them not now wil I remember their iniquity Mâ—â—k the word Now Now when Now when they do come to prayer now wil I remember your iniquity saith the Lord. I know saith the Lord al your carriage in such and such a pâ—â—ce I know your uncleanness and your adulteries when you wâ—â—e in the dark when the curtains were drawn about you and the candle out I know your carriage at such a Tavern and upon such an Ale bench how you sate there and scâ—rned and reviâ—â—d my children I know your opposing scoffing and jeering at tho e that are Godly I know al this and now thou comest to prayer now Swearer now Adulterer now Drunkard now thou comest to duty now wil I remember thine iniquity Is it not a sad thing that the Lord should remember a mans sin at the time when he comes to prayer yet thus the Lord deales with the wicked But as for the Godly and Gracious man it is not so with him when he comes to prayer though he have many failings in duty yet the Lord remembers his mercy then the Lord remembers his loving kindness then the Lord remembers his Covenant for he is ever mindful of his Covenant O! what incouragement is here then for every man to become Godly to get into Christ and what incouragement is here for the Saints and people of God to come to duty O! you that have but a little faith have you any reason to be discouraged wil you not at last say to your soul why art thou cast down O my soul and why are thou thus discouraged Quest But suppose that I have done foolishly and have sinned in being discouraged upon al occasions suppose I have many failings in duty and the Lord doth not answer my prayer presently what shal I do that I may bear up my heart against this discouragement either in regard of my own failing in duty or in regard of Gods not answering Answ 1 First Take heed that you do not lay the stress and weight of al your comfort upon duty cither the gift of duty or the Grace of duty or the present answer of it So much as ye lay the stress and weight of your comfort upon duty so much wil you be discouraged in case you do either want duty or an answer to it When Paul was tempted and buffetted he prayed thrice For this saith he I besought the Lord thrice thâ—t is often and the Lord gave him no other answer than this 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength shal be made perfect in thy weakness Whereupon Paul saith Now therefore wil I Glory in mine infirmities that the pâ—wer of the Lord may rest upon me Hast thou therefore been at prayer and hast thou prayed thrice or often and hast thou no answer but this My Grace is sufficient for thee know that thou hast a Pauls answer and therefore rather Glory in this that the Lord should find thee faithful for to wait upon him than be discouraged knowing that the Lords strength shal be perfected in thy weakness Answ 2 Secondly Consider seriously and frequently of this rule That difficulty doth commend duty the more difficulties your duties do press through to God the more acceptable they are to him The less there is to sweeten your duty to you the more sweet is your duty to God It is in our performing of duty as in the offering of the Jewish Sacrifice in the offering of their Sacrifice there was two things The Sacrifice and the Obedience in offering the Sacrifice and the more difficult it was for any poor Jew by reason of poverty or the like to offer this Sacrifice the more and greater was his Obedience in offering it the more difficulty in offering the greater the Obedience offered So also it is in our Gospel Sacrifices and in al our duties there are two things in them There is the Sacrifice the duty and there is the Obedience in bringing the duty and the more difficulty in performing the duty the greater is the Obedience to God in the performing of it Now is is not an hard thing and very difficult for a man to pray and continue praying when his heart is hardned and his spirit streightned especially if he be sensible thereof then he is ready to despond and say I can pray no more and is it not a very hard thing for a man to pray and persevere in prayer when he thinks that God doth not regard his prayer then he is apt to say why should I pray any longer for God regards me not yet now if you do pray and perform your duty your obedience is the more obediential the more acceptable and if you would but think of this rule Difficulty doth commend duty and the less you have to sweeten your action the more sweet it is to God I say if you would but remember this it would both incourage you to duty and keep you from discouragement in it And lastly We must al learn to leave the event and success of our spiritual things unto God himself so shal we never be discouraged in any duty For the word of the Lord is sure and God hath spoken it Psal 55. Cast thy Gift upon the Lord Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldee Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierom. projice super Dominum charitatem tuam Rab. Salv. Jar. abbreviate dictus Rashi vel Rasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod etiam pro dono usurpatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 11.8 Bibl. Bomb. and he wil sustain thee he wil not suffer the righteous to be moved for ever You read it thus Cast thy Burden upon the Lord but in the Hebrew it is thy Gift Cast thy Gift upon the Lord. That is saith Shindler quicquid tibi dari donarive expetis Whatsoever thou dost desire that God should give thee cast that upon the. Lord thou comest to prayer and thou prayest for such a mercy or such a Gift cast that on God and leave it wholly to him O! but the mercy I pray for is a necessary mercy Be it so yet it is to be cast on God But it is a spiritual Gift I pray for pardon of sin the sence of Gods love growth in Grace consolation to my poor drooping soul Be it so yet thou must cast this on God Many there are that can leave the event and and success of these outward things unto God but to leave the event and success of prayer and their spiritual things unto God this they cannot understand and this they are utterly unacquainted with but whatever thy Gift be cast it upon the Lord leave the success and the event of al your spiritual things upon God what then And he wil sustain thee and thou shalt not be moved for ever Thou are moved for the present and thy heart is moved and thou art much discouraged yet do but try this way leave the
that you may be humbled yet that the Lord should keep you from this Sin this unpardonable Sin for which there is no Sacrifice nor no remission O! what Mercy and what Grace is this Object 1 But I am afraid I have sinned this Sin and the truth is I have often feared it and my reason was and is Because my sins are so great so exceeding great Answ Great say ye How great man I have sinned against my Light I have sinned against my Knowledg I have sinned against my Conviction and therefore I fear I have sinned the unpardonable Sin But I pray for Answer did not Adam sin against Light when he eat the forbidden Fruit Did he not sin against his Knowledg against Conscience yet he sin'd not against the Holy Ghost though he brought al the World under Condemnation by his Sin for the Lord himself came and preached mercy to him The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head And I pray did not Jonah when he run away from God sin against his Light and did he not sin against his Conviction and against his Knowledg yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and wonderfully delivered him Possibly this therefore may be and yet not a Sin against the Holy Ghost It is true indeed that those who sin against the Holy Ghost do sin against their Light Knowledg and Conscience but whoever sins against Light and Knowledg though he sins greatly doth not sin against the Holy Ghost Object 2 O! But I fear that I have sinned this Sin for I have fallen foully into gross sins Answ That is ill But I pray did not David sin so were they not great gross and foul sins that David fel into such as one of your civil moral men would abhor yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and Nathan said from the Lord The Lord hath forgiven thee Object 3 O! But yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin for I am much declined I have lost my former acquaintance and communion with God I have lost my former heat and affections to good and in Duty and I fear upon this account that I have sinned this great Sin Answ Be it so yet did not the Church of Ephesus lose her first Love yet this Church of Ephesus did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost Why For the Lord saith unto her Repent and do thy first Works she could not have repented thus if she had sinned this Sin Object 4 O! but yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin because that I have sinned directly against the Spirit I have quenched I have grieved I have resisted the Spirit the Spirit of the Lord hath come and fallen upon my heart in preaching and I resisted and grieved it the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen upon my heart in Prayer and I have grieved that therefore I fear I have sinned this great Sin that shall never be pardoned Answ This is ill too But those that you read of in Acts 7. resisted the Holy Ghost yet they did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost for then Stephen would not have prayed for them And indeed Beloved if every resisting of the breathings of the Spirit and grieving of the Holy Ghost were the unpardonable Sin what godly man would be free A godly man is more properly said to grieve the Spirit than a wicked man If an Enemy strike you you are angry if your Friend strike you ye are grieved If a wicked man strike at God he is angry with him if a godly man strike at God God is angry and his Spirit is grieved because he is a Friend Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption So that thus far possibly a man may go and yet not sin this Unpardonable Sin Object 5 But I am afraid that I have sinned this great Sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost because I have not owned but denied the Truth the Work of the Spirit is to enlighten and to lead into Truth and I have not owned but denied the Truth rather therfore I fear that I have sinned this great Sin against the Holy Ghost Answ This is evil very evil I remember a Speech of Godteschalchus worthy to be written in Letters of Gold Timeo veritatem negare quia metuo à veritate negari I am afraid said he to deny the Truth lest I should be for ever denied by the Truth that is Christ But I pray did not Peter deny the Truth when he denied Christ and did he not do it again and again and did he not do it openly with Scandal and did he not do it after Admonition and did he not do it with Cursing and Swearing and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned and took him into his bosom and made him a blessed Instrument in the Church Thus far yet a man may go possibly and yet not sin this Sin Object 6 O! But I am afraid yet that I have sinned it for I have been an Opposer of Goodness I have been an Opposer of the People of God and I have been a blasphemer therefore I fear I have sinned this Sin Answ This is ill indeed But I pray tel me Was not Paul an Opposer and Blasphemer of the Saints and Waies of God and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for I did it ignorantly saith he I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor but I obtained mercy for I did it ignorantly Object 7 O! But I have sinned and I have done it maliciously and therefore I fear I have sinned this same dreadful Sin Answ This is yet worser But what mean you by that word Maliciously Peccatum ex malitia quandoque dicitur peccatum ex habitu puta quando ex malo habitu quis est intemperatus vel gulosus et sic non loquimur in proposito alio modo dicitur quod procedit ex passione tamen deliberate et scienter puta si quis invideat c. nec sic loquimu◠in proposito sed vocatur peccatum ex malitia proprie quando movetur quis non ex habitu nec passione nec ignorantia sed ex mera libertate voluntatis Sc. quod sic placet et hoc modo dicitur peccatum in spiritum sanctum Aureol in Lib. 2. Sent. Dist 43. Art 1. A man may be said to sin ex malitia or maliciously three waies saith Aureolus Either because he sins from some evil habit and so al wicked men sin yet they do not al sin against the Holy Ghost Or because a man sins out of anger passion or evil wil against another so Paul sin'd when he persecuted the Church of God he was carried out with a malicious spirit against the Saints and People of God yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost Or else because a man is moved to sin not
Ordinance you cannot withstand him wherefore saith the Apostle Take unto you the whol Armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand stand therefore having your loyns girt about with Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and your feet shod wâ—th the preparation of the Goâ—pel of Peace Above all take the Shield of Faith and take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit and pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication and watch thereunto c. Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. Answ 6 Sixtly The more delight and contentment that you find in the good Waies of God the more your hearts wil be fixed established and staked down to them Comfort and Establishment go together 2 Thes 2.17 A man wil never hold to that work long which he finds no comfort and delight in when the Devil draws a man from Duty he doth not tel him at the first that the Duty is naught or evil but he labors to clog the way of that Duty with many Difficultieâ— for saith he if I can make this man draw heavily and uncomfortably in his Duty he wil soon cast it off And indeed what is the reason that men are so off and on to and fro in the good Waies of God but because they do not find delight and contentment in them Do you therefore desire to be fixed and established labor more and more then to make your way to Heaven easie and comfortable to you Now that the way to Heaven may be made sweet and easie to you 1. Be sure that you do not separate between Gods Commandement and his Promise there is no one thing which God hath commanded us to do but he hath promised strength and Grace to perform it with If I look upon the Command alone then the Work doth seem hard to me but if I take in the Promise then it is most sweet and easie 2. Be sure that you apply your self unto Gods Work according unto Gods Method let that be first which he hath made first and that last which he hath made last A Fâ—gge or â—â—llet is easily drawn from the Stack if you begin aloâ—â— but if you wil take out that first which doth lie below it wil come haâ—dly So in regard of Duties there are some Duties which do lie above and some that lie beneath some are to be performed firâ—t and some after first you must beleeve and then do good Trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist and do good But if you wil do good before you beleeve then it wil come off with difficulty Gods own Method observed makes his way sweet and easie 3. Be sure that you improve and make use of that variety which God hath given you Varietas refocillat variety refresheth and Gods variety is most refreshing But if I wil hold my self only to one Duty when God hath given me many and so neglect Gods variety no wonder that his Work is made hard and tedious Are you therefore weary with praying Apply your self unto Reading Aâ—e you weary in Reading Away then to Conference Possibly youâ— heart may be backward to Prayer but by that time you have been a while Reading and Meditating you shal be fit for Prayer and having been a while at Prayer you shal be more fit for Conference but if you wil keep your self only to one Duty your way to Heaven wil be more difficult Observe therefore Gods variâ—ty and neglect not the same 4. Be sure that you do not stint your self unto any Work or Duty so as to say Thus far wil I go and no further If a man be in a Journey and hath fixed al his Stages he rides in continual pain and fear lest he should not reach his appointed place by his time appointed But if he say I wil go as far as the Providence of God wil carry me then he rides more at ease in his mind al the day long So in our Journey to Heaven if you say thus far I wil go this day and no further then you wil go in continual pain lest you should not reach your appointed Stâ—ge but if you say I wil pray morning evening and as much as I can hear as much as I can read and meditate as much as I can I wil go as far for Hâ—â—ven this day as I can then the Work or God wil come off wâ—th more ease and â—weetness and with less difficulty I speak not this against set tiâ—â— of Pâ—ayer and Duâ—y but against stinting and â—â—nting God â—nd your own hearts O! let us take heed of â—â—aâ— 5. If you would so sweeten the Waies of God as that you may be more fixâ—d and established therein then labor more and moâ—â— to naturâ—â—ze them unto your own souls violent things nevâ—â— hold natuâ—â—â— things do The Sun is constant in rising every 〈◊〉 for it 's natural The Stone if thrown up into the Aâ—r doth descend conâ—tantly for it 's natural So iâ— the Woâ—k of God be Natural to you you wil be constant in it and though you be puâ— by it yet you wil return again and again Labor therâ—fore to naturallize the Work of God to your own soul so shal it be more and more sweet and easie and you wil be more fixed setled and established therein for it is delight that doth give fixation Answ 7 Seventhly If you would be fixed and established in the good Waies of God then consider these ensuing Motives 1. Thereby you shal rid and free your selves from Temptations which wil otherwise press in and return upon you The Jews saw that Pilate was wavering and not fixed for Christ so they came upon him with new volleys of Temptations and carried him at the last but when the Disciples saw that Pauls heart was fixed on his Journey to Jerusalem they gave over their siege and lâ—ft him to his own thoughts and though Naomi did perswade Ruth to return unto her own Country and Kindred yeâ— at the last she left speaking to her for saith the Text She saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her Ruth 1.18 As an unsetled Spirit doth lie open unto new Temptations and doth invite them so a setled fixed and established heart shal be freed from them This fixation of Soul is a great honor unto your Profession and thereby ye shal walk worthy of the Gospel Phil. 1. he that is unsetled unconstant and uneven in his course doth bring no honor unto his Profession but laies stumbling-blocks before the blind and doth offend the World do you not see say they Qui servat constantiam servat dignitatem what a giddy and unsetled People some of these Professors are but there or there is a man that doth walk closely with God there is a Christian indeed he that keeps his constancy keeps his dignity Thereby you shal rejoyce the hearts of those that are set over you in the Lord who
