a grace wherâ—…y the soule resigneth up it self to God â—…n humble submission to his will because he is our God as David in extremity comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Patience breeds comfort because it brings experience with it of Gods owâ—…ing of us to be His. The soul shod and â—…enced with this is prepared against all â—…bs and thornes in our way so as wee â—…e kept from taking offence All troubles we suffer doe but help patience to its perfect worke by subduing the unbroken sturdinesse of our spirits when wee feele by experience wee get but more blowes by standing out against God 4. The Spirit of God likewise is a spirit of meeknesse whereby though the â—…ul be sensible of evill yet it modeâ—…tes such distempers as would otherwise rob a man of himselfe and together with patience keepeth the soul in possession of it selfe It stayes murmurings and frettings against God or man It sets and keepes the soul in tune It is that which God as hee workes so hee much delights in and sets a price upon it as the chiefe ornament of the soul. The meek of the earth seek God and are hid in the day of his wrath whereas high spirits that compasse themselves with pride as with a chain thinking to set out themselves by that which is their shame are looked upon by God a farre off Meek persons will bow when others break they are raised when others are pluckt down and stand when others that mount upon the wings of vanity fall these prevaile by yeelding and are Lords of themselves and other things else more then other unquiet spirited men the blessings of heaven and earth attend on these 5. So likewise contentednesse with our estate is needfull for a waiting condition and this we have in Our God being able to give the soul full satisfaction For outward things God knowes â—…ow to dyet us If our condition be not 〈◊〉 our minde he will bring our minde 〈◊〉 our condition If the spirit bee too â—…gge for the condition it is never quiâ—… therefore God will levell both Those wants be well supplyed that are made up with contentednesse and with â—…hes of a higher kinde If the Lordâ—…e â—…e our Shepheard we can want nothing This lifteth the weary hands and feeble â—…ees even under chastisement wherein though the soule mourneth in the sence of Gods displeasure yet it rejoyceth in his Fatherly care 6. But patience and contentment are â—…o low a condition for the soul to rest 〈◊〉 therefore the spirit of God raiseth it vp to a spirituall enlargement of joy So much joy so much light and so much hight so much scattering of darknesse of â—…pirit We see in nature how a little light will prevaile over the thickest clouds of darknesse a little fire wastes a great â—…eale of drosse The knowledge of God to be our God brings such a light of joy into the soul as driveth outâ—… dark uncomfortable conceits this light makes lightsome If the light of knowledge alone makes bold much more the light of joy arising from our communion and interest in God How can wee enjoy God and not joy in him A soule truely cheerefull rejoyceth that God whom it loveth should think it worthy to endure any thing for him This joy often ariseth to a spirit of glory even in matter of outward abasement if the trouble accompanyed with disgrace continue the spirit of glory rests upon us and it will rest so long untill it make us more then Conquerours even then when we seeme conquered for not onely the cause but the spirit riseth higher the more the enemies labour to keepe it under as we see in Stephen With this joy goeth a spirit of courage and confidence What can daunt that soule which in the greatest troubles hath made the great God to be its owne Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all opposite power setting the soule above the world having a spirit larger and higher then the world and seeing all but God beneath it as being in heaven already in its head After Moses and Micah had seene God in his favour to them how little did they regard the angry countenances of those mighty Princes that were in their times the terrours of the world The courage of a Christian is not onely against sensible danger and of flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers of darknesse against the whole kingdome of Sathan the god of the world whom hee knowes shortly shall be trodden under his feet Sathan and his may for a time exercise us but they cannot hurt us True beleevers are so many Kings and Queens so many Conquerours over that which others are slaves to they can overcome themselves in revenge they can despise those things that the world admires and see an excellency in that which the world sets light by they can set upon spirituall duties which the world cannot tell how to goe about and endure that which others tremble to think of and that upon wise reasons and a sound foundation they can put off themselves and be content to be nothing so their God may appeare the greater and dare undertake and undergoe any thing for the glory of their God This courage of Christians among the Heathens was counted obstinacy but they knew not the power of the spirit of Christ in his which is ever strongest when they are weakest in themselves they knew not the privy armour of proofe that Christians had about their hearts and thereupon counted their courage to be obstinacy Some think the Martyrs were too prodigall of their bloud and that they might have beene better advised but such are unacquainted with the force of the love of God kindled in the heart of his childe which makes him set such a high price upon Christ and his truth that he counts not his life dear unto him He knowes hee is not his owne but hath given up himselfe to Christ and therefore all that is his yea if hee had more lives to give for Christ hee should have them He knowes he shall be no looser by it Hee knowes it is not a losse of his life but an exchange for a better We see the creatures that are under us will be couragious in the eye of their Masters that are of a superiour nature above them and shall not a Christian be couragious in the presence of his great Lord and Master who is present with him about him and in him undoubtedly hee that hath seene God once in the face of Christ dares look the grimmest creature in the face yea death it selfe under any shape The feare of all things flyes before such a soule Onely a Christian is not ashamed of his confidence Why should not a Christian be as bold for his God as others are for the base gods they make to themselves 7. Besides a spirit of courage for establishing the soule is required a spirit of constancie
