him the Head to the skirts of his clothing to the meanest of the faithful Which oil of grace as it heals our wounds so it cleanseth our natures and consecrates our persons thereby evidencing in a conformity to Christ in holiness that we have a communion with him in his fulness 2. How may we best confirm this our communion with him Quest 2 Answ We confirm our communion with Christ Answ by strengthening our faith in him For that faith it is by which as Christ exhibits and communicates himself unto us so do we in a reciprocal act adhere and wholly give up ourselves unto him so that the stronger is our faith the firmer is our union and by how much our union is more firm by so much is our communion the more full This this is that which gives faith its excellency as it is in other graces Theological and Moral even its object and its act its object Christ in the price he gives for satisfaction to Gods justice the purchase he makes of salvation to his chosen and the promises he tenders for application of both All which though secondarily indeed they are the objects of love and hope yet primarily and in a precedencie the objects of faith Those Officers are in highest honor who are nearest to the Kings person and thus is Faith a chief grace in dignity as being nearest in place to the person of Christ And as thus Faith hath its excellency from its object so from its act Rom. 3.25 and 5.1 whose peculiar office it is to be the instrument of justification and salvation in an applicatory act conveying the righteousness and life of Christ to the soul and person of the Believer Faith then it is which unites us unto Christ and gives us possession of him Eph. 3.17 who is therefore said to dwell in our hearts by faith Wherefore if we would confirm our communion we must strengthen our faith and how is this but by a frequent exercise of fervent prayer a devout meditation upon the Gospels promises and a worthy partaking the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist yea all the duties of an holy obedience Thus even thus we confirm our communion with Christ in his fulness as our Head Applicat 1. By way of Expostulation the more forcibly to woe and win the soul to Christ Were it so O man that thou didst now possess all secular contentments in the greatest confluence of this Worlds fulness whether it be for riches honor pleasures or whatsoever worldly men and carnal minds count most precious yet how far are all these from sustaining the soul against the fears of an approaching death the terrors of an accusing guilt and the horrors of a future Judgment all which the truly penitent and faithful soul can happily calm and silence by vertue of that communion he hath in the righteousness and life of Christ The creature then is insufficient to make man happy seeing it is full of vanity and man is insufficient to make himself happy seeing he is full of sin Needs therefore must he be involved in an eternal guilt and misery unless Christ the Fountain of grace and happiness uniting us to himself by his Spirit doth give us a communion with him in his fulness And now O man that thou mayst be united to him and obtain a communion with him hear what is the command of thy God 1 Joh. 3.23 it is even this that thou believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ yea hear Christ himself in the Ministry of his Word lovingly inviting thee with a Come unto me Yet further he hath made the Ministry of his Word to be an embassage of peace in which he not only lovingly invites but more graciously intreats 2 Cor. 5.20 so says the Apostle As though God did intreat you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God And if now O man neither the command of thy God will awe thee nor the invitation of Christ move thee nor yet his intreaties prevail upon thee hear at last his pathetical expostulation by his Prophet Ezek. 18.30 31 32. if not to thy conversion yet to thy conviction O house of Israel repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God Wherefore turn your selves and live ye In the meditation of which words suppose you heard Beloved this expostulary Dialogue betwixt Christ and the Sinner Thus saith Christ See see O man I who am thy Judge proffer my self thine Advocate I against whom thou hast sinned proffer my self thy Saviour and therefore why wilt thou die The Sinner answers I die because the Law the Minister of death condemns me for my sin Ay but I who have satisfied the Law promise thee absolution upon repentance therefore why wilt thou die I die because I have made a league with hell and a covenant with death and my soul is so fast in fetters and in prison that I cannot come forth Ay but I have vanquish'd and triumph'd over death and hell and offer thee power to break that covenant and dissolve that league and so return and live and therefore yet why wilt thou die I die because I carry about with me a body of sin a law in my members which presseth me forwards into all impieties Ay but I bring thee a regenerating grace to make thee a new heart and a new spirit and therefore yet again why wilt thou die I die because I was of old ordained of God to this condemnation reprobated in his eternal decree Ay but O foolish and perverse soul I give thee my word my oath I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked And therefore search not my Decrees which are secret but see the truth of my Gospel revealed which tells thee that I came into the world to save sinners And therefore whilst I stretch forth mine arms flie not my embraces of love whilst I tender thee my grace resist not my Spirit And if yet thou continue thy rebellion I will not yet withdraw my compassion but shall still bespeak thee and all obstinate sinners in the Ministry of my word saying Why will ye die seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Wherefore turn your selves and live cast away from you all your transgressions and make you new hearts and new spirits so iniquity shall not be your ruine Now then O man be thou drawn from thy self unto Christ by a gracious resignation of a holy faith Cast off O cast off the sollicitations of thy dearest and closest corruptions the strongest temptations of the World and the Flesh and yield O yield up thy will unto Christs scepter captivate thy lusts to
of wickedness and under the most signal judgments of thy displeasure men plead signal testimonies of thine acceptance even in what thy soul hates thy Word condemns and thy wrath pursues § 4. Whilst I see Covenants and Engagements entred with a seeming zeal but broken with open perjurie whilst I see Sacriledge possess yea demolish thy Temples and yet Hypocrisie pretend a propagating thy Gospel whilst I see injustice in the seat of Judgment Profaneness invade Devotion and Violence suppress what is sacred and religious sure these waies of the world are none other then the waies of deceit and lead into the chambers of death But thy waies Prov. 6 27. O Lord are waies of truth and lead in the paths of life wherefore shew me thy waies and teach me thy paths Psal 16.11 § 5. Do thou shew me and do thou teach me While others take upon them to shew me thy waies they teach me to throw off the sacred Order thou hast establishe in thy Church as wicked and antichristian they teach me to desert thy publick Worship as Popery and Superstition yea they teach me Heresie and pretend it is thy Word they teach me Blasphemie and pretend it is saving Doctrine they teach me Schism and pretend it is the Communion of Saints they teach me to prophane thine Ordinances Joh. 4 24. and pretend it is to worship thee in Spirit Wherefore do thou thou Lord shew me do thou teach me as shew me thy waies in thy Word so teach me thy paths by thy Spirit yea lead me in thy truth and teach me make me to learn by practising let the experiences thou givest me of thy sanctifying grace confirm my soul in the sincere profession of thy saving truth § 6. But O my Jesus behold me here another poor Bartimaeus so blind that to shew me thy waies thou must not only point them out but also give me eyes to see Yea I here present my self at thy Table as another impotent Cripple in the Temple Act 3 2â— so that to lead â—e in thy truth thou must not onely go before me but give me feet also to run after thee And that thou my Jesus who art the same yesterday today and for ever wilt now by a miraculous power of thy grace and truth Heb. 13 8. even cure my spiritual lameness and ignorant blindness this is the ground of my hopes thy Promises this is my encouragementâ— thy Sacrament in which Sacrament and Promises thou art exhibited unto my soul as the God of my salvation In thy word thou hast given the promise and in thy Sacrament that promise is sealed that thou wilt save me from the pathes of death and lead me in the way of everlasting life and so faithful art thou who hast promised that safer it is for my soul to be as low as Hell with a promise Heb. 10.23 then to be as high as Heaven without it though as low as hell yet would hope bear me up and though as high as heaven yet would presumption throw me down Jer. 17.5 1 King 13.4 § 7. Thou O God who art my trust art my salvation my trust is not in the arm of flesh that like Jeroboams hand doth suddenly wither my trust is not in humane power or policie that I see by daily experiments Jon. 4 7. proves like Jonas Gourd when the Sun beats hottest when trouble and disâ—â—ess is the the greatest then doth it vanish and come to nothing what then is my trust Truly Lord my trust is even in thee Psa 146.5 6. who hast made heaven and earth whose Wisdom will find out the way and Power effect the means of my salvation notwithstanding all the present difficulties and seeming impossibilities of deliverance § 8. Yea thou O Lord my joy my Jesus thou art the God of my salvation Oh transcendent love Oh rich mercy Oh incomprehensible goodness the God of my salvation Blessed Saviour had the efficacie of thy merits extended no further to the race of mankind then mine own self yet wouldst thou glory and make me rejoyce in being the God of my salvation And Oh firm salvation which is founded upon the Grace Wisdom Power and Faithfulness of my God! in all which attributes my God my Jesus communicates himself unto me in this his Ordinance sealing me the salvation of my God and giving me a communion with the God of my salvation in this holy Sacrament § 9. O how willingly could my soul dwel upon this Mount and build Tabernacles for this contemplation of my Saviours love how do I behold him through faith communicating himself unto me in all his fulness Which fulness is in his Church and in his chosen as the soul is in the body and in the members whole in the whole and whole in every part So that though he gives salvation unto all yet does he communicate himself unto my soul in that fulness of his merits and grace as if I were saved alone And Oh that my soul could imitate my Savior Oh that my heart might return like love in giving my self my whole self unto my Jesus even in that fervor of affection and ravishment of spirit as if I alone were wholly to possess him joying in him and enjoyed by h m as the one and onely God of my salvation § 10. Seeing then thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day so that If I find not present comfort in thy blessed Sacrament yet on thee will I wait the husbandman doth not sow his seed and reap his crop in a day wherefore if thou art pleased to defer thy salvation for the trial of my faith and love yet on thee will I wait in a constant use of those sacred means thou hast ordained and the continued practise of those holy duties thou hast enjoyned and though this be all my daies Oh let not my faith faint seeing I cannot wait too long for the grace I so much desire and which am assured I shall at last obtain Matth â—24 23. seeing he who indures to the end shall be saved § 11. On thee do I wait on thee whose hand of bountie whose bo om of love yea whose bowels of mercy are not onely opened but inlarged to all humble penitents on thee do I wait wait to hear the secret voice of thy Spirit speaking peace unto my conscience wait to feel the reviving vâ—gor of thy grace quickning mine obedience wait to see the subduing power of thy holy Spirit quelling my rebellious sin wait to feel the chearing vertue of thy heavenly comforts refreshing my fainting soul for all these thy blessings O thou God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day All the day being never so satisfied with thy goodness as not more eagerly to long after thy heavenly fuâ—ness wherefore now refresh my faintings quench not my desires but the more freely thou gives let me the more eagerly covet the more
himself delivered from the chains of sin the bondage of Satan the powers of darkness and the flames of hell who in the peace of his conscience can see himself made partaker of the merits of Christs death and the benefits of his intercession can see himself admitted into a covenant of grace with the Lord of life and King of glory received into favor with the God of heaven and earth and so as to be made his child and entituled to the kingdom and the glory of his onely Son Which of us can conceive that has not felt what is the comfort of those thoughts of those meditations in that sweet peace of conscience which the faithful have being reconciled unto God through Christ in the remission of their sins § 20. Let us now joyn together the penitent sinner and the devout Saint in this one exhortation that they approach the Table of the Lord with a secret affliction of soul and that being raised by faith and enlarged by prayer 1 A secret affliction of soul in this consideration that their sins have been the cause of Christs sufferings Luk. 23.21 The Jews cried out of Christ crucifie him crucifie him such was the greatness of their malice that if possible they would have had him twice crucified but yet is not their desire too unhappily fulfilled they crucifying him once with their hands and we even we crucifying him again by our sins Who art thou then that comes to Christ without floods of tears when he comes to thee in streams of blood Who art thou who canst worthily meditate on his wounded body without a wounded soul or view his pierced side without a pierced heart in which our Saviour gives us our true devotion bespeaking us as well as the daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me but for your selves weep not for me or my sufferings Luk. 23.28 in a fruitless compassion but weep for your selves and your sins in an hearty contrition § 21. Thus affected with contrition 2 Let our hearts be raised by faith that so whatsoever is our affliction and pain we may find an healing vertue in the blood of Christ which is this Sacramental administration is none other then Gileads balm to cure Hermons dew to refresh and Aarons ointment to revive all wounded distressed and drooping souls And as we approach this holy Ordinance with hearts raised by faith So 3 Hearts enlarged in prayer and such prayer as by the paths of its devotion may speak the anguish of our affliction as in the sence of our grosser enormities so of our humane infirmities that so for every sinful distemper in us we may receive an healing vertue from Christ and in our prayers for our selves forget we not the afflictions of the Church the calamities of the Nation and seeing our God pursues us with his judgments send we forth legationem lachrymarum in the language of St. Ambrose send we forth an Ambassage of tears to sue for peace And doubt we not but received into the Court of Heaven they shall have their access to the throne of grace and obtain a gracious audience if not for a publick deliverance yet for our particular salvation having our remission of sins and our peace of conscience confirmed unto our souls by his blessed Sacrament as the seal of grace and the pledge of glory to which glory he preserve us by his mercy who hath purchast it by his merits Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen Vers 19. and part of the 20. Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 1. WHat confidence and comfort can there be in pardon of sin when there is not a conscience and care to prevent sin upon humiliation indeed sin forgiven becomes stingless toothless sin the venome and guilt removed but after humiliation sin reacted becomes the most deeply wounding the most closely gnawing sin more wounding then the Serpent more gnawing then the worm Wherefore holy David here having made it his complaint unto God in prayer vers 18. Look upon my affliction and pain and forgive all my sins knowing the number and force eying the multitude and rage of his spiritual enemies his sinful lusts he joyns to that fervent prayer this further petition Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 2. To give the sence of our present interpretation together with the sum of our intended discourse take it in this paraphrase upon the words Consider mine enemies and thine enemies O God are mine thy greatest enemy is sin and my greatest enemies then must be my lusts Oh consider those mine enemies for they are many a whole host warring against my soul they besiege me closely and assault me fiercely they hate and fight against thy good spirit in me and to hate that is to hate me and the good of my soul yea their hate is cruel it is a tyrannous hatred though I never willingly suffer them to rule over me yet too too often they over-rule me Rom. 6.12 Though I never let them command me as a King yet they often compel me as a Tyrant Now Lord whereas many in the daies of trial and of trouble beseech thee to keep their bodies their estates their bodies from imprisonment their estates from spoil to me sin is worse then bonds then beggery yea then death then hell wherefore I beseech thee to keep my soul the salvation of it is dearest of more price then all the world Matth. 16.26 my good name my health my life my friends my estate all may be lost and I safe But oh my soul is my self to cast away it is to cast away me to keep it is to deliver me O then keep my soul and deliver me § 3. Observe in the words two general parts the Subject and the method of Davids prayer The Subject with its description and the method in its gradation 1 The Subject with its description Davids enemies described from the greatness of their number they are many and the violence of their hate it is cruel for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred 2. The Method in its gradation which gradation hath its three steps Consider mine enemies Keep my soul and Deliver me § 4. 1. The Subject with its description Davids enemies described from the greatness of their number they are many consider mine enemies for they are many No man may resolve his sins into any other original then his own lusts as for Satan though it be he that tempts it 's we that act and therefore when we commit any wickedness and sin against God though it be by Satans instigation our tongues may not smite him but our hearts must smite our selves as Davids did in 2 Sam. 24.10 We may not accuse the tempter but our selves who let in the temptation Non diabolus voluntatem delinquendi imponit
sed materiam voluntati subministrat Tert. exhort cast c. 2. for that the Devil cannot impose upon the will a force and necessity but propose to the will an object and opportunity of sinning It is by confederacie with the Traitor in our bosom by conspiracie with our Rebel-lusts that Satan doth seise the Citadel of our hearts and surprise the strongest Fort and tower of our wills § 5 Again as for the World her temptations and allurements they are without us but it is the enemy within that destroys us The causes of corruption and guilt are not in our allurements Causas corruptelarum non in illecebris sed in cordibus habemus Salv. l. de gubern 6. but in our lusts not in the world but in our hearts And therefore We overcome the enemies that are without us by subduing the enemies that are within us even our lusts by whose treachery and violence Satan and the world bear sway in our hearts Eos qui foris nobis oppugnant intus vincimus vincendo concupiscentias per quas nobis dominatur Aug. tom 3. l. de agone Christ c. 2. and send forth their imperial edicts and command the soul A mans enemies then are those of his own house his own heart even his own lusts And of these we may complain with David in the greatness of their number they are many many streams from one fountain many branches from one root many lustful Affections from one original Concupiscence § 6. Which concupiscence is in the Scripture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin that dwelleth in us The sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7.17 in an eminencie of evil as having in it the seed of all sins And therefore the Author of the Book De duplici martyrio attributed to S. Cypr. he gives us the quaint and experienc'd truth that plus est tollere peccatum quà m peccata it is a matter of greater difficulty to mortifie this one sin then to subdue all other sins We may say of original concupiscence strengthened and heightned by customary transgressions its name is Legeon for it is many Hydra-like it is a body with many heads and when we cut off one head one enormous impiety there presently sprouts up another of like monstrous nature like venemous guilt From the womb then it is of original sin and sinful custom as from the belly of the Trojan horse there does issue forth an whole Army of unclean lusts to surround the soul in all its faculties and the body too in all its members § 7. As for the faculties of the soul view we the Understanding and how do we see it surrounded with fleshly wisdom carnal reasonings humane inventions curious enquiries vain imaginations earthly contrivances View we the Conscience and how do we see it surrounded with erroneous principles misguided zeal false accusations and as false excuses groundless fears and a fearless stupidity The like might be said of the Memory and of the Will of the Heart and of the affections But pass we from the Faculties of the Soul to the Members of the Body and in them we see the Eyes surrounded with envy covetousness and adultery the Tongue with deceit revilings blasphemies and corrupt communications the Ears with slanders Heresies and false doctrines the Hands and Feet with theft murder violence and oppressions § 8. Yea from the particular members of the Body pass we to the several conditions of life And in them see how divers lusts not onely attend but pursue us if young intemperance if aged covetousness if rich vain confidence if poor murmurings if ignorant blind zeal if learned vain-glory if honourable pride if mean envy Lastly from our several conditions pass we to our best Imployments and we find how even in holy duties as in Tamar's womb Gen. 38.29 Zarah first thrusts out the hand but Pharez crowds him by and first gets forth the body thus in holy duties how often is it that the Spirit begins the work but the Flesh crowds forth into the action See it in Prayer when the soul quickened in devotion and raised by faith doth take wing and fly aloft in some gracious inlargements even then how doe worldly and carnal thoughts intrude themselves into the Closet of the heart and by their earthly weight pull down the soul from its heavenly height or else how do some suggestions of spiritual pride cast water upon the fire of the Sanctuary quench the heavenly flame the enlarged devotion of the pious soul Again in the attending of the worship of God and the ministry of his Word when the soul becomes affected with the beauty of holiness Psal 29.2 and begins to relish the sweetness of the Gospels promises yea to be inlarged in spiritual desires after a nearer communion with God and Christ in his Ordinances even then how do fleshly lusts oppose their carnal reasonings framing arguments of disswasion and discouragement from worldly interests erroneous principles and prejudicate opinions § 9. Yea in the solemn ministration of the blessed Eucharist when the longings of the the soul are enlarged its fervour of devotion heightned its very joy in communion with Christ encreased even then how do worldly and carnal suggestions or else nice and needless scruples or dark cloudy imaginations how do they too too often damp our faith dead our devotions perplex our thoughts and if possible hinder the gracious fruit and comfortable benefit of the most sacred service and most blessed Ordinance And now if the least atome of sin do spot the soul and the smallest transgressions qualifie for death and hell what shall we do whilst we behold an infinite swarm of corrupt desires an whole Army of lustful affectioâ—s surrounding us in all the faculties of the soul and members of the body in our several conditions and even in our best imployments what shall we do but fly to the Lord for succour even to the Lord of hosts the Captain of our salvation Christ Jesus blessed for ever Heb. 2.10 and cry we unto him as David here does Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 10. 2. The violence of their hate they hate me with a cruel hatred From that Rom. 6.12 we observe that Sin hath the power of a King even to reign over them who cast off Kingly power and from Rom. 7.23 we observe Sin hath the force of a Law to command them who bear down all Law by force they whom no Law of God or man can bind the Law of Sin holds fast the most licentious and lawless are to their lusts the greatest captives and slaves This for the power but see further the violence and rage of Lust when once it steps into the royal chariot of soveraign command how does it Jehu-like drive furiously 2 King 9 20. though it be upon the very precipice of death and hell The wickedness of the ungodly the Prophet
faith and a keeping firm a good conscience is that Integrity and uprightness which shall preserve us preserve us by fixing us upon God in Christ as the Rock of our salvation § 8. A Rock this is so deep that no floods can undermine it so high that no waves can overtop so strong that no storms can shatter it when the Soul is set upon this Rock it views the swelling waves how they some and break themselves but neither hurt nor hazard it and therefore does the Soul raised by faith triumphantly conclude that neither height nor depth neither the height of wicked violence nor the depth of worldly troubles shall separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8.29 Whereas then amidst the worlds changes and worldlings violences the upright man seems likeliest to be lost yet shall his Integrity preserve him For that this Maxim of sure truth Piety is the best Policy shall confound all Machiavels Principles in the end Ps 94 14.15 So fâ—â—m is that sacred word of promise The Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance but Judgment shall return into Righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it § 9. 2 The Argument of faith wherewith David backs his Petition For I wait on thee As preservation is a continued creation so is waiting a continued trusting for what Trust believes by faith it waits for by hope and thus is Trust a Compound of both When we trust in God we look to the Word of promise and in that 1 Joh. 2.25 to the authority of him that speaks the word and this is the act of faith Again we look to the object of the promise and in that to the goodness of the object and this is the act of hope Yea further when we trust in God we rely upon his promise as from him who is the first Truth and this is faith And we wait for the promise Heb. 6 12 15. as from him who is the chief Good and this is hope Now that God oftentimes suspends the blessings we desire it is to try the trust we profess and if our trust be upright it will be constant the reliance of faith and the expectance of hope make our trust perfect so that the same grace which casts our souls upon God to trust in him will sustain our souls to wait till we enjoy him Ps 27.13 14. § 10. The truth of faith the sincerity of our trust and the integrity of our hope is never more evident then when help is deferred for if any unruliness of passion if any corruption of self love if any base interest of a temporal end if any such thing have tainted our trust our faith our hope it will then appear and our shame will accompany our sin the deserting a good cause by reason of great calamities will manifest to the world our hearts were not upright 1 Ioh. 2 19. however our professions seemed zealous Hereby shall it appear then that we truly trust God when we firmly rest in him Disquiet of mind discovers weakness of trust and a distracting fear argues a disturbed faith § 11. If with integrity we trust God we shall in piety and prudence commit our way to him Ps 37 5. we shall wait patiently the success of our faith and the effects of his providence Thus when the three Children had committed themselves to God Dan. 3 16. they are not careful to answer Nebuchadnezar they know their duty and let God work his will Indeed it is grace in act more then in habit in function more then in affection in use more then in stock that does quicken strengthen support and save And therefore the waiting Saint hath a waking soul his graces are not dormant slugg'd with security presumption or sloth no but still exercised in the duties of holy devotion and a sincere obedience in an active vigor of life and strength § 12. As in nature so in grace motion is the preservatâ—ve of purity and the incentive of heat even life it self is the more lively by action God say the Schools is a pure act and every creature hath the greater excellency of being by how much it hath the greater perfection of working Rev. 7.15 Rev. 4.8 the heavenly bodies have their rest in motion and the heavenly Saints their blessedness in operation the more holy the soul is the more heavenly aâ—d the more heavenly the more active It is then in the exercise of grace and duties of obedience that we wait for the accomplishment of Gods promise his promise of deliverance in time of trouble upon which promise David founds his prayer Psal 50.15 and fixeth his faith when he thus bespeaks God saying Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 13. Oh what is the best temper of soul then what the best exercise of grace what the best duties of devotion wâ—en in publick calamities or private distresses we wait for the salv tion of God 1. What the best temper of soul Answ When compos'd to a holy frame of divine patience this resolution we have from our Saviour when he gives the admonition to his chosen amidst the afflictions of his Church that in their patience they possess their souls Luke 21.19 which words compared with the contâ—xâ— admit this Paraphrase As if our Saviour had said though such shall be the persecution of my Church that men rob you of your goods by oppression rob you of your liberty by imprisonment rob you of your lives by cruelty yet let them not rob you of what is more dear and precious then ten thousand worlds your souls and that by sin through impatience of spirit apostatizing from God But in your patience possess your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess them so as to preserve them preserve them as your best of treasure even in the profession of faith and a good conscience which is still accompanied with peace and rest in the inward man So that the heart of the upright like the center of the earth amidst all the storms tempests and commot ons of the world Psal 112.7 it remains unmoveable from its stedfastness it is still fixed trusting in the Lord. § 14. 2. What the best exercise of grace Answ The exercise of humility of faith and of hope First humility tâ—is that dispels all secret murmurings at the publick order of Gods providence prompting the soul to an acknowledgment of his Justice and an advancement of his Mercy an acknowledgment of his Justice thus Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the Countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee O Lord to
befoâ—e the Divine Tribunal where in the presence of thy God and of his holy Angels do thou delâ—re thy loathing and abhorring of those suggestios together with a disclaiming and renouncing all allowance or willing admittance of them returning them upon Satan as the effects of his malice and fury if hereafter they return upon thy soul in their affrights and terrors 3. Close thy solemn service with this sincere devotion earnestly beseeching God to rebuke Satan and restrain his rage Zech 3.1 and to vouchsafe thy languishing soul his quickening sustaining and restoring Grace and together with this make a total resignation of thy self into the hands of thy Jesus Heb. 13.20 Isa 40.11 1 Pet. 5.8 the great Shepherd of the Flock that he may keep thee as a tender Lamb safe from the paw and teeth of the roaring Lion And here that I may not only point thee thy way but also lead thee by the hand see a Pattern for thy practice a prescrib'd form which thou mayst either use or imitate use in its own words and order of expression or imitate in the like matter and method of devotion O most glorious and most gracious Lord God! who art the Searcher of Hearts the Lover of Souls and the Preserver of Men. Before thee holy Lord before thee so sacred a Majesty I here present my self a polluted oh do thou make me a penitent sinner Polluted I am and loathsom in the filth of mine own corruptions and oh how much more vile and abominable am I through the guilt of that sin which is come upon my soul through Satans suggestions Suggestions so horrid and dreadful that I abhor to set them in mine own sight much more to declare them in thy presence I confess O holy Lord and glorious God! I confess with shame and confusion of face that mine own sin hath betrayed me to Satans buffetings and his suggestions have increased the guilt and horror of my sin Oh my pride and presumption oh my carelesness and curiosity oh my slothfulness and disobedience oh the folly and wickedness of my heart which hath provoked thy wrath and given advantage unto Satan against my soul And oh the murmurings and rep nings oh the diffidence and distrust oh the neglect of thy worship and profaning thy glory oh the deadness and hardness of heart oh the many and great evils of pollution and guilt caused and occasion'd by my foul thoughts all further provoking thy divine wrath and more deeply wounding mine afflicted spirit Woe is me wretched sinner whither oh whither shall I flie for succor unless thou Lord wilt pitty my poor soul must needs perish and oh oh my God! perish from thy presence thy gracious thy glorious presence for ever Wherefore see O thou great and glorious O thou just and righteous Judge Oh see I here prostrate my self at the Bar of thy Justice and lay my mouth in the dust noâ— knowing what to answer thee Oh! oh now that Satan doth accuse me my Conscience witness against me and thy Law condemn me who oh who shall plead for me Oh! wilt not thou blessed Jesus my Surety my Saviour wilt not thou undertake my Cause who art mine Advocate Wilt not thou procure my Pardon who art my Mediator Wilt not thou make mine Attonement who art the High Priest of my salvation O blessed Jesus be now my Jesus and seeing thou art able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by thee oh save me lost creature undone soul without thy merit and thy mediation lost and undone eternally Oh save me unto the utmost of what my Conscience can accuse or Satans malice aggravate And now O holy Lord God! whilst thou beholdest thy wounded Son pitty oh pitty me wretched sinner See him accused by men to free me from the accusations of Satan see him unjustly condemn'd to free me from the just sentence of condemnation see him suffering death to free me from the judgment of eternal death Oh see Lord his pierced side as the Fountain opened and his streams of blood flowing forth unto his Church to wash in from sin and from uncleanness Oh here bathe my polluted soul wash and wash me thorowly that not the least filth of mine own corruptions or Satans suggestions may now cleave unto me or herâ—after appear in Judgment against me Behold in Jesus Christ my Surety my debt is paid thy justice satisfied Oh blot out then the hand-writing of Ordinances that is against me (i.) The sentence of death in the curse of the Law upon sin discharge Satan and in the presence of thine holy Angels pass sentence of Absolution upon me in the free and full pardon of all my sins And oh of a dreadful Judge be thou now Lord a gracious and reconciled Father behold me justified through the blood of thy Son and the righteousness of my Jesus and as thou makest me partaker of the merit of Christs passion to my justification so make me partaker also of the power of his resurrection even to obtain victory and to triumph over sin and Satan and all those powers of darkness which shall rise up to rob me of the riches of thy grace and to deprive me of my right and title to the inheritance of thy Saints in light Now holy Lord and gracious God! as Satan hath accused me so let me cite him before thy sacred Tribunal And here prostrate at the footstool of thy Majesty looking up unto thee in the mediation of Jesus Christ who is at thy right hand and ever lives to make intercession for me even thus Lord I here declare in thy presence and in the presence of thy holy Angels that I utterly renounce all communion with Satan in his sinful suggestions and therefore do humbly implore thy gracious goodness that whensoever Satan shall renew his suggestions they may be return'd upon himself in his malice not fasten upon my soul or be laid to my charge in their guilt And whatsoever shall be Satans rage do thou Lord Jesus rebuke him and keep me by thine almighty power through faith to salvation making thy strength to appear in my weakness thy grace and mercy in mine unworthiness And as thou art pleas'd O Lord God to quench all the fiery darts of Satan so stir up thy graces in me and enflame my soul with an enlarged fervor of holy devotion So sanctifie me throughout with thy Spâ—rit that my desires may be gracious my thoughts heavenly my life religious my serviâ—es sincere and all my duties of thy Woâ—ship acceptable in thy sight And now having renounced all communion with Satan in his suggestions I here make mine humble resignation in thy presence that so I may be safe under the shadow of thy wing and preserved unblameable unto the day of the Lord Jesus O Lord God! Into thy hands I commit my body soul and spirit my thoughts words and works all that I am all that I have desiring wholly to be thine O my
able to save unto the uttermost all those that come unto God by him Let thy Conscience then O dejected Penitent object the hainousness of thy sins and raise them to the greatest height by all aggravating circumstances as being committed against the dictate of reason and the light of knowledge as being reiterated again and again after solemn resolutions and the gracious enlightenings of the Spirit here thou being truly sensible of thy sin mayst not despair of mercy seeing Christ is not only able Heb 2.17 but also willing to save those who come unto God by him Rev. 12.10 even unto the utmost of what their Consciences can accuse or Satans malice aggravate The Rules of Direction 1. Raise thy faith and this by a frequent meditation upon the promises of grace and life By which meditation the soul shall the better suck out the sweetness and digest the nourishment of Gods mercy and truth And because Pattern prevails above Precept take this Instance for thy imitation Suppose thou fixest thine eye and thoughts upon that blessed truth and comfortable Text of S. Paul's This is a faithful saying 1 Tim. 1.15 and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief Upon this let thy soul dwell a while by serious meditation and in these or the like expostulating thoughts let thy faith gather strength and renew its vigor How Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners What was this the very end and purpose of Christs coming in the flesh and suffering on the Cross that he might bring men sinful men to salvation O divine Cordial to an afflicted soul O sweet comfort to a penitent Sinner I am convinc'd the words are gracious but how shall I be assured the saying is true Why it is the Word of God and shall I then distrust its truth Vain heart be not so deceitful it is a faithful saying this a saying as firm as God is holy as true as Truth it self But what right have I I so vile a Wretch to so divine a Truth Why my right lies in Gods mercy which here extends to all That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners it is a saying worthy of all men to be received Of all men sure then in that all I am included my particular is involv'd in this general Ps 78.41 Isa 59.1 for who shall limit the Holy one of Israel Ay but will God have respect to so hainous a sinner Have not my grievous sins made me unworthy of so gracious mercy Jam. 2 13. Yes unworthy but not uncapable It is the glory of Gods mercy to forgive sins the greater then my sins the greater his glory in their forgiveness Though then I be the chief of sinners I will rely upon my God in my Jesus for his chief of mercies and so resolve to apply the truth and comfort of this Evangelical doctrine delivered by the Apostle that this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief Thus in thy greatest dejections endevour to raise thy faith by meditation on the Promises to the greatness of thy sins opposing the riches of Gods mercy to the horror of thy guilt the fulness of Christs merits both unmeasurably infinite and gracious And as the skill of a Physician is the more eminent in curing a dangerous sickness Rom. 5.20 so is the goodness of Gods mercy more glorious in pardoning and the power of his grace more evident in healing hamous sins Bonitas invicta non vincitur infinita misericordia non finitur Gods invincible goodness is not by sin conquered nor his boundless mercy by guilt limited And therefore may he alone despair of pardon who can be more wicked then God is gracious And as for the merit of Christ it is a superabundant merit Though the purity of all the Heavenly Host is not able to wipe off the stain nor their death sufficient to expiate the guilt of the least transgression Joh. 1 29. 1 Joh. 1.7 2.2 yet is the least drop of the blood of the Son of God an expiatory sacrifice for the whole World how much more then shall these his streams of blood be sufficient in their fulness of merit for the most hainous sins of a relapsed Saint There may be then some disease of body which is opprobriū medicorū past the Physicians skil to cure but no wound no distemper of soul can pose or puzzle the mercy of God or merits of Christ to heal We cannot then dishonor Christ more then to distrust his grace and love to undervalue his merits and blood Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 especially he having given so great a testimony of his love by his death and made so firm a Conveyance of the merits of his death in his promises yea and vouchsafed so sure a seal of those promises and of that merit in his Sacraments Be it so then O thou dejected and afflicted soul be it so that thy troubled Conscience does rage as the sea with uncessant accusations be it so that sin and hell besiege thee round with the bitter terrors of everlasting death and that now the waves and surges of temptations swell and overflow thee yet shalt thou not faint not sink not perish 1 Pet. 1.5 whilst the Son of God supports thee through faith in his merits a faith fixt upon the promises of grace and life in which promises thou mayst behold thy sins thy hainous sins thy mountain-sins swallowed up in the Sea of his blood yea thou mayst behold thy guilt thy horrid guilt long since cancell'd on Golgotha Col. 2.14 and expiated by the death of thy Redeemer 2. Renew thy Repentance and this in a deep contrition of heart and sincere humiliation of soul There being no flying from God but by flying to him no flying from his wrath but by flying to his mercy for which we have the comfort and encouragement of a gracious Advocate of a perfect Mediator 1 Joh. 2 1. 1 Tim. 2.5 Christ Jesus blessed for ever This of Contrition and Humiliation is that God calls for from revolting Judah Joel 2.12 and which he requires of all backsliding children even that they turn unto him with all their heart with fasting weeping and mourning Sighs and tears they are the Penitents best oratory for so saith David Ps 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Know then O thou afflicted soul though thy relapses into sin may hide Gods countenance yet upon repentance renewed they shall not banish thee from his presence though they beget a strangeness for a time yet shall they not beget a parting for ever And so however Satan aggravating thy sin may cloud the Joy yet shall he not take away the God of thy salvation Now to further thy raising thy faith and renewing thy repentance look upon the
