you could say in your on-sets upon duty as an holy one once did when he came off from duty Claudimini oculi mei claudimini c. be shut O my eyes be shut for it is impossible you should ever see such beauty and glory in any Creature as I have now seen in God You had need avoid all occasions of distraction from without for be sure you will meet enough from within intention of spirit in the work of God locks up the eve and eare against vanity When Marcellus entred the gates of Syracuse Archimides was so intent about his Mathematical Scheame that he took no notice of the Souldiers when they entred his very study with drawn swords a fervent cannot be a vagrant heart 3. Help Beg of God a mortisied fancy a working fancy saith one how much soever it be extold among men is a great snare to the Soul except it work in fellowship with right reason and a sanctified heart the phantasie is a power of the Soul placed between the senses and the understanding 't is that which first stirrs it self in the Soul and by iâ—s motion the other powers are stirred 't is the common shop where thoughts are first forged and framed and as this is so are they if imaginations be not first cast down 't is impossible that every thought of the heart should be brought into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. this fancy is naturally the wildest and most untameable power in the Soul Some Christians especially such as are of hot and dry constitutions have much to doe with it And truly the more spiritual the heart is the more 't is troubled about the vanity and wildness of it O what a sad thing it is that thy nobler Soul must lackey up and down after a vain roving fancy that such a begger should ride on horseback and such a Prince run after it on foot that it should call off the Soul from attendance upon God when it is most sweetly ingaged in Communion with him to prosecute such vanities as it will start at such times before it beg earnestly of God that the power of sanctâ—fication may once come upon it Some Christians have attained such a degree of Sanctification of their fancies that they have had mâ—ch sweetness left upon their hearts by the spiritual workings of it in the night season when thy fancy is more mortified thy thoughts will be more orderly and fixed 4. Help If thou wouldst keep thy heart from those vain excursions realize to thy self by faith the holy and awful presence of God in duties If the presence of a grave man will compose us to seriousness how much more the presence of an holy God thinkst thou thy Soul durst be so garish and light if the fence of a divine eye were upon it remember the place where thou art is the place of his feet Isai. 60 13. act faith upon the Omnisciency of God All the Churches shall know that I am hee that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and will give to every one of you according to your works Rev. 2. 23. all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Heb. 4. 12. realize his infinite holiness into what a serious composed frame did the sight of God in his holiness put the spirit of the Prophet Isai 6. 5. labour to get also upthy heart due apprehensions of the greatness of God such as Abraham had Gen. 18. 27. I that am but dust and ashes have taken upon me to speak to God And lastly remember the jealousie of God how tender he is over his worship Lev. 10. 3. And Moses said unto Aaron this is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come high me and before all the people I will be glorified A man that is praying saith Bernard should behave himself as if he were entring into the Court of Heaven where he sees the Lord upon his throne surrounded with ten thousand of his Angels and Saints ministring unto him When thou comest from a duty in which thy heart hath been toying and wandring thou mayest say verily God was in this place and I knew it not Suppose all the impertinencies and vaâ—ities which have past through thine heart in a duty were written out and interlined with thy petitions couldst thou have the face to present it to God should thy tongue but utter all the thoughts of thy heart in prayer would not men abhor thee why thy thoughts are vocal to God Psal. 139. 2. If thou wert petitioning the King for thy life would it not provoke him to see thee playing with thy bâ—ndstrings or catching every fly that lights upon thy cloaths whilst thou art speaking to him about such serious matters O think sadly upon that Scripture Psal. 87. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assemblies of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him Why did God descend in thundrings and lightnings and dark clouds upon Sinai Exo. 19. 16 18. Why did the mountains smoke under him the people quake and tremble round about him yea Moses himself not exempted but to teach the people that great truth Heb. 12. 28. 29. Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire present God thus before thee and thy vain heart will quikly be reduced to a more serious frame 5. Help Maintain a praying frame of heart in the intervals of duty What is the reason our hearts are so dull careless and wandring when we come to hear or pray but because there have been such long intermissions in our communion with God by reason whereof the heart is out of a praying frame if that spiritual warmth those holy impressions we carry from God in one duty were but preserved to kindle another duty it would be of marvellous advantage to keep the heart intent and serious with God To this purpose those intermediate ejaculations betwixt stated and solemn duties are of most sweet and excellent use by these one duty is as it were linked to another and so the Soul as it were wraps up it self in a chain of duties That Christian seldome misses his mark in solemn duty that shoots up many of these darts in the intervals of duty 't is an excellent commendation Christ bestows upon the spouse Cant. 4. 