The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 16 · Section 4
SECTION 4. A removall of feares riſing from doubts of Gods love.
THere are very many, who have true proofes that they are the Elect of God, and have reaſon to thinke, that God not onelyonly can, but will doe them good: yet becauſe they will deny that to bee beſtowed upon them, and to be in them which indeed is, therefore they feare, and are cauſeleſly diſquieted. I would have ſuch to conſider firſt, whether they have not in them already evident proofes and ſigues of GODS effectuall love towards them in Chriſt. Theſe will acknowledge, that it is moſt true, that if they were ſure, that GOD did love them, they ſhould not feare; but this is all their doubt, that GOD doth not love them.
Some give this reaſon of theirDoubts of Gods love becauſe of their grie vous afflictions, removed. doubt. God hath afflicted them, and ſtill doth Plague them, yea, albeit they have profeſſed the name of Chriſt, they are in ſome thing or other chaſtened daily, in ſo much that they ſeeme to bee in the condition of thoſe whom GOD hath threatned to aDeut. 28. 20.curſe in every thing they put their handes unto. Therefore (ſay they) GOD doth not love them.
Such weake and inconſiderate reaſonings are incident to thoſeAnſw. whom GOD truely loveth, Did not the holy men of GOD reaſon, and conclude thus? But when doe Gods Children thus? It is in their bPſ. 31. 22haſte, before theyb Pſal. 116 11. be well adviſed what they think or ſay. And whence is it? Is it not from their cPſal. 73. 13, 14, 22.ignorance, and brutiſhneſſe, being carried away by ſenſe? So fooliſh was I and ignorant, ſaith the Prophet, &c. But when they come to themſelves, and doe come to learne what is truth by the Word, then they learn, that it is not outward proſperitie will make wicked men happie, neither is it outward affliction that can make a good man miſerable. Then they will neither applaud, nor envie the proſperity of the wicked, nor yet miſconſtrue, nor repine at their own afflictions. For they learne, that dEccl. 9. 1no man can know Gods love or hatred by any outward thing, that doth befall the ſonnes of men in this life.
They learne, that God doth oft ſmile on his enemies, and that he doth oft frowne upon is angry with, and doth correct thoſe whom he dearely loveth, even as a ePro. 3. 12 e Rev. 3. 19Father doth his Children.
They learne by the Word likewiſe, that GOD hath excellent ends in all this, even in reſpect of them, and all for their fRom. 8. 28good, namely, for tryall of their graces, for prevention of ſinne, for to remove ſinne, bringing them to repenrance, and that they might be made gHeb. 12. 10partakers of his Holineſſe. Beſides, herein he doth much glorifie himſelfe, ſhewing that he is hIſa. 28. 29wonderfull in Counſell, excellent in Working: cauſing the affliction to worke for his glory, in his peoples good. Yea, you may learne by the Word, and by your owne experience, that although the childe of God in his infirmitie and paſſion, when he is under the rod, may let goe his hold of God; yet, that God, in his love and compaſſion towards his childe, will iPſal. 73. 23, 24.hold him faſt by his right hand, and will not leave him; but will guide him with his Counſell, that he may afterward receive him unto Glorie. This is the way of GOD with his Children; wherefore none from hence hath cauſe to queſtion GODS love, but to conclude it rather.
But I have brought afflictionsReply. upon my ſelfe by mine owne ſin and folly, I am impatient under them, and am little or no whit better for them, but rather worſe.
If it be ſo, it is your ſinne, andAnſw. it behoveth you preſently to repent; but doe not ſay, theſe things cannot befall thoſe who are in ſtate of grace and beloved of God. For did not a2 Sam 12 9, 10, 11, 1…David by his adultery and murder bring upon himſelfe much affliction? And had not penitent bIob 3. 3 Iob 6. 9.Iob divers fits of impatience? And was not the cPſal. 73. 3 to ver. 15Prophet, at firſt, rather worſe than better by his afflictions, when thereby he had almoſt judged the ſtate of the wicked, becauſe they proſpered, to be better than his, becauſe he was continually chaſtened and plagued, thinking that all his Religion had beene in vaine, and to no purpoſe. It was their faults, and ſo it is yours, if it bee true which you ſay; yet it cannot be denyed, but that God loved them, and ſo he may you, notwithſtanding. You may know that afflictions, many times, doe worke like Phyſicke, which, at firſt ſtirreth humors, and which diſcovereth, and ſeemeth to increaſe the diſeaſe, before that it cure it; and this God doth many times, that his children may more fully ſee their corruptions, to their through humbling, before he cure them.
