Stay a little O my soule waite for God in expectation For yet notwithstanding all thy present distempers I shall confesse my weaknesse and praise him for the salvations of my countenance and for his being my God still Thus you see the words opened I will give a Reason why I speak to Davids Expostulation rather from this last verse then from the fift verse The Reason is because t is here set out fuller then there though happily few mind it this last is as it were a second Edition with Additions for there are two additions in this verse unto that First In that t is but said I shall praise him for the helpe of his countenance But here t is I shall praise him for the helpe of my countenance In that hee acts faith as wee say in Thesi in this hee doth it in Hypothesi In that hee beleeves Gods salvation or saving help imminent as it is in himselfe In this hee beleeves it eminent or flowing out from him There David onely saith hee shall praise God as a Saviour here hee saith hee shall praise him as his Saviour T is one thing to beleeve the healths of Gods countenance another thing to beleeve the healths of our countenance Here David applyes the healths of Gods countenance to his own there he doth not this is one addition The second is more visible for here he adds that he shall praise him as his God which is not at all there There t is onely I shall praise him the health of his countenance Here t is I shall praise him the health of my countenance and my God Now in this verse which is the patterne of holy expostulation with ones soule with reference to sadnesse we may note these particulars 1 The object of this expostulation and that is Davids owne soule It s not enough to expostulate with God so he did verse the 10. But we must expostulate with our selves So David doth here 2 The manner of the Expostulation t is rationall and t is serious Here are two Whyes why cast down and why disquieted 3 The charge that he layes upon his soule He commands it to waite to tarry to expect God 4 The ground of all this both why David did thus expostulate and why he did charge his owne soule and that was because he knew did beleeve and was confident he should yet for all this praise God c. CHAP. 3. The Doctrines which arise from the Text. HAving thus opened and divided the Text it will not now be difficult to draw forth the Doctrines The kernell is visible when the shell is cracked And the graine is cleare when the buske is threshed There are four Doctrines which I shal gather as the principall graine in this floare And if Christ will helpe mee in the managing of them they will be bread to eate I. Even the choicest Saints and such as are according to Gods heart are lyable to spirituall dejections and disquiets II. It s the wisdome and should be the care of Saints when they are cast downe not to give way thereunto but to argue the case with their owne soules III. Saints in their deepest dejections when they are most disquieted should be content to tarry and waite for Gods cure and comfort IV. It s the duty and the glory of Saints to act faith and to beleeve even then when they are cast down lowest and see God least These foure Doctrines I conceive lye clear in these words of David And albeit I dare not say but there are others yet I conceive these the cheife truths which the spirit would teach us from this Text. I shall shew how each Doctrine is deduced from and may bee observed in the words as I handle them particularly and by themselves CHAP. 4. The first Doctrine spoken unto and proved from the Text and Examples WHat was Davids case hath beene others and may be ours This therefore is the first Doctrine which I shall speak unto and indeed be largest in viz. That Even the choicest Saints and such as are according to Gods owne heart are lyable to spirituall dejections and disquiets Surely though this be not simply expressed yet it is so strongly included that he that runs may read it That David was a choice Saint none will deny and that hee was according to Gods owne heart Act. 13.22 God himselfe doth witnesse Now 't was hee who here speakes and sayth Why art thou cast down O my soule And David was not single His case was but as others have beene Job was dejected before him his soule was cast downe as we say with a witnesse when he rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground as t is Job 1.20 he was much disquieted And as Job went before so Hezekiah came after David in soule dejection Surely his soule was cast downe when hee did chatter as a Crane and mourne as a Dove as t is Esay 38.14 I need not tell you of Asaph or of Heman Surely you have heard of their dejections and disquiets If you have not heard you may read their cases Psal 77. and Psal 88. Surely Asaph was much dejected when his spirit was overwhelmed And I think you le grant Heman was much dejected if you remember that hee was distracted Surely he was low when in the lowest pit and surely he was very much cast downe when hee cryed hee was free among the dead But why do I speake to you of others when I may appeale to your selves Saints have you never been sad were your hearts never cast downe have your spirits never been disquieted what have you always gone upon the Hills have you never been in the Valleyes In your way at least to Syon did you not passe thorough the Valley of Baca Though you now have beauty had you never ashes Have your garments of praise made you forget the spirit of heavinesse But why doe I renew griefe by its remembrance your sighings seale to this truth that even choice soules may be cast downe CHAP. 5. The amplification of the Point in some particulars I Shall handle this point of spirituall dejections something largely and the order which I shall walke by is this viz. I shall indeavour to discover 1 The nature of spirituall dejections what it is or what they are 2 The workings of them what they are and how they are 3 The causes of them whence they flow and how they arise The first thing which I shall speake unto is the nature of soule dejections Now this I shall be but breife in Spirituall dejection or soul-casting downe may easily bee guessed at if you consider either On the one hand viz. the right That the soule hath some sweet and spirituall injoyments in the injoyment of which it is much lifted up Holy joy puts the soule upon the Wing and causeth as it were a mounting upward David sometimes kept holy day as t is vers 4. of this Psalme in that day hee sang
Comfort Counsell FOR DEJECTED SOULES OR A Treatise concerning Spirituall DEJECTION In which is HANDLED 1 The Nature Of Spirituall Dejection 2 The Working Of Spirituall Dejection 3 The Grounds Of Spirituall Dejection 4 The Remedies Of Spirituall Dejection And in which is held forth Satisfaction to some particuler Cases and generall advice for any Soule who is cast downe Being the Heads and Sum of divers Sermons Preached to a particular Congregation From Psalm 42. last By John Durans Preacher of the Gospel and Pastour of a Church of Christ in Canterbury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 35.3 Strengthen the hands which are sick and confirme the dejected knees Psalm 94.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the multitude of my tempestuous thoughts within me thy consolations shal abundantly delight my soul Printed at London by R.I. for Hannah Allen at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley 1651. This shade's the Authors outside but this booke his inside opens prethee doe not looke Admiringly one either Passe them o're as emptye shaddowes for they are noe more Both bookes and writers y'ea and all things else at best are shaddowes but the bodye's Christ Soul art dejected Christ alone can ease thee and giue both comfort and councell to raise thee A.P. THis Authour hath two Books already extant the one is Entituled Sips of Sweetnesse or Consolation for weak Beleevers The other is Entituled A Discovery of the Glorious Love of Christ to Beleevers A Dedicatory PREFACE TO His Beloved-Ones The Flock of CHRIST over which the Holy Ghost hath made him OVER-SEER My dearly beloved in the Lord THE heart of Christ who is the cheif Shepheard is much set upon the feeding of Beleevers who are his chosen Flocke Ezek. 34. ◠10 11 12 13 14 15. Before hee came into the World he did Prophesie that hee would feede his Flocke himselfe And when hee went out of the World hee charged his Servants to doe the like When hee had asked of Peter again and againe Ioh. 20.16 17 18. whether hee loved him He required nothing as a seale thereof but this that hee should feede his sheepe Indeed then doe wee declare our love unto our Lord when wee feede his Flocke which is amongst us as it is 1 Pet. 5.2 And if wee doe not this wee make void the end that he aymed at in giving us as Pastours to his people which himselfe expresseth in the promise to bee this Ier. 3.15 viz. The feeding of his People with knowledge and understanding But while any indeavour to doe this they are Pastors according to his owne heart id est such as himselfe is and delights in This consideration I humbly hope I may truly say hath made an impression upon my heart both to desire and indeavour to feede you who are the Lambs the Sheepe of the Lord Jesus Phil. 1.7 For thus it is meete for mee to thinke of you all and thus I have you in my heart I must confesse I have still thought and found that there is a great difficulty in this Divine worke And a great deale of holy VVisdome and Strength is requisite which I hope you pray for in my behalfe to feed the Houshold of Christ with not onely Meate but with that which properly is their Portion and that in season I remember our blessed Lord speakes of him as of a rare Bird and hard to bee found Who as a wise and faithfull Steward Luk. 12.42 T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demensum cibum each soule hath its measure see Eph. 4.7 gives the Houshold their Portion of meate in due season WHO THEN saith Christ IS THAT FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD To bee able to give meate not poyson nor Huskes and the portion of meate that which is proper and fit for each and this in due season i. e. when t is peculiarly needfull and requisite I say to bee able to doe thus requires not onely faithfulnesse but wisdome too and that in a large measure And if you say you have not found mee such a Steward so Wise and so Faithfull I must sigh and seale to the truth thereof For alas Who is sufficient for this But albeit this bee above my attainement yet it is in my indeavour a true though a weake witnesse whereof I hope the insuing Treatise will be When it was delivered to your eare which Job saith tryes words as the mouth doth meate Iob 12.13 You were pleased to testifie to this truth that it was your portion of meat in due season And divers of your professed that your soules were fed and refreshed by it as by meate suitable and seasonable for you This hath made your intreaty prevalent with mee to represent it to your eye in Print to try it again And the most precious God grant that you may bee led by his spirit in it as in a greene Pasture by the still Rivers and that your soules may lye downe and feede therein SO as that those that see you may justly speak of you as of a Flocke and field whom the Lord himselfe hath blessed This is all that I shall say to you about this Treatise But I shal take the advantage of this Presse to leave the Print of Three Words of advice upon your hearts The words are these 1 Keepe to your Fold 2 Eye your Shepheard 3 Walke as Sheep 1 Keepe to your Fold Beware of wandering from Mountaine to Hill Jer. 50.6 which I may safely allegorize thus of going from one high notion to another forgetting your resting place Certainly the Churches of the New Testament which are built upon the faith and walke in the order of the Gospell Sion is the place Christ the rest of soules It is hee that gives It is there that he gives rest are the places where Christ feedeth and where hee maketh his flockes to rest at noone In them are the footsteps of his flocke and these are the tents where hee feedes his Kiddes as it is Cant. 1.7 8. O never bee as those weake and wanton spirits who wander from these Folds Dinah by wandering got nothing but a rape And I wish some of late could not say the like 'T is true some are gone out from us of whom I am not so Apostolicall as to say but I must bee so charitable as to pray it may never appear they were not of us But it s your mercy that as yet you stand O bee not high minded but feare least you fall For certainly it is so farre from being an ascent to spirituall height Heb. 10.25 26. that it is a degree of falling away to forsake the Assemblies of Saints which are the Folds of Christ II Eye your Shepherd i.e. The Lord Jesus 'T is true Men have a name of being Shepherds but t is but as ciphers have of being figures which all know are nothing except one stand by them Even Paul himselfe was not a substantiall Shepherd It was not hee but Christ that did all And
of God Christ will certainly make thee in a measure know what sorrow meanes if he intend thee joy Thou wilt be dejected before thou art exalted and surely couldest thou but see thy state whilst a presumptuous sinner thou wouldest cry out What shall I doe to be saved But hoping better things of thee and such as accompany salvation I shall acquaint thee only with foure things about this ensuing tract 1 That it is the substance of many Sermons and that when it was preached it was by much more then now it is Yet 2 That the abatement in the printing from what it was in preaching is not materiall Things are here in briefe which then were more largely opened and I presume thy eye will reape as much by a little which is stil before thee to looke upon as thine Eare can by a great deale more which though it be longer and larger in the receiving of yet is quickly passed by and forgotten 3 The subject treates with dejected soules to whom the sweetest words of freest Grace are little enough And therefore if thou thinke some passages tend to a presumption though none I know of are so remember dejected soules are farre enough from that being more ready to despaire then to hope notwithstanding the clearest discoveries of Christs love and sweetnesse 4 The whole was at first intended for and delivered to a particular Congregation in a private way And had not they sealed to it as to the truth of Christ it had been buried in the darke and never come to this publick light I have onely two Requests to make to thee and I have done with thee My First Request is this That thou bee not hasty in reading But that thou meditate on what is tendred The Bee which onely lights upon a flower gathers no hony It s her abiding a while that suckes out the sweete Such Readers get but a little who rather runne over then read a Booke And that person will finde but little sweetnesse in a cordiall who onely holds it a little while in his mouth It s meditation which renders truths sweet I have indeavoured to write much in a little and I dare humbly promise that if thou wilt but weigh and consider seriously what I say to any Head thou wilt finde a great deale more matter then words It s true I have not handled things so largely as I might but yet I have suggested what might bee sufficient to my purpose which is not so much to convince the disputeing Heads as to comfort the dejected Hearts of Christians This therefore is my first Request that thou meditate on what thou readest My next Request is this That if in any part or in the whole thy attainment be above what is here offered that thou doe not slight it altogether upon that account Even David himselfe was sometimes aloft and never thought of those dejections under which hee afterwards groaned And peradventure though now thou keepe holy day and feast with Christ in full assurance A day or houre of temptation may come in which thou mayest bee glad of a crumme of comfort And then this poore tracte may bee of some use to thy soule In the interim pittie and pray for those who either are in or lyable to a dejected state needing both comfort and counsell too And in so doing thou shalt further the designe and indeed particularly and singularly oblige the Authour of this tract who is Reader Thy faiths friend and Souls-Servant JOHN DVRANT SECT I. PSAL. 42 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God CHAP. I. The preamble unto the Text in a briefe view of the whole Psalme holding forth the occasion and the division thereof THese words are a spirituall Soliloquie of holy David who now as in private speakes to and argueth with his own soul in regard of some sadnesses and disquietings which at present did oppresse his spirit And there is a great deale of precious matter in these words deserving our Observation Meditation and Imitation I shall in a word touch upon the occasion and the scope of the whole Psalme So shall we the clearer see the intention of this verse It is thought and that very probable that the occasion of this Psalm was either the flight unto which he was exposed by Saul or the flight unto which he was exposed by Absolon Cleare it is at the penning hereof David was absent from Jerusalem and the Tabernacle the consideration of which fills him with sorrow and that sorrow sets him upon the composing of this Psalme So that whatsoever was the remote sorrow was the proximate occasion of the penning hereof Now this sorrow appeares in the whole Psalme generally And more particularly it discovers in selfe in these branches 1 In the vent thereof 2 In the cause thereof 3 In the depth thereof 4 In the effect thereof First Davids sorrow vents it selfe in the 1 2 and 3 verses of the Psalme as the Hart panteth after the water Brookes so panteth my soule after God vers 1. Never was poor Hart pursued more by a company of Dogs then he was by his enemies And never did Hart so pursued bray after the Brookes as he did after Jerusalem and the Tabernacle the place and types of Gods presence My teares so he vents himselfe have been my meat day and night ver 2. Sad soule his griefe fed upon its selfe and besides mourning his soule had no meate His soule also was poured out as water for so the word signifies vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus his sorrow vents it selfe Secondly He opens the cause thereof which was mixed and mighty One while his present absence from Jerusalem minds him of his former injoyments He had gone up with a multitude making boâ—y mirth but now he was deprived thereof vers 4. Another while hee considered the sad speeches of his insulting adversaries who continually said where is thy God vers 10. Thirdly he describes the depth of his sorrow setting it forth to have overwhelmed him He professeth it had cast him down vers 6. And that he was in the deeps vers 7. Lastly He declares the effect of all this now that is held forth as double 1 Supplication 2 Expostulation The first effect of his soule griefe was Supplication His prayer was to the God of his life as t is vers 8. Oh when shall I come before thee O God ver 2. To this he addes Secondly Expostulation as another effect of his griefe and this expostulation is hinted to be 1 With God 2 With himselfe 1 He expostulates the matter with his God I will say unto God my rocke why hast thou forsaken me ver 9. 2 Hee expostulates also with himselfe Why goe I mourning c. as in that verse But especially in the words of the Text. Why art thou cast down
O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me c. CHAP. 2. The explication with the division and doctrines of the Text. I Shall explicate the words of the Text a little so shall we be the better able to understand the meaning of them and to draw forth Observations from them Why art thou cast down O my soule and Why. The word or particle translated Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is and may bee otherwise translated As now to instance 1 It may be translated What. Job 11.8 And so t is as an inquiry into the truth of this trouble David doth as it were cunningly worke upon himselfe and say What art thou cast down Oh my soule is it so indeed Tell me oh my soule art reall in thy griefe art thou as much troubled as thou seemest to bee What is it so 2 It may be translated How And so it is a word of admiration Psal 36.8 as if David did admire to see his soule thus cast downe and t is as much as if David should say How Oh! how art thou cast downe O my soule how low dost thou lye how sadly dost thou sit how exceedingly art thou troubled Oh! how is it with thee 3 It may be translated after what manner Job 25.4 And so t is as if David should aske his soule What kind of sorrow this was which had possessed him and in what manner it was that he was troubled In what way art thou cast down O my soule 4 It may be translated Wherefore And thus it may looke two ways 1 To the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliquando ponitur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut Mal. 2.15 and t is as much as if David should say Wherefore art thou cast down for what end Tell me O my soule what is the end that thou dost aime at in this sorrow what is thy designe in being cast down Thus it may be an inquiry into the end And 2 It may looke to the cause and so t is as much as for what cause Job 19.28 or reason art thou cast downe Canst tell why it is thus Say O my soul what is indeed the reason of thy being thus cast downe Cast down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies properly to bow down or to lie flat or along upon the ground thus the word is applyed to worship or to mourning In the Psal 38.6 you have the word in its native signification translated and applyed to mourning I am troubled saith David and I am bowed down It s the same word As joy in the power therof lifts up so sorrow in the power thereof casts down Joshua full of trouble and sorrow casts himselfe downe prostrate oâ— the earth Josh 7.6 Davids trouble layes him prostrate as the word signifies yea he doth prostrate or cast down himselfe Coâ—jugatio Heth-pahel est significationis recipâ—oâ—ae His sorrow makes him his own over-thrower his soule casts downe it selfe for so the word in its conjugation signifies as the learned know O my soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is put for the whole soule I conceive in this place as it is in some other Davids whole soule was grieved sorrow had seized not upon a part onely but upon the whole And why art thou disquieted the word signifies properly to be tumultuous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tumultuari c. either as the Sea is in a storme or as a people are in a tumult In Psal 46. ver 3. it s applyed to the Seas and Psal 65.7 it s applyed to people Indeed sorrow in the strength of it causeth a storme and a tumult in the soule It maketh every thing to be out of order as things are in a tumult Within me Psal 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be and sometimes is translated against me Sorrow is against the soule Griefe is an enemy yea where it prevailes it makes the soul an enemy to its selfe Davids soul was disquieted against him Hope thou in God The word properly signifies to expect or to waite for with expectation yea it includes a patient tarrying a while Thus t is said Noah stayed or tarried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expectare Gen. 8.10 Sorrow renders us impatient Usually every passion when t is predominant overthrowes patience David therefore bids his soule to be patient and in that patience to stay a little and yet to expect God at last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gréek or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew For so he addes For I shall yet praise him Stay soule saith David For the particle sometimes hath the force of a finall cause As in that Job 3.11 Why the breasts that I should such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For what end did I sucke Thus here it may bee used and David may tacitly answer his soule which might bee ready to say as hee said what should I waite for the Lord any longer 2 King ult Why saith David waite O my soule for this end I shall praise him I shall Yet The particle is sometimes rendred Still or Alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 84.4 David knew however he was cast downe now yet he should alwayes praise And hereafter he should still praise God notwithstanding any thing now Praise him The word signifies in its first and most genuine sence to confesse and is so translated sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezr. 9.2 Dan. 9.1 And happily there is this in it here As if David did hint to his soul that however he might have hard unbeleeving thoughts of God at present yet notwithstanding hereafter he should confesse this as his weaknes as sometimes he did Psal 77.10 I said this was mine infirmity And he should confesse God was his God and his salvation and this he should do in a song of praise when he should worship towards the Temple from whence hee was now banished and praise his name for his loving kindnesse and truth as it is Psal 138.2 i e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessing for its the same word both his loving kindnesse and his truth Who is the health of my countenance In the Hebrew it is only thus the healths in the plurall number of my countenance And in truth this will stand very fit with the former David tells his soule he should yet confessingly praise Gods salvations which he shewed to him Yea and that he should confesse him to be his God however now he might doubt it for so it followes and my God So that now put altogether and it amounts to thus much as if David should say What art thou cast down O my soule How strangely is it In what way is it For what end or cause is it that thou doest thus bow down and storme thy selfe
leaves all and followes him and of a Publican becomes a Preacher But he rides after Paul as I may say and overtakes him in the way to Damascus and throwes him downe invirons him with a Pillar of light appears to him from heaven speakes to him reasons with him directs him whether to go what to do c. These examples are not alike Should you bind the work of grace to Pauls example you would condemn Matthew or should you make the example of Matthew the pattern of the worke of grace you would or might question Paul Be cautious therefore O soule of what you say Do not fear that God hath not wrought upon you because not after the example of such an one examples are not here strictly to be eyed this is the first caution The second is this Take heed of confining Christ to methods I wish some Preachers were in this particular faultlesse they confine Christ as I may say to such and such wayes and methods as if the spirit were not as free as the wind to blow where and when and how he listeth You have some so punctuall in their antecedents concomitants and consequents words which many poore soules scarce understand And so precise and strict in pressing soules with them that many gracious soules feare whether they have any worke of grace wrought because not in such a way and method Now I beseech you beware of this Christ walkes not alwayes the same way to many soules Some soules he overtakes ere ever they are aware of him as is hinted Cant. 6.12 and makes them as the chariots of Aminidab i. e. a willing people Others indeed he deales with all in a more violent way and is faine to make it a day of power that they may be a willing people In the same story Act. 1.6 you have Christ as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Softly comming into Lydia's he art as if he did but lift up the Hatch and enter and you have him loudly knocking at the Jaylers doore making as I may say an earthquake in his soul to make way for himselfe So various are Christs wayes in working Some Christ makes sicke of love and winnes upon their hearts by the mercies of the Gospell Others he makes sore with wrath and frights them to himselfe by the terrours of the Law Mind this oh poore soule It may be thou fearest Christ hath not wrought on thee because it was not in such or such a way your feare if so is groundlesse and you must take heed lest you confine Christ unto methods He will worke and who shall let it and to whom hath he made knowne all his wayes of working This is the second Caution Now the Third is this Beware how you conclude any thing upon present sence The worke of grace at first is but little as a grain of mustard seed And t is not at first so visible It s like leaven hid in meale as t is Matth. 13.33 Now that which is little and hidden too that is not seen straite Naturall conceptions are not at first perceived no more are supernaturall The worke of grace may be begun in thy soule although thou doe not perceive it Be therefore cautious how thou concludes because of present visible ineffectualnesse The leaven of the Kingdom may lye hid in the heart And if thou judge by present sence thou mayest condemne the generation of the righteous Indeed Christ in the soul is as Isaack in Abrahams loynes at first that is as dead And looke as there even of one and him as good as dead sprang as many as the stars of the skie So likewise here viz. in the soule of one graine of grace and that even as dead to sence See Lu. 13.19 there springs up the great tree which reacheth as high as heaven Let this therefore be minded as the third caution that you conclude not positively any thing upon present sence Now having hinted these Cautions I shall offer three Considerations unto such as feare and doubt the true worke of grace in their hearts First This fear may peradventure be a fruit of the worke of grace Sinners as they never desire the worke so they trouble not themselves with doubts about the work Solomon tels us Blessed is the man that feareth alway yea we know he also said the way of a foole is right in his owne eyes Thou poore soule who are dejected and dost much doubt whether ever as yet God hath wrought upon thy heart why this feare of thine may bee a good signe that hee hath But Secondly This fear may argue a beginning of the worke Certain this fear is of God and how dost thou know but that now God is beginning at lest to worke upon thee It s a standing truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome Now the meaning hereof may be that the first thing for so the word signifieth which is wrought in the soule in the worke of wisdom i.e. of grace and bolinesse for so wisdom signifies is feare Thy feare therefore may hint that the worke is in sieri i. e. begining if it be not in factu i. e. begun already However God may make use of it to that end What canst thou tell but now that thy soule is troubled with doubtings about the worke of grace God may make use of this feare to drive thee out of thy state of nature and to draw thee into the state of grace How many poore souls have cryed out I have no true grace God hath not at all wrought upon my heart woe is me what shall I doe I le run after him I le cry for him c. And while the soul hath been in this feare God hath begunne making use therof to worke really upon their soule Thus it hath been with some consider it may be with thee so And therefore Thirdly Suppose it be as you feare Suppose God hath as yet never effectually wrought the worke of grace in your Soule Consider bee may doe it now Why may not free grace worke the worke now I say O soule why not now Quest Say O sad soule what reason can you given that Christ should not now worke upon you if he hath not heretofore Ans Why I le give a reason will the soule say I am not fitted for such a worke The worke of preparation bath not passed on me Reply Suppose I should grant it yet this feare and doubt may be that work All the preparation that can be it tends but to this to make you willing and art not willing soul Qu Yes O yes I am willing but alas what though I will if God will not Reply Why God is willing O soule this is the will of God even your sanctification He wills it and if God will and thou wilt too what should hinder Qu Nay but what should move God to work on me Alas I am a poor polluted sinner and will the
But the soule convinced by the spirit is convinced of this sin as of the sin of sinnes viz. unbeleefe Oh saith a soul which is convinced by the spirit I know drunkennesse is a sin uncleannesse is a sinne pride a sin c. But I know unbeleef is a sin as great ray greater then them all This is laid upon my spirit that Christ is come into the world sweetly discovering the love of God freely tendering reconcilement in his blood But I Oh I did little see and much slight him I did not make it my worke to go after him nor have I been willing when he hath come after me to accept him And this oh this hath been nay I fear 't is still my sin Oh this base vile damnable unbeleefe is that which hath and doth lye upon my spirit Other sins put me in an â—â—â—solute necessity of salvation and this sealed me under damnation HEE THAT BELEEVETH NOT HE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY Oh that Scripture tooke hold on me Christ came and was willing to imbrace but I would not beleeve He came sweetly weeing and I stood out sinfully rejecting He tendered grace freely and I did put off that tender wretchedly He said come unto me and I le ease you and I did not could not would not beleeve and therefore came not to him This O this I am convinced of as my sin and this I doubt is my sin to this day The truth is I can hardly beleive yet that Christ came to save sinners Why say Oh soul doth not thy heart answer to these things as face to face is there not a copy of this complaint in the secret tables of thy heart If there be pray who should nay who could write it but the spirit Who could take these things of Christ and reveale them unto thee but the spirit Surely if none can call Jesus Lord but by the spirit as it is 1 Cor. 12.3 Then none could be convinced so far of sin for not receiving of or beleeving in which is all one this Lord Christ but by the Holy Ghost But Secondly What is the great principle upon which you are most convicted Is it SENSE or HOPE of divine love It may be thou hast sometimes tasted how good the Lord is Peradventure you have had some sence of the love of God Or It may be you have only sometimes attained some hopes of divine loves Now is it this that doth most affect thy heart in thy conviction Doth not thy soule say Oh! what a vile wretch have I been who have despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and who have not been led thereby unto repentance Standest thou convinced of the greatnesse of sins by the consideration of the greatnesse of his love Because God hath been is and thou hopest will be exceeding good Art not upon this convinced that thou art and hast been exceeding bad Surely so much as love and sweetnesse hath had an influence upon thy conviction so much the spirit hath been in it The hand of wrath may convince a Pharoah that he hath sinned but an eye of love will make a Peter weep bitterly Therfore Thirdly In thy convictions for sin what sight hast thou had of Christ The spirit where he convinceth of sin he also convinceth of righteousnesse as t is John 16.10 i.e. the spirit convinceth the soule that albeit it is unrighteous yet there is a righteousnesse in Christ which it may have The spirit where he is a messenger of sin comming in and convincing the soule thereof he is also an Interpreter taking the things of Christ and so shewing thereof unto the soule the spirit is that one of a thousand to shew unto man his uprightnesse as t is Job 33.23 An hypocrite may be convinced by the Law but alas in that conviction he sees only a Moses But a Saint is convinced not only by the Law but the Gospell and therefore in his conviction he sees a Messiah Canst not thou say O soul when thou wert convinced that thou wert a sinner thou wert also convinced that there was a Saviour Didst not thou see a remedy as well as a disease a healing plaister as well as a killing wound A Saviour as well beseeching sinners to come unto him that they might have life as blaming of them for not beleeving in him that they might be free from death Surely soule its the spirit who giveth life the letter killeth Where the letter convinceth only it doth leave a soule under the sentence of death But if together with the sentence of death for sin thou didst also see the hopes of life in a righteousnesse then there was something more and higher then the letter in thy conviction even the Holy Ghost If then when thou wert convinced thou didst see unbeleife as the great sin and divine love as the great aggravation of that unbeleife and yet withall a sight of free and full righteousnesse tendred as a cure of both If I say thou didst see these things in thy conviction why art thou cast down O soule and why dost thou fear the spirit was not in thy conviction To go on then to the last branch of this fear and doubt Thou sayst O soul that dost fear thy comfort was not from the spirit At lest thou sayst thou dost doubt it It s true after thy storme thou didst heare a still voyce but sayst thou was the spirit in that voyce Sometimes even after conviction thou dost say thou didst feel comfort but thou fearest whether it were from the spirit or from the letter and fancy c. Why now in order to the scattering of this fear let me intreate you to consider these three things First Whence it was that thy comfort was fetched which was brought to thee was it not such as one of a thousand could not bring came it not from Jesus Christ who can only give man his righteousnesse as it is Job 33 23. He shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you saith Christ of the spirit Job 16.15 Where the spirit brings in comfort it is still shewed to be fetched from Christ Alas canst not thou say It was not from any creature men or Angell that the hope of your comfort came Alas miserable Comforters were they all But it was onely from Christ where the spirit comforts he doth it still in a discovery of Christ As he shewes Christ pierced by the soule and useth that sight unto conviction so he discovers Christ willing to imbrace the soul and useth this sight unto consolation The peace and comfort of some is rather from a cessation of the trouble of conscience then from a sight and discovery of Christ Now if thy comfort came only from an apprehension of Christ and from a sight of the things in him why art thou disquieted as if thy comfort were not from the spirit Since as no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Even so the
the Childes lisping though she seeme not to hearken Thou fearest O soule that God is angry with thy prayers as 't is Psal 80.4 but why shouldest thou feare this God was not angry with his peoples prayer of which the Psalmist there makes mention though he did not at that time answer it Your earthly Parents sometime seeme deafe when yet they delight to heare their Children tattle c. may it be thus with the Fathers of your flesh why may not nay why should you not thinke so of the Father of your spirits However Thirdly consider what it was you prayed for and were denyed or not answered inâ— peradventure 't was a temporall and that it may be not for your good though you foolishly thought so why should ye take it ill to be denyed in such a thing God hath heard thee for a Christ when thou saidst as Abraham What wilt thou give me so long as I goe Christ-lesse why what if God now hath not heard thee saying as she Give me children or I dye is not Christ worth many children Say O soule did not God give thee many a spirituall good thing upon nay before thy prayers why art thou cast downe if he deny thee temporalls Obj. Nay but 't is a spirituall good that I have prayed for and am not answered in Rep. It may be so yet consider peradventure 't is but a spirituall gift as memory understanding elocution in prayer and now why art troubled soule so much to be denyed in these what are they in themselves but such things as reprobates may have Gifts may goe to Hell yea many a gifted person is gracelesse why art cast downe with the deniall of gifts when Christ hath given graces without asking Nay but they are graces that I begge and pray for I have gone to begge faith and love and patience c. and yet I have no answer to these prayers Ans Stay yet O soule and consider it may be thou beggest not so much the grace as the degree It s not so much faith as a strong faith not so much love as a fervent love c. Now consider O soule though God deny thee the strength the degree of grace its choyce mercy thou hast the grace it selfe A little faith though but as a graine of Mustard-seed is precious Be not cast downe O poore heart if God deny thee great faith c. blesse him for that he hath given thee any faith c. Obj. But alas I doubt I have not faith at all c. it s not the degree of grace but the grace it selfe that I pray for and yet receive not Rep. Surely O soule thou art mistaken what ever grace thou prayest for especially so as to be troubled for want of which is thy case I say thou hast that grace already It s a degree of wisdome to desire to be wise and its a measure of grace to pray for grace The Disciples had faiâ—h when yet they prayed against unbeleefe without doubt O dejected soule thy panting after thy praying for and trouble at the sence of the want of grace is grace who can breath except he have life Lastly to cloâ—e up this case of fear about Gods not hearing prayer if God as yet have not answered my prayers the more is to come in Heaven God will answer all together God sometimes deales with his Children as we doe with ours the Childe abroad sends home for many things now for a Hat anon for a paire of Shoos c. the Father neither sends the thing nor an answer but anon sends for the Childe home and gives him all Minde ye Children of God for you are of that generation who seek his face your Father will send for you home one of these dayes and by death he 'l fetch you hence and answer all your prayers at once Now then beare up O dejected soules be not cast downe about your prayers as you are O remember in all this case Christ liveth for ever to make intercession for us why should we be so sad at the thoughts of our owne prayers as to forget to rejoyce in the faith of his If we sin he is our Advocate if we want any thing he knowes all our needs and why should we doubt that he prayeth for us since he lives for that very purpose CHAP. 10. Satisfaction to Soules cast downe about Hearing SOme there are who in their dejection call to minde the Word and their hearing of it Case but alas they are so far from being raised by it as that it dejects them the more Ah say they we have heard thee preached in our streetes Luk. 13.26 but so shall some say and be dis-owned at last by Christ the Word hath been sowen amongst us but we feare not as the good seed in the good ground and something now must be said to satisfie these soules and there be but four things which I shal offer briefly to this purpose 1 Call to minde what it was O soule which in the hearing of the Word did most take with Satisfaction and affect thy heart was it the Truth or the termes that did most prevaile with you Didst thou finde thine eares tickled with the entising words of mans wisdome Or didst thou feele thy heart touched with the power of the Spirit in the demonstration of truth If upon this inquiry thou doe finde that naked truth in the discovery of the Spirit did most take with and worke upon thy heart thou needest not bee troubled about thy hearing the Word for surely thou hast heard the word not as the word of man but of God 2 Consider what was the effect of that Word or that truth which thou didst close with The reall effect of the Word heard as the Word of God is the casting downe of those imaginations which did lift up themselves in the soule against Christ The Apostle tells the Corinthians that the weapons of his warfare were mighty through God But how did it appeare Marke because saith he they pull downe strong holds c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. a Cannon shot off with Powder makes no battery nor breach but if it beate downe strong holds it argues there was more then bare Powder Certainly if the Word hath beaten downe thy towry imaginations and made a breach and so an entrance in thy bosome for Christ If it hath battered open the everlasting gates for the King of glory to enter in thou maist surely and sweetly conclude that thou didst heare more then man in the Word yea that Christ was in and with the Word of a truth It was a signe that the Thessalonians had received the Word as it was in truth the Word of God when it did effectually worke in them as 't is 2 Thes 2.13 But besides this 3 Know that there may be the seed of the Word in thy heart as in good ground See this fear stated Sect. 1. chap. 7. notwithstanding thy feares Oh say many
is too long to be out of Covenant with God but yet it is not now too late To day if you will heare his voyce O therefore close with the Covenant now and doe not lye cast downe and dejected with feares that thou art out But arise and come in for now in these Gospel times even the Strangers and Eunuch debard in the times of the Law from the Congregation are invited to take hold of the Covenant and there are promises to this purpose made unto them in Esa 56. to which place I referre thee for a further cure in this case CHAP. 18. Cure for Soules cast downe upon indisposition to duties INdisposition unto good duties is oftentimes a cause of dejection Cause and by reason of it some are cast downe as conceiving it inconsistent with a life of grace and acceptation with God Now to cure this I shall apply these particular Plaisters First Life and indisposition may consist together Cure Every living man is not lively alway Even the Spouse of Christ was sometimes asleep Cant. 5.2 Even David himselfe cryes out of straitnesse of heart It is possible thy soule may sometimes be as a Ship at Sea without a full and fresh gale I may speake it I thinke as an universall truth Never was any Saint disposed to duties at all times alike and why shouldest thou be cast downe at the common Lot and condition of all Christians Secondly It is a mercy thou art not quite dead to duty Many a soule is starke dead to prayer starke dead to the Word c. and it is Free Grace thou art at worst but indisposed better is the crawling Snaile then the dead Elephant And it is a more blessed state to be a creeping worme though with much indisposition in the way of duty and life then a skipping heart though with much agility in the way of sinne and death Thirdly Though thy indisposednesse be sad yet thy trouble for this is sweet Note Blessed is the soule that mournes for disposition to evill and indisposition to good Time was when thou couldest live and not be troubled at a totall neglect of duty it is a mercy that now thou lovest it so well as that thou art grieved that thou canst doe it no better But Fourthly Consider thy acceptance with God doth not depend upon thy doing of duty nor upon thy livelinesse and disposition in doing no it depends solely upon his grace You are accepted in the beloved as it is in that precious place Eph. 1.6 Both thy person notwithstanding its faults and thy performances notwithstanding their failings are alwayes accepted in Christ he hath made us accepted in the beloved marke it it is not thou but God that makes thee I say MAKES thee not thy selfe that makest thy selfe accepted yea and this is in the Beloved not in our duties or dispositions but in the BELOVED i. e. in Christ Jesus I tell thee poore soule couldest thou doe well and with never so much life and disposition out of Christ it were nothing And contrary though thy doings be poore thy disposition poore all poore yet thou and all thine are accepted IN THE BELOVED Fifthly It is the office of Christ to present all thy performances to God and to procure acceptation in his bloud He takes away all thy failings and indispositions and he presents all to the Father well Minde this Duties goe never from Saints to God as they come out of their owne hands but as they goe through Christs Lastly Christ O dejected soule will cure thy indisposednesse Hee 'l inlarge thy heart and inliven thy spirit and then shalt thou not only walke but run the way of his Commandements when he shall inlarge thy heart as it is Psal 119 32. The Spirit is a Spirit of life power sweetnesse inlargement and this Spirit he hath promised So that these things sucked by meditation may afford cure and comfort to thee O dejected soule who art cast downe under the sence of indisposition to duties CHAP. 19. Cure for Soules cast downe upon want of incomes BUt alas sayes some other soule I doe but in vaine I doe not complaine of indisposition to though I might urge that but of want of income in duty Cause See the thing as it is stated Sect. 1. cap. 9. I confesse it is sad to be as the parched ground alway gaping and never to have drops from above Cure But yet O soule let me intreat thee to minde a few things in this case First Divine income is not alway the same Peradventure thou hast not so much now as formerly it may be so for First God gave thee much at first to incourage thee as a beginner which he doth not alway to all Vsually it is in Gods House as it is in ours at first comming of a Servant the Master is a little more familiar then afterward At first comming God might give much to welcome thee and to ingage thee but now thou hast been long in his house he mindes thee as much as formerly though he hint it not so often Besides Secondly God may with-hold incomes to try thee whether thou servest him for LOVE or for the LOAVES Many serve Christ not for himselfe but for themselves rather for the penny of income then for respect to him Now Christ may with-hold incomes to try thee and therefore be not cast downe for want of them lest thou give him ground to suspect thee but consider Secondly It is Christs Prerogative if he will use it to make us serve for nothing The Psalmist speakes it to the Kings Daughter of Christ He is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal 45.11 He must be worshipped as a Lord because of his greatnesse though hee should not give any income or wages Yet Thirdly He doth waite to give income in its season There are times when incomes will be most sweet and Christ doth waite for those times Christ said to his Mother Woman what have I to doe with thee Joh. 2. He knew there would by and by be a fitter season to doe that which she desired then at that time your time said Christ is alwayes my time is not yet come as it is Job 7 6. O remember dejected soule Christ waites to be gracious his income shall be when fittest for thee Fourthly It will argue a choyce frame of spirit in thee and therefore I mention it to presse it on thee to doe duty notwithstanding thou want income To worke without wages argues a love to the Master we work for a mercinary spirit wil doe for pay but a gracious childe-like spirit will pay its selfe in its doing and continue praying hearing receiving c. even without any income But Lastly To cure thy dejected soule who art troubled for want of income Know that in Heaven thou shalt have income for all The Master called the Servants at the evening and gave then to each his penny O consider thou shalt ere long have income
you marke it whoever thou bee that feares God who sittest in the darke and sees no light here is the lowest case let him trust in the Lord. So that now you see both precept and example holding out this that even in the deepest dejection that we are or can thinke to be we must act our faith and beleeve CHAP. 3. A further amplification of the worke of faith in the case of dejection and casting downe PEradventure you will aske mee what you must act your faith for and beleeve in in the deepest dejections If you do I will satisfie you Two ways 1 By a description of the thing or of that faith that must be acted 2 By a deciphering of the particulars that must be beleeved For the first viz. the faith which must be acted I describe that thus It is a resolute and noble exercise of the grace of faith in which the soule quiets it self in and rests it selfe upon God and Christ expecting and looking for an accomplishment of all the promises as to joy or holinesse notwithstanding all the feares and all the doubts which may arise to the contrary This faith supposeth doubts and feares but it over-comes them It seeth hinderances but it triumphs over them It feeles disquietings but it suppresseth them And whatever the promise be whether for life joy peace comforts deliverance c. it expects a fulfilling of it from God and Christ But Secondly To see this clearer I shall instance in the particulars of this faith and this I shall do 1 Generally 2 Particularly and 3 Specially Generally In our deepest dejections wee are to hold fast cur former faith in any particular We must beleeve all that which ever we did beleeve and know concerning God Christ Scripture c. Some are apt in dejection to bring all things into question To question God Christ and all But now remember whatever thou didst know and beleeve of God and Christ or his wayes out of the Scripture before thou must beleeve the same still Let not Satan draw thee into a doubt much lesse a deniall of former received and professed truths They are all as true now as ever A man who sees houses and trees in the day time doth beleeve that the same houses and trees c. are even in the night when he is in the darke and cannot see them And Saints must beleeve all that in the night of dejection which they saw and beleeved in the day of conversion But Particularly Soules in their deepest dejections ought even in order to their releife and raising to beleeve these three things First The power of God i.e. They ought to beleeve that the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save but he is Almighty and all-sufficient still It was the sinne of unbeleeving Israel that they questioned the Almighties power CAN GOD say they prepare a table in the Wildernesse Behold he smote the rocke that waters gushed out and the streames over-flowed CAN he give bread also CAN hee provide flesh for his people Psal 78.20 Soules under dejection you are apt to dispair even of divine power you are ready to question Gods Can. But you should not you should alway beleeve and say as he did Lord if thou Wilt thou Canst c. It s a choyce passage to this purpose which you have Joh 11.22 Where Martha even when her Brother was dead beleeves Christs power I know that EVEN NOW whatsoever thou wilt aske of God God will give it Marke she beleeved even then when her Brother was dead Mind it O yee dejected soules in your lowest state you must beleeve Christ can helpe and raise Yea Secondly You must beleeve this possibility with reference to your selves Do not say Christ can cure this in another but beleeve he can do it to thee The Leper said thou canst make MEE whole Matth 8.2 As in the point of resurrection of the body it s not enough to beleeve the resurrection of a body but of this body and of thine So Job beleeved with his flesh and his eyes and not anothers should arise chap 19.27 In like manner here in the point of raising from dejection the soule must act faith in or for himselfe He must beleeve that Christ can raise him even him how low or deep soever he be cast down Adde to this Thirdly When the soule is gone thus farre as to beleeve a possibility it must goe farther in beleeving an inclinablenesse at least in God or Christ to do as they can As the soul is to act faith for a possibility that Christ can so it is to act faith for a probability that he wil. The soul must not say that Christ hath forgotten to be kind or that his mercies are cleane gone No it must beleeve that there are some thoughts of it still and that yet there is a mercy in store Mind David in Psalm 40 ult I am poor and needy what then see what followes yet the Lord thinketh on me Surely O sad soule thou must not say as Zion did my God hath forgotten me i.e. altogether cast thee off No thou must beleeve that yet he thinketh at least of thee His heart retaines some love and yet there is some inclination in him to raise and help thee But now to come higher if the soule bee come up here to beleeve these particulars it must goe further to beleeve some Specialls As First It is not enough to retaine faith in fundamentalls and to beleeve a power in Christ though as to our selves and an inclinablenesse to raise But in our dejections we must act faith that yet Christ certainly will help and raise us David saith hee shall yet praise God as health i. e. as his healer After two dayes he WILL revive us and the third day he WILL raise us up and we SHALL live in his sight Hos 6.2 Mind it the Church beleeves it certaine though she leave God to his time he will and wee shall Dejected hearts you must beleeve Christ will raise you Though you bee downe yet you shall arise as it is Mich. 7.8 here then is the first speciall step you must ascend in the acting of faith you must beleeve you shall bee helped Breath O soule upon this stair for you must go higher Secondly You must beleeve That even in your dejections you are not deserted It was Pauls faith though Israel were low yet God had not cast them off Rom. 11.1 Dejected heart Christ is with thee in thy dejections he hath not left thee though thou be low Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God c. Jer. 51.5 you must beleeve Christ is with you though you are not aware of it David did thus neverthelesse I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Psal 73.23 Though Davids foote did slip yet God was with him So Christ is with thee though under the disguise of thy dejection O cast downe soule and thou must beleeve this even in thy