sweet is thy mercy let be the more eager my longings that so my whole life on earth may be a continued breathing after that eternal fellowship and communion with thee in Heaven thus thus let me wait even all my life all the day Vers 6 7. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake O Lord. § 1. O My God thy former mercies are pledges to me of thy future grace Wherefore remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses which have been ever of old Psal 90.2 exhibited by thy Spirit in this Sacrament Are not thy mercies O Lord like thy self from everlasting to everlasting thy mercies they have been ever of old and sure the streams cannot fail where the fountain is inexhaustible and such is thy good goodness § 2. But how is it then that my soul dwels in darkness if thou be light how is that I remain disconsolate and miserable if thou Lord art so gracious and merciful thou lovest to be importuned in prayer Isa 43.26 and thereby as it were minded of thy mercy not that that thou art forgetful of thy love but that thou wouldst have us sensible of our wants Wherefore least thou shouldst do as my sins have deserved cast me out of thy thoughts let my humble suit mind thee of thy mercies Thy tender mercies for it is no ordinarie medicine that will cure my soar no mean mercy that will save my soul the sadness of my affl ctions requires the tenderness of thy compassions wherefore Remember O Lord thy tender mercies Psal 42.7 § 3. Mercies O how does one deep call upon another the depth of my multipli'd miseries calls loudly calls upon the depth of thy manifold mercies even that mercy whereby thou dost pardon my sin and help mine infirmities that mercy whereby thou dost sanctifie me by thy Grace and comfort me by thy Spirit that mercy whereby thou dost quicken me with life and preserve me from death that mercy whereby thou dost deliver me from Hell and possess me of Heaven Remember O Lord all those thy mercies thy tender mercies which as they have been of old unto thy Saints so now seal them unto thy servant in this blessed Sacrament § 4. And as thou seals me thy tender mercies so convey unto me thy loving kindnesses even those enligthning gifts those beautifiing graces those refreshing comforts those divine manifestations of thy presence those secret aspirings of the soul those devout raptures of the Spirit those divine meltings of the heart that peace of conscience that joy in the holy Ghost all these thy loving kindnesses let me in some proportion of measure taste if not in some measure of fulness enjoy in a blessed communion with thee my Jesus in this sacred solemnity § 5. Thy Saints of old how have they come from this thy Table satisfied with good things and like Giants refreshed with wine Psal 65.4 furnished to every good work and strong to resist the temptations of Satan having been made partakers of thy precious blood which thou shedest for them how have they been animated in the profession of faith to shed their dearest blood for thee Yea remember those thy former mercies to mine own soul when I have come with sorrow and returned with joy come trembling in fear and returned exulting through faith come fainting and weak returned strengthened and confirmed And what Lord hath thy Table been so sweet a refreshing and shall it not be so still to my soul if I come the oftner shall I return the sadder and by how much I am the more eager in my desires wilt thou be the further off in thy fulness § 6. This indeed my sins have deserved but thy mercies they are tender and will not deal with me according to my deserts wherefore remember then thy old mercies not my old sins thy tender compassions not my present transgrssions call not to mind the sins of my youth to visit them upon the years of my riper age wean me from my youthful sins and give me not over by a just judgement upon their provocation to more manly more stubborn impieties Just it were that the sins of my greener years should deprive me of thy blessing in my riper age but whilst my sins move thee to wrath let thy compassions move thee to mercy that so my former unworthiness with-hold not from me the blessing and grace of thy present Ordinance remember thou me in this according to thy mercy for thy goodness sake O Lord. § 7. According to thy mercy not mine for I have forsaken those mercies thou madest mine own in being cruel to my self by my sin Jon. 2 8. Psal 59.10 17 through distrust of thy promise upon presumptions in thy mercy yea let it be for thy goodness sake not mine for in me Rom 7.18 that is in my flesh dwelleth no manner of thing that is good let thy goodness then be the motive thy mercy the rule of all that grace and of all those blessings thou vouchsafest unto my soul Vers 8 9 10. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies § 1. GOod and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The true knowledge then O God of thy will is the gracious manifestation of thy goodness Good is the Lord in the graciousness of his promises upright is the Lord in the truâ—h of his performances and this grace and truth which is the habitation of his Throne is the refuge of the sinner the sanctuary of the penitent whom he teacheth in the way even the way of truth the way of holiness the way of life § 2. The Lord is good And where Oh my soul canst thou better tast the goodness of the Lord then in this blessed Eucharist Psal 34 8. the sacred feast of the Lords goodness and as his goodness doth invite thee so let his uprightness encourage thee for that faithful is he who hath p omised faithful to give according to his promise healing for thy wounds strengthning for thy weakness comfort for thy sorrow yea give that which is the compendium of all spiritual good things Rom 5.1 2 Peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost § 3. Why art thou so heavy O my soul and why art thou so cast down within me Psal 42.11 Is it because thou hast broken the Covenant of thy God even the Covenant of reconciliation sealed thee by the Sacrament and that thus by thy sin thou art become at enmitie with thy maker Be it so yet will not the Lord who is good be as gracious
access of languishing souls to his Throne of Grace yea this blessed Sacrament is the very Mercy-seat of our God where Jesus Christ is exhibited to the Father as the propitiation and atonement for the faithful Rom. 3.3 § 12. Where then there is faith and repentance it is not our failing that shall make Gods truth to fail not our defects which shall make his promises of none effect no though justice exact justice doth require a perfection of our obedience yet mercy indulgent mercy will vouchsafe acceptance through Christ through Christ in whom mercy and truth are met together Psal 85 10. on purpose that righteousness and peace may kiss each other even in him our blessed Mediator in him do meet all the paths of God in which he brings salvation to his Church and those paths are now become beaten roads right viae Regiae the King of Heavens high-waies in which we have our passage from sin and death to righteousness and life from guilt and misery to holiness and glory and these paths of our God what are they but his Mercy and Truth in Christ Jesus § 13. But O my soul that the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth it is to them that keep his Covenant and his testimonies seeing then thou hast broken his Covenant and transgrest his Testimonies how canst thou expect the acceptance of mercy and the blessings of truth True I have sinned and through my sin mine obedience is become imperfect but what is not the Covenant of my God a Covenant of Grace Jam. 2.13 where mercy rejoyceth yea triumpheth against judgment yea is not the Covenant of my God that Covenant made with Abraham confirmed by Christ and sealed by this holy Sacrament a part of which Covenant is the remission of sins if so then shall faith and repentance be accepted through Christ and all my imperfections made up with the righteousness of his most perfect obedience § 14. Indeed were our obedience perfect what need should we have of Christ to justifie and save us though Truth and Justice then may blame and condemn our failings in the keeping of Gods testimonies yet grace and mercy go before to vail all with the robe of Christs righteousness to a pardoning our infirmities Psal 89.14 an accepting our persons and a rewarding our services though we cannot then keep the Covenant and Testimonies of our God in an Angelical purity yet may we do it in an Evangelical sinceritie though not in a full perfection yet in a sincere endeavor of holy obedience Phil. 3.12 13 14 and blessed is that soul which shall witness the saving comfort of this sacred doctrine that all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep even thus keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Vers 11. For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquitie for it is great § 1. THe very best of Gods Saints do not so perfectly keep the Covenant and Testimonies of their God but that in thoughts of his Covenant they may well have a sense of their sin in the meditation of his Testimonies they may well have an apprehension of their transgressions and this is that which put David here upon this emphatical ejaculation of fervent prayer For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great § 2. Thou Lord not only art good and gracious but thou wilt also be so acknowledged so declared yea as such worshipped and adored that thy name then be not dishonored let me though a sinner be accepted pardon mine iniquity that it be not said thou ever rejectedst a poor penitent and thereby lose the glory of thy name whose name is merciful A merciful clemency is a royal vertue Exod. 34.5 6. and honorable in every Soveraign Majesty thou then O Lord Psal 24 5 8. who art the King of Glory make this thy holy Sacrament to be the broad Seal to my pardon and this for thy names sake even for thy mercy sake by which thou art as well known as any man can be by his own name § 3. I plead not Lord my merits who am less then the least of thy mercies and as I look not upon my merit so nor do thou look upon my demerit as I do not view my worthiness so nor do thou view my unworthiness but thou who art called the God of mercy be unto me what thou art called make good the glory of thine own name in being merciful unto my sin of which I cannot say as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one no it is great Gen 19.20 for that it is against thee so great a God and so good to me Great for that my place my office my calling is great the Sun the higher it is the less it seems but my sins the higher I am the greater they are even in thine and others eyes § 4. Great for that my knowledge of thee and thy waies is great I knew thy will and yet did it not my conscience check'd me and yet I obeyed not thy Spirit moved me and yet I yeelded not Mine iniquity is great for that I have greatly multiplied and increased it so that it is become great in quality and in quantity great in weight and in number very heinous very numerous yea the number of my sins is numberless those I know and confess are few in comparison of what are unknown and hidden from me Psal 19.12 § 5. Yet further mine iniquity is great for that mine apprehension of it is so great that I know more ill by my self then by any other each man best feels his own burden and the burden of my sins is such as is too heavy for me to bear Lastly mine iniquity is great for that it is such a debt as I am no way able in the least part to make satisfaction And even a little debt is great to him who hath nothing to pay Wherefore O Lord hide not thy great mercy from me who hide not my great sins from thee and the greater is the guilt of my sin the greater shall be the glory of thy mercy to pardon it let it be the glory of thy mercy then to pass by mine offences so shall the greatness of my sins make the glory of thy mercies more conspicuous for that where sin hath abounded there grace doth much more abound Rom. 5.20 § 6. And thus though I went against mine own knowledge in sinning yet do not thou Lord go against thine own nature in punishing who hast promised if we beleeve and repent thou wilt forgive and now 1 Cor. 10.12 as my sins teach them that stand to take heed least they fall so let thy pardon of my sins teach them that are faln upon their repentance not to doubt of thy mercy and forgiveness which mercy and forgiveness do thou seal unto my soul and to each humble penitent through Jesus Christ in a return of peace unto our consciences by
of fears but the Light of the Spirit brings comfort of soul in a discovery of Gods love in Christ which discovery being permanent our comforts shall not be transient Whereas cursory views and passing glances of divine objects leave the heart unsatisfied being more troubled for their absence then pleased with their sweetness It is the rising then of the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4 2. which gives day to the inward man and his continued beams bring the soul its renewed joys Wherefore then let the deserted soul present its self in all its languishings and thus bespeak God and Christ in this blessed Sacrament O my God! my soul seeks what it has lost oh let it find what it seeks even comfortable communion with thee in the Lord Jesus For this for this it is that I here call and cry Turn thee unto me § 17. 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me Such are the wounds of an afflicted soul as no balm can cure but that of a compassionating mercy Misericordia â—eliaâ—uata mercy which melts to supple and to heal Though then the deserted soul hath the same promises the same Mediator the same God which it had before its desertion yet it does not find comfort till it have the same mercy And therefore does St. Paul happily joyn the Father of mercies and the God of all consolations 2 Cor. 1.3 For that indeed God were not the God of consolation were he not the Father of mercies all remission of sins all power of grace all manifestations of love yea the earnest of glory are all the of-spring of mercy brought forth of her womb brought up in her lap yea nourished with the milk of her breasts and cherished with the warmth of her bosom § 18. Who art thou now that languishest in desertions Know the door of mercy is not shut because thou shouldst not enter but because thou shouldst knock if thou wouldst obtain mercy then it must be by prayer and that through Faith in the promise Faith I say in the promise for how know we Gods good will but by his holy Word So that the truth of his promise presents us the sweetness of his mercy and seeing the fathers mercies melts at the Sons mediation Heb. 2.17 Bern. de grad hum go unto God by Christ by Christ as a merciful and faithful High Priest a merciful High Priest compassiâ— cum impossibilitate perdurat though Christ be now gloriously impâ—ssible yet is he still graciously compassionate yea he is one that proportions his pitty to our misery Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his compassion to our affliction such compassion as is a Soveraign balm to cure the secret anguish of a deserted soul applied here by David when he cries unto God in prayer Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are inlarged c. § 19. 3 To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance O bring thou me out of my distresses Now the soul begins to recover her former taste of heavenly sweetness now she begins to feel the warmth of those sweet imbraces from the everlasting arms of her dearest Jesus And therefore does she pursue this begun recovery to a full deliverance even a deliverance from all her distresses of doubts and fears and terros which deliverance from those distresses is by the sacred testimony of Christs spirit evidencing the sincerity and truth of grace and thereby a personal interest in the promises of life and love Joh. 14.26 § 20. To make it appear how the Spirit is the Comforter and by his testimony to the soul free 's it from its distress observe this gradation 1. The Gospel proposeth salvation through Christ in the free promise and now press this grape examine this truth and the wine of comfort is no more but this that salvation may be mine if I beleeve But then 2. A further progress is made by faith in casting the soul upon Christ for salvation according to this promise and in this the foundation of comfort is laid firm the root is fixt yet the fruit is not grown this is sufficient to life and salvation in the end but is not effectual yet to peace and consolation in the way wherefore to all this that salvation through Christ is offered in the promise and that the promise of Christ for salvation is received through faith to all this must be added this testimony of the Spirit that that faith is sincere and so that salvation sure And this testimony it is that confirms the souls peace and gives inlargement to its sweetest comforts § 21. Thus Faith in the habit it is medium incognitum say the Schools it is often hid in the soul and the quickenings of the Spirit it is which bring it into act And by the actings of faith come the renewings of comfort thorow communion with Christ When the Sun of righteousness then appears with healing in his wings Mal. 4 2. the clouds of fears are scattered the storms of terrors cease the night of unbelief doth vanish yea Psal 24.8 when Christ the King of glory sets up his Throne in the heart and rules with the golden Scepter of his grace then do proud lusts stoop then do the powers of darkness fly and so the deserted and afflicted soul is brought out of all its distresses Thus have we seen the case and the cure of a deserted soul the case rightly stated and the cure fitly applied the case rightly stated I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of mine heart are inlarged the cure fitly applied Turn thee unto me have mercy upon me O bring thou me out of my distresses § 22. Who art thou now that looks upon what is said of spiritual desertion as strange doctrine Let me tell thee thou hast had little acquaintance with God if thou knowest not yet what it is to lose him to lose him in the comforts of his Spirit thou hast room I question not for profit for pleasure for sin for Satan but no room for God for Christ and so not having injoyed the comforts of the divine presence thou knowest not the discomfort of his absence O what is it that we see daily some men lose their Estates and they grieve heavily some men lose their Friends and they go mournfully some men lose their Health and live sadly But how many lose their God their Saviour their soules and yet neither grieve nor mourn nor are heavy for it Oh ye who are guilty of this self and soul-murder did the day break upon your souls 2 Pet. 1.19 the Spirit of truth enlighten and awaken your consciences Oh how would amazement seize you and the terrors of death fall upon you § 23. But who is it that having Sions sorrow in his heart and her tears in his eyes comes unto me with her complaint in his mouth Oh my God hath forsaken
practice and pattern of Gods Saints the grace and mercy which God hath vouchsafed to them in Christ not being only for their own salvation but also for others instruction For this cause saith the Apostle I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting For a pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a compleat Image in whom men might view as most lively drawn forth the exceeding abundant grace of Christ in receiving to mercy so cruel a Persecutor of his Church and so horrid a Blasphemer of his Truth that so humble Penitents being more invited with the riches of Christs mercy and merits then discourag'd with the hainousness of their own pollution and guilt might believe on Christ the Saviour of the World unto everlasting life Indeed we soonest convince by argumen s drawn from our own experience Ps 27 13 14. Ps 34.11 Thus we make it an ordinary Medium and Method of perswasion to one in sickness saving Make use of such a Physitian for when I was taken with the like desperate disease he administred to me safe Physick and by Gods blessing hath wrought upon me an unexpected cure Luk. 22 32. Thus S. Paul converted David repenting Peter restored and others of Gods holy and now blessed Ones they seem to comfort and raise the dejected Sinner and relapsed Saint with arguments drawn from their own experience Why vain man dost thou delay to seek cure for thy wounds healing for thy sickness Take a Physitian upon our recommendation of whose grace and goodness of whose ability and skill we our selves have had so long and so large an experience and let not the distemper of thy disease make thee despair of cure our filthiness hath been as great as thine yet the blood of Christ hath cleansed us our wounds as deep as thine yet his balm hath cured us our souls as fainting as thine yet his grace hath revived us Do thou then exercise faith and repentance according to our example and thou shalt partake of grace and salvation according to our experience 3. Observe the most soveraign and sacred Restorative left us by Christ a worthy partaking the blessed Eucharist What can be a more divine Cordial to the fainting soul what more soveraign remedy to a wounded Conscience then the Covenant of Grace firmly seal'd the merits of Christs death really exhibited and the earnest of the heavenly inheritance visibly convey'd The whole sum of that Tremendum Mysterium that dreadful mysterie as the Antients call it the blessed Eucharist it is this the Communion of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 in which Communion our Lord Jesus Christ powres forth h himself in the abundance of his mercy and riches of his merits He communicates himself as the Treasury of all Goodness the Fulness of all Graces Joh. 1.16 the Fountain of all Blessedness Wherefore then O thou afflicted soul having raised thy faith and renewed thy repentance attend the sacred solemnity of the blessed Eucharist thereby to have thy pardon seal'd thy weakness strengthened thy Corruptions subdued thy Peace of Conscience restored thy Joy of the Spirit enlarged and thine assurance of Gods love confirmed The Objections answered Here several Objections are made by the distrustful and doubting souls 1. Obj. Against the immutability of Gods love and stability Obj. 1 of his Covenant That sure God is not bound to perform the Promise when man neglects to fulfill the Condition and therefore though God do not forsake us yet we leaving him he may justly cast us off and reject us Ans True yet know concerning the faithful whom God hath received into his Covenant of grace Answ as he hath obliged himself never to depart from them so likewise to communicate that grace whereby he is ready to support and sustain them that they shall not totally and finally fall away from him Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10.12 And hereby it is that their backslidings though many yet are not perpetual but that fear God puts into their hearts doth restore them and that love he bears unto their persons doth accept them Wherefore as the house and ground stands firm though to distempered brains they seem to totter so the grace and covenant of God stands unmoveable though to distrustful hearts they seem to waver Lippientibus singularis lucerna numerosa est says Tertullian A fit allusion here As to a weak eye the candle which is single seems to have a double light so to a weak faith the Covenant of God which bears a single truth seems to carry a double sense So that notwithstanding all the doubtful Quaere's of a troubled heart and distrustful mind this remains as the surest and safest comfort of Gods children that He who is their Father is unchangeable in his love and constant in his promise 2. Obj. Against the merit of Christs passion and the benefit of his Obj. 2 intercession Some languishing and dejected soul may be so far from making the former testimonies of Gods love to be an encouragement for his rising that the thoughts thereof the more deject and cast him down and the merits of Christs passion with the vertue of his intercession are so far from administring him comfort that through despair they increase his sorrow and horror of soul Objecting that of the Apostle when he says Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin and if so what will avail us Christs passion and intercession Answ To explain the true meaning of this Scripture is to repel the force of this objection Wherefore know Ans that if we examine the circumstances of this Text it will plainly appear that by sin here the Apostle doth mean the sin of Apostacie forsaking Christ and falling away to Judaisme a sin frequently committed in those times and sharply reproved in this Epistle And that this is meant of the sin of Apostacie the very Greek word does hint it somewhat to us which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which denotes a defect on and falling away and that being as the Apostle expresseth it after the receiving the truth it can be rightly interpreted of none other sin but that of Apostacie And indeed the Apostle here speaks after the manner of the Hebrews with whom Apostacie was called sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a fall ng away to Idolatry then with the Hebrews so falling away to Judaism with the Apostle is peculiarly called sin as indeed the sin most hateful and abominable And to them that thus sin by Apostacie v. 29. there remains no more sacrifice for their attonement for that they have counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and have done despight to the Spirit of grace Yet more plaâ—n They who denied their Christian profession and fell off to Judaism could
thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord c. See David here right according to his own Emblem Ps 42.1 even as the Hart panting after the water-brooks As the Hart so he wounded and pursued wounded with distress and pursued with danger he pants after the water-brooks eagerly longs after the refreshing comforts of Gods Sanctuary Division In the Division of the words observe two general parts Davids Petition with its Divine Reason 1. Davids Petition One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life 2. The divine reason of Davids Petition To behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire c. In the first General observe two Particulars the Object and the Acts. The Object 1. Emphatically asserted to be unum one thing 2. That one thing expresly described to be this That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life This the Object Secondly the Acts they are two The one speaks the inward affection that of desire the other speaks his eager prosecution of what he desired in seeking after it One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life This is Davids Petition to which he is moved by a twofold reason of Delight and of Devotion 1. Of Delight relating to the types and the antitypes the shadowing figures and glorious mysteries even a beholding the beauty of the Lord. 2. That of Devotion relating to the Oracle and the Altar the Incense and the Sacrifice to which answers our Preaching and Prayer with the Administration of the Sacraments And this David calls a visiting or an enquiring into Gods temple Thus the wounded Hart pants thus Davids troubled soul longs and longing breaths forth his distress concentred in this Petition One thing have I desired of the Lord c. Explic. First General Davids Petition and therein the Object emphatically asserted to be unum one thing In the beginning of the Psalm David keeps an Audit of his Souls accounts reckoning up the large incomes and lasting treasures of Gods bounty grace and mercy the sum whereof is this The Lord is my light and my life my strength and my salvation And now where shall David design his presence but where is his light where shall he desire his person but where is his strength where shall he wish his soul but where is his life and where shall he fix his habitation but where is his salvation even in communion with his God and this especially in the holy Worship of his Sanctuary No wonder then if above all things he desires and seeks after this one thing to dwell in the house of the Lord c. There are quos interpellat ad desiderandum finis ipse desiderandi says Tertullian well Tert. de paen Isa 57.20 There are those whom the end of one desire provoketh to another fluctuating souls whose motion is that of a troubled Sea in continual waves and no wonder if the Needle flit up and down the Compass whilst it is not fixt upon his Pole So no wonder if the mind of man wanders in multiplicity of desires whilst 't is not fixt upon Davids unum his one thing the enjoyment of his God 1 Pet. 2.11 We are here strangers and pilgrims The soul then pursuing sensual delights may haply find some Inne for a nights lodging but no house to make its home no object to make its center Our right habitation can there only be where is our true contentation our repose where is our rest and that is God and this by communion with him in Christ which communion with him in Christ we have in his ordinances and Christs ordinances are in Gods house Gods house then is that one thing above all things which most conduceth to the good of souls yea and welfare of States For no Nation ever prospered in which Gods house was prophaned and when judgment reacheth the Sanctuary who shall secure the City Ezec◠9 ◠6. Ps 75.3 Gen 32.26 The Prayers of the Church are the prosperity of a People whose united force is beyond that of men and Angels it prevails with God Eph. 2.3 it overcomes the Almighty not letting him go without a blessing But from whence is the Churches unity why from Loves union From which union of love it is that the faithful become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-members of the same mystical body fellow heirs of the same eternal Kingdom fellow-citizens of the same heavenly Jerusalem Yea such is the communion of love as not only makes many one but also one many hereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Chrysostom love not only combines ten thousand into one but also multiplies one into ten thousand For look how many lovers a man hath so manifold he is he hath so many eyes to see for him so many ears to hear for him so many feet to go for him so many hands to work for him so many tongues to speak for him and so many hearts to pray for him Thus the prayers of the Church by a communion of love become each mans in particular which are all theirs in the general And this is the incomparable benefit of the Churches Liturgy generally received that each one hath ten times ten thousand together imploring at the Throne of grace for that blessing he singly sues for Oh the sweet delight of those Closet contemplations when we could take a view of all the Congregations in England at one time of the Lords day in one place of the Lords house in one posture of bended knees and of lift up hands and eyes and hearts breathing one Prayer and closing one Amen! Oh how lovely were this in the sight of Angels how acceptable in the presence of God thus at once in an united force to wrestle with him for a blessing Gen. 32.14 as did Jacob And as such the Prayers such also the Praises of the Church the Militant being Eccho to the Triumphant Holy holy Isa 6.3 so in the Te Deum to Holy Lord God of Hosts that Song of the Cherubims in heaven and of Saints on earth Oh! had we this sacred Unity how soon would vanish our hateful Divisions O that all mens Ambitions and Covetousness were concentred in the Unity of David's desire to enjoy God in his Sanctuary to dwell in his house and devote themselves to his holy worship This the first particular of Davids Petition as to the Object emphatically asserted to be unum one thing 2. We proceed to this one thing as it is expresly described A dwelling in the house of the Lord. Of all the creatures God still hath some whom he calleth his as separate by a particular dedication and sanctification to himself Thus
