it never heard of it before yet it presently claimes kindred of it as comming from the same blessed Spring the â—…ly Spirit and therefore a gracious heart sooner takes comfort then another as being prepared to close with it The reasons here brought by David are not so much arguments to convince his judgement as motives and inducements to encline his will to trust in God for trusting being a holy relying upon God carieth especially the will to him now the will is led with the goodnesse of things as the understanding is led with truth the heart must be sweetned with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust as well as convinced of his ability to doe us good the cords that draw the heart to trust are the cords of love and the cords of love are especially the love of him to us whom we love and therefore the most prevailing reasons that
a wise redeeming of time to observe the best seasons of thankfulnesse a cheerefull heart will best close with a cheerefull duty and therefore it is not good to waste so fit a temper in frivolous things but after some contentment given to nature let God have the fruit of his owne planting otherwise it is even no better then the refreshing of him that standeth by a good fire and cryeth Ah ah I 〈◊〉 warme David doth not say I will thanke God but I shall priase him though hee intends that Thankes is then best when it tends to praising and there ends for thankes alone shewes respect to our 〈◊〉 good onely praises to Gods glory and in particular to the glory of such excellencies whence the benefit comes and from thence the soule is enlarged to thinke highly of all Gods excellenties Hanna upon particular thankes for hearing her about a childe takes occasion to set out Gods other excellencies and riseth higher and higher from one to many from the present time to that which was to come from particular favours to her selfe she stirres up others to praise God for his mercy to them So David Deliver me O God and my tongue shall sing of thy praises Hee propounds this as an ingagement to the Lord to helpe him because it should tend to the inlargement of his glory he was resolved to improve Gods favour this way The Spirit of God workes like new â—…ine enlarging the spirit from one degree of praising God to another and because it foresees the eternity of Gods love as farre as it can it endeavours an eternity of Gods praise a gracious heart upon taste of favour shewed to it selfe is presently warmed to spread the praise of God to others and the more it sees the fruit of trusting God and his truth in performing promise the more it still honours that trusting as knowing that it lyes upon Gods honour to honour those that honour him blessing will procure blessing the soule hath never such freedome from sinne as when it is in a thankfull frame for thankfulnes issues from a heart truly humbled and emptied of it selfe truly loving and rejoycing in God and upon any sinne the spirit is grieved and straitned and the lips sealed up in such a heart for the conscience upon any sinne lookes upon it not only as disobedience against Gods will and authority but as unâ—…ankfulnesse to his goodnesse and this â—…elteth a godly heart most of all WheÌ„ Nathan told David God had done this â—…d this for him and was ready to doe nore he could not hold in the confessiâ—… of his sinne but relented and gave in presently We ought not onely to give thanks but â—…o be thankfull to meditate and study the praises of God Our whole life should be nothing else but a continuall â—…lessing of his holy name endeavouring to bring in all we have and to lay iâ—… out for God and his people to see where he hath any receivers our goodnesse is nothing to God wee need bring 〈◊〉 water to the fountaine nor light to the Sun Thankfulnesse is full of invention it deviseth liberall things though it be our duty to be good Stewards of our talents yet thankfulnesse addes a lustre and a more gracious acceptance as having more of that which God calls for Our praising God should not bee as sparkes out of a flint but as water out of a spring naturall ready free as Gods love to us is mercy pleases him so should praises please us It is our happinesse when the best part in us is exercised about the best and highest worke it was a good speech of him that said If God had made me a Nightingale I would have sung as a Nightingale but now God hath made mee a man I will sing forth the praises of God which is the worke of a Saint onely All thy workes blesse thee and thy Saints praise thee All things are either blessings in their nature or so blessed as they are made blessings to us by the over-ruling comming of him who maketh all things serviceable to his even the worst things in this sense are made spirituall to Gods people against their owne nature how great is that goodnesse which makes even the worst things good Little favours come from no small love but even from the same love that God intends the greatest things to us and are pledges of it the godly are more thankfull for the least favours then worldly men for the greatest the affection