unto blasphemy they imagine good men to be led with vaine conceits but good men know them to bee so led Not onely St. Paul but CHRIST himselfe were counted besides themselves when they were earnest for God and the soules of his people But there is enough in Religion to beare up the soule against all imputations laid upon it the true children of wisedome are alwayes able to justifie their Mother and the conscionable practise of holy duties is founded upon such solid grounds as shall hold out when heaven and earth shall vanish 2. Wee must know that as there is great danger in false conceits of the way to heaven when we make it broader than it is for by this meanes wee are like men going over a bridge who thinke it broader then it is but being deceived by some shadow sinck downe and are suddenly drowned So men mistaking the strait way to life and trusting to the shadow of their owne imagination fall into the bottomlesse pit of hell before they are aware In like manner the danger is great in making the way to heaven narrower then indeed it is by weake and superstitious imaginations making more sinnes than God hath made The Wisemans counsell is that we should not make our selves over wicked nor bee foolisher than we are by devising more sinnes in our imagination than we are guilty of It is good in this respect to know our Christian liberty which being one of the fruits of Christs death we cannot neglect the same without much wrong not onely to our selves but to the rich bounty and goodnesse of God So that the due rules of limitation bee observed from authority piety sobriety needlesse offence of others c. we may with better leave use all those comforts which God hath given to refresh us in the way to heaven then refuse them the care of the outward man bindes conscience so farre as that wee should neglect nothing which may helpe us in a cheerefull serving of GOD in our places and tend to the due honour of our bodies which are the temples of the Holy Ghost and companions with our soules in all performances So that under this pretence wee take not too much liberty to satisfie the lusts of the body Intemperate use of the creatures is the nurse of all passions because our spirits which are the soules instruments are hereby inflamed and disturbed it is no wonder to see an intemperate man transported into any passion 3. Some out of their high and ayery imaginations and out of their iron and flintie Philosophy will needs thinke outward good and ill together with the affections of griefe and delight stirred up thereby to bee but opinions and conceits of good and evill onely not true and really so founded in nature but taken up of our selves But though our fancy be ready to conceit a greater hurt in outward evils then indeed there is as in poverty paine of body death of friends c. yet wee must not deny them to bee evills that wormewood is bitter it is not a conceit onely but the nature of the thing it selfe yet to abstaine from it altogether for the bitternesse thereof is a hurtfull conceit That honey is sweet it is not a conceit onely but the naturall quality of it is so yet out of a taste of the sweetnesse to think wee cannot take too much of it is a misâ—…ceit paid home with loathsome bitternesse Outward good and outward evill and the affections of delight and sorrâ—… rising thence are naturally so and depend not upon our opinion This were to offer violence to nature and to take man out of man as if hee were not flesh but steele Universall experience from the sensiblenesse of our nature in any outward grievance is sufficient to damâ—… this conceit The way to comfort a man in griefe is not to tell him that it is onely a conceit of evill and no evill indeed that he suffers this kinde of learning will not downe with him as being contrary to his present feeling but the way is to yeeld unto him that there is cause of grieving though not of ever-grieving and to shew him grounds of comfort stronger then the griefe he suffers We should weigh the degrees of evill in a right ballance and not suffer fancie to make them greater then they are So as that for obtaining the greatest outward good or avoiding the greatest outward ill of suffering wee should give way to the least evill of sinne This is but a policy of the flesh to take away the sensiblenesse of evill that so those cheeks of conscience and repentance for Sinne which is oft occasioned thereby might be taken away that so men may goe on enjoying a stupid happinesse never laying any thing to heart nor afflicting their soules untill their consciences awaken in the place of the damned and then they feele that griefe reâ—…ne upon them for ever which they laboured to put away when it might have beene seasonable to them §. 7. I have stood the longer upon this because Sathan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances misleadeth not onely the world but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world whose estate is laid up safe in Christ who notwithstanding passe their few dayes here in an uncomfortable wearisome and unnecessary sadnesse of spirit being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Sathans jugling and their own mistakes and so come to heaven before they are aware Some againe passe their dayes in a golden dreame and drop into hell before they thinke of it but it is farre better to dreame of ill and when wee awake to finde it but a dreame then to dreame of some great good and when we awake to finde the contrary As the distemper of the fancie disturbing the act of reason oftentimes breeds madnesse in regard of civill conversation So it breeds likewise spirituall madnesse carrying men to those things which if they were in their right wits they would utterly abhorre therefore wee cannot have too much care upon what wee fixe our thoughts And what a glorious discovery is there of the excellencies of Religion that would even ravish an Angell which may raise up exercise fill our hearts We see our fancie hath so great a force in naturall conceptions that it oft sets a marke and impression upon that which is conceived in the wombe So likewise strong and holy conceits of things having a divine vertue accompanying of them transforme the soule and breed spirituall impressions answerable to our spirituall apprehensions It would prevent many crosses if we would conceive of things as they are When trouble of minde or sicknesse of body and death it selfe commeth what will remaine of all that greatnesse which filled our fancies before then we can judge soberly and speake gravely of things The best way of happinesse is not to multiply honours or riches c. but to cure our
him matter of songs in the night For all this his unrulie griefe will not be calmed but renues assaults upon the returne of the reproach of his enemies Their words were as swords unto him and his heart being made very tender and sensible of griefe these sharp words enter too deepe and thereupon he hath recourse to his former remedie as being the most tryed to chide his soule and charge it to trust in God CAP. I. Generall Observations upon the Text. HEnce in generall wee may observe that Griefe gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first We see here passions intermingled with comforts and comforts with passions and what bustling there is before David can get the victorie over his owne heart You have some short spirited Christians that if they be not comforted at the first they thinke all labour with their hearts is in vaine and thereupon give way to their griefe But we see in David as distemper ariseth upon distemper so he gives check upon check and charge upon charge to his soule untill at length hee brought it to a quiet temper In Physick if one purge will not carry away the vicious humour then wee adde a second if that will not doe it we take a third So should wee deale with our soules perhaps one check one charge will not doe it then fall upon the soule againe send it to God againe and never give over untill our soules be possessed of our soules againe Againe In generall observe in Davids spirit that a gracious and living soule is most sensible of the want of spirituall meanes The reason is because spirituall life hath answerable taste and hunger and thirst after spirituall helps Wee see in nature that those things presse hardest upon it that touch upon the necessities of nature rather then those that touch upon delights for these further onely our comfortable being but necessities uphold our being it selfe we see how famine wrought upon the Patriarks to go into Aegypt Where we may see what to judge of those who willingly excommunicate themselves from the assemblies of Gods people where the Father Son and Holy Ghost are present where the prayers of holy men meete together in one and as it were binde God and pull downe Gods blessing No private devotion hath that report of acceptance from heaven A third generall point is that a godly soule by reason of the life of grace knowes when it is well with it and when it is ill when it is a good day with it and when a bad when God shines in the use of meanes then the soule is as it were in heaven when God withdrawes himself then it is in darknesse for a time Where there is but onely a principle of nature without sanctifying grace there men go plodding on and keep their rounds and are at the end where they were at the beginning not troubled with changes because there is nothing within to be troubled and therefore dead means quicke meanes or no meanes all is one with them an argument of a dead soul. And so we come more particularly and directly to the wordes Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me c. The words imply 1 Davids state wherein he was and 2 expresse his carriage in that state His estate was such that in regard of outward condition he was in variety of troubles and that in regard of inward disposition of spirit he was first cast downe and then disquieted Now for his carriage of himselfe in this condition and disposition he dealeth roundly with himselfe David reasoneth the case with David and first checketh himselfe for being too much cast downe and then for being too much disquieted And then layeth a charge upon himselfe to trust in God wherein we have the duty he chargeth upon himselfe which is to trust in God and the grounds of the duty First from confidence of better times to come which would yeeld him matter of praising God And then by a representation of God unto him as a saving God in al troubles nay as salvation it selfe an open glorious Saviour in the view of all The salvation of my countenance and all this enforced from Davids interest in God He is my God Whence observe first from the state he was now in that since guilt and corruption hath been derived by the fall into the nature of man it hath been subjected to miserie and sorrow and that in all conditions from the King that sitteth on the Throne to him that grindeth on the Mill. None ever hath beene so good or so great as could raise themselves so high as to be above the reach of troubles And that choice part of mankind the first fruits and excellency of the rest which we call the Church more then others which appeares by consideration both of the Head the Body and members of the Church For the Head Christ he tooke our flesh as it was subject to miserie after the fall and was in regard of that which he endured both in life and death a man of sorrowes For the Body the Church It may say from the first to the last as it is Psal. 129. From my youth up they have afflicted me The Church beganne in blood hath growen up by blood and shall end in blood as it was redeemed by blood For the members they are all predestinate to a conformitie to Christ their Head as in grace and Glory so in abasement Rom. 8. 29. neither is it a wonder for those that are born soldiers to meet with conflicts for travailers to meete with hard usage for seamen to meete with storms for strangers in a strange country especially amongst their enemies to meete with strange entertainment A Christian is a man of another world and here from home which hee would forget if he were not exercised here and would take his passage for his country But though all Christians agree and meete in this that through many afflictions we must enter into heaven Yet according to the diversity of place parts and grace there is a different cup measured to every one And therefore it is but a plea of the flesh to except against the Crosse Never was poore creature distressed as I am this is but selfe-love for was it not the case both of Head Body and members as we see here in David a principall member When hee was brought to this case thus to reason the matter with himselfe Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me From the frame of Davids spirit under these troubles wee may observe that as the case is thus with all Gods people to be exercised with troubles so They are sensible of them oftentimes even to casting downe and discouraging And the reason is they are flesh and blood subject to the same passions and made of the
our selves most and judge our selves most severely But selfe-love teacheth us a contrary method to translate all upon others it robs us of a right judgement of our selves Though we desire to know all diseases of the body by their proper names yet wee will conceive of sinfull passions of the soule under milder termes as lust under love rage under just anger murmuring under just displeasure c. thus whilest wee flatter our griefe what hope of cure Thus sinne hath not onely made all the creatures enemies to us but our selves the greatest enemies to our selves and therefore wee should begin our complaints against our selves discusse our selves throughly how else shal we judge truly of other things without us above us or beneath us The Sun when it rises enlightens first the nearest places and then the more remote So where true light is set up it discovers what is amisse within first Hence also wee see that as in all discouragements a godly man hath most trâ—…ble with his owne heart so hee knowes 〈◊〉 to carry himselfe therein as David 〈◊〉 here For the better clearing of this wee must know there bee divers kinds 〈◊〉 degrees of conflicts in the soule 〈◊〉 man whilst it is united to the body First betweene one corrupt Paâ—… and another as betweene Covetousnâ—… and Pride Pride calls for expence Covetousnesse for restraint oft Passâ—… fight not onely against God and reâ—… to which they owe a homage but 〈◊〉 against another Sinne fights agaâ—… sinne and a lesser sinne is oftentiâ—… overcome by a greater The soulâ—… this case is like the Sea tossed 〈◊〉 contrary windes and like a kingdoâ—… divided wherein the subjects figâ—… both against their Prince and onâ—… gainst another Secondly there is a naturall conâ—… in the Affections whereby Nature seeâ—… to preserve it selfe as betwixt aâ—… and feare Anger cals for revenge 〈◊〉 of the law bindes the soule to be quiâ—… Wee see in the creatures feare makes them abstaine from that which their appetites carry them unto A Wolfe comes to a flock with an eagernesse to prey upon it but seeing the Shepheard standing in defence of his sheepe returnes and doth no harme and yet for all this as hee came a wolfe so hee returnes a wolfe A naturall man may oppose some sin from an obstinate resolution against it not from any love of God or hatred of sin as sin but because he conceives it a brave thing to have his will As one hard weapon may strike at another as a stone wall may beate backe an arrow but this opposition is not from a contrariety of nature as is betwixt fire and water Thirdly there is a conflict of a higher nature as between some sinnes and the light of reason helped by a naturall conscience The Heathen could reason from the dignity of the soule to count it a base thing to prostitute themselves to beastly lusts so as it were degrading and unmanning themselves Naturall men desirous to maintaine a great opinion of themselves and to awe the inferiour sort by gravity of deportmeâ—… in cariage will abstaine from that which otherwise their hearts 〈◊〉 them unto lest yeelding should rendâ—… them despised by laying themselves too much open as because passion discovers a foole as hee is and makâ—… wise man thought meaner then he is therefore a prudent man will concâ—… his passion Reason refined and raisâ—… by education example and custome doth breake in some degree the foâ—… of naturall corruption and brings iâ—… the soule as it were another nature and yet no true change as we see 〈◊〉 such as have beene inured to gooâ—… courses they feele conscience checâ—… ing them upon the first discontinuanâ—… and alteration of their former gooâ—… wayes but this is usually from a forâ—… impression of their breeding as 〈◊〉 boate moves some little time upon 〈◊〉 water by vertue of the former stroâ—… yet at length we see corruption prevailing over education as in Ioas 〈◊〉 was awed by the reverent respect he bare to his uncle Iehojoda he was good all his uncles dayes And in Nero in whom the goodnesse of his education prevailed over the fiercenesse of his nature for the first five yeares Fourthly but in the Church where there shineth a light above nature as there is a discovery of more sinnes and some strength with the light to performe more duty So there is a further conflict then in a man that hath no better then nature in him By a discovery of the excellent things of the Gospell there may be some kinde of joy stirred up and some degree of obedience whence there may be some degree of resistance against the sinnes of the Gospell as obstinate unbeleefe desperation prophanesse c. A man in the Church may doe more then another out of the Church by reason of the inlargement of his knowledge whereupon such cannot sinne at so easie a rate as others that know lesse and therefore meet with lesse opposition from conscience Fiftly there is yet a further degree of conflict betwixt the sanctified powers of the soule and the flesh not onely as it is seated in the baser parts but even in the best faculties of the soule and as it mingles it self with every gracious performance as in David There is not onely a conflict betwixt sin and conscience inlightned by a common worke of the Spirit but betweene the commanding powers of the soule sanctified and it selfe unsanctified between reasons of the flesh and reasons of the spirit betweene faith and distrust betweene the true light of knowledge and false light For it is no question but the flesh would play its part in David and muster up all the strength of reason it had And usually flesh as it is more ancient then the Spirit we being first naturall then spirituall so it will put it selfe first forward in devising shifts as Esau comes out of the wombe first before Iacob yet hereby the Spirit is stirred up to a present examination and resistance and in resisting as wee see here at length the godly gets the victory As in the conflict betweene the higher parts of the soule with the lower it clearely appeares that the soule doth not rise out of the temper of the body but is a more noble substance commanding the body by reasons fetched from its owne worth so in this spirituall conflict it appeares there is something better then the soul it selfe that hath superiority over it CAP. VII Difference between good men and others in conflicts with sinne BUt how doth it appeare that this combate in David was a spirituall combate 1. Answ. First A naturall conscience is troubled for sins against the light of nature onely but David for inward and secret corruptions as discouragement and disquietnesse arising from faint trusting in God Davids conflict was not onely with the sensuall lower part of his soule which is carried to ease and quiet and love of present things but hee was troubled
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—…
to desire to be troubled with a preventing trouble Let those that are not in the way of grace thinke with themselves what cause they have not to take a minutes rest while they are iâ—… that estate For a man to bee in debt both body and soule subject every minute to be arrested and caried prisoner to Hell and not to bee moved Foâ—… man to have the wrath of GOD ready to bee powred out upon him and Hell gape for him nay to cary a hell about him in conscience if it were awake and to have all his comfort here hanging upon a weake threed of this liâ—…e ready to bee cut and broken off every moment and to bee cursed in all those blessings that he enjoyes and yet not to be disquieted but continually treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath by running deeper into Godâ—… books for a man to bee thus and not to bee disquieted is but the Devills peace whilest the strong man holds possession A burning Ague is more hopefull than a Lethargy The best service that can be done to such men is to startle and rouze them and so with violence to pull them out of the fire as Iude speakes or else they will another day curse that cruell mercy that lets them alone now In all their jollity in this world they are but as a Booke fairely bound which when it is opened is full of nothing but Tragedies So when the booke of their consciences shall be once opened there is nothing to bee read but lamentations and woes Such men were in a way of hope if they had but so much apprehension of their estates as to ask themselves What have I done If this bee true that there are such fearefull things prepared for sinners why am I not cast downe Why am I no more troubled and discouraged for my wicked courses Despaire to such is the beginning of comfort and trouble the beginning of peace A storme is the way to a calme and hell the way to heaven But for raising of a right grief in the soule of a holy man looke what is the state of the soule in it selfe in whâ—… termes it is with God whether there be any sinne hanging on the fyle unrepented of If all bee not well with in us then here 's place for inward trouble whereby the soule may afflict it selfe God saw this griefe so needfull for his people that he appointed certaine dayes for afflicting them because it is fit that sinne contracted by joy should bee dissolved by griefe and sinne is so deepely invested into the soule that 〈◊〉 separation betwixt the soule and it cannot be wrought without much griefe when the soule hath smarted for sinne it sets then the right price upon reconciliation with God in Christ and it feâ—…leth what a bitter thing sinne is and therefore it will bee afraid to bee 〈◊〉 bold with it afterward it likewise aweth the heart so that it will not bee so loose towards GOD as it was before and certainely that soule that hath 〈◊〉 the sweetnesse of keeping peace witâ—… God cannot but take deeply to heart that there should bee any thing in us that should divide betwixt us and the fountaine of our comfort that should stop the passage of our prayers and the current of Gods favours both towards our selves and others it is such an ill as is the cause of all other ill and damps all our comforts 2. Wee should looke out of our selves also considering whether for troubles at home and abroad God calls not to mourning or troubling of our selves griefe of compassion is as well required as griefe of contrition It is a dead member that is not sensible of the state of the body Ieremie for feare he should not weepe enough for the distressed estate of the Church desired of God that his eyes might be made a fountaine of teares A Christian as hee must not bee proud flesh so neither must he be dead flesh none more truely sensible either of sinne or of misery so farre as misery carries with it any signe of Gods displeasure then a true Christian which issues from the life of Grace which where it is in 〈◊〉 measure is lively and therefore sensible for God gives motion and sense for the preservation of life As God bowels are tender towards us so God people have tender bowells toward him his cause his people and his Church The fruit of this sensiblenesse is earnâ—… prayer to God as Melanchton 〈◊〉 well If I cared for nothing I would prâ—… for nothing 2. Griefe being thus raised must as wee said before bee bounded aâ—… guided 1. God hath framed the soule aâ—… planted such affections in it as may answere all his dealing towards his children that when he enlargeth himselfe towards them then the soule shoâ—… enlarge it selfe to him againe when 〈◊〉 opens his hand wee ought to open oâ—… hearts when hee shewes any tokenâ—… displeasure we should grieve when 〈◊〉 troubles us wee should trouble aâ—… grieve our selves As God any 〈◊〉 discovereth himself so the soule shoâ—… be in a sutable pliablenesse Then 〈◊〉 soule is as it should bee when it is ready to meet GOD at every turne to joy when he calls for it to mourne when hee calls for that to labour to know Gods meaning in every thing Againe GOD hath made the soule for a communion with himselfe which communion is especially placed in the affections which are the springs of all spirituall worship Then the affections are well ordered when wee are fit to have communion with God to love joy trust to delight in him above all things The affections are the inward movings of the soule which then move best when they move us to God not from him They are the feet of the soule whereby wee walke with and before God When wee have our affections at such command that wee can take them off from any thing in the world at such times as wee are to have more neare communion with God in hearing or prayer c. As AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ he was to sacrifice left whatsoever might hinder him at the bottome of the Mount When we let our affections so farre into the things of the world as we canâ—… take them off when wee are to deâ—… with God it is a signe of spirituall iâ—… temperancie It is said of the Israelites that they brought Aegypt with theâ—… into the wildernesse so many bring thâ—… world in their hearts with them whâ—… they come before God But because our affections are neâ—… well ordered without judgement 〈◊〉 being to follow not to lead It is 〈◊〉 evidence that the soule is in a fit temper when there is such a harmony 〈◊〉 it as that wee judge of things as they are and affect as we judge and execâ—… as wee affect This harmony withâ—… breeds uniformity and constancie 〈◊〉 our resolutions so that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were an even thred drawne througâ—… the
