these accusations his scope is to misrepresent our estates to us falsely to disquiet us therefore hee is yet more especially called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slanderer as one that falsely and lyingly calumniateth and slandereth all our graces all Gods dealings towards us all our dealings towards him slandering our persons our estates to us charging us to be hypocrites unsound and carnall and counterfeit Christians still misconstruing all unto the worst Which false calumnies and charges of his I take most properly to be those darts mentioned Ephes 6. ver 11. which are there said more especially to oppose our faith and therefore faith is there said to quench them from which trade of his forging darts of calumnies he hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slanderer from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a metaphor it is from casting darts for the slanderous calumnies of the tongue are as a manle Prov. 25. 18. and a sword Psal 57. 4. and a sharp arrow as Solomon speaks their teeth speares and arrowes and such are these kinde of satans tentations and accusations against us Even as darts and arrows that wound and pierce and runne through the affections that strike the soule through and through with feares his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pierce because such are his darts so sharpned and slung with that force as they are fitted to pierce and enabled to runne through And besides the sharpnesse of the darts themselves they are said to be fiery as making double way for themselves for a piece of iron though blunt yet if fired red hot it runs through without resistance Satan hee is that great generall of the whole powers of darknesse in us and therefore even the forces of the guilt of sinne the proper seat of which is the conscience hee hath some command over as well as of the power of sinne in other members as he can muster up and set on fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and provoke and back them in their assaults upon us so he can clap on the chaines of guilt and bondage And as he can stir that guilt that is in us And also by working upon the injudiciousnesse of the conscience so also work upon that injudiciousnesse and erronious defilement that is in the conscience to judge of a mans owne estate this satan works upon and abuseth For as hee hath a power to work upon the corruption in the rest of the faculties so also over the defilement and pollution of the conscience misleading it in the verdict as cunning pleaders doe a silly Iurie the wards of conscience are of themselves loose and naturally misplaced but hee with his false keyes wrings and perverts them much more it naturally gives an uncertaine sound but he by his false alarums and pannicke feares cast in doth much more confound the testimony of it And how easie is it to trouble a soule disquieted already and to worke upon jealousies which are raised we see how far a cunning man can insinuate with jealous natures to encrease suspitions and surmises When an humour is stirred how easily is it wrought on and when the Spirit hath already read us a sharp Lecture and examind our consciences then hee strikes in and descants upon all But the more full and distinct explication of Satans worke herein § 2. requires a further search and enquirie A quaere discusted how and how far satan may know matter against us to accuse us of and larger demonstration how Satan comes and how farre to know matter by us thus to accuse us of for if hee doth accuse hee must as he said Acts 28. Have ought against us whereof to accuse else it were in vaine and there is this difference betweene these kind of tentations wherein we are exercised about the guilt of sinne and those other into sinne That the object matter of other tentations is what is without our selves but in these that which is in us and from us and hath beene committed by us is made matter of objection against and disquietment unto us That which is from within the man disquiets the man But ere I enter upon this enquiry I must premise a generall Caution to set limits to our discourse therein And the Caution is this A Caution premised that we are to reserve and maintaine this both as an undoubted truths and as Gods sole and royall prerogative That it is in Gods sole prerogative to know the heart that he can alone both search and know the heart and conscience As in like manner that He can onely by his wrath immediatly make those deep and killing wounds and gashes with which mens soules are often here and hereafter eternally wounded of which by way of caution also in the next chapter which two glorious and incommunicable attributes of his that Elogium of the word of God Heb. 4. 12 13. seems fully to hold forth unto us where as at the Gate of Paradise was set a Cherubin with a flaming sword to keepe our falne parents from ever entring in againe so there Christ is represented as that supreme Iudge with whom as at the 13. verse we are eternally to have to doe or as the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom we are to give an account for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Rom. 14. 12. and elsewhere taken and this with that dreadful sword of his word drawne and brandished by which he will judge men at the later day Iohn 12. 48. and which therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 12. a judger of the thoughts c. that by the awfull terror thereof hee might compell and drive those that heare the Gospell to enter into that rest to which hee had exhorted ver 11. which is set open by him for men now falne to come into Which sword as it hath a double edge as there so in his hand who alone can wield it it serves to a double use That whereas in a Iudge two things are requisite to the compleat performance of his office 1. Skill and knowledge to finde out and examine the fact 2. Power to execute and torture the Malefactor when found guilty He shewes how both these doe transcendently and solely-meet in him by what power is found to be in his word which is the ensigne of his justice and instrument of his power in judging which is said to be a discerner of the thoughts and a sword that pierceth and woundeth the soule and spirit with unutterable anguish Which wounding power is distinctly set forth as some from the beginning of the 12. ver to those last words and is a discerner of the thoughts from whence to the end of the 13. ver that other the searching and all-judging property of God his word is laid forth to us but rather as I conceive the Apostle in one continued metaphor carries along the expression of both through
the whole though more principally the one in that former part of the words and the other in the later yet so as both are alike made The royalty of God which is the thing we have in hand Neither needs it stumble any that this is attributed to the word of God of which he seems to speak for that is all one to ascribe it unto God for as where the word of a King is there is power sayes Solomon Eccles 8. 4. so where the word of God is there is the power of God so is it here to be understood and therefore as in other Scriptures his word is said to create by it the heavens to be establisht c. also Gal. 3. 8. in the like phrase of speech the Scripture is said to foresee that is God foresaw who writ the Scripture so also here to know and wound the heart Which to be the Apostles expresse intention here appears by the connexion of the 12. and 13. verses For whereas ver 12. he begins with attributing this power unto the word yet in the end hee closeth his speech with transferring all that was said thereof upon God himselfe ver 13. with whom we have to doe To open the words a little more largely so as to clear this assertion out of them which it is necessary to premise The words are For the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom wee have to doe And first of that sole searching power of the soul in this Chapter and of that other the sole wounding power of the conscience in the next Chap. we shal have the like occasion to premise For the present that searching examining judging power of the word now in hand he expresseth by an allusion to the anatomy of bodies which then though not so frequently as now was yet in use or else to the cutting up of the sacrifices whether those of the Iews or as it was used among the heathen especially by the Soothsayers who curiously searched into every inward part as we find in the Prophet Ezek. 21. 21. and his similitude stands then that looke what the entrailes are to a sharp sword or Sacrificers knife or the like instruments of Anatomy in a strong and skilfull hand such are all the most inward and secret parts of the heart even those which are most difficult to be divided unto this sword in Gods hand when hee is pleased to use it to search the heart and reynes and to discover and bring forth to judgement the secrets thereof Hee can use this sword not onely to unrip strip off the outward cloathes of outward and formall actions and so present the soule naked as his expression is ver 13. nor only to flea off all the skin to excoriate and so to see what lies under it as the next word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated opened doth sometimes signifie but further to cleave and cut up to the back bone for even so deep doth the signification of that word reach that so all the inwards may appear and this so curiously divided laid asunder as to see view apart what is in each It pierceth to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit By which grace and corruption are not so properly here to be understood for then he would have rather said flesh and spirit and besides the persons hee speaks this of are principally those who shall be found secret unbeleevers who have not spirit in that sense at all in them but they are here used to expresse those two maine powers of the heart The soule that is the inferiour part that more sensuall part wherein the affections are as 1 Thes 5. 20. it is also used which it divides by discovering how close inordinatly all those affections cleave to sin and then 2. of the spirit that is the superiour part of the understanding conscience c. which it rips up by discovering how these plot and contrive the accomplishment of sinne Dividing that is discovering apart with difference how things are carryed severally in each and withall what correspondency and entercourse there is betweene these how sin and all our actions passe through them from the one to the other even as bloud and spirits doe through the veines and arteries in all the parts frō each to other And as in the body there are severall regions as Anatomists call them divided by partitions the vitall parts in the upper loft next the neck in which are lodged the heart and lungs The naturall parts in that lower and these divided by the midriffe as by a floore betweene them so in the soule to which haply Solomon alludes when Prov. 19. 27. hee calls the severall powers of it The Chambers of the belly as some read it there is the sensual part of the affections The soul c. which is as it were in a distinct room from that more sublime spirituall part the spirit And as the spirit of man that is the conscience and understanding of a man searcheth all those chābers as t is there that is Knows what is in man as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 11. which yet when it doth so it is not by an innate light but with Gods candle as Solomons expression there is that is by the word and the light thereof set up by him in it So here the word under another similitude namely of a sword is said to cut up and to discover all within those severall regions And in the Spirit it is said to discover what can be imagined most retired and withdrawne and so lockt up as no eye could finde it out which he expresseth by mentioning such parts as are most inwardly seated of all other the marrow which wee know is inclosed within the bones and the joynts or ligaments by which the joynts are knit and move these it unbares and discovers also Both which hee interprets in the next words and is a discoverer of the thoughts and intentions of the heart which are a more plain interpretation of what he had expressed by those two metaphors The utmost intention and end in all our actions that is as the marrow because as the marrow gives moisture to the bones so by these our ends all our purposes and resolutions by which we are supported in all our actions are strengthned and confirmed and then our devising thoughts or plottings our contrivements and machinations those by which wee artificially doe connect and hang together many joynts of meanes to accomplish and bring to passe our intentions which thoughts of all other we strive to hide and conceale these are as the joynts or
all the terriblest and most terrible in his roaring whose roaring is therefore often in Scripture put to expresse dreadfulnesse and horrour The Lion roares who will not tremble Amos 3. 8. And as some have observed and the Psalmist intimates it by his roaring he strikes such horror and amazement into all other beasts as they stand still as exanimated and so he seizeth and preyes upon them as he pleaseth and in this respect those darts aforemeÌ„tioned are principally called fiery namely for that dolour and anguish and inflamation and combustion they cause through distempering the affections Those feares which our owne hearts engendred within us were but as smoke these darts of his put a fire into theÌ„ and doe cause them to flame and blaze The allusion is to the poysoned darts which the Scythians of old and other nations now use in warre dipt in the blood and gall of Asps and Vipers the venemous heat of which like a fire in their flesh killed the wounded by them with torments the likest hell of any other Which Iob also alludes to Iob 6. 4. The arrowes of the Almighty are within me The poyson or as others reade it the heat and fervour we may use both and read The hot poyson thereof drinkes up my spirit even as fire preying upon moisture And what were those arrowes but terrours So it followes the terrours of God c. Thus that Corinthian was in danger to have beene drunke up as the word signifies with overmuch sorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Satan had to do with him 2 Cor. 2. 7. and the same word is again used of the devil 1 Pet. 5. 8. Seeking whom to drinke up So that as Satan inflames other members and the inordinate lusts in them with a superadded naturall vehemency and violence as the tongue which though of it selfe full of poyson is said to be set on fire from hell Iames 3. 16. that is from Satan who is called hell as in that speech the gates of hell even as the Angels the noblest creatures are called heavens Heb. 7. 26. who inflames mens tongues with an overplus of venome and malice to wound mens names with even as on the contrary the Holy Ghost did set on fire the Apostles tongues with zeale In like maner he can and doth put fire into those darts he wounds the conscience with and thereby augments our feares and griefes and so causeth such disquietments and pangs as that hell fire as it were begins to flame in a mans conscience As Christ is that Brazen Serpent so Satan is that fiery Serpent that can sting us by the guilt of sinne And here I must bring in the like caution as I used in the former Chapter A Caution namely that hee works not these terrors by immediate impressions upon the conscience which in that respect is subject to Gods stroke alone as to his knowledge alone Which as I intimated I take to be that other principall part of the drift of those words Heb. 4. 11 12. The word of God is quick and powerfull c. For there he sets forth Christ to us as was shewed as a judge compleatly enabled for vengeance against us not onely in respect of an omnisciency to finde us out in all our shiftings but also because a judge would not be much feared if he had only skill and knowledge though never so much to search and finde out the guile and guilt of malefactors if he were not armed with power to avenge and torture them therefore withall the Apostles scope is to strike terrour into their hearts in respect of that vengeance he can execute and therefore his aime is to exhort them not to dally with God or with his word in which he had 〈◊〉 of those that beleeved not they should not enter into his rest in the former verses So as the purport of the words must necessarily also bee supposed to be to shew the dreadfull power of God and of his word in avenging it selfe upon the contemners of him and it and not meerely to describe his omniscience and knowing of the heart but as joyned also with power to pierce as deep in wounding of the soule as in knowing of it Yea and that so large an illustration of his knowledge is brought in but as a clearer demonstration of His power to punish Who can diverso deep into our hearts As froÌ„ whence we might argue and feare the stroke of that 〈◊〉 in this haÌ„d whose eyes are so piercing And accordingly to set forth the dreadfulnesse of this his power all those his expressions doe as fully tend as to expresse the other and he useth such a comparison as both in the nature of the things and according to the more usuall phrase of Scripture doth more properly and abundanily intimate this slaying and wounding of mens soules that should be disobedient by 〈…〉 then that other of searching the soule and spirit This word sayes he is quick and lively not in respect of duration onely as abiding ever but in respect to working and eâ—â—cution Things that are exceeding operative though inanimate we call quick So quick-silver which runnes through a mans bowels like haile shot and so oppositely drugs and drinks that have lost their vertue and are ineffectuall we call dead and in respect to this energy and power to work upon mens hearts is that in Iohn 6. 63. The words I speake sayes Christ are spirit and life that is are full of an operative principle for an active working principle wee use to call Spirit as the spirit of wine c. So as in that he sayes the word is quick he nores out that that word is inspired with a principle most quick spiritfull and active and fit to work as occasion is the holy Spirit as the internall form of it and therefore 2. having thus intimated this internall forme of working he adds by way of explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powerfull mighty in operation as noting out that power which flowes from thence that ability to produce strange effects upon the soule these expressions cary report of more then of a skill and dexterity to search and know the heart onely And then 3. he further instanceth in such operations of it as the effects of that power which are most dreadfull as the comparisons he useth doe import More piercing then any two edged sword Now as elsewhere the word is coÌ„pared to an armory of all sorts of weapons and engines for war and vengeance The weapons of our warfare are mighty c. 1 Cor. 10. 4. and this as To the pulling down of strong holds and subduing unto Christ those that turn effectually unto him So also that they have in a readinesse to avenge all disobedience v. 6. in theÌ„ that submit not to him In like maner here he resembles it to a sword the most usuall and most terrible of all the instruments of death which were then in use The brandishing of which
strikes palenesse and horrour into a man ere the stroke comes at him which is usually put in Scripture to express vengeance and more especially in the prophecy of Ezekiel So also Psal 7. 13. If hee turne not God hath whet his sword and prepared his instruments of death that is to inflict torments and eternall torments also as Deut. 32. â—2 And indeed whatsoever doth torment or cause dolour and anguish is in Scripture called a sword the piercing with a sword is used to expresse the most exquisite dolours as Luke 2. 35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thy soule also Speaking to the blessed mother of Christ and of that her anguish and griefe wherewith shee should be cut even to the heart when she should behold her Sonne upon the Crosse Of whose dolours upon the Crosse likewise the same expression is used Psal 22. 21. when he prayes Deliver my soule from the sword And in this respect the word in Christs hand still when he is spoken of as a Iudge Psal 45. 3. is compared to a sword and so here Rev. 19. 16. Therefore to strike the more terrour into their hearts in respect of the wounds Isay 49. 2. and torments it inflicts he goes further on to exaggerate the dread thereof hee sayes not onely that it is as sharpe but more sharpe not then a sword of one edge but then a two-edged sword nor then some but then any two-edged sword and further to shew that hee speakes it in relation unto wounding and anguish and torment it causeth in the soule hee mentioneth the division of such parts as are not onely most hid and inward in relation to discovery for such the marrow is being covered with the bones and the ligaments covered with flesh but which are also of most exquisite sense and the wounding of which causeth the greatest dolour Hee saith it pierceth even through the bones which it must needs bee supposed to doe when it is said to reach unto the marrow Now the breaking of the bones is still put to expresse those exquisite and unsupportable terrours and dolours of conscience and woundings of the Spirit which a man cannot beare or sustaine For when the bones are broken a man cannot stand nor support himselfe And the like is also the cutting of the ligaments the nerves sinewes and arteries those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that knit the joynts which are the organs of sense and motion Againe he sayes it divideth not onely the Soule that is the sensuall part the passions of the mind as wounding them which creatures as men and angels can torment and excruciate but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Spirit also which is with an emphasis expressed and his meaning is not so much that it divideth the soule from the spirit as some have understood it but the soule and spirit also It is a two-edged sword and can at one blow strike through both this axe strikes at the root at the spirit which when wounded it 〈◊〉 can beare sayes Solomon And so he concludes ver 13. That as before him all things are 〈◊〉 so that if hee but strike them with his word they lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even with their throats cut dead and speechlesse at his feet as Theoderet expounds that word Now thus far that is to this spirit in man no created sword can reach they turne edge at it but even this the word reacheth that alone So as the summary drift of all herein is the same which Christ expressed elsewhere in other words to exhort them to feare that God whose sword and powerfull word is able thus to wound who is alone able thus to do and not to feare those who can only wound kill the body and but reach to the sensuall soul that is drencht in it but cannot wound or kill the Spirit Which God alone can do and no meere creature whatsoever And therefore in all our thoughts fears of Satans power of knowing our sins or troubling or disquieting our spirits as also through this discourse we are to set such bounds as that this incommunicable royalty of God and of his word may be reserved unentrencht upon namely that he alone knows and can immediately wound the spirit and conscience § 2. both which at once this place held out unto us Though hee cannot immediately wound the conscience yet which made me the largelier to insist upon the opening of it But yet although Satan cannot immediately wound the conscience and make impression of Gods wrath upon it for as no creature can shed abroad Gods love and cause the creature to tast the sweetnesse of it so nor the bitternesse of his wrath but God is his owne reporter of both Yet 1. 1. When the Spirit hath wounded it he can rake in those soares When the holy Ghost hath lasht and whipt the conscience and made it tender once and fetcht off the skin Satan then may fret it more and more and be still rubbing upon the soare by horrid suggestions And 2. From the experience of former terrours he can amaze the soul afresh He can by renewing the experimentall remembrance of those lashes which the soule hath had amaze the soule with feares of an infinitely soarer vengeance yet to come and so paint out and flash representations of hell fire in their consciences from those reall glimpses they have already had as to wilder the soule into vast and unthought of horrors And then 3. 3. He can bring home all the threatnings He can bring home all the threatnings that are thundered forth in the word against hypocrites and men unregenerate and discharge them all with much violence and noise upon a poore doubting soule he can and doth present and shew his prisoners those terrible threatnings chaines and racks and other instruments of death Psal 7. 13. as the Psalmist calls them which God hath prepared against sinners and hath stored up in that great armory of his word Which hath in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10. 6. With the ratling of which chaines Satan can make a noise in the conscience of a poore sinner to affright him Which hee is the more enabled to doe out of experience of such terrours in himselfe Being bound up in chaines everlasting under darknes to the judgment of the great day Iude 6. And as a son of consolation and childe of light is enabled to comfort others the more by the comfort wherewith hee hath beene comforted of God So this Prince of darknesse is the more powerfull to terrifie weake consciences that are ensnared with the cords of their owne sinnes by reason of the terrours which he hath received from the Lord. And therefore in Scripture as a power in sin is attributed to him so the power of death Heb. 2. 14. Where by death is meant not so much that bodily as that eternall death to which as the proper punishment of sin
doe as he pleased and useth no other arguments in the 38 39 40 41. Chap. God indeed never wants a cause nor doth deale thus where sin is not yet as it is said of the young man that he was blinde not for his sinne nor his parents yet not without it but for the glory of God it was an act of Gods prerogative so here God had higher ends of glorifying himselfe in the patience and conquest of such a champion as Iob was and of confuting the devill who accused him of serving God for nought the falsenesse of which to demonstrate God tryes conclusions with him as also to confute the opinions which in those dayes were generally received as may seeme by his friends arguings and also the 37. Psal That godly men did prosper and flourish outwardly according to their godlinesse for these and the like reasons God did it However 〈◊〉 gives Iob this good and seasonable counsell to make this use of it to search into his sinnes Chap. 34. ver 31. 32. And God might well take liberty to deale thus with Iob because he could make him amends as afterward hee did in restoring double to him and indeed it was but the concealing awhile of his love as many parents love to doe by their children and yet to shew it the more in reall effects as God even then did in making him more then a conquerour A second case extraordinary is when hee intends to make a man a wise When God intends to make a man wise and able to comfort others able skilfull and a strong Christian Wise namely in this which is the greatest learning and wisdome in the world experimentally to comfort others This may seeme to bee the reason of this his dealing with Heman Heman was brought up in this schoole of temptation and kept in this form of desertion from a youth Psal 88. 15. He was put soone to it and so deep lessons had he set him as hee had like to have lost his wits as hee sayes there yet in the end when God raised him up again this Heman who lived about David Solomons time is reckoned among the wisest of his time and one of the foure that were next to Solomon 1 Kings 4. 31. So that great Apostle was a man exposed to the same combats that others were he was buffeted by Satan 2 Cor. 12. filled with inward terrours as well as those without what was this for Not so much for any personall cause of his owne as to make him able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. For that comfort which answers a temptation in one mans heart will answer the same in anothers the same key will unlock twenty locks that have the same wards So when temptations have the same wards that key which unlockt one mans bolts will serve and answer to anothers It is not every word that will comfort a weary soul but onely a word in season ver 4. of this 50. of Esay that is which is fitted to the parties case now who are they who have such apt and fit and seasonable considerations to comfort such but those who have had the same temptations and the like distresses This art of speaking peace and comfort and words in season is the greatest wisdome in the world and not learnt but in Hemans schoole Temptation was one of Luthers masters And therefore of abilities of the ministery Christ in this Chapter instanceth in this ver 4. and calleth the tongue of him that is able to speak seasonably to weary soules the tongue of the learned and therefore Iob 33. 23. to raise up one whose soule drawâ—s nigh to the grave is said to be the worke of 〈◊〉 of a thousand which is easily granted if you consider the danger of such a distresse In Scripture it is called the breaking the bones Psal 51. because the strength of a mans spirit that should uphold it as the bones the body sinkes with in him now to be a bone-fetter is not every mans skill he must have special art and cunning and a Ladies hand as we say that is meekness pitty which also are never kindly but when we have tasted the like or may feare the like Gal. 6. 1. The Apostle commands them to set such as one in Ioynt again as the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest thou also be tempted it is the work of one that is spirituall You that are spirituall restore such an one It requires skill to get out every shiver to meete with every scruple and set all streight againe It is also called the wounding of the spirit Solomon A wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18. 14. As the power of sinne wounds so the guilt also and the one as incurable as the other and it being the spirit of a man which is wounded that which must heal it must be somthing dropt into the heart that may come at the spirit and there are to be peculiar elective plaisters to heal these wounds because these wounds are usuall of a differing nature for some objections there are that often the learnedst men never met with in bookes and Satan hath devised methods Eph. 6. of tempting soules deserted which hee useth againe and againe and know those depths and fathome them a man shall not unlesse hee hath beene in the depths himselfe as Heman speakes and then he shall see such wonders of God in those depths which none else ever saw and thereby gaine such wisdome as to be able to encourage others by his example to trust in God and call upon him so David Psal 32. ver 5 6. The third case extraordinary 3. In case of abundance of revelations and comforts God doth desert in case a man hath had or is to have from God abundance of revelations and comforts First in case he hath already had abundance of revelations from God As after that glorious testimony given to Christ at his baptisme This is my beloved son c. Mat. 3. ult Then was Iesus led aside to be tempted Mat. 4. 1. He points out the time to this very purpose In like maner doth God often deale with the members of Christ for the season and time of their 〈◊〉 and temptations This was also that 〈◊〉 Apostles case 2 Cor. 12. 7. Lest I should bee exalted above measure through abundance of venue lations a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet 〈…〉 That which he calls there the thorne in the flesh that prickt him is meant rather I thinke of a desertion and leaving him to distresse of spirit then of a lust for his scope is to glory in his afflictions ver 9. 10. Now if it had beene a lust it had beene a thing not to bee gloried in Againe it was a messenger of Satan therefore something externall and it buffeted him he was as a meere patient in it as a man buffered is in the exercise of lusts our spirits are active besides he prayed it might
adde to these reasonings about it the practice of beleeving and repenting anew This baffles the devill exceedingly and gets the advantage of him for by this the suite is removed all his old pleas dasht this puts him upon a new reply diverts the war and indeed non-plusseth him for what can he say to it he must now prove thou art uncapable of grace that thou shalt never repent which all the world and devills in hell cannot prove And yet if in this case he tells thee as usually he doth that all will be in vaine for time to come as well as it hath been for time past Direction 6. THen sixthly stand not now disputing it but be peremptory resolute in thy faith turning to God 6. To be resolute and peremptory in beleeving and turning to God whatever may be the issue let the issue be what it will be Faith is never nonplust it is a most desperate thing Iob vowes he will trust him though he kills him Job 13. 15. So doe thou whether he will damne or save thee do what he will with thee leave not to cast thy selfe upon him for mercy nor to serve and love him Goe thou on to use the meanes diligently and constantly and be so much the more diligent feare and hate sinne still pray day and night as Heman did when he thought himselfe cut off Psal 88. ver 1. I have cryed day and night though I be as one thou remembrest no more ver 4 5. and so at the ninth verse I have called daily though ver 10 11 12. he thought himselfe in hell and thought it a miracle ever to be raised up againe yet sayes he ver 13. But I have cryed to thee that But seems to come in as an expression of his resolution that though these were his apprehensions of his condition yet howsoever he had would goe on to seeke the Lord. Suppose thou findest no rellish in the ordinances yet use them though thou art desperately sick yet eate still take all is brought thee some strength comes of it Say be I damned or saved hypocrite or not hypocrite I resolve to goe on And there is good reason for it for if thou shouldest leave off to serve the Lord and resolve never to looke after him more then thou art sure to be damned if there bee an evill heart in thee to depart from the living God thou art undone but this other way of seeking him thou maist in the end prevaile Who knowes but God may be mercifull in the third of the Lament 29. this counsell is given to a soule being yoked and deserted to put his mouth in the dust and it waiteth sayes he suffers and doth any thing not onely if he hath hope but if there may be hope if there be but such a thought it may prove so hee will make a venture and so doe thou See what Ester did in the like desperate case thought shee if I hold my tongue and so Mordecay told her God will destroy me and better it was to make a venture upon the King to speake and so to cary her life in her hand and therefore she sayes if I perish I perish And so the Lepers see how they reasoned in a desperate case 2 Kings 7. 