opinions and illusions with joyes and ravishments of spirit which differ as much from the joyes of the holy Ghost which are unspeakable and glorious as heaven from earth So he can and doth back his false reasonings and accusations to holy men about their estates with abundance of terrour and disturbance which also differs as much from the impressions of Gods wrath made immediately by the spirit upon the conscience as those joyes are found to doe CHAP. X. The conclusion 7. Advantages in common Satan hath over us in all those forementioned dealings ANd for a generall conclusion to this and all the rest of this discourse about Satans working on us I will but onely mention some of those great and many advantages hee hath in all these his false reasonings and accusations over us to set them on to fasten his slanders and false conclusions thence deduced and to perswade the minde of them Which I therefore bring in here as being common to all those particulars which have beene related First § 1. it is no small advantage that he can familiarly 1. Advantage that he can and doth suggest frequently and familiarly and frequently suggest them again and againe unto us The frequency of any thought that comes in againe and againe that lies by us and haunts us hath secretly the force of an argument to perswade us to thinke it is so Wee use to say I have thought so againe and againe A cunning flatterer that is continually suggesting and taking all hints and occasions so to doe may at last put hard to worke out a neare and a deare friend and to make one jealous of him As the Iudge yeelded to her importunity Luke 18. 5. So is the minde apt to yeeld a suggestion that haunts it and importunately presents it selfe yea though it be to passe a false sentence against a mans selfe And 2. hee can also and doth represent a multitude of reasonings § 2. and considerations together at once 2. That hee presents a multitude of false reasonings c. At once all tending to confirme the same perswasion He will sometimes bring in a cloud of witnesses and instances to prove us hypocrites and environ the minde round about with them that looke which way it will it sees nothing else As he represented to Christ 〈◊〉 glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye So he can doe a mans sinnes c. That a man shalt have a generall prospect of them and see nothing else looke which way he will And what force this must needs have to prevaile with the minde and judgement to assent experience shewes As when a man doubting of a truth in a thing controverted reads an opposite party presenting all that can bee said for the other side alone it often staggers him and for the present wins and gaines his opinion to that side till he reads and considers what is said to the contrary yea though a man is confirme◠and setled in the truth yet sometimes a man shall have an army of arguments on the other side come in upon him so ranked and ordered as for the present shall shake and stagger him and so it must needs bee in the agitation of this great controversie about a mans estate when Satan shall muster and marshall up an army of objections once together and not scatteredly as he is able to doe And 3. §. 3. He is able to hold the intention of the minde so unto them 3. That he can hold the mind and the intention of it to them alone as to keep off all that which should any way comfort hee can turne downe that columne in the leaves of our hearts wherein grace or any thing that may comfort is written and turne over onely and hold our eyes fixt to reade nothing but that wherein our Errataes and sinnes are written so as to cause a mans soule to forget all good as Lament 3. 17. the Church in desertion is said to doe and to forget his owne mercies as Ionah speakes he can multiply suggestions so fast and come in with such a tempest that as Iob complaines Iob 9. 17. hee will not suffer them to take breath and therefore the Apostle calls them the buffetings of Satan 2 Cor. 12. because like unto buffetings they come in thick and threefold upon a mans spirit so as a mans spirit cannot take breath hee raines downe temptations sometimes not by drops as in ordinary raines but by spouts as marriners calls them when a cloud melts as in hot countries suddainly and falls by whole sale and often sinkes a ship Hee breakes me with a tempest sayes Iob in the place forementioned Chap. 9. 17. §. 4. He speakes it of God but such like tempests Satan also raiseth 4. He addes weight to his lying accusations 4. That hee backs all with an imperious affirmation and false reasonings by an imperious and obstreperous affirmation that so it is hee suggests not reasons onely that should perswade but sets them on with words of affirmation and perswasion therewithall suggested and so like as in reasoning often a weake spirit is borne downe by a stronger not by force of argument so much as by strength and violence of spirit for many when the iron is blunt and their arguments want edge put to the more strength as Solomon speakes Eccles 10. 10. and so prevaile and so doth Satan being a spirit of greater strength then ours by creation and guilt also further weakning us in arguing with him Cunning pleaders may so argue the case with such violence and confidence that as Socrates said when his accusers had done that if he had not been very innocent hee should have suspected himselfe guilty how much more when this shall fall upon persons that are so guilty as we all are and the thing also impleaded be that which wee are already suspitious of What a man feares already he easily beleeves as what a man hopes quod metuunt facile credunt There falls out often in opinions a preconceit which also exceedingly swayes the minde a giving of minde that such a thing is so or so and in such a case Satan can strike in exceedingly to strengthen such a conceit this I take to be implyed in that phrase 2. Thes 2. 1. I Where the Apostle gives warning they should not be troubled neither by spirit nor by word to thinke the day of Iudgement was at hand By spirit he meanes a pretence of a revelation joyned with a mans owne private conceit and imagination thus 1 Iohn 4. 1. Spirit is also taken And oftentimes when Satan perceives the minde inclined to thinke or conceit thus or thus he addes weight unto the ballance and so a man is given up to the efficacy of delusion as wee see in false Prophets which the Apostle there speakes of when he sayes Beleeve not every spirit because many false Prophets are gone out into the world Thus those false Prophets became confident
themselves in such a coÌ„dition so as to come more comfortably the more speedily out of it For it is in these long and great sicknesses of the soule as in those of the body men are kept the longer in them and under them for want of right directions and prescriptions as wee see in long agues and fevers and the like diseases Direction 1. FIrst To take heed of rash impatient and unbeleeving speeches wishes take heed of rash desperate impatient and unbeleeving speeches and wishes such you wil be forced to recall again with sorow As David when hee was in feares uttered a desperate speech namely that Samuels prophecy coÌ„cerning him and message to him from God that he should bee King would prove false and he sayes not onely that one day he should perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. The ground of which speech was that he 〈◊〉 himselfe every day in some danger or other of his life and so though God had preserved him againe and againe yet he thought that some of those many arrowes which were shot against him so continually and which still so narrowly mist him might at one time or other hit and speed him it were a wonder else but he sayes further I said in my hast Psal 116. 11. that all men are lyars the Prophet Samuel and all that it was but a promise of a vaine man but he soone recalls himselfe and addes I said this in my hast So likewise Ps 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off they were rash speeches as he confesses spoken in hast Even so doth many a poore 〈◊〉 breake forth and say after they have had strong hopes at first conversion that a Kingdome is theirs that heaven is theirs and that it is reserved for them and they kept for it also through the power of God Yet the devill being let loose to 〈◊〉 them as Saul did him and God hiding his face and the arrowes of the Almighty flying thick about their eares the sorowes of hell encompassing them and well nigh every moment cutting them off they although upheld againe and againe yet are apt to say that one day or other they shall in all likelihood be cut off by Gods hand swallowed up of Satan and everlastingly destroyed And when they are told of the hopes they had at their first conversion and the promises that are made to them they are apt to say that their grace by which they should now claime those promises are all a lie false and counterfeit and but in hypocrisie this they say in their hast too often So at another time 〈◊〉 David was in doubt about that other proâ—â—sse of an eternall Kingdome made to him 〈…〉 he sayes God will never be mercifull 〈…〉 rate weake speech was this that what a man sees not at present he should conclude would never be but he acknowledgeth his errour in it It was my infirmity ver 10. thus to speake So the Church Lament 3. 17 18 19. I said my hope is perished from the Lord What a desperate speech was this but shee eates her words againe with griefe ver 21. This I recall to minde therefore have I hope Iob though for a while at the beginning of the storme he was somewhat calme and quiet in his spirit and it was his commendation and therefore in the first Chap. ver 22. it is said that in all this that is so long and thitherto he had not charged God foolishly but this held but to the first and second Chapter for when he begunne to bee wet to the skin once and the drops of Gods wrath began to soake into his soule then he falls a roaring Chap. 3. and Curseth the day of his birth and Chap. 6. ver 8 9. wisheth God would cut him off and Chap. 7. 15. sayes his soule did choose strangling rather then life For which speeches God in the end steps out as it were from behinde the hangings over-hearing him taking him up for them Chap. 38. 2. Who is this sayes he that talkes thus How now But good soules you that are in trouble oh take heed of such impatient wishes or speeches as these or the like that all which you have had is but in hypocrisie and oh that God would cut me off that I were in hell and knew the worst take heed I say When a man is sicke and raves whereas otherwise the Physitian and those that stand about him would in pitty use him gently they are forced to hold and binde him Impatiens agrotus crudelem medicum facit an impatient patient makes a Physitian more cruell then otherwise he would bee So God would deale more gently with thee but for such impatiencies And know that this is taking Gods name in vaine in a high degree You must know that the graces of God written in your hearts are a part of Gods name as whereby his love is manifested to you now for you to call the truth of these in question and say they are counterfeit is as if you should say of the Kings hand and seale when it comes downe to you that it were counterfeit and deny it which is crimen lasae Majestatis So if a speciall friend or your father had given you some old precious pieces of gold or jewels c. as tokens of their love and remembrances of them for you to say in a distempered fit of jealousie all these are but counters but Alchymie you should exceedingly wrong and abuse their love Thus is it if you deny Gods hand-writing in your owne hearts when he hath written therein by his Spirit joy feare love zeale c. and should say It is not like his hand So if you deny the seale of the Spirit after he hath sealed you up unto the day of redemption and say that all the earnest-penies of heaven are but counters and alchymie nothing worth in so doing you take his name his love his mercy and all in vaine yea you lye against the holy Ghost as the Apostle said in another case Thus though God give you full leave to try and examine all his graces in you and dealings with you yet not desperately at the first blush and view upon the least mistake or flaw to say they are no graces and that hee will never bee mercifull You abuse him when you do so Take heed of it Direction 2. SEcondly let the troubled soule make diligent search To make a diligent search and examination Let an inquisition be set up in thy heart So Ps 77. ver 6. David in case of desertion is said to do I communed with mine owne heart and made diligent search Now in this search make inquiry into two things First 2. Things to be searcht into what might be the true cause which provokes God thus to leave thee and hide himselfe from thee Secondly what in thine owne heart is the main doubt and objection reasoning and apprehension which causeth thee to feare