of a mans victory over himselfe when hee loves health and peace of body and minde with a supply of all needfull things chiefly for this end that hee may with more freedome of spirit serve God in doing good to others So soone as grace entreth into the heart it frameth the heart to be in some measure publique and thinks it hath not its end in the bare enjoying of any thing untill it can improve what it hath for a further end Thus to seeke our selves is to deny our selves and thus to deny our selves is truely to seeke our selves It is no selfe-seeking when wee care for no more then that without which we cannot comfortably serve God When the soule can say unto GOD Lord as thou wouldest have mee serve thee in my place so grant me such a measure of health and strength wherein I may serve thee But what if God thinks it good that I shall serve him in weaknesse and in want and suffering Then it is a comfortable signe of gaining over our owne wills when we can yeeld our selves to bee disposed of by God as knowing best what is good for us There is no condition but therein we may exercise some grace and honour GOD in some measure Yet because some enlargement of conditiâ—… is ordinarily that estate wherein wee are best able to doe good in wee may in the use of meanes desire it and upon that resigne up our selves wholly unto GOD and make his will our will without exception or reservation and care for nothing more than wee can have with his leave and love This Iâ—… had exercised his heart unto where upon in that great change of condition hee sinned not that is fell not into the sinnes incident to that dejected and miserable state into sinnes of rebellion and discontent He caried his crosses comely with that stayednesse and resignednesse which became a holy man 7. It is further a cleare evidence of a spirit subdued when wee will discover the truth of our affection towards God and his people though with censure of others David was content to endure the censure of neglecting the state and Majesty of a King out of joy for setling the Arke Nehemiah could not dissemble his griefe for the ruines of the Church though in the Kings presence It is a comfortable signe of the wasting of selfe-love when wee can be at a point what becomes of our selves so it goe well with the cause of God and the Church Now the way to prevaile still more over our selves as when we are to do or suffer any thing or withstand any person in a good cause c. is not to thinke that we are to deale with men yea or with Devils so much as with our selves The Saints resisted their enemies to death by resisting their owne corruptions first if we once get the victory over our selves all other things are conquered to our ease All the hurt Satan and the world doe us is by correspondency with our selves Aâ—… things are so farre under us as wee aâ—… above our selves For the further subduing of our selves it is good to follow sinne to the first Hold and Castle which is corrupâ—… nature The streames will leade us to the Spring head Indeed the most apparant discovery of sinne is in the outward carriage wee see it in the frâ—… before in the root as wee see grace in the expression before in the affection But yet wee shall never hate sinne thorowly untill we consider it in the poysoned root from whence it ariseth That which least troubles a natural man doth most of all trouble a trâ—… Christian A naturall man is sometimes troubled with the fruit of his corruption and the consequents of guilt and punishment that attend it but a true hearted Christian with corruption it selfe this drives him 〈◊〉 complaine with St. Paul O wrâ—… man that I am who shall deliver me 〈◊〉 from the members onely but from 〈◊〉 body of death Which is as noysomâ—… to my soule as a dead carrion is to my senses which together with the members is marvellously nimble and active and hath no dayes or houres or minuits of rest alwayes laying about it to enlarge it selfe and like spring-water which the more it issueth out the more it may It is a good way upon any particular breach of our inward peace presently to have recourse to that which breeds and foments all our disquiet Lord what doe I complaine of this my unruly passion I carry a nature about me subject to breake out continually opon any occasion Lord strike at the root and dry up the fountaine in mee Thus David doth arise from the guilt of those two foule sinnes of Murther and Adultery to the sinne of his nature the root it selfe As if hee should say Lord it is not these actuall sinnes that defile mee onely but if I looke backe to my first conception I was tainted in the spring of my nature This is that here which put Davids soule so much out of frame For from whence was this contradiction Anâ—… whence was this contradiction so unwearied in making head againe and againe against the checks of the spirit in him Whence was it that Corruptioâ—… would not be said Nay Whence were these sudden and unlookt for objections of the flesh But from the remainder of old Adam in him which like a Michel within us is either scofing 〈◊〉 the wayes of God or as Iobs wife fretting and thwarting the motions of Gods spirit in us which prevailes the more because it is homebred in 〈◊〉 whereas holy motions are strangers to most of our soules Corruption is loth that a new commer in should take so much upon him as to controule As the Sodomites thought much that Lot being a stranger should intermeddle amongst them If God once leave us as heedid Hezekiah to trie what is in us what should he find but darknesse rebellion unrulinesse doubtings c. in the best of us This flesh of ours hath principles against all Gods principles and lawes against all Gods lawes and reasons against all GODS reasons Oh! if wee could but one whole houre seriously think of the impure issue of our hearts it would bring us downe upon our knees in humiliation before God But wee can never whilest we live so thorowly as we should see into the depth of our deceitfull hearts nor yet bee humbled enough for what we see For though we speake of it and confesse it yet we are not so sharpned against this corrupt flesh of ours as wee should How should it humble us that the seeds of the vilest sinne even of the Sinne against the holy Ghost is in us and no thanke to us that they breake not out It should humble us to heare of any great enormous sinne in another man considering what our owne nature would proceed unto if it were not restrained We may see our owne nature in them as face answering face If
to maintaine what is evill or shifts to translate it upon false causes or sences to arme us against whatsoever shall oppose us in our wicked waies Though it neither can nor will be good yet it would bee thought to be so by others and enforces a conceit upon it selfe that it is good It imprisons and keepes downe all light that may discover it both within it selfe and without it self if it lie in its power It flatters it selfe and would have all the world flatter it too which if it doth not it frets especially if it bee once discovered and crossed hence comes all the plotting against goodnesse that sinne may reigne without controule Is it not a lamentable case that man who out of the very principles of nature cannot but desire happinesse and abhorre misery yet should bee in love with eternall misery in the causes of it and abhorre happinesse in the wayes that leade unto it This sheweth us what a wonderfull deordination and disorder is brought upon mans nature For every other creature is naturally carried to that which is helpfull unto it and shunneth that which is any way hurtfull and offensive Onely man is in love with his owne bane and fights for those lusts that fight against his soule §. 4. Our duty is 1. to labour to see this sinfull disposition of ours not onely as it is discovered in the Scriptures but as it discovers it selfe in our owne hearts this must must be done by the light and teaching of Gods Spirit who knowes us and all the turnings and windings and by-wayes of our soules better then wee know our selves Wee must see it as the most odious and lothsome thing in the world making our natures contrary to Gods pure nature and of all other duties making us most indisposed to spirituall duties wherein wee should have neerest communion with God because it seizeth on the very spirits of our mindes 2. Wee should looke upon it as worse then any of those filthy streames that come from it nay then all the impure issues of our lives together there is more fire in the fornace then in the sparkles There is more poyson in the root then in all the branches for if the streame were stopt the branches cut off and the sparkles quenched yet there would bee a perpetuall supply as in good things the cause is better then the effect so in ill things the cause is worse Every fruit should make this poysonfull root more hatefull to us and the root should make us hate the fruit more as comming from so bad a root as being worse in the cause then in it selfe the affection is worse then the action which may be forced or counterfeited Wee cry out upon particâ—…r sinnes but are not humbled as wee should be for our impure dispositions Without the sight of which there 〈◊〉 be no sound repentance arising from the deep and through consideration of sin no desire to be new moulded without which we can never enter into so holy a place as heaven no selfe deniall till we see the best things in us are enmity against God no high prizing of Christ without whoÌ„ our natures our persoâ—… and our actions are abominable in Goâ—… sight nor any solid peace setled in the soule which peace ariseth not from the ignorance of our corruption or compounding with it but from sight and hatred of it and strength against it 3. Consider the spiritualnesse and large extent of the law of God together with the curse annexed which forbids not onely particular sinnes but all the kindes degrees occasions and furtherances of sinne in the whole breadth and depth of it and our very nature it selfe so farre as it is corrupted For want of which we see many alive without the law joviall and merry from ignorance of their misery who if they did but once see their natures and lives in that glasse it would take away that livelinesse and courage from them and make them vile in their owne eyes Men usually looke themselves in the lawes of the State wherin they live and thinke themselves good enough if they are free from the danger of penall statutes this glasse discovers onely foule spots grosse scandalls and breakings out Or else they judge of themselves by parts of nature or common grace or by outward conformity to Religion or else by that light they have to guide themselves in the affaires of this life by their faire and civill carriage c. and thereupon live and die without any sense of the power of godlinesse which begins in the right knowledge of our selves and ends in the right knowledge of God The spiritualnesse and purity of the law should teach us to consider the purity and holinesse of God the bringing of our soules into whose presence will make us to abhorre our selves with Iob in dust and ashes contraries are best seene by setting one neere the other Whilest we looke onely on oâ—… selves and upon others amongst whom we live we think our selves to be some body It is an evidence of some sincerity wrought in the soule not to shunne that light which may let us see the soul corners of our hearts and lives 4. The consideration of this likewise should enforce us to carry a double guard over our soules David was very watchfull yet we see here he was surprized unawares by the sudden rebellion of his heart we should observe our hearts as governours doe rebells and mutinous persons Observation awes the heart We see to what an excesse sinne groweth in those that deny themselves nothing nor will be denied in any thing who if they may doe what they will will doe what they may who turne liberty into licence and make all their abilities and advantages to doe good contributary to the commands of overruling and unruly lusts Were it not that God partly by his power suppresseth and partly by his grace subdueth the disorders of mans nature for the good of society and the gathering of a Church upon earth Corruption would swell to that excesse that it would overturne and confound all things together with it selfe Although there bee a common corruption that cleaves to the nature of all men in generall as men as distrust in GOD selfe-love a carnall and worldly disposition c. yet God so ordereth it that in some there is an ebbe and decrease in others God justly leaving them to themselves a flow and encrease of sinfulnesse even beyond the bounds of ordinary corruption whereby they become worse then themselves either like beasts in sensuality or like devills in spirituall wickednesse though all be blinde in spirituall things yet some are more blinded though all be hard hearted yet some are more hardened though all be corrupt in evill courses yet some are more corrupted and sinke deeper into rebellion then others Sometimes God suffers this corruption to breake out in civill men yeâ—… even in his owne children
is not above naturall conscience but a conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ is not scared from God by its infirmities and failiags but as David here is rather stirred up to runne unto God by his distemper and it had beene a greater sinne then his distemper not to have gone unto God Those that have the spirit of sonnes in their hearts runne not further from God after they have a little strayed from him but though it be the nature of sinfull passions to breed griefe and shame yet they will repaire to God againe and their confidence overcomes their guilt So well are they acquainted with Gods gracious disposition Yet we see here David thinkes not of trusting in God till first he had done justice upon his owne soule in rebuking the unruly motions thereof Censure for sinne goeth before favour in pardoning sinne or boldnesse to aske pardon of God those that love God must hate ill If our consciences condemne us of allowing any sinne we cannot have boldnesse with God who is light and can abide no darknesse and greater then our consciences §. 7. 6. Moreover hence wee see it is no easie thing to bring God and the heart together David here as he often checkes his heart so hee doth often charge his heart Doubts and troubles are still gathering upon him and his faith still gathering upon them As one striving to get the haven is driven back by the waves but recovering himselfe againe gets forward still and after often beating back at length obtaines the wished haven and then is at rest So much adoe there is to bring the soule unto God the harbour of true comfort It were an easie thing to be a Christian if Religion stood onely in a few outward works and duties but to take the soule to taske and to deale roundly with our owne hearts and to let conscience have its full work and to bring the soule into spirituall subjection unto God this is not so easie a matter because the soule out of selfe-love is loath to enter into it selfe least it should have other thoughts of it selfe then it would have David must bid his soule trust and trust and trust againe before it will yeeld One maine ground of this difficulty is that contrariety which is in the soule by reason of contrary principles The soule so farre as it is gracious commands so farre as it is rebellious resists which drew holy Austen to a kinde of astonishment The soule commands the body and it yeelds saith he it commands it selfe and is resisted by it selfe it commands the hand to move and it moveth with such an unperceiveable quicknesse that you can discerne no distance betwixt the command and the motion Whence comes this but because the soule perfectly wills not and perfectly injoynes not that which is good and so farre forth as it fully wills not so far it holds backe There should bee no need of commanding the soule if it were perfect for then it would bee of it selfe what it now commandeth If David had gotten his soule at perfect freedome at the first hee needed not have repeated his charge so often upon it But the soule naturally sinks downward and therfore had need often to be wound up §. 8. 7. Wee should therefore labour to bring our soules as David doth here to a firme and peremptory resolution and not stand wavering and as it were equally ballanced betwixt God and other things but enforce our soules we shall get little ground of infidelity else drive your soules therefore to this issue either to rely upon God or else to yeeld up it selfe to the present grievance if by yeelding it resolves to be miserable there 's an end but if it desires rest then let it resolve upon this onely way to trust in God and well may the soule so resolve because in God there are grounds of quieting the soule above all that may unsettle it In him there is both worth to satisfie and strength to support the soule The best way to maintaine inward peace is to settle and fixe our thoughts upon that which will make us better till wee finde our hearts warmed and wrought upon thereby and then as the Prophet speaks God will keepe us in peace peace that is in perfect and abundant peace This resolution stayed Iob that though God should kill him yet hee resolved to trust in him Answerable to our resolution is our peace the more resolution the more peace Irresolution of it selfe without any grievance is full of disquiet It is an unsafe thing alwayes to begin to live to bee alwayes cheapning and paltering with God Come to this point once Trust God I ought therefore trust God I will come what may or will And it is good to renew our resolutions againe and againe for every new resolution brings the soule closer to God and gets further in him and brings fresh strength from him which if wee neglect our corruption joyning with outward hinderances will carry us further and further backward and this will double yea multiply our trouble and griefe to recover our selves againe wee have both winde and tide against us Wee are going up the hill and therefore had need to arme our selves with resolution Since the fall the motion of the soule upward as of heavy bodies is violent in regard of corruption which weighes it downeward and therefore all enforcement is little enough Oppose therefore with David an invincible resolution and then doubt not of prevailing If wee resolve in Gods power and not our owne and bee strong in the Lord and not in our selves then it matters not what our troubles or temptations bee either from within or without for trust in God at length will triumph Here is a great mercy that when David had a little let goe his hold of God yet God would not let goe his hold of him but by a spirit of faith drawes him back againe to himselfe God turnes us unto him and then wee returne Turne us againe saith the Psalmist cause thy face to shine upon us and wee shall be saved When the soule leaves God once it loses its way and it selfe and never returnes till God recalls it againe If morall principles cherished and strengthened by good education will enable the soule against vicious inclinations so that though some influence of the heavens worke upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humors and these incline the temper and that inclines the soule of a man such and such wayes yet breeding in the refineder sort of civill persons will much prevaile to draw them another way What then may wee thinke of this powerfull grace of faith which is altogether supernaturall Will not this carry the soule above all naturall inclinations whatsoever though strengthened by outward occasions if wee resolve to put it to it David was a King of other men but here hee shewes that hee
that God puts into the Câ—…p so much afflicts us as the ingrediâ—…ts of our distempered passions mingled with them The sting and coare of them all is sinne when that is not â—…ely pardoned but in some measure â—…led and the proud flesh eaten out â—…n a healthy soule will â—…eare any thing After repentance that trouble that before was a correction becomes now a triall and exercise of grace Strike Lord saith Luther I'beare any thing willingly because my sinnes are forgiven We should not be cast downe so much about outward troubles as about sinne that both procures them and invenomes them We see by experience when conscience is once set at liberty how chearefully men will goe under any burthen therefore labour to keep out sinne and then let come what will come It is the foolish wisdome of the world to prevent trouble by sin which is the way indeed to pull the greatest trouble upon us For sinne dividing betwixt God and us moveth him to leave the soule to intangle it selfe in â—…s owne wayes When the conscience is cleare then there is nothing between God and us to hinder our trust Outward troubles rather drive us neerer unto God and stand with his love But sin defileth the soule and sets it further from God It is well doing that inables us to commit our soules cheerefully â—…to him Whatsoever our outward condition be if our hearts condemne us 〈◊〉 we may have boldnesse with God In my trouble our care should be not to avoid the trouble but sinfull miscari age in and about the trouble and so trust God It is a heavy condition to be under the burthen of trouble and under the burthen of a guilty conscience both at once When men will walke in the light of their owne fire and the sparkes which they have kindled themselves it is just with God that they should lye downe in sorow Whatsoever injuries we suffer from those that are ill affected to us let us commit our cause to the God of vengeance and not meddle with his prerogative He will revenge our cause better then we can and more perhaps then we desire The wronged side is the â—…er side If in stead of meditating revenge we can so overcome ourselves 〈◊〉 to pray for our enemies and deserve well of them wee shall both sweeten our owne spirits and prevent a sharpe temptation which wee are prone unto and have an undoubted argument that we are sonnes of that Father that doth good to his enemies and members of that Saviour that prayed for his persecutors And withall by heaping coales upon our enemies shall melt them either to conversion or to confusion But the greatest triall of trust is in our last encounter with death wherein we shall finde not only a deprivation of all comforts in this life but a confluence of all ill at once but wee must know God will be the God of his unto death and not only unto death but in death We may trust God the Father with our bodies and soules which he hath created and God the Sonne with the bodies and soules which he hath redeemed and the holy Spirit with those bodies and soules that he hath sanctified We are not disquieted when wee put off our cloathes and goe to bed because we trust Gods ordinary providence to raise us up againe And why should we be disquieted when we put off our bodies and sleep our last sleep considering we are more sure to rise out of 〈◊〉 graves then out of our beds Nay we are raised up already in Christ our â—…d who is the resurrection and the life in whom we may triumph over death that triumpheth over the greatest Moâ—…chs as a disarmed and conquered enemie Death is the death of it selfe and not of us If we would have faith ready to die by wee must exercise it well in living by it and then it will no more faile us then the good things we lay hold on by it untill it hath brought 〈◊〉 into heaven where that office of it is â—…aid aside here is the prerogative of a true Christian above an hypocrite and a worldling when as their trust and the thing they trust in failes them then a true beleevers trust stands him in greatest stead In regard of our state after death a Christian need not bee disquieted for the Angels are ready to doe their office in carying his soule to Paradise those â—…ansions prepared for him His Saviour will bee his Judge and the Head will â—…t condemne the members then hee is to receive the fruit and end of his Faith the reward of his Hope which is so great and so sure that our trusting in God for that strengtheneth the heart to trust him for all other things in our passage so that the refreshing of our faith in these great things refreshes its dependance upon God for all things here below And how strong helpes have we to uphold our Faith in those great things which wee are not able to conceive of till wee come to possesse them Is not our husband there and hath hee not taken possession for us doth he not keep our place for us Is not our flesh there in him and his spirit below with us have we not some first fruits and earnest of it before hand Is not Christ now a fitting and preparing of us daily for what he hath prepared and keepes for us Whither tends all we meete with in this world that comes betwixt us and heaven as desertions inward conflicts outward troubles and death at last but to fit us for a better condition hereafter and â—…y Faith therein to stirre up a strong desire after it Comfort one another with â—…se things saith the Apostle these bee 〈◊〉 things will comfort the soule CHAP. XXV Of the defects of gifts disquieting the â—…le As also the afflictions of the Church AMong other things there is nothing more disquiets a Christian â—…at is called to the fellowship of Christ and his Church here and to â—…ory hereafter then that he sees himselfe unfurnished with those gifts that 〈◊〉 fit for the calling of a Saint As â—…ewise for that particular standing â—…d place wherein God hath set him in 〈◊〉 world by being a member of a boâ—… politick For our Christian calling wee must â—…ow that Christianity is a matter raâ—…er of grace then of gifts of obedience then of parts Gifts may come from a more common worke of the â—…pirit they are common to castawayes and are more for others then for our selves Grace comes from a peculiar favour of God and especially for our owne good In the same duty where there is required both gifts and grace as in prayer one may performe it with evidence of greater grace then another of greater parts Moses a man not of the best speech was chosen before Aaron to speak to God and to strive with him by Prayer whilst Israel fought with Amaleck with the
in him If we will not trust in salvation what will we trust in and if salvation it self cannot save us what can out of salvation there is nothing but destruction which those that seeke it any where out of God are sure to meet with How pittifull then is their case who goe to a destroyer for salvation that seeke for help from hell Here also we see to whom to return praise in all our deliverances even to the God of our salvation The virgin Mary was stirred up to magnifie the Lord but why Her spirit rejoyced in God her Saviour Whosoever is the instrument of any good yet salvation is of the Lord whatsoever brings it hee sends it Hence in their holy feasts for any deliverance the cup they drank of was called the Cup of salvation and therefore David when he summons his thoughts what to render unto God hee resolves upon this to take the Cup of salvation But alwayes remember this that when we thinke of God as salvation wee must thinke of him as hee is in Christ to his For so every thing in God is saving even his most terrible attributes of justice and power out of Christ the sweetest things in God are terrible Salvation it selfe will not save out of Christ who is the onely way of salvation called the way the truth and the life David addeth He is the salvations of my countenance that is hee will first speake salvation to my soule and say I am thy salvation and when the heart is cheered which is as it were the Sâ—… of this little world the beames of that joy will shine in the countenance True joy begins 〈◊〉 the center and so passeth to the circumference the outward man The countenance is as the glasse of the soul wherein you may see the naked face of the soule according as the severall affections thereof stand In the coutenance of an understanding creature you may see more then a bare countenance The spirit of one man may see the countenance of anothers inner man in his outward countenance which hath a speech of its owne and declares what the heart saith and how it is affected But how comes God to be the salvation of our countenance Answ. I answer God onely graciously â—…nes in the face of Jesus Christ which 〈◊〉 with the eye of faith beholding receive those beames of his grace and reâ—…ct them backe againe God shineth â—…on us first and we shine in that light â—…f his countenance upon us The joy of salvation especially of spirituall and â—…all salvation is the onely true joy all other salvations end at last in destruction and are no further comfortable then they issue from Gods saving love God will have the body partake with the soule as in matter of griefe so in matter of joy the lanthorne shines in the light of the Candle within Againe God brings forth the joy of the heart into the countenance for the further â—…eading and multiplying of joy to others Next unto the sight of the sweet countenance of God is the beholding of the cheerefull countenance of a Christian friend rejoycing from true grounds Whence it is that the joy of one becomes the joy of maâ—… and the joy of many meet in one by which meanes as many lights together make the greater light so many lightsome spirits make the greater light of spirit and so God receiveth the more praise which makes him so much to delight in the prosperity of his children Hence it is that in any deliverance of Gods people the righteous doe compasse them about to know what God hath done for their soules and keep a spirituall Feast with them in partaking of their joy And the godly have cause to joy in the deliverance of other Christians because they suffered in their afflictions and it may be in their sinnes the cause of them which made them somewhat ashamed Whence it is that Davids great desire was that those who feared God might not be ashamed because of him insinuating that those who feare Gods name are ashamed of the falls of Gods people Now when God delivers them this reproach is removed and those that had part in their sorow have part in their joy Againe God will have salvation so open that it shall appeare in the countenance of his people the more to daunt and vexe the enemies Cainish hypocrites hang downe their heads when God lifts up the countenance of their brethren when the countenance of Gods children cleares up then their enemies hearts and looks are cloudy Ierusalems joy is Babylons sorow It it with the Church her enemies as it is with a ballance the scales whereof when one is up the other is downe Whilst Gods people are under a cloud carnall people insult over them as if they were men deserted of God Wherupon they hang down their heads the rather because they think that by reason of their sins Christ his Religion will suffer with them Hence Davids care was that the miseries of Gods people should not be told in Gath. The chief reason why the enemies of the Church gnash their teeth at the sight of Gods gracious dealing is that they take the rising of the Church to bee a presage of their ruine A lesson which Hamans wife had learned This is a comfort to us in these times of Iacobs trouble and Zions sorrow The captivity of the Church shall returne as rivers in the South Therefore the Church may say Reioyce not over me O my enemy though I am fallen I shall rise againe Though Christs Spouse be now as black as the Pots yet shee shall be white as the Dove If there were not great dangers where were the glory of Gods great deliverance The Church at length will be as a Cup of trembling and as a burthensome stone The blood of the Saints cry their enemies violence cryes the prayers of the Church cry for deliverance and vengeance upon the enemies of the Church and as that importunate widow will at length prevaile Shall the importunity of one poore woman prevaile with an unrighteous Iudge and shall not the prayers of many that cry unto the righteous God take effect If there were Armies of Prayers as there are Armies of men wee should see the streame of things turned another way A few Mosesâ—… the Mount would doe more good then many souldiers in the valley If wee would lift up our hearts and hands to God he would lift up our countenance But alas wee either pray not or crosse our owne prayers for want of love to the truth of God and his people It is wee that keepe Antichrist and his faction alive to plague the unthankfull world The strength he hath is not from his owne cause but from our want of zeale we hinder those Halâ—…luiahs by private brabbles coldnesse and indifferency in Religion The Church begins at this time a little to lift up
