use of that sweet Relation of God in Christ becomming a Father to us Doubtlesse thou art our Father flesh would make a doubt of it and thou seemest to hide thy face from us yet doubtlesse thou art our Father and hast in former time shewed thy selfe to be so wee will not leave thee till we have a blessing from thee till we have a kinder looke from thee This wrastling will prevaile at length and we shall have such a sight of him as shall bee an encouragement for the time to come when we shall be able to comfort others with those comforts whereby we have been refreshed our selves With the Saints case remember the Saints course which is to trust in God So Christ the Head of the Church commits himselfe to that God whose favour for the present he felt not So Iob resolves upon trust though God should kill him But these holy persons were not troubled with the guilt of any particular sin but I feele the just displeasure of God kindled against me for many and great offences True it is that sinne is not so sweet in the committing as it is heavy and â—…itter in the reckoning When Adam had once offended God Paradise it selfe was not Paradise to him The presence of God which was most comfortable before was now his greatest terrour had not God out of his free infinite and preventing mercy come betwixt him and hell by the promise of the blessed seed This seed was made sin to satisfie for sinne sinne passive in himselfe to satisfie for sinne active in us When God once charges sinne upon the soule Alas who shall take it off When the great God shall frowne the smiles of the creature cannot refresh us Sinne makes us afraid of that which should be our greatest comfort it puts a sting into every other evill upon the seazing of any evill either of body soule or condition the guilty soule is imbittered and enraged for from that which it feeles it fore-speakes to it selfe worse to come It interprets all that befalls as the messengers of an angry God sent in displeasure to take revenge upon it This weakneth the courage wasteth the spirits and blasteth the beauty even of Gods dearest ones There is not the stoutest man breathing but if God sets his conscience against him it will pull him downe and lay him flat and fill him with such inward terrors as he shall be more afraid of himselfe then of all the world beside This were a dolefull case if God had not provided in Christ a remedy for this great evill of evills and if the holy Spirit were not above the conscience able as well to pacifie it by the sense of Gods love in Christ as to convince it of sinne and the just desert thereby But my sinnes are not the sinnes of an ordinary man my spots are not as the spots of the rest of Gods children Conceive of Gods mercy as no ordinary mercy and Christs obedience as no ordinary obedience There is something in the very greatnesse of sin that may encourage us to goe to God for the greater our sinnes are the greater the glory of his powerfull mercy in pardoning and his powerfull grace in healing will appeare The great God delights to shew his greatnesse in the greatest things Even men glory when they are put upon that which may set forth their worth in any kinde God delighteth in mercy it pleaseth him nothing so well as being his chiefe Name which then we take in vaine when we are not moved by it to come unto him That which Sathan would use as an argument to drive us from God wee should use as a strong plea with him Lord the greater my sins are the greater will be the glory of thy pardoning mercy David after his hainous sinnes cries not for mercy but for abundance of mercy according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away nine offences his mercy is not only above his own works but above ours too If we could sin more then he could pardon then wee might have some reason to despaire Despaire is a high point of Atheisme it takes away God and Christ both at once Iudas in betraying our Saviour was an occasion of his death as man but in despairing he did what lay in him to take away his life as God When therefore Conscience joyning with Sathan sets out thy sinne in its â—…ours labour thou by faith to set out God in his colours infinite in mercy and loving kindnesse Here lies the art of a Christian It is divine Rhetorick thus to perswade and set downe the soule Thy sinnes are great but Adams was greater who being so newly advanced above all the creatures and taken into so neare an acquaintance with God and having ability to persist in that condition if he would yet willingly overthrew himselfe and all his whole posterity by yeelding to a temptation which though high as being promised to bee like unto God yet such as hee should and might have resisted No sinne we can commit can be a sinne of so tainting and spreading a nature yet as he fell by distrust so he was recovered by trusting and so must we by relying on a second Adam whose obedience and righteousnesse from thence raignes to the taking away not only of that one sinne of Adam and ours in him but of all and not onely to the pardon of all sinne but to a right of everlasting life The Lord thinkes himself disparaged when wee have no higher thoughts of his mercy then of our sins when we bring God downe to our Model when as the heavens are not so much higher then the earth then his thoughts of love and goodnesse are above the thoughts of our unworthinesse It is a kinde of taking away the Almighty to limit his boundlesse mercy in Christ within the narrow scantling of our apprehension yet infidelity doth this which should stirre up in us a loathing of it above all other sinnes But this is Sathans fetch when once he hath brought us into sins against the Law then to bring us into sinnes of a higher nature and deeper danger even against the blessed Gospell that so there may be no remedy but that mercy it selfe might condemne us All the aggravations that conscience and Sathan helping it are able to raise sinne unto cannot rise to that degree of infinitenesse that Gods mercy in Christ is of If there be a spring of sin in us there is a spring of mercy in him and a fountaine opened daily to wash our selves in If we sin oft let us do as S. Paul who prayed oft against the prick of the flesh If it be a devill of long continuance yet fasting and prayer will drive him out at length Nothing keepes the soule more downe then sinnes of long continuance because corruption of nature hath gotten such strength in them as nature is added to nature and custome doth so
trust in God In this case wee must goe to God with whom all things are possible to put forth his Almighty power not only in the pardoning but in subduing our iniquities He that can make a Camell goe through a needles eye can make a high conceited man lowly a rich man humble Therefore never question his power much lesse his willingnesse when he is not onely ready to receive us when we returne but perswades and intreates us to come in unto him yea after back-sliding and false dealing with him wherein he allowes no mercy to be shewed by man yet he will take liberty to shew mercy himselfe But I have often relapsed and fallen into the same sin againe and againe If Christ will have us pardon our brother seaventy seaven times can wee thinke that hee will enjoyne us more then he will be ready to doe himselfe when in case of shewing mercy hee would have us thinke his thoughts to be farre above ours Adam lost all by once sinning but we are under a better covenant a covenant of mercy and are encouraged by the Sonne to goe to the Father every day for the sinnes of that day Where the worke of grace is begun sin loses strength by every new fall for hence issues deeper humility stronger hatred fresh indignation against our selves more experience of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts renewed resolutions untill sin be brought under That should not drive us from God which God would have us make use of to flye the rather to him since there is a throne of grace set up in Jesus Christ we may boldly make use of and let us be ashamed to sinne and not ashamed to glorifie Gods mercy in begging pardon for sin Nothing will make us more ashamed to sin then thoughts of so free and large mercy It will grieve an ingenuous spirit to offend so good a God Ah that there should be such an heart in me as to tire the patience of God and damme up his goodnesse as much as in me lyes but this is our comfort that the plea of mercy from a broken spirit to a gracious Father will ever hold good When wee are at the lowest in this world yet there are these three grounds of comfort still remaining 1. That wee are not yet in the place of the damned whose estate is unalterable 2. That whilest we live there is time and space for recovering of our selves 3. That there is grace offered if we will not shut our hearts against it O but every one hath his time my good houre may be past That is counsell to thee it is not past if thou canst raise up thy heart to God and embrace his goodnesse Shew by thy yeelding unto mercy that thy time of mercy is not yet out rather then by concluding uncomfortably willingly betray thy selfe to thy greatest enemy enforcing that upon thy selfe which God labours to draw thee from As in the sinne against the Holy Ghost feare shewes that wee have not committed it So in this a tender heart fearing least our time bee past shewes plainely that it is not past Looke upon examples when the Prodigall in his forlorne condition was going to his Father his Father stayed not for him but meetes him in the way he did not only goe but ranne to meet him God is more willing to entertain us then we are to cast our selves upon him As there is a fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse so it is a living fountaine of living water that runnes for ever and can never bee drawne dry Here remember that I build not a shelter for the presumptuous but only open an harbour for the truly humbled soule to put himselfe into CHAP. XXII Of sorow for sin and hatred of sinne when right and sufficient Helps thereto AH there 's my misery If I could bee humbled for sinne I might hope for mercy but I never yet knew what a broken heart meant this soule of mine was never as yet sensible of the griefe and smart of sinne how then can I expect any comfort It is one of Sathans policies to hold us in a dead and barren condition by following us with conceits that wee have not sorowed in proportion to our offences True it is we should labour that our sorow might in some measure answer to the haynousnesse of our sins but we must know sorrow is not required for it selfe in that degree as faith is If we could trust in God without much sorow for our sins then it would not be required for God delights not in our sorow as sorow God in mercy both requires it and workes it as thereby making us capable vessels of mercy fit to acknowledge value and walke worthy of Christ he requres it as it is a means to imbitter sin and the delightfull pleasures thereof unto us and by that meanes bring us to a right judgement of our selves and the creature with which sinne commits spirituall adultery that so we may recover our taste before lost And then when with the Prodigall wee returne unto our selves having lost our selves before we are fit to judge of the basenesse of sin and of the worth of mercy and so upon grounds of right reason bee willing to alter our condition and embrace mercy upon any tearmes it shall please Christ to injoyne Secondly if we could grieve and cast downe our selves beneath the earth as low as the nethermost pit yet this would be no satisfaction to God for sin of it selfe it is rather an enterance and beginning of hell Thirdly we must search what is the cause of this want of griefe which wee complaine of whether it be not a secret cleaving to the creature and too much contentment in it which oft stealeth away the heart from God and brings in such contentment as is subject to faile and deceive us whereupon from discontentment wee grieve which griefe being carnall hinders griefe of a better kinde Usually the causes of our want of griefe for sin are these First a want of serious consideration and dwelling long enough upon the cause of griefe which springs either from an unsetlednesse of Nature or distractions from things without Moveable dispositions are not long affected with any thing One maine use of crosses is to take off the soule from that it is dangerously set upon and to fixe our running spirits For though griefe for crosses hinder spirituall griefe yet worldly delights hinder more That griefe is lesse distant from true griefe and therfore neerer to be turned into it And put case wee could call off our mindes from other things and set them on griefe for our sinnes yet it is onely Gods spirit that can worke our hearts to this griefe and for this end perhaps God holds us off from it to â—…each us that he is the teacher of the heart to grieve And thereupon it is our duty to waite till hee reveale our selves so
down at Israels turning their backs before their enemies God reproves him Get thee up Joshua why liest thou upon thy face Some would have men after the committing of grosse sinne to be presently comfortable and beleeve without humbling themselves at all indeed when we ore once in Christ we ought not to question our state in him and if we doe it comes not from the spirit But yet a guilty conscience will be clamorous and full of obiections God will not speake peace unto it till it be humbled God will let his best children know what it is to be too bold with sinne as we see in David and Peter who felt no peace till they had renued their repentance The way to reioyce with joy unspeakable and glorious is to stirre up fighs that cannot be uttered And it is so farre that the knowledge of our state in grace should not humble us that very ingenuity cōsidering Gods love to us out of the nature of the thing it self workes sorrow and shame in us to offend his Maiesty One maine stop that hinders Christians from reioycing is that they give themselves too much liberty to question their grounds of comfort and interest in the promises This is wonderfull cōfortable say they but what is it to me the promise belōgs not to me This ariseth from want of giving all diligence to make their calling sure to themselves In watchfulnesse and diligence we sooner meet with comfort thē in idle complaining Our care therefore should be to get sound evidence of a good estate and then likewise to keepe our evidence cleare wherein we are not to hearken to our own feares and doubts or the suggestion of our enemy who studies to falsifie our evidence but to the Word and our owne consciences inlightned by the spirit and then it is pride and pettishnesse to stand out against comfort to themselves Christians should studie to corroberate their title We are never more in heaven before we come thither then when wee can read our evidences It makes us converse much with God it sweetens all conditions and makes us willing to doe and suffer any thing It makes us have comfortable and honourable thoughts of our selves as too good for the service of any base lust and brings confidence in God both in life and death But what if our condition be so darke that we cannot reade our evidence at all Here looke up to Gods infinite mercy in Christ as we did at the first when we found no goodnesse in our selves and that is the way to recover whatsoever we thinke wee have lost By honouring Gods mercy in Christ we come to have the Spirit of Christ therefore when the waters of sanctification are troubled and muddy let us runne to the witnesse of blood God seemes to walke sometimes contrary to himselfe he seemes to discourage when secretly he doth incourage as the woman of Canaan but faith can finde out these wayes of God and untie th◅se knots by looking to the free promise and mercifull nature of God Let our sottish and rebellious flesh murmure as much as it will who art thou and what is thy worth Yet a Christian knowes whom hee beleeves Faith hath learned to set God against all Againe we must goe on to adde grace to grace A growing and fruitfull Christian is alwayes a comfortable Christian the oyle of grace brings forth the oyle of gladnesse Christ is first a King of righteousnesse and then a King of peace the righteousnesse that hee workes by his Spirit brings a peace of sanctification whereby though we are not freed from sinne yet we are enabled to combate with it to get the victory over it Some degree of comfort followes every good action as heate accompanies fire and as beames and influences issue from the Sunne which is so true that very Heathens upon the discharge of a good conscience have found comfort and peace answerable this is a reward before our reward Another thing that hinders the comfort of Christians is that they forget what a gratious and mercifull covenant they live under wherein the perfection that is required is to be found in Christ. Perfection in us is sincerity What is the end of faith but to bring us to Christ Now imperfect faith if sincere knits to Christ in whom our perfection lies Gods designe in the covenant of grace is to exalt the riches of his mercy above all sinne and unworthinesse of man and wee yeeld him more glory of his mercy by beleeving then it would be to his Iustice to destroy us If we were perfect in our selves we should not honour him so much as when we labour to bee found in Christ having his righteousnesse upon us There is no one portion of Scripture oftner used to fetch up drooping spirits then this Why art thou cast downe oh my soule it is figurative and full of Rhetorique and all little enough to perswade the perplexed soule quietly to trust in God which without this retiring into our selves and checking our hearts wil never be brought to passe Chrysostome brings in a man loaden with troubles comming into the Church where when he heard this passage read he presently recovered himselfe and becomes another man As David therefore did acquaint himselfe with this forme of dealing with his soule so let us demanding a reason of our selves Why wee are cast downe which will at least checke and put a stoppe to the distresse and make us fit to consider more solid grounds of true comfort Of necessity the soule must bee somthing calmed and staid before it can be comforted Whilest the humours of the body rage in a great distemper there is no giving of physicke So when the soule gives way to passion it is unfit to entertaine any counsell therefore it must be stilled by degrees that it may heare reason and sometimes it is fitter to be moved with ordinary reason as being more familiar unto it then with higher reasons fetcht from our supernaturall condition in Christ as from the condition of mans nature subject to changes from the uncomelinesse of yeelding to passion for that which it is not in our power to mend c. these and such like reasons have some use to stay the fit for a while but they leave the coar untouched which is sinne the trouble of all troubles Yet when such considerations are made spirituall by faith on higher grounds they have some operation upon the soule as the influence of the Moone having the stronger influence of the Sun mingled with it becomes more effectuall upon these inferiour bodies A candle light being ready at hand is sometimes as usefull as the Sun it selfe But our maine care should be to have Evangelicall grounds of comfort neere to us as Reconciliation with God whereby all things else are reconciled unto us Adoption and Communion with Christ c. which is never sweeter then under the Crosse. Philip Lansgrave of Hesse being a long
Favour of God how to preserve the sence of it 525 Failings pardoned where is no malicious intention 424 Former favours make the soule more sensible of contrary impressions 4 Friends living spirituall priviledges by them 221 Friends departure comfort in it 408 G Galeacius Caracciolus how converted 196 God makes every man a governour over himselfe 67 God still left to a good heart for comfort when all others faile 247 God onely is the fit object of trust 264 God cannot out of Christ be thought on comfortably 267 God is some mens God specially 477. Hence is the spring of all good 481. When we prove this to our soules 495. Tokens of it 501. Comfort by it in extremities 505 Gods presence sweetneth all places and estates 2 Gods glory more to be regarded then our owne good 420 God is many salvations to his people 464. A Rock not to be undermined 464 Godly men when best disposed 114. They can cast restraint on themselves in distempers 63. Can make a good use of privacy 65 Great ones in most danger 60. And why 224 Greatnesse of finne may encourage us to goe to God 355 Griefe gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first 5. It casteth downe as joy lifteth up 50. How to be mitigated 216. Griefe faulty when 94. Even godly griefe is to be bounded 97. How it is to be ordered aright 100 Griefe for sinne why wee want it so much 372. What we must doe in the want of it 382. It is not all at first 383 Griefe of contrition and of compassion 101 Growth in laying claime to God 488 Guard over the soule to be kept 170 H Hatred of sinne a good signe of grace notes of it 380 Heart of man not easily brought unto God 254 Heart to be most watcht and kept in temper 42 Heart though vile shall be fitted for God comfort and glory 390 A Heart enlarged to praise God is the chiefe deliverance 439 Heart of Christians first cheared by God then their countenance 468 Help by others in discerning our estates 287 Help where none is yet trust in God Ibid. Holinesse of God no discouragement to true Christians in their many infirmities 392 Hope the maine support of a Christian 263. The difference of it from faith Ibid. It quieteth the soule Hope most in a hopelesse estate two grounds 301. and 491. Houre of mercy not yet past if yeelded unto 368 Humbled persons comforted 370 To humble us God need not goe without us to fetch forces 109. And wee need goe no surther then our selves 151 I Idle life is ever a burthen to it selfe 32 Idlenesse is the houre of temptation 190 Imagination and opinion the cause of much disquiet 176. How it hurteth us 183. How sinfull imaginations worke upon the soule 181. The remedie and cure of this evill 183. Opportunities of helping it to be sought and taken 195. How it may be made serviceable in spirituall things 198. Not impossible to rule our imaginations 210. Misconceits about them 212 Immanuel a name of nature and of office 478 Impediments should not discourage Christians 389 Impudencie in wicked men more then in devills 522 Inclinations of soule to the creature should be at first subdued 328 Instinct supernaturall leades the godly unto God 418 Interest in God the ground of trusting in him 477 Ioy and praise help each other 430 Ioy stilleth the soule Jbid. Iudgement and reason well employed will raise up a dejected spirit 51 L Large faith and large object should be shaped together 519 Latimers three prayers all granted 433 Law of God extent and spiritualnesse of it to be considered 168 Least mercy of God must be prized 450 Liberty Christian may not be unknowne nor yet abused 32. 114. Life of a Christian a life of trouble 107 Life of Christians a mixture of good evill 428. Hid. 515 We Lose our selves most by yeelding most to our selves 60 Love such things as can returne love 122 Love of God to be lookt at in every mercy 446 Love-tokens from God arguing he is ours 501 Love of God not to be questioned grounds 298 Luther assured of a particular mercy in prayer 433 M Massacre of France terrible afterward to the King 66 Meanes whether relyed on or no. 343 Mercy of God must not bee limited by mans sinnes 358. It is Gods name he pleads for it 535 Moone in the change neerest the Sunne so wee to God in greatest dejection 18 Motions of sinne to be at first crushed 129 Murther of the tongue 19 N Nature of man since sin came in subject to misery and sorrow 9. proved 10. applyed 11 Natures favourers enemies of grace 164 Nature divine the onely counter-poyson of sin 172 Naturall righteousnesse in Adam 155 Naturall sinnes in us voluntary too 161 O Objects of Religion or conversation not to be substituted 319 Offence against God takes not away trust in God 253 Omission of duties breeds trouble to the soule 34 Opinions of others not to be too much heeded 37. 124 Opposition to sin in the godly is universall 88 Over-joying in outward comforts breeds trouble 35 Outward things no fit stayes for the soule 321. 325 P Passions conflict one with another 78 Passions not to be put to our troubles 124 Passions hid till drawne out and how this is 126 Peace the Epitome of all good 138 Perseverance in grace warranted and how 388 Portion of the godly is God alone 517 Power that wee have over our selves is of God 243 Prayer needfull to keepe our selves in temper 62 Prayer heard signes of it 453 Prayer and praise depend each on other 422. 455 Praise in trouble more minded by the godly then their delivery 420. Special times to praise God 425. No easie matter to praise God aright 439. conditions 448. motives 459. meanes of performing it 459 Prepare for an alteration of thy estate and spirit 40 Presence of God with his in worst times what it doth for them 426 Pride must ever be taken downe though the spirit be dejected 61 Pride and passion mischievous 58 Promises of God what they are in divers respects 296 Promises are not all reserved for heaven but partly verified on earth 434 Propriety in God chiefly to be laboured for 483 Providence of God makes all good to us as himselfe is good 267 It is a speciall stay of our faith 270. What God is he makes good by providence Ibid. Graces to be exercised in observing divine providence 278 R Reall praises of God necessary 451 Real things put out troublesom thoughts 185 Reason for sinne none at all 415 Reasons of a godly man are divine 417 Relations wherein wee stand to God must be all answered and how 307 Relapses pardonable and curable 366 Repentance begins in the love of God 197 Resolution necessary in Christianity 442 Want of it breeds much disquiet 34 Resolution firme peremptory to be assumed 256. renue it 258. and that quickly 260 S Salvations of God plentifull and manifold 464. To
which cannot brooke the most secret corruption but rather casts it out by a holy complaint as strength of nature doth poyson which seekes its destruction And let us bee in love with that worke of grace in us which makes us out of love with the least stirrings that hinder our best condition Seâ—… againe We may be sinfully disquieted for that which is not a sinne to be disquieted for David had sinned if he had not beene somewhat troubled for the banishment from Gods house and the blasphemie of the enemies of the Church But yet wee see hee stops himselfe and sharply takes up his soule for being disquieted Hee did well in being disquieted and in checking himselfe for the same there were good grounds for both He had wanted spirituall life if he had not beene disquieted Hee abated the vigour and livelinesse of his life by being over-much disquieted CAP. VIII Of unfitting dejection and when it is excessive And what is the right temper of the soule herein §. 1. THen how shall we know when a man is cast downe and disquieted otherwise then is befitting There is a 3. fold miscarriage of inward trouble 1. When the soule is troubled for that 〈◊〉 should not be vexed for as Ahab when hee was crost in his will for Nabâ—… vineyard 2. In the ground as when we grieve for that which is good and for that which wee should grieve for but it is with too much reflecting upon oâ—… owne particular As in the troubles of the state 〈◊〉 Church we ought to be affected bâ—… not because these troubles hinder any liberties of the flesh and restrain pride of life but from higher respects Aâ—… that by these troubles God is dishonoured the publike exercises of Religion hindred and the gathering of soules thereby stopped As the States and Common-wealths which should be harbours of the Church are disturbed as lawlesse courses and persons prevaile as Religion and Justice is triumphed over and trodden under Men usually are grieved for publique miseries from a spirit of selfe-love only because their owne private is imbarqued in the publique There is a depth of deceit of the heart in this matter 3. So for the measure when wee trouble our selves though not without cause yet without bounds The spirit of man is like unto moist elements as ayre and water which have no bounds of their owne to containe them in but those of the vessell that keepes them water is spilt and lost without something to hold it so it is with the spirit of man unlesse it be bounded with the Spirit of God Put the case a man be disquieted for sinne for which not to be disquieted is a sin yet we may looke too much and too long upon it for the soule hath a double eye one to looke to sinne another to looke up to Gods mercy in Christ. Having two objects to looke on wee may sinne in looking too much on the one with neglect of the other §. 2. Seeing then disquieting and dejectin for sinne is necessary how shall wee kâ—… when it exceeds measure First when it hinders us from holy duties or in the performance of them by distraction or otherwise whereas they are given to carry us to that which is pleasing to GOD and good to our selves Griefe is ill when it taketh off the soule from minding that it should and so indisposeth us to the duties of oâ—… callings Christ upon the Crosse was grieved to the utmost yet it did not take away his care for his mother so the good theefe in the middest of his pangs laboured to gaine his fellow and to save his owne soule and to glorifie Christ. If this be so in griefe of body which taketh away the free use of reason and exercise of grace more then any other griefe then much more in griefe from more remote causes for in extremity of body the sicknesse may be such as all that wee can performe to God is a quiet submission and a desire to bee carried unto Christ by the prayers of others we should so minde our griefe as not to forget Gods mercy or our owne duty Secondly when wee forget the grounds of comfort suffer our minde to runne onely upon the present grievance it is a sinne to dwell on sinne and turmoile our thoughts about it when we are called to thankfulnesse A Physitian in good discretion forbids a dish at sometimes to prevent the nourishment of some disease which another time hee gives way unto So wee may and ought to abstaine from too much feeding our thoughts upon our corruptions in case of discouragement which at other times is very necessary It should be our wisedome in such cases to change the object and labour to take off our minds and give them to that which calls more for them Griefe oft presseth unseasonably upon us when there is cause of joy and when we are called to joy as Ioab justly found fault with David for grieving too much when GOD had given him the victory and rid him and the State of a traiterous sonne GOD hath made some dayes for joy and joy is the proper worke of those dayes This is the day which the Lord hath made Some in a sicke distemper desire that which increaseth their sicknesse so some that are deepely cast downe desire a wakening ministery and what ever may cast them downe more whereas they should meditate upon comforts and get some sweet assurance of Gods love Joy is the constant temper which the soule should bee in Rejoyce evermore saith the Apostle If a sinke bee stirred we stir it not more but goe into a sweeter roome So wee should thinke of that which is comfortable and of such trueths as may raise up the soule and sweeten the spirit Thirdly Griefe is too much when it inclines the soule to any inconvenient courses for if it bee not lookt to it is an ill counsellor when either it hurts the health of our bodies or drawes the soule for to ease it selfe to some unlawfull liberty When grief keeps such a noise in the soule that it will not heare what the messengers of God or the still voice of the Spirit saith as in combustions loud cries are scarce heard so in such cases the soule will neither heare it selfe nor others The fruit of this overmuch trouble of spirit is increase of trouble §. 3. 3. Another question may bee What that sweet and holy temper is the soule should be in that it may neither bee faulty in the defect nor too much abound in griefe and sorow 1. The soule must bee raised to a right griefe 2. The griefe that is raised though it bee right yet it must bee bounded Before wee speake of raising griefe in the godly wee must know there are some who are altogether strangers to any kinde of spirituall griefe or trouble at all such must consider that the way to prevent everlasting trouble iâ—…
