the soule Being justified by faith wee have peace with God Those that are hurried in their life with false doubts and perplexities What shall become of mee what shall I eate and what shall I drinke c Though they use lawfull meanes yet commit not themselves to God as they should for where there is a dependance upon God in the use of meanes there is an holy silence in the party All stubborne and tumultuous thoughts are hushed in him My soule keepe silence to the Lord saith David and trust in God why art thou so vexed within me still there is a quieting of the soule where there is trust Can that man put confidence in God that prowles for himselfe and thinkes he hath no Father in heaven to provide for him Doth that childe trust his father that besides going to schoole thinkes what hee shall put on how he shall be provided for and what inheritance he shall have hereafter Alas this is the Fathers care and belongs not to him Wheresoever these distractions are there can be no yeelding up of the soule to God in truth There be two affections which mightily disturbe the peace of Christians 1. Sinfull cares and 2. Sinfull feares to both which we have remedies prescribed in the Scripture 1. Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your fathers will to give you a kingdome As if he had said Will not hee that gives you heaven give you other things In nothing be carefull saith the Apostle that is in a distracting manner but doe your duty and then let your requests bee made knowne to God and the peace of God shall keepe you and therefore were we redeemed from the hands of our enemies that wee might serve him without feare all our dayes A Christian should keepe an inward Sabbath in his soule and goe quietly on in doing all the good hee can what a fearfull thing is it to see men lie groveling in the earth and live without God in the world troubling and â—urmoyling themselves how to compasse this thing and that thing as if they had no God to seeke unto nor no promise to relye upon Againe where this committing of a mans selfe and his soule to God is there will bee a looking to God onely in all a man doth not fearing any danger or opposition that may befall him from without as the three yong men said to Neâ—ucâ—adnezar Our God can keepe us if he will But what if hee will not Yet know O King that wee will not worship nor fall downe before thy Image So it is with a Christian foreseeing some danger disgrace or displeasure of this or that man which may befall him he resolveth notwithstanding in despight of all to commit himselfe to God in doing his duty come what will whether God will save him or no hee will not breake the peace of his conscience or doe the least evill hee is no foole but foresees what may befall him for well doing this inconvenience may come that trouble yet he sets light by these he hath an eye to heaven and sees more good to himself in the Creator that gave him his beeing of nothing and more good for the time to come that will make him a blessed Saint in heaven then there can be ill in the creature therefore come what can come his heart is fixed to trust the Lord and rather than hee will displease him desert his honour and his cause or doe any unworthy action he will commit himselfe to God in the greatest dangers The ground hereof is this A Christian is the wisest man in the world and hee understands well enough that God is Alsufficient hee sees there is a greater good in God than hee can have in the Creature and counts it madnesse to offend God to please the creature because there is a greater evill to bee expected from God than from the Creature though it were the greatest Monarch in the world considering therefore that he hath his best good in his union with God and in keeping his peace with him hee will not breake with him for any Creature And thus hee doth wisely for hee knowes if hee lose his life he shall have a better life of God than hee hath in his body for God is his life God is his soule and his comfort and hee hath his beeing from God hee is his Creator and hee hath a better being in God when hee dyes than he had when he lived for our beeing in God makes us happy and therefore Christ saith He that loves his life before God and a good cause hates it and hee that hates his life when Christ cals for it loves it for hee hath a better life in him wee give nothing to God but hee returns it a thousand times better than we gave it Let us yeeld our lives to him wee shall have them in heaven if they be taken away on earth Hee will give us our goods a thousand sold we shall have more favour in God then in any Creature and therefore a Christian out of this ground commits himselfe to God though hee foresee never so much danger like to fall upon him Againe if we doe in deed and not in pretence commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator we will not limit his Majesty as many carnall hearts doe oh if God will do so and so for them then they would trust him if they had but so much to live on a yeare and sâ—ch commings in c. then they would depend upon God but they must have a pawne and so much in hand first What a shame is it that wee should trust