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
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
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
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
with our owâ—… hearts than with the trouble it selfe We are not hurt till our soules be hurt God will not have it in the power of any creature to hurt our soules but by our owne treason against our selves Therfore we should have our hearts in continuall jealousie for they are ready to deceive the best In suddaine encounters some sinne doth many times discover it selfe the seed whereoflyeth hid in our natures which wee thinke our selves very free from Who would have thought the seeds of murmuring had lurked in the meeke nature of Moses That the seeds of murther had lurked in the pittifull heart of David That the seeds of deniall of Christ had lyen hid in the zealous affection of Peter towards Christ If passions breake out from us which we are not naturally enclined unto and over which by grace wee have got a great conquest how watchfull need wee be over our selves in those things which by temper custome and company wee are carried unto and what cause have wee to feare continually that wee are worse than we take our selves to be There are many unruly passions lye hid in us untill they be drawne out by something that meeteth with them either I by way of opposition as when the truth of God spiritually unfolded meets with some beloved corruption it swelleth bigger the force of Gunpowder is not knowne untill some sparke light on it and oftentimes the stillest natures if crossed discover the deepest corruptions Sometimes it is drawne out by dealing with the opposite spirits of other men Oftentimes retyred men know not what lies hid in themselves 2. Sometimes by crosses as many people whilest the freshnesse and vigour of their spirits lasteth and while the flower of age and a full supply of all things continueth seeme to be ofâ—… pleasing and calme disposition bâ—… afterwards when changes come like Iobs wife they are discovered Thâ—… that which in nature is unsubdued openly appeares 3. Temptations likewise have a searching power to bring that to light in us which was hidden before Sathan hath beene a winnower and a sister of old hee thought if Iob had beene but touched in his body hee would have cursed God to his face Some men out of policie conceale their passion untill they see some advantage to let it out as Esau smoothered his hatred untill his fathers death When the restraint is taken away Men as wee say shew themselves in their pure naturalls unloose a Tyger or a Lyon and you know what he is 4. Further let us see more every day into the state of our owne soules what a shame is it that so nimble and swift a spirit as the soule is that can mount up to heaven from thence come downe into the earth in an instant should whilest it lookes over all other things over-looke it selfe that it should bee skilfull in the story almost of all times and places and yet ignorant of the story of it selfe that we should know what is done in the Court and Countrey and beyond the Seas and be ignorant of what is done at home in our owne hearts that we should live knowne to others and yet die unknowne to our selves that we should be able to give account of any thing better then of our selves to our selves This is the cause why we stand in our owne light why wee thinke better of our selves than others and better then is cause This is that which hindreth all reformation for how can wee reforme that which wee are not willing to see and so wee lose one of the surest evidences of our sincerity which is a willingnesse to search into our hearts and to bee searched by others A sincere heart will offer it selfe to triall And therefore let us sift our actions and our passions and see what is flesh in them and what is spirit and so separate the precious from the vile It is good likewise to consider what sinne we were guilty of before which moved GOD to give us up to excesse in any passion and wherein we have grieved his Spirit Passion will bee 〈◊〉 moderate when thus it knowes it must come to the triall and censure This course will either make us weary of passion or else passion will make us weary of this strict course Wee shall find it the safest way to give our hearts no rest till we have wrought on them to purpose and gotten the mastery over them When the soule is invred to this dealing with it selfe it will learne the skill to command and passions will be soone commanded as being invred to be examined and checked As wee see doggs and such like domesticall creatures that will not regard a stranger yet will be quieted in brawles presently by the voice of their Master to which they are accustomed This fits us for service Unbroken spirits are like unbroken horses unfit for any use untill they be thorowly subdued 5. And it were best to prevent as much as in us lieth the very first risings before the soule bee overcast Passions are but little motions at the first but grow as Rivers doe greater and greater the further they are carried from their Spring The first risings are the more to bee looked unto because there is most danger in them and we have least care over them Siâ—… like rust or a Canker will by little aâ—… little eate out all the graces of the soule There is no staying when we are once downe the hill till we come to the bottome No sin but is easier kept out tâ—… driven out If wee cannot prevent wicked thoughts yet wee may deny them lodging in our hearts It is our giving willing entertainment to sinfull motions that increaseth guilt and hinderâ—… our peace It is that which moveth God to give us up to a further degree of evill affections Therefore what we are afraid to doe before men we should bee afraid to thinke before God It would much further our peace to keep our judgements cleare as being the eye of the soule whereby we may discerne in every action and passion what is good and what is evill as likewise to preserve rendernesse of heart that may checke us at the first and not brooke the least evill being discovered When the heart begins once to be kindled it is easie to smother the smoke of passion which otherwise will fume up into the head and gather into so thicke a cloud as wee shall lose the sight of our selves and what is best to bee done And therefore David here labours to take up his heart at the first his care was to crush the very first insurrections of his soule before they came to break forth into open rebellion stormes we know rise out of little gusts Little risings neglectd cover the soule before wee are aware If wee would checke these risings and stifle them in their birth they would not breake out afterwards to the reproach of Religion to the scandall of the weake
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
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
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
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
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
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
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