SOmtimes the discouragements of the Saints and people of God are drawn From their Duties the failings and successlessness of their Duties For they reason thus Through the Lords Grace and Mercy I have been kept from great and gross sins yet if the Lord loved me indeed he would draw my heart neer unto himself but when I come to prayer or duty I find so much deadness dulness and awkness of heart and spirit that I fear the Lord wil never accept such a one as I am nor such duties as mine are when I go to prayer either prayer is altogether absent from me or I have no life therein if I go to hear the word I am not attentive but filled with distractions and whatever duty I perform I want life and love in it O! my heart is like a rock or stone and therefore I fear the Lord wil not accept my duty and the rather because I find that I have been long at prayer and I am never the better the Lord hears me not the Lord regards me not and have I not just Reason and Cause to be discouraged now Answ No Here is reason indeed why you should be afflicted but no reason yet why you should be discouraged I confess indeed here is cause and reason of grief and of affliction for take Prayer to instance only in that and it is That act and work of the soul whereby a man doth converse with God God conversing with man and man with God And is it not a sore affliction for a poor creature to be shut out of Gods door such a freind as God is O! saith Chrisostome it is more bitter than death to be spoiled of Prayer and hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose his Prayer Prayer is the souls Weapon and is it not a grief to want a Weapon in our spiritual warfare Prayer is the souls Ornament the excellent Garment of a Christian and is it not an affliction to be without this Garment and to be found naked Prayer is the Christians Element And as the fish lives in the water as in its Element and dyes when it is out so a Christian lives in prayer as in his Element and his heart dies when he is out of it Prayer is the souls Provisioner fetcheth in Provision for the soul and for al its Graces The old bird the Dam goes abroad and fetcheth in meat for the young ones and they lye in the nest gaping to receive the meat upon its return and if the old one be kild abroad the young ones wil die presently at home So here Prayer goes abroad and fetcheth in provision for al our Graces and they al lye gaping to receive this provision from the mouth of Prayer if this be killed how can those other Graces live The truth is The more sweetness a Christian finds in any work the greater is his affliction if he want that work now what abundance of sweetness doth a Gracious soul find in Prayer therefore when a man is narrowed or shut up in Prayer it cannot but be a great affliction to him But though it be a matter of great affliction yet a good man hath no reason to be quite discouraged yea though he meet with many failings therein and cannot pray as he would nor perform duty as he should Quest How may that appear Thus. Answ First Every Godly Gracious man is in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ and that Covenant is a Covenant of Grace which is the great Charter the Magna-Charta of al his spiritual Privilidges and Immunities Now in this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim this That sincerity shal go for perfection That a little done for God in the time of temptation shal be counted much In this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim unto al his people That he doth rather regard the bent of the heart than the inlargment of the heart That he dorh rather regard the wil to do than the doing In this great Charter the Covenant of free Grace the Lord proclaims unto al his people That if they do fail in prayer and other duties for I speak not of prayer only though I instance in that He wil not cast them off but he wil rather be moved to pity them for the Covenant that the Lord makes with his people is as the Covenant that a man makes with his wife I wil betroth thee unto me for ever saith the Lord. Hos 2 Now a man wil not put away his wife for every failing neither wil the Lord put a way his people nor cast them off because he is betrothed to them though they do fail in duties Again in this great Charter and Covenant of Grace the Lord doth proclaim unto al his Children That what they want in performance he wil make up in indulgence He proclaims this unto them That he wil require no more than he gives he wil give what he requires and he wil accept what he gives Now therefore am I in that Covenant of Grace and are there many failings in al my duties yet if this be true That the Lord is more moved by my failings to pity me than to cast me off then I have no reason for to be discouraged And thus it is with every child of God he is in this Covenant of Grace and so the Priviledges and Immunities of al this great Charter belongs unto him Secondly Though there be many failings in a Godly mans duty yet so long as it is a duty there is som-what of Christ therein there is som-what of God therein Now God wil not cast away his own becauâ—e it is mixt with ours but he wil rather pardon ours and accept ours because it is mixt with his The Husband-man doth not cast away his wheat because it is mixt with chaff he brings it into his barn and there is a time when he wil seperate the chaff from the wheat but he doth not cast away the corn because it is mixt with chaff yet this grain of wheat hath nothing of the Image of the Husband-man upon it but there is never a duty of a Godly man but hath somwhat of the Image of Christ upon it and therefore I say he wil not cast away His because it is mixt with Ours but he wil rather pardon and accept of ours quamvis odibilis detestabilis et execrabilis sit causa mea in ore meo nihilominus in ore tuo benedicto in ore tuo sacratissimo et in labiis tuis quibus tanta gratia diffusa est est favorabilis Parisiens de Rhetor. Div. cap. 21. Est et alia firmitas et confirmatio meae partis quod tu ipse advocatus es et propitiatio qui es et Judex meus et propter hâ—c non est possibile ut patiaris causam meam periclitari in manibus meis Apud homines enim non est possibile ut advocatus fidelis et justus permittat
the time of his Liberty he was loose in the time of his Imprisonment he was sullen and when he was at the Stake he was mad with horror of Conscience mad O! but true saving Faith wil not flinch and give in at last The three Children did not only come to the Fire but rid out the storm But I say no more in this only thus Seventhly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion yet he doth not bring forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness but true saving Faith doth it suffers and brings forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness So that now you see by al this that it is Faith alone it is true saving Faith and Faith alone that wil carry a man through Sufferings But then Quest Thirdly You wil say How and by what means can Faith do this What is there in Faith to do it to carry a man through hard things and through all Sufferings although they be never so great Answ 1 First It is the work of Faith to make a man resign and give up his wil to the wil of God and when a man can do so what may he not suffer Answ 2 Secondly It is the work of Faith the proper work of Faith to cleave close unto the Commandement of God True Satan I am an unworthy Creature but God hath commanded me to beleeve True I am a great Sinner but God hath commanded me to beleeve Faith doth peremptorily stick unto the Commandement and it leaves God to answer unto the Objections and Inconveniences that follow upon his Obedience to the Commandement it leaves that to God By Faith Abraham when he was called to go out obeyed not knowing whether he should go Now when a man can do this what may he not suffer Answ 3 Thirdly It is the proper Work of Faith to close with the Gospel whereby the Soul doth receive the fulness of the Spirit the Promise of the Father Now when a mans heart is filled with the Spirit of God what may he not suffer Pray do but consider the Apostles after that the Spirit came upon them you know they would suffer any thing though it were never so great before the Spirit came upon them though they had the Personal presence of Christ they could not suffer any thing though it was never so smal Now Faith doth close with the Promise of the Gospel whereby the Soul doth receive the Spirit of God the Promise of the Father Answ 4 Fourthly It is the proper Work of Faith to look upon the recompence of Reward By Faith Moses had an Eye to the recompence of Reward and so chose Affliction with the People of God Saith our Savior to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled How so Lord Saith he I go to prepare a place for you In my Fathers House there are many Mansions Faith shews one the Glory and the Joyes of Heaven and when a man sees those things what may he not suffer Answ 5 Fiftly The more that a man can see the hand of God as a Father upon the Rod the more able he wil be to suffer and the more cheerful Ye bring a Child to School and he sees the School hung with Rods in every corner a Rod and the Child is afraid but if his Fathers House be set with Rods the Child is not afraid in his Fathers House Now Faith true savâ—ng Faith wil shew one the hand of a Father upon the Rod. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away saith Faith I was dumb and opened not my mouth for thou Lord hast done it saith Faith Answ 6 Sixtly The more a man can see to the end of his Affliction and Suffering the more able he wil be to go through it Now Faith tels a man that there is an end No temptation saith the word of Faith hath befallen you but what is common and with the Temptation there is an out-let there is a door a door in the Ark although the door may be under water and the out-let may be under water Faith doth not only tel a man that there is an end but that the end shal be good and al shal work together for his good yea it tels a man that his affliction shall be but for a moment and that moment shal be recompenced with abundance of Comfort Psal 30. ver 5. For his Anger endureth but a moment in his Favor is Life Weeping may endure for a night but Joy cometh in the morning So also in Isa 54. verse 7. For a smal moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Faith tels us this Now when a man knows and considers this what may he not suffer Answ 7 Seventhly It is the proper work of Faith to look on both sides of the Dispensation there is a dark side and there is a light side in Affliction and Suffering Sence and Reason looks only on the dark side but Faith looks to both sides of the Dispensation It is written of Mr. Latimer the blessed Martyr that when he was to go to the Stake taking leave of his fellow Prisoners saith he Be of good Comfort O my Friends and Brethren for though we go to the Stake to day and be burnt to Fire we shal light such a Candle in England as shal never be put out we shal make such a Fire in England to day as shal never be quenched he saw both sides of the Dispensation because he beleeved Faith wil shew one both sides of the Dispensation Answ 8 Eightly It is the proper Work of Faith to see one contrary in another or through another it wil see the Smiles of God in the midst of Frowns it wil see Love in the midst of Anger it will see Order in the midst of Confusion it wil see Mercy in the midst oâ— Misery it wil see a door of Hope in the Valley of Achor Faith it looks upon things with the Prospective of the Promise and the Promise speaks on this wise in Deut. 32. verse 36. saith the Lord there The Lord shall judg his People and repent himself for his Servants when he sees that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Faith I say sees one contrary in another or beyond another and when a man can do so what may he not suffer And Answ 9 Ninthly and lastly If God do engage to help and succor in afflictions and if the Lord do count himself engaged to succor deliver and help in Affliction because men trust in the Lord surely Faith can do very much in the day of Affliction Now I pray look into Scripture and you shal see that the Lord is engaged upon this account in Psal 37. last And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the
be determined by some act of Man Ego autem stultus à scientia Dei et vanus c. postea vero videbar mihi videre à longe gratia Dei omnia bona precedentem tempore et natura sicut anima in omnibus motibus primus motor Bradward de causa Dei Lib. 1. cap. 35. pag. 308. But the wil of God as Bradwardin demonstrates is the first Agent Primum liberum primum agens et primum determinans first free the first Mover and the first Determiner the serious consideration whereof was as he professeth the first beginning of his Conversion to the Grace of God from the error of Pelagianism and Manicheism Neither can the Death of Christ be the cause of any such Decree for the Decrees of God are eternal The death of Christ was in time and that which is in time cannot be the cause of that which was from al Eternity Surely therefore this general Decree is none of that Issue wheâ—ewith our Lord and Savior Christ was in Travel Sixtly Some think again That the next and great Effect of Christs Death was to bring al the World into the Covenant of Grace that whereas before they had broken the Covenant of Works by the first Adam now al are brought into a Covenant of Grace by the Second Adam Answ 1 But this cannot be for as the Covenant of Works was made with the first Adam and his Seed only so the Covenant of Grace is made with the Second Adam and his seed only But the whol World are not the Seed of Christ for the Lord promising him to see his Seed doth not promise him to see al the World 2. The Apostle Paul tels us That the Ephesians before their Conversion were Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise being without hope and without God in the World Ephes 2.12 which could not be if al the World were taken into the Covenant of Grace by the Death of Christ 3. If God deal with al Man-kind in a Covenant of Grace then al Man-kind should certainly be saved for if whatever God requires on mans part God doth by that Covenant undertake that man shal perform then al must needs be saved if the Covenant be made with al but whatever by this Covenant God requires on mans part he undertakes to perform Doth God require that we should act from an inward Principle of Grace I will write my Law in your hearts saith he Doth he require of us to know him this he undertakes for us by this Covenant Ye shall all know me from the greatest to the least Heb. 8. Doth he require us to fear him I will put my fear into your hearts Doth he require Faith and Repentance at our hands I wil take away saith he the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh and I wil circumcize thine heart Deut. 30.6 Doth he require Obedience at our hands he undertakes for us also that we shal perform the same Ezek. 36.27 I wil put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my waies So that if God should deal with al the World of Man-kind according to the Covenant of Grace then al the World should be saved but al the World are not saved surely therefore this is none of those effects which our Lord and Savior Christ travelled for Seventhly Some think that Christ by his Death hath obtained a sufficiency of Grace for al men so that al men may or may not beleeve if they wil and this obtainment of this sufficiency of Grace for al they think is the great and next Effect of the Death of