The Souls Conflict With Itself, Chapter 34 – Epigraph
CHAP. XXXIV.
Of confirming this trust in God. Seeke it of God himselfe. Sins hinder not: nor Satan. Conclusion and Soliloquie.
§ 1.
BUt to returne to the drawing out of our trust by waiting. Our estate in this world is still to waite, and happy it is that we have so great things to wait for; but our comfort is, that wee have not onelyonly a furniture of graces, one 2 Pet. 1. 5.strengthening another as stones in an arch, but likewise GOD vouchsafeth some drops of the sweetnesse of the things wee wayte for, both to encrease our desire of those good things, as likewise to enable us more comfortably to wayte for them. And though we should die wayting, onelyonly cleaving to the promise with little or no taste of the good promised; yet this might comfort us, that there is a life to come, that is a life of sight and sense, and not onelyonly of taste but of fulnesse, and that for evermore. Psal. 16. ult.Our condition here is to live by faith and not by sight, onelyonly to make our living by faith more lively, it pleaseth God when he sees fit, to encrease our earnest of that we looke for. Even here God waytes to be gracious to those that wayte for him. And in heaven Christ Esay 30. 18waytes for us, wee art part of his fulnesse; Eph. 1. 23. Joh. 17. 24.it is part of his joy that we shall be where he is, he wil not therefore be long without us. The blessed Angels and Saints in heaven wayte for us. Therefore let us be content as strangers, to wayte a while till we come home, and then wee shall be for ever with the Lord; there is our eternall rest, where we shall enjoy both our God and our selves in perfect happinesse, being as without need, so without desire of the least change. When the time of our departure thither comes, then we may say as David, Enter now my soule into thy rest. This is the rest which remaineth for Gods Psal. 116. Heb. 49.people, that is worth the waiting for, when we shall rest from all labour of sinne and sorow, and lay our heads in the bosome of Christ for ever.Rev. 14.
It stands us therefore upon to get this great Charter more and more confirmed to us (that God is our God) for it is of everlasting use unto us. It first begins at our entring into covenant with God, & continues not only unto death, but entreth into heaven with us. As it is our heaven upon earth to enjoy God as ours, so it is the very heaven of heaven, that there we shall for ever behold him, and have communion with him.
The degrees of manifesting this propriety in God are divers, rising one upon Degrees of our propriety in God. Pro. 4. 18.another, as the light cleares up by little and little till it comes to a perfect day. 1. As the ground of all the rest, wee apprehend 1.God to be a God of some peculiar persons, as favourites above others. 2. From hence is stirred up in the soul 2.a restlesse desire, that God would discover himselfe so to it, as he doth to those that are his, that he would visite our soules with the salvation of his chosen. 3. Hence followes a putting of the soul 3.upon God, an adventuring it selfe on his mercy. 4. Upon this, God when he seeth fit, discovers by his spirit that he 4.is Ours; 5. Whence followeth a dependance 5.on him as ours, for all things that may cary us on in the way to heaven. 6. Courage and boldnesse in setting 6.our selves against whatsoever may oppose us in the way, As the three young men in Daniel, Our God can deliver Dan. 3. So Psa. 115. 3.us if he will. Our God is in heaven, &c. 7. After which springs a sweet spirituall security, whereby the soule is freed 7.from slavish feares, and glorieth in God as Ours in all conditions. And this is termed by the Apostle, not onelyonly assurance, but the riches of assurance. Yet Col. 2. 2.this is not so cleare, and full as it shall be in heaven, because some clouds may after arise out of the remainder of corruption, which may something over-cast this assurance, untill the light of Gods countenance in heaven for ever scatters all.
There being so great happinesse in this neerenesse betwixt God and us, no wonder if Sathan labour to hinder the same, by interposing the guilt and hainousnesse of our sinnes, which he knows of themselves will worke a separation: But these upon our first serious thought of returning, will be removed. As they could not hinder our meeting with God, so they may cause a strangenesse for a time but not a parting, a hiding of Gods countenance, but not a banishing of us from it. Peter had denied Christ, and the rest of the Apostles had left him all alone. Yet our Saviour after his Resurrection forgets all former unkindnesses, he did not so much as object it to them, but sends Mary, who her selfe had been a great sinner, as an Apostle Iohn 20.to the Apostles, and that presently to tell them that he was risen, his care would have no delay. Hee knew they were in great heavinesse for their unkindnesse. Though he was now entred into the first degree of his glory, yet we see his glory made him not forget his poore Disciples. Above all he was most carefull of Peter, as deeper in sinne then the rest, and therefore deeper in sorow. Goe tell Peter, he needs most comfort. But what is the message? that I ascend not to my Father alone, but to your Father, not to my God onelyonly, but to Your God.
