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
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
condition is not singular though you have hitherto been strangers to wants other Saints have daily conversed and been familiarly acquainted with them Hear what blessed Paul speaks not of himself only but in the names of other Saints reduced to like exigencies I Cor. 4. 11. Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and buffetted and have no certain dwelling place To see such a man as Paul going up and down the World with a naked back and empty belly and not a house to put his head in one that was so far above thee in Grace and Holiness one that did more service for God in a day than perhaps thou hast done him all thy dayes and yet thou repine as if hardly dealt with Have you forgot what necessities and straits even a David hath suffered how great were his straits and necessities I Sam. 25. 8. Give I pray thee saith he to Nabal whatsoever cometh to thy hand to thy Servants and to thy Son David Renowned Musculus was forced to dig in the Town-ditch for a maintenance Famous Ainsworth as I have been credibly informed forced to sell the bed he lay on to buy bread But what speak I of these behold a greater than any of them even the Son of God who is the heir of all things and by whom the worlds were made yet sometime would have been glad of any thing having nothing to eat Mark 11. 12. And on the morrow when they were come from Bethany he was hungry and seeing a Fig-tree a far off having leavs he came if happily he might find any thing thereon Well then Hereby God hath set no mark of hatred upon you neither can you infer the want of love from the want of bread When thy repining heart puts the question was there ever any sorrow like unto mine Ask these Woâ—thies and they will tell thee though they did not complain and fret as thou dost yet they were driven to as great straits as thou art 2. Consid. If God leave you not in this necessitous condition without a promise you have no reason to repine or despond under it That is a sad condition indeed to which no promise belongs I remember Mr. Calvin upon those words Isa. 9. 1. Nevertheless the dimnesse shall not be such as was in her vexation c. Salves the doubt in what sense the darkness of the Captivity was not so great as the lesser incursions made by Tiglath Pileser In the Captivity the City was destroyed and the Temple burnt with fire there was no comparison in the affliction but yet the darkness should not be such and the reason saith he is this huic certam promissionem esse additam cum in prioribus nulla esset â— e. there was a certain promise made to this but none to the other 'T is better be as low as Hell with a Promâ—se than in Paradise without one Even the darkness of Hell it self would be comparatively no darkness at all were there but a promise to enlighten it Now God hath left many sweet Promises for the faith of his poor people to feed on in this condition such are these Psalm 34. 9. 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them thaâ— fear him the Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psalm 33. 18 19. The eye of the Loâ—d is upon the righteous to keep them alive in famine Psalm 84. 11. Nâ— good â—hing will be with-hold fâ—om them that walk uprâ—ghtly Râ—m 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Isa. 41. 17. when the poor and the needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them Here you see first their extream wants water being put even for the necessaries of life 2 their certain relief I the Lord will hear them in which it is supposed that they cry unto him in their straits and he hears their cry Having therefore these Promises why should not your distrustful hearts conclude like Davids Psalm 23. 1. The Lord is my shephered I shall not want Object But these Promises imply conditions if they were absolute they would afford more satisfaction Sol. What are those tacite conditions you speak of but these 1 That either he will supply or sanctifie your wants 2 That you shall have so much as God sees fit for you and doth this trouble you would you have the mercy whether sanctified or no whether God sees it fit for you or no Methinks the appetites of Saints after earthly things should not be so ravenous to seize greedily upon any enjoyment not careing how they have it But Oh when wants pinch and we see not whence supplies should come then our faith in the promise shakes and we like murmuring Israel cry He gave bread can he give water also O unbelieving hearts when did his promise fail who ever trusted them and was ashamed may not God upbraid thee with thine unreasonable infidelity as Ier. 2. 