Christ But this cannot be for the thing is not true viz. That al men have a sufficiency of Grace by Christ to beleeve on him for if al the men of the World have such a Power from Christ to beleeve on him then 1. The Jews had a Power to abstain from their Unbelief in putting Christ to death and yet they had this Power from the Death of Christ and if so then it was possible that Christ should not have died by the hand of their Unbelief and yet possible by vertue of Christs Death for them to abstain from the putting him to death which is a Contradiction Neither can it be said that they had this Power given them upon the fore-sight of Christs Death for the same fore-sight did fore-see that Christ should be put to death by the hand of their Unbelief 2. If al men have such a Power to beleeve in Christ then either they must have an inward Principle of Grace and Faith or they can act without an inward Principle but they have no inward Principle of Faith and Grace for then they should be Beleevers for it is the inward habit and principle which denominates the man and not this or that act for a man is a Beleever though he be asleep Nor can any Creature put forth an act without an inward Principle suitable to the Act the Eye cannot act in seeing without an inward Principle of sight nor the Ear hear without an inward principle of hearing the Herb cannot grow without an inward principle of growth nor the Beast move without an inward principle of motion nor any Creature act without a precedent inward principle But al the men of the World have not an inward principle of Faith and Grace and therefore al the men of the World have not a power to beleeve 3. The Apostle Paul tels us plainly that a Natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he 1. Cor. 3 1â— but if he have a power to beleeve then he can receive them for receiving is our beleeving 1 John 12. Neither can it be said that by the Natural man we are to understand the weak Christian for if the weak Christian cannot receive the things of God much less the wicked and the pure Natural man nor doth the Apostle speak of a Natural Man as he is meerly considered in the state of Nature abstracted from al Gospel Grace and the means of Grace for then he should speak to no particular case in the World for according to our Adversaries there is no man in the World but hath some Gospel Grace or means of Grace 4. Our Savior Christ tels the Jews John 10.26 Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep it seems then that al the world are not the Sheep of Christ for saith he ye are not of my Sheep and the reason why some do beleeve is because they are of Christs Sheep and why others beleeve not is because they are not of his Sheep Now if the reason why some beleeve and others not is because some are of his Sheep and others not then al the world have not a power to beleeve for if al the world have a power to beleeve then those that are not of the Sheep may beleeve and if those that are not of the Sheep can beleeve why doth our
way of beleeving and then Christ wil give you more Ye know how it was with Nathaniel When Nathaniel beleeved upon what Christ had spoken saies Christ unto him Beleevest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree I wil shew thee greater things thou shalt see the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man So wil the Lord Christ say to a poor soul I have spoken a word unto thee and I gave thee a little peace and doest thou beleeve because of the word I have spoken unto thee thou shalt see greater things and I wil give thee abundance of peace Look into Isa 48. vers 18. and there you shal find the Lord speaking thus O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea When the Lord speaks and cals upon people to beleeve if then they do hearken to him then shal their peace be like a river And when does the Lord cal in a special manner upon people to beleeve When he gives out a word and when he gives them a little peace then he is calling upon them to beleeve now return and now beleeve saies the Lord. Ye know how it was with Eliah when they wanted rain and had wanted rain for a long time Eliah sends his servant towards the Sea to see if he could perceive any rain coming and Eliah fals down upon his face in prayer his servant goes but no sign of rain he goes again and no sign of rain and the seventh time Eliah's servant perceives a cloud of the bigness of an hand and he comes down unto his Master and tells him he had seen a cloud the bigness of a mans hand Whereupon Eliah concludes and saies Come let us up I hear the noise of many waters So say I you have been upon your face and have been much discouraged yet if you have been at prayer and a little refreshment comes though it be but the bigness of an hand yet conclude and say surely there is more rain a coming Come O my soul Why art thou cast down and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God and wait on him I hear abundance of rain a coming When our Savior Christ sometimes speaks peace he doth at the first speak by a smal word and if that be improved then he speaks more Ye know how it was with Mary she was at the Sepulcher and had been enquiring after her Lord and saies she to the Angells they have taken away my Lord and the Angells talked â—o her and could not comfort her But at last comes our savior Christ and he speaks to her and then she was comforted But what does he say to her onely one word Mary so when a man is in trouble the Lord comes sometimes and speaks but a word he takes a promise it may be and sets on a word thereof upon the soul and the heart answers Rabboni my Lord. Doth the Lord therefore speak but one word unto thee yet stir up thy self in beleeving and hearken to him for he wil speak yet more fully and playnly onely when he speaks listen hearken diligently unto him and improve what he sayth so shal your peace be as a River and your righteousnes as the Ocean And thus I have done with the first Argument TRUE PEACE MAY BE INTERRUPTED Sermon II. PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Stepney April 23. 1648. and why art thou disquieted within me c. Doct. 2 IT is possible that the Saints and People of God may be much discouraged and cast down Though there be an inward Peace and quietness of Soul which they are ordinarily indued with yet possibly this Peace may be interrupted and themselves much discouraged and cast down Here are two words in the Text speak as much Cast-down Disquieted And three times in this Psalm the Psalmist saith His Soul was cast down within him yet this David was a man of great Peace and Comfort ordinarily And as with David so it was is and will be with other Saints This is so ordinary a case that â—he Holy Ghost hath provided a standing Psalm or Prayer on purpose for such as are in this condiâ—â—on Psalm 102. the Title A Prayer or Psalm of the afflicted when he is over-whelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. In Psal 119.25 he saith My belly cleaves to the dust and that is low indeed And vers 28. My soul melteth for heaviness I am not only sad and heavy but my soul melteth for heaviness Canticles 5. The Spouse saith Her heart was gone or my soul failed within me And if we look into Psalm 143. we find at the 4. vers that the Psalmist saith My Spirit is over-whelmed and my heart within me is desolate What do all these expressions high great and many speak but this Truth that is now before us For the more full cleering and opening of it I shall labor to shew First How far it is possible for a good man to be discouraged or cast down Secondly How it doth come to pass that he is so discouraged Thirdly How those Discouragements can stand with his Grace and goodness Fourthly How they may be healed and cured Quest 1 And First If you ask How far the Discouragements of the Saints may reach For will some say I know it is possible that the most gracious holy man may be much discouraged but not with such discouragments as mine are Answ 1 I Answer What are yours Are you so far disquieted discouraged cast down as to refuse the word promise or consolation that is brought unto you So far may the discouragments of the Saints extend Psal 77. vers 3. I remembred God and was troubled He doth not say I remembred my sin and was troubled but God Yea I was not onely troubled but I did complain and my spirit was overwhelmed within me But when the promise came and mercy came and comfort came did he refuse that too yes vers 2. my soul refuseth to be comforted Answ 2 Secondly Are you so far discouraged disquieted cast down that your very body feeleth the smart of your discouragements that you do not onely refuse the promise and al comfort for your soul but even for your body Then look into Psal 102. and see if your case may not be paralleld vers 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass so that I forget to eate my bread vers 5. By reason of the voice â—f my groaning my bones cleave to my skin vers 6. I am like a Pelican of the wilderness and I am like an Owl of the desâ—rt vers 9. I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping vers 10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down vers 11. My dayes are like a shadow that declineth and I am withered like grass O! but I am not
by feeling but by faith it is the Duty of a Christian to begin with Faith and so to riâ—e up to feeling you would begin with feeling and so come down to faith but you must begin with faith and so rise up to feeling And I pray tell me Is it not sufficient to be as our Master was Did not Christ want the sence of Gods Love when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yea had not Christ the sence of Gods Anger upon him when he did perform the greatest act of Obedience that ever the Sun saw yet did he then say I am not the Child of God because I want the sence of Gods Love because I am under the sence of Gods Anger No but with the same breath that he said he was forsaken he said My God my God and at the same time he called God Father Father forgive them c. So may you do though God hath forsaken you though you want the sence of his Love yea and are under the sence of Gods Anger yet at the same time you may say the Lord is my Father and you may go to him as your Father and if ye can say God is my Father have ye any reason for your Discouragements Yet how often are Gods own People discouraged and cast down O! you that are the Disciples of Christ labor more and more to follow your Master and as David here so do you often say Why art thou cast down O my soul Answ 2 Secondly What a mighty vast difference is there between a Godly man and a wicked upon this account A godly gracious man hath no reason for his discouragements whatever his Condition be a wicked man hath no reason for his encouragement whatever his Condition be A gracious man is apt to be much discouraged but he hath no true reason for it a wicked man is apt to be much encouraged but he hath no true reason for it It 's said of the wicked Psalm 7. God is angry with the wicked every day whatever the day be God is angry with them though it be a day of Fasting and Prayer yet then is God angry with them though it be a day of Praises and of Thanksgiving then is God angry with them when he sins most and when he sins least God is angry with him not one day goes over his head but God is angry with him and one blow or another that Gods Anger reacheth forth to him every day he doth not alwaies feel those blows but God is smiting of him and is angry with hâ—â—â— every day and therefore whatever his condition be there is no reason for his encouragement Suppose a man were in Priâ—on committed for some great Offence and condemned to die under the diâ—pleasure of his Prince or State and his Servant should come unto him saying Sir Be of good Comfort your Wife is well at home you have very sweet children an excellent Crop of Corn your Neighbors love you deerly your Sheep and Cattel thrive and al your Houses are in good repair and order would he not answer that Servant and say What 's all this so long as I am condemned to die Thus it is with every wicked man he is under the displeasure of the great God a condemned man and God is angry with him every day and if his heart were open to be sensible of it he would say you tell me of my Friends and Goods and Name and Trade but what is al this so long as I am a condemned person and God is angry with me every day I rise but for the present he feeleth not his displeasure is not sensible of it yet let him know that there is a day a coming when he will find the Truth of this matter no reason for his encouragement whatever his condition be And as Saul once cryed out saying God hath forsaken me and the Philistins are upon me so shal he cry out and say God hath forsaken my soul temptations are now upon me my sins and guilt are upon me God hath forsaken me and the Devils are now upon me But now as for a godly gracious man though his condition be never so sad and his soul never so much cast down yet he hath no reason to be discouraged I say whatever his condition be what a glorious condition are the Saints in who would not be in love with this condition who would not be in Christ who would not leave the waies of the wicked who would not be Godly O! you that are ungodly labor to become Godly Answ 3 Thirdly The exhortation is specially directed to the Saints and with you I must leave a word of exhortation Take heed and beware of discouragements of being cast down you have no reason for it much reason against it Thereby You rejoyce the heart of Satan he claps his hands and laughs to see you cast down now O now faith he this man is like to me I am a despairing spirit and so is he I am discouraged and cast down and so is he he stands triumphing over you to see you under these discouragements when you are sad he is glad And as you rejoyce the heart of Satan so you grieve the heart of God one friend is grieved at the grief sorrow and discouragement of another and the more real friendship the greater is the affliction and trouble of the one if the other be grieved now God is the friend of the faithful Abraham the friend of God actively passively God was a friend to him and he a friend to God So with al beleevers Christ is their friend Hence-forth cal I you no more Servants but friends saith Christ and the Holy Ghost is their friend for it is the Spirit that comes and dwels in them and manifests himself to them and we are said to grieve the spirit As God is the worst enemy so he is the best friend the truest friend the most real friend in al the world therefore when you are cast down and discouraged ye grieve him you grieve the Father you grieve the Son you grieve the Spirit and do you know what you do when you grieve the Lord is it nothing to grieve such a friend Thereby you do in some measure yea in a great measure make void and frustrate the end of Christs coming who came not onely to free us from hell but from our present fears That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear Luke 1. And wil you then go drooping discouraged bowed down under your fears al your dayes Thereby you unfit your selves for the service of Christ the Passover of old was not to be eaten with any old leaven the old leaven was to be purged our and none that were sad and sorrowful were to eat of the holy things Now saith the Apostle Christ our passover is Sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast that is the Gospel feast not with old leaven