the publick Ministry of his Word and Sacraments so in the private duties of thy Closet devotions And if thy duties of devotion in prayer and praises be not perfunctory and formal thou shalt find by sweet and gracious experience that they are the food and nourishment of thy soul And therefore as the body when it wants its meals so the soul Psal 36 8. Psal 63.5 when it omits its prayers shall feel an hungring and griping in it self and a good argument it is those devotions afford some solid sustenance when the soul upon the want of them does feel a sensible emptiness Wherefore whatsoever are thy affairs or engagements in the World cherish thy desires and longings after God and Christ in thy soul and when thou hast not the opportunity of retirement and privacie for thy devotions retreat thy thoughts into the secret Closet of thy Heart and let thy Mind so swift of wing as moves further in a moment then the Sun in a day let thy Mind send forth its winged Messengers some heavenly Desires which taking a sudden flight to the Throne of grace Gen. 8.11 shall like Noahs Dove return thee an Olive-branch of peace and comfort into thy bosom Do thou by some secret ejaculatiâ—ns as by some coals from the Altar keep alive thy fervor of holy devotion and zeal of ardent love unto thy God and unto thy Jesus 2. The Grounds of Comfort as to a distrust of the sincerity of Faith in particular 1. Thy not being assured thou dost believe is from the pressing weight of temptation not the total want of faith As it was with S. Peter Mat. 14.31 so is it with the faithful whilst the waters are smooth Peter walks with confidence but when the winds begin to be boisterous and the sea rough he then sinks with fear and in this his fear he cries out Lord save me upon which Christ stretcheth forth his hand holds him up saying Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Thus is it with the Godly whilst they have a Calm within the cheerful light of Gods countenance shining forth upon their souls then they go on willingly and freely in the ways of holiness rejoycing in his love Ps 30.7 But when God hides his face then they are troubled when a tempest of temptation ariseth in their souls then they fear and doubt sink and cry And oh the tender mercies of their compassionating Jesus He is nigh unto them when they call upon him Ps â—45 18 He rebukes Satan stills the tempest revives the soul and returns in the sweet embraces of his love This know then O thou afflicted soul thou mayst have true faith in a firmness of adherence even when thou hast it not in a cleerness of evidence and so mayst truly believe when through the violence of temptation thou canst not for the present evidence to thy self that thou hast faith 2. However thy doubts and fears may dull and damp yet shall they not dead and destroy thy faith It was a large testimony of the Apostles faith when S. Peter as the mouth of the rest did to confidently answer our Saviour with a Lord Mat. 6.68 69. whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Yet in the houre of trouble and of trial see how fear damps their faith in that when Christ was apprehended Mar. 14.50 they all forsook him and fled yet behold their faith recovers its strength and they who fled from the face of a small Band in the Garden Act. 5.27.41 Act. 2 36. dare afterwards stand in the face of an whole â—ouncil in Jerusalem yea and preach him Lord and Christ whom they denied their Lord and Master And now if the strong Pillars of the Church be shaken what shall the weak Reeds do If the glorious Lights of the World suffer an Eclipse Mat. 5.14 what shall the smoaking Flax do Why here 's our comfort our Lord and Saviour doth assure us that a bruised reed he will not break Mat. 12.20 and smoaking flax he will not quench Wherefore O distressed soul though thou art as weak in faith as a reed yea as a bruised reed yet thou shalt not be broken though there be no more fire of grace in thee then that of smoaking flax yet shalt thou not be quenched Be thy measure of grace ne'r so small the least good desire holy purpose or sincere endeavour though hid under a multitude of infirmities yet will Christ in his tenderness of love so cherish it with the breathings of his Spirit till he send forth judgment unto victory that is till by a continued growth in grace and renewed strength in the inward man thou mortifie sin and subdue thy corruptions Rom. 8.37 yea become more then conqueror through him that loved thee How many then are like Mary of whom we read that whilst she wept and sought for Jesus though he stood by her and talked with her yet is it said Joh. 20 14. she knew not that it was Jesus Thus many poor souls and sincere believers in a trial of temptation they are weeping and mourning after Christ yea refuse to be comfo ted because they cannot find him lodging in their hearts by faith whereas he is indeed neer them and in them by his Spirit and in their mournings speaks to them to be comforted and yet they know not that it is Jesus him whom their soul seeketh But after some languishings of sorrow and distractions of fear Christ discovers hlmself to the soul as he did unto Mary and then oh how is their joy redoubled in their faith reviv'd 3. There can be no true sense of the want of faith without some measure of true faith as no man can be sensible of sickness who hath not some life Now that is a true sense of the want of faith which is like the sense we have of the want of meat accompanied with an eager desire and hungring after it Mat. 5.6 which hungring desire cannot be in the soul from Satan or the flesh but is most assuredly a work of the Spirit and grace Wherefore when that poor man in the Gospel a weakling in faith cries out Lord I believe help mine unbelief Maâ— 9.24 from a principle and seed of faith opening and dilating it self for increase he desires and cries out for more faith so that he could not have said Lord help mine unbelief if he had not already believ'd And further because a willing mind in desires after godliness 2 Cor. 8.12 is a real conversion unto God therefore is it rightly said that an Heart truly desirous to repent and believe is indeed a repenting and believing heart As a woman then that feels the stirrings of the child though but weakly yet hath good hope she is conceiv'd so O thou afflicted soul when thou feel'st the secret pantings
from an impulse of love as a delight I make mine Obedience a legal debt not a free-will offering a necessitated service aw'd with fear not an Eucharistical sacrifice mov'd with love Yea I am not what I was in stead of improving my Talent of Grace I have forsaken my first love I am not at all ready and cheerful willing and constant in holy duties as formerly so that I fear I have received the grace of God in vain Time was when with David I made Gods Word my portion and heritage gold and silver not so precious liberty and life not so dear mine heart seem'd then to be fill'd with God and with Christ holy services were so sweet to my soul that I counted my very work wages But oh now my delightful Paradise is turn'd into a barren Wilderness holy duties and religious performances they are as the ways of thorns and briars even wearisom and unpleasant paths and oh how can I then believe God accepts my person in Christ when I feel no quickenings of his Spirit in an holy life The Grounds of Comfort 1. It is the wise dispensation of our gracious God sometimes to suffer our devotion to decay and our corruptions to prevail on purpose to advance the dignity and discover the necessity of his grace Joh. 15.5 that so knowing our dependance we may become the more sincere in our obedience and being humbled in the sense of our own emptiness and vanity we may be the more intent upon the fulness of his Alsufficiencie The goodliest fabrick of an holy life Phil. 4.13 Jud. 24 25. if God withdraw the props and pillars of his supporting and strengthening grace how will it soon shake and sink and fall to ruine If David then be continually with God it is because God holds him by his right hand Ps 73.23 As it was grace which wrought effectually to our conversion and regeneration so it is grace that worketh still in the like efficacie to our further sanctification and final perseverance And therefore it is Davids prayer unto God saying Hold up my goings in thy paths Ps 17.5 1 Pet. 1.5 that my footsteps slip not And that we are kept it is by the power of God through faith to salvation So that as fuel to the fire as food to the body as showers to the corn such is Grace to devotion and an holy life without which it faints it dies it withers away 2. That there is a less active vigor in our holy life and religious conversation may proceed from weakness of nature not of grace The soul follows much the temperature of the body if that be sickly and weak the soul cannot act its gracious operations with that vigor and zeal as when healthful and strong A decay of spirits in the body will certainly make an abatement of vigor in the soul the unaptness of the Instrument takes much from the art and excellencie of the Workman and the body that 's the souls instrument whereby it acts its motions and therefore if the body be more dull the soul must needs be less vigorous and so the duties of devotion the less active and lively Rev. 2.4 3. Whereas many complain as thou dost that they are fallen from their first love because not so affected with the enlargements of devotion and therein not so quickened with the life of grace as at their first conversion when they first gave up their names unto Christ they may haply find if rightly examined those enlargements and delights of their first conversion did proceed as much from the novelty as the piety of their estate Their love and in that their delights more sensible but not more solid more passionate but not more sincere right like the love and delight of first Espousals Jer. 2.2 Cant. 3 11. whereas we question not but that a long married Couple are as dear in their love though not so frequent in their embraces Yea it may be an excess of love which begets this affliction of soul for true love is so enlarg'd in dispositions and resolutions of doing more service to God and Christ that all it does seems still too little And therefore many complain their present duties are short of former services and their present vigor less then former zeal which yet is not so indeed but in appearance Before small love thought little to be much and now great love thinks much to be but little To close then Whereas it is ordinary with God to deal with the penitent Convert as the Father did with his prodigal Son even entertain him with feasting and mirth receive him with much of spiritual solace and delight Luk. 15.23 And this he does the better to encourage him in the way of holiness yea and to fortifie him against the days of trial and temptation which shall after come upon him in which days of temptation and trial he may not think but that though his former joys and delights do cease yet the sincerity and strength too of grace may continue yea and be increased The Rules of Direction 1. Breathe forth thy complaints unto Christ in prayer for the life thou hast is from the quickening power of his grace and therefore he who died that thou mightest live will preserve the life which he hath given But then thou must beg it by prayer And at once to quicken thy prayer and strengthen thy faith hear his promise and own his love Mat. 5 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled What parent is it who hearing his child hungry and fainting cry out for bread Luk. 11.11.13 that can restrain his bowels from pitty or his hand from relief And far more compassionate is thy Saviour far more tender is his love He is indeed love it self 1 Joh. 4.16 He the fountain as of life so of love The love thou bearest to him proceeds from him and certainly he would not make thee to love him if thou wert not first belov'd of him Wherefore take heart in thy dejections convert his promise into prayer plead with thy God in the right of his own bond and his Sons blood urge the grace of his own promise the Law of his own Covenant say with David Make good O Lord thy word unto thy servant Ps 119 4â— upon which thou hast caused me to hope Yea let me bespeak thee as the Prophet does Zion Let tears run down like a river Lam 2 18. not in the impatience of distrust but the importunity of devotion In this Ne taceat pupilla oculi tui let not the apple of thine eye keep silence Ps 6.8 every tear every sigh hath a voice to implore mercy and to importune grace Yea seeing thou canst not follow Agnum immaculatum sine macula the spotless Lamb without thy spots of sin Joh. 1.29 thy daily tears shall obtain the blood of the Lamb to cleanse thy guilt And doubt
of thy soul and the comforts of his Spirit which pardon obtain'd peace restor'd comforts recover'd are all strengthened confirm'd and seal'd by servent prayer devout meditation and a worthy receiving the blessed Eucharist These these holy duties are the oil which keeps the lamp burning the sacred means ordain'd of God and Christ for the quickening of our graces and the enlarging of our comforts The Objections answered Obj. 1 Obj. 1. These Rules I have according to my best endevours observ'd and yet notwithstanding all Gospel-ministrations my wound ah my deep wound is not healed mine anguish my secret anguish is not abated Oh! sure my hope is perished from the Lord He hath cut me off Oh that I had never been born or that I had never liv'd to behold my wretchedness Answ Wo is me what shall I do Answ Do what thou sayest thou hast already done still endeavour that thy spiritual comforts may take their rise from thy penitential sorrows enquire still after God in Christ in the means of grace press near to him in his ordinances let no discouragements beat thee back Joh 6. â—7 Hear the promise of thy Jesus He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out O the stay of faith and staff of the soul O divine word of grace O gracious promise of love He receives us into his bosom when we cast our selves into his arms He will sustain and hold fast He will in no wise cast off and forsake Heb. 13.5 Wherefore O thou afflicted soul though thou art forsaken of comfort yet do not lie down in despair nor sleep in sloth but let faith hold up thy hope and hope keep up thine obedience and do not rest quiet till finding thy God in Christ thou obtain a quiet rest And how shalt thou find God in Christ but in the application of the Gospels promises and in the exercise of holy duties Obj. 2. What tell you me of holy duties As Absalom said of Obj. 2 David so I say of Christ What are all these to me if I cannot see the Kings face What are the Ordinances and the Promises 2 Sam. 14.32 what are holy duties and religious performances These have no sweetness but when I can taste Christ in them they have no beauty but when I can behold Christ in them by his presence all my troubles would soon be dispersed and by his absence all comforts they are embitter'd Answ Christ is present with thee in all his ordinances Answ though thou seest him not He purposely hides his face to try thy love and permits thee to be tempted that thou mayst be approved approved as one of those who truly fear God obeying his voice Isa 50.10 though they walk in darkness and have no light It is no great matter to see the Child express much love when pleas'd with the Fathers smiles and chear'd with his embraces but if when the Father seems with frowns to put the Child from him and it then cling close to him it is a sure argument of dutiful affection Thus when the mind is raised the heart enlarg'd the soul ravish'd with the sweet delights of holiness and the divine manifestations of Gods love what great matter is it to be pious and faithful in his service But here 's the trial of grace here 's the proof of our faith our love our obedience if when God withdraws the light of his countenance we then seek him if when Christ seems to depart from us we then lay hold on him and not let him go but resolve though he kill us to trust in him though he chide us Joh 13.15 to call upon him and though he seem to reject us yet faithfully to serve and obey him But besides O thou afflicted soul in the holy Sacrament thou canst not miss of what thy soul longs after Christ and Christ in all his fulness Mat. 26.27 28. For hear how our Saviour in the ministration of this sacred ordinance he saith of the bread broken Eat this is my body and of the wine poured out Drink this is my blood whereby we are to believe in a firm assent of faith that our blessed Lord and Saviour hath appointed and ordain'd this holy Sacrament to be a most effectual means to convey and most sure seal to confirm the actual efficacie and merit of his body crucified and his blood shed So that the bread and wine do not only sacramentally represent but also really exhibit to each faithful though languishing soul whole Christ with all his benefits then which what can be more effectual to the repairing thy peace of conscience and the renewing thy comforts of the Spirit Obj. Obj. 3. I know not how nor what to do For besides my trouble of conscience and terror of soul I find such a stupifying dulness and amazed deadness upon my spirits that I cannot apply my self to any holy duties with a fixed Answ much less an enlarged heart Answ Apply thy self to some faithful Minister or some other experienc'd Saint of God For seeing the Mind under spiritual afflictions is as a bone out of joint Gal. 6 1. who is it that shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joint it again but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual man he who is acquainted with the motions methods and actings of the Spirit Yea seeing the afflicting of the soul is a breaking of the bones so with David Make me to hear of joy and goodness Ps 51.8 that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice We stand in need to be careful to make use of some skilful in Soul-chyrurgerie who may so help so heal the wound set right the bones that no splinters be left to fret the Patient no scruple to vex the Conscience Yea sure I am there is not so much danger to the body in the ill setting of a bone as there is to the soul in the unsound resolving of Conscience But further Let the faithful Minister or other experienc'd Saint that shall have to do with his clouded and dull as well as afflicted and troubled soul let him see well to it whether Melancholy hath not penn'd up the soul in its darksom cell whose adust humors are aptly call'd Balneum Diaboli the Devils Bath Melancholy distempers beget afflicting thoughts and afflicting thoughts beget melancholy distempers and thus is the poor soul whirl'd about in a circle and maze of disquiets and distractions which disquiets and distractions are the more increased by Satans malice and subtlety in that as some men do deceive others in a dark shop with false colours so does Satan deceive the soul in a dark body with false imaginations Act 4.36 Now here an Hippocrates is as proper as a Barnabas a Physitian as a Minister for that say what we can it will be with the soul in a melancholy body as with a candle in a dark lantern its light still dim and dismal and oh what terrors of strange imaginations and strong
passions does this distemper work in the whole man Wherefore seeing it is no Natural cause that can calm the soul nor any Spiritual remedy that shall cure the body they must be join'd together the Physitian for the body and the Minister for the soul and Gods blessing for both Which blessing he vouchsafe through Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. VIII The Souls Conflict from the misinterpretation of the order of Gods Providence in the Tribulations of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked TEmporal afflictions when sanctified by grace they become the spiritual physick of the soul which though administred by the no less tender then skilful hand of Providence how do we vain and foolish Patients how do we embitter our condition by chewing the pills we should swallow We mingle our passions with our crosses and through impatience struggle with our yoke thereby making our burden the more heavy our afflictions the more grievous whereas did we by a divine art poise the burden we bear by casting one part upon God as to support and deliverance Ps 55.22 1 Pet. 5.6 7. and taking the other part upon our selves as to duty and obedience the weight of our present Cross would be the less and of our future Crown the greater But now amidst the many troubles of anxious thoughts and various temptations nothing more afflicts yea endangers the soul then the murmuring discontents of an envious impatience beholding perjury and murder violence and oppression made as steps to mount the throne whilst innocencie and integrity faith and truth are trampled in the dust Job who so bitterly complains of the arrows of God Job 6.4 ch 21.6 7 c. was deeply wounded with this dart of Satan this murmuring impatience of afflicted souls in an envious discontent griev'd that iniquity prospers in their enemies whâ—lst innocencie suffers in themselves But that we may calm this bosom-tempest and still this secret murmur we will give answer to the Souls Complaint whilst buffeted by Satan in this Spiritual conflict The Words of Complaint Oh the deep infidelity of my false heart and diffident impatiencie of my troubled soul wounding my Conscience and grieving my Spirit with a secret muttering yea sometimes an open complaint against God in the order of his providence Whilst I behold the prosperity of the wicked and the tribulations of the godly Babylon sit as a Queen and Jerusalem lie in the dust yea whilst I see Religion supprest with Violence Truth blasphemed by Heresie and Piety smother'd with Contempt and on the contrary I see Profaneness exalted Sacriledge magnified and Injustice prosper Upon these thoughts oh how does Satan suggest to my troubled mind and discontented soul no less then blasphemy either against Gods omniscience or against his justice Against his omniscience denying that all-seeing eye of his providence as if the world were govern'd blindfold and ready I am to say with those the Psalmist speaks of Ps 73.11 Doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High If this cloud be dispell'd this temptation repulst Satan he renews his assault and my affliction by blasphemous thoughts against Gods justice as if he regarded not the sufferings of the good notwithstanding their innocencie he continuing his blessings upon the evil notwithstanding their iniquity Mal. 3.14 So that I am ready to say with those profane persons and distrustful souls It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we keep his ordinances Oh! these these thoughts of Atheism and infidelity of envy and impatience I find by sinful and sad experience they are a smoky vapor ascending from the infernal pit which clouds the judgment of my mind damps the comfort of my soul choaks the life of grace and even drives away the Spirit of my God 1. The Grounds of Comfort as to the Tribulattons of the Godly Job 5.6 1. The order of Gods providence Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground it is not a thing that happens by chance but is ordered by providence Which providence of God as it is general over all the Creatures so is it special over all his Children in which special providence of his it is that as he afflicts in mercy and truth so he saves in wisdom and power 1. He afflicts in mercy and truth God it is that afflicts Men that injure or oppress Isa 10.5 are but his Instruments to chastise by his providence ordering their rage for the trial of the faithful their malice for the correction of his children Thus Deliver my soul says David deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy sword Ps 17.13 14. from the men which are thy hand O Lord. The wicked who persecute are Gods sword with which he wounds his hand with which he strikes Job 2.7 ch 19.2 Thus Job when Satan himself had smote him yet we hear his complaint Have pitty upon me have pitty upon me O my friends for the hand of the Lord hath touched me Thus God it is that afflicts and that in mercy God we say he hath paternum animum as well as maternum affectum his love is fatherly for care as well as motherly for tenderness As a Father then he will sometimes humble his children by afflictions sustaining them with his hand not as a mother still indulge them in delights cockering them on his knee And as he afflicts in mercy so in truth Hear David's acknowledgment unto God saying I know Ps 119.73 O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me Wherefore it 's well said that all the troubles and distresses which befall the faithful though amarae sagittae yet ex dulci manu Dei though bitter arrows yet from the sweet hand of God whose special providence over his children is such that he afflicts them even in mercy and in truth 2. He saves them too in wisdom and in power his wisdom ordering the means and his power effecting the work of their salvation notwithstanding all difficulties and seeming impossibilities of their deliverance all secondary causes being linkt together in one chain of Divine providence which the Heathens feigned to be fastened at Jupiters Chair and we Christians believe to be held in Gods hand Isa 41.10 in him is the sole ordering and disposing of them And therefore Fear thou not says God to the true Israel fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Gods patronage and protection is not like that of men of which Salvian complain'd in his times that Hac lege defendunt miseros Salv. de gub Dei l. 3. ut miseriores faciant defendendo Upon this account they defend the miserable that they may make them the more miserable by defending them like the thorny bush to which
you the manner so let me minde you of the end of our Mission and Ministry even the good of your Souls and the chiefest good too that of Life and Salvation The office of the Magistrate intends the establishment of Peace the art of the Physitian the health of the Body the profession of the Lawyer the security of the Estate but the calling of the Minister the salvation of the Soul And therefore St. Paul admonisheth Timothy saying 1 Tim 4 16. Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine for in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee He then that loves his Soul will prize the Ministry and bless God in making him a partaker of the peculiar priviledge of his vâ—sible Church the publick Ministration of his Word and Sacraments Which gracious privâ—ledge of his visible Church Oh! how near are we to the loosing of it Oh help help to prevent it by your Prayers and that which speaks louder then your Prayers the works of an holy Obedience And O how may God justly take away in wrath what men cast off in contempt the office of his Ministry Which sacred Office however slighted by men yet is it honored of God however esteemed of the world as a mean employment for what more contemptible a disdain 1 Tim. 3.2 then thou Priest yet is it stiled by the Apostle an excellent work And see some part of its excellency The Minister in publick Prayer he is the peoples mouth as their Orator unto God and in publick Preaching he is Gods mouth as his Ambassador unto the people and thus what honor on earth greater then this to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks Naz. Apolog. a Presidentship of Souls and a kinde of Mediatorship betwixt God and Men Behold we the Minister at the Altar and I will not say what Prince on his Throne but what Seraphim in Heaven is employed in a service of more dignity and honor then this to offer unto God the Commemorative Sacrifice of his Sons Body and Blood I might enlarge were it not that I stand before those I know or at least am willing to beleeve not defective in this duty the honorable and reverential esteems of the Gospels Ministry in its several orders and degrees owned by Gods holy Church though despised by men and the wicked world Onely this from the dignity of the Ministration and Office is aggravated the guilt of their usurpation and violence who either thrust themselves into so sacred a function or thrust out others from their lawful Ministry The name of an Ambassador Cicer. in Ver. Non modo inter seciorum jura sed etiam inter hostium tela incolume versetur it is of that reverence and regard that it may not be violated not onely among the rights of confederates but even the weapons of enemies And what are the Ambassadors of earthly Princes sacred and inviolable by the Law of Nations and shall the Ambassadors of the King of Heaven be silenced Numb 16. rejected imprisoned against the Law of God Corah Dathan and Abiram opening their mouths in mutiny against Moses and Aaron the earth opens her mouth in revenge and they sink down quick into the pit Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. King of Judah invading the Priests office he is sequestred from his regal Function being smitten with a Leprosie and so separated from his people And what was God more jealous for the Legal then he is for the Evangelical Ministration did he punish Kings invading the office of the Priest and will he acquit the people usurping the Function of the Minister No sure But know we that under the Law Gods judgments and blessings they were most-what corporal and temporal whereas his judgments and blessings under the Gospel they are most-what spiritual and eternal so that to be given up to a blindness of minde and a reprobate sense which seems to be the judgment of this Nation it is the most dreadful vengeance that can befal a people of which vengeance there can be no surer symptom then this horrid sin even through Schism Heresie Violence Prophaneness and Sacriledge to invade the Function corrupt the Doctrine abuse the Persons debase the honor and spoil the maintenance of that Ministry which Christ hath constituted and constituted here in his Mission and Commission of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THE SECOND SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Introduction WHilst I behold the Word and Ministry of Christ to to be amongst men as the Ark and Testament among the Philistines scornfully abus'd as in the Temple of Dagon 1 Sam. 5.2 rather then religiously reverenc'd as in the Church of God The sacred Scriptures the Evidences of our salvation not so much read in Devotion as wrested by Faction Malice or Pride being the venemous Spider which converts the wholsom sweetness of saving Truth into the deadly poison of destructive Heresie And as for the Sacramental Seals of Gods holy Covenant whilst I behold them either pluck'd off by the violent or defac'd by the foul hand of Schism and Profaneness so that a question it is Whether the profane neglecting or the unworthy receiving or the disorderly administring the blessed Sacraments bring greater guilt upon the Nation And no wonder then if our dearest blood hath been spilt in so large a profuseness seeing we have spilt Christs precious blood in so open a profaneness Oh! how how have men come to receive the bread and wine of the blessed Eucharist 1 Cor. 11.29 but have not discern'd Christs body and blood through their profane and unworthy participation And now how many oh too too many how do they go to receive Christs body and blood and alas discern not that it is meer bread and wine through an unlawful and Schismatical administration Of these two so horrid evils I cannot suddenly say which is the greater guilt And as for the Sacrament of Baptism whilst I behold Parents cruel to their tender Infants Joh. 3.5 denying them entrance into Christs kingdom and keeping from them the seal of the Covenant of grace out of which Covenant there is no salvation In which see the just judgment of the righteous God that they who in a blind zeal have been so cruel to their mother the Church to eat out her bowels by Schism they are given up to such a blindness of mind that they become cruel to their own children in not admitting them into the Churches bosom her holy communion by baptism And thus those very persons who did load our Church and Ministry with this reproach and scandal that we would bring up our children in the superstition of
THE PREACHERS Tripartite IN THREE BOOKS THE FIRST To raise DEVOTION in Divine Meditations upon PSALM XXV THE SECOND To Administer COMFORT by Conference with the Soul in particular Cases of Conscience THE THIRD To establish TRUTH and PEACE in several Sermons Against the present Heresies and Schisms By R. Mossom Preacher of Gods Word late at St. Peters Pauls-wharf London Quondam è Col. S. P. C. S. Aug. Hom. 28. in Ezek. 3.19 Si me non audierîtis tamen ego non tacuero liberabo animam meam sed nolo salvus esse sine vobis LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb and are to be sold in St. Pauls Church-yard at the sign of the Bible on Ludgate-hill and in Fleet-street 1657. To the Right Honorable KATHERINE Countess of PEMBROKE c. Together with her truly Noble Sister THE LADY MARY SOANDES As dear in affection as near in blood The Ornament of their Sex and Name AND To the true Exemplars of Piety Honor and Faithfulness whether of Nobility Gentry Ministry or Citizens Late Auditors and Communicants at the preaching of the Word and ministration of the Eucharist At S. PETERS Robert Mossom Dedicates the ensuing MEDITATIONS which conceiv'd in the Closet have had their Birth from the Pulpit and being now grown up to the Press they take heart to travel the World under so just a Patronage and Protection AND The same holy Spirit of Truth which accompanied them to the ear and the heart of each reverent Auditor bless them also to the eye and the soul of every ingenuous Reader For a sustaining with grace in the present Warfare and a crowning with glory in the future Triumph of Christs holy Church Amen TO THE Ingenuous Readers BEcause just Promises are due Debts I acknowledge my self a Debtor to the Church by promise under mine hand for the Second Part of my Sions Prospect which if they who importune me by their desires assist me with their prayers I doubt not by Gods blessing to perfect notwithstanding the encumbrances to retard and difficulties to discourage Indeed did not my Ministerial service unexpected when I past my word engage what time of the Night I might spare from my necessary rest and my School-employment take up what time of the Day I could spare from my Family-charge I had not run into so great arrears in being so long behind-hand with so just a debt Yet now with that honest though necessitated person in the Parable I plead a Patientiam habete Have patience with me and I will pay you all and till I can pay the Principal accept the Interest These Treatises and Sermons a part of my Five years Service which by a good hand of Providence amidst all the variety of Secular changes I did continue in a plenary discharge of all Ministerial duties according to the legally established viz. Ab Ann 1650. ad Ann. 1652. and ever piously to be esteemed Order of the Churches Liturgy And when I was forc'd from any longer Ministry at S. Peters I may say with confidence a Congregation was dissolved which for reverence charity and devotion was not outvied if parallel'd by any in the World For their sakes especially that they may the better call to mind what they have heard and so the more fully practise what they have been taught I here publish to the eye those Instructions I once delivered to the ear And what many of mine Auditory have importuned me for in a Transcript I here present them with advantage by an Impression viz. Those Divine Meditations which once warm'd their hearts with a devout fervor when Communicants in the monthly ministration of the blessed Eucharist Also those Choice Cordials which refresht their Souls with a chearing vigor when Combatants in the Christian warfare of their Spiritual Conflicts Lastly See our Contests with Heresie and Schism in zeal not so much to confute the Adversary as to confirm the Orthodox confirm them even in Truth and Holiness In which Contests it is not the Bays but the Olive not victory but peace even the peace of Jerusalem which is the aim and end of my Preaching and God who is the Searcher of hearts will bear witness to the sincerity of this profession I know well what I publish in Print will find a Critical Comment and censorious Paraphrase from some but if I may benefit the souls of Gods suffering Saints I am not careful to stop the mouth or smooth the brow of a clamorous or supercilious censure I will not fear it worse nor expect it better in the whole Volume then in a large Vineyard that there be tà m uvae quà m labruscae some clusters of sound and sweet grapes which have their full blood and true spiritual vigor though withall some of lighter digestion not so happy in their soil or sun and therefore not ripened to so divine a maturity and sweetness Neither am I ignorant or unexperienc'd how much less the mind is affected with reading then with hearing even by how much a Preacher in the particular gift of utterance is the more master of his tongue then pen and so can speak much more piercingly to the eye as an Orator then as a Scribe But what my Pulpit-conceptions do lose by the Press as to their affecting heat I hope they will have repair'd them by their informing light the Judgment being more thorowly convinced by a frequent perusal then a single delivery Whatsoever then you meet with of a devout vigor and solid nourishment receive it as from the Store-house of Heaven and only ministred by my hand it is wholly God's and yours But whatsoever is flat or crude weak and indigested that 's all mine own it 's like my self and I shall not refuse though blush to father it Accept the former and excuse the latter And as in that I shall further your Piety so in this do you express your Charity the charity of a fair construction considering my busie and distracting charge of a School-Tuition in which I am still engag'd and I bless God I am so as well to get subsistence as employ my talent This troublesom Task may well plead a favorable interpretation Which yet is not all the kindness I crave your Prayers I sue for viz. That God will make me farther serviceable to his Church and you whose I am in the strictest bond of love and heartiest zeal of devotion From my House near Black-Friers over agrinst the Old-Wardrobe Pridiè Nonar Febr. 1657. Robert Mossom Divine Meditations UPON PSALM XXV THE INTRODUCTION § 1. WEll might David be called the sweet Singer of Israel â— Sam. 23.1 Non minus vivendi genere quà m canendi juavitate immortaâ—em Deo sui fudisse Cantilenam dicit S Ambr. lib. de offic c. 22. whose Heart was more divinely musical then his Harp and the harmony of whose devout Soul did outvie that of his composed Song His whole life what was it but a continued Antheme His several failings through the indulgent mercy of his
God being made as so many stops of time to add more grace and sweetness to the musick § 2. This his Book of Psalms it is aptly called the Epitome of the whole Bible and the Anatomie of the Spiritual man yea we may rightly entitle it the Register of sacred History the Ephemeris of the Churches Prophecies the Library of Divine Doctrine the Store-house of Spiritual Comforts and the Treasury of holy Devotion And that Devotion either Penitentiary Invocatory or Eucharistical Penitenitary in deep contrition humble confession and passionate lamentation Invocatory in fervent supplication earnest deprecation and pious intercession Eucharistical in gratulatory thanksgivings laudatory oblations and triumphal songs David totus est in deprecanda venta peccatorum cujusdam sensim quod magnum multum dicit v. 11 hoc de illo cum Bethsabe commisso Kimhi intelligit Sim. de Muis in loc § 3. Here amidst so large a store choice is made of a Penetential Psalm though none of the seven commonly called the Penetentials fitted in its devotion to the sacred solemnity of the blessed Eucharist and could we attain Davids frame of spirit when he composed this Psalm of Penitence O how well how well would it become this holy Sacrament § 4. If any inquire a reason why choice is made of this present Psalm for the constant celebrations of the Lords Supper know I have observed a secret vigor of devotion to diffuse it self into the soul when exercised in prayer or meditation making use of Davids Psalms to draw heat from his flame and administer heavenly matter for so holy an exercise and upon this reason O ye humble suppliants I thought it an apt and profitable service to give at once a pattern whereby to frame your private devotions in your Closet and an help to compose your souls to an higher pitch of devotion in the publick solemnities of the holy Eucharist § 5. Besides the mystery and benefits of this blessed Sacrament they are so many and so various that no one single verse or small portion of Scripture may be a Text large enough for so copious a subject wherefore that many souls might receive something of instruction and devotion see here I have chosen an whole Psalm which divided into parts like those loaves in the Gospel broken into peeces it will so increase in the explication Mark 6.41 as those did in their distribution that whereas this Psalm like one of those loaves may seem in the whole to be but sufficient for one person yet shall it by a blessing of grace like as that by a miracle of power be in its divided parts sufficient for many fifties § 6. That this Psalm is of more then ordinary excellency and worth as penned by a more then ordinary diligence and zeal appears by the Alphabetical order of the Hebrew Letter Ad musicam an ad memoriam pertineat incertum est Ral bâ—ni nihil certi statuunt beginning each verse The Psalm it self is a mixture of various yet devout affections for that here the Psalmist moved with the sence of his sin and the violence of his Enemies he sues to God for the remission of the former and protection from the latter and at last salvation in respect of both even to himself and the Church of God this he does supported by faith and hope of which hope and faith he gives a sure testimony in the commemoration he makes of Gods abundant mercy and faithful promises And in the profession he declares of his sincere confidence in those promises and his firm expectation of that mercy § 7. The Analysis of the Psalm The whole Psalm consists of Four parts 1. The Preface vers 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul 2. The Prayer 1. Deprecation vers 2. to 4. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed c. 2. Petition vers 4. to v. 8. Shew me thy ways O Lord teach me thy paths c. 3. The Meditation 1. Laudatory vers 8. to v. 11. Good and upright is the Lord c. 2. Consolatory vers 12. to v. 6. What man is he that feareth the Lord c. 4. The Conclusion 1. Supplication vers 16. to v. 23. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me c. 2. Intercession vers 22. Redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles § 8. Now O ye devout souls that we may inlarge upon this of Davids Psalm with the inlargement of Davids spirit whilst I shall pass through the several parts in an explicatory application of the particular words and phrases let me revive and raise your sincere devotion as the Prophet did the Shunamites child 2 King 4.35 as the Prophet laid his mouth to the childs mouth his hands to the childs hands so let me lay Davids mouth to your mouth his hands to your hands that is I meâ—n make his prayers your prayers his meditations your meditations And having the same devotion with David we shall find a like acceptance with God whose ear is still open to our prayers whilst our hearts are laid open in his presence the Throne of grace being the only refuge of an humble penitence Vers 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 1. BUt O my Soul hast thou not been lift up against the Lord in thy sinful rebellion how then canst thou lift up thy self unto him in a sincere devotion True I have been long dead in sin long buried in the grave of customary iniquity yet I have heard the voice of the Son of God Joh. 5 25. in his Word in his Sacraments this a quickening a reviving voice And therefore unto him that calleth me unto him that quickeneth me unto my God unto my Jesus even unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 2. And though heretofore in the state of darkness sin and death though then I have lift up my soul against thee in pride and profaneness the high-way to hell yet now let me lift up my soul unto thee in humility and devotion the high-way to heaven Pride and profaneness they cast me from thee then which what can be lower But humility and devotion they subject me to thee then which what can be higher Thus then raise me by humbling me lay me low in my self and this shall lift me up to thee § 3. Oh how does Sin and Sathan the flesh and the world even the whole Powers of darkness how do they with violence pursue after me Psal 55.6 Oh give me then the wings of a Dove that I may flee away and be at rest Haste haste O my Soul for thy escape hie thee to the holes of the rock to the wounds of thy Jesus and for this shelter and succor for this protection and safety Oh see unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Unto thee in the fulness of thy merits unto thee in the riches of thy grace unto thee in the
