the Childes lisping though she seeme not to hearken Thou fearest O soule that God is angry with thy prayers as 't is Psal 80.4 but why shouldest thou feare this God was not angry with his peoples prayer of which the Psalmist there makes mention though he did not at that time answer it Your earthly Parents sometime seeme deafe when yet they delight to heare their Children tattle c. may it be thus with the Fathers of your flesh why may not nay why should you not thinke so of the Father of your spirits However Thirdly consider what it was you prayed for and were denyed or not answered inâ— peradventure 't was a temporall and that it may be not for your good though you foolishly thought so why should ye take it ill to be denyed in such a thing God hath heard thee for a Christ when thou saidst as Abraham What wilt thou give me so long as I goe Christ-lesse why what if God now hath not heard thee saying as she Give me children or I dye is not Christ worth many children Say O soule did not God give thee many a spirituall good thing upon nay before thy prayers why art thou cast downe if he deny thee temporalls Obj. Nay but 't is a spirituall good that I have prayed for and am not answered in Rep. It may be so yet consider peradventure 't is but a spirituall gift as memory understanding elocution in prayer and now why art troubled soule so much to be denyed in these what are they in themselves but such things as reprobates may have Gifts may goe to Hell yea many a gifted person is gracelesse why art cast downe with the deniall of gifts when Christ hath given graces without asking Nay but they are graces that I begge and pray for I have gone to begge faith and love and patience c. and yet I have no answer to these prayers Ans Stay yet O soule and consider it may be thou beggest not so much the grace as the degree It s not so much faith as a strong faith not so much love as a fervent love c. Now consider O soule though God deny thee the strength the degree of grace its choyce mercy thou hast the grace it selfe A little faith though but as a graine of Mustard-seed is precious Be not cast downe O poore heart if God deny thee great faith c. blesse him for that he hath given thee any faith c. Obj. But alas I doubt I have not faith at all c. it s not the degree of grace but the grace it selfe that I pray for and yet receive not Rep. Surely O soule thou art mistaken what ever grace thou prayest for especially so as to be troubled for want of which is thy case I say thou hast that grace already It s a degree of wisdome to desire to be wise and its a measure of grace to pray for grace The Disciples had faiâ—h when yet they prayed against unbeleefe without doubt O dejected soule thy panting after thy praying for and trouble at the sence of the want of grace is grace who can breath except he have life Lastly to cloâ—e up this case of fear about Gods not hearing prayer if God as yet have not answered my prayers the more is to come in Heaven God will answer all together God sometimes deales with his Children as we doe with ours the Childe abroad sends home for many things now for a Hat anon for a paire of Shoos c. the Father neither sends the thing nor an answer but anon sends for the Childe home and gives him all Minde ye Children of God for you are of that generation who seek his face your Father will send for you home one of these dayes and by death he 'l fetch you hence and answer all your prayers at once Now then beare up O dejected soules be not cast downe about your prayers as you are O remember in all this case Christ liveth for ever to make intercession for us why should we be so sad at the thoughts of our owne prayers as to forget to rejoyce in the faith of his If we sin he is our Advocate if we want any thing he knowes all our needs and why should we doubt that he prayeth for us since he lives for that very purpose CHAP. 10. Satisfaction to Soules cast downe about Hearing SOme there are who in their dejection call to minde the Word and their hearing of it Case but alas they are so far from being raised by it as that it dejects them the more Ah say they we have heard thee preached in our streetes Luk. 13.26 but so shall some say and be dis-owned at last by Christ the Word hath been sowen amongst us but we feare not as the good seed in the good ground and something now must be said to satisfie these soules and there be but four things which I shal offer briefly to this purpose 1 Call to minde what it was O soule which in the hearing of the Word did most take with Satisfaction and affect thy heart was it the Truth or the termes that did most prevaile with you Didst thou finde thine eares tickled with the entising words of mans wisdome Or didst thou feele thy heart touched with the power of the Spirit in the demonstration of truth If upon this inquiry thou doe finde that naked truth in the discovery of the Spirit did most take with and worke upon thy heart thou needest not bee troubled about thy hearing the Word for surely thou hast heard the word not as the word of man but of God 2 Consider what was the effect of that Word or that truth which thou didst close with The reall effect of the Word heard as the Word of God is the casting downe of those imaginations which did lift up themselves in the soule against Christ The Apostle tells the Corinthians that the weapons of his warfare were mighty through God But how did it appeare Marke because saith he they pull downe strong holds c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. a Cannon shot off with Powder makes no battery nor breach but if it beate downe strong holds it argues there was more then bare Powder Certainly if the Word hath beaten downe thy towry imaginations and made a breach and so an entrance in thy bosome for Christ If it hath battered open the everlasting gates for the King of glory to enter in thou maist surely and sweetly conclude that thou didst heare more then man in the Word yea that Christ was in and with the Word of a truth It was a signe that the Thessalonians had received the Word as it was in truth the Word of God when it did effectually worke in them as 't is 2 Thes 2.13 But besides this 3 Know that there may be the seed of the Word in thy heart as in good ground See this fear stated Sect. 1. chap. 7. notwithstanding thy feares Oh say many
But the soule convinced by the spirit is convinced of this sin as of the sin of sinnes viz. unbeleefe Oh saith a soul which is convinced by the spirit I know drunkennesse is a sin uncleannesse is a sinne pride a sin c. But I know unbeleef is a sin as great ray greater then them all This is laid upon my spirit that Christ is come into the world sweetly discovering the love of God freely tendering reconcilement in his blood But I Oh I did little see and much slight him I did not make it my worke to go after him nor have I been willing when he hath come after me to accept him And this oh this hath been nay I fear 't is still my sin Oh this base vile damnable unbeleefe is that which hath and doth lye upon my spirit Other sins put me in an â—â—â—solute necessity of salvation and this sealed me under damnation HEE THAT BELEEVETH NOT HE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY Oh that Scripture tooke hold on me Christ came and was willing to imbrace but I would not beleeve He came sweetly weeing and I stood out sinfully rejecting He tendered grace freely and I did put off that tender wretchedly He said come unto me and I le ease you and I did not could not would not beleeve and therefore came not to him This O this I am convinced of as my sin and this I doubt is my sin to this day The truth is I can hardly beleive yet that Christ came to save sinners Why say Oh soul doth not thy heart answer to these things as face to face is there not a copy of this complaint in the secret tables of thy heart If there be pray who should nay who could write it but the spirit Who could take these things of Christ and reveale them unto thee but the spirit Surely if none can call Jesus Lord but by the spirit as it is 1 Cor. 12.3 Then none could be convinced so far of sin for not receiving of or beleeving in which is all one this Lord Christ but by the Holy Ghost But Secondly What is the great principle upon which you are most convicted Is it SENSE or HOPE of divine love It may be thou hast sometimes tasted how good the Lord is Peradventure you have had some sence of the love of God Or It may be you have only sometimes attained some hopes of divine loves Now is it this that doth most affect thy heart in thy conviction Doth not thy soule say Oh! what a vile wretch have I been who have despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and who have not been led thereby unto repentance Standest thou convinced of the greatnesse of sins by the consideration of the greatnesse of his love Because God hath been is and thou hopest will be exceeding good Art not upon this convinced that thou art and hast been exceeding bad Surely so much as love and sweetnesse hath had an influence upon thy conviction so much the spirit hath been in it The hand of wrath may convince a Pharoah that he hath sinned but an eye of love will make a Peter weep bitterly Therfore Thirdly In thy convictions for sin what sight hast thou had of Christ The spirit where he convinceth of sin he also convinceth of righteousnesse as t is John 16.10 i.e. the spirit convinceth the soule that albeit it is unrighteous yet there is a righteousnesse in Christ which it may have The spirit where he is a messenger of sin comming in and convincing the soule thereof he is also an Interpreter taking the things of Christ and so shewing thereof unto the soule the spirit is that one of a thousand to shew unto man his uprightnesse as t is Job 33.23 An hypocrite may be convinced by the Law but alas in that conviction he sees only a Moses But a Saint is convinced not only by the Law but the Gospell and therefore in his conviction he sees a Messiah Canst not thou say O soul when thou wert convinced that thou wert a sinner thou wert also convinced that there was a Saviour Didst not thou see a remedy as well as a disease a healing plaister as well as a killing wound A Saviour as well beseeching sinners to come unto him that they might have life as blaming of them for not beleeving in him that they might be free from death Surely soule its the spirit who giveth life the letter killeth Where the letter convinceth only it doth leave a soule under the sentence of death But if together with the sentence of death for sin thou didst also see the hopes of life in a righteousnesse then there was something more and higher then the letter in thy conviction even the Holy Ghost If then when thou wert convinced thou didst see unbeleife as the great sin and divine love as the great aggravation of that unbeleife and yet withall a sight of free and full righteousnesse tendred as a cure of both If I say thou didst see these things in thy conviction why art thou cast down O soule and why dost thou fear the spirit was not in thy conviction To go on then to the last branch of this fear and doubt Thou sayst O soul that dost fear thy comfort was not from the spirit At lest thou sayst thou dost doubt it It s true after thy storme thou didst heare a still voyce but sayst thou was the spirit in that voyce Sometimes even after conviction thou dost say thou didst feel comfort but thou fearest whether it were from the spirit or from the letter and fancy c. Why now in order to the scattering of this fear let me intreate you to consider these three things First Whence it was that thy comfort was fetched which was brought to thee was it not such as one of a thousand could not bring came it not from Jesus Christ who can only give man his righteousnesse as it is Job 33 23. He shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you saith Christ of the spirit Job 16.15 Where the spirit brings in comfort it is still shewed to be fetched from Christ Alas canst not thou say It was not from any creature men or Angell that the hope of your comfort came Alas miserable Comforters were they all But it was onely from Christ where the spirit comforts he doth it still in a discovery of Christ As he shewes Christ pierced by the soule and useth that sight unto conviction so he discovers Christ willing to imbrace the soul and useth this sight unto consolation The peace and comfort of some is rather from a cessation of the trouble of conscience then from a sight and discovery of Christ Now if thy comfort came only from an apprehension of Christ and from a sight of the things in him why art thou disquieted as if thy comfort were not from the spirit Since as no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Even so the
takes us off from sinne rather by the bitternesse of it then the sweetnesse of himselfe Suppose O soule as yet thy abstinence from sinne proceeds from feare rather then love yet know its Gods way thus to traine up his children How many have first abstained from sinne out of feare of Hell who yet afterward have been helped to abstaine from it out of love to Christ some who at first could not be kept from sinne if they had not been told of Hell death and damnation have yet in time sincerely profest they would abstaine and avoyd sinne if there were none of those things at all so it hath been with others so it shall be with you Let thy principles be as low as thou fearest oh soule and yet thy feare argues them higher then thou thinkest yet I say suppose them low now they may be high ere long God by degrees will heighten both thy practise and thy principles But Thirdly Jesus Christ knowes how to passe by low principles as well as pardon lewd practises He that can and doth forgive acts of sinne when very high can and will forgive abstinence from sinne when the principles are low Indeed Christ highly embraces soules who are yet principled but low Nathaniels first principle of faith in Christ was it seemes but low Iesus hints it was but this because he had told him that he saw him under the figg-tree as 't is Joh. 1.50 Suppose thy abstinence from sin be as low principled as his faith in Christ yet Christ knowes how to love thee as him therefore Lastly Know you that happinesse depends not upon your acts or principles of abstaining from sinne but upon the bloud of Christ that takes away all sinne The Apostle knew that if he should have said 1 Joh. 1.7 2.1 himselfe and other beleevers had no sinne he should have spoke amisse but sure he was of this that the bloud of Christ would cleanse from all and that if any sinned they had an Advocate with the Father and these things he writ that they might not sinne wherefore then O soule who abstainest from sinne be not cast downe for feare thy principles of abstinence are too low but rejoyce in this that the bloud of Christ shall take away the guilt of all thy lewd practises and much more the guilt of low and meane principles But yet O soule know this gives no liberty to sinne O no sayest thou it doth not and God forbid that I should sinne because of this grace I desire for ever to avoyd sinne and oh that I could doe it from holy and high principles Quest I pray help me herein Answ For thy helpe O soule in this kinde there are three things which I offer to thy thoughts as meanes to heighten thy principles in abstaining from sinne First Eye Christ as dying for sinne its low to abstaine from sinne for feare least it should spill our bloud but its high to adstaine from sinne in faith that it hath shed Christs bloud Eye thy Saviour on the Crosse O soule and that wil secretly and spiritually beget these thoughts in thee Shall I sinne for whom Christ dyed Did sinne kill him and shall not I therefore leave it Did he lay downe his life for my sins and shall â—ot I abstaine from my lusts for his sake The thoughts of this that sinne cost thy Saviours Bloud will heighten thy principle in abstaining from it Secondly Looke upon your selves as dead to sinne in your Saviours death for sinne if thou art dead to it thou wilt abstaine from it and if thou abstaine from sinne upon this principle thy principle is high The Apostle Paul teacheth this principle Rom. 6.11 Reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sinne this is a conclusion which Logically he would have Christians to draw from Christs death The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. logically and rationally to conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. That they are dead to sinne and if they thus conclude he hints the conclusion may be maintained for t is so indeed The soule is high in holinesse who avoyds sinne because t is dead to it Why O soule thou art indeed dead to sinne and if upon that reckoning or if from that reasoning thou abstaine from sinne thy abstinence is preciously principled Adde to this Lastly the remembrance of this viz. That sinne alone eclipseth love and this thought will beget hatred against sinne to purpose Hatred begotten or springing from love is great Why this thought O soule that sinne only cloudeth thy Saviours love will make thee out of love to his love hate sinne and so abstaine from it indeed And abstinence from sinne upon this account is high I know O soule you love discoveries of your Saviours love now then remember this Its sinne and sinne only that can hide love and if thou remembrest that thou wilt abstaine from sinne upon a principle of love to love and if thy principle be such thou wilt not have any cause to be cast downe or disquieted about it CHAP. 13. Satisfaction to cast downe soules troubled about the sinne against the Holy Ghost SAtan makes some soules dejected Case feare they have sinned unto death c. the sinne against the Holy Ghost and many soules cast downe Satisfaction are perplexed with this feare Now I shall seeke to remove this feare and to satisfie dejected soules in this case by the proposall of these particulars Definitio descriptio differunt apud logicos First It s very uncertaine what this sinne is I thinke none can exactly define it and few can well describe it now it s strange that thou shouldest feare more strange that any should conclude themselves guilty of such a sinne the knowledge of which is so uncertaine Secondly T is very certaine many soules especially dejected ones take that for this sin which is not It s true in a sence every sinne is a sinne against the Holy Ghost for he is God even as the Father and the Son but t is as true every sinne which is so accounted is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost of which the Scriptures speake as unpardonable Two sins I finde eminently urged by dejected soules against themselves as the sinne against the Holy Ghost that is to say 1 Sinning against cleare light and Conscience 2 Sinning against taste of love and experience But certainly t is possible for a Saint to commit sinne of both these kinds and yet not to sinne the sinne against the Holy Ghost I doe make no doubt but Davids sinne in the bed-businesse of Bathsheba had both these ingredients It cannot be doubted but his light was cleare that Adultery was a sinne and not to bee committed the expresse letter of the Commandements which David was well studied and skill'd in forbids it and for sinning after sweet experiences who doubts it David had sweet experiences of God when he was delivered from the Philistines Psal 56. and from