blessing of others upon their children yet God hath promised a blessing to the offices of Communion of Saints performed by one private man towards another Can we have a greater incouragement then under God to be gainer of a soule which is as much in Gods esteeme as if we should gaine a world Spirituall almes are the best almes mercy shewed to the soules of men is the greatest mercie and wisedome in winning of soules is the greatest wisedome in the world because the soule is especially the man upon the goodnesse of which the happinesse of the whole man depends What shining and flourishing Christians should wee have if these duties were performed As wee have a portion in the communion of Saints so wee should labour to have humility to take good and wisedome and love to doe good A Christian should have feeding lips a healing tongue the leaves the very words of the tree of righteousnesse have a curing vertue in them Some will shew a great deale of humanity in comforting others but little Christianity for as kinde men they will utter some cheerefull words but as Christians they want wisedome from above to speake a gracious word in season Nay some there are who hinder the saving working of any affliction upon the hearts of others by unseasonable and unsavoury discourses either by suggesting false remedies or else diverting men to false contentments and so become spirituall traitors rather then friends taking part with their worst enemies their lusts and wills Happy is hee that in his way to heaven meeteth with a chearefull and skilfull guide and fellow-travellor that carrieth cordials with him against all faintings of spirit It is a part of our wisedome to salvation to make choice of such a one as may further us in our way An indifferency for any company shewes a dead heart where the life of grace is it is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages How many have beene refreshed by one short apt savoury speech which hath begotten as it were new spirits in them In ancient times as wee see in the Story of Iob it was the custome of friends to meet together to comfort those that were in misery and Iob takes it for granted that to him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friends for besides the presence of a friend which hath some influence of comfort in it 1. The discovery of his loving affection hath a cherishing sweetnesse in it 2. The expression of love in reall comforts and services by supplying any outward want of the patry troubled prevailes much thâ—… Christ made way for his comforts to the soules of men by shewing outward kindnesse to their bodies Love with the sensible fruits of it prepareth for any wholesome counsell 3. After this wholesome words carry a speciall cordiall vertue with them especially when the Spirit of God in the affectionate speaker joines with the word of comfort and thereby closeth with the heart of a troubled patient when all these concenter and meet together in one then is comfort sealed up to the soule The childe in Elizabeths wombe sprang at the presence and salutation of Mary the speech of one hearty friend cannot but revive the spirits of another Sympathy hath a strange force as wee see in the strings of an Instrument which being played upon as they say the strings of another instrument are also moved with it After love hath once kindled love then the heart being melted is fit to receive any impression unlesse both pieces of the iron bee red hot they will not joyne together two spirits warmed with the â—…ne heat will easily soâ—…der together §. 2. In him that shall stay the minde of another there had need to bee an excellent temper of many graces as 1. Knowledge of the grievance together with wisedome to speake a word in season and to conceale that which may set the cure backwards 2. Faithfulnesse with liberty not to concealâ—… any thing which may bee for his good though against present liking The very life and soule of friendship stands in freedome tempered with wisedome and faithfulnesse 3. Loue with compassion and patience to beare all and hope all and not to bee easily provoked by the way wardnesse of him we deale with Short spirited men are not the best comforters God himselfe is said to beare with the manners of his people in the wildernesse It is one thing to beare with a wise sweet moderation that which may be borne and another thing to allow or approve that which is not to be approved at all Where these graces are in the speaker and apprehended so to bee by the person distempered his heart will soone embrace whatsoever shall bee spoken to rectifie his judgement or affection A good conceit of the spirit of the speaker is of as much force to prevaile as his words Words especially prevaile when they are uttered more from the bowels then the braine and from our owne experience which made even Christ himselfe a more compassionate high Priest When men come to themselves againe they will bee the deepest censurers of their owne miscariage §. 3. Moreover to the right comforting of an afflicted person speciall care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance the coare must bee searched out if the griefe ariseth from outward causes then it must be carried into the right channell the course of it must bee turned another way as in staying of blood we should grieve for sinne in the first place as being the evill of all evills If the ground be sinne then it must be drawne to a head from a confused griefe to some more particular sinne that so wee may strike the right veine but if wee finde the spirit much cast downe for particular sinnes then comfort is presently to be applied But if the griefe be not fully ripe then as we use to help nature in its offers to purge by Physick till the sick matter be carried away so when conscience moved by the spirit begins to ease it selfe by confession it is good to help forward the worke of it till wee finde the heart low enough for comfort to be laid upon When Paul found the Iaylor cast downe almost as low as hell hee stands not now upon further hammering and preparing of him for mercie that worke was done already but presently stirres him up to beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ here being a fit place for an interpreter to declare unto man his righteousnesse and his mercy that belongs unto him after he hath acknowledged his personall and particular sins which the naturall guile of the heart is extreamely backward to doe and yet cannot receive any sound peace till it be done If signes of grace be discerned here likewise is a fit place to declare unto man the saving worke of grace in his heart which Sathan labours to hide from him Men oft are
help to multiply our faith tryed truth and tryed faith unto it sweetly agree and answer one another It were a course much tending to the quickning of the faith of Christians if they would communicate one to another their mutuall experiences this hath formerly beene the custome of Gods people Come and heare all ye that â—…re God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule And David urgeth this as a reason to God for deliverance that then the righteous would compasse him about as rejoycing in the experience of Gods goodnesse to him The want of this makes us upon any new tryall to call Gods care and love into question as if hee had never formerly beene good unto us whereas every experiment of Gods love should refresh our faith upon any fresh onset God is so good to his children even in this world that he traines them up by daily renewed experiences of his fatherly care for besides those many promises of good things to come he gives us some evidence and taste of what wee beleeve here that by that which wee feele wee might be strengthned in that wee looke for that so in both 1. sense of what we feele and 2. certainty of what we looke for we might have full support But yet we must trust God as he will be trusted namely in doing good oâ—… else we do not trust him but tempt him Our commanding of our soules to trust in God is but an Eccho of what God commands us first and therefore in the same maner he commands us we should command our selves As God commands us to trust him in doing good so should wee commit our soules to him in well doing and trust him when wee are about his owne workes and not in the workes of darknesse we may safely expect God in his wayes of mercy when we are in his wayes of obedience For Religion as it is a doctrine of what is to be beleeved so it is a doctrine according to godlinesse and the mysteries of faith are mysteries of godlinesse because they cannot be beleeved but they will inforce a godly conversation where my true impression of them is there is holinesse alwayes bred in that soule therefore a study of holinesse must goe joyntly together with a study of trusting in God faith lookes not onely to promises but to directions to duty and â—…eds in the soule a liking of whatsoever pleaseth God There is a mutuall strengthning in things that are good trusting stirres to duty and duty strengthens trusting by increasing our liberty and boldnesse with God Againe wee must maintaine in our soules a high esteeme of the grace of â—…aith the very try all whereof is more â—…ious then gold what then is the grace of faith it selfe and the promises which it layeth hold on certainely they transcend in worth whatever may draw us from God whence it is that the soule sets a high price upon them and on faith that beleeves them It is impossible that any thing in the world should come betwixt the heart and those things if once we truly lay hold on them to undermine faith or the comfort we have by it the heart is never drawne to any sinfull vanity 〈◊〉 frighted with any terrour of trouble till faith first loseth the sight and estimation of divine things and forgets the necessity and excellency of them Our Saviour Christ when hee would stirre up a desire of faith in his Disciples shewed them the power and excellency of the same great things stirre up faith and keepe it above and faith keepes the soule that nothing else can take place of abode in it when the great things of God are brought into the heart by faith what is there in the whole world thâ—… can out bid them Assurance of these things upon spirituall grounds over-rules both sense and reason or what ever else prevailes with carnall hearts CAP. XIX Faith to be prized and other things undervalued at least not to bee trusted to as the chiefe THat faith may take the better place in the soule and the soule in God the heart must continually be taught of what little worth all things else are as reputation riches and pleasures c. and to see their nothingnesse in the word of God and in experience of our selves and others that so our heart being â—…ed from these things may open it selfe to God and imbrace things of a higher nature otherwise baser things will be neerer the soule then faith and keepe possession against it so that faith will not be suffered to set up a throne in the heart There must bee an unloosing of the heart as well as a fastning of it and God helpes us in both for besides the word discovering the vanity of all things else out of God the maine scope of Gods dealing with his children in any danger or affliction whatsoever is to imbitter all other things but himselfe unto them Indeed it is the power of God properly which makes the heart to trust but yet the Spirit of God useth this way to bring all things else out of request with us in comparison of those inestimable good things which the soule is created redeemed and sanctified for God is very jealous of our trust and can endure no Idoll of jealousie to be set up in our hearts Therefore it behooves us to take notice not onely of the deceitfulnesse of things but of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts in the use of them Our hearts naturally hang loose from God and are soone ready to joyne with the creature Now the more we observe our hearts in this the more wee take them off and labour to set them where they should be placed for the more wee know these things the lesse we shall trust them But may wee not trust in riches and friends and other outward helps at all Yes so farre as they are subordinace to God our chiefe stay with reservation and submission to the Lord onely so far and so long as it shall please him to use them for our good Because God ordinarily conveyes his help and goodnesse to us by some creature we must trust in God to blesse every mercy wee in joy and to make all helps serviceable to his love towards us In a word we must trust use them in under God and so as if all were taken away yet to thinke God being al-sufficient can doe without them whatsoever hee doth by them for our good Faith preserves the chastitie of the soule cleaving to God is a spirituall debt which it oweth to him whereas cleaving to the creature is spirituall adultery It is an error in the foundation to substitute false objects either in Religion or in Christian Conversation for 1. in religion trusting in false objects as Saints workes c. breeds false worship and false worship breeds Idolatry and so Gods jealousie and hatred 2. In Christian Coâ—…versation false objects
