sword It is a businesse more of the heart then of the tongue more of groanes then of words which groanes and sighes the Spirit will alwayes stirre up even in the worst condition Yet for parts there is no member but it is fitted with some abilities to doe service in the body and by faith may grow up to a greater measure For God calls none to that high condition but whom in some measure hee fits to bee an usefull member and endues with a publique spirit But that is the measure which Christ thinkes fit who will make up that in the body which is wanting in any parâ—…lar member God will encrease the â—…asure of our gifts as occasion shall 〈◊〉 offered to draw them forth for there is not the greatest but may have 〈◊〉 both of the parts and graces of the â—…nest in the Church And here the â—…le may by a spirit of faith goe to God in this maner Lord the estate of Christianity unto which thy love in Christ hath called and advanced mee is an high condition and there is need of a great measure of grace to uphold the credit and comfort of it Whom thou callest unto it thou dost in some â—…asure furnish to walke worthy of it Let this be an evideÌ„ce to my soul of the â—…th of thy call that I am enabled by the Spirit for those duties that are required in confideÌ„ce of which assistaÌ„ce I will set upoÌ„ the work Thou hast promised to give wisdome to theÌ„ that ask it to â—…id none with their unworthinesse Nay thou hast promised the spirit of all grace to those that begge it it is that which I need and it is no more then thou hast promised Onely it must bee remembred that we doe not walke above our parts and graces the issue whereof will be discouragement in our selves and disgrace from others The like may be said for our particular calling wherein we are to expresse the graces of our Christian calling and serve one another in love as members of the State as well as of the Church therefore every one must have 1. a calling 2. a lawfull 3. a usefull calling 4. a calling fitted for his parts that he may be even for his businesse 5. a lawfull entrance and calling thereunto 6. and 〈◊〉 lawfull demeanour in the same Though the Orbe and Sphere we walâ—… in be little yet we must keepe within the bounds of it because for our cariage in that wee must give a strict account and there is no calling so meane but a man shall finde enough to give a good account for Our care must be to know our worke and then to doe it and so to doe it as if it were unto God with conscience of moderate diligence for over-doing and overworking any thing comes either from ostentation 〈◊〉 distrust in God And negligence is 〈◊〉 farre from getting any blessing that â—…rings us under a curse for doing Gods 〈◊〉 negligently For we must thinke 〈◊〉 callings to be services of God who 〈◊〉 appointed us our standing thereâ—… That which belongs to us in our calâ—…ng is care of discharging our duty 〈◊〉 which God takes upon him is assiâ—…ce and good successe in it Let us â—…e our worke and leave God to doe 〈◊〉 owne Diligence and trust in him 〈◊〉 onely ours the rest of the burthen is 〈◊〉 In a Family the Fathers and the â—…sters care is the greatest the childs 〈◊〉 is onely to obey and the servants 〈◊〉 doe his worke care of provision and â—…ection doth not trouble them Most of our disquietnesse in our calling 〈◊〉 that wee trouble our selves about 〈◊〉 worke Trust God and be doing 〈◊〉 let him alone with the rest Hee â—…nds upon his credit so much that it â—…ll appeare we have not trusted him â—…vaine even when we see no appearance of doing any good Peter fishâ—… all night and catched nothing yet up on Christs word hee casts in his net againe and caught so many fish as brakâ—… his net Covetousnesse when men wiâ—… be richer then God would have them troubles all it troubles the house the whole family and the house within uâ—… our precious soule which should bee 〈◊〉 quiet house for Gods spirit to dwell in whose seat is a quiet spirit If meâ—… would follow Christs method and seeke first the Kingdome of heaven all other things would bee cast upon them If thoughts of insufficiency in our places discourage us remember what God saith to Moses when he pretended disability to speake Who hath made 〈◊〉 mouth have not I the Lord All oâ—… sufficiency for every calling is from God But you will say Though by Gods blessing my particular condition be comfortable yet the state of Gods people abroad 〈◊〉 the miseries of the times disquiet me We complaine of the times but let us take heed wee bee not a part of the misery of the times that they be not 〈◊〉 worse for us Indeed hee is a dead â—…mber that takes not to heart the ill 〈◊〉 the times yet here is place for that â—…plaint Help Lord. In these temâ—… doe as the Disciples did Cry to â—…ist to rebuke the tempests and â—…mes This is the day of Iacobs trouâ—… let it also be the day of Iacobs trust 〈◊〉 the body doe as the head did in the 〈◊〉 case and in time it shall bee with 〈◊〉 body as it is with the head In this case it is good to lay before 〈◊〉 all the promises made to his â—…rch with the examples of his preâ—… in it and deliverance of the same â—…rmer times God is never neerer 〈◊〉 Church then when trouble is neere â—…en in earth they conclude an utter â—…throw God is in heaven concludeâ—… a glorious deliverance usually afâ—… the lowest ebbe followes the highâ—… spring tide Christ stands upon 〈◊〉 Zion There is a Counsell in â—…aven that will dash the mould of all â—…trary Counsels on earth and â—…ich is more God will worke the raising of the Church by that very meanes by which his enemies seek to ruine it Let us stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord. God gave too deare a price for his Church to suffer it long in the hands of mercilesse enemies As for the seeming flourishing of the enemies of Gods Church it is but for a time and that a short time and a measured time The wicked plot against the just they are plotters and plowers of mischiefe they are skilfull and industrious in it but they reape their owne ruine Their day is a comming and their piâ—… is in digging take heed therefore of fretting because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to passe for the armes of the wicked shall be broken Wee should help our faith by observing Gods executing of judgement in this kinde It cannot but vexe the enemies of the Church to see at length a disappointing of their projects but then to see the mould of all their
our selves most and judge our selves most severely But selfe-love teacheth us a contrary method to translate all upon others it robs us of a right judgement of our selves Though we desire to know all diseases of the body by their proper names yet wee will conceive of sinfull passions of the soule under milder termes as lust under love rage under just anger murmuring under just displeasure c. thus whilest wee flatter our griefe what hope of cure Thus sinne hath not onely made all the creatures enemies to us but our selves the greatest enemies to our selves and therefore wee should begin our complaints against our selves discusse our selves throughly how else shal we judge truly of other things without us above us or beneath us The Sun when it rises enlightens first the nearest places and then the more remote So where true light is set up it discovers what is amisse within first Hence also wee see that as in all discouragements a godly man hath most trâ—…ble with his owne heart so hee knowes 〈◊〉 to carry himselfe therein as David 〈◊〉 here For the better clearing of this wee must know there bee divers kinds 〈◊〉 degrees of conflicts in the soule 〈◊〉 man whilst it is united to the body First betweene one corrupt Paâ—… and another as betweene Covetousnâ—… and Pride Pride calls for expence Covetousnesse for restraint oft Passâ—… fight not onely against God and reâ—… to which they owe a homage but 〈◊〉 against another Sinne fights agaâ—… sinne and a lesser sinne is oftentiâ—… overcome by a greater The soulâ—… this case is like the Sea tossed 〈◊〉 contrary windes and like a kingdoâ—… divided wherein the subjects figâ—… both against their Prince and onâ—… gainst another Secondly there is a naturall conâ—… in the Affections whereby Nature seeâ—… to preserve it selfe as betwixt aâ—… and feare Anger cals for revenge 〈◊〉 of the law bindes the soule to be quiâ—… Wee see in the creatures feare makes them abstaine from that which their appetites carry them unto A Wolfe comes to a flock with an eagernesse to prey upon it but seeing the Shepheard standing in defence of his sheepe returnes and doth no harme and yet for all this as hee came a wolfe so hee returnes a wolfe A naturall man may oppose some sin from an obstinate resolution against it not from any love of God or hatred of sin as sin but because he conceives it a brave thing to have his will As one hard weapon may strike at another as a stone wall may beate backe an arrow but this opposition is not from a contrariety of nature as is betwixt fire and water Thirdly there is a conflict of a higher nature as between some sinnes and the light of reason helped by a naturall conscience The Heathen could reason from the dignity of the soule to count it a base thing to prostitute themselves to beastly lusts so as it were degrading and unmanning themselves Naturall men desirous to maintaine a great opinion of themselves and to awe the inferiour sort by gravity of deportmeâ—… in cariage will abstaine from that which otherwise their hearts 〈◊〉 them unto lest yeelding should rendâ—… them despised by laying themselves too much open as because passion discovers a foole as hee is and makâ—… wise man thought meaner then he is therefore a prudent man will concâ—… his passion Reason refined and raisâ—… by education example and custome doth breake in some degree the foâ—… of naturall corruption and brings iâ—… the soule as it were another nature and yet no true change as we see 〈◊〉 such as have beene inured to gooâ—… courses they feele conscience checâ—… ing them upon the first discontinuanâ—… and alteration of their former gooâ—… wayes but this is usually from a forâ—… impression of their breeding as 〈◊〉 boate moves some little time upon 〈◊〉 water by vertue of the former stroâ—… yet at length we see corruption prevailing over education as in Ioas 〈◊〉 was awed by the reverent respect he bare to his uncle Iehojoda he was good all his uncles dayes And in Nero in whom the goodnesse of his education prevailed over the fiercenesse of his nature for the first five yeares Fourthly but in the Church where there shineth a light above nature as there is a discovery of more sinnes and some strength with the light to performe more duty So there is a further conflict then in a man that hath no better then nature in him By a discovery of the excellent things of the Gospell there may be some kinde of joy stirred up and some degree of obedience whence there may be some degree of resistance against the sinnes of the Gospell as obstinate unbeleefe desperation prophanesse c. A man in the Church may doe more then another out of the Church by reason of the inlargement of his knowledge whereupon such cannot sinne at so easie a rate as others that know lesse and therefore meet with lesse opposition from conscience Fiftly there is yet a further degree of conflict betwixt the sanctified powers of the soule and the flesh not onely as it is seated in the baser parts but even in the best faculties of the soule and as it mingles it self with every gracious performance as in David There is not onely a conflict betwixt sin and conscience inlightned by a common worke of the Spirit but betweene the commanding powers of the soule sanctified and it selfe unsanctified between reasons of the flesh and reasons of the spirit betweene faith and distrust betweene the true light of knowledge and false light For it is no question but the flesh would play its part in David and muster up all the strength of reason it had And usually flesh as it is more ancient then the Spirit we being first naturall then spirituall so it will put it selfe first forward in devising shifts as Esau comes out of the wombe first before Iacob yet hereby the Spirit is stirred up to a present examination and resistance and in resisting as wee see here at length the godly gets the victory As in the conflict betweene the higher parts of the soule with the lower it clearely appeares that the soule doth not rise out of the temper of the body but is a more noble substance commanding the body by reasons fetched from its owne worth so in this spirituall conflict it appeares there is something better then the soul it selfe that hath superiority over it CAP. VII Difference between good men and others in conflicts with sinne BUt how doth it appeare that this combate in David was a spirituall combate 1. Answ. First A naturall conscience is troubled for sins against the light of nature onely but David for inward and secret corruptions as discouragement and disquietnesse arising from faint trusting in God Davids conflict was not onely with the sensuall lower part of his soule which is carried to ease and quiet and love of present things but hee was troubled