And shall not wee bee bold to say so after Christ hath taught us, and put this claime into our mouthes? If once we let this hold goe, then Sathan hath us where he would, every little crosse then dejects us. Sathan may darken the joy of our salvation, but not take away the God of our salvation. David after his crying sinne of murther prayes, Restore unto me the Ioy of thy salvation, this hee had lost; but yet in the same Psalme hee Psal. 51.prayes, Deliver mee from blood O God, thou God of my salvation; therefore whatsoever sence, reason, temptation, the law, or guilt upon conscience shall say, Nay however God himselfe, by his strange cariage to us may seeme to be, yet let us cast our selves upon him, and not suffer this plea to be wrung from us, but shut our eyes to all, and look upon God All-gracious and All-sufficient, who is the Father, the begetter of comfort, the God the Creator of consolation, not onelyonly of things that may comfort, but 2 Cor. 1. 3.of the comfort it self conveied through these unto us. Who is a God like unto our God, that passeth by the sinnes of the remnant Mic. 7. 18.of his people. This should not bee thought on without admiration, and indeed there is nothing so much deserves our wonderment as such mercy, of such a God, to such as we.
Since God hath avouched us to be his peculiar people, let us avouch him; and Deu. 26. 18since he hath past his word for us, let us passe our words for him that we will be his, and stand for him, and to our power advance his cause. Thus David out of an enlarged spirit saith, Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, thou art MY Ps. 119. 28God, and I will exalt thee. Whatsoever wee engage for God, wee are sure to bee gainers by. The true Christian is the wisest Merchant, and makes the best adventure. He may stay long, but is sure of a safe and a rich returne. A godly man is most wise for himselfe. We enter on Religion, upon these tearmes to part with our selves, and all, when God shall call for it.
§. 2.
God much rejoyceth in sinners converted, as monuments of his mercy, and because the remembrance of their Ex ipso dolore suo cō puncti, inardescunt in amore dei. Damna praecedentia lucris sequentibus compensant. Greg.former sinnes, whers them on to bee more earnest in his service, especially after they have felt the sence of Gods love, they even burn with a holy desire of honouring him, whom before they dishonoured, and stand not upon doing or suffering any thing for him, but cheerefully embrace all occasions of expressing obedience. God hath more worke from them then from others; why then should any be discouraged?
Neither is it sinnes after our conversion, that nullifie this claime of God to be Ours. For this is the grand difference betwixt the two covenants, that now God will bee mercifull to our sins, if our hearts by faith be sprinkled with the Heb. 10. 22.blood of Christ. Though one sinne was enough to bring condemnation, yet the free gift of grace in Christ, is of many offences unto justification. And we have a sure ground for this; for the righteousnesse of Christ is Gods righteousnesse, and God will thus glorifie it, that it shall stand good to those that by faith apply it against their daily sinnes, even till at once we cease both to live, and sin. For this very end was the Son of God willingly made sin, that we might be freed from the same. And if all our sins laid upō Christ could not take away Gods love frō him, shal they take away Gods love from us, when by Christs blood our souls are purged from them?
O mercy of all mercies, that when we were once his, and gave away our selves for nothing, and so became neither his, nor our owne, that then hee would vouchsafe to become ours, and make us his by such a way, as all the Angels in heaven stand wondring at, even his Sonnes not onelyonly taking our nature and miserable condition, but our … upon him, that that being done away, wee might through Christ have boldnesse with God as ours, who is now in heaven appearing there for us, untill he brings us home to himselfe, and presents us to his Father for his for ever.
