filth of it get the washing of Justification and of Sanctification into thy soule and doubt not but thou shalt be cured 3. Apply the playster 3. Unto the laying on of the all-healing plaister upon the wound it is the plaister in application that is healing Christs blood was shed to heale broken spirits Esay 61. 1 2 3. 53. 6. He is that Sun of righteousnesse that hath healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. that blood alone can asswage all our ragings and heale all our woundings Now then make a seasonable application of that blood to your wounded soules sprinkle with his blood your wounded spirits God alone is pacified if the blood of Christ be sprinkled and conscience doth heale when God is reconciled O that we would set our selves by faith into the dying and bleedings of Christ a man must earnestly labour to beleeve that Christ doth and will satisfie for those sinnes which breed the terror within and this will proove the curing and the comforting of his heart as we may see Act. 16. 31. 4. Unto the daily openings 4. Dresse it daily and dressings of the wound it is a necessary thing for the soule to be venting it selfe into full and frequent confessions of sin there is a need of letting out the filthy matter that the wound in healing gathereth this wee hold keepe in sin and Note you keepe on your trouble but let out the filthy matter and ease will follow it is an easing thing to bee much in acknowledgement of sin to God and to accuse a mans selfe of sin before God we see David found it specially curing unto him Psal 32. 3 5. and besides this there must be the renewing of our repentance and godly sorrow for sins committed sinfull wounds are deepe wounds and great sins call for great sorrowes David was wholy in teares and Peter weepes bitterly and wee must be constant in repenting if wee expect a compleate and comfortable cure and lastly we must lay open all our sores before the Lord in prayer Davids sore ran and ceased not and yet in the day of his trouble he sought the Lord and he prayed when his spirit was full of anguish Psal 77. 2 3. and thus must we doe wee must come unto God with all our sinnes and soares craving healing from him who will heale us in his owne time and by his owne meanes Hosea 6. 1. 14. 4. 5. Unto the upholdments of 5. Provision our spirits under all the dressings of its wounds wee are very apt to faint in the thought of distresses but when wee are felt and drest and dealt withall in a most healing way wee are ready to qualme and sinke so that it doth very much concerne us to have our cordials and restoratives neare us such as are the sweet and precious promises of the Note Covenant of grace wee must set our selves under grace and beleeve that God hath a good opinion of us and that his love is towards us wee must set up the saving vertue of Christs blood against the damming power of sinne wee must eye Gods acceptance of weake endeavours and passing by of many failings wee must conclude that a state of love may bee under the sense of much wrath and that though the paine for the present be much and great yet it is sanctified and God will put an end unto it for good unto such as are his in Covenant This if we could wisely doe wee should keepe downe the risings of uncomfortable thoughts and cease so much talking of our paine and making complaint thereof and happily attaine to the curing of the wounds of our spirits the greatest of mercies and the ground of singular rejoycing because the wounds of the spirit are so intollerable and unsufferable as I have opened unto you Eight Cases of conscience opened for the relievement of wounded spirits IT now remaineth that I open unto you some of the things which are greatly wounding unto mans spirit and yeeld unto you such relievements against them as Cases of conscience doe require a work requiring both experimentall knowledge and the tongue of the Learned unto which I acknowledge my selfe insufficient yet having found the good proofe of these following directions in the comforting of many soules already I am the more encouraged to communicate them unto you in a more publique way and the blessing of the Almighty goe along with them CASE I. Of the suspension of divine favour THe first thing which I Case 1. shall speake of as The absence of Gods lovâ— in sense is a great trouble greatly wounding and troubling the spirits of Gods children is the absence of God in the sense and feeling of his loving kindnesse all absences of God suppose them to be longer or shorter inward or outward troubles Christians exceedingly if Caine could make it distraction unto him when he was cast out of Gods visible presence Gen. 4. 15 16. If Mary weepe because that they had taken away her Lord and she knew not where that they had laid him Iohn 20. 13. how much more wounding unto Christians is the suspension of divine favour the soule cannot lie under the sense of Gods displeasure and withdrawments of his love without much alteratioâ— and affliction The life of a Christian is much after the life of some great Favourite in the Court whose Simile comforts or discomforts depends upon the countenance or discountenance of his Prince or as it is with the Marigold which opens and shuts with the Sun just thus all the while the love of God shines upon a Christian so as he is able to apprehend it he lives and is very chearefull in spirit the sense of divine love is a spring of joy a well of consolation and the admirable refreshment of the soule a Psal 30 5. thy favour is life b Psal 63 3. thy loving kindnesse is better then life saith David this was it that gave unto him exceeding joy of heart Psal 4. 6 7. The Church sate under the shadow of Christ with great delight and his fruit waâ—â—weet unto her taste Cant. 2. 3. The enjoyment of this love is the day and joy of a Christian But now if that there bee a withdrawment or clouding or restraining of the love of God unto sense let God I say but hide his face and seeme to forget and forsake his let him but cover himselfe with a cloud and absent himselfe for a time covering his with his wrath and just displeasure now 't is all night and darkenesse yea and death it selfe unto Christians as you may see in these Scriptures of experience Psal 30. 7. 88. 14. 44. 24. 77. 3 7 8 9. 13. 1. 31. 22. Lam. 3. 18. 42 43 44. Esa 45. 15. 49. 14. Ionah 2. 4. Reason And all this is by reason of that conjunction and relation that is betweene God and them and the wonderfull sweetnesse and joy wherewithall they were filled and refreshed in tâ—â— daies of their