to drive us out of it and then indeed he was a spirit of bondage to which he hath reference when he sayes to feare againe because he was once such to them and such the Holy Ghost then might bee and then witnesse to them that their estates were damnable for then it was a truth in tha they had lived in an estate of bondage whereunto damnation was immediately due and had they dyed in it had certainly fallen upon them But when once he by making a man a Son hath become the spirit of adoption to him then if ever he should put him into such apprehensions and feares againe he should witnesse an untruth Therefore for the comfort of them and all beleevers he tells them that he never crosseth nor reverseth his testimony of adoption but his office is to be ready as a witnesse to seale to it but our owne hearts and Satan But yet though the Iudge doth not condemne any more yet the Iaylor may trouble and affright us 1 John 3. 12. our own hearts may condemn us God may give Satan leave to cast us into prison to clap bolts upon us again and to become a lying Spirit of bondage to us as hee became a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahabs Prophets and he may give up our hearts to be fettered with the cords of our own sins Prov. 5. 22 and to be ensnared with its own inventions and feares and jealousies For a more distinct understanding of this §. 2. to manifest how it comes to passe that all this befalls Gods childe Yet the Spirit hath some hand in the distresse I will shew how farre the holy Ghost proceedeth in it and puts forth his hand towards it and what Satans work is where he strikes in and our owne hearts to worke further and deeper distresse then the holy Ghost by himselfe alone intended For unto these three severall hands is the whole to be ascribed the works of Gods Spirit and his concurrence therein carefully to be severed from Satans as light from darknesse at the first Thus farre then the Spirit of God may concurre in this darknesse that befalls his childe 1. Privatively 1. Privatively to withdraw his testimony He may suspend his testimony and the execution of his office of witnessing adoption hee may withdraw his comfortable presence and hide himselfe for a moment and conceale his love as other Fathers will sometimes doe As David did when yet his heart was towards Absolom He may not admit him to see his face he may shut a Sonne out of doores when yet he doth not cast him off Iohn 20. 23. He may retaine their sinnes as Christs expression is that is call in the patent of his pardon which he had passed under his hand and seale in earth Mat. 18. 18. that is in their owne consciences take it out of their hands and custody and call for it home againe into the pardon office in Heaven and there keepe it And also when Satan comes and gives in a false witnesse and evidence and our owne hearts thereupon likewise condemne us the Holy Ghost may stand by as it were silent and say nothing to the contrary but forbeare to contradict Satan by any loud testimony or secret rebuking him as he doth at other times as Zach. 3. 1 2. 2. Positively 2. Positive in 2. things He may further proceed 1. To reveale and represent God as angry with his childe 1. To represēt God angry by immediate expression of wrath on the conscience for such and such sinnes formerly committed and make him sensible thereof not barely by concealing his love but by making impressions of his wrath upon his conscience immediately and not by outward crosses only Thus Esay 57. 17 18. God not onely hid himselfe and was wroth that is expressed his wrath by hiding himself but I smote him and was wroth and v. 16. he contended and was wroth that is fought against him as an enemy as Esay 63. 10. and this with his wrath upon his spirit for it followes that the spirit was ready to faile and the soule which he had made so as it was the spirit which was the white God shot at and wounded and that so deepe that it was ready to faile and come to nothing which Solomon calls by way of distinction a wounded spirit which who can beare and differenceth it from all other afflictions upon the outward man which strike the spirit but through the cloathes of the body mediately for sayes he The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity that is all such outward afflictions wherein it suffers but by way of sympathy and compassion but when the spirit it selfe is laid bare and naked and wounded immediately by Gods wrath which only can reach it and wound it Who can beare this Thus towards Heman God did not only hide his face from him Psal 88. ver 14. but His fierce wrath went over him and thy terrors sayes he cut me off ver 16. not wounded him onely but even cut him off and and such impressions of immediate wrath as expressions and effects of Gods anger the Holy Ghost may make upon the spirit of his childe for it is a truth that God is angry and wroth with them when they sinne which anger he may make knowne not onely by dumbe signes in outward crosses and effects but by an immediate witnessing and plain and expresse speaking so much to their consciences and making them to feele so much by scalding drops of his hot displeasure let fall thereon And as other Fathers shew their anger by whipping the bodies of their children upon this ground as sayes the Apostle because they are the Fathers of our flesh Heb. 12. 9. So for the like reason may God shew his anger and chastise his children by lashing their spirits For he is the father of our spirits as he speakes in the same place And likewise our spirits and the very bones and marrow of them doe lie open and naked to him with whom we have to doe and his word and spirit being quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4. 12 13. are able to divide and cut even to the bones and marrow as the same Author speakes Yet withall so as when he expresseth his wrath thus upon their consciences hee doth not witnesse that this is an eternall wrath which he hath conceived against them for it is but a temporary displeasure It is but for a moment as Esay speakes the indignation of a Father nor is it a wrath which revenging justice hath stirred in him Heb. 12. 6. but Fatherly affection And though the Spirit tells them that God is displeased yet never that they are accursed that is a false collection made out of it 2. By shaking over him the threatnings of eternall wrath Yet 2. The holy Ghost may proceed yet further herein so farre as to bring forth and shew
him and shake over him the rod of his eternall wrath especially when hee hath provoked Christ by presumptuous sinnes already and to prevent his going on frowardly in the way of his heart And this both 1 by presenting to them and setting on all those threatnings which doe hypothetically and conditionally threaten even to beleevers eternall damnation such as that which wee finde Rom. 8. 13. If yee live after the flesh yee even you beleevers shall die for there is a truth in all such threatnings so conditionally propounded which reacheth Gods dearest children under a condition and with relation to going on in sinne to stoppe him and prevent him in which when he is a going on frowardly in the way of his heart the holy Spirit may bring home such threatnings to him with respect to such a course as he is entring into and accordingly stirre up the feare of that damnation thus threatned if he should goe on in those sinnes he hath begun to commit But to apply threatnings of eternall damnation simply to his person as that thou shalt dye eternally This the holy Ghost doth not speake to the heart of a beleever when he is a beleever And againe also 2 the holy Ghost may represent to him and minde him of all those examples of men in whom for their going on in sinne Heb. 10. ult his soule hath had no pleasure and of Gods dealings with them As how hee sware against many of the Israelites for their provocations of him that they should never enter into his rest and how he rejected Esau for the despisall of his birthright and all this with this end to startle and awaken him and with this intimation that for such and such sinnes God might in like maner deale with him For these and the like examples doth the Spirit of God set before the beleeving Hebrews Heb. chap. 3. and chap. 12. and the beleeving Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. from the 5. ver to the 13. to keep them in fearefulnesse to offend But to apply any such examples absolutely unto them so as to say thus God intends to doe with thee for such and such sinnes past and that God will never be mercifull This the holy Ghost doth not speake to a beleevers heart CHAP. IV. How Satan and our hearts increase this darknesse by false conclusions from the Spirits worke illustrated by the like in the illumination of Temporaries The Spirits work in both compared ANd now the Spirit of God having proceeded thus farre himselfe in causing such darknesse From which worke of the Spirit Satan and our hearts make false conclusions and terrors of conscience in them that feare him Sathan and their owne hearts unto which hee may and doth often further also leave them may take occasion from these dispensations of the holy Ghost which are all holy righteous and true to draw forth false and fearefull conclusions against themselves and their estates and start amazing doubts and feares of their utter want of Grace and lying under the curse and threatnings of eternall wrath at the present yea and further of eternall rejection for the future and that God will never be mercifull and so lay them lower and cast them into a further darknesse and bondage then the holy Ghost was cause of or intended Misinterpreting and perverting all these his righteous proceedings as interpreting that withdrawing his light and presence and hiding himselfe to be a casting them off Thus Heman Psal 88. 14. So likewise misconstruing that temporary wrath chastising and wounding their spirits for the present to bee no other then the impressions and earnest of Gods eternall vengeance and arguing from their being under wrath themselves to be children of wrath and misapplying the application of all those threatnings of eternall damnation made by the Spirit but in relation and under a condition of such and such courses for the future to bee absolute against their persons and to speake their present estate and because such examples of men cast off are presented to them to shew them what advantage God might take against them they mistaking thinke they reade their owne destiny laid before them in them and conclude that God will deale so with them And thus as the Apostle sayes of sinne Rom. 7. 11. That sinne taking occasion by the Commandement he misunderstanding the scope of it when a Pharisee it deceived him and thereby slew him and yet the Commandement is holy just and good ver 12. So Satan and our hearts by occasion of these dealings of the Spirit which are righteous and true as himselfe is who is the Spirit of truth and leades into truth doe deceive beleevers and lay them in their apprehensions among the staine whom God remembreth no more as Heman speakes Psal 88. 5. And as in these The like instanced in Temporaries so in other workes and dispensations of Gods Spirit it is ordinary for Satan and our hearts to practise the like delusions and false conclusions upon them To instance in those more common and inferiour workes of the Spirit on the hearts of men not as yet savingly regenerated The Spirit enlightning them together with impressions of joy and a tast of sweetnesse in the promises of the Gospell and of salvation revealed therein which under a condition of true repentance and conversion the Spirit of God doth make the offer and tender of Knowne unto their hearts Thus hee wrought upon the stony ground and in the Iewes by Iohns ministery Iohn 5. 35. which light and taste and revelation of this conditionall proffer tending in a way unto salvation by alluring their hearts to seeke it they often through Satans abuse of this good worke and the selfe-slattery of their owne hearts doe too hastily take to be that grace which accompanies salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hath salvation annexed to it from which the Apostle by that very expression Heb. 6. 9. doth difference those enlightnings ver 4. They thus mistaking these workes precursory to grace even as the Iewes mistooke Iohn that was but sent before to prepare the way for Christ to bee that very true Christ that was to come into the world and misunderstanding the entendment of Gods most blessed Spirit in such his dealings they make up too hasty a conclusion not meant by the Spirit in those promises And I instance in these the rather A comparison betweene the worke of illumination in them and of darknesse in these because these his dispensations of desertion which wee have in hand towards men already regenerated and those formentioned visitations towards such as often attaine not to regeneration are in an opposite way of comparison exceeding parallel and much alike in the dispensations themselves as well as in the differing false conclusions which are drawne from either and doe therefore exceedingly illustrate the one the other God withdrawing himself as much in their sense from those who are in covenant with him as hee drawes neere unto