are good but confidence in them is hurtfull and there is more of our owne in them for the most part to humble us then of Gods spirit to embolden us so farre as to trust in them Alas they have nothing from us but weaknesse and defilement and therefore since the fall GOD would have the object of our trust to be out of our selves in him and to that purpose he useth all meanes to take us out of our selves and from the creature that he only might be our trust Yea wee must not trust trust it selfe but God whom it relyes on who is therefore called our trust All the glorious things that are spoken of trust are onely made good by God in Christ who as trusted doth all for us God hath prescribed trust as the way to carry our soules to himselfe in whom we should only rely and not in our imperfect trust which hath its ebbing and flowing Neither will trust in God himselfe for the present suffice us for future strength and grace as if trusting in God to day would suffice to strengthen us for tomorrow but wee must renew our trust for fresh supply upon every fresh occasion So that wee see God alone must be the object of our trust There is still left in mans nature a desire of pleasure profit and of what ever the creature presents as good but the desire of gracious good is altogether lost the soule being wholy infected with a contrary taste Man hath a nature capable of excellency and desirous of it and the Spirit of God in and by the word reveales where true excellency is to bee had but corrupt nature leaving God seeketh it elsewhere and so crosseth its owne desires till the Spirit of God discovers where these things are to be had and so nature is brought to its right frame againe by turning the streame into the right current Grace and sinfull nature have the same generall object of comfort onely sinfull nature seekes it in broken Cisterns and grace in the fountain the beginning of our true happinesse is from the discovery of true and false objects so as the soule may cleerely see what is best and safest and then stedfastly rely upon it It were an happy way to make the soule better acquainted with trusting in God to labour to subdue at the first all unruly inclinations of the soule to earthly things and to take adâ—…antage of the first tendernesse of the soule to weede out that which is ill and to plant knowledge and love of the best things in it otherwise where affections to any thing below get much strength in the soule it will by little and little be so overgrowne that there will be no place left in it either for obiect or act God or trust God cannot come to take his place in the heart by trust but where the powers of the soule are brought under to regard him and those great things hee brings with him above all things else in the world beside In these glorious times wherein so great a light shineth whereby so great things are discovered what a shame is it to be so narrow hearted as to fixe upon present things Our aymes and affections should be sutable to the things themselves set before us Our hearts should be more and more inlarged as things are more and more revealed to â—…s Wee see in the things of this life as wisedome and experience increaseth so our aimes and desires increase likewise A young beginner thinkes it a great matter if hee have a little to begin withall but as he growes in trading and seeth further wayes of getting his thoughts and desires are raised higher Children thinke as Children but riper age puts away childishnesse when their understandings are inlarged to see what they did not see before we should never rest till our hearts according to the measure of revelation of those excellent things which God hath for us have answerable apprehension of the same Oh if we had but faith to answer those glorious truths which God hath revealed what manner of lives should we leade CHAP. XX. Of the method of trusting in God and the tryall of that trust LAstly to add no more our trusting in God should follow Gods order in promising The first promise is of forgivenesse of sinne to repentant beleevers next 2. of healing and sanctifying grace then 3. the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven to them that are sanctifyed 4. and then the promises of all things needfull in our way to the Kingdome c. Now answerably the soule being inlightned to see its danger should looke first to Gods mercy in Christ pardoning sinne because sinne onely divides betwixt God and the soule next to the promises of grace for the leading of a Christian life for true faith desires hea ling mercy as well as pardoning mercy and then to Heaven and all things that may bring us thither By all this wee see that it is not so easie a matter as the world takes it to bring God and the soule together by trusting on him It must be effected by the mighty power of God raising up the soule to himselfe to lay hold upon the glorious power goodnesse and other excellencies that are in him God is not onely the object but the working cause of our trust for such is our pronenesse to live by sense and naturall reason and such is the strangenesse and height of divine things such our inclination to a selfe sufficiency and contentment in the creature and so hard a matter is it to take off the soule from false bottomes by reason of our unacquaintance with God and his wayes besides such guilt still remaines upon our soules for our rebellion and unkindnesse towards God that it makes us afraid to entertaine serious thoughts of him and so great is the distance betwixt his infinite Majesty before whom the very Angels doe cover their faces and us by reason of the unspiritualnesse of our nature being opposite to his most absolute purity that we cannot be brought to any familiarity with the Lord so as to come into his holy presence with confidence to rely upon him or any comfort to have communion with him till our hearts be sanctified and lifted up by divine vigour infused into them Though there be some inclination by reason of the remainder of the image of God in us to an outward morall obedience of the Law yet alas we have not onely no seeds of Evangelicall truths and of faith to beleeve them but an utter contrariety in our natures as corrupted either to this or any other good When our conscience is once awaked we meditate nothing but feares and terrors and dare not so much as think of an angry God but rather how wee may escape and fly from him Therefore together with a deepe consideration of the grounds wee have of trusting God it is necessary wee should thinke of the indisposition of our hearts unto it especially
determine and sway the soule one way that men thinke it impossible to recover themselves they see one linke of sin draw on another all making a chain to fasten them to destruction they thinke of necessity they must be damned because custome hath bred a necessity of sinning in them and conceive of the promise of mercy as only made to such as turn from their sinfull courses in which they see themselves so hardened that they cannot repent Certaine it is the condition is most lamentable that yeelding unto sinne brings men unto Men are carefull to prevent dangerous sicknesses of body and the danger of law concerning their estates but seldome consider into what a miserable plight their sinnes which they so willingly give themselves up unto will bring them in If they doe not perish in their sins yet their yeelding will bring them into such a dolefull condition that they would give the whole world if they were possessours of it to have their spirits at freedome from this bondage and feare To such as blesse themselves in an ill way upon hope of mercy we dare not speake a word of comfort because God doth not but threatens his wrath shall burne to hell against them Yet because while life continues there may be as a space so a place and grace for repentance these must be dealt withall in such a maner as they may be stayed and stopped in their dangerous courses there must be a stop before a turne And when their consciences are throughly awaked with sense of their danger let them seriously consider whither sin and Sathan by sin is carying of them and lay to heart the justice of God standing before them as an Angell with a drawne sword ready to fall upon them if they post on still Yet to keep them from utter sinking let them consider withall the unlimited mercy of God as not limited to any person or any sin so not to any time there is no prescription of time can binde God his mercy hath no certaine date that will expire so as those that fly unto it shall have no benefit Invincible mercy will never be conquered and endlesse goodnesse never admits of bounds or end What kinde of people were those that followed Christ were they not such as had lived long in their sinfull courses He did not onely raise them that were newly dead but Lazarus that had lyen foure dayes in the grave They thought Christs power in raising the dead had reached to a short time onely but hee would let them know that hee could as well raise those that had been long as lately dead If Christ be the Physitian it is no matter of how long continuance the disease be He is good at all kinde of diseases and will not endure the reproach of disability to cure any Some diseases are the reproaches of other Physitians as being above their skill to helpe but no conceit more dangerous when we are to deale with Christ. The blessed Martyr Bilney was much offended when he heard an eloquent Preacher enveighing against sin saying thus Behold thou hast lyen rotten in thy owne lusts by the space of sixty yeares even as a beast in his owne dung and wilt thou presume in one year to goe forward towards heaven and that in thine olde age as much as thou wentest backward from heaven to hell in sixty yeares Is not this a goodly argument saith Bilney Is this preaching of repentance in the name of Jesus It is as if Christ had dyed in vaine for such a man and that hee must make satisfaction for himselfe If I had heard saith he such preaching of repentance in times past I had utterly despaired of mercy We must never thinke the doore of hope to bee shut against us if we have a purpose to ◅e unto God As there is nothing more injurious to Christ so nothing more foolish and groundlesse then to distrust it being the chiefe scope of God in his word to draw our trust to him in Christ in whom is alwayes open a breast of mercy for humbled sinners to flye unto But thus farre the consideration of our long time spent in the devils service should prevaile with us as to take more shame to our selves so to resolve more strongly for God and his wayes and to account it more then sufficient that wee have spent already so much precious time to so ill purposes and the lesse time we have to make the more ◅st to worke for God and bring all the honour wee can to Religion in so little a space Oh how doth it grieve those that have felt the gracious power of Christ in converting their soules that ever they should spend the strēgth of their parts in the worke of his and their enemie And might they live longer it is their full purpose for ever to renounce their former wayes There is bred in them an eternall desire of pleasing God as in the wicked there is an eternall desire of offending him which eternity of desires God lookes to in both of them and rewards them accordingly though hee cuts off the thred of their lives But God in wisdome will have the conversions of such as have gone on in a course of sinning especially after light revealed to be rare and difficult Birthes in those that are ancienter are with greater danger then in the younger sort God will take a course that his grace shall not be turned into wantonnesse He oft holds such upon the rack of a troubled conscience that they and others may feare to buy the pleasure of sinne at such a rate Indeed where sinne abounds there grace superabounds but then it is where sinne that abounded in the life abounds in the conscience in griefe and detestation of it as the greatest evill Christ groaned at the raising of Lazarus which he did not at others because that though to an Almighty power all things are alike easie yet hee will shew that there be degrees of difficulties in the things themselves and make it appeare to us that it is so Therefore those that have enjoyed long the sweet of sinne may expect the bitterest sorrow and repentance for sinne Yet never give place to thoughts of despaire as comming from him that would overturne the end of the Gospell which layes open the riches of Gods mercy in Christ which riches none set out more then those that have beene the greatest of sinners as we see in Paul We cannot exalt God more then by taking notice and making use of that great designe of infinite wisdome in reconciling justice and mercy together so as now he is not only mercifull but just in pardoning sinnes Our Saviour as he came towards the latter age of the world when all things seemed desperate so hee comes to some men in the latter part of their dayes The mercy shewed to Zacheus and the good theefe was personall but the comfort intended by Christ was publike therefore still still
to â—…easure it Therefore whatsoever â—…e God brings my soule into I am 〈◊〉 rest in his goodnesse and not except â—…gainst his dealing That peace and joy â—…ich riseth from griefe in the use of â—…eanes and makes the soule more â—…ble and thankfull to God and lesse censorious and more pitifull to others is no illusion nor false light The maine end of griefe and sorow is tâ—… make us value the grace and mercy of God in Christ above all the contentments which sinne feeds on Which where it is found we may know that griefe for sin hath enough possessed the soule before The sufficiency of things is to be judged by an answerablenesse to their use and ends God makes sinne bitter that Christ may be sweet that measure of griefe and sorow is sufficient which brings us and holds us to Christ. Hatred being the strongest deepest and steadiest affection of the soule against that which is evill Griefe for sinne is then right when it springs from hatred and encreaseth further hatred against it Now the soule may bee knowne to hate sin when it seekes the utter â—…lishing of it for hatred is an impâ—…ble and irreconcileable affection True hatred is caried against 〈◊〉 whole kinde of sin without respect 〈◊〉 any wrong done to us but only out of meere Antipathie and contrariety of â—…sposition to it As the Lambe hateth â—…he whole kinde of Wolves and man â—…eth the whole kinde of Serpents A load does us no harme but yet wee â—…e it That which is hatefull to us the â—…earer it is the more wee shun and abâ—…orre it as venomous Serpents and â—…full creatures because the neerenesse of the object affects us more deeply Therefore if our griefe spring â—…om true hatred of sinne it will make â—…o new league with it but grieve for 〈◊〉 sinne especially for our owne particular sinnes as being contrary to the worke of Gods grace in us then is griefe 〈◊〉 affection of the new creature and every way of the right breed But for fuller satisfaction in this case â—…e must know there is sometimes griefe 〈◊〉 sin in us when we thinke there is none 〈◊〉 wants but stirring up by some quickning word the remembrance of Gods â—…avours and our unkindnesse or the aâ—…â—…aking of our consciences by some â—…osse will raise up this affection feelingly in us As in the affection of love many thinke that they have no love to God at all yet let God be dishonoured in his name truth or children and their love will soone stirre and appeare in just anger In want of griefe for sinne we must remember 1. That wee must have this affection from God before we can bring it unto God And therefore in the second place Our chiefe care should be not to harden our hearts against the motions of the spirit stirring us to seasonable griefe for that may cause a judicial hardnesse from God God oft inflicteth some spirituall judgement as