The Souls Humiliation, Doctrine 3
The third Doctrine.
The diſtreſſed ſinner that deſpaires of all ſupply and ſuccour in himſelfe, is driven to ſubmit himſelfe to the Lord God for ſuccour and reliefe.
It is no thankes to the Prodigall that hee comes home now, neither is it any thanks to a poore ſinner that hee returnes after all his wandring away from God, yet better late then never. For the opening of this point I will ſhew two things.
Firſt, What is the behaviour of the heart in this worke of ſubmiſſion, and the manner of it.
Secondly, The reaſons why the Lord drives the heart to this ſtand, and makes it fall downe at the footeſtoole of mercy.
What is ſubjection.The firſt, how the Soule behaves it ſelfe in this ſubjection. The ſinner having a ſight of his owne ſin and being troubled and overwhelmed with the unſupportable ſorrow that attends there unto, and yet he is not able to get power over his ſinne, nor aſſurance of pardon from the Lord; for you muſt conceive the ſinner to bee in the worke of preparation, and hee yet conceives God to bee an enemy againſt him, though he is in a good way to mercy, yet God comes as an angry God againſt him, and hee takes what courſe he can and ſeekes far and wide, and improves all meanes and takes up all dutyes, that (if it were poſſible) he might heale his wounded Soule, and get ground againſt his corruptions, but the truth is, hee finds no ſuccour and receives no comfort in what he hath, nor in what he doth, and therefore being in this deſpairing condition; he ſeeth he cannot avoyd Gods anger, neither can he beare it, therefore he is forced (though loath) to make triall of the kindneſſe of a father, and of the Lord, though for the preſent he apprehends God to be juſt & to be incenſed againſt him, and though hee hath no experience of Gods favour for the while, and no certainty how he ſhall ſpeed if hee come to God; yet becauſe he ſees that he cannot be worſe then hee is, but hee may be better if God pleaſe, and this he knowes that none but God can helpe him: therefore he fals at the footeſtoole of mercy, and lyes grovelling at the gate of grace, and ſubmits himſelfe to God that he may do what he will with him. When Ionah had denounced that heavy judgement and (as it were) throwne wild-fire about the ſtreets, ſaying,Ionah 3.9. within fortie dayes Nineveh ſhall be deſtroyed; See what they reſolve upon, they faſted, and prayed, and put on ſack cloath and aſhes; the Lord in mercy grant that we may take the like courſes, who can tell (ſaid they) but God may turne and repent him of his feirce wrath that we periſh not. As if they had ſaid, we know not what God will do, but this wee know that we cannot oppoſe Gods judgements, nor prevent them, nor ſuccour our ſelves: yet who can tell but the Lord may bee gratious and bountifull, and yet continue peace and goodneſſe to us in this kind; thus it is with a ſinner deſpairing of all ſuccour in himſelfe, when he ſeeth hell fire flaſhing in his face, and that he cannot ſuccour himſelfe, then he ſaith, this I know that all the meanes in the world cannot ſave mee, yet who can tell but the Lord may have mercy upon mee, and cure this diſtreſſed conſcience and heale all theſe wounds that ſinne hath made in my Soule: when Paule went breathing out threatnings againſt the Church of God, and he came furniſhed with letters from the high Prieſts, with all his tricks and implements to perſecute the Saints; the Lord met him and there was a ſingle combat fought between them, the glory of the Lord amazed him, and threw him flat on the ground, and when Paul ſaw that the Lord Ieſus had the advantage againſt him, hee yeilded himſelfe and ſaid,Act. 9.6. Lord what wilt thou have mee to do. This is the lively picture of the Soule in this caſe; this ſubjection diſcovers it ſelfe in foure particulars.