11. Thy lips O my spouse drop as the hony combe upon which text one gives this sweet note the hony comb drops actually but sometimes but it always hangs full of sweet drops ready to fall if our ejaculations were more our lamentations upon this account would be fewer 6. Help Endeavour to ingage and raise thy affections to God in duty if thou wouldst have thy distractions cured A dropping eye and a melting heart are seldom troubled as others upon this account When the Soul is intent about any work it gathers in its strength and
the view of the world 2. Why I direct it particularly to you First for the publication of it take this sincere and brief account that as I was led to this subject by a special providence so to the publication of it by a kind of necessity the providence at first leading me to it was this A dear and choyce friend of my intimate acquaintance being under much inward trouble upon the account of some special heart disorder opened the case to me and earnestly requested some rules and helps in that particular whilst I was bending my thoughts to that special case divers other cases of like importance some of which were dependent upon that under consideration occurred to my thoughts and this scripture which I have insisted upon presented it self asa fit foundation for the whole discourse which being lengthned out to what you see divers friends requested me to transcribe for their use divers of the cases here handled and some others begd me to publish the whole to which I was in a manner necessitated to save the pains of transcribing which to me is a very tedious and tiresome work and just as I had almost finished the copy an opportunity presented and that somewhat strangely to make it publick So that from first to last I have been carried beyond my first intentions in this thing Ob. If any say the world is even cloyed with books and therefore though the discourse be necessary yet the publication is needless Sol. 1. I answer there are multitudes of books indeed and of them many concern not themselves about root truths and practical godliness but spend their strength upon impracticable notions and frivolous controversies many also strike at root truths and endeavour to undermine the power of godliness and some there are that nourish the root and tend to clear and confirm to prepare and apply the geart truths of the gospel that they may be bread for souls to live and feed on now though I could wish that those that have handled the pen of the scribe had better imployed their time and pains then to obtrude such useless discourses upon the world yet for books of the latter rank I say that when husbandmen complain of too much corn let Christians complain of too many such books 2. And if you be so highly conceited of your own furniture and ability that such books are needless to you if you let them alone they will doe you no hurt and other poor hungry souls will be glad of them and bless God for what you despise and leave Ob. If it be said that several of the cases here handled touch not your condition I answer Sol. 1. That which is not your condition may be anothers condition If you be placed in an easie full and prosperous state and so have no need of the helps here offered to support your heart under pinching wants others are forced to live by faith for every daies provision If you be dandled upon the knee of providence some of your Brethren are under its feat If you have inward peace and tranquility of Spirit and so need not the Councels here given to ward off those desperate conclusions that poor afflicted souls are ready to draw upon themselves at such a time yet it may be a word in season to them and they may say as David to Abigail blessed be thou of the Lord and blessed be thy advice 2. That may be your condition shortly which is not your condition for present say not thy Mountain stands strong thou shalt never be moved there are changes in the right hand of the most High and then those truths which are little more esteemed than Hedge fruits will be as Aples of Gold in Pictures of Silver In Jer. 10. 11. The Prophet there teaches the Jews who then divelt in their own Houses how to defend their Religion in Babylon and what they should say to the Caldeans there and therefore that verse is written in Caldee So much for the reasons of its Publication Next for the Dedication of it to you I was induced thereto by the Consideration 1. Of the relation I have to you above all the people in the world I look upon my gifts as yours my time as yours and all the Talents I am entrusted with as yours It is not with you as with a woman whose Husband is dead and so is freed from the Law of her Husband the relation still continues and so do all the mutual duties of it 2. By the consideration of my necessitated absence from you I would not that personal absence should by insensible degrees untwist as usually it doth the cord of friendship and therefore have endeavoured as absent friends use to do to preserve and strengthen it by this