31. Have I been a wilderness unto you c. or as Christ said to the Disciples Since I was with you lacked ye any thing Yea may you not upbraid your selves may you not say with good old Polycarp thus many years I have served Christ and found him a good Master indeed he may deny what your wantonness but not wâ—at your real wants call for he will not regard the cry of your lusts nor yet despise the cry of your faith though he will not indulge and humâ—ur your wanton appetites yet he will not violate his own faithful promises Tâ—ese Prâ—mises are your best security for eternal life and 't is strange it they should not satisfie you for daily bread remember ye the words of the Lord and solace your hearts with them amidst all your wanâ—s 'T is said of Epicurus that in the dreadful fiâ—s of the Collick he often refreshed himself oâ— memoriam inventorum by calling to mind his inventions in Philosophy and of Possidonius the Philosopher that in a great fit of the stone he sollaced himself with discourses of moral Vertue and when the pain twinged him he would say nihilagis dolor quamvis sis molestus nunquam confitâ—bor te esse malum O pain thou dost nothing though thou art a little troublâ—som I will never confess thâ—e to be evil If upon such grounds as these they could support themselves under such grinding and racking pains and even delude their diseases by them how much rather should the precious promiâ—es of God and the sweet Experiences which have gone along step by step with them make you to forget all your wants and comfort you over every strait 3. Consid. If it be bad now it might have been worse hath God denyed thee the comforts of this life he
the God of love 4 To mention no more itâ— disparages the Christian Religion How would Plato and Pythagor as shame us if they were now living Christ was as a lamb for meekness and doth it become his followers to be like Lyons O keep your hearts or you will at once lose not only your own peace but the câ—edit of religion 4. Mea. Consider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian to conquer his corruâ—tions and carry away the spoils of them He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City Prov. 16. 32. Is there any content inventing a passion how much more in mortifying it when thou comest in a calm mood or upon a death-bed to review thy life how comfortable then will it be to reflect upon the conquests thou hast got by the fear of God over the evil propensions of thine own heart 't was a memorable saying of Valentinian the Emperour when he came to dye among all my Conquests said he there is but one that now comforts me and being asked what that was he answered I have overcome my worst enemy mine own naughty heart 5. Mea. Shame your selves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness Aboâ—â— all compare your spirits with the spâ—rit of Christ Learn of me saith he for I am meek and lowly Matth. 11. 29. Christ was meek and lowly but I am proud and passionate it was the high commendation of Moses Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was meek above all the men of the earth and this was the man that knew God face to face 'T is said of Calvin and Vrsin that they both were of cholerick natures but yet had so learned the meekness of Christ as not to utter one word under the greatest provocation unbeseeming Religion When I read the pretty stories of the very Heathens that never had the advantages we have how the Pythagorians what ever fewds had been among them in the day would hush all by sending to each other this message the Sun is almost set and that of Plato to his Scholar I would beat thee if I were not angry When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus shewed to an insolent fellow that had struck out one of his eyes I am ashamed to see how much Christians are out shot by Heathens who by meer moral arguments and precepts had thus meekned their Spirits and conquered their passions the dim light of nature could teach saneca to say that anger will hurt a man more than the offence for there is a certain bound in the offence but I know not how far mine anger will carry me 'T is a shame that these men who come so far behind us in means and advantages should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience Means 6. Lastly Avoid all irritating occasions He that will not hear the Clapper must not pull the Rope grievous words stir up anger saith Solomon Prov. 15. 1. Do not only pray and resolve against it but get as far as you can out of the way of it 't is true Spiritual Valour to run as fast and as far as we can out of sins way if you can but avoid anger in its first rise there is no great fear of it afterwards for it is noâ— with this sin as it is with other sins other sins grow to their full strength by degrees their first motions are the weakest but this sin is born in its full strength 't is strongest at firâ—t withstand it then and it falls before you Thus learn to keep your hearâ—s when provocations arise Season 9. The ninth Season of exerting our greatest diligence is the Crittical hour of temptation wherein Satan layes close Siege to the Fort-Royal of a Christians heart and often surprizes it for want of watchfulness to keep thy heart now is no less a Mercy than a Duty few Christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies and retorting the arguments by which Satan uses to draw them to sin as to come off safe in those encounters Watch and Pray saith our Lord lest ye enter into temptation Mark 14. 