come into the world to save sinners and did not Paul say of which I am chiefe This O soule is Gospel Christ came indeed to save sinners and for thee to say I am chiefe or principall sinner yet I le goe too and rely upon Christ for salvation it is not presumption but faith O therefore doe not thinke and say it is presumption for thee to beleeve Further It is presumption to expect cure or comfort in the use of unlawfull meanes or in the neglect of appointed meanes But faith is so farre from being an unlawfull meanes that it is the only appointed meanes Thou readest and prayest and hearest c. And now thou art called upon to beleeve and callest thou this presumption Thou art very much mistaken O soule Besides it cannot be presumption to obey a command Christ commands us to beleeve as was shewed he forbids our disquieting and castings down and he requires us to beleeve in his Father and in him Now callest thou obedience presumption beware of that O soule Doth the child that is sad and heavy and abstaines from meate and lyes upon the ground doth this childe presume when upon his fathers command hee ariseth and eates and is merry Did the Prodigall presume when his father said let us eate and be merry Admit thy selfe to be the Prodigall O soule yet sith Christ bids thee arise and eate and be merry why shouldest thou thinke this presumption Obj. But Christ commands not me he speaks not so to me Answ Why not to thee O soule I say why not to thee Is thy soule excluded when none is Doth not Christ call any every thirsting soule saith he not if ANY thirst let him come Called he not Publicans Harlots Sinners Persecutours yea did he not ascend to receive gifts for Rebels Psalm 68.18 why therefore O soule dost say Christ calleth not thee I witnesse in Christs name and let this stand in Print as a proofe that I as an Embassadour of Christ speak to you and in his name I beseech you to accept of grace and reconciliation freely Thou even thou O dejected soule art the man and woman that Christ cals upon to beleeve Thou who art dejected and in the dark and seest no light Christ saith to thee beleeve so shalt thou be established Now doe not say that this is presumption Once againe because I find soules harping upon this string Thou sayest I shall presume if I beleeve let me grant it yet t is but perishing by presumption and so thou must certainly except thou beleeve I remember how the leprous men spake one to another Why sit we here untill we dye if we say we will enter into the City we shall dye there and if we sit still here wee dye also Come let us go to the Hoast if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but dye 2 Kings 7.3 4. Reason thou so O soul If I sit still in my dejected state and dispaire I shall dye and if I do act faith and beleeve I can but dye Therefore I le up and beleeve yea though Christ should kill mee I le beleeve If I must perish I le perish in a way of beleeving Say therefore to thy soule as David did why art cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted Waite on God beleeve in Christ If I must perish I le perish trusting in him that I shall praise him But know O soule If thou doe beleeve thou shalt see Christs glory Thou shalt see the glory of his power in helping the weakest and the glory of his grace in doing for the worst And when thou seest this thou shalt praise him as thy God Wherefore then to wind up all remember though thou be low and see little yet doe not dispaire Although thy eyes have failed with looking and thy heart with longing Although thy strength bee gone and thou be now ready to dye yet do not dispaire But in thy lowest ebbe of dejection when thou art disquieted and cast down most act thy faith and say Though I bee low I may rise Yea though I bee cast downe I shall bee raised When I am in the deepest dejection and cannot mount up my selfe Then shall Christs power be manifested and magnified in my weaknesse And I shall after all my sighs and groanes yet sing prayse unto God as the health of my countenance and my God Surely this is thy duty to endeavour and 't will be thy glory to performe Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee blesse his Holy Name The Printer to the Reader BY reason of the Authors absence from the Presse some faults have escaped which might have been otherwise avoyded but I hope they are such as a little care of thine Reader will correct and a little charity pardon In hope of which I have omitted the ordinary observation of Errata's and corrections FINIS A TABLE Shewing the Principal things in this Treatise SECT I. THe Text is spoken unto 1 In its context where is set forth 1 The occasion the Psalme page 1 2 3 2 The division of the Psalme page 1 2 3 2 In its self and here is 1 The explication of the words p. 4 5 6 7 8 2 The devision of them into parts p. 9 3 The Doctrines deduced from them p. 10 3 In its first and principall doctrine which is 1 Proposed p. 11 2 Proved p. 12 3 Amplified 1 Shewing the nature of spirituall dejections p. 13 14 2 Shewing the workings which are 1 Fears and doubts as p. 15 1 Whether God ever wrought upon the soul p. 16 2 Whether grace be true p. 17 3 Whether Cal Conviction Comfort be of the spirit p. 18 4 Whether actings be from love or light ibid. 5 Whether the heart be sincere p. 19 6 Whether it shall conquer corruption p. 20 7 Whither the soule have closed with Christ savingly p. 21 8 Whether the soul shal persevere or fall off from Christ ib. 9 Whither or no the soule ever prayed as it ought or God ever heard it p. 22 10 Whether the soule heard the word as it ought p. 23 11 Whether the soule have a right unto or ever closed with the promises p. 24 12 Whether abstinence from sin have been upon religious or moral principles p. 25 13 Whether one hath not sinned against the Holy Ghost ibid. 14 Whether the soul shall not fall from grace p. 26 2 Griefes and Sorrowes p. 27 3 Shewing the causes of dejection as 1 Remainders of corruption p. 28 2 Falls into sin p. 29 3 Ignorance of the Covenant of grace ibid. 4 Spiritual indisposition to dutys p. 31 5 Want of former incomes p. 32 6 Insultation of Satan enemys p. 33 7 Corporall affliction as sicknesse c. p. 34 8 Sence of divine wrath p. 35 4 Applyed 1 To informe us of our imperfect state as to rest and peace while we are here p. 36 2 To be thankefull in case of
freedome from these dejections p. 37 3 To prepare for dejections p. 38 1 By remembring there is such a state and we are lyable to it ibid. 2 By acquaintance with the Covenant of grace in its freenesse fullnesse and firmnesse p. 39 3 By treasuring up experience ib. SECT II. I. HEre is Satisfaction held forth unto the particular feares and doubts of dejected soules viz. 1 To souls fearing that God never wrought upon them p 42 to p. 48 2 To soules fearing their grace is not true p 48 to 52 3 To soules questioning whether their calling conviction and comfort be of the holy ghost p. 50 to 64 4 To soules doubting whether their holy actings be from light or love p. 64 to 70 5 To soules fearing their hypocrisie p. 70 to 76 6 To soules doubting they shall never conquer corruption p. 76 to 82 7 To soules fearing they never savingly closed with Christ p. 82 to 91 8 To soules fearing their fall from Christ doubting they shall deny him p. 91 92 93 9 To soules questioning whether ever they prayed as they ought or whether ever God heard p. 93. to 105 10 To soules dejected about their hearing of the Word p. 105. to 111 11 To soules questioning their interest in and their closing with the Promises p. 111. to 115 12 To soules troubled about abstinence from sinne p. 115. to 120 13 To soules fearing their sin against the Holy Ghost p. 120. to 125 14 To soules fearing their fall from grace and not beleeving their perseverance p. 125. to 132 II. Here is held forth particular cure for the particular causes of soule-dejection and the eight generall grounds of soules being cast down are stated and spoken to as 1 Satisfaction is given to soules cast down by reason of the remainders of corruption 2 Satisfaction is given to souls cast down by relapses into sin 3 Satisfaction is tendred to soules dejected about the Covenant of Grace 4 Satisfaction is held forth to soules cast down by reason of indisposition to duties 5 Satisfaction for soules dejected for want of former incomes 6 Satisfaection to soules troubled by reason of Satans and enemies insultation 7 Satisfaction to soules cast down by reason of sicknesse and feare of death 8 Satisfaction to soules dejected under the sence of Divine wrath These are spoken unto in the Pages between 132. 133 SECT III. ANother Doctrine raised from the Text which is 1 Delivered in its generall body p. 133 2 Devided into two branches viz. 1 That Christians dejected should not give way to dejection p. 133 2 That they should argue the case with their owne soules 3 Pursued and followed in I. Branch under three heads viz. 1 A premise that dejected soules are apt to give way unto dejections shewing six grounds of it p. 133 to 138 2 Aproofe of the first branch 1 From Scripture 2 From Reason which 1 There is no reason to give way p. 139 140 2 There is much reason against it 1 Because t is a passion p. 141 2 Because t is perillons 1 In its selfe ib. 2 By reason of Satan p. 142 3Vnto the soule 1 Taking away our strength to work p. 143 2 Taking away our stomacke to eate p. 144 3 An application 1 To chide such as give way to dejection as 1 Who conceale their trouble p. 145 2 Who look not after comfort p. 146 3 Who dispute against comfort p. 147 4 Who avoyd company p. 148 5 Who cast of duty p. 149 2 Two cautions against giving way by 1 Answering the objection of sorrow for sin and shewing when that is too much p. 149. to 151 2 Advising how to stop sorrow that it goe not too farre p. 153 II. Branch is 1 Propounded p. 154 155 2 Proved p. 154 155 3 Amplified shewing 1 Wherein the expostulation of the soule with its selfe consists as 1 In a solemne summoning of the soule to give an account of its dejection p. 156 2 In a serious consideration of what the soul saith for its dejection p. 157 3 In an endeavour what the soule can to satisfie its selfe ib. 2 Why this soule expostulation should be as 1 Because the soule hath a faculty thus to expostulate p. 158 2 Because hereby the soule often sees its cast down causlesse p. 159 3 Because hereby sorrow is stopped ib. 4 Because this will plead some excuse for dejection p. 160 5 Because hereby the soule is fitted for a cure p. 161 4 Applyed 1 To reprove those that argue not the case with themselves p. 161 2 To direct soules how to argue by giving the soule 1 Some rules p. 161. to 165 2 Some questions p. 165. to 166 3 Some informations p. 166. to 169 SECT IV. THE Doctrine of waiting in dejections is 1 Raised and proved from the text p. 169. 170 2 Explicated by shewing what is waiting upon God in dejection is in four particulars p. 171 to 174 3 Confirmed by six grounds p 175 to 177 4 Applyed for 1 Humiliation p. 178 179 180 2 Caution p. 181 182 3 Exhortation in this use some cases of conscience are satisfied as 1 The case of being contented to want Christ resolved 1 That it must be p. 184 2 How it may be p. 185 2 The case of answering to or dealing with Satan in the time of our dejection p. 186 187 188 5 Concluded 1 By granting that though the soul must be content to wait yet it may pray but shewing how p. 189 2 By granting though the soule should be content to wait yet it may indeavor to be cured but shewing also how p. 190 SECT V. THe Doctrine of beleeving in the deepest dejections is 1 Raised out of the words p. 193 2 Opened in shewing 1 When the soule is deepest dejected p. 194 195 196 2 That then its duty and glory is to beleeve p. 198 3 Confirmed from the example of David c. p. 199 4 Amplified 1 By shewing what it is to beleeve in dejections Set forth 1 In a generall description p. 200 2 In particular points to bee beleeved then as 1 Gods Power 2 Possibility of the souls cure 3 inclinablenesse in God to do is p. 201 202 3 In six speciall things to be beleeved by the soul when it is in lowest p. 203 206 2 By shewing three Reasons for all this p. 207 208 5 Amplified 1 For information that times of dejection ought to be times of beleiving yea that they are the proper season of faith here are three reasons given why in a special maner Christ looks for faith now p. 210 to 214 2 For perswasion of the soule to act its faith when it s cast downe lowest and here 1 The duty is opend p. 214 2 Motives are binted to stir up as 1 That now faith is blessed p. 215 2 That now faith glorifies God p. 216 3 That now beleeving ingages God p. 217 4 That now beleeving raiseth p. 218 3 Meanes to help are propounded as 1 Cautions in which the soule is advised to take heed and beware 1 Of concluding any thing by sence p 219 2 Of considering selfe ib. 3 Of beleeving Satan although backed with ones own conscience p. 220 4 Of concluding any thing upon the present visible rejection of Christ p. 221 2 Considerations as 1 There is no ground why the soul should not beleeve for p. 222 1 There is no command to the contrary p. 223 2 The death of dejection is not c. ib. 3 The souls defilement is not p. 224 4 Former unbeleif or present doubtings are not p. 225 2 The promises are made to the lowest estate as is instanced p. 225 226 3 The soule shall not need to fear its presumption to beleeve which being the last object that is put in against beleeving t is answered and cleared p. 227 228 229 FINIS