and mudding of warrants when faith is kept from the cleare apprehension of promises and cannot see all its priviledges when men will cast mists of misinterpretation and jealousie upon the promises questioning their goodnesse or truth either in themselves or to themselves now love cannot be so felt and apprehended as it might be let it be your work therfore to reade over the promises of God to faith and make them as plaine and cleare to faith as you can consider well how many grants of favour are made over to faith and enlarge faith in these promises and then shall you finde and feele much love in your soules 4. Wisely support your soules and uphold your selves by these ensuing considerations 8. Things for the setling the soule in the absence of divine love 1. That it is no new or strange thing for Gods dearest children in their sense to be forsaken of divine love and to have apprehensions of divine wrath towards them the light of Gods love was withdrawne for a time from Christ the Sonne of Gods onely love and from his Church Psal 44. Lam. 3. 2. That God doth never withdraw the sense of his love from any of his children but for some speciall causes and profitable ends such as are 1. The triall of their disposition and temper towards himselfe it is an excellent spirit that can love God frowning and depend upon God absenting and withdrawing himselfe I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Iacob and I will looke for him Esay 8. 17. 2. The ransacking of their Causes of Gods suspending his love from his soules now they goe to seeke and finde out all the idols of indignation that are remaining within them a little of Gods anger felt and apprehended doth much afflict the heart with sorrow for sinne and eate out the love of sinne within a man doth never apprehend and feele his sinnes with more griefe and hatred then in the times of Gods absences as 1 Sam. 21. 1 2. 3. The putting us into the most excellent life of faith our disposition is to live too much by sense and wee would alwaies enjoy God by sight but for as much as sight is reserved for another world and there we shall have the full and constant fruition of Gods love by vision God will and doth in this life exercise us in the life of faith making us in the non-feeling of love to beleeve love unto us 4. The searching out of their grounds and evidences to see if that there bee any thing of God left within them by which they may gaine any assurance that God doâ—h love them 5. The preparing of them for greater apprehension of his love and favour in time to come God many times after a little absence doth shew himselâ—e more glorious and comforâ—â—ble in his love to the soule then ever he did in times past in the little forsakings of God the soule is more set after God and more enlarged to receive from God the testimonies of his love then ever it was formerly Now then if God will doe his children good in and by the withdrawments of his countenance from them why should they bee so dejected as they are under them 3. That though the love of God be much unto his in every condition yet such as are Gods shall never bee able to know and feele all the love of God to them or so much of Gods love as their desires lead them unto in this life we have our tastes and wee shall never have our fill untill we come to heaven Ephes 3. 19. 4. That the condition of love is one thing and the feeling of love another thing alwaies love is not felt Gods love may bee towards us when his looke is not a tender Father doth many times fold up his love in angry words and harsh actions and a loving God to a sinfull Christian may exercise his love insensibly so as a man may bee in favour when he feeles no favour he may be that in faith which hee is not in sense 5. That such who have not present sense of love may yet have a present ground for Gods love unto them Now the The promise is the ground of love sure ground of Gods love unto us is the promise of love Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5. 1â— with favour wilt thou compasse him saith David and truth it is that our happinesse stands in this assurance that divine love is in the promise here is our stock and if wee had no more love then what we could hold in sense all love would soone be gone this therefore must be the wisedome of Christians not to judge of their interest unto Gods love by the present actuall feelings of it within their soules but by the gratious promise of love made over unto them on Gods part reason thus what though I cannot feele and find Gods favour to bee towards mee yet Note why should I bee dejected hath not God given out a word of truth for love and favour unto mee 6. That such Christians who have not the present sense of Gods love may have future sense of Gods love Gods love is never totally nor finally withdrawne from his children the suspensions of Gods favour are temporary and God doth many times reserve great assurance unto after times David in confidence of this saith The Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall bee with mee and my prayer unto the God of my life Psal 42. 8. Thus saith the Church He will bring mee forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Micah 7. 9. This is the reasoning of faith God hath loving kindnesse and hee can shew it and and will shew it I have found him a very loving God unto my soule in times past and why should I doubt of future expectations Simile after a night of darkenesse commeth a day of light and after a storme commeth a calme the cloud may be remooved and I may enjoy my God as fully and as freely as ever heretofore 7. That sense of Gods love is graduall it is neither in all Christians in the same measure and degree nor at all times the same in the same Christians truth it is that as it is one and Simile the same Sun that shineth over the whole world so it is one and the same love of God for kind that is manifested to all Christians yet some have a Love one for kinde different in degree a more large and greater measure and a larger and greater sense of that love then others according to the will and wisedome of God I say it passeth to the sense with much variation now the least assurance of divine love towards us should be a great upholdment of our spirits under the want of much sense and feeling of Gods love within us Ob. Yea could I find any pledges of Gods love to mee
then I could be comforted and setled but I feare that God did never love mee Sol. Beloved you see how scruple begets scruple as wave doth wave and to give a short 4. Signes of the former feelings of Gods love answer unto this case there are these signes of a mans former enjoyment of Gods love 1. Continued temptations about the love of God unto a mans selfe in particular and that not onely in the times of affliction and hower of death but at such times when a Christian sets himselfe to try his owne standing in grace and to settle himselfe in the assurance of Gods love unto him I say the more interest any man hath into Gods love the more spite shall he have from Satan and the more feeling any man hath of divine love the more shall such a man bee followed with strong suggestions and horrible temptations drawne from divine wrath shall wee imagine that if Satan hearing the proclamation from heaven of Gods love to Christ Mat. 3. 17. would notwithstanding seaze upon him and tempe him to doubt of his Sonship and Fathers care and love that now any member of Christ in and under the assurance of Gods love shall be free from his malicious molestations and hideous temptations the divell hates where God loves and 't is strange to behold how Note Gods children doe many times those things to bee arguments of discouragements which are or need to be none at all O say they Satan doth molest and tempt me daily and tells me of divine wrath that is towards me well suppose he say so wilt thou beleeve him was he not alyer and a murtherer Iob. 8. 44 from the beginning is not his name the accuser of the Brethren before God day and night Revel 12. 