thought of them Then feare not they shall not be layd to thy charge Assure thy selfe those sighes and groans which proceed from thy perplexed soul shall find so much grace and favor with God as they shall be able to prevaile with him for that blessing thou hast begd and standst in need of And although thou canst not pray as thou wouldst yet sigh and groane as thou shouldst and hee which knowes the secrets of all hearts will be able to understand the meaning of thy sighs and groans of the spirit within thee which doth plead and speak to God for thee Object But I feare the Lord doth abominate my sacrifice and service as loathsome hee may cast it as dung in my face and lay some judgement upon mee for offering up such a strange sacrifice unto him Answ If God hath given thee a heart to mourne for sinne he hath made thee able to offer him such a sacrifice as hee is well pleased with and therefore he can not but accept of thy person whatsoever thy failings have been Thy grieved soul and sorrowfull spirit is a sacrifice which casts a sweet savor in the Lords nostrills Psalm 51.17 And would God accept of thy sacrifice if hee had rejected thee No no assure thy selfe that God hath accepted of thy person if hee accepts of thy sacrifice The Lord had 〈…〉 and to his offering Gâ—â—e 4.4 The melting of thy soul and the kindly mourning over him whom thou hast pierced with thy sinne is a most infallible evidence of Gods love towards thee and of the saving presence of his holy Spirit abiding in thee Therefore let thy spirit rejoyce in that thou art able to mourne for sinne Those teares which proceed from a grieved soul and wounded spirit may be compared unto Aprill showers which bring on May-flowers although these showers wet where they fall Yet through the heat of the Sunne working with them they produce a great deale of sweetnesse in those plants and hearbs which they fall upon There is abundance of joy in all godly sorrow As the harvest is potentially in the seed so the harvest of true and sound joy growes out of this seed of sorrow Psalm 126.5 They that sow in teares shall reap in joy Why is thy soul then so troubled within thee why art thou still so sad so heavie and dejected Object Howsoever I grieve and mourn yet I can not beleeve that there is any truth of grace in mee in that I am not so fruitfull and profitable in my place and calling as I should and faine would bee I am a barren fruitlesse tree one that cumbers the earth fit for nothing but the fire Answ But is it not with thee as it fareth with some covetous earthly gripple-minded persons which spend their time in scraping and raking together these outward things pinch their bodies and are ever and anon whining and complaining that they have nothing when as their chests are full of good linnen their houses stored and stuffed full of utensills and their purse full of money but being blinded with the love of the world think they have nothing because they have not so much as their covetous eye would look over and therefore do neither thankfully acknowledge what they have received nor profitably improve any thing they do enjoy either to Gods glory their own comfort or others good Even so many afflicted souls being overladen with anguish of mind and deluded by Satan oft times complaine of the want of grace in the midst of plentie not seeing as the saying is wood for trees and thus do bely both God and themselves And it is just with the Lord somtimes to hold his children down with feares and doubtings because they have not been sufficiently thankfull to God for that rich grace they have received from him Our unthankfulnesse is not only as a great fogg and mist which doth exceedingly obscure and darken the grace of God in his children but is also as a worme or canker which eats into the sap and heart of grace so as it thrives not nor fructifies as otherwise it would do But such as are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God Psalm 92.13 Doth not the Prophet Jeremiah also tell us that those that trust in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is shall be as a tree planted by the water which spreadeth out her roots shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Jere. 17.8 Answ And is not this good fruit to bemoane thy barrennesse Admit that for the present thou dost not increase thy spirituall stock as thou desirest thou dost not perceive grace to thrive and grow in thee as thou dost behold it in others must it needs follow that thou are therefore utterly destitute and void of grace A man whiles hee is asleep makes no use of many good things hee hath a hand benummed with cold feels not that which it holds fast It may so fall out that grace may be somthing chilled in thee doth it therefore follow that it is quite killed in thee Thou must learn to put a difference betwixt no grace and grace some way infeebled for the present It fares with grace in the hearts of many of Gods children as it doth with the Moon somtimes in the full and somtimes in the wain or as with the Sea which somtimes flowes and sometimes ebbs even so through Satans malice and our own frailtie grace may seem somtime to ebbe in us and then no wonder if the heart be deaded and