small remembrance It was Vespatian's answer to Apollonius when be desired access for two Philosophers My Doors said Vespatian are alwaies open to Philosophers but my very Breast is open to thee I cannot say with him my Doors are open for the free access of friends being by a sad Providence shut against my self But this I can say my very breast is still open to you you are as dear to me as ever 3. Another inducement and indeed the main was the perpetual usefulness and necessity of these truths for you which you will have continual need of and I know few of you have such happy memories to retain and I cannot be alwaies with you to inculcate these things but litera scripta manet I was willing to leave this with you as a Legacy as a testimony of sincere love for and care over you This may councel and direct you when I cannot I may be rendred useless to you by a civil or natural Death but this will out live me and Oh that it may serve your souls when I am silent in the Dust To hasten now to a conclusion I have only these three requests to you which I carnestly beseech you not to deny me Yea I charge you as ever you hope to appear with comfort before the great Shepherd do not dare to slight these requests 1. Above all other studies in the world study your own hearts waste not a minute more of your precious time about frivolous and sapless controversies it is repoted even of Bellarmine how truely I examine not quod à studiis scholasticae theologiae averteretur ferè nauseabundus quoniam succo carebant liquidae pietatis i. e. â—e turned with loathing from the study of School Divinity because it wanted the sweet juice of piety I had rather it should be said of you as one said of Swinckfeedius He wanted a regular head but not an honest heart then that you should have regular heads and irregular hearts My dear Flock I have according to the grace given me laboured in the course of my ministry among you to feed you with the heart strengthening bread of practical doctrine and I do assure you it is far better you should
thus they shall work for him could you I say but diâ—cern the admirable harmony of divine dispensations their mutual relations to each other together with the general respect and influence they all have into the last end of all the conditions in the world you would chuse that you are now in had you liberty to make your own choice Providence is like a curious piece of Arras made up of a thousand shreds which single we know not what to make of but put together and sticht up orderly they represent a beautiful history to the eye as God works all things according to the counsel of his own will So that counsel of God hath ordained this as the best way to bring about thy salvation such a one hath a proud heart so many humbling providences I appoint for him such a one an earthly heart so many impoverishing providences fâ—r him Did you but see this I need say no more to support the most dâ—â—â—cted 〈◊〉 8. Help Fâ—rther it would much conduce to the seâ—â—lement of your hearts to consider that by fretting and disconteâ—t you do your selves more injury than all the afflictions you lye under could doe Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting 't is you that make your burthen heavy by strugling under it could you but lye quâ—et under the hand of God your condition would be much easier and sweeter than it is impatiens aegrotus crudelem facit Medicum This makes God lay on more strokes as a Father will upon a stubborn child that receives not correctioâ— Besides it unfiâ—s the Soul to pray over its troubles or take in the sence of that good which God intends by them â—ffliction is a pill which being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission may be easily swallowed but discontent chews the pill and so imbitters the Soul God throws away some comfort which he saw would hurt you and you will throw away your peace alter it he shoots an arrow which sticks in your cloaths and was never intended to hurt but only to fright you from sin and you will thrust it onward â—o the piercing of your very hearts by despondency and discontent 9. Help Lastly it all this will not do but thy heart like Rachel still refuses to be comforted or quieâ—ed then consider one thing mâ—re which if seriously pondered will doubtless do the work and that is this compare the condition thou art now in and art so much dissatisfied with with that condition others are and thy self deservest to be in Othâ—rs are roaring in flames howling under the scourge of vengeance and amongst them I deserve to be O my Soul is this hell is my condition as bad as the damned O what would thousands now in Hell give to change conditions with me It is a famous instance which Doctor Tayler gives us of the Duke of Condey I have read saith he that when the Duke of Condey had entred voluntarily into the incâ—mmoditiâ—s of a religious poverty he was one day espied and pityed by a Lord of Italy who out of tenderness wished him to be more careful and nutritive of his person the good Duke answered Sir be not troubled and think not that I am ill provided of conveniences for I send an harbinger before me who makes ready my lodgings and takes care that I be royally entertained The Lord asked him who was his harbinger he answered the knowledge of my self and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins which is eternal torments and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging how unprovided soever I find