the way to glory and life and immortality and peace and joy and healing c. I say if I am in the way to these things why should I not beleeve them Why soul the way of lifting up is casting downe and now you are in the way you ought to beleeve Josephs Dungeon was Gods way to his setting him second in Aegypt Davids flight and feare before Saul was Gods way to bring him to the Throne When David was in his greatest feare that he said he should dye by the hands of Saul then was he within few steps of the Throne and when thou art most cast downe ready to dye in the pit then is Christ nearest to pull thee out and surely O soule the nearer Christ is to deliver thee out of the stronger should thy faith be in dejections You now see reasons for the point it s not so irrationall as unbeleef makes it to act faith when we are most dejected CHAP. 5. One improvement of this Doctrine to informe the judgement YOu heare now that times of dejection are to be times of faith when the soule is lowest it is to beleeve Pray be informed hereby to know when faith is seasonable you may mistake much if you thinke that dejection is or may be a time for doubting No it is the season of faith Some soules thinke that if the promise be cleare if experience be rich if hints are many and taste is sweet O now surely they are to beleeve now is a time of faith It is true now is a time for faith to lay in and store up But suppose the Promise is darke experience poore hints none taste dry c. suppose all is darke and there appeares nothing know that this is a time for faith to come and lay forth it selfe for the soules settlement you mistake the matter O soule if you thinke times of dejection to be times only for patience no they are times also for faith Yea and in case you beleeve not you wil not indeed cannot be patient Suppose thou art very low and cryest loud and God answereth not suppose Conscience accuseth Sathan triumphs and Christ appeare not suppose it darke that the Sunne shine not and there be no Starre Suppose thou looke on the left hand where Christ workes for casting downe is a left-hand work but thou canst not behold him yea and suppose O soule he hideth himselfe on the right hand that thou canst not see him Is thy case thus as Jobs was chap. 23.9 know now it is a time not only to exercise Jobs patience in bearing but to act Jobs faith in beleeving Every Grace O soule hath its season and Faith is in its season in a dejected state yea Christ expects it from us that we beleeve in him then when our hearts are most disquieted The hearts of his Disciples were troubled cast downe and dejected and yet he bids them beleeve Job 14.1 Whom having not seen ye love though now you see him not yet ye beleeve saith Peter 1 Epist chap. 1. vers 8. It is Christs time to be not only loved by you but trusted upon and beleeved in when you see him not And in order unto the triall of this it is that sometime Christ sees it needfull as it is there ver 6. to let you be in heavinesse through manifold temptations I beseech you now improve this Doctrine to informe your judgements in the time of faith Christ O soule wil bring thee low ere he doe raise thee up and while thou art low he expects to see thee raising thy selfe by faith Quest But why doth Christ thus why doth he cast downe his poore creature ere he lift it up why takes he this course to exercise my faith Ans I. It s thy duty O soule rather to doe then dispute rather strive to beleeve then to question his dealing But yet 2 Know O soule Christ hath more ends then one in casting thee downe and making that his way for his comfort and thy faith he hath more then one ground for this First Hereby Christ cleares his grace to thy soule he brings thee low and shuts thee up under unbeleefe that he might make thee see his raising is meere mercy as it is Rom. 11.32 If Christ let thee be ready to doubt and dye ere he raise thee thou wilt see it was free grace only which moved him to helpe thee now that thou maist see this he lets thee be most cast downe ere he come to exalt thee Secondly By this Christ helps thy taste to relish mercy in its full sweetnesse To be ready to starve with hunger and dye of thirst and then to have bread and drinke this makes it relish the sweetnesse of both That Christ may cause thee to tast his love in thy raising the sweeter he uses to let thee lye low and be much cast downe ere he come c. Thirdly Christ hath a designe upon his owne glory in thy deep dejection He not only lookes to evidence the strength of thy faith but the brightnesse of his owne glory by making thee almost sinke in dejections ere he raise thee it wil argue glorious power and deep wisdome to raise a soule lost in its selfe So that now O soule if thou canst but beleeve thou shalt see the glory of Christ as it is Joh. 11.40 wherefore then doe not stand questioning why doth Christ bring thee low and make that a time of faith But up and act say Indeed I am cast