God being made as so many stops of time to add more grace and sweetness to the musick § 2. This his Book of Psalms it is aptly called the Epitome of the whole Bible and the Anatomie of the Spiritual man yea we may rightly entitle it the Register of sacred History the Ephemeris of the Churches Prophecies the Library of Divine Doctrine the Store-house of Spiritual Comforts and the Treasury of holy Devotion And that Devotion either Penitentiary Invocatory or Eucharistical Penitenitary in deep contrition humble confession and passionate lamentation Invocatory in fervent supplication earnest deprecation and pious intercession Eucharistical in gratulatory thanksgivings laudatory oblations and triumphal songs David totus est in deprecanda venta peccatorum cujusdam sensim quod magnum multum dicit v. 11 hoc de illo cum Bethsabe commisso Kimhi intelligit Sim. de Muis in loc § 3. Here amidst so large a store choice is made of a Penetential Psalm though none of the seven commonly called the Penetentials fitted in its devotion to the sacred solemnity of the blessed Eucharist and could we attain Davids frame of spirit when he composed this Psalm of Penitence O how well how well would it become this holy Sacrament § 4. If any inquire a reason why choice is made of this present Psalm for the constant celebrations of the Lords Supper know I have observed a secret vigor of devotion to diffuse it self into the soul when exercised in prayer or meditation making use of Davids Psalms to draw heat from his flame and administer heavenly matter for so holy an exercise and upon this reason O ye humble suppliants I thought it an apt and profitable service to give at once a pattern whereby to frame your private devotions in your Closet and an help to compose your souls to an higher pitch of devotion in the publick solemnities of the holy Eucharist § 5. Besides the mystery and benefits of this blessed Sacrament they are so many and so various that no one single verse or small portion of Scripture may be a Text large enough for so copious a subject wherefore that many souls might receive something of instruction and devotion see here I have chosen an whole Psalm which divided into parts like those loaves in the Gospel broken into peeces it will so increase in the explication Mark 6.41 as those did in their distribution that whereas this Psalm like one of those loaves may seem in the whole to be but sufficient for one person yet shall it by a blessing of grace like as that by a miracle of power be in its divided parts sufficient for many fifties § 6. That this Psalm is of more then ordinary excellency and worth as penned by a more then ordinary diligence and zeal appears by the Alphabetical order of the Hebrew Letter Ad musicam an ad memoriam pertineat incertum est Ral bâ—ni nihil certi statuunt beginning each verse The Psalm it self is a mixture of various yet devout affections for that here the Psalmist moved with the sence of his sin and the violence of his Enemies he sues to God for the remission of the former and protection from the latter and at last salvation in respect of both even to himself and the Church of God this he does supported by faith and hope of which hope and faith he gives a sure testimony in the commemoration he makes of Gods abundant mercy and faithful promises And in the profession he declares of his sincere confidence in those promises and his firm expectation of that mercy § 7. The Analysis of the Psalm The whole Psalm consists of Four parts 1. The Preface vers 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul 2. The Prayer 1. Deprecation vers 2. to 4. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed c. 2. Petition vers 4. to v. 8. Shew me thy ways O Lord teach me thy paths c. 3. The Meditation 1. Laudatory vers 8. to v. 11. Good and upright is the Lord c. 2. Consolatory vers 12. to v. 6. What man is he that feareth the Lord c. 4. The Conclusion 1. Supplication vers 16. to v. 23. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me c. 2. Intercession vers 22. Redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles § 8. Now O ye devout souls that we may inlarge upon this of Davids Psalm with the inlargement of Davids spirit whilst I shall pass through the several parts in an explicatory application of the particular words and phrases let me revive and raise your sincere devotion as the Prophet did the Shunamites child 2 King 4.35 as the Prophet laid his mouth to the childs mouth his hands to the childs hands so let me lay Davids mouth to your mouth his hands to your hands that is I meâ—n make his prayers your prayers his meditations your meditations And having the same devotion with David we shall find a like acceptance with God whose ear is still open to our prayers whilst our hearts are laid open in his presence the Throne of grace being the only refuge of an humble penitence Vers 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 1. BUt O my Soul hast thou not been lift up against the Lord in thy sinful rebellion how then canst thou lift up thy self unto him in a sincere devotion True I have been long dead in sin long buried in the grave of customary iniquity yet I have heard the voice of the Son of God Joh. 5 25. in his Word in his Sacraments this a quickening a reviving voice And therefore unto him that calleth me unto him that quickeneth me unto my God unto my Jesus even unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 2. And though heretofore in the state of darkness sin and death though then I have lift up my soul against thee in pride and profaneness the high-way to hell yet now let me lift up my soul unto thee in humility and devotion the high-way to heaven Pride and profaneness they cast me from thee then which what can be lower But humility and devotion they subject me to thee then which what can be higher Thus then raise me by humbling me lay me low in my self and this shall lift me up to thee § 3. Oh how does Sin and Sathan the flesh and the world even the whole Powers of darkness how do they with violence pursue after me Psal 55.6 Oh give me then the wings of a Dove that I may flee away and be at rest Haste haste O my Soul for thy escape hie thee to the holes of the rock to the wounds of thy Jesus and for this shelter and succor for this protection and safety Oh see unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Unto thee in the fulness of thy merits unto thee in the riches of thy grace unto thee in the
to his Enemies as he requires us to be to ours It is his own Law If thou meet thine enemies Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again Exod. 23 4. Now God meets us sinners Rom. 5 8 10. and all sinners as such are his Enemies he meets us straying-like the beast without understanding and what will he not bring us again unto himself the sole proprietarie by that first right of Creation and that more firm right of Redemption § 4. Our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus blessed for ever he comes to seek those that are lost to raise those that are faln yea read his Commission Luk. 4.18 he comes to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives to recover sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised Joh. 6.27 to this to all this is he sealed of the Father and that he will do it he seals unto us in the Sacrament so that as sure as the Lord is good and upright merciful and faithful so sure it is he will not cast off the penitent he will not reject the humble but will teach even sinners in the way § 5. The way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By an excellencie above all the waies of men and of the world in respect of the Author that prescribes it Isa 40.3 it is the way of the Lord in respect of the hand that points it out it is the way of truth 2 Pet. 2 2. in respect of the passengers which read it it is the way of the just Psal 1 6. and in respect of the end to which it brings us it is the way of life Psa 16.11 but as to the proper nature and essential being of this way Rom. 16 26. this the way it is the obedience of faith the obedience of faith that Gospel-path in which we have Christ for our leader the Saints for our fellow-travellers Psa 119.105 and the Word of God for a light unto our feet and the blessed Sacrament our best Viaticum the choicest provision for our spiritual journey in this our earthly pilgrimage to the heavenly Canaan § 6. Be it so then that when now my soul would raise it self on the wing of prayer and approach the Throne of Grace in this blessed Ordinance be it so that my accusing conscience tells me I am a sinner and therefore not worthy the knowledge of God or the quicknings of his grace not worthy a communion with Christ a participation of his fulness yet to this shall my afflicted soul reply in the returns of faith God even teacheth sinners in the way so they be humble penitent sinners and from hence know I that the Lord teacheth sinners even from hence that he is good and upright Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way § 7. Further yet The meek he will guid in judgement and the meek will he teach his way the humble and meek God will enlighten and instruct to a right discerning the waies of his providence and the misteries of his truth he will not suffer them to be lead away with the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 but amidst the many secular changes and seducing heresies he gives them the Spirit of VVisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Ephes 1.17 â—8 and thus the eye of their understanding being enlightned whatsoever is the condition of their temporal being they know what is the hope of their spiritual calling even the glorious riches of an heavenly inheritance § 8. Thus then does God give grace to the humble to the humble not so properly said to the humbled for humbled we may be when prest down under the weight of punishment but humble we cannot be unless laid low in the sence of sin without this sence of sin we shall be as far from being humble as from having grace But Oh the languishings of my soul under the weight of my sin Psal 38 4. My sins are gone over my head and are become a sore burden too heavy for me to bear too heavy not onely in their punishment and wrath but even in their pollution and guilt If so yet though humbled be not dejected O my soul but rather comfort O comfort thy self in this holy Sacrament of thy Jesus through faith in the promises of his grace for that by how much the more thou art humbled for thy sin by so much the more do those promises of grace and glory belong to thee in the Gospel which are peculiarly made of God in Christ and by Christ conveyed in his Sacrament to the meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 § 9. To such to such it is Christ here calls with a venite ad me Come unto me And all those who thus come unto Christ even unto Christ in this his Ordinance they shall find rest unto their souls Matth. 11.29 to whom belongs the promise here that he will guid them in judgement and learn them his ways whereby they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God he will so judge them as to guid them in judgement so correct them as that their corrections shall draw them to him not drive them from him their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their corrections shall be their instructions they shall teach them his waies § 10. If God then teach sinners they must be such as are humbled for their sin and in their humiliation become meek and lowly in heart and well might the Apostle say of a meek spirit 1 Pet. 3.4 that it is in the sight that is in the judgement and approbation of God of great price of much value when here the whole work of sanctification is comprised in the one grace of meekness and no wonder then if so few know the waies of God when so many are inraged with passion filled with envy swoln with malice to be far from meekness is to be far from God far from holiness far from truth for it is the meek that he will guide in judgement it is the meek that he will teach his waies § 11. But further yet All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies It is the mournful complaint of the devout soul saying Since I came last to this Table of the Lord and entred anew into covenant wi h my God oh how have I broken my sacred vows by my sinful relapses Yea notwithstanding mine often sincere desires and seemingly firm resolutions yet how weak have been my holy endeavors and much more imperfect my spiritual performances To this sad complaint of mournful penitence the Word of God returns this gracious answer of divine comforts that all his paths are mercy and truth mercy goes before his face to prepare a way to make plain a path for the
awful reverence with the incense of prayer Exod. 30.6 7. to be received to mercy and obtain attonement for his sin § 16. Blessed shall this man be blessed in his imployments abroad and in his retirements at home in himself and in his issue blessed in his imployments abroad for that whereas the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10.23 when he is in a strait and knows not what to chuse the Lord shall guide him in his choyce and put upon him a good course so that whatsoever he taketh in hand it shall prosper Prosper psal 1.3 if not to his temporal advantage yet to his spiritual benefit in respect of which spiritual benefit it is that Rom. 8.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things work together for good for good to them that love and to them that fear God § 17 And as thus blessed in his imployments abroad so secondly in his retirements at home when his soul drawn abroad by worldly affairs and publick imployments shall retire home into his own breast in his reflective self-examining meditations how does it then dwell at ease within his own doors no Shrew there to bate him no accusing guilt like a hellish fury to vex and disquiet him but all is still and at rest in the quiet peace of a good conscience Yea further blessed not onely in himself but also in his Issue in his Children those pledges of love and hopes of his family whom with diligent care he instructs to the possession of the best intail the fear of the Lord not so much solicitous that as his children they may possess his temporal estate as that being Gods children they may be joynt possessors with him of the heavenly inheritance of which heavenly inheritance as Canaan was the type so are the promises of the Gospel the conveyances the Sacrament of the Eucharist the seal and the Spirit of Grace the sure earnest and pledge Vers 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant § 1. HEre we have Davids Argument to prove Gods blessing upon them that fear him and he makes use of a twofold medium The first from the operations of his grace The second from the manifestations of his love 1. The operations of his grace â—he secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 2. The manifestations of his love He will shew them his Covenant 1. Medium Davids Argument drawn from the operations of Gods grace the secret of the Lord c. the secret even that St. Peter calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hidden man of the heart The new man regenerate by the spirit of grace Which new birth is set forth unto us in Scripture by the womb and dew of the morning the birth of the regenerate Psal 110.3 like that of the morning dew it is heavenly and secret the vapor exhaled by the Sun is of an earthly substance which by a celestial operation is changed into an airy dew thus the earthly minds of natural men raised and renewed by the power of grace are converted into a spiritual frame and heavenly temper § 2. Further the birth of the dew is secret and undiscerned when it is faln we see what it is but know not how it is made thus the new man we discern when it is formed but cannot discover the point of time or manner of action when and how it is wrought As of our natural generation so much more of our spiritual regeneration Psal 139.14 We are fearfully and wonderfully made the womb is not so secret a Work-House of nature for the generation of the body as the heart is of grace for the regeneration of the soul § 3. The effectual vocation whereby we are called unto Christ it is vocatione altâ So St. Aug. by a secret and deep call which speaks to the heart of the most desperate sinner in that Is 30.21 there saith God of the Christian Convert Thou shalt hear a voyce behinde thee saying this is the way walk in it a voyce behind thee not onely to denote unto us Gods indulgent mercy that when we flâ—e and even turn our backs upon him he then calls unto us to turn unto him but a voyce behind thee to shew that the call of the Spirit is secret and undiscerned Joh. 3.8 Thus the voluntary breathings and free accesses of the Spirit unto the soul in the operations of grace as they are actively powerful so are they indisernably secret which secret operations of grace that they infallibly and inseparably accompany the fear of the Lord will appear by a short view of those Theological Vertues Faith Hope and Charity the very vital parts of the new man § 4. Observe we then how the Antients compare our Christian hope to the Shop and Store-house of blood the Liver and therefore Clemens of Alexandria calls hope very aptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of faith which carrieth the very life of Religion in it so that as hope wasteth so faith decaies and religion it self faints Now if Faith be the Heart and Hope the Liver of the new man then is Fear metaphorically the Lungs which with a gentle breath of awfulness and reverence fans and cools them both keeping Faith and Hope in an healthful temper which otherwise would soon have their heats and heights to the indangering the eternal welfare of the whole man For that too sad experience tels us how many by denying the Saints can sin and so excluding fear have been by Satan cast down headlong from the high top of presumption into the lowest pit of despair § 5. Yea how many puft up with the fancied conceit of their fellowship with Christ forget that he is their Lord 1 Joh. 1.3 and so casting off their awful fear become so far transported with the Gospels priviledges that they lay themselves open to Satans temptations especially the temptations most dangerous and destructive spiritual pride and a careless security Wheras that Rabbinical note may be well worth our Christian observation upon Gen. 31.42 where Jacob calls the Lord the God of Abraham then deceased but the fear of Isaac then surviving to shew that whilst we live we ought to fear and though we stand lest we fall for the way to be secure of mercy is to beware of security and to confirm our hope of possessing do we still nourish our fear of losing Heaven for certain it is an holy fear is well consisting with a firm hope which holy fear as well as hope of future blessedness is a good means to be blessed § 6. And as thus the fear of the Lord is accompanied with Faith and Hope so also with Love True it is St. John he tells us perfect love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casteth out fear foras ejicit 1 Joh. 4.18 casteth it out of doors but it is that fear which
the ministration of the Sacraments Now to spoil us of the treasure to rob us of the comfort of this salvation is Satans grand design in his temptations unto sin and his suggestions of distrust for by these he labors to withdraw us from our God and deprive us of communion with Christ who is our love and our life But when the bird is mounted on the wing it is safe from the Fowlers net and the soul raised in communion with Christ is preserved from Satans snare And if through infirmity the soul flag and fall to the earth and so become intangled in carnal and worldly affections yet keeping the eye fixt upon Christ looking to him in his Ordinances to rece ve the quickening power of his grace though corrupt affections may intangle Rom. 8 2. Rom. 6.14 yet shall they not inthral the soul which becomes restored by the power of Christs Spirit a Spirit of life and liberty a Spirit of Grace and holiness delivering from the power of Satan and from the dominion of sin § 2. And this this is Davids practise and experience registred here by the Holy Ghost for our pattern and comfort when to the meditation of Gods promise and the manifestations of his love he joyns this profession of faith saying Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord c. In which profession of Davids faith we have two particulars 1. It s firm affiance 2. It s comfortable assurance 1. It s firm affiance Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord. 2. It s comfortable assurance For he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 3. First The firm affiance of Davids faith Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord. Mine eyes so general and sovereign an influence hath faith into the actual exercise of the divine graces that it does supply the office of the choycest members in the spiritual man therefore is Faith the legs that support the hand that receives the arms that imbrace the pallate that tastes the eye that beholds yea it is the heart of the inward man the seat of spiritual life for so says the Apostle the just shall live by faith and again I live Rom. 1 17. Gal. 2.20 yet not I but Christ that liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God And very apt is this metaphor of faith that it is the eye of the soul whereby it discerns those things which are invisible invisible to the eye of sence and the eye of reason 2 Cor 4.18 yet made evident and visible by an enlightning power of the Spirit to the eye of faith and therefore is faith called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 a sacred evidence and divine demonstration of the truth of those things which neither sence nor reason can apprehend § 4. Many indeed there are eminent in Caldean learning and Mathematical science who in the height of their knowledge and with the eye of reason pierce the clouds discern the coelestâ—al motions of the heavenly bodies the inclining not necessitating influence of the Stars and Constellations yet how far short is all this of that Philo calls fides oculata an illuminated Faith the eye of the sanctified soul whereby it pierceth within the vail Heb. 6 19. looks into the holy of holies the most sacred and secret mysteries of grace and glory This is that Eagles eye which can receive the Rays of the Sun of righteousness being ever towards the Lord in the sweetness of his love and the riches of his fulness By this piercing eye of faith it is that Abraham through a bleeding sword and a sacrificed son does see a posterity numerous as the stars in heaven by this piercing eye of faith it is that Israel through a red Sea and a barren Wilderness does see a land of promise a Canaan of rest By this piercing eye of faith it is that David through a despised Crown and a broken Scepter does see a glorious Throne and famous Government yea by this peircing eye of faith it is that Jerusalem a type of the Church through a night of distress and a grave of capcaptivity does see a resurrection of peace and a full Noon of glory § 5. An enlightned faith is not discouraged with difficulties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Cyp. nor dampt with dangers knowing well that God oftentimes so orders the administrations of his Providence as that he works his own ends even by contrary means So that man is at a stand to determine whether is greater the wonder or the mercy of his Churches deliverance Now where lies the strength of faith why know not in the habit but in the object even in the Lord the creatures the Word the Sacraments they are good mediums but no full objects we must look thorow them as thorow a glass by which we behold God and Christ as the full and final object whereon to fix the the eye of faith and wherewith to terminate the sight of the soul § 6. Yea the blessings of providence and the graces of the spirit they are but the streams the Lord the Lord he is the fountain so that when all outward hopes fail and all inward comforts faint when there is a perfect vacuum in the creatures a seeming emptiness in the Ordinances even then the poor soul and afflicted Saint doth find rest and comfort in the Lord. Psal 116.7 In him faith sees an Almighty power and an omniscient wisdom an infinite grace and an all-sufficient merit yea an all-compassionating mercy So that were there indeed no life in the Ordinances no comfort in the Promises yet would faith by Christs assistance fetch both life and comfort from this fountain of the Lords fulness § 7. Who art thou then O thou afflicted soul who in thy spiritual desertions walkest in darkness clouded with sorrows Oh in thy greatest dejections lift up thine eyes unto the Lord Psal 123.1 that when the rising Sun appears thou mayst see his refreshing light and however now by reason of thy present anguish thou canst not serve God in alacrity of performance yet do it in sincerity of obedience and this this will be a cranny to convey some beams of light even in the lowest dungeon of thy spiritual distress Wait upon the Lord having thy eye of faith still towards him Psal 27.14 and so shall comforts be redoubled in a life recovered and thy difficulties of obtaining shall the more sweeten thy delights of injoying even of injoying God and Christ in the refreshing comforts of the Spirit conveyed and confirmed in his blessed Sacrament In which blessed Sacrament especially let thine eyes be still towards the Lord in his merits in his grace in his benefits in his love let him have thy fixed heart and thine intent eye yea let him have thy whole man for to this end it is that he here gives thee his whole self § 8. And Oh the sweet converses of the devout