of God Christ will certainly make thee in a measure know what sorrow meanes if he intend thee joy Thou wilt be dejected before thou art exalted and surely couldest thou but see thy state whilst a presumptuous sinner thou wouldest cry out What shall I doe to be saved But hoping better things of thee and such as accompany salvation I shall acquaint thee only with foure things about this ensuing tract 1 That it is the substance of many Sermons and that when it was preached it was by much more then now it is Yet 2 That the abatement in the printing from what it was in preaching is not materiall Things are here in briefe which then were more largely opened and I presume thy eye will reape as much by a little which is stil before thee to looke upon as thine Eare can by a great deale more which though it be longer and larger in the receiving of yet is quickly passed by and forgotten 3 The subject treates with dejected soules to whom the sweetest words of freest Grace are little enough And therefore if thou thinke some passages tend to a presumption though none I know of are so remember dejected soules are farre enough from that being more ready to despaire then to hope notwithstanding the clearest discoveries of Christs love and sweetnesse 4 The whole was at first intended for and delivered to a particular Congregation in a private way And had not they sealed to it as to the truth of Christ it had been buried in the darke and never come to this publick light I have onely two Requests to make to thee and I have done with thee My First Request is this That thou bee not hasty in reading But that thou meditate on what is tendred The Bee which onely lights upon a flower gathers no hony It s her abiding a while that suckes out the sweete Such Readers get but a little who rather runne over then read a Booke And that person will finde but little sweetnesse in a cordiall who onely holds it a little while in his mouth It s meditation which renders truths sweet I have indeavoured to write much in a little and I dare humbly promise that if thou wilt but weigh and consider seriously what I say to any Head thou wilt finde a great deale more matter then words It s true I have not handled things so largely as I might but yet I have suggested what might bee sufficient to my purpose which is not so much to convince the disputeing Heads as to comfort the dejected Hearts of Christians This therefore is my first Request that thou meditate on what thou readest My next Request is this That if in any part or in the whole thy attainment be above what is here offered that thou doe not slight it altogether upon that account Even David himselfe was sometimes aloft and never thought of those dejections under which hee afterwards groaned And peradventure though now thou keepe holy day and feast with Christ in full assurance A day or houre of temptation may come in which thou mayest bee glad of a crumme of comfort And then this poore tracte may bee of some use to thy soule In the interim pittie and pray for those who either are in or lyable to a dejected state needing both comfort and counsell too And in so doing thou shalt further the designe and indeed particularly and singularly oblige the Authour of this tract who is Reader Thy faiths friend and Souls-Servant JOHN DVRANT SECT I. PSAL. 42 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God CHAP. I. The preamble unto the Text in a briefe view of the whole Psalme holding forth the occasion and the division thereof THese words are a spirituall Soliloquie of holy David who now as in private speakes to and argueth with his own soul in regard of some sadnesses and disquietings which at present did oppresse his spirit And there is a great deale of precious matter in these words deserving our Observation Meditation and Imitation I shall in a word touch upon the occasion and the scope of the whole Psalme So shall we the clearer see the intention of this verse It is thought and that very probable that the occasion of this Psalm was either the flight unto which he was exposed by Saul or the flight unto which he was exposed by Absolon Cleare it is at the penning hereof David was absent from Jerusalem and the Tabernacle the consideration of which fills him with sorrow and that sorrow sets him upon the composing of this Psalme So that whatsoever was the remote sorrow was the proximate occasion of the penning hereof Now this sorrow appeares in the whole Psalme generally And more particularly it discovers in selfe in these branches 1 In the vent thereof 2 In the cause thereof 3 In the depth thereof 4 In the effect thereof First Davids sorrow vents it selfe in the 1 2 and 3 verses of the Psalme as the Hart panteth after the water Brookes so panteth my soule after God vers 1. Never was poor Hart pursued more by a company of Dogs then he was by his enemies And never did Hart so pursued bray after the Brookes as he did after Jerusalem and the Tabernacle the place and types of Gods presence My teares so he vents himselfe have been my meat day and night ver 2. Sad soule his griefe fed upon its selfe and besides mourning his soule had no meate His soule also was poured out as water for so the word signifies vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus his sorrow vents it selfe Secondly He opens the cause thereof which was mixed and mighty One while his present absence from Jerusalem minds him of his former injoyments He had gone up with a multitude making boâ—y mirth but now he was deprived thereof vers 4. Another while hee considered the sad speeches of his insulting adversaries who continually said where is thy God vers 10. Thirdly he describes the depth of his sorrow setting it forth to have overwhelmed him He professeth it had cast him down vers 6. And that he was in the deeps vers 7. Lastly He declares the effect of all this now that is held forth as double 1 Supplication 2 Expostulation The first effect of his soule griefe was Supplication His prayer was to the God of his life as t is vers 8. Oh when shall I come before thee O God ver 2. To this he addes Secondly Expostulation as another effect of his griefe and this expostulation is hinted to be 1 With God 2 With himselfe 1 He expostulates the matter with his God I will say unto God my rocke why hast thou forsaken me ver 9. 2 Hee expostulates also with himselfe Why goe I mourning c. as in that verse But especially in the words of the Text. Why art thou cast down
no Psalme but such as was sweet Still hee spake with the voice of joy and praise But now consider againe On the other hand as I may say the left the soule is sometimes at a losse Sorrow sometimes playes its reakes as we say and turns joy out of doores The soule is deprived of wonted injoyments this now casts it downe Sorrow clips the soules wings it makes the spirit flag and faint it turns festivalls into mourning It causeth the soules Spring to bee as the Autumne It brings on Winter and raine too and affords the singing of no birds but the Owle and the Pellican And quite contrary to what the soule is when divinely elevated that it is while sadly dejected So that as joy is the Springtime and Summer of the soule sorrow is the Autumne and Winter You know what is the nature of Autumne and Winter Flowers fade leaves fall cold nips trees wither sap runnes downe night growes long and dark too wayes grow dirty aire chilly all things looke unlovely Thus t is with dejected soules their flowers fade their leaves fall c. By this you may guesse at the nature of spirituall dejections Yet a little more In the Text are two words hinting the nature of spirituall dejections One is casting downe which as I noted in the explication is as much as laying the soule levell the bending or the bowing down thereof It s the soule set on the dunghill or lying prostrate on the ground This is one word The other is disquieted Now that word properly as I opened it notes a storme and tumult This then holds forth the nature of spirituall dejections to be the soules storm and tumult The soule cast downe is afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted as t is Esay 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempests it s spoken unto dejected Syon The soul cast down is as a tumult things are in it in a confused disorderly way As when people in a rout or riot are out of all order so is the soule when dejected This shall suffice to hint at the nature of spirituall dejection Its you see in briefe the soules low posture It s a David on a dunghill in a valley It s the souls throwing it selfe down It s the soule in a tempest tossing and tumbling to and fro or it s the soule as in a tumult quite out of the even and orderly frame in which it sometimes was and alwayes should be CHAP. 6. Shewing the workings of a soule cast downe THe nature of spirituall dejection being seen in the generall wee shall now take a view of the Workings thereof in particular Now the working of spirituall dejection appeares in 1 Feares and Doubts 2 Griefe and Sorrowes First the working of spirituall dejection appeares in feares and doubts The soule cast down is full of doubts One while it doubts this thing another while that Now this feare fills it anon another For look as the soule lifted up is full of hope and assurances and carried forth in expectations so the soule cast down is full of feares and exceedingly perplexed with doubtings Oh saith the poor soule dejected and disquieted I fear this and I doubt this Can you resolve me in this doubt or helpe mee in this feare and the like I shall instance in severall feares and doubts which usually trouble the soule when and while it s cast down First The soule when dejected it feares the worke of grace It saith I feare whether ever God wrought upon mee at least I doubt it Sure I am saith the dejected soule God is a rocke and his worke is perfect But alas there are so many imperfections in my soule that I question his worke in me I know God works both to will and to doe But alas though I wilâ— sometimes I doe never I feare God hath not wrought in me Paul was confident that where God began a good worke hee would perfect it And this makes me diffident that he hath not begun at all in mee I see so many debillities deceits decayes that surely I may say as he if the Lord be with me why is all thuâ— befallen mee Judg. 6.13 The soule knowes the worke of God is glorious And sure it is that if he will worke none shall hinder But Oh saith it I finde my soule so in-glorious and I feele so many hindrances that I doubt I shalâ— dishonour God to thinke sure I am a afftaid to say he hath wrought upon me This is one feare Secondly The soule cast downe sometime discovers its fears in other termes its dejection workes up in other doubtings As now whether its grace be true or counterfeit Grace that is false is frequent but that which is true is scarce Common workings are ordinarie but speciall ones are rare Counterfeit coyne is in Beggars purses but true coine is the portion of the rich I am sure saith the soul when it is dejected there is a fained saith and a false love Christ eies unfained faith and such Tymothies was but I feare mine is not The Scripture calls for unfained love let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 and the Apostles love was such Yea but I doubt mine For my part saith the poor cast down soule I question not whether the faith of others in the head Christ be sound or whether the love of others to the members beleevers be sincere But I doub my owne True saith the soule I though once I bad faith in Christ and love to the brethren and that my gold was not counterfeit c. But now I feare and doubt all Then Thirdly Other soules cast down have other feares sure saith one whatsoever worke is only in the letter t is death and not life and for my part I feare whether mine have been by the spirit I doubt saith the soule under dejections whether my calling were orely by the voice of man in the bare letter or of Christ in the spirit T is true the word came to some not in word only but also in power and in the Holy ghost 1 Thess 1.5 But alas I doubt whether it came so to mee There are convictions and comforts which are but naturall legall and false And I doubt whether mine have not been such There are indeed convincings and comfortings which are Evangelicall and spirituall Christ saith the Holie Ghost shall convince of sin and of righteousnesse but I feare he never did convince me of either thus workes the disquieted soules of some Againe Fourthly The feares of some in spirituall dejection appeare about their holy actions as hearing praying repenting c. And about these the feares of the Soule cast down workes thus I doe sometimes pray or rather indeavour to pray I do sometimes mourn for sin or rather I do some thing like repentance But alas whence doth this proceed I doubt the principles whence these acts do arise are but poore and low and carnall It may be education profession ingenuity morality or at best
him Our prayers have been rather the fruit of our heads and babbling of our lips then the breath of our hearts and panting of our spirits And yet say some soules Suppose our spirits were in prayer We feare Gods spirit was not The father seeketh such to worship him as do it in the spirit and the Apostle calls for praying in the Holy Ghost Now though our own spirit was in our prayers we feare Christs spirit was not It may be wee have prayed in the gifts of the spirit But what are they without the spirit himselfe Againe say the same dejected soules although wee should thinke and hope that we have prayed both in the sincerity of our own spirit and in the strength of Christs spirit yet we feare whether ever God hath regarded Surely he hath been alway angry with for as yet he never answered any of our prayers And to call and not bee heard to pray and not be answered Pro. 1.28 is a threatned judgement This oh this is our feare that we are those at whose calamitie God will laugh as it is Pro. 1.26 Secondly There are others who in their dejection vent other feares As now about the word whether ever it came to them as the word of God and as good seed upon good ground Alas cryeth one poore dejected soule I have heard the word often preached but I fear to no purpose for I thinke I never heard God in it It was the praise of the Thessalonians that they heard the word not as the word of men but as the word of God But it s my shame and sorrow I have rather heard men then God I read saith the soule the Parable of the Sower and I remember there was but one good ground which received the seed aright and I fear I am none of that I doubt I am the high-way-ground or the stony or the thorny but sure I am not the good ground i. e. one who with an honest and good heart having heard the word doth keep it for sure I bring not forth the fruit with patience Thus the fears of some dejected soules work about the word But Thirdly Other dejected souls breathe forth feares about the Promises As whether they have right to them or did ever in the spirit close with them Oh say some soules the Promises are indeede exceeding great and precious But are they ours wee doubt it my soule doubts saith one when I reade the Promises I doe rather read the riches of others then my owne Alas I feare they are none of mine and I dare not indeed cannot close with them Sometimes I have climbed the outside of the Promise I have read the letter but alas I never was in the inside in the spirit of a Promise It s likely many hung upon Noahs Arke without But none were saved but those within And I feare I was never within the Arke of any Promise Fourthly Some soules when cast downe feare their very abstinence from sinne As now whether they did or doe abstaine from sinne in a slavish way for feare or in a Sonne-like way for love I feare saith the soule I have and I do abstaine from sin rather from rationall then from pious principles I doubt I dread the coale of corruption rather for the fire of it which will burne mee then the filib of it which will blacke mee I doubt its the cudgell of wrath that drives me backe rather then the coard of love which keepes mee in from sinne Good soules abstaine from sin from heavenly principles as love of God desire of holinesse and I feare my principles are hellish as feare of damnation and or at best but earthly as shame of men and the like Fiftly Some soules when cast down cry out Oh the sinne against the Holy Ghost I feare saith a dejected soul I have sinned unto death I have sinned against such strong light and such sweet love that I feare my sinne is now the unpardonable sinne which shall not cannot bee forgiven I may well bee cast downe if that bee my case which was Judas his and I feare it is Christ saith all sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiven but that which is against the Holy Ghost Alas here is my fear that I am guilty of that sin Sixtly The feares of some when cast downe doe not worke thus high yet they vent themselves thus Oh we feare we shall fall away Angells fell Adam fell others fall and are we surer then they Surely we are not so strong and therefore not so sure Many have gone beyond me in the spirit and yet saith the soule have ended in the flesh and I feare I shall doe so too I goe but softly I fall often I looke backe many times and I doubt I shall never persevere unto the death what is it to begin well and end ill what is it to have Ephraims righteousnesse A morning dew Alas mine is no better if so good This is my case and I may well be cast downe for I fear I shall fall The promise of the Crown is to perseverance Hee that is faithfull to the death shall have the crowne of life But I feare I doubt I shall not hold out neare unto death for my heart misgives me and I feare I shall fall away ere long and loose all at last CHAP. 8. The other branch of the workings of spirituall dejections which is greife and sorrow HAving now gone over sundry doubts and feares which are the workings of spirituall dejections I shall touch in a word only upon the other branch viz. That of greife and sorrow For As the soule when it s cast downe is full of feare so likewise its full of griefe Disquieted David vents himselfe not onely in feares but in sorrowes His teares were his meat day and night as it is vers .. 3. He went in mourning ver 9. Sighs complaints expostulations those also are the workings of spirituall dejection Ah Lord what palenesse of face what wringing of the hands what watering of the cheeks doth dejection produce what beating of the breast with the Publican what weeping and crying with Rachell what questioning and crying with Mary doth casting down cause There are two appearances of these kind of workings 1 Within The soule tosseth it selfe up and downe the heart rowles and beates as if it would breake its passage through the body How doth the soule talke with its selfe and aggravate its griefe How is the heart smitten and withered as grasse as t is Psal 102.4 The bowells boile and rest not as t is Job 30.26 2 Without The lips quiver as t is Hab. 3.16 The eyes run down all the night as Lam. 1. the voice that speakes faintly And is there any sorrow as mine was ever soule as I am Did you ever meet with any in my case Thus griefe vents it selfe and thus doth the disquieted soule as it thinkes ease it selfe But I neede not go about to paint these sorrowes some soules are able