with a mutiny in his understanding betweene faith and distrust and therefore hee was forced to rouze up his soule so oft to trust in God which shews that carnall reason did solicite him to discontent and had many colourable reasons for it Secondly a man indued with common grace is rather a patient then an agent in conflicts the light troubles him against his will as discovering and reproving him and hindring his sinfull contentments his heart is more byased another way if the light would let him but a godly man labours to helpe the light and to worke his heart to an opposition against sinne he is an agent as well as a patient As David here doth not suffer disquieting but is disquieted with himselfe for being so A godly man is an agent in opposing his corruption and a patient in induring of it whereas a naturall man is a secret agent in and for his corruptions and a patient in regard of any helpe against them A good man suffers evill and doth good a naturall man suffers good and doth evill Thirdly A conscience guided by common light withstands distempers most by outward meanes but David here fetcheth helpe from the Spirit of God in him and from trust in God Nature works from within so doth the new nature David is not onely something disquieted and something troubled for being disquieted but sets himselfe throughly against his distempers hee complaines and expostulates hee censures and chargeth his soule The other if hee doth any thing at all yet it is faintly he seeks out his corruption as a coward doth his enemie loth to finde him and more loth to encounter with him Fourthly David withstands sinne constantlie and gets ground Wee see here he gives not over at the first but presseth againe and againe Nature works constantly so doth the new nature The conflict in the other is something forced as taking part with the worser side in himselfe good things have a weak or rather no party in him bad things a strong and therefore hee soone gives over in this holy quarrell Fiftly David is not discouraged by his foiles but sets himselfe afresh against his corruptions with confidence to bring them under Whereas he that hath but a common work of the Spirit after some foiles lets his enemy prevaile more and more and so despaires of victory and thinks it better to fit still then to rise and take a new fall by which meanes his later end is worse then his beginning for beginning in the Spirit he ends in the flesh A godly man although upon some foile he may for a time bee discouraged yet by holy indignation against sinne he renues his force and sets afresh upon his corruptions and gathers more strength by his falls and groweth into more acquaintance with his owne heart and Satans malice and Gods strange waies in bringing light out of darknesse Sixtly An ordinary Christian may be disquieted for being disquieted as David was but then it is onely as disquiet hath vexation in it but David here striveth against the unquietnesse of his spirit not onely as it brought vexation with it but as it hindred communion with his God In sinne there is not onely a guilt binding over the soule to Gods judgement and thereupon filling the soule with inward feares and terrors but in sinne likewise there is 1. a contrarietie to Gods holy nature and 2. a contrariety to the Divine nature and image stamped upon our selves 3. a weakning and disabling of the soule from good and 4. a hindring of our former communion with GOD sinne being in its nature a leaving of God the fountaine of all strength and comfort and cleaving to the creature hereupon the soule having tasted the sweetnesse of GOD before is now grieved and this grief is not onely for the guilt and trouble that sinne drawes after it but from an inward Antipathy and contrariety betwixt the sanctified soule and sinne It hates sinne as sinne as the onely bane and poyson of renewed nature and the onely thing that breedes strangenesse betwixt God the soule And this hatred is not so much from discourse and strength of reason as from nature it selfe rising presently against its enemie The Lambe presently shuns the Wolfe from a contrariety Antipathies wait not for any strong reason but are exercised upon the first presence of a contrary object Seventhly hereupon ariseth the last difference that because the soule hateth sinne as sinne therefore it opposeth it universally and eternally in all the powers of the soule and in all actions inward and outward issuing from those powers David regarded no iniquity in his heart but hated every evil way The desires of his soule were that it might be so directed that he might keepâ—… Gods law And if there had beene no binding law yet there was such a sweet sympathy and agreement betwixt his soule and Gods truth that he delighted in it above all naturall sweetnesse Hence it is that Saint Iohn saith He that is borâ—… of God cannot sinne that is so farre forth as he is borne of God his new nature will not suffer him he cannot lie he cannot deceive he cannot be earthly minded hee cannot but love and delight in the persons things that are good There is not onely a light in the understanding but a new life in the will and all other faculties of a godly man what good his knowledge discovereth that his will makes choice of and his heart loveth What ill his understanding discovers that his will hateth and abstaines from But in a man not throughly converted the will and affections are bent otherwise he loves not the good he doth nor hates the evill hee doth not Therefore let us make a narrow search into our soules upon what grounds wee oppose sinne and fight Gods battells A common Christian is not cast downe because hee is disquieted in Gods service or for his inward failings that he cannot serve God with that liberty freedome he desires c But a godly man is troubled for his distempers because they hinder the comfortable intercourse betwixt God and his soule and that spirituall composednesse and Sabbath of spirit which hee enjoyed before and desires to enjoy againe Hee is troubled that the waters of his soule are troubled so that the image of Christ shines not in him as it did before It grieves him to finde an abatement in affection in love to God a distraction or coldnesse in performing duties any doubting of Gods favour any discouragement from dutie c. A godly mans comforts and grievances are hid from the world naturall men are strangers to them Let this be a rule of discerning our estates how wee stand affected to the distempers of our hearts If wee finde them troublesome it is a ground of comfort unto us that our Spirits are ruled by a higher spirit and that there is a principle of that life in us
labours to winne ground of the old man untill at length it be all in all Indeed wee are never our selves perfectly till we have wholly put off our selves Nothing should bee at a greater distance to us then our selves This is the reason why carnall men that have nothing above themselves but their corrupt selfe sinke in great troubles having nothing within to uphold them whereas a good man is wiser then himselfe holier then himselfe stronger then himselfe there is something in him more then a man There be evills that the spirit of man alone out of the goodnesse of nature cannot beare but the spirit of man assisted with an higher spirit will support and carry him through It is a good trial of a mans condition to know what he esteemes to be himselfe A godly man counts the inner man the sanctified part to be himselfe whereby hee stands in relation to Christ and a better life Another man esteemes his contentment in the world the satisfaction of his carnall desires the respect hee findes from men by reason of his parts or something without him that he is master of this he counts himselfe and by this hee values himselfe and to this he makes his best thoughts and endevours serviceable And of crosses in these things he is most sensible and so sensible that he thinks himself undone if hee seeth not a present issue out of them That which most troubles a good man in all troubles is himselfe so farre as he is unsubdued he is more disquieted with himselfe than with all troubles out of himselfe when hee hath gotten the better once of himselfe whatsoever falls from without is light where the spirit is enlarged it cares not much for outward bondage where the spirit is lightsome it cares not much for outward darkenesse where the spirit is setled it cares not much for outward changes where the spirit is one with it selfe it can beare outward breaches where the spirit is sound it can beare outward sicknesse Nothing can bee very ill with us when all is well within This is the comfort of a holy man that though hee bee troubled with himselfe yet by reason of the spirit in him which is his better selfe hee workes out by degrees what ever is contrary As Spring-water being cleere of it selfe workes it selfe cleane though it be troubled by something cast in as the Sea will endure no poysonfull thing but casts it upon the shore But a carnall man is like a Spring corrupted that cannot worke it selfe cleare because it is wholly tainted his eye and light is darknesse and therefore no wonder if hee seeth nothing Sinne lieth upon his understanding and hinders the knowledge of it selfe it lies close upon the will and hinders the striving against it selfe True selfe that is worth the owning is when a man is taken into a higher condition and made one with Christ and esteemes neither of himselfe nor others as happy for any thing according to the flesh 1. Hee is under the law and government of the Spirit and so farre as he is himselfe works according to that principle 2. He labours more and more to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ in whom hee esteemeth that hee hath his best being 3. He esteemes of all things that befall him to bee good or ill as they further or hinder his best condition If all bee well for that hee counts himselfe well whatsoever else befals him Another man when hee doth any thing that is good acts not his owne part but a godly man when hee doth good is in his proper element what another man doth for by ends and reasons that hee doth from a new nature which if there were no Law to compell yet would moove him to that which is pleasing to Christ. If hee bee drawen aside by passion or temptation that hee judgeth not to bee himselfe but taketh a holy revenge on himselfe for it as being redeemed and taken out from himselfe hee thinkes himselfe no debtor nor to owe any service to his corrupt selfe That which he plots and projects and works for is that Christ may rule every where and especially in himselfe for he is not his owne but Christs and therefore desires to bee more and more emptied of himselfe that Christ might bee all in all in him Thus we see what great use there is of dealing with our selves for the better composing and setling of our souls Which though it bee a course without glory and ostentation in the world as causing a man to retire inwardly into his owne breast having no other witnesse but God and himselfe and though it bee likewise irksome to the flesh as calling the soule home to it selfe being desirous naturally to wander abroad and be a stranger at home Yet it is a course both good in it selfe and makes the soule good For by this meanes the judgement is exercised and rectified the will and affections ordered the whole man put into an holy frame fit for every good action By this the tree is made good and the fruit cannot but be answerable by this the soule it selfe is set in tune whence there is a pleasant harmony in our whole conversation Without this wee may doe that which is outwardly good to others but wee can never bee good our selves The first justice begins within when there is a due subjection of all the powers of the soule to the spirit as sanctified and guided by Gods Spirit when justice and order is first established in the soule it will appeare from thence in all oâ—… dealings Hee that is at peace in himselfe will bee peaceable to others peaceable in his family peaceable in the Church peaceable in the State The soule of a wicked man is in perpetuall sedition being alwayes troubled in it selfe it is no wonder if it be troublesome to others Unity in our selves is before union with others To conclude this first part concerning intercourse with our selves As wee desire to enjoy our selves and to live the life of men and of Christians which is to understand our wayes as we desire to live comfortably and not to be accessary of yeelding to that sorrow which causeth death As wee desire to answere GOD and our selves when we are to give an account of the inward tumults of our soules As we desire to be vessells prepared for every good worke and to have strength to undergoe any crosse As we desire to have healthy soules and to keep a Sabbath within our selves As wee desire not onely to doe good but to be good in our selves So let us labour to quiet our soules and often ask a reason of our selves Why we should not be quiet CAP. X. Meanes not to bee overcharged 〈◊〉 sorrow TO helpe us further herein besidâ—… that which hath beene formerly spoken 1. Wee must take heed of building an ungrounded confidence of happinesse for time to come which maâ—… us when changes come 1. Unacquainted with them 2. takes away