for God delights to have his will of those that are wedded to their owne wils as in Pharaob No men more subject to discontentments then those who would have all things after their owne way Againe one maine ground is False reasoning and errour in our discourse as that wee have no grace when wee feele none feeling is not alwayes a fit rule to judge our states by that God hath rejected us because we are crossed in outward things when as this issues from Gods wisdome and love How many imagine their failings to be fallings and their fallings to be fallings away Infirmities to be Presumptions every sinne against Conscience to be the sinne against the Holy Ghostâ—… unto which misapprehensions weake and dark spirits are subject And Satan as a cunning Rhetorician here inlargeth the fancy to apprehend things bigger then they are Satan abuseth confident spirits another contrary way to apprehend great sinnes as little and little as none Some also thinke that they have no grace because they have not so much as growen Christians whereas there bee severall ages in Christ. Some againe are so desirous and inlarged after what they have not that they minde not what they have Men may be rich though they have not millions and be not Emperors Likewise some are much troubled because they proceed by a false method and order in judging of their estates They will begin with Election which is the highest step of the ladder whereas they should begin from 〈◊〉 work of grace wrought within theiâ—… hearts from Gods calling them by hiâ—… spirit and their answer to his call and so raise themselves upwards to know their Election by their answer to God calling Give all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure your election by your calling God descends downe unto us from election to calling and so to sanctification wee must ascend to him beginning where he ends Otherwise it is as great folly as in removing of a pile of wood to begin at the lowest first and so besides the needlesse trouble to be in danger to have the rest fall upon our heads Which besides ignorance argues pride appearing in this that they would bring God to their conceits and be at an end of their worke before they beginne This great secret of Gods eternall love to us in Christ is hidden in his breast and doth not appeare to us un till in the use of meanes God by his spirit discovereth the same unto us The spirit letteth into the soule so much life and sense of Gods love in particular to us as draweth the soule to Christ from whom it draweth so much vertue as changeth the frame of it and quickneth it to duty which duties are not grounds of our state in grace but issues springing from a good state before and thus farre they helpe us in judging of our condition that thougâ—… they bee not to bee rested in yet aâ—… streames they lead us to the spring head of grace from whence they arise And of signes some be more apt to deceive us as being not so certaine as delight and joy in hearing the word as appeareth in the third ground some are more constant and certaine as love to those that are truly good and to all such and because they are such c. these as they are wrought by the spirit so the same spirit giveth evidence to the soule of the truth of them and leadeth us to faith from whence they come and faith leads us to the discovery of Gods love made knowne to us inhearing the word opened The same spirit openeth the truth to us and our understandings to conceive of it and our hearts to cloze with it by faith not only as a truth but as a truth belonging to us Now this faith is manifested either by it selfe reflecting upon it selfe the light of faith discovering both it selfe and other things or by the cause of it or by the effect or by all Faith is oft more knowne to us in the fruit of it then in it selfe as in plants the fruits are more apparant then the sappe and roote But the most setled knowledge is from the cause as when I know I beleeve because in hearing Gods gracious promises opened and offered unto me the spirit of God caryeth my soule to cleave to them as mine owne portion Yet the most familiar way of knowledge of our estates is from the effects to gather the cause the cause being oftentimes more remote and spirituall the effects more obvious and visible All the vigour and beauty in nature which we see comes from a secret influence from the heavens which we see not In a cleare morning we may see the beames of the Sun shining upon the top of hils and houses before wee can see the Sun it selfe Things in the working of them doe issue from the cause by whose force they had their being but our knowing of things ariseth from the effect where the cause endeth wee know God must love us before wee can love him and yet we oft first know that we love him the love of God is the cause why wee love our brother and yet we know we love our brother whom we see more clearly then God whom