embraces of thy love and comforts of thy Spirit unto thee that thy thorns may be my crown thy blood my balsom thy curse my blessing thy death my life Coloss 3.3 thy cross my triumph Thus is my life hid with Christ in God and if so then where should be my soul but where is my life And therefore unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 4. I lift up my soul unto thee at thy Table who hast been thy self lift up for me on thy Cross thou hast been lift up for me in a propitiatory sacrifice and therefore I here offer my self to thee in a gratulatory oblation Is◠53.10 thou madest thy soul an offering for sin and here I make my soul an offering of thankfulness In this Eucharist then accept my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine oblation of praise and thanksgiving in which O Lord it is that I lift up my soul unto thee § 5. Unto thee O Lord thy flesh thy blood not unto the outward elements the bread the wine unto thee and thy fulness as the inward grace not unto thee and their use as the outward sign My soul dwells not on those earthly symbols but by them as by a ladder it ascends and lifts up it self unto thy heavenly riches And thus whilst my body feeds on consecrated food oh let my soul be filled with thy consecrating fulness whilst my body tastes their wholsom sweetness let my soul be satisfied with thy saving goodness And to this end it is that unto thee O Lord I lift up my soul § 6. Unto thee O Lord Oh make good thy name of Lord unto me as Lord rebuke Satan and restrain all earthly and carnal affections that they do not once dare to whisper a temptation to my soul a distraction to my thoughts whilst I am in communion with thee in prayer at thine holy ordinance Do thou as Lord rule me by thy grace govern me by thy Spirit defend me by thy power and crown me with thy salvation Thou Lord the Preserver of heaven and earth thou openest thine hand Psal 145.16 and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Oh open now thine hand thy bosom thy bounty thy love and satisfie the desires of my longing soul which I here lift up unto thee § 7. Thou Lord givest bread to man from the earth thou gavest Manna to Israel from heaven give oh give thy self unto me in this Sacrament as the true bread the heavenly Manna the life-giving food of thy Church Thou Lord art now reigning in heaven oh do thou now also set up thy throne in my heart Thou art exalted in heavenly glory oh manifest thy self in thy gracious presence In thy heavenly glory thou art the joy of holy Angels and blessed Saints in thy gracious presence be thou now the reviving of devout souls and humble Penitents O my love my joy my Jesus my Lord be thou present with me in thy Sacrament present more then by inspiration and make me present with thee and that more then by meditation even lift up my soul unto thee in a spiritual real and eternal communion § 8. Oh how does this blessed Sacrament add wings to devout souls and wrap them up with S. Paul unto the third heaven 2 Cor. 1◠2 in an extasie of contemplation and love And what shall my soul now lie groveling on the earth hiding it self with Saul amongst the stuff 1 Sam. 10.22 clogg'd and deprest with worldly thoughts with earthly and carnal affections No it may not it must not Christ is risen Col. 3.1 and therefore sursum corda my heart my spirit that shall rise too and seek those things which are above even unto thee O Lord my Jesus do I lift up my soul § 9. My soul but how shall I call it mine seeing it is thine thine by purchase thine having bought it with thy blood yea is it not thy Spouse whom thou hast wedded to thy self by thy Spirit through faith And is not this holy Sacrament the Marriage-feast If so sure then my Jesus I was lost in my self till found in thee and therefore my soul is now and not till now truly mine in being wholly thine so that I can say with confidence I lift up my soul unto thee § 10. I lift up Oh the load of my sins the burden of my flesh so heavy that I cannot of my self lift up my head how shall I then lift up my soul Wherefore O my Savior do thou add thy strength to my weakness thy supporting grace to my fainting spirit and then I will run after thee and lift up not onely my hands but my heart not onely my eies but my soul unto thee § 11. My soul For it is not indeed the eye or the tongue or the hand or the knee but the soul which makes the acceptable service in prayer and praises unto God the devotion of the soul that is the very soul of devotion Wherefore that I may present my self a living sacrifice at Christs table Rom. 12.1 my best part shall be my first oblation and therefore in the very preparation and entrance of this sacred solemnity See O see unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Vers 2 3. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed which transgress without cause § 1. O My God I trust in thee c. My prayer O Lord is founded upon faith my faith upon thy promises so that because thou art my God therefore I trust in thee yea because I trust in thee therefore thou art my God My God otherwise O Christ thou wert not my Jesus but O my Jesus who savest me by thy blood Gal. 3 1. in this thy Sacrament thou art set forth crucified and I behold thy wounds from whence by the hand of faith I pluck forth these comfortable words of life My Lord and my God Joh. 20 28. § 2. My God mine for thou hast partook of my humane nature 2 Pet. 1 4. and thou hast made me to partake of thy divine nature thou hast taken upon thee my flesh and thou hast communicated unto me of thy Spirit yea in this thy Sacrament thou communicates body and blood flesh and spirit thy whole Manhood yea thy very Godhead too thy whole self as Mediator therefore thou art my God and I trust in thee § 3. I trust in thee to make good my right to the Covenant of Grace to make good my claim to the heavenly inheritance yea even to make good my communion with thee in all thy fulness a communion so firm that the Bread and Wine I eat and drink is not more really my food then thou my Jesus in whom I beleeve and trust art my God And for this so great a blessing of thy love for this so great a benefit of thy grace it is
this blessed Sacrament § 7. In the close observe the strange yet strong argument of faith and repentance Pardon mine iniquity for it is great what does the humble penitent pray and plead for pardon from the heinousness of the offence and the multitude of the sins yea and an inforcing plea it is too when uttered from a broken heart and contrite spirit for that then even then is God most affected with mercy when he sees man most afflicted with misery This cry then of the humble penitent unto God pardon my iniquity for it is great is like that of the languishing patient unto the Phisitian help me for I am dangerously sick this we are sure the greater the sense of sin the greater the sincerity of repentance where then there is true penitence it will be a good argument to pray as David here does For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Vers 12 13 What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth § 1. OH the water-floods of ungodliness which over-flow the world as another deluge in a general apostacy from truth and righteousness yet who is it that fears drowning who is it that in sense of sin and remorse of soul fears humbly and contritely fears the just wrath and vengeance of God Many there are in deed who plead for Reformation and pretend the fear of the Lord but what do they but cast out Devils by Beelzebub cast out prodigality by covetousness superstition by prophaneness Popery by Atheism and the like Yea as the Psalmist speaks whilst the vilest of men are exalted exalted to Moses Chair and Aarons Altar needs must it follow that the wicked walk on every side Psal 12.8 ambulant in circuitu as the vulgar Translation reads it they walk about in a circle pursuing their worldly interest they tread a large circumference of sins of which Hell it self is the Center § 2. See their character from the pen of an Apostle Rom. 3.13 Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceipt the poison of Asps is under their lips And what is the true orginal as well as the high aggravation of all this wickedness what but that vers 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes So that in wonder at the rarity of a person truely religious we may well say Quis ille vir What man is he that feareth the Lord But it is not onely the rarity but more especially the excellency of the truly religious that David here in devout meditations so much admires § 3. He had said vers 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies and now reflecting upon himself he seems to make this the meaning of his here registred meditation Oh how does my conscience accuse me and my sin testifie against me that mine iniquity is great so that though all the waies of God be mercy and truth Vers 10. yet seeing it is to them that keep his covenant and his testimonies I cannot find comfort in his promises whilst I continue in my sins I cannot joy in his mercy whilst I languish in my guilt but as for him who hath God always before his face to over-aw his soul from trangressing his commands Psal 4 4. thereby injoying him in his love and the light of his countenance thereby preserving intire his claim to the promises of grace and life his hope of glory and blessedness Oh the excellencie and greatness Oh the beauty and loveliness Oh the bliss and happiness of such a soul of such a Saint O quis ille vir what a man is he he who thus feareth the Lord § 4. Whilst others fear those who kill the body the truly religious fears him who can kill both body and soul Mat. 10.28 and kill not only as wicked oppressors per modum potentiae by way of power but as a righteous Judge per modum justitiae by way of justice Many there are obstinately wicked who yet fear when they have offended struck with the horror of their guilt but it is the devoutly religious who fear to offend struck with the hatred of the sin It is one thing to fear because we have sinned another thing not to sin because we fear The former is oftentimes from the earth earthly the latter is alwaies from heaven heavenly the former does arise oft-times from the love of our selves the latter only from the love of God Cant 5.5 § 5. Fear is the Spouses myrrh which when it is lest we offend like the myrrh flowing of its own inclination it is much the better but when it is because we have offended like the myrrh of the second flowing which comes not without incision some smart and anguish upon the soul the former is the preservative the latter is the plaister the former prevents the malady the latter helps to the cure Of both we may say by way of excellencie though of the former in the greater excellencie What man is he that thus feareth the Lord Feareth for what why not so much for his judgments as his mercies To fear him for his judgments that is servile to fear him for his mercies that is true filial fear When his Judgments of wrath are upon us Isa 26.9 Psal 90.11 who is it that will not fear It was of old Thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure But now the tables are turn'd and it is the direct contrary Thereafter as is thy displeasure so is mans fear § 6. Gods judgments and mans fear unless it be with those desperately wicked who are even fearless of Gods judgments they keep pace If he severely inflict his wrath then a seemingly devout fear is upon us but if he take off his rod we presently cast off our fear whereas the devout and truly pious soul will say as the Psalmist does Psal 130.4 There is mercy wâ—th thee O Lord therefore shalt thou be feared Indeed to the Godly all the ways of God are mercy so that we cannot tread the path of holiness but we must set foot in the way of mercy especially when we come to Gods house and approach the Lords table there there the Lord receives us into Covenant confirming to us his grace both the grace of Justification in the remission of sins and the grace of Sanctification by the spirit of holiness yea here he communicates the fulness of his benefits the riches of his blessings the sweetness of his love here he strengthens us in spiritual life and gives us the pledge of eternal glory And who is it that will not fear lest by unworthiness he deprive himself of all this mercy or by unthankfulness sin against all this love § 7. What man is he then that feareth the Lord that feareth to be absent
from this holy Table this blessed Sacrament yet feareth to come unprepared to it That man shall be as blessed in his coming as he is rare to find Blessed shall he be 1. in the sacred knowledg of Christs will Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose 2. Blessed shall he be in the quiet peace of a good conscience his soul shall dwell at ease 3. Blessed he shall be in the present comfort of an hopeful progenie his seed shall inherit the earth § 8. 1. Blessed in the knowledg of Christs will him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose He that feareth the Lord let him in this Sacrament commit his way unto the Lord Psal 37.5 as for the blessings of his Providence so for the instruction of his Spirit and the guidance of his hand that so the way which he shall walk may not be so much of his own as of Gods choice and not so much of his election as of Gods approbation So shall the Lord teach him in the way not only direct him to find it in the knowledg of his Word but also enable him to walk in it in a conformity to his will sanctifying him throughout the understanding to discern the will to embrace the affections to pursue the whole man to act what is holy and just and good § 9. And thus we know then which is the right way amidst the many now Cross-paths of Heresie and Schism we know which is the right way of truth and holiness not that which we devise but which God doth choose for it is God alone who must prescribe the rule by which we are to square our lives the form by which we are to order his Worship And therefore the Church from the beginning hath still worshipp'd God according to Divine revelation not humane discretion acknowledging as one true God so one true manner of Worship of which God himself is the Author the Author in his Word his Word of truth the glass of his Divinity from which Word declared in his holy Gospel and by his Spirit conveyed in the blessed Sacrament he that feareth the Lord shall be taught in the way that he shall choose to the making him blessed in the saving knowledg of his sacred will § 10. 2. Blessed in the quiet peace of a good conscience His soul shall dwell at ease His soul happily he may with S. Paul Gal. 6.17 bear in his body the marks of the Lord Iesus in his sufferings for his name his person imprisoned his estate seised his name defamed yet his soul enjoys its peace its ease its rest And when the World shall curse and condemn O the blessed peace of that mans soul whose conscience in the name of God shall acquit and absolve Sweet peace the peculiar blessing of the truly sanctified yea the special benefit of this blessed Sacrament which as it seals the Covenant of grace so of peace in a perfect reconciliation with God by Christ § 11. In this peace of conscience sure we are to find ease of soul yea pernoctabit anima the soul shall dwell or lodge all night in rest all the night of the Churches distress the dark and doleful night of heresies and schisms of oppression and violence the soul that is at peace with God being instructed in his truth and sanctified with his grace shall have its light in darkness its easeful rest of spiritual comforts amidst the tumultuous changes of temporal troubles Yea pernoctabit in bono when with others either their designs of mischief or their horror of guilt shall keep them waking the holy innocence of him that feareth the Lord shall have its bed of rest § 12. And it is not worldly calamity that shall so dismay his soul as to fright him from the profession of a true faith no the holy fear of God shall destroy all such sinful fears of men even as Moses's Serpent devoured all those Serpents of the Magicians efficit timor Dei ut caetera non possint timeri the fear of God hath this good effect that it makes other things not to be feared so that the soul of him who feareth the Lord doth dwell as in rest so in goodness as in peace so in patience till this moment of time be swallowed up in the fulness of eternity and he change his earthly dwelling for an heavenly Mansion and his spiritual peace for an everlasting blessedness And when he that feareth the Lord shall be translated to that eternal bliss of which spiritual peace is the earnest and the blessed Sacrament the pledge that God whom he feared shall take care of his children that they by the blessing of his Providence as his seed shall inherit the earth which is the third blessedness the present comfort of an hopeful progeny § 13. His seed so near and dear are children especially good children to their parents that they are their very seed as if themselves were but as chaff or straw without them and to them as well as unto the Parents belong the promises for so saith God to Abraham Act. 2.39 Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee true it is temporal promises were the reward of legal obedience but now spiritual and eternal mercies are the incouragements of our Evangelical righteousness yea Canaan being a type of Heaven the temporal promises under the Law were the typical figures of those spiritual blessings given us in promise under the Gospel So that though the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Psal 112.2 yet may a righteous generation lose the inheritance of their fathers their just possessions by unjust violence and this without breach of this promise that the seed of those who fear the Lord shall inherit the earth § 14. For that to inherit the earth as spoken of Canaan in the type doth represent us the Evangelical promise of inheriting Heaven as the thing typified of which heavenly inheritance they cannot be deprived by an earthly violence who are the righteous seed of him who feares the Lord Thus have we seen the blessedness of him that feareth the Lord blessed in the saving knowledge of Christs sacred will in the quiet peace of a good conscience and in the present comfort of a hopeful progeny all which is implied when David here says VVhat man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth § 15. To sum up all then what man is he that feareth the Lord that feareth lest he offend and feareth till he obtain pardon of his offences And therefore now that mercy comes down from heaven in this blessed Sacrament and rests upon this Ordinance as a sacred Mercy-seat he does not with Adam in the garden withdraw and hide himself in a distrustful fear but as Aaron in the Temple Gen. 3.6 he draws near in an
awful reverence with the incense of prayer Exod. 30.6 7. to be received to mercy and obtain attonement for his sin § 16. Blessed shall this man be blessed in his imployments abroad and in his retirements at home in himself and in his issue blessed in his imployments abroad for that whereas the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10.23 when he is in a strait and knows not what to chuse the Lord shall guide him in his choyce and put upon him a good course so that whatsoever he taketh in hand it shall prosper Prosper psal 1.3 if not to his temporal advantage yet to his spiritual benefit in respect of which spiritual benefit it is that Rom. 8.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things work together for good for good to them that love and to them that fear God § 17 And as thus blessed in his imployments abroad so secondly in his retirements at home when his soul drawn abroad by worldly affairs and publick imployments shall retire home into his own breast in his reflective self-examining meditations how does it then dwell at ease within his own doors no Shrew there to bate him no accusing guilt like a hellish fury to vex and disquiet him but all is still and at rest in the quiet peace of a good conscience Yea further blessed not onely in himself but also in his Issue in his Children those pledges of love and hopes of his family whom with diligent care he instructs to the possession of the best intail the fear of the Lord not so much solicitous that as his children they may possess his temporal estate as that being Gods children they may be joynt possessors with him of the heavenly inheritance of which heavenly inheritance as Canaan was the type so are the promises of the Gospel the conveyances the Sacrament of the Eucharist the seal and the Spirit of Grace the sure earnest and pledge Vers 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant § 1. HEre we have Davids Argument to prove Gods blessing upon them that fear him and he makes use of a twofold medium The first from the operations of his grace The second from the manifestations of his love 1. The operations of his grace â—he secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 2. The manifestations of his love He will shew them his Covenant 1. Medium Davids Argument drawn from the operations of Gods grace the secret of the Lord c. the secret even that St. Peter calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hidden man of the heart The new man regenerate by the spirit of grace Which new birth is set forth unto us in Scripture by the womb and dew of the morning the birth of the regenerate Psal 110.3 like that of the morning dew it is heavenly and secret the vapor exhaled by the Sun is of an earthly substance which by a celestial operation is changed into an airy dew thus the earthly minds of natural men raised and renewed by the power of grace are converted into a spiritual frame and heavenly temper § 2. Further the birth of the dew is secret and undiscerned when it is faln we see what it is but know not how it is made thus the new man we discern when it is formed but cannot discover the point of time or manner of action when and how it is wrought As of our natural generation so much more of our spiritual regeneration Psal 139.14 We are fearfully and wonderfully made the womb is not so secret a Work-House of nature for the generation of the body as the heart is of grace for the regeneration of the soul § 3. The effectual vocation whereby we are called unto Christ it is vocatione altâ So St. Aug. by a secret and deep call which speaks to the heart of the most desperate sinner in that Is 30.21 there saith God of the Christian Convert Thou shalt hear a voyce behinde thee saying this is the way walk in it a voyce behind thee not onely to denote unto us Gods indulgent mercy that when we flâ—e and even turn our backs upon him he then calls unto us to turn unto him but a voyce behind thee to shew that the call of the Spirit is secret and undiscerned Joh. 3.8 Thus the voluntary breathings and free accesses of the Spirit unto the soul in the operations of grace as they are actively powerful so are they indisernably secret which secret operations of grace that they infallibly and inseparably accompany the fear of the Lord will appear by a short view of those Theological Vertues Faith Hope and Charity the very vital parts of the new man § 4. Observe we then how the Antients compare our Christian hope to the Shop and Store-house of blood the Liver and therefore Clemens of Alexandria calls hope very aptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of faith which carrieth the very life of Religion in it so that as hope wasteth so faith decaies and religion it self faints Now if Faith be the Heart and Hope the Liver of the new man then is Fear metaphorically the Lungs which with a gentle breath of awfulness and reverence fans and cools them both keeping Faith and Hope in an healthful temper which otherwise would soon have their heats and heights to the indangering the eternal welfare of the whole man For that too sad experience tels us how many by denying the Saints can sin and so excluding fear have been by Satan cast down headlong from the high top of presumption into the lowest pit of despair § 5. Yea how many puft up with the fancied conceit of their fellowship with Christ forget that he is their Lord 1 Joh. 1.3 and so casting off their awful fear become so far transported with the Gospels priviledges that they lay themselves open to Satans temptations especially the temptations most dangerous and destructive spiritual pride and a careless security Wheras that Rabbinical note may be well worth our Christian observation upon Gen. 31.42 where Jacob calls the Lord the God of Abraham then deceased but the fear of Isaac then surviving to shew that whilst we live we ought to fear and though we stand lest we fall for the way to be secure of mercy is to beware of security and to confirm our hope of possessing do we still nourish our fear of losing Heaven for certain it is an holy fear is well consisting with a firm hope which holy fear as well as hope of future blessedness is a good means to be blessed § 6. And as thus the fear of the Lord is accompanied with Faith and Hope so also with Love True it is St. John he tells us perfect love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casteth out fear foras ejicit 1 Joh. 4.18 casteth it out of doors but it is that fear which
disturbs not that which preserves the quiet of the house the peace of the soul that which does extinguish not that which does inflame our charity that which is a servile not that which is a filial fear To fear because we have sinned against God as an avenging Iudge this servile fear love quiet casts out of doors but not to sin because we fear offending God as a gracious Father this filial fear it is so far from being cast out that it is loves dearest inmate the one mutually sustaining the other so that we may well pray as the Church hath well taught us Collect second Sund af Trin. Lord make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name § 7. However then the external profession of the truly religious may be imitated by that artificial sanctity of the formal hypocrite yet who is' t that can draw out the lineaments of life sense and motion Who can counterfeit the internal forms and active principles of grace secrets not visible to the eye but sensible to the soul from whence we draw an infallible argument of Gods blessing to say with David The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant § 8. The second Medium the manifestations of his love He will shew them his Covenant 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man knoweth not the things of the Spirit of God and no wonder for he is blind at least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.9 as St. Peter speaks non procul videns one sand-blind that cannot see a far off the good things of Gods Covenant and grace they are deep and in their depth have too much of misterious darkness they are high and in their height have too much of glorious brightness for the purblind eye of the earthly soul and carnal man to search and apprehend And O the refreshings of divine love to the truely penitent when God by his word discovers their sin then by his spirit he withal manifests his grace he shews them his Covenant even life and salvation by Jesus Christ And by this we may know whether the discovery of sin be a temptation or an humiliation whether it be from Satan to tempt to despair or from God to humble in repentance § 9. The spirit of grace and truth laies open sin in the soul as a careful Chyrurgeon doth a wound in the body in a warm room among tender friends and with suppleing remedies his end not being to torture but to heal not to make soar but to make whole but now the spirit of error and wickedness laies open sin as the mischeivous murderer does the wound in the open air and the soul drawn away from Christ and his promises on purpose to torment and kill not to cure and save The promises priviledges and blessings then of Gods Covenant they are not known in their saving truth but by the humble soul even by those who fear the Lord for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Sept. to them the Lord will declare and make known his Covenant even his Covenant of Crace in which are concentred all the promises of the Gospel and this Covenant he will shew to them that fear him especially in that which is the firm foundation of their comforts as to the immutability of his love and the stability of his promise § 10. First The immutability of his love the grace and love of God as the Agent is not founded upon any motives or reasons in man as the object as if merit or worth in man did either beget or continue favor and love in God Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.10 Ephes 2.5 Rom. 3.24 no he justifies us when ungodly he reconciles us when enemies he quickens us when dead and therefore must it be that we are freely justified and so eternally saved by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ Now if when enemies by wicked works Col. 1.21 we were reconciled by the death of Christ if when dead in sins we were were quickened by the Spirit of grace how much more being quickened being reconciled shall our infirmities be pardoned our falls repaired our persons accepted and our services rewarded If when we were enemies Gods grace did prevent us to make us his children how much more being Gods children shall the same grace preserve us from becoming his enemies § 11. The love of God in his Covenant of grace Jer. 31.3 it is an everlasting love which everlasting love sure cannot end in an eternal hate So that though we are unworthy yet does he continue gracious though we deserve his wrath yet will he bestow his love his love unchangeable like himself for God is love and as Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed § 12. 2. The stability of his promise In Jer. 32.40 God tells us he will make an everlasting Covenant with his people And how is â—t everlasting why says God I will not turn away from them to do them good But though God be immutable in his grace unchangeable in his love and so constant in his promise yet what if his people through humane frailty fall from him and so make void the Covenant of the Almighty To this God himself gives answer v. 40. for the comfort of all the faithful I will put my fear into their hearts saith the Lord that they shall not depart from me Thus does God give the promise and strengthens man to the condition of his Covenant so that they who are begotten to a lively hope by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation And thus our holiness depends upon Gods promise not Gods promise upon our holiness Deus facit ut nos faciamus quae praecepit nos non facimus ut ille faciat quae promisit so S. Aug. God makes us to do what he hath commanded we do not make God to do what he hath promised But as remission of sins is from his grace even his gracious favor accepting so is the obedience of faith from his grace too even the grace of his Spirit sanctifying § 13. So that all our comfort of soul and peace of conscience is firmly fixt upon this sure Basis this firm foundation the immutability of Gods love and the stability of his promise For so Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel and in that his love he confirm'd it by an oath And wherefore Was it to make his obligation more firm No but to make our consolation more full For so v. 18. it was that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation Gods covenant is not made the more firm or sure by oath then by promise for that his truth as his nature it is without variableness or shadow of turning
the ministration of the Sacraments Now to spoil us of the treasure to rob us of the comfort of this salvation is Satans grand design in his temptations unto sin and his suggestions of distrust for by these he labors to withdraw us from our God and deprive us of communion with Christ who is our love and our life But when the bird is mounted on the wing it is safe from the Fowlers net and the soul raised in communion with Christ is preserved from Satans snare And if through infirmity the soul flag and fall to the earth and so become intangled in carnal and worldly affections yet keeping the eye fixt upon Christ looking to him in his Ordinances to rece ve the quickening power of his grace though corrupt affections may intangle Rom. 8 2. Rom. 6.14 yet shall they not inthral the soul which becomes restored by the power of Christs Spirit a Spirit of life and liberty a Spirit of Grace and holiness delivering from the power of Satan and from the dominion of sin § 2. And this this is Davids practise and experience registred here by the Holy Ghost for our pattern and comfort when to the meditation of Gods promise and the manifestations of his love he joyns this profession of faith saying Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord c. In which profession of Davids faith we have two particulars 1. It s firm affiance 2. It s comfortable assurance 1. It s firm affiance Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord. 2. It s comfortable assurance For he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 3. First The firm affiance of Davids faith Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord. Mine eyes so general and sovereign an influence hath faith into the actual exercise of the divine graces that it does supply the office of the choycest members in the spiritual man therefore is Faith the legs that support the hand that receives the arms that imbrace the pallate that tastes the eye that beholds yea it is the heart of the inward man the seat of spiritual life for so says the Apostle the just shall live by faith and again I live Rom. 1 17. Gal. 2.20 yet not I but Christ that liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God And very apt is this metaphor of faith that it is the eye of the soul whereby it discerns those things which are invisible invisible to the eye of sence and the eye of reason 2 Cor 4.18 yet made evident and visible by an enlightning power of the Spirit to the eye of faith and therefore is faith called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 a sacred evidence and divine demonstration of the truth of those things which neither sence nor reason can apprehend § 4. Many indeed there are eminent in Caldean learning and Mathematical science who in the height of their knowledge and with the eye of reason pierce the clouds discern the coelestâ—al motions of the heavenly bodies the inclining not necessitating influence of the Stars and Constellations yet how far short is all this of that Philo calls fides oculata an illuminated Faith the eye of the sanctified soul whereby it pierceth within the vail Heb. 6 19. looks into the holy of holies the most sacred and secret mysteries of grace and glory This is that Eagles eye which can receive the Rays of the Sun of righteousness being ever towards the Lord in the sweetness of his love and the riches of his fulness By this piercing eye of faith it is that Abraham through a bleeding sword and a sacrificed son does see a posterity numerous as the stars in heaven by this piercing eye of faith it is that Israel through a red Sea and a barren Wilderness does see a land of promise a Canaan of rest By this piercing eye of faith it is that David through a despised Crown and a broken Scepter does see a glorious Throne and famous Government yea by this peircing eye of faith it is that Jerusalem a type of the Church through a night of distress and a grave of capcaptivity does see a resurrection of peace and a full Noon of glory § 5. An enlightned faith is not discouraged with difficulties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Cyp. nor dampt with dangers knowing well that God oftentimes so orders the administrations of his Providence as that he works his own ends even by contrary means So that man is at a stand to determine whether is greater the wonder or the mercy of his Churches deliverance Now where lies the strength of faith why know not in the habit but in the object even in the Lord the creatures the Word the Sacraments they are good mediums but no full objects we must look thorow them as thorow a glass by which we behold God and Christ as the full and final object whereon to fix the the eye of faith and wherewith to terminate the sight of the soul § 6. Yea the blessings of providence and the graces of the spirit they are but the streams the Lord the Lord he is the fountain so that when all outward hopes fail and all inward comforts faint when there is a perfect vacuum in the creatures a seeming emptiness in the Ordinances even then the poor soul and afflicted Saint doth find rest and comfort in the Lord. Psal 116.7 In him faith sees an Almighty power and an omniscient wisdom an infinite grace and an all-sufficient merit yea an all-compassionating mercy So that were there indeed no life in the Ordinances no comfort in the Promises yet would faith by Christs assistance fetch both life and comfort from this fountain of the Lords fulness § 7. Who art thou then O thou afflicted soul who in thy spiritual desertions walkest in darkness clouded with sorrows Oh in thy greatest dejections lift up thine eyes unto the Lord Psal 123.1 that when the rising Sun appears thou mayst see his refreshing light and however now by reason of thy present anguish thou canst not serve God in alacrity of performance yet do it in sincerity of obedience and this this will be a cranny to convey some beams of light even in the lowest dungeon of thy spiritual distress Wait upon the Lord having thy eye of faith still towards him Psal 27.14 and so shall comforts be redoubled in a life recovered and thy difficulties of obtaining shall the more sweeten thy delights of injoying even of injoying God and Christ in the refreshing comforts of the Spirit conveyed and confirmed in his blessed Sacrament In which blessed Sacrament especially let thine eyes be still towards the Lord in his merits in his grace in his benefits in his love let him have thy fixed heart and thine intent eye yea let him have thy whole man for to this end it is that he here gives thee his whole self § 8. And Oh the sweet converses of the devout