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
same mould subject to the same impressions from without as other men And their nature is upheld with the same supports and refreshings as others the withdrawing and want of which affecteth them And besides those troubles they suffer in Common with other men by reason of their new advancement and their new disposition they have in and from Christ their Head they are more sensible in a peculiar maner of those troubles that any way touch upon that blessed condition from a new life they have in and from Christ which will better appeare if we come more particularly to a discovery of the more speciall causes of this distemper some of which are 1 Without us 2 Some within us CAP. II. Of discouragements from without 1. GOD himselfe who sometimes withdrawes the beames of his countenance from his children whereupon the soule even of the strongest Christian is disquieted when together with the crosse God himselfe seemes to be an enemie unto them The child of God when hee seeth that his troubles are mixed with Gods displeasure and perhaps his conscience tells him that God hath a just quarrell against him because he hath not renewed his peace with his God then this anger of God puts a sting into all other troubles and addes to the disquiet There were some ingredients of this divine temptation as wee call it in holy David at this time though most properly a divine temptation bee when God appeares unto us as an enemy without any speciall guilt of any particular sin as in Iobs case And no marvaile if Christians bee from hence disquieted when as the Sonne of God himselfe having alwayes before enjoyed the sweet communion with his Father and now feeling an estrangement that he might be a curse for us complained in all his torments of nothing else but My God My God why hast thou forsaken me It is with the godly in this case as with vapours drawne up by the Sunne which when the extracting force of the Sunne leaves them fall downe againe to the earth from whence they are drawn So when the soule raised up and upheld by the beames of his countenance is left of God it presently begins to sinke We see when the body of the Sun is partly hid from us for totally it cannot in an Eclipse by the body of the Moone that there is a drouping in the whole frame of nature so it is in the soule when there is any thing that comes between Gods gracious countenance and it Besides if we looke downe to inferiour causes the soule is oft cast down by Satan who is all for casting downe and for disquieting For being a cursed spirit cast and tumbled downe himself from heaven where hee is never to come againe is hereupon full of disquiet carying a hell about himselfe whereupon all that he labours for is to cast downe and disquiet others that they may bee as much as he can procure in the same cursed condition with himselfe He was not ashamed to set upon Christ himselfe with this tempration of casting downe and thinkeâ—… Christs members never low enough till he can bring them as low as himself By his envy and subtlety wee were driven out of Paradice at the first and now hee envies us the Paradice of a good conscience for that is our Paradice untill wee come to heaven into which no serpent shall ever creepe to tempt us When Satan seeth a man strongly and comfortably walke with God he cannot endure that a creature of meaner ranke by creation then himselfe should enjoy such happinesse Herein like some peevish men which are his instruments men too contentious and bred up therein as a Salamander in the fire who when they know the cause to be naught and their adversaries to have the better title yet out of malice they will follow them with suits and vexations though they be not able to disable their opposites title If their malice have not a vent in hurting some way they will burst for anger It is just so with the devill when he seeth men will to heaven and that they have good title to it then he followes them with all dejecting and uncomfortable tentations that he can it is his continuall trade and course to seek his rest in our disquiet he is by beaten practise and profession a temper in his kinde Againe what Satan cannot doe himselfe by immediate suggestions that he labours to work by his instruments who are all for casting down of those who stand in their light as those in the Psalme who cry downe with him downe with him even to the ground a character and stamp of which mens dispositions we have in the verse before this text Mine enemies saith David reproach me As sweet and as compassionate a man as hee was to pray and put on sackcleth for them yet he had enemies and such enemies as did not suffer their malice only to boile and concoct in their own breasts but out of the abundance of their hearts they reproached him in words There is nothing the nature of man is more impatient of then of reproaches for there is no man so meane but thinkes himselfe worthy of some regard and a reproachfull scorn shews an utter disrespect which issues from the very superfluity of malice Neither went they behind his back but were so impudent to say it to his face a malicious heart and a slandering tongue goe together and though shame might have suppressed the uttering of such words yet their insolent cariage spake as much in Davids heart We may see by the language of mens cariage what their heart saith and what their tongue would vent if they dared And this their malice was unwearied for they said daily unto him as if it had beene fed with a continuall spring malice is an unsatiable monster it will minister words as rage ministers weapons But what was that they said so reproachfully and said daily Where is now thy God they upbraid him with his singularity they say not now where is God but where is thy God that thou dost boast so much on as if thou hadst some speciall interest in Him Where we see that the scope of the devill and wicked men is to shake the godlies Faith and confidence in their God As Satan laboured to divide betwixt Christ and his Father If thou beest the Son of God command that these stones be made bread So hee labours to divide betwixt Father and Son and us they labour to bring God in jealousie with David as if God had neglected him bearing himselfe so much upon God They had some colour of this for God at this time had vailed himselfe from David as hee does oft from his best children for the better discovery of the malice of wicked men And doth not Satan tippe the tongues of the enemies of Religion now to insult over the Church now lying a bleeding What becomes of their
for God delights to have his will of those that are wedded to their owne wils as in Pharaob No men more subject to discontentments then those who would have all things after their owne way Againe one maine ground is False reasoning and errour in our discourse as that wee have no grace when wee feele none feeling is not alwayes a fit rule to judge our states by that God hath rejected us because we are crossed in outward things when as this issues from Gods wisdome and love How many imagine their failings to be fallings and their fallings to be fallings away Infirmities to be Presumptions every sinne against Conscience to be the sinne against the Holy Ghostâ—… unto which misapprehensions weake and dark spirits are subject And Satan as a cunning Rhetorician here inlargeth the fancy to apprehend things bigger then they are Satan abuseth confident spirits another contrary way to apprehend great sinnes as little and little as none Some also thinke that they have no grace because they have not so much as growen Christians whereas there bee severall ages in Christ. Some againe are so desirous and inlarged after what they have not that they minde not what they have Men may be rich though they have not millions and be not Emperors Likewise some are much troubled because they proceed by a false method and order in judging of their estates They will begin with Election which is the highest step of the ladder whereas they should begin from 〈◊〉 work of grace wrought within theiâ—… hearts from Gods calling them by hiâ—… spirit and their answer to his call and so raise themselves upwards to know their Election by their answer to God calling Give all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure your election by your calling God descends downe unto us from election to calling and so to sanctification wee must ascend to him beginning where he ends Otherwise it is as great folly as in removing of a pile of wood to begin at the lowest first and so besides the needlesse trouble to be in danger to have the rest fall upon our heads Which besides ignorance argues pride appearing in this that they would bring God to their conceits and be at an end of their worke before they beginne This great secret of Gods eternall love to us in Christ is hidden in his breast and doth not appeare to us un till in the use of meanes God by his spirit discovereth the same unto us The spirit letteth into the soule so much life and sense of Gods love in particular to us as draweth the soule to Christ from whom it draweth so much vertue as changeth the frame of it and quickneth it to duty which duties are not grounds of our state in grace but issues springing from a good state before and thus farre they helpe us in judging of our condition that thougâ—… they bee not to bee rested in yet aâ—… streames they lead us to the spring head of grace from whence they arise And of signes some be more apt to deceive us as being not so certaine as delight and joy in hearing the word as appeareth in the third ground some are more constant and certaine as love to those that are truly good and to all such and because they are such c. these as they are wrought by the spirit so the same spirit giveth evidence to the soule of the truth of them and leadeth us to faith from whence they come and faith leads us to the discovery of Gods love made knowne to us inhearing the word opened The same spirit openeth the truth to us and our understandings to conceive of it and our hearts to cloze with it by faith not only as a truth but as a truth belonging to us Now this faith is manifested either by it selfe reflecting upon it selfe the light of faith discovering both it selfe and other things or by the cause of it or by the effect or by all Faith is oft more knowne to us in the fruit of it then in it selfe as in plants the fruits are more apparant then the sappe and roote But the most setled knowledge is from the cause as when I know I beleeve because in hearing Gods gracious promises opened and offered unto me the spirit of God caryeth my soule to cleave to them as mine owne portion Yet the most familiar way of knowledge of our estates is from the effects to gather the cause the cause being oftentimes more remote and spirituall the effects more obvious and visible All the vigour and beauty in nature which we see comes from a secret influence from the heavens which we see not In a cleare morning we may see the beames of the Sun shining upon the top of hils and houses before wee can see the Sun it selfe Things in the working of them doe issue from the cause by whose force they had their being but our knowing of things ariseth from the effect where the cause endeth wee know God must love us before wee can love him and yet we oft first know that we love him the love of God is the cause why wee love our brother and yet we know we love our brother whom we see more clearly then God whom we doe not see It is a spirituall peevishnesse that keepes men in a perplexed condition that they neglect these helps to judge of their estates by whereas God takes liberty to help us sometime to a discovery of our estate by the effects sometimes by the cause c. And it is a sin to set light by any work of the spirit and the comfort we might have by it and therefore we may well adde this aâ—… one cause of disquietnesse in many that they grieve the spirit by quarrelling against themselves and the work of the spirit in them Another cause of disquiet is thâ—… men by a naturall kinde of Popery feâ—… for their comfort too much in sanctification neglecting justification relyinâ—… too much upon their own performances Saint Paul was of another minde accounting all but dung and drosse compared to the righteousnesse of Christ. This is that garment wherewith being deeked we please our husband and wherein we get the blessing This giveth satisfaction to the conscience as satisfying God himselfe being performed by God the Sonne and approved therefore by God the Father Hereupon the soule is quieted and faith holdeth out this as a shield against the displeasure of God and temptations of Satan why did the Apostles in their Prefaces joyne grace and peace together but that we should seek for our peace in the free grace and favour of God in Christ. No wonder why Papists maintaine doubting who hold salvation by workes because Satan joyning together with our consciences will alwayes finde some flaw even in our best performances Hereupon the doubting and misgiving soule comes to make this absurd demand as Who shall ascend to heaven which is all one
about matters that are variable which especially fals ouâ—… in games of hazard wherein they ofâ—… spare not Divine Providence it selfe but break out into blasphemy Likewise men that graspe more businesses then they can discharge must needs beare both the blame and the griefe of losing or marring many businesses It being almost impossible to doe many things so well as to give content to Conscience Hence it is that covetous and busie men trouble both their hearts and their houses though some men from a largenesse of parts and a speciall dexterity in affaires may turne over much yet the most capacious heart hath its measure and when the cup is full a little drop may cause the rest to spill There is a spirituall surfet when the soule is over-charged with businesse it is fit the soule should have its meet burthen and no more As likewise those that depend too much upon the opinions of other men A very light matter will refresh and then againe discourage a minde that rests too much upon the liking of others Men that seeke themselves too much abroad finde themselves disquieted at home even good men many times are too much troubled with the unjust censures of other men specially in the day of their trouble It was Iobâ—… case and it is a heavy thing to have affliction added to affliction It was Hannahs case who being troubled in spirit was censured by Eli for distemper iâ—… braine but for vain men who live moâ—… to reputation then to conscience iâ—… cannot be that they should long enjoy setled quiet because those in whoâ—… good opinion they desire to dwell aâ—… ready often to take up contrary conceits upon slender grounds It is also a ground of overmuch trouble when we looke too much and too-long upon the ill in our selves and abroad we may fixe our eyes too long even upon sinne it selfe considering that we have not onely a remedy against the hurt by sinne but a commandement to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord Much more may we erre in poring too-much upon our afflictions wherein we may finde alwayes in our selves upon search a cause to justifie God and alwaies something left to comfort us Though we naturally minde more 〈◊〉 crosse then a hundred favours dwelling overlong upon the sore So likewise our mindes may be too much taken up in consideration of the miseries of the times at home and abroad as if Christ did not rule in the midst of his enemies and would not help all in due time or as if the condition of the Church in this world were not for the most part in an afflicted and conflicting condition Indeed there is a perfect rest both for the soules and bodies of Gods people but that is not in this world but is kept for hereafter here we are in a sea where what can wee look for but stormes To insist upon no more one cause is that wee doe usurpe upon God and take his office upon us by troubling our selves in forecasting the event of things whereas our worke is onely to doe our work and be quiet as children when they please their parents take no further thought our trouble is the fruit of our folly in this kinde That which we should observe from all that hath beene saâ—… is that wee bee not overhasty in consuring others when wee see their spirits out of temper for we see how many things there are that work strongly upon the weak nature of man Wee may sinne more by harsh censure then they by overmuch distemper as in Iobs case it was a matter rather of just griefe and pity then great wonder or heavy censure And for our selves If our estate be calme for the present yet wee should labour to prepare our hearts not onely for an alteration of estate but of spirit unlesse wee be marvellous carefull before hand that our spirits fall not down with our Condition And if it befalls us to find it otherwise with our soules then at other times we should so farre labour to beare it as that wee doe not judge it our owne case alone when we see here David thus to complaine of himselfe Why art thou cast downe ô my soule c. CAP. IV. Of casting downe our selves And specially by sorow Evills thereof TO returne againe to the words Why art thou cast downe ô my soule c. or why dost thou cast downe thy selfe or art cast downe by thy selfe Whence we may further observe That wee are prone to cast downe our selves wee are accessary to our owne trouble and weave the web of our owne sorow and hamper our selves in the coards of our owne twining God neither loves nor wills that we should be too much cast down Wee see our Saviour Christ how carefull hee was that his Disciples should not bee troubled and therefore hee labours to prevent that trouble which might arise by his suffering and departure from them by a heavenly sermon Let not your hearts bee troubled c. Hee was troubled himselfe that wee should not bee troubled The ground therefore of our disquiet is chiefly from our selves though Satan will have a hand in it We see many like sullen birds in a cage beate themselves to death This casting downe of our selves is not from humility but from Pride wee must have our will or God shall not have a good look from us but as pertish and peevish children we hang our heads in our bosome because our wâ—… are crost Therefore in all our troubles wee should looke first home to our owne hearts and stop the storme there for wee may thanke our owne selves not onely for our troubles but likewise for overmuch troubling ourselves in trouble It was not the troubled conditioâ—… that so disquieted Davids soule for if hee had had a quiet minde it would not have troubled him But Davis yeelded to the discouragements of the flesh and the flesh so farre as it is unsubdued is like the sea that is alwayes casting mire and dirt of doubts discouragements and murmurings in the soule let us therefore lay the blame where it is to be laid Againe wee see it is the nature of sorow to cast downe as of joy to lift up Griefe is like lead to the soule heavie and cold it sinks downwards and carries the soule with it The poore Publican to shew that his soule was cast downe under the sight of his sinnes hung downe his head the position of his body was sutable to the disposition of his minde his heart and head were cast downe alike And it is Satans practice to goe over the hedge where it is lowest he addes more weights to the soule by his tentations and vexations His sinne cast him out of heaven and by his temptations hee cast us out of our Paradice and ever since he labors to cast us deeper into sinne wherein his scope is to cast us either into too much trouble for sinne or presumption
in sin which is but a lifting up to cast vs downe into deepe despaire at length and so at last if Gods mercy stop not his malice hee will cast vs as low as himselfe even into hell it selfe The ground hereof is because as the joy of the Lord doth strengthen so doth sorow weaken the soule How doth iâ—… weaken 1. By weakning the execution oâ—… the functions thereof because it drinketh up the spirits which are the instruments of the soule 2. Because it contracteth and draweth the soule into it selfe from commâ—…nion of that comfort it might haâ—… with God or man And then the soule being left alone if it falleth hath noâ—… to raise it up Therefore if wee will prevent casting downe let us prevent griefe the cause of it and sinne the cause of thâ—… Experience proves that true which thâ—… Wiseman saies Heavinesse in the heâ—… of a man makes it stoope but a good 〈◊〉 makes it better It bowes downe thâ—… soule and therefore our blessed Savâ—… our inviteth such unto him Come 〈◊〉 mee yee who are heavy laden with the bâ—…den of your sinnes The body bends uâ—…der a heavy burden so likewise tâ—… soule hath its burden Why art thou câ—… downe ô my soule Why so disquietâ—… c. Whence wee see 1. that casting downe breeds disquieting Because it springs from pride which is a turbulent Passion when as men cannot stoope to that condition which God would have them in this proceeds from discontentment and that from pride As we see a vapour inclosed in a cloude causeth a terrible noise of thunder whilst it is pent up there and seeketh a vent So all the noise within proceeds from a discontented swelling vapour It is aire inclosed in the bowels of the earth which shakes it which all the foure windes cannot doe No creature under heaven so low cast downe as Satan none more lifted up in pride none so full of discord the impurest spirits are the most disquiet and stormy spirits troublesome to themselves and others for when the soule leaves GOD once and lookes downewards what is there to stay it from disquiet remoove the needle from the pole starre and it is alwaies stirring and trembling never quiet till it be right againe So displace the soule by taking it from God and it will never bee quiet The devill cast out of heaven and out of the Church keepes a dooe so doe unruly spirits led by him Now I come to the Remedies 1. By expostulation with himselfe 2. By laying a charge on himselfe trust in God It is supposed here that there is no reason which the wisedome from above allowes to be a reason why men should bee discouraged although the wisedome from beneath which takes part with our corruption will seldome want a plea. Nay there is not onely no reason for it but there are strog reasons against it there being a world of evill in it For 1. It indisposes a man to all good duties it makes him like an instrument out of tune and like a body out of joint that moveth both uncomly and painfully It unfits to duties to God who loves a cheerefull giver and especially a thanksgiver Whereupâ—… the Apostle joines them both together in all things be thankfull and rejoyce evermore In our communion with God in the Sacraments joy is a chiefe ingredient So in duties to men if the spirit be dejected they are unwelcome and lose the greatest part of their life and grace A cheerefull and a free spirit in duty is that which is most accepted in duty We observe not so much what as from what affection a thing is done 2. It is a great wrong to God himselfe and it makes us conceive blacke thoughts of him as if He were an enemie What an injury is it to a gracious father that such whom he hath followed with many gracious evidences of his favour and love should be in so ill a frame as once to call it into question 3. So it makes a man forgetfull of all former blessings and stops the influence of Gods grace for the time present and for that to come 4. So againe For receiving of good It makes us unfit to receive mercies a quiet soule is the seate of wisdome Therefore Meeknesse is required for the receiving of that ingrafted word which iâ—… able to save our soules Till the Spirit oâ—… God meekens the soule say what yoâ—… will it mindes nothing the soule iâ—… not empty and quiet enough to receive the seed of the word It is ill sowing iâ—… a storme so a stormy spirit will noâ—… suffer the word to take place Men 〈◊〉 deceived when they thinke a dejected spiâ—… to be an humble spirit Indeed it is so when wee are cast downe in the sensâ—… of our owne unworthinesse and then as much raised up in the confidence oâ—… Gods mercy But when wee cast oâ—… selves downe sullenly and neglect ouâ—… comforts or undervalue them it proceeds from pride for it controules aâ—… much as in us lies the wisdome and justice of God when we thinke with our selves why should it be so with us as if we were wiser to dispose of ourselves then God is It disposeth us for entertaining any temptation Satan hath never more advantage then upoâ—… discontent 5. Besides it keepes off beginneâ—… from comming in and entring into thâ—… waies of God bringing an ill report upon religion causing men to charge it falsly for an uncoÌ„fortable way whenas men never feele what true comfort meaneth till they give up themselves to God And it dampes likewise the spirits of those that walk the same way with us when as wee should as good travellers cheere up one another both by word and example In such a case the wheeles of the soule are taken off or else as it were want oyle whereby the soule passeth on very heavily and no good action comes off from it as it should which breeds not onely uncomfortablenesse but unsettlednesse in good courses For a man will never go on comfortably and constantly in that which he heavily undertakes That 's the reason why uncheerefull spirits seldome hold out as they should Saint Peter knew this well and therefore he willeth that there should be quietnesse and peace betwixt husband and wife that their prayers be not hindred Insinuating that their prayers are hindered by family breaches For by that meanes those two that should be one flesh and spirit are divided and so made two and when they should minde duty their minde is taken up with wrongs done by the one to the other There is nothing more required for the performing of holy duties then uniting of spirits and therefore God would not have the sacrifice brought to the altar before reconciliation with our brother He esteemes peace so highly that he will have his owne service stay for it We see when Moses came to deliver the Israelites out