we doe not see It is a spirituall peevishnesse that keepes men in a perplexed condition that they neglect these helps to judge of their estates by whereas God takes liberty to help us sometime to a discovery of our estate by the effects sometimes by the cause c. And it is a sin to set light by any work of the spirit and the comfort we might have by it and therefore we may well adde this aâ—… one cause of disquietnesse in many that they grieve the spirit by quarrelling against themselves and the work of the spirit in them Another cause of disquiet is thâ—… men by a naturall kinde of Popery feâ—… for their comfort too much in sanctification neglecting justification relyinâ—… too much upon their own performances Saint Paul was of another minde accounting all but dung and drosse compared to the righteousnesse of Christ. This is that garment wherewith being deeked we please our husband and wherein we get the blessing This giveth satisfaction to the conscience as satisfying God himselfe being performed by God the Sonne and approved therefore by God the Father Hereupon the soule is quieted and faith holdeth out this as a shield against the displeasure of God and temptations of Satan why did the Apostles in their Prefaces joyne grace and peace together but that we should seek for our peace in the free grace and favour of God in Christ. No wonder why Papists maintaine doubting who hold salvation by workes because Satan joyning together with our consciences will alwayes finde some flaw even in our best performances Hereupon the doubting and misgiving soule comes to make this absurd demand as Who shall ascend to heaven which is all one
workes If I be a Father where is mine boâ—…r Speciall relations are speciall enforcements to duty 4. The spirit of God which knowes the deep things of God and the depths of our hearts doth reveale this mutuall interest betwixt God and those that are his it being a principall worke of the spirit to seale this unto the soule by discovering such a cleare and particular light in the use of meanes as swaieth the soule to yeeld up it selfe wholy to God When we truly trust wee may say with S. Paul I know whom I have trusted he knew both that he trusted and whom he trusted The spirit of God that reveales God to be ours and stirres up faith in him both reveales this trust to our soules and the interest we have in God thereby The Lord is my portion saith my soul but God said so to it first If instinct of nature teaches dammes to know their young ones and their yong ones them in the middest of those that are alike shall not the spirit of God much more teach the soule to know its owne father As none knowes what is in man but the spirit of man so none knowes what love God beares to those that are his but the spirit of God in his All the light in the world cannot discover the Sunne unto us onely it discovers it selfe by its own â—…eames So all the Angels and Saints 〈◊〉 heaven cannot discover to our soules â—…he love that is in the breast of God towards us but onely the spirit of God which sheds it into our hearts The spirit onely teaches this language to say my God It is infused onely into sanctified hearts and therefore oft-times meane men enjoy it when great wise and learned persons are strangers to it 5. The spirit when it witnesseth this to us is called the spirit of adoption and hath alwayes accompanying of it a spirit of supplication whereby with a familiar yet reverent boldnesse wee lay open our hearts to God as to a deere Father All others are strangers to this heavenly intercourse In straits they run to their friends and carnall shifts whereas an heire of heaven runs to his Father and tells him of all 6. Those that are Gods are known to be his by speciall love-tokens that â—…e bestowes upon them As 1. the speciall graces of his spirit Princes children are knowne by their costly jewels and rich ornaments It is not common gifts and glorious parts that set a character upon us to be Gods but grace to use those gifts in humility and love to the glory of the giver 2. There is in them a sutablenesse and connaturalnesse of heart to all that is spirituall to whatsoever hath Gods stampe upon it as his truth and his children and that because they are his By this likenesse of disposition wee are fashioned to a communion with him Can two walke together and not be agreed It is a certaine evidence that we are Gods in Christ if the spirit of God hath wrought in us any impression like unto Christ who is the image of his Father both Christs looking upon us and our looking upon Christ by faith as ours hath a transforming and conforming power 3. Spirituall comforts in distresse such as the world can neither give nor take away shew that God lookes upon the soules of his with another eye then he beholdeth others He sends a secret messenger that reports his peculiar love to their hearts He knowes their soules and feeds them with his hidden Manna the inward peace they feele is not in freedome from trouble but in freenesse with God in the midst of trouble 4. Seasonable and sanctified corrections wherby we are kept from being led away by the errour of the wicked shew Gods fatherly care over us as his Who will trouble himselfe in correcting another mans childe yet we oftner complaine of the smart wee feele then thinke of the tender heart and hand that smites us untill our spirits be subdued and then we reape the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Where crosses worke together for the best we may know that we love God and are loved of him Thriving in a sinfull course is a black marke of one that is not Gods 7. Then wee make it appeare that God is our God when wee side with him and are for him and his cause in ill times When God seems to