There are others (and it may be the ſame, when the tide of affliction is turned) becauſe they Proſper, and are not in trouble as other men, doe conceive that God doth not love them. For itDoubts of Gods love becauſe they proſper, removed. is ſaid, kRev. 3. 19as many as hee loveth, he doth rebuke and chaſten, and hee doth lHeb 12. 6 Anſw.chaſten every Sonne whom he receiveth.
See, a fearefull and doubtfull heart will draw matter to feede its feares and doubts, out of any thing. But know, God is a wiſe and good Father, hee knowethIn what caſes God uſually doth not afflict his children. whento ſtrike, and when to hold his hands.
In theſe caſes God doth not uſually afflict his children with his heavie rod.
Firſt, when they bee Infants, babes in Chriſt, or (if they bee growne to yeares) when they be ſpiritually weake or ſicke, and cannot beare correction; then, though they be way ward, and froward, and deſerve ſtrokes, God doth forbeare, and is inclined to pitty rather.
Secondly, when they be good Children, that is, ſhew that they would pleaſe him, indevouring to do what they are able, though it be with much imperfection, then GOD will not ſtrike, but mMal. 3. 17ſpareth them, as a Father ſpareth his onelyonly ſonne that ſerveth him.
Thirdly, when forbearance of puniſhment, and when fruits and tokens of kindneſſe will reclaime his children from evill, and doe prove incitements unto good; God in this caſe alſo, like a wiſe and loving Father, had rather draw them by the nHoſ. 11. 4cords of love, then drive them with the laſhes of his diſpleaſure. Thus you ſee God may love his Children, and not bee alwayes afflicting of them. The Husbandman doth not alwayes plow and harrow his land, nor yet is hee alwayes threſhing of his corne.
Well, doe you proſper? Then take notice of Gods goodneſſe towards you with thankſgiving; ſtudie and indevor therefore tobe the more obedient. If you cannot, yet grieve becauſe you cannot be more thankfull and more obedient. Then, becauſe proſperity hath made you better, or at leaſt to will to be better, hence you may aſſure your ſelves, that your proſperity is not given you in wrath, but in love. But take heed, (quarrell not with God) becauſe hee forbeareth to afflict you, either make this uſe, that you be good, and amend without blowes; or elſe be ſure the more is behinde, and then when it commeth it will bee the more grievous; becauſe, for his good will, you did fooliſhly call his love into queſtion.
As the forementioned did queſtionFears that God doth not love men, becauſe they think their ſtate to be wo…ſe th… any others▪ removed. Gods love, from conſiderations taken from their outward conditions; ſo there are very many, beſides what they conclude from outward croſſes, gather alſo from their inward horrors and diſtreſſes of Conſcience, and from their intolerable perplexities of ſoule, that God doth not love them: they think that their diſtreſſe is other, or greater than the affliction of any of GODS Children, therefore they want peace, fearing that God doth not love them.
Thoſe to whom GOD dothAnſw. beare ſpeciall love, may bee ſo far perplexed with inward and ſtrange terrors and diſcomforts, that they may think themſelves to be oPſal. 77. 7, 8, 9.forſaken of God. Thus the Pſalmiſt complaineth, will the Lord caſt off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? Yea, not onelyonly hee, but pMat. 27. 46. Cant. 5. 6. Iſa. 49. 14Christ Ieſus himſelfe, and his Church, did in their ſenſe & feeling, take themſelves to be forſaken of God; yet none that are wiſe will ſay, that theſe were out of Gods love, or were ever r2. Cor. 4. 8, 9.quite forſaken, though never ſo much perplexed and caſt downe; though, in their owne feelings and ſenſe, they, in the agony of their ſpirits, did thus thinke or ſpeake.