soul when the divine presence of Christ shall fill its Tabernacle possess the heart and so the eye of faith become fixt upon the Lord in devout contemplations of his grace and love So fixt that with holy David When we awake we are still with him yea VVe set the Lord always before our face Psal 139 18. Psal 16.8 he the continual object of our eye as being the onely object of our love of our joy of our delight Indeed where should be our hearts but where is our joy where our eye but where our love and whilst our eyes are on the Lord the Lords eyes will be on us so that lifting up our eyes to him above we shall not fear the snares of our feet beneath but in all our affairs of life in all our conditions of being in all the publick calamities of the Church in all the various changes of the World our firm affiance may have its comfortable assurance that our eyes being ever towards the Lord he shall pluck our feet out of the net § 9. Secondly The comfortable assurance of Davids faith he shall pluck my feet out of the Net that is he shall deliver me from the sinful temptations of Satan the world and the flesh which are as a net to intangle and insnare the soul First such is Satans malice to the sanctified soul that not being able by his temptations to deprive of grace he will not cease his suggestions to rob of comfort so that as Hercules in his cradle so the faithful in his infancy of the new man he does incounter the winding serpent whom he overcomes by the blood of the Lamb through faith in the Lord Jesus § 10. And when Satan thus repulst and beat off departs from him it is but as he did from our Saviour for a while yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a season even till a fitter opportunity to return Luk. 4.13 so that again and again does Satan encounter the humble penitent renewing his terrors to destroy his comforts and if possible to overthrow his faith Oh how does he by subtle insinuations make the soul to argue against it self in many needless scruples and groundless doubtings intermixt with distrustful fears But such is the wisedom and mercy of his God that Satans Wiles they are repelled by Christs truth whose gracious promises do silence his doubtful cavellings and a renewed vigor of grace damp his suggestions of fear so that the soul rests in peace receiving some testimonies of divine love by the Spirit obtained in fervent prayer § 11. And as thus we have seen something of the combate the faithful have with Satan so see Secondly something of the encounter he has with the world in which there is a secret antipathy against the spiritual man as it is observed by our Saviour when he tells his Disciples that if they were of the world the world would love them Joh. 15.19 even as the Mother loves her own Children but because he had called them out of the world therefore did the world hate them Thus then the faithful man in the world and from the world he meets with hatred yea that hatred sharpened with contempt derision and slanders ay mens malice doth increase with his goodness their fury with his piety so that he meets with loss of liberty spoil of goods yea the threatnings if not execution of death and that made more dreadful and formidable through cruelty and tortures § 12. Sometimes again the world turns her violence into allurements her threathings and fury into fawnings and flattery she presents profit proffers pleasure tenders honor and all to allure and deceive and the faithful mans danger is greater from the plausible fairness of the worlds allurements then from the apparent fierceâ—ess of her threatnings But such is the power of divine grace that Christ plucks his feet out of the net 1 Joh. 5.4 making him by faith to overcome the world a sincere faith in the apprehension of Gods love and the assurance of Christs Kingdom will powerfully yea victoriously repulse the world in all her incounters of feat or of favour § 13. As we have seen something of the spiritual conflict which the faithful man has with Satan and the World So thirdly see now something of that he hath with the Flesh which though it be an enemy less violent yet is it more dangerous whose insinuations being secret they are the more hurtful because the less discernable in this conflict with the flesh the sanctified person he feels the bent of nature strugling against the dictates of the Spirit corrupt dispositions against gracious inclinations carnal lusts against spiritual desires earthly affections against heavenly motions thus he feels the spirit lusting against the flesh Gal. 5 17. and the flesh lusting against the spirit in which domestick War he receives many secret blows and some deeply wounding making him to cry out with St. Paul Oh wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from this body of death This body of death in which the inward man is divided against the outward man the old man against the new man that is the same man against himself § 14. And yet O happy soul which is truly sensible of this spiritual war it shall assuredly rest in an eternal peace These several Combates then and conflicts which the faithful have against Satan the World and the Flesh though they often discourage yet do they not quite destroy their holy resolutions though they do for a while damp and discomfort yet do they afterwards much quicken and further their godly conversation Did not indeed the powerful assistance of Christs Spirit give strength to their fainting souls those many assaults of their spiritual enemies would assuredly beat them back from their holy course but being by the same spirit strengthned by which they are sanctified notwithstanding all the oppositions of the World or the Flesh they go forwards in holiness And noâ—withstanding all the suggestions of Satan they resolve and will endeavour to live godly in Christ Jesus being ready in firm affiance and a comfortable assurance to subscribe this profession of Davids faith Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 15. But now how may we best fortifie our souls against the sinful temptations of the World and Satan Answer By mortifying the corrupt affections of the flesh For that most certain it is Satan holds intelligence with our lusts and by their treachery does surprize the Cittadel of the heart Satan may tempt but he cannot force the will So that it is not his tempting but our consenting which brings guilt upon the soul Jam. 1.14 properly then indeed every man is tempted when he is drawn away with his own lust and enticed Satan he subtly proportions his sinful temptations to our corrupt dispositions and therefore where he sees the heart set upon covetousness he tempts Balaam with the
wages of iniquity 2 Pet. 2.15 to curse Israel he tempts Judas with horrid treason to betray his Master Luk. 22.2 3. he tempts Annanias Act. 5.3 4. with cursed sacriledge to alineate to his own use what he had dedicated to Gods service Thus also when he sees the heart set upon ambition Numb 16.1 he tempts Corah with desperate rebellion he tempts Absolon with unnatural treason 2 Sam. 15.10 he tempts Arrius with blasphemous Heresie he tempts Julian with horrid Apostacy § 16. But now on the contrary as an Arrow shot against a Rock may be broken but cannot enter thus temptation to the soul it shall be repell'd where no lust is within to give admittance Wherefore though Satan tempt our Saviour yet are the darts of his temptations shot in vain He finds nothing in him Joh. 14.30 nothing in Christ of carnal or earthly affection whereon his temptation might fasten it self In us then it is the treacherous correspondencie of the flesh with Satan and the World which betrays our souls to their assaults So that to fortifie the soul against their sinful temptations the surest means is to mortifie the flesh in its corrupt affections Rom. 8.13 § 17. Now when the solemnity of the holy Eucharist is celebrated Job 1.6 it is a day when the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord and we may be sure Satan will also come among them not only to accuse every unworthy Receiver but even to tempt the worthiest that receives tempt him with wandring and worldly thoughts with flat and dull affections yea it may be with spiritual pride with formal hypocrisie or impure imaginations Wherefore it will be a second Case seasonably proposed How we may best attend this sacred solemnity that we be not entangled in Satans net Answer By having our eyes ever towards the Lord our souls fixt and intent upon Christ in the sufferings of his Passion the power of his Resurrection the glory of his Ascension and the benefit of his Intercession And this with the enlargements of contrition of faith of love of prayer and of praises § 18. This a fit exercise for the whole solemnity of Administring but especially in the very act of receiving when the Minister comes towards thee O thou devoted soul with the Sacramental pledges of Christs body and blood raise thy self in this or the like ejaculation of fervent prayer O my Jesus thou boundless mercy and glorious purity by thy Spirit pierce into every faculty of my soul cleanse out every corner of my heart and so sanctifie and enlarge me that I may become a fit temple an holy habitation for thee the Lord of life and Prince of glory This done when the sacred bread is administred to thee with a Take eat the body of our Lord Jesus Christ then in thy silent meditations by a commemoration of faith behold Christ in the garden Luk. 22.44 and see him in his anguish of soul and agony of blood prest under the weight of mans sin and Gods wrath This being over behold him betrayed by Judas apprehended by the Jews and dragged away to the High-Priests palace where Mat. 26 67. in thy commemorations of faith behold him spit upon blindfolded and buffeted and after that hurried away to Pilate's Judgment-hall where being falsely accused see him unjustly condemned and after he is scourged with whips Mat. 27.2.11 crown'd with thorns and sceptred with a reed mock'd and despightfully used behold him in thy meditations bearing his cross till he faints under it § 19. At last coming to Mount Calvary see his limbs stretcht and violently distorted his hands and feet digg'd and bor'd and at length his precious body nail'd to his Cross where fix thy meditations of faith in an exercise of contrition and love that as S. Paul thou mayest become crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 and with good Ignatius in a Pathos of devotion cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh my love and therein my life my joy my Jesus he is crucified And in this melting extasie of contrition and love continue till the Cup be presented thee with a Drink this the blood of our Lord Lord Jesus Christ which thou receiving as from Christ in an awful and devout reverence in a renewed contrition of heart and devotion of love renew thy meditations of faith and in them whilst thou beholdest thy Saviour hanging upon his Cross seeing thou canst not conceive his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his unknown sufferings as the Greek Church calls them seeing thou canst not conceive the Sea of sorrows which overwhelmed his soul see oh see those Rivers of blood which overflowed his body And life flowing out with the blood see him seal a Consummatum est to his Passion and our Redemption with a giving up the ghost § 20. And here say within thy self Who is it in a challenge to the Law and Sin and Satan who is it that condemns seeing it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 my Surety my Saviour who thus offers up himself a sacrifice for my sins And therefore presenting thy self in the presence of thy God and his holy Angels raise thy soul in this apprehension of faith That whatsoever is the guilt of Sin the accusation of Satan or the curse of the Law all is taken away cancelled and abolish'd by the merit of Christs passion And therefore in thy meditation of holy faith send forth this ejaculation of fervent prayer Look down oh look down heavenly Father from thy celestial sanctuary and behold the sacred Hoast the death the passion of my crucified Saviour whose blood of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel's even things of grace and mercy of pardon and peace Eph. 4 8. Col. 2.15 § 21. And here from the Passion of thy Saviour proceed in thy meditations of faith to his Ressurection and behold him leading Captivity captive triumphing gloriously over sin and Satan death and hell From his Resurrection follow him to his Ascension and raised by faith Heb. 7.25 behold him at the right hand of the Father in glory where He ever lives to make intercession for us And therefore presenting thy self before the Throne of grace powre out thy soul in prayer in the mediation of Christ Jesus that God would make good to thee the institution of this holy Sacrament as the seal of his Covenant of grace giving thee a communion with the Lord Jesus in all his benefits that so the pardon of thy sins being sealed a supply of grace exhibited and the earnest of glory confirmed thy whole man may be further sanctified and eternally blessed And now let the close of all be lauds and praises even Halleluiah salvation be unto our God and unto the Lamb for ever Rev. 7.10 Vers 16 17. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of
my distresses § 1. GOD being an Infinite Good as he hath his being from himself so hath he his contentment in himself He hath his Paradise in his own bosom his perfect bliss in the eternity of his own fulness And O the immensity of Gods love unto man in ordaining him no other felicity then himself enjoys giving himself to be mans end mans happiness This then is the comfortable rest of mans soul Communion with God in Christ which yet in this life is neither full nor fixt the godly mans comforts being always sweet yet often short his communion with God having its frequent interruption Psal 30.7 though not a total dissolution § 2. So that did we lay our ears to the devout mans closet how might we hear the Turtle-moans of his sobbing sorrows the deep sighs of his broken heart Oh how are his prayers bedewed with tears which drop from the bleeding wounds of his anguisht soul His sad complaint how is it often that of mournful Sion Isa 49.14 The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me Every word hath its accent of woe and emphasis of sorrow The Lord rich in his goodness dear in his love the Lord infinite in his power glorious in his majesty faithful in his truth even the Lord my God my God by covenant and communion the stay and strength of my soul the desire and delight of my heart the life of my joy and the joy of my life He hath forsaken me § 3. Yea he hath not only cast me out of his arms but also out of his heart he hath not only taken away his hand but hath also hid his face I am no more his love I am no more his care He hath forgotten me Now this state of spiritual desertion though excluding comforts yet is it consisting with grace And therefore the devout Saint of God notwithstanding his languishments of sorrow does not lie down in distrust but raised by faith he powres forth his complaint unto God in prayer Thus holy David Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged oh bring thou me out of my distresses § 4. Here we have the Case and the Cure of a deserted soul the Case rightly stated in a mournful complaint and the Cure fitly applied in a fervent prayer The Case rightly stated in a mournful complaint 1. In its spiritual dereliction I am desolate 2. It s secret anguish I am afflicted 3. It s high aggravation The troubles of my heart are enlarged In the Cure fitly applied in fervent prayer 1. To the Spiritual dereliction is applied the manifestation of Divine love Turn thee unto me 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me 3. To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance Oh bring thou me out of my distresses Thus turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted c. § 5. 1. The case of a deserted soul rightly stated in its spiritual dereliction I am desolate The devout soul in its neer approaches unto God through Christ Psal 34.8 oftentimes tastes and sees much of heavenly sweetness and divine love yet those comforts though of heavenly stock like plants carried out of their native soil and proper climate they keep not their sweetness in a continued strength God oft-times withdrawing himself from his dearest Saints in the comforting influence of his grace and love The cheering vigor then of Grace in its triumphant power over sin and the satisfying peace of conscience in the cleer testimony of the Spirit they are not always the portion of the truly sanctified Grace and Peace indeed they are happy Mates Eph. 1.2 Phil. 1.2 but not inseparable companions Grace may be without Peace though Peace cannot be without Grace The soul then is often desolate and forsaken of God in the refreshing influence of peace and comfort when yet he is most intimately present with the soul in the quickening power of life and grace § 6. Now the spiritual dereliction we here speak of it is none other then a stop of that gracious effusion of Gods love a shutting up those streams of sweet refreshments which were wont to flow forth from the fountain of Christs fulness upon the soul A truth this so well known by sad experience to Gods Saints that who is he that hath drunk of the waters of life that hath not tasted those waters of Marah that hath not tasted at least some drops of that full cup of Christ when in bitter anguish of soul he cryed out upon the Cross Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This then of Gods withdrawing himself in the comforts of his Spirit it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the language of the Apostle a temptation common to men 1 Cor. 10.13 the best of men even to men of the divinest tempers and devoutest souls § 7. Yet these spiritual derelictions of the godly though they are real they are not total not final for that God is faithful in his promise whose promise is full and emphatical Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Est in loc Est negationis conduplicatio ut sit vehementior pollicitatio The promise is doubled in the expression that our faith might be confirmed in its assurance Yea here are five Negatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as if God had said I will not no I will not no most assuredly I will not for ever leave thee for ever forsake thee his compassions may be restrained but cannot be extinguished § 8. Know then in the spiritual desertions of comfort Gods love is not interrupted in him but the acts of his love intermitted to us he withdraws himself indeed in his love but it is not amor benevolentiae but amor beneficentiae as the School speaks his love of benevolence wherewith he loveth us in Christ this love like himself it is unchangeable but now the actings of this love which is the love of beneficence that is often suspended in its measure and degrees according to Gods wisdom and will this love of benevolence and beneficence may aptly be illustrated by lux and lumen the inherent and the radiant light of the Sun Gods love of benevolence like the Suns inherent light it varies not but his love of beneficence like the Suns radiant light it is often clouded yet not totally eclipsed And when Gods love is clouded his face hid then is the soul desolate which dereliction brings not onely a sudden fit of heaviness but very often a continued estate of discomforts sharpened and imbittered with inward afflictions for so saith David in his desertion I am desolate and afflicted § 9. 2 The secret anguish I am afflicted Indeed what soul can be desolate and not be afflicted Psal 30.6 Thou Lord didst hide thy face and I was
its joy and delights says as David Look upon my affliction and my pain § 13. 2 In the exercise of fervent prayer whose voyce is louder from the heart then from the mouth louder from the eye then from the tongue sighs and tears are the best Rhetorick of the devout mans prayers The right gift of prayer and true grace of supplication not being as many fondly fancy it in the ready or large expression of words Rom. 8.26 but in sighs and groans which cannot be exprest O then then are we most fervent in prayer when our troubled souls become big with desires which cannot be uttered and therefore the tongue being unable to declare them in words they force their passage at the eyes in a flood of tears Thus thus pray we for the Church of Christ for the chosen of God that in a sympathy of their sufferings we may say with David Behold mine affliction and my pain § 14. 3 In the sense of their many infirmities The Saints of God exercised with ecstatical devotions in the holy excess of divine love Gal. 2.20 as St. Paul They live yet not they but Christ that liveth in them Col. 3.3 and their life is hid with Christ in God even as the stars without losing their light they shine not in the presence of the Sun but the Sun shines in them and their light is hid in the light of the Sun thus the Soul without losing its life it lives not being ecstatically swallowed up in Christ but Christ he lives in the soul and the souls life is hid in the life of Christ But now after the soul is descended from the Mount Tabor of her divine ecstasies how does she find herself in the Valley of Tears by reason of her humane infirmities And when the heart is wounded with the dart of love and the desire is not accomplisht in the enjoyment of its beloved what can be more afflicting As hope deferred makes the heart faint Prov. 13 12. so desires not satisfied make the soul languish Thus the Psalmist Psal 42.1 As the hart panteth after the water-brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God my soul is athirst for God for thee the living God c. § 15. Oh when the devout soul would fain take wing and flie away to her sweet repose in the bosom of her beloved oh the secret trouble and anguish of spirit to find it self clogg'd and chain'd to the servile miseries of this mortal life yea the impure motions of corrupt affections So that the devout Saint cries out with the blessed Apostle Wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from this body of sin and of death There is certainly no pleasure like that of pleasing God no joy like that of enjoying Christ And now for such a person as hath placed his liberty in Gods service his life in Gods love his comfort in Gods favor for such a person to be so infested with carnal earthly and corrupt affections that he calls in question his faith as false his hope as vain his service as fruitless who can conceive the Convulsion-fits of his spiritual anguish the laboring throes of his souls perplexities in which he cries out Vide afflictionem Behold my affliction and my pain § 16. 2. The firm ground of the souls peace Sins forgiven us Forgive all my sins Rom. 5.1 there says the Apostle Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Here we see plainly that Peace of conscience it is the fruit of Justification So that the root from whence springs this blessed fruit it is this an humble assurance of Gods love in Christ in the free and full pardon of our sins We may observe that till Christ had reconcil'd the Faâ—her by his sufferings and death and had given an assurance thereof unto his Church by his Resurrection the Holy Ghost the Comforter did not come down upon the Apostles so now Joh. 7.39 till we be reconciled unto God by Christ in the remission of our sins and have some assurance hereof wrought in our hearts through faith the Comforter the Holy Ghost does not fill our souls with his divine consolations He does not refresh our spirits with his heavenly dew and sacred influence Peace of Conscience § 17. Therefore Isa 57.21 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked their worm of conscience is still gnawing in the midst of outward jollities fretting their souls with inward tortures So that the wicked flee when no man pursueth Pro. 28.1 no man pursueth without yet there is that pursueth within even the stinging guilt of an evil conscience So that seeing he every where carries with him his tormentor no wonder this if he can no way flie to escape his torment impossible it is he should flie from his misery since he cannot flie from himself his guilty conscience that makes his wound incurable his plague unavoidable But now when God speaks comfort unto his people Hos 2.14 it is ad Cor Comfort to the heart making the good Conscience to be a continual feast a feast furnished with those dainties of Christs banquetting-house Cant. 2.4 laid up in store for his Spouse the humble and penitent soul Let not then the heart that is drowned in worldly pleasure think to partake of those heavenly delights Let not the soul which is in the gall of bitterness think to participate of this divine sweetness this hidden Manna as our Saviour calls it Rev. 2.17 hidden to the world and the men of the world for that the blessedness of comfort which is in this sweet peace of conscience no man knows but he that tastes § 18. The better to represent by some measure of proportion what the comforts of the soul are in the peace of Conscience after its languishing under the terror of sin let those men give a shadow of it who from the safe and quiet port do behold the waves and billows of that raging sea in which they themselves were even now overwhelmed and by a miracle of providence are happily escaped or let those women in some sort declare it who after their bitter throes and laboring pangs have enjoyed the quiet ease of a bed of rest for such is the Peace of Conscience to the mournful Penitent after the terrors of sin and his horrors of soul as is the safe Port to the shipwrackt Mariner after the raging tempest or as the easeful bed to the laboring woman after her painful travel § 19. These may give us the shadow but as for the substance such is the excellencie of that as S. Paul tells us it passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 so that we can never rightly conceive it by description from others till we truly know it by experience in our selves Which of us can conceive that has not felt what is the blessed comfort of that mans soul who in the peace of his conscience can see
calls a breaking forth Eruperunt instar diluvii Hos 4.2 So the Chalde and Vatable They have broken forth as a flood So violent are the water-floods of ungodliness as no bounds of Law or Equity civil or divine can keep them in thereby men become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as no bounds of Oaths or Covenants can restrain but what is most sacred Rom. 1.31 by the rage of mens lusts is violated § 11. Many at their first contrivances of Ambition and Pride or the like predominant lusts they set bounds to their desires so far to pursue their profit or their pleasure or their preferment and no further But experience tels us that the actings of sin are like the flowings of a River which the further it runs the wider is the channel and the fiercer is the stream Hab. 2.6 Wo to him that loadeth himself with thick clay The covetous man may heap up enough to load but ne'r lay up enough to fill he may load his house yea his heart but never fill his hell his lust he may have enough to sink his soul but not to satisfie his desires He then who prescribes his lusts their limits and resolves after so much gain or honor or pleasure to take up as having had his fill he shall find that the pursuits of lusts are more violent and fierce in their conquest then in their assault in their after-desires then in their first motions § 12. When ever yet did Ambition or Covetousness or the like bottomless and boundless lusts find a centre to rest in any Hercules pillars a Ne plus ultra to confine them Elijah's Cloud no bigger then a hand at first yet after a while it spreads and covers the whole face of the heavens And why it riseth from the sea 1 King 18 44. and is driven with the wind Thus our lusts at first of lesser size spread themselves after a while to a larger extent to a covering the whole heaven a clouding all righteousness And why they arise from a sea of concupiscence and are driven with the wind of Satans temptations But further yet in the very Saints of God when lust breaks forth there is in it this fierce and intemperate rage See it in those two remarkable Examples so eminent for sanctity and sin Jonah and Peter Jonah a Prophet and Peter an Apostle § 13. Jonah though an holy Prophet so eminent in grace and office yet when a lustful passion breaks loose a greater tempest and rage then that of the Sea swells his breast so that in pursuit of his own vain glory lest he should be accounted a false Prophet he is angry with the Almighty Lord because he is a merciful God yea exceeding angry And see the contumacious impudence of Lust Gods argument and expostulation is answered yea outfac'd with a daring reply of an I do well to be angry Jon. 4.9 even unto death Agaâ—n S. Peter so eminent in the profession of Christ the Messias and so confident in the opinion of his own faithfulness yet how does the breath of a woman shake this rock that against the very evidences of his own heart and bosom the consciousness of his own promise and profession he denies his Master and when now the lust of self-love and fear had stept into the throne of the heart and snatcht the scepter see its tyranny and rage the denial swells into an oath and that oath multiplies into execrations Mat. 26.74 so that he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even renounce Christ with direful imprecations upon himself according to the â—xposition of the learned Diodate § 14. Thus Lust like a River when stopt in its current it swells and fomes and if it force a passage its violence and rage is the greater The habitual malice of sin is great in the heart of the wicked which are under its dominion and power but its actual malice is greater far in the souls of the sanctified who have dispossest it of its throne and broken its scepter for that the malice of lust is excited by the opposition of grace and so like the Enemy in the battel it is more violent and fierce In which battel and spiritual confl ct if lust prevail so cruel is its hate that no opposition can put stop to its fury but the Spirit of Christ And therefore in all our contests with sin and combates with our lusts David here presents us with a pattern for our practice even to flie unto our God with th s complaint and prayer in our mouths Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 15. Second General the Method in its gradation the first step or ascent Consider mine enemies Consider how they are furnished with policie and power with number and malâ—ce with provisions and arms with all the auxiliary succors that principalities and powers Eph. 6.12 and spiritual wickednesses even the gates of hell can contribute to supply Ps 22.6 and what shall I weak I a worm and no man what shall I do against so great a force how shall I conquer or withstand so huge an host who am not able to master not to mortifie the smallest lust Oh consider Lord in this cause in this combate thy glory is engaged and in my weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 in mine insufficiencie thy strength is perfected Thou art the Captain of my salvation and the service I am upon is thine wherefore so consider the multitude and violence of mine enemies that through the succor and supplies of thy grace I faint not and perish § 16. But know as we would have God to consider our enemies so God would have us to consider his Saints that as they were men of like passions with us so that we be men of like patience with them Jam 5.17 and as of like humble patience so of like faithful practice See we that Cloud of witnesses the Church of the first-born Heb 12 1. those Saints of Christ with palms in their hands as tokens of victory Rev. 7 9. And consider we aright that as we have the same combate so if we faint not we shall have the same conquest yea and the same crown only then we must fight with the same weapons faith love meekness patience hope and the like yea with the same importunity of supplications sincerity of humiliations and exercise of all holy devotions especially the frequent solemnity of the blessed Eucharist And when thus we consider Gods Saints to imitate them God will consider our enemies to subdue them § 17. But 2. O keep my soul my soul so precious as no price save that of the blood of the Son of God could make its purchase 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Wherefore Lord amidst the worlds changes and thy Churches trials howsoever thou disposest of my body or of my goods of my liberty or of my life O keep my soul for
that in holding faith and a good conscience though I lose all things else I have enough if I save my soul and in deserting faith and a good conscience if I lose my soul I have nothing though I save all things else But further O keep my soul yet not so properly mine as in a more peculiar right of propriety thine thine O blessed Jesu by right of donation from thy Father who hath made thee Lord and Christ and hath given me to thee Act 2.36 Eph. 1.22 as thou art Head over all things unto thy Church Thine by right of purchase thou having bought us with a price and given thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom in kind 2 Tim. 2.6 even thine own soul and body to redeem unto thy self the souls and bodies of the faithful § 18. Further thine by right of conquest in which thou hast made us free from the law of sin and of death having for our sake Rom 8.2 and in our name spoil'd principalities and powers Col. 2 1◠triumphing over them Further yet thine by right of Covenant in which thou hast promised thy self to be our God and we to be thy people Lastly Heb. 8.10 thine by right of Communion for that all we are and all we have are from thy fulness our life our love our joy our holiness our happiness all is in thee and from thee Thus I am thine my body thine my soul thine thine in the nearest relation in the strictest union and in the dearest affection True it is all is thine the Devils are thine thy vassals the wicked are thine thy prisoners the Angels are thine thy subjects the Creatures are thine thy servants But only the sanctified are thine thy brethren thy members yea the faithful are thy treasure thy jewels thy jewels of ornament and delight Thus oh thus keep my soul as one of thy jewels a part of thy treasure § 19. 3. Deliver me The propriety Christ hath in us is a strong engagement of his care over us as it is with his children in general 1 Tim. 3.15 Cant. 4.8 so with each of his chosen in particular Though Christs Church be full of enemies yet seeing it is his own house he will raise and repair it though it be black yet seeing it is his own Spouse he will pitty and cherish it Isa 5.4 though it bring forth wild grapes yet being his own Vine he will fence and prune it though it wander from his truth 1 Pet. 5.2 yet because it is his own Flock he will watch and gather it This then is the argument of faith which the devout soul makes unto Christ Because I am thy purchase O do thou Lord preserve me because I am of thy houshold do thou provide for me Ps 119.94 because I am one of thine whom thou ownest O keep my soul and deliver me Deliver me not only from the conquest but also from the conflict of sin For that Conflictus licet non fit damnabilis quia non perficit iniquitatem miserabilis tamen quia non habet pacem Aug. de nupt concupisc l. 2. c. 2. Though our conflict with our lusts is not damnable because the act of sin is not perfected yet is it miserable because the peace of the soul is disturbed § 20. This very conflict with sin it was which put S. Paul to his exclamation Rom. 17.24 Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Which complaint he answers with this profession I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord for that the grace of Christ doth weaken the strength the blood of Christ doth pardon the guilt and the glory of Christ shall annihilate the being of sin In renascentibus remittitur S. Aug. contra Jul. l. 6. c. 16. in proficientibus minuitur in resurgentibus tollitur Sin in justification through Christ is remitted in sanctification by Christ is weakened and in glorification with Christ shall be destroyed in which glorification the deliverance of Christs Church and chosen is perfected and till that perfecting be accomplish'd this will be the continued complaint and mournful prayer of Gods holiest Saints Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 21. Thus being in conflict then with our lusts how may we best order our lives as to the safety and peace of our souls I answer in several rules of direction 1. Be we the more fervent the more importunate in our prayers by how much our lusts are the more eager the more vehement in their desires For this we have S. Pauls example for our imitation 2 Cor. 12.9 when he proportions the vehemencie of his devotion to the violence of his temptation and by how much the Messenger of Satan doth the more furiously reiterate his buffetings by so much the Apostle of the Gentiles doth the more zealously renew his prayers and at length he receives this comfortable answer to his sorrowful complaint My grace is sufficient for thee sufficient to pardon thy guilt sufficient to cure thy wound sufficient to strengthen thy weakness sufficient to perfect thy deliverance § 22. 2. Entertain we no parley no treaty with our lusts have no commerce or company with them silence their suggestions or if they will needs be suggesting give them not the ear lest they make that the passage to the heart Qui deliberant desciverunt so Tacit. We betray our selves to sin whensoever we treat with our lusts conference with them is the way to be ensnared by them We must flie sin as a serpent not let in the head lest it draw in its body not yield to the first motion lest we be engaged in its full commission § 23. 3. Set we up the Law of the Spirit and life in our hearts Rom. 8.2 and by how much the Law of Sin will be stirring in our thoughts by so much the more let this royal law of Christs spirit life bear sway in our souls And to that end especially now in the solemnity of the blessed Eucharist renew we our purposes our vows our covenants renew we our self-denial our total resignation thereby to obtain a further quickening in grace a further strengthening of the inward man Joh. 1.16 and all by a nearer communion with Christ in his fulness Thus this holy Sacrament shall seal unto our hearts the comfort of this assurance that God so considers our enemies which are many and hate us with a cruel hatred that He will keep our souls and deliver us Vers 20. part and v. 21. Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 1. THE Creatures were made subject to change by the law of their creation which mutability hath been much improved by the sin of man whose guilt
on when all temporal supplies fail and all humane help is gone then does the religious heart see a fulness and allsufficiencie in its God 2 Cor 3.5 9.8 To put our trust in God is an act and exercise of faith whereby we take our souls off from all carnal and worldly props and devolve them upon God through Christ to obtain present support and future salvation And we thus devolve our souls upon God through Christ in his Word of promise and in his Works of providence 1 In his Word of promise without which neither the goodness of God nor the fulness of Christ would administer firm rest and solid comfort to the soul of man for that we can no further extend our faith then God reveals his will nor draw our line of hope beyond his rule of promise 2 Cor. 1.20 § 9. Now the sure foundation of all the promises is the love of God in Christ So that in their nature they are free and gracious in their vertue quickening and purifying in their value rich and precious Yea the all-glorious Majesty in a gracious condescendment of mercy hath obliged himself unto his creature He hath past his word not only promissory but also federal He hath made his word a word of promise his promise the promise of a covenant his covenant a covenant confirmed by oath that oath and covenant sealed with blood even the blood of the Lamb yea of the Son of God and that word promise covenant oath blood and all we have confirmed yea sealed over again in the blessed Sacrament And wherefore is all this but that with David we may with the greater confidence of faith put our trust in him 2 His works of providence Jer. 23.24 in which he is powerfully present by an immediate and intimate operation at all times and in all places with all things § 10. For that God does not do with the World as the Workman with a Watch that is when by the divine art of his all-powerful hand he hath finished each wheel and fitted each part then to winde it up by a Law of Nature and set it by him to observe how the time spends how the ages pass no Gods providence is not a bare and naked view but an actual and efficacious administration so that rather he does with the World as David with his Harp when artificially made and accurately strung he tunes the Creatures as so many strings unto an unisone consent of divine harmony by an obediential power to his holy will And then by his hand of providence he strikes each string in its due place whereby it hath a particular Note in the universal Melody of the Worlds Hallelujah Ps 103.22 § 11. Now our trust in God as to his works of providence is an act of faith eyeing that infinite power and wisdom whereby he preserves and governs all things in order to his glorious mercy and justice And hence it is that no extremity of danger or of distress can nonplus the Saints faith in establishing their trust because they know nothing can pose Gods wisdom Jer. 32.17 27. or puzzle his power to accomplish their deliverance for that either by an absolute power he can create succors out of nothing or by a wonderful wisdom of his providence he can bring light out of darkness Isa 45.5.7 comforts out of discomforts life out of death salvation out of destruction As in the Red sea he can make the swelling waves a fencing wall Exod. 14.22 and the swallowing Deep a Champian plain In the fiery furnace Dan. 3.25 Jon. 2.10 he can make the consuming flames a refreshing heat and in the raging Ocean a devouring Whale a safe Port. This this the wisdom and power of his providence Isa 28.29 who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working § 12. Now that God doth work oftentimes without means and oftentimes against means it is to teach us to trust in him even when we see no means for that hereby as God declares his soveraignty so does he exercise our dependance and encourage our faith encourage I say our faith this being the chief Basis of all our comfort that Gods powerful providence serves his gracious purpose even his purpose in Christ of saving us Rom. 8.28 so that all things work together for good to them that fear him all things all gifts and graces all blessings and benefits yea all crosses and calamities all afflictions and persecutions and to go further all their infirmities and failings Satan and his instruments all are awed and ordered all are overswayed and overruled by the wisdom and power of Gods providence to further his intendment of grace and love unto his Saints § 13. Thus faith overlooks the Creatures and fixeth it self purely and perfectly wholly and solely upon the Creator And this is the reason that in all changes in all extremities in the deepest of the worlds distress and of worldly mens despair the Saint and Servant of God he hath his heart fixed trusting in the Lord trusting in him Ps 112.7 in his word of promise and in his works of providence Wherefore now O God let the mercy and truth of thy promise let the wisdom and power of thy providence attract the force and quicken the vigor of my faith that when I see nothing in the Creature for temporal safety nothing in my self for eternal salvation I may then see all things in thee and thy Christ for both And thus shall my faith be the more pure and firm and thy glory the more perfect and full § 14. Wherefore make we God the object of our trust Isa 12.2 26 4. Exod. 34.6 7. God the great Jehovah who hath his being from himself and himself gives being unto all things He a God gracious and merciful just and holy powerful and wise wonderful and glorious and that which is incommunicable even to the best of creatures he is eternally infinitely and immutably such God alone then is the fit object of our trust earthly objects have no proportion with the heavenly soul As soon may the chest be filled with grace as the heart be satisfied with wealth and assoon may we fat the belly with â—ir as fill the soul with honor Indeed we may not trust in the Creature which is none otherwise good then in not being trusted in Nothing we say can act beyond its sphere what then can outward comforts of the world do to solace spiritual griefs of the soul § 15. Yea look we inward to the gifts of Nature and those streams we find can ascend no higher then their Spring-head and as for the gifts of Grace take the whole New creature yet it is but a creature and therefore no fit object of our trust God alone then who is the Author of our life is fit to be the object of our trust as being the fountain and fulness of all our comfort and strength all our grace and