wages of iniquity 2 Pet. 2.15 to curse Israel he tempts Judas with horrid treason to betray his Master Luk. 22.2 3. he tempts Annanias Act. 5.3 4. with cursed sacriledge to alineate to his own use what he had dedicated to Gods service Thus also when he sees the heart set upon ambition Numb 16.1 he tempts Corah with desperate rebellion he tempts Absolon with unnatural treason 2 Sam. 15.10 he tempts Arrius with blasphemous Heresie he tempts Julian with horrid Apostacy § 16. But now on the contrary as an Arrow shot against a Rock may be broken but cannot enter thus temptation to the soul it shall be repell'd where no lust is within to give admittance Wherefore though Satan tempt our Saviour yet are the darts of his temptations shot in vain He finds nothing in him Joh. 14.30 nothing in Christ of carnal or earthly affection whereon his temptation might fasten it self In us then it is the treacherous correspondencie of the flesh with Satan and the World which betrays our souls to their assaults So that to fortifie the soul against their sinful temptations the surest means is to mortifie the flesh in its corrupt affections Rom. 8.13 § 17. Now when the solemnity of the holy Eucharist is celebrated Job 1.6 it is a day when the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord and we may be sure Satan will also come among them not only to accuse every unworthy Receiver but even to tempt the worthiest that receives tempt him with wandring and worldly thoughts with flat and dull affections yea it may be with spiritual pride with formal hypocrisie or impure imaginations Wherefore it will be a second Case seasonably proposed How we may best attend this sacred solemnity that we be not entangled in Satans net Answer By having our eyes ever towards the Lord our souls fixt and intent upon Christ in the sufferings of his Passion the power of his Resurrection the glory of his Ascension and the benefit of his Intercession And this with the enlargements of contrition of faith of love of prayer and of praises § 18. This a fit exercise for the whole solemnity of Administring but especially in the very act of receiving when the Minister comes towards thee O thou devoted soul with the Sacramental pledges of Christs body and blood raise thy self in this or the like ejaculation of fervent prayer O my Jesus thou boundless mercy and glorious purity by thy Spirit pierce into every faculty of my soul cleanse out every corner of my heart and so sanctifie and enlarge me that I may become a fit temple an holy habitation for thee the Lord of life and Prince of glory This done when the sacred bread is administred to thee with a Take eat the body of our Lord Jesus Christ then in thy silent meditations by a commemoration of faith behold Christ in the garden Luk. 22.44 and see him in his anguish of soul and agony of blood prest under the weight of mans sin and Gods wrath This being over behold him betrayed by Judas apprehended by the Jews and dragged away to the High-Priests palace where Mat. 26 67. in thy commemorations of faith behold him spit upon blindfolded and buffeted and after that hurried away to Pilate's Judgment-hall where being falsely accused see him unjustly condemned and after he is scourged with whips Mat. 27.2.11 crown'd with thorns and sceptred with a reed mock'd and despightfully used behold him in thy meditations bearing his cross till he faints under it § 19. At last coming to Mount Calvary see his limbs stretcht and violently distorted his hands and feet digg'd and bor'd and at length his precious body nail'd to his Cross where fix thy meditations of faith in an exercise of contrition and love that as S. Paul thou mayest become crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 and with good Ignatius in a Pathos of devotion cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh my love and therein my life my joy my Jesus he is crucified And in this melting extasie of contrition and love continue till the Cup be presented thee with a Drink this the blood of our Lord Lord Jesus Christ which thou receiving as from Christ in an awful and devout reverence in a renewed contrition of heart and devotion of love renew thy meditations of faith and in them whilst thou beholdest thy Saviour hanging upon his Cross seeing thou canst not conceive his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his unknown sufferings as the Greek Church calls them seeing thou canst not conceive the Sea of sorrows which overwhelmed his soul see oh see those Rivers of blood which overflowed his body And life flowing out with the blood see him seal a Consummatum est to his Passion and our Redemption with a giving up the ghost § 20. And here say within thy self Who is it in a challenge to the Law and Sin and Satan who is it that condemns seeing it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 my Surety my Saviour who thus offers up himself a sacrifice for my sins And therefore presenting thy self in the presence of thy God and his holy Angels raise thy soul in this apprehension of faith That whatsoever is the guilt of Sin the accusation of Satan or the curse of the Law all is taken away cancelled and abolish'd by the merit of Christs passion And therefore in thy meditation of holy faith send forth this ejaculation of fervent prayer Look down oh look down heavenly Father from thy celestial sanctuary and behold the sacred Hoast the death the passion of my crucified Saviour whose blood of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel's even things of grace and mercy of pardon and peace Eph. 4 8. Col. 2.15 § 21. And here from the Passion of thy Saviour proceed in thy meditations of faith to his Ressurection and behold him leading Captivity captive triumphing gloriously over sin and Satan death and hell From his Resurrection follow him to his Ascension and raised by faith Heb. 7.25 behold him at the right hand of the Father in glory where He ever lives to make intercession for us And therefore presenting thy self before the Throne of grace powre out thy soul in prayer in the mediation of Christ Jesus that God would make good to thee the institution of this holy Sacrament as the seal of his Covenant of grace giving thee a communion with the Lord Jesus in all his benefits that so the pardon of thy sins being sealed a supply of grace exhibited and the earnest of glory confirmed thy whole man may be further sanctified and eternally blessed And now let the close of all be lauds and praises even Halleluiah salvation be unto our God and unto the Lamb for ever Rev. 7.10 Vers 16 17. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of
me Isa 49.14 he hath withdrawn himself in the comforts of his Spirit from me so that I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged For thy comfort and direction 1. ◠Know Comfort is not of the necessary being but of the happy well-being of the Saints it is rather a partial reward then a particular grace an earnest of glorification rather then a part of sanctification It is the light not the heat of the Sun that makes the day and it is the grace not the comfort of the Spirit that makes a Saint 2. For thy direction 1. Be zealous to find out the Achan to discover the cursed thing if any there be which hath caused or occasioned this desertion and having found it be humbled in repentance for commonly Spiritual comforts take their first rise from Penitential sorrow § 24. 2. After humiliation enquire of God in the means of grace press near to him in his ordinances especially this of the blessed Eucharist And in this holy Sacrament hear Christs Venite ad me his Come unto me Mat. 11.28 extending it self to the hungry that they come and be satisfied to the thirsty that they come and be refreshed to the weary that they come and be eased to the weak that they come and be strengthened to the sick that they come and be healed to the fainting that they come and be revived to them that are fallen that they come and be restored yea to all that have faith and repentance that they come and be saved Here the treasury of heaven here the fountain of life here the storehouse of comforts are all set wide open Here O ye afflicted souls here you are at the right door knock and knock hard be not answered without admittance God loves an holy importunity and know the Lord is here Christ is here life is here salvation is here here dwells everlasting mercy here dwells eternal peace Oh look in look in with all reverence and faith into these sacred mysteries of grace and love and see see there the delights of Paradise and rivers of joy feeding them Oh how the Angels sing whilst devout souls exult at this blessed Feast of the Lord of life and Prince of peace § 25. 3. To preserve the comforts of the Spirit when received of God in Christ be faithful in the exercise of grace For God imprints his love upon the heart in the characters of grace which the more large the better read yea Grace is Gods seal and the more visible the stamp the more evident the assurance the more evident is our assurance the more full will be our comforts Further know the wayes of holiness are as beds of spices Cant. 4.16 the more we walk in them the more they requite the soul with their sweet delight and spiritual refreshments Thus must mans obedience be conformable to his devotion his conversation to his supplication not doing that which may drive God from him in justice whilst he would have God turn to him in mercy Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me c. Vers 18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins § 1. AFfliction is the proper object of compassion misery the proper object of mercy And therefore we read how Pilate willing to release Jesus he brings him forth having his back furrowed with the whips his head harrowed with the thorns and his derisive purple stained yea drencht with blood and presents him thus ghastly a spectacle to the Jews with an Ecce homo Joh. 19.5 behold the man supposing so sad a sight would have moved malice to mercy and envy it self to compassion Now what Pilate did to the Jews with Christ Christ in a fit resemblance and apt allusion does with the Penitent to his Father he brings him forth in the Court of Conscience having his heart wounded with sorrow his spirit broken in contrition and his soul fainting in languishments of repentance and presents him so sad a spectacle to the Father with an Ecce homo Behold the man § 2. Behold the man once so lofty in his pride now so lowly in his penitence once so hardened in his rebellion now so humbled in his contrition once so obstinate a sinner now so pittiful a penitent And oh whilst this man of sorrows mourns in affliction how does the Father of mercies melt in compassion When the wounded sinner is presented by the wounded Son and the Penitents tears cry aloud with the Mediators blood how must the Fathers compassion needs melt into sins remission Of which sacred truth and heavenly comfort was David well assured when in this his Psalm of penitence he makes this prayer of faith Vide afflictionem Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins § 3. Observe we in these words two particulars 1. The proper object of Divine mercy 2. The firm ground of the Souls peace 1. The proper object of Divine mercy it is affliction and pain Look upon my affliction and my pain 2. The firm ground of the Souls peace it is sins forgiveness Forgive me all my sins § 4. 1. The proper object of Divine mercy Look upon mine affliction and my pain This affliction and pain is either that of the penitent Sinner or that of the devout Saint That of the penitent Sinner who having withdrawn himself from the world and retired into the secret closet of his Conscience Isa 38. how does he with Hezekiah even Recogitare annos in amaritudine animae Overturn the Annals of his life in the bitterness of his soul And after a strict survey having faithfully observed the sins which he hath committed and the several circumstances by which they are aggravated he then sums them up into a Catalogue which is no sooner in his eye but sorrow is in his heart endeavoring to blot out those letters of guilt with his tears of repentance through faith in the blood of Christ § 5. And whilst he sets his sins in order before him Oh how does a secret affrightment chill his blood and make his heart to tremble in the apprehension of their loathsome filth and dreadful curse yea he beholding himself under the heavy sentence of the laws condemnation Oh how how is he wholly encompassed with terror and amazement When he looks within him Oh the terrors of an accusing conscience and a killing guilt When he looks without him Oh the horror of a deserved death and a tormenting Hell When he looks above him Oh the dread the dread of an offended Majesty and an avenging Judge Oh whither whither then shall this poor penitent fly for succour Where oh where shall his affrighted and afflicted soul seek for shelter Where but at the cross of his Redeemer § 6. And when Christ so full of pitty so full of love when he beholds the humble suppliant and sincere penitent in the lowest depth of his humiliations pouring out his complaint at the foot of his
befoâ—e the Divine Tribunal where in the presence of thy God and of his holy Angels do thou delâ—re thy loathing and abhorring of those suggestios together with a disclaiming and renouncing all allowance or willing admittance of them returning them upon Satan as the effects of his malice and fury if hereafter they return upon thy soul in their affrights and terrors 3. Close thy solemn service with this sincere devotion earnestly beseeching God to rebuke Satan and restrain his rage Zech 3.1 and to vouchsafe thy languishing soul his quickening sustaining and restoring Grace and together with this make a total resignation of thy self into the hands of thy Jesus Heb. 13.20 Isa 40.11 1 Pet. 5.8 the great Shepherd of the Flock that he may keep thee as a tender Lamb safe from the paw and teeth of the roaring Lion And here that I may not only point thee thy way but also lead thee by the hand see a Pattern for thy practice a prescrib'd form which thou mayst either use or imitate use in its own words and order of expression or imitate in the like matter and method of devotion O most glorious and most gracious Lord God! who art the Searcher of Hearts the Lover of Souls and the Preserver of Men. Before thee holy Lord before thee so sacred a Majesty I here present my self a polluted oh do thou make me a penitent sinner Polluted I am and loathsom in the filth of mine own corruptions and oh how much more vile and abominable am I through the guilt of that sin which is come upon my soul through Satans suggestions Suggestions so horrid and dreadful that I abhor to set them in mine own sight much more to declare them in thy presence I confess O holy Lord and glorious God! I confess with shame and confusion of face that mine own sin hath betrayed me to Satans buffetings and his suggestions have increased the guilt and horror of my sin Oh my pride and presumption oh my carelesness and curiosity oh my slothfulness and disobedience oh the folly and wickedness of my heart which hath provoked thy wrath and given advantage unto Satan against my soul And oh the murmurings and rep nings oh the diffidence and distrust oh the neglect of thy worship and profaning thy glory oh the deadness and hardness of heart oh the many and great evils of pollution and guilt caused and occasion'd by my foul thoughts all further provoking thy divine wrath and more deeply wounding mine afflicted spirit Woe is me wretched sinner whither oh whither shall I flie for succor unless thou Lord wilt pitty my poor soul must needs perish and oh oh my God! perish from thy presence thy gracious thy glorious presence for ever Wherefore see O thou great and glorious O thou just and righteous Judge Oh see I here prostrate my self at the Bar of thy Justice and lay my mouth in the dust noâ— knowing what to answer thee Oh! oh now that Satan doth accuse me my Conscience witness against me and thy Law condemn me who oh who shall plead for me Oh! wilt not thou blessed Jesus my Surety my Saviour wilt not thou undertake my Cause who art mine Advocate Wilt not thou procure my Pardon who art my Mediator Wilt not thou make mine Attonement who art the High Priest of my salvation O blessed Jesus be now my Jesus and seeing thou art able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by thee oh save me lost creature undone soul without thy merit and thy mediation lost and undone eternally Oh save me unto the utmost of what my Conscience can accuse or Satans malice aggravate And now O holy Lord God! whilst thou beholdest thy wounded Son pitty oh pitty me wretched sinner See him accused by men to free me from the accusations of Satan see him unjustly condemn'd to free me from the just sentence of condemnation see him suffering death to free me from the judgment of eternal death Oh see Lord his pierced side as the Fountain opened and his streams of blood flowing forth unto his Church to wash in from sin and from uncleanness Oh here bathe my polluted soul wash and wash me thorowly that not the least filth of mine own corruptions or Satans suggestions may now cleave unto me or herâ—after appear in Judgment against me Behold in Jesus Christ my Surety my debt is paid thy justice satisfied Oh blot out then the hand-writing of Ordinances that is against me (i.) The sentence of death in the curse of the Law upon sin discharge Satan and in the presence of thine holy Angels pass sentence of Absolution upon me in the free and full pardon of all my sins And oh of a dreadful Judge be thou now Lord a gracious and reconciled Father behold me justified through the blood of thy Son and the righteousness of my Jesus and as thou makest me partaker of the merit of Christs passion to my justification so make me partaker also of the power of his resurrection even to obtain victory and to triumph over sin and Satan and all those powers of darkness which shall rise up to rob me of the riches of thy grace and to deprive me of my right and title to the inheritance of thy Saints in light Now holy Lord and gracious God! as Satan hath accused me so let me cite him before thy sacred Tribunal And here prostrate at the footstool of thy Majesty looking up unto thee in the mediation of Jesus Christ who is at thy right hand and ever lives to make intercession for me even thus Lord I here declare in thy presence and in the presence of thy holy Angels that I utterly renounce all communion with Satan in his sinful suggestions and therefore do humbly implore thy gracious goodness that whensoever Satan shall renew his suggestions they may be return'd upon himself in his malice not fasten upon my soul or be laid to my charge in their guilt And whatsoever shall be Satans rage do thou Lord Jesus rebuke him and keep me by thine almighty power through faith to salvation making thy strength to appear in my weakness thy grace and mercy in mine unworthiness And as thou art pleas'd O Lord God to quench all the fiery darts of Satan so stir up thy graces in me and enflame my soul with an enlarged fervor of holy devotion So sanctifie me throughout with thy Spâ—rit that my desires may be gracious my thoughts heavenly my life religious my serviâ—es sincere and all my duties of thy Woâ—ship acceptable in thy sight And now having renounced all communion with Satan in his suggestions I here make mine humble resignation in thy presence that so I may be safe under the shadow of thy wing and preserved unblameable unto the day of the Lord Jesus O Lord God! Into thy hands I commit my body soul and spirit my thoughts words and works all that I am all that I have desiring wholly to be thine O my
have no more Sacrifice for sin because Christ being denied none other Messias was to he expected and as for the Sacrifices of the Law they were now no more available to take away sin they being ended and fulfilled in Christ So then there is no more sacrifise for sin to wilful Apostates but there is still a sacrifice for sin to humble Penitents The merit of Christs passion shall nothing avail him that renounces his Christianity but it shall much avail yea effectually save him who bewails his iniquity Obj. 3 3. Obj. Against the renewing of Repentance And this Objection is raised from that of the Apostle Heb. 6.4 c. where he saith that it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they fall away to renew them again unto repentance From hence the relapsed Saint in his deep distress of Conscience frames this objection Seeing I have been once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have been partaker of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come and now having fallen away from my God by my multiplied iniquities it is impossible that I should be renewed again unto repentance Answ Answ This place as that other before mentioned is not to be understood of falling but of falling away not of the Children of God falling through sins of humane infirmity but of the Professors of Christ falling away through the sin of wilful Apostacie Of which sin many in the primitive times became guilty either through fear or through covetousness renouncing the faith of Christ and returning again to Judaism or Heathenish idolatry and of such it is that the Apostle here speaks when he tells us that they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh v. 6. and put him to an open shame For they that fell away to Judaism did as much dishonor injure and abuse Christ as if with the Jews they had actually spit upon him buffeted him and crucified him And for such to renew them again to repentance it is impossible Impossible non physicè sed moraliter as the School speaks Impossible according to the ordinary course of the Church according to the common and usual way of salvation otherwise our Saviour tells us in the like case With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible True it is Mat. 19 26. Novatus and his followers from this Heb. 6.4 and that Heb. 10.26 did deny repentance and admission into the Church not only to those who fell away from the faith but also who fell into any scandalous sin but for this were they justly condemned by the Church of God for Heresie So that this place of the Apostle is to be interpreted as meant of such professors of Christ who fall away from the faith by wilful Apostacie as did Judas and Julian Not of such servants of God who fall into sin through some prevailing temptation as did David and Peter 4. Obj. Against a partaking of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist Obj. 4 Alas how shall I so unworthy a person be a worthy partaker of that holy Sacrament And to receive unworthily 1 Cor. 11.27.29 is to increase the horror of my guilt not regain the favor of my God I believe indeed but alas it is but faintly I repent but it is but weakly And what shall I then so vile a sinner attend so dreadful a solemnity Answ O thou dejected yet penitent soul Answ who art dismaied in thy self having weakened the power of grace by thy relapses into sin oh let not the weight of sin or the weakness of grace so thy repentance be faithful and thy faith sincere let not either deter or detain thee discourage or withhold thee from this blessed Ordinance but attend unto our Saviours call and come at his gracious invitation Hearken and hear Come unto me Mat. 11.28 all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Even because weary come and be refreshed even because burdened come and be eased because weak come and be strengthened because poor come and be enriched because sick come and be healed because wounded come and be cured because sad come and be comforted because dull come and be quickened because relapsed come and be restor'd Come to this spiritual feast with thy wedding-garment Mat. 22.12 Gen. 27.15 the pure robe of Christs righteousness put on by faith and thus clothed with the sweet smelling raiment of our elder Brother thou shalt obtain a multiplied blessing from our heavenly Father even a blessing of righteousness of peace a blessing of mercy and of love of grace and of strength of comfort and of joy Râ—m 86. the testimony of the Spirit setting on the seal of the Sacrament for the recovering and continuing the renewing and confirming the assurance of Gods love in a communion with Christ in his fulness It remains then O thou afflicted soul that thou fix upon the immutability of Gods love and the stability of his Covenant together with the merit of Christs passion and the benefit of his intercession these the sure Grounds of Comfort Again do thou raise thy faith renew thy repentance and apply thy self to a worâ—hy partaking of the blessed Eucharist these the faithful Rules of Direction All which the God of mercy and compassion bless unto thy soul and make effectual to thy salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. IV. The Souls Conflict from the daily Assaults of Sin WHich Conflict that it is truly spiritual and sincere will appear by these signs Rom. 7.21 22 24. 1. The sanctified person acts against the power whilst he groans under the weight of his sin Ps 51 2.7.10 He hates its pollution as well as dreads its guilt He abhors its filth as well as fears its punishment 2. The Saint of God in his spiritual conflict he is both earnest to discover his corruptions and zealous to subdue them 1 Cor. 9.27 whereas the Natural man seeks out his corruptions as the Coward does his enemy unwilling to find him and afraid to fight him 3. Whereas the Natural man like a Neuter in a State is offended with the tumult and uprore that disquiets him the Spiritual man like a loyal Subject is incensed against the Rebel-Lusts that raise this tumult Ps 18.23 and cause this disquiet 4. His heart does as suddenly startle at the motions of sin as the Lamb does at the presence of the Wolf and this from that great contrariety and secret antipathy which is betwixt sin and grace the flesh and spirit an antipathy as great as that betwixt light and darkness Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6.14.15 heaven and hell Lastly above all the evils sin brings upon the soul this that
with Gods displeasure Thus how often is it that God prepares man to become some excellent structure even when he seems to be turning him into a ruinous heap As men intending to repair seem to demolish the building they take away some beams but it is to put in stronger they stop up some lights but it is to make larger Thus is it with the faithful who are Gods building 1 Cor. 3 9. He removes their props of sense to fix the pillars of faith He darkens the light of their spiritual joys but it is to enlarge their fuller comforts The Rules of Direction 1. Search what root of bitterness it is that hath taken away the taste of all heavenly sweetness what guilt of sin that hath depriv'd thee of the comforts of the Spirit Enter the Court of thy Conscience where God hath set up his tribunal and hear what charge is there laid against thee Is it not some stubbornness of spirit some unrepented disobedience which God chastiseth with those rebukes of conscience and terrors of soul For commonly God deals with his backsliding Saints as a King with his rebellious Subjects when neither the proffers of grace nor the promises of pardon when neither the edicts of command nor the threatenings of wrath when neither gracious counsel nor a bearing patience can prevail then does God arm himself to the battel letting flie the arrows of his indignation into their soul Job 6.4 as Job complains The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselvs in array against me This is certain upon all known experience that disobedience and impenitence they are the bitter springs of much spiritual distress And truly God need not go far for a rod to chastise our disobedience if he withdraw his comforting Spirit we shall soon find and feel our own will become an afflicting Spirit our own dreadful thoughts will be our sorest scourges 2. Is it not some spiritual lethargy of remisness and sloth that hath seised thine inward man If so no wonder if the Physitian of thy soul prescribe thee so sharp a medicine administer thee so strong a potion all being little enough to rouse thy drowsie spirits and quicken thy dead heart Holy performances whether in the Closet or in the Church they are not only debts we pay to Gods justice but also oblations we owe to Gods mercy Ps â—1 18 19. and therefore either wholly to omit them or slightly to slubber them over is not only unfaithfulness but also unthankfulness both the majesty and the mercy of God being despised and where his majesty and mercy is despised no wonder if his favor and presence be withheld 3. Is it not the want of reverence and godly fear And therefore by the rebukes of his Spirit God severely tutors thee to what he requires of thee to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb 12.23 Heb. â— 16 God likes well that we come with boldness to the throne of grace yet a boldness of humble confidence not of a careless irreverence The awe of Majesty is much preserv'd by avoiding too much familiarity and therefore some Monarchs have withdrawn themselves from vulgar eyes to keep up the more sacred esteem and awe of their Soveraignty Thus God he deals with his Saints when much indulg'd they become wanton proud and irreverent God intermixeth Majesty with Mercy and tempers their favours with frowns he withholds his comfortable presence and awes their souls with secret rebukes that they may learn to put in practice what the Church gives in pattern even to walk in the fear of the Lord Act. 9 31. Phil. 2.12 and comfort of the Holy Ghost yea work out their salvation with fear and trembling This is indeed a sure Maxim that he who bears his spiritual afflictions with a distrustful impatience it is more then probable that he stains his devout enlargements with spiritual pride and pride and irreverence go together 4. Is it not thy heart playing false with thy God leaning in its affections too much to the world For that then God usually comes with bitterness to wean the soul when we are upon making the world our Home which should be our Inne when we are upon taking our rest in these earthly things then God brings on an evil day of temptation and trial upon us to discover how vain Earth is when Heaven is clouded how insufficient to sanctifie which cannot comfort When the soul will prove disloyal Jâ—m 4.4 and enter an adulterous league with the World then comes God with his Bill of Divorce that she may know what is the vanity and folly the guilt and curse of her falling off to such wretched beggerly and worthless lovers for that in a day of terrors the soul will know that there is none but Christ none but he that can bring comfort peace and safety Thus then search whether it be not some stubbornness and disobedience some lethargie of sloth some wantonness irreverence or spiritual pride some love of the world Search whether they are not these or some other enormous iniquities which have separated betwixt thee and thy God Isa 59.2 whether they are not these or some such hainous sins which have hid his face from thee and if so no wonder if he who does the works of the Devil find an Hell in his Conscience And to still the clamor and quench the flashes of this Hell observe the second Rule of Direction which follows 2. Confess and bewail thy sin in the deepest of humiliations The reason indeed oftentimes why God puts the soul to the rack it is because it will not confess it is so loth to leave that it is unwilling to acknowledg its sin But as there is no full discovery of sin without examination Prov. 28.13 so nor is there any full pardon of sin without confession Wherefore set thy sins in order before thee and if thy Conscience pleads guilty to none other impiety yet thine ignorance diffidence passion and impatience in thy trial of spiritual afflictions do bring guilt enough for the deepest of humiliations Job 40.4 Thus it was with Job he confesseth unto God saying I am vile what shall I answer I will lay my hand upon my mouth And humbly submitting to the justice of Gods plea Job 42.36 and the reproof of his conviction in the sense of his impatience and pride he abhors himself and repents in dust and ashes And after God gives testimony of his love in accepting a sacrifice from his hands Thus then having set thy sins in order before thee let their guilt affect thine heart with sorrow that sorrow affect thine eyes with tears and then in the anguish of thy soul do thou crouch and crawl to the Throne of Grace solliciting earnestly with strong cries the mercies of thy God through the merits of thy Saviour for the pardon of thy sin the peace