Secondly Learne hence to be thankefull for any freedome from disquietings Be thankefull O ye unshaken soules to Christ It s his sweetnesse which hath kept you from being in a storm It s greater mercy to have a soule kept free from disquietings then to have a body kept free from distempers seest thou another soul cast downe be thankfull to the Lord Jesus that thou art not sitting by it in the same case Take heed of thinking that your settlement is of your selves and consequently of cersuring others who are disquieted It s certainly a great fault in many that they censure such as they see dejected They find fault with that in others which they are not able to prevent in themselves Did not Christ beare up thy spirit Oh soule thou wouldest quickly sincke There are causes of spiritual dejection in thee as well as in others It s Christ that keepes them under otherwise they would soon cast thee down Bee thankefull therefore to Christ and take heed of censuring others Yea Thirdly Prepare for dejections Such as are subject to saintings have their cordialls in readinesse so should you have O soules who are lyable to spirituall faintings There are cordials enough did you know them It s your Saviours goodnesse that hee stored up remedies suitable to all your distempers acquaint your selves with them before you need them that they may not be to seeke when they should be used Quest You will say what preparation shall we make Answ For this I shall speak something more generall and something more particular Generally In order to spirituall preparation for soule dejection mind these things First That such a thing there is as soul-dejection and that you are lyable unto it Be not strangers unto this truth but know as the most healthfull body may sometimes be distempered so the most holy soule may sometimes be disquieted The not minding of this makes many soules which are cast downe sadder then otherwise they would be It s an aggravation unto any sorrow that it comes unexpected Be sure therefore to remember this that t is possible sadnesse may seize upon your soules and cast you down It s common to saints to be dejected sometimes This being often and seriously thought on before dejections come will prepare you to beare them when they come Secondly Be well acquainted with the Coverant of grace The not aright and clear understanding of it as hath been shewed is the cause of much dejection Acquaint your souls therefore with this in the freenesse of it doe not mix water with wine 't will abate the strength of it and render it lesse able to comfort what God holds forth free let not us looke upon as conditionall The pure wine of the Covenant which is the best cordiall for a fainting spirit looseth its vertue when t is mixed with the puddle waters of conditions Bee built up therefore in the freenesse of the Covenant Know also the fulnesse of it It extends it selfe to the forgiving of all sinnes and to the bestowing of all grace Remember also the firmenesse of the Covenant its immutable unalterable whatsoever fainting fit overtakes thee the Covenant of grace thus known and beleeved will revive thee Thirdly Treasure up your own and others experiences The remembrance of experiences in times of lifting up will exceedingly support in times of casting downe when the spirit begins to be in a storme for divine absence Call to minde that it sometime injoyed the calme of a divine presence Many soules forget the time of their first love and the effect of that is sinfullnesse And many forget the day of Christs first lâ—ve and the fruit of that is sadnesse In the day of your dejections call to mind the time of your espousalls The premeditation of what the soule sometimes enjoyed is a good preparation for a time when it may be dejected But these things are onely in the generall I shall therefore proceed to particulars And my advise to soules is that they indeavour to acquaint themselves as much as they can with particular cases And accordingly to provide suitable cordialls It s a peece of humain prudence in provision for corporall distempers that men do not only lay up some generall Catholicke medicines as Phisitians call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But they provide particular medicins for particular diseases Surely we should be if not more yet at least as much careful in provision for spiritual distempers as for corporal And in order thereunto we should study to understand what may be a suitable support unto us under soul-castings down An essay unto which we shall hold forth in the following Section SECT II. CHAP. I. Satisfaction to soules cast downe and discovering their feares about the truth of the worke of grace HAving in the former Section hinted at severall fears which appeare in soules cast downe I shall now apply my selfe to satisfie dejected soules with reference to those particular feares And I shall proceed in that order which I mentioned them in and beginne with the feare of a soule cast downe and venting it selfe about the work of grace Oh say some soules the worke of grace is precious but I feare in me it s not perfect Case Satan hath had his workings in me Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I feare whether Christ hath wrought the good worke in me I have found the Devill powerfully working in me But I feare Christ hath not as yet begun to worke upon me c. In order to the raising of a soul cast down Satisfaction and fearing this I shall offer briefly Some 1 Cautions and 2 Considerations First Some Cautions we had need be wary in our conclusions which we make about our soules state 'T is easie but 't is dangerous to conclude amisse here It s as well I will not say as much a fault to conclude against our soules as having no worke of grace as 't is to cousen our soules as if we had Be cautious therefore O soule who sayest thou fearest Christ hath not yet wrought upon thee Take heed how thou judgest even thy selfe in this case and for this end take with thee these 3 Cautions viz. 1 Of binding your selves to particular examples 2 Of confining Christ to any methods or wayes 3 Of concluding any thing from present sence First Take heed of binding your selves to particular examples Oh say some Christ hath not wrought upon us Quest Why Oh soules not upon you Ans Why Hee hoth not wrought upon us as upon such and such Reply But consider O soules Gods workes are not alway alike Though the worke of grace be the same in all in regard of the matter yet it is not the same alwayes in regard of the manner The manner of Christs working is divers It s bad eyeing in order to the judgement of our worke of grace examples Christ comes to Matthew at the receit of custome and speakes to his heart so home that Matthew
leaves all and followes him and of a Publican becomes a Preacher But he rides after Paul as I may say and overtakes him in the way to Damascus and throwes him downe invirons him with a Pillar of light appears to him from heaven speakes to him reasons with him directs him whether to go what to do c. These examples are not alike Should you bind the work of grace to Pauls example you would condemn Matthew or should you make the example of Matthew the pattern of the worke of grace you would or might question Paul Be cautious therefore O soule of what you say Do not fear that God hath not wrought upon you because not after the example of such an one examples are not here strictly to be eyed this is the first caution The second is this Take heed of confining Christ to methods I wish some Preachers were in this particular faultlesse they confine Christ as I may say to such and such wayes and methods as if the spirit were not as free as the wind to blow where and when and how he listeth You have some so punctuall in their antecedents concomitants and consequents words which many poore soules scarce understand And so precise and strict in pressing soules with them that many gracious soules feare whether they have any worke of grace wrought because not in such a way and method Now I beseech you beware of this Christ walkes not alwayes the same way to many soules Some soules he overtakes ere ever they are aware of him as is hinted Cant. 6.12 and makes them as the chariots of Aminidab i. e. a willing people Others indeed he deales with all in a more violent way and is faine to make it a day of power that they may be a willing people In the same story Act. 1.6 you have Christ as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Softly comming into Lydia's he art as if he did but lift up the Hatch and enter and you have him loudly knocking at the Jaylers doore making as I may say an earthquake in his soul to make way for himselfe So various are Christs wayes in working Some Christ makes sicke of love and winnes upon their hearts by the mercies of the Gospell Others he makes sore with wrath and frights them to himselfe by the terrours of the Law Mind this oh poore soule It may be thou fearest Christ hath not wrought on thee because it was not in such or such a way your feare if so is groundlesse and you must take heed lest you confine Christ unto methods He will worke and who shall let it and to whom hath he made knowne all his wayes of working This is the second Caution Now the Third is this Beware how you conclude any thing upon present sence The worke of grace at first is but little as a grain of mustard seed And t is not at first so visible It s like leaven hid in meale as t is Matth. 13.33 Now that which is little and hidden too that is not seen straite Naturall conceptions are not at first perceived no more are supernaturall The worke of grace may be begun in thy soule although thou doe not perceive it Be therefore cautious how thou concludes because of present visible ineffectualnesse The leaven of the Kingdom may lye hid in the heart And if thou judge by present sence thou mayest condemne the generation of the righteous Indeed Christ in the soul is as Isaack in Abrahams loynes at first that is as dead And looke as there even of one and him as good as dead sprang as many as the stars of the skie So likewise here viz. in the soule of one graine of grace and that even as dead to sence See Lu. 13.19 there springs up the great tree which reacheth as high as heaven Let this therefore be minded as the third caution that you conclude not positively any thing upon present sence Now having hinted these Cautions I shall offer three Considerations unto such as feare and doubt the true worke of grace in their hearts First This fear may peradventure be a fruit of the worke of grace Sinners as they never desire the worke so they trouble not themselves with doubts about the work Solomon tels us Blessed is the man that feareth alway yea we know he also said the way of a foole is right in his owne eyes Thou poore soule who are dejected and dost much doubt whether ever as yet God hath wrought upon thy heart why this feare of thine may bee a good signe that hee hath But Secondly This fear may argue a beginning of the worke Certain this fear is of God and how dost thou know but that now God is beginning at lest to worke upon thee It s a standing truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome Now the meaning hereof may be that the first thing for so the word signifieth which is wrought in the soule in the worke of wisdom i.e. of grace and bolinesse for so wisdom signifies is feare Thy feare therefore may hint that the worke is in sieri i. e. begining if it be not in factu i. e. begun already However God may make use of it to that end What canst thou tell but now that thy soule is troubled with doubtings about the worke of grace God may make use of this feare to drive thee out of thy state of nature and to draw thee into the state of grace How many poore souls have cryed out I have no true grace God hath not at all wrought upon my heart woe is me what shall I doe I le run after him I le cry for him c. And while the soul hath been in this feare God hath begunne making use therof to worke really upon their soule Thus it hath been with some consider it may be with thee so And therefore Thirdly Suppose it be as you feare Suppose God hath as yet never effectually wrought the worke of grace in your Soule Consider bee may doe it now Why may not free grace worke the worke now I say O soule why not now Quest Say O sad soule what reason can you given that Christ should not now worke upon you if he hath not heretofore Ans Why I le give a reason will the soule say I am not fitted for such a worke The worke of preparation bath not passed on me Reply Suppose I should grant it yet this feare and doubt may be that work All the preparation that can be it tends but to this to make you willing and art not willing soul Qu Yes O yes I am willing but alas what though I will if God will not Reply Why God is willing O soule this is the will of God even your sanctification He wills it and if God will and thou wilt too what should hinder Qu Nay but what should move God to work on me Alas I am a poor polluted sinner and will the
Lord take pleasure in such a soule as I am and bestow paines to worke on me Ans In Answer to this know O soul free grace shall move God For of grace we are saved and not of our selves it s the gift of God we are his worke-man-ship Ephes 2.8 10. And know O soule as God doth worke in thee the will so also he will worke in thee the deed and that of his good pleasure as t is Phil. 2.13 though he cannot take pleasure in thee yet he can and will in his worke Wherefore bear up O thou dejected soule Be not so cast down Suppose the work of grace be not yet wrought the Lord can and doe thou beleeve it hee will worke it now Ere long thou shalt see Christ formed in thee and though now thou art in paine and feare as a soule in travell yet then thou shalt rejoyce for joy that grace is come into thy heart CHAP. 2. Satisfaction to dejected soules labouring under the feare of the truth of grace BUt alas say some who are cast downe our doubts are not so much about a worke of grace As about the truth of grace I doubt saith a soul whether my grace be true Case some worke I have had and something is brought forth but I question whether it be not counterfeit Albeit this fear bee almost the same with the former Satisfaction yet because I find some dejected soules making it a distinct doubt I shal therefore speak distinctly to it And in order to the satisfaction of a soule cast down and discovering its selfe in this feare I shall offer two things viz. Something 1 More generally 2 More particularly First More generally I desire such dejected soules as are troubled about this fear to consider 3 things First Consider counterfeit grace doth not use to suspect it selfe neither is it willing to be tryed He that doth evill commeth not to the light nay he hateth the light as t is John 3.20 But he that doth truth commeth to the light c. Surely it may secretly hint that thy grace is currant sith thou desirest its tryall were thy grace counterfeit as thou suspectest it would desire concealement at lest it would not put thee on to suspect it Secondly Consider it s a mercy to have a suspecting spirit Many soules are deceived and damned for want of this Satan lyes secure under an imperfect and pretended worke of grace You read of a spirit of slumber in the Scripture God hath given some up to the spirit of slumber Rom. 11.8 There are foolish Virgins who presume and sleep and sleeping perish Christs spirit where it is is a spirit of fire and burning Now fire that tryes Christs spirit is like a refiners fire It s a mercy to have the spirit of refining and trying whereas its a judgement to be selfe-confident not at all suspicious It argues the spirit