his owne wayes to him making that which is straight seeme crooked and all in him to bee hypocrisie a man is brought to passe a false sentence upon himselfe So as if this subtill pleader cannot deceive the judge as I may so speake with false rules and mistakes in the Law it selfe then he endeavours it by misrepresenting the case of the party and puts in a false bill of accusation so ordered and coloured as to procure a judgement against him laying afore the eyes of mens consciences their by-ends deadnesse and hardnesse of heart and falsenesse in such and such turning of their lives excepting against what is good in them aggravating what is evill and all to enforce from thence a false conclusion To instance in some one false reasoning Satan oft argueth and chargeth the conscience of one distressed in this or the like maner Those in whom any sinne raigneth or in whose hearts hypocrisie and selfe-love is the predominant principle are not in the state of grace But such an one art thou c. for the proof of which minor he musters up and sets in order in the view of conscience a multitude of instances of sins committed thus hainously thus oft of duties omitted and if performed yet with such and such pride of heart self-aimes c. In which sort of reasoning the major and first proposition is often true but the minor the assumption such an one art thou is most false And although there be a truth in the instances alledged to prove it That such sins have been committed and that in performance of duties such particular by-ends c. doe arise and are found in the heart yet not in that manner as hee would lay the charge not as raigning not as the swaying and prevailing principle in a mans whole course That hypocrisie is there cannot be denyed but that hypocrisie rules there and is predominant and that nothing but hypocrisie this is it is false which yet satan amazeth the conscience with to bring forth this conclusion out of all Therefore thou art an hypocrite which conclusion likewise how able hee is to set on with terrors and affrightments wee shall shew anon That which wee have now in hand is to shew how able he is for those kinde of false reasonings the deceit of which lies chiefly in the assumption and minor proposition that is in misapplications to a mans selfe in which hee hath principally to deale with conscience for the guilt of a mans particular wayes actions and corruptions is made the matter of the evidence the proofs of those minors and the defilement and erroneousnesse of the conscience is that principle in us which hee workes upon when he enforceth such a misapprehension from those evidences Wherein we may take notice of a difference betweene the holy Ghosts dealing with a beleever A difference between satans sifting us the holy Ghosts searching when at any time hee comes with the word and searcheth and tries the heart and discovers corruptions to us to wit such as David prayed for Examine mee oh Lord and try my heart c. Psal 26. 2. Psal 139. 23. convincing and reproving us and that sometimes with some sharpnesse for our by-ends hypocrisies c. when also he bores the care and shews wherein we have exceeded as Elihu speaks Iob 36. 9 10. and betweene these other siftings and winnowings of sathan as Christs phrase is Luke 22. 31. of which afterwards The difference is That the holy Ghost dealeth sweetly herein but as a father that rebukes and convinceth his childe of his misdemeanours but without putting in any such sting in the conclusion that therefore wee are hypocrites nor to any such meaning or purpose thence inferred that therefore sinne raignes in us c. but in these of satan that is the issue he mainely drives all to and it is made the foot the burthen of all those his accusations and is as the scope and argument that runnes through the whole of that his charge against us And in respect to this his misse-representing our estates and false aggravations of our sinnes unto us he is called as the Tempter which is in a generall relation to all sorts of tentations so the accuser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 12. 20. or empleader against us and as the accuser of us to God §. 1. in Gods Court How satan is an accuser by charging the guilt 〈◊〉 on the conscience and before his tribunall for to accuse in a Court the word may seeme to import so in the Court of our owne consciences And as hee tempts us unto sinne so also for sinne and by sinne that is the guilt of it to draw us to despaire Hee that accused Iob unto God would surely accuse Iob unto himselfe much more A Caution And though it may bee truly 〈◊〉 that neither Satan nor our own consciences A Caution can ever aggravate unto us too much the intrinsecall sinfulnesse the hainousnes and vilenes of our sinnes in their due and proper colours and true aggravations of them which we can never come to see enough as not to hate nor loath and mourne for as we ought yet Satan and our owne consciences may in the representation of our sinnes put such false apprehensions and such aggravations upon them as may make us apprehend too much about them as when it is suggested that they are such as are not compatible with the state of grace or that they are utterly unpardonable he may likewise use them as inductions to prove a false conclusion And also although our sinnes if truly can never be enough represented if it be in order to drive a man more to Gods free grace and unto Christ yet to present them singlely and alone and to hold the minde intention of it so to thē as to cause us to forget our owne mercies and in such a manner as thereby Gods mercies and all comforts are hidden and concealed from us this is that is satans practice and is the cause of this deep bondage wee thus here speak of And in this respect that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accuser is given this evill spirit in a direct and full opposition to that speciall name and office of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the comforter or pleader for us because as the holy Ghost maketh intercession in our owne hearts unto God for us and upon true repentance helpeth us to make apologies for our selves as the word is 2 Cor. 7. 11. and comforteth us by discovering our graces given us of God as 1 Cor. 2. 12. and by pleading our evidences and witnessing with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God so on the contrary satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accuser by laying to our charge the guilt of our sinnes by empleading our evidences misrepresenting our estates thereby to deject us and swallow us up with sorrow as 2 Cor. 2. 7. And further because in
strikes palenesse and horrour into a man ere the stroke comes at him which is usually put in Scripture to express vengeance and more especially in the prophecy of Ezekiel So also Psal 7. 13. If hee turne not God hath whet his sword and prepared his instruments of death that is to inflict torments and eternall torments also as Deut. 32. â—2 And indeed whatsoever doth torment or cause dolour and anguish is in Scripture called a sword the piercing with a sword is used to expresse the most exquisite dolours as Luke 2. 35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thy soule also Speaking to the blessed mother of Christ and of that her anguish and griefe wherewith shee should be cut even to the heart when she should behold her Sonne upon the Crosse Of whose dolours upon the Crosse likewise the same expression is used Psal 22. 21. when he prayes Deliver my soule from the sword And in this respect the word in Christs hand still when he is spoken of as a Iudge Psal 45. 3. is compared to a sword and so here Rev. 19. 16. Therefore to strike the more terrour into their hearts in respect of the wounds Isay 49. 2. and torments it inflicts he goes further on to exaggerate the dread thereof hee sayes not onely that it is as sharpe but more sharpe not then a sword of one edge but then a two-edged sword nor then some but then any two-edged sword and further to shew that hee speakes it in relation unto wounding and anguish and torment it causeth in the soule hee mentioneth the division of such parts as are not onely most hid and inward in relation to discovery for such the marrow is being covered with the bones and the ligaments covered with flesh but which are also of most exquisite sense and the wounding of which causeth the greatest dolour Hee saith it pierceth even through the bones which it must needs bee supposed to doe when it is said to reach unto the marrow Now the breaking of the bones is still put to expresse those exquisite and unsupportable terrours and dolours of conscience and woundings of the Spirit which a man cannot beare or sustaine For when the bones are broken a man cannot stand nor support himselfe And the like is also the cutting of the ligaments the nerves sinewes and arteries those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that knit the joynts which are the organs of sense and motion Againe he sayes it divideth not onely the Soule that is the sensuall part the passions of the mind as wounding them which creatures as men and angels can torment and excruciate but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Spirit also which is with an emphasis expressed and his meaning is not so much that it divideth the soule from the spirit as some have understood it but the soule and spirit also It is a two-edged sword and can at one blow strike through both this axe strikes at the root at the spirit which when wounded it 〈◊〉 can beare sayes Solomon And so he concludes ver 13. That as before him all things are 〈◊〉 so that if hee but strike them with his word they lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even with their throats cut dead and speechlesse at his feet as Theoderet expounds that word Now thus far that is to this spirit in man no created sword can reach they turne edge at it but even this the word reacheth that alone So as the summary drift of all herein is the same which Christ expressed elsewhere in other words to exhort them to feare that God whose sword and powerfull word is able thus to wound who is alone able thus to do and not to feare those who can only wound kill the body and but reach to the sensuall soul that is drencht in it but cannot wound or kill the Spirit Which God alone can do and no meere creature whatsoever And therefore in all our thoughts fears of Satans power of knowing our sins or troubling or disquieting our spirits as also through this discourse we are to set such bounds as that this incommunicable royalty of God and of his word may be reserved unentrencht upon namely that he alone knows and can immediately wound the spirit and conscience § 2. both which at once this place held out unto us Though hee cannot immediately wound the conscience yet which made me the largelier to insist upon the opening of it But yet although Satan cannot immediately wound the conscience and make impression of Gods wrath upon it for as no creature can shed abroad Gods love and cause the creature to tast the sweetnesse of it so nor the bitternesse of his wrath but God is his owne reporter of both Yet 1. 1. When the Spirit hath wounded it he can rake in those soares When the holy Ghost hath lasht and whipt the conscience and made it tender once and fetcht off the skin Satan then may fret it more and more and be still rubbing upon the soare by horrid suggestions And 2. From the experience of former terrours he can amaze the soul afresh He can by renewing the experimentall remembrance of those lashes which the soule hath had amaze the soule with feares of an infinitely soarer vengeance yet to come and so paint out and flash representations of hell fire in their consciences from those reall glimpses they have already had as to wilder the soule into vast and unthought of horrors And then 3. 3. He can bring home all the threatnings He can bring home all the threatnings that are thundered forth in the word against hypocrites and men unregenerate and discharge them all with much violence and noise upon a poore doubting soule he can and doth present and shew his prisoners those terrible threatnings chaines and racks and other instruments of death Psal 7. 13. as the Psalmist calls them which God hath prepared against sinners and hath stored up in that great armory of his word Which hath in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10. 6. With the ratling of which chaines Satan can make a noise in the conscience of a poore sinner to affright him Which hee is the more enabled to doe out of experience of such terrours in himselfe Being bound up in chaines everlasting under darknes to the judgment of the great day Iude 6. And as a son of consolation and childe of light is enabled to comfort others the more by the comfort wherewith hee hath beene comforted of God So this Prince of darknesse is the more powerfull to terrifie weake consciences that are ensnared with the cords of their owne sinnes by reason of the terrours which he hath received from the Lord. And therefore in Scripture as a power in sin is attributed to him so the power of death Heb. 2. 14. Where by death is meant not so much that bodily as that eternall death to which as the proper punishment of sin