cry out unto us who is on my side who Then if wee can say as those in Esay whereof one sayes I am the Lords and another calls himselfe by the name of Jacob and another subscribes with his hand unto the Lord it s a blessed signe Thus the Patriarchs and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs were not ashamed of God and God was not ashamed to own theÌ„ Provided that this boldnesse for God proceed not onely from a conviction of the judgement but from spirituall experience of the goodnesse of the cause whereby we can justifie in heart what we justifie in words Otherwise men may contend for that with others which they have no interest in themselves The life must witnesse for God as well as the tongue it is oft easier for corrupt nature to part with life then with lust This siding with God is with a separation from whatsoever is contrary God useth this as an argument to come out of Babylon because we are his people Come out of her My people Religion is nothing else but a gathering and a binding of the soule close to God that fire which gathers together the gold separates the drosse Nature drawes out that which is wholesome in meates â—…nd severs the contrary The good â—…hat is to be had by God is by cleaâ—…ing to him and him onely God loves 〈◊〉 ingenuous and full protestation if â—…alled to it It shewes the coldnesse of â—…he times wheÌ„ there is not heat enough â—…f zeale to separate from a contrary â—…ith God is a jealous God and so wee â—…all finde him at last When the day of severing comes then they that have â—…ood for him shall not onely be his but his treasure and his jewels There is none of us all but may some time or other fall into such a great extremity that when wee looke â—…bout us we shall finde none to help â—…s at which time we shall throughly â—…now what it is to have comfort from heaven and a God to goe unto If there be any thing in the world worth labouring for it is the getting sound evidence to our soules that God is ours What madnesse is it to spend all our labour to possesse our selves of the Cisterne when the fountaine is offered to â—…s O beloved the whole world cannot weigh against this one comfort that God is ours All things laid in the other ballance would be too light A Moath may corrupt a theefe may take away that we have here but who can take our God away Though God doth convey some
as to fetch Christ from heaven and so bring him downe to suffer on the Crosse againe Where as if we beleeve in Christ wee are as sure to come to heaven as Christ is there Christ ascending and descending with all that he hath done is ours So that neither heighth nor depth can separate us from Gods love in Christ. But we must remember though the maine pillar of our comfort bee in the free forgivenesse of our sinnes yet if there be a neglect in growing in holinesse the soule will never be soundly quiet because it will be proane to question the truth of justification and it is as proper for sinne to raise doubts and feares in the conscience as for rotten flesh and wood to breed wormes And therefore we may well joyne this as a cause of disquietnesse the neglect of keeping a cleare conscience Sinne like Achan or Ionas in the ship is that which causeth stormes within and without where there is not a pure conscience there is not a pacified conscience and therefore though some thinking to salve themselves whole in justification neglect the cleansing of their natures and ordering of their lives yet in time of temptation they will finde it more troublesome then they thinke For a conscience guilty of many neglects and of allowing it selfe in any sin to lay claime to Gods mercy is to doe as we see mountebanks sometimes do who wound their flesh to try conclusions upon their owne bodies how soveraigne the salve is yet oftentimes they come to feele the smart of their presumption by long and desperate wounds So God will let us see what it is to make wounds to try the preciousnesse of his Balme such may goe mourning to their graves And though perhaps with much wrastling with God they may get assurance of the pardon of their sins yet their conscience will bee still trembling like as Davids though Nathan had pronounced unto him the forgivenesse of his sin till God at length speakes further peace even as the water of the sea after a storme is not presently still but moves and trembles a good while after the storm is over A Christian is a new creature and walketh by rule and so far as hee walketh according to his rule peace is upon him Loose walkers that regard not their way must thinke to meet with sorowes instead of peace Watchfulnesse is the preserver of peace It is a deep spirituall judgement to find peace in an ill way Some againe reap the fruit of their ignorance of Christian liberty by unnecessary scruples and doubts It is both unthankfulnesse to God and wrong to our selves to be ignorant of the extent of Christian liberty It makes melody to Satan to see Christians troubled with that they neither should or need Yet there is danger in stretching Christian liberty beyond the bounds For a man may condemne himself in that he approves as in not walking circumspectly in regard of circumstances and so breed his owne disquiet and give scandall to others Sometimes also God suffers men to be disquieted for want of imployment who in shunning labour procure trouble to themselves and by not doing that which is needfull they are troubled with that which is unnecessary An unimployed life is a burden to it selfe God is a pure Act alwayes working alwaies doing and the neerer our soule comes to God the more it is in action and the freer from disquiet Men experimentally feele that comfort in doing that which belongs unto them which before they longed for