Firſt, take the Soule deſpairing of mercy and ſuccour in himſelfe, hee ſeeth and confeſſeth that the Lord may and (for ought he knowes) will proceed in juſtice againſt him, and execute upon him thoſe plagues that God hath threatned, and his ſinne deſerved; and he ſeeth that Iuſtice is not yet ſatisfied, and all thoſe reckonings betweene God and him are not made up, and therefore he cannot apprehend but that God may and will take vengeance of him; he ſeeth that when he hath done all that he can, he is unprofitable, and Iuſtice remaines unſatisfied, and ſaith, thou haſt ſinned, and I am wronged, and therefore thou ſhalt dye. See what the text ſaith, can a man be profitable to the Lord; as he that is wiſe may be profitable to himſelfe,Iob 22.2, 3. is it any pleaſure to the Almighty that thou art righteous, or is it any gaine to him that thou makeſt thy way perfect. So the Soule ſaith; Is all that I can doe any thing to the Lord, is the Lords Iuſtice any gainer by it? Nay, Iuſtice is yet unſatisfied, becauſe there is ſinne in all that I doe, and therefore Iuſtice may proceed againſt me: therefore the ſoule reſolves, that the Lord may and will: Nay, why ſhould he not come in vengeance, and Iudgement againſt him?
Secondly, he conceives that what God will doe, he can doe, and he cannot avoyd it. The anger of the Lord cannot be reſiſted; If the Lord will come and require the glory of his Iuſtice againſt him, there is no way to avoyd it, nor to beare it, and this cruſheth the heart, and makes the ſoule to be beyond all ſhifts, and evaſions, and all thoſe tricks, whereby it may ſeeme to avoyd the dint of the Lords blow. As Iob ſaith, Hee is one minde and who can turne him, Iob 23.13, 14, 15, 16.and what his ſoule deſireth that doth he. It is admirable to conſider it: for this is it that makes the heart melt and come under; When the Soule ſaith, If God come who can turne him, hee will have his honour from this wretched proud heart of mine, hee will have his glory from mee, either here in my humiliation, or elſe hereafter in my damnation. And in the next verſe, Iob ſaith, Many ſuch things are with him: As if he had ſaid, hee hath many wayes to cruſh a carnall confident heart, and to make it lye low, He wants not meanes to pull downe even the moſt rebellious ſinner under heaven. And now marke what followes, He can cruſh them all; what became of Nimrod, Cain, Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezzar; They are all brought downe; therefore (ſaith he) I am troubled at his preſence, when I conſider it I am afraid, for God maketh my heart ſoft, and the Almightie troubleth mee.
Thirdly, As the ſinner apprehends, that God may doe what he will and he cannot reſiſt him; So the ſoule flings away all ſhifts and tricks that he had, and he reſignes up the power of all his priviledges that he hath to defend himſelfe withall; he caſts away his weapons, and falles downe before the Lord, and reſignes himſelfe into the Soveraigne power and command of God. This was in the Spirit of the Prophet David; 2 Sam. 15.25.26.When the Lord had caſt him out of his Kingdome, hee ſaid to Zadock; Carry backe the Arke of God into the Citie, if I ſhall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord, hee will bring mee backe againe, and ſhew mee both it and his habitation. But if he thus ſay to mee, I have no delight in thee, Behold, here I am, let him doe with mee as ſeemeth good in his eyes. Or as it was with thoſe people,2 King. 10.2.3, 4. 2 Kings 10.2, 3, 4. Where when Iehu ſent this meſſage to the people of Iſrael, ſaying, Now as aſſoone as this letter commeth to you, ſeeing your maſters ſonnes are with you, and there are with you chariots, and armour, and a fenced Citie, looke out even the beſt and fitteſt of your maſters ſonnes, and ſet him on his fathers throne, and fight for your fathers houſe. But the text ſaith, they were all exceedingly afraid, and therefore they ſent word to Iehu and ſaid, two Kings could not ſtand out againſt thee, and then how can we ſtand? We are thy ſervants, and will doe all that thou ſhalt bid us, wee will make no King, doe thou that which is good in thine eyes. This is the frame of a poore Soule: When a poore ſinner will ſtand upon his own priviledges, the Lord ſaith, beare my Iuſtice, and defend thy ſelfe by all that thou haſt if thou canſt; and the Soule ſaith, I am thy ſervant (Lord) doe what is good in thine eyes, I cannot ſuccour my ſelf: therefore the heart gives up it ſelfe to be at the command of God.