sometimes seeme so angry that hee may throw away his childes petition and yet resolve to bee his father still It were infinite to reckon up all the false reasonings that soules in distresse have sometimes from a place of Scripture misunderstood and misapplyed some who being annoyed with blasphemous thoughts against God and Christ and his Spirit though they be their greatest affliction yet have thought they have sinned against the Holy Ghost upon the misapplying that place Mat. 12. 31. That blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never bee forgiven whereas that place is meant onely but of some one kinde of blasphemy which indeed is wilfull blaspheming of God and the worke of his Spirit out of revenge Heb. 10. 29. So some because they have sinned after enlightning and tasting and fallen into some grosse sin thinke they shall never be renewed by reason of that place Heb. 6. 4. whereas he speaks of a wilfull and revengeful falling away with such a revēge as they would if they could crucifie Christ againe ver 6. For otherwise David had not beene renewed for hee sinned presumptuously 1 Sam. 12. 9. and despised the commandement So some if they heare but of some fearefull example and of Gods severe dealing with others how hee cast them off upon such a sinne as he did Saul they thinke and conclude that upon the commission of the like that God hath cast them off also But there is no certaine ground for such a thought for secret things belong to God So because some heare that there is a time after which God sometimes offers grace no more but sweares against some men therefore that their time is also past which they can have no ground for for though it bee true God doth so with many that heare the Gospell yet the word gives us no certaine rules to judge he hath done so by any of us It is good to feare least thou shouldst provoke him to it but thou hast no signe to feare hee hath done so with thee And indeed herein lyes the maine and first businesse to be done in raising up a troubled soule even to finde out the ground of their doubting and to examine the truth of it and confute it If a man be falsely imprisoned or cast in a suit at Law what doth he to remedy it he seekes to finde out the errour in the writ so doe thou search out the ground of thy trouble goe to some spirituall Lawyer skilled in Soule-worke keepe not the devils councell he opposeth nothing more then making your doubts knowen Direction 3. THe third direction I give to such is 3. To consider as indifferently what may make for them as against them that they keepe and lend one eare as well to heare and consider what makes for their comfort as unto what may make against them This direction meetes with a great infirmity of such as are in distresse who through Satans temptations have their hearts so deeply possessed with prejudiciall conceits of the misery of their estates that as the people of God in Exod. 6. 9. through the anguish of their hearts were so far distempered that they listned not to the good message which Moses brought them nor beleeved that so good newes could be true of them So are the soules of many that are in distresse so filled with anguish and sense of misery and so strongly prepossessed with desperate opinions and so farre put out of hopes that they reject all that is spoken for their comfort so as they will not so much as bee brought to cast an eye or a thought upon any thing that may be an occasion of comfort to them Like some prisoners at the barre through extremity of feare they cannot read that in their hearts and in the word which might save them Tell them of what God hath wrought for them and in them as evidences of his love and as they cannot so often they will not reade them over or if they do they reade them over but as a man doth a book he meanes to confute they picke quarrells and make objections at every thing that is said as if they were hired as Lawyers to pleade against themselves and to finde flawes in their evidences I have observed some who have set all their wits awork to strengthen all arguments and objections against themselves who have bin glad if they could object any thing which might puzzle those who have come to comfort them if they could hold argument against themselves as if they were disputing for the victory onely And thus through much poring upon and considering onely what might make against them they have had the bolts of their hearts so farre shot into despaire and fixed in desperate sorow and the true wards of sound evidences so farre wrung and wrested by false keyes that when the skilfullest and strongest comforters have come with true keyes to shoot back the bolt they would not turn about nay could scarce get entrance This was Davids infirmity as at the 10. verse of the 77. Psalme compared with the second verse My soule refuseth to be comforted he spilt all the cordialls and physicke that were brought him hee was not onely voide of comfort but refused it What bring mee promises to comfort me will such an one say you may as well cary them to one in hell or give physicke to a man past recovery and so will take downe nothing that is given them So also the Church in the third of the Lamentations ver 17 18. her heart was deeply possessed with a desperate apprehension My hope sayes shee is perished from the Lord. And what was it that shot her soule into so fixed despaire ver 17. Shee forgot all good she forgat that is she would not so much as take into consideration remembrance any thing that had beene comfortable to her All good so the originall that is all Gods former good and gracious dealings with her all the good things wrought in her and for her whence shee might have comfort and instead thereof what did her thoughts feed and chew upon onely wormwood and gall her bitternesse and distresse poring onely on what might make against her I said my hope was perished from the Lord calling to minde my affliction and my misery my wormwood and gall These shee could revolve and rowle up and down in her mind though they were bitter and would entertaine thoughts of nothing else But when on the contrary shee began to take into consideration Gods gracious faithfull supporting her in that very desertion in faithfulnesse renewing his mercies every morning ver 22 23. and that still he maintained in her heart a longing and lingring after him and a secret cleaving to him and that God did enable her to choose him as her portion ver 24. This I recall to minde sayes shee ver 21. which speech hath reference to those words fore recited which follow there therefore have I hope she spits out her wormwood
defilement that then our consciences are as apt to fall into feares and doubts and self-condemnings even as much as when he withdrawes the assistance of his grace those other faculties are to fall into any other sinne And therefore as the Law of sinne in the other members may be up in armes and prevaile so farre as to leade us captive unto sinne So may the guilt of sinne in our consciences remaining in part defiled by the same reason prevaile against us and get the upper hand and lead us captive to feares and doubtings and cast us into bondage CHAP. VI. The third efficient cause Satan His speciall malice in this temptation commission accesse to and advantage over us in this temptation by reason of the darknesse in us THus far our owne hearts upon the holy Ghosts deserting become authors unto us of this darknesse But herein beleevers wrestle not alone with flesh and blood and the darknesse thereof but doe further conflict also with those spirituall wickednesses the Princes of darknesse Ephes 6. 12. about their interest in those heavenly priviledges as the phrase there used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee well interpreted even with Satan and his Angels Whom this Apostle compares to a roaring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that seekes whom hee may devoâ—re 1 Pet. 5. 8. And like as when God makes this naturall darknesse and it is night then the young Lions creepe forth and reare after their preâ— as the Psalmist sayes Psal 104. 20 21. So doe these roaring Lions now when A God hath withdrawne the light of his countenance and night comes on and those dampes and fogges of jealousies guilt begin to arise out of a mans own heart then come these forth and say as Davids enemies said in his distresse Come let us now take him for God hath forsaken him Let us now devoure him and swallow him up with sorow and despaire And as God sayes of those enemies of his Church Zach. 1. 15. I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction So when God is angry with his childe and but a little and doth hide his face but for a moment yet Satan watcheth that houre of darknesse as Christ calls it Luke 22. 53. and joynes his power of darknesse to this our naturall darknesse to cause if possible blacknesse of darknes even utter despaire in us Now concerning Satans working herein 4. things in generall premised to explaine Satans working herein wee will as in the former more distinctly treate thereof by way of explication of it 1. More generally 2. More particularly 1. In generall First §. 1. Satan he hath a speciall inclination and a more peculiar malicious desire Satan hath a speciall inclination to this kinde of temptation to vexe and molest the Saints with this sort of temptations of doubts and disquietnesse that God is not their God so as all other his temptations unto sinne are but as the laying in and barrelling up the gun-powder and making of the train for this great plot of blowing up all He tempteth Peter to deny his Master Satan desires to winnow you but hee hath a further reach a designe upon his faith which Christ foresaw and therefore did mainely bend his prayer against it But I have prayed that thy faith faile not Satan hoped by that grosse sinne to have drawne him into despaire Wee may likewise observe how hee did place this temptation in the forefront of those three assaults which hee made upon Christ who as in his obedience so in his temptations is made a compleate example unto us for hee was tempted in all things that is with all sorts of temptations and also like us for the maner only without sinne Heb. 4. 15. Now he tempted him not onely to vaine hopes when hee shewed him the glory of the whole would and to presumption to throw himselfe downe headlong from an now 〈…〉 ground But first and primarily to jealousies and distrusts between him and his Father and between his humane nature and the divine For when Christ had newly received that testimony from all the three persons the Father proclaiming him to bee his Sonne from heaven the Spirit descending on him at his baptisme it being the speciall grace and institution of that ordinance to seale up adoption and regeneration then comes Satan and tempts him to question that voice that it might be but a delusion and Christs humane nature never having done any outward miracle as yet as appeares Ioh. 2. 11. he would now have had him taken this occasion in the extremity of his hunger by commanding stones to become bread to make tryall whether he was the Sonne of God or no and hypostatically united to the second person which if God should not doe for him then to question his Son-ship and thinke all this to bee but a delusion This was the meaning of it If thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread c. withall insinuating that God leaving him even destitute of daily bread which parents that are evill give unto their children and not a stone instead of bread might seeme to occasion an if whether he was the Son of God or no. The reasons of this are The reasons 1. Above all graces in us hee is the greatest enemy to faith Therefore 1 Thess 3. 5. the Apostle was jealous of Satan in nothing more then in this lest he had been dealing and tampering with and perverting their faith I sent to know of your faith lest by some meanes the tempter hath tempted you For faith in God is the greatest enemy unto Satan it quencheth all his darts Ephes 6. 16. By standing stedfast in which we resist him so that he flyes from us 1 Pet. 5. 9. As therefore faith is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6. that worke of God and the master-grace So despaire and doubting is the master-peece of Satan Rom. 15. 13. And in faith he is envious especially at the joy of our faith And as comfort is the most proper work of the Spirit and most pleasing work to him So is discomfort and distresse the proper worke of this evill Spirit And againe 2. as he is most opposite to the holy Spirit So he delights to blaspheme his worke in our hearts to us by perswading us that all is counterfeit 3. Hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that envious one and the maine object and marke of his envy is this That God should be our God who hath cast off him and therefore when he sees he cannot separate between God and us really hee will endevour to cast and raise up jealousies that he is not our God in our apprehensions he endeavoured to raise jealousies betweene God and our first parents God knowes you shall be as gods c. As if God had forbidden them that fruit out of an envy towards them of a better condition and the like hee endeavoured betweene Christs humane