10. are not all the testimonies of Satan directly or obliquely against the truth of God and comfort of Christians tell me O Christian what is it hurtfull or prejudiciall to Satan if God doe hate a man him whom God indeed doth hate is the proper subject of Satan and no wise Prince will make warre on his own subjects conclude that wert thou not in Gods favour Satan would let thee alone and not trouble thee in the setling oâ— under thy not feeling of his love unto thee 2. Miserablenesse of soule under the want of the apprehension of divine love we now can grieve and grow sad because wee faile of our once enjoyed feelings all cloudings and ecclipses in the assurance of divine love ar terrible to Christians the hiding of the Sun is discomfortable and the withdrawments of divine love is a cause of just trouble men that never felt divine love make nothing of its absence but to have it called back from one that hath found and felt it it maketh a sad and a darke day it is impossible for thy soule of man to be humblingly and sorrowfully sensible of the want of Gods love but there hath been some former feelings of divine love within his soule Psal 30. 5. 3. Risings of the desires after the sense and degrees of divine love if a man hath tasted of Gods love unto him hee shall finde stirrings and longings in his soule after further and greater sense now saith such a one O that God would shine forth in much love unto my soule O that I could see his face as the face of a reconciled God unto mee time was when I enjoyed his love and it was better then wine O that I could now enjoy it once more then should my life bee full of comfort and content unto mee can true desires rise up after divine love if it were never formerly apprehended and felt by the soule assuredly it is because there are some sparkles of Gods love in the soule that men doe eagerly and sincerely desire the same Let him kisse mee with the kisses of Cant. 1. 2. his mouth for thy love is better then wine the Church had found the love of Christ to bee better then wine and hereupon shee doth desire him to kisse her 4. Endeavours after the sense of Gods love they that have once tasted of Gods love in the enjoyment of it are readie to maintaine and hold it up within Note in them yea and to keepe it with the losse of all outward sensible comforts accounting that one day spent though with much conflict of corruption and temptation in the true taste and sense of Gods love in Christ is farre beyond all the contentments which the world can affoord and if at any time they are at a losse and doe misse of their former feelings they give not off their hope and diligence but doe set themselves into the waies of assurance will leave no stone unrolled to get their former sense of love if it may bee whence doth this arise is it not from some former touch of the soule by the love of God when Elijahs mantle was once cast upon Elisha hee could not but follow him and certaine when Gods love hath beene seene and felt a man shall follow on to know more and more the waies of love 8. When men for the present can find no sense of Gods love within them they must support themselves upon the foundation which is this The foundation stands in 2. things 1. That all upright and beleeving persons have a loving God who is the fullnesse and fountaine of love unto them how ever their feelings and apprehensions are of it say Yet God is good to Israel and beares a Psal 77. 1. loving heart to the upright beloved know that changes in us doe not conclude any change in God he is a constant and unchangeable God in his love to his whom he once loveth hee Joh. 13. 2. loveth unto the end 2. That Christians are saved because God loveth them not because they doe perceive and feele the love that God hath toward them our feeling makes to comfort but the being of love unto happinesse CASE II. Of doubtings arising and continuing in the soule THere are two sorts of Two sorts of men 1. Men of no doubtings men that are of contrary opinions about the matters of doubtings the one concludes an unwarranted happinesse unto themselves because they finde within them selves a freedome from all doubts they blesse God that they never doubted in all their lives but have gone on alwaies in a setled and peaceable way never scrupling or questioning their own present standing or future happinesse a very strange temper from religion for though doubtings bee not the essence of a Christian yet he cannot be a sound and setled Christian that never doubted it cannot be but that such who in the state of nature did not feare to sinne will when they are brought into the state of grace doubt of themselves by reason of sinne would you not wonder at that man who should Simile passe over many unknowne countreys and crosse many parting paths and waies and yet should tell you that in all his
how shall we apply it shut fast the windowes and the light cannot come into the roome despaire of ever enjoying Gods love and you debarre your selves of all comfortable feeling of the same helpe not the divell against our selves our comforts but know that though God be not easily gained in his love once lost yet the sense of Gods love after the sense of much wrath is attaineable it being both tendred in the promise and that which many faithfull Christians seeking have obtained reade what is written for a small moment have I forsaken thee Esay â—â— 7 8. but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Thirdly set upon the recovering means of Gods favour unto your selves Gods countenance which is now suspended may be renewed the Sun is not alwaies clouded and God will Simile not alwaies bee offended though God bee not changeable in himselfe and love yet sense of his love is with much variation to the same Christians sometimes they have Sense of love is graduall much light and evidence and can and doe apply it with great strength and comfort enjoying as it were their heaven on earth anon their apprehensions are clouded and applications weakned so that great love doth run with little sense they are sonnes yet under sense of wrath and yet they may rise up againe and their God arise in the light of his countenance upon them assuredly Christians 4 Thing to bee done for the regaâ—â—ning oâ— Godâ— lovâ— in sense might walke with more sense of Gods love if that they did practise these foure things 1. The giving off the waies of sinne a man is no way more an enemy unto his owne assurance of divine love then in and by the continuing in the love and practise of any one knowne lust which is the great displeasure of God God I grant doth love where sinne is but he doth neither love sinne nor will he shew himselfe loving to that man that is a lover of sin if the heart gather iniquity to it selfe how can the love of God dwell there what is it that makes Gods children in the daies of distresse most doubtfull of Gods love and most to question the same towards them is it not the sins that they have committed and can we bee in the waies of assurance when wee live in the waies of wickednesse Danger by sinniâ— all adventuring upon sins doth beget divine hatred make faith to reele and breeds nothing but doubts and feares and jealousies all which keeps off the feeling of divine love O resolve to give of all sinne no way engage your hearts unto it and you shall finde upon your turning from sinne the turning of Gods face towards you 2 Chron. 7. 14. Esay 55. 7. 