of slumber But Thirdly Consider t is possible for one truly gracious to conceit that his grace is but counterfeit As children conceive brasse is gold so sometimes they conceit gold to be brasse It s strange to observe the strength of conceit especially in depth of Melancholly Peradventure oh soule thy fear is but conceit Surely we see sometimes Hypocrites conceiting in their joyallity that their counterfeit grace is true And why may wee not thinke nay by experience we find sometimes truely gracious hearts conceiting their grace is counterfeit But these considerations are onely general Therefore More particularly that I may satifie such dejected fouls as doubt the truth of their grace I shall lay down these conclusions First Many souls doubt the truth of their grace because of their wrong way of tryall There are false Touch-stones which may make pure gold suspitious as well as make brasse appeare as gold To instance it s a false and deceiving way of tryall to try the truth of grace by conquest My meaning is to conclude that my grace is not true because I am sometimes conquered by corruption it s a wrong way of conclusion and a false touch-stone of tryall Paul had truth of grace and yet sometimes he was conquered and carryed captive and sold slave-like by sinne Rom 7.14 So likewise a constant equall undauntednesse in owning of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ver 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. captivated or lead into captivity as by a Câ—nquerour and sold in a market and cleaving to truth is a false touch-stone or fallible way of tryall T is true the righteous is bold as a Lyon but this is not at all times alike Peter had truth of love to Christ and yet he was not so undaunted alwayes His deriall is knowne well enough So that now to apply this to our purpose it may be Oh dejected soule thou tryest thy grace the wrong way Thou sayest thou art conquered oft and led captive many times Bee it so thy grace may be sound for all this Those that scome the Turkish power may sometimes bee slave-like in his Gallies And a loyall subject of Jesus Christ may be sometimes overtaken and taken and sold Paul-like under sin But 2 In judging the truth of our grace we should rather eye its quality then its quantity As now faith the truth of that is seen rather in its quality then in its quantity There may be a faith big enough to remove mountaines and yet FALSE as is deducible from 1 Gor. 13.2 And there may be a faith no bigger then a graine of mustard seed and yet TRVE Little faith and true faith may go together Peradventure O soule thou art grieved to see thy grace so little and that makes thee feare t is false but know this thy feare is foolish The least dust of gold is gold and the least grain of grace is grace In judging thy grace O dejected soule know thou shouldest eye its quality not its quantity And in order to this Thirdly know That grace is true which is diffusive I would aske thee O soule that doubtest thy grace is counterfeit whether it be diffusive yea or no though it be little doth it spread it selfe Is thy little in head and heart too Hypocrites have much in the head little in the heart But see O soule doth not thy little spread Is it not leaven doth it not leaven thee all over Is it not in thy will thou wouldest and doth it not spread to thy desire thou desirest And because thou canst not doth it not leaven thy sorrow Is not that sower or rather sweet dost not grieve because thou carst not doe as thou wouldest and desirest Do not O soule murder thy selfe I meane kill thy comfort by not witnessing to the truth Cannot you see and say your little grace is diffusive Surely if it be you need not doubt its truth and you should not say t is counterfeit CHAP. 3. Satisfaction to soules dejected and fearing that the worke which is wrought in them is not of the spirit THe
things of Christ knoweth no man but the spirit of Christ But Secondly How is thy comfort brought in Is it from Christ in a free word of grace offering himselfe to sinners or is it as I may say from a Christ fetcht in by some performances of thine Certainly the lesse of self in the manner of Christs comming into the soule the more of the spirit in the comfort that ariseth thereupon Some soules have their comfort fetcht in rather by selfe in Christ i.e. what they see of themselves in the way of Christs comming in then by Christ in himselfe My meaning is some soules cannot be comforted in Christ unlesse they see Christ as it were fetched and comming in by their Humiliations Repentings Prayers c. Oh if they can upon them or in them see a Christ comming in they can be comforted This comfort I suspect is legall But now if thou canst say thy comfort as it came from Christ so it came and comes still from Christ held forth purely in a word of grace and that when thou couldest see nothing of seife to fetch in Christ that then in a promise of free grace as that he dyed for and justifies the ungodly when I say then thou wert inabled to receive comfort from Christ so brought it without any selfe-qualifications or performances Surely thy comfort is in and by the spirit for still the lesse of selfe the more of him Thirdly Whereunto doth thy comfort tend Confider this Tends it to a magnifying of Christ to a love and labour unto holinesse or tends it to selfe glorying and a kind of wantonnesse Pray mind it If thy comfort have any tendance to magnifie selfe as if it were something or to lessen sin as if it were nothing thou hast cause to suspect thy comfort is not of the spirit For the very hopes of comfort by him tends unto purifying Be that hath this hope purifies himselfe c. But now if upon any laste or hope of comfort from Christ thy soule begin to admire him in his infinite love for loving thee And to abhor sin for provoking him If thy soule is much in adoring him and not a little in abhorring of solfe If sence of comfort do make thee melt as it were into a Christ-loving and Sin-loathing frame and make thee study what maner of conversation thou shouldest have for that comfort which thou hast had Surely if this be the fruit of thy comfort thou needest not fear but that thy comfort is a fruit of the spirit Thus I have offered something in particular in order to the raising of such soules as are cast down and feare that their call conviction and comfort is not was not of or by the Spirit To this I will adde some things by way of consideration joyntly i th reference to the whole As now First Whatsoever thy call conviction and comfort be its precious and to be prized Suppose it be only in the letter as thou sayst yet in case it be at all t is precious How many thousands are there that no way had either call conviction or comfort But live and lye in sin without any calls or conviction and never questioning truth or ground of comfort go in mirth as Jobs phrase is in a moment downe to Hell Chap. 21.13 Secondly Though your call conviction and comfort be as yet but common it may be ere long speciall That which is first is not alwayes spirituall but that which is naturall and afterward that which is spirituall as it is 1 Cor. 15.46 Christ many times doth ingraft as some Divines say grace upon nature Often times Christ speciallizeth as I may say and spirituallizeth common workings such as at first have only been wrought upon in the letter have afterwards beene wrought on by the spirit Besides this Thirdly Consider if at present thy soule be brought up to close with Christ that now thou hangest as it were about his feet mourning onely for the want of his smiles waiting only for the discoveries of his loves If now thy soule can say I see a need of Christ I am convinced of the want of a Christ I onely pant after and look for the injoyment of a Christ all the comfort that I have all the support of my spirit lyes upon this that I hope he that shal come wil come and will not tarry and that the Lord whom thou lookest for will suddenly come If I say this be the present frame of thy spirit and speake soule is it not so why then art thou disquieted why art thou cast down why dost thou disturbe thy selfe with this fear that thy call conviction and comfort is not of the spirit Certainly when and where Christ is so discovered to be all in all and so pressed after the soul need not cast down it selfe with feare CHAP. 4. Satisfaction unto such as fear that all that which is in them is rather from education then regeneration THis was the fourth fear which I touched upon Case and the satisfaction hereof is to be indeavoured next now for such souls as are dejected and do discover themselves in this fear that which I shall speak unto them shall be in three steps As 1 Generally Satisfaction I desire such dejected soules as cry out Oh all that which is in them is but civillity and education and the like I say I desire such to consider three things as First What it is which in truth doth act them and carry them on in the things of Christ Is it only their head or is it not principally their heart Education doth seldome ingage conscience It may and doth bring into a custome and this it doth meerly upon head-principall i.e. a knowledge that such or such a duty is to be done and that Parents or Tutors have done it c. But now to be brought into the wayes of godlinesse upon heart principles as I may call them i.e. to do such or such a duty upon conscience as finding an ingagement there to them this goes farther then education Consider then dost not thou find a heart-ingagement to the things of Christ so that thou hast some love to and in what thou dost and a hatred to and griefe in the contrary Surely if it be so here is something more and higher then education Then Secondly Consider what if thy naturall relations were dead or which is worse opposite to the things of Christ Suppose this and search what wouldest thou be or doe then 2 Chro. 24. Joash his goodnesse of education it dyed with his Tutour Jehoiadah It s said Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiadah the Priest But after the death of Jehoiadah we finde that Joash doth not onely leave off that which was right in the sight of the Lord but he served Groves and Idolls yea and he slew Iehoiada's sonne for testifying against him Now then suppose thy Parents and Tutor's dead nay
fearing thou hast no more then education It may be but a feare or if it should be reall yet there is you see hope and comfort for this thing CHAP. 5. Satisfaction for such as fear they are at best but Hypocrites THere are some soules who when they are sadde Case and cast down they cry out against themselves for Hypocrisie To these I must now speake and in order to the quieting of their disquieted mindes I shall propose these particulars First It s at lest a peece or part of sincerity to question hypocrisie Satisfaction Hypocrites doe not use to question themselves It s the very nature of Hypocrisie to be shye of and to avoid as much as possible any tryall And it s of the nature of sincerity to be questioning Thy very feare O soule of hypocrisie is a fruit of sincerity The Pharisee did not suspect himselfe neither did the Publican purge himselfe yet you know who went away justified Christ O soule will and indeed delights to justifie such as condemne themselves Thine own suspition is not an evidence of thy hypocrisie Look as wicked men are said to feare where no feare i.e. no ground of feare is So likewise Saints do sometimes Cant. 1.6 It s worth the noting though the Church cry out looke not upon mee because I am blacke much like the Leper in the Law Levit. 13.45 yet Christ saith of her thou art all faire and hast no spot Christ O soule can discover sparkles of gold under thy clods of dirt and he can see peeces of sincerity even in thy feares of hypocrisie Secondly An unknown iniquity is not an argument of hypocrisie Sinne must be known and yet concealed ere it brand one for an hypocrite Many soules question their sincerity because of secret sins Peradventure some corruption bubbles up that they were not aware of they perceive some sin that had a long time laine secret and this makes them feare they are hypocrites but it should not David is sensible of secret sins and he cryes out against them cleanse me from my secret sins Psal 19. Yet he can and doth stand to and plead his sincerity Psal 26.1 2. Look as in point of sincerity it s not enough to serve God by doing his will But we must know it and be willing our selves So likewise in the point of hypocrisie it s not simple sinning but knowing and hiding thereof that makes it so The Assyrian was Gods rod and he did serve him Howbeit saith the Text he meaneth not so neither doth his heart thinke so Esa 10.7 The Assyrian service was not sincere for he nere meant to doe what he did Proportionably thy sins O soule are not hypocrisie for as much as thou knewest them not neither didst mean to keep them if thou didst know them Quest Consider this O sad dejected soul thy sins which are newly broke out are they not such as thou didst never dreame of Is it not that which thy soule loatheth and thou didst thinke thy selfe most free from Ans Yes They are so and this makes me fear my heart that it should so long conceale these corruptions which now I see Reply But know O soule it s a mistake from hence to conclude hypocrisie Certainly thy ignorance will excuse thee herein Hypocrisie is properly a feighning or counterfeiting either of vertue where t is not or a concealing of vice where it is Didst ever boast or feigne thy selfe better then conscience told thee thou wert or didst ever conceal or extenuate sins thou knewest in thee If not why fearest thou thy self an hypocrite It s a painting of a Sepulcher that denotes hypocrisie there may be unknowne sins where there is sincerity But Thirdly Some mixtures of this bitternesse will be in the best while in the body There is no grace so perfect in this life as that its free from all mixture Our gold is never so refined but that there will at lest cleave to us some drosse As the strongest faith doth not free any from all incredulity So the purest sincerity doth not free from some hypocrisie Even Peter and Barnabas are taxed by Paul and recorded by the spirit no have had at lest a tange of this bitternesse they are down-right charged with dissimulation Gal. 2.13 It s a true assertion of an accute writer that Hyporisie is in all Torshall but with so great a difference that all are not to be called hypocrises You will not call every doubting soule an Infidell why should you because of some remainders of hypocrisie conclude your selves hypocrites Job is charged even by God himselfe to darken counsell by words without knowledge Iob 38.2 And yet God tells Satan that he was a perfect and upright man But suppose the worst O doubting soule suppose not a little but a great deal of hypocrisie be in thy heart Consider Fourthly Our happinesse is built and bottomed more and rather upon the sincerity of Christs heart to us then upon the sincerity of our hearts to him Christ knew before he loved us that we would deale treacherously as it is Esa 48.8 It s charged upon the Church that she was not as sincere As Solomon describes a wife Pro. 31.11 i.e. to be one in whom the heart of her husband might trust the Lord said of Iudab she was treacherous and her heart was not turned wholly but fainedly to him Ier. 3.10 Yet he saith unto her I am married unto thee vers 14. It s our happinesse Christ abideth faithfull as t is 2 Tim. 2.13 our welfare is not founded upon our own hearts but upon his And as the whole body of sin and hypocrisie did not keep him from loving us sincerely at first so the remainders of hypocrisie shall not make him to love us lesse now Reader if thou be not a Spider I may tell thee this Christ can and doth love hypocrites His heart is sincere though our hearts be hypocriticall i.e. one that sucks poison out of wholesome things Sucke the speech and if thou bee a Bee thou wilt find not onely sweetnesse but sanctity yea and sincerity in it too Rouze up O cast downe soule Christ hath writ his love and thy life upon his owne heart not on thine There it remaines sound notwithstanding thy rottennesse The fountaine of free grace is open even for adulterous Iudah and treacherous Israel Object Yea but yet my hypocrisie is odious is it not my double dealing with Christ is dreadfull in it selfe I am sure it is so to me I see it and while I see it I cannot but be sad If it bee Christs glory that his heart is sincere towards me the more it s my sin and shame and sorrow that my heart is not so towards him Answ True O soule thy hypocrisie is thy sin but thy shame and sorrow for this is thy grace or rather Christs and thy glory For Fiftly It s a mercy to have a sight and sence of hypocrisie Christ certainly