it me thinks it is ever better then I deserve Why doth the living man complain and thus thâ— heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity 3. Season The third Season calling for more than ordinary dilligence to keep the heart is the time of Sions trouble when the Church like the ship in which Christ and his disciples were is oppressed and ready to perish in the waves of persecution then good Souls are ready to sink and be shipwrackt too upon the billows of their own fear I confess most men rather need the spur than the reyns in this case and yet some sit down as overweighed with the sence of the Churches troubles the loss of the Ark cost old Eli his liâ—e the sad posture Ierusalem lay in made good Nehemiahs countenance chang in the midst of all the pleasures and accommodations of the Court Neh. 2. 2. ah this goes close to honest hearts But though God allow yea command the most awakened apprehensions of these calamities and in such a day call to mourning weeping and girding with sackloth Isa. 22. 12. and severely threatens the insensible Amos 6. 1. yet it will not please him to see you sit like pensive Elijah under the Juniper trâ—e 1 Kiâ—g 19. 4. Ah Lord God! it is enough take away my life also no mourners in Sion you may and ought to be but self tormentors you must not be complain to God you may but to complain of God though but by an unsuitable carriage and the language of your actions you must not 3. Case The third Case that comes next to be spoken to is this How publick and tender hearts may be relieved and supported when they are even overweighed with the burdensom sence of Sions troubles I grant it is hard for him that preferreth Sion to his chief joy to keep his heart that it sink not below the due sence of its troubles and yet this ought and may be done by the use of such heart establishing directions as these 1. Direct Settle this great truth in your hearts that no trouble befalls Sion but by the permission of Sions God and he permits nothing out of which he will not bring much good at last to his people There is as truly a principle of quietness in the permitting as in the commanding will of God See it in David 2 Sam. 16. 10. let him alone it may be God hath bidden him and in Christ John 19. 11. thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above it should much calm our spirits that it is the will of God to suffer it and had not he suffered it it could never have been as it is This very consideration quieted Iob Eli David Hezekiah that the Lord did it was enough to them and why should it not be so to us if the Lord will have Sion plowed as a field and her goodly stones lye in the dust if it be his pleasure that Antichrist shall rage yet longer and wear out the Saints of the most high if it be his will that a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts shall be upon the valley of vision that the wicked shall devour the man that is more righteous than he what are we that we should contest with God fit it is that we should be resigned up
him World take him Devil for your own I have no delight in him O who dare draw back when God hath hedged up the way with such terrible threats as these Quest. 8. Can I look Christ in the face at the Day of Iudgment if I desert him now He that is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. Yet a little while and you shall see the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with Pâ—wer and great Glory the last Trump shall sound the dead both small and great even all that sleep in the dust shall awake and come before that great white Throne on which Christ shall sit in that day And now do but imagine thou saw'st the trembling knees and quivering lips of guilty sinners imagine thou heardest the dreadful sentence of the Judge upon them Go ye cursed c. and then a cry the weeping wailing and wringing of hands that there shall be wouldst thou desert Christ now to protract a poor miserable life on earth If the word of God be true if the sayings oâ— Christ be 〈◊〉 and â—aithful this shall be the portion of the Apostaâ—e 'T is an easie thing to stop the mouth of Conscience now but wilâ— it be easâ—â— to stop the mouth of the Judge then Thus keep thy heart that it depart not from the living God Seas 12. The twelfth season of looking diligently to our hearts and keeping them with greatest care is the time of sickness When a Child of God dâ—aws â—nigh to eternity when there are but a few sands more in the upper part of his Glass to run down Now Satan busily bestitâ—s himself of him it may be said as of the natural Serpent nunquaem nisi moriens producitur in longum he is never seen at his full length till dying and now his great designe since he cannot win the soul from God is to discourage and make it unwilling to go to God though the gracious soul with Iacob should then rouse up its self upon a dying bed and rejoyce that the marriage day of the Lamb is now almost come though it should then say with dying Austen Vivere renuo ut Christovivam I despise life to be with Christ. Or as dying Milius when one asked him whether he were willing to dye O said he Iâ—â—ius est nolle mori qui nolit ire ad Christum let him be unwilling to dye who is unwilling to go to Christ. But O! what shrinking from death What loathness to depart may sometimes indeed too frequently be observed in the people of God How loath are some of them to take Death by the cold hand If such a liberty were indulged to us not to be dissolved till we dissolve our selves when should we say with S. Paul I desire to be dissolved Well then the last Case shall be this Case 12. How the people of God in times of sickness may get their hearts loose from all earthly ingagements and perswade them into a willingness to dye And there are seven arguments which I shall urge upon the people of God at such a time as this to make them cheerfully entertain the messengers of death and dye as well as live like Saints and the first is this 1. Argu. First the harmlesness of death to the people of God Tâ—ough it keep its dart it hath lost its sting a Saint to allude to that Isai. 11. 