God hath moſt holy and bleſſed The ends why God doth g…vouſly … ſtreſ… childrenends, why that many times hee doth leade and leave his Children in ſuch ſtraits, that they are altogether without ſenſe of his love.
Firſt, it may be a juſt correction of them, for their not ſhewing love to God, and becauſe they doe in part forſake him by their ſinnes. This is therefore to humble them, and to make them know themſelves, and to bring them to repentance. God may be pacified towards them in the maine, yet for a time, ſhew them no countenance; as DAVID, though his anger was appeaſed towards Abſolon, ſ2 Sam. 14▪ 24.yet for a time he wold not let him ſee his love, for hee would not let him come in his ſight, that Abſolon might be more humbled, and might the more deteſt his ſinne.
Secondly, God exerciſeth his beloved ones with many feares, horrors, and doubts, to prevent that spirituall pride which elſe would be in them and that ſelfeſufficiency which elſe they would conceive to be in themſelves; If they ſhould alwayes have ſenſe of inward & ſpiritual comforts, and ſhould not ſometimes have t2 Cor. 12 7prickes in the fleſh, and buffetings of Satan, they would be exalted above meaſure, and would bee ſome thing in thēſelves in their owne opinion. But when there is ſuch difficulty in getting, and in holding of grace and comfort, and when they ſhall finde what neede they have of both, and how neither can bee had, but from God, in and by Christ, it will make them empty themſelves of all things in themſelves, that they may bee ſomething in Chriſt. And then, when they have grace and comfort, they will acknowledge themſelues to be beholding to GOD for the ſame.
Thirdly, GOD doth withhold from his Children, the ſenſe of his favour, to try the ſinceritie and truth of their ſole dependace on him; trying, whether becauſe GOD ſeemeth to forſake them, they will forſake him; whethsr, like King Ioram, they will ſay, u2 King. 6 33 1 Sam. 28. 7why ſhall they wait upon God any longer? And, whether they will with Saul, betake them to unlawfull meanes of helpe: Or whether on the other ſide, they will ſay with aIob 13. 15Iob and bPſal. 42 9. 11David, though GOD kill us, or forget us, yet wee will truſt in him, hope in him, and praiſe him, who they are perſwaded is, and will ſhew himſelfe to be the health of their countenance and their GOD. God uſeth to leave his Children, as, in another caſe, he left c2 Chr. 32. 3…Hezekiah, to try them and to know what is in their hearts.
Fourthly, God withdraweth himſelfe for a time, that they may learne to eſteeme more highly of his favor, and to deſire it more, when by the want of it, they find by experience, what an Hell it is to be without it. And that they may bee more thankefull for it, and be more carefull; (by ſtudying to pleaſe God) for to keepe it when they have it. This holy uſe aPſal. 80. 18, 19. Can. 3. 2. 5 Can. 5. 1. 8. Can. 2. 7. Can. 8. 4.David and the Church made of Gods forſaking them (as they thought) for a time. It made them ſeeke more diligently after God, promiſing that if hee would turne to them, they would not goe backe from him; reſolving by his grace to ſticke more cloſe unto him.
But know this to your comfort,God doth never wholly or for ever forſake his Children. when God doth moſt withdraw himſelfe and forſake you, it is but in part, and in ſeeming, and but for a time. He may, for the cauſes before rendred, turne away his face, and forbeare to ſhew his loving countenance; but he will not take his bPſal. 89. 32, 33, 34.loving kindneſſe utterly from you, nor ſuffer his faithfulneſſe to faile. What God ſaid to his afflicted Church, that hee ſaith to every afflicted member thereof. cIſa. 54 7. 8For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment: but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the LORD thy Redeemer. Hence it is that in your greateſt extremities, your faith and hope ſhall ſecretly (though you feele not their working) preſerve you from utter deſpaire. As it was with dPſal. 22. 1.David, and with our Bleſſed Saviour, who albeit theſe words of theirs to God, Why haſt thou forſaken mee, argued feare, and want of ſenſe of Gods love, yet theſe words, My God, my God, Mat. 27. 46doe argue a ſecret affiance and hope.