2. Be found in the waies of duty inlarge the uprightnesse of your soules the humility of your minds and strive to all conscionablenesse fervencie and stedfastnesse of spirit in all required services and you shall finde divine favour bowing and bending towards you a man is never more in the way of love then when hee goes right on in the course of godlinesse when a mans life is wrought unto Gods will and spent in Gods worke there cannot want particular discoveries of Gods love more or lesse if we live to God and with God acting and mooving on in a course of holinesse though for the present all seeme to be clouded and darkned love will breake out Note Three things about love and duty with me three things 1. That a Christian wanting assurance of divine love dares not to decline duty and the services of a spirituall life though hee cannot as yet feele God in love yet hee will waite upon God in duty 2. That the sense and assurance of Gods love in the heart doth much enlarge the heart in the chearefull and powerfull performance of holy duties no man is more spiritfull or painefull then he which day by day feeleth Gods goodnesse this is as the oyling to the wheeles and the light unto working 3. That while men goe on in a course of holy obedience and moove on in duties out of love to God God will not faile at length to give them some intimations of his love Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy waies Esay 64. 5. 3. Preserve your selves under the Ordinances you are in the waies of love when you are in Gods presence hearing Gods voice and partaking of his Sacraments these reveale the Fathers face unto you here you shall have tenders of divine love unto you and by these God will convey the sense of his love unto you I have declared unto them thy Joh. 17. 26. name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them where wee plainely see that God by the meanes of salvation doth perswade and settle the heart in the assurance of his love let it then be your wisedomes to attend serting your selves under the manifestation of love and God in time will speake peace to your hearts and let you to know the love that hee hath towards you waite I say upon God in his Ordinances and surely the good houre will come that the heate and comfort of Gods love shall bee apprehended by you I will heare what the Lord will speake for hee will speake peace unto his people and to his Saints Psal 85. 8. 4. Cleare the warrants and grounds of faith this is most true that faith lives in love and in the promises of love and there can be no sound perswasion of Gods love in the soule without faith as the Gospell sheweth love and God bestoweth love so faith receiveth and applieth love a 1 Ioh 4 16. Wee have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us now faith doth never worke so clearely and apprehensively in divine love as when its warrants and grounds which are the promises of God are very cleare unto the soule there are two Two things keeping men of the apprehension of divine love 1. Misplacing of warrants things which keepe men off from the comfortable apprehension of divine favour 1. One is the misplacing of warrants when men are mistaken in the matter of Gods love and will judge themselves to be under divine love upon generall testimonies by forraigne pawnes even such as hypocrites or cast-awaies may have forgetting that saying of Salomon No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them Eccles 9. 2. Suppose a man to have concurrence of naturall parts common graces morrall moderation formality of religion and plenty of all outward things now if he hereupon fancie a love of God unto him as too many doe the man mistakes himselfe and cannot be setled in Gods love to him 2. Another is the darkening 2. Darkening of warrants
good ends doth suffer Ends of doubtings in the godly foure doubtings in his as 1. To free them from many sins of pride presumption negligence and the like 2. To force them to their divine helps that now they may the more enquire and seeke resolution and setling from Heaven 3. To make them more firme and certaine Simile at the last a tree in shaking gets Nil tam certum quà m quod ex dubio certum fixednesse a scholler by enquiry gets satisfaction and a Christian by his doubtings commeth to be more resolved all our doubtings end in resolution God will give unto his at the last full satisfaction of soule and conscience 5. In the Elect all doubtings are curable and recoverable they are possible of cure and shall actually be cured in Gods time by Gods meanes the Lord doth mercifully heale his of all the tossings and turnings of their minds that at length they come to rest upon the mountaine of his truth goodnesse unto them in Christ there is an excellent temper toward Note healing wrought in Gods children they have a bent unto determination and will not give up their case as desperate what though they cannot quit themselves of all uncertainties and attaine unto positive fixing yet they will with Noahs Dove hover over the Arke which is Christ and the Promises the onely and able grounds of stedfastnesse and setling unto Christians The doubtings of wicked men are possible of curing if wee consider what God by his power can doe but yet they remaine uncured by the justice of God lying upon them and doe goe on increasing doubtings unto their owne damnation so that in the one doubtings are miserable but in the other damnable Seventhly beware of maintaining and cherishing doubtings within your owne soules it is for Christians to labour after the cure of this disease of doubting and to close up this spirituall distemper within their soules considering Motives to cure doubtings are three 1. That doubting is an ill quality in the soule that breeds unto much discomfort depriving of all true staiednesse and contentment 2. It is that which is very hindersome to a progresse in Christianity keeping Christians at a stay and standing and 3. There is nothing which is more injurious to God in his Attributes who must not bee questioned in his promised Power Truth Love and Goodnesse and yet wee finde this to bee a common failing in doubting Christians to cherish and nourish doubtings within themselves yea and many times to study and follow the way of doubting a great and cruell evill most gratefull unto Meanes against cherishing doubts Satan and displeasing to God my counsell therefore is unto you 1. To make and maintaine no argument within you against the full and gratious promises of God delight not in that childish and unreasonable kinde of disputation which may hurry the soule with feares and doubtings helping doubts against faith if men will thrust away the promises from themselves and say that though there be an absolute truth and goodnesse in them yet their truth and goodnesse doth not belong unto them how can the soule possibly settle and be quiet can Simile the anchor fixe if it want ground or the bird rest whilst its in the aire no more can a Christian resolve and settle if it pleade against the promises 2. Beleeve no testimonie of Satan concerning your conditions I know Satan will take upon him to judge of Christians sinnes and services and temper and state and as he hath an art to colour over the true condition of sinnefull bondage so hee hath a delusion in hiding from the eyes of Christians the true powers of gratious sincerity and safe standing now if wee looke upon things in the divells glasse beleeving that all things are in us and with us as hee doth tell us how shall wee bee tossed too and fro and what can abide us but daily doubtings for Satan will