child is not so safe in holding about the mothers necke as it is in being in the mothers armes Jesus Christ O ye cast down soules holds you in his armes and this is your safety Suppose thou cannot see thy closing with him yet he knowes his own closing with you And his arme is stronger and surer to hold us to him then ours are to hold him to us Yea Fiftly I propose this also unto thee O soule who art dejected and questionest thy closing with Christ Jesus Christ must and doth close with us ere wee can or do close with him The shepherd must and doth goe after the sheep and not the sheep after him Christ is our shepherd and he leaves the Ninty and nine sheepe to seeke thee one and having found he layes it upon his shoulders Did you ever hear of a lost sheep that sought the shepherd and laid hold on the shepherd you have not chosen me but I have chosen you saith Christ Joh. 15.16 And the Apostle tels us that he loved us first Christ O soule is first in the action of closing And he may be stretching forth his hand to close with thee though thou be not stretching forth to close with him Therefore Sixtly and lastly Suppose O soule dejected and cast downe I say suppose it be as thou fearest that as yet thou hast not closed with Christ What hinders but that thou mayest close with him now To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your heart He begs now do thou close now Rouze up thy soule and close with Christ even while thou readest he stands with open armes ready to imbrace thee yea and with open mouth as I may say calling after thee Quest What is it then that hinders Answ This hinders will you say I fear unworthinesse and I find unablenesse I am neither filling nor able Reply Why know O soule unworthinesse should not keep thee off sith he calls thee Because the man was blind when Christ called should be not go This is that that makes Christs grace so worthy that it closeth with such as are unworthy And as to thy inability know he 'le helpe thee The mother will stoop to take up the child in her armes that cannot clime up to her necke Christ O soule will help thee to close with himselfe Do but look up to him and t is don David sayes he 'le make his prayer and looke up Do thou O soul Christ bids thee and let that incourage thee Look unto me and be saved Esa 45.22 What canst thou do lesse and behold he requires no more Wherefore then art thou cast down and why art thou disquieted O soul Suppose that as yet however considering that which hath been hinted thou mayest have no cause to suppose it but I say suppose it that as yet thou hast not closed with Christ the doore of grace is yet open and t is free for thee to do it now Bee not therefore dejected nor cast downe for as yet thou mayest close with and rejoyce in Jesus Christ as thine CHAP. 8. I mentioned in the former Section an Eighth feare which discovers it selfe in some dejected soules and that was A fear of denying Christ Some poor cast downe soules are much disquieted with this fear Oh say they Case should we be brought up to the tryall we should deny Christ It s true say they peradventure wee may never actually be brought unto it yet its good to try our hearts whether the love of Christ in us bee as strong as death And alas upon the tryal we see ground to suspect it Surely we find we love our life more then Christ and we feare we should sooner deny him then dye for him Thus do many disquiet themselves Now for the quieting of souls in this fear I shal offer these particulars very briefly First Consider Satisfaction O ye dejected and fearfull soules This fear of yours may be a companion of valour Even such as have been fearfull in the Town have been valiant in the Field As there are some who boast much and do little so there have been some that have feared much and yet done mightily Our Book of Martyrs tells us of two One of which boasted how gallantly he would burn and yet he cowardly recanted the other feared he should deny Christ and yet he gloriously held out and suffered death You may fear and yet when it comes to it may be able to dye for Christ But Secondly We are not able to tell what strength Christ will give in at the very nicke of time Christ makes good promises in their season As wisdom to dispute for so courage to dye for Christ hath its houre in which it shall be given Christ forbids his disciples fearfull trouble and care beforehand for so the word signifies Luk. 21.14 And he tells them Mal. 10.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be given in that hour Doe not cast down thy selfe O poore soule but beleeve there is strength in Christ though there be weaknes in thee and thou mayst experience that in the hou◠of tryall which thou doubtest now If Christ call thee to dye he 'le keep thee from denyall Why should the Souldier have his armes bef-re the time of War Your armes i.e. your strength and courage to die for Christ is reserved for that houre to be given forth then why shouldest thou perplex thy selfe for want of it now But Thirdly Suppose thou shouldest flinch and faint in a day of tryall Suppose thou shouldest indeed fall so sadly for t is a sad fall as to deny Christ Yet know First This might consist with grace I know none that will deny Peters grace because of his denyall of Christ Yea Secondly This may consist with love to Christ There is a true love which at first is not so strong as death Peter did not fall in the truth but in the strength of his love Besides Thirdly Christ will not let thee fall for ever He will restore thee againe He can and will bring thee on with courage in a second tryall who didst fall away by cowardize in a first Peter did afterward out-face a Magistrate that at first was affraid of a Maid To this adde Lastly Christ may own you though you deny him It s certaine a denyall of Christ with feare and unwillingnesse and this is thy case O soul doth not expose us to a being denyed by Christ It s true direct voluntary desperate denying of Christ is dangerous So if we deny him he 'le deny us But a denyall through jear with reluctancy A denyall feared before it be bewailed after it is which is and would be thy case O soule this I say doth not shall not make Christ deny any Why then art thou cast downe O soule and why art thou troubled with a feare of denying Christ Hee knowes how to strengthen thee that thou shalt not and to pitty thee if thou doe yea and to owne thee though for
now Davids spirit could not chuse but be very full And yet mark what he saith Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither-unto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of men O Lord God But now marke it what followes upon this as it were entry upon the duty And what can David say more unto thee for thou O Lord knowest thy servant See how he is straitened so that hee cannot say more But he is fain to say as sometimes it may be you have done Lord thou knowest thy servant So that you see there may be the spirit where and while the soule is straitned and certainly as Hypocrites may have inlargements and yet not the Holy Ghost so Saints may have the Holy Ghost and yet want inlargements Thirdly Consider How much of God as a Father didst thou see in prayer It s the worke of the spirit to helpe the soule to see God as a father and to cry Abba and to fill the soule with not words and expressions but with sighs and groanes unutterable So that then to satisfie thy self O dejected soule in this feare consider thy very feare is choyce And it may not be as thou fearest But shall I suppose it suppose it should be so that as yet thou didst never pray Suppose I admit it that thou didst not in the sincerity of thy spirit nor in the assistance of Christs Spirit pray yet for all that consider these things First Free grace can and doth beseech soules to accept of peace and love who doe not begge for it God by us saith the Apostle beseecheth you Though thou didst not nor canst pray to God yet free Grace comes and as I may say prayes to thee Thou sayest I shall never have peace and reconciliation for I never by Prayer did beseech God for it Why remember God tenders and in his free grace comes and beseecheth you to accept of it Secondly God can give though ye cannot or doe not begge he is able to doe abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke Ephes 3.20 yea and he is willing for before they call I will answer saith the Lord And he is found of them that seeke him not Though God be pleased to come in in prayer yet he is not tyed to it Besides Thirdly consider its Christs worke to offer up prayers for us he lives for ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 when thy heart is dead he lives and he prayes for those that doe not cannot pray for themselves Fourthly know the Spirit is promised for asking Luk. 11.13 you who cannot pray remember to aske and to waite for the Spirit And you have Christs word to encourage and assure you that you shall have the Spirit so that now why are you cast downe as fearing you never did pray consider your feare is good yet it may be groundlesse However Gods heart first opens it selfe to us Be not cast downe unto despaire know God can and will give to such as neither doe nor can aske besides in time he 'l prepare thy heart and cause his eare to heare as it is Psal 10.17 why may not this raise thy soule who art cast downe and sayest thou didst never pray Ob. But wilt thou say Suppose I have prayed indeed I hope I have and daily I desire to doe it but alas What though I pray if God doth not heare what though I call he doth not answer This O this doth disquiet my soule I have prayed oft but I feare I have been heard never Ans Indeed this is the other branch of the fear according to what Christ hath given me I shall endeavour to scatter it I must acknowledge O soule that its a misery scarce expressable to pray and not to be heard But yet know many conceive themselves in this misery without ground In order therefore to the satisfaction and raysing of thy soule under this dejection let me prevaile with thee to consider with sincere and serious spirit these particulars First God may have heard thee though thou doe not thinke so It s true peradventure God hath not yet returned an answer in some particulars but yet he may have heard your prayers God is a free Agent and so he may take his owne time to send an answer Suppose thou send a Letter to a friend by a sure Messenger what though you have not an answer presently will you say your Letter was lost or that your friend did not receive it Why the case is so your prayers are your letters to God and Christ is a sure messenger though as yet God hath not sent his answer yet your Letters are read your prayers are accepted and in time viz. Gods time they shall be punctually answered God will answer your prayers that cry unto him night and day though he heare long as it is Luk 18.7 But Secondly It s possible the answer may be sent and you have not observed it There are Letters at the Post-house sometimes for us which only want fetching home The Spirit who brings returnes from Heaven hath an answer for us but we eye him not Job speakes of Gods going by and he saw him not of his passing on and he perceived it not Job 9.11 O how many times doth God go by us in acts of providence clearly and directly answering our prayers and yet we doe not see it nor perceive it Besides Thirdly for any thing you know your prayers will not be answered till you are dead your Children or the Churches may have answers of your prayers when you are gone or it may be God will reserve the answer till your death How many dying soules have said now O now we see and heare that God hath answered all our prayers Why then art thou cast downe O soule about thy prayers as if they were not answered Obj. But I cannot beleeve that God will ever answer Sure I am its well if it be so that I have eyed Providences exactly and could as yet never see any answer and what God will doe for time to come I know not but I doubt c. Ans Be it as thou fearest what if God as yet have not answered thy prayers in many in any particulars yet be not dejected O soule over-much for consider First unanswered prayers are not lost thou hast not prayed in vaine for God never bid the house of Jacob doe so thy letters are filed up in Heaven and though they are not answered yet they are remembred God doth not forget your labour of love in your letters of love for such are prayers it s our duty to pray 't is Gods grace to answer though as yet he reveales not that grace yet it makes not voyd our duty Secoundly God may be pleased with thy prayers though he doe not answer The Mother is pleased with
Soul in the cave Psal 57. yea and he composed a special choyce Psalme upon each occasion therefore he stiles them Michtams i. e. golden Psalmes and yet it was after all this that he fell in that foule businesse I might instance in Peters Case which seemed and in a sence did exceed Davids and in the case of others and yet none ever charged them with the sinne against the Holy Ghost so that t is cleare many are mistaken in this sinne and why mayest not thou be mistaken oh soule who fearest it Thirdly There are some soules who are not at present capable of that sinne my meaning is that cannot possibly at present be charged with it as now such as are not very highly enlightened such as have not had any great or high income of joy and sweetnesse such as have not been eminent and long professors All Divines conclude that a person sinning the sinne against the Holy Ghost must be supposed to be 1. One much enlightened 2. One who hath tasted of the heavenly gift and the joyes of the Holy Ghost yea and 3. One who hath been some famous and forward Professor Now alas poore soule thou cryest out thou art but a babe a novice one who knowes little and hast tasted lesse one who hath small light and weake life and no joy or comfort at all one whose highest degree of knowledge is but as yet a beame whose greatest income of joy is but a drop who art a stranger to tasting of the heavenly powers and the world to come and who yet art no forwarder then humbly to professe to desire to feare Jehovah and to love Jesus Thou dost often sigh these sayings and seale to them as true and this may secure thee from being guilty of the sinne against the Holy Ghost sith at present thou art incapable of that sinne But Forthly The soule guilty of this sinne cannot be troubled for it at least so as to desire to repent of it and to have Christ to pardon it Thy feare thy trouble thy disquiets O soule argue thou art free from this sinne for wert thou guilty of it thy heart it would be hardred and could not desire to repent thy Conscience it would be seared and no way disquieted for it yea and thy desires would be dead so as that thou wouldest not pant after Christ nor the Spirit thy very feares and disquiets should answer in this case themselves they could not would not be in thee if this sinne were committed by thee a senslesse and troublelesse soule ever goes along with this sinne and therefore know this Fifthly None can be guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost but such as First totally fall away from both Practise and Profession of all godlinesse and Religion as t is Heb. 6.6 Secondly Directly doe despite unto the spirit of grace as t is Heb. 10.29 and Thirdly Such as doe directly and plainly and professedly oppose and speake evill of the wayes of Christ which sometimes they professed Now tell me O soule and beware of false witnesse against thy selfe Quest First Art thou totally falne away from both the practise and profession of godlinesse Dost hold no points of Faith Dost doe no acts of Religion Dost make no profession of Jesus Christ Answ Surely I heare the say I desire to beleeve and the Lord help my unbeleefe I desire to walke exactly to have a good Conscience to God and man and this profession I make that if I know my heart I desire to worship the God of my Fathers according to that order of the Gospell which many count and call Heresie well then O soule thou art not totally falne away which yet thou wouldest be if thou wert guilty of the sinne feared But Quest Secondly Say soule and doe not eclipse the truth of Gods grace in thee Darest thou doe despight to the Holy Ghost Ans Surely I heare thee answering I tremble at the thought thereof I would not for ten thousand worlds speake the least evill of that good Spirit I am so farre from despiting him that I doe earnestly desire him and waite for him Alas this O soule would not could not be wert thou guilty of this sinne Then Thirdly answer O soule Dost thou oppose godlinesse Quest What dost or darest thou persecute such as desire to walke with Christ c Answ Is not this thy reply to this That thou rather pittyest thy selfe for not being so forward as others then persecutest them for being before thee Yea thou art so farre from opposing those that are godly that thou wouldest if Christ would help thee suffer any persecutions rather then leave off thy endeavour to be godly Now certainly O poore dejected soule thou art not guilty of the sinne thou fearest for if thou wert thou wouldest fall away wholly and speake evill of the Spirit directly and oppose godlinesse professedly sith these things doe ever accompany that sinne against the Holy Ghost But Lastly there have been precious soules who sometime feared their sinning against the Holy Ghost and yet have afterward enjoyed the sealing of the Holy Ghost See the Bookes of them Mistris Drake Mistris Wight and others of late have brought forth this experience fully to light that soules who have sometimes questioned their sinning unto death have yet found the Spirit sealing them up to life and Mistris Drake breathed out a little before her death this comfortable counsel Never let any despaire how desperately miserable soever their case be Wherefore then rouze up thy selfe O dejected soule thou who now fearest the sinne against the Spirit mayest ere long boast of the seale of the Spirit Trust thou in Christ for thou shalt yet praise him for joy and assurance given in by that Holy Ghost against whom at present thou fearest that thou hast sinned CHAP. 14. There remaines yet one Case more which being spoke unto puts an end to this Section NOw this Case is the feare of falling away after all Case Many a poor soul which is satisfied it may be for the present in its state yet questions it for the future Oh! say some soules we feare we shall never hold out many have gone farte and yet have perished at last for want of perseverance indeed this is usually the last trouble of dejected soules and in this as in a last refuge they shelter their feares Suppose say they our case be now as good as the Angels at first as good as Adams in Paradice yet Adam fel and Angels fel and we fear the like Now unto these soules I would offer these particulars Satisfaction in order to raise them from under this dejection First Blessed is the soule that feareth alway The soule standeth surest while it trembleth the Apostle adviseth him that standeth to take heed least he fall And the way to stand is not to be high minded but to feare as it is Rom. 11.20 Many had never fell had they ever feared Peters presumption was his fayling