of the giver inhaunces the 〈◊〉 O then let us labour to improve â—…oth what we have and what we are â—…o his glory It discovers that we love God not onely with all our understanding heart and affection but when with all our might and power so farre as we have advantage by any part relatiâ—… or calling whatsoever we endeavour â—…o doe him service wee cannot have a â—…eater honour in the world then to be honoured of God to be abundant in this kinde Our time here is short and we shall 〈◊〉 ere long bee called to a reckoning â—…refore let us study reall praises Gods blessing of us is in deed and so should ours be of him Thankes in words is good but in deeds is better leaves are good but fruit is better and of fruit that which costs us most True praise requires our whole man the judgement to esteeme the memory to treasure up the will to resolve the affections to deâ—…ght the tongue to speake of and the â—…e to expresse the rich favours of God what can we thinke of what can we call to minde what can we resolve upon what can we speake what can we expresse in our whole course better then the praises of him of whom and through whom and to whom wee and all things are Our whole life should speake nothing but thankfulnesse every condition and place we are in should be a witnesse of our thankfulnesse this will make the times and places wee live in the better for us when wee our selves are monuments of Gods mercy it is fit we should be patternes of his praises and leave monuments to others Wee should thinke life is given us to doe something better then life in we live not to live our life is not the end of it selfe but the praise of the giver God hath joyned his glory and our happinesse together it is fit that wee should referre all that is good to his glory that hath joyned his glory to our best good in being glorified in our salvation David concludes that he should certainly praise God because he had prayedâ—…to â—…to him Prayers be the seeds of praiâ—… I have sowen therefore I will reap â—…at we receive as a fruit of our prayâ—… is more sweet then what wee have 〈◊〉 a generall providence But how doe wee know that God heares 〈◊〉 prayers 1. If we regard them our selves and â—…ect an issue prayer is a sure
workes If I be a Father where is mine boâ—…r Speciall relations are speciall enforcements to duty 4. The spirit of God which knowes the deep things of God and the depths of our hearts doth reveale this mutuall interest betwixt God and those that are his it being a principall worke of the spirit to seale this unto the soule by discovering such a cleare and particular light in the use of meanes as swaieth the soule to yeeld up it selfe wholy to God When we truly trust wee may say with S. Paul I know whom I have trusted he knew both that he trusted and whom he trusted The spirit of God that reveales God to be ours and stirres up faith in him both reveales this trust to our soules and the interest we have in God thereby The Lord is my portion saith my soul but God said so to it first If instinct of nature teaches dammes to know their young ones and their yong ones them in the middest of those that are alike shall not the spirit of God much more teach the soule to know its owne father As none knowes what is in man but the spirit of man so none knowes what love God beares to those that are his but the spirit of God in his All the light in the world cannot discover the Sunne unto us onely it discovers it selfe by its own â—…eames So all the Angels and Saints 〈◊〉 heaven cannot discover to our soules â—…he love that is in the breast of God towards us but onely the spirit of God which sheds it into our hearts The spirit onely teaches this language to say my God It is infused onely into sanctified hearts and therefore oft-times meane men enjoy it when great wise and learned persons are strangers to it 5. The spirit when it witnesseth this to us is called the spirit of adoption and hath alwayes accompanying of it a spirit of supplication whereby with a familiar yet reverent boldnesse wee lay open our hearts to God as to a deere Father All others are strangers to this heavenly intercourse In straits they run to their friends and carnall shifts whereas an heire of heaven runs to his Father and tells him of all 6. Those that are Gods are known to be his by speciall love-tokens that â—…e bestowes upon them As 1. the speciall graces of his spirit Princes children are knowne by their costly jewels and rich ornaments It is not common gifts and glorious parts that set a character upon us to be Gods but grace to use those gifts in humility and love to the glory of the giver 2. There is in them a sutablenesse and connaturalnesse of heart to all that is spirituall to whatsoever hath Gods stampe upon it as his truth and his children and that because they are his By this likenesse of disposition wee are fashioned to a communion with him Can two walke together and not be agreed It is a certaine evidence that we are Gods in Christ if the spirit of God hath wrought in us any impression like unto Christ who is the image of his