a correction upon men for not yeelding to his spirit at the first they feele a hardnesse of heart growing upon them This made the Church complaine Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy feare which if Christians did well consider they would more carefully entertaine such impressions of sorow as the spirit in the use of the meanes and observation of Gods dealing towardâ—… tselves or others shall worke in â—…m then they doe It is a saying of 〈◊〉 Let a man grieve for his sinne and 〈◊〉 for his griefe Though wee can neiâ—…er love nor grieve nor joy of our â—…es as we should yet our hearts tell 〈◊〉 wee are often guilty of giving a â—…ck to the spirit stirring these affectiâ—… in us which is a maine cause of the â—…y sharp afflictions wee endure in â—…is life though Gods love in the main â—…er of salvation be most firme unto 〈◊〉 We must not thinke to have all this â—…fe at first at once for oftentimes â—…n deeper after a sight and feeling of Gods love then it was before God is a 〈◊〉 Agent and knowes every mans seâ—…ll mould and the severall services â—…is to use them in and oft takes liberâ—… afterwards to humble men more â—…en he hath inabled them better to â—…e it then in their first entrance inâ—… Religion Griefe before springs â—…monly from selfe-love and feare â—…ger Let no man suspect his estate â—…se God spares him in the beginning For Christians many times meete with greater trials after their conversion then ever they thought on When men take little fines they means to take the greater rent God will have his children first or last to feele what sin is and how much they are beholding to him for Christ. This griefe doth not alwayes arise frâ—… poring on sinne but by oft considering of the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ and thereby reflecting on our owne unworthinesse not onely in regard of sinne past but like wise of the sin that hangeth upon us and issues daily from 〈◊〉 The more holy a man is the more hee sees the holinesse of Gods nature with whom he desires to have communion the more he is grieved that there shoul be any thing found in him displeasing to so pure a Majestie And as all our griefe comes noâ—… 〈◊〉 first so God will not have it come 〈◊〉 once but to be a streame alwayes â—…ning fed with a spring yet withiin 〈◊〉 bankes though sometimes deepâ—… sometimes shallower Griefe for sâ—… iâ—… like a constant streame griefe for â—…her things is like a torrent or swelling waters which are soone up soone downe what it wants in greatnesse is made up in continuance Againe If wee watch not our nature there will be a spice of Popery which is a naturall Religion in this great desire of â—…re griefeâ—… as if we had that then we had something to satisfie God withall â—…nd so our mindes will run too much â—…pon workes This griefe must not â—…ly bee wrought by God revealing 〈◊〉 sinne and his mercy unto us in Christ But when it is wrought wee â—…st altogether rest in a sense of our â—…e emptinesse upon the full satisfaâ—…on and worthinesse of Christ our Saâ—… All this that hath beene said tends 〈◊〉 to the abating of our desire to have 〈◊〉 tender and bleeding heart for sinne 〈◊〉 that in the pursuit of this desire we 〈◊〉 not cast downe so as to question our â—…es if we feele not that measure of â—…se which we desire and endeavour 〈◊〉 Or to refuse our portion of joy which God offers us in Christ. Considering griefe is no further good then it makes way for joy which caused our Saviour to joyne them together Blessed are the mourners for they shall bee comforted Being thus disposed wee may commit our souls to God in peace notwithstanding Satans troubling of us in the houre of temptation CHAP. XXIII Other spirituall causes of the soules trouble discovered and removed and objectâ—…ons answered ANother thing that
devices turned upon their owne heads will more torment them In this case it will much comfort to goe into the Sanctuary for there wee shall be able to say Yet God is good to 〈◊〉 God hath an Arke for his there is no condition so ill but there is Balme in Gilead comfort in Israel The depths â—…f misery are never beyond the depths of mercy God oft for this very end strips his Church of all helpes below that it may onely rely upon him and that it may appeare that the Church is ruled by an higher power then it is opposed by And then is the time when we may exâ—…ct great deliverances of the Church when there is a great faith in the great God From all that hath beene said wee see that the only way to quiet the soul is to lay a charge upon it to trust God â—…d that unquietnesse and impatiency me symtomes and discoveries of an unâ—… leeving heart CHAP. XXVI Of divine reasons in a beleever Of his minding to praise God more then to bee delivered TO goe on I shall yet praise him In these words David expresseth the reasons and grounds of his trust namely from the interest hee had in God by experience and speciall covenant wherein in generall we may observe that those who truly trust in God labour to back their faith with sound arguments faith is an understanding grace it knowes whom it trusts and for what and upon what grounds it trusts Reason of it selfe cannot finde what we should beleeve yet when God hath discovered the same faith tells us there is great reason to beleeve it faith useth reason though not as a ground yet as a sanctified instrument to finde out Gods grounds that it may rely upon them He beleeves best that knowes best why hee should beleeve Confidence and love and other affections of the soule though they have no reason grafted in them yet thus farre they are reasonable as that they are in a wise man raised up guided and laid downe with reason or else men were neither to be blamed nor praised for ordering their affections a right whereas not only civill vertue but grace it selfe is especially conversant in ruling the affections by sanctified reason The soule guides the will and affections otherwise then it doth the outward members of the body It swayes the affections of confidence love joy c. as a Prince doth his wiser subjects and as Counsellors doe a well ordered State 〈◊〉 ministring reasons to them but the â—…le governes the outward members by command as a master doth a slave â—…his will is enough The hand and foot â—…ve upon command without regarding any reason but wee will not trust 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God without reason or a 〈◊〉 of reason at the least Sinne it selfe never wanted a reason 〈◊〉 as it is but we call it unreasonable â—…use it hath no good reason for it for reason being a beame of God cannot strengthen any worke of darknesse God having made man an understanding creature guides him by a way sutable to such a condition and that is the reason why God in mercy yeelds so far to us in his word as to give us so many reasons of our affiance in him What is encouragement and comfort but a demonstration to us of greater reasons to raise us up then there are to cast us downe Davids reasons here are drawne partly from some promise of deliverance and partly from Gods nature and dealing with him whom as he had formerly found an healing a saving God so he expects to finde him still and partly from the covenant of grace hee is my God The chiefe of his reasons are fetched from God what he is in himselfe and what hee is and will be to his children and what to him in particular though godly men have reasons for their trst yet those reasons be divine and spirituall as faith it selfe is for as naturally as beames come from the Sunne and branches from the roote even so by divine discourse one truth issueth from another And as the beames and the Sunne as the roote and branches are all of one nature so the grounds of comfortable truths and reasons taken from those grounds are both of same divinity and authority though in time of temptation discourse is oft so troubled that it cannot see how one truth riseth from another this is one priviledge of heaven that our knowledge there shall not be so much discoursive proving one thing by another as definitive seeing things in their grounds with a more present view the soule being then raised and enlarged to a present conceiving of things and there being no flesh and blood in us to raise objections that must be satisfied with reasoning Sometimes in a clearer state of the soule faith hath not so much use of reasons but upon neere and sweet communion with God and by reason of some likenesse betweene the soule that hath a divine nature stamped upon it and God it presently without any long discourse runneth to God as it were by a supernaturall instinct as by a naturall instinct a childe runneth to his Father in any distresse Yea and from that common light of nature which discovereth there is a God even naturall men in extremities will runne to God and God as the Author of nature will sometimes heare them as he doth the yong Ravens that cry unto him but comfortably and with assurance onely those have a familiar recourse unto him that have a sanctified sutable disposition unto God as being well acquainted with him Sometimes againe faith is put to it to use reasons to strengthen it selfe and therefore the soule studieth arguments to help it selfe by either from inward store laid up in the soule or else it hearkeneth and yeelds to reasons suggested by others and there is no gracious heart but hath a frame sutable and agreeable to any holy and comfortable truth that shall be brought and enforced upon it there is something in his spirit that answers what ever comes from the spirit of God though perhaps it never heard of it before yet it presently claimes kindred of it as comming from the same blessed Spring the â—…ly Spirit and therefore a gracious heart sooner takes comfort then another as being prepared to close with it The reasons here brought by David are not so much arguments to convince his judgement as motives and inducements to encline his will to trust in God for trusting being a holy relying upon God carieth especially the will to him now the will is led with the goodnesse of things as the understanding is led with truth the heart must be sweetned with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust as well as convinced of his ability to doe us good the cords that draw the heart to trust are the cords of love and the cords of love are especially the love of him to us whom we love and therefore the most prevailing reasons that
the love of God in the crosse as well as out of it hee may bee cast out of his happy condition in the world but never out of Gods favour If Gods children have cause to praise God in their worst condition what diffeâ—…ce is there betwixt their best estate and their worst Howsoever Gods children have conâ—…uall occasion to praise God yet â—…ere be some more especiall seasons of praising God then others there bee dayes of Gods owne making of purpose to â—…joyce in wherein we may say This is the day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce therein And this I thinke is â—…iefly intended here David comforts â—…imselfe with this that however it was â—…w with him yet God would deale so â—…iously with him hereafter that he â—…uld have cause to blesse his name Though in evill times we have cause 〈◊〉 praise God yet so wee are and such 〈◊〉 our spirits for the most part that â—…ction straitens our hearts Thereâ—…re the Apostle thought it the fittest â—…y in affliction to pray Is any afflicted 〈◊〉 him pray saith Iames Is any joyfull let 〈◊〉 sing Psalmes shewing that the day â—…ejoycing is the fittest day of praiâ—… God Every worke of a Christian is beautifull in its owne time the graces of Christianity have their severall offices at severall seasons in trouble prayer is in its season in the evill day call upon me saith God In better times praises should appeare and shew themselves When God manifests his goodnesse to his hee gives them grace with it to manifest their thankfulnesse to him Praising of God is then most comely though never out of season when God seemes to call for it by renewing the sense of his mercies iâ—… some fresh favour towards us If a bird will sing in Winter much more in the Spring If the heart be prepared in the Winter time of adversity to praise God how ready will it bee when it iâ—… warmed with the glorious sunshine of his favour Our life is nothing but as it were a webbe woven with interminglings 〈◊〉 wants and favours crosses and blessings standings and failings combate and victory therefore there should be a perpetuall intercourse of praying and prâ—… sing in our hearts There is alwayes ground of communion with God in â—…e of these kindes till wee come to â—…at condition wherein all wants shall be supplied where indeed is only matter of praise Yet praising God in this â—…fe hath this prerogative that here we praise him in the middest of his enemies In heaven all will bee in consort with us God esteemes it an honour in the middest of devils and wicked men whose life is nothing but a dishonour aâ—… him to have those that will make his â—…e as it is in it selfe so great in the â—…ld David comforts himselfe in this that he should praise God which shewes he had inured himselfe well before to this holy exercise in which hee found â—…ch comfort that he could not but joy in the fore-thoughts of that time wherâ—… he should have fresh occasion of his â—…mer acquaintance with GOD. Thoughts of this nature enter not into â—…eart that is strange to God It is a speciall Art in time of misery 〈◊〉 thinke of matter of joy if not for the â—…sent yet for the time to come for joy disposeth to praise and praise again stirres up joy these mutually breed one another even as the seed brings forth the tree and the tree brings forth the seed It is wisdome therefore to set faith on worke to take as much comfort as wee can from future promises that wee may have comfort and strength for the present before we have the full possession of them It is the nature of faith to antidate blessings by making them that are to be performed hereafter as present now because wee have them in the promise If God had not allowed us to take many things in trust for the time to come both for his glory and our good hee would never have left such rich promises to us For faith doth not only give glory to God for the present in a present beleeving of his truth and relying upon him but as it lookes forward it sees an everlasting ground of praising God and is stirred up to praise him now for that future matter of praise which it is sure to have hereafter The very hopes of future good made David praise God for the present If the happy condition wee looke for were present wee would embrace it with present praises Now faith is the evidence of things not sâ—…ene and gives a being to that which is not whereupon a true beleeving soule cannot but bee a praising soule For this end God reveales before hand what wee shall have that before hand we should praise him as if we possessed it For that is a great honour to his â—…uth when wee esteeme of what hee speakes as done and what he promiseth as already performed Had wee not a perpetuall confidence in the perpetuity of his love to us how is it possible we should praise him But we want those grounds for the time is come which David had hee had particular promises which we want Though we want Vrim and Thumâ—… and the Prophets to foretell us what the times to come shall be yet we have the Canon of Scripture enlarged â—…e live under a more glorious manifestation of Christ and under a more plentifull shedding of the Spirit wherby that want is abundantly supplyed we have generall promises for the time to come that God will never faile nor forsake us that he will be with us in fire and in water that he will give an issue to the temptation and that the issue of all things shall be for our good that we shall reape the quiet fruit of righteousnesse and no good thing will he withhold from them that tend a godly life c. If wee had a spirit of faith to apply these generalls we should see much of Gods goodnesse in particular Besides generall promises wee have some particular ones for the time to come of the confusion of Antichrist of the conversion of the Iewes and fulnesse of the Gentiles c. which though we perhaps shall never live to see yet we are members of that body which hereafter shall see the same which should stir up our hearts to praise God as if we did enjoy the present fulfilling of them our selves for faith can present them to the soule as if they were now present Some that have a more neere communion with God may have a particular faith of some particular deliverances whereupon they may ground particular prayer Luther praying for a sicke friend who was very comfortable and usefull to him had a particular answer for his recovery whereupon he was so confident that he sent word to his friend that hee should certainly recover Latimer prayed with great zeale for three things 1. That
