to restore and to comfort a man again I will restore comfort to him ver 18. Sixtly §. 6. in case of deserting his truth and not professing it 6. Case and appearing for it when he calls us to doe it For deserting his truth when called to professe it In this case hee left many of the Martys many of whom especially untill those in Queen Maries dayes when with the Gospells increase and the light of it God gave more strength also and some then also did desert the truth for a while then God in respect of comfort deserted thē then they recovering Gods favour again upon repētance a new resolution taken to stick to the profession of the truth what ever came of it that their desertion made them the more bold and resolute And this was in part Ionahs case who having a commission sealed him to goe to Niniveh with a message from God he withdrew himselfe and went another way and God in the midst of his security casts him into a whales belly and when hee was there God withdrawes himselfe from him as if hee meant never to owne him more insomuch that Ionah sayes Chap. 2. 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy presence And there is this equity in this dealing of Gods thus with us That as when we are ashamed of Christ the punishment fitted to it is That Christ will be ashamed of us so when we will not witnesse for God there is no reason His Spirit should witnesse to us And so when wee seeme to evade persecution for the Crosse of Christ then it is meet God should meet with us and take us in hand himselfe which is far worse Seaventhly §. 7. in case of unthankfulnesse and too common an esteeme had of the assurance 7. Case and light of Gods countenance Of unthankfulnesse for former comforts and of freedome from those terrours and doubtings which others are in which is a sinne Christians are apt to run into For as the light of the Sunne because it is ordinary is not regarded none minde it or look at the Sunne but as hee said when it is in the eclipse So a continuall sun-shine of Gods favour enjoyed occasioneth but a cōmon esteeme of it And in this case God withdrawes those cōforts and assurance because they are the greatest and sweetest comforts of all other and which to abuse or not to value of all other provokes most therfore in this case God takes them away For as Hos 2. 9. in case of being unthankful in outward mercies God tooke them away and restored them not againe till they esteemed them better and acknowledged whence they had them So also in spirituall assurance light and comfort doth God in like maner deale CHAP. XIII The third generall head The Ends for which God leaveth his children unto this darknesse First such as are drawne from God and his faithfulnesse c. NOw let us come to those ends which God may have in this his dealing with one that feares and obeyes him which are many and holy ones First to shew his power and faithfulnesse in upholding raising up and healing such a spirit againe as hath been long and deadly wounded with inward terrours which is as great an evidence of his power as any other and therefore saith Heman Psal 88. 10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall thy faithfulnesse be declared in destruction ver 11. That is in raising my soul up again to joy and comfort which is as much as to raise up a dead man nay more as much as to raise up a soule already in hell for the same terrours sayes hee that destroy them doe in like maner seaze on me in the 1. Ephes 19. it is said That the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power was seene in raising Christ from death to life and wherein lay principally the demōstration of that power not simply in raising his body up againe that was no more then he did to others but in Acts 2. 24. the power is said to be shewen in this that hee having losed the paines of death wherewith it was impossible he should be held he was raised up againe his soule was heavy unto death with terrours and those paines in themselves were deadly though not to him in that hee being God as well as man it was impossible for him to sinke under them now therefore to raise up and glorifie that his soule that was so bruised wounded and pierced through and through herein lay the wonder and such a wonder God shewed in recovering Heman And to shew the greatnesse of this worke let us consider a little the depth and deadlinesse of this kinde of distresse it is compared to the bruising of a reede which when it is bruised who can make it stand upright againe It is called The wounding of the spirit Proverbs 28. which no creature knowes how to come at to heale none but God who is the father of spirits who made them and knowes how to mend them It is not onely called the sicknesse of the spirit as Esa 33. 24. where the want of the assurance of the forgivenesse of sinnes makes poore soules to say I am sick which to heale is made the prerogative of the Sunne of righteousnesse arising with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. but also it is called death and destruction for so in that 88. Psalme Heman calls that distresse that he was in And the reason is Gods favour is our life by which wee live and are upheld which therefore being withdrawne the soule is ready to faile and faint and to come to nothing and sinke into destruction Esa 57. 