Thinke not then onelyonly that wee are Gods and he Ours, but from what love and by what glorious meanes this was brought to passe; What can possibly disable this claime, when God for this end hath founded a covenant of peace so strongly in Christ, that sin it selfe cannot disanull it? Christ was therefore manifest, that he might destroy this greatest 1 Ioh. 3. 5. 8.worke of the devill. Forgivenesse of sins now is one chiefe part of our portion in God. It is good therefore not to pore and plod so much upon sinne and vilenesse by it, as to forget that mercy that rejoyceth over judgement. If wee once be Gods, though wee drinke this deadly poison, it shall not hurt us. God will Mar. 16. 18make a medicine, an antidote of it; and for all other evills the fruit of them is by Gods sanctifying the same, the taking away sinne out of our natures; so that lesser evils are sent to take away the greater. If God could not over-rule evils to his owne ends, hee would never suffer them.
§. 3.
I have stood the longer upon this, because it is the one thing needfull, the one thing wee should desire, that this one God, in whom, and from whom is all good, should be ours. All promises of all good in the new covenant, spring first from this, that God will be ours, and we shall be his. What can we have more? Ier. 32.and what is in the world lesse that will content us long, or stand us in any stead, especially at that time when all must be taken from us? Let us put up all our desires for all things we stand in need of, in this right wee have to God in Christ; who hath brought God and us together; hee can deny us nothing, that hath not denied us himselfe. If he be moved from hence to doe us good, that wee are his, Let us be moved to fetch all good from him, on the same right that he is ours.
The perswasion of this will free us from all pusillanimity, lowlinesse, and narrownesse of spirit, when wee shall think that nothing can hurt us, but it must break through God first. If God give quietnesse, who shall make trouble? Iob 34. 29If God be with us, who can be against us? This is that which puts comfort into all other comforts, that maketh any burthen light: This is alwayes ready for all purposes: Our God is a present, and a seasonable help. All evills are at his command to be gone, and all comforts at his command to come. It is but goe comfort, goe peace to such a mans heart, cheere him, raise him; Go salvation, rescue such and such a soul in distresse. So said and so done presently. Nay, with reverence be it spoken, so farre doth God passe over himselfe unto us, that he is content himselfe to be commanded by us. Concerning the worke of my hands command you me: lay Isay 45. 11the care and charge of that upon mee. He is content to be out-wrastled, and over-powred by a spirit of saith, as in Iacob, and the woman of Canaan, to be as it were at our service. Hee would not have us want any thing wherein hee is able to help us. And what is there wherein God cannot help us? If Christians knew the power they have in heaven and earth, what were able to stand against them? What wonder is it if faith overcome the world, if it overcomes him that made the world? that faith should bee Almighty, that hath the Almighty himselfe, ready to use all his power for the good of them to whom he hath given the power of himselfe unto? Having therefore such a living fountaine to draw from, such a center to rest in, having all in one, and that one Ours; why should we knocke Tutius & jucundius loquor ad meum Jesum quam ad aliquem sanctorum dei, &c. Quod ego sum fieri dignatus est Deus, …at any other doore? we may goe boldly to God now, as made ours, being bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. Wee may goe more comfortably to God, then to any Angell or Saint. God in the second person hath vouchsafed to take our nature upon him, but not that of Angells. Our God, and our Man, our God-Man is ascended into the high Court of heaven factus est quod angeli. Ad c…riam Dei sui Dei tui, praecessit Deus tuns homo tuns, tunica tua indutus illic assiduè pro nobis interpellet. Aug. Heb. 5. 1.to his and our God, cloathed with our nature. Is there any more able and willing to plead our cause, or to whom wee may trust businesses with then he, who is in heaven for all things for us, appertaining to God.
It should therefore be the chiefe care of a Christian, upon knowledge of what he stands in need of, to know where to supply all. It should raise up a holy shame and indignation in us, that there should be so much in God, who is so neere unto us in Christ, and wee make so little use of him. What good can any thing doe us if we use it not? God is ours to use, and yet men will rather use shifts and unhallowed pollicies, then be beholding to God, who thinkes himselfe never more honoured by us, then when we make use of him. If we beleeve any thing will doe us good, we naturally make out for the obtaining of it, If we beleeve any thing will hurt us, we study to decline it. And certaine it is if wee beleeved that so much good were in God, we would then apply our selves to him, and him to our selves; whatsoever vertue is in any thing, it is conveyed by application and touching of it; that whereby we touch God, is our faith, which never toucheth him, but it drawes vertue from him; upon the first touch of faith, spirituall life is begun. Its a bastard in nature, to beleeve any thing can worke upon another without spirituall or bodily touch. And it is a Monster in Religion, to beleeve that any saving good will issue from God, if we turne from him, and shut him out, and our hearts be unwilling. Where unbeleefe is, it bindes up his power. Where faith is, there it is between the soule and God, (as betwixt the iron and the Loadstone) a present closing and drawing of one to the other. This is the beginning of eternall life, so to know God the Father, and his Sonne Christ, as thereby to embrace Iohn 17. 4.him with the armes of faith and love, as Ours, by the best title he can make us, who is truth it selfe.