to the offence of the strong to the griefe of Gods Spirit in us to the disturbance of our owne spirits in doing good and to the disheartning of us in troubling of our inward peace and thereby weakning our assurance Therefore let us stop beginnings as much as may be and so soone as they begin to rise let us begin to examine what raised them and whither they are about to carry us The way to be still is to examine oâ—… selves first And then censure what stands not with reason As David doth when he had given way to unbefitting thoughts of Gods providence So foolish saith he was I and as a 〈◊〉 before thee Especially then looke to these sinfull stirrings when thou art to deale with God I am to have communion with a God of peace What then doe turbulent thoughts and affections iâ—… my heart I am to deale with a patieâ—… God why should I cherish revengâ—… thoughts Abraham drove away tâ—… birds from the sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. Troublesome thoughts like birds 〈◊〉 come before they be sent for but they should finde entertainment accordingly 6. In all our grievances let us loâ—… to something that may comfort us 〈◊〉 well as discourage looke to that wee enjoy as well as that wee want As iâ—… prosperity God mingles some crosses to diet us so in all crosses there 〈◊〉 something to comfort us As there is a vanity lies hid in the best worldly good So there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evill GOD usually maketh up that with some advantage in another kinde wherein wee are inferiour to others Others are in greater place So they are in greater danger Others bee richer so their cares and sâ—…res be greater the poore in the world may bee richer in faith than they The soule can better digest and master a low estate than a prosperous and is under some abasement iâ—… is in a lesse distance from God Others are not so afflicted as we than they have lesse experience of Gods gracious power than wee Others may have more healthy bodies but soules lesse weaned from the world We would not change conditions with them so as to have their spirits with their condition For one halfe of our lives the meanest are as happy and free from cares as the greatest Monarch that is whilest both sleepe and usually the sleepe of the one is sweeter than the sleepe of the other What is all that the earth caâ—… afford us if God deny health and this a man in the meanest condition may enjoy That wherein one man diffâ—… from another is but title and but for a little time Death levelleth all There is scarce any man but the good hee receives from God is more than the ill hee feeles if our unthankfull hearts would suffer us to thinke 〈◊〉 Is not our health more than our sickenesse doe we not enjoy more than we want I meane of the things that are necessary Are not our good dayes more than our evill but we would go to heaven upon Roses and usually oâ—… crosse is more taken to heart than 〈◊〉 hundred blessings So unkindly 〈◊〉 deale with God Is God indebted to us doth hee owe us any thing those that deserve nothing should be contâ—… with any thing Wee should looke to others as good as our selves as well as to our selves and than we shall see it is not our owne case onely who are we that we should looke for an exempted condition from those troubles which God 's dearest children are addicted unto Thus when we are surprised contrary to our looking for and liking wee should study rather how to exercise some grace than give way to any passion Thinke now is a time to exercise our patience our wisedome and other graces By this meanes wee shall turne that to our greatest advantage which Satan intendeth greatest hurt to us by Thus we shall not onely master every condition but make it serviceable to our good If nature teach Bees not onely to gather hony out of sweet flowers but out of bitter Shall not grace teach us to draw even out of the bitterest condition something to better our soules We learne to tame all creatures even the wildest that wee may bring them to our use and why should wee glve way to our owne unruly passions 7. It were good to have in our eye the beauty of a well ordered soule and wee should thinke that nothing in this world is of sufficient worth to put us out of frame The sanctified soâ—… should be like the Sunne in this whiâ—… though it worketh upon all these inâ—… riour bodies and cherisheth them 〈◊〉 light and influence yet is not movâ—… nor wrought upon by them againe bâ—… keepeth its owne lustre and distanceâ—… So our spirits being of a heaveâ—… breed should rule other things beneâ—… them and not be ruled by them It 〈◊〉 a holy state of soule to bee under tâ—… power of nothing beneath it selfe Aâ—… we stirred than consider It this mâ—…ter worth the losse of my quiet Whâ—… wee esteeme that wee love what wee love we labour for And therefore 〈◊〉 us esteem highly of a cleare calme temper whereby we both enjoy our God and our selves and know how to raâ—… all things else It is against nature fâ—… inferiour things to rule that which thâ—… wise Disposer of all things hath set above them Wee owe the flesh neither suit nor service wee are no debtâ—… to it The more wee set before the soâ—… that quiet estate in heaven which tâ—… soules of perfect men now enjoy and it selfe ere long shall enjoy there The more it will be in love with it and endevour to attaine unto it And because the soule never worketh better than when it is raised up by some strong and sweet affection let us looke upon our nature as it is in Christ in whom it is pure sweet calme meeke every way lovely This sight is a changing sight love is an affection of imitation we affect a likenesse to him we love Let us learne of Christ to be humble and meeke and then wee shall finde rest to our soules The setting of an excellent idea and platforme before us will raise and draw up our soules higher and â—…ke us sensible of the least movings of spirit that shall be contrary to that the attainement whereof wee have in our desires He will hardly attaine to meane things that sets not before him higher perfection Naturally we love to see symetry and proportion even in a dead picture and are much taken with some curious peece But why should wee not rather labour to keepe the affections of the soule in due proportion Seeing a meâ—… and well ordered soule is not onâ—… lovely in the sight of men and Angâ—… but is much set by by the great Goâ—… himselfe But now the greatest careâ—… those that set highest price upon theâ—… selves is how to compose their oâ—… ward carriage in some gracefull mâ—…ner never
whatsoever is terrible or tormenting Here is a large field for our imagination to walke in not onely without hurt but with a great deale of spirituall gaine If the wrath of a King bee as the roaring of a Lion what is the wrath of the King of Kings If fire bee so terrible what is hell fire If a darke dungeon bee so lothsome what is that eternall dungeon of darkenesse If a feast bee so pleasing what is the continuall feast of a good conscience If the meeting of friends be so comfortable what will our meeting together in heaven be The Scripture by such like termes would help our faith and fancie both at once a sanctified fancie will make every creature a ladder to heaven And because childhood and youth are ages of fancie therefore it is a good way to instill into the hearts of children betimes the loving of good and the shâ—…ning of evill by such like representations as agree with their fancies as to haâ—…e hell under the representation of fire and darknesse c. Whilest the soule is joyned with the body it hath not onely a necessary but a holy use of imagination and of sensible things whereupon our imagination worketh what is the â—…e of the Sacraments but to help our sâ—…les by our senses and our faith by imagination as the soule receives much â—…rt from imagination so it may have much good thereby But yet it ought not to invent or devise what is good and true in religion here fancy must yeeld to faith and faith to divine revelation the things we beleeve are such as neither eye hath seâ—…e nor eare heard neither came into the heart of man by imagination stirred up from any thing which we have seene or heard they are above not onely imagination but reason it selfe in men and Angels But after God hath revealed spirituall truthes and faith hath apprehended them then imagination hath use while the soule is joyned with the body to colour divine truthes and make lightsome what faith beleeves for instance it doth not devise either heaven or hell but when God hath revealed them to us our fancy hath a fitnesse of enlarging our conceits of them even by resemblance from things in nature and that without danger because the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell are so great that all the representations which nature affords us fall short of them Imagination hath likewise some use in religion by putting cases to the soule as when we are tempted to any unruly action we should think with our selves what would I doe if some holy grave person whom I much reverence should behold me Whereupon the soule may easily ascend higher God sees me and my owne conscience is ready to witnesse against me c. It helps us also in taking benefit by the example of other men Good things are best learned by others expressing of them to our view the very sight often nay the very thought of a good man doth good as representing to our soules some good thing which we affect which makes Histories and the lively Characters and expressions of vertues and vices usefull to us The sight yea the very reading of the suffering of the Martyrs hath wrought such a hatred of that persecuting Church as hath done marvellous good the sight of justice executed upon malefactors works a greater hatred of sinne in men then naked precepts can doe So outward pompe state in the world doth further that awefull respect due to authority c. Lastly it would much availe for the well ordering of our thoughts to set our soules in order every morning and to strengthen and perfume our spirits with some gracious meditations especially of the chiefe end and scope wherefore we live here and how every thing we doe or befalls us may be reduced and ordered to further the maine The end of a Christian is glorious and the oft thoughts of it will raise and enlarge the soule and set it on worke to study how to make all things serviceable thereunto It is a thing to be lamented that a Christian borne for heaven having the price of his high calling set before him and matters of that weight and excellencie to exercise his heart upon should be taken up with trifles and fill both his head and heart with vanity and nothing as all earthly things will prove ere long and yet if many mens thoughts and discourses were distilled they are so frâ—…thy that they would hardly yeeld one drop of true comfort §. 4. Oh but say some thoughts imaginations are free and we shall not be accountable for them This is a false plea for God hath a soveraignty over the whole soule and his law bindes the whole inward and outward man as wee desire our whole man should be saved by Christ so wee must yeeld up the whole man to be governed by him and it is the effect of the dispensation of the Gospell accompanied with the Spirit to captivate whatsoever is in man unto Christ and to bring downe all high towring imaginations that exalt themselves against Gods Spirit There is a divinity in the word of God powerfully unfolded which will convince our soules of the sinfulne sof naturall imaginations as we see in the Ideot Corinth 14. who seeing himselfe laid open before himselfe cryed out that God was in the speaker There ought to be in man a conformity to the truth and goodnesse of things or else 1. wee shall wrong oâ—… owne soules with false apprehensions and 2. the creature by putting a fashion upon it otherwise then God hath made and 3. we shall wrong God himselfe the Author of goodnesse who cannot have his true glory but from a right apprehension of things as they art what a wrong is it to men when wee shall take up false prejudices against them without ground and so suffer our conceits to be invenomed against them by unjust suspitions and by this meanes deprive our selves of all that good which we might receive by them for our nature is apt to judge and accept of things as the persons are and not of persons according to the things themselves this faculty exercises a tyrannie in the soule setting up and pulling downe whom it will Iob judged his friends altogether vaine because they went upon a vaine imagination and discourse judging him to bee an hypocrite which could not but adde much to his affliction when men take a toy in their head against a person or place they are ready to reason as hee did Can any good come out of Nazareth It is an indignity for men to be led with â—…urmizes and probabilities and so to passe a rash judgement upon persons and things Oftentimes falshood hath a fairer glosse of probability then truth â—…d vices goe masqued under the appearance of vertue whereupon seeming likenesse breeds a mistake of one thing for another and Sathan oftentimes casts a mist
before our imagination that so wee might have a mishapen conceit of things by a spirit of elusion he makes worldly things appeare bigger to us and spirituall things lesser then indeed they are and so by sophisticating of things our affections come to be missed Imagination is the wombe and Sathan the father of all monstrous conceptions and disordered lusts which are well called deceitfull lusts and lusts of ignorance foolish and noysome lusts because they both spring from errour and folly and lead unto it We see even in Religion it selfe how the world together with the helpe of the God of the world is led away if not to worship images yet to worship the image of their owne fancie And where the truth is most professed yet people are prone to fancie to themselves such a breadth of Religion as will altogether leave them comfortlesse when things shall appeare in their true colours they will conceit to embrace truth without hatred of the world and Christ without his crosse and a godly life without persecution they would pull a rose without pricks Which though it may stand with their owne base ends for a while yet will not hold out in times of change when sicknesse of body and trouble of minde shall come Empty conceits are too weake to encounter with reall griefes Some thinke Orthodoxe and right opinions to bee a plea for a loose life whereas there is no ill course of life but springs from some false opinion God will not onely call us to an account how we have beleeved disputed and reasoned c. but how we have lived Our care therefore should be to build our profession not on seeming appearances but upon sound grounds that the gates of hell cannot prevaile against The hearts of many are so vaine that they delight to be blowne up with flattery because they would have their imagination pleased yea even when they cannot but know themselves abused and are grieved to have their windy bladder pricked and so to bee put out of their conceited happinesse Others out of a tediousnesse in serious and setled thoughts entertaine every thing as it is offered to them at the first blush and suffer their imaginations to carry them presently thereunto without further judging of it the will naturally loves variety and change and our imagination doth it service herein as not delighting to fixe long upon any thing hereupon men are contented both in religion and in common life to bee misled with prejudices upon shallow grounds Whence it is that the best things and persons suffer much in the world the power and practise of Religion is hated under odious names and so condemned before it is understood Whence wee see a necessity of getting spirituall Eye salve for without true knowledge the heart cannot be good It is just with God that those who take liberty in their thoughts should bee given up to their owne imaginations to delight in them and to be out of conceit with the best things and so to reape the fruit of their owne waies Nay even the best of Gods people if they take liberty herein God will let loose their imagination upon themselves and suffer them to bee intangled and vexed with their owne hearts Those that give way to their imaginations shew what their actions should be if they dared for if they forbeare doing evill out of conscience they should as well forbeare imagining evill for both are alike open to God and hatefull to him and therefore oft where there is no conscience of the thought God gives men up to the deed The greatest and hardest worke of a Christian is least in sight which is the well ordering of his heart some buildings have most workmanship under ground it is our spirits that God who is a Spirit hath most communion withall and the lesse freedome wee take to sinne here the more argument of our sincerity because there is no lawes to binde the inner man but the law of the spirit of grace whereby wee are a law to our selves A good Christian begins his repentance where his sinne begins in his thoughts which are the next issue of his heart God counts it an honour when wee regard his all-seeing eye so much as that wee will not take liberty to our selves in that which is offensive to him no not in our hearts wherein no creature can hinder us It is an argument that the Spirit hath set up a kingdome and order in our hearts when our spirits rise within us against any thing that lifts it selfe up against goodnesse §. 