Fourthly, The Soule thus yielding up the weapons, and comming in as to an enemy, and as conquered, then in the laſt place the ſoule freely acknowledgeth, that it is in Gods power to doe with him, and to diſpoſe of him as he will; and therefore he lyes and lickes the duſt, and cryes mercy, mercy Lord. He doth not thinke to purchaſe mercy at the Lords hands, but onelyonly ſaith; it is onelyonly in Gods good pleaſure to doe with him as he will, but hee lookes at his favour and cryes, mercy (Lord) to this poore diſtreſſed ſoule of mine. And when the Lord heares a ſinner come from wandring up and downe in his priviledges, the Lord replyes to the ſoule in this manner and ſaith. Doeſt thou need mercy? I had thought thy hearing, and praying, and faſting, would have carried thee to heaven without all hazard, therefore gird up thy loynes, and make thy ferventeſt prayers, and let them meet my Iuſtice, and ſee if they can beare my wrath and purchaſe mercy; Nay (ſaith the ſinner) I know it by lamentable experience, I have prooved, that all my prayers and performances, will never procure peace to my ſoule, nor give any ſatisfaction to thy Iuſtice, I onelyonly pray for mercy, and I deſire onelyonly to heare ſome newes of mercy, to relieve this miſerable and wretched ſoule of mine; it is onelyonly mercy that muſt helpe me; Oh mercy, if it may be poſſible: the iſſue is thus much; The ſinner ſeeth that all he hath, and can do, can never ſuccour him, and therefore he throwes away his carnall confidence, and he ſubmits himſelfe to the Lord; and now he ſeeth that the Lord may juſtly come againſt him, and that his juſtice is not ſatisfied, and that he cannot beare Gods wrath, nor avoyd it, and he caſts away all his ſhifts, and lyes downe at the gate of mercy. As it is with a debtor that ſtands bound for ſome farre greater ſummes, then ever he is able to pay; to ſatisfie of himſelfe he cannot, and his friends will not: and he knowes that the bonds are ſtill in force and his creditor will ſue him; avoyd the ſuit he cannot, and to beare it, he is not able; and therefore he comes in freely, and offers himſelfe, and his perſon, and gives up himſelfe into his creditors hands, onelyonly he beſeecheth him to remit that which he can never pay. Iuſt ſo it is with the ſoule of a poore ſinner. The Soule is the Debtor: and Divine Iuſtice is the Creditor. When the poore ſinner hath uſed all meanes to ſave and ſuccour himſelfe, and to make payment, and he hath (as it were) made a gathering of prayers all the Countrey over, and yet he ſeeth, that there is a controverſie betweene God and him; and yet his ſinne is not pardoned: and God is Iuſt and will have his honour, and he is not able to avoyd the ſuite nor to beare it,Pſal. 139.7, 8. and the Soule ſaith, as David did; Whither ſhall I goe from thy ſpirit? and whither ſhall I flye from thy preſence? if I aſcend up into heaven thou art there, &c. So the Soule ſaith, God will have his payment from this heart blood of mine, if I goe into the Eaſt the Lord will follow mee; and bid his Serjeant Conſcience to arreſt mee, and I ſhall lye and rot in the Priſon of hell for ever. Now the Soule offers himſelfe before the Lord, and ſaith, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee: Oh ſhew mercy (if it be poſſible) to this poore diſtreſſed Soule of mine: thus the Prodigall did. An other Similitude is this. Me thinks the picture of thoſe foure famiſhed Lepers, may fitly reſemble this poore ſinner. When the famine was great in Samaria:2 King. 7.3.8, 9, &c. There were foure leprous men ſate in the gate of the Citie, and they ſaid, Why ſit we here untill we die? If wee enter into the Citie, the famine is there, and if we ſit here wee dye alſo; Now let us therefore fall into the hands of our enemies, if they ſave us alive we ſhall live, and if they kill us we ſhall but die. They had but one meanes to ſuccour themſelves withall, and that was to goe into the Campe of their enemies, come (ſaid they) we will put it to the venture, and ſo they did, and were relieved: This is the lively picture of a poore ſinner in this deſpairing condition. When the Soule of a poore Leprous ſinner is famiſhed for want of comfort, and hee ſeeth the wrath of God purſuing of him, and the Lord beſets him on every ſide: at laſt he reſolves thus with himſelfe, I ſay, when he hath uſed all meanes, and finds ſuccour in none; hee reſolves thus with himſelfe and ſaith, if I goe and reſt upon my priviledges, there is nothing but emptineſſe and weakeneſſe if I truſt in them, and if I reſt in my naturall condition, I periſh there alſo. Let mee therefore fall into the hands of the Lord of Hoſts, who (I confeſſe) hath beene provoked by mee, and for ought I ſee is mine enemy, I am now a damned man, and if the Lord caſt me out of his preſence, I can but be damned that way, and then hee comes to the Lord, and falls downe before the footſtoole of a conſuming God, and ſaith as Iob did, What ſhall I ſay unto thee oh thou preſerver of men? I have no reaſon to plead for my ſelf withall, and I have no power to ſuccour my ſelfe, my accuſations are my beſt excuſe, all the priviledges in the world cannot juſtifie me, and all my duties cannot ſave me, if there be any mercy left, Oh ſuccour a poore diſtreſſed ſinner in the very gall of bitterneſſe. This is the behaviour of the Soule in this work of ſubjection.
The reaſon why the Lord deales thus with the Soule, and why hee plucks a ſinner upon his knees; there is great reaſon why he ſhould doe it. The reaſon is two-fold. Firſt, That the Lord may herein expreſſe and glorifie the greatneſſe of his power. And ſecondly, To ſhew forth the glory of his mercy.
Reaſon. 1 Firſt, the glory of his power is mervailouſly magnified, in that the Lord ſhewes that hee is able to pull downe the proudeſt heart, and to lay low the haughtieſt ſpirit under heaven, and thoſe that have out-braved the God of heaven, and beene oppoſite to him, and deſpiſed the glory of his name. For herein is the glory of his name greatly exalted, that hee makes a poore wretch to come, and creepe and crawle before him, and begge for mercy at his hands, and to be at his diſpoſe.
Exod. 9.27.It is a fine paſſage. You know how Pharaoh would out-face the Lord, ſaying, Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey him? And as the Maſter ſometimes ſaith to his ſervant, You ſhall, And you ſhall doe this ſaith the husband to his wife. This is the ſturdy fierceneſſe of a company of wretches. Well, the Lord let him alone for the while, but in the 27. verſe, when the Lord had freed and delivered his ſervants, and had plagued the Aegyptians with the haile, then Pharaoh ſaid, Now I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods, and that he is righteous, but I and my people are wicked. Where is Pharaoh and Nimrod, and all the reſt of thoſe mighty ones of the world? they are all gone downe to hell, and God hath deſtroyed them, for, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly hee was above them. Herein is the glory of Gods power. So, it is here. As we uſe to ſay, Doe you know ſuch a man? Yes. What was he? A profeſt drunkard, and a deſperate deſpiſer of God and his grace, and one that did hate the very face of an honeſt man. Oh, the Lord hath brought him upon his knees. Oh, admirable (ſaith he) what is he humbled, and is his heart broken? Oh yes, the Lord hath dejected him in that wherein he was proud. As it is amongſt men; If two men be in controverſie, and the one enters into ſuit with the other, and before a man will ſubmit and yeeld himſelfe, hee will dye, and rather ſpend all that he hath then to want his will, and he will make that tongue denie what it hath ſpoken. He thinks this his excellencie: So, it is with our God. Herein is the power of the Almighty magnified, that he hath brought downe thoſe great Leviathans; and all thoſe Nimrods and great Kings, which ſaid, Who is the Lord? hee hath made ſuch as theſe are, to come in; and to ſubmit unto him.