Since then our happinesse lies (out of our selves) in God, we should goe out of our selves for it, and first get into Christ, and so unto God in him; and then labour by the spirit of the Father and the Sonne, to maintaine acquaintance with both, that so God may be Ours, not onelyonly in covenant, but in Com…anion, hearkning what he will say to us, and opening our spirits, disclosing our wants, consulting and advising in all our distresses with him. By keeping this acquaintance with God, peace, and Iob 22. 21all good is conveyed to us.
Thereafter as we maintain this communion further with him, wee out of love study to please him, by exact walking according to his commands; then we shall feele encrease of peace as our care encreaseth, then he will come, and s…p with us, and be free in his refreshing of us. Then he will shew himselfe more and more to us, and manifest still a further degree of presence in joy and strength, untill communion in grace, ends in communion in glory.
But wee must remember (as David doth here) to desire and delight in God himselfe, more then in any thing that is Gods: It was a signe of S. Pauls pure love to the Corinthians, when he said, I seeke not yours, but you. We should seeke for no blessing of God so much as for himselfe.
What is there in the world of equall goodnes to draw us away frō our God? If to preserve the dearest thing we have in the world, we breake with God, God will take away the comfort we look to have by it, and it will prove but a dead contentment, if not a torment to us. Whereas if we care to preserve communion with God, we shall bee sure to finde in him whatsoever we deny for him, honor, riches, pleasures, friends, all; so much the sweeter, by how much wee have them more immediately from the spring head. We shall never finde God to be our God more, then when for making of him to be so, we suffer any thing for his sake. Wee enjoy never more of him then then.
At the first we may seeke to him, as rich to supply our wants, as a Physitian to cure our soules and bodies, but here wee must not rest till wee come to rejoyce in him as our friend, and from thence rise to an admiration of him for his owne excellencies, that being so high in himselfe, out of his goodnesse would stoop low to us. And we should delight in the meditation of him, not onelyonly as good to us, but as good in himselfe; because goodnesse of bounty springs from goodnesse of disposition, he doth good because he is good.
A naturall man delights more in Gods gifts, then in his grace. If he desires grace, it is to grace himselfe, not as grace, making him like unto God, and issuing from the first grace the free favour of God; by which meanes men Dona Dei sine Deo.come to have the gifts of God without God himselfe. But alas, what are all other goods without the chiefe good? they are but as flowers, which are long in planting, in cherishing and growing, but short in enjoying the sweetnesse of them. David here joyes in God himselfe, he cares for nothing in the world, but what he may have with his favour, and what ever else he desires, hee desires onelyonly that he may have the better ground from thence to praise his God.
§. 4.
The summe of all is this, The state of Gods deare children in this world, is to bee cast into variety of conditions, wherein they consisting of nature, flesh, and spirit, every principle hath its owne and proper working. They are sensible as flesh and blood, they are sensible to discouragement as sinfull flesh and blood; but they recover themselves as having a higher principle (Gods spirit) above flesh and blood in them.