and went without a heart not exercised in some honest labour workes trouble out of it selfe Againe Omission of duties and offices of love often troubles the peace of good people for even in the time of death when they looke for peace and desire it most then looking backe upon their former failings and seeing opportunity of doing good wanting to their desire the parties perhaps being deceased to whom they owed more respect are hereupon much disquieted and so much the more because they see now hope of the like advantages cut off A Christian life is full of duties and the peace of it is not maintained without much fruitfulnesse and looking about us debt is a disquieting thing to an honest minde and duty is debt Hereupon the Apostle layeth the charge that we should owe nothing to any man but love Againe one speciall cause of too much disquiet is want of firme resolution in good things The soule cannot but bee disquieted when it knowes not what to cleave unto like a ship tossed with contrary windes Halting is a deformed and troublesome gesture so halting in religion is not onely troublesome to others and odious but also disquiets our selves If God be God cleave to him If the duties of religion be such as will bring peace of conscience at the length be religious to purpose practise them in the particular passages of life Wee should labour to have a cleare judgement and from thence a resolved purpose a wavering minded man is inconstant in all his wayes God will not speake peace to a staggering spirit that hath alwayes its religion and its way to choose Uncertaine men are alwayes unquiet men and giving too much way to passion maketh men in particular consultations unsetled This is the reason why in particular cases when the matter concernes our selves we cannot judge so clearely as in generall truths because Satan raiseth a mist between us and the matter in question Positive Causes May be 1. When men lay up their comfort too much on outward things which being subject to much inconstancy and change breed disquiet Vexation alwayes followes vanity when vanity is not apprehended to be where it is In that measure we are cast downe in the disappointing of our hopes as wee were too much lifted up in expectation of good from them Whence proceed these complaints such a friend hath failed mee I never thought to have fallen into this condition I had setled my joy in this childe in this friend c. but this is to build our comfort upon things that have no firm foundation to build castles in the aire as we use to say Therefore it is a good desire of the wiseman Agur to desire God to remove from us vanity and lies that is a vaine and a false apprehension pitching upon things that are vaine and lying promising a contentment to our selves from the creature which it cannot yeeld confidence in vaine things makes a vaine heart the heart becomming of the nature of the thing it relies on we may say of all earthly things as the Prophet speaketh Here is not our rest It is no wonder therefore that worldly men are oft cast downe and disquieted when they walke in a vaine shadow as likewise that men given much to recreations should be subject to passionate distempers because here things fall out otherwise then they lookt forâ—… recreations being
our selves most and judge our selves most severely But self-selfe-love teacheth us a contrary method to translate all upon others it robs us of a right judgement of our selves Though we desire to know all diseases of the body by their proper names yet wee will conceive of sinfull passions of the soule under milder termes as lust under love rage under just anger murmuring under just displeasure c. thus whilest wee flatter our griefe what hope of cure Thus sinne hath not onely made all the creatures enemies to us but our selves the greatest enemies to our selves and therefore wee should begin our complaints against our selves discusse our selves throughly how else shal we judge truly of other things without us above us or beneath us The Sun when it rises enlightens first the nearest places and then the more remote So where true light is set up it discovers what is amisse within first Hence also wee see that as in all discouragements a godly man hath most trâ—…ble with his owne heart so hee knowes 〈◊〉 to carry himselfe therein as David 〈◊〉 here For the better clearing of this wee must know there bee divers kinds 〈◊〉 degrees of conflicts in the soule 〈◊〉 man whilst it is united to the body First betweene one corrupt Paâ—… and another as betweene Covetousnâ—… and Pride Pride calls for expence Covetousnesse for restraint oft Passâ—… fight not onely against God and reâ—… to which they owe a homage but 〈◊〉 against another Sinne fights agaâ—… sinne and a lesser sinne is oftentiâ—… overcome by a greater The soulâ—… this case is like the Sea tossed 〈◊〉 contrary windes and like a kingdoâ—… divided wherein the subjects figâ—… both against their Prince and onâ—… gainst another Secondly there is a naturall conâ—… in the Affections whereby Nature seeâ—… to preserve it selfe as betwixt aâ—… and feare Anger cals for revenge 〈◊〉 of the law bindes the soule to be quiâ—… Wee see in the creatures feare makes them abstaine from that which their appetites carry them unto A Wolfe comes to a flock with an eagernesse to prey upon it but seeing the Shepheard standing in defence of his sheepe returnes and doth no harme and yet for all this as hee came a wolfe so hee returnes a wolfe A naturall man may oppose some sin from an obstinate resolution against it not from any love of God or hatred of sin as sin but because he conceives it a brave thing to have his will As one hard weapon may strike at another as a stone wall may beate backe an arrow but this opposition