5. Many flatter themselves from an impossibility of ruling their imaginations and are ready to lay all upon infirmity and naturall weaknesse c. But such must know that if wee bee sound Christians the Spirit of GOD will enable us to doe all things Evangelically that we are called unto if we give way without checke to the motions thereof where the Spirit is it is such a light as discovers not onely dunghills but motes themselves even light and flying imaginations and abaseth the soule for them and by degrees purgeth them out and if they presse as they are as busie as flies in Summer yet a good heart will not owne them nor allow himselfe in them but casts them off as hot water doth the scumme or as the stomacke doth that which is noisome unto it they finde not that entertainement here which they have in carnall hearts where the scumme soakes in which are stewes of uncleane thoughts shambles of cruell and bloody thoughts Exchanges and shops of vaine thoughts a very forge and mynt of false politicke and undermining thoughts yea often a little hell of confused and blacke imaginations There is nothing that more moveth a godly man to renew his interest every day in the perfect righteousnesse and obedience of his Saviour then these sinfull stirrings of his soule when hee findes something in himselfe alwayes inticing and drawing away his heart from God and intermingling it selfe with his best performances Even good thoughts are troublesome if they come unseasonably and weaken our exact performance of duty §. 6. But here some misconceits must be taken heed of 1. As wee must take heed that wee account not our imaginations to be religion So we must not account true religion and the power of godlinesse to bee a matter of imagination onely as if holy men troubled themselves more then needs when they stand upon religion and conscience seeking to approve themselves to God in all things and indeavouring so farre as frailty will permit to avoid all appearances of evill Many men are so serious in vanities and reall in trifles that they count all which dote not upon such outward excellencies as they doe because the Spirit of GOD hath revealed to them things of a higher nature to be fantasticks and humorous people and so impute the worke of the spirit to the flesh Gods worke to Satan which comes neare
unto blasphemy they imagine good men to be led with vaine conceits but good men know them to bee so led Not onely St. Paul but CHRIST himselfe were counted besides themselves when they were earnest for God and the soules of his people But there is enough in Religion to beare up the soule against all imputations laid upon it the true children of wisedome are alwayes able to justifie their Mother and the conscionable practise of holy duties is founded upon such solid grounds as shall hold out when heaven and earth shall vanish 2. Wee must know that as there is great danger in false conceits of the way to heaven when we make it broader than it is for by this meanes wee are like men going over a bridge who thinke it broader then it is but being deceived by some shadow sinck downe and are suddenly drowned So men mistaking the strait way to life and trusting to the shadow of their owne imagination fall into the bottomlesse pit of hell before they are aware In like manner the danger is great in making the way to heaven narrower then indeed it is by weake and superstitious imaginations making more sinnes than God hath made The Wisemans counsell is that we should not make our selves over wicked nor bee foolisher than we are by devising more sinnes in our imagination than we are guilty of It is good in this respect to know our Christian liberty which being one of the fruits of Christs death we cannot neglect the same without much wrong not onely to our selves but to the rich bounty and goodnesse of God So that the due rules of limitation bee observed from authority piety sobriety needlesse offence of others c. we may with better leave use all those comforts which God hath given to refresh us in the way to heaven then refuse them the care of the outward man bindes conscience so farre as that wee should neglect nothing which may helpe us in a cheerefull serving of GOD in our places and tend to the due honour of our bodies which are the temples of the Holy Ghost and companions with our soules in all performances So that under this pretence wee take not too much liberty to satisfie the lusts of the body Intemperate use of the creatures is the nurse of all passions because our spirits which are the soules instruments are hereby inflamed and disturbed it is no wonder to see an intemperate man transported into any passion 3. Some out of their high and ayery imaginations and out of their iron and flintie Philosophy will needs thinke outward good and ill together with the affections of griefe and delight stirred up thereby to bee but opinions and conceits of good and evill onely not true and really so founded in nature but taken up of our selves But though our fancy be ready to conceit a greater hurt in outward evils then indeed there is as in poverty paine of body death of friends c. yet wee must not deny them to bee evills that wormewood is bitter it is not a conceit onely but the nature of the thing it selfe yet to abstaine from it altogether for the bitternesse thereof is a hurtfull conceit That honey is sweet it is not a conceit onely but the naturall quality of it is so yet out of a taste of the sweetnesse to think wee cannot take too much of it is a misâ—…ceit paid home with loathsome bitternesse Outward good and outward evill and the affections of delight and sorrâ—… rising thence are naturally so and depend not upon our opinion This were to offer violence to nature and to take man out of man as if hee were not flesh but steele Universall experience from the sensiblenesse of our nature in any outward grievance is sufficient to damâ—… this conceit The way to comfort a man in griefe is not to tell him that it is onely a conceit of evill and no evill indeed that he suffers this kinde of learning will not downe with him as being contrary to his present feeling but the way is to yeeld unto him that there is cause of grieving though not of ever-grieving and to shew him grounds of comfort stronger then the griefe he suffers We should weigh the degrees of evill in a right ballance and not suffer fancie to make them greater then they are So as that for obtaining the greatest outward good or avoiding the greatest outward ill of suffering wee should give way to the least evill of sinne This is but a policy of the flesh to take away the sensiblenesse of evill that so those cheeks of conscience and repentance for Sinne which is oft occasioned thereby might be taken away that so men may goe on enjoying a stupid happinesse never laying any thing to heart nor afflicting their soules untill their consciences awaken in the place of the damned and then they feele that griefe reâ—…ne upon them for ever which they laboured to put away when it might have beene seasonable to them §. 7. I have stood the longer upon this because Sathan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances misleadeth not onely the world but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world whose estate is laid up safe in Christ who notwithstanding passe their few dayes here in an uncomfortable wearisome and unnecessary sadnesse of spirit being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Sathans jugling and their own mistakes and so come to heaven before they are aware Some againe passe their dayes in a golden dreame and drop into hell before they thinke of it but it is farre better to dreame of ill and when wee awake to finde it but a dreame then to dreame of some great good and when we awake to finde the contrary As the distemper of the fancie disturbing the act of reason oftentimes breeds madnesse in regard of civill conversation So it breeds likewise spirituall madnesse carrying men to those things which if they were in their right wits they would utterly abhorre therefore wee cannot have too much care upon what wee fixe our thoughts And what a glorious discovery is there of the excellencies of Religion that would even ravish an Angell which may raise up exercise fill our hearts We see our fancie hath so great a force in naturall conceptions that it oft sets a marke and impression upon that which is conceived in the wombe So likewise strong and holy conceits of things having a divine vertue accompanying of them transforme the soule and breed spirituall impressions answerable to our spirituall apprehensions It would prevent many crosses if we would conceive of things as they are When trouble of minde or sicknesse of body and death it selfe commeth what will remaine of all that greatnesse which filled our fancies before then we can judge soberly and speake gravely of things The best way of happinesse is not to multiply honours or riches c. but to cure our
blessing of others upon their children yet God hath promised a blessing to the offices of Communion of Saints performed by one private man towards another Can we have a greater incouragement then under God to be gainer of a soule which is as much in Gods esteeme as if we should gaine a world Spirituall almes are the best almes mercy shewed to the soules of men is the greatest mercie and wisedome in winning of soules is the greatest wisedome in the world because the soule is especially the man upon the goodnesse of which the happinesse of the whole man depends What shining and flourishing Christians should wee have if these duties were performed As wee have a portion in the communion of Saints so wee should labour to have humility to take good and wisedome and love to doe good A Christian should have feeding lips a healing tongue the leaves the very words of the tree of righteousnesse have a curing vertue in them Some will shew a great deale of humanity in comforting others but little Christianity for as kinde men they will utter some cheerefull words but as Christians they want wisedome from above to speake a gracious word in season Nay some there are who hinder the saving working of any affliction upon the hearts of others by unseasonable and unsavoury discourses either by suggesting false remedies or else diverting men to false contentments and so become spirituall traitors rather then friends taking part with their worst enemies their lusts and wills Happy is hee that in his way to heaven meeteth with a chearefull and skilfull guide and fellow-travellor that carrieth cordials with him against all faintings of spirit It is a part of our wisedome to salvation to make choice of such a one as may further us in our way An indifferency for any company shewes a dead heart where the life of grace is it is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages How many have beene refreshed by one short apt savoury speech which hath begotten as it were new spirits in them In ancient times as wee see in the Story of Iob it was the custome of friends to meet together to comfort those that were in misery and Iob takes it for granted that to him that is afflicted pity should bee shewed from his friends for besides the presence of a friend which hath some influence of comfort in it 1. The discovery of his loving affection hath a cherishing sweetnesse in it 2. The expression of love in reall comforts and services by supplying any outward want of the patry troubled prevailes much thâ—… Christ made way for his comforts to the soules of men by shewing outward kindnesse to their bodies Love with the sensible fruits of it prepareth for any wholesome counsell 3. After this wholesome words carry a speciall cordiall vertue with them especially when the Spirit of God in the affectionate speaker joines with the word of comfort and thereby closeth with the heart of a troubled patient when all these concenter and meet together in one then is comfort sealed up to the soule The childe in Elizabeths wombe sprang at the presence and salutation of Mary the speech of one hearty friend cannot but revive the spirits of another Sympathy hath a strange force as wee see in the strings of an Instrument which being played upon as they say the strings of another instrument are also moved with it After love hath once kindled love then the heart being melted is fit to receive any impression unlesse both pieces of the iron bee red hot they will not joyne together two spirits warmed with the â—…ne heat will easily soâ—…der together §. 