In this conflicting state, every principle labouring to maintaine it selfe, at length by helpe of the spirit, backing and strengthening his owne worke, grace gets the better, keeping nature within bounds, and suppressing corruption. And this the soule (so farre as it is spirituall) doth by gathering it selfe to it selfe, and by reasoning the case so farre, till it concludes, and joynes upon this issue, that the onelyonly way to attaine sound peace, is (when all other meanes faile) to trust in God. And thereupon he layes a charge upon his soule so to doe, is being a course grounded upon the highest reason, even the unchangeable goodnesse of God, who out of the riches of his mercy, having chosen a people in this world, which should be to the glory of his mercy, will give them matter of setting forth his praise, in shewing some token of good upon them, as being those on whom he hath fixed his love, and to whom hee will appeare not onelyonly a Saviour, but salvation it selfe. Nothing but salvation; as the Sunne is nothing but light, so whatsoever proceeds from him to them, tends to further salvation. All his wayes towards them leade to that; which wayes of his, though for a time they are secret, and not easily found out, yet at length God will be wonderfull in them to the admiration of his enemies themselves, who shall be forced to say, God hath done great things for them; and all from this ground, that God is our God in covenant. Which words are a stearne that rule and guide the whole text.
For why should we not be disquieted when we are disquieted? Why should we not be cast downe when we are cast downe? Why should we trust in God as a Saviour? but that he is [our God,] making himselfe so to us in his choisest favours: doing that for us, which none else can doe, and which he doth to none else that are not his in a gracious maner. This blessed interest and intercourse betwixt Gods spirit and our spirits, is the hindge upon which all turns: without this, no comfort is comfortable; with this, no trouble can be very trouble some.
Without this assurance there is little comfort in Soliloquies; unlesse, when we speake to our selves, wee can speake to God as ours. For in desperate cases, our soule can say nothing to it selfe, to still it selfe, unlesse it be suggested by God; Discouragements will appeare greater to the soule then any comfort, unlesse God comes in as ours.
See therefore Davids art, hee demands of himselfe why hee was so cast downe? The cause was apparant, because there was troubles without, and terrours within, and none to comfort, Well, grant this saith the spirit of God Soliloquie.in him (as the worst must be granted) yet saith the Spirit, Trust in God.
So I have.
Why then, waite in trusting? Light is sowen for the righteous, it comes not upon the suddaine, we must not think to sowe and reape both at once. If trouble be lengthened, lengthen thy patience.
What good will come of this?
God will waite to doe thee that good, for which thou shalt praise him; he will deale so graciously with thee, as he will deserve thy praise, he will shew thee his salvation. And new favours will stirre thee up to sing new songs: every new recovery of our selves or friends, is as it were a new life, and ministers new matter of praise. And upon offering this sacrifice of praise, the heart is further enlarged to pray for fresh blessings. Wee are never fitter to pray, then after praise.
But in the meane time I hang down my head, whilest mine enemies carie themselves highly, and my friends stand aloofe.
God in his owne time (which is best for thee) will be the salvation of thy countenance; he will compasse thee about with songs of deliverance, and make it appeare at last, that he hath care of thee.
But why then doth God appeare as a stranger to me?
That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer, hee withdrawes himself, that thou shouldst bee the more earnest in seeking after him. God speakes the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wildernesse. Happily thou art not yet low enough, nor purged enough. Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world, and therefore it will not yet appeare that it is Gods good will to deliver thee. Wert thou a fit subject of mercy, God would bestow it on thee.
But what ground hast thou to build thy selfe so strongly upon God?
He hath offered, and made himselfe to be [My God,] and so hath shewed himselfe in former times; And I have made him My God, by yeelding him his Soveraignty in my heart. Besides the present evidence of his blessed spirit, clearing the same, and many peculiar tokens of his love, which I daily doe enjoy; though sometimes the beams of his favour are eclipsed. Those that are Gods, besides their interest and right in him, have oft a sense of the same even in this life, as a fore-taste of that which is to come. To the seale of grace stamped upon their hearts, God super-adds a fresh seale of joy and comfort, by the presence and witnesse of his Spirit. And shewes likewise some outward token for good upon them, whereby he makes it appeare, that hee hath set a part him that is godly for himselfe, Psal. 4. 3.as his owne.
Thus we see that discussing of objections in the consistory of the soule, settles the soule at last. Faith at length silencing all risings to the contrary. All motion tends to rest, and ends in it; God is the center and resting place of the soule, and here David takes up his rest, and so let us. Then whatsoever times come, wee are sure of a hiding place and Sanctuary.
FINIS.
HAB. 3. 17. Although the figge tree shall not blossome, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall faile, and the fields shall yeeld no meat, &c. yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
PSAL. 91. 1. 2. Hee that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall lodge under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortresse; My God in him will I trust.
PSAL. 73. 26. My strength and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.