prisoners to a Iaylor as a Magistrate may doe his childe to commit him who hath not a power over his prisoner to doe any thing with him but only by appointment for a time with a limited commission and therefore cannot put him on the racke or into the dungeon but when and how farre God pleaseth even as when Satan is said to have cast them into prison Rev. 2. 10. his commission was but for ten dayes and then God rebukes him Satan having thus obtained leave §. 3. now 3. to shew how able and powerfull hee is to worke darknesse in us How able Satan is to tempt us I need not much insist on His physicall and naturall power to worke upon our spirits by his creation as he is angell is exceeding great We are a middle sort of creatures betweene them and beasts beasts being meerely corporeall they meerely spirituall man betweene both He made us a little inferiour to the Angels Heb. 2. though but a little yet inferiour and in respect of that inferiority we are exposed to their working and crafty wyles The great advantage they have hereby over us the Apostle insinuates when he sayes Wee have not to doe with flesh and blood Ephes 6. 12. but spirituall wickednesses that is with spirits in abilities transcending the power of flesh and blood for flesh is used to expresse weaknesse when it is thus compared as here with Spirit so Esay 31. 3. Therefore they are there also called as Principalities for their authority so Powers for their naturall abilities and that to worke upon us For it is spoken in that relation All which power how great soever in him at his first creation is now become the power of darknesse and so called because most powerfull that way namely to cause and worke darknesse in us and though he can for a need transform himself into an angell of light by deluding his deceived enthusiasts with false joyes yet therein hee doth but act a part it is but forced but to shew himselfe an angell of darknesse by terrifying and affrighting weake consciences this is naturall now to him His power lyes most in this Therefore his title further is the ruler of darknes and also he is called that strong man strong as to keepe peace Luke 11. 21. in those he deceives with a false peace so to make war commotions in us when he is cast out Wee are bidden therefore to stand upon our guard and to looke that we have on the whole armour of God that wee may be able to stand against his wiles Ephes 6. 11. Onely in the fourth place §. 4. though Satan hath never so much power That the exercise of this his power is much from the darknesse in us yet the advantage and exercise of this his power to work those disquietments in us is by reason of that sinfull darknesse which is in us Wee may say that as unlesse he had power from above that is from God so nor unlesse he had furtherance from beneath even from those principles of guilt and darknesse in us aforementioned hee could not disquiet us Satan commeth saith Christ but hath nothing in me a commission he had and therefore came but hee had nothing of his Image or of the guilt of any of his workes to work upon in Christ therfore could effect nothing at all upon his spirit That therefore which gives him priviledge scope and matter to work thus upon us is somthing within us there being even in the best something which doth belong to his jurisdiction which maketh their spirits fit subjects for his temptations to take upon In the 6. chap. to the Ephes v. 12. They are called the rulers of the darknes of this world and Coloss 1. 12 13. Their power is called the power of darknesse so as darknesse is his territories dominion jurisdiction for it is his worke and his image without which hee could have no power at all with us But by reason of this remaining darknes hee hath a double advantage over us 1. §. 5. An advantage of more neere intimate and immediate accesse to our spirits to close with them A double advantage that Satan hath over us in the exercise of his power in tempting us to suggest unto them and worke upon them and to tempt not onely as one man tempts another by the outward senses but by the inward also which is an exceeding great advantage And though it is true Of neere and intimate accesse to suggest inwardly to our spirits that as hee is an Angell he hath naturally by creation ability thus to doe yet as he is now a devill and an uncleane spirit were we but perfectly holy as in innocency he should be debarred all such neere communication to us To this purpose it may be observed that in that his temptation of Adam in innocency he was not permitted in his first assault till hee had sinned to come within him to worke upon his fancy and affections indiscernably but onely mediately and externally by an audible voice in the body of a Serpent Caeterum Malus ille extrinsecus ac non per cogitationes Christum adortus est quemadmodum Adamum Nam ne illum quidem per immissas cogitationes sed per Serpentem impetivit Damasce Ortho fidei lib. 3. cap. 20. And likewise as touching the second Adam wee reade not that hee had accesse to his inward senses and spirit but only by an externall suggestion by voice and by visible representations as when he shewed him the glory of the world in visible Land-skips of his owne making which were represented to the eye what else was the reason why hee tooke the advantage of a mountain if it had been by working on his inward senses any place would have served for that But the devil then appeared in a visible shape and so tēpted him for he would have had him fallen downe to worship him Another time wee finde him crept into one of his Apostles to assault our Saviour by him Master spare thy selfe sayes he when therefore Christ sayes to him Mat. 16. 23. Get thee behinde me Satan Thou art an offence to me So as still Satan was kept at a distance and could come no neerer And that he should yet come thus neere to him made Christ also in that great temptation in the wildernesse with so much vehemency and indignation at last say to him Avoide Satan Mat. 4. 10. as loathing the neerenesse of so fowle a spirit For what fellowship that is such thus neere should Light have with this angell of darknesse Nor should hee have such more neer and inward accesse to our spirits but for that darknesse in us by reason of which he thus comes within us and as darknesse mingleth with darknesse so he with our spirits So that as the light of grace in us begun doth fit us for Gods drawing nigh to us so this darknesse remaining in part unexpelled exposeth
and to tempt for sin unto despaire 3. He may be privy to our vocall confessions of sinnes to God 3. He may bee privy to our vocall confession unto God or men unto our laying open our owne hearts to God in private prayers or to others in trouble of conscience therefore so much of the heart as is this way discovered hee can doth know And why may not God permit him and give him the liberty and advantage to accuse us even of that which hee comes to know by this meanes it being for the triall of his servants especially in case they have returned againe to those sinnes which they confessed and yet have not forsaken it is just that then as the guilt of former sinnes returne upon us in such a case so that satan should be permitted afresh to charge us with them And that in this case a man should lose the priviledge of sigillum confessionis of the secrecie and seale of confession as I may so speake And if God may permit a man to whom we have confessed according to Gods owne ordinance yet to tell things confessed and to cast them in our teeth as sometimes it hath falne out why may not satan the accuser of the brethren sometimes bee permitted to lay that to our charge which hee onely knew this way 4. He is and can be present at all our more retired actions 4 He is and can be present at al times and places and so can accuse us and is privy to them being with us at bed board in all companies By meanes of this he can accuse us First 1. Of all grosse actions done 1. Of all grosse sins outwardly committed that are obvious to sense which indeed are usually the greatest matter of accusation and doe lie upon us most heavily in such temptations as Davids murder and adultery did on him My sinne sayes he is ever before me And these having pulled a man downe and put him into prison and clapt him up our owne consciences then may come in with all our more privy corruptions as lesser creditors use to doe and when once the soule hath by meanes of the accusing of one foule act given way to doubting then all other privy corruptions joyne and offer themselves to accuse us also For they lie at the doore as God told Cain ready for such an occasion 2. Also he may by this be able to accuse us of all deadnesse 2. Of deadnesse and drowsiness of spirit and neglect in duties and drowsinesse and neglect in the performance of holy duties as want of attention and quicknes in them for these are easily discerned by any one that is observant and of the want of stirring affections and also of neglect of holy conference in all companies and the like If a godly man were to follow a man up and downe in all companies how much might he know of a man and be able to accuse him of 3. By such observations he may know a mans bosome sinnes And 3. a mans bosome sin So he knew and observed Iudas bosome sin to be covetousnesse and accordingly sorted his temptation to it 5. By what hee sees outwardly of our actions 5. From what he sees outvvardly he may guesse at invvard corruptions hee can many wayes guesse at inward corruption which are the principles of them Hee hath all the wayes which a wise discerning man hath who should alwaies watch a man and set himselfe to study a man and that hath opportunity to suggest when he pleaseth on purpose for tryall and discovery all the wayes such a man hath to know the heart satan hath And that which Solomon sayes of a wise man that though the heart of man be deep Prov. 20. 5. yet a man of understanding will fetch it out 3. Wayes holds true of satan much more As 1. by comparing one action with another one speech with another so wise men guesse at mens ends in things and their respects that move them 2. By gestures By a cast of a mans countenance and behaviour men are often discerned by the like may satan see into us Thus Ioab discerned Davids pride in his commād for numbring the people so as it was loathsome in his eyes And if Ioab discerned this by the outward carriage of the matter how much more might satan that put in the motives to perswade him to it The Iesuits bid those of their followers who are to deale with men when they talke with any whose minds they would discern still to observe their eye to see what alterations are in their countenances as through which the minde is transparent now satan hee is a good Phisiognomist and he eyes a man 3. Further he himselfe suggesting many motives and reasons in businesses this way and that way casting in many by-ends and motives to be considered by us he observs how the heart comes off at such and such suggestions or where it stuck and what suggestion it was that turned a man this way or that way and fetcht him off The Iewes might see what moved Pilate to crucifie Christ because at that saying as the Text notes that else he was an enemy to Caesar hee gave sentence so satan when he stirred up David by proud arguments to number the people hee must needs know what pride was in his heart Now 6. besides all this 6. That he may further view the images in the fancy and also the passions in the body how farre hee may have an insight into the Fancy and the images therein which follow and imitate the inward thoughts of the minde as the shadow doth the body and also into the passions which are but the flowing and reflowing of corporeall spirits and in which the affections of the will discover themselves this I leave to others to determine For the present this is certaine that although all the powers of the reasonable soule bee fast lockt up from him as we shall shew and the immediate acts which are imminent in the soule it selfe utterly hidden from him and that take the soul as it is the immediate subject root of thē so intuitive no devill can discerne them no more then one Angell can discern the thoughts of another yet arguitive and as they doe transire and appeare and are put forth in the body and corporeall organs outwardly in actions or inwardly in passions and so quasi in alio and mediately they may be very far discerned and lookt into by Angels Which yet will nothing at all pre-judge that prerogative which is given to God when he is said alone to know search the heart but give its full allowance nor that priviledge which is given to the soul it self to enjoy namely 1 Cor. 2. 11. that none should know the things of a man but the spirit that is in man as we shall have occasion to shew in the Appendix to this discourse Besides therefore these advantages and wayes of knowledge