God bestowed upon us that we never prayed for and yet we are not so ready to praise God as to pray unto him this more desire of what we want then esteeming of what we have shews too much prevailing of self-love But Secondly comparing also our selves with others will adde a great lustre to Gods favour considering wee are all hewed out of one Rock and differ nothing from the meanest but in Gods free love Who are wee that God should single us out for the glory of his rich mercy Considering likewise that the blessings of God to us are such as if none but we â—…d them and God cares for us as if hee 〈◊〉 none else to care for in the world besides These things well pondered should set the greater price upon Gods blessings what are we in nature and grace bâ—… Gods blessings What is in us about us above us What see we taste wee enjoy we but blessings All wee have or hope to have are but dead favouâ—… to us unlesse we put life into them by 〈◊〉 spirit of Thankfulnesse And shall we â—…e as dead as the earth as the stones â—…ee tread on Shall we live as if wee were resolved God should have no praise by us Shall we make our selves God ascribing all to our selves Nay shall we as many doe fight against God with his owne favours and turne Gods blessings against himselfe Shall we abuse peace to security Plenty to ease promises to presumption gifts to pride How can we please the devill better then thus doing Oh! the wonderfull patience of God to continue â—…e to those whose life is nothing else 〈◊〉 a warring against him the giver of â—…e As God hath thoughts of love to us so should our thoughts be of praises to â—…m and of doing good in our places â—…o others for his sake Think with thy selfe Is there any I may honour God by releeving comforting counselling 〈◊〉 there any of Ionat hans race Is there â—…y of Christs deare ones I will doe good to them that they together with me and for me may praise God As David here checks himselfe for the failing and disquietnesse of his Spirit and as a cure thereof thinkes of praising God So let us in the like case stir up our soules as he did and say Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me set forth his holy name Wee never use our spirits to better purpose then when by that light we have from God wee stirre them up to looke back againe to him By this it will appeare to what good purposes we had a being here in the world and were brought into communion with Christ by the Gospell The cariage of all things to the right end shewes whose we are and whither we tend It abundantly appeares by Godâ—… revealing of himselfe many wayes to us as by Promises Sacraments Sabbaths c. that hee intended to raise up our hearts to this heavenly duty The whole gracious dispensation of God in Christ tends to this that our cariage should be nothing else but an expression of Thankfulnesse to him that by a free cheerefull and gracious disposition we might shew we are the people of Gods free grace set at liberty from the spirit of bondage to serve him without feare with a voluntary child-like service all the dayes of our lives CHAP. XXIX Of Gods manifold salvation for his people And why open or expressed in the countenance Proceed Hee is the salvation of my countenance As David strengthens his trust in God by reason fetcht from the future goodnesse of God apprehended by faith so hee strengthens that reason with another reason fetcht from God whom he apprehends here as the salvation of his countenance Wee need reason against reason and reason upon reason to steele and strengthen the soule against the on-set of contrary reasons He is the salvation of my countenance that is He will so save as I shall see and my enemies shall see it and upon seeing my countenance shall bee cheared and lifted up Gods saving kindnesse shall be read in my countenance so that all who looke on mee shall say God hath spoken peace to my soule as well as brought peace to my condition He saith not salvation but salvations because as our life is subject to many miseries in soule body and state publique and private c. so God hath ma ny salvations If we have a thousand troubles he hath a thousand wayes of help as he hath more blessings then one so hee hath more salvations then one He saves our soules from sin our bodies from danger and our estates from trouble He is the redeemer of his people and not onely so but with him is plenteous redemption of all persons of all parts both of body and soule from all ill both of sinne and misery for all times both now and hereafter He is an everlasting salvation David doth not say God will save me but God is salvation it self and nothing but salvation Our sinnes onely stop the current of his mercy but it being above all our sinnes will soone scatter that cloud remove that stop and then we shall see and feele nothing but salvation from the Lord. All his vayes are mercy and peace to a repentant soule that casts it selfe upon him Christ himselfe is nothing else but salvation clothed in our flesh So olde Simeon conceived of him when he had him in his armes and was willing thereupon to yeeld up his spirit to God having seen Christ the salvation of God when we embrace Christ in the armes of our Faith we embrace nothing but salvation Hee makes up that sweet name given him by his Father and brought from heaven by an Angell to the full a name in the Faith of which it is impossible for any beleeving soule to sinke The devill in trouble presents God to us as a revenging destroyer and unbeleefe presents him under a false vizard but the skill of faith is to present him as a Saviour clothed with salvation Wee should not so much looke what destruction the devill and his threaten as what salvation God promiseth To God belongs the issues of death and of all other troubles which are lesser deathes Cannot he that hath vouchsafed an issue in Christ from eternall death vouchsafe an issue from all temporall evills If hee will raise our bodies can he not raise our conditions He that brought us into trouble can easily make a way out of it when hee pleaseth This should bee a ground of resolute and absolute obedience even in our greatest extremities considering God will either deliver us from death or by death and at length out of death So then when we are in any danger we see whither to goe for salvation even to him that is nothing else but salvation but then we must trust in him as David doth and conceive of him as salvation that we may trust
hold on God shewing himselfe in love God saith to the soule I am thy salvation and the soule saith againe Thou art my God Faith is nothing else but a spirituall eccho returning that voice bark againe which God first speakes to the soule For what acquaintance could the soule claime with so glorious a Majesty if he should not first condescend so low as to speake peace and whisper secretly to the soule that he is our loving God and Father and wee his peculiar ones in Christ that our sinnes are all pardoned his justice fully satisfied and our persons freely accepted in his deere Sonne But to come more particularly to the words My God The words are pregnant in the wombe of them all that is graciously comfortably good is contained they are the spring head of all particular blessings All particular Relations and Titles that it pleaseth God to take upon him have their strength from hence that God is our God More cannot be said and lesse will not serve the turne Whatsoever else we have if we have not God it will prove but an empty Cisterne at last He is our proper element every thing desires to live in its owne element fishes in the Sea Birds in the ayre in this they are best preserved There is a greater strength in this My God then in any other Title it is more then if he had said My King or My Lord these are words of soveraignty and wisdome but this implies not onely infinite power soveraignty and wisdome but likewise infinite bounty and provident care so that when wee are said to be Gods people the meaning is that wee are not onely such over whom God hath a power and command but such as towards whom hee shewes a loving and peculiar respect In the words is implied 1. A propriety and interest in God 2. An improvement of the same for the quieting of the soule David here layes a particular claim by a particular faith unto God The reason is 1. The vertue of faith is as to lay hold so to appropriate to it self and make its owne whatever it layes hold on and it doth no more in this then God gives it leave by his gracious promises to doe 2. As God offers so faith receives but God offers himselfe in particular to the beleeving soule by his spirit therefore our faith must be particular That which the Sacraments seale is a peculiar interest in Christ This is that which hath alwayes upheld the Saints of God and that which is ever joyned with the life of Christ in us The life that I live saith Paul is by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me The spirit of faith is a spirit of application This is implyed in all the Articles of our faith we beleeve God to be our father and Christ to be borne for us that he dyed for us and rose againe for our good and now sits at the right hand of God making requests for us in particular 3. This is that which distinguishes the faith of a true Christian from all hypocrites and cast-awayes whatsoever Were it not for this word of possession Mine the devill might say the Creed to as good purpose as we He beleeves there is a God and a Christ but that which torments him is this he can say My to never an Article of â—…aith 4. A generall apprehension of Gods goodnesse and mercy may stand with desperation Take away My from God and take away God himselfe in regard of comfort what comfort was it for Adam when he was shut out of Paradise to looke upon it after he had lost â—…t The more excellencies are in God 〈◊〉 more our griefe if we have not our â—…rt in them the very life blood of the Gospell lyes in a speciall application of particular mercy to our selves All relations that God and Christ have taken upon them imply a necessity of application What if God be a rock of salvation if we doe not rest upon him What if he be a foundation and we doe not build on him What if hee offers himselfe as a husband if we will not accept of him what availes it us How can we rejoyce in the salvation of our soules unlesse we can in particular say I rejoyce in God my Saviour 5. Without particular application we can neither entertaine the love of God nor returne love againe by which meanes we lose all the comfort God intends us in his word which of purpose was written for our solace and refreshment Take away particular faith and we let out all the spirits of cheerefull and thankfull obedience This possessive particle My hath place in all the golden chaine of our salvation The first spring of all Gods claime to us as his is in his election of 〈◊〉 we were by grace his before we were those that are his from that eternall love 〈◊〉 gives to Christ this is hid in the breast 〈◊〉 God till he calls us out of the rest of 〈◊〉 world into CoÌ„munion with Christ 〈◊〉 answering of which call by faith 〈◊〉 become one with Christ and so 〈◊〉 with him Afterwards in justificaâ—… wee feele God experimentally to 〈◊〉 reconciled unto us whence arises 〈◊〉 and inward peace And then upon â—…her sanctification God delights in us 〈◊〉 his bearing his owne image and we â—…om a likenesse to God delight in him 〈◊〉 â—…rs in his Christ and so this mutuâ—… interest betwixt God and us contiâ—… untill at last God becomes allâ—…o â—…o us But how can a man that is not yet in the 〈◊〉 of grace say with any comfort My God Whilest a man regards iniquity in his 〈◊〉 without any remorse or dislike of â—…e same if he saith my God his heartâ—…ll â—…ll give his tongue the lye however in 〈◊〉 outward profession and opinion 〈◊〉 others hee may beare himselfe as if 〈◊〉 were his upon false grounds For there can be no more in a conclusion then it hath from the principle anâ—… premises out of which it is drawne Thâ—… principle here is that God is the God of all that trust in him Now if wee caâ—… make it good that wee truly trust in God we may safely conclude of comfort from him for the more certaine clearing of which try your selves by the signes of trust delivered It is no easie matter to say in truth of heart My God the flesh will still labour for supremacy God should bee all in all unto us but this will not bee till these bodies of flesh together with the body of sinne bee laid aside Hee that sayes God is my God and doth not yeeld up himselfe unto God raiseth a building without a foundation layeth a claim without a title and claimeth a title without an evidence reckoning upon a bargain without consent of the party with whom he would contract But if a man shall out of the sight and sense of sin thirst after mercy in