this blessed Sacrament § 7. In the close observe the strange yet strong argument of faith and repentance Pardon mine iniquity for it is great what does the humble penitent pray and plead for pardon from the heinousness of the offence and the multitude of the sins yea and an inforcing plea it is too when uttered from a broken heart and contrite spirit for that then even then is God most affected with mercy when he sees man most afflicted with misery This cry then of the humble penitent unto God pardon my iniquity for it is great is like that of the languishing patient unto the Phisitian help me for I am dangerously sick this we are sure the greater the sense of sin the greater the sincerity of repentance where then there is true penitence it will be a good argument to pray as David here does For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Vers 12 13 What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth § 1. OH the water-floods of ungodliness which over-flow the world as another deluge in a general apostacy from truth and righteousness yet who is it that fears drowning who is it that in sense of sin and remorse of soul fears humbly and contritely fears the just wrath and vengeance of God Many there are in deed who plead for Reformation and pretend the fear of the Lord but what do they but cast out Devils by Beelzebub cast out prodigality by covetousness superstition by prophaneness Popery by Atheism and the like Yea as the Psalmist speaks whilst the vilest of men are exalted exalted to Moses Chair and Aarons Altar needs must it follow that the wicked walk on every side Psal 12.8 ambulant in circuitu as the vulgar Translation reads it they walk about in a circle pursuing their worldly interest they tread a large circumference of sins of which Hell it self is the Center § 2. See their character from the pen of an Apostle Rom. 3.13 Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceipt the poison of Asps is under their lips And what is the true orginal as well as the high aggravation of all this wickedness what but that vers 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes So that in wonder at the rarity of a person truely religious we may well say Quis ille vir What man is he that feareth the Lord But it is not onely the rarity but more especially the excellency of the truly religious that David here in devout meditations so much admires § 3. He had said vers 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies and now reflecting upon himself he seems to make this the meaning of his here registred meditation Oh how does my conscience accuse me and my sin testifie against me that mine iniquity is great so that though all the waies of God be mercy and truth Vers 10. yet seeing it is to them that keep his covenant and his testimonies I cannot find comfort in his promises whilst I continue in my sins I cannot joy in his mercy whilst I languish in my guilt but as for him who hath God always before his face to over-aw his soul from trangressing his commands Psal 4 4. thereby injoying him in his love and the light of his countenance thereby preserving intire his claim to the promises of grace and life his hope of glory and blessedness Oh the excellencie and greatness Oh the beauty and loveliness Oh the bliss and happiness of such a soul of such a Saint O quis ille vir what a man is he he who thus feareth the Lord § 4. Whilst others fear those who kill the body the truly religious fears him who can kill both body and soul Mat. 10.28 and kill not only as wicked oppressors per modum potentiae by way of power but as a righteous Judge per modum justitiae by way of justice Many there are obstinately wicked who yet fear when they have offended struck with the horror of their guilt but it is the devoutly religious who fear to offend struck with the hatred of the sin It is one thing to fear because we have sinned another thing not to sin because we fear The former is oftentimes from the earth earthly the latter is alwaies from heaven heavenly the former does arise oft-times from the love of our selves the latter only from the love of God Cant 5.5 § 5. Fear is the Spouses myrrh which when it is lest we offend like the myrrh flowing of its own inclination it is much the better but when it is because we have offended like the myrrh of the second flowing which comes not without incision some smart and anguish upon the soul the former is the preservative the latter is the plaister the former prevents the malady the latter helps to the cure Of both we may say by way of excellencie though of the former in the greater excellencie What man is he that thus feareth the Lord Feareth for what why not so much for his judgments as his mercies To fear him for his judgments that is servile to fear him for his mercies that is true filial fear When his Judgments of wrath are upon us Isa 26.9 Psal 90.11 who is it that will not fear It was of old Thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure But now the tables are turn'd and it is the direct contrary Thereafter as is thy displeasure so is mans fear § 6. Gods judgments and mans fear unless it be with those desperately wicked who are even fearless of Gods judgments they keep pace If he severely inflict his wrath then a seemingly devout fear is upon us but if he take off his rod we presently cast off our fear whereas the devout and truly pious soul will say as the Psalmist does Psal 130.4 There is mercy wâ—th thee O Lord therefore shalt thou be feared Indeed to the Godly all the ways of God are mercy so that we cannot tread the path of holiness but we must set foot in the way of mercy especially when we come to Gods house and approach the Lords table there there the Lord receives us into Covenant confirming to us his grace both the grace of Justification in the remission of sins and the grace of Sanctification by the spirit of holiness yea here he communicates the fulness of his benefits the riches of his blessings the sweetness of his love here he strengthens us in spiritual life and gives us the pledge of eternal glory And who is it that will not fear lest by unworthiness he deprive himself of all this mercy or by unthankfulness sin against all this love § 7. What man is he then that feareth the Lord that feareth to be absent
Jam. 1.17 And it is not any thing that can add to its immutability for as to infinity in respect of extension so to immutability in respect of firmness there can be no accession of parts nor addition of degrees § 14. Wherefore as mans oath adds not to the truth of his word so nor Gods oath to the certainty of his promise So that meerly to shew unto the faithful Heb. 6.17 the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel he confirmed it by an oath which was for the greater testimony of his love in the stronger assurance of our faith being fixt upon the firm stability of his promise from which stability of pâ—omise we draw an infallible argument to prove the blessing of God upon them that fear him He will shew them his covenant Who is it now that feareth the Lord and in that fear approacheth a communion with Christ in his ordinance his holy Sacrament that God may now acquaint him with his Covenant in the manifestations of his love let him first see to this that he be acquainted with his secret in the operations of his grace § 15. And here that we rest not on moral principles or on a formal sanctity do we examine the operations of grace in a real holiness such as meer morality cannot reach nor formal hypocrisie counterfeit See we then what is the secret of the Lord with them that fear him in the operations of grace 1. In respect of their contritions and humiliations 2. In respect of their hungrings and thirstings after righteousness 3. In respect of their holy purposes and godly resolutions 4. In respect of their earnest prayers and fervent supplications 5. In respect of their humble assurance of Gods love and acceptance through Christ § 16. 1. Their contritions and humiliations in which their sight and sense of sin is not only in respect of the general corruption of their nature but also the particular and more enormous transgressions of their life yea they view sin not so much in its horror of guilt Psal 14.3 Col. 1 21. Eph. 2 12. Isa 59.2 as in its pollution of filth not so much as exposing to wrath and hell as setting at enmity with God and estranging the soul from Christ And thus doth Christs grace work upon their hearts with the Laws threatnings tempered with the Gospels promises thereby bruising and breaking them in contritions of soul mollifying and melting them in languishings of spirit Oh this the secret of the Lord these the operations of grace in Contritions and Humiliations § 17. 2. In hungrings and thirstings after righteousness which arise in the soul from faith in the promises of Christ those of Justification by his Blood and those of Sanctification by his Spirit yea that knowledg of God and of Christ which they had formerly being speculative now becomes practical and they find those Scriptures true in experience and trial which before they viewed only in fancy and notion Psal 27.4 So that nothing appears more beautiful to their souâ—s then the worship and service of their God nothing more joyous then communion with Christ and fellowship with his Saints And therefore do they breath forth their longings after righteousness with holy David Oh that our ways were made so direct Psal 119 5. that we might keep thy statutes And as they have no comfort in their souls till God speaks peace unto their consciences so nor have they quiet in their consciences till God give further grace unto their souls that grace of sanctification whereby they may perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 § 18. 3. Holy purposes and godly resolutions which resolutions of their souls are conformable to the admonition of the Apostle Act. 11.23 even with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And whereas the purposes of the Hypocrite they are ab extra from without from Gods judgments or mans perswasions their holy purposes they are ab infra from within from the sense of Gods mercy and Christs love which does so powerfully affâ—ct their souls that they are with David at a Juravi I have sworne Ps 119.166 and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments They make it their solemn vow and sincere resolution to observe the Law of their God and the precepts of their Redeemer And according to the sincerity of their holy resolutions so do they order the integrity of their holy obedience even in an universal and impartial respect to all Gods commandments not allowing not approving yea Ps 119.6 not excusing or indulging themselves in the commission of the least evil of which their conscience is convinc'd that it is a sin against their just and holy God their good and gracious Father § 19. 4. Earnest prayers and fervent supplications How many oh how many are the deep sighs how many the mournful groans how many the secret wishes how many the pantings and longings which they feel in their souls as so many ebullitions of grace so many breathings of the Spirit And all these oft-times before they can in affiance of faith gain wing in prayer to present and enlarge themselves in supplications before the Throne of grace In which supplications they are not more earnest and importunate for justification then they are for sanctification for remission of sins then for newness of life yea they sue with as much fervency and importunity for holiness as for happiness for grace as for glory § 20. 5. Their humble assurance of Gods love and acceptance through Christ And for this know that the Spirit of supplication which gives them words to put up their prayer unto God through Christ the same Spirit doth often bring back word unto their souls that their prayer so put up is accepted whereby with David they taste and see that is Ps 34 8. experimentally find and feel that the Lord is God receiving even whilst they are praying an answer of their prayers returned into their bosom by a secret contentation of soul wrought by a sweet illapse of the Spirit And thus their souls become even transported with a divine joy and heavenly delight the spiritual communion they obtain with God through Christ in humble prayer being an earnest of that eternal communion they expect with God and with Christ in the heavenly presence Joh 17.24 Of which eternal communion and heavenly presence this blessed Eucharist is the Sacramental seals and pledge confirming unto us the truth and comfort of this doctrine and Text That the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Vers 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 1. HIs guards are strong his fence is sure whose salvation is Christ which salvation is communicated to us in the promises of grace exhibited in the ministry of the Word and more plentifully conveyed yea more effectually confirmed in
soul when the divine presence of Christ shall fill its Tabernacle possess the heart and so the eye of faith become fixt upon the Lord in devout contemplations of his grace and love So fixt that with holy David When we awake we are still with him yea VVe set the Lord always before our face Psal 139 18. Psal 16.8 he the continual object of our eye as being the onely object of our love of our joy of our delight Indeed where should be our hearts but where is our joy where our eye but where our love and whilst our eyes are on the Lord the Lords eyes will be on us so that lifting up our eyes to him above we shall not fear the snares of our feet beneath but in all our affairs of life in all our conditions of being in all the publick calamities of the Church in all the various changes of the World our firm affiance may have its comfortable assurance that our eyes being ever towards the Lord he shall pluck our feet out of the net § 9. Secondly The comfortable assurance of Davids faith he shall pluck my feet out of the Net that is he shall deliver me from the sinful temptations of Satan the world and the flesh which are as a net to intangle and insnare the soul First such is Satans malice to the sanctified soul that not being able by his temptations to deprive of grace he will not cease his suggestions to rob of comfort so that as Hercules in his cradle so the faithful in his infancy of the new man he does incounter the winding serpent whom he overcomes by the blood of the Lamb through faith in the Lord Jesus § 10. And when Satan thus repulst and beat off departs from him it is but as he did from our Saviour for a while yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a season even till a fitter opportunity to return Luk. 4.13 so that again and again does Satan encounter the humble penitent renewing his terrors to destroy his comforts and if possible to overthrow his faith Oh how does he by subtle insinuations make the soul to argue against it self in many needless scruples and groundless doubtings intermixt with distrustful fears But such is the wisedom and mercy of his God that Satans Wiles they are repelled by Christs truth whose gracious promises do silence his doubtful cavellings and a renewed vigor of grace damp his suggestions of fear so that the soul rests in peace receiving some testimonies of divine love by the Spirit obtained in fervent prayer § 11. And as thus we have seen something of the combate the faithful have with Satan so see Secondly something of the encounter he has with the world in which there is a secret antipathy against the spiritual man as it is observed by our Saviour when he tells his Disciples that if they were of the world the world would love them Joh. 15.19 even as the Mother loves her own Children but because he had called them out of the world therefore did the world hate them Thus then the faithful man in the world and from the world he meets with hatred yea that hatred sharpened with contempt derision and slanders ay mens malice doth increase with his goodness their fury with his piety so that he meets with loss of liberty spoil of goods yea the threatnings if not execution of death and that made more dreadful and formidable through cruelty and tortures § 12. Sometimes again the world turns her violence into allurements her threathings and fury into fawnings and flattery she presents profit proffers pleasure tenders honor and all to allure and deceive and the faithful mans danger is greater from the plausible fairness of the worlds allurements then from the apparent fierceâ—ess of her threatnings But such is the power of divine grace that Christ plucks his feet out of the net 1 Joh. 5.4 making him by faith to overcome the world a sincere faith in the apprehension of Gods love and the assurance of Christs Kingdom will powerfully yea victoriously repulse the world in all her incounters of feat or of favour § 13. As we have seen something of the spiritual conflict which the faithful man has with Satan and the World So thirdly see now something of that he hath with the Flesh which though it be an enemy less violent yet is it more dangerous whose insinuations being secret they are the more hurtful because the less discernable in this conflict with the flesh the sanctified person he feels the bent of nature strugling against the dictates of the Spirit corrupt dispositions against gracious inclinations carnal lusts against spiritual desires earthly affections against heavenly motions thus he feels the spirit lusting against the flesh Gal. 5 17. and the flesh lusting against the spirit in which domestick War he receives many secret blows and some deeply wounding making him to cry out with St. Paul Oh wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from this body of death This body of death in which the inward man is divided against the outward man the old man against the new man that is the same man against himself § 14. And yet O happy soul which is truly sensible of this spiritual war it shall assuredly rest in an eternal peace These several Combates then and conflicts which the faithful have against Satan the World and the Flesh though they often discourage yet do they not quite destroy their holy resolutions though they do for a while damp and discomfort yet do they afterwards much quicken and further their godly conversation Did not indeed the powerful assistance of Christs Spirit give strength to their fainting souls those many assaults of their spiritual enemies would assuredly beat them back from their holy course but being by the same spirit strengthned by which they are sanctified notwithstanding all the oppositions of the World or the Flesh they go forwards in holiness And noâ—withstanding all the suggestions of Satan they resolve and will endeavour to live godly in Christ Jesus being ready in firm affiance and a comfortable assurance to subscribe this profession of Davids faith Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 15. But now how may we best fortifie our souls against the sinful temptations of the World and Satan Answer By mortifying the corrupt affections of the flesh For that most certain it is Satan holds intelligence with our lusts and by their treachery does surprize the Cittadel of the heart Satan may tempt but he cannot force the will So that it is not his tempting but our consenting which brings guilt upon the soul Jam. 1.14 properly then indeed every man is tempted when he is drawn away with his own lust and enticed Satan he subtly proportions his sinful temptations to our corrupt dispositions and therefore where he sees the heart set upon covetousness he tempts Balaam with the
my distresses § 1. GOD being an Infinite Good as he hath his being from himself so hath he his contentment in himself He hath his Paradise in his own bosom his perfect bliss in the eternity of his own fulness And O the immensity of Gods love unto man in ordaining him no other felicity then himself enjoys giving himself to be mans end mans happiness This then is the comfortable rest of mans soul Communion with God in Christ which yet in this life is neither full nor fixt the godly mans comforts being always sweet yet often short his communion with God having its frequent interruption Psal 30.7 though not a total dissolution § 2. So that did we lay our ears to the devout mans closet how might we hear the Turtle-moans of his sobbing sorrows the deep sighs of his broken heart Oh how are his prayers bedewed with tears which drop from the bleeding wounds of his anguisht soul His sad complaint how is it often that of mournful Sion Isa 49.14 The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me Every word hath its accent of woe and emphasis of sorrow The Lord rich in his goodness dear in his love the Lord infinite in his power glorious in his majesty faithful in his truth even the Lord my God my God by covenant and communion the stay and strength of my soul the desire and delight of my heart the life of my joy and the joy of my life He hath forsaken me § 3. Yea he hath not only cast me out of his arms but also out of his heart he hath not only taken away his hand but hath also hid his face I am no more his love I am no more his care He hath forgotten me Now this state of spiritual desertion though excluding comforts yet is it consisting with grace And therefore the devout Saint of God notwithstanding his languishments of sorrow does not lie down in distrust but raised by faith he powres forth his complaint unto God in prayer Thus holy David Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged oh bring thou me out of my distresses § 4. Here we have the Case and the Cure of a deserted soul the Case rightly stated in a mournful complaint and the Cure fitly applied in a fervent prayer The Case rightly stated in a mournful complaint 1. In its spiritual dereliction I am desolate 2. It s secret anguish I am afflicted 3. It s high aggravation The troubles of my heart are enlarged In the Cure fitly applied in fervent prayer 1. To the Spiritual dereliction is applied the manifestation of Divine love Turn thee unto me 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me 3. To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance Oh bring thou me out of my distresses Thus turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted c. § 5. 1. The case of a deserted soul rightly stated in its spiritual dereliction I am desolate The devout soul in its neer approaches unto God through Christ Psal 34.8 oftentimes tastes and sees much of heavenly sweetness and divine love yet those comforts though of heavenly stock like plants carried out of their native soil and proper climate they keep not their sweetness in a continued strength God oft-times withdrawing himself from his dearest Saints in the comforting influence of his grace and love The cheering vigor then of Grace in its triumphant power over sin and the satisfying peace of conscience in the cleer testimony of the Spirit they are not always the portion of the truly sanctified Grace and Peace indeed they are happy Mates Eph. 1.2 Phil. 1.2 but not inseparable companions Grace may be without Peace though Peace cannot be without Grace The soul then is often desolate and forsaken of God in the refreshing influence of peace and comfort when yet he is most intimately present with the soul in the quickening power of life and grace § 6. Now the spiritual dereliction we here speak of it is none other then a stop of that gracious effusion of Gods love a shutting up those streams of sweet refreshments which were wont to flow forth from the fountain of Christs fulness upon the soul A truth this so well known by sad experience to Gods Saints that who is he that hath drunk of the waters of life that hath not tasted those waters of Marah that hath not tasted at least some drops of that full cup of Christ when in bitter anguish of soul he cryed out upon the Cross Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This then of Gods withdrawing himself in the comforts of his Spirit it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the language of the Apostle a temptation common to men 1 Cor. 10.13 the best of men even to men of the divinest tempers and devoutest souls § 7. Yet these spiritual derelictions of the godly though they are real they are not total not final for that God is faithful in his promise whose promise is full and emphatical Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Est in loc Est negationis conduplicatio ut sit vehementior pollicitatio The promise is doubled in the expression that our faith might be confirmed in its assurance Yea here are five Negatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as if God had said I will not no I will not no most assuredly I will not for ever leave thee for ever forsake thee his compassions may be restrained but cannot be extinguished § 8. Know then in the spiritual desertions of comfort Gods love is not interrupted in him but the acts of his love intermitted to us he withdraws himself indeed in his love but it is not amor benevolentiae but amor beneficentiae as the School speaks his love of benevolence wherewith he loveth us in Christ this love like himself it is unchangeable but now the actings of this love which is the love of beneficence that is often suspended in its measure and degrees according to Gods wisdom and will this love of benevolence and beneficence may aptly be illustrated by lux and lumen the inherent and the radiant light of the Sun Gods love of benevolence like the Suns inherent light it varies not but his love of beneficence like the Suns radiant light it is often clouded yet not totally eclipsed And when Gods love is clouded his face hid then is the soul desolate which dereliction brings not onely a sudden fit of heaviness but very often a continued estate of discomforts sharpened and imbittered with inward afflictions for so saith David in his desertion I am desolate and afflicted § 9. 2 The secret anguish I am afflicted Indeed what soul can be desolate and not be afflicted Psal 30.6 Thou Lord didst hide thy face and I was