8. May play upon the hole of this aspe and put his hand into the Cockatrices den Death is the Cockatrice or Aspe the grave is his hole or den a Saint need not fear to put his hand boldly into it it hath left and lost its sting in the sides of Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting why art thou afraid O Saint that this sickness may be thy death as long as thou knowest that the death of Christ is the death of death indeed if thou didst dye in thy sins as Ioh. 8. 21. If death as a King did reign over thee Rom. 5. 14. if it could â—eed upon thee as the Lyon doth upon the prey he hath taken as Psal. 49. 14. If hell followed the pale horse as it is Rev. 6. 8. Then thou mightest well startle and shrink back from it but when God hath put away thy sins from thee as far as the East is from the West Psal. 103. 12. As long as there is no other evil left in death for thee to encounter with but bodily pain as long as the Scriptures represent it to thee under such harmless and easy notions as the putting off thy cloaths 2 Cor. 5. 2. And lying down to sleep upon thy bed Isai. 57. 2. Why shouldest thou be afraid there is as much difference betwixt death to the people of God and others as betwixt the Unicorns horn when it is upon the head of that fierce beast and when it is in the Apothecaries shops where it is made salubrious and medicinal 2. Arg. Thy heart may he kept from shrinking back at such a time as this by considering the necessity of death in order to the full fruition of God Wheâ—her thou art willing to dye or no I assure thee there is no other way to obtain the full satisfaction of thy Soul and compleat its happiness till the hand of death do thee the kind offiâ—e to draw aside the curtain of flesh thy Soul cannot see God this animal life stanâ—s betwixt him and thee 2 Cor. 5. 6. Whilest we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. Thy body must be refined and cast into a new mould else that new wine of heavenly glory would break it Paul in his highest rapture 2 Cor. 12. 4. when he heard things unutterable was then but as a stander by a looker on not admitted into the company as one of them but as the Angels are in our assemblies so was Paul in that glorious assembly above and no otherwise and yet even for this he must as it were be taken out of the body uncloathed for a little time to have a glimpse of that glory and then put on his cloathes again O then Who would not be willing to dye for a full sight and enjoyment of God Methinks thy soul should look and sigh like a Prisoner through the Grates of this Mortality O that I had wings like a Dove then would I fly away and be at rest Most men need patience to dye but a Saint that understands what death admits him to should rather need patience to live methinks he should often look out and listen on a death-bed for his Lords coming and when he receives the news of his approaching change should say The voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping over the Mountains skipping over the Hills Cant. 2. 8. Arg. 3. Another Argument perswading to
pleasant and prosperous Condition few yea very few of those that live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition Matth. 19. 24. 't is easier saith Christ for a Cameâ— to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and security in a prosperous state Heaven and 1 Cor. 1. 26. not many mighty not many noble are called It might justly make us tremble when the Scripture tells us in general that few shall be saved much more when it tells us that of that rank and sort of which we are but few shall be saved When Ioshuah called all the Tribes of Israel to lot upon them for the discovery of Achan doubtless Achan feared when the Tribe of Iudah was taken his fear increased but when the family of the Zarhites was taken it was time then to tremble So when the Scripture comes so near us as to tell us that of such a sort of men very few shall escape 't is time to look about miror sâ— potest servari ali quis rectorum saith Chrisostome I should wonder if any of the Rulers be saved Oh how many have been Coached to Hell in the Chariots of earthly pleasures whilest others have been whipt to Heaven by the rod of affliction How few like the daughter of Tyre come to Christ with a gift how few among the rich intreat his favour 2. It may yet keep us more humble and watchful in prosperity if we consider that among Christians many have been much the worsâ—for it How good had it been â—ot some of them if they had never known prosperity when they were in a low condition how humble spiritual and heavenly were they but when advanced what an apparent alteration hath been upon their spirits 't was so with Israel when they were in a low condition in the Wilderness then Israel was Holiness to the Lord Ier. 2. 