is not from a contrariety of nature as is betwixt fire and water Thirdly there is a conflict of a higher nature as between some sinnes and the light of reason helped by a naturall conscience The Heathen could reason from the dignity of the soule to count it a base thing to prostitute themselves to beastly lusts so as it were degrading and unmanning themselves Naturall men desirous to maintaine a great opinion of themselves and to awe the inferiour sort by gravity of deportmeâ—… in cariage will abstaine from that which otherwise their hearts 〈◊〉 them unto lest yeelding should rendâ—… them despised by laying themselves too much open as because passion discovers a foole as hee is and makâ—… wise man thought meaner then he is therefore a prudent man will concâ—… his passion Reason refined and raisâ—… by education example and custome doth breake in some degree the foâ—… of naturall corruption and brings iâ—… the soule as it were another nature and yet no true change as we see 〈◊〉 such as have beene inured to gooâ—… courses they feele conscience checâ—… ing them upon the first discontinuanâ—… and alteration of their former gooâ—… wayes but this is usually from a forâ—… impression of their breeding as 〈◊〉 boate moves some little time upon 〈◊〉 water by vertue of the former stroâ—… yet at length we see corruption prevailing over education as in Ioas 〈◊〉 was awed by the reverent respect he bare to his uncle Iehojoda he was good all his uncles dayes And in Nero in whom the goodnesse of his education prevailed over the fiercenesse of his nature for the first five yeares Fourthly but in the Church where there shineth a light above nature as there is a discovery of more sinnes and some strength with the light to performe more duty So there is a further conflict then in a man that hath no better then nature in him By a discovery of the excellent things of the Gospell there may be some kinde of joy stirred up and some degree of obedience whence there may be some degree of resistance against the sinnes of the Gospell as obstinate unbeleefe desperation prophanesse c. A man in the Church may doe more then another out of the Church by reason of the inlargement of his knowledge whereupon such cannot sinne at so easie a rate as others that know lesse and therefore meet with lesse opposition from conscience Fiftly there is yet a further degree of conflict betwixt the sanctified powers of the soule and the flesh not onely as it is seated in the baser parts but even in the best faculties of the soule and as it mingles it self with every gracious performance as in David There is not onely a conflict betwixt sin and conscience inlightned by a common worke of the Spirit but betweene the commanding powers of the soule sanctified and it selfe unsanctified between reasons of the flesh and reasons of the spirit betweene faith and distrust betweene the true light of knowledge and false light For it is no question but the flesh would play its part in David and muster up all the strength of reason it had And usually flesh as it is more ancient then the Spirit we being first naturall then spirituall so it will put it selfe first forward in devising shifts as Esau comes out of the wombe first before Iacob yet hereby the Spirit is stirred up to a present examination and resistance and in resisting as wee see here at length the godly gets the victory As in the conflict betweene the higher parts of the soule with the lower it clearely appeares that the soule doth not rise out of the temper of the body but is a more noble substance commanding the body by reasons fetched from its owne worth so in this spirituall conflict it appeares there is something better then the soul it selfe that hath superiority over it CAP. VII Difference between good men and others in conflicts with sinne BUt how doth it appeare that this combate in David was a spirituall combate 1. Answ. First A naturall conscience is troubled for sins against the light of nature onely but David for inward and secret corruptions as discouragement and disquietnesse arising from faint trusting in God Davids conflict was not onely with the sensuall lower part of his soule which is carried to ease and quiet and love of present things but hee was troubled
night and the preservation of the world from any further overflowing of waters continueth which if it should fayle yet his covenant with his people shall abide firme for ever though the whole frame of nature were dissolved When we have thus gotten a fit foundation for the soule to lay it selfe upon Our next care must be by Trusting to build on the same All our misery 's either in having a false foundation or else in loose building upon a true therefore having so strong a ground as Gods Nature his providence his promise c. to build upon the only way for establishing our soules is by trust to rely firmly on him Now the reason why Trust is so much required is because 1. it emptyeth the soule and 2. by emptying enlargeth it and 3. seasoneth and fitteth the soule to joyne with so gracious an object and 4. filleth it by carrying it out of it selfe unto God who presently so soone as he is trusted in conveyes himselfe and his goodnesse to the soule and thus we come to have the comfort and God the glory of all his excellencies Thus salvation comes to be sure unto us whilest faith looking to the promises and to God freely offering grace therein resigns up it selfe to God making no further question from any unworthinesse of its owne And thus wee returne to God by cleaving to him from whom we fell by distrust living under a new covenant meerely of grace And no grace fitter then that which gives all to Christ considering the fountaine of all our good is out of our selves in him it being