the vilest man in the world as farre as wee see him and yet unlesse wee have somewhat to leane on we will not trust God Beloved when a man limits God in any thing such a one may talke but hee trusts him not at all Indeed wee should indent with God and tie him to looke to the salvation of our soules but for other things leave them to his owne wisedome both for the time for the manner and measure doe what hee will with us Suppose it come to the Crosse hath hee not done greater matters for us why then should we distrust him in lesser If times come that Religion flourish or goes downward yet relye on him still hath hee not given his Sonne to us and will hee not give heaven also Why doe wee limit the holy One of Israel and not cast our selves upon him except hee will covenant to deale thus and thus with us A true Christian hath his eye alwayes heaven-ward and thinkes nothing too good for God O Lord saith he of thee I have received this life this estate this credit and reputation in the world I have what I have and am what I am of thee and therefore I yeeld all to thee backe againe If thou wilt serve thy selfe of my wealth of my selfe of my strength thou shalt have it If
chaine so God is said to command them when hee lets them loose to doe mischiese they are full of malice themselves which God useth as Physitians doe their poyson to cure poyson God and they goe two contrary wayes as a man in a shipp walkes one way but is carryed another In the death of Christ the will of Iudas and the rest went one way and Gods will another so in all our sufferings when God useth wicked men their will is destructive and hostile but Gods will is cleane otherwise ayming at the good of his people in all this Nebuchadnezar did the will of God in carrying the people captive how ever he thought not so Every sinful wretch that offers violeÌ„ce to the poor Saints imagine they do God good service in it when as indeed they doe but execute the malice and venome of their owne hearts In the highest heavens as they say in Philosophy the first thing moved is by a violent motion the Sunne is carried about the heavens violently against its owne proper motion which inclines to a cleane contrary course so GOD dealeth with wicked men hee carries them they know not whither they are set to doe mischiefe and God useth their sinfull dispositions for his owne ends which plainly shewes that God is without all fault and they without all excuse But observe further that we never suffer but when God will and beloved his will is not that wee should alwayes suffer though generally our estate be so in one kinde or other God is not alwayes chiding but hath times of breathing and intermission which hee vouchsafes his children for their good Hee knowes if we had not some respite some refreshment wee should soone be consumed and brought to nothing The Lord knowes whereof wee are made and considers wee are but dust therefore he saith Though for a season you are in heavinesse yot rejoyce c. And this the Lord doth oâ—t of mercy to his poore creatures that they might not sinke before him but gather strength of grace and bee the better fitted to beare further crosses afterwards You know Acts 9. after Sauls conversion when hee was become a Paul then the Church had rest and increased in the comforts of the Holy Ghost God gives his people pauzing times some lucida intervalla our time of going into trouble is in Gods hands our time of abiding trouble is in Gods hand our time of comming out is in gods hands As in our callings hee preserves our going our and our comming in so in every trouble that befals us wee come in and tarry there and goe out of the same when hee pleaseth Hee brings us to the fire as the Goldsmith puts his metals and holds them there till he hath refined them purged out the drosse and then brings them out again Our times as David saith excellently are in thy hands O Lord. Beloved if our times were in our enemies hands we should â—ever come out if they were in our owne hands wee would never stay in trouble but come out as soone as wee come in nay we would not come into trouble at all if we could chuse Beloved every thing of a Christian is deare unto God his health is precious his blood is precious especially precious to the Lord is the death of his Saints Doe you thinke therefore he will let them suffer without his will No hee will have a valuable consideration of all those that are malignant Persecutors of his people at last and it is for matters better than life that God lets his children suffer here for alas this life is but a shaddow as it were nothing God regards us not as we are in this present world but as strangâ—rs therefore hee suffers us to sacrifice this life upon better termes than life or else he would never let us suffer for his truth and seale it with our dearest blood as many of the Saints have done I beseech you therefore considering all our sufferings are by the appointment and will of God let us bring our soules to an holy resignation unto his Majesty not looking so much to the grievance wee are under as to the hand that sent it wee should with one eye consider the thing with another eye the will of