all the terriblest and most terrible in his roaring whose roaring is therefore often in Scripture put to expresse dreadfulnesse and horrour The Lion roares who will not tremble Amos 3. 8. And as some have observed and the Psalmist intimates it by his roaring he strikes such horror and amazement into all other beasts as they stand still as exanimated and so he seizeth and preyes upon them as he pleaseth and in this respect those darts aforemeÌ„tioned are principally called fiery namely for that dolour and anguish and inflamation and combustion they cause through distempering the affections Those feares which our owne hearts engendred within us were but as smoke these darts of his put a fire into theÌ„ and doe cause them to flame and blaze The allusion is to the poysoned darts which the Scythians of old and other nations now use in warre dipt in the blood and gall of Asps and Vipers the venemous heat of which like a fire in their flesh killed the wounded by them with torments the likest hell of any other Which Iob also alludes to Iob 6. 4. The arrowes of the Almighty are within me The poyson or as others reade it the heat and fervour we may use both and read The hot poyson thereof drinkes up my spirit even as fire preying upon moisture And what were those arrowes but terrours So it followes the terrours of God c. Thus that Corinthian was in danger to have beene drunke up as the word signifies with overmuch sorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Satan had to do with him 2 Cor. 2. 7. and the same word is again used of the devil 1 Pet. 5. 8. Seeking whom to drinke up So that as Satan inflames other members and the inordinate lusts in them with a superadded naturall vehemency and violence as the tongue which though of it selfe full of poyson is said to be set on fire from hell Iames 3. 16. that is from Satan who is called hell as in that speech the gates of hell even as the Angels the noblest creatures are called heavens Heb. 7. 26. who inflames mens tongues with an overplus of venome and malice to wound mens names with even as on the contrary the Holy Ghost did set on fire the Apostles tongues with zeale In like maner he can and doth put fire into those darts he wounds the conscience with and thereby augments our feares and griefes and so causeth such disquietments and pangs as that hell fire as it were begins to flame in a mans conscience As Christ is that Brazen Serpent so Satan is that fiery Serpent that can sting us by the guilt of sinne And here I must bring in the like caution as I used in the former Chapter A Caution namely that hee works not these terrors by immediate impressions upon the conscience which in that respect is subject to Gods stroke alone as to his knowledge alone Which as I intimated I take to be that other principall part of the drift of those words Heb. 4. 11 12. The word of God is quick and powerfull c. For there he sets forth Christ to us as was shewed as a judge compleatly enabled for vengeance against us not onely in respect of an omnisciency to finde us out in all our shiftings but also because a judge would not be much feared if he had only skill and knowledge though never so much to search and finde out the guile and guilt of malefactors if he were not armed with power to avenge and torture them therefore withall the Apostles scope is to strike terrour into their hearts in respect of that vengeance he can execute and therefore his aime is to exhort them not to dally with God or with his word in which he had 〈◊〉 of those that beleeved not they should not enter into his rest in the former verses So as the purport of the words must necessarily also bee supposed to be to shew the dreadfull power of God and of his word in avenging it selfe upon the contemners of him and it and not meerely to describe his omniscience and knowing of the heart but as joyned also with power to pierce as deep in wounding of the soule as in knowing of it Yea and that so large an illustration of his knowledge is brought in but as a clearer demonstration of His power to punish Who can diverso deep into our hearts As froÌ„ whence we might argue and feare the stroke of that 〈◊〉 in this haÌ„d whose eyes are so piercing And accordingly to set forth the dreadfulnesse of this his power all those his expressions doe as fully tend as to expresse the other and he useth such a comparison as both in the nature of the things and according to the more usuall phrase of Scripture doth more properly and abundanily intimate this slaying and wounding of mens soules that should be disobedient by 〈…〉 then that other of searching the soule and spirit This word sayes he is quick and lively not in respect of duration onely as abiding ever but in respect to working and eâ—â—cution Things that are exceeding operative though inanimate we call quick So quick-silver which runnes through a mans bowels like haile shot and so oppositely drugs and drinks that have lost their vertue and are ineffectuall we call dead and in respect to this energy and power to work upon mens hearts is that in Iohn 6. 63. The words I speake sayes Christ are spirit and life that is are full of an operative principle for an active working principle wee use to call Spirit as the spirit of wine c. So as in that he sayes the word is quick he nores out that that word is inspired with a principle most quick spiritfull and active and fit to work as occasion is the holy Spirit as the internall form of it and therefore 2. having thus intimated this internall forme of working he adds by way of explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powerfull mighty in operation as noting out that power which flowes from thence that ability to produce strange effects upon the soule these expressions cary report of more then of a skill and dexterity to search and know the heart onely And then 3. he further instanceth in such operations of it as the effects of that power which are most dreadfull as the comparisons he useth doe import More piercing then any two edged sword Now as elsewhere the word is coÌ„pared to an armory of all sorts of weapons and engines for war and vengeance The weapons of our warfare are mighty c. 1 Cor. 10. 4. and this as To the pulling down of strong holds and subduing unto Christ those that turn effectually unto him So also that they have in a readinesse to avenge all disobedience v. 6. in theÌ„ that submit not to him In like maner here he resembles it to a sword the most usuall and most terrible of all the instruments of death which were then in use The brandishing of which
in their prophecies they walke in the spirit sayes the Prophet Micah 2. 11. But doe lye They tooke up such conceits and the devill hee joyned with them and confirmed them in them And as Satan by such false revelations confirmes Enthusiasts in their opinions and conceits so he joynes with the jealousies of beleevers and puts weight into the ballance strongly swaying them to judge amisse of their estates And 5. in that hee §. 5. as was said backeth his false conclusions thence deduced 5. That his reasonings are backt with sense of terrours with terrours c. this becomes an argument to sense and such doe exceedingly carry on the judgement in our opinion of things A conceit that comes in with joy we are apt to conclude is true and so in like maner what comes in with terrour such impressions are as it were a seal to what is suggested to confirm it And as the holy Ghost sealeth his instructiōs Iob 33. 16. with impressiōs of joy c. so doth Satan his temptations with impressions of feare and disquietment If a man hath a dreame with any strong impression a man is apt to give heed to it to thinke there is something in it that which made Nebuchadnezzar thinke there must needs bee something in his Daniel Chap. 2. and Chap. 4. When yet hee had forgot what it was was that it made him afraid and his thoughts troubled him ver 5. A 6. §. 6. Advantage is that hee suggests and workes all these impressions undiscerned at all to be from him 6. That he suggests all undiscerned by us so as we know not but they are our owne thoughts yea sometimes thinke that they be from the holy Ghost working as the Spirit of bondage in us This is also an exceeding great advantage as it would be to an enemy to have gottē the opposites own watchword their owne colours this causeth us readily to yeeld and open the gates to him and though when the temptation is over we perceive his delusion in it yet still because we cannot discerne his suggestions from our owne thoughts when upon us when we are in the mist and eclipse therefore hee can come againe and againe with the same temptation to day and to morrow and the next day and we perceive it not which if we did we should not listen to it no more then wee would to one who had formerly deceived us Thus Ahabs Prophets knew not that Satan was a lying spirit in them for sayes one of them unto Micaiah When went the Spirit of God from me to you Those strong delusions 2. Thes 2. 10. could not have prevailed upon their mindes to have beleeved a lie had it beene discerned by them that Satan had suggested them Peter knew no that Satan did by him tempt his master to spare himselfe which yet Christ perceived and therefore called him Satan Last of all §. 7. a man can no way avoide his suggestions 7. That his suggestions cannot be avoided nor subduce himselfe from them neither can any take Satan off from a man but God he must rebuke him none else can A poore soule fights with Satan in this darknesse like unto a man that is assaulted by one that carries a darke lanterne who can see the assaulted and how to buffet him and followes him where ever he goes whereas the poore man cannot fee him nor who it is that strikes him nor be aware how to award the blow Therefore the Apostle when buffeted by Satan 2 Cor. 12. knew not what to doe but onely to have recourse to God by prayer for he could no more avoid or runne away from those suggestions then from himselfe Nor could all the Saints on earth any other way have freed him none till God should cause him to depart CHAP. XI The second generall head The cases wherein God leaves his unto this darknesse First three cases extraordinary HAving dispatcht the efficient causes of this darknesse The causes Physicall I now proceed to the cases wherein and ends for which God leaves his children to such a condition The causes Morall The cases of two sorts 1. Extraordinary The cases they were the second generall head I propounded to be handled and they are either Extraordinary or ordinary First Extraordinary as First out of his prerogative Secondly in case hee meanes to make a man eminently wise and able to comfort others Thirdly in case of extraordinary comforts and revelations First §. 1. What if God will use his absolutenesse and prerogative 1. Out of Gods sole prerogative in this his dealing with his childe and proceede therein according to no ruled case or president This he may doe and as it is thought in Iobs case he did who is thought by some to be set up as a type among the Gentiles of Christ at his crucifying who was to be left by his Apostles and all forsaken of God c. and though Iobs desertion began but with his estate children and body yet it pierced further in the end and seized upon his spirit though not so farre as to question Gods love to him this we reade no where of him yet was seene in Gods withdrawing himselfe in the comfort of his presence and Satans making him a Butt to spend his arrowes upon And yet though the Lord had cause enough against him yet no cause as I remember is pleaded but it is resolved into an extraordinary dealing wherin God tooke a liberty to glorifie himselfe by singling out one of his stoutest valiantest champions and setting him hand to hand to wrastle with the powers of darknesse and because Satan was as it were not hard enough for him he turned enemy himselfe Job 13. 24. None more just then he before The Lord you know glories in him None ever led a stricter life reade the 31. Chapter no man kept more in awe and that by fearing such a desertion aforehand which was the onely way to prevent it for what a man feares he prayes much against which hee expresses when complaining he sayes Chap. 4. 25. That though he feared it yet it came Impliing that it was not ordinary nor indeed is it so and though Iob justifies himselfe too farre yet this was it which made him so stoutly to plead his owne cause that he could finde no president no ruled case of the like proceeding And therefore Elihu who tooke both Gods part and Iobs and stept up as a moderator and as one in Gods stead to decide the matter resolves it most of all into Gods prerogative though not without Iobs desert yet not such as according to which God ordinarily proceedeth not so severly with others as appeares by the 34. Chapter and to that end he set forth Gods greatnesse in the 36. and 37. Chap. And thus God himselfe when he came to plead with Iob about it and to shew him a reason of it he onely tells him how great a God he was and therefore might