And whereas you ſay, that no mans griefe or troubles are like yours, partly by reaſon of outward afflictions, and partly by inward temptations and diſtreſſes, (give mee leave to deale plainely with you.) It is a fooliſh and a moſt falſe ſpeech. Talke with a thouſand thus troubled, they will all ſay thus, No mans caſe was ever as mine is, Nor ſo bad: will any that have but common ſenſe thinke this to be true? Moſt of theſe muſt needs be deceived. You feele your owne diſtreſſe, but you cannot fully know what another feeleth.
If you would rightly looke into the diſtreſſes of others, who were better than your ſelves, according as they are recorded in the Scripture, you would not thus thinke. As for outward afflictions, upon whom did God ever lay his hand more heavie then on his eIob 1.ſervant Iob? Had not f2 Cor. 11. 23 to 33S▪ Paul alſo his trouble without, of all ſorts, and terrours within, &c. And, if you conſider ſorrowes, feares, and diſtreſſes of all ſorts, were yours ſuch as Davids were, or more than his? I pray what meane theſe, and many moe the like ſpeeches? My bones are vexed, my ſoule is vexed; b Pſal. 6. 2, 3 6, 7but thou, O Lord, how long? I am weary with my groaning, mine eye is conſumed with griefe, it waxeth old. cPſal. 10. 1Why ſtandeſt thou a farre off? Why hideſt thou thy ſelfe in time of trouble? dPſal. 13. 1How long wilt thou forget mee Lord; for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? ePſal. 22. 14, 15I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of ioynt. My heart is like waxe, it is melted in the midſt of my bowels. My ſtrength is dryed up like a potſheard; my tongue cleaveth to my iawes, and thou haſt brought me to the duſt of death. fPſ. 32. 3, 4My bones waxe old through roaring all the day. For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me. gPſ. 38. 3, 4There is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh becauſe of thine anger, neither is their any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſinne. Mine iniquities, that is, the puniſhment of mine iniquities, are gone over my head, they are too heavie for me. Thus and much more, doth he complaine. hPſa. 69. 3I am weary of my crying, my throat is dry. Mine eyes faile while I wait for my God. iPſa. 77. 2.So Aſaph, My ſore ran, and ceaſed not, my ſoule refuſed to be comforted,
What thinke you now? Were not Iob, Paul, and David, in Gods love and favour, notwithſtanding all this? It may be youReply. will reply, howſoever the matter of their trouble might be greater than yours, yet they could remember God, they could pray to him, they had faith and confidence in God in their diſtreſſes, al which you want; therefore herein your caſe is worſe than theirs.
Conſider your ſelves well,Anſw. (I ſpeake onelyonly to you that are wounded at the very heart for ſinne) and it is to be hoped that in ſome meaſure you ſhall find the like grace, faith, and confidence in you, which was in thē; If you ſee it not, bee grieved for the want thereof; Indevour to doe as you ſay they did in their diſtreſſes, onelyonly be not diſcouraged, and all ſhall bee well. But take notice, I pray you, that ſometimes David neither did, nor could pray, (as he conceived of his owne prayer) any otherwiſe than in lPſa. 32. 3.roaring and complaining; at which time, he ſaith, hee kept ſilence; But when hee could mPſa. 32. 5confeſſe his ſins and pray, then hee had ſome apprehenſion that God had forgiven him his ſinne. And for all Aſaphs remembring of God, yet even then he was oPſ. 77. 2. 3troubled, and his ſpirit was over-whelmed, and hee ſaith, his ſoule refuſed comfort; and David ſaith unto God, pPſ. 119. 82when wilt thou comfort mee? I grant it was his fault, yet it was ſuch a fault as was incident to one beloved of God. Moreover, I deny not, but that Iob and David had faith and hope in God; but theſe graces in them were of times overclouded with unbelife and diſtruſt; as doth appeare in their many paſſionate diſtempers; at which times, yet their faith appeared to others in their good ſpeeches and actions intermingled, rather then to themſelves. And the Prophet confeſſeth that thoſe his faithleſſe complaints were qPſ. 31. 2…in his haſte, and rPſ. 77. 10from his infirmities.