Secondly,The ſecond Meanes. by this meanes the Lord doth mervailouſly promote the praiſe of his mercy. Firſt, Partly for the greatneſſe of it. And ſecondly, partly for the freedome of it. Firſt, in that the Lord helps a poore ſinner at a dead lift, and when all prayers, and hearings prevailed not, and when all priviledges were not able to purchaſe mercy and favour, then the Lord ſhewes mercy. Doth not this argue the excellencie of that Balme? that will cure when all other meanes cannot doe the deede, that the Lord ſhould then (I ſay) looke upon a poore ſinner, and refreſh him with one drop of mercy: Oh, this is unſpeakable mercy! As the Prophet David ſaith, All my bones can ſay, Lord, who is like unto thee? as if hee had ſaid, This eye that hath wept for my ſinnes, this tongue that hath confeſt my ſinnes, and this heart that hath grieved for ſinne, all theſe have beene refreſhed by thee. This prayer is not like to thee, this faſting and theſe priviledges are not like to thee, for theſe could not ſuccour mee; but thou art the Lord that didſt deliver and ſuccour thy poore ſervant. And ſecondly, herein is alſo admirable freeneſſe of mercy; that when the Lords mercy was but lightly looked after, that then the Lord ſhould give mercy, and that to an enemie. For, the Soule can ſay, if any thing in the world would have ſaved mee, I ſhould not have gone to the Lord for mercy; and yet when all would not doe, and when I did not thinke of any ſuch matter, then the Lord ſaved mee. This is free mercy. The hope of Iſrael is not like others, and the God of Iacob is not like other Gods. You diſtreſſed Soules, did not you know the time when God terrified you, and then offered mercy and you would none, but you would ſcramble for mercy, and ſhift for your owne comfort, and yet the Lord brought downe thoſe proud hearts of yours, and when you were at a dead lift, and could find comfort no where elſe, then did the Lord ſhew mercy to your Soules. Was not this free mercy? wonder at it, and give God glory for it, even for ever.
Vſe 1 This being ſo, that the Soule that is throughly humbled, yields to ſubmit it ſelf to the Lord: Then, this is like a Bill of inditement, againſt all the ſtout ones of the world. This ſhewes how unworthy they are of any mercy; Nay, how unfit they are for mercy. They are ſo farre from partaking of Gods mercy, that they will not be humbled, and therefore they cannot be exalted: Nay, they have a baſe eſteeme of it, and ſo they hate their everlaſting ſalvation. For, looke how farre they are from ſubmiſſion, ſo farre they are from the comfort and happineſſe of the Lord. He that will enter in at this ſtrait gate of ſubjection, is ſo farre from ever going in the way to life; that he never ſet one foot (yet) in this way. Let me ſpeake, as once the Prophet did; Heare and tremble all you ſtout ones of the earth, you that account it a matter of credit to caſt off the Commandements of God, and that you can lift up your ſelves againſt the Almightie. Good Lord, is it poſſible? you know what I ſay; there is many one here, and if they be not here, (as commonly they are not) let them heare of it. How is it that men ſlight all corrections, and ſnap all Gods Commandements in ſunder, as Samſon did the Cords, and they ſay, their tongues are their owne, and their luſts are the commands that carry them; Nay, is it not come to this paſſe now adayes (for the Lords ſake thinke of it) that men account it a matter of baſeneſſe of ſpirit to be ſuch childiſh babes, and to be ſo womanniſh, as to ſtoope at every command. Oh, you muſt not be drunke, (ſaith