38. Even an emineâ—t David and a wise Solomoâ— have smarted for their carelesness at such a time as this The ninth Case therefore shall be this Case 9. How a Christian when strongly sollicited by the Devil to sin may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation Now there are six special Arguments by which Satan subtilly insinuates and winds in the temptation in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart and the first is this Arg. 1. The first Argument is drawn from the pleasure of sin O saith Satan here is pleasure to be enjoyed the temptation comes with a smiling countenance and charming Voice What art thou so flegmatick and dull a soul as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure who can with-hold himself from such delights Now thine heart may be kept from the danger of this temptation by retorting this Argument of pleasure upon the Tempter which is done two waies 1. Thou tellest me Satan that sin is pleasant be it so but are the gripes of Conscience and the flames of Hell so too Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and throbs of Conscience if so Why did Peter weep so bitterly Matth. 26. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones Psal. 51. I hear what thou sayest of the pleasure of sin and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of sin in his Psalm to bring to remembrance Psal. 38. verse 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy Hand presseth me sore ver 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin verse 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me verse 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness verse 6. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long verse 7. My loyns are filled with a loathsom Disease and there is no soundness in my flesh Verse 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Here I see the true face of sin if I yield to thy temptation I must either feel these pangs of Conscience or the flames of Hell 2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of sin when by experience I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification than can be in the commission of sin O how sweet is it to please God to obey Conscience to preserve inward Peace to be able to say in this tryal I have discâ—vered the sincerity of my heart now I know I fear the Lord now I see that I truly hate sin Hath â—in any such delight as this this will choak that temptation Arg. 2. The second Argument
which the grounds of doubting our sincerity may be reduced 1 Gods carriage towards the Soul either in the time of some extraordinary affliction or of some long and sad desertion Or 2 The souls carriage towards God And here it usually argues against the truth of its own graces either 1 From its relapses into the same sins from which it hath formerly risen with shame and sorrow Or 2 From the sensible declining of its affections from God Or 3 From the excess of the affections towards creature-comforts and enjoyments Or 4 From its enlargements in publick and often straitnings in private Duties Or 5 From some horrid injections of Satan with which the soul is greatly perplexed Or Lastly From Gods silence and seeming denial of its long depending Suits and Prayers These are the common grounds of those sad conclusions Now in order to the establishment and support of the heart in this condition it will be necessary 1. That you be acquainted with some general Truths which have a tendency to the settlement of a trembling and doubting Soul 2. That you be rightly instructed about the forementioned Particulars which are the grounds of your doubting The general truths requisite for poor doubting souls to be acquainted with are these 1. That every working and appearance of hypocrisie doth not presently prove the person in whom it is to be an hypocrite You must carefully distinguish between the presence and predominancy of hypocrisie there are remains of deceitfulness in the best hearts David and Peter had sad experience of it yet the standing frame and general bent of the heart being upright it did not denominate them hypocrites 2. That we ought as well to hear what can be said for us as against us It is the sin of upright hearts sometimes to use an over rigid and merciless severity against themselves they do not indifferently consider the case of their own souls it is in this case as Solomon speaks in another Prov. 13. 7. There is that maketh himself rich and yet hath nothing and there is that maketh himself poor and yet hath great riches 'T is the damning sin of the self flattering hypocrite to make his condition better then 't is and it is the sin and folly of some upright ones to make their condition worse then indeed it is Why should you be such enemies to your own peace to read over the evidences of Gods love to your Souls as a man doth a book which he intends to confute why doe you study to find evasions to turn off those comforts which are due to you 't is said of Ioseph that he was minded to put away his espoused Mary not knowing that that holy thing which was conceived in her was by the holy ghost and this may be your case A third truth is this 3. That many a Saint hath charged and condemned himself for that which God will never charge him with nor condemn him for Why hast thou hardned our heart from thy fear saith the Church Isai. 63. 