be our future Judg yea our best Friend and our dear Husband Now if you abstract the terror of any Object from the sweetness of it no wonder if you be much discouraged It is our Duty to behold things as God presents them and to take things as God doth give them What God hath joyned together no man may put asunder If you consider the sweetness of an Object or Condition without the sowrness of it then you may grow too wanton if you consider the terror of an Object or Condition without the sweetness of it then you may be too fearful But if you think on both together then you will fear and beleeve and beleeve and fear and so be kept from Discouragement Fifthly If you would not be discouraged whatever your condition be Labor more and more to get your self-love mortified even Religious self-love All your Dscouragements are from self-love not from the venom of your condition but from the poyson of self-love O but I am discouraged because I have no assurance Well but suppose you had assurance what then then I should have Comfort And is not here Self O but I am discouraged about my everlasting Condition And is not that Self doth not that word Condition sound ones Self I dare boldly say there is no tumult or immoderate Discouragement in the soul but hath Self at the bottom Could I leave my self and my Condition with God and Christ and mind his Service Glory and Honor more God would take care of my Comfort but when I mind my self and my condition so much and his Service Glory and Honor so little no wonder that I am so much discouraged Therefore labor more and more to mortifie self-love and so shall you never be discouraged whatever your condition be Sixtly In case that Temptation press in upon you and urge you to sad Discouragements speak to this purpose unto your own soul Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate There is none of all these doubtings unbeleeving fears and discouragements but you will be ashamed and repent of afterwards You know how it is with the Traveller he thinks the Sun is not yet up and so he loyters and sits down but the Sun creeping up behind the cloud at last breaks out upon his face and is got before him and then he saies O what a fool was I to think the Sun was not up because I saw it not what an unwise man was I thus to loyter and sit down So it will be with you you now lie down upon the Earth and your belly cleaves to the dust by reason of your Discouragements but the Grace of God and the Love of Christ is creeping up behind the dark cloud and it will break out at the last upon you and shine into your face with the Golden beams of mercy it will prevent you and be before you and then you wil say O what a fool was I to be thus discouraged what an unworthy Creature I to doubt thus of Gods Love I have sinned I have sinned by all my unbeleef now the Lord pardon me all my doubtings I am O Lord ashamed of these my doubtings and questionings of thy Love pardon them O Lord unto my soul This is that which you must come to you must at last be ashamed and repent of these your unbeleefs doubtings and fears and therefore when-ever they press in upon thee say at the first unto thy self Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate by yielding unto these Discouragements And for this very reason because that Discouragements are to be repented of Therefore the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged whatever their Condition be And thus have I spoken to this Truth under a more General Consideration through Grace I shall labor to cleer it further to you by Particulars A LIFTING UP In case of GREAT SINS Serm. IV PSALM 42.11 Stepney May 7. 1651. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. THE Doctrine or Observation that now we are pressing from these words is this That the Saints and People of God have no reason for their Discouragements whatever their condition be no just true Scripture Reason for their Discouragements whatever their Condition be It is cleer by the Words and proved the last day by some General Considerations Now more Particularly to make it out by divers Instances Nine things there are which usually are the Grounds and Occasions of the Discouragements of Gods People 1. Somtimes their Discouragements are drawn from their greater and grosser sins 2. Somtimes they do arise from the weakness of Grace 3. Somtimes they are taken from their failing in and non-acceptance of Duty 4. Somtimes they are drawn from their want of Evidence for Heaven and non-assurance of the Love of God 5. Somtimes they do come from their Temptations 6. Somtimes from their Desertions 7. Somtimes from their Afflictions 8. Somtimes from their Unserviceableness 9. Somtimes from their Condition it self Now if in all these Respects the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged then we may safely conclude That a godly man should not be discouraged whatever his condition be I shall labor therefore through the Grace of Christ to make out this great Truth unto you in all these Respects and begin with the First at this time Somtimes the Discouragements of the Saints and Instance 1 People of God are drawn from their Sins their greater and grosser Sins The Peace and Quiet of the Saints and People of God is many times interrupted by their Sins O saies one I am a man or woman of a rebellious heart I have so sleight a Spirit so unholy and uneven a conversation that when I reflect upon my heart and life I cannot but be discouraged I know indeed it is a great evil for a man to labor under a â—ore temptation or a sad desertion but were my heart good my life good my conversation good I should not be discouraged but as for me I have committed and do commit such and â—uen great sins have I not reason and just reason now to be discouraged Answ No For Discouragement it self is a sin another sin a Gospel sin now my sin against the Law is no just cause why I should sin against the Gospel I confess indeed there is much evil in every sin the least sin is worse than the greatest affliction Afflictions Judgments and punishments are but the Claws of this Lyon it is more contrary to God than the Misery of Hell Chrysostom had so great a sence of the evil of it that when the Empress sent him a threatening Message Go tell her said he Nil nisi peccatum metuo I fear nothing but sin And in some respects the sins of the Godly are worse than the sins of others for they grieve the Spirit more they dishonor Christ more they grieve the Saints more they wound the Name
your own condition and pitch upon sin as a breach of Gods Law a transgression of the Law of God a dishonor done to God and as a breach of the Law of Love between Christ and you Thus I say if you would be humbled and not discouraged rather mourn over your Condition in order to your Sin than for your Sin in order to your Condition Answ 4 Fourthly In your Humiliation take heed that you do not meddle too much with Gods Prerogative and with Gods Peculiar In Humiliation a man is to meddle with that which belongs to man Some things there are that are peculiar to God and are his Prerogative You see how it is with the Birds of the Air so long as the Birds fly up and down here in the Air they do live comfortably but if the Birds do fly up to the Element of Fire it wil burn their Wings and they will fall down head-long So here so long as a man in his Humiliation keeps within his own Compass and Element he may walk comfortably there but if a man in Humiliation will soar up unto Gods Prerogative certainly his Soul wil fal down upon the Earth and be much discouraged Now I pray what is more the Prerogative and Peculiar of God than this To know who is a Reprobate and who is not When a man is humbled and grieved about his Sin and he finds that he hath sinned much against God and thereupon he concludes himself to be a Reprobate is not this â—o come upon Gods Prerogative The Scripture tels a man indeed what he is for the present That a man for the present is a Drunkard or a Swearer or a Sabbath-breaker or an Adulterer and therefore the Scripture tels him for the present that he is in the state of Nature and under the wrath of God but doth the Scripture tel him that he is a Reprobate that he can never be converted and turned to God Surely this is Gods great Prerogative to know his Secret which he reserves to himself and therefore when a man goes to be humbled before God and concludes O! I am a Reprobate and there is no hope for me and I shal never be converted this is to soar too high into Gods Prerogative and he wil burn his wings and he wil fal down into great Discouragement Therefore in al your Humiliation take heed that you do not fal upon any thing that is the Peculiar and Prerogative of God for then you wil not be humbled but discouraged Answ 5 Fifthly The more you are humbled and grieved by the Sight of Gods free Love and Grace the more you wil be humbled and the less discouraged When you come to Humiliation you are humbled because you have sinned against God but how do you present this God to your own soul Do you present him as a Judg only or as a Father also Do you present the Lord unto your soul only under the Notion or Attribute of his Greatness or under the Notion and Attribute of his Goodness also Luther said thus When my heart is brisk and jolly I present God unto my self under the notion of his Greatness but when my heart is low and fearing then I present God to me under the notion of his Goodness One while I consider Christ as my Example another while as my Gift when my heart is too high then I consider Christ as my Example when my spirit is too low I consider Christ as my Gift So do you also I know you wil say I cannot somtimes present the Lord unto my soul under the notion of a Father because I have no assurance of his Love Yet you may consider the Lord as gracious in himself as good in himself and loving in himself and say I have thus and thus Sinned against a gracious God and although thou hast not assurance of Gods Love to thee in Particular yet if you can present God to your soul under the Notion of his general Goodness as good in himself you will never be discouraged but be humbled Answ 6 Sixtly and lastly If you would be truly humbled and not be discouraged not discouraged and yet humbled then beat and drive up all your sins to your unbeleef and lay the stress and weight of all your sorrow upon that Sin As in matter of thankfulness if a man do run up every Mercy unto the Fountain Mercy the Blood of Jesus Christ he wil be most thankful So in the matter of Humiliation If a man do run up every Sin unto the Fountain the Head Sin he wil be most humbled Now what is the great Sin the Fountain Sin the Head Sin of al your Sins but Unbelief and beleeve it he is never far from Faith that is humbled for his Unbeleef and he wil never be discouraged that is not far from Faith Now therefore if at any time you find your soul in any Sin then say This hath my Unbeleef done I did not think that I had had such an unbeleeving heart O! what an unbeleeving heart have I This even all this Sin hath my Unbeleef brought forth Now the Lord heal my unbeleeving heart A soul grieved for unbeleef wil never be discouraged too much nor be humbled too little he wil be humbled in truth for sin because he is humbled for his unbeleef which is the mother Sin yet he wil not be discouraged because he is humbled for that which doth cause al discouragements Lay therefore the weight of your sorrow upon this Sin and you shal be truly humbled without unjust discouragement And thus I have dispatched the first particular by al which you see That a Gracious Godly man though he hath just cause for humiliation yet he hath no just and scripture reason to be discouraged for his Sin though he have Sinned and Sinned greatly yet no discouragement is to grow upon this condition And thus I have done with the First Instance A LIFTING UP In case of WEAK GRACE Serm. V PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 2 SOmtimes the Discouragements of the Saints do arise from the weakness of their Graces O! saies one I am a poor feeble and a weak Creature some are strong in the Lord and in the power of his Might who do a great deal of Service for God in their day but as for me I am a poor Babe in Christ if a Babe and so am able to do little or nothing for God Therefore I am thus discouraged and cast down have I not just cause and reason for it Answ No For God is able to make all Grace to abound towards you that ye alwaies having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good Work 2 Cor. 9.8 And if God have recompenced your weakness with Wisdom then surely you have no cause to complain of your weakness Admonemur nullam creaturam propter parvitatem contemnendam esse quando qui dem quod illis in
sate under the means yet you have no just cause and reason for Discouragement for though you may be weak in regard of others yee you may be strong in regard of your former self and be more strong in the Lord and in the power of his might than you have been heretofore And to cleer that Consider The more extensive a mans Obedience is unto Gods Commandements the more he is grown in Grace Weak Christians are much in some Duties and therein they are most intense but little or nothing in others and as they grow in Grace so their hearts are dilated and extended unto other Duties The more exact and accurate a man is in Duty the more he doth grow in Grace and the more he grows in Grace the more exact and accurate he doth grow in his Duty He that writes better than he did before doth not write more Paper or make more Letters only he doth write more exactly and accurately So the gâ—own Christian doth not perform more duties than he did before but the same more exactly The more a man sees and understands his Christian Liberty and yet doth walk more strictly the more he doth grow in Grace Some think they grow in Grace because they have more understanding in their Christian liberty though they do walk more loosly these are deceived in their spiritual growth but if I know my Christian liberty more fully and now do walk more strictly in my life then do I grow in Grace indeed Now is it not thus with you yes through Grace I am able to say That I see my Christian liberty more than I did heretofore and yet I am morâ— strict in my life though I cannot yet pray as I would and hear as I would and perform duty as I would yet I do perform my duties with more exactness than formerly and though I have not so much affection as I had in this or that work of God yet now I find that I am more dilated and my obedience is more extended and extensive unto Gods waies and Commandements than before Then though you are stil weak in regard of others yet you are grown stronger in regard of your former self and therefore certainly you have no just cause or reason to be discouraged in this regard Quest But suppose that I am yet but weak in Grace and Temptations or discouragements press in upon me in regard of the weakness of my Grace what shal I do that I may be able to bear up my heart against those discouragements Answ 1 Then consider what a great charge God the Father hath given to Christ of those that are weak Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him c. but why vers 3. A bruised Reed shal he not break and the smoaking Flax shal not he quench This is my Charge saith the Father which I give to my Son And upon this account he came into the world That those who have life might have it in abundance and for this cause he did die for us Rom. 5.6 For when we were yet without strength in due time or according to the time that is the time appointed by the Father Christ died for the ungodly Answ 2 Consider also what charge our Savior Christ did give unto his Apostles and in them to al the Ministers of the Gospel concerning those that are weak in Grace Peter Peter said our Savior Lovest thou me then feed my sheep And again Lovest thou me then feed my lambs And again thirdly Lovest thou me feed my lambs Have a care of those that are weak in Grace Al the time that Christ lived upon Earth he went about doing good healing al sicknesses and diseases and condescending to the weaknesses of men One comes to him and thought to have stollen her cure yet Christ did bear with her Another comes and puts an If upon his wil Lord If thou wilt thou canst make me clean And he did bear with him Another comes and puts an If upon his power Lord If thou canst do any thing c. Yet Christ did yeild to him And when he left the world then he charges his Apostles with the weak Saints Feed my Lambs and again Feed my Lambs Answ 3 Consider also what a great mercy it is to have a little Grace though it be but a little For though you have never so little Grace yet if you have Grace in truth you have union with Christ you have communion with the Father you have your own nature taken away and are partakers of the divine nature you have a right and title unto al the promises yea unto al the Ordinances yea unto al the Creatures Your afflictions are not curses the curse is taken out of every cross you have an interest in al that Christ hath done and suffered you are made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light an inheritance uncorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away you have God for your Portion Christ for your Savior the Spirit for your Comforter Heaven for your Inheritance the Angels for your Guard and all the Creatures in the Earth under your feet this and all this you have though you have never so little Grace and can you read over al this Inventory of mercies and sit discouraged in the midst of them Answ 4 Yet if al this wil not prevayl in the time of your Temptation think with your self and consider seriously How much you shal weaken your self yet more and more by your discouragements in this kind Al discouragements weaken humiliation weakens not the greatest humiliation doth not weaken but the least discouragement doth upon what account soever Now if al discouragements do weaken then what an unreasonable thing is it for me to be discouraged at the sight of my weakness but so it is that discouragements even from the sight of our own weakness do yet more and more weaken surely therefore it is an unreasonable thing for a man to be discouraged at the sight of his own weakness wherefore lift up your hands O! ye Saints and be ye lift up O! ye drooping souls Wee aâ—e commanded ye may read our Commission Isa 35.3 To strengthen the weak hands and to confirm the feeble knees and to say to them that are of a fearful spirit be strong fear not And if it be our duty to say and speak thus then it is your duty to encourage your self in the Lord and to say to your self be strong O my soul and fear not Be thankful for your little and in due time you shal have much labor also for much yet be content with little even with little Grace if God wil have it so And thus I have done with the Second Instance A LIFTING UP In case of MISCARRIAGE OF DUTIES Serm. VI PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Stepney May 14. 1648. and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 3