16. And againe the paines of those terrours are more violent and more powerfull to hold us under then are the pangs of death The wounds of the guilt of sinne being as deadly and as strong as the lusts of the power of it and it requires as great a power to dissolve and scatter them For all the strength that the law and Gods justice hath sinne also hath to back it For the strength of sinne is the Law 1 Cor. 15. 56. Secondly § 2. as to know the power of Christ his resurrection 2. End to know the fellowship of Christs sufferings so the fellowship of his sufferings that thereby the soule may be made more conformable to him as it is Phil. 3. 10. As there are the suffering for Christ so the sufferings of Christ and God makes his partakers of both persecutions without and terrours within With which Christs soule was filled then when as the text sayes Hee was heard in what he feared and his soule was heavy to death and My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and so Esa 53. It pleased God to bruise and wound him Now then to conforme us to his image we that are his brethren and are the persons guilty must suffer somewhat in spirit as well as he and have a portion therein also
use of as of a staffe as David compares it Psal 23. 4. whilest he thus Walkes in darknesse and through the valley of the shadow of death safely to trust and stay himselfe upon Psal 36 9. so as in the end to come forth to see Light in Gods Light for evermore You see likewise the prop of his soule in this condition On the contrary Of the 11. verse let us behold as all are here called to doe the best and most secure of unregenerate men encompassed about with all meanes and supports of confidence and comfort whether of Legall righteousnesse of their owne which these Jewes made boast of together with the addition of all worldly and outward comforts both which the Prophet here compares to Fire and sparkes as preserving Light and comfort in them As 1 let their lives and naturall dispositions abound with never so many sparkes of legall righteousnesse which themselves have kindled for so he compares all those severall acts and performances of naturall and acquired righteousnesse struck out and educed from the powers of naturall principles improved which make a great blaze in a mans owne opinion esteem which yet not proceeding from the holy Ghost baptising them as with fire and renewing them nor from internall principles of regeneration which Christ compares to fire Mar. 9 ult are all in Gods account but as a sacrifice offered up with strange fire which was forbidden and are here said to be of their owne kindling And such were the sparkes in the light of which these Iewes walkt who went about to establish their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. and with confidence trusted therein and not on the name of the Lord. And further 2 Let these men be surrounded and encompassed about with the greatest splendor of worldly glory and abound in all those good things this world can afford them the comforts whereof Salomon in like maner compares to a fire of Thornes and the pleasures of it to the crackling of thrones Eccles 7. 6. as here to sparkes and let them keepe never so good fires to warm and cheere themselves withall lay on as much every day as shall even encompasse them about with sparkes and in the light and confidence of both these let them walke for many yeares despising that other poore beleever that feareth to be found in his own righteousnesse and refuseth to be comforted by any of these yet let them know sayes Christ who is brought in as the speaker here that when they have thus walk◠presumptuously and securely and even walke themselves weary as it is Isai 40. 13. weary of all their owne wayes and pleasures as they will be one day and then at their death beds thinke to lye downe and rest them They shall lye downe indeed sayes Christ and their bed shall be of my making and providing this you shall have of my hand ye shall lie downe but in a bed of sorow and despaire In which they shall lye downe never to rise againe CHAP. I. The maine proposition and subject of this discourse thence deduced That a childe of God may walke in darknesse That thereby distresse of conscience and desertion in the want of assurance of justification is meant proved THis to be the meaning of the words will more fully appeare in opening the severall propositions to be delivered out of them The first and maine observation That a childe of God may walke in darknesse whereof the first and principally intended is this That one who truly feares God and is obedient to him may be in a condition of darknesse and have no light and he may walke many dayes and yeares in that condition And herein §. 1. further to explaine the Text and bottome this great point well upon it 1. What it is To walke in darknesse and more particularly to discover what the condition of a childe of God thus in darknesse is we will first inquire what is meant by walking in darknesse here in this place First What is not meant here walking in darknesse is taken in the 1 Iohn 1. 