17. and yet the verse before manifests that their hearts were not so hardned godly Bradford wrote himself an hypocrite a painted sepulchre yet doubtless God acquitted him of that charge 4. Every thing which is a ground of grief to the people of God is not a sufficient ground of questioning their sincerity There are many more things to trouble you then there are to stumble you if upon every slip and failing through infirmity you should question all that ever was wrought upon you your life must be made up of doubtings and fears you can never attain a setled peace nor live that life of praise and thankfulness the gospel calls for 5. The Soul is not at all times fit to pass judgment upon its own condition To be sure in the dark day of desertion when the Soul is benighted and in the stormy day of temptation when the Soul is in a hurry 't is utterly unfit to judge its estate examine your hearts upon your beds and be still Psal. 4. This is rather a season for watching and resisting then for judging and determining 6. That every breach of peace with God is not a breach of Covenant with God The wife hath many weaknesses and failings often grieves and displeases her husband yet in the main is faithful and truly loves him these failings may cause him to alter his carriage but not to withdraw his love or deny his relation Return O back-sliding Israel for I am married unto you 7. Lastly what ever our sin or trouble be it should rather drive us to God then from God Pardon my sin for it is great Psal. 25. 11. Suppose it be true that thou hast â—o and so sinned that thou art thus long and sadly deserted yet 't is a false inference that therefore thou shouldest be discouraged as if there were no help for thee in thy God When you have well digested these seven establishing truths if still the doubt remain then consider what may be replyed to the particular grounds of those doubts As 1. You doubt and are ready to conclude the Lord hath no regard or love for your Souls because of some extraordinary affliction which is come upon you but I would not have thy Soul so to conclude till thou be able satisfactorily to answer those three questions 1. Quest. If great troubles and afflictions be marks of Gods hatred why should not impunity and constant prosperity be tokens of his love for contrariorum contraria est ratio consequentia of contrary things there is a contrary reason and consequence but is this so indeed or saith not the scripture quite otherwise Prov. 1. 32. The prosperity of fools destroy them So Psal. 73. â— 2. Quest. Dare I draw the same conclusion upon all others that have been as much yea more afflicted then my self if this argument conclude against thee then so it doth against every one in thy condition yea the greater the affliction of any Child of God hath been the more strongly the argument still concludes and then wo to David Iob Heman Paul and all that have been afflicted as they were 3. Quest. Had God exempted you only from those troubles which all other his people â—eel would not that have been a greater ground of doubting to you then this especially since the scripture saith Heb. 12. 8. If ye be without chastnings whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons O how is our Father put to it by froward Children if he afflicts then one crys he loves me not if he exempt from affliction others question his love upon that ground Surely you have other work to do under the rod then thiâ— 2. Or do you rashly infer the Lord hath no love for you because he hides his face from you that your condition is miserable because dark and uncomfortable before you draw such rash conclusions see what answer you can give to these 4. following queries 1. Quer. If any action of God
profession turn aside and desert the cause of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 19. 5 When God hides his face in a suffering hour Ier. 17. 17. 6 When Satan falls upon us with strong temptations to question the grounds of our sufferings or the Souls interest in Christ Now t is heard to keep the heart from turning back and the steps from declining Gods ways The eleventh question then shall be this 11. Case How the heart may be kept from relapsing under the greatest sufferings for religion If the bitterness of sufferings at any time cause thy Soul to distaste the way of God and take up thoughts of forsaking it stay thine heart under that temptation by propounding these 8. questions solemnly to it 1. Quest. What reproach and dishonour shall I pour upon Christ and religion by deserting him at such a time as this This will proclaim to all the world that how much soever I have boasted of the promises yet when it comes to the tryal I dare hazard nothing upon the credit of them and how will this open the mouths of Christs enemies to blaspheme O better I had never been born then that worthy name should be blasphemed through me shall I furnish the triumphs of the uncircumcised shall I make mirth in Hell O if I did but value the name of Christ as much as many a wicked man values his own name I would never endure to see it exposed to such contempt will proud dust and ashes venture death yea Hell rather then a blot upon their name and shall I venture nothing to salve the honour and reputation of Christ 2. Quest. Dare I violate my conscience to save my flesh who shall comfort me when conscience wounds me What comfort is there in life liberty or friends when peace is taken away from the inner man when Constantius threatned to cut off Samosatenus his right hand if he would not subscribe somewhat that was against his conscience he held up both his hands to the messenger that was sent saying he shall cut off both rather then I will do it farewel all peace joy and comfort from that day forward â—ad Zimri peace that slew his master said Iezebel so say I here had Iudas peace had Spira peace