The Saints Sacrifice, Section 46
§. 46. Of the ſpirituall rest of Saints.
III. *§. 43.THe rest proper to Saints is ſpirituall. It is ſuch a reſt as may ſtand with tribulation in this Bona & tranquilla conſcientia eſt lectus anima▪ In hoc requiem capit anima. Bern. S…rm parv. 1.world. It is a peace which they have in Chriſt, (Ioh. 16. 33.) a peace with God, (Rom. 5. 1.) a peace of God that paſſeth all vnderſtanding, that keepeth mens hearts andminds (Phil. 4. 7.) a peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, oppoſed to meate and drinke, (Rom. 14. 17.) A peace of conſcience: For, a good and quiet conſcience is the bed of the ſoule, in which it ſweetly and quietly reſteth.
This is the beſt, trueſt, and ſureſt reſt: a reſt that ſuſtaineth a mans infirmity: bSee The whole Armour of God▪ Treat. 2. part. 5 §. 724.a reſt that not only quieteth the ſoule when the body is diſquieted, but alſo moderateth and mitigateth the diſquietneſſe of the body. This maketh us eRom. 5. 3.glory in tribulations. What made fAct. 12 6.Peter to ſleepe quietly betweene ſouldiers, bound with chaines? What made gAct. 16. 23, 24, 25.Paul and S…las, having beene ſorely ſcourged, caſt into priſon, and their feet made fast in the ſtockes, at midnight to ſing? Surely this ſpirituall reſt wherein their ſoules were repoſed: this peace of God. This being the beſt reſt, God provideth it for his beſt-beloved.
Inſtruction in the true eſtate of Saints.1. Take evidence hereby of the true eſtate of Saints: and be inſtructed in the manner of Gods dealing with them. True it is that he putteth them to many trialls: hHeb. 12. 6, 8.The Lord ſcourgeth every ſonne that he receiveth. All are partakers of chaſtiſement. i2 Tim. 3. 12.All that will live godly in Chriſt Ieſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution. Yet as true it is, that the Lord affordeth Diſcamus captivos Dei ſerves non deſeri a Domino ſao. Aug. Epiſt 122 ad Victorian.ſufficient ſupportance, yea, and comfort alſo in all their troubles, that we may learne that Gods captived ſervants are not forſaken of him. k1 Cor. 10. 13.God is faithfull who will not ſuffer his to be tempted above that they are able to heare. As lMar 2. 27.Christ ſaid of the Sabbath, I may ſay of the afflictions of Saints. Afflictions are for the Saints, and not the Saints for afflictions. Therefore God correcteth us mHeb 12. 10.for our profit: and from thence iſſueth n—11.the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſſe unto them that are exerciſed thereby. The aſſiſtance, comfort, peace, and joy which God giveth even in troubles and afflictions, miniſtreth juſt cauſe for us all to ſay, o2 Cor. 4. 8, 9.We are troubled on every ſide, yet not distreſſed: we are perplexed, but not in deſpaire: perſecuted, but not forſaken: caſt downe, but not destroyed. This is the benefit of ſpirituall reſt, that temporall troubles do not diſturbe the ſame. If any be diſquieted, and unſetled (as we heard before ſome might be) it is their owne weakeneſſe. They have a reſt to returne unto ordained, revealed by God: whereunto when they recall their ſpirit, they will returne as here the Prophet doth. If thus there be peace and reſt to Saints in times of trialls and troubles, inward peace, ſpirituall reſt in outward trialls, and temporall troubles, who can doubt of their reſt in halcyon, in quiet and peaceable times, when there is nothing to diſturbe the ſame. The world is altogether ignorant of this peace. If they had a true and due underſtanding thereof, their mouthes would not be ſo opened as they are againſt Saints by reaſon of their troubles.
Information in the difference betwixt Saints and worldlings.2. Take notice hereby of the difference betwixt the condition of beleevers and unbeleevers, ſervants of the Lord, and ſlaves of the Devill. They have their reſt: a reſt that may ſtand with externall unquietneſſe. Though in body, and in outward eſtate they may ſeeme to have no reſt: though in that reſpect they may be thought, qMat. 8. 20.as Chriſt, to be in a worſe caſe then foxes, that have▪holes, and birds of the aire that have neſts, becauſe they have not where to reſt their head: yet have they a reſt for their ſoule: a reſt that refreſheth and ſolaceth both ſoule and body. But it is otherwiſe with the wicked. The wicked are like the troubled ſea, when it cannot rest, whoſe waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked, Iſay. 57. 20, 21. Though they have health of body, and all outward proſperitie, though by reaſon thereof they ſay (as the rich foole did Luke 12. 19.) to their ſoule, Take thine eaſe, eate, drinks, and … merrie: Yet cannot this be but onelyonly to the teeth Videntur habere tranquillitate…, videntur quietefrui: ſed non eſt quies ub▪ a…imus inquietus eſt: non e… tranquillitas mentis ubi animus exagitatur obnoxi… flimul… conſcienti…. Amb. Comment in Pſal. 112. Serm 17. verſ▪ 5.outward. They ſeeme to have reſt, and to enjoy quiet. But that is no reſt where the ſoule is reſtleſſe. That is no peace of mind, where the mind is troubled with ſtings of a guilty conſcience. Their conſcience is like to the fore-mentioned troubled ſea. If they feele it not, it is becauſe they are intoxicated, and made ſenſleſſe, as the drunkard that lieth downe in the midſt of the ſea, or upon the top of a maſt, and feeleth nothing, Prev. 23. 34, 35. Their conſcience is ſeared with an hot iron, (1 Tim. 4. 2.) When it is rouſed it wilbe as a roaring lion, and aranging beare: or a beare robbed of her whelpes. Pro. 28. 15. & 17. 12.
3. Envy not (O ye Saints) the reſt whereof the men of this world ſo much boaſt: returne to your owne reſt: reſt ſatisfied therewith. In your greateſt troubles meditate Exhortation to reſt content in ſpirituall reſt.thereon, ſolace your ſelves therein. The mariner in hope of comming to a calme haven, patiently endureth all manner of ſtormes while he is on ſea. Should not Saints much more quietly beare all manner of troubles, not onelyonly in expectation Hebr. 4. 9.of that … which remaineth to the people of God, but alſo in regard of that inward ſpirituall reſt which they have in the midſt of their greateſt afflictions.