2. In him that shall stay the minde of another there had need to bee an excellent temper of many graces as 1. Knowledge of the grievance together with wisedome to speake a word in season and to conceale that which may set the cure backwards 2. Faithfulnesse with liberty not to concealâ—… any thing which may bee for his good though against present liking The very life and soule of friendship stands in freedome tempered with wisedome and faithfulnesse 3. Loue with compassion and patience to beare all and hope all and not to bee easily provoked by the way wardnesse of him we deale with Short spirited men are not the best comforters God himselfe is said to beare with the manners of his people in the wildernesse It is one thing to beare with a wise sweet moderation that which may be borne and another thing to allow or approve that which is not to be approved at all Where these graces are in the speaker and apprehended so to bee by the person distempered his heart will soone embrace whatsoever shall bee spoken to rectifie his judgement or affection A good conceit of the spirit of the speaker is of as much force to prevaile as his words Words especially prevaile when they are uttered more from the bowels then the braine and from our owne experience which made even Christ himselfe a more compassionate high Priest When men come to themselves againe they will bee the deepest censurers of their owne miscariage §. 3. Moreover to the right comforting of an afflicted person speciall care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance the coare must bee searched out if the griefe ariseth from outward causes then it must be carried into the right channell the course of it must bee turned another way as in staying of blood we should grieve for sinne in the first place as being the evill of all evills If the ground be sinne then it must be drawne to a head from a confused griefe to some more particular sinne that so wee may strike the right veine but if wee finde the spirit much cast downe for particular sinnes then comfort is presently to be applied But if the griefe be not fully ripe then as we use to help nature in its offers to purge by Physick till the sick matter be carried away so when conscience moved by the spirit begins to ease it selfe by confession it is good to help forward the worke of it till wee finde the heart low enough for comfort to be laid upon When Paul found the Iaylor cast downe almost as low as hell hee stands not now upon further hammering and preparing of him for mercie that worke was done already but presently stirres him up to beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ here being a fit place for an interpreter to declare unto man his righteousnesse and his mercy that belongs unto him after he hath acknowledged his personall and particular sins which the naturall guile of the heart is extreamely backward to doe and yet cannot receive any sound peace till it be done If signes of grace be discerned here likewise is a fit place to declare unto man the saving worke of grace in his heart which Sathan labours to hide from him Men oft are
when men have not onely whom they desire but such also who are fit and dexterous in dealing with a troubled spirit yet their soules feele no comfort because they make idols of men Whereas men at the best are but conduits of comfort and such as God freely conueyeth comfort by taking liberty oft to deny comfort by them that so he may be acknowledged the God of all comfort 3. Some delude themselves by thinking it sufficient to have a few good words spoken to them as if that could cure them not regarding to apprehend the same and mingle it with faith without which good words lose their working even as wholesome Physick in a dead stomack Besides miscarriages in comforting times will often fall out in our lives that we shall have none either to comfort us or to be comforted by us and then what will become of us unlesse we can comfort our selues Men must not thinke alwayes to live upon almes but lay up something in store for themselves and provide oyle for their owne lamps and bee able to draw out something from the treasury of their owne hearts We must not goe to the Surgeon for every scratch No wise traveller but will have some refreshing waters about him Againe wee are often driven to retire home to our owne hearts by uncharitable imputations of other men even friends sometimes become miserable comfortens it was Iobs case his friends had honest intentions to comfort him but erred in their manner of dealing if he had found no more comfort by reflecting upon his owne sincerity then he received from them who laboured to take it from him hee had beene doubly miserable We are most privy to our owne intentions and aimes whence comfort must bee fetched Let others speake what they can to us if our owne hearts speake not with them we shall receive no satisfaction Sometimes it may fall out that those which should unloose our spirits when they are bound up mistake the key â—…isses the right wards and so we lâ—…e bound still Opening of our estate to another is not good but when it is necessary and it is not necessary when we can fetch supply from our owne store God would have us tender of our reputations except in some speciall cases wherein wee are to give glory to God by a free and full confession Needlesse discovery of our selves to others makes us feare the conscience of another man as privie to that which we are ashamed hee should bee privy unto and it is neither wisedome nor mercy to put men upon the racke of confession further then they can have no ease any other way for by this meanes we raise in them a jealousie towards us and oft without cause which weakneth and tainteth that love which should unite hearts in one CAP. XV. Of flying to God in disquiets of soule Eight observations out of the text WHat if neither the speech of others to us nor the rebuke of our owne hearts will quiet the soule Is there no other remedy left Yes then looke up to God the Father and fountaine of comfort as David doth here For the more speciall meanes whereby he sought to recover himselfe was by laying a charge upon his soule to trust in God for having let his soule runne out too much hee begins to recollect himselfe againe and resigne up all to God §. 1. But how came David to have the command of his owne soule so as to take it off from griefe and to place it upon God could hee dispose of his owne heart himselfe The child of God hath something in him above a man hee hath the Spirit of God to guide his spirit this command of David to his soule was under the command of the Great Commander God commands David to trust in him and at the same time infuseth strength into his soule by thinking of Gods command and trusting to Gods power to command it selfe to trust in God so that this command is not onely by authoritie but by vertue likewise of Gods command As the inferiour orbes move as they are moved by a higher So Davids spirit here moves as it is moved by Gods Spirit which inwardly spake to him to speake to himselfe David in speaking thus to his owne soule was as every true Christian is a Prophet and an instructer to himselfe It is but as if inferiour officers should charge in the name and power of the King Gods children have a principle of life in them from the Spirit of God by which they command themselves To give charge belongs to a Superiour David had a double Superiour above him his owne spirit as sanctified and Gods Spirit guiding that Our spirits are the Spirits agents and the Holy Spirit is Gods agent maintaining his right in us As God hath made man a free agent So he guides him and preserves that free manner of working which is agreeable to mans nature By this it appeares that Davids moving of himselfe did not hinder the Spirits moving of him neither did the Spirits moving of him hinder him from moving himselfe in a free manner for the Spirit of God moveth according to our principles it openeth our understandings to see that it is best to trust in God It moveth so sweetly as if it were an inbred principle and all one with our owne spirits If wee should hold our will to move it selfe and not to be moved by the Spirit we should make a God of it whose property is to move other things and not to be moved by any We are in some sort Lords over our owne speeches and actions but yet under a higher Lord. David was willing to trust in God but God wrought that will in him he first makes our will good and then works by it It is a sacrilegious liberty that will acknowledge no dependance upon God Wee are wise in his wisedome and strong in his strength who saith without me yee can doe nothing Both the budde of a good desire and the blossome of a good resolution and the fruit of a good action all comes from GOD. Indeed the understanding is ours whereby wee know what to doe and the will is ours whereby wee make choice of what is best to be done but the light whereby wee know and the guidance whereby wee choose that is from a higher agent which is ready to flow into us with present fresh supply when by vertue of former strength wee put our selves forward in obedience to God Let but David say to his soule being charged of God to trust I charge thee my soule to trust in him and hee findes a present strength inabling to it Therefore we must both depend upon God as the first Mover and withall set all the inferiour wheeles of our soules a going according as the Spirit of God ministers motion unto us So shall wee bee free from selfe-confidence and likewise from neglecting that order of working which God hath
of trust breeds false Comforts true feares for in what measure we trust in any thing that is uncertaine in the same measure will our griefe bee when it failes us the more men relye upon deceitfull Crutches the greater is their fall God can neither indure false objects nor a double object as hath beene shewed for a man to rely upoÌ„ any thing equally in the same ranke with himselfe for the propounding of a double object argues a double heart and a double heart is alwayes unsetled for it will regard God no longer then it can injoy that which it joynes together with him Therefore it is said you cannot serve two Masters not subordinate one to another whence it was that our Saviour told those worldly men which followed him that they could not beleeve in him because they sought honour one of another and in case of competition if their honour and reputation should come into question they would be sure to be fals to Christ and rather part with him then their 〈◊〉 vne credit and esteeme in the world David here by charging his soule to trust in God saw there was nothing else that could bring true rest and quiet unto him for whatsoever is besides God is but a creature and what ever is in the creature is but borrowed and at Gods disposing and changeable or else it were not a creature David saw his error soone for the ground of his disquiet was trusting something else besides God therefore when he began to say My hill is strong I shall not bee moved c. then presently his soule was troubled Out of God there is nothing fit for the soule to stay it selfe upon for 1. Outward things are not fitted to the spirituall nature of the soule they are dead things and cannot touch it being a lively spirit unlesse by way of â—…aint 2. They are beneath the worth of the soule and therefore debase the soule draw it lower then it selfe As a Noble woman by matching with a meane person much injures her selfe especially when higher matches are offered Earthly things are not given for Stayes wholly to rest on but for Comforts in our way to Heaven they are no more fit for the soule then that which hath many angles is fit to fill up that which is round which it cannot doe because of the unevennesse and void places that will remaine Outward things are never so well fitted for the soule but that the soule will presently see some voidnesse and emptinesse in them and in it selfe in cleaving to them for that which shall be a fit object for the soule must be 1. for the nature of it spirituall as the soule it selfe is 2. constant 3. full and satisfying 4. of equall continuance with it and 5. alwayes yeelding fresh contents we cast away flowers after once we have had the sweetnesse of theÌ„ because there is not still a fresh supply of sweetnesse What ever comfort is in the creature the soule will spend quickly and looke still for more whereas the comfort we have in God is undefiled and fadeth not away How can wee trust to that for comfort which by very trusting proves uncomfortable to us Outward things are onely so far forth good as wee doe not trust in them thornes may bee touched but not rested on for then they will pierce we must not set our hearts upon those things which are never evill to us but when we set our hearts upon them By trusting any thing but God wee make it 1. an Idoll 2. a curse and not a blessing 3. it will prove a lying vanity not yeelding that good which wee looke for and 4. a vexation bringing that evill upon us we looke not for Of all men Solomon was the fittest to judge of this because 1. hee had a large heart able to comprehend the variety of things and 2. being a mighty King had advantages of procuring all outward things that might give him satisfaction and 3. he had a