of bondage their minde was so taken up with their griefe that there was no body within to give Moses an answere their soules went altogether after their ill usage Therefore we should all endeavour and labour for a calmed spirit that we may the better serve God in praying to him and praising of him and serve one another in love that we may be fitted to doe and receive good that wee may make our passage to heaven more easie and cheerefull without drooping and hanging the wing So much as wee are quiet and cheerefull upon good grounds so much we live and are as it were in heaven So much as we yeeld to discouragement we lose so much of our life and happinesse cheerefulnesse being as it were that life of our lives and the spirit of our spirits by which they are more inlarged to receive happinesse and to expresse it CAP. V. Remedies of casting downe To cite the soule and presse it to give an account BUt to come to some helpes First in that hee expostulates with himselfe wee may observe that One way to raise a dejected soule is to cite it before it selfe and as it were to reason the case God hath set up a court in mans heart wherein the conscience hath the office both of Informer accuser witnesse and judge And if matters were well caryed within our selves this prejudging would be a prevention of future judging It is a great mercy of God that the credit and comfort of man are so provided for that hee may take up matters in himselfe and so prevent publike disgrace But if there be not a faire dispatch and transaction in this inferiour court within us there will bee a review in a higher court Therefore by slubbering over our matters we put God and our selves to more trouble then needs For a judgement must passe first or last either within us or without us upon all unwarrantable distempers We must not onely be ready to give an account of our faith upon what Grounds we beleeve but of all our actions upon what grounds wee doe what wee doe and of our Passions upon what ground we are passionate as in a well governed state uprore and sedition is never stirred but account must be given Now in a mutiny the presence and speech of a venerable man composeth the mindes of the disordered multitude so likewise in a mutiny of the spirit the authority that God hath put into reason as a beame of himselfe commands silence and puts all in order againe And there is good reason for it for man is an understanding creature and hath a rule given him to live by and therefore is to be countable of every thought word action passion Therefore the first way to quiet the soule is to aske a reason of the tumult raised and then many of our distempers for shame will not appeare because though they rage in silent darknesse yet they can say nothing for themselves being summoned before strength of judgement and reason Which is the reason why passionate men are loath that any court should be kept within them but labour to stop judgement all they can If men would but give themselves leave to consider better of it they would never yeeld to such unreasonable motions of the soule If they could but gaine so much of their unruly passions as to reason the matter within themselves to heare what their consciences can tell them in secret there would not be such offensive breakings out And therefore if we be ashamed to heare others upbraidingus let us for shame heare our selves And if no reason can be given what an unreasonable thing is it for a man endowed with reason to contrary his owne principles and to be caried as a beast without reason or if there be any reason to be given then this is the way to scanne it see whether it will hold water or not We shall finde some reasons if they may be so called to be so corrupt and foule that if the judgement be not corrupted by them they dare not bee brought to light but alwaies appeare under some colour and pretext for sin like the devill is affraid to appeare in its owne likenesse and men seek out faire glosses for foule intentions The hidden secret reason is one the open is another the heart being corrupt sets the wit a worke to satisfie corrupt will such kinde of men are afraid of their owne consciences as Ahab of Michaiah because they feare it would deale truly with them and therefore they take either present order for their consciences or else as Felix put off Paul they adjorne the court for another time Such men are strangers at home afraid of nothing more then of themselves and therefore in a fearefull condition because they are reserved for the judgement of the great day if God doth not before that set upon them in this world If men caried away with their own lusts would give but a little check and stop themselves in their posting to hell and aske What have I done What am I now about Whither will this course tend How will it end c. Undoubtedly men would begin to be wise Would the blasphemer give away his soule for nothing for there is no engagement of profit or pleasure in this as in other sins but it issues meerly out of irreverence and a superfluity of prophanesse would he I say draw so heavy a guilt upon himselfe for nothing if he would but make use of his reason Would an old man when he is very neare his journies end make longer provision for a short way if he would aske himselfe a Reason But indeed Covetousnesse is an unreasonable vice If those also of the younger sort woulâ—… aske of themselves Why God should 〈◊〉 have the flower and marrow of their ageâ—… and why they should give their strength tâ—… the devill It might a little take them off from the devils service But sinâ—… is a worke of darknesse and therefore shunnes not onely the light of grace bâ—… even the light of reason Yet sinne sâ—…dome wants a seeming reason Men wiâ—… not goe to hell without a shew of reason Bâ—… such be sophisticall fallacies not reasons and therefore sinners are said to play the sophisters with themselvâ—… Satan could not deceive us unlesse wee deceived our selves first and are willingly deceived wilfull sinners are blinde because they put out the light of reason and so thinke God like themselves blinde too and therefore they are deservedly termed mad men and fooles for did they but make use of that spaâ—… of reason it would teach them to reason thus I cannot give an account of 〈◊〉 wayes to my selfe what account shall I 〈◊〉 can I give then to the judge of all flesh 〈◊〉 it be long And as it is a ground of repentance in stopping our course to ask what have I done So likewise of faith and new obedience to
point And the greater their parts and places are the more they intangle themselves and no wonder for they are to encounter with God and his deputy conscience who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords When Cain was cast out of his fatheâ—… house his heart and countenance wâ—… alwaies cast downe for he had nothing in him to lift it upwards But a godly man though he may give a little wâ—… to passion yet as David he recover himselfe Therefore as we would have any good evidence that we have a â—…ter spirit in us then our owne greate then the flesh or the world Let us 〈◊〉 all troubles we meet with gather 〈◊〉 our selves that the streame of our 〈◊〉 affections cary us not away too farre There is an art or skill of bearâ—… troubles If we could learne it with out overmuch troubling of our selves As in bearing of a burden there is a way so to poize it that it weigheth 〈◊〉 over heavy If it hanges all in one side it poizes the body downe The greater part of our troubles we pull upoâ—… our selves by not parting our care 〈◊〉 as to take upon us onely the care 〈◊〉 duty and leave the rest to God aâ—… by mingling our passions with oâ—… crosses like a foolish patient châ—…ing the pills which we should swallow downe We dwell too much upon the griefe when wee should remove the soule higher Wee are nearest neighbours unto our selves when we suffer griefe like a canker to eate into the soule and like a fire in the bones to consume the marrow and drink up the spirits we are accessary to the wrong done both to our bodies and soules we wast our owne candle and put out our light We see here againe that a godly man can make a good use of Privacy When he is forced to be alone he can talke with his God and himselfe one reason whereof is that his heart is a treasury and storehouse of divine truthes whence he can speake to himselfe by way of checke or incouragement of himselfe he hath a spirit over his own spirit to teach him to make use of that store he hath laid up in his heart the spirit is never neerer him then when by way of witnesse to his spirit he is thus comforted wherein the childe of God differs from another man who cannot endure solitarinesse because his heart is empty he was a stranger to God before and God is a stranger to him now So that hee cannot goe to God as a friend And for his conscience that is ready to speake to him that which he is loath to heare and therefore hee counts himselfe a torment to himselfe especially in privacy We read of great Princes who after some bloody designes were as terrible to themselves as they were formerly to others and therefore could never endure to be awaked in the night without Musique or some like diversion It may bee wee may bee cast into such a condition where we have none in the world to comfort us as in contagioâ—… sicknesse when none may come neare us we may be in such an estate wherein no friend will owne us And therefore let us labour now to bee acquainted with God and our owne hearts anâ—… acquaint our hearts with the comforâ—… of the holy Ghost then though wee have not so much as a booke to looke on or a friend to talke with yet weâ—… may looke with comfort into the book of our own heart and reade what God hath written there by the finger of his spirit all bookes are written to amend this one booke of our heart and conscience by this meanes we shall neverwant a Divine to comfort us a Physitian to cure us a Counseller to direct us a Musitian to cheare us a Controller to check us because by help of the word and spirit we can be all these to our selves Another thing we see here that God hath made every man a Governour over himselfe The poore man that hath none to governe him yet may bee a King in himselfe It is the naturall ambition of mans heart to desire governement as we see in the Braemble Well then let us make use of this disposition to rule our selves Absolom had high thoughts O If I were a King I would doe so and so So our hearts are ready to promise if I were as such and such a man in such and such a place I would doe this and that But how dost thou manage thine owne affections how dost thou rule in thine owne house in thy selfe doe not passions get the upper hand and keepe reason under foot When wee have learned to rule over our owâ—… spirits well then we may be fit to rule over others He that is faithfull in a little shall be set over more Hee that câ—… governe himselfe In the Wise-man judgement is better then he that can governe a City Hee that cannot is like a Citie without a wall where those that are in may goe out and the enemies without may come in at their pleasure So where there is not a governmeâ—… set up there finne breaks out and Setan breaks in without controule See againe the excellency of the soule that can reflect upon it selfe 〈◊〉 judge of whatsoever comes from it 〈◊〉 godly mans care and trouble is especially about his soule as David heâ—… looks principally to that because 〈◊〉 outward troubles are for to helpe thâ—… when God touches our bodies our estates or our friends hee aimes at 〈◊〉 soule in all God will never remove 〈◊〉 hand till something be wrought upon the soule as Davids moisture was as the drought in Summer so that hee roared and carried himselfe unseemely for so great and holy a man till his heart was subdued to deale without all guile with God in confessing his sinne and then GOD forgave him the iniquitie thereof and healed his body too In sicknesse or in any other trouble It is best the Divine should bee before the Physician and that men begin where God begins In great fires men looke first to their Jewels and then to their lumber so our soule is our best Jewel A carnall worldly man is called and well called a fleshly man because his very soule is flesh and there is nothing but the world in him And therefore when all is not well within hee cries out My Body is troubled my state is broken my friends faile me c. but all this while there is no care for the poor soule to settle a peace in that The possession of the soule is the richest possession no jewell so precious the account for our owne soules and the soules of others is the greatest account and therefore the care of soules should bee the greatest care What an indignity is it that we should forget such soules to satisfie our lusts to have our wils to bee vexed with any who by their judgement example or authority stopp as we suppose
our courses Is it not the greatest plâ—… of the world First to have their luâ—… satisfied Secondly to remove either by fraud or violence whatsoever standeth in their way And thirdly to put colours and pretences upon this to delude the world themselves imploying all their carnall wit and worldly strength for their carnall aimes and fighting for that which-fights against their owne soules For what will beâ—… the issue of this but certaine destruction Of this minde are not onely tâ—… dregs of people but many of the mâ—… refined sort who desire to be emineâ—… in the world And to have their owâ—… desires herein give up the liberty oâ—… their owne judgements and consciences to the desires and lusts of others to bee above others they will bee beneath themselves having those mens persons in admiration for hope of advantage whom otherwise they despise and so substituting in their spirits man in the place of GOD lose heaven for earth and bury that divine sparke their soules capable of the Divine nature and fitter to be a sanctuary and temple for God to dwell in then by clozing with baser things to become base it selfe We need not wonder that others seeme base to carnall men who are base both in and to themselves It is no wonder they should bee cruell to the soules of others who are cruell to their owne soules that they should neglect and starve others that give away their owne soules in a manner for nothing Alas upon what poore termes do they hazard that the nature and worth whereof is beyond mans reach to comprehend Many are so carelesse in this kinde that if they were throughly perswaded that they had soules that should live for ever either in blisse or torment wee might the more easily work upon them But as they live by sense as beasts so they have no moâ—… thoughts of future times then 〈◊〉 except at such times as conscience is awaked by some suddaine judgement whereby Gods wrath is revealed froâ—… heaven against them But happy were it for them if they might die like beasts whose miserie dies with them To such an estate hath sinne brought the soule that it willingly drowneth it selfe in the senses and becomes in some sort incarnaâ—…e with the flesh Wee should therefore set our selâ—… to have most care of that which Goâ—… cares most for which he breathed iâ—…to us at first set his owne image upon gave so great a price for and values above all the world besides Shall all our study bee to satisfie the desires 〈◊〉 the flesh and neglect this Is it not a vanity to preferre the casket before the jewel the shell before the pearle the gilded potsheard before the treasure and is it not mucâ—… more vanitie to preferre the outward condition before the inward The soule is that which Satan and his hath most spite at for in troubling our bodies or estates hee aimes at the vexation of our soules As in Iob his aime was to abuse that power God had given him over His children body and goods to make him out of a disquieted spirit blaspheme God It is an ill method to beginne our care in other things and neglect the soule as Achitophel who set his house in order when hee should have set his soule in order first Wisedome begins at the right end If all bee well at home it comforts a man though he meets with troubles abroad Oh saith he I shall have rest at home I have a loving wife and dutifull children so whatsoever we meet withall abroad if the soule be quiet thither we can retire with comfort See that all bee well within and then all troubles from without cannot much annoy us Grace will teach us to reason thus God hath given mine enemies power over my liberty and condition but shall they have power and liberty over my spirit It is that which Satan and they most seeke for but never yeeld Oh my soule And thus a godly man will become more then a conquerer when in appearance hee is conquered the cause prevailes his spirit prevailes and is undaunted A Christian is not subdued till his spirit be subdued Thâ—… Iob prevailed over Sathan and all his troubles at length This tormenteâ—… proud persons to see godly men enjoy a calme and resolute frame of mindâ—… in the midst of troubles when thâ—… enemies are more troubled in troubling them then they are in being troubled by them Wee see likewise here how to fraâ—… our complaints David complaines nâ—… of God nor of his troubles nor of others but of his owne soule hee complaines of himselfe to himselfe Aâ—… 〈◊〉 he should say Though all things else be out of order yet O my soule thou shouldst not trouble mee too thou shouldst not betray thy selfe unto troubles but rule oâ—… them A godly man complaines to Goâ—… yet not of God but of himselfe a carnall man is ready to justifie himselfe and complaine of God He complaines not to God but of God at the least in secret murmuring hee complaines of others that are but Gods violls hee complaines of the grievance that lies upon him but never regards what is amisse in himselfe within Openly he cries out upon fortune yet secretly he strike that God under that Idoll of fortune by whose guidance all things comes to passe whilst he quarrells with that which is nothing hee wounds him that is the cause of all things like a gouty man that complaines of his shooe and of his bed or an aguish man of his drinke when the cause is from within So men are disquieted with others when they should rather bee disquieted and angry with their owne hearts We condemne Ionas for contending with God and justifying his unjust anger but yet the same risings are in men naturally if shame would suffer them to give vent to their secret discontent their heart speakes what Ionas tongâ—… spake Oh but here we should lay oâ—… hand upon our mouth and adore God and command silence to our soules No man is hurt but by himselfe first Wee are drawen to evill and allurâ—… from a true good to a false by our owâ—… lusts God tempts no man Satan hath 〈◊〉 power over us further then wee willingly lie open to him Satan worâ—… upon our affections and then our affections worke upon our will Hee doâ—… not worke immediatly upon the wiâ—… wee may thanke our selves in willing yeelding to our owne passions foâ—… that ill Satan or his instruments draw us unto Saul was not vexed withâ—… evill spirit till he gave way to his owâ—… evill spirit of envy first The devill 〈◊〉 tred not into Iudas untill his coveâ—… heart made way for him The Apoâ—… strengtheneth his conceit against 〈◊〉 and lasting anger from hence thâ—… this wee give way to the devill Iâ—… dangerous thing to passe from Gâ—… government and come under Sataâ—… Satan mingleth himselfe with 〈◊〉 owne passions therefore wee should blame our selves first bee ashamed of
with a mutiny in his understanding betweene faith and distrust and therefore hee was forced to rouze up his soule so oft to trust in God which shews that carnall reason did solicite him to discontent and had many colourable reasons for it Secondly a man indued with common grace is rather a patient then an agent in conflicts the light troubles him against his will as discovering and reproving him and hindring his sinfull contentments his heart is more byased another way if the light would let him but a godly man labours to helpe the light and to worke his heart to an opposition against sinne he is an agent as well as a patient As David here doth not suffer disquieting but is disquieted with himselfe for being so A godly man is an agent in opposing his corruption and a patient in induring of it whereas a naturall man is a secret agent in and for his corruptions and a patient in regard of any helpe against them A good man suffers evill and doth good a naturall man suffers good and doth evill Thirdly A conscience guided by common light withstands distempers most by outward meanes but David here fetcheth helpe from the Spirit of God in him and from trust in God Nature works from within so doth the new nature David is not onely something disquieted and something troubled for being disquieted but sets himselfe throughly against his distempers hee complaines and expostulates hee censures and chargeth his soule The other if hee doth any thing at all yet it is faintly he seeks out his corruption as a coward doth his enemie loth to finde him and more loth to encounter with him Fourthly David withstands sinne constantlie and gets ground Wee see here he gives not over at the first but presseth againe and againe Nature works constantly so doth the new nature The conflict in the other is something forced as taking part with the worser side in himselfe good things have a weak or rather no party in him bad things a strong and therefore hee soone gives over in this holy quarrell Fiftly David is not discouraged by his foiles but sets himselfe afresh against his corruptions with confidence to bring them under Whereas he that hath but a common work of the Spirit after some foiles lets his enemy prevaile more and more and so despaires of victory and thinks it better to fit still then to rise and take a new fall by which meanes his later end is worse then his beginning for beginning in the Spirit he ends in the flesh A godly man although upon some foile he may for a time bee discouraged yet by holy indignation against sinne he renues his force and sets afresh upon his corruptions and gathers more strength by his falls and groweth into more acquaintance with his owne heart and Satans malice and Gods strange waies in bringing light out of darknesse Sixtly An ordinary Christian may be disquieted for being disquieted as David was but then it is onely as disquiet hath vexation in it but David here striveth against the unquietnesse of his spirit not onely as it brought vexation with it but as it hindred communion with his God In sinne there is not onely a guilt binding over the soule to Gods judgement and thereupon filling the soule with inward feares and terrors but in sinne likewise there is 1. a contrarietie to Gods holy nature and 2. a contrariety to the Divine nature and image stamped upon our selves 3. a weakning and disabling of the soule from good and 4. a hindring of our former communion with GOD sinne being in its nature a leaving of God the fountaine of all strength and comfort and cleaving to the creature hereupon the soule having tasted the sweetnesse of GOD before is now grieved and this grief is not onely for the guilt and trouble that sinne drawes after it but from an inward Antipathy and contrariety betwixt the sanctified soule and sinne It hates sinne as sinne as the onely bane and poyson of renewed nature and the onely thing that breedes strangenesse betwixt God the soule And this hatred is not so much from discourse and strength of reason as from nature it selfe rising presently against its enemie The Lambe presently shuns the Wolfe from a contrariety Antipathies wait not for any strong reason but are exercised upon the first presence of a contrary object Seventhly hereupon ariseth the last difference that because the soule hateth sinne as sinne therefore it opposeth it universally and eternally in all the powers of the soule and in all actions inward and outward issuing from those powers David regarded no iniquity in his heart but hated every evil way The desires of his soule were that it might be so directed that he might keepâ—… Gods law And if there had beene no binding law yet there was such a sweet sympathy and agreement betwixt his soule and Gods truth that he delighted in it above all naturall sweetnesse Hence it is that Saint Iohn saith He that is borâ—… of God cannot sinne that is so farre forth as he is borne of God his new nature will not suffer him he cannot lie he cannot deceive he cannot be earthly minded hee cannot but love and delight in the persons things that are good There is not onely a light in the understanding but a new life in the will and all other faculties of a godly man what good his knowledge discovereth that his will makes choice of and his heart loveth What ill his understanding discovers that his will hateth and abstaines from But in a man not throughly converted the will and affections are bent otherwise he loves not the good he doth nor hates the evill hee doth not Therefore let us make a narrow search into our soules upon what grounds wee oppose sinne and fight Gods battells A common Christian is not cast downe because hee is disquieted in Gods service or for his inward failings that he cannot serve God with that liberty freedome he desires c But a godly man is troubled for his distempers because they hinder the comfortable intercourse betwixt God and his soule and that spirituall composednesse and Sabbath of spirit which hee enjoyed before and desires to enjoy againe Hee is troubled that the waters of his soule are troubled so that the image of Christ shines not in him as it did before It grieves him to finde an abatement in affection in love to God a distraction or coldnesse in performing duties any doubting of Gods favour any discouragement from dutie c. A godly mans comforts and grievances are hid from the world naturall men are strangers to them Let this be a rule of discerning our estates how wee stand affected to the distempers of our hearts If wee finde them troublesome it is a ground of comfort unto us that our Spirits are ruled by a higher spirit and that there is a principle of that life in us
whole course and tenour of 〈◊〉 lives when wee are not off and on 〈◊〉 and downe It argues an ill state of body when it is very hot or very colâ—… or hot in one part and cold in anothâ—… so unevennesse of spirit argues a distemper a wise mans life is of one colour like it selfe The soule bred froâ—… heaven so farre as it is heavenly minded desires to be like heaven above all stormes uniforme constant not as things under the Sunne which are alwayes in changes constant onely in inconstancie Affections are as it were the winde of the soule and then the soule is carried as it should be when it is neither so becalmed that it moves not when it should nor yet tossed with tempests to move disorderly When it is so well balaced that it is neither lift up nor cast downe too much but keepeth a steddy course Our affections must not rise to become unruly passions for then as a river that overfloweth the bankes they carry much slime and soile with them Though affections be the winde of the soule yet unruly passions are the stormes of the soule and will overturne all if they be not suppressed The best as wee see in David here if they doe not steare their hearts aright are in danger of sudden gusts A Christian must neither be a dead sea nor a raging sea Our affections are then in best temper when they become so many graces of the Spirit as when love is turned to a love of God joy to a delight in the best things feare to a feare of offending him more then any creature sorrow to a sorrow for sinne c. They are likewise in good temper when they move us to all duties of love and mercy towards others when they are not shut where they should be open nor open where they should be shut Yet there is one case wherein exceeding affection is not over exceeding As in an extasie of zeale upon a suddâ—… apprehension of Gods dishonour and his cause trodden under foot It is better in this case rather scarce to be 〈◊〉 owne men then to be calme or quiet It is said of Christ and David that their hearts were eaten up with a holy zeale for Gods house In such a case Moses unparalleld for meekenesse was turned into an holy rage The greatnesse 〈◊〉 the provocation the excellencie of thâ—… object and the weight of the occasion beares out the soule not onely without blame but with great praise in such seeming distempers It is the glory of a Christian to be carried with full saile and as it were with a spring tide of affection So long as the streame of affection runneth in the due channell and if there bee great occasions for great motions then it is fit the affections should rise higher as to burne with zeale to be sicke of love to be more vile for the Lord as David to be counted out of our wits with Saint Paul to further the cause of Christ and the good of soules Thus we may see the life of a poore Christian in this world 1. he is in great danger if hee be not troubled at all 2. when he is troubled he is in danger to be over troubled 3. when he hath brought his soule in tune againe hee is subject to new troubles Betwixt this ebbing and flowing there is very little quiet Now because this cannot bee done without a great measure of Gods Spirit our helpe is to make use of that promise of giving the holy Ghost to them that aske it To teach us when how long and how much to grieve and when and how long and how much to rejoyce the Spirit must teach the heart this who as he moved upon the waters before the Creation so hee must move upon the waters of our soules for wee have not the command of our owne hearts Every naturall man is carried away with his flesh and humours upon which the devill rides and carries him whither he list he hath no better comsellors then flesh and blood and Sathan counselling with them But a godly mâ—…n is not a slave to his carnall affections but as David here labours to bring into captivity the first motiâ—… of sinne in his heart CAP. IX Of the soules disquiets Gods dealings 〈◊〉 power to containe our selves in order MOreover we see that the soule 〈◊〉 disquiets proper to it selfe besides thâ—… griefes of Sympathy that arise from the bodie for here the soule complaines 〈◊〉 the soule it selfe as when it is out of the body it hath torments and joyes of its owne And if these troubles of the soule be not well cured then by way of fellowship and redundance they will affect the outward man and so the whole man shall bee inwrapt in miserie From whence we further see that God when he will humble a man needs not fetch forces from without if hee let but our owne hearts loose wee shall have trouble and worke enough though we were as holy as David God did not onely exercise him with a rebellious sonne out of his owne loynes but with rebellious risings out of his own heart If there were no enemie in the world nor devill in hell we carry that within us that if it be let loose will trouble us more then all the world besides Oh that the proud creature should exalt himselfe against God and runne into a voluntary course of provoking him who cannot onely raise the humours of our bodies against us but the passions of our mindes also to torment us Therefore it is the best wisedome not to provoke the great God for are wee stronger then he that can raise our selves against our selves and worke wonders not onely in the great world but also in the little world our soules and bodies when he pleases We see likewise hence a necessity of having something in the soule above it selfe it must be partaker of a diviner nature then it selfe otherwise when the most refined part of our soules the very spirit of our mindes is out of frame what shall bring it in againe Therefore we must conceive in a godly man a double selfe one which must be denied the other which must denie one that breeds all the disquiet and another that stilleth what the other hath raised The way to still the soule as it is under our corrupt selfe is not to parlee with it and divide government for peace sake as if wee should gratifie the flesh in something to redeeme liberty to the spirit in other things for we shall finde the flesh will be too encroching Wee must strive against it not with subtilty and discourse so much as with peremptory violence silence it and vexe it An enemy that parlees will yeeld at length Grace is nothing else but that blessed power whereby as spirituall wee gaine upon our selves as carnall Holy love is that which wee gaine of selfe-love and so joy and delight c. Grace