in altero Where Nature is deficient in one thing it is abundant in another thing If a man wants his Eyes he hears the better and the less he sees the more he remembers where Nature is wanting in one thing it is exceeding in another And as Nature so the God of Nature and the God of Grace too It may be you do want a Head-memory but hath not the Lord given you a Heart-memory to remember thâ— Sermon as you have occasion to use it Some have Parts and Gifts and they want plainness and openness of heart for God some again have a plain heart and they want Gifts and Parts It is said Jacob That he prevailed with God in Prayer and he was a plain man Mark how the Holy Ghost doth put these two together That that man should be the prevailing man with God in Prayer who was the plain man and that man that was the plain man should be the prevailing man in Prayer a plain man but prâ—vailing with God Well then though thou beest but a plain person and hast no Parts or Gifts as others have yet thou maiest prevail with God and thy Name may be called Israel prevailing with the Lord When God denies one he gives another Mercy Thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and a godly gracious man may say thus Well though I have not great Parts and Gifts yet blessed be the Lord I have a plain and an open heart for God and if the Lord hath done thus much for you and recompenced you in another way have you any reason then to be discouraged for want of Parts and Gifts in Duties Certainly you have not Object O! but yet this is not the matter of my Discouragement I am not discouraged for want of Parts or Gifts in Duty but I want the Grace and the Holiness of Duty I want the Grace and the Holiness of Prayer I go to Prayer and Duty but the Lord knows wiâ—h a dull dead and a straightened heart I think verily that there is not a more rockie stony flinty heart in the world than mine I offer my self to God somtimes in Prayer but when I come at it I am not able to speak a word my heart is so shut up and straightened and have I not cause and reason now to be discouraged is not this matter of just discouragement Answ No. For Pearls somâ—imes grow upon Rocks and possibly there may be some Pearl of Grace growing upon that rocky heart of thine Yet further First You say That you are straightened in Duty but are you satisfied and contented with that condition or if you had enlargeâ—ent in Duty would you be satisfied therein No I am not satisfied with my straightened condition and the truth is though I had never so much enlargement enlargement alone would never satisfie my soul but if I had more affection I would give it up to God yea if I had a Sea of Affection I would powr it out before the Lord and if I had Prayers and Tears and Enlargements like the Sands upon the Seâ—shore I would offer them all up to God Well and is not this to be enlarged towards God A poor man that hath never a penny in his Purse sees another or many others in want but he hath nothing to relieve them with yet saith he if I had wherewithal I would relieve all these men I would cloath them all or I would feed them all is not this mans heart enlarged now towards the poor though he hath not a penny to help them with So in your case for the present thy Affection is poor and thou aâ—â— straightened but thou sayest if I had a Sea of Affection I would give it all to God and if I had Prayers like the Sand upon the Sea-shore I would give them all to God is not this to be enlarged towards God God doth give by denying somtimes and thus he hath dealt by you Secoâ—dly If your Condition herein be no other than the condition of the Saints and People of God then you have no just cause and reason to be discouraged in this respect Now Psalm 77.3 4. saith the Plalmist there I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was over-whelmed Lord saith he at verse 4. Thou holdest mine Eyes watching I am so troubled that I cannot speak I cannot pray I am so troubled I cannot speak A Mother hears her child cry and saith she now doth this Child cry for the Breast yet the Child speaks not a word but the Mother knows the meaning of the childs crying and the language of it And doth a Mother know the language of her Childs crying and doth not God our Father know the Language of his Childs cry that cannot speak unto him The Beggar that follows you for an Alms is a Beggar though he be dumb and cannot speak and you say send him away with some gift for he follows us So here though your heart be shut up in Duty yet if you can follow God he looks upon you as a Beggar at the Throne of Grace and in due time he will serve you and send you away with Comfort Thirdly You would fain have enlargements and workings of the heart in Prayer but what would you do with those enlargements Would you shew your Enlargements your Excellencies your Graces to God when you come to Duty A Beggar you know if he have any excellent thing as Gold or Silver he hides that and he shews his wounds he shews his sores if you mean to give him a penny and ask him if he have any money I have two-pence or threepence Sir saith he or a penny but he hides his excellency and he laies open his wounds and if he can but open his sores before you he thinks he doth beg effectually Beloved we all go to God in Prayer in forma Pauperis every man sues in this Court in the form of a Beggar If thy heart then be straightened if thy heart be hard and if thy Spirit be dull in duty you may go to God and open your sores and wounds before him you may go and say Lord what an hard heart have I and what a dull and straighâ—ened Spirit have I This father becomes a Begger and you must come as a Begger when you come before him yet you must know Etsi non sit possib le per ea moveri immobilem et per omniaque immutabilem Deum potentia enim mihi videatur esse ad movendum ipsum recitantem vel meditantem ipsa ad moveadum inquam et preparandum ad gratiam devotionis etâ— gratitudinis et largitatis et beneficentiae incogitabibis Dei Parisiens Cap. 22. de Rhetor Div. That neither your Poverty nor your Riches neither your straightenings in Duty nor your enlargements do make any alteration in the Mind and Will of God Indeed God seems to deal by us somtimes as a Father doth by his little Child he holds a piece
Gods Love in Christ some return upon you again in the day visibly some return in the night invisibly when you see them not there is a visible and there is an invisible return of Prayer What more usual with Gods People than to say and think thaâ— the Lord doth not hear their Prayer nor make return to them when indeed he doth and that visibly unto others also Luke 1. you read of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were very righteous verse 6. They were both righteous before God And Zacharias and Elizabeth had no Children but Zacharias prayed for Children for at verse 13. the Angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy Wife Elizabeth shall bear a Son and thou shalt call his name John The Lord heard his Prayer and sent an Angel to tel him his prayer was heaâ—d but Zachaâ—ias doubted thereof verse 18. Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeers Here he doubts and it was his sin thus to doubt as you may see by verse 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words Here plainly now was a return of prayer yea here was a visible return of Prayer and yet Zacharias though a Godly and a Holy man doubâ—ed whether the Lord had heard his Prayer or no. So that I say this is no new thing with Gods own People and dearest Children to say and think somtimes That the Lord doth not answer their Pâ—ayer when the Lord indeed doth anâ—wer and thaâ— visibly too But Thirdly If the Lords not hearing granting and answering your Prayers presently be â—omtimes matter of great encouragement then it is not alwaies a matter of discouragement Now the Lords not hearing and granting your prayer preâ—eâ—tly is somtimes matter of great encouragement You have divers â—hildren at your Table some yonger and some elder some Babes and little ones some grown whâ—n you come to carve out your meat unto them you carve first to the little ones and you do noâ— carve first to the greater for say you these little ones will cry and they have not Patience to stay and thereâ—ore they shâ—â—l be first â—erved but those greater have more wiâ— and more patience and they will stay Beloved thus now it is between God and us The Lord hath two sorts of Children that come to him in Prayer and hâ— intends to serve them both but he looks upon those that are weak and serves them first as for thâ—â—â— that are strongâ—â— and have more faith and patience saith the Lord you are able to stay I see your faith and patience and therefore I wil serve the little ones first but as for you I wil serve you last Thus it was with Abraham after the Lord had made Abraham a Promise of a Seed he made him stay a great while Why Because he saw he had faith to stay So now thou hast not presently a return or answer to thy prayer Why Because the Lord it may be sees thou hast strength faith and patience to stay And is not this rather matter of encouragement than discouragement But Fourthly Who ever stayed and waited long upon God but he had more than he prayed for Either God answers your prayers presently or if he do not he will not only pay you the principal but he wil pay you forbearance money and you shal have good Security and a pledg for the principal too The desire is a pledg of the thing desired Prayer is a pledg of the thing prayed for a waiting heart is a pledg of the thing waited for and the longer you stay the more your hearts shal be weaned from the thing prayed for and the more you shal be taught to wait upon God and somtimes a waiting frame of heart is a greater mercy than the thing waited for By this means also you shal be weaned from your prayer so as not to rest on it A Child may so love the Nuâ—se as to forget the Mother and one may possibly so love Duty as to forget Christ but by Gods delaying to answer you are weaned from this Nurse and kept from resting on it Or it may be you came to Duty with too high esteem of your own performance and too low esteem of the Duty it self Hereby God teachech you to come to the Duty with high esteem of it and with low esteem of your own doing it Yea the longer you stay the more you shal be humbled and your self-despising thoughts because you cannot pray may please God more than your best prayer You see that when a man angles he throws his line into the Water and there is the hook and the bait those are heavy then there is the Cork and that is light and when the Fisher or the Angler sees that the light cork is drawn under water now the Fish bites saith he now there is hope now there is somthing coming So you go to prayer and there is somwhat heavy and weighty in your spirit but there is somthing that is of a corky and light Nature in your spirit the longer you stay the more your Cork shall be drawn under water that lightness of Spirit shal be drawn under water and so the more you shall be humble and humbled Thereby you are caught to fan your prayers There is much Chaff amongst the good Wheat of our Duties and Gods delaying time is our fanning time when the Fish doth not bite the Fisher mends his bait it may be saith he my hook is not well baited So should you do when you take nothing by prayer Gods delay cals for your amending Yea by this means you may remember how you delayed the Lord he spake often to you and it was long ere you heard him shal we think it long ere he hear us when it was so long ere we heard him it may be you have forgotten your delayes of God but by this forbearance he doth Graciously mind you thereof Yea by Gods forbearance to answer you the Lord teacheth you to forbear Gods forbearance doth teach us forbearance and is that nothing let al this be considered and you wil say indeed here is more matter of incouragement than discouragement Fiftly If you would be discouraged in case God should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not answer you presently But now if the Lord should alwaies answer thy duty and prayer presently you would be discouraged why because you would say thus I look into the scripture and there I find that God doth not alwayes answer his children presently his children have prayed and then they have waited and this hath been the way that God hath taken with his children now God doth not take this way with me and therefore I fear I am none of Gods children and so you would
be discouraged Now I say if you would be discouraged in case the Lord should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not hear you presently but you would be discouraged in case the Lord should alwaies hear you presently you would say then God doth go the same way with me that he goes and hath gone with his children Surely therefore you that are the Saints and people of God have no reason for your discouragement in this respect Object 1 O! but I fear that God doth not only delay his answer but that he denyes my prayer Answ 1 It may be so for God doth somtimes deny his own people the thing they pray for Ye ask and have not saith James because ye ask amiss Yet they were the people of God Abulensis observes that God doth somtimes grant a wicked man his petition and deny a Godly man his petition that he may encourage wicked men to pray and teach good men not to rest on their prayers Answ 2 Yet Secondly quicquid placet tibi ut petatur a te procul-dubio placâ—t et tibi ut et id â—rgiaris petâ—â—ti prâ—sertimâ—â— iâ—sum largiri tâ—â—i câ—lat ad gloraim peâ— aâ—â— vâ—ro expediat ad sâ—â—â—tem Paristâ—ns 346. If the thing you ask of God be pleasing to him he doth stil beare up your heart in praying and depending on him it argues rather that he delayes than denies For Psal 10.17 The preparing of your heart and the inclining of his eare go together and 1. John 3. vers 22. The Apostle saith And whatever wee ask we receive of him because as a sign thereof we keep his Commandements and do the things that are pleasing in his sight Object 2 O! but there lyes my grief for I have not kept his Commandements and God I fear is displeased and angry with me Answ Be it so did Jonah keep his Commandements when he ran to Tarshish and was not God angry with him when he threw him into the Sea yet even then he prayed the Lord heard his prayer And did not Christ seem to be displeased and angry with the poor Canaanitish woman when he said unto her It is not meet to take the childrens bread and call it before doggs Object 3 O! but she did beleeve but I fear God wil never hear my prayer at al because there is so much unbelief in my prayer as there was not in hers Answ But was it not so with Dâ—vid I said in my hast I am cast out of thy sight Psal 31. nevertheless the Lord heard my prayer What unbeleif was here I said in mâ— hast I am cast out of thy sight Nevertheless the Lord heard his prayer Object 4 O! but I am affraâ—â— yet that the Lord wil never hear my prayer or regard my duty because I am so Selfish in it I come unto God in mine affliction and my affliction makes me go to prayer my affliction doth make me pray I cry by reason of my affliction and this is selfish Answ And did not those seek themselves at first who came unto Christ for cure Omnis amor incipit a seipso al true love begins in self-love the sweetest flower grows on a dirty stalk And I pray what think you yet of Jonah The Lord heard me saith he out of hell and yet I cryed saith he by reason of mine affliction Object 5 O! but I fear the Lord wil never hear my prayer because I was no better prepared yea not at al prepared thereunto Answ Do you not know how the Lord dealt by Hezekiah Hezekiah prayed 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. The Lord shew mercy to every one that is not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary and saith the text the Lord hearkened and hea ed the people Yea God can rain without clouds without preparations Object 6 O! but yet I am affraid the Lord wil not hear my prayer or regard my duty for I am a man or a wâ—man of great distempers many passions and frowardnesses in my life and conversation Answ But what thiâ—k ye of Elijah Elijah prayed that there might be no rain and there was no rain â—or three yeers and a half and he prayed for rain and there was rain and yee saith the Apostle He was a mâ—n â—f like passions as we are Jam. 5.17 Object 7 O! but I fear I am affraid the Lord wil not regard my prayer or du y for I am such a one or such a one or such a one Answ What an one what an one art thou Art thou such a one as beginnest to look towards Christ but yet not fully come off you know what was said concerning Cornelius Acts 10.31 Cornelius thy prayer is come up before me Yet he did but begin to look towards Christ Are thou such a one as the Publican was the Publican stood and smote himself upon the breast and he said O Lord be merciful unto me a sinner And our Savior saith Luke 18.13 14. He went away justified rather than his fellow Or art thou such an one as the poor Prodigal he said to his Father I am not worthy to be called â—hy Son make me as one of thine hired servants and the Father heard him and over-granted his petition And if al these things be true what is there that can justly discourage any poor drooping doubting soul in regard of duty shal his want of Parts Gifts or his abundance of distractions c. No for though a Godly man have but weak Parts or Gifts Though his spirit and his heart be dul dead and streightened Though he labor under many distractions in duty Though the Lord hide his face and deser an answer to his prayer Though the Lord seem to be angry Though there be much unbeleif in his duty Though there be a great deal of selfishness Though his heart be not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary Though he be a man of many passions and great distempers yet notwithstanding al this he hath no just cause or warrant to be discouraged cause there is to be humbled under al these things but no just cause to be discouraged and cast down Applic. 1 And if so then by way of Application 〈…〉 incouragement is here to every poor droopiâ—g 〈…〉 uâ—â—o God in duty though dead though dul 〈…〉 yet to come unto God in duty Applic. 2 And what a mighty difference is heâ—â— bâ—tween a 〈…〉 wicked man a wicked man goes to pâ—ayer and 〈…〉 abominâ—tion to the Lord. And if you look 〈…〉 8 you shal find at Vers 13. That the 〈…〉 men thus That when they do come to prayer and to offer a sacrifice to him that then he wil remember their iniquity At vers 12. I have written to you the great things of my law but they are accounted as a strange thing they Saâ—â—â—fice flâ—sh fâ—r the Sacrifices of my offering but the Lord accepâ—eth