desire answerable to search out and extract what ever good the creature could yeeld and yet upon the tryall of all hee passeth this verdict upon all that they are but vanity whilest he laboured to find that which he sought for in them hee had like to have lost himselfe and seeking too much to strengthen himselfe by forreine combination hee weakned himselfe the more thereby untill he came to know where the whole of man consists So that now wee need not try further conclusions after the peremptory sentence of so wise a man But our nature is still apt to thinke there is some secret good in the forbidden fruit and to buy wisedome dearly when wee might have it at a cheaper rate even from former universall experience It is a matter both to be wondred at and pittyed that the soule having God in Christ set before it alluring it unto him that hee might raise it inlarge it and fill it and so make it above all other things should yet debase make it selfe narrower and weaker by leaning to things meaner then it selfe The Kingdome Soveraignty and large command of Man continueth while he rests upon God in whom hee raignes in some sort over all things under him but so soone as he removes from God to any thing else hee becomes weake and narrow and slavish presently for The soule is as that which it relyes upon if on vanity it selfe becomes vain for that which contents the soule must satisfie all the wants and desires of it which no particular thing can doe and the soule is more sensible of a little thing that it wants then of all other things which it injoyes But see the insufficiency of all other things out of God to support the soul in their severall degrees First All outward things can make a man no happier then outward things can doe they cannot reach beyond their proper spheare but our greatest grievances are spirituall And as for inward things whether gifts or graces they cannot be a sufficient stay for the minde for 1. gifts as policy and wisedome c. they are at the best very defective especially when wee trust in them for wisedome makes men often to rebell and thereupon God delighteth to blast their projects None miscarry oftner then men of the greatest parts as none are oftner drowned then those that are most skilfull in swimming because it makes them confident And for grace though it be the beginning of a new creature in us yet it is but a creature and therefore not to be trusted in nay by trusting in it we imbase it and make it more imperfect so farre as there is truth of grace it breeds distrust of our selves and carryes the soule out of it selfe to the fountaine of strength And for any workes that proceed from grace by trusting thereunto they prove like the reede of Aegypt which not only deceives us but hurts us with the splinters Good workes
we flie unto for succour It is the ground wee stand on secures us not our selves As it is our happinesse so it must be our endeavour to bring the soule close to God that nothing get between for then the soule hath no sure footing When we step from God Sathan steps in by some temptation or other presently It requires a great deale of self deniall to bring a soule either swelling with carnall confidence or sinking by fear and distrust to lye levell upon God and cleave fast to him Square will lie fast upon Square but our hearts are so full of unevennesse that God hath much ado to square our hearts fit for him notwithstanding the soule hath no rest without this The use of trust is best knowne iâ—… the worst times for naturally in sicknesse we trust to the Physitian in want to our wit and shifts in danger to policy and the arme of flesh in plenty to our present supply c. but when wee have nothing in view then indeed should God bee God unto us In times of distresse when hee shewes himselfe in the wayes of his mercy and goodnesse then we should especially magnifie his name which will move him to discover his excellencies the more the more wee take notice of them And therefore David strengthens himselfe in these words that he hoped for better times wherein God would shew himselfe more gracious to him because 〈◊〉 resolved to praise him This trusting joynts the soule again and sets it in its own true resting place and sets God in his owne place in the â—…le that is the highest and the creaâ—…re in its place which is to bee under God as in its owne nature so in our hearts This is to ascribe honour due unâ—… God the onely way to bring peace â—…o the soule Thus if wee can bring 〈◊〉 hope and trust to the God of hope 〈◊〉 trust we shall stand impregnable â—…n all assaults as will best appeare in â—…ese particulars CHAP. XXI Of quieting the spirit in troubles for sinne And objections answered TO begin with troubles of the spirit which indeed are the spirit of troubles as disabling that which should uphold a man in all his troubles A spirit set in tune and assisted by a higher spirit will stand out against ordinary assaults but when God the God of the spirits of all flesh shall seeme contrary to our spirits whence then shall wee finde reliefe Here all is spirituall God a spirit the soule a spirit the terrours spirituall the devill who joynes with these a spirit yea that which the soule feares for the time to come is spirituall and not only spirituall but eternall unlesse it pleaseth God at length to break out of the thick cloud wherewith hee covers himselfe and shine upon the soule as in his own time he will In this estate comforts themselves are uncomfortable to the soule iâ—… quarrels with every thing the better things it heares of the more it is vexed Oh what is this to mee what have I to â—…e with these comforts the more happinesse may be had the more is my griefe As for comforts from Gods inferiour blessings as friends children estate c. the soule is ready to misconstrue Gods end in all as not intending any good to him thereby In this condition God doth not appeare in his owne shape to the soul but in the shape of an enemy and when God seemes against us who shall stand for us Our blessed Saviour in his agony had the Angels to comfort him but had he beene a meere man and not assisted by the Godhead it was not the comfort no not of Angels that could have upheld him in the sense of his fathers withdrawing his countenance from him Alas then what will become of us in such a case if we be not supported by a spirit of power and the power of â—…n almighty spirit If all the temptations of the whole world and hell it selfe were mustered together they were nothing to this whereby the great God sets himselfe contrary to his poore creature None can conceive so but those that have felt it If the hiding of his face will so trouble the soule what will his frowne and angry look doe Needs must the soule bee in a wofull plight when as God seemes not onely to bee absent from it but an enemy to it When a man sees no comfort from above and lookes inward and sees lesse when hee lookes about him and sees nothing but evidences of Gods displeasure beneath him and sees nothing but desperation clouds without and clouds within nothing but clouds in his condition here he had need of faith to breake through all and see Sunne through the thickest cloud Upon this the distressed soule is in danger to be set upon by a temptation called the temptation of blasphemy that is to entertain bitter thoughts against God and especially against the grace and goodnesse of God wherein he desires to make himselfe most knowne to his creature In those that have wilfully resisted divine truths made knowne unto them and after taste despised them a perswasion that God hath for saken them set on strongly by Sathan hath a worse effect it stirs up a hellish hatred against God carying them to a revengefull desire of opposing whatsoever is Gods though not alwayes openly for then they should lose the advantage of doing hurt yet secretly and subtilly and under pretence of the contrary To this degree of blasphemie Gods children never fall yet they may feele the venome of corruption stirring in their hearts against God and his wayes which he takes with them and this addes greatly to the depth of their affliction when afterward they think with themselves what hellish stuffe they cary in their soules This is not so much discerned in the temptation but after the fit is somewhat remitted In this kinde of desertion seconded with this kinde of temptation the way is to call home the soule and to check it and charge it to trust in God even though he shewes himselfe an enemy for it is but a shewe he doth but put on a maske with a purpose to reveale himselfe the more graciously afterward his maner is to worke by contraries In this condition God lets-in some few beames of light whereby the soul casts a longing looke upon God even when he seemes to forsake it it will with Ionas in the belly of hell looke back to the holy Temple of God it will steale a looke unto Christ. Nothing more comfortable in this condition then to flye to him that by experience knew what this kinde of forsaking meant for this very end that he might bee the fitter to succour us in the like distresse Learne therefore to appeale from God to God oppose his gracious nature his sweet promises to such as are in darknesse and see no light inviting them to trust in him though thereappeare to the eye of sense and reason nothing but darknesse Here make
putting man out of the power and possession of himselfe and therefore David here when he had thoughts of praising God was faine to take up the quarrell betwixt him and his soule first Praising sets all the parts and graces of the soule aworke and therefore the soule had need gather it selfe and its strength together to this duty It requires especially selfe-denyall from a conscience of our own wants weaknesses and unworthinesse it requires a giving up of our selves and all ours to be at Gods dispose the very ground and the fruit which it yeelds are both Gods and they never gave themselves truly up to God that are not ready to give all they have to him whensoever he calls for it thankfulnesse is a sacrifice and in sacrifices there must be killing before offering otherwise the sacrifice will be as the offering up of some uncleane creature thanksgiving is 〈◊〉 Incense and there must be fire to â—…rne that Incense thanksgiving requires not onely affections but the heat of affections there must be some assuâ—…ce of the benefit wee praise God â—…or and it is no easie matter to maintaine assurance of our interest in the best things Yet in this case if we feele not sense of assorance it is good we should praise God for what we have we cannot deny but God offers himselfe in mercy to us and that he intends our good thereby for so wee ought to construe his mercifull dealing towards us and not have him in jealousie without ground if we being our hearts to be willing to praise God for that wee cannot but acknowledge comes from him hee will be ready in his time to shew himselfe more clearely to us we taste of his goodnesse â—…ny wayes and it is accompanied with much patience and these in their natures leade us not onely to repentance but likewise to thankfull acknowledgement and wee ought to follow that which God leades us unto though hee hath not yet acquainted us with his secrets It is good in this case to help the soule with a firm resolution and to back resolution with a vowe not onely in generall that we will praise but particularly of something within our owne power provided it prove no snare to us For by this meanes the heart is perfectly gayned and the thing is as good as done in regard of Gods acceptance and our comfort because strong resolutions discover sincerity without any hypocriticall reservation and hollownesse Alwayes so much sincerity as a man hath so much will his inward peace be Resolution as a strong streame beares downe all before it little good is done in Religion without this and with it all is as good as done So soone as we set upon this worke wee shall feele our spirits to rise higher and higher as the waters in the Sanctuary as the soule growes more and more heated see how David riseth by degrees Be glad in the Lord and then rejoyce ye righteous and then showt for ioy 〈◊〉 yee that are upright in heart the spirit of God will delight to carry us along â—…n this duty untill it leaves our spirits in heaven praising God with the Saintsâ—…d â—…d glorious Angels there to him that â—…h and useth it shall be given hee that â—…weth God aright will honour him by trusting of him hee that honours â—…m by trusting him will honour him by praying and he that honours him by prayer shall honour him by praises hee â—…at honours him by praises here shall perfect his praises in heaven and this will quit the labour of setting and keeâ—…ing the soule in tune this trading with God is the richest trade in the world when we returne praises to him 〈◊〉 returnes new favours to us and so an everlasting ever-encreasing intercourse betwixt God and the soule is maintained David here resolved to praise God â—…use hee had assurance of such a deâ—…rance as would yeeld him a â—…ound of praising him Praising of God may well be called â—…ense because as it is sweet in it selfe and sweet to God so it sweetens all that comes from us Love and Ioy are sweet in themselves though those whom wee love and joy in should not know of our affection nor returne the like but wee cannot love and joy in God but hee will delight in us when we neglect the praising of God we lose both the comforts of Gods love and our owne too It is a spirituall judgement to want oâ—… lose the sight or sense of Gods favours for it is a sign of want of spirituall life or at least livelinesse it shewes wee are not yet in the state of those whom God hath chosen to set forth the riches of his glory upon When we consider that if we answer not kindnesse and favour shewed unto us by men we are esteemed unworthy of respect as having sinned against the bond of humane society and love wee cannot but much more take shame to our selves when wee consider the disproportion of our carriage and unkind behaviour towards God when in stead of being temples of his praise wee become graves of his benefits what a vanity is this in our nature to stand upon exactnesse of justice in answering petty curtesies of men and yet to passe by the substantiall favours of God without scarce taking notice of them the best breeding is to acknowledge greatest respects where they are most due and to think that if unkindnesse and rudenesse be a sinne in civility it is much more in Religion the greatest danger of unthankfulnesse is in the greatest matter of all if wee arrogate any spirituall strength to our selves in spirituall actions wee commit either sacriledge in robbing God of his due or mockerie by praising him for that which we hold to be of our selves if injustice be to be condemned in man much more in denying God his due Religion being the first due It takes much from thankfulnesse when we have common conceits of peculiar favours praise is not comely in the mouth of fooles Godloves no blind sacrifice We should therefore have wisdome and judgement not onely to know upon what grounds to be thankfull but in what order by discerning what be the best and first favours whence the rest proceed and which adde a worthiness to all the rest it is good to see blessings as they issue from grace and mercy It much commends any blessing to see the love and favour of God in it which is more to be valued then the blessing it selfe as it much commends any thing that comes from us when we put a respect of thankfulnesse and love to God upon it and if we observe we shall find the unkindnesse of others to us is but a correction of our unkindnesse to God In praising God it is not good to delay but take advantage of the freshnesse of the blessing what we adde to delay we take from thankfulnesse and withall lose the prime and first fruits of our affections It is