alwaies bee deciding and determining against a Christians comfort and happinesse he being their utter enemie it doth well become us to wave the erroneous judgement of Satan 1. By making our appeales The testimony of Satan put by tvvo vvaies unto God the Just and Supreame Judge to whom immediately and onely the decisive power doth appertaine I say none but God can decide the triall of a mans eternall estate 2. By resting in the testimony of Gods Word wee must learne the skill of beating of Satan by the Word setting up the judgement of the Word against the judgement of Satan and if wee can finde from the Word a good estate let Satan goe and whistle wee need in nothing bee troubled by him 3. Be not apt to give way unto needlesse and causelesse feares this is a great fault in Christians and very injurious unto setling you shall seldome finde but that an overfearing nature is a doubting nature and if we will give way unto the creating and multiplying of our feares wee shall feed and nourish scruples and doubtings exceedingly consider it in experience if that a childe be hurt or any undesired newes brought unto us of the sicknesse or calamity of a neare and deare friend the heart is presently grieving and fearing and when feares prevaile and command within then the minde is full of questionings sure the wound is mortall and my friend is dead or in farre worse condition then is reported unto mee and alas what will bee the issue the party is extreamely cruciated in his minde and just so is it in the case in hand if that men will still feare their estate how can they but still continue under doubtings and bee as it were at their wits end not knowing what to doe or what shall become of themselves 4. Doe not disregard motions and motives unto setlednesse there are many who come to Gods Word and Ministers with their doubtings and with many teares and bitter complaints they vent themselves of them now when the Minister hath judicially shewed unto them not onely the causes but the cures of those their doubtings and hath given unto them curing comfort and counsell they set up their reasons against all that is said and conceive the man to be mistaken in them or else they forget the consolation not applying themselves to the way prescribed and surely long may such continue under a doubting condition who reject all directions given unto them Eighthly affect not a life of sense this will expose us to infinite doubtings it is open unto all windes and hath no constant bottome to settle upon observe the uncertainty of this life of sense in Thomas the man would not beleeve that Christ was risen except he should see in his hands the print of the nailes and thrust his hand into his side Ioh. 20. 21. Say now that Christ had for ever withdrawne his bodily presence from Thomas where had beene all those sweet comforts which he might have enjoyed in and by the resurrection of Christ certainely hee had
it or disliking of it contentment maketh the present condition to bee Gods condition and knoweth that Gods condition is the best condition Psal 16. 6. 3. Satisfyingnesse of minde In all contentment there is sufficiency there is a blessednesse even in misery and there shall be no want in all wants the reachings and cravings of the soule shall bee fully answered Now hereupon because by holy contentment the soule is enabled to take up the impression of the present condition as humid qualities doe receive the figure of their continent and because the mind and soule falls in with an afflicted condition as the dispensation and allotment of a Soveraigne and wise God hence it is J say that the spirit is so sustaining under trialls and troubles 5. A sound spirit is a beleeving spirit filled and qualified with faith which must needs bee a ground of strong supportance under all humane calamities all things are possible to him that beleeveth and a spirit of faith is couragious and conquering doe but consider a fourefold worke of faith enabling the sound spirit to beare Faith doth 4. things to the enabling of the spirit under the crosse its calamity 1. It apprehends divine assistances and sets up overmatching helps under all calamities it is the dejection of the spirit to be left to it selfe in times of trouble and for a man to finde to his sense a troubled condition to be his master as we may see in Elishaes servant who when he saw the great hoste of the King of Assyria sent to take his master crieth out Alas master how shall we doe his troubles were above all his arguments and the man seemeth to be at his wits end But behold the faith of Elisha and you shall see it to be above all his trouble for he quiets his owne heart and the heart of his man with the beleeving apprehension of a greater power with him then against him Saying feare not for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them 2 King 6. 15 16. it is the worke of faith to finde out and to bring home a Christians helps unto him in times of triall it makes God at such times both present in favour and assistant in councell and power in confidence of this David will lie him downe and sleep wake and not be afraid Psal 3. 5 6. of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against him round about yea he can walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death and feare none evill Psal 23. 4. 2. It sets up God for a mans owne in love and care in the midst of all afflictions God separated and divided from a Christian in any misery is the weakenesse of the Spirit and makes the heart to sinke and faint within Oh how downe dead how crackt and undone was David when God to his sense was gone from him at such times he was a man without a spirit and now the evill was great and sore and intollerable But when by the eye of faith God was discovered to be his God and hee could well perceive that it was not all his afflictions which could separate him from the love of God unto him in Christ Now he cheeres up himselfe and saith to his soule Why art thou so dejected O my soule trust still in God who is the health of my countenance and my God Psal 43. 5. 3. It keepeth of from the soule and spirit whatsoever might weaken or deject it in and under calamities in the day of a Christians calamitie it is with him as it is in the gathering of a bile or botch in the body all the ill humours will make their recourse unto the botch increasing disquietment unto the patient just so when we have miseries seazing upon us suspition of Gods love towards us Note feares of what men can doe against us and tumultuousnesse of passions will haunt and follow us in so much that wee finde we have our selves to bee greater troubles to our selves then all outward troubles that doe befall us wee sticke our selves in greater deepes then troubles doe cast us into Now faith relieveth the soule against these or the like things partly Foure vvaies hovv faith releeveth the soule in carrying a man from all the creatures unto God shewing unto him that men are but men whose breath is in their nostrills and whose power is confined and malice over-ruled by the power of an Almighty God who being with us and for us wee need in nothing to feare who can harme us partly in keeping a man from looking too much downeward and overwhelming our selves in and by the aggravation of our trouble Simile if men looke too much upon the water in tempestuous times their heads will soone swimme and their stomack qualme and whilst sense and reason is poaring into an afflicted condition and a man is willing and wittie in aggravating his miseries unto the highest making the most and the worst of them the spirit will soone bee sicke and sink and faint within now faith sets a man above all his miserable conditions shewing to a man that hee lieth not at the mercie of any his most miserable conditions that as it is not a good condition which can make him so it is not any bad condition that can marre him partly by setting a Christian upon the way of mitigation learning the Christian the art and skill of breaking the wave in the midst of his most violent tossings Now it starts up the hand of God in all this and the wisedome and goodnesse of God in ordering all unto good which was Davids stay in the great calamity and made him to say let him alone and let him curse the Lord hath bidden him and it may bee that the Lord will looke on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day 2 Sam. 16. 