safest for us who were so ill husbands at the first that it should be so therefore it is fit we should have use of such a grace that will carry us out of our selves to the spring head The way then whereby faith quieteth the soule is by raising it above all discontentments and stormes here below and pitching it upon God thereby uniting it to him whence it drawes vertue to oppose and bring under whatsoever troubles its peace For the soule is made for God and never findes rest till it returns to him againe when God and the soule meet there will follow contentment God simply considered is not all our happynesse but God as trusted in and Christ as wee are made one with him The soule cannot so much as touch the hemme of Christs garment but it shall finde vertue comming from him to sanctifie and settle it God in Christ is full of all that is good when the soule is emptyed inlarged and opened by faith to receive goodnesse offered there must needs follow sweet satisfaction §. 2. For the better strengthning of our trust it is not sufficient that we trust in God and his truth revealed but we must doe it by light and strength from him Many beleeve in the truth by humane arguments but no arguments will convince the soule but such as are fetched from the inward nature and powerfull worke of truth it selfe No man can know God but by God None can know the Sunne but by its owne light None can know the truth of God so as to build upon it but by the truth it self and the Spirit revealing it by its owne light to the soule that soule which hath felt the power of truth in casting it downe and raising it up againe will easily be brought to rest upon it It is neither education nor the authority of others that professe the same truth or that we have been so taught by men of great parts c. will settle the heart untill we finde an inward power and authority in the truth it selfe shining in our hearts by its owne beames hence comes unsetlednesse in time of troubles because we have not a spirituall discerning of spiritual things Supernaturall truths must have a supernaturall power to apprehend them therefore God createth a spirituall eye and hand of the soule which is faith In those that are truely converted all saving truths are transcribed out of the Scripture into their hearts they are taught of God So as they finde all truths both concerning the sinfull estate and the gracious and happy estate of man in themselves they cary a divinity in them and about them so as from a saving feeling they can speake of conversion of sin of grace and the comforts of the spirit c. and from this acquaintance are ready to yeeld and give up themselves to truth revealed and to God speaking by it Trust is never sound but upon a spirituall conviction of the truth and goodnesse we rely upon for the effecting of which the Spirit of God must likewise subdue the rebellion and maâ—…e of our will that so it may be sutable and levell to divine things and rellish them as they are wee must apprehend the love of God and the fruits of it as better then life it selfe and then choosing and cleaving to the same will soone follow for as there is a fitnesse in divine truths to all the necessities of the soule so the Soule must be fitted by them to savour and apply them to it selfe and then from an harmony between the soule and that which it applyes it selfe unto there will follow not onely peace in the soule but joy and delight surpassing any contentment in the world besides As there is in God to satisfie the whole soule so trust caries the whole soule to God this makes trust not so easie a matter because there must bee an exercise of every faculty of the soule or else our trust is imperfect and lame there must be a knowledge of him whom we trust and why we trust an affiance and love c. Onely they that know God will trust in him not that knowledge alone is sufficient but because the sweetnesse of Gods love is let into the soule thereby which draweth the whole soule to him Wee are bidden to trust perfectly in God therefore seeing wee have a God so full of perfection to trust in we should labour to trust perfectly in him And it is good for the exercise of trust to put cases to our selves of things that probably may fall out and then returne to our soules to search what strength we have if such things should come to passe thus David puts cases perfect faith dares put the hardest cases to its soule and then set God against all that may befall it Againe labour to fit the promise to every condition thou art in there is no condition but hath a promise sutable therefore no condition but wherein God may bee trusted because his truth and goodnesse is alwayes the same And in the promise looke both to the good promised and to the faithfulnesse and love of the promiser It is not good to looke upon the difficulty of the thing wee have a promise against but who promiseth it and for whose sake and so see all good things in Christ made over to
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
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