Christ and call unto God for pardon then God who is a God hearing prayer and delighteth to be knowne by the name of â—…cifall will bee ready to close and â—…t with the desire of such a soule so â—…re as to give it leave to relye upon 〈◊〉 for mercy and that without preâ—…ption untill he further discovers â—…selfe graciously unto it upon sense 〈◊〉 which grace the soule may bee enâ—…aged to lay a farther claime unto â—…od having further acquaintance with 〈◊〉 Hence are those exhortations so 〈◊〉 in the Prophets to turne unto the â—…dour God because upon our first reâ—…ion to turne unto God wee shall â—…de him alwayes ready to answer â—…se desires that hee stirres up by his 〈◊〉 spirit in us Wee are not therefore to stay our â—…ing unto God till wee feele him â—…ing to our hearts I am thy God but â—…hen he prevents us by â—…s grace inaâ—…ng us to desire grace let us follow 〈◊〉 worke begun in the strength of â—…at grace we have and then God will â—…ther manifest himself in mercy to us Yet God before we can make any â—…ng towards him le ts into our hearts some few beames of mercy thereby drawing us unto him and reaching us out a hint to lay hold upon And as sinne causeth a distance betwixt God and us so the guilt of sinne in the coÌ„science causes further strangenesse insomuch that we dare not looâ—… up to heaven till God open a little crevise to let in a little light of comforâ—… at least into our soules whereby we are by little and little drawne neerer to him But this light at the first is so little that in regard of the greater Ienâ—… of sinne and a larger desire of grace the soule reckons the same as no light at all in comparison of what it desires and seekes after Yet the comfort is that this dawning light will at length cleere up to a perfect day Thus we see how this claime of God to be our God is still in growth untill full assurance and that there is a great distance betwixt the first act of faith in cleaving to God offering himselfe in Christ to be ours and betweene the last fruit of faith the cleere and comfortable feeling that God is our God indeed Wee first by faith apply our selves to 〈◊〉 and then apply God to us to be 〈◊〉 The first is the conflicting exercise 〈◊〉 faith the last is the triumph of faith â—…refore faith properly is not assuâ—…ce And to comfort us the more the â—…ises are specially made to the act of â—…th suller assurance is the reward of 〈◊〉 If God hath not chosen mee in Christ â—…e his what ground have I to trust in 〈◊〉 I may cast away my selfe upon a vaine â—…ence We have no ground at first to trouâ—… our selves about Gods election Seâ—… things belong to God Gods reâ—…led will is That all that beleeve in â—…ist shall not perish It is my duty â—…refore knowing this to beleeve by â—…ing whereof I put that question â—…ther God be mine or no out of all â—…estion for all that beleeve in Christ 〈◊〉 Christs and all that are Christs are 〈◊〉 It is not my duty to look to Gods secret counsell but to his open offer inâ—…ation and command and thereupon to adventure my soule And this adventure of faith will bring at length a rich returne unto us In warre men will adventure their lives because they thinke some will escape and why not they In traffique beyond the Seas many adventure great estates because some grow rich by a good returne though many miscarry The husbandman adventures his seed though sometime the yeare proves so bad that he never sees it more And shall not we make a spirituall adventure in casting our selves upon God when wee have so good a warrant as his command and so good an encouragement as his promise that hee will not faile those that rely on him God bids us draw neere to him and hee will draw neere to us Whilest wee in Gods owne wayes draw neere to him and labour to entertain good thoughts of him hee will delight to shew himselfe favourably unto us Whilest we are striving against an unbeleeving heart he wil come in and help us and so fresh light will come in Pretend not thy unworthinesse and inability to keepe thee off from God for this is the way to keep thee so still â—…f any thing help us it must be God and 〈◊〉 ever hee help us it must be by castâ—…g our selves upon him for then hee will reach out himselfe unto us in the promise of mercy to pardon our sinne â—…d in the promise of grace to sanctifie â—…r natures It was a good resolution â—…f the Lepers If we enter into the City the â—…ine is there and we shall dye say they â—…f we sit still we shall die also Let us thereâ—…e fall into the hoast of Assyrians if they â—…ve us we shall live if they kill us we shall 〈◊〉 dye So we should reason if wee sit â—…ll under the load of our sin wee shall 〈◊〉 if we put our selves into the hands â—…f Christ if he save us we shall live if 〈◊〉 save us not wee shall but die Nay â—…ely he will not suffer us to die Did â—…er Christ thrust any back from him â—…at put themselves upon him Unlesse 〈◊〉 were by that meanes to draw them 〈◊〉 neerer unto him as we see in the 〈◊〉 of Canaan His denyall was but 〈◊〉 increase her importunity We should â—…refore doe as she did gather all arâ—…ments to help our faith Suppose I am a dogge saith shee yet I am one of the family and therefore have right to the crummes that fall So Lord I have beene a sinner yet I am thy creature and not onely so but such a creature as thou hast set over the rest of the works of thy hands and not onely so but one whom thou hast admitted into thy Church by Baptisme whereby thou wouldst binde me to give my selfe unto thee before hand and more then this thou hast brought me under the means and therein hast shewed thy will concerning my turning towards thee Thou hast not onely offered me conditions of peace but wooed me by thy Ministers to give up my selfe unto thee as thine in thy Christ. Therefore I dare not suspect thy good meaning towards me or question thy intendment but resolve to take thy counsell and put my selfe upon thy mercy I cannot thinke if thou hadst meant to cast me away and not to owne mee for thine thou wouldst ever have kindled these desires in me But it is not this state I rest in my purpose is to wait upon thee untill thou dost manifest thy selfe farâ—…er unto me It is not common faâ—…ours that will content me though I 〈◊〉 unworthy of these because I heare 〈◊〉 choyse blessings towards thy chosen people that thou entrest into a peculiar â—…venant withall sure mercies and such 〈◊〉 accompany salvation
vessels are something the better for that liquor they keep not but runs through them But if experience should wholly fail â—…ere is such a divine power in faith as 〈◊〉 very little beame of it having no other help then a naked promise will uphold the soule howsoever we must neglect no help for God oft suspends his comfort till wee have searched all our helps Though we see no light yet we ought to search alcrevises for light and rejoyce in the least beam of light that we may see day by It is the nature of true faith to search and pry into every corner and if after all nothing appeares then it casts it selfe upon God as in the first conversion when it had nothing to looke upon but the offer of free mercy If at that time without former experience wee did trust God Why not now when we have forgotten our experience the chiefe grounds of trusting God are alwayes the same whether we feele or feel not nay though for the present wee feele the contrary faith will never leave wrastling till it hath gotten a blessing When faith is driven to work alone having nothing but God and his bare promise to rely upon then God thinks it lies upon his credit to shew himselfe as a God unto us Gods power in creating light out of darknes is never more exalted then when a guilty soul is lifted up by God to look for mercy even when he seems armed with justice to execute vengeance upon him then the soul is brought to a neere conformity unto Christ who 1. when he had the guilt of the sins of the whole world upon him 2. When he was forsaken and that after he had enjoyed the sweetest communion with his Father that ever creature could do And not only so but 3. felt the weight of Gods just displeasure against sin and 4. was abased lower then ever any creature was yet still hee held fast God as his God In earthly matters if we have a Title to any thing by gift contract inheritance or howsoever wee will not bee wrangled out of our right And shall we not maintain our right in God against all the tricks cavils of Satan our own hearts We must labor to have something that we may shew that we are within the covenant If we be never 〈◊〉 little entred into the covenaÌ„t we are â—…e And herein lies the speciall coÌ„fort 〈◊〉 sincerity that though our grace bee â—…ttle yet it is of the right stampe and â—…hews us that we are servants and sons though unworthy to be so Here a little â—…uth will goe farre Hence it is that the â—…aints in all their extremities stil alledg somthing that shews that they are within the covenaÌ„t We are thy childreÌ„ thy people thy servaÌ„ts c. God is mindful of his covenant but is well pleased that we should mind him of it too minde it our selves to make use of it as David doth here Hee knew if he could bring His soul to His God all would be quiet God is so ready to mercy that he delighteth in it and delighteth in Christ through whom hee may shew mercy notwithstaÌ„ding his justice as being fully satisfied in Christ. Mercy is his name that he will be known by It is his glory which we behold in the face of Christ who is nothing but grace and mercy it selfe Nay he pleadâ—… reasons for mercy even from the sinfulnesse and misery of his creature and maintaines his owne mercy against all the wrangling cavills of flesh and blood that would put mercy from them and hearken more willingly to Sathans objections then Gods arguments till at length God subdues their spirits so farre as they become ashamed for standing out so long against him How ready will God be to shew mercy to us when we seeke it that thus presseth upon us when we seeme to refuse it If God should take advantage of our way wardnesse what would become of us Sathans course is to discourage those that God would have encouraged and to encourage those whom God never speakes peace unto and hee thinkes to gaine both wayes Our care therefore should be when we resolve upon Gods wayes to labour that no discouragement fasten upon us seeing God and his word speake all comfort to us And because the best of a Christian is to come we should raise up our spirits to waite upon God for that mercy which is yet to come All inferiour waitings for good things here doe but â—…aine us up in the comfortable expeâ—…ation of the maine This waiting on God requires a great strength of grace by reason not onely 〈◊〉 of the excellency of the things waiâ—…ed for which are farre beyond any thing we can hope for in the world â—…ut 2. in regard of the long day which God takes before hee performeth his promise and 3. from thence the tediousnesse of delay 4. The many troubles of life in our way 5. The great apposition we meet with in the world 〈◊〉 and scandalls oft times even from them that are in great esteeme for Religion 7. together with the untowardâ—…esse of our nature in being ready to be put off by the least discouragement In these respects there must be more then 〈◊〉 humane spirit to hold up the soule â—…d cary it along to the end of that which we wait for But if God be our God that love which engaged him to binde himselfe to us in precious promises will furnish 〈◊〉 likewise with grace needfull till we be possessed of them Hee will give us leave to depend upon him both for happinesse and all sanctifying and quieting graces which may support the soule till it come to its perfect rest in God For God so quiets the hearts of his children as withall he makes them better and fitter for that which he provides for them grace and peace goe together Our God is the God of grace and peace of such graces as breed peace 1. As he is a God of love nay love it selfe to us so a taste of his love raising up our love is better then wine full of nothing but encouragement it will fetch up a soule from the deepest discouragement this grace quickneth all other graces it hath so much spirits in it as will sweeten all conditions Love inables to waite as Iacob for Lea seaven yeares Nothing is hard to love it caries all the powers of the soule with it 2. As he is a God of hope so by this grace as an anchor fastned in heaven within the vaile he stayeth the soule that though as a Ship at Anchor it may be tossed and moved yet not removed from its station This hope as corke will â—…eep the soul though in some heavinesse from sinking and as an Helmet â—…eare off the blowes that they endanger not our life 3. As God is a God of hope so by hope of patience which is
God and us no wonder if Sathan labour to hinder the same by interposing the guilt and hainousnesse of our sinnes which he knows of themselves will worke a separation But these upon our first serious thought of returning will be removed As they could not hinder our meeting with God so they may cause a strangenesse for a time but not a parting a hiding of Gods countenance but not a banishing of us from it Peter had denied Christ and the rest of the Apostles had left him all alone Yet our Saviour after his Resurrection forgets all former unkindnesses he did not so much as object it to them but sends Mary who her selfe had been a great sinner as an Apostle to the Apostles and that presently to tell them that he was risen his care would have no delay Hee knew they were in great heavinesse for their unkindnesse Though he was now entred into the first degree of his glory yet we see his glory made him not forget his poore Disciples Above all he was most carefull of Peter as deeper in sinne then the rest and therefore deeper in sorow Goe tell Peter he needs most comfort But what is the message that I ascend not to my Father alone but to your Father not to my God onely but to Your God And shall not wee bee bold to say so after Christ hath taught us and put this claime into our mouthes If once we let this hold goe then Sathan hath us where he would every little crosse then dejects us Sathan may darken the joy of our salvation but not take away the God of our salvation David after his crying sinne of murther prayes Restore unto me the Ioy of thy salvation this hee had lost but yet in the same Psalme hee prayes Deliver mee from blood O God thou God of my salvation therefore whatsoever sence reason temptation the law or guilt upon conscience shall say Nay however God himselfe by his strange cariage to us may seeme to be yet let us cast our selves upon him and not suffer this plea to be wrung from us but shut our eyes to all and look upon God All-gracious and All-sufficient who is the Father the begetter of comfort the God the Creator of consolation not onely of things that may comfort but of the comfort it self conveied through these unto us Who is a God like unto our God that passeth by the sinnes of the remnant of his people This should not bee thought on without admiration and indeed there is nothing so much deserves our wonderment as such mercy of such a God to such as we Since God hath avouched us to be his peculiar people let us avouch him and since he hath past his word for us let us passe our words for him that we will be his and stand for him and to our power advance his cause Thus David out of an enlarged spirit saith Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art MY God and I will exalt thee Whatsoever wee engage for God wee are sure to bee gainers by The true Christian is the wisest Merchant and makes the best adventure He may stay long but is sure of a safe and a rich returne A godly man is most wise for himselfe We enter on Religion upon these tearmes to part with our selves and all when God shall call for it §. 