6. for living in sinne and ungodlinesse 1. Not in sin in the commission of knowen sinnes or omission of knowen duties going on in the workes of darknesse But so it is not to be taken here For Christ would not have encouraged such to trust in God who is light and there can be no fellowship betweene him and such darknesse as the Apostle tels us Nay the Holy Ghost reproves such as doe leane on the Lord and yet transgresse Micah 3. 11. and besides the Text speakes of such who for their present condition feare God and are obedient to him which if they thus walkt in darknesse they could not be said to doe Neither secondly is it to be meant of walking in ignorance 2. Not in ignorance as Iohn 12. 36. it is taken For one that hath no light in that sense can never truely feare God Prov. 19. 2. nor obey him the heart that wanteth knowledge is not good sayes Salomon and so to walke in darknesse is accompanied with walking in vanity of mind Ephes 4. 18. But thirdly he meanes it of discomfiture and sorrow 3. But in sorow and discomfort As often we finde in Scripture darknesse to be taken as Eccles 5. 17. As on the contrary Light Eccles 11. 7. because it is so pleasant a thing to behold is put for comfort And that so it is taken here is evident by that which is opposed in the next verse walke ye in your light yet ye shall lye downe in sorow But fourthly of what kinde of sorow and for what Whether from outward afflictions or inward distresse of minde and conscience or to use Salomons distinction whether by reason of mans ordinary infirmities or of a wounded spirit that is yet in question And first it is not to be restrained to outward afflictions onely And that not of outward afflictions only which are called mans infirmities as being common to man which arise from the things of this world or from the men of the world though to walke in darknesse is so taken Esai 59. 9. and I will not exclude it here For in them also a mans best support is to trust in God and it is the safest way to interpret Scriptures in the largest sense which the words and coherence will beare But yet that cannot be the onely or principall meaning of it for besides what is further to be said to the contrary he addes withall and hath no light that is no comfort Now as Philosophers say non dantur purae tenebrae there is no pure darknesse without some mixture of light so wee may say there is not meere or utter darknesse caused by outward afflictions no outward affliction can so universally environ the minde as to shut up all the crannies of it so that a man should have no light And besides Gods people when they walke in the
nature and the divine though hypostatically united And likewise 4. That God hath given us eternall life and that life is in his Sonne this being 〈◊〉 great truth of the Gospell so as a Christian 〈◊〉 beleeves it not maketh God a lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. Therfore Satan being that great lyar John 8. 44. opposeth this great truth and our faith therein above all others His 〈◊〉 at the advancement of our nature in Christ according to that truth is thought by some to have bin his fall and ruine so understanding that in Ioh. 8. He abode not in the truth However he doth now delight to make God a lyar to us in our apprehensions by questioning his promises and especially to enforce the perswasion thereof out of Gods owne dealing with us perverting his righteous wayes And secondly §. 2. as Satan hath such a desire is God may give his childe up into Satans hand for a while thus to afflict and terrifie his Spirit God may and doth give up his childe into Satans hands permit him thus to tempt him His last commission over Iob seemeth to extend thus far for his life only was excepted Iob 2. 6. He is in thy hand only save his life therefore after that leave given we heare Iob although never brought to question his estate yet crying out of terrors and of the sins of his youth for Satan then as he smote his body with boiles so buffetted his spirit And though Satan hath will of himselfe and a desire to it and power physicall enough and abilities to inflict this at all times yet he must further have power morall or leave and commission from God And God somtimes gives to Satan power over the sonnes and daughters of Abraham Luke 13. even as wel as others and as their bodies to be vexed by him so their spirits and as to provoke them unto sinne so much more to terrifie for sinne there being more of punishment then of sinne in that Thus he left David to Satan to provoke him unto sinne aswell as Iudas Therefore that provocation to number the people as it is imputed to Satan and his malice 1 Chron. 21. 1. so also to God and his anger in giving leave first to Satan 2 Sam. 24. 1. And as an evill spirit from the Lord troubled Sauls minde 1 Sam. 16. 14. So a messenger of satan was sent to buffet Pauls spirit 2 Cor. 12. wherein yet God doth no way help Satan with any further power then what as an Angell he furnished him with at his creation nor with any assistance or information of our secret sins against us to enable him the more to assault us this I finde not in Scripture but permissive power only Which is either 1. obtained and given at Satans motion request first made so that phrase Luke 22. 31. Satan hath requested and petitioned to winnow you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that also Job 2. 