Father both Christs looking upon us and our looking upon Christ by faith as ours hath a transforming and conforming power 3. Spirituall comforts in distresse such as the world can neither give nor take away shew that God lookes upon the soules of his with another eye then he beholdeth others He sends a secret messenger that reports his peculiar love to their hearts He knowes their soules and feeds them with his hidden Manna the inward peace they feele is not in freedome from trouble but in freenesse with God in the midst of trouble 4. Seasonable and sanctified corrections wherby we are kept from being led away by the errour of the wicked shew Gods fatherly care over us as his Who will trouble himselfe in correcting another mans childe yet we oftner complaine of the smart wee feele then thinke of the tender heart and hand that smites us untill our spirits be subdued and then we reape the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Where crosses worke together for the best we may know that we love God and are loved of him Thriving in a sinfull course is a black marke of one that is not Gods 7. Then wee make it appeare that God is our God when wee side with him and are for him and his cause in ill times When God seems to cry out unto us who is on my side who Then if wee can say as those in Esay whereof one sayes I am the Lords and another calls himselfe by the name of Jacob and another subscribes with his hand unto the Lord it s a blessed signe Thus the Patriarchs and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs were not ashamed of God and God was not ashamed to own theÌ„ Provided that this boldnesse for God proceed not onely from a conviction of the judgement but from spirituall experience of the goodnesse of the cause whereby we can justifie in heart what we justifie in words Otherwise men may contend for that with others which they have no interest in themselves The life must witnesse for God as well as the tongue it is oft easier for corrupt nature to part with life then with lust This siding with God is with a separation from whatsoever is contrary God useth this as an argument to come out of Babylon because we are his people Come out of her My people Religion is nothing else but a gathering and a binding of the soule close to God that fire which gathers together the gold separates the drosse Nature drawes out that which is wholesome in meates â—…nd severs the contrary The good â—…hat is to be had by God is by cleaâ—…ing to him and him onely God loves 〈◊〉 ingenuous and full protestation if â—…alled to it It shewes the coldnesse of â—…he times wheÌ„ there is not heat enough â—…f zeale to separate from a contrary â—…ith God is a jealous God and so wee â—…all finde him at last When the day of severing comes then they that have â—…ood for him shall not onely be his but his treasure and his jewels There is none of us all but may some time or other fall into such a great extremity that when wee looke â—…bout us we shall finde none to help â—…s at which time we shall throughly â—…now what it is to have comfort from heaven and a God to goe unto If there be any thing in the world worth labouring for it is the getting sound evidence to our soules that God is ours What madnesse is it to spend all our labour to possesse our selves of the Cisterne when the fountaine is offered to â—…s O beloved the whole world cannot weigh against this one comfort that God is ours All things laid in the other ballance would be too light A Moath may corrupt a theefe may take away that we have here but who can take our God away Though God doth convey some
putting man out of the power and possession of himselfe and therefore David here when he had thoughts of praising God was faine to take up the quarrell betwixt him and his soule first Praising sets all the parts and graces of the soule aworke and therefore the soule had need gather it selfe and its strength together to this duty It requires especially selfe-denyall from a conscience of our own wants weaknesses and unworthinesse it requires a giving up of our selves and all ours to be at Gods dispose the very ground and the fruit which it yeelds are both Gods and they never gave themselves truly up to God that are not ready to give all they have to him whensoever he calls for it thankfulnesse is a sacrifice and in sacrifices there must be killing before offering otherwise the sacrifice will be as the offering up of some uncleane creature thanksgiving is 〈◊〉 Incense and there must be fire to â—…rne that Incense thanksgiving requires not onely affections but the heat of affections there must be some assuâ—…ce of the benefit wee praise God â—…or and it is no easie matter to maintaine assurance of our interest in the best things Yet in this case if we feele not sense of assorance it is good we should praise God for what we have we cannot deny but God offers himselfe in mercy to us and that he intends our good thereby for so wee ought to construe his mercifull dealing towards us and not have him in jealousie without ground if we being our hearts to be willing to