that is to honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ CHAP. XV. Six Ends more For the encreasing of severall graces and destroying corruptions SIxtly as it makes for the triall and discovery of graces so it is a meanes sanctified to encrease them and to eate out corruptions First 1. To destroy corruption it is a meanes to destroy the flesh The incestuous Corinthian was to bee delivered to Satan that is to be terrified to destroy the flesh As corrasives eate out dead flesh so these terrours the dead corruptions and the reviving of the guilt of old sinnes doth kill the seeds of those that remaine in the heart For if an outward affliction which crosseth but the satisfaction of a lust is a meanes sactified by God to kill a lust then much more the inward terrour which the conscience feeles and which ariseth immediatly from the guilt of a sinne must needs bee a meanes much more Secondly 2. To humble it is a meanes to humble So Deut. 8. 16. the end of the biting of the Israelites by Scorpions which were the types of these stings and terrours were as to prove so to humble them and for this end was that buffeting by Satan we have so often mentioned 2 Cor. 12. 7. to keep downe being exalted above measure So also 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and if in any other affliction his mighty hand layes hardest on surely in these Thirdly 3. To encrease assurance in the event it is a meanes to bring you in more assurance and establishment 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace after you have suffered a while stablish and strengthen you He knew they could not be setled till they had suffered in this or some other kinde The tree rootes it selfe the more it is shaken Comforts abound the more that sufferings doe abound That light is clearest and strongest that ariseth out of darknesse because God creates it Those things which men doubt of most God gives the greatest evidence of in the end Fourthly 4. The fearâ— and obedience of God it traines you up to feare God more and to obey him Therefore in the Text these are added as the concomitant dispositions of the soule in such a case For of all other these of fearing God and obeying him doe most eminently and sensibly appeare in that estate Heb. 5. 8. Christ himselfe learnt obedience by what hee suffered The yoke tames the wanton wildnesse in beasts and makes them serviceable breakes them and so doe these the stubbornnesse of a mans spirit Fifthly 5. To pray more and more earnestly to set beleevers hearts awork to pray more and more earnestly So the Apostles buffetings 2 Cor. 12. made him pray thrice that is often So Christ Luke 22. 44. being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and being in feares he did lift up strong cryes Heb. 5. 7. So Heman by reason of his terrours was a man much in prayers Psal 88. 1. I have cryed day and night before thee Christians that enjoy not communion with God yet if they thinke they have not lost him they are secure and lazie in prayers but if they apprehend once that their 〈◊〉 gone or that they are in danger to lose him then they will seeke him all the world over but they will finde him Cant. 5. 6 7 8. and make 〈◊〉 and cry after him as the Church did there Sixthly 6. To prize the light of Gods countenance it causeth them to prize the light of Gods countenance the more when they againe obtaine it and to set a higher price upon it and to endavour by close walking with God as children of light to keepe it To prize it more then corne and oyle Cant. 3. at the 2. verse She loseth him but at the 4. verse Shee findes him againe and then Shee holds him and would not let him goe A CHILDE OF LIGHT WALKING in DARKNESSE ISAI 50. 10. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light USE 1. IF those that feare God and obey him are exposed to such a condition as hath beene described To those that feare not God nor obey him What darknesse reserved for such Then Who is amoÌ„g you that feareth not the Lord nor obeyes the voice of his servante You that live in knowen sins in omissioÌ„ of known duties which Gods servants your Ministers tell you you ought to perform that pray not withyour families who make not conscience of your speeches nor 〈…〉 be thus scarcely saved if they whom God hath loved with a love as great unchange able as himselfe yet suffer his terrors here what shall you dâ—e whom hee hath set himselfe to hate and to shew the power of his wrath upon without repentance If these things be done to the greene tree Luke 23 31. what shall be done to the dry which is fitted for wrath and the fire Nahum 1. 10. even as stubble fully dry as the Prophet speaketh If such an estate of darknesse and horrour befall them that are children of light whose inheritance is light Col. 1. 12. then what is reserved for you that are darknesse and love darknesse more then light And if this befalls them for not stirring up the grace which they already have what to you that are utterly devoid of it and not onely so but despise and scoffe it If this befalls them for not humbling themselves for old sinnes though long since committed what will be fall you for going on to adde new to the olde with greedinesse If to them for neglecting the opportunities of drawing nigher to God what to you for neglecting the offer of grace and trampling under foot the blood of Christ All you that thinke there is no hell or if there be that it is not so darke as it is usually painted looke upon Heman ready to runne distracted through terrours and to give up the ghost every moment Psal 88. when yet his body was strong and outward estate whole looke upon David lying upon the wheels and the spirit of God breaking his bones Psal 51. when as otherwise hee being a King had all outward things at will Look upon holy Joâ— Chap. 6. Oh that my griefe were weighted it is heavier then the sand and my words are swallowed up that is I am not able to expresse and utter my griefe The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poison thereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God doe set themselves in battle array against me ver 4. Insomuch that at the 8. verse he wisheth God would cut him off and Is my streÌ„gth the streÌ„gth of stones sayes he or my flesh brasse as he complaines that he should be able to hold out against such fierce encounters My brethren Gods people finde paines beyond those of the Stone or gout and toothake the falling of Gods
wrath on the conscience is more then the dropping a little scalding rheume on a tooth and yet these which Iob and David felt are but a tast of that cup which you that obey not must drinke off to the bottome and it is eternity to the bottome Psal 75. 8. There is a cup in the hand of the Lord and it is full of mixture that is all the bitter ingredients in the world are in it the quintessence of evils are strained into it and here indeed God poures out of the same as it followes there that is in this life some few sprinklings of it fall from the top of the cup which his owne doe taste and drinke of but the bottome the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall drinke and wring them out that is leave none behinde but the Vialls of it which will never be emptied shall be poured forth even to the utmost drop And if Gods people doe begin to taste of it as Christ himselfe did it could not passe him and Zebedees sonnes were to pledge him as was observed then as God sayes by Ieremiah chap. 25. 27 28 29. If my people have drunke of it and begun to you and I have brought evill upon the City that is called by my name then certainely you shall drink of it and be drunke and spue and fall and never rise againe If Gods people be thus shut up in darknesse what darknesse is reserved for you even as Iude sayes ver 13. Blacknesse of darknesse Darknesse where is weeping and waâ—â—ing and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 13. Blacknesse of darknesse because there is not a cranny of light nor one beame of comfort that shines in to all eternity And this is not for a moment or a few yeares but for ever You that 〈…〉 dayes in pleasure here and rejoyce in them all Remembers the dayes of darknesse for they are many sayes Solomon Eccles 11. 8. many indeed dayes◠〈◊〉 eternall night that shall know no end which no day shall follow USE 2. WHo is among you that feares the Lord To those that are translated from darknesse into light and yet never thuÌ„s walkt in darknesse and is translated out of the state of darknesse and yet never was in this darknesse of desertion which I have described unto you You that have beene free from those terrours of conscience which are beyond all the miseries the world hath for as the jay of the Holy Ghost is unspeakable and glorious so these terrours are unutterable and unsupportably grievous which yet soules that feare God and have obeyed him more then you have been made the anvills of You that have beene dandled and cockered and fed with sweet meates had into the wine seller Iohn 14. 23. and have had all the Trinity to 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 others have eaten gall and wormewood Rev. 3. 20. as it is Lament 3. 19. And likewise you who though you enjoy not much ravishing joy Rom. 5. 1. and peace which passeth understanding yet being justified by faith you have a solid peace with God and so walke in freedome of spirit in the use of Gods ordinances and the performance of holy duties Let me out of this doctrine give all such this great instruction To take notice that such kinde of troubles there are that doe befall Gods people To take notice such a condition there is beyond what they have experience of many there are that thinke not so which is usefull Iobs friends did not and therefore censured him And this is a necessary instruction 1. 1. To prepare them against it if it should afterwards befall them For this very knowledge of it doth prepare men for such a condition if it should befall them and therefore aforehand to prepare them he wrote too for afflictions the Apostle bids them not thinke it strange concerning the fiery tryall 1 Pet. 4. 12. For if they be strange to any then if they befall them at any time they are the more grievous As if some strange disease befall a man which hee had never heard of afore no Physitian hath skill in it a mazeth a man makes him desperate but if he hath heard that such and such have had it as well as himselfe and have been recovered this some thing helps to asswage the bitternesse of it to him Iobs triall was a strange triall to his friends and therefore you see how unskilfully they goe about to heale it and so left the soare worse then they found it So that to prepare you for it it is good to take notice that such a condition there is In like maner also in 1 Cor. 13. 10. for the same end the Apostle sayes of other kind of trials that nothing had be fallen them but what is coÌ„mon to man there is a great reliefe in that that it is common and others have beene in the like Secondly also 2. To be kept more in dependance upon God take notice of it that you may be kept more in dependance upon God and that you may feare him more whilst you live in this world men that know not any afflictions in this life beyoÌ„d what they see with their eies feel in the outward man nothing beyoÌ„d losse of friends credit these doe often feare God lesse though truly and when they come to part with any of these for God are lesse willing as when they must endure a crosse rather then sinne are apter to choose affliction rather then sinne as Iob sayes but when they shall heare and know that Gods wrath is beyond Pharaohs wrath as Moses knew it who yet in the vast apprehension of the greatnesse of it cryes out Psal 90. Who hath knowne the power of thy wrath then they will obey God and feare him more then they would all the Kings of the earth as Moses did not fearing the wrath of Pharaoh Heb. 11. 27. When men enjoy a confluence of all carnall worldly comforts and thinke their mountaine strong well built with wife children about them and riches health and honours they thinke they are then more out of Gods danger then other men and are apt to say Soule thou hast goods for many yeares but know that God without taking either thy goods away or thy soul away can in this life put thy spirit into such a condition of darknesse as thou wouldst give all the world to have a moments ease when all other comforts shall be to thee but as the white of an egge as Iob sayes As he hath joyes the world gives not so he hath afflictions the world inflicts not Therefore feare him more then the losse of all obey him rather then to keepe all for God can meet with thee in the middest of all so he met with David though a King and then all his wives kingdome could not comfort him till God would heale the bones that he had broken Thirdly 3. To learn not to censure others take notice