How ſay you now? Is it not thus with you? Are you not like others of Gods children? Off, and on, up and downe, you would pray and cannot, you would beleeve but (as you thinke) cannot, you would have comfort but cannot feele it. OnelyOnly you feele a ſecret ſupport now and then, and now and then, you doe ſee and feele a glimpſe of GODS light and comfort; for which you muſt be thankefull, which you muſt cheriſh by all meanes, & with which you muſt reſt contented, waiting untill God give you more.
You ſhould know and conſider,An old device of Sathan to make a mā thinke his caſe to be worſe than any others. that this is an old cunning device of Satan, to make you beleeve that your caſe is worſe, or at leaſt much different from the caſe of any others, becauſe hee knoweth, that while he holdeth you thus conceited, no common remedy, which did cure and comfort others, can cure and comfort you. For you will ſtill aske, Was ever any as I am? And if Gods Miniſters cannot ſay yea, and, that ſuch an inſtruction, and ſuch a promiſe in the Word did helpe him; then you conclude that you are incurable.
But laſt of all, let it be ſuppoſed that your caſe is worſe than any bodies elſe. Is there not a ſoveraigne Balme in Gods Word, a Catholicon that will heale allIer. 8. 22. ſpirituall diſeaſes? Gods Word is like himſelfe, to a beleever, an sMar. 9 23Omnipotent Word. Is any thing tGen 18. 14.too hard for the LORD? Neither is there any ſpiritual diſeaſe too hard for his Word. When Chriſt healed the people with his Word, did it not heale even ſuch, the like whereof, were never knowne to be cured before?
They made no queſtion, whether he cured the like before Indeede uIoh. 11. 39, 40.Martha failed in this, for ſhe ſaid of her brother Lazarus being dead; LORD he ſtinketh, for he hath beene dead foure dayes: ſhe conceived her brothers caſe to be deſperate, and that none in his caſe could be raiſed. But Chriſt did blame her for want of faith▪ and by his Word hee did as eaſily raiſe Lazarus from being dead ſo long, as hee did cure zMar. 1. 31Peters wiues mother ſicke but of an ague.
It is not greatneſſe of any mans distres whatſoever, that can hinder from helpe and comfort, but onelyonly as then in aMar. 6. 5, 6,curing mens bodies, ſo now in curing and comforting mens ſoules, nothing hinders the cure, but the greatneſſe of the unbeliefe of the party to be cured: for bMar. 9. 23all things are poſſible to him that beleeveth.
You will yet Reply: indeedReply. here lyeth the difficultie in the unbelife.
Well, be it ſo. If unbeliefe beAnſw. your diſeaſe, and trouble, doe you thinke that God cannot cure you of unbeliefe as well as of any other ſinne? But know that if with him in the Goſpell, you feele your unbeliefe, and complaine of it, and confeſſe it unto GOD, ſaying, cMar. 9. 24Lord I have cauſe to beleeve, Lord I doe, I would beleeve, helpe thou my unbeliefe; if withall, you will waite untill GOD give you power to beleeve, and to enjoy comfort in beleeving, for, dIſa. 28. 16faith maketh no haſte, this ſame is both to beleeve in truth, and is a certaine meanes to increaſe in beleeving.
Wherefore let not Sathan, nor yet a fearefull heart make you to judge your caſe to be deſperate and remedileſſe, either in reſpect of Gods power or will, though you yet be in diſtreſſe, and doe feele in you much feare and unbeliefe. Seeke to God, and with patience waite the good time of deliverance, and comfort; and in due time, you ſhall have helpe and comfort, as well as any other.
There are yet ſome, that feareDoubts that God doth not love them becauſe their praiers are reiected, removed. God doth not love them, becauſe they have prayed oft and much; but God rejected their prayers, and hath not heard them.