3. Thou movedst me against him doth imply and as it may seeme by singling out and calling forth some one for this combate as he did him more especially to whom therefore Christ addresseth that premonition and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies as much So also Iob was singled out for this duel both by God and Satan Or else 2. this is done through the ordinance of Excommunication and censures of the Church duely administred clave non errante for grosse and scandalous sinnes The proper inward effect that accompanies that ordinance which casts men out of the Church being inward affliction and distresse of conscience by Satan which of all afflictions is the greatest punishment as the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. 6. thereby to bring a man to repentance Even as on the contrary the speciall worke of baptisme which admits into the Church to such as were fideles adulti and beleevers already was by joy in the holy Ghost to seale up their adoption and regeneration unto them as to the Eunuch Acts 8. 39. This we may see in the excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian whose excommunication is therefore expressed to be a delivering him up unto Satan in the name of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 9. that is he was to be cast out by a commission from Christ which going forth in his name when they published it on earth he signed it in heaven Upon which rightly administred doth ensue first that as the Church doth cut them off from communion with them so God cuts them off from communion with himself and hides and withdrawes the light of his countenance the witnesse of his Spirit his comfortable presence and not only so but delivereth them up to satan that being the consequent of it which therefore because it implies the former is put to expresse the whole proceeding which delivery of him unto Satan was not a giving him a commission to cary him on to more sin for the end propounded by the Apostle was to destroy the flesh that is corruption the body of sinne and that the spirit might be saved ver 5. that is that contrary principle of grace which yet remained but was ready to die as it is Rev. 3. 2. might bee saved and kept from death and destruction though that often be indeed the effect of it in hypocrites as in Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 19. but it was to terrifie and afflict his conscience and to stir up in him the guilt of his sin with terrors for it which God sanctifieth to humble and to mortifie the flesh And thus when that Corinthian was excommunicated did Satan accordingly deale with him for in the next Epistle 2 Cor. 2. 7. we finde him well nigh swallowed up of sorow which was Satans doing for ver 11. We are not ignorant saith the Apostle in reference partly to this of his devices And thus Satan continued still to handle him even now when he began to be truly humbled and was a fit subject to receive forgivenesse and comfort ver 7. when though hee feared God and obeyed him yet hee walked in darknesse till the Church received him Or else 3. when this ordinance is not in the case of such sins administred then God himselfe who workes without an ordinance sometimes the same effects that with it doth excommunicate mens spirits from his presence and gives them up to Satan by terrors to whip them home to himselfe So that God gives him leave to exercise power over both godly men and wicked men onely with this difference Wicked men God gives up unto him as unto their Ruler and their head they are therefore called the rulers of the darknesse of this world Ephes 6. 12. Who therefore work effectually in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. Or else as captives to a Prince he taking them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. so as they are captived and led away 1 Cor. 12. 2. But his owne God gives up to him but as
the guilt of it doth binde us over Which power of his is not that of the Iudge in sentencing to death or casting men to hell which is a speciall flower of Christs Crowne who Rev. 1. 18. hath the keyes of hell death at his girdle of Gods who is therefore onely to be feared because he onely can cast body and soule into hell Nor is it as if he were the main tormenter and executioner of mens souls after that great day seeing that they are to be tormented by that fire which in common was prepared for the devills themselves And who is it that doth torment them but it is therefore principally meant 1. of that power and advantage he obtained over sinners when he had seduced them so as to come boldly as a pleader against them enabled with authority to urge Gods righteous law and word and to call upon and to provoke his justice to condemne poore sinners till Christ that righteous advocate dispoyled him of his pleas and power by that satisfaction of his which before the law had put into his hands and so Hee destroyed him that had the power of death and enervated all his pleas and terrours And 2. the meaning is that as he hath this power in Gods court so also in our consciences to urge the law upon us and to plead all that the Law sayes to thē under the Law and to increase in us the feares of that death by presenting to us the terrors of the Law to which in respect of naturall conscience men of themselves are subject all their life long And unto this later power hath that power of death there especiall reference for those words follow there v. 15. And because the children of God whilst in this life as they know but in part so they love but in part and so far as love remaines imperfect so farre feare which hath torment keepes possession 1 Iohn 4. 