3 4. If we goe into the City we are sure to die for the famine is there if we sit still we die also Come let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us alive so if they kill us we shall however but dye and there were many strong arguments to move them to thinke they would kill them for they were Iewes so of the enemies side and might be suspected for spies if not they were Lepers that might infect the campe who were fit for no service for nothing but to be knockâ— i th head yet in this desperate case they tooke the surer and more probable part ventured to fall to the Assyrians side and the successe is knowne to you all So reason thou if I give over my beleeving humbling my selfe praying attending on the meanes I shall certainly perish there is no help for it I will therefore rather goe on to doe all these as sincerely as I can to the utmost and if God saves me a sinner a leper an enemie so if not I can be but damned But let me tell thee such a resolution can never goe to hell with thee yea if any have a roome in heaven such a soule shall for this puts not the devill onely to it for in this case what can the devill himselfe say to thee for if thou wilt venture thy soul service and all upon God let the issue be what it will in this resolute yet safe way if thou wilt in a pure trust referre it unto God with contentednesse and submission what is that to him but it puts God to it also who cannot finde in his heart to damne such an one who shall goe on to do thus when thou thus freely servest him choosest him venturest and leavest thy self and all the issue of thy wayes to him thou by this one act in such a case shalt winne more upon him and his love then haply by all thy obedience all thy life afore Thy salvation and the assurance of it that is Gods worke leave it to him try his faithfulnesse it is selfe love makes us so much troubled about it Goe thou on to beleeve repent mourne for sinne hate forsake it to use the meanes c. that is thy worke and so doing thou canst not be damned Direction 7. Let him trust in the Name of the Lord IF you aske what ground a soule in this case may have to venture thus upon I answer His Name which will make up a seventh direction Being thus resolved to turn to God and to go on to feare and obey him thou maiest safely and confidently trust in stay upon the Name of God when thou hast nothing else to rest upon This you see is the direction which the text gives and I had thought therefore to have made a distinct point of it but I will somewhat more largely open and explaine it onely as it is a direction and meanes of support and comfort in this distresse and so take it as it riseth out of the text Thus That to one who resolves to feare God and obey him the Name of God is an al sufficient prop and stay for his faith to rest on when he sees nothing in himselfe or in any promise in the word belonging unto him The Name of God alone is here opposed to all other meanes and props which faith hath to rest on It is opposed to all comfortable sense of Gods love to all sight of any grace in a mans selfe to which any promise is made So that when the soule shall looke into its selfe with one eye and glaunce over all the word of God with another and yet shall see not any one grace in the one nor promise
light in it to discover it selfe to him it may be in the heart in esse operari when not in cognosci it may have a being and a working there when not in thy apprehension The reason is The reason because as the influence of Gods favour may be really in the heart when the sense sight and light of it is withdrawne as was said before so the power of grace may in like maner bee in the heart when the light and comfort thereof is wanting And although it is true that every man having the power of reflecting upon his owne actions can discerne what thoughts are in him and what affections and can tell for the matter of them what he thinkes on and that he is grieved c. But yet so as he may still question whether those thoughts be acts of true and unfeigned faith and whether those affections of sorow for sin c. be sanctified affections holy and genuine and spirituall affections And the reason of the difference is because though the naturall spirit which is in a man knowes the things of a man as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 2. 11. that is his owne thoughts c. understanding them physically as they are acts of a man yet what is the true goodnesse of them morally Ierem. 17. in discerning This the spirit of a man is deceitfull and cannot know it without the supernaturall light of the Spirit of God who as he is the giver and actor of that grace in us so is given of God that we might know the things which are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 8. 12. Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright sayes the Psalmist Grace and the exercise of it is the seed which they continually scatter but light and joy is the crop that is to be reaped This seed often lies hid long though it will come up in the end Thus light or joy may be severed from grace and the comfort of it from the power of it Secondly §. 2. let us further consider the other phrase and what is intimated thereby to bee his condition What his condition is as exprest by walking in darknesse when as it is said he walkes in darknesse First to walke in darknesse implies to be in doubt whither to goe so Iohn 12. 35. Hee that walkes in darknesse knowes not whither he goes And thus the soule of one that feares God To be in doubt what will become of him may bee filled with doubts whether God will ever be mercifull to him yea or no and not know what God meanes to doe with him whether he shall goe to heaven or hell Psal 77. 7 8 9. Will the Lord be mercifull which speeches are spoken doubtingly for ver 10. hee sayes this was his infirmity to call this into question So Heman Psal 88. 5 6 11 12. Hee thought himselfe as one that was in hell Free among the dead that is as one admitted into the company of them there ver 5. free of that company as you use to say and of the number of those whom God no more remembred in such darknesse was he ver 6. And to raise him out of that condition was a thing hee doubted whether God would ever doe ver 10 11 12. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall thy wonders be declared in the grave that is did God ever shew mercy to one that was in the same state that they in hell are in which is my state now yea so as to be out of hope So Lamen 3. 18. My hope is perished from the Lord. Secondly those in darknesse are apt to stumble at every thing Stumbling at all comforâ—s So Esay 59. 10. One effect of darknesse mentioned there is to stumble at noone day So take a soule that is left in darknesse and it will stumble at all it heares out of the word either in conference or at Sermons all it reades all promises it meetes with it is more discouraged by them Oh thinke they that there should be such glorious promises and not belong to us Such an one misapplies and misinterprets all Gods dealings and the Scriptures against himselfe and refuseth comfort as Psal 77. 2. Yea and as at the third verse when he remembers God he is troubled Thirdly darknesse is exceeding terrible and full of horrour Filled with terrors When children are in the darke they thinke they see fearefull sights it is therefore called the Horror of darknesse Gen. 15. 12. So his soule here may be filled with feares and terrours from Gods wrath and of Gods being an enemie to him Heman was almost distracted Psal 88. 15. and out of his wits with terrours So the Church thought Lament 3. Yea and concluded it for certaine that God was her enemy Surely he is turned against me ver 3. CHAP. III. The efficient causes of this distresse First the Spirit whether he hath any hand therein and how farre HAving thus explicated and proved this that this doth and may befall one who truely feares the Lord for the more full clearing of it I will further shew First the efficient causes Secondly the cases wherein Thirdly the ends for which God leaves his children in such distresses First The efficient causes of this distresse 3. for the efficient causes of this so wofull desperate darke condition of Gods childe they are three which have a hand in it First Gods Spirit Secondly a mans owne guilty and fearefull heart Thirdly Satan First §. 1. for Gods Spirit Although he hath a hand in some part of this disquietnesse 1. The Spirit yet we must take heed how we put upon him any of those doubts and desperate feares and conclusions whereby the childe of God calls his state into question For the Spirit is not the direct efficient or positive cause of them And to this end we may consider that knowne place not the cause of doubtfull and despairing thoughts Rom. 8. 16. Yee have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption the right understanding of which will also prevent an objection For some have alleadged this place as if the childe of God after he had once the Spirit sealing adoption to him could never after fall into apprehension of bondage that is into fears of eternall damnation any more or of being bound â—ver for hell and that this can befall him but once and that at his first conversion But if we marke the words well The Apostle affirmeth not that feares of bondage can never befall Gods childe againe but his scope is to shew that the Spirit which wee have received having been once become the Spirit of adoption that spirit is never after againe the spirit of bondage to us nor the cause of such feares indeed at first conversion and before he did witnesse adoption he then revealed our estates to us to be an estate of bondage which he then doth in love
him and shake over him the rod of his eternall wrath especially when hee hath provoked Christ by presumptuous sinnes already and to prevent his going on frowardly in the way of his heart And this both 1 by presenting to them and setting on all those threatnings which doe hypothetically and conditionally threaten even to beleevers eternall damnation such as that which wee finde Rom. 8. 13. If yee live after the flesh yee even you beleevers shall die for there is a truth in all such threatnings so conditionally propounded which reacheth Gods dearest children under a condition and with relation to going on in sinne to stoppe him and prevent him in which when he is a going on frowardly in the way of his heart the holy Spirit may bring home such threatnings to him with respect to such a course as he is entring into and accordingly stirre up the feare of that damnation thus threatned if he should goe on in those sinnes he hath begun to commit But to apply threatnings of eternall damnation simply to his person as that thou shalt dye eternally This the holy Ghost doth not speake to the heart of a beleever when he is a beleever And againe also 2 the holy Ghost may represent to him and minde him of all those examples of men in whom for their going on in sinne Heb. 10. ult his soule hath had no pleasure and of Gods dealings with them As how hee sware against many of the Israelites for their provocations of him that they should never enter into his rest and how he rejected Esau for the despisall of his birthright and all this with this end to startle and awaken him and with this intimation that for such and such sinnes God might in like maner deale with him For these and the like examples doth the Spirit of God set before the beleeving Hebrews Heb. chap. 3. and chap. 12. and the beleeving Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. from the 5. ver to the 13. to keep them in fearefulnesse to offend But to apply any such examples absolutely unto them so as to say thus God intends to doe with thee for such and such sinnes past and that God will never be mercifull This the holy Ghost doth not speake to a beleevers heart CHAP. IV. How Satan and our hearts increase this darknesse by false conclusions from the Spirits worke illustrated by the like in the illumination of Temporaries The Spirits work in both compared ANd now the Spirit of God having proceeded thus farre himselfe in causing such darknesse From which worke of the Spirit Satan and our hearts make false conclusions and terrors of conscience in them that feare him Sathan and their owne hearts unto which hee may and doth often further also leave them may take occasion from these dispensations of the holy Ghost which are all holy righteous and true to draw forth false and fearefull conclusions against themselves and their estates and start amazing doubts and feares of their utter want of Grace and lying under the curse and threatnings of eternall wrath at the present yea and further of eternall rejection for the future and that God will never be mercifull and so lay them lower and cast them into a further darknesse and bondage then the holy Ghost was cause of or intended Misinterpreting and perverting all these his righteous proceedings as interpreting that withdrawing his light and presence and hiding himselfe to be a casting them off Thus Heman Psal 88. 14. So likewise misconstruing that temporary wrath chastising and wounding their spirits for the present to bee no other then the impressions and earnest of Gods eternall vengeance and arguing from their being under wrath themselves to be children of wrath and misapplying the application of all those threatnings of eternall damnation made by the Spirit but in relation and under a condition of such and such courses for the future to bee absolute against their persons and to speake their present estate and because such examples of men cast off are presented to them to shew them what advantage God might take against them they mistaking thinke they reade their owne destiny laid before them in them and conclude that God will deale so with them And thus as the Apostle sayes of sinne Rom. 7. 11. That sinne taking occasion by the Commandement he misunderstanding the scope of it when a Pharisee it deceived him and thereby slew him and yet the Commandement is holy just and good ver 12. So Satan and our hearts by occasion of these dealings of the Spirit which are righteous and true as himselfe is who is the Spirit of truth and leades into truth doe deceive beleevers and lay them in their apprehensions among the staine whom God remembreth no more as Heman speakes Psal 88. 5. And as in these The like instanced in Temporaries so in other workes and dispensations of Gods Spirit it is ordinary for Satan and our hearts to practise the like delusions and false conclusions upon them To instance in those more common and inferiour workes of the Spirit on the hearts of men not as yet savingly regenerated The Spirit enlightning them together with impressions of joy and a tast of sweetnesse in the promises of the Gospell and of salvation revealed therein which under a condition of true repentance and conversion the Spirit of God doth make the offer and tender of Knowne unto their hearts Thus hee wrought upon the stony ground and in the Iewes by Iohns ministery Iohn 5. 35. which light and taste and revelation of this conditionall proffer tending in a way unto salvation by alluring their hearts to seeke it they often through Satans abuse of this good worke and the selfe-slattery of their owne hearts doe too hastily take to be that grace which accompanies salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hath salvation annexed to it from which the Apostle by that very expression Heb. 6. 9. doth difference those enlightnings ver 4. They thus mistaking these workes precursory to grace even as the Iewes mistooke Iohn that was but sent before to prepare the way for Christ to bee that very true Christ that was to come into the world and misunderstanding the entendment of Gods most blessed Spirit in such his dealings they make up too hasty a conclusion not meant by the Spirit in those promises And I instance in these the rather A comparison betweene the worke of illumination in them and of darknesse in these because these his dispensations of desertion which wee have in hand towards men already regenerated and those formentioned visitations towards such as often attaine not to regeneration are in an opposite way of comparison exceeding parallel and much alike in the dispensations themselves as well as in the differing false conclusions which are drawne from either and doe therefore exceedingly illustrate the one the other God withdrawing himself as much in their sense from those who are in covenant with him as hee drawes neere unto