to the offence of the strong to the griefe of Gods Spirit in us to the disturbance of our owne spirits in doing good and to the disheartning of us in troubling of our inward peace and thereby weakning our assurance Therefore let us stop beginnings as much as may be and so soone as they begin to rise let us begin to examine what raised them and whither they are about to carry us The way to be still is to examine oâ—… selves first And then censure what stands not with reason As David doth when he had given way to unbefitting thoughts of Gods providence So foolish saith he was I and as a 〈◊〉 before thee Especially then looke to these sinfull stirrings when thou art to deale with God I am to have communion with a God of peace What then doe turbulent thoughts and affections iâ—… my heart I am to deale with a patieâ—… God why should I cherish revengâ—… thoughts Abraham drove away tâ—… birds from the sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. Troublesome thoughts like birds 〈◊〉 come before they be sent for but they should finde entertainment accordingly 6. In all our grievances let us loâ—… to something that may comfort us 〈◊〉 well as discourage looke to that wee enjoy as well as that wee want As iâ—… prosperity God mingles some crosses to diet us so in all crosses there 〈◊〉 something to comfort us As there is a vanity lies hid in the best worldly good So there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evill GOD usually maketh up that with some advantage in another kinde wherein wee are inferiour to others Others are in greater place So they are in greater danger Others bee richer so their cares and sâ—…res be greater the poore in the world may bee richer in faith than they The soule can better digest and master a low estate than a prosperous and is under some abasement iâ—… is in a lesse distance from God Others are not so afflicted as we than they have lesse experience of Gods gracious power than wee Others may have more healthy bodies but soules lesse weaned from the world We would not change conditions with them so as to have their spirits with their condition For one halfe of our lives the meanest are as happy and free from cares as the greatest Monarch that is whilest both sleepe and usually the sleepe of the one is sweeter than the sleepe of the other What is all that the earth caâ—… afford us if God deny health and this a man in the meanest condition may enjoy That wherein one man diffâ—… from another is but title and but for a little time Death levelleth all There is scarce any man but the good hee receives from God is more than the ill hee feeles if our unthankfull hearts would suffer us to thinke 〈◊〉 Is not our health more than our sickenesse doe we not enjoy more than we want I meane of the things that are necessary Are not our good dayes more than our evill but we would go to heaven upon Roses and usually oâ—… crosse is more taken to heart than 〈◊〉 hundred blessings So unkindly 〈◊〉 deale with God Is God indebted to us doth hee owe us any thing those that deserve nothing should be contâ—… with any thing Wee should looke to others as good as our selves as well as to our selves and than we shall see it is not our owne case onely who are we that we should looke for an exempted condition from those troubles which God 's dearest children are addicted unto Thus when we are surprised contrary to our looking for and liking wee should study rather how to exercise some grace than give way to any passion Thinke now is a time to exercise our patience our wisedome and other graces By this meanes wee shall turne that to our greatest advantage which Satan intendeth greatest hurt to us by Thus we shall not onely master every condition but make it serviceable to our good If nature teach Bees not onely to gather hony out of sweet flowers but out of bitter Shall not grace teach us to draw even out of the bitterest condition something to better our soules We learne to tame all creatures even the wildest that wee may bring them to our use and why should wee glve way to our owne unruly passions 7. It were good to have in our eye the beauty of a well ordered soule and wee should thinke that nothing in this world is of sufficient worth to put us out of frame The sanctified soâ—… should be like the Sunne in this whiâ—… though it worketh upon all these inâ—… riour bodies and cherisheth them 〈◊〉 light and influence yet is not movâ—… nor wrought upon by them againe bâ—… keepeth its owne lustre and distanceâ—… So our spirits being of a heaveâ—… breed should rule other things beneâ—… them and not be ruled by them It 〈◊〉 a holy state of soule to bee under tâ—… power of nothing beneath it selfe Aâ—… we stirred than consider It this mâ—…ter worth the losse of my quiet Whâ—… wee esteeme that wee love what wee love we labour for And therefore 〈◊〉 us esteem highly of a cleare calme temper whereby we both enjoy our God and our selves and know how to raâ—… all things else It is against nature fâ—… inferiour things to rule that which thâ—… wise Disposer of all things hath set above them Wee owe the flesh neither suit nor service wee are no debtâ—… to it The more wee set before the soâ—… that quiet estate in heaven which tâ—… soules of perfect men now enjoy and it selfe ere long shall enjoy there The more it will be in love with it and endevour to attaine unto it And because the soule never worketh better than when it is raised up by some strong and sweet affection let us looke upon our nature as it is in Christ in whom it is pure sweet calme meeke every way lovely This sight is a changing sight love is an affection of imitation we affect a likenesse to him we love Let us learne of Christ to be humble and meeke and then wee shall finde rest to our soules The setting of an excellent idea and platforme before us will raise and draw up our soules higher and â—…ke us sensible of the least movings of spirit that shall be contrary to that the attainement whereof wee have in our desires He will hardly attaine to meane things that sets not before him higher perfection Naturally we love to see symetry and proportion even in a dead picture and are much taken with some curious peece But why should wee not rather labour to keepe the affections of the soule in due proportion Seeing a meâ—… and well ordered soule is not onâ—… lovely in the sight of men and Angâ—… but is much set by by the great Goâ—… himselfe But now the greatest careâ—… those that set highest price upon theâ—… selves is how to compose their oâ—… ward carriage in some gracefull mâ—…ner never
studying how to compose their spirits and rather how to 〈◊〉 the deformity of their passions then 〈◊〉 cure them Whence it is that the fouâ—… inward vices are covered with the fairest vizards and to make this the worse all this is counted the bâ—… breeding The Heâ—…wes placed all their happinesse in peace and when they woâ—… comprise much in one word they would wish peace This was that the Angels brought newes of from heavâ—… at the birth of Christ. Now peace 〈◊〉 seth out of quietnesse and order aâ—… God that is the God of peace is the God 〈◊〉 order first What is health but when 〈◊〉 the members are in their due positâ—… and all the humors in a setled quieâ—… Whence ariseth the beauty of the world but from that comely order wherein every creature is placed the more glorious and excellent creatures above and the lesse below So it is in the soule the best constitution of it is when by the Spirit of God it is so ordered as that all be in subjection to the Law of the minde What a sight were it for the feet to be where the head is and the earth to be where the heaven is to see all turned upside downe And to a spirituall eye it seemes as great a deformity to see the soule to be under the rule of sinfull passions Comelinesse riseth out of the fit proportion of divers members to make up one body when every member hath a beauty in it selfe and is likewise well suited to other parts A faire face and a crooked body comely upper parts and the lower parts uncomely suit not well because comelinesse stands in onenesse in a fit agreement of many parts to one when there is the head of a man and the body of a beast it is a monster in nature And is it not as monstrous for to have an understanding head and a fierce untameâ—… heart It cannot but raise up a holy indignation in us against these risings when wee consider how unbeseeming they are What doe these base passâ—… in a heart dedicated to God and given up to the government of his Spirit what an indignity is it for Princes to goe a foot and servants on horse-baâ—… for those to rule whose place is to 〈◊〉 ruled as being good attendants bâ—… bad guides It was Chams curse to beâ—… sevant of servants 8. This must be strengthned with a strong selfe-denial without which there can be no good done in Religion There be two things that most trouble us in the way to heaven corruption within us and the crosse without 〈◊〉 that which is within us must be deniâ—… that that which is without us may bâ—… endured Otherwise we cannot follow him by whom wee looke to be saved The gate the entrance of Religion 〈◊〉 narrow we must strip our selves of oâ—… selves before we can enter if we bring any ruling lust to Religion it wil prove a bitter root of some grosse sinne or of apostacie and finall desperation Those that sought the praise of men more than the praise of God could not beleeve because that lust of ambition would when it should be crossed draw them away The young man thought it better for Christ to lose a Disciple than that hee should lose his possession and therefore went away as hee came The third ground came to nothing because the Plough had not gone deepe enough to breake up the rootes whereby their hearts were fastned to earthly contentments This selfe-deniall wee must carry with us through all the parts of Religion both in our active and passive obedience for in obedience there must be a subjection to a superiour but corrupt selfe neither is subject nor can be it will have an oare in every thing and maketh every thing yea Religion serviceable to it self It is the Idol of the world or rather the god that is set highest of all in the soule so God himselfe is made but an Idol It is hard to deny a friend who is another selfe harder to deny a wife that lyeth in the bosome but most hard to deny our selves Nothing so neere us as our selves to our selves and yet nothing so farre off Nothing so deare yet nothing so malicious troublesome Hypocrites would part with the fruit of their body sooner than the sinne of their soules CAP. XI Signes of victory over our selves and of 〈◊〉 subdued spirit BVt how shall we know whether we have by grace got the victory over our selves or not I answer if in good actions we stand not so much upon the credit of the action as upon the good that is done What we doe as unto God wee looke for acceptance from God It was Ionâ—… his fault to stand more upon his owne reputation than the glory of Gods mercy It is a prevailing signe when though there be no outward encouragements Nay though there be discouragements yet wee can rest in the comfort of a good intention For usually inward comfort is a note of inward sincerity Iehu must be seene or else all is lost 2. It is a good evidence of some prevailing when upon Religious grounds wee can crosse our selves in those things unto which our hearts stand most affected this sheweth wee reserve GOD his owne place in our hearts 3. When being privie to our owne inclination and temper wee have gotten such a supply of spirit as that the grace which is contrary to our temper appeares in us As oft wee see none more patient than those that are naturally enclined to intemperancie of passion because naturall pronenesse maketh them jealous over themselves Some out of feare of being over-much moved are not moved so much as they should be This jealousie stirreth us up to a carefull use of all helps Where grace is helped by nature there a little grace will goe farre but where there is much untowardnesse of nature there much grace is not so well discerned Sowre wines need much sweetning And that is most spirituall which hath least helpe from nature and is wonne by prayer and paines 4. When wee are not partiall when the things concerne our selves Daâ—… could allow himselfe another mâ—… wife and yet judgeth another mâ—… worthy of death for taking away a pâ—… mans lambe Men usually favour themselves too much when they are Chancellors in their owne cause and measure all things by their private interest Hee hath taken a good degree in Christs Schoole that hath learned to forget himselfe here 5. It is a good signe when upoÌ„ discovery of selfe-feeking we can gaine upon our corruption and are willing to search and to be searched what our inclination is and where it faileth Thâ—… which we favour we are tender of 〈◊〉 must not be touched A good heart when any corruption is discovered by a searching Ministry is affected as if it had found out a deadly enemy Touchinesse and passion argues guilt 6. This is a signe
God should take his Spirit from us there is enough in us to defile a whole world And although wee bee ingrafted into Christ yet wee carry about us a relish of the old stocke still David was a man of a good naturall constitution and for grace a man after Gods owâ—… heart and had got the better of himselfe in a great measure and had learned to overcome himselfe in matter of revenge as in Sauls case yet now wee see the vessell is shaken a little and the dregs appeare that were in the bottome before Alas wee know not our oâ—… hearts till we plow with Gods heiâ—… till his Spirit bringeth a light into our soules It is good to consider how this impure spring breaks out diversly in the divers conditions wee are in there is no estate of life nor no action wee undertake wherein it will not put forth it selfe to defile us It is so full of poyson that it taints whatsoever wee doe both our natures conditions and actions In a prosperous condition like Dâ—…vid we thinke we shall never be 〈◊〉 Under the Crosse the soule is troubled 〈◊〉 drawne to murmur and to be sulleâ—… and sink downe in discouragement 〈◊〉 be in a heat almost to blasphemy 〈◊〉 weary of our callings and to quaâ—… with every thing in our way See 〈◊〉 folly and fury of most men in this for â—…s silly wormes to contradict the great God And to whose perill is it Is it not our own Let us gather our selves with all our wit and strength together Alas what can wee doe but provoke him and get more stripes Wee may be sure hee will deale with us as wee deale with our children if they be froward and unquiet for lesser matters we will make them cry and be sullen for something Refractory stubborne horses are the more spurred and yet shake not off the rider CAP. XII Of originall righteousnesse naturall corruption Satans joyning with it and our duty thereupon §. 1. BVt here marke a plot of spirituall treason Sathan joyning with our corruption setteth the wit on worke to perswade the soule that this inward rebellion is not so bad because it is naturall to us as a condition of nature rising out of the first principles in our creation and was curbed in by the bridle of original righteousnesse which they would have accessary and supernaturall and therefore alledge that concupiscence is lesse odious and more excusable in us and so no great danger in yeelding and betraying our Souleâ—… unto it and by that meanes perswading us that that which is our deadliest enemie hath no harme in it nor meaneth any to us This rebellion of lusts against the understanding is not naturall as our nature came out of Gods hands at the first For this being evill and the caâ—… of evill could not come from God whâ—… is Good and the cause of all good and nothing but good who upon the creation of all things pronounced them good and after the creation of man pronounced of all things that they were very good Now that which is ill and very ill cannot be seated at the same time in that which is good and very good God created man at the first right he of himselfe sought out many inventions As God beautified the heaven with starres and decked the earth with variety of plants and hearbs and flowers So hee adorned man his prime creature here below with all those endowments that were fit for a happy condition and originall righteousnesse was fit and due to an originall and happy condition Therefore as the Angels were created with all Angelicall perfections and as our bodies were created in an absolute temper of all the humours so the soule was created in that sweet harmony wherein there was no discord as an instrument in tune fit to be moved to any duty as a cleane neat glasse the soule represented Gods image and holinesse §. 2. Therefore it is so farre that concupiscence should be naturall that the contrary to it namely Righteousnesse wherein Adam was created was naturall to him though it were planted in mans nature by God and so in regard of the cause of it was supernaturall yet because it was agreeable to that happy condition without which he could not subsist in that respect iâ—… was naturall and should have beene derived if hee had stood together with his nature to his posterity As hear iâ—… the ayre though it hath its first impression from the heate of the Sunne yet is naturall because it agreeth 〈◊〉 the nature of that element and though man be compounded of a spirituall and earthly substance yet it is naturall that the baser earthly part should be subject to the Superiour because where thâ—… is different degrees of worthinesse it is fit there should be a subordination of the meaner to that which is in ordâ—… higher The body naturally deâ—… food and bodily contentments yet iâ—… a man indued with reason this desire iâ—… governed so as it becomes not inorâ—…nate A beast sinnes not in its appetâ—… because it hath no power above to order it A man that lives in a soliâ—… place farre remote from company may take his liberty to live as it pleasâ—… him but if he comes to live under the government of some well ordered Citie then hee is bound to submit to the â—…wes and customes of that Citie under penalty upon any breach of order So the risings of the soule howsoever in other creatures they are not blameable having no commander in themselves above them yet in man they are to bee ordered by reason and judgement Therefore it cannot be that concupiscence should be naturall in regard of the state of creation It was Adams sin which had many sinnes in the wombe of it that brought this disorder upon the Soule Adams person first corrupted our nature and nature being corrupted corrupts our persons and our persons being corrupted encrease the corruption of our nature by custome of sinning which is another nature in us as a streame the farther it runnes from the spring head the more it enlargeth its channell by the running of lesser rivers unto it untill it empties it selfe into the Sea So corruption till it be overpowred by grace swelleth bigger and bigger so that though this disorder was not naturall in regard of the first creation yet since the fall it is become naturall even as wee call that which is common to the whole kinde and propagated from parents to their children to bee naturall So that it is both naturall and against nature naturall now but against nature in its first perfection And because corruption is naturall to us therefore 1. we delight in it whence it comes to passe that our soules are carried along in an easie current to the committing of any sinne without opposition 2. Because it is naturall therefore it is unwearied and restlesse 〈◊〉 light bodies are not wearied in thâ—… motion upwards nor heavie bodies iâ—… their motion
that they may know themselves the better and because sometimes corruption is weckned not onely by smothering but by having a vent whereupon grace stiâ—… up in the soule a fresh hatred and râ—…venge against it and lets us see a necessity of hauing whole Christ not onely to pardon sinne but to purge and cleanse our sinfull natures But yet that which is ill in it selfe must not be done for the good that comes by it by accident this must be a comfort after 〈◊〉 surprisalls not an encouragement before 5. And because the divine natâ—… wrought in us by divine truth together with the Spirit of God is the onely counter-poyson against all sinne and whatsoever is contrary to God in us therefore wee should labour that the truth of God may bee grafted in 〈◊〉 hearts that so all the powers of our soules may rellish of it that there may be a sweet agreement betwixt the soule and all things that are spirituall that truth being ingrafted in our hearts we may be ingrafted into Christ and grow up in him and put him on more and more and be changed into his likenesse Nothing in heaven or earth will worke out corruption and change our dispositions but the spirit of Christ clothing divine truths with a divine power to this purpose 6. When corruption rises pray it downe as S. Paul did and to strengthen thy prayer claime the promise of the new couenant that God would circumcise our hearts and wash us with cleane water that hee would write his law in our hearts and give us his holy spirit when we begge it And looke upon Christ as a publique fountaine open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in Herein consists our comfort 1. that Christ hath all fulnesse for us and that our nature is perfect in him 2. That Christ in our nature hath satisfied divine justice not onely for the sinne of our lives but for the sinne of our nature And 3. that hee will never give over untill by his spirit hee hath made our nature holy and pure as his owne till hee hath taken away not onely the reigne but the very life and being of sinne out of our hearts 4. That to this end he leaves his Spirit and truth in the Church to the end of the world that the seed of the Spirit may subdue the seed of the serpent in us and that the Spirit may be a never-failing spring of all holy thoughts desires and endeavoâ—… in us and dry up the contrary issue and spring of corrupt nature And Christians must remember when they are much annoyed with their corruptions that it is not their particular case alone but the condition of all Gods people least they be discouraged by looking on the ugly deformed visage of old Adam which affrighteth some so farre that it makes them think No mans nature is so vile 〈◊〉 theirs which were well if it tended to humiliation onely but Sathan often abuseth it towards discouragement and desperation Many out of a misconceit think that corruption is greatest when they feele it most whereas indeed the lesse wee see it and lament it the more it is Sighes and groanes of the soule are like the pores of the body out of which in diseased persons sicke humours breake forth and so become lesse The more we see and grieve for pride which is as immediate issue of our corrupted nature the lesse it is because wee see it by a contrary grace the more sight the more hatred the more hatred of sinne the more love of grace and the more love the more life which the more lively it is the more it is sensible of the contrary upon every discovery and conflict corruption loses some ground and grace gaines upon it CAP. XIII Of imagination sinne of it and remedies for it §. 1. ANd amongst all the faculties of the soule Most of the disquiet and 〈◊〉 necessary trouble of our lives arises from the vanity and ill government of that power of the soule which we 〈◊〉 imagination and opinion bordering betweene the senses and our understanding which is nothing else but a shallow apprehension of good or evillâ—…en â—…en from the senses Now because 〈◊〉 good or evill things agree or disagree to the senses and the life of sense is 〈◊〉 us before the use of reason and the delights of sense are present and pleasing and sutable to our natures thereupâ—… the imagination setteth a great price upon sensible good things and the judgement it selfe since the fall untill it hath an higher light and strength yeeldeth to our imagination hence it coâ—… to passe that the best things if they bee attended with sensible inconveniences as want disgrace in the world and such like are misjudged for evill things and the very worst things if they bee attended with respect in the world and sensible contentments are imagined to be the greatest good which appeares not so much in mens words because they are ashamed to discover their hidden folly and a theisme but the lives of people speake as much in that particular choise which they make Many there are who thinke it not onely a vaine but a dangerous thing to serve God and a base thing to bee awed with religious respects they count the waies that Gods people take no better then madnesse and that course which GOD takes in bringing men to heaven by a plaine publishing of heavenly truths to bee nothing but foolishnesse and those people that regard it are esteemed as the Pharisees esteemed them that heard Christ ignorant base and despicable persâ—… Hence arise all those false preâ—…dice against the wayes of holinesse as they in the Acts were shy in entertaining the truth because it was a way every where spoken against The doctrine of the Crosse hath the crosse alwayes following it which imagination counteâ—… the most odious and bitter thing in the world This imagination of ours is become the seat of vanity and thereupon of vexation to us because it apprehendâ—… greater happinesse in outward goâ—…d things then there is and a greater miserie in outward evill things then indeed there is and when experience shewes us that there is not that good in those things which wee imagine to bee but contrarily we find much evill in them which wee never expected hereupon the soule cannot but be troubled The life of many men and those not the meanest is almost nothing else but a fancie that which chiefly sets their wits a work and takes up most of their time is how to please their owne imagination which setteth up an excellency within it selfe in comparison of which it despiseth all true excellencie and those things that are of most necessary consequence indeed Hence springs ambition and the vaine of being great in the world hence comes an unmeasurable desire of abounding in those things which the world esteemes highly of there is in us naturally a competition and desire of being equall or above