11 12. partly by countermanding the violent risings and habituall vexations of the soule faith is an enemy unto distempered passions it checks it and crieth it downe and will not admit that a man should be angry and froward and fretfull under the hand of God Dost thou well to be angry Jonah 4. 4 saith faith shall we receive good and not evill from the Lord Iob 2. 10. 4. It puts the pawnes and earnests of God into the hands of a Christian in evill times a man in any condition without the promise is as weake as miserable but the promises of God going along with a man they will proove his greatest strength and comfort in any condition we must know that the Covenant was made for the comforting of Christians in all conditions and there are speciall promises made to Christians in times of their distresse which onely faith can finde and supply the Christian withall by meanes where of the head is held above water and the man made stronger then all his trialls and crosses when faith reades that God wil know the soules
apprâ—â—â—nsioâ— of divine love things in conjunction are difficult in their separation a loving wife cannot long endure the absence of her kind husband but his departure Simile from her in displeasure is intollerable and insufferable by her a naturall and ingenious childe makes all his fathers withdrawments bitter unto him even an Absolom that had no goodnesse in him was troubled with his fathers withholding the wonted signes of his favour in banishing him from his presence and can wee imagine but that when God turnes his backe departs in displeasure keepes himselfe darkened and unseene that not so much as the least comfortable view of his countenance can bee espied changeth the set of 〈◊〉 countenance and folds up all the former intimations of love and favour from the sense and apprehension of his children this is the wounding the unsetling and the casting The greatnesse of this trouble downe of the spirit I dare affirme that all outward dignities and revennues which God doth cast upon Christians in variety and plenty in this condition will nothing availe to comfort them divine suspensions are divine desertions and when God is displeased with a man which of all the creatures can comfort him the Moone looseth her light when Simile the face of the Sun is intercepted and God taking away his love the light of comfort is taken away also and Christians are left unto themselves in woe and misery let me tell Causes of the trouble three you 1. That times of suspension are times of stirring tentations God is no sooner absent but Satan is present and combating with Christians if God withdraw from Iob the Divell will set on with eagernesse 2. That times of suspensions are times of greatest suspitions now feares and jealousies and doubtings doe arise within men 3. That under all the withdrawments of Gods favour there is eminent disquietnesse and enlargednesse of sorrowes the * Visceribus frementibus very bowels of the Church was troubled for the absence of Christ Cant. 5. 4. and the absence of a God the fountaine of all good goeth to the heart of a Christian for now the light and comfort of heaven is wanting This is the miserable condition of Gods children under the suspension of divine favour But you will aske mee what relievement may bee affoorded Releevements to soules under the suspension of Gods love to Christians whose spirits are under this trouble Unto such men I shall propose these foure directions First deepely to judge themselves for the loosing or suspending causes of divine favour the love of God unto his in himself is unchangeable if there be any change of it unto us wee may thanke our selves for it there is an occasion given from man to God or God would never withdraw his love from man setting him wholly under his wrath and anger God by way of punishment of former unthankfullnesse unchearefullnesse unprofitablenesse and undutifullnesse doth withdraw himselfe from his owne deare children their sinnes are the cloudes which hide his face folding up the blessed light of his countenance these shut the doore draw the curtaines cause the ecclipse and make the wall of separation betweene God and his men in sinning forsake God and God for sinne doth forsake men leaving them to themselves forsaken of all comforts and feeling miserable wrath wee see how Davids great sins did suspend the comfortable presence of God for a time from his soule Psal 51. 11 12. and the Church acknowledgeth Thou hast hid thy face from us and consumed us because of our iniquities Esa 64. 7. and the Prophet tells us Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have made him hide his face from you Esa 59. 2. Though God takes not away his favour totally and finally though hee Note doth not cast away his utterly damning them eternally yet the sins of his are set before him even their secret sins in the light of his countenance Psal 90. 8. for which sinnes of theirs it doth become them seriously and soundly to judge themselves you must therefore learne to bewaile the losse of divine favour more in the cause of it then misery by it when Isracl heard that God would not go in the midst of them they mourned and no man did put Exod. 33. 3 4. on his ornaments and surely an humble submission of our selves to God in the confession of our provoking and displeasing sins and the taking home unto our selves the just desert of condemnation together with the crying downe the wrath of God and seeking the face of God by prayer doth well become all Christians who desire to enjoy the loving favour and the blessed countenance of God what Father will shew Simile his cheerefull countenance to an unhumbled son for former rebellions and shall we think to see love and light in Gods Christians are chiefly to bee humbled for three things face till God see dejection in our countenances and griefe in our hearts for our sinnes O then let us be humbled For 1. Our former dis-esteemes of former feelings of divine love for that wee did no more prize and for that we did so carelesly undervalue and but in an ordinary manner entertaine the pledges and testimonies of Gods speciall love unto us 2. Our former uncomfortablenesse of spirit in and under the feelings of Gods love vouchsafed to us Christians wee did walk with too much sadnesse of spirit under many testimonies of Gods love unto us a thing very displeasing unto God and for which