seized Zech. 12.2 how doth the Churches portion prove a cup of poison making them to vomit up not only the meat they have swallowed but their own bowels also even bring ruine upon themselves and their posterities § 2. And now Oh what shame and confusion shall be upon the soul when this guilt flies in the face and men find by sad experience Obad. 4. that though with Edom they have made their nest among the stars Ezek. 28.14 and become in the language of the Prophet speaking of Tyre tanquam Cherub extentus protegens as a Cherub spreading their wing and enlarging their power and protection over People and Nations yet having Tyres guilt they meet with Tyres doom their great glory does consume to ashes and their ruine's sealed with a non eris in perpetuum Vers 19. Thou shalt not be any more for ever Wherefore when we behold Riches heaped up by oppression and sacriledge Honor founded upon usurpation and violence worldly glory built upon the sandy foundation of a successful impiety then say we with Jacob Gen. 49 6. Psal 141.4 My soul come not thou into their secret And with David Let me not eat of their dainties lest partaking of their sin and guilt we partake with them in their shame and punishment Yea as the best guard of the soul against the suggestions of Satan and seductions of men make we Davids prayer our petition invocating God in all fervor of devotion as the Psalmist here does Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 3. This the second part of Davids petition Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Integrity of heart like Elisha's salt it purgeth the spring and purifieth the streams it seasons our duties and keeps the soul sound under all its infirmities and failings The least grace sincere and saving it is like seed of a growing and an increasing nature and though hid under a heap of corruptions yet does it spring up to everlasting life Joh. 4.14 Take we a view of this uprightness and integrity as to its subject its end and its object 1. The subject the inward man without which all outward performances they are Pharisaical obedience for God is a Spirit Joh 4.23 and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And thus the Apostle I delight in the law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 In religious services then the integrity is that of the heart so that in what the heart does not act God does not accept Isa 29 13 14. the performance of the outward duty without the concurrence of the inward man being as a body without a soul and meet formal professors though they wear Christs livery yet do they serve themselves § 4. 2. The end the principal and ultimate is Gods glory to which there are many subordinate and subservient as the good of his Church the salvation of our souls the welfare of our Country the benefit of our families and the like But now we must observe it is too low a judgment of integrity to take its measure from the more near and immediate ends of actions we must eye therefore the principal and ultimate end the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 A sincere aim at which sacred end does lay the soul level and eaven in its desires which otherwise would warp and bend according to the sway of some base lusts and vile affections But notwithstanding this pure aim at Gods glory Heb. 11.26 seeing Moses hath a respect to the recompense of reward Heb. 12.2 and our Saviour himself had an eye to the joy that was set before him It will be no hypoâ—ritical affection but a devout encouragement to quicken our pace in the way of holiness from this Scripture-motive our own salvation and happiness I call it a Scripture-motive then which nothing is more frequently urged in sacred Scripture § 5. And indeed whether Gods glory or Mans happiness be considered as co-ordinate one with another or as subordinate one to another sure I am they are inseparable one from another no man can rightly aim at his own happiness without a respect to Gods glory nor yet aim at Gods glory without a respect to his own happiness For what is it to attain happiness but fully to enjoy God Psal 36.6 Psal 17.16 Psal 16.11 and what is it fully to enjoy God but to attain happiness So then Gods glory is mans felicity and mans felicity is Gods glory true it is some pious souls and learned pens have made it a note of integrity to love God though theâ—e were no heaven But besides the nicety of the Metaphysical abstraction if rightly considered it implies a contradiction 1 Joh. 4 8. for seeing God is love what is there in heaven which is not contained in the love of God And whereas hereby they think to cleer pure love from the stain of being mercenary it is but a needless attempt for that omnis amor mercedis non est mercinarius Ps 16.5 Lam. 3.24 Gen. 17.1 all love of reward is not mercenary love for that God who is our portion is our reward and if so to love our reward is to love God § 6. 3 The object whatsoever God commands which is to be done ut mandavit quia mandavit according to his will and because of his soveraignty To do what but not as God commands is disobedience 1 Sam. 15.19 as with Saul in the case of Amalek Again to do as God commands but not because he commands is hypocrisie as with Jehu in the case of Baal Jehu 2 King 10.30 31. he is zealous in reforming yet not to advance Gods glory but his own greatness But further of those things which God hath commanded Integrity respects the credenda as well as the agenda the doctrines of faith as well as the duties of obedience For it is easie to observe how the Apostles in their several Epistles are as zealous in their reproofs and as hot in their zeal against evil doctrines as against evil lives against false Teachers as against lewd Livers yea and accordingly in their exhortations and instructions they join the necessity of a true faith with that of a good conscience § 7. To practise holiness and profess heresie and to profess truth but practise prophaneness are both opposite to Davids integrity and uprightness for sincere faith can no more dispense with any doctrines revealed then holy life with any precepts declared in Gods word Yea Gal. 5.19.20 2 Pet. 2 1. ask the Apostles and they will tell us Heresies as well as Prophanenesses they are works of the flesh they are damnable yea bring swift damnation False teachers as well as lewd livers they deny the Lord that bought them Jud. 4. and are prepared of old to destruction Wherefore a holding fast the true
implore its deliverance And when when more seasonably help the Church with our prayers then now when her Prayers are violently wrested from the Church § 22. But more especially 2 to mind us of the fit season and service to pray for Israels deliverance even the celebration of the blessed Eucharist Seeing so great wrath is come upon us from the Almighty do we this day lay hold on the horns of the Altar do we in the celebration of this blessed Sacrament deeply sigh and contritely mourn for all the abominations that are committed in the Land that so Ezek. 9.4 with those Penitentiaries in Ezekiel we may receive our mark even that blood of Christ upon out souls that so the destroying Angel may yet pass over us and in the behalf of this our Israel do we in our most enlarged devotions make this or the like intercession unto God in the holy Eucharist Look down oh look down heavenly Father from the height of Heaven thy celestial Sanctuary and behold the sacred Hoast the blood of our Jesus speaking better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24 even things of grace and of mercy of pardon and of peace of reconciliation and of restauration And seeing in him thy justice is satisfied let thy wrath be appeased and through the merit of his blood oh let the bleeding wounds of our fainting Land be healed and the faintâ—ng heart of our languishing Church reviv'd § 23. And here let the outward distractions of our Israel minde us of the inward distempers of our hearts the great profanations in the Church prompt us to a strict purifying of our Consciences yea our longing desires after better days quicken our holy endeavours after better lives So shall we find by an happy experience God who did watch for our deliverance when we knew not our danger In the Powder-plot 1605. he will not sleep now we know our danger and pray for our deliverance No as for the Enemies of Sion evil shall fall upon them and sudden desolation Isa 47.11 nescient ortum ejus they shall not know from whence it ariseth But as for the Israel of God he shall deliver them as a bird out of the Fowlers net Ps 124 6 7. and as a prey out of the Lyons teeth at once making it the praise of our faith then to believe when our trust seems to be against hope Rom. 4.18 and the glory of his power then to save when our condition seems to be past succor And thus for the share we have in the sorrow of Israels troubles we shall have our portion in the joy of Israels deliverance Is 35.10 if not whilst the Church is militant on earth yet most assuredly then when triumphant in heaven of which this blessed Sacrament is the seal and pledge confirming the Royal grant of this humble Petition to every faithful soul that prays with David Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK II. To administer COMFORT BY CONFERENCE with the SOUL IN ITS Spiritual Conflicts Reduced to particular CASES of CONSCIENCE Viz. 1. The importunate Crowd of Vain Thoughts 2. The frightful Suggestions of Foul Thoughts 3. Some late Relapses into Sin 4. Daily Conflicts with Sin 5. A Distrust of the Graces sincerity in general of Faith and of Repentance in particular 6. The sense of Barrenness in holy Duties 7. The misapprehension of Gods withdrawing the Comforts of his gracious presence 8. The misinterpretation of the Order of Gods Providence as to the Tribulations of the Godly and as to the Prosperity of the Wicked 9. The long Continuance of Temptations and Afflictions By ROBERT MOSSOM LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb 1657. TO THE Right Honorable Lady FRANCES Marchioness of HERTFORD c. MADAM I Acknowledge it mine ambition that I seek your Honor's Patronage but dare adventure upon this guilt in confidence of a Favorable Pardon as well as an Honorable Protection to your Suppliant I know no vice in Morals unpardonable like that of Ingratitude and therefore to avoid the sin and censure of this Apostacy I declare it Madam your Reward of Goodness exceeding the Merit of a former Present which hath obliged the duty of this Dedication What are the charitable supplies of your Eleemosynary bounties notwithstanding Modesty is at once the Vail and Ornament of your Vertues there is a Trumpet of Honorable Fame that proclaims it That I have my self received an encouragement of my Studies by your Nobleness I willingly embrace this opportunity thankfully to acknowledge and record Besides Madam it were improper to intitle the SOUL'S CONFERENCE to any other then an experienced Piety whose Spiritual Conflicts sustained can give testimony to the Comforts administred which not Greatness but Goodness can best approve and Patronize Here then Madam to your Goodness as great in Honor and to your Honor as great in Goodness is humbly presented this Freewill-offering the Work and the Author and no Votary can do more then make his whole Possession one Oblation as ambitious to bear the name and attribute of being NOBLE MADAM Your Honors Faithfully Devoted Servant R. MOSSOM CONFERENCE WITH THE SOUL In its Spiritual Conflicts THE INTRODUCTION IT is the great design of Satan in a malicious envy to Man if he cannot spoil us of our Crown Lam. 3.17 18. then to rob us of our Comfort If he cannot deprive us of Grace then to bereave us of our Peace Which thing he doth not only attempt but often attain by raising in our hearts an infernal fog of diffidence and distrust Ps 77.8 9. Ps 88.5 6. begetting such doubts and fears and affrighting terrors as do make the Soul against all the light of counsel and of comfort in the Word conclude against it self to have lost all interest in Gods love Job 38.2 and Christs merits Lam 5.22 Isa 49.14 all Communion with the Spirit of grace and of life pleading with much vehemencie of passion and impatience that its former hopes have been but deceitful presumptions and its exercises of holiness hypocritical delusions Oh the thick darkness which this mist and fog of Satans suggestions casts upon the inward man How doth it become the very shop of fears the womb of terrors Ps 23 4. yea the valley and shadow of death the cheering light of the Sun of Righteousness being thereby eclipsed from the Soul Now there is no greater advantage unto Satan in his temptations then the ignorance and error of the mind when the Understanding is darkened or deceiv'd darkened through want of knowledge or deceiv'd with a false light For Satan he works still contrary unto God and yet in imitation of him too And therefore as God in his operations of grace to beget life Eph. 1.17 18. he first enlightens and illuminates so Satan in his temptations unto sin to destroy grace he first darkens and deceives 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 4.18 Luk. 22.64 He doth with the
Soul as the Jews did with Christ first blindfold it and then buffet it his first aim still is to abuse the Judgment for he knows well he must first make blind before he can lead into the ditch Mat. 15.14 he must first deceive before he can destroy Wherefore in our Spiritual Conflicts they are the carnal reasonings of our own hearts rais'd by the secret suggestions of Satans malice which rend the deepest wounds and fret the forest galls of Conscience even to a griping anguish and an amazing horror perswading too too often perswading us that Gods hiding his face is a casting off the soul Lam. 3.7 8. Ps 77.8 9. his withdrawing his presence a rejecting our prayer and his temporary displeasure the earnest of an eternal vengeance whereby our perplexed souls become so full of troubles that our life draweth nigh unto the grave we are as those that go down into the pit Ps 88.15 16. and whilst we suffer these bitter terrors we are distracted Now seeing the womb of all this Impatience is that of Diffidence and the mother of this Diffidence is that of Ignorance ignorance in the mysteries of grace Ps 73.21 22. and promises of life in the ways of God and the works of his providence seeing it is so to whom shall we apply our selves in our Spiritual conflicts to receive Spiritual counsel but to the Priests of the Lord Mal. 2.7 2 Cor. 5.20 the Ministers of the Word as the Messengers of God and Ambassadors of Christ whose lips are not only made to preserve knowledge but also to dispense peace Many there are 2 Chr. 16.12 alas too too many who in their distemper of soul are like unto Asa in his disease of body as he sought unto the Physitian and not to God so they seek unto the World and not to Christ they betake themselves to sports and pastimes to merry company and frollick entertainments And thus in stead of salving the wound they rend it wider Cant. 5.7 in stead of pacifying their Conscience they either stupifie or enrage it Again others there are who under the pressure of temptations being indispos'd to holy duties their hearts heavy their minds perplext their thoughts wandring their spirits wounded they then in a froward discontent and sad dejection cease their Religious performances by this means yielding that advantage Satan seeks whose main drift and aim is Job 15.4 to discourage from holy exercises that the power of Grace being weakened Jam. 4 7. the force of his temptations may the more easily prevail And among all the duties of Holiness none is more eagerly opposed by Satan then that of Prayer Luk. 18.1 therefore doth he make it the master-piece of his subtilty and malice in all our afflictions of soul to damp our devotion of heart knowing well that there is no readier way to quench his fiery darts Eph. 6.16.18 then by our sorrowful sighs and mournful tears powred forth unto God and Christ in fervent prayers In Spiritual Conflicts then the soul through ignorance and error like a man in the dark fights against it self embâ—ttering its sorrows and widening its wounds by impatience and distrust Isâ— 50.10 and the succor which Gods word doth afford it either does not discern or cannot imploy And seeing it is thus of how great a concernment is it that they who languish in dejections and labour under the weight of Spiritual troubles do betake themselves to some holy Confessor some faithful Minister of Christ to whom is committed the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5 19. that consulting him in their grief he may be an Helper of their joy and knowing their secret trouble 2 Cor. 1.24 he may administer them saving comfort And seeing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the chief Shepherd of the Flock hath set his Ministers in excubiis Heb. 13 17. to stand upon their Watch for the good of Souls strange it is that so many should conceal their distress and thereby languish in their distrust hide their disease and thereby perish for want of remedy Wherefore O ye distressed and dejected Souls that we may the better administer you spiritual comforts do you acquaint us with your spiritual griefs That we may the better impart to you spiritual councels do you discover to us your spiritual conflicts Ipse sibi denegat curam qui suam medico non publicat causam â— Ang. ep 188. Knowing that of S. Augustine to be an experienc'd truth in ghostly as well as bodily distempers that He denies to himself the cure who declares not to his Physitian the cause of his disease Further for this reason that it is the subtilty of Satans malice to cast such a cloud and darkness upon the soul that when he cannot hâ—nder he may then hide the Saving work of Grace in the Heart whereby many dear Children of God through the violence of Satans temptations are not able to read their own Evidences without help discover their own right in the Promises and title to the Heavenly inheritance without Councel and advice Even for this reason know O ye blessed Souls who have given up your names unto Christ ye who believe as an Article of your Creed the Communion of Saints ought to preserve as a duty of your obedience 1 Joh. 1.3 7. the fellowship of B ethâ—en which is not only in the midst of temporal distressâ—s to conve se cheerfully one with another as Friends but also in the midst of spiritual afflictions to confeâ— g aciously one with another as Christians whereby it shall appear Ps 45.2 E h. 4 29. â—sa 61.3 Rev 22 2. that the very leaves of a Tree of Righteousness the very words of a sanctified person they have a Curing and a Comforting vertue in them Yea such is the Sympathy of Grace as is shadowed out to us in that of Nature L. Verulam's Nat. Hist the Harmony of devout Souls being like that of musical Instruments the string that is struck in one Lute affâ—cting with a trembling concent the string of that which is neighboring to it And thus do the devout affections of one pious soul strike impressions upon the heart of another Luk 24 32. And indeed those communications are most kindly and cordial which are from the experience of our own bosoms administring to others of those comforts wherewith we our selves have been comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 And because Precedents in all Courts are of much use and benefit for the deciding particular Cases therefore observe here the more usual Conflicts set forth in the Souls complaints and these reduc'd to several Heads as so many Cases in the Court of Conscience the resolving and determining whereof may happily by a blessing of Gods Spirit and grace administer comfort and inâ—â—ruction to the afflicted such as the Experience of many can already witness to have been sound and saving to their souls The several Heads are these
in our mind and this will conduce much to the composing our souls when their Words of Complaint are answered with Grounds of Comfort and Rules of Direction CHAP. I. The Souls Conflict from the importunate Crowd of Vain Thoughts OUr secret Thoughts are commonly the immediate issue of our inward Principles vile affections still begetting vain imaginations and holy desires administring matter for divine thoughts Wherefore when our Lord Jesus Christ sets up his Throne in the Heart he there governs by the golden Scepter of his Grace which Grace it is that casts down every high imagination and brings into captivity every vain thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vain thoughts however they may seem small sins yet their strength of evil like that of the Egyptian caterpillars it is in their number Ps 10 5.34 35. whereby they prevail oftentimes to eat up every green thing in the land every good motion in the heart And this importunate crowd of vain Thoughts is not the least of Satans temptations in which he is right Beelzebub the God of Flyes Mat. 12.24 for as busie Flyes were to the Altars sacrifices so are vain thoughts to our holy services their continual buzzing disturbs the Mind and distracts its devotion This Cogitationum tumultus this tumult and crowd of vain Thoughts was once S. Bernards trouble of which he complains Bern. de inter Dem. that introeunt exeunt they pass and repass come in and go out and will not be controll'd Amovere volo nec valeo I would fain saith he remove them but cannot either as slie Thieves they creep in undiscern'd or as bold Guests they force admittance though they find no welcome Now because nothing is more dreadful to the godly man then sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so says S. Chrysostom that to him is death that to him is hell Even therefore though no exorbitancie of life be discerned by man yet is he afflicted deeply afflicted for the very risings and rebellions of his Thoughts which being in the secret closet of the Heart can only appear unto God And in this his affliction hear we his Complaint The Words of Complaint Oh the perplexing trouble of my distracting thoughts How do they by their slie insinuations and secret importunities continually disturb the quiet of my mind and make my holy duties become a weariness to my soul They cool the heat they damp the vigor they dead the comfort of all my devotions Even when I pray God to forgive my sins I then sin whilst I am praying for forgiveness yea whether it be in the Church or in the Closet so frequently and so violently do these vain Thoughts withdraw mine heart from Gods service that I cannot have confidence he hears my suit because I know by experience I do not hear my self and therefore sure needs must God be far off from my prayer whilst my Heart is so far out of his presence hurried away with a crowd of vain Imaginations The Grounds of Comfort 1. These vain Thoughts O thou afflicted soul being indeed thy burden they shall not be thy ruine and though they do take from the sweetness yet they shall not take from the sincerity of thy devotions Yea 2 King 10.16.31 Ps 26.2 3. hereby thy sincerity is approv'd for that some external interest of temporal relations may make us guard our words our actions but it must be some internal Principle of holy fear which makes us to watch our thoughts our desires If then thy devotions were not sincere thy heart would not be troubled for to be taken off from a work we regard not Ps 119 115. is no disquet to the mind but it is an argument we set a value and esteem upon the work in hand when we are loth to be disturbed in the doing Ps 7.9 139.2 Jer. 11.20 2. It is no little glory which we give to God in the acknowledgment of his omnipresence and omniscience that we own him present in the Closet of our Hearts and privy to the first risings of our most inward thoughts And as it is the excellencie of Gods law that it reacheth our thoughts to discern and judge them Heb. 4.12 Luk. 2.35 so it is the riches of Gods mercy that it goes beyond the number of our thoughts to remit and pardon them Were it not indeed for the multitude of Gods compassions Ps 51.1 Gen. 6.5 dangerous yea desperate were our condition in the multitude of our sinful imaginations Which Imaginations being in number infinite are not to he forgiven but by those Mercies which are infinite and numberless Ps 145 8 9. This oh this is the sure foundation of firm comfort to the soul the tender mercies of its God! 3. It is much the experience of Gods children even the devoutest Saints that their thoughts of God and of Christ of heaven and of holiness are very unsteady and fleeting Like the sight of a Star through an Optick glass when held by a Palsey-hand such is our view of Divine objects we are long in finding them and soon lose them our thoughts wavering through our minds weakness Besides when we are most intent and our eye fixt then is Satan ready to strike us on the elbow Ps 57.7 Ps 31.21 22. and by some suggestion to shake us from our steadiness and disturb our devotions Indeed as Satan so the World and the Flesh they are most importunate suitors and let our communication with God and with Christ in fervent Prayer or any other holy service be ne'r so earnest and secret yet will they thrust in upon the soul for reception and audience Yea though we observe our Lords command and watch unto prayer Mar. 13.33 yet in our strictest Watch how do these enemies slip by our Guards If we stop and turn back some vain Thoughts yet even then whilst we are busied in that watchful care how are we surprised with some other as vain imaginations notwithstanding all our care and watchfulness Think not then O distressed soul think not 1 Cor. 10 13 in the common condition of Gods children that thou art cast out of Gods favor 4. Know thou hast the gracious mediation of an alsufficient Saviour to supply thy defects and procure an acceptance of thy sincere though imperfect Devotions In thy Saviours mediation Heb. 2.17 Joh. 6.27 Luk. 4.18 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7 25. behold him a merciful and a faithful High Priest seal'd of the Father and annointed by the Spirit to this very office that being entred the Holy of Holies and set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high he should ever live to make intercession for us so that he he it is who compassionately toucht with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. presents the sincere desires of our souls and holy purposes of our hearts as the firstlings of our flock made acceptable unto God through
minds from Gods holy worship Indeed our natures are too weak to bâ—held always intent upon holy duties and therefore Gods woship hath its necessary intermissions in which intermissions the works of our callings are ordain'd for the keeping our minds innocent in their thoughts and renewed in their vigor for his more holy service Here then O thou afflicted soul who complainest of the secret trouble and vexing importunity of thy Vain thoughts here thou hast thy Grounds of Comfort and Rules of Direction God give thee his Spirit of Grace and Truth to order thy practice and administer thee Consolation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! CHAP. II. The Souls Conflict from the frightful Suggestions of Foul Thoughts GReat is the activity of the Soul discovered by the Thoughts which are more quick in their motion then Lightening darting forth in a moment from Earth to Heaven Ps 139.17 18. Phil. 3.20 and back again from Heaven to Earth Which excellencie of Man in the activity of the Mind was given of God for this end that he might turn away from sin at the first appearance of evil But now oh how hath the guilt of sin laid fetters upon this freedom of the mind and made it servile unto Satan if not to act his suggestions yet to suffer his buffetings 2 Cor. 12.7 So that those very thoughts of sin which the soul abhors those the imagination receives and the mind cannot free it self from horror Ps 19 4. through fear of guilt knowing well that as Devout meditations are acceptable so Foul imaginations must needs be abominable abominable to that God Hab. 1.13 who is of most pure eyes and such as cannot behold iniquity Besides whereas our Thoughts present the Idols which our hearts worship and that the Israelites bowing the knee to Baalim and Ashtaroth were not more truly Idolaters Judg. 2.13 Col. 3.5 then the Covetous the Ambitious the Voluptuous who bow the heart to Riches to Honors to Pleasures and the like Therefore the afflicted soul dreads the guilt of the vilest Idolatry even lest by its blasphemous thoughts it fall down to Satan Mat. 4.9 and worship him Oh! how doth the sad experience of many pious souls witness a dreadful horror in their sudden and frequent thoughts of Infidelity Atheism and Blasphemy calling into question the Truth of Gods Word the Order of his Providence and the very Being of his Deity yea such thoughts as for their foulness are not fit to be uttered And therefore many souls languish in dejection asham'd to declare their grief These the Cogitationes onerosae in the language of S. Bernard the burdensom thoughts which load the soul with an unsupportable weight of mournful distress and press it down with an inconceivable anguish of spiritual dejections In which Dejections and Distress hear and compassionate the Souls Complaint The Words of Complaint Oh! oh the Dunghil of mine unclean Heart which sends forth such filthy vapors Needs must my soul be a very Sink of sin whilst there ariseth from thence such a noisom stench of corrupt Thoughts Sure if ever I had been wash'd with the least drop of my Saviours blood or purified with the least spark of his Spirit and grace so great a filth and so foul a corruption could never cleave unto my soul But oh wo is me I see I am so far from being the Temple of the Lord that I am become the very Den of the Devil the flames of Hell already flash in my face and the amazing terrors of cursed Blasphemies torture my soul and wound my Conscience even unto death yea I could rather chuse to die ten thousand deaths then undergo the fears and frights and bitter pangs of my amazing thoughts and dreadful imaginations Ah what what shall I do with these Egyptian frogs my foul Suggestions which are still croaking In every place and in every action in the Church and in the Closet in my meditations and in my prayers still they crawl in and dead my heart yea their noisom stink makes me loath my self and all my services Oh I faint I die I perish whilst asham'd to speak what I abhor to think I must needs despair of cure not knowing how to lay open my sore The Grounds of Comfort 1. The horrid Blasphemies which affright thy soul though they are thy thoughts yet are they Satans suggestions and not having thy consent of will they bring no guilt upon the conscience Jam. 1.44 15. Non nocet sensus ubi non est consensus is the resolution of S. Bernard agreeable to the truth of Gods Word and the judgment of all both Antient and Modern Divines that where the Will yields no consent there the soul may suffer a temptation but act no sin Yea 2 Cor. 12.7 Quod resistentem fatigat vincentem coronat saith the same Father The importunity and frepuencie of the suggestions which weary the soul resisting shall bring the greater crown of glory in its overcoming True it is He that is born of God keepeth himself 1 Joh. 5 18. and that wicked one toucheth him not But how toucheth him not Is it meant of wicked temptations No sure but of wilful transgressions He toucheth him not tachi qualitativo we say and that aright not so touch as to make like himself in an impress of sin and guilt upon the soul Now then that it is no sin to be tempted is more then evident from this one argument That otherwise our Lord and Saviour himself Heb. 4.15 who was tempted had also finn'd Wherefore this is sin to admit the temptation wish allowance or delight 2. That these foul and frightful suggestions have not thy consent of will appears by this that thou hast a loathing and an abhorring of them which speaks the greatest aversion Desst 7.26 Rom. 22.9 and so is far from a consenting of the will As when the stomach loaths any meat though it be forceably cast into the belly yet can it not be said to be receiv'd with rppetite So when the Will abhorrs any suggestion though forcibly cast into the mind yet can it not be said to be receiv'd with Consent And know we are less able to keep the Mind free from Satans suggesting thoughts we abhor then we are to keep the stomach free from anothers forcing meats we loath Thy thoughts then O distressed soul being injected not inbred thoughts cast in from some suggestion without not rais'd up from some corruption within they are only brats laid at thy door not children of thine own begetting they are Satans buffetings in which the soul is meerly passive a sufferer not a doer 2 Cor. 12.7 And therefore as much need of patience as of penitence of fortitude to resist as of contrition to bewail Obj. 1 Ay but thou sayest Sure it is the corruption of my heart from whence these foul thoughts are rais'd and so though the Devil in his malice be the Father yet my corrupt flesh
in its filthiness is the mother Answ Jer. 4.14 Answ True if we find the mother hug and kiss the child the Heart I mean embrace and indulge the thought then indeed though the foul suggestion be only an egg laid in our nest yet because we brood it with our own warmth it becomes the issue of our own corruption and lays a black stain and guilt upon the soul Wherefore seeing as naturally tender children affect the womb so do corrupt thoughts the heart that bears them Know O thou afflicted soul if thy foul thoughts be of thine own begetting or begotten of thee thou shalt find a secret disposition of liking and of loving to them and an inward softness will be ready to foster and to cherish them Ps 119.113 But if they are the objects of thy hate which startle and affright thy soul and thou findest a secret antipathy against them and an inward abhorring of them then they are certainly altogether from without and so I have our Saviours warrant to assert and thou his word to believe that they defile not the man Mat. 15.18 19. But what is it that thy troubled soul still objects Thou sayest Obj. 2 Never any of Gods children were in this condition and sure it is some strange corruption discern'd by Satan which makes him thus tempt and it is some heavy displeasure conceiv'd by God which makes him thus permit the temptation Answ Thus to be afflicted is no new thing Answ 2 Cor. 2.11 and that with Gods Saints even I the least of those who minister to the Flock of Christ can witness to thee that in the service of my Ministry amongst other afflicted Consciences I have met with more then two or three even very many who had been thus buffeted by Satan and with such violence of fury for length of time even for some years that they have pin'd away and languished in their Convulsion-fits of secret tortures brought down to the very gates of death yea of hell too concealing their temptations because asham'd to utter them And these have been persons of no mean piety who observ'd Satans assaults to have been most violent when their devotions had been most enflam'd Yea their first conflict with these foul temptations was some time after their thorow-conversions when having given up their names unto Christ they had been exercised in solemn humiliations and graciously enlarg'd yea ravish'd with the sweet delights of holiness in their communions with God and with Christ in prayer and in praises Good souls thus brought to Mount Tabor they thought of building Tabernacles but alas Mat 17.4 they were presently made to come down and bearing their Cross Luk. â— 23 follow Christ to Mount Calvary yea to the grave and to hell that the glory of their victory and triumph might be the greater And blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 who in the power of his Spirit and grace was pleased to make these very Grounds of Comfort and Rules of Direction to become effectual to their restoring 3. It appears then that these faedae tentationes as Casuists call them these foul and filthy temptations even of Infidelity Blasphemy Atheism and the like they are Satans scare-crows when his baits fail when he cannot allure and win the soul by carnal pleasures and worldly delights then he seeks to fright and deter it from duties of holiness by secret horrors and dreadful suggestions Which dreadful suggestions rightly considered Job 30.15 Ps 88.16 they bring more of terror then of guilt to the soul being so contrary to the light of Nature and the dictate of Reason not rais'd by man but cast in by Satan And being thus cast in they have their passage thorow not their dwelling in the heart they make their entrance as bold Intruders but find not entertainment as welcom Guests Wherefore as many good Thoughts which only come into the mind by sudden motion and like sparks die as soon as brought forth as those do not argue a regenerate estate so many evil Thoughts which thrust into the heart by a sudden irruption and are opposed as soon as discern'd they do not prove a state unregenerate The Rules of Direction 1. Rightly inform thy judgment by making it a part of thy spiritual understanding to discern aright between the temptation Phil. 19.10 Heb. 5.14 and the evil of the temptation Which evil of temptation lies in the consent of the Will which Satan may perswade but cannot enforce So that if the temptation be consented to it brings guilt upon the soul but if repulst it returns upon Satan 2. Strictly examine thy Conscience for the discovery of what transgressions may have occasion'd these temptations For sometimes they are the punishment of sin though themselves not a sin to be punisht they are a just affliction when they are not a condemning guilt If â—inah gad abroad her chastity suffers a Rape Gen. 34.1 as the punishment of her curiosity and to wander in our thoughts from God is oftentimes punish'd with meeting a Bug-bear in our way Thoughts of Blasphemy or the like to fright us back and drive us neerer to him Yea when we become disobedient to Gods will not laid low in our humble submissions he suffers Satan to buffet us even against our wills sore vext with his foul suggestions and thus our grieving his Spirit Eph. 4.30 is by a Lex taliâ—nis justly chastised with a grieving ours Again observe that when we have had our Eagles flight soaring aloft in spiritual ravishments and then been pufft up with spiritual pride 2 Cor. 12 7. Luk. 10.10 God as once to chastise this sin and subdue this lust he justly suffers Satan who for his pride fell from heaven like lightening 2 Cor. 12.8 to buffet and afflict the soul with these affrighting terrors which like lightening amaze with horror though they do not wound with guilt Further yet as thou examinest thy self to find out what sins have occasioned these temptations so examine what sins have been caused or occasion'd by them as what deadness of heart what impatiencie of spirit what neglect of Gods service what weariness in holy duties what froward discontent what repining distrust and the like 3. Now having rightly inform'd thy Judgement as to the quality and nature of these temptations and strictly examined thy Conscience as to the cause or occasion of them the best way to free thy self from their violence and vexation is this 1 Do thou prostrate thy self in Gods presence and in a deep humiliation of soul with fasting and prayer Mat. 17 21. do thou supplicate the Throne of Grace to obtain the mercy of thy God through the merits of thy Saviour for the free and full pardon of whatsoever sin hath occasioned these temptations or hath been it self caused by them 2 When thou hast made this humble supplication with all earnest contrition then cite Satan
God gracious and merciful accept me in thy Beloved even Jesus Christ in whom alone thou art well pleased and for his sake let me not go from before thee without a blessing a blessing of pardon and of peace a blessing of thy Spirit and of thy grace a blessing of thy favor and of thy love in the Lord Jesus Thus Lord say of me Thou hast blessed me and that I shall be blessed for ever Amen Amen Here rising up and making thine humble adoration before the Throne ot Glory say Halleluiah Salvation be unto our God and to the Lamb for ever Amen Halleluiah 4. After all this if thy foul thoughts shall yet continue or renew their assaults as it may be they will for a time let them pass like lightening and so though they suddenly startle yet let them not long discontent thy soul for this slighting is the best resisting and thou shalt sooner be quit of them by a pious neglect then by an eager opposition Like angry Bees such are foul and blasphemous thoughts Isa 30.15 Ps 118.12 they are better avoided in passing by then in beating off This Direction is well attested by the experience of a Minister of Christ with whom I have had intimate acquaintance who being devoutly employed in the ministration of the holy Eucharist Satan to disturb his devotion and thereby disquiet his soul assaults him with the sudden suggestion of foul thoughts He startled with their appearance in so sacred an action began a contest of holy indignation which contest heightened their rage and the more entangled his soul In this secret trouble he observes how busie the Flies were in that hot season about the Cup which he was administring and that he in prudence as well as piety was regardless of their buzzing and kept himself intent upon the holy service This became presently his instruction from thence raising this sudden Meditation Sure Satan envies the sweet comforts of my soul in communion with my Jesus and therefore sends these busie Thoughts to suck up their sweetness which if I strive to beat off they do but the more disturb my soul I will therefore do with Satans suggestions as with the Flies pass them by in a silent contempt not think to drive them away by a forcible opposition And he thus resolv'd they soon vanish'd keeping his heart fixt upon his God and his eye intent upon the present Solemnity 5. And lastly O thou afflicted soul do wth thy God when assaulted with frightful thoughts as children do with their parents when they behold any frightful thing even cling closer and hold faster to him And doubt not when Satan sees that what he intends to drive thee from thy God draws thee neerer to him he will soon cease the violence of his temptations And when the Devil hath left thee Mat. 4.11 Isa 63.9 Mal 3.1 Angels will come and minister unto thee especially the Angel of the Covenant Christ Jesus he shall revive and glad thy soul with the quickening graces and chearing comforts of his Spirit CHAP. III. The Souls Conflict from some late Relapses into Sin AS Physicians make a soveraign Antidote of the Vipers flesh to destroy its poison Heb. 2.17 18. Heb. 4.15 16. so doth Christ a saving Medicine of Satans temptations to defeat his malice Christ being tempted even to sanctifie our temptations and to be himself at once our refuge and our pattern that as we are guarded by his power so we may be instructed by his example Mat. 4.4.7.10 Eph. 6.17 Jam. 4.7 And what is the instruction but that of spiritual wisdom and holy resolution in opposing the Word of God to the wiles of Satan and so resisting till he flie from us And when Satan is beat back in his temptations oh how do the comforts of Christs Spirit return upon our souls to quicken strengthen and establish them Whensoever then we hear the mournful complaints of languishing souls upon Relapses into sin Job 13.24 Job 14.17 Ps 43 2. that God accounts them his enemies seals up their transgressions and casts them off They are the passionate Expressions of a distrustful impatience Satan by his suggestions so aggravating their guilt and heightening their provocation Luk. 5.31 1 Joh. 1.7 that thereby the soul becomes wholly fixt upon the disease eying neither the Physician not his remedy neither Christ nor his blood Yea the soul becomes so overburdened with its debt that it views neither the Surety Heb. 7.22 Joh. 1.16 Luk. 24.47 Joh 3.16.34 nor his sufficiencie neither Jesus nor his fulness both which are presented to the Penitent in the Promises In this distress of soul hear the Words of Complaint yea hear the deep and mournful lamentations of the relapsed Saint plung'd in the sink of sin and sunk in the mire of uncleanness The Words of Complaint Oh woe is me how is the Crown fallen from my head How is all my joy and comfort fled from my soul How are my sins and my sorrows together increased Oh my backslidings from my God! Oh my sinful departings from my Saviour Wretched man how have I forsaken my first love cast off my former zeal and by my sinful Apostacie quenched yea griev'd the Spirit of my God So that whereas before I did delight in his serviâ—e I now shame and fear to come into his presence whereas before his Spirit did enlarge my heart with comforts now my sin doth fill my soul with horrors Oh what shall I do I have abused the mercy of my God despised his love profan'd his holiness and offended his Majesty And what hope of pardon from an abused mercy What hope of favor from a despised love What hope of Communion with a profan'd Holiness What hope of acceptance with an offended Majesty These the Words of Complaint And now to set open a safe Harbor for the humble and penitent not to set up a vain shelter for the profane and presumptuous Observe The Grounds of Comfort 1. The immutability of Gods love The grace and love of God as the Agent is not founded upon any motives or reasons in man as the Object as if merit or worth in man did either beget or continue favor or love in God No He justifies us when ungodly Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.6 Rom. 3.24 He reconciles us when enemies He quickens us when dead And therefore needs must it be that we are freely justified and so eternally saved by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Now if when enemies by wicked works we were reconciled by the death of Christ if when dead in trespasses and sins we were quickened by the Spirit of Grace how much more being reconciled being quickened shall our persons be accepted our sins pardon'd and our falls repair'd So that as by the operation of his Spirit we are regenerated so by the power of the same Spirit we shall be restored The love wherewith God loveth us in Christ it