out inward peace disturbed through feares and doubtings Assure thy selfe this off and on this up and down this heat and cold ariseth from those principles of grace and corruption abiding in all the Lords people Corruption somtimes prevailes and this royles and troubles these living waters within us and makes them thick and muddy so as little good appeares in us but anon when the wind of the spirit blowes againe with its holy blast it cleanseth and refineth these troubled waters whose cleernesse may again be seen and whose goodnesse may be tasted Object But my case is worse then ordinary for I have returned with the dogge to lick up my old vomit after repenting and cleansing yea covenanting with God for ever to renounce and abandon my former sinnes I have with the swine wallowed in the old mire of filthinesse and therefore I cannot think that ever grace was in truth begun in mee Answ If it be so thy case is the more lamentable and fearefull but yet it is not desperate For divers of the Lords people many worthie ones have relapsed have fallen back unto old sinnes and yet by the goodnesse and mercie of God have recovered themselves againe and gained the love and favor of God Did not Abraham sinne the matter of Sarah his wife hazarding her chastitie by a poore plot yea a sinfull pollicie exposing his wife to adultrey for his own outward peace
violence to thy person in all these or any other wrong they can do unto thee they are but the Lords rods to whip thee withall Seeke not revenge against them but leave them to the Lord and hee will one day recompence them for their malice and cruelty against thee Implacable is the malice and rage of the wicked against the godly so furious that if the Lord should not curbe and restrain them as Jezebel vowed to take away the life of Eliah 1. King 19.2 So they would not suffer a soul to breath amongst them which feareth God and walketh not after the course of the World But blessed be our good God that giveth not up his children as a prey into their teeth Psalme 124.6 but avengeth the afflicted Psalme 140.12 And will recompence the wicked according to their deeds Psal 28.4 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest 2. Thess 1.6 7. Object But is the Lord just in this is it equall that any should bee punished for that worke which the Lord hath set them about Answ Yes if they do it not to that end and in that manner which God would have them True it is they can do no other then God will have them to do but God wills them not to do his worke in that manner which they perform it The Lord commanded Jehu to root out the posterity of Ahab which Jehu according to the Word of the Lord fulfilled Yet the Lord by the Prophet Hoseah 1.4 saith I will visit the blood of Israel upon the house of Jehu For though Jehu was Gods instrument and servant and did that worke which the Lord imployed him about and the Lord was well pleased with the doing of it yet the manner and the end of his doing it caused God to be offended with him For Iehu did it not in conscience and obedience to the will of God hee did it not with an upright heart but with an ambitious and wicked mind Hee did it not in zeal of Gods glory as he boasted but hee did it to advance himselfe and to settle the crown more surely upon the head of his posterity Hee threw down Baal Ahabs Idoll to set up Jeroboams calfe Hee did it not in detestation of Ahabs sinne but in the hatred of his person and love unto himselfe and therefore the Lord threatned and afterward punished him So many that trouble and vexe the Lords people do that which the Lord would have them but not to that end or in that manner as the Lord speakes by the Prophet Zachariah I was angry but a little and they helped forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 Therefore when our enemies have done their worst spit out all their malice and spewed out all their venom against us which they can disgorge then will the Lord take them to taske then will hee recompence and reward them for their malice and mischiefe Behold thus saith the Lord unto the Ammonites because thou hast clapped thy hands and stamped with thy feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despight against the land of Israel Behold therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee c. Ezek. 25.6.7 This shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the Lords people Zepha 2.10 The more our enemies do insult over us and wee patient the sooner wil the Lord help and deliver us Jere. 30.17 If wee did but seriously consider of these things much matter of patience would be administred unto us Men would not swell with the desire of revenge if these truths could enter into them Did wee beleeve that whatsoever wrongs and injuries either by word or deed any of our enemies offer unto us the Lord sets them on worke the Lord wills them to do it for the exercising of our faith the triall of our patience and other ends would wee durst wee fret and fume and chafe as wee do at our enemies Were wee but perswaded of this truth That if wee patiently sat down by our wrongs seeke not revenge but commit and commend our causes and our enemies to our God hoping that the Lord wil do us good for