one) it is a hot argument, and are you ſuch a childe as to yield to it. No, let us follow our owne wayes; is it not thus? I appeale to your owne Soules: there are too many guiltie in this place? Doe you thinke to out-brave the Almightie in this manner? doe you provoke the Lord to wrath, and doe you not provoke your Soules to your owne confuſion? Doeſt thou thinke to goe to heaven thus bolt upright: the Lord cannot endure thee here, and will Hee ſuffer thee to dwell with himſelfe for ever in heaven? What, thou to heaven upon theſe termes? Nay, thou muſt not thinke to out-brave the Lord in this manner, and to goe to heaven too? How did the Lord deale with Lucifer, and all thoſe glorious ſpirits? He ſent them all downe to hell for their pride. Let all ſuch ſpirits heare, and know their miſery. I doe not trouble my ſelfe with any matter of indignation, it is no trouble to me, but onelyonly becauſe of your ſinnes, for you are the greateſt objects of pitty under heaven. You that know ſuch, and have ſuch husbands: oh mourne for them exceedingly. The Lord doth deteſt their perſons, As the Wiſe man ſaith;Prov. 11.20. The froward in heart are an abhomination to the Lord. The Lord doth abhorre that heart of thine: And, ſhall God abhominate that proud heart of thine, and yet bleſſe it, and ſave it, and will He dwell with ſuch a heart in heaven? No, he hath ſome body elſe to give heaven to. Secondly, thy eſtate is deſperate here, and marvellous unrecoverable. As the ſame Wiſe man ſaith, He that being often reprooved, hardneth his necke, and will not ſtoope to any counſels, nor reproofes, but ſaith? Who meddles with you, and I know what I have to doe, and let every Tub ſtand uppon his owne bottome. How many of you here have beene reprooved for your ſwearing, but you leave it not. How many of you have beene reprooved for your prophaning of the Lords Day; doe you withdraw your ſelves from it. Oh no ſuch matter! Goe your wayes then and mourne over thoſe hard hearts of yours; and in private ſay thus. This is my ſentence right. The Lord be mercifull to my father (ſaith the child) and the Lord be mercifull to my proud husband, (ſaith the wife), and to my wife (ſaith the husband), are not we they that have beene often reprooved? have not we had ſuch exhortations as have made the Church to ſhake, the divels would have gotten more good if they had had them, and yet we have caſt of all, and we would not come in, we doe not yet pray in our Families, but we throw away all; the Lord hath ſaid it, hee that being often reprooved hardeneth his necke and will not come in, ſhall periſh, hee is gone then, and therefore thou may ſay? Oh my husband is but a dead man, and my childe is a dead childe, he ſhall periſh: but is there no remedy, (may ſome ſay) No, the text ſaith ſo, he ſhall ſuddainly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy. The truth is, I need ſay no more, but you that know your owne hearts, bewaile thoſe hard hearts of yours, that (as the water by continuall dropping, at laſt melts the flint ſo) if it be poſſible thoſe proud hearts of yours may be brought downe. If a drunkard, or an adulterer will ſubmit to the Word there is remedy for them; but there is no remedy for him, that will not yield to the Spirit of God. The Lord bee mercifull to the Soules of them. Will you ſee your ſturdy hearted husbands and children periſh? the Lord in mercy ſet this home to your hearts at laſt, and prevaile with them. Will you periſh, and that ſuddenly? Oh let us pitie them! will you not yield now, but you will ſtand it out to the laſt man?