afflicted yet if the Body be well although the Body be afflicted yet if the Spirit be well it is some comfort but where both are down the Condition is sad and seldom doth any great Temptation befall a man but Soul and Body are both down at once though at first it falls upon the Spirit yet it descends into and fires the Body And therefore saith Paul I received a Messenger of Satan a thorn in my flesh buffeting of me As in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost though the Comforts be powred out upon the Soul and Spirit yet they run down upon the Body So in the troubles of Temptation though they seize first upon the inward man yet they â—un upon the skirts of the outward man also And thus you find it with Job Chap. 7.1 God had put Job into Satans hand only with this reserve See that thou spare his life The Devil having the power first he loads him with outward Afflictions and then with inward Temptations while he was under his outward Afflictions how sweetly did he carry it Blessing the Lord saying The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name but when the Volly of Temptations came then see what a sad Condition the good man was in how he was all on fire as if Job could not be found in Job while he was under these Afflictions he rebuked his Wife for saying Curse God and die but now being under Temptations himself he wisheth to die and curseth the day of his Birth In Job 7.15 My Soul chuseth strangling and death rather than my life but had this Temptation any influence upon his Body too It seems his heart and soul and spirit was much disquieted for he saith Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee ver 20. But was his Body fired with it too yes verse 13 14. When I said my Bed shall comsort me my Couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with Dreams and terrifiest me with visions As now we find by Experience many poor souls cannot sleep while they are under their Temptations and if you will see the Sum and up-shot of all read what he saies at verse 20. I am a burden to my self and so many now Why should I live any longer I am a burden to my Family I am a burden to mine Acquaintance a burden to all my Friends I am a burden to my self who knows the burden of a poor tempted soul but he that bears it Heb. 11.37 Temptations are ranked among the greatest Afflictions They were stoned sawn asunder were tempted and in Heb. 2. it is said of our Savior That himself suffered being tempted yet he sinned not under his Temptation So that there is somwhat of a suffering in every Temptation although one be free from Sin And in Revel 12.12 it is said Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath And wherein is his wrath more seen than in his Temptations O! what a sad and woful condition is it then to lie under Temptations Yet let me tel you though there be some suffering in every Temptation and the least temptation is a great Affliction yet the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged or cast down whatever their Temptations be Quest How may that appear Answ 1 Four Demonstrations of it First If Satan do therefore tempt the People of God that he may discourage them then have they no reason to be discouraged because they are tempted by Satan I say if Satans great design end and aim in all the Temptations of the Saints be to discourage them then they have no reason to be discouraged because they are tempted for then they should gratifie Satan and give him his end Now Satan doth tempt that he may tempt he tempts unto one sin that he may tempt unto another he tempteth a man to sin against the Law that he may make him sin against the Gospel and what greater sin against the Gospel than unbeleeving discouragements He knows or thinks such and such a person is gone from his Kingdom and he saith though I cannot hinder his Salvation but he will be saved do what I can yet I will hinder his Comfort and make him draw heavily and if I can but discourage him in his Duty I shall in time make him to cast it off His great design is to discourage and therefore whenever any Godly man is tempted he should say well through the Grace of Christ seeing Satans design is to discourage my design shall be to bear up my heart and spirit against all discouragements Answ 2 Secondly If God our Father doth pity his Children under their Temptations and the more they are tempted by Satan the more they are pitied by God then have they no reason to be discouraged whatever their Temptatioâ—â—â—e How is it with your own Bowels If you had two Childreâ— one that is in your house with you at home and another that is iâ— Spain or Italy abroad Quo gravior incumbit tentatio eo solet indulgentius agere cum suis Deus Brightm Apoc. 2.49 exposed to grâ—at Tempâ—â—tions is not your pity most towards that Child that is abâ—oâ—d and exposed to most Temptations Your Love may be expressed to him that is at home as much anothâ—◠〈◊〉 but your pitying love is most to him that is abroad As in the time of a Storm great Rain or Hail if you have one Child lie in youâ— boâ—om or sitting upon your knee and another that is abroad in the opâ—n fields though your love in one kind may run out to him thâ—t is upon your knee yet doth not your pitying Love run ouâ— more to him that is abroad in the open fields Thus it is with God he hath two sorts of Children Some that are exposed to more temptations and some that are exposâ—d to less though his Grace and Love may run out more in one kind to them that are less tempted yet his pitying Love runs out most unto those that are most tempted And upon this account you will find in Scripture that when God saw any of his Children were to go into any Sad Temptation he did either immediately before in or after more than ordinarily reveal himselâ— unto them the more you are tempted by Satan the more you are pitied by God it matters not whether your Temptation be great or smal if less you have the less pity if more you have the more pity why then should you be discouraged although your temptations be never so great Answ 3 Thirdly If all the Temptations of Gods People be overcome and broken before they do fall on them then have they no reason to be discouraged or cast down because they are tempted Now so it is Christ was a common Person not only in his death but in his life he did act and work and bear as a common person as our Second Adam all
is in the plural number Elohim and so when the Prophet in Isa 26. doth exhort unto Trusting in the Lord he gives this reason at verse 4. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength so you read it but according to the Hebrew thus Trust in the Lord for ever for in Jehovah jah is everlasting strength For in Jehovah jah Jah is an abridgment or an abreviation of Jehovah noting the Son of God and so when Jesus Christ comes in the latter end of the world to sit upon his glorious Throne the converting Jew shal praise him under that name singing as you read in Revel 19. Halelujah praise the Jah which if you compare with Psalm 68. you shal find is to be understood of Christ at verse 4. Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rides upon the Heavens by his Name Jah rejoyce before him extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name Jah and they shal sing Hallelujah Now if you look into the 18. verse of that Psalm you shal find the reason why this Jah is to be praised for saith the Psalm Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for men Which words Ephes 4. are applied to Christ But unto every one of us is given according to the measure of the Gift of Christ verse 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men So that when the Prophet doth exhort us to trust in Jehovah Jah he exhorteth us to trust in the Lord in Christ and therefore I say both according to the old and new Testament Faith is the repose or recumbency of the soul upon God in Christ But yet that is not all A man that doth repose upon God in Christ trusting in him doth trust unto him for some good thing that lies out of sight and therefore the Apostle saith That Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. where he gives divers Instances of Abraham Sarah Moses and others who all did repose upon God for somwhat that lay out of view and this indeed is only worthy of the name of Faith I will trust a man that is most unworthy I will trust a Thief I will trust a Lyer so far as I can see him But as Parisiensis saith well this is Fides Deo digna Faith worthy of God to repose on God for somwhat that lies out of sight and out of view and when a man doth thus stay himself upon God in Christ for somwhat that lies out of sight then he is said to trust in God and when a man doth continue thus then he is said for to wait on God This is the First But then Quest 2 Secondly How may it appear that Faith and the exercise thereof will quiet the soul suppress or allay Discouragements Answ You know how it was with Hannah when she had received a word from God She went away saith the Text and looked no more sorrowful her heart was quieted Why she had a word from God and though before she was a woman of a sorrowful Spirit yet having received a word from God and beleeving that word her heart was quiet Prov. 16.3 Commit thy Works unto the Lord there is Faith and thy thoughts shall be established there is Quietude And if you look again into Isa 26. you shal find that the Scripture is most expresâ— for this verse 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusteth in thee Mark the words First The Lord doth here engage himself to give peace unto those that do stay upon him that have this Faith of Relyance though they have not yet attained to the Faith of Assurance to be able to say I know my sin is pardoned and that Christ is mine yet if they can but stay themselves upon God the Lord doth hereby engage himself to give peace unto them yea he doth noâ— only engage himself to give peace unto such a soul as staies himself upon God but double Peace you read it in your English perfect Peace thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace but in the Hebrew it is Peace Peace thou wilt keep him in double Peace he shall have Peace and Peace not Peace and Doubting not Peace and no Peace but if he stay himself upon the Lord he shall have Peace Peace he shall have double Peace Yea the Lord doth not only engage to give Peace unto such a soul but to keep him in Peace Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace or in Peace Peace and all upon this account Because he trusteth in thee not because he prayed not because he humbled hiâ—self though that is his Duty and he doth thereby placere Deo though not placare Deum but because he trusteth in thee because he stayeth himself upon thee And ye know that if ye have a business depending at Law though for the present you be much troubled about it yet if you have a Friend a Lawyer that is able faithful and willing to look to it if you can but leave your business with him it doth very much quiet your heart the very leaving your business with him doth quiet your mind So here If a man can but leave his business and his Cause and his Things with God then he is at rest and he may say Return unto thy rest O my soul as David did which is done by Faith And to cleer this a little Three or Four things there are that do ordinarily cause disquietude or discouragement First The darkness that is in the Understanding for when a man is in the dark especially if he be alone he is very apt to be skared and to be disquieted Secondly Inordinate and unruly Affections and Passions especially that of Fear whereby the soul is benighted Thirdly Guilt of Conscience Though there be much water that doth beat upon the Ship at Sea yet it sinketh not but when there is a leak a hole in the Ship then the Ship sinketh and the water doth become its grave So though there be many troubles that beat upon a man yet his heart doth not sink but when there is a leak in his Conscience when there is a hole there when a man hath a guilty Conscience then he sinketh and his heart fails him And Fourthly The apprehension of Gods Greatness with our distance from him Now Faith cures all this for in opposition to the first of Darkness Faith brings Light into the soul and shews a man his Way and his Warrant for what he doth Secondly It doth pare and take off those inordinate and unruly affections and passions that are in the soul and therefore in Psalm 37. at ver 1. and 7. you shal find that fretting and trusting are set in opposition Fret not thy self because of the evil Doer verse 3. but trust in the Lord. And again verse 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self
I say trust in the Lord first before you do work at all Answ 5 Fiftly If you would trust in the Lord so as you may not be discouraged what ever your Condition be Then trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in the first place before you trust in the Promise Christs Blood is the great and first Object of our Faith In times of the old Testament they came to Christ by the Promise because Christ was not then come but promised now Christ is come we come to the Promises by Christ Yet mistake not there is a Promise of Christ and a soul must come to Christ in that Promise But I speak of particular words and Promises Some wil not trust in Christ unless they have this or that particular word set upon their hearts and spirits and so indeed do rather rest on the bare letter of the Word or the sence and impression that is made upon the soul by the setting on of the Promise But al the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Christ therefore is first and if a man doth trust in the Promise first and so go unto Christ afterward then when he wants a particular Word or a Promise he wil not trust in Christ but be quite discouraged But when a man doth trust in the Lord Christ first and in particular Promises afterwards then though a particular Promise doth not shine forth yet his Faith lives and he is not diâ—couraged wherefore venture upon Jesus Christ first and then upon the Promise as given unto thee by the hand of Christ Answ 6 Sixtly if you would so trust in the Lord as you may not be discouraged whaâ—â—â—er your Condition be Then if ever it pleaseth the Lord to give our a Promise to you never let it go but hold it fast although you see nothing but the contrary unto the thing promised This was Abrahams case the Lord gave Abraham a Promise but Abraham saw the contrary to the thing promised yet Abraham did not dispute the Promise he did not stagger at the Promise and say Surely the Lord hath not given me this Promise it â—â—s but a delusion and I was deceived No but Abraham stil beâ—â—s up to the Promise and doth not dispute or stagger at the same So must you do likewise if ever the Lord give out a Promise to you hold it keep it never let it go although you do see the contrary Object O! but this is hard work indeed and if I should do so I fear that I should presume and that I should tempt the Lord What! trust in the Lord when there is no means in view yea when I see the contrary unto the thing promised I would do it but I fear I should presume and tempt the Lord. Answ Tempt the Lord say ye Dost thou know what it is for to tempt the Lord It is said oâ— the Children of Israel That they tempted the Lord and said Is God amongst us And when thou sayest after al the experience of Gods preâ—ence with thee Is God with me Is hot this rather for to tempt the Lord It is said of the Children of Israel That they tempted the Lord and limited the Holy One of Israel and when you limit God and say I shal never receive this Mercy for now I do see the contrary Is not this rather for to tempt the Lord Properly and according to Scripture Phrase to tempt the Lord is to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust and therefore if you look into Psal 78. you shal find that these two go together at verse 18. They tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their Lust To put God upon a work for the satisfying of ones Lust is indeed to tempt the Lord Every putting God upon a tryal is not a tempting God but to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust this is to tempt the Lord And therefore it is said the wicked Jews came to our Savior Christ tempting him and saying Shew us a sign Gideon desired a sign and yet he did not tempt the Lord Why Because he did not desire a sign to satisfie his Lust but to strengthen his Faith But now these Jews came and desired a sign to satisfie their Lust and therefore saith our Savior Christ unto them Ye wicked and Adulterous Generation How comes the word Adulterous in there Why look as it is with a woman that is nâ—ught filthy and unworthy her Husband sending a Message to her and warning her to take heed of such Company when the Messenger comes I doubt saith she whether you come from my Husband or no and what sign have you that you come from my Husband she knows that he comes from her Husband but because she may go on in her sin she asketh a sign How may I know that you come from my Husband So it was with these wicked Jews they asked a sign that so they might go on in their sins whereupon our Savior saith Ye wicked and Adulterous Generation But now when a poor doubâ—ing fearing trembling soul shal desire to beleeve and would fain have some token from the Lord to strengthen his Faith he is not Adulterous then nor doth he tempt the Lord nor presume for is it presumption for a man to keep the Sabbath day No Why Because it is commanded Is it presumption for a Child to obey his Parents No Why Because it is commanded So it is commanded for a soul to beleeve when al comforts are out of sight and when he sees nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised Presumption properly is the taking of a thing before it 's given or offered But in this case the Promise is given and therefore no presumption for to hold it fast There is a Two-fold Preâ—umption which you read of in Scripture One whereby men do rest upon their own Workâ— for Salvation without Christ So the Jews did and therein they presumed of mercy before it was given unto them Another whereby men do as they think or in their way rest on Christ for Salvation and yet live without Works and Obâ—dience and therein they preâ—â—me also because they take mercy â—hen it 's not given them Eâ—â— if I râ—â—l on the Promise or on Chrâ—st that I may be made the more holy doing what I can to be fruitful in every good work yet resting upon Christ for al this is no presumption Why Because I do not take mercy before it is offered and though I hold the Promise fast when I see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised yet this is no presumption Why Because I do what 's commanded For saies the Apostle Let them that suffer according to the Will of God commâ—â— the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as unto a Faithful Creator Now Creation-Work is out of nothing it is light out of darkness Yet thus are we commanded to commit our souls unto God and therefore though al fail and
out of any evil habit passion or ignorance but meerly from the liberty of his own wil because it pleaseth him and because he doth hate that which his own Conviction tels him is right and good Now have you sin'd thus Surely no for then you would not be troubled about it but be wel pleased with it Obj. 8. O! But yet I fear I have sinned this great Sin for I have forsaken God and God hath forsaken me God is gone Christ is gone and Mercy is gone O! what freedom once I had but now God is departed from me God hath forsaken me and I fear it is upon this account Because I have sinned this great Sin Ans But doth not David say How long O Lord wilt thou forget me forsake me And our Savior himself saith My God my God why hast thou forsaken me There is a gradual forsaking and there is a total As with a man that goes from his house possibly he goâ—s a Voyage or is from home a quarter half a yeer or a yeer but he doth not leave his House for his Wiâ—e his Children and Goods are there stil But another man goes awâ—y from his House the House is let and he carries away al his Goods this is a total departure the other gradual So now it is with the Lord he doth somtimes forsake his own Childrâ—n for a time but he doth not pul down his Hangings or carry away his Goods he doth not go away but returns again this is gradual But there is a total forsaking of a man and then he givâ—s him up to his Sin Now this is not the burden that you lie under for if God had thus forsaken you you would be given up to your Sins and you would give up your selves unto â—l Uncleanness Object 9 O! But I am afraid yet that I am under the worst forsaking and that therefore I have sinned this great Sin for I do lie despairing saying God is gone and Mercy gone I am in the dark O! I despair I despair and upon this account I fear I have sinned this great Sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost Answ For Answer You know what Heman said I remember God and am troubled O Lord saith he all thy waves are gone over my head the waves of thy wrath are gone over my head and yet a Pen-man of Scripture Aretius tels us of a certain man in his time It is no feigned story saith he but I saw the man with my own Eyes one that had been a most vile and desperate Sinner a Drunkard a Swearer a Wanton a Gamester and so he continued to his gray hairs but at the last it pleased God to set his Sins in order before him and the man was so troubled in Conscience that he threw himself down upon the ground calling unto Satan to take him away provoking Satan to take him away Devil take thy own I am thy own take thy own whereupon saith Aretius prayer was made for him Christians prayed they fasted and prayed they prayed night and day and it pleased God at last this poor man revived converted to God lived a godly life and died comfortably So that it is not an easy thing saith he to pronounce what the Sin against the Holy Ghost is But now whosoever you are that have labored under this fear as indeed this fear I know hath oppressed many give me leave to ask you four or five short Questions The First is Whether canst thou not find in thy heart to forgive men that do trespass against thee Do not you find a disposition in your own heart to forgive others Yes I praise the Lord that I do Now if you can find in your heart to forgive others I am sure God can find in his heart to forgive you and therefore you have not sinned this great sin which is unpardonable Secondly Whether I or no have you ever opposed the waies of God the People of God and that out of malice No I confess I have opposed them but the Lord knows I did it ignorantly it was not out of malice then remember the description of this Sin Thirdly VVhether I or no do not you desire to be humbled for every Sin though it be never so smal Yes for though I know that my greatest Humiliation cannot placare Deum make an attonement for my Sin yet I know that the least Humiliation in truth doth placere Deo please God and it is my Duty to be humbled for every sin for the least sin is a great evil and he that commands Humiliation for the one commands it for the other also and through Grace I desire to be humbled for every sin why then you cannot have sin'd against the Holy Ghost for it is impossible that they that sin this Sin should be renewed to Repentance Fourthly Whether I or no do not you desire above all things the breathings of the Spirit of God upon your heart Yes O! that God would come and breath upon my poor soul in Duty But those that sin against the Holy Ghost do despight to the Spirit of Grace Hebrews 10. Fiftly Where do you find in al the Bible That those that sin this Sin against the Holy Ghost are afraid that they have sinned it those that sin against the Holy Ghost are never afraid that they have sinned against the Holy Ghost This alone satisfied Mistriss Drake a Woman much troubled in Conscience she was afraid she had sinned against the Holy Ghost Mr. Dod of blessed Memory came to her and told her That therefore she had not sinned the Sin against the Holy Ghost Because she feared she had sinned it for those that sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost are never afraid that they have sinned it and she acknowledged it did satisfie her and she was thereupon comforted Now therefore where is the man or woman that hath labored under such a fear as this O! I have sinned this unpardonable Sin Art thou one that fearest thou hast sinned it I tel thee from the Lord thou art free from it and thou maist go home and say thus Though I have sinned much for which the Lord humble me yet I bless God I am kept from this great Sin And O! my beloved what a mercy is it That among all the sins that we have committed That yet we should be kept from this great Sin The greater the evil is the greater is the mercy to be kept from it Now I pray What is the misery of this Sin Is it not a great misery to be past Prayer to be thrown out of the Prayers of the Saints For such a one pray not saith the Apostle Is it not a great misery for a man to be beyond the line of Mercy a man that hath sinned this Sin against the Holy Ghost is worser Spiritually than a man that is sick of the Plague outwardly for if a man be sick of the Plague ye pray for him and say Lord have mercy upon him but if a
man have sinned this Sin he is past Prayer and past Pardon he is past Sacrifice the truth is this man is in the Devils case The Devil you know is reserved in Chains unto the great Day and he cannot get out So if a man hath sinned this Sin though he live ten yeers twenty yeers or thirty yeers he is reserved in Chains and he shal never be pardoned he is upon the Devils ground O! what a misery is it to commit this Sin O! what a mercy is it then to be kept from it Now here is Hope for the greatest Sinner in the Congregation upon this account saith our Savior All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Hast thou therefore been a great Sinner Hast thou been a Drunkard Hast thou been a Wanton Hast thou been a Swearer Hast thou been an Opposer of the People of the Lord and hath the Lord kept thee from this great transgression Man or Woman here is Hope yet Who would not then turn to God Come Drunkard Swearer Wanton here is yet hope for thy soul who would not come in to Christ And O! What Comfort is here for Beleevers that are in Christ If thou beest in Christ and a Beleever thou canst not sin this Sin that look as it is with a man that hath sinned this Sin he cannot be pardoned so if a man be the Child of God a Beleever in Christ he cannot sin this Sin for he that is born of God sinneth not neither can he for the Seed of God abides in him O! you that are Beleevers comfort your selves with this Truth Here is Comfort for all the People of the Lord from this Doctrine Applic. 4 But in the fourth place If the Sin against the Holy Ghost be indeed the unpardonable Sin what cause have we al to look to our steps to our words to our actions Beloved this Sin against the Holy Ghost is the Professors Sin a man less than a Professor cannot sin this Sin against the holy Ghost this Sin against the holy Ghost is the knowing mans sin a man less than a knowing man cannot sin the Sin against the holy Ghost And as I said before a man may possibly go very far in sin and yet not commit this great unpardonable Sin So now on the other side I say Possibly a man may go very far in Religion and yet he may sin this Sin These Pharisees that committed it had the Key of Knowledg knowing they were and very knowing in the Scriptures as for Zeal they travelled Sea and Land to make a Proselyte for their Practice they fasted twice a week exceeding strict in observing the Sabboth day the Lights of the Church and the Eyes of all the People were upon them for their Guides and yet these men sinned this Sin against the Holy Ghost O! what care should there be in al our souls how had we al need to look to our waies The more Truth revealed the more danger of sinning this Sin the more great Works of God are done by the very Spirit and Finger of God if men do oppose and blaspheme the more danger of sinning this great Sin Now I wil appeal to you When was there ever more Light revealed than in these daies of ours yet when more opposing and blaspheming of it When were there ever such great Works done by the very Spirit and Finger of God and yet when more opposing and blaspheming Are there not some that have been convinced that the Spirit of God breathed upon their hearts in such and such Ordinances and such and such Waies and yet now oppose and blaspheme those very waies of God wherein they said heretofore they had the Spirit of God Are there not some that are convinced that in these Times great things are done by the very Finger by the Power and Arm of God among us and that in order to our salvation and yet how do men speak against them and blaspheme I wil not say that these men do it out of malice and therefore I do not charge this Sin against the Holy Ghost upon them But beloved in the Lord this is certain That in knowing Times Times when God is doing great things by his own Finger then is this Sin stirring most The Times of Christ and of the Apostles were Times of great Light when God wrought by his own Finger then was this Sin committed Now in these Times there is much breaking forth of Light and great things done by the very Finger of God therefore I say there is great danger if men do now blaspheme wherefore I say again take heed to your souls you that are Professors look to your steps in these daies of ours Quest But you wil say We grant indeed that this Sin against the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable Sin and wo be to them that do fal into it and it cannot be committed but by a knowing man but what shall we do that we may be kept from this great Transgression that whatsoever sin we do fall into yet we may be kept from this great Evil and this unpardonable Sin Answ I would that you would mind and consider the Description which you have heard and think of it But I wil tel you what David did saith David O Lord keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins so shall I be free from the great transgression It seems then that presumptuous sinning makes way to this great Transgression When is a man said to sin presumptuously When a man sins upon this score That God wil shew mercy to him saying I know indeed it is not good for me to go to such a wicked Company it is a sin so to do but I wil venture and repent afterwards for God wil shew mercy To venture upon a sin presuming that God wil shew mercy and that a man shal repent afterwards is presumption and presumptuous sinning makes way to this great Transgression therefore would you be kept from this great Transgression go to God with David and say O Lord keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins so shall I be free from the great transgression Again Be alwaies humbled for lesser sins He shal never fal into the greatest that is alwaies humbled for the least he shal never fall into the worst that is alwaies humbled for the smallest Besides Fear is the Keeper of Innocency Timor innocentiae custos Fear is the Guard of Innocency If you alwaies fear to commit it you shal never commit the same In case that you do at any time fal into sin say Well but through the Grace of God though I commit what is evil I wil never oppose what is good by the Grace of God I wil carry this Rule along with me Though I commit what is evil I wil never oppose what is good In case any great Work be done before you that lies beyond your reach and beyond your fatham say Though I do not understand