downe and disquieted I am in the darke and see no light I am low and know not how to raise my selfe yet now I le beleeve for this my dejection is to be a time of beleeving Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe O God of Israel the Saviour Isa 45.15 God was hid yea he hid himselfe yet marke it now the Church acteth her faith Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation ver 17. See O soule God hid himselfe Israel could not see his Saviour nor the way of his salvation for both were hid yet even now faith saith Israel shall be saved Well here is the first improvement of this Doctrine let it reforme a mistake and informe the judgement in this truth that times of low dejections are not only times of patience but they are times of faith CHAP. 6. The maine use perswading and directing soules to beleeve in their deepest dejections DEjected hearts you heare your worke and duty pray fall about it you are cast downe you lye low and see little wel beleive say I shall yet praise God for all this I shall see him as the health of my countenance and my God I beseech you know your duty in all its parts as I formerly opened First Hold fast your first faith doe not call all into question because of dejection whatever thou didst beleeve before beleeve it now Secondly Doe not question the power of Christ say not thy case is incurable beleeve it there is Balme yet in Gilead Act
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
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
Comfort Counsell FOR DEJECTED SOULES OR A Treatise concerning Spirituall DEJECTION In which is HANDLED 1 The Nature Of Spirituall Dejection 2 The Working Of Spirituall Dejection 3 The Grounds Of Spirituall Dejection 4 The Remedies Of Spirituall Dejection And in which is held forth Satisfaction to some particuler Cases and generall advice for any Soule who is cast downe Being the Heads and Sum of divers Sermons Preached to a particular Congregation From Psalm 42. last By John Durans Preacher of the Gospel and Pastour of a Church of Christ in Canterbury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 35.3 Strengthen the hands which are sick and confirme the dejected knees Psalm 94.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the multitude of my tempestuous thoughts within me thy consolations shal abundantly delight my soul Printed at London by R.I. for Hannah Allen at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley 1651. This shade's the Authors outside but this booke his inside opens prethee doe not looke Admiringly one either Passe them o're as emptye shaddowes for they are noe more Both bookes and writers y'ea and all things else at best are shaddowes but the bodye's Christ Soul art dejected Christ alone can ease thee and giue both comfort and councell to raise thee A.P. THis Authour hath two Books already extant the one is Entituled Sips of Sweetnesse or Consolation for weak Beleevers The other is Entituled A Discovery of the Glorious Love of Christ to Beleevers A Dedicatory PREFACE TO His Beloved-Ones The Flock of CHRIST over which the Holy Ghost hath made him OVER-SEER My dearly beloved in the Lord THE heart of Christ who is the cheif Shepheard is much set upon the feeding of Beleevers who are his chosen Flocke Ezek. 34. ◠10 11 12 13 14 15. Before hee came into the World he did Prophesie that hee would feede his Flocke himselfe And when hee went out of the World hee charged his Servants to doe the like When hee had asked of Peter again and againe Ioh. 20.16 17 18. whether hee loved him He required nothing as a seale thereof but this that hee should feede his sheepe Indeed then doe wee declare our love unto our Lord when wee feede his Flocke which is amongst us as it is 1 Pet. 5.2 And if wee doe not this wee make void the end that he aymed at in giving us as Pastours to his people which himselfe expresseth in the promise to bee this Ier. 3.15 viz. The feeding of his People with knowledge and understanding But while any indeavour to doe this they are Pastors according to his owne heart id est such as himselfe is and delights in This consideration I humbly hope I may truly say hath made an impression upon my heart both to desire and indeavour to feede you who are the Lambs the Sheepe of the Lord Jesus Phil. 1.7 For thus it is meete for mee to thinke of you all and thus I have you in my heart I must confesse I have still thought and found that there is a great difficulty in this Divine worke And a great deale of holy VVisdome and Strength is requisite which I hope you pray for in my behalfe to feed the Houshold of Christ with not onely Meate but with that which properly is their Portion and that in season I remember our blessed Lord speakes of him as of a rare Bird and hard to bee found Who as a wise and faithfull Steward Luk. 12.42 T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demensum cibum each soule hath its measure see Eph. 4.7 