GOD in the same When a man considers I suffer now but it is by the will of God he puts me upon it how cheerfully will such a one commit his soule to the Lord It is as hard a matter to suffer Gods will as to doe his will Passive obedience is as hard as active in the active we labor that what we doe may please God in the Passive we must indeavor that what hee doth may please us our hearts are as untoward to the one as to the other therefore let us begge of GOD to bring our wils to the obedience of his blessed will in every thing Would you have a patterne of this Looke upon our blessed Saviour to whom wee must bee comformable in obedience if ever wee will be conformable in glory Loe I come saith hee I am ready to doe thy will O Lord what was the whole life of Christ but a doing and a suffering of Gods will Behold it is written in the Volume of thy Booke that I should doe thy will and here I am ready prest for it It should he therefore the disposition of all those that are led by the spirit of Christ as all must bee that hope to raigne with him to bee willing to suffer with Christ here and say with him Lord I am here ready to doe and suffer whatsoever thou requirest when once wee are brought to this all the quarrell is ended betweene God and us I come now to that which I chiefly intend which is the Christians Duty Let him commit his soule to God in well doing wherein observe 1. The manner how hee must commit in well doing 2. What his soule 3. To whom to God 4. The reasons moving implyed in these words as unto a faithfull Creator Now this well doing must bee distinguished into two times 1. Before our suffering when a sonne of belial shall offer violence to a poore Saint of God what a comfort is this that hee suffers in well doing Oh beloved wee should so carry our selves that none might speak evil justly against us that none unlesse it were wrongfully might doe us hurt we should be in an estate of well doing continually in our generall and particular callings wee must not goe out of our spheare but serve God in our standings that if trouble comes it may finde us in a way of well pleasing either doing workes of charity or else the workes of our particular calling wherein God hath set us In all that befals thee looke to this that thou suffer not as an evill doer So likewise in suffring wee must commit our soules to God in well doing in a double regard 1. Wee must carry
carnall policy or others to knit our selves to that for I beseech you doe but think what is true in all Stories not onely in the Scripture but elsewhere the most infortunate meÌ„ that ever were otherwise wise enough were alwayes too confident of themselves The greatest Swimmers you know are often drowned because relying overmuch on their owne skill they cast themselves into danger and are swallowed up of the deepe Even confidence in wit is usually unfortunate though it bee great let Salomon bee an example you see how hee strengthened himselfe by carnall supports but what became of all alas it soone vanished and came to nothing the Iewes would runne to the reed of Aegypt and that ranne into their hands in stead of helping it hurt them GOD takes delight to overthrow the ripenesse of all the carnall policy of man that advanceth it selfe against his word and Gospell Take heed of confidence in prosperity in wit in strength take heed of whatsoever hinders the committing of our soules to God and alway remember that bonestic is the best policy and that GOD reconciled in Christ is the best sanctuary to flee unto The name of God is a strong Tower saith Salomon the righteous flee thereto and are safe Let Christians therefore have nothing to doe with carnall shifts and politique ends for they have a strong Rocke and a sure hold to goe to the Almighty is their shield Beloved God will bee honoured by our trusting of him and those that will bee wiser than God and have other courses distinct and contrary to him must looke for confusion in all their plots A Christian should thus thinke with himselfe Let God beâ—wise for me his wisdome shall bee my direction his will shall bee the rule of my life hee shall guide me and support me I will adventure upon no course that I dare not commit my soule with comfort to God in Oh beloved if we tender our owne welfare let us shun all unwarrantable courses and adventure upon no action whatsoever wherein we cannot upon good grounds desire the Lords protection It is a fearfull estate for a man to undertake such courses as that hee cannot if hee were surprized by judgement suddenly commit him selfe to God in The throne of iniquity shall not abide with God hee will not take a wicked man by the hand nor owne him in a distressfull time Study therefore I beseech you to bee alwayes in such a blessed condition as that you may without tempting of God in a holy boldnesse of faith resigne up your soules to him A guilty conscience cannot seeke the Lord naturally it runnes away from him peace is not easily gotten nor the gapp soone made up therefore preserve conscience cleare and unspotted if thou wouldest have God thy refuge in time of need Adam when hee had sinned ranne from God Peter when our Saviour