others in that which is generally thought to make us happy and esteemed amongst men if wee bee not the onely men yet wee will bee somebody in the world some thing we will haue to bee highly esteemed for wherein if we be crossed we count it the greatest misery that can befall us And which is worse a corrupt desire of being great in the opinion of others creepes into the profession of religion if we live in those places wherein it brings credit or gaine men will sacrifice their very lives for vaine glory It is an evidence a man lives more to opinion and reputation of others then to Conscience when his griefe is more for being disappointed of that approbation which hee expects from men then for his miscarriage towards GOD. It marres all in religion when wee goe about heavenly things with earthly affections and seeke not CHRIST iâ—… Christ but the world What is Popery but an artificiall frame of meâ—… braine to please mens imaginations by outward state and pompe of Cereâ—…nies like that golden image of Nebuchâ—…nezar wherein hee pleased himselfe so that to have uniformity in worshipping the same he compelled all â—…der paine of death to fall downe before it this makes superstitious persons alwaies cruell because superstitious devises aâ—… the brats of our owne imagination which we strive for more then for the purity of Gods worship hence it is likewise that superstitious persons aâ—… restlesse as the woman of Samaria iâ—… their owne spirits as having no bottome but fancie in stead of faith §. 2. Now the reason why imagiâ—… works so upon the soule is hee ariseâ—… stirres up the affections answerable 〈◊〉 the good or ill which it apprehends and our affections stirre the humors of the body so that oftentimes both our soules and bodies are troubled hereby Things worke upon the soule in this order 1. Some object is presented 2. Then it is apprehended by imagination as good and pleasing or as evill and hurtfull 3. If good the desire is â—…ried to it with delight if evill it is rejected with distast and so our affections are stirred up sutably to our apprehension of the object 4. Affections stiâ—… up the spirits 5. The spirits raise the humours and so the whole man becomes moved and oftentimes â—…pered this falleth out by reason of â—…e Sympathy betweene the soule and body whereby what offendeth one reâ—…deth to the hurt of the other And we see conceived troubles have the same effect upon us as true Iacob was as much troubled with the imagination of his sonnes death as if hee had been dead indeed imagination though it bee an empty windy thing yet it hath reall effects Supertious persons are as much troubled for negleâ—…ing any voluntarie service of maâ—… iâ—…vention as if they had offended agaiâ—… the direct commandement of God 〈◊〉 superstition breeds false feares and 〈◊〉 feare brings true vexation it trâ—… formes God to an Idoll imagining liâ—… to be pleased with whatsoever pleâ—… our selves when as wee take it ill 〈◊〉 those who are under us should take â—…rection from themselves and not frâ—… us in that which may content us â—…perstition is very busie but all in vâ—… in vaine they worship mee saith God 〈◊〉 how can it choose but vexe and 〈◊〉 quiet men when they shall take a grâ—… deale of paines in vaine and whiâ—… worse to displease most in that whâ—… in they thinke to please most Goâ—… blasteth all devised service with 〈◊〉 demand Who required these thingâ—… your hands It were better for 〈◊〉 aske our selves this question beâ—… hand Who acquired this Why doe 〈◊〉 trouble our selves about that which we 〈◊〉 have no thanke for Wee should not bring God downe to our owne imagâ—…nations but raise our imaginations up to God Now imagination hurteth us 1. By false representations 2. By preventing reason and so usurping a censure of things before our judgements try them whereas the office of imaginatiâ—… is to minister matter to our understanding to worke upon and not to leade it much lesse misleade it in any thing 3. By forging matter out of it selfe without ground the imaginarie grievances of our lives are more then the reall 4. As it is an ill instrument of the understanding to devise vanity and mischiefe §. 3. The way to cure this malady in us is 1. To labour to bring these risings of our soules into the obedience of Gods truth and Spirit for imagination of it selfe if ungoverned is a wilde and a ranging thing it wrongs not onely the frame of Gods worke in us setting the baser part of a man above the highâ—…r but it wrongs likewise the worke of God in the creatures and every thing else for it shapes things as it selfe pleaseth it maketh evill good if it pleaseth the senses and good evill if it be dâ—… gerous and distastfull to the outâ—… man which cannot but breed an â—…quiet and an unsetled soule As if 〈◊〉 were a god it can tell good and evill at its pleasure it sets up and pulls doâ—… the price of what it listeth By reaâ—… of the distemper of imagination the life of many is little else but a dream Many good men are in a long dreame of 〈◊〉 sery and many bad men in as longâ—… dreame of happinesse till the tiâ—… awaking come and all because they 〈◊〉 too much led by appearances and as iâ—… a dreame men are deluded with 〈◊〉 joyes and false feares So here wiâ—… cannot but breed an unquiet and 〈◊〉 unsetled soule therefore it is necesâ—… that God by his word and spirit shâ—… erect a government in our heaâ—… 〈◊〉 captivate and order this licentious 〈◊〉 culty 2. Likewise it is good to preâ—… reall things to the soule as the 〈◊〉 riches and true misery of a Christian the true honour and dishonour true beauty and deformity the true noblenesse and debasement of the soule What ever is in the world are but Shadowes of things in comparison of those true realties which Religion affords and why should wee vexe our selves about a vaine shadow The Holy Ghost to prevent further mischiefe by these outward things gives a dangerous report of them calling them vanity unrighteous Mammon entertaine riches thornes yea nothing because though they be not so in themselves yet our imagination over-valuing them they prove so to us upon triall Now knowledge that is bought by triall is often deere bought and therefore God would have us prevent this by a right conceit of things before hand least trusting to vanity wee vanish our selves and trusting to nothing wee become nothing our selves and which is worse worse then nothing 3. Oppose serious consideration against vaine imagination and because our imagination is prone to raise false objects and thereby false conceits and discourses in us Our best way herein is to propound true objects for the minde to worke upon as 1. to consider the greatnesse and goodnesse of Almighty God and his love to us
in Christ. 2 the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell 3. the last and strict day of accouâ—… 4. The vanity of all earthly things 5. The uncertainty of our lives c. From the meditation of these truthes the soule wil be prepared to have rigâ—… conceits of things and to discourse upon true grounds of them and thinke with it selfe that if these things be so iâ—…deed then I must frame my life sutable to these principles hence arise true affections in the soule true feare of God true love and desire after the best things c. The way to expell â—…ind oâ—… of our bodies is to take some wholesome nourishment and the way to expell windy fancies from the soule is 〈◊〉 feed upon serious truthes 4. Moreover to the well ordering of this unruly faculty it is necessary that our nature it selfe should be changed for as men are so they imagine as the treasure of the heart is such is that which comes from it An evill heart cannot thinke well before the heart be changed our judgment is depraved in regard of our last end we seeke our happinesse where it is not to be found Wickednesse comes from the wicked as the Proverb is If wee had as large and as quick apprehensions as Sathan himselfe yet if the rellish of our wil affections be not changed they will set the imagination a worke to deuise satisfaction to themselves For there is a mutuall working and refluxe betwixt the will and the imagination the imagination stirres up the will and as the will is affected so imagination worketh When the law of God by the Spirit is so written in our hearts that the law and our hearts become agreeable one to the other then the soule is enclined and made plyable to every good thought When the heart is once taught of God to love it is the nature of this sweet affection as the Apostle saith to thinke no evill either of God or man and not onely so but it carries the bent of the whole soule with it to good so that we love God not onely with all our heart but with all our minde that is both with our understanding and imagination Love is an affection full of inventions and sets the wit a worke to devise good things therefore our chiefe care should bee that our hearts may be circumcised and purified so as they may be filled with the love of God and then we shall finde this duty not onely easie but delightfull unto us The Prophet healed the waters by casting salt into the spring so the seasoning of the spring of our actions seasons all And indeed what can bee expected from man whilest hee is vanity but vaine imaginations What can wâ—… looke for from a Viper but poyson A man naturally is either weaving spidâ—… webbs or hatching Cockatrices egges thâ—… is his heart is exercised either in vaâ—… or mischiefe for not onely the frame 〈◊〉 the heart but what the heart frameth iâ—… evill continually A wicked man that iâ—… besotted with false conceits will adâ—… of no good thoughts to enter 5. Even when wee are good and devise good things yet there is still some sicknesse of fancie remaining in the best of us whereby wee worke trouble to our selves and therefore it is necessary we should labour to restraine and limit our fancie and stop these waters at the beginning giving no not the least way thereunto If it begins to grow wanton tame the wildnesse of it by fastning it to the crosse of Christ whom wee have pierced with our sinnes and amongst other with these sinnes of our spirits who hath redeemed us from our vaine thoughts and conversations set before it the consideration of the wrath of God of death and judgement and the woefull estate of the damned c. and take it not off till thy heart bee taken off from straying from God When it begins once to runne out to impertinencies confine it to some certaine thing and then upon examination wee shall finde it bring home some hony with it otherwise it will bring us nothing but a sting from the bitter remembrance of our former misspent thoughts time which wee should redeeme and fill up with things that most belong to our peace Idlenesse is the houre of temptation wherein Sathan joynes with our imagination and sets it about his owne work to grinde his greese for the soule as a Mill either grinds that which is put into it or else works upon it selfe Imagination is the first wheele of the soule and if that move amisse it stirres all the inferiour wheeles amisse with it It stirres it selfe and other powers of the soule are stirred by its motion and therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence For as the imagination conceiveth so usually the judgement concludeth the will chuseth the affections are carried and the members execute If it breake loose as it will soone runne ryot yet give no consent of the will to it though it hath defiled the memory yet let it not defile the will though it be the first borne of the soule yet let it not as Ruben ascend unto the fathers bed that is our will and defile that which should be kept pure for the spirit of Christ resolve to act nothing upon it but crosse it before it moves to the execution and practise of any thing As in sicknesse many times wee imagine by reason of the corruption of our tast Physick to be ill for us and those meates which nourish the disease to be good yet care of health makes us crosse our owne conceits and take that which fancie abhorres So if we would preserve sound spirits wee must conclude against groundlesse imagination and resolve that whatsoever it suggests cannot be so because it crosses the grounds both of religion and reason And when we finde imagination to deceive us in sensible things as Melancholy persons are subject to mistake we may well gather that it will much more deceive us in our spirituall condition And indeed such is the incoherence impertinencie and unreasonablenesse of imagination that men are oft ashamed and angry with themselves afterwards for giving the least way to such thoughts and it is good to chastise the soule for the same that it may bee more wary for time to come whilest men are led with imagination they worke not according to right rules prescribed to men but as other baser creatures in whom phantasie is the chiefe ruling power and therefore those whose will is guided by their fancies live more like beasts then men Wee allow a horse to praunce and skip in a pasture which if hee doth when he is once backt by the rider we count him an unruly and an unbroken jade so howsoever in other creatures wee allow liberty of fancie yet wee allow it not in man to frisk and rove at its pleasure because in him it is to bee bridled
whatsoever is terrible or tormenting Here is a large field for our imagination to walke in not onely without hurt but with a great deale of spirituall gaine If the wrath of a King bee as the roaring of a Lion what is the wrath of the King of Kings If fire bee so terrible what is hell fire If a darke dungeon bee so lothsome what is that eternall dungeon of darkenesse If a feast bee so pleasing what is the continuall feast of a good conscience If the meeting of friends be so comfortable what will our meeting together in heaven be The Scripture by such like termes would help our faith and fancie both at once a sanctified fancie will make every creature a ladder to heaven And because childhood and youth are ages of fancie therefore it is a good way to instill into the hearts of children betimes the loving of good and the shâ—…ning of evill by such like representations as agree with their fancies as to haâ—…e hell under the representation of fire and darknesse c. Whilest the soule is joyned with the body it hath not onely a necessary but a holy use of imagination and of sensible things whereupon our imagination worketh what is the â—…e of the Sacraments but to help our sâ—…les by our senses and our faith by imagination as the soule receives much â—…rt from imagination so it may have much good thereby But yet it ought not to invent or devise what is good and true in religion here fancy must yeeld to faith and faith to divine revelation the things we beleeve are such as neither eye hath seâ—…e nor eare heard neither came into the heart of man by imagination stirred up from any thing which we have seene or heard they are above not onely imagination but reason it selfe in men and Angels But after God hath revealed spirituall truthes and faith hath apprehended them then imagination hath use while the soule is joyned with the body to colour divine truthes and make lightsome what faith beleeves for instance it doth not devise either heaven or hell but when God hath revealed them to us our fancy hath a fitnesse of enlarging our conceits of them even by resemblance from things in nature and that without danger because the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell are so great that all the representations which nature affords us fall short of them Imagination hath likewise some use in religion by putting cases to the soule as when we are tempted to any unruly action we should think with our selves what would I doe if some holy grave person whom I much reverence should behold me Whereupon the soule may easily ascend higher God sees me and my owne conscience is ready to witnesse against me c. It helps us also in taking benefit by the example of other men Good things are best learned by others expressing of them to our view the very sight often nay the very thought of a good man doth good as representing to our soules some good thing which we affect which makes Histories and the lively Characters and expressions of vertues and vices usefull to us The sight yea the very reading of the suffering of the Martyrs hath wrought such a hatred of that persecuting Church as hath done marvellous good the sight of justice executed upon malefactors works a greater hatred of sinne in men then naked precepts can doe So outward pompe state in the world doth further that awefull respect due to authority c. Lastly it would much availe for the well ordering of our thoughts to set our soules in order every morning and to strengthen and perfume our spirits with some gracious meditations especially of the chiefe end and scope wherefore we live here and how every thing we doe or befalls us may be reduced and ordered to further the maine The end of a Christian is glorious and the oft thoughts of it will raise and enlarge the soule and set it on worke to study how to make all things serviceable thereunto It is a thing to be lamented that a Christian borne for heaven having the price of his high calling set before him and matters of that weight and excellencie to exercise his heart upon should be taken up with trifles and fill both his head and heart with vanity and nothing as all earthly things will prove ere long and yet if many mens thoughts and discourses were distilled they are so frâ—…thy that they would hardly yeeld one drop of true comfort §. 4. Oh but say some thoughts imaginations are free and we shall not be accountable for them This is a false plea for God hath a soveraignty over the whole soule and his law bindes the whole inward and outward man as wee desire our whole man should be saved by Christ so wee must yeeld up the whole man to be governed by him and it is the effect of the dispensation of the Gospell accompanied with the Spirit to captivate whatsoever is in man unto Christ and to bring downe all high towring imaginations that exalt themselves against Gods Spirit There is a divinity in the word of God powerfully unfolded which will convince our soules of the sinfulne sof naturall imaginations as we see in the Ideot Corinth 14. who seeing himselfe laid open before himselfe cryed out that God was in the speaker There ought to be in man a conformity to the truth and goodnesse of things or else 1. wee shall wrong oâ—… owne soules with false apprehensions and 2. the creature by putting a fashion upon it otherwise then God hath made and 3. we shall wrong God himselfe the Author of goodnesse who cannot have his true glory but from a right apprehension of things as they art what a wrong is it to men when wee shall take up false prejudices against them without ground and so suffer our conceits to be invenomed against them by unjust suspitions and by this meanes deprive our selves of all that good which we might receive by them for our nature is apt to judge and accept of things as the persons are and not of persons according to the things themselves this faculty exercises a tyrannie in the soule setting up and pulling downe whom it will Iob judged his friends altogether vaine because they went upon a vaine imagination and discourse judging him to bee an hypocrite which could not but adde much to his affliction when men take a toy in their head against a person or place they are ready to reason as hee did Can any good come out of Nazareth It is an indignity for men to be led with â—…urmizes and probabilities and so to passe a rash judgement upon persons and things Oftentimes falshood hath a fairer glosse of probability then truth â—…d vices goe masqued under the appearance of vertue whereupon seeming likenesse breeds a mistake of one thing for another and Sathan oftentimes casts a mist
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
his very enemies the accomplishers of his owne will and so to bring about that which they oppose most Hence it is that we beleeve under hope against hope But wee must know Gods manner of guiding things is without prejudice of the proper working of the things themselves hee guideth them sweetly according to the instincts hee hath put into them for 1. He furnishes creatures with a vertue and power to worke and likewise with a manner of working sutable to their owne nature as it is proper for a man when he workes to worke with freedome and other creatures by naturall instinct c. 2. God maintaineth both the power and manner of working and perfecteth and accomplisheth the same by acting of it being neerer to us in all wee doe then we are to our selves 3. He applies and stirres up our abilities and actions to this or that particular as he seeth best 4. Hee suspends or removes the hinderances of all actions and so powerfully wisely and sweetly orders them to his owne ends When any evill is intended God either puts bars and letts to the execution of it or else limiteth and boundeth the same both in regard of time and measure so that our enemies either shall not doe the evill at all or else not so long a time or not in such a height of mischiefe as their malice would cary them to The rod of the wicked may light upon the backe of the righteous but it shall not rest there God knowes how to take our enemies off sometimes by changing or stopping their wills by offering considerations of some good or ill danger or profit to them sometimes by taking away and weakning all their strength or else by opposing an equall or greater strength against it All the strength our enemies have rests in God who if hee denies concourse and influence the arme of their power as Ieroboams when he stretcht it out against the Prophet shrinkes up presently God is not onely the cause of things and actions but the cause likewise of the cessation of them why they fall not out at all God is the cause why things are not as well as why they are The cause why men favour us not or when they doe favour us want present wisdome and ability to help us is from Gods withdrawing the concurrence of his light and strength from them If a skilfull Physitian doth us no good it is because it pleaseth God to hide the right way of curing at that time from him Which should move us to see God in all that befalls us who hath sufficient reason as to doe what he doth so not to doe what hee doth not to hinder as well as to give way The God of spirits hath an influence into the spirits of men into the principles and springs of all actions Otherwise he could not so certainely foretell things to come God had a worke in Absaloms heart in that he refused the best counsell there is nothing independant of him who is the mover of all things and himselfe unmoveable Nothing so high that is above his providence Nothing so low that is beneath it Nothing so large but is bounded by it Nothing so confused but God can order it Nothing so bad but he can draw good out of it Nothing so wisely plotted but God can disappoint it as Achitophells counsell Nothing so simply and unpolitiquely caried but hee can give a prevailing issue unto it Nothing so freely caried in regard of the next cause but God can make it necessary in regard of the event Nothing so naturall but he can suspend in regard of operation as heavy bodies from sinking fire from burning c. It cannot but bring strong security to the soule to know that in all variety of changes and intercourse of good and bad events God and Our God hath such a disposing hand Whatsoever befalls us all serves to bring Gods electing love and our glorification together Gods providence serveth his purpose to save us All sufferings all blessings all ordinanoes all graces all common gifts nay our very falls yea Sathan himselfe with all his instruments as over-mastered and ruled by God have this injunction upon them to further Gods good intendment to us and a prohibition to doe us no harme Augustus taxed the world for civill ends but Gods providence used this as a meanes for Christ to bee borne at Bethieem Ahashueresh could not sleepe and thereupon calls for the Chronicles the reading of which occasioned the Iewes delivery God oft disposeth little occasions to great purposes And by those very wayes whereby proud men have gone about to withstand Gods counsells they have fulfilled them as we see in the story of Ioseph and Moses in the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them CAP. XVII Of Graces to be exercised in respect of divine Providence VVEE are under a providence that is above our own which should bee a ground unto us of exercising those graces that tend to settle the soule in all events As 1. Hence to lay our hand upon our mouthes and command the soule an holy silence not daring to yeeld to the least rising of our hearts against God I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it saith David Thus Aaron when hee had lost his two sonnes both at once and that by fire and by fire from heaven which caried an evidence of Gods great displeasure with it yet held his peace In this silence and hope is our strength Flesh and blood is proane to expostulate with God and to question his dealing as we see in Gedeon Ieremie Asaph Habacuck and others If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us but after some strugling betweene the flesh and the spirit the conclusion will be yet howsoever matters goe God is good to Israel Where a fearefull spirit and a melancholy temper a weake judgement and a scrupulous and raw conscience meete in one there Sathan and his together with mens owne hearts which like Sophisters are continually cavilling against themselves breed much disquiet and makes the life uncomfortable Such therefore should have a speciall care as to grow in knowledge so to sticke close to sure and certaine grounds and bring their consciences to the rule Darknesse causeth feares The more light the more confidence When we yeeld up our selves to God we should resolve upon quietnesse and if the heart stirres presently use this check of David Why art thou disquieted Gods wayes seeme oft to us full of contradictions because his course is to bring things to passe by contrary meanes There is a mystery not onely in Gods decree concerning mans eternal estate but likewise in his providence as why he should deale unequally with men otherwise equall His judgements are a great depth which we cannot fadome but they will swallow up our thoughts and understandings God oft wraps himselfe in a cloude and
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