2. God much rejoyceth in sinners converted as monuments of his mercy and because the remembrance of their former sinnes wher 's them on to bee more earnest in his service especially after they have felt the sence of Gods love they even burn with a holy desire of honouring him whom before they dishonoured and stand not upon doing or suffering any thing for him but cheerefully embrace all occasions of expressing obedience God hath more worke from them then from others why then should any be discouraged Neither is it sinnes after our conversion that nullifie this claime of God to be Ours For this is the grand difference betwixt the two covenants that now God will bee mercifull to our sins if our hearts by faith be sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Though one sinne was enough to bring condemnation yet the free gift of grace in Christ is of many offences unto justification And we have a sure ground for this for the righteousnesse of Christ is Gods righteousnesse and God will thus glorifie it that it shall stand good to those that by faith apply it against their daily sinnes even till at once we cease both to live and sin For this very end was the Son of God willingly made sin that we might be freed from the same And if all our sins laid upō Christ could not take away Gods love frō him shal they take away Gods love from us when by Christs blood our souls are purged from them O mercy of all mercies that when we were once his and gave away our selves for nothing and so became neither his nor our owne that then hee would vouchsafe to become ours and make us his by such a way as all the Angels in heaven stand wondring at even his Sonnes not onely taking our nature and miserable condition but our 〈◊〉 upon him that that being done away wee might through Christ have boldnesse with God as ours who is now in heaven appearing there for us untill he brings us home to himselfe and presents us to his Father for his for ever Thinke not then onely that wee are Gods and he Ours but from what love and by what glorious meanes this was brought to passe What can possibly disable this claime when God for this end hath founded a covenant of peace so strongly in Christ that sin it selfe cannot disanull it Christ was therefore manifest that he might destroy this greatest worke of the devill Forgivenesse of sins now is one chiefe part of our portion in God It is good therefore not to pore and plod so much upon sinne and vilenesse by it as to forget that mercy that rejoyceth over judgement If wee once be Gods though wee drinke this deadly poison it shall not hurt us God will make a medicine an antidote of it and for all other evills the fruit of them is by Gods sanctifying the same the taking away sinne out of our natures so that lesser evils are sent to take away the greater If God could not over-rule evils to his owne ends hee would never suffer them §. 3. I have stood the longer upon this because it is the one thing needfull the one thing wee should desire that this one God in whom and from whom is all good should be ours All promises of all good in the new covenant spring first from this that God will be ours and we shall be his What can we have more and what is in the world lesse that will content us long or stand us in any stead especially at that time when all must be taken from us Let us
in himselfe out of his goodnesse would stoop low to us And we should delight in the meditation of him not onely as good to us but as good in himselfe because goodnesse of bounty springs from goodnesse of disposition he doth good because he is good A naturall man delights more in Gods gifts then in his grace If he desires grace it is to grace himselfe not as grace making him like unto God and issuing from the first grace the free favour of God by which meanes men come to have the gifts of God without God himselfe But alas what are all other goods without the chiefe good they are but as flowers which are long in planting in cherishing and growing but short in enjoying the sweetnesse of them David here joyes in God himselfe he cares for nothing in the world but what he may have with his favour and what ever else he desires hee desires onely that he may have the better ground from thence to praise his God §. 4. The summe of all is this The state of Gods deare children in this world is to bee cast into variety of conditions wherein they consisting of nature flesh and spirit every principle hath its owne and proper working They are sensible as flesh and blood they are sensible to discouragement as sinfull flesh and blood but they recover themselves as having a higher principle Gods spirit above flesh and blood in them In this conflicting state every principle labouring to maintaine it selfe at length by helpe of the spirit backing and strengthening his owne worke grace gets the better keeping nature within bounds and suppressing corruption And this the soule so farre as it is spirituall doth by gathering it selfe to it selfe and by reasoning the case so farre till it concludes and joynes upon this issue that the onely way to attaine sound peace is when all other meanes faile to trust in God And thereupon he layes a charge upon his soule so to doe is being a course grounded upon the highest reason even the unchangeable goodnesse of God who out of the riches of his mercy having chosen a people in this world which should be to the glory of his mercy will give them matter of setting forth his praise in shewing some token of good upon them as being those on whom he hath fixed his love and to whom hee will appeare not onely a Saviour but salvation it selfe Nothing but salvation as the Sunne is nothing but light so whatsoever proceeds from him to them tends to further salvation All his wayes towards them leade to that which wayes of his though for a time they are secret and not easily found out yet at length God will be wonderfull in them to the admiration of his enemies themselves who shall be forced to say God hath done great things for them and all from this ground that God is our God in covenant Which words are a stearne that rule and guide the whole text For why should we not be disquieted when we are disquieted Why should we not be cast downe when we are cast downe Why should we trust in God as a Saviour but that he is our God making himselfe so to us in his choisest favours doing that for us which none else can doe and which he doth to none else that are not his in a gracious maner This blessed interest and intercourse betwixt Gods spirit and our spirits is the hindge upon which all turns without this no comfort is comfortable with this no trouble can be very trouble some Without this assurance there is little comfort in Soliloquies unlesse when we speake to our selves wee can speake to God as ours For in desperate cases our soule can say nothing to it selfe to still it selfe unlesse it be suggested by God Discouragements will appeare greater to the soule then any comfort unlesse God comes in as ours See therefore Davids art hee demands of himselfe why hee was so cast downe The cause was apparant because there was troubles without and terrours within and none to comfort Well grant this saith the spirit of God in him as the worst must be granted yet saith the Spirit Trust in God So I have Why then waite in trusting Light is sowen for the righteous it comes not upon the suddaine we must not think to sowe and reape both at once If trouble be lengthened lengthen thy patience What good will come of this God will waite to doe thee that good for which thou shalt praise him he will deale so graciously with thee as he will deserve thy praise he will shew thee his salvation And new favours will stirre thee up to sing new songs every new recovery of our selves or friends is as it were a new life and ministers new matter of praise And upon offering this sacrifice of praise the heart is further enlarged to pray for fresh blessings Wee are never fitter to pray then after praise But in the meane time I hang down my head whilest mine enemies carie themselves highly and my friends stand aloofe God in his owne time which is best for thee will be the salvation of thy countenance he will compasse thee about with songs of deliverance and make it appeare at last that he hath care of thee But why then doth God appeare as a stranger to me That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer hee withdrawes himself that thou shouldst bee the more earnest in seeking after him God speakes the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wildernesse Happily thou art not yet low enough nor purged enough Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world and therefore it will not yet appeare that it is Gods good will to deliver thee Wert thou a fit subject of mercy God would bestow it on thee But what ground hast thou to build thy selfe so strongly upon God He hath offered and made himselfe to be My God and so hath shewed himselfe in former times And I have made him My God by yeelding him his Soveraignty in my heart Besides the present evidence of his blessed spirit clearing the same and many peculiar tokens of his love which I daily doe enjoy though sometimes the beams of his favour are eclipsed Those that are Gods besides their interest and right in him have oft a sense of the same even in this life as a fore-taste of that which is to come To the seale of grace stamped upon their hearts God super-adds a fresh seale of joy and comfort by the presence and witnesse of his Spirit And shewes likewise some outward token for good upon them whereby he makes it appeare that hee hath set a part him that is godly for himselfe as his owne Thus we see that discussing of objections in the consistory of the soule settles the soule at last Faith at length silencing all risings to the contrary All motion tends to rest and ends in it God is the center and resting place of the soule and here
est nos velle cuÌ„ volumus sed ille facit ut velimus Aug. Duties 1. 2. Obser. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 28. 3. 4. Iam. 5. 17. 5. Gen. 8. 11. Object Answ. Trust in God tho an offended God Psal. 97. 10 6. Vnde hoc montrum quare istud Aug. Confess Non ex toto vult non ex toto imperat in tantum non sit quod imperat in quantum non vult 7. Esay 26. 3. Ephes. 6. 10. Psal. 80. 19 Animus aeger semper errat 8. Jussisti Domine sic est ut omnis inordinatus affectus sibi sit poena Aug. Gen. 3. God and the Soule must be brought together by trust Ionah 1. 17 Dan. 3. Esa. 28. 29. 1. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 5. 19. 4. 5. Exo. 34. 6. Exod. 33. 16. 1. 2. 6. 7. What God is hee maketh good by providence Deut. 19. 5 Prov. 21. 1. Ps. 135. 6. 1. 2. Intimior intimo nostro 3. 4. Psal. 125. 3 Deus est prima causa cujuscunque non esse Esther 6. 1. Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur Greg. Ex. 10. 11. Psal. 39. 9. Lev. 10. 1 2. Psal. 73. 1. 2. Voluntas Dei necessitas rei 2 Sam. 15. 26. 1 Sam. 3. 18. Acts 21. 14 Vox vere Christianorum Rev. 6. 10. 3. Propria voluntas DeuÌ„ quantum in ipsa eximit Prov. 3. 6. Esa. 48. 10. 4. Quest. 1. Answ. Summa ratio quae pro religione sacit 2. 3. Nimis angusta innocentia â—…st ad legem bonam esse 5. Sententia boni viri 6. 7. 8. Phil. 2. 4. Dan. 3. There must be a discovery of the mind of God as well as of his nature 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Rom 8. 39. Heb. 13. 8. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Psal. 19. 7. Trust must answer the truth of God Why saith so requisite in Christians 1. 2. 3. 4. Iere. 31. 3. Mat. 9. 20. DirectioÌ„s about trusting 1. It must be by divine light Esa. 54. 13 2. By subduing and changing the will 3. By carying the whole soule to God 4. By putting cases to our selves Psal. 3. 6. Psal. 46. 3. Psal. 27. 3. 5. By fitting the promise to every condition of our lives 6. By trusting in God alone 7. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 8. By trusting God for all things in all times 9. By trusting God when it sees no helpe 2 Cor. 5. 7. Why God suffers his children to fall into great extremities 1. 2. 3. 4. Christians should trust God most in the worst times Esa. 50. 10 1. Psal. 31. 7. 2. 10. By calling to minde former experiences of Gods love Psal. 22. 4. Psal. 9. 10. Psal. 119. 140. Psal. 12. 6. Christians should coÌ„municate their experiences Psal. 66. 19 Ps. 142. 7. 11. By walking in the wayes of God 12. By setting a high price upon Faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. Luke 17. 6 Hos. 8. 12. The meanes to get an high esteeme of Faith is to undervalue all things else Object Answ. 1. 2. Iames 1. 8. Luk. 16. 13 Ioh. 5. 44. Psal. 30. 6. 1. 2. Psa. 62. 10 Jere. 17. 5. Eccles. 1. 2. Eccles. 12. 13. 1. 2. Esa. 47. 10 3. 4. We should labour to subdue the first inclination of our soules to the creatures 1 Cor. 13. 11. 13. Our trusting should follow Gods order of promising Eph. 1. 20. Defects in life rise froÌ„ defects in trust Sathans study is to unloose our hearts froÌ„ God Heb. 3. 12. What trust in God is The tryall of trust 1. It can and is willing to endure tryall Psal. 39. 7. 2. It looks to all the promises Fides non eligit objectum 3. It makes the soule bold 1. 4. yet huÌ„ble Motus ex indigentia 5. Trust is dependant 6. and obsequions Phil. 2. 12 13. Heb. 12. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 7. It serveth Gods providence in the use of meanes Tim. 5. 5. Gen. 2. 2. Dan. 5. 23. Pro. 30. 25 8. It runnes not before God 9. It stills and quiets the soule upon good grounds Psal. 29. 2. Nihil est tentatio vel universi mundi totius inferni in unum conflata ad eam qua Deus contrarius homini ponitur Luther Tentatio blasphemiarum Ion. 2. 4. Isay 50. 10 Esa. 63. 16 2 Cor. 1. 4. Object Answ. 2 Cor. 5. 21 Psal. 38. Object Answ. Mic. 7. 18. Psal. 51. Rom. 5. 17 Gods mercy not to be limited Isay 55. 8. Zac. 13. 1. Isay 55. 8. Sinnes of continuance dangerous How to deale with such as have lived long in sinne Bonitas invicti non vincitur infinita miserecordia non finitur Fulgent Cavenduâ—… est vulnus quod dolore curatur Rom. 3. 26. Ier. 3. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Luke 15. Caution Object Answ. 1. Sorow not required for it selfe as sorow Ans. 2. The greatest sorow can make no satisfaction for sinne Ans. 3. Causes of our want of griefe for sinne 1. Want of consideration Vse of crosses 2. Want of a divine worke 3. A kinde of doublenes of heart Selfe-deniall 2 Cor. 7. 10. 4. 5. Because God sees not griefe so fit for one disposition as another Earnest desire of too much sorow for sin dangerous Mr. Leaver Caution The most constant state of the soule in regard of sinne Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. A never-failing character of a good soule 5. Quest. 1. When the soule is sufficiently humbled 2. Feare is the awbaÌ„d of the soul 3. 4. 5. How to know that we hate sin rightly 1. 2. 3. 4. What wee must doe in want of griefe for sinne 1. 2. Isay 63. 3. Al a Christians grief is not at first Griefe arises not alwayes froÌ„ our poring on sinne 4. That there may be a spice of Popery in this our earnest desire of much griefe The scope of this discourse of griefe Mat. 5. That the great conflict in us betwixt grace and corruption doth also much cast us downe Proximorum odiae sunt acerbissima Rom. 7. Rom. 7. That the sight and sense of this sharpe conflict should cause us to trust the more in God Object Of peâ—…severance to the end answered Answ. Pet. 2. Object Answ. Zach. 4. 7. Psal 95. Object Answ. Ephes. 5. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. 2. 1. For outward evils Amaziah 2. For the miseries of this life of our nature and condition Psal. 116. Iob 6. 15. Joh. 16. 32. Solus non est cui Christus comes est Cypr. Tim. 17. Ps. 69. 120 Comfort in departure of friends Mat. 12. 50 Comfort in sicknes Meanes not to be relyed on Optimi sumus dum infirmi sumus 2 Cor. 1. 9. Sin the greatest trouble Avoid not trouble by finne 1 Pet. 4. 3. 21. Iohn 1. Esay 50. â—…lt * Meâ—…or est tristitia iniqua patientis quam â—…titia iniqua facientis Aug. Luk. â—…3 34 Comfort in the houre of death Ioh. 11. 25 Comfort from the state after death Iohn 14. 2. 1 Thes. 〈◊〉 Comfort in regard of our generall calling Exod. 7. 11 Iam. 1. 5. Caution