a grace wherâ—…y the soule resigneth up it self to God â—…n humble submission to his will because he is our God as David in extremity comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Patience breeds comfort because it brings experience with it of Gods owâ—…ing of us to be His. The soul shod and â—…enced with this is prepared against all â—…bs and thornes in our way so as wee â—…e kept from taking offence All troubles we suffer doe but help patience to its perfect worke by subduing the unbroken sturdinesse of our spirits when wee feele by experience wee get but more blowes by standing out against God 4. The Spirit of God likewise is a spirit of meeknesse whereby though the â—…ul be sensible of evill yet it modeâ—…tes such distempers as would otherwise rob a man of himselfe and together with patience keepeth the soul in possession of it selfe It stayes murmurings and frettings against God or man It sets and keepes the soul in tune It is that which God as hee workes so hee much delights in and sets a price upon it as the chiefe ornament of the soul. The meek of the earth seek God and are hid in the day of his wrath whereas high spirits that compasse themselves with pride as with a chain thinking to set out themselves by that which is their shame are looked upon by God a farre off Meek persons will bow when others break they are raised when others are pluckt down and stand when others that mount upon the wings of vanity fall these prevaile by yeelding and are Lords of themselves and other things else more then other unquiet spirited men the blessings of heaven and earth attend on these 5. So likewise contentednesse with our estate is needfull for a waiting condition and this we have in Our God being able to give the soul full satisfaction For outward things God knowes â—…ow to dyet us If our condition be not 〈◊〉 our minde he will bring our minde 〈◊〉 our condition If the spirit bee too â—…gge for the condition it is never quiâ—… therefore God will levell both Those wants be well supplyed that are made up with contentednesse and with â—…hes of a higher kinde If the Lordâ—…e â—…e our Shepheard we can want nothing This lifteth the weary hands and feeble â—…ees even under chastisement wherein though the soule mourneth in the sence of Gods displeasure yet it rejoyceth in his Fatherly care 6. But patience and contentment are â—…o low a condition for the soul to rest 〈◊〉 therefore the spirit of God raiseth it vp to a spirituall enlargement of joy So much joy so much light and so much hight so much scattering of darknesse of â—…pirit We see in nature how a little light will prevaile over the thickest clouds of darknesse a little fire wastes a great â—…eale of drosse The knowledge of God to be our God brings such a light of joy into the soul as driveth outâ—… dark uncomfortable conceits this light makes lightsome If the light of knowledge alone makes bold much more the light of joy arising from our communion and interest in God How can wee enjoy God and not joy in him A soule truely cheerefull rejoyceth that God whom it loveth should think it worthy to endure any thing for him This joy often ariseth to a spirit of glory even in matter of outward abasement if the trouble accompanyed with disgrace continue the spirit of glory rests upon us and it will rest so long untill it make us more then Conquerours even then when we seeme conquered for not onely the cause but the spirit riseth higher the more the enemies labour to keepe it under as we see in Stephen With this joy goeth a spirit of courage and confidence What can daunt that soule which in the greatest troubles hath made the great God to be its owne Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all opposite power setting the soule above the world having a spirit larger and higher then the world and seeing all but God beneath it as being in heaven already in its head After Moses and Micah had seene God in his favour to them how little did they regard the angry countenances of those mighty Princes that were in their times the terrours of the world The courage of a Christian is not onely against sensible danger and of flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers of darknesse against the whole kingdome of Sathan the god of the world whom hee knowes shortly shall be trodden under his feet Sathan and his may for a time exercise us but they cannot hurt us True beleevers are so many Kings and Queens so many Conquerours over that which others are slaves to they can overcome themselves in revenge they can despise those things that the world admires and see an excellency in that which the world sets light by they can set upon spirituall duties which the world cannot tell how to goe about and endure that which others tremble to think of and that upon wise reasons and a sound foundation they can put off themselves and be content to be nothing so their God may appeare the greater and dare undertake and undergoe any thing for the glory of their God This courage of Christians among the Heathens was counted obstinacy but they knew not the power of the spirit of Christ in his which is ever strongest when they are weakest in themselves they knew not the privy armour of proofe that Christians had about their hearts and thereupon counted their courage to be obstinacy Some think the Martyrs were too prodigall of their bloud and that they might have beene better advised but such are unacquainted with the force of the love of God kindled in the heart of his childe which makes him set such a high price upon Christ and his truth that he counts not his life dear unto him He knowes hee is not his owne but hath given up himselfe to Christ and therefore all that is his yea if hee had more lives to give for Christ hee should have them He knowes he shall be no looser by it Hee knowes it is not a losse of his life but an exchange for a better We see the creatures that are under us will be couragious in the eye of their Masters that are of a superiour nature above them and shall not a Christian be couragious in the presence of his great Lord and Master who is present with him about him and in him undoubtedly hee that hath seene God once in the face of Christ dares look the grimmest creature in the face yea death it selfe under any shape The feare of all things flyes before such a soule Onely a Christian is not ashamed of his confidence Why should not a Christian be as bold for his God as others are for the base gods they make to themselves 7. Besides a spirit of courage for establishing the soule is required a spirit of constancie
whereby the soule is steeled and preserved immoveable in all conditions whether present or to come and is not changed in changes And why but because the spirit knows that God on whom it rests is unchangeable We our selves are as quick-silver unsetled and moveable till the spirit of constancie fixe us We see David sets out God in glorious termes borrowed from all that is strong in the creature to shew that hee had great reason to be constant and cleaving to him He is my rock my Buckler the horn of my salvation my high Tower c. God is a rock so deep that no flouds can undermine so high that no waves can reach though they rise never so high and rage never so much When wee stand upon this rock that is higher then wee wee may over-looke all waves swelling and foaming and breaking themselves but not hurting us And thereupon may triumphantly conclude with the Apostle That neither height nor depth shall ever separate us from the love of God Whatsoever is in the creature he found in his God and more aboundant the soule cannot with an eye of faith look upon God in Christ but it will be in its degree as God is quiet and constant the spirit aimeth at such a condition as it beholdeth in God towards it selfe This constancy is upheld by endeavouring to keepe a constant sight of God for want of which it oft fares with us like men that having a City or Tower in their eye passing through uneven grounds hils and dales sometimes get the sight thereof sometimes lose it and sometimes recover it againe though the Tower be still where it was and they neerer to it thē they were at first So it is oft with our uneven spirits when once wee have a sight of God upon any present discouragement wee let fall our spirits and lose the sight of him untill by an eye of faith we recover it againe and see him still to be where he was at first The cherishing of passions take away the sight of God as clouds take away the sight of the Sun though the Sunne be still where it was and shineth as much as ever it did We use to say when the body of the Moon is betwixt the Sunne and us that the Sunne is eclipsed when indeed not the Sunne but the earth is darkned the Sun loseth not one of its glorious beames God is oft neere us as he was unto Iacob and we are not aware of it God was neere the holy man Asaph when hee thought him far off I am continually with thee saith hee thou holdest me by my right hand Mary in her weeping passion could not see Christ before her hee seemed a stranger unto her So long as we can keep our eye upon God we are above the reach of sin or any spirituall danger CHAP. XXXIV Of confirming this trust in God Seeke it of God himselfe Sins hinder not nor Satan Conclusion and Soliloquie § 1. BUt to returne to the drawing out of our trust by waiting Our estate in this world is still to waite and happy it is that we have so great things to wait for but our comfort is that wee have not onely a furniture of graces one strengthening another as stones in an arch but likewise GOD vouchsafeth some drops of the sweetnesse of the things wee wayte for both to encrease our desire of those good things as likewise to enable us more comfortably to wayte for them And though we should die wayting onely cleaving to the promise with little or no taste of the good promised yet this might comfort us that there is a life to come that is a life of sight and sense and not onely of taste but of fulnesse and that for evermore Our condition here is to live by faith and not by sight onely to make our living by faith more lively it pleaseth God when he sees fit to encrease our earnest of that we looke for Even here God waytes to be gracious to those that wayte for him And in heaven Christ waytes for us wee art part of his fulnesse it is part of his joy that we shall be where he is he wil not therefore be long without us The blessed Angels and Saints in heaven wayte for us Therefore let us be content as strangers to wayte a while till we come home and then wee shall be for ever with the Lord there is our eternall rest where we shall enjoy both our God and our selves in perfect happinesse being as without need so without desire of the least change When the time of our departure thither comes then we may say as David Enter now my soule into thy rest This is the rest which remaineth for Gods people that is worth the waiting for when we shall rest from all labour of sinne and sorow and lay our heads in the bosome of Christ for ever It stands us therefore upon to get this great Charter more and more confirmed to us that God is our God for it is of everlasting use unto us It first begins at our entring into covenant with God continues not only unto death but entreth into heaven with us As it is our heaven upon earth to enjoy God as ours so it is the very heaven of heaven that there we shall for ever behold him and have communion with him The degrees of manifesting this propriety in God are divers rising one upon another as the light cleares up by little and little till it comes to a perfect day 1. As the ground of all the rest wee apprehend God to be a God of some peculiar persons as favourites above others 2. From hence is stirred up in the soul a restlesse desire that God would discover himselfe so to it as he doth to those that are his that he would visite our soules with the salvation of his chosen 3. Hence followes a putting of the soul upon God an adventuring it selfe on his mercy 4. Upon this God when he seeth fit discovers by his spirit that he is Ours 5. Whence followeth a dependance on him as ours for all things that may cary us on in the way to heaven 6. Courage and boldnesse in setting our selves against whatsoever may oppose us in the way As the three young men in Daniel Our God can deliver us if he will Our God is in heaven c. 7. After which springs a sweet spirituall security whereby the soule is freed from slavish feares and glorieth in God as Ours in all conditions And this is termed by the Apostle not onely assurance but the riches of assurance Yet this is not so cleare and full as it shall be in heaven because some clouds may after arise out of the remainder of corruption which may something over-cast this assurance untill the light of Gods countenance in heaven for ever scatters all There being so great happinesse in this neerenesse betwixt