discovered more than an ordinary Majesty in his miracles said Lord depart from mee I am a sinfull man It is the worke of flesh and blood to depart from God but when a man goes to God it is a signe hee hath more than flesh and blood in him for this cannot bee done without a supernaturall worke of faith which alone will make a sinfull conscience flie to God and looke to him as a father in Christ and desire him by his Almighty power whereby hee created heaven and earth to create faith in the soule And when thou hast cast thy soule into the armes of the Almighty labour to settle it there and to quiet thy selfe in the discharge of thy duty say thus Now I have done that which belongs to mee let God doe that which belongs to him I will not trouble my selfe about Gods worke but in well doing commit my soule to him and let him alone with the rest Christians should not out-runne Gods Providence and say What shall become of me this trouble will overwhelme mee c. but serve his Providence in the use of the meanes and then leave all to his disposall Especially this duty is needfull in the houre of death or when some imminent danger approacheth but then it will be an hard worke except it be practised aforehand Labour therefore for assurance of Gods love betimes get infallible evidences of thy estate in grace that thou art a renued person and that there is a through change wrought in thy heart that God hath set a stampe upon thee for his owne and that thou hast something above nature in thee then maist thou cheerfully say Father into thy hands I commend my spirit I am thine Lord save mee c. otherwise having no interest in God how canst thou expect any favour from him Oh the sweet tranquility and heaven upon earth which those enjoy who have God to be their friend This layes a heavy prejudice upon Antichristian Religion which maintaines a doctrine of doubting affirming that wee ought not to labour for assurance of Gods favour Oh beloved what deprives a poore Christian soule of coÌ„fort more than this Alas how can a man at the houre of death commit his soule into the hands of Almighty God that staggers whether he bee his childe or no and knows not whether he shall goe to heaven or hell Therfore it should bee our dayly indeavour as wee would have comfort in the time of resigning and giving up our soules to God to gather evidences of a good estate that wee are in covenant with him that hee is our Father and that wee are his children in Christ Jesus For will a man trust his Iewels with an enemy or with a doubtfull friend how can the swearer commit his soule to God how can loose livers and your filthy uncleane wretches that live in continuall enmity against the Lord commit themselves with any comfort unto him They pray Leade us not into temptation and yet runne daily into temptations into vile houses and places of wickednesse wherein they feed their corruptions and nothing else They say Give us this day our daily bread and yet use unwarrantable courses seeking to thrive by unlawfull meanes Beloved a man can coÌ„mit his soule with no more comfort to God than hee hath care to please him If a man knowes such a one hath his Evidences Leases and may hurt him when hee list how carefull will hee bee of provoking or giving offence to such a man Suppose wee knew a man that had the keeping of a Lyon or some cruell beast and could let it loose upon us at his pleasure would wee not speake such a one faire and give him as little cause of discontent as may bee Beloved God hath Dâ—vils and wicked men in a chaine and can if we offend him set loose all the powers of darknesse upon us he can make Conscience flie in our faces and cause us to despair and sinke All our evidence and assurances of 〈◊〉 are in Gods hands 〈◊〉 can bring us into a state â—ll of discomfort and misery and make
us in a maner to 〈◊〉 the very flashes and scorchings of hell it selfe Oh who would offend this God much lesse live in the practice of any sinne and yet think of committing their soules to him To incourage you the more to trust in God observe the constant course of his dealing towards you Lord thou hast beene my God from my â—outh saith David upon thee have I hâ—ng ever since I was tooke out of my mothers wombe for sake mee not in my gray baires when my strength faâ—leth mee c. We should gather upon God as it were froÌ„ former experience of his goodnesse and trust him for the time to come having formerly fouÌ„d him true Beloved it is good to lay up all the 〈◊〉 of Gods love we can that â—ee may trust him at the houre of â—ath for all our strength then will hee little enough to uphold our fanâ— whe many troubles shall meâ—â—e in one as it were in a Center â—hen a world of feares and distraâ—ions will seise upon our soules the guilt of sinne past thoughts of judgement to come for saking of our former lusts delights trouble of mind paine of body c. We have need of much acquaintance with God and assurance of his love at such a time Therefore let us learne daily to observe the experience of his goodnesse towards us how when wee have committed our selves to him in youth hee hath beene a God from time to time in such and such dangers to us