and shall you have peace if you tread in their steps O consider what you do 3. Quest. Is not the publick interest of Christ and religion infinitely more then any private interest of my own T is a famous passage that of Terentius Captain to Adrian the Emperour he presented a petition to Adrian that the Christians might have a temple by themselves to worship God apart from the Arrians the Emperour tore his petition and threw it away bidding him to aske somewhat for himself and it should be granted but he modestly gathered up the pieces of his petition again and told him if he could not be heard in Gods caâ—se he would never ask any thing for himself Yea even Tully though an Heathen could say ne immortalitatem quidem contra rem publicam he would not accept even of immortality it self against the Common-wealth O if we had more publick we should not have such cowardly spirits 4. Qu. Did Iesus Christ serve me so when for my sake he exposed himself to far greater sufferings than can be before me His sufferings were great indeed he suffered from all hands in all his offices in every member not only in his body buâ— in his Soul yea the suffâ—rings of his Soul were the very Soul of his sufferings witness the bloody sweat in the garden witness the heart melting and heaven rending outcry upon the crâ—ss My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet he flinched not he endured the cross despising the shame Alas what are my sufferings compared with Christs he hath drunk up all that vinegar and gall that would make my suffeâ—ings bitter When one of the Martyrs was asked why he was so merry at his death Oh said he it is because the Soul of Christ was so heavy at his death did Christ bear such a burden for me with unbroken patience and constancy and shall I shrink back for momentary and light affictions for him 5. Qu. Is not eternal life worth the suffering of a moments pain If I suffer with him I shall raign with him O how will men venture life and limb for a fading crown swim through seas of blood to a throne and will I venture nothing suffer nothing for the Crown of Glory that fadâ—th not away my dog will follow my horses heels from morning to night take many a weary step through mâ—re and dirt rather then leave me though at night all he gets by it is but bones and blows If my Soul had any true greatness any sparks of generosity in it how would it despise the sufferings of â—he way for the glory of the end how would it break down all difficulties before it whilâ—st by an eye of faith it sees the forerunner who is already entred standing as it were upon the walls of Heaven with the Crown in his hand saying he that overcometh shall inherit all things come on then my Soul come on there is eternal life laid up for them that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. 6. Qu. Can I so easily cast off the socieâ—y and company of the Saints and give the right hand of fellowship to the wicked How can I part with such lovely companions as these have been how often have I been benefited by their counsels Ezra â—0 3. how oâ—ten refreshed warmed and quickned by their company Eccles. 4. 10 11. How often have I fasted and prayed with them what sweet counsel have I taken with them and gone to the house of God in company and shall I now shake hands with them and say farewell all ye Saints for ever I shall never be among you more come drunkards swearers â—â—asphemers persecutors you shall be my everlasting companions O rather let my body and Soul be rent a sunder then that ever I should say thus to the excellent of the earth in whom is all my delight Quest. 7. Have I seriously considered the terrible Scripture Comminations against back-sliders O my heart darest thou turn back upon the very points of such threatnings as these Ier. 17 5 6. Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the Heath in the Desart and shall not see when good cometh i. e. the curse of God shall wither him root and branch And Heb. 14. 26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of Iudgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries And again verse 38. If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him as if he should say take
this willingness is the immediate succession of a more excellent and glorious life 'T is but wink and you shall see God your happiness shall not be deferred till the Resurrection but as soon as the body is dead the gracious soul is swallowed up in Life Rom. 8. 10 11. When once you have loosed from this shore in a few moments your souls will be wafted over upon the wings of Angels to the other shore of a glorious eternity Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Did the Soul and body dye together as Beryllus taught or did they sleep till the resurrection as others have groundlessly fancied it had been a madness for Paul to desire a dissolution for the injoyment of Châ—ist For if this were so he injoyed more of Christ whilst his Soul dwelt in its flâ—shly Tabernacle then he should out of it There are but two waies of the Souls living known in Scripture viz. the life of faith and the life of vision 1 Cor. 5. 5. those two divide all time both present and future betwixt them 1 Cor 13. 12. If when faith fails Sight should not immediately succeed what should become of the unbodied Soul but blessed be God this great heart-establishing truth is evidently revealed in Scripture Luke 23. 