God doth greatly humble those that are his they who will not walke chearefully under the shining of Gods love upon them shall have it withdrawne from them unto their deepe sorrow 3. Our unstedfastnesse and remissenesse in holy walking we have beene too remisse in the Ordinances and duties wee have beene cold and carelesse in prayer and hearing c. and this God cannot abide for this wee must bee humbled before the Lord if ever wee expect the light of his countenance Secondly prejudice not 2. your selves unto a state of divine love make it not a thing impossible to you to recover and regaine Gods face and favour Christians in their losses are to grieve and hope it is not safe in the suspensions of divine favour to cast off all hope of enjoying the same it was a weakenesse in David to thinke that God would bee favourable no more it is one of Satans tricks to present God at such times in full wrath to the soule and to perswade man that hee must bid farewell unto Gods love the sense being once lost it should never come againe into the soule Now if men close with Satan and will not bee brought within the compasse of divine love but are alwaies rearing up arguments of divine wrath within themselves against themselves how shall they come to settle their soules in love Can the waters Simile run cleare if wee will alwaies bee mudding them if we pleade against divine love
lost them for ever if sense must bee his judge and give the sentence Christ therefore doth shew him his weakenesse and failing in saying to him Thomas Blessed are they that have not seene and yet have beleeved verse 29. you that will have all by sight and feeling or else you will never bee quiet I tell you 1. That sense is not a fit judge of a Christians spirituall condition it cannot at all times see into our estates much lesse report our estate unto us the spirituall Psal 73. 28. condition may be without all feeling eyes may faile and flesh faile and God frowne and faith onely expresse such acts as are pure and hidden grounding it selfe upon the naked promise and how can sense report and give sentence 2. That sense is yea and nay it maketh our condition to bee good and bad lost and found and that many times in one day nay in one hower and all because it looketh on the outside of things judging according to outward appearance I yeeld that it is uncomfortable for a man to walke without his feeling but it is as uncertaine to walke alltogether by feeling 3. That the spirituall course of Christians doth many times goe against all the sense of Christians sense and the promise are many times at a contradiction the promise goeth on when sense cannot perceive it but behold the contrary and how can sense meeting with contrarieties resolve 4. That sense goes mans way but faith goes Gods way sense mooves upon what appeares and takes Gods deed whereas faith relyeth upon Gods Word and pitcheth upon things invisible I will waite upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Iacob and I will looke for him Esa 8. 17. to this purpose reade Esa 50. 10. Hab. 3. 17 18. Ninthly maintaine and set up faith beleeving is the ground of setling after yee beleeved you were sealed saith Paul Ephes 1. 13. a man cannot have the fruit before hee hath the tree nor safety before hee hath laid himselfe on the rock nor assurance before hee beleeveth looke as the soule Simile breeds seeing in the eyes and hearing in the eares so true faith doth breed in the soule true setlednesse and assurance if Christians could rise up to the granting way of faith their doubts would more and more vanish faith is 1. The first ground of all a Christians assurances and experiences if any man hath either in his soule he obtained them by faith 2. The prime instrument bringing home the comfort of all divine good unto the soule the joy of Heaven merit of Christ and favour of God cannot actually comfort and quiet mans heart untill that faith hath done its part Faith at liberty and in authority doth compose a Christians doubtings keeping him from sinking under them two waies 1. By yeelding a ground for setlednesse all the while the soule can finde and feele no bottome it cannot but doubt and stagger can the ship but rowle up and downe when the Marriner cannot finde a place to Simile fixe his anchor but when a man can finde in and by beleeving the truth and goodnesse of a promise to rest upon and can say as David Remember the Psal 119. 49. word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused mee to hope now is hee resolved and become quiet I beleeved and therefore I spake and what reason is there that a man should doubt his safety when hee is once fully set upon the rocke 2. By overmatching all the causes and grounds of doubtings imagined by Christians Christians doubt many times when as they have little reason to doubt and sometimes they thinke their reasons for their doubtings are unanswerable but faith prevailing will put the lie and folly upon al that can bee said for doubting it will shame and silence the foolish reasonings of the hearts of Gods children you may see this in David when his thoughts ranne wild upon the prosperities of wicked men and the adversities of Gods children how did his doubts come in upon him even to his sinking he saith Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long I have beene plagued but how doth he recover himselfe Surely it was by the exercise and liberty of his faith he went into the house of God and there his faith found matter and ground to worke upon and hee became better setled in his soule Psal 73. 13 14 15 16 17. and truth it is that every thing appeares in all causes of feare when faith is not the master and cannot have full power to bee agent and factor for a Christian Beleeve in the Lord your God and you shall bee established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Tenthly subdue and keepe downe sinne in the love and power thereof If iniquity bee in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt bee stedfast and shalt not feare Iob â—â— 14 15. where wee plainely see that the more sinne doth die in its love and power within the soule the more will doubtings die too kill sinne and faith lives and doubts vanish The Apostle would that men should draw neere with a true heart in assurance Heb. 10. 22. of faith i. e. to cast away doubtings in their approaches to God and not to come indifferently may bee I shall bee accepted may bee I shall not but as verily perswaded of Gods acceptation happily some Christian might say to him how might a man doe this hee answereth having the heart sprinkled from an evill conscience q. d. faith cannot well perswade nor the heart settle till you get quit of sinne if your consciences doe charge and condemne you of evill you will bee doubtfull truth it is that doubtings are cured by Mortification the heart must bee circumcised of its unbeleeving and hardnesse and ungodlinesse ere ever wee shall get quit of doubtings if wee resolve to bee evill wee must resolve to bee doubtfull were it not for sinnefullnesse faith would bee quicker and stronger and wee more setled and staied in our mindes a heavie rhume falling into the eyes doth hinder a man from looking up and sinne entertained in the soule reares up contrary reasonings and denials to faith making the incouragements of it to bee so difficult that a Christian spirit doth faile him and hee shall not bee able to looke up Psal 40.12 CASE III. Of personall unworthinesse IT hath not a little troubled the minds of many of Gods deare children to consider what unworthy creatures they are in themselves and that they are so ill deserving at Gods hands having no more goodnesse in them to commend them to Gods acceptation and love wee finde them many times complaining and that with much griefe of heart that they have nothing in them but sinne and wickednesse and how should God ever accept such as they are to love and life under the presence