is too long to be out of Covenant with God but yet it is not now too late To day if you will heare his voyce O therefore close with the Covenant now and doe not lye cast downe and dejected with feares that thou art out But arise and come in for now in these Gospel times even the Strangers and Eunuch debard in the times of the Law from the Congregation are invited to take hold of the Covenant and there are promises to this purpose made unto them in Esa 56. to which place I referre thee for a further cure in this case CHAP. 18. Cure for Soules cast downe upon indisposition to duties INdisposition unto good duties is oftentimes a cause of dejection Cause and by reason of it some are cast downe as conceiving it inconsistent with a life of grace and acceptation with God Now to cure this I shall apply these particular Plaisters First Life and indisposition may consist together Cure Every living man is not lively alway Even the Spouse of Christ was sometimes asleep Cant. 5.2 Even David himselfe cryes out of straitnesse of heart It is possible thy soule may sometimes be as a Ship at Sea without a full and fresh gale I may speake it I thinke as an universall truth Never was any Saint disposed to duties at all times alike and why shouldest thou be cast downe at the common Lot and condition of all Christians Secondly It is a mercy thou art not quite dead to duty Many a soule is starke dead to prayer starke dead to the Word c. and it is Free Grace thou art at worst but indisposed better is the crawling Snaile then the dead Elephant And it is a more blessed state to be a creeping worme though with much indisposition in the way of duty and life then a skipping heart though with much agility in the way of sinne and death Thirdly Though thy indisposednesse be sad yet thy trouble for this is sweet Note Blessed is the soule that mournes for disposition to evill and indisposition to good Time was when thou couldest live and not be troubled at a totall neglect of duty it is a mercy that now thou lovest it so well as that thou art grieved that thou canst doe it no better But Fourthly Consider thy acceptance with God doth not depend upon thy doing of duty nor upon thy livelinesse and disposition in doing no it depends solely upon his grace You are accepted in the beloved as it is in that precious place Eph. 1.6 Both thy person notwithstanding its faults and thy performances notwithstanding their failings are alwayes accepted in Christ he hath made us accepted in the beloved marke it it is not thou but God that makes thee I say MAKES thee not thy selfe that makest thy selfe accepted yea and this is in the Beloved not in our duties or dispositions but in the BELOVED i. e. in Christ Jesus I tell thee poore soule couldest thou doe well and with never so much life and disposition out of Christ it were nothing And contrary though thy doings be poore thy disposition poore all poore yet thou and all thine are accepted IN THE BELOVED Fifthly It is the office of Christ to present all thy performances to God and to procure acceptation in his bloud He takes away all thy failings and indispositions and he presents all to the Father well Minde this Duties goe never from Saints to God as they come out of their owne hands but as they goe through Christs Lastly Christ O dejected soule will cure thy indisposednesse Hee 'l inlarge thy heart and inliven thy spirit and then shalt thou not only walke but run the way of his Commandements when he shall inlarge thy heart as it is Psal 119 32. The Spirit is a Spirit of life power sweetnesse inlargement and this Spirit he hath promised So that these things sucked by meditation may afford cure and comfort to thee O dejected soule who art cast downe under the sence of indisposition to duties CHAP. 19. Cure for Soules cast downe upon want of incomes BUt alas sayes some other soule I doe but in vaine I doe not complaine of indisposition to though I might urge that but of want of income in duty Cause See the thing as it is stated Sect. 1. cap. 9. I confesse it is sad to be as the parched ground alway gaping and never to have drops from above Cure But yet O soule let me intreat thee to minde a few things in this case First Divine income is not alway the same Peradventure thou hast not so much now as formerly it may be so for First God gave thee much at first to incourage thee as a beginner which he doth not alway to all Vsually it is in Gods House as it is in ours at first comming of a Servant the Master is a little more familiar then afterward At first comming God might give much to welcome thee and to ingage thee but now thou hast been long in his house he mindes thee as much as formerly though he hint it not so often Besides Secondly God may with-hold incomes to try thee whether thou servest him for LOVE or for the LOAVES Many serve Christ not for himselfe but for themselves rather for the penny of income then for respect to him Now Christ may with-hold incomes to try thee and therefore be not cast downe for want of them lest thou give him ground to suspect thee but consider Secondly It is Christs Prerogative if he will use it to make us serve for nothing The Psalmist speakes it to the Kings Daughter of Christ He is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal 45.11 He must be worshipped as a Lord because of his greatnesse though hee should not give any income or wages Yet Thirdly He doth waite to give income in its season There are times when incomes will be most sweet and Christ doth waite for those times Christ said to his Mother Woman what have I to doe with thee Joh. 2. He knew there would by and by be a fitter season to doe that which she desired then at that time your time said Christ is alwayes my time is not yet come as it is Job 7 6. O remember dejected soule Christ waites to be gracious his income shall be when fittest for thee Fourthly It will argue a choyce frame of spirit in thee and therefore I mention it to presse it on thee to doe duty notwithstanding thou want income To worke without wages argues a love to the Master we work for a mercinary spirit wil doe for pay but a gracious childe-like spirit will pay its selfe in its doing and continue praying hearing receiving c. even without any income But Lastly To cure thy dejected soule who art troubled for want of income Know that in Heaven thou shalt have income for all The Master called the Servants at the evening and gave then to each his penny O consider thou shalt ere long have income
to the full when thou shalt enter into thy Masters joy when thou shalt rest from thy labours thy income shall follow thee when thou shalt come to Abrahams bosome and there thou shalt come dejected soule as poore a Lazarus as thou art then thou shalt have every prayer every sigh every groane come to remembrance and say now thou hast all that which we went out for Rouse up therefore O cast-downe soule God is a good Master you shall not labour in vaine Be not dejected but be stedfast unmoveable alway abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know your labour is not in vaine in the Lord as t is 1 Cor. 15. last why then should you be cast downe for lacke of income CHAP. 20. Cure for Soules cast downe upon insultation of Satan and enemies I Remember another cause I mentioned of dejections was the insultation of Satan and enemies many soules are dejected at this that Satan and his instruments triumph over as it is at large shewed before Now to cure and comfort those Cure let me intreate dejected soules to minde and remember these insuing things First Satan will insult without ground Hee 'l say to David Where is his God and hee 'l but if to Christ concerning his being the sonne of God Sathan is an impudent enemy who will bragge and triumph against a soule for nothing It is the nature of a Dogge to barke a Lion to roare Woolfe a Wolfe to howle and it is the nature of Sathan to insult Be not therefore cast downe at it Secondly Though Sathan insults Christ is a friend and loves us still even at that time that Sathan insulted and buffeted Paul Christs grace was sufficient Should the Childe be cast down for the insulting of the Groome or the Scullion when he is beloved of his Father as his Heire What though Satan say Where is thy God thy hope c. mayest not thou O soule say My God and hope is in Heaven still All the Devils in Hell and men on earth shall never can never seperate between thee and thy God neither Principalities nor Powers nor Life nor Death nor any thing can separate c. Triumph O soule in that Rom. 8.35.37 though Sathan insult be not thou cast downe Thirdly The time shall come when thou shalt tread upon thy insulting enemy and when he shall be ashamed for all his insultations Remember O cast downe soule the God of peace will though thou canst not and that shortly tread downe Sathan under your even thy feet Rom. 16.20 Christ will take thee by the hand and owne thee in the presence of God Angels and men yea and Devills too And then thy enemy Sathan shall see who said where is thy God even then he shall see thy God as thine and be confounded for all his insultation over thee Lastly for wicked men who now it may be deride and scoffe at thee be not dejected for them Because the day will come when they will wish they were as thou art When they shall as much admire at thy happinesse and wisdome as now they sleight thy state and thoughts when God shall bring thee forth to light and thou shalt behold his righteousnesse Then shall all thy enemies see it and be ashamed which said where is the Lord thy God Then shall they licke the dust like a Serpent and shall fear not only because of the Lord our God but also because of thee as it is in that Excellent Scripture Mich. 7.9.10.17 which scripture if thou read seriously and act faith upon I dare assure thee of cure for this cause of dejection viz. insultation of Sathan and enemies CHAP. 21. Cure for Soules cast downe upon corporall Afflictions SPirituall dejection is sometimes caused by corporall affliction A sick body doth in some persons make a sad soul Cause When Hezekiah was sick and had received the sentence and message of death he turned to the wall and wept And the thoughts of the dying of his body produced dejection in his soul Thus indeed it is oft with others Now to cure this cause of dejection I shall not need to be large Only take a few ingredients which mixed together and applyed may serve in this case to raise the dejected Spirit First Consider the great ground of this dejection is a deceit Cure Afflicted soules interpret affliction amisse and therefore are cast downe They take every whipping to be an effect of anger whereas its a signe of love Your Father O dejected soul in your sicknesse is sweet He makes thee sick in thy body to cure some disease in thy soul He doth not afflict thee willingly T is only that thy spirit may be well that he makes thy body ill You have had fathers of your flesh who corrected you and yee gave them reverence should you not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits live Heb. 12.9 This is spoke in reference to affliction By this chastisement God seales up child-ship Do not despise therefore the chastenings of the Lord nor be not dejected for the word will beare this translation when thou art by sicknesse rebuked of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. they â—eject their own spirits Philo. Heb 12.5 It s a fault in the chastised child to be dogged and it s a failing in thee O soule by reason of corporall affliction which is but a fatherly chastisement to be dejected Besides Secondly Your father knows your frame He knowes what you can beare and hee 'le lay no more upon you then your strength can master The Lord will not alwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever 't is spoken of affliction by diseases as seemes to be hinted vers 3. But as a father pittyeth His children so the Lord pittieth them who feare him for hee knoweth our frame he remembreth wee are but dust As for man his dayes are but as grasse as a flower in the field so he flourisheth Psalm 103.9 13 14 15. Mind this O thou sick and sad soule thy father knowes thy frame he minds thou art but dust and he pittyes thee in all thy affliction which he layes upon thee Yea he sits by and makes all thy bed in thy sicknes as t is Psa 41. And he maketh sore and bindeth up be woundeth and his hand maketh whole as it is in Job 4 18. that is spoken of sicknesse too Christ if hee will can make thee whole And certainly if thou couldest beleeve thou shouldest see his glory as t is Joh. 11.40 Hath he not said enough to make thee say as David said I shall not dye but live to declare the workes of God The Lord hath chastened me sore but hath not given me over unto death see that place Psalm 118.17 18. O bear up dejected heart though thou be sick yet thou mayst recover and goe up to the house of God where thou mayest praise him for health restored to thee and