There are many juſt cauſes, why God may reject, or at leaſt not grant your prayers; and yet may love your perſons.
For firſt, It may be you aI am. 4. 3.aske amiſſe, either asking things unlawfull, or asking things inconvenient for the preſent, or in aſking to have good things temporall, or ſpirituall, in that quantity & degree, which GOD doth not hold fit for you as yet; or you aske good things to an ill end, as to ſatisfie ſome luſt, as pride, voluptuouſneſſe, covetouſneſſe, or ſome other; or it may bee you might aske onelyonly with a naturall deſire, or if with ſpirituall, yet you did it but faintly, without fervor; or laſtly (though you failed in neither of the former,) yet you failed in this, you were doubtfull, you did not aske in faith, you did not beleeve, you ſhould have the things ſo asked. Whoſoever doe thus faile in asking, bI am. 1. 6, 7let them not thinke ever to receive any thing in favour from the LORD. And it is a fruit of Gods love, when he doth not anſwer prayers ſo made; For it will cauſe you to ſeeke him, and to pray to him, in a better manner that you may be heard.
Secondly, God doth many times in love and mercy heareGod heareth prayers many wayes. his childrens praiers, when they thinke he doth not. God heareth prayers many wayes, you muſt obſerve this, elſe you will judge that he doth not heare your praiers, when yet indeed he doth. Sometimes, yea, alwaies when it is good for you, he giveth the v…r… thing which you pray for. Some…s hee giveth not that thing which you aske; but ſome thing…s good, nay, much better. As, when you aske corporall and temporall good things, he denyeth to grant them; but in ſtead therof doth give you things ſpirituall and eternall, likewiſe when you aske grace in ſome ſpecial degree, ſuch as joy, or comfort in God, or the like, it may pleaſe him not to let it appeare that hee giveth the ſame unto you; but in ſtead thereof he doth enlarge your deſires, and he giveth humility, and patience to wait his leiſure, which will doe you more good than that which you prayed for. So likewiſe when you pray that GOD would rid and eaſe you of ſuch, or ſuch a temptation; God doth not alwayes rid and eaſe you of it; but he in ſtead thereof giveth you ſtrength to withſtand it, and keepeth you, that you are not overcome by it; thus Chriſt Heb. 5. 7.was heard in that which he feared, ſo he ſaid to the d2 Cor. 12 9Apoſtle, My grace is ſufficient for thee? Which is better than to have your particular requeſt. For now GODS power is ſeene in your weakeneſſe, and God hath the glory of it; and you hereby have experience of GODS power, which experienceis of excellent uſe.
Likewiſe you may deſire, to have ſuch, or ſuch a croſſe removed; yet God may ſuffer the croſſe to remaine for a time, but he giveth you ſt…ength and patience to beare it, wiſedome and grace to be leſſe earthly, and more heavenly minded by reaſon of it. There was never any, that, with an holy and humble heart, made lawfull requeſts according to the wil of Chriſt, beleeving he ſhould be heard; but, though he were a man of many failings in himſelfe, and did diſcover many weakneſſes in his prayer, was heard in that hee prayed, either in what he did ask, or in what he ſhould rather have asked, either in that very thing, or in a better.
I would have you leave objecting, and queſtioning, whether God love you. Conſider this; Hath hee not loved you, eIoh. 3. 16.that hath given his onelyonly be gotten Sonne for you, and to you, fRev. 1. 5.who hath waſhed you with his bloud, gRom. 4. 25.having given him to dye for your ſinnes, and to riſe againe for your iuſtification, and hath hereby tranſlated you into the kingdome of his deare Sonne, having alſo hPhi. 1 29given unto you to beleeve in his Name, hereby iIoh. 1. 12making you his children, inheritours with the Saints in light. What greater ſigne can there be of greater love of God towards you? And what better evidence can you have of Gods love in juſtifying of you, then the kHeb. 11. 1evidence of your faith, whereby you are lRom. 3. 28iuſtified.