of God that are unsetled in the Truth These things write I unto thee saith Paul to Timothy that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth Yea every Member of a Church should be a Pillar in the House of God So the Lord promiseth to the Church of Philadelphia Surely therefore it is matter of great Importance for a Church and people of God to be setled and established But Thirdly and especially It is a great Mercy and Blessing for a particular soul to be setled in the Truth and established in the good Waies of God It 's a good thing saith the Apostle that the heart be established with Grace not with Meats which have not profited them that have been exercised therein Possibly a mans heart may be comforted and strengthâ—ned with Meats Psal 104.15 it 's said And Wine that maketh glad the heart of man and Bread which strengtheneth mans heart Where the same word is used by the Septuagint that is here used in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag But the Apostle Paul doth relate to the Ceremonial Law for the Jews converted to Christ Judaei ad Christum conversi supâ—â—stitiosius inhaerebant observationi legalium ceremoniarum cumprimis discriâ—â—ini ciborum a Moyse prescripto illis haec sententià est opposita Gerrard in loc were too superstitiously addicted to the observation of Legal Ceremonies especially those which concerned Meats and difference of Meats Rom. 14.2 Col. 2.16 and to those is this Speech opposed It is good that the heart be established with Grace as if he should say some think to find Establishment in the observation of Meats and Doctrines for the Jewish Ceremonies but the best Establishment is in the Doctrine of the Gospel Quidam in genere intelligunt interna et Spiritualia Dei dona quibus homines sanctificantur quidam doctrinam Christianam side susceptam Gratiam Christianismi ut sit sensus firmitatem et stabilimentum cordis quaerendum esse in gratia Dei quam N. T. mediator Christus attulit non in observatione ciborum quam Moses tradidit Ibid. and the Grace of God revealed in the Gospel Some think that by Grace here we are to understand Holiness and those Spiritual Gifts whereby men are Sanctified But having said in the former words Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines these words seâ—m to comply and correspond better with them if by Grace we understand the Doctrine of the New Testament from which the Galatians are said to fall Ye are fallen from Grace when they returned to the Law But in both respects it is a good or beautiful thing that the heart be established with Grace For It is the ground of all our Fruitfulness Ye know how it is with a Tree or Plant thâ—ugh in it self it be never so good yet if it be not setled in the Earth it bringeth forth no Fruit If the Plant be good and the Soyl good it may bring forth good Fruit but if you be alwaies removing it from one place to another it cannot bring forth Fruit. And what is the reason that many are so unfruitful in their lives but because they are so unsetled in their hearts and Judgments The Tree that is planted by the Waters side brings forth Fruit in its season Psal 1. But as for the Ungodly it is not so with them They are as the Chaff that brings forth no Fruit whom the wind drives to and fro And the Truth is an unsetled man is neither fit to receive good nor to do good So long as the Vessel is moved up and down ye cannot pour the Liquor into it and who can write exactly when his arm is jogged Can any man walk exactly in a crowd which one while carrieth him this way and anoâ—her while that way No surely Neither can an unsetled unestablished heart walk exactly with the Lord his God It is the bottom of al our Praises The Birds do not ordinarily sing til they be set they do not usually sing flying but when they are fixed then they begin to sing So saith David My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed and what then then saith he I will sing and give praise but not til then and what is the reason that many pass â—o many yeers of their lives in doubtings and fears never praising God for any love or Mercy to them but because they are unsetled in their Spiritual Estate and Condition It is the beginning of our Perseverance Then I begin to persevere when I begin to settle and to established as Instability is the beginning of Apostacy so Settledness is the beginning of Perseverance It is that good thing which pleaseth God exceedingly God was so pleased with Jehosaphat upon that account that he passed by and winked at al his Infirmities even because his heart was fixed and established 2 Chron. 19.2 the Prophet reproves him for joyning with the Ungodly Nevertheless saith he there are good things found in thee in that thou hast taken away the Groves out of the Land and hast prepared thine heart So ye read it but I think rather And hast fixed established or set thine heart to seek God On the contrary it 's said of Rehoboam though he did many good things That he did evil in the sight of the Lord because he prepared not or because he fixed not established not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paratus sâ—mus stabilis qui nec everti nec impediri qucat in Pirl et Hiphil paravit preparavit sinnavit confirmavit stabilivit includit firmitatem et certitudinem Shindlerg set not his heart to seek God 2 Chron. 12.14 it is the same word which we translate Establish in other Scriptures as Psal 40.2 He hath set my feet upon a Rock and established my goings and it notes such a fixation and settlement whereby a man doth so continue in his way and course that he wil not be put out of it This Rehoboam wanted for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soft hearted man naturally and though he did many things that were right and good yet he was led by the Counsel of his yong men and his heart was not set and fixed to seek the Lord but Jehosaphat was of a stedfast Spirit and would not be put out of his way and therefore though he did some things amiss yet the Lord commends him and accepts of him So that although a man do many good things yet if his heart be not fixed and established the Lord will pass by and not regard the same But though a man do commit great evils yet if his heart be set to seek the Lord God wil pardon and pass by al his Failâ—ngs O! Cur quaeso in tanta multitudine valoâ—um ne naum quidem vitreum reperituâ— diâ—â—s quod cum facile frangâ—tur est symbolum inconstantiae quam
Deus vult à suo templo exulare Ita est sed ulterius addo quod vitrum quam expeâ—s est coloris propâ—ii tam facile refert alicnoâ— quibuscunque enim liquoribus imbuitur statim concolor efficitur sub hoc igitur typo voluit Deus à suo obsequio arcere eos omnes qui non servant unam vivendi rationem sed in diversâ— studia seruntur et nunc hos nunc illos mores imitantur Mendoza in Reg. 1. Cap. 1. pag. 300. what a blessed fâ—anâ—e of heart is this fixed Spirit Surely it is that Grace wherein God is much delighted An unsetled Soul God cares not for nor for any Work or Service that is done by him We read of hundreds and thousands of Vessels of Gold Silver and Brass that were in the Temple but not of one Crystal Glass or Vessel why so saith one but because that is of a brittle fragile and uncertain Nature which as it hath no color of its own so its apt to receive the color of any Liquor So iâ— an unsetled man and unconstant whom God cares not for in his Temple and Service Who cares for the Service of a Fool or regards the Prayers Desires or Pâ—titions of a Fool If a Fool knock earnestly at your door you say to your Servant Go not to the door it is the Fool that knocketh and if a Fool com and speak to you you regard not what he saith Now an unconstant unsetled Soul is a foolish Soul It is the property of a Fool to be alwaies a beginning he begins a good work and then he leaves it off then he begins another and he leaves off that Stultus semper incipit vivere the Fool doth alwaies begin to live And the same word in the Hebrew and Scripture Phrase that signifies an Unconstant man signifies a Fool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stultus insipiens varius mobilis levis inconstans and if ye look into Eccles 5. ye shal find that the Sacrifice of Fools is called so upon account of Unconstancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Unsetledness for saies Solomon When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed ver 4. And therefore if an unsetled man pray and knock at Gods door he wil say Let him alone regard him not 't is that unsetled Fool that unconstant Fool who is off and on to and fro in my Service God hath no pleasure in Fools and an unsetled unestablished soul is a Fool in Scripture Language surely therefore he is so in the eyes of God But if a man be fixed and established the Lord delighteth in him Ut venti in autumno arbores non tollunt sed folia secum in auras ferunt sic tristia leves tamen mentes movent fortes et in pietate firmas non evertunt Origen Homil. 13. in Numb Maximum malae mentis indicium sluctuatio Sen. and in al those Works and Services that are done by him Establishing Grace is a great Mercy 5. And it is also the Character of a good and gracious person whereby he is distinguished from the ungodly of the World A good man lives and dwelleth at the sign of a setled Conversation he is planted by the Rivers of Water Psal 1. the wicked are as the Chaff that are driven to and fro not setled not planted It is true indeed that a moral civil man may be naturally of a fixed Spirit serious staid and setled in his Moralities but though he be setled in what is Morally good yet he is also setled upon his Lees in what is Spiritually evil setled in prejudice against the Saints and against the Power of Godliness setled in his neglect of the Sabbath c. and though he be of a fixed Spirit and temper Naturally yet that fixation doth not arise to any high or great matter It 's an easie thing to cast up the Account truly Virtus est circa difficile bonum sed in parvis opeâ—ibus constantem esse non est difficile Aquin. where the Sum is smal Morality is a smal Sum. When did ye hear of a Boat cast away in the River the narrow Waters 'T is the Ship that puts to Sea that doth make the Shipwrack smal Boats seldom miscarry in the narrow Waters Now the Civil Moral man doth trade in the narrow Waters and he boasts that he doth not miscarry some make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience but as for me saith he I walk constantly evenly and these many yeers have made no Shipwrack of my Profession as others have done But I pray what is the reason He never put to Sea he never yet did lanch forth into the great Ocean of the Gospel he trades in the narrow Waters of his own Righteousness and therein he is exact and constant But now take a godly gracioâ—s man and he doth abound in the work of the Lord and ye◠〈◊〉 â—â—shed in it according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies aâ—ounding in the Work of the Lord Why For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Surely therefore it is a great Mercy and blessing to be setled in the Truth and established in the good Waies of God a Mercy for a Nation a Mercy for a Church a Mercy for a Particular Person to be thus established And therefore In the Second place It is worthy of al our Prayers which is the Second Part of the Doctrine for saith the Doctrine It is a great Blessing and worthy of all our Prayers to be setled and established in the good Waies of God First It is that Mercy Grace and Blessing which we al need Man in his best estate or according to the Hebrew Expression Man in his most consistent and setled estate is altogether vanity Man at the best is a poor wavering and unsetled Creature yea saith the Scripture God saw no stability in his Angels and therfore if we do naturally labor under such instability we have al need to pray and to pray much for this Grace of Establishment Secondly It is God only who doth give out this Grace it belongs unto him alone to establish Nations Churches and Persons 1. He is able to establish those who do come to him for it Rom. 16.25 Now to him that is of power to establish you c. 2. He is willing to do it 2 Thes 3.3 But the Lord is Faithful who will establish you and keep you from evil 3. He is engaged to do it for he hath promised to do it as hath beâ—n proved already and it is his Prerogative 2 Cor. 1.21 Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God As for a Land or Nation it is the Lord alone tâ—at doth settle it He looseth the Girdles of Princes and maketh them to wander or stagger
like a drunken man Job 12.25 Again He girdeth their Loynâ— with a Girdle verse 18. He speaketh the word and it standeth fast who said to Solomon and so to al the Princes of the Earth If thou wilt walk before me in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and wilt keep my Statute â—and my Judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy 〈◊〉 as upon Israel for ever 1 Kings 9.4 5. As for a Church it is â—e alone who doth settle and establish it Psal 87 â—â— â—â—â—â—â—d of Zion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shal establish her And as for a â—â—â—icuâ—â— person â—t is God alone that doth settle him both in hâ—â—â—â—â—wâ—rd and Spiritual Condition In his outward Condition Prâ—â— 15.25 The Lord â—â—ll destroy the House of the proud â—ut he will estâ—blâ—sh the â—â—rder of the Widdow And in his Spâ—â—iuaâ— Estâ—â— and Condition 2 Thes 2.17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ hâ—â—â—elf and God our Father comfort your heart saith the Apostle and establâ—sh you in every good word and Work and Psal 90.17 the Psalmist doth address himself unto God for this saâ—ing Establish thou the Work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it And if it be so great a Blessing to be thus setled and established if we have so great need of establishing Grace and it belongs unto God alone to work it then surely it is not only a matter worthy of our Prayer but our Duty also to say and pray with the Psalmist Stabâ—ish thou O Lord the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it And thus you have the Doctrine cleered in the Parts thereof If it be so great a Mercy and Blessing to be setled fixed Applicat and established in the Truth and good Waies of God then what cause have al thoâ—e that me now established to praise the Lord and say I was a poor unsetled person but through Grace I am now setled The more unto lâ—d the Times are and men in the Times the greater is the Mercy to be truly fixed and established Hath the Lord therefore setled your heart in these unsetled Times O! then give thanks unto the Lord and say My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Object O! but I cannot find this fixation of spirit in my soul nor that stedfastness in my life as I desire and therefore I cannot praise the Lord as I should Answ It may be so Yet know that there is much difference between variety of Grace and Instability of Spirit The exercise of various Graces is a great Blessing Instability of Spirit is a great Evil Ye may exercise one Grace which you did not exercise before and you may perform one gracious Work which you did not before yet this no instability of Spirit You must know also That there is a kind of shaking which is consistent with this true Setledness and Establishment of heart Ye see how it is with the Ships in the Harbor and with those Ships which lie at Anchor though they be not driven and tossed up and down with the Waves of the Sea yet in the time of a storm they do move and are shaken So it may be with thy soul Though thou hast cast Anchor within the Vail and art come into thy Harbor yet thou maist be somwhat moved and shaken But though you be in some measure shaken yet you are not tossed up and down as those that are not at Anchor and therefore O! what cause have you in these unsetled Times for to praise the Lord If Establishment be so great a Blessing what a sad Condition are those in that are not established not setled not fixed either in their Judgments or Lives Not a Mountebank come to Town but they must run to him for some of his Salves not a wandring Star appear but they must go to him for some of his Light These are those unlearned and unstable souls these are those that are laid out for a prey unto Satans Instruments as Satan goes up and down seeking whom he may devour so do his Instruments and there are a People that through the just Judgment of God shal be a prey unto them and who are those but these unlearned and unstable souls Some again are unsetled in their Lives and Practices somtimes they are for God and somtimes against him somtimes for his Service and somtimes against it These are those that are contrary to al men and to themselves These are those that are like to Ephraim whose Righteousness is like the morning dew fading and vanishing And both these are as the Picture or Map in the Frame which you may carry from one Room to another hang it in this room and it suits wel with it carry it into another Room hang it up there and it suits wel with that and whatever Room you hang it in it can comply therewith whereas if it be in no Frame only glewed or plaistered to the wall ye cannot remove it without tearing of it So in this ease Take a good and gracious fixed Soul and you may sooner tear him than remove him from the Truth or the good Waies of Christ but an unsetled person is for every Room and for every Company carry him into one Company and he can comply with it carry him into a second third or fourth he can comply with al Why but because his heart is unfixed not established But wo unto him for he is upon the Road to Apostacy Instability is the high way to Apostacy O! the sad condition of those that are not established Quest What shall we do then that we may be established It is a Mercy and great Blessing for a Nation Church and Particular person to be sâ—tled What shall we do that in all these respects we may be established Answ I As for a Nation or Châ—â—â—tian State It must first settle Religion such a Naâ—ion can never be setled til Religion be setled for Religion is the main Mâ—st and if that be not strengthened al the Tackling wil be loose Esai 33.23 The Tacklings are loosed saith the Prophâ—t they could not wel strengthen their Mast they could not sprâ—â—d their Sâ—â—l and Deut. 28.9 it 's said The Lord shal câ—mâ—â—â—â—â—e Bâ—â—ssing upon thee in thy Store-houses and in all that th usâ—â—â—t â—â—aâ—â— hand unto and he shal bless thee in the Land which the Loâ—d thy God giveth thee verse 8. Yea The Lâ—â—â—d shâ—◠〈…〉 if thou shalt keep the Commandemâ—nt oâ— he Lord 〈…〉 walk in his Waies v. 9. And all the peoplâ— of thâ— Earth sâ—â—â— be afraid of thee verse 10. And if ye look inâ—o thâ— Book of the Kings and Chronicles ye shal observe that in the latter Daies of he Kingdoms of Israel and Judah before theâ—â— Caâ—â—â—â—ty these Kingdoms were unsetled only upon