43. â—ou have Christs promise Iohn 14. 3. I will come and receive you to my self O what a change will a few moments make upon your condition rouse up dying Saint when thy Soul is come out a little farther when it shall stand like Abraham in its tent door the Angels of God shall soon be with it the Souls of the elect are as it were put out to the Angels to nurse and when they dye these Angels carry them home again to their fathers house if an Angel were caused to fly swiftly to bring a Saint the answer of his prayer Dan. 9. 21. How much more will the Angels come post from Heaven to receive and transfer the praying Soul it self 4. Arg. Farther It may much conduce to thy willingness to dye to consider that by death God oft times hides his people out of the way of all temptations and troubles upon earth Rev. 14. 13. Write from henceforth blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. T is Gods usual way when some extraordinary calamities are coming upon the world to set his people out of harms way before hand Isai. 57. 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come So Mich. 7. 1 2. When such an evil time comes as is there described That they all lye in wait for blood and every man hunts his brother with a net before that God by an act of favour houses his people before hand dost thou know what evil may be in the earth which thou art so loath to leave thy God removes thee for thy great advantage thou art disbanded by death and called off the field other poor Saints must stand to it and endure a great fight of afflictions T is observed that Methusala dyed the very year before the flood Augustin a little before the sacking of Hippo. Paereus just before the taking of Heidelberg Luther observes that all the Apostles dyed before the destruction of Ierusalem and Luther himself before the wars brake out in Germany it may be the Lord sees thy tender heart cannot endure to see the misery or bear the temptations that are coming and therefore will now gather thee to thy 〈◊〉 in peace and yet wilt thou cry O spare me a little longer 5. Arg. If yet thy heart hang back consider the great advantage you will have by death above all that ever you enjoyed on earth And that 1 As to your communion with God 2 As to your communion with Saints 1. For your communion with God the time of perfecting that is now come thy Soul shall shortly stand before the face of God and have the immediate emanations and beamings forth of his glory upon it here thy Soul is remote from God the beams of his glory strike it but obliquely and feebly but shortly it will be under the line and there the sun shall stand still as it did in Gibeon there shall be no cloudings nor declineings of it O how should this wrap thy Soul with desires of being uncloathed 2. As for the injoyment of Saints here indeed we have fellowship with them of the lower form but that fellowship is so dissweetened by remaining corruptions that there is no satisfaction in it as it is the greatest plague that can befall an hypocrite to live in a pure Church so t is the greatest vexation to the Spirit of a Saint to live in a corrupt and disordered Church But when death hath admitted you into that glorious assembly of the Spirits of just men made perfect you shall have the desire of your hearts here you cannot fully close one with another yea you cannot fully close with your own Souls O what discords jarrings censurings are here what perfect blessed harmony there in Heaven each Saint loves another as himself thâ—y are altogether lovely O my Soul hast thee away from the Lyons dens from the mountains of Bether from divided Saints to those mountains of Myrhe and hill of Frankinsense thou art now going to thine own people as the Apostles phrase imports 2. Cor. 5 8. 6. Arg. If all this will not doe Consider what heavy burdens death will ease thy shoulders of In this Tabernacle we groan being burdened 1 With bodily distempers how true do we find that of Theophrastue the Soul pays a dear rent for the tenement it now lives in but glorified bodies are clogged with no indispositions death is the best Physician it will cure thee of all diseases at once 2 With the indwelling of sin this makes us groan from the very bowels Rom. 7. 24. But he that is dead is free from sin Rom. 6. 7. Hath justification destroyed its damning power and sanctification its Raigning power so glorification destroyes its very being and existence 3 We groan under temptations here but as soon as we are out of the body we are out of the reach of temptation when once thou art got into Heaven thou mayest say now Sathan I am there where thou canst not come for as the damned in Hell are malo obfirmati so fixed in sin and misery that their condition cannot be altered so glorified Saints are bonâ— confirmati so fixed in holiness and glory that they cannot be 〈◊〉 4 Here we groan under varioâ—â— trâ—ubles and afflictions but then the days of our mourning are ended God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes O then let us hast away that we may be at rest 7. Arg. If still thou linger like Lot in Sodom then lastly examine all the pleas and pretences for a longer time on earth Why art thou unwilling to dye 1. Object O I have many relations in the World I know not what will become of them when I am gone Sol. 1. If