that evill they have done unto us as David said It may bee the Lord will look upon mine affliction and do me good for his cursing 2. Sam. 16.12 Wee would be more patient and there would be lesse heart-burnings and fewer quarrells and suits at law amongst us then be Before I passe from this use of the doctrine in hand it will not be amisse to lay down some helps how a Christian may attaine to this gift of patience which is so needfull to the carrying of him on cheerfully and peaceably in his race for wee must runne with patience the race that is set before us Hebr. 12.1 How may wee come to bee furnished with patience First by our profitable and fruitfull entertaining and welcoming the Word of God for this being effectuall in us will still the heart in all stormes and cause us quietly to sit downe by all wrongs done unto us by all afflictions that befall us Hence it is that the Lord cals the Word The Word of his patience Revel 3.10 And so it is called either because it teacheth and instructeth us unto patience For whatsoever things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Seriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 Or else because it is an instrument and means of working patience in us promising unto us peace with God through Christ and not only so but also a sanctified use of all our afflictions heere and salvation hereafter to all that keep this Word which doth much pacifie the heart and cause us to be patient in our afflictions Or else it may be called a word of patience because without patience the Word cannot be rightly professed nor wee hold out in a holy profession unto the end whence wee may safely conclude that it is either through ignorance of the Word or neglect of the Word or want of the power of the Word that wee are impatient A second meanes of furnishing the heart with patience is the exercising of our faith Knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience James 1.3 Object But doth not Saint Paul say Rom. 5.3 That tribulation bringeth forth patience Answ Yes and both speake the truth and meane one and the same thing Know that neither faith nor tribulation do beget procreate patience for patience is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Tribulation doth not naturally and of it selfe beget and bring forth patience but originally and by accident for to speak properly it is the work of the Spirit to still and pacifie the troubled mind of man but tribulation is a means and instrument by which patience is brought forth that is is exercised and manifested Neither doth faith bring forth patience as the mother bringeth
to rob thee of that good hee sees thine affliction is like to do thee and that thou art not so distrustfulll of Gods love nor so unbeleeving as the Devill doth beare thee in hand thou art But admit it bee so and that thou art as thou speakest of thy selfe wilt thou judge of the good effect of thy bodily physicke or the skill and love of thy Physician by the sick and painfull working of the Physick What wise man would so do This were all one as if a man should judge of his future strength or a woman of her beautie by their present condition of sicknesse Therefore howsoever no good by affliction may appeare at first but the contrary rather there being much impatience infidelity c. Yet know thou that no mans grace is to be judged of in the time of temptation for certainly many even of the Lords deare children when the hand of God is upon them especially if it lie more heavily and longer then ordinary do doubt of Gods love and favour and do bewray much corruption by their unadvised and inconsiderate words by their sowre and lumpish cariage in the time of their afflictions The Scripture commendeth Moses for faith and obedience yet being perplexed and vexed with the dogednesse and rebellion of the Israelites hee so offended the Lord by his unbeliefe that the Lord did cut him short of Canaan and would not suffer him to set foot on that promised land Because yee beleeved mee not to sanctifie mee in the presence of the children of Israel therefore yee shall not bring this people into the land that I have given them Numb 20.12 Admirable and invincible was the patience of Job Yet when the hand of God was first upon him how did hee curse the day of his birth wishing that hee had died as soon as he was born Let that day perish wherein I was born c. Job 3.3 And afterward againe Oh that God would destroy me that he would let his hand go and cut mee off Job 6.9 Was not David beloved of God and a man after his own heart yet hee was so overwhelmed with the cloud of afflictions and so battered with the storme of adversity that he could not discerne the love of God towards him but hee cries out Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever and will hee shew no more love or favor Psal 77.7 And againe Lord why dost thou reject my soul and hidest thy face from mee Thine indignations go over mee and thy feare hath cut me off Psal 88.15 16. I alledge not these examples for the fostering of any in their impatience and unbeliefe nor that any should take libertie from hence for the like behavior in the time of affliction but I speak this the rather partly to