in himselfe out of his goodnesse would stoop low to us And we should delight in the meditation of him not onely as good to us but as good in himselfe because goodnesse of bounty springs from goodnesse of disposition he doth good because he is good A naturall man delights more in Gods gifts then in his grace If he desires grace it is to grace himselfe not as grace making him like unto God and issuing from the first grace the free favour of God by which meanes men come to have the gifts of God without God himselfe But alas what are all other goods without the chiefe good they are but as flowers which are long in planting in cherishing and growing but short in enjoying the sweetnesse of them David here joyes in God himselfe he cares for nothing in the world but what he may have with his favour and what ever else he desires hee desires onely that he may have the better ground from thence to praise his God §. 4. The summe of all is this The state of Gods deare children in this world is to bee cast into variety of conditions wherein they consisting of nature flesh and spirit every principle hath its owne and proper working They are sensible as flesh and blood they are sensible to discouragement as sinfull flesh and blood but they recover themselves as having a higher principle Gods spirit above flesh and blood in them In this conflicting state every principle labouring to maintaine it selfe at length by helpe of the spirit backing and strengthening his owne worke grace gets the better keeping nature within bounds and suppressing corruption And this the soule so farre as it is spirituall doth by gathering it selfe to it selfe and by reasoning the case so farre till it concludes and joynes upon this issue that the onely way to attaine sound peace is when all other meanes faile to trust in God And thereupon he layes a charge upon his soule so to doe is being a course grounded upon the highest reason even the unchangeable goodnesse of God who out of the riches of his mercy having chosen a people in this world which should be to the glory of his mercy will give them matter of setting forth his praise in shewing some token of good upon them as being those on whom he hath fixed his love and to whom hee will appeare not onely a Saviour but salvation it selfe Nothing but salvation as the Sunne is nothing but light so whatsoever proceeds from him to them tends to further salvation All his wayes towards them leade to that which wayes of his though for a time they are secret and not easily found out yet at length God will be wonderfull in them to the admiration of his enemies themselves who shall be forced to say God hath done great things for them and all from this ground that God is our God in covenant Which words are a stearne that rule and guide the whole text For why should we not be disquieted when we are disquieted Why should we not be cast downe when we are cast downe Why should we trust in God as a Saviour but that he is our God making himselfe so to us in his choisest favours doing that for us which none else can doe and which he doth to none else that are not his in a gracious maner This blessed interest and intercourse betwixt Gods spirit and our spirits is the hindge upon which all turns without this no comfort is comfortable with this no trouble can be very trouble some Without this assurance there is little comfort in Soliloquies unlesse when we speake to our selves wee can speake to God as ours For in desperate cases our soule can say nothing to it selfe to still it selfe unlesse it be suggested by God Discouragements will appeare greater to the soule then any comfort unlesse God comes in as ours See therefore Davids art hee demands of himselfe why hee was so cast downe The cause was apparant because there was troubles without and terrours within and none to comfort Well grant this saith the spirit of God in him as the worst must be granted yet saith the Spirit Trust in God So I have Why then waite in trusting Light is sowen for the righteous it comes not upon the suddaine we must not think to sowe and reape both at once If trouble be lengthened lengthen thy patience What good will come of this God will waite to doe thee that good for which thou shalt praise him he will deale so graciously with thee as he will deserve thy praise he will shew thee his salvation And new favours will stirre thee up to sing new songs every new recovery of our selves or friends is as it were a new life and ministers new matter of praise And upon offering this sacrifice of praise the heart is further enlarged to pray for fresh blessings Wee are never fitter to pray then after praise But in the meane time I hang down my head whilest mine enemies carie themselves highly and my friends stand aloofe God in his owne time which is best for thee will be the salvation of thy countenance he will compasse thee about with songs of deliverance and make it appeare at last that he hath care of thee But why then doth God appeare as a stranger to me That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer hee withdrawes himself that thou shouldst bee the more earnest in seeking after him God speakes the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wildernesse Happily thou art not yet low enough nor purged enough Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world and therefore it will not yet appeare that it is Gods good will to deliver thee Wert thou a fit subject of mercy God would bestow it on thee But what ground hast thou to build thy selfe so strongly upon God He hath offered and made himselfe to be My God and so hath shewed himselfe in former times And I have made him My God by yeelding him his Soveraignty in my heart Besides the present evidence of his blessed spirit clearing the same and many peculiar tokens of his love which I daily doe enjoy though sometimes the beams of his favour are eclipsed Those that are Gods besides their interest and right in him have oft a sense of the same even in this life as a fore-taste of that which is to come To the seale of grace stamped upon their hearts God super-adds a fresh seale of joy and comfort by the presence and witnesse of his Spirit And shewes likewise some outward token for good upon them whereby he makes it appeare that hee hath set a part him that is godly for himselfe as his owne Thus we see that discussing of objections in the consistory of the soule settles the soule at last Faith at length silencing all risings to the contrary All motion tends to rest and ends in it God is the center and resting place of the soule and here
that God puts into the Câ—…p so much afflicts us as the ingrediâ—…ts of our distempered passions mingled with them The sting and coare of them all is sinne when that is not â—…ely pardoned but in some measure â—…led and the proud flesh eaten out â—…n a healthy soule will â—…eare any thing After repentance that trouble that before was a correction becomes now a triall and exercise of grace Strike Lord saith Luther I'beare any thing willingly because my sinnes are forgiven We should not be cast downe so much about outward troubles as about sinne that both procures them and invenomes them We see by experience when conscience is once set at liberty how chearefully men will goe under any burthen therefore labour to keep out sinne and then let come what will come It is the foolish wisdome of the world to prevent trouble by sin which is the way indeed to pull the greatest trouble upon us For sinne dividing betwixt God and us moveth him to leave the soule to intangle it selfe in â—…s owne wayes When the conscience is cleare then there is nothing between God and us to hinder our trust Outward troubles rather drive us neerer unto God and stand with his love But sin defileth the soule and sets it further from God It is well doing that inables us to commit our soules cheerefully â—…to him Whatsoever our outward condition be if our hearts condemne us 〈◊〉 we may have boldnesse with God In my trouble our care should be not to avoid the trouble but sinfull miscari age in and about the trouble and so trust God It is a heavy condition to be under the burthen of trouble and under the burthen of a guilty conscience both at once When men will walke in the light of their owne fire and the sparkes which they have kindled themselves it is just with God that they should lye downe in sorow Whatsoever injuries we suffer from those that are ill affected to us let us commit our cause to the God of vengeance and not meddle with his prerogative He will revenge our cause better then we can and more perhaps then we desire The wronged side is the â—…er side If in stead of meditating revenge we can so overcome ourselves 〈◊〉 to pray for our enemies and deserve well of them wee shall both sweeten our owne spirits and prevent a sharpe temptation which wee are prone unto and have an undoubted argument that we are sonnes of that Father that doth good to his enemies and members of that Saviour that prayed for his persecutors And withall by heaping coales upon our enemies shall melt them either to conversion or to confusion But the greatest triall of trust is in our last encounter with death wherein we shall finde not only a deprivation of all comforts in this life but a confluence of all ill at once but wee must know God will be the God of his unto death and not only unto death but in death We may trust God the Father with our bodies and soules which he hath created and God the Sonne with the bodies and soules which he hath redeemed and the holy Spirit with those bodies and soules that he hath sanctified We are not disquieted when wee put off our cloathes and goe to bed because we trust Gods ordinary providence to raise us up againe And why should we be disquieted when we put off our bodies and sleep our last sleep considering we are more sure to rise out of 〈◊〉 graves then out of our beds Nay we are raised up already in Christ our â—…d who is the resurrection and the life in whom we may triumph over death that triumpheth over the greatest Moâ—…chs as a disarmed and conquered enemie Death is the death of it selfe and not of us If we would have faith ready to die by wee must exercise it well in living by it and then it will no more faile us then the good things we lay hold on by it untill it hath brought 〈◊〉 into heaven where that office of it is â—…aid aside here is the prerogative of a true Christian above an hypocrite and a worldling when as their trust and the thing they trust in failes them then a true beleevers trust stands him in greatest stead In regard of our state after death a Christian need not bee disquieted for the Angels are ready to doe their office in carying his soule to Paradise those â—…ansions prepared for him His Saviour will bee his Judge and the Head will â—…t condemne the members then hee is to receive the fruit and end of his Faith the reward of his Hope which is so great and so sure that our trusting in God for that strengtheneth the heart to trust him for all other things in our passage so that the refreshing of our faith in these great things refreshes its dependance upon God for all things here below And how strong helpes have we to uphold our Faith in those great things which wee are not able to conceive of till wee come to possesse them Is not our husband there and hath hee not taken possession for us doth he not keep our place for us Is not our flesh there in him and his spirit below with us have we not some first fruits and earnest of it before hand Is not Christ now a fitting and preparing of us daily for what he hath prepared and keepes for us Whither tends all we meete with in this world that comes betwixt us and heaven as desertions inward conflicts outward troubles and death at last but to fit us for a better condition hereafter and â—…y Faith therein to stirre up a strong desire after it Comfort one another with â—…se things saith the Apostle these bee 〈◊〉 things will comfort the soule CHAP. XXV Of the defects of gifts disquieting the â—…le As also the afflictions of the Church AMong other things there is nothing more disquiets a Christian â—…at is called to the fellowship of Christ and his Church here and to â—…ory hereafter then that he sees himselfe unfurnished with those gifts that 〈◊〉 fit for the calling of a Saint As â—…ewise for that particular standing â—…d place wherein God hath set him in 〈◊〉 world by being a member of a boâ—… politick For our Christian calling wee must â—…ow that Christianity is a matter raâ—…er of grace then of gifts of obedience then of parts Gifts may come from a more common worke of the â—…pirit they are common to castawayes and are more for others then for our selves Grace comes from a peculiar favour of God and especially for our owne good In the same duty where there is required both gifts and grace as in prayer one may performe it with evidence of greater grace then another of greater parts Moses a man not of the best speech was chosen before Aaron to speak to God and to strive with him by Prayer whilst Israel fought with Amaleck with the