The Souls Conflict With Itself, Chapter 9
CAP. IX.
Of the soules disquiets, Gods dealings, … power to containe our selves in order.
MOreover we see, that the soule … disquiets proper to it selfe, besides th… Obser. 1.griefes of Sympathy that arise from the bodie; for here the soule complaines … the soule it selfe, as when it is out of the body it hath torments and joyes of its owne. And if these troubles of the soule be not well cured, then by way of fellowship and redundance they will affect the outward man, and so the whole man shall bee inwrapt in miserie.
From whence we further see, that God, when he will humble a man, needs not Obser. 2.fetch forces from without, if hee let but our owne hearts loose, wee shall have trouble and worke enough, though we were as holy as David, God did not onelyonly exercise him with a rebellious sonne out of his owne loynes, but with rebellious risings out of his own heart. If there were no enemie in the world, nor devill in hell, we carry that within us, that if it be let loose will trouble us more then all the world besides. Oh that the proud creature should exalt himselfe against God, and runne into a voluntary course of provoking him, who cannot onelyonly raise the humours of our bodies against us, but the passions of our mindes also to torment us! Therefore it is the best wisedome not to provoke the great God, for are wee 1 Cor. 10. 22.stronger then he, that can raise our selves against our selves? and worke wonders not onelyonly in the great world, but also in the little world, our soules and bodies when he pleases?
We see likewise hence a necessity of having something in the soule above it Obser. 3.selfe, it must be partaker of a diviner nature then it selfe; otherwise, when the most refined part of our soules, the very spirit of our mindes is out of frame, what shall bring it in againe? Therefore we must conceive in a godly man, a double selfe, one which must be denied, the other which must denie; one that breeds all the disquiet, and another that stilleth what the other hath raised. The way to still the soule, as it is under our corrupt selfe, is not to parlee with it, and divide government for peace sake, as if wee should gratifie the flesh in something, to redeeme liberty to the spirit in other things; for we shall finde the flesh will be too encroching. Wee must strive against it, not with subtilty and discourse, so much, as with peremptory violence silence it and vexe it: An enemy that parlees will yeeld at length. Grace is nothing else but that blessed power, whereby as spirituall, wee gaine upon our selves as carnall. Holy love is that which wee gaine of selfe-love; and so joy, and delight, &c. Grace labours to winne ground of the old man, untill at length it be all in all; Indeed wee are never our selves perfectly, till we have wholly put off our selves. Nothing should bee at a greater distance to us then our selves. This is the reason why carnall men that have nothing above themselves but their corrupt selfe, sinke in great troubles, having nothing within to uphold them, whereas a good man is wiser then himselfe, holier then himselfe, stronger then himselfe, there is something in him more then a man. There be evills that the spirit of man alone out of the goodnesse of nature cannot beare, but the spirit of man assisted with an higher spirit, will support and carry him through. It is a good trial of a mans condition to know what he esteemes to be himselfe. A godly man counts the inner man, the sanctified part, to be himselfe, whereby hee stands in relation to Christ and a better life. Another man esteemes his contentment in the world, the satisfaction of his carnall desires, the respect hee findes from men by reason of his parts, or something without him, that he is master of, this he counts himselfe, and by this hee values himselfe, and to this he makes his best thoughts and endevours serviceable; And of crosses in these things he is most sensible, and so sensible, that he thinks himself undone if hee seeth not a present issue out of them.
That which most troubles a good man in all troubles, is himselfe, so farre as he is unsubdued; he is more disquieted with himselfe, than with all troubles out of himselfe; when hee hath gotten the better once of himselfe, whatsoever falls from without, is light; where the spirit is enlarged, it cares not much for outward bondage; where the spirit is lightsome, it cares not much for outward darkenesse; where the spirit is setled, it cares not much for outward changes; where the spirit is one with it selfe, it can beare outward breaches; where the spirit is sound, it can beare outward sicknesse. Nothing can bee very ill with us, when all is well within. This is the comfort of a holy man, that though hee bee troubled with himselfe, yet by reason of the spirit in him which is his better selfe, hee workes out by degrees, what ever is contrary. As Spring-water being cleere of it selfe, workes it selfe cleane, though it be troubled by something cast in; as the Sea will endure no poysonfull thing, but casts it upon the shore. But a carnall man is like a Spring corrupted, that cannot worke it selfe cleare, because it is wholly tainted; his eye and light is darknesse, and therefore no wonder if hee seeth nothing. Sinne lieth upon his understanding, and hinders the knowledge of it selfe; it lies close upon the will, and hinders the striving against it selfe.
True selfe that is worth the owning, is when a man is taken into a higher condition and made one with Christ, and esteemes neither of himselfe nor others, as happy for any thing according to the flesh. 1. Hee is under the law and government of the Spirit, and so farre as he is himselfe, works according to that principle: 2. He labours more and more to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ, in whom hee esteemeth that hee hath his best being. 3. He esteemes of all things that befall him, to bee good or ill, as they further or hinder his best condition. If all bee well for that, hee counts himselfe well, whatsoever else befals him.
Another man when hee doth any thing that is good, acts not his owne part; but a godly man when hee doth good, is in his proper element; what another man doth for by ends and reasons, that hee doth from a new nature; which if there were no Law to compell, yet would moove him to that which is pleasing to Christ. If hee bee drawen aside by passion or temptation, that hee judgeth not to bee himselfe, but taketh a holy revenge on himselfe for it, as being redeemed and taken out from himselfe; hee thinkes himselfe no debtor, nor to owe any service to his corrupt selfe. That which he plots and projects and works for is, that Christ may rule every where, and especially in himselfe, for he is not his owne but Christs, and therefore desires to bee more and more emptied of himselfe, that Christ might bee all in all in him.
Thus we see, what great use there is of dealing with our selves, for the better composing and setling of our souls. Which though it bee a course without glory and ostentation in the world, as causing a man to retire inwardly into his owne breast, having no other witnesse but God and himselfe; and though it bee likewise irksome to the flesh, as calling the soule home to it selfe, being desirous naturally to wander abroad, and be a stranger at home: Yet it is a course both good in it selfe, and makes the soule good.
For by this meanes the judgement is exercised and rectified, the will and affections ordered, the whole man put into an holy frame fit for every good action. By this the tree is made good, and the fruit cannot but be answerable; by this the soule it selfe is set in tune, whence there is a pleasant harmony in our whole conversation. Without this, wee may doe that which is outwardly good to others, but wee can never bee good our selves. The first justice begins within, when there is a due subjection of all the powers of the soule to the spirit, as sanctified and guided by Gods Spirit; when justice and order is first established in the soule, it will appeare from thence in all o… dealings. Hee that is at peace in himselfe, will bee peaceable to others, peaceable in his family, peaceable in the Church, peaceable in the State; The soule of a wicked man is in perpetuall sedition; being alwayes troubled in it selfe, it is no wonder if it be troublesome to others. Unity in our selves is before union with others.Vnitas …te unionem.
To conclude this first part, concerning intercourse with our selves. As wee desire to enjoy our selves, and to live the life of men, and of Christians, which is, to understand our wayes: as we desire to live comfortably, and not to be accessary of yeelding to that sorrow which causeth death: As wee desire to answere GOD and our selves, when we are to give an account of the inward tumults of our soules: As we desire to be vessells prepared for every good worke, and to have strength to undergoe any crosse: As we desire to have healthy soules, and to keep a Sabbath within our selves: As wee desire not onelyonly to doe good, but to be good in our selves: So let us labour to quiet our soules, and often ask a reason of our selves, Why we should not be quiet?