gives the Houshold their Portion of meate in due season WHO THEN saith Christ IS THAT FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD To bee able to give meate not poyson nor Huskes and the portion of meate that which is proper and fit for each and this in due season i. e. when t is peculiarly needfull and requisite I say to bee able to doe thus requires not onely faithfulnesse but wisdome too and that in a large measure And if you say you have not found mee such a Steward so Wise and so Faithfull I must sigh and seale to the truth thereof For alas Who is sufficient for this But albeit this bee above my attainement yet it is in my indeavour a true though a weake witnesse whereof I hope the insuing Treatise will be When it was delivered to your eare which Job saith tryes words as the mouth doth meate Iob 12.13 You were pleased to testifie to this truth that it was your portion of meat in due season And divers of your professed that your soules were fed and refreshed by it as by meate suitable and seasonable for you This hath made your intreaty prevalent with mee to represent it to your eye in Print to try it again And the most precious God grant that you may bee led by his spirit in it as in a greene Pasture by the still Rivers and that your soules may lye downe and feede therein SO as that those that see you may justly speak of you as of a Flocke and field whom the Lord himselfe hath blessed This is all that I shall say to you about this Treatise But I shal take the advantage of this Presse to leave the Print of Three Words of advice upon your hearts The words are these 1 Keepe to your Fold 2 Eye your Shepheard 3 Walke as Sheep 1 Keepe to your Fold Beware of wandering from Mountaine to Hill Jer. 50.6 which I may safely allegorize thus of going from one high notion to another forgetting your resting place Certainly the Churches of the New Testament which are built upon the faith and walke in the order of the Gospell Sion is the place Christ the rest of soules It is hee that gives It is there that he gives rest are the places where Christ feedeth and where hee maketh his flockes to rest at noone In them are the footsteps of his flocke and these are the tents where hee feedes his Kiddes as it is Cant. 1.7 8. O never bee as those weake and wanton spirits who wander from these Folds Dinah by wandering got nothing but a rape And I wish some of late could not say the like 'T is true some are gone out from us of whom I am not so Apostolicall as to say but I must bee so charitable as to pray it may never appear they were not of us But it s your mercy that as yet you stand O bee not high minded but feare least you fall For certainly it is so farre from being an ascent to spirituall height Heb. 10.25 26. that it is a degree of falling away to forsake the Assemblies of Saints which are the Folds of Christ II Eye your Shepherd i.e. The Lord Jesus 'T is true Men have a name of being Shepherds but t is but as ciphers have of being figures which all know are nothing except one stand by them Even Paul himselfe was not a substantiall Shepherd It was not hee but Christ that did all And
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
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
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
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
and the cause of his falling security exposeth to falls but feare preserves Christ may therefore suffer thee to feare that he may sanctifie that feare unto perseverance But Secondly Though you fall yet you may rise againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Straps apud Aristophan as t is Micha 7.8 It s one thing to fall in part another thing to fall in whole the Spouse slept yet her heart waked Cant. 5.2 Peter fell but he was raised up againe many a man hath stumbled and yet not fell flat on all foure as we say and many a Saint hath and may fall a while and yet not wholly faâ—â— away Besides consider Thirdly The promise is to restore you Christ will heale our back-slidings and love us freely Hos 14.4 and it s his worke as well to raise us up after conversion in case of dâ—â—linings as to raise us before conversion from the grave of death It s a command that we should restore one another in case of falls Gal. 6.1 and surely that which Christ bids us to doe himselfe will doe much more An obligation lyes upon him and it s his Fathers will that he should lose none Joh. 6.39 And surely if Christ should not restore you he should lose you Therefore Fourthly Know your state in regeneration is surer then that of the Angels and Adam in creation They were their owne Keepers but Christ is yours they stood upon their owne leggs but you are held in Christs hand Suppose them great ships and your selves but little barkes yet a barke fastned to a rock in Harbour is safer then a great ship at sea Suppose two Children the one bigger going alone the other lesser but in