raise thee up Peradventure you wil say you have done this oft and yet you are still dejected Why it may be so yet you must waite with patience you must tarry the Lords leasure he wil not let you alway to lye and labour in your dejections but hee 'l come and raise you up This you must beleeve and expect and in this faith and expectation waite but of this in the next Section SECT IV. PSALM 42. ult Hope thou in God CHAP. 1. A third Doctrine raised and spoken unto from the words IT was a sweet and sacred expression of the Church in her sad and low condition Lament 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly waite for the salvation of the Lord. The Church was now in a lamentable estate when she spake thus Jerusalem now lay as a heap and the Lord had now caused the solemne Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Sion as t is chap. 2.6 yet now she sees a goodnesse in hope and quiet waiting and certainly so there is Saints at lowest are not left of God their heaviest condition is not hope-lesse Though they may be in the darke yet they shall see light for t is sowne for them and upon this account it is that they should hope and waite for Gods Salvation even in their deepest dejection Indeed this is the third thing which I observed in and am to speake unto from these words viz. Doctrine Saints in their deepest dejections when they are most cast downe and disquieted should be content to tarry and waite for Gods cure and comfort Davids practise is a precept in this what he bids his soule doe we must bid ours Now marke he bids his soule hope So he saith Hope thou in God The word as I opened signifies most properly to expect with patience and hope David speakes the same in other places which he doth in this Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord. ver 6 -11 And so Psal 62.5 My soule waite thou only or doe thou only waite upon God for my expectation is from him and he did so for there vers 1. saith he Truly my soule waiteth still upon God It s certaine O ye sad and cast down soules that God wil come in his time with sweet raising and ravishing mercy It s your duty in the interim to waite and hope The Prophet saith The Vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye though it tarry wait mark it waite Habba 2.3 The Psalmist knew he should yet praise God therefore he bids himselfe to waite Yea and the Prophet tells us he would waite upon the Lord who hideth his face from the house of Jacob Esa 8.17 Cure will come but you must tarry Comfort will appear but you must waite You are cast down but you shal be raised up Therefore you must wait in this hope patiently CHAP. 2. An Explication of the worke of waiting DEjected soules I am speaking to you I have told you already you must not give way to your dejections I now tell you more You must be content to waite If you aske what this is I answer briefly that this worke consists in four things First In a patient bearing of that sadnesse and dejection under which you are Every passion is impatient Soules cast down are impatient in the pit but this should not be David tells you of his sinking into a deep pit and that in it he cryed till he was weary yet he did patiently wait I am weary saith he of my crying my throat is dryed mine eyes faile yet marke what followes I wait for my God Psal 69.3 Hee was not so impatient as not to waite And the Church saith she 'l bear the indignation of the Lord as it is Mich. 7.9 Dejected souls you must waite in patience Secondly You must be content to tarry As you must patiently bear so you must contentedly forbear The word signifies as much and is so used and translated Gen. 8.10 Noah is said to have staid yet other ten dayes He had sent forth one Dove before and that returns quickly because she found no rest for the sole of her foot He did not presently send forth another no he stayd ten dayes saith the text After the second returned with an olive branch and so gave some hope yet he was not over forward to send forth a third No he staid ten dayes for that likewise Dejected hearts you must do as Noah did i.e. be content to stay a while Indeed the captive exile maketh hast he feares to dye in the pit and that his bread will fail as t is Esa 51.14 But we should not make hast We ought to be content to tarry the Lords leisure wee must as well waite and forbeare God as I may say till he come with cure and comfort as bear our own casting down But Thirdly This duty lyes also In a diligent observation of God as he comes in with cure and comfort Unto me saith Job men gave ere and waited its the same word with this in the text i.e. they observed what I spake And again saith he they waited for me as for the rain chap. 29.21 23. His meaning is as men who looke out for raine observe and eye every cloud So did they wait i. e. observe and eye every word of mine This lyes in the word which is to wait so as to looke out for The Prophet stands upon his watch-tower and looks out for the vision of which he speaks and for which he would have us waite As the eies of servants looke unto their Masters So our eies waite upon the Lord our God Psal 123.2 My soul waits for the Lord and in his word do I hope But how marke it more then they that do watch for the morning Ps 130.5 6. You know such as do watch for the morning eye and look out for any dawning any glimering Souls cast down should see how the Lord appears towards their raising they should eye diligently how he comes forth for their cure His going forth is prepared as the morning as it is Hos 6.3 Therefore in our waiting for him or on him we should doe as those that do watch for day i.e. observe exactly every glimering of light and love Lastly There is one thing more in the word and worke and that is hope Dejected soules should thus bear and forbear and looke out but all in and with hope Thus the word is translated here hope thou in God So it s translated and used Psal 119.81 My soule fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word Certainly you cast down Christians you ought to hope in your lowest estate you must hope for that which yet you have not i.e. cure and comfort you must say I am cast down but I hope to rise againe I am disquieted but I hope I shall be settled You must not cast away your confidence in your most troubled condition These things put
hard by the Poole of Bethesda wherein the Lord was wont to come downe Time was when it sate by the rivers head even that faire river that doth make glad the City of God and where it could drink when ere it was dry Time was when the soule sate at the Lords Table even the mount where the feast of sai things is and it could eate when ere it was hungry but now it may be it is otherwise with it now happily it s in the Wildernesse in the barren land where no water is now it s in the Desert where it hath neither Fountaine nor Table and a soule in such a case is and indeed cannot chuse but be sad indeed Secondly Suppose the soule have its Wonted meanes yet in case it wants his usuall income in that meanes in this case it is and will be much cast downe Happily the soule lyes by the Poole but the Angel moves not it sits at the Table but it eates nothing it hath the Pipe but though it suck hard it cannot draw a drop it s in the Galleries but sees not Christ there The soule findes the breasts dry which were wont to suckle it and though it have its former meanes yet it misseth its former meales it doth not see the glory as it was wont of old in the Temple Now in this case it cannot but be cast downe But Thirdly The soule is sometimes in the darke and sees no light it hath something but it is not satisfied it hath lost all its peace and evidence Sometimes the soule is as Paul was in a tempest of temptation and sees no light neither Sunne nor Moone nor Starres and that for many dayes together Time was it may be when Christs candle shined upon his head and when by his light it walked through darknes but alas now now it may be Christ is gone and candle too Now assurance is lost and evidence too and the soul walks in the valley of darknesse and doubtings And in this case it s no wonder if it be dejected and much cast downe Fourthly When the soule not only wants evidence of love but lyes under the appearance of wrath then it must needs be cast downe Peradventure there was a time in which the soule was familiar with God as a man is with his friend and could see God smiling as its Father but alas now it s not so the soule cryes out God hides his face and holds it as his enemy Surely now the soule wil be and may be cast downe These are soules certainly dejected who have certaine ground for their cryes in their castings down But now there are others Secondly Who are but conceited in their dejections that pretend and say they have ground but indeed have none Sion said God hath forsaken me she said so but God said the contrary Meere melancholly doth deject some conceit is all the cause of their casting downe they deeme or imagine causes and thereupon are dejected But now Reader if thy dejection be reall or appearing if thy casting downe be certaine or in conceit Be thy case what it wil be or what thou thinkest it is let it be as thou sayest that thou art cast downe deeply yet this I say of thee or of any in thy case that thou and they ought to act faith and beleeve For this is the predicate of this subject Now for this predicate or the thing that I do affirme of a soule thus cast downe take it in particulars thus First It s their duty to beleeve Dejected soules in case of failing to act faith you sinne Some things in dejection are rather wel if don then faults if not done It s rather good if done then bad if not done As joy I cannot as yet see sinne in case of not rejoycing in dejections for no affliction is joyous for the present as it is Heb 12.11 nay t is grievous Besides it contradicts dejection to rejoyce But yet its sinne if we doe not beleeve I am not called to rejoycing in all cases for I must be sensible of and so cannot but be sorrowfull under the mighty hand of God But I am called upon to beleeve at all times Faith is a standing worke and its duty to beleeve when I am dejected Though I am not bound to rejoyce for the present yet I am bound to beleeve as David that yet I shall hereafter Secondly It s a Christians glory to beleeve when it s cast down i.e. 1 'T is a glory of theirs they may All have not this priviledge but some Christians it s your glory that you have a good ground for faith alwayes you may beleeve in every case of affliction desertion dejection casting down c. Yea and 2 'T is your glory if you can and doe To beleeve when all things faile this is praise worthy It s not so much glory to swimme with Bladders in a Calme Pond But to swimme without Bladders in a Rough Sea this is glory And to act faith when God lifts up is not much a child swimmes when held up by the chinne But to beleeve when God casts downe This is a David-like faith this argues a soule of the house of David i. e. strong as is hinted Zach 12.8 So that now you see the point explained I shal now adde the second thing viz. The Proofe And I thinke as I said if you weigh Davids case here you wil see Demonstration Davids case was certaine and reall He was now deprived of the meanes Hee was now a stranger to his former holy-dayes Hee now wants his income he could not see that glory that he was wont He now wants his peace and evidence Alas his God was gone and he cryes out God had forgotten him ver 9. Yea hee now seemes to lye under wrath he speakes of the noyse of the Almighties water-spouts and cryes out all his waves and billowes went over him ver 7. Now hee is dejected and cast downe for this And yet now even now hee acts his faith and beleeves he shall praise God for all this Obj You will say what is this to us Answ 'T is much his case was bad as thine O soule And his example ought to bee thy rule Quest Nay but who can doe thus as David did can others imitate him Answ Job went before him Hee protested in his deepe dejection that if God added killing to all yet he would trust Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Adde to this of Job that of the Church Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth Sure soul now they are low their bones fly about as chips they lye by the mouth of the grave want nothing but tumbling in And yet now marke it now mine eyes are unto thee O God my Lord In thee doe I trust Psal 141.7 8. Will you have a command for all this See then that knowne Scripture Esa 50. ult Who is there among
you marke it whoever thou bee that feares God who sittest in the darke and sees no light here is the lowest case let him trust in the Lord. So that now you see both precept and example holding out this that even in the deepest dejection that we are or can thinke to be we must act our faith and beleeve CHAP. 3. A further amplification of the worke of faith in the case of dejection and casting downe PEradventure you will aske mee what you must act your faith for and beleeve in in the deepest dejections If you do I will satisfie you Two ways 1 By a description of the thing or of that faith that must be acted 2 By a deciphering of the particulars that must be beleeved For the first viz. the faith which must be acted I describe that thus It is a resolute and noble exercise of the grace of faith in which the soule quiets it self in and rests it selfe upon God and Christ expecting and looking for an accomplishment of all the promises as to joy or holinesse notwithstanding all the feares and all the doubts which may arise to the contrary This faith supposeth doubts and feares but it over-comes them It seeth hinderances but it triumphs over them It feeles disquietings but it suppresseth them And whatever the promise be whether for life joy peace comforts deliverance c. it expects a fulfilling of it from God and Christ But Secondly To see this clearer I shall instance in the particulars of this faith and this I shall do 1 Generally 2 Particularly and 3 Specially Generally In our deepest dejections wee are to hold fast cur former faith in any particular We must beleeve all that which ever we did beleeve and know concerning God Christ Scripture c. Some are apt in dejection to bring all things into question To question God Christ and all But now remember whatever thou didst know and beleeve of God and Christ or his wayes out of the Scripture before thou must beleeve the same still Let not Satan draw thee into a doubt much lesse a deniall of former received and professed truths They are all as true now as ever A man who sees houses and trees in the day time doth beleeve that the same houses and trees c. are even in the night when he is in the darke and cannot see them And Saints must beleeve all that in the night of dejection which they saw and beleeved in the day of conversion But Particularly Soules in their deepest dejections ought even in order to their releife and raising to beleeve these three things First The power of God i.e. They ought to beleeve that the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save but he is Almighty and all-sufficient still It was the sinne of unbeleeving Israel that they questioned the Almighties power CAN GOD say they prepare a table in the Wildernesse Behold he smote the rocke that waters gushed out and the streames over-flowed CAN he give bread also CAN hee provide flesh for his people Psal 78.20 Soules under dejection you are apt to dispair even of divine power you are ready to question Gods Can. But you should not you should alway beleeve and say as he did Lord if thou Wilt thou Canst c. It s a choyce passage to this purpose which you have Joh 11.22 Where Martha even when her Brother was dead beleeves Christs power I know that EVEN NOW whatsoever thou wilt aske of God God will give it Marke she beleeved even then when her Brother was dead Mind it O yee dejected soules in your lowest state you must beleeve Christ can helpe and raise Yea Secondly You must beleeve this possibility with reference to your selves Do not say Christ can cure this in another but beleeve he can do it to thee The Leper said thou canst make MEE whole Matth 8.2 As in the point of resurrection of the body it s not enough to beleeve the resurrection of a body but of this body and of thine So Job beleeved with his flesh and his eyes and not anothers should arise chap 19.27 In like manner here in the point of raising from dejection the soule must act faith in or for himselfe He must beleeve that Christ can raise him even him how low or deep soever he be cast down Adde to this Thirdly When the soule is gone thus farre as to beleeve a possibility it must goe farther in beleeving an inclinablenesse at least in God or Christ to do as they can As the soul is to act faith for a possibility that Christ can so it is to act faith for a probability that he wil. The soul must not say that Christ hath forgotten to be kind or that his mercies are cleane gone No it must beleeve that there are some thoughts of it still and that yet there is a mercy in store Mind David in Psalm 40 ult I am poor and needy what then see what followes yet the Lord thinketh on me Surely O sad soule thou must not say as Zion did my God hath forgotten me i.e. altogether cast thee off No thou must beleeve that yet he thinketh at least of thee His heart retaines some love and yet there is some inclination in him to raise and help thee But now to come higher if the soule bee come up here to beleeve these particulars it must goe further to beleeve some Specialls As First It is not enough to retaine faith in fundamentalls and to beleeve a power in Christ though as to our selves and an inclinablenesse to raise But in our dejections we must act faith that yet Christ certainly will help and raise us David saith hee shall yet praise God as health i. e. as his healer After two dayes he WILL revive us and the third day he WILL raise us up and we SHALL live in his sight Hos 6.2 Mind it the Church beleeves it certaine though she leave God to his time he will and wee shall Dejected hearts you must beleeve Christ will raise you Though you bee downe yet you shall arise as it is Mich. 7.8 here then is the first speciall step you must ascend in the acting of faith you must beleeve you shall bee helped Breath O soule upon this stair for you must go higher Secondly You must beleeve That even in your dejections you are not deserted It was Pauls faith though Israel were low yet God had not cast them off Rom. 11.1 Dejected heart Christ is with thee in thy dejections he hath not left thee though thou be low Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God c. Jer. 51.5 you must beleeve Christ is with you though you are not aware of it David did thus neverthelesse I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Psal 73.23 Though Davids foote did slip yet God was with him So Christ is with thee though under the disguise of thy dejection O cast downe soule and thou must beleeve this even in thy