and to tempt for sin unto despaire 3. He may be privy to our vocall confessions of sinnes to God 3. He may bee privy to our vocall confession unto God or men unto our laying open our owne hearts to God in private prayers or to others in trouble of conscience therefore so much of the heart as is this way discovered hee can doth know And why may not God permit him and give him the liberty and advantage to accuse us even of that which hee comes to know by this meanes it being for the triall of his servants especially in case they have returned againe to those sinnes which they confessed and yet have not forsaken it is just that then as the guilt of former sinnes returne upon us in such a case so that satan should be permitted afresh to charge us with them And that in this case a man should lose the priviledge of sigillum confessionis of the secrecie and seale of confession as I may so speake And if God may permit a man to whom we have confessed according to Gods owne ordinance yet to tell things confessed and to cast them in our teeth as sometimes it hath falne out why may not satan the accuser of the brethren sometimes bee permitted to lay that to our charge which hee onely knew this way 4. He is and can be present at all our more retired actions 4 He is and can be present at al times and places and so can accuse us and is privy to them being with us at bed board in all companies By meanes of this he can accuse us First 1. Of all grosse actions done 1. Of all grosse sins outwardly committed that are obvious to sense which indeed are usually the greatest matter of accusation and doe lie upon us most heavily in such temptations as Davids murder and adultery did on him My sinne sayes he is ever before me And these having pulled a man downe and put him into prison and clapt him up our owne consciences then may come in with all our more privy corruptions as lesser creditors use to doe and when once the soule hath by meanes of the accusing of one foule act given way to doubting then all other privy corruptions joyne and offer themselves to accuse us also For they lie at the doore as God told Cain ready for such an occasion 2. Also he may by this be able to accuse us of all deadnesse 2. Of deadnesse and drowsiness of spirit and neglect in duties and drowsinesse and neglect in the performance of holy duties as want of attention and quicknes in them for these are easily discerned by any one that is observant and of the want of stirring affections and also of neglect of holy conference in all companies and the like If a godly man were to follow a man up and downe in all companies how much might he know of a man and be able to accuse him of 3. By such observations he may know a mans bosome sinnes And 3. a mans bosome sin So he knew and observed Iudas bosome sin to be covetousnesse and accordingly sorted his temptation to it 5. By what hee sees outwardly of our actions 5. From what he sees outvvardly he may guesse at invvard corruptions hee can many wayes guesse at inward corruption which are the principles of them Hee hath all the wayes which a wise discerning man hath who should alwaies watch a man and set himselfe to study a man and that hath opportunity to suggest when he pleaseth on purpose for tryall and discovery all the wayes such a man hath to know the heart satan hath And that which Solomon sayes of a wise man that though the heart of man be deep Prov. 20. 5. yet a man of understanding will fetch it out 3. Wayes holds true of satan much more As 1. by comparing one action with another one speech with another so wise men guesse at mens ends in things and their respects that move them 2. By gestures By a cast of a mans countenance and behaviour men are often discerned by the like may satan see into us Thus Ioab discerned Davids pride in his commād for numbring the people so as it was loathsome in his eyes And if Ioab discerned this by the outward carriage of the matter how much more might satan that put in the motives to perswade him to it The Iesuits bid those of their followers who are to deale with men when they talke with any whose minds they would discern still to observe their eye to see what alterations are in their countenances as through which the minde is transparent now satan hee is a good Phisiognomist and he eyes a man 3. Further he himselfe suggesting many motives and reasons in businesses this way and that way casting in many by-ends and motives to be considered by us he observs how the heart comes off at such and such suggestions or where it stuck and what suggestion it was that turned a man this way or that way and fetcht him off The Iewes might see what moved Pilate to crucifie Christ because at that saying as the Text notes that else he was an enemy to Caesar hee gave sentence so satan when he stirred up David by proud arguments to number the people hee must needs know what pride was in his heart Now 6. besides all this 6. That he may further view the images in the fancy and also the passions in the body how farre hee may have an insight into the Fancy and the images therein which follow and imitate the inward thoughts of the minde as the shadow doth the body and also into the passions which are but the flowing and reflowing of corporeall spirits and in which the affections of the will discover themselves this I leave to others to determine For the present this is certaine that although all the powers of the reasonable soule bee fast lockt up from him as we shall shew and the immediate acts which are imminent in the soule it selfe utterly hidden from him and that take the soul as it is the immediate subject root of thē so intuitive no devill can discerne them no more then one Angell can discern the thoughts of another yet arguitive and as they doe transire and appeare and are put forth in the body and corporeall organs outwardly in actions or inwardly in passions and so quasi in alio and mediately they may be very far discerned and lookt into by Angels Which yet will nothing at all pre-judge that prerogative which is given to God when he is said alone to know search the heart but give its full allowance nor that priviledge which is given to the soul it self to enjoy namely 1 Cor. 2. 11. that none should know the things of a man but the spirit that is in man as we shall have occasion to shew in the Appendix to this discourse Besides therefore these advantages and wayes of knowledge
opinions and illusions with joyes and ravishments of spirit which differ as much from the joyes of the holy Ghost which are unspeakable and glorious as heaven from earth So he can and doth back his false reasonings and accusations to holy men about their estates with abundance of terrour and disturbance which also differs as much from the impressions of Gods wrath made immediately by the spirit upon the conscience as those joyes are found to doe CHAP. X. The conclusion 7. Advantages in common Satan hath over us in all those forementioned dealings ANd for a generall conclusion to this and all the rest of this discourse about Satans working on us I will but onely mention some of those great and many advantages hee hath in all these his false reasonings and accusations over us to set them on to fasten his slanders and false conclusions thence deduced and to perswade the minde of them Which I therefore bring in here as being common to all those particulars which have beene related First § 1. it is no small advantage that he can familiarly 1. Advantage that he can and doth suggest frequently and familiarly and frequently suggest them again and againe unto us The frequency of any thought that comes in againe and againe that lies by us and haunts us hath secretly the force of an argument to perswade us to thinke it is so Wee use to say I have thought so againe and againe A cunning flatterer that is continually suggesting and taking all hints and occasions so to doe may at last put hard to worke out a neare and a deare friend and to make one jealous of him As the Iudge yeelded to her importunity Luke 18. 5. So is the minde apt to yeeld a suggestion that haunts it and importunately presents it selfe yea though it be to passe a false sentence against a mans selfe And 2. hee can also and doth represent a multitude of reasonings § 2. and considerations together at once 2. That hee presents a multitude of false reasonings c. At once all tending to confirme the same perswasion He will sometimes bring in a cloud of witnesses and instances to prove us hypocrites and environ the minde round about with them that looke which way it will it sees nothing else As he represented to Christ 〈◊〉 glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye So he can doe a mans sinnes c. That a man shalt have a generall prospect of them and see nothing else looke which way he will And what force this must needs have to prevaile with the minde and judgement to assent experience shewes As when a man doubting of a truth in a thing controverted reads an opposite party presenting all that can bee said for the other side alone it often staggers him and for the present wins and gaines his opinion to that side till he reads and considers what is said to the contrary yea though a man is confirme◠and setled in the truth yet sometimes a man shall have an army of arguments on the other side come in upon him so ranked and ordered as for the present shall shake and stagger him and so it must needs bee in the agitation of this great controversie about a mans estate when Satan shall muster and marshall up an army of objections once together and not scatteredly as he is able to doe And 3. §. 3. He is able to hold the intention of the minde so unto them 3. That he can hold the mind and the intention of it to them alone as to keep off all that which should any way comfort hee can turne downe that columne in the leaves of our hearts wherein grace or any thing that may comfort is written and turne over onely and hold our eyes fixt to reade nothing but that wherein our Errataes and sinnes are written so as to cause a mans soule to forget all good as Lament 3. 17. the Church in desertion is said to doe and to forget his owne mercies as Ionah speakes he can multiply suggestions so fast and come in with such a tempest that as Iob complaines Iob 9. 17. hee will not suffer them to take breath and therefore the Apostle calls them the buffetings of Satan 2 Cor. 12. because like unto buffetings they come in thick and threefold upon a mans spirit so as a mans spirit cannot take breath hee raines downe temptations sometimes not by drops as in ordinary raines but by spouts as marriners calls them when a cloud melts as in hot countries suddainly and falls by whole sale and often sinkes a ship Hee breakes me with a tempest sayes Iob in the place forementioned Chap. 9. 17. §. 4. He speakes it of God but such like tempests Satan also raiseth 4. He addes weight to his lying accusations 4. That hee backs all with an imperious affirmation and false reasonings by an imperious and obstreperous affirmation that so it is hee suggests not reasons onely that should perswade but sets them on with words of affirmation and perswasion therewithall suggested and so like as in reasoning often a weake spirit is borne downe by a stronger not by force of argument so much as by strength and violence of spirit for many when the iron is blunt and their arguments want edge put to the more strength as Solomon speakes Eccles 10. 10. and so prevaile and so doth Satan being a spirit of greater strength then ours by creation and guilt also further weakning us in arguing with him Cunning pleaders may so argue the case with such violence and confidence that as Socrates said when his accusers had done that if he had not been very innocent hee should have suspected himselfe guilty how much more when this shall fall upon persons that are so guilty as we all are and the thing also impleaded be that which wee are already suspitious of What a man feares already he easily beleeves as what a man hopes quod metuunt facile credunt There falls out often in opinions a preconceit which also exceedingly swayes the minde a giving of minde that such a thing is so or so and in such a case Satan can strike in exceedingly to strengthen such a conceit this I take to be implyed in that phrase 2. Thes 2. 1. I Where the Apostle gives warning they should not be troubled neither by spirit nor by word to thinke the day of Iudgement was at hand By spirit he meanes a pretence of a revelation joyned with a mans owne private conceit and imagination thus 1 Iohn 4. 1. Spirit is also taken And oftentimes when Satan perceives the minde inclined to thinke or conceit thus or thus he addes weight unto the ballance and so a man is given up to the efficacy of delusion as wee see in false Prophets which the Apostle there speakes of when he sayes Beleeve not every spirit because many false Prophets are gone out into the world Thus those false Prophets became confident
trusting to false signes together with true which is incident even to beleevers that are in the state of grace and have good evideÌ„ces to shew for it who yet together w th those sound evidences often rake many other signes that are but probable yea and which are deceitfull and but common to hypocrites this we are apt to doe to take many things as infallible signes which are not As many are said in Daniel to cleave to the better side by flattery so in a mans heart many false signes will come in and give their testimony and flatter a man and speak the same thing true evidences doe Now God to discover which are false and which are not leaves a man and then he will finde all his false signes faile him and to leave him as flattererâ— use to doe and to be but as broken teeth among those which are sound and whole to faile and disquiet him like reedes that breake when any stresse is put to them and so runne into his hand Or 2. Putting too much confidence on signes secondly when we put too much of our confidence upon signes though true and trust too much to comforts and former revelations and witnesses of Gods Spirit and to our graces which are but creatures acts of God upon us and in us when therefore we let all the weight of our support to hang on these God in this case often leaves us That no flesh should rejoyce in his presence Or thirdly 3. When wee neglect going to Christ 〈◊〉 upholding our graces when we thinke graces and comforts are so rooted in our selves that we neglect God and Christ for the upholding increase and exercise of them then God with drawes the light of these that we may have recourâ—â— to the spring and well-head As too much confidence in the power of inherent grace caused Christ to leave Peter to the power of sinne so confidence also in the power of grace causeth God to leave us to the guilt of and terrours that come by sinne The second case 2. Case For neglecting opportunities of spirituall comforts for neglecting such precious opportunities of comforts and refreshings as God hath vouchsafed As the neglect of holy duties wherin God did offer to draw nigh to us as the Sacraments c. So Cant. 5. 4 5 6 7. Christ stood at the doore and knockt that is moved the heart of the Church there to pray or performe the like duty in which hee useth to come in to the heart and visit it he offered to assist her and began to enlarge and prepare her heart 〈◊〉 made excuses upon this Christ went presently away onely he left behinde him an impression a sent of himself in her heart ver 4. 5 6. enough to stirre her up to seeke him in the sense of the want of him as in desertion God useth to doe Thirdly 3. Case in case of not exercising the graces which a man hath For not exercising graces not stirring them up c. when Christians are as it were between sleeping and waking which was the Churches condition in that Cant. 5. 2. then also Christ deserts To perform duties with the inward manhalf awake as it were and halfe asleepe to pray as if wee prayed not as on the contrary we are to use the world as if we used it not Thus to doe the worke of the Lord negligently this provoketh God to absent himselfe as he did there Cant. 5. 2. and so 2 Pet. 1. 9. Hee that lacketh these things that is useth them not neglecting to adde grace to grace as the former words expounds that phrase and it agrees with the like elsewhere used as Mat. 25. 29. Hee that useth not his talent is said not to have it To him that hath shall be given c. A blindnesse soone falls on such a man he forgetteth all that ever he had as was opened afore And indeed there is no reason that a man should have present comfort of future grace when he neglects the use of present grace Esa 64. 7. God complaines that there was none that stirred up himselfe and for this God was wroth Whereas otherwise ver 5. God meetes with him that worketh righteousnesse and rejoyceth in him that rejoyceth to worke righteousnesse God meers such and rejoyceth with and draws nigh unto them but others that stirre not up themselves God rouseth and stirres them up by terrours Hee that walkes according to this rule peace be on him Gal. 6. 16. not else Though comfort is not alwayes the present necessary fruit of righteousnesse yet is never without it Fourthly In case of some grosse sin in case of some grosse sinne committed against light unhumbled for or proving scandalous or of old sinnes long forgotten I will give instances of each particular First for some grosse sinnes committed against light Against light An instance for this is David With though he was a man after Gods heart yet wee meete with him often complaining as one that was frequently in these desertions amongst othertimes once in the 119. Psal 25 28. ver where his soule cleaveth unto the dust and is even at deaths doore for hee sayes quicken me hee meanes it in regard of the sense of Gods favour which is better than life which also is the meaning of that phrase that his soule did 〈◊〉 the dust that is was brought to the apprehension of death therefore Psal 22. 15. Christ upon the Crosse of whom the Psalme is made cryes out that God had forsaken him and brought his soule to the dust of death and David sayes here also that his soule 〈◊〉 and was 〈◊〉 even all the powers of it were loosned and â—â—led within him at the sense of Gods wrath even as waxe melts before the fire ordinarily wee finde in Scripture no such eminent desertion but we finde the cause of 〈…〉 off if we reade on so here in the 29. verse Remove from â—ee sayes David the way of lying He points to the scare of his heart wherein his griefe lay David among other corruptions had a lying spirit 〈…〉 is very roundly two or three lyes together when he fled from Saul and came to Ahimelech who fearing to harbour him because of Saul askt him why he was alone it being a suspitious thing that hee so great a man should have no greater traine to attend him and did argue that he fled as a proscribed person and then it would bee dangerous to foster him To this he answers roundly That the King had commanded him a businesse There is one lie and that the King had commanded him secrecy in it there is another and because my servants should not know it I have sent them away to severall places there is a third and againe at the 8. verse I have not brought my sword because the Kings businesse required hast there is a fourth lie David went on here in a way of lying they were all made and deliberate lyes Other