the Fathers armes that which is in the Fathers armes is surer then he which is upon his owne leggs Why the case is yours Beleevers you are in the armes the bosome of the Lord Jesus c. Lastly There are sure grounds of your perseverance minde them draw comfort from them and be not cast downe Obj. But alas what grounds have I to build my perseverance on I have little knowledge lesse faith least assurance I have many corruptions more temptations most rubs c. Ans Your way is not to looke upon your selves but upon your Saviour he is the Rock that is higher then you and on him you are safe Five grounds there are amongst others upon which you may build your beleefe of perseverance First The unchangeable love of God he loves you with an everlasting love therefore he called you as t is Jer. 31.3 He is unchangable in his love therefore he 'l not consume you Mal. 3.6 Christs love to you is as himselfe Yesterday to day and for ever the same Having loved his owne he loveth them to the end as it is Joh. 13.1 Secondly The everlasting decree of God this foundation of the Lord abideth sure and it hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Divine decrees alter not God will not cast off bis people whom he fore-knew Rom. 11.1 for whom he fore-knew them he predestinated Rom. 8.28 and his purpose according to election shall stand Romans 9.11 Thirdly You have in you an immortall seed you are borne againe of God and your seed remaines 1 Joh. 3.9 Certainly that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit as that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Fleshly births may dye but Spirituall births will live Fourthly You have a sure promise Jerem. 32.40 God promiseth to make an everlasting Covenant So likewise Joh. 4.14 The promise is of a Well springing up to everlasting life Yea Gods promises in this particular are surer then the Mountaines then the ordinances of heaven These things shall passe away but not these promises as it is Isay 54.10 Jer. 31.36 Lastly You have an Almighty power to keep you Suck that sweet place 1 Pet. 1. Blessed be God the Father who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope to an inheritance reserved for you in heaven who are kept by the power of God unto salvation vers 5. There is a power and that power is the power of a God and this is put forth in keeping of you So that now you having so many grounds of perseverance why should you doubt and be dejected Your perseverance doth not depend upon your owne power which is mutable but upon Christs promise which is immutable He hath promised to give you eternall life and that you shall never perish neither shall any pull you out of his hand and his Fathers as it is Joh. 10 28 29. now faithfull is he that hath promised Obj. Oh! but though none can pull me out of Corists hand I may cast my selfe out and so Christ may leave me to Satan and I fall away Ans Thou art deceived oh dejected soule if thou thinke that Christ will permit thee to doe that which hee 'l not permit Satan albeit the Childe would fall out of the Mothers armes yet she 'l not let it Christ will uphold thee by the right hand of his power Isa 41.10 so as that albeit thou of thy selfe because of thy ficklenesse wouldest fall yet he because of his faithfulnesse will not let thee Object Nay but yet I read of the falls of many a Saint David and Solomon and Peter and others stronger by farre then I have fallen c. Answ True but they were restored againe though they fell yet they did not fall away Christ raised them and he 'le also raise thee For he hath promised to heale backslidings i. e. falls after love and light and to love notwithstanding them freely Object But the Apostle saith It s impossible for those who were once inlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift c. if they fall away to renew them by repentance c. Hebrews 6.4.5 6. Minde these things to cleare this place O sad soule Answ 1. The Apostle doth not say positively that such as were inlightened c. might fall away he only supposeth it If they doe saith he ver 6. Quest But if it might not be why doth the Apostle urge it Rep. As a Caution to make them carefull It was impossible that Hered could kill Christ in his Infancy yet Joseph is forewarned upon such a feare to fly Matthew 2.13 And albeit it be impossible for such as ere indeed inlightened and have savingly tasted c. to fall away yet such a thing may bee urged to beget a holy feare to make the soule diligent and to keepe it from being secure But Secondly T is common for Hypocrites after such inlightenings and enjoyments which are but common and generall to fall away but its impossible for Saints and such as are sincere and truly gracious Here is nothing spoken but what an Hypocrite may have and that such may fall away is not denyed but what is this to a soule truly beleeving and sincerely united to Jesus Christ Though a Shadow may perish what is that to the perishing of