of trust breeds false Comforts true feares for in what measure we trust in any thing that is uncertaine in the same measure will our griefe bee when it failes us the more men relye upon deceitfull Crutches the greater is their fall God can neither indure false objects nor a double object as hath beene shewed for a man to rely upoÌ„ any thing equally in the same ranke with himselfe for the propounding of a double object argues a double heart and a double heart is alwayes unsetled for it will regard God no longer then it can injoy that which it joynes together with him Therefore it is said you cannot serve two Masters not subordinate one to another whence it was that our Saviour told those worldly men which followed him that they could not beleeve in him because they sought honour one of another and in case of competition if their honour and reputation should come into question they would be sure to be fals to Christ and rather part with him then their 〈◊〉 vne credit and esteeme in the world David here by charging his soule to trust in God saw there was nothing else that could bring true rest and quiet unto him for whatsoever is besides God is but a creature and what ever is in the creature is but borrowed and at Gods disposing and changeable or else it were not a creature David saw his error soone for the ground of his disquiet was trusting something else besides God therefore when he began to say My hill is strong I shall not bee moved c. then presently his soule was troubled Out of God there is nothing fit for the soule to stay it selfe upon for 1. Outward things are not fitted to the spirituall nature of the soule they are dead things and cannot touch it being a lively spirit unlesse by way of â—…aint 2. They are beneath the worth of the soule and therefore debase the soule draw it lower then it selfe As a Noble woman by matching with a meane person much injures her selfe especially when higher matches are offered Earthly things are not given for Stayes wholly to rest on but for Comforts in our way to Heaven they are no more fit for the soule then that which hath many angles is fit to fill up that which is round which it cannot doe because of the unevennesse and void places that will remaine Outward things are never so well fitted for the soule but that the soule will presently see some voidnesse and emptinesse in them and in it selfe in cleaving to them for that which shall be a fit object for the soule must be 1. for the nature of it spirituall as the soule it selfe is 2. constant 3. full and satisfying 4. of equall continuance with it and 5. alwayes yeelding fresh contents we cast away flowers after once we have had the sweetnesse of theÌ„ because there is not still a fresh supply of sweetnesse What ever comfort is in the creature the soule will spend quickly and looke still for more whereas the comfort we have in God is undefiled and fadeth not away How can wee trust to that for comfort which by very trusting proves uncomfortable to us Outward things are onely so far forth good as wee doe not trust in them thornes may bee touched but not rested on for then they will pierce we must not set our hearts upon those things which are never evill to us but when we set our hearts upon them By trusting any thing but God wee make it 1. an Idoll 2. a curse and not a blessing 3. it will prove a lying vanity not yeelding that good which wee looke for and 4. a vexation bringing that evill upon us we looke not for Of all men Solomon was the fittest to judge of this because 1. hee had a large heart able to comprehend the variety of things and 2. being a mighty King had advantages of procuring all outward things that might give him satisfaction and 3. he had a desire answerable to search out and extract what ever good the creature could yeeld and yet upon the tryall of all hee passeth this verdict upon all that they are but vanity whilest he laboured to find that which he sought for in them hee had like to have lost himselfe and seeking too much to strengthen himselfe by forreine combination hee weakned himselfe the more thereby untill he came to know where the whole of man consists So that now wee need not try further conclusions after the peremptory sentence of so wise a man But our nature is still apt to thinke there is some secret good in the forbidden fruit and to buy wisedome dearly when wee might have it at a cheaper rate even from former universall experience It is a matter both to be wondred at and pittyed that the soule having God in Christ set before it alluring it unto him that hee might raise it inlarge it and fill it and so make it above all other things should yet debase make it selfe narrower and weaker by leaning to things meaner then it selfe The Kingdome Soveraignty and large command of Man continueth while he rests upon God in whom hee raignes in some sort over all things under him but so soone as he removes from God to any thing else hee becomes weake and narrow and slavish presently for The soule is as that which it relyes upon if on vanity it selfe becomes vain for that which contents the soule must satisfie all the wants and desires of it which no particular thing can doe and the soule is more sensible of a little thing that it wants then of all other things which it injoyes But see the insufficiency of all other things out of God to support the soul in their severall degrees First All outward things can make a man no happier then outward things can doe they cannot reach beyond their proper spheare but our greatest grievances are spirituall And as for inward things whether gifts or graces they cannot be a sufficient stay for the minde for 1. gifts as policy and wisedome c. they are at the best very defective especially when wee trust in them for wisedome makes men often to rebell and thereupon God delighteth to blast their projects None miscarry oftner then men of the greatest parts as none are oftner drowned then those that are most skilfull in swimming because it makes them confident And for grace though it be the beginning of a new creature in us yet it is but a creature and therefore not to be trusted in nay by trusting in it we imbase it and make it more imperfect so farre as there is truth of grace it breeds distrust of our selves and carryes the soule out of it selfe to the fountaine of strength And for any workes that proceed from grace by trusting thereunto they prove like the reede of Aegypt which not only deceives us but hurts us with the splinters Good workes
we flie unto for succour It is the ground wee stand on secures us not our selves As it is our happinesse so it must be our endeavour to bring the soule close to God that nothing get between for then the soule hath no sure footing When we step from God Sathan steps in by some temptation or other presently It requires a great deale of self deniall to bring a soule either swelling with carnall confidence or sinking by fear and distrust to lye levell upon God and cleave fast to him Square will lie fast upon Square but our hearts are so full of unevennesse that God hath much ado to square our hearts fit for him notwithstanding the soule hath no rest without this The use of trust is best knowne iâ—… the worst times for naturally in sicknesse we trust to the Physitian in want to our wit and shifts in danger to policy and the arme of flesh in plenty to our present supply c. but when wee have nothing in view then indeed should God bee God unto us In times of distresse when hee shewes himselfe in the wayes of his mercy and goodnesse then we should especially magnifie his name which will move him to discover his excellencies the more the more wee take notice of them And therefore David strengthens himselfe in these words that he hoped for better times wherein God would shew himselfe more gracious to him because 〈◊〉 resolved to praise him This trusting joynts the soule again and sets it in its own true resting place and sets God in his owne place in the â—…le that is the highest and the creaâ—…re in its place which is to bee under God as in its owne nature so in our hearts This is to ascribe honour due unâ—… God the onely way to bring peace â—…o the soule Thus if wee can bring 〈◊〉 hope and trust to the God of hope 〈◊〉 trust we shall stand impregnable â—…n all assaults as will best appeare in â—…ese particulars CHAP. XXI Of quieting the spirit in troubles for sinne And objections answered TO begin with troubles of the spirit which indeed are the spirit of troubles as disabling that which should uphold a man in all his troubles A spirit set in tune and assisted by a higher spirit will stand out against ordinary assaults but when God the God of the spirits of all flesh shall seeme contrary to our spirits whence then shall wee finde reliefe Here all is spirituall God a spirit the soule a spirit the terrours spirituall the devill who joynes with these a spirit yea that which the soule feares for the time to come is spirituall and not only spirituall but eternall unlesse it pleaseth God at length to break out of the thick cloud wherewith hee covers himselfe and shine upon the soule as in his own time he will In this estate comforts themselves are uncomfortable to the soule iâ—… quarrels with every thing the better things it heares of the more it is vexed Oh what is this to mee what have I to â—…e with these comforts the more happinesse may be had the more is my griefe As for comforts from Gods inferiour blessings as friends children estate c. the soule is ready to misconstrue Gods end in all as not intending any good to him thereby In this condition God doth not appeare in his owne shape to the soul but in the shape of an enemy and when God seemes against us who shall stand for us Our blessed Saviour in his agony had the Angels to comfort him but had he beene a meere man and not assisted by the Godhead it was not the comfort no not of Angels that could have upheld him in the sense of his fathers withdrawing his countenance from him Alas then what will become of us in such a case if we be not supported by a spirit of power and the power of â—…n almighty spirit If all the temptations of the whole world and hell it selfe were mustered together they were nothing to this whereby the great God sets himselfe contrary to his poore creature None can conceive so but those that have felt it If the hiding of his face will so trouble the soule what will his frowne and angry look doe Needs must the soule bee in a wofull plight when as God seemes not onely to bee absent from it but an enemy to it When a man sees no comfort from above and lookes inward and sees lesse when hee lookes about him and sees nothing but evidences of Gods displeasure beneath him and sees nothing but desperation clouds without and clouds within nothing but clouds in his condition here he had need of faith to breake through all and see Sunne through the thickest cloud Upon this the distressed soule is in danger to be set upon by a temptation called the temptation of blasphemy that is to entertain bitter thoughts against God and especially against the grace and goodnesse of God wherein he desires to make himselfe most knowne to his creature In those that have wilfully resisted divine truths made knowne unto them and after taste despised them a perswasion that God hath for saken them set on strongly by Sathan hath a worse effect it stirs up a hellish hatred against God carying them to a revengefull desire of opposing whatsoever is Gods though not alwayes openly for then they should lose the advantage of doing hurt yet secretly and subtilly and under pretence of the contrary To this degree of blasphemie Gods children never fall yet they may feele the venome of corruption stirring in their hearts against God and his wayes which he takes with them and this addes greatly to the depth of their affliction when afterward they think with themselves what hellish stuffe they cary in their soules This is not so much discerned in the temptation but after the fit is somewhat remitted In this kinde of desertion seconded with this kinde of temptation the way is to call home the soule and to check it and charge it to trust in God even though he shewes himselfe an enemy for it is but a shewe he doth but put on a maske with a purpose to reveale himselfe the more graciously afterward his maner is to worke by contraries In this condition God lets-in some few beames of light whereby the soul casts a longing looke upon God even when he seemes to forsake it it will with Ionas in the belly of hell looke back to the holy Temple of God it will steale a looke unto Christ. Nothing more comfortable in this condition then to flye to him that by experience knew what this kinde of forsaking meant for this very end that he might bee the fitter to succour us in the like distresse Learne therefore to appeale from God to God oppose his gracious nature his sweet promises to such as are in darknesse and see no light inviting them to trust in him though thereappeare to the eye of sense and reason nothing but darknesse Here make
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
far to our selves as to stir up this affection in us Another cause may bee a kinde of doublenesse of heart whereby wee would bring two things together that cannot suite We would grieve for sin so far as we thinke it an evidence of a good condition but then because it is an irksome taske and because it cannot be wrought without severing our heart from those sweet delights it is set upon hence we are loath God should take that course to worke griefe which crosseth our disposition The soule must therefore by selfe-deniall be brought to such a degree of sincerity and simplicity as to be willing to give God leave to worke this sorow not to bee sorrowed for by what way hee himselfe pleaseth But here we must remember againe that this selfe-deniall is not of our selves but of God who onely can take us out of our selves and if our hearts were brought to a stoâ—…ping herein to his worke it would stop many a crosse and continue many a blessing which God is forced to take from us that he may worke that griefe in us which he seeth would not otherwise be kindly wrought God giveth some larger spirits and so their sorowes become larger Some upon quicknesse of apprehension and the ready passages betwixt the braine and the heart are quickly moved where the apprehension is deeper and the passages slower there sorow is long in working and long in removing The deepest waters have the stillest motion Iron takes fire more slowly then stubble but then it holds it longer Againe God that searcheth and knows our hearts better then our selves knows when and in what measure it is fit for to grieve He sees it fitter for some dispositions to goe on in a constant griefe We must give that honour to the wisdome of the great Physitian of soules to know best how to mingle and minister his potions And we must not bee so unkinde to take it ill at Gods hands when he out of gentlenesse and forhearance ministers not to us that churâ—…sh Physick hee doth to others but cheerefully embrace any potion that he thinkes fit to give us Some holy men have desired to see their sinne in the most ugly colours and God hath heard them in their requests But yet his hand was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their very graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers For a conclusion then of this point If wee grieve that we cannot grieve and so far as it is sinne make it our griefe then put it amongst the rest of our sinnes which we beg pardon of and helpe against and let it not hinder us from going to Christ but drive us to him For herein lyes the danger of this temptation that those who complaine in this kinde thinke it should be presumption to goe to Christ when as he especially calleth the weary and heavy laden sinner to come unto him and therefore such 〈◊〉 are sensible that they are not senâ—… enough of their sin must know though want of feeling be quite opposite to the life of Grace yet sensiblenes of the want of feeling shews some degree of the life of Grace The safest way in this case is from that life and light that God hath wrought in oâ—… soules to see and feele this want of feeling to cast our selves and this our indisposition upon the pardoning and healing mercy of God in Christ. We speake onely of those that are so farre displeased with themselves for their ill temper as they doe not favour themselves in it but are willing to yeeld to Gods way in redressing it and doe not crosse the Spirit moving them thus with David to check themselves and to trust in God Otherwise an unfeeling and carelesse state of Spirit will breed a secret shame of going to God for removing of that wee are not hearty in labouring against so farre as our conscience tells us we are enabled The most constant state the soule can bee in in regard of sin is upon judgement to condemne it upon right â—…nds and to resolve against it Thereupon Repentance is called an afâ—…isdome and change of the minde And â—…s disposition is in Gods children at 〈◊〉 times And for affections love of that â—…ich is good and hatred of that which 〈◊〉 evill these likewise have a setled â—…tinuance in the soule But griefe 〈◊〉 sorow rise and fall as fresh occasions â—…re offered and are more lively stirred 〈◊〉 upon some lively representation to 〈◊〉 soule of some hurt wee receive by â—…e and wrong wee doe to God in it â—…e reason hereof is because till the â—…e be separated from the body these â—…ctions have more communion with 〈◊〉 body and therefore they cary more â—…ward expressions then dislike or â—…omination in the minde doth We 〈◊〉 to judge of our selves more by that â—…ich is constant then by that which is â—…ing and flowing But what is the reason that the affectiâ—…s doe not alwayes follow the judgement 〈◊〉 the choise or refusall of the will Our soule being a finite substance is caried with strength but one way at one time 2. Sometime God calls us to joy as well as to grieve and then no wonder if griefe be somewhat to seeke 3. Sometimes when God calleth â—…o griefe and the judgement and will goeth along with God Yet the heart is not alwayes ready because it may bee it hath runne out so farre that it cannot presently be called in againe 4. Or the spirits which are the instruments of the soule may be so wasted that they cannot hold out to feed a strong griefe in which case the conscience must rest in our setled judgement and hatred of ill which is the surest and never-failing Character of a good soule 5. Oft times God in mercy takes us off from griefe and sorow by refreshing occasions because sorow and griefe are affections very much afflicting both of body and soule When is godly sorrow in that degreâ—… wherein the soule may stay it selfe from uncomfortable thoughts about its condition 〈◊〉 Ans. 1. When we finde strength against that sin â—…ich formerly we fell into and ability to â—…e in a contrary way for this answers Gods end in griefe one of which is a prevention from falling for the time 〈◊〉 come For God hath that affection 〈◊〉 him which hee puts into Parents â—…hich is by smart to prevent their childrens boldnesse of offending for the time to come 2. When that which is wanting in griâ—…fe is made up in feare Here there is 〈◊〉 great cause of complaint of the â—…nt of griefe for this holy affection is 〈◊〉 â—…band of the soule whereby it is â—…pt from starting from God and his â—…yes 3. When after griefe wee finde in â—…rd peace for true griefe being Gods â—…orke in us hee knowes best how
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
his â—…dience Ionas his prayer was minâ—…d with a great deale of passion and â—…perfection yet God could discerne â—…ething of his owne in it and pitty 〈◊〉 pardon the rest CHAP. XXIV â—…utward troubles disquieting the spirit and comforts in them AS for the outward evills that we meet withall in this life they are either 〈◊〉 1. As deprive us of the comforts our â—…e is supported withall or else 2. they â—…g such misery upon our nature or condiâ—…n that hinders our well-being in this â—…d For the first Trust in God and take â—…t of his al-sufficiency whatsoever we â—…t Sure we are by his promise that â—…e shall want nothing that is good â—…hat he takes away one way hee can â—…e another what he takes away in one hand he can give in another whaâ—… he with-holds one way he can supply in a better Whatsoever comfort wee have in goods friends health or any other blessings it is all conveyed by him who still remaines though these be taken from us And wee have him bound in many promises for all that is needfull for us We may sue him upon his owne bond can we thinke that he who will give us a Kingdome will faâ—… us in necessary provision to bring us thither who himselfe is our portion As for those miseries which our weake nature is subject to they are all under Christ they come and goe at his command they are his messengers sent for our good and called back again when they have done what they came for Therefore looke not so much upon them as to him for strength and comfort in them mitigation of them and grace to profit by them To strengthen our faith the more in God he calleth himselfe a Buckler for defence from ill and an exceeding great reward for a supply of all good A sunne for the one and a shield for the other â—…st him then with health wealth â—…od name all that thou hast It is not â—…an to take away that from us which â—…d will give us and keepe for us It â—…ot in mans power to make others â—…ceive what they please of us Among crosses this is that which â—…quieteth not the minde least to bee â—…ceived in matter of trust when as if â—…e had not trusted wee had not beene deceived The very feare of being disâ—…pointed made David in his hast â—…ke all men were lyars But as it is a â—…pe crosse so nothing will drive us â—…er unto God who never faileth his Friends often prove as the reed of Eâ—…t as a broken staffe and as a deceitfull â—…ke that failes the weary passenger 〈◊〉 Summer time when there is most â—…ed of refreshing and it is the unhapâ—…esse of men otherwise happy in the â—…rld that during their prosperous â—…dition they know not who be their â—…nds for when their condition deâ—…es it plainly appeares that many â—…e friends of their estates and not of their persons But when men will know us least God will know us most he knowes our soules in adversity and knowes them so as to support and comfort them and that from the spring head of comfort whereby the sweetest comforts are fetcht What God conveyed before by friends that he doth now instill immediately from himselfe The immediate comforts are the strongest comforts Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples that they would leave him alone yet saith he I am not alone but the Father is with me At S. Pauls first appealing all forsooke him but the Lord stood by him Hee wants no company that hath Christ for his companion I looked for some to take pitty saith David but there was none This unfaithfulnesse of man is a foile to set out Gods truth who is never neerer then when trouble is neerest There is not so much as a shadow of change in him or his love It is just with God when we lay too much weight of confidence upon any creature to let us have the greater falâ—… Man may faile us and yet bee a good man but God cannot faile us and bee God because he is truth it selfe Shall God be so true to us and shall not wee be true to him and his truth The like may be said in the departure of our friends Our life is oft too much in the life of others which God takes unkindly How many friends have we in him alone who rather then we shall want friends can make our enemies our friends A true beleever â—…to Christ as his Mother Brother and Sister because he caries that affection â—…o them as if they were Mother Brother and Sister to him indeed As Christ makes us all to him so should we make him all in all to our selves If all comforts in the world were dead we have them still in the living Lord. Sicknesses are harbingers of death and in the apprehension of many they bee the greatest troubles and tame great spirits that nothing else could â—…me herein wee are more to deale with God then with men which is one comfort sicknesse yeeldeth above other troubles It is better to bee troubled with the distempers of our owne bodies then with the distempers of other mens soules In which wee have not onely to deale with men but with the devill himselfe that ruleth in the humours of men The example of Asa teaches us in this case not to lay too much trust upon the Physitian but with Hezekich first looke up to God and then use the meanes If God will give us a quietus est and take us off from businesse by sicknesse then we have a time of serving God by patient subjection to his will If he meanes to use our service any further hee will restore our health and strength to doe that worke he sets us about Health is at his command and sicknesse stayes at his rebuke In the meane the time of sicknesse is a time of purging from that defilement wee gathered in our health till wee come purer out which should move us the rather willingly to abide Gods time Blessed is that sicknesse that proves the health of the soule Wee are best for the most part when wee are weakest Then it appeares what good proficiâ—…s we have been in time of health Carnall men are oft led along by â—…lse hopes suggested by others and cherished by themselves that they shal â—…ye still and doe well till death comes and cuts off their vaine confidence and their life both at once before ever they are acquainted what it is to trust in God aright in the use of meanes Wee should labour to learne of S. Paul in desperate cases to receive the sentence of â—…h and not to trust in our selves but in God that raiseth the dead Hee that raiseth our dead bodies out of the â—…ave can raise our diseased bodies out of the bed of sicknesse if he hath a pleaâ—…e to serve himselfe by us In all kinde of troubles it is not the ingredients
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
These be the â—…vours I waite for at thy hand O visite 〈◊〉 with the salvation of thy chosen O remember mee with the favour of thy people that I may see the good of thy â—…sen Whilest the soule is thus exerciâ—…d more sweetnesse falls upon the will 〈◊〉 affections whereby they are drawne â—…ll neerer unto God The soule is in a â—…ting and a thriving condition For â—…d delights to shew himselfe gracious 〈◊〉 those that strive to be well perswaâ—…d of him concerning his readinesse 〈◊〉 shew mercy to all that look towards 〈◊〉 in Christ. In worldly things how 〈◊〉 wee cherish hopes upon little â—…ounds if there shineth never so little â—…pe of gaine or preforment wee make â—…er it Why then should we forsake â—…owne mercy which God offers to be our owne if we will embrace it having such certain grounds for our hope to rest on It was the policie of the servants of Benhadad to watch if any word of comfort fell from the King of Israel and when hee named Benhadad his brother they catched presently at that and cheered themselves Faith hath a catching quality at whatsoever is neere to lay hold on Like the branches of the vine it windeth about that which is next and stayes it selfe upon it spreading further and further still If nature taught Benhadads servants to lay hold upon any word of comfort that fell from the mouth of a cruell King Shall not grace teach Gods children to lye in wait for any token that hee shall shew for good to them How should we stretch forth the armes of our faith to him that stretcheth out his armes all the day long to a rebellious people God will never shut his bosome against those that in an humble obedience flye unto him wee cannot conceive too graciously of God Can wee have a fairer offer then for God in Christ to make over himselfe â—…to us which is more then if hee should make over a thousand worlds Therefore our chiefe care should bee first by faith to make this good and â—…hen to make it usefull unto us by liâ—…ing upon it as our chiefest portion which wee shall doe 1. By proving God to be our God in particular 2. By improving of it in all the passages of our lives CHAP. XXXI Meanes of proving and evidencing to our soules that God is our God NOw we prove it to our soules that God is ours when we take him at his offer when wee bring nothing but a sense of our owne emptinesse with us and a good conceit of his faithfulnesse and ability to doe us good when we answer God in the particular passages of salvation which we cannot doe till â—…e begins first unto us Therefore if â—…e be Gods it is a certaine signe that God is ours If we chuse him wee may conclude he hath chosen us first If wee love him we may know that he hath loved us first If we apprehend him it is because he hath apprehended us first Whatsoever affection we shew to God it is but a reflection of his first to us If cold and dark bodies have light and heat in them it is because the Sun hath shined upon them first Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ said Mary to her If we say to God I am thine it is because he hath first said unto us thou art mine after which the voice of the faithfull soule is I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine We may know Gods minde to us in heaven by the returne of our hearts upwards againe to him Onely as the reflected beames are weaker then the direct so our affections in their returne to God are farre weaker then his love falling upon us God will be to us whatsoever wee make him by our faith to be when by grace we answer his condition of trusting then he becomes ours to use for our good 2. Wee may know God to be 〈◊〉 God when wee pitch and plant all our happinesse in him when the desires of our soules are towards him and wee place all our contentment in him As this word my is a terme of appropriatiâ—… springing from a speciall faith so it is a word of love and peculiar affection shewing that the soule doth repose and rest it selfe quietly and securely upon God Thus David proves God to bee his God by early seeking of him by thirsting and longing after his presence and that upon good reason because Gods loving kindnesse was better to him then life This he knew would satisfie his soule as â—…ith marrow and fatnesse So S. Paul proved Christ to be his Lord by accounting all things else as dung and drosse in â—…parison of him Then we make God our God and set a Crowne of Majesty upon his head when we set up a Throne for him in our hearts where selfe-love before had set up the creature above him when the heart is so unloosed from the world that it is ready to part with any thing for Gods sake giving him now the supremacy in our hearts and bringing downe every high thought in captivity to him making him our trust our love our joy our delight our feare our all and whatsoever we esteem or affect else to esteem and affect it under him in him and for him When we cleave to him above all depending upon him as our chiefe good and contenting our selves in him as all-sufficient to give our soules fit and full satisfaction When we resigne up our selves to his gracious government to doe and suffer what he will offering our selves and all our spirituall services as sacrifices to him When faith brings God into the soule as ours we not onely love him but love him dearely making it appeare that when wee are at good tearmes with God we are at a point for other things How many are there that will adventure the losse of the love of God for a thing of nothing and redeeme the favour of men with the losse of Gods Certaine it is whatsoever we esteeme or affect most that whatsoever it be in it selfe yet we make it our God The best of us all may take shame to our selves herein in that we doe not give God his due place in us but set up some Idoll or other in our hearts above him When the soule can without hypocrisie say My God it ingageth us to universall and unlimited obedience we shall be ambitious of doing that which may be acceptable and well pleasing to him and therefore this is prefixed as a ground before the Commandements enforcing obedience I am the Lord thy God therefore thou shalt have no other Gods before me whomsoever else wee they it must be in the Lord because wee see a beam of Gods authority in them and it is no prejudice to any inferiour authority to preferre Gods authority before it in case of difference one from the other When we know we are a peculiar people wee cannot but bee Zealous of good