into the mire through weakness yet thou shalt not with the Swine wallow in it with delight 4. Be humbled in the sense of that body of sin carnal concupiscence Jam. 1.14.15 Rom. 7.23 the polluted fountain from whence issues all our filthy streams of sinful thoughts words and actions It may be God suffers Satan to shake the vessel that the dregs may appear to pursue us with his temptations that we may the better discover our corruptions and so discern the true womb of all our misery that which breeds and fosters all our disquiet Whilst then we bewail the guilt and pollution of our actual transgression with David Ps 51.5 pass we from the branches to the root let the stream lead us to the Spring that of Original corruption which defiles the whole man and maintains an irreconcileable war with the sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit Rom 8 7 8. Gal. 5 17. Though we are ingrafted into Christ yet will God have us mindful of our old stock that we may the better glorifie him in the poweâ— of his grace which sanctifieth and saveth us And indeed unless we bewail sin in the affection as well as in the action unless we be humbled for our corrupt dispositions as well as for our particular transgressions our Repentance cannot be found nor our Peace setled Our Repentance not sound which must be a thorow-hatred of the whole body of sin our Peace not setled Rom. 8.1.14 which must be not only from mercy pardoning but also from grace subduing sin Lastly Increase the importunity of thy prayers as thou seest sin increase in the impurity of its pollutions And to strengthen thy prayer fix thy faith upon the promises those of the Gospel of Christ and Covenant of thy God as That he will blot out our transgressions and remember them no more Jer. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.12 Luk. 11 13. Zech 13.1 That he will put his fear into our hearts and that he will give his holy Spirit to them that ask it Especially look up unto Christ as the fountain set open to Judah and Jerusalem even to all penitent sinners to wash in for sin and for uncleanness And if thus O thou afflicted soul if thus thou make good the combat by prayer and penitence our Lord Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation Heb 2.10 Mat. 12 20. will make good the Conquest through grace and mercy by sending forth Judgment unto Victory victory over Sin and Satan and all the Powers of darkness Thus Blessed Jesus save the Soul which thou hast purchased sustain by thy grace whom thou hast redeemed by thy blood Amen Amen CHAP. V. The Souls Conflict from a Distrust of its Graces sincerity in general and of Faith and Repentance in particular THe most gracious testimony of Gods love is from the immediate light of his countenance which displays upon the soul such evident beams and refreshing rays of his Fatherly goodness as do become the sure witness and sacred seal of the Spirit testifying to the inward man the eternal favor of his God This estate it is gracious and blessed but it is not constant and continued yea it is oftentimes even to the best of Saints very much discontinued witness David's Usque quo How long Lord how long wilt thou hide thy self Ps 89 46. Ps 6 3. for ever And again My soul is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Now in the night of Temptation when we have lost the sight of the Sun it is no small comfort that we have the light of the Stars when we see not the immediate rays from the manifestation of Gods divine presence a sweet comfort it is that we see him by reflexion in the light and vigor of his spiritual graces which confirm to us this comfortable assurance that he will yet rise again upon our souls But oh Act. 27.20 how many even of the holiest Saints as S. Paul in his tempest so they in their temptation they see neither the light of the sun nor of the stars neither the comfort of Gods presence nor of his graces Ps 88.6 15 16 And such a state of darkness as this must needs bring fear horror and amazement to the soul And in this distress hear the afflâ—cted Saâ—nt thus complain The Words of Complaint Oh! how do I feel the struglings and alas they are but the struglings of good d sires My soul conceiveth and travelleth in paâ—n with holy purposes but alas she wants strength to bring forth into actual performances Whereas looking upon the true Saints and servants of God I see faith hath life in them and they life by it but clouds of unbelief darken my soul and the bonds of death take hold of me I see them as Temples of the Lord they receiving daily Oracles from his mouth and still offering him the continual sacrifice of a contrite heart But alas I pray and he heareth not I call and cry but he answereth not and no wonder seeing my soul which should Eagle-like with faith and fervor mount aloft through diffidence and deadness of heart creeps in the dust Oh! my corruptions they are increased and my contritions diminished my temptations they are stronger and my graces they are weaker Ah! what said I weaker I would to God I could say upon assurance that I had any grace at all pure and sincere For woe is me such is my darkness of mind deadness of spirit and hardness of heart that I cannot but with much horror of soul and trouble of conscience call in question the sincerity of all grace especially the sincerity of my Faith and of my Repentance whether such as may obtain remission of sins and reconciliation with my God through Jesus Christ 1. The Grounds of Comfort as to the distrust of Graces sincerity in general 1. It is not more the policie and design of Satan to perswade the Hypocrite that his life is gracious his grace sincere Luk 18.9.11 Job 4.6 8.6 15.5 and his heart upright then it is to perswade the true Saint that his heart is corrupt his grace counterfeit and his life hypocritical The former he does to harden in presumption the latter to sink in despair Know then for thy comfort there is no such deliquium animae that there are not some reliquiae gratiae there is no such faintness of soul that there are not some remains of life As a Spring when stopt at one place it breaks out at another so Grace if not discovering itself in some particular acts it shews it self in some other proper operations Yea God in wisdom suffers some one grace in its acts to be the more dampt and deaded that some other may be the more quickened and enlarg'd As how often is it that God suffers our faith to be weakened that our fear may be awakened Ps 55.5.6 Ps 42.1 2 3. 2 Cor 12.7 Stimulus in carne He abates the fervor of enlarg'd devotions to
our iniquity and with S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin which doth so easily beset us Ay! not only facilè but also undique it besets us not only easily but also on every part in every place in every imployment yea it doth not more easily then closely beset us with which sin some of the most eminent of Gods Saints have had a continued contest even to the end of their lives Here then O thou afflicted soul know this shall speak the sincerity of thy repentance Rom. 6 12.14 7.24 25. if from an hatred of sin and a striving against sin thou find'st it weakened in its power though not quite rooted out in its being thou retaining an irreconcileable enmity against sin in judgment and will in affection and resolution in endeavour and humiliation making good thy contest till Christ send forth judgment unto victory Mat. 12.20 either by a spiritual mortification or a temporal dissolution 2. Distrusting the sincerity of thy Repentance apply thy self to those duties which do assuredly evidence our Repentance to be sincere even confession of sin contrition of heart accompanied with fasting and prayer and confirm'd by an amendment of life Which amendment of life cannot presently arrive at a perfection of holiness but does Phil. 3 2. Ps 84.7 2 Pet. 3.8 Obj. affectu conatu in desire and endeavour tend towards perfection Here thou wilt say Ay! Contrition of heart that were a good testimony indeed to assure the sincerity of my repentance Could I lie down in sorrow and with floods of tears bewail my transgressions I should be much satisfied in this gracious evidence of being a sincere Penitent But alas I find my sin is increased but not my sorrow I would fain weep but cannot I have the Prophets wish indeed Oh that my head were waters Jer 9.1 and mine eyes a fountain of tears But oh mine hard heart it will not relent it will not melt in sorrows of contrition Answ Strike the Rock with Moses rod Answ Exod 17.5 6. the Curse of the Law upon thy guilt of sin happily this will make the waters gush out if not wound thy heart with Christs spear the meditation of his Passion in his sufferings for thy sins happily this may pierce deeper and fetch out blood and water both secret languishments and floods of tears To thy devout meditations join humble supplications imploring Gods Spirit to work upon thy spirit and the Searcher of hearts to fashion and frame thy heart to become a Sacrifice of penitence made acceptable through the blood of Jesus Ps 51.17 And now if after all this thy dryness continues know it doth arise either from the natural constitution of thy bodily temper or some present indisposition of thy clouded mind If it be the former as with many it is know thou mayst break thine heart in sorrows of contrition and yet not melt thy sorrows into tears of compunction If the latter no doubt in time the cloud will dissolve into a shower and by how much the waters are the more kept in by so much the more will the streams flow forth when the flood-gates are open In the mean time take notice that the Close-Mourners we count deepest in the sorrow though least to be seen Indeed to be grieved because we do not grieve to mourn secretly because we cannot mourn sufficiently is the sincerest of contrition Again observe It is not our tears but Christs blood which expiates the guilt 1 Joh. 1.7 and cleanseth the filth of our iniquities And therefore what is wanting in tears make thou up with sighs what is wanting in sensible contrition make up with an irreconcileable indignation and that devout indignation heightned to an holy revenge in mortifying thy lusts 2 Cor. 7.11 which holy revenge the Apostle gives us as the full height of a sincere Repentance CHAP. VI. The Souls Conflict from the sense of Barrenness in holy Duties Ps 119.32 Cant 1.4 Joh 3.8 THe actual assistance of Gods Spirit is more powerfully more sensibly quickening at one time then at another The Spirit bloweth where and when it listeth as where and in what place so when and at what time yea how and in what manner it listeth The same sanctified soul is sometimes enlarg'd and sometimes straitned sometimes rais'd and sometimes dejected sometimes lively and active Joh. 5 35. Mat. 12.20 sometimes heavy and flat sometimes as a burning lamp and sometimes as smoaking flax As fire though it be of an active nature yet in green and wet wood it will need continual blowing Thus Grace also though it be of an operative quality yet in a damp heart and indisposed soul it will need its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s exciting its stirring up 2 Tim. 1.6 So that to habitual grace infused there must be inciting grace to awaken and assisting grace to enable otherwise the heart and soul of the devoutest Saint will be heavy and dull drowsie and dead Cant. 5 2. unapt and unable for holy duties and spiritual enlargements The womb then of all holy duties is Grace inherent but the Midwife to bring them forth yea the Nurse to bring them up is Grace assistant Wherefore that God oft-times leaving his Saints to themselves withholds his assistance it is for the Trial of their grace as the Mother setting down the Child to go withdraws her hand it is for the Trial of its strength Thus God he oftentimes withholds his assisting he does not withdraw his inherent grace He does not take away what he hath infused by regenerating but what he was wont to give by assisting Hence it is though when the Cloud of divine presence fills the Tabernacle of the heart Num. 40.34 35 Cant. 2.4 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 3. de incomp Dei nat then the soul hath its sweet converses with God the soul becomes exercised with heavenly contemplations yet this lasts not always sometimes the Cloud is taken up the divine power and presence is withheld and then the Eagles wings are flagg'd the souls devotion is clogg'd with the weight of earthly and carnal affections And in this damp of Devotion hear the words of Complaint The Words of Complaint Oh the deadness of mine heart and the dryness of my devotion Whereas Gods worship should be my delight and an heavenly communion mine happy contentment ah when I come unto God it is with unwillingness and when I stay it is with wearisomness My Contritions of Repentance should melt in tears but alas mine eyes are dry and mine heart hard My Prayers should have their fervor of devotion in an humble confidence of faith and sweet enlargement of love but alas my spirits are chill'd mine heart is straitned mine whole man distemper'd and discomposed My Services are neither so frequent in their act nor so vigorous in their activity What I do is from a compulsory judgment of conscience as a task rather then
not but in due time thy heart thus melted like wax when softened or metals dissolv d shall become pliable and yielding to some new impressions of grace and gracious formings of the Spirit to an enlarging thy delight and quickening thy zeal in the duties of holiness 2. Consult the judgment of some faithful Minister as thy spiritual Guide for the better ordering thy duties of devotion For as there are some who careless of offending God rob him of his due through unseasonable recreations unnecessary imployments or needless ease willing to admit any excuse to stop the mouth of conscience in theâ—r neglect of their daily devotions So again others there are who very tender of offending God become much disquieted in conscience and afflicted in mind because they are taken off from the frequencie and cool'd in the fervor of their religious performances though it be by the urgencie of their lawful imployments the change of their worldly condition the sickliness of their bodily temper or some other just consideration and warrantable avocation Yeâ— some there are Coâ— 2.18.23 whom Superstition hath made prodigal of Devotion such Devotion as Fancy not Faith Humane opinion not Divine institution hath prescrib'd and warranted and therefore do such persons entangle themselves in their own nets disquiet themselves with their own inventions engaging themselves in such rules and forms such methods and performances as their present estate and condition will not admit Wherefore for the case of thy Conscience and the improvement of thy Devotions consult some Spiritual Guide to assist thee in the better regulating thy duties of Holiness Mal. â—â— Heb. 13.17 3. Beware of a misguided Zeal it being that whereby Satan through his subtlety hath prevail'd upon the consciences of many religious dispositions to involve them in a maze of perplexities By this misguided Zeal Satan prompts many to a tyring and a wearying themselves with duties secretly perswading them that all time is lost which is not religiously imploy'd and thereby how have many wasted their estates impair'd their health neglected their callings and even ruin'd their families carried away with this misguided zeal of being still religiously imploy'd But what Can a man be too religious Yes in the outward action not in the inward affection A man may give alms to his undoing yet never be undone with charity he may fast to his famishing yet never hurt his soul with devotion But what is it not a Paradox think you that Satan should prompt men to be religious that the Devil should spur a man on to fastings to watchings to Sermons c. Yes know even in the zealous and unadvised prosecution and performance of these holy duties 2 Cor. 11.14 there may be much of Satan transformed into an Angel of light and especially when those duties of piety are inconsistent with the duties of charity or of justice To instance in some particulars When watchings and fastings destroy the body though rightly ordered they are holy duties yet thus disordered as they are not profitable to the soul so nor are they acceptable to God who saith Mat. 12.7 I will have mercy and not sacrifice As then to be immoderately indulgent to nature is sluggish and prophane so to be immoderately oppressing nature is merciless and cruel Again to run after Sermons and daily to post from one side of the Country to another as the manner of some is to godly meetings as they call them in the mean time to have the Calling neglected and the Family pin'd this is so far from godliness that the Apostle brands it with worse then Heathenism He who provideth not for his own family 1 Tim 5.8 is worse then an Infidel One instance more It is a temptation of Satan and a snare to the soul for a servant to rob his master of that time he justly owes his service and in a blind zeal to bestow it upon Gods worship This is to sacrifice unto God a Lamb that is stolne to offer what is not our own a thing God is so far from accepting that he hates it We must not then cause the duties of the First Table to make a breach upon the duties of the Second our duty to God must not thwart or suppress our duty to our neighbor Though Communion with God be the Souls delight and so Closet-devotions the sweetest services yet as a part of self-denial we must with Moses quit the Mount when God hath work for us in the Valley Mar. 7.11 And therefore the Jewish Corban is no Christian plea Piety and Charity may yea must consist together like the two wings of the Eagle Isa 40 31. with both together not one alone we take our flight to heaven 4. Let thy Piety be regulated by Prudence and Discretion become Tutress to Devotion What is the reason we see so many Monsters in Religion Is it not because Zeal brings forth before Knowledge hath form'd the conception Ps 112.5 A good man says David will order his affairs much more his duties of holiness with discretion Eph. 1.17 18. Phil 19.10 Col. 1.9 10. And S. Paul is very careful in the behalf of his Ephesians Philippians Colossians c. that God would give them knowledg and judgment and wisdom and a spiritual understanding and all to this end that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing so approving those things that are excellent as that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove those things that are different Now in the exercise of our Christian prudence as to the duties of holiness a respect is to be had to the temper of body to the quality of condition to the opportunity of time to the benefit of means and the like Knowing this that where much is given much shall be required And again Luk â—2 48. 2 Cor. 8 1â— God accepts according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not They whose birth breeding and estates have freed them from what is servile God requires of them more expence of time in his service Devotion must be their trade and their Closet their shop where freed from the drudgery of the World Isa 55.1 Rev. 3.18 they are to traffique for Heaven and so hold a more frequent commerce with the Angels Further a respect is to be had to extraordinary occasions that we do something all of us according to our ability in an extraordinary service whether it be under private afflictions or publick calamities particular disquiets or general distresses At such times Act. 12.5 Esth 4.16 Prayer without ceasing then fastings and watchings and what other holy duties may be most suitable to the occasion and consistent with our condition will be all seasonable and requisite in their performance Further yet it will be a part of our Christian prudence to observe that excess in the outward duties of Religion is the right-hand error less danger there is in pinching then in pampering
the flesh less danger and damage in overworking then in too much indulging the outward man For where one man sails his course of piety with too full a gale of zeal an hundred lie becalm'd with lukewarmness Rev. 3.16 In the Close Beware of attributing to duties what is proper to Christ A chief reason doubtless though little notice be taken of it a chief reason it is of dryness and barrenness in holy performances that we have an overprising opinion an overvaluing esteem of them For the softning and melting the raising and enlarging the comforting and reviving the heart Ps 11â— 32 Isa 57 18. 2 Cor. 1.3 Ps 34 15. these are all the works of Christ and his Spirit not to be attain'd by labour and toil but by humility and faith Hear David The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry First Gods eyes are upon their persons and then his ears are open unto their prayers It is not the duty we perform but the promise Christ gives or rather Christ in the Promise which brings rest to the soul And he vouchsafe thee O thou afflicted soul a gracious portion of this spiritual rest as a pledg and earnest of that full inheritance even rest eternal Amen CHAP. VII The Souls Conflict from the misapprehension of Gods withdrawing the Comforts of his gracious presence SUch is the deceitfulness of mans heart and the subtlety of Satans suggestions that many there are who forsake God yet think they have him and many that have him yet think themselves forsaken of him Many are so enlighten'd that they come near to the Kingdom of Heaven which yet are cast down to Hell Again many there are so dejected as to come nigh to Hell which yet are received to Heaven The discomforts of the faithful through their frailty do cause their great dejection Isa 49 14 Isa 14.12 13. but the enlightenings of the wicked through their pride make for their greater condemnation Such is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exceeding craft and cunning of Satan Eph. 6.11 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his arts and methods of temptations made the more expert by many thousand years experience such I say is Satans art and cunning that he suits his suggestions to our affections and tempers his temptations to our dispositions And therefore the va n Enthusiast who prides himself in his fancied converses with God and conceiteâ— raptures of his spirit him Satan heightens in his presumption But the afflicted Saint from whom God hath hid his face and withdrawn the comforts of his gracious presence him Satan presseth down in his dejections He heightens the Enthusiast in his presumption by feeding his fancy with renewed delusions of false joys and the imagined ravishments of Gods love Again he depresseth the afflicted Saint in his dejection by filling his heart with renewed jealousies of false fears and imagined terrors of Gods wrath Thus there is none more near or dear unto man then himself yet none more a stranger more an enemy For what man is he that can fadom the depth Jer 17 9. and so know the deceitfulness of his own heart Again what man is he that doth not cause the wounds and destroy the comforts of his own soul by diffidence impatience throwing off the healing balm and casting away the reviving cordials of grace and mercy Ps 143 9. So that well might S. Bernard cry out in a devout gloss upon the Psalmists text Libera me Domine ab inimico meo id est à me ipso Deliver me O Lord from mine enemy that is from my self See this true in the afflicted Saint dejected in soul distressed in conscience deep in desertions Oh! how doth his soul become cruel to it self refusing to be comforted With him Mourning observes no method but his full sorrow poures out its Complaints as a bottle doth its liquor in sudden and disordered eruptions rather thâ—n effusions Thus then complains the languishing Soul The Words of Complaint Oh! what a misery is it to have been happy The thoughts of those comforts I once felt sharpen the sense of those sorrows I now feel Time was when from the Mount Nebo of Divine Contemplation I could by the Perspective of Faith take a view of the Heavenly Canaan in the riches pleasure and glory of it But now my belly cleaveth unto the dust I lie down in the valley and shadow of death clouds of darkness cover me and the light of all heavenly comforts is hid from mine eyes Those holy duties Ordinances and Promises which have been as honey sweet to my soul at once feeding and delighting mine inward man they are all become bitterness and barrenness anguish and distress misery and mourning Oh what were those quickening beams from the Sun of Righteousness those refreshing those ravishing delights in communion with God through Christ Alas O my soul those blessed delights were but pleasant dreams and now thy fancied Paradise is become a real Wilderness And oh how do I wander and weary my self in a maze of perplexities the bitter waters of Marah flowing in upon my soul and the fiery Serpents of hellish fears stinging my Conscience All my streams of Comfort are turn'd into floods of Sorrow and oh that I could drown my sorrow in tears But my misery is beyond moans my grief beyond tears yea my torments beyond death For I have lost that treasure those joys that bliss which I would willingly redeem with the loss of life O sweet and joyful presence O sad and dreadful absence of my Jesus and oh the filthy lusts of my foul heart which have made him quit his lodging and be gone and with him all peace all comfort all joy all life all bliss are fled from my soul Woe is me that I should receive mercy to make miserable once enjoy a Saviour and after cast him off to the loss of all salvation yea to the heightning the horror of my condemnation Oh he came in love and he is gone in anger and woe is me I not only lose his favor but also bear his displeasure He is gone and I fear never oh this this the deep wound more deadly then death it self He is gone and I fear never to return more In his favor is life and therefore when he hides his face in wrath needs must my soul be in death Oh! my spirits waste my strength faints my flesh consumes mine whole man languisheth yea my stroke is heavier then my groans my sorrow more bitter then my complaints so that with Job My soul is weary of my life and yet though my life be full of torment death is full of terror lest be everlastingly shut out from Gods presence Oh Eternity Eternity how does this gulf swallow up my soul how does this weight more heavy then a mountain press down my drooping heart and crush my fainting spirits yet whilst there is life there is hope though my
path and leavest the beaten road even that which is right via regia the Kings high-way that way which the King of heaven Christ the Prince of glory Heb 2 10 Luk. 2â— 26 9.22 23. both by precept and by pattern by doctrine and example hath chalkt out to us If then we be of the Israel of God having escaped out of the Egypt of an unregenerate state we must expect our Red sea of persecutions our fiery Serpents of temptations and our long Wilderness of afflictions all which we must pass through before we attain the heavenly Canaan the inheritance of promise and of rest And now that we be not discouraged with the difficulties of our passage look we into the Word of life and Gospel of our salvation and there see besides the reward of glory to crown our constancie see the hand that sustains the might that strengthens us to overcome even the power and grace of Christ See the refreshings which keep our souls from fainting and add to our constancie chearfulness even the councels and comforts of the Spirit And these we shall administer to the distressed soul which in its long and continued Conflict makes this sad and languishing complaint The Words of Complaint How long oh how long have I waited for the returns of my God of my Jesus I have often prayed and long expected and yet no comfort comes unto my soul my distress of conscience still continues because my God hides his face and withholds the light of his countenance from me Yea he hath not only laid me in the darkness but also shut me up that I cannot come forth Mine afflictions compass me daily yea all the day they come about me like waters and threaten the swallowing up of my soul And oh what is my help my hope but my God But alas he refuseth to be intreated I am weary of my groaning I have cryed day and night and yet he heareth not so that though the desires of my soul be towards his name and the remembrance of his holiness yet how are my fears and my terrors increased lest I be cut off from his hand cast out of his presence and become one of those that go down into the pit I have been so long in darkness that Satan pleads it in my misgiving thoughts as too plain a sign of being a child of darkness for that sure if the Sun of righteousness were risen upon my soul those clouds this mist that darkness would not continue but as he brings healing in his wings so would he bring comfort in his light refreshings by his Spirit and deliverance by his power The Grounds of Comfort 1. The firm assurance Christ gives of his indulgent care over his Church and chosen Thus he comforted Sion of old When the Prophet in much Pathos of joy Isa 49.13 calls upon the inanimate creatures to make up the Jubile Sing O heaven and be joyful O earth and break forth into singing O mountains for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted Yet it is Sion's deep complaint in the depth of her calamity v. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But see see the love of God to his afflicted Church exceeds that of the tender mother to her sucking child Naz orat 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bowels more tender then those of a mother yet more tender far are those of our heavenly Father For so says God in a pathetical expostulation of faithfulness and love v. 15. Can a mother forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget yet will I not forget thee Think not then O thou afflicted soul when God hides his face that he forgets thee or when he withdraws a while he then forsakes thee For how have we seen the careful and tender Mother wave the Child in her loving arms and pleas'd with its embraces threaten its fall that so fear might make it cling unto her bosom with the more sportful eagerness Thus even thus it is with the humble Saint and his gracious Saviour Videtur deserere quia non vult deseri Christ seems to forsake him on purpose that he may not be forsaken of him And this according to the tenor of Gods everlasting covenant That he will put his fear into the hearts of his chosen that they shall not depart from him Yea Jer. 32 4â— see the indeleble characters of Christs love and the infallible testimony of his care Says Christ to his Spouse his Church and in her to every faithful soul Behold I have engraven thee in the palms of my hands Engraven how why sâ— â—9 16. not with the carving tools but the piercing nails and not upon the skin but quite through the flesh not cover'd over with precious gold but colour'd through with more precious blood which neither age nor eternity shall wear out Thus thus have I engraven thee in the palms of my hands Humanitùs dictum saith Jun us it is spoken after the manner of men Jun. in loc but it is indeed an emphatical expression outvying the highest Courtship of the most amorous Lover to his beloved He it may be will have her Picture hang in his bosom that so forsooth she may be near his heart But Christ he hath his Spouse engraven in his hands that so she may be ever in his eye as well as in his heart she is his care as well as his love Wherefore that the Saints and chosen of God are often and long afflicted is not through want of love to pitty or of care to regard or of power to relieve No sure for what Father or Mother is not compassionately affected affectionately moved with the sufferings and sorrows of their dear children What tender Husband or what indeared Friend will not engage himself for the comfort succour supply and safety of whom he truly loves and lovingly tenders And therefore as David frames the Argument Ps 94 9. He that made the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall not he see and he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know So say I He who implants love and compassion in his creatures shall not he be much more loving and compassionate to his Saints He who imprints those tender affections in fathers husbands friends shall not he be more tenderly compassionate to his Church and chosen Yes sure Wherefore then Exod. 3.7 Jer 31.20 Ps 65.2 Ps 56.8 Mal. 3.16 he hath an eye of Providence to see their distress bowels of pitty to compassionate their trouble ears of mercy to hear their prayers bottles of love to hold their tears a book of remembrance to register their complaints yea Satan and the World shall know he hath Judgments of righteousness to plead their cause Vials of wrath to avenge their blood an arm of power to deliver their persons and a crown of
glory to reward their constancie Be it so then O afflicted soul that thou liest under heavy pressures length of time adding to their weight of misery yet that neither the burden nor continuance of thy trouble may bear down thy patience or break off thy constancie here is a Center of rest for thy soul a ground of comfort to establish thy faith even the firm assurance Christ gives us in his Word of his indulgent care over his Church and chosen 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ in his indulgent care over his Church and chosen he makes thine afflictions the longer that thine humiliations may be the deeper and by how much thou art the more firmly rooted in humility by so much shalt thou be the more fully established in grace 2 Cor. 12. Thus S. Paul he is no sooner stept out of heaven but he is presently set upon by hâ—ll he hath no sooner done conversing with the Angels v. 7. but he is presently buffeted by Satan and his temptation is still continued v. 8. notwithstanding his supplications are so often renewed And wherefore was it but that he might be the more fully humbled That he was wrapt up to the third heaven could not secure him from the danger of sin or hell O the vanity of mans mind and the deceitfulness of his heart S. Paul so holy so humble yet is he in danger of spiritual pride of being exalted above measure even puffed up in conceit above what he was lift up in exstasie Wherefore it must be a strong buffeting and of long continuance to beat down this pride and quell this haughtiness Thus it would be a matter of much support to the faithful in their affliction to discern aright also what is the good in temporal distresses as well as in spiritual temptations what is the good to comfort as well as what is the evil to afflict For that both the adversities and prosperities of this life they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their bitter-sweets In every worldly good there is some vexing evil and in every worldly evil there is some comforting good And therefore in all our afflictions we should rather exercise our patience then our passion our grace of humility and meekness rather then our affections of grief and anger unless it be that we turn the stream into the right channel by mourning for sin and a penitential indignation against our iniquity This this is to master our passions in making our temporal troubles become serviceable to our spiritual advantage This the practice and profession of the faithful in the Prophets hymn Isa 26.8 In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee In the dispensing of which judgments it is Gods method to put in the sickle when the harvest is ripe Joel 3.13 Isa 63.6 Gen. 15.16 Jer. 51.13 to tread out the grapes when the wine-press is full to cut off a people when the measure of their iniquity is made up Thus the end of Babylons peace and the measure of her sin meet together And It is time Lord saith David to put to thy hand for men have made void thy law Ps 119.126 Such is the rage of the wicked in their impiety and such the impudence of their sin that they seek to rase the very Ordinances of God and cancel the very Records of Heaven in casting out the name and worship the fear and service of the Lord out of his Church And when it is thus with men then is it time for God to put to his hand in the fury and vengeance of his wrath then is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fixt and set time Ps 102.13 which his wisdom and justice hath preordain'd and constituted in which notwithstanding the low expectations and small preparations notwithstanding the seeming impossibility of the means and real improbability of the act he shall wound and strike through his and the Churches enemies Ps 110.5 Ps 16 8. Ps 100.5 And therefore is he said to be at her right hand emphatically declaring his readiness of presence and of power for her protection and deliverance Now in this way and method of his judgments it is that the faithful wait for him whilst worldly men and carnal minds murmure and complain quarrel and repine grudge and blaspheme They wait even till the measure of others sins and their own sufferings be full knowing well that Gods chastisements upon his Church they are not to consume and destroy but to purifie and refine Isa 1.25 Mal. 3.2 3. Isa 27.9 And therefore shall there not be one degree of heat more in the fire nor one moments continuance more in the furnace then the metals refining requires not one dram or minute more of affliction then the Church's purifying calls for And for this reason the faithful in all humility submit unto Gods will thereby making it appear that the desire of their soul is to his name that he may be glorified rather then that they may be delivered preferring suffering before sin affliction before transgression a continuing in distress before an engaging in what is wicked and rebellious 3. When God answers not prayer by enlargements of comfort Isa 50.10 he then does it by strength of support composing the soul to the purest and perfectest act of obedience upon earth even to rely upon God in his promises by faith when there is no sensible testimony of his love To depend and rest upon God under clouds and desertions Job 19.20 21.25 c. 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10 is a secret martyrdom of the soul advancing Gods glory in its deep affliction and preferring the truth and faithfulness of Gods promise above all Satans suggestions or its own fears Be it so then O thou afflicted soul be it so that God does delay yet does he not deny the returns of his love in the refreshings of his Spirit but he is therefore the longer absent that thou mayst be the more eagerly longing and thereby the better prepar'd to receive his blessings of love and to prise them Spiritual enlargements as all other good things they are more prised in their want then in their enjoyment Sol nisi cùm deficit spectatorem non habet says Seneca Men most look after the Sun when his light is eclypsed and so do our souls after Christ when his favour is clouded his face hid Thus how often is it that God does put grace in the soul when yet he does not publish it in the conscience And so it is with the faithful as with Moses Exod. 34.29 Moses his face shines to the Jews when yet he knew not of its lustre himself Thus many times the faithful have their graces eminent in others observation when yet they discern them not in their own apprehension God giving supporting strength when he withholds enlarging comforts The Rules of Direction 1. Keep faith and a good conscience For as a ship tossed with contrary winds such
2 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Doctrine and Instruction secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Argument and Conviction thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Correction and Reformation For Doctrine and Instruction in what concerns God and Christ Creation and Redemption Sin and Grace Death and Life Mercy and Blessedness For Argument and Conviction in discovering and refuting Errors in discerning and confirming Truth For Correction and Reformation in what concerns minde and manners the inward and the outward man in thoughts in words and in works And of these three does consist the Apostles perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Form of Institution in Righteousness That the Man of God even the Preacher of the Gospel may be perfect yea thorowly furnished unto all good works especially that of his Ministry And needs must the Scriptures be abundantly sufficient for the people if such for the Preacher Acts 20.27 whose office it is to declare unto them the whole Councel of God 2. It s sacred Authority this especially for the proving deciding and determining all Controversies in Doctrines of Faith And therefore to the Law and to the Testimony is the challenge of the Prophet Isa 8.20 from the command of God and they Who speak not according to this Word have no Light of truth and righteousness in them From this full sufficiency and self authority it is That the Word of God is the Canon and Rule of Faith The Canon I say and Rule for seeing we are commanded to prove the doctrines 1 John 4.1 whether they be of truth and try the Spirits whether they are of God and seeing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove by tryal as the Goldsmith does his Gold by the Touchstone or the Carpenter his work by the Rule if thus prove and try some Touchstone and Rule there must be of tryal and proof Gal. 1.8 and what is this but the Word of God For If any man or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel then that which we the Apostles of the Lord have preached let him be accursed is that dreadful Anathema pronounced by St. Paul And thus the holy Scriptures being the Rule of Faith as a Rule hath its just measure inherent in its self not depending upon the hand of the Artificer so the Scriptures have their infallible truth in themselves not depending upon the judgment of the Church Yet we must know withal that though the Church does not give yet does she declare the authority of the Scriptures and so by â—er testimony with John Baptist points us unto Christ in the infallible truth of his Word 1 Tim. 1.15 Thus that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners we come to hear it because the Church doth so teach us but we believe it because the Scriptures so teach the Church And this is right the Apostles determination against Papist and Sectary both Rom. 10.17 That Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God We are to hear the Church but the Word of God is the object of our Faith and this the Church proposeth to be believed to be believed upon this ground of Faith Dominus dixit the Lord hath said or Christus mandavit Christ hath commanded it This for the inherent attributes of Gods Word full sufficiency and self authority 2. It s transient operations viz. By a divine light and sacred power 1. It s divine Light the Word like the Sun it carries with it that brightness whereby it enlightens and that influence whereby it quickens the inward man As light it discovers the hidden things of darkness the Souls guilt the hearts deceitfulness Satans subtleties sins enormities As light it distinguisheth betwixt good and evil truth and falshood faith and heresie Yea as a light it guides and directs the whole man Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a lanthorn to my paths a lamp unto my feet for the instructing my minde and ordering my affections and a lanthorn to my paths for the leading my judgment and the directing my conversation 2. It s sacred power either governing what is under its command or subduing what is against its dominion First Governing what is under its command Jam. 2.8 Therefore a Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal a soveraign a supream Law regulating the affections restraining the lusts conforming each faculty of the Soul to its self Secondly Subduing what is against its dominion Discomfiting Satan in his assaults 2 Cor. 10.4 5. overthrowing sin in its strong holds breaking down the Bulwarks of the flesh and leading into captivity the corruptions of nature Such such the light and power of the Word through the Spirit as convinceth man of sin in himself humbling him in repentance and withal discovering righteousness in Christ by Faith by Faith to believe and in believing to finde rest unto his Soul However then rational discourses rhetorical flourishes Scholastical disputes may please the fancy raise admiration astonish the minde yet in this is the vigor and life of Religion and Faith to quiet the Conscience and give rest to the Soul the sole property and power of Gods Word This the first particular chiefly considerable in our Saviours instruction the object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught 2. The means of communicating this object and declaring this word the Ministry of the Church by which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded And therefore saith our Saviour expresly to his Disciples and in them Luke 10.16 to the whole Ministry of his Church he that heareth you heareth me And by this St. John gives us to know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error 1 John 4.6 even by a conformity to the doctrine of Christs Church He who is of God heareth us In which Church Christ hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists Eph. 4.11 14. and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and all to this end to preserve the unity of the Faith Where observe to a confutation of the Popes infallibility on the one hand and the factious Enthusiasm on the other the Apostle does not say as doubtless he would had he been of the Jesuites belief that for the preserving of the one Faith Christ had given one Head and so with some Apostles had ordained St. Peter the chief Apostle and with some Pastors had ordained one Universal Pastor to whom all Doctors and Teachers yea all Nations and Languages should repair for the resolutions of Faith and ultimate determinations of the Truth Again the Apostle does not say as doubtless he would had he been of the factious humor that for the work of the Ministry and perfecting the Saints he had ordained as some Pastors and Doctors so distinct from them some gifted Tradesmen some illuminated Mechanicks Who is it