The Lord comes out in battell aray againſt a proud perſon, and ſingles him out from all the reſt, and when the vyalls of his wrath are poured out upon all wicked ones, (mee thinks) the Lord ſaith, Let that drunkard and that ſwearer alone a while, but let mee deſtroy that proud heart for ever. You ſhall ſubmit in ſpite of your teeth, when the great God of heaven and earth ſhall come to execute vengeance, and doe not think to ſcarre God with your mocks, you that wil ſweare a man out of your company. Conſider that place in Iob, and ſee how the Lord comes with all his full might againſt a proud man.Iob 15.25.26, 27. It is good to read this place often, that God may pull downe our proud hearts. For he ſtretcheth out his hands againſt the Almighty (ſaith the text) and ſtrengtheneth himſelfe againſt God, and he ſaith, I will do it though my life lie at the ſtake for it, he ſtrengthens himſelfe and will doe it. Surely God is afraid of him, he comes ſo well mann'd; the Lord muſt deale ſome way with him to overthrow him. Mark what the text ſaith; The Lord runnes upon him even on his neck, upon the thick boſſes of his bucklers, becauſe hee covereth his face with his fatneſſe, and maketh collops of fat upon his flankes; the Lord comes upon him not at the advantage, but in the height of his pride, and in the rage of his malice the Lord will come upon him, and ruinate him for ever: Thoſe that now ſtand it out, and caſt off all, careleſly throwing away the commandements of God; I would have them at the day of their death to out-ſtand the curſe of God. The Lord God commands to ſanctifie his Sabbaths, and to love his truth and his children, yet, you will not, but you will ſtrive againſt all, I would hauehave you to out-ſtand the curſe of God in the day of judgement, and when the Lord Ieſus ſhall ſay, Depart from me yee curſed into everlaſting fire, ſtand it out now, and ſay, I will not goe to hell (Lord) I will not be damned. No, no; you broke the cords here, but the Lord will binde you in chaines of darkneſſe for ever, remove thoſe chaines if you can. No,Eſay 2.17. the haughtineſſe of men ſhall be brought low, and the loftineſſe of men ſhall be abaſed, and the Lord ſhall onelyonly be exalted in that day.
Vſe 2 The ſecond Uſe is for inſtruction, to ſhew unto us that an humble Soule is mervailous teachable and tractable, and is willing to yeeld unto, and to be guided by any truth; it ſubmits, and there is no quarrelling againſt the commandements of God, one word of Gods mouth is enough. If the Lord reproves, it takes the ſame home to it ſelfe, if the Lord promiſeth, it beleeves; and if the Lord threatens, it trembles. It is eaſie to be convinced of whatſoever it is informed, if it have no good reaſon to gaine-ſay it. It is not of that wayward and pettiſh diſpoſition, that it will not be ſatisfied though all his reaſons be anſwered, and all objections taken away. It is not led by his owne humours, as many a man is, though his conceits be againſt reaſon, and oppoſite againſt God and his grace. Nay, it is content to yeeld to the authority of the truth, and to take the impreſſion of every truth; it heares, and yields,Iob 34.32. and obeyes, and frames it ſelfe anſwerably. As Iob ſaith, That which I know not teach thou mee, and if I have done any iniquity, I will doe ſo no more. The humble Soule is content to confeſſe his ignorance, and to ſubmit to any truth, that may enforme him, and it is content to receive that mercy and grace that is offered, by what meanes ſoever God ſeeth beſt to Communicate it. Nay, the heart that is truly ſubmiſſive, is as willing to take comfort when it is offered upon good grounds, as it is to performe dutie enjoyned. By a fooliſh pettiſhneſſe, the divell withdrawes the hearts of Gods owne people from much comfort, that God hath diſhed out of purpoſe for their benefit. For howſoever the Soule of a poore ſinner be truly touched, yet for want of this lowlineſſe, and this teachableneſſe, and ſubmiſſion it refuſeth, that ſap and ſweet, that it ſhould take and receive from the Lord. Take a poore ſinner, that hath many ſinnes burthening of him, and hee is cruſhed with them, and that in truth he deſires comfort, but receives none: Let the