23. but when they came into Canaan and were fed in a fat pasture then We are Lords we will come no more unto thee ver 31. outward gains are ordinarily attended with inward losses as in a low condition their civil imployments were wonâ— to have a tang and savour of their duties so in an exalted condition their Duties commonly have a tang of the World He indeed is rich in Grace whose Graces are not hindred by his Riches there are but few Iehosaphats in the World of whom it s said 2 Chron. 17. 5 6. He had silver and gold in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the way of Gods commands Will not this keep thy Heart humble in prosperity to think how dear many godly men have paid for their Riches that through them they have lost that which all the World cannot purchase Then in the next place 3. Kâ—ep down thy vain heart by this Consideration That God values no man a jot the more for these things God vaâ—ues no man by outward excellencies but by inward Graces they are the internal ornaments of the Spirit which are of great price in Gods eyes 1 Pet. 3. 4 he despises all worldly glory and accepts no mans person but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Acts 1O 35. Indeed if the Judgment of God went by the same rule that mans doth we might value our selves by these things and stand upon them but as one said when dying I shall not appear before God as a Doctor but as a man tantus quisquis est quantus est apud Deum So much every man is and no more as he is in the judgement of God Doth thy heart yet swell and will neither of the former considerations keep it humble 4. Then Fourthly Consider how bitterly many persons have bewailed their folly when they came to dye that ever they set their hearts upon these things and heartily wish that they had never known them What a sad story was that of Pius Quintus who dying cryed out despairingly when I was in a low condition I had some hopes of Salvation but when I was advanced to be a Cardinal I greatly doubted it but since I came to the Popedome I have no hope at all Mr. Spencer also tells us a real but sad story of a rich oppressour who had sâ—taped up a great estate for his only Son when he came to dye he called his Son to him and said Son do you indeed love me the Son answered That nature besides his paternal indulgence obliged him to that then said the Father express it by this hold thy finger in the Candle as long as I am saying a Pater noster the Son attempted but could not endure it upon that the Father brake out into these expressions Thou canst not suffer the burning of thy finger for me but to get this wealth I have hazarded my soul for thee and must burn body and soul in Hell for thy sake thy pains would have been but for a moment but mine will be unquenchable fire 5. The Heart may be kept humble by considering of what a clogging nature earthly things are to a soul heartily engaged in the way to Heaven they shut out much of Heaven from us at present though they may not shut us out of Heaven at last If thou consider thy self under the notion of a stranger in this world traveling for Heaven and seeking a better Country thou hast then as much reason to be taken and delighted with these things as a weary Horse hath with a heavy Cloakbag there was a serious truth in that Atheistical scoff of Iulian when he took away the Christians estates and told them it was to make them fitter for the Kingdome of Heaven 6. Is thy Spirit for all this flatulent and lofty then urge upon it the consideration of that awful day of reckoning wherein according to our receipts of Mercies shall be our accompts for them And methinks this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast of a Saint Know for certain that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave thee from the beginning to the end of thy life Micah 6. 5. Remember O my people from Shittim unto Gilgal c. Yea they are exactly numbred and recorded in order to an account and thy account will be suitable Luke 12. 48. To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required You are but Stewards and your Lord will come to take an account of you and what a great account have you to make who have much of this world in your hands what swift witnesses will your mercies be against you if this be the best fruit of them 7. It is a very humbling consideration That the Mercies of God should work otherwise upon my Spirits than they use to do upon the Spirits of others to whom they come as sanctified Mercies from the love of God Ah Lord what a sad consideration is this enough to lay me in the dust
when I consider 1 that their mercies have greatly humbled them the higher God hath raised them the lower they have laid themselves before God Thus did Iacob when God had given him much substance Gen. 32. 5 10 And Iacob said I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant for with my staff 〈◊〉 passed over this Iordan and now am become two Bands And thus it was with holy David 2 Sam. 7. 18. When God had confirmed the Promise to him to build him an house and not reject him as he did Saul he goes in before the Lord and saith who am I and what is my Fathers house that than hast brought me hitherto and so indeed God required Deut. 26. 5. when Israel was to bring to God the first fruits of Canaan they were to say A Syrian ready to perish was my father c. Do others raise God the higher for raising them and the more God raises me the more shall I abuse him and exalt my self Oh what a sad thing is this 2 others have freely ascribed the glory of all their injoyments to God and magnified not themselves but him for their mercies So David 2 Sam. 26. 