a grace wherâ—…y the soule resigneth up it self to God â—…n humble submission to his will because he is our God as David in extremity comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Patience breeds comfort because it brings experience with it of Gods owâ—…ing of us to be His. The soul shod and â—…enced with this is prepared against all â—…bs and thornes in our way so as wee â—…e kept from taking offence All troubles we suffer doe but help patience to its perfect worke by subduing the unbroken sturdinesse of our spirits when wee feele by experience wee get but more blowes by standing out against God 4. The Spirit of God likewise is a spirit of meeknesse whereby though the â—…ul be sensible of evill yet it modeâ—…tes such distempers as would otherwise rob a man of himselfe and together with patience keepeth the soul in possession of it selfe It stayes murmurings and frettings against God or man It sets and keepes the soul in tune It is that which God as hee workes so hee much delights in and sets a price upon it as the chiefe ornament of the soul. The meek of the earth seek God and are hid in the day of his wrath whereas high spirits that compasse themselves with pride as with a chain thinking to set out themselves by that which is their shame are looked upon by God a farre off Meek persons will bow when others break they are raised when others are pluckt down and stand when others that mount upon the wings of vanity fall these prevaile by yeelding and are Lords of themselves and other things else more then other unquiet spirited men the blessings of heaven and earth attend on these 5. So likewise contentednesse with our estate is needfull for a waiting condition and this we have in Our God being able to give the soul full satisfaction For outward things God knowes â—…ow to dyet us If our condition be not 〈◊〉 our minde he will bring our minde 〈◊〉 our condition If the spirit bee too â—…gge for the condition it is never quiâ—… therefore God will levell both Those wants be well supplyed that are made up with contentednesse and with â—…hes of a higher kinde If the Lordâ—…e â—…e our Shepheard we can want nothing This lifteth the weary hands and feeble â—…ees even under chastisement wherein though the soule mourneth in the sence of Gods displeasure yet it rejoyceth in his Fatherly care 6. But patience and contentment are â—…o low a condition for the soul to rest 〈◊〉 therefore the spirit of God raiseth it vp to a spirituall enlargement of joy So much joy so much light and so much hight so much scattering of darknesse of â—…pirit We see in nature how a little light will prevaile over the thickest clouds of darknesse a little fire wastes a great â—…eale of drosse The knowledge of God to be our God brings such a light of joy into the soul as driveth outâ—… dark uncomfortable conceits this light makes lightsome If the light of knowledge alone makes bold much more the light of joy arising from our communion and interest in God How can wee enjoy God and not joy in him A soule truely cheerefull rejoyceth that God whom it loveth should think it worthy to endure any thing for him This joy often ariseth to a spirit of glory even in matter of outward abasement if the trouble accompanyed with disgrace continue the spirit of glory rests upon us and it will rest so long untill it make us more then Conquerours even then when we seeme conquered for not onely the cause but the spirit riseth higher the more the enemies labour to keepe it under as we see in Stephen With this joy goeth a spirit of courage and confidence What can daunt that soule which in the greatest troubles hath made the great God to be its owne Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all opposite power setting the soule above the world having a spirit larger and higher then the world and seeing all but God beneath it as being in heaven already in its head After Moses and Micah had seene God in his favour to them how little did they regard the angry countenances of those mighty Princes that were in their times the terrours of the world The courage of a Christian is not onely against sensible danger and of flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers of darknesse against the whole kingdome of Sathan the god of the world whom hee knowes shortly shall be trodden under his feet Sathan and his may for a time exercise us but they cannot hurt us True beleevers are so many Kings and Queens so many Conquerours over that which others are slaves to they can overcome themselves in revenge they can despise those things that the world admires and see an excellency in that which the world sets light by they can set upon spirituall duties which the world cannot tell how to goe about and endure that which others tremble to think of and that upon wise reasons and a sound foundation they can put off themselves and be content to be nothing so their God may appeare the greater and dare undertake and undergoe any thing for the glory of their God This courage of Christians among the Heathens was counted obstinacy but they knew not the power of the spirit of Christ in his which is ever strongest when they are weakest in themselves they knew not the privy armour of proofe that Christians had about their hearts and thereupon counted their courage to be obstinacy Some think the Martyrs were too prodigall of their bloud and that they might have beene better advised but such are unacquainted with the force of the love of God kindled in the heart of his childe which makes him set such a high price upon Christ and his truth that he counts not his life dear unto him He knowes hee is not his owne but hath given up himselfe to Christ and therefore all that is his yea if hee had more lives to give for Christ hee should have them He knowes he shall be no looser by it Hee knowes it is not a losse of his life but an exchange for a better We see the creatures that are under us will be couragious in the eye of their Masters that are of a superiour nature above them and shall not a Christian be couragious in the presence of his great Lord and Master who is present with him about him and in him undoubtedly hee that hath seene God once in the face of Christ dares look the grimmest creature in the face yea death it selfe under any shape The feare of all things flyes before such a soule Onely a Christian is not ashamed of his confidence Why should not a Christian be as bold for his God as others are for the base gods they make to themselves 7. Besides a spirit of courage for establishing the soule is required a spirit of constancie
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
David takes up his rest and so let us Then whatsoever times come wee are sure of a hiding place and Sanctuary FINIS HAB. 3. 17. Although the figge tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat c. yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation PSAL. 91. 1. 2. Hee that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall lodge under the shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortresse My God in him will I trust PSAL. 73. 26. My strength and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever An Alphabeticall Table of chiefe things in the fore-going Treatise A. ACtions of man what are the principles of them Page 221 Admire Gods love 479 Adventure of faith makes a rich returne 490 Affections their conflict one with another 79. How to be ordered 104. In case of Gods dishonour no affection is excessive 106 Affections why they doe not alwayes follow the judgement 377. God most to be affected 498 Appearance of salvation in the countenance whence and why 469 Application of mercy in particular necessary reasons 482. In the wicked it is a lye 485. It is no easie matter to say My God 486. When it is right 495. A shame not to improve it 511 Arguments for faith to come to God 418 Art in bearing of troubles 64 Art in misery to think of matter of joy 429 Assurance of Gods favour what we should doe in the want thereof 441 B Backe faith with strong reasons and arguments 414 Beauty of a well-ordered soule 135 Beauty of Christians works performed in season 428 Bilneyes offence at a Preacher 362 Blasphemy temptations of blasphemy and how checked 350 Breach of inward peace still looke at thy selfe therein 149 Bookes all written to amend the booke of conscience 67 C Casting downe disquiets why 44. Remedies against casting downe 46 Censure not Christians distempered dangerous so to doe 40 Change of nature changeth all 187 Changes must be fore-thought of 128 Caution in fore-casting such changes 120. Direrections for this fore-thinking of troubles 121 Character of a good soule 378 Christ is salvation clothed in mans flesh 465 Christian Calling what is the true ability to it grace not gifts onely 405. Particular Calling directions for it 408 Combats spirituall how discerned from that of common grace and light 83 Comfort in the Churches troubles 411. and 471. Comfort amisse sought in sanctification 28. Yet to have and hold comfort grow up in holinesse 30 Comforters in way of humanity many few in way of Christianity 227. Graces necessary in a good Comforter 230. Method of comforting 231. A sinne not to comfort the afflicted 235. How comfort tendered doth no good miscarriages therein 238 Communion with God to be sought and how Christians have continuall ground of it 429 Communion of friends in watching over one another 2â—…5 In comforting one another 218 Complaine of thy selfe not of God nor others 74 Concupiscence not severely censured by Papists 153 Condition of life none wherein we may not exercise some grace 146 A man can be in no condition wherein God is at a losse and cannot help him 265 Confidence in our selves how chased away 243 Confidence for mercies warranted to us as well as to David or others 431 Conflict of grace and corruption much cast us downe 386. Should make us trust in God the more 387 Conflicts in mans soule kindes and degrees of them 78 Conscience not cleare brings disquietnesse 30 Constancy how it quiets the spirit Consideration the best objects of it 186 Contentment to be framed to our selves and how 123. It is a speciall meanes of quieting the soule Ibid. Continuance of sinne or sinnes of continuance dangerous 359. And how to be dealt withall 360 Corruption how farre curbed or repressed by God 171 Corruptions remaining in an holy heart are naturall they would not be controlled 150 And what followes 157 Courage a meanes to stablish the soule Court of conscience in man 51. Why wee are so backward to keepe this Court 57 D Deale with thy selfe in all afflictions to get quietnesse 115 Death comfort in the houre of it 402. In the estate after death 403 Delay not the praising of God 446 Defects in life rise from defects in trust 333 There is a supply for all our defects 391 Deordination of nature to be lookt upon and how 166. Most needfull so to doe 168 Deniall of our selves necessary wherein 140. Notes of it 142 Desertion then Christ should be put betweene God and us 509 Despaire of mercy no cause of it 565 Desperation may be where is onely a generall apprehension of mercy 483 Difference betweene a carnall Christian and another 437 Discouragement in affliction incident to Gods owne people 11. Causes hereof in our selves privative 21. Positive 23. Wee are apt to cast downe our selves 41. Reasons against discouragement the hurt that comes by it 46. It crosseth our owne principles 54. In case of discouragement we should not thinke too much on our corruptions 95. A godly man knowes how to carry himselfe in discouragements 78 Disquieted wee may be for that which it is not a sinne to be disquieted for 91 Disquietnesse three notes of that which is not befitting 92 Disquietnesse for sin when it exceeds measure 94 Disquietments proper to the soule beside those of the body 108 Distrust the cause of all disquiet 252 Distempers fall if arraigned before reason 53 Doubting ariseth of Popish doctrine of works 29 Duty more to be thought of then comfort 422 Duties to be don with united forces or spirits 30 E Eloquence of Ambrose converted Austine 196 Election not knowne no hinderance to our trust in God 489 Enemies of the Church comfort against them 412 Envie not their prosperity 474 Estate of a Christian how to be judged 26 Event of things not to be too much forecasted 39 Evidence of faith more constantly upholds the soule then evidence of sight 532 Evill in an holy Christian not to be too much lookt upon 38. Nor evills of the time 39 Evills of sinne 87 Excellencies of God to be branched out for our severall uses 508 Exercise of grace preserves the soule 249 Experiments of God treasured up in the heart would much help faith 529 Experiences to be called to mind 312. And communicated to others 313 Extremities whereinto the godly are suffered to fall and why 310 Evills that are outward how remedied 593 F Faith must own God specially 480. And why 482. It relyes on a double principle 299. Why so requisite in Christians 301. It is stil shaked by the devill and wicked ones 17. It must have price set on it and how this may be 315. 317. In us no seeds of faith as of obedience 332 Fancy to be quickly limited and restrained 189. The proper use of it 193
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
be thought upon in trouble 466. The golden chaine of it 484 Satan and his instruments still casting-down the godly 14 Satans cunning in divers humours of Christians 26. To discourage those whom God encourageth 536 Satans study to unloose the heart from God 335 And to divide betwixt God and us Selfe-deniall requisite to praise God 440 Selfe what in the godly and what in others 110 Signes of a good estate 28 Sicknesse comfort in it 397 Sin ever unreasonable amidst seeming reasons 56 Sinne is the greatest trouble 400. Avoyd not trouble by sinne Ibid. Sinne sweet in committing bitter in the reckoning 353 Side with God in evill times 503 Sight of God not alwayes alike Reasons of it 532 Soliloquies of speciall use 220 Solitarinesse ill for afflicted ones 236. Intolerable to the wicked why 66 Sorrow weakens the heart 44 Sorrow not required for it selfe as sorrow 370. No sorrow can make satisfaction 371. Dangerous to desire it over-much 375. Popery in it Comfortable degree of sorrow for sinne when 378 Soules most constant estate in respect of sinne 577 Soule to be cited and pressed to give accounts 59 Soules excellency in reflecting on it selfe and judging all its issues 68 Soule debased by wicked men 70 Soule should be first set in order 73 Soule needs something beside it selfe to uphold it 110 Soules temper when right 97 Soule though over-borne a while gets free againe 262 Soule if gracious most sensible of the want of spirituall meanes 6. Knowes when it is well with it when ill 7 Superstition the force of it 182 Symmetrie of soule most lovely 137 T Temptation divine what it is 13 Thanks then best when it tends to praising 447 Thanks should be large 448 Thankfulnesse never without some taste of mercie 453. It is a speciall help in an afflicted condition 453. Excellent use of it 462 Thoughts to be set in order every morning 202. Are not free 203. Danger of that opinion 208 Thoughts of praise should be precious to us 430 Titles empty titles of goodnesse bring but empty comfort at last 523 Our Title in God to be maintained against all cavills 530 Trade of conversing with God the richest in the world 443 Triall of trust whether it be right 337 Troubles outward appointed to help the soule inwardly 68 Trouble inward three-fold miscarriage of it 92 Trust is the meanes to bring God and the soule together 264. To settle trust know the minde as well as the nature of God 295. Trust must answer the truth of God 300. Directions about trusting 303. Whether we may trust to friends riches or helps 318. A sinne so to doe 323 Trust it selfe not to be trusted in 326 Trusting should follow Gods order of promising 330 Tryall of our selves exceeding necessary 127 V Victory over our selves signes of it 142. How it may be obtained 147 Vniformity necessary in the lives of Christians 139 Vnthankfulnesse to God most sinfull 445. Detestable to God and man 455 Vnworthinesse may not keepe from God 489 There is a sanctified use of all troubles to Gods children 250 W. Wayting on God a necessary duty 435. What it is to wayte 437. Be ever in a wayting condition 529 Wayting difficult Helps to wait on God Will of man hath a soveraignty 162 Will of the godly conformable to Gods will 421 Worldly good hath some evill and worldly evill hath some good 132 Y. Yet not in hell not at worst a mercie and undeserved 425 Youth to be curbed quickly 61 FINIS John 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4. 〈◊〉 Ps. 95. ult Deu 28. 65 Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulceÌ„ fecit Judg. 7. 10. 2 Pet. 10. Heb. 7. 2. Praemium ante praemium Hoâ—…it in Gen. Respondit divinas consolationes Martyrum se sensisse Robur hostium apud Deum Ego miserrimas curas quibus te consumiscribis vehementer odi Quod sic regnat in corde tuo non est magnitudo causae sed ma gnitudo in credulitatis nostrae Si causa salsa est revocemus Si vera cur facimus illum tantis promissis mendacem I uctaâ—… contra teipsum maximum hostem 2 Cor. 1. ult 1. verse 1. 2. verse 2. Quest. Answ. verse 3. verse 4. verse 7. verse 8. Vers. 10 Obser. 1. Obser. 2. Reason Acrius urgent quae necessitatis sunt quam quae spectant ad voluptutem Obser. 3. Parts 1. 2. 1. 2. Obser. 1. 1. Christ the Head was a man of many sorrowes 2. The Church hath beene and is full of sorows 3. The members of the Church have been and are ful of crosses Acts 14. 22. Vse Obser. 2. Reas. 1. 2. 3. Outward causes of disconragement 1. God himselfe A divine temptation what Mat. 27. 46 2. In regard of Satan who is all for casting downe The devill envies our happinesse first and last 3. Satans instruments who are al for casting dovvne Psa. 35. 13. Psal. 39. 1. verse 3. Mat. 4. This was preached in the beginning of the troubles of the Church Gen. 22. 14. Quest. Vers. 10 A murther of the tongue 1 Iudg. 24. Iudges 7. 4. Discouragement comes from our selves Simile 5. A deluded fancy causes disquietnesse 2. Causes privative of discouragement in our selves 1. Ignorance in the understanding 2. Forgetfulnesse causeth discouragement 3. Not duely prizing of comforts Iob 15. 11 4. A childish peevishnes Gen. 16. 1 Kings Ionah 4. 9. Ier 31. 15. 5. False reasoning erroneous discourse A double cunning of Satan according to the humour of his patients 6. A fals method and order in judging of our estates 2 Pet. 1. Mat. 13. 20 Eph. 1. 13. 1 Iohn 4. 19. 1 Iohn 4. 20. Comfort sought in sanctification Phillip 3. Psal. 24. 3. Rom. 8. 39 To have and maintaine true comfort we must grow up holinesse 8. Want of a cleare conscience raises tumults in the soule Psal. 51. Gal. 6. 16. Ignorance of our Christian liberty Danger of abusing Christian liberty 10. Want of imployment 11. Omission of offices and duties of love Rom. 13 8 12. Want of resolution in good things 1 Kings 18. 21. Iames 1. 6. When meÌ„ lay up too much comfort in outward things Prov. 30. Mich. 2. 10 Psal. 39. 2. Too much relying upon the opinions of others Sic leve sic parvum est animum quod laudis avarum subruit aut reficit Job 1 Sam. 1. 14. 3. Too much looking and poring on evils in our selves abroad Philip. 4. 4 Vse 1. Vse 2. Obser. 1. Joh. 14. 1. Vse Obser. 2. Luk 18. 13 Reason How sorrow doth weaken the soule 1. 2. Eccles. 4. 10 Vse How to prevent casting downe Pro. 12. 25. Matt. 11. Obser. 1. Reason Remedies against casting downe disquieting Reasons against discouragement 1. It indisposes to all good duties 1. Thess. 5. 2. It Wrongs God making us thinke amisse of him 3. It makes a manforget former blessings c. 4. It makes us unfit to receive good Iames 1. 21. 5. It hinders beginners comming into Gods wayes 1 Pet. 3. Mat.
her head again Now is the time to follow God with prayers that hee would perfect his owne worke and plead his owne cause that he would be revenged not onely of ours but his enemies that he would wholly free his Church from that miserable bondage These beginnings give our faith some â—…old to be encouraged to goe to God for the fulfilling of his gracious promise that the Church may rejoyce in the salvation of the Lord. God doth but look for some to seek unto him Christ doth but stay untill hee is awaked by our prayers But it is to be feared that God hath not yet perfected his worke in Zion The Church is not yet fully prepared for a full and glorious deliverance If God had once his ends in the humiliation of the Church for sinnes past with resolution of reformation for the time to come then this age perhaps might see the salvation of the Lord which the generations to come shall be witnesse of wee should see Zion in her perfect beauty The generations of those that came out of Egypt saw and enjoyed the pleasant land which their progenitors were shut out of who by reason of their murmuring and looking back to Egypt and forgetfulnesse of the wonders which God had done for and before them perished in the wildernesse There is little cause therefore of envying the present flourishing of the enemies of the Church and of joyning and colluding with them for it will prove the wisest resolution to resolve to fall and rise with the Church of Christ considering the enemies themselves shall say God hath done great things for them Kings shall lay their Crowns at Christs feet and bring all their glory to the Church And for every Christian this may be a comfort that though their light for a time may be eclipsed yet it shall break forth David at this time was accounted 〈◊〉 enemie of the State had a world of false imputations laid upon him which hee was very sensible of yet wee see here he knew at length God would bee the salvation of his countenance But some as Gideon may object if 〈◊〉 intend to be so gracious why is it thus with us The answer is Salvation is Gods own worke humbling and casting downe is his strange worke whereby he comes to his owne worke For when hee intends to save he will seeme to destroy first and when hee will justifie he will condemne first whom hee will revive hee will kill first Grace and goodnesse countenanced by God have a native â—…red Majesty in them which maketh â—…e face to shine and borroweth not its lustre from without which God at length will have to appeare in its owne likenesse howsoever malice may cast a vaile thereon and disguise it for a time And though wickednesse as it is base borne and a child of darknesse may shelter it selfe under authority a while yet it shall hide it selfe and runne into corners The comfort of comforts is that at that great day the day of all dayes that day of the Revelation of the righteous Iudgement of God the rightous shall then shine as the Sunne in the firmament then Christ will come to be glorious in his Saints and will be the salvation of the countenance of all 〈◊〉 Then all the workes of darknesse shall be driven out of countenance and adjudged to the place from whence they came In the meane time let us with David support our selves with the hopes of these times CHAP. XXX Of God our God and of particular application MY God These words imply a speciall interest that the holy man had in God as his God being the ground of all which was said before both of the duty of trusting and of praising and of the salvation that hee expected from God He is my God therefore be not disquiâ—…d but trust him He is my God therefore hee will give mee matter to praise him and will be the salvation of my countenance God hath some speciall ones in the world to whom he doth as it were â—…e over himselfe and whose God he 〈◊〉 by vertue of a more speciall covenant whence we have these excellent expressions I will be your God and you shall be my people I will be your Father and you shall be my sonnes and daughters Since the fall wee having lost our communion with God the chiefe good our happinesse stands in recovering againe fellowship with him For this end wee were created and for this redeemed and for effecting of this the Word and Sacraments are sanctified to us yea and for this end God himselfe out of the bowels of his compassion vouchsafed to enter into a gracious covenant with us founded upon Jesus Christ and his satisfaction to divine justice so that by Faith wee become one with him and receive him as offered of his Father to be all in all to us Hence it is that CHRIST hath his name Immanuel God with us Not onely because hee is God and man too both natures meeting in one person but because being God in our nature he hath undertooke this office to bring God and us together The maine end of Christs comming and suffering was to reconcile and to gather together in one and as Peter expresseth it to bring man againe to God Immanuel is the bond of this happy agreement and appeares for ever in heaven to make it good As the comfort hereof is great so the foundation of it is sure and everlasting God will be our God so long as he is Christs God and because hee is Christs God Thus the Father of the faithfull and all other holy men before Christ apprehended God to be their God in the Messias to come Christ was the ground of their interest Hee was yesterday to them as well as to day to us Hence it is that God is called the portion of his people and they his jewels he their onely rock and strong Tower and they his peculiar ones Well may we wonder that the great God should stoope so low to enter into such a covenant of grace and peace founded upon such a Mediator with such utter enemies base creatures sinfull dust and ashes as we are This is the wonderment of Angels a torment of devils and glory of our nature and persons and will be matter of admiration and praising God unto us for all eternity As God offereth himselfe to be ours in Christ else durst we lay no claime to him so there must be in us an appropriating grace of faith to lay hold of this offer David saith here My God But by what spirit by a spirit of faith which looking to Gods offer maketh it his owne whatsoever it layes hold of God offereth himselfe in covenant and Faith catcheth hold thereon presently With a gracious offer of God there goeth a gracious touch of his spirit to the soule giving it sight and strength whereby being ayded by the same spirit it layeth