These be the â—…vours I waite for at thy hand O visite 〈◊〉 with the salvation of thy chosen O remember mee with the favour of thy people that I may see the good of thy â—…sen Whilest the soule is thus exerciâ—…d more sweetnesse falls upon the will 〈◊〉 affections whereby they are drawne â—…ll neerer unto God The soule is in a â—…ting and a thriving condition For â—…d delights to shew himselfe gracious 〈◊〉 those that strive to be well perswaâ—…d of him concerning his readinesse 〈◊〉 shew mercy to all that look towards 〈◊〉 in Christ. In worldly things how 〈◊〉 wee cherish hopes upon little â—…ounds if there shineth never so little â—…pe of gaine or preforment wee make â—…er it Why then should we forsake â—…owne mercy which God offers to be our owne if we will embrace it having such certain grounds for our hope to rest on It was the policie of the servants of Benhadad to watch if any word of comfort fell from the King of Israel and when hee named Benhadad his brother they catched presently at that and cheered themselves Faith hath a catching quality at whatsoever is neere to lay hold on Like the branches of the vine it windeth about that which is next and stayes it selfe upon it spreading further and further still If nature taught Benhadads servants to lay hold upon any word of comfort that fell from the mouth of a cruell King Shall not grace teach Gods children to lye in wait for any token that hee shall shew for good to them How should we stretch forth the armes of our faith to him that stretcheth out his armes all the day long to a rebellious people God will never shut his bosome against those that in an humble obedience flye unto him wee cannot conceive too graciously of God Can wee have a fairer offer then for God in Christ to make over himselfe â—…to us which is more then if hee should make over a thousand worlds Therefore our chiefe care should bee first by faith to make this good and â—…hen to make it usefull unto us by liâ—…ing upon it as our chiefest portion which wee shall doe 1. By proving God to be our God in particular 2. By improving of it in all the passages of our lives CHAP. XXXI Meanes of proving and evidencing to our soules that God is our God NOw we prove it to our soules that God is ours when we take him at his offer when wee bring nothing but a sense of our owne emptinesse with us and a good conceit of his faithfulnesse and ability to doe us good when we answer God in the particular passages of salvation which we cannot doe till â—…e begins first unto us Therefore if â—…e be Gods it is a certaine signe that God is ours If we chuse him wee may conclude he hath chosen us first If wee love him we may know that he hath loved us first If we apprehend him it is because he hath apprehended us first Whatsoever affection we shew to God it is but a reflection of his first to us If cold and dark bodies have light and heat in them it is because the Sun hath shined upon them first Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ said Mary to her If we say to God I am thine it is because he hath first said unto us thou art mine after which the voice of the faithfull soule is I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine We may know Gods minde to us in heaven by the returne of our hearts upwards againe to him Onely as the reflected beames are weaker then the direct so our affections in their returne to God are farre weaker then his love falling upon us God will be to us whatsoever wee make him by our faith to be when by grace we answer his condition of trusting then he becomes ours to use for our good 2. Wee may know God to be 〈◊〉 God when wee pitch and plant all our happinesse in him when the desires of our soules are towards him and wee place all our contentment in him As this word my is a terme of appropriatiâ—… springing from a speciall faith so it is a word of love and peculiar affection shewing that the soule doth repose and rest it selfe quietly and securely upon God Thus David proves God to bee his God by early seeking of him by thirsting and longing after his presence and that upon good reason because Gods loving kindnesse was better to him then life This he knew would satisfie his soule as â—…ith marrow and fatnesse So S. Paul proved Christ to be his Lord by accounting all things else as dung and drosse in â—…parison of him Then we make God our God and set a Crowne of Majesty upon his head when we set up a Throne for him in our hearts where selfe-love before had set up the creature above him when the heart is so unloosed from the world that it is ready to part with any thing for Gods sake giving him now the supremacy in our hearts and bringing downe every high thought in captivity to him making him our trust our love our joy our delight our feare our all and whatsoever we esteem or affect else to esteem and affect it under him in him and for him When we cleave to him above all depending upon him as our chiefe good and contenting our selves in him as all-sufficient to give our soules fit and full satisfaction When we resigne up our selves to his gracious government to doe and suffer what he will offering our selves and all our spirituall services as sacrifices to him When faith brings God into the soule as ours we not onely love him but love him dearely making it appeare that when wee are at good tearmes with God we are at a point for other things How many are there that will adventure the losse of the love of God for a thing of nothing and redeeme the favour of men with the losse of Gods Certaine it is whatsoever we esteeme or affect most that whatsoever it be in it selfe yet we make it our God The best of us all may take shame to our selves herein in that we doe not give God his due place in us but set up some Idoll or other in our hearts above him When the soule can without hypocrisie say My God it ingageth us to universall and unlimited obedience we shall be ambitious of doing that which may be acceptable and well pleasing to him and therefore this is prefixed as a ground before the Commandements enforcing obedience I am the Lord thy God therefore thou shalt have no other Gods before me whomsoever else wee they it must be in the Lord because wee see a beam of Gods authority in them and it is no prejudice to any inferiour authority to preferre Gods authority before it in case of difference one from the other When we know we are a peculiar people wee cannot but bee Zealous of good