26. Let thy name be magnified and the house of thy servant be established He doth not fly upon the mercy and suck out the sweetness of it looking no farther than his own comfort no he cares for no mercy except God be magnified in it So Psal. 18. 2. when God had delivered him from all his enemies the Lord saith he is my strength and my rock he is become my salvation They did not put the Crown upon their own heads as I do 3 The mercies of God have been melting mercies unto others melting their Souls in love to the God of their mercies So Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 1. when she received the mercy of a Son my soul saith she rejoyceth in the Lord not in the mercy but in the God of the mercy And so Mary Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnify the Lord my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour the word signifies to make more room for God Their hearts were not contracted but the more inlarged to God 4 the mercies of God have been mighâ—y restraints to keep others from sin So Ezra 9. 13. Seeing thou our God hast given us such a deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments ingenious Souls have felt the force of the obligations of love and mercy upon them 5 to conclude the mercies of God to others have been as oyle to the wheels of their obedience and made them fitter for service 2 Chro. 17. 5. Now if mercies work contrarily upon my heart what cause have I to be afraid that they come not to me in love I tell you this is enough to damp the Spirit of any Saint to see what sweet effects they have had on others and what sad effects on him 2. Season The second special Season in the life of a Christian requiring more than a common diligence to keep his heart is the time of adversity when providence frowns upon you and blasts your outward comforts then look to your hearts keep them with all diligence from repining against God or fainting under his hand for troubles though sanctified are troubles still even sweet bryar and holy thistle have their prickeles Ionah was a good man and yet how pettish was his heart under affliction Iob was the Mirrour of patience yet how was his heart discomposed by trouble you will find it as hard to get a composed spirit under great afflictions as it is to fix Quicksilver Oh the hurries and tumults which they occasion even in the best hearts well then the second Case will be this 2. Case How a Christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining or desponding under the hand of God Now there are nine special helps I shall here offer to keep thy heart in this condition and the first shall be this To work upon your hearts this great truth 1. That by these cross Providences God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love upon the Souls of his people and orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end Afflictions fall not out by Casualty but by Counsel Iob 5. 6. Eph. 1. 11. by this Counsel of God they are ordained as means of much spiritual good to Saints Isai. 27 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged c. Heb. 12. 10. But he for our profit c. Rom. 8. 28. all things work together for good they are Gods workmen upon our hearts to pull down the pride and carnal security of them and being so their nature is changed they are turnâ—d into blessiâ—gs and benefits Psal. 119 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted And sure then thou hast no reason to quarrel with but rather to admire that God should concern himself so much in thy good to use any means for the accomplishing of it Philip. 3. 11. Paul could bless God if by any means he might attain the resurrection of the dead my brethren saith Iames count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations 1 Iam. 2. 3. My father is about a design of love upon my soul and do I well to be angry with him all that he doth is in pursuance of and reference to some eternal glorious ends upon my Soul O 't is my ignorance of Gods design that makes me quarrel with him he saith to thee in this case as to Peter What I do thou knowest not now but hereafter thou shalt know it 2. Help Though God hath reserved to himself a liberty of afflicting his people yet he hath tyed up his own hands by promise never to take away his loving kindness from them Can I look that Scripture in the face with a repining diâ—contented spirit 2 Sam. 7. 14. I will be his father and he shall be my Son if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men nevertheless my mercy shall not depart away from him O my heart my naughty heâ—rt dost thou well to be discontented when God hath given thee the whole tree with all the clusters of comfort growing on it because he suffers the wind to blow down a few leaves Christians have two sorts of goods the goods of the throne and the goods of the foot stoole moveables and immoveables if God have secured these never let my heart be troubled at the loss of those indeed iâ— he had cut off his love or discovenanted my Soul I had reason to be cast down but this he hath not he cannot do 3. Help It is of marvellous efficacy to keep the heart from sinking under affliction to call to mind that thine own father hath the ordering of them not a Creature moves hand or tongue against thee but by his permission Suppose the cup be a