affect wee shall heare such griefelesse and disgracing narrations of Christians miscarriages even by Christians themselves that it would make a man to question whether all wisdome and mercy bee not banished out of their hearts now when God seeth this proud and envious and spitefull spirit in any of his owne children hee lets them also bee tempted and under temptations they are permitted to fall that they may learne to be more mercifull to the names of their bretheren and to make them know that the sinne that overturnes one Christian may overturne any Christian and that one Christian seeing another to fall should compassionately helpe him up and not scornefully cast him off reade Gal. 6. 1. These things with many other causing the relapsing of Christians into sinne doe make the soules of Christians under its relapsings heavie and sad they considering within themselves that the basenesse of relapsing is likened to the dog turning 2 Pet. 2. â—2 to his vomit and the sow that is washed wallowing in the mire it doth greatly trouble and disquiet them concerning the setling of Christians labouring Five settlements under relapses under this evill I shall onely propound five things of principall knowledge and use First that all Relapsings into sinne are great evills wheresoever they are found relapsing argueth corruption yea and a sinfull disposition in man There is not onely the evill of sinne in this condition but wee shall finde many bitter effects and issues befalling Christians under their relapses for they do not onely hereby object themselves to many temporall punishments Psal 78. 61 62 63. but unto these foure spirituall evills 1. Soule-disquietment the peace of conscience being broken by every relapse I say relapses are of a disquieting nature to conscience in these five respects 1. Because they bring back Relapses disquieting to conscience in five respects all former guilts and with that all the former burdens and feares and terrors 2. Because they yeeld unto conscience matter of undeniable accusation the doubling of sin doth double the accusation and vexation of conscience 3. Because they are the aggravation of sinne unto man 4. Because they make the foundations and resting places of the soule questionable relapses put a man to cleare and proove his former grants and assurances to Heaven and his owne sincerity to God and in Religion 5. Because they doe greatly advantage temptations unto despaire Christians are never more apt to despaire then upon the consideration of their often falling into sinne 2. Discouragement in all accesses unto God the Christian cannot with that confidence and boldnesse draw neare unto God in prayer having relapsed as els hee might have done how can such beleeve that God will love them and heare them when as they have dealt so falsly with him having promised him not to sinne and mocked and abused him in his mercy and pitty and patience he having formerly pardoned them their sins 3. Disablement unto renewed repentance Now Christians doe finde it more difficult to returne from sinne their soules being sunke deeper into sinne and more entangled by sinne then formerly it was take mee a Christian that is but single in sinne and hee findeth the difficulties of repenting to bee great but how doth Satan renew his power and a Christian loose his strength when that the same sinnes are repeated over and over assuredly there is strange strengthenings of sin in relapsing into sinnes one sinne living in and by another 4. Feares of death O how unwelcome is the newes of death and how unwilling are such to die who have often fallen into the same sinnes Relapses doe put a sting into death making it very terrible unto the sonnes of men 2. That the Elect of God may fall backe againe into the same sinnes there is I say a possible incidency of relapsing unto persons of all sorts it is most certaine that wicked men who are ordained to destruction may relapse Pharaoh though humbled for the present did notwithstanding harden his heart againe and againe yea and they who are good and holy and have soundly repented them of their former sins may yet relapse the example of Abraham Lot Peter and Israel doth declare it how often doth God lay this sinne unto the charge of his people Ier. 3. 12. 14. 2â— Psal 78. 57. and no marvaile for though their repentance bee sound yet their mortification is imperfect in this life there is no sinfull disposition wholy rooted up and dried in sanctified persons and corruption remaining will put forth its nature into more and more acts yea and into the same acts of sinning as long as sinne retaines its nature it doth and will retaine the inclinations and operations of that nature also if the fire be not wholy put out who will thinke it impossible that it should catch and burne againe 3. That though the act of relapsing bee incident both to good and bad yet it is in a differing manner which I shall open Relapses into sinne by the godly different from relapses into sin by the vvicked Relapses 1 Naturall unto you in the distinctions of relapsings First there are relapses 1. Naturall 2. Accidentall Naturall relapses are such as spring from a disposition and temper that is wholy sinnefull and for sinne if a man by a coard pluck up very high the Simile weightof a jack or clock yet it hath a naturall propension to fall downe againe you need not drive the sow to the mire nor the dog unto his vomit their owne naturall love and delight will returne them the truth is that though externall and intervenient occasions may pen up or restraine the violence of corruption for a time yet such is the inward disposition of a naturall man unto sinne that hee soone returnes to his old course againe skin up the soare and the ulcer will breake out againe and if the heart bee not changed but chained by the power of restraining graces alone man will returne to his old vomit and vaine course Accidentall Relapses are 2. Accidentall such which befall the godly by sudden and strong temptations a land flood may carry back pieces of timber from the banke into the remote places of the ground an unexpected gale may drive the Marriner backe into the harbour againe and it is as possible that temptations may breake in with that violence that Christians may bee over-borne and carried away to those sinnes which their soules doe most sincerely abhorre and they have solemnely covenanted against yet here the effect and the intention are contrary heart and sinne being at difference and upon tearmes of defiance Secondly Relapses may bee either into the acts of sinne or else into the exercise of sinne one sick person falls back into some fits onely another returneth under the power of his disease againe the godly man falls backe into some particular sinne but there hee staieth not for though hee fall hee riseth againe hee is as a man fallen into the water