Miniſter of God come, and anſwer all his arguments, and ſatisfie all his quarrels that he can make, and ſet him on a cleare boord, and tell him that the work of grace is cleare, and mercy is appointed for him: Now marke how he flyes of through that ſullenneſſe, and untoward peeviſhneſſe and pride of Spirit, hee caſts away the mercy, and yields not to the comfort offered, though he is content to yield to the duties enjoyned, and ſo he deprives himſelfe of that mercy, and comfort that is offered; and thus when all is done time after time, the Soule ſaith, I ſee it not, and I perceive it not: and all the world ſhall not perſwade me of it. Why? what, are you wiſer then all the world? what a pride of heart is this? Oh ſaith he, another man may be cozened and deceived, but I know my owne heart better then any Miniſter doth. But you tell the Miniſter what your condition is, and ſo, what you know hee knowes, and hee hath more judgement to enforme you, then you have of your ſelfe. Then ſaith the Miniſter, all your cavils and objections are anſwered, and remooved; and all that worke of grace that God hath wrought, you have made it knowne and revealed, and all this is made good by the Word of God; now if all theſe quarrels be anſwered, and if all the reaſons and evidences of the worke of grace be made cleare, that you cannot deny them; then, why may not you take comfort? Downe with that proud heart of yours, that will not beleeve whatſoever the Miniſter ſaith. Oh the height of pride, and haughtineſſe of heart in this caſe! I ſpeake to you to whom comfort and mercy is impropriated, downe with thoſe proud ſpirits I ſay. It is not becauſe you cannot, but becauſe you will not. It is ſaid in Eſay, God prepares the garment of gladneſſe for the ſpirit of heavineſſe. When the Lord ſeeth the ſoule prepared and humbled,Eſa. 61.3. he takes meaſure of it, and diſheth out a comfort anſwerable, he prepares a conſolation as fit as may be, and yet the Soule will not put it on, nor be warned and refreſhed with it; as it is with ſome way-ward & untoward childe, who when his father hath prepared a ſuit of cloathes fitting for him; becauſe he hath not ſuch and ſuch a lace, hee will not put it on, but throwes all away. Oh, it is marvellous pride of ſpirit! a rod, a rod. Even ſo, when the Lord prepares the garment of gladneſſe, you will not put it on, nor receive the comfort that is offered, and ſo ſwelt your owne hearts.
Now I come to this laſt paſſage in this worke of Humiliation, and this is the dead lift of all. The Prodigall doth not ſtand it out with his Father and ſay, I am now come againe, if I may have halfe the rule in the Family, I am content to live with you. No, though he would not ſtay there before, yet now he cannot be kept out, hee is content to be any thing. Oh (ſaith he) I confeſſe I doe deſerve the worſt, but if any man will once helpe me in, and but throw mee over the threſhold, if I may but Scoure the Kettles, or doe any drudgery, I will never out againe. Oh that I could get in once. As if he had ſaid, you that thinke nothing ſufficient, if you had taſted the bitterneſſe of affliction as I have done, you would be glad of any thing in a Fathers houſe; Come all you drunkards, and adulterers, you will needs away from God, and his grace? I tell you, if you were bitten and troubled as I have beene, then you would ſay, it is good being in a Fathers houſe, and it is good yielding to the Lord upon any termes: as it was with this Prodigall: So it is with every Soule that is truly humbled with the ſenſe of his owne vileneſſe. When the Soule ſeeth that no duties will quiet his Conſcience, nor get the pardon of his ſinne, he comes home and is content, (not onelyonly to take up the profeſſion of the Goſpel upon ſome agreements with the Lord, and to ſay, if I may have honours, and preferments, and eaſe, and libertie, and the like, then I am content to follow it. Nay, the Soule ſaith, let mee be a miſerable ſlave and impriſoned, let mee be a ſervant, and be brought to the heavieſt hazards, I care not what I be, if the Lord will but receive mee to mercy. Lord (ſaith he) ſhew mee mercy, and if I am content to be, and to ſuffer any thing. So from hence the Doctrine is this.