there are such troubles and learne not to censure others when they are in this condition thou walkest in the light and thou seest another in the dungeon he may be dearer to God then thou It was Iobs friends fault who having not had experience of such a condition in themselves concluded he was an hypocrite if you thus judge then as Asaph sayes You condemne the generation of the Iust Psal 73. 13 14. And herein Satan also is gratified the strict wayes of grace scandalized If God use his children thus Curse God and die sayes Iobs wife and so the foolish men and women of the world Fourthly 4. To feare God the more passe your soiourning here in feare and serve him with feare 1 Pet. 1. 17. For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Keepe thy heart in awe with the knowledge of such an estate this kept Iob in awe and made him so strict a man al his dayes reade the thirty first Chapter throughout and you shall see what a righteous man he was and then see the reason of all ver 23. Destruction from the Lord was a terrour to me and to the same purpose also Chapter 4. ver ult he sayes that he had alwayes feared that which now had befallen him wherof the distresse of his Spirit was the greatest evill this he feared might befall him when he had most assurance Lastly 5. Be thankfull God hath spared thee be thankfull that God spares thee haply thy body is weake and he knowes thou art but flesh and so stirres not up all his wrath if he should fall on thee as on others it would destroy thee But consider that thou hadst a stone in thy heart as well as any other hath God cured it by gentle 〈◊〉 and so dissolved it and caried it away when as he hath cut others and bound them and put them to much paine in taking of it out Oh be thankfull You that are healthfull and have strong bodies are you not thankfull when you see others sick and 〈◊〉 bedrid roaring of the Stone Toothach Gout whereof you are free ought you not to be much more for the healthfulnesse of your spirits cheerefulnesse being the marrow of them when as others are sicke as the expression is Esay 33. ult for want of assurance that their sins are forgiven others 〈◊〉 all day as on a rack and are distracted almost out of their wits and even themselves are a burthen to themselves Oh be thankfull that it is not so with you USE 3. WHo is among you that fearth the Lord To those that have beene in darknesse and are now recovered out of it and hath been in darknesse but now is out of that eclipse and walkes in the light againe you who have beene in the dungeon and have beene set free againe who have had the wounds of your spirit healed your soules raised from the nether most hell when they drew nigh to the grave and have found a ransome Iob 33. learne you duty also First to be thankfull to God and Iesus Christ and to love the more To be thankfull to God and Christ for you know and have tasted what he did for you you know how bitter a few sippes of the cup was which he dranke off and took down and therefore must needs love him more You also have more experience of Gods power and faithfulnesse and what a miracle God hath wrought in raising you up againe He hath shewne you wonders among the dead as Heman speakes Bee thankfull Thus David in Psal 116. ver 3 4. compared with the first verse I love the Lord and why The sorrows of death compassed mee the paines of hell got hold upon mee I found trouble and sorow I was brought low and he helped me Secondly 2. To pitty others in that condition learne to pitty others in that condition Who can doe it better then you that have experience of the like If you heare of any soule in distresse it is expected of you to pray for him more then of another Heb. 2. ult Christ learnt to pitty us in all our infirmities the more by bearing out infirmities himselfe to that end God raised you up that you might be able to comfort others with the comforts you have received 2 Cor. 1. 4. and might pray for them Therefore Isay 57. 17. when any poore soule is smitten God as is there said is moved to restore him againe for his mourners sakes as well as his owne Thirdly 3. Declare what God hath done for you declare what God hath done for you you have beene in hell give warning to others from comming there 1 Cor. 5. 11. We knowing the terrour of the Lord perswade men If the rich man had come from hell what stories would he have told to have scared all his brethren tell you the like You have seene the wonders of God in the Deeps And give warning unto others now you are a shore tell men of the rocks and shelves and stormes they are like to meet with in such and such courses of uncleannesse worldlinesse c. David sayes when he should have once his bones that were broken healed againe Psal 51. that then he would teach sinners Gods wayes Fourthly 4. Take heed of such sinnes as may bring you into such a condition againe take heed of what may prove the 〈◊〉 of such a condition The devill may come and cast you into your old fits if he finde the same materials to work upon such as grosse sinnes acts of uncleannesse lying unjust dealing c. You know what brought David to his broken bones and likewise take heed of performing duties formally coldly and in hypocrisie and of resting in them which are but as a hollow tooth â—s Solomon speaken that is broken Prov. 25. 19. better out of the head then in these any cause the tooth ach againe Take heed of sinning against light if the devill found no such things in you he should not trouble you So also get 〈◊〉 straggling doubts answered 〈◊〉 them not lie neglected they may come in together one day and make an army though severall and apart as they now rise in your consciences scattered you can despise and neglect them USE 4. The fourth and maine use to such as feare God and walke in Darknesse THen 4. 〈…〉 fortlesse their spirits dead and hard doe call Gods love and their owne estates into question Especially if they were in the Sunshine afore but now sit in the valley of the shadow of death If dandled in Gods lap afore and kist now to bee lasht with terrours and his sharpest rods and on the tendrest place the conscience to have their songs in the night turned into writing bitter things against them how bitter is it to them Once they say they could never come to the throne of grace but their hearts were welcomed their heads stroakt and they went seldome away
without a white stone an earnest penny put into their hands But now God is a terrour to them and when they arise from prayer or the like duty their hearts condemne them more then when they began Once they never lookt to heaven but they had a smile now they may cry day and night and not get a good look from him once say they they never hoist up saile to any duty but they had a faire and good wind God went along with them but now they have both winde and tide God and the deadnesse of their own hearts against them In a word God is gone light is gone God answers them neither by vision nor by Prophets neither in praying nor in hearing and therefore hath forsaken them cast them off Yea will never be mercifull Oh woe to us say they we are undone You erre poore soules not knowing the Scriptures and the maner of your God and of his dealings with his people to thinke that his minde is changed when his countenance is and so to run away from him as Iacob did from Laban to thinke hee hath cast you off when he is but returned to his place that you may seeke him more earnestly Hosea 5. Like children when their mother is gone aside a little you fall a crying as if you were undone So it 〈◊〉 that you are alwayes in the extreames if he 〈◊〉 on you then your mountaine shall never be removed if he hides his face then he will never be mercifull 〈◊〉 as it is a fond and a childish fault so it is beastly and brutish also thus to judge I tearme it so because ye are led therein by sense and like beasts beleeve nothing but what you feele and see and measure Gods love by his lookes and outward cariage which when Asaph did in other afflictions as you in this he cryes out he was ignorant and as a beast Psal 73. 22. What will you trust God no further then you see him It will shame you one day to think what a great deale of trouble your childishnesse put the Spirit of God unto As what a trouble is it to a wise man to have a fond and foolish wife who if he be but abroad and about necessary businesse haply for her maintenance yet then she complains he regards her not but leaves her if he chides her for any fault then she sayes he hates her and is so much distempered by it as a whole dayes kindnesse cannot quiet her againe Thus deale you with God and though he hath given you never so many faire and cleare evidences of his love and these never so often reiterated and renewed yet still you are jealous never quiet alwayes doubting questioning all upon the least frowne that either God must undoe you by letting you goe on in your sinfull dispositions without ever rebuking of you or else lose the acknowledgement of all his love formerly shewne and have it called in question by your peevish jealous misconstructions upon every small expression of his anger towards you Two sorts of such some more lightly troubled some more deeply Some of you that are lesse troubled and thus wanton against Christ I would chide out of it But you that are more deeply and lastingly distressed I pitty you I blame you not for being troubled for when he hides his face the creatures all are troubled Psal 104. 29. God would have you lay it to heart when he is angry Isa 57. 17. God there tooke it ill that when he smote him he went on stubbornly if you should not thus lay it to heart it were a signe you had no grace that you made not him your portion if you could beare his absence and not mourne Carnall men having other comforts can beare the want and absence of him well enough but not you that have made him your portion and your exceeding great reward But yet though you are to lay it to heart so as to mourn under it yet not to be discouraged to call all into question Mal. 3. 6. For though you change yet not God Iames 1. 7. nor his love for his love is himselfe 1 Iohn 4. 8 9 10. We may change in our apprehensions and opinions and Gods outward cariages and dispensations may bee changed towards us but not his rooted love Wee are not the same to day Heb. 13. that yesterday we were but Christ is the same to day yesterday and for ever To say that he hath cast you off because he hath hid his face is a fallacy fetcht out of the devils Topicks and injurious to him For Isay 54. 8. In a little wrath have I hid my face for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I remember thee First I have but hid my face not cast thee out of minde and 2 though in anger yet but a little anger and 〈…〉 a moment And all that while 4 I am nor 〈◊〉 full of thee I remember thee c. 5 And this with kindnesse from everlasting to everlasting When the Sunne is eclipsed which eclipse is rather of the earth then of the Sunne which shines as 〈◊〉 foolish people thinke it will never recover light but wise men know it will But you will say Object if this desertion were but 〈◊〉 moment it were something but 〈…〉 for many yeares How many yeares Answ This life is but a moment and God hath eternity of time to shew his love 〈◊〉 time enough to make amends for a few from that Everlasting kindnesses Remember the Text sayes One than feares God may walke in darknesse 〈…〉 a steppe or two but many wearisome turnes in it Heman was afflicted from his youth David so long that Psal 77. he thought God had forgotten 〈◊〉 And doth his promise faile for ever Remember whâ—â— is said in another case Luke 18. 8. that though Hee beares long yet he comes speedily that is though long in our eyes yet speedily in his owne 〈◊〉 hath all time afore him and knowes how much time is behinde to be spent in embraces with you Yea but you will say Object it is not onely hiding his face but I suffer terrours hee is wroth hee is turned enemy he fights against me and therefore 〈…〉 vessell of wrath sitted to destruction So it was with Iob Answ Chap. 13. 24. Wherefore 〈…〉 thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy So Esay 63. 10. Psal 88. 16. All those are but the effects of a temporall wrath There is a wide difference betweene a child under wrath and a child of wrath Thou maist be a child under wrath when not a child of wrath God as he may afflict you in your estates and bodies so your spirits as a Father for Heb. 12. 9. He is the Father of spirits Ten Directions for those who are more deeply troubled and means to be used how to recover light and comfort FOr their sakes who are thus more deepely troubled I will prescribe some directions how they are to behave