18. For it is perfect love only that casts out all feare And hence so far as slavish feare remaines so farre they may be subject to be terrified by him that hath power of death over those that are in any degree subject to the feare of it And 4. 4. He can excite the passions of feare and trembling of spirit Hee can immediately by his owne power stirre the passions of feare and griefe c. Excite them beyond nature as the windes can raise the billowes in the sea and make the floods to make a noise so can hee a tumult in the affections and put all the soule into an hurry and violent perturbation He is the Prince of the aiery part of the little world in man as well as of that elementary region in the great world and so can raise unnaturall stormes and vapours that shall darken reason and cause such thunders and lightnings as shall hurle all into a black confusion such as if hell and the soule would presently come together And though it is true that he cannot turne the streame and current of our affections back God onely can turne this Iordan back yet he can drive them faster and cause them to swell above their naturall channels that as a man possest hath the strēgth of ten men in him as that man Luke 8. 19. So shall the affections have that are blowne up by him As we may see in David what a strong minde doe we finde in him so needlesly to number the people 2 Sam. 24 against all reason as well as religion and the perswasion yea opposition not of Ioab onely but others also of his Counsellors the Captaines of the host a man would wonder that a man so holy and wise should bee so transported to doe an act so foolish as himselfe saw afterwards I have done very foolishly sayes hee ver 10. yea and so grossely sinfull as that it was abominable in the eyes of Ioab 1 Chron. 21. 6. one that seemeth by his other cariages to have had but nature in him But the devil was in it So verse the 1. Satan provoked David to number the people by raising up such an affection and inclination in him The like appeares in the affection of love which how strongly hath Satan drawne forth in some even to madnesse towards such as before and also after his fascination was overpast they have loathed and hated above all others is evident in stories by many instances And as he can raise up other passions in us so also feares and terrours jealousies and distrusts To feare where no feare is And thus he handled Saul when God left him to him An evill spirit from the Lord troubled him or as most reade it and our margent varies it terrified him 1 Sam. 16. 15. And in the raising up of these affections of feare and the like hee workes more then simply morally that is then by bare propounding such objects as shall move them which men onely can doe but further also Physically by stirring such humours in the body which such passions doe act and stirre in And so those humors in the body which shal put a man into a timorous and trembling disposition he can electively worke upon as he pleaseth And then also he can disturbe the phantasmes in the head the organs of the understanding as in him Luke 8. 35. Who through Satans working is intimated not to have beene in his right minde And when he hath thus distempered and disordered all in a man and put a man into such dispositions to feares c. then he comes with his suggestions and speakes nothing but of wrath and terrours and of the threatnings and of the hainousnesse of a mans sinnes the fearefulnesse of Gods wrath c. to the conscience that is troubled and then looke as when a mans choller is up every small thing provokes him so now when feare and melancholy are encited every suggestion every surmise doth striketh soule through and through with horrid feares and jealousies And thus though not immediatly yet through the meanes of these mists and vapours and fogges raised which environ and darken this sunne he workes upon the conscience and therefore we see by experience that he prevailes most in this sort of temptations with melancholly tēpers who dwelling in dark shops he much deceives with false colours and glosses And when affections are up and doe cloud the minde then multitudes of troublesome thoughts arise and every suggestion sutable to that passion takes and prevailes with a mans spirit as appeares by that speech of Christ Luke 24. 38. Why are you troubled or afraid and why doe thoughts arise in your hearts Passions like to heavy weights hung upon a clock do not onely make the wheeles the thoughts move faster but also perverts them wrests them the wrong way so as to a heart thus distempered all things come to be presented amisse even as to a bloodshot eye all things seeme red In a word as he deludes his Enthusiasts by setting on and backing thier false
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
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