praise God for that wee cannot but acknowledge comes from him hee will be ready in his time to shew himselfe more clearely to us we taste of his goodnesse â—…ny wayes and it is accompanied with much patience and these in their natures leade us not onely to repentance but likewise to thankfull acknowledgement and wee ought to follow that which God leades us unto though hee hath not yet acquainted us with his secrets It is good in this case to help the soule with a firm resolution and to back resolution with a vowe not onely in generall that we will praise but particularly of something within our owne power provided it prove no snare to us For by this meanes the heart is perfectly gayned and the thing is as good as done in regard of Gods acceptance and our comfort because strong resolutions discover sincerity without any hypocriticall reservation and hollownesse Alwayes so much sincerity as a man hath so much will his inward peace be Resolution as a strong streame beares downe all before it little good is done in Religion without this and with it all is as good as done So soone as we set upon this worke wee shall feele our spirits to rise higher and higher as the waters in the Sanctuary as the soule growes more and more heated see how David riseth by degrees Be glad in the Lord and then rejoyce ye righteous and then showt for ioy 〈◊〉 yee that are upright in heart the spirit of God will delight to carry us along â—…n this duty untill it leaves our spirits in heaven praising God with the Saintsâ—…d â—…d glorious Angels there to him that â—…h and useth it shall be given hee that â—…weth God aright will honour him by trusting of him hee that honours â—…m by trusting him will honour him by praying and he that honours him by prayer shall honour him by praises hee â—…at honours him by praises here shall perfect his praises in heaven and this will quit the labour of setting and keeâ—…ing the soule in tune this trading with God is the richest trade in the world when we returne praises to him 〈◊〉 returnes new favours to us and so an everlasting ever-encreasing intercourse betwixt God and the soule is maintained David here resolved to praise God â—…use hee had assurance of such a deâ—…rance as would yeeld him a â—…ound of praising him Praising of God may well be called â—…ense because as it is sweet in it selfe and sweet to God so it sweetens all that comes from us Love and Ioy are sweet in themselves though those whom wee love and joy in should not know of our affection nor returne the like but wee cannot love and joy in God but hee will delight in us when we neglect the praising of God we lose both the comforts of Gods love and our owne too It is a spirituall judgement to want oâ—… lose the sight or sense of Gods favours for it is a sign of want of spirituall life or at least livelinesse it shewes wee are not yet in the state of those whom God hath chosen to set forth the riches of his glory upon When we consider that if we answer not kindnesse and favour shewed unto us by men we are esteemed unworthy of respect as having sinned against the bond of humane society and love wee cannot but much more take shame to our selves when wee consider the disproportion of our carriage and unkind behaviour towards God when in stead of being temples of his praise wee become graves of his benefits what a vanity is this in our nature to stand upon exactnesse of justice in answering petty curtesies of men and yet to passe by the substantiall favours of God without scarce taking notice of them the best breeding is to acknowledge greatest respects where they are most due and to think that if unkindnesse and rudenesse be a sinne in civility it is much more in Religion the greatest danger of unthankfulnesse is in the greatest matter of all if wee arrogate any spirituall strength to our selves in spirituall actions wee commit either sacriledge in robbing God of his due or mockerie by praising him for that which we hold to be of our selves if injustice be to be condemned in man much more in denying God his due Religion being the first due It takes much from thankfulnesse when we have common conceits of peculiar favours praise is not comely in the mouth of fooles Godloves no blind sacrifice We should therefore have wisdome and judgement not onely to know upon what grounds to be thankfull but in what order by discerning what be the best and first favours whence the rest proceed and which adde a worthiness to all the rest it is good to see blessings as they issue from grace and mercy It much commends any blessing to see the love and favour of God in it which is more to be valued then the blessing it selfe as it much commends any thing that comes from us when we put a respect of thankfulnesse and love to God upon it and if we observe we shall find the unkindnesse of others to us is but a correction of our unkindnesse to God In praising God it is not good to delay but take advantage of the freshnesse of the blessing what we adde to delay we take from thankfulnesse and withall lose the prime and first fruits of our affections It is