discendum quod de Deo intelligendum as Hilary speaks we must learn from God what we may understand of God even as we discover the Body of the Sun by the light of its own beams yea God it is who prepares the eye of the practical judgment and proportions the palate of the rectified will to discern the evidence and rellish the sweetness of supernatural Truths and he does it in this order The Church by a Ministerial Manuduction and Ecclesiastical dispensation to those matriculated by Baptism born in her Lap and bred in her Bosom tutored to a reverend esteem of her Maternal Authority to them she transmits this indubitate principle of Christian Verity That the sacred Scriptures are the Word of God But to them who are without the Infidel and Heathen the Church hath her arma praelusoria her preparatory Arguments of Right Reason to fit the minde for a candid reception and diligent examination of the Scriptures And upon this the Spirit of Truth comes in with Conviction to the Conscience perswading the Soul to this assent of Faith that they are the Word of God Wherefore besides the Ministry and Manuduction of the Church there must be an illuminating power of the Spirit yea a power rectifying and raising the minde to a capacity of supernatural light otherwise the Mysteries of Grace to the Natural man will be as the varieties of colours to the blinde the colours are not discerned till the faculty be restored nor are those Mysteries understood till the minde be healed And when thus by the Spirit of God the minde is fitted to the Word and the Word revealed unto the minde then does the Soul discern an excellency in the sacred Scriptures above what is in Humane Writings with as sure a distinction though not so clear an evidence as the eye does discern a beam of the Sun from the blaze of a Candle Quest 3 Thirdly In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the sacred Scriptures Answ I answer That Interpretation of Scripture is best which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith and consent with the judgment of the Church two sure rules of Scripture interpretation approved and observed by the ablest Expositors of Gods Word 1. Which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith Rom 12 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Analogy of Faith is none other thing then that summary and fit proportion which is in the general principles of Christianity and cheif mysteries of Grace plainly set down in the sacred Scriptures A sum whereof we have in our publick Confessions of Faith the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments seeing then it is the Scripture phrase to be built up in our holy Faith As that stone Jud. 20. which holds not proportion with the rest of the building is either fitted or rejected by the Architect so that interpretation of Scripture which holds not Analogy with the received Doctrines of Faith it must be either amended or cast away by the Religious And in doing this the Faithful of Christs Church they shall according to St. Pauls precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3 16. walk orderly by one and the same rule and so preserve the unity and peace of the Church in being of one and the same minde 2. Consent with the Judgment of the Church For that no Scripture is of private interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.20 to be interpreted by a mans own wit fancy or reason but by the enlightning power of the Spirit of Truth for as the Scriptures came not by the proper will Vers 21. so nor are they to be interpreted by the private judgment of men but the same Spirit who is the Author must also be the Interpreter And where may we with more confidence rest assured that this holy Spirit is then where Christ did expresly promise he should ever be with his Church Matth. 28.20 John 16.13 And especially with the Pastors of his Church to whom our Lord gives the promise that His Spirit should lead them into all truth But here it may be demanded what I call the Judgment of the Church I answer The antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine received at all times in all places and of all the faithful But especially do we fix upon that judgment of the Church in the antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils For that without controversie even by confession of all parties in that time were the most Eminent Saints for holiness of life excellency of learning purity of doctrine and constancy of martyrdom And he that will think to go to Heaven in any other path then what these blessed Saints have trod before him I say to him as Constantine to Acesius Erige scalam ascende solus Raise thy self O man a Ladder and climb up alone Now this antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils This is that we may call in the language of St. Ambrose Liber Sacerdotalis Ambr. de fid ad Grat. l. 3. c. 7. That Sacerdotal Book signatus a confessoribus multorum Martyrio consecratus signed by the confessions of the most eminent Saints and consecrated by the blood of the holiest Martyrs As then the Authority of the sacred Scriptures gives us the sure rule of Faith so the judgment of the Universal Church gives us the right line of interpretation according to which two it is well worthy our observation the Church of England did exactly draw the platform of her Reformation And this is evident in her Doctrine and Practice 1 In her Doctrine Art 20. amongst many other instances see it in her Book of Articles expresly acknowledging the Church to be the witness and keeper of the sacred Oracles and in her Book of Canons as expresly denying any doctrine necessary to be religiously held and believed which the Catholick Fathers and old Bishops of the Primitive Church have not collected out of the Scriptures And 2 that her practice is suitable to her Doctrine appears by her owning the four General Councils the Apostles Nicen and Athanasian Creeds And in all her disputes against the now silent adversary otherwise too busily employed the Jesuite justifying her reformed estate as conformed to the Primitive Church within the first five Centuries of years And here give me leave to observe unto you how the Presbytery laid the way to their own and our Churches ruine even by setting up private interpretation of Scripture in opposition to the received judgment of the Universal Church For do not the Brownists the Anabaptists under the name and notion of Independents presently beat them with their own weapon The Presbyterian abolisheth the Publick Liturgy and takes away Regular Ordination
3.15 or addeth thereto No man disannulleth or addeth that is No man ought to disannul or adde under peril of hainous impiety and shameful punishment And let not any think St. John seals up onely the Book of Revelations but that guided by the Spirit of Truth he seals up the whole Books of the New Testament with that dreadful Commination against all Violators of the sacred Scriptures And this whether it be in the Letter or the Sense of Christs holy Word for that of Tertullian is most firmly true Tert. de Praescript c. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus To impose an adulterate sense is as much injury to the Word of Truth as to violate the proper phrase And therefore Valentinus and so the Heresies of our times do as much damage to the Scriptures verity in misinterpreting the Sense though they spare the Letter as Marcion did by mangling the sentences and chopping off the words Hear then and tremble O ye seduced Souls who through some carnal prejudice and temporal interest involve your selves in this so horrid sin of Scripture-Sacriledge for that perverting the sense or corrupting the Letter of Christs holy Word of Truth 2 Pet. 3.16 ye do it to your own destruction 2. Observe Beloved these two sure Rules of Instruction and Exhortation 1. Keep close to the Doctrine of the Scriptures 2. Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church Keep close to the doctrine of the Scriptures that will keep you from the seductions of the Romanist Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church that will preserve you from the Errors of the Separatist For so hath God been pleased to make the Militant State of our Mother the Church of England to be betwixt the eager opposition of two enraged Enemies the Church of Rome and the Brethren of the Separation against whom she thus makes good the combate from the Authority of the sacred Scriptures and the Judgment of the Primitive Church Urging the Authority of the Scriptures the Romanist flies at the point of that weapon and would soon be beat out of the field were it not some return he makes by pretending the Church Again Urging the Judgment of the Church the Separatist staggers at that blow and would soon fall to the ground were it not some hold he catcheth by wresting the Scriptures To close then That ye may continue firm and sound in the Faith be careful that in the Epidemical distempers of the times ye change not the dyet of your Souls least what you think to make your food prove your poyson Feed on your Mothers Milk keep to that sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government which is contained in the Publick Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Books of Homilies and Ordination all consenting with the Word of God and Truth of Christ Withal see that to the confession of a true Faith Aquin. ye joyn the confession of an holy life Confitetur qui nulla parte diffitetur He confesses truly who confesseth thorowly Confess we with the mouth and with the hand in our words and in our works This is the best Harmony of Confessions And thus Matth. 10.32 Confess we Christ before men and he will confess us before his Father which is in Heaven Own we him in this Truâ—h and he will own us in his Glory hear we his Word and do we his Will so shall we receive his Reward and this in an eternal Rest unto our Souls Thus have we done with the Explication and the Application of what concerns the Mission and Commission together with the several Instructions given by our Saviour to his Apostles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Coloss 1. v. 18 19. And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell OUR Lord Jesus Christ being ascended into the highest Heavens Introduct and there sate down on the right hand of God Rom 8.34 Heb. 7.25 he ever lives to make intercession for us From which exaltation and intercession the Apostle draws his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ being able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by him Able to save unto the utmost for that in his intercession is applied unto the Church for her salvation the utmost efficacie of the richest price the fullest power and the highest favour that humanity can receive from God or Divinity communicate to man For it is worth our observing That our blessed Lord to make our salvation sure he saves us by all means possible for salvation to be secur'd He saves us by ransom by rescue and by request by way of price by way of power and by way of favour Christs Resurrection that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of price laid down in his Passion his Ascension that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of power which he exercised in his Resurrection his sitting at Gods right hand that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of favour whereby he is exalted in his Ascension and lastly the Intercession of Christ that is applicatory of all these for the full and final redemption of his chosen In his Intercession he pleads the merit of his Passion as the full paiment he pleads the efficacie of his Resurrection as his clear acquittance he pleads the benefit of his Ascension as giving actual possession Eph. 1.6 Mat. 17.5 Heb. 1.2 and pleads the vertue of his Session at the right hand of the Father as thereby declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved Son of God and lawful Heir of Heaven Yea our holy Jesus and blessed Mediator being sate down at the right hand of God he is not only by a gracious decree appointed by an holy unction consecrated but also by a glorious investiture from the Father he is established in the spiritual oeconomy Act. 2.36 Rom. 14.9 Mat. 28.18 and actual administration of that soveraign authority whereby he is constituted and declared to be Lord and Christ Judge of quick and dead King of heaven and earth and as S. Paul here gives us the description Head of the body the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead c. Connexion Before we give you the Division of the words we must give you their Dependance to which we are directed by the Copulative and And he is the Head of the body the Church which Copulative does join what we must not separate the Context and the Text. If then we do but look three Verses back we find how the Apostle having set forth the benefits of Redemption he presently subjoins a description of the
Many there are then who bear the name of Christians ay and of Catholicks too who yet are in Christ John 15.2 6 but as withered branches in the Vine yea they are in the Church as Wens in the Body not in a vital and internal communion but in a formal and external profession Thus speaking of the Authors of Heresie and Heads of Faction which separated themselves from the communion of the Church They went out from us says the Apostle but they were not of us 1 John 2.19 for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us They went out from us as to the external and accidental form of the Church as it is the visible company of Professors but they were not of us as to the internal and essential form of the Church as it is the invisible Body of Christ Very fitly then is the visible Church compared in Scripture unto a field in which there grows up together Wheat and Tares Matth. 13.29 30. Matth 3.12 Matth. 13 47. to a floor on which there lies together Corn and Chaff to a draw not in which are contained good Fish and bad for that in the Church as it is visible there are Hypocrites mixt with true Believers the wicked with the godly And therefore the Apostle compares the visible Church to a great house 2 Tim. 2.20 where there are not onely Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth yea Some to honor and some to dishonor Thus in the visible Church there are not onely strong Believers but also weak Christians not onely those who are more eminent in the gifts and graces of the Spirit but also those who are weaklings and of less spiritual abilities then others Yea further as there are some to honor that is some who through the Election of Grace shall at last inherit eternal glory so some to dishonor Rom. 2.5 that is some who through their impenitence and hardness of heart treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and shall be plunged in eternal misery And thus ye have seen in its several particulars What the Church is of which Christ is said to be the Head 3. How the Church of which Christ is the Head is said to be a Body viz. Especially from the communion of the faithful as Members Eph. 4.4 a communion so near that they are all said to have but one Spirit Acts 4.32 yea one heart and one soul and all this from the efficacy of love Col. 3.14 that bond of perfectness and knot of unity A Sacramental representation of this Mystical Communion 1 Cor 10.17 is given us in the holy Eucharist according to that of the Apostle We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread That Bread which exhibites to us the flesh of Christ our quickning and enlivening Food Food not which we convert by any carnal digestion into the nature of our body but which converts us by a spiritual operation into the nature of Christs Body making us to be heavenly and spiritual as he is spiritual and heavenly We change not it but it changeth us for so is the powerful operation of spiritual Food to convert into the nature of its self action still following the stronger force and spirituals are more powerful then corporals grace more active then nature By vertue of this communion of the Faithful the Church is said to be Corpus compactum connexum Eph. 4.16 a Body fitly joyned together and compacted no rents of Schism but every member hath its proper place Vers 13. and its peculiar connexion in the whole and this Till we all meet in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Unto a perfect man this does intimate the near and full communion of Christs Church all the Faithful being as one political person in Christ Gal. 3.28 according to that There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus and it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one Body but one Person Now to grow up to a perfect man according to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ is the increase of the Church till consummate in its communion of Members and fulness of perfection which shall be at the last day when the whole number of the Elect is gathered and so Christ in the Church and the Church in Christ have mutually their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their compleat growth like that of the Head in the Body and the Body in the Head and all in one political person and perfect man To close then such is the communion of the Faithful one with another as Members and all in Christ as their Head that he who by Schism separates from the Church though never so seeming a Saint he cuts himself off from Christ and in the prosecution of this separation though he should zealously give up his life unto death his goods unto the spoil his body unto the fire 1 Cor. 13.2 3. yet all this would not be fidei corona Cypr. de Unit Eccles n. 12. but paena perfidia as St. Cyprian speaks not a crown of Faith but a punishment of unfaithfulness the suffering not of a Martyr but of a Malefactor For let the cause be what it will to die in Schism without the Pale of the Church is to perish in sin without the Gate of Heaven Indeed as the Branch withers which is broken off from the Root the River dries up which is cut off from the Fountain so the Soul shall perish which is divided from Christ And that Soul is certainly divided from Christ the Head which separates from the Church which is his Body His Body in a communion of the faithful as Members Here it will be a seasonable service to resolve you these four Questions 1. Whether the Church of Christ on Earth may totally fall away 2. What is meant by that common saying That out of the Church there is no Salvation 3. What have we to answer those who say We have no Church 4. Seeing we are to hold communion with the Church how may we know which is a true Church with which we may hold communion First Whether the Church of Christ on Earth may totally fall Quest 1 away We see in the World such a general defection from truth and holiness that some may haply propose this Question as well worthy our present resolution Indeed Polutheism a worshipping many gods hath ever been an argument for Atheism a not worshipping any God And in these our days whilst men see so many
Temple O let the faithful then still joy to dwell with God in his Sanctuary 2. See the length of Davids lease for term of life that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life So much is mans nature in love with liberty and change that not having variety of objects and freedom of enjoyments a Palace becomes a Prison and the sweetest dainties a loathed bitterness But O the perfect freedom of Gods service and ravishing sweetness of his Sanctuary which never begets loathing or dislike to the devout soul but the more enjoyed still the more desired So that Gods house is not Davids desire for change but for constancy not for a small spurt but for a long space he measures his own dwelling in Gods Sanctuary according to the time of his souls dwelling in the body even all the dayes of his life All the dayes The godly mans Kalender is from the Son of righteousness he numbers his times by his aspect and influence and and therefore he thinks it no day with his soul but when Christs face doth shine and accounts no happy houres but what are spent in his service So that should the Sun have run his round and David not have repaired to Gods house he would have cryed out as Titus the Emperor upon a less occasion after did O amici diem perdidi O my friends I have lost a day and as with David so with every good Christian that day is lost as to an happy account which makes not an account of Gods holy worship But further David renews his Lease and resolves to have it for perpetuity or rather makes Gods house his inheritance I will dwell saith he in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23.6 David is not willing to live except in Gods house and when he departs the world he would not depart the Temple but by an happy change of earthly for heavenly enjoying the same holy presence in a more glorious beauty even that of the beatifical vision Thus we have done with the object of Davids petition 1. As emphatically asserted to be unum one thing 2. As that one thing is expresly described to be this a dwelling in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life From the Object we proceed to the Acts which are two The former speaks Davids inward affection that of desire the latter speaks the eager prosecution of what he desired in seeking after it One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after c. 1. The Act which speaks Davids inward affection that of desire One thing have I desired Desires are the Ecchoes of our loves what we most ardently affect we most eagerly covet If our love then be spiritual and fixt on God our desires will keep the tincture of our loves and become holy and spiritual too And there are no enjoyments so full nor contentments so great that desires are not excited for what is desire but the hearts flame which does not by emission spend the stock but by reflexion quicken the vigor of our loves So that Testimonium gustatae gratiae est esuries saith S. Bernard grace desired is a sure testimony of grace received and to hunger after Christ Ps 34.8 is a good argument of having tasted with David how good the Lord is Thus it is with Gods Saints on earth but see the same with the very Seraphims in heaven who clap their wings that is Isa 6.2 agitate their loves and actuate their joyes by their desires yea no heart is so earthy that breaths not forth the air of this region Ps 145.16 and God alone it is that can satisfie the desire of every living thing And therefore is David right in his Unum petii One thing have I desired of the Lord. For indeed seeing the fruition of God is the last end of the souls creation so infinite an object as God supposeth an infinite desire in man And though David confines his desires to one Object yet can he not contain them in one Act for like Number they are infinite none so great but is still capable of addition so that mans desire cannot be satisfied but by his fulness who is Naz. in Naâ—al as Nazianzen elegantly calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sea of Being which hath neither bottome nor shore a fulness as inexhaustible as it is unsearchable All that splendor which attracts the desires of the most lofty Heroes all those miseries which suspend the admiration of the most learned Sages all that beauty which inflames the hearâ—s of the most passionate Lovers yea take all the whole Wardrobe and Magazine of nature the whole stock of this worlds glory Theaters Thrones Empires and Arms Scepters and Triumphs Isa 40 15. what are they all but stilla situlae as a drop of the Bucket compared with the vast Ocean of Gods fulness What art thou then but ungrateful unto God and unfaithful unto thine own soul What art thou but a Rebel to his Soveraign Majesty and a traitor to thine own repose and glory whosoever thou art that seeks for any other felicity then that of God who hath h s paradise in his own bosome and offers to make thee blessed in his embraces O that thou wouldst now collect thy scattered thoughts vain man and reduce thy wandring desires into this period and center of Unity Communion with God in Christ fixing thy delights in the beauty of his holiness the worship of his Sanctuary and the joy of his presence Thus doth David in his Unum petii One thing have I desired Thus we have done with the former Act which speaks Davids inward affection that of desire 2. The latter which speaks his eager prosecution of what he desired in seeking after it One thing have I desired and that will I seek after In earthly pleasures desires faint upon enjoyment but in spiritual once enjoyed they are the more desired and as the more hotly desired so the more eagerly pursued In carnal delights we say Vilescit adeptum quod accendit desideratum That which we hotly pursue for the attaining when sped we as carelesly despise after enjoying and our own experience tells us That qui satietati occurrit satietatem incurrit A man is satiated with that which he took as a remedy against satiety Thus how many are eagerly mad upon their carnal pleasures till they feel their sting and then they hate them but it is far otherwise with our spiritual delights we have no such appetite to them as when we have tasted them and are never glutted with their sweetness but the more inflamed in our desires by their enjoyments True it is divine raptures and spiritual ravishments they are our heavenly refreshings given not for food but for cordials and therefore are not so frequent Bern. in Cant. ult nor so continued which begot S. Bernards complaint heu hora rara mora parva O how few sweet Jesus
go out upon the Altar not letting our devotion cool in Gods presence especially when we present our selves at the Table of the Lord that sacred solemnity of the blessed Eucharist Oh that we could here compose our Souls to Davids frame That seeing God in Christ is the Center of all holy delights we may make the enjoyment of his presence and communion the Center of all hearty desires and then say in an humble faith and ardent fervor of devotion One thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life c. THE SECOND SERMON UPON PSAL. 27.4 To behold the Beauty of Lord and to enquire in his Temple Introduction Psal 87.2 GOD that loveth the Gates of Sion above all the habitations of Jacob he prefers the Publick Services of the Church before the Private Worship of the Closet 2 Sam. 7.16 Zech. 3.8 Wherefore Davids zeal to the Building and Zorobabels to the rebuilding the Temple and House of God it was rewarded and incouraged by the promise of the Messiah issuing from their loyns And if the holy zeal of building and restoring the House of God had the promise of Christ in the flesh sure I am the blinde zeal of prophaneing and destroying Gods House can have no communion with Christ in the Spirit For observe we how the Prophet Haggai foretels That Hag. 11.9 the glory of the latter House should be greater then that of the former the glory of Zorobabels Temple greater then that of Solomons which could not be meant as to the outward structure or the inward ornaments the latter House wanting what gave the excellency to the former even the Ark of the Covenant the Heavenly Fire the overshadowing Cloud the Urim and Thummim and the gift of Prophecy which gift of Prophecy was onely supplied by an Eccho which the Hebrews call Bath Kol the Daughter of a Voice revealing sometimes something of the Will of God Such a Voice was heard in the Temple before Titus besieged Jerusalem Joseph Bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 12. Migremus hinc Let us be gone hence Now all that glory being wanting in the latter Temple What made it more glorious then the former I answer It was the presence and manifestation of Christ in the flesh who was the substance of those Figures the Body of which the Temples glory was but a shadow And if this was the glory of the Jews Temple That Christ in the flesh was there manifested and presented unto God shall it not be much more the glory of our Christian Oratories That there Christ in his Word and Sacraments is preached and exhibited unto us Christ is present in all places Rev. 2.1 but is said To walk in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks Present he is in the Congregation of the Saints by a special ministration of the Spirit declaration of his Will and communication of his Grace there his Power is evidenced his Arm revealed his Body and Blood exhibited Who is it then but will delight to dwell in that House where the refreshing Food is Christs Body and the chearing Wine his Blood the ravishing Beauty the light of his countenance and the sweet repose his Arms of Love yea where the blest Fellowship is that of Angels and Saints and the onely service Gods holy worship However then the ambitious mindes sore aloft and with restless wing pursue their wordly glory yea how ever voluptuous Epicures set themselves to the injoyment of their sensual delights whatsoever they cost them though body and soul and all yet fix we our desires on Davids one thing which is as much beyond comparison as it is above exception even To dwell in the House of the Lord This the centre of Davids Prayer the main object of his longing desires and eager importunities the thing he sues and seeks for so says the Psalmist One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple We proceed to the second General part The Divine Reason of Davids Petition which is twofold of Delight and of Devotion First Of Delight To behold the Beauty of the Lord Secondly Of Devotion To enquire in his Temple We begin with the first particular that of Delight To behold the Beauty of the Lord. To behold the Beauty of the Lord Why what commerce hath Earth with Heaven finite with infinite flesh with spirit dust and ashes with majesty and glory man with God O the gracious sweetness of divine love God descends to exalt man the Creator humbles himself to a communion with his Creature and to so near a communion as to make his Spirit mans life his grace mans comliness his wing mans shadow his hand mans strength his heart mans rest his beauty mans delight and his embraces mans repose This Beauty of the Lord is of too glorious a ray to be beheld otherways then under avail and therefore it is the goodness of our Maker to exhibite himself not according to the strength of his glory but according to the weakness of our capacity The object is proportioned to the faculty the Creatures are as the Waters and his Word and Sacraments as the Mirrors which represent God by reflexion whose glory we cannot look upon in a direct Beam And thus did David behold the Beauty of the Lord in his Sanctuary Heb. 9.2 3 c. as represented in Types and Figures for we finde in the first Tabernacle called Holy the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread and in the second Tabernacle called The Holy of Holies we finde the Golden Censer the Ark the Manna Aarons Rod the Tables of the Covenant the Cherubims of Glory and the Mercy Seat Now this Tabernacle and Sanctuary did aptly represent the Church of Christ whose Militant part through the vail of Faith does contemplate the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Great High Priest Heb 4.14 by whom we have access unto the Father in the Holy of Holies that is the Highest Heavens The Brazen Laver did signifie our Baptism and Repentance the Sacrifice of Burnt offerings the Mortification of our Lusts the Altar of Incensé our Oblations of Prayers the Golden Candlestick the Preachers of the Gospel and the Lights thereof their holy Doctrine the Table of Shew-bread did prefigure the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Communion of Saints The Holy of Holies did represent the Heavenly State of the Church Triumphant there being the Ark of the Covenant the Personal and Corporal presence of Christ the Golden Propitiatory his glorious Humanity and the Table of the Law his perfect Obedience the Cherubims wings did represent the Ministry of Angels from above which heavenly Spirits God shews forth his glory in a beatifical
manifestation of himself to his Saints In this Sanctuary is the Golden Pot of Manna even an abundant fulness of Divine Joy whose sweetness is incorruptible and everlasting yea here is Aarons Rod which being withered after budded flowred and brought forth ripe Almonds that is the dead bodies of Gods Saints raised to life are cloathed with immortality and glory Or further By the Tabernacle and Sanctuary was represented not onely the Mystical but also the Natural Body of Christ not onely his Church but also himself He the Ark of the Testament as the Word of the Father placed in the Tabernacle as cloathed with flesh He the Table of Shew-bread as our Life and Food in the Eucharist he the Candlestick as our Spiritual Light he the Incense in the sweet savor of his Merits he the Sacrifice in the sufferings of his Cross he the Altar in the efficacy of his Mediation by which ouâ— persons and our Prayers our selves and our services become accepted of the Father Further yet The Tabernacle and Sanctuary was a Map of the Universe the greater World and of Man the lesser World 1. A Map of the Universe the greater World the outward Court representing the outmost Creation the holy Place the Church of Christ and the Holy of Holies the Heavenly Presence 2. A Map of Man the lesser World consisting of Body Soul and Spirit the outward Court that 's the Body 1 Thess 5.23 the inward Tabernacle that 's the Soul and the holy Sanctuary that 's the Spirit by which Spirit we have our communion yea and our communication too with our God And well may the Temple of God be compared unto man 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.16 seeing man so often in Scripture is called The Temple of God Now how well might David in all these Representations of the Sanctuary contemplate a Beauty and that Beauty divine even the Beauty of the Lord No wonder then if David be so importunate in his suit to have his dwelling in so pleasant a seat as the House of the Lord an Habitation which hath Heaven for its prospect the beauty of the Lord for the object of the eye and delight of the Soul But however David doth behold the beauty of the Lord in the Sanctuary yet where is that beauty in our Churches what is that glory of his presence as may denominate them his Houses Why see it in our Churches sacred Liturgy both as to the decency and order of her daily Service and Sacramental Administrations First As to the decency and order of her daily Service There being nothing in Devotion nothing in Doctrine nothing in Substance nothing in Circumstance but what Gods Word either explicitely commands or implicitely allows O lovely Order of holy Worship right a form of Divine Service as being a continued Exercise of all the parts of holy Worship taking up the whole minde and soul of the Spiritual man In this Divine service the Church by an orderly progress of Piety and performance of Devotion sometimes makes confession of sin sometimes deprecations of wrath sometimes Petitions of mercy sometimes intercessions for all men even all estates and conditions of men whatsoever from the highest Prince to the meanest Peasant from the holiest Saint to the vilest sinners Turks and Infidels not excepted Yea in this Form of Divine service and Publick worship see how the Church of Christ doth sometimes adore Gods sacred Majesty sometimes extol his glorious attributes sometimes commemorate his famous acts sometimes recount his gracious blessings sometimes denounce his severe judgments sometimes declare his Fatherly promises sometimes set forth his heavenly praises Sometimes the Church makes profession of her Faith sometimes she publisheth the commands of her God sometimes she is humbled in larger yet not long winded supplications sometimes she is exercised in shorter yet piercing and pathetical ejaculations All which hang together not as mens extemporary non-sense like ropes of Sand but in an orderly composure like a chain of Gold one part still linkt within another to become a fit ornament to set off the Churches beauty whereby she is the more comely and fair in the eyes of her beloved Secondly View we the Beauty of holy Worship in the Churches Publick Administrations to instance in that one of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist O how does Divine Order Reverence and Devotion mutually contend which shall give greatest lustre to the Beauty of this solemnity First the judgment is rightly informed from sacred Scripture in the Mysteries of that blessed Sacrament And the judgment being rightly informed by instruction the affections are divinely raised by exhortation set on with that perswasive argument and inforcing motive the riches of grace and promises of life which God hath vouchsafed unto his chosen through Christ This done the Church proceeds to an oral confession of sins and upon that a Ministerial absolution of the penitent and after with heart and hands and eyes lift up to Heaven all joyn together in the devout Harmony of Prayers and Praises Then the Faithful Pastor of the Flock having offered unto God the Sacrifice of his own Rev. 8.3 and others Devotion ascending up before the Throne of Grace as sacred Odors made acceptable through the Incense of Christs merits he proceeds with fear and reverence to the Consecration of the Sacramental Elements and how is this why observe It is with a most pathetical commemoration of Gods love of Christs passion and of mans redemption yea with an obediential and Eucharistical acknowledgement of Christs holy Institution with the Order and End of the blessed Sacrament Upon which is pronounced the Word of blessing with Prayer consecrating the Bread and Wine to be the Sacramental signs and seal of Christs Body and Blood The Consecration ended View we the Administration in which the dearest pledges of Divine love are delivered with a Summary Recapitulation of the whole Sacraments mystery That so the Soul of the receiver may have a present impression of renewed Devotion in the very act of receiving This Ministration being performed the close of the whole service is applicatory of the whole solemnity in most devout and pathetical Prayers with Heavenly and Evangelical praises which being ended the Congregation is dismist with a Ministerial Benediction Now ex pede Herculem know ye the Eagle by its Feather the Diamond by its spark the excellency of the Churches Liturgy by this one part of her Publick service the solemnity of the Eucharist of which Sacraments administring I may say what St. Paul said of the Corinthians prophesying 1 Cor. 14.25 That if an unbeliever or any one except a pertinacious Separatist come into the Congregation of Gods people while they are exercised in this solemn service of Divine Order Reverence and Devotion he will be ready to fall down upon his face and worship God reporting that God is in them of a truth I may confidently affirm That so lovely is the Beauty of the Churches Order