without a white stone an earnest penny put into their hands But now God is a terrour to them and when they arise from prayer or the like duty their hearts condemne them more then when they began Once they never lookt to heaven but they had a smile now they may cry day and night and not get a good look from him once say they they never hoist up saile to any duty but they had a faire and good wind God went along with them but now they have both winde and tide God and the deadnesse of their own hearts against them In a word God is gone light is gone God answers them neither by vision nor by Prophets neither in praying nor in hearing and therefore hath forsaken them cast them off Yea will never be mercifull Oh woe to us say they we are undone You erre poore soules not knowing the Scriptures and the maner of your God and of his dealings with his people to thinke that his minde is changed when his countenance is and so to run away from him as Iacob did from Laban to thinke hee hath cast you off when he is but returned to his place that you may seeke him more earnestly Hosea 5. Like children when their mother is gone aside a little you fall a crying as if you were undone So it 〈◊〉 that you are alwayes in the extreames if he 〈◊〉 on you then your mountaine shall never be removed if he hides his face then he will never be mercifull 〈◊〉 as it is a fond and a childish fault so it is beastly and brutish also thus to judge I tearme it so because ye are led therein by sense and like beasts beleeve nothing but what you feele and see and measure Gods love by his lookes and outward cariage which when Asaph did in other afflictions as you in this he cryes out he was ignorant and as a beast Psal 73. 22. What will you trust God no further then you see him It will shame you one day to think what a great deale of trouble your childishnesse put the Spirit of God unto As what a trouble is it to a wise man to have a fond and foolish wife who if he be but abroad and about necessary businesse haply for her maintenance yet then she complains he regards her not but leaves her if he chides her for any fault then she sayes he hates her and is so much distempered by it as a whole dayes kindnesse cannot quiet her againe Thus deale you with God and though he hath given you never so many faire and cleare evidences of his love and these never so often reiterated and renewed yet still you are jealous never quiet alwayes doubting questioning all upon the least frowne that either God must undoe you by letting you goe on in your sinfull dispositions without ever rebuking of you or else lose the acknowledgement of all his love formerly shewne and have it called in question by your peevish jealous misconstructions upon every small expression of his anger towards you Two sorts of such some more lightly troubled some more deeply Some of you that are lesse troubled and thus wanton against Christ I would chide out of it But you that are more deeply and lastingly distressed I pitty you I blame you not for being troubled for when he hides his face the creatures all are troubled Psal 104. 29. God would have you lay it to heart when he is angry Isa 57. 17. God there tooke it ill that when he smote him he went on stubbornly if you should not thus lay it to heart it were a signe you had no grace that you made not him your portion if you could beare his absence and not mourne Carnall men having other comforts can beare the want and absence of him well enough but not you that have made him your portion and your exceeding great reward But yet though you are to lay it to heart so as to mourn under it yet not to be discouraged to call all into question Mal. 3. 6. For though you change yet not God Iames 1. 7. nor his love for his love is himselfe 1 Iohn 4. 8 9 10. We may change in our apprehensions and opinions and Gods outward cariages and dispensations may bee changed towards us but not his rooted love Wee are not the same to day Heb. 13. that yesterday we were but Christ is the same to day yesterday and for ever To say that he hath cast you off because he hath hid his face is a fallacy fetcht out of the devils Topicks and injurious to him For Isay 54. 8. In a little wrath have I hid my face for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I remember thee First I have but hid my face not cast thee out of minde and 2 though in anger yet but a little anger and 〈…〉 a moment And all that while 4 I am nor 〈◊〉 full of thee I remember thee c. 5 And this with kindnesse from everlasting to everlasting When the Sunne is eclipsed which eclipse is rather of the earth then of the Sunne which shines as 〈◊〉 foolish people thinke it will never recover light but wise men know it will But you will say Object if this desertion were but 〈◊〉 moment it were something but 〈…〉 for many yeares How many yeares Answ This life is but a moment and God hath eternity of time to shew his love 〈◊〉 time enough to make amends for a few from that Everlasting kindnesses Remember the Text sayes One than feares God may walke in darknesse 〈…〉 a steppe or two but many wearisome turnes in it Heman was afflicted from his youth David so long that Psal 77. he thought God had forgotten 〈◊〉 And doth his promise faile for ever Remember whâ—â— is said in another case Luke 18. 8. that though Hee beares long yet he comes speedily that is though long in our eyes yet speedily in his owne 〈◊〉 hath all time afore him and knowes how much time is behinde to be spent in embraces with you Yea but you will say Object it is not onely hiding his face but I suffer terrours hee is wroth hee is turned enemy he fights against me and therefore 〈…〉 vessell of wrath sitted to destruction So it was with Iob Answ Chap. 13. 24. Wherefore 〈…〉 thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy So Esay 63. 10. Psal 88. 16. All those are but the effects of a temporall wrath There is a wide difference betweene a child under wrath and a child of wrath Thou maist be a child under wrath when not a child of wrath God as he may afflict you in your estates and bodies so your spirits as a Father for Heb. 12. 9. He is the Father of spirits Ten Directions for those who are more deeply troubled and means to be used how to recover light and comfort FOr their sakes who are thus more deepely troubled I will prescribe some directions how they are to behave
sometimes seeme so angry that hee may throw away his childes petition and yet resolve to bee his father still It were infinite to reckon up all the false reasonings that soules in distresse have sometimes from a place of Scripture misunderstood and misapplyed some who being annoyed with blasphemous thoughts against God and Christ and his Spirit though they be their greatest affliction yet have thought they have sinned against the Holy Ghost upon the misapplying that place Mat. 12. 31. That blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never bee forgiven whereas that place is meant onely but of some one kinde of blasphemy which indeed is wilfull blaspheming of God and the worke of his Spirit out of revenge Heb. 10. 29. So some because they have sinned after enlightning and tasting and fallen into some grosse sin thinke they shall never be renewed by reason of that place Heb. 6. 4. whereas he speaks of a wilfull and revengeful falling away with such a revēge as they would if they could crucifie Christ againe ver 6. For otherwise David had not beene renewed for hee sinned presumptuously 1 Sam. 12. 9. and despised the commandement So some if they heare but of some fearefull example and of Gods severe dealing with others how hee cast them off upon such a sinne as he did Saul they thinke and conclude that upon the commission of the like that God hath cast them off also But there is no certaine ground for such a thought for secret things belong to God So because some heare that there is a time after which God sometimes offers grace no more but sweares against some men therefore that their time is also past which they can have no ground for for though it bee true God doth so with many that heare the Gospell yet the word gives us no certaine rules to judge he hath done so by any of us It is good to feare least thou shouldst provoke him to it but thou hast no signe to feare hee hath done so with thee And indeed herein lyes the maine and first businesse to be done in raising up a troubled soule even to finde out the ground of their doubting and to examine the truth of it and confute it If a man be falsely imprisoned or cast in a suit at Law what doth he to remedy it he seekes to finde out the errour in the writ so doe thou search out the ground of thy trouble goe to some spirituall Lawyer skilled in Soule-worke keepe not the devils councell he opposeth nothing more then making your doubts knowen Direction 3. THe third direction I give to such is 3. To consider as indifferently what may make for them as against them that they keepe and lend one eare as well to heare and consider what makes for their comfort as unto what may make against them This direction meetes with a great infirmity of such as are in distresse who through Satans temptations have their hearts so deeply possessed with prejudiciall conceits of the misery of their estates that as the people of God in Exod. 6. 9. through the anguish of their hearts were so far distempered that they listned not to the good message which Moses brought them nor beleeved that so good newes could be true of them So are the soules of many that are in distresse so filled with anguish and sense of misery and so strongly prepossessed with desperate opinions and so farre put out of hopes that they reject all that is spoken for their comfort so as they will not so much as bee brought to cast an eye or a thought upon any thing that may be an occasion of comfort to them Like some prisoners at the barre through extremity of feare they cannot read that in their hearts and in the word which might save them Tell them of what God hath wrought for them and in them as evidences of his love and as they cannot so often they will not reade them over or if they do they reade them over but as a man doth a book he meanes to confute they picke quarrells and make objections at every thing that is said as if they were hired as Lawyers to pleade against themselves and to finde flawes in their evidences I have observed some who have set all their wits awork to strengthen all arguments and objections against themselves who have bin glad if they could object any thing which might puzzle those who have come to comfort them if they could hold argument against themselves as if they were disputing for the victory onely And thus through much poring upon and considering onely what might make against them they have had the bolts of their hearts so farre shot into despaire and fixed in desperate sorow and the true wards of sound evidences so farre wrung and wrested by false keyes that when the skilfullest and strongest comforters have come with true keyes to shoot back the bolt they would not turn about nay could scarce get entrance This was Davids infirmity as at the 10. verse of the 77. Psalme compared with the second verse My soule refuseth to be comforted he spilt all the cordialls and physicke that were brought him hee was not onely voide of comfort but refused it What bring mee promises to comfort me will such an one say you may as well cary them to one in hell or give physicke to a man past recovery and so will take downe nothing that is given them So also the Church in the third of the Lamentations ver 17 18. her heart was deeply possessed with a desperate apprehension My hope sayes shee is perished from the Lord. And what was it that shot her soule into so fixed despaire ver 17. Shee forgot all good she forgat that is she would not so much as take into consideration remembrance any thing that had beene comfortable to her All good so the originall that is all Gods former good and gracious dealings with her all the good things wrought in her and for her whence shee might have comfort and instead thereof what did her thoughts feed and chew upon onely wormwood and gall her bitternesse and distresse poring onely on what might make against her I said my hope was perished from the Lord calling to minde my affliction and my misery my wormwood and gall These shee could revolve and rowle up and down in her mind though they were bitter and would entertaine thoughts of nothing else But when on the contrary shee began to take into consideration Gods gracious faithfull supporting her in that very desertion in faithfulnesse renewing his mercies every morning ver 22 23. and that still he maintained in her heart a longing and lingring after him and a secret cleaving to him and that God did enable her to choose him as her portion ver 24. This I recall to minde sayes shee ver 21. which speech hath reference to those words fore recited which follow there therefore have I hope she spits out her wormwood
and eares her owne words And now that her heart began to listen to what might comfort her presently she began to have hope This sullen peevish desperate obstinacy is a thing you ought to take heed of for hereby you take Satans part and that against those you ought to love so deerely even your owne soules But as they said Let Baal plead for himselfe So let Satan plead his owne cause doe not you Hereby also you forsake your owne mercies as it is said Ionah 2. 8. you give up your owne right and are so farre befooled as to plead against your owne title your owne interest in the best things you can have interest in Gods mercies made yours by an everlasting covenant you give up your portion bequeathed you in your fathers will which you ought to maintaine and you trust to lying vanities the sooth-sayings and fortune-tellings as I may call them of Satan and of your owne hearts Hereby also yee become judges of evill thoughts Iames 2. For hee is an ill hearer of a cause who will heare but one party speake Direction 4. THe fourth direction is to make diligent search into and to call to remembrance what formerly hath beene between God and you The remembrance of former things doth often uphold when present sense failes This David practised in the like case Psal 77. ver 5 6. when his soule had refused comfort as I told you v. 2. yet in the end he began not onely to bee willing to listen to what might make for him but set himselfe aworke to recall to minde to consider the dayes of old to make diligent search namely into the records and register of Gods dealings ver 11. to see if there were never a record extant which might help him now the devill pleaded against his title even as if your houses and lands were called into question you would search over old writings deeds so do you in this I considered sayes he the songs in the night that is that joyfull communion he had enjoyed with God when God and he sang songs together and I communed with mine owne heart and made diligent search I tossed and tumbled over my heart to see if no grace formerly had beene there and if no grace at present were there he searched into what might comfort him as well as into the causes might provoke God thus to deale with him for I take it both may be meant And so Iob did when he was thus stricken and forsaken of God he viewes over every part of his life he seekes what dry land he could finde to get footing upon in the midst of seas of temptations recounts what an holy life he had lived with what feare and strictnesse he had served God Chap. 29. and Chap. 30. and Chap. 31. throughout and tells them plainely Chap. 27. ver 5 6. That let them pleade and argue what they could against him and goe about to prove him an hypocrite till I die sayes he I will not remove mine integrity from mee nor let goe my righteousnesse I will never give up mine interest in Gods mercies nor the evidences I have to shew for them and sayes he Chap. 19. 27 28. Though my reines be at present consumed yet the root of the matter is in me that is though God deales thus hardly with me as you see yea though the exercise of grace is much obscured the Sun-shine of Gods favour withdrawne his face hidden from me and the joyfull fruits of righteousnesse and comfortable fresh greene speeches and leaves you have knowne to grow upon this now withered stocke fallen off yet there is the root of the matter still 〈…〉 a root of faith that decayes not a constant frame of grace that still remaines which hareth sinne loveth God and you shall all never beare me from it And canst thou call nothing to remembrance betwixt God and thee which argues infallibly his love what nothing Looke againe Did God never speake peace to thy heart and shed his love abroad in it Hast thou at no time found in thine heart pure straines of true love and good will to him some pure drops of godly sorow for offending him and found some dispositions of pure selfe-deniall wherein thou didst simply ayme at his glory more then thine owne good Hast thou never an olde tryed evidence which hath beene acknowledged and confirmed againe and againe in open court what not one And if thou 〈◊〉 now call to minde but one if in truth it may support thee For if one promise doth belong to thee then all doe for every one conveyes whole Christ in whom all the promises are made and who is the matter of them as in the Sacraments the bread conveyes whole Christ and the wine also whole Christ so in the word every promise conveyes whole Christ And if thou canst say as the Church of Ephesus Rev. ◠6. This thing I have that I hate sinne and every sinne as God hates it and because he hates it as Christ owned them for this one grace and though they had many sinnes and many failings yet sayes he this thou hast c. If Christ will acknowledge thee to be his for one eare-mark or if he sees but one spot of his child upon thee Deut. 32. 5. thou maist well pleade it even any one to him Yea though it be but in a lesser degree if in truth and sincerity For God brings not a paire of scales to weigh your graces and if they be too light refuseth them but he brings a touchstone to try them and if they be true gold though never so little of it it will passe currant with him though it be but smoak not flame Mat. 12. 20. though it be but as a week in the socket as it is there in the originall likelier to dye go out then to continue which we use to throw away yet he will not quench it but accept it Yea and though at present thou findest in thy sense no grace stirring in thee nothing but hardnesse deadnesse c. yet if thou canst remember yea but this once I had as a woman with childe though after her first quickning she doth not alwayes finde the childe to stir yet because she did feele it stir she still conceives hopes and thinkes shee is with childe So thinke thou of the new creature formed within thee These things you are to recall and consider in time of distresse to remember former graces and spirituall dispositions in you and Gods gracious dealings with you God remembers them to have mercy on you and why should not you remember them to comfort you Therefore Heb. 6. 9 10. We hope sayes he better things of you for God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love namely to reward you and therefore hee calls upon them in like maner Heb. 10. ver 31. To call to remembrance the former dayes to comfort them how they held out when their hearts were tryed to the
bottome when shipwrack was made of their goods good names and all for Christ yet they made not shipwrack of a good conscience And if thou dost thus call to remembrance things of old and yet canst finde no comfort at first from them as often yee may not as was Davids case Psal 77. for after his remembrance of his songs in the night still his soule was left in doubt and he goes on to say Will God ever be mercifull yet have recourse to 〈◊〉 againe and then againe for though they 〈◊〉 not at one time they may at another that it may be seene that God comforts by them and not they alone of themselves Hast thou found a 〈◊〉 which is a breast of consolation milklesse Isay 66. 11. yet againe suck comfort may come in the end 〈…〉 thou hast empanelled a Jury and grand Inquest to search and their first verdict condemnes thee of they bring in an 〈◊〉 yet doe as wise Judges often doe send them about it againe they may finde it the next time Ionah lookt once it 〈◊〉 and found no comfort Jonah 2. 4. For he said I will looke againe towards thine holy Temple A 〈◊〉 heart is like those two faced pictures if you looke one way towards one side of them you shall see nothing but some horrid shape of a devill or the like but goe to the other side and looke again and you shall see the picture of an Angell or of some beautifull woman c. So some have lookt over their hearts by signes at one time and have to their thinking found nothing but hypocrisie unbeliefe hardnesse selfe-seeking but not long after examining their hearts againe by the same signes they have espied the image of God drawne fairely upon the table of their hearts Direction 5. BUt now if former signes remembred 5. To renew a mans faith and repentance bring thee no comfort in but the waves that come over thy soule prove so deep that thou canst finde no bottome to cast anchor on the storme and stresse so great that no cable will hold but they snap all asunder as is often the case of many a poore soule Then 5. take and put in practice this fifth direction renew thy faith and repentance set thy heart aworke to beleeve and repent afresh as if thou hadst never yet begun Leave off and cease awhile to reason about the goodnesse of thy former faith and repentance and set upon the worke of beleeving and repenting anew spend not all the time in casting out of anchors but fall apumping Say well suppose I have not hitherto beene in the state of grace yet I am not uncapable of it for time to come I may obtaine grace yet Suppose my faith and repentance hath not beene true hitherto I will therefore now begin to endeavour after such as is true and to that end make this use of whatsoever flawes the devill findes in either to direct thee what to mend and rectifie for time to come begin to make up the breaches and unsoundnesse which is discovered endeavour after a supply of all those wants hee objects to bee in either to mend all the holes hee pickes Say Lord I cast my selfe upon thy mercies afresh I desire now to make my heart perfect with thee for time to come to part with every sinne to submit to every duty to curse every by-end to hell and to set up God Christ as my mark pole-star and aim in all and when thou hast done this let the devill say his worst This of all the former directions I commend to you as a speciall meanes to dissolve and put these temptations about assurance to an end I set a probatum est upon it take it practise it it is a tryed one it is that which at the last the Church in desertion comes to Lam. 3. 40. Come let 〈◊〉 try our wayes and turne to the Lord that is the last way and course shee takes Now when the water is at the lowest and the tide of assurance ebbed 〈◊〉 up your bankes as you use to doe at low waters Now when nothing but hypocrisie and unbeliefe and faisenesse of heart appeare to thee to be in thy heart doe thou groane sigh endeavour after the contrary sincerity let Satan say his worst this direction I now in the next place prescribe you because in time of tēptation about assurance it is the usuall course of some troubled soules to spend 〈◊〉 their thoughts upon what formerly they have had as if they must have comfort onely from the former worke or no way laying out all their time and cost in new suites new trials about their former title and when they have beene cast againe and againe yet still to doe nothing but reade over olde evidences againe and againe and bring in and study new proofes But know that though this is to bee done and not to be neglected and is found often comfortable therefore in the former direction I exhorted to it yet you are not onely to take that course nor to look back so much to your former faith and repentance as to forget to practise new But begin to practise new acts of faith and repentance this is the rightest way the shortest cut and requires as little paines thou maist with as little charge get a new Lease renewed as prove good the old one it will require many termes to examine over all thy evidences againe and againe which also haply are blotted and blurred thou maist cut the knot and dissolve the temptations sooner by new faith then untie it by reasonings and disputings And the truth is in the end thou must come to this for Gods great end in deserting is to put you upon renewing your faith repētance Except ye he cōverted as Christ sayes to his Apostles Converted as it were anew He will not deliver thee out of the dungeon till thou entrest into new bonds and baile for thy good behaviour Therfore begin to do it soon And whereas thou thinkst that by this thou maist prejudice thy former title that is not my meaning as if thou shouldst utterly give up thy old faith and repentance as counterfeit I will keep my integrity sayes Iob only my advice is to forbeare and to cease pleading of it for a time and to begin to renew it rather that is it I exhort unto And then the comfort of thy old repentance will come in As the Apostle sayes of the Law so I of thy former title it is not destroyed but established rather by this And as Christ sayes Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine that it is of God So as often the best way to know the truth is not to spend all the time in disputing about it but to practise it which puts an end to controversies in mens hearts so say I to know the truth of and so to come to have the comfort of former grace is to
himselfe our righteousnesse make himselfe under the law Gal. 4. 4. and to make up a full righteousnesse fulfill every part of it Rom. 8. 3 4. Is it thy continuance in sinne and the number and iteration of them that amazeth thee All fulnesse dwells in him who is our righteousnesse Col. 1. 19. and hath dwelt in him longer then sinne in thee and the righteousnesse of our Messiah is everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. 24. The merit of which an eternity of sinning could not expend or make void And is all this righteousnesse laid up for himselfe onely or for any other so as thou mightest never come to have interest in it No the top of our comfort is that Our righteousnesse is one letter of his Name and that our names are put into his For us it is and Ours it is ordained to be as much ours to save us trusting upon it as his owne to glorifie him Ours not for himselfe he had no need of it being God blessed for ever Ours not the Angells neither the good for they are justified by their owne nor the bad they are put out of Gods will for ever But ours who are the sonnes of men and among them theirs especially who are broken lost whose soules draw neere to the grave and their lives to the destroyers that come pray unto God and stay themselves upon it unto them God cannot deny it for it is theirs For he will render to man His righteousnesse Job 33. 22 26. So as his Sonnes Name also is al-sufficient to answer all objections for faith to rest upon So as they that know his name will trust in him Psal 9. 10. A second reason why his name is sufficient Reason 2 though you have and see nothing in you nor any promise made to any grace in you to rest upon is because even all those promises made to cōditions in us which we ordinarily looke unto are Yea and Amen onely in this his Name and his Sonnes Name That is the originall of them all the root the seed of them all his Name is the materia prima the first matter of all those secondary promises ex quo fiunt in quod resolvuntur his Name gives being to them all if it were not for the mercy grace truth kindnesse in him and the righteousnesse which is in his Sonne all the promises which are made what were they worth As the worth of bonds depends upon the sufficiency of the man who makes them so all these promises upon his Name Therefore now when you relye upon his Name having as yet no promise made to any thing in you to relye upon you then relye upon that which is the foundation of all those promises you then have recourse to the originall which is more authenticall then extract copies you relye on that which all those other are resolved into and therefore is sufficient though all the rest faile you in your apprehension Thirdly Reason 3 his meere Name is support enough for faith and may bee so because it is for his Names sake and his Sons Names sake hee doth all he doth and for nothing in us but meerely for what is in himselfe so Esay 48. 9 10. For my Names sake c. So also Ezek. 36. 22 32. For my Names sake and not your sake and Esay 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out thy transgression for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes For it he blotteth out transgression and pardoneth And if it be for his Names sake he doth all he doth and fulfilleth all promises made to us and to what is in us Then when thou seest nothing in thy selfe to which any promise is made nothing which may appeare to be any argument or motive that he will pardon thee then trust thou in that his Name that because he is God and hath mercy in him that therefore he will doe it For that thing which is the onely or maine motive to God himselfe to doe any thing for us must needs be when apprehended and beleeved the strongest and surest ground for our faith also to perswade the heart that he will doe it As it is in knowledge the knowledge of the causes of things causeth the surest knowledge So in faith the knowledge of the maine motive to God the cause of all causeth the greatest certainty of perswasion This then may direct poore soules in distresse what to venture all upon upon what ground to hazard soules labours endeavours faith repentance obedience and all upon his Name when they see nothing in themselves to which any promise belongs as David sayes Psal 73. 26. My heart may faile and my flesh may faile but God will never faile So I may say your comforts in prayers in hearing your joyes your earnest-penies you have laid up may be all spent in a dearth your owne graces and all promises made to them your owne hearts may faile and being creatures they use to faile againe and againe but Gods Name and his Sonnes Name rested on will never faile you Leane on these not by halves in distresse 1 Pet. 1. 13. but trust perfectly as the Apostle sayes on that mercy you heare is in God upon that grace revealed That is throw and cast your whole soules your whole weight upon it he onely hath perfect peace Isa 26. 3. whose minde is staid on thee Psal 61. 2. have not halfe thy soule upon that rock which is higher then thee but creep up and get all upon it and when all faile renew thy faith on his Name Thereon rest there die To this purpose may that of Solomon serve Prov. 18. 10. His Name sayes he is a strong Tower and the righteous flye to it and are safe Now what end is there and use of a Tower in a City but that when all outworkes are taken the walls scaled all fortifications forsaken houses left then a Tower holds out last and is a refuge to flye to So also when the devill and Gods wrath beleaguers thee round and encompasseth thy soul and the comfort of every grace in thee is taken from thee and thou art driven from and art forced to forsake all other thy holds and grounds of comfort then flye to the Name of the Lord as thy City of refuge as Heb. 6. 18. it is compared Say there is mercy in thee Lord and that is thy Name and there is righteousnesse in thy Son and that is his Name and I am directed to trust in thy Name in time of need and here rest and catch hold as on the hornes of the Altar and if thou dyest dye there Direction 8. THe eighth direction is To waite in the use of all meanes to Waite upon God thus trusting in his Name in the constant use of all ordinances and meanes of comfort Waiting is indeed but an act of faith further stretched out As an Allegory is but a continued Metaphor so waiting is but a continuing to beleeve on God and
to look for help from him with submission though hee stayes long ere he comes Waiting is an act of faith resting on God and an act of hope expecting help from him an act of patience the minde quietly contenting it selfe till God doth come and of submission if he should not come Therefore sayes the Church being in this very case It is good sayes she to hope Lament 3. 26. and quietly to waite for the salvation of the Lord. It is good indeed to doe so for God will afflict the lesse case you the sooner comfort you the more when he doth come and in the meane while it makes you to possesse your soules and to bee your selves and upholds them and to doe otherwise to be impatient and to give over looking for the Lord as Abaz did is the greatest folly that can be for as Iob sayes Chap. 12. ver 14. If hee shut up there is no opening all the world cannot let you out he keepes the keyes of the dungeon and you must stay his leisure and he stayes but for a fit time to let you out Esay 30. 18. Hee will waite to be gratiâ—â—â— to you for he is a God of judgement a wise and judicious God and knowes the fittest times and seasons and that he stayes so long is not out of want of mercy for he waits and longs to be gracious but he doth it out of Iudgement and his wisdome sees not a fit time he is grieved as well as you that you are not yet fit for mercy that his mercy would not yet be exalted if he should shew it till you further see your misery and therefore sayes he Blessed are all they that waite for him And as he now waiteth but to be the more gracious to thee so he did heretofore a long while waite for thee that thou shouldest begin to turne to him and said When will it once be Ier. 13. ult Thou madest him stay thy leisure in turning from thy sinne why may he not make thee stay his for the pardon of it And indeed the escaping hell in the end is so great a mercy that it is worth the waiting for all thy daies though thou endure an hell here and gettest not a good looke till the very last gaspe and moment of living therefore put thy mouth in the dust Lament 3 29. and waite quietly if there may be hope at last And waiting thus goe on to use all the meanes of grace more diligently more constantly though thou findest a long while no good by them omit no ordinance God hath appointed for thy comfort and recovery As in a long sicknesse you still use meanes though many have failed as the woman who had the bloody issue spent all upon Physitians in the use of meanes for her recovery That trouble of minde doth onely hurt you that drives you from the meanes that trouble of minde that drives you to the meanes can never hurt you Therefore the devill endeavours nothing more then to keep such soules from the word from good company from the Sacraments from prayer by objecting their unprofitablenes unto them that all is in vaine and that you doe but increase your condemnation But first if thou learnest no other lesson in the use of the meanes but that thou art of thy self most unprofitable and that unlesse God teacheth thee to profit no good is done and so learnest to depend upon God in the ordinance This is a great degree of profiting But secondly as when men are sick and eate and cast up againe you use to say yet take something downe for some strength is gotten something remaines in the stomack which keepes life and soule together So I say here though thou shouldest forget in a maner all thou hearest seemest to reape no benefit by it yet heare for some secret strength is gotten by it And for encreasing thy condemnation know that utterly to neglect and despise the meanes is greater condemnation and know that if thou shouldst use them in a way of dependance obedience to God it would lessen thy condemnation Therefore reade pray meditate heare conferre receive the Sacraments forbeare not these your appointed meales Indeed when the body is sick ye use to forbeare your appointed foode but when the soule is sick there is more need of them then ever All these are both meate and medicine foode physick cordials and all Use reading the word The Scriptures were written for our consolation therefore reade them much attend on preaching for God creates the fruits of the lippes peace Isa 57. So receive the Sacrament often those dayes are sealing dayes goe thou and confesse thy sinnes write over thy pardon put in all thou knowest by thy selfe bring it to Christ to set his seale to it Onely take this caution that thou trust not to the use of the meanes but unto God in the meanes To think oh I shall have comfort by such a man or at such a time in such an ordinance this often dasheth all So beleeve in God as if you used no means and yet as diligently use the meanes even as if your confidence were to be in them Direction 9. To Pray Pleas to be used to God in Prayer for recovery out of this condition ANd ninthly above all things Pray and get others also to pray for thee for God often restores comfort unto such at the request of Mourners for them Isa 57. 18. But yet especially be earnest and fervent in pouring forth thy complaint thy selfe for though the speaking of friends may somewhat further thy suite yet as between two wooers so it must be wrought out betweene God and thee alone in private and his good will must bee obtained by wooing him in secret This counsell the Apostle gives you James 5. 13. Is any man afflicted let him pray And because of all afflictions else this of darknesse in a mans spirit needeth praier the most therefore David pens a Psalme on purpose not for his owne private use onely but for the benefit and use of all other in the like distresse as by the title of it doth appeare Psal 102. A prayer for the afflicted when he it 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 out his complaint before the Lord. And this sayes David is my constant practice when my soule 〈◊〉 I poure out my prayer unto thee Psal 61. 3. And it was Christs also for in his agony he prayed yet more earnestly Luke 22. 44. When at any time therefore thy sinnes and Gods wrath meeting in thy conscience make thee deadly sicke as Isay speakes then poure forth thy soul lay open and confesse thy sin and as it will ease thee as vomiting useth to do so also it will move God to pitty and to give thee cordials comforts to restore thee againe Thus David Psal 38. ver 18. being in great distresse ver 2 3 4 5. I will declare mine iniquity and be sorry for my sinne and hee makes it an argument to God to pardon him
When his bones were broken Psal 51. Cleanse me from my sin ver 2. for I acknowledge my transgressions ver 3. and when he had confessed ver 4 5 6. then hee cryes Make me to heare of joy and gladnesse ver 8. and restore unto me the joy of thy salvation ver 12. and what was the chiefe ingredient the maine and principall motive which wrought most kindly with him to confesse and mourne and brought up all Against thee thee onely he puts in twice as much of the consideration thereof as of any other ingredient to make his heart mourne that chiefly if not onely melted dissolved him And in these thy confessions let the same also mainely worke with thee Against thee thee have I sinned thus oft thus grievously thus presumptuously Against thee a God so great and yet withall so good so kinde so willing to receive and pardon if my heart say were but as willing to turne unto thee and when thy case is as Iobs was Iob 10. 15 16 17. That thou art full of confusion as he speaks there so full as thou thinkest thy heart could hold no more and yet it encreaseth as it is there he fills thee fuller yet then doe thou poure out thy complaints to him as he poures in confusion into thee and when he hunts thee as Iob there complaines like a fierce Lion fall thou downe and humble thy selfe like a poore and silly Lambe if thou dyest dye at his feete mourning bleeding out thy soule in teares and when he hunts thee up and downe and pursues thee with blow after blow follow thou hard after him where ever he goes Psal 63. 8. with complaint after complaint And when yet he leaves thee not but again and again returns as some reade it after some intermission and shewes himselfe terrible to thee day after day night after night yet doe thou look in like manner againe and againe towards his holy Temple Ionah 2. 4. as Ionah did And when he begins to bring in new sins new inditements against thee as it is in the 16. verse Thou renewest thy witnesses and when thou thoughtest he had done with thee hee fetcheth new rods forth and enters into new quarrells and reckonings long since past and forgotten as it is in the same verse Changes and warre are against me vicissitudes and armies of disquietments and when one army is overcome new appeare in the field Then fall thou down upon thy knees and say as Iob at last doth Iob 7. 20. I have sinned I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee what shall I do unto thee oh thou preserver and not the destroyer of men these and these abominations I have done and I cannot now undo them what shall I do to obtain thy favour Alas nothing that can satisfie him onely confesse thy sinne Lev. 26. 41. accept thy punishment Go and strip thy selfe therefore and with all submission present a naked back to him and though every stroke fetcheth not blood onely but well nigh thy soule away yet complaine thou not one whit of him put thy mouth in the dust Lam. 3. 29 30. Be still not a word but only such as whereby thou utterest thy complaints and doest acknowledge thine own deservednesse of ten thousands times more And say as Micah 7. 9. I will beare thine indignation patiently for I have sinned against thee beare witnesse still to every stroke that it is not onely just but also lesse then thou hast deserved Neh. 9. 13. and that it is his mercy thou art not consumed Lament 3. and cut off by every blow and the heavier hee layes on struggle thou not he will let thee downe the sooner the higher he life 's up his hand to strike the lower let thy soule fall downe 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under his mighty hand And still kisse the rod when hee hath done Hosea 14. 2. And then take up words of pleading for thy selfe It is for thy life desiring him to remember what hee hath beene ever thinking of even from everlasting thoughts of peace and mercy to us-ward and the number of them cannot be told as David sayes Psal 40. 5. which he hath been ever thinking of and with the greatest of delights as one that was in his besome and was his councellor his Son tells us Prov. 8. 31. and plead thou as David and other Saints of God have done What are now become of all these thy thoughts of mercy Isay 63. 15. are they restrained what Psal 77. 9. are all now on the sudden forgotten laid aside which thou hast been thinking on so long hast thou forgotten thine olde and ancient delights aske him if he hath forgotten his owne Name to be gracious and abundant in kindnesse it is his Name Say did the very intent of shewing mercy so infinitely before-hand possesse thee with delights and now when thou shouldest come to put it in execution and hast so faire an opportunity of doing it to a soule as full of misery the object of mercy as ever hast thou now no heart no minde to it And withall Say that thou hast notice given thee of an infinite and alsufficient righteousnesse in his Son laid up in him and that by his own procurement whereof his Son never had nor can have any need himselfe being God blessed for ever and for whom was it then appointed but for the sons of men those who are weary wounded sick broken Heb. 9. 16. lost these his Son hath put into his Will who still lives to be his own Executor And say further also to him that it is come to thine cares that his Spirit is the Comforter a God of comforts and that his Son hath bought them all his whole shop and all his cordialls Isay 61. 1 2 3. and all his skill and is annointed with this Spirit on purpose to poure him forth into the hearts of those that are wounded and sick and broken and the whole they have no need of them If it bee said unto thee yea but thou art most unworthy Answer Hosea 14. 4. but he professeth to love freely If the greatnesse of thy sins bee objected against thee pleade thou again Psal 130. 7. that Plenteous redemption is with him and if thou hast not enough to pardon me say I am content to goe without If that thou art ungodly Say That thou beleevest on him that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 15. If hee puts thee off as Christ a while did the woman of Canaan and sayes he hath no need of thee say that thou hast need of him and canst no longer live without him for In his favour is thy life and that without it thou art undone If he seemes to rebuke thee that how darest thou presse thus to him who is the high and lofty One a sinfull man to him whose Name is holy Say thou hast heard himselfe say Thus faith that high and lofty One
whose Name is holy that he dwells with him that is of a contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble Isa 57. 15. And bee further bold to tell him that there are but a few in the world that do seek him and if he should turne any away that doe he would have fewer for who would feare him Psal 130. 4. if there were not mercy in him and plentenus redemption If still he doth pursue thee his wrath lyes heavy on thee ask him what it is he aimes at Is it to have the victory and overcome when he judgeth as Rom. 3. 4. which David also knew when he humbled himself Ps 51. 4. Freely tell him that thou art willing to give it him to yeeld to him to stand out with him in nothing but art content to submit to his coÌ„manding will in all things to his condemning will also if so he pleaseth and that it shall be just as David there acknowledgeth if hee doth condemne thee and justifie thou him whilst he is condemning thee and say that at the latter day he shall need no other judge against thee then thy selfe Only beseech him to consider what honour it will be to him to pursue dry stubble Iob 13. 25. to break a poore dryed leafe that crumbleth under his fingers if he doth but touch it as Iob pleads to break a reed that is broken already Mat. â—2 20. Say thou art not a fit match for him and he hath said He will not contend for ever Isa 57. 19. especially when he sees any to lay downe the weapons as thou art content to doe Or is it aske him that he aimes to have glory out of thy eternall condemnation in hell tell him it is true he may and that this is some comfort to thee that he may have glory out of thy death and destruction who never yet had it out of thy life but yet desire him to consider this before he thrusts his sword into thee Zach. 13. 7. that hee did first sheath it in his Sonnes bowels and that he may shew as much power in overcomming his wrath as in venting of it yea and have also greater glory thereby for plead that thou art never able to satisfie him though he should throw thee downe to hell he may cast thee into prison but thou canst never pay the debt and what profit therefore will be in my blood Psal 30. 9. and therefore if satisfaction to his justice be his end he might better accept that which his Son made him and so he shall be sure to be no loser by thee and thereby not onely receive the glory of his justice but shew the riches of his grace and mercy also and so double the revenew of his glory in thee Or is it Lord that thou aimest to have more obedience from me then heretofore thou hast had plead that this is the way at present to disable thee for service for that while thou sufferest his terrors thou art as one among the dead listlesse not to his businesse onely but to all things else Distracted with terrours as Heman pleads Psal 88. 15. so as the powers and forces of thy soule are scattered and dissolved and cannot intend and attend upon their duty and besides this distraction in thy spirit plead that it consumes thy strength also 〈…〉 as David also often complaineth and makes an argument of it as Psal 39. 10 11 12 13. Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand When thou rebukest man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away as a â—oth Oh therefore spare me that I may 〈◊〉 strength before I goe hence and be no more seene And withall put him in minde that if he should go on thus to deale with thee as thou shouldest not be able to doe him much service so nor to doe it long For it will cut short my dayes Say this David pleadeth Psal 89. 46 47. compared with the 39. Psalme ver 12. How long Lord wilt thou hide thy selfe for ever Shall thy wrath burne like fire remember how short my time is As if he should have said I have but a little time here allotted me in the world though none of it bee shortned And further tell him that for that little time thou hast to live the more joy thou hast the more service thou shalt be able for to doe him and to goe about his worke more lively and more strongly For the joy of the Lord is our strength Nehem. 8. 10. and more acceptably also 2 Cor. 9. 7. for thou lovest a cheerefull giver And therefore intreate him to restore thee to the joy of his salvation so shalt thou bee able to do him more service in a week then in a year now long trouble of minde being as long sicknesses which make all thy performances weake and it is for his disadvantage to have his servants lye long sicke upon his hands And if it bee objected against thee that if thou shouldest bee trusted with much assurance thou wouldest abuse it and turne it into wantonnesse Reply that if he pleaseth he can prevent it by preparing thy heart aforehand for these cordials so as they shall worke most kindly on thee by writing a law of love towards him in thy heart which when his love shed abroad shall joyne with will worke most strongly and one graine of it have more force to purge out sinne to constraine and strengthen to obedience then a pound of terrors And say that though thou hast indeed a stubborn and selfe-loving heart yet he can make his loving kindnesse overcome it Cant. 8. 6. for it is stronger then death say thou hast love in thee which runs out enough to other things if he would be pleased to winne it to himselfe Suggest how that that soule mentioned Isa 57. had as stout and stubborne an heart as thou and went on frowardly notwithstanding all thy terrours and yet oh Lord thou tookest mother course with him and didst heale him againe and that by comforts I will heale him sayes God there and restore comforts to him ver 17 18. and that so if hee please he may deale with thee And if light and mercy yet comes not but still God seemes as it were to cast thee off then call to minde if ever thou hast had any true communion with him and thereupon begin to challenge him so doth the Church Isa 63. 16. when in thy case when his mercies were restrained to her she saies yet Doubtlesse thou art my father shee saw God was angry her heart hard ver 17. yet shee thought shee should know him Doubtlesse he is my Father and where is thy zeale the sounding of thy bowels so challenge him thou upon that old acquaintance thou hast had and held with him in former times Say Doubtlesse thou art my farther and my husband how strange soever thou cariest thy selfe now towards me for dost thou
and more then hee is for himselfe and I can forbeare no longer I will surely have mercy on him And should he have damned him his bowels would have been troubled for him indeed all his dayes Direction 10. THe tenth and last direction is Rest not in ease but healing that having done all this you would not rest in ease but healing not in ease of conscience but in healing of conscience This I ground upon Isa 57. 17 18. What was the true issue of that his trouble there whom God contended with It was healing and guiding I will guide him and I will heale him You that are troubled in minde thinke not your estates to bee good simply because you begin to cease to be troubled but onely then when the issue of your trouble is healing your spirits by some sound ground of comfort and when guidance in Gods wayes and more close walking with God is the issue of it For God may slack the cords and take you off the rack when yet hee hath not pardoned you A traitour who was cast into the dungeon and had many irons on him may be let out of the dungeon and have his irons taken off and have the liberty of the Tower and walke abroad againe with his keeper with him and yet not have his pardon nay usually before execution they use to take their irons off and let them have more freedome Thus it is with many I thanke God sayes one I have had much trouble of minde distresse of conscience such and such sinnes terrified me and I could not sleep for them but now I am well again and now they do not trouble me Yea but is this all Thou hast cause to feare that thy irons are but taken off against execution It is with men in point of trouble of minde in the guilt of sinne as in the power of it in justification as in sanctification A man who hath had a strong lust stirring in him if he hath gone a yeare or two and findeth it not to stirre he therefore thinkes hee is utterly freed from it which yet may be but a restraint of it not killing of it a cessation not mortification So it is often in this trouble of minde which ariseth from the guilt of sinne because a man findes not those doubts and feares and terrours in his heart which he had wont therefore presently he thinkes all is well when as it may be but meerly a truce not a peace a laying downe of armes onely for a while to make greater preparation against the soule afterwards a reprivall and a little enlargement in prison not a pardon if this be all the issue of it That you may further conceive the meaning of this in one that is Gods child and in a wicked man though both may be and are troubled in minde and conscience yet there is a maine difference both in the maine cause of their trouble and also in the issue and removall of their trouble A wicked mans trouble is for the anguish and present smart he feeles in sinne and in Gods wrath lashing his conscience and out of feares that his sinne will not be pardoned but that he shal endure these tortures for ever in hell So it was in Iudas Cain and many others but a godly mans trouble though it hath often all this in it yet the chiefest of his trouble is a further thing it is not onely the smart the sting of sinne but also the filth the fowlnesse the offence of it done to God that wounds him for he hath an heart after Gods heart and therefore lookes on sin with the same kinde of eye that God doth and as God accounts the offence done to him the greatest evill in sinne so doth a godly heart also It is not the sting of this serpent only but the poison of it that disquiets him neither is it onely the want of pardon of sinne and the feare of Gods everlasting wrath which mainly troubleth him but the want of Gods favour the parting with him whom he sees so excellent and glorious the want of seeing his face his desire is to live in his sight and to have God to be his God Now such as the woūd is such also is the remedy Therfore the one being but troubled with the sting the smart of sin pull but that sting out take that loade off and he is well enough as jocund as pleasant as ever it being present ease that he seekes and to that end confesseth his sinne and doth any thing for the present to come out of it As Pharaoh Exod. 10. 17. Take away this death onely or at the utmost his aime is but pardon of sinne and peace with God that hee may be freed from the feares of undergoing that for ever the earnest whereof he feeles in his conscience now And hence therfore the remedies they often have recourse unto are suitable they are but like rattles to still childrē with they run to merry company and to musick c. as Cain fell a building Cities and so they put off the terrours of their consciences It is ease they seeke and no more or they runne to a formall performance of duties even as poore soules under Popery when they were stung by the Friars Sermons they set them penances and good deeds to be done which stilled them awhile for them they thought they should have pardon So men run now to holy duties but with the same opinion that they did then as bribes for a pardon what shall I give sayes he in Micah for the sinne of my soule Micah 6. 7. But now the wound of Gods childe being deeper not the sting of sinne onely but the poison of it not the smart but the offence done to God nor the feare of his wrath but want of his favour therfore accordingly ease from those terrours pacifie not him no not simply peace with God will content him or a pardon He sayes not onely Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this death onely but who shall deliver me from this body of death If newes were brought him that God would pardon him and not call him to reckoning for any sinne and no more were spoken to his conscience he would still be troubled till hee had assurance of his good will also if it were said God will indeed pardon thee but he will never love thee as hee did he will not looke on thee thou must not come into his sight This would grieve the soule more then the other would content it and he would be everlastingly troubled I may allude to that which Absolom said in cōplement of his Father when he was banished from him to expresse the true desire greatest trouble of a soul in this case as you have it 2 Sam. 14. 32. Absolom was pardoned the fault but it contented him not Let mee see his face or let him kill me So it is with a poore soule ease pardon knocking off
the light of this fire which carnall men not born againe content themselves with is that excusing which naturall conscience upon the performing any outward act of just dealing hath in such mens hearts mentioned Rom. 2. 15. And the walking in the light of this fire What by walking in the light of the fire is resting therein all their dayes not endevouring to have their hearts changed and to get a new principle of grace and of love to God fetcht from Christ as the spring of all Vse THe first Vse is Vse 1 seeing so many offer up but common fire to God Examine what fire we offer up to God it is good you examine whether that righteousnesse you think to please God with be any more then fire of your owne kindling First 1. The originall of it That righteousnesse which is kindled in thy heart and blazeth in thy life whence was it first enkindled examine the original of it Was it kindled in thee by fire from heaven that is by the Holy Ghost comming downe in Gods ordinances on thee as fire burning up thy lusts 〈◊〉 thy heart dissolving the workes of the devill enkindling sparks of true love to God zeale for his glory which are above the reach of mans naturall ability or is it no more then that whereas every man hath some sparkes of ingenuity and honesty towards others and of sobriety and of devotion to a Deity raked up in the ashes of corrupt nature for even the heathen had the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14. which sparkes thou living in the Cuurch where civility and religion is professed civill education naturall wisedome and the accusings of naturall conscience enlightned have blowne up to some blaze to some just dealing common care of serving God yet know that if there be no other principle nor no more it is but fire of your owne kindling and you will lie downe in sorrow Secondly 2. The fuell examine what duties are especially the fuell of that fire in thee in what duties is that righteousnesse thou thinkest thou pleasest God with chiefly spent and exercised are they principally the duties of the second Table of just dealing with men and sobriety and it may be thou bringest withall a stick or two of the first Table to this fire that is some duties thereof such as for thy credit thou must not omit as comming to Gods ordinances of publique worship This fuell if there be no more argues 〈◊〉 but common fire for looke into the chimneys of the heathen thou shalt finde the most of all this practiced and in that thou dost put the chiefest of thy religion in them it is argued to be but a fire kindled of those sparks which are raked up in nature for those coÌ„mon sparks which are in all mens hearts are especially those of the second Table But now if it were a fire from heaven theÌ„ though those would not be left undone yet the chiefest heat of thy heart would be to the duties of heaven of the worship of God publique and private when men practise but so much righteousnesse as is necessary for them to doe if they will live in the world in any comfort or credit as to be just and sober is necessary as also to frequent Gods ordinances for the state we live in enjoyns them But when mens zeale and fervour contends also and lives upon such duties which the world regards not as mourning for sinne taking paines with the heart in private between God and a mans own soule and feeds upon heavenly things and thoughts and is such fire as the world quencheth it is a signe t is more then common fire Thirdly 3. By warming onely the outward man in these duties common fire warmes but the outward man as that fire doth which you feele daily it heats you not within so common righteousnesse contents it selfe with bodily exercise a formall performance of duties publique and private but fire from heaven heats first within heats the heart within as at the hearing the Word did not our hearts burn within us say they so it heats the heart in prayer makes a man fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Fourthly 4. What incentives enflame it examine what bellowes cherish and keep alive that fire of righteousnesse that is in thee and makes it flame that is what motives set thee awork to doe what thou dost if worldly ends make thee abstaine from sinne and to be just in thy dealings as credit with the world and feare of disgrace or the accusings of conscience onely or feare of hell or hope of heaven this is but common fire but if love to God the consideration of his mercies his eternall love and the love of Christ zeale for his glory if these be the bellowes the fire is heavenly But if when thou art to be moved with such as these they stir not thy heart It is but common fire The second Vse is Vse 2 to take heed of walking in the light of such fire that is resting in it for salvation and contenting your selves with it as most in the world doe and as the Iews here did for you will lie down in sorrow if you doe But you will say wee doe not trust in this our owne righteousnesse for we professe Christ and beleeve in him which added to this is enough I answer That though you professe Christ yet1. unlesse you have had a light that hath discovered to you that all the righteousnesse you have by nature and emproved in nature is a false righteousnesse you doe then as yet rest in your owne righteousnesse and rely not wholly on Christ So Phil. 3. Paul first sum all to be drosse and dung counted it losse that he might which râ—st it implies he could not have him els Men though they seem to take Christs Title as many will procure the Kings Title for a living to make all sure yet they keep and stick to and plead their own but you must give up that first and rely wholly on Christ or hee will not save you 2. Hee that doth not daily above all things directly and immediately aime at and seek out for Christs righteousnesse and maketh it not the chiefest of his thoughts prayers and businesse is restlesse without it rests in his owne for so when he had given up his title in his owne hee mainely endeavoured after this to bee found in Christ Phil. 3. Thirdly you will seeke from Christ a new righteousnesse of sanctification also for you will see that the common righteousnesse of nature and education will not please him and Christ must be made sanctification to you 1 Cor. 1. 30. aswell as righteousnesse Thus Nicodemus though a civill man afore yet when he came to Christ his old civility would not serve without being borne againe and becomming a new creature so as you must not think to make a supply or addition unto Christ with fire of your owne kindling you must have
all off the Altar your morrall vertues must be turned into graces by having a new end put into them carrying your hearts in them unto God The other interpretation which I adde 2. By fire is meant outward comforts is That the fire of outward comforts is also meant which whilst men enjoy they goe on merrily neglecting God and Christ and communion with him But the soule of a beleever wanting this communion with God is in darknesse and till he enjoys God againe can take comfort in nothing Thus Eccl. 7. 6. The laughter of the wicked is compared to the crackling of thornes Fire is a comfortable creature Why fire is put for comfort having both heat and light in it which serve and help against both cold and darknesse which are two of the greatest evils to the senses Heat is comfortable Therefore Isa 44. 16. Hee warmeth himselfe saith the Prophet and cryes Aha Light also is comfortable For saith Solomon It is a pleasant thing to behold the Sunne Hence therefore fire here is put for outward comforts But yet what fire are they Why outward comfort compared to fire of their own kindling to earthly fire but kitching fire Ignis fâ—calis as the Philosopher calls it for It is fire of their owne kindling sayes the Text not that purest element of fire above God hee is said to be light and fire whom the Saints enjoy and are refreshed with his light and in it see light And the resemblance this way also will strongly hold For a kindled fire hath two things common which goe to the making of it both which together are called fire First fuell as wood or coales c. Secondly That element that preys upon these Answerably unto those carnâ—ll pleasures and delights which wicked 〈◊〉 enjoy and rest in 〈◊〉 things are also 〈◊〉 First The object which is as the fuell Things earthly and of this world Secondly The comparison holds in 6. things Their fiery hot and burning lusts which prey upon and live upon this fuell both which make this fire here spoken of in both which this resemblance will hold in many regards First because the fuell of these fires of their lusts and comforts are base things onely here below What is the fuell of your kitching fires things digged out of the earth dung wood coale so things on earth are fuell to their desires Their lusts are therefore called members upon earth Col. 3. 5. for all their comfors consist in and their desires are after earthly things as their faire wives children houses meat drinke their God is their belly and they minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Secondly because when this fuell is taken away the fire goes out so doe mens hearts die when outward things are taken from them When Nabal thought David might yet come take his goods his heart died within him For men live in the creatures and out of them they die Thirdly as fire is a consuming thing Heb. 12. last it leaves nothing but ashes so are mens lusts Iam. 4. 4. They ask to consume all upon their lusts All the pleasures they have nothing comes of them nothing of the strength they get by them they doe all for themselves and with themselves all dies Fourthly fire is a devouring thing a whole world would not satisfie it if it were let alone to burne on And one day this whole world you see shal be burnt up by fire as a witch for entising men Even such are mens desires after pleasures unsatisfied they are and the more fuell is laid on the more ye may lay on they enlarge their desire as the fire of hell Hab. 2. 5. Fistly the pleasures which arise from the meeting and conjunction of this fuell and their lusts are but as sparkes Iob calls sparkes the sonnes of fire being engendred by it upon fuell as pleasures are the sonnes of your lusts when the object and they lie and couple together and they are not long lived they are but as sparkes they die as soone as begotten Col. 2. 22. perish in the using and are but as the crackling of thornes they soone goe out Sixtly smoak accompany such fires the fuell being muddy things so doth much sorrow their comforts Pro. 14. 13. and they goe out and end in smoake as in the Text lie downe in sorrow So that put these together both that strange fire of their own righteousnesse which is from and in nature unchanged and the kitching fire of outward comforts these are the two maine hindrances that keepe all wicked men from Christ and justification through him That whereas the convenant of grace hath these two maine promises in it First that God himself who is the God of comfort will be an abundant reward Gen. 17. 1 2. and so by faith we take him to be and are divorced from all comforts else in comparison of him And Secondly that Iesus Christ his Sonne is made the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. and therefore ere we take him to be so to us we must be emptied of all our owne righteousnesse by nature that so God Christ might be all in all to us And therefore as the first main work of grace consists both in emptying the heart and bringing it to nothing in its owne righteousnesse As also in regard of all outward comforts that so no flesh might rejoyce in his sight Answerably unto these two there are found two maine impediments in men by nature First because in nature they find some sparks of civill goodnesse they rest in them and take them for grace and neglect Christ And Secondly finding also in this world themselves to be warmed with many outward comforts being encompassed about with sparks they content themselves with these Thus so long as that young man had righteousnesse of his owne and possessions of his owne he cared not for Christ nor communion with him nor righteousnesse from him Well but sayes Christ here flatter your selves with your own righteousnesse and cheer your selves with your own sparks and walk on But know you will lie down in sorrow when the godly shall rest in their beds Isa 57. 2. You will lie bed-rid in hell or as a woman in travaile never to rise again FINIS