uphold and comfort weak beleevers that they listen not to Satans temptations who will be ready to buâ—e it into their eares that none of Gods children do question his love in the time of triall or shew any impatience under the rod and partly to stop the mouthes of the wicked and to stay their uncharitable censure from going too farre they being so ready to measure the child of God either by his afflictions or by his behavior in them Objects But may Gods children be sad and heavie in time of affliction Answ No doubt they may for doth not Saint Peter say now for a season if need require yee are in heavinesse through manifold tentations 1. Pet. 1.6 but in our heavinesse these cautions must be observed First our sorrow must be greater for our sinne which brought the affliction then for the affliction it selfe Secondly wee must not bee excessive but moderate in our heavinesse Object But how may wee know that our sorow for afflictions is moderate Answ First if it exceed not the measure of our sorrow for sinne If our sinnes bee our greatest heart-smart our sorrow for affliction is moderate Secondly if our sorrow for affliction hurt us not that is drieth not up our bones impaireth not our strength or make us unfit for publique imployment Thirdly and lastly if it withdrawes not the heart from God and the dueties of his worship and service Object But the weake beleever will still object and say If my troubles and afflictions were only bodily and outward I make no question but I should see Gods love in them but my wound and griefe is inward and spirituall I cannot finde or feel the sweet comforts of Gods Spirit I see the angry countenance of God bent against me for my sinnes God mee thinkes lookes not now upon mee with the amiable countenance of a loving Father but with the face of a severe and strict judge ready to take vengeance upon mee for my sinnes how can I then be perswaded either or Gods love or that my case is good or that good is intended mee by this affliction Answ Howsoever these inward and spirituall afflictions be the sorest of all trials for the spirit of a man may sustaine his bodily infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18.14 Yet I would have thee know that even these inward and sad afflictions are no other then are incident unto the best of Gods children and wherewith the Lord in love doth afflict them For the Lord seeth as wee have spoken before what his children stand in most need of out of his deep and unsearchable wisedome hee singles out and makes choice of those tryalls which shall make most for our spirituall good the Lord ever pitcheth upon that affliction which shall worke best upon us and serve most punctually to humble and awe us Some he afflicts with varietie of worldly crosses as in their children or outward estate Some he doth extraordinarily exercise with spirituall conflicts and troubles of conscience thus sorting out unto his children those severall crosses and corrections which out of his unsearchable wisedome and their spirituall necessitie hee sees most expedient for them Therefore of what nature soever thy crosse be do thou take it up seeing it pleaseth our wise God to exercise thee with it as thy portion It may be thou thinkest that no outward and worldly crosse could go so neere thee as doth this inward tentation but who knowes what thou wouldst be if this tryal were removed It may bee the Lord sees that without it thou wouldest grow worldly or waspish or secure or proud now high spirits must be abased low and the Lord sees that these inward and spirituall conflicts are the best and surest way to humble us and to bring us out of love with sinne and our selves and more in love with his majestie He breaks up hee rents and teares the heart and conscience with fears and terrors that so it may bee made more plyable and gentle more fit to receive and to retaine that seed of grace which the Lord is now casting into them Therefore assure thy selfe that it is not for any want of love that the Lord doth lay so heavie
be feared that man never felt the sweetnes of Gods love in the assurance of the pardon and forgivenesse of his sinnes Skin for skin and all that ever a man hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 Then much more will hee part with all that hee hath so be it he may have his part in Gods love for thy loving kindnesse is better then life Psal 63.3 for what is life but death if it be not upheld by the love of God Art thou then heartily content with the Lords handling of thee Dost thou with all cheerefulnesse take up thy crosse and beare thine affliction Canst thou truely say Behold here am I let him do to mee as seemeth good in his eyes 2. Sam. 15.26 I dare be bold to say thou art an happy man God in afflicting thee loveth thee Secondly if God loves thee hee will fetch thee neerer unto him by thy affliction See what the Church professed Esay 26.8 9. Also wee O Lord have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee in the morning By which words it appeares that Gods people those that are beloved of him are so farre from being driven from God by affliction that they are brought thereby neerer unto him Afflictions are so farre from extinguishing