Ancient Christians should bee the best Christians because they are inriched with most experiences It is a shame for ancient Christians to stagger when they yeeld up their â—oules to God as if they had not been acquainted with him heretofore You see how David pleads to God Thou hast redeemed me hee goes to former experience of his mercy therefore now into thy hands I commend my spirit in this extremity This Psalme is a practice of this precept here is the Precept Commit your soules to God as to a faithfull Creator here is the practice of David Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth c. Therefore I beseech you let us treasure up experience of Gods goodnesse that so when extremities shall come wee may goe boldly to him upon former acquaintance with his Majesty and being strengthened with former experience I beseech you let us labour to practise these and the like rules prescribed to incourage us in the performance of so necessary a duty But will not God keepe us without wee commit our selves unto him I answer God having indued us with understanding and grace will doe us good in the exercise of those powers and graces that hee hath given us hee will preserve us but wee must pray for it Christ himselfe must aske before hee can have Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance c. wee should therefore make it a continued act every day of our lives to commit all wee have to the Lords disposall and to that end observe how he dischargeth the trust committed to him upon all occasions how faithfull hee is in delivering his poore Church in greatest extremities and our selves also even in our worst times Thou never failest those that trust in thee saith David and How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God therefore the children of man shall trust under the shadow of thy wings Daily experience of Gods loving kindnesse will make us daily to trust under the shadow of his wings It should therefore bâ—e our continuall course to observe the goodnesse kindnesse faithfulnesse and other Attributes of GOD and often to support our soules with them Thinke I beseech you how hee numbers the very bones of men they are all written in his booke of Providence hee knowes every joynt every part which he hath made he knows his owne workmanship therefore wee may well commit our soules to him Doth God number our superfluities and not our naturall and essentiall partsâ— Even our very haires are numâ— bred our teares are taken notice of and put into his Bottle our steps are told our desires are knowne our groanes are not hidd we shall not lose a sigh for sinne so particular is Gods providence hee watcheth continually over us there is not any of our members but they are all written in his Booke so that bee will not suffer a bone to bee broken Wee should therefore daily resigne up our soules to his mercifull tuition and binde our selves to leade unblamable lives before him resolving against every sinfull course wherein we would be afraid to looke his Majesty in the face What a comfortable life were the life of Christians if they would exercise themselves to walke as in the presence of the Almighty This is that which the Scripture speakes of Enoch and the rest who are said to have walked with God that is to have committed themselves and their soules to him 〈…〉 faithfull Creator It may bee objected Here is a great deale of labour and striving against corruptions in deed may not a man walk with God without all this adoe we see wicked men that never commit their soules to Godâ— gâ—ow satt and lusty and have as good successe in the world as the strictest men that are I answer God many times preserves such wretches but alas that preservation is rather a reservation for a worse evill to come upon them There is a pit a digging for the wicked hee flourisheth and beares out all impudently under hope of successe Dâ—â— his 〈◊〉 is a making and his present prosperity will but aggravate his future misery Sometimes God preserves wicked men for other ends it may bee he hath some to come of their loynes who of wicked shall bee made good Againe God will bee in no mans debt those that are civilly good shall have civill prosperity as the Romans had they had a common wealth well governed and they prospered many yeares together as Chancer observes God preserves wicked men from many calamities hee gives them civill wisedome good carriage c. and answerable to those common gifts hee gives them preservation and protection c. but then there is vengeance on their soules the while Those that commit not themselves carefully and watchfully to GOD have dead secure soules without any life of grace or power of godlinesse in them I speake this to waking Christians that would know in what case they should live walking in the sense and assurance of Gods love they I say ought to practise this duty of committing the keeping of their soules to God in weldoing as to a faithfull Creator Neither is it so easie a matter to commit our soules to God as many fondly imagine it is not the mumbling over a few prayers saying Lord receive my soul c. wil serve the turn these are good words indeed and soone learned but