spirit and that ariseth from ignorance and that in three cases First when a man hath no knowledge in the Word darknesse makes one fearefull and causes errour Secondly when his conscience seemes to be greater than his knowledge as in scrupulosities Thirdly when hee cannot put a difference betweene himselfe and Satan in his temptations and abhorred suggestions Of this see notes on Iames 4. hence come horrours perplexities these must be preuented First by sticking only to the Word which sets our bounds Secondly by getting knowledge in the Word Philip. 1. and a discerning spirit Thirdly there is wounding of the Spirit that is vsually done by sinnes against light and knowledge there is a threefold light belonging to Gods children First one of nature which is implanted sinnes against this sting as vnnaturall lusts murders the like Secondly one of Scripture and acquired rather reuealed light sinnes against this wound so much the more by how much the more cleare the euidence is the most euident truths are the first principles which proue but need no proofe thus first it is a stinging sinne to deny the Scripture secondly to reuege expresse truths therein contained or to disobey things daily vrged thirdly of grace or infused light Thus when a man sinnes against knowledge purpose vow grace receiued this is fearfull and makes many thinke that their sinnes are vnpardonable and against the Holy Ghost Fourthly there is deading and searing of the spirit as the body is subiect to two kinds of diseases and maimes some that affect and afflict sense some that depriue of sense as violent blowes palsies c so is the spirit also Now this is the most fearfull case of all and comes to passe three wayes First when men commit some horrible sinne which strikes out the eye or layes one for dead like a blow on the head Secondly when they shunne all meanes of awakening conscience runne from the Word from Saints that admonish from thoughts of death c. Thirdly when they force conscience and vse all meanes to stop its mouth and to crush it for euer this is as searing after cutting when a man neuer meanes to haue the part againe but to take away all sense feare these diseases aboue all Thirdly Vse 3 this may be for comfort to those whose consciences are not wounded Quest What is the difference betweene a spirit healed and a spirit deaded or deluded Ans 1. Looke to the meanes and medicines healing whether our peace arise from faith repentance the word 2. A healed conscience is pure and cleare throughout the other spirits make no conscience at all or onely of some things 1 Pet. 3.21 3. A healed conscience makes interrogatories to God first if doubts arise it saith as Rebecca Gen. 26. Why am I thus and prayes to God the rest are stiffe and shun all questions 4. A healed spirit pities others in this case the dead heart cannot abide the name of conscience but saith as Pilate what is truth so what is conscience the deluded spirit is fierce towards all but those that be of his minde as all Heretickes and Schismatikes proue Now if our pulse beat right and we haue the comfort of a sanctified conscience keepe it by two meanes First by selfe deniall a man must deny himselfe in his meanes riches friends c. Secondly in his hopes and owne worth first be nothing in himselfe secondly expect all from Christ thirdly in his sense and feeling he must winke and put himselfe into Gods hands that is liue by faith as Luther did rest on the naked Word without any pawne as Abraham did Pitie the wounded spirit Vse 4 if we heare that a man hath broken his leg or arme we pitie him how much more should we bleed with the broken heart and bleeding spirit and furnish our selues first with wisdome that so we may be able secondly with loue that so we may bee willing to succour such See notes on Psalm 43. Rom. 15. but more of this elsewhere therefore here an end FINIS
to come can hurt labour to be thus happy Quest But you will say how should wee attaine to it Ans Why get a good spirit first naturally good a chearefull spirit That if a man be sicke is a medicine saith Salomon a good cordiall Prou. 17.22 That if a man be poore is a continuall feast Prou. 15.15 23. if pained is health to the bones esteeme of that as of a great mercy A nimble hand a nimble foot a nimble eye a nimble wit a nimble tongue is good but a nimble spirit is better therefore if thou hast that be thankfull and chearefull if thou hast it not endeuour to get it and being dull whet it Secondly spiritually good nature may be ouercome that is as the string of an instrument which snaps in two if it be strained too high thus some crosses are too hard for nature for nature hath its latitude as a bow its compasse and must not be ouer-mastered But spirituall ioy cannot be lost Iohn 16. none can take it from vs Iohn 16. It cannot be vanquished it is strong therefore get this and keepe this which that you may doe thus doe First if you will haue spirituall ioy rest with you you must dislodge and discard two home-bred Inmates as first carnall delights secondly sinfull lusts First take heed of entertaining carnall delights rest not in wealth trust not to men rely not on wines meats musicke pleasures company c. these will deceiue in times of distresse besides that nature quickly putrifies and turnes to corruption and so proues banefull Secondly take heed of sinfull lusts these are so farre from bringing peace to the soule as that they warre against it 1 Pet. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peter saith They are so farre from comforting that they oppresse as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Luke 21.34 the end of this mirth is heauinesse of spirit Rom. 2. sorrow feare anguish tribulation and wo vpon euery soule that sinneth c. Therefore conceiue of sinne yea euery sinne as of a disease a wound an enemie to peace and complaine and striue against it for so long as sin is relished no peace nor strength can be had Secondly these two euills purged out thou must apply thy selfe to means of comfort Of meanes of comfort see more Psal 43. which giue first entrance secondly accomplishment to thy comfort Of the first sort our Sauiour in the fifth of Matthew mentions these Matth. 5. First pouerty of spirit a man must first see himselfe destitute of all good and meanes to attaine it and be emptied of the creature Secondly he must mourne for that leads to true comfort godly sorrow lets in spirituall ioy Thirdly he must be mâ—…ke and put vpon him a resolution of suffering any thing for righteousnesse sake of god Fourthly bring good affections to all Gods ordinances and draw waters with ioy out of Gods sauing wells Esay 12. and drink of Christs wines Cant. 2.4 Lastly he must get faith in Christ cast himselfe vpon Gods mercies in Christs merits and thus it is gotten Now in the next place care must be had to keepe this life of spirit as well as to get it and to doe that First a man must keepe himselfe vnspotted of sinne and not returne to folly but if he be soiled still wash make euen by euening as in the Law Secondly walke in truth and faith still exercise faith to begin with that first in meditating of and applying the promises generall and particular Secondly still walke in the light and keepe thy selfe in Gods presence 1 Iohn 1. so peace shall be vpon thee and the spirit will be held vp in chearefulnesse is nothing heauie nothing better a man shall be able to goe thorow fire and water Thirdly Vse 4 this is for comfort to those that haue such a spirit natural courage and chearefulnesse carries one thorow many things spirituall courage carries thorow all that which nature flesh and bloud quakes at grace will trample vpon nature shrinkes at paine grace beares it nature yeelds to sicknesse grace stands it out nature buckles and bends vnder griefe grace swallowes it vp nature quakes at death trembles at the racking of the sinewes breaking of the bones broiling in the fire and the like and cries out Oh it is intolerable grace speakes in his words I can doe any thing through Christ that strengthens me Philip. 4. And when it is put to it then it workes most powerfully a Christian neuer knows his strength rather Gods strength till hee be put vpon it then he findes that tolerable which he thought to be intolerable and there meets with greatest comfort where he expected least and as a man in bed whilest he plods on the stormie weather abroad thinkes it not to be endured but when bee is one in it what with busling what with cloathes he passes thorow it So it is here c. Oh the strength of the spirit it is great he is stronger that is in vs than he that is in the world Magna est vis conscientiae in vtramque partem cis Oh the power of conscience both wayes as it makes a happie estate miserable if bad so a miserable condition blessed when good Oh the consolations of the Lord they are vnspeakable the rage of fire beasts men deuills c. doth not passe vnderstanding Reason can fadome finite things 1 Cor. 2.9 Philip. 4.7 but the comforts of God passe all vnderstanding wee cannot conceiue how a man should beare such things as some haue borne but we see they did beare them we see our selues borne thorow those things which we thought before vnsufferable Therefore rest on God hold your hearts in peace with him Reioyce in him and your spirits and Gods Spirit ioyning together will beare any burden that hee will lay vpon you his promise is past you shall not bee tempted aboue your strength 1. Cor. 10. Fourthly Vse 4 blesse God for a good inside you that have it euer blesse him for a purified conscience a quiet spirit this is your life your meat your strength your all in all This makes the Christian laugh better cheap than another beare with more patience than another liue with more comfort dye with more confidence than another while the heart is whole all is well Therefore if without thou finde no money in purse no friend in Towne no ease in body no comfort in life yet findest faith patience assurance of Gods loue within reioyce in thy estate blesse God for it the estate is as the man is the man is as the minde is and as is the spirit a comfortable spirit makes a comfortable estate Quest But how shall I discerne betweene naturall and spirituall comfort Answ Spirituall cheerefulnesse comes first from faith in Christ Secondly from loue to God and Saints Thirdly begets boldnesse in prayer as Saint Iohn speakes Besides naturall chearefulnesse may be ouertopt by euils First Naturall for our weaknesse
Heathens endured by the power of Reason a Christian may doe more because grace refines and fortifies Reason and cleares a mans sight partly by expelling the mists that arise from the valley of the affections partly by aduancing Reason to a higher pirch for Reason and Grace differ in sight as a high and low man Grace being the taller lifts vp Reason and makes it see ouer those miseries that reason of it selfe could see no end of and hence perswades patience Secondly Reas 2 a comfortable spirit carries with it a good conscience confidence and boldnesse discouragement still weakens but a good spirit sends forth those warming graces into the whole man that is to say Christian courage boldnesse and the like which keepe a mans head aboue water in all miseries Thirdly Reas 3 a comfortable spirit hath a present remedy if any thing offend it as some stomackes haue by vomitting it runs to God nor is it close and reserued vnseasonably towards Man and so after some meanes vsed it recouers it selfe a good word raises the spirit thus vttering it selfe Prou. 12.25 Fourthly a comfortable spirit is not alone Reas 4 a good heart hath the Word on its side Christ on its side and the Spirit of God helpes Rom. 8. as Rom. 8. and the ioy of the Lord is strength Nehem 8. Nehem. 8. and the Spirit of God is a Spirit saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.7 of power and strength We see Satans spirit can breake thorow many bonds as in the Gospell benum a man in greatest torments as in some Heretikes how much more then shall that spirit which is accompanied with Gods Spirit breake thorow all But as we must note the reason why so wee should haue noted aboue the extent how farre the spirit sustaines a man First Generally in all things touching his calling and condition considered First as a man Secondly a ciuill man Thirdly a Christian man More particularly it vpholds him in being and keeps out death till it may depart with honour The soule it selfe departs with its treasure and passes through all pikes home to heauen and leaues the body not without hopes of following it in due time Secondly it vpholds him in libertie though the outward man be restrained yet the soule knowes not what captiuity meanes in despight of all encounters it will to heauen and there be free Thirdly it vpholds one in confidence and makes him say Yet there is hope and Ezra 10. Though hee kill me yet I will trust in him Iob 13. I will not forsake my vprightnesse c. Fourthly it vpholds him in chearefulnesse as the mother cannot but smile in the morning if the childe laugh vpon her though she haue had a tedious night with it so Gods childe cannot but laugh vnder all if God smile vpon him and pull vp his feet as Iacob did when he lay a dying In Gods light he sees light in greatest darknesse and the coūtenance of God is more to him than corne and oile Psal 4. Psalm 63.3 yea than life it selfe shew vs thy face and we line saith the Church often Psalm 80. See first for humbling whence our foiles and failings spring Vse not from the greatnesse of our afflictions but from the faintnesse of our spirits so that hence we may inferre for our selues what Salomon doth for others If we faint in the day of trouble Prou. 24.10 our strength is weake indeed when the childe stumbles he blames not his owne feeblenesse but outward impediments so we when in sicknesse we fret and chafe when in paine we rage and cry when in pouertie we shrinke and shiuer when in persecution we quake and tremble when in our callings we faint and droupe we doe not looke inward and obserue the guile guilt vnsetlednesse and feeblenesse of our spirits but runne outward to the occasions and complaine Our sicknesse is such as none can beare our paine such as none can brooke our states are vncurable our incumbrances vnsufferable and the miseries and troubles wee are put vnto intolerable Iust like the sore childe who cries out of his shooe when the fault is in the foot and the sicke patient which faults his bed when he should his backe For first what saith Salomon The spirit of a man rightly ordered beares his wound if sicknesse be the wound a good spirit will beare it if pouertie if disgrace if imprisonment if fire a good spirit will goe vnder all There is no gulfe so deepe but a good spirit will thorow it no mountaine so high but a good spirit will ouer it Next we see Salomons words verified in many instances What wound hath not a good heart borne heretofore speak of pouerty some haue sung vnder it of paine some haue laughed at it of imprisonment some haue reioyced in it of flames some haue embraced them with cheerefulnesse Whence then is it that where others sing wee weepe where others reioyced and triumphed we are altogether disheartned and discouraged Is it because our miseries and trialls are greater than others Alas no they must not bee brought into any comparison with other mens with Iobs Pauls the Martyrs Whence then is it truly the distraction growes from the Inside they were vpright we guilefull they were at peace with God we are vnreconciled they were filled with the treasures of wisdome faith zeale and the like we are empty they were rauished with the comforts of God and consolations of the spirit wee are vnacquainted with them they were armed with the power of God and patience of Iesus Christ we are naked they kept themselues in the loue of God wee interrupt our peace and make a breach into our consciences Hence they looked vpon Men Lions Deuils with an vndaunted countenance and walked thorow rackes and gaoles and gyues and deaths and hells without startling and we flie when none pursues vs and quake at the shaking of a lease oh now see your weaknesse and say my griefes my troubles my burdens be not greater than others but my truth faith humility peace ioy patience courage comfort in the inward man is lesse than others else I might beare my burden sith a good spirit will be as Simon to Christ his Crosse-bearer Secondly Vse 2 it may serue for instruction hence learne Pauls art how to beare any thing a Christians dutie stands in these two things First to doe any good Secondly to beare if need be any euill this latter is hard but not impossible to a man-like spirit there is an art of bearing worth the studying some men desire to know all things some to doe any thing but he is likeliest to speed best that can endure any thing that can with Paul abound and want Philip. 4. be in good and euill report can be sicke can be pained can looke vpon fetters and whips and stockes and stones and deaths as Paul could he is a happie man whom God will not hurt whom men nor deuils nor things present nor things