grace in Gods people that they increase it rather as water cast upon the smiths fire doth not put it out but increaseth the flame thereof Afflictions drive us unto the Lord in prayer Esay 26.16 In trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them Affliction will send us to the Sanctuary and make us more diligent in hearing the Word more conscionable in the practise of good dueties So that as judgements lighting upon the wicked do come from Gods avenging wrath and justice and so are as pikes and clubs to beat them further off from God even so those afflictions which befall his people proceeding from his love are as cords to draw them neerer unto him Thirdly thou mayest assure thy selfe of Gods love in afflicting of thee if thine afflictions do raise up godly sorrow in thy heart causing thee to grieve and be disquieted that thou shouldest by thy wickednesse thus provoke the Lord and put him as it were out of his course forcing him to do that which he goeth unwillingly about for Hee doth not punish willingly nor afflict the children of men Lam. 3.33 This was that which did break the heart of David to consider how hee had offended the Lord who had been so gracious and bountifull unto him Against thee against thee only have I sinned and done evill in thy sight that thou mayest be just when thou speakest and pure when thou judgest Psalme 51.4 A good heart grieves more that by his sinnes hee hath grieved God then that God hath grieved him by some affliction And therefore had rather the Lord would take away his sinne then his affliction And therefore when the Lord had so severely threatned David by the mouth of his Prophet Nathan David cries not out through feare of Gods judgements as some would have done upon so hard tydings Alas I am undone how shall I ever be able to hold up my head if Gods judgements come so thick upon mee c. No no the sword which pierced Davids heart was his sinne against God and therefore hee praies Wash mee throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Psal 51.2 Hee that in the time of affliction can find his sinne the greatest cause of his humiliation may assure himselfe of a sanctified use of his affliction and of Gods love in so dealing with him Wee shall find little fruit and lesse comfort to grow out of our griefe sorrow and humiliation if it be for outward things and not for sinne Grieve wee never so much never so long for our outward afflictions and crosses our griefes can neither abate them nor remove them whereas godly sorrow sorrow for sinne if it doth not batter our crosse it weakens it and in the meane time procureth much ease to the minde and peace to the conscience Assure thy selfe that sorrow is no where so well bestowed as upon sinne Godly sorrow is the salve appointed to heale and cure sinne now to apply this salve to a wrong sore to affliction is lost labor Learn therefore to turn thy sorrow against thy sinne and then thou wilt say as David speakes Psalm 119.75 I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me justly as the old translation hath it And so saying thou mayst boldly proceed with David and pray Let thy mercy comfort mee according to thy promise unto thy servant Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live vers 76.77 Therefore whensoever the Lord entereth into judgment with thee fall thou to judging of thy selfe Accuse thy selfe that God may be justified And let thine own heart speak unto thee in the words of the Prophet Hast thou not procured this unto thy selfe because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Jere. 2.17 This is a good signe that God will do thee good by thine affliction which hee would not if hee did not love thee Fourthly and lastly thou maiest bee assured that God afflicteth thee in love if hee gives thee a heart to be thankfull to him for thine affliction Canst thou blesse God taking from thee as well as giving unto thee I dare then confidently avouch that thine afflictions are sanctified unto thee and that in love he hath afflicted thee Thus did Job The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1.21 For prosperitie and good things many wicked men will in their manner be thankfull to God but for adversitie and such things as are in appearance evill to be thankfull this is the property onely of good men Wee can easily bee brought to praise the Lord when hee pleaseth us but when hee crosseth us when he cuts us short and keeps us to hard meat then to blesse and praise his name this is clean against our nature it is onely the worke of grace in us for grace will make those things easie which are very hard and difficult unto nature And therefore there cannot be a better evidence of a gracious and sanctified heart then to praise and glorifie God for afflictions For in so doing a man doth justifie the Lord in his dealing yea by our thankfulnesse for afflictions we magnifie the glorious attributes of God wee acknowledge his justice Psal 119.75 I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me justly Wee acknowledge his truth Psalm 19.9 The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether Wee acknowledge his mercie Psalm 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord