The Saints Sacrifice, Section 47 – Section 48
§. 47. Of Gods favour the reſt of Saints.
IIII. *§ 43.SEnſe of Gods favour is the ground of Saints reſt. After▪ the Prophet had expoſtulated with his ſoule about her unquietneſſe, he gave this advice, aPſal. 42. 11.—43. 5.hope in God, as the onelyonly meanes of ſetling his ſoule. Faith is it that perſwadeth the ſoule of Gods favour: hence is it that bRom. 5. 1.being juſtified by faith we have peace with God. Yea becauſe this peace relieth on Gods favour, it is called cPhil. 4. 7.the peace of God. When David was in one of the moſt deſperate diſtreſſes that ever befell him, it is ſaid, that d1 Sam. 30. 6.he encouraged himſelfe in the Lord his God. The aſſurance that he had of Gods favour, and confidence that the Lord was his God, ſupported him, and moved him to reſt thereon. Many are the Metaphors which to this end are applied to God, as ePſal. 18. 2.Rocke, fortreſſe, deliverer, ſtrength, buckler, horne of ſalvation, high tower, f—46. 1.refuge, g—16. 5.portion of inheritance, maintainer of lot, h—119 114.hiding place, i—71. 3.ſtrong habitation whereunto we may continually reſort.
1. Nothing can ſatisfie the ſoules of Saints but Gods favour. They find all other things to be kEcl. 1. & 2.vanitie and vexation of ſpirit. Whereas therefore others ſay, lPſal. 4. 6.Who will ſhew us any good, Saints ſay LOrd lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
2. Gods favour is that proper place whither a ſoule well enlightned and rectified (as the ſoules of the Saints are) aſpireth. Now nothing reſteth till it comes to its proper place. Inſtance light things that flie upward, and heavy things that fall downeward.
Pſal. 42. 1, 2.3. The uttermoſt end, wherunto the Saints referre all their endeavours is to be accepted of God. All things which adviſedly they do, are but as means for attaining to that end. Now till men attaine to that maine end at which they aime, they cannot thinke of a perpetuall reſt. A traveller hath no ſetled reſt till he come to his journeyes end: nor a mariner, nor a ſouldier, nor any other that propoſeth a weighty end to himſelfe.
Inſtruction in the reſtleſſe reſts of m…n.1. Let this onelyonly true reſt be well obſerved: let us be well inſtructed therein: and that the rather becauſe all of all ſorts deſire reſt: but moſt, yea and all that are not thorowly inſtructed in this true reſt, are deceived thereabout. He that is deſtitute of the needfull things of this world, ſuppoſeth that if he had bread to eate and raiment to put on, he ſhould ſay to his ſoule be at reſt. He that is in paine conceives that if he had eaſe he ſhould reſt, and deſire no more. So he that is ſicke, if he had recovery▪ he that is in priſon, if he had liberty: he that is in any diſtreſſe, if he had releaſe. Yet when their deſire is accompliſhed they are as reſtleſſe as before. After one thing is obtained, another is deſired. Greater contentment is ſuppoſed to be in the things of this world by them that want them, then can be found to be by them that enjoy them. Hence is it that wealth to the covetous, honour to the ambitious, pleaſure to the voluptuous man, and all things here below to ſuch as deſire them, are as water to him that hath Quo plusſunt potae, plu… ſ…iun tur aqu…. Ovid Faſt. lib. 1. Ecl. 1. 8.a dropſie, the more is drunke the more is deſired. The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the eare filled with hearing. No humane knowledge ſatisfieth the Philoſopher: no inventions, no indulgences the ſuperſtitious perſon. All things out of God are as ice, ſnow, dew, and other lïke meteors: …pic… compara… mari quod nu… quam poteſt qui …ſ…ere…ſed e…iam in ſumma tran quillitat…, fractis ad li…ora volvitur ſ…ctibus: ſinis que cius lutum eſt, & conculca tio. Hier Comment l. 16. in Eſai. 57. Admonition not to reſt till we attaine the true reſt. Gen. 8. 9.they waſte in uſing; they ſoone melt or drie away. In conſideration hereof ſaith the Prophet, (Iſa. 55. 2.) Wherefore do ye ſpend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? Pro. 23. 5. As all naturall men are unſatisfied in all their deſires and endeavours, ſo among others, they who moſt ſet their thoughts and hearts on miſchiefe. Fitly doth the Prophet (Iſa. 57. 20.) reſemble ſuch to the troubled ſea when it cannot reſt. Yea in the greateſt calme it beats againſt the ſhore, and raiſeth waves, which caſt up mire and dirt.
2. Seeing out of God there is no reſt, let the Lord and his favour be to thee as the Arke was to the Dove. While ſhe was out of the Arke ſhe found no rest for the ſole of her foot. Give no ſleepe to thine eyes, nor ſlumber to thine eye-lids till thou haſt found out this reſt for thy ſoule, aſſurance of Gods favour. To be reſtleſſe till we find this reſt, Luke 1. 53. Rev. 21. 6.wilbe a meanes to find it. The Lord filleth the hungry with good things. He giveth to him that is athirſt of the fountaine of life freely.
Direction for aſſurance of Gods favour. See The Whole Armour of God, Treat. 2. Part. 6 § 71. 72.3. For gaining ſuch aſſurance of Gods favour as may make thee reſt ſecurely therein, obſerve theſe rules.
1. Acquaint thy ſelfe with Gods promiſes, which are the onelyonly true ſure ground of faith and confidence. For Gods promiſes are declarations of Gods favour towards man: what God promiſeth, man may ſafely reſt upon. It Pſal. 119 49.was Gods promiſe whereof David thus ſaith, Ʋpon it thou haſt cauſed me to hope.
2. Meditate ſeriouſly and frequently on Gods properties, as on his grace, mercy, truth, power, &c. This meditation See The Whole Armour of God Treat. 2. Part 6 §. 25, &c.added to faith in Gods promiſes, wilbe as oyle put into a lamp, which will continue the life and light of it. *Verſ 5. §. 26The forementioned deſcription of God by his divine properties ſheweth that the faith of this Prophet in Gods favour was nouriſhed thereby.
3. Obſerve Gods former dealing with thee: and call to mind ſuch evidences of his favour as he hath ſhewed to thee in former times. This will give thee evidence of his preſent good-will towards thee: for whom he once loveth Ioh. 13. 1. Ier. 31. 3. Iſa. 49 14, &che ever loveth; he loveth his with an everlaſting love. When Zion ſaid, The Lord hath forſaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me, this anſwer was replied, Can a woman forget her ſucking child, &c? Yea they may forget, yet will not I forget thee, &c. ſaith the Lord.
4. When thy affections are much prone to heavineſſe, and thy heart much miſgiveth thee (as we ſpeake) by reaſon of doubts and feares, let thy judgement grounded on Gods Word and Promiſes ſupport thee. A right underſtanding of Gods promiſes are of force to keep an heavy ſpirit from ſinking. A mans judgement well informed, will convince his affections of folly when they make doubt of Gods favour, and ſo bring them to yeeld to that which it conceiveth to be truth.
Exhortation to reſt in Gods favour. Pſal. 119. 114. foreignHaving ſome evidences of Gods favour towards thee, repoſe thy ſelfe therein. Say to God as the Pſalmiſt doth, Thou art my hiding place. The beaſts of the wilderneſſe that have their dennes, and hiding places, uſe on all occaſions to have recourſe thereunto. In their dennes they ſleepe ſecurely: to their dennes they carry their prey, and there eate Iob 37. 8.—…8. 40. Pſal. 104. 22it: when they are wounded, or any way hurt, they make to their dennes▪ there they licke themſelves whole, if at leaſt they can: but if their hurt be mortall ſo as they muſt needs die, they will die in their dens. Thus ought we to make the Lord our den, our hiding place, and in all conditions, on all occaſions to repoſe our ſelves in him and his favour. If we have cauſe of joy, to rejoyce in the Lord; if of ſorrow, to Inh…rete illi qui ſecit v…s. State c… eo & ſtabitis Requieſcite in eo, & quieti eri…s. Aug. Confeſſ l 4 c. 12.mourne and …hed our teares in his boſome: while we live, to live in him, when we die, to die in him: even within the armes of his favour. Thus ſhalt thou be ſure to be ſafe in all eſtates; for ſafe is he whom the Lord doth keepe. O cleave to him therefore who hath made you. Stand with him, and ye ſhall ſtand ſafe. Reſt in him, and ye ſhall be in quiet reſt.
§. 48. Of comforting and quickening ones ſelfe.
V. *§. 43.MEn muſt ſtirre up themſelves to that which they ſee to be good for them. As the Prophet doth here ſtirre up his ſoule to returne unto her reſt, ſo in other places to aPſal. 42. 5.hope in God, b—62. 5.to wait upon God, c—103. 2.to remember all his benefits: yea and d—146. 1.to praiſe the Lord. To the proofe of this point tend all ſuch exhortations as in Scripture are made in the firſt perſon, as ſuch as theſe, eHeb. 4. 11.Let us labour to enter in that reſt. f—16.Let us goe boldly to the throne of grace. g—6. 1.Let us goe on to perfection. h—10. 22.Let us draw neare with a true heart, &c. By theſe, men of God ſtirred up themſelves as well as others.
For even they, who are in place and have any calling, to ſtirre up others, iAct. 14, 15.are men of like paſſions with others, and are not only ſubject, but prone alſo to waxe dull, cold, backward to holy duties, even to ſuch as tend to their ſpirituall comfort. *§ 44.We have ſhewed that the beſt may be much diſquieted and reſtleſſe. And therefore have need to k2 Tim. 1 6.ſtirre up the gift of God that is in them.
Quest. How can this be?
Anſ. 1. By putting difference betwixt the underſtanding and affections. The underſtanding is in man as a miſtreſſe, the affections are as hand-maidens. The miſtreſſe may ſee that to be very meet to be done which the hand-maidens are loth to doe, and thereupon quicken them.
2. By diſtinguiſhing betwixt the ſpirit and fleſh. lMat. 26. 41.The ſpirit is oft willing when the fleſh is weake. Yea when mRom 7. 22, 23.the inward man delighteth in the law of God, the outward man warreth againſt it. Now all theſe being in man, when the underſtanding inciteth the affections, and the ſpirit driveth away the heavineſſe of the fleſh, man is ſaid to ſtirre up himſelfe.
Direction for counſelling ones ſelfe.Learne here how beneficiall a man may be to himſelfe: how he may inſtruct, direct, encourage, and comfort himſelfe: namely by well uſing that light of underſtanding which God giveth him, and by applying that wherein he is well informed to himſelfe. On this ground when we are tempted to a ſinne, when we find paſſion, pride, luſt, or any other corruption beginning to ariſe in us, let us make our caſe to be anothers caſe, and by our underſtanding reaſon with our ſoules as if they were other perſons: and what we would in ſuch caſes ſay to others, let us ſay to our owne ſoules, as the Pſalmiſt, Why art thou diſquieted O my ſoule? Pſal. 42 5. Spera in Domine, reſpondet conturbanti ſe animae ſuae, & quaſi rationem reddenti pertur bationis ſu… propter mala quibus abun…at hic mundus. Aug. Enar. in Pſal 41.And here, returne unto thy rest, O my ſoule. Many that much doubt, and even deſpaire themſelves, can produce ſound grounds to move others to be confident in God, which if they would preſſe upon their owne ſoules, they might be much quickened thereby. They can tell others, that when God ſeemes to hide himſelfe, it is but a cloud that keepeth away the brightneſſe of Gods favour, which ſhall be driven away, and therefore they ought to hope and waite. They can tell others, that temptations to ſin muſt be reſiſted, and that by reſiſting of them, they will be vanquiſhed. They can ſet a catalogue of promiſes before others in their conflicts, and bee plentifull and powerfull in perſwading others to bounden duties, and diſſwading them from diſgracefull vices. If thus they would deale with themſelves, what good might they do to themſelves? Thus ſhould they neuer want (no not when they are moſt retired, moſt private, even by themſelves alone) an inſtructer, a directer, a counſeller, a comforter. And no counſeller, no comforter can be more powerfull with a mans ſoule, then himſelfe.