Will the Preaching of which Word Christ hath committed to the Pastors of his Church And Oh the dignity and charge of their sacred Function Mal. 2.7 Whose lips are appointed to preserve knowledge and that men should seek the Law at their mouths So that when we speak it ought to be with that care and Conscience 1 Pet 4 11. as delivering to you the very Oracles of God O si quando loquamur ut Oracula vivamus ut numina Oh that when we speak unto you the Oracles of Gods truth that we then did present our selves examples of his holiness That so our lives integrity might be Et Censura Disciplina 2 Cor. 4.7 both a Censure and a Discipline to others enormity but We have our treasure in Earthen vessels Further yet this of Davids inquiring St. Hierome renders by an attendere and others by a visitare a visiting and attending Gods Temple And indeed though true it is That to the devout Saint and Servant of God every day is a Sabbath and every place a Temple yet as this does not exempt us from the observation of the Lords day so nor from the frequenting Gods House for as the one is a set and holy time so is the other a separate and holy place for his Publick worship according to that Levit. 19.30 Ye shall observe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary which was spoken to the Jew in the Letter but to the Christian in the Analogy And strange it is That they should be so remiss in reverencing Gods Sanctuary who yet seem so zealous for observing his Sabbaths dis-joyning in their practise what God hath so near joyned in his Precept But that we are to visit Gods Sanctuary and there attend his service is not onely from the precept of holy Scripture but also from the dictate of Divine Reason which is this That we are all to be considered in a double capacity as to our particular persons and our Political Relations Which Political Relations are especially two the first as to Civil Community the second as to Mystical Communion Now as in Temporal Matters we have our private places for our private affairs but publick Halls for publick services So in Spiritual Matters we have our private Closets for our private Devotions but publick Temples for publick Worship Civil Communion as Members of some Corporation requires the former and no less doth our Mystical Communion as Members of the Church require the latter But observe further David though so glorious a King yet will become an attendant in Gods house O the haughty pride then of the meaner Peasant Psal 95.6 who will not bow nor bend not fall down and worship in Gods Sanctuary O the haughty pride I say of the meaner Peasant For who are they that so much contemn the Worship and despise the reverence due to God in his Temple are they the mighty Kings or the truly Noble no but the meanest and the lowest of the people Thus whilst we see the Potentate prostrate we behold the Peasant stiff in Gods service yea at present do we not behold the servant covered whilst the Master is bare in Gods presence Strange disorder as unreasonable as it is irreverent which to reform know all actions we say in the Schools are specified ab objecto fine from their object and their end what then is civil in respect of men and secular Affairs is Religions in respect of God and his glory And thus bowing the Knee uncovering the Head and the like which are civil actions in a respect to men they become Religious and Divine having God for their object and his glory for their end The Soul actuating the Body an holy Fear actuating the Soul and the Spirit of God actuating that holy Fear So that apertio capitis a mans uncovering of the Head in Gods House is a part of Worship and a keeping the Head bare is a continued worshipping and if so then not to bare the Head is irreverence if not prophanation David here though a mighty Prince yet of a far more humble temper then the meanest Aâ—tisan of our age he thinks it no indignity to his Royal person but rather a delight to his devout Soul to attend Gods service he will leave his Pallace to visit Gods Temple and quit his Throne to wait at Gods Altar For so says the Psalmist to declare the fervor of his Devotion One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of Lord all the days of my life to behold the Beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple We proceed to Application Applic. 1. To give you several seasonable Admonitions know It is the Prophets title which best adorns and beautifies the Christians Temple Ezek. 48.35 even Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there And where the Lord is there will be his Servants the holy Angels are in their Masters House they we may be sure frequent our Publick Meetings Yea doubtless nothing done on Earth is more joyous to the Angels or formidable to the Divels then the united Prayers and fighs and tears and lauds and praises of Gods Saints in Gods Sanctuary Wherefore if it be the presence of God of Christ and of the Angels which makes the place of Gods worship beautiful we may truly say of Gods Sanctuary Psal 45.13 what is said of the Kings Daughter It is all glorious within It s chief Beauty consists not in the outward Forms but the inward Mysteries not in the stately structure but the gracious presence not in the visible Congregation but the invisible Communion the Beauty is not the object of bodily but of Spiritual eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. de graec affect cur Serm. 11. it is of such things as Faith doth Minister and present unto us And therefore we cannot but justly reprove those who boast of their knowledge and cry up their Faith as if they were the onely men of a quick sight and peircing eye Whereas they have so thick a film of prejudice and prophaneness that they cannot behold with David the beauty of the Lord in his Sanctuary Know vain men that for the accomplishment of true delight there must be not onely a pleasing object but also a prepared faculty and if there be no affection in the faculty there can be no fruition of the object Hence it is that the rarest harmony affects not the Asses ear so nor heavenly delights earthly mindes and why not because there is no pleasantness in the object but no fitness in the subject no fitness either of faculty or of affection either of faculty to discern or of affection to desire Wherefore O ye prophane men and dissolute mindes know The reason why you are not taken with the Beauty of the Lord in the service of his Sanctuary it is because either prejudice and error hath blinded your judgments or the flesh and the world
that I trust in thee not in my self not in mine own righteousness who am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof Luk 7.6 or that I should crawl-under thy table not worthy to gather the crums not to pick up the scraps much less to partake of the riches the fulness of thy bounty thy love § 4. It is not that I trust in mine own faith but in thy faithfulness not in mine own repentance but in thy pardon not in mine own preparation but in thine acceptance in thee and in thy merits in thy mercies do I trust Let me not then be ashamed let me not be disappointed of my hope deprived of thy blessing I trust in thee by this Sacrament to be filled with good things Oh let me not then be ashamed of my trust in being sent empty away I trust in thee as the rock of my salvation even a firm rock Oh let me not be ashamed of my trust as if I had leaned upon a deceitful reed or rested upon a broken staff as if I had followed mine own devices and not attended thine Ordinance § 5. Thou my God hast promised that whosoever trusteth in thee shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Be it then unto me according to thy Word and seeing thou O God mayst as soon not be as be unfaithful make my trust as firm as thy promise is sure and so shall I not be confounded not confounded as if I had taken a wrong course to be saved when I run to thee for salvation or as if I had done foolishly in seeking thy grace by trusting to thy promise and attending thy Sacraments for the obtaining thy blessing Let me not thus be ashamed § 6. Neither let mine enemies triumph ' over me my homebred Enemies my lusts my passions when I return from thine Ordinance let them not thus triumph over me saying Vain man what hast thou gotten by all thy fastings and prayers what hast thou profited by all thy siftings and winnowings thy confessions and humiliations what hast thou benefitted by all thy vows thy resolutions and renewed resignations we are not yet abandoned we are not yet cast out we still live and are as mighty in power yea as many in number as ever we were and thou as feeble and as impotent to resist and quell us as ever thou wast O let not mine Enemies my lusts my passions thus triumph over me rather let thy cross be to me what thou hast made it to thy self a Triumphant Chariot by the efficacie of thy death 2 Cor 10.5 ◠mortifying all my corrupt affections and bringing into captivity every imagination that exalts it self against the power of thy grace § 7. Yea not onely I but many others also with me here wait on thee at thine Ordinance in obedience to thy command and confidence of thy blessing let not Oh let not me nor them who thus wait on thee have so ill success and fruitless labour as if we came to gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles knock at the wrong door for mercy We come and at thy call we come Matth. 11.28 as heavy laden to obtain rest as spiritually sick to recover health as secretly mournful to receive comfort we come and at thine invitation we come as thirsty to be refreshed as hungring to be satisfied as poor to be enriched We come and at thy Command we come as weak to be strengthened as fainting to be revived as wavering to be established For this for this it is we come to thine ordinance we wait at thy table Oh let none that thus come unto thee that thus wait upon thee let none of them be ashamed let none frustrate of their hope return from thy Sacrament as empty and as dry as sorrowful and as fainting as poor and as weak as when they came § 8. Rather let them be ashamed which transgress without cause even they who not prizing thy love despise thine ordinance and causelesly absent themselves from thy table as if a morsel of bread and a sup of wine were all the bounty and blessing of thy Sacrament Yea let them be ashamed who carelesly presume or causelesly despair at thy table They who carelesly presume as if all Sinners were welcome though ne'r so unprepared or causelesly despair as if no Sinners were accepted though ne'r so penitent This the Explicatory Application of what David hath put up in prayer by way of Deprecation saying O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed which transgress without cause Vers 4 5. Shew me thy waies O Lord teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day § 1. OBserve how the devout Communicant thus bespeaks his God his Saviour O my Lord what is my hope what is the blessing I long and pray for by this holy Sacrament what is it but the blessing and hope of a Pilgrim of a waifaring man I have left Egypt but am not yet in Canaan I am still in the wilderness and whilst my face is towards Jerusalem the heavenly habitation of thy Saints this is the object of my hope this is the subject of my prayer that thou wilt shew me thy waies teach me thy paths and lead me in thy truth § 2. There are the waies of men and the waies of God the paths of sin Psal 23 3. and the paths of righteousness There are thy waies and there are my waies thine the waies of truth mine the waies of error thine which are good in thine eies and mine which are good in mine eies thine which lead to heaven mine which lead to hell Wherefore shew me thy waies O Lord teach me thy paths lest I mistake mine own waies for thine yea lead me in thy truth and teach me lest I turn out of thy waies into mine own shew me thy waies by the ministry of thy word teach me thy paths in the guidance of thy Spirit lead me in thy truth by the assistance of thy grace § 3. Oh how have I been blinded in my Judgment not discerning the light of thy truth through the thick mist of mine own wilfulness and pride But now thou hast convinc'd me of my wanderings shew me thy waies now Lord especially shew me thy waies now so many and so diverse yea so cross and contrary are the waies of men and of the world though all pretending the paths of God and leading to the heavenly Jerusalem of peace and life Psal 139.1 2 23. Thou Lord who searchest the heart and tryest the reins who understandest our thoughts afar off thou even thou knowest the secret trouble of my Closet-thoughts the private anguish of my souls distractions in that viewing the waies of men and of the world I see thy holy Name made to mask the face
have no more Sacrifice for sin because Christ being denied none other Messias was to he expected and as for the Sacrifices of the Law they were now no more available to take away sin they being ended and fulfilled in Christ So then there is no more sacrifise for sin to wilful Apostates but there is still a sacrifice for sin to humble Penitents The merit of Christs passion shall nothing avail him that renounces his Christianity but it shall much avail yea effectually save him who bewails his iniquity Obj. 3 3. Obj. Against the renewing of Repentance And this Objection is raised from that of the Apostle Heb. 6.4 c. where he saith that it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they fall away to renew them again unto repentance From hence the relapsed Saint in his deep distress of Conscience frames this objection Seeing I have been once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have been partaker of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come and now having fallen away from my God by my multiplied iniquities it is impossible that I should be renewed again unto repentance Answ Answ This place as that other before mentioned is not to be understood of falling but of falling away not of the Children of God falling through sins of humane infirmity but of the Professors of Christ falling away through the sin of wilful Apostacie Of which sin many in the primitive times became guilty either through fear or through covetousness renouncing the faith of Christ and returning again to Judaism or Heathenish idolatry and of such it is that the Apostle here speaks when he tells us that they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh v. 6. and put him to an open shame For they that fell away to Judaism did as much dishonor injure and abuse Christ as if with the Jews they had actually spit upon him buffeted him and crucified him And for such to renew them again to repentance it is impossible Impossible non physicè sed moraliter as the School speaks Impossible according to the ordinary course of the Church according to the common and usual way of salvation otherwise our Saviour tells us in the like case With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible True it is Mat. 19 26. Novatus and his followers from this Heb. 6.4 and that Heb. 10.26 did deny repentance and admission into the Church not only to those who fell away from the faith but also who fell into any scandalous sin but for this were they justly condemned by the Church of God for Heresie So that this place of the Apostle is to be interpreted as meant of such professors of Christ who fall away from the faith by wilful Apostacie as did Judas and Julian Not of such servants of God who fall into sin through some prevailing temptation as did David and Peter 4. Obj. Against a partaking of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist Obj. 4 Alas how shall I so unworthy a person be a worthy partaker of that holy Sacrament And to receive unworthily 1 Cor. 11.27.29 is to increase the horror of my guilt not regain the favor of my God I believe indeed but alas it is but faintly I repent but it is but weakly And what shall I then so vile a sinner attend so dreadful a solemnity Answ O thou dejected yet penitent soul Answ who art dismaied in thy self having weakened the power of grace by thy relapses into sin oh let not the weight of sin or the weakness of grace so thy repentance be faithful and thy faith sincere let not either deter or detain thee discourage or withhold thee from this blessed Ordinance but attend unto our Saviours call and come at his gracious invitation Hearken and hear Come unto me Mat. 11.28 all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Even because weary come and be refreshed even because burdened come and be eased because weak come and be strengthened because poor come and be enriched because sick come and be healed because wounded come and be cured because sad come and be comforted because dull come and be quickened because relapsed come and be restor'd Come to this spiritual feast with thy wedding-garment Mat. 22.12 Gen. 27.15 the pure robe of Christs righteousness put on by faith and thus clothed with the sweet smelling raiment of our elder Brother thou shalt obtain a multiplied blessing from our heavenly Father even a blessing of righteousness of peace a blessing of mercy and of love of grace and of strength of comfort and of joy Râ—m 86. the testimony of the Spirit setting on the seal of the Sacrament for the recovering and continuing the renewing and confirming the assurance of Gods love in a communion with Christ in his fulness It remains then O thou afflicted soul that thou fix upon the immutability of Gods love and the stability of his Covenant together with the merit of Christs passion and the benefit of his intercession these the sure Grounds of Comfort Again do thou raise thy faith renew thy repentance and apply thy self to a worâ—hy partaking of the blessed Eucharist these the faithful Rules of Direction All which the God of mercy and compassion bless unto thy soul and make effectual to thy salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. IV. The Souls Conflict from the daily Assaults of Sin WHich Conflict that it is truly spiritual and sincere will appear by these signs Rom. 7.21 22 24. 1. The sanctified person acts against the power whilst he groans under the weight of his sin Ps 51 2.7.10 He hates its pollution as well as dreads its guilt He abhors its filth as well as fears its punishment 2. The Saint of God in his spiritual conflict he is both earnest to discover his corruptions and zealous to subdue them 1 Cor. 9.27 whereas the Natural man seeks out his corruptions as the Coward does his enemy unwilling to find him and afraid to fight him 3. Whereas the Natural man like a Neuter in a State is offended with the tumult and uprore that disquiets him the Spiritual man like a loyal Subject is incensed against the Rebel-Lusts that raise this tumult Ps 18.23 and cause this disquiet 4. His heart does as suddenly startle at the motions of sin as the Lamb does at the presence of the Wolf and this from that great contrariety and secret antipathy which is betwixt sin and grace the flesh and spirit an antipathy as great as that betwixt light and darkness Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6.14.15 heaven and hell Lastly above all the evils sin brings upon the soul this that
it deprives of communion with God is the most afflicting Ps 61.11 12. In which affliction these are the words of Complaint The Words of Complaint Oh! how how can mine heart be right with God which so often revolts from him How can mine heart be sound which is continually sore When with sighs and groans in humiliation I have confess'd and bewail'd my sin presently upon temptation I commit and repeat it Thus my wounds daily bleed afresh and thereby my spirit faints and my hope fails I shall one day perish by the hand of sin as David complain'd he should do by the hand of Saul for that daily my strength decays my grace diminisheth my comforts fade mine Evidences for Heaven ar blotted my seals defac'd my life is become my trouble and death it is my terror I fear to die and yet have no joy to live Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and of death The Grounds of Comfort 1. The holy dispensation of the all-wise God according to which it is that neither the merit of Christs blood nor the sanctification of Christs Spirit doth yet so far prevail as to root out the being of corruption though it wipe off the guilt and weaken the power of sin Damnatum est peccatum sed non extinctum Christ hath condemn'd sin in the flesh condemn'd but not extinguished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 8 3. Cajet in loc he hath condemn'd The word is metaphorical for that Condemnation implies a depr vation of all preceding priviledges and power Thus our Lord Jesus Christ he hath dealt with sin he hath so disanull'd it in the faithful that it hath no more place to appear in judgment Col. 2.14 no more guilt to bind over unto death Rom. 8.1 there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus 2. Our nature is pure and perfect in Christ in which he h th satisfied the justice of our God Joh. 2.29 as being the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world even the sin of nature as well as of our lives our original as well as our actual sin Col. 1 19. Joh. 1.16 And seeing it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell He will communicate to us of his fulness till he hath wholly destroyed the Serpents seed 1 Joh 3.3 1 Pet. 1.16 till he hath made us pure even as he is pure not only subduing the dominion and reign of sin by grace but also destroying the life and being of sin by glory 3. No man is sensible of sickness but who hath life and therefore sense of sin is a sure symptome of the life of grace So that O thou afflicted soul in thy conflict with sin thy very grief is a ground of comfort this being a sure testimony of true Sanctification Gal. 5.16 17 18. that thou canst not endure the close workings of thy secret corruption but art still sollicitous to cast out the enemy to establish the peace to vomit up the poison to preserve the health of thy soul 4. It is a free and willing subjection to the commands of sin Rom. 6.12 14. which declares the soul to be under the power and dominion of sin but by our opposing and resisting our lamenting and bewailing our sin we manifest plainly sin does rebell but does not reign prevails as a Tyrant but rules not as a King And where Grace hath the Throne of the heart and sways the Scepter theâ—e Christ rules by his Spirit and will in the end make us to overcome by his power The battel is the Lords and the victory shall be ours notwithstanding all oppositions of sin and Satan of the flesh and the world of earth and of hell 1 Pet. 1.5 we shall be kept by the power of God through faith to salvation For what hath our Lord Jesus Christ begun and shall he not perfect the work of grace Hath he made the purchase Phil. 1.6 and shall he not make us to possess the inheritance of glory Lastly Seeing thou cleavest unto the Lord with purpose of heart though thou servest him not in perâ—ection of holiness these infirmities and failings which are thy burden they shall not be thy bane If the ravisht Virgin cry out Deut. 22.27 she is in the censure of rhe Law guiltless by her cry having prov'd her rape And thus a sure testimony it is Sin hath committed a rape upon our souls and ravish'd our hearts when we cry out in our trouble unto the Lord And sure God who commanded indulgence unto the ravish'd Virgin will vouchsafe pardon to the ravish'd Soul The Rules of Direction 1. Be constant in thy Conflict in the sense of thine own wants looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ in his fulness and in the weakness of thine own strength Phil 4 13. Joh. 15.5 relying upon the almightiness of Christs power Be not dishearten'd by some losses not discourag'd by some foils not dismayed by some wounds but by fasting and prayer renew thy strength and then by diligence and Zeal renew the combat Thus shalt thou gain by thy losses get ground by thy falls increase thy graces by thine infirmities Phil. 1 9 10. 2. Preserve the judgment of thy mind clear and the frame of thine heart tender that so the Understanding may discover to thee what is evil by its light and the Heart restrain thee from it by its tenderness Restrain by some secret checks of Conscience upon the first risings of corruptions Psal 19.13 Eph. 4.30 that so they get not head by any rebellious wickedness to grieve Gods Spirit and to disquiet yea wound thine own Let it be thy pious policie to fight thine Enemy when he is at the weakest Thus set upon Sin in its first motions quell it in its first risings for indeed that which increaseth our guilt and destroyeth our peace is our willing entertainment of sinful motions our ready cherishing corrupt desires Prov. 4.23 3. Keep up an holy jealousie over thine own heart for it is not in the power of Satan to hurt the soul but by its self it s own weapons must wound it it s own treacherous affections must betray and destroy it Jer. 17.9 And such is the Hearts deceitfulness that those corruptions lurk in it which we think have no affinity with our nature but are most contrary to our frame and disposition As who could have imagin'd Moses's his meekness could have become guilty of murmuring Ps 106.32 33. Psal 51.14 Matth. 26.24 or David's tenderness guilty of murder or Peter's zeal of denying his Master Wherefore in this holy jealousie over thy self search diligently and examine frequently the state of thy soul the temper of thine heart and know assuredly this strict examination will weary the soul of sin thereby subduing thy heart from allowing approving or delighting in it And thus however with the Sheep thou slip
quicken our zeal of hungring desires and oft-times suffers the assaults of some sensual lust to pull down or prevent the haughtiness of spiritual pride So that our growth in grace is then real when it is not apparent it is always true though not always equal there being no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the members of Christs body Eph. 4 16. Col. 2.19 but still an effectual working of his Spirit and grace in each part of the New man 2. When God and Christ have the greatest measure the highest degree of thy will love and desire though thine heart is not so enlarg'd thy spirit not so chearful thy duties not so pleasant yet are thy graces saving and sincere Saving and sincere making God in Christ thine end on whom thou dost fix thine intentions aims and affections for the attainment and enjoyment of him And this is a sure sign God is thine end that thou art so disquieted in his seeming absence from thy soul For what we most highly prize Ps 7â— 25.25 Ps 2â— 1 Ps 143 7. we are most careful to keep most joyous to possess most grieved to lose and most troubled to want 3. There is less danger and more hope of a languishing afflicted and mournful then of a rais'd ravish'd and transported Soul Humility and holy fear shall preserve the former whilst pride and presumption destroys the latter For whilst proud conceits fanatick dreams and false joys fill the sails how many how very many do run themselves upon the rocks even the rocks of presumption and spiritual pride Rev. 3 17. â—am 4.6 whereas God giveth grace unto the humble 4. When the soul by mortification struggles with the motions by prayer contests with the suggestions and by vows contends with the sollicitations of sin then the corruptions of heart do not so much argue a decay as the oppositions of soul do prove an increase of grace which increase if it be not in that growth which is upward in the sprouting of the branches yet is it in that which is downward in the spreading of the root Col. 2.7 Mat. 11.29 Mat. 5.3 Rom. 5.1 2. and by how much grace is the more firmly rooted in humility and poverty of spirit by so much shall it the more abundantly flourish in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The Rules of Direction 1. Go not about to judge of thy Spiritual estate in an unseasonable time or by uncertain signs 1. Not in an unseasonable time as is that of temptation when the Mind is clouded the Conscience afflicted and the Spirit wounded Ps â—7 10 what were this but to take a Prospect in a Mist or to view a Country in a Storm 2. Not by uncertain signs Many signs beget much perplexities Confident I am the formality of multiplying marks and signs hath more puzled then pacified more entangled then resolved doubting and troubled Consciences For among ten or twelve or more Signs of Grace which some give as if they would make up with number what is wanting in weight the soul that questions but one often shall be more dejected and afflicted with that one then rais'd and comforted with all the other nine True it is Formae nos latent the essential forms are hid from us is true in natural much more in spiritual things and therefore in Divinity our Demonstrations are still a posteriori discovering the cause by the effect Wherefore we must observe that the effects we set up as signs be such as are most proper and immediate to the cause and then I am sure they cannot be many and those that are Isa 57.18 19. they will be full convincing the Judgment and comforting the tender Conscience Thus we discover the fire by its heat the sun by its light whereas to discover the sun by its heat or the fire by its light may prove erroneous though we know light is in the fire and heat is in the sun yet not so immediately but that there may be light where there is no heat and there may be heat where there is no light Thus to discover sanctifying and saving grace by this sign of joy and delight in holy duties is by an effect more remote from the cause and the cause may really be without this effect For how many gracious hearts and sanctified souls even such as we are now conversing with do languish in trouble and are opprest with grief So that if joy and delight in holy duties must be the evidence of their saving graces Psal â—7 and Psal 88. there is no remedy but they must lie down in sorrow and it is not any present ministration shall afford them comfort till Gods mercy make good the sign which mans imprudence hath prescribed Know then one proper sign rightly apprehended and truly applied is a Rule of trial which concludes in it all that can be given And amongst other signs of saving grace Poverty of spirit with an hungring and thirsting after righteousness is as immediate and infallible as any can be nam'd Wherefore 2. Lay hold on the Promise in its sweetness of divine truth so suitable to the condition of thine afflicted estate Hear thy Saviours words Blessed are the poor in spirit Matth. 5 3. vers 4. vers 6. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven And again Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Yea Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Lay up these Promises in thine heart as thy sure delight prize them as thy treasure feed on them as thy Manna given of God to refresh thy soul in the Wilderness of this afflicting world Build thou thy peace upon this pillar suck the sweet comforts of the Spirit from these breasts of consolation Isa 66.12 Apply these healing medicines to thy wounded Conscience by a discursive meditation awaken thy heart and incite thy will to close with God and with Christ in the mercy and truth of the promise saying in Davids self-expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul Psal 42.11 and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Or as the devout Psalmist again Return unto thy rest O my soul Psal 116 7. for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Thus as chasing the benumb'd limbs with hot oils will recover their former warmth and life so plying the sadded heart with quickening thoughts will restore its former peace and comfort And when thou feelest a secret heat of divine grace keep the fire burning ply it with zealous affections those zealous affections rais'd in devout meditations those devout meditations fixt upon the promises those promises founded upon Christ as Mediator and upon God in him as Fountain of all grace and love 3. Keep an open passage betwixt God and thy soul hold fast an humble converse and heavenly communion with him Eph. 1.3 as in
is the mind distracted with contrary opinions still restless and uncertain Whereas if the judgment be cleer the purposes will be resolute Dâ—â— 3.17 18. and where the purposes are resolute there the soul is at rest Ps 112.7 If then we would not change in these times of Changes then fix we upon him who is unchangeable For as Quicksilver so is the heart and soul of man still moving rolling and unsetled Jam. 1.6 till a spirit of constancie in the faith from God does fix and fasten it Men unsetled in faith will be unquiet in their thoughts and therefore keep faith Act. 24.16 but with a good conscience too that of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men For where the Conscience is not pure it cannot be pacified It is as proper for sin to raise doubts and fears as for rotten flesh to breed worms Jon. 1 11 12. or a corrupt sink to send forth noisom vapors Yea sure I am the storm will not be laid whilst Jonah is in the ship nor the troubles of conscience ceased whilst guilt is in the soul Beware then above all things that thou yield not to sins commission to avoid the trouble of Satans temptation For what were this but to sink the ship to avoid the storm or to yield the Fort because of hard duty Jam. 4 7. 2. Resist Satan and let thy resistance be arm'd with fortitude fortified with constancie and constant in obedience To strengthen thy fortitude take in by faith the might wisdom goodness mercy truth and faithfulness of thy God take in by faith the power merits victory and triumph the passion resurrection and ascension of thy Jesus Thus thus strengthen thy fortitude And to fortifie thy constancie Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 7 8. see the Crown to him that overcometh see the reward of life blessedness and glory to him who is faithful unto death That Satan is restless let that make thee watchful that he is malicious let that make thee resolute and as he renews his assaults with rage and subtiety so do thou renew thy prayers with fervor and importunity and fear not but that as Christ hath overcome Satan for thee so he will also overcome Satan in thee Rom. 8.37 and by a communion with him in his victory and triumph make thee more then conqueror through him that loved thee Thus art thou fortified in thy Constancie But thou must be also constant in thine obedience knowing this that we stand obliged to the performance of holy duties though God should never vouchsafe us the enlargements of divine comforts The gracious manifestations of Gods love they are the priviledge of some devout souls not the propriety of every sincere heart Isa 50.10 they are Gods bounty not mans right and therefore to be disposed of in a free act of goodness as to the gift and measure and in a fit order of wisdom as to the time and manner of bestowing Do we then our duties of obedience Ps 27 14. Joh. 5.2 c. Mal. 3.1 and in those holy duties wait upon God for his enlargements of comfort Lie still O thou distressed soul lie still at the Pool of Bethesda attend God in his Ordinances the Angel of the Covenant will descend yea he is descended the waters are troubled And know then it is his method first to trouble and then to cure first to afflict and then to comfort on purpose to make us prize the grace whereby we are comforted and cur'd and to hate the sin whereby we become troubled and afflicted Thus in all the tedious toil of our continued temptations resist we Satan having that resistance arm'd with fortitude fortified with constancie and constant in obedience 3. Stay thy self upon some promise of thy God And if thou search the sacred treasury of the holy Scriptures there is no Affliction which thou mayst not suit with a Promise which Promise do thou convert into prayer and press God in an humble importunity for the performance Only remember that though thy prayer be importunate yet thy soul be not impatient let Davids practice be thy pattern and his success thine encouragement We hear him complain how he is weary with his groaning and his soul even fainting in him with long waiting for his God My soul is sore vexed Ps 6.3.6 but thou O Lord how long O divine Aposiopesis At once he breathes and stops that breath he complains and checks that complaint his desires are hot which yet he gently cools with the awfulness of Gods majesty and silently reproves his own haste not Gods delay his own rashness not Gods forgetfulness And see the event of his devout prayer accompanied with an humble reverence The Lord hears the voice of his weeping and graciously grants his supplication v. 8 9. Such is Gods wisdom and goodness that he does but delay to grant till it be a fit time to give Nazarat 2. adv Euuoâ— So that with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks it is a mercy to hold back his mercies and a favor to defer his loving kindness for that hereby the faithful become the better fitted to receive his blessings and to keep them their hands more pure their hearts more thankful that being the more thankfully received which is the more difficultly obtained and that the more diligently kept which is the more thankfully receiv'd Wherefore O thou languishing and distressed soul who stayest thy self upon the promises of thy God made unto thee in Christ as thou convert'st it into prayer so wait for its performance with patience Yea as the Prophet speaks of its vision Though it tarry wait for it Hab. 2.3 S. Aug. med 41. for it will surely come Veniet Redemptor tuus quia bonus est nec tardabit quia pius est Thy Redeemer will come for he is gracious and he will not stay his coming too long for he is holy holy in his faithfulness and truth making good his word his promise upon which he hath caused thee to hope Though for the present then Ps 119.49 such is the violence and continuance of thy temptation that thou hast luctam luctnosam a sorrowful combat yet be constant in thy prayer and patience and through faith in the promise thou shalt have laetam victoriam a joyful conquest Objections answered Obj. 1 Obj. 1. Alas the promises we have in Scripture they are general whereas the promise to Israel of deliverance from Egypt and from Babylon the promise to David of establishing his throne and kingdom and other the promises to the Saints and servants of God in Scripture they were given them in particular And thus if I had some particular promise of deliverance out of my particular distress I could then quiet my soul in a patient waiting for the salvation of my God being assured that if the Laws of Medes and Persians Dan. 6.8 much more
the Word of the most High God it alters not but as the Lord is gracious in his promise so will he be faithful in the performance Answ Answ General promises have their particular application and so become as the object of faith so the support of the soul in each particular condition Indeed it hath been the priviledge of some more devout souls and more divine tempers by an experienc'd communion with God in prayer to implore him for particular blessings with as firm an assurance as if they had had a particular promise Thus it is reported of good Latimer Bishop in the beginning of Reformation that he had frequent in his prayers and firm in his confidence these three things Queen Elizabeths obtaining the Crown His sealing the Truth with his blood and the third which he used to express with greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of devotion and vehemencey of zeal was this The Gospel restor'd once again once again in England All which God hath fulfilled But what said I all fulfilled No sure Upon perusing this passage of History I was affected in my thoughts observing the duplication of the good Fathers prayer that it was for the Gospels restoring once again and once again in England I hope the Spirit of prayer and of prophecie here went together and as the Gospel hath been already once again restor'd unto our fathers so it shall be once again restor'd unto us and unto our children as it hath been once restor'd from Romish Superstition so it shall be once again restor'd from Heretical Schismatical and Sacrilegious Profanation And this oh this do we further with our prayers our teares our deepest humiliations I call to mind the Historical tradition concerning S. Augustine That his mother Monica frequently applying herself to S. Ambrose that famous Bishop with bitter mournings for her son then a blasphemous Maniche and of a dissolute life though after an Orthodox Father and of a religious conversation S. Ambrose observing her continual lamentations dismist her with these words of comfort and confidence that Tot lachrymarum filius c. The son of so many tears should not perish Oh! did the Sons of this Church for their Mother as Monica the Mother did for her Son Isa 62 6 7. Luk. 18 7. importune God with prayers and tears day and night giving him no rest I could with confidence make particular application of Christs general promise and tell them in the words of S. Ambrose a little chang'd Tot lachrymarum Mater The Mother of so many tears the Church of so many prayers shall not be ruin'd The gates of hell even the policie of men and devils shall not prevail against her But oh I fear I fear our prayers have been so long out of the Church that most men leave the Church out of their prayers However then it be a divine priviledge of Gods devoutest Saints to have a secret perswasion and impulse of the Spirit for the asking by prayer and believing through faith particular blessings as if given in particular promises yet that which is the pattern of our practice is an application of the general promises to our particular conditions with an humble submission unto God in the order of his providence to dispose of our distress and of our deliverance as shall make most for his own glory and his Churches good And though God set a long date of time to the performance of his promise yet let not our hearts faint nor faith fail seeing there is certainly no void and empty space no vacuum in his providence but the interval is that of preparing the seed to harvest the fitting his people for deliverance and as the sharper Winter makes the Spring more fruitful the harvest more plentiful so the sharper affliction makes our graces more pure our deliverance more glorious Obj. 2. I have long expected and could with patience have Obj. 2 longer waited for the the salvation of my God did not the blasting of my hopes make my faith to wither In stead of recovery behold a festering of my wound I expected a mitigation but I find and feel an aggravation of my distress I did hope for a deliverance but now am prest down with a greater trouble Answ Answ If God increase thy burden continue thou instant in prayer and he will doubtless either increase thy strength or else hasten thy deliverance That of S. Paul stands firm God is faithful who will not suffer those that are his to be tempted above what they are able 2 Cor. 10.13 Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact God proportions our burden to our strength or else gives strength propor ionable to our burden so that the force of Satans temptations shall not exceed the power of Gods grace Wherefore Thou relying upon the promise of thy God neither shall thine affl ction in its burden of weight nor in its length of continuance so damp thy faith or dead thy devotion as to destroy thy soul Further take this admonition That thou cherish an expectation of distresses happening and withall make good a preparation against the happening of distresses for nothing more discomposeth the frame of soul or disturbeth the peace of mind then when our troubles are sudden beyond expectation and our hearts unfenc'd without preparation We say Quae alii diu patiendo sapiens diu cogitando levia facit Those things which others make light by patience in long-suffering the wise man makes light by patience in long foreseeing Good it is then in afflictions still to expect the worst And thus what ill befalls us will be the lighter and what good happens to us it will be the sweeter Expect we the worst not in a distracting fear but in a wary prudence not in an ill presaging distrust but in a well resolved faith Neither may we fancie groundless troubles and thereby create crosses to our selves To fear shadows argues either guilt of Conscience or weakness of Judgment Neither may we yet anticipate Gods work by imposing a certainty of event upon probable afflictions For this were to double our cross if the evil happens and to create a cross if it happen not Thus O thou afflicted soul it remains firm as a sure Rule of Direction That whatsoever is the weight or continuance of thy trouble thou stay thy self upon the Promise waiting by prayer and patience for the salvation of thy God O Blessed JESVS the Lord of life Prince of glory and Captain of our salvation who hast vanquisht Satan and all the powers of darkness O give victory to all languishing Souls in their Spiritual Conflicts Guide them with thy councels sustain them with thy grace refresh them with thy comforts preserve them in thy love and crown them with thy glory Amen Amen Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK III. TO Establish TRVTH and PEACE IN SEVERAL SERMONS Against the present Heresies and Schisms ESPECIALLY As to The Gospels Ministry Infants Baptism The Mystery of the Trinity