troubled Certainly his absence cannot but be lamented with greatest greif whose presence the soul prizeâ—h above all earthly joy when the evidence of salvation is obscured the light of Gods countenance darkned the comforts of the Spirit detained then the heavens appear not so clear the promises taste not so sweet the Ordinances prove not so lively yea the clouds which hang over the soul they gather blackness doubts arise fears over-flow terrors increase troubles inlarge and the soul becomes languishingly afflicted even with all variety of disquietments § 10. Oh how does the experience of former happiness sharpen the sence of present misery Every evil after the experience of the opposite good becomes the greater evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Epist 37. when the soul then calls to mind how it hath been inlarged in its devout accesses to the Throne of grace and found no solace like that of communion with God through Christ and withall now sees its communion cut off and the comforts vanished the spring stop'd and the streams ceast O how great must needs be the bitterness of her grief miserum est fuisse felicem we commonly say it is a miserable thing to have been happy it is the souls trouble that she is without Christ but it is the increase of her trouble the sharpning of her affliction that she hath lost him him whose presence was once so sweet that it makes his absence to be most bitter § 11. Many indeed there are well enough as to present sorrow without Christ because they never injoyed him but what soul ever injoyed Christ that can injoy it self and want him without Christ that soul may see her wounds but cannot see her cure she may see her danger but cannot see her refuge and when God shall conceal his love and reveal our guilt hide his face and discover our sin what can be more greivous and afflicting So that well might David joyn his spiritual dereliction and his secret anguish saying I am desolate and afflicted § 12. 3 The high aggravation the troubles of my heart are inlarged the heart of man is the greatest Tyrant the cruellest persecutor to himself he needs none other fury who hath that of an accusing spirit this this alone will be Accuser and Witness Law and Judge Executioner and Punishment the very rack and gibbet of the soul Oh the piercing sting Oh the loud clamors of an accusing conscience this this alone doth make a hell upon earth distracting direful and accusing thoughts are worse then chains then stripes then death needs must that mans troubles be inlarged his anguish increased when his soul left to its own darkness and unbelief with Saul it falls upon its own sword becomes its own executioner Witness those dreadful complaints of a deserted soul and wounded conscience in that 88. Prov. 18.14 Psalm For a wounded spirit saith Solomon Who can bear And a wounded spirit who can declare its troubles its distresses they are as unexpressible as they are insupportable especially when the soul is in desertion § 13. When the humble Penitent apprehending the vastness of eternity both as to heavens joys and hells misery hath labored under the pressing weight of sins guilt and the laws curse And when in this Agony the soul hath thrown it self upon God in Christ and felt a sweet peace in the assurance of pardon and love after all this for him to be in so great darkness as to doubt whether Christ will own him whether God will regard him what can this darkness be but the very valley and shadow of death Psal 13 4. O how does a man in desertion through distrust fight against himself if we go about to bind up his wounds he rends them wider give supplying oyle and healing balm and he will make it a very corrosive to his bleeding soul he will fetch misery out of mercy and hell out of heaven for if to comfort his afflicted soul we tell him of Gods fatherly compassion and mercy his riches of grace and love O how does he thus reason against himself this this the accent of my misery to die in the midst of life to perish in the midst of salvation § 14. Surely God is a Father and were I his child his bowels would not be restrained he is infinitely gracious and were I at all in his heart in his love he that receives millions would not reject me he is so mercifull Rom. 10.20 that he is found of them that seek him not and sure if his displeasure were not irreconcileable I that so carefully seek him should at last find him God is goodness it self and sure my evil must needs be great that goodness cast me off nothing then can heal me but that which has wounded me I have lost the presence of my God I have lost the embraces of my Jesus and nothing but that presence and those embraces can bring comfort to my soul but whilst I am desolate I shall be afflicted and the troubles of mine heart will be enlarged This the Case rightly stated in a mournful complaint I am desolate and aflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged § 15. 2. The Cure fitly applied and 1. To the spiritual dereliction the manifestation of Divine love Turn thou unto me In desertions of comfort God does not cease to be present but to be manifest He withdraws himself not by departing from the soul but by not manifesting himself to the soul By hiding his face Venit cum manifestatur cum â—ccultatur abscedit S. Aug. ep 3. God departs and by manifesting his favor he returns And therefore saith David Turn thee unto me The freest fountain yields the fullest stream and the best good the greatest comfort And the best good is God who being the Object as well as the Author of our comfort the measure of our joy must needs be according to the degree of our enjoyment In heaven we enjoy him fully and therefore have a fulness of joy but on earth having an imperfect possession Psal 16.11 we have but an imperfect consolation So that it is when God turns his face to us that we can say with David Return unto thy rest O my soul He alone who gives life can give comfort Psal 116.7 He alone who gives grace can give peace The Spirit of sanctification is the Spirit of consolation § 16. Indeed that which can satisfie the soul must be the bounty of a soveraign goodness such as is pardon of sin deliverance from hell conquest over Satan hope of glory and the like Yea who or what can quiet the terrors of Conscience but he who is the Prince of peace and greater then the Conscience When the soul like Hagar languisheth Gen. 21.19 it 's the Spirit of grace and truth that can open the eye enlighten the understanding and discover the â—rue well of life and waters of comfort Darkness of mind is the womb of doubts and the shop
himself delivered from the chains of sin the bondage of Satan the powers of darkness and the flames of hell who in the peace of his conscience can see himself made partaker of the merits of Christs death and the benefits of his intercession can see himself admitted into a covenant of grace with the Lord of life and King of glory received into favor with the God of heaven and earth and so as to be made his child and entituled to the kingdom and the glory of his onely Son Which of us can conceive that has not felt what is the comfort of those thoughts of those meditations in that sweet peace of conscience which the faithful have being reconciled unto God through Christ in the remission of their sins § 20. Let us now joyn together the penitent sinner and the devout Saint in this one exhortation that they approach the Table of the Lord with a secret affliction of soul and that being raised by faith and enlarged by prayer 1 A secret affliction of soul in this consideration that their sins have been the cause of Christs sufferings Luk. 23.21 The Jews cried out of Christ crucifie him crucifie him such was the greatness of their malice that if possible they would have had him twice crucified but yet is not their desire too unhappily fulfilled they crucifying him once with their hands and we even we crucifying him again by our sins Who art thou then that comes to Christ without floods of tears when he comes to thee in streams of blood Who art thou who canst worthily meditate on his wounded body without a wounded soul or view his pierced side without a pierced heart in which our Saviour gives us our true devotion bespeaking us as well as the daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me but for your selves weep not for me or my sufferings Luk. 23.28 in a fruitless compassion but weep for your selves and your sins in an hearty contrition § 21. Thus affected with contrition 2 Let our hearts be raised by faith that so whatsoever is our affliction and pain we may find an healing vertue in the blood of Christ which is this Sacramental administration is none other then Gileads balm to cure Hermons dew to refresh and Aarons ointment to revive all wounded distressed and drooping souls And as we approach this holy Ordinance with hearts raised by faith So 3 Hearts enlarged in prayer and such prayer as by the paths of its devotion may speak the anguish of our affliction as in the sence of our grosser enormities so of our humane infirmities that so for every sinful distemper in us we may receive an healing vertue from Christ and in our prayers for our selves forget we not the afflictions of the Church the calamities of the Nation and seeing our God pursues us with his judgments send we forth legationem lachrymarum in the language of St. Ambrose send we forth an Ambassage of tears to sue for peace And doubt we not but received into the Court of Heaven they shall have their access to the throne of grace and obtain a gracious audience if not for a publick deliverance yet for our particular salvation having our remission of sins and our peace of conscience confirmed unto our souls by his blessed Sacrament as the seal of grace and the pledge of glory to which glory he preserve us by his mercy who hath purchast it by his merits Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen Vers 19. and part of the 20. Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 1. WHat confidence and comfort can there be in pardon of sin when there is not a conscience and care to prevent sin upon humiliation indeed sin forgiven becomes stingless toothless sin the venome and guilt removed but after humiliation sin reacted becomes the most deeply wounding the most closely gnawing sin more wounding then the Serpent more gnawing then the worm Wherefore holy David here having made it his complaint unto God in prayer vers 18. Look upon my affliction and pain and forgive all my sins knowing the number and force eying the multitude and rage of his spiritual enemies his sinful lusts he joyns to that fervent prayer this further petition Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 2. To give the sence of our present interpretation together with the sum of our intended discourse take it in this paraphrase upon the words Consider mine enemies and thine enemies O God are mine thy greatest enemy is sin and my greatest enemies then must be my lusts Oh consider those mine enemies for they are many a whole host warring against my soul they besiege me closely and assault me fiercely they hate and fight against thy good spirit in me and to hate that is to hate me and the good of my soul yea their hate is cruel it is a tyrannous hatred though I never willingly suffer them to rule over me yet too too often they over-rule me Rom. 6.12 Though I never let them command me as a King yet they often compel me as a Tyrant Now Lord whereas many in the daies of trial and of trouble beseech thee to keep their bodies their estates their bodies from imprisonment their estates from spoil to me sin is worse then bonds then beggery yea then death then hell wherefore I beseech thee to keep my soul the salvation of it is dearest of more price then all the world Matth. 16.26 my good name my health my life my friends my estate all may be lost and I safe But oh my soul is my self to cast away it is to cast away me to keep it is to deliver me O then keep my soul and deliver me § 3. Observe in the words two general parts the Subject and the method of Davids prayer The Subject with its description and the method in its gradation 1 The Subject with its description Davids enemies described from the greatness of their number they are many and the violence of their hate it is cruel for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred 2. The Method in its gradation which gradation hath its three steps Consider mine enemies Keep my soul and Deliver me § 4. 1. The Subject with its description Davids enemies described from the greatness of their number they are many consider mine enemies for they are many No man may resolve his sins into any other original then his own lusts as for Satan though it be he that tempts it 's we that act and therefore when we commit any wickedness and sin against God though it be by Satans instigation our tongues may not smite him but our hearts must smite our selves as Davids did in 2 Sam. 24.10 We may not accuse the tempter but our selves who let in the temptation Non diabolus voluntatem delinquendi imponit
holiness all our glory and happiness Wherefore O my God Isa 44 2. Isa 26.13 Psal 48.14 Deut. 32.30.31 Isa 63.16 in thee do I trust in thee as a Creator to sustain me as a Lord to govern me as a Guide to direct me as a Rock to defend me as a Father to succor me All which relations thou hast taken upon thee in a merciful regard to my weakness and wants that thou mightest the more manifestly declare thy goodness and love which goodness and love now seal unto my soul by a Communion with thee in the Lord Jesus § 16. But how may we best strengthen our trust in God that we faint not in these dayes of trial Ans We strengthen our trust by renewing our resignation and when can we more seasonably renew our resignation Gal. 3 1. 1 Cor. 11.26 Eph. 2.18 then at our receiving the blessed Sacrament in which we have exhibited the fulness of Christs merits as the propitiatory sacrifice and attonement for our souls by whom we have access unto the Father to receive a blessing of pardon and of peace of life and salvation from him Do we then in all humble devotion make this sincere resignation at the Table of the Lord even offer and present unto God from our hearts as we profess with our tongues offer and present our selves our souls and bodies as a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto him Rom. 12.1 casting our selves upon him in the mercy and truth of his promise in the wisdom and power of his providence § 17. And upon this total resignation he seals us this assurance that he will exercise those his properties imploy those his attributes for our comfort and protection for our support and salvation and this beyond what our wits can design our wishes can desire or our thoughts conceive And let not any penitent though languishing soul be discouraged from this holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there to renew his resignation Jer. 23.6 and strengthen his trust for that here we have set forth Christ our righteousness and that name imprinted on him which was proclaimed before Moses Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Ps 9.10 This that name of God whereof David speaks saying They Lord that know thy name will trust in thee Yea this is that Solomon speaks of Pr. 18.10 when he says The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe safe from the guilt of Sin from the rage of Satan and from the fear of Hell § 18. Wherefore for the instruction and comfort of the dejected we will spell every letter of this Name we will view every turret in this Tower The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth c. Here then art thou frighted O thou languishing soul art thou frighted at the vast armies of thy lusts and the potent powers of hell which come against thee why here 's thy refuge thy tower the Lord the Lord Jehovah the mighty God the Lord of hosts he will defend thee he will deliver thee True says the dejected Penitent I question not his power but his will Why hear then he is the Lord merciful as the Lord to assure thee he is able so merciful to give thee as full an assurance that he is willing Ah! but I am so wretched and so worth-less a creature that I have nothing to move his mercy Why yes sure for misery is the object of mercy and besides thy God as he is merciful so he is gracious his riches of mercy are free not expecting merit to move but faith to receive § 19. Ah! but God hath been often rejected by me how shall I then be accepted of him Why know his name will still answer thy moans as he is gracious to receive freely so he is long-suffering to wait patiently even that he may be gracious Ah! Jer. 30.18 but my sins are numerous and hainous great in number and in weight Why but he who is long-suffering in patience to bear is also abundant in goodness to pardon Ay! but I have been false unto God often very often returning and yet as often revolting I have broken my resolutions my vows my covenants and how then shall I hope for pardon Why though thou hast been unfaithful unto God yet will God be faithful unto thee as he is abundant in goodness to forgive thy sin so is he abundant also in truth to make good his promise his promise of grace and salvation to the believing Penitent § 20. Oh! but my hainous guilt strikes terror into my wounded conscience I have sinned wilfully presumptuously with many aggravating circumstances of guilt and of horror Why but see his Name and see it written too upon his Saints A God forgiving iniquity transgression and sin sins of all sorts and sizes of all kinds and degrees the most hainous and the most numerous Ay but this is mercy vouchsafed but few Yes it is mercy vouchsafed to thousands and a mercy not exhausted but still renewed He hath a whole treasure full of it and as a treasure he keeps it He keeps mercy for thousands § 21. And here thâ—s treasury is open in this blessed Sacrament come and receive of this mercy of thy God this pardoning this healing this comforting this saving mercy of thy God dispensed by the bountiful hand of thy Jesus who with that mercy gives his merits his benefits his spirit his whole fulness his whole self Joh. 1.16 Wherefore rouse up thy soul to receive the bounty of thy God and of thy Saviour with an humble a thankful and a devout heart And amongst other parts of thy devotion remember Davids petition Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee Verse 21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 1. SIn and shame guilt and punishment they are inseparable in their conjunction unless a timely repentance sue out a divorce and the blood of Christ make the separation In the prosecution of sin nothing more hardens in impenitence then the prosperous success of impiety And in the execution of punishment nothing more confounds with shame then the unexpected disappointment of hope for instance when sacrilegious men have enrich'd themselves with the Churches spoils and raised themselves upon her ruines going on for a while successfully in their wickedness They think God altogether such an one as themselves one that approves of their sin Psal 50.21 in prospering their designs and hereby they become hardned in their impiety not willing to take the bitter pil of penitence and godly sorrow whilst they are chewing the sweet morsel of profit and worldly gain But oh when they think to digest the morsel they have swallowed when they think to enjoy the Houses and Lands they have
us belongeth confusion of f ce to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because we have sinned against thee Yea humility prompteth the soul in the midst of Gods judgments to an advancement of his mercy Thus the Psalmist Psal 1â—3 10 He hath not dealt with us according to our sins neither hath he rewarded us according to our iniquities and it is the humble acknowledgment of Gods Church in her lamentations of sorrow saying Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed § 15. 2. Faith the Apostle calls faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the substance Heb. 11 1. so the subsistence of things hoped for the subsistence makeing that glory and blessedness that salvation and deliverance to have a present subsistence with us which we look upon through hope as in their future existence to us Wherefore then is it that the conscientious confessoâ—s of Christs truth so calmly so patiently yea so chearfully suffer the disgrace of the world and the violence of the wicked is it not because they see by faith that to suffer for righteousness truely makes them what Turtullian elegantly stiles them Coelestis gloriae candidatos Candidates of the celestial glory haveing received the earnest of the spirit the seal of their redemption 2 Cor. 1.22 Ephes 4.30 Rom 8.23 the first fruits of glory they see by faith that whilst men load them with injuries they heap up their rewards whilst they spoil their earthly goods they encrease their heavenly treasure yea each scornful reproach they see by faith it does but add a flower to their garland each violent act a jewel to their Crown 2 Cor 4 17. all their light affliction which is but for a moment they see by faith how it works for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory § 16. 3. Hope such as that of Davids which he commends unto the Church upon his own experience of good success Psal 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plentious redempteon Wherefore when the Church mourneth and the gates of Zion languish this the hope which strengthens the patience and comforts the souls of Gods Saints that he will either vouchsafe them a temporal deliverance or crown their sufferings with an eternal salvation this that hope of which saith the Apostle Rom. â— 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non confundit so the vulg it brings no shame of face no confusion of soul it fears no deficiency on Gods part and preserves from Apostacy on mans part and so becomes a right what the Apostle stiles it the Anchor of the soul Heâ— 6 â— both sure and stedfast § 17. 3. What the best duties of devotion Answ Solemn humiliation fervent prayer and a worthy receiving the blessed Eucharist 1. solemn humiliation solemn for time for measure and the manner of performance for time some day in the week or at least in the moneth set apart and dedicated to this service For measure not the dropping of a tear the breathing of a sigh and so away Psal 51 1â— no we must offer unto God the Sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit the sorrows of our contrition must be like that of one mourning for the dead a funeral sorrow the deepest of mournings yea Zech. 12.10 like that of one mourning for her onely Son the saddest of Funerals Indeed the Church by our sins is laid in the depth of calamities fit it is that we for our sin lie down in the deepest of humiliations For manner of performance confessing the guilt of sin bewailing the bitterness of distress deprecating Gods wrath and imploring his mercy § 18. To affect our souls with the greater relentings of contrition and meltings of compassion see oh see we how this Church our Mother Lam. 1.1 sits as a disconsolate widow mourning in her distress her hair dishevel'd her beauty defac'd her garments rent her body wounded her blood flowing her spirits fainting yea see see a flood of tears overtakes her streams of blood her sorrow accompanies her pain and her mourning her affliction And yet how do too too many who boast themselves her Sons Oh! how do they by their oaths their drunkenness their whoredoms and other their abominable pollutions how do they even drag this their Mother by that hair which sorrow hath dishevel'd How do they trample upon her whilst she sits in the dust how do they widen her wounds sharpen her pains imbitter her sorrows and every way aggravate her misery Wherefore as many as are affected with the Churches deep affliction and wait upon God for her gracious restauration let them thus wait even in this sacred duty of holy devotion Solemn humiliation Iam. 5.13 § 19. 2. Fervent prayer this is St. James's Catholicon his general remedy for all spiritual distempers If any man among you be afflicted let let him pray the Original is very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken in the large sence as here most proper we may thus paraphrase the words of the Apostle Doth any among you suffer any evill of body or of mind as the readiest means of his redress and succour let him pray and in our prayers do we prescribe to our selves some solemn service of devotion more peculiarly appropriate to this sacred blessing Nehem. 1. Dan. 9. the Churches restauration and peace Thus did Nehemiah thus did Daniel and Psal 137. the faithful are so zealous for Jerusalem the type of the Church that they seal the resolution of earnest prayer with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this dreadful imprecation Psal 137.6 that if they remember her not their tongues may cleave to the roof of their mouthes intimating this zealous wâ—sh that they may never have tongues to pray for themselves if they forget to pray for Jerusalem § 20. 3. The blessed Eucharist here we have an unmoveable center to rest on God our portion Christ our fulness an object larger then the heavens Oh that our faith were now suitable to its object the firmness of our trust to the fulness of our God our Jesus had the widow of Sarepta prepared more vessels she had received more oil 1 King 17.14 and that we receive less in the supplies of grace and the bounties of love from God and Christ it is because we are straitned in our faith not God or Christ straitned in his bounty we less capable to receive not he less willing or able to give the Widows vessels were all filled and here each humble soul shall be replenish'd according to the measure of their capacity not the riches of Christs fulness who as the Sea can fill the vessels though never so large and therefore where the measure is but little there the vessels are but small Enlarge we then the thirsting desires of our soul that the fountain of Christs
in our mind and this will conduce much to the composing our souls when their Words of Complaint are answered with Grounds of Comfort and Rules of Direction CHAP. I. The Souls Conflict from the importunate Crowd of Vain Thoughts OUr secret Thoughts are commonly the immediate issue of our inward Principles vile affections still begetting vain imaginations and holy desires administring matter for divine thoughts Wherefore when our Lord Jesus Christ sets up his Throne in the Heart he there governs by the golden Scepter of his Grace which Grace it is that casts down every high imagination and brings into captivity every vain thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vain thoughts however they may seem small sins yet their strength of evil like that of the Egyptian caterpillars it is in their number Ps 10 5.34 35. whereby they prevail oftentimes to eat up every green thing in the land every good motion in the heart And this importunate crowd of vain Thoughts is not the least of Satans temptations in which he is right Beelzebub the God of Flyes Mat. 12.24 for as busie Flyes were to the Altars sacrifices so are vain thoughts to our holy services their continual buzzing disturbs the Mind and distracts its devotion This Cogitationum tumultus this tumult and crowd of vain Thoughts was once S. Bernards trouble of which he complains Bern. de inter Dem. that introeunt exeunt they pass and repass come in and go out and will not be controll'd Amovere volo nec valeo I would fain saith he remove them but cannot either as slie Thieves they creep in undiscern'd or as bold Guests they force admittance though they find no welcome Now because nothing is more dreadful to the godly man then sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so says S. Chrysostom that to him is death that to him is hell Even therefore though no exorbitancie of life be discerned by man yet is he afflicted deeply afflicted for the very risings and rebellions of his Thoughts which being in the secret closet of the Heart can only appear unto God And in this his affliction hear we his Complaint The Words of Complaint Oh the perplexing trouble of my distracting thoughts How do they by their slie insinuations and secret importunities continually disturb the quiet of my mind and make my holy duties become a weariness to my soul They cool the heat they damp the vigor they dead the comfort of all my devotions Even when I pray God to forgive my sins I then sin whilst I am praying for forgiveness yea whether it be in the Church or in the Closet so frequently and so violently do these vain Thoughts withdraw mine heart from Gods service that I cannot have confidence he hears my suit because I know by experience I do not hear my self and therefore sure needs must God be far off from my prayer whilst my Heart is so far out of his presence hurried away with a crowd of vain Imaginations The Grounds of Comfort 1. These vain Thoughts O thou afflicted soul being indeed thy burden they shall not be thy ruine and though they do take from the sweetness yet they shall not take from the sincerity of thy devotions Yea 2 King 10.16.31 Ps 26.2 3. hereby thy sincerity is approv'd for that some external interest of temporal relations may make us guard our words our actions but it must be some internal Principle of holy fear which makes us to watch our thoughts our desires If then thy devotions were not sincere thy heart would not be troubled for to be taken off from a work we regard not Ps 119 115. is no disquet to the mind but it is an argument we set a value and esteem upon the work in hand when we are loth to be disturbed in the doing Ps 7.9 139.2 Jer. 11.20 2. It is no little glory which we give to God in the acknowledgment of his omnipresence and omniscience that we own him present in the Closet of our Hearts and privy to the first risings of our most inward thoughts And as it is the excellencie of Gods law that it reacheth our thoughts to discern and judge them Heb. 4.12 Luk. 2.35 so it is the riches of Gods mercy that it goes beyond the number of our thoughts to remit and pardon them Were it not indeed for the multitude of Gods compassions Ps 51.1 Gen. 6.5 dangerous yea desperate were our condition in the multitude of our sinful imaginations Which Imaginations being in number infinite are not to he forgiven but by those Mercies which are infinite and numberless Ps 145 8 9. This oh this is the sure foundation of firm comfort to the soul the tender mercies of its God! 3. It is much the experience of Gods children even the devoutest Saints that their thoughts of God and of Christ of heaven and of holiness are very unsteady and fleeting Like the sight of a Star through an Optick glass when held by a Palsey-hand such is our view of Divine objects we are long in finding them and soon lose them our thoughts wavering through our minds weakness Besides when we are most intent and our eye fixt then is Satan ready to strike us on the elbow Ps 57.7 Ps 31.21 22. and by some suggestion to shake us from our steadiness and disturb our devotions Indeed as Satan so the World and the Flesh they are most importunate suitors and let our communication with God and with Christ in fervent Prayer or any other holy service be ne'r so earnest and secret yet will they thrust in upon the soul for reception and audience Yea though we observe our Lords command and watch unto prayer Mar. 13.33 yet in our strictest Watch how do these enemies slip by our Guards If we stop and turn back some vain Thoughts yet even then whilst we are busied in that watchful care how are we surprised with some other as vain imaginations notwithstanding all our care and watchfulness Think not then O distressed soul think not 1 Cor. 10 13 in the common condition of Gods children that thou art cast out of Gods favor 4. Know thou hast the gracious mediation of an alsufficient Saviour to supply thy defects and procure an acceptance of thy sincere though imperfect Devotions In thy Saviours mediation Heb. 2.17 Joh. 6.27 Luk. 4.18 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7 25. behold him a merciful and a faithful High Priest seal'd of the Father and annointed by the Spirit to this very office that being entred the Holy of Holies and set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high he should ever live to make intercession for us so that he he it is who compassionately toucht with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. presents the sincere desires of our souls and holy purposes of our hearts as the firstlings of our flock made acceptable unto God through
into the mire through weakness yet thou shalt not with the Swine wallow in it with delight 4. Be humbled in the sense of that body of sin carnal concupiscence Jam. 1.14.15 Rom. 7.23 the polluted fountain from whence issues all our filthy streams of sinful thoughts words and actions It may be God suffers Satan to shake the vessel that the dregs may appear to pursue us with his temptations that we may the better discover our corruptions and so discern the true womb of all our misery that which breeds and fosters all our disquiet Whilst then we bewail the guilt and pollution of our actual transgression with David Ps 51.5 pass we from the branches to the root let the stream lead us to the Spring that of Original corruption which defiles the whole man and maintains an irreconcileable war with the sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit Rom 8 7 8. Gal. 5 17. Though we are ingrafted into Christ yet will God have us mindful of our old stock that we may the better glorifie him in the poweâ— of his grace which sanctifieth and saveth us And indeed unless we bewail sin in the affection as well as in the action unless we be humbled for our corrupt dispositions as well as for our particular transgressions our Repentance cannot be found nor our Peace setled Our Repentance not sound which must be a thorow-hatred of the whole body of sin our Peace not setled Rom. 8.1.14 which must be not only from mercy pardoning but also from grace subduing sin Lastly Increase the importunity of thy prayers as thou seest sin increase in the impurity of its pollutions And to strengthen thy prayer fix thy faith upon the promises those of the Gospel of Christ and Covenant of thy God as That he will blot out our transgressions and remember them no more Jer. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.12 Luk. 11 13. Zech 13.1 That he will put his fear into our hearts and that he will give his holy Spirit to them that ask it Especially look up unto Christ as the fountain set open to Judah and Jerusalem even to all penitent sinners to wash in for sin and for uncleanness And if thus O thou afflicted soul if thus thou make good the combat by prayer and penitence our Lord Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation Heb 2.10 Mat. 12 20. will make good the Conquest through grace and mercy by sending forth Judgment unto Victory victory over Sin and Satan and all the Powers of darkness Thus Blessed Jesus save the Soul which thou hast purchased sustain by thy grace whom thou hast redeemed by thy blood Amen Amen CHAP. V. The Souls Conflict from a Distrust of its Graces sincerity in general and of Faith and Repentance in particular THe most gracious testimony of Gods love is from the immediate light of his countenance which displays upon the soul such evident beams and refreshing rays of his Fatherly goodness as do become the sure witness and sacred seal of the Spirit testifying to the inward man the eternal favor of his God This estate it is gracious and blessed but it is not constant and continued yea it is oftentimes even to the best of Saints very much discontinued witness David's Usque quo How long Lord how long wilt thou hide thy self Ps 89 46. Ps 6 3. for ever And again My soul is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Now in the night of Temptation when we have lost the sight of the Sun it is no small comfort that we have the light of the Stars when we see not the immediate rays from the manifestation of Gods divine presence a sweet comfort it is that we see him by reflexion in the light and vigor of his spiritual graces which confirm to us this comfortable assurance that he will yet rise again upon our souls But oh Act. 27.20 how many even of the holiest Saints as S. Paul in his tempest so they in their temptation they see neither the light of the sun nor of the stars neither the comfort of Gods presence nor of his graces Ps 88.6 15 16 And such a state of darkness as this must needs bring fear horror and amazement to the soul And in this distress hear the afflâ—cted Saâ—nt thus complain The Words of Complaint Oh! how do I feel the struglings and alas they are but the struglings of good d sires My soul conceiveth and travelleth in paâ—n with holy purposes but alas she wants strength to bring forth into actual performances Whereas looking upon the true Saints and servants of God I see faith hath life in them and they life by it but clouds of unbelief darken my soul and the bonds of death take hold of me I see them as Temples of the Lord they receiving daily Oracles from his mouth and still offering him the continual sacrifice of a contrite heart But alas I pray and he heareth not I call and cry but he answereth not and no wonder seeing my soul which should Eagle-like with faith and fervor mount aloft through diffidence and deadness of heart creeps in the dust Oh! my corruptions they are increased and my contritions diminished my temptations they are stronger and my graces they are weaker Ah! what said I weaker I would to God I could say upon assurance that I had any grace at all pure and sincere For woe is me such is my darkness of mind deadness of spirit and hardness of heart that I cannot but with much horror of soul and trouble of conscience call in question the sincerity of all grace especially the sincerity of my Faith and of my Repentance whether such as may obtain remission of sins and reconciliation with my God through Jesus Christ 1. The Grounds of Comfort as to the distrust of Graces sincerity in general 1. It is not more the policie and design of Satan to perswade the Hypocrite that his life is gracious his grace sincere Luk 18.9.11 Job 4.6 8.6 15.5 and his heart upright then it is to perswade the true Saint that his heart is corrupt his grace counterfeit and his life hypocritical The former he does to harden in presumption the latter to sink in despair Know then for thy comfort there is no such deliquium animae that there are not some reliquiae gratiae there is no such faintness of soul that there are not some remains of life As a Spring when stopt at one place it breaks out at another so Grace if not discovering itself in some particular acts it shews it self in some other proper operations Yea God in wisdom suffers some one grace in its acts to be the more dampt and deaded that some other may be the more quickened and enlarg'd As how often is it that God suffers our faith to be weakened that our fear may be awakened Ps 55.5.6 Ps 42.1 2 3. 2 Cor 12.7 Stimulus in carne He abates the fervor of enlarg'd devotions to
quicken our zeal of hungring desires and oft-times suffers the assaults of some sensual lust to pull down or prevent the haughtiness of spiritual pride So that our growth in grace is then real when it is not apparent it is always true though not always equal there being no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the members of Christs body Eph. 4 16. Col. 2.19 but still an effectual working of his Spirit and grace in each part of the New man 2. When God and Christ have the greatest measure the highest degree of thy will love and desire though thine heart is not so enlarg'd thy spirit not so chearful thy duties not so pleasant yet are thy graces saving and sincere Saving and sincere making God in Christ thine end on whom thou dost fix thine intentions aims and affections for the attainment and enjoyment of him And this is a sure sign God is thine end that thou art so disquieted in his seeming absence from thy soul For what we most highly prize Ps 7â— 25.25 Ps 2â— 1 Ps 143 7. we are most careful to keep most joyous to possess most grieved to lose and most troubled to want 3. There is less danger and more hope of a languishing afflicted and mournful then of a rais'd ravish'd and transported Soul Humility and holy fear shall preserve the former whilst pride and presumption destroys the latter For whilst proud conceits fanatick dreams and false joys fill the sails how many how very many do run themselves upon the rocks even the rocks of presumption and spiritual pride Rev. 3 17. â—am 4.6 whereas God giveth grace unto the humble 4. When the soul by mortification struggles with the motions by prayer contests with the suggestions and by vows contends with the sollicitations of sin then the corruptions of heart do not so much argue a decay as the oppositions of soul do prove an increase of grace which increase if it be not in that growth which is upward in the sprouting of the branches yet is it in that which is downward in the spreading of the root Col. 2.7 Mat. 11.29 Mat. 5.3 Rom. 5.1 2. and by how much grace is the more firmly rooted in humility and poverty of spirit by so much shall it the more abundantly flourish in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The Rules of Direction 1. Go not about to judge of thy Spiritual estate in an unseasonable time or by uncertain signs 1. Not in an unseasonable time as is that of temptation when the Mind is clouded the Conscience afflicted and the Spirit wounded Ps â—7 10 what were this but to take a Prospect in a Mist or to view a Country in a Storm 2. Not by uncertain signs Many signs beget much perplexities Confident I am the formality of multiplying marks and signs hath more puzled then pacified more entangled then resolved doubting and troubled Consciences For among ten or twelve or more Signs of Grace which some give as if they would make up with number what is wanting in weight the soul that questions but one often shall be more dejected and afflicted with that one then rais'd and comforted with all the other nine True it is Formae nos latent the essential forms are hid from us is true in natural much more in spiritual things and therefore in Divinity our Demonstrations are still a posteriori discovering the cause by the effect Wherefore we must observe that the effects we set up as signs be such as are most proper and immediate to the cause and then I am sure they cannot be many and those that are Isa 57.18 19. they will be full convincing the Judgment and comforting the tender Conscience Thus we discover the fire by its heat the sun by its light whereas to discover the sun by its heat or the fire by its light may prove erroneous though we know light is in the fire and heat is in the sun yet not so immediately but that there may be light where there is no heat and there may be heat where there is no light Thus to discover sanctifying and saving grace by this sign of joy and delight in holy duties is by an effect more remote from the cause and the cause may really be without this effect For how many gracious hearts and sanctified souls even such as we are now conversing with do languish in trouble and are opprest with grief So that if joy and delight in holy duties must be the evidence of their saving graces Psal â—7 and Psal 88. there is no remedy but they must lie down in sorrow and it is not any present ministration shall afford them comfort till Gods mercy make good the sign which mans imprudence hath prescribed Know then one proper sign rightly apprehended and truly applied is a Rule of trial which concludes in it all that can be given And amongst other signs of saving grace Poverty of spirit with an hungring and thirsting after righteousness is as immediate and infallible as any can be nam'd Wherefore 2. Lay hold on the Promise in its sweetness of divine truth so suitable to the condition of thine afflicted estate Hear thy Saviours words Blessed are the poor in spirit Matth. 5 3. vers 4. vers 6. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven And again Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Yea Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Lay up these Promises in thine heart as thy sure delight prize them as thy treasure feed on them as thy Manna given of God to refresh thy soul in the Wilderness of this afflicting world Build thou thy peace upon this pillar suck the sweet comforts of the Spirit from these breasts of consolation Isa 66.12 Apply these healing medicines to thy wounded Conscience by a discursive meditation awaken thy heart and incite thy will to close with God and with Christ in the mercy and truth of the promise saying in Davids self-expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul Psal 42.11 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 Or as the devout Psalmist again Return unto thy rest O my soul Psal 116 7. for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Thus as chasing the benumb'd limbs with hot oils will recover their former warmth and life so plying the sadded heart with quickening thoughts will restore its former peace and comfort And when thou feelest a secret heat of divine grace keep the fire burning ply it with zealous affections those zealous affections rais'd in devout meditations those devout meditations fixt upon the promises those promises founded upon Christ as Mediator and upon God in him as Fountain of all grace and love 3. Keep an open passage betwixt God and thy soul hold fast an humble converse and heavenly communion with him Eph. 1.3 as in
the publick Ministry of his Word and Sacraments so in the private duties of thy Closet devotions And if thy duties of devotion in prayer and praises be not perfunctory and formal thou shalt find by sweet and gracious experience that they are the food and nourishment of thy soul And therefore as the body when it wants its meals so the soul Psal 36 8. Psal 63.5 when it omits its prayers shall feel an hungring and griping in it self and a good argument it is those devotions afford some solid sustenance when the soul upon the want of them does feel a sensible emptiness Wherefore whatsoever are thy affairs or engagements in the World cherish thy desires and longings after God and Christ in thy soul and when thou hast not the opportunity of retirement and privacie for thy devotions retreat thy thoughts into the secret Closet of thy Heart and let thy Mind so swift of wing as moves further in a moment then the Sun in a day let thy Mind send forth its winged Messengers some heavenly Desires which taking a sudden flight to the Throne of grace Gen. 8.11 shall like Noahs Dove return thee an Olive-branch of peace and comfort into thy bosom Do thou by some secret ejaculatiâ—ns as by some coals from the Altar keep alive thy fervor of holy devotion and zeal of ardent love unto thy God and unto thy Jesus 2. The Grounds of Comfort as to a distrust of the sincerity of Faith in particular 1. Thy not being assured thou dost believe is from the pressing weight of temptation not the total want of faith As it was with S. Peter Mat. 14.31 so is it with the faithful whilst the waters are smooth Peter walks with confidence but when the winds begin to be boisterous and the sea rough he then sinks with fear and in this his fear he cries out Lord save me upon which Christ stretcheth forth his hand holds him up saying Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Thus is it with the Godly whilst they have a Calm within the cheerful light of Gods countenance shining forth upon their souls then they go on willingly and freely in the ways of holiness rejoycing in his love Ps 30.7 But when God hides his face then they are troubled when a tempest of temptation ariseth in their souls then they fear and doubt sink and cry And oh the tender mercies of their compassionating Jesus He is nigh unto them when they call upon him Ps â—45 18 He rebukes Satan stills the tempest revives the soul and returns in the sweet embraces of his love This know then O thou afflicted soul thou mayst have true faith in a firmness of adherence even when thou hast it not in a cleerness of evidence and so mayst truly believe when through the violence of temptation thou canst not for the present evidence to thy self that thou hast faith 2. However thy doubts and fears may dull and damp yet shall they not dead and destroy thy faith It was a large testimony of the Apostles faith when S. Peter as the mouth of the rest did to confidently answer our Saviour with a Lord Mat. 6.68 69. whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Yet in the houre of trouble and of trial see how fear damps their faith in that when Christ was apprehended Mar. 14.50 they all forsook him and fled yet behold their faith recovers its strength and they who fled from the face of a small Band in the Garden Act. 5.27.41 Act. 2 36. dare afterwards stand in the face of an whole â—ouncil in Jerusalem yea and preach him Lord and Christ whom they denied their Lord and Master And now if the strong Pillars of the Church be shaken what shall the weak Reeds do If the glorious Lights of the World suffer an Eclipse Mat. 5.14 what shall the smoaking Flax do Why here 's our comfort our Lord and Saviour doth assure us that a bruised reed he will not break Mat. 12.20 and smoaking flax he will not quench Wherefore O distressed soul though thou art as weak in faith as a reed yea as a bruised reed yet thou shalt not be broken though there be no more fire of grace in thee then that of smoaking flax yet shalt thou not be quenched Be thy measure of grace ne'r so small the least good desire holy purpose or sincere endeavour though hid under a multitude of infirmities yet will Christ in his tenderness of love so cherish it with the breathings of his Spirit till he send forth judgment unto victory that is till by a continued growth in grace and renewed strength in the inward man thou mortifie sin and subdue thy corruptions Rom. 8.37 yea become more then conqueror through him that loved thee How many then are like Mary of whom we read that whilst she wept and sought for Jesus though he stood by her and talked with her yet is it said Joh. 20 14. she knew not that it was Jesus Thus many poor souls and sincere believers in a trial of temptation they are weeping and mourning after Christ yea refuse to be comfo ted because they cannot find him lodging in their hearts by faith whereas he is indeed neer them and in them by his Spirit and in their mournings speaks to them to be comforted and yet they know not that it is Jesus him whom their soul seeketh But after some languishings of sorrow and distractions of fear Christ discovers hlmself to the soul as he did unto Mary and then oh how is their joy redoubled in their faith reviv'd 3. There can be no true sense of the want of faith without some measure of true faith as no man can be sensible of sickness who hath not some life Now that is a true sense of the want of faith which is like the sense we have of the want of meat accompanied with an eager desire and hungring after it Mat. 5.6 which hungring desire cannot be in the soul from Satan or the flesh but is most assuredly a work of the Spirit and grace Wherefore when that poor man in the Gospel a weakling in faith cries out Lord I believe help mine unbelief Maâ— 9.24 from a principle and seed of faith opening and dilating it self for increase he desires and cries out for more faith so that he could not have said Lord help mine unbelief if he had not already believ'd And further because a willing mind in desires after godliness 2 Cor. 8.12 is a real conversion unto God therefore is it rightly said that an Heart truly desirous to repent and believe is indeed a repenting and believing heart As a woman then that feels the stirrings of the child though but weakly yet hath good hope she is conceiv'd so O thou afflicted soul when thou feel'st the secret pantings
and salvation Rom. 8 33. oh how will it at once raise the mind with wonder and fill the soul with comfort and this in beholding how in every link in every mysterie Mercy and truth do meet together Ps 85.10 righteousness and peace do kiss each other O thou afflicted soul how will it strengthen thy faith and thereby confirm thy peace yea enlarge thy joy To behold Christ seal'd by the Father to the office of Mediation Joh. 6.27 1 Tim. 2.5 Luk. 4.18 1 Tim. 3.16 and anointed by the Spirit to the work of Redemption which Redemption he hath perfected by his Passion declared sufficient by his Resurrection and applies as effectual unto his Church in his Intercession So that S. Paul makes it his confident challenge to all in heaven in earth and hell saying Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 34. Magnificentissima conclusio Bez. in loc it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 2. Humbly applying the Promises of life In this exercise of faith O distressed soul thou shalt experimentally find and feel how aptly the Graces of the Spirit are resembled by fire for that as fire by burning Mat. 3.11 so grace by exercising it further enlarges and spreads it self Thus Charity is increased by loving Patience by bearing Mercy by compassionating and Faith it self by believing The best exercise of Faith then is in application of the Promises and the best application of the Promises is in the supplication of Prayer when in a devout fervor we urge God with the truth of his Word and cast our selves upon him in his free grace for the performance of his Promise which as it is made so is it made good in Christ Jesus unto the faithful 2 Cor. 1 20. 3. The Grounds of Comfort as to a distrust of the sincerity of Repentance 1. A man may be truly sanctified and so through the power of grace in the work of the Spirit a sincere Penitent notwithstanding the reliques of sin to hinder his progress in holiness This we have made good by the example of S. Paul who in an high accent of sorrow and a full confession of guilt complains of a body of sin a law in his members and a being brought into captivity to that law of sin Rom. 7.23 24. which sin though it rules not as a King it hath no willing and ready obedience yet it sometimes bears sway as a Rebel and prevails upon the soul so that with the Apostle the good which he would v 15 19. that he does not and the evil which he would not that he does And this S. Paul speaks of himself not as personating the unregenerate estate which many do imagine but as engaged in the spiritual warfare as S. Augustine hath determined For observe S Aug lib. retr v. 18. v. 22. v. 25. to will saith the Apostle is present with me and what is it not the Spirit of grace that thus sanctifies the will Again I delight in the law of God after the inward man this the voice and the practice too sure of a man regenerate Again With my mind I my self serve the law of God Here the Apostle is certainly either a Saint or an Hypocrite Wherefore then from the example presented it is evident a man may be truly sanctified and so through the power of grace a sincere Penitent notwithstanding the reliques of sin which hinder his progress in holiness 2. The more stirring motions and prevailing power of corruptions is not always from the greater impiety but oftentimes from the fitter opportunity to sin Know then O thou afflicted soul though opportunity doth not beget yet it is worth thy enquiry whether it doth not help to bring forth thy sins of infirmity It may be thou art apt to be more angry and passionate then formerly but is it because thou hast less meekness or more provocation It may be thou findest unclean affections more defiling then formerly but is' t because thou hast less chastity or more temptation It may be thou feel'st more grudgings of impatience and distrust then formerly but is it because thou hast less faith or more affliction Mat. 26.35 compar d with v. 56. 2 King 8.12 13 No man knows what corruptions are in him till he be tempted and that occasion and opportunity by an unhappy midwifery bring them forth Besides the difference of thy condition in the world may have made a difference of estate in thy soul Thou art now it may be at ease and rest and if so know the Birds appear in a calm which hid themselves in the tempest Active imployments yea Deut. 32 15. Jer. 48 11. and an afflicted condition in the world silence and still many corruptions which when we are at ease then they appear and shew themselves not that lust hath then more more life but more advantage not more strength but fitter opportunity 3. Thy sight of sin is from more light of Grace Rom 7 7.8 9. Eph 4. â—8 1 Coâ— 6 11. Rev. 3.17.18 and thy sense of sin from more life of the Spirit Oh how many lustings and sinful corruptions are there which the soul till exercised in the ways of holiness takes no notice or knowledge of So that thy corruptions increased in their number at which thou art so much dismaied do not necessarily argue that thou hast formerly less iniquity but rather that thou art now able to make a more clear and full discovery of thine iniquity which discovery of sin is a good argument to proâ—e the growth of grace For as the dust and atomes in the air are not discern'd till the Suns beams present them to the eye so the lusts and corrupt affections of the heart they are not seen till the Beams of divine light do make their discovery to the soul The Rules of Direction 1. Apprehend aright what is the proper sign of a sincere Repentance even the hatred and detestation of sin accompanied with a striving and contending against sin which contention is to be continued weakening sin in its power till we mortifie it in its motions It is not then the not committing of sin which is in it self the proper sign of a sincere repentance For what were this but to send us to the Wilderness or the Cloyster for the only Penitents yea and not find them there neither seeing the sad experiences of the Godly do sufficiently witness that sins of infirmity and of daily incursion as Tertullian calls them they do too too often surprise the best of Saints Peccata quotidianae incursionis Tert. 1 Joh. 1.8 Ps 18.23 Heb. 12.1 and that in the best of duties Yea there is in most if not in all some particular sin of nature which by special appropriation we may with David call
God my Jesus be gone from me yet will I mourn after him if happily I may find him whom my soul loveth O return return my joy my Jesus For till thou dost return I shall lie down in sorrow without thee my soul refuseth to be comforted The Grounds of Comfort 1. As thy distress is not without a promise thy misery without a Redeemer so nor is thy state and condition without many presidents even a cloud of witnesses whose sad experience will give full testimony to this certain truth Ps 55.5 That God oftentimes not only withholds the comforts of his good Spirit but also afflicts with the terror of our own hearts That oftentimes he hides the grace of the Gospel and discovers the rigor of the Law Ps 88.14 15.16 revealing guilt and concealing mercy yea oftentimes he rebukes the heart with secret checks of conscience and convictions of Spirit so that in the sad apprehension of sin and guilt death and hell the soul languisheth with frights and fears with horror and amazements Yet further he oftentimes renews the charge of former sins in the Court of Conscience making a man to possess the iniquities of his youth Job 13.26 and by his Spirit writing such bitter things against him that the soul is struck with the deep impressions of dread and horror in the apprehension of Gods shutting the gate of mercy and peace Ps 77.7 8 9. his refusing to be intreated or to hearken to any terms of reconciliation so that no holy duties or sacred ordinances for a time either administer comfort or discover love That this is the sad experience of the most eminent Saints the Book of Job and Psalms of David will sufficiently testifie And yet withall this testimony too they give of God and of Christ that he lifteth up those that are cast down Ps 37 24 42.11 147.7 8. 148.3 he healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds yea he gives liberty to the Captive health to the sick life to the dead and the divinest comforts to the most dejected souls so that they rejoice in his salvation and exult in his praises 2. This the condition of our present estate to be freed from the discomforts of afflictions as from the power of sin but in part Our graces are imperfect and therefore needs must our peace Our life 's a pilgrimage 1 Pet. 2.11 2 Cor. 10.4 a warfare and so hardship travel danger distress yea conflicts and wounds they are proper to our condition and therefore we may not think them strange but expect them with resolution bear them with patience and pass them through with constancie The day that hath no night no cloud the joy that hath no mourning no grief the crown that hath no cross no care is reserv'd for heaven not found on earth peculiar it is to the state of blessedness and eternity So that I cannot but question the uprightness of that mans heart who never question'd the goodness of his estate I cannot but doubt that mans assurance who never doubted and fear those comforts which were never discomforted There is certainly a woe to that peace which Satan does not sometimes disquiet True it is God could send forth his Saints as the Sun in its course to attract the eyes of all Beholders and make them in their splendor of graces ouâ—vie Solomon in his lustre of glory But this God hath not thought so agreeable to his wisdom in his dispensations to his Church and chosen 1 Cor. 1. â—3 14 c. he will rather have the Saints excellencie cloth'd with humane frailty and their inward worth vail'd with outward contempt Yea their life is so hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 that themselves oftentimes feel not the quickenings discover not the actings of their own graces for that a cloud of secret trouble darkens the light of all their comforts Doubtless had Adam continued in his primitive integrity God would have communicated himself to man not only by faith and reason but also by sense and external manifestation But now he conveys spiritual things in a spiritual manner We walk by faith and not by sight As is the manifestation of the Divine presence 2 Cor. 5 7 1 Cor. 13 9. such is our participation of Divine comforts all in part and imperfect 3. Though thy comforts are fled from thee yet the God of thy comforts abides with thee though thou wantest Christ in that blest Communion of joy and peace yet thou hast not lost him in that best communion of grace and life Spiritual joy though a sweet flower of Paradise yet a fading flower though a spiritual yet a temporal blessing a separable adjunct of grace and so not of the necessary being but of the happy well-being of a Christian a partial reward rather then a particular vertue Let this then be a firm ground of solid comfort That though thy light of Joy be extinguisht yet thy seeds of Grace are preserv'd thy heart hath its holy affections though emptied of its divine consolations For tell me who is' t that supports thy soul but the same God who conceals his love Does he not incline thine heart to fear and faithful obedience Ps 23 3 4. Isa 2â— 8 even when now he withdraws himself from thy soul in the light and comforts of his countenance And if so what thou dost possess is far more precious then what thou hast lost Communion w th Christ in the sanctifying influence is more excellent then communion with him in the comforting light of his Spirit Besides having the fountain thou wilt not be long without the streams having Christ the fulness of comforts thy soul shall not long remain discomforted God will lighten thy candle uncloud thy sun restore thy comforts Ps 7 120 21. This is Davids confidence Thou Lord which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth thou shalt increase my g eatness and comfort â—e on every side Hear Gods profession and promise Isa 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones And how revive them why by healing them with his grace leading them with his councels and restoring comforts to them See then the mercy is thine the promise is thine only thou must know and acknowledge the time of dispensing the season of performing is Gods who orders all things in number weight and measure 4. Those rebukes of the Spirit which so much torture thy conscience and that hiding his face which so much sads thy heart is all from a fatherly tenderness of care and love not from an avenging severity of justice and wrath God deals with the soul as David
passions does this distemper work in the whole man Wherefore seeing it is no Natural cause that can calm the soul nor any Spiritual remedy that shall cure the body they must be join'd together the Physitian for the body and the Minister for the soul and Gods blessing for both Which blessing he vouchsafe through Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. VIII The Souls Conflict from the misinterpretation of the order of Gods Providence in the Tribulations of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked TEmporal afflictions when sanctified by grace they become the spiritual physick of the soul which though administred by the no less tender then skilful hand of Providence how do we vain and foolish Patients how do we embitter our condition by chewing the pills we should swallow We mingle our passions with our crosses and through impatience struggle with our yoke thereby making our burden the more heavy our afflictions the more grievous whereas did we by a divine art poise the burden we bear by casting one part upon God as to support and deliverance Ps 55.22 1 Pet. 5.6 7. and taking the other part upon our selves as to duty and obedience the weight of our present Cross would be the less and of our future Crown the greater But now amidst the many troubles of anxious thoughts and various temptations nothing more afflicts yea endangers the soul then the murmuring discontents of an envious impatience beholding perjury and murder violence and oppression made as steps to mount the throne whilst innocencie and integrity faith and truth are trampled in the dust Job who so bitterly complains of the arrows of God Job 6.4 ch 21.6 7 c. was deeply wounded with this dart of Satan this murmuring impatience of afflicted souls in an envious discontent griev'd that iniquity prospers in their enemies whâ—lst innocencie suffers in themselves But that we may calm this bosom-tempest and still this secret murmur we will give answer to the Souls Complaint whilst buffeted by Satan in this Spiritual conflict The Words of Complaint Oh the deep infidelity of my false heart and diffident impatiencie of my troubled soul wounding my Conscience and grieving my Spirit with a secret muttering yea sometimes an open complaint against God in the order of his providence Whilst I behold the prosperity of the wicked and the tribulations of the godly Babylon sit as a Queen and Jerusalem lie in the dust yea whilst I see Religion supprest with Violence Truth blasphemed by Heresie and Piety smother'd with Contempt and on the contrary I see Profaneness exalted Sacriledge magnified and Injustice prosper Upon these thoughts oh how does Satan suggest to my troubled mind and discontented soul no less then blasphemy either against Gods omniscience or against his justice Against his omniscience denying that all-seeing eye of his providence as if the world were govern'd blindfold and ready I am to say with those the Psalmist speaks of Ps 73.11 Doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High If this cloud be dispell'd this temptation repulst Satan he renews his assault and my affliction by blasphemous thoughts against Gods justice as if he regarded not the sufferings of the good notwithstanding their innocencie he continuing his blessings upon the evil notwithstanding their iniquity Mal. 3.14 So that I am ready to say with those profane persons and distrustful souls It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we keep his ordinances Oh! these these thoughts of Atheism and infidelity of envy and impatience I find by sinful and sad experience they are a smoky vapor ascending from the infernal pit which clouds the judgment of my mind damps the comfort of my soul choaks the life of grace and even drives away the Spirit of my God 1. The Grounds of Comfort as to the Tribulattons of the Godly Job 5.6 1. The order of Gods providence Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground it is not a thing that happens by chance but is ordered by providence Which providence of God as it is general over all the Creatures so is it special over all his Children in which special providence of his it is that as he afflicts in mercy and truth so he saves in wisdom and power 1. He afflicts in mercy and truth God it is that afflicts Men that injure or oppress Isa 10.5 are but his Instruments to chastise by his providence ordering their rage for the trial of the faithful their malice for the correction of his children Thus Deliver my soul says David deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy sword Ps 17.13 14. from the men which are thy hand O Lord. The wicked who persecute are Gods sword with which he wounds his hand with which he strikes Job 2.7 ch 19.2 Thus Job when Satan himself had smote him yet we hear his complaint Have pitty upon me have pitty upon me O my friends for the hand of the Lord hath touched me Thus God it is that afflicts and that in mercy God we say he hath paternum animum as well as maternum affectum his love is fatherly for care as well as motherly for tenderness As a Father then he will sometimes humble his children by afflictions sustaining them with his hand not as a mother still indulge them in delights cockering them on his knee And as he afflicts in mercy so in truth Hear David's acknowledgment unto God saying I know Ps 119.73 O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me Wherefore it 's well said that all the troubles and distresses which befall the faithful though amarae sagittae yet ex dulci manu Dei though bitter arrows yet from the sweet hand of God whose special providence over his children is such that he afflicts them even in mercy and in truth 2. He saves them too in wisdom and in power his wisdom ordering the means and his power effecting the work of their salvation notwithstanding all difficulties and seeming impossibilities of their deliverance all secondary causes being linkt together in one chain of Divine providence which the Heathens feigned to be fastened at Jupiters Chair and we Christians believe to be held in Gods hand Isa 41.10 in him is the sole ordering and disposing of them And therefore Fear thou not says God to the true Israel fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Gods patronage and protection is not like that of men of which Salvian complain'd in his times that Hac lege defendunt miseros Salv. de gub Dei l. 3. ut miseriores faciant defendendo Upon this account they defend the miserable that they may make them the more miserable by defending them like the thorny bush to which
was not worthy this was that I say which made them endure with chearfulness Heb. 11.26 Hug. Cardin. in loc and persevere with constancie even the respect they had to the recompence of reward Consideratio praemii minuit vim flagelli the consideration of the eternal reward weakened the force of the temporal trouble The Rules of Direction 1. Betake thy self to a sincere repentance in a strict examination of Conscience a solemn humiliation of soul and a true reformation of life 1. A strict examination of Conscience for that the same afflictions may be at once as persecutions for righteousness and trials of grace so also corrections for sin Indeed sin is the cause of all affliction so that Christ he had not suffered had he not took upon him our sin And therefore did Elibu say right Job 36.7 8 9 10. that though God withdraws not his eyes from the righteous yet does he suffer them to be holden in cords of affliction that he may shew them their transgressions and so opening their ear to discipline they may return from their iniquity Requisite then it is that the children of God in their afflictions take up the resolution of the faithful Lam. 3.40 to search and try their ways to find out not only those sins which have procured but which have deserv'd the afflictions of Gods hand And this is no ways done but by str ct examination of Conscience that key which unlocks the Closet of our hearts where all our Books of Accounts lie And when this is done to prevent the subtlety of Satan and the deceitfulness of our own hearts let Davids prayer be a part of our devotion Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Ps 139 23. and see if there be yet any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting 2. A solemn â—umiliation of soul Sin is the sting as of death so of suffering And therefore the feeling of our suffering is to lead us to the sense of our sin and so our correction is for our humiliation But if desolation be threatned Isa 26 11 Isa 42 25. Mic. 6.9 and we not instructed if Gods hand be l fted up and we not see it yea if the fire burn and we not feel if the rod speak and we not hear but as we have been wanton in mercies we be senslâ—ss too in judgments needs must our ruine be as desperate as our hearts are stupid Whereas he makes an happy advantage to his soul who gains repentance by his trouble for he shall then get salvation by his repentance 3. A true reformation of life The poison taken out of the Viper it becomes an wholsom medicine and the curse taken out of affliction it becomes a divine admonition and is made use of by God upon his children Ps 119 71. not to destroy but to instruct not to plague but to heal Thus saith David It is good for me that I have been afflicted v. 67. and what 's the reason In that before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word What wise Patient theâ— will not more prise the healthfulness then loath the bitterness of that potion which is prescrib'd him by an able careful Physitian And so what dutiful Child of God will not more value the benefit then fear the sufferings of those afflictions which are laid upon him by so wise and indulgent a Father Needs must this administer much comfort to the afflicted Saints of God Isa 48.10 rightly to consider that God casts into the fornace of affliction non ut frangatur sed ut coquatur as S. Augustine not that the vessel may be destroyed but renewed made what S. Paul was Act. 9.15 2 Tim. 2.21 a vessel of election or as S. Paul speaks a vessel of honor meet for the Masters use Seeing this then is one main end of afflictions the overthrow of sin and the renewing in grace be careful O thou afflicted soul Gen. 35.1 c. in this even the reformation of life Thus it was with good Jacob when he was afflicted with the cruelty of his sons and the fear of the Canaanites he then remembers his vow and fulfils it he then orders his houshold and reforms it then the strange gods are put away and in zeal to Gods worship he goes to build him an Altar at Bethel Doubtless he loseth the benefit of afflâ—ctions that is not better'd by them for that like Jonathan's arrows they are not intended to the godly to wound 1 Sam. 20.20 but to warn not to kill but to admonish Outward afflictions become like the cloudy pillar they have a dark side to the Egyptians that is wrath and vengeance to the obstinate but a light side to the Israelites that is correction and instruction to the penitent The metal and the dross have the same fire but not the same effect the metal is refin'd and the dross is consumed yea the same judgments of God are to the godly corrections and trials which to the wicked are vengeance and punishment The sufferings of the godly though materially the same yet differ much from those of the wicked even as much as chastisements of love differ from judgments of wrath or healing medicines from destructive potions To illustrate this Suppose two men have their hands cut off the one by sentence of the Judge the other by the advice of the Chyrurgion the matter of the suffering is the same not the manner and form for to the one it is a cure to the other a punishment to the one an healing of a sore to the other an executing of justice The afflictions then of Gods children they are not formal punishments for that though they be occasioned by sin yet are they not inflicted by way of revenge which is the true nature of punishment properly so called Indeed God cannot be rightly said to punish those sins which he forgives for that Christ being our Mediator takes away guilt and punishment too Jer. 31.34 And therefore God so forgives iniquity that he remembers it no more But sure remember it he does if after forgiveness he yet punish it Whereas then 2 Sam. 12.14 notwithstanding God had told David by the Prophet that he had put away his sin yet he both threatens and afterwards executes wrath against him by reason of his sin And whereas Numb 14.23 notwithstanding God had told Moses that he had pardoned the people yet he tells him that none of them that murmured should enter Canaan In both these we may not think that there was any punishment by way of satisfaction unto God but chastisement by way of admonition both to themselves and others For where there is remission there is perfect reconciliation and where there is perfect reconciliation there must needs be full satisfaction So that Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and if
path and leavest the beaten road even that which is right via regia the Kings high-way that way which the King of heaven Christ the Prince of glory Heb 2 10 Luk. 2â— 26 9.22 23. both by precept and by pattern by doctrine and example hath chalkt out to us If then we be of the Israel of God having escaped out of the Egypt of an unregenerate state we must expect our Red sea of persecutions our fiery Serpents of temptations and our long Wilderness of afflictions all which we must pass through before we attain the heavenly Canaan the inheritance of promise and of rest And now that we be not discouraged with the difficulties of our passage look we into the Word of life and Gospel of our salvation and there see besides the reward of glory to crown our constancie see the hand that sustains the might that strengthens us to overcome even the power and grace of Christ See the refreshings which keep our souls from fainting and add to our constancie chearfulness even the councels and comforts of the Spirit And these we shall administer to the distressed soul which in its long and continued Conflict makes this sad and languishing complaint The Words of Complaint How long oh how long have I waited for the returns of my God of my Jesus I have often prayed and long expected and yet no comfort comes unto my soul my distress of conscience still continues because my God hides his face and withholds the light of his countenance from me Yea he hath not only laid me in the darkness but also shut me up that I cannot come forth Mine afflictions compass me daily yea all the day they come about me like waters and threaten the swallowing up of my soul And oh what is my help my hope but my God But alas he refuseth to be intreated I am weary of my groaning I have cryed day and night and yet he heareth not so that though the desires of my soul be towards his name and the remembrance of his holiness yet how are my fears and my terrors increased lest I be cut off from his hand cast out of his presence and become one of those that go down into the pit I have been so long in darkness that Satan pleads it in my misgiving thoughts as too plain a sign of being a child of darkness for that sure if the Sun of righteousness were risen upon my soul those clouds this mist that darkness would not continue but as he brings healing in his wings so would he bring comfort in his light refreshings by his Spirit and deliverance by his power The Grounds of Comfort 1. The firm assurance Christ gives of his indulgent care over his Church and chosen Thus he comforted Sion of old When the Prophet in much Pathos of joy Isa 49.13 calls upon the inanimate creatures to make up the Jubile Sing O heaven and be joyful O earth and break forth into singing O mountains for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted Yet it is Sion's deep complaint in the depth of her calamity v. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But see see the love of God to his afflicted Church exceeds that of the tender mother to her sucking child Naz orat 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bowels more tender then those of a mother yet more tender far are those of our heavenly Father For so says God in a pathetical expostulation of faithfulness and love v. 15. Can a mother forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget yet will I not forget thee Think not then O thou afflicted soul when God hides his face that he forgets thee or when he withdraws a while he then forsakes thee For how have we seen the careful and tender Mother wave the Child in her loving arms and pleas'd with its embraces threaten its fall that so fear might make it cling unto her bosom with the more sportful eagerness Thus even thus it is with the humble Saint and his gracious Saviour Videtur deserere quia non vult deseri Christ seems to forsake him on purpose that he may not be forsaken of him And this according to the tenor of Gods everlasting covenant That he will put his fear into the hearts of his chosen that they shall not depart from him Yea Jer. 32 4â— see the indeleble characters of Christs love and the infallible testimony of his care Says Christ to his Spouse his Church and in her to every faithful soul Behold I have engraven thee in the palms of my hands Engraven how why sâ— â—9 16. not with the carving tools but the piercing nails and not upon the skin but quite through the flesh not cover'd over with precious gold but colour'd through with more precious blood which neither age nor eternity shall wear out Thus thus have I engraven thee in the palms of my hands Humanitùs dictum saith Jun us it is spoken after the manner of men Jun. in loc but it is indeed an emphatical expression outvying the highest Courtship of the most amorous Lover to his beloved He it may be will have her Picture hang in his bosom that so forsooth she may be near his heart But Christ he hath his Spouse engraven in his hands that so she may be ever in his eye as well as in his heart she is his care as well as his love Wherefore that the Saints and chosen of God are often and long afflicted is not through want of love to pitty or of care to regard or of power to relieve No sure for what Father or Mother is not compassionately affected affectionately moved with the sufferings and sorrows of their dear children What tender Husband or what indeared Friend will not engage himself for the comfort succour supply and safety of whom he truly loves and lovingly tenders And therefore as David frames the Argument Ps 94 9. He that made the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall not he see and he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know So say I He who implants love and compassion in his creatures shall not he be much more loving and compassionate to his Saints He who imprints those tender affections in fathers husbands friends shall not he be more tenderly compassionate to his Church and chosen Yes sure Wherefore then Exod. 3.7 Jer 31.20 Ps 65.2 Ps 56.8 Mal. 3.16 he hath an eye of Providence to see their distress bowels of pitty to compassionate their trouble ears of mercy to hear their prayers bottles of love to hold their tears a book of remembrance to register their complaints yea Satan and the World shall know he hath Judgments of righteousness to plead their cause Vials of wrath to avenge their blood an arm of power to deliver their persons and a crown of
engines for the Churches ruine Ignat. ad Trall They are says Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not followers of Christ but hucksters of Christianity they cry up their opinions as Mountebanks their Salves and promising strange Empyrical cures they cheat simple souls with their adulterate wares The Antients to shew their hate of Heresie compare it to those diseases which are most deadly and those Beasts which are most dangerous They call it that contagious Plague which killing one infects an hundred that Hectick Feaver in the Churches Body which is at first facilis curatu but diffici is cognitu easie to be cured but hard to be discovered afterwards becomes facilis cognitu but difficilis curatu easie to be discovered but hard to be cured Further The Antients call Heresie that Scorpions sting which invenoms whilst it wounds that Hyaena which deceives and devours this subtile and cruel Beast as it is reporâ—ed will imitate the voice of a man and oftentimes calling at the Shepherds Cottages doth seise and devour them Such a thing is Heresie counterfeiting the voice of Christ as the Hyaena does the voice of a man it deceives and destroyes Souls yea its malice and rage is especially against the Pastors of the Church as the Shepherds of the Flock on purpose the more easily to scatter and spoil to raven and devour the Sheep I might enlarge in setting before you the bitter fruits of this cursed stock of Heresie even Sedition Murder Sacriledge Oppression and the like to witness which I might bring you the sad experiences of Christs Church under the Arrian Nestorian and Macedonian factions yea and under the rage of the Anabaptists frenzies and above all under the unparralel'd fury if these days have not out-vied them of Papal persecutions The Orthodox in their just prosecution of Hereticks still tempered Severity with Charity they not onely called them Brethren but applied themselves to them as Brethren convincing their judgments with the evidence of truth and winning their affections with sweetness of love Thus did the Orthodox in their prosecutions of Hereticks but how much different were the Hereticks in their persecutions of the Orthodox Non ex dialecticorum locis sed ex carnificum officinis argumenta solvebant The Prison the Dungeon the Stake the Gibbet these were their Topicks from whence they argued Socrat. l. 2 c. 22 30 Sâ—zâ—â— en l. 4. c. 2. 20. and by which they convinced thus Socrates of the Macedonians And such the confutation from the Spanish Inquisition and the Marian Persecution Notantur articuli parantur fasciculi saith Erasmus The Articles are read and the Faggots are ready and yet certainly to bring to the Stake and cut off with present death was a mercy to this cruelty of pineing the whole Family with want and exposing not onely the persons to the hardships and sufferings the names to the ignominy and disgraces but also the souls the precious souls oâ— their Brethren to the snares and temptations of beggery and necessities It is a mercy indeed to give life but it is a cruel mercy unless that life be suffered to have its livelihood To close Amongst the Heathen Ingratus superbus unâ—hankful and proud were thought a compendium of all reproachful language Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris If thou callest un hankful thou speakest all evil saith Seneca and to set forth Tarquinius in the deepest dy of basest ignominy the Romans named him Tarquinius Superbus Tarquin the Proud Now as for ingratitude what greater then that of the Heretick who Viper-like eats out the Bowels of his Mother that gave him birth And as for the pride of the Heretick it is that of Lucifer truly Diabolical a preferring the spirit of error before the Spirit of Truth as in Pertinacy of Will so in Pride of Judgment And those whom Satan hath fast in the Chain of Heresie he can easily lead if it suit with his further ends into any other enormous impiety though never so bloody and cruel never so filthy and carnal Thus we have given you the Exposition of the second particular The quantity of the guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even or also Heresies 3. The certainty of its event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies Must not in an Oportet of right and duty but of fact and necessity not of right and duty as to obedience but of fact and necessity as to event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom Chrys Tom. 5. Serm. 21. in loc Luke 9.22 The words are a Prophecy not a Precept a Prediction not an Exhortation the Oportet is like that of our Saviours The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders An Oportet equivalent to a necesse est a necessity not absolute and fatal but upon supposition and conditional even Positâ causâ ponitur affectus the cause being granted the effect doth follow this being supposed That Satan is malicious against the Church and truth of Christ envious at the grace and peace of Gods chosen and irritated by this malice and envy he will not fail to endeavor whatsoever may corrupt the truth disturb the peace and destroy the grace of the faithful And it being further supposed That suâ—h is mans unconstancy curiosity pride self-love and the like that he is easily swayed readily prompted to what is evil and irreligious Lastly this being also supposed That Gods will is not wholly to suppress the Devil and his agents but in wisdom to order and in power to moderate their subtilty and rage so as may make for his Churches tryal his Saints honor and his Truths advancement All this being supposed we may be assured the Oportet stands firm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies How often was there an Oportet in the New Testament for a fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Now as concerning these last days How many are the prophecies which foretold false Prophets how many are the prophecies from Christ and his Apostles Many false Prophets shall arise Matth. 24.11 and shall deceive many so our Saviour foretells us And this began betimes to be fulfilled for not many years after 1 John 4.1 St. John witnesseth Many false Prophets are gone out into the world the whole world is the false Prophets diocess And now as for the latter days which though it take in the whole Chronical account from our Saviours Ascension yet more especially does it point to our times upon whom the end of the world is come As to these then our latter days the Spirit speaks expresly That some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils so St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.1 Yea we may observe the very Apostles are put to weed whilest they plant the Church of Corinth and of Ephesus even in St. Pauls time have those that deny the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 2 Tim. 2.18 Galat.
the Church Triumphant by some excellent glory According to that of the Prophet Dan. 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever To close then in days of persecution St. Paul tells us That the suffering Saints of Christs Church 1 Cor. 4.9 they are made a Spectacle unto the World and to Angels and to Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle We are brought forth into the World as upon a stage to play a prize in the view of Heaven and Earth So that being approved we cannot but be manifest yea performing our parts well the Angels themselves shall give a plaâ—dite at our exit they shall with triumph conveigh our Souls into the Heavenly Presence Heb. 2.10 where Christ the Captain of our Salvation as Arbiter of the Combate shall bestow a Crown of Glory as the reward of Victory 1 Cor 9 25. In days then of tryal and trouble from the persecutions of Heresie Quest How may we best order our lives as such who are approved for constancy in the Faith Answ In the exercise of these Christian Duties Answ fervent Prayer sincere Obedience devout Meditation strict Watchfulness and holy Zeal 1. Fervent Prayer That God would be pleased in mercy to open the eyes and incline the hearts of the Seducers and of the seduced O Beloved you know not the vertue and efficacy of Prayer for the Conversion of Souls Prayer may do it when Preaching fails when the religious and tender mother Monica applied her self to St. Ambrose with this humble suit That he would by his learned Conference reclaim her son Augustine from his Error seduced into the blasphemous Heresie of the Maniches Though she urged her suit with sighs and that Pathetical Oratory of flowing tears yet the pious and prudent Father waves her request and returns her this answer Thy sons heat of youth and pride of sp rit does render him uncapable of my Conviction to his Conversion but thou continuing thy Prayers earnestly soliciting the Throne of Grace Aug. Confes l. 3. c. 12. Ille legendo reperiet quis ille sit error quanta impietas He shall finde by reading in how great an Error and Impiety he is involved For that Tot lachrymarum filius the son of so many tears shall not perish And that this was seasonable and saving advise the manner and method of St. Augustines Conversion evidently declares Let this then be a part of their Prayer who are approved in the Faith That God would open the eyes and incline the hearts of the Seducers and the seduced or if their Seduction be a Judgment of Reprobation and irreversible by Prayer let this be our supplication That God will defend and deliver his Church from the Policies and Practises 2 Thes 3 2. the Pertinacy and Persecution of such unreasonable men as the Apostle calls them And in our Prayers let not our hearts fail nor our faith faint for notwithstanding the thick mists and threatning storms yet God will be seen in the Mount a present help in our pressing troubles and a saving deliverance in our deepest distresses With Jehoshaphat when we know not what to do then Let our eyes be towards the Lord 2 Chron. 20.6 and if our eyes be towards God in Prayer his eye will be towards us in pity and his compassion shall bring Salvation 2. To our fervent Prayer we must joyn a sincere Obedience I doubt not but that we have many of us poured forth many Prayers breathed forth many sighs But what is the reason they have not returned as Noahs Dove Gen. 8.11 With an Olive branch of peace a gracious answer of mercy Is it not because we have sought our selves more then our God Our ease and rest more then his truth and righteousness Psal 65.2 God is a God that heareth Prayers this is a title in which he glories a glory of which he boasts So that our narrow hearts stop his flowing streams and we become straitned in our selves not in our God His Mercies are free and full our Prayers empty and vain and why are our Prayers empty and vain but because our lives are sinful and vile God is not unwilling to give but we uncapable to receive he not backward to bestow but we unfit to enjoy we seek Consolation but not in the way of Sanctification we desire Peace and rest but pursue it not in the way of Truth and Holiness Renewed hearts and reformed lives O how well how well Beloved do they suit the old Faith and antient Truth That truth in which we profess to be constant and that Faith in which we desire to be approved But oh when our sins out-cry our Prayers and our Conversations confute our Supplications no wonder if an Orthodox Church languish And a few Suppliants at the Throne of Grace have their Prayers returned into their own bosoms not availing for the publick good being strongly overborn by a publick guâ—lt Wherefore when we implore God in Prayer imitate we the Church in the Lamentations Lam. 3.41 By lifting up our hearts with our hands unto God in the Heavens Hieron in loc Now Cor cum manibus levat qui orationem operibus roborat he lifts up hâ—s heart with his hands who strengthens his Prayers with his works his hearty Devotion with his sincere Obedience 3. Devout Meditation This in the sacred Scriptures the Pandects of Divine Law from whence we argue the Panoply and Magazin from whence we arm our Tongues and Pens against all that is Heretical Onely our Meditation here must be accompanied with Humility 1 Cor. 8.1 that Knowledge puff not up with Pride And therefore herein especially do we exercise our Humility in not being over-confident of our own knowledge for alas when the best know most how far are they from knowing half of what is contained in the Mysteries of the Grace and Gospel of Christ For that Hierom in Eph. 3. Singuli sermones syllabae apices puncta in divinis scripturis plena sunt sensibus so St. Hierom every word every syllable every letter every title Chrys Proaem Câ—m in Ep. ad Rom. Dam Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in eis non bene intelligitur etiam temerè audacter asseritur Aug. Tract 18. in Joan. Id. Aug. in the sacred Scriptures is full of mystery and divine meaning Now from hence are all Heresies even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a not knowing the Scriptures so St. Chrysostome and St. Augustine more fully hereby men become Heretical when they have not a right understanding of the sacred Scriptures and what they rightly understand not through ignorance they rashly assert with boldness Wherefore when we meditate upon the sacred Scriptures meeting with some more secret and amazing mysteries let our humility teach us that there Melior est fidelis ignorantia
and such is the end of the Apostolical Presidency even the preventing Schism and the preserving Order and Unity in the Church A Prudential Experience doth tell us it is with Christs Church as with Davids Harp in all a parity of office is as far from peace as the unison of strings is from harmony subordination in some and superiority in others is as requisit to Ecclesiastical as Civil Polity without which Schism becomes as fatal to the Church as Rebellion is to the State So that we must subscribe to the grave sentence and judgment of St. Hierome unless the Episcopal pre-eminence of Authority and Office be preserved Hieron Dialog Adv. Luciferian Tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes There will be as many Schisms in the Church as there are Presbyters especially if every Presbyter hath power of Ordination intrinsecal to his Office by the Divine Right of Apostolical Institution For what then would be the use of Ordination but chiefly to propagate Schism But some may say to prevent this Though the power of Ordination be common to all yet the act of ordaining is restrained to a few Presbyters But I ask by what Authority of Scripture they do it and what Primitive patteâ—n they have for their practise Besides to exclude their Brethren from the exercise of what they acknowledge is proper and intrinsecal to their office is a manifest injury and violation and if all should exercise what is their right of office and cannot be taken from them this would be a strange disorder and confusion Wherefore Beloved in what we have asserted the Apostolick Constitution and the Churches practise doth engage our consent of judgment and conformity of obedience upon a double tye of Reason and of Religion So that if we be either prudent men or pious Christians we must submit to the truth of this assertition That by imposition of hands to ordain into the Ministry is not in the power nor belongs to the office of any meer Presbyter Acts 20.17 28. Phil. 1.1 But what do we not finde that frequently in sacred Scripture Presbyters are called Bishops and are they not therefore one in office being one in name and not to be differenced in the Church not being distinguished in the Scripture To this so specious an Argument we answer our adversaries That as we are not so ignorant as from the name to prove the office of Bishop so nor should they be so erroneous as from the community of name to prove the identity of office in Bishop and Presbyter We finde in the Acts and Epistles those sacred Records which give us the first path of Ecclesiastical Government not so obvious to the eye as when Church practise had trod it out into a beaten road we finde I say in the Acts and Epistles the same persons sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops so that by the signification of name it is clear we have not the distinction of office 1 Pet. 5.1 2 John 1. And therefore Presbyter being spoken of the Apostles as well as Bishop of Presbyters As from hence That the Apostles were called Presbyters we may not conclude That Presbyters are no less then Apostles so nor from this That Presbyters were called Bishops may we conclude That Bishops are no more then Presbyters It is easie to observe how words common at the first became appropriate in their use and so in some process of time even within one Century of years after Christ the distinction of office became commonly known by distinction of name Bishop being appropriate unto him who had an Apostolical presidency of Ordination and Jurisdiction in the Church We close then with this sure inference from the premisses That this late Schism in our Church of meer Presbyters ordaining to the Ministry as it hath not any clear Text of Scripture to warrant it nor any allowed practise of the Church to approve it so nor hath it any argument of Reason to abet it as being contrary to that Mission constituted by our Saviour in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of thy Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Applic. 1 Cor. 9.16 1. You see Beloved what is our Mission Christ hath bid us go and a necessity is laid upon us Wo unto us if we preach not the Gospel But then much more wo unto them who stop our mouths that we cannot preach or that binde our feet that we cannot go Let such dread Jeroboams judgment their arm withering 1 King 13.4 their power shrinking and wasting with a curse God did bear long with Judah but when they came to this That they mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron 36.16 17 c. despised his words and misused his Prophets then there was no remedy his mercy had borne so long that his justice could bear no longer but wrath does arise against his people to captivity and to desolation Oh Beloved the Ministers souls lie at stake for the peoples if we warn you not your perishing through our default is a default whereby we perish Oh the blood of Souls how loud does it cry for vengeance when spilt by the hand of ignorance error slothfulness or cowardice in the Minister See in the course of our Ministry Christ gives us our Mission to go O let us not through your perversness and obstinacy in sin go upon thorns and bryars finde torture and trouble of Soul in our service but in your obedience of Faith to the Gospel of Christ O make beautiful our feet make pleasant our paths Sure there is no greater joy and blessed even thrice blessed be God I can call it much my joy there is no greater joy in the service of our Ministry then to preach the Gospel to a willing and reverent Auditory But oh Beloved and my dearly beloved in the Lord this this is too too much the disparagement of your profession and the discouragement of my Ministry that your holiness of life and righteousness in the world answers not your reverence in the Church your zeal for the Church O that he who gave me my Mission to preach would give you his Grace to practise 2 Cor. 3.3 that I might say of you what St. Paul says of his Corinthians Ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us known and read of all men The Epistle of Christ such in whom he hath imprinted the truth and holiness of his Gospel which hath been preached unto you This this would very much seal the lawfulness of my Ministry even its efficacy in your lives which though it is not the most infallible yet is it the more comfortable seal of Christs Mission in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations c. 2. As I have shewed
to do with the Covenants of Promise What hath the prophane person or Hypocrite to do with the Body of Christ which is none other then The general assembly Heb. 12.23 and Church of the first-born whose names are written in Heaven If we are Members of Christs Body where is our conformity to him in holiness where are the vital operations of his Spirit where the quickning power of his Grace Wherefore know amongst the many symptoms of life there are none more sure then those of Sense So that hereby we testifie our selves to be living Members of Christs Body by a sense of our own sin with hatred and detestation and by a fellow-feeling of our Brethrens sufferings with tenderness and compassion indeed he who hath no fellow-feeling can be no fellow-member no lively part of Christs Body Now if by these symptoms of Spiritual life from Christ as the Head we can evidence to our selves that we are living Members of the Church as his Body Then be we further exhorted to live as such who profess a communion with that Body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head But how this why it is by observing St. Pauls direction Eph 4.15 even In growing up into him in all things who is the Head even Christ This is that the Apostle calls aright an increasing with the increase of God Col. 2.19 with the increase of God that is with all divine and spiritual growth in true Faith fervent Love firm Hope and sincere Holiness even in all saving Graces which is therefore called the increase of God because he is the efficient cause in his Blessing and he is the final cause in his Glory 3. From the so near union of the Members with the Head of the Faithful with Christ doth flow forth most divine comfort to the languishing Soul in the midst of inward temptations and outward afflictions First In the midst of inward temptations When we rightly apprehend the wisdom and goodness of our God the love and mercy of our Jesus in this Mystery of the Head being made conformable to the Members Christ in all things like unto his Brethren that Heb. 2.17 18. he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining unto God and so Was himself tempted that he might be able to succor them that are tempted Doth Satan then pursue the Soul with continued suggestions renewed temptations which neither a watchful care can avoid nor yet fervent Prayer doth remove If so This is our comfort that such an High Priest such an Head such a Saviour we have Heb. 4.15 As is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Touched not onely per apprehensionem but also per experientiam not onely by his divine knowledge as God but also by his humane experience as man for that as it follows He was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin Now from Christs being touched with the feeling of our infirmities it is the Apostles inference Vers 16. That we therefore come boldly even in an humble confidence unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace to help in the time of need for that thus doing Christ shall speak to the Soul what he once spake to St. Paul in his spiritual conflict My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 and thereby My strength shall be made perfect in thy weakness Secondly In the midst of outward afflictions By vertue of that near union betwixt the Head and the Members Christ and his Church the afflictions of the godly reach even unto Christ Thus says our Saviour I was an hungred and ye gave me meat Matth. 25.35 36. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Oh the inconceiveable love of Christ And Oh the divine comfort of the Soul in this communion between Christ and the Faithful As the Faithful communicate with Christ in his benefits so Christ he communicates with the Faithful in their sufferings As wisdom righteousness peace joy life glory are such wherein the Faithful communicate with Christ so hunger thirst nakedness sickness imprisonment are such wherein Christ communicates with the Faithful And what is the ground and reason of all this but the union of Christ and the Church like that of the Head and the Body So that though the Faithful man be in himself never so poor yet in Christ he is abundantly rich though in him self never so despicable yet in Christ he is highly exalted though in himself never so miserable yet in Christ he is eternally happy And so again vice versá Our Lord Jesus Christ though in himself never so rich yet in the Faithful he still suffers poverty though in himself never so glorious yet in his Saints he still suffers ignominy though in himself never so highly exalted yet in his Members he still suffers contempt Now who rightly apprehends and considers that Christ himself not onely hath suffered for him as his surety but also still suffers in him as his Head who is it that rightly considers this but will as the Apostle exhorts Heb. 12.1 Run with patience the race that is set before him looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of his Faith For that if we suffer with Christ Rom. 8.17 we shall also be glorified together with him With him Who is the Head of the Body the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the pre-eminence For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON PSAL. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple NOthing is more dismal then darkness so that Introduct midnight dangers are the most dreadful Oh the sad distress then of Gods children and chosen when so clouded in their sufferings that they see no succor But then even then how does their piercing eye look through storms and tempests and behold the Sun behind the Cloud behold Gods face through the Worlds frowns and in his favor find light and life when the outward man discerns nothing but darkness and death Thus David he quells his fears and triumphs by faith saying The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life v. 1. of whom shall I be afraid But where hath David this courage from whence this confidence Why see he takes Sanctuary he flies to the horns of the Altar he seeks shelter under the Cherubims wings Gods presence is his protection Gods house his fort and tower yea his comfort and delight by way of excellency it is his Unum his one thing One
go out upon the Altar not letting our devotion cool in Gods presence especially when we present our selves at the Table of the Lord that sacred solemnity of the blessed Eucharist Oh that we could here compose our Souls to Davids frame That seeing God in Christ is the Center of all holy delights we may make the enjoyment of his presence and communion the Center of all hearty desires and then say in an humble faith and ardent fervor of devotion One thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life c. THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSAL. 27.4 To behold the Beauty of Lord and to enquire in his Temple Introduction Psal 87.2 GOD that loveth the Gates of Sion above all the habitations of Jacob he prefers the Publick Services of the Church before the Private Worship of the Closet 2 Sam. 7.16 Zech. 3.8 Wherefore Davids zeal to the Building and Zorobabels to the rebuilding the Temple and House of God it was rewarded and incouraged by the promise of the Messiah issuing from their loyns And if the holy zeal of building and restoring the House of God had the promise of Christ in the flesh sure I am the blinde zeal of prophaneing and destroying Gods House can have no communion with Christ in the Spirit For observe we how the Prophet Haggai foretels That Hag. 11.9 the glory of the latter House should be greater then that of the former the glory of Zorobabels Temple greater then that of Solomons which could not be meant as to the outward structure or the inward ornaments the latter House wanting what gave the excellency to the former even the Ark of the Covenant the Heavenly Fire the overshadowing Cloud the Urim and Thummim and the gift of Prophecy which gift of Prophecy was onely supplied by an Eccho which the Hebrews call Bath Kol the Daughter of a Voice revealing sometimes something of the Will of God Such a Voice was heard in the Temple before Titus besieged Jerusalem Joseph Bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 12. Migremus hinc Let us be gone hence Now all that glory being wanting in the latter Temple What made it more glorious then the former I answer It was the presence and manifestation of Christ in the flesh who was the substance of those Figures the Body of which the Temples glory was but a shadow And if this was the glory of the Jews Temple That Christ in the flesh was there manifested and presented unto God shall it not be much more the glory of our Christian Oratories That there Christ in his Word and Sacraments is preached and exhibited unto us Christ is present in all places Rev. 2.1 but is said To walk in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks Present he is in the Congregation of the Saints by a special ministration of the Spirit declaration of his Will and communication of his Grace there his Power is evidenced his Arm revealed his Body and Blood exhibited Who is it then but will delight to dwell in that House where the refreshing Food is Christs Body and the chearing Wine his Blood the ravishing Beauty the light of his countenance and the sweet repose his Arms of Love yea where the blest Fellowship is that of Angels and Saints and the onely service Gods holy worship However then the ambitious mindes sore aloft and with restless wing pursue their wordly glory yea how ever voluptuous Epicures set themselves to the injoyment of their sensual delights whatsoever they cost them though body and soul and all yet fix we our desires on Davids one thing which is as much beyond comparison as it is above exception even To dwell in the House of the Lord This the centre of Davids Prayer the main object of his longing desires and eager importunities the thing he sues and seeks for so says the Psalmist One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple We proceed to the second General part The Divine Reason of Davids Petition which is twofold of Delight and of Devotion First Of Delight To behold the Beauty of the Lord Secondly Of Devotion To enquire in his Temple We begin with the first particular that of Delight To behold the Beauty of the Lord. To behold the Beauty of the Lord Why what commerce hath Earth with Heaven finite with infinite flesh with spirit dust and ashes with majesty and glory man with God O the gracious sweetness of divine love God descends to exalt man the Creator humbles himself to a communion with his Creature and to so near a communion as to make his Spirit mans life his grace mans comliness his wing mans shadow his hand mans strength his heart mans rest his beauty mans delight and his embraces mans repose This Beauty of the Lord is of too glorious a ray to be beheld otherways then under avail and therefore it is the goodness of our Maker to exhibite himself not according to the strength of his glory but according to the weakness of our capacity The object is proportioned to the faculty the Creatures are as the Waters and his Word and Sacraments as the Mirrors which represent God by reflexion whose glory we cannot look upon in a direct Beam And thus did David behold the Beauty of the Lord in his Sanctuary Heb. 9.2 3 c. as represented in Types and Figures for we finde in the first Tabernacle called Holy the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread and in the second Tabernacle called The Holy of Holies we finde the Golden Censer the Ark the Manna Aarons Rod the Tables of the Covenant the Cherubims of Glory and the Mercy Seat Now this Tabernacle and Sanctuary did aptly represent the Church of Christ whose Militant part through the vail of Faith does contemplate the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Great High Priest Heb 4.14 by whom we have access unto the Father in the Holy of Holies that is the Highest Heavens The Brazen Laver did signifie our Baptism and Repentance the Sacrifice of Burnt offerings the Mortification of our Lusts the Altar of Incensé our Oblations of Prayers the Golden Candlestick the Preachers of the Gospel and the Lights thereof their holy Doctrine the Table of Shew-bread did prefigure the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Communion of Saints The Holy of Holies did represent the Heavenly State of the Church Triumphant there being the Ark of the Covenant the Personal and Corporal presence of Christ the Golden Propitiatory his glorious Humanity and the Table of the Law his perfect Obedience the Cherubims wings did represent the Ministry of Angels from above which heavenly Spirits God shews forth his glory in a beatifical
of thy soul and the comforts of his Spirit which pardon obtain'd peace restor'd comforts recover'd are all strengthened confirm'd and seal'd by servent prayer devout meditation and a worthy receiving the blessed Eucharist These these holy duties are the oil which keeps the lamp burning the sacred means ordain'd of God and Christ for the quickening of our graces and the enlarging of our comforts The Objections answered Obj. 1 Obj. 1. These Rules I have according to my best endevours observ'd and yet notwithstanding all Gospel-ministrations my wound ah my deep wound is not healed mine anguish my secret anguish is not abated Oh! sure my hope is perished from the Lord He hath cut me off Oh that I had never been born or that I had never liv'd to behold my wretchedness Answ Wo is me what shall I do Answ Do what thou sayest thou hast already done still endeavour that thy spiritual comforts may take their rise from thy penitential sorrows enquire still after God in Christ in the means of grace press near to him in his ordinances let no discouragements beat thee back Joh 6. â—7 Hear the promise of thy Jesus He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out O the stay of faith and staff of the soul O divine word of grace O gracious promise of love He receives us into his bosom when we cast our selves into his arms He will sustain and hold fast He will in no wise cast off and forsake Heb. 13.5 Wherefore O thou afflicted soul though thou art forsaken of comfort yet do not lie down in despair nor sleep in sloth but let faith hold up thy hope and hope keep up thine obedience and do not rest quiet till finding thy God in Christ thou obtain a quiet rest And how shalt thou find God in Christ but in the application of the Gospels promises and in the exercise of holy duties Obj. 2. What tell you me of holy duties As Absalom said of Obj. 2 David so I say of Christ What are all these to me if I cannot see the Kings face What are the Ordinances and the Promises 2 Sam. 14.32 what are holy duties and religious performances These have no sweetness but when I can taste Christ in them they have no beauty but when I can behold Christ in them by his presence all my troubles would soon be dispersed and by his absence all comforts they are embitter'd Answ Christ is present with thee in all his ordinances Answ though thou seest him not He purposely hides his face to try thy love and permits thee to be tempted that thou mayst be approved approved as one of those who truly fear God obeying his voice Isa 50.10 though they walk in darkness and have no light It is no great matter to see the Child express much love when pleas'd with the Fathers smiles and chear'd with his embraces but if when the Father seems with frowns to put the Child from him and it then cling close to him it is a sure argument of dutiful affection Thus when the mind is raised the heart enlarg'd the soul ravish'd with the sweet delights of holiness and the divine manifestations of Gods love what great matter is it to be pious and faithful in his service But here 's the trial of grace here 's the proof of our faith our love our obedience if when God withdraws the light of his countenance we then seek him if when Christ seems to depart from us we then lay hold on him and not let him go but resolve though he kill us to trust in him though he chide us Joh 13.15 to call upon him and though he seem to reject us yet faithfully to serve and obey him But besides O thou afflicted soul in the holy Sacrament thou canst not miss of what thy soul longs after Christ and Christ in all his fulness Mat. 26.27 28. For hear how our Saviour in the ministration of this sacred ordinance he saith of the bread broken Eat this is my body and of the wine poured out Drink this is my blood whereby we are to believe in a firm assent of faith that our blessed Lord and Saviour hath appointed and ordain'd this holy Sacrament to be a most effectual means to convey and most sure seal to confirm the actual efficacie and merit of his body crucified and his blood shed So that the bread and wine do not only sacramentally represent but also really exhibit to each faithful though languishing soul whole Christ with all his benefits then which what can be more effectual to the repairing thy peace of conscience and the renewing thy comforts of the Spirit Obj. Obj. 3. I know not how nor what to do For besides my trouble of conscience and terror of soul I find such a stupifying dulness and amazed deadness upon my spirits that I cannot apply my self to any holy duties with a fixed Answ much less an enlarged heart Answ Apply thy self to some faithful Minister or some other experienc'd Saint of God For seeing the Mind under spiritual afflictions is as a bone out of joint Gal. 6 1. who is it that shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joint it again but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual man he who is acquainted with the motions methods and actings of the Spirit Yea seeing the afflicting of the soul is a breaking of the bones so with David Make me to hear of joy and goodness Ps 51.8 that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice We stand in need to be careful to make use of some skilful in Soul-chyrurgerie who may so help so heal the wound set right the bones that no splinters be left to fret the Patient no scruple to vex the Conscience Yea sure I am there is not so much danger to the body in the ill setting of a bone as there is to the soul in the unsound resolving of Conscience But further Let the faithful Minister or other experienc'd Saint that shall have to do with his clouded and dull as well as afflicted and troubled soul let him see well to it whether Melancholy hath not penn'd up the soul in its darksom cell whose adust humors are aptly call'd Balneum Diaboli the Devils Bath Melancholy distempers beget afflicting thoughts and afflicting thoughts beget melancholy distempers and thus is the poor soul whirl'd about in a circle and maze of disquiets and distractions which disquiets and distractions are the more increased by Satans malice and subtlety in that as some men do deceive others in a dark shop with false colours so does Satan deceive the soul in a dark body with false imaginations Act 4.36 Now here an Hippocrates is as proper as a Barnabas a Physitian as